Number One Hundred and Fifty-Four October 2015 Bernard Magee’s Bidding Quiz BRIDGEYou are West in the auctions below, playing ‘Standard Acol’ with a weak no- (12-14 points) and 4-card majors.

1. Dealer West. Love All. 4. Dealer East. Love All. 7. Dealer West. Love All. 10. Dealer West. Love All. ♠ A K Q 3 2 ♠ A 9 8 5 ♠ A K ♠ 6

♥ A K Q 7 6 N ♥ 10 7 6 3 N ♥ A K J 7 6 5 N ♥ K 5 2 N ♦ A 5 3 W E ♦ J 7 5 4 W E ♦ A 7 6 5 W E ♦ K 10 7 2 W E ♣ S ♣ 7 S ♣ A S ♣ A K 8 7 6 S

West North East South West North East South West North East South West North East South ? 1♣ Pass 2♣ Pass 2♦ Pass 1♣ Pass 1♠ 2♥ ? 2♥ Pass 2NT Pass ? ?

2. Dealer West. N/S Game. 5. Dealer East. Love All. 8. Dealer North. Love All. 11. Dealer East. Love All. ♠ A 2 ♠ 10 7 6 ♠ A 8 7 6 ♠ 8 7 5

♥ A K 4 3 N ♥ Q J 10 9 8 6 N ♥ 2 N ♥ 9 8 7 N ♦ A K 3 2 W E ♦ 7 5 4 W E ♦ A K 3 2 W E ♦ Q J 7 6 5 W E ♣ A 4 3 S ♣ 7 S ♣ J 9 6 5 S ♣ A 7 S

West North East South West North East South West North East South West North East South 2NT Pass 3♣ Pass 1♣ Pass 1♦ 1♥ Pass 1♦ Pass 3♥ Pass 4♥ Pass ? ? 2♦ Pass 2♥ Pass ? ?

3. Dealer West. Love All. 6. Dealer East. Love All. 9. Dealer South. N/S Game. 12. Dealer West. N/S Game. ♠ A K 4 3 2 ♠ J 7 5 ♠ A Q 3 ♠ A K 5 4 3 ♥ 7 N ♥ K 9 7 6 3 N ♥ J 10 6 5 4 N ♥ K 8 N ♦ Q 4 3 W E ♦ 7 5 4 W E ♦ A 2 W E ♦ Q 10 8 2 W E ♣ A K 9 7 S ♣ 7 4 S ♣ A Q 3 S ♣ J 7 S

West North East South West North East South West North East South West North East South 1♠ 2♥ Pass Pass 1♣ Pass 1♠ 1♠ Dbl Redbl 2♦ ? ? 1NT Pass 2NT Pass ? ?

Answers on page 2 Answers on page 5 Answers on page 9 Answers on page 12 Better Hand Answers to Bernard Magee’s Evaluation Bidding Quizzes 1-3 Bernard Magee on the Cover Introduction you reply 3♥ and he raises to 4♥. Your Better is aimed 1. Dealer West. Love All. partner knows you have 20-22 points so at helping readers to add greater ♠ A K Q 3 2 ♠ 5 why has he just bid 4♥? Because he has accuracy to their bidding. It deals with auctions in which you and your ♥ A K Q 7 6 N ♥ 9 8 3 a weak hand and he expects game to be ♦ A 5 3 W E ♦ 8 6 2 the partnership’s limit. partner, against silent opponents, S can describe your hands fully ♣ Void ♣ 9 8 7 6 5 4 It is very tempting to bid on with strong to each other and, by evaluating hands, but when you make a ‘limit bid’ them accurately, find the best such as 2NT – setting limits to your final contract. The emphasis of all West North East South strength – you leave your partner in good, accurate bidding is on hand ? charge. If East had 10+ points, he might evaluation. have contemplated a slam, but with just There are two general types of auction: 2♣. Your hand is extremely strong and five points, he rightly settled for game. a) a fit is found and b) no fit is found. must be opened at the two level, but should you open with a game- When you do not have a fit, you are aiming to describe the strength of your or just a strong two? 3. Dealer West. Love All. hand as soon as possible, most often Your hand has wonderful potential and ♠ A K 4 3 2 ♠ 7 6 using no-trump bids. This book begins it would not be unreasonable to expect ♥ 7 N ♥ K J 10 3 2 by discussing bidding to make ten tricks from your own hand, ♦ Q 4 3 W E ♦ 10 7 5 2 S in Acol, as it is very important that even if your partner has no points at all. ♣ A K 9 7 ♣ 4 3 both members of a partnership have Whenever you have a hand that can an accurate knowledge of how to show make game by itself, open 2♣ – your hands of different strengths. strongest opening bid. This keeps your West North East South When a fit is found, there is much partner bidding and will allow you 1♠ 2♥ Pass Pass re-evaluation of the hand to be done; to show both suits. Don’t forget the ? point count, though still important, definition of the strongest bid: 23+ high- needs to be evaluated together with card points or a hand that can make Double. You open 1♠, North distribution. The best way of reaching game by itself. 2♥ and the bidding comes back round an accurate assess­ment is to use Here, the auction would be to you. You have a medium to strong the Losing Trick Count; this is an straightforward: 2♣-2♦-2♠-2NT-3♥-4♥- opening hand and would like to compete important method of hand evaluation End. for the deal. Competing for the deal is and takes up a number of chapters. Your partner shows a double negative particularly important when you are short Finally, we move on to different forms and then supports your hearts. Making in the opponents’ suit. You might rebid of evaluation including game tries and ten tricks should be easy and eleven 2♠, but that excludes your partner from splinter bids. You can never know tricks are likely. the decision. Why not include him by re- enough methods of hand evaluation; opening with a double: this describes the more you learn, the better you get your hand perfectly. It suggests you are at judging your hand. 2. Dealer West. N/S Game. short in hearts and are happy to play Although the Losing Trick Count is ♠ A 2 ♠ 8 6 5 3 in any other suit, thereby keeping the used more easily in tandem with your ♥ A K 4 3 N ♥ Q J 9 2 partnership’s options open. Furthermore, partner, a large proportion of the ♦ A K 3 2 W E ♦ 8 7 it gives one last option, which occurs on ideas in this book can be used by an S ♣ A 4 3 ♣ Q 7 6 this hand. Your partner might be happy individual. For example, evaluating to play in 2♥ doubled. your hand to be worth an extra point East is weak on this hand, but when is going to help anyone you partner – as long as you get it right. West North East South he hears your double (for take-out), 2NT Pass 3♣ Pass he is happy to pass, confident that the £14 including UK postage 3♥ Pass 4♥ Pass best result for your side will come from ? defending. Two ace-king combinations Mr Bridge ( 01483 489961 and hopefully three or more trump tricks www.mrbridge.co.uk Pass. You have 22 HCP, so you open will result in at least +300, but you may 2NT. Your partner bids Stayman, to which well score more than that. ■

Page 2 BRIDGE October 2015 Features this month include: ADVERTISERS’ 1 Bidding Quiz by Bernard Magee INDEX 2 Better Hand Evaluation BRIDGE 2 Bidding Quiz Answers (1-3) by Bernard Magee 3 Clive Goff’s Stamps Ryden Grange, Knaphill, 5 Bidding Quiz Answers (4-6) by Bernard Magee 4 Odyssey to the Cape Surrey GU21 2TH of Good Hope with ( 01483 489961 6 Attack or Defence by Ned Paul Voyages to Antiquity 5 Easter Ireland [email protected] 8 Teacher’s Corner by Ian Dalziel with Fred.Olsen www.mrbridge.co.uk 9 Bidding Quiz Answers (7-9) by Bernard Magee 6 Mr Bridge 2016 Diaries 7 We Are Survivors shop: www.mrbridge.co.uk/ 10 Answers Your Questions Tea Towel mrbridge-shop 9 S R Designs 12 Bidding Quiz Answers (10-12) by Bernard Magee Bridge Tables Publisher and Managing Editor 13 Interpreting the Bidding by Andrew Kambites 11 Snow Shoes and Ski Doos with Fred.Olsen Mr Bridge 15 Defending Against Two Suiters by Jeremy Dhondy 12 Croatia with Mr Bridge 14 Rivers, Canals & Associate Editor and 19 Responding to 1NT by Bernard Magee Bridge Consultant City Overnights with Fred.Olsen Bernard Magee 20 Two Clubs by Heather Dhondy bernardmagee 16 Mr Bridge @mrbridge.co.uk 22 Sorry Partner! by Liz Dale Tutorial Weekends 17 Ancient Jordan to Cartoons & Illustrations 23 Catching Up with Classical Greece with Voyages to Antiquity Marguerite Lihou 25 Viennese Theatre Boxes by Shireen Mohandes www.margueritelihou.co.uk 18 Bernard Magee DVDs 28 Close Encounter with the Sheriff by 19 QPlus 11 Technical Consultant 20 Travel Insurance Tony Gordon 30 Sally’s Slam of the Month 21 Cruise across the Indian Ocean with 31 David Stevenson Answers Your Questions Typesetting & Design Voyages to Antiquity Ruth Edmondson 34 Keeping it Simple by Andy Bowles 24 Tips for Better Bridge [email protected] 26 Charity Events 36 Readers’ Letters 27 Festive Season 2015 Proof Readers Hugh Williams 38 Seven Days with Sally Brock 32 Baltic Capitals & Stockholm Archipelago Mike Orriel with Fred.Olsen Catrina Shackleton 40 Wendy Wensum’s Diaries Richard Wheen 32 41 Defence Quiz by Julian Pottage Rules Simplified Customer Services 42 Defence Quiz Answers by Julian Pottage 33 France Mini-Cruises Catrina Shackleton with Fred.Olsen [email protected] 43 At the Cheshire Cheese – or Boswell’s Coupe Jacques 35 Bernard Magee’s by David Holden and Roy Rowe Tutorial Software Events & Cruises 36 European Language ( 01483 489961 45 Declarer Play Quiz by David Huggett Directive Tea Towel Jessica Galt 46 More Tips by Bernard Magee 39 Just Duplicate [email protected] Bridge Events Megan Riccio 47 Declarer Play Answers by David Huggett 41 Denham Grove [email protected] Filming Weekend 2016 Sophie Pierrepont 44 S R Designs [email protected] REDUCE THE COST OF YOUR POSTAGE Bridge Table Covers 45 Bridge Events Clubs & Charities Postage stamps for sale at 90% of face-value, with Bernard Magee Maggie Axtell all mint with full gum. Quotations for 46 Canaries & Madeira [email protected] commercial quantities available on request. Winter Warmth with Values supplied in 100s, higher values with Fred.Olsen Address Changes available as well as 1st and 2nd class 47 Mr Bridge Playing Cards ( 01483 485342 (eg 2nd class: 100x38p+100x16p). 48 Christmas Cruise Elizabeth Bryan to Cape Town with [email protected] (/Fax 020 8422 4906 e-mail: [email protected] Voyages to Antiquity

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10093 TO VOYAGES ANTIQUITY ABTA No.Y2206 Answers to Bernard Magee’s Bidding Quizzes 4-6

on the Cover Easter Ireland responding. This time, you have just 4. Dealer East. Love All. three points so surely you should pass? ♠ A 9 8 5 ♠ K 3 Your hearts are so solid that they are ♥ 10 7 6 3 N ♥ 2 worth four tricks, but only if the contract ♦ J 7 5 4 W E ♦ A K 6 2 is in hearts. Your partner will not reach S ♣ 7 ♣ A 9 8 6 3 2 your hand unless hearts are trumps. Bearing in mind the length and quality of your hearts, you aim to respond 1♥ West North East South and repeat the suit. Most of the time, this 1♣ Pass will result in a better contract, because ? you will be making four extra tricks. Sails from Southampton th The full auction on this hand would 27 March 2016 • 7 nights 1♦. You need 6 HCP to respond at the be: 1♣-1♥-2♣-2♥-End. Your partner Balmoral • L1606 one level. There are a lot of rules in bridge would trust your bidding – the rebid of and, as any players who have played this 2♥ shows a weak hand with a strong six- • Southampton • Belfast, Northern game for any length of time know, they card suit, playable opposite a singleton. Ireland • Dublin, Ireland (Overnight) are all made for breaking. However, it is • Cork (from Cobh), Ireland important to break the rules only if you • Southampton have good reason. You would choose to 6. Dealer East. Love All. respond on a weaker hand only if you ♠ J 7 5 ♠ K 3 Daily bridge on board, bridge fees could be pretty sure that by responding ♥ K 9 7 6 3 N ♥ 2 included. Mr Bridge welcome & you will find a better contract. ♦ 7 5 4 W E ♦ A K 6 2 farewell drinks parties. Partners for S 1♣ does not look very good from your ♣ 7 4 ♣ A 9 8 6 3 2 single players. No single supplements hand: surely any other suit is better, even on selected twin grades of cabin. no-trumps (assuming your partner is strong)? The only time that responding will West North East South Great value Mr Bridge fares: not work on this hand, is if your partner 1♣ Pass Inside twin cabins from £629pp has a single-suited hand with six clubs. ? Outside twin cabins from £719pp This is quite possible, but you are playing Balcony cabins from £1,039pp with the odds. Clearly, if you are going to Pass. One more chance to break the Suites from £1,129pp respond, you should choose the cheapest rules. This time you have 4 HCP, but Twin outside cabin for £769pp suit, giving your side the best chance to you also have a little support for your sole occupancy find a better contract. Had you chosen 1♥ partner’s suit. How likely are you to or 1♠, your partner would have rebid 2♣. improve the contract by responding? Balmoral Instead, he can raise your 1♦ response. Unless you happen to have a heart fit, the contract will be a level higher and there is no reason to think that it will be improved. 5. Dealer East. Love All. Remember, you are telling a lie by ♠ 10 7 6 ♠ K 3 responding with 4 HCP, so you must ♥ Q J 10 9 8 6 N ♥ 2 have good reason to think that you will ♦ 7 5 4 W E ♦ A K 6 2 improve your result by doing so. Here, S ♣ 7 ♣ A 9 8 6 3 2 the wise action is to pass. The main reasons for breaking the responding rules are: either because you For reservations call Mr Bridge West North East South know a different denomination is better 1♣ Pass (hearts in Q5) or because you are very on 01483 489961 ? short in partner’s suit and are only just www.mrbridge.co.uk short of responding strength: any other Terms and conditions apply – see Fred. Olsen 1♥. Once again, you are faced with denomination is likely to be better, even 2016/17 worldwide brochure the option of breaking the rules for no-trumps (Q4). ■

BRIDGE October 2015 Page 5 FOC311297_Mr_Bridge_Adverts_261.5x57mm_W/C_27.07.15_FV.indd29/07/2015 2 14:42 Mr from Ned Paul 2016 Bridge Attack or Players’ Defence

Diaries artner (North) opens 1♥, your separate teams of players. One set of right-hand opponent (RHO) players is used for attacking when their overcalls 1♠ and these are two side has possession of the ball. This is Ppossible hands that you hold: the ‘Offense’ in American parlance. The other set of players are specialist defensive players who come on the Hand A Hand B field only when their opponents start ♠ 10 7 ♠ 7 with the ball. Their duties are limited ♥ K 10 8 7 ♥ K 10 8 7 to stopping the other side scoring. This ♦ A Q 7 ♦ Q 7 6 is the ‘Defense’. ♣ Q J 10 5 ♣ 10 5 4 3 2 Bridge has ‘Offense’ and ‘Defense’ too. Sometimes, the hand belongs to our side, ie we have the weight of cards ♦ Acol Summary by West North East South and we win by bidding to the best Bernard Magee. 1♥ 1♠ ? possible making contract. Sometimes, the hand belongs to the other side ♦ Guide to the Laws. With Hand A, it looks as if the value of and we can frustrate our opponents ♦ Scoring Tables for duplicate the hand is 3♥, a normal invitational by harrying them and stopping them and . limit raise, hoping that partner will reaching their own optimum contract. ♥ This can involve pre-empting them ♦ Distributional odds. have a little extra and go 4 . With Hand B, who knows? Traditionalists out of their contract in the first place, ♦ Hand patterns and who stick to the ‘must have 6 HCP or else finding a bid that will fascinating figures. to respond’ school might pass; a be cheaper than letting the opponents ♦ Cover colours: Red, Navy, less conservative player might bid play unopposed. Green, Burgundy. 2♥, adding shortage points for the Thirty years ago, defensive bidding singleton in the opponent’s suit. What was quite simple and more or less ♦ All covers printed in will this achieve? It will not block the limited to opening pre-emptive bids. gold-coloured ink. opponents if they have any kind of Now, it is much more developed ♦ Individual diaries spade fit, they will just ignore us and and there are ways of harrying the £6.95 each including p&p. bid on. Partner may bid one more, opponents even after they have got ♦ Special concession to clubs but the opponents will be in charge into the bidding. and teachers. 10 for £35, and as the auction develops, we are What makes the difference is to thereafter £3.50 each likely to have the last guess. What we have ways to communicate to partner including p&p. would like to do is bid a pre-emptive whether we are attacking or defending. 3♥ straightaway to try and block the Here’s how it works. When we have ♦ Luxury version with super-soft opponents. If we do that, however, a good hand to go with what partner kidrell cover, gilded page a wide-eyed and innocent partner has shown and we believe our side edges and a ball-point might think we have something more has the majority of strength, we throw pen attached, in ruby like Hand A and is all too likely bid on a flag on the field. This flag is a bid red or navy blue. £14.95 to 4♥ when it is not there. of the opposing suit. On Hand A, each including p&p. The best way forward is to consider we don’t bid a natural 3♥; instead, the sporting aspects of bridge and, to we bid 2♠ over the opponent’s 1♠. From Mr Bridge ( 01483 489961 my mind, the most analogous sport This unnatural bid is, of course, www.mrbridge.co.uk to bridge is American Football. In conventional and alertable. What American Football, each side has two partner understands immediately

Page 6 BRIDGE October 2015 Attack or Defence continued Dealer North. E/W Game. We Are Survivors ♠ K J 8 (For those born Before 1940 . . .) ♥ Q J 9 6 4 2 We were born before television, before ♦ 10 is that we are on attack. Using my penicillin, polio shots, frozen foods, ♣ A K 6 sporting analogy, we ‘have the ball’. Xerox, contact lenses, videos and the pill. ♠ 10 5 3 ♠ A Q 9 6 4 2 Partner can expect us to have a good We were before radar, credit cards, split hand worth at least a natural 3♥ in ♥ A N ♥ 5 3 W E atoms, laser beams and ballpoint pens, ♦ K J 9 8 3 2 ♦ A 5 4 an unopposed auction. Partner treats S before dish-washers, tumble driers, electric ♣ J 9 7 ♣ Q 8 it as an invitational heart raise and blankets, air conditioners, drip-dry clothes ♥ ♠ 7 will go on to 4 with a non-minimum . . . and before man walked on the moon. opening bid. ♥ K 10 8 7 In contrast, all direct bids of ♦ Q 7 6 We got married first and then lived partner’s suit (our ‘home’ suit) at any ♣ 10 5 4 3 2 together (how quaint can you be?). We level are pre-emptive bids. Any raise of thought ‘fast food’ was what you ate partner’s suit is defensive and limited in Lent, a ‘Big Mac’ was an oversized in strength. The failure to bid the West North East South raincoat and ‘crumpet’ we had for tea. We opposing suit is a warning to partner 1♥ 1♠ 3♥ existed before house husbands, computer that we think we are defending and ? dating and sheltered accommodation was where you waited for a bus. We were before day care centres, group homes and disposable nappies. We never heard of FM radio, tape decks, artificial hearts, word processors, or young men wearing earrings. For us ‘time sharing’ meant togetherness, a ‘chip’ was a piece of wood or fried potato, ‘hardware’­ meant nuts and bolts and ‘software’ wasn’t a word. Before 1940 ‘Made in Japan’ meant junk, the term ‘making out’ referred to how you did in your exams, ‘stud’ was something that fastened a collar to a shirt and ‘going all the way’ meant staying on a double-decker bus to the terminus. In our day, cigarette smoking was ‘fashionable’, ‘grass’ was mown, ‘coke’ was kept in the coalhouse, a ‘joint’ was a piece of meat you ♥ that the other side ‘have the ball’. Any North opens 1 , East overcalls a nor- ate on Sundays and ‘pot’ was something ♠ ♥ high-level bid we end up in is likely mal 1 and South pre-empts with 3 . you cooked in. ‘Rock Music’ was a fond to be a sacrifice. The more trumps North knows this is a pre-empt be- mother’s lullaby, ‘Eldorado’ was an ice- we have, the higher we can bid – cause of the failure to make the Unas- cream, a ‘gay person’ was the life and soul ♠ irrespective of point count – and the suming of 2 . Now, tell the of the party, while ‘aids’ just meant beauty more effective the preemptive barrage. truth. Would you, as a vulnerable West, treatment or help for someone in trouble. So we can bid a pre-emptive 3♥ on knowing only that partner has five Hand B, without partner thinking we spades, bid 3♠? It’s marginal, isn’t it? Yet We who were born before 1940 must be a have any strength. if you don’t, you have missed the boat. hardy bunch when you think of the way Most advanced duplicate players If you pass, North, who would have in which the world has changed and the are now bidding this way. The bid continued to 4♥ opposite an invita- adjustments we have had to make. No of the opponents’ suit is known as tional bid, will also pass. And East now? wonder there is a generation gap today the Unassuming Cue Bid. This is an 3♠, vulnerable and opposite a passed . . . BUT awkward name, first coined I believe hand? Only if you are feeling frisky. So By the grace of God . . . by the great . I’ll return North-South may win the contract in next time with more on UCBs, why 3♥ and make it when, in fact, the deal we have survived! they are called that and set out a range ‘belongs to’ East-West who can make of competitive auctions in which the 4♠ easily. The 3♥ bid enabled our side Printed in the UK on a 100% cotton tea-towel UCB can be used. to make a ‘goal-line stand’ and the op- Meanwhile, here is a possible deal ponents failed to score a ‘touchdown’. £5 from Mr Bridge ( 01483 489961 www.mrbridge.co.uk illustrating Hand B: Cool or what? More next time… ■

