Number Eighty-seven February 2008

BRIDGE
Number Eighty-seven
February 2008
Q PLUS 8.8
The very best Acol-playing Software available
SYSTEM
8mb RAM
CD-ROM
Pentium
or equivalent
Windows XP
or later
PROGRAMMER
HANS LEBER
FEATURES
Friendly Interface (see above)
Hint Button – always at hand
Help Button – explains the features
for bidding and card-play advice
Easy Windows Installation
Comprehensive Manual
Rubber, Duplicate and Teams Scoring
Instant results for teams
1,500 pre-played hands for teams
2,300 pre-played hands for match-pointed pairs
Feed in your own deals
Systems include: Acol, Standard American,
and several others or create your own.
£79.95 including postage
Make your cheque payable to
FREE UPGRADE
A free upgrade from QPlus 8.5 to 8.8 will be
available to download from the QPlus website at
www.q-plus.com from the beginning of October
2007. Those who prefer a CD may send their 8.5
disc, together with a cheque for £3.50.
TRADE-IN SPECIAL
Trade-in your old or unwanted bridge software by
sending it, together with a cheque for £49, to the
Mail Order Office before 31 March 2008.
Order with confidence.
and send to: Ryden Grange, Knaphill, Surrey GU21 2TH
01483 489961
Fax 01483 797302
BRIDGE
Ryden Gr ange
Bisley, Sur rey
GU21 2TH
01483 489961
Fax 01483 797302
e-mail:
[email protected]
website:
www.mrbridge.co.uk
All correspondence should
be addressed to Mr Bridge.
Please ensure that all
letters, e-mails and faxes
carry full postal addresses
and telephone numbers.
Managing Editor
Mr Br idge
Associate Editor
Julian Pottage
Technical
Consultant:
Tony Gor don
Br idge Consultant:
Bernar d Magee
QPlus and Software
Suppor t Line:
01483 485340
Weekend Events
& Cr uises:
Leanor a Adds
01483 485343
Megan Riccio
01483 485341
Jessica Galt
01483 485344
New Member s
& Address Changes:
01483 485342
CONTENTS
2 QPlus 8.8
3 Bidding Quiz by Bernard Magee
4
5 Gentle Duplicates
Cut-out For m
The Fjor ds and Scottish Islands
8 Cr uise to the Mediter r anean
9 Bernard Magee says Ruff in the Shor t Hand
10 Summer Cr uises On Boar d Discover y
12 Stephen Cashmore says
Two Opening Hands Should Bid to Game
13 Latimer House Br idge Events
14 Staver ton Par k Br idge Weekends
15 A Walk in the Winter by Countryman
16 Declarer Play
17 Julian Pottage says Lead Par tner ’s Suit
18 Harold Schogger says Eight Ever, Nine Never
19 Mar sham Cour t Br idge Weekends
20 Beach Hotel Br idge Weekends
21 Under the Spotlight by Freddie North
22 Sally Brock Answer s Your Questions
25 Theobalds Par k Br idge Weekends
26 Milton Hill House Br idge Events
27 David Stevenson Answer s Your Questions
29 Defence Quiz by Julian Pottage
30 EBU Pay-to-Play by Ned Paul
32 Mr Magee and Me by Linda Saunders
33 Declarer Play Quiz by Dave Huggett
34 Andrew Kambites says Use the Rule of Four teen
35 Rubber / Chicago Br idge Events
Br idge Etiquette
36 More Acol Bidding Software
37 Derek Rimington says Overcall with a Good Suit
38 Winter Cr uises On Boar d Discover y
40 Dave Huggett says Don’t Give a Ruff and Discar d
41 Barony Castle Br idge Events
42 The Olde Barn Hotel Br idge Events
43 Reader s’ Letter s
50 Holiday Diar y
52 Justin Corfield says Combine Your Chances
53 Bidding Quiz Answer s by Bernard Magee
54 Global Insur ance
Single Tr ip Policy Booking For m
Br idge Club Director y For m
55 Declarer Play Quiz Answer s by David Huggett
56 Heather Dhondy says Use the Rule of Eleven
57 Defence Quiz Answer s by Julian Pottage
58 Donald Russell’s Taster Box Competition
60 Scandinavian Cr uise
The views expressed in this publication are not
necessarily those of the publisher or its Managing Editor.
