2017-10 Bridge Mag Oct 2017


NEW FROM
MASTER POINT PRESS
THE BRIDGE PUBLISHER
FAMOUS BRIDGE SWINGS

David Bird
In this book you will have the chance to learn from other
players’ mistakes. We will look at over 150 big swings
from international play. Every deal will illustrate at least
one important point of bidding, play or defense. By
analyzing how and why the great stars of the game went
wrong, you will have the chance to put your own game in
order. We all make mistakes, occasionally horrific ones,
and it’s reassuring to see that even the greatest players
occasionally do the same!
PLAYING 2/1: THE REST OF THE STORY

Paul Thurston
Paul Thurston’s 25 Steps to Learning 2/1 was an instant
bestseller, winning the 2003 American Bridge Teachers’
Association Book of the Year award. In a tantalizing
postscript to that book, he promised a sequel, one that
would cover ‘the rest of the story’ for those who wanted
to add modern sophistication to their 2/1 bidding. Here
at last he delivers, and the long wait has been worth
it. The book describes an understandable and playable
version of today’s most popular system, something that
has been missing from the literature until now.
ALSO FROM PAUL THURSTON

25 Steps to Learning 2/1
If you know how to bid using Standard American, you can
make the move to the modern Two-over-One system using the
25 easy Steps contained in this book.
AVAILABLE FROM CHESS & BRIDGE
2 October 2017 BRIDGE Magazine


Disney Time
BRIDGE
The World Bridge Series is an incredibly
exciting and challenging tournament, with
many different Championships available to
participants. All the events are transnational,
so that players from across the world, from
different National Bridge Organisations,
MAGAZINE can come together as team-mates or in partnership to compete.
The venue is the magnificent Marriott Orlando World, where
the World Bridge Federation have obtained special rates for all
participants.
There are several restaurants and lounges within the complex, and
excellent amenities … and if you are bringing the family there is
even a shuttle service to Walt Disney World®! Orlando is a very
44 BAKER STREET well-known and popular resort, with plenty to see and do in the
LONDON W1U 7RT
Tel: 020-7486 8222 area. It’s not all Disney – there is the Epcot Centre and Universal
Fax: 020-7486 3355 Studios as well as other museums and galleries.
email: info@bridgeshop.com
http://www.bridgeshop.com The Opening Ceremony will be held on Friday 21st September 2018.
Editor: The first events are the Open, Women’s and Senior Teams Cham-
Mark Horton pionships: the Rosenblum Open Teams will start on Saturday 22nd
Advertising: September, the McConnell Women’s Teams and the Rand Senior
Matthew Read Teams are expected to start a day later.
Photographer:
Ron Tacchi The Teams Championships are followed by the Open, Women’s,
Proofreaders: and Senior Pairs – the Open Pairs starts on Tuesday 25th September,
Danny Roth the Women’s and Seniors on Wednesday 26th September. Players
Monika Kummel eliminated from the KO stages of the Teams, up to and including
Herman De Wael the semi-finals, will be able to drop into the Pairs events, following
Typesetter: the regulations that will be specified in the Supplemental Condi-
Ron Tacchi tions of Contest for the Championships.
BRIDGE Magazine is published
monthly. The Mixed Teams will start on Tuesday 2nd October and the Mixed
Online Subscriptions:
1 year: £19.95 Pairs on Thursday 4th October.
Individual Issue:
£2.00 Junior Players will also be able to enter the Youth Triathlon event
Distributors
CHESS & BRIDGE LTD. starting on Monday 1st October.
44 Baker Street
London W1U 7RT U.K.
In addition there will be the Joan Gerard Cup – a pairs event – start-
Views expressed in this publication
are not necessarily those of the Editor. ing on Sunday 30th September, a Seniors Triathlon starting on
Editorial contributions will be published
at the Editor’s discretion and may be Tuesday 2nd October, as well as a Pairs Short Track starting on
shortened if space is limited.
No parts of this publication may be Friday 5th October and an IMP Pairs starting in the afternoon of
reproduced without the prior express
permission of the publishers. All rights Friday 5th October.
reserved. 2017
Alongside all these tournaments there will be a number of other
WBF events of one or two days (Pairs or Swiss) available for those
wishing to participate in shorter tournaments.
Players in good standing with their National Bridge Organisations


are eligible to compete in any of these events, providing of course they meet all the WBF Eligibil-
ity requirements (including those relating to the ages of Senior or Youth players).
Registration must be made through the WBF Website, and the pages for this will be available
from April 2018.
The Abbot’s Domain

Mottisfont Abbey is a historical priory and country estate in Hampshire, England. Sheltered in
the valley of the River Test, the property is now operated by the National Trust.
The arrival of Maud and Gilbert Russell in 1934 made Mottisfont the centre of a fashionable
artistic and political circle. Maud was a wealthy patron of the arts, and she created a substantial
country house where she entertained artists and writers including Ben Nicholson and Ian Fleming.
Her granddaughter Emily edited her wartime diaries which have been published under the title A
Constant Heart: The War Diaries of Maud Russell 1938 - 1945. Winston Churchill was a regu-
lar visitor and it is rumoured that he played bridge at this table which I spotted on a recent visit:


Roll over Beethoven
The Internet is awash with Bridge software. We have recently discovered Bridge Composer which
offers:
Quick entry of hands, bidding, etc.
Random hand generation
Drag & drop card arrangement
Interactive play of the hand
Word processing
Auction and Play footnoting
Output to printer, full-screen, web, email, and PDF
and many more features...
If you go to:
http://bridgecomposer.com/
you can download the program for a 30 day free trial.
The Rag Trade

Visiting the picturesque town of Lymington I spotted this bridge themed sweater in Stanwells,
recently voted one of the top 50 boutiques outside London.
https://www.stanwells.com/


MASTER POINT PRESS the bridge publisher

A Taste of Bridge
Jeff Bayone
Jeff Bayone’s Honors Bridge Club in New York is the
largest in North America, perhaps in the world. This
book is based on their beginners’ course, a series of six
lessons that have started thousands of people on the
road to enjoying the world’s most popular card game.
This book is intended to give the reader a taste of
bridge, and whet the appetite for more.
Download the FREE Teacher Resource Material for
A Taste of Bridge : a collection of lessons and other
teacher materials.

DISCUSS
DISCUSSTODAY’S
TODAY’SBRIDGE
BRIDGEISSUES
ISSUESON
ONWWW.BRIDGEBLOGGING.COM
WWW.BRIDGEBLOGGING.COM
In This Issue
I 7 Problem Corner — Ron Tacchi & Patrick Jourdain I 52 Test Your Defence — Julian Pottage
I 8 The Greatest Show on Earth Part III — The I 54 Brother Aelred’s Excuse — David Bird
Editor concludes his report on the European I 61 Solution to Test Your Defence
Open Championships I 63 Partnership Profile — Mark Horton
GI 38 Misplay These Hands With Me — The Editor GI 72 This Month’s Video Page
GI 42 The Over The Rainbow Bridge Club — Alex I 75 Marks & Comments — Alan Mould
Adamson & Harry Smith
I 51 Solution to Non-Prize Problem

 Intermediate
Ron Tacchi and Solution to Prize Problem 331
Patrick Jourdain’s World Champ
Problem ♠
♥
A K 10 8
J
W
N
E
♠
♥
—
A 10 9 7 3 2
Corner
♦ KJ98653 ♦ AQ 4
♣ 7 S ♣ K642
sponsored by After a sound bidding sequence you arrive in the

excellent contract of 6♦. North leads a diamond on
THE ORION PUBLISHING GROUP which South discards.
Master Bridge Series How do you play and how do you rate your chances?
This deal occurred at the World Championships in
Lyon earlier this year. A remarkable number of world
Non-Prize Problem See Page 51 champions erred on this deal. As we shall see next
month, many Bridge Magazine readers are definitely
Avoidance of Doubt candidates for their national teams as they all found
Dealer East. None Vul. the correct line. Whilst I applaud the brilliancy of
♠ AK854 our readers I suspect that the fact that the hand was
♥ 98 set as a problem made it easier to find the solution.
♦ J65 The real world does not ring a bell and say “this is a
♣ KQ8 problem and has a definitive solution”.
In this case the line of play to be adopted is to win the
♠ J 10 first trick in hand as cheaply as possible and imme-
♥ AQ diately lead your singleton club. If North has the ace
♦ A K 10 9 8 then you only need to ruff one spade in dummy and
♣ J432 if South has the ace then he cannot return a trump
so you still have two trumps in dummy to deal with
West North East South
the two losing spades.
– – Pass 1♦
More importantly you can return to hand by ruffing
Pass 1♠ Double Redouble
clubs which is far safer than ruffing hearts: you only
2♥ 3♥* Pass 3NT have five clubs whereas you have seven hearts and
All Pass as several world champions discovered, North held
West leads the six of hearts for the king and your ace. only two hearts and so his ten of diamonds became
established and caused the contract to fail. Whilst
the odds are not 100% they are very high indeed as
Look for Patrick Jourdain’s Problem Corner, the ace of clubs onside virtually guarantees you the
available from Chess & Bridge. contract and if not you fail only with very bad breaks
in the round suits.
Congratulations
Prize Problem 330 Prize Problem 332
Take Your Chances
James Dunlop had the good fortune to have the piece
♠ 4 N ♠ A
of paper on which his name was writ extracted from ♥ 10 6 4 3 ♥ A9 7
Mrs T’s headgear of the month - a fetching 1920’s ♦ J 10 7 6 3 W E ♦ AK Q 9
style black cloche hat. ♣ 963 S ♣ AK 8 7 4
I was West and held the hand yesterday at my club
duplicate. North opened with a spade pre-empt, dou-
bled by my partner. South continued the barrage and
Email your answers to BMProb@vaupillon.com or send bid 4♠. Naturally I passed but partner continued
on a postcard to The Editor, Bridge Magazine, 44 Baker with 4NT and I showed by better minor (somewhat
Street, London, W1U 7RT. Entries must be received before reluctantly) and bid 5♦. Partner now gave me one
31st October. The first correct solution out of the hat will for the road. Obviously I made the slam contract or
receive £15 of BRIDGE Magazine book vouchers. there would be no story, how and why?

 Intermediate
The Greatest Show on Earth –
Part III
The Editor concludes his report on the European Open Championships in Montecatini
By tradition the Pairs Championships come at the end of the event and although the numbers
were a little disappointing there was no lack of star quality.
E lucevan le stelle
“E lucevan le stelle” (“And the stars were shining”) is a romantic aria from the third act of Giac-
omo Puccini’s opera Tosca, It is sung by Mario Cavaradossi, a painter in love with the singer Tosca,
while he waits for his execution on the roof of Castel Sant’Angelo.
The aria is introduced by a sombre clarinet solo. The initial sequence of the melody (heard in
outline earlier in the act, as the sky lightens and the gaoler prepares for the execution) is repeated
and also restated in forte in the closing bars of the opera, as Tosca jumps from the ramparts.
On these two deals from the start of the Pairs the declarer’s plays were shining as brightly as
the stars:
Board 21. Dealer North. N/S Vul.
♠ AKJ64
♥ 10
♦8
♣ AQ9764
♠7 N ♠ Q9532
♥ K752 ♥ AQ J 6
♦ AK Q J W E ♦ 963
♣ J 10 8 3 S ♣2
♠ 10 8
♥ 9843
♦ 10 7 5 4 2
♣ K5
Poplilov Zmuda Smederevac Dufrat
– 1♠ Pass Pass
Double 2♣ 2♥ Pass
3♥ Pass 4♥ All Pass
South led the king of clubs and continued the suit, declarer ruffing the second round. Secure in
the knowledge that North must have at least five spades and six clubs declarer played a diamond
to dummy, ruffed a club (South pitching a diamond) and cashed the ace of hearts. Now declarer
could play with open cards. She cashed two more diamonds, ruffed a club and exited with a spade.
North won and returned a spade but when South (who had pitched a spade on the fourth club)
ruffed with the nine of hearts declarer underruffed with dummy’s five to leave South endplayed.

 Intermediate
Board 26. Dealer East. All Vul.
♠ J94
♥8
♦ A 10 9 7 5
♣ Q984
♠ Q65 N ♠ 10 8 3 2
♥ Q7 ♥ KJ9652
♦ KJ86 W E ♦ Q
♣ A6 5 3 S ♣ J7
♠ AK7
♥ A 10 4 3
♦ 432
♣ K 10 2
– – Pass 1♣
Pass 1♠ Pass 1NT
Pass Pass 2♥ Double
All Pass
South led the ace of spades and when North followed with the four declarer deduced that the
response of 1♠ might have been made on a three-card suit. When South switched to the two of
clubs declarer won with dummy’s ace and played a diamond, North going up with the ace, cashing
the queen of clubs and playing a third round of the suit. Declarer ruffed and now had to decide
how to tackle the trump suit. With fingers crossed he advanced the nine of hearts and North’s
eight was the card he was hoping to see.
Commentator’s Curse
David Bird was on hand to report on the first session of the Women’s Pairs final:
Eighteen pairs qualified for the final of the Women’s Pairs, where they would play three boards
against each other pair. (For those without a mobile phone calculator handy, this would be 51
boards). Roland Wald and I were watching at the BBO-1 table, where we eventually noticed – after
three rounds of play - that the North/South pair was ever present. I was able to save the boards
from other tables and will present some of my findings.
At our own table we did not have long to wait for the first ‘slam’:
Board 2. Dealer East. N/S Vul.
♠ 43
♥ AQJ
♦ KQJ6
♣ A Q 10 3
♠ KJ85 N ♠ A9 7 6 2
♥ 94 ♥ 753
♦ 932 W E ♦4
♣ K876 S ♣ J542
♠ Q 10
♥ K 10 8 6 2
♦ A 10 8 7 5
♣ 9

 Intermediate
West North East South ♠ 43
Colonna Cuzzi Carnicelli Brambilla ♥ AQJ
♦ KQJ6
– – Pass Pass
♣ A Q 10 3
Pass 2NT Pass 3♦ ♠ KJ85 ♠ A9 7 6 2
Pass 3♥ Pass 3NT N
♥ 94 ♥ 753
Pass 4♥ Pass 5♥ ♦ 932 W E ♦ 4
Pass 6♥ All Pass ♣ K876 S ♣ J542
♠ Q 10
Perceived wisdom in matchpoint events is to contest ♥ K 10 8 6 2
boldly in the part-score zone but to bid conservatively ♦ A 10 8 7 5
♣ 9
when considering close games and slams. Federica Bram-
billa made a general slam try of 5♥ here, accepted by her partner, and the defenders cashed two
spade tricks to put the slam one down.
Swap the ♠A and ♠K and East might not have found the killing lead. Yes, but I still regard the
advance to 5♥ as questionable. Suppose you stretch to a thin slam and make it because you are
given a trick on the lead or play the contract well. You would often have obtained a good score
when playing at the game-level. On this particular deal North had not broken the transfer. Not
only that, she had declined to cue-bid over 3NT.
Only one other North/South bid a slam (6♦) and the reward for both ambitious pairs was a
6% score.
♠ 854
♥ KJ53
♦ 854
♣ J82
♠ 10 3 N ♠ AK
♥ Q974 ♥ A8 6 2
♦ K32 W E ♦ Q 10 6
♣ AK Q 5 S ♣ 10 9 7 4
♠ QJ9762
♥ 10
♦ AJ97
♣ 63
Sivertsvik Nosacki Chediak Saada
– Pass 1♣ 2♠
Double Pass 3♥ Pass
4♥ All Pass
At our table, East had opened a weak 1NT and South had overcalled a multi 2♦, ending in 2♠
doubled. When East switched unnecessarily to diamonds after a few tricks, declarer was able to
play that suit to advantage and escape for one down and just 200 away. All would now depend
on how many East/West pairs could land a tricky-looking game on their cards.
At the table shown above, Virginia Chediak ended in 4♥ and won the ♠Q lead. She then played
a low trump to the 10, queen and king. After a spade return, she crossed to dummy with the ♣A
and ran the ♥9, South throwing a spade. She then played a trump to the 8 and correctly turned
to diamonds, playing low to the king, which won. At this stage she could have drawn the last
trump and scored three more club tricks for the contract.

 Intermediate
When Chediak preferred to play a diamond to the 10 and jack, Nathalie Saada cashed the ♦A
and could have beaten the contract by playing another diamond. This would give a ruff-and-
discard, yes, but if declarer ruffed with dummy’s ♥7 North would throw a club! She would then
score her last trump with a club ruff.
South preferred to lead the ♠J, to which North had to follow. Declarer ruffed with the ♥7 and
ditched the ♣4 from her hand. The ♣K-Q took tricks 11 and 12 and declarer then faced the ♥A
(over North’s ♥8) to claim her game. +420 was worth 81%. Mourges and Huberschwiller picked
up 100% for a splendid +450. Meanwhile, two pairs went one down in 4♥ (31%) and two pairs
were two down (6%).
Board 6. Dealer East. E/W Vul.
♠ Q32
♥ QJ75
♦ 63
♣ A K 10 5
♠ K 10 8 5 N ♠ AJ 9
♥ 98 ♥ A K 10 6 4 2
♦ 87 W E ♦ A K 10
♣ J9763 S ♣4
♠ 764
♥ 3
♦ QJ9542
♣ Q82
Y.Huang Cuzzi N.Wang Brambilla
– – 1♣* Pass
1♦* Pass 1♥ Pass
1♠ Pass 4♠ All Pass
Nan Wang opened with a Precision 1♣. Yan Huang’s subsequent 1♠ did not promise any more than
four spades and East now had an awkward rebid. 2♥ would have been non-forcing and 3♥ was a can-
didate. How about 2♠ or an invented 2♦? Wang jumped to 4♠ and West would then have to score
10 tricks where that number looked more likely for any pairs playing in 4♥. How would she fare?
Monica Cuzzi cashed the ♣A and switched to the ♦6, won in the dummy. When declarer played
the two top hearts, Brambilla ruffed the second round. Declarer won the ♦Q continuation and
ruffed a third round of hearts with the ♠5, South throwing a diamond. The contract could now
be made (trump to the 9, heart ruff with the K. finesse the ♠J and draw the last trump with the
♠A to score two good hearts.)
This line would depend on North holding the ♠Q. Huang chose to play on a cross-ruff instead. She
had four tricks already made and needed to add six more by making her remaining trumps separately.
This could be done if South held the ♠Q, which might well be a better chance after the 4-1 heart break.
Huang ruffed a club with the ♠9 and a heart with the ♠8. She ruffed another club with the ♠J and then
a heart with the ♠K from the K-10. (This was a safety play to avoid going two down if North were to
overruff and return a trump. Declarer knew that she could subsequently score her ♠10 en passant if South
did indeed hold the ♠Q). After a club ruff with the ace she led the ♥10 towards her bare ♠10 and North
overruffed with the ♠Q. That was one down and rather unlucky after a commendable piece of cardplay.
One down in 4♠ was a 0% board. Had Huang played North for the ♠Q and made the con-
tract, the reward would have been a splendid 94%. Many pairs stopped in 2♥ or 3♥.

 Intermediate
Board 12. Dealer West. N/S Vul.
♠ KJ9
♥ AQ
♦ A 10 9 8 4 3
♣ Q3
♠ 43 N ♠ A 10 7 2
♥ J632 ♥ K 10 8 5
♦ K62 W E ♦ 75
♣ J982 S ♣ K74
♠ Q865
♥ 974
♦ QJ
♣ A 10 6 5
Adut Puillet Yavas V.Bessis
Pass 1NT Pass 2♣
Pass 2♦ Pass 3NT
All Pass
At our table, East overcalled 2♣ to show the majors and West bid a bold 4♥ over South’s 3NT.
Cuzzi (North) did well to bid 4NT, unsure what non-vulnerable pickings would be available
against 4♥ doubled. Rather than describe the play at our table, let’s see the almost identical play
in 3NT at the table where the bidding is shown above.
Carole Puillet won the heart lead with the queen. Some declarers led a diamond from hand at
this stage, scoring only 9 tricks. Puillet played the ♠K, hoping to start diamonds from the dummy.
Dilek Yavas won with the ♠A and cleared the heart suit. Declarer crossed to the ♠Q and led the
♦Q, covered by the king and ace. A diamond to the jack and a spade to declarer’s jack allowed the
diamonds to be run. East held both black-suit guards and had to surrender a twelfth trick. She
bared the ♣K and Puillet scored the ace and queen for a fine +690. Cuzzi made the same twelve
tricks at our table. Excellent!
A total of four N/S pairs made +690 to score 81%. Three pairs made +600 for 25% and the
afore-mentioned Mourges and Huberschwiller (who had scored 100% on Board 5) balanced it
with 0% on this board, going one down in 3NT.
The VuGraph commentators always hope for a ‘final firework’ on the last board of each ses-
sion. We have been lucky so often in this championship that it was asking a bit much to get one
yet again. We did!

 Intermediate
Board 15. Dealer South. N/S Vul.
♠ K Q 10 8 5
♥ 3
♦ J 10 7 6 2
♣ 97
♠ AJ 6 3 N ♠—
♥ J 10 8 5 2 ♥ AQ 7
♦ A4 3 W E ♦ KQ9
♣4 S ♣ A K Q J 10 6 3
♠ 9742
♥ K964
♦ 85
♣ 852
Brown Cuzzi Gross Brambilla
– – – Pass
Pass Pass 2♣* Pass
2♦* Pass 3♣ Pass
3♥ Pass 4♣ Pass
4♦* Pass 4♠ Pass
4NT Pass 7♣ All Pass
The meaning of 4NT is unknown to me. Susanna Gross was confident that Fiona Brown’s 4♦
showed the ♦A and she hoped that the ♥K would shortly hit the table.
At this point in the proceedings a kibitzer sent a message to my co-commentator Roland Wald
informing him that a heart lead would allow the grand slam to be made. ‘Hah, hah, yes,’ said
Roland. ‘Well I can guarantee you one thing. South will not lead a heart!’
It was an example of ‘commentator’s curse’. The moment he said it, the ♥4 appeared on the
table. Declarer could now count 13 tricks and claim the contract after drawing trumps. It is some-
times a clever move to lead from a king when the ace-queen of the suit lie in the dummy. Forced
to an early decision, declarer may call for the ace and try her luck elsewhere. This was unlikely to
be the case here because West had already cue-bid in diamonds and East had opened 2♣.
Allowing 7♣ to be made was worth (you guessed it) 0%. Sitting back and waiting for declarer
to finesse into your ♥K was worth 94%. Who was to blame? The answer is perfectly obvious. If
some unthinking VuGraph commentator had not pronounced it quite impossible for South to
lead a heart, she would never have done so!
Jos Jacobs covered the final session:
After 30 boards of the Women’s Pairs Final, Poland’s Justyna Zmuda-Katarzyna Dufrat and France’s
Jennifer Mourgues-Anne Laure Huberschwiller were leading the field, separated by only 0.2 %,
while the Dutchies, Wietske van Zwol and Magdaléna Tichá were lying third at a respectable dis-
tance of about 2.5 %.

