SIN

SU G NO
CRUISES TO CLASSICAL PP LE
LE CA
ME BI
CIVILISATIONS NT N
*
BRIDGE CRUISES - AUTUMN 2012

ISTANBUL TO ATHENS VENICE TO ATHENS ATHENS TO ATHENS

ENJOY SPECIAL AUGUST 27, 2012 OCTOBER 8, 2012 OCTOBER 18, 2012
SAVINGS ON I�anbul
Venice CROATIA
Zadar Mount
I�anbul
3 EXCITING VOYAGES Skiathos
Kornati Islands
Trogir Split
ITALY Korcula
HvarDubrovnik
Athos

Lemnos
TO ANTIQUITY
Bay of Kotor Skiathos
MONTENEGRO
GREECE Izmir TURKEY
GREECE Ephesus
Athens Athens Sámos Kusadasi
TURKEY
Join us on Aegean Odyssey for a Nauplia Delos Mykonos
Corfu Arta GREECE
Preveza
Ithaca Olympia Athens
Mycenæ
Nauplia
Mykonos
Delos
CYCLADES Rhodes
Aphrodisias

wonderful Voyage to Antiquity and Santorini Katakolon

Monemvasía
CRETE
discover the art, history and cultures of Rethimnon CRETE Nauplia Rethimnon Knossos
the Mediterranean, Adriatic and Aegean.
Choose from three Mr Bridge Autumn DATE PORT DATE PORT DATE PORT

sailings, each offering extraordinary Aug 27 Fly to ISTANBUL Turkey Oct 8 Fly to VENICE Italy Oct 18 Fly to ATHENS Greece
Transfer to Aegean Odyssey Transfer to Aegean Odyssey Transfer to Aegean Odyssey
value for money. More good news is
Oct 9 VENICE Italy Oct 19 NAUPLIA Greece
that there are no single supplements* Aug 28 Cruising the Dardanelles
LEMNOS Greek Islands Oct 10 ZADAR Croatia Oct 20 MONEMVASÍA Greece
and all cruises are hosted by members Cruising the Kornati Islands
of the Mr Bridge team. Aug 29 SKIATHOS Greek Islands Oct 21 RETHIMNON Crete
SPLIT Croatia
Aug 30 IZMIR Turkey Oct 22 RHODES Greek Islands
Cruise in comfort, relax in style Oct 11 SPLIT Croatia
Aug 31 IZMIR Turkey Oct 23 DELOS Greek Islands
Aegean Odyssey is a premium class Oct 12 KORCULA Croatia MYKONOS Greek Islands
ship carrying just 350 passengers. The Sept 1 DELOS Greek Islands DUBROVNIK Croatia
Oct 24 SAMOS Greek Islands
atmosphere on board is relaxed with MYKONOS Greek Islands Oct 13 DUBROVNIK Croatia KUSADASI Turkey
plenty of passenger space, a choice of Sept 2 SANTORINI Greek Islands Oct 14 CORFU Greek Islands Oct 25 KUSADASI Turkey
restaurants (with open-seating dining) Sept 3 RETHIMNON Crete Oct 15 PREVEZA Greece Oct 26 At Sea
and generously-sized accommodations, ITHACA Greece
Sept 4 NAUPLIA Greece Oct 27 ISTANBUL Turkey
plus the comfort and attentive service Oct 16 KATAKOLON Greece
Sept 5 PIRAEUS Greece Oct 28 ISTANBUL Turkey
of boutique-style cruising. Fly home from Athens Oct 17 NAUPLIA Greece
Oct 29 SKIATHOS Greek Islands
Oct 18 PIRAEUS Greece
SPECIAL FARES INCLUDE: 10 days from £1,450 including: Fly home from Athens Oct 30 PIRAEUS Greece
Views of Mount Athos monasteries; visits Fly home from Athens
PROGRAMME OF SHORE EXCURSIONS
to Ephesus and Pergamon; the Greek 11 days from £1,795 including:
EXPERT ANTIQUITY LECTURE PROGRAMME islands of Lemnos, Skiathos, Santorini, Guided tour of Venice including a 13 days from £1,995 including:
WINE WITH DINNER & GRATUITIES Delos and Mykonos; Minoan Crete; private evening visit to St Mark’s; the Guided tours of ancient Mycenae and
classical Mycenae. Roman Forum in Zadar and Palace of Monemvasía; Minoan Knossos; the
EXCLUSIVE COCKTAIL PARTY Diocletian in Split; Korcula and Hvar; Citadel of the Knights of St John, Rhodes;
SCHEDULED AIR & TRANSFERS ABROAD Dubrovnik and Kotor Bay; Venetian the sanctuary of Delos; Roman Ephesus;
Corfu; Byzantine Arta and Ithaca; the monuments of Aphrodisias; treasures
ancient Olympia and Mycenae. of Istanbul; Mount Athos monasteries.

BOOK NOW
ANIED B
Y CALL ON
ACCOMP
BRIDGE PLAYERS 01483 489 961
There is a supplement of £30 per person for those wishing EMBERS
TEAM M
to participate in the duplicate bridge programme. Prices are per person, double occupancy, and include MR BRIDGE SPECIAL SAVINGS.
*The number of cabins with no single supplement is strictly limited. Please book early to avoid disappointment.
Singles are made especially welcome and a partner will always be found. The bridge programme is completely optional and Mr Bridge passengers can participate as much, or as little as they wish.
This offer is subject to availability, is capacity controlled and may be withdrawn at any time.

VOYAGES TO ANTIQUITY
 FEATURES ADVERTISEMENTS

BRIDGE
We Are Survivors
5 Mr Bridge 2 Voyages to Antiquity (For those born Before 1940 . . .)
Autumn Cruises
9 Stephen Cashmore says We were born before television,
Skip Stayman 3 We are Survivors before penicillin, polio shots,
Ryden Grange
on a 4333 Hand Tea-Towel frozen foods, Xerox, contact
Knaphill, Surrey lenses, videos and the pill. We
GU21 2TH 12 Julian Pottage 4 Voyages to Antiquity were before radar, credit cards,
Answers Christmas and split atoms, laser beams and
( 01483 489961 New Year Cruise
Your Questions ballpoint pens, before dish-
e-mail: washers, tumble driers, electric
16 Prize Crossword 3 5 Christmas 2012 blankets, air conditioners, drip-dry
bridge@mrbridge.co.uk
set by Sputnik clothes . . . and before man walked
website: 6 Tunisia 2012 on the moon.
www.mrbridge.co.uk 17 Fifth Round Control We got married first and then
7 Mail Order Form
by Dick Atkinson lived together (how quaint can
Publisher and 21 Bidding Quiz
7 Cut-out Form you be?). We thought ‘fast food’
was what you ate in Lent, a ‘Big
Managing Editor by Bernard Magee 8 Bernard Magee’s Mac’ was an oversized raincoat
Mr Bridge Interactive Software and ‘crumpet’ we had for tea. We
22 Bidding Quiz Answers existed before house husbands,
Associate Editors by Bernard Magee 10 Voyages of Discovery computer dating and sheltered
Bernard Magee 2012 Summer Cruises accommodation was where you
23 Defence Quiz waited for a bus.
Julian Pottage by Julian Pottage 20 Bridge Events We were before day care centres,
with Bernard Magee group homes and disposable
Technical Consultant 24 Defence Quiz Answers
nappies. We never heard of FM
Tony Gordon by Julian Pottage 21 Bernard Magee’s radio, tape decks, artificial hearts,
Hand Evaluation word processors, or young men
25 Declarer Play Quiz
Proof Readers wearing earrings. For us ‘time
by David Huggett 22 Mr Bridge
Tony Richards Playing Cards
sharing’ meant togetherness, a
‘chip’ was a piece of wood or fried
Danny Roth 26 Declarer Play Answers
potato, ‘hard­ware’ meant nuts
by David Huggett 23 Mr Bridge Rubber/
Richard Wheen Chicago Events
and bolts and ‘software’ wasn’t
a word.
Hugh Williams 27 Lead Quiz
by Andrew Kambites 25 Bernard Magee’s Before 1940 ‘Made in Japan’
Office Managers Tips for Better Bridge meant junk, the term ‘making
28 Lead Quiz Answers out’ referred to how you did in
Catrina Shackleton 27 Mr Bridge Tutorial your exams, ‘stud’ was something
by Andrew Kambites
Jane Cavell Bridge Breaks that fastened a collar to a shirt
29 The A to Z of and ‘going all the way’ meant
Events & Cruises Bridge: L 33 Bernard Magee’s staying on a double-decker bus to
( 01483 489961 by Julian Pottage Begin Bridge CD the terminus. In our day, cigarette
smoking was ‘fashionable’, ‘grass’
Rosie Baker 34 David Stevenson 36 Duplicate Bridge was mown, ‘coke’ was kept in the
Jessica Galt Answers Rules Simplified coalhouse, a ‘joint’ was a piece of
meat you ate on Sundays and ‘pot’
Rachel Everett Your Questions
38 Global was something you cooked in.
Megan Riccio 37 The Power of Shape Travel Insurance ‘Rock Music’ was a fond mother’s
Sophie Pierrepont reviewed
lullaby, ‘Eldorado’ was an ice-
40 Stamps cream, a ‘gay person’ was the life
by Sandra Landy
Clubs & Charities 40 Bridge Event
and soul of the party, while ‘aids’
just meant beauty treatment or
Maggie Axtell 40 What’s in a Name Booking Form help for someone in trouble.
maggie@mrbridge.co.uk by Didapper
We who were born before 1940
44 Charity Bridge
41 Readers’ Letters must be a hardy bunch when
Address Changes Events you think of the way in which
Elizabeth Bryan 43 The Diaries of 47 Crossword 3 Solution
the world has changed and the
( 01483 485342 Wendy Wensum adjustments we have had to make.
47 QPlus 10 No wonder there is a generation
elizabeth@mrbridge.co.uk 44 Catching Up gap today . . . BUT
by Sally Brock 48 Bernard Magee’s By the grace of God . . .
All correspondence should Five-Card Majors
be addressed to Mr Bridge. 45 Seven Days we have survived!
Please make sure that all by Sally Brock 48 QPlus 10
letters, e-mails and faxes Printed in the UK on a
carry full postal addresses 100% cotton tea-towel
The views expressed in this publication are not
and telephone numbers. £5.95 from Art Screen Prints
necessarily those of the publisher or its Managing Editor. ( 01287 637527

Page 3
 EASTERN MAGIC
I thoroughly enjoyed my
recent cruises around the
Mediterranean on board
Aegean Odyssey, so when
the chance of combining
bridge with cruises to India
and the East came up, I
contacted Voyages to
Antiquity immediately to
see if there could be a
bridge party on each sailing
this coming winter.
They said, ‘Yes’, so
Kay Adamson will lead a
team on board for
Christmas and New Year.
The advertisement on the
facing page should be of
special interest to singles as
there are a some cabins
without single supplements.
In January, Bernard Magee
will join the ship and sail
from Hong Kong to Bali
and then from Bali to
Bangkok, two lovely cruises
which can be taken
together as a Grand Voyage.
In March, Mrs Bridge and
I will join the ship in
Singapore and sail to
Mumbai doing the full
tourist thing, flying on to
Delhi for the four-night
Golden Triangle extension,
so that we can savour and
enjoy the serene beauty of
the Taj Mahal.
COMING SOON
On page two, you will find
three lovely cruises to
choose from, the first and
third of which I will be
joining in company with
Mrs Bridge. With no single
supplement, inclusive shore
excursions and local wines
with evening meals they are
proving really popular.
BOUTIQUE
Aegean Odessey, pictured
above, sails under the
command of her quietly
competent Swedish captain,
Roland Andersson, another
boon in itself.
BRIDGE FEES
Please note there are fees
for our bridge programme
on board Aegean Odessey.
£30 per person for summer.
£100 per person for winter,
whatever the length of your
chosen cruise.
GOFF STAMPS
Once again I provide a plug
for my sponsor of long
standing, Clive Goff.
Believe me, if Royal Mail
put up prices anymore, they
will kill snailmail off
altogether. Even I use email
these days.
For Clive Goff’s unique
service, telephone him on:
( 020 8422 4906.
Clive.goff@londonrugby.com
Page 5
CHRISTMAS 2012
In the last issue I should
have told you that early
Mr Bridge
bookers save up to £100 per Christmas
person per event and those
booking a back to back & New Year
package even more. Those
who have booked already 2012/13
will have their final invoice
amended to reflect the Duplicate Bridge
lower price. This offer ends
on 30 June 2012 or it won’t
be a special offer anymore.
Denham Grove
Near Uxbridge, UB9 5DU
CHRISTMAS PARTY
Bernard Magee is going to
the Chatsworth Hotel,
Worthing, 28-30 December
for a special weekend party.
It follows the format of his
weekend events but has a
seasonal theme. The price is 24-27 Dec £455
£245 per person with no Just Bridge
single supplement.
Jo Walch
27-29 Dec £215
DIARIES 2013
Game Tries
These are promised for the
end of June. A full range of 29 Dec – 1 Jan £445
cover colours is available. Finding Slams
Order now. Luxury cover
versions are also available.
The Olde Barn
OLD POT BOILER Marston, Lincs NG32 2HT
As promised, I provide the
solution to this widely
known double dummy
problem, see overleaf.
I provide the problem
below and new readers
should see if they can solve
it before turning the page.
24-27 Dec £455
Just Bridge
♠ A Q 7
♥ A K Q J 27-29 Dec £215
♦ Q J 10 9 8 7 Doubles
♣ Void
♠ K J 10 8 6 ♠ 9 5 4 3 2
29 Dec – 1 Jan £445
Losing Trick Count
♥ 5 4 3 2 W EN
♥ Void
♦ Void S ♦ 6 5 4 3 2
♣ K Q J 10 ♣ 4 3 2
♠ Void ( 01483 489961
♥ 10 9 8 7 6
jessica@mrbridge.co.uk
♦ A K www.holidaybridge.com
♣ A 9 8 7 6 5
Contract 7♥ by South. Please call if you would like a
sample copy of the programme
West leads the ♣K.

Mr Bridge
AT THE
ROYAL KENZ
TUNISIA
Two-week
half-board
duplicate
holiday
4-18 November 2012
Golf available
Tony and Jan Richards
£769*
24 Feb – 10 March 2013
Golf available
Bernard Magee
and his team
£799*
*per person half-board sharing
a twin-bedded room and is
inclusive of bridge fees. Single
supplement £6 per night. These
prices are based on air travel
from Gatwick to Enfidha.
Flights from other UK airports
are available at a supplement.
All prices are firm until the end
of July 2012. Prices for seven-
night stays (November only) are
available on application.
Pay £70 per fortnight per person
extra and have a pool-facing
room, tea & coffee making
facilities, bath robe and a bowl of
seasonal fruit.
These holidays have been organised
for Mr Bridge by Tunisia First Limited,
ATOL 5933, working in association
with Thomas Cook
Operations Limited, ATOL 1179.
DETAILS & BOOKINGS
( 01483 489961
OLD POT BOILER
Here is the solution to this
much loved problem.
The key element is for
South to discard his ace
and king of diamonds.
One can go on the ♠A, but
what to do with the other?
The answer is, strange
as it seems, on the last
trump from dummy, as
after South has ruffed two
spades, his trumps will
be shorter than North’s.
1. Win ♣A (discarding 7♦).
2. Play a trump to ♥A.
3. Ruff ♠7.
4. Play a trump to ♥K.
5. Ruff ♠Q.
6. Play a trump to ♥Q.
7. Play ♥J, drawing
West’s last trump,
discarding ♦K.
8. Play ♠A, throwing
♦A and North’s
hand is high.
For a full range of bridge
tea towels, ring Art Screen
Print on ( 01287 637527.
www.artscreen.co.uk/
customizeArea/shop.html
COVER STORY
Bernard Magee’s Baltic
cruise on Discovery, sailing
3 September from Harwich
to St Petersburg and back,
is one of the highlights of
Tour
the 2012 season. There are
also bridge parties on every
Discovery voyage this
summer. See page 10 & 11
for a list of dates and ports.
Page 6
NEW
VENUE
We have found a great new
venue in the Cheltenham
area, or more correctly it
has found us. I believe it
will suit our needs and
there will be no single
supplement.
All the beds are king-sized
doubles which can be
unvelcroed to make two
singles. All their soups,
desserts etc are created in
their own kitchens. We
have three 2012 dates all
hosted by Bernard Magee.
29 June – 1 July 2012
Leads and Defence – £245
6 – 8 July 2012
Finding Slams – £245
26 – 28 October 2012
Doubles – £245
FUNDRAISING
In BRIDGE 114, I told you
that all the traded-in QPlus
software had been donated
to support Little Voice. By
the end of April, we had
banked £1,432.00. Thank
you. I repeat my offer in
case you overlooked it.
QPlus 7. Donation £10.
QPlus 8. Donation £16.
QPlus 9. Donation £25.
All are guaranteed for at
least one year, and as
nothing can go wrong with
the product, you can call
that five. Please make
cheques out to L.U.C.I.A.
Little Voice and send me
two 2nd class stamps to
cover the cost of posting it.
BRIDGE BARON
Those wanting a bridge play
program to use with their
AppleMac hardware need
look no further than Bridge
Baron. The latest version is
£63. Trade-ins £36.
NEW HOSTS
Those interested in hosting
or helping at our weekend
events should, in the first
instance, send an email to
catrina@mrbridge.co.uk
for an application form.
FIRST VOYAGE
Voyages of Discovery are
proud to announce the
inaugural sailing of the
latest addition to its
growing fleet, m.v. Voyager.
She sails from Portsmouth
to Jamaica in the Caribbean
on 4 December 2012. There
are plenty of sea days which
suit bridge players to a tee.
This special sailing will
have bridge hosted by Tony
and Jan Richards. Inside
cabins from £999 per
person. Outside cabins are
from £1349 with no single
supplement, strictly subject
to availability. Book now to
avoid disappointment.
PROTECTION
I am a belt and braces man,
so readers should be
assured that your names
and addresses are protected
by our registration under
the Data Protection Act. All
office waste paper is either
shredded or burnt.
CONSTITUTION
To save space, the promised
draft constitution is now
ready and will be emailed
or posted to you on request.
THANK YOU
A great big thank you for
all the congratulations and
goodwill messages. I hope
to guide and direct a
growing team of younger
people for as long as they
and my health permit.
All good wishes,
Mr Bridge
✄

✄
Mr Bridge MAIL ORDER If you have not contacted us recently,
please enter your details in the box
PLAY SOFTWARE below to re-register:
QPlus 10 £86.00........
QPlus 10 - Trade-in £35.00........
Bridge Baron – Mac compatible £63.00........
Bridge Baron – Trade-in £36.00........ Name (Mr, Mrs, Miss)...................................................

TUTORIAL SOFTWARE Address ................................................................

Begin Bridge – Acol Version £66.00........
Acol Bidding £66.00........ ..............................................................................
Advanced Acol Bidding £96.00........
Postcode ..............................................................
Declarer Play £76.00........
Advanced Declarer Play £81.00........ Telephone .............................................................
Defence £76.00........
Five-Card Majors with Strong No-Trump £89.00........ E-mail ...................................................................

SOFTWARE BUNDLE OFFER
Any two software pieces £120.00........ Please send BRIDGE to the following enthusiasts:
TUTORIAL DVDs
Ruffing for Extra Tricks £25.00........
Competitive Auctions £25.00........ Name Mr/Mrs/Miss................................................................
Making the Most of High Cards £25.00........
Address ....................................................................................
Identifying & Bidding Slams £25.00........
Play & Defence of 1NT Contracts £25.00........ ...................................................................................................
Doubling & Defence
to Doubled Contracts £25.00........ Postcode .................................. (............................................
All 6 DVDs as a boxed set £100.00........
E-mail .......................................................................................
BOOKS
Duplicate Bridge Rules Simplified £5.95........
Better Hand Evaluation – Bernard Magee £14.00........
Bernard Magee’s Bridge Quiz Book £14.00........ Name Mr/Mrs/Miss................................................................
Bernard Magee’s Quiz and Puzzle Book £14.00........
Bernard Magee’s Tips for Better Bridge £14.00........ Address ....................................................................................

...................................................................................................
Prices are inclusive of VAT and postage to UK mainland.
I enclose a cheque for £.......... Postcode .................................. (............................................

Mr/Mrs/Miss ............................................................................................... E-mail .......................................................................................

Address........................................................................................................

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Name Mr/Mrs/Miss................................................................
Postcode.........................................( .........................................................
Address ....................................................................................

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Postcode .................................. (............................................

