Good Bye and Thank you, Patty page 18 - ACBL District 9 · Call Today to Improve Your Investment...

November/December 2014 1

SBN-NOVDEC-2014 1 November 8, 2014 4:27 PM

ACBL - District 9 • www.district9acbl.orgNovember-December 2014 Volume 11 - Number 2

Check out District 9 Online:

Good Bye and Thank you, Patty page 18Also:Fourth Suit Forcing by Larry Cohen page 20Appeals in Bridge: New Thinking Needed? by Jon Shuster page 21Rank Changes page 29

Sunshine Bridge News2


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The play of the ♦K by North squeezes East, who must pitch either the K or unguard the

♦

7

7 8

85

5Spades. Completing the Vienna Coup is

described in the article on page 24



FEBRUARY 16-22 Bradenton Area Convention Center One Haben Boulevard Palmetto, FL

MONFEB 16

TUEFEB 17

WEDFEB 18

THUFEB 19

FRIFEB 20

SATFEB 21

SUNFEB 22

Visit www.floridaunit128.org for a full list of local hotels

12:00 Free Lesson for those with fewer than 20 MP2:30 0-20 Relaxed Game (no entry fee)2:30 Charity Open Pairs (one session event)2:30 & 7:30 *Mon-Tues Bracketed KO (cont’d 10:00 & 2:30 Tues)7:30 Charity Open Pairs (one session event)7:30 Two Session Swiss Teams (cont 7:30 Tuesday)

10:00 & 2:30 Tues-Wed Bracketed KO (cont’d 10:00 & 2:30 Wed)10:00 & 2:30 **Gold Rush Pairs (2 sessions )(Lim to 750 MP)10:00 & 2:30 ***A/X/Y Open Pairs (2 Sessions)10:00 & 2:30 Senior Pairs (2 Sessions)10:00 & 2:30 I/N Pairs (Single session games)10:00 Morning Side Game Series ( 1st of 5)2:30 & 7:30 Bracketed Swiss Teams ( 2 Sessions)2:30 Stratified Swiss Teams (single session)2:30 Afternoon Side Game Series ( 1st of 5)7:30 Stratified Swiss Teams (2nd of 2)7:30 Evening Side Game Series (1st of 4)

10:00 & 2:30 Wed-Thurs Bracketed KO (cont’d 10:00 & 2:30 Thur)10:00 & 2:30 **Gold Rush Pairs (2 sessions )(Lim to 750 MP)10:00 & 2:30 ***A/X/Y Open Pairs (2 Sessions)10:00 & 2:30 Senior Pairs (2 Sessions)10:00 & 2:30 I/N Pairs (Single session games)10:00 Morning Side Game Series ( 2nd of 5)2:30 & 7:30 Bracketed Swiss Teams ( 2 Sessions)2:30 Stratified Swiss Teams ( single session)2:30 Afternoon Side Game Series ( 2nd of 5)7:30 Wed-Thursday Compact KO ( 1st of 2, contd Thursday)7:30 Evening Side Game Series (2nd of 4)

10:00 & 2:30 Thurs-Fri Bracketed KO (cont’d 10:00 & 2:30 Fri)10:00 & 2:30 **Gold Rush Pairs (2 sessions )(Lim to 750 MP)10:00 & 2:30 ***A/X/Y Open Pairs (2 Sessions)10:00 & 2:30 Senior Pairs (2 Sessions)10:00 & 2:30 I/N Pairs (Single session games)10:00 Morning Side Game Series ( 3rd of 5)2:30 & 7:30 Bracketed Swiss Teams ( 2 Sessions)2:30 Stratified Swiss Teams ( single session)2:30 Afternoon Side Game Series ( 3rd of 5)7:30 Wed-Thursday Compact KO ( 2nd of 2 sessions - cont)7:30 Evening Side Game Series (3rd of 4)

10:00 & 2:30 Fri-Sat Bracketed KO (cont’d 10:00 & 2:30 Sat)10:00 & 2:30 **Gold Rush Pairs (2 sessions )(Lim to 750 MP)10:00 & 2:30 ***A/X/Y Open Pairs (2 Sessions)10:00 & 2:30 Senior Pairs (2 Sessions)10:00 & 2:30 I/N Pairs (Single session games)10:00 Morning Side Game Series ( 4th of 5)2:30 & 7:30 Bracketed Swiss Teams ( 2 Sessions)2:30 Stratified Swiss Teams ( single session)2:30 Afternoon Side Game Series ( 4th of 5)7:30 Special Charity Pairs Game (also Side series 4th of 4)

