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Bernard Magee: at Denham Grove

This document advertises a bridge seminar hosted by Bernard Magee from April 13-16 at Denham Grove near Uxbridge. It provides an itinerary for each day of the seminar including topics covered from 9:30am-7pm such as thinking defence, splinters and cue bids, and hand evaluation. It also includes tea, coffee, biscuits and a buffet lunch each day. The cost is £100 per day or £270 for all three days for day guests. Some bedrooms are also available for £90 per night including dinner and breakfast. Interested participants can contact Mr. Bridge to book or for more details. The seminars will also be filmed and DVDs sent later.

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0% found this document useful (0 votes)

637 views48 pages

Bernard Magee: at Denham Grove

Uploaded by

rprafal

We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.

Available Formats

Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

You are on page 1/ 48

BRIDGE

Number One Hundred and Twenty-Four

BERNARD MAGEE
at Denham Grove
April 2013

near Uxbridge, Bucks, UB9 5DG

Tuesday 14 May Wednesday 15 May Thursday 16 May

From 9.30 am From 9.30 am From 9.30 am
Check in Check in Check in
Tea, Coffee & Biscuits Tea, Coffee & Biscuits Tea, Coffee & Biscuits
10.30 am – 12 noon 10.30 am – 12 noon 10.30 am – 12 noon
Thinking Defence Splinters & Cue Bids Hand Evaluation
12 noon – 2.30 pm 12 noon – 2.30 pm (without a fit)
Supervised Play1 Supervised Play1 12 noon – 2.30 pm
3-Course Buffet Lunch 3-Course Buffet Lunch Supervised Play1
3 pm – 4.30 pm 3 pm – 4.30 pm 3-Course Buffet Lunch
Pre-emptive Play & Defence 3 pm – 4.30 pm
Bidding at Duplicate Pairs Avoidance Play
4.30 pm – 7 pm 4.30 pm – 7 pm 4.30 pm – 7 pm
Supervised Play1 Supervised Play1 Supervised Play1
Tea, Coffee & Biscuits Tea, Coffee & Biscuits Tea, Coffee & Biscuits
Day guests may stay until 7pm. Day guests may stay until 7pm. Day guests may stay until 7pm.

£100 per day2. £270 for all three days3.

A limited number of bedrooms are available: Dinner, bed and breakfast: £90 per person, per night.
Contact Mr Bridge to book your place or for further details: ( 01483 489961
These seminars are to be filmed. When ready, a full boxed set of DVDs will be sent.
1
Not with Bernard Magee. 2Includes buffet lunch. 3Day guests only.
ENJOY DAILY BRIDGE WHILE VISITING
THE CITIES & SIGHTS OF
ANCIENT ASIA

LOW
SINGLE
FARES China

Join Bernard Magee for a spectacular voyage Hanoi

Hong Kong

Halong Bay
HONG KONG TO BANGKOK - JANUARY 29, 2014 South
China Sea
Vietnam
Plan for next Winter now and start 2014 in style. This is a great Hue
Da Nang
opportunity for you to reserve your cabin and join Bernard Magee Thailand
Bangkok
on this voyage to Asia’s great cities and ancient sites. Start with a Angkor Wat Nha Trang
hotel stay in Hong Kong, then join the elegant Aegean Odyssey to Cambodia
Ho Chi Minh City
cruise through the South China Sea to the highlights and breathtaking
sights of Vietnam. 17-day cruise-tour from £3,350
JAN 29 Depart UK
Mr Bridge fares include:
JAN 30 Arrive HONG KONG China
• THE FULL BRIDGE PROGRAMME • FLIGHTS & TRANSFERS Transfer to overnight hotel
• EXPERTLY PLANNED ITINERARIES • SHORE EXCURSIONS JAN 31 HONG KONG China
Embark Aegean Odyssey
• ANTIQUITY GUEST SPEAKERS • OPEN-SEATING DINING
• WINE WITH DINNER ON BOARD • GRATUITIES ON BOARD FEB 1/2 At Sea
• EXCLUSIVE COCKTAIL PARTY FEB 3 HALONG BAY (Hanoi) Vietnam
FEB 4 HALONG BAY Vietnam
FEB 5 At Sea
FEB 6 HUE Vietnam
FEB 7 DA NANG Vietnam
FEB 8 At Sea
FEB 9 NHA TRANG Vietnam
Mr Bridge Passengers The bridge programme is exclusive to Mr Bridge FEB 10 HO CHI MINH CITY Vietnam
bookings but is completely optional and Mr Bridge passengers can participate FEB 11 HO CHI MINH CITY Vietnam
as much, or as little as they wish. There will be a duplicate session every
FEB 12/13 At Sea
evening and bridge every afternoon the ship is at sea. Singles are made
especially welcome – a playing partner will always be found. FEB 14 BANGKOK Thailand (Disembark)
Transfer to airport for flight home
MR BRIDGE SPECIAL FARES*
Double cabin per person Single cabin Double cabin per person Single cabin WHY NOT EXTEND YOUR TRIP?
Standard Inside £3,350 £3,450 Superior Outside from £4,245 from £4,345
HONG KONG Begin your cruise with an extra night
Superior Inside from £3,550 from £3,650 Deluxe Outside from £4,995 from £5,095
to see more of this exciting city. This additional night
Standard Outside £3,995 £4,095 Deluxe Balcony from £5,595 from £5,695
is available at £113pp (twin) or £227pp (single).
Past passengers can SAVE EVEN MORE please call for details
BANGKOK & ANGKOR WAT As a spectacular
finish, you can add a 5-night extension with three
Book now to take advantage of these great fares nights in Bangkok and two nights in Siem Reap,
Cambodia, to explore the magnificent Angkor
CALL ON Temple complex. This package is available
for only £795pp (twin) or £995pp (single).
01483 489961 Enquire now for further details.
*Prices are per person in double or dedicated single cabins and include MR BRIDGE SPECIAL SAVINGS. The number of dedicated single cabins is strictly limited.

10093
V OYAGES TO A NTIQUITY
www.mrbridge.co.uk ABTA No.Y2206
FEATURES 14 Voyages of Discovery

BRIDGE
Celtic Treasures Bernard Magee’s
3 Bidding Quiz
on board Voyager
by Bernard Magee
16 Voyages of Discovery
Bidding Quiz
4 Mr Bridge
Ryden Grange, Knaphill, Land of the Midnight You are West in the
7 Bidding Quiz Answers Sun on board Voyager auctions below, playing
Surrey GU21 2TH
by Bernard Magee ‘Standard Acol’ with a
18 Bridge Events at:
( 01483 489961 8 Declarer Play Quiz weak no-trump (12-14
Cheltenham
e-mail: by David Huggett Regency Hotel points) and 4-card majors.
bridge@mrbridge.co.uk Elstead Hotel (Answers on page 7.)
8 Defence Quiz
website: by Julian Pottage Queensferry Hotel
Blunsdon House Hotel
www.mrbridge.co.uk 10 David Stevenson
Answers Your Questions 20 Voyages of Discovery 1. Dealer West. Love All.
Publisher and Mediterranean Medley ♠ A K 7 3
12 The A to Z of
Managing Editor Bridge: S
on board Voyager ♥ 9 8 7 6 2 N
W E
Mr Bridge by Julian Pottage 26 Tunisia 2013/2014 ♦ Q S
♣ K 3 2
Bridge Consultant 27 Julian Pottage 26 Stamps
Bernard Magee Answers Your Questions 29 Begin Bridge
29 Declarer Play Answers with Bernard Magee West North East South
Technical Consultant by David Huggett 30 Voyages of Discovery ?
Tony Gordon 33 Readers’ Letters Voyager 2013/14 Cruises
Typesetting & Design 37 Not Bridge as we Know 32 Mr Bridge
it by Mike Griffiths 2. Dealer East. Love All.
Ruth Edmondson Just Duplicate Bridge
♠ 3 2
39 Stayman with Fewer 32 Mr Bridge
Proof Readers than 10 hcp Christmas & New Year
♥ K 7 6 2
N
♦ 7 4 2
Tony & Jan Richards by Len Hodby 2013/2014
W E
♣ K 8 3 2 S
Catrina Shackleton 40 Defence Quiz Answers 34 Charity Events
Richard Wheen by Julian Pottage
35 Bridge Events with
Hugh Williams 44 Catching Up
West North East South
Bernard Magee 1♥ 1♠
Office Manager by Sally Brock
36 Venice to Rome with 2♥ 2♠ Pass Pass
Rachel Everett 46 Seven Days Voyages to Antiquity ?
by Sally Brock
38 Rubber / Chicago
Events & Cruises
Bridge Events
( 01483 489961 ADVERTISEMENTS 3. Dealer East. Love All.
38 Bridge Events at
Rosie Baker 1 Denham Grove ♠ 5
Denham Grove
Jessica Galt May Event 2013 ♥ 9 8 7 2 N

Megan Riccio 39 Bridge Events at ♦ Q 8 4 3 2

W E

2 The Cities and Sites Ardington Hotel ♣ A 7 6

Sophie Pierrepont of Ancient Asia with

Voyages to Antiquity 39 S R Designs
Clubs & Charities Bridge Tables
5 Bridge Event West North East South
Maggie Axtell Booking Form 41 Rome to Cannes with 2NT Pass
maggie@mrbridge.co.uk Voyages to Antiquity ?
5 Mail Order Form
Address Changes 6 Tutorial Software 42 Global Travel Insurance
Elizabeth Bryan and QPlus 47 Bridge Events at: 4. Dealer East. E/W Game.
7 Bridge Events at: The Olde Barn Hotel
♠ A 7 2
( 01483 485342 The Inn on the Prom Chatsworth House
♥ 6 N
elizabeth@mrbridge.co.uk 48 Five-Card Majors W E
9 Bernard Magee ♦ A J 6 5 4 3
S
Haslemere DVDs (Strong No-trump) ♣ K 9 3
All correspondence should
with Bernard Magee
be addressed to Mr Bridge. 11 Duplicate Bridge
Please make sure that all Rules Simplified 48 QPlus
West North East South
letters, e-mails and faxes
1♣ 3♠
carry full postal addresses
and telephone numbers. The views expressed in this publication are not ?
necessarily those of the publisher.

Page 3
DENHAM FILMING IF YOU NEED HELP QPLUS NEWS CLUB INSURANCE
I have a number of ideas for Three more interesting I am still scare-mongering,
those of you who are hands, numbers: 4275 – 03 trying to drum up even
looking for ways of raising 8719 – 19 and 5613 – 07. more business for Moore
funds for your pet good Stephens. Their insurance
QPlus 11 will be available
cause or charity. Give me a package, for bridge clubs of
in the late summer at £92
call or send an email, but up to 100 members, at a
but you can order it now
be sure to include your premium of around £60 per
and receive QPlus 10 right
telephone number as I am annum certainly seems
away. QPlus 11 will be sent
still old fashioned enough good value. Why every club
as soon as it is published,
to want to talk to you. isn’t covered in this
then you can give QPlus 10
litigious age I just do not
to a friend. If you are
Last month, I announced PRIZE QUIZ know. ( 0208 515 5270.
looking to upgrade from an
the relocation of my annual earlier version of QPlus,
I have extended the closing
filming programme to the
date for entries to last just return the disc and the SAVE USED STAMPS
DeVere Denham Grove instruction booklet with a
month’s competition as Please remember to save
Conference Centre. cheque for £43.
only a handful of readers your used postage stamps
This month I feature an managed to find it, hidden in support of Little Voice, a
advertisement on the front as it was on page 17. BARON FOR MAC children’s orphanage and
cover promoting the school in Addis Ababa. Full
You are playing Acol with a As QPlus is based on the
content of the lectures. In details in the next issue.
weak no-trump. As dealer, Windows operating system,
the advert, it is difficult to
what is your opening bid? if you want to use it on
convey the importance of GOFFIES STAMPS
your MAC, you will need
the supervised play which
to install a Windows for
previous events of this type ♠ A 9 8 MAC converter program.
have not had. These ♥ A 7 However, many of you with
lectures, being given at a ♦ A 7 4 3 2 MAC are reluctant to
conference centre, rather ♣ 10 8 6 do that, so I have listed
than in a theatre, enable
Bridge Baron as the best
those who attend to be
MAC compatible play
comfortably watered and Please send your answer to If you want to save on
programme, see page 5.
fed. Included in the price of me at Ryden Grange on or postage do try using Clive
the ticket are tea and all before 19 April 2013. Goffs discounted stamp
types of coffees as well as OTHER SOFTWARE service.
biscuits and fruit and at a VOYAGER Better Bridge with Bernard Value supplied in two
time to suit you, you can Magee features what is
Bernard Magee is joining stamps, combined to make
take a break to eat your effectively supervised play
m.v. Voyager as the on up the 50p 2nd class rate,
three course buffet lunch. for the first six films in our
board bridge host for three 2nd class to you 41p. 1st
So, to summarize, day growing DVD series. This class 60p, only 50p to you.
cruises this year.
guests should be able to product is really difficult to Available in lots of 100.
enjoy at least three hours of Celtic Treasures describe, so I asked ( 0208 422 4906.
supervised play and those 25 May – 2 June Bernard to do so. He says clive.goff@londonrugby.com
staying overnight should be Prices from £849pp that the hands are a natural
able to resume after dinner. See page 14 for details. extension of his original
CHRISTMAS 2013
Acol bidding CD. What
Dress code: smart casual, Midnight Sun
more could anyone want. It is once again the time of
as it is all being filmed. 11 – 25 June
year to start advertising the
Prices from £1869pp
BACK IN STOCK 2013 festive season events
See page 16 for details.
ABSOLUTELY FREE and for you to be booking.
Med Medley Five popular tea towels are For details, see page 32.
A really big bonus for both back in stock, see page 5.
12 – 26 September
day and residential guests is
Prices from £1749pp THANK YOU
that a boxed set of the 6
See page 20 for details. www.mrbridge.co.uk
DVDs, covering all the Mrs Bridge and I have been
lectures will be posted On each voyage he will sail On my webpage, there is an heartened by all your good
absolutely free of charge with an experienced team open forum and I have will messages. So, it’s all
when they are published dedicated to making the asked Ned Paul to answer good wishes to you too.
later in the year. Applies to bridge element of your questions quickly and
all filmed bookings. holiday truly memorable. succinctly on my behalf. Mr Bridge

Page 4
✄

✄
Mr Bridge MAIL ORDER
PLAY SOFTWARE
QPlus 10 / QPlus 11
25 Road Traffic Signs for
Bridge Players £7.00 .........
BRIDGE
BREAKS
when ready £92.00 .........
TUTORIAL DVDs
QPlus 10
Trade-in £43.00 ......... Haslemere 2011 – £25 each
QPlus 9, clean, Ruffing for
second-hand £49.00 ......... Extra Tricks ......... ♦ Full-board ♦ Two seminars*
Bridge Baron £63.00 ......... Competitive ♦ All rooms with ♦ Two supervised
Auctions ......... en-suite facilities play sessions*
TUTORIAL SOFTWARE Making the
♦ No single supplement ♦ Four bridge sessions**
Most of High Cards .........
Begin Bridge
Acol Version £66.00 ......... Identifying &
Please book ..... places for me at £....... per person,
Bidding Slams .........
Acol Bidding £66.00 .........
Play & Defence of Single .... Double .... Twin ....
Advanced 1NT Contracts .........
Acol Bidding £96.00 .........
Doubling & Defence Name of Hotel/Centre.............................................................
Declarer Play £76.00 to Doubled Contracts .........
Advanced All 6 DVDs
Declarer Play £81.00
Date(s) ....................................................................................
as a boxed set £100.00 .........
Defence £76.00 ......... Haslemere 2012 – £25 each Mr/Mrs/Miss .........................................................................
Five-Card Majors with Strong Leads .........
No-Trump £89.00 ......... Address...................................................................................
Losing Trick Count .........
Better Bridge with
Bernard Magee Making a Plan
................................................................................................
Haslemere 2011 £69.00 ......... as Declarer .........

Better Bridge with Bernard Responding to 1NT .........

Postcode .................................................................................
Magee Haslemere 2012 Signals & Discards .........
in course of preparation
Endplays
......... ( ...........................................................................................
TEA TOWELS All 6 DVDs (boxed)
as a boxed set £100.00 ......... Special requirements (these cannot be guaranteed,
Life’s a Game, but but we will do our best to oblige).
Bridge is Serious £7.00 .........
MR BRIDGE TIE
The Pot Boiler. A Double £15.00 ......... ................................................................................................
Dummy Problem £7.00 .........
10 Commandments for BOOK Please give the name(s) of all those covered by this booking.
Bridge Players £7.00 .........
Duplicate Bridge
10 Commandments for Rules Simplified £5.95 .........
................................................................................................
Duplicate Players £7.00 .........
Please send a non-returnable deposit of £50 per person per place by
cheque, payable to Mr Bridge. An invoice for the balance will be sent
with your booking confirmation. On receipt of your final payment,
Prices are inclusive of VAT and postage to UK mainland. 28 days before the event, a programme and full details will be sent
together with a map. Cancellations are not refundable. Should you
I enclose a cheque for £..........
require insurance, you should contact your own insurance broker.
Mr/Mrs/Miss ..................................................................................................

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

........................................................................................................................

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

Expiry: ................................. CVV......................... Issue No....................

(CVV is the last 3 numbers on the signature strip)

Mr Bridge, Ryden Grange, Knaphill, Surrey GU21 2TH.