E-mail .......................................................................................
Expiry: ............. CVV ........ Issue No. ...........
(CVV is the last 3 numbers on the signature strip)

Make your cheque payable to Mr Bridge and send to:

Mr Bridge, Ryden Grange, Knaphill, Surrey GU21 2TH Please complete all or part of this form and return to
Mr Bridge, Ryden Grange, Knaphill, Surrey, GU21 2TH.
( 01483 489961 www.mrbridge.co.uk/mrbridge-shop
✄

Page 7
 Better Bridge BERNARD MAGEE’S
with
Bernard INTERACTIVE TUTORIALS
Six DVDs record the
seminars from Haslemere. ACOL MORE DECLARER
Each seminar is divided
into two halves: designed
BIDDING (ADVANCED) PLAY
to look at subjects from ACOL BIDDING
l Opening Bids and l Suit Establishment
two different perspectives.
Responses l Basics in No-trumps
1. Ruffing for l Slams and Strong l Advanced Basics l Suit Establishment
extra tricks
This seminar deals with declar-
Openings in Suits
l Weak Twos
er’s use of ruffing to generate ex-
l Support for Partner l Hold-ups
tra tricks and then looks at how l Strong Hands
the defenders might counteract l Pre-empting l Ruffing for
this. 74 mins. l Defence
Extra Tricks
l Overcalls to Weak Twos
2. COMPETITIVE
£66 l Entries in
AUCTIONS
This seminar focuses on
l No-trump l Defence to 1NT No-trumps £76
competitive auctions from the
Openings
l Doubles
perspective of the overcalling and Responses l Delaying
side to start with and then from
l Opener’s and l Two-suited £96 Drawing Trumps
the perspective of the opening
Responder’s Rebids Overcalls l Using the Lead
side in the second part. 86 mins.
l Defences to
3. MAKING THE MOST l Minors and Misfits l Trump Control
OF HIGH CARDS Other Systems
This seminar helps declarer to l Doubles l Endplays &
l Misfits and
use his high cards more carefully Avoidance
and then looks at how defenders l Competitive Distributional
should care for their precious Auctions Hands l Using the Bidding
high cards. 83 minutes.

4. Identifying
& BIDDING SLAMS
The first half of this seminar is ADVANCED DEFENCE FIVE-CARD
about identifying when a slam DECLARER PLAY MAJORS &
might be on – one of the hardest l Lead vs Strong No-Trump
topics to teach, because as soon l Making Overtricks No-trump Contracts
as you announce the topic
in No-trumps l Opening Bids
everybody is looking for slams. l Lead vs
The second half covers some of & Responses
l Making Overtricks Suit Contracts
the techniques used to bid slams.
96 minutes. in Suit Contracts l No-Trump
l Partner of Leader Openings
l Endplays vs No-trump
£89
5. PLAY & DEFENCE
OF 1NT CONTRACTS Contracts l Support
l Avoidance
This seminar looks at the most for Partner
common and yet most feared of l Partner of Leader
contracts: 1NT. The first half
l Wrong £81 vs Suit Contracts l Slams
looks at declaring the contract Contract
& Strong Openings
and the second part puts us in l Count
l Simple
the defenders’ seats. 88 minutes. Signals l Rebids
Squeezes
6. DOUBLING & DEFENCE
AGAINST DOUBLED l Counting
l Attitude £76 l Minors
Signals & Misfits
CONTRACTS the Hand
The first half of this seminar l Discarding l Pre-empting
explores penalty doubles and the l Trump Reductions
second half discusses the defence & Coups l Defensive Plan l Doubles
against doubled contracts.
88 minutes. l Playing Doubled l Stopping Declarer l Overcalls
Contracts
£25 each l Counting l Competitive
All 6 for £100 l Safety Plays the Hand Auctions

Make your cheque payable to Mr Bridge and send to: Mr Bridge , Ryden Grange, Knaphill, Surrey GU21 2TH
( 01483 489961 www.mrbridge.co.uk/mrbridge-shop Fax 01483 797302
System Requirements: Windows XP, Vista
Page 8 or 7, 8mb RAM, CD-ROM

I
t is often right to skip Stayman when
you have no ruffing value. For one
thing, there is no point in seeking a
fit when both hands may be completely
flat. Secondly, raising in no-trumps
gives less information to the defenders.
As partner will have the same four-card
major as you roughly one time in three,
two thirds of the time Stayman will just
help the opponents. Thirdly, even if you
have a 4-4 fit, four of a major may yield
no more tricks than 3NT. If you can
make the same nine tricks in 3NT as
in the 4-4 fit, you can make game there
but not in 4♥ or 4♠. At teams or rubber
bridge, when the extra 20 points for
making 4♥ or 4♠ rather than 3NT is of
little value, this is critical.
The other side of the coin is that,
because you are 4-3-3-3 (or 3-4-3-3),
there is no guarantee that partner will
be too. If he is, for example, 4-3-4-2,
playing in the 4-4 spade fit may well be
superior because of a lack of cover in
clubs.
There is one other point against the
maxim, though its impact depends on
your partnership style.
Hand A Hand B
♠ A Q 10 9 8 ♠ 10 8 5 4 3
♥ K J 9 ♥ K J 5
♦ Q J 8 ♦ K J 8
♣ 3 2 ♣ A J
Most Acol players would open Hand A
with 1♠, planning to rebid 2♠. However,
if it is your style to open Hand A with
1NT, partner needs to employ Stayman
whenever he has a four-card major, even
if he has a completely flat hand. You
would not want to miss a 5-4 fit.
Even if it is not your general style to
open 1NT with a five-card major, you
may find yourself forced to do so. Hand
Stephen Cashmore Says
Skip Stayman
on a 4333 Hand
B is an example. Nobody would fancy
opening 1♠, intending to rebid 2♠, with
10-8-5-4-3. It is best to tell a smaller lie,
and open 1NT in the first place. Once in
a while, you will miss a good 5-3 fit and,
assuming you do not use Stayman with a
flat 4-3-3-3 hand, you will miss the odd
5-4 fit. This is one of those things, the
result of having an awkward hand to bid.
Assuming you do not usually open
1NT with a five-card major, should you
skip Stayman with a 4-3-3-3 or 3-4-3-3
hand? Well, yes, but not always.
Hand C Hand D
♠ K 10 8 4 ♠ Q 8 4 2
♥ A 9 4 ♥ A 9 5
♦ K Q 8 ♦ A Q 8
♣ J 6 5 ♣ K J 5
Partner opens 1NT (12-14). With C and
D, do you respond Stayman 2♣ or not?
On C, the danger in ignoring a possible
4-4 fit and playing in no-trumps is that
both you and your partner may have a
poor stopper in one of the other suits –
or even no stopper at all. In no-trumps,
the defenders might win, say, the first
five tricks in clubs, whereas, playing in
spades, you can ruff and keep control.
Then again, if partner has ♣Q-10-x, you
have a stopper for 3NT, but may run into
a deadly ruff to set 4♠. Also, as you have
just thirteen points, there may be only
nine tricks available wherever you play.
My experience, backed up by a friend’s
computer simulation, is that it is 50-50
whether a 4-4 fit plays better than 3NT
when one hand has no ruffing value.
It is therefore a toss-up on a hand like
this which contract is the more likely
to make. In this case, the fact that you
clearly don’t want to use Stayman and
tell the opponents about the declaring
hand when there is no fit, makes it
Page 9
better to bid 3NT. Moreover, if you
use Stayman and find partner with the
wrong major, you are adding greatly to
the chance that the opening lead will
hit your side’s weak spot. An auction
of 1NT-2♣-2♥-3NT tells them that you
have four spades and that partner has
four hearts. They are much more likely
to find the best lead after that than after
1NT-3NT.
With Hand D, you definitely jump to
3NT. For one thing, you are reasonably
sure that there is no obvious weak suit
for the defenders to attack. For another,
with weak spades like these, a 4-1 spade
break might defeat 4♠ but not 3NT.
There is another way of looking at this.
If there are plenty of points available to
make 3NT (as with Hand D opposite a
1NT opener), it is likely that all suits are
covered and no-trumps will be the best
spot to play.
Are there hands on which you can tell
game in a major is safer than 3NT?
Hand E
♠ A K J 10
♥ A K J
♦ 8 4 3
♣ 9 5 4
Having all your values in two suits is a
good indicator. With spades like these
and all these points, 4♠ on a 4-4 fit will
surely make. Just about the only way to go
down in game is to play in 3NT and find
partner weak in one of the minors. The
case for using Stayman would be even
clearer if you had a similar hand with
about an ace more – a ruff in partner’s
hand could be the twelfth trick.
In summary, unless a slam is in the
air, when the chance of a possible extra
trick in a 4-4 fit is worth going for, skip
Stayman on a 4-3-3-3 hand. ■
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 Julian Pottage answers your bridge questions
Q Q
Playing a weak
no-trump, as
dealer, I held:
♠ A K 10
♥ A Q 9
♦ K J 10
♣ 9 5 4 2
 
Holding 17 HCP, I was
too strong for 1NT; I
could not bid a 3-card
suit and clubs was out
of the question. Was
there a way out?
Len Hodby,
Dyffryn Ardudwy.
 
A
I do not see why
bidding clubs was
out of the question.
In France, America and
various other places, people
open routinely on a three-
card club suit; here you
have four clubs. While I
agree you would not want
to open one of a major
on 9-x-x-x, opening 1♣ is
no problem whatsoever.
♣♦♥♠
Q
In the sequences
below, am I right
in thinking that,
these days, opener has
shown 15+ points with
at least five cards in his
Can I open 1♣
with Four Clubs
to the Nine?
first suit and at least four
cards in his second?
West North East South
1♠ Pass 2♥ Pass
3♦
West North East South
1♥ Pass 2♣ Pass
2♠
Ken Wheeler, Chestfield, Kent
(similar from Dave Ross,
Swanmore, Hampshire).
A
Yes, that is what the
rebid shows after a
two-level response
– and it has done for some
considerable time. The
difference between the two
sequences is that, for a high
reverse, opener might have
equal length (five spades
and five diamonds in your
example), whereas, for a
simple reverse, opener’s first
suit will always be longer.
Both sequences go past two
of opener’s first suit (and
create a game force after
the two-level response),
which is why opener
must not be minimum.
♣♦♥♠
Q
Playing Benji,
there seem to be
two alternatives
to the 2NT enquiry over
Page 12
the weak two. I give the
replies as weak, strong,
weak, strong, calling this
Ogust. Players at our
club invert the 3♦ and
3♥ replies. Is this the
Blue Club convention?
Shirley Prince by email
(similar from Paddy Seligman).
 
A
At one time, I believe
there was a subtle
difference between
the Blue Club and Ogust
style rebids after the 2NT
enquiry. Nowadays they have
come (rightly or wrongly)
to mean the same thing:
3♣ = minimum, poor suit
3♦ = minimum, good suit
3♥ = maximum, poor suit
3♠ = maximum, good suit
3NT = AKQ in suit
 
The alternative method
is that you show features
if you are non-minimum:
you rebid your suit at the
three level with a minimum;
with a maximum, you
show a feature at the three
level (e.g. K-x-x); a logical
extension is that a bid
at the four level (below
four of your suit) shows a
shortage and a maximum.
The Blue Club/Ogust style
seems more popular than
showing features, though
either method is playable.  the double.
The bidding
went as follows:
West North East South
1♦ Dble End
I was East and had
two points and two
diamonds. My partner
went one off (she had
only 12 points).
At most tables,
North-South made 3NT.
What do you make
of North’s double
and South’s pass?
David Mason, Leicester.
A
North’s double
is for takeout. 99
times out of 100
South removes the double.
Once in a while, South
has long, strong diamonds
and chooses to leave in the
double, changing it from
a takeout to penalty. This
is a penalty pass. Leaving
in the double occurs
more commonly when the
doubler is under the bidder
or when the bidding is at
a much higher level.
Getting out for one down
when the opponents could
make game sounds like a
good result for you. It seems
that South did not have a
suitable hand for leaving in
 Ask Julian continued
Q
Does the
defender in
third seat
need to play high?
Peggy Robinson,
Welham Green,
Hertfordshire.
A Q
‘Third hand high’
is one of the
oldest maxims
in bridge. Indeed, it pre-
dates bridge, originating
in the days of whist. Let us
consider a few layouts:
Layout 1
♥ 9 6 4
N
♥ Q 10 3 2 W E ♥ K 7 5
S
♥ A J 8
When West leads the two,
East needs to play high with
the king to stop declarer
from scoring an undeserved
second trick with the jack.
Some people are
reluctant to play the king
for fear that it loses to the
ace. The point is that the
ace will make anyway; by
playing the king, East helps
set up West’s holding.
Layout 2
♥ K 6 4
N
♥ J 9 3 2 W E ♥ Q 8 5
S
♥ A 10 7
When West leads the two
and dummy plays low, East
needs to play high with
the queen to stop declarer
from scoring an undeserved
third trick with the ten.
The ace and king will win
anyway – by playing the
queen, East helps to build
a slow winner for West.
If you want to know more,
there is an article available in
the Mr Bridge library on the
subject. If you want to know
even more than that, there is
a whole chapter on it in The
Golden Rules of Defence.
♣♦♥♠
What are frozen
suits and how do
you play them?
B Coffey,
Altrincham, Cheshire.
A Q
A frozen suit is one
that you cannot
play without losing
a trick. You try not to play
them – you wait for your
opponents to do so. Often
every hand has an honour:
K 10 7
N
Q 8 4 2
W E J63
S
A 9 5
If NS attack the suit, they
make only two tricks. If
EW attack the suit NS
make three tricks.
K 7
N 2♣ 3♦ Pass Pass
W E
Q 9 5 4 2 S
A 10 6 3
J 8
If NS attack the suit, there
is no way to make a trick.
If EW attack it, NS do get a
trick (though if West attacks
it and NS are declaring,
declarer will need to
make a winning guess).
So how do you get your
opponents to play them?
You remove the cards that
they can lead safely (exit
cards) and give up the lead:
Page 13
reply – or you might have a
♠ A Q 10 9 7 weak hand with the majors.
♥ K 5 When 3♦ comes back to
♦ A K 5 you, there is not much you
♣ K 10 7 can do other than double.
N Then, you are showing
W E
S
game try values (or better)
– assuming the overcaller is
♠ K J 8 3 2 sensible, you will not have a
♥ A Q diamond stack, so it is more
♦ 9 6 4 takeout than penalties. You
♣ A 9 5 are hoping partner shows
a major, though, with his
actual hand, presumably he
Suppose you are in 6♠ and would leave 3♦ doubled in.
receive a diamond lead.
You win, draw trumps, ♣♦♥♠
cash your winners in the
red suits and exit with the With 20-22
third round of diamonds. HCPs and a
Whoever wins will have to balanced hand,
open up the frozen club suit I normally open 2NT.
(or lead a red card, giving With six or a few more
you a ruff and discard). HCPs partner will
usually raise to three.
♣♦♥♠ Sometimes, we have a
suit unguarded and the
Q
Playing a weak result can be disastrous.
no-trump and How do we avoid this?
Stayman, my Ronald Barker,
partner (East) and I held: Verwood, Dorset.
A
When you have a
♠ Q 10 6 3 ♠ K 9 4 balanced hand,
♥ A J 7 3 N ♥ Q 10 2 you usually bid it
W E
♦ 7 S ♦ A K 6 3 as such without worrying
♣ K Q J 2 ♣ 8 6 4 about whether you
have stoppers.
This is always going to
West North East South be the case with an opening
1NT Pass bid. It is only when the
opponents have bid a suit
? or you have bid the other
suits that you worry about
Should partner have bid whether you have a stopper.
over 3♦? What should I If you have a 4-4 fit in a
do when it comes back? major, you can locate it if
3♦ went two down partner bids 3♣ (Stayman
(non-vulnerable), or similar enquiry) rather
whereas 3NT made. than raising to 3NT.
Peter Calviou, Amersham. Incidentally, five points are
  usually enough for raising
A
When the overcall 2NT to 3NT. While it is true
is at the three that contracts are harder
level, your partner to make when most of
has to pass more or less the strength is in one
whatever. You might have hand, it is usual to bid
bid Stayman on a very weak game with a known
hand planning to pass any combined 25-27.

Ask Julian continued
Q
If an opponent
doubles Stayman
(1NT-pass-
2♣-double), what
should opener do?
Irene Devine by email.
A
The standard
treatment is that
redouble shows
clubs (normally five, or four
very good ones), 2♦ shows
diamonds (ditto) while pass
shows no four-card major
(without especially good
cards in either minor).
2♥ and 2♠ are exactly
as without the double.
Other treatments are
possible. For example, you
could play some actions to
show a club stopper and
some to deny. You would
need to discuss anything
like that with your partner.
♣♦♥♠
Q
Playing weak no-
trump, Stayman
and red-suit
transfers, we held:
♠ 9 5 3
♥ 10 5 3
♦ A K J 7 for count. You hold
♣ A Q 4
N
W E
S
♠ A K 4 2
♥ A
♦ 10
♣ J 9 8 7 6 3 2
North South
1NT 3♣
End  ♣ A J 8 4 2
12 tricks made. How
should we have
bid to a slam?
Jacqueline Darts, Dorset.
A A
6♣ is a fair contract,
roughly needing
one of two finesses
(if West has the ♦Q, you
will be able to discard two
spades on the diamonds
and so avoid a spade loser).
A slam needing one of two
finesses is a good one to
bid. You should certainly be
reaching at least game.
The right way to bid this
hand depends upon how
you play the sequence 1NT-
pass-2♣-pass-2♦-pass-3♣.
If you play that as a weak
hand with clubs, as was the
traditional treatment, you
have to start with 3♣ (forcing)
as you did. If, however, you
have some other way to sign
off in clubs, that sequence is
forcing and you can afford
to check for a 4-4 spade
fit. The bidding then goes:
North South  than waiting for the double.
1NT 2♣
2♦ 3♣
3♦1 3♠
4♣2 4♥3
6♣4
1
diamond values
2
agreeing clubs – unable to bid
3NT with no heart stopper
3
cue bid
4
good trump support and a
maximum
 
♣♦♥♠
Q
1. The bidding
went as follows,
with 1NT 12-14:
West North East South
1NT Pass
Pass Dble End
♠ J 9 4 2
♥ 10 5 N major? I understand
W E
♦ 7 3 S that 2NT goes by the
The partnership plays
Stayman. What should
West have done?
Page 14
2. After the same
start to the auction on
another deal, West held:
♠ J 9 5 4
♥ 10 4 3 N per the traditional delayed
W E
♦ 9 2 S game raise. On many hands,
♣ Q 5 4 2
East claims that
West should have
taken her out of 1NT
doubled – but how?
Peter Bradman,
Cheddar, Somerset.
A
1. West should pass
1NT but bid 2♣ after
North doubles and
the bidding comes back. This
is not Stayman but, instead,
an attempt to play there. With
the majors, West could have
bid 2♣ immediately rather
2. West might do the
same thing, hoping that
nobody doubles 2♣. Another
possibility – though only
if you have discussed it
with your partner (or if you
are playing matchpoints,
when a disaster is only a
bottom) – is to make an
SOS redouble. After passing
1NT first time, it is unlikely
that West would want to
make a business redouble.
♣♦♥♠
Q
Could you explain
the demise of the
delayed game
raise in favour of using
2NT or 3NT as a way to
show a game-forcing
hand with support
for your partner’s
name Jacoby and
that 3NT is a pudding
raise – who coined the
term pudding raise?
M J Gurney,
Holt, Norfolk.
If you have a source
of tricks in your own
suit (e.g. A-Q-J-
x-x), it can be a good idea
to show that suit and then
support partner next time, as
however, the most important
feature of your hand is the
four-card (or better) support,
so you want to convey that
feature first. By using 2NT
to do so, you allow a lot of
space for exploring whether
the hands have the values
and the controls needed for
a slam without taking the
bidding beyond game. This
is why the 2NT raise has
replaced both the delayed
game raise and the 3NT
pudding raise as the normal
way to show a game-forcing
raise. If you played in a
tournament, you would find
that 90% of the pairs are
using the Jacoby 2NT.
As to your question about
nomenclature, I do not think
there was a player called
pudding. I do not know who
coined the term, though it
was almost certainly a Brit.
♣♦♥♠
Q
Your partner
leads the king
from A-K, asking
8-6-4-2, which card do
you play? Of course, it is
important to distinguish
between the four- and
two-card holding.
Simon Gottschalk,
Pendoylan, Glamorgan.
A
I have always played
that you play second
highest (the six) and
then the third highest (unless
you are giving suit preference
on the second round). An
astute partner will note that
the two is missing and so
place you with four rather
than two.
 Ask Julian continued
Q
Please can you
explain the
purpose for
playing transfers?
Valerie Francis, Kenilworth.
A
There are three
main purposes
for a transfer:
(i) to give you a chance
to show both strong
and weak hands;
(ii) to give you a chance
to show two suits;
(iii) to make the stronger
hand declarer.
Suppose you hold any of
the following hands and
partner opens a 12-14 1NT.
In each case, you should
start with 2♦, which shows
five or more hearts and
asks partner to bid 2♥.
Hand 1
♠ 8 5
♥ Q J 10 9 3
♦ A 8 4 2
♣ 7 3
You do not wish to go any
higher than 2♥, though
it could be beneficial to
have the lead coming up to
partner’s possible tenaces,
such as the ♠A-Q or the ♣K.
Hand 2
♠ 8 5
♥ K Q 9 4 3
♦ A K J 6
♣ 7 3
Holding Hand 2, you intend
to play in game but do
not know which one. After
partner completes the
transfer, you will rebid 3♦.
You will then have shown
both your suits and your
strength without going past
3NT. Partner should then be
in a good position to judge
whether to play in 3NT,
4♥ or (occasionally) 5♦. In
pre-transfer days, you would
have had to jump to 3♥,
which would have told your
partner less about your hand.
Hand 3
♠ 8 5
♥ A J 8 5 2
♦ K Q 6
♣ J 10 3
Holding Hand 3, you want
to invite game while showing
five hearts and a balanced
hand. With transfers, you
can do it. You bid 2♦ and
rebid 2NT. With a minimum,
partner passes or bids 3♥;
with a maximum, partner can
raise to 3NT or jump to 4♥.
Without transfers, you would
have to start with Stayman
and jump to 3♥; that is less
informative and so more
likely to cause partner to
misjudge – as well as taking
the bidding past 2NT, which
might be the right contract.
The loss in playing
transfers is negligible. When
did you last hear the auction
go 1NT-pass-2♦-all pass?
Some people play transfers
in other situations; the most
widely played applications
are red-suit transfers
(diamonds to hearts and
hearts to spades) in response
to 1NT and 2NT openings.
♣♦♥♠
Q
Is 3♠ forcing in
the sequence
below? What
should West bid?
 
