December 2015

Compliments of the Season




“Trumping In”
Waverley Bridge Club Newsletter
www.waverleybridgeclub.com.au
Phone: 03 9807 6502
December 2015
BEST WISHES FOR CHRISTMAS AND THE NEW
YEAR
As we say hello to December and wonder where the year
has gone, I would like to wish everyone a very safe and
enjoyable festive season in the company of loved ones
and friends.
ABN 86 643 699 219
NOVEMBER DUPLICATE WINNER
Congratulations to our November
duplicate
winner, Jenny Gray, who topped the month with
an average of 63.5%.
I would also take this opportunity to sincerely thank you
for your continuing patronage of WBC throughout 2015.
While playing bridge can be extremely frustrating at
times, I hope you agree with me that the social benefits
derived from enjoying the company of others in our club
environment are most important and do ease the pain of
that bad bid or missed contract .
I trust that 2016 will prove to be a rewarding year for all
at WBC and I greatly look forward to seeing you on a
regular basis around the bridge table.
Rob Quirk,
President
CHRISTMAS PARTIES - Please bring a plate of
Christmas goodies to share for lunch.
This year we are also having a Friday party!
Monday December 14 from 10.00 am. Afternoon
players please arrive around 12.15 - 12.30 pm
Tuesday December 8 - 7.30 pm
Thursday December 17 - 7.30 pm
Friday December 18 - 10.30 am
st
1 10 points
nd
2 9 points
rd
3 8 points
th
4 7 points
th
5 6 points
th
6 5 points
th
7 4 points
th
8 3 points
th
9 2 points
th
10 1 point
Jenny Gray
Libby Persson
Dell Macneil
Barry Levi
Michael Pogson
Sylvia Kudelka
Julia Guttman
Nicole McManamny
Inpa Inpanathan
Percy Cundasamy
1
RANK PROMOTIONS
LATEST NATIONWIDE PAIRS RESULTS
Congratulations to the following players who have
recently achieved rank promotions.
Event 21 from November 6
21st in Australia: Sally Thornton, Philip McDermott
27th in Australia: Kumara Nainanayake, Sena
Hasthanayake.
Graduate Master
2+ MP
Carol Jaffit, Rosalyn Rodger, Ken Greig
Club Master
5+ MP
Kevin Neville, Leslie Macpherson, Graham Hubbard,
Shirley Wardell, Margaret Stanley, Daphne Norman
and Michael Meehan
Local Master
Barbara Love
15+ MP
*Local Master
Rosie Derek and Jean Ballas
25+ MP
**Local Master
35+ MP
Lisa Yoffa, Harold Dalton and Nancy Langham
Regional Master
50+MP
Penny Blakey, Margaret Willcox and Mary Enter
National Master
Marina Darling
150+MP (incl. 75+ red)
*National Master
Dell Macneil
200+MP (incl 100+ red)
Silver Life Master
David Yoffa
500+MP (incl 300+ red & gold)
Gold Life Master
Laura Ginnan
750+MP (incl 450+ red & gold)
RECENT RESULTS
SWISS TEAMS
1st Krolikowski: Andrzej Krolikowski, Rob Stewart,
Michael Gurfinkiel, Martin Willcox
2nd Day: Mary Day, Paul Edwards, Penny Blankfield,
Sue Read
3rd Jay: Jan Jay, Elizabeth Gralinska, Lyndall Shaw,
Chandradeep Chakravorty
UPCOMING NATIONWIDE PAIRS DATES
Friday December 4 and 19
Nationwide Pairs offers a chance to compete in an
Australia-wide competition from the comfort of your
local club with the chance of winning Red Points.
Event 22 from November 20
31st in Australia: Graeme Neale, Margaret Perry
50TH ANNIVERSARY
Congratulations to Rupert and Tammy Ferdinands on
the occasion of their 50th wedding anniversary on
November 6.