Expiry: ............. CVV ........ Issue No. ........... ( 01483 489961
(CVV is the last 3 numbers on the signature strip) e-mail: jessica@mrbridge.co.uk
Make your cheque payable to Mr Bridge and send to: Mr Bridge, website: www.holidaybridge.com
Ryden Grange, Knaphill, Surrey GU21 2TH *on tutorial weekends only. **6 sessions on rubber/Chicago events.
( 01483 489961 www.mrbridge.co.uk/mrbridge-shop Please note: Just Bridge events contain no seminars and do not award prizes.
✄

Page 5
QPLUS 10 BERNARD MAGEE’S
Really INTERACTIVE TUTORIALS
user-friendly
bridge-playing ACOL MORE DECLARER
software BIDDING (ADVANCED) PLAY
ACOL BIDDING
l QPLUS 11 sent l Opening Bids and l Suit Establishment
when ready Responses l Basics in No-trumps
l QPLUS can be l Slams and Strong l Advanced Basics l Suit Establishment
passed on to a friend Openings in Suits
l Weak Twos
l Updated l Support for Partner l Hold-ups
comprehensive l Strong Hands
l Pre-empting l Ruffing for
manual l Defence
Extra Tricks
l Displays on £92 l Overcalls to Weak Twos
HD screen £66 l Entries in
l No-trump l Defence to 1NT No-trumps £76
l Supports large Openings
screens l Doubles
and Responses l Delaying
l Minibridge option
l Opener’s and l Two-suited £96 Drawing Trumps
l Extra 500 preplayed Responder’s Rebids Overcalls l Using the Lead
hands for teams
l Defences to
making 5,000 in all l Minors and Misfits l Trump Control
Other Systems
l Extra 500 preplayed l Doubles l Endplays &
hands for match- l Misfits and Avoidance
l Competitive Distributional
point pairs making
4,000 in all Auctions Hands l Using the Bidding
l Improvement
over two years
from version 9 ADVANCED DEFENCE FIVE-CARD
l New save match DECLARER PLAY MAJORS &
function l Lead vs Strong No-Trump
l Making Overtricks No-trump Contracts
l Save deals with
automatic file in No-trumps l Opening Bids
l Lead vs
labelling & Responses
l Making Overtricks Suit Contracts
l Closed room – new in Suit Contracts l No-Trump
l Partner of Leader
button to view Openings
l Endplays vs No-trump
other table
l Avoidance
Contracts l Support £89
for Partner
QPLUS l Partner of Leader
TRADE-IN
l Wrong £81 vs Suit Contracts l Slams
Contract
& Strong Openings
OFFER l Simple
l Count
Signals l Rebids
Return any QPLUS Squeezes
CD and booklet with
l Counting
l Attitude £76 l Minors
a cheque for £43 and Signals & Misfits
the Hand
receive QPLUS 10
l Discarding l Pre-empting
with the promise l Trump Reductions
of QPLUS 11 when & Coups l Defensive Plan l Doubles
ready later this year
l Playing Doubled l Stopping Declarer l Overcalls
for no extra charge.
Contracts
Order with absolute l Counting l Competitive
confidence. 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 or 7, 8mb RAM, CD-ROM
Answers to Bernard Magee’s
Bidding Quiz on page 3
or, when 3♥ goes off, 2♠ is likely to be West North East South
1. Dealer West. Love All. making and -50 is better than letting 1♣ 3♠
♠ A K 7 3 ♠ Q 8 6 them make 110. This is the likely outcome ?
N
♥ 9 8 7 6 2
W E
♥ 5 on this board: both 2♥ and 2♠ can make
♦ Q S ♦ A 9 7 6 4 eight tricks, which means it is better for 3NT. South has made life very difficult
♣ K 3 2 ♣ A 9 5 4 you to bid on to 3♥. for you: his bid shows the same as an
You may wonder why East did not bid opening pre-empt; 5-9 HCP and a
again with his 15 HCP? He is very flat seven-card spade suit.
West North East South and cannot be completely sure that you You have 12 HCP and a six-card suit,
? have a fit: sometimes over a 1♠ overcall so game is surely likely. You could bid
you might compete to 2♥ with three-card 4♦, but where will that lead you? Your
Pass. You have 12 HCP, but your support and a shortage elsewhere in aim is to find your side’s best contract
singleton queen is of dubious value. your hand. However, you know that you and sometimes you have to take a bit of
When opening the bidding, I always definitely have a fit, so you compete to a gamble. You have the ♠A which gives
cut the value of any singleton honour 3♥ as you know you should. you control of that suit, allowing you to
(excluding the ace) by half. Surely you duck if necessary, in order to cut South’s
can add on for the singleton? long spade suit off from his partner. This
Do not evaluate for shortages until you 3. Dealer East. Love All. makes 3NT a valid option and with club
find a fit. Your five-card suit is very poor ♠ 5 ♠ A K 2 support you might hope to make plenty
and your two suits are in the ‘wrong’ ♥ 9 8 7 2 N ♥ A K 6 4 of tricks from that suit. The heart suit is a
W E
order. If you open 1♥ and your partner ♦ Q 8 4 3 2 S ♦ A J 5 worry, but you will have to hope partner
responds 2♦, you are stuck for a rebid ♣ A 7 6 ♣ J 8 5 can take care of that.
– forced to bid 2♥. Furthermore, if you South has forced you to gamble and
open hearts and your opponents buy the you should take him on: bid 3NT – the
contract, you may well get a heart lead West North East South most likely making game – some days
instead of a more promising spade. 2NT Pass you will go three off, but more often than
Everything points to an opening pass. ? not you will make your side’s best pos-
Later on, you might take some action, sible score. ■
such as a take-out double of a diamond 3♣. You should use similar conventions
opening. to those you play over a 1NT opening. So
if you play Stayman and transfers over The Inn on the Prom
1NT, you would usually play the same Bridge Events 2013
2. Dealer East. Love All. over 2NT as well.
♠ 3 2 ♠ 6 5 4 You have 6 HCP, so enough for game,
N
♥ K 7 6 2
W E
♥ A Q J 3 but with a little distribution you would like
♦ 7 4 2 S ♦ A 9 8 to find a major suit fit if you can. Although
♣ K 8 3 2 ♣ A 7 5 your heart suit is weak, you should still
aim to play in them if you have an eight-
card fit.
West North East South Therefore, you bid 3♣, Stayman, and
1♥ 1♠ over the 3♥ response you raise to game. St Annes-on-Sea FY8 1LU
2♥ 2♠ Pass Pass Clearly, 4♥ is a much better game than
19-21 April £245
? 3NT. Bernard Magee Thinking Defence
12-14 July £169
3♥. You have a minimum hand so why Gwen Beattie Just Duplicate Bridge
would you think of bidding? Because -50 4. Dealer East. E/W Game.
16-18 August £169
is one of your favourite scores. In fact, ♠ A 7 2 ♠ 6 3 Gwen Beattie Just Duplicate Bridge
N
over time, bridge players have found ♥ 6
W E
♥ A K 4 3
that it is almost always right to compete ♦ A J 6 5 4 3 S ♦ 9 8 Full Board. No Single Supplement.
to the three level over the two level if both ♣ K 9 3 ♣ A Q J 7 6 Booking Form on page 5.
sides have a fit. Either you can make 3♥

Page 7
DECLARER DEFENCE
PLAY
QUIZ
QUIZ by Julian Pottage
(Answers on page 40)
by David Huggett
(Answers on page 29)
Y ou are West in the defensive positions below. It is your
turn to play. Both sides are using Acol with a 12-14 1NT.

Y ou are South as declarer playing teams or rubber bridge.

In each case, what is your play strategy?
1. ♠ Q J 7 2 3. ♠ A K Q 10 6
♥ J 7 2 ♥ J 7 3
♦ A Q 10 6 ♦ 3
1. ♠ 7 5 3. ♠ A 7 6 ♣ J 4 ♣ J 7 5 2
♥ J 10 6 2 ♥ 8 3 2 ♠ A 9 6 ♠ J 9 3
N N
♦ A K 7 ♦ Q 7 6 3 2 ♥ 10 9 8 5 3 W E ♥ A 9 6 5 W E
♣ A 10 6 4 ♣ 8 5 ♦ J 2 S ♦ K 10 8 2 S
N N
♣ K 7 5 ♣ 9 8
W E W E
S S

West North East South West North East South

♠ A 8 ♠ 5 4 1NT 1NT
♥ A K 5 ♥ A K 7 Pass 2♣ Pass 2♦1 Pass 2♥1 Pass 2♠
♦ Q J 8 ♦ A K 10 8 Pass 2NT End Pass 2NT End
♣ Q J 9 7 3 ♣ A J 9 3
1
No four-card major 1
Transfer to spades

You lead the ♥9. Partner You lead the ♦2. Partner
You are declarer in 3NT You are declarer in 3NT takes the ♥A and switches plays the ♦Q, losing to the
and West leads the ♠3. and West leads the ♠Q. to the ♣3. You take the ♦A. Declarer leads the ♥2
♣K and return the ♣7, on to the ♥J and continues
How do you plan the play? How do you plan the play?
which go the ♣J, ♣2 and the suit, East playing the
♣Q. Declarer leads the ♠5. ♥8 and then the ♥4. What
What do you do? do you do?

2. ♠ Q J 7 2 4. ♠ A J 9
2. ♠ A Q 5 4. ♠ A 8 7 5 4 ♥ A 9 ♥ J 8
♥ 7 6 4 ♥ A 6 5 ♦ K 6 ♦ K Q
♦ 8 3 2 ♦ K J 10 ♣ K Q J 9 8 ♣ K J 9 6 4 3
♣ A J 9 3 ♣ 6 4 ♠ 9 6 ♠ Q 10 7 5 4 2
N N
♥ 8 5 2 ♥ A W E
W E
N N
W E W E
♦ A Q 10 8 4 S ♦ J 9 7 S

S S ♣ A 10 6 ♣ A Q 8

♠ K J 10 9 3 ♠ 2
♥ A 8 2 ♥ K 9 4 West North East South West North East South
♦ A K 5 ♦ A Q 9 8 6 4 2 2♠1 Pass 1♣ Pass 1♥
♣ 6 4 ♣ A Q Pass 2NT Pass 4♥ 1♠ 2♣ Pass 4♥
End End
1
Weak: six spades, 6-10 points
You are declarer in 4♠ and You are declarer in 6♦ and You lead the ♠5: ♠J, ♠8
West leads the ♥K. How West leads the ♦5. How do You lead the ♠9. Partner and ♠3. Declarer leads the
do you plan the play? you plan the play? wins with the ♠K and ♥J from dummy, playing
switches to the ♦J. How do the ♥2 on East’s ♥5. What
you defend? is your plan?

Page 8
BERNARD MAGEE
Filmed Live at Haslemere Festival

2011 2012
1 Ruffing for Extra Tricks 7 Leads
This seminar deals with declarer’s use of ruffing Bernard takes you through all the basic leads and the
to generate extra tricks and then looks at how the importance of your choice of lead. If you start to think
defenders might counteract this. not just about your hand, but about your partner’s too,
then you will get much better results.
2 Competitive Tricks
This seminar focuses on competitive auctions from the 8 Losing Trick Count
perspective of the overcalling side to start with and
A method of hand evaluation for when you find a fit.
then from the perspective of the opening side in the
Bernard deals with the basics of the losing trick count
second part.
then looks at advanced methods to hone your bidding.

3 Making the Most of High Cards

9 Making a Plan as Declarer
This seminar helps declarer to use his high cards more
carefully and then looks at how defenders should care Bernard explains how to make a plan then expands on
for their precious high cards. how to make the most of your long suits. The first half
deals with no-trumps, the second with suit contracts.

4 Identifying & Bidding Slams

10 Responding to 1NT
The first half of this seminar is about identifying when
a slam might be on – one of the hardest topics This seminar deals with Transfers and Stayman in
to teach. The second half covers some of the detail. The 1NT opening comes up frequently, so having
techniques used to bid slams. a good, accurate system of responses is paramount.

5 Play & Defence of 1NT Contracts 11 Signals & Discards

This seminar looks at the most common and This seminar deals with Count, Attitude
yet most feared of contracts: 1NT. The first half and Suit-preference signals: aiming to get
looks at declaring the contract and the second you working as a partnership in defence.
part puts us in the defenders’ seats.
12 Endplays
6 Doubling & Defence Bernard takes you through the basics of the
against Doubled Contracts technique before showing some magical hands
The first half of this seminar explores penalty where you take extra tricks from defenders. In the
doubles and the second half discusses the second half, Bernard looks at how to avoid being
defence against doubled contracts. endplayed as a defender.

DVDs DVDs
Each £25. Boxed Set of 6 £100 Each £25. Boxed Set of 6 £100

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
David Stevenson answers your questions on Laws and Ethics

Natural 2NT
or
Unusual 2NT?
Q
I was East on Your partner described differently if they had been 2♠ as the mechanism to
this hand. your bid as an unusual told you had no agreement? exit from 1NT into 3♣/3♦
no-trump, when actually In my view, if you had with a long minor. If
you meant it as natural. no agreement the bidding asked about the bid, I
There are three would be the same, and the say, ‘enquiring whether
♠ Q 10 8 7 4 3 possibilities. result stands. However if opener is maximum.’ My
♥ J 1. Your bid was a #2 applies, perhaps North partner tends to give a
♦ J 5 4 2 mistake, your partner’s will pass 3♠. Even then, you somewhat long-winded
♣ 8 2 description was correct, might bid again and North explanation, describing
♠ 2 ♠ K 9 there is no infraction will probably go on to 4♠. So possible hands, such
♥ 10 8 7 6 4 N ♥ K Q 9 3 and the result stands. perhaps a reasonable ruling as, ‘Could be 11-12 HCP
♦ A Q 8 7 W E ♦ K 10 2. Your partner’s would be, assuming neither without a major or might
S
♣ 9 7 3 ♣ K Q J 6 4 explanation was a mistake, side vulnerable: for both be a weak hand with
♠ A J 6 5 you play it as natural, your sides: 25% of 3♠-1, NS -50 a long minor – I do not
♥ A 5 2 opponents are misinformed. plus 75% of 4♠-2, NS -100. know which until he bids
♦ 9 6 3 If they are damaged, then Since most of the field again.’ Which is better?
♣ A 10 5 the director must assign a is in 4♥ making, this will, Alan Mansell,
new score, or more usually, in fact, not be a lot better Milford-on-Sea.
a variety of scores with than the very good score

A
West North East South percentage weightings. they got for 4♠-2. Your reply is certainly
1NT1 3. Your partner’s But the amazing thing inadequate, while
Pass 2♥ 2NT 3♠
2 3
explanation was a mistake, about your director is not your partner’s is
Pass 4♠ End you have no agreement, your just that he gave a completely quite good. You are required
1
12-14 opponents are misinformed, illegal ruling, but from what to tell opponents what a
2
alerted, transfer to spades partner should have said, you tell me, he gave one bid means; if you know that
3
alerted, described as unusual ‘No agreement.’ If they that benefitted you, since it can show two types of
(though meant as natural) are damaged then the the N/S score was already hand (balanced game try
director must assign a new better than average. or sign-off in a minor), you
4♠ went two down and score, or more usually, have a duty to tell them so.
North called the director. a variety of scores with ♣♦♥♠ ‘A balanced game try or
The director awarded an percentage weightings. sign-off in a minor,’ is what I

Q
average to both sides. So let us suppose for a My regular would say.
Most E/W pairs were moment #2 or #3 is correct. partner and
bidding and making 4♥. Giving an average is illegal, I play a 2♠
David Stevenson answers all
Do you believe our giving an assigned score is response to 1NT as an
queries based on the facts
director was correct? correct if there is damage. enquiry bid, asking
supplied by the letter writer.
Arthur Field, West Sussex. What would North or opener whether he
Neither Mr Bridge nor
South have done differently is maximum. Opener

A
David Stevenson has any way
It is difficult to offer if they had been told it replies 2NT with a non- of knowing whether those
much advice beyond was natural? What would maximum and 3♣ with a facts are correct or complete.
shooting the director. North or South have done maximum. We also use

Page 10
Ask David continued There was no alert. Is just an overcall. While considers, the main ones
this psychic or legal? I agree that he was being misinformation and
John Dawe, Chester. entitled to bid when unauthorised information.
his turn, should his As far as misinformation

Q A
I was thinking I doubt that partner partner be able to profit goes, partner told the
of trying for a was expecting from the unauthorised opponents the system as
slam and knew this. Perhaps East information? you were playing it, so
my partner was void in thought it was the correct Margaret Bleakley, Belfast. they will not get any
clubs, as I overheard call; perhaps he wanted to redress. Making the wrong

A
the previous table fool everyone; perhaps he The director was bid is not a crime.
discussing the hand. I was just experimenting. wrong. A bid, Your comment on partner
decided not to use the You ask about psychic or once taken from explaining your bid unasked
information and just legal as though they are the box, counts as made, is interesting. Unless you are
bid as I saw fit. What opposites. It is arguable so the bid out of turn laws in Scotland, your partner
should the procedure whether it is psychic or should apply and they is required to announce
be in a case like this? not, but it is certainly legal. tend to be quite severe. your opening immediately
Barry Tyrrell by email. Players can bid as they after you have bid it. Once
see fit (rightly or wrongly), ♣♦♥♠ he says that it is strong,

A
You should tell but they must not have you have unauthorised

Q
the director once undisclosed agreements. First in hand information, reminding you
you have heard at favourable what your 2♥ shows – and
the information. It is his ♣♦♥♠ vulnerability, you must do your best
job to decide what to do. I held: to take no advantage.