♠ J 7
♥ J 10 6 2
♦ A K J 6 4
♣ K 6
Page 15
West North East South
3♣ 3♠ Pass
? have a natural heart lead,
Vincent Lei by email.
A
3♠ is not forcing.
With a game-
going hand, East
could either bid 4♠ directly
or start with a double.
I would bid 3NT, protecting
the ♣K. It could be wrong
if partner has a singleton
club of course. However,
4♠ could also be wrong if
there are two clubs, a heart
and a spade to lose – or
if the spades split badly.
♣♦♥♠
Q
My partner
and I play a
strong no-trump
and transfers.
♠ K J 10 8 6 4 3
♥ 7
♦ Void
♣ A K 8 5 2
  N probably more precise.
W E
  S
♠ A 7
♥ Q 9 2
♦ K Q J 7
♣ Q J 6 4
 
North South
1NT
2♥ 2♠
6♠ End
 
West led the ♥A followed
by the ♣7. The contract
now depended on
not losing a trump trick. I
went for the drop, which
failed. Since no other
pair bid the slam, I am
feeling hard done by.
George Pilcher, Deal, Kent.
A
While 6♣ is clearly
the best spot, 6♠ is a
respectable contract
on your uninformative
auction. Often West will not
which will give you other
chances besides playing
the trumps for no loser.
If West leads the ♦A or (less
likely) a spade, the play is
all over. If the lead is a low
diamond, you will place East
with the ♦A and try to ruff
down the ♦A in three rounds. 
If the lead is a club, you
will probably take two rounds
of trumps ending in hand
and lead the ♦J for a ruffing
finesse. If West has the ace
but fails to cover, dummy’s
heart goes away at once.
If West does cover, you can
ruff in dummy and hope to
return to hand with a club,
discarding the heart later.
I agree you were unlucky.
♣♦♥♠
Q
In the H section
of the A-Z, you
mention Halmic
but not Helvic. Whilst
similar to Halmic, it is
Patrick Dunham,
Coleorton, Leicestershire.
 
A
You make a good
point. Many people
are unaware of the
difference. After the bidding
starts 1NT-double, the
two-level Helvic bids are:
2♣ Clubs and diamonds
2♦ Diamonds and hearts
2♥ Hearts and spades
2♠ Spades and clubs
To show clubs and hearts or
diamonds and spades, you
pass over the double, forcing
partner to redouble. You then
rebid 2♣ or 2♦ respectively.
There are a couple of
downsides to Helvic:
(i) you can never play in
1NT doubled (only 1NT
redoubled), which to me is a
significant flaw and (ii) if you
have spades and clubs, you
cannot stop in 2♣.
 Ask Julian continued
Q
I was North
and dealer:
♠ K 10
♥ A K 9 7 5 4
♦ K Q 2
♣ Q 5
N the void would be. Your
W E
S
♠ A Q J 8 3 2
♥ Q J 6 3
♦ 9 6 3
♣ Void
West North East South
1♥ 2♣ 4♥
Pass 4NT Pass 5♦
Pass 5♥ End
We made 13 tricks on a
club lead. As my partner
did not play splinters,
could we reach a slam?
If he had used a
splinter bid, how could
he tell me it was a void
and not a singleton?
Barry Tyrrell by email.
A
If your partner had
made a 4♣ splinter,
he could tell you
it was a void in one of two
ways, depending upon how
the auction developed. In a
cue-bidding sequence, he
could later bid 5♣ to show
the first-round control. If,
as you did, you bid 4NT, he
could make an unexpected
response to show the void.
Some people play that
you simply bid one level
higher when you have a
void, so 6♦ would show
one key card and a void.
E-mail your questions for Julian to:
julianpottage@mrbridge.co.uk
Without a bit of science
you are not going to reach a
slam, because, not only are
you going to worry about
having two aces missing,
but also you are going to
worry about having two fast
club losers. On your actual
sequence, your partner
could have bid 6♦ to show
one ace and a void on the
basis that you could guess
from the overcall where
4NT was risky, however,
because, even if partner
had shown two aces, there
could still have been the
ace-king of clubs off the top.
♣♦♥♠
Q
I would like to
ask if my partner
was correct in
bidding 3♠ after I had
opened 1♦. He insisted
he was making a pre-
emptive bid. I thought
it was incorrect to reply
to your partner with
a pre-emptive bid.
Olive Hirst,
Fleet, Hampshire.
A
Playing a double
jump response as
pre-emptive is the
traditional meaning, hence
what you should expect if
you have not agreed to play
something else. However, I
agree with you: pre-empting
when partner is bidding and
the opponents (at least so far)
are not is of dubious value. If
you played in a tournament,
very few pairs would be
playing the double jump as
pre-emptive. I suspect most
would be playing it as a
splinter, a singleton or void
in the suit bid with strong
support for opener’s suit. ■
Page 16
PRIZE CROSSWORD 3
set by Sputnik
1 2 3 4 5
6 7
8
9 10
11 12 13 14
15 16 17 18
19 20 21 22
23 24
ACROSS DOWN
6 A type of Mitchell 1 Boris partnered Terence
that produces a single for many years (8)
winning pair (9)
2 A sacrifice that results in
7 Defeat a contract (3) a greater success (6)
9 An uneven distribution 3 Almost a label for
of opposition cards (3,5) winning players (4)
10 That famous road in 4 Meckstroth and Rodwell,
West Hampstead (4) US experts, have a
nickname (8)
11 _ _ _ _ _ _ ludorum, the
winner of the game (6) 5 A rabbit’s frequent score
(4)
13 Point count minimum
for raising a weak NT 8 100 below the line (4)
(6)
12 A possible call for partner
15 Ordered from Dorset to run (8)
(6)
14 S—t—a—y—m—a—n ?
17 The number of cards held (8)
in a particular suit (6)
16 Experts achieve many,
19 Worth two finesses? (4) rabbits few (4)
21 What accurate players 18 A historic 4NT
aspire to be (8) convention (6)
23 A term for a small card 20 Surrender the lead (4)
(3)
22 Everyone in breaches of
24 Access between declarer the rules (4)
and dummy may be
difficult due to these (9)
Reprinted from BRIDGE 114.
Solution and winners on page 47

I
suppose it was his own fault. When
an opponent accuses you of peek-
ing, you are asking for trouble if
you admit it and my Uncle Leopold
certainly admitted that he had no ba-
sis for playing South for a singleton
ace – no bridge basis.
It happened in the summer of 1997.
The Baron scores
a top on Board 4
It was a pleasant evening in July
(Monday the 28th) and I had agreed
to take Uncle Leo to the club for
an evening’s duplicate. When we
got there, we discovered that it was
the British Bridge League Summer
Simultaneous Pairs.
‘Great,’ I remarked, ‘we’ll get a
booklet with all the hands we played
afterwards.’
‘That is certainly easier than noticing
the cards when they are played,’ he
snapped pointedly. I could see it was
going to be one of those evenings,
but, at the age of 100, I suppose one
is entitled to be crotchety. One is also
entitled to sit for the evening and so we
found ourselves North-South at Table
1. There were thirteen tables, so we
played Boards 1-26 in sequence, two
boards per round. An early success
for the Baron was Board 4, where we
scored a top in 6♠ by my uncle.
After three passes, I opened 2♥,
since the Baron is violently opposed
to artificial bidding and, therefore, 2♣
would have been natural. Over his 2♠
positive, I rebid 3♥. He continued with
3♠ and now I bid 4♣. He persisted
with 4♠ and I thought 5♥ was the
sensible move. The Baron jumped to
6♠.
From the Baron’s Archives by Dick Atkinson
Fifth-round
Control
♠ K Q J 10 7
♥ Q 6
♦ 10 9 6 4
♣ J 6
N
W E
S ‘You didn’t have to jump to 6♠!’
♠ A
♥ A K J 8 4 3
♦ 8 5
♣ A K 5 2
East was on lead and held the ace,
queen, jack and two of diamonds.
He looked at them longingly, but,
in the end, led a passive trump and
thirteen tricks were scored. This was
a depressing result for the opponents,
since the obvious 3NT on the previous
board had also produced thirteen
tricks when everything turned out to
be right.
‘Honours don’t count nowadays,’ I
remarked jocularly.
The normally straggly moustache
bristled alarmingly. ‘I presume you are
referring to the fact that you forced me
to bid my suit no fewer than four times
before you let me play there.’
‘But my hearts . . .’
‘You never appreciate the value of
a solid suit! Remember Board 1 . . .
[East had gone three down in 3NT with
a heart void opposite West’s purely
ornamental ace, king, queen, jack, ten,
three.] My hand is worth four tricks,
probably five, played in spades. You
were unable to bid 3NT and your
clubs were an after­thought, so I placed
you with the bare ace in my suit for
your strong bidding, especially since
Page 17
the hands are those awful computer-
generated things. You will recall we
have already had one singleton ace on
Board 2.’
He has a bee in his bonnet about
singleton aces and kings, but I let his
technophobia pass for the moment.
He shook his head witheringly. ‘In
that auction? It was the key bid. We
have bid everything but diamonds –
the jump to slam proclaims a diamond
control. The only way I can deter the
unwelcome diamond lead that you
have invited is by advertising such a
control – the opponents may find it
hard to guess that I control only the
fifth round!’
On a roll
I shut up wisely, and the tops kept
rolling in.
Then came Boards 17 and 18. The
East player was the Chairman of the
Committee:
♠ 8
♥ A 10 5 2
♦ A 4 3
♣ A Q J 9 7
♠ J 10 5 ♠ A K 7 4 3
N
♥ Q 8 6
W E
♥ J 4
♦ J 10 8 6 2 S ♦ 9 5
♣ 10 8 ♣ 6 5 4 3
♠ Q 9 6 2
♥ K 9 7 3
♦ K Q 7
♣ K 2
After 1♣, Pass, I was probably the only
player in the room not to respond
 Fifth-round Control continued
1♥. My uncle is absolutely inflexible
about such hands. What is the point,
he would complain, of bidding a
weak four-card suit when you have a
perfect descriptive bid? I called 2NT
and the old man decided to have a
flutter: he rebid 6♣. The auction was
less than informative. East led the
king of spades and then thought long
and hard. No doubt, he suspected
strongly that the ace would be ruffed,
but he was familiar with the Baron’s
deceptive capabilities and, in any
case, things figured to be pretty solid
elsewhere looking at that dummy. The
slam might well be unbeatable and he
certainly wasn’t going to risk having to
explain to his partner if a switch gave
it away. The precise lie of the spades
was fortunate, of course, allowing the
Baron to discard two hearts for his
contract.
The Chairman was, understandably,
in a less than sanguine frame of mind
for the second board of the encounter:
♠ 9 6
♥ 7 4 2
♦ A 10 9 7 3
♣ Q 7 2
♠ K J 10 5 4 ♠ Q 7 3 2
N
♥ 8 6 3
W E
♥ A K Q J 10 5
♦ 6 5 S ♦ K
♣ A 6 3 ♣ 10 4
♠ A 8
♥ 9
♦ Q J 8 4 2
♣ K J 9 8 5
Over East’s 1♥ I called 2NT. Whoops!
That was sheer force of habit.
‘What does that show?’ asked West.
The Baron announced, ‘About
twenty points, perhaps a couple less
with a strong minor suit.’
Luckily, West doubled, whereupon
the Baron realised that there could
not be so many points in the pack.
Someone had told a lie and his im-
mediate and unfortunately accurate
assessment was that I was the guilty
party. He called 5♦ – a bold call vul-
nerable against non-vulnerable. The
Chairman looked at my flushed face
long and hard. Then, as on the previ-
ous deal, he tossed a mental coin. He
decided he was too short of controls
for 5♥, so he doubled and began with
the king of hearts. A spade switch
would work for him, but that was
third choice, so he tossed yet another
imagi­nary penny and then continued
hearts rather than swit­ching to clubs.
Eye­brows were raised when the Baron
calmly played a diamond to the ace.
After that, eleven tricks were easy.
‘Forgive me for asking, but what is
your authority for that gruesome play
in the trump suit?’ asked the Chairman
in a tone of suppressed violence.
The Baron replied, ‘I find myself
unable to answer your enquiry. I am
afraid you will have to be satisfied
with that. In any case, I believe your
question is contrary to the Proprieties
of the Game.’
A harrumphing match ensued,
terminated only by the calling of the
round and I was able to lean over and
interrogate Uncle Leo. ‘Why could you
not just explain?’
‘Ethics, dear boy. I believed that the
king of diamonds would be singleton
because this is a computer-dealt set
and I believe the program commonly
used is fundamentally flawed.’
‘You could have—’
‘The nature of the flaw is that
certain features, particularly singleton
honours, repeat themselves in a session
far more often than chance.’
‘But you could—’
‘I obviously could not reveal that I
had seen a singleton king of diamonds
on an earlier deal [Board 8]. They may
not have played it yet. Mein Gott!’
I began to explain that his belief was
just a ridiculous Luddite superstition.
Computer dealing is the fairest
method possible.
‘Rubbish. Because it allegedly
satisfies some ‘perfect’ probability?
If it did that, it would no longer be
a true version of the deal required
by the Laws. You might as well have
electronic roulette wheels!’
After the following board, number
19, my uncle made a particular
point of waving his singleton king of
diamonds, the third of the evening,
under my nose.
Page 18
Gruesome plays
The last two rounds were arrow-
switched, my uncle sitting East. This
was the very last hand, played against
the Club Secretary who was also –
as it happened – the spouse of the
Chairman:
♠ J 6 5
♥ 10 9
♦ Q 9 8 2
♣ A Q 10 4
♠ 3 ♠ K Q 10 9 8 7 4 2
N
♥ K 7 3 2
W E
♥ A
♦ K 10 7 5 S ♦ A
♣ K J 8 7 ♣ 9 6 5
♠ A
♥ Q J 8 6 5 4
♦ J 6 4 3
♣ 3 2
West North East South
2♠ 3♥
3NT Pass 4♠ End
2♠ was, in principle, game forcing,
goading South into exploring the pos­
sibility of a save at equal vulnerability.
Uncle Leo won the heart queen with
the ace, cashed the ace of diamonds,
then switched to the eight of spades.
On lead to the next trick, South, the
Secretary, squirmed and it was obvious
to every­one at the table exactly why.
Perhaps the Baron wanted to discard
his second heart on the king of
diamonds before North had a chance
to ruff? If so, it was plausible that he
wished to take out some trumps before
playing on clubs.
On the other hand, he might have
two singleton aces . . . Three singleton
aces in one deal? That did not seem
plausible. South led a middle heart
and the roof fell in. One overtrick, for
a massive top.
Have you ever noticed how married
couples begin to sound like each other?
‘Forgive me for asking, but what is
your authority for that gruesome play
in the trump suit?’
The Baron was busy calculating
the second decimal place of his
estimate and took unkindly to being
interrupted. ‘Madam, you are not
entitled to ask insulting questions
 Fifth-round Control continued
about my card play, but out of
innate good manners and a life-long
deference to your sex I shall explain.
I have seen more singleton aces this
evening than real bridge players,
including a previous singleton ace of
spades in the South hand on Board 4.
I do not see why I should have to play
against two opponents, a partner and a
nasty little computer, but I have given
it my best shot. And now goodnight!’
The Baron’s Letter
There were inevitably suspicious
repercussions, but the last ripple was a
letter from my uncle to the Committee.
There was no reply. This is an abstract
of his missive:
‘This computer generation of hands
is ruining the game . . . The editors
of the BBL Booklet [Anna Gudge and
David Burn] claim that the hands
conform ‘almost exactly’ to the
‘expected average’ and make ironic
remarks about those who ‘play for the
singleton king . . . offside because it’s a balanced in compensation, is over 30-
computer deal’ [see note on Board 3]. I
therefore enclose my own analysis of
the 26 boards we played:
Expected Actual
Singleton
2 or 3 8 The expectation should be that there
Aces
Singleton
2 or 3 5
Kings
Singleton
2 or 3 4
Queens
Total
33 45
Singletons
Voids 5 or 6 10
‘The singletons also cluster in unlikely
ways, for example the three singleton
aces on Board 26, the two single red
kings on Board 19, the two singleton
black fours on Board 24, or the
singleton king of diamonds on Boards
18 and 19, the jack of hearts on Boards
14 and 15 and the nine of diamonds on
19 and 20.
‘Board 19 was a bizarre freak. There
were two eight-card red suits each
headed by the ace; in each case, the
partner had a three-card fit, and the
opponents each had a singleton –
including both singleton red kings.
The partners of the red one-suiters
each held a five-card black suit headed
by ace-king. In each case, their partner
had a singleton – two singleton black
fours. Each of the long suits broke
exactly the same as the pattern of the
hand (8-3-1-1 or 5-4-3-1). [This was in
line with Culbertson’s discredited ‘Law
of Symmetry’.]
‘Ignoring such details, it would have
been sufficient to look at the lengths
only of suits across the 26 deals to
know there was something odd going
on.
There were five eight-card suits.
Normally, one would not even expect
as many as five seven-card suits. A
single eight-card suit in a session is
approximately an evens chance. The
likelihood of five such suits, even if
the rest of the cards were relatively
to-1 against and even that assumes
the ‘perfect’ odds which apply in the
world of computers rather than that
of human dealers. I cannot remember
such a session in normal play.
‘But the hands were even more
freakish than that. The eight-card
suits did not simply replace the sevens.
would be four seven-card suits in a
26-board session.
There were seven; so, even with­out
the eight-card suits, the session would
have been freakish. Similarly, six-
card suits were just above the average
expec­tation too.
‘Standard methods are not devised
for dealing with such extreme
conditions. I managed between 91
and 92%, I think, so I was not severely
disadvantaged and a successful side-
bet made up for any slight irritation.
Since I only play at most once a month
these days, I hope to be safe from such
a session for the rest of my own life –
unless you use that damned computer
again.
Yours . . .’
Page 19
Footnote
Honesty compels me to add that I
continued to berate my uncle about his
superstitious aversion for computer-
dealt hands.
I had not at that stage, of course, seen
the analysis he sent the Committee.
I pointed out foolishly that we had
played only 26 boards, and there
would be several more in the booklet
to test his theory.
‘Ten-to-one-on you’ll find a fourth
singleton heart ace or diamond king
in there!’
‘Done!’ slipped out before I could
stop myself.
‘I’ll wager a ‘tenner’,’ he replied. So
the singleton ace of hearts on Board 28
cost me £100 . . .
The deals and statistics quoted
are entirely accurate (thanks to
Tony Gordon, who spotted a severe
miscalculation on my part). I leave
it up to the reader to decide whether
there is something dodgy about
computer dealing.
If you have access to any old BBL
Sim Booklets, you may like to note
that the 1997 Autumn Sim provided
one nine-, one eight-, and seven seven-
card suits, simil­arly freaky to the set
analysed above.
The five of spades was a singleton
five times in ten boards (Boards 15-24)
and there were seven singleton aces
(inc­luding the heart ace in Boards 7, 9
and 11). So the Baron was not safe even
for three months.
The Spring Sim in 2001 provided,
among other patterns, this remarkable
series of club singletons (see below).
On average, there will be only one
specific four-card suit (e.g. spades) per
deal. There are over 700 different com­
binations of cards possible in a four-
card suit, so it is quite striking to get
exactly the same suit repeated in a set.
Boards 2 and 4 both had ♠10-4-3-2.
North must have felt a constant sense
of déja vu.
On Board 8 he had ♦A-K-Q-J-10-9,
on the next Board ♥A-K-Q-J-10-9.
He held the singleton ♥9 twice, the
singleton ♠3 twice, and those three
♣5s already mentioned. He held the
♦6-5-4 tripleton twice in six boards,
the ♣A-7 doubleton on successive
boards (14 and 15), etc.
Fifth-round Control continued

2012-2013 BR
PROGRAMME
This is the format for
all Bernard Magee

with Berna
hosted events.

