A NEW BRIDGE MAGAZINE Gold Cup Crockfords Unconventional Conventions EDITION 24 December 2019 A NEW BRIDGE MAGAZINE – DECEMBER 2019 Alive & Kicking TD Courses are organ- The University of Stirling and Prof Punch ised every few years launched the Keep Bridge Alive campaign ear- by the EBL in order to lier this year and are now working in partnership train TDs who have with bridge organisations to use research to pro- already proven them- A NEW mote the benefits of bridge. We would like to selves at national level. draw your attention to the forthcoming Keep The 11th Main Tour- Bridge Alive Pro-Am fundraising event in cen- nament Directors tral London on 20 February. We are delighted to Course was held at the Porto Bello Hotel Resort announce that Victoria Coren Mitchell (who has in Antalya, Turkey, February 2019. You can find been hosting the BBC show Only Connect since a wealth of information (including all the test 2008) has agreed both to play and to do a spe- questions and answers) about this event at: BRIDGE cial Q&A at the event, which will open doors in http://www.eurobridge.org/education/ MAGAZINE terms of raising the profile of bridge in the wider td-training/courses/ Editor: media. Visit the online auction site and con- Mark Horton sider bidding for a pro or a junior to play at this Vive Le Bridgeur! Advertising: exciting event: https://www.jumblebee.co.uk/ This month the leading French Magazine, Le Mark Horton keepbridgealiveproam20february2020 Bridgeur celebrates its 60th anniversary, its first Photographers: See Page 35 for brochure. issue appearing in 1959. They have great plans Ron Tacchi Winter Games for 2020. Francesca Canali Proofreaders: There is still plenty of time to give yourself an Long Life Monika Kümmel, Herman De Wael extra Christmas present by arranging to go to In response to last month’s editorial, Meic Good- Monaco at the end of February for the third Win- Typesetter: year points out that Smyslov made it to 89, and ter Games. This year the organisers have added Ron Tacchi Taimanov (though not a world champion) got an extra Competition, the T.O.P Pairs, which to 90. Reviews: carries a first prize of €10,000. You will find all Martin Cantor the information at: Rule of Lords A NEW BRIDGE Magazine is published monthly. Views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of http://db.eurobridge.org/repository/com- The annual match between the Houses of Par- the Editor. Editorial contributions will be published at the Editor’s petitions/20monaco/microsite/Information. discretion and may be shortened if space is limited. liament went the way of the upper chamber, as No parts of this publication may be reproduced without the prior htm#Programme the Lords defeated the Commons by 120-65 IMPs express permission of the publishers. All rights reserved. ♥2018 Advertisements: Although staff of A New Bridge Magazine take over 24 boards. The winning team included Kitty all reasonable precautions to protect the interests of readers by The Legend Continues ensuring as far as practicable that advertisements in the pages Teltscher, who has kept her elevation to the of A New Bridge Magazine are bona fide, the magazine cannot The Executive committee of the European Bridge Peerage remarkably quiet. accept any undertaking in respect of claims made against advertisers. Legal remedies are available if redress is sought, League has voted unanimously to rename the and readers who have complaints should address them to the advertiser. Readers should note that prices advertised may not be Main TD Course, which takes place every 3 years, accurate due to currency exchange rate fluctuations or tax changes as the “Max Bavin TD Course.” Page 2 A NEW BRIDGE MAGAZINE – DECEMBER 2019 New Tricks If you think this is going to relate to the former BBC television crime series - you would be wrong! The New Tricks team is developing mod- ern content in the hope of attracting new, young players to bridge. They have tutorial content and are producing a tournament series that you can watch on You Tube The first episode is already live, and can be viewed at: Tournament Series, Episode One. (https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=rMifqV6Z9RQ) The web site confirms that all of the players and commentators involved have given their time voluntarily because they support the aims of the New Tricks project. There is a fund raising page, and they are already