10:00 & 2:30 Bracketed Swiss Teams (2 Sessions)10:00 & 2:30 **Gold Rush Pairs (2 sessions )(Lim to 750 MP)10:00 & 2:30 ***A/X/Y Open Pairs (2 Sessions)10:00 & 2:30 Senior Pairs (2 Sessions)10:00 & 2:30 I/N Pairs (Single session games)10:00 Morning Side Game Series ( 5th of 5)2:30 Stratified Swiss Teams ( single session)2:30 Afternoon Side Game Series ( 5th of 5)7:30 Zip Swiss Teams (teammates guaranteed)

10:00 **Gold Rush Swiss - 2 session playthrough10:00 ***“A/X/Y” Swiss - 2 session playthrough10:00 Senior Swiss - 2 Session Playthrough

Guest SpeakersWednesday through Saturday

at 9:15-9:45HOSPITALITYComplimentary…

coffee and orange juice and various assorted snacks

Lunches available includingsome complimentary

All Compliments of Unit 128TOURNAMENT HOSTSShannon Cappelletti

[email protected] Charles Gill

(888) 360-2590 [email protected]

CO-HOSTS Jack Bonney & Jay Whipple

[email protected] Bonney

[email protected]–– or ––

Visit the District 9 Online Partnership Desk bridgefinesse.

com/D9PDeskIndexSTRATIFICATION

Open & Senior Events: A=2500+ B=750-2500 C=0-750

A/X/Y Events: A=5000+ X=2500-5000, Y=0-2500

Gold Rush Events:A=500-750 B=200-500 C=0-200Pairs and Teams are stratified by

masterpoint average.299 games stratified at director’s

discretion.All KOs are bracketed; top KO bracket may be handicapped.Saturday two-session Swiss is

bracketed.Find a Hotel:

www.sarasotamanateeregionalhotels.com

* Monday-Tuesday KO is subject to approval of a motion to be

considered by the ACBL board in November 2014

** 3-STRAT GOLD RUSH EVENTS PENDING ACBL BOARD APPROVAL*** A/X/Y EVENTS PENDING ACBL

BOARD APPROVAL



Welcome back to all our snow-birds. We have missed you, but glad you found your way back south, and hope that we will see you at the many regionals and sectionals we have planned for you.

By the time you read this message, the Daytona Regional should be in full swing and hopefully you will all enjoy it. I would also like to let you know that this will be the last year that the tournament will be held at its present location. Starting next year, it will be held at the Daytona Beach Hilton, about 1⁄4 mile south of the Plaza. There is plenty of playing space and the rooms are very nice and modern.

In December, our newest winter regional will be held in Bonaventure (Fort Lauderdale), Florida, at the Bonaventure Resort and Spa, December 8 – 14. This will be the one of the last chances this year to win the points for the various races. Also, it is the only regional tournament in the US at that time. This year we will be presenting both the Sportsman of the Year Award, as well as the District 9 Volunteer of the year. The recipients will be Larry Cohen for the Sportsman Award and Shirley Seals for the Volunteer Award. Please

District 9President’s Messageby Bill Rauld [email protected]

help us recognize them. Information about the presentation will be in the Daily Bulletin. Please make your reservations early, as the room block is nearing capacity.

I would also like to let you know that we are the only District which subsidizes the top 3 finishers in the Grand National Teams and we also give additional stipends for the NAOP’s (North American Open pairs). We are able to do this due to the support you give to the Grass Roots fund raising games. So I would urge you to participate in both events and represent our District. I think that our Championship Flight has won the GNT’s more than any other District. You should be part of that legacy.

I hope that you have a great Thanksgiving and hope to see you all in December at the Bonaventure Regional.

November 1-30GNT CLUB QUALIFYING

November 17-23UNITS 219 and 240 STaC

December 1-31GNT CLUB QUALIFYING

December 1, 3, 4 and 5District-Wide Charity Games

December 15-21UNIT 128 STaC

Remember



19,324 District 9 Members!