 Intermediate
Board 3. Dealer South. E/W Vul.
♠ A K Q 10 7 3 2
♥ Q 10
♦ J6
♣ Q8
♠ 64 N ♠ 985
♥ J954 ♥6
♦ K983 W E ♦ Q 10 7 4
♣ AK 9 S ♣ 10 6 5 3 2
♠J
♥ AK8732
♦ A52
♣ J74
The popular contract was 4♠ by North, against which all Easts led their singleton heart. This
solved declarer’s problem in the suit and also saved the ♦A as the entry to eventually enjoy dum-
my’s remaining hearts. The popular score thus was N/S +510.
There were two exceptions. Véronique Bessis did very well to lead a low club. Conceding just
-450 was worth 14/16.
The only pair not to reach 4♠ were the French:
Sandford Mourgues Brock Huberschwiller
– – – 1♥
Pass 1♠ Pass 2♥
Pass 4♥ All Pass
North’s confidence in partner’s suit got punished severely when the hearts did not break. That’s
life in a pairs’ event. When West led her top clubs, declarer could only manage ten tricks, +420
but no matchpoints for their efforts.
Two boards later, a weak black two-suiter was not to every West player’s liking:
♠ J72
♥A
♦ AQJ9432
♣ 52
♠ A 10 8 6 5 4 N ♠K
♥7 ♥ Q J 10 8 4
♦— W E ♦ 10 8 7 6
♣ QJ9864 S ♣ A7 3
♠ Q93
♥ K96532
♦ K5
♣ K 10
The two leading pairs obtained the same scores on this one but not by way of exactly similar
auctions:

 Intermediate
West North East South ♠ J72
Nosacki Zmuda Saada Dufrat ♥ A
♦ AQJ9432
– 1♦ 1♥ Pass
♣ 52
1♠ 2♦ Pass Pass ♠ A 10 8 6 5 4 ♠ K
2♠ Pass Pass 2NT N
♥ 7 ♥ Q J 10 8 4
Pass 3♦ All Pass ♦ — W E ♦ 10 8 7 6
♣ QJ9864 S ♣ A7 3
Of course, one seven-card suit is more than enough to ♠ Q93
beat one six-card suit. Ten easy tricks, N/S +130 and ♥ K96532
10/16 ♦ K5
♣ K 10
Colonna Mourgues Carnicelli Huberschwiller
– 1♦ 1♥ Pass
1♠ 2♦ Pass 2NT
3♣ 3♦ All Pass
One seven-card suit apparently also was enough to beat two six-card suits. N/S another +130
and 10/16.
At the table where the Dutchies were playing, the auction was much more lively:
Yavas Van Zwol Adut Tichá
– 1♦ 1♥ Pass
1♠ 2♦ Pass 3NT
4♣ 4♦ 5♣ 5♦
6♣ Double All Pass
Yavas could not show her second suit below the four-level
but when Adut could show some support, Yavas obviously
wanted to play the hand herself once South had found the
profitable sacrifice for one down, vulnerable against not .
With the ♣K wrong, this turned the E/W score of 10/16
into a complete bottom…
Dilek Yavas

 Intermediate
On the next board, the Dutch pair again did very well by not opting for game but showing
their defensive virtues instead:
♠ 85
♥ K 10 7 2
♦ AK4
♣ AQJ2
♠ A K 10 6 2 N ♠ 93
♥ AJ 9 ♥ 8543
♦ 10 6 2 W E ♦ J953
♣ 64 S ♣ 10 7 3
♠ QJ74
♥ Q6
♦ Q87
♣ K985
Yavas Van Zwol Adut Tichá
– – Pass Pass
1♠ Double All Pass
The defence was efficient. Three rounds of diamonds followed by three rounds of clubs gave the
defenders five tricks before declarer could ruff. Yavas then played the ♠A followed by ♥A and
another, but North jumped in with her ♥K, felling partner’s queen, to give partner a heart ruff.
South’s remaining ♠QJ then provided the second undertrick for a tremendous result: +500 and
15/16. At only one other table the defence also scored +500 but that was against 2♠ doubled…
As you can imagine, Van Zwol – Tichá had closed the gap on the two leading pairs so from this
point onwards, three pairs would fight it out for the title.
On Board 9, both the Dutch and the French contenders played in 5♣ doubled, going one off
and scoring 1/16 each. As you can deduce from their score, they were the only two pairs to get
to such a high level.
Board 9. Dealer North. E/W Vul.
♠ A 10 2
♥ A J 10 9 4
♦ Q 10 5
♣ K 10
♠— N ♠ QJ975
♥ 852 ♥ Q3
♦ AK 9 7 3 W E ♦ 6
♣ AQ J 8 7 S ♣ 96532
♠ K8643
♥ K76
♦ J842
♣ 4

 Intermediate
West North East South ♠ A 10 2
Dufrat Puillet Zmuda Bessis ♥ A J 10 9 4
♦ Q 10 5
– 1NT Pass 2♣*
♣ K 10
2NT* Pass 3♣ Pass ♠ — ♠ QJ975
Pass 3♥ 4♣ Pass N
♥ 852 ♥ Q3
Pass Double All Pass ♦ AK 9 7 3 W E ♦ 6
♣ AQ J 8 7 S ♣ 96532
West showed her strong minor two-suiter with 2NT and ♠ K8643
then simply awaited developments. When North dou- ♥ K76
bled slightly prematurely and South accordingly led a ♦ J842
♣ 4
trump, Zmuda even had an overtrick as a losing heart
went away on a top diamond. Needless to say +910 was good for a maximum16/16.
The lead went on changing hands on nearly every board from here, though the boards were
not too exciting. Near the end, however, the tension rose again as the three pairs were still very
close together at the top.
On Board 17, we saw a remarkable difference in the number of tricks:
Board 17. Dealer North. None Vul.
♠ KQ8
♥ A4
♦ Q8765
♣ K72
♠ A6 2 N ♠ J543
♥ KQ952 ♥ 873
♦ J932 W E ♦ A4
♣6 S ♣ Q J 10 3
♠ 10 9 7
♥ J 10 6
♦ K 10
♣ A9854
Tichá Colonna Van Zwol Carnicelli
– 1NT Pass Pass
2♥ Pass Pass Double
Pass 2NT All Pass
Once West showed her hearts, N/S were doomed as soon as they bid on. With the declaration
in the wrong hand, East could lead the ♥7 through dummy’s ♥J106. West played the queen
over dummy’s ten and when declarer played low, West could continue a low heart to bring down
declarer’s ace and thus clear the suit. When declarer next cashed the ♣K and ducked a club, she
had to win the ace when East continued the suit. Seeing no future in clubs, she then turned to
spades, running dummy’s ♠10. When East won the jack, the defence had four hearts, two clubs,
the ♠J and two aces to put the contract down four and collect all the matchpoints.

 Intermediate
West North East South ♠ KQ8
Lu Zmuda Liu Dufrat ♥ A4
♦ Q8765
– 1NT Pass 2♠*
♣ K72
Pass 2NT All Pass ♠ A6 2 ♠ J543
N
♥ KQ952 ♥ 873
With no other attractive lead available, East led the ♣Q ♦ J932 W E ♦ A4
in spite of the transfer to clubs made by South. She was ♣ 6 S ♣ Q J 10 3
soon to regret it as declarer won the king in hand and ♠ 10 97
could now establish the suit for just one loser by return- ♥ J 10 6
♦ K 10
ing a club and ducking in dummy when East played the ♣ A9854
jack. East’s next move was the ♦A and another to dum-
my’s king. When Zmuda then led a spade to her king, she could cash out for eight tricks and
+120, a score that brought her all the matchpoints as well.
Over now to the last round. The Dutch pair was leading with the Poles second and the French
pretty well out of contention for the title, unless…they could win their last table by a rather big
margin. As it happened, the Poles and the French were scheduled to play each other in the final
round.
This was the first board:
♠ K987
♥ Q 10 6 5
♦ J9
♣ K64
♠ J 10 4 N ♠ 653
♥— ♥ AK 9 3 2
♦ 10 7 6 4 3 2 W E ♦ Q85
♣ AQ 9 2 S ♣ J 10
♠ AQ2
♥ J874
♦ AK
♣ 8753
As you can see, N/S have a nice 4-4 heart fit in which eight tricks are available in spite of the 5-0
trump break. When Dufrat opened a Polish 1♣, the Polish N/S were quickly in 2♥. Plus 110
gave them 7/16 and thus 9/16 to the French.
At another table, the Dutch were playing against Godfrey-Cohen, so it was no surprise to see a
1NT opening in operation, which was passed out when North withheld her two four-card majors.
West led a diamond to the queen and king. At this point, declarer can make seven tricks by play-
ing a club to the king and cashing the spades – a rather unlikely line that needs both the ♣K to be
right and the spades to break. What is more, declarer can see that she is in the wrong denomina-
tion anyway, so she went after the hearts. East won and cleared the diamonds so the defence now
had seven tricks as the diamonds broke 6-3. Going down one gave declarer just 2/16 (and 14/16
to the Dutch) but had declarer just made her contract, she still would have scored the same 2/16.
For a good score, you have to pray that West leads the ♠J rather than from her long suit. Véro-
nique Bessis collected 13/16 this way.
The second board of the round settled the issue for the Polish and the French pair.

 Intermediate
Board 20. Dealer West. All Vul.
♠ K96
♥ J864
♦ KJ873
♣ J
♠ Q5 N ♠ 8742
♥— ♥ AQ 9 7 3 2
♦ Q 10 9 5 4 W E ♦—
♣ A 10 9 6 4 2 S ♣ 753
♠ A J 10 3
♥ K 10 5
♦ A62
♣ KQ8
Mourgues Zmuda Huberschwiller Dufrat
Pass Pass 2♦* 2NT
3♣ Double Pass Pass
3♦ Double 3♥ Pass
Pass Double All Pass
This board proved a fine example of the old saying that it’s the last double that counts. 3♣ would
probably have gone off only two (or maybe even less if the defence does not cash their spades
first before leading a club). On the lead of the ♦A, declarer managed to score a number of ruffs
in hand with her small trumps but -800 for down three still was worth zero matchpoints whereas
giving up after being doubled in 3♣ would have led to an excellent score for E/W as most pairs,
among them the leading Dutchies, were in 3NT for a score of about average, so the Dutch lead
went down to about 11 points, still about 70% of a top score.
The last board saw a rare (and expensive!) defensive mistake by the Dutch but as the Poles fin-
ished in the normal contract, which if played (as they did) from the right side of the table, still had
to go one down, they could not fully exploit it.
After yet another heart stopping finish it was
The Netherlands Wietske Van Zwol & Mag-
dalena Ticha who took the Women’s Pairs
Championship by just 0.15%. It was Wiestke’s
second win, the first coming in 2009 and the
fourth time the title has been won by a pair
from The Netherlands. Poland’s Justyna Zmuda
& Katarzyna Dufrat finished second, adding
another medal to Justyna’s already extraordinary
collection. Third place went to Jennifer Mour-
gues & Anne-Laure Huberschwiller from France.
Wietske Van Zwol & Magdalena

Ticha

 Intermediate
Senior Service
Barry Rigal dropped in to watch a few boards from the Senior Finals, since the only fare available
on BBO was the Women’s final. Turnabout was fair play on the first two deals he watched, since
each side registered nearly a clear top.
♠ KJ74
♥ J7643
♦ 8
♣ A92
♠ A9 6 3 N ♠ Q 10 5 2
♥ Q52 ♥ A 10
♦ AK J 3 W E ♦ 10 7 6 5 2
♣ 86 S ♣ 10 3
♠8
♥ K98
♦ Q94
♣ KQJ754
Ulla-Britt Romanski Lars Kowalski
1NT 2♣* Pass 3♥
All Pass
2♣ Majors
I’m guessing this was the auction since I arrived to see Romanski in 3♥ on a top diamond lead.
Ulla-Britt Goldberg found the testing low spade shift and when declarer put in the jack he was
in deep trouble. Back came a club so declarer won in hand and led a low heart. West passed the
second test when she ducked, and declarer put up the jack to force the ace. Now the defend-
ers reverted to spades and declarer could not avoid two more losers whatever he did from here
on. Had declarer guessed spades he would have been able to cross ruff spades and diamonds and
scramble a trump trick at the end. Or he could achieve a similar ending by leading a trump to
his king. +140 would have been worth 10/16, -100 was worth 2 MP.
♠ A Q 10 9 7
♥ 754
♦ KQ96
♣ 10
♠ 642 N ♠ K5
♥ A Q J 10 8 ♥ K93
♦ J8 W E ♦ 10 3 2
♣ K53 S ♣ AJ 9 8 7
♠ J83
♥ 62
♦ A754
♣ Q642

 Intermediate
West North East South ♠ A Q 10 9 7
Ulla-Britt Romanski Lars Kowalski ♥ 754
♦ KQ96
– 1♠ Pass 2♠
♣ 10
All Pass ♠ 642 ♠ K5
N
♥ A Q J 10 8 ♥ K93
Given the vulnerability a truly uncharacteristic action by ♦ W
J8 E ♦ 10 3 2
E/W here. They defended 2♠ accurately, leading trumps ♣ K53 S ♣ AJ 9 8 7
to kill the heart ruff, and held Romanski to 110, but ♠ J 83
the whole field played game or partscore in hearts here – ♥ 62
♦ A754
and even though three declarers went down in 4♥ after ♣ Q642
repeated diamond leads (it looks natural to play to ruff
a spade in dummy rather than draw trumps and lead a club to the jack. Having ruffed a spade
you will have to guess clubs in the ending.)
♠9
♥ AJ76
♦ A8765
♣ 643
♠ A6 5 4 N ♠ J873
♥ 94 ♥ 10 8 5
♦ Q32 W E ♦ J 10 9
♣ KQ97 S ♣ AJ 2
♠ K Q 10 2
♥ KQ32
♦ K4
♣ 10 8 5
Zeligman Vassallo Schwartz Massoero
– – Pass 1♣
Pass 1♦ Pass 1♥
Pass 2♥ All Pass
Zeligman led a trump against 2♥, and Massoero won in dummy to play a spade to the king. Zelig-
man shifted to the club king and obviously could not read his partner’s two (maybe Schwartz
should have overtaken to play back clubs?) because he reverted to trumps. Now it feels clear to
me to win in hand play on diamonds. You ruff the third high and when they split draw the last
trump, cash ♠Q and take +170 for 13/16MP. +140 – which Massoero achieved by winning the
second trump in dummy and ruffing spades on the board was 9/16 for him.

 Intermediate
Board 30. Dealer East. None Vul.
♠ 8642
♥ K9863
♦ A64
♣ J
♠ AK N ♠ J 10 3
♥ Q 10 4 ♥ AJ 5 2
♦ K 10 7 5 W E ♦ 932
♣ Q 10 4 3 S ♣ 875
♠ Q975
♥7
♦ QJ8
♣ AK962
Lindqvist Schwartz Holmbakken Zeligman
– – – 1♣
1NT 2♦* Pass 2♠
All Pass
2♦ Transfer/Majors
Lindqvist’s sporting 1NT overcall might have tempted Holmbakken to compete with a double or
2NT – the latter might have been doubled but declarer can escape for down one. And on a low
spade lead from North, South has to be careful not to waste his ♠Q.
In 2♠ Zeligman was treated to the defence of two top spades and a friendly shift to the ♣Q,
East following with a discouraging eight. Zeligman won to play a heart to the king and ace, won
the trump return and ruffed a club then led a diamond to the queen and ace. Back came a dia-
mond, so he won and put the club nine on the table, smothering East’s seven and giving him nine
tricks for 12/16 MP. At the end of the session Schwartz/Zeligman were second behind Marsal/
Klumpp with all to play for in the last 15 deals.
However, Germany’s Reiner Marsal & Herbert Klumpp were dominant, taking the lead during
the second session and maintaining it to the end. Second place went to France’s Philip Toffier &
Pascal Gombert while Poland’s Jerzy Michalek & Wlodzimierz Wala finished third.
Putting on a Show
One of the star attractions in the Open Pairs was the partnership of Messrs. Meckstroth &
Mahmood. Brent Manley watched them at the end of the qualifying stage:
After the first four rounds of qualifying in the Open Pairs, Jeff Meckstroth and Zia Mahmood
were running away with the event. Their cumulative score was 65.61%. In Round Five, they came
back down to earth, scoring just 36% and dropping to fourth.
There was no danger that they would miss the cut, but they wanted to regain momentum in
the sixth and final qualifying round.

 Intermediate
♠ AKQ
♥ A 10 3
♦ 10 7 6
♣ J962
♠ J86542 N ♠ 10 7
♥ Q7 ♥ J9
♦ AQ 4 3 W E ♦ KJ92
♣8 S ♣ Q 10 5 4 3
♠ 93
♥ K86542
♦ 85
♣ AK7
Maluish Meckstroth Mill Zia
– – – 2♥*
2♠ 3NT All Pass
2♥ Explained as a “good weak two-bid.”
East started with the ♣3, for the seven, eight and nine. The ♥A was next, followed by the ♥10,
which collected the jack from East and the queen from West as declarer played dummy’s king.
With six heart tricks, three clubs and three spades assured, Meckstroth ran the hearts, forcing each
opponent to find four discards (he discarded diamonds). East-West did not discard accurately and
in the end Meckstroth produced the ♣2 for trick number 13. Plus 520 was good for 234.70/11.30.
♠4
♥ A 10 8 7 3 2
♦ K53
♣ AJ7
♠ 73 N ♠ K Q 10 2
♥9 ♥ QJ54
♦ A Q 10 9 4 W E ♦ J62
♣ KQ982 S ♣ 64
♠ AJ9865
♥ K6
♦ 87
♣ 10 5 3
Suicmez Meckstroth Kopuz Zia
– 1♥ Pass 1♠
Double 2♥ Pass Pass
Double All Pass
East no doubt thought West was showing extra values, so he took a chance that his heart holding
was sufficient to produce a plus score.
The opening lead was the ♦2. West won the ace and shifted to the ♣K. Meckstroth played

 Intermediate
low and took the club continuation with the jack. He played a spade to dummy’s ace and ruffed
a spade, then played the ♣A. East ruffed and exited with the ♠10. Meckstroth put up the jack,
which was ruffed by West. Meckstroth overruffed, cashed the ♦K and ruffed a diamond in dummy.
After cashing the trump king, Meckstroth claimed nine tricks, conceding a heart to East. Plus
870 was worth 243.93/2.07.
♠ K 10 5 3
♥ AK62
♦ 10
♣ AQ94
♠ A4 N ♠ QJ6
♥ J 10 7 4 ♥ 983
♦ K73 W E ♦ AQ J 6 4
♣ J753 S ♣ 10 8
♠ 9872
♥ Q5
♦ 9852
♣ K62
Milman Meckstroth Stelmashenko Zia
– – Pass Pass
Pass 1♣ 1♦ Pass
1♥ Double Pass 1♠
2♦ Double All Pass
Zia described Meckstroth’s first double as showing extras, so West was warned that bidding on
was risky. He bid on anyway, perhaps on the theory that it was just the two-level. How bad could
it be? He soon found out.
Zia started with a low diamond, which went to the 10 and East’s jack. At trick two, East led
a low heart from hand. Zia won with the ♥Q, cashed the ♣K and continued with a heart to his
partner’s ace. The ♣Q won the next trick and Meckstroth cashed the ♥K and played another
heart. Declarer discarded a spade, Zia ruffed and got out with the ♦9. Declarer won and tried a
spade finesse. When that lost, it was minus 500 for East-West and a score of 223.43/22.57 for
Meckstroth and Zia. North-South can make 4♠ for plus 620, but only nine pairs got to the game.
The M & M boys recorded a 62% session to lead the field into the semi-finals.

 Intermediate
A Painful Opening Lead
Micke Melander reported this deal from the final:
I have a lot of bridge playing friends who simply refuse to lead away from a suit containing an
unprotected honour and would rather choose to lead from a holding of two or three small cards
in a suit. All those friends of mine would have been in pain when trying to find an opening lead
on this hand.
Board 15. Dealer South. N/S Vul.
♠ AQ3
♥ Q 10 8 6
♦ Q642
♣ 10 9
♠ K8 N ♠ 9764
♥ KJ94 ♥ 73
♦ K J 10 W E ♦ 975
♣ Q742 S ♣ 8653
♠ J 10 5 2
♥ A52
♦ A83
♣ AKJ
Paske Fredin Jones Bertheau
– – – 1NT
Pass 2♣* Pass 2♠
Pass 3NT All Pass
As a matter of fact, West was endplayed from the start, and had to choose how to help declarer.
Looking at the board from declarer’s perspective it was certainly not obvious how to play. With
27 high card points between the hands you only have five sure tricks, which means there is a lot
of work to do.
Paske eventually picked the two of clubs out of his hand and put it on the table, declarer prob-
ably happy to have got up to six tricks. Bertheau won with the jack then led the two of spades to
the queen, so that was seven in the bag. A heart to the ace and a heart followed, West going up
with the king, giving declarer his eighth trick since the queen was now established. Not wanting
to give anything further away West returned the four of clubs. Declarer won with the king and
put the ten of spades on the table. When the king appeared, he had his nine tricks. However this
was pairs… not teams…

 Intermediate
Declarer went for the kill and decided to try the heart manoeuvre also in diamonds. So, a dia-
mond to the ace was followed by a low diamond towards the queen. When West went up with
the king he gave declarer his tenth trick leaving:
♠ 3
♥ Q 10
♦ Q6
♣ —
♠— N ♠ 97
♥ J9 ♥ —
♦J W E ♦ 9
♣ Q7 S ♣ 86
♠ J5
♥5
♦8
♣A
Bertheau won the club return and played a diamond to the queen and when the suit broke 3-3
he had managed to get 11 tricks. That was 40 of the available 50 matchpoints, or a good 80%
depending how you want to see it.
And... they’re off!

David Bird followed the first session of the final:
An appropriate 52 pairs qualified for the Open Pairs final, forty-six from semi-final A and six
from semi-final B. Mark Horton and I watched at the table where Geir Helgemo and Tor Hel-
ness would start. A large number of kibitzers also thought this would be a good idea and we soon
had almost 1000 fellow bridge-lovers with us.
Board 1. Dealer North. None Vul.
♠5
♥ Q64
♦ KQ932
♣ A 10 9 6
♠ K9 N ♠ AQ 6
♥ K 10 5 3 ♥ J982
♦ 854 W E ♦ A J 10 6
♣ QJ42 S ♣ K5
♠ J 10 8 7 4 3 2
♥ A7
♦ 7
♣ 873
Paske Helgemo Jones Helness
– 1♦ 1NT 2♠
Double Pass 2NT Pass
3NT All Pass

 Intermediate
The ♠2 lead was won with dummy’s king and a diamond to ♠ 5
the jack won the next trick. Helness rose with the ace when ♥ Q64
the ♥J was played, returning a second heart to North’s ♦ KQ932
♣ A 10 9 6
queen. Edward Jones won the ♦K return and played king ♠ K9 ♠ AQ 6
and another club, claiming +400. 3NT had seemed easy ♥ N
K 10 5 3 ♥ J982
enough but perhaps some pairs would end in 4♥. ♦ 854 W E ♦ A J 10 6
♣ QJ42 S ♣ K5
West North East South ♠ J 10 8 7 4 3 2
Grosset Versace Sandqvist Tokay ♥ A7
– 1♦ 1NT 2♠ ♦ 7
♣ 873
Double Pass 3♥ Pass
4♥ All Pass
Mustafa Cem Tokay led the ♦7 to the queen and ace. When Nick Sandqvist played a spade to the
king and a second spade, Alfredo Versace ruffed, cashed the ♦K and delivered a diamond ruff. The ♣A
and the ♥A were taken, followed a further spade to promote North’s bare ♥Q. That was three down.
And so to the scores. +400 was worth 12/38 to East/West. Three down in 4♥ collected only
43/7. Two down would have picked up 36/14 and one down 28/22.
♠ J 10 6 3
♥ 10 4 2
♦ 10 9 5 2
♣ AK
♠ K852 N ♠ Q4
♥A ♥ K986
♦ 876 W E ♦ AJ 4 3
♣ J7653 S ♣ Q 10 9
♠ A97
♥ QJ753
♦ KQ
♣ 842
Helness Francheschetti Helgemo Robert
– – – 1♥
Pass 2♥ Pass Pass
Double Redouble 3♦ Pass
Pass Double All Pass
Helness was fully entitled to protect with a double. North/South had a mere 20 HCP at their
disposal but they noted that the opponents were vulnerable and went for the throat with a pen-
alty double.
Helgemo won the ♥Q lead in dummy and led a club, Pierre Francheschetti winning with the
ace. A trump switch went to Quentin Robert’s ♦Q and he returned the ♦K to the ace. North
won the next round of clubs and switched to the ♠J, Helgemo playing the ♠4. This was the key
moment of the deal. If South had played low, a mouth-watering 800 was in sight. He chose to
rise with the ♠A and the impending penalty shrank to just 200. North/South would have scored
48/2 for 800 but the ‘magic 200’ was still worth 34/16.
Alfredo Versace extracted a little something from the wreckage of this deal:

 Intermediate
Board 4. Dealer West. Both Vul.
♠ Q632
♥ Q764
♦ 73
♣ K98
♠ AJ 9 8 N ♠ K 10 7
♥ J8 ♥ K2
♦ Q 10 6 2 W E ♦ AK 8 5
♣ AJ 7 S ♣ Q 10 5 4
♠ 54
♥ A 10 9 5 3
♦ J94
♣ 632
Versace Nanev Tokay Stefanov
1♦ Pass 2♣* Pass
2♥* Pass 2♠ Pass
2NT Pass 3NT All Pass
North leads the ♥4. Which card should you play from the dummy?
Alfredo Versace called for the king and the defenders took their five heart tricks, declarer throw-
ing three clubs from dummy. When South switched to the ♣3. Versace rose with the ♣A and
played four rounds of diamonds. On the fourth diamond from dummy, Versace unblocked the
♠J and Ivan Nanev had to discard the ♣K to retain his spade guard. Declarer crossed to the ♠A
and scored the ♣J to avoid taking the spade finesse. Going one down was a quite common, gain-
ing a 35/15 score.
At another table, Nafiz Zorlu received a diamond lead to the jack and queen. He crossed to the
♦A and played the ♣Q. When this was not covered, he recalled a Bols Bridge Tip ‘If they don’t
cover, they don’t have the king’. He rose with the ♣A and ran the ♠9. Brilliant! The ♠8 to the
♠10 was followed by the ♠K, two more rounds of diamonds and the ♠A. Zorlu held ♥J8 ♣J7 now
and Pedersen (North) retained ♥Q74 ♣K. A club to the bare king forced North to lead a heart.
Declarer would then score a heart and a club whether South took his ♥A or not. This wondrous
line of play netted +660 and a 100% 0/50 score for Zorlu.
This was the biggest board of the session:
Board 8. Dealer West. Neither Vul.
♠ 53
♥ AK84
♦ 10 9
♣ AKQ82
♠ 762 N ♠ Q 10 9 4
♥ Q52 ♥ J63
♦ QJ8743 W E ♦ 632
♣7 S ♣ J64
♠ AKJ8
♥ 10 9 7
♦ AK
♣ 10 9 5 3
 Intermediate
West North East South ♠ 53
Paske Wiankowski Jones Nawrocki ♥ AK84
♦ 10 9
Pass 1♣* Pass 1♠
♣ AKQ82
Pass 2♣* Pass 2♦ ♠ 762 ♠ Q 10 9 4
Double 2♥ Pass 3♣ N
♥ Q52 ♥ J63
Pass 3♥ Pass 4♣ ♦ QJ8743 W E ♦ 632
Pass 4♥ Pass 4NT ♣ 7 S ♣ J64
Pass 5♦ Pass 5♥ ♠ AKJ8
Pass 6♣ Pass 6♦ ♥ 10 9 7
♦ AK
Pass 6NT All Pass ♣ 10 9 5 3
A good number of pairs played this deal in 6♣. The only
obvious chance of an overtrick was a deep finesse in hearts. This was unsuccessful and +920 was
entered on the scorecard for a 24/26 score.
At the table featured here, Piotr Wiankowski and Piotr Nawrocki aimed for a higher-scoring
slam. Students of the Polish Club system will no doubt enjoy the auction shown. What, though,
do you think is the best match-point line in 6NT?
Navrocki won the ♦Q lead, checked the club position by crossing to the ♣A and continued
with ace and a low heart to West’s queen. He won the ♦J continuation and found his 12th trick
in hearts, not having to fall back on the spade finesse. +990 was worth 39/11.
At another table West made an effective pre-empt in diamonds:
Franceschi Winkler Robert Homonnay
3♦ 3♥ Pass 3NT
All Pass
Difficult for North/South, wasn’t it? Geza

Homonnay benefited from a spade lead, cashed
some clubs and played the ♥10, not covered,
to the ♥A. When East subsequently discarded
a spade on declarer’s second diamond winner,
declarer had a magnificent 13 tricks. ‘Great play...
shame about the contract!’ Homonnay was the
only player in the field to make 13 tricks and he
scored 18/32.
Eight pairs scored 490 in 3NT for 9/41. The
top North/South score went to Ole Berset and
Terje Lie, collecting 1400 from 4♦ doubled. Tom
Nordgaard and Jan Pedersen needed the ♥QJ
onside to make their 7♣. As the cards lay, they
suffered a painful 0%.
Geza Homonnay