Page 3
BIDDING QUIZ
by Bernard Magee
Y
ou are West in the
auctions below, playing 'Standard Acol' with a
weak notrump (12-14
points) and four-card
majors. It is your turn to
call.
(Answers on page 53)
1. Dealer: West. Love All.
KQ
AJ
Q843
J9654
West North
?
East South
2. Dealer: West. Love All.
K 10 9 7
9
9842
AJ42
West North
East South
Pass
?
1NT
1
Pass
3. Dealer: West. Game All.
Q86
A763
54
AK64
West North East South
1NT
2
Dble Pass
?
4. Dealer: West. N/S Vul.
7
KQJ9852
95
984
West North
3
Pass
East South
4
4
?
5.
Dealer: North. Love All.
976
43
A85
QJ963
West North
1
?
East South
1
Pass
NEW YEAR
SOFTWARE
QUIZ ANSWER
QPlus 8.8 and the Bernard
Magee teaching
programmes are always
talked up by me because
they are the best. So user
friendly and helpful.
In the first issue of the New
Year, I usually make
mention of my bridgey
resolutions which, by and
large, I keep. This year,
most of these have already
been acted upon.
The new play and defence
quizzes introduced in the
last issue are continued and
new writers have joined my
team of contributors. All
have been asked to explain
bridge maxims and sayings.
I have also featured letters
and comments that are short
and to the point on page 45.
These I have nicknamed
“shorties”. I do hope that
readers will make good use
of the form facing page 6
provided for the purpose.
REFLECTION
Your letters are beginning to
reflect a growing unease
with the EBU and its
strategy for 2010 onwards.
Judging by the calls and
letters already coming in,
Declarer Play, Bernard
Magee’s just published new
program is his best yet. And
the latest QPlus tested
against other acol-playing
programmes wins – easily
settling the occasional
run-in with the Office of
Fair Trading.
ETIQUETTE
The guidelines on page 35
have been formatted into an
A4 size page. This I have
put up on my website, as
many clubs may wish to
download it and put it on
their notice boards.
GOOD LUCK
Simon Lucas has very
successfully managed the
Mr Bridge Mail Order
Service since its move to
Marlborough in 2004.
As dealer at game all,
playing acol (12-14 NT),
what do you open with the
following hand?
Sally Brock
2NT. It would seem to be a
perfect example of the bid. I
will be very interested if
partner makes any sort of
slam try.
Julian Pottage
2. If you open 2NT,
partner will (or at any rate
should) play you for 20
points. This is because
hands with 20 points are so
much more common than
those with 22. So, when you
really have 22 points and
they are good ones, it pays
to open 2. Since I want to
be in game here if partner
has, say, two queens (not
enough to raise 2NT to 3NT)
I open 2.
Bernar d Magee
2NT. With 22 points and a
balanced hand you fit neatly
in to the 20-22 range,
required for a 2NT opening.
He is now setting up on his
own account to trade as
Simon Lucas Bridge
Supplies. I wish him well.
Although you have two tens,
these are not enough to
upgrade your hand.
CLEARANCE
It is the very nature of
printing that volume is all.
Mr Bridge Luxury Cards are
made in considerable
quantities. To clear these,
I offer them unboxed, in
twelves, 6 red / 6 blue.
12 packs £8, 24 packs £17,
48 packs £32 and pro r ata.
I have asked Ned Paul,
pictured above, to clarify the
current situation by
outlining the pros and cons
of the new strategy for
bridge clubs. Read what he
has to say and see how “Pay
to Play” will affect you and
your club.
AK65
K J 10
AK64
A 10
The price includes postage.
Offer must close 8 February
or as stocks permit. Please
allow 14 days for delivery.
Orders by post only please
with cheques made payable
to Mr Bridge Mail Order,
Wagon Yard, London Road,
Marlborough, SN8 1LH
01672 519219.
SPONSORED QUIZ
The BRIDGE 86 winner of
the weekend for two at The
Olde Barn is Mrs Peverley
of Lutterworth, Leics.
NEW QUIZ
As dealer at game all, playing
Acol (12-14 no-trump), what
do you open with this hand?
AK986532
AK7
A
J
Send your entry using the
cut-out form before
20 February 2008. One
entry per household, please.
Consolation prizes vary.