District 9 Membership by Unit as of 09/30/2014

Unit Name Members

102 ACBL Unit 102 1189

128 Florida 14272

219 NW Florida 684

240 Central Florida 2142

243 Gold Coast 1037

Total Members 19324

PAGE 18

Patty Johnson Retires

TOURNAMENTSBONAVENTURE REGIONAL 8ORLANDO REGIONAL 9SANDESTIN REGIONAL 10SARASOTA/MANATEE REGIONAL 11SARASOTA WINTER SECTIONAL 28BOCA RATON NLM SECTIONAL 39KHATIB 299ERS SECTIONAL 40ST PETERSBURG 499ERS SECTIONAL 40PALM BEACH GDNS NLM SECTIONAL 41NAPLES 299ER SECTIONAL 41ST AUGUSTINE SECTIONAL 42NORTH PALM BEACH SECTIONAL 43DAYTONA WINTER SECTIONAL 44ST PETERSBURG SECTIONAL 45PENSACOLA SECTIONAL 50VERO BEACH SECTIONAL 54HOLLYWOOD SECTIONAL 62

District 9 President’s Message by Bill Rauld 12District 9 Director’s Message by Jay Whipple 14District Board of Directors 15Communicating by Muriel Altus 16Cover Story: Patty Johnson Retires 18Fourth Suit Forcing by Larry Cohen 20Appeals in Bridge by Jon Shuster 21Director’s Corner by Lynn Berg 22Bidding Matters!? by Michael Donnelly 23Finding Certainty by Peter Jargowsky 24Unit 102 25Rank Changes 29District 9 Tournament Calendar 32Unit 128 35Unit 219 46Unit 240 51Unit 243 55

Table of Contents



ACBLDistrict 9 Directorby Jay N. Whipple III [email protected]

For your enjoyment.

District Director Jay Whipple has invited our members who are celebrating rankchanges to send him a note about their bridge experience. Read them here:

https://sites.google.com/site/district9director/home/stories-from-rank-changers

In September, ACBL headquarters was inundated by flood waters and required extensive reconstruction. Our Horn Lake staff responded heroically and were able to maintain basic services. Most critical systems were back up within a few days. The impact to our insurance rates for a facility that is basically in a flood zone and located next to a drainage pond is yet to be seen.

The ACBL continues to be dogged by many questions about the failed ACBLScore+ development project. Board members have been under a gag order as legal counsel has advised us there is potential for litigation. Nonetheless, neither the Board nor ACBL members have been able to get adequate answers to many lingering issues.

Ironically, the failure to negotiate control of the ownership and copyright in the original software contract may lead to the best of all worlds. It is not unreasonable to envision our investment in ACBLScore+ re-emerging as an alternative solution that would allow external resources to accelerate the development of badly need services. There is nothing like competition to bring the best products and services to our membership. Hopefully, the next board meeting in November will allow us to learn more and evaluate management’s decision.

Assuming the ACBL Masterpoint Committee recommendations are passed on the second reading in November, we will be showcasing a new Gold Rush format in Sarasota-Manatee. This new event allows a three-flight stratiflighted structure which will allow players with over 750 to play in a more comparable field before they join the A/B flight.

We look forward to having our snow-birds migrate back to their winter bridge tables. They swell the clubs and tournaments but we cannot rely just on their ranks. We all need to reach out to friends and family and invite them to join us at the bridge tables if we want this game to survive. The testimonials in the monthly letters I receive are loaded with references to a friend or mentor that reached out and helped them experience this special world we call bridge.

Make a commitment to bring a new player to a club game or mentor a new player, and be sure to tell your friends, relatives and neighbors about any beginning/intermediate bridge lessons scheduled at your local clubs.

We can make a difference.



OFFICERSBILL RAULD

District 9 PresidentPhone: 305-219-2800

[email protected]

BETTY SANDIFERDistrict 9 Vice PresidentMobile Ph: 386-795-7423

[email protected]

SHIRLEY SEALSTournament Committee Chair,

Secretary & Treasurer Home Ph.: 904-285-7767

Mobile Ph.: 904-563-0470Fax: 904-285-7783

[email protected]

PUBLICATION STAFFRICHARD FLEISCHMAN

Unit 102 LiaisonPhone: [email protected]

MURIEL ALTUSSBN Editor & Unit 128 Liaison

Phone: [email protected]

SUE SMITHUnit 219 Liaison


JAN GREENEUnit 240 Liaison

[email protected]

DOLLY DELLONUnit 243 Liaison


For more contact informationlook on the District 9 web site,

www.District9ACBL.org.