Rupert, who has been a member of WBC for quite a
few years now, came from Sri Lanka after quite an
extraordinary sporting career, being a national
representative in tennis and Davis Cup team member.
He is a Hall of Fame tennis coach, now retired. He
was also a first class cricketer in Sri Lanka.
Best wishes to both of you Rupert and Tammy, and
hoping you enjoy many happy years to come!!
HAVE YOU HEARD OF LIGHTNER DOUBLES?
The Lightner double is a lead-directing double of a
slam contract, developed by American bridge pioneer
Theodore A. Lightner. He was born in 1893 and died
in the year 1981 and was one of the leading bridge
personalities in the early days of the evolving game of
bridge.
The Lightner Double During his investigation of slam
contracts and the first card to be played to a slam he
realized that experienced opponents would be most
likely to make their contract, or at worst fail by one
trick. In this case, making a penalty double was
unlikely to be very profitable, or helpful. Theodore
Lightner chose a new meaning for a double of a freely
bid slam contract.
He states: A double by the hand not on lead is
conventional.
The partner on lead is requested to choose an unusual
lead which may result in the defeat of the contract.
Note that it is not always possible to defeat the
contract and any lead by the partner will not always
defeat the contract. The concept is that an unusual
lead may defeat the contract.
1. A Lightner double excludes the lead of a trump.
Please note that there is no lunch break in the NWP
section.
2. A Lightner double excludes any suit bid by the
defenders.
Play starts at 10.30 and ends at around 1.30.
Table fees for NWP sessions are $10 for members and
$12 for non-members. There is no need to pre-enter,
just come along on the day.
3. A Lightner double may exclude any suit not yet
bid, but this is conditional.
4. It is also conditional that the defender, who uses
the Lightner double, to expect to ruff the lead of a
2
side suit mentioned by the opponents, or
otherwise to win the first two top tricks in that
suit.
Note: As a variation to the original concept other
variations have occurred, the most common being
that the double asks partner to lead the first side suit
bid by dummy.
In any case, using the above mentioned guidelines,
the partner is more or less supposed to work out the
lead from the context of the auction.
Generally speaking, partner is asked to:
1. Lead dummy's side suit, if one has been bid
2. Lead declarer's side suit, if one has been bid
3. Failing having the above, choose an unusual lead this will often be leader's longest suit - doubler is
likely to have a void in that suit.
A Lightner double, hoping that partner will find a
heart lead.
The Lightner double is not in effect if the opponents
are sacrificing at the 6- or 7-level. In those situations,
it's more practical to use regular penalty doubles.
Playing Lightner doubles, the opening leader can also
infer what to lead if his partner did NOT double. For
example, if the opponents bid a side suit en route to a
slam contract and partner does not double, the
inference is that partner does NOT want a lead of the
enemy side suit.
Following is a good example of when not to double, if
you are using Lightner doubles…
WEST
NORTH
1♦
3NT
5♥
All pass
Again, the double asks partner to NOT lead any suit
that your side has bid.
2♥
Pass
Double
You hold the following hands and hear the auctions as
given below.
♠5432
♥653
♦AT9876
♣void
The player held:
♠Jxxx
♥AKJxx
♦109xx
♣--
OPP
1♥
3♥
PARTNER
Pass
Pass
OPP
2♣
6♥
YOU
Pass
Double1
1 This is a Lightner double. You are requesting the
lead of a club - the first side suit bid by your right
hand opponent.
♠762
♥void
♦AT987
♣K9842
OPP
PARTNER
1♠
3♣
6♠
Pass
OPP
3♠
Pass
YOU
5♣
Double1
EAST
Pass
Pass
Pass
SOUTH
2♣
4NT
6NT
and doubled, expecting the contract to fail. His
partner, however, thought they were playing Lightner
doubles, and led a club (the first suit bid by dummy)!
North made the contract with an overtrick.