Page 4
HAPPY COUPLE
Stuart Adds, Leanora’s
husband just had to be an
accountant but we had great
fun with all the different
suggestions you posted in.
The lucky winners are;
Mrs J Simpson, Edinburgh.
Dr M Box, Reading, Berks.
Mrs C Betts, Wilmslow.
Mr R Bowyer, Birmingham.
Mrs D Oscar, Moseley.
Mr P Dodson, Draycott.
They each receive a Donald
Russell taster box. Some of
the other entries are on pages
58 and 59, together with a
photo Leanora and Stuart
en route from the church
to the reception.
Each box contain 8 servings.
2 Sirloin Steaks
2 Ribeye Steaks
4 Rump Medallions
4 Fillet Medallions
Normal price
£54.87 including delivery.
Special Pr ice
£39.90 including deliver y.
01467 629666 or visit
www.donaldrussell.com/special
and quote special offer code:
BRIDGE2.
BEGIN BRIDGE
In addition to Acol Revision
at Staverton Park this Easter,
I have a bridge for absolute
beginners course. At the end
of the four-night beginners’
course, participants should be
able to play in a Chicago /
rubber drive and not feel out
of place at a gentle duplicate.
Staver ton Par k
Easter – 20-24 March
£299 inclusive
4 nights full board
No single supplement
01483 489961
REALLY GENTLE
The artificially low price for
my gentle duplicate events
has been made possible by
sponsors, well-wishers and
participating hotels.
Gentle duplicate means just
what it says – do give it a
try. You may discover, as I
did years ago, a new form of
the game that suits you.
ONLY £129
GENTLE DUPLICATES
2008
GENTLE
DUPLICATES
STAVERTON PARK
THE OLDE BARN
Staverton, Daventry,
Northants, NN11 6JT
Toll Bar Road, Marston,
Lincolnshire, NG32 2HT
FEBRUARY
8 – 10 Theobalds Park £129
15 – 17 Staverton Park £129
(£139 at Marsham Court)
with no single supplement.
Two nights full board and
six sessions of duplicate
bridge (play in as many or
as few as you wish).
Numbers at these hosted
weekends are limited to a
maximum of 36 (9 tables).
There will be no tuition
other than advice about the
mechanics of duplicate.
There will be no prizes.
These weekends are
designed for those who want
to try duplicate, especially
those who are nervous. You
may bring experienced
friends but on the strict
understanding that the pace
of play is for those who are
taking their first hesitant
steps into the wonderful
world of duplicate bridge.
IMPOSSIBLE?
North
KQ5
Void
654
AK98632
West
East
J93
2
AK7632 9854
K8
J 10 9 3 2
J7
Q 10 5
South
A 10 8 7 6 4
Q J 10
AQ7
4
Contract 6 by South.
West leads A.
19 – 21 Marsham Court* £139
22 – 24 The Olde Barn
£129
MARCH
7 – 9 Harben House £129
9 – 11 Marsham Court* £139
THEOBALDS PARK
HARBEN HOUSE
Bulls Cross Ride, Cheshunt,
Hertfordshire, EN7 5HW
Tickford Street, Newport Pagnell,
Buckinghamshire, MK16 9EY
28 – 30 Theobalds Park £129
APRIL
11 – 13 Staverton Park £129
13 – 15 Marsham Court* £139
18 – 20 Theobalds Park £129
25 – 27 The Olde Barn
£129
MAY
9 – 11 Theobalds Park £129
16 – 18 Staverton Park £129
Mr/Mrs/Miss .............................................................................
JUNE
Address ......................................................................................
6 – 8 Staverton Park £129
...................................................................................................
27 – 29 Theobalds Park £129
........................................... Postcode ......................................
JULY
18 – 20 Staverton Park £129
..............................................................................................
25 – 27 Theobalds Park £129
Please book me for ........... places,
AUGUST
at Hotel ............................................................................................
15 – 17 Staverton Park £129
on dates......................................................................................
SEPTEMBER
Single ....... Double ....... Twin ....... Sea View* (£30 supp) .........
26 – 28 Theobalds Park £129
Please give the name(s) of all those covered by this booking
OCTOBER
...................................................................................................