District Board of DirectorsUnit 102 Carol Hamilton [email protected] 102 Jim Russell [email protected] 128 Muriel Altus [email protected] 128 Jack Bonney [email protected] 128 Charles Gill [email protected] 128 Bruce Greenspan [email protected] 128 Marshall Hall [email protected] 128 Craig Hemphill [email protected] 128 Harriet Morris [email protected] 128 Adrienne Muslin [email protected] 128 Jeff Overby [email protected] 128 Charlene Predmest [email protected] 128 Betty Sandifer [email protected] 128 Shirley Seals [email protected] 128 Marianne Timmons [email protected] 128 Jay Whipple III [email protected] 128 Ray Wise [email protected] 219 Jeri Edge [email protected] 219 Kay Huke [email protected] 240 Candace Griffey [email protected] 240 Susan Rowley [email protected] 243 Bill Rauld [email protected] 243 James Walker [email protected]

The Sunshine Bridge News is mailed six times a year to households of paid- up members of District 9 of the ACBL. The mailing list is prepared about a month before the publication arrives in your mailbox. Mailing is by bulk mail.

ACBL members of other districts and non-members residing anywhere in the U.S. may subscribe.

Subscriptions to the SBN are available at a cost of $15 for six consecutive issues. A check made out to Sunshine Bridge News should be sent to Shirley Seals, P.O. Box 1534, Ponte Vedra, FL 32004 with address information.

Subscription issues will be mailed by first class mail, a few days after the full District 9 mailing list goes to the Bulk Mail Office for distribution. Address changes for subscriptions may be sent by email to Shirley at [email protected].

©2014 by Sunshine Bridge News (aka ACBL District 9). All rights reserved. Contents of this magazine may not be reproduced in any manner without written consent from the publisher. Mention of any product does not constitute endorsement by the SBN. The publisher assumes no responsibility for return of unsolicited manuscripts, photos, art, or cartoons, and reserves the right to reject any editorial or advertising materials.

Cover Photo Courtesy of ACBL

Find us on FaceBook! Look for ACBL District 9 and hit the Like button.



I am trying to stay positive about this, dear reader. The last time the ACBL revamped its web site, I was expecting to have trouble finding my way around. I was very happy with the original (let’s call it Version A). Version B rolled out and I found it much easier than I expected, to feel comfortable there. My “fears” were unfounded. Along comes Version C. I miss the photo slide show that often directed me to a story I found of interest; I miss the easy drop-down menus, and especially how to find the unit and district masterpoint races, as well as my own masterpoints; but most frustrating of all, I sorely miss the old tournament listings.

I’ve found that it’s easiest for me to use www.District9acbl.org to access Florida tournaments. I go to Tournaments and Results, then from the drop-down menu, I choose the first option, District 9 Tournaments. Then I can choose all 2014 Florida tournaments, or just the 2014 Regionals, or I can do the same for 2015. That click will take me to the listing at www.ACBL.org and when I scroll down and click on the tournament I wish to look at, then I can see the schedule, if it’s already been posted, and then click on a link to the tournament flyer, which is usually what I want to see.

Here’s where it gets tricky. After I am finished looking at the flyer, I try to go back to the listing of tournaments, but it seems to give me the 2015 list, even when I was looking at a 2014 tournament. Now, this is clearly not the end of the world, but for some reason, it frustrates me. Darn! where is the ease of the old way? But anyway -- just change the parameters and you can access whatever you want. Ok, so I change the year back from 2015 to 2014. Voila, I’m back where I was, and I should quit complaining and just be happy I have a great internet connection and I’ve

been blessed with wonderful eyesight (after both my cataracts were “fixed”). Version C can’t really be all that bad. Cheer up, already!!