Q
Usually, he will let you My left-hand If you had opened a weak
play the board and see if opponent, North, 2♥, your partner had said,
it makes any difference, withdrew a bid ♠ 8 6 ‘weak,’ and he bid 3♦, you
though he can cancel the from his box (not a stop ♥ J 9 7 5 3 2 would never pass 3♦ with
board completely. He might card) and was about ♦ K 10 4 2 four-card support. This
also penalise or warn the to face it on the table, ♣ 8 makes your pass illegal. I
people at the other table when he was told it was would not say unethical,
who caused the problem. not his turn to bid. because that suggests you
The director said to I forgot that we were knew what you were doing
♣♦♥♠ proceed as normal playing strong twos was illegal. Thus, the director
and no penalty and opened 2♥. LHO must give an adjusted

Q
After North was awarded. The doubled. Partner now score, disallowing your
opened 1♣, bidding proceeded: said, unasked, ‘We are pass. A more usual bid with
East doubled playing strong twos,’ your hand would be 5♦.
with this hand: West North East South and bid 3♦. RHO passed. It is normal when
1♦ Pass I passed and 3♦ became giving an adjusted score
2♦ 2♥ the final contract. to provide a range of
♠ Q 10 8 7 6 5 We made this exactly. bids with a percentage
♥ J 10 8 6 4 Surely, North had given Everyone else had a likelihood of each.
♦ Void information to his plus score the other way. Note that there is no need
♣ 9 4 partner, that he had I called the director but to say what you have done
opening values and not do not want to disclose until the end of the hand.
the ruling. Should The opponents cannot take
the result stand? their calls back since there
Michael Kaye by email. was no misinformation.
DUPLICATE BRIDGE Once the play is over, it is

RULES SIMPLIFIED
A
When a hand a good thing if the person
does not match whose actions caused the
(otherwise known as the Yellow Book) the description problem calls the director,
given, there are a number rather than waiting for the
by John Rumbelow and only of things that a director opponents to do so. ■
revised by David Stevenson £5 95

E-mail your questions on bridge laws to:

Available from Mr Bridge ( 01483 489961 davidstevenson@mrbridge.co.uk

Page 11
A to Z of Bridge
compiled by Julian Pottage

S
and switches to the ♣2. East’s plan is
J 6 4 2 clear – to get in with the ♠A, put West
N
in with the ♥Q and score a club ruff.
W E
S
To snip communications, you win the
club, cross to the ♦A and throw your
A K 8 7 5 remaining heart on the ♦Q. East wins
the ♦K, but cannot reach West’s hand
SACRIFICE to get his club ruff.
A bid made in the full expectation that If you need four tricks from the above
the contract will go down, but in the holding, the safety play is leading low SCORE
hope that the points lost will be fewer to the jack, catering for a 4-0 break on The written result of a contract or to
than those that the opponents would either side. If West is void, you will be denote the result on a board, e.g. ‘We
have scored if left to play in their own able to take marked finesses on the scored well on board thirteen’.
contract. second and third rounds of the suit.
SCORE CARD
SAVE A card for keeping a record and used to
♠ 9 6 4 3 2 Used in the same sense as ‘Sacrifice’. score in a teams event or as a personal
♥ 9 N record in a pairs or individual event.
W E
♦ 9 5 2 S SBU
♣ J 10 4 2 Abbreviation for the Scottish Bridge SCORE SHEET
Union, the governing body for Sheet on which the results of each
duplicate bridge in Scotland. board, the totals for each pair and the
West North East South final placings are on display after a
1♥ 1♠ 4♥ SCISSORS COUP duplicate event.
? A play used, as the name implies, to
cut communications between the SCORE SLIP
It is a near certainty that 4♥ will opposing hands, usually to destroy 1. At rubber bridge or Chicago, printed
make. West may bid 4♠, not expecting an enemy entry needed to give his paper or pad to record the score.
it to make but in the belief that the partner a ruff. For example: 2. In duplicate, the traveller that
penalty in 4♠ doubled will be cheaper accompanies the board.
than letting the opponents make 4♥.
The vulnerability is often crucial in ♠ Q 6 SCORING CORRECTIONS
sacrifice decisions. At duplicate, the ♥ 6 3 It may be possible to correct an error
best time to sacrifice is when only ♦ A Q 9 5 in computing or tabulating the agreed
the opponents are vulnerable. In this ♣ Q J 10 6 3 score, whether by a player or a scorer,
example, you could afford to go three ♠ 5 4 ♠ A 8 2 within a timescale set by the sponsor-
down doubled and still show a profit ♥ K Q 8 2 N ♥ A J 10 7 4 ing organisation. If the organisers do
(losing 500 instead of 620). If, however, ♦ J 7 6 2 W E ♦ K 10 8 4 not set a time, the period for correc-
S
only your side is vulnerable, you need ♣ 8 7 4 ♣ 2 tion is thirty minutes after the official
to get out for one down to show a profit ♠ K J 10 9 7 3 score is displayed. To minimise the
(losing 200 instead of 420). ♥ 9 5 risk of scoring errors, players should
♦ 3 write as legibly as possible and agree
SAFETY PLAY ♣ A K 9 5 the score before returning the score
A way of handling a suit combination slip to the board.
to give the greatest chance of making
the required number of tricks in the As South, you play in 4♠ after East SCOTTISH BRIDGE UNION
suit at the expense of abandoning the opened 1♥ and West raised hearts. East Regulatory body for Duplicate Bridge
possibility of gaining extra tricks. overtakes West’s ♥K lead with the ♥A in Scotland.

Page 12
A to Z of Bridge continued SECOND AND FOURTH LEADS SECONDARY SUPPORT
A popular method of leading from A useful holding in a suit bid by
suits without an honour sequence, by partner, often a three-card suit, as
which one leads second highest from distinct from four-card (primary)
SCRAMBLE poor suits and fourth highest from support. A delayed bid in partner’s
A term to denote a bid in a competitive better suits. Most players treat poor suit, especially if it is a major, shows
auction where one is simply trying to suits as those without an honour, secondary support because you would
find a safe place to play at a low level. though some regard a ten-high suit have raised immediately with primary
as poor too. For example, with 9-7-5- support. In the examples below, West
West North East South 3 you lead the seven. When using the is almost certain to have exactly three
1♠ Pass 2♠ Pass method, if partner leads a high spot it hearts.
Pass Dbl Pass 2NT is likely to be from a poor suit.
West North East South
Not having a long suit to show, South SECONDARY SQUEEZE 1♥ Pass
bids 2NT as a scramble, asking North A squeeze in which the opponents win 2♦ Pass 2♥ Pass
to suggest a suit. one or more tricks after the play of the 3♥
squeeze card:
SCRAMBLED MITCHELL West North East South
A method of producing a single 1♣ Pass 1♥ Pass
winner from a Mitchell event by arrow ♠ A 1♠ Pass 1NT Pass
switching the compass points of the ♥ 10 8 7 2♥
pairs (on certain rounds). ♦ Void
On such rounds, the East-West pairs ♣ 5 SECOND NEGATIVE
(and the boards) move normally, but ♠ K Q In the sequence 2♣-pass-2♦-pass-2♥-
they then play the North-South cards N ♥ K Q J pass-2NT, most partnerships agree
and vice versa. W E ♦ Void that the 2NT bid is a second negative,
S
Generally, the final one or two ♣ Void showing a very poor hand. The need to
rounds are arrow switched in a ♠ J 4 make a second negative arises because
scrambled movement. ♥ A 6 an Acol 2♣ opening, unless followed
♦ Void by a 2NT rebid, creates a game force.
SCREEN ♣ A Responder therefore needs a bid
In major championships, a large to keep the bidding alive without
screen rests diagonally across the table promising values.
preventing each player from being South leads the ♣A. If East discards a
able to see his partner and one of his heart, South continues with ace and SECOND SUIT
opponents. another heart to leave dummy high. If Your second longest suit or the second
A small slit in the screen allows a East discards a spade, South crosses to suit you bid. For example, if you open
tray to slide from one side of the table the ♠A and later scores the ♠J. 1♠ and rebid 2♥, hearts is your second
to the other. suit.
The players bid, using bidding boxes, SECOND HAND LOW
by placing the bids on this tray and A favourite maxim of card play which SECTION
repeatedly sliding it from one side of says that, following the lead of a small If the director splits a competition field
the table to the other. card, the second hand to play should into separate groups, each group is a
During the play, a flap comes up to play his lowest card of the suit led. section. For example, with 26 tables,
allow all players to see the dummy it would be normal to split them into
and the cards the others play. One two sections with 13 tables in each,
purpose of screens is to prevent
K94 thereby facilitating a convenient
players conveying information to their N
Mitchell movement in each.
partners through their mannerisms or A 10 6 3
W E J72
S
eye contact. SEMI-BALANCED
Another benefit is that if there is a Q 8 5 This refers to hands with no singleton
delay in return of the bidding tray, it but two doubletons, i.e. a 5-4-2-2 or
will often be unclear whether partner 6-3-2-2 shape. Players using a strong
or an opponent has been thinking. If South leads low, West must duck, no-trump opening are much happier
saving the ace to capture the queen. about opening 1NT on a semi-
SCREEN-MATE Equally, if the lead is low from the balanced hand than are players who
When screens are in use, he is the North hand, East must play low or favour a weak no-trump. Opening
opponent seated on one’s own side of South could cover the jack with the 2NT on a semi-balanced hand has
the screen. queen and later finesse the nine. widespread acceptance.

Page 13
Join Bernard Magee and discover
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D elve into a trove of Celtic treasures on this voyage around a lush, green
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A to Z of Bridge continued is usually 2 or 3 boards in a club have a five-card suit, a four-card suit,
duplicate, 8 or 16 boards in a match. a tripleton and a singleton. If there are
4.
A pre-arranged rubber bridge dashes in between the numbers, this is
match played between two fixed likely to indicate a specific shape. For
SEMI-PSYCHIC partnerships. example, a 2-4-6-1 shape means two
A ‘semi-psychic’ bid is a bid made spades, four hearts, six diamonds and
deliberately with the intention of SETTING TRICK a club.
confusing the opponents but which The defensive trick that ensures a Another name for shape is the
only slightly misdescribes the hand. contract’s defeat. For example, against hand’s ‘pattern’ or ‘distribution’.
Examples are the ‘third-in-hand a 4♠ contract, the fourth defensive
opener’ on A-K-J-x-x in the suit with a trick will be the setting trick. SHARING BOARDS
bust outside or a no-trump bid that is In some movements, such as a Mitchell
a few points under strength or lacking SET UP with an even number of tables but no
a stopper in the opposing suit. To set up a suit is to establish it. skip, it is necessary for two or more
Common methods of setting up a tables to play the same set of boards
SEMI-SOLID SUIT suit are knocking out the opposing on the same round. This practice is
A suit that is likely to play for only one high cards, giving up a slow loser and ‘sharing boards’.
loser, for example: A-Q-J-10-8-4. ruffing a suit. Of necessity, the tables sharing
boards will play them in a different
SEQUENCE sequence as a result. For example, if
Cards in consecutive rank order, for ♣ K Q 10 4 ♦ A 8 7 6 3 2 tables 1 and 8 are sharing boards 4-6,
example K-Q-J. N N
table 1 might play them in the order
W E
S
W E
S
4, 5, 6 while table 8 plays them in the
SEQUENCE DISCARDS order 5, 6, 4. It is important when
The discard of an honour guarantees ♣ J 7 2 ♦ K 5 sharing boards that the two tables do
the honour immediately below it and not leave themselves the same board to
denies the honour immediately above play at the end.
it. When the opening leader discards You can set up the first suit by playing
an honour, it nearly always shows an high cards to drive out the ace. Once SHARK
interior sequence (for example, the the ace has gone, you will have set up Colloquialism for a type of expert
discard of the queen strongly suggests the suit. player who specialises in playing
A-Q-J) because otherwise the initial To set up the second suit on the rubber bridge for money and who
lead might have been in the suit. normal 3-2 break, you cash the king, is particularly adept at this type of
ace and play a third round. In a no- competition.
SELF-SUPPORTING SUIT trump contract, you will lose the third
A suit that you are happy to have as the round; in a suit contract, you ruff the SHARPLES CONVENTION
trump suit even facing a void. The suit third round and avoid a loser. If the A defence to 1NT whereby an overcall
is likely to be solid or semi-solid, such suit breaks 4-1, you will need to work of 2♣ shows a hand of unspecified
as K-Q-J-10-x-x-x. harder, playing a fourth round as well. shape but with at least four spades and
In either case, once the opponents 2♦ shows a weak distributional hand
SENIOR have no diamonds left, you will have with short clubs.
In events with an age restriction, a set up the suit.
player over a certain age. From 2010 SHIFT
onwards, to qualify as a senior in SHADED In the auction, a change of suit as in
a given year, the player must have A bid is said to be shaded if it is ‘jump shift’. In the play, a switch to
attained age 60 by the end of the year. slightly below the normal strength another suit.
requirements, for example if you open
SESSION a 15-17 1NT with 14 points. While it is SHOOTING FOR A TOP
A period of play during which fine to take a rosy view of your hand To make an apparently inferior bid or
competitors play a given number of every so often, if it becomes a regular play in a deliberate attempt to score
boards. Sessions usually consist of 24- practice then it is an agreement a top. You might employ this tactic
32 boards, lasting 3-4 hours. that you should disclose to your towards the end of a duplicate session
opponents. in an attempt to convert a good score
SET into a winning score. For example,
1. To set a contract means you defeat SHAPE if you were sure that a normal score
it. The way in which you might arrange would be no good for you and that
2. Set of duplicate boards or wallets. your hand into suits, expressed as playing a contract normally would
There are usually 32 boards in a set. the number of cards in each suit. For result in an average score, you might
3. A set can mean a stanza, which example, a 5431 shape means you take an anti-percentage play.

Page 15
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it is usual to treat the 1♣ opening as a ♣ 9 7 4 SHUFFLE

natural bid e.g. a 2♣ overcall is a cue To mix the cards randomly.
bid, not a natural bid.
West North East South SHUTOUT BID
SHORT HAND 1♥ Pass 2♦ Either a sign off or a pre-emptive bid.
The hand with the fewer cards in a suit Pass 2♥ Pass 3NT
(usually trumps). Usually, it is more End SID
productive to take ruffs in the short An acronym for Stayman In Doubt.
trump hand than in the long trump Since South has bid your only long
hand. suit, you should make a short suit lead. SIDE
As East will not hold five spades and A partnership in a rubber game, a du-
fair values (no 1♠ overcall), the ♣7 is plicate game or teams-of-four match.
♠ J 2 a good choice.
♥ A 8 6 SIDE GAME
♦ K J 10 2 SHORTEN A second competition at a
♣ A 10 5 4 To reduce in length. Commonly refers championship for pairs or teams not
♠ Q 8 6 4 3 ♠ K 10 7 to the situation where a defender involved in the main event.
♥ 3 N ♥ 10 9 7 4 attacks dummy’s or declarer’s trump
♦ 7 5 3 W E ♦ 8 4 length by leading plain-suit winners, SIDE SUIT
S
♣ Q J 9 6 ♣ K 8 7 3 forcing a ruff. Shortening also refers A suit other than trumps. ‘Plain suit’
♠ A 9 5 to the situation where declarer is a synonym.
♥ K Q J 5 2 deliberately takes ruffs in preparation
♦ A Q 9 6 for a trump endplay or coup. SIGN-OFF
♣ 2 A discouraging bid suggesting that
SHOW OUT the partnership should progress no
To reveal a void by discarding on the further. Usually a sign-off occurs
If you are South in 6♥, you can lead of a suit. after a trial bid or asking bid. When
generate an extra trick by giving up a the person making the sign-off made
spade and ruffing a spade in dummy, SHOW UP SQUEEZE an asking bid on the previous round,
the short hand. This way, you make six A method of squeezing a player who the sign-off is more a command than
trump tricks rather than five. does not guard a crucial suit, in order a suggestion.
Ruffing in the long trump hand to drop a singleton honour, instead of
(South) would not be a good idea. If taking a losing finesse.
West East West East
you ruff two clubs, you will have fewer Declarer has a count of the hand and 1♥ 1♠
trumps than East and so be unable to knows that West holds the ♠A in this 2♥ 3♣ 3♠ 4♣
draw trumps and cash the diamonds. example. 3♥ 4♠

Page 17
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Page 18
A to Z of Bridge continued you follow with the ♠4, your lowest on the deals so that you can see where
card in the suit, as an attitude signal you have done well and how you might
to say that you do not like spades. De- have done better.
clarer plays a club to the queen and you Bridge Great Britain organises

West East West East follow with the ♣2, your lowest card in simultaneous pairs events, as do most
1♦ 1♦ that suit, as a count signal to show an of the Home Bridge Unions and some
2♥ 3♥ 2♥ 3♥ odd number of clubs. On the second county associations. In general, the
4NT 5♦ 4NT 5♥ round of clubs, having already given greater the number of participating
5♥ 6♥ count, you play the ♣8, the higher of clubs, the higher the number of master
your remaining clubs, as a suit-prefer- points on offer.
In each case, West’s final bid is a sign- ence signal for the higher red suit.
off. In the first auction, it looks as if SINGLE-DUMMY PROBLEM
East has made a game try, which West SILENT Bridge problem presented as if in the
has declined. East would bid on only if To keep ‘silent’ is to pass throughout position of declarer.
he had aspirations towards a slam. In the auction.
the second auction, East has suggested SINGLE RAISE
a slam and West has shown no interest. SILENT BIDDER A raise of partner’s denomination by
In the third and fourth auctions, West Device to permit silent bidding. It is a one level e.g. 1♥-pass-2♥, 1♣-pass-1♥-
has found out how many aces are board placed in the centre of the table, pass-2♥ or 1♣-1♠-pass-2♠. A single
missing and placed the final contract. subdivided into labelled regions, 1♣, raise usually indicates support for
1♦, 1 ♥, 1♠, 1NT, 2♣ etc (up to 7NT), partner and minimum values.
SIGNALS, SIGNALLING Dbl, Redbl, Alert, Stop and Pass. A
The method of conveying information player makes his call by touching the SINGLE SUITED HAND
between the defenders. You can do this appropriate region of the board with A hand with one long suit and no other
both when following to a suit and when a pen or pencil, or moving a small biddable suit. Assuming you have the
discarding. Common types of signal counter placed on the silent bidder. strength to bid at all, you are likely to
are attitude signals – when you indicate Bidding boxes have rendered silent show a single suited hand by bidding
whether you like a suit or not; length bidders almost obsolete. the suit a couple of times or perhaps by
signals – when you show whether making a pre-emptive bid in the suit.
you have an odd or even number of SIMPLE FINESSE
cards in the suit; and suit-preference A finesse against one outstanding
West East West East
signals – when you show whether you card e.g. if you have A-K-J facing low 1♠ 1NT 1♣
like some other suit. Defensive signals cards, leading up to the jack is a simple 2♠ 1♠ 1NT
are vital for defending accurately. For finesse against the queen. 2♠
signals to work, it is important not
only that you give the right signal but SIMPLE OVERCALL
West East West East
also that partner is watching – and vice A non-jump overcall: if an opponent 2♠(weak) 3♠
versa when partner gives a signal. opens 1♥, any of 1♠, 1NT, 2♣ and 2♦
Here is an example where you can from you are simple overcalls. If you In each sequence, West is suggesting
give all three of the common types of make an overcall, it is usual to hold a single-suited spade hand. The first
signal on the same deal: at least five card suits in your bid suit, three sequences suggest a six-card
often six cards if the overcall is at the suit, the fourth a seven-card suit.
two level. If the suit is good, you might
♠ 7 3 2 overcall on a hand that is slightly too SINGLETON
♥ A J weak for an opening bid. For example, A holding of only one card in a suit.
♦ A J 2 with ♠K-Q-10-x-x and an ace on the
♣ Q J 10 9 3 side, it would be normal to overcall 1♠ SIT OUT
♠ Q J 9 8 ♠ 6 4 over one of any other suit. 1. If there is an odd number of pairs in
♥ 9 6 4 N ♥ K Q 10 2 a duplicate event, one pair must sit
♦ 10 9 5 W E ♦ 8 7 6 4 SIMULTANEOUS PAIRS out each round.
S
♣ A K 7 ♣ 8 5 2 Event played in many different venues 2. In long teams matches, it is
♠ A K 10 5 on the same date and with identical common for a team to have more
♥ 8 7 5 3 hands nationwide or even worldwide. pairs than is required to play at any
♦ K Q 3 Scoring is on the matchpoint basis one time, typically six players for a
♣ 6 4 and calculated by computer. Clubs teams of four match. The player(s)
upload their results to the organiser’s not playing in any given stanza sit
computer so that competitors can see out.
South plays in 3NT without having bid their results. Most organisers provide 3. It also means to wait to cut in to a
any suits. When West leads the ♠Q, a booklet with an expert commentary game of rubber bridge.

