BRIDGE · ♥ A J 10 ♦ Q 7 6 5 4 3 ♣ A Q ... welcome drinks party. Limited singles with no...

♠ A K 5 4 3 2 ♥ 3 2 ♦ A K 2 ♣ 3 2 ♠ 8 7 ♠Q J 10 9 ♥ K Q 5 4 ♥ 9 8 7 6 ♦ J 10 9 ♦ 8 ♣ K 6 5 4 ♣ 10 9 8 7 ♠6 ♥ A J 10 ♦ Q 7 6 5 4 3 ♣ A Q J

Contract 6♦ by South

Lead: ♦J

BRIDGENumber: 207 March 2020

PROTECTION

N W E S

This Double Dummy problem can also be found on page 5 of this issue. The answer will be published on page 4 next month.

Julian Pottage’s Double Dummy Problem

Hotel Riu Garoe is in the La Paz district of Puerto de la Cruz, just 300m from the Botanical Gardens, 2km from the beach and has a free shuttle service to the centre of Puerto de la Cruz. Known for its dark, volcanic-sand beaches and the huge Loro Parque Zoo, which lies to the west, Puerto de la Cruz also has a saltwater pool complex

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BRIDGE March 2020

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BRIDGEThe Mr Bridge Monthly Magazine

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ADVERTISERS’ INDEX

2 Tenerife 2021

3 Clive Goff ’s Stamps

4 The Exchequer Tea Towel

4 2020 Cruise Summary

5 Protection Tea Towel

6 Majorca 2020

12 Croatia 2020

13 Mr Bridge UK Events at The Elstead Hotel

14 2020 Magellen Cruises with Cruise & Maritime Voyages

15 Mr Bridge UK Events at The Chatsworth Hotel

16 Sweden's Scenic Waterways & Cities with Fred. Olsen

17 Mr Bridge UK Events at Denham Grove

20 Mr Bridge UK Events at The Olde Barn Hotel

23 Books On Bridge

24 Q Plus 15

25 Mr Bridge UK Events at Blunsdon House

31 Stamps Wanted

37 Little Voice

40 2020 Columbus Cruises with Cruise & Maritime Voyages

41 Duplicate Bridge Rules Simplified

42 Bernard Magee's Tutorial Software

43 Bridge Cub Insurance

43 Travel Insurance

44 Iconic Landmarks of the Rhine & Moselle with Fred. Olsen

45 Charity Events

46 Mr Bridge UK Events at The Trouville Hotel

47 Mr Bridge UK Events at Two Bridges Hotel

48 Italy 2020

49 Mr Bridge Luxury Playing Cards

50 Café Bridge Events

51 Cities & Canals with Dutch Bulb Fields with Fred. Olsen

52 Corfu 202052 Corfu 2020

Features this month include: 1 March Double Dummy Bridge Problem

by Julian Pottage

4 February Double Dummy Bridge Problem Answer by Julian Pottage

5 Mr Bridge

5 March Double Dummy Bridge Problem by Julian Pottage

7 Bidding Quiz by Bernard Magee

8 Opening The Bidding by Andrew Kambites

13 Opening The Bidding Quiz by Andrew Kambites

15 Declarer Play Quiz by David Huggett

17 Defence Quiz by Julian Pottage

18 Robin Hood's Vow by David Bird

20 Readers' Letters

21 Julian Pottage Answers Your Bridge Questions

24 Catching Up by Sally Brock

26 Leanora Adds' Holiday Ideas

28 The Diaries Of Wendy Wensum

29 Basic Etiquette by David Stevenson

30 Seven Days by Sally Brock

32 David Stevenson Answers Your Bridge Questions

37 Declarer Play Quiz Answers by David Huggett

39 Defence Quiz Answers by Julian Pottage

41 Opening The Bidding Quiz Answers by Andrew Kambites

43 Bidding Quiz Answers (1-3) by Bernard Magee


46 More Tips by Bernard Magee



50 Sally's Slam Clinic

BRIDGE March 2020

The Solution to February’s Double Dummy Bridge Problem

THE EXCHEQUER

Available as a tea towel from Mr Bridge ( 01483 489961

♠ A 2 ♥ 9 8 ♦ K 5 4 3 2 ♣ 5 4 3 2 ♠ K Q J 10 9 ♠ 8 7 6 5 4 3 ♥ 7 5 4 ♥ 6 ♦ 9 8 7 ♦ A J 10 ♣ 10 9 ♣ K J 8 ♠ Void ♥ A K Q J 10 3 2 ♦ Q 6 ♣ A Q 7 6

Contract 6♥ by South Lead: ♠K

5. THE EXCHEQUER © Mr Bridge. ( 01483 489961. Printed in the UK on 100% cotton.

N W E S

1. Play low from dummy and ruff the spade high in hand.

2. Lead a low trump to dummy and lead a low diamond off dummy.

3a. If East plays low on the first round of diamonds, win with the ♦Q, lead a low trump to dummy, cash the ♠A discarding the ♦6 and take the club finesse. You can then draw the last trump and set up a long club.

3b. If East grabs the ♦A, play low from hand, win the diamond return with the ♦Q (a black suit return is no better) and lead a low trump to dummy. Then cash the ♠A and ♦K, discarding low clubs, and finesse the ♣Q to leave the South hand high. n

THE EXCHEQUER

Mr Bridge Cruise Summary

APRIL 202011-23 Hidden Easter Baltic Treasureson board Magellan14-24Cities & Canals with Dutch Bulb Fields on board Balmoral24-1 MayFjords, Mountains & Glacierson board Balmoral26-18 MayAmalfi Coast, Tuscani & Italian Riviera on board Boudicca

MAY 20208-19Grand British Discovery (with masterpoints)on board Columbus28-8 JuneSweden’s Scenic Waterways & Cities on board Balmoral

JUNE 202011-20Cruising the Seine & Closer Spain on board Boudicca 27-9 JulyIceland & Northern Isles (with masterpoints) on board Columbus Bridge sold out

JULY 202014-23 Scottish Isles with a Taste of Norway on board Balmoral15-24 Isles of the UK on board Boudicca Limited space

AUGUST 20202-16Capital Cities of the Balticon board Balmoral

9-21 Iceland & Northern Isles on board Columbus

SEPTEMBER 202012-26Baltic Cities & St Petersburg(with masterpoints) on board Columbus Cruise sold out 15-21 River Seine Experience on board Magellan17-24 Historic Cities & Waterways of Germanyon board Balmoral 26-4 OctAutumn Fjordland on board Columbus 29-2 NovNorth American Waterways with New Yorkon board Balmoral

OCTOBER 20204-19 Canary Islands & Madeira on board Columbus 21-2 NovIceland & Land of the Northern Lights on board Magellan

NOVEMBER 20202-13Madeira, Portugal & Spainon board Balmoral

DECEMBER 20203-17Wildlife of Africa on board Boudicca22-6 JanCanaries Christmas & New Year on board Balmoral

Mr Bridge Cruise Summary

BRIDGE March 2020

PROTECTION

Available as a tea towel from Mr Bridge ( 01483 489961

♠ A K 5 4 3 2 ♥ 3 2 ♦ A K 2 ♣ 3 2 ♠ 8 7 ♠ Q J 10 9 ♥ K Q 5 4 ♥ 9 8 7 6 ♦ J 10 9 ♦ 8 ♣ K 6 5 4 ♣ 10 9 8 7 ♠ 6 ♥ A J 10 ♦ Q 7 6 5 4 3 ♣ A Q J

Contract 6♦ by South Lead: ♦J

6. PROTECTION © Mr Bridge. ( 01483 489961. Printed in the UK on 100% cotton.

N W E S

LUCKY ME

It is funny how meeting someone can have such a positive impact on your day.

Whilst I was journeying up to London to be presented with my award (see my editorial in the January issue) we parked the car and went into Woking station to buy a ticket. Whilst queuing to purchase our day returns, our chatter was overheard by the booking clerk in the ticket office. She suggested that as it was a special day our tickets should be upgraded to first class courtesy of South Western Rail.

On our return trip we found ourselves in our first class seats which just happened to be adjacent to the train guard’s office.

He introduced himself as Leon Moore and told us he was an enthusiastic player of all card games. I then waxed poetic, as I always do, when an opportunity arises to promote the game of bridge. I gave him one of my promotional pens, took his name, address, telephone number and email details. More to the point, I promised to send him a complimentary copy of Bernard Magee’s tutorial CD, Begin Bridge. Do go to page 20 to read his lovely letter. Thank you Mr Moore. It was a pleasure to make your acquaintance.

SIMPLE QUESTION

About 10% of males are red/green colour-blind so why do board makers continue with these colours?

This simple question has been sent in by Ralph Palache, by email and deserves a simple answer. Please email me your answers which I will be pleased to send on to him.

FOR SALE

Jon Mundy, who lives in north London, has recently written to me as follows:

I have in my possession over 450 back numbers of Bridge Magazine (not this publication. Ed.) covering 40 years from 1969 to 2008. I would like to dispose of them all, and wondered if you would be interested, or if not, could you recommend any private collectors. I do not know what value, if any, to put on them. Perhaps you could help me to make a sale. I live in north London and my mobile number is ( 07582 250248.

So, there you have it. If you are interested do give Mr Mundy a ring.

OFFER REPEATED

Duplicate Bridge Rules Simplified is in stock. £5.95. A wonderful pocket-sized booklet with a hard-wearing cover. If your copy

DUPLICATE BRIDGE RULES

SIMPLIFIED2017

David Stevenson

Mr Bridge

is not dated 2017 on the cover, it is out of date and therefore useless. Send in your old copy’s cover and three first class stamps and receive a 2017 replacement. Send in five first class stamps and receive two copies. One for partner and one for you. Please don't forget to include your contact details.

STILL SEARCHING

I am still in receipt of readers’ letters regarding my reversion to plastic packaging. The following letter from Carolyn Bailey seems to say it all:

I read with dismay the recent correspondence regarding magazine packaging. Plastic wrapping is, of course, a superior material – that’s why it is so prevalent. But equally

obviously we need to stop using it. Please send out the right message and stop using plastic envelopes for your magazine, as others have done. If a magazine occasionally gets a bit wet, I’m sure we can cope.

A GREAT BIG THANK YOU

Helen & Crombie McNeil are retiring from my host team after nearly 14 years. They will be greatly missed. I know many guests will want to join me in thanking them for all their hard work.

All good wishes Mr Bridge

Join your Mr Bridge host for a bridge holiday in Majorca. Throughout the week, they will offer a full bridge programme, including two seminars followed by supervised play with the assistance of their experienced team, all played in a friendly atmosphere. A full team ensures there are no half-tables and a partner will always be found.

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Single supplement of £98 applies. Sea view upgrade £35 per person. Information shown is correct at time of going to print, prices may be subject to change due to flight cost variations. Terms and conditions apply. These holidays have been organised for Mr Bridge by Great Little Escapes LLP, ATOL 5933. E&OE


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BRIDGE March 2020

Bernard Magee’s Acol Bidding Quiz

1. Dealer West. Love All. ♠ K 8 6 5 2 ♥ K J ♦ 7 ♣ K 8 4 3 2

West North East South ?

2. Dealer West. Love All. ♠ A 10 9 6 3 ♥ K 10 8 4 2 ♦ Void ♣ Q J 3


3. Dealer West. Love All. ♠ A 9 8 3 ♥ K 7 6 5 ♦ A 10 8 2 ♣ 3


My Answers:

1...........................................

2...........................................

3...........................................

Answers on page 43

4. Dealer East. Love All. ♠ 7 6 4 ♥ K Q J 6 5 ♦ A 8 2 ♣ 7 5

West North East South Pass Pass ?

5. Dealer East. Love All. ♠ A 2 ♥ K 8 7 6 ♦ K J 9 ♣ 10 8 5 4


6. Dealer East. Love All. ♠ 4 ♥ 9 3 2 ♦ 7 6 2 ♣ A K 7 6 5 4


My Answers:

4...........................................

5...........................................

6...........................................

Answers on page 45

7. Dealer East. Love All. ♠ 7 3 2 ♥ K Q J 6 5 ♦ 9 8 ♣ K 8 7

West North East South Pass Pass 1♥ Pass 2♣ Pass ?

8. Dealer East. Love All. ♠ 3 2 ♥ A K 7 6 5 ♦ K 9 8 6 ♣ 8 7

West North East South Pass Pass 1♥ Pass 1♠ Pass ?

9. Dealer East. Love All. ♠ 3 2 ♥ A K 8 6 5 ♦ 8 ♣ K 8 7 6 5

West North East South Pass Pass 1♥ Dbl 3♥ Dbl ?

My Answers:

7...........................................

8...........................................

9...........................................

Answers on page 47

10. Dealer West. Love All. ♠ A K 10 9 4 ♥ 7 ♦ J 4 3 ♣ K 10 9 5

West North East South 1♠ Pass 2♦ Pass 2♠ Pass 3♣ Pass ?

11. Dealer West. Love All. ♠ J 10 6 5 ♥ 7 ♦ K 2 ♣ A Q 10 9 3 2

West North East South 1♣ Pass 1♥ Pass 1♠ Pass 2♦* Pass ? * fourth suit forcing

12. Dealer West. Love All. ♠ Q J 7 6 ♥ 7 6 ♦ 2 ♣ A K 8 7 6 3

West North East South 1♣ 1♠ Dbl Pass 2♣ Pass 3♦ Pass ?

My Answers:

10 .........................................

11 .........................................

12 .........................................

Answers on page 49

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This month we are dealing with light opening hands.

You are West in the auctions below, playing ‘Standard Acol’ with a weak no-trump

(12-14 points) and four-card majors. It is your turn to call.

BRIDGE March 2020

About Bidding Judgement by Andrew Kambites

Opening The Bidding

When you start learning bridge, you are taught how to evaluate your hand by

counting points. You are also taught that if your side has 25 points then you should be thinking of playing in a game contract. This is all well and good, but look at Layout A:

Layout A

♠ K 5 3

♥ K 7 6

♦ K 5 4

♣ Q 5 3 2

♠ Q 6 2

♥ A Q J

♦ Q 6 3 2

♣ K 8 7

North South

1NT

2NT 3NT

The auction shown would be reproduced by pairs in countless clubs but how many tricks do you expect to take in 3NT? If opponents give you nothing, you cannot expect more than one trick in each of spades, diamonds and clubs. In each of these suits the missing ace is either after the king or the queen, therefore you cannot expect both of these cards to make tricks. You have the top four honours in hearts but because neither South nor North has a fourth heart you can only make three heart tricks. So far we have counted just six tricks. A 3-3 break in either minor suit might yield an extra trick, but you are still a long way

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from making nine tricks. You have the required 25 points but game is almost hopeless. So what has gone wrong?

I am going to continue this article by looking at how you might tweak the two hands in a way that makes game more likely without changing their point count. By the time I have finished, I hope you will see that while counting points is a good starting point for hand evaluation for no-trump contracts, it is a blunt tool that needs refinement.

Now look at Layouts B and C:

Layout B Layout C

♠ K 5 3 ♠ K 5 3

♥ K 7 ♥ K 7

♦ K 7 5 4 ♦ K 8 7 5 4

♣ Q 5 3 2 ♣ Q 5 3

♠ Q 6 2 ♠ Q 6 2

♥ A Q J ♥ A Q J

♦ Q 6 3 2 ♦ Q 6 3 2

♣ K 8 7 ♣ K 8 7

Layout B is the same as Layout A, except that the ♥6 has been replaced by the ♦7 in North’s hand. This hasn’t affected the number of tricks you can take in hearts but your chance of two diamond tricks has significantly increased because a 3-2 break will occur 68% of the time whereas a 3-3 break only happens 36% of the time. You even have a chance of three diamond tricks.

Suppose West has ♦A-x. You can lead towards dummy’s ♦K and then duck a diamond completely. 3NT is still a poor contract but it is rather

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better than in Layout A. So the question is: how can North tell that his hand in Layout B is better than in Layout A?

The answer is that he has 4-4-3-2 shape rather than 4-3-3-3 shape. Anybody can make tricks with high cards. The skill is to make length tricks with small cards. If you have 4-4-3-2 shape there are two potential suits that might yield a length trick, rather than just one suit if you have 4-3-3-3 shape. Admittedly you also now have a doubleton which might be a source of weakness, but partner might be able to cover your weakness, or the opponents might not find the killing lead (if there is one).

You should not worry unduly if you bid to a no-trump contract and opponents manage to find the lead that exposes your weakness. At least you will succeed on occasions when opponents don’t find the right lead. Far more demoralising is to bid willingly to a contract and realise that however your opponents defend, your contract has no chance whatsoever because you simply don’t have enough tricks.

4-4-3-2 shape is better than 4-3-3-3 shape. Bernard Magee gives sound advice on this subject. He advocates subtracting a point if you have 4-3-3-3 shape. You can immediately see how applying this would have improved matters with Layout A. North would originally count 11 points but would then subtract a point for his 4-3-3-3 shape. Counting his hand as worth only 10 points North would have an easy pass of 1NT. Of course, there are three common shapes for no-trump openings: 4-3-3-3, 4-4-3-2 and 5-3-3-2. Layout C is the same as Layout B with North’s ♣2 replaced by the ♦8. Now you have legitimate chances of four

BRIDGE March 2020

diamond tricks (a 2-2 break or maybe a singleton ♦A if you start by leading a low diamond through the defender with the ♦A). These small changes produce a very significant increase in prospects. Of course North cannot know what South has, but he can work on general principles.

The best of the no-trump opening shapes is 5-3-3-2. The least promising is 4-3-3-3, with 4-4-3-2 in between.

A second factor in hand evaluation is demonstrated in Layouts D and E.

Layout D Layout E

♦ K 3 2 ♦ K Q 2

♣ Q 5 4 ♣ 5 4 3

♦ Q 5 4 ♦ 5 4 3

♣ K 3 2 ♣ K Q 2

In Layout D unless an opponent leads from an ace you only expect to make one trick in each minor. Contrast Layout E. If West has the ♦A you have a legitimate play for two diamond tricks, leading twice up to dummy’s ♦K-Q. Similarly you might take two club tricks by force if East has the ♣A. Layout E is far more promising than Layout D.

Could the players have diagnosed that during the bidding?

Isolated honours are often not worth their point count.