So, by using Lightner doubles you are giving up the
chance of making a penalty double of contracts like
this. However, it is probably worth the sacrifice. If
you pass, partner will always lead a heart, and
sacrificing 100 points is good insurance. Many pairs
won't be in slam and plus 100 is probably going to be
a very good score. You don't need plus 200.
CHRISTMAS/NEW YEAR BRIDGE
1 Once again, this is a Lightner double. It asks partner
not to lead a club, but to find an unusual lead. You
hope that partner will lead a heart.
♠A762
♥void
♦76
♣10876532
OPP
1♦
4NT
6♦
PARTNER
Pass
Pass
Pass
OPP
3♦
5♦
Pass
YOU
Pass
Pass
Double1
Thursday December 24 am - Open
Thursday December 24 pm - Closed
Friday December 25 - Closed
Saturday December 26 - Normal sessions resume
Thursday December 31 am - Open
Thursday December 31 pm Open
Friday January 1 - Normal sessions resume.
3
A LOOK AT NEGATIVE DOUBLES
Most of us play some kind of negative doubles.
When is a double 'negative'?
 When partner has opened the bidding and
there has been an overcall.
What does the double promise?
Usually:
 At least the points required to make a
response
 Exactly four cards in any unbid major
 If two majors have been bid, length in both
minors
 With values a negative double can deviate
from the above, if bidder would have to make
a two level response, and there is no other
sensible action. Doubler needs to have a plan
about the possible outcomes of the auction.
 With fewer than 10 points and unable to
make a 2-level response, a negative double
can be made when holding a 6-card suit, able
to be bid at the 2-level on the second round
of the auction:
e.g. holding:
♠94
♥KQ10973
♦QJ8
♣83
AUCTION:
WEST
NORTH
1♠
Pass
NORTH
1♣
1NT (say)
EAST
1♠
Pass
SOUTH
X
2♥
This now promises long hearts and fewer than 10
HCP. With 10+ HCP you would have bid 2♥
immediately.
 You are not promising a shortage in
opponent's suit.
SOUTH
??
6. ♠874 ♥KQ62 ♦QJ95 ♣94
7. ♠K6 ♥QJ84 ♦873 ♣QJ42
8. ♠76 ♥A52 ♦K43 ♣AJ963
AUCTION:
WEST
NORTH
1♣
EAST
1♦
SOUTH
??
9. ♠9852 ♥AKQ7 ♦8764 ♣2
10. ♠AQ98 ♥KQ652 ♦8 ♣K62
11. ♠QJ84 ♥876 ♣K92 ♣874
12. ♠QJ953 ♥KQ932 ♦8 ♣J4
Choose a bid for each hand then see page 7 for a
discussion.
WHO HAS THE ACE?
As West, you are defending a 3NT contract after a
1NT : 3NT auction.
You lead the ♥K and see the following dummy.
Partner follows with the ♥7.
Who has the ♥A, and what is partner's ♥7 telling you?
What card do you lead at trick 2?
North (dummy)
♠AQ6
♥J93
♦853
♣QJ94
in the auction:
WEST
EAST
2♣
West (you)
♠J105
♥KQ108
♦K742
♣83
East
♠7
Choose your answers, then see page 12.
Are you and your partner in agreement about how
high you play them? Many people like doubles to be
negative up to 4♥.
Have a look at the following hands and choose an
action in the auctions given above the hands.
AUCTION:
WEST
NORTH
1♣
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
EAST
1♥
SOUTH
??
♠9862 ♥K4 ♦QJ96 ♣532
♠Q8752 ♥J94 ♦QJ96 ♣5
♠A42 ♥873 ♦QJ64 ♣532
♠7642 ♥A9 ♦KQ986 ♣J7
♠KQ74 ♥72 ♦AKQ6 ♣K62
4
PLAYING WITH FINESSE -
for improvers
If all we had to do to make our contracts was play off
a bunch of Aces and Kings, this would be a fairly
boring game. Luckily for us, this is nowhere near the
truth and bridge offers us endless opportunities to try
to create tricks where none existed originally.