 Intermediate
♠ KJ6432
♥ 86
♦ 2
♣ Q 10 7 6
♠— N ♠ A 10 9 7
♥ AK 7 5 4 3 2 ♥9
♦ AJ 6 4 3 W E ♦ Q9875
♣8 S ♣ K54
♠ Q85
♥ Q J 10
♦ K 10
♣ AJ932
Paske Roll Jones Levin
– 3♠ Pass 4♠
5♥ Pass Pass Double
All Pass
Several North players chose to open 3♠. At the table where Mark and I were watching, Gabor
Winkler declined to raise and then allowed Ivan Nanev’s 4♥ to play. A diamond lead went to the
king and ace, declarer continuing with ace, king and another trump. When South failed to cash
the ♣A, declarer ended with +680 for 20/30. +650 would have been worth only 34/16.
At the table where the bidding went as shown above, Amir Levin did raise to 4♠. He subse-
quently doubled West’s 5♥ and all would now depend on the opening lead. A club lead would
beat the contract because declarer would have no entry to dummy to take the diamond finesse.
Yossi Roll naturally preferred to lead his singleton diamond. When Thomas Paske won and played
ace, king and another trump, Levin did the best he could – preventing an overtrick by cashing
the ♣A. Conceding 850 on the board left North/South with an 11/39 score, since five pairs had
bid and made 6♦, for 5/45.
I See No Signal
Commentating on the second session I spotted this apparently uninteresting deal:
Board 16. Dealer West. E/W Vul.
♠ 10 6 2
♥ KQ
♦ QJ7
♣ 10 6 5 4 3
♠ KJ3 N ♠ A8 4
♥ J 10 7 3 ♥ 954
♦ 10 8 6 W E ♦ K952
♣ 987 S ♣ AJ 2
♠ Q975
♥ A862
♦ A43
♣ KQ

 Intermediate
Pass Pass 1♦ Double
Pass 1NT All Pass
INT was a popular contract and at a number of tables East led the two of diamonds for the three,
ten and queen. When declarer continued with a club a number of players in the East seat with-
held the ace, West (presumably playing standard signals) following with the seven.
When declarer continued with dummy’s king, if the BBO records are to be believed every West
followed with the eight and when East took the ace a heart switch was not what was required
(although more than one declarer refused to play for a 3-3 club break).
The thing that puzzled me was why West did not follow to the second club with the nine? (Play-
ing reverse signals West would surely have played the ♣9 followed by the ♣8.)
West might decide that it would be a good idea to make sure the next diamond play is through
declarer’s hand and as the only possible entry is in spades it might be helpful to let partner in on
the secret by playing the ♣9.
While you are considering the merits of that argument imagine East starts by leading a heart.
Declarer wins in hand and plays a club. To be sure of defeating the contract East must rise with
the ace and either continue with a second heart or switch to a diamond. Ducking allows declarer
to play a second club while there are still two entries left to the North hand.
On a Roller Coaster
Brent Manley continued to follow the ‘main attraction’:
Going into the final day of the Open Pairs, Zia Mahmood and Jeff Meckstroth were in third
place in the strong field, not far out of the lead. At the end of the first session on Saturday, they
had some work to do, having dropped down in the standings.
♠ A86
♥ 98432
♦ A
♣ AKQ6
♠ 10 9 7 N ♠ KQJ432
♥ QJ76 ♥ K
♦ J43 W E ♦ Q52
♣ J92 S ♣ 853
♠5
♥ A 10 5
♦ K 10 9 8 7 6
♣ 10 7 4
Open Room
Grigorium Meckstroth Piroi Zia
– – – Pass
Pass 1♥ 1♠ 2♥
2♠ 4♥ All Pass

 Intermediate
East led the ♠K, taken by North with the ace. Meckstroth ruffed a spade at trick two, played a
diamond to the ace, ruffed his last spade and cashed the ♦K, pitching a club. He cashed the ♥A
and ruffed a diamond, then played the club winners before exiting his hand with the ♥8. West
won the ♥J but could do no better than cashing the other heart honour before playing his ♥7 to
Meckstroth’s 9. Plus 450 was good for 47/3.
♠ KQJ
♥ A762
♦ J97
♣ K43
♠ A2 N ♠ 10 9 7 3
♥ Q95 ♥ J 10 4
♦ AK Q 6 W E ♦ 8432
♣ Q952 S ♣ 10 6
♠ 8654
♥ K83
♦ 10 5
♣ AJ87
Stamatov Meckstroth Danailov Zia
– – Pass Pass
1NT Pass 2♣* Pass
2♦ All Pass
Meckstroth led the ♠K and declarer, Stamatov, won the ace. At trick two, he played the ♥Q from
hand. Zia won the ♥K and returned a spade. Meckstroth won the ♠J and cashed the ♥A, fol-
lowed by a third round of the suit. Declarer won in dummy perforce, played a diamond to the
king, then cashed the queen, leaving himself with one trump in each hand. He then led a club
to the 10 and Zia’s jack. Another club went to Meckstroth’s king for the killing play of the 13th
heart. Declarer could take a ruff in either hand, pitching a loser from the other, but he would still
have to lose a black-suit trick for one down. Plus 100 was worth 39/11 to Meckstroth and Zia.
♠ A842
♥ J32
♦ 32
♣ 10 9 7 6
♠— N ♠ Q 10 5
♥ AK 8 ♥ 10 9 6 5 4
♦ AJ 8 6 5 W E ♦ Q 10 9 4
♣ KQ852 S ♣4
♠ KJ9763
♥ Q7
♦ K7
♣ AJ3

 Intermediate
Hydes Meckstroth Mossop Zia
– – Pass 1♠
Double 3♠ Pass Pass
Double Pass 4♥ 4♠
Double All Pass
The opponents can make 11 tricks in diamonds or hearts, but they settled for doubling Zia in 4♠.
Had East been able to gain the lead, Zia would have finished at minus 500, but that didn’t hap-
pen. West led the ♥K and continued with the ace. Then the ♣K went to Zia’s ace. He entered
dummy with the ♠A, pitched a diamond on the ♥J, took the marked spade finesse and gave up
a trick to the ♦A and another to the ♣Q. One down and minus 200 was good for 33/17.
The following board was wild:
Board 16. Dealer West. E/W Vul.
♠ J542
♥ J76
♦ 753
♣ 865
♠— N ♠ A K Q 10 8 7 6 3
♥ K543 ♥A
♦ AQ109642 W E ♦ KJ8
♣ J4 S ♣2
♠9
♥ Q 10 9 8 2
♦—
♣ A K Q 10 9 7 3
Combescure Meckstroth Rombaut Zia
1♦ Pass 1♠ 2♣
2♦ Pass 3♣* 5♣
Double Pass 6♠ 6NT
Double 7♣ Double All Pass
This was a phantom sacrifice because East cannot make 6♠. South leads a club and continues the
suit. Declarer cashes the top two spades to get the bad news. He can cash his singleton ♥A and
enter dummy three times to ruff hearts, attempting to reduce his trump length to the same as
North, but declarer needs more entries to dummy than he has and must eventually lose a trump
trick for one down.
Zia finished three down for minus 500, less than East-West could get in 5♦ or 5♠, but it was
still a below-average score at 22/28.

 Intermediate
Board 18. Dealer East. N/S Vul.
♠ K 10 7 5 4
♥ 10 9 3
♦8
♣ A973
♠ J9 N ♠ 62
♥ 7654 ♥ AK Q 8 2
♦ AJ 9 5 W E ♦ K 10
♣ 854 S ♣ K 10 6 2
♠ AQ83
♥J
♦ Q76432
♣ QJ
Bowles Meckstroth Mohandes Zia
– – 1♥ Double
3♥ 4♠ All Pass
East started with the ♥K, switching to a trump at trick two. Meckstroth won in hand and played
his singleton diamond. East won the ♦K and played the ♥Q, forcing dummy to ruff. Meckstroth
then ruffed a diamond, played a spade to dummy’s queen and ruffed another diamond. When
Meckstroth played a low club from hand, the defenders were helpless. Meckstroth had a trump
in each hand and West was down to the singleton ♦A. East could win the ♣K and play a high
heart or a club, but Meckstroth could ruff in dummy, ruff a diamond, felling the ace, and return
to dummy with the ♣Q to cash two diamond winners. Plus 620 was 39/11.
♠ 10 4
♥ AQJ
♦ A J 10 8 4 2
♣ 64
♠ 9763 N ♠8
♥ K 10 9 8 7 5 ♥ 432
♦ K7 W E ♦ Q95
♣7 S ♣ K 10 9 8 3 2
♠ AKQJ52
♥ 6
♦ 63
♣ AQJ5
Allerton Meckstroth Jagger Zia
– – – 2♣*
Pass 2♦* Pass 3♠
Pass 4NT* Pass 5♣*
Pass 5♦* Pass 6♠*
Pass 7♠ All Pass

 Intermediate
West started with a trump. After long thought, Zia won in hand and played a diamond to dum-
my’s ace. The contract could no longer be made. Looking at all the hands, Zia might have won the
trump lead in hand, played a spade to dummy and a low club to his jack. Now he can pull trumps
and finesse in hearts, cashing the ace to discard a diamond. When he played another club to his
queen, West would be feeling the pressure. Two more spades would bring about this end position:
♠—
♥Q
♦ AJ
♣—
♠— N ♠—
♥K ♥—
♦ K7 W E ♦ Q
♣— S ♣ K 10
♠ —
♥ —
♦ 6
♣ A5
On the play of the ♣A, West must surrender. If he discards his heart, declarer throws dummy’s
♦J. If West discards a diamond, the ♥J is goes and dummy’s diamonds are good. Note that East
must discard to a singleton diamond to maintain his guard in clubs.
Making the grand slam would have been a complete top. One down was worth only 4/46, but
in the penultimate session, Meckstroth and Zia made a big comeback to zoom into second place.
They were still in the hunt.
Zorlu and Kubac

As the event reached its climax Jos Jacobs decided to follow one of the pairs fighting for the title:
Early on Saturday afternoon, I was having a look at Zorlu and Kubac, the pair who had been
leading for most of the finals. On the first three boards that I watched, they collected some very
good scores against two different French pairs. On Board 3, they bid a routine 3NT against which
contract the defenders could not possibly find the right lead but later on, also failed to find the
right switch:
♠ KJ3
♥ AK985
♦ A742
♣ 4
♠ 9875 N ♠ Q62
♥ J 10 4 ♥ 7632
♦ KQ85 W E ♦ 9
♣ 10 2 S ♣ KQJ96
♠ A 10 4
♥ Q
♦ J 10 6 3
♣ A8753

 Intermediate
Bompis Zorlu Vinciguerra Kubac
– – – 1♣
Pass 1♦* Pass 1NT
Pass 2♦* Pass 2NT
Pass 3NT All Pass
One Club was at least a doubleton, 1♦ showed hearts and 2♦ was the general game-forcing bid.
West led the ♠8 which went to the jack, queen and ace. Declarer then advanced the ♦J, covered
by West’s queen and dummy’s ace. A low diamond then went to the ten and king, East discard-
ing the ♣6. Had West returned a club at this point, the defenders would have saved one precious
overtrick but when he returned the ♥J instead, declarer could win his ♥Q and establish a second
trick in diamonds for +460 and 42/8.
♠3
♥ J 10 7 2
♦ 10 9 7 4 3
♣ AJ4
♠ K852 N ♠ A 10
♥ 94 ♥ K865
♦ AQ J 5 W E ♦ K862
♣ 10 9 3 S ♣ KQ7
♠ QJ9764
♥ AQ3
♦—
♣ 8652
Bompis Zorlu Vinciguerra Kubac
Pass Pass 1NT 2♦*
Double Pass Pass 2♠
Double All Pass
Two Diamonds showed one major.
West led the ♥9 on which declarer called for dummy’s jack, which won the trick. A spade came
next to the ten and queen, West winning his king and exiting with his last heart to declarer’s queen.
The ♠J then was won by East’s ace and the heart return was ruffed by West. When West got off play
with a club, declarer could win the ace, ruff a diamond in hand, draw the last trump and concede
two club tricks to come home in his contract for +670 and another bushel of matchpoints, 46/4.
A stellar performance by Turkey’s Nezih Kubac & Nafiz Zorlu saw them sweep to victory in the
European Open Pairs Championship. They had started the last day in first place and were never
headed as they forged further and further ahead of the star studded field. Jeff Meckstroth & Zia
Mahmood of the USA were second and there was more joy for Turkey when Mustafa Cem Tokay
& Alfredo Versace finished third.

 Intermediate
The Netherlands won 13 medals in the Championships, putting them well ahead in the all time
medal list. These are the leading nations:
1 Netherlands 107
2 France 91
3 Italy 78
4 Poland 70
5 USA 63
6 Norway 50
Greece has become the 34th country to have medallists at European Open Championships.
Masterpoint Race - the Top Twenty
1 Justyna Zmuda 161
2= Sam Inge Hoyland 153
2= Sven Olai Hoyland 153
4= Harald Eide 150
4= Lars Eide 150
6= K Kontomitros 127
6= Tassos Koukouselis 127
8 Alfredo Versace 126
9= Magdalena Ticha 125
9= Nafiz Zorlu 125
9= Nezih Kubac 125
12 Georgi Matushko 122
13= Chris Willenken 121
13= Migry Zur-Campanile 121
15= Aris Filios 120
15= Konstantinos Doxiadis 120
15 Michal Klukowski 120
15= Petros Roussos 120
15= Yankos Papakyriakopoulos 120 Justyna Zmuda
20= Jeff Meckstroth 115
20= Marion Michielsen 115
20= Mustafa Cem Tokay 115
20= Zia Mahmood 115
What a triumph for Justyna Zmuda to finish ahead of the field of 552 pairs!

 General Interest
Misplay These Hands with Me
Down Under
I have been persuaded to make the long journey to Australia to take part in one of their many
excellent Festivals. After a slightly over indulgent dinner involving perhaps one bottle too many
of Chateau de Chasselay it is during the early stages of the main team’s event that I pick up:
♠ Q3
♥ AQ 7 5 4 3
♦ KJ3
♣ 83
No one is vulnerable and my partner opens 1♣. I respond 1♥ and when he rebids 2♣ I go to 4♥.
It has been a simple auction:
– 1♣ Pass 1♥
Pass 2♣ Pass 4♥
All Pass
West leads the jack of spades and partner displays a modest hand:
♠ 864
♥ J8
♦ 972
♣ AK Q J 2
♠ Q3
♥ AQ 7 5 4 3
♦ KJ3
♣ 83
Well, it is the modern style to open such hands, but when I was a lad things were different. Still,
try telling the young people of today that and they won’t believe you.
East takes the first two tricks with the king and ace of spades and switches to the five of dia-
monds. To avoid losing a trump trick I will need to find West with the ♥109 and as I need East
to hold the king to have any chance he is unlikely to also have the ace of diamonds, having taken
no active role during the bidding. I put in the jack of diamonds, but it loses to the queen and I
finish up two down.

The full deal:
♠ 864
♥ J8
♦ 972
♣ AKQJ2
♠ J 10 9 5 N ♠ AK 7 2
♥ 10 2 ♥ K96
♦ Q 10 8 4 W E ♦ A6 5
♣ 10 9 6 S ♣ 754
♠ Q3
♥ AQ7543
♦ KJ3
♣ 83
Post mortem
With there being only a minute chance of avoiding a trump loser (just over 3%) declarer should
have played for the defence to have erred. If he goes up with the king of diamonds he can then
cross to dummy with a club, take two rounds of trumps via the finesse, and then play winning
clubs to dispose of his remaining diamonds, East scoring only the master trump.
Hasty Conclusion
England’s Summer Festival still draws a crowd, and the main teams’ event is particularly popular,
attracting a number of world class players. Thanks to the efforts of my partner, a multiple world
champion, we have managed to reach the eight team final.
We are well placed when I pick up these cards:
♠ KJ53
♥ K Q 10 8 6 2
♦—
♣ Q97
With no one vulnerable West opens 3♦. My partner and East have nothing to say, so I must con-
sider how best to enter the fray. Double might work well if partner is able to convert it for penalties
or bid a major, but eventually I persuade myself to rely on my long suit and bid 3♥.
When partner bids 3NT I should probably pass, but the devil is in me and I go 4♥ which leaves
us with this auction:
3♦ Pass Pass 3♥
Pass 3NT Pass 4♥
All Pass
West leads the ten of clubs and I see it would have been right to pass 3NT.
♠ A7 6
♥ AJ
♦ K 10 6 5
♣ 6542
♠ KJ53
♥ K Q 10 8 6 2
♦—
♣ Q97
East wins the first two tricks with the king and ace of clubs and plays a third club which West ruffs
with the nine of hearts. When he attempts to cash the ace of diamonds I ruff and draw trumps,
West showing out on the first round and discarding four small diamonds. The king of diamonds
will take care of one of my spades, but I will still need the finesse. I cross to the ace of spades, take
my discard and play a spade to the jack. When West produces the queen I am one down.
The full deal:
♠ A76
♥ AJ
♦ K 10 6 5
♣ 6542
♠ Q92 N ♠ 10 8 4
♥9 ♥ 7543
♦ AQ J 8 7 4 2 W E ♦ 93
♣ 10 3 S ♣ AK J 8
♠ KJ53
♥ K Q 10 8 6 2
♦ —
♣ Q97
Post mortem
There was no need to hazard the spade finesse. After ruffing the ace of diamonds declarer should
cross to dummy with the ace of trumps, cash the king of diamonds and ruff a diamond, as East
discards a spade. Then he plays trumps to reach a four-card ending:
♠ A7
♥—
♦ 10
♣6
♠ Q92 N ♠ 10 8
♥— ♥7
♦Q W E ♦—
♣— S ♣J
♠ KJ5
♥ 8
♦ —
♣ —
When the last trump is played West must discard a spade. Now dummy throws a diamond. With
West known to have a diamond and East a club declarer can be certain the queen of spades must
fall whoever has it.
In the other room South decided to double 3♦ and North stood his ground. That finished one
down, so we lost 4 IMPs instead of gaining 8.


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Entry fee: € 50.00 per pair !

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Entry fee: € 60.00 per pair
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Entry fee: € 260.00 per team


The Over the Rainbow Bridge Club
Alex Adamson and Harry Smith with more stories from The Over The Rainbow Club
Through The Looking Glass

It had been a most unusual committee meeting. The Chairman of the Lollipop Guild sipped his
cup of tea as he discussed it with the Mayor of Munchkinland. ‘Have you ever, have you ever,
seen them reach agreement so easily? Even Aunty Em and the Wicked Witch of the West. It’s too
much to hope that this is a good sign for the future. We had better put that announcement on
the notice board today.’
‘That tournament was the only thing on the agenda, Chairman, or should I say agendum!’ the
Mayor mused and the Chairman laughed, reflecting that too few people shared their sense of
humour around meeting terminology. ‘I’m sure things will soon be back to normal on all other
matters,’ the Mayor continued.
The issue in question had been the timing of the annual individual tournament. This had
always taken place in the early Spring, but the Committee had just decided to hold it in three
weeks’ time, in early December. There had been a pressing reason for the change. It was known
that Almira Gulch was going on a two-week holiday. This might be the only opportunity each
committee member would have to avoid playing two boards with her. Since her victory in the
Club Pairs Championship she had been even more insufferable than usual. The decision had
been unanimous, an unheard of situation in a committee which contained both Aunty Em and
the Wicked Witch of the West.
‘It’s some years since I played in this event,’ Almira commented to Uncle Henry who happened
to be standing beside her at the notice board. ‘I had been so looking forward to it, and I am at
the peak of my powers just now. I wonder if I could rearrange my vacations.’
That very afternoon the entry list filled up to the maximum of 24.
The day had come, and the event had been played. It had been a beautiful sunny Sunday
afternoon, unusually good for the time of year. Darkness had come a few hours before, and that
reflected the mood in the bar of the Over The Rainbow Bridge Club. There were still over twenty
people present, but no two were talking. All sat silent. One expected to see tears slowly dropping
into the cups of coffee and glasses of wine.
With the annual club individual tournament thankfully Gulch-free, all had started the day with
high hopes borne out of the relief of knowing she would not be there. How things had changed
over just six hours!
The only reasonable aspect of the results had been that the worst player in the Club hadn’t won
the event. He had, however, come second, with first place going to the second worst player. Both
had scores over 65%, and Dorothy had slipped into third place on a mere 54%. No other player
in the event had achieved 50%. Apart from Dorothy, it seemed as if it had been mirror-scored
with the complete list of results upside-down.
One look at the stunned faces around the bar confirmed that the scores were accurate. Each
person there knew what had happened at his or her table. They had all seen miracles work, invar-
iably favouring the Scarecrow or Hank the Hunk, while their own best efforts, except when they
were partnering one of these two, had turned to ashes. Hank’s nickname was not related to any
similarity he might have had to macho Hollywood actors, but rather to the hunk of wood that
most people felt was present where his brain should have been.

Dorothy and her Aunty Em were at the same table, each occasionally taking a sip out of a cup
of tea. Dorothy had rarely seen her aunt like this, and it worried her. She broke the silence.
‘What happened to you on Board 36?’ She tried to keep her voice light-hearted, but as her
aunt glanced at her score-sheet, she could see from her face that she had picked the wrong hand
to ask about. From her aunt’s demeanour generally, she guessed there weren’t many boards she
did want to discuss.
Dealer West. Both Vul
♠ Q3
♥ A 10 5 4 2
♦ A8
♣ 10 7 6 3
♠ 10 7 5 4 N ♠ KJ982
♥ 96 ♥ 83
♦ Q 10 W E ♦ J9765
♣ AK Q 4 2 S ♣8
♠ A6
♥ KQJ7
♦ K432
♣ J95
As Aunty Em rummaged in her handbag for the hand records (it had been a close decision between
stuffing them at the bottom of her capacious bag or ceremonially burning them!), the Tin Man
came along and sat down beside Dorothy.
‘I heard you ask about Board 36. That’s a superb hand, and an easy top for a good declarer in
this field. My only problem was that I had to share this top with Hank who sat North as my part-
ner. We bid to Four Hearts without any mishap, surprisingly partnering him!’
Lion Hank Uncle Henry Tin Man
Pass Pass Pass 1NT
Pass 2♦ Pass 3♥
Pass 4♥ All Pass
‘I adopted a safety play in the bidding,’ he rasped. ‘We were playing a strong no trump, but to
make sure I was more likely to play the hand, I upgraded it. Even Hank remembered to transfer
with the North hand, and then bid game probably only because he hadn’t a clue what my Three
Heart bid meant.’
‘The Lion, sitting West, started with two top clubs and followed up with the four of clubs
which your Uncle Henry ruffed. I won the diamond return with the ace, pulled the trumps in
two rounds, cashed the ace of spades, and then ran dummy’s trumps. Uncle Henry in the East
seat squirmed as he realised he couldn’t hold on to both his king of spades and his diamond guard
in the three-card ending.’
The Tin Man sat back smiling waiting for the congratulations he routinely expected for his play.
‘Am I supposed to say: Well Done?’ said a despondent Aunty Em. ‘Any competent declarer
would find that. Now try to make it with the Scarecrow holding the West cards.’
‘His leads to the first three tricks were the same as at your table … well almost. One black four
to him looks much the same as another, and he had his fours of clubs and spades mixed up. At
trick three, it was the four of spades he played. I played the queen, or course, and when East played

the king I won the ace. Now if trumps are cashed you’re left with a five-card ending, where East
would be under no pressure:
♠3
♥—
♦ A8
♣ 10 7
♠ 10 N ♠J
♥— ♥—
♦ Q 10 W E ♦ J976
♣ Q4 S ♣—
♠6
♥—
♦ K432
♣ —
That spade switch killed off any chance of a squeeze, so I just played safely for one down, giving
us the only negative score on the sheet for North-South.’
‘The only good thing about the hand was that my partner was the Unpleasant Witch of the
North. I can think of few people with whom I would more happily share a cold bottom!’
Aunty Em actually smiled for an instant, before she continued.
‘To add to your luck, Tinny, you had that Lion in the West seat. That hand is an opener to any
sane person, that category obviously excluding him! From what I’ve heard, at each of the other
four tables East-West got into the action and reached Four Spades, going a number down depend-
ing on the quality of the defenders, but never doubled.’
So I get a complete bottom, while the Scarecrow gets a complete top East-West, and Hank gets
a complete top North-South!’
‘Well at least it was a deserved top,’ continued the Tin Man, totally unaware of Aunty Em’s
state of numbed shock. ‘Any hand made on a squeeze is usually a top in this club. Take Board 23
for example.‘
Dealer South. Both Vul
♠ KQ53
♥ K7
♦ K832
♣ A 10 4
♠ 97 N ♠ J 10 6 4 2
♥ A Q 10 9 6 4 3 ♥ 85
♦4 W E ♦ J6
♣ 963 S ♣ K875
♠ A8
♥ J2
♦ A Q 10 9 7 5
♣ QJ2
Who was at the table with you?’ Dorothy asked.
The Tin Man shrugged his shoulders at the irrelevance of the question. ‘I was playing with
some Munchkin against a pair of Munchkins. I can’t remember who exactly was in any of the
other seats, but at least partner’s bidding was competent, and the contract was directed into the
hands of the stronger player.