17 – 19 Staverton Park £129
Please send payment in full of £129/£139* per person per place by
cheque, payable to Mr Bridge. A receipt will be sent with your booking
confirmation. 28 days before the event, a programme and full details will
be sent together with a map. Cancellations are not refundable. Should
you require insurance, you should contact your own insurance broker.
24 – 26 Harben House £129
31 –2/11 Theobalds Park £129
NOVEMBER
*Marsham Court
7 – 9 Harben House £129
, Ryden Grange, Bisley, Surrey GU21 2TH
21 – 23 Staverton Park £129
28 – 30 Theobalds Park £129
01483 489961 Fax 01483 797302
*Mid-week events.
e-mail: [email protected]
website: www.holidaybridge.com
Answer on page 6.
Page 5
SOLUTION
COVER STORY
North
AT THE ROYAL KENZ
TUNISIA 2009
Duplicate Holiday
KQ5
Void
654
AK98632
West
East
J93
2
AK7632 9854
K8
J 10 9 3 2
J7
Q 10 5
South
A 10 8 7 6 4
Q J 10
AQ7
4
Contract 6 by South.
West leads A.
Ruff A with 5.
Play A-K throwing J.
Play 2 and ruff with A.
Play 4 to the Q.
Play 3 throwing Q.
West can ruff but then has to
lead
1 A heart which declarer
ruffs in hand, then plays
a trump to the King and
cashes dummy’s good
clubs.
2 A diamond to the Q and
declarer leads a trump to
the King as in 1.
Two-week
half-board holiday
3 A trump to dummy and
the clubs are good.
If West does not ruff, clubs
are lead until he has to ruff.
Bernard Magee and his Team
22 Feb – 8 Mar £699*
*per person half-board sharing a twin-bedded room and is
inclusive of bridge fees. Single supplement £5 per night.
These prices are based on air travel from Gatwick to
Monastir. Flights from other UK airports are available at a
supplement. All prices are firm only until 31 March 2008.
Pay £70 per fortnight per person extra and have a poolfacing room, tea & coffee making facilities, bath robe
and a bowl of seasonal fruit.
Both these holidays have been organised for
by Tunisia First Limited ATOL 5933
working in association with Panorama Holidays ATOL 0782.
DETAILS & BOOKINGS
01483 489961
TRUST ME
The cut-out page opposite is
multipurpose. Please use it
to enter either of the two
current competitions. It can
also be used to re-register
your details if you have not
done so in the last two or
three years. You may also
use it to enable friends or
family to receive their own
copy. In addition, you may
have some “to the point”
comment you might choose
to share with other readers.
I will only use the data you
provide to write to you and
send you BRIDGE.
Page 6
This cartoon by Marguerite
Lihou needs a short bridgerelated bubble caption for
the amusement of your
fellow readers. Please send
in your caption using the
cut-out page facing page 6.
The writer of the chosen
entry will win a bridge
weekend at Harben, our new
venue at Newport Pagnell.
OBITS
Sadly, I have to report that
last year, long standing Mr
Bridge supporter Sylvia
Hardman of Bath, died aged
82. She was a bridge teacher
who will be greatly missed
by her students, her large
extended family and me.
John Gavens also died last
year, having been the
collector of readers used
postage stamps for several
charities, latterly Guide
Dogs for the Blind. New
arrangements will be made
to continue this work so
don’t stop saving them.
Raymond Brock, husband of
our agony aunt, Sally, died
on New Year’s Day. See the
obituary on page 24.
May they rest in peace.
TUNISIA 2009
Bernard Magee and his team
will again be at the adults
only Royal Kenz Hotel next
year. I am accepting
bookings at £699 per person,
sharing, until 31st March.
After this date the new
season’s price will apply.
If you have not contacted us in the last two years, please
enter your details in the box below to re-register:
Name (Dr Mr, Mrs, Miss).............................................................................................................................
Address ......................................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................................................
Postcode .............................................................Telephone.......................................................................
My bid for the Harben Hotel bidding quiz: ..................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................................................
My suggestion for the cartoon bubble is: ....................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................................................
If you have any comments, queries or points of interest, please use this panel and post them in: ...........
....................................................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................................................
Please send BRIDGE to the following enthusiasts:
Mr/Mrs/Miss............................................
Mr/Mrs/Miss............................................
Mr/Mrs/Miss............................................
Address ..................................................
Address ..................................................