Now for another search you may be wanting to do. The easiest way to see results at a regional (whether you’re there, or not) is to go to www.District9acbl.org, click on Tournaments and Results, and this time choose the bottom one from the drop-down menu, District 9 Fast Results. Then, lookee there!! Among the five links near the bottom is one called Daily Bulletins. Click on it! Have fun! Just beware of one thing. While a tournament is in progress, tomorrow’s daily bulletin will show up, before it’s complete. Because of our attempting to make it as easy as possible for the tournament directors and the person working at 11 pm to put the bulletin together and get it to the printer, some results are dropped onto the pages, before they are final. Take everything with a grain of salt!

And one more need for a grain of salt comes when you compare your percentage with somebody else’s, and they got the gold points for the section top but you didn’t. Sometimes it publishes the composite percentage, when you’re thinking it’s giving the percentage for just one session. That could explain the discrepancy.

Thank you for the opportunity to chat with you here.

Communicating by Muriel Altus [email protected]



CONGRATULATIONS TO ADAM KAPLAN!

ACBL has named Adam Kaplan of New Port Richey the 2014 King of Bridge. Read all about it at www.acbl.org in the News section, and in the ACBL Bulletin. Adam is a freshman at Stanford University in Palo Alto, CA.

THE COMMON GAMEAUGUST WINNERS

Open Game - Most Points earned: Michael Reeslund - Vanderbilt Bridge Club, Nashville, TN299er Game - Most Points earned: Richard Barnes - The Bridge Deck (NY)

Most Top Twenty Finishes Open: Happoldt Neuffer/Alice Moore - Columbia BC, SCMost Top Twenty Finishes 299er: Carol Pulvino - In-Between BC, Sarasota

Attendance - Most Plays: Barbara Schorr - Jourdans, Delray Beach

SEPTEMBER WINNERSOpen Game - Most Points earned: John Kuharetz - Glen Rock BC (NJ)

299er Game - Most Points earned: Sue Bailey - Van’s Friendship Club, Palm Beach GardensMost Top Twenty Finishes Open: Edith Denenberg - Pompano Beach DBCMost Top Twenty Finishes 299er: Sangita Walia - Jourdans, Delray Beach

Attendance - Most Plays: Larry Lazarow - Jourdans, Delray Beach

D9 CHARITY GAMESDear Club Managers, District 9 invites your club to participate in upcoming District-Wide Charity games. Listed below you will find the dates, sessions, beneficiaries, ACBLscore set-up instructions and the sanction numbers for each game. These games are being offered to all clubs in District 9 and A REGULAR GAME SANCTION IS NOT REQUIRED FOR THE TIME THE GAMES ARE HELD. In December, these four games will offer your club the opportunity to support the ACBL Charity Foundation and your club’s choice of local charity. All games will award 100% sectional rated black points. You may hold any one, two, three or four of these games.

District -Wide Charity Games: December 1, Afternoon, benefiting the ACBL Foundation, Sanction # DC14129BDecember 3, Morning, benefiting a local charity of choice, Sanction # DC14129CDecember 4, Morning, benefiting the ACBL Foundation, Sanction # DC14129DDecember 5, Afternoon, benefiting a local charity of choice, Sanction # DC14129E 1) District 9 has given permission for all clubs to hold the four games at the scheduled time. Clubs are not required to have a regular game sanctioned for the time the games are held.2) D9 Wide Charity games will be one session events at multi-site locations.



Shortly after I arrived in Florida in 1996, I wrote the ACBL to express an interest in becoming a tournament director. I was put in touch with Bill Schoder (aka Kojak), who was the Field Represenative for the southeastern US. He told me to come to the July 4th regional for some training and a look/see, and, when I arrived, he assigned me to work with Patty Johnson. That was the start of my relationship with Patty, who shortly thereafter took over as Chief Tournament Director for all of the Florida regionals. I started working as a TD in the summer of 1997, and Patty has been my boss ever since.

Now, after 35 years as a TD, Patty is retiring from her role. We might see a little bit of her around, but she has decided that it’s time to spend more time on the golf course, having fun with her Sebring friends, and just relaxing after many years of hard work.

Patty started her directing life at the Lightman Bridge Center in Memphis. She is a native Memphian---not a bad place to live when the governing organization is based there. Some of the ACBL directing big shots recognized her talent for matchpointing (remember, we didin’t always have computer scoring and Bridgemates), and her ability to deal with people and her confidence in making rulings. Patty is not a bridge nut like many of the rest of us. She rarely plays and she barely has enough ponts to have made her a Life Master (she went over playing with me in my club and hardly has played since). But she has a great passion for organization and seeing a tournament run smoothly and successfully. She has a keen intuition for knowing how many tables will show up for a given session. Her organizational skills are so respected that she has been in charge of

the Operations Office (the lifeblood of the tournament) at all of the North American Bridge Championships for over two decades. She has served as Field Representative for Florida, Georgia, and Alan Brooks (the only TD in South Carolina) for nearly 15 years.