well on the way to reaching the £25,000 they need to cover the cost of the project. To find out more go to: http://www.newtricksbridge.club/ https://uk.gofundme.com/f/new-tricks-bridge-club/campaign/gallery/0 Happy Holidays Time to wish you all a very Merry Christmas. This list covers some (but by no means all!) of the possibilities: Vrolijk Kerstfeest, Joyeux Noël, Frohe Weihnachten, Djoyeus Noyé, Vesela Koleda, Sheng Dan Kuai Le (圣诞快乐), Seng Dan Fai Lok (聖誕快樂), Sretan Božić, Veselé Vánoce, Glædelig Jul, Rõõmsaid Jõulupühi, Hyvää joulua, Bon Natale, Kala Christouyenna, Gleðileg jól, Śubh krisamas, Selamat Natal, Chag Molad Sameach, Nollaig Shona Dhuit, Buon Natale, Gledelig Jul, Meri Kurisumasu, Il-Milied it-Tajjeb, Wesołych Świąt, Feliz Natal, Crăciun Fericit, s rah-zh-dee-st-vohm, Veselé Vianoce, Feliz Nav- idad, Bon Nadal, God Jul, Mutlu Noeller, Nadolig Llawen. Page 3 A NEW BRIDGE MAGAZINE – DECEMBER 2019 In This Issue Test Your Technique 4 FUNBRIDGE — Test Your Technique with Marc Smith see Page 67 5 Gold Cup 2019 — The Editor reports on the semi-finals and final This month’s hand comes from a Funbridge 38 GoTo Bridge daily matchpoint tournament. Both the bid- 42 FunBridge Misplay These Hands With Me ding and the play are instructive. 44 Bid72 Offer Dealer North. Both Vul. 45 Deals That Caught My Eye — David Bird casts a comprehensive eye on events in Wuhan ♠ A K 10 8 5 63 Bid72 — Your Bid ♥ 9 3 66 Defend With Julian Pottage ♦ Q 5 2 ♣ K Q 5 67 FUNBRIDGE — Test Your Technique solution 68 Unconventional Conventions — Alex Adamson & Harry Smith with another tale from ♠ 9 3 the Over The Rainbow Bridge Club ♥ A Q J 74 Book Reviews — A bumper crop from Martin Cantor ♦ A K 4 3 79 Defend With Julian Pottage — The Answers ♣ A J 8 6 83 Kit’s Corner — Kit Woolsey West North East South 86 Bridge With Larry Cohen – 1♠ Pass 2♣ 98 Excerpt from Why You Still Lose At Bridge Pass 2♠ Pass 4NT 92 The Abbot’s Dream — David Bird Pass 6NT All Pass 96 The uBid Auction Room — Mark Horton West leads the ♦J against your no-trump slam. 101 Master Point Press Bidding Battle — Moderated by Brian Senior How would you plan to make twelve tricks? 115 Master Point Press Bidding Battle Competition — Set 24 119 Hands for This Month’s Auction Room 120 Comments on Bidding Battle 22 — Brian Senior Page 4 A NEW BRIDGE MAGAZINE – DECEMBER 2019 Gold Cup 2019 TheEditorreportsontheGoldCupsemi-finalsandfinal Despite the gradual decline in the number of teams competing, the Gold situation this must show a fit for spades and may help partner to judge Cup remains as the premier knock-out event in the United Kingdom. what to do if the auction remains competitive. This year the four teams that reached the last weekend were packed with The play and defence was not optimum, declarer going three down, household names. It is a reflection of the modern era that three of the -150. four squads contained a sponsor. Closed Room Senior v Gillis West North East South After 8 deals Senior led 23-10. Holland Hanlon Mould McGann – 1♥ 2♠ 3♠* Board 9. Dealer North. E/W Vul. 4♠ Pass Pass 5♥ ♠ K All Pass ♥ Q J 8 4 3 3♠ Heart support ♦ A J 4 2 Here West might have bid 4♦. At least they defended perfectly, -200 and ♣ 10 9 6 2 IMPs. ♠ A 8 5 3 N ♠ J 10 9 7 6 4 2 ♥ K 5 ♥ — Board 10. Dealer East. All Vul. ♦ K 9 8 5 W E ♦ Q 10 S ♠ A 4 ♣ J 8 2 ♣ K Q 5 4 ♥ K J 10 7 6 5 ♠ Q ♦ A 10 8 ♥ A 10 9 7 6 2 ♣ 5 2 ♦ 7 6 3 ♠ Q 8 6 3 N ♠ J 10 9 7 5 ♣ A 7 3 ♥ 4 3 2 ♥ Q W E Open Room ♦ J 7 4 3 2 ♦ K Q 9 ♣ 4 S ♣ A Q J 3 West North East South ♠ K 2 Gillis B Senior Svendson Penfold ♥ A 9 8 – 1♥ 1♠ 2NT* ♦ 6 4 3♠ 4♥ 4♠ 5♥ ♣ K 10 9 8 7 6 All Pass 2NT Heart support 5♥ is expensive if it is doubled and the defenders start with a spade followed by a diamond switch and as you can see E/W take 11 tricks in spades. I would have been tempted to bid 3♦ with the West hand – in this Page 5 A NEW BRIDGE MAGAZINE – DECEMBER 2019 Open Room ♠ A 4 Board 12. Dealer West. N/S Vul. ♥ K J 10 7 6 5 West North East South ♦ A 10 8 ♠ K 10 9 7 2 Gillis B Senior Svendson Penfold ♣ 5 2 ♥ 9 7 2 ♠ Q 8 6 3 ♠ J 10 9 7 5 – – 1♠ Pass N ♦ Q 4 2♠ 3♥ Pass 4♥ ♥ 4 3 2 W E ♥ Q ♣ Q 9 2 All Pass ♦ J 7 4 3 2 S ♦ K Q 9 ♣ 4 ♣ A Q J 3 ♠ Q 8 5 4 N ♠ J ♠ K 2 ♥ K J 8 6 ♥ Q 10 4 3 I wonder why South did not overcall W E 2♣? ♥ A 9 8 ♦ 7 ♦ 10 9 8 6 3 2 ♦ 6 4 ♣ A 10 7 6 S ♣ K 5 Although East’s hand improved ♣ K 10 9 8 7 6 when spades were supported, he was ♠ A 6 3 not inclined to take another bid.