BRIDGE October 2015 Page 7 Teacher’s Corner – Teaching Tips from Ian Dalziel Full-Blooded Post Mortems – Part 1

n my supervised play sessions, I out as four dummy hands. The players familiar with them and can assess the use computer dealt random hands. are desperately keen to know if the de- hands very quickly. The players get no help at all dur- cisions they made were right or wrong I find that these random hands can Iing the bidding and play as this ruins and why. First I go over their bidding, throw up wonderful teaching points the hand for the others and slows it then I go over their play. By looking which are hard to design into prepared down, but each deal is discussed fully at the recorded winning cards, I can hands. I observe errors in the card play in the post mortem after the play. usually work out how the hand was which are missed by any other method For the post mortem, I need to know played, with the players filling in the of teaching. Eventually, random hands exactly how the hand was bid and gaps. If the bidding is straightforward, revise everything taught previously. played. I can’t rely entirely on players’ most of the time is spent discussing If I teach something in a lesson and it memories; trying to work out the play their play. If they land in a hopeless never appears in the random hands, it from the quitted tricks is very awk- contract, I may concentrate entirely wasn’t that important anyway. ward and slow, so the players keep a on their bidding. These hands teach the teacher also. It written record. lets me know if students have absorbed The dealer records the bidding on what I have taught previously and the form shown. The hand number is also brings out things that need to be in the left column, doubles are marked taught but I may not have thought to with an X and passes are shown with include in a lesson. Many of my lessons a dash, so the positive bids stand out. have been prompted by seeing errors When bidding is over, the form is in post mortems. Random hands are passed to dummy who records the not easy on the teacher; I don’t alter in the right column or reject any computer dealt hand, and, during play, writes down the even if it shows my in card which wins each trick. Ruffs are a bad light. Students who follow good marked with an X beside the card. The practice sometimes get a bad result, number of tricks declarer made is not- while those who break every rule in ed in the right column and circled. (If the book can get a great score. My it’s a table of five, then the extra player usual response is, ‘It’s hard to argue keeps this record). with success,’ or, ‘Well done, but don’t In the example shown below: dealer do it again!’ opened 1NT, which was doubled, and The students love these sessions, the final contract was 3♠. The lead they never tire of them and you will was ♥8, the first trick was won by ♥A, see improvement over time. Once you second trick by the ♥K, third by ♠A. have exhausted your teaching syllabus Tricks 9 and 13 were won by ruffing you can continue this format for many and declarer made 10 tricks. years. You have a job for life. At the end of play, the cards are put I use yellow paper for the pad, so the students call it the ‘yellow pages’. This This means that every student at can also be used for prepared hands in every table can have all their bids and teaching classes but I’ll say more about plays commented on if they so wish. that in future columns. It’s like having the teacher sitting over An A4 master sheet is photocopied your shoulder for the whole session. I and is cut into four 3 inch wide sheets, can manage up to five tables myself, then 16 sheets are stapled together but when doing it for the first time, with a backing card. then one teacher per three tables is Anyone wishing a PDF or Word recommended. If I use the same hands copy of the master sheet should email for more than one class, I become quite [email protected] ■

Page 8 BRIDGE October 2015 Answers to Bernard Magee’s SAVE £40 0N french pelissier Bidding Quizzes 7-9 on the Cover Tables.

unless you have 10+ points because you 7. Dealer West. Love All. are generally just trying to compete for ♠ A K ♠ 8 7 5 the hand. ♥ A K J 7 6 5 N ♥ 2 Here, you have 12 HCP but no fit: you ♦ A 7 6 5 W E ♦ J 9 8 4 3 2 should make a response, but do not get S ♣ A ♣ 8 4 2 too excited – your partner could be very weak. A new suit response should show at least five cards in the suit, so that is West North East South not a good choice with this hand. A 1NT 2♣ Pass 2♦ Pass response to an is very different 2♥ Pass 2NT Pass from a 1NT response to an opening bid. We have just received the ? Because you do not have to respond final shipment from the French to an overcall with 6+ points, this 1NT manufacturers of the famous 3♦. You opened 2♣, the strongest bid bid would be a positive call – showing a Pelissier folding tables. ♥ in Acol and then rebid 2 . Once you constructive hand. You may be short in In July, the French factory closed have started the auction this way, the hearts, but you should have 9-12 HCP. and we will now be producing two players must bid on until game is On this occasion, your partner would these beautiful tables in a new reached. Your partner bid 2♦ as a first pass 1NT and you would finish in the English factory in Devon. negative and then 2NT as a second best contract. To make way for the new negative: showing 0-2 HCP. You are in English production we are a game-forcing auction so there is no offering the remaining need to jump or guess the contract. Try 9. Dealer South. N/S Game. French-produced models at to describe your hand fully: you have ♠ A Q 3 ♠ 4 2 this very low price. shown long hearts, so why not show your ♥ J 10 6 5 4 N ♥ Q 9 8 It’s a chance for you to own a second suit? You can always rebid hearts ♦ A 2 W E ♦ K 4 3 genuine Pelissier table at a very S later if need be: remember, your partner ♣ A Q 3 ♣ K 9 5 4 2 special price. will keep bidding until game is reached. If you run a bridge club, Over 3♦, East bids 4♦ and the phone us for a quote on larger partnership might reach 6♦. West North East South quantities of tables. Delivery is 1♠ £10 per table for most areas. 1NT Pass 2NT Pass 8. Dealer North. Love All. ? HURRY! ♠ A 8 7 6 ♠ 9 2 ♥ 2 N ♥ A K 8 6 5 3♥. South opened 1♠ and you made the WE HAVE 0NLY A FEW ♦ A K 3 2 W E ♦ 7 6 4 sensible call of 1NT – your hearts were OF THESE TABLES S ♣ J 9 6 5 ♣ Q 10 2 not good enough to make a 2♥ overcall LEFT and your spade holding is fairly robust. Your partner invites you to game. West North East South You have 17 HCP, a five-card suit and Chartres - mahogany finish, baize. 1♦ 1♥ Pass a ten, so you should certainly accept the £199 ? invitation. However, rather than simply £159 bidding 3NT, why not bid 3♥ on the way, 1NT. Your partner makes a one-level suggesting five weak hearts, but also Call to ♥ ♥ 01483 750611 overcall which is passed to you. It is giving 4 as an optional contract? 3 is order at these special prices. important to remember that a one-level forcing: your partner chooses between overcall shows a very different type of 3NT and 4♥. Quote ‘Mr Bridge’s magazine’. hand from an opening bid and therefore East may well choose 4♥ here, with the responses are very different. three-card support and a doubleton. SR Designs for Bridge A 1-level overcall can be made on as 3NT will probably make nine tricks, but www.bridge-tables.co.uk few as 6 or 7 HCP, particularly with a 4♥ may well make eleven. If you can find good suit. As the partner, if you do not your eight-card major fits, they will often have a fit, you do not tend to respond outscore 3NT. ■

BRIDGE October 2015 Page 9 Julian Pottage answers your bridge questions

Should I Jump After Partner’s Pass?

Whilst playing Your partner, while 18 points. Was that The bidding was social bridge correct to pass first correct? If not, what aggressive (on Qwith my A time, might well was the right bid? A North’s part) but regular partner, I was have raised 1♠ to 2♠ to shut Doreen Parrington by email. understandable up until North on this hand: the opposition out. Having East’s final pass. By leaving passed 1♠, partner had A penalty double with 1♦ redoubled in and then a duty to give preference 18 points is correct. bidding later, West had ♠ A 7 5 4 to spades over 3♣. A The usual rule, if shown a sound opening bid. ♥ K 8 Up until your 3♣ bid, I the opposing 1NT opening East should have bid 3NT ♦ A 9 agree with your bidding. If shows 12-14, is to double rather than passing 2♦. ♣ A K J 8 4 you jump to 2♠ over 1♥, you with a good 15 HCP or more. are saying that you still see ♣♦♥♠ N W E a chance of game despite ♣♦♥♠ S partner’s initial pass. The opposition ♠ Q J 8 3 By bidding 3♣, you were Can you comment opened 2♠, which ♥ 9 4 3 showing a sixth club that on the following Qthey announced ♦ 8 6 4 2 you did not have; moreover, Qbidding? as a low two bid. The ♣ 7 3 partner had already hand had 11 points and expressed a lack of interest seven spades. Should in clubs by passing 1♠. Dealer West. N/S Vul. this have surprised me? West North East South Having already shown five ♠ K 6 3 Tim Hanson by email. 1♣ 1♥ Pass clubs and four spades, the ♥ A J 7 3 Pass 1♠ Pass Pass way to compete further was ♦ 6 I think you mean a 2♥ ? to double 2♥. That would ♣ Q 9 8 7 3 rather

have shown extra values ♠ A 9 8 N ♠ Q 7 5 2 than a low two. 11 W E A Not willing to pass 2♥ but no extra shape, which ♥ 10 6 5 S ♥ Q 9 2 points and a 7-card spade out with 19 HCP, I rebid describes your hand well. ♦ A Q 8 7 5 3 ♦ K J 2 suit is stronger than most peo- 3♣, which was passed ♣ K ♣ A J 6 ple play a weak two. Indeed, out. I was disappointed ♣♦♥♠ ♠ J 10 4 I would describe that as inter- to see that my partner ♥ K 8 4 mediate rather than weak. had left me in clubs, The hand on my ♦ 10 9 4 If the opener was in third when she had 4-card left opened 1NT ♣ 10 5 4 2 seat, it is normal to vary spade support. Qand the next the range. You can open a Her explanation was two players passed. weak two on a hand that that she thought I had West North East South would be a one opening long clubs as I had 1♦ Dbl Redbl Pass in first seat if you do not not shown a strong ♠ A Q 7 5 Pass 2♣ Dbl Pass think you can make game hand by bidding 2♠ ♥ 9 6 4 2♦ All Pass facing a passed hand. at my second bid. ♦ K Q 8 3 If the opponents misbid, Should I jump when my ♣ A K West made 2♦+3. mostly it will be to their dis- partner has not shown All the other tables advantage. They could easily any interest in bidding? played in no-trumps. miss a game, for example, if Ann Ridgway by email. I doubled with my Huw Jones, Swansea. opener is too strong.

Page 10 BRIDGE October 2015 Ask Julian continued You could have played in of the time; 4♥ made 42% 3♣ if partner had bid 2♣ of the time; 3♣ doubled first time and then rebid made 25% of the time and 3♣ over 2♦ from you. Most went down 800 or more What do of the time, that would only 16% of the time. I you think of have been a better spot. did not check for slams. Qour bidding Bidding 3NT, as you chose, Snow Shoes on a hand? ♣♦♥♠ seems reasonable. The & Ski Doos How could we have purpose of an opposing pre- bid it better? What call would empt is to make you guess you recommend what to bid. Sometimes, Qhere (game you will guess wrong. ♠ A 6 3 2 all and IMPs)? ♥ A K 10 6 3 ♣♦♥♠ ♦ 9 8 6 2 ♣ Void ♠ K 3 2 In standard

♥ K 10 7 6 N Acol, after a N ♦ W E W E J 9 6 S one of a suit S Q ♣ K 10 2 opening, partner will Sails from Southampton ♠ J 4 respond 1NT with 6-9 5th March 2016 • 13 nights ♥ 8 points with ‘nothing Balmoral • L1603 ♦ 7 4 3 West North East South better to bid’. It does ♣ A K J 10 9 8 3 3♣ Dbl Pass not imply a balanced • Southampton • Molde, Norway • Cruising by Rorvik ? hand, but sometimes • Cruising by Torghatten responder gets left • Cruising by Seven Sisters West North East South At the table, we could to play there. mountain range • Crossing the Arctic Circle • Tromso, ♥1 ♠ ♣2 1 1 3 have collected 1,100 We have been Norway • Alta, Finnmark, Pass 3NT3 All Pass from 3♣ doubled or discussing recently what Norway (overnight) 1Using the rule of 20; my rebid made 6♥ (partner difference is made if • Intercoastal scenic cruising • Bergen, Norway • Stavanger, was to be in spades. had a strong hand). opener’s LHO overcalls Norway • Southampton 2Jumping because of her length We stopped in game at the one level. in clubs. when I chose 3NT. What effect does that Daily bridge on board, bridge fees 3Unsure how to continue – I Name and address supplied. have on responder? included. Mr Bridge welcome & farewell drinks parties. Partners doubt this was correct as I had In particular, does a for single players. No single no clubs. Your choices are 1NT response now supplements on selected twin 3NT (you have clubs require a stop in grades of cabin. My LHO led a small A stopped and a flat overcaller’s suit? Great value Mr Bridge fares: spade which the jack hand), 4♥ (partner will often Steve Bailey, Inside twin cabins from £1,169pp won. This enabled me have four and you do have Guildford, Surrey. Outside twin cabins from £1,349pp to run off all the clubs 10 points) and pass (the Balcony cabins from £1,979pp when the queen fell opponents are vulnerable Yes, when the next Suites from £2,159pp on the second round. and there is no certainty of player overcalls, Twin outside cabin for £1,439pp I realise I was very making game your way). A the requirements sole occupancy lucky to get to make Nothing is perfect. If do change. For one thing, Balmoral so many tricks. partner holds a singleton partner has another chance Ann Yeldon, club, a club lead will take out to bid, which means you Seaford, East Sussex your only stopper in 3NT. do not need to strain to Partner has not guaranteed respond. For another, it is 1. Your hand is not four hearts, so 4♥ is far usual to have a stopper in the strong enough for from safe, especially with so overcaller’s suit. So A a . Although many losers. 3♣ doubled you would be showing a the 1♥ opening is fine, might make on a bad day. good 7 up to a poor you should have been I ran a quick computer 10 HCP as well as a For reservations call Mr Bridge planning to rebid 2♦ after simulation: 3NT made 52% stopper. ■ on 01483 489961 a response of 1NT or 2♣. www.mrbridge.co.uk 2. Your partner should not have jumped to 3♣. A jump E-mail your questions for Julian to: Terms and conditions apply – shift shows considerable see Fred. Olsen 2016/17 [email protected] worldwide brochure. strength, not just a long suit.

BRIDGE October 2015 FOC311297_Mr_Bridge_Adverts_261x41mm_W/C_27.07.15_FV.inddPage29/07/2015 11 14:45 1 CROATIA Answers to Bernard Magee’s Bidding Quizzes 10-12 3-17 May 2016 Bernard Magee on the Cover

minor, both players should be on the 13-27 Sept 2016 10. Dealer West. Love All. look-out for a no-trump contract. Here, Mr & Mrs Bridge ♠ 6 ♠ K Q 10 9 7 2 it is East who holds the strong hand, but ♥ K 5 2 N ♥ 4 3 with his weak clubs, he decides not to risk ♦ K 10 7 2 W E ♦ A 9 4 a no-trump bid. Instead he shows some S ♣ A K 8 7 6 ♣ 5 2 of his strength to find out whether you HOTEL From have any cover in the other suits. 2♥ is EDEN £1,399 not an attempt to play in hearts, because sharing West North East South West has denied length in the majors by ROVINJ 1♣ Pass 1♠ 2♥ raising to 2♦. ? Your job is to help your partner and show him where your strength outside Pass. When you open the bidding in diamonds lies: 3♣. East can then bid a suit and your partner responds in 3NT with confidence, expecting you to a different suit, you promise to make be able to stop the club suit. a rebid. This is not quite accurate: you promise to let your partner bid again, Rovinj is situated on the western coast of Istria in Croatia, the largest peninsula usually, this means you have to make a on the Adriatic coastline, a one hour bid, but if an opponent jumps into the 12. Dealer West. N/S Game. drive from Trieste, 2.5 hours from Zagreb. auction, then you can pass because your ♠ A K 5 4 3 ♠ 9 6 Boasting a rich, natural and cultural partner will have his second chance. ♥ K 8 ♥ A Q J 7 heritage, with beautiful landmarks such as N the old town, the Golden Cape Park Forest, On this hand, had South passed, you ♦ Q 10 8 2 W E ♦ A 7 protected islands and coastal area. would have rebid 2♣. However, with the ♣ J 7 S ♣ Q 8 5 4 3 The climate is warm and semi-dry, with 2♥ overcall, any call you make now will more than four months a year without wind. take the auction very high. You could try Hotel Eden is wedged right between a a take-out double, but this would suggest West North East South peninsula covered by a one hundred year shortage in hearts and some support for 1♠ Dbl Redbl 2♦ old park forest and a quiet cove. The old spades. Your best option is to pass and ? city centre of Rovinj is just a 20 minute walk away. let your partner bid his hand. East rebids 2♠ and you pass. With just Double. What does your partner’s Rooms: All rooms are equipped with a direct phone line, LCD SAT TV, mini-bar, five spades, your partner would have redouble mean? safe, bathtub or shower, toilet, hair dryer, tried to call something else, for example A redouble on the first round shows balcony, air conditioning/heating. Suites a take-out double, but here, with six that your partnership has the majority of are available, details on application. spades, 2♠ is right and West should strength and suggests you might be able Singles: There is a sole occupancy pass. to take a nice penalty. 9+ HCP and no supplement of £10 per room per night. If you are a single bridge player, please do not fit for partner’s suit – with a fit in spades, worry about being on your own. We will East would raise in spades or bid 2NT as always be able to find you a partner and you an artificial raise. can always have a game. 11. Dealer East. Love All. After a strong redouble, all subsequent Beaches & Pools: The playful curves of ♠ 8 7 5 ♠ A 9 2 doubles are for penalties. With length in the pool offer refreshment in the summer ♥ N ♥ with a salty breeze coming from the natural 9 8 7 A K 2 your opponents’ suit, you should double W E stone and pebble beach only a few steps ♦ Q J 7 6 5 ♦ A K 4 3 2♦ for penalties. East has a nice hand and S away. The vast outdoor pool will cool you ♣ A 7 ♣ 4 3 2 might expect a game to make, but with down after a day of lounging in the freely the vulnerability as it is (your opponents available deck chairs. vulnerable) he will pass 2♦ doubled, Terms and conditions apply. These holidays have been organised for West North East South expecting to get 500 or 800 points – Mr Bridge by Great Little Escapes LLP, ATOL 5933 1♦ Pass more than a non-vulnerable game. 2♦ Pass 2♥ Pass It is surprising how many penalties Details of the bridge programme ? you can get at the two level when ( 01483 489961 the opponents find themselves 3♣. When your partnership agrees a outgunned. ■

Page 12 BRIDGE October 2015 Improve Your Defence with Andrew Kambites Interpreting the Bidding

olding the West hand below, Did you get these right? Clearly, you minor suits that will give declarer a what is your opening lead af- know how to listen to the bidding. The torrid time. If he can get to dummy to ter auctions A, B, C and D? aim of this article is to show you that a , that finesse will H there are more clues from the bidding fail. Their spades are most unlikely than you may have realised. to be solid and partner will be in a ♠ 2 My next example is rather harder. similar position to deal with any spade ♥ A 8 5 N Your opponents are sound players so finesse. By now, you can almost write W E ♦ 8 7 5 4 3 2 S you can rely on their bidding. What down all four hands. ♣ K Q 5 are your thoughts about your hand in relation to the bidding sequence and what is your choice of lead? ♠ A Q 10 7 5 4 Auction A Auction B ♥ Q 3 2 South North South North ♦ 5 2 1NT 3NT 1NT 6NT ♠ 8 3 ♣ 3 2

All Pass All Pass ♥ A J 6 N ♠ 8 3 ♠ K J 9 6 W E ♦ K J 9 4 S ♥ A J 6 N ♥ 10 9 8 7 Auction C Auction D ♣ Q 10 9 6 ♦ K J 9 4 W E ♦ 8 7 S South North South North ♣ Q 10 9 6 ♣ 8 7 5 1♥ 3♥ 1♠ 3♠ ♠ 2 All Pass All Pass West North East South ♥ K 5 4 1♦ ♦ A Q 10 6 3 After Auction A, lead the ♦7. Hope- Pass 1♠ Pass 2♣ ♣ A K J 4 fully, you can set up diamond tricks. Pass 2♠ Pass 2NT After Auction B, lead the ♣K. Your Pass 3NT All Pass target against 6NT is two tricks. You Be passive. A spade lead (from your expect to drive out the ♣A and cash There are two main points. weakness and through strength) feels the ♣Q when you gain the lead with First, North-South will not have best. Suppose declarer tries the ♠10. the ♥A. many points to spare for their 3NT. Partner wins the ♠J and switches After Auction C, lead the ♠2. North could bid only 2♠, suggesting suit. When you next get the lead, try Partner should have some points, a weak hand (6-9 points) with six another spade. Declarer and dummy otherwise why have opponents not bid goodish spades. He won’t have might have 25 points, but how game? Your ♥A means declarer won’t much outside the spade suit. South many tricks do you think they will be able to draw trumps quickly, so you suggested game only tentatively with make? They have five obvious tricks. have good prospects of ruffing a spade. 2NT. His bidding on the first two Inevitably, you will have to give them After Auction D, lead the ♦7. rounds suggested five diamonds and a trick or two as you have to lead away Hopefully, this will be passive. If you four clubs. 2NT shows a stopper in the from honours later in the hand, but are really lucky, it might lead to partner unbid suit, hearts. He hasn’t got room they will surely go at least two off. ruffing a diamond. A singleton trump for more than two spades and if he had Most of this information was is not a good lead. Admittedly, you two spades, it would be logical to raise available to you from the auction and have the ♣K and ♣Q but leading the 2♠ to 3♠ rather than bid 2NT. the position of your honour cards over ♣K could easily cost a trick. Second, you have holdings in the declarer. I tend to get vibes when