Board 2 ♣5 (North)
FRIDAY
1500 Mr Bridge
Board 4 ♣5 (North) Welcome Desk open November 2012
Afternoon tea/coffee
2 – 4 Blunsdo
Board 6 ♣8 (South) 1745 to 1830 £245 Squeeze
Welcome drinks
reception 9 – 11 Inn on t
♣4 (North) and
Board 10 1830 to 2000 £245 Declarer
♣3 (West)
DINNER
DECember 2012
Board 12 ♣5 (South) 2015 BRIDGE 1
DUPLICATE PAIRS 28 – 30 Chatswo
Chatsworth Hotel
Worthing BN11 3DU £245 Better D
♣9 (South) and
Board 17
♣J (North) SATURDAY MARCH 2013
0800 to 0930
June 2012
22-24 Brook Q
Board 20 ♣7 (South) BREAKFAST 15 – 17 Chatsworth Hotel
£245 Leads an
£245 Doubles
1000 to 1230
Board 21 ♣9 (South) SEMINAR & 29 – 1/7 Cheltenham Regency
SUPERVISED PLAY £245 Leads and Defence
of SET HANDS
Board 23 ♣7 (West) (tea & coffee at 1100) JuLY 2012
1230 to 1330 6 – 8 Cheltenham Regency
Board 24 ♣7 (East) COLD BUFFET
£245 Finding Slams
LUNCH
1400 to 1645 October 2012
Board 25 ♣9 (North) BRIDGE 2
TEAMS of FOUR
5 – 7 The Olde Barn Hotel
£245 Suit Establishment Blunsdo
or FURTHER Swindon S
Board 27 ♣5 (North) SUPERVISED PLAY
of SET HANDS 12 – 14 Blunsdon House
£245 Landy Defence to 1NT APRIL 2013
1815 to 2000
Board 28 ♣9 (South)
DINNER 19 – 21 Chatsworth Hotel 5 – 7 Blunsdo
2015 BRIDGE 3 £245 Signals and Discards £245 Losing T
Board 31 ♣7 (South) DUPLICATE PAIRS
26 – 28 Cheltenham Regency 12 – 14 Chatswo
£245 Doubles £245 Declarer
Board 32 ♣7 (West) SUNDAY
0800 to 0930 19 – 21 Inn on t
BREAKFAST £245 Thinking
The Baron is absolutely 1000 to 1230 26 –28 The Olde
right: the purpose of the SEMINAR &
computer is, surely, to SUPERVISED PLAY
£245 Splinter
simulate the real game, of SET HANDS JUNE 2013
not to replace it with some (tea & coffee at 1100)
alleged ideal version with 1230 to 1400
7 –9 The Olde
perfect odds. That it fails CARVERY LUNCH £245 Endplay
even to do that is ironic to 1400 to 1645 The Olde Barn Hotel 14 – 16 Chatswo
say the least. ■ BRIDGE 4 Marston, Lincs NG32 2HT
£245 Sacrifici
FURTHER
SUPERVISED PLAY
Previously published
of SET HANDS or
DUPLICATE PAIRS Full Board – No Single Supplemen
in BRIDGE 67.

Page 20
RIDGE EVENTS
Bernard Magee’s
Better Hand Bidding Quiz
Evaluation
ard Magee
You are West in the
Bernard Magee auctions below, playing
‘Standard Acol’ with a
Introduction weak no-trump (12-14
2 Better Hand Evaluation is points) and four-card
aimed at helping readers to majors. (Answers overleaf.)
on House add greater accuracy to their
bidding. It deals with auctions
es in which you and your partner,
against silent opponents, can 1. Dealer West. Love All.
the Prom describe your hands fully to ♠ K Q 9 7
r Play each other and, by evaluating ♥ K Q N
them accurately, find the best W E
2 final contract. The emphasis of ♦ K Q 4
S
all good, accurate bidding is on ♣ Q J 7 3
orth Hotel hand evaluation.
Inn on the Prom
Defence St Annes-on-Sea FY8 1LU There are two general types of
auction: a) a fit is found and b) West North East South
no fit is found. 1♠ Pass 2♠ Pass
JULY ?
Queensferry Hotel When you do not have a fit,
and Defence 5 – 7 Blunsdon House you are aiming to describe the
£245 Signals and Discards strength of your hand as soon
as possible, most often using 2. Dealer North. Love All.
October 2013 no-trump bids. This book be-
♠ A K 10 7 5 3 2
gins by discussing balanced
♥ 4 N
11 – 13 Blunsdon House hand bidding in Acol, as it W E
is very important that both ♦ A 8 S
£245 Splinters and Cue Bids members of a partnership ♣ A 5 3
have an accurate knowledge of
18 – 20 Chatsworth Hotel how to show hands of different
£245 Game Tries strengths.
West North East South
25 – 27 Queensferry Hotel When a fit is found, there is 2♥1 Pass 3♥
much re-evaluation of the
£245 Finding Slams hand to be done; point count,
? 1 6 hearts and 5-9 HCP

on House though still important, needs

November 2013 to be evaluated together with
SN26 7AS
distribution. The best way of 3. Dealer North. Love All.
8 –10 The Olde Barn Hotel reaching an accurate assess­
♠ A K 5 3
£245 Leads and Defence ment is to use the Losing Trick
♥ 10 4 3 N
Count; this is an important
W E
on House 15 – 17 Chatsworth Hotel method of hand evaluation and ♦ Q 7
S
£245 Hand Evaluation takes up a number of chapters. ♣ A 8 7 3
Trick Count
Finally, we move on to different
orth Hotel 22 – 24 Blunsdon House forms of evaluation including
r Play £245 Better Defence game tries and splinter bids. West North East South
You can never know enough 1♦ 1♥ 1♠
the Prom methods of hand evaluation;
?
the more you learn, the better
g Defence you get at judging your hand.

e Barn Hotel Although the Losing Trick

4. Dealer North. Love All.
Count is used more easily in
s and Cue Bids ♠ 9 4 2
tandem with your partner, a
large proportion of the ideas ♥ 8 N
in this book can be used by an W E
♦ 10 9 6 4 2 S
e Barn Hotel individual. For example, eval-
♣ 9 7 6 3
uating your hand to be worth
y and Avoidance an extra point is going to help
anyone you partner – as long
orth Hotel Brook Queensferry Hotel
as you get it right. West North East South
North Queensferry KY11 1HP
ing Pass 2♣ Pass
£14 including postage 2♦ Pass 2♥ Pass

nt. See booking form on page 40. See Mail Order Form
on page 7.
2NT Pass 3♦ Pass
?

Page 21
 Answers to Bernard Magee’s
Bidding Quiz on page 21
1. Dealer West. Love All.
♠ K Q 9 7 ♠ A J 5 2
♥ K Q N ♥ 6 5 3
W E
♦ K Q 4 S ♦ J 7
♣ Q J 7 3 ♣ 9 5 4 2
West North East South
1♠ Pass 2♠ Pass
? partner – he will never be able to judge
2NT. 18 points, though with the ♥K-Q
doubleton you are not a certainty for
game. You have the ideal bid to tell
partner about your shape and your
strength – 2NT. This bid invites partner to
bid game and shows a balanced hand.
With a 4333 hand or only 3-card spade
support, he will usually pass 2NT or raise
to 3NT. Otherwise, he chooses between
3♠ and 4♠.
Here, partner declines the invitation,
retreating to the known 8-card spade
fit with 3♠, which you pass. The defence
can take their 4 tricks (they might get a
club ruff too); still, you have done well to
avoid any of the doomed games – no-
trumps will go badly on a heart lead.
For those using the losing trick count –
watch out for aceless hands.
2. Dealer North. Love All.
♠ A K 10 7 5 3 2 ♠ Q 8
N
♥ 4
W E
♥ 9 7 5
♦ A 8 S ♦ K 6 4 3 2
♣ A 5 3 ♣ 9 6 2
West North East South
2♥1 Pass 3♥
? is. To do this, you bid the opponents’ suit.
16 hearts and 5-9 HCP
4♠. I hope this was an easier one – you
have to bid something – and 3♠ is surely
not enough.
You almost have game in your hand
(say, 8 tricks), so need very little from
whether to bid game or not.
As it is, on his cards he would surely
pass 3♠ when 4♠ is most definitely odds-
on. You should certainly go the whole
way here and bid 4♠.
Notice that South players will often
bid 3♥ on quite a weak hand, as a
pre-emptive strategy – simply raising
the ante, after the opener has shown a
6-card pre-empt.
3. Dealer North. Love All.
♠ A K 5 3 ♠ 6 2
N
♥ 10 4 3
W E
♥ K Q J 8 7
♦ Q 7 S ♦ 9 2
♣ A 8 7 3 ♣ K 9 4 2
West North East South
1♦ 1♥ 1♠
? diamonds and, depending on his mood,
2♦. Do not jump because this will punish
your partner for making a perfectly
reasonable overcall. While you have
enough to make game if your partner
has the strength of an opening bid, he
does not have to have that much. You
need to ask him how good his overcall
Partner would rebid 2♥ (showing weaker
than an opening hand), after which you
will continue if they bid 3♦ – you will
finish no higher than 3♥.
4. Dealer North. Love All.
♠ 9 4 2 ♠ A 7
N
♥ 8
W E
♥ A K 10 6 5 3
♦ 10 9 6 4 2 S ♦ A K Q 8 5
♣ 9 7 6 3 ♣ Void
West North East South
Pass 2♣ Pass
2♦ Pass 2♥ Pass
2NT Pass 3♦ Pass
?
5♦. Remember that you are in a game-
forcing auction (once partner opens 2♣
and does not rebid 2NT). Which game
would you like to play in? 5♦ of course
– you have nothing else to show. Partner
will know you are short in hearts because
you have not supported his first suit.
With such good diamond support, you
are sure where you want to play. Your
partner will know that you have good
will put you in 6♦ or 7♦.
Note that your jump to 5♦ shows a
weaker hand than would a raise to 4♦.
In the game-forcing situation, the jump
to game, ‘fast arrival’, is the weaker
action. ■

Mr Bridge Premium Quality Cards

Standard Faces, with or without bar codes. Unboxed.

6 red / 6 blue £19.95 30 red / 30 blue only £60

Available from The London Bridge Centre. ( 020 7288 1305 www.bridgeshop.com

Page 22
 Mr Bridge
DEFENCE RUBBER / CHICAGO
QUIZ
by Julian Pottage
(Answers overleaf)

Y ou are East in the defensive positions below. It is your turn

to play. Both sides are using Acol with a 12-14 1NT.

1. ♠ K J 4 3. ♠ Q 10 5
♥ K ♥ J 8 4 Ardington Hotel, Worthing BN11 3DZ
♦ K 7 4 2 ♦ A 10
♣ Q J 10 3 2
♠ Q 8 7 6 3
♣ A J 10 9 2
♠ A 3
3-5 August 2012

W E
N ♥ 9 7 4 N ♥ K 10 7 2 hosted by Sheila Rogers
♦ 10 8 6 W E ♦ J 8 6 3
S S
♣ K 4 ♣ K 5 4
23-25 November 2012
hosted by Ann Pearson
West North East South West North East South
1NT 1NT
Pass 3NT End Pass 3NT End

West leads the ♥Q, won by West leads the ♠4 (fourth

the ♥K. Declarer calls for highest) and you win with
the ♣Q. What do you do? the ♠A. Which card should
you return?

2. ♠ A 5 4. ♠ Q 10 5
♥ A 8 4 ♥ A 8 4
♦ A K 8 ♦ Q 5
♣ Q J 10 5 2 ♣ K J 10 9 2 Blunsdon House Hotel, Swindon SN26 7AS
♠ Q J 9 4 3 ♠ A 3
N ♥ Q 9 N ♥ Q J 10 7 2 hosted by Diana Holland
W E W E
♦ Q 10 6 3 ♦ J 7 6 3
S S
♣ K 4 ♣ 5 4
31 August – 2 September 2012
West North East South West North East South
1♣ 1♠ 1NT 1NT Please note there are no seminars
Pass 3NT End Pass 3NT End or set hands at these events.
West leads the ♠6 – ♠5, ♠J West leads the ♠4 (fourth
and ♠7. You return the ♠4 highest) and you win with £199 Full-board
– ♠10, ♠8 and ♠A. Declarer the ♠A. Which card should
calls for the ♣Q. What do
you do?
you return? No Single Supplement
Please see booking form on page 40.

Page 23
 Answers to Julian Pottage’s 
Defence Quiz on page 23
West leads the ♠6 – ♠5, ♠J and ♠7. You has shown at least 12 and you can see
1. ♠ K J 4 return the ♠4 – ♠10, ♠8 and ♠A. Declarer 12 in dummy. This leaves at most 5 for
♥ K calls for the ♣Q. What do you do? partner, which leaves no room for the
♦ K 7 4 2 As on the previous deal, you need to king of spades and an entry. Even if you
♣ Q J 10 3 2 hope that partner has the ace of clubs, can set up the spades, partner will be
♠ 10 5 2 ♠ Q 8 7 6 3 thereby making your king a useful unable to get in to enjoy the suit.
N
♥ Q J 10 6 2 ♥ 9 7 4 card. As on the previous deal, the entry You should switch to the two of hearts,
W E
♦ Q 9 3 S ♦ 10 8 6 situation indicates the best course of showing interest in the suit. You hope that
♣ A 7 ♣ K 4 action – declarer has held up the king partner has the queen (or ace) and can
♠ A 9 of spades, hoping to cut your side’s co-operate in knocking out declarer’s
♥ A 8 5 3 communications, which means you need stopper in the suit.
♦ A J 5 to be careful. Since you possess an entry with the
♣ 9 8 6 5 This time, you are trying to set up a king of clubs, it will not help declarer to
long suit in your hand rather than in your hold up in hearts. This way, you make a
partner’s. This means you want partner spade, three hearts and a club to defeat
West North East South to get in first and save your entry for the game.
1NT when the spades are ready to run. You
Pass 3NT End therefore play low on the club.
Partner, who has indicated possession
West leads the ♥Q, won by the ♥K. of a third spade (by playing the six fol- 4. ♠ Q 10 5
Declarer calls for the ♣Q. What do you lowed by the eight), can win the club and ♥ A 8 4
do? continue spades. Soon you will gain the ♦ Q 5
If declarer has the ace of clubs, your lead with the king of clubs and cash your ♣ K J 10 9 2
king is probably useless. Placing partner long spades to defeat the contract. ♠ K 9 6 4 2 ♠ A 3
N
with the ace, you have a good reason ♥ 6 5 ♥ Q J 10 7 2
W E
to play the king. This is so that you can ♦ 10 8 2 S ♦ J 7 6 3
knock out the ace of hearts while partner ♣ A 8 7 ♣ 5 4
still has the ace of clubs as an entry to 3. ♠ Q 10 5 ♠ J 8 7
the long hearts. Therefore, you play the ♥ J 8 4 ♥ K 9 3
king of clubs and, when it holds, return ♦ A 10 ♦ A K 9 4
the nine of hearts. ♣ A J 10 9 2 ♣ Q 6 3
♠ J 9 6 4 2 ♠ A 3
N
♥ Q 6 5 ♥ K 10 7 2
W E
♦ 9 5 2 S ♦ J 8 6 3 West North East South
2. ♠ A 5 ♣ 8 7 ♣ K 5 4 1NT
♥ A 8 4 ♠ K 8 7 Pass 3NT End
♦ A K 8 ♥ A 9 3
♣ Q J 10 5 2 ♦ K Q 7 4 West leads the ♠4 (fourth highest) and
♠ 8 6 2 ♠ Q J 9 4 3 ♣ Q 6 3 you win with the ♠A. Which card should
N
♥ 10 7 6 5 2 ♥ Q 9 you return?
W E
♦ 9 2 S ♦ Q 10 6 3 On the previous deal, you were right
♣ A 7 6 ♣ K 4 West North East South to switch to a moth-eaten heart suit of
♠ K 10 7 1NT K-10-x-x.
♥ K J 3 Pass 3NT End This time, you have a juicy
♦ J 7 5 4 Q-J-10-x-x. Should you try a heart again?
♣ 9 8 3 West leads the ♠4 (fourth highest) and No, here you have no entry – even if
you win with the ♠A. Which card should partner has the king of hearts, declarer
you return? can hold up dummy’s ace to shut out the
West North East South While it is often right to return partner’s suit. You should simply return a spade,
1♣ 1♠ 1NT suit, you do need to think first. How many hoping that partner has K-x-x-x-x and an
Pass 3NT End points can partner have? Well, declarer entry. ■

Page 24
 Bernard Magee’s Tips
DECLARER for Better Bridge
65 invaluable tips in 160 pages
PLAY
Bidding Tips 33 A low lead usually promises

QUIZ 1 Always consider bidding

spades if you can
2 Bid more aggressively
when non-vulnerable
by David Huggett 3 Always double when the
opponents steal your deal
4 A takeout double shows
(Answers overleaf) shortage in the suit doubled
5 ‘Borrow’ a king
length and an honour
34 When declaring 1NT,
try to be patient
35 Duck an early round when
you are short of entries
36 Lead up to your
two-honour holding
37 Do not always assume
a suit will break well

Y ou are South as declarer playing teams or rubber bridge. to keep the auction open 38 Drop a high card
6 After a penalty double, to put off the defence
In each case, what is your play strategy?
don’t let the opponents escape 39 Play your highest card to tempt
7 Halve the value of a singleton a defender to cover
honour when opening 40 Draw trumps first unless you
8 Only add length-points for a have a good reason not to
1. ♠ A K 10 7 2 3. ♠ 7 5 suit that might be useful 41 Do not waste your trumps
9 Isolated honours are bad 42 Consider leaving a lone defen-
♥ 3 ♥ K 7 2 except in partner’s suit sive trump winner out
♦ 10 6 5 ♦ K 10 6 3 10 Use the jump shift sparingly
11 Consider passing and letting Defence Tips
♣ A K 4 3 ♣ Q J 8 4 43 Keep four-card suits intact
partner decide
12 You need two top honours whenever possible
N N
for a second-seat pre-empt 44 Give count on declarer’s leads
W E W E
S S 13 Put the brakes on if you have a 45 Keep the right cards
misfit rather than signal
14 Strong and long minors work 46 Take your time
♠ Q 3 ♠ A 2 well in no-trumps when dummy is put down
15 One stop in the opponents’ suit 47 High cards are for killing
♥ A K 7 4 2 ♥ A J 9 other high cards
can be enough for no-trumps
♦ Q J 9 2 ♦ A Q 9 5 4 16 Keep your two-level 48 Do not waste
♣ 6 5 ♣ 7 6 3 responses up to strength intermediate cards
17 Use your normal methods in 49 Pick two key suits to concen-
response to a 1NT overcall trate on during the play
18 Don’t overcall just because 50 If in doubt, cover an honour
You are declarer in 3NT You are declarer in 3NT you have opening points with an honour
19 Overcalls can be quite weak, 51 If a lead is from two honours, it
and West leads the ♣2. after West has opened is best not to cover
so be prudent when responding
How do you plan the 1NT (12-14) and East has 20 Weak overcalls must be based 52 Keep your honour to kill
play? removed to 2♠. West leads on strong suits dummy’s honour
21 6NT requires 33 points 53 Try to show partner
the ♠Q. How do you plan not 4 aces and 4 kings your solid honour sequences
the play? 22 Raise immediately, if weak 54 Lead the normal card when
with four-card support leading partner’s suit
23 In a competitive auction, 55 Never underlead an ace at trick
2. ♠ Q 10 5 show support immediately one in a suit contract
♥ Q 6 24 Bid to the level of your fit 56 Be wary of leading from
quickly with weak hands four cards to only one honour
♦ A Q 7 6 4 4. ♠ Q J 10 6
25 With strength and support, 57 Lead a higher card from
♣ K 8 2 ♥ J 9 5 use the opponents’ bid suit a suit without an honour
♦ A Q J 58 Lead through ‘beatable’
N strength and up to weakness
♣ 9 6 4 Declarer-play Tips
W E 59 Cash your winners before try-
S
26 When your contract depends ing for a trump promotion
N on a finesse, think ‘endplay’ 60 Be patient when defending
W E 27 Consider what a defender 1NT
♠ A K J 7 S might be thinking about 61 Trump leads can be safe
♥ 3 28 Always take your time throughout the play
at trick one
♦ 8 2 ♠ K 9 8 5 2
29 Establish extra tricks before General Tips
♣ A J 9 6 5 4 ♥ K Q 8 3 cashing your winners 62 Do not put important cards
♦ 7 30 Use your opponents’ at either end of your hand
bidding to your advantage 63 Avoid being declarer when
♣ A 7 5 31 Avoid the ‘baddie’ you are dummy
You are declarer in 5♣ and gaining the lead 64 Before you lead, ask for a
West leads the ♥2. East 32 Use the Rule of Seven when review of the auction
holding up in no-trumps 65 Enjoy the Game!
plays the ♥A and returns You are declarer in 4♠ and
the suit, which you ruff. West leads ♣K. How do £14 including postage and packing from Mr Bridge,
Plan the play. you plan the play? Ryden Grange, Knaphill, Surrey GU21 2TH. ( 01483 489961