Page 19
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SLAM SMALL SLAM ♠ A

A contract for twelve tricks (Small To contract to make twelve tricks is to ♥ Void
Slam) or thirteen tricks (Grand Slam). bid a Small Slam. An alternative name ♦ 9
For bidding and making either type is a ‘Little Slam’. ♣ Void
of slam, considerable bonuses are on ♠ K 7 ♠ Void
offer. Slams are an exciting part of the SMITH PETER ♥ Void N ♥ J 10
game and, especially at rubber bridge, Against no trumps, on the lead of ♦ Void W E ♦ Void
S
a potentially lucrative event. Before declarer’s first suit, the partner of the ♣ Void ♣ Void
contracting for a slam, it is normally opening leader plays high-low to show ♠ Q J
a good idea to establish that the that he would like the original suit ♥ Void
partnership has the playing strength continued if partner regains the lead. ♦ Void
to produce at least 12 tricks as well The opening leader plays high-low to ♣ Void
as sufficient high cards or shortages show a poor holding in his suit.
in every suit so that the opponents
cannot take two fast winners. With spades as trumps, East, on lead,
With two balanced hands, about ♠ J 3 plays a heart. You, South, ruff and
33-34 points produces a small slam, ♥ J 10 2 subject West to a ‘smother play’ or
37 points a grand slam. Most slams ♦ Q J 10 4 2 coup. You will play dummy’s ace of
require fewer high card points than ♣ A K J trumps on this trick if and only if West
this because long cards or ruffs can ♠ A 9 7 5 4 ♠ Q 10 2 overruffs with the king.
produce extra tricks. ♥ 8 5 N ♥ K 9 6 4 3
♦ K 5 W E ♦ 6 SNAP
S
SLAM CONVENTION ♣ 10 9 7 6 ♣ Q 8 3 2 An acronym for Strong No Trump
An agreed bidding convention, such as ♠ K 8 6 After Passing, this convention uses the
Blackwood, for checking on controls, ♥ A Q 7 response of 1NT to an opening bid of
trumps or other key cards held by ♦ A 9 8 7 3 one of a suit, made after partner has
the partnership to investigate slam ♣ 5 4 opened third or fourth in hand, to
possibilities. show 8-10 points.

Page 21
A to Z of Bridge continued SPLINTER BID SPUTNIK DOUBLE
A jump response, at a level higher This is the original name for a negative
than needed to create a force, showing double, so named because its launch
trump support, the values for coincided with the launch of the
SOFT VALUES game, and a singleton or void in the Sputnik space rocket. In the sequence
These are queens and jacks. By suit bid. 1♣-1♠-double, the double suggests
comparison, aces and kings are ‘hard holding four hearts rather than a
values’. 1 2 3 desire to penalise spades.
West East West East West East
SOLID 1♥ 1♦ 1♥ 1♠ 2♥ SQUEEZE
1. Describes a suit with no losers e.g. 4♣ 4♣ 4♣ Descriptive term for a variety of plays
A-K-Q-J-x-x. where you force an opponent to dis-
2. A solid contract is an unbeatable In all three auctions, West’s 4♣ is a card from a suit or suits that he wishes
one. splinter, showing the support and to guard. The result is that you make
values to raise to 4♥ with a shortage a trick (sometimes more) that seemed
SOS REDOUBLE in clubs. Typical hands for these unlikely at the start of play. There are a
A redouble suggesting that partner sequences are: great many squeeze plays, many with
choose an alternative denomination set names, varying from the simple to
from the one that an opponent has the complex. Here are two basic ones:
doubled. Hand 1 Hand 2 Hand 3

For example: ♠ Q 9 5 3 ♠ Q 8 5 ♠ A K 8 5 2
♥ A J 7 4 ♥ A Q 9 3 ♥ K Q 6 3 1a ♠ 9 6
West North East South ♦ A J 8 3 ♦ A K Q 8 3 ♦ 8 5 3 2 ♥ 10 2
1♠ 2♣ Pass Pass ♣ 5 ♣ 5 ♣ Void ♦ A 9 7 5
Dbl Pass Pass Rdbl ♣ A K Q 7 3
♠ K Q J 8 3 ♠ 10 7 4 2
South probably holds a fistful of cards ♥ 8 7 4 3 N ♥ 9 6
in the red suits and a singleton or void SPLIT ♦ 10 4 W E ♦ Q J 2
S
in clubs. North should remove the The way a suit divides between two ♣ 9 6 ♣ J 10 8 2
redouble to 2♦ or 2♥. hands – break is a synonymous term. ♠ A 5
♥ A K Q J 5
SOUTH SPLITTING HONOURS ♦ K 8 6 3
One of the positions at the bridge table. The play of an honour, from two ♣ 5 4
or more in sequence, in the second
SOUTH AFRICAN TEXAS position.
The use of 4♣ and 4♦ bids as transfers For example: 1b ♠ Void
to 4♥ and 4♠ respectively, either ♥ Void
as opening bids or in response to ♦ Void
1NT/2NT. The transfer to 4♥ via 4♣
AJ4 ♣ A K Q 7 3
suggests a stronger hand than bidding N
♠ J 8 3 ♠ Void
4♥ directly. K Q 9
W E 10 8 3 2 ♥ Void N ♥ Void
S
One benefit of playing that the ♦ Void W E ♦ Q
S
transfer bid is two suits below the 7 6 5 ♣ 9 6 ♣ J 10 8 2
one shown is that it leaves room for ♠ Void
partner to bid the in-between suit as ♥ 5
a slam try. Another is that partner is South leads the 5 and, if West plays the ♦ 8 6
less likely to forget the bid is a transfer. king or queen, he is said to ‘split his ♣ 5 4
honours’.

Hand 1 Hand 2 SPOT CARDS You can make 6♣, 6♦ or 6♥ without
♠ K Q J 8 7 4 3 2 ♠ K Q J 8 7 4 3 2 Cards from the 2 to the 9 inclusive. problem but go for a top score by play-
♥ 8 3 ♥ A 10 3 ing in 6NT. West leads the ♠K. You
♦ 5 3 ♦ 4 SPREAD duck the first spade (see RECTIFY-
♣ 5 ♣ 6 1. To place the cards of the dummy ING THE COUNT) and win the con-
face up on the table. tinuation. You then cash the ♦A-K and
2. To lay one’s hand on the table when play off your hearts to reach the posi-
Playing South African Texas, the first making a claim. tion in 1b. The last heart catches East
hand would be a 4♠ opening and the 3. This can be a term for an unbeatable in a squeeze, forcing him to unguard
second (stronger) hand a 4♦ opening. contract, as in, ‘4♠ was a spread’. one of his minor suits.

Page 22
A to Z of Bridge continued STACKED STAYMAN CONVENTION
Having the cards ‘stacked’ against you A 2♣ response to a 1NT opening
means that a single opponent holds bid, used to enquire about major-suit
all or nearly all the crucial cards in a holdings. In reply, opener rebids:
given suit. For example, if you hold 2♦ No four-card major
2a ♠ A K 2 A-Q-10-x-x facing x-x-x-x and there is 2♥ Four hearts
♥ 9 8 7 6 K-J-9-x over the strong holding, that 2♠ Four spades (but not four
♦ 3 2 would be a stacked suit. hearts)
♣ Q J 3 2
♠ 10 5 4 3 ♠ Q J 7 STAKES
♥ J 4 3 2 N ♥ 10 5 Rubber bridge and Chicago players
Hand 1 Hand 2
♦ 5 4 W E ♦ J 10 9 8 usually play for a small amount of ♠ Q 8 5 3 ♠ J 8 5 2
S
♣ 10 9 8 ♣ 7 6 5 4 money, known as ‘stakes’. Although ♥ A K J 4 ♥ 10 7 4 2
♠ 9 8 6 it is a social game, the addition of ♦ 5 2 ♦ K 9 7 5 2
♥ A K Q a stake, even of a nominal amount, ♣ K 10 2 ♣ Void
♦ A K Q 7 6 provides an incentive to bid and play
♣ A K carefully and accurately.
Stakes can vary from a few pence With the first responding hand, you
per hundred in a home game to £30 have the values to raise 1NT to 3NT
2b ♠ K 2 per hundred at the top table in one of but want to play in a 4-4 fit in a major
♥ 9 the London clubs. if one exists. You intend to raise 2♥ to
♦ 3 4♥, 2♠ to 4♠ or to jump to 3NT over 2♦.
♣ J STAND A DOUBLE On the second hand, you use Stayman
♠ 10 5 4 ♠ Q J To pass your partner’s double or to intending to pass at your next turn,
♥ J N ♥ void leave in a contract that an opponent confident that a suit contract will play
♦ 5 W E ♦ J 10 9 has doubled. better than 1NT.
S
♣ Void ♣ Void Responder can use Stayman safely
♠ 9 STAND UP on any hand with the values to bid
♥ Void Having a card ‘stand up’ means that at least 2NT and four cards in at
♦ K Q 7 6 it wins a trick. It is usual to use this least one major. Depending upon the
♣ Void expression when defending a trump partnership methods, responder may
contract and there is doubt about also be able to use Stayman on other
whether declarer will follow to the types of hands (such as a weak hand
As South, you play in 7NT. West leads plain suit that you are leading. with both majors or a weak single-
the ♣10. suited club hand).
You have twelve top tricks and if STANDARD AMERICAN
either red suit breaks 3-3 then there Nebulous term for bidding methods STAYMAN IN DOUBT (SID)
will be no problem. commonly used in America, After a positive reply to the 2♣
You start by cashing two clubs and approximately those that Charles H. enquiry (2♥/2♠), a bid of 3♦ indicates
three top hearts. The heart suit fails to Goren originally laid down. a four-card fit in the bid major, values
break kindly but you give yourself an for game but a 4-3-3-3 or 3-4-3-3 hand
extra chance by arriving in position STANDARD AMERICAN pattern. Partner chooses either to bid
2b where East has already discarded a YELLOW CARD four of the major or 3NT depending
club on a heart. A standardised version of Standard on his hand pattern. Duplication of
When dummy leads the ♣J, American for competitive bridge, pub- distribution may mean that 3NT is an
East must discard a spade to avoid lished on a yellow ACBL convention easier game contract despite the 4-4
conceding a trick immediately. You card and often used by casual partner- major suit fit. This convention is not in
throw a diamond. When you now cash ships in online bridge clubs. widespread use because many players
the ♦K-Q, West must discard a spade do not use Stayman at all with a 4333
or a heart. Either is fatal and you have STANDARD HONOUR LEADS hand.
squeezed both opponents. The standard lead from a sequence is
the top card (e.g. king from K-Q-J) STAYMAN THREE CLUBS
SQUEEZE WITH- and the standard lead from an interior The use of 3♣ in response to a 2NT
OUT THE COUNT sequence is the highest of the touching opening to enquire about four-card
Term for a squeeze that you can ex- cards (e.g. jack from K-J-10). majors in the same way that one might
ecute even though you have to give up use 2♣ in response to 1NT. In other
the lead after playing the squeeze card. STANZA words, after the 3♣ response, 3♥/3♠
Secondary squeeze is another name A set of boards played before scoring from opener shows four cards in that
for this type of squeeze. or moving to another table. major while 3♦ denies one.

Page 23
A to Z of Bridge continued As South, you play in 6♠ on a diamond overtricks rather than go on to the
lead. You win and draw trumps, higher-scoring slam. The convention
stripping the opponents of safe exit takes it name because the doubler flees
cards in spades. like a ‘striped-tailed ape’ in the face of
STEP RESPONSES You next take the ace-king of clubs a redouble. The doubler will need to
System of responses, especially to and a club ruff, stripping your hands have an escape suit, or a good fit for
an artificial bid such as a Blackwood of clubs, thereby making it unsafe for a partner’s suit. The stripe-tailed ape
4NT enquiry, whereby you show the defender to lead a club. When you then double is a type of psychic bid.
number of features (aces, controls, give up a diamond, whoever wins will For example:
points etc) by steps. have no safe exit cards and you avoid
having to guess who has the queen of
STIFF hearts. ♠ J 7 5
Colloquialism for a singleton, usually ♥ 10 7 3 N
W E
a high honour card, as in ‘The stiff STRIP SQUEEZE ♦ J 8 6 4 S

king’. If you strip a player of safe exit cards ♣ 8 3 2

by running a long suit to obtain one
STOP or more forced discards, this is a strip
A method of alerting the opponents squeeze. West North East South
that a player is about to make a jump 3♠ 4♥
bid. Using bidding boxes, the player Dbl
who is about to make such a jump bid ♠ 7 3
immediately precedes his bid with the ♥ K 2 West is almost certain that North-
‘Stop’ card. ♦ A K 2 South can make a slam and so doubles
If you are not using bidding boxes, ♣ Q 10 9 6 5 3 4♥. If North redoubles, West retreats
you use the words ‘Stop’ or ‘Skip bid’. ♠ K Q J 10 8 4 ♠ 6 to 4♠. The penalty in 4♠ doubled
The next player should then pause for ♥ J 8 N ♥ 10 9 6 5 4 3 will certainly be less than that in 6♠
about ten seconds before bidding. ♦ 10 5 W E ♦ J 9 6 4 doubled and probably cheaper than
S
♣ K J 7 ♣ 8 2 defending 6♥.
STOPPER (A STOP) ♠ A 9 5 2
A holding that prevents the immediate ♥ A Q 7 STRONG JUMP OVERCALLS
run of a suit by an opponent. Certain ♦ Q 8 7 3 A single jump overcall showing a good
stoppers (if held in the closed hand) ♣ A 4 six-card suit and about 15-17 high
include A, K-x, Q-J-x and J-10-x-x. card points or a seven-card suit and
Certain stoppers if the holding is in about 13-15 HCP.
dummy include A, K-10-x and Q-J-x. As South, you play in 3NT after West
opened 1♠. West leads top spades
STRAIN and you take your ace on the second
Hand 1 Hand 2
A synonym for denomination, round, having seen East show out. ♠ A 5 ♠ 5
meaning clubs, diamonds, hearts, You know from the bidding that West ♥ 7 4 ♥ 7 4
spades, or no-trumps. holds the ♣K but there is no point ♦ K J 2 ♦ A J 2
playing on clubs as West has plenty of ♣ A K J 9 4 3 ♣ A K J 8 4 3 2
STRIP PLAY spade winners to cash. Instead, you try
To strip a player of safe exit cards, so three rounds of diamonds and West
that when you put a defender on lead discards a club on the third round. Either hand would be suitable for a
he cannot avoid conceding a trick. You continue with three rounds of strong jump overcall of 3♣ if RHO
hearts. Reducing to only five cards, opens one of some other suit.
West cannot keep the ♣K, a club to Strong jump overcalls remain
♠ Q 10 7 5 4 2 guard the king and enough spades to traditional at the rubber bridge table
♥ A 10 5 beat you. He is likely to throw a spade. but have fallen into disfavour amongst
♦ 8 5 You then exit with a spade and score tournament players, who generally
♣ A 4 two club tricks at the end. prefer weak jump overcalls, which
N
occur more often.
W E STRIPED-TAILED APE DOUBLE
S
A double of a game (or slam) contract STRONG KINGS AND TENS
♠ A K J 8 6 in the expectation that the opponents A system of honour leads against a no-
♥ K J 6 could make a Small Slam (or Grand trump contract whereby the lead of a
♦ A 10 Slam) and in the hope that they will king or 10 suggests a strong holding,
♣ K 8 2 accept the apparently good score for and the lead of an ace, queen or jack
making a doubled game (or slam) with suggests a relatively weak holding.

Page 24
A to Z of Bridge continued previous bid, or at the same level in a West leads the three of spades against
higher-ranking denomination. To be a heart contract, clearly a singleton.
legal, a bid has to be sufficient. After winning with the ace, East
returns a high spade (the nine) to ask
Ace from: AKx SUICIDE SQUEEZE for the higher-ranking of the other
King from: A K Q, A K J, A K 10, A squeeze when a defender, rather side suits (diamonds) or the two to ask
K Q J, K Q 10 than declarer, leads the card that for the lower-ranking suit (clubs).
Queen from: K Q x, K Q 9, Q J 10 inflicts the squeeze. Some pairs, by agreement, play suit-
Jack from: J 10 x preference discards, usually known
Ten from: A J 10, A 10 9, K J 10, as McKenney discards. Tournament
K 10 9, Q 10 9 ♠ 10 9 3 players and the top rubber bridge
Nine from: 10 9 x ♥ A J 3 players use suit-preference signals
♦ A 5 2 in further situations, such as when
STRONG NO TRUMP ♣ K Q J 3 following to the second round of a
An opening 1NT bid with usually ♠ K Q J 5 2 ♠ 6 4 suit having already given a count or
15-17 or 16-18 points and a balanced ♥ 8 6 N ♥ K Q 10 2 attitude signal on the first round.
hand. ♦ Q 6 W E ♦ J 10 9 4
S
♣ 10 9 6 4 ♣ 8 7 5
STRONG PASS SYSTEMS ♠ A 8 7
♠ Q 6
Systems featuring an opening pass in ♥ 9 7 5 4 N
first or second position to show about ♦ K 8 7 3 ♠ A K J 8 5 2 W E ♠ 10 4 3
S
16+ points. Very few tournaments ♣ A 2
allow these, partly because of the need ♠ 9 7
to prepare a defence to the concomitant
weak opening bids and partly because West leads top spades against South’s
of their parasitic nature. 3NT. With only eight apparent tricks, West cashes top spades against a heart
South wins the second spade, takes contract. On the first round, East must
STRONG TWO BID four club winners, then exits with a play low (the three) so that West can
An opening bid of two of a suit is used spade. If West takes his remaining work out who has the doubleton. On
to show a strong hand with at least spades, he squeezes East suicidally: the second round, East has a choice.
five cards in the suit named. You can forcing him to unguard a red suit. With The ten, the higher card, suggests a
play them as not forcing, forcing for four cards remaining, East cannot keep diamond switch, while the four, the
one round (Acol) or forcing to game three diamonds and the ♥K-Q. lower card, suggests a club switch.
(Culbertson). In Acol, either of the
following hands would be suitable for SUIT SUPPORT
a strong two bid (2♠): Method of categorising the fifty-two 1. To raise partner’s suit (e.g. 1♥-pass-
cards in a pack, identified by the shape 2♥ or 1♦-pass-1♠-pass-3♠).
of the pip: spades, hearts, diamonds or 2. If you have a worthwhile holding in

Hand 1 Hand 2 clubs. partner’s suit, this is support.
♠ K Q J 10 7 4 ♠ A K Q 7 4 Support can be primary (usually
♥ A K 4 ♥ K Q J 8 3 SUIT PREFERENCE SIGNAL four cards) or secondary (usually
♦ A Q 3 ♦ K 4 Defensive signal whereby the play of three cards). When evaluating sup-
♣ 5 ♣ 3 the cards in one suit indicates pref- port, length is more important than
erence between two other suits. The strength. Supporting your partner’s
principle is that a high card asks for a suit, especially if it is a major, is nor-
SUCKER’S DOUBLE high suit, a low card for a low suit. It is mally a good idea. One of the key ob-
A double of a freely bid game or slam most common to give a suit-preference jectives of bidding is to establish the
contract by a player who is relying signal when you believe that partner denomination in which to play; sup-
solely on defensive high-card strength. will not wish to play the suit in which porting partner facilitates this. Sup-
Against good opponents, such doubles you are giving the signal, such as when porting partner’s second suit nearly
can mean that declarer makes an you are giving partner a ruff. always shows four-card support.
‘unmakeable’ contract by placing the
doubler with all the missing strength. SUPPRESSING THE BID ACE
It is probable that the declaring side has
♠ K Q J 10 To ignore an already identified ace
distributional values to compensate N
(such as by a cue bid) in responding
for missing high-card values. ♠ 3 W E ♠ A 9 5 4 2 to Blackwood. This convention is now
S
rare as many pairs cue bid both first-
SUFFICIENT BID ♠ 8 7 6 and second-round controls and so
A bid at a higher level than the need 4NT to identify which is which.