BRIDGE October 2015 Page 13 Interpreting the Bidding Auction F make twelve tricks. That South North was entirely predictable on 1♥ 1NT the bidding. 2♦ 3♦ Of course, if you were defending. Sometimes, my 3♥ 4♥ playing duplicate pairs, vibes are very positive, as All Pass the decision would be a bit Rivers, Canals & here. I am very optimistic harder because you cannot afford to spray around over- City Overnight s that I will beat the contract. After Auction E, negative In an example as extreme as vibes are inevitable. North tricks at that form of scor- this, I would certainly have has shown a strong hand ing. doubled. If you are worried with at least five good clubs However, I would still lead that a freak distribution, or by jumping to 3♣. You have the ♦K. It is almost inevita- opponents who have bid no unpleasant surprises for ble that unless you make a misleadingly, will lead to declarer. The fact that you positive effort to take any 3NT making maybe one have five little clubs sug- diamond tricks you have, time in ten, I would say that gests dummy’s clubs may they will disappear. The if you never double a mak- be solid, providing declarer most likely scenario is that ing contract, you are spurn- with discards. It is difficult declarer can discard the Departs Southampton ing a lot of good penalties. to imagine four tricks for diamonds in his hand on 18th March 2016 • 7 nights On other hands, my vibes the defenders, unless part- dummy’s clubs, particularly ♦ Balmoral • L1604 might be far more negative. ner has the A. because you have five weak If playing rubber bridge or Playing teams or rubber clubs. • Southampton • Cruising teams of four, I might con- bridge, when overtricks Slightly less likely, giv- Western Scheldt river clude that my chances of count for little, I would start en your heart holding, is • Antwerp, Belgium • Hamburg, Germany beating a contract are poor, with the ♦K, hoping for this that declarer will discard (overnight) • Cruising Elbe leading me to make a risky, layout. dummy’s diamonds on his River • Cruising North almost desperate, lead. hearts. Sea Canal • Amsterdam, Netherlands (overnight) Generally, a bidding se- After Auction F, my vibes • Cruising North Sea Canal quence such as 1NT-2NT- ♠ K 8 4 3 are far more positive. They • Southampton 3NT suggests that declarer ♥ 6 have only just staggered into has 13-14 points while dum- ♦ Q 9 8 game. My red suit cards are Daily bridge on board, bridge my has 11-12 points. De- ♣ A K Q J 10 well positioned, sitting after fees included. Mr Bridge welcome ♠ J 10 ♠ Q 2 drinks party. Partners for single clarer has little to spare for declarer and are likely to ♥ A J 7 2 N ♥ 8 5 4 players. Special solos offers. his contract. That suggests W E provide three tricks. I have I will resolve any borderline ♦ K 6 S ♦ A 7 5 4 3 2 no need to take risks. A safe, Great value Mr Bridge fares: decision about the opening ♣ 9 8 5 3 2 ♣ 6 4 passive ♠J is called for. Inside twin cabins from £589pp lead in favour of the passive ♠ A 9 7 6 5 Here is the layout: Outside twin cabins from £719pp option. A bidding sequence ♥ K Q 10 9 3 Superior Balcony cabins from £1,079pp of 1NT-3NT tells me far less. ♦ J 10 Solos offer – Declarer could have 12 or ♣ 7 ♠ K Q 7 ♥ Outside twin cabin for 14. Dummy could have any- 8 6 sole occupancy from £839pp thing from 13 to 18. ♦ A 7 3 2 Try your skill at these ex- When the ♦K wins trick ♣ 10 7 6 4 Balmoral amples. What do you lead 1 (partner encouraging), ♠ J 10 ♠ A 8 6 5 from the hand below after I know he has the ♦A. The 4 3 2 N auctions E and F? simplest way forward is to ♥ A J 7 2 W E ♥ 5 cash the ♥A and continue ♦ K 6 S ♦ J 5 4 with the ♦6 to partner’s ♦A. ♣ 9 8 5 3 2 ♣ Q J ♠ J 10 His diamond continuation ♠ 9 ♥ N ♥ A J 7 2 W E will promote a trump trick K Q 10 9 4 3 ♦ K 6 S for the defence. Lucky? In- ♦ Q 10 9 8 ♣ 9 8 5 3 2 deed, but after this strong ♣ A K For reservations call Mr Bridge bidding, you are reliant on a on 01483 489961 bit of luck. Auction E Note that, if you led Partner will take the ♠A and www.mrbridge.co.uk South North passively, declarer would switch to a club. As long as

Terms and conditions apply – 1♠ 3♣ draw trumps in two rounds, you both continue to defend see Fred.Olsen 2016 brochure or 3♥ 3♠ www.fredolsencruises.com for details. discard his losing diamonds passively, you will come to 4♠ All Pass on dummy’s clubs and three red suit tricks. ■

FOC308983_MR_BRIDGE_Mag_June_strip_ads_W.C.15.06.15_FV3.inddPage 14 29/06/2015 14:47 3 BRIDGE October 2015 Conventions Part 9 with Jeremy Dhondy Defending Against Two Suiters

ou may or may not play You would hope that they would play If your opponents make an unusual various two-suited bids such in diamonds but essentially your hand no-trump bid at a higher level, you can as the unusual no-trump is defensive in nature with high cards, either bid on or discourage partner. Yand Michaels cue bids, but if your no good suit of your own and no Suppose the auction starts: opponents do, then, if used sensibly, it support for partner. You would double gives them an edge. However, you can with this hand also. Partner Oppo 1 You Oppo 2 counter their efforts by knowing what Once you have doubled 2NT, then 1♠ Pass 4♠ 4NT1 to do. If they show a two-suited hand, all subsequent doubles from your part- Dbl 1Two suiter then you want to be able to: nership are for penalties. This gives 1. Take a penalty or your partner a chance to double any Partner, when he doubles at his second 2. Show partner you have support or response to 2NT. The auction starts: turn, is suggesting a fairly balanced 3. Bid a suit of your own. hand with some defence and thinks Some partnerships have very Partner Oppo 1 You Oppo 2 the best result will be a penalty, rather complicated methods in these 1♠ 2NT Dbl 3♣ than trying to make 5♠. situations, but if you just discuss So far, you have been seeking a a few sequences, you can use their penalty but that is not always the convention to your advantage. ♠ A J 9 6 3 correct or desired action. If you have Suppose you pick up: ♥ Q 10 7 N support for partner’s suit it is less ♦ Q 4 W E likely that you want to seek a penalty, S ♣ K J 4 so you need to show your support in ♠ 5 4 a position where the opponents have N ♥ Q 7 5 already deprived you of room. W E ♦ K J 9 3 Partner holds the hand above and Suppose partner opens 1♠ and S ♣ A J 9 5 can double 3♣ knowing that it is very the next hand bids 2NT to show the likely to go down (and more than one minors. You hold: down) and that your side is by no Partner Oppo 1 You Oppo 2 means certain to make game. 1♠ 2NT1 ? When deciding between trying for ♠ K J 7 3 1Both minors a game or a penalty there are three N ♥ K 5 things to take into account: W E ♦ 8 4 3 2 S This looks like an ideal hand to seek 1. What is the vulnerability? If you ♣ 7 6 5 to extract a penalty. You have good are vulnerable against not then holdings in both minors and no you will need +800 to beat your support for partner. possible game. You would like to show support for You double and this shows a hand 2. If you bid game and have, say, a 5-3 partner. You will often have a nine card which wants to try to take a penalty. fit, then the chances of a 4-1 break fit, but if 3♠ here shows invitational val- You don’t have to hold both minors to are significantly higher because ues, then you will be overstating your do this. Suppose your hand is: one hand has already shown 10+ hand, yet passing means that partner cards in two other suits. will never know of your good support. 3. If you defend, it is often correct to One way round this is to bid 3♠ to ♠ 5 4 lead a trump to stop ruffs in the show a relatively weak raise such as the N ♥ K 8 5 4 hand short in trumps. Even if your one above and, if you have something W E ♦ K J 9 3 trump lead costs a trick, it will better, to cue bid one of their suits. It is S ♣ A 7 6 frequently return at least one trick customary to cue bid the higher one in by reducing ruffing values. this situation. Suppose you hold:

BRIDGE October 2015 Page 15 Defending Against Two Suiters whether it is 3NT, 4♥ or 4♠ is not clear. Mr Bridge You can cue bid their lower suit to show the other major and a forcing hand, so, 2015 Tutorial here, you would bid 3♣, showing at least five hearts and a decent hand. Weekends ♠ Q J 7 3 All the examples so far have the op- N ♥ Q 8 7 5 ponents bidding an unusual no-trump, W E ♦ A 6 5 4 but another very common interven- S ♣ 5 tion is for them to make a Michaels cue bid. The same sort of rules apply about taking a penalty, but if you are Partner Oppo 1 You Oppo 2 supporting your partner’s suit and you 1♠ 2NT1 ? have a weak hand, you want to bid as 1Both minors high as you dare quickly. One reason for this is a weakness of a Michael’s cue You have a hand well worth a high card bid. If the auction starts like this: raise to 3♠. Although you have a four Wyndham Garden card minor, it is quite likely they will Partner Oppo 1 seek to play in the other one. You want 1♠ 2♠ Grantham to show a high card raise to 3♠, so you (formerly the Olde Barn) cue bid their higher suit and bid 3♦. Then the Michaels cue bidder has Marston, Lincs NG32 2HT This is a good example of using their shown hearts and a minor. If you are conventional bidding to help your side. able to bid 4♠ straight away, it will be 30 Oct – 1 Nov £199 What if you have a suit of your own? hard for the next hand to diagnose Competitive Bidding You can do the same sort of thing whether they have a fit or not. Suppose Crombie McNeil to distinguish between a hand with the fourth hand has: minimal values or a stronger one. If you 6-8 November £199 hold a relatively weak hand, you can Leads and Defence bid your suit and if you hold a stronger N W E Gwen Beattie one, you can cue bid the lower suit. If S that is all too much to remember, you can ignore the difference in strength ♠ 5 3 2 and just bid 3♥ as natural and forcing. ♥ Q 8 Here are two examples. ♦ K J 7 4 3 ♣ 6 4 2 Partner Oppo 1 You Oppo 2 1♠ 2NT1 ? 1Both minors If his partner has hearts and diamonds, then his side are certain to have a cheap save and, if he has hearts and clubs, he ♠ Q 9 probably doesn’t want to put his head Blunsdon House N ♥ K J 10 9 7 5 3 above the parapet at the five level. Swindon SN26 7AS W E ♦ J 6 Even if you can raise only to the S 13-15 November £215 ♣ 4 2 three level, you can make their life Suit Combinations awkward. With the same start: Will Parsons On this hand, you bid 3♥. This is non- Partner Oppo 1 You Oppo 2 20-22 November £215 forcing, although partner with a good 1♠ 2♠ ? hand might go on. Finding Slams If, on the other hand, you hold: Patrick Dunham ♠ K J 9 3 N ♥ 3 2 Full Board ♠ K 9 W E ♦ Q 9 5 4 2 S No Single Supplement* N ♥ A Q J 6 4 ♣ 5 3 W E ♦ 5 4 2 S ( 01483 489961 ♣ K J 9 www.mrbridge.co.uk If you bid 3♠, then you deprive them

*subject to availability of the room to check on their minor fit, It is likely you want to be in game but however you have quite a weak hand

Page 16 BRIDGE October 2015 2011 Mr Bridge third page ad Amman-Athens_Layou

Defending Against Two Suiters further. Suppose the auction starts:

Partner Oppo 1 You Oppo 2 1♠ 2♠1 and don’t want partner to take you too Pass 3♣2 ? seriously. What you do is to cue bid 1Hearts and a minor. Ancient Jordan to their known major to show a decent 2Please pass with clubs and bid 3♦ with raise. For example you hold: diamonds. Classical

♠ K J 9 3 ♠ K Q J 10 6 N ♥ A 2 N ♥ Q J 10 9 8 Greece W E ♦ Q 9 5 4 2 W E ♦ A 5 hosted by S S ♣ 4 2 ♣ 4 BERNARD MAGEE

Now you have a very decent raise With this hand, you would not wish to to the three level with high cards, in give up and let them play 3♣, so you other words, the sort of hand that would probably bid 3♥, for which you would have responded 3♠ to partner’s certainly have the playing strength. 1♠ opening bid. What you do is to cue Suppose you held a much better hand: bid their major so the auction goes:

Partner Oppo 1 You Oppo 2 ♠ A K 9 5 4 1♠ 2♠ 3♥ N ♥ A J 9 4 W E ♦ A 5 S or ♣ K 4

Partner Oppo 1 You Oppo 2 1♥ 2♥ 2♠ The auction starts the same way and now you should not be happy to call Enjoy daily duplicates and 8 You are showing at least four card 3♥, so what else can you do? I suggest a included sightseeing tours on this trump support and the values to invite take-out double to show extra values. If fascinating bridge cruise through game or better. partner has hearts, he can bid 3♥ or 4♥ the Suez Canal to the Aegean If you had no agreements at all as the hand suits. If he happens to bid ♦ ♥ March 21, 2016 - 14 days before you and your partner had read 3 , then you can correct to 3 , know- from Amman to Athens this article, then this may be the place ing you have shown your extra values. Fly to Amman and transfer to hotel* to stop, but you can, if you wish, use He might even pass if he has clubs and • Drive to Petra (overnight hotel stay and ■ sightseeing) •Drive to Aqaba to join Aegean the opponents’ methods to help you not enough to double the first time. Odyssey in Aqaba • Cruise the Red Sea and Suez Canal • Limassol (Kourion) Antalya (Aspendos) • Rhodes • Kusadasi (Ephesus & Aphrodisias) • Delos & Summary Mykonos • Santorini (Akrotiri) Athens • Fly home l If your opponent makes a two suited bid and you have no good suit Great value Mr Bridge fares of your own, no prime support for partner and some values and Standard Inside from £1,850pp holdings in their suit, consider doubling and looking for a penalty. Standard Outside from £2,350pp Premium Outside from £2,695pp l Make sure you know what suits are being shown before you take Single supplement just 10% action. You are entitled to ask. For reservations call

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l When you want to support partner, consider the use of a cue bid of your opponents’ suit to show a high card raise to the 3 level.

l Consider a trump lead if you defend. It often helps to prevent www.mrbridge.co.uk declarer from setting up the second suit. Terms and conditions apply – see brochure or website for details * no bridge on overnight hotel stay

BRIDGE October 2015 Page 17 BERNARD MAGEE TUTORIAL DVDs

1 Ruffing for Extra Tricks 11 Signals & Discards 21 Weak Twos This seminar deals with declarer’s use of This seminar deals with Count, Attitude It is important to bid more in the modern ruffing to make extra tricks and then looks and Suit-preference signals: aiming to get game and weak twos are an important at how the defenders might counteract you working as a partnership in defence. choice for the competitive player. (104 mins.) this. (74 mins.) (92 mins.) 22 Trump Control 2 Competitive Auctions 12 Handling the play of the hand when This seminar focuses on competitive Bernard takes you through the basics of trumps break badly is an important attrib- auctions from the perspective of the endplays before showing some hands ute: playing calmly and using a variety of overcalling side and then from the opening where you can take extra tricks, then looks tactics to pave the way to success. (76 mins.) side in the second part. (86 mins.) at how to avoid being endplayed. (80 mins.) 23 Sacrificing 3 Making the Most of High Cards 13 Hand Evaluation An exciting aspect of the auction is outbid- This seminar helps declarer to use his high Going beyond just the point-count is ding your opponents and going down, but cards more carefully and then looks at important. Reaching & making 3NT on 24 gaining by doing so. Learn to bid more how defenders should care for their high HCP; and avoiding 3NT on 26 HCP when aggressively. (105 mins.) cards. (83 mins.) there are only 7 or 8 tricks. (110 mins.) 24 Improving Bridge Memory 4 Identifying & Bidding Slams 14 Pre-Emptive Bidding Remembering every card is a dream for The first half of this seminar identifies The art of pre-empting is so important most of us. However, learn ways in which to when a slam might be on. The second in the modern game. Understanding the remember the important things. (90 mins.) half covers some slam-bidding techniques. right hands to bid up on and realising the (96 mins.) importance of position and vulnerability. 25 Defence as Partner (96 mins.) of the Leader 5 Play & Defence of 1NT Contracts Defence is the hardest aspect of the game, This seminar looks at the most common 15 Splinter & Cue Bids it is where most players can make great and yet most feared of contracts: 1NT. Splinter bids are a vital tool to add to your progress. (104 mins.) The first half looks at declaring 1NT and slam bidding armoury & try your hand at the second part at defending. (88 mins.) Italian style cue bidding. (116 mins.) 26 Aggressive Bidding at Duplicate Pairs 6 Doubling & Defence against 16 Years ago, you needed 13 HCP to open Doubled Contracts As declarer, an important tactic is to be the bidding and rarely competed for a The first half of this seminar explores in control of the defenders: avoiding a partscore. Now the norm is to open lighter penalty doubles and the second half particular defender getting the lead. As and compete for every hand. (114 mins.) discusses the defence against doubled a defender, you can try to make sure the contracts. (88 mins.) right player gets the lead. (88 mins.) 27 Strong Opening Bids Managing your strong bids carefully can 7 Leads 17 Play & Defence at Pairs give you great joy, particularly when you Bernard takes you through the basic leads Duplicate Pairs is the game most of us have a neat bidding sequence to a lovely and the importance of your lead choice. play and getting used to the tactics will slam. (122 mins.) If you start to think about your partner’s make a lot of difference to your perfor- hand, you will get better results. (95 mins.) mance. (90 mins.) 28 Take-Out Doubles Bernard deals with basic take-out doubles 8 Losing Trick Count 18 Thinking Defence and their responses, then progresses to talk A way of hand evaluation for when you By far the hardest aspect of bridge, but if about competing for every partscore. (99 mins.) find a fit. Bernard deals with the basics of you can improve your defence your results the LTC then looks at advanced methods to will quickly improve. Learn how to think 29 Suit Establishment hone your bidding. (92 mins.) through the defence. (87 mins.) in Suit Contracts 5-card suits (and longer) are powerful things: 9 Making a Plan as Declarer 19 Defensive Plan Bernard tries to get across his passion for Bernard explains how to make a plan Looking at your own hand, then at dummy them by showing you how to develop your then expands on how to make the most and envisaging how partner’s hand will extra tricks through establishment. (81 mins.) of your long suits, both in no-trumps and allow you to make a plan for the defence. suit contracts. (87 mins.) (112 mins.) 30 / Defending Against a 1NT Opening 10 Responding to 1NT 20 Further Into the Auction Competing against a 1NT opening allows This seminar deals with Transfers and The first two bids of an auction are usually you to challenge for the partscore and Stayman in detail. The 1NT opening comes easy, but beyond that the complications disrupts your opponents’ conventions. up frequently, so having a good, accurate increase. Learn how to ‘talk’ to your part- Bernard talks about competing over 1NT in system of responses is paramount. (93 mins.) ner during the bidding. (95 mins.) general and then about Landy. (85 mins.)