Munchkin 1 Munchkin 2 Munchkin 3 Tin Man
– – – 1♦
3♥ Double Pass 4♦
Pass 4♥ Pass 4♠
Pass 5♣ Pass 6♦
All Pass
‘The ace of hearts was led, and then West switched to the nine of clubs, a very telling card. I took
it with the ace, cashed two rounds of trumps, the king of hearts, and then the remaining trumps
to come down to this position with one trump still to play.’ The Tin Man quickly sketched out
the five-card ending:
♠ KQ53
♥—
♦—
♣ 10
♠ 97 N ♠ J 10 6 4
♥Q ♥—
♦— W E ♦ —
♣ 63 S ♣ K
♠ A8
♥ —
♦ 9
♣ QJ
‘The ten of clubs is thrown from dummy on the last trump, and East has to concede my twelfth
trick in one of the black suits,’ the Tin Man concluded with a flourish. Dorothy thought he was
like a singer preparing to take his bow to the anticipated applause.
‘Yes, you do have a well-deserved average on that board, clearly better than you managed on
many of the others.’ There was bitterness in Aunty Em’s tone.
‘I played this on the last round. Four of the tables scored Six Diamonds making by South. I
did notice that Dorothy and two of these ghastly witches sat South at these tables, so perhaps you
were a bit unlucky to be up against competent declarers at the other tables.’
Dorothy nodded. ‘Yes, it was likely after the auction that East could be put under pressure,
so although I didn’t get the benefit of that telling ♣9 at trick two, but a simple continuation of
hearts, I played it in exactly the same way.’
‘Unfortunately,’ said Aunty Em, ‘I had the misfortune of not having a competent player as
South, and that …… woman as director.’
There had been a long pause before she managed to utter the word ‘woman’. Clearly a lot of
adjectives had come to her mind, and it was only with great resolve that she preserved her repu-
tation as one who rarely swore.
Aunty Em looked as if she was fighting back tears as she continued. ‘Hank was South playing
with Glinda as North, and they reached Six No Trump on this auction:
Mayor Glinda Aunty Em Hank
– – – 1NT
Pass 2♣ Pass 2♦
Pass 4NT Pass 5♥
Double 6NT All Pass

‘My esteemed partner decided to keep silent after the strong no-trump opener, hoping to be on
lead against 3NT. Glinda meant her 4NT bid as quantitative, rather optimistically expecting Hank
to understand this. He of course responded to Blackwood, and so the slam was reached without
their 6-4 diamond fit being mentioned.’
‘The lead was the ace of hearts followed by another heart.’
It was obvious from Aunty Em’s demeanour that the sad part of the story was about to unfold.
‘Hank wasn’t used to a partner who trusted him to play a slam,’ she continued. ‘He was bouncing
up and down in his seat, and then laid his hand down.’
‘Twelve tricks,’ he said, ‘the heart, a club, all the diamonds and the top spades.’
‘Odd,’ said the Mayor, my partner, ‘last time I added one, one, six and three it came to eleven!’
‘As I mentioned,’ Aunty Em continued, ‘this was the last board we played. We were behind time
and the Wicked Witch of the West, who was directing was standing beside us.’
Quite right,’ Wicked interrupted the Mayor,’ I’m afraid Hank you will have to play the hand
exactly as you stated it, and definitely no finesses.’
‘She had the broadest smile on her face I think I have ever seen. It would have made a Cheshire
cat jealous!’ continued Aunty Em, so I told her I didn’t recall the director being called.
‘Oh no, don’t worry,’ piped up Hank, ‘I’m really pleased she’s here. I’ve made a mistake and I
must follow the rules.’
Aunty Em groaned at the recollection of what followed.
‘He laboriously played out the remaining eleven tricks, and at the end he found twelve tricks
pointing in his direction. He still has no idea how it happened, but now has doubts about what
the sum of one, one, six, and three actually comes to!’
The Lion had been listening to this. ‘There was one other score on that hand.’ It was clear that
it wasn’t a score he wished to remember.
‘I was playing with Professor Marvel,’ he continued. ‘As is his style, we bid to Six No Trump
very rapidly.’
Scarecrow Prof Marvel Mayor Lion
– – – 1NT
Pass 2♣ Pass 2♦
Pass 6NT All Pass
‘I had opened a 14-16 No trump, and couldn’t understand why he had lunged into slam. He obvi-
ously doesn’t know what an aggressive bidder I am.’
‘The Scarecrow was West, and he fished out the nine of hearts from his hand. I’m quite sure,’
the Lion continued, ‘ that it was without any malicious intent. He explained that by leading
fourth highest he was trying to avoid any confusion with an irregular partner! Anyway, he totally
destroyed the timing for the squeeze. After taking my diamonds and spades I fell back on the club
finesse and went two down.’
‘There we have it again,’ said Aunty Em, ‘top North-South for Hank, and top East-West for the
Scarecrow. And you still think,’ she rounded on the Tin Man, ‘that finding a good squeeze will
get you a top.’ She gave the Tin Man her most scathing look, not that he was aware of it. ‘Just
look at board ten.’

Dealer East. Both Vul
♠ K 10 8 3 2
♥ KQ4
♦ A 10 8
♣ A9
♠ A6 5 4 N ♠7
♥ 10 9 8 ♥ J6
♦ 93 W E ♦ KQJ765
♣ J 10 8 4 S ♣ K653
♠ QJ9
♥ A7532
♦ 42
♣ Q72
‘I made what I regard as a routine one-level overcall,’ she continued, ‘and my idiot partner went
crazy.’ This was the auction:
Hickory Glinda Chairman Aunty Em
– – 1♦ 1♥
Double 2♠ 3♣ Pass
Pass 4♣ Pass 4♠
Pass 5♥ All Pass
‘Hickory doubled to show his four-card spade suit, and my partner, Glinda in the North seat, com-
pletely oblivious to this, jumped to show her values and her spade suit. When the Chairman’s Three
Club bid was passed around to her, she forced again, so I put her in game, reluctantly, as I know what
her declarer play is like. She now decided to show her heart support, and at the same time transfer
the contract to a better declarer. The only problem was that by now we were at the five-level.’
Aunty Em sat back to draw breath. ‘After that auction, the lead wasn’t difficult for a good player
like Hickory,’ she resumed. ‘They took the first two tricks with ace of spades and a spade ruff.
The Chairman now played the king of diamonds, and at first things looked bleak. Then I real-
ised,’ Aunty Em paused to make sure all were concentrating fully on her good play, ‘that it was
clear from the auction and play, that the Chairman held the king and queen of diamonds and the
king of clubs. All would be well as long as he also held the jack of diamonds.’
‘I won the ace of diamonds, played four rounds of trumps and then two more rounds of spades
to come down to this position with the lead in dummy.’ She sketched out the four-card ending.
♠8
♥—
♦ 10 8
♣A
♠— N ♠ —
♥— ♥ —
♦9 W E ♦ QJ
♣ J 10 8 S ♣ K6
♠—
♥7
♦ —
♣ Q72

Aunty Em was actually looking happy for a few moments as she recounted her moment of glory.
‘I played the last spade, and watched East wriggling uncomfortably as it dawned on him that
he was caught between the devil and the deep blue sea. If he discarded a diamond, I could ruff a
diamond and return to dummy to take my eleventh trick in that suit. If he discarded a club, my
♣Q would become a winner.’
‘Very nicely done’, said Dorothy, hoping that some praise might lift her aunt’s spirits.
‘Yes, it was,’ Aunty Em responded, ‘but what use was it? We were the last to play this board and
when I opened up the scoresheet, I saw that at four of the other tables North or South played in
Four Hearts on a diamond lead. Having dodged the spade ruff, they all had eleven easy tricks.
To add insult to injury, at the other table some idiots sitting East-West played in Five Diamonds
doubled losing 800.’ The Lion shifted uncomfortably in his seat, but said nothing.
‘So I get a below average after finding a good squeeze, and some random pair get gifted a top.
Where’s the justice in that?’ fumed Aunty Em. For once, Dorothy thought she detected some
sympathy in the Tin Man’s face.
The Chairman of the Lollipop Guild tinkled his teaspoon on his teacup to bring the room to
attention. ‘I am delighted, yes, em, delighted to say that the results are now official. We can, yes,
can confirm that the winner of our Individual Event is the Scarecrow. The full list of results is
being put on the notice board and, of course, of course, of course, will shortly be on our website.’
The Scarecrow’s face was beaming as he stood up. ‘I am very honoured to have won this event,’
he started, and I would like to thank everyone for the way in which it was played and, of course,
the tournament director for her hard work.’
He turned to point to the Wicked Witch of the West. She had just returned from posting the
results on the notice board. Dorothy glanced over and saw a red mark on it. She drew closer. Aunty
Em’s name had been highlighted in red in 24th place. She caught the eye of the Chairman of the
Lollipop Guild, who had also just seen the notice board. He shrugged. What a pleasure it had
been to have a committee working constructively in the best interests of all. He had predicted it
couldn’t last, and he was right. Normal hostilities had been resumed.
The following day, far away in the Emerald City, the Australian card wizard checked the Over
the Rainbow Bridge Club website. First he checked the recent Club Pairs Championship. He
didn’t recognise the winners but a feeling of pleasure came over him as he saw that the Scarecrow
had come a close second. Then he opened up the results of the Club Individual. And he smiled.

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 Intermediate
Solution to Non-Prize Problem

♠ AK854
♥ 98
♦ J65
♣ KQ8
♠ 32 N ♠ Q976
♥ J 10 7 6 4 ♥ K532
♦ Q742 W E ♦3
♣ 76 S ♣ A 10 9 5
♠ J 10
♥ AQ
♦ A K 10 9 8
♣ J432
– – Pass 1♦
Pass 1♠ Double Redouble
2♥ 3♥* Pass 3NT
All Pass
West leads the six of hearts for the king and your ace
G.C.H. Fox mentioned this deal (from the Tollemache) in his excellent book Grandmaster of
Bridge.
After the opening lead you have six top tricks. East’s (dubious) double identifies the location
of the ♣A so declarer should cross to dummy with a spade and play the eight of clubs. If East
goes up with the ace you have three club tricks, but withholding the ace allows declarer to win
with the jack and then play on diamonds, setting up four tricks in the suit.

 Intermediate
Test Your
Defence
with Julian Pottage Solutions on page 61
♠ ♠
1 ♥
K763
J 10 9 2 ♥
A 10 6 2
AJ8
♦ A J 10 7 ♦ Q75
♣ Q4 ♣ A J 10
N ♠ J9 N ♠ K4
♥ K4 ♥ Q 10 9 5 3
W E ♦ K854 W E ♦ AK J 2
S ♣ 97632 S ♣ K9
WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH
– – – 1NT – – 1♥ 3♠
Pass 2♣* Pass 2♥* Pass 4♠ All Pass
Pass 4♥ All Pass West leads the two of hearts (third and fifth in suits
1NT 15-17 bid by the leader’s partner) and your nine loses to the
2♣ Enquiry for 4- and 5-card majors king. Declarer leads the queen of spades, overtaking
2♥ Five hearts with the ace after West discards a middling club. You
Partner leads the jack of clubs. Declarer wins with the then find yourself on lead with the second round of
ace and leads a low heart to your king. What do you spades. What do you lead now and what do you plan
return? to do later?



 Intermediate
Brother Aelred’s Excuse

David Bird
T he Abbot stared at his computer screen in disbelief. An email had arrived from Felicity Small-
beam at the Larkspur Care Home. ‘It was so kind of you to participate in our little game last
night,’ it read. ‘I’m sorry you didn’t do a bit better but there is a spring in the step of many
of our players, knowing that – albeit just for one session – they managed to finish ahead of you. I
attach the detailed results for your perusal.’
The Abbot downloaded the attachment. Sixteen pairs had participated and in fifteenth place
were the pair ‘Abbot York-Smith and Brother Xavier’. Apart from the fact that he had not played
in the event, Brothers Aelred and Michael having been sent instead, did the woman not even
know that ‘Yorke-Smith’ was spelled with an ‘e’?
The Abbot had not had an opportunity to investigate the matter when the weekly St Titus pairs
began. His first opponents were the black-bearded Brother Zac and his elderly partner, Brother
Sextus.
Dealer North. E/W Vul.
♠ AQ4
♥ J962
♦ A6
♣ Q953
♠ J985 N ♠ K 10 6
♥4 ♥ A7
♦ Q J 10 9 4 W E ♦ 8732
♣ 10 8 6 S ♣ KJ72
♠ 732
♥ K Q 10 8 5 3
♦ K5
♣ A4
The Brother Brother Brother
Abbot Sextus Xavier Zac
– 1♣ Pass 1♥
Pass 2♥ Pass 4♥
All Pass
The Abbot suppressed any reaction when Brother Zac became the declarer. Zac was a good card-
player, whereas his partner could barely tell one card from another. According to the Law of Averages,
one half of a partnership should play as many contracts as the other. How could it be possible
that whenever the Abbot faced this pair, and cards lay their way, it was nearly always Brother Zac
who played the hand. It was not as if he ever seemed to bend the bidding to that effect.
Brother Zac nodded confidently as the dummy appeared. He won the diamond lead with the
king, crossed to the ace of diamonds and called for a low trump. Brother Xavier could see that
he was in danger of being endplayed. He rose with the ace of trumps and exited safely with his

 Intermediate
remaining trump.
Without pausing for breath, Brother Zac won in his hand and continued with ace and another
club. When the Abbot produced the ♣8 on the second round, he covered with dummy’s ♣9.
Xavier won with the jack and had no good return. Since the Abbot had played his clubs upwards,
declarer was now out of the suit. He tried the effect of returning the ♣7 but Brother Zac was
happy to discard a spade. If West produced the ♣K, dummy’s ♣Q would be good for a second
spade discard. As the cards lay, West followed impotently with the ♣10 and dummy’s queen won
the trick. A subsequent spade finesse lost but declarer had ten tricks for the contract.
With a rueful expression, Brother Xavier inserted the result in his scorecard. ‘Difficult for you,’
he said. ‘We needed a spade lead.’
The Abbot closed his eyes, as if in pain. Was there a bridge player on the planet, or any other
planet, who would lead from J-9-8-x when he had a solid diamond sequence? If a spade lead hap-
pened to beat the contract, so what?
Brother Zac leaned forward. ‘I’d make it on a spade lead,’ he said. ‘I win with the ace and play
the same way. Brother Xavier still has to give me a trick at the end.’
‘Obviously,’ declared the Abbot. ‘Can you see it now, partner? You’d still have to give a trick
to one of the black queens.’
‘It’s just the same if the Abbot puts in the ♣10 on the second round,’ continued Brother Zac.
‘I cover with the queen and dummy’s ♣9 becomes an important card.’
‘Indeed,’ muttered the Abbot. Declarer’s line of play could scarcely have been more obvious. It
would pick up a 90% score at the Larkspur Care Home, no doubt. At any bridge club worthy of
the name, it would be a flat board around the room.
A few rounds later, the Abbot faced Brother Aelred and Brother Michael.
‘Right, I need a few words with you two,’ declared the Abbot. ‘When you played at the Care
Home yesterday, did you have no idea that they had mistaken you for me and Brother Xavier.’
‘Well, yes, but it was all rather awkward,’ Brother Aelred replied. ‘I didn’t want to embarrass
Mrs Smallbeam by pointing out her error in front of other players.’
‘That’s right,’ said Brother Michael. ‘I’ll do almost
anything to avoid embarrassing people. It’s against my
nature.’
The Abbot’s mouth fell open. ‘Did it not occur to you
that Brother Xavier and I might be embarrassed by finish-
ing in 15th place out of 16 in one of the most hopeless
clubs in existence?’
‘I see your point, but you weren’t there,’ replied Brother
Aelred. ‘Mrs Smallbeam was.’
The Abbot beckoned wearily for the next board to be
brought into position. He would have to send an email
to the Smallbeam woman tomorrow morning, request-
ing her to pass it on to all those who had participated.
He had spent 50 years building up his reputation as an
international-standard player. Why should he allow this
to be dissipated in a moment of madness?
This was the board before them:

 Intermediate
Dealer South. None Vul.
♠4
♥ 10 7 5 4 3
♦ AK76
♣ 872
♠ 10 9 6 N ♠ KQJ85
♥ KQ986 ♥ —
♦ Q2 W E ♦ J 10 5 3
♣ J43 S ♣ Q 10 9 6
♠ A732
♥ AJ2
♦ 984
♣ AK5
Abbot Michael Xavier Aelred
– – – 1NT
Pass 2♦ 2♠ Pass
Pass 3♦ Pass 4♥
Double All Pass
The Abbot led the ♠10 and down went the dummy.
‘Only 7 points?’ exclaimed Brother Aelred. ‘I thought we played a new suit as game-forcing
after a transfer.’
‘Yes, but I didn’t want to let them play in 2♠ when I had a singleton there,’ Brother Michael
replied. ‘I’m entitled to borrow a king in the pass-out seat, remember. Also, I wanted to suggest
a diamond lead if they went on to 3♠.’
The Abbot had rarely heard such senseless waffling. No wonder they had finished next-to-bot-
tom at the Care Home. Anyway, had Brother Aelred been struck by some kind of paralysis. Was
he ever going to play the singleton spade from dummy?
Brother Aelred won the first trick with the ♠A and ruffed a spade in the dummy. He then crossed
to the ♣A and ruffed another spade. Perhaps he should cash the ♦A‒K next. Was that a good idea?
The Abbot had no spades left and might discard diamonds when any further spade ruffs were taken.
The Abbot could barely believe his eyes when Brother Aelred’s next move was to cash the ace
and king of diamonds. By what quirk of fate could he suddenly start to play like a normal human
being, just at this particular moment? A club to the king left these cards still to be played:
♠—
♥ 10 7 5
♦ 76
♣8
♠— N ♠ KQ
♥ KQ986 ♥ —
♦— W E ♦ J 10
♣J S ♣ Q 10
♠7
♥ AJ2
♦9
♣5

 Intermediate
When the ♠7 was led, the Abbot ruffed with the ♥8. ‘Ten of trumps, please,’ said Brother Aelred.
The Abbot, sitting West, knew how the cards lay at this stage. If a diamond was played from
dummy next, his defence was clear-cut. He would ruff Brother Xavier’s winner and cross to his
♣Q, certain to score two more trump tricks.
‘What do you want next?’ queried Brother Michael.
‘Oh, I don’t know, play a club,’ said Brother Aelred.
Brother Xavier won with the ♣Q and played the ♦J. The Abbot had to ruff and, hoping for the
best, return the ♥K. Brother Aelred stared at this card for a few moments and eventually worked
out that it might be a good idea to duck. Another round of trumps into his ♥AJ then gave him
the doubled game.
The Abbot said nothing, gritting his teeth as he returned his cards to the board. The Good Lord
moves in mysterious ways, they say. Quite so. Nothing could be more mysterious than Brother
Aelred threading the maze to make ten tricks on that lay-out.
The Abbot had a nasty feeling that a club opening lead would have taken away an entry to the
South hand and beaten the contract. If Xavier thought it appropriate to point this out, he would
be looking for a new partner next week.
‘I knew it was right to compete with 3♦,’ said Brother Michael. ‘We had a similar board in the
game at the Care Home, if I’m not mistaken.’
A few rounds later, the Abbot faced two of the more promising members of the novitiate.
‘Have you had an enjoyable session, Abbot?’ asked Brother Shane. ‘We haven’t done very well,
I’m afraid.’
The Abbot nodded briefly and beckoned for the next board to be put into position.
Dealer South. E/W Vul.
♠ KJ
♥ A72
♦ AKJ53
♣ Q94
♠ Q 10 7 3 2 N ♠—
♥ 983 ♥ Q J 10 5
♦ Q2 W E ♦ 10 8 7 6 4
♣ AK 3 S ♣ 8652
♠ A98654
♥ K64
♦ 9
♣ J 10 7
Abbot Shane Xavier Daniel
– – – 2♠
Pass 4♠ Pass Pass
Double All Pass
The Abbot lost no time in doubling the final contract of Four Spades. It was well-known that
novices rarely missed the chance of opening with a weak-two, particularly when non-vulnera-
ble. Brother Cameron had once been heard to admonish his partner for a wayward defence with
‘How can you play me for five spades? I didn’t open with a weak-two, did I?’ The same could be
said with the youngsters’ ambitious bidding facing a weak two. Overbidding was rife. Any old

 Intermediate
14-count, with no particular fit, and they would be there in game.
The Abbot led the ♣A and down went the dummy. Well, at least North had his bid on this
occasion. Not that this would assist declarer with the trumps breaking 5-0.
Brother Xavier followed with the ♣6, showing an ever number of cards, and Abbot banked
his other club winner. When he switched to the ♥9, the novice ran this to king. A finesse of the
♠J won the next trick, East discarding a club. Brother Daniel then called for the ♠K, followed by
the ♣Q and the ♦A. These cards were still in play:
♠ —
♥ 7
♦ KJ53
♣ —
♠ Q 10 7 N ♠—
♥8 ♥ QJ
♦Q W E ♦ 10 8 7 6 4
♣ – S ♣—
♠ A986
♥6
♦ —
♣ —
Brother Daniel had a spark in his eye. If he could cash the ♦K and ruff one of the red suits with
the ♠6, he would be able to end-play the Abbot in trumps. What a story he would have to tell
then! One problem remained. He would have to guess which red suit to ruff. Would the Abbot’s
last side-suit card be a heart or a diamond? ‘King of diamonds, please,’ said the novice.
When the Abbot followed with the ♦Q, Brother Daniel nodded happily and called for a heart.
He ruffed with the ♠6, the Abbot following suit, and exited with the ♠9. The Abbot had to win
and lead back into declarer’s tenace. The doubled game had been made.
Brother Daniel turned towards the Abbot. ‘That was lucky,’ he observed. ‘If your last diamond
hadn’t been the queen, I would have had to guess which red suit to ruff.’
The Abbot could feel his blood pressure rising. ‘You are joking, I take it?’ he exclaimed. ‘Do
you think a player of my calibre is not capable of dropping the queen of diamonds from queen
doubleton?’
‘Wow, that would be clever,’ Brother Daniel replied. ‘I never thought of that!’

 Intermediate

 Intermediate

 Intermediate
Solutions to “Test Your Defence”
with Julian Pottage See page 52
♠ ♠
1 ♥
K763
J 10 9
2 ♥
A 10 6 2
AJ8
♦ A J 10 7 ♦ Q75
♣ Q4 ♣ A J 10
♠ 10 8 5 2 N ♠ J9 ♠ - N ♠ K4
♥ A6 2 ♥ K4 ♥ 762 ♥ Q 10 9 5 3
♦ Q3 W E ♦ K854 ♦ 10 8 6 3 W E ♦ AK J 2
♣ J 10 8 5 S ♣ 97632 ♣ Q87543 S ♣ K9
♠AQ4 ♠
QJ98753
♥Q8753 ♥
K4
♦962 ♦
94
♣AK ♣
62
WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH
– – – 1NT – – 1♥ 3♠
Pass 2♣* Pass 2♥* Pass 4♠ All Pass
Pass 4♥ All Pass West leads the two of hearts (third and fifth in suits
1NT 15-17 bid by the leader’s partner) and your nine loses to the
2♣ Enquiry for 4- and 5-card majors king. Declarer leads the queen of spades, overtaking
2♥ Five hearts with the ace after West discards a middling club. You
Partner leads the jack of clubs. Declarer wins with the then find yourself on lead with the second round of
ace and leads a low heart to your king. What do you spades. What do you lead now and what do you plan
return? to do later?
The play to the first trick tells you declarer started with Defending when most of the defensive strength lies in
the ace-king of clubs (a singleton ace being impossible one hand often proves tricky. If you think about it, the
on the bidding). The lack of any attempt to take a heart position is hopeless if partner has nothing. While you
finesse indicates that partner holds the ace of hearts. could cash one top diamond without blowing a trick at
This gives your side three tricks–a diamond and two once, anything after that would set up a tenth winner.
hearts. Could a slow spade winner be the setting trick? The only useful card partner can hold is the queen of
A count of points tells you that partner cannot hold clubs. Once you come to this conclusion, you know
both pointed suit queens. Declarer, if not holding the what to do. Switch to the king of clubs. Although you
queen of spades, will hold the queen of diamonds. will have to find quite a few discards, dummy must
You can thus foresee ten tricks against you: two in discard first. You plan to keep the nine of clubs, giving
each black suit and three in each red suit. Your dou- your side three tricks in the minors whatever dummy
bleton makes it unlikely that a spade switch would discards.
help. Declarer would probably knock out the ace of It is less obvious–but you must also keep your two of
trumps and hence your partner’s entry before taking diamonds for as long as possible. If you keep only high
the diamond finesse. diamonds, declarer can force you to choose between
Playing partner for a doubleton queen of diamonds keeping two diamonds and no clubs (and so being
seems a better bet. Switch to a low diamond. Declarer endplayed) or keeping only one diamond, allowing
either loses a ruff (after winning) or two diamond your opponent to set up a club trick. The other trap
tricks. to avoid is the temptation to cash a high diamond at
trick three.