If you have a holding like K-x-x, Q-x-x or J-x-x it is all too likely that partner has a similar holding. These sorts of holdings should make you realise that your hand is worth less than might be indicated by just counting points. You can see this by comparing Layouts F, G, and H.

Layout F Layout G Layout H

♠ A Q J ♠ A Q 2 ♠ A 3 2

♠ 4 3 2 ♠ J 4 3 ♠ Q J 4

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In Layout F you will make three tricks if West has the ♠K. In Layout G if West has the ♠K he will keep it to cover the ♠J restricting you to two tricks unless West has ♠K doubleton or the ♠K singleton. South may not be able to envisage this exact position but he should realise that it is all too likely because the ♠J is an unsupported honour.

In Layout H you are most unlikely to make more than two spade tricks but it might be harder for South to realise this during the bidding because he has no isolated honours.

Now compare Layout J with Layout A (repeated for convenience).

Layout A Layout J

♠ K 5 3 ♠ K Q 3

♥ K 7 6 ♥ J 7 6

♦ K 5 4 ♦ 5 4 3

♣ Q 5 3 2 ♣ K Q 5 3

♠ Q 6 2 ♠ 6 5 2

♥ A Q J ♥ A K Q

♦ Q 6 3 2 ♦ K Q 6 2

♣ K 8 7 ♣ 8 7 2

These layouts have exactly the same cards but, apart from the useless ♥J, Layout J has no isolated honours. 3NT might not be particularly good, but at least you have a reasonable line of play. Whenever South has the lead you can lead a black suit towards dummy. Whenever North has the lead you can lead a diamond towards hand. It is instructive to consider how the players might look at these hands during the bidding. Looked at positively, both players have fewer isolated honours, increasing the trick-taking potential. Looked at negatively, both have weak suits with no honour card. Indeed South has no cover in either black suit. In these situations you need to be positive. However by taking off one point from each hand for the 4-3-3-3 shape, North/South should still be able to avoid the dubious 3NT, because North will pass South’s 1NT opening bid.

Another adjustment to Layout A can be seen in Layout K:

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Layout K

♠ K 5 3

♥ K 7 6

♦ K 5 4

♣ Q 5 3 2

♠ Q 6 2

♥ A Q J 2

♦ Q 6 3

♣ K 8 7

In the South hand the ♥2 replaces the ♦2. Now the hearts give you a certain fourth trick, whereas in Layout A the ♦2 gave you just a chance of a length diamond trick. In Layout A South had three heart honours without any small cards. Honours help build tricks. Even before seeing North’s hand South should realise that a holding like ♥A-Q-J is likely to build nothing and is all too likely to result in duplication of values if North has a heart holding of ♥K-x or ♥K-x-x.

A hand has more playing strength if the high cards are concentrated in the long suits, because high cards help build tricks for small cards.

Another way we can improve the playing strength of the hands in Layout A without altering the point count is to replace small cards by intermediates: 10s and 9s. These cards do not add to the point count but they certainly improve the playing strength as we see in Layout L:

Layout L

♠ K 10 3

♥ K 7 6

♦ K 5 4

♣ Q 10 9 2

♠ Q 9 2

♥ A Q J

♦ Q 10 9 2

♣ K 8 7

u

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BRIDGE March 2020

t You have two spade stoppers if opponents lead the suit and you have legitimate prospects of three tricks in each minor suit. You intend to play West for the ♣J and East for the ♦J. Provided one of these finesses works you have good prospects of making five minor-suit tricks, the ♥A K Q and a spade.

Intermediate cards (tens and nines) improve the playing potential of a hand.

Consider Layouts M and N. During the bidding South will count one point for the spade suit in both layouts, but consider how many tricks South can expect if opposite ♠A-5-4.

Layout M Layout N

♠ A 5 4 ♠ A 5 4

♠ J 3 2 ♠ J 10 9

In Layout M there is very little prospect of two spade tricks. In Layout N declarer can take two finesses. He is guaranteed two spade tricks unless East has both the ♠Q and ♠K.

When South looks at holdings like these, he cannot be sure that ♠J-10-9 will yield more tricks than ♠J-3-2. For example, neither holding will be worth a trick opposite ♠6-5-4. However there are many spade holdings that North may have where possession of the ♠10 and ♠9 will prove vital and this should certainly be part of South’s evaluation.

By now I hope you can look at Layout A and see just how much is unsatisfactory about both the North and South hands. Both have 4-3-3-3 shape, isolated queens and kings, the only 4-card suit doesn’t have sufficient honours to help build a possible length trick and, particularly in the South hand, honours are concentrated in the 3-card heart suit. Neither has a single intermediate card (10 or 9). Initially South might count 14 points and North might count 11 points but failure to make any adjustments for the negative features of these hands will lead to a pretty hopeless contract. Both hands need adjustment down. A simple adjustment such as Bernard’s recommendation of subtracting a

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point for 4-3-3-3 shape would lead to South’s 1NT being passed out. This is certainly an improvement but my personal preference would be to go further. With so many factors to take into account it is difficult to quantify this, but in this extreme case I would regard the South hand as worth only 12 points and the North hand as worth no more than 9 points.

Just a word of warning now. The hands in Layout A are extreme. Most hands have some positive features that make them worth more than their point count and some negative features that might make you want to downgrade the hand. In that case no adjustment is needed to the point count. Some players feel the need to adjust the point count on every hand, focusing on just one aspect rather than trying to take an overall view.

I will finish by looking at a new version of Layout A incorporating all these improvements. It is worth showing Layout P and Layout A side by side so you can see just how much the prospects in 3NT have improved. Both layouts have 14 points opposite 11 points but Layout P can be expected to give declarer at least two more tricks. Note that as a result of improving the playing strength there is the consequence of leaving each hand with a weakness: South in clubs and North in diamonds. I will stress again that contracts are made by taking tricks, not avoiding losers.

Layout A Layout P

♠ K 5 3 ♠ K 10 3

♥ K 7 6 ♥ K 7 6

♦ K 5 4 ♦ 5 4

♣ Q 5 3 2 ♣ K Q 10 9 2

♠ Q 6 2 ♠ Q 9 2

♥ A Q J ♥ A Q J 2

♦ Q 6 3 2 ♦ K Q 10

♣ K 8 7 ♣ 8 7 5

So my advice is to start by counting your points and then make necessary adjustments if the hand has too many positive or negative features.

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Hand Q Hand R

♠ Q 3 2 ♠ 10 9 6

♥ Q 3 2 ♥ A 6

♦ 7 4 3 2 ♦ 10 9 5

♣ A K J ♣ A K 10 9 8

With Hand Q, I will count my 12 points but by the time I have downgraded the hand to allow for all the negative features I will consider it as worth perhaps 10 points. I would certainly pass rather than open 1NT. Even if partner opens 1NT I would pass rather than raise to 2NT.

Hand R is the opposite: only 11 points but far better than most 12 point hands. I would certainly open 1NT. Note that this is not a misbid or psyche. Your agreement is to open 1NT with a balanced 12-14 points. You have every right to exercise your judgement and it is not up to opponents to impose their opinions on you. A psyche is a gross and deliberate misstatement of your hand with the intention of misleading opponents.

If my partner opened 1NT I would raise directly to 3NT and I would expect partner to make it most of the time even if he has a minimum 1NT opening bid.

Equally, Hands S and T would require adjustments to the point count.

Hand S Hand T

♠ Q 3 2 ♠ 10 9 6

♥ Q 3 2 ♥ A 6

♦ Q 4 3 2 ♦ 10 9 5

♣ A K Q ♣ A K Q 10 9

Hand S has 15 points but it is only worth a 1NT opening. Equally hand T has a playing strength well in excess of its 13 points: look at all those 10-9 combinations. I would consider it too strong for a 1NT opening, preferring to open 1♣ and rebid 1NT.

Hand U Hand V

♠ Q 5 4 ♠ 10 8 7

♥ J 5 4 ♥ A 9

♦ A K J ♦ 9 8 7

♣ 7 4 3 2 ♣ A K J 10 6

BRIDGE March 2020

With Hand U I would pass partner’s 1NT opening without a second thought. Just occasionally partner might have 14 points, finesses work and suits break, meaning I have missed a game.

Moreover, if you play in a club where everybody else will automatically raise 1NT to 2NT you could well end up with an outright bottom. My reasoning is that I will score four tops to every bottom. If I pass there are two ways I can be better off than other pairs.

(i) Partner is minimum and 2NT is too high.

(ii) Partner is maximum and 3NT is too high.

By passing there is only one way I can lose. Namely, if partner is maximum and everything lies favourably.

Don’t you think passing gives you good odds? Of course, if you take this view you must be prepared to accept the occasional bad score, and you certainly need a partner who is good enough and tolerant enough to understand your reasons.

Hand V might have only 12 points but the useful intermediate cards and the potential for five club tricks make it easily worth raising 1NT to 3NT.

Light opening bidsA feature of Acol has always been the ability to open light, particularly third in hand. However such light openings should serve a clear purpose. The most likely purpose is to indicate a lead to partner in the not unlikely event that your opponents buy the auction.

Hand W Hand X

♠ A Q 6 4 3 ♠ 8 7 6 4 3

♥ A 10 8 7 ♥ 8 7 5 3

♦ 8 7 ♦ A Q

♣ 5 3 ♣ A 10

Hand W is clearly worth a 1♠ opening third in hand. First, you want a spade lead (or in particular you don’t want partner to lead a minor suit in the hope that you can contribute an honour). Second with high cards in your long suits the hand is offensive. If the points are split roughly 20/20 between the two sides and you both have a fit you

don’t want your opponents to buy the contract at a low level.

With Hand X you should pass. Your honour cards are defensive and you certainly don’t want to encourage partner to lead a spade from a doubleton honour.

You should also consider your rebid. Of course, if you open light third in hand you can pass partner’s response without the risk of missing game, but on Hands Y, Z and AA it hardly makes sense to pass partner’s response in one of your doubletons. In that case a factor to be considered as you decide whether or not to open light will be how well your rebid describes your hand.

Hand Y Hand Z Hand AA

♠ A Q 7 6 ♠ 9 7 ♠ 6 3

♥ 9 7 ♥ 6 3 ♥ A Q 7 6

♦ 6 3 ♦ A Q 7 6 ♦ 9 7

♣ K J 9 7 6 ♣ K J 9 7 6 ♣ K J 9 7 6

Suppose with these hands you choose to open 1♣.

With Hand Y you have an easy and descriptive 1♠ rebid if partner responds in a red suit. Open 1♣ third in hand.

With Hand Z you will have to rebid 2♣ after a major suit response, burying your diamonds. Best to pass.

With Hand AA you can rebid 1♥ if partner responds 1♦ but you will have to rebid 2♣ if partner responds 1♠. Probably it is best to pass this hand also.

Rule of 15

Layout AB

♠ K 9 5

♥ J 10 7

♦ A 10 7

♣ 9 7 6 4

♠ Q 10 6 4 2 ♠ A J 8

♥ 5 2 ♥ K 9 6

♦ J 4 ♦ 9 5 3 2

♣ A K 10 5 ♣ Q 8 3

♠ 7 3

♥ A Q 8 4 3

♦ K Q 8 6

♣ J 2

NW E

S

The criteria for opening the bidding fourth in hand are rather different when compared to third in hand.

Layout AB shows a rather mundane deal with the points split 20/20 between the two sides but it does demonstrate an important point.

West North East South

Pass Pass Pass 1♥

1♠ 2♥ 2♠ 3♥

Pass Pass 3♠ All Pass

North/South would have made 3♥ but they were outbid by East/West who could not be defeated in 3♠. It seems hard to criticise South for opening the bidding with a hand that has two good suits and clear opening values, yet the inescapable fact is that South had the opportunity to pass the hand out. By choosing to bid South started an auction that led to a minus score that North/South couldn’t prevent. Fourth in hand, the opening criterion is different.

South needs to ask this question. ‘If I pass, the hand will be passed out; if I bid, am I more likely to end up with a plus or minus score?’

You will note that if North/South had had a spade fit rather than a heart fit they would have been able to outbid East/West at the three level and register a plus score. The problem was that East/West had a fit in spades, the higher ranking suit which, of course, also made it easy for them to enter the auction cheaply and find their fit. So the logic is that an important criterion to be considered when deciding whether or not to bid fourth in hand is which side owns the spade suit. There is a helpful little guideline here: the ‘rule of 15’.

When considering whether to open the bidding fourth in hand with a suit call, add your high card points to the number of spades you have. If the total comes to fewer than 15 you would be advised to pass the hand out unless it has great playing strength.

The South hand in Layout AB has 12 high card points and only two spades which fails to satisfy the rule of 15. n

Mr Bridge Holidays

Prices shown are per person sharing and include flights from London Gatwick, selected regional flights may be available at a supplement.*Excursions are not included in the price of the holiday. For details of what is included in the half-board package, please call for an information pack and booking form. Single supplement of £12 per room per night applies. Terms and conditions apply. Information shown is correct at time of going to print, prices may be subject to change due to flight cost variations. These holidays have been organised for Mr Bridge by Great Little Escapes LLP, ATOL 5933. E&OE.

ROVINJ, CROATIA 4* Hotel Eden 5-19 May 2020 - hosted by Will & Sylvia Parsons

Over the fortnight the bridge programme will include four seminars, given by Will Parsons, and four set hand sessions, which gives you the opportunity to enhance your bridge skills, as well as duplicate bridge every evening. You can play as much or as little as you wish and the excursions* are fitted around the bridge programme to maximise your enjoyment. Rovinj is situated on the western coast of Istria in Croatia, boasting a rich natural and cultural heritage with beautiful landmarks such as the old town and the Golden Cape Park Forest, protected islands and coastal area. The climate is warm and semi-dry, with 134 sunny days in a year.

Hotel Eden is wedged right between a peninsula covered by a one hundred year old park forest and a quiet cove. The old city centre is just a 20 minute walk away. As well as the large outdoor pool, there is an indoor pool, whirlpools and a Wellness & Spa Centre (additional cost).

All bedrooms have air conditioning/heating, a balcony, telephone, LCD

TV, mini-bar, safe, en-suite with bathtub or shower and hair dryer. There is a single supplement of £12 per room per night. If you are a single bridge player please do not worry. We will always be able to find you a partner and you can always have a game. As well as there being other singles, the Mr Bridge team are there to partner you as required.

Half-board from £1599 per person


GatwickR Hotel transfersR Half-boardR En-suite accommodationR Use of hotel facilitiesR Mr Bridge TeamR Mr Bridge welcome &

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Will & Sylvia Parsons


BRIDGE March 2020

Bidding Judgement Opening The Bidding

Quizby Andrew Kambites

(Answers on page 41)

1 You are dealer at love all. (i) What is your call with these hands? (ii) If it is right to open 1NT (12-14 in

all the examples), what do you call if your partner raises to 2NT?

Hand 1A Hand 1B Hand 1C

♠ K 10 9 ♠ K 6 4 ♠ K 9 8 2

♥ 10 9 ♥ Q 5 3 ♥ Q 10 9

♦ A Q 10 4 3 ♦ 7 4 3 2 ♦ A K 3 2

♣ Q 10 9 ♣ A K 2 ♣ 7 4

Hand 1D Hand 1E Hand 1F

♠ K 4 2 ♠ K 10 9 ♠ K Q 3

♥ Q 5 3 ♥ J 10 ♥ 5 4 3

♦ 7 4 3 2 ♦ A Q 10 4 3 ♦ 7 4 3

♣ A K Q ♣ A 10 9 ♣ A K Q 2

2 Your partner opens 1NT. What do you bid with these hands?


♠ 10 8 ♠ K 7 6 ♠ 6 2

♥ 10 9 6 ♥ A 3 2 ♥ 6 5 2

♦ A 4 ♦ J 5 4 2 ♦ K J 10 2

♣ A K 10 9 5 4 ♣ K 7 3 ♣ A K 10 3


♠ K 7 6 ♠ A 8 ♠ K 7 5

♥ A 3 2 ♥ A 6 5 ♥ A K Q

♦ J 7 4 3 ♦ A 10 9 ♦ J 7 4 3

♣ K Q 4 ♣ A K J 10 9 ♣ A Q 6

3 You open 1NT. Your partner makes a quantitative raise to 4NT. What is your second call with these hands?


♠ A J 3 ♠ A J 10 ♠ A J 9 3

♥ K 7 5 ♥ K 7 ♥ K 7

♦ Q 6 4 3 ♦ Q 10 9 7 6 ♦ Q 10 8 4

♣ K 6 4 ♣ K 9 8 ♣ Q 8 6

4 You are dealt these hands. Do you open the bidding third in hand after two passes? If you do open, what is your choice of call? What is your rebid if partner responds in either of your short suits?


♠ Void ♠ A 10 6 5 4 2 ♠ 10 9 6 5 4 2

♥ 8 7 6 3 2 ♥ 8 7 6 3 2 ♥ A 6

♦ A 10 6 5 4 2 ♦ A 6 ♦ Void

♣ A 6 ♣ Void ♣ A 7 6 3 2


♠ A 10 5 4 2 ♠ 9 7 5 4 ♠ 9 7 5 4

♥ Void ♥ A Q ♥ A 4

♦ 8 7 6 4 3 2 ♦ A ♦ 2

♣ A 6 ♣ 8 7 6 5 4 3 ♣ A Q 8 7 6 5

5 As fourth in hand, do you open Hands 5A, 5B and 5C?


♠ A Q 7 6 5 ♠ 7 4 ♠ Void

♥ A 10 7 6 ♥ A Q 7 6 5 ♥ A Q 10 9 8

♦ 7 4 ♦ A 10 7 6 ♦ A K J 5 4

♣ 6 2 ♣ 6 2 ♣ 8 5 4

13-15 March £238Further into the AuctionHosted by Leslie Lewis

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BRIDGE March 2020

1. ♠ 6 4 3

♥ K Q 5

♦ 10 5 2

♣ 10 6 4 3

♠ A K 8

♥ A 7 3 2

♦ A K Q J 8

♣ 2

You are declarer in 5♦. West leads the ♣K followed by the ♣Q. How do you plan the play?

2. ♠ K Q 7 5

♥ A J 9

♦ 8 7 3

♣ 9 6 2

♠ A J 10 9 3

♥ 7 3

♦ A 6 2

♣ A K 8

You are declarer in 4♠. West leads the ♦4. How do you plan the play?