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is a very common West has two decisions to make in this When to use the opening bid, espe- auction: first, does he want to play in conventions cially if you play hearts or no-trumps? Second, does he 1NTthe weak no-trump. It is imperative want to play in a partscore or a game Transfers are even more important that you have a good and efficient set contract? over the 2NT openings because then of responses. I suggest Stayman and East has shown a hand with five the strong hand can be hidden. red-suit transfers and go through both hearts (2♦ was a transfer) and then aspects of the system, looking at them invited game by rebidding 2NT. in detail. West has a maximum hand (14 ♠ A K 7 ♠ J 10 9 8 6 4 My little ditty for differentiating HCP) so he wants to go for game. He ♥ A Q 4 N ♥ 9 7 6 between when to use Stayman and also has three-card heart support with ♦ A J 3 W E ♦ Q 2 S Transfers is: a doubleton which suggests playing in ♣ A Q 9 5 ♣ 7 6 hearts. Stayman is used for four, West should put these two decisions Transfers for five or more. together and jump to 4♥. West East 2♣ 2♦ This suggests that you should use 2NT 3♥ Stayman when you have four-card ♠ 8 7 6 3♠ 4♠ majors, but with longer suits, use N ♥ K Q 9 7 6 transfers. W E ♦ J 2 After two artificial bids, 2NT is natural, S ♣ K J 4 showing 23-24 points, balanced. Since Transfers it is the equivalent of an opening 2NT, you should still play your systems over The first half of the DVD deals with Put the two hands together and this. East makes a transfer to spades transfers and this is a situation that you can see 4♥ is the best contract. and then bids game. This allows West comes up: 3NT may struggle to make, with the to be the declarer, not only hiding the defenders able to establish their spade strength in his hand, but also making suit before you can knock out both North lead in to that strength. As can ♠ A K aces. be seen on this hand: whatever North ♥ J 10 2 N chooses to lead will help declarer make ♦ A 9 8 3 W E Stayman his contract. S ♣ Q 7 6 5 Stayman and Transfers give tre- The second half of the DVD deals with mendous flexibility: it is important to Stayman. I deal with all the basics and know the system through and through West East then extend its use for weaker hands because it will come up over and over 1NT 2♦ where you can deal with any response. again. This DVD will help you get to 2♥ 2NT Then, I move on to when you can use know the system and understand the ? your conventions. various nuances that come with it. ■

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BRIDGE October 2015 Page 19 TRAVEL INSURANCE Heather’s Private Bridge Lessons Recently, I told you that I have been planning my personal travel arrangements for the coming year and my travel insurance cover. I am sure you are aware that when we reach a certain age, as I have, insurance premiums start to rise, especially with pre-existing medical conditions. I have had to seek out Two Clubs a new policy provider as my insurer for many years no longer wants my business. I have embarked upon researching this with my usual energy. As Acumen Insurance Services Limited advertise their Genesis brand, there are some points on their Cover Cloud travel insurance product that 2♣ opening bid shows either the play? I am sure will be of particular interest. a game-forcing hand or 23-24 Your only problem is the fourth Under their trading names, Genesis balanced. There is only one diamond and if trumps are 2-2, your and Cover Cloud, they are able to Asequence that may be passed below worries are over, so begin by cashing cover any age of traveller and most ♣ ♦ pre-existing medical conditions. game and that is 2 -2 -2NT. two top trumps. Unfortunately, they Cruise Cover is standard to all Cover are 3-1. What now? Cloud policies and Ski cover can be taken What call do you make with the North There is little chance of a minor suit right up to 69 years of age, which is quite cards on the following hand? squeeze, given dummy’s nine-high unusual. They have also negotiated with club suit, however, if diamonds are their underwriters on the medical side of 3-3, or the hand with four diamonds the policy and if you fit into the following ♠ criteria, you may be able to take advantage Q 7 4 also holds the last remaining trump, of this low cost policy on Annual and Single ♥ 7 5 2 you will succeed by cashing three top Trips up to a maximum age of 79 years. ♦ A 7 3 diamonds now and ruffing the fourth Basically, the definition of pre-existing ♣ 9 8 7 2 one in dummy if necessary. medical conditions is as follows: ‘Any past or current medical condition that has given N ♣ rise to symptoms or for which any form Responding to 2 W E ♦ of treatment or prescribed medication, S 2 is a negative, showing fewer medical consultation, investigation or than 8 points. However an ace follow-up/check-up has been required ♠ A K J 10 8 5 and a king is considered to be or received during the 24 months prior ♥ A K Q sufficient for a positive. to the commencement of cover under ♦ K Q 6 4 this policy and/or prior to any trip.’ 2M/3m Positive values and a 5-card Therefore, if you have not experienced ♣ Void suit. any of the above within the 24 months prior 2NT Positive values and no 5-card to the commencement of cover, you will suit. be accepted. However, great care should West North East South 3M Solid suit, at least A-K-Q-x- be taken in checking your medical history 2♣ to ensure that you fit the criteria exactly. x-x. A jump rebid by opener ♦ ♠ I am now a Cover Cloud Policy holder, Pass 2 Pass 2 also shows a solid suit. but this is in no way a recommendation Pass ? (M=major and m=minor) as you would have to check the policy to ensure it suits your particular Your partner’s 2♠ bid is forcing to What call do you make with the South requirements in every way. game, so there is no need to jump to cards having opened 2♣ and heard a Putting travel to one side for a moment, ♠ ♠ ♥ when you click onto the Genesis logo from 4 . A bid of 3 shows a stronger hand 2 response from partner? my website and select ‘Get Quote’, you than jumping to 4♠ and suggests at will see that there is now a wide range of least one top honour, since it leaves insurance products available to members more room to investigate a slam. It ♠ Void including Home Emergency, Mobile allows partner to cue bid 4♣ and now ♥ A J 10 7 5 3 2 Phone/Gadget, Home Appliance plus Pet ♦ ♦ 8 7 2 Insurance. I am sure you will find some of you can cue bid 4 . What call would interest. If you are interested in any of the you make now with the South cards? ♣ K 9 7 above, do email me at bridge@mrbridge. Your partner’s diamond cue bid co.uk giving me your name, address and is great news and you need just to N W E telephone number and I will ask the very know about the queen of trumps. helpful people at Genesis Choice Travel S Insurance Specialists to ring you and Jump to 5NT, , answer any questions you might have. asking about partner’s trumps. Over ♠ A K Q J 10 5 2 This is as enthusiastic an endorsement as I the 6♦ response (showing one of the ♥ 4 dare make without getting into trouble. top three honours) you decide to have ♦ A K Ring 01702 345032. Mr Bridge a go at 7♠. ♣ A 5 4 West leads the ♣A. How do you plan

Page 20 BRIDGE October 2015 2011 Mr Bridge third page ad Cape-colombo_Layout

Two Clubs continued ♠ K 2 ♥ K 7 5 4 2 ♦ 8 6 5 West North East South ♣ Q 5 2 2♣ Cruise across Pass 2♥ Pass ? N W E S the glorious Jump to 3♠, which sets the trump suit and invites partner to co-operate. ♠ A Q As North, you need not worry about ♥ A 3 Indian Ocean ♦ A K Q 4 having a void in spades and should JOIN MR & MRS BRIDGE cue-bid 4♥. Our South checked for ♣ A 8 7 4 3 aces and kings and settled for 6♠ when there was a king missing. Fair enough to stop out of a grand slam, but I think West North East South he should have bid 6NT. 2♣ West leads the ♥K against 6♠. How Pass 2♥ Pass 2NT do you plan the play? Pass 3NT All Pass With twelve top tricks, the only possible danger will come from a How do you plan the play in 3NT on , so to make sure of your contract the lead of the ♠J? this opening lead! It looks a very The spade duplication leaves you strange thing to do with an ace facing under pressure to develop a ninth a singleton, but it is the safest play. You trick quickly, so you don’t have the can then ruff a heart continuation and luxury of testing the hearts first and throw your losing club away on the ♥A then falling back on leading a club after trumps have been drawn. towards the queen. The simple chance of finding the ♣K onside represents Most sequences following 2♣ and your best option, so cash the ♣A (in Limited space a positive response by partner are case a singleton king falls) and then in bridge party forcing as far as 4NT. lead towards the queen. What is the point of that? The Enjoy daily duplicates on this reason is that the auction has already So the general rules are: exotic bridge cruise from started at a high level by the time you 2♣-2♦ is forcing to game (exception Africa to Asia have opened 2♣ and given a positive 2♣-2♦-2NT). response and it allows more room to 2♣-any other is forcing to 4NT January 16, 2016 - 24 days develop the auction without fear of (exceptions: as above). from Cape Town to Colombo being passed out. After all, 23+ points Fly to Cape Town and join Aegean Odyssey and 8+ points should be enough for at Since 2♣ and a positive is forcing to Cruise to Port Elizabeth (Addo Elephant Park) • Richards Bay (Hluhluwe Game least 4NT even if no fit is found. 4NT, it is important to understand Reserve & St Lucia Nature Reserve) If you want to make some exceptions the meaning of 4NT in any sequence. Mayotte • Mahe • Praslin/La Digue to this rule, you will need to agree them These simple rules should help: Kuda Bandos • Colombo (Kandy) • Fly home with your partner. My suggestions l Responder to 2♣ may not use Great value Mr Bridge fares would be: Blackwood. They will not have Standard Inside from £3,995pp l 2♣-2M-2NT-3NT, sufficient information about all of Standard Outside from £4,950pp l any sequence where one player partner’s other high cards to take Premium Outside from £5,295pp has bid and rebid their major and control of the auction. 4NT by re- Single Supplement just £200 received no support from partner. sponder is always natural and non- in selected cabin categories 4 of that major should be passable. forcing. For reservations call l 2♣ opener’s use of 4NT is as it On this deal (in next column), you are would be in other sequences: it better off rebidding 2NT after partner’s is Blackwood, unless it is a direct on 01483 489961 2♥ response, given the poor quality of raise of no-trumps when it is quan- your clubs. You have a semi-balanced titative. hand with no major and good stoppers in the outside suits. Over partner’s Opener’s Rebids www.mrbridge.co.uk non-forcing 3NT rebid, you are happy 2♣-2♦-2NT shows 23-24 balanced and Terms and conditions apply – see brochure or website for details to pass. is non-forcing, but with 2+ points

BRIDGE October 2015 Page 21 Two Clubs continued continues with clubs, you Beginners’ Bridge Corner should lead towards the ten again. Your clubs in dummy mean that the defence can Sorry Partner! take no more than two responder should bid on clubs, two spades and the and Stayman will apply. ace of diamonds. Don’t Make a Weak This is the only sequence where you can stop short of 2♣-2♦-2M shows 5+ cards Limit Bid with a game after a ♣2 opening. in the major. This sequence is game forcing so you Game-Going Hand should be able to see game ♠ 10 5 in your own hand before ♥ 7 6 5 3 using this sequence. by Liz Dale ♦ 8 7 If partner raises your 2M ♣ 9 8 5 3 2 to 3M, it shows a stronger ary was on her other than, ‘Thank you hand than raising to four. way to Joan’s partner,’ but she didn’t look N This is because with better half an hour too happy. East turned to W E M S hands, more room is needed earlier than the others. Mary and said, ‘You would to develop the auction – this They had agreed to meet have bid on, wouldn’t you?’ ♠ A Q 7 4 3 is known as the Principle of to go over last week’s ♥ A K 2 Fast Arrival. homework which they The Moral ♦ K Q 10 If no suit has been agreed, were still struggling with. When West made the ♣ A Q a jump bid of your suit in a Mary found the difficulty opening bid, she had game-forcing auction shows wasn’t so much in bidding already worked out that a solid suit. the strong two openers, her rebid would be 1NT West North East South it was remembering the showing 15-17 HCP with 2♣ Second Negatives negative responses that a balanced hand. Any Pass 2♦ Pass 2NT seemed to give her the supporting bid is a limit bid: All Pass Second negatives are given most problems. Ah well, East’s 2♦ rebid supports in some sequences to show never mind, she was sure diamonds but also shows You open 2♣ with the South 0-4 points. These apply they would have it sorted weakness, suggesting that cards and hear partner when you have already out before tomorrow’s game is not on even though respond 2♦. Do you rebid given a negative, and occur lesson, if necessary they West has 15-17 HCP. 2♠ or 2NT? in the following sequences: would stay on after today’s East knows a lot about Since you don’t have game l 2♣-2♦-2M-2NT is a session. Joan beamed as West’s hand. She knows in your own hand, you are second negative (note she opened the door, ‘The it’s balanced and the better off rebidding 2NT. that you are denying cruise brochures have point count. That’s a lot Holding the North cards, support. With support arrived. Come and see.’ of information. If East had you will clearly leave it you would raise 2M All thoughts of responses to added her balanced 12 there. directly to 4M to show strong twos were forgotten. points to those shown by The lead is the ♣6. East a weak hand with the 1NT rebid, she would plays the king and you win support). West North East South know the partnership has the ace. How do you plan l 2♣-2♦-3♣-3♦ is a second 1♦ Pass 1♥ Pass more than the necessary the play? negative. 1NT Pass 2♦ All Pass 25 points for a 3NT Obviously, you are very These are the only second game. East, therefore, unlikely get to dummy so negative sequences. Second should have bid 3NT, must tackle everything from negative sequences are still ♠ A J 2 N ♠ 8 7 3 setting the contract. ♥ 9 6 4 W E ♥ K J 10 2 your own hand. Following forcing to game, they just S East was in the driving the general principles of give opener a clearer picture ♦ A Q 10 9 ♦ K 8 7 6 seat; West doesn’t know playing no-trumps by of your hand when it comes ♣ A 7 5 ♣ K Q that East has 12 points. attempting to establish your to judging whether to bid a Only East does and long suit, you should play slam. East hasn’t passed this on spades. Dummy’s ten is Note that there is no East, whilst tabling dummy, information to West in the potentially a useful card and second negative available and with slightly raised bidding. Yes, 2♦ makes but you should begin by leading over opener’s 3♦. This is eyebrows said, ‘I didn’t they also would have made towards it, hoping that because it is more useful to expect you to stop bidding 3NT and scored a lot better. West holds the jack. When be able to use 3M and 3NT partner.’ West said nothing A missed opportunity! West rises with the jack and as natural bids. ■

Page 22 BRIDGE October 2015 Catching Up by Sally Brock

am sure I mentioned in my last team beat Susanna’s narrowly and we All their declarer thought was that the article (quite possibly more than went on to win the event while they grumbler did not sound like a man once!) that Toby got a first in came second, snapping at our heels. with the king of trumps. Accordingly, Ihis medical engineering degree at Afterwards, we all went out to a local he dropped it offside – we lost the Bradford. So speaks the proud mother Indian restaurant for dinner. match. Anyway, despite being clear (though not sure that it had anything On the Sunday, we all went to Al- favourites for this match we lost, whatsoever to do with me). Of course, trincham for the Swiss teams. My quite decisively. It’s not enough to be Briony and I went to Bradford for team was Susanna and me with Rod- good players, you also have to play his graduation ceremony and very ney and John Currie (now back from well, especially if your opponents are erudite he looked, too, in his robes and holiday); the other team was Barry playing well and with luck. mortarboard. Afterwards, we went to and Ollie with Alan and Mike. We With 10 boards to go, we were 210 Leeds for dinner at a restaurant called drew each other in the first round and down, but they really put their foot Fazenda where you eat as much as you we won by 13 IMPs. Although we may on the accelerator in the last set. In like. They keep coming round with have got the upper hand in this direct our room (which finished first), we various meats on skewers; you say ‘yes’ match, they did better in the rest of the thought we had lost it when they bid or ‘no’. It was novel – all the meat was event, finishing second to our 9th. and made a vulnerable grand slam on well cooked and the salad bar suited The following weekend saw us the last board. Briony very well. Afterwards, the kids back north again – well, more in drove back to High Wycombe while I the Midlands really. On the Friday got a train to Manchester … evening, we went out to dinner with Dealer West. N/S Vul. Every year, if we can, we go to my godmother Jane and her partner ♠ 7 3 Manchester for the weekend in July Roy. They are the sort of 85-year-olds ♥ K 10 9 7 5 when they have the who make the prospect of getting that ♦ K Q 5 4 Memorial Trophy on the Saturday and far seem attractive. We had a jolly ♣ A 10 then a one-day Swiss teams on the good evening before retiring to the ♠ Q J 10 8 4 2 ♠ 9 6 5 ♥ 8 6 3 N ♥ Q J 2 Sunday. Because I was in Bradford on hotel we had booked in Nottingham. W E the Thursday, I decided to go straight Then, it was the final ♦ 2 S ♦ J 7 to Manchester rather than go back (national pivot mixed teams scored ♣ 8 5 2 ♣ K J 9 7 4 south only to drive north again the on total points). We were playing a ♠ A K following day. This year, eight of us Newcastle team headed by Val Gibson. ♥ A 4 formed two teams for both events and Derby or Nottingham had been ♦ A 10 9 8 6 3 it was a bit unclear exactly who was proposed venues for the event, but ♣ Q 6 3 going to play with whom in what. It Val’s good friends Mick and Sheena turned out that in the Michelle teams, Haytack stepped in and offered to I captained one team which included stage the event. We were happy with West North East South Alan Mould, Mike Newman and Neil that as it’s much nicer to play in 3♠ Pass 4♠ Dbl Thomas (a last-minute substitute for someone’s house than a bridge club. Pass 5♥ Pass 6♦ John Matheson who had to withdraw My only reservations were that many, Pass 7♦ All Pass due to illness). The other team was many years ago we had played Mick captained by and and Sheena in an early round of the Maybe we pushed them into it; maybe included Barry, Rodney Lighton (our same event. We were already a pretty they would have bid it anyway. Given a host) and Ollie Burgess. As you can successful team while they had not much freer run, our team-mates sub- imagine, there was a fair bit of needle been playing long. On the last board, sided in the small slam. It is not such a to this. It wasn’t so much that we they had bid a grand slam, seven clubs. good grand slam, needing to bring in wanted bragging rights, more that the One of our team, who shall remain the heart suit for two discards. In prac- idea of Barry bragging for all eternity nameless, grumbled at the sight of tice, that means either a 3-3 break or was too much to bear! In the event, my dummy and the opponents’ bidding. East holding H-x-x-x (I think I

BRIDGE October 2015 Page 23 Catching Up continued online, even people with ex- Bernard Magee’s Tips tremely limited movement could play. So, we have been for Better Bridge thinking of ways to link the 65 invaluable tips in 160 pages would cash two honours two. Things in the pipeline and run the ten if an hon- are: Bidding Tips 33 A low lead usually promises our appeared from West). 1. To set up a bridge club 1 Always consider bidding length and an honour Anyway, as it happened, this at the National Spinal Inju- spades if you can 34 When declaring 1NT, 2 Bid more aggressively try to be patient board was not enough by it- ries Centre at Stoke Man- when non-vulnerable 35 Duck an early round when self as the final margin was deville Hospital. Patients 3 Always double when the you are short of entries opponents steal your deal 36 Lead up to your 1,590 points. spend, on average, six 4 A take-out double shows two-honour holding The match was played in a months there undergoing shortage in the suit doubled 37 Do not always assume great spirit and we stayed on rehabilitation and trying to 5 ‘Borrow’ a king a suit will break well to keep the auction open 38 Drop a high card for several hours, eating and get on track with rebuilding 6 After a penalty double, to put off the defence drinking and going through their lives. Even when they don’t let the opponents escape 39 Play your highest card to tempt the card. are ready to be discharged, 7 Halve the value of a singleton a defender to cover honour when opening 40 Draw trumps first unless you After another night in they often spend months at 8 Only add length-points for a have a good reason not to Nottingham, we went to the centre just waiting to be suit that might be useful 41 Do not waste your trumps Loughborough to have given housing or to produce 9 Isolated honours are bad 42 Consider leaving a lone defen- except in partner’s suit sive trump winner out lunch with some friends a suitable care plan. To of- 10 Use the jump shift sparingly who had just moved there. fer bridge teaching to these 11 Consider passing and letting Defence Tips We got to admire both their people would not only be a partner decide 43 Keep four-card suits intact 12 You need two top honours whenever possible new house and their small good use of their time whilst for a second-seat pre-empt 44 Give count on declarer’s leads child, who gets more de- in the hospital, but could 13 Put the brakes on if you have a 45 Keep the right cards lightful on each acquaint- also set them up long-term misfit rather than 14 Strong and long minors work 46 Take your time ance. Then, it was a slow with a new hobby. well in no-trumps when dummy is put down drive back to London … 2. The charity’s fund- 15 One stop in the opponents’ suit 47 High cards are for killing Otherwise, in this period raising initiative is called can be enough for no-trumps other high cards 16 Keep your two-level 48 Do not waste we saw the re-opening of Wheels at Work. The aim is responses up to strength intermediate cards the Young Chelsea Bridge to raise awareness and en- 17 Use your normal methods in 49 Pick two key suits to Club. Having been with- courage empathy through response to a 1NT overcall concentrate on during the play 18 Don’t overcall just because 50 If in doubt, cover an honour out a permanent home for a one-off day spent in a you have opening points with an honour a couple of years, everyone wheelchair. Participants try 51 If a lead is from two honours, it 19 Overcalls can be quite weak, has been looking forward to get sponsorship for this to so be prudent when responding is best not to cover 20 Weak overcalls must be based 52 Keep your honour to kill to a more settled future. The raise money for the charity, on strong suits dummy’s honour new premises is particularly but the main purpose is rais- 53 Try to show partner your 21 6NT requires 33 points convenient for us, being ing awareness. We thought it not 4 aces and 4 kings solid honour sequences 22 Raise immediately, if weak 54 Lead the normal card when only about a three-minute would be good to apply this with four-card support leading partner’s suit walk from Barry’s flat. It is to bridge clubs too, in con- 23 In a competitive auction, 55 Never underlead an ace at trick show support immediately one in a suit contract directly opposite Goldhawk junction with a bridge prob- 24 Bid to the level of your fit 56 Be wary of leading from Road underground station. lem competition to be sold quickly with weak hands four cards to only one honour Although it is in a basement, in order to fundraise. How 25 With strength and support, 57 Lead a higher card from use the opponents’ bid suit a suit without an honour it is light, airy and welcom- well does your bridge club 58 Lead through ‘beatable’ ing. It also has good catering cope with disabled people? strength and up to weakness facilities. I would thorough- Does your club encourage Declarer Play Tips 59 Cash your winners before try- 26 When your contract depends ing for a ly recommend that you pay diversity openly? Any of you on a finesse, think ‘endplay’ 60 Be patient when defending it a visit. who think your club would 27 Consider what a defender 1NT The other thing that has like to take part in this could might be thinking about 61 Trump leads can be safe 28 Always take your time throughout the play been occupying me recently email me at sally@sally- at trick one has to do with Briony’s new brock.com. 29 Establish extra tricks before General Tips cashing your winners 62 Do not put important cards job at Stoke Mandeville Spi- 3. We are also trying to 30 Use your opponents’ at either end of your hand nal Research, a charity that organise a charity event in bidding to your advantage 63 Avoid being declarer when focuses on improving the central London. Plans are 31 Avoid the ‘baddie’ you are dummy gaining the lead 64 Before you lead, ask for a quality of life after paralysis. still in their infancy, but it 32 Use the Rule of Seven when review of the auction It seems to me that maybe seems a good idea to use holding up in no-trumps 65 Enjoy the Game! bridge would be of particu- as many connections as we £14 including postage and packing from Mr Bridge, lar interest to those with spi- have in to Ryden Grange, Knaphill, Surrey GU21 2TH. ( 01483 489961 nal cord injuries. Nowadays, stage a high-end, glamorous it is so easy to play bridge evening. ■

Page 24 BRIDGE October 2015 A Blast From the Past 16 by Shireen Mohandes Viennese Theatre Boxes

ne Mr George Nelson wrote Short (1864), he introduced the an informative article titled technique using these words, ‘I may, The History of Card Problems however, permit myself to present to Oin the April 1949 edition of Bridge my readers one of the most beauti- Magazine. In it he explained that the ful problems I have ever seen. It oc- Vienna , originally from the curred a few months back in actual game of Whist, dates from about the play in Vienna, and at double dummy. 1820s.* He tells us that, ‘About this Its story runs thus: The most celebrat- period such was the craze for whist in ed player in Vienna had to play the Vienna that they Nos. 1 and 3 (author note: this means played the game North and South). As soon as the cards in theatre boxes were exposed, he exclaimed, “Why I whist listening shall make all thirteen tricks!” This to the opera.’ appeared impossible to the bystand- In his day, ers… Large bets were made against James Clay MP the accomplishment of the feat, which (1804-1873) was, however, performed; and it be- was considered came evident that if hands 1 and 3 to be the lead- are rightly played, hands 2 and 4 are Page 105 of The Laws of Short Whist and A Dr J Markham’s book, Treatise on Short Whist, John Lorraine Baldwin, ‘Disraeli’s fellow traveller: ing authority on utterly helpless, and, in spite of three 1881, UK second edition. The diagram presented James Clay, MP for Hull’ Whist. In his guarded suits, must lose all thirteen in the 1864 edition on page 94 is somewhat (1997) is a respected, different. This is the link to the whole book: well-researched book. book The Laws of tricks.’ https://archive.org/details/lawsofshortwhist00bald_0

James Clay. Son of James Clay, a merchant, he was educated at Winchester and Oxford. He met Benjamin Disraeli via Disraeli’s brother Ralph, who was a Winchester contemporary. Disraeli admired Clay’s life of ‘splendid adventure’, his skill at cards, rackets and billiards, and his ease in society. ‘To govern men, you must either excel in their accomplishments – or despise them. Clay does one: I do the other, and we are equally popular,’ Disraeli wrote in a letter to his father on 27 August 1830 (Disraeli, Letters, 1.155). (The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography).