Many players don’t even know who Patty is, since at a regional she’s usually tucked into her office away from the playing area, planning space requirements, making director assignments, counting money, dealing with local tournament organizers, and producing the Daily Bulletin. She doesn’t often show up to make a ruling at a table at a regional, so when she does, players will often quizzically ask “Are you a director?” when she takes a call. Patty has also run most of the Sectional Tournaments at the Clubs (STaC’s) in Florida for many years---another one of those anonymous assignments that doesn’t put her in the spotlight, but is important for players and club owners alike. I have the utmost respect for Patty. She has allowed me to grow as a director, giving me greater

Good Bye andThank You, Pattyby Harry Falk

Patty takes a break from her duties to smile for the camera.



Save the Date!November 24, 2016-December 4, 2016

Orlando will be hosting the 2016 NABC at the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort in Buena Vistaorida. This property is undergoing a complete renovation and will be beautiful for us when we arrive at Thanksgiving.

There are 17 restaurants and lounges in the combined Swan and Dolphin Resort with shuttles or walking paths to all other Walt Disney World Resort restaurants. At the combined hotels, there are two health clubs, tennis courts, jogging trails plus access to a nearby Disney golf course, five swimming pools and a white sand beach!

The hotel has a shuttle to the Boardwalk Entertainment and food district, Epoch, Buena Vista Village and the Magic Kingdom Park. There are shuttles and waterways from the hotel to Disney’s Hollywood Station.

There will be bridge offered at all levels of play in beautiful playing areas with excellent lighting. Also offered are guest speakers every day, Free Bridge Lessons, ACBL Teacher Accreditation Program, Club Director classes and Club Director Refresher classes.

We plan to make this a wonderful and fun bridge experience for all players and their families. Volunteers will be needed and we would appreciate any support you can give us. We will be updating this information as the date becomes closer with more specifics

We are excited and look forward to seeing all of you at the Fall NABC 2016!

Co Chairmen

Jane FormetBarbara Jones

Lynn Berg talks about PattyWhen I was bald as an egg from chemo sev-en years ago, Patty called to see if I was ready to come back to work—the January Orlando Regional was coming up. “Well, I don’t have any hair,” I pointed out. Her answer? “You don’t direct with your hair!” She kept track of me while I couldn’t work for several years, got me back to work, and made it easy for me to return. Her consideration and kindness have meant a lot to me over the years. She’s been an understanding but exacting boss and a loving and thoughtful friend.

responsibilities early in my career. I have worked hand-in-hand with her for the 17 years that I’ve been a TD, and I believe that much of the success of Florida regionals is due to Patty’s skills. When I take over her role this winter, I hope that I can adequately fill her shoes. We will all miss her infectious laugh, her smiling face and her ability to make wokring at a tournament a fun and rewarding experience.

Good luck Patty---we’ll all miss you very much. And of course---Thanks for your long service to the bridge world.



You will recall that I’m an advocate of the keep it simple way of bidding. After 1-negative doubles; 2-Blackwood 3-Stayman; 4-Jacoby transfers

My next set of recommended conventions should be:

5-fourth suit forcing 6-methods over opps’ 1NT opener 7-weak jump shifts in competition 8-2NT ask over our weak two openers

Let’s take a look at Fourth-Suit Forcing:

When the responder bids the fourth suit (the only suit not bid yet) on his second turn, it means he has a good hand. He does not promise any length or strength in the (fourth) suit he has bid.

How strong a hand? I recommend playing it as a game force. This means the responder has at least opening-bid values (he knows that opposite his partner’s opening bid there is enough combined strength for game). For Example:

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

In this auction, South’s 2♦ says, “Partner, I have enough for game (I might not have anything in diamonds).”

Why make such a bid?