Page 25
A to Z of Bridge continued These days, very few than switch to a new suit.
Mr Bridge pairs play Swiss, preferring This is because each time
instead to use Splinters, you open up a new suit you
AT THE often in conjunction with risk giving away a trick.
ROYAL KENZ SURE TRICK the Jacoby 2NT raise. Common reasons to switch
A trick that a player is are as follows:
TUNISIA certain to make. SWISS PAIRS (i) Partner has discouraged
A pairs competition where, the suit;
Two-week SWING instead of using a fixed (ii) Continuing the original
half-board The net difference in the movement, the scores suit would mean
duplicate score on a board in a teams accumulated to the end of leading into a tenace;
match. each round determine who (iii) Continuing the original
bridge holiday you play on the next round. suit is too passive;
SWING DEAL OR Pairs with similar scores (iv) You have run out of the
SWING HAND play each other in the next original suit.
A deal on which a large round. Using a Swiss Pairs
swing in scores occurred, or movement is common when
which had the potential for the size of the field makes ♠ K 5 2
a large swing. it impossible for each pair ♥ J 7 3
to play every other pair. ♦ K Q J 4
SWISS CONVENTION Competitors often like the ♣ 7 6 4
An old convention whereby format because playing ♠ 10 9 8 6 3 ♠ A Q 7 4
responses of 4♣ or 4♦ to an more boards against the ♥ 6 N ♥ 10 9 4
opening of one of a major same opponents adds to the ♦ 7 5 3 W E ♦ A 8 2
S
show a good fit, sound game’s social element and ♣ K 9 8 5 ♣ J 10 3
values for game and some because the coveted green ♠ J
interest in a slam, thus master points are often on ♥ A K Q 8 5 2
releasing the direct raise to offer. ♦ 10 9 6
four of opener’s major as a ♣ A Q 2
pre-emptive action. There SWISS TEAMS
3-17 November 2013
are many versions of Swiss. A competition for teams
Golf available The two most popular were: organised in the same way South plays in 4♥. West leads
Tony and Jan Richards Singleton Swiss: 4♣ shows as for Swiss Pairs. the ♠10 and the ♠Q wins.
two aces and a singleton, Swiss Teams and Swiss As East, you should switch.
£769* after which 4♦ from partner Pairs are popular for one- There are three reasons
asks responder to identify day events as they provide for this. Firstly, if the ♠J is
23 Feb – 9 March 2014 the singleton; 4♦ shows two a format different from that a true card, there are no
Golf available aces without a singleton. available in club play. more spade tricks to cash.
Bernard Magee Fruit machine Swiss Secondly, even if the ♠A
and his team (Three-Way Swiss or Sussex SWITCH stands up, you do not want
£799* Swiss): 4♣ shows either 1. Arrow-switch, an to establish the ♠K. Thirdly
two aces and a singleton, adaptation towards and most importantly, you
*per person half-board sharing or three aces, or two aces the end of a session want to set up some club
a twin-bedded room and is and the king of trumps. 4♦ allowing a single winner winners to cash when you
inclusive of bridge fees. Single
supplement £6 per night. from opener is then a relay to be determined from a get in with the ♦A. You
These prices are based on air requesting clarification. In Mitchell movement. should switch to the ♣J, top
travel from Heathrow to Tunis.
Flights from other UK airports reply, 4NT shows three aces, 2. You switch if you lead a of the mini sequence.
are available at a supplement. a bid of four of the agreed different suit from the
Prices for seven-night stays are
available on application. trump suit shows two aces one previously led. SYSTEM
Pay £70 per fortnight per person and the trump king, and a Other things being equal, it The methods of bidding
extra and have a garden-facing
room, tea & coffee making
new suit shows two aces and is usually better to continue and card play used by a
facilities, bath robe and a bowl of a singleton in the suit bid. with the first suit rather partnership. ■
seasonal fruit.

These holidays have been

organised for Mr Bridge by Tunisia REDUCE THE COST OF YOUR POSTAGE
First Limited, ATOL 5933. Postage stamps for sale at 90% of face-value, all mint with full gum.
Values supplied in 100s, higher values available as well as 1st and 2nd class
DETAILS & BOOKINGS (eg 2nd class: 100x37p+100x13p)
( 01483 489961 (/Fax 020 8422 4906 e-mail: clive.goff@londonrugby.com

Page 26
Julian Pottage answers your bridge questions

Should I Double
or Bid My Suit?

Q
When the asks opener to cue bid a be weak showing 6/9 weak 1NT opening.
opponents open singleton (or bid the long HCP, should I bid 3♥ 2♣, as in Stayman,
and I have minor with a singleton in the with only five hearts asks for majors with the
shortage in their suit, 13 other minor). On this basis, though solid or should reply being made at the
plus points, a 6-card suit a void would be a surprise I show the clubs at the two-level with a point
of my own and tolerance in opener’s hand because two or three level? count of 12-13, i.e. 2♠
for the other two suits, there is no bid to show one. John Dunbar by email. (spades only); 2♥ (hearts
what should I do? Should While there is little only); 2♦ (both majors)

A
I double to show an difference between a void Since a bid of 2♥ and 2NT (neither major).
opening hand or do I and a small singleton or 2♣ would be With the point count of
bid my 6-card suit? in terms of providing a non-forcing, you do 14, the replies would
Patricia Wicebloom by email. stopper, a hand with a void not want to do that with 13 be at the three-level,
is significantly more suitable points facing an opening bid. i.e. 3♠, 3♥, 3♦ (both

A
If you have a 6-card for a suit contract or for a You could bid 3♣, which is majors) or 3♣ (neither
suit and a normal slam than a hand without a new suit at three level and major). What reasons
opening hand, you a void. I must admit, I have so forcing. Another option make it less preferential
should start by showing probably opened 3NT is to cue bid 2♠. Bidding to Stayman?
your long suit. Only if your myself on a hand with a the opposing suit creates Ray Webbing, Enfield,
hand is much stronger void. Even so, I agree with a force and allows partner Middlesex. (Similar
than a minimum opening Klinger and Kambites that it to show a spade stopper from Eva Atkinson,
bid (say 18+ HCP) should is better not to have a void. or delayed heart support. Buckhurst Hill, Essex.)
you start with a double. Assuming you play low

A
♣♦♥♠ level doubles as generally There are two
♣♦♥♠ for take-out, a double is downsides I can

Q
What should I probably best. It is unlikely see compared

Q
I know that a 3NT rebid as West? that you want to play in with standard Stayman:
opener shows a clubs given that partner had (i) If responder is weak,
solid minor of 7 the chance to rebid 2♣, but opener’s replies to the
or 8 cards, with no more ♠ 9 6 4 chose not to do so. Partner 2♣ Ritter enquiry may
than one queen outside. ♥ A K Q J 5 may have four spades and take the auction to an
Crowhurst said that ♦ 5 be happy to defend uncomfortably high level.
the hand could have a ♣ K 10 7 4 1♠ doubled. (ii) If responder is going
singleton or void; Klinger to game anyway, or is too
and Kambites say no ♣♦♥♠ weak to try for game, the
void. What do you say? West North East South information about whether

Q
Lloyd Lewis by email. 1♦ Pass I wonder why opener is maximum or
1♥ 1♠ Pass Pass the convention minimum is irrelevant to

A
It is traditional ? referred to choice of contract; it will
to play that a 4♦ as ‘Ritter’ is not in serve only to help the
response to 3NT As a rebid of 2♣ would common use over a defenders during the play.

Page 27
Ask Julian continued wide variety of hand types I am guessing a 2NT We bid as follows:
too, though in practice overcall is rare and I
you rarely get to play in have no idea about 3♣. Me Partner
the overcaller’s minor. Steve Bailey by email. 1♠

Q
In the auction A few players use transfer 2♦ 2♠

A
below, would you overcalls. Then you bid the If the opponents 2NT 3♦
take the double suit below the one you have. overcall 2♦, you End
as take-out or penalty? If you have a two-suited can pass with no
hand, you can show your four-card major or bid a Having made 3♦, I asked
West North East South second suit next time. four-card major if you have partner why she did not
1♥ Pass 1♠ Pass There is no perfect method one. If you have four or bid her spades again
2♥ Dbl or everyone would play it. five good diamonds, instead of supporting
you might double my diamonds (with
I was South and removed ♣♦♥♠ rather than pass. three diamonds). Her
the double, crossing If the opponents overcall answer was that one is

Q
partner’s intentions. If an opponent 2♥, you can pass with no- not supposed to repeat
Doreen Parrington, opens with one four card major, double spades for a third time.
Lancashire. of a suit and I with four hearts or bid Was she right?
have 17 points, should 2♠ with four spades. Pamela Ford,

A
On this auction, I bid 1NT to suggest If the opponents Holmfirth, West Yorkshire.
partner previously point count? If I have a overcall 2♠, you cannot

A
had the chance to 5 carder, should I bid do everything. For ease With 16 HCP, your
double hearts for take-out, that instead? Should of memory, I suggest you partner should not
which is why, traditionally, my partner reply if play double as showing rebid 2♠. Repeating
this is a penalty double. holding only 2 points? four spades. On grounds her suit at the minimum
Bridget Constantinos, of frequency, you are more level indicates a minimum
♣♦♥♠ Seaford, East Sussex. likely to hold four hearts than opening bid (11-14). If
four spades, so in theory her spade suit was six to

Q A
Can you suggest Whether a 1NT it is better to play double the ace-king-queen, she
an alternative overcall is suitable as showing four hearts - should rebid 3♠, not 2♠.
defence to a depends upon your but there is a danger in Your partner’s bidding
weak 1NT? We currently holding in the suit opened playing double as negative might be consistent with
use Landy and find and whether your five-card on this sequence, but a hand like this one.
that it covers only a suit is a strong five-card penalties on all the others.
minority of hands. major. If you have a good If the opponents overcall
Mike Bass by email. stopper (ideally one and a 2NT (minors), 3♣ or 3♦, I ♠ A J 8 5 4 2
half or two stoppers), a 1NT suggest you pass with any ♥ 9 3

A
Some of the top overcall may well be best. If minimum; with a maximum, ♦ A K 7
players use Multi you make a limit bid, such as you double without a four- ♣ 8 4
Landy, rather a 1NT overcall, partner does card major or bid your four-
than plain Landy. not have to bid with only 2 card major if you have one.
2♣ shows both majors points. Of course, partner Some tournament pairs On this hand, bidding 3♦
as in ordinary Landy. can make a weak take-out or would have a different rather than 3♠ on the third
2♦ shows one major transfer with suitable shape. arrangement, making round is more economical;
(like a Multi 2♦ opener, If your hand is such that some actions depend upon passing 2NT would be the
hence the name). you overcall in your major, whether you have a stopper alternative. While there
2♥/2♠ show that partner should not be in the opposing suit. are some hands on which
major and a minor (like bidding with only 2 points. it would be right to bid a
Lucas 2♥/2♠ openers ♣♦♥♠ 6-card suit a third time – for
but a bit stronger). ♣♦♥♠ example, with K-Q-J-10-x-x

Q
This covers a much My partner one would not mind playing

Q
wider variety of hands What should had 16 points opposite a singleton – you
than standard Landy. opener do if with six spades do not want to go out of your
Many club players use the fourth hand topped by the A-K-Q. way to do so. ■
Astro, Aspro or a variant comes in over Stayman?
thereof, whereby 2♣ shows
hearts and another suit, West North East South E-mail your questions for Julian to:
2♦ spades and another. 1NT Pass 2♣ 2/3 suit julianpottage@mrbridge.co.uk
In theory that covers a ?

Page 28
Answers to David Huggett’s
Play Quiz on page 8
With only nine tricks readily available you can pitch a diamond on the ace and
1. ♠ 7 5 you have to find another and the only the diamond suit becomes untangled.
♥ J 10 6 2 realistic place it can come from is the If the defenders switch to another suit
♦ A K 7 club suit. So win the heart, draw two after the first trick – but they won’t – you
♣ A 10 6 4 rounds of trumps ending in hand and can always duck another spade yourself.
♠ Q 10 6 3 2 ♠ K J 9 4 lead a low club playing the nine from
N
♥ 9 8 7 3 ♥ Q 4 dummy if West follows with a small card.
W E
♦ 10 6 4 S ♦ 9 5 3 2 You need West to hold the ten and either 4. ♠ A 8 7 5 4
♣ 2 ♣ K 8 5 the king or the queen when you can take ♥ A 6 5
♠ A 8 a finesse against the remaining honour ♦ K J 10
♥ A K 5 for the tenth trick. Playing the clubs in this ♣ 6 4
♦ Q J 8 manner is much better than hoping both ♠ K J 6 3 ♠ Q 10 9
N
♣ Q J 9 7 3 the king and queen are onside because ♥ J 8 7 3 W E ♥ Q 10 2
holding the king and the ten or the queen ♦ 5 3 S ♦ 7
and the ten is twice as likely as holding ♣ K 9 7 ♣ J 10 8 5 3 2
You are declarer in 3NT and West leads both the king and the queen. Why draw ♠ 2
the ♠3. How do you plan the play? only two rounds of trumps? Because a ♥ K 9 4
The defence have found your weak cunning West might play a high club from ♦ A Q 9 8 6 4 2
spot and there is little point in holding Q10xx or K10xx thus depriving declarer ♣ A Q
up because you know from the lead of an entry to dummy when you would
that the spades are 5-4 one way round need that extra entry of a high trump.
or another. If the club finesse is working You are declarer in 6♦ and West leads
there is no problem, but, as is usual, it is the ♦5. How do you plan the play?
as well to look for an improvement on 3. ♠ A 7 6 The slam is a good one and, at first,
a mere 50-50 proposition. So play off ♥ 8 3 2 it looks as though you need the club fi-
the top two hearts first and on a good ♦ Q 7 6 3 2 nesse to work, as there seems to be an
day a defender will have a doubleton ♣ 8 5 inescapable heart loser. But just look at
queen making the position of the club ♠ Q J 10 9 2 ♠ K 8 3 that spade suit. If the adverse spades
N
king immaterial. You will have nine tricks ♥ J 9 6 4 ♥ Q 10 5 break 4-3, you can set up a long spade
W E
on top with one spade, four hearts, three ♦ 4 S ♦ J 9 5 in dummy by ruffing the suit out. So win
diamonds and a club. ♣ K 7 2 ♣ Q 10 6 4 the lead in dummy and play the ace of
♠ 5 4 spades and ruff a spade. Enter dummy
♥ A K 7 with a trump and ruff another spade and
2. ♠ A Q 5 ♦ A K 10 8 repeat the process, by which time that last
♥ 7 6 4 ♣ A J 9 3 spade in dummy will be a winner. Now
♦ 8 3 2 you can enter dummy with a heart and
♣ A J 9 3 pitch the losing heart from hand on the
♠ 8 2 ♠ 7 6 4 You are declarer in 3NT and West leads master spade and you can even take the
N
♥ K Q J 5 ♥ 10 9 3 the ♠Q. How do you plan the play? club finesse for an overtrick. Of course,
W E
♦ J 9 4 S ♦ Q 10 7 6 The contract looks so easy with one if the spades failed to break kindly, you
♣ Q 10 7 2 ♣ K 8 5 spade, two hearts, five diamonds and a would need the club finesse to work. ■
♠ K J 10 9 3 club but appearances can be deceptive,
♥ A 8 2 even with a normal 3-1 diamond break.
♦ A K 5 Suppose you win the opening lead and BEGIN BRIDGE
♣ 6 4 play off the two top diamonds. Everything £66
will be fine if the jack appears, but if it ACOL VERSION
doesn’t, you will find the diamond suit is
An Interactive Tutorial
You are declarer in 4♠ and West leads blocked with you having to win the fourth
the ♥K. How do you plan the play? diamond in hand and with no route back
CD with Bernard Magee
3NT would have been easy, but there to dummy. So duck the opening lead and See Mail Order form on page 5.
is not much you can do about that now. the second round of the suit too. Then

Page 29
S U M M M E R 2013 a n d S p R i n g 2014
o n b o a R d VOYAGER

a
ll Voyager cruises will have an exclusive
group on board. All clients will be
invited to the drinks parties. For passengers
that opt to pay the £30 bridge supplement; there
is duplicate bridge every evening, seminars every
morning and afternoon bridge each day the ship is at
sea and one of Bernard Magee’s bidding quizzes. The
bridge is a fully optional programme and you may
participate as much or as little as you wish. Singles are
most welcome and will always be accommodated. If
space allows any bridge playing passengers will be able
to participate in the afternoon bridge session however,
priority will always be given to passengers.
dinner on board Voyager is open sitting which allows
for greater flexibility. However, we have arranged for
clients to meet up with those in similar circumstances
and sit at tables together. Being part of a group means
passengers should never feel they are alone. Petra, Jordan