Page 25
 Answers to David Huggett’s 
Play Quiz on page 25
suit, which you ruff. How do you plan the
1. ♠ A K 10 7 2 play?
♥ 3 Apart from the heart already lost, there
♦ 10 6 5 are potential losers in each minor. If the
♣ A K 4 3 diamond finesse is failing, you must bring
♠ 6 4 ♠ J 9 8 5 in the club suit without loss; the best way
N
♥ J 9 5 ♥ Q 10 8 6 to do that would be to cash the king of
W E
♦ K 8 4 3 S ♦ A 7 clubs, planning to continue low to the
♣ Q 10 8 2 ♣ J 9 7 ace. (If West shows out on the first round,
♠ Q 3 you have finesse positions against East.)
♥ A K 7 4 2 If instead the diamond finesse works, you
♦ Q J 9 2 have a safety play in clubs to ensure one
♣ 6 5 loser at most. So take a diamond finesse
at trick three and see what happens. If it
wins, play a low club from dummy. Then,
You are declarer in 3NT and West leads if East shows out, win with the ace and
the ♣2. How do you plan the play? lead low towards the table. If East follows
There are only seven tricks on top – to the first club, you again play the ace;
and a superficial glance might suggest if West then shows out, you can cater for
that the other two tricks might come that by playing low back to the king and
from spades. Alas, if you play on that leading to the jack.
suit and it fails to break 3-3, you will
find you have generated too many losers
via one spade, two diamonds and two
clubs. By contrast, diamonds are bound 3. ♠ 7 5
to give you two extra tricks once the ace ♥ K 7 2
and king have gone. As long as you can ♦ K 10 6 3
believe from the lead (the ♣2) that clubs ♣ Q J 8 4
are breaking 4-3, all you have to do is ♠ Q J 10 3 ♠ K 9 8 6 4
N
win the first club and lead a diamond, ♥ Q 8 6 3 ♥ 10 5 4
W E
repeating the process after the defenders ♦ J 8 S ♦ 7 2
play a second club. ♣ A K 2 ♣ 10 9 5
♠ A 2
♥ A J 9
♦ A Q 9 5 4
2. ♠ Q 10 5 ♣ 7 6 3
♥ Q 6
♦ A Q 7 6 4
♣ K 8 2 You are declarer in 3NT after West has
♠ 9 2 ♠ 8 6 4 3 opened 1NT (12-14) and East has re-
N
♥ K J 9 2 ♥ A 10 8 7 5 4 moved to 2♠. West leads the ♠Q. How
W E
♦ K 9 3 S ♦ J 10 5 do you plan the play?
♣ Q 10 7 3 ♣ Void You have eight tricks on top but do not
♠ A K J 7 dare lose the lead before finding that ex-
♥ 3 tra one. At first glance, it might seem that
♦ 8 2 a successful heart finesse against the
♣ A J 9 6 5 4 queen would be all that is required – but
can that really work? There are only 16
points missing, of which West has shown
You are declarer in 5♣ and West leads 12-14. Presumably, he does not have
the ♥2. East plays the ♥A and returns the the king of spades, which means that he
Page 26
must hold the queen of hearts.
The queen is unlikely to be doubleton
for two reasons. Firstly, with 5-5 in the
majors, East might have used Stayman
rather than just shown the spades.
Secondly, you will soon find West with
a doubleton diamond – and it would
be unusual to open 1NT holding a
doubleton in each red suit.
Fortunately, there is no reason that
West has to have the ten of hearts. So
lead the jack of hearts and, when West
covers, win in dummy and lead low
towards the nine. This is a backward
finesse. On a good day, your skill meets
its reward.
4. ♠ Q J 10 6
♥ J 9 5
♦ A Q J
♣ 9 6 4
♠ 7 ♠ A 4 3
N
♥ 10 6 4 2 W E ♥ A 7
♦ K 10 6 5 S ♦ 9 8 4 3 2
♣ K Q J 2 ♣ 10 8 3
♠ K 9 8 5 2
♥ K Q 8 3
♦ 7
♣ A 7 5
You are declarer in 4♠ and West leads
♣K. How do you plan the play?
Dummy’s diamond values could be
better spread between the other suits –
and the club lead has found your weak
spot – but there is hope. Clearly, you
cannot afford to draw trumps because
the defenders will then take two clubs
and two aces – so you have to dispose of
a loser quickly. On the surface, you might
think you could take a ruffing finesse in
diamonds – why will that not work? If East
has the king, he will cover and then there
is no way back to the table. No, your only
real chance is to play West for the king
and take a diamond finesse at trick two,
disposing of a club on the ace when the
finesse works. ■
 Andrew Kambites’
Tutorial Bridge Breaks Lead Quiz
You are West in the
auctions below playing
JUNE 2012 teams or rubber bridge.
It is your lead. (Answers
8-10 The Ardington overleaf.)
£245 Endplay & Avoidance
Gary Conrad

SEPTEMBER 2012 1 ♠ 7 5
♥ A K 7 6 5 N
W E
28-30 The Ardington ♦ 10 9 8
S
£245 Leads and Defence ♣ 6 3 2
Crombie McNeil

OCTOBER 2012 West North East South

1♠
12-14 The Ardington Ardington Hotel Pass 4♠ End
£245 Losing Trick Count Worthing BN11 3DZ
Sandy Bell
2 ♠ 7 5
19-21 The Olde Barn Hotel N
♥ A K 7 6 5
W E
£215 Signals and Discards ♦ 10 9 8 S
Patrick Dunham ♣ 6 3 2

November 2012
West North East South
2-4 The Olde Barn Hotel 1NT
£215 Game Tries Pass 3NT End
David Stead

9-11 Blunsdon
House Hotel
£245 Suit Establishment 3 ♠ 7 5
Ned Paul
The Olde Barn Hotel N
W E
♥ A K 7 6 5
Marston, Lincs NG32 2HT S
♦ 10 9 8 2
16-18 Chatsworth Hotel
♣ 6 3
Worthing
£245 Finding Slams
Crombie McNeil
West North East South

23-25 The Olde Barn Hotel 1♥ Pass 2NT
£215 Playing Suit Pass 3NT End
Combinations
TBA

23-25 Queensferry Hotel 4 ♠ 7 5
£245 Game Tries ♥ A K J 6 5 N
Crombie McNeil ♦ 10 9 8 W E
S
♣ 6 3 2
30-2/12 Chatsworth Hotel
Worthing Blunsdon House
£245 Endplay & Avoidance
Swindon SN26 7AS West North East South
Ned Paul 1NT
Pass 3NT End
See booking form on page 40.