Clay was the MP for Hull from 1847-1853, when he was unseated after a bribery incident. Four years later, he regained the seat at a by-election and held it until his death. He was also an amateur composer. He married Eliza Camilla Woolrych (an opera singer) and they had six children. Frederic Clay, his son, was a musical composer and a colleague of Gilbert and Sullivan.

The ODNB adds, ‘An ‘unceasing pursuer of women’, [James] Clay led a notoriously With kind permission of the National Trust. debauched life during his twenties and became an object of dread to families with This portrait of James Clay dates from around daughters of marriageable age.… Clay was known as a dandy, and cultivated a raffish 1830 to 1835. It can be found at the National Trust, air.’ He was ‘the acknowledged head of the Whist world for the last thirty years before his Hughenden Manor, High Wycombe, death, spending much of his time and attention on whist and piquet. In 1863, he became Buckinghamshire, HP14 4LA. chairman of a committee for settling the laws of whist.’

BRIDGE October 2015 Page 25 Viennese Theatre Boxes continued Let’s say that West leads the ♣J. CHARITY EVENTS Declarer wins and cashes four rounds of clubs. What is East to discard on OCTOBER 2015 the fourth club? A diamond delivers 23 Wessex Cancer Trust more than enough tricks to make the Rubber bridge at 7pm. Whist, mid 1800s. contract, a spade gives two tricks, but The Dovetail Centre, Chandlersford The Great a heart discard gives only one trick Methodist Church, Winchester Road, South to make all 13 tricks Chandlersford, Southampton. £8pp. (leaving declarer still one short). Now Mrs Christine Pennell ( 02380 791046 if a heart is played to the South hand to ♠ A Q take five rounds of that suit, what will 26 Inner Wheel Club of North Wiltshire ♥ 2 Bridge drive & afternoon tea. North throw on the fifth heart? North Liddington Village Hall, Liddington, ♦ A Q 7 6 4 3 is having to discard before East … Swindon, SN4 0HH. 1pm. £9. ♣ A K Q 3 Margaret Bracher ( 01793 729970 ♠ 9 8 7 5 4 2 ♠ K 6 N [email protected] ♥ 8 4 ♥ 10 9 7 6 5 W E From The Times ♦ K 9 S ♦ J 10 8 NOVEMBER 2015 ♣ J 10 9 ♣ 8 6 5 A bridge article about coups in 2 RNLI ♠ J 10 3 play (12 July 1932) asserts: Crowborough Beacon Golf Club. ♥ A K Q J 3 …There are four coups which have 1.45 for 2pm. £30 per table. ♦ received specific names. They are Chicago bridge & delicious tea. 5 2 Penny ( 01825 830006 ♣ 7 4 2 the , The Vienna Coup, the Deschappelles Coup and the 3-5 British Red Cross Grand Coup, known from the days Birkholme Manor, Corby, Grantham of Whist. There are, of course, NG33 4LF. £17.50pp. The 2015 auction at bridge: 10 for 10.30am to 3pm. 3-course lunch, others to which the Americans have glass of wine, raffle. West North East South affixed strange and fantastical Penny Hedley Lewis ( 01476 550255 1♥1 titles, but some of the coups [email protected] Pass 2♦2 Pass 2♥3 presented as novelties are the old 14 RNLI Pass 3♣4 Pass 3♠5 four disguised under other names, Cheltenham Bridge Club. 1-5pm. £10. Pass 4NT6 Pass 5♦7 and most of the others come under Tea/coffee & cakes. 8 9 the description of elimination play… Margaret Beverley ( 01242 510193 Pass 5NT Pass 6♦ Pass 6NT10 All Pass 16 Riding for the Disabled Newcastle Bridge Club President’s Charity ♣♦♥♠ 1 Night. Mourne Golf Club, Newcastle, Only 11 HCP but hard to pass. Co Down. 7-10pm. £20 per table. 22♦ is the best bid. Jump shifting on a strong Tea, sandwiches & cakes. 2-suited hand consumes space that might *Another article tells us (9 Mrs Patricia Fitzpatrick be needed for finding a fit. June 1943): …It is nearly ( 07751 584258 3Not promising six hearts, as South could 80 years since the following 19 HUDDERSFIELD PENNINE ROTARY CLUB have a second suit without the values for deal in Vienna electrified the Outlane Golf Club. a reverse, or (as in this case) a 5332 shape card players of the day … 12 for 12.30pm. £50 per table including lunch, afternoon tea & biscuits. that didn’t seem suitable for 1NT. It is said that the great Raffle prizes. Limited to 22 tables. 4A convenient way to set a game-force, and ‘Cavendish’ puzzled over it for Rtn Sam Smith ( 01924 492540 a good idea in case partner has 4♣. three days before stumbling [email protected] 5An unusual instance of , on the solution by accident. denying three diamonds or a spade stop. FEBRUARY 2016 This suggests that the deal is 6Blackwood for aces. from 1864 or a bit later and 24 WELFARE supporting the BMK school in 7One ace. is contemporaneous with the rural Uganda and JOE HOMAN TRUST for 8Blackwood for kings. underprivileged children in India. publication of Clay’s ‘Laws’. It’s 9Only one king, and almost certain not to be Inner Wheel Club of Dorking bridge tea. likely that James Clay would 1pm for 1.30pm start. the ♠K because South didn’t bid 3NT earlier. have been 60 years old at the Westcott Reading Room. £10 pp. 10Protecting the spade holding, leading to a time. However, my research Please bring cards and cloths. reasonable contract. Jacki Moss ( 01306 881481 suggests that George Nelson [email protected] was probably incorrect about Jane Bellingham ( 01306 889501 Returning to the whist deal and the 1820s date, because even [email protected] remembering that it is a double- Clay would have been too dummy whist problem, with clubs 3-3 young to have been gallivanting To advertise your charity events, declarer has 10 top tricks and needs to about Vienna at that time. please email [email protected] develop a further three, one of which can be from a diamond finesse.

Page 26 BRIDGE October 2015 Viennese Theatre Boxes continued a diamond, then the diamond finesse brings in that suit. 2015 FESTIVE SEASON EVENTS so whatever suit North discards, then ♠ Q so can East, and the thirteenth trick is ♥ — Denham Grove ♦ not there. A Q 7 Near Uxbridge, UB9 5DG ♣ — ♠ 9 8 ♠ K ♠ A Q ♥ — N ♥ — W E ♥ — ♦ K 9 ♦ J 10 8 S ♦ A Q 7 ♣ — ♣ — ♣ — ♠ J 10 ♠ 9 8 7 ♠ K 6 ♥ 3 N ♥ — ♥ — ♦ 5 W E ♦ K 9 S ♦ J 10 8 ♣ — ♣ — ♣ — Christmas 23-27 Dec £495 ♠ J 10 3 Further into the Auction ♥ 3 This is the essence of the Vienna Coup & Overcalls (or Just Bridge) ♦ 5 play – the need to unblock a high hon- with Will Parsons ♣ — our so that tricks that are promoted aren’t stranded because of a blockage. Twixmas 27-29 Dec £245 Just imagine how exciting it would Splinters & Cue Bids So let’s rewind a bit. Suppose, after have been for James Clay to have met with Bernard Magee four clubs, the ♠A is cashed (key point the top Austrian player who identified in the play). Now, when the fifth round this play and then to have come back New Year 29 Dec-2 Jan £445 of hearts is played, North can discard to England and told people about Better Leads & Switches with Bernard Magee the ♠Q (admiring the ♠J-10 in South) it. Perhaps he rushed into his club, and East is kippered. If he discards the seeking out his friends, or maybe ♠K, then the ♠J-10 are good and the collaring his very close friend Disraeli Wyndham Garden ♦ ■ A takes the last trick. If East discards in the House of Commons and … Grantham Marston, Lincs NG32 2HT

Christmas 23-27 Dec £495 Signals & Discards and Take-Out Doubles with Claude Stokes Hosted by Shelia Rogers Twixmas 27-29 Dec £215 Game Tries with Claude Stokes New Year 29 Dec-1 Jan £345 Suit Establishment with Claude Stokes Back to Back bookings save £50 (per additional event) The Vienna State Opera House was completed in 1869. Almost certainly it was not the venue of the coup, since Clay died in 1873. But it is the venue of the world famous Vienna Opera Ball. ( 01483 489961 Credits: Wiener Staatsoper / Michael Poehn Perhaps the venue of the coup was the Burgtheater Vienna, one of the oldest theatres in Europe (1794)?

BRIDGE October 2015 Page 27 Robin Hood’s Bridge Adventures by David Bird Close Encounter with the Sheriff

he half-time scores have been Gisburne led the ♣Q and down went merchant the Sheriff was! Every player posted in the St Anne’s ante- the dummy. ‘One good card for you, in the land would have led the ♣Q chapel!’ called a voice from partner,’ said Percy Gallowes. ‘Hope rather than a trump. ‘Tthe far side of the cathedral. it’s enough.’ At the other table, Hood and Nazir Robin Hood looked at his two team- The Sheriff overtook the opening faced two strong players from Leices- mates for the event, Percy Gallowes lead with the ♣K and returned the ♠9, tershire, recruited by the Sheriff. The and Hal Cossett. ‘One of you take a anxious to prevent heart ruffs in the players drew their cards for this board: look,’ he said. ‘Nazir and I dare not dummy. Cossett won with the ace and go, in case the Sheriff of Nottingham considered his prospects. If a heart is there.’ finesse succeeded, all would be well. Dealer West. Love All. A few minutes later, Hal Cossett Indeed, he might score an overtrick. ♠ 9 8 7 4 returned. ‘We’re in second place,’ he Suppose he crossed to the ♦A and ♥ K 5 4 declared. ‘The Bishop’s team is first finessed the ♥Q. If this lost, West ♦ Q J 8 and the Sheriff’s team eighth.’ would surely have a trump to play; ♣ K 6 4 ‘Only eighth!’ exclaimed Robin the Sheriff would hardly have led the ♠ K Q J 6 5 3 ♠ 10 2 Hood. ‘No doubt Gisburne is currently 9 from J-10-9. What chance was there ♥ Void N ♥ Q J 10 8 W E ♥ ♦ 7 5 4 ♦ A 10 9 2 feeling the sharp end of the Sheriff’s if the K was offside? S tongue.’ Cossett soon spotted an extra ♣ Q 9 8 5 ♣ J 10 3 On an early round of the second half chance. At trick 3, he led the ♥3 from ♠ A Gallowes and Cossett faced the Sheriff his hand. The Sheriff won dummy’s ♥ A 9 7 6 3 2 and Gisburne. This was the first board: 10 with the jack and had no trump to ♦ K 6 3 return. When he tried his luck with the ♣ A 7 2 ♣A, Cossett ruffed low in his hand. He Dealer North. N/S Game. cashed the ♥A and ruffed the ♥Q with ♠ 6 4 dummy’s last trump. Then, he reached West North East South ♥ 10 6 his hand with another club ruff and Sir John Nazir Hugh Robin ♦ A 10 8 7 6 drew trumps. Ten tricks were his Taitt Lesseps Hood ♣ 8 6 5 2 ‘By the Saints, lead a trump!’ 2♠ Pass Pass 3♥ ♠ J 10 5 ♠ 9 exclaimed the Sheriff. Pass 4♥ Dbl All Pass ♥ K 8 7 2 N ♥ J 9 5 4 ‘But I had a sequence in clubs, my W E ♦ K 9 ♦ Q J 5 2 S Lord,’ Gisburne replied. ‘In any case, ‘You play Feeble Twos?’ enquired ♣ Q J 10 7 ♣ A K 9 3 if he plays the same way you will have Robin Hood when West’s 2♠ opening ♠ A K Q 8 7 3 2 no trump to return.’ ran to him. ♥ A Q 3 ‘Heaven spare me, I’m partnered by ‘Six-to-ten points,’ confirmed Hugh ♦ 4 3 a lamb’s-brain,’ declared the Sheriff. Lesseps. ♣ 4 ‘Do you think it’s beyond my wit to The outlaws were soon in ♥4 , dou- underlead the ♣A-K if that happens? bled by East. Hood won the ♠K lead You win and play a second round of with the ace and played a trump to the West North East South trumps. How does he make it then?’ king, not in the least surprised when Guy of Percy The Hal For a brief moment, Gisburne closed West showed out. There now seemed Gisburne Gallowes Sheriff Cossett his eyes. With three trumps in his own to be four certain losers – two trumps, Pass Pass 4♠ hand and seven or eight expected on a diamond and a club. The only chance All Pass his right, why on earth should dummy was to add five trump tricks to five contain a ruffing value? What a result winners in the side suits.

Page 28 BRIDGE October 2015 Robin Hood continued his tenth trick. leading the ♣J. No, the Sheriff had Hugh Lesseps returned his cards to faulted him for leading from a club the rough-hewn wooden board. ‘Sorry, sequence only two boards ago. John,’ he said. ‘A double looked right Gisburne led the ♥8 and Hal Cossett Robin Hood ruffed a spade in his with two trump tricks and an ace.’ studied the dummy. At least he had hand and played a diamond to the His partner nodded. Would the been spared a club lead. Mind you, it jack and ace, East returning the trump Sheriff or Gisburne find the required seemed he should cover this opening queen to the ace. The king and queen of route to ten tricks? It didn’t seem lead; otherwise East might underplay diamonds stood up and were followed likely. partner’s ♥8 to permit a club switch. by a further spade lead from dummy. Back on the other table, this was the ‘Queen, please,’ he said. It would do East no good to ruff, since last board of the round: The Sheriff won with the ♥K and declarer would throw his club loser. switched to the ♦Q. Cossett rose with He discarded a club and Hood ruffed the ♦A and crossed to the ♠10, both de- in his hand. The ♣A and ♣K were Dealer East. E/W Game. fenders following. He then led the ♥7, played, leaving these cards still out: ♠ Q J 10 3 confident from West’s opening lead ♥ Q 7 5 2 that East would have to win the trick. ♦ 7 2 When the Sheriff did indeed win with ♠ 9 ♣ A Q 2 the ♥A, Cossett threw his remaining ♥ 5 ♠ 9 ♠ 4 diamond. He ruffed the diamond re- ♦ — ♥ 8 4 N ♥ A K J 10 9 6 turn, crossed to the ♠J and ruffed a W E ♣ 6 ♦ K 9 8 5 4 3 ♦ Q J 10 S heart in his hand. A spade to dummy’s ♠ Q ♠ — ♣ J 10 9 5 ♣ K 6 4 queen left these cards still out: ♥ — N ♥ J 10 ♠ A K 8 7 6 5 2 W E ♦ ♦ ♥ — S 10 3 ♣ Q 9 ♣ — ♦ A 6 ♠ 3 ♠ — ♣ 8 7 3 ♥ 5 ♥ 9 7 ♦ — ♦ — ♣ A Q 2 ♣ 7 West North East South ♠ — ♠ — Guy of Percy The Hal ♥ — N ♥ J W E Gisburne Gallowes Sheriff Cossett ♦ ♦ K 9 S 10 ‘Spade, please,’ said Robin Hood. 1♥ 1♠ ♣ J 10 9 ♣ K 6 4 It was the end of the road for East. If Pass 2♥ Dbl 4♠ ♠ A K he ruffed, this would promote a trump All Pass ♥ — trick for declarer. If, instead, he threw ♦ — the ♦10, declarer would score a ruff for For a moment, Gisburne considered ♣ 8 7 3

‘Heart, please,’ said Cossett. The Sheriff won, declarer throwing a club, and had no good return. A club would be into dummy’s tenace. When he chose instead to return the ♦10, Cossett threw another club from his hand and ruffed in the dummy. Then, he claimed the contract. ‘Strange hand,’ Percy Gallowes observed. ‘You opened with one heart and lost three heart tricks.’ ‘Lead a club and you give him no chance!’ cried the Sheriff. ‘What did you hold in clubs?’ ‘Er... I think I held the ♣J, my Lord,’ stammered Gisburne. The Sheriff reached for the West cards. ‘You held the ♣J-10-9!’ he cried. ‘By the Saints, I’ve rarely seen a more obvious lead!’ To be concluded ■

BRIDGE October 2015 Page 29 Sally’s Slam of the Month Simple Bidding Sequences to Slams

t last, a hand sent in by a winners and the ace of diamonds The Grand Slam Force has largely reader. Thank you to Peter ending in hand, then cash the ace gone out of fashion, mainly because of Radcliffe from Guildford. and king of clubs and, if the queen Roman Key Card Blackwood. When A does not drop, make his best guess in all you could do was ask for real aces, diamonds. Does East have the queen then you had to be able to ask for ♠ A Q or has West been squeezed? Hopefully, trump honours too; nowadays, RKCB ♥ 10 8 7 6 the opponents’ discards will give lets you find out about trump honours ♦ 5 3 North a clue. so there is less need for the Grand ♣ A K J 9 5 Peter asks whether I think the grand Slam Force. However, RKCB doesn’t ♠ J 8 7 6 4 3 2 ♠ 10 9 slam should be bid in no-trumps work so well when you have a void. ♥ Q N ♥ 4 3 at matchpoint scoring. I think that Here, all South needed to know was ♦ 10 9 6 W E ♦ Q 8 7 making grand slams always score about heart honours (he was prepared S ♣ 8 2 ♣ Q 10 7 6 4 3 well. In his duplicate, only two pairs to gamble on North not holding x-x-x ♠ K 5 bid 7♥, so to take the risk of playing in in spades – and even if that is what he ♥ A K J 9 5 2 no-trumps is worth it only if you can had, the grand slam would make most ♦ A K J 4 2 count thirteen top tricks. of the time). ♣ Void There are several variations in terms ♣♦♥♠ of responses but you want something simple because of its infrequency. Peter and his partner Cristina bid as Coincidentally, just after I received We play that you bid the grand slam follows, playing a very simple system: that letter from Peter, the following with two top honours and sign off seven heart contract turned up in a without. If you have room, then you South North practice session: can be more specific (generally, the 1♥ 2♣ better the holding the more you bid). 3♦ 4NT Here, 6♣ would have shown the ♥Q 5♥ 5NT ♠ Q 7 and 6♦ the ♥A. Somebody once did 6♠ 7♥ ♥ A Q 9 8 5 some research on slam bidding and ♦ J 10 9 8 discovered that the fewer bids you North’s 4NT and 5NT bids were simple ♣ J 10 took to get to a slam, the more likely Blackwood, so he had ascertained that ♠ 9 6 3 ♠ 8 2 you were to make it. So I like our all the aces and kings were present. It ♥ 6 3 N ♥ 2 auction. ■ was possible that South held only five ♦ A Q 7 3 2 W E ♦ K 6 5 4 S hearts without the queen, in which ♣ 9 7 6 ♣ K Q 8 5 3 2 case declarer would have had to ♠ A K J 10 5 4 I am sure that all of you decide whether to play for the drop or ♥ K J 10 7 4 out there have slam take the finesse in order to make the ♦ Void auctions that you are ♣ A 4 grand slam (so many people like to proud of. So send them to lead trumps against grand slams that [email protected] it is probably with the odds to take the finesse). West North East South and I’ll publish the Of course, on the actual line, 7NT 1♠ best few and choose makes too. The best line is for declarer Pass 2♥ Pass 5NT a winner each month. (North) to run all the major-suit Pass 7♥ All Pass

Page 30 BRIDGE October 2015 David Stevenson answers your questions on Laws and Ethics Was Dummy Preventing an Irregularity?