Cobh Harbour Inveray Castle,

BriTiSH iSLES and the H E r i T a g E of the iN THE FOOTSTEPS

CHELSEa FLOWEr SHOW BriTiSH iSLES of ST PaUL
14th – 25th MaY 2013 2nd – 11th JUNE 2013 21st OCT – 2nd nov 2013
b H O ars

b H O ich

b H O on
R S o

R S a

R S
To
id T n

i d T rd

i d T ra
g
W

12 days; Saver Fares from £999pp 10 days; Saver Fares from £849pp
ar
ill

13 days; Saver Fares from £1,449pp

g
y
E

E
r
P

C
s

Portsmouth istanbul • Canakkale

Portsmouth • St Peter Port

Fowey • Waterford • Dublin St Peter Port • Holyhead Dikili • Kusadasi

Kirkwall • invergordon Liverpool • Belfast • Oban antalya • Patmos • Kavala
greenwich • Dover Port of Tyne • Portsmouth Thessaloniki • Piraeus
Portsmouth Castles, cathedrals, palaces Visit sacred destinations and
The rHS’s Chelsea Flower and historic landscapes – all the marvellous ruins of cities
Show takes centre stage part of the rich heritage of lined with the history of
on this cruise around the an island nation.This cruise Christianity. There is an
British isles in springtime. is in partnership with the option to visit the Holy Land
National Trust. after your cruise.
(Tickets to the show are not included and are subject to availalbility)

01483 489961 for brochures and bookings

Discovery club members save an aDDitional 5%

mv Voyager

Corinth
a SUPErB SHiP WiTH
FaCiLiTiES TO MaTCH
• Three restaurants providing a range
of options including alfresco dining
• 30 balcony cabins • Two lounges
• Four bars • Lecture Theatre
• Library • Pool with two hot tubs
• Health and Fitness Centre
• Beauty Salon • The Bridge Club
• Medical Centre • internet Centre
The Explorer Grill

WiNDOWS on the aFRiCan and aNCiENT WOrLDS and

aNCiENT WOrLD araBiaN aDVENTUrE MODErN MaSTErPiECES
2nd nov– 18th nov 2013 18th nov– 4th dEC 2013 7th – 21st apRiL 2014
b H O nf

b H O nf

b H O nf
R S ir

R S ir

R S ir
To

To
id T m

id T m

id T m
be

17 days; Saver Fares from £1,549pp 17 days from £1369pp 15 days; Saver Fares from £1,799pp
g

g
c

c
E

E
o

• Piraeus • Valletta Sharm El Sheik Safaga • Sharm El Sheik

La goulette • Trapani Safaga • Djibouti • Salalah aqaba • alexandria

Syracuse • Haraklion Muscat • Fujairah • Dubai Heraklion • Piraeus • itea
alexandria • Port Said Naples • Civitavecchia
Jordan • Sharm El Sheik This voyage opens up
an archive of ancient Marvellous ancient and
Uncover the origins mysteries and forgotten modern wonders highlight
and genius of western trade routes, Pharaoh this amazing voyage
civilisation before and biblical sites. before that turns the pages on
following in the footsteps reaching glamorous, Egyptian, greek and
of passionate Crusaders. ultramodern Dubai. roman history.

www.bridgecruises.co.uk
All fares shown are per person, based on two people sharing the lowest twin bedded cabin category currently available, are for new bookings only, include all applicable discounts and cannot be combined with any other discount, excluding Discovery
Club Discount for past passengers. Saver Fares do not include UK coach transfers, car parking at port or gratuities (gratuities will be added to your on board account), full payment is required at time of booking, 100% cancellation or amendment fees
apply and cabin number is not allocated at time of booking. All fares are correct at time of going to print, are subject to availability and may be changed or withdrawn at any time. Terms and conditions apply. See brochure for full terms and conditions.
To be part of the Mr Bridge group, a supplement of £30pp will be taken at time of booking. Only bookings made through the Mr Bridge office are eligible to be part of the Mr Bridge Group. Price Promise applies to Standard Fares only where the fare you
have booked is reduced on the same cruise and cabin grade and does not apply to Saver Fares, group bookings, Grand Voyages or any Winter 2012-13 cruises. Full terms and conditions apply, see brochure for details. Voyages of Discovery is the
trading name of All Leisure Holidays Ltd.
JUST DUPLICATE
BRIDGE 2013
Mr Bridge
5-7 April
Cheltenham Regency £199
Christmas &
12-14 April
Ardington Hotel £199 New Year 2013/14
17-19 May
Cheltenham Regency £199
17-19 May
The Olde Barn £169
Denham
31 May – 2 June Cheltenham Regency Hotel
Grove
The Olde Barn £169 Cheltenham GL51 0ST Near Uxbridge,
14-16 June UB9 5DU
Chatsworth Hotel £199 27-29 September
Ardington Hotel £199
14-16 June
Elstead Hotel £199 11-13 October
23-27 December £495
21-23 June
Cheltenham Regency £199 Just Duplicate Bridge
The Olde Barn £169 18-20 October (with a small section for
The Olde Barn £169 rubber/Chicago with Diana Holland)
25-27 October
Cheltenham Regency £199 27-29 December £215
25-27 October Signal and Discards
Ardington Hotel £199
1-3 November 29 December – 2 January £445
The Olde Barn £169 Doubles
22-24 November
Ardington Hotel £199
Ardington Hotel
Worthing BN11 3DZ
22-24 November
Elstead Hotel £199 The Olde
12-14 July
22-24 November
The Olde Barn £169 Barn
Inn on the Prom £169 Marston, Lincs,
29 November – 1 December
19-21 July Ardington Hotel £199 NG32 2HT
The Olde Barn £169
6-8 December
26-28 July
Cheltenham Regency £199
Cheltenham Regency £199 23-27 December £495
9-11 August
Just Duplicate Bridge
Cheltenham Regency £199
27-29 December £215
16-18 August
Inn on the Prom £169 Finding Slams
6-8 September 29 December – 1 January £445
Cheltenham Regency £199
Leads and Defence
6-8 September
The Olde Barn £169
13-15 September The Olde Barn Hotel
Marston, Lincs NG32 2HT
( 01483 489961
Cheltenham Regency £199
e-mail: jessica@mrbridge.co.uk
Full Board – No Single Supplement website: www.holidaybridge.com
Booking Form on page 5.
Please note there are no seminars or set hands at these events. Booking Form on page 5.

Page 32
READERS’ Euros per session. There is
no annual subscription and
there is no need to book.
Telephone, from England –
held at The Elstead Hotel,
Bournemouth. The hotel was
comfortable, with a varied
menu and pleasing staff.

LETTERS
( 0034 607 311 292 or The weekend was efficiently
( 0034 96 686 6560 hosted by Kate Henderson
– from Spain, drop the and both she and her team
0034, or email created a warm atmosphere.
Rose.Gerald@gmail.com During the whole weekend,
for more information. everyone appeared happy
FUNDRAISING bid could be and is the five We look forward to hear- and relaxed and we will
One autumn, a few years card major strong enough ing from you and seeing certainly plan a return visit.
ago, ten pairs of local to sustain a second visit. If you in the near future. We thought you would like
bridge players were invited not, then 1NT describes my Gerry Rose by email. to hear these compliments,
to a meeting on a Sunday hand and there is no agonis- as no doubt you receive
around noon, after church, ing over what to call next. SCHOOLS’ BRIDGE brickbats from time to time.
for pre-lunch drinks. John E C Avery by email. Sorry to read in January’s We have enjoyed many
We booked to play editorial that times were get- bridge holidays with you
games among each other CLUB BRIDGE ting difficult for the organisa- and this weekend was a
in our homes between Playing Duplicate Pairs at tion, e.g. pulling out of the delightful break in a wet
September and Easter. Tamworth Bridge Club last USA, reduced interest in and dreary January.
Names, addresses and week, I picked up a hand cruises and a general fall in Mr and Mrs J Lowther,
telephone numbers were with no card higher than a the number of bridge play- Ferndown, Dorset.
exchanged and it took off. ten. In fact, I had all four ers nationally. My wife and I
After each session of tens. We then moved to the are now retired and learned PHOTO SHOOT
three rubbers of bridge, next table. To my surprise, our bridge at college. We Having met Bernard Ma-
changing partners each on the first hand of round recently attended an excellent gee a couple of times, I
rubber, I was telephoned three, I again had no card weekend with Bernard Ma- remember thinking that he
with the scores. higher than a ten. Three gee, who is inspirational. We was a nice looking chap so
Each pair gave a cheque tens and a nine this time. briefly discussed the teaching I really don’t understand
for £50 as ‘table money’. On round three, to my of bridge in schools and col- why you are using such a
It is still going strong, with total amazement, I once leges. Apparently, because terrible picture of him (see
many of the original pairs again picked up a hand bridge has been associated the back cover of February
still involved. There are no with no card higher than with betting in the past, this English Bridge). I feel sure
overheads, and it could be a ten. Once again, three excludes it from some educa- that this picture will hinder,
set up to benefit any char- tens and a nine. It took a tional establishments. How- rather than help, your sales.
ity or local organisation. gargantuan effort to control ever, if we are to encourage Mrs Jan Scoones by email.
At Easter, we will have a my reactions to avoid giving a new generation of players
get together and prize giving. unauthorised information. surely this must be the way JUST RIGHT (2)
If you are in an area with- Mr Peter Rollin, forward. What do you think? My husband, two friends
out a bridge club, this could Wilnecote, Tamworth. Mr Keith Dancer, and I returned recently
be a good way of getting to Kemble, Glos. from a Just Duplicate Bridge
know other players in the SPANISH PLUG weekend at The Ardington
area, so here’s hoping some The International Bridge KENTISH TEACHER Hotel in Worthing. We
of your readers find it useful. Club, in Benidorm, meets 3 Would you please send thoroughly enjoyed the
Minda Alexander, times a week at the Parque BRIDGE to a friend who whole experience, being
Weybridge, Surrey. de Loix, Calle Berlin, Rincon is just starting to learn a first for the four of us.
de Loix, Benidorm every Sun- bridge and is planning to The hotel accommodation,
SIMPLES day, Tuesday and Thursday attend classes being run in the food and the staff were
I have been caught out sever- for Duplicate Bridge. Play this area? He is finding it all superb. The bridge
al times, choosing the wrong commences at 2.30pm and difficult to find classes and sessions were excellent
option as judged by the final lasts until around 6pm. We would be pleased to hear as were the organisers.
(failing) outcome. Some- are a friendly club, pre- of a teacher in the area. Altogether, a very happy
times, this has a bit to do with dominantly English but with Mrs M Millican, weekend and as a bonus the
the guile of the opposition Spanish and French mem- Sittingbourne, Kent. snow virtually disappeared
who have roundly thrashed bers. Visitors are welcome. on Sunday to ensure a
an apparently poor call. The session includes a short JUST RIGHT (1) comfortable journey home.
Now, however, I simply break when refreshments are Yesterday, we returned from Mr and Mrs Bawden,
ask myself what my second provided – all this for just 3 a Just Duplicate Bridge event Amersham, Bucks.

Page 33
READERS’ LETTERS but such configuration of
CHARITY BRIDGE EVENTS continued four hands does seem to be
rather contrived – there are
APRIL 2013 JULY 2013 many alternative configura-
21 HOSPICARE 4 HUDDERSFIELD PENNINE tions giving the same points
Swiss Teams at Exeter Golf ROTARY CLUB ME TOO to each partnership where 4♥
& Country Club 11am. Outlane Golf Club.
£60 per team includes a 12 for 12.30. I think the trip to Petra would have been impossible.
salad platter and tea/coffee. £44 per table. finally did my knee in. Edwin Keen, Norwich.
Carol Horgan Sam Smith So I had a total knee
( 01392 875513 ( 01924 492540 replacement in December ALREADY ADDICTS
26 ST WILFRID’S HOSPICE 7 RUNSWICK BAY RESCUE and I am gradually learn- We are a group of bridge
Inner Wheel Club of BOAT ing to walk properly. players who met four years
Chichester Bridge Drive. Bridge Day. Hinderwell
Very sorry to hear your ago when we went to
Lavant Memorial Hall, Pook Village Hall. 10am. £16
Lane, Laven. PO18 0AH. each to include lunch. news about Mrs B and hope the local college to learn
2pm. £24 per table (inc. Karen ( 01947 841013 she is recovering from her how to play or improve.
tea). Please bring bridge pneumonia. My thoughts We all live in the Charn-
12 GREAT BARFORD CHURCH
cloth and playing cards.
Village Hall, Great Barford. will be with her for her wood district of Leicester-
Beverly Guest
10.00 for 10.30am. forthcoming knee op. shire, hence our name.
( 01243 605503
Tickets £13.50.
beverleyguest@gmail.com Mr Ken Little, We play regularly at sev-
Derek Fordham
( 01234 870324 Chippenham, Glos. eral local clubs at different
MAY 2013 levels and a few of us have
9 HUDDERSFIELD PENNINE AUGUST 2013 GUINEA PIGS reached Club Master rank
ROTARY CLUB I am a member of a U3A and started to play in minor
16 ST IVES DAY CARE CENTRE
Outlane Golf Club.
12 for 12.30. £44 per table.
Hemingford Abbots Village bridge group of about 24 League matches. It is so nice
Hall. Tickets £13.50. people who meet every week always to have the opportu-
Sam Smith
Don Moorman
( 01924 492540 to play bridge in a local vil- nity to play with friends and,
( 01480 463444
17 CHILDREN’S CHARITIES lage hall. I was wondering more importantly, with peo-
Doddington Village Hall, SEPTEMBER 2013 whether you had any ideas ple who play in a similar way.
March. £14. 10 for 10.30am. as to how we can speed We soon realised that there
Val Topliss 5 HUDDERSFIELD PENNINE
ROTARY CLUB up our bridge education. were differences of opinion,
( 01354 653696
Outlane Golf Club. Mrs L Sidey, even amongst the experts, on
17 FRIENDS OF GIRLGUIDING 12 for 12.30. £44 per table. Penrith, Cumbria. certain aspects and decided
Oxfordshire, Eynsham Sam Smith
Village Hall, 10am-3.30pm. ( 01924 492540
For your absolute beginners, we all needed to be sing-
£30 a pair. I will try a new scheme and ing from the same ‘song-
Bridget Walton OCTOBER 2013 will report to readers once it sheet’ i.e. convention card.
( 01993 702934
4 ST ANDREWS CHURCH has been tried and tested. After being introduced to
bridgetmwalton@aol.com
Mandeville Hall. Mr Bridge and his plethora
29 AFRICAN MISSIONS Kimbolton. Tickets £14.00. TOO ADVANCED of excellent material – the
Bridge tea, Ladywell, Mavis Campion
Godalming, Surrey. David Gold’s argument magazine, books and es-
( 01480 860477
1.30 for 2pm. £36 per table. (BRIDGE 122) does seem pecially the instructional
Sr. June Shirville to run counter to those CD-Roms – it wasn’t long
( 01483 419393
NOVEMBER 2013
I learned fairly soon af- before we decided to play the
junefmdm@hotmail.com 4 RNLI
ter taking up bridge. ‘Bernard Magee’ way. Once
Crowborough Beacon
JUNE 2013 Golf Club bridge tea. 1. In Acol an opener does some of us had started using
1.30pm for 2pm start. not promise a five-card suit. the CDs, then others followed
12 BREAKTHROUGH BREAST
£26 per table. This principle is explained at and we compared notes as
CANCER Bridge afternoon.
Penny ( 01825 830006
Bartholomew Barn, Kirdford, length in Bernard Magee’s we worked our way through
West Sussex. RH14 0LN 9 HUDDERSFIELD PENNINE excellent DVD More Acol. ACOL Bidding and then
1.30pm. £20 pp (tables of ROTARY CLUB
2. Had the responder Defence followed by Declarer
4). Sumptuous tea, raffle Outlane Golf Club.
and bubbles. 12 for 12.30. £44 per table. actually been the opener he Play. Bernard makes an ex-
Jo Rees ( 01903 740512 Sam Smith would have pre-empted with cellent teacher, never running
www.bartholomewbarn.co.uk ( 01924 492540 3♥, not 4♥. Thus he would out of patience as he is asked
14 ST MARY’S CHURCH 22 ST MARY’S CHURCH never have responded 4♥. to repeat his advice and
Eaton Socon, St Neots. Eaton Socon, St Neots. A counter maxim to that of encouragement time after
10.00 for 10.30am. £13.50. 10.00 for 10.30am. £13.50. David Gold is that, ‘One time. I confess I mostly turn
Malcolm Howarth Malcolm Howarth
( 01480 212910 ( 01480 212910 should never pre-empt the sound off, (sorry Bernard
against one’s partner.’ but my husband is watching
E-mail your charity events: maggie@mrbridge.co.uk It is true that in the hands the television) It is so helpful
shown 4♥ was makeable, being able to replay the

Page 34
READERS’ LETTERS our way about leads and
continued
2013 BRIDGE EVENTS
discards, signals and count. It
was a lot for our little brains
to take in and understand,
let alone try to use, but we all with Bernard Magee
hands repeatedly, ‘if at persevered. The weather was
first you don’t succeed, less clement but a few of us
try, try again,’ and learn braved the drizzle for a walk October 2013
from the mistakes. along the promenade and on
11-13 Blunsdon
It then seemed a natural to the pier. I was particularly
House Hotel
progression that we should pleased to be in Worthing
£245 Splinters
turn our thoughts towards again as my parents had
and Cue Bids
meeting the ‘great man’ in lived there and it brought
person and attending one back many happy memories. 18-20 Chatsworth Hotel
of the Mr Bridge weekends. We were rather selfish £245 Playing &
Thus it was that in October, during the practice ses- Defending 1NT
2011 six of us turned up, sions and ‘bagged’ the best Chatsworth Hotel
excited but full of trepida- tables in the rooms, in the Worthing BN11 3DU 25-27 Queensferry
Hotel
tion, at the Olde Barn Hotel window bays overlooking
£245 Finding Slams
in Lincolnshire. We needn’t the sea. It was a very nice, APRIL 2013
have worried, all the staff if distracting way to watch
and Mr Bridge team soon the activities on the beach. 5-7 Blunsdon
put us completely at our We now look forward to House Hotel
ease. Bernard’s charm and learning more about this £245 Losing Trick
enthusiasm were every bit fascinating game that has Count
as charismatic as on the us all in its thrall – why did 12-14 Chatsworth Hotel
screen. I remember it was no-one warn us that it would £245 Declarer Play
an unusually warm weekend become so addictive?
and we took every opportu- Penny Hodgson, 19-21 Inn on the Prom
nity to take our refreshment Mountsorrel. £245 Thinking Defence
breaks out in the sunshine.
Queensferry Hotel
We all thoroughly enjoyed KISS EXPLAINED North Queensferry KY11 1HP
the weekend and learned a I was interested to read
lot about slam bidding from Freddie North’s article on
the two seminars, putting it Kiss in BRIDGE 122. NOVEMber 2013
into practice in supervised Since he does not know
play sessions afterwards. The how the expression origi- 8-10 Olde Barn
duplicate sessions were also nated, I am pleased to inform Hotel
well organised and stimulat- him that the original expres- £245 Better Leads
ing. The accommodation sion was, ’Keep it simple & Switches
was very satisfactory and Simon.’ Simon in this case
some of us even managed was Simon Burrage whom I Inn on the Prom
a swim before dinner. The often partnered at Becken- St Annes-on-Sea FY8 1LU
food too was excellent and ham bridge club about 25
so we were sorry when the years ago. I often picked up
weekend was over, but we Simon as a partner. When he
JULY 2013
vowed we would do it again. asked what system we should 5-7 Blunsdon
So, in September 2012, the play I would reply, ‘Keep it House Hotel
Charnwood Players were on simple Simon!’ Echoing the £245 Signals & Discards
the road again, but this time well known nursery rhyme.
there were ten of us travel- I soon realised that it had 12-14 Cheltenham
Regency Blunsdon House Hotel
ling down to Worthing on a suitable acronym. KISS. Swindon SN26 7AS
the south coast. Of course, Of course, when I took £245 Thinking Defence
we knew what to expect now a different partner, I had
and couldn’t wait to meet to change the expression
our genial host again. The to, ‘Keep it simple Stupid,’ Full Board. No Single Supplement.
topic was defence and we to preserve the acronym.
See Booking Form on page 5.
tried hard to understand all Mr James McGrath,
the pearls of wisdom coming Bickley, Kent.