Page 27
 Answers to Andrew Kambites’ 
Lead Quiz on page 27
I will start by repeating the approach to This time, you are looking to establish
opening leads that I gave last month. length tricks in hearts.
(i) Objective – what am I trying to If partner has a heart honour, maybe
achieve? The answer does not have the ♥Q, you do not want to block the
to be spectacular. ‘Nothing’ is a re- suit. If partner has only low hearts, you
spectable answer, meaning that the want to lose the lead early so partner still
aim is just to give nothing away and has a heart to return when he (hopefully)
make declarer work for his tricks. subsequently regains the lead.
(ii) How likely is my lead to achieve this? So, lead the ♥6. The lead may succeed
in a different way on the above layout.
Looking at all four hands, we can all see
1. ♠ K 10 9 8 3 that declarer can put up dummy’s ♥Q
♥ 8 4 3 and take lots of tricks; now look at it from
♦ 7 declarer’s point of view.
♣ A J 8 7 If you have led from ♥A-J or ♥K-J, it
♠ 7 5 ♠ 6 2 is correct to play dummy’s ♥10. Only if
N
♥ A K 7 6 5 ♥ 9 2 you have led from ♥A-K is it right to try
W E
♦ 10 9 8 S ♦ A Q 6 5 3 dummy’s ♥Q. Seems like odds of 2 to 1
♣ 6 3 2 ♣ 10 9 5 4 in favour of playing the ♥10. Partner’s
♠ A Q J 4 ♥J wins trick 1 and, having overcome his
♥ Q J 10 surprise, partner returns the ♥2, allowing
♦ K J 4 2 your side to take the first five tricks.
♣ K Q
3. ♠ Q J 9 2
West North East South ♥ Q 10 8 3
1♠ ♦ K 6
Pass 4♠ End ♣ A K 9
♠ 7 5 ♠ A 10 8 4
N N
Somebody has two hearts. Your objective ♥ A K 7 6 5 ♥ 2 ♥ A K J 6 5 ♥ 4 2
W E
is to cash two heart winners. If you are ♦ 10 9 8 2 S ♦ Q J 7 4
lucky, partner will ruff a third round. Lead ♣ 6 3 ♣ 7 5 4 2
the ♥A. Partner encourages with the ♥9. ♠ K 6 3
♥ J 9 4
♦ A 5 3
2. ♠ K J 10 ♣ Q J 10 8
♥ Q 10 9
♦ A J 7
♣ A Q 8 7 West North East South
♠ 7 5 ♠ 9 8 4 3 2 1♥ Pass 2NT
N
♥ A K 7 6 5 ♥ J 2 Pass 3NT End
W E
♦ 10 9 8 S ♦ 6 5 4 2
♣ 6 3 2 ♣ J 10 Suppose you lead the ♥6. What are you
♠ A Q 6 trying to achieve? Presumably, you want
♥ 8 4 3 to set up length tricks in hearts. How likely
♦ K Q 3 is a heart lead to achieve this? It has no
♣ K 9 5 4 chance! Dummy has bid hearts, showing
at least four. Declarer has jumped in
no-trumps, showing at least two hearts.
West North East South Your partner cannot possibly have more
1NT than two hearts. Even if he has the magic
Pass 3NT End ♥Q-J doubleton, the suit is blocked.
Page 28
This hand just demonstrates the futility
of leading a suit bid by opponents against
a no-trump contract unless either:
(i) Your intermediate cards are very
good, e.g. Q-J-10-9-8 or
(ii) You are trying to be passive.
A low heart lead just gives declarer an
easy trick. He then drives out the ♠A and
scores nine tricks easily. As it happens, if
you lead the ♥A, you have time to switch
to a diamond and drive out declarer’s
diamond stoppers before he can estab-
lish spade tricks and a heart trick; still,
leading the ♥A defeats your presumed
(if faulty) objective of trying to establish
heart length tricks.
You should be looking elsewhere: a di-
amond looks your best bet. Lead the ♦10
(top of a sequence). If you decide you like
strong ten leads, which I shall develop in
a later quiz, you will lead the ♦9 from this
holding.
4. ♠ K Q
♥ 10 9 8
♦ Q J 7 5
♣ K Q J 7
♠ 7 5 ♠ A J 8 4 2
W E
♦ 10 9 8 S ♦ 6 4 3
♣ 6 3 2 ♣ 10 9 4
♠ 10 9 6 3
♥ Q 7 3
♦ A K 2
♣ A 8 5
West North East South
1NT
Pass 3NT End
Sometimes, it might turn out to be right
to lead a fourth highest ♥6 even holding
three honours. More often, the lead that
will work is the ♥A or ♥K (depending on
your methods), which is what you should
try. When partner fails to encourage,
you should switch suit. Partner will
subsequently gain the lead with the ♠A
and return a heart through declarer’s
♥Q. ■
 A to Z of Bridge
compiled by Julian Pottage
LAWS OF CONTRACT BRIDGE
L
The international code last revised in
1993 in accordance with the rules for
playing rubber bridge. Three bodies
promulgate the Laws jointly: The
Portland Club, The European Bridge
League and The American Contract
Bridge League. The World Bridge
LANDY Federation has approved them.
A conventional defence to a 1NT
opener whereby 2♣ shows at least 5-4 LAWS OF DUPLICATE
in the majors. In reply, partner usually CONTRACT BRIDGE
shows preference between the majors The international code for the playing
or, with equal length, bids an artificial of duplicate bridge. The World Bridge
2♦, asking for the overcaller’s longer Federation, in association with the
major. For example: same bodies as the Laws of Contract
Bridge, promulgates the laws. The
latest revision was in 2007 (published
♠ Q 9 3 ♠ K J 8 4 2 in Britain by the English Bridge Union
♥ 10 6 3 N ♥ Q J 8 4 in conjunction with The Portland
W E
♦ K Q 5 S ♦ A 4 2 Club).
♣ J 8 7 2 ♣ 5
LAW OF TOTAL TRICKS
This theory asserts that the number
West North East South of tricks available to both sides if they
1NT 2♣* Pass play in their best fit is equal to the total
2♦* Pass 2♠ End number of trumps in both sides’ best
*Landy and enquiry trump fit. Suppose there is a nine-card
heart fit for North-South and an eight-
LATE PAIR card diamond fit for East-West. This
Various duplicate movements make totals seventeen trumps. Therefore, if,
provision for a pair arriving after the on best play and best defence, North-
start of a session, but its admission is South can make ten tricks in hearts,
at the discretion of the Director. East-West should be able to take seven
tricks in diamonds. With the same
LATE PLAY fits, if North-South could make nine
Completion of a board not played tricks, East-West should make eight
during the allotted time. tricks and so on.
You might use this information
LAWS AND ETHICS in deciding how to bid during
COMMITTEE (OF THE EBU) competitive auctions.
The Committee of the English Bridge For example:
Union established in accordance
with the Union’s Constitution to be
responsible for licensing arrangements ♠ 7 5
for systems and conventions, and to ♥ 9 4 2
deal with all matters concerned with ♦ K 9 6 5
the Laws and Ethics of duplicate ♣ K 8 5 2
bridge in England.
Page 29
West North East South
1♥
Pass 2♥ 3♦ 4♥
?
It is likely (though not certain) that
the opponents have a nine-card heart
fit. You expect partner to hold six
diamonds for the three-level overcall,
giving your side a ten-card diamond
fit.
With nineteen total trumps, you
expect nineteen total tricks. Therefore,
if 4♥ is making ten tricks, you expect
5♦ to be down two. This tells you that
it would be a mistake to bid 5♦ if you
are vulnerable against not. You do
not want to concede 500 to stop the
opponents from making 420.
At other vulnerabilities, if you can
make nine tricks (when 4♥ is making)
or eleven (when 5♦ is), you are likely to
show a profit by bidding 5♦.
LAYDOWN
Term for a contract that is so certain
that declarer could claim after the
initial lead.
LAYOUT
The placement of the cards.
LEAD
The initial card played to a trick. On
the first trick, the player to the left of
declarer leads.
Thereafter, the player who won the
preceding trick leads.
LEAD-DIRECTING BID
A bid made suggesting an initial lead
in that suit. For example:
♠ 8 5 3
♥ 7 4 N
W E
♦ A K Q 6 4 S
♣ 8 5 3
 A to Z of Bridge continued
West North East South
Pass Pass
1♦
Expecting that North-South will buy
the contract in one of the majors, West
opens light in third seat to suggest a
diamond lead.
LEAD-DIRECTING DOUBLE
A double of a conventional or cue bid
to suggest a lead of that suit.
For example:
West North East South
2NT Pass 3♦* Dble
*transfer to hearts
South’s double asks for a diamond
lead. Since it is unclear whether the
final contract will be in hearts or no-
trumps, South needs length (normally
at least five cards) and strength in
diamonds for the double. The previous
hand would be perfect.
LEAD-INHIBITING BIDS
A psychic bid of a suit not held strongly,
hoping to discourage the opposition
from leading the suit.
♠ A K J 4
♥ A K Q 8 5 2
♦ Void
♣ 10 5 2
You open 1♥ and partner raises to 3♥.
The technical bid is 3♠, giving partner
a chance to cue bid 4♣. The lead-
inhibiting bid is 4♣, feigning strength
(or shortage) in clubs.
LEAD OUT OF TURN
A lead from the wrong hand (i.e. an
initial lead by any player other than
declarer’s LHO or a later lead by any
player other than the one who won the
preceding trick). The Laws apply.
LEAD THROUGH
A player who leads to a trick leads
through the player on his left. So South
could lead through West.
LEAD THROUGH STRENGTH
In general, a player sitting in front of
dummy and unsure which suit to lead,
should lead through dummy’s stronger
holding, in the hope or knowledge of
leading up to partner’s honours in the
suit.
For example (with North as the
dummy):
♠ A Q 2
♥ 8 5 2
♠ 7 4 3
N
W E
♥ 7 4 3 S
West, on lead with no definitive
information to guide him, should lead
a spade.
If, for example, East has K-J-x in
each major, the king-jack will be well
placed in spades over North’s ace-
queen, but useless in hearts under
South’s holding.
LEAD UP TO WEAKNESS
In general, a player sitting over
dummy, and unsure which suit to lead,
should lead up to dummy’s weakness
in the hope or knowledge of leading
up to partner’s honours in the suit.
For example (with North as the
dummy):
♠ A Q 2
♥ 8 5 2
W E
N
♠ 7 4 3
S ♥ 7 4 3
East, on lead with no definitive
information to guide him, should
lead a heart. Any honours West has
in hearts will be useful over South’s
holding whereas it will be hard work
to establish a spade trick in view of
North’s strong spades.
LEADING FROM HONOURS
The standard leads from honour
combinations are:
Ace from A-K (but king from A-K
doubleton),
The higher of two touching honours,
Page 30
Top of a doubleton,
Low (e.g. fourth highest) from other
combinations.
Notes:
1 Some players prefer to lead the king
from A-K.
2 Against a suit contract, it is usual
not to underlead an ace.
3 Against a no-trump contract,
the lead of an honour usually
guarantees the possession of at least
three honour cards unless the lead
is from a short suit. From a long
suit headed by just two (touching)
honours, the standard lead is a low
card (e.g. fourth highest).
LEAP
A jump bid often used to describe a
jump to the probable final contract,
inviting partner to pass at his first
opportunity e.g. the final bid in the
sequence 1♦-1♠-1NT-4♠.
LEAPING MICHAELS
A conventional way of showing a two-
suited hand after a weak opposing
bid.
A jump in a minor that shows the
minor bid and the unbid major.
For example:
West North East South
2♥1
4♣
1
weak
West’s 4♣ shows at least five clubs and
at least five spades.
East usually corrects to 4♠ or raises
to 5♣.
West might hold:
♠ A Q 9 5 2
♥ 3 N
W E
♦ 4 S
♣ A Q 10 6 4 2
Playing Leaping Michaels, a cue bid of
the suit opened (3♥ in this example)
would ask for a stopper rather than
denote a two-suited hand.
LEAVE IN
To pass and, especially, to pass a
double by partner.
 A to Z of Bridge continued
LEBENSOHL
A convention to improve definition,
used originally when partner opens
1NT and the next player overcalls in a
suit at the two-level.
The basis of the convention is the
use of a bid of 2NT as a conventional
request for opener to bid 3♣. This
then creates an extra echelon of bids
— direct bids, and bids after the
Lebensohl 2NT.
One sequence shows game-going
values (traditionally the direct bid),
whilst the other is employed on
competitive hands (or invitational
hands if a competitive bid in the
suit was available at the two-level).
By agreement, a double may show
a traditional penalty double or may
show a raise to 2NT.
For example, if your partner opens
1NT and the next hand overcalls 2♥:
2♠ Natural, competitive
2NT Asks opener to bid 3♣;
usually weak with and the ♣A.
a minor or invitational LENGTH
with spades
3♣/3♦/3♠ Game-forcing
Hand 1 Hand 2
♠ 7 4 ♠ Q 9 6 5 3 2
♥ 9 6 ♥ 8 4
♦ K Q 9 7 5 2 ♦ A 6
♣ J 9 3 ♣ K 10 2
On both hands, you bid 2NT over the
intervening 2♥. On the first hand, you
intend to convert 3♣ to 3♦, which will
ask partner to pass. On the second,
you intend to rebid 3♠ to invite game.
Responder may also use the
convention on balanced hands to show
or deny a stopper in the suit overcalled
or to show or deny four cards in the
other major. The most logical system
(though perhaps not the most widely
played) is:
3NT direct Stopper in suit succeed on that lie of the cards.’
overcalled and no strength of the responder’s hand, e.g.
interest in other major
Cue bid No stopper in suit or To be light means to go down in a
interest in other major
2NT and Stopper and interest in
then 3NT other major
2NT then No stopper but
cue bid interest in other major
Many pairs who play Lebensohl also
use it after the opponents open a weak
two and partner doubles for takeout.
West North East South
2♥ Dbl Pass
? winners in the suit.
Hand 1 Hand 2
♠ 9 5 ♠ 9 5
♥ 10 6 5 ♥ 10 6 5
♦ K J 8 4 2 ♦ K J 8 4 2
♣ J 7 3 ♣ A J 7
With the first hand, you have little
interest in game and so bid 2NT,
Lebensohl, on the way to 3♦. With
the second, you want to show positive
values without going past 3NT. You do
this by bidding 3♦ directly.
The number of cards held in a
particular suit.
LEVEL
1 This is the number of tricks above
the book (six tricks) that a player
names in the bidding. For example,
bids of 2♣ or 2♦ are bids at the two
level, while contracts of 5♥ or 5♠
are contracts at the five level.
2 A way of categorising which
conventions are legal in a particular
type of competition, with the more
complex conventions allowed only
in higher-level competitions.
LHO
Abbreviation for Left-Hand Opponent
e.g. West is South’s LHO, North is
West’s LHO.
LIE OF THE CARDS
A reference to the position of the cards
around the table, e.g. ‘I could not
LIGHT
contract.
Page 31
To bid light means to bid with values
below the acceptable range.
LIGHTNER DOUBLE
A double of a freely bid slam by the
player not on lead to the first trick. The
double calls for an unusual lead. The
suit called for is quite often dummy’s
main side suit and often shows
(against a suit slam) a void in the suit
or (against a no-trump slam) two fast
♠ 7 5 3
♥ 10 7 5 4 2 N
W E
♦ Void S
♣ A 8 5 3 2
West North East South
1♠ Pass 3♦
Pass 3♠ Pass 4NT
Pass 5♥ Pass 6♠
Dbl
On a diamond lead, you expect to
defeat the slam with a diamond ruff
LIMIT BID
A bid that defines a player’s hand
accurately in terms of both strength
and distribution, for example, an
opening of 1NT, or the 3♠ bid in the
sequence: 1♠-pass-3♠.
LIMIT RAISE
A raise of partner’s suit in which you
bid the full value of your hand on
the assumption that partner has the
lower range of values for his bid. It is
a limit bid that shows support and is
not forcing.
For example:
West North East South
1♥ Pass 3♥
East’s 3♥ is a limit raise, indicating
four hearts and about 11 points or 8
losers.
LIMIT RESPONSE
A response that defines the shape and
1♠-pass-2♠.
Limit responses are usually raises
and no-trump bids.
 A to Z of Bridge continued
LINE
1 The horizontal line dividing a
rubber bridge score sheet, hence
the expressions ‘Above the line’
relating to penalties, overtricks and
bonuses, and ‘Below the line’ for
tricks bid and made.
2 The sequence of play that a player
takes (as in ‘The best line of play’).
3 If players bid four-card suits in
ascending order, they are bidding
‘Up the line’.
LITTLE SLAM
Another term for small slam – a
contract to make twelve tricks.
LMX
A conventional defence to an opening
three bid whereby a bid in the lower
minor (LM i.e. 3♦ over 3♣ and 4♣
over 3♦/3♥/3♠) is used as a takeout
request immediately after the opening
bid and a double (X) is used in the
fourth seat. Very few pairs use this
defence any more, preferring a simple
takeout double in both second and
fourth seat.
LOCAL POINTS
Points issued by the Home Bridge
Unions, such as the English Bridge
Union and affiliated bodies, such as
clubs and County Associations, for
success in club sessions, county events
and certain tournaments. 100 Local
Points are equivalent to one Master
Point.
LOCKED (IN OR OUT OF HAND)
To be unable to get the lead in or out
of dummy or declarer’s hand without
loss. As declarer, you want to avoid
such a position.
LONG CARDS
Cards left in a suit when the other
players’ cards in the suit have gone.
For example, if you have A-K-Q-7-3
and the suit breaks 5-3-3-2 round the
table, you can cash the A-K-Q to leave
the seven and three as long cards.
LONG HAND
The hand with the greater length in a
particular suit, especially the trump have a doubleton 6-4 of clubs and
suit. partner has neither the ace nor the
As a rule, ruffing in the long trump king of clubs, the six and four of clubs
hand does not generate extra trump are losers.
tricks. Nevertheless, you may wish to
ruff in the long hand to interrupt the LOSER ON LOSER
run of an opponent’s suit, to set up To discard one losing card on
dummy’s suit or to prepare the way for another, as illustrated in the following
a throw in, a squeeze or a trump coup. examples:
You must take particular care about
ruffing in the long hand if the long
hand has only four trumps or if a ♠ K J 10 9
defender is likely to have four trumps: ♥ A Q J 10
♦ J 5
♣ 5 4 3
♠ Q 2 ♠ 4 3 ♠ 2
♥ 10 2 ♥ 9 8 7 N ♥ K 6 5 3
♦ A 7 6 5 4 2 ♦ K Q 10 3 2 W E ♦ 9 8 7 6 4
S
♣ A J 5 ♣ A Q 2 ♣ J 10 9
♠ A 8 6 5 ♠ 7 4 ♠ A Q 8 7 6 5
♥ A 5 4 N ♥ Q J 9 8 7 6 3 ♥ 4 2
♦ Q 9 8 W E ♦ K 10 ♦ A
S
♣ 9 6 3 ♣ 7 4 ♣ K 8 7 6
♠ K J 10 9 3
♥ K
♦ J 3 As South, you play in 4♠ and receive
♣ K Q 10 8 2 the lead of the ♦K. If East obtains the
lead with the ♥K, there is the danger
of three club losers in addition to a
As South, you play in 4♠ after East heart loser.
has pre-empted in hearts. West leads Therefore, after drawing trumps
ace and another heart. If you ruff, you ending in dummy, you play dummy’s
will go down on the normal 4-2 trump ♦J (you can presume from the lead
break: West wins the second round that West holds the ♦Q) and discard
of trumps and leads a third round of a losing heart. You can then establish
hearts, reducing your trumps to fewer heart tricks by taking a ruffing finesse
than his. into the safe hand.
Instead, you should throw a diamond
at trick two – it is a loser anyway.
♠ 8 7
LONG SUIT ♥ J 3 2
A suit with four or, usually, more cards ♦ A 6 5 4 3 2
in the same hand. ♣ 7 4
♠ K 10 9 ♠ Q J 6 5 3 2
LOOSE DIAMOND ♥ 5 4 N ♥ 8 7 6
An arrangement to open 1♦ without a ♦ K Q 10 8 W E ♦ J 9
S
genuine diamond suit. This is common ♣ Q 10 5 2 ♣ 9 6
with variations of the Precision ♠ A 4
system. ♥ A K Q 10 9
♦ 7
LOSE THE LEAD ♣ A K J 8 3
Giving the lead to an opponent,
whether by design, by force, or by
accident. Playing in 6♥, you receive the lead of
the ♦K. If you try to ruff the third or
LOSER fourth round of clubs low, you will
A card with which you expect to lose incur an overruff and subsequently
a trick if you lead it or play it when lose a spade. However, you can ruff a
following suit. For example, if you club with the jack and then return
Page 32
 A to Z of Bridge continued
to hand with a spade to play another
club; but, this time, instead of ruffing,
you make the loser on loser play of
discarding a spade from dummy.
Dummy can then ruff a losing spade
in safety.
♠ J 10 2
♥ 8 7 6
♦ A Q 3 2
♣ K 6 2
♠ 7 6 ♠ 9 8 5 4
♥ A K Q 3 N ♥ 10 5 4 2
♦ 10 8 7 W E ♦ 9 6
S
♣ J 9 4 3 ♣ Q 10 8
♠ A K Q 3
♥ J 9
♦ K J 5 4
♣ A 7 5
South plays in 4♠ and West leads
three rounds of top hearts. If you ruff
the third round, you will lose control
of the trump suit on the probable 4-2
break.
Therefore, you should discard a
loser in clubs on the third round and
dummy’s trump holding is able to take
care of any continuation in hearts.
There are many other variations
when the loser-on-loser play is good
declarer technique.
LOSING TRICK COUNT
A method of evaluating the playing
strength of a hand, for trump
contracts, based on the number of
expected losers.
You count the number of losers as
follows: With three or more cards, the
number of losers in a suit is normally
equal to the number of missing high
honours (the ace, king and queen) e.g.
A-x-x counts as two losers, K-Q-x or
K-Q-x-x count as one loser.
With a doubleton, the queen
normally counts as a small card in the
above calculation and similarly with
any singleton, other than the ace, the
suit counts as one loser.
Exceptions to the above are that
Q-x-x counts as two and a half losers,
A-Q doubleton as half a loser.
Hand 1 Hand 2
♠ K Q 9 4 ♠ J 10 3 2
♥ A 6 ♥ 5 3
♦ A 6 4 ♦ K Q 2
♣ K 9 8 4 ♣ A 7 5 2
The first hand has six losers: one in
each major and two in each minor.
The second has eight losers, three in
spades, two in hearts, one in diamonds
and two in clubs.
The maximum number of losers
a hand may have is thus twelve, and
the most the two combined hands
could have is twenty-four. Subtract
the combined number of losers from
the total possible number of losers and
the result equates to the number of
tricks that should be available. Thus,
a six-loser hand opposite an eight-
loser hand would have fourteen losers
between the two and therefore they
should make ten tricks (24-14=10).
The main advantage of the Losing
Trick Count over the Milton Work
Count is that the Losing Trick Count
is more accurate with good trump fits.
LOVE ALL
Neither side vulnerable. Both sides
non-vulnerable.
LOVE SCORE
Neither side vulnerable and, in rubber
bridge, no partscore.
LOW CARD
Any card other than an honour card
and sometimes denoted by an ‘x’ on
hand records. Low cards, though they
often do not win tricks in their own
right (unless they are trumps) have a
number of useful purposes. They can
guard your honour cards, they can
enable you to reach partner’s hand
and, when you are defending, they can
be good cards with which to signal.
LOW REVERSE
A rebid by opener in a suit higher-
ranking than the suit opened. This
bid is normally forcing for one round
if the response was at the one level
and forcing to game if it was at the
two level. For a low reverse, it is usual
to have significantly better than a
minimum opening, at least five cards
Page 33
in the suit opened and at least four
cards in the reversing suit:
♠ K 6
♥ 7 5
♦ A Q 10 3
♣ A K J 8 5
This hand would be fine for the
sequence 1♣-Pass-1♥-Pass-2♦.
LOWER MINOR
A conventional defence to an opening
three-bid. Using this convention,
a bid of the lower unbid minor (3♦
over 3♣ or 4♣ over anything else) is a
takeout request. The advantage of this
defence is that you can use all other
suit overcalls, 3NT and a double in
their natural sense. The disadvantages
are that you can rarely stop below the
four level and that you cannot pick
up a penalty when one member of the
partnership has good values and the
other holds good trumps. Most pairs
now prefer to use double for takeout.
LUCAS TWOS
A conventional opening of 2♥ or 2♠,
showing a weak hand with at least five
cards in the suit bid and with a side
suit. Requirements about the strength
of the hand and the length of the
second suit can vary according to the
vulnerability and partnership style.
LURKING
Lurking means passing or bidding
cautiously early in the auction in
the hope that the opponents will bid
too high or double you in a making
contract. ■
BEGIN BRIDGE
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 David Stevenson answers your questions on Laws and Ethics
Q Q
Playing a weak
no-trump and
4-card majors,
North opened 1♣ on a
hand with a 4-4-2-3
shape and 17 points. A
few boards later, the
same player opened
1♣ with a 3-3-4-3
shape and 17 points.
South said that he was
unaware that the 1♣ was
alertable as he had no
idea that his partner had
opened with a 3-card
club suit. Is that right?
Kenny Picken by email
(similar from Brian Clarke,
Terry Bunn and Ken Davies).
A Q
In principle, three-
card minor-suit
openings are not
alertable, so the simple
answer is no alert is
required. However, this
may not be so simple.
If North keeps doing
this, South cannot claim
not to know. It is a matter
of style and thus subject to
disclosure. If asked as to
their methods, South should
probably reply that their
openings are natural, but,
occasionally, his partner
opens a three-card club suit
rather than a four-card suit.
Furthermore, they should
write something to this effect
on their system card.
Does a Three-Card
Club Opening
Require an Alert?
A defender
inadvertently
discards when
holding a singleton but
immediately rectifies
his error and leaves the
penalty card exposed
on the table, which he
is obliged to play on
the next trick when
the original suit is led
again. When gaining
the lead, the offender’s
partner leads the suit
discarded, which defeats
the contract that would
otherwise have made.
If someone had called
the director, what
should his ruling be?
Geoffrey Cassen, Honiton,
Devon (similar from
Gordon Tate).
A
If I were the director,
I would be close to
giving a Procedural
Penalty to both sides. I would
certainly give both sides a
well-earned lecture. The rules
of bridge are complex: only
the director may apply them.
When he played his singleton,
and immediately rectified his
error, this drew attention to
the irregularity: it was then
the responsibility of all four
players to call the director.
The rules for penalty cards
involve forbidding leads
as well as having to play
Page 34
cards. The director explains
this if called; then either
side can allow for those
penalties in their future play.
How can they do that if
nobody calls the director?
If called late, the director
must try to work out whether
either side has taken any
advantage by not calling
him. If he thinks declarer
has taken advantage, he
rules it is not now a penalty
card: the defender can
pick up the card and play
continues. If the defence, he
does apply the penalties.
♣♦♥♠
The bidding
starts as follows:
West North East South
1NT Pass 2♣
Pass 2♥ Pass
I, as South, place the
stop card on the table
and bid 3NT. Without
any hesitation at all,
West passes. What
would you have done?
Jim Parlour, Southampton.
A
Probably nothing:
it is unfortunate
that players do not
follow the rules, especially
the simple ones – but this
game will not survive without
tolerance. I think we need
‘Maxi Tolerance’ and, in
clubs, that means tolerating
minor rule-breakers, whether
they do not follow stop or
alert rules, or even rules of
conduct like writing on their
score-card before leading. If
called as a director, I would
just give West a short lecture.
♣♦♥♠
Q
Declarer had the
lead in dummy;
mistaking the
position, she placed a
card from her own hand
face up on the table. The
next player did not
accept the lead. Can
declarer then return the
card to hand or does it
become a penalty card?
David Salmon, Reading.
A
Declarer never has
a penalty card. The
lead comes from
dummy but declarer may
play any legal card.
David Stevenson answers all
queries based on the facts
supplied by the letter writer.
Neither Mr Bridge nor
David Stevenson has any way
of knowing whether those
facts are correct or complete.
 Ask David continued
Q
South opened
2♦, explained
as the partner-
ship’s second strongest
bid (reverse Benja-
min). Was this accept-
able on this hand?
♠ J 10 9 7 5
♥ A K Q J 4 3 2
♦ Void
♣ Q
Jeff Stanford by email
(similar from Dan Grammer).
A
Probably: it is legal
to play an artificial
2♦ opening to
include this hand since it is
rule of 25 (12 cards in the
longest suits and 13 HCP).
However, if a pair allows
distributional hands that
are weaker than people
expect, they need to be
careful in their explanation
as to what 2♦ shows.
♣♦♥♠
Q
South had led
a small spade.
Declarer (West)
had put down the ♠7.
Immediately, North
noticed that West had
pulled two cards but
that only the top one
was visible. Had the
players called for the
director (me, a relative
newcomer to the task),
I would have told West
to take back both cards
and just play whichever
one she wanted: no
penalty. Was I right?
In fact, by the time they
called, the unexposed
card, the ♠K, had
become visible to all
four players. Declarer
had said, ‘Oh I didn’t
know I had the ♠K.’ As
director, I believe I made
the right decision in
saying that West could
designate which of the
two cards she wanted
to play, with the other
one put back into her
hand. Was I correct?
North then argued
with me that West,
declarer, must play the
card on top i.e. the ♠7.
My ruling was that both
were eventually exposed
(by the time I got to
the table, everyone
had seen the ♠K) and,
therefore, declarer could
play whichever one she
wanted. North was very
upset because she would
have played the ♠Q and
won the trick if West
had had to play the ♠7.
Bea David Griffiths by email.
A
The first rule of
directing, especially
for inexperienced
directors, is that you read
the laws from the law book.
So, you do not rule as you
think right: you read it out
and then you will be right.
If the players had called me
when the under-card was
invisible, I would have read
Law 58B1 to the players. This
says that the ♠7 is the played
card, with the other card put
back unseen in the declarer’s
hand without penalty.
Once the ♠K became
visible, you were right
that West could designate
which card to play.
You do not argue with
players: you read the law
out and tell them that is the
ruling. Tell North you did
not write the laws. Tactfully,
of course, you do not want
to upset her more – but
there are too many people
playing who do not think the
laws apply. Unfortunately,
directors who sound as
Page 35
though they are making laws
up encourage this. Reading
them out is much better.
♣♦♥♠
Q
The declarer
decided to claim
the rest of the
tricks in his contract.
This required him to
take three tricks in
hearts, holding K-J-x
opposite A-10-x. I held
Q-x-x and, since there
was no prior indication
which way he should
take the finesse and
he did not say, I asked
him to continue play.
The trouble is that my
question made it obvious
who held the queen.
Being very sporting, he
deliberately took the
finesse the wrong way
and went down. What
should have happened?
David Barker, Aylesbury.
A
You do not say where
this happened – at
duplicate or rubber
bridge – I am assuming
duplicate. When there is a
claim, play ceases. You never
ever play on after a claim.
Either you accept it, or you
call the director, who decides.
In fact, the director will
award a trick to the defence,
since the director will not
allow a winning finesse
in his decision as to the
number of tricks made.
♣♦♥♠
Q
What are the
rules for a major
penalty card?
John Honeyman by email.
A
There are four, of
which everyone
knows the first, many
people forget the second,
everyone forgets the third
and very few know the fourth.
1 The player with the
major penalty card must
play it at his first legal
opportunity to do so.
2 If the partner of the
player with the major penalty
card gains the lead, declarer
may do one of three things:
(a) He may require the
lead of the suit of the major
penalty card, in which
case the offender picks
up the major penalty card
and may play anything.
(b) He may forbid the
lead of the suit of the major
penalty card for as long as
he retains the lead, in which
case the offender picks up
the major penalty card and
may play anything, or
(c) He may keep it as a
major penalty card and
the offender’s partner
may lead anything.
3 While the knowledge
that the defender must
play his major penalty
card is authorised,
knowledge that he holds it
is unauthorised to partner.
4 The director has the
right to deem an exposed
card is not a major penalty
card; he may do so if not
called in a timely fashion.
♣♦♥♠
Q
I led to the first
trick and won
it; declarer won
the second trick but
put his card our way
round. Dummy tried to
draw his attention to
the mistake, which we
were happy to allow.
What does the law say?
Dan Crofts, Birmingham.
A
It is a change. Now,
anyone may point
out a card has been
put down the wrong way
– but only until the lead to
the next trick is made. After
that, declarer may do so but
nobody else.
 Ask David continued
Q
West led the ♠A
from A-x-x. Dum-
my came down
with ♠K-x. West contin-
ued spades. Dummy then
discovered a third spade
hidden in a different suit.
West said he wished to
change his lead to the
second trick. Was the di-
rector right to allow this?
Club Player, Liverpool
(similar from Mike
Campbell, Chichester).
A
Neither declarer
nor the defenders
are responsible for
making sure dummy has 13
cards in view: that responsi-
bility lies with dummy. While
your ruling was practical
enough, the official ruling is
to play the hand out and then
adjust if dummy’s infraction
of putting his cards down
incorrectly caused damage.
♣♦♥♠
Q
South was play-
ing 3NT and had
taken the first
nine tricks. With four
tricks remaining, East
suddenly exclaimed she
had only three cards left;
then her partner discov-
ered she was holding
five. The director ruled
that both pairs would
have nil points on that
DUPLICATE BRIDGE  let partner think I
RULES SIMPLIFIED
(otherwise known as the Yellow Book)
by John Rumbelow and
revised by David Stevenson
Available from Mr Bridge ( 01483 489961
board. Is that right?
Jean Lawrence, Birmingham.
A
Players are required
to count their cards
before looking at
them as a matter of Law.
If the director decides it
has made no difference, he
can put the card right and
continue – but this is very un-
likely this late in the play. So,
in general, the result should
be cancelled and N/S should
get average plus (not being
at fault) while E/W get aver-
age minus (being at fault).
Although I do not
understand what giving you
nil points on the hand means,
it sounds illegal. Perhaps the
director has decided to enter
‘not played’ in the scoring,
which is a common directors’
mistake. When the director
cancels a board at a table,
the players get average,
average plus or average
minus dependent on whose
fault it is, never ‘not played’.
♣♦♥♠
Q
Playing rubber
bridge with both
sides vulnerable
and 60 below to the op-
ponents, my opponent
opened 2♥ on this:
♠ A K Q
♥ A Q 9 4 3 2
♦ 7 6 5
♣ 6
only
£5 95
Page 36
We had all agreed to
play weak twos in the
majors (six cards and
5-10 points). The bid
misled our side; we
finished three down
doubled in 4♣.
Dr Charles Godden,
Guildford, Surrey.
A
It is perfectly
normal bridge to
stretch opening
bids at rubber bridge when
holding a part score and
you should expect it. Many
people would open 2♥ with
that hand, knowing that 2♥
would be enough for game.
Similarly, with a 60 part
score, despite playing a weak
no-trump, people will open
1NT with 12 points or with
20 points. It is just normal
rubber bridge tactics.
♣♦♥♠
Q
Playing with
a new part-
ner, the bid-
ding went as follows:
West North East South
Pass Pass Pass
1♥ Dble 1♠ Pass
2♠ Pass Pass Pass
As South, I held:
♠ 9 6 4 3
♥ Q 3
♦ 5 3 2
♣ A J 8 4
I did not want to lead
a trump or club, nor
had something in
diamonds, so led the
♥Q and trumped the
third round of hearts.
East was furious and
demanded to know why I
led a heart and why I did
not alert the double.
My partner and I had
just discussed the basic
system. I thought the
double was asking for a
suit. Both East and West
insisted that I should
have alerted. North
said that her double
was how she always
used to play. What are
the rules please?
Ann Grove by email.
A
At the time of the
double, you had
no agreement, so
there was no reason to alert
anything. However, now you
know this is not a takeout
double, you will have to alert
it in future. The rules for
alerting doubles of natural
suit bids are extremely sim-
ple. Up to 3NT, if you do not
alert it is for takeout, so you
alert if it has any other mean-
ing. Above 3NT, with rare
exceptions, you do not alert.
Of course, the opponents
have no right to be furious
that you led the ♥Q. They
have no right to tell you
what to lead and no right
to think that you should
do what they would do.
A director might adjust,
but only if he felt you had
an agreement that dou-
ble showed hearts, that it
should have been alerted
and, only if your opponents’
bidding would be differ-
ent if it had been alerted.
♣♦♥♠
Q
If North bids
1♠ and East
bids 1♦, can
North draw attention
to the insufficient bid?
Peter Jeffery,
Wheathampstead, Herts.
A
Certainly: the laws
say that anyone may
draw attention to
an irregularity during the
auction, whether it is their
turn to call or not.
 Ask David continued
Q
South was
playing in 3♠.
During the play,
dummy (North) took
a trick with ♠J. Then,
inadvertently, West led
the ♦Q. Declarer called
for a heart discard
from dummy; East also
discarded a heart. Then,
dummy said, ‘West, you
have led out of turn. The
♦Q must remain on the
table and be played at
the first opportunity.’
Then, East said the small
heart from dummy must
stand as the lead to the
trick. South protested,
saying he did not want
to lead a small heart
from dummy and
that West’s ♦Q should
remain as the lead to
the trick. The situation
was difficult to resolve
because the director was
dummy. Who was right?
Malcolm Sutherland,
Aldeburgh, Suffolk.
A
While it is not always
easy for playing
directors, they must
be very careful. Certainly,
it almost defies belief that
when there is a disagreement
about a ruling, a director
should fail to read it out
from the Law book, or Mr
Bridge’s Yellow Book.
As I understand it,
the ♦Q was a lead out
of turn, followed by a
heart from dummy.
It sounds as though
declarer was playing on
the ♦Q; in this case, the
play of the heart from
dummy condoned it; the
♦Q lead has become legal
E-mail your questions on bridge laws to:
davidstevenson@mrbridge.co.uk
and play continues. There
are no penalty cards.
♣♦♥♠
Q
I have been a
member of a
bridge club in the
southern Home Counties
for 12 years and, in that
time, I have never had
the director called to the
table concerning my play
or behaviour. Suddenly,
the chairman phoned
to say that the club’s
committee was meeting
and that I was no longer
a member of the club;
a letter confirming
this followed shortly.
Surely, I should have
been entitled to a fair
hearing. I am unhappy
to be condemned by
allegations made
by people speaking
behind my back.
Name and address supplied.
A
I am afraid that
I have not much
advice to offer.
While it is not normal
behaviour for a club to expel
someone without a hearing
and most people would
consider it unacceptable
for a club to do so, clubs
do have a right to accept
or reject members as
they think fit. Unless the
club has a constitution
and this goes against it, I
think you have no case.
If it is an EBU club and
you are an EBU member,
you could write to the EBU
and suggest that the actions
of individuals have upset
you and their behaviour is
unacceptable. I do not know
whether the EBU would feel
able to get involved in a
matter inside a club. ■
Page 37
The Power of Shape
by Ron Klinger reviewed by Sandra Landy
£10.99 from The London Bridge Centre
( 020 7288 1305 www.bridgeshop.com
T
his is the only
bridge book I have
ever read that
concentrates on using the
shape of a hand as the
basis for a bidding system.
Klinger suggests that it
is just as important to
describe the shape of your
hand as it is to describe the
point count. Shortage in
the right place may make
bidding a slam a good
bet, but that shortage can
be even more valuable if
it is a void rather than a
singleton. Most evaluation
methods are unable to
account for that difference.
If you have a 4-4 fit in
hearts but both hands are
a 3433 shape, there may be
no advantage in playing in
trumps when 9 tricks are
available in 3NT.
In order to use both
high-card points and hand
shape in bidding, you
can use the Bergen Point
Count.
To your high-card
points, add the number of
cards in your two longest
suits. If the total is 20 or
more, you have the values
to open the bidding.
Suppose you hold:
♠ 8 7 4 3
♥ A 2
♦ K Q J 6 2
♣ J 8
You can open 1♦ first
in hand, as you have 20
Bergen points. These come
from 11 high-card points
plus four for spade length
and five for diamond
length. Of course, it is not
obligatory to open but, at
favourable vulnerability, it
is an interesting thought.
At least, if your LHO
becomes declarer, partner
should find the best lead.
Even at unfavourable
vulnerability, the author
recommends opening 1♠
with this 11-point hand:
♠ K 8 6 5 3
♥ Void
♦ Q J 8 7
♣ A J 8 4
This is despite the fact that
you will have to rebid 2♠
on a poor spade suit should
partner respond 2♥.
Obviously, a change in
hand evaluation methods
will affect the subsequent
bidding. Still, for those of
us who have always taken
an optimistic view with
shapely hands, it formal-
ises our approach and de-
velops better partnership
understanding in the han-
dling of low point count
opening bids.
The book also has a few
chapters on card play and
concludes with appendices
on some little played bid-
ding methods.
While I am not suggest-
ing that all of you change
your bidding methods, I
do think this book may
open your eyes to what is
possible when you take
as much account of your
hand shape as you do of
your high-card points.
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328STI12
 BRIDGE  What’s in a Name?
by Didapper
BREAKS
R
obert Blyth, a
former editor of
♦ Full-board ♦ Two seminars*
The Pharmaceutical
♦ All rooms with ♦ Two supervised Journal, was due to
en-suite facilities play sessions* celebrate his 90th birthday
♦ No single supplement ♦ Four duplicate sessions** yesterday (21 October
2011). Addressing his
Please book ..... places for me at £....... per person, birthday card reminded me
that he lives in a street with
Single .... Double .... Twin .... an unusual name, being
the only road in Britain
Name of Hotel/Centre............................................................. called Mortons Fork.
The name has always
Date(s) .................................................................................... amused me because
‘Morton’s fork’ means a
Mr/Mrs/Miss .........................................................................
choice between two equally
unpleasant alternatives.
Address...................................................................................
The term has its origins in a
................................................................................................ tax system devised in 1487
by the Lord Chancellor,
Postcode ................................................................................. Archbishop John Morton.
He would visit noblemen
( ........................................................................................... and assess the level of
hospitality offered him: if
Special requirements (these cannot be guaranteed, it was lavish, he assumed
but we will do our best to oblige). they were wealthy and
levied a heavy tax; if it
................................................................................................ was frugal, he assumed
they had a fortune salted
Please give the name(s) of all those covered by this booking. away — and levied a heavy
tax. Either way, they were
................................................................................................
caught on the prongs of a
Please send a non-returnable deposit of £50 per person per place by two-tined fork — similar to
cheque, payable to Mr Bridge. An invoice for the balance will be sent the horns of a dilemma.
with your booking confirmation. On receipt of your final payment, The road named Mortons
28 days before the event, a programme and full details will be sent Fork is in a district of
together with a map. Cancellations are not refundable. Should you Milton Keynes known as
require insurance, you should contact your own insurance broker. Blue Bridge. When the
area was developed for
housing, the Milton Keynes
Development Corporation
wanted to name the streets
after famous bridges.
But because most bridge
names had already
been used elsewhere
in other contexts, they
decided instead to use
names connected with
the card game bridge.
They chose Blackwood
Crescent, Culbertson Lane
and Gardiner Court after
the inventors of bidding
systems, Van Der Bilt
Court after a compiler of
the game’s laws, Vienna
Grove after the ‘Vienna
coup’ (an unblocking play
first recorded in Vienna)
and Mortons Fork (for a
road that forks) after a
playing manoeuvre that
emulates Archbishop
Morton’s strategy.
However, half these
names are wrong. Bridge-
playing friends tell me
that Van Der Bilt should
be Vanderbilt, Gardiner
should be Gardener
and Mortons should, of
course, be Morton’s.
Robert Blyth
never allowed such
sloppiness in the PJ.