 Intermediate
PARTNERSHIP PROFILE
In this issue, the Editor takes a look at a match from the 2017 Spingold in Toronto .
In the Round of 64 the number 1 seeds, Frank Nickell, Ralph Katz, Steve Weinstein, Robert Levin,
Eric Rodwell & Jeff Meckstroth faced off against Jia Ping Hu, Jian Hua Li, Qing Hong Zhou, Yi
Qian Liu & Weimin Wang, from the People’s Republic of China.
The Hands
(This month all the deals were played at IMPs.)
Hand 1. Dealer East. N/S Vul.
♠ AQ J 9 4 2 N ♠8
♥ J 10 6 ♥ AK Q 3
♦ A7 6 W E ♦ J98
♣5 S ♣ KQJ64
West East
Zhou Wang
– 1♣*
1♠ 2♣
2♠ 3♥
4♦* 4♠
1♣ Precision
4♦ Cue-bid
North’s hand was ♠K65 ♥984 ♦K104 ♣10983, so the defenders were not in a position to attack
diamonds with a view to setting up two tricks in the suit. North led the four of hearts and declarer
won with dummy’s ace and played the king of clubs, South taking the ace and switching to the
three of diamonds. Declarer won with the ace, overtook the ten of hearts, pitched two diamonds
on the master clubs and played a spade to the ace followed by the jack, +450.
By the way, the spade combination will deliver 5 tricks just over 58% of the time.
West East
Weinstein Levin
– 1♣
1♠ 2♥
3♠ 3NT
Pass
South led the two of diamonds and North won with the king and returned the ten, covered in
turn by the jack, queen and ace. A club to the king saw South win and clear the diamonds, but
declarer took a spade finesse and claimed when it lost, +430.
Which contract do you prefer?
If the ten of diamonds is with South, a diamond lead puts either game under pressure, but 3NT
is perhaps more likely to survive - declarer hoping to lose no more than three diamonds and a club.
Recommended auction: If you are happy to bid 3NT with the ♦J98 then both auctions are fine,
but with partner advertising a decent six-card suit there is a case for preferring 4♠. The other

 Intermediate
question is how to interpret a bid of 3♦ by West? Game-forcing of course, and if East does not
bid 3NT West can always bid 4♠ on the next round. But does it ask for a full guard, or suggest
that a half guard (such as the one East holds here) is sufficient. Give West ♦Q6 alone and 3NT
is clearly the best game in so far as 4♠ is just about down in top cards.
Marks: 4♠/3NT 10, part-scores 5.
Running score: Nickell10 (0) Hu 10 (0)
Hand 2. Dealer North. None Vul.
♠ AQ 6 N ♠ K543
♥Q ♥ A 10 9 8 6 3
♦ AQ 7 6 W E ♦—
♣ K J 10 9 6 S ♣ AQ 4
West East
Zhou Wang
– 1♥
2♣ 2♠
2NT 3♣
3♦* 4♦*
4NT* 5♠*
7♣ Pass
Having limited her hand by staring with 1♥ East could happily bid 2♠ on the next round. 2NT
was forcing and 3♣ suggested East might be 4-5-1-3. 3♦ was a cue-bid and when East also showed
a diamond control West asked for key cards, bidding the grand slam when East showed two key
cards and the ♣Q. It looks as if West was assuming that 2♠ must have been based on a suit headed
by the king, or that East’s hearts might be headed by the AK.
North led the three of clubs from his ♠J972 ♥54 ♦K9832 ♣32 and declarer won with dum-
my’s queen, cashed the ace of hearts, ruffed a heart, ruffed a diamond, ruffed a heart, ruffed a
diamond, played a spade to the ace and drew trumps. The last trump saw North, down to ♠J97
♦K9 pitch a diamond, but it was declarer, not South who held the ♦Q, +1440.
If East’s side king is in hearts, declarer will probably need the trumps to break and the hearts
to play for no loser (♥Q opposite ♥AK10986 is a 54% chance). If declarer ruffs a heart he will
usually score five heart tricks, but will then need the spade finesse.
West East
Meckstroth Rodwell
– 1♥
2♣* 2♠
2NT 3♣
4♦* 5♣*
5♦ 5♠
6♣ Pass
2♣ 2+♣ game-forcing
4♦ RKCB
5♣ 2 key cards + ♣Q
5♦ Kings?
5♠ One major-suit king
The play followed similar lines, North being squeezed for the overtrick, +940.

 Intermediate
I suspect if West had known East’s king was in spades he would have bid 7♣.
Recommended auction: I like the Chinese auction. The problem with relying on cue-bidding is
that you may have doubts about the presence of the ♣Q.
Marks: 7♣ 10, 6♣ 8,5♣/4♠/3NT/4♥ 5.
Running score: Nickel l8 (0) Hu 20 (11)
At the end of this set (the second of the match) Hu led 35-27.
Hand 3. Dealer South. E/W Vul.
♠ AQ 5 3 2 N ♠8
♥ J98742 ♥ A K10 5 3
♦7 W E ♦ J9
♣6 S ♣ A K 10 8 7
If West passes North opens 3♦ and South bids 5♦
Liu Wang
– 3♦ 3♥ 5♦
5♥ All Pass
North’s opening bid was based on ♠J6 ♥Q ♦AQ10652 ♣Q432 and when South led the four of
diamonds the defenders collected a trick,+680.
How big a stretch would it be for East to start with a non-leaping Michaels 4♣ (promising
clubs and a major)? I have seen it used on weaker hands than this. That might well see West bid
a slam over South’s 5♦.
West East
– – (2♠*)
Pass 3♠*
4♦* 4♥
4♠* 4NT*
5♥* 5♠*
6♥ Pass
2♠ Spades and a minor
3♠ Hearts and a minor
4♦ Good hand for hearts
4♠ RKCB
4NT 0 or 3 keycards
5♥ Hope it is not zero
5♠ 3 key cards, no ♥Q
Here South’s opening bid on ♠K10974 ♥6 ♦K843 ♣J95 perhaps simplified matters, but it was
still a fine effort to get to 6♥.
Recommended auction: After an opening bid of 3♦ I would risk the descriptive 4♣ with the East
hand. If South then bids 5♦ West can bid 6♥ to offer a choice of major-suit slams - speculative -
but extremely successful. South led the five of clubs, so declarer took all the tricks.
Marks: 6♥ 10, 5♥ 5.
Running score: Nickell 28 (13) Hu 25 (11)

 Intermediate
Hand 4. Dealer East. E/W Vul.
♠ K843 N ♠ AQ 9 7 6
♥ QJ3 ♥ 10 9 4
♦ AK 8 W E ♦ J42
♣ QJ4 S ♣ A9
West East
Liu Wang
– 1♠
3♣* 4♠
Pass
3♣ Spade support in a balanced hand
South held ♠J1052 ♥862 ♦109 ♣7532 and led the ♦10. Declarer won with dummy’s ace and
played a spade to the ace, North pitching the seven of diamonds. Declarer took a second round
of trumps and played a heart to the queen, North winning and switching to the eight of clubs.
Declarer won with dummy’s nine, but he could not avoid the loss of four tricks, -100.
West East
Meckstroth Rodwell
– 1♠
3NT* Pass
3NT Any 4-3-3-3 with game values
North led the five of diamonds and when dummy’s jack held declarer continued with a spade to
the king and ducked a spade to South, who returned a diamond. Declarer won with the king and
played the jack of clubs, covered by the king and ace. He was up to nine tricks, and some imper-
fect discarding by North allowed an overtrick, +630.
Recommended auction: In the last few months I have seen numerous examples of hands with
the values for game where 3NT was much easier than four of a major. Suppose the auction starts
1♠-2NT*-3♠ - now West has an easy 3NT bid and East has no reason to go back to spades.
Marks: 3NT 10, 4♠ 8.
Hand 5. Dealer West. None Vul.
♠ A9 3 N ♠ K Q 10 6
♥ AQ 3 ♥ K10 9 5
♦ Q94 W E ♦ A8 7 6 3
♣ 10 7 6 3 S ♣—
West East
Liu Wang
1♦* (Dbl) 1♥
1NT 2♦*
2♥ 3♦
4♦ 4♠*
4NT 6♦
Pass
2♦ Checkback
4♠ Cue-bid

 Intermediate
Remember, West was limited by his failure to open 1♣, so East’s jump to 6♦ was optimistic, what-
ever West intended with 4NT (was it an attempt to play there?). However, it offered a little more
hope than 3NT which should fail on a club lead.
North, who had doubled on ♠J752 ♥J62 ♦K ♣AKQ54 led the king of clubs and declarer ruffed.
The odds play in the diamond suit is to start with the ace and then play low towards the queen,
which secures four tricks 43.5% of the time. Had declarer done that here he would have had a
chance for a brilliancy. He plays a second diamond for the ten and queen and must then guess to
play three rounds of hearts. When they break 3-3 it is a pound to a penny that North will have
four spades, so declarer continues with a spade to the ace and a spade to the ten. Then comes the
ten of hearts and South can only score one trick in diamonds.
When declarer started trumps with a diamond towards the queen the contract was doomed,
and declarer eventually finished four down, -200.
West East
Meckstroth Rodwell
1♦* (Dble) Redouble
1♥* 1♠
1NT 3♦
4♣ 4NT
5♦ All Pass
I am fairly sure 1♥ was conventional and 3♦ must have been forcing.

North led the ace of clubs and declarer ruffed in dummy, cashed the king of spades and then
played the ace of diamonds. He continued with a spade to the ace, ruffed a club, played a heart
to the ace, ruffed a club, returned to hand with a heart and ruffed his last club. If declarer now
plays dummy’s ♥K he has the chance of an overtrick, but he played the queen of spades and South
ruffed. That meant declarer was held to his contract, +400.
Recommended auction: 1♦-(Dble)-Rdbl-1NT-2♣*-2♦*-3♦-3♥-3♠-4♦-5♦. By bidding 2♣ East
discovers that West is minimum (and cannot have a four-card major). As long as you then play
that 3♦ is forcing it is easy to discover there is no club stopper and settle for game.
Marks: 5♦ 10, 6♦ 5 3NT 2.
The third session had gone well for the number one seeds who now led 83-58.
Hand 6. Dealer West. E/W Vul.
♠ A K 10 6 4 2 N ♠ 75
♥ QJ963 ♥ K8
♦— W E ♦ A 10 8 7
♣ Q7 S ♣ A 10 9 5 3
West East
Liu Wang
1♠ 1NT*
3♥ 4♥
Pass
I am not sure why East preferred to play in hearts.

North led the two of clubs from ♠93 ♥A10 ♦J654 ♣J8642 and declarer went up with dum-
my’s ace, collecting South’s king. Three rounds of spades saw North pitch a club and declarer

 Intermediate
ruffed and played the king of hearts. When that held he played a club. When South failed to ruff
declarer could play the ♥Q and claim twelve tricks,+680.
West East
Meckstroth Rodwell
1♠ 2♣
2♥ 2NT
3♥ 3NT
Pass
Jeff Meckstroth made a very slight error by rebidding 3♥ which promised 5-5 in the majors - he
should have bid 3♠ which would have shown 6-5.
South led the king of diamonds and when that held he continued with the two, North playing
the jack. Had he been able to see all four hands declarer would have romped home, but in prac-
tice he pitched a couple of spades from dummy as he won the second diamond and played the
king of hearts. North won and returned a diamond, +100.
Recommended auction: 1♠-1NT-3♥-4♠ is one possibility. If West rebids 2♥ East has enough to
bid 2NT and will then bid 4♠ over West’s 3♥.
Marks: 4♠ 10, 4♥ 9, 3NT 4.
Hand 7. Dealer South. E/W Vul.
♠ 642 N ♠ KJ
♥ AQ J 9 4 3 ♥ K 10
♦ KJ97 W E ♦ AQ 8 6 4 2
♣ – S ♣ 10 9 4
South opens 2♣ (Precision) and North bids 2♠ and then 5♣
Hu Meckstroth Li Rodwell
– – – 2♣
2♥ 2♠* 3♦ Pass
4♣* 5♣ Pass Pass
5♦ All Pass
2♣ 10-15, 6+♣
2♠ Natural, non-forcing, up to invitational values
4♣ Cue-bid
North’s 5♣ left East with no room to manoeuvre.
If you assume that 4♣ denies a spade control (perhaps a partnership matter, as what does West
do if he thinks a spade stopper will be enough for 3NT?) then West must have a great hand for
diamonds. Even so, it is a leap of faith for East to bid 6♦. On the other hand, how many oppor-
tunities will you get against a team of this calibre?
South, who held ♠A7 ♥875 ♦105 ♣AQJ865 led the ace of spades, securing a trick for his side.
Levin Liu Weinstein Wang
– – – 2♣
2♥ 2♠ Double Pass
4♥ 5♣ Pass Pass
5♦ All Pass

 Intermediate
East must have been surprised to see his partner bid diamonds, but bidding on was not exactly
automatic.
North led the three of clubs, so declarer could claim all the tricks.
Recommended auction: I cannot think of a convincing way to get to 6♦ unless someone pushes
the boat out. It demonstrates the value of preemptive bidding by the defending side.
Marks: 6♦/6♥(E) 10, 6♥/6♦(W) 9, 5♥/5♦ 5.
♠ A 10 9 N ♠ KQ762
♥ A K 10 ♥ J9852
♦ 97 W E ♦ 10 5
♣ AK Q 5 3 S ♣9
West East
Liu Wang
– Pass
2NT 3♥*
4♠ 5♦
6♠ Pass
3♥ Transfer
With his control rich hand West decided to break the transfer (a fourth spade would be essen-
tial for some players) and East then made what looks like a fake cue-bid. As luck would have it
North had been dealt ♠843 ♥73 ♦AKQ8 ♣J1076 and he was not hard pressed to cash two dia-
monds (he led the ♦K which may well have been asking for count (the convention card indicates
that against no-trumps the king asks for an unblock or count, against suit contracts the order of
signals is suit preference followed by standard count).
Meckstroth Li Rodwell Hu
– – Pass Pass
1♣* 1♦ 1♠* 5♦
Double* All Pass
1♣ Strong
1♠ Game-forcing
I think it is possible the double of 5♦ suggested West held no control in the suit.
The defenders were not hard pressed to collect their tricks, so that was five down, -1100.
I am not enamoured by North’s overcall – it is the wrong type of hand on which to try to dis-
rupt the opponent’s auction. Give North a fifth diamond and the overcall has more merit (and
many pairs would be able to start with a bid that showed a two-suiter –1♠ for example).
Recommended auction: After 2NT-3♥*-3♠ East’s choices (depending on agreements are to bid
4♣ to show a shortage, or 4♥ to show a second suit (usually with slam interest). In either case
E/W should be able to discern the lack of a diamond control.
Marks: 4♥/4♠/5♦x 10, 5♥/5♠ 8, 6♠/6♥ 2.
This month’s bonus deal is a corker:

 Intermediate
♠ AJ5
♥ AQ3
♦ AKQ92
♣ A7
♠8 N ♠ 9762
♥ K84 ♥ J9
♦ J87543 W E ♦6
♣ QJ2 S ♣ 10 8 6 5 4 3
♠ K Q 10 4 3
♥ 10 7 6 5 2
♦ 10
♣ K9
Open Room
Liu Weinstein Wang Levin
– 2♣* Pass 2♠
Pass 3♠ Pass 3NT
Pass 5♦* Pass 6♣*
Pass 7♠ All Pass
West led the eight of spades and declarer won in dummy, drew trumps pitching a club, played a
diamond to the ace, cashed the ace of clubs, pitched two hearts on the ace and king of diamonds,
ruffed a diamond and advanced the king of clubs. That saw West, down to♥K84 ♦J, squeezed
in front of dummy, +1510.
Nick Nickell

 Intermediate
Closed Room
Meckstroth Li Rodwell Hu
– 2♣* Pass 2♠
Pass 3♠ Pass 4♣*
Pass 5♦* Pass 6♣
Pass 7♠ All Pass
This was a very similar auction, North asking for key cards and discovering that South held one, plus
the king of clubs and the queen of spades. I prefer South’s 4♣ cue-bid in this room, which might have
seen North bid 4♦. He can always bid 4NT over 4♠ and will know that South does not have the ♥K.
Here West led the seven of diamonds and declarer got home by squeezing West in the red suits.
Meckstroth apologised for his opening lead but on a heart lead would declarer have rejected the heart
finesse in favour of trying for five diamond tricks by running the ten (only a 31% chance). I doubt it.
Nickell took the last set 18-17 to win 101-75. It’s getting harder than ever to predict who will win
matches in the major North American Championships as the quality of the fields continues to rise.
You can play through the deals mentioned in this article.
Just follow the links:
Hands 1: http://tinyurl.com/y8qx2sgv
Hand 2: http://tinyurl.com/y7qohbbf
Hands 3, 4 & 5: http://tinyurl.com/ya79fyfm
Hands 6, 7 & 8 and the bonus deal
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 Intermediate
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 Intermediate
MARKS & COMMENTS
Set 320 conducted by Alan Mould
Welcome again one and all, and a particular welcome
return to occasional panellist from north of the bor- THE BIDS & MARKS
der – Scottish multi international Liz McGowan. Keep Bid Marks No. of Votes
the answers coming Liz. This month the problems 1. Three Clubs 10 11
are: problem 1 was sent to me by David Bird and Pass 9 4
Two Hearts 8 4
comes from the recent USBC Bermuda Bowl trials 2NT 7 1
and the hand was actually held by Eric Greco; prob- Any other bid 1 0
lem 2 comes from Marc Smith; problem 3 from John 2. Double 10 11
Matheson; problem 4 comes from Manchester player Pass 8 6
4N 8 3
Raymond Semp; problem 5 from Tim Cope (of which Five Clubs 2 0
more later); problem 6 from Manchester player Alan Any other bid 1 0
Jones; problem 7 from Manchester player David Bar- 3. Six Clubs 10 13
ton (thanks Manchester!!); and finally, problem 8 Ollie 5NT 9 2
Five Clubs 8 5
Burgess and I held in the final of the Hubert Phillips 6NT 3 0
Cup (the English mixed teams of four knockout event). Pass 2 0
I need to congratulate Ollie and his teammates Fiona Five Diamonds 1 0
Brown, Michael Byrne, and Hugh McGann for win- Five Spades 1 0
4. Four Diamonds 10 18
ning the event from which the eagle eyed amongst you 5NT 8 1
will gather I did not win it . A 20 strong panel this Double 7 1
month so on with the show. Six Clubs 5 0
Five Diamonds 4 0
PROBLEM 1 Four Spades 3 0
Five Clubs 3 0
Seven Clubs 2 0
IMPs. Dealer North. E/W Vul. 5. Four Hearts 10 10
Four Clubs 9 7
♠ 943 Four Diamonds 7 2
♥ AK 3 Four Spades 6 1
♦ A9 2 Five Hearts 4 0
♣ AJ 5 3
5NT
Five Clubs
3
2
0
0
West North East South Pass 1 0
– Pass Pass 1♦ 4NT 1 0
2♦
6. Four Diamonds 10 12
1NT Double* Pass Pass 9 5
? Five Diamonds 8 1
Dble Takeout Five Clubs 7 2
Four Spades 3 0
Bid Marks No. of Votes Four Hearts 2 0
Three Clubs 10 11 7. Four Clubs 10 10
Pass 9 4 Double 9 4
Two Hearts 8 4 Three Spades 8 4
2NT 7 1 Four Hearts 7 2
Four Spades 3 0
Any other bid 1 0 Five Hearts 2 0
Partner has made a takeout double and we have a Six Hearts 1 0
series of unpalatable options. Anything we do could 8. Four Clubs 10 8
be very wrong. Let’s hear first from the man who actu- 4NT 9 6
Four Diamonds 8 3
ally held the hand: 5NT 8 2
Greco: Pass. I believe this is the problem I had in Pass 6 1
the U.S. team trials (yep – AM). I think Pass is the Six Diamonds 2 0
right bid as at least if they make it is not game. Any other bid 1 0
So, the best thing Eric can find to say about the bid

 Intermediate
is that it ain’t game if they make it! He has, rather to he would compete on, but maybe not 4-2-3-4 shape…
my surprise, only three supporters: I do agree though that partner is more likely to have
Lawrence: Pass. Where is our plus if I bid? I’m FIVE clubs than five of any other suit – a point made
willing to bet we can get 100 or 300 in Two Dia- by both Barry and Enri below). If he didn’t want me
monds Doubled. This auction does not guarantee to do this then he shouldn’t have doubled.
a nine- or even an eight-card fit for N/S. (If it did, Rigal: Three Clubs. Mine not to reason why; I
the One Diamond bid would be asterisked to show can see cases for other actions but the suit partner
four diamonds.) is likeliest to have five in is clubs and if they are
That is a very good point Mike. I actually don’t short in diamonds a 4-4 fit might play better than
know what methods N/S were playing – Eric G could 2NT. Take an unremarkable hand ♠K10xx ♥Jxx
tell us – so I do not know if One Diamond could have ♦xx ♣Qxxx; Two Diamonds might or might not
been three cards for example. make, but you can’t reach dummy at no-trump to
Sime: Pass. I hate being a paper tiger, but this looks play clubs. Meanwhile at least Three Clubs has play.
like it will go down even if they have a nine-card fit. Leufkens: Three Clubs. Simple guy, simple bid:
We have no game in sight and I might not even guess take out with longest suit. Game too difficult if
which partial will make. I have an easy lead, and you start to pass or bid three-card suits. Why can’t
a trump shift if dummy suggests that will be best. partner have a 4-3-2-4 or 4-3-1-5?
Green: Pass. I’m happy to gamble a pass. Obviously, No reason at all that I can see.
I could bid 2NT or Three Clubs (not ideal if part- Carruthers: Three Clubs. For two reasons: (1.) I
ner is 5-4-2-2). If partner is planning on going to have clubs and (2.) to tell partner I do not have a
game then we may take this a couple off. four-card major. I have great controls, but the 4x3
I am unconvinced partner will be 5-4-2-2 – surely, is not promising. Typically, Partner is 4-4 in the
they are likely to just bid Two Spades on that shape, majors and, with the diamond ace knocked out
but 4-4-2-3 or even (shudder) 4-4-3-2 is a lively pos- early, the force will soon be on. Nevertheless, if he
sibility. Nevertheless, 11 of the panel follow Kaplan’s bids a major or Three Diamonds, I shall cooper-
famed dictum to take out takeout doubles. We have ate (with a cue-bid or with Three Hearts over his
only one suit, so Three Clubs it is: Three Diamonds).
Alder: Three Clubs. At Pairs, I might gamble with Apteker: Three Clubs. Pass or a natural 2NT may
a pass and lead a trump. be the winning action but partner has asked me to
Is this any less of a gamble Phillip? take out and I do not have extra strength or length
Michael gives us a full analysis: in the opponents’ suit for my overcall. There is an
Byrne: Three Clubs. A horrid problem to start with, additional upside albeit unlikely that the opponents
as anything I choose could lead to disaster. Pass will may bid Three Diamonds which I will double.
sometimes be right (I do have four tricks and the If they were going to bid Three Diamonds they
ability to draw trumps if need be) but could be ter- would already have done so in my experience.
rible if we have game on and dummy or declarer Smith: Three Clubs. Perhaps I am missing the point
is shapely. I was once told to avoid doubling nine- of this problem – am I supposed to defend a doubled
card fits for penalties at the two-level as whatever part-score at the two-level when the opponents have
you work hard to get is nowhere near what you are nine trumps? (As Mike points out they may well not –
due if you played the hand. If partner is just a com- they might not even have eight) 2NT should probably
petitive hand then Two Hearts might be right (he show this shape but suggest better diamonds, I would
could be ♠Axxx ♥Qxxx ♦xx ♣109x for example have thought. So, partner has made a takeout dou-
and with hearts 4-2 Two Diamonds is cold and Two ble and I have a choice between bidding three-card
Hearts has chances). The problem with Two Hearts suits or a four-card suit. Sure, Three Clubs might be
is that if partner raises to Four Hearts on 4-4-1-4 8 a 4-3 fit, but might bidding a major not land us in a
count then I am just in trouble, with spade finesses contract that breaks Burn’s Law (have more trumps
wrong I can’t see game having much chance, there than the opponents)? Still mystified!
is also the chance it could be a 3-3 fit. Since partner Silver: Three Clubs. Just following orders. Partner
would probably have preferred to bid 2M if he had has asked me to bid a suit, and I have obliged him.
five I am going to bid my longest suit, Three Clubs, The danger of bidding one of my three-card majors
since that is the one he is most likely to have support is that if we play a 4-3 fit (likely) it’s partner who is
for (really? I would have thought he was much more taking the pump with his four-card suit.
likely to have support for the majors. 4-4-3-2 shape Bowyer: Three Clubs. Don’t like it but the choices

 Intermediate
are poor. Two Hearts might work out better, or This time there were actually no winning options. Part-
much worse. Haven’t I seen this hand somewhere ner held ♠Q1086 ♥Q96 ♦103 ♣Q862. Two Dia-
before? monds Doubled was cold; the good news was that Three
Depends if you were watching the US trials Paul Clubs was a 4-4 fit – the bad news was that they were
(or channelling Eric G). 5-0 AND you got doubled! With that break Three
Cannell: Three Clubs. Clubs is a suit too. I do not Clubs doubled needed the ♠J right to get out for one
feel I need to obfuscate by bidding Two Hearts here. off. Two Hearts is the double Moysian and will be off
Partner may actually believe I have four of them at least two in natural causes for an entirely different
for that bid. Honesty is sometimes the best policy – -200. It is interesting that in John Swanson’s Western
even at bridge. forum he set the problem from the other side of the
Robson: Three Clubs. 3-3 fits don’t play so well. table. I was in the minority in considering double on
Two Hearts at Pairs. partner’s hand clear cut (the majority was for Pass).
Several mention it – four bid it…. Despite the result I remain unrepentant. At the table
Bird: Two Hearts. There is no guarantee of a club fit. the results were -180 from Two Diamonds doubled
In any case, as Reese used to point out, we would and -200 from Three Clubs Doubled so just another
have to make two tricks more in clubs, playing one flat board…
level higher, for that to be beneficial. Partner will
be able to scramble some diamond ruffs and I can PROBLEM 2
visualize the +110 on my scorecard already.
Well David, you are playing it. Can you still visu- IMPs. Dealer East. None Vul.
alize 110 or is partner just a better declarer than you? ♠ J53
Teramoto: Two Hearts. Double is takeout of dia- ♥ 7
monds and tends to be for the majors. ♦ AJ 9 5 4 2
It is interesting that both female members of this ♣ A7 5
month’s panel go for Two Hearts:
McGowan: Two Hearts. Quite suitable for suit play
– – 1♣ 2♣*
opposite a distributional hand, but partner’s spade
2♦* 4♥ Pass Pass
honours are under the gun so it is hard to see ten
?
tricks in a 4-3 fit. I like to play this double as forc- 2♣ Michaels, 5-5Ms
ing to 2NT, but partner may not agree. Not Three 2♦ Natural and NF
Clubs – that should show 5+cards.
Sally in sad mode: Bid Marks No. of Votes
Brock: Two Hearts. I seem to have got myself to a Double 10 11
place where I always get these wrong, i.e. bid Two Pass 8 6
Hearts and find partner is 4-3-2-4, or bid Three 4NT 8 3
Five Clubs 2 0
Clubs and find partner is 5-4-2-2. I doubt this will Any other bid 1 0
be the exception, but the club spots look unattrac-
We had available a non-forcing Two Diamond bid
tive for a Moysian (or worse) club contract.
(a common method) and duly made it. But we are
And on his own, and frankly with a bid I don’t
pretty good for it – two aces and a nine-count – and
understand the upside of, is Neil:
boy did I receive some stick for the methods (which as
Rosen: 2NT. Straight choice between this and
I say are fairly standard IMHO). Anyway, what to
Three Clubs (pass too rich for my blood). Prefer
do now? Do we “go gentle into that good night”, or
to have five clubs to bid Three Clubs as partner is
“rage, rage against the dying of the light”? Let’s start
usually heavily major-suit oriented for these dou-
with the gentle folk:
bles. Obviously would prefer two diamond stop-
Silver: Pass. With partner staying silent over the
pers but hey ho....
Villain’s Four Hearts, game our way is very unlikely,
It is not obvious to me what 2NT should mean in
so with no game equity to protect, and being old,
this sequence. If we had heavy diamonds we would
and afraid, I’ll pass and hope to score plus.
pass, if we had a major we would bid it and if we had
Teramoto: Pass. 4NT is for the minors, but this
5+ clubs we would bid them, so presumably it does
hand does not have enough for 4NT or double.
indeed show 3-3-3-4 with poor diamonds. But then
Green: Pass. I would be much happier passing
why do we want to play in a contract that if partner
if I could make an invitational plus bid on the
passes we know we cannot make? Too hard for me!

