1999 Editor: Peter Jamieson Assistant Editors: Amy Scudder and Sheena Larsen-Jury Changing the schedule has meant a Welcome change in venue for two events, the Field Sizes by John Scudder AOP will now be played in the function as of 12th January Convener rooms of the Hyatt and the National This year Last year Swiss Pairs will take over the ballroom It is pleasing to see a lot of familiar NWT 86 94 faces returning to enjoy themselves at at Rydges. Please make sure that you Seniors 61 54 the premier bridge event in the turn up at the correct venue. Restricted 38 38 southern hemisphere. I hope that my Mens Pairs 23 34 staff will make your stay in Canberra On the Friday evening after the something very special. completion of the SWPT the ACT Bridge Association is organising a Vu- Today is the premiere of new event on Graph featuring the winners of the TIME TABLE the calendar of the Summer Festival, Grand Slam Trophy. Some of (initial events) the Bridge Buffs Open Teams which Australias leading players will be there to entertain you as you enjoy the has been generously sponsored by National Womens Teams Bridge Buffs, the professional bridge delights of Marios Deli. Why not stay another night in Canberra, organise a 13-17 January agency. My thanks go to Penny Crittle at Rydges Canberra Hotel & Dena Blackman for their involvement leisurely dinner with friends and then Qualifying session times: roll up for the Vu-Graph. At this function in this new venture. This event is 11.00, 3.00, 8.30 designed to provide an outlet for those all members of the 16 teams in the bridge players who are unable to meet NOT will be introduced to you. Then the qualifications of the traditional you will be able to put a face to the National Seniors Teams events. An early contender for the names of the players reported in 13-15 January at Hyatt Hotel Canberra name of the event was the middle age Australian Bridge doing those unbelievable things with the cards. Session times: spread, too old for the youth events and 11.00, 3.00, 8.30 too young for the seniors. I hope that you have collected your National 0-149 Teams Following their success in 1998, Bridge satchels from the hard working Caddies. Being a new venture I 13-15 January Buffs have provided the partnership at Hyatt Hotel Canberra service for the Summer Festival again anticipate some congestion in this area Session times: this year. My thanks go to Prue Lawford with hundreds of players all wanting Wed, Thurs 11.00, 3.00, 8.30 for arranging partnerships for you. their satchels in the thirty minutes Fri 11.00, 3.00 The schedule has been altered this before play starts, so please be patient. year, moving the Mixed Pairs from In the satchels you will find two Mens Pairs Summer Festival pens, they are for being the last event to being run Friday 15 January concurrently with the Australian Open your use throughout the Festival. The at Rydges Canberra Hotel Pairs. The same boards are played in new look scoring booklets will be on Session times: both events thus allowing some your table at the beginning of play, you 11.00, 3.00, 8.30 interesting comparisons as you partake need to keep them for the entire event. of the splendid restaurants around Each event will have its own specially Walk-In Pairs Canberra. I hope that players who in designed score booklet. One design 13th -17th January the past have come for the first three error has crept in, there is no total box at Rydges Canberra Hotel days of the Festival might spend for the millions of IMPs you are bound Session Times for 13th-15th: another day in Canberra and take the to score, you will just have to write your 11.00, 3.00, 8.30 winning total in the margin. On the back Times for 16th: 1.30 opportunity of playing in this event. The Times for 17th: 2.00, 7.30 Flighted Pairs has also been moved is some useful information about this from its traditional time spot to this event and for the other ABF events in coming Saturday evening. This is 1999. Bridge Buffs Teams designed to cater for those players 13-14 January arriving from the far-flung parts of the The Hyatt Hotel is putting on a at Rydges Canberra Hotel Session Times: 11.00, 3.00, 8.30 nation for the SWPT who like a friendly smorgasbord in the Promenade Café warm-up game on Saturday Night. for the first five days of the Festival at NOT NEWS #1 Wednesday 13th January 1999 Page 1 the enticing price of $20 per head. The mess if this service were withdrawn. ALERTING Burley Griffin Restaurant at Rydges With a little bit of planning, you should continues with its traditional buffet at be able to get to the other venue with All events at the 1999 Summer Festival $17.50 per head, booking is essential plenty of time. of Bridge are subject to the ABF Alert for both restaurants. On Saturday the Regulations as amended 1st May Burley Griffin is closed for a wedding Smoking is not permitted anywhere 1998. There is a summary of these but for this night only you can get the within any venue for the Summer regulations on page 15 of the same fare in Bobby McGees. Festival. When you want to smoke you information brochure for this Festival. will have to venture outdoors. During This year the caddies have been kitted the session be wary of the time that You may obtain a copy of the full ABF out in yellow polo shirts to make them will be needed to light up. Alert Regulations from the Convener more visible. When you need a board of this Festival, John Scudder. Also please look around for a yellow shirt, I wish all contestant good luck over the these regulations are posted call Caaaaddy!!in the appropriate coming days, may you meet old prominently on noticeboards at each direction and finally put your hand up friends, make new friends and enjoy venue. so that the caddies can find you. With the bridge. the use of circles of six for a set of As an aid to memory here are some boards wherever possible in teams John Scudder common bids that DO NOT require events this year the board movement Convener alerting: should be smooth and the number of - Doubles caddy calls limited. You will find that }}}}}}} - Any bid at the 4 level or higher there are two colours of boards in play - any cue bid (includes bidding in suit in each session, these colours alternate shown but not actually bid by an between circles. Please do not play a Opening lead Problem No.1 opponent) board which is of a different colour to - opening bid of 2 of a suit where the the colour that you have been playing. What do you lead as West against spoken suit is guaranteed to be held This ensures that boards do not 7} after the following auction? and there is no promise of a second migrate from one circle to another North South suit (ie standard weak 2 or old causing a bank up of tables wanting I ] 2 } fashioned Acol Two Bids or game the missing board. 2 ] 3 } forcing natural 2 bids). 4 } 4 ] - 1NT opening bids in the point range The bulletin that you are now reading 4NT 5 ] 11-18 which are natural and promise needs your support. When your partner 7{ 7 } essentially balanced distribution and does a brilliant thing at the table, write contain no suit information. it up and hand it to one of the editorial Your hand is: staff (if your partner does not notice But Note: if a 1NT opening can your brilliancy, then I guess you will just ]J systemically contain a singleton, a 6 have to write it up yourself). The [ K 7 5 2 card major or a 7 card+ minor it must editorial staff have left contribution } 10 8 3 2 be alerted. boxes at both venues, they can accept { Q 9 6 4 articles on floppy discs, on paper or by Please note the following three matters email. If you feel that you have not got Answer on Page Three! which form part of the Alerting time to write up partners brilliancy, just regulations: - jot down the salient facts and hand it }}}}}}}} to one of the editorial staff, they might 1. Alerting is compulsory - you cannot expand it into an article for you or use ask the opponents not to alert. it in a Column 8 (NOT) article. You Opening Lead Problem No. 2 know the style Who bid 7NT missing 2. When partner makes an alertable all four Kings, finessed two of them You hold as West: call, say aloud ALERT and then circle successfully and then squeezed the alertable call on the bidding pad. defenders for the last two tricks ] K J 3 happens all the time at the Festival! [A 8 3. It is your responsibility at the start of }A 9 8 3 a round (match point or Swiss Pairs) The staff of the two hotels are operating { Q 8 4 2 or a teams match to inform your the buses that will transport you to and opponents of: your basic system, from the venues. This year they are You open 1NT (12-14) at favourable minimum suit lengths and strength of running on a strict timetable of a bus vul, IMPS.