Address ..................................................
...............................................................
...............................................................
...............................................................
..........................Postcode .....................
..........................Postcode .....................
..........................Postcode .....................
Mr/Mrs/Miss............................................
Mr/Mrs/Miss............................................
Mr/Mrs/Miss............................................
Address ..................................................
Address ..................................................
Address ..................................................
...............................................................
...............................................................
...............................................................
..........................Postcode .....................
..........................Postcode .....................
..........................Postcode .....................
Please complete all or part this form and return to
, Ryden Grange, Knaphill, Surrey, GU21 2TH.
BR87
TRAVEL
INSURANCE
If you need travel insurance,
do have a close look at the
policy on offer on page 54
and use the form on the
facing page if the price is
right. Global Travel
Insurance will be making a
small payment for every
policy written and believe
me, every little helps.
BERNARD MAGEE
ON DISCOVERY
2008
CHARITIES
The adjacent dates are for
the charity events that I have
been told about. If you
would like yours included,
do write in with full details
and allow at least six months
notice, if possible. Bridge
players are busy people and
fill their diaries well ahead.
CHRISTIANS
IN IRAQ
MY CRUISE
Although I have visited the
Norwegian Fjords several
times, I never tire of going
back. For 2008, Mrs Bridge
and I are taking a slightly
longer look and returning
from the fjords via the
Shetland Islands,
Invergordon and Leith,
spending the day in
Edinburgh. I’m already
looking forward to it – for
details see the advertisement
on the facing page.
COACHED
Scottish travellers may
disembark at Leith to save
their long journey back from
Harwich.
Bernard Magee is repeating
his enormously successful
2007 seven night cruise from
Harwich to Nice. The
itinerary of this short voyage
allows for a lot of bridge to
be mixed-in with sunworship and some
interesting ports of call.
£494 per person sharing with
an extra 5% off for
Discovery Club members.
Bernard is also doing the
round trip from Harwich up
to the Fjords – another seven
night voyage, this one with
the magical scenery of
Norway as the attraction.
Reception (coffee/tea)
10.30 to 11.15
Signals with Bernar d
Bufffet Lunch
12.45 to 2.15
FEBRUARY 2008
3 YORKSHIRE CANCER RESEARCH.
Leeds Bridge Club.
£12.50 inc refreshments.
0113 2892995
8 ARTHRITIS RESEARCH.
St. Ives. Village Hall. £13.00.
Lorna Baker 01480 462783
MARCH 2008
7 ALZHEIMER’S RESEARCH. £13.00.
Village Hall, Hemingford Abbots.
Pat Cole
01480 431574
16 ROMSEY HOSPITAL.
Crosfield Hall, Romsey. 2-8 PM.
Buffet supper provided. Bring
your own wine. £40.00 per table.
Chris Marchant 01794 522003
18 ARTHRITIS RESEARCH.
Bowling Club St Neots. £13.50.
John Shaw
01480 475454
APRIL 2008
2 CHRISTIANS IN IRAQ. £30.
Bishops Waltham. 11am-5pm.
Includes buffet lunch and two
seminars from Bernard Magee.
Margaret Cochrane
023 8069 4959
18 CAMFED. £13.00.
Village Hall, Hemingford Abbots.
Sally Lawson 01353 662821
Discar ds with Bernar d
MAY 2008
Tickets £30 per per son.
02380 694959
The entire proceeds will go
to Christians in Iraq. All
costs have been sponsored.
SHARING SINGLES
DISCOVERY AWARD
Wednesday 2 Apr il 2008
The Jubilee Hall,
Little Shore Lane,
Bishops Waltham,
Southhampton. SO32 1ED.
Tea and Cakes
approx 4pm
followed by
Any Questions
Free transport is being
provided from Scotland
down to Harwich which
could take some of the
hassle and stress out of the
initial journey.
I am matching up those
singles willing to share a
twin-bedded cabin for the
2008 summer cruises on
board Discovery. Those
interested should ring right
away. Willingness to share a
cabin does help to keep
cruise fares down.
I am sponsoring a bridge day
out in support of Christians
in Iraq. Bernard Magee will
host the event and give the
seminars.
CHARITY
BRIDGE EVENTS
There will also be a small
Chicago / rubber party on
board hosted by Diana and
Brian Holland.