And one of the main ways of developing extra tricks is
by becoming adept at the art of the Finesse!
You are in 3NT and the Club King is led:
Dummy
♠KQ32
♠7652
♦AQJ
♣98
Lead: ♣K
You
♠A76
♥AK8
♦962
♣A43
After thanking partner for his dummy, your next job
is to count your winners - the rock solid tricks that you
will take without losing the lead.
So, Spades 3; Hearts 2; Diamonds 1; Clubs 1.
You have seven winners ready to 'cash'. Which means
you need two more.
Which suit looks to be the most likely to yield the
extra tricks you need? You might win a fourth spade,
if the opposing cards break 3/3, but that is only one
extra trick, and you need two - without losing the
lead. The moment you lose the lead, they will run a
large number of club tricks. The only logical answer is
diamonds - you have every top diamond except the
King. Under what circumstances can you win two
more tricks in diamonds? With the King missing you
might expect that you have to lose one trick.
You can take the three diamond tricks you need to
make your contract every time the King of diamonds
is in the West hand - if it is sitting 'under' the Ace. All
you have to do is make sure that you lead a diamond
from your hand, not from the dummy. (Good tip
when playing a hand. Lead low cards towards high
cards. Don't lead high cards!)
So, win the lead with the ♥A in your hand, and lead a
diamond. When West plays a low card - playing the
King would not help him - you play the Jack from the
dummy. Your contract depends on the placement of
that ♦K. If West has the King and didn't play it, you
will take the first trick with the Jack. If East has the ♦K
and plays it on your Jack, you have done your best,
but sadly you are going off in your contract. You have
a 50% chance, which is much better than almost no
chance at all if you just play the ♦A.
Let's say that the ♦J wins the trick. Wonderful. It
looks as if the ♦K is in the West hand, but your work is
not yet over. You still have to take a trick with the ♦Q.
So, lead a spade to the Ace in your hand and then lead
another diamond (don't lead high cards, lead low
cards towards high cards). Now when West follows
with another low diamond you play the Queen from
dummy. Now you can take 3 spades, 2 hearts, 3
diamonds and 1 club to make your nine tricks.
You have just performed a double finesse perfectly.
Have a look at some common holdings and decide
how to play them to maximise your chances of making
tricks.
1. ♦AQ
♦32
2. ♦KJ3 3. ♦AJ10 4. ♦AJ6
♦A76
♦Q6
♦Q5
5. ♦Q74
♦A92
1. Lead the ♦3 from your hand and play the ♦Q when
West follows with a low card. You will take the trick
with the Queen every time West has the King but
didn't play it.
2. Now you can take three tricks if West has the ♦Q.
Play the ♦A, then lead a low diamond to the Jack. This
will take the trick the 50% of the time that West has
the queen.
3. You have every high card except the King. This
time, lead the Queen from your hand following low
from dummy if West doesn't play the King. Now, if
the Queen wins the first trick, you are still in the
correct hand to lead the ♦6 and play the Jack from the
dummy.
4. Things change a bit now. You no longer have all
the missing high cards. Now if you lead the Queen,
you should expect West to play the King if he has it,
following the dictum - cover an honour with an
honour. If he does that, you will have to play the Ace
and then your only other winning card will be the Jack
and you will have to lose a trick. Your best chance is
to lead low and play the Jack. If that wins, next play
the Ace hoping that West only had ♦Kx and the king
will drop.
5. Using the same principle, defender will cover an
honour with an honour, it is completely pointless
leading the Queen now. If you lead the Queen and
East has the King, he will play it, you will have to play
the Ace and you will never win two tricks.
In this case you have to lead a low card from your
hand, hoping the West has the King and has to decide
whether to play it and let you win the second trick
with the Queen and the third with the Ace, or to let
you win the first trick with the Queen. Once again, a
50% chance of finding the missing King where you
want it.