3. ♠ K J 6

♥ A 8 6

♦ K Q 8

♣ A 7 6 2

♠ A 9 5

♥ K Q J 2

♦ A J 10 9 2

♣ 9

You are declarer in 7♦. West leads the ♦4. How do you plan the play?

4. ♠ Q 9

♥ Q 10 8

♦ Q 10 8 2

♣ A Q 8 3

♠ J 10

♥ A 7 3

♦ A 5 4

♣ K J 9 7 5

You are declarer in 3NT. West leads the ♦6. How do you plan the play?

DECLARER

PLAY

QUIZby David Huggett


You are South as declarer playing rubber bridge or teams, so overtricks are not important and your aim is to make the contract. In each case what is your play strategy?

NW E

S

NW E

S

NW E

S

NW E

S

6-8 March £238Bidding Distributional Hands

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A family run, grade II listed building, with beautiful Georgian frontage. The Chatsworth Hotel retains much of its 19th century charm and is renowned for its friendly, efficient service. The hotel is backed by a Silver Tourism Award for Quality. Adjacent to the seafront, it is the perfect location for a stroll.

BRIDGE March 2020

DEFENCE QUIZby Julian Pottage


You are West in the defensive positions below playing matchpoint pairs with both sides vulnerable. While you usually aim to beat the contract, you may also need to

consider the risk of conceding overtricks.

1. ♠ K 9

♥ J 8 6

♦ A K J 9 7 6

♣ 8 6

♠ A 10 5 3

♥ Q 9 5 3 2

♦ 10 3

♣ 9 2


1♦ Pass 1♠

Pass 2♦ Pass 3NT

You lead the ♥3. Partner wins with the ♥A and returns the ♥7, covered by the ♥10. What is your plan?

2. ♠ A K 10 4

♥ K Q 10 8 6

♦ 7

♣ 10 8 6

♠ 9 5

♥ A 9 5 2

♦ 10 3

♣ J 9 7 3 2


1♦

Pass 1♥ Pass 1♠

Pass 4♠ All Pass

You lead the ♣3. Partner wins with the ♣A and cashes the ♣K, declarer playing the ♣4 and ♣5. What is your plan?

3. ♠ J 10

♥ A Q 8 6 2

♦ K 9 6

♣ K 8 6

♠ K 9 7 5 3

♥ 9 5 3

♦ A 3 2

♣ 9 2


1NT1

Pass 2♦2 Pass 2♥

Pass 3NT All Pass1 12-142 Transfer to hearts

You lead the ♠5. Partner wins with the ♠A and returns the ♠8, declarer playing the ♠2 and ♠4. What is your plan?

4. ♠ 10 9 6

♥ J 8

♦ A Q 7 6 4 3

♣ J 8

♠ Q J 8 5

♥ A Q 5 2

♦ J 9

♣ Q 9 2


1NT1

All Pass1 12-14

You lead the ♠5. Partner wins with the ♠A and returns the ♠2, covered by the ♠K. What is your plan?

NW E

S

NW E

S

NW E

S

NW E

S

Nestling in the Buckinghamshire countryside, Denham Grove enjoys a peaceful setting amid 42 acres of pristine parkland, providing an air of traditional tranquillity. Denham Grove has free Wi-Fi throughout plus many on-site leisure facilities, including indoor swimming pool, spa and sauna, gymnasium and tennis courts.


Prices shown are per person, full board including tea & coffee during breaks and a welcome drinks party. There is no single supplement and single players will always be found a partner. The Mr Bridge team will offer support during the set hands sessions on the seminar events. In addition, they will make up the numbers in the duplicates,

so there should never be a half table. All rooms are en-suite, have tea

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BRIDGE March 2020

Robin Hood's Bridge Adventures by David Bird

Robin Hood's Vow

It was cold for the time of year and Robin Hood was happy to spend the afternoon in the warm

quarters occupied by Maid Marian. They would pass the time with a few friendly rubbers against Cicely Jarvis and her long-term boyfriend, James Fencely. This handsome young couple were due to marry in just one week’s time.

‘Where did you two meet?’ enquired Robin Hood, taking his seat.

Cicely laughed. ‘Nowhere particularly romantic, that’s for sure,’ she replied. ‘It was in the Nottingham meat market.’

‘Our eyes met over a trestle of steaming pig’s liver,’ said James Fencely. ‘I’d never seen such a pretty girl before.’

‘He’s a bit of a flatterer,’ Cicely observed. ‘Still, most girls don’t mind that.’

Play began and James was soon in a slam:

Dealer South. Love All.

♠ A 6

♥ K Q

♦ K Q J 10 5

♣ A 8 5 3

♠ 9 8 7 ♠ K J 4 3

♥ 10 8 5 3 ♥ 9 7

♦ 9 7 2 ♦ 8 6 4 3

♣ 10 9 7 ♣ K Q J

♠ Q 10 5 2

♥ A J 6 4 2

♦ A

♣ 6 4 2


Maid Cicely Robin James

Marian Jarvis Hood Fencely

1♥

Pass 2♦ Pass 2♥

Pass 3♣ Pass 3NT

Pass 6NT All Pass

NW E

S

Maid Marian placed the ♠9 on the table. Happy to create a second trick in the suit, James Fencely reached for dummy’s ♠6.

Robin Hood won with the ♠K. Many would have lost no time in returning the ♣K, but this was not Robin’s way. He paused to consider the matter.

On a club return, declarer would be able to win in the dummy, cash the ♥K-Q and cross to his ♦A. After cashing his heart winners, he could then return to dummy with the ♠A and bring his total to twelve by playing the remaining diamonds.

His mind made up, Robin Hood returned the ♦6. Fencely won with the bare ace and noticed a small problem. The heart suit was blocked.

Declarer crossed to the ♠A and played four more rounds of diamonds, discarding a heart and three clubs from his hand. When he played the ♣A, he had to guess whether hearts were 3-3 or the ♠J was about to drop. In fact, neither suit was favourably disposed. He discarded the ♠10 and played the ♥K. He then overtook the ♥Q with the ace, going one down when the suit failed to break.

‘I put you with only three spades when you played the 7 on the second round,’ Fencely informed Marian. ‘In that case a 3-3 heart break was my only chance.’

‘You played it well, my love,’ an admiring Cicely Jarvis declared.

Robin Hood made no comment. The slam could easily have been made by winning the first trick with the spade ace. King-queen of hearts, ace of diamonds, three more heart tricks and a club back to dummy. What could be easier? Not that he had any wish to show up Fencely’s play in the eyes of his beloved.

Marian smiled happily across the table. ‘I thought you’d have something good in spades,’ she said.

‘The spade lead worked well,’ Hood replied. As it happened, a diamond lead would have beaten the slam for sure, removing a key entry.

A few deals later, James Fencely was the declarer once again.

Dealer East. E/W Game.

♠ J 7 4

♥ 10 4

♦ A 8 5 2

♣ J 10 7 5

♠ 10 9 6 2 ♠ A 8

♥ 9 5 2 ♥ 7 3

♦ Q J 10 ♦ K 9 7 4 3

♣ A 8 4 ♣ K Q 6 3

♠ K Q 5 3

♥ A K Q J 8 6

♦ 6

♣ 9 2




1♦ Dbl

Pass 1NT Pass 4♥

All Pass

Maid Marian led the ♦Q, won with dummy’s ace. Fencely drew trumps in three rounds and led a spade to the jack. Robin Hood won with the ace and played the ♦K, ruffed by declarer.

When Fencely eventually tested the spade suit, Maid Marian revealed a stopper in the suit. The game was one down.

‘I just needed the spade suit to break evenly,’ Fencely explained to his partner. ‘I never seem to get good breaks when we play against Robin!’

‘It was just bad luck, my love,’ Cicely replied, gazing into his eyes. ‘The spades might easily have been 3-3.’

Maid Marian looked across the table. ‘Could he have made it, Robin?’ she asked.

NW E

S

BRIDGE March 2020

‘No,’ Robin replied. ‘You found an excellent lead.’

He knew full well that a good player would have made the contract easily. It was there if spades were 3-3, or if East held a doubleton ♠A and the defenders could not arrange a spade ruff. Declarer needed to lead a spade from dummy at trick two. He could win with the king, play the ace and ten of trumps and lead another spade. When East won with the bare ace, he could cross to partner’s ♣A but he would have no trump left to ruff a third round of spades.

When they had fallen in love, Robin and Marian made a vow that they would never lie to each other. Had he just broken that vow? No, because Marian’s question had asked specifically if James Fencely could have made it.

Maid Marian was successful in 3NT on the next deal, landing the first rubber. Soon afterwards, it was James Fencely who ended as declarer:

Dealer North. Love All.

♠ Q 4

♥ J 7 3 2

♦ A Q J 5

♣ K 7 5

♠ A K J 10 7 ♠ 9 2

♥ A ♥ 8 5 4

♦ 9 8 4 2 ♦ 10 7 6

♣ Q 10 6 ♣ J 9 8 3 2

♠ 8 6 5 3

♥ K Q 10 9 6

♦ K 3

♣ A 4




1♦ Pass 1♥

1♠ 2♥ Pass 4♥

All Pass

Maid Marian looked no further than her two top spades to launch the defence. When Robin followed with the ♠9 and the ♠2, she read him for a doubleton and continued with the ♠J.

Aware that Cicely was looking intently at him, hoping that he would find a clever play to make the contract, James Fencely sat back in his chair.

NW E

S

If he ruffed with the ♥7, he would go down if Robin held the ♥8 and overruffed. He decided to ruff with the ♥J instead.

Robin discarded a diamond on this trick and Cicely nodded encouragingly, pleased that her betrothed had found the excellent play of ruffing high.

When declarer continued with a low trump to his king, Maid Marian won with the ace of trumps and played a fourth round of spades. The situation did not look good, but Fencely could spot one remaining chance. He should ruff with the ♥7 now. If West held the ♥8, Robin Hood would not be able to overruff.

Sadly for declarer, Robin did hold the ♥8. He overruffed with it and the heart game was one down.

‘I did everything I could, Cicely,’ said Fencely. ‘Ruffing with the ♥7 would have worked if Marian held the ♥8.’

He was rewarded with a warm smile from across the table. ‘You played it beautifully,’ she replied.

Maid Marian leaned forward. ‘Would you have found a way to make it, Robin?’ she enquired.

It was an awkward moment for the outlaw leader. He would indeed have made it. After ruffing with the ♥J at trick 3, East throwing a diamond, he would have played three top diamonds. East would have to ruff, to prevent a discard of South’s last spade, and he would overruff. Back to dummy with the ♣K and he would play another top diamond, ruffed and overruffed. Now when a trump was played, to West’s ace, this would remove East’s last trump.

How could he answer Maid Marian’s question without either causing Fencely to lose face or breaking his vow to Marian?

‘Robin!’ persisted Maid Marian. ‘I asked you a question.’

‘Sorry, my love. I didn’t hear it.’Maid Marian looked at him in

disbelief. The famous Robin Hood, who could reputedly hear the soft footfall of a deer fifty yards away, could not hear her question from across a card table? ‘I asked you if James could have made it.’

Robin Hood breathed a sigh of relief at this rephrasing. ‘No, my love,’ he replied ‘that was quite impossible!’ n

BRIDGE March 2020

Write to Mr Bridge at: Ryden Grange, Knaphill, SurreyGU21 2TH or email: [email protected] correspondents are asked to include their name, full postal address, telephone number and to send no attachments. Letters may be edited for length and clarity.

NEW NOVICEI’m slowly getting there learning bridge using the Bernard Magee CD-ROM Begin Bridge. I picked up the basics easily but it’s getting ‘trickier’ (pun intended) as I get more involved. I’ll get there.

Thanks for the follow up email. Once I have the game sussed, I’ll be sure to join the magazine club but for the moment it’s still a bit gobbledegook.

Take care of yourself, Mr Bridge. Keep up the good work and hope to see you on my train again in the future. Leon Moore, South Western train guard.

THIS IS WHAT WE DOFurther to Readers’ Letters in the November (203) and January (205) issues of BRIDGE by Steve Bailey and Ben Lee, ‘What we do’. What we do at our rubber bridge club is to have a limited number of conventions we are allowed to use (12 plus a choice of responses to 1NT and strong twos).

These have been agreed at our AGM over the years. Some are not mainstream and I dare say nobody has complete confidence in all, but you get used to them.

Sometimes visitors are surprised to be presented

READERS’LETTERS

with a convention list, but as far as I can remember only two have not returned when they are in the area.

So, when you change partners, you ask a couple of questions and then try and remember which of them you are playing.

This may change from week to week or even on how well the convention worked with the partner, but it is all good fun and as most people play different conventions at duplicate, it can be quite challenging.Alun Williams, Llanfairpwll, Anglesey.

BRIDGE FOR THREEI have just read your readers’ letter in BRIDGE issue 204 entitled ‘Bridge for Three’. The best I know and the only one I have played is the very old method of taking it in turns to shuffle and the dealer to play the cards so dealt, as always in two no trumps doubled alternation non-vulnerable and vulnerable.

This balances the probability of going down doubled and making the contract and incidentally scoring game, making the balancing of risk and probability quite interesting.Ben Lee, Telford, Staffs.

6-8 March £218Just Duplicate


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For details and bookings call Mr Bridge Holidays 01483 489961

Prices shown are per person, full board including tea & coffee during breaks and a welcome drinks party. There is no single supplement and single players will always be found a partner. The Mr Bridge team will offer support during the set hands sessions on the seminar events. In addition, they will make up the numbers in the duplicates, so there should never be a half table. All rooms are en-suite, have tea & coffee making facilities and free Wi-Fi. The venue has a lift.

24-26 July 2020 £273Supporting Majors


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This charming rustic hotel is set in the beautiful countryside of Grantham in the heart of England. Comfortably furnished and tastefully decorated rooms, with a traditional bar, contemporary lounge, atmospheric restaurant and health club altogether make for an idyllic retreat.

BRIDGE March 2020

Q The below hand was dealt at our club and we

would be grateful if you could give us your advice on how it should be bid.

♠ A Q J

♥ A J

♦ A K 7

♣ A K 10 4 3

♠ 7 2 ♠ 10 9 6 5 4

♥ K 6 3 ♥ 10 9 7 4

♦ 10 8 3 2 ♦ J 5

♣ J 7 5 2 ♣ Q 6

♠ K 8 3

♥ Q 8 5 2

♦ Q 9 6 4

♣ 9 8

The opening bid by North was 2♦, showing 23+ points or 10 playing tricks.

What should South have bid and how should North then continue?Mary Ellen,Sheringham, Norfolk.

A If you are playing Benjamin, you do not want to be

opening all very strong balanced hands 2♦ – the range of the rebids is too wide and partner does not know what to do. If you are opening 2♦ on a balanced 23, I suggest 2♦-2♥-2NT shows 23-24 and 2♣-2♦-

NW E

S

3NT shows 25-26. If North shows 25-26, South has just enough to invite a slam by raising to 4NT. Holding the 5-card club suit and 26 points, North would accept.

You can make 6NT even on a neutral spade lead. You might start clubs low from hand (East playing the ♣Q) and later use dummy’s ♠K as an entry to finesse the ♣10. In the endgame you can try for a 3-3 diamond split and, when that fails to materialise, hope West has the ♥K.

♣♦♥♠

Q If you open one of a major with a seven-loser hand and

13-14 points and partner raises to three of this suit, how do you know whether to go to game or not? Does partner have 11-12 points or an eight-loser hand?Martin Epstein by email.

A If one of you uses point count and the other losing trick

count, you can come unstuck. The limit raise will rarely

have as many as 12 HCP – probably only in a hand with a 4-3-3-3 shape.

The scoring method and vulnerability can have a bearing on your decision. Vulnerable with

IMP scoring you are more inclined to bid game.

In general, I would go slightly more on point count, with responder adding 1 point for a doubleton, 3 for a singleton and 5 for a void.

Opener will always be able to add at least one point for distribution (you are not going to open 1♥ or 1♠ with a 4-3-3-3 shape and this strength) so a hand with 13-14 HCP will often be worth more than that and be worth going on to game.

♣♦♥♠

Q Playing a 15-17 1NT, players readily understand that a

1NT rebid (1♦-1♥-1NT) shows a balanced 12-14 HCP.

However, they have great difficulty understanding that (1♠-2♦-2NT) shows extras.

They have no problem with (1♠-2♦-3♣) showing extras, but baulk at the idea of having to rebid 2♠ instead of 2NT, when they have a balanced hand and have already shown a 5-card suit (they don’t have a 6-carder is their reply)and wish to play in 2NT or 3NT.

Can you offer me a method of explaining this scenario please?Geoff Simpson,Torphins, Aberdeenshire.

A A standard principle of bidding is that you do not assign

the same meaning to two different auctions. A 1NT opening shows a different strength hand to a 1NT rebid because otherwise you will have a point range that is impossible to show.

Most people playing a strong no-trump opening play that a non-jump 2NT rebid shows a minimum opening. Like you, I play it as showing extras (indeed for me it does not promise a balanced hand), but 12-14 balanced is what the majority of strong no-trump players play. You might like to persuade your strong no-trump favouring partner to have some way to investigate 5-3 major-suit fits after a 1NT opening; then you will open 1NT on 15-17 hands with a 5-card major and it will be obvious that 1♠-2♦-2NT does not show 15-17 with five spades because you could have opened 1NT with that sort of hand. Sorry if this is not quite the answer you are looking for.

♣♦♥♠

Q I was recently using our dealing machine to prepare

the hands for our last u

Julian Pottage Answers Your Bridge Questions

How Do You Bid A Very Strong

Balanced Hand?

BRIDGE March 2020

t session before Christmas when out of the blue one of Santa’s mischievous elves got hold of one of the hands and rearranged it producing this hand:

♠ 8 7 6 5 4 3 2

♥ Void

♥ A K Q J 10

♣ 10

One debate was whether strength should ever outweigh length in the decision as to what to open. South has such a dilemma. How would the experts deal with this hand? Tim Burrell by email.

A Given the two-card disparity in suit lengths, not

to mention that spades is a major, a 1♠ opening is clear-cut. If you had five solid spades and six little diamonds then maybe you should open the shorter suit – but not with the hand given.

♣♦♥♠

Q What do you think of the defence to a weak three opening

that my partner and I play?