 Intermediate
first round as Two Diamonds from me could be what to do. Double increases the chance of a small
KQ109xx and out (Is that a NF Two Diamond bid loss (losing 5 IMPs when partner has nowhere to
Ben? What is the point? If partner has a fit they will go) but decreases the chance of a huge loss (them
have a major fit. Maybe we will find a good save making Four Hearts when we can make 5m) so I
though) and this hand is a totally different animal. think it is the long term winner.
Saying that do I really want to hang my partner Fair enough! Others make similar points:
when he/she holds a 4-3-3-3 minimum opener? Smith: Double. Your flexible friend! Good defence
I’ll go low on this one. and good offence in either minor. Perfect. Partner
Rosen: Pass. If double was takeout I would defi- could not double Four Hearts since I might have
nitely vote for that - but don’t think it really should had ♦Q10xxxxx and out for my non-forcing bid on
be here having bid a non-forcing Two Diamonds. the last round. Looking at huge defence in context,
4NT far, far too random. I certainly want to offer him a chance to defend if
It would seem that Neil thinks double would basi- he thinks doing so is right. I also must have some
cally be for penalties, whereas those who bid all argue club support too, since a diamond fit is not guar-
that it is cards. Enri, however, and I think Mike, agree anteed. What else? 4NT is too committal, and bid-
with Ben: ding a minor is just guessing when you could con-
Leufkens: Pass. Double, 4NT and pass all make sult partner. Pass is just feeble.
sense. I think chances are big they can make nine Bird: Double. My defence is far better than partner
tricks and we ten. Action double would be great, as will guess from the Two Diamond bid. Partner will
I’ve got nice offense and defence at the same time. judge what to do now. If he suggests Five Clubs, I
But that’s not what double means without prior will give him a thumbs-up sign.
agreement. So, a reluctant pass. Cannell: Double. Co-operative in nature. I have
Lawrence: Pass. Close between doubling and pass- already limited my values with a non-forcing Two
ing. Any effort to find a minor-suit fit is out. At Diamond bid. Two aces sway me towards offering
least it is for me. Since partner didn’t double Four partner a chance to grab a penalty. I would posit
Hearts, I’m guessing they don’t have many heart los- that I must have a modicum of tolerance for clubs
ers. Doubling gets at best 100. At worst, it gets – as well for this double.
590, not necessarily awful but there are even worse Bowyer: Double. Can’t be much better than this for
possible numbers out there if I double. a non-forcing Two Diamonds. If partner has long
Which brings us to the 11 panellists who do dou- clubs (I think he has; haven’t I played this hand?)
ble. Many of them make the same points as Mike but (not unless you played it against Marc Smith) he might
just don’t feel they can pass with two bangers and a well do the right thing and bid Five Clubs.
decent hand. Carruthers: Double. Just enough, with my aces, to
Brock: Double. Hard to let this go, so let’s lose act again. After all, we have more than half the deck.
590 instead! Despite that, minus 590 will not come as a total
A full analysis from Michael: surprise, but nor will plus 550. Ever the optimist.
Byrne: Double. As far as I can see this is a straight Rigal: Double. This is just cards and I don’t mind
forward choice between pass and double, with 4NT conceding 590 occasionally facing a balanced hand
a rather wild outside shot, somehow gambling on in order to get partner to act when he has shape
partner having a diamond fit or a long club suit. I and is minimum.
trod gently with Two Diamonds and now I am Apteker: Double. While Four Hearts could cer-
prepared to invest five IMPs by conceding 590 on tainly make, I have a better hand with much more
a hand where we can probably make nothing, this defensive strength than I have shown for my ini-
spade holding is terrible both for declarer play and tial action.
defence. This isn’t a penalty double but I am expect- Sime: Double. Two Diamonds passable would
ing partner to stand it with balanced hands and pull not have been my choice. Partner has an opening
only with a shapely hand, he could have something bid making game a realistic possibility, and cer-
like ♠Kxx ♥xx ♦Kx ♣KQ10xxx for example and tainly worth an invite. I had better show some life
now Four Hearts is likely to make and Five Clubs now. Hopefully we have agreed that double is extra
will be two down if they find the right defence. The offence/extra defence?
only danger is I am more defensive than I might Robson: Double. Values, not penalty. Playing 5cM,
have been for this bid but all of my aces are in our partner can have a short club and a balanced weak
partnership suits, so hopefully partner will work out no-trump.

 Intermediate
Those arguments sound pretty strong to me! observation of mine that for most North Americans
Three panellists however, decide to unilaterally com- fourth suit in already FG auctions is natural whereas
mit to the five-level, all offering partner a choice of for Brits it is still fourth suit. Sadly (a) the only peo-
minors: ple who commented on this – apart from Joey Silver
Alder: 4NT. You are leading the witness! Two Dia- - were Brits (maybe because the North Americans did
monds was an underbid; Two Spades (unusual ver- indeed consider Three Clubs normal) and (b), by the
sus unusual) was better – unless you play that as second largest majority of the set, the panel felt that
game-forcing and have no bid with a game-invita- they had sufficient extra to bid a slam and having cer-
tional hand like this one. tainly not shown five decent clubs to date, gave part-
Correct! As I said, a fairly common method. ner that option:
Greco: 4NT. Pick a minor. This might be crazy but Sime: Six Clubs. Partner has a good hand and a
I have done worse things. Partner might easily have small slam (at least) should make. 5NT pick a slam
six clubs and have no bid here. will lose the fifth club, which is a probable strain.
McGowan: 4NT. Partner surely has 5+ clubs and A number of panellists ask why we did not bid Three
spade shortage, perhaps 1-4-2-6 (I fail to see why Clubs over Two Diamonds, with varying degrees of ire
Liz. Why can partner not be 3-3-3-4 or even 4-3-3-3 raising from the mildly curious:
for example?). Maybe we can’t make 5m, maybe we Alder: Six Clubs. Would Three Clubs by me over
can beat Four Hearts – or vice versa. The plus side Two Diamonds have promised extra strength despite
of bidding is the chance that we may push them using two-over-one game-forcing? I am assuming
up one – much easier to defend Five Spades than so; hence my (slightly dangerous) bid.
Four Spades. To the downright irate:
This time anything but Pass gets the job done. Part- Robson: Six Clubs. Ridiculous not to bid Three
ner will be delighted to bid 5m if given the option Clubs over Two Diamonds. Now I’m bidding Six
holding ♠xx ♥Kx ♦K10x ♣KJ10xxx (yes I know, Clubs - looks a very good hand facing a singleton
I know – I wouldn’t open either). Four Hearts was heart.
cold and 5m one off. I think the doublers had much And everything in between:
the better of the argument and so have slightly down- Bowyer: Six Clubs. These aren’t my methods so
graded other calls. I’m not sure why I can’t bid Three Clubs on the
second round. Does that promise full reversing val-
PROBLEM 3 ues? Anyway, I have to bid again with this as I am
far from minimum. Six Clubs should get the 5-5
IMPs. Dealer West. Both Vul. shape across and allow partner a choice of slams.
♠ K2 Carruthers: Six Clubs. I have a pretty good hand
♥ A 10 9 6 4 and haven’t shown it yet. I assume Partner is
♦ J 4=2=5=2 or maybe 4=1=5=3. If he has three good
♣ KQ973 clubs, it’s possible Six Clubs will be better than
5NT(by ruffing a heart in his hand, for example, or
having the option to take a ruffing finesse in dia-
1♥ Pass 2♦ Pass
monds). One of the advantages of a 2/1 system is
2♥ Pass 2♠ Pass
that Opener can bid out his shape on hands such as
3♣ Pass 4NT* Pass
this without showing reversing values. Here I much
?
4NT Natural and invitational
prefer Three Clubs to Two Hearts. If I bid like this
with ♠xx ♥AKQxxx ♦x ♣Kxxx and with the hand
Bid Marks No. of Votes I hold, how on earth is Partner to tell what I have?
Six Clubs 10 13 In disagreement with John as to the nature of Three
5NT 9 2 Clubs is his fellow countryman:
Five Clubs 8 5 Cannell: Six Clubs. Since we open rather light in
6NT 3 0 this feature I believe I actually have a good hand
Pass 2 0 for my actions thus far. This should be 5-5 in the
Five Diamonds 1 0
Five Spades 1 0 rounded suits and an acceptance of partner’s quan-
titative action. I agree with the auction to this point
I was hoping that this problem would lead the panel
as a Three Club call after Two Diamonds would
to debate what the meaning of Three Clubs is. It is an
show a high reverse – say, 16+ HCPs.

 Intermediate
OK, well it seems to me having played 2/1 for sev- to comment on Three Clubs – natural for him thereby
eral years now and watched it for many more than adding weight to my view. He also comments that the
there is no consensus in the expert community as to hand is not strong enough for Three Clubs over Two
what a reverse or a new suit at the three-level (a high Diamonds, which is interesting given his long-term
reverse) shows. Some play it shows no extras, some like partnership with….. John Carruthers. A discussion
Drew, that it is still full reversing values, and some for you guys maybe? 
that it shows “mild extras”. As usual, the system does Silver: Six Clubs. With one more club than prom-
not actually define this. I suggest (editor take note to ised, a full opening bid, plus bits and pieces in part-
amend the system!) that for future reference we take the ner’s suits, we should have a decent play for slam,
middle ground and say that reverses and high reverses especially if East can pass Six Clubs. N.B: Maybe I
show mild extras, but not necessarily full reversing am too much influenced by The KOACH but play-
values. In that context, this hand is just on the cusp ing 2/1, I don’t think this hand is strong enough
of whether to rebid Two Hearts or Three Clubs. That for Three Clubs over Two Diamonds.
OK with everyone? Of the slam bidders, only Michael and Eric do not
Carrying on: bid Six Clubs, but instead offer a choice via the en
Lawrence: Six Clubs. Too rich in prime cards not vogue “5NT pick a slam” toy. Michael again gives a
to bid. Even if partner corrects to 6NT, my jack full analysis to support his view:
of diamonds and my 109 of hearts may come into Byrne: 5NT. Pick a slam. Hmm, partner’s actions
play. I play, by the way, that if I wish to proceed seem to suggest a singleton heart (no Three Hearts
otherwise, I can show aces. If we are missing two bid over Three Clubs) without six good diamonds
aces, partner can sign off in 5NT. Otherwise, he (no Three Diamonds bid over Three Clubs) so I
has various other bids to sort out whether to play am inclined to place him with 4-1-5-3. His point
in six of a suit or 6NT. count should be a full value 18-19 so something
Let’s start the (limited) debate about whether our like this looks likely: ♠AQxx ♥x ♦AKQxx ♣Axx,
Three Clubs was natural or fourth suit: in which case grand is with the odds. (just about!).
Brock: Six Clubs. I would have bid 2NT over Two In reality partner always has a bare heart honour
Spades. For me Three Clubs is FSF, not showing. (why this rush to no trumps?) and crappy values
Now I bid Six Clubs. I hadn’t thought about, so I shall banish thoughts
Green: Six Clubs. For me over Two Spades, Three of a grand slam and just concentrate on small slam.
Clubs is not natural, it’s fourth suit forcing (pic- If partner has an offbeat hand I hadn’t expected
ture ♠KQ ♥AKJxx ♦xx ♣xxxx or the like) and so (♠AQJx ♥Q ♦AQ10xxx ♣Ax) then I shall have
if partner has shown a club stopper then I’m happy to hope he has the wit to try Six Diamonds, and
to take a shot at Six Clubs. I would have bid 2NT also the generosity to produce the ten of trumps.
over Two Spades showing a club stopper. Saying Perhaps over Two Spades I should have bid 2NT
that, if Three Clubs is natural then I would pass and let partner pattern out (he would certainly bid
feeling I’ve shown my hand. Three Clubs on 4-1-5-3 now). I am slightly wor-
Rosen: Six Clubs. Would probably have bid 2NT ried he will place me with a very shapely hand and
a round earlier- but this seems to have worked out over-estimate my clubs or hearts.
OK. Greco: 5NT. Pick a slam. I have too much to pass
McGowan: Six Clubs. I guess I might have bid with a nice 13 count and honours in partner’s
3NT last time, but now I know that partner has a suits. They might have to find the heart lead to
little something in clubs – guessing he has a stuffy beat 6NT. Rebidding Three Clubs the first time
4-1-5-3. A bit worried we may miss a grand, but totally depends on your system.
can’t see any other way to suggest clubs as trump. If Thank you Eric!!
he is actually 4-1-6-2 he can convert to diamonds, The remaining five panellists do not commit to
but I think with that that he should bid Three Dia- slam, but bid Five Clubs, not caring much whether
monds rather than 4NT. partner passes or bids:
I’ll make Barry an honorary Brit for this section! Smith: Five Clubs. Just how useful is the ♦J? I
Rigal: Six Clubs. I think I would have bid 2NT guess it depends on whether he has ♦KQ10xxx or
over Two Spades, but now I bid Six Clubs, think- ♦AKxxx. Partner’s failure to bid Three Hearts at his
ing short hearts opposite will make play in the suit third turn suggests he has a singleton there, so a
more desirable. club slam is not out of the question. Can he have
And our third Canadian is the only North American

 Intermediate
much less than ♠Axxx ♥K ♦KQxxx ♣AJx for his Alone amongst the panel Alon considers Pass as an
jump to 4NT? 2/1 is still relatively new to me and, option:
whilst Two Hearts looks like the obvious rebid to Apteker: Five Clubs. Showing the fifth club and
me, I have been told by players who do claim to allowing partner to bid Six Clubs with 4-1-5-3
understand 2/1 that Two Hearts shows a six-card and sharp cards or pass with a 4-1-6-2 hand. Pass
suit and Three Clubs does not show extra values. is also reasonable as the hand is a minimum with
Seems potty to me (how does anyone ever know shape similar to that suggested in the auction so far.
when partner is minimum?), but I am hopeful for Partner held an excellent fitting hand ♠AJxx ♥K
some clarification from those panellists who do ♦KQ10xx ♣AJ10 so 6NT was the top spot with Six
understand the system. Clubs a very close second. Not knowing of the ♦J part-
Well Marc, has all the discussion about that helped ner will obviously accept clubs as a trump suit and
you at all? Because I don’t think it has me… six as the level.
Leufkens: Five Clubs. I suppose Three Clubs in
the second round is OK as Two Diamonds is GF. PROBLEM 4
I suppose the way I bid didn’t say anything about
IMPs. Dealer North. E/W Vul.
strength, so I can have a lousy 11 up to 17 HCP
(♠Kx ♥AQxxxx ♦J ♣AKxx). That’s why I don’t ♠ AK Q 4 2
choose Six Clubs but only Five Clubs. Hopefully ♥ A2
partner can appreciate the right high cards and raise ♦—
if good, but I realise that’s difficult! ♣ AK J 7 6 5
Bird: Five Clubs. If partner held a doubleton heart, West North East South
he would have bid hearts by now. His shape may – 1♦ Pass Pass
well be 4-1-5-3, so I will show my fifth club. Double 3♦ Pass Pass
Teramoto: Five Clubs. Showing 5-5 and hoping ?
he can raise to Six Clubs.
Bid Marks No. of Votes
ACBL Encyclopedia of Four Diamonds 10 18
5NT 8 1
Bridge Double 7 1
Six Clubs 5 0
Official ACBL Encyclopedia of Bridge – Five Diamonds 4 0
7th Edition Four Spades 3 0
Edited by Brent Manley, 600+ pages Five Clubs 3 0
Seven Clubs 2 0
(Hardback)
This hand was given to me by Raymond Semp, who,
OUT NOW now a sadder and wiser man, played in Four Clubs.
RRP £49.95 SUBSCRIBERS’ £45 + post free I thought it would make a good problem, but I didn’t
to UK customers (£10 for overseas customers) think hard enough about the hand… Given that Two
The most complete volume of bridge informa-
Diamonds the first time would have shown the majors,
tion and instruction ever compiled.
then logically now Four Diamonds must show a very
strong two-suiter with clubs and a major (anyone who
Over 600 easy-to read and easy-to-search argues this shows a 4-4-0-5 24 count can wait until
pages the next millennium when they pick one up). By the
• Thousands of entries largest majority of the set (90%...) the panel duly
covering bridge terms, make the obvious bid. Sorry folks:
conventions, sys- Brock: Four Diamonds. Presumably can’t be 5-5
tems, rules, and top majors so should be 5M & 5♣, or some other hand.
personalities. At least now if I bid Four Spades over Four Hearts,
• Contains a CD-ROM partner should not pass with spade shortness.
containing hundreds of For the third time Michael gives us a very full anal-
extra biographies that ysis to justify his (eminently correct) bid:
didn't make the printed Byrne: Four Diamonds. Since I couldn’t show both
edition suits last time I think this is what I need to do this

 Intermediate
time. I don’t see what else I could have done previ- Good news for you too Joey… now read on.
ously lacking a two-suited bid, the only downside to Alder: Four Diamonds. This should show a big
double was partner passing it but we’ve weathered club-major two-suiter. I would have bid Two Clubs
that storm. I’m not going to risk partner passing on the first round if I had a wire that it would not
a second double holding ♠xxxx ♥xxx ♦J9xx ♣Qx have been passed out.
or the like where grand is close to being cold (that Yes, wouldn’t we all, Phillip.
hand is going it a bit Michael, but I agree entirely Rigal: Four Diamonds. Now seems to get my two-
with the point), so Four Diamonds will do. Over suiter off my chest and it should be clubs + major
Four Hearts I will bid Four Spades and over a black since I’d always start with Two Diamonds when
suit I will be having a go at slam. A lot of guess- holding majors.
work, but when in doubt go for the action with Lawrence: Four Diamonds. Partner will probably
the most upside. bid Four Hearts and I will guess to bid Five Clubs.
Green: Four Diamonds. I hate double but what This will lead to a discussion of what kind of hand
else can you do? (Well Ben, see Iain’s answer below I have. Would like to risk bidding Six Clubs instead
as to what I think makes sense) I bid Four Diamonds but that would be a bit risky. Hoping partner reads
now as a two-suiter (not the majors else I would me for both black suits.
have started with Two Diamonds) with a game- Might this be read as a very, very good hand with
forcing single-suiter I would have just bid game in clubs and a diamond void? I don’t know. Cannot say
my suit now. I have discussed this with anyone, ever.
Leufkens: Four Diamonds. I agree with double. Less hopeful is Paul:
No alternative, so very curious what other panel- Bowyer: Four Diamonds. Nasty problem. There
lists come up with . (Again – see Iain Sime). Four are Yarboroughs opposite that offer play for grand
Diamonds could show major and minor, but I slams and there are hands where game is fraught
wouldn’t bet on it without prior agreements. After (e.g. ♠xx ♥xxxxx ♦xxxxx ♣x). I’ll convert Four
Four Hearts from partner I would bid Five Spades. Hearts into Five Clubs and see if partner gets the
And pray he understands it. message. Probably not...
Sime: Four Diamonds. That will get us by this Indeed!
round, and it may not go Pass – Four Hearts - Pass. Smith: Four Diamonds. This should show a two-
Is the world ready for Leaping Michaels in the bal- suited hand and not majors (as I could have bid
ancing seat over a one-level opener? Who would Two Diamonds on the first round with that). Plan-
ever want to bid Four Clubs natural? ning to convert Four Hearts to Five Clubs, hope-
I have to say this has never occurred to me, and seem- fully getting across the shape and strength. After
ingly not to most of the panel either, and yet it seems all, I only need something like ♠xxx ♥xxx ♦xxx
so obvious!! You cannot possibly want to bid 4m in the ♣xxxx to make Six Clubs decent. Of course, find-
passout seat on ANY hand so it surely must be Leap- ing a playable game might be a struggle opposite
ing Michaels. Which is a pretty good start on this hand! ♠xx ♥Jxxxxx ♦Qxxx ♣x, but I don’t see a way to
Maybe even, if we say that all hands with the majors stop in Four Hearts opposite that.
start with Two Diamonds, then Four Clubs shows hearts Greco: Four Diamonds. I will start here and follow
and clubs and Four Diamonds spades and clubs? with 5NT over the likely Four Heart bid to have
Bird: Four Diamonds. If I held the majors, I would partner pick a slam. I am not sure if this is better
have bid Two Diamonds in the first place. So, Four or not than just bidding 5NT directly but since I
Diamonds must now show clubs and a major. Over have no clear way to bid this hand I will force to
the expected Four Hearts, I will judge brilliantly slam as even game could go down if I catch bad.
what to do next. And will partner read that as a choice between the
Fair enough… But I actually have good news for black suits? I will tell you this – I wouldn’t!
you David. Now read on… If you want to ensure partner picks between the
Carruthers: Four Diamonds. My next problem will black suits, will this do it?:
be tougher, when Partner bids Four Hearts. Robson: Four Diamonds. Then (over Four Hearts)
I have good news for you as well John. Now read on… Six Clubs. Partner should get the message.
Silver: Four Diamonds. This is the easy part, the Apteker: Four Diamonds. Over Four Hearts, I will
hard part is what to do if the OX bids Four Hearts bid Four Spades to show a spade/club hand. I might
(over Four Spades and Five Clubs I will probably have bid 2NT on the previous round and converted
bid a grand). Three Hearts by partner to Four Clubs or Four

 Intermediate
Hearts to Four Spades to show the big two-suiter. PROBLEM 5
Err…. 2NT would have been 19-21 balanced Alon!!?!
McGowan: Four Diamonds. Hating the double: IMPs. Dealer East. All Vul.
guess it’s my own fault for not having better agree-
ments! Cue-bid in the passout seat should show any ♠ A Q 10 6 5 2
two suits, since 2NT is no longer available for the ♥-
minors. But now partner will realise that I do not ♦ A 10 5 2
have a big major two-suiter - must be clubs and a ♣ J97
major, or 4-4-0-5. I shall convert Four Hearts to West North East South
Four Spades and hope for the best. – – 1♣ 1♥
Teramoto: Four Diamonds. A very strong offensive 1♠ 3♥* 3NT Pass
bid. If I double again he may pass. ?
Which brings us to the (very) minority choices. I am 3♥ Pre-emptive
grateful to Drew and Neil for avoiding the dreaded Note: This is the same hand as Problem 5 from Set
unanimous panel: 318, with a different auction.
Cannell: Double. I agree with my first double – now Bid Marks No. of Votes
it is for Alan and the panel to agree with my second Four Hearts 10 10
double  (that’s a no from the panel and a no from Four Clubs 9 7
me Drew ). If I simply volunteer Four Clubs (or Four Diamonds 7 2
even Three Spades) after the enemy Three Diamond Four Spades 6 1
bid I think that suggests a very strong single-suited Five Hearts 4 0
hand (an immediate jump to Two Spades or Three 5NT 3 0
Clubs after the One Diamond opening in pass-out Five Clubs 2 0
seat would be intermediate). So, a further double Pass 1 0
and a removal of partner’s likely Three Heart bid 4NT 1 0
would portray two suits (I will bid Four Clubs if OK, this hand had a note on it that it was the same
partner does bid Three Hearts). If partner does bid hand as Problem 5 from Set 318 with a different auc-
one my suits after this second double – all in at the tion. That different auction consisted of partner passing
seven-level! Three Hearts (rather than bidding 3NT), us doubling
Rosen: 5NT. Who knows? Agree with double pre- and then partner bidding 3NT. Then the voting was
vious round. seven for Four Spades, and three apiece for Pass, Four
I really do not see how partner is supposed to know Hearts and Four Clubs. Here, of course, with partner
to bid Six Clubs on (say) ♠xx ♥QJxxx ♦xxxx ♣xx…. voluntarily bidding 3NT, partner has shown rather
OK I have telegraphed this enough. Over Four Dia- more values and so we would expect the panel’s actions
monds, partner bids….. Four Spades! It is now not to be different. Not surprisingly perhaps, no one passed,
so tough to reach the grand opposite ♠Jxxxx ♥Kxxx arguing that we must be in a slam hunt or even if
♦xx ♣xx. not, it is highly unlikely that 3NT is the best game
(after all partner didn’t pass Three Hearts doubled so
his hearts cannot be that enormous). Exactly half the
CARD TABLES panel bid Four Hearts, all of course agreeing equally
exactly about its meaning. Yeah, right….
FOR SALE Cannell: Four Hearts. This time partner freely bid
Refurbished old tables standard size 3NT in the competitive auction. Therefore, I expect
with new green baize top more values than two months ago. I want to target
all three suits for a possible slam. Something that
£29 each Four Clubs after 3NT will not do here.
Will deliver within reasonable distance So, Four Hearts brings all suits into play.
Eric is rather more realistic about how partner
DANNY ROTH will read it:
47 Bearing Way, CHIGWELL, Greco: Four Hearts. This is a bit of a curve ball to
ESSEX IG7 4NB throw at partner but hopefully partner will play me
for something like this. I might bid Four Clubs as
020 8501 1643 tel/fax dannyroth@btinternet.com
well but with only three trumps that could be wrong.