Dummy pointed 1. LHO opened strong hand, mentioned do need to tell opponents to the table 2♠, announced several times in this column, what they are doing. Qwhen the lead Qas, ‘I’m taking allows for hands of 16+ was due from dummy that as strong.’ My points, or hands of 25+ ♣♦♥♠ and before declarer partner passed, and opening points (HCP plus had a chance to lead. I RHO raised to 4♠. the number of cards in the North was dealer, ruled that this was not 2. Before the lead was two longest suits), or with but before he allowed, quoting Laws faced, I asked about adequate disclosure, hands Qhad a chance to 42 and 43. The player the 2♠ as there seemed of 11+ points and eight bid, South bid 1♠. We accepted the ruling to be some confusion. clear-cut tricks. The word looked through the rule but wanted to know RHO repeated that she ‘strong’ is not an adequate book and I came to the if there was anything thought it was strong. disclosure of the last type, conclusion that North more specific as he felt LHO said, ‘I have bid thus from RHO’s description, had to remain quiet for he was only, ‘trying 2♠ and partner has you may expect either 16+ the rest of the auction. to prevent declarer raised it to 4♠. Can we points or 25+ opening The others disagreed and from an irregularity.’ play the hand?’ I realise points. Since the hand had said North could bid as This morning, I have the director should 10 points and probably 9 or normal and South remain tried to find additional probably have been 10 cards in the two longest quiet for one round. information to offer called, but LHO was a suits, it is nowhere near Can you clarify what the player, but to no former difficult partner either of these standards. should have happened? avail. Can you help? and it is a ‘friendly’ If you had called the direc- Davina Arkell, Godalming. Peter McWhirter by email. afternoon duplicate. tor, he would have decided 3. Declarer made on one of the following: 1. You are very nearly I might quote law his 4♠, partly thanks They were playing weak twos, correct and the 74A2 to him, which to his partner’s strong so you were misinformed. Al- A others were definitely A forbids actions that hand and good spade ternatively, they were playing wrong. West could accept upset others: most people support. LHOs strong intermediate to strong twos. the 1♠ bid and if he does would find it extremely two was a 6-card spade In either case, he would check so, it makes it legal and annoying if dummy did this. suit and just 10 HCP. to see if you were damaged, the bidding goes on from I would also point out that 4. Is this legal? and adjust the score if so. there with no penalty. warning partner against Andrew Peel by email. Furthermore, he would have If West does not accept it, irregularities surely means penalised LHO for not cor- the 1♠ bid is cancelled and only when he is likely to If they are playing recting the explanation before the bidding reverts to North. be about to make one. strong twos, then the start of play. 2. He would North must pass for the rest Compare a dummy A the 2♠ bid does not decide it was a psyche. This of the auction, but South who whenever the defence fit the EBU’s definition of is wildly unlikely since no-one can bid whatever she likes. lead a card, says to his strong. If they are playing ever psyches in this way. Furthermore, if East or West partner, ‘Remember to weak or intermediate twos, Note that unlike a Benjamin become declarer and South follow suit.’ This would then LHO has broken the 2♣ opening, it is not illegal to does not bid spades again, annoy everyone and really rules of bridge, since she play a natural 2-level opening there will be lead penalties cannot be condoned should have corrected the without the requirements (requiring or forbidding a by saying he is trying to explanation of strong. for a strong hand as part of spade lead) when North is prevent an irregularity. The EBU definition of a their system. However, they first on lead.

BRIDGE October 2015 Page 31 Ask David continued on the last round is usual bid 3♠. We struggled to for a cup competition. make nine tricks as the opponents took the first ♣♦♥♠ four tricks. Fortunately, What move- we made the rest and ment do you I was playing got our 700 points, plus Baltic Capitals Qrecommend for social rubber 90 below the line. & Stockholm running a one winner Qbridge with three Can an opponent tell Mitchell for 7½ and 8½ experienced lady players. me that I am not allowed Archipelago table cup competition? My partner and I were to pass? I can understand Keith Perry, behind on overall score her advising me in case Sedgley, West Midlands. and vulnerable with 40 I had made an error points below the line. or misunderstood, but It seems normal We had failed on several I had not. My pass was enough to play a recent hands, going down deliberate. As far as I can A share and relay for by one or two tricks. see, the only benefit to 7½, making sure that table My partner opened (as responding might be to 8 has no N/S pair, which dealer) 2♠. I had a very the other side. The whole eliminates the actual sharing. poor hand, three small situation left a bad taste, Departs Newcastle So three boards are put on spades, ♥Q-J, four clubs with my RHO saying I 30th July 2016 • 13 nights tables 1 to 7, with a relay queen high and four was not playing bridge Balmoral • L1617 set between tables 4 and 5, diamonds jack high. properly and anyway and the movement is normal. My RHO passed and, both of them had passed • Newcastle • Cruising The disadvantage is that looking at my score card before the comments. Stockholm Archipelago • Stockholm, Sweden pairs who sit out play only and realising the odds Mr R Rust, Aston Clinton, (overnight) • Cruising 21 boards. This is usual in were 700 points for 2♠ Aylesbury, Bucks. Stockholm Archipelago some clubs, but others might and penalties for 4♠, I • Tallinn, Estonia • St. Petersburg, Russian find this too few. An arrow- did not want to have to It is perfectly normal Federation (overnight) switch on the last round is make my partner go to at rubber bridge to • Riga, Latvia • Copenhagen, usual for a cup competition. three just for an extra play to the score, Denmark • Newcastle A So long as you consider 30 points, so I passed. which means if you need 60 Daily bridge on board, bridge arrow-switches acceptable, My LHO also passed for game you might pass fees included. Mr Bridge welcome better might be a Hesitation and then commented, 2♠, or perhaps raise 1NT drinks party. Partners for single Mitchell, which means both ‘That’s all they need.’ to 2NT despite knowing players. Special solos offers. pairs at table 8 move, and LHO said, ‘Wait a you had 26 points. everyone plays at least 24 moment, you (me) are For an opponent to tell you Great value Mr Bridge fares: boards. As before, tables 8 not allowed to pass. that you must change your Inside twin cabins from £1,259pp and 1 share, and you get You must change your bid is illegal and extremely Outside twin cabins from £1,489pp rid of the share by making bid.’ I said that I did rude. It suggests he does Superior Balcony cabins from £2,429pp the missing pair North-South not want to and after not understand bridge. At Solos offer – at table 1. So you put out some heated exchanges, rubber bridge especially, the Outside twin cabin for sole occupancy from £2,209pp three boards at tables 1 to 7, my partner persuaded main aim is to bid and make including two relays between me to change my bid games, not to follow some tables 4 and 5, and then to 2NT and then she rules set by some other Balmoral move the boards from table 1 to table 8. The movement is normal, except that when the moving pairs reach table DUPLICATE BRIDGE 8, they play E/W, then N/S, then move on. On the last round, all tables, except RULES SIMPLIFIED table 8, arrow-switch. (otherwise known as the Yellow Book) For reservations call Mr Bridge For 8½ tables, a standard Mitchell movement with on 01483 489961 by John Rumbelow and only the missing pair anywhere 95 www.mrbridge.co.uk revised by David Stevenson £5 is played. If the club plays

Terms and conditions apply – only 24 boards usually, see Fred.Olsen 2016 brochure or then the ninth round is not www.fredolsencruises.com for details. Available from Mr Bridge ( 01483 489961 played. An arrow-switch

FOC308983_MR_BRIDGE_Mag_June_strip_ads_W.C.15.06.15_FV2.inddPage 32 25/06/2015 16:23 4 BRIDGE October 2015 Ask David continued We are a friendly club jumps controls the time. and I would not wish The advantage of this to make any issue of method is that jump bids this – just want to know are often surprising and people if you think the correct position. this way no-one knows they do not apply. Derek Brown, Paignton. whether the next player I am afraid I am getting a has anything to think about France plethora of people writing to I am afraid your or not. Regrettably, quite me because their opponents director needs to a large number of players Mini-Cruises have told them how they A start reading his law put the stop card away should play the game. For book! When declarer plays immediately after the bid, an opponent to do so is a card, it cannot be changed which is wrong, but the next unethical and often wrong, so – the term mechanical error player should pause anyway. he should usually be ignored. applies to calls and to cards I mention the UK because named from dummy, not I note you have sent this ♣♦♥♠ cards played otherwise. query from Jordan. While Departs Southampton Worse is to follow. Declarer these rules are similar 25th March 2016 • 2 nights Playing teams, never has a penalty card, around the world, I cannot Balmoral • L1605 my partner was major or minor. Even be sure they are exactly Qdeclarer in 1NT. worse, he has even got the the same in Jordan. • Southampton The opening lead was a rule for a minor penalty • Boulogne-sur-Mer, France diamond, which partner card wrong; a player who ♣♦♥♠ • Southampton took with the ace. Then, has one is not required to Great value Mr Bridge fares: inadvertently he tabled play it when discarding. Why do we ask Inside twin cabins from £189pp a small diamond, but I think your director partner if he has Outside twin cabins from £219pp said immediately that should start reading rulings Qany questions, Superior Balcony cabins from £339pp he had played this in from the law book, or and do we have to? Solos offer – error and replaced it Mr Bridge’s Yellow Book. Name & address supplied. Outside twin cabin for with a spade. His left sole occupancy from £229pp hand opponent, who ♣♦♥♠ This law was brought had not played to the in to stop two things. Departs Southampton diamond, insisted that as Is it a A First, players had 21st October 2016 • 2 nights the diamond had been requirement a habit of asking questions Balmoral • L1625 tabled, it must be led. for a player to about particular bids when Q Bernard The director was called wait ten seconds before not on lead, for example, • Southampton • Honfleur, France Magee and allowed the spade bidding, after his RHO ‘Was 2♣ Stayman?’ and on board • Southampton L1625 lead on the grounds has used the stop card? then partner led a club! that the diamond was John Peace, Jordan. So now, the partner of the Great value Mr Bridge fares: a mechanical error. leader has to wait until Inside twin cabins from £189pp However, the diamond In the UK, once a the leader has led face Outside twin cabins from £219pp was a minor penalty player has made down before asking. Superior Balcony cabins from £339pp card and must be left A any jump bid, that Second, by leading face Solos offer – on the table and played is a bid that requires the down and not turning the Outside twin cabin for sole occupancy from £229pp either when diamonds stop card, the next player is card up until partner has were next led or if required to wait for a time, said so, a large number declarer could not follow normally about ten seconds, of leads out of turn are Daily bridge on board, bridge fees included. Mr Bridge welcome suit. Subsequently, on before calling. The correct avoided. Unfortunately, drinks party. Partners for single the play of spades, procedure is for the player some players still lead face players. Special solos offers. declarer was forced to who jumps to put the stop up without asking and, discard the diamond card out before the bid, sometimes, when they are and when his LHO then leave it out for a time not on lead, possibly because gained the lead, she and the next player may they never ask questions. was able to cash all not call until it is removed. Is it compulsory? Yes, it is For reservations call Mr Bridge her diamonds and That way, the player who required by law. ■ on take the contract off, 01483 489961 as declarer no longer www.mrbridge.co.uk had the suit protected. E-mail your questions on bridge laws to: Terms and conditions apply – Was the director [email protected] see Fred.Olsen 2016 brochure or www.fredolsencruises.com for details. correct in his ruling?

BRIDGE October 2015 FOC308983_MR_BRIDGE_Mag_June_strip_ads_W.C.15.06.15_FV2.inddPage25/06/2015 33 16:23 1 Andy Bowles on the Play of the Cards Keeping it Simple

Would it help to finesse in diamonds, East is able to overruff this, it will be IMPs. so that you still have ♦A as an to with the king or queen, so you won’t Dealer West. the suit? Maybe, but if the diamond mind that. In fact, he follows low and Game All. finesse loses, you might be in danger you’ve reached this position, having ♠ Q of losing two trump tricks and a spade taken five tricks and lost none: ♥ 10 2 as well. ♦ A K J 10 5 4 If you have been reading books, ♣ A 10 9 3 you might wonder whether you’re ♠ — supposed to duck the opening lead, so ♥ — N ♠ ♦ A K J 10 5 4 W E that you can keep A to control the S suit later, whilst ruffing the second ♣ 10 9 round of spades in dummy. ♠ A 8 6 2 Lots of ideas, but let’s start at the N ♥ A J 9 8 7 3 beginning. How many top tricks do W E S ♦ 9 6 you have? One spade, one heart, two ♣ Q diamonds and one club. That’s five ♠ 8 with at least three more from hearts, ♥ A J 9 8 7 so you need two more. You have two ♦ 9 6 West North East South trumps in dummy that you can use ♣ — Pass 1♦ Pass 1♥ to ruff low spades and you have club Pass 2♣ Pass 3♥1 ruffs as a reasonably safe way back to Pass 4♥ hand. That seems simple and likely to Should you cash the diamonds now? be effective. No, for the same reason as before: 1Invitational with six hearts. South would like So, win the ace of spades and play diamonds might be 4-1 and somebody to have a better suit for this, but he has to another spade. What should you ruff it might ruff one of them. Let’s try to make do with what he was dealt. with? West didn’t bid, so he probably draw trumps first. doesn’t have seven spades and you plan Club, East following with the jack. West leads the ♠J, you play the queen to ruff another spade, so you’ll need Could this next club be overruffed? from dummy and East plays the king. ♥10 for that. You ruff low in dummy. Only if clubs are 6-2, but, anyway, you You might think of trying to set Now, should you cash the top don’t really mind. ♥10 was in dummy, up dummy’s diamonds by ruffing diamonds, or can that wait? If trumps so if they overruff, it will be with the the third round, then hope to draw are 3-2, you can hope to get trumps king or queen. trumps and then get to dummy with drawn before you touch the diamonds. West follows to the third club. ♣A to cash the diamonds. This looks Playing the top diamonds now would Continuing with your plan, you play tricky: they might knock out dummy’s just risk somebody ruffing one of ace and another trump. Both players ♣A before you were ready to use it; or them. Ace of clubs, then another club. follow with East winning the trick. while you were drawing trumps, they East didn’t bid, so he won’t have ♣K-J- East cashes his remaining heart and might be able to wait until dummy x-x-x-x-x as well as his ♠K. It looks safe has to give you the rest of the tricks has no trumps left and then cash two to ruff it low. by leading a diamond, allowing you spades; or somebody might ruff the That works, so at trick five you play to throw your last spade and end with second round of diamonds. another spade and ruff it with ♥10. If eleven tricks. The full deal is:

Page 34 BRIDGE October 2015 Keeping it Simple continued BERNARD MAGEE’S INTERACTIVE TUTORIALS ♠ Q ♥ 10 2 ACOL ADVANCED DECLARER ♦ A K J 10 5 4 ♣ A 10 9 3 BIDDING ACOL BIDDING PLAY ♠ J 10 7 4 3 ♠ K 9 5 l Opening Bids and l Basics l Suit Establishment ♥ 6 4 N ♥ K Q 5 W E Responses l Advanced in No-trumps ♦ 2 S ♦ Q 8 7 3 l Slams and Strong Basics l Suit Establishment ♣ K 7 5 4 2 ♣ J 8 6 Openings in Suits ♠ A 8 6 2 l Weak Twos ♥ A J 9 8 7 3 l Support for Partner l Strong Hands l Hold-ups ♦ 9 6 l Pre-empting l Defence l Ruffing for ♣ Q Extra Tricks l Overcalls to Weak Twos l Entries in l No-trump l Defence to 1NT Openings £66 No-trumps Had you tried to cash your l Doubles £76 and Responses l Delaying ♦A-K early, West would l Two-suited Drawing Trumps have ruffed and, eventually, l Opener’s and Overcalls Responder’s Rebids £96 l Using the Lead you would have lost a spade l Defences to ♥ along with the K-Q. l Minors and Misfits Other Systems l Trump Control Your line would work l Doubles l Endplays & against many 4-1 heart l Misfits and Distributional Avoidance breaks too. Ruffing in the l Competitive Hands short hand is a simple way Auctions l Using the Bidding to make extra tricks. Generally, it is right to cash outside winners only when ADVANCED DEFENCE FIVE-CARD you are cross-ruffing and DECLARER PLAY MAJORS & have no prospect of drawing l Lead vs Strong No-Trump l Making Overtricks trumps. Here, although you No-trump Contracts in No-trumps l Opening Bids were ruffing in both hands, l Lead vs & Responses you were planning to try to l Making Overtricks Suit Contracts in Suit Contracts l No-Trump draw trumps and, therefore, l Partner of Leader Openings should leave your ♦A-K l Endplays vs No-trump until later. ■ l Support l Avoidance Contracts £89 for Partner l Wrong l Partner of Leader Andy Bowles is 49 and has Contract vs Suit Contracts l Slams been playing bridge since & Strong Openings l Count he was at school. He grew l Simple £81 Signals l Rebids up near Bath, but has lived Squeezes £76 in London for all of his adult l Minors l Counting l Attitude life. He has achieved some Signals & Misfits success in national events in the Hand l Pre-empting England and overseas and l Trump Reductions l Discarding has made very occasional & Coups l Defensive Plan l Doubles appearances for England. He works in software l Playing Doubled l Stopping Declarer l Overcalls development for the Contracts l l Competitive broadcast industry. Counting As Chairman of the l Safety Plays the Hand Auctions EBU’s Selection Committee, he’s taking a keen interest in the forthcoming Make your cheque payable to Mr Bridge and send to: Mr Bridge, World Championships Ryden Grange, Knaphill, Surrey GU21 2TH in Chennai, India, in which England qualified ( 01483 489961 www.mrbridge.co.uk/mrbridge-shop in all three categories. System Requirements: Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8 or 10, 8mb RAM, CD-ROM

BRIDGE October 2015 Page 35 I have no interest in duplicate European Language bridge and the interminable Directive petty debates about when READERS’ The European Union the director should be called commissioners have that it generates. Robin announced that agreement Hood’s Bridge Adventures has been reached to adopt and the Sally Brock articles English as the preferred language for communications, LETTERS are tedious beyond belief. rather than German, which Mr Price, was the other possibility. Clacton on Sea, Essex. As part of the negotiations, IT MADE MY DAY However, what I would Her Majesty’s Government On a dreary wet day, like on these weekends is for NEARLY OUT conceded that English the latest edition of my the boards to be made in OF STOCK spelling had some room for improvement and has bridge mag has just been time for the bridge to start. European Language accepted a five-year phased delivered. So I sat down to Sometimes this happens, Directive tea towel. The sixth plan for what will be known enjoy a coffee break and but more often than not, the paragraph states that ‘th’ and as EuroEnglish (Euro for short). eagerly ripped it from its players have to do this. I feel ‘w’ will be replaced by ‘v’, envelope. What a pleasure we may be able to play more but in the 7th and 8th appear In the first year, “s” will be to immediately feel the better boards if the helpers had the the words fifz, ozer and zer, used instead of the soft “c”. Sertainly, sivil servants will quality paper. I love it. boards made prior to play. in contravention of this rule. reseive this news with joy. Mrs Linda Streeter, I am not suggesting that Mr John Laughton Also, the hard “c” will be Sidmouth, Devon. this delay ruins the weekend, by email. replaced with “k”. Not only will this klear up konfusion, … and your letter but I do feel we may be able Thanks to all who wrote in but typewriters kan have one made mine. to play more boards during about this. The tea towel is less letter. the course of the evening. reprinted on the right for There will be growing publik PLANE SPOTTING Mrs Anna Bartlett, the amusement of readers. enthusiasm in the sekond The Bridge Adventures Luton, Beds. It is nearly sold out and can year, when the troublesome article in the August issue A lot of guests prefer to be purchased from my mail “ph” will be replaced by “f”. This will make words like of BRIDGE, number 152, make the boards at the table, order department for £5 “fotograf” 20 per sent shorter. contained a serious error. some even re-dealing those each including postage. The aeroplane in the already dealt, as is their right. In the third year, publik akseptanse of the new photograph was described EARLY ACOL spelling kan be expekted to as a Messerschmitt Heinkel NEW SHIP Ned Paul’s article, page 6 reach the stage where more 111. No such aeroplane in BRIDGE, number 152, komplikated changes are possible. Governments will existed. Messerschmitt tells us that the original enkourage the removal of only made fighter planes. 1936 Acol team valued the double letters, which have

The correct description weak no-trump at 12-14. always ben a deterent to akurate speling. Also, al wil of the aeroplane in the Iain Macleod was a member agre that the horible mes of photograph is Heinkel 1-11. of that team and, in his silent “e”s in the languag is The first German bomber I am writing to say how wonderful book Bridge is disgrasful, and they would go. to be shot down was a much we enjoyed the an Easy Game (1952), he By the fourth year, peopl wil Heinkel 1-11. It crashed organised bridge on recommends thirteen, or be reseptiv to steps such as landed and was exhibited Magellan, provided by perhaps twelve and a half, replasing “th” and “w” by “v”. from the back of a low loader Sandy Bell and her team. to fourteen and a half, or During ze fifz year, ze around the country. I saw it. Somehow, she managed an absolute maximum of unesesary “o” kan be dropd I wish I knew as much to create a happy, relaxed fifteen. (He suggests counting from vords kontaining “ou”, and similar changes vud about bridge as I do about atmosphere whilst still tens as half a point if you of kors be aplid to ozer aeroplanes but, thanks maintaining a good standard think you are better than kombinations of leters. to BRIDGE, I keep trying of bridge – no mean feat. It the opposition.) Ned Paul’s After zis fifz yer, ve vil hav a to learn. Always looking was greatly appreciated. observation that, ‘most of the reli sensibl riten styl. Zer wil forward to the next issue. Gay Wilkins, bridge they played was teams be no mor trubls or difikultis Mr John Laird, Maidstone, Kent. or money rubber bridge,’ is and evrivun vil find it ezi tu understand ech ozer. Harrogate, N. Yorkshire. of course highly pertinent, TAKES ALL SORTS and seems consistent with Ze drem vil finali kum tru. MY PREFERENCE The reason I shall not be Macleod’s view that, even I have been on many Mr renewing my subscription is non-vulnerable, opening Printed in the UK on a Bridge weekend breaks that BRIDGE has very little 1NT on a bare 12 points 100% cotton tea-towel. £5. and I like the Just Duplicate of interest other than the would be too dangerous. Order form on carrier sheet. www.mrbridge.co.uk weekends the best. bidding and defence quizzes. Keith Bilton by email.