Later in the year, Bernard is
hosting a fly-cruise holiday
from Copenhagen to St
Petersburg sailing back to
Harwich. Those wishing to
start the cruise in Harwich
may do so, and cruise the
fjords with Alex Davoud.
Prices for the joint cruise
start from £1699 per person
sharing. A chance to see the
glories of Norway and the
Baltic all in one go.
POST SAVING
Postal rates are always going
up, so buy your stamps from
Clive Goff who buys them at
public auction and sells them
at face value less 10%.
2 CHESHIRE HOMES.
Hartford Village Hall. £13.00.
Malcolm Howarth
01480 212910
14 CHARITY BRIDGE.
RAF Wyton. £14.00.
Suki Pie 01480 890480
30 RFET – HUNTS & FENS. £13.00.
Regional College Huntingdon.
Malcolm Howarth
01480 212910
JULY 2008
11 MCMILLIAN NURSES.
Wicken Village Hall. £15.00.
Liz Ambrose 01353 663179
20 SAWTRY CHURCH.
Sawtry Village Hall. £13.00.
Pat Walters
01487 830674
OCTOBER 2008
24 CHESHIRE HOMES.
Hartford Village Hall. £13.00.
Malcolm Howarth
01480 212910
For further details ring him.
020 8422 4906.
Page 7
NOVEMBER 2007
21 AIR AMBULANCE. £13.00.
Village Hall, Hemingford Abbots.
Sheila Poval 01480 395394
Bernard Magee Says
Ruff in the
Short Hand
irstly, let me define ‘short hand’.
When you are playing in a trump
contract, we call the hand
(declarer or dummy) with longer trumps
the long hand and the hand with the
shorter trumps the short hand.
Some ruffs you aim for and some you
have forced upon you. The ones you aim
for either create extra tricks, or are worth
extra tricks in their own right. Ruffs in
the short hand are very often worth extra
tricks in their own right:
F
987
3
95432
A 10 5 2
N
W
E
S
A K Q J 10
AJ5
A
KQJ9
Contract: 7 by South. Lead: K.
Spades are trumps and your target is
thirteen tricks. You have a singleton in
each hand, but you do not try to ruff in
both hands – generally you go for ruffs
in the short hand. You start with five
trump tricks but need more. Ruffing
hearts in the short hand is the way to do
this. Each time you ruff a heart you
make an extra trick as you still have five
trump tricks in your hand.
How different the case is if you try to
ruff diamonds in the South hand. Now
instead of gaining a trick you are just
making the same five trumps: only as
four top trump tricks and a ruff. Indeed,
not only do you not gain a trick, but you
also shorten your trumps. This could
prove disastrous as you can see from the
full diagram.
987
3
95432
A 10 5 2
W
E
S
A K Q J 10
AJ5
A
KQJ9
Void
K976
KQJ86
8643
N
65432
Q 10 8 4 2
10 7
7
The play is simple if you focus on ruffing
in the short hand. You have eleven top
tricks and so need just two ruffs. Take the
red aces, ruff a heart and come to hand
with a trump, on which West shows out.
Then ruff another heart, come to hand
with a club and finish drawing trumps.
Your good clubs win the last three tricks.
Eleven tricks have become thirteen by
ruffing twice in the short hand. Just one
diamond ruff in the long hand and you
would have lost control as East would
have more trumps than you. Seldom will
trumps break so badly, but you should
avoid needless ruffs in the long hand.
Here is a typical example of ruffing in
the short hand from a duplicate pairs:
KQ7
32
A853
Q765
986
A 10 8 7
Q J 10 6
10 4
KQ7
32
A853
Q765
N
W
E
S
32
KQ64
974
J983
A J 10 5 4
J95
K2
AK2
If you can ruff a heart in dummy, you
make your eleventh trick. Win the first
diamond in hand and give up a heart.
Win the trump return in dummy and
play another heart. Win the next trump
in hand, ruff a heart in dummy and cross
to hand with a club to draw trumps.
The defenders could have stopped you
from making eleven tricks by leading a
trump at trick one. Of course, as the
clubs broke 4-2, there was no extra trick
there. Once again, note that ruffing
diamonds in the long hand would not
gain tricks.