 Intermediate
Green: Four Hearts. Same as last time, spades not too many points in this pack already, the opponents
good enough to rebid and we could easily have a must have ten hearts between them given that they
club slam on. have about 12 points, so I fancy our chances for a
So, Four Hearts is mainly about spades. slam. (In fairness, I always fancy our chances for
McGowan: Four Hearts. Shows a void and club a slam/) (believe me, he speaks the truth!). What is
tolerance – at least from this side of the table. With the best way forward? I think I shall start with Four
a lot of heart wastage he can bid 4NT and I shall Clubs and see where it takes me, likely that I will
pass. If he is minimum for his actions he can bid end up leaping to 5NT as pick a slam and hoping
Five Clubs and I shall pass. we come to rest in the right spot, but for now the
So, Four Hearts shows a void and club tolerance. cheapest and most space saving bid looks best.
Leufkens: Four Hearts. Let’s see what partner can Michael gives the options for partner, as does Alon.
bid. I don’t know where we belong, so can’t make I do agree with Michael though that it does seem a
an unilateral decision (like Four Clubs). bit unlikely he has 18-19 balanced given we have 11,
So, Four Hearts is “I don’t know where we belong, particularly given they are vulnerable. Still, stranger
do you?” things have happened.
Bowyer: Four Hearts. Interesting problem. Six Apteker: Four Clubs. Partner should have either
Clubs may well be the spot if partner is bidding long clubs with a heart stopper or an 18-19 bal-
on good clubs; if not we may get preference to anced hand, so slam is in the picture.
Four Spades. Marc agrees with Michael and myself on the most
Barry is honest about being unsure: likely hand pattern for partner:
Rigal: Four Hearts. I have no idea what to do but Smith: Four Clubs. Partner is quite likely to have
showing a slam try with short hearts can’t be all bad. good clubs and a hearts stopper to justify 3NT when
I’d bid Four Clubs with primary club support so I have all this in the pointed suits. Game, small
does this self-agree spades? Not sure. slam or even a grand in clubs is still in the picture,
And Neil similarly so: and this seems the best way to get the ball rolling.
Rosen: Four Hearts. Hmm... tricky. John also treats us to an analysis:
Teramoto: Four Hearts. We may have a slam on, Carruthers: Four Clubs. Let’s look at these unpleas-
but it is not clear. ant choices: (a.) Pass - Partner might very well have
Phillip goes through all the options and tees us up AQx or KQ10 of hearts, but equally, could have Axx,
nicely for the rest of the panel offerings: Kxx, or QJx; (b.) Four Clubs - pretty poor support
Alder: Four Hearts. Partner must be strong, so it in a five-card major system, but it’s not as though I
is possibly a slam deal. But I am not sure how to have any clear-cut alternative; (c.) Four Diamonds -
proceed: Four Clubs (a card shy), Four Diamonds it’s much less likely that diamonds is our spot than
(half a card shy), Four Hearts, or 5NT (which could clubs, spades or notrumps; (d.) Four Hearts - not
get us to a no-hope slam). After spending too long sure what that will accomplish, with no suit agreed;
deciding, I am opting for the clear-cut slam-try that (e)Four Spades - the suit is not good enough and
does not commit us to six. our hand is better than that anyway.
It is a clear cut slam try, but as we can see from the Fair enough!
above, that is all that is clear about it! Bird: Four Clubs. I forget the previous auction (Set
Onto the other optiond. We start with Mike, 318), also how many points I scored for bidding
Lawrence: Four Clubs. Forcing. Four Clubs then. Regardless of that, Four Clubs
And who can deny that! seems totally obvious now, whatever problems I may
Michael is full of lengthy and erudite analyses this encounter later when trying to show all my controls.
month and he has praise for this problem: Well, it was not obvious to 65% of the panel David.
Byrne: Four Clubs. This is a fascinating problem And last time you scored 9, so that is consistent.
as any four-level bid is a logical alternative! Four Robson: Four Clubs. Partner may have a trick
Clubs to support partner’s “suit”, Four Diamonds source in which case I am massive.
to bid our second suit, Four Hearts as a cue-bid, We have a couple for bidding our other suit – such
Four Spades as ongoing (not sure that’s what it as it is:
means but there you go) or 4NT as an off centre Sime: Four Diamonds. Same hand as Set 318 but
invite! Partner rates to hold either real clubs or a this is a completely different scenario. Previously
flat 18-19 with hearts covered. It just feels to me partner passed Three Hearts, usually showing a
like he is likely to have real clubs, since there are weak 1NT. Now partner has bid game opposite

 Intermediate
what might be a five-count. He may have 18/19 months later I set the problem from the other hand,
balanced or running clubs (of course my wire told having reversed the minors in the hope that the panel
me he hasn’t). I will shape out anyway. would not pick it (and, remarkably, no one did). And
Brock: Four Diamonds. Not sure partner definitely this month we have the problem from the spade hand
has long clubs, as he could be 18-19. If he has long when partner did volunteer 3NT. As you can see Six
clubs I would expect him to bid Five Clubs or 4NT Diamonds is more or less cold and Seven Diamonds
next and I will bid Five Hearts. very playable (and cold at the table I am told). It
Alone amongst the panel, Joey takes a pessimistic does seem a remarkably difficult hand to get to grips
view of the hand and just bids what he thinks is the with after the intervention though and certainly the
right game: diamond hand pretty much needs to bid an immedi-
Silver: Four Spades. Just looking for our safest game, ate 3NT to get close. Thanks for a great problem Tim.
and passing 3NT with a void and a six-card spade
suit just doesn’t do it for me. PROBLEM 6
This is a remarkable hand and I have got not just
two, but three, problems out of it! The hand was sent IMPs. Dealer West. None Vul.
to me by Tim Cope (where are you Tim? We miss you). ♠ AJ 4
The two hands were actually ♠x ♥Kxx ♦AKQxxx ♥ AQ 9 6 4
♣Kxx opposite ♠AQ10xxx ♥ – ♦Jxx ♣A10xx. Tim ♦ A9 5 4
said he wasn’t sure where to set the problem and indeed ♣ 5
from which side of the table. I wasn’t either so I thought
I would do both. I started with setting the problem
1♥ 4♣ Double Pass
as Set 315, problem 7, from the diamond hand after
?
the auction
1♦ 1♥ 1♠ 3♥ Bid Marks No. of Votes
Pass Pass Double Pass Four Diamonds 10 12
? Pass 9 5
Five Diamonds 8 1
That was not much of a problem as the panel voted Five Clubs 7 2
by 18-3 for 3NT. A number of panellists also com- Four Spades 3 0
mented that they would have bid 3NT over Three Four Hearts 2 0
Hearts and that is certainly sorely tempting. So, three The first question is does this four-level double commit
us to game? My vote is a clear cut “no” and hence Four
Diamonds is non-forcing. Thus Four Diamonds on our
15-count with three aces and short in the opponents’
suit is entirely inadequate. Nevertheless, the majority
of the panel bid precisely that, about half arguing that
YOUNG CHELSEA partner’s double did indeed establish a game force and
about half thinking it doesn’t but don’t think the auc-
tion will end with Four Diamonds and don’t care if
BRIDGE CLUB it does. Let’s interleave them:
Apteker: Four Diamonds. Partner’s negative double
One of the World’s Great Bridge Clubs is best played as game-forcing above Three Spades
so I am not concerned about being passed out. If
partner bids Four Hearts, I will bid Four Spades
Duplicate every weekday evening which should show the three spades and suggest
this shape. Partner should not mistake this for a
Tel: 020 7373 1665 cue-bidding sequence as we are still searching for
the best strain.
www.ycbc.co.uk Cannell: Four Diamonds. I do have a rather good
hand, but aces and spaces may not garner enough
tricks if I try something more aggressive at this
point. I will simply bid my other suit and see what
partner has to offer next – if anything.

 Intermediate
Alder: Four Diamonds. This must be forcing to hearts. Suits normally break badly and partner
because partner’s double is a game-force (assum- is probably 4-2-4-3 (he hasn’t bid his own suit or
ing I do not pass). raised hearts) so I am sure pass won’t be a disaster,
McGowan: Four Diamonds. Will feel a bit ill if he it’s amazing how often he turns up with a trump
passes, but he won’t do that, will he? With a club trick to get 500 with game doubtful, or 800 if game
stack he would pass, waiting for the re-opening, so is making.
we should have game on. Don’t want to bid Five Lawrence: Pass. I can’t think of a bid I really like.
Diamonds – sounds like at least five cards. Four Four Diamonds feels feeble; Four Hearts is a silly
Spades on the Moysian may be best…. or he might guess; Four Spades is a daring guess. I’ll pass and
have stretched the double with ♠Hxxx so I need to hope for 300 or 500. Yes, we might miss a slam.
keep that option open. May miss slam, but looking That’s the worst case scenario. But if we have one,
for a plus score in a crowded auction. perhaps the penalty will be greater.
Greco: Four Diamonds. Partner’s double has to be Leufkens: Pass. Take out takeout doubles, I wrote
GF so I will start here. down at first. But if I’m going to bid Four Dia-
Rosen: Four Diamonds. (With a bit to spare), Five monds, how would we get to the best game or slam
Clubs seems much too much as an alternative. anyway? Sure, I can guess Four Spades, but who’s
Brock: Four Diamonds. I play we are in a game telling me that a wise choice without seeing part-
force after this double, otherwise it is too difficult. ner’s hand? So, looking at my three aces, I suppose
Rigal: Four Diamonds. Not enough maybe but they will go down, which seems a better choice
you could make a case that this was forcing. This is than guessing by me and partner on strain and level.
a really nasty problem with no good solution; not Two bid Five Clubs, arguing that it shows three
enough for Five Clubs, whatever that means, and places to play. Errr – does it?
partner may not even have four spades on a bad day. Carruthers: Five Clubs. Partner has some cards for
Indeed! 3-2-5-3 is hardly an impossible shape, and double. I can’t resist the aces and the flexibility of
then won’t a clever Four Spades play well… three places to play.
Sime: Four Diamonds. Forcing opposite a four- Green: Five Clubs. Four Diamonds would not be
level negative double. forcing for me so I can’t bid that. Pass is out when
Bird: Four Diamonds. I can’t see any reason to the opponents could have an eleven-card fit, I can’t
pass, which could easily misfire. My hand is quite rebid my hearts with only five and I’m not bidding
good and it seems right to simply choose a suit. I a three-card spade suit. The only other possibility
would like a fifth diamond before venturing Five is to bid Five Diamonds but that sounds like a five
Diamonds now. bagger to me.
Teramoto: Four Diamonds. If partner bids Four Funny you should mention Five Diamonds:
Hearts, I will bid Four Spades. Silver: Five Diamonds. Too strong for Four Dia-
Smith: Four Diamonds. Finding the right strain is monds (or Four Spades for that matter), but not
the first priority, so I’ll make the natural bid and see strong enough for Five Clubs, hopefully this will
what happens next. Too difficult if I am supposed get the job done, and partner will know what to do
to look at my aces and choose to defend. with a dearth of aces, but a good diamond holding
Which brings us to: along with the major-suit kings.
Bowyer: Pass. In solitary pomp, I daresay, but this Yes, he will pass! I cannot see partner ever bidding
does look the best way to get a plus score. What do six when we have three aces and a stiff club.
you want to play in opposite, f ’rinstance, ♠Kxxx I think the lesson of this hand is to know how far
♥x ♦KQxx ♣Jxxx? your high level takeout doubles are forcing! It seems
Not alone at all Paul. You should have predicted to me that the passers made good arguments. Partner
this at least: held ♠Kxxx ♥Kx ♦KJ10xx ♣Jx and you can make
Robson: Pass. Take the money. Plus, if I don’t pass, Six Diamonds if you pick the diamonds but that is
what do I bid? unlikely as the pre-emptor has Qx. He is ♠x ♥xx ♦Qx
Three others as well: ♣AKQxxxxx so Pass gets you the world’s most obvi-
Byrne: Pass. No doubt we miss a grand slam or ous 300 – hardly a disaster against game. And if the
something when partner has ♠KQxx ♥Kx ♦KQxx opponents arrive in Four Hearts and get the diamonds
♣Axx but what on earth am I supposed to bid? I wrong, or Four Spades with the 5-1 break…
don’t think Four Diamonds is even forcing and
it’s not as if I am desperate to get preference back

 Intermediate
PROBLEM 7 Certainly not an easy hand regardless of how we
choose to investigate.
IMPs. Dealer North. E/W Vul. Carruthers: Four Clubs. Great problem. We intend
to play in hearts, yes? (If yes, then how do you intend
♠— to get to them??) Thus, Leaping Michaels (only if
♥ A K Q J 10 6 forcing), is an attractive choice. If Four Clubs is not
♦ A 10 forcing, we must Double, I suppose.
♣ AJ 9 8 5 McGowan: Four Clubs. May as well trot out the
West North East South Leaping Michaels, which I play as forcing. I already
– Pass Pass 2♠* have an urge to bid slam, which may mean the auc-
? tion develops with a leap to Six Hearts, but I shall
2♠ Natural and weak try to restrain myself. Over Four Hearts I cue-bid
Bid Marks No. of Votes the spade void. Over Five Clubs I bid Five Hearts
Four Clubs 10 10 in the hope that he will appreciate any club honour.
Double 9 4 OK, that will get you to hearts, I suppose.
Three Spades 8 4 Green: Four Clubs. Leaping Michaels (assume this
Four Hearts 7 2 is forcing if not I would start with Three Spades)
Four Spades 3 0 to start with then if partner bids Four Diamonds
Five Hearts 2 0 I plan to bid Four Spades showing a monster with
Six Hearts 1 0 a spade control.
Well, I was always taught that you NEVER bid Leap- Neil has a useful toy:
ing Michaels with a six-card major, let alone a solid Rosen: Four Clubs. Clubs and hearts, then probably
one like this, as you always ended up in the wrong a spade cue-bid next. Playing my preferred methods
suit. Shows what I know, as half the panel do just that: I could bid Three Spades (initially a stopper ask)
Apteker: Four Clubs. Showing clubs and hearts. but later revealed to be a huge two-suiter with six
It is important to get across the suits and playing hearts by bidding Four Hearts. This would show an
strength as North could well bid Four Spades. If even bigger hand than Four Clubs directly for me.
North passes and partner bids Four Hearts, I will Lawrence: Four Clubs. Clubs and hearts. I expect
pass as he is likely to have spade values and we may more bidding so that my discrepancy in hearts and
not be safe at the five-level. If he bids Five Clubs I clubs may survive a later auction. Hard to predict
will once again pass as he could have bid stronger how it will go.
on the way to Five Clubs. If partner bids Four Dia- Silver: Four Clubs. Which has the virtue of both
monds, which I like to play as last train for the being forcing while showing my two suits. Of course
major, or Four Spades (last train for the minor), I this is the easy part, the hard part comes with the
will cue the other suit on the way to slam. OX’s next bid.
And if partner bids Five Clubs, as he will, on ♠KJxx Alder: Four Clubs. I am assuming this is Leaping
♥x ♦xxxxx ♣xxx you are in a practically no play game Michaels, forcing to at least Four Hearts, which is
with Four Hearts excellent. what it would be on the west side of the pond.
Greco: Four Clubs. Or Three Spades (depending Those who cannot stomach Four Clubs are divided
if Micheals or clubs + major). I will start here and into three camps. Four for “double and hope to survive”:
see how the bidding develops. Bird: Double. I am far too good to bid Four Hearts
A panellist who reads the column – and remem- immediately. Leaping Michaels would be a joke with
bers it!: this heart suit and Three Spades would ask for a
Cannell: Four Clubs. Since I prefer to play Leap- spade stopper (when holding a good minor). So, I
ing Michaels as a one-round force I think I can will have to start with a double. If partner leaves it
try this even though I have a sixth heart. If we in and the pickings are inadequate, I will be ready
play Barry Rigal’s “Glide” - Four Diamonds as an with my ‘What else could I do?’
attempt to sign-off in either of our suits we can cue Bowyer: Double. For now. I may be forced to take
Four Spades to show the monster with first-round a punt at Six Hearts later if things get messy. Quite
spade-control on the way. Then, when he signs off unsuitable for Leaping Michaels in my view.
anyway we can respect that (if he instead moves Smith: Double. I’ll take the slight risk of partner
with a forward going 4NT we can continue the defending as I am too strong for a direct Four Heart
slammish auction with a Five Diamond cue-bid). overcall (even though that does show a very good

 Intermediate
hand) and Four Clubs Leaping Michaels will get Four Spades – Pass – Pass to bid Five Clubs and if
us to the wrong suit when partner is, say, 1-3 in partner doubles Four Spades I’ll bid Six Clubs.
the rounded suits. If all he can do is bid 2NT Leb- Partner held ♠Kx ♥xx ♦Kxxx ♣10xxxx and rather
ensohl I’ll settle for a jump to Four Hearts then, surprisingly the opponents took no further part in the
which should show something like this. bidding. So, the Four Club bidders will get Five Clubs
Brock: Double. I realise this risks partner passing, I would have thought (surely this isn’t enough for a
but the alternatives – Four Hearts or Four Clubs – slam try?), the Three Spade bidders 3NT, the doublers,
carry a lot of risk too. I have too much in hand 2NT, and the Four Heart bidders the dummy. This is
for Four Hearts (even though it does show a good a tough hand to bid to slam with any authority on a
hand) and I hate bidding Four Clubs with a six- free run and maybe just too hard after this start unless
card heart suit, specially this good a one. you just drive it.
Four for Three Spades, which in our methods is
conveniently undefined: PROBLEM 8
Byrne: Three Spades. This is a tough hand because
Four Clubs (Leaping Michaels) won’t get the job IMPs. Dealer East. All Vul.
done as partner will never give preference to a sin- ♠ Q
gleton heart, and he will prefer Five Clubs to Four ♥ KQ5
Hearts when he holds Qxx and a low doubleton. I ♦ A 10 9 7 4
am expecting Four Spades to come back to me, if I ♣ A K 10 5
have bid Three Spades then I will stand a double (as
have promised little defence and have actually got a
1♠ Pass
fair bit) and bid Five Hearts over a pass. If there is
2♦* Pass 2♥ Pass
no Four Spade bid then partner probably has four
2NT Pass 3♦ Pass
or five of them and I will pull 3NT to Four Hearts
3♥ Pass 3NT Pass
as a slam try, or bid a slam if partner shows signs of
?
life other than a spade stopper. A lot of guesswork
2♦ BM standard, so natural and FG
as usual but we have huge playing strength and a
solid trump suit so we won’t go far wrong I hope. Bid Marks No. of Votes
Leufkens: Three Spades. Must be something like Four Clubs 10 8
5-5 with hearts, so easy for now. 4NT 9 6
A lot play it as stopper asking over here Enri. Four Diamonds 8 3
Teramoto: Three Spades. This hand is not good for 5NT 8 2
a double as it is too offensive. Three Spades is stop- Pass 6 1
Six Diamonds 2 0
per asking and can include hands like this. Any other bid 1 0
Sime: Three Spades. I assume that we play this as
I held this hand in the last set of the Hubert Phillips
Michaels. The popular alternative is “bid 3NT with
final when we were 4000 aggregate points down (no,
a stopper,” but I don’t see that on our system (you
we didn’t win) so it was not a question of whether to
don’t see Michaels either). If Three Spades is Michaels,
bid a slam, but which one to bid. I chose this:
we save a little space vis-à-vis Four Clubs, Leaping
McGowan: 5NT. Pick a slam. I am not an expert
Michaels. For example, partner will respond Four
in two over one, but would prefer Three Clubs to
Clube, pass or correct, with a bust. When I correct
2NT so I could pattern out with Four Hearts. Part-
to Four Hearts, I have extra values and extra hearts.
ner appears to be 5-4-3-1, which is confusing, but
And finally, two for a heavy Four Hearts.:
I take his Three Diamonds as a forward move, so I
Robson: Four Hearts. Heavy but I may get a sec-
shall pass the buck.
ond chance. All other calls are more problematic.
No Liz. Partner is 5-4-3-1 and has shown little inter-
Rigal: Four Hearts. Here there is a real risk that if
est in a slam.
I double, it will go all pass. Equally Three Spades
Brock: 5NT. I want to play in slam but don’t know
is a stopper ask and Four Clubs Leaping Michaels
which one. If partner has good spades, we could
doesn’t do my suit quality differential justice. I play
have 12 tricks in anything but diamonds (or clubs).
Four Spades over Two Spades as minors better than
I thought it might make a good problem in different
4NT so that is out, which leaves what? Four Hearts
circumstances and so it proved, being the only prob-
is an underbid but maybe acceptable under the cir-
lem in the set where the bid with the most votes did
cumstances. I hate it but I’ll do it. Planning over

 Intermediate
not have a majority. Just eight votes for Four Clubs. Teramoto: 4NT. Natural and invitational. 6NT
We start with Mike who holds up the high standard may be better than Six Diamonds because of the
of panel predictions:: poor quality of the diamonds. I will pass though if
Lawrence: Four Clubs. Alan, is this the first unan- partner bids Six Diamonds over 4NT.
imous bid during your history of moderator? I’d Carruthers: 4NT. This defines my hand within a
rather ask for aces but this auction would make point or two. Although Four Clubs would tell him
4NT sound natural. Perhaps Four Clubs instead I’m interested, it would not be as definitive as 4NT.
of Three Hearts would work better. My queen of spades and extra club strength makes
Bowyer: Four Clubs. The problem here is that I’m up for not being 2=3=5=3.
not sure if partner is just patterning out with Three Robson: 4NT. I like our bidding so far and now,
Diamonds, and would do so on any old 5-4-3-1 facing a partner’s 5-4-2-2, I invite slam.
hand (yes – any 5-4-3-1 hand would bid Three Dia- David makes a blatant attempt to sweet talk the
monds) or whether Three Diamonds is encourag- conductor:
ing, showing more than a minimum. I suspect the Bird: 4NT. Natural slam try. Suggesting a diamond
former; even so, Six Diamonds is good opposite slam with Four Diamonds looks risky with such
♠A10xxx ♥AJxx ♦Kxx ♣x. Thus, I make the most moderate trumps. This was a good set of problems.
economical slam try. Perhaps I will get the ‘Comment of the Month’
Michael is here again with his analyses: award for this rare compliment.
Byrne: Four Clubs. In principle, a cue-bid agree- Greco: 4NT. Maybe a bit light but worth the chance
ing diamonds. I am not intending to necessarily be in an unpractised partnership even though partner
locked into diamonds (partner might something did not bid Three Spades.
like ♠KJ10xx ♥AJxx ♦Jxx ♣Q making 6NT bet- Green: 4NT. A gentle try for slam. I wouldn’t mind
ter) but I do want to progress the bidding as all my bidding 4NT over Three Diamonds as quantitative.
points appear to be working, and the diamond inter- Three lock into diamonds:
mediates might be the difference between Six Dia- Leufkens: Four Diamonds. Set the trump suit. I
monds being a good spot and no play, e.g. partner don’t think chances are big that slam is on, as part-
has ♠AJxxx ♥Axxx ♦Jxx ♣Q. I could also bid 4NT ner needs a lot in hearts, diamonds and clubs for
as a quantitative invite, but there are many mini- it to be good. But I haven’t shown extras yet, and
mums where slam is cold, it is more to do with the partner hasn’t shown or denied extras either. So
quality of partner’s points for a suit contract, rather have to make another try.
than his number of points for a no-trump slam. Surely 3NT denied serious extras Enri?
Sime: Four Clubs. Six Diamonds is probably about Apteker: Four Diamonds. Unambiguously setting
the quality of partner’s diamonds. Since he can’t diamonds as suit for slam investigation purposes.
have that much in the other suits I am hopeful. I want to hear Four Hearts whereafter I will key-
I asked the panel if they wanted to comment on card as slam has reasonable play opposite as little
the auction to date. I got pleasant replies (given it as ♠Axxxx ♥Axxx ♦Kxx ♣x.
was how I bid it!): Smith: Four Diamonds. (Or Four Clubs if that
Rigal: Four Clubs. Your auction so far seems impec- would be RKCB now, which it probably should).
cable; I’d like to use keycard here for diamonds We know partner’s shape and the right minimum
(Four Hearts as Redwood?) but failing that option opening bid, something like ♠KJxxx ♥Axxx ♦KQx
Four Clubs cue-bid may get something helpful from ♣x makes Six Diamonds good, so we have to make
partner…or not. a forward move. Not a good advert for using 4NT
Cannell: Four Clubs. I think this is a continuation as RKCB when our suit is a minor, as we will not
of cue-bids for diamonds. In relation to the previ- have a particularly good continuation when part-
ous Three Heart bid. I agree with the auction to ner cue-bids a major-suit ace next.
this point as well. It leaves the most room for the Not for the first time in this set, Joey takes a seri-
partnership to go about our business. ously conservative view completely out of kilter with
Alder: Four Clubs. Ever upwards. the panel:
Rosen: Four Clubs. Looks quite likely that a slam Silver: Pass. By bidding 3NT over Three Hearts,
is close - can’t give up yet - surely Four Clubs is just partner has shown three-card diamond support with
a cue-bid now and hence is our most economical no slam interest, in which case that makes two of us.
slam try. Might just bid 4NT instead I suppose. Well Joey, do you think partner should have bid dif-
As do six of the panel: ferently on ♠AJxxx ♥A10xx ♦K8x ♣x? I certainly

 Intermediate
don’t think so and yet Six Diamonds is where you
definitely want to be. When I played this rationally
(trumps were ♦J opposite ♦Qxxx) this came home for
a slam swing in. This merely reduced the losing margin
to 3000 points or so as our opponents in the Hubert
Phillips final, Fiona Brown, Hugh McGann, Ollie
Burgess and panellists and captain Michael Byrne
ran out worthy winners. My congratulations to them.
As David Bird said this was a decent set of problems
apart from problem 4 which was close to unanimous.
Joint leaders of the pack are Phillip Alder and Paul
Bowyer on 78 with Drew Cannell and Barry Rigal
just behind on 77. A real opportunity for the readers
to outscore the entire panel.
It only remains to award the comment of the month.
Despite there being no jokes this month, and despite
David’s attempt to lead the conductor, that is awarded
hands down to Michael Byrne for a whole series of eru-
dite analyses. I am sure that means even more to him
than winning the Hubert Phillips Bowl.
Phillip Alder
SET 320 – THE PANEL’S BIDS & MARKS