♠ K Q 4

♥ Q J 3

♦ K 7

♣ A 10 7 3 2

♠ A 7 5 3 2

♥ 9 6

♦ A J 9 3

♣ K 9


3♥ 3♠ Pass 4♠

All Pass

NW E

S

For North, 3♠ was an intermediate take-out, double would be stronger 16+.Name and address supplied.

A 30-40 years ago people did play a conventional

overcall of a pre-empt so that they could retain a penalty double. Then they realised that a take-out double was much better and everyone switched to playing double for take-out. I would never want to give up having a natural 3♠ overcall available here.

This particular North hand would not be suitable for a take-out double anyway. The hand has too many hearts, lacks four spades and is unprepared for a diamond reply. Either you pass or, if feeling adventurous, overcall 3NT. North was rather lucky to find South with such a suitable hand.

♣♦♥♠

Q We play that opener’s non-jump rebid in a new

suit below the rank of the opening suit shows 12-18 HCP and 4th suit forcing. What should responder bid after 1♦-1♠-2♣?

♠ Q 8 ♠ J 7 5 4 3

♥ A 2 ♥ K Q 5 4

♦ A K 7 6 5 ♦ 9

♣ A J 7 6 ♣ Q 4 2

A preference pass ends the auction and 2NT shows 10-12 HCP.Mike Johnson by email.

A With a weakish hand and a clear preference for clubs,

East should pass 2♣.The problem should not

NW E

S

have arisen because West should have rebid 2NT. While you might have to rebid 2♣ on the occasional 18 point hand, you do not strain to do that as there is too much risk of missing game. With two good 5-card suits or with 3-card support for responder’s suit, an 18 point hand is worth upgrading to a jump shift rebid. With, as is the case here, a semi-balanced hand and a stopper in all unbid suits, a 2NT rebid is more descriptive than a non-forcing 2♣, a bid opener might make on a much weaker hand.

♣♦♥♠

Q I was taught that, to give a positive reply to an Acol 2♣

one must have an ace and a king, or three kings. Partner opened 2♣ and I held:

♠ K J 8 6 4

♥ 10 5 3

♦ K 5

♣ Q 9 2

If the ♣Q had been the ♠Q, a response of 2♠ seems sensible. Should I respond 2♠ anyway, having 9 points, or 2♦, having no aces and only two kings?Peter Calviou by email.

A The most important thing is that you and your partner

agree on what a positive response shows.

I usually play that you need two of the top three honours in the suit to give a positive response – on other hands I make a waiting 2♦ and let partner, who may have more features to describe, be the one to start describing first. On the hand you refer to, I would respond 2♠ if the

five-card spade suit had the king-queen at the head but not if the highest cards are the king and the jack.

♣♦♥♠

Q On the deal below two pairs made 3NT, two made 3♣,

two pairs were in 2♥X -1, so N/S here scored well.

Dealer South. Both Vulnerable.

♠ A 9 2

♥ K J 3

♦ A 3 2

♣ K Q 8 4

♠ K 10 5 ♠ Q 6 4 3

♥ A Q 10 7 5 2 ♥ 4

♦ 10 7 ♦ K J 9 8 6 5

♣ 10 2 ♣ J 6

♠ J 8 7

♥ 9 8 6

♦ Q 4

♣ A 9 7 5 3


Pass

2♥1 Dbl Pass 3♣

Pass 3NT2 All Pass1 A sound weak two in hearts. 2 Having two heart stoppers and

unsure of the strength of South’s

3♣.

Can you suggest a better bidding sequence, with less guesswork?

N/S were helped with the soundness of the weak two. Does this seem unjust?Alex Mathers,Northallerton, North Yorks.

A With a balanced hand including potentially two heart stoppers,

North should overcall 2NT rather than double. 17 points should definitely be in range for a 2NT overcall of a weak two. The range is about the same as for a 1NT overcall of a 1-level opening bid, say 15-18. It is marginal whether South raises,

NW E

S

BRIDGE March 2020

probably yes vulnerable at teams but not otherwise.

♣♦♥♠

QThis deal resulted in a double swing (minus) for N/S in

a Premier 2 League Match.My team was N/S. I

wasn’t playing. South opened 3♠ and N/S played in 4♥X going off two, I think. At the other table the bidding started South 2♦(multi); the final contract was 5♣ by East going off. What is your opinion?

Dealer South. Game All.

♠ A 6 5

♥ A Q J 10 8 6 4

♦ 3

♣ 9 3

♠ K J 9 ♠ Void

♥ K 9 5 ♥ 7 3

♦ A 9 7 4 ♦ K 10 8 5 2

♣ A J 5 ♣ K Q 10 8 7 6

♠ Q 10 8 7 4 3 2

♥ 2

♦ Q J 6

♣ 4 2

Margaret Bleakley,Belfast.

A Vulnerable South would prefer to have a better suit to open

3♠, though sometimes it works to pre-empt on hands the textbooks say you ought not to. While I can vaguely understand that North might bid 4♥ as a lead-directing effort, passing out 4♥ doubled is most unwise. North should have gone back to the ten-card spade fit and bid 4♠. North-South

NW E

S

were lucky that the defenders dropped a trick and collected only 500 rather than 800.

Treating the South hand as worth only a weak two is the textbook action and led to a more normal auction in the other room.

If West overcalls 2NT and North bids 4♥ (pass or correct), East would like to bid 4NT to show both minors – but 4NT sounds like a natural bid and bidding 5♣ seems reasonable.

♣♦♥♠

Q The following hand caused difficulties at our

club with only two pairs out of eleven finding a slam.

♠ 7 6

♥ A K 5

♦ A K Q J 8 4

♣ 10 6

♠ K Q 8 5 3

♥ 9 2

♦ 6

♣ A K Q J 6

Our bidding was as follows:

North South

1♣

1♦1 1♠

3NT2 Pass1 Bidding a big hand slowly.2 A bid of 2♥ would have been

taken as fourth suit forcing and

the reply would have been 2♠ to

show 5-5 in the black suits and

this would not have got me any

further.

NW E

S

A jump in diamonds would probably have produced the response of 3NT and I would still have had to gamble on the strength of the black suits.

Making 13 tricks proved easy on a heart lead; this was a common result, other than two slams and one contract of 5♦.

How should the hands have been bid in your opinion?John Bunch,Chandler’s Ford, Hampshire.

A These days it is normal to open 1♠ with 5-5 in the

black suits, so I would open the South hand 1♠ rather than 1♣.

Whichever black suit South opened, I would make a jump shift response on the North hand, 2♦ over 1♣ or 3♦ over 1♠. There is no point playing strong jump shifts if you are not going to make them even when you have a running suit.

The way you bid the North hand showed 13-15 points. You actually held 17 points but the hand is worth rather more than that with the eight running tricks.

Here is a possible auction:

North South

1♠

3♦ 3♠

3NT 4♣

4♥ 5♣

6NT

The bidding is essentially natural, although South’s club bids are more showing strength in the suit than length. n

Email your questions for Julian to: [email protected]

Please include your postal address.

Who Has The Queen?Frank Stewart £20Full of deals in which finding a missing queen, or one of her relatives, is the key to making a contract.

Big DealAugie Boehm £20

Augie Boehm shares tales and insights from his unique perspective as an

expert bridge player and a world-class musician.

Playing Suit CombinationsGitelman and Rubens £15Designed to serve two main purposes; It enables readers to improve their card-play technique. Secondly, it shows how even small changes can have quite large impacts.

Tricks of the TradeLarry Cohen £20

Strategic thinking for advanced bridge.

Books on Bridge

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BRIDGE March 2020

There has been a lot of bridge recently. I played in the Middlesex Congress, which

was as much fun as always, and then the ‘very last’ congress to be held in the Peebles Hydro – an excellent Scottish hotel. We went up to Edinburgh early to spend a couple of days there, wandering around and exploring the city (it was very cold!). The event itself was excellent. We won the congress pairs, which was pleasing, though we did not do well on this deal:


♠ A K Q 8 7

♥ A J 7 5

♦ 8 5

♣ K 8

♠ J 5 3 2 ♠ 6 4

♥ Q 6 ♥ 10 3 2

♦ J 9 4 3 ♦ Q 10 7 6

♣ 9 6 2 ♣ J 10 5 4

♠ 10 9

♥ K 9 8 4

♦ A K 2

♣ A Q 7 3

I was North and heard my partner open 1♣ (we play a weak no-trump with 5-card majors). I responded 1♠ and he rebid 1NT. I tried 2♦, a game-forcing relay, and he showed his 4-card heart suit. I now supported hearts and he cue-bid in clubs. I was sure that I wanted to be in slam so asked for key cards and he showed zero or three. Now the question was whether to play in hearts or no-trumps.

It seemed to me that (a) no-trumps could easily be the better contract and (b) even if the contracts were the

NW E

S

same, no-trumps would score more at matchpoints. So I bid 6NT. The whole sequence was:


1♣

Pass 1♠ Pass 1NT

Pass 2♦ Pass 2♥

Pass 3♥ Pass 4♣

Pass 4NT Pass 5♣

Pass 6NT All Pass

West led the ♣6 and the spotlight turned to partner. He started by testing spades, and when they were 4-2 gave up a spade, making twelve tricks when the hearts came in. I thought this was the wrong approach because he only needed to equal the tricks the room was making in 6♥. In 6♥ you may or may not have a heart loser, so I thought he should have started with that suit. When the hearts came in, he would know he needed to make 13 tricks. He should then cash the rest of them, leaving:

♠ A K Q 8 7

♥ —

♦ 8 5

♣ 8

♠ J 5 3 2 ♠ 6 4

♥ — ♥ —

♦ J 9 4 ♦ Q 10 7

♣ 9 ♣ J 10 5

♠ 10 9

♥ —

♦ A K 2

♣ A Q 7

Now he tries two more rounds of clubs, discarding a diamond from

NW E

S

Catching Up with Sally Brock

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BRIDGE March 2020

Catching Up with Sally Brock

the dummy. In order to keep his spades guarded, West has to discard a diamond. Now declarer plays three rounds of spades, squeezing East in the minors. That would have been 13 tricks and a lot better score because many made all 13 tricks in 6♥.

Just before I went up to Scotland, Briony set off on her latest adventure. First, to New Zealand for three weeks, staying with the family she went to as an au pair before. Then she flies to Brisbane to do a sailing course, before meeting an Australian friend in Melbourne after which they are going off together to Tasmania.

Then there were the Teltscher (Senior) trials. I played with Nicola, with Barry and Robert as team-mates. It was so-so, good in parts!

We eventually finished second, but a long way off the pace.

This was one of the more exciting boards:

Dealer North. Game All.

♠ Q J 10 8 7

♥ K 10 3

♦ 8 7

♣ 10 8 2

♠ 6 5 3 2 ♠ K 9 4

♥ J 5 2 ♥ Void

♦ 10 6 5 ♦ K Q J 4 3 2

♣ Q 9 6 ♣ A J 7 5

♠ A

♥ A Q 9 8 7 6 4

♦ A 9

♣ K 4 3


Pass 1♦ 4♥

Pass Pass Dbl All Pass

NW E

S

I was South. Once East opened 1♦, I thought slam was unlikely for us, and even if it was on, how were we going to bid it?

Accordingly, I jumped straight to 4♥ and was rewarded when East reopened with a double. West was caught between a rock and a hard place. He passed and led a diamond. I won, cashed the ♠A, cashed the ♥A and played a heart to the ten. Then after a ruffing spade finesse I drew the last trump and cashed my spades. Two overtricks for +1190. Had West chosen to bid 4♠ I think the penalty would have been at least 1100.

Then, on the last weekend before Christmas, I accompanied the U26 women’s team to Utrecht to play in the Channel Trophy. This is an annual competition between England, France, Belgium and the Netherlands; there are three tiers: U26 open, U26 women and U21 open. In our event France were clearly in a class of their own, but we came second and I was quite proud of our girls – we were the only team of four in the competition. Our team did not do well in the 2019 European Championships. We lost our best pair at the last minute because one of them had to do an internship and couldn’t get the time off – not only did we lose a good pair but the team we ended up with was a little demoralised. Despite this we have nevertheless been invited to the world youth championships in Italy in August. Sadly, the EBU has been struggling to fund the teams that have qualified so we will almost certainly not get funding from them. So if any of you reading this article would like to help fund our team, please let me know ([email protected]). n

27-29 March £238Ruffing for Extra Tricks

Hosted by John & Rebecca Ronan


19-21 June £246Hand Evaluation

21-23 August £224Just Duplicate

25-27 September £246Overcalling

Hosted by Sandy Bell

16-18 October £224Just Duplicate

30 Oct-1 November £246Splinters & Cue Bids

Hosted by Denis & Pearl Murphy

For details and bookings call Mr Bridge Holidays 01483 489961

Prices shown are per person sharing a twin or double bedroom, full board including tea & coffee during breaks and a welcome drinks party. There is a single supplement at Blunsdon House from £40, subject to availability. Single players will always be found a partner. The Mr Bridge team will offer support during the set hand sessions, on the seminar events, and make up the numbers in the duplicates, so there should never be a half table. All rooms are en-suite, have tea & coffee making facilities and have free Wi-Fi. The venue has a lift.

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BRIDGE March 2020

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2-9 October 2020Half board from £1495 per person. Hosted by Bernard Magee.

The 5* Corfu Holiday Palace is set in a commanding position with a direct

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This one week holiday will allow you to enjoy plenty of bridge as well as explore this picturesque island. The hotel has a tennis court, gym, an outdoor seawater pool and a heated indoor pool. It also has its own private beach, accessed by an incline elevator. For full details, see the advert on the back cover or call for an information pack.

Denham GroveIt is hard to believe that Denham Grove, in Uxbridge, has been a Mr Bridge venue for over 12 years.

Over that period we have seen many changes and the feel of the venue has gone from that of a conference centre to much more of a leisure hotel. If you have not visited for a while you should make a point of doing so as the refurbishment has really had an impact. The staff look after all our guests so well and know all our requirements as a matter ofcourse. See page 17.

Introducing the TeamSandra Timbury - Office StaffThis introduction is well overdue as Sandra has been part of the office team for nearly two years now. One of Sandra's favourite things to do is interact with everyone on the telephone, so you are likely to speak to her when you callthe office. Sandra is always willing to go that extra mile when it is needed. Being involved with clients is where she excels.

Every lunch, Sandra enjoys taking her much loved dog, Molly, for a walk. She also loves spending time with her grandchildren.

Strasbourg, FrancePart beautifully preserved medieval gem, part unofficial capital of Europe and one of the most important modern cities on the continent; Strasbourg, the glorious capital of France’s beautiful Alsace region, is as cosmopolitan and captivating as they come. The city’s cultural centre is particularly appealing, with its eye-catching old and glittering European quarters boasting an array of diverse architectural treasures.

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Iconic Landmarks of the Rhine & Moselle23-30 August 2020 hosted by Bernard Magee

River Cruise on board Brabantfrom Basel to Cologne

Cologne, GermanySituated on the Rhine River in the centre of the Rhine-Rhur region, charming Cologne is the beating heart of the beautiful Rhineland. Originally founded over 2,000 years ago by the Ubii tribe, Cologne was once the largest city in the Holy Roman Empire and served as a major trade route throughout the Middle Ages. In recent years the city has been extensively rebuilt and restructured, and is now one of the most important historical and cultural centres in Europe.

River Cruise

Why not join Bernard Magee this August when he will be hosting this full-charter river cruise. It is a perfect opportunity to incorporate bridge and river cruising, all in a very friendly atmosphere. In addition to the itinerary, an important element of a holiday is the food and Brabant will certainly deliver. Their menus feature classic favourites and vegetarian options, as well as regional dishes inspired by the destinations you are visiting.

Buy One Get One FreeCruise & Maritime Voyages always choose to launch their cruise programmes with a strong offer of buy one get one free, so this is the best time to book. Unfortunately, the printing of BRIDGE did not coincide with their launch, but by now their cruises will be on sale. So do call us for a brochure.

Excitingly, CMV have a new ship, Amy Johnson, which looks set to provide us with more Mr Bridge cruise opportunities.

No matter what cruise you are interested in, contact the Mr Bridge office on 01483 489961 to book. This will ensure you do not miss being part of the bridge party.

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BRIDGE March 2020

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Koblenz, GermanySituated at the famous ‘Deutsches Eck’ where the Rhine and Moselle rivers meet and the magnificent Hunsrück, Eifel and Westerwald mountain ranges converge, it’s no wonder Koblenz is considered one of the most picturesque cities in Germany. The appeal of Koblenz isn’t just skin-deep however; over 2,000 years of history and an abundance of cultural and historical monuments ensure this ancient city is always a memorable and rewarding stop on a German river cruise.

Iconic Landmarks of the Rhine & Moselle23-30 August 2020 hosted by Bernard Magee

River Cruise on board Brabantfrom Basel to Cologne

Cologne, GermanySituated on the Rhine River in the centre of the Rhine-Rhur region, charming Cologne is the beating heart of the beautiful Rhineland. Originally founded over 2,000 years ago by the Ubii tribe, Cologne was once the largest city in the Holy Roman Empire and served as a major trade route throughout the Middle Ages. In recent years the city has been extensively rebuilt and restructured, and is now one of the most important historical and cultural centres in Europe.

The bridge group on Brabant is steadily growing. Although all the bedrooms are the same size, it is the rooms with the panoramic windows that are proving most popular and I can understand why.

The highest decks offer the most commanding views and the floor to ceiling windows help you fully enjoy the scenic itinerary which is what river cruising is all about.

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Twin/double rooms are still available on all three decks and prices start from £1699 per person including flights from London Heathrow. See page 44 for further details.

Singles and suites have sold out.We strongly recommend joining the waiting list if you are interested.

Mozart/Strauss - from £1899pp

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BRIDGE March 2020

Travis and Spouse had been rehearsing new material all afternoon in the garage for

their stage act, so in the evening they decided on a break and joined Millie and me for bridge at the Riverside. ‘It must be a trophy on offer tonight,’ Millie whispered to me as Jon and Jane approached our table. We hadn’t seen them for some time, so I asked if they had been travelling. Jon explained they had been finalising their holiday plans. ‘We hope to visit Asia to see wild tigers’, Jane announced adding ‘but neither of us can speak the language.’ ‘Don’t worry, tigers don’t say very much,’ Millie responded rather less tactfully. This board proved to be quite straightforward.