From The Pharmaceutical Journal.

Volume 287, 22/29 October 2011

Expiry: ................................. CVV......................... Issue No.................... REDUCE THE COST OF YOUR POSTAGE
(CVV is the last 3 numbers on the signature strip)
Postage stamps for sale at 90% of face-value,
Mr Bridge, Ryden Grange, Knaphill, Surrey GU21 2TH. all mint with full gum.
Quotations for commercial quantities
( 01483 489961 available on request.
e-mail: jessica@mrbridge.co.uk
Values supplied in 100s, higher values available as well
website: www.holidaybridge.com as 1st and 2nd class (eg 1st class: 100x37p+100x9p)
*on tutorial weekends. **6 sessions on rubber/Chicago events.
(/Fax 020 8422 4906 e-mail: clive.goff@londonrugby.com

Page 40
READERS’
LETTERS
MOST WELCOME
The forward looking article,
Modernising The Game, in
BRIDGE 114, was most
interesting. Thought does
indeed need to be given to
attracting younger people.  Stoneleigh, Warwickshire.
I favour the idea of
ten-card suits. These would
either make the game take
up less time or could be used
to allow time for formal
post-mortems, perhaps with
dummies from other tables
acting as referees if needed.
The time saved could be
used for general conversation
by those who could not
remember the hand just
played.
J Harris,
Guildford by email.
…AND MORE
Receiving BRIDGE 114 on
St Patrick’s Day, I was not
surprised to see that we are
to await a green paper. The
cover date suggests gremlins
at work, or have the EBU
finally flipped irrevocably?
Chris Dicker,
Tavistock, Devon.
TRUTH DAWNS
Reading the first column of
Modernising The Game,
BRIDGE 114, I turned to the
front cover… yes, it was the
April issue.
Lawrence Davidoff,
East Preston, Sussex.
NEW NAME
In these days of sexual
equality, it would seem
appropriate to replace ‘Jacks’
with a non gender-specific
name. Bearing in mind that
‘Jacks’ were once known as
‘Knaves’, a suitable
replacement could be
‘Bankers’.
Jim Dapré,
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
When the EBU proposed P2P
there was a lot of opposition,
with many stating it could be
fatal for the EBU. Their
financial report for last year
shows a loss of £47,209.
What is Mr Bridge’s verdict?
Has the P2P scheme been
successful, or is the EBU
heading for the morgue?
Martyn Stevens,
Crewe, Cheshire.
Too soon to know but I will
ask the question.
USED STAMPS
I am delighted to enclose a
further cheque for £979 for
Little Voice raised over the
last few months from selling
used postage stamps sent by
your readers and by Jill
Russell and her helpers at
L.U.C.I.A.
Colin Bamberger,
179 High Road,
Trimley St Mary, IP11 0TN.
MARMITE LOVER
Sally Brock’s columns are
really enjoyable. Please
disregard the complaints
from people who happen not
to find them so.  New Zealand.
In particular, ‘Seven Days’
in the February 2012 issue
was great. It gave the
ordinary bridge player an
insight into how tough life is
Page 41
at the top of the game. It
made me want to get to
Eindhoven Airport to try its
fish and chips. What more
can one ask of any writer?
Arthur Poole by email.
BOB’S BLOG
In today’s mail, I got a new,
shining bus pass from the
Government, assuming my
old one to be worn out, I
suppose.
About 40 years ago, I met
my bridge partner at a class.
She is married to a farmer
eight miles away and also
plays in my wife’s tea parties.
This works fine. No car
journeys home, hearing, ‘…I
mean, any card but the ten of
hearts would have done,’ in
your ear. Learning and using
the Phoney Club system has
served a lot of us quite well. It
annoys some.
Our club had a great
player called Big Agnes of
the Diamond Rings. One
night, she insisted our Phoney
Club opening was illegal
according to her diary. I
asked for a look and
returned it to her pointing out
it was from the EBU and she
was in Scotland.
More seriously, my friend,
Jack, plays in a club where
Acol is widely uniform. With
partner Isabel, they
experimented with five-card
majors for a while until told
that it was unwise to play a
system different from that
adopted by the majority. Is
this good advice?
Bob Benzies,
Coupar Angus, Perthsire.
DOWN UNDER PLUS
I reckon to be your most
distant member/fan, here at
the top of the South Island of
Interesting to note that here
in NZ, they play four-card
major Acol about 50/50 with
five-card majors. In the
Australian west coast major
city, Perth, they play four-card
major Acol, while in the other
major inhabitable non-burnt
part, the east coast of
Queensland and New South
Wales, they play mainly
standard American. Benji
Acol is almost unknown here,
they use an opening bid of
two diamonds to show 19+
points, not necessarily
diamonds and probably
unbalanced. A southern
hemisphere attempt at Benji
but not as good, as it doesn’t
allow both weak and strong
twos. They also play very
quickly, 6 or 7 minutes a
board, fine for bidding but
they seem to allow no time
for making a plan when the
dummy goes down. Anyway,
it’s interesting to see the
national differences.
P Pfeifer, Upper Moutere,
New Zealand.
REVIEWS WANTED
I have recently purchased an
iPad and wondered whether
it would be appropriate for
your magazine to review the
software available.
I already have your
instructional/play discs which
are loaded onto my
Windows-based PC.
I would value a review of
recommended software for
the various operating
systems, whether to be
purchased through you or
from other providers.
No doubt, I am sure I am
not on my own in having
difficulties in deciding which
software is best.
David Grounds by email.
RETURN WANTED
Please send Bernard back to
North Queensferry for
another tutorial weekend. We
find it too hard to travel
around England for such
short breaks – great to have
one on our doorstep.
Mr J Robertson,
Fife, Scotland.
READERS’ LETTERS
continued
BOOKS FOR SALE
I am in possession of about
250 books on bridge, some
of which are ‘vintage’ and
many might be of interest,
particularly to collectors. I
have them listed and would
be pleased to email these
lists and answer questions.
Don Booth,
donne8@talktalk.net
( 01425 475147
CRITICS
I have noticed comments
about Sally Brock’s feature in
your magazine recently and
feel that it is about time
someone stood up for her.
I read the article and enjoyed
it thoroughly – there is more
to bridge than reading about
playing and bidding various
hands and there is enough
bridge in it to make it
interesting, to me at least.
Derek Cannell,
Bangor, Co. Down,
Northern Ireland.
ANOTHER NOVELTY
Reading Kay White’s letter in
BRIDGE 114 reminded me of
an idea I had years ago for
our Christmas party.
The cards would be dealt
each round as in Chicago.
Then a random contract
would be selected (either
from a hat or a preselected
random list). e.g. six
diamonds by West. West then
had to play the hand as
declarer in six diamonds,
irrespective of what he and
his partner held. Simple
contracts e.g. one spade
doubled by North, may well
make most of the time, slams
invariably will go down. The
result, however, will depend
entirely upon the declarer’s
card playing skill and the
defence. Vulnerable slam
contracts doubled would
attract very large scores.
The final outcome will, I
suspect, be one of very high
scores all round, along with
much merriment.
The reason I say ‘suspect’
is that nobody would take me
up on the suggestion.
Has anybody else tried it?
Andrew Mountain,
Oakleigh, Wrexham.
CLUB PLUG
Preston Bridge Club has
moved to new premises at St
Walburge’s Gardens, Weston
Street, Preston, PR2 2QJ.
( 01772 720060.
We welcome players of all
standards and have lessons
for beginners as well as
practice and supervised play
for the less experienced. The
premises are accessed easily
and there is ample car
parking.
We play on Mondays,
Tuesdays, Thursdays and
Fridays starting at 7.05pm.
Also on Monday
afternoons at 1pm.
www.PrestonBridgeClub.co.uk
New, immediate scoring
system, EBU master points
awarded. Lessons for all
levels. Ring Wendy on
( 01772 338789 for
further information.
Dave Parkin by email.
A BIG THANK YOU
This month’s issue is more
than usually inspiring and
helpful. If only you could
hear how we all discuss and
quote from your pages –
being instructional and, by
some amazing second sight,
seeming to cover the issues
our group have just been
pondering only yesterday.
Rosemary Morton Jack,
Oddington, Kidlington.
THE BEST YET?
Your latest magazine, BRIDGE
114, was one of the best ever.
You have consistently excellent
Page 42
articles (apart from Sally carrying a part score. But, I
Brock’s tedious diary) of have not yet grasped the
which I particularly enjoy tactics needed. I cannot work
David Stevenson’s Laws and out, for example:
Ethics pages. His The End of When is it worth bidding
the Auction article should be above my comfort zone and
pinned up on every club maybe going one or two
noticeboard. down?
One of my pet hates is When it is worth trying to
opponents who sweep away push my opponents above
their bidding cards before my their comfort zone?
partner or I have a chance to When should I take a
lead, so I’m very pleased chance and risk being
David Stevenson has drawn doubled?
attention to this. When it is worth doubling
Alan Cooke, the opposition?
Henlow, Beds. Looking at the traveller
doesn’t help as I can
MEMBERS WELCOME compare my score only
The Carrington Bridge Club against the other pairs
operates on a Friday (start playing that hand. Some
7.30pm) at the Day Centre, players seem able to look at
Harpenden. Duplicate bridge the traveller and announce
is played on a friendly basis. that this is a top/bottom or
Table money is £2 per person whatever while I can’t tell
with an annual sub of only until all the boards have been
£5. Visitors and potential played. Someone has kindly
members should bring their explained to me how making
own refreshments as the club a sacrifice and going down
has no such facilities hundreds even when
available. Visitors are asked vulnerable, can score better
to bring a partner, although, than letting the opponents
in some cases, these can be make a slam. What they did
found. For further details, not explain is how you can be
please contact Bill Kenney on sure they won’t just pass your
( 01727 854871. sacrifice and chortle.
Bill Kenney, How about a new series of
St Albans, Herts. lessons on duplicate tactics?
I can’t be the only one
CRY FOR HELP facing this conversion.
I have played friendly rubber Stella Burnett by email.
bridge for some time, but
find myself forced into SALLY BROCK
duplicate as so few clubs play Now that I have read the
rubber these days. This reason for her column, all
seems to require a whole new readers should accept that
set of tactics. Sally is here to stay. He who
Basically, I need to bid pays the piper calls the tune.
more aggressively as I can no Mr G Makeham,
longer doddle around Lewes, East Sussex.
Write to Mr Bridge at:
Ryden Grange, Knaphill, Surrey GU21 2TH
or e-mail letters@mrbridge.co.uk
E-mail correspondents are asked to include
their name, full postal address, telephone
number and to send no attachments.
Letters may be edited for length and clarity.
READERS’ LETTERS
continued
MATTER OF FACT
Your Anniversary Cruise
looks fabulous. I have
just forwarded the email
below to my current and past
bridge students:
25th Anniversary Cruise
– this looks like a good deal
to me. In fact, if I didn’t have
classes, I might easily go
myself. Let’s face it, if Mr
Bridge and his team weren’t
any good at what they do,
they wouldn’t have grown the
business the way they have.
Ian Dalziel,
Troon, Scotland.
SPANISH BRIDGE
In 2005, I set out on a 500
mile walk across Spain. In
2011, ‘A Different View of the
Camino de Santiago’ was
published.
The book is based on a
diary I kept of my
observations of the people
and wildlife during the walk.
In many of the bars, I
noticed people playing cards
with the strange Barajas card
deck; (4 suits with 10 cards in
each suit). I never saw a
standard deck. I was soon
reflecting on how this might
have affected them as a
‘bridge nation’.
When I got round to writing
the book, I discovered that
Spain finished in 17th place
in the 49th European Bridge
Team Championships. What
a contrast to Italy, a similar-
sized country with many
common features.
I would be interested to
know if any readers,
particularly Spanish ones,
agree with my postulation
that the Barajas card deck is
responsible for Spain’s lowly
standing in the bridge world.
Bill Watson, Codsall,
Wolverhampton. ■
The Diaries of Wendy Wensum
O
n returning from
the memorable
Spanish holiday, I
must admit I found it diffi-
cult to re-adjust to the Brit-
ish climate. Life seemed
rather mundane, even
when playing bridge at the
Riverside, but distractions
do occur. It was Millie who
remarked, rather rudely in
my view, on the appear-
ance of a visitor partnering
an established and upright
club committee member
in the monthly team event.
Surely, the term moose
should never be used to
describe a partaker of our
noble card game. There
were no antlers in evidence
so presumably her com-
ment must have referred to
some other characteristic
of the reindeer family.
From time to time, re-
markably skewed distri-
butions occur and the fol-
lowing hand was distinctly
freakish. West was dealer
with both sides vulnerable.
♠ K J 10 9 7
♥ 9
♦ A Q 10 9 8 7 5
♣ Void redoubled with an over-
♠ 3 2 N ♠ Void
W E
♥ A 8 7 S ♥ K 10 6 5 3
♦ K J 6 4 3 2 ♦ Void
♣ 9 4 ♣ K Q J 10 as if my amazement was
7 6 5 2
♠ A Q 8 6 5 4
♥ Q J 4 2
♦ Void
♣ A 8 3
Page 43
Episode 7
Keeping the Score
At our table, West passed
and, sitting North, I
opened one diamond. The
Moose, as East, overcalled
two no trumps, show-
ing both clubs and hearts.
Millie bid three spades.
With my spade holding,
I wondered for a moment
if Millie had been drink-
ing, but common sense
prevailed. Of course she’d
been drinking. The full
auction was:
West North East South South led the ace of spades,
Wendy Moose Millie
Pass 1♦ 2NT1 3♠
Pass 5♠ Pass 6♠
Dbl Pass Pass Redl
End
1
unusual (clubs and hearts)
Millie completed the auc-
tion with a defiant, bran-
dy-enhanced redouble and
West led the nine of clubs.
Millie ditched the nine of
hearts from dummy and
won the trick in hand with
the ace. She then ruffed
a club and the ace of dia-
monds took care of the last
club. Cross-ruffing hearts
and diamonds ensured
the contact of six spades
trick and a score of +2,470.
‘There you are,’ said Millie
indignantly, looking at me
unfounded, ‘my redoubles
are successful sometimes.’
Moose did not seem
amused; perhaps antlered
creatures do not have a
sense of humour. Was
that what Millie had im-
plied? On the other hand,
had I misunderstood her?
Perhaps she had meant
mousse.
When Jo and Kate played
the hand in the East-West
seats, the bidding followed
a different route.
West North East South
Kate Jo
Pass 1♦ 5♣ Dbl
End
which Jo ruffed in hand.
The king of trumps brought
out the ace and South re-
turned another spade,
ruffed by Jo, who removed
the opponents’ remaining
trumps. Jo then led a small
heart towards dummy on
which South, unfortu-
nately for him, inserted the
jack. Dummy won with the
ace. There was still a heart
to lose, but the contract of
five clubs doubled made,
resulting in a score of +770
for Kate and Jo.
In the hostelry later over
drinks, Jo mused over the
results of the hand. ‘With
scores like these, perhaps
we should make ourselves
available to play for the
county.’ ‘I don’t think so,’
retorted Millie, downing
the remains of her bran-
dy, ‘possibly we are good
enough, but county play-
ers are expected to score
properly. Five clubs dou-
bled vulnerable is +750 not
+770. Whose round is it?’
 CHARITY
BRIDGE EVENTS
Catching Up
JUNE 2012 20 HUDDERSFIELD PENNINE by Sally Brock