Page 35
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Mr Bridge Passengers The bridge programme is exclusive to Mr Bridge
bookings but is completely optional and Mr Bridge passengers can participate MAY 7 Fly to VENICE Italy
Transfer to Aegean Odyssey overnight
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evening and bridge every afternoon the ship is at sea. Singles are made MAY 8 VENICE Italy overnight
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MAY 10 SPLIT Croatia 8.00am midnight
MAY 11 KORCULA Croatia 2.00pm midnight
MAY 12 DUBROVNIK Croatia 6.00am 8.00pm
MAY 13 At Sea
MAY 14 SYRACUSE Sicily 8.00am 2.00pm
MAY 15 PALERMO (Monreale) Sicily 7.00am overnight
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10093
V OYAGES TO A NTIQUITY
www.mrbridge.co.uk ABTA No.Y2206
READERS’ LETTERS
continued
NOT BRIDGE AS WE KNOW IT by Mike Griffiths
This fun competition should be played with duplimated boards and scored, using
Bridgemates, as a duplicate pairs event. In consequence, handouts will be available
FUN NOT BRIDGE and it may well be amusing to view the results and to speculate how some of the
In response to Mr Poole’s more exotic contracts were reached.
letter in BRIDGE 122; I
have taken on the task of Before play, a set of either 2 fore the opening lead, each any bid in No Trumps. The
organising a ‘fun bridge’ or 3 boards will be placed player passes any 3 cards to penalty for infringement is
event for a social evening at on each table, together with the player on his or her left. (a) the NT call is cancelled
Tunbridge Wells Bridge Club. an instruction card drawn Remember to reconstitute the and another bid is substi-
The adjacent describes the randomly. This card will original hands before mov- tuted, and (b) the offending
variations I intend to inflict on apply to the set of boards ing on to the next board. side is penalised by one trick
our unsuspecting members. on the table and it must be in the play.
Some of these, I think, are passed on with those boards DOUBLE TROUBLE
original and I particularly at the end of each round, to A double must be added to HIJACK
look forward to playing ensure that everybody plays the final contract. If the auc- This is probably the most
‘Hijack’ where players may the same hands under the tion ends with a double or wicked variation. After the
need to use poker psychology same conditions. redouble (followed by three auction, but before the
to outwit their opponents. Some instructions require passes, of course), the con- opening lead, the declarer
Where these variations the passing or exchange tract will be played redou- may (optionally) require ANY
differ from others I have of cards before play; these bled. It is important to re- two of the other players to
seen is that normal duplicate hands must be recorded member that 2♥ is a game exchange hands.
or Chicago scoring (remember ‘curtain cards’?) call, and that overtricks are Remember to put the
applies in all cases. before they are played for valuable. hands back in the correct
I do hope some readers the first time, and the origi- slots before passing on the
will find all this of interest. nal hands must always be PRECISION PLAY boards.
Mr Mike Griffiths, reconstituted before they are In order to register a posi- (How often, in the post
Paddock Wood, Kent. passed on. tive score, the contract must mortem, has one opponent
Two rules will apply be made exactly. Overtricks said to you, ‘we should have
GOFFIE’S SERVICE throughout the event: (1) No will be recorded as under- been playing this hand to-
hand may be passed out. If tricks, thus: 2♥+2 is scored gether.’? Here’s where it can
three players pass, the fourth as 2♥-2. Doubled contracts come true – but only declarer
player must open the bid- likewise (now there’s an in- and his/her partner will ben-
ding. Note that bluffing (or teresting thought.....). No efit from playing the two best
‘psyching’) may, in some conferring in defence. hands at the table. I look
Because of your Clive Goff situations, be sound tactics – forward to seeing the same
adverts, I have been using and will not be penalised. (2) DOUBLE DUMMY slam made by both N/S and
his service for many years Once a hand is withdrawn After the auction but be- E/W.....)
to send the mail out for the from the board and viewed, fore the opening lead, each
Magistrates Golfing Society. partners may not confer on player faces his or her cards. ADVANTAGE DECLARER
He is extremely helpful and any matter, whatsoever. Then the opening lead is After the auction and the
efficient. And has saved us The following ten varia- made. Declarer plays dum- opening lead, declarer ex-
much money. Everyone talks tions on our noble game will my’s cards as well as his or changes 3 of his or her own
about the various pictures be played: her own; the defenders must cards with 3 of dummy’s.
on the stamps. Long may not confer. Remember to reconstitute
his service continue. BLIND REJECTS the original hands before
Janet G. Griffith, Before the auction, each WORKING DUMMY moving on to the next board.
Hazel Grove, Stockport. player passes 3 cards (which The auction proceeds as
must be of the same suit) to normal. During the play, ADVANTAGE DEFENDERS
Fewer ADS PLEASE the player on his or her left. however, dummy does not After the auction, but before
Could we have fewer Remember to reconstitute the lay down his or her cards but the opening lead, the de-
advertisements please. original hands before mov- plays them as in a hand of fenders (without conferring)
They interfere with the ing on to the next board. whist. No conferring. exchange 3 cards. Remem-
bridge and just get in the ber to reconstitute the origi-
way. In any event, I just skip INFORMED REJECTS NO TRUMP BAN nal hands before moving on
through them. After the auction, but be- No player is allowed to make to the next board.
Mrs M Thrower by email.

Page 37
READERS’ LETTERS Holding an annual ‘Play at the table can cross off
RUBBER / continued
with an Expert’ evening: very 50. Play 4 hands per table
CHICAGO popular with less experienced
players.
with usual duplicate scoring
and vulnerability; i.e. no-
with Diana Holland faqs Starting beginners’ classes: one, dealer, dealer, all.
I have been following the over 70 students taking part At the end of 4 hands
answers to questions relating since 2011 resulting in two move people on to new
to the Laws of Bridge by new members already. partners. Play continues in
David Stevenson in the issues Organising improvers’ this vein all evening and
of BRIDGE for the last few classes for established local gradually players need a
years; they are the first pages players, this has led to new particular score e.g. 420.
Blunsdon House Hotel I look at on receipt. As a TD members. Therefore, declarer is trying
Swindon SN26 7AS of two clubs, I have found Finally, by fostering a hard to get exactly 10 tricks
them invaluable. However, friendly atmosphere: easily and anyone who doesn’t
12-14 April 2013
keeping track of the various the most important factor. have 420 to cross off is going
issues over the years has been By 2012, we were back to to try and get him down or
very difficult, so I was about 7.6 tables, and last week we make him gain overtricks.
to cut out these articles from had a new problem: how to The play becomes hilarious
my back copies of the issues fit everyone in? Twelve tables but it also takes a lot of
of BRIDGE and keep them for the second week running. thought and skill. I usually
in a separate folder. Before And there are encouraging have little prizes (chocolate
Elstead Hotel doing so, I wonder whether trends nationally, with the santa, Christmas drinks’
Bournemouth BH1 3QP any consideration has been EBU reporting that numbers mat) for the first line across;
17-19 May 2013 given to the publication of in their Universal Membership first line down and, at the
these answers in a separate Scheme (P2P) have steadily end, the man with most
£199 Full Board booklet, with an index? I am increased since it began three crossed off and woman
No Single Supplement sure many other TDs would years ago. with most crossed off.
Booking Form on page 5. find such a publication useful. Donald Reid, Lynda Moore,
Russell Sweeney by email. Chairman, Watford & Woolpit, Suffolk.
Bushey Bridge Club.
CHEER UP STAYMAN

Denham
In your editorial column in BRIDGE BINGO On a number of occasions,
BRIDGE 123, you tell us that I have run a very simple but I have come across players

Grove the numbers of UK bridge

players may be falling.
very enjoyable bridge party
twice at our club with BINGO
who are adamant that there
is no possible response,
Our club was down to a bridge. Prepare beforehand with a weak hand, of 2♣
Denham,
miserable 5.8 tables per bingo cards with about 20 Stayman to an opening bid
Buckinghamshire,
week by 2007, then we different achievable scores of 1NT. As I have recently
UB9 5DG
decided to do something on each card. Some scores come across a bridge
about it. How you might ask? should be easy such as instructor who endorses this
By getting members to bring 50; 420 or 100. But others view and advises his pupils
their friends: making a fuss of need to be things like 720 accordingly, I thought that it
the visitors when they arrive. or 800. There are examples is timely that the matter was
Generating publicity in the of these bingo cards on the put before a wider audience.
local media: we send them internet but they cannot be With this in mind, I submit
our competition results, which downloaded. All scores are a short article on the subject
they usually print together counted whether minus or for your consideration.
with a short note about our plus. If North gains a score Please feel free to add, alter
4-6 October 2013 meeting times and our of 150; then everyone at or amend it in any way, shape
Doubles £215 website address. the table can cross off 150 or form, as it is the concept
Gary Conrad Creating a dynamic website if it appears on their card; that I wish to get across.
with ever changing content: also, if North goes down Mr L Hodby by email.
25-27 October 2013
an increasingly powerful way and scores -50, everyone See facing page. ■
Finding Slams £215
to attract new members.
Sandy Bell
Holding an annual Open Write to Mr Bridge at: Ryden Grange, Knaphill, Surrey
Full Board Evening, promoted via the GU21 2TH or e-mail letters@mrbridge.co.uk
No Single Supplement press: we have gained six E-mail correspondents are asked to include their name,
new members in the last two full postal address, telephone number and to send no
Booking Form on page 5. attachments. Letters may be edited for length and clarity.
years from this alone.

Page 38
You Can Respond 2♣ Ardington Hotel
Stayman to 1NT With Worthing BN11 3DZ

Fewer Than 10 Points

by Len Hodby

It is a widely held belief, ‘Mmm. Right, 2♣

particularly at club and Stayman it is then and I
social level, that responding can pass any response
to an opening bid of 1NT my partner makes.’ The
(weak) with 2♣ (Stayman) is resulting contract might fail,
only possible when holding but not as badly as 1NT BRIDGE EVENTS 2013
11 points or more. The would have done.
12-14 April Just Duplicate Bridge £ 199
reasoning has inevitably Alternatively, suppose
been, ‘I added up my points you hold: 17-19 May Stayman & Transfers £ 215
and, with fewer than 10, 7-9 June Suit Establishment £ 215
Stayman was automatically 27-29 September Just Duplicate Bridge £ 199
out of the question.’ ♠ 8 5 4 3 2
25-27 October Just Duplicate Bridge £ 199
Stayman simply asks the ♥ 9 4 3 2
question, ‘Do you hold four ♦ 8 5 3 22-24 November Just Duplicate Bridge £ 199
hearts or four spades? Yes, ♣ 2 29 Nov - 1 Dec Just Duplicate Bridge £ 199
or no.’ It does not imply that
Full Board – No Single Supplement
you must end up in a game
contract. Your partner opens 1NT. It Booking Form on page 5.
For instance, you pick is safe to bid 2♣ (Stayman).
up the following hand and If partner responds 2♥
hear partner open 1NT. or 2♠ you will pass. If he
replies 2♦ (denying a four-
card major), you can sign
♠ 9 7 5 3 off in 2♠.
♥ 9 6 7 4 You have given yourself
♦ 10 7 5 4 2 the extra chance of finding
♣ Void a 4-4 heart fit.
Holding 5-4 or 4-5 in the
majors (or with a 4-4-5-0
Before cursing your luck shape), utilising Stayman
and thinking, ‘I hope things with significantly fewer than
are going to get better 10 points could lead to a
than this as they cannot much better part score. It
get much worse,’ let’s might also compel the op- Treat yourself to a beautiful
take another look. With position to bid at the 3-level
no points at all, instead if they want to compete.
hand-crafted bridge table.
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how about considering the handle any response that
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S R Designs, 1 Hook Hill Park, Woking, GU22 0PX

Page 39
Answers to Julian Pottage’s
Defence Quiz on page 8
West North East South playing the ♥8 and then the ♥4. What
1. ♠ Q J 7 2 2♠1 Pass do you do?
♥ J 7 2 Pass 2NT Pass 4♥ Firstly, you need to decide whether to
♦ A Q 10 6 End hold up the ♥A. While you can shut out
♣ J 4 1
Weak: six spades, 6-10 points the fourth round of hearts by holding up
♠ A 9 6 ♠ 10 4 3 again, counting declarer’s tricks should
N
♥ 10 9 8 5 3 ♥ A 4 You lead the ♠9. Partner wins with the tell you to win. Five spades in dummy,
W E
♦ J 2 S ♦ 9 5 4 ♠K and switches to the ♦J. How do you the ♦A and two heart tricks would be the
♣ K 7 5 ♣ A 9 8 3 2 defend? eight that declarer needs.
♠ K 8 5 You should begin by putting together Having taken the ♥A, you should
♥ K Q 6 what you know. The bidding and play switch to the ♣9. You know from the play
♦ K 8 7 3 to trick one marks East with six spades to the first trick that declarer has the ♦J,
♣ Q 10 6 to the ace-king. South must have six or so diamond leads need to come from
seven good hearts. You seem to have partner. You can win the next diamond
three top winners, so you need one more and put partner back in with a club for
West North East South trick. another diamond through.
1NT There is a chance the ♦J is a singleton,
Pass 2♣ Pass 2♦1 in which case you can give East a ruff.
Pass 2NT End So long as you can shut out the club suit, 4. ♠ A J 9
1
No four-card major surely you can succeed even if the ♦J is ♥ J 8
doubleton. You know you can hold up the ♦ K Q
You lead the ♥9. Partner takes the ♥A ♣A. You also need to dislodge dummy’s ♣ K J 9 6 4 3
and switches to the ♣3. You take the ♦K entry. You need to do so in such a ♠ Q 10 7 5 4 2 ♠ 8
♣K and return the ♣7, on which go the way as to stop declarer from ruffing two ♥ A N ♥ 9 5 4
W E
♣J, ♣2 and ♣Q. Declarer leads the ♠5. diamonds in dummy. This means you ♦ J 9 7 S ♦ 10 8 5 4 3 2
What do you do? duck the first diamond. ♣ A Q 8 ♣ 10 7 2
Partner switched to a low club, the ♣3, ♠ K 6 3
and followed with a lower one, the ♣2. ♥ K Q 10 7 6 3 2
This must mean a holding of A-x-x-x-x. 3. ♠ A K Q 10 6 ♦ A 6
In this case, you can take the contract ♥ J 7 3 ♣ 5
down with two major-suit aces and four ♦ 3
clubs. You need to grab the ♠A because ♣ J 7 5 2
declarer must have the other high ♠ J 9 3 ♠ 7 5 2 West North East South
cards and be ready to take eight tricks ♥ A 9 6 5 N ♥ 8 4 1♣ Pass 1♥
W E
– a spade, two hearts, a club and four ♦ K 10 8 2 S ♦ Q 7 6 5 1♠ 2♣ Pass 4♥
diamonds. ♣ 9 8 ♣ A K 4 3 End
♠ 8 4
♥ K Q 10 2 You lead the ♠5: ♠J, ♠8 and ♠3. Declarer
2. ♠ Q J 7 2 ♦ A J 9 4 leads the ♥J from dummy, playing the ♥2
♥ A 9 ♣ Q 10 6 on East’s ♥5. What is your plan?
♦ K 6 To beat this game you need two more
♣ K Q J 9 8 tricks to go with your aces. Declarer has
♠ 9 6 ♠ A K 10 8 4 3 West North East South the king of spades and could have the
N
♥ 8 5 2 W E ♥ 6 4 1NT other missing spade, in which case part-
♦ A Q 10 8 4 S ♦ J 9 Pass 2♥1 Pass 2♠ ner can ruff. Since, when you carry on
♣ A 10 6 ♣ 7 5 2 Pass 2NT End with spades, you do so aiming to deliver
♠ 5 1
Transfer to spades a ruff, you lead your lowest spade; the
♥ K Q J 10 7 3 two will be a suit-preference signal for
♦ 7 5 3 2 You lead the ♦2. Partner plays the ♦Q, clubs. This way you hope to get back in
♣ 4 3 losing to the ♦A. Declarer leads the ♥2 with your ♣A to give partner a second
to the ♥J and continues the suit, East ruff. ■