Dealer West. Game All.

♠ 3 2

♥ K J 9 8 7

♦ Q J

♣ 10 9 8 2

♠ Q 8 7 5 ♠ A 9 4

♥ 2 ♥ Q

♦ A 9 7 2 ♦ 10 8 6 5 4 3

♣ K Q 5 4 ♣ J 6 3

♠ K J 10 6

♥ A 10 6 5 4 3

♦ K

♣ A 7

After three passes, I opened 1♥, Jon doubled for take-out and Millie pre-empted to 4♥ to complete the auction.


Jon Millie Jane Wendy

Pass Pass Pass 1♥

Dbl 4♥ All Pass

NW E

S

Jon led a small spade, which Jane won with the ace. She returned the ♠4. I went up with the ♠K, removed the opponents’ trumps and played a diamond. Jon won and switched to a club. I took the ace and the losing club was ditched on the winning diamond letting the contract come home with an overtrick. Clearly the lead of the ♣K or a club switch by East at trick two would have saved the defenders a trick. As we waited for the TD to call the next round, I asked Jane if they still enjoyed jigsaw puzzles. ‘Oh, yes,’ replied Jane enthusiastically, ‘we are currently tackling a huge 6000-piece puzzle called Stars on a Clear Night. It’s very absorbing. There is a piece with a planet on it, but we haven’t been able to locate it yet’. At this point Millie’s eyes started to glaze over so she went to the bar to refill her brandy glass. My brain was also switching off, but luckily the director called the move.

Later, Jo and Kate played the same

board against Sarah and Jogger George. Sitting West, Jo opened a rather weak 1♦; Sarah passed and Kate pre-empted to 3♦. Surprisingly George passed, thus demonstrating that men are capable of displaying cowardly tendencies.


Jo Sarah Kate George

1♦ Pass 3♦ All Pass

Sarah led a club to George’s ace. George took his ace of hearts and returned a club won by dummy’s jack. With a spade and a diamond still to lose, the contract of 3♦ made exactly for a good score for Jo and Kate. Sarah, one of the mildest and more sympathetic characters at the club, for once threw a bit of a wobbly. ‘George, what are you like?’ she roared, ‘with fifteen points, six hearts and four spades, surely you can bid something: 3♥, 4♥, double. Sometimes you can be a bit of a

The Diaries of Wendy WensumEpisode 95:

The Puzzle of the Missing Planet

BRIDGE March 2020

wimp. You do triathlons for goodness sake.’ Across the room, Millie and I could hear the commotion. A ripple of laughter spread round the room, and a red-faced Sarah was already apologising to George, her opponents and the neighbouring tables for her outburst. Tensions were released and George and Sarah were already grinning at each other.

In the pub after bridge, the board was discussed in more detail. According to Kate, George admitted that he should have found a bid, but his mind went blank and he lost the plot. ‘Well, even athletic superheroes can have a bad day,’ noted Jo sympathetically. ‘I think that the partnership is not yet fully developed,’ announced Millie as if she had additional confidential information, not yet available to the rest of us, adding intriguingly, ‘neither of them is married you know.’

Spouse then gave us the competitive auction at their table. He and Travis use weak twos in three suits. North/South found their heart fit, but were outbid.


Spouse Travis

Pass Pass 2♦1 2♥

4♦ 4♥ 5♦ Dbl

All Pass1 Weak

Travis made the obvious nine tricks for two off. Millie ended the discussion with: ‘Perhaps Jane’s missing planet is Pluto. It’s very small you know,’ and after a short pause she added forcibly, ‘Travis, your round I think.’ I decided not to point out that Pluto was no longer regarded as a planet. n

Unlike a lot of sports and mind sports, being polite to other people is actually a

matter of law and it is not acceptable to be impolite to anyone when playing bridge, whether it be partner, opponents, other players in the room, directors, kibitzers, tea ladies or the girlfriend of the player at the next table. But a lot of impoliteness is unintentional since players often do not know what they should be doing in certain situations.

When you arrive at a table it is polite to greet your opponents. If you are in the middle of a discussion with partner, break off, greet the opponents and, if time permits, resume your discussion. Some people think discussing things with partner is often rude with opponents present but nearly everyone does it and I think it has to be accepted as long as it is not while players have cards in their hand. Once the cards are out of the board, such discussion must stop.

How do you call the director? “Director, please” is best. Calling them by name except in a very social club or on a bridge holiday where everyone knows everyone else is a little dubious since your opponents may feel that you are trying to put them off and suggesting they are your friend and will listen to you more than them. Even if this is not true, it is the impression it gives.

Do you have a system card, also called a convention card? While it is not required in many clubs you should have one if your system is not basic. If you are the only pair in the club playing

Precision, you should have system cards even if no-one else does. When you reach a table you should make sure your system card is put where it is easy for the opponents to get hold of it. I am sure you are amused that in the USA many female competitors put their system cards on their laps and it is a very brave man who takes it! Some of them keep it in their handbags and do not take it out.

What happens at the end of a hand? Of course North or South (it does not matter which) puts the score in the Bridgemate or similar, or writes the score on the traveller. They are then required to show it to East or West (it does not matter which) for approval but some players do not. In the case of a Bridgemate, they are actually required to pass it to the opponent who presses the button to accept the score: players who do not pass it are being rude. During this there is often a discussion and also when the previous scores are seen (not all clubs show previous scores). If the previous scores are available they should be made visible to anyone who wants to see them. The player who is looking after the boards, usually North, must put the next board on the table and players should then take their cards out and discussion must then stop. A lot of time is wasted between hands. This is especially important when a table has got behind. It does not matter who is at fault for them getting behind (though players often whinge it is not their fault!) but wasting time between hands is a very annoying and impolite habit when a table is behind. n

David Stevenson Answers Your Frequently Asked Questions

BasicEtiquette

BRIDGE March 2020

CHRISTMAS DAYWe have tea in bed and swap presents. Then Barry goes home to get the goose. Last year we were going to have goose but rather missed the boat and they had run out when we went to buy one. This year we bought a frozen one well in advance and it has been defrosting in Barry’s kitchen. The next task is to drive to Heathrow to pick up Jovi, my friend who lives in Vienna and is coming to stay for a couple of weeks. There can’t have been many flights today as she is out and waiting before we get there. We have a quiet drive home and she presents us with masses of Austrian bread and cheese, so we have a late lunch and potter about chatting and cooking until Gilly arrives for dinner at 7pm. The goose is a great success and the evening goes rather well.

BOXING DAYWe go to meet Ben and family in a pub in Waltham Abbey, which is about an hour for us and half an hour for them. It is a nice pub and we have a good meal – I am not quite sure about the Morris dancers who perform in the bar, though. I can’t really imagine why anyone would want to Morris dance, but I guess my life is the richer for their existence. The plan was to go for a walk in Epping Forest afterwards but the somewhat torrential rain puts us off. We get home about six, and loll about doing puzzles and watching a film before having a macaroni cheese supper and trying out a dice game Jovi was given for Christmas. I, who generally have no idea whatsoever what I’m doing with these games, win – which is quite a surprise.

Seven Daysby Sally Brock

DECEMBER 27We get up slowly in our usual style – Barry first, then me, we have a cup of tea and then he goes back to bed! After a bread, cheese and cold goose lunch, Jovi and I head for the Overground and the one-stop journey to the Year End Congress. The first event is the Swiss Pairs – four matches today and seven tomorrow. We have a decent win, a loss, a decent win and another loss, finishing 1 VP above average. We sit against the cards and take a few wrong decisions – but do nothing really silly, so hopefully tomorrow will go better. Good fun, as always. Afterwards we go to my favourite, Romulo Café, with Phil and Kevin – nice food and the chance to go through the scorecard in detail with good players.

DECEMBER 28The bridge today is rather similar: a win, then a loss, a win, a loss etc. We have definitely not had much luck and it feels as if we have done very little in the way of actual errors, but lots of bad scores nevertheless. We finish on 117 VPs, just 7 VPs over average. In the evening we go to a Sichuan restaurant in Earls Court.

DECEMBER 29My Ocado shop comes first thing and I start cooking the twice-cooked belly pork I am serving on New Year’s Eve. The bridge today is the Mixed Pairs and I am playing with Michael Byrne. The first session goes well and we are lying second with nearly 63%. After a pub lunch we go back for the second session and our blood is clearly busy digesting our lunch rather

than helping our brains to function properly! However, when the scores are out we managed nearly 55% for that session and finish third.

This is one of my favourite boards from the second session:


♠ A 10

♥ A 6 3

♦ Q J 10

♣ A K 10 6 4

♠ Q 8 4 2 ♠ K 9 6 5 3

♥ K 8 5 ♥ Q

♦ K 9 8 5 2 ♦ A 7 6 3

♣ 7 ♣ Q 5 2

♠ J 7

♥ J 10 9 7 4 2

♦ 4

♣ J 9 8 3

First in hand, I like to open aggressively with pre-empts, so I don’t let the fact that I hold only 3 HCP stop me from opening a Multi. Michael bids a 2NT enquiry and I rebid 3♦ to show hearts. That leads to a cue-bid of 3♠ and a rapid sign-off in 4♥ by me.

West leads her singleton club and I try ace and another trump now. West takes her ♥K and switches to a diamond won by East's ace. What should East do? In practice he leads another diamond, allowing me to ruff, draw the last trump and play another club, thus setting up my clubs for a spade pitch.

In the evening we go to a tapas place for dinner. There are so many decent places to eat in London.

DECEMBER 30Today is the Swiss teams. I do a bit of preparation for New Year’s Eve in the

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BRIDGE March 2020

morning, and then go off in an Uber to the ILEC Centre. Our team is me and Gilly (with whom I will be playing in the Lady Milne trials shortly), with Barry and Ed. It doesn’t start well. We lose 5-15 to a not particularly strong team in the first round. Then we play Nicola and win by an important 1 IMP (always friendly rivalry). The match before the lunch break we win heavily, so are hoping things are looking up. In the break, I go home to get my phone. I am very worried about Briony, who is now in Australia, just north of Brisbane. She has had a lot of stomach pain for a week now and needs to see a doctor. I want to make sure she can get hold of me if she needs to even though it is in the middle of her night. After the break things go better and better. We win all our matches comfortably, dropping only 9 VPs in all four matches combined, culminating in a staggering win by 63 IMPs against the strong Teltscher team (mostly gained by team-mates at the other table).

Although most of the IMPs in this match are lost by our opponents at the other table, I think Gilly does well with this one:

Dealer North. N/S Game.

♠ A J 6 5

♥ K J 10 8 4

♦ K 6 5 3

♣ Void

♠ 10 2 ♠ K 8 3

♥ A 7 6 5 ♥ 2

♦ Q J ♦ 7 4

♣ A K 10 7 6 ♣ J 9 8 5 4 3 2

♠ Q 9 7 4

♥ Q 9 3

♦ A 10 9 8 2

♣ Q

Gilly, as North, opens 1♥, East passes

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and I respond 1♠ (I would raise hearts directly in a 5-card major system but it seems better to look for a spade fit playing 4-card majors). West overcalls 2♣, Gilly, with an awkward choice, decides to go slowly with 2♠ and East bids 5♣. I think we can probably beat that (which we can), so I double. With so much of her hand unbid, Gilly removes to 5♠, which ends the auction (surprisingly, no double).

West leads a club, which I ruff, and I play a low heart off the dummy to my ♥9. Maybe I should have played a diamond to my ace and taken a trump finesse – but I didn’t. West does not expect me to have three hearts, so he wins and switches to the ♦Q rather than give his partner a heart ruff. I win in hand and finesse the ♠J. Although East produces the ♠K, trumps are 3-2 and, when the ♦J pops up on the second round of diamonds, I am home.

In the other room, playing 5-card majors, this is the auction:


1♥ 3♣ Dbl

Pass 4♣ Pass 4♦

5♣ 5NT Pass 6♣

Pass 6♥ All Pass

North thinks 4♣ is a cue-bid agreeing spades, but South thinks it could be any good hand. Anyway, the 5-3 fit does not play well when trumps break 4-1. After a club lead, declarer ruffs and draws two rounds of trumps, West ducking twice, and takes a spade finesse. When he finesses into West’s doubleton diamond honour and gets forced, the eventual result is five down and 15 IMPs for us.

When the smoke has cleared we are joint winners, but unfortunately lose the split tie which is done by calculating the final VP total of all the

teams we have played against. Still, I think it is a tremendous result and we are all very happy. Gilly takes us out to dinner at the Lily Tandoori. We just ask them to bring food and it is excellent.

DECEMBER 31New Year’s Eve – or New Decade’s Eve, I guess. I spend the first couple of hours on the phone to Briony who is where she is without a hotel reservation (she didn’t book one because she thought that when she saw a doctor she might be taken to hospital and would not get her money refunded). We try one hotel after another but everywhere is full. She decides she will put up with the youth hostel after all (sharing a room with 12 others when everyone is drunk and noisy isn’t ideal) but when she goes there reception is closed for the day so that is out of the question. We eventually find a room for tonight half an hour’s drive away in a taxi, and I have booked one for the next two nights in a different direction, also half an hour away. It might not be perfect, but will keep her off the streets.

Barry and I are hosting a dinner party this evening, so, exhausted before the day has started, I spend the next few hours preparing food: an onion bhaji starter, fish course of cod, cauliflower and chorizo mornay, the twice-cooked pork (the first cooking has already been done, with Toby’s assistance) with mashed potatoes, and a pear tart for dessert.

Actually, I get most of the work done in a couple of hours, and after some soup for lunch I go back to bed and sleep for a couple of hours. When I get up I am quite relaxed and potter about doing this and that, then get myself ready. Visitors are Phil and Su, Gilly, Jovi, Binkie (Chris was supposed to be coming too but she has not been well and thinks, as she wouldn’t last till midnight, it is best to stay away) and Toby (whose plans have been cancelled because of illness). The food works out OK and everyone seems to have a good time.

For me 2019 has been quite a good year, but Briony has had her problems. Let’s hope for lots of good things in 2020. nPlease phone Mike on 07527 538863

STAMP COLLECTIONS / ALBUMS

Especially British and Colonial Victorian periodAnything postal considered

BRIDGE March 2020

Q I am after your advice please. It is West’s turn to open

the bidding but East takes out and places on the table his STOP card. He is greeted by a chorus of ‘it’s not your turn’ before retrieving his bid from the box. No one knows if he was to make a weak or strong call. I know the stop card is not a bid, but has unauthorised information taken place?

What should the ruling be please if South does not want East to continue?Name and address supplied.

A South’s wishes are irrelevant. East has not made a call so

there is no call out of turn and the bidding reverts to West. However, the appearance of the Stop card is unauthorised information to West, but authorised to North and South.

♣♦♥♠

Q Would you give your opinion on a ruling in

my local club please? Three boards per table,

one board not played at one table with no fault attached to N/S or E/W (the director was called away

temporarily for non bridge reason). The scores at the other 7 tables where the board was played, were N/S +50+100. E/W +120+90+100+100+90.

The director awarded 60% to both N/S and E/W.

I cannot see that this can be correct as the awarded scores are impossible toobtain.

I would have thought that, if other than 50/50 a fairer result would have been 45% N/S and 55% E/W going by the scores that were actually obtained.Douglas Kemp,Edinburgh.

A It is a matter of law that if a pair does not play a board,

through no fault of its own, then it gets average plus on the board. In amatchpoint pairs event, average plus translates into the higher of 60% or the pair’s session average. This has nothing to do with whether the score can actually be obtained if the board is played normally.

♣♦♥♠

Q North, the dealer, opened with a 4♠ bid, East -me-

passed, South bid 4NT, West passed and North then bid 6♦. I asked South what he understood by that bid. There was a long, pained silence and some fidgeting in his chair, which strongly suggested to me that South did not have a clue. In view of this I said I wanted to withdraw my question. My reasoning was that I would not be able to put much credence in anything he said, but his answer could give his partner useful information. South complied with my request.

Putting aside the rather extreme bidding, could you tell me whether a playeris allowed to withdraw a question, as I did; whether this request does in fact have to be complied with; and what should happen if it isn’t?Richard Ayres,Plymouth, Devon.

A There is no facility in the law book for withdrawing a

question so presumably he can still answer if he so wishes. Most players will now not answer. His uncertainty and any reply to the question is unauthorised information to his partner but, especially at club level,

unauthorised information rules are not well understood.

I am surprised that you asked the question. While it is permissible in law I do not see the point since I cannot imagine it affecting your bidding at this point. If you are merely asking because you want to know what it means for defending purposes I strongly suggest you wait until either you are on lead or until your partner has led face down.

♣♦♥♠

Q The bidding was (1NT) 2♣ (4♠) All Pass.

2♣ was alerted and explained as clubs and hearts, however the player had forgotten the system and actually held clubs and spades; a 4-1-2-6 hand.

Declarer reckons as a result of the ‘misinformation’ he misplayed the hand, resulting in -1.

Do the opposition have any redress?Geoff Simpson by email.

A If a player is misinformed as to what the opponents

are playing and is damaged thereby, then there is redress. But if a player

David Stevenson Answers Your Bridge Questions

What Happens After An Out Of Turn

Stop Card?

BRIDGE March 2020

is correctly informed but his opponent has made a mistake there is no redress.

Mistakes are a very common part of bridge and from time to time benefit the side who made the mistake. As I understand it, the opponents were correctly informed so no, there is no redress.

♣♦♥♠

Q Newcomer club but playing by the rules:


1♦ Pass 1♥ Pass

Pass Pass 2♠ Pass

Pass Pass

2♠ has to be cancelled or becomes a contract because opponents accepted it?Name and address supplied.

A After three passes the auction ends. The last four calls

are cancelled, the contract is 1♥, there is no penalty because both sides called after the auction was closed.

♣♦♥♠

Q Established revoke by declarer, no damage, how

much adjustment please?Name and address supplied.

A If declarer revoked by ruffing, ie the revoke card won

the trick and he made a subsequent trick; two tricks.

If declarer revoked by ruffing, ie the revoke card won the trick, but he made no subsequent trick; one trick.

If declarer did not revoke by ruffing, ie the revoke card did not win the trick, and he made that or a subsequent trick; one trick.