T
ROTARY CLUB
6 DOWNHAM MARKET TOWN 12 for 12.30pm. Outlane
HALL Golf Club. £44 per table inc
he most exciting
Festival Bridge with lunch, tea and biscuits. event since I last Dealer East. N/S Game
afternoon tea. Brian Noble wrote was my holi- ♠ 8 6
1.00pm start. ( 01484 427356 day with Briony in Sri Lan- ♥ K J 10 7 6 3 2
Tickets £6.00.
Pat Roberts 5 St Teresa’s Hospice ka at half term. We flew into ♦ 10
( 01366 382947 Bridge The Gap afternoon at Colombo, stayed there over- ♣ 5 4 2
Richmond Support Group night and then set off for ♠ J 9 4 3 2 ♠ K Q 7 5
15 ST MARY’S CHURCH (N Yorks) followed by tea.
Mary Lovell
Kandy via the Elephant Or- ♥ A 9 8 N ♥ Q 5 4
Eaton Socon, St Neots. W E
10.00 for 10.30am. £13.50. ( 01748 850208 phanage. After a few nights ♦ 8 5 4 S ♦ 9 6
Malcolm Howarth there, we went south to the ♣ Q 9 ♣ 10 7 6 3
( 01480 212910 OCTOBER 2012 Yala National Park for a sa- ♠ A 10
JULY 2012 5 ST ANDREW’S CHURCH fari; after that, we went to ♥ Void
The Mandeville Galle for four nights by the ♦ A K Q J 7 3 2
27 GREAT BARFORD CHURCH Village Hall, Kimbolton. sea before flying back from ♣ A K J 8
Village Hall, Great Barford. 10.00 for 10.30am. £14.
Mavis Campion
Colombo. It was fabulous.
Derek Fordham
( 01234 870324 ( 01480 860477 This period was also
Malcolm Howarth full of sadness when good West kicked off with the
6 NSPCC
( 01480 212910 friend and team-mate ♥A, on which East played
Bridge & Supper, Royal
AUGUST 2012 British Legion, Sutton. £10. Richard Palmer died after the five. This really must be
Wendy Powell a short illness following the a suit-preference signal as
24 ALL SAINTS’ CHURCH ( 01353 664752 discovery of a brain tumour. the whole layout of the suit
Village Hall Sawtry. Silvia Farmer
1pm for 1.30pm.
We went up to Manchester is apparent when declarer
( 01353 777373
Champagne ‘Ritz Tea’. £10. Margaret Law for Michelle Brunner’s discards a club. However,
Pat Walters ( 01353 860334 stone-setting ceremony, as West missed the point and
( 01487 830674 well as for a one-day Swiss switched to the ♣Q. Partner
Malcolm Howarth 29 RNLI. Bridge afternoon at
( 01480 212910 Waltham Chase Village Hall
pairs the previous day. After was quick to win, cross to
(near Bishop’s Waltham). leading the pairs at the half- that precious ♦10, discard a
SEPTEMBER 2012 1.30pm for 2pm - 5pm. way stage, we played badly spade on the ♥K and claim
£40 a table including tea. in the second half to slide the rest.
5 GYDA (Gulu Youth Sue Carpenter
Development Association, suec11@btinternet.com
down the field and finish Although 6NT is a terrible
Northern Uganda) ( 01489 893843 seventh. The winners were contract, it should make on
Corn Exchange, Michael Byrne and Michael the more normal spade lead.
Faringdon. £15. NOVEMBER 2012 Newman. We played them Declarer needs to play clubs
Steve Braithwaite
( 01367 240929 22 HUDDERSFIELD PENNINE in the fifth match, in which for four tricks. The only
ROTARY CLUB it seemed that on every helpful layouts are a 3-3
14 ST MARY’S CHURCH 12 for 12.30pm. Outlane board we scored either break with the queen right,
Eaton Socon, St Neots. Golf Club. £44 per table inc
10.00 for 10.30am. £13.50. lunch, tea and biscuits. much worse or much better or Q-9 or Q-10 doubleton
Malcolm Howarth Brian Noble than we deserved. I am with West. Thus, declarer
( 01480 212910 ( 01484 427356 embarrassed to say how wins the lead and cashes
badly I bid my hand on the the ace of clubs. When West
E-mail your charity events: maggie@mrbridge.co.uk following deal. Suffice it plays the nine, it is surely
to say, my partner became more likely that he holds
declarer in 6NT. Q-9 doubleton than 10-9-x.
After South opened 2♣ On a diamond lead,
and received a 2♦ negative, declarer needs four club
Register for your e-magazine South bid diamonds and tricks, making an immediate
then no-trumps, while finesse the only chance.
Bridge Weekly North bid hearts a few
times.
On the ♥A followed by a
diamond switch, you need
The progression to quite only one extra club trick:
www.mrbridge.co.uk such a high level was foolish again, a first-round finesse is
– still … the best chance.

Page 44

Monday
After a much-needed gym
visit, I settle down to work.
It is Nigeria and Borneo this
week. This is my second
week of jury duty. Last Mon-
day I turned up as requested
at 9.15am, made the first
cut from thirty odd, hung
around until 2pm when
the sixteen of us remain-
ing were ushered into court
where the officials read out
twelve names. Mine was
not one of them so they said
I could go away and they
would ring me when they
needed me. I am still wait-
ing. Then, this afternoon, I
get a call asking me to turn
up at 1.50pm tomorrow.
Tuesday
We hang around until
3.30pm, after which we
are ushered into court and
sworn in; then the judge
adjourns the case until
11am tomorrow.
Wednesday
At 12.50pm, we eventually
get into court, where the
judge tells us that the
case involves the theft of
something worth £3; in any
event, the defendants are
not recognisable from the
CCTV so he dismisses the
case. I had made a lunch
date with Carole Mueller,
thinking it would be a bit of
a rush; in the end, there was
no rush at all and we have
Seven Days
by Sally Brock
time for a good gossip. Then
I drive to London to have a
cup of tea with Barry before
leaving to meet Nicola for
our London League match.
Chelsea football team
are at home and there is a
huge police presence on the
Earl’s Court Road – at least
40 vans, police with dogs
and on horses. We have a
salad (and in my case a glass
of wine), discussing some
system bits and pieces. We
have recently decided to
take up transfer responses to
a 1♣ opening. We are both
enthusiastic about the idea
but it is quite complicated.
The first half of the match
goes quite well; I am pleased
with our card and we are
20 up. The second half
is a different matter. We
seem incapable of getting
a plus score. I go back to
score with a great sense of
foreboding, Eggy and Colin
have a great card and we
put on another 5 IMPs. Last
year, we won the London
League; this year, we are
lying bottom and want to
avoid relegation. The biggest
swing of the second half is
somewhat unexpected. At
love all, you hold:
♠ K 3
♥ 9
♦ K Q 9 4 2
♣ J 8 5 4 2
Your right-hand opponent
opens 1♥. Do you take any
Page 45
action? I think it is horrible
to overcall an unusual 2NT;
all the same, I think they
will in the other room, so
that is what I choose. My
left-hand opponent bids 3♠
(non-forcing), and is raised
to 4♠. This is the full deal:
♠ J 10 8
♥ A K J 10 3
♦ A 7 5
♣ 10 9
♠ Q 9 5 ♠ K 3
♥ 8 7 6 5 4 2 ♥ 9
N
♦ J 8 W E ♦ K Q 9 4 2
S
♣ K 3 ♣ J 8 5 4 2
♠ A 7 6 4 2
♥ Q
♦ 10 6 3
♣ A Q 7 6
Swayed by my overcall,
Nicola gets off to the
unfortunate start of the
♣K. There is no recovery
after this; worse still, when
declarer plays the ♠A and
another spade, Nicola
thinks declarer is being
careful from an initial
holding of A-K-x-x-x and
goes in with her queen. In
truth, even on a diamond
lead, declarer can succeed
quite easily by ducking the
first diamond, winning the
second and running the
jack of spades. Still, I do not
see how –450 can be a good
score.
As it happens, we gain 8
IMPs. In the other room,
East also overcalls 2NT
(at least I am right there);
South, Colin, doubles and
then doubles again when
East removes to 3♦. On a
trump lead and misplay, this
results in an 800 penalty.
Thursday
Barry is working some-
where early so I leave when
he does and, despite traffic,
arrive home by nine.
A day of catching up
with bits and pieces and
generally putting affairs in
order. I do a bit of invoicing,
send off a few Sunday Times
articles to my proofreader,
tidy up the mess of files on
my computer. I arrange my
gym visit to coincide with
picking Briony up from
school. Still no phone call
from court. Later on, Barry
and I practise for a while on
BBO. Actually, we do this
quite often at about 10pm,
after Briony has gone to bed.
We go to a bidding room, fix
the high-card points so we
have at least 22 and talk on
Skype – nice.
Friday
I have been looking forward
to this weekend. I pick
Briony up from school
and we head for the south
coast – rather slowly – the
M25 on a Friday afternoon
is hardly the paciest place
in the country. We get to
Brighton about 6.30pm and
meet up with Barry (who
has been working in Lewes)
at the Metropole. Regular

Sally’s
Dramatis
Personae
Sally Brock lives in High
Wycombe with her two
teenagers, her husband
Raymond having died in
early 2008. She works partly
as a bridge professional,
occasionally playing for pay
but more often writing (she is
the bridge columnist for The
Sunday Times) and teaching
online; the rest of the time
she works on the production
of travel guides – hence the
occasional reference to rather
obscure countries. She has
been a member of the British/
English women’s team on and
off since 1979.
Briony & Toby are Sally’s
16-year-old daughter and
18-year-old son.
Ben is Sally’s 35-year-old son
who is married to Gemma.
Hayden is their two-year-old
son; they live in Waltham
Abbey.
Barry Myers is Sally’s new
partner, both at and away
from the bridge table. He is a
criminal defence barrister and
lives in Shepherd’s Bush.
Nicola Smith is Sally’s current
international bridge partner.
They formed a last-minute
partnership in 2008 to join
the England women’s team for
the World Mind Sports Games
in Beijing where they won the
gold medal. Nicola has been
playing international bridge
since she was 17, which is
rather a long time ago.
Carole Mueller is a friend
and leading light of the New
Amersham Bridge Club.
Richard and Gerry are two of
Sally’s regular online clients.
Richard lives in North London
and Gerry lives in Toronto.
Every week Sally plays against
them for a couple of hours,
stopping to discuss problems
that arise – sometimes with
Barry if he is not working, and
sometimes with herself (when
she is almost flawless).
Steve Eginton (Eggy) and
Colin Simpson, are friends and
regular teammates.
Sandra Landy is Sally’s good
friend and old bridge partner.
They first played in 1979, and
won world championships
together in 1981 and 1985.
Seven Days continued
readers of these pages will
have heard me speak of
Richard and Gerry, whom
I teach on a regular basis.
Richard lives in Muswell
Hill, Gerry in Toronto. As
we have come to know each
other better and become
friends, we like to get
together when Gerry is over
here (several times a year).
We were due to play with
them in the London green-
pointed teams last Sunday
but Michelle’s memorial
ceremony got in the way
of that. Instead, we have
an invitation to spend the
weekend with them and
their friends in Brighton.
Richard runs a small
private bridge club for his
friends in his kitchen on a
Monday evening. They get
about four or five tables on a
regular basis. This weekend,
twenty or so of them have
gathered at the Metropole
in Brighton for an informal
social bridge weekend.
On the Friday evening,
while they and their friends
have fish and chips, Barry
and I take my friend and old
bridge partner, Sandra, out
for dinner. It is good to swap
family news and reminisce
about old times.
We then return to the
Metropole where Richard
has organised a six-table
duplicate for his friends. As
it happens, he is not playing
so we soon remedy that
and sit down to play a few
Chicagos. We have given
the others an hour’s start;
our aim is to get through
18 boards while they finish
their 18. I last played with
Sandra in 1989 but we soon
get back into gear. Honours
are more or less even at the
end of the session.
Page 46
Saturday
I have never thought a great
deal of the Metropole but,
on reflection, I think that
is because it (along with
other bridge venue hotels)
does not cope well with
the sudden influx of bridge
players. They never seem to
have enough staff. It comes
as a total shock to them
that 30 or so bridge players
all want to buy rounds of
drinks when the bridge
finishes for the day. This
weekend, when it was less
busy, I thought it excellent.
After an enormous, but
truly excellent breakfast,
Briony and I hit the shops.
Brighton is particularly
good for shopping: as well
as the general high-street
chains, they also have plenty
of individual boutiques in
The Lanes and the North
Laine areas.
I have to rush back for
a booked, public, at-the-
table lesson with Richard
and Gerry. It is quite fun to
have an audience. (Briony
still has more shopping
to do so I send her back
with my credit card – and
commission her to buy me
some new underwear.)
What we are doing
this afternoon is playing
TOPs. This is an ingenious
invention whereby you can
make up hands played in a
big pairs’ tournament of the
past; then, after you have
played the hands, you can
compare your scores with
the datums that occurred
in the actual event. (When
you buy the set, you get four
packs of cards with different
backs so you can make up
each hand as you go along.
I find this is a bit tedious
and prefer to make up the
boards beforehand – or in
my case pay Briony to make
them up for me).
After our session, there
is a tea break before we
start to play a teams game.
There will be a couple of
rounds and then a break for
dinner (incidentally, this is
excellent). Barry and I each
captain one of six teams,
which are drawn by lot. I
ask my three (Rob, Roz and
Chang) if any of them play
regularly together: it turns
out that Roz and Rob are a
semi-regular partnership,
so I decide to play with
Chang. Apart from a couple
of clangers (I think he is
pretty nervous), he plays
quite well, as do our team-
mates, but our score of +50
is only enough for second
place.
Unfortunately, you can
guess whose team manages
more than that – you got it,
Barry’s. There are bottles of
champagne and wine for
the successful teams.
I noticed that, even though
some of the players here are
quite weak, they have learnt
to bid aggressively. Game,
which was wafer-thin on
this deal, needed careful
handling:
Dealer East. E/W Game.
♠ A 8 2
♥ 4 3
♦ K 9 5
♣ 9 8 6 4 3
♠ K 6 ♠ J 7
♥ A J 9 7 N ♥ 10 8 6
W E
♦ A 6 4 S ♦ Q J 10 3 2
♣ K 10 7 2 ♣ Q J 5
♠ Q 10 9 5 4 3
♥ K Q 5 2
♦ 8 7
♣ A
West North East South
Pass 1♠
Dble 2♠ 3♦ 4♠
End
West leads the ♦A, on which
East plays the queen, and
continues with a second
 Seven Days continued
diamond.
You do not have enough
entries to set up the clubs, so
you cannot set up an extra
trick there.
You will need to ruff
two hearts in the dummy.
Therefore, having put up
the ♦K, you play a heart to
your king and West’s ace.
West continues with a third
diamond.
You ruff in hand, cash the
♥Q and ruff a heart. Then
play a club to your ace and
a fourth heart. As expected,
West follows and now it is
crunch time. Do you ruff
with the eight or the ace?
It looks most likely that
West holds the ♠K. East
you know holds the ♦Q-J
and probably the ♣Q (West
might have led or switched
to a club if he held the king
and queen).
It also seems likely that
trumps are 2-2 – West
is most likely 2-4-3-4
(though 1-4-3-5 is certainly
possible). So there is a good
case for finding the winning
line of ruffing with the ace
of trumps and then running
dummy’s eight, thus
succeeding on the actual lie
of the cards.
Richard is one of the most
enthusiastic players I know;
when everyone else had
gone to bed, the three of us,
along with Martin, settle
down to finish the TOPs
boards – another 12 boards.
I wish I could tell you more
about these; in truth, by
then, I was rather awash
with red wine – and, when
I look at them now, they do
not appear familiar at all. birthday and Mothering
Sunday
The following day, after
another good breakfast,
the programme calls for an
PRIZE CROSSWORD 3 – Solution
Individual.
Our services are not S G A M Z
required as they have five S C R A M B L E D S E T
complete tables.
H M L C G R
However, Briony, who had
played in a very youthful B A D B R E A K A C O L
team the night before, P I W M
found that she had quite V I C T O R E L E V E N
enjoyed herself.
R E L X
Not having played for a
couple of years, she says S O R T E D L E N G T H
that when she plays with O O O E
me she feels so hopeless; P E E P U N E R R I N G
by contrast, in the present
X S B A M D
company, everyone seems
to think she plays well. She B I T B L O C K A G E S
is therefore quite keen to T E H N D
play; this fits in well because
Jenny, Richard’s wife, needs The winners, listed below, will receive a free bridge weekend
to walk the dog (Bobby, a place at The Ardington Hotel or The Olde Barn Hotel:
beautiful, black Labrador).
Mrs P Theobald, Billericay, Essex. Mrs S Taylor, Farnham,
In the event, after a couple
Surrey. Mr B Barrett, Northampton. Mr J Bulmer, Albrighton,
of boards, Briony plays for
Wolverhampton. Mrs C Thorp, Ryde, Isle of Wight.
the rest of the session (19
boards), with me watching. Those unable to take up their prize may transfer it to a friend.
I am quite impressed. She
does a couple of really
rather good things and
Q PLUS 10
nothing silly. What is more,
she wins.
We leave Brighton
at lunchtime, having
thoroughly enjoyed our
weekend; on the way
back, we decide to take Really user-friendly bridge-playing software
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I can only have it on my
System: 8mb RAM, CD-ROM, Windows XP, Vista or 7
Sunday) and drag Toby
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I must have eaten at least See Mail Order Form on page 7.
5,000 calories today. ■
Page 47
 Five-Card
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