Page 40
CRUISE TO THE TREASURES
OF THE MEDITERRANEAN
FROM RENAISSANCE ITALY TO MEDIEVAL FRANCE

NO
SINGLE
SUPPLEMENT*
Enjoy your daily duplicate on this
voyage through the Mediterranean
FRANCE Marseilles
Sete Livorno Florence
Cannes
Elba
11 day cruise from Rome to Cannes departs UK May 19, 2013 Spain Corsica Civitavecchia
This voyage explores the scenery and fascinating history that this sea has to Barcelona Bonifacio Rome
Italy
offer: from the natural beauty of Corsica to the ambience of the French Riviera Mediterranean Sea
and the treasures of Renaissance Florence. You will also visit Elba – the island
Palma
of the Emperor Napoleon's exile – and the mighty Papal Palace at Avignon, Mallorca
see Gaudi’s extraordinary architecture in Barcelona, the cathedral in Palma
and the medieval stronghold of Carcassonne – and have time to spend the
evening strolling along the Croisette in beautiful Cannes. MAY 19, 2013 – 11 days from £1,895pp
DATE PORT ARRIVE DEPART
Mr Bridge Passengers The bridge programme is exclusive to Mr Bridge MAY 19 Fly to ROME Italy
bookings but is completely optional and Mr Bridge passengers can participate Transfer to Civitavecchia to
as much, or as little as they wish. There will be a duplicate session every board Aegean Odyssey 11.00pm
evening and bridge every afternoon the ship is at sea. Singles are made MAY 20 ELBA Italy 1.00pm 10.00pm
especially welcome – a playing partner will always be found.
MAY 21 LIVORNO (Florence) Italy 6.00am 9.00pm
MAY 22 Cruising the Maddalena Archipelago
BONIFACIO Corsica 1.00pm 8.00pm
MAY 23 At Sea
MAY 24 PALMA Mallorca, Spain 7.00am 7.00pm
MAY 25 BARCELONA Spain 8.00am 7.00pm
MAY 26 SETE (Carcassonne) France 8.00am 8.00pm
MAY 27 MARSEILLES (Avignon) France 7.00am 8.00pm
Aegean Odyssey ~ cruise in comfort, relax in style Carrying around 350
passengers, the atmosphere on board is relaxed with plenty of passenger MAY 28 CANNES France 8.00am overnight
space, a choice of restaurants (with open-seating dining) and generously-sized MAY 29 CANNES France
accommodations, plus the comfort and attentive service of boutique-style cruising. Disembark and transfer to
Nice Airport for flight home

special fares from just £1,895 include:

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•EXCLUSIVE MR BRIDGE COCKTAIL PARTY please call for details

Prices are per person, double occupancy in double cabins; single occupancy in single cabins,

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328STI12
Catching Up
by Sally Brock
I
t’s been quite a while since I wrote adjusted back to three no-trumps, and diamond trick. On the other hand, if
for these pages so there’s a lot of if that contract was making he would either spades are 3-3 or diamonds 3-2,
catching up to do. probably have been able to get his I can succeed by overtaking the queen
My team (Nicola, Chris Dixon, double removed. of spades, playing one more round of
Simon Cope, Andrew Murphy, Barry trumps and playing on diamonds. So
and me) did very well in this year’s that was what I did. Disaster. West
Gold Cup and reached the final stages Dealer West. East-West Vul. showed out on the second round of
– the first time I have done this for ♠ A Q spades and I was now three down for
at least 15 years. We went to Solihull ♥ K 10 5 –500 when they were just one down
for our quarter-final match against ♦ 9 7 6 undoubled in the other room.
Nick Irens’ strong London team ♣ K 9 8 4 2 There were two further large
(Norman Selway, Espen Erichsen, ♠ 4
N
♠ 10 9 8 5 2 swings when our team was a bit too
Tom Townsend and David Bakhshi) ♥ A Q 9 4 3 W E ♥ J 6 2 conservative in the slam zone and
and, rather to our surprise, won fairly ♦ J 10 5 4 S ♦ 8 missed slams bid and made by our
comfortably. The prize for that was a ♣ 10 6 3 ♣ A Q J 5 opponents. And that was that. We had
64-board semi-final match against ♠ K J 7 6 3 lost by 4 IMPs.
Alexander Allfrey’s England A team ♥ 8 7 I must say that this was a fantastic
(Andrew Robson, Tony Forrester, ♦ A K Q 3 2 team to play for, though. We were all
David Gold, Peter Crouch and Derek ♣ 7 desperately disappointed – possibly
Patterson). it was worse for Simon, Andrew and
We gained steadily throughout the Barry who have not won the Gold Cup
match until we were 52 up with two West North East South before – but there was no flicker of
sets to go. Barry and I sat out the next 2♦ Dbl 2♥ 3♥ blame for any of the errors, or might-
set and they lost 22 – nothing too Pass 3NT Pass Pass have-beens. It’s a pity that, for various
serious. So we went into the final set Dbl 4♥ Pass 4♠ reasons, we can’t have another crack at
with a lead of 30 IMPs. Dbl All Pass it this year.
Early on in the set, we had this
disaster (hand in the next column): I ♣♦♥♠

T
was South and my three heart bid was Anyway, the play’s the thing. West led
a transfer to spades. Barry forgot and the five of diamonds and of course I wo days later saw Nicola and
thought it was natural, but bid 3NT could have played the nine – it was, me on a plane bound for Bei-
to protect his spade holding. When after all, my only hope of scoring jing, where we played in the
I passed his 3NT, I imagine Andrew a trick with it. But I thought it was Sport Accord Mindsports Games. We
Robson (West) had a fair idea of what likely West had the singleton, so if I did not do particularly well, finishing
had happened but he was worried played small and East played the ten, I third out of four in a strong field (USA,
his partner would think his suit was would know that that was not the case France, China and us), but the shop-
spades, so he doubled for a heart lead. because West would be marked with ping was good.
Now Barry thought he had better show the eight. I won the diamond in hand Back from China on December
his support and I was happy to convert and led a heart to the king, followed by 20th, just in time to run around madly
to four spades, and rather surprised to the ace of spades. What now? If both for Christmas. This is likely to be our
be doubled. suits are breaking, I have eleven tricks; last year in this house, which is the
However, because of the if diamonds are 4-1 and I cash the only place the children have ever lived,
misinformation, Robson had been queen of spades and play a diamond, and because of that we decided to have
in a position to double fairly freely I am almost certainly down however Christmas here rather than go to my
(at least that was what I thought). If spades break. This trick will be ruffed parents as usual. I had never cooked
four spades made, then a director and, at best, I will still lose the aces Christmas dinner before. We were
would surely have ruled the contract of hearts and clubs and a further seven for lunch – my parents

Page 44
T
Catching Up continued Stayman, enquiring about four- and he following weekend was the
five-card majors and her three no- TGR’s Auction Pairs. This was
trump response denied a major of any an event Susanna was keen to
sort. enter but I had been a bit reluctant
were here, and also Helen Schapiro Plan the play on the five of spades because my other January weekends
(Kucklimu) who lives near me and is a lead. were all full and I thought I owed Bri-
good friend. It all went well (we had a This is a good example of taking ony a bit of time, especially as she had
capon which was delicious). your only chance – which is East some important exams. However, in
On Boxing Day, there was more holding king singleton or doubleton in the end, she was happy for me to play
family – 16 of us in all. We just clubs (or erroneously covering the jack (especially after a promise of some ba-
managed a sit-down meal (with the when you play it) and then probably bysitting work for Susanna). At the last
aid of some garden furniture). This taking the heart finesse later unless minute, Barry’s services were called
time the menu was venison sausage opponents’ discards persuade you upon too. One of the top Turkish pairs
casserole and/or vegetable and cheese into something else. And that is what was expected, but, at the last minute,
strudel. she did. She won the king of spades, one of the players had a problem with
The day after, we went to see Ben, crossed to the ace of hearts and played his visa and was not allowed into the
Gemma and Hayden and were royally the jack of clubs. When East played the country. So that left Mustafa Tokay
entertained by Hayden showing off all nine, she played the queen, cashed the without a partner. Zia and Artur Ma-
his presents. ace and ran the rest of the club tricks. linowski decided that the best partner
She followed up by taking the heart for him would be Barry and his arm
♣♦♥♠ finesse to land her game. It may seem was twisted …

O
easy when looked at on paper, but she This is a great event and there are
n the 29th and 30th, Barry was one of only thirteen declarers some excellent pairs playing (though
and I played in the Year End (out of 90) to bid and make three no- some very weak ones too). It is good
Congress. First, there was the trumps. fun with several meals included. All
Mixed Pairs where we finished fourth. the (70) pairs are auctioned at the start,
And the next day, the Swiss teams ♣♦♥♠ the top one going for £3,000 or so while

T
where I played with Susanna Gross the weaker pairs go for the minimum
and Barry played with Rob Cliffe he first weekend in January saw £100. Susanna and I went for £300
where we were ninth. Traditionally, I us on our usual trip up north to while Zia bought Mustafa and Barry
play in this with Susanna as a warm- the Manchester Congress. for £600. I bought back a 25% share
up for the Lady Milne Trials at the end This year, I drove up to Bradford of us and also decided to have 10% of
of January. to take Toby back to university there. Barry and Mustafa too. Susanna and I
I thought she did well on this deal. It has been great having him home started OK but went sharply downhill
How would you play three no-trumps for a while (Briony went to fetch him on the Sunday. Barry and Mustafa
on the five of spades lead? while I was in Beijing). Then, I went to on the other hand were always in
Manchester to meet Barry (and Steve contention, eventually finishing third,
Eginton) at Rodney and Lorraine but top of the unseeded pool. So
Dealer East. East-West Vul. Lighton’s house. We had a great my £60 investment netted a £480
♠ 9 8 6 evening there and the next day went return.
♥ A 7 6 5 into Manchester for the bridge. Barry
♦ 6 and I finished second in the pairs (we ♣♦♥♠

T
♣ J 10 8 7 3 had an excellent score and thought
♠ A Q 10 5 4 ♠ J 7 2 we had won but were just pipped by hen there was the National
♥ 8 N ♥ Q 10 9 4 2 Tracey Capal and Liz Muir). On the Swiss Teams, but I think I shall
W E
♦ 10 7 5 2
S
♦ A 9 3 Sunday, there was a change of plan. draw a veil over that.
♣ 6 4 2 ♣ K 9 On the way up to Manchester on the We started well but then went down,
♠ K 3 Friday evening, Barry had a call to say and down, and down. And even
♥ K J 3 that he needed to be in Brighton on further down. This was the (possibly,
♦ K Q J 8 4 the Monday morning for the start of a first, according to current weather
♣ A Q 5 trial. Had he played on the Sunday, he forecasts) weekend of the snow and I
wouldn’t have been able to pick up the struggled to get from High Wycombe
(substantial) papers for his case until to London on the Friday night, and
West North East South well after midnight. So he drove home although the roads were OK to and
Pass 2NT and worked on his case while I played from Hinckley, we slithered around
Pass 3♣ Pass 3NT in the teams with Michael Newman. a bit on the Wycombe hills on the
All Pass After a slightly rocky start, we return journey too. Still, I managed
improved and finished a respectable to get home to Briony for our usual
My three club bid was Puppet third. Sunday evening together. ■

Page 45
Seven Days by Sally Brock
Monday most optimistic, or take the middle –
probably more realistic – view.
Barry’s flat. There are lots of nice
people and good food (and extremely
Briony has an A-level exam tomorrow In an effort to declutter – however loud music). I stay over in preparation
and so is not at school today. I have many trips I make to the charity shop for the Lady Milne trials which start
masses of work at the moment so get or the tip, the house does not seem any tomorrow.
down to it for most of the day, taking emptier – I have invited Mark Horton
a short break for a Sainsbury’s shop
around lunchtime. In the evening,
(ex-husband number two) to come and
help himself to any bridge magazines Friday
Briony cooks chicken tikka masala he would like. So he comes, takes Unfortunately, Barry has to go down
(she is a recent convert to Indian food), me out to lunch which is a pleasant to the south coast for work which
which is delicious. interlude and leaves with a car full of means leaving the flat at 8. I get up
boxes. Then, in the afternoon, I have too and start work on my laptop.
Tuesday a Richard and Gerry online teaching
session – the first for a while because
Barry has had a house guest all week
– Barbara’s cousin Ray who lives in
Off to the gym first thing – I have been Richard has been in New Zealand on Berlin and has come over for the
a bit lax about this recently. However, holiday. They do well and are slightly party. I make vaguely sociable noises
I have been very good in relation to ahead of us when Richard makes the and he leaves about 11 for his flight
alcohol. I now have Type 2 diabetes fatal mistake of saying, ‘Just one more home. Barry’s back in time for a bread
and didn’t have a very good summer hand.’ We stay low in three diamonds and cheese lunch – accompanied
diet-wise and all sorts of health issues and gain 5 IMPs to take the lead at the by pickled walnuts (a gift from Ray)
have started to raise their heads. last moment. Thank goodness for that. which I have never had before (and
So I went completely alcohol-free Then it’s back to work. I send off the must be something of an acquired
from October until Christmas. And finished version of Nova Scotia and taste).
now just have the occasional glass of then settle down to Liguria on my Before the bridge, I have arranged to
wine. I am a convert to Beck’s Blue, laptop in front of the television. meet Martin and Margaret Nygren for
an alcohol-free beer (that has only 53 supper with Hans and Eva-Liss Gothe,
calories a bottle.).
Anyway, the rest of the day is all Thursday friends of theirs (whom I have also got
to know over the years) who are over
work (pyjamas to gym gear and – after Today, I discover I have managed to from Stockholm for a few days. That’s
a shower – straight back to pyjamas). do something incredibly stupid (even fish and chips in the pub and a good
Croatia and Nova Scotia are the by my standards, as Briony says). I gossip. And then it’s off to the Young
urgent titles at the moment. But there needed to transfer some money (quite Chelsea for the first session of the trials.
is a long list of pending publications. a lot) from one account to another in The first thing Susanna and I
And at this time of year I also have to order to cover a heavy credit card bill. discover is that we are sitting out the
do the yearbook of the British Guild of I couldn’t understand why it hadn’t first round. It would have been nice
Travel Writers, which is a big annual arrived (so I’m still going to be charged to know that beforehand so we could
job for me. for a temporary overdraft). On going have turned up a bit later. There are
to the account I was transferring from, some difficult hands in our first match
Wednesday I found that I had accidentally sent the
money to the used car company we
and we run into time difficulties.
We speed up a bit and the director
Just before Christmas I had an estate had bought Briony’s car from in the announces there is one minute to go.
agent come to value my house, to give summer. Luckily, a quick phonecall We speed up a bit more and finish 30
me a rough idea, but now that putting and a very nice man the other end seconds late. That gets us a 3 IMP time
the house on the market is imminent, sorted it out. penalty. A wonderful start. Otherwise,
I need to get some other valuations, Otherwise, a fairly standard gym the first session goes well and we are
too. Last week, a different agent came and work day. Then Briony gives me a well placed but there’s a long way to
round and valued it at less than two- lift to the station – it takes a while to go. I stay for a drink and then Susanna
thirds of the first. So today a third has a get to Barry’s – something to do with (who lives very near Barry) and I share
look and, fairly predictably, reckons its a cancelled train … We have a party to a taxi back. I text Barry to say I’m
worth somewhere in the middle. Now go to. It is Barry’s best friend Barbara’s home. ‘Me too,’ he texts as he walks in
I have to decide whether to go for the 50th birthday. Just a short walk from the door.

Page 46
Seven Days continued I am not sure how their
bidding goes, but at our
table it is simply:
The Olde Barn Hotel
Marston, Lincs NG32 2HT
Saturday West North East South
Pass 1♦ 1♠ 2♥ BRIDGE EVENTS 2013
A 10.45 start and we don’t Pass 3♥ Pass 4♥
have such a great time. We All Pass 26-28 April Splinters & Cue Bids £179
finish more or less level on 17-19 May Just Duplicate Bridge £169
the day having done quite At most tables, West leads
a lot of daft things and that the ten of spades and the 31 May – 2 June Just Duplicate Bridge £169
leaves us fifth overall. defenders take the ace and 7-9 June End Play & Avoidance £179
After the bridge, a whole king, then West gets a spade
21-23 June Just Duplicate Bridge £169
crowd of us go out to ruff and exits with anything
Benito’s, a nice family-run she likes and four hearts 19-21 July Just Duplicate Bridge £169
Italian restaurant on the goes one down.
16-18 August Declarer Play £179
Earls Court Road. It is hard to see how the
defenders can let it through, 6-8 September Just Duplicate Bridge £169

Sunday but …
Kitty sees that she will
18-20 October Just Duplicate Bridge £169
There are six more matches certainly be down if this 1-3 November Just Duplicate Bridge £169
today. We do well in the first normal defence happens NEW
8-10 November Bernard Magee TOPIC
two and are now in a good and thinks she will have Better Leads & Switches £245
position. We are in the top better chances if East is
three all the time and even- on lead at trick four rather 22-24 November Just Duplicate Bridge £169
tually finish second. than West. So, when East
The winners are Jane cashes her ace and king Full Board – No Single Supplement
Moore and Gillian Fawcett, of spades, Kitty unblocks Booking Form on page 5.
while the third qualifying her queen and jack, so that
spot is taken by Lizzie instead of West ruffing the
Godfrey and Pauline third round, East cashes
Cohen. That will be a nice
team for the Lady Milne
the nine. What now? She
has no trump to exit with
Chatsworth Hotel
which is in Edinburgh in and has to guess between Worthing BN11 3DU
April. The play of the day, the minors and when she
however, was found by Kitty chooses a diamond Kitty is
Teltscher. home.
This hand was played in I am not sure that East’s
four hearts by just about play stands up to close
everybody: analysis (a club can never do
more than resolve a guess
for declarer, so is surely
Dealer West. Love All the better choice) but that
North does not detract from the
♠ Q 7 6 imaginative play.
♥ Q 6 5 I borrow Barry’s car to get
♦ K J 5 4 home by 7.30, in time for
♣ A J 10 the delicious meal Briony BRIDGE EVENTS 2013
West East has cooked me.
12-14 Apr Bernard Magee Declarer Play £245
♠ 10 3 ♠ A K 9 5 4 She has a friend staying
♥ 10 9 4 3 ♥ Void and, while they spend their 14-16 Jun Just Duplicate Bridge £199
♦ 7 2 ♦ Q 10 9 8 3 evening booking a holiday 18-20 Oct Bernard Magee Play and NEW £245
TOPIC
♣ K 9 6 4 2 ♣ Q 8 5 in Lanzarote for the Easter Defending 1NT
South holidays, I plod on with a
15-17 Nov Bernard Magee Bidding NEW £245
♠ J 8 2 couple of new guidebooks – TOPIC
Distributional Hands
♥ A K J 8 7 2 the unlikely combination of
♦ A 6 Faroe Islands and Tajikistan Full Board – No Single Supplement
♣ 7 3 are in the frame at the Booking Form on page 5.
moment. ■

Page 47
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The Interactive Way of Improving Your
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Bernard Magee: at Denham Grove

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