If declarer did not revoke by ruffing, ie the revoke card did not win the trick, and he made neither that nor a subsequent trick; no tricks.

♣♦♥♠

Q Why is an alert unauthorised information

to their partner when that alert is correct and therefore a requirement? Roger Harris by email.

A Just because something is required does not make it

authorised information to partner. If you make a call which in your view does not need an alert and partner alerts, it suggests he has a different idea from you as to what your call means and that opinion of his isunauthorised information.

♣♦♥♠

Q In a 3-card ending to a no-trump contract,

dummy was on lead with a master and then access to declarer’s other masters.

Declarer faced his cards but his claim was disputed and the lead of dummy’s master club prohibited, endorsed by the director.

I thought that either defender could, without consulting his partner, simply request declarer to play on, not dictating the play of a specific card.Don Gibb by email.

A A defender may request that declarer play on if he wishes.

Play will then continue unless any one of the four players (including dummy) objects. It is a very poor idea to do so since only the defenders may make the request and

it can only benefit declarer.Without seeing the hand I cannot be sure but on your description it sounds as though the ruling was doubtful. For example, if the following position was the case in no-trumps, dummy holding the thirteenth club and the ace and king of hearts having been played, then the claim would be clear and valid.

♠ x

♥ x

♦ —

♣ 9

♠ —

♥ Q J

♦ x

♣ —

♣♦♥♠

Q I trust you can offer your thoughts on this very unusual

hand that turned up at our club this week.

In fact it turned up at my table, my partner was South and I was sitting North.

South was the dealer and both sides were vulnerable.

♠ Void

♥ 8 7 6 5 2

♦ 8 7 6

♣ J 9 5 3 2

♠ J 8 7 6 5 ♠ 10 3

♥ 3 ♥ A J 9 4

♦ J 10 9 5 4 3 ♦ 2

♣ 10 ♣ A Q 8 7 6 4

♠ A K Q 9 4 2

♥ K Q 10

♦ A K Q

♣ K

My partner opened with a Benji 2♦ (23pts+), but

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actually had 26pts in his hand, as you can see.

West then doubled, which left the other three players all a bit confused.

When asked the meaning of the bid, East stated that he did not know.

I, as North, was then forced to bid 2♥ as I could not leave the double in (I would have done so anyway if no intervention to show a negative 0-8).

East then bid 3♣. Holding 26pts and a singleton ♣K, my partner wondered what was happening here and bid 4NT.

I responded 5♣ and we then ended up in 5♠ which went 2 off.

Most of the other tables at the point we played the hand were in 2♠ by South, but they would get no intervention.

I called the director and stated that I felt we had been disadvantaged, as I contended that West does not have a legitimate right to bid anything, let alone double, bearing in mind it was a 2♦ opener by South showing 23+ points.

After all, West only had two points and, admittedly six diamonds, but they were only jack high, so hardly lead encouraging either.

The director in the end, after thinking long and hard, left the scores unaltered and came down on the side that West does have a legitimate right to make a bid. I still think this is wrong.

Who is right please?Harvyn Hughes,Sutton Coldfield,Birmingham.

A The director is right. West has a perfect right to make any

call he pleases: you cannot stop him because his hand is weak. u

BRIDGE March 2020

t Quite a few people would double 2♦ since it is normal for a double of an artificial bid to show that suit and he has diamonds.

♣♦♥♠

Q If an opponent just shouts out ‘director’ after you have bid

after partner’s hesitation, is that right or should he put it more tactfully?

And if after the play of the hand, the opponent accepts that your bid was justified, should he apologise?Martin Epstein by email.

A It might be considered tactless, though it is sometimes best

to establish the hesitation immediately. However, mild bad manners happen a lot in this game and this is nowhere near the worst example.

As for apologising afterwards, I do not agree: he wanted to establish the position and did not know at the time whether the call was justified or not.

♣♦♥♠

Q Please tell me the pros and cons regarding fairness

of results if strong pairs sit N/S and weaker pairs sit E/W in a Hesitation Mitchell movement.Tom Boothby,Buxton, Derbyshire.

A The advantage of a Hesitation Mitchell, which contains some

arrow-switched rounds at the end, is that everyone is competing against everyone else. Players often fail to realise they are competing against players sitting in the opposite direction on every board. When you play

a board early on you may forget that, since it will be arrow-switched at the end, you will be competing on that board against some pairs in the other direction, who will play it later.

Thus the Hesitation Mitchelland other Scrambled Mitchell movements provide an adequately fair comparison between the pairs. This applies whether the strong pairs sit in one direction or not.

♣♦♥♠

Q Should a 1 level overcall, promising an opening hand,

be alerted? We don’t use convention cards.Graham Lavender,Waterlooville BC,Hampshire.

A Natural bids are only alerted if their meaning is one

that is a total surprise. A lot of club players only overcall when they have an opening hand, so that is a normal agreement thus it is not alertable.

♣♦♥♠

Q At a bridge session recently, East opened 1♣ and

my partner, South (who hates passing), overcalled 2♥, which I alerted as 6-10 points and a six-card heart suit. I, North, won the auction after lively competition in 5♦, which East doubled.

I made the contract for a top, losing just the opening heart-king lead and the ♠K later, but East objected on the basis that dummy’s hand didn’t comply with my explanation, in particular that she had eleven points, not ten. She claimed that she would not have doubled had

she known partner could have as many as eleven points. Partner’s explanation was that she wanted to bid on her shape in the majors, but felt too weak for a simple overcall and while too strong for a weak jump overcall, this was more descriptive of her hand. I commented that in many years partnering South, I had never come across her bidding a weak jump overcall outside the alerted parameters.

These were the hands:

♠ 10 6 5 4 2

♥ 4

♦ A K Q J 8 7 5

♣ Void

♠ K 7 3 ♠ 8

♥ A 7 2 ♥ K J 10 9

♦ 10 6 4 ♦ 3 2

♣ J 9 5 3 ♣ A K 10 8 7 4

♠ A Q J 9

♥ Q 8 6 5 3

♦ 9

♣ Q 6 2

East reserved her rights, and I (as director too) said I would take advice, but my initial ruling was that because I was as misled as E/W, South’s overcall was acceptable. East wasn’t complaining about the final contract, only that her double should be removed (which as it turns out only makes the difference between a bottom and a second bottom.)

Was my ruling correct?Keith Rylands,Kent School of Bridge,Maidstone.

A Minor deviations are perfectly acceptable, especially in bids that

are not no-trumps. Being one point out of range means very little unless there is a suspicion that the player is regularly out of range – and then all one should do is to

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ask her to adjust the range.I also have no reason

to think that if you had described the bid as 6-11 that East would not have doubled. More interesting is that your partner has a hand completely unsuitable for a weak jump overcall which is probably the reason why 5♦ made. However, if this is not her normal style then there is no reason to adjust the score.

♣♦♥♠

Q This board was played at a recentteams-of-eight

league match, with no director present.

♠ 10 8 3

♥ J 10 5 2

♦ J 6 4 2

♣ K 7

♠ 9 7 5 ♠ K Q 6 2

♥ A Q 7 ♥ K 9 8 6

♦ Q 10 9 8 7 ♦ A 5 3

♣ 6 4 ♣ A J

♠ A J 4

♥ 4 3

♦ K

♣ Q 10 9 8 5 3 2

East opened 1♥ and South pulled out the Stop card. Before putting the card on the table, South said, ‘I’ve made a mistake here, should we call a director?’ West said that, as no bid had yet been made, no director was necessary. South then bid 2♣, at which point West called for a director.

A player from one of the other tables came to the table and asked South if he had intended to pull out the Stop card and he said that he had. The director then said that, as South had deliberately pulled out the Stop card, he had to make a jump bid, so he then bid 3♣.

The director then warned

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BRIDGE March 2020

North that the knowledge that South had originally wanted to bid 2♣ was unauthorised information.

After two further passes, East doubled and West bid 4♥, which was the final contract. Declarer made seven tricks.

East then said that he had been damaged by the irregularity, claiming that if South had bid only 2♣, E/W would not have finished in 4♥.

Do you agree with the ruling and do you think East’s claim has any merit?Name and address supplied.

A Unfortunately the ruling was wrong. When a call has

not been made no one can insist on a player making any specific call. His 2♣ should have stood.

Under normal circumstances, when a director makes an error the board is adjusted assuming both sides are non-offending but that is not the case here.

West’s actions were unethical. I hope and trust that West was an inexperienced player because there is no other excuse for his actions.

He knew perfectly well that South had made a mistake; he knew perfectly well that South would change his bid if the director was not called. He knew perfectly well that he was going to call the director when the bid was changed. This is not the way that ethical players play.

Of course all four players were at fault. When attention is drawn to an irregularity all four players are required to call the director and South’s comment drew attention to an irregularity. I am not particularly happy with East’s statement either. It is a difficult hand and the

presumption that E/W would not reach game with 25 points seems highly dubious.

If I had been called to the table at the end I would have judged how experienced the E/W players were. If I judged them to be inexperienced I would have given them a short lecture on how to play the game ethically and let the result stand. If I judged them to be experienced I would have let the result stand for them and given them a procedural penalty.

It is a bit more difficult for N/S who were led astray by E/W and then given a wrong ruling by the director. After reminding them to call the director and not ask for advice I would have considered the ruling for them. But since they were non-offending where the director’s error was concerned I would have let the result stand.

♣♦♥♠

Q Does EBU Blue Book 8/c/4 allow a three suited 16+pt hand

to open 2NT at any level?Name and address supplied.

A You may play a 2NT opening as a three-suiter so long as it

has 16+ points at Level 2, Level 3 or Level 4 in England or Wales. Various different sections of the EBU Blue book make this clear.

♣♦♥♠

Q At a recent evening session, North opened 2♦, alerted

as reverse Benji. He ended in a slam, which made easily due to the strength of South’s hand and the shape of both hands, despite being short of two aces. Only later did the opponents realise

that North had bid on eight points. Is it not contrary to the rules to make a strong opening bid without a minimum number of high card points? If so, what penalty should be imposed?

These were their hands:

♠ J 10 7 2

♥ A Q 8 7 6 5 4

♦ J

♣ 4

♠ A K Q 5 4

♥ K J 10 9 3

♦ Void

♣ J 9 5

So they were very likely to find a slam in spades or hearts anyway.Keith Rylands,Kent School of Bridge,Maidstone.

A I would ask North why he opened 2♦ but assuming his answer

was that it seemed to be the correct bid for his hand, then it appears he is playing an illegal system; opening a strong artificial bid on a hand that was not strong in top cards. Thus I should give him average minus and his opponents average plus.

♣♦♥♠

Q East started the bidding with 1♠. South was

considering her bid and a few seconds had elapsed when East announced she wanted to correct her bid and I was called.

East was balanced and under their system, they start the bidding with 1NT with any balanced 5-3-3-2hand, and 12-14 points.

She had 13 HCPs and

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held ♠A-Q-x-x-x.I ruled the bid should

stand, as it could well have been a lack of concentration when making the bid and that West should not takeany information from the director's call.

I fear I should have allowed her to change her bid as a mechanical error?John Williams by email.

A It does not seem in the least like an unintended call to

me so I would not let her change it. When she reached for the bidding box I am confident she meant to bid 1♠ and if she did it was not an unintended call.

The term ‘mechanical error’ has crept into people’s consciousness but does not appear in the laws. The question is what call she actually intended to make at the moment she made the call.

♣♦♥♠

Q Should I resign from the small club where I have

played since 1991?Like the partner of your

questioner I now say ‘having none’ because I am now playing with a very new player (my regular partner has a long term illness) and she knows that my macular degeneration is progressing and says ‘having none’.

After reading your reply on page 12 of BRIDGE 204 to Phillip Stanhope, I am anxious not to be bad mannered or to show the recent learner something not acceptable in a club. My club has difficulty continuing as so many members are over 80 and need to encourage all who express a wish to be regular members.Margaret by email. u

BRIDGE March 2020

t

A There are many laws and regulations but an overriding

approach is that people with disabilities do not always need to follow them. If you are having problems of this sort then by all means carry on as before but let it be known why, then it is no longer bad manners but a matter of necessity.

♣♦♥♠

Q I recently purchased the update to Duplicate Bridge

Rules Simplified 2008,ie 2017.

I was surprised to find that the section on revokes had not been changed to include ‘How to verify a claim of a revoke’.

The 2017 copy still assumes that a revoke has occurred and only deals with the penalties.

This can result in a disagreement only solved/resolved by the use of the loudest voice and the worst manners.

Surely the first thing to explain is how to use the rules to verify or disprove the claim of a revoke?

Comparing the Duplicate Bridge Rules Simplified to the WBF Laws of Duplicate Bridge Law 66, Inspection of Tricks, I found that your Bridge Rules book only covers paragraphs A and B, not C or D.

Paragraphs C and D cover the inspection of quitted tricks by the director, to verify that a revoke has occurred.Fredie Broon by email.

A As you point out this is a book which is a simplified version

of the rules and verification of whether there has been

a revoke is not usually important. No competent director will allow raised voices or bad manners and if it occurs will never decide based on that.

It is true that, as with many other rules, it might sometimes be helpful to refer to law 66C or 66D but generally a director will not find a difficulty.

♣♦♥♠

Q The bidding sequence was:


1NT Pass 2♣1 2♠

2♦2

1 Alerted 2 Insufficient

West said that she had not noticed the 2♠ bid.

I ruled there was no comparable bid to make to show neither major? And this would silence East, but West was allowed to make any bid or pass as she wishes.

The bid was not accepted by the opponents.

I think she would havepassed had she seen the 2♠ bid.John Williams by email.

A This seems perfectly correct to me. I think many people

assume that there is always a Comparable Call but this is not the case and here there is no call that shows the same hand as shown by 2♦, or a more precise hand, so there is no Comparable Call.

♣♦♥♠

Q On a recent evening playing in a Halloween

Tournament, I arrived as the East player at our second-last table to find the North-South players sitting in the East-West positions.

When I pointed this out, the South player insisted on retaining her position and refused to move claiming it didn’t matter where they sat. My appeal to the Laws was rejected on the grounds that seating positions did not affect the outcome.

How would you rule if you had been called?Tom Power by email.

A If you mean that they were sitting on the chairs in the direction

of East-West in the rest of the room but had turned the board so that they played the North-South cards this seems acceptable. Of course if you found it annoying for some reason you could complain to the director, but Law 5 is not relevant: that refers to the directions on the board.

If they had decided to play the East-West cards for some reason, that is not acceptable and the director would not allow it. It would then be up to him to find out what had happened on earlier rounds.

In either case, it seems to be a matter for the director.

♣♦♥♠

Q I enjoyed David Stevenson’s article about the

appropriate use of bidding boxes but felt that he had overlooked the worse bidding box crime of all.

A bidder’s hand goes to the box and hovers, ‘Which bid do I make?’ Or‘Do I want to pass?’ Touching first one bid then another. Perhaps taking a bid from the box before replacing it with another.

While the opposition might simply take this as the sign of a dithering mind, the pussyfooter’s partner has clear evidence that this is a person who

would like to bid say 2.5♥but is having trouble choosing between 2 and 3. The extra information is infuriating to the opposition and I’m sure it is illegal. Lyn Fryby email.

A It is true that obvious indecision in making a call is illegal and

infuriating. Like so many ways a player indicates doubt over a call, it is unauthorised information to their partner though authorised to the opponents. If, as in the example given, the player bids 2♥ but their partner makes a fairly dubious game try and they bid and make 4♥, the director should be called and he will adjust the score back to 2♥ if his judgement is that the partner has not avoided using the unauthorised information.

♣♦♥♠

Q This hand was opened 2♦, alerted as strong, in an

unaffiliated club.

Dealer East. N/S Game.

♠ 3

♥ 4

♦ A K Q J 9 5 3 2

♣ Q J 3

There were no hand recordsdealt at the table.

They bid to 5♦, going oneoff. There was only one other score on the traveller; 5♦ making. We do not appear to be damaged, unless a gambling 3NT is successful.

I did ask permission to look at the hand. I politely indicated it was not a hand of power and quality, since it did not contain 16+ HCP, nor did it contain 12+ HCP, including 5 controls.

Continued on page 38... u

BRIDGE March 2020

1. ♠ 6 4 3

♥ K Q 5

♦ 10 5 2

♣ 10 6 4 3

♠ J 9 7 5 2 ♠ Q 10

♥ 9 6 ♥ J 10 8 4

♦ 9 3 ♦ 7 6 4

♣ K Q J 8 ♣ A 9 7 5

♠ A K 8

♥ A 7 3 2

♦ A K Q J 8

♣ 2

You are declarer in 5♦ and West leads the ♣K followed by the ♣Q. How do you plan the play?

3NT would most likely be the best contract here but there is nothing to be done about that now and 5♦ certainly has good chances. With no hope of establishing extra tricks from any suit but hearts it looks as though you need that suit to break 3-3 when you will make two spades, four hearts and five diamonds. Rather than simply drawing trumps and hoping for the best, you can improve considerably upon your chances by simply drawing two rounds of trumps – finding they break 3-2 – and then playing the top three hearts. Even if the suit breaks 4-2, on a good day the hand with the last trump will hold the fourth heart so you will be able to score a heart ruff in dummy for your eleventh trick. And if the hearts break 3-3 you simply draw the last trump.

2. ♠ K Q 7 5

♥ A J 9

♦ 8 7 3

♣ 9 6 2

♠ 8 2 ♠ 6 4

♥ K 10 4 ♥ Q 8 6 5 2

♦ Q 10 5 4 ♦ K J 9

♣ J 7 5 3 ♣ Q 10 4

♠ A J 10 9 3

♥ 7 3

♦ A 6 2

♣ A K 8

NW E

S

NW E

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You are declarer in 4♠. West leads the ♦4. How do you plan the play?

Infuriatingly 3NT is yet again the best contract. With nine tricks on top you have to find a way to conjure up a tenth and that trick can only realistically come from hearts. After taking the ace of diamonds and drawing trumps ending in hand, you lead a heart. It might seem right to play to the jack, hoping both the king and queen are well placed, but West is twice as likely to have been dealt the ten plus one high honour rather than both the king and the queen. Accordingly you should play a heart to the nine, hoping it draws a high honour. When you regain the lead you then play a heart to the jack and, if that holds, you can discard a loser on the heart ace. I am sure you have spotted that an alert West would play a top honour at his first go, hoping to make declarer believe he holds both the king and the queen.