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Total
Phillip Alder USA 3♣ 4NT 6♣ 4♦ 4♥ 4♦ 4♣ 4♣ 78
Paul Bowyer England 3♣ Dble 6♣ 4♦ 4♥ Pass Dble 4♣ 78
Drew Cannell Canada 3♣ Dble 6♣ Dble 4♥ 4♦ 4♣ 4♣ 77
Barry Rigal USA 3♣ Dble 6♣ 4♦ 4♥ 4♦ 4♥ 4♣ 77
Alon Apteker South Africa 3♣ Dble 5♣ 4♦ 4♣ 4♦ 4♣ 4♦ 75
Michael Byrne England 3♣ Dble 5NT 4♦ 4♣ Pass 3♠ 4♣ 75
John Carruthers Canada 3♣ Dble 6♣ 4♦ 4♣ 5♣ 4♣ 4NT 75
Eric Greco USA Pass 4NT 5NT 4♦ 4♥ 4♦ 4♣ 4NT 75
Mike Lawrence USA Pass Pass 6♣ 4♦ 4♣ Pass 4♣ 4♣ 75
Liz McGowan Scotland 2♥ 4NT 6♣ 4♦ 4♥ 4♦ 4♣ 5NT 74
Andrew Robson England 3♣ Dble 6♣ 4♦ 4♣ Pass 4♥ 4NT 74
Iain Sime Scotlan Pass Dble 6♣ 4♦ 4♦ 4♦ 3♠ 4♣ 74
Marc Smith England 3♣ Dble 5♣ 4♦ 4♣ 4♦ Dble 4♦ 74
David Bird England 2♥ Dble 5♣ 4♦ 4♣ 4♦ Dble 4NT 73
Ben Green England Pass Pass 6♣ 4♦ 4♥ 5♣ 4♣ 4NT 73
Neil Rosen England 2NT Pass 6♣ 5NT 4♥ 4♦ 4♣ 4♣ 73
Sally Brock England 2♥ Dble 6♣ 4♦ 4♦ 4♦ Dble 5NT 72
Enri Leufkens Netherlands 3♣ Pass 5♣ 4♦ 4♥ Pass 3♠ 4♦ 71
Tadashi Teramoto Japan 2♥ Pass 5♣ 4♦ 4♥ 4♦ 3♠ 4NT 71
Joey Silver Canada 3♣ Pass 6♣ 4♦ 4♠ 5♦ 4♣ Pass 66

 Intermediate
rd
23 RED SEA
INTERNATIONAL
F E S T I V A L
E I L AT - I S R A E L
NOVEMBER 9-19, 2 17
Tournament Program
Mixed Pairs November 9,10
M.P. Pairs November 11
National Simultaneous November 12
IMP Pairs November 13,14
Open Pairs November 15,16,17
Teams November 18
Participants from All Over the World
Including European and World Champions.
Entrance Fee
€18 per session.
Total Prize Money in Excess of €25,000
Special Accommodation Packages
Daily Social Events
Perfect Weather 25°C
BASMAN/ TENENBAUM 3.2017
Further information and registration:

Organizing Committee: David & Alon Birman, 50 Pinkas St., Tel Aviv, Israel
Tel.: +972-3-6058355, +972-50-6698655, Email: birmand@inter.net.il, www.bridgeredsea.com

Bidding Competition – Set 321
Open to all – Free Entry
See following pages for system and method of entry
PROBLEM 1 PROBLEM 5
IMPs. Dealer South. E/W Vul. IMPs. Dealer South. N/S Vul.
♠ K5 ♠ —
♥ QJ ♥ J6
♦ K852 ♦ K Q J 10 9 3
♣ AK J 5 3 ♣ QJ854
West North East South West North East South
– – – 2♥* – – – 1♦
? Pass 1♠ Pass 2♠
2♥ Natural and weak ?
PROBLEM 2 PROBLEM 6
IMPs. Dealer North. None Vul. IMPs. Dealer North. None Vul.
♠ QJ84 ♠ Q8432
♥ AK 9 7 2 ♥ 7
♦ A K 10 ♦—
♣ 10 ♣ AK Q J 9 8 2
– 1♠ 2♠* Pass – 1♦ Double 3♦*
? ?
2♠ Michaels, 5-5 hearts & a minor 3♦ Pre-emptive
PROBLEM 3 PROBLEM 7
IMPs. Dealer East. E/W Vul. IMPs. Dealer North. None Vul.
♠ K7 ♠ J8532
♥ AJ 6 4 ♥ 65
♦ Q73 ♦ K J 10 8 7 6
♣ 9732 ♣ —
– – 2♣* 3♠ – 1♣* 1NT Double
Pass* Pass 4♦ Pass ?
? 1♣ 2+ ♣s
2♣ 23+ balanced or any FG hand
Pass Values, about 6+ and therefore FG PROBLEM 8
IMPs. Dealer South. E/W Vul.
PROBLEM 4
IMPs. Dealer North. N/S Vul.
♠ K
♥ A2
♠ J9 ♦ A Q 10 5 4 3
♥ Q ♣ A 10 8 6
♦ AQ 5 2 West North East South
♣ KQJ953 – – – Pass
West North East South 1♦ Double 1♠ 2♥
– 2♠* Double 3♠ ?
? Note Double would show three spades


How to enter
Send your chosen bid in each of the eight sequences opposite, preferably by email, to John Carru-
thers at: marksandcomments@gmail.com. Alternatively, you can enter by post, to: John Carruthers,
1322 Patricia Blvd., Kingsville ON N9Y 2R4, Canada. Entries must be received by the 31st Octo-
ber. Include your name, address and telephone number. Please quote the month, competition and
value of your prize when ordering Master Point Press books.
Grand Prix
PRIZES In addition there is an annual Grand Prix with
1st £50 Master Point Press books Master Point Press prizes of £100, £50 and £35.
2nd £25 Master Point Press books Only scores of 50 and over will count and the
3rd £15 Master Point Press books maximum score is 400. Each contestant’s Grand
4th £10 Master Point Press books Prix total is their five best scores over the year
(January – December).
Bridge Magazine Bidding System

Basic Method response 2NT is a relay asking for a high-card
feature if not minimum with 3NT showing a
Natural good suit, non-minimum. 3♣ asks for a sin-
Five-card majors gleton with 3NT showing a singleton ♣. 4♣
is RKCB
Minors are three cards in length minimum.
Always open 1♣ with 3-3 or 4-4, so 1♦ is 3 Three-level openings are natural and pre-emp-
cards only if precisely 4-4-3-2 shape tive. Over 3♦/♥/♠, 4♣ is RKCB and over 3♣,
4♦ is RKCB.
15-17 no-trump in all positions and
vulnerabilities 3NT opening is Acol gambling – solid suit and
at most a queen outside.
Two over one is game forcing in all uncontested
auctions Four-level openings are natural.
A 1NT is up to a non-game force but it is not- No-trump bidding:

forcing. However the only hands that Pass are After 1NT 15 – 17, 2♣ = Stayman, 2♦/2♥ =
weak no-trump types. transfers, 2♠ = ♣s with 2NT/3♣ denying/show-
Jumps at the two-level are weak (eg, 1♦ – 2♠) ing a fit, 2NT = ♦s with 3♣/♦ denying/showing
and at the three-level are invitational (eg 1♥ a fit. After this new suits are splinters. 3♣ is 5
– 3♣) card Stayman, 3♦ is 5-5 ms FG, 3♥/♠ 1-3-(4-
5) / 3-1-(4-5) and FG. 4♣ is 5-5 majors, game
1M – 3M is a limit raise only, 4♦/♥ = ♥/♠s (then 4NT = RKCB and
new suits are Exclusion).
Inverted minors are played. 1m – 2m is F2NT
and 1m – 3m is pre-emptive. Over 1m – 2m, 1NT rebid = 12 – 14 with 2♣ a puppet to 2♦
2NT is a WNT and is non-forcing, 3m is unbal- to play in 2♦ or make an invitational bid, 2♦ is
anced and non-forcing. All other bids are at least game forcing checkback, new suits at the 3 level
quasi-natural and FG are 5-5 FG and higher bids are auto-splinters.
Weak 2♦, 2♥ and 2♠ (5 – 9, six-card suit). In


Jump 2NT rebid = 18 – 19 with natural Jumps when a bid of the suit one level lower is
continuations. forcing are splinters, as are four-level responses
in a lower-ranking suit to 1♥/1♠. Jumps when
After 2 over 1, 2NT is 12-14 balanced or 18-19 the previous level is forcing are splinters.
balanced and 3NT is 15-17 range with a reason
not to have opened 1NT 4th suit = game-forcing.
3NT rebid after a one-level response shows a When responder’s suit is raised a return to open-
good suit and a good hand. er’s suit is forcing.
After 2NT, 20-22, 3♣ = Stayman, 3♦/3♥ = Slam bidding:
transfers, 3♠ = slam try with both minors. Four-
Roman Key Card Blackwood (1 or 4, 0 or 3, 2,
level bids are as after 1NT opening.
2 + trump Q).
Kokish is played after 2♣ opening (2♣-2♦-2♥-
Exclusion Blackwood only in clear circum-
2♠-2NT is 25+ balanced FG, and 2♣-2♦-2NT
stances including a jump to the five-level in a
is 23-24 balanced NF)
new suit and after 1NT – 4♦/♥. Responses are
Initial response: 0, 1, 2.
Jump shifts are weak at the two-level and invita- Cue-bids are Italian style, that is the lowest con-
tional at the three-level. Bidding and rebidding trol is shown regardless of whether it is first or
a suit is invitational, bidding and jump rebid- second round or a positive or negative control
ding a suit is FG (eg 1♦, 2♥ is weak, 1♦, 1♥, and skipping a suit denies a control in that suit.
2♣ 2♥ is invitational; 1♦, 1♥, 2♣, 3♥ is FG). Exception: a negative control in partner’s suit is
not shown immediately.
2NT after 1♣/1♦ is natural and invitational
without 4M. The default for 5NT is “pick a slam”.
2NT after 1♥/1♠ = game-forcing with 4+ card Competition:
support. Continuations in new suits are splin-
Responsive and competitive Doubles through
ters, 3♥/♠ extras with no singleton, 3NT =
3♠ – after that, Doubles are value-showing, not
18-19 balanced, 4 new suits are 5-5 good suits,
4♥/♠ minimum balanced. penalties.
Continuations: Negative Doubles through 3♠ – after that, Dou-

bles are value showing, not penalties.
1x – 1M – 2M promises four-card support or
three-card support and an unbalanced hand. After a 1M opening bid and an overcall, 2NT =
Balanced hands with three-card support rebid four-card limit raise or better and a cue-bid is
1NT a three-card limit raise or better, raises are pre-
emptive, change of suit forcing one round but
Reverses are forcing for one round after a one- not FG. New suits at the three-level are FG.
level response. The lower of 2NT and 4th suit
encompasses all weak hands, responder’s rebid After a 1m opening and an overcall, 2NT is nat-
of own suit is F1 but not necessarily strong, all ural and invitational and the cue-bid is a limit
other bids are FG. raise or better, raises are pre-emptive, change
of suit F1 but not FG, new suit at the three-
All high reverses are game-forcing. level is FG.


Fit-jumps after opponents overcall or take-out Defences:
Double.
Against all pre-empts, take-out Doubles with
Fit jumps after our overcalls. Jump cue-bid is a Lebensohl responses – same structure as above.
mixed raise (about 6-9 with four-card support)
2NT is rarely natural in competition (except as
Double jumps are splinters. defined above). Possibilities include Lebensohl
or scramble if game is not viable.
Lebensohl applies after interference over our
1NT. An immediate 3NT shows a stopper but Over 2M, 4♣/♦ are Leaping Michaels (5,5 in
not 4oM, 2NT then 3NT shows a stopper and ♣/♦ and oM, FG). Over Natural weak 2♦, 4♣ =
4oM, 2NT then cue-bid shows no stopper but Leaping Michaels (5, 5 in ♣ & a M with 4♦ to
4oM immediate cue-bid shows no stopper and ask for M). Over 3♣, 4♣ = Ms and 4♦ = ♦&M
no 4oM. In summary 3NT at any time shows with 4♥/♠ as P/C. Over 3♦, 4♣ = Nat and
a stopper and cue-bid at any time denies one, a 4♦ = Ms. Over 3♥, 4♣/♦ = Nat, 4♥ = ♠&m,
jump to 3♠ (eg 1NT – 2♥ – 3♠) is FG. 4NT = ms. Over 3♠, 4♠/♦/♥ = nat, 4♠/4NT
= two-suiter
2NT is rarely natural in competition (except as
defined above). Possibilities include Lebensohl Over their 1NT, Double = pens, 2♣ = majors,
or scramble if game is not viable. 2♦ = 1 major, 2♥/♠ = 5♥/♠ & 4+m 2NT =
minors or game-forcing 2-suiter.
Overcalls:
Over a strong 1♣, natural, Double = majors,
After a 1M overcall, 2NT = four-card limit raise
1NT = minors, Pass then bid is strong.
or better and a cue-bid is a three-card limit raise
or better, raises are pre-emptive, change of suit
forcing one round. Fit jumps, jump cue is a
mixed raise (about 6-9 and four trumps)
After a minor-suit overcall, 2NT is natural and
invitational and the cue-bid is a limit raise or
better, raises are pre-emptive. Fit jumps, jump
cue is a mixed raise (about 6-9 and four trumps)
Weak jump overcalls, intermediate in 4th.
Michaels cue-bids. 1m -2m = Ms, 1M – 2M
= oM and m with 2NT asking for the m, inv+
and 3m P/C
Send stamped addressed envelope to Chess & Bridge Ltd for WBF style Convention Card. You will be
able to find a link to the new Convention Card on our web site.
IMPORTANT! New email address!! please send entries to: marksandcomments@gmail.com


WEST Bid these hands with those on the following
Hands for the page with your favourite partner; then turn to
October 2017 Partnership Profile Partnership Bidding inside to see how your score
compares to that of the experts
Hand 1. Dealer East. N/S Vul. Hand 5. Dealer West. None Vul.
♠ AQJ942 ♠ A93
♥ J 10 6 ♥ AQ3
♦ A76 ♦ Q94
♣ 5 ♣ 10 7 6 3
Hand 2. Dealer North. None Vul. Hand 6. Dealer West. E/W Vul.
♠ AQ6 ♠ A K 10 6 4 2
♥ Q ♥ QJ963
♦ AQ76 ♦ —
♣ K J 10 9 6 ♣ Q7
Hand 3. Dealer South. E/W Vul. Hand 7. Dealer South. E/W Vul.
♠ AQ532 ♠ 642
♥ J98742 ♥ AQJ943
♦ 7 ♦ KJ97
♣ 6 ♣ —
If West passes North opens 3♦ and South bids 5♦ South opens 2♣ (Precision) and North bids 2♠ and then 5♣
Hand 4. Dealer East. E/W Vul. Hand 8. Dealer East. E/W Vul.
♠ K843 ♠ A 10 9
♥ QJ3 ♥ A K 10
♦ AK8 ♦ 97
♣ QJ4 ♣ AKQ53
BIDDING COMPETITION Why not enter a bridge hand or bidding problem of your
own for use in BRIDGE Magazine?
SET 321
♠
(for the October Competition) ♥
My answers are (the Adjudicator)
♦
1. ♣
♠ ♠
2. ♥ ♥
3. ♦ ♦
♣ ♣
4. ♠
5.
♥
♦
6. ♣
7. WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH
8.
Total marks: Name: (please print)

Email to marksandcomments@gmail.com
or post to: Bidding Competition (292), Address:
John Carruthers, 1322 Patricia Blvd.
Kingsville ON N9Y 2R4, Canada Telephone: ___________________________________
Entries must be received by

31st October.


EAST Bid these hands with those on the previous
Hands for the page with your favourite partner; then turn to
October 2017 Partnership Profile Partnership Bidding inside to see how your score
compares to that of the experts
Hand 1. Dealer East. N/S Vul. Hand 5. Dealer West. None Vul.
♠ 8 ♠ K Q 10 6
♥ AKQ3 ♥ K10 9 5
♦ J98 ♦ A8763
♣ KQJ64 ♣ —
Hand 2. Dealer North. None Vul. Hand 6. Dealer West. E/W Vul.
♠ K543 ♠ 75
♥ A 10 9 8 6 3 ♥ K8
♦ — ♦ A 10 8 7
♣ AQ4 ♣ A 10 9 5 3
Hand 3. Dealer South. E/W Vul. Hand 7. Dealer South. E/W Vul.
♠ 8 ♠ KJ
♥ A K10 5 3 ♥ K 10
♦ J9 ♦ AQ8642
♣ A K 10 8 7 ♣ 10 9 4
If West passes North opens 3♦ and South bids 5♦ South opens 2♣ (Precision) and North bids 2♠ and then 5♣
♠ AQ976 Hand 8. Dealer East. E/W Vul.
♥ 10 9 4 ♠ KQ762
♦ J42 ♥ J9852
♣ A9 ♦ 10 5
♣ 9
BIDDING COMPETITION
Set 319 Top Scores Grand Prix Standings 1 Peter Hawkes 375
Well done James Dunlop, leading the after Set 319 2= Olga Shadyro 371
way this month on 77! James receives ₤50 Peter Hawkes jumps into the lead with 2= Nick Simms 371
worth of Master Point Press books from this month’s 76. Three months to go, 4 Bill Gordon 370
Chess and Bridge. One back, tied on definitely enough time for more changes. 5= Tugrul Kaban 368
76 are Chris Bickerdike, Peter Hawkes Only your best five scores of the year 5= Andrew King 368
and Mike Perkins – the random draw count at the end, so the more times you 5= Mike Perkins 368
awarded ₤25 worth of books to Peter, ₤15 enter the better chance you have for five
worth of books to Mike and ₤10 worth 8 Stuart Nelson 365
good scores!
of books to Chris. 9 Frank Turton 364
Remember the email address!! Please
10= Chris Bickerdike 363
Other Good Scores send entries to:
10= James Carpenter 363
72 Graham Johnson, Frank Turton marksandcomments@gmail.com
10= Bill Linton 363
71 James Carpenter, Mike Ralph The old address has been phased out.
13 Nigel Guthrie 361
70 Stuart Nelson, Andy Poole
14 Graham Johnson 359
69 Bill Gordon, Edwin Lau, Nick Simms If your own records do not agree with 15 Tony Burt 357
68 Phil Callow, Tina Jay Chobham these standings, please email so we can
check. 16= Norman Massey 356
67 Jeff Callaghan, Norman Massey
16= Andy Poole 365
66 Andrew King
18 Edwin Lau 355
19= Axel Johannsson 352
19= Mike Ralph 352
!

BOOKS FROM MASTER POINT PRESS
Master Point Press are the world’s leading bridge book publisher and winner of many bridge publishing awards. A list of Masterpoint titles
can be found below - for full details on each of these titles please visit www.bridgeshop.com. Recent releases are highlighted in bold.
Please note, winners of the Bidding Competition do not get the 10% Subscriber discount when redeeming their prize
VOUCHERS and a deduction will also be made to cover the cost of postage. For further details please call 020 7288 1305
Deadly Endplay (fiction) Allen, Ken £12.95 Falsecards (New Edition) Lawrence, Mike £14.95
Shades of Grey (fiction) Allen, Ken £11.95 Tips on Bidding Lawrence, Mike £12.95
Six Steps to Winning Declarer Play Apfelbaum, Jay £11.95 Tips on Cardplay Lawrence, Mike £13.95
I Love This Game Auken, Sabine £12.50 Tips on Competitive Bidding Lawrence, Mike £12.95
25 Bridge Myths Exposed Bird, David £10.50 Encyclopedia of Card Play Techniques Levé, Guy £21.95
Arrow Through the Heart (fiction) Bird, David £11.95 Bridge Squeezes Complete Love, Clyde. E £14.95
Bridge Endplays for Everyone Bird, David £12.95 Bridge, Probability and Information MacKinnon, Robert F. £12.95
Bridge Squeezes for Everyone Bird, David £11.95 Win the Bermuda Bowl with Me Meckstroth & Smith £11.50
Clever Plays in the Trump Suit Bird, David £12.95 Competitive Bidding in the 21st Century Miles, Marshal £11.50
Defensive Signaling at Bridge Bird, David £11.95 Inferences at Bridge Miles, Marshall £11.50
Off-Road Declarer Play Bird, David £11.95 It's Your Call Miles, Marshall £12.95
Somehow We Landed in 6NT Bird, David £12.95 Modern Constructive Bidding Miles, Marshall £11.95
Winning Duplicate Tactics Bird, David £12.95 My System: The Unbalanced Diamond Miles, Marshall £11.95
Winning Notrump Leads Bird & Anthias £10.95 Bridge in the Menagerie (fiction) Mollo, Victor £13.95
Winning Suit Contract Leads Bird & Anthias £10.95 Card Play Technique Mollo & Gardener £14.95
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Following the Law Cohen, Larry £9.95 Swings and Arrows (fiction) Mollo, Victor £13.95
Larry Cohen's Bidding Challenge Cohen, Larry £9.95 The Hog Takes to Precision (fiction) Mollo, Victor £11.95
To Bid or Not To Bid Cohen, Larry £11.50 Kickback: Slam Bidding at Bridge Munger, Robert £7.95
Death in Duplicate (fiction) Coplea, Carole £13.95 First Book of Play Problems O’Connor, Patrick £10.95
Standard Bidding with SAYC Downey & Pomer £11.95 Second Book of Play Problems O’Connor, Patrick £10.95
A Modern Approach to Two-Over-One Eichenbaum, Ken £8.95 Bridge Behind Bars (fiction) Pottage & Smith £12.95
I Shot My Bridge Partner (fiction) Granovetter, Matthew £9.50 Clues from the Bidding Pottage, Julian £10.95
Murder at the Bridge Table (fiction) Granovetter, Matthew £9.50 Defend These Hands with Me Pottage, Julian £11.50
Bridge Conventions in Depth Granovetter & Granovetter £13.95 Play or Defend? Pottage, Julian £8.95
Bridge Master Vs Bridge Amateur Horton, Mark £11.95 Defend or Declare? Pottage, Julian £11.95
Misplay These Hands with Me Horton, Mark £11.95 Deadly Hold-Up Priebe, Jim £11.95
The Hands of Time Horton, Mark £10.50 Double Elimination: A Bridge Mystery (fiction)
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The Mysterious Multi Horton, Mark £12.95 Takeout Double: A Bridge Mystery (fiction) Priebe, Jim £11.50
Duplicate Bridge at Home Horton & Gittelman £12.95 Positive Declarer Play in Bridge Reese & Pottage £10.50
The Bridge Magicians Horton & Kielbasinski £11.50 Positive Defense in Bridge Reese & Pottage £10.50
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The Rabbi’s Rules Horton, Mark £12.95 Accurate Cardplay Reese & Trezel £12.95
Building a Bidding System Hughes, Roy £11.50 Imaginative Cardplay Reese & Trezel £12.95
Canada’s Bridge Warriors Hughes, Roy £15.95 Modified Italian Canapé System Rexford, Ken £8.95
Card by Card Hughes, Roy £11.50 New Frontiers for Strong Forcing Openings Rexford, Ken £8.95
Fantunes Revealed Jacobs, Bill £9.95 Overcalling Opponent's 1NT Rexford, Ken £6.95
Polish Club International Jassem,Krzysztof £10.95 Really Unusual Notrump (R.U.N.T.) Rexford, Ken £7.95
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Classic Kantar Kantar, Eddie £9.50 Rodwell Files: Secrets of a champion Rodwell, Eric £17.95
Defensive Tips for Bad Card Holders Kantar, Eddie £14.95 25 Bridge Conventions You Should Know Seagram & Smith £10.50
Kantar on Kontract Kantar, Eddie £10.50 25 Bridge Conventions You Should Know: Seagram & Bird £9.99
Modern Bridge Defense Kantar, Eddie £13.95 Practice Makes Perfect
Roman Keycard Blackwood - 5th ed. Kantar, Eddie £13.95 25 More Conventions You Should Know Seagram & Bird £10.50
Topics in Declarer Play Kantar, Eddie £13.95 25 Ways to Be a Better Defender Seagram & Bird £10.50
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The Right Bid at the Right Time Kimelman, Neil £12.95 25 Ways to Take More Tricks as Declarer Seagram & Bird £10.50
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Complete Book Takeout Doubles (2nd ed.) Lawrence, Mike £15.95 The Lone Wolff Wollf, Bobby £15.95
WORLD CHAMPION COMPUTER BRIDGE IN 2001 (TORONTO), 2002 (MONTREAL), 2003 (MENTON), 2004 (NEW
YORK), 2006 (VERONA), 2009 (WASHINGTON), 2010 (PHILADELPHIA), 2012 (LILLE) AND 2013 (BALI)
JACK’S BACK
NOW WITH SUBSTANTIALLY IMPROVED BIDDING AND PLAY

- Built in convention cards SAYC, Precision, - True English playing cards by Carta Mundi.
Moscito, Acol, 2/1 GF, and many others.
- Deals in tournament, random or controlled by deal profile.
- Over 100 conventions.
- Multilingual CD with English, Dutch, French, German,
- Network play. Italian and Polish.
- Professor Jack analyses your play and offers advice. - Compose your own convention card.
- Play competition on the virtual bridge club. - Instantaneous double dummy problemsolver.
- Define computer personalities and fine tune the playing strength.
- System requirements: Windows XP, Vista, Windows 7,
- Many tournaments with frequency charts included. Windows 8
GET JACK 6 for PC for just £54* (RRP £59.95)

GET JACK 6 (upgrade version**) for PC for just £27* (RRP £29.95)
* To claim your discount when ordering online simply enter JACK10 in the coupon code box at checkout.
**Upgrade version requires Jack version 5 to be installed on your PC
ORDER ONLINE AT WWW.BRIDGESHOP.COM OR CALL 020 7486 7015

FIND OUT WHAT MAKES JACK THE STRONGEST BRIDGE PROGRAM AVAILABLE
BY DOWNLOADING THE FREE DEMO FROM OUR WEBSITE

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