In modern bridge, if responder had jumped at his second turn, for example:

North East South West 1♣ Pass 1♥ Pass 1♠ Pass 3♥

North East South West 1♣ Pass 1♥ Pass 1♠ Pass 3♠

Or

North East South West 1♣ Pass 1♥ Pass 1♠ Pass 3♣

would be invitational. In general, a second-round jump by responder is invitational. Accordingly, if he has more than an invitational hand he needs to make some other bid. Ergo, fourth-suit forcing. In each of the three auctions above, what if responder had a game-forcing hand with either hearts, spades, or clubs? In all cases he’d start with 2♦ to set up the game force. On his next turn (he had better get one!) he clarifies his intentions with a natural (forcing) bid.

I highly recommend playing the 4th suit by responder (as an UPH) as 100% game forcing.Look out for the special auction of 1♣-1♦-1♥-1♠: Some players choose to use this as the only exception. The 1♠ bid is treated as a natural call (to try to locate a possible 4-4 spade fit), and the “fourth-suit forcing bid” becomes a jump to 2♠. It is not crucial that you make this exception—but just be aware that many partnerships do so. By a passed hand, the fourth suit should be natural and not forcing at all (a passed hand can’t force to game).

I recommend that jumps in the fourth suit be played as natural and invitational. So, 1♦-1♠-2♣-3♥ is something like: ♠AQJxx ♥KJ10xx ♦xx ♣x.

In a 2/1 GF auction, the 4th suit is not needed to artificially force to game (you are already forced there) -- so it should be natural!

Fourth-SuitForcingby Larry Cohen [email protected]



Do appeals in tournaments need to be done the way instant replay is done in sporting events? The call on the field is presumed correct unless there is overwhelming (video) evidence that the call was incorrect. Just as in competitive sports, the directors (referees) themselves rule on the weight of evidence, and are not bound by this standard. They do a fantastic job, as evidenced by the fact that only three appeals cases went to committees in the Summer 2014 Nationals. Moreover, had this recommended standard been applied, instead of 3/3 overturns, 3/3 upholdings might have occurred. To illustrate, one case will be reviewed here.

Appeal Case 1: Second qualifying round, evening session, von Zedwitz Life Master Pairs, 7/19/2014. (Matchpoints).

♠K 3 ♥Q 10 9 5 ♦4 3 ♣Q 7 6 5 2

♠A Q J 1 0 9 7 5 2 ♠8 6 4 ♥J 8 ♥K 6 3 ♦8 ♦A Q J 6 ♣10 9 ♣A 4 3

♠– ♥A 7 4 2 ♦K 10 9 7 5 2 ♣K J 8

North East South West 1♦ 4♠ (1) Pass (2) Pass Pass

(1) Stop card was used(2) North passed immediately

Only East and the director appeared at the hearing.

Appeals in Bridge:New Thinking Needed?by Jon Shuster Gainesvilleorida

N

SW E

The director, who was called during the auction, determined that North agreed the pass was immediate, but ruled the table result of 4♠ +1 (450 EW) should stand. EW appealed saying that South might double without this unauthorized information, and North might pass, leading to a result of 4♠ X+1 (690 EW). The committee overruled the director’s ruling and awarded 690 to EW.

An important piece of missing information was the NS system for handling 4♠ preempts. Most expert partnerships use an immediate double by North as penalty oriented and 4NT by North for takeout. This same system uses a double by South after North’s pass as an optional double and 4NT for takeout. Had NS been using this popular system, then the only logical alternatives are Pass and 4NT. Surely, South does not want to defend a doubled contract with this minimal opener and partner passing 4♠. Therefore, under this bidding system, Double does not seem to be a logical alternative. Since NS did not appear, the committee never obtained the NS system information. Had South indeed bid 4NT, North bids 5♣ or 5♥, (+ 300 EW if doubled), but either call would almost certainly have led to 5♠ by East (either off one or making).

One element overlooked by the committee deals with the plausibility that North was intimidated by the director call and discussion, and this may have led to poor defense by NS. It appears that North led a ♥, rather than his partner’s ♦ suit, which would have assured NS three defensive tricks with simple defense, regardless of how the trick from the ruffing finesse was used. With a top of 103, the EW scores (matchpoints) were +690 (102), +450 (75), +420 (38), +300 (9.5), -50 (3.5). Did EW deserve 102/103 on this board? In this event, when South did

Please see page 63

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