3. ♠ K J 6

♥ A 8 6

♦ K Q 8

♣ A 7 6 2

♠ 10 8 4 ♠ Q 7 3 2

♥ 9 5 4 ♥ 10 7 3

♦ 7 6 4 ♦ 5 3

♣ K J 8 5 ♣ Q 10 4 3

♠ A 9 5

♥ K Q J 2

♦ A J 10 9 2

♣ 9

You are declarer in 7♦. West leads the ♦4. How do you plan the play?

If you count your top winners, you will be disappointed to find the tally only comes to twelve, leading you to believe that you need the spade finesse to work to guarantee all the tricks. However the chances of a successful outcome are much brighter than that as you only really need a 3-2 trump break. Win the lead in dummy with the eight, play the ace of clubs and ruff a club. Go back to dummy with a trump, noting the kind break, and ruff another club. Now enter dummy with

NW E

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the heart ace and ruff the last club. You will be out of trumps now but you can reach dummy for the last time with a spade when you can draw the last trump. In all, you will make one club, three club ruffs, three trumps, four hearts and two spades. Of course if trumps break 4-1 you will have to fall back on the spade finesse.

4. ♠ Q 9

♥ Q 10 8

♦ Q 10 8 2

♣ A Q 8 3

♠ A 8 6 ♠ K 7 5 4 3 2

♥ K J 6 ♥ 9 5 4 2

♦ J 9 7 6 ♦ K 3

♣ 10 4 2 ♣ 6

♠ J 10

♥ A 7 3

♦ A 5 4

♣ K J 9 7 5

You are declarer in 3NT. West leads the ♦6. How do you plan the play?

You are in the obvious contract and have been extremely lucky to have avoided a spade lead. All is not lost though because if West has led fourth highest from his longest suit you know from the Rule of Eleven that East only has one card in diamonds higher than the six. If that card is the king you really are in luck. Play the eight from dummy and if East plays the king you now have three tricks in the suit via a finesse against the jack. Now, with six outside tricks you have brought your tally to the required number. Of course, you mustn’t play the ten from dummy at trick one because then you would make only two fast diamond tricks if West splits his ♦J-9 on the second round. n

NW E

S

Answers to David Huggett’s Play Quiz on page 15

To support Little Voice, send your used stamps to:

Malcolm FinebaumFlat 8 Mountford House

8 Crescent RoadEnfield EN2 7BL

BRIDGE March 2020

t ...Continued from p36He said he did not know

that.If you receive BRIDGE and

especially if you read this column, you would know.

How many club playerswould know?

How many club players have read the Blue Book?

I wish I had recorded the rest of the hands, so I could have asked Julian to comment.

Do you open this hand with 1♦, 3♦, or 3NT?Alex Mathers,Northallerton, North Yorks.

A When you say ‘alerted as strong’, it depends what you mean. If

they are playing it as strong and natural then it would be announced. The strict rules for strong openings do not apply to natural openings so the player could legitimately agree to open 2♦ on such hands but should describe it as ‘intermediate to strong’.

If you mean they are playing it as artificial, Benjamin or Reverse Benjamin or the like, then it is not legal to agree to open this hand 2♦ since it is not strong within the EBU’s definition because it did not have 5 controls. Bids like Benjamin were designed to show a hand that was strong in top cards not playing strength. However, the problem has arisen that club players, especially the less experienced ones, are now frightened to open at the one level with a seven- or eight-card suit, so they choose between 3♦ and a strong bid. There is no reason to be scared of opening at the one level but many people are.

As to knowing the rules, bridge players do not know them. But the rules get around, for example, when someone gets a

ruling against them for an illegal Benjamin 2♦ opening, then people talk about it. Also people who read my column in BRIDGE then tell their friends.

Personally, I would open it 1♦. You cannot open 3♦ or 4♦ because it is worth an opening bid. 3NT is possible but it is a bit heavy for that.

♣♦♥♠

Q This doubled contract was defeated

by two tricks.

Dealer South. Game All.

♠ Void

♥ A 8 7 6

♦ A 9 5 2

♣ 9 7 5 4 3

♠ A 2 ♠ Q J 10 8 5 4 3

♥ Q J 5 ♥ 4 3

♦ Q J 10 8 3 ♦ 7 6

♣ J 6 2 ♣ Q 10

♠ K 9 7 6

♥ K 10 9 2

♦ K 4

♣ A K 8


1♣

Pass 1♥ 3♠ Pass

Pass Dbl All Pass

Our opponents said the double should have been alerted.

I thought not, partner was balancing, the double being optional.

The discussion was terminated when the director called the move.I indicated I would check.Is this double alertable?Alex Mathers,Northallerton, DL6.

A Are you sure it was an optional double? It looks like a take-

out double to me. Typically an optional double is one

that has a doubleton or tripleton in the opponents’ suit and extra strength.

If it was an optional double then it is alertable, certainly. A double of a suit bid below 3NT is either for take-out or is alertable. If, as I suspect, it was a take-out double which partner decided to pass, then it is not alertable.

It is not clear why E/W are complaining. There is nothing they could do differently and they have been lucky since the defence has dropped a trick or two.

♣♦♥♠

Q I am prompted to write in response to the Readers’

Letter “Overlooked but not forgotten’ from Margaret Aitchison, responded to by David Stevenson in the November issue of BRIDGE.

I am a great fan of David’s and his answers are invariably well presented and, of course, in strict accordance with ‘The Laws of Duplicate Contract Bridge’. However, I feel the scoring of the example he gives could have been more explicit.

The declaring side are indeed penalised by dummy’s infraction, by being barred from claiming the transfer of any tricks (if otherwise allowed by The Laws). He, David, gives an example of a vulnerable 4♠ contract going one off before the revoke penalty is assessed. He rules:

N/S get 4♠-1: N/S -100E/W get 4♠: N/S +620

Would it have been helpful if he said that the score to be entered on the traveller should be 520 (620-100) in the N/S column?

Was that the correct interpretation of The Laws?

This could well confuse the scorer when match-pointing – unless, as I think is often done, by a suffix ‘R’ against the score.

I would invite David to summarise how many of our club directors would give this ruling, again if it is a correct interpretation of The Laws! Mike Heddon,Bradford.

A When a director gives a split ruling, ie one where the two sides

get different scores, each direction is scored separately. The scores are neither aggregated nor averaged. So in the actual example the N/S pair get -100 and all other N/S pairs are matchpointed against that. The E/W pair get -620 and all other E/W pairs are matchpointed against that. It is a little bit of extra work for the scorer.

What appears on the traveller? The score was entered at the time as obtained at the table and this is not changed. The director will write a note for the scorer – or even for himself if he is the scorer.

How many directors would give a correct ruling? It is my hope that by writing this column and the articles I shall educate more people to get things right. n

Email your questions for David to:

[email protected]

Please include your postal address.

BRIDGE March 2020

Answers to Julian Pottage’s Defence Quiz on page 17

1. ♠ K 9

♥ J 8 6

♦ A K J 9 7 6

♣ 8 6

♠ A 10 5 3 ♠ J 7 4

♥ Q 9 5 3 2 ♥ A 7

♦ 10 3 ♦ Q 4 2

♣ 9 2 ♣ J 10 7 5 3

♠ Q 8 6 2

♥ K 10 4

♦ 8 5

♣ A K Q 4


1♦ Pass 1♠

Pass 2♦ Pass 3NT

You lead the ♥3. Partner wins with the ♥A and returns the ♥7, covered by the ♥10. What is your plan?

You begin by taking the ♥Q to stop the ♥10 or ♥J from winning cheaply. You will want to continue by clearing the hearts. You know that declarer has only the ♥K left, which means that any heart you lead will get that job done. You will still need to get back in.

Looking at dummy, it is likely that declarer will attack diamonds. If so, you want partner, after winning with the ♦Q, to switch to spades. The way to ask for a spade, the highest-ranking suit, is to use your highest remaining heart, the ♥9 at trick three.

2. ♠ A K 10 4

♥ K Q 10 8 6

♦ 7

♣ 10 8 6

♠ 9 5 ♠ J 7 3

♥ A 9 5 2 ♥ J 7 3

♦ 10 3 ♦ J 9 6 4 2

♣ J 9 7 3 2 ♣ A K

♠ Q 8 6 2

♥ 4

♦ A K Q 8 5

♣ Q 5 4

NW E

S

NW E

S


1♦ Pass 1♥ Pass 1♠ Pass 4♠ All Pass

You lead the ♣3. Partner wins with the ♣A and cashes the ♣K, declarer playing the ♣4 and ♣5. What is your plan?

You begin by working out why partner has played the ace and king of clubs in an abnormal order, ace before king. This is not difficult because the fact that declarer’s ♣Q has not fallen tells you the ace-king were doubleton anyway.

With no clubs left partner will have to switch at trick three. You will want to get in with the ♥A and give partner a ruff. The way to ask for hearts rather than diamonds is to drop a high club (hearts being the higher-ranking plain suit). You can afford the jack, so play it – do not send a boy to do a man’s job.

3. ♠ J 10

♥ A Q 8 6 2

♦ K 9 6

♣ K 8 6

♠ K 9 7 5 3 ♠ A 8

♥ 9 5 3 ♥ K 10 4

♦ A 3 2 ♦ 10 8 7 4

♣ 9 2 ♣ 10 7 5 3

♠ Q 6 4 2

♥ J 7

♦ Q J 5

♣ A Q J 4


1NT1

Pass 2♦2 Pass 2♥

Pass 3NT All Pass1 12-142 Transfer to hearts

You lead the ♠5. Partner wins with the ♠A and returns the ♠8, declarer playing the ♠2 and ♠4. What is your plan?

Sometimes with this type of spade holding you would duck the second round,

NW E

S

trying to maintain communication with partner. Here, with your sure diamond entry, that is not an issue – and if partner has no more spades then ducking would gift declarer a second stopper. Having taken the ♠K, the ♠9 and ♠7 are equals against the ♠Q. As partner can see the strong hearts in dummy, you want to express preference between the minors. You do that by leading the ♠9. This is a subtler suit-preference signal than on the other hands; let us hope partner is watching carefully.

4. ♠ 10 9 6

♥ J 8

♦ A Q 7 6 4 3

♣ J 8

♠ Q J 8 5 ♠ A 2

♥ A Q 5 2 ♥ 10 7 6 3

♦ J 9 ♦ K 2

♣ Q 9 2 ♣ 10 7 6 5 3

♠ K 7 4 3

♥ K 9 4

♦ 10 8 5

♣ A K 4


1NT1

All Pass1 12-14

You lead the ♠5. Partner wins with the ♠A and returns the ♠2, covered by the ♠K. What is your plan?

You have three spades left from which to play and, with the 10-9 due to drop, they are effectively equals. You can therefore play any of the three to help partner to know what to lead later. Holding the ace-queen of hearts, the highest ranking of the remaining suits, means you should drop the queen.

As the cards lie, you cannot defeat 1NT – but if you can stop the overtrick (with a heart switch from partner after the ♦K) then you can beat any pairs conceding 100 or 120. n

NW E

S

BRIDGE March 2020

Answers to the Opening The Bidding Quiz on page 13


♠ 10 8 ♠ K 7 6 ♠ 6 2

♥ 10 9 6 ♥ A 3 2 ♥ 6 5 2

♦ A 4 ♦ J 5 4 2 ♦ K J 10 2

♣ A K 10 9 5 4 ♣ K 7 3 ♣ A K 10 3


♠ K 7 6 ♠ A 8 ♠ K 7 5

♥ A 3 2 ♥ A 6 5 ♥ A K Q

♦ J 7 4 3 ♦ A 10 9 ♦ J 7 4 3

♣ K Q 4 ♣ A K J 10 9 ♣ A Q 6

Hand 2A 3NT. Lots of playing strength.Hand 2B Pass. Not worth 11 points.Hand 2C 2NT. 4-4-3-2 shape and

good intermediates.Hand 2D 2NT. Not worth 13 points.Hand 2E 6NT. Likely to make even

opposite a minimum.Hand 2F 3NT. Not worth 19 points.

3 You open 1NT. Your partner makes a quantitative raise to 4NT. What is your second call with these hands?


♠ A J 3 ♠ A J 10 ♠ A J 9 3

♥ K 7 5 ♥ K 7 ♥ K 7

♦ Q 6 4 3 ♦ Q 10 9 7 6 ♦ Q 10 8 4

♣ K 6 4 ♣ K 9 8 ♣ Q 8 6

Hand 3A Pass. A very poor 13 points.Hand 3B 6NT. Good shape and

intermediates make this a good 13 points. 6♦ is a possible alternative, suggesting five diamonds and giving partner the choice between 6♦ and 6NT.

Hand 3C Pass. You have reasonable shape and intermediates but with only 12 points you are minimum.

4 You are dealt these hands. Do you open the bidding third in hand after two passes? If you do open, what is your choice of call? What is your rebid if partner responds in either of your short suits?


♠ Void ♠ A 10 6 5 4 2 ♠ 10 9 6 5 4 2

♥ 8 7 6 3 2 ♥ 8 7 6 3 2 ♥ A 6

♦ A 10 6 5 4 2 ♦ A 6 ♦ Void

♣ A 6 ♣ Void ♣ A 7 6 3 2


♠ A 10 5 4 2 ♠ 9 7 5 4 ♠ 9 7 5 4

♥ Void ♥ A Q ♥ A 4

♦ 8 7 6 4 3 2 ♦ A ♦ 2

♣ A 6 ♣ 8 7 6 5 4 3 ♣ A Q 8 7 6 5

u

1 You are dealer at love all. (i) What is your call with these hands? (ii) If it is right to open 1NT (12-14 in

all the examples), what do you call if your partner raises to 2NT?


♠ K 10 9 ♠ K 6 4 ♠ K 9 8 2

♥ 10 9 ♥ Q 5 3 ♥ Q 10 9

♦ A Q 10 4 3 ♦ 7 4 3 2 ♦ A K 3 2

♣ Q 10 9 ♣ A K 2 ♣ 7 4


♠ K 4 2 ♠ K 10 9 ♠ K Q 3

♥ Q 5 3 ♥ J 10 ♥ 5 4 3

♦ 7 4 3 2 ♦ A Q 10 4 3 ♦ 7 4 3

♣ A K Q ♣ A 10 9 ♣ A K Q 2

Hand 1A (i) 1NT. Easily worth upgrading to 12 points.

(ii) Pass. Hand 1B (i) Pass. 12 points but so

many negative features.Hand 1C (i) 1NT. The intermediates and

4-4-3-2 shape make this a better hand than Hand 1B.

(ii) Pass.Hand 1D (i) 1NT. (ii) Pass. 14 points but will

play more like 12 points.Hand 1E (i) 1♦. Worth more

than 14 points. Plan to rebid no-trumps.

Hand 1F (i) 1NT. (ii) 3NT. Despite the

4-3-3-3 shape and lack of intermediates. The concentration of values in the black suits and the high cards in long suits make this a better hand than Hand 1D.

2 Your partner opens 1NT. What do you bid with these hands?

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BRIDGE March 2020

tHand 4A Pass. If you open 1♦ you

will have to rebid 2♦ over a 1♠ or 2♣ response, losing the heart suit.

Hand 4B 1♠. Rebid 2♥ over 2♣ or 2♦.Hand 4C Pass. You don’t want a

spade lead so a 1♠ opening doesn’t appeal. Opening 1♣ and rebidding 1♠ over 1♦ or 1♥ is misleading and will never allow you to show partner you have longer spades than clubs.

Hand 4D Pass. You don’t want a diamond lead, while opening 1♠ leaves you rebidding 2♠ over the all too likely 2♥ response.

Hand 4E Pass. You don’t want a club lead. With all your honours in your short suits, the hand is defensive in nature.

Hand 4F 1♣. You want a club lead. Rebid 1♠ over a response of 1♦ or 1♥.

5 As fourth in hand, do you open Hands 5A, 5B and 5C?


♠ A Q 7 6 5 ♠ 7 4 ♠ Void

♥ A 10 7 6 ♥ A Q 7 6 5 ♥ A Q 10 9 8

♦ 7 4 ♦ A 10 7 6 ♦ A K J 5 4

♣ 6 2 ♣ 6 2 ♣ 8 5 4

Hand 5A Open 1♠. Points + spade length = 15.

Hand 5B Pass. Points + spade length = 12. You are likely to be

outbid in spades.Hand 5C 1♥. Points + spade length =

14 but this hand has too much potential playing strength to pass. n

Answers to the Opening The

Bidding Quiz on page 13

Continued...

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BRIDGE March 2020

Answers to Bernard Magee’s Bidding Quizzes 1-3

on page 7

1. Dealer West. Love All.

♠ K 8 6 5 2 ♠ A 4

♥ K J ♥ 9 8 3

♦ 7 ♦ A Q 6 5 2

♣ K 8 4 3 2 ♣ Q J 5


?

Pass. A lot of players use the Rule of Twenty to assess their options as the opening bidder. However, you do much better to use the Guideline of Twenty. The two are the same, but one suggests you follow the result, the other suggests you use judgement. You add the length of your two longest suits to your high card points – if the total is 20 or above then you can contemplate opening. The key here is that you think about opening because it is a guideline, you do not blindly spout out 1♠ on this hand because your total is 20 (5 + 5 + 10). The deciding factors are: the quality of your suits, the ‘order’ of your suits, are your short suit honours worth their weight and finally, do you have an ace?

This hand pretty much fails every test: the two long suits are poor, the order of the suits is not good – you would want to open 1♠ if you do open, but then you would not be able to rebid clubs if partner responds 2♦ or 2♥.

With the partner above, who would respond 2♦, you would have to rebid 2♠ – an awful description of your hand on many levels. Your heart honours are of dubious value in the doubleton and finally you do not have an ace in your hand. Everything points to passing. By all means make a bid later in the auction – perhaps showing both suits, but by passing initially you should contain your partner’s excitement.


♠ A 10 9 6 3 ♠ K 4

♥ K 10 8 4 2 ♥ J 9 3

♦ Void ♦ A 9 6 5 2

♣ Q J 3 ♣ A 9 5


?