Page 36 BRIDGE October 2015 READERS’ LETTERS dashing up to Inverness to that the people within this money transactions, as continued take part in a competition, age range are primarily in cash till. The word that then back on the overnight committed to their families, should be used here is sleeper to edit a few travel careers and other more ‘until’, abbreviated to ‘til’. I have asked Ned Paul books, give lessons on the physical pastimes, leaving Christine Williams to respond and this is internet, set up a website, little time or inclination to by email. what he had to say: knock out a few newspaper invest in the game of bridge. In the early days there columns, book air tickets for There are about 7m people GREAT CLIVE GOFF was quite a bit of variation an international event between the ages of 55 and in the stated ranges of both in Peking at the same time 64. Some of these are early weak and strong no-trumps. as rustling up a chilli retirees or people who are Skid Simon, like McLeod, con carne for a dozen living alone and probably do one of the founders of Acol, house guests. have the time and inclination recommended 12-14 non- Sally has raised multi- to learn a new skill. Why vulnerable in his 1949 classic tasking to a new level: I not the game of bridge? , and in the suspect that behind the In the UK it is estimated text qualified this as a ‘good scenes lurks a battery that less than 300,000 12 to a bad 14’. The Baron of servants and private people play bridge. system, which had much secretaries, either that or The average age of bridge Clive Goff’s stamp service influence on the development she’s on a banned substance. players is around 74. is a wonderful discovery. of Acol, recommended 12½- Ken Thorp, How do we encourage Not only does it reduce 13½. When duplicate started Poole, Dorset. non-bridge players of all the cost of my postage but to rise in popularity and it ages to take up the game? the colourful design of the became more common to LEADING QUESTIONS Will the fact that it may stamps enliven my envelopes. open a weak no-trump at any The EBU states that if the be classified as a sport Mrs India Foreman vulnerability, 13-15 jostled game of bridge is recognised encourage them? by email. with 12-14 for some time as a sport, it will: How do we reach ‘em, before the EBU standardised l raise the status of bridge teach ‘em and keep ‘em? SECOND LETTER its recommended teaching at l enable funding Mrs Anne Glendenning, I am loathed to have to ditch 12-14. The 12 HCP minimum opportunities to support Bromsgrove, Mr Bridge software. Is there removes the need to have the activity at all levels, West Midlands. any chance you will soon any other bid for a balanced particularly at grassroots be bringing out a QPLUS hand too weak to open 1NT. and junior levels CONFESSION version which will be Apple Precision players who use a l offer greater opportunities I must tell you before I friendly? I will be taking 13-15 no-trump may need for the public to be begin, that I’m a pedant my QPLUS with me when I to open 1♦ with certain weak exposed to these benefits as far as the English visit the Apple Store to talk balanced hands. The width of l improve learning and language is concerned. to their technical team as the range of a no-trump bid academic performance I’ve seen your I explore the differences is an important feature also. in children advertisement in the I will encounter between This should be quite narrow, l have cognitive benefits Weekend section of the Windows MS system and the so as to allow responder to for older people Saturday Telegraph, and AppleMac operating system. judge reasonably accurately l combat the problems the tea towel Ode to a If worst comes to the worst, whether to bid or invite of isolation. Pill caught my eye. The I will buy a cheap laptop game. Again after much There are approximately last line is, ‘I can’t take just to use the wonderful minor variation, a 3-point 48m people between the another till after three.’ bridge tutorials and QPLUS. band has been found to ages of 5 and 69 in the UK. The word ‘till’ means a Mrs Linda Streeter, be the best compromise. There are approximately machine for registering Sidmouth, Devon. ■ Bernard Magee’s book 8m people between the Better Hand Evaluation gives ages of 15 and 24. some current insight into the What percentage of these Write to Mr Bridge at: Ryden Grange, valuation issues that underlie young people are willing to Knaphill, Surrey GU21 2TH or e-mail: [email protected] the no-trump range debate. invest their time to learn how to play bridge, especially E-mail correspondents are asked to PHEW! when gratification is not include their name, full postal address, My hero is Sally Brock; her instant or requires more than telephone number and to send no attachments. exploits leave me breathless. the use of their thumbs? That lass can accomplish There are roughly 26m Letters may be edited for length and more in a week than I can between 25 and 54. clarity. in a year. One minute she is It is probably the case

BRIDGE October 2015 Page 37 Seven Days by Sally Brock

Monday that, we go to the RAC Club, quite pos- morning. In the evening, we go to the sibly the best appointed London club YC, by now Simon has recovered, so I We had a bit of a clear-out yesterday so there is. It is also rather splendid, but play with him while Barry plays with now you (or rather potential purchas- harder to get to. So far the Livery Halls Simon’s friend and house guest, Basil. ers) can actually get into my office (I win the day. Neither of us do particularly well, but now work on the dining-room table). In the evening, it’s the Bake-off. The we manage to pip them which is good So the gym visit is preceded by one kids and I settle down with supper on for bragging rights. There are a couple to the tip. It always takes a few hours our knees to watch – it’s one of the few of virtually impossible to bid slams. on a Monday to deal with a whole lot things on television that we all like. Af- Some hands are just too difficult. This of emails that have come in over the terwards, remarkably, we have a game is the first: weekend and other various bits and of Monopoly – and in less than an hour pieces of domestic trivia. Toby and I both kids are conceding the game to have lunch together and then I get on me, thrashed comprehensively. Dealer West. E/W Vul. with some work – writing articles and ♠ Q J 6 5 my blog, recording some hands, mak- ♥ A 9 7 6 ing sure everyone knows what they are Thursday ♦ 9 7 2 doing in this week’s online bridge club I am going on holiday to northern ♣ 4 3 session (it really is good fun – and the France on Saturday, but have a couple ♠ 9 7 3 2 ♠ 10 8 ♥ Q J 2 N ♥ 8 first session is free – if you would like of things to do in London over the next W E to give it a try, email me: sally@sal- few days, so I need to be there with my ♦ J 10 5 4 3 S ♦ A K 8 6 lybrock.com). In the evening, we do car. I drive in and leave my car at West- ♣ 8 ♣ K J 10 7 6 2 nothing in particular – we quite like field (at £6.50 a day, the parking there ♠ A K 4 doing giant sudokus (www.dailysu- is rather cheap). Then, because of the ♥ K 10 5 4 3 doku.com) competitively – who can tube strike, I get a bus to Sloane Square ♦ Q finish first, or rather who can progress to meet Nicola and then to lunch with ♣ A Q 9 5 further without messing up. Tove Goddard at the Sloane Club. There are seven of us altogether and a jolly good lunch it is too. I try to solicit You may argue that this is not a good Tuesday advice for the charity event from those slam as declarer needs to pick up the I mean to get up and go to the gym who have done it all before: daytime trumps, but (a) this is reasonable early, but things conspire against me. I or evening? which day? what format? odds in itself and (b) on the expected make a call and then have to wait for what sort of food? The questions go club lead, it is much better than that someone to ring me back and then on and on, but it’s interesting to hear because, if hearts don’t come in, there something else crops up. Eventually, everyone’s point of view. Then, it’s a is the chance of the hand with the long I don’t get there until after lunch, but bus back to Shepherds Bush for a quiet trump having three or more spades at least I get there. I’m reading David evening with Barry. when declarer’s diamond can be Mitchell’s Dark Bones at the gym so discarded on a long spade. feel rather enthusiastic about it. In the At Barry’s table, this is the bidding: evening, I have two consecutive online Friday coaching sessions. I have a date for lunch with Simon, West North East South but he had warned me that he might Pass Pass 1♣ 1♥ cry off because of a tummy bug and Pass 3♣ Pass 4♥ Wednesday sure enough he does not feel up to it. All Pass The first thing to decide for our char- So, after lounging around in the flat in ity bridge event is the venue and, to the morning, I decide to go to see the North’s 3♣ bid is a mixed raise, ie too that end, Briony and I go to London Summer Exhibition at the Royal Acad- good for a preemptive raise. Howev- on the train to look at a couple of pos- emy. It was great. It is fun to go on my er, how can South find out about the sibilities. First, we look at the Livery own and be able to spend as long as I source of tricks in spades? It would not Halls, near London Bridge tube station want on all the exhibits without having be totally unreasonable for South to on the river. We are highly impressed. to take anyone else into consideration. take a pot at the slam but there’s no way They seem to be a perfect size for what Later on, I go and rescue my car to investigate with any degree of cer- we have in mind and there is one par- from Westfield car park and move it tainty. When I am North, I do not rate ticularly nice room with a big picture to the street near the flat and check the the hand as too good for a pre-emptive window overlooking the river. After oil and water so it is ready to go in the raise, so we have even less chance.

Page 38 BRIDGE October 2015 Seven Days continued ever, I set up directions on my phone and they take me to the middle of Montreuil, when it tells me that I have JUST arrived at my destination. I try input- Maybe the next example is easier … ting the address again but it will not DUPLICATE let me so I have to try to use the in- structions I have printed off. It is very BRIDGE 2015 Dealer East. Game All. difficult to take those up in the middle ♠ A K 9 8 6 when you don’t know exactly where ♥ 10 6 5 you are. Of course, the battery on my Holiday Inn Ashford North TN26 1AR ♦ Void phone is getting lower and lower. Af- ♣ 10 9 8 5 2 ter driving round in circles for what 2-4 October £189 ♠ Q 4 3 2 ♠ J 7 5 seems to be forever, with help from ♥ 7 4 3 2 N ♥ K J 9 8 W E Ben who has already arrived, I arrive ♦ A 10 5 S ♦ K Q J 9 7 eventually but I am in a bit of a state. ♣ Q 4 ♣ 3 The house they have rented is fabu- ♠ 10 lous. A huge living space with two ♥ A Q separate upstairs wings each with two ♦ 8 6 4 3 2 double bedrooms and a bathroom and ♣ A K J 7 6 also another bedroom with en-suite on the ground floor. All appointed very tastefully. There are three such barn At Barry’s table, East passes as dealer conversions close to each other with and the bidding goes: the shared use of a pool and tennis court. They have already done a super- West North East South market shop when I arrive and have Wyndham Garden Pass 1♦ brought the first night’s dinner with Pass 1♠ Pass 2♣ them: spaghetti bolognese. An hour or Grantham Pass 3♣ Pass 5♣ so later, Gemma’s parents, Patsy and (formerly the Olde Barn) All Pass Duncan, arrive and we have a good Marston, Lincs NG32 2HT dinner, then take it in turns to read to 9-11 October £189 Although it is probable that North has Hayden (including him reading to us), short diamonds, how can South find and then turn in for an early night, ex- 16-18 October £189 that out? At other tables, East opens 1♦ hausted after all that travelling. and now, with the heart finesse likely 13-15 November £189 to be right, even the grand slam is a good contract. Maybe this is the best Sunday sequence: Holiday Inn I sleep really well and when I wake, it Newport NP18 2YG West North East South is 8.45am (I guess in England it would 6-8 November £189 1♦ 2♣ be 7.45am so that is not so remark- Pass 4♦1 Pass 4♥ able). I can hear breakfast-sounding Pass 4♠ Pass 6♣ noises downstairs so I stumble down Chatsworth Hotel All Pass 1Splinter and join the others for cereal and toast. Worthing BN11 3DU We are a long way from a boulangerie, The YC’s new premises are great and but for the rest of the week, the owner 20-22 November £199 there is an excellent atmosphere. is going to bring us baguettes early in the morning. Somehow, French 27-29 November £199 bread is never as good in England. We Saturday loll about in the sunshine all morn- Full Board ing, playing with Hayden, watching I am up reasonably early – a bit hung him swim, reading, etc. Then cheese No Single Supplement* over – and leave at about 10.45am for and salad for lunch. Afterwards, the ( 01483 489961 my trip to France. The traffic is heavy weather has turned cloudy so we de- but I have allowed masses of time and cide to go into Montreuil and have a www.mrbridge.co.uk look around. We wander around the Please note there are no seminars, set get to the Eurotunnel in time for my hands or prizes at these events. crossing. That is uneventful, as is the citadel for an hour or so, then come main part of my journey to the village home for a swim and barbecue. A per- *subject to availability of Sempy where we are staying. How- fect holiday day. ■

BRIDGE October 2015 Page 39 The Diaries of Wendy Wensum Episode 42: A Tuscan Jaunt Part 2: Rise and Fall

Millie, Justin, Spouse and I are staying in a hotel in Lucca.

pattern has emerged; while to handle. Millie made six hearts with an Justin and Millie play rub- overtrick for plus 1,460. Needless to ber bridge in the afternoons, say, Millie was convinced we should ASpouse and I visit places of interest Dealer South. North-South Game. have bid the grand slam. I agreed, but in the area. Yesterday, we took a local ♠ A 6 pointed out that our total count was train from Lucca to Montecatini, a spa ♥ K Q 5 4 only 32 HCP. Of course, the grand town, just a few stops down the line. It ♦ A J 7 5 2 slam in no-trumps makes also. was particularly popular in Victorian ♣ K 9 At Justin and Spouse’s table, they times and a funicular railway had been ♠ 10 8 4 ♠ K Q J 9 7 3 2 were very active and reached six N ♥ 6 2 ♥ J 10 built in the nineteenth century con- W E spades doubled. It turned out to be a necting it to Montecatini Alto up the ♦ 10 4 S ♦ 9 8 6 successful sacrifice as North-South hill. The railway looked a little rickety, ♣ 10 8 7 4 3 2 ♣ J also failed to bid the grand slam. but we made it safely to the hill-top vil- ♠ 5 lage where there were all-round views ♥ A 9 8 7 3 West North East South of the lovely Tuscan countryside. On ♦ K Q 3 Spouse Justin the downward journey, I questioned ♣ A Q 6 5 1♥ Spouse about the maintenance of the Pass 3♥1 3♠ 4♥ track. Reassuringly, he explained that Pass 5♦ Pass 6♦ it was inspected regularly every time Millie, South, opened one heart and 6♠ Dbl All Pass England beat Italy in an international West passed. I bid two no-trumps, football match! Today, we travelled the showing four card support for hearts 1Forcing branch line to Pisa and I am pleased to and values for at least three hearts. report that the tower was still stand- Millie’s artificial three diamond bid Justin made six spade tricks in his ing. Tourists with arms outstretched showed better than minimum values hand and one spade trick in dummy were being photographed at odd an- (a response of three clubs would show by ruffing a diamond, making seven gles, demonstrating their prowess at a minimum). I forced with a cue bid of tricks, for six spades doubled minus pushing it upright. All the stone build- three spades, Millie cue bid four clubs five, scoring minus 1,100 for a top ings in the main square had been ren- and I followed with four diamonds. score. ovated and cleaned and they gleamed Millie jumped now to six hearts, No-one had managed to find the brightly in the hot summer sun. Our which gave us little chance to bid the grand slam. Over seven diamonds or successful return journey to Lucca grand slam. I could guess the hearts seven hearts, seven spades doubled confirmed that Mussolini’s influence were solid, but I had no idea of the would be a good sacrifice as long as on Italian railway’s timetables was still diamond situation so passed. the opponents do not bid seven no- effective. trumps. After dinner, we made our way to West North East South Out in the real world, the twelfth the card room for bridge, where, to our Wendy Millie century Leaning Tower of Pisa still great surprise, the number of tables 1♥1 leans, but has not toppled yet. The for duplicate had increased to five, to Pass 2NT2 Pass 3♦3 nineteenth century funicular railway rival those for rubber bridge. Spouse Pass 3♠4 Pass 4♣4 at ninth century Montecatini still volunteered gallantly for the role of Pass 4♦4 Pass 6♥ operates daily. TD for the evening. How do men gain All Pass In bridge, our dreams come true or so much overconfidence in so short a crumble at a stroke. Well done, Spouse time? It’s quite amazing. 1Five-card major and Justin; bottom of the field one During the session, this extraordi- 2Game invite with 4+ hearts moment and top dogs the next. Such is nary hand proved remarkably difficult 3Better than minimum 4Cue bid bridge. ■

Page 40 BRIDGE October 2015 DEFENCE BERNARD MAGEE QUIZ at Denham Grove near Uxbridge, Bucks, UB9 5DG. by Julian Pottage (Answers on page 42) 8-11 January 2016 £399pp Friday – Monday ou are West in the defensive positions below playing Yteams or rubber bridge. It is your turn to play. Both sides £369pp Friday – Sunday are using Acol with a 12-14 1NT and 2♣ Stayman. full board Limited places for Thursday night available. 1. ♠ A K Q 8 3 3. ♠ 5 3 £65pp single, £40pp double/twin. ♥ 8 4 ♥ 9 4 3 2 ♦ Q 8 4 3 ♦ K Q 2 ♣ Q 6 ♣ Q 8 6 5 ♠ 6 5 ♠ A 10 7 6 Topics ♥ ♥ A K J 7 6 5 N A N COUNTING DEFENCE ♦ 9 2 W E ♦ J 10 8 7 W E Defence is the hardest aspect of bridge, but if you can learn to ♣ 10 7 5 S ♣ J 10 7 2 S defend in conjunction with your partner, it becomes the most rewarding element at the same time. Extra TRICKS in NO-TRUMPS West North East South West North East South Long suits are an integral part of the bidding and the play – 1 2♥ Dbl Pass 3NT 1♠ 4♥ developing extra tricks from them will often be the difference All Pass 1Weak 4♠ 5♥ Pass Pass between making or going down in your contract. Dbl All Pass You lead the ♥A. East SUPPORTING PARTNER plays the ♥3 (a low card You lead the ♦J, won by When you hold support for your partner, the two hands can evaluate fully, often allowing the partnership to bid much discourages) and South the the ♦K. Declarer calls for higher than the high card points might suggest. We will look ♥2. How do you continue? the ♥2, covered by the ♥Q, at a number of conventions that can help you bid to good games ♥K and ♥A. How do you and great slams. continue? FINESSING come in all sorts of different varieties and come up on almost every hand you play. Getting the most out of your honour combinations is a crucial part of declarer play. Should you lead 2. ♠ 9 8 2 4. ♠ K Q 8 high or low, finesse to the right or to the left? ♥ A 6 4 ♥ 10 9 BIDDING DISTRIBUTIONAL HANDS ♦ K Q J 5 ♦ 10 8 6 4 Distributional hands can be great fun to bid and to play, ♣ ♣ Q 10 6 J 4 3 2 particularly when you find a fit. And how do you find a fit… by ♠ A Q ♠ A 6 bidding more! ♥ Q J 8 3 N ♥ A K J 7 6 4 3 N W E ♦ 8 7 3 W E ♦ Q 7 COPING with PRE-EMPTS S S ♣ K 8 5 3 ♣ Q 10 How do you defend against pre-empts and weak twos; how do you cope with weak overcalls and jump support? When your bidding space is taken away you have to use a few extra techniques, but most of all, you have to use your judgement. Improving your West North East South West North East South understanding will allow you to collect the big penalties and Pass 1♠ 1♦ better scores. Pass 2♦ Pass 2♠ 4♥ Pass Pass 4♠ Pass 3♠ All Pass Pass 5♦ 5♥ Pass Pass 5♠ All Pass 1 You lead the ♥Q, won by 6 seminar sessions with Bernard the ♥A, East playing the You lead the ♥K (king 6 sessions of supervised play2 ♥2. Declarer calls for the from A-K at five level), ♠9, which your ♠Q wins. East plays the ♥2 (count) Contact Mr Bridge to book your place How do you continue? and South the ♥5. What is or for further details: ( 01483 489961 your plan? 1Filmed 2Not with Bernard Magee