E
S
Conclusion
N
W
You count ten tricks on top and have a
chance of an eleventh from your club
suit. However, a 3-3 break is against the
odds, so you would like a surer way of
making an overtrick. Whenever you are
looking for extra tricks, always consider
ruffing in the short hand.
A J 10 5 4
J95
K2
AK2
Contract: 4 by South. Lead: Q.
Page 9
Ruffing in the short hand nearly always
gains a trick, so you should always look
for ways to do so in your plan. It is an
especially useful tactic in Pairs, where
making overtricks can be very
important. There are so many deals on
which making that extra ruff will move
you up the scoreboard.
Stephen Cashmore Says
Two Opening Hands
Should Bid to Game
onventional wisdom is that you
need about 25 points in your
combined hands to take the nine
tricks required for 3NT, 26-27 to make
four of a major suit (because you need
an extra trick), and 28-29 to make five of
a minor suit (which entails taking two
extra tricks).
It follows that, if partner opens the
bidding with a value-showing bid, and
you also have an opening hand, simple
arithmetic puts you in the region of 25
points or more. You should therefore
ensure the partnership bids to game.
Of course, this is not true if partner
opens the bidding with something that
shows less than opening values – easy
examples being a weak two bid or a
three-level pre-empt. You need a strong
hand to think about going to game if
partner has advertised a weak hand.
However, if partner makes a normal
opening of, say, 1 or 1NT, and you too
have an opening bid, game should be
“on the cards”.
Let’s say you pick up this ordinary
looking selection:
C
10 8
K J 10 2
KJ86
AJ5
North
Pass
East
1
1NT
Pass
3NT
West
1
South
Pass
End
North
East
Pass
?
J
K 10 9 6 5 4
Q752
92
To bid your actual hand, you will, if you
do not have a gadget like a Jacoby 2NT to
show a game-forcing raise, have to temporise with 2. You intend to bid 4 on the
next round. The key thing is to make a bid
that ensures that there is a next round, not
one that poor partner might pass.
North
Pass
East
?
South
You also have a decision to make if
partner starts with 1. You cannot bid
2, as that promises five hearts. You
could bid an immediate 3NT, but that
risks missing a 4-4 heart fit, not to
mention a possible slam if partner has
the right hand. So, you try 2 again –a
bid to keep the auction open so that you
can see what partner bids next.
In all three cases, the key point is that
you can see immediately that you should
be bidding to game. You must therefore
make either a forcing bid, such as a
change of suit, or bid game.
Page 12
Of course, we have all failed in 3NT on
a combined 28 points, or a doomed 4
with 30 points. Just because we know
we should bid a game doesn’t mean we
are going to make it! You just can’t
afford to wait for a 100% contract.
South
Curiously, it is harder if partner kicks off
with 1, your best suit. 2 and 3 are
out – they are non-forcing limit bids. 4
is also out – this is a pre-emptive bid,
showing something like:
West
1
First in hand, you would no doubt open
1NT. In fact, partner is first to speak and
opens 1 (something). Your first thought
should be that, as you have 13 points
yourself, you must make sure that the
bidding gets to game.
Here are some examples (you are
East):
West
1
Opposite 1 (or 1 if that is your style)
from partner, you have an easy response
of 1. When he rebids 1NT, showing
15-16 points, you simply jump to 3NT
to end proceedings.
952
AQ8
AQ2
K 10 6 3
N
W
E
S
10 8
K J 10 2
KJ86
AJ5
Here we see the combined cards for the
first example. West opens 1, East
responds 1, West rebids 1NT and East
jumps to 3NT. This is all very sensible,
but neither player has a spade stopper –
the defenders might very well take the
first five tricks. What went wrong? Well,
nothing really: East-West are unlucky
that their red-suit honours are duplicating
each other – but that is hard to diagnose
in the auction. This is more typical:
QJ975
AQ85
A2
10 6
N
W
E
S
10 8
K J 10 2
KJ86
AJ5
Both members of the partnership have
13 points – enough for an opening bid –
and game is excellent. You would expect
to reach 4 and make it losing two
spades and probably a club. Even the
inferior games of 4 and 3NT stand a
good chance of making. In 4, you
might lose the same tricks as in 4. In
3NT, you might well get away with
losing two spades and two clubs.
So, if you and partner have 25 (or
more) points, you should bid up to a
game somewhere. Remember: opening
points + opening points = bid game.