1♠. Using the guideline of twenty mentioned above, you once again hit the mark (5+5+10 = 20). However this time your hand passes all of the tests mentioned. Your suits both have a high card and some inner strength: the tens in both suits are important. The order of the suits is perfect – you are likely to be able to show both suits comfortably: starting with 1♠ and rebidding 2♥. Your short-suit honours are valuable – queen and jack together in

the tripleton should carry their weight.

Finally, you also have an ace. All of the above suggest that it is reasonable to open 1♠.

On this hand the auction might progress: 1♠-2♦-2♥-2NT-3♥-4♥. You rebid hearts to show your second five-card suit and partner can raise to game. The inner strength of hearts makes the game reasonable.


♠ A 9 8 3 ♠ 7 6 5

♥ K 7 6 5 ♥ A 4 2

♦ A 10 8 2 ♦ K 9 7 4

♣ 3 ♣ A 7 2


?

Pass. I hope this is a simple pass. The hand does not satisfy the guideline of twenty (4+4+11=19) and your system does not cope well with 4-4-4-1 hands so you should prefer not to open light when you have one. Generally when you open a 4-4-4-1 hand you end up telling a lie of some sort about your shape, so if you open light you are immediately telling two lies. Pass and be ready to come in later with a take-out double, if your opponents bid clubs. n

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BRIDGE March 2020


on page 7

4. Dealer East. Love All.

♠ 7 6 4 ♠ A 5 2

♥ K Q J 6 5 ♥ 8 4 2

♦ A 8 2 ♦ K 9 4

♣ 7 5 ♣ J 10 9 8


Pass Pass

?

1♥. This hand is too weak to open under normal circumstances – 10 HCP along with a good 5-card suit, but no singleton and no second suit, so neither near the guideline of twenty nor having 12 points. However, third in hand bids are not normal circumstances. When you are non-vulnerable and both your partner and right-hand opponent have passed, it can be sensible to open light for different reasons.

Since your partner has less than an opening hand, if you also hold less than an opening hand, most of the time the contract will belong to your opponents and it would be useful if you could make sure that your side makes the best opening lead. From your point of view leading a heart is obvious but if your partner is on lead he is more likely to choose a different suit.

Open 1♥ to show your strong suit. Your partner will be expecting opening values, but surely there is not much that can go too wrong?

If you pass and North finishes in 1NT your partner is likely to lead the ♣J allowing declarer the chance to establish spades and make comfortably. After a light 1♥ opening your side will get off to the better heart lead and the defence may well have 7 tricks.


♠ A 2 ♠ K 8 7 6 5

♥ K 8 7 6 ♥ 5 2

♦ K J 9 ♦ Q 8 3 2

♣ 10 8 5 4 ♣ 3 2

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Pass Pass

?

Pass. Once again you are third in hand non-vulnerable, so should you open light this time? You have a balanced 11-count and have no idea what the right lead would be against any contract. If you open with a suit bid, you will prejudice your partner – he will choose to lead the suit you bid rather than from his strength/length. Your other option might be to open a light 1NT. However, that is not likely to work out well. If the first two players could not open and you have only 11 points, then the most likely call you will hear from North after your 1NT will be double and that will not be fun. Just pass and see how the auction progresses.


♠ 4 ♠ 9 8 7 6

♥ 9 3 2 ♥ Q 10 7

♦ 7 6 2 ♦ K Q J

♣ A K 7 6 5 4 ♣ 9 8 3


Pass Pass

?

3♣. One last third-in-hand non-vulnerable opening: this time you are too weak for any normal opening bid, but you are not far off a pre-emptive three opening. Looking at your hand and knowing your partner has less than an opening hand, it is not unreasonable to assume that the opponents can probably make a game contract. With this in mind, you would like to make things as difficult as possible for them. A 3♣ opening takes up their bidding space and will take away their precision. Knowing that you are not going to upset your partner because he has already passed makes this bid an even better choice. And of course, you will also get the right lead against most contracts. n

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CHARITY EVENTSMARCH 2020

6 MS THERAPY CENTREVillage Hall, HemingfordAbbots, PE28 9AH. £16.Jenny Lea ( 01480 455810

13 GARDEN HOUSE HOSPICE CAREThe Settlement, Letchworth, SG6 4UB.£8.50 inc afternoon tea.Alan Fraser ( 01462 [email protected]

25 MACCLESFIELD CHRISTIE HOSPITALSt James Church Hall, Sutton, Macclesfield, SK11. Jill Webb ( 01260 [email protected]

26 R.N.L.I.Village Hall, Roxton,Beds, MK44 3EB. £16.Janet McNair ( 01767 225341 [email protected] by 16th March

APRIL 202017 SAINT DOMINIC’S CHURCH

St Dominic’s Church Hall, Jubilee Road, GL11 4ES. £5 eachinc afternoon tea.Pat Uglow ( 01453 [email protected] Gwyer ( 01453 860 [email protected] 13th April

23 ST NEOTS LOCAL CHARITIES St Mary’s Church, EatonSocon, PE19 8EJ. £15.Jean Searle ( 01480 212298

MAY 202015 CHILDREN’S CHARITIES

Doddington Village Hall,Cambs, PE15 0TG. £16.Val Topliss ( 01354 [email protected]

27 DOWNHAM MARKET FESTIVAL & LOCAL CHARITY The Town Hall, DownhamMarket, PE38 9DW. £6 inc afternoon tea.Ann Taylor ( 01366 [email protected]

To advertise your charity event, email

[email protected] is no charge for charity adverts.

BRIDGE March 2020

More Tips from Bernard Magee

Bidding The Opponents’ Suit

Shows Excitement

Bidding more tends to pay dividends at duplicate bridge. One of the advantages of entering the auction

on weaker hands is that it disrupts the opponents. However, there is one element of competitive bidding that you can take advantage of: using a bid of the opponents’ suit to show strength and excitement.

There are times when everybody is bidding in an auction and it can be difficult to know who is the stronger side. If you know your side is the boss, then tell your partner by bidding the opponents’ suit: the bid is artificial, so requires alerting; it shows strength and support for your partner.

Look at this auction, with nobody vulnerable:


1♥ 1♠ 3♥ 4♠

5♥ ?

Which side is making their game and who is sacrificing?

Generally, I would expect the opening side to hold the stronger hands, particularly as South will sometimes jump to 4♠ with something like:

♠ Q J 8 7 6

♥ 2

♦ K 9 8 5 2

♣ 9 4

This means that North might choose to bid on over 5♥ as a sacrifice.

If South has a stronger type of hand, he must bid in a different way: using the

opponents’ suit to inform his partner that he actually expects to make 4♠.

Dealer West. Love All.

♠ A K 10 9 4 3

♥ 3

♦ Q J 10 4

♣ 7 6

♠ 2 ♠ 8 6

♥ A K J 7 6 5 ♥ Q 10 9 8 4

♦ 5 3 ♦ 7 6

♣ K 8 5 2 ♣ A 10 9 3

♠ Q J 7 5

♥ 2

♦ A K 9 8 2

♣ Q J 4


1♥ 1♠ 3♥ 4♥

5♥ Pass Pass Dbl

All Pass

It is hard to believe that South has the strongest hand at the table, but he does and his 4♥ bid of the opponents’ suit tells his partner that ‘this is our hand, so we are not sacrificing’ – ‘I expect to make 4♠.’

Eventually, 5♥ doubled is the final contract for +300 points. 5♠ would have been one down. With the previously shown hand South would have bid 4♠ and North would have known to sacrifice. 5♠ would have been a good sacrifice against a making 5♥.

Bidding the opponents’ suit comes up in all sorts of auctions. You make the bid to show excitement about the hand: you are telling your partner that you are stronger than he might think. n

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2-6 November £375Doubles and

Laws & EthicsHosted by Will Parsons

Prices shown are per person, full board including tea & coffee during breaks and a welcome drinks party. Price also includes ferry fare for two adults in one car. There is no single room supplement and single players will always be found a partner. Singles in cars will incur a supplement. Sea view rooms may be available. The Mr Bridge team will offer support during the set hands sessions, on the seminar events. In addition, they will make up the numbers in the duplicates, so there should never be a half table. All rooms are en-suite, have tea & coffee-making facilities and have free internet.

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BRIDGE March 2020


on page 77. Dealer East. Love All.

♠ 7 3 2 ♠ 8 6 4

♥ K Q J 6 5 ♥ 4 2

♦ 9 8 ♦ A K

♣ K 8 7 ♣ Q J 9 6 5 3


Pass Pass

1♥ Pass 2♣ Pass

?

Pass. One of the fundamental rules of your bidding system is that when you open the bidding and partner responds in a new suit you have to bid again. However, understanding the reasons for this is important: a response in a new suit shows an unlimited number of points: your partner will usually have at least 6 but he may have as many as 20 – for this reason it is important that the opener bids again. When the opening bidder’s partner has already passed, his hand is limited to fewer than 12 points which changes the dynamics. Now there is no reason to play a change of suit as forcing – if the opening bidder is weak then he knows game is not on, so he can pass if he thinks the best denomination has been found.

You might not have chosen to open with this hand, but having opened a light 1♥ in the third seat, you can choose to pass your partner’s 2♣ response. That leaves you in the best contract.


♠ 3 2 ♠ A K 6 4

♥ A K 7 6 5 ♥ 4

♦ K 9 8 6 ♦ Q 7 4 2

♣ 8 7 ♣ 9 6 5 3


Pass Pass

1♥ Pass 1♠ Pass

?

2♦. Once again you have chosen to open light third in hand. As discussed above,

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you are allowed to pass the 1♠ response since your partner has already passed. However, you would only want to do that if you felt that the best denomination had been reached. You have no reason to think that spades as trumps will do well so you should carry on bidding naturally. Remember that both 2♥ and 2♦ rebids show the same strength – many players seem to think that 2♥ is weaker, but that is not the case. By showing your second suit with 2♦, you give your partner a choice – here he would raise to 3♦ and you would pass.


♠ 3 2 ♠ 9 8 6 4

♥ A K 8 6 5 ♥ Q J 4 2

♦ 8 ♦ 9 7 6

♣ K 8 7 6 5 ♣ A 2


Pass Pass

1♥ Dbl 3♥ Dbl

?

4♥. You open light third in hand, but do have a hand that fits the guideline of twenty. When you find a fit with these types of hand they leap in playing strength – you have just six losers, so can now be proud of your opening bid. The other aspect of two-suited hands is that they play much better offensively than defensively, so when you hear the opponents trying to enter the auction do your best to keep them out. Your partner’s 3♥ bid over a double may well have been a stretch bid – trying to keep the opponents out of the auction as well. It can be a good tactic to extend your bid by one level in this situation – as you can see East has a normal 2♥ response. This should not put you off bidding on – so bid 4♥ and let the opponents try to work out what to do. Their fit is in diamonds, but they do not know that yet.

On a good day, 4♥ might actually make, but even if it fails, the likelihood is that the opponents can make something. n

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23-25 March £349Doubles

with Bernard MageeWaiting List Only

20-22 April £349Drawing Trumpswith Will Parsons


Prices shown are per person sharing a twin or double bedroom, full board including tea & coffee during breaks and a welcome drinks party. There is a single supplement at Two Bridges of £70, subject to availability. Single players will always be found a partner. The Mr Bridge team will offer support during the set hands sessions, on the seminar events. In addition, they will make up the numbers in the duplicates, so there should never be a half table. Room upgrades may be available at a supplement.All rooms are en-suite, have tea & coffee making facilities and have free Wi-Fi. Please note there is no lift at this hotel.

Gourmet food at the Two Bridges

The second evening meal consists of a five course tasting menu. Executive

Chef Mike Palmer’s creative flair comes into its own with firm

emphasis on the very best seasonal ingredients from local farmers,

fishermen and producers. Wine is supplied by a local specialist and ales

from their own Dartmoor Brewery.

BRIDGE March 2020


♠ A K 10 9 4 ♠ 2

♥ 7 ♥ J 5

♦ J 4 3 ♦ K Q 9 5 2

♣ K 10 9 5 ♣ A Q J 6 4


1♠ Pass 2♦ Pass

2♠ Pass 3♣ Pass

?

4♣. You are beginning to regret having opened light. You upgraded your hand with its two ten-nine holdings and good spade suit, but now what do you do?

The most important thing to remember is that you chose to define your hand as worth an opening bid and nothing has changed – all the rules of bidding still hold true – if your partner makes a forcing bid you do not pass. Just because you are lacking a few points, you must keep on bidding if your partner bids a new suit at the three-level. Even if it drives you a little too high, you must bid for partnership trust. Here, you should support your partner – you can choose 3♦ or 4♣, although since 3NT is very unlikely with your heart holding, 4♣ seems the better descriptive bid. Your partner will raise to 5♣ and you will have reached the correct contract. Note that with the club fit found you do have the expected seven losers, so partner will not be disappointed.


♠ J 10 6 5 ♠ A 3 2

♥ 7 ♥ A K 5 4

♦ K 2 ♦ 9 6 3

♣ A Q 10 9 3 2 ♣ K J 4


1♣ Pass 1♥ Pass

1♠ Pass 2♦* Pass

?

* fourth suit forcing

2NT. You opened 1♣ with just 10 HCP but with a strong six-card club suit and knowing that you could likely rebid 1♠ to show your shape.

With no fit found from your point of view, you might be beginning to regret your decision to open the bidding. Your partner bids the fourth suit: 2♦; this is a forcing bid and asks you to further describe your hand. One of the key things your partner might want to know is whether you can stop the diamond suit.

King doubleton might not seem much, but as long as you bid the no-trumps, it will act as a stopper. Bid 2NT – it might seem that you are overstating your hand, but as long as you respect your own decision to choose to open, you have given a beautiful description. Five or more clubs, four spades and a diamond stopper.

East can raise to 3NT and a great contract is reached.


♠ Q J 7 6 ♠ 8

♥ 7 6 ♥ A K 9 8

♦ 2 ♦ A J 9 8 6 3

♣ A K 8 7 6 3 ♣ Q 4


1♣ 1♠ Dbl Pass

2♣ Pass 3♦ Pass

?

3NT. One final light opening: fitting with the guideline of twenty and holding two good suits in biddable order, you open 1♣. North’s 1♠ overcall is not good news, but your partner doubles for take-out to which you have to reply and your only choice is to rebid your clubs. Over this, your partner jumps to 3♦.

Why has your partner jumped?

To make sure you bid again.Do not look at your hand

and feel worried that your partner will expect more – stick by your decision to open and bid with confidence. Your partner’s double on the first round suggested four hearts and now he clearly has extra length in diamonds. With no fit, but relying on your partner’s strength, you should surely bid 3NT – showing your spade stopper and hoping that you can collect enough tricks from the two hands.

With partner’s club support you may well have six club tricks and that will make 3NT easy. n

Answers to Bernard Magee’s

Bidding Quizzes 10-12

on page 7

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BRIDGE March 2020

Slam of the month

Today’s slam of the month was sent in by Alex Mathers of Northallerton:

Dealer West. N/S Game.

♠ A K

♥ Q J 10 9

♦ K Q

♣ A J 6 5 4

♠ 9 8 3

♥ A K 7 5 4 3 2

♦ 6

♣ Q 9


Pass 1♣ Pass 4♥

Pass 4NT Pass 5♥

Pass 6♥ All Pass

North showed good appreciation of his values when partner responded 4♥ (it often works well to get your hand off your chest immediately). When partner showed two key cards the small slam was easy to bid. On a club lead declarer would have needed to take the finesse, but it was unlikely that the defence would lead dummy’s suit. On the actual diamond lead, the ♦Q was set up for a club discard. ■

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Sally’s Slam Clinic

Sally Brock Looks At Your Slam Bidding

Send your slam hands to:[email protected]

Or write to Mr Bridge at: Ryden Grange

Knaphill Surrey

GU21 2TH

Where did we go wrong?

This deal turned up on a Mr Bridge cruise so some of you might remember it. It was sent in by Jim Dapre:

♠ A 6 5 3

♥ A Q 2

♦ A K 7 3 2

♣ A

♠ K 4 2

♥ K 7 5 3

♦ Q J 10 9 6 4

♣ Void

At the table, West opened 3♣ and North bid 3NT, passed out.

I think it is clear that North should start with a double rather than 3NT. 4♦ would be a reasonable response by South (some might prefer a 4♣ cue-bid to show playability in two places, but that can lead to murky auctions). The trouble with 4♦, though, is that it is difficult for North to bid on in any meaningful way. The only forward-going moves are 4NT, 5♣ and 6♦ (as 4♥ or 4♠ should be natural). I think 6♦ is reasonable but rules out the possibility of a grand slam. 4NT asks for aces, but you know the response will be 5♣, and what then? In these RKCB days, generally 4NT followed by 5NT does not ask for the number of kings, but rather asks partner to bid their kings up the line. Here, with clubs agreed, 5NT just confirms all the aces are present and asks partner if he feels like bidding a grand slam. Partner has two kings, and can see that there might be a crucial spade discard on partner’s known ♣A. An optimist would bid 7♦ – while a pessimist might settle for 6♦. All a matter of personality.

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FEBRUARY 202025 MAYOR’S CHARITY CAFÉ BRIDGE EPSOM, SURREY

In aid of Girl-guiding

MARCH 202024 CHISWICK CAFÉ BRIDGE, LONDON

In aid of Marfan Trust

24 RADLETT CAFÉ BRIDGE, HERTFORDSHIRE

In aid of “Make Sense Of It”.Support for Multiple Sclerosis sufferers

26 ISLE OF WIGHT CAFÉ BRIDGEIn aid of Mountbatten Hospice

APRIL 202021 NOTTINGHAM CAFÉ BRIDGE

In aid of Rainbow Children’s Hospice

21 WANDSWORTH CAFÉ BRIDGE, LONDON

London Metropolitan Bridge Assn event in “The Tonsleys”

28 HENLEY CAFÉ BRIDGE In aid of MS Researchand Chiltern Centre forDisabled Children

29 LEATHERHEAD CAFÉ BRIDGE, SURREY

In aid of The PrincessAlice Hospice Esher

MAY 202013 CROUCH END CAFÉ BRIDGE, LONDON

20 CHICHESTER CAFÉ BRIDGE, SUSSEX

Café Bridge Events 2020

Here is a list of known forthcoming Café Bridge events.

The list is reproduced from www.brianbridge.net/cafe by

permission of the author, Victor Lesk. Please visit the

website for full details including entry information.

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