BRIDGE October 2015 Page 41 Answers to Julian Pottage’s Defence Quiz on page 41

West North East South Partner’s opening bid shows opening 1. ♠ A K Q 8 3 Pass 1♠ values and a spade suit but does not ♥ 8 4 Pass 2♦ Pass 2♠ guarantee the ♠K. This is why you did not ♦ Q 8 4 3 Pass 3♠ All Pass lead a spade at trick one. The fact that ♣ Q 6 declarer has turned up with the ♦A in- ♠ 6 5 ♠ J 10 4 2 You lead the ♥Q, won by the ♥A, East creases the chance that East holds the ♠K ♥ A K J 7 6 5 N ♥ 9 3 playing the ♥2. Declarer calls for the – but it is still not a certainty. A diamond W E ♦ ♦ ♠ ♠ 9 2 S K 10 7 9, which your Q wins. How do you continuation is risky too: declarer could ♣ 10 7 5 ♣ J 8 4 3 continue? hold A-9-x-x and later discard one of ♠ 9 7 The ♥2 at trick one, which discourages dummy’s spades on the fourth diamond. ♥ Q 10 2 hearts, should dissuade you from contin- What you can be sure of is that partner ♦ A J 6 5 uing the suit: South probably started with holds something in clubs. A switch to the ♣ A K 9 2 ♥K-10-x. You really need the next heart ♣J is surely safe. lead to come from partner. While you could try a diamond in the West North East South hope that partner holds the ♦A, this 2♥1 Dbl Pass 3NT would set up the suit. You are unlikely 4. ♠ K Q 8 All Pass 1Weak to have time to make a heart and a club ♥ 10 9 after a diamond switch. A club switch, ♦ 10 8 6 4 You lead the ♥A. East plays the ♥3 (a playing partner for the ♣A, is a better ♣ J 4 3 2 low card discourages) and South the ♥2. option. Although you do not want a club ♠ A 6 ♠ 5 3 2 How do you continue? back, this is clear from dummy’s holding, ♥ A K J 7 6 4 3 N ♥ Q 8 2 Assuming South started with the so you should lead an honest ♣3 just in ♦ Q 7 W E ♦ 5 S ♥Q-x-x, a switch is in order. If declarer case partner holds the ♣A-J and wishes ♣ Q 10 ♣ K 9 8 7 6 5 has the ♠J and the ♦A-K-x-x, that would to finesse. As the cards lie, partner should ♠ J 10 9 7 4 mean nine top tricks: five spades and four work out to take the ♣A and revert to ♥ 5 diamonds. You would need to switch to hearts. ♦ A K J 9 3 2 a club, playing for partner to get in with ♣ A the ♣A. Far more likely is that there is no rush. It would be risky to lead a club if declarer has A-K-9-x, allowing four tricks 3. ♠ 5 3 West North East South rather than three. A diamond is risky too: ♥ 9 4 3 2 1♦ if partner has K-10-x, declarer can either ♦ K Q 2 4♥ Pass Pass 4♠ avoid a diamond loser or at least set up ♣ Q 8 6 5 Pass 5♦ 5♥ Pass the suit while keeping partner off lead. A ♠ A 10 7 6 ♠ Q J 8 4 2 Pass 5♠ All Pass spade is your safest switch – do that. ♥ A N ♥ Q ♦ J 10 8 7 W E ♦ 6 3 You lead the ♥K (king from A-K at five S ♣ J 10 7 2 ♣ A K 9 4 3 level), East plays the ♥2 (count) and ♠ K 9 South the ♥5. What is your plan? 2. ♠ 9 8 2 ♥ K J 10 8 7 6 5 On a king lead at a high level, part- ♥ A 6 4 ♦ A 9 5 4 ner should show count. The ♥2 shows ♦ K Q J 5 ♣ Void an odd number, three no doubt, so a ♣ Q 10 6 second heart is not going to stand up. ♠ A Q ♠ 6 4 3 You might try a forcing game if you think ♥ Q J 8 3 N ♥ 9 5 2 West North East South partner holds four trumps – but South W E ♦ 8 7 3 ♦ 10 6 4 1♠ 4♥ ♠ S would hardly bid 4 on four to the jack. ♣ K 8 5 3 ♣ A 9 7 4 4♠ 5♥ Pass Pass Placing five spades on your right means ♠ K J 10 7 5 Dbl All Pass six diamonds too – South would open 1♠ ♥ K 10 7 when holding only 5-5 in the two suits. ♦ A 9 2 You lead the ♦J, won by the ♦K. Declarer This tells you what to do. Switch to a dia- ♣ J 2 calls for the ♥2, covered by the ♥Q, ♥K mond, paving the way for a diamond ruff and ♥A. How do you continue? after you take the ♠A. ■

Page 42 BRIDGE October 2015 Bridge Adventures by David Holden and Roy Rowe At the Cheshire Cheese – or Boswell’s Coupe Jacques

y dear fellow!’ exclaimed pre-eminent requirement in course of The two exchanged glances, Boswell Doctor Johnson, ‘there is both paying out and receiving wagers. thought a little covertly, but before nothing quite so sobering long the four were seated in the snug ‘Mas to consider how the English have provided by Mangles with a bright brought civilisation to the eminence it fire, new clay pipes, a good supply of now enjoys by the profound knowledge best snuff, four pitchers of port and of its language and customs. That the dessert which Doctor Johnson is exactly why I have compiled a had declined, a Coupe Jacques, which dictionary of all the words known to Boswell resolved to enjoy when he man, ie, to myself. For if I do flatter was to undertake the role of dummy. my intellect, it is only because it is in Boswell realised with a shock that both the common good. I do not refer to opponents (MacIain and MacDonald) Nationalism, which is the last resort were from Scotland and as the two of the ruffian, but to the basis of Good were not adverse to making patriotic Society, which is what we enjoy here comments as the level of port began in the Metropolis with all its faults, to lower, Boswell grew concerned that with the focal point of the Cheshire the Doctor would not refrain from Cheese of course, in its heart and to making known his trenchant bigotry. do Mangles, our landlord, due credit Boswell was relieved when Doctor to the unctuous pie he has prepared Johnson placed his respect for good which now stands before us and to manners and the role of the civilised which we will endeavour to do justice. James Boswell Englishman first. Note I do not include the Scotch in The party had agreed to play the my summary, the finest sight any Scot best of three rubbers, with stakes of a will see is the High Road to England, There is nothing so dangerous as a florin for a hundred points, so it would though I do concede that the Welsh poor loser and nothing so agreeable be a sizeable wager. have their good points, namely their as a good loser, when pistols and This was the first deal: lamb, which no doubt forms a vital swords remain in their sheaths and part of this pie.’ money changes hands without undue The Doctor, having paused for breath rancour!’ ♠ K 6 4 3 and grunting and jerking contentedly Towards nine of the clock, Boswell ♥ A 9 7 (as was his habit) as he explored the approached two travellers who were ♦ 8 6 4 3 pie, gave Boswell the opportunity to conversing quietly by the window. ♣ A K scribble down a précis of the great ‘Your servant, Sirs.’ he began, ‘Would ♠ 2 ♠ A Q J 10 9 8 5 man’s words and at the same time you do me and the Good Doctor the ♥ J 10 6 4 2 N ♥ 8 3 ♦ K 9 5 W E ♦ J pose the question, ‘Will we be playing honour of a round or two of the latest S bridge tonight in the snug?’ sensation card-bridge which has ♣ 5 4 3 2 ♣ 8 7 6 Johnson replied, ‘After this and arrived from France – I understand ♠ 7 the other three courses, we may if we from Rupert Mangles that you are ♥ K Q 5 can find a good class of opponent, for versed in the game having observed ♦ A Q 10 7 2 though I am not a snob, I do regard you at the Mitre last week, with some ♣ Q J 10 9 good manners in first acquaintance a skilful play in a contract of spades?’

BRIDGE October 2015 Page 43 Adventures continued contract made by Johnson. Boswell was so absorbed that he forgot to try his Coupe Jacques. The Scots managed to win the sec- West North East South ond rubber but Boswell was convinced Johnson MacIain Boswell MacDonald that they were using illegal signals. 1NT 2♠ 3♦ Noticing a stranger amongst the men Pass 5♦ All Pass now crowded around the table and sus- pecting he was an accomplice, Boswell 3NT is a superior contact, but made a point of affecting a great series MacDonald was clearly concerned of sneezes using the snuff and dabbing regarding his singleton. Johnson led his face with a cinder from the fire, he his singleton spade, Boswell won and made a comment about the pestilence returned a spade that stalks the for the obvious streets of Lon- ruff. don and the MacDonald, room cleared placing the of observers spades correctly, quickly, leav- ruffed high with ing the Scots the ♦10. John- anxious to com- son thought for plete the match a while and, re- unaided. fusing to over- The final ruff, discarded a rubber was a small heart. rout for Johnson MacDonald and Boswell, crossed to dum- ending with the my and finessed latter making a the ♦Q, losing finesse with the to Johnson who jack of hearts,

exited with a Samuel Johnson he enjoyed his heart. Coupe Jacques E v e n t u a l l y, after all! Johnson won a trick with the ♦9 to The Scots made to leave without defeat the contract. settling their debt, but the reliable He could not resist adding, ‘The and honest Mangles appeared with a curse of Scotland, the ♦9 again!’ blunderbuss and order was restored. which was much to his opponents’ Before retiring, Johnson remarked discomfort. Of course, if he had to Boswell that the finesse was un- overruffed the ♦10, that would have necessary, but was, to put it in his own been the last trick for the defence. words, ‘the iridescent icing on the Further brilliant defensive play by cake,’ and how well the evening had the Good Doctor resulted in several turned out, being nearly £9 in profit. failed contracts by the visitors, He added, whilst an astute bid by Johnson and ‘If doubts or debts thy soul assail, competent play by Boswell brought If Fashion’s forms its current freeze, home game in 4♠ in the first rubber, Try a long pipe, a glass of ale, followed quickly by a routine 3NT And supper at The Cheshire Cheese.’■

The Curse of Scotland

The ♦9 is said to be the curse of Scotland because it bears a resemblance to the coat of arms of John Dalrymple, Earl of Stair, acknowledged to be the villain of the massacre of Glencoe where MacIain, the chief, and many other MacDonalds were murdered.

Page 44 BRIDGE October 2015 DECLARER BRIDGE EVENTS with Bernard Magee PLAY Blunsdon House Hotel PROGRAMME QUIZ Swindon SN26 7AS FRIDAY 9-11 October 2015 1500 Mr Bridge by David Huggett Better Defence Welcome Desk open Tea or coffee on arrival (Answers on page 47) 16-18 October 2015 Doubles 1745 to 1830 ou are South as declarer playing teams or rubber bridge. Welcome drinks YIn each case, what is your play strategy? 29-31 January 2016 reception Endplay & Avoidance 1830 to 2000 Dinner 26-28 February 2016 1. ♠ A 5 3. ♠ Q 7 Game Tries 2015 BRIDGE 1 ♥ 6 4 ♥ Q 8 2 DUPLICATE PAIRS ♦ A 10 9 3 ♦ K Q 10 7 6 ♣ K 8 7 6 2 ♣ A 7 2 Elstead Hotel SATURDAY Bournemouth, BH1 3QP

N N 0800 to 0930 W E W E 6-8 November 2015 Breakfast S S Suit Establishment 1000 to 1230 SEMINAR & ♠ 2 ♠ 10 5 4 Chatsworth Hotel SUPERVISED PLAY ♥ K 8 2 ♥ A K 7 3 Worthing BN11 3DU of SET HANDS ♦ ♦ K Q J 8 6 4 A J 9 3 (tea & coffee at 1100) ♣ A 5 4 ♣ K 5 30 Oct - 1 Nov 2015 1230 to 1330 Sacrificing Cold Buffet Lunch

You are declarer in 5♦ and You are declarer in 4♥ and 4-6 March 2016 1400 to 1645 West leads the ♠K. How West leads the ♣4. How Thinking Defence BRIDGE 2 TEAMS of FOUR do you plan the play? do you plan the play? 22-24 April 2016 Suit Establishment 1815 to 2000 Dinner

2015 BRIDGE 3 Ardington Hotel DUPLICATE PAIRS Worthing BN11 3DZ 2. ♠ 8 4. ♠ K J 10 2 ♥ Q 5 ♥ 6 5 4 22-24 January 2016 SUNDAY ♦ 8 4 3 ♦ A K 5 Pre-Emptive Bidding 0800 to 0930 ♣ A 9 7 6 4 3 2 ♣ 6 5 4 Breakfast

N N Inn on the Prom 1000 to 1230 W E W E St Annes On Sea, FY8 1LU SEMINAR & S S SUPERVISED PLAY 19-21 February 2016 of SET HANDS ♠ A K Q J 9 4 ♠ A 4 3 Suit Establishment (tea & coffee at 1100) ♥ A J 4 3 ♥ K J 3 1230 to 1400 ♦ A 6 2 ♦ Q J 8 7 Denham Grove Sunday Lunch ♣ Void ♣ A 9 2 Near Uxbridge, UB9 5DU 1400 to 1645 BRIDGE 4 15-17 April 2016 DUPLICATE PAIRS You are declarer in 4♠ and You are declarer in 3NT Splinters & Cue-Bids West leads the ♦K. How and West leads the ♥8. do you plan the play? East plays the ♥10. How £245pp. Full Board. No Single Supplement*. do you plan the play? See www.mrbridge.co.uk for new dates *subject to availability

BRIDGE October 2015 Page 45 More Tips from Bernard Magee Dummy on your left: lead through heft

As a defender, switching to the right suit Declarer has little chance: he can Canaries & Madeira is a wonderful habit to get into. Your take four spade tricks but your accurate aim should always be to lead through switch should keep him to seven tricks. Winter Warmth strength and up to weakness. Gener- See how badly a heart switch would ally, it is dummy that will tell you what to fare: exposing your partner’s high lead, not your own hand or your partner. cards before declarer’s and allowing When dummy is on your left, you are an extra heart trick for the defence. leading through it, which means you Here is a similar layout: are looking to lead through strength.

♠ A 3 2 ♠ 9 3 2 ♥ 8 5 ♥ 5 4 ♦ K Q 7 Sails from Southampton ♦ K Q 7 ♣ Q 10 9 6 2 th 7 January 2017 • 13 nights ♣ 10 9 6 3 2 ♠ 6 5 ♠ J 10 7 4 Balmoral • L1701 ♠ 6 5 ♥ 9 7 3 2 N ♥ Q 6 4 W E N ♥ 9 7 3 2 ♦ 6 5 2 S ♦ A J 8 3 W E • Southampton • Funchal, Madeira ♦ 6 5 2 S ♣ A K J 4 ♣ 7 5 • Santa Cruz, La Palma • Santa Cruz, ♣ A K 8 5 ♠ K Q 9 8 Las Palmas Tenerife • , Gran Canaria ♥ A K J 10 • Arrecife, Lanzarote • Lisbon, ♦ 10 9 4 Portugal • Southampton West North East South ♣ 8 3 2NT Daily bridge on board, bridge fees Pass 3NT All Pass included. Mr Bridge welcome & West North East South farewell drinks parties. Partners for You lead the ♣A, but your partner 1NT single players. No single supplements ♣ on selected twin grades of cabin. plays the 4 and dummy has club Pass 3NT All Pass length, so you choose to switch, but which suit do you choose? Once again, you lead the ♣A and are Great value Mr Bridge fares: Dummy is on your left so you are disappointed to see dummy. Choosing Inside twin cabins from £949pp looking to lead through a stronger suit. to switch, the difference this time is the Outside twin cabins from £1,139pp Getting used to this tactic is so impor- presence of the ♠A. However, when you Balcony cabins from £1,709pp tant. Intuitively, you might feel you want are looking to lead through strength, Suites from £1,949pp to lead dummy’s weaker suits, but this it is important to understand why: you Twin outside cabin for £1,199pp plays into declarer’s hand: allowing his want your partner to be able to kill the sole occupancy strength to dominate your partner’s. In- strength, so it is important that you are stead, you follow the tip and lead a dia- leading through ‘beatable’ strength. Balmoral mond, ♦6. Your partner ducks, but plays An ace is unbeatable and, therefore, the ♦8 to suggest he likes your switch. not good to lead through. You should ignore bare aces when considering leading through strength, so once ♠ 9 3 2 again, you switch to diamonds. ♥ 5 4 Declarer falls short again, most likely ♦ K Q 7 taking a heart finesse, and playing a ♣ 10 9 6 3 2 club, allowing West to win and play a ♠ 6 5 ♠ 10 8 7 4 second diamond to defeat the contract ♥ 9 7 3 2 N ♥ Q J 6 with two clubs and three diamonds. W E ♦ ♦ For reservations call Mr Bridge 6 5 2 S A J 8 3 Knowing which suit to switch to is such ♣ A K 8 5 ♣ 7 4 an important aspect of defence. Almost on 01483 489961 ♠ A K Q J always, your choice of switch will be www.mrbridge.co.uk ♥ A K 10 8 dictated by dummy, not by your hand or ♦ 10 9 4 by a signal. Focus on dummy and your Terms and conditions apply – see Fred. Olsen 2016/17 worldwide brochure ♣ Q J defence will improve: when dummy is on your left, lead through heft. ■

FOC311297_Mr_Bridge_Adverts_261.5x57mm_W/C_27.07.15_FV.inddPage 46 29/07/2015 3 14:42 BRIDGE October 2015 Answers to David Huggett’s Play Quiz on page 45

You are declarer in 4♠ and West leads return, you win and now – hopefully – 1. ♠ A 5 the ♦K. How do you plan the play? draw the remaining trumps. You might ♥ 6 4 This hand is very frustrating because lose an extra trick, but you have catered ♦ A 10 9 3 there are ten tricks visible – six spades, for the more likely 4-2 break. ♣ K 8 7 6 2 two hearts and the two minor suit aces ♠ K Q J 10 8 6 ♠ 9 7 4 3 – but, unfortunately, dummy has no ♥ A 10 7 5 N ♥ Q J 9 3 obvious entry. You might try and get W E ♦ ♦ ♠ 5 S 7 2 there by leading a heart to the queen, 4. K J 10 2 ♣ 10 3 ♣ Q J 9 hoping that West has the king, but if he ♥ 6 5 4 ♠ 2 doesn’t and East wins, then you can rely ♦ A K 5 ♥ K 8 2 on a trump coming back, stopping any ♣ 6 5 4 ♦ K Q J 8 6 4 potential ruff in dummy. The answer is ♠ 8 7 ♠ Q 9 6 5 ♣ A 5 4 simple. Just win trick one and lead the ♥ A Q 9 8 2 N ♥ 10 7 W E jack of hearts. If it loses, then you have ♦ 10 3 S ♦ 9 6 4 2 the queen in dummy as an entry, while if ♣ Q 10 7 3 ♣ K J 8 You are declarer in 5♦ and West leads it wins, you can play the ace and ruff a ♠ A 4 3 the ♠K. How do you plan the play? third round in dummy. You will be very ♥ K J 3 3NT would have been so easy, but unlucky if that is overruffed. ♦ Q J 8 7 there is nothing you can do about that ♣ A 9 2 now. With a certain club loser, it looks as though you might need to establish that suit without letting East in, who might 3. ♠ Q 7 You are declarer in 3NT and West leads play a heart through your king. Then, if ♥ Q 8 2 the ♥8. East plays the ♥10. How do you the heart ace is offside, you will be left ♦ K Q 10 7 6 plan the play? with three losers. ♣ A 7 2 A fairly easy hand to finish with. You However, there is a neat solution. ♠ A J 6 3 ♠ K 9 8 2 can’t afford to duck the opening lead, in Simply play low to the opening lead and ♥ 9 5 N ♥ J 10 6 4 case you never make a heart trick at all, W E ♠ ♦ ♦ later discard a club on the A. Then, 8 2 S 5 4 but, equally, you do not want East ever after drawing trumps, you can hopefully ♣ Q 10 6 4 3 ♣ J 9 8 to gain the lead to push a heart through ruff out the club suit, enter dummy with ♠ 10 5 4 your remaining holding. With eight tricks a trump and discard two hearts on ♥ A K 7 3 on top, you are bound to make an extra dummy’s remaining clubs. To fail, you ♦ A J 9 3 spade, but just make sure you do so would need clubs to break 4-1 and for ♣ K 5 safely. Play a spade to the king, lead the West to hold the ace of hearts. jack and let it run if it is not covered. If West wins, he cannot play hearts again You are declarer in 4♥ and West leads without giving you an extra trick. ■ the ♣4. How do you plan the play? 2. ♠ 8 5♦ is the right contract, of course, but ♥ Q 5 even so it would be very cruel for 4♥ to Mr Bridge ♦ 8 4 3 fail. You do have to be careful. If you play Premium Quality Cards ♣ A 9 7 6 4 3 2 three rounds of trumps after winning the ♠ 10 7 3 ♠ 6 5 2 opening lead, you will be all right if the suit Standard Faces, ♥ 10 8 7 N ♥ K 9 6 2 breaks 3-3 but not if it breaks 4-2; even with or without W E bar codes. ♦ K Q J 5 ♦ 10 9 7 if you abandon trumps after three rounds S Unboxed. ♣ K J 5 ♣ Q 10 8 and play on diamonds, the defender with 6 red/6 blue £19.95 ♠ A K Q J 9 4 the remaining trump will ruff in at some 30 red/30 blue ♥ A J 4 3 point and then they will cash three spade only £60 ♦ A 6 2 tricks. You can stop all this happening by ♣ Void ducking a trump at trick two. Dummy can Available from The London Bridge Centre. ( 020 7288 1305 www.bridgeshop.com take any spade force and, on any other

BRIDGE October 2015 Page 47 1953 MR Bridge Christmas SA ad final_Layout 1 06/02/2015 11:23 Page 1

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