5
♠AQ
♥AQ108
♦85
♣Q10942
MAKING THE BEST POSSIBLE SCORE
Nil Vulnerable, you are South and hold:
♠J10843
♥K4
♦A9843
♣K
♠4
♥9652
♦J1072
♣AJ85
♠J10853
♥K4
♦A9643
♣K
and the auction proceeds:
WEST
NORTH
1♣
EAST
1♠
SOUTH
??
What should you do now?
1.
2NT - showing 10 - 12 with a spade stopper?
2.
2♦ - 10+ with a 5-card diamond suit?
3.
Pass - for whatever reason?; or
4.
Panic!!!!!?
Only one good answer here, and it is certainly not
No. 4.
There is a very good little 'rule' which should be
applied here - the longer you are in opponent's suit,
the faster you should pass!
Next point - make your pass 'in tempo' - don't rush to
pass (no matter what the rule says), and don't think
about it before you pass. A smooth pass is in order.
Hesitating might make it difficult for partner to act
when he has the illegal information that you had a
hand that needed thinking about.
What you are hoping is that partner, when the bid
returns to him, with re-open with a double - this is a
corollary of Negative Doubles, briefly discussed on
page 7. If he does this, you can then pass, converting
his double into a penalty double.
The auction would look like this:
WEST
Pass
NORTH
1♣
Double
EAST
1♠
Pass
SOUTH
Pass
Pass
West however, now chose to bid 1NT, which is passed
back to you. What do you do now?
WEST
Pass
1NT
NORTH
1♣
Double
Pass
EAST
1♠
Pass
Pass
SOUTH
Pass
Pass
??
At equal vulnerability you should probably double
now - and this is a penalty double. If your side can
make 3NT, it means that opponents will go 3 off,
which doubled would be -500 for them - a top score
for you. This is the hand in the next column
♠K9762
♠J73
♦KQ
♣763
North, judging that you had long strong spades to
justify your pass of the first double, led his ♠A and
continued with the ♠Q, dummy played low and
declarer pitched a heart. North switched to a low club
and South's ♣K won the trick. South then led the ♠Jto
establish an extra spade trick and North discarded the
♦8 - discouraging. Not needing any more information
South switched to the ♥K and a low heart, making
four heart tricks - and thus winning the first 9 tricks,
for three down - +500 to the good guys.
If North South had played in 3NT, they would have
scored only 400.
The East hand is a very good example of a really awful
overcall. If you are going to insist on overcalling with
only 9 HCP, then you should have a hand that looks
like this:
♠AK1093
♥7
♣Q984
♣873
or better!
PLAN THE PLAY - TWO WAYS
6♣S
Lead: ♠K
♠A
♥Q3
♦AQ32
♣AQT432
♠J2
♥AK4
♦9876
♣KJ65
You are in 6♣ and North leads the ♠K. Work out two
ways to make the contract, then see page 8
Gifts of time and love are
surely the basic ingredients
of a truly merry Christmas.
6
A LOOK AT NEGATIVE DOUBLES
from page 3
AUCTION:
WEST
NORTH
1♣
EAST
1♥
SOUTH
??
1. ♠9862 ♥K4 ♦QJ96 ♣532
Double: This promises a 4-card spade holding and 6
or more HCP.
2. ♠Q8752 ♥J94 ♦QJ96 ♣5
1♠: Now your bid of 1♠ promises 5 or more spades.
(If you had only 4, you would have made a Negative
Double)
3. ♠A42 ♥873 ♦QJ64 ♣532
Pass: All dressed up with no place to go! If there had
been no overcall, you would have responded 1NT, but
now that bid would promise a Heart winner. So,
despite the fact that you have 7 HCP, there is no
sensible bid that you can make.
4. ♠7642 ♥A9 ♦KQ986 ♣J7
Double: To show the 4-card spade suit. Don't bid 2♦
unless you are strong enough to 'reverse' by bidding
your 5-card suit then your 4-card suit. You need at
least 12 HCP to do this.
5. ♠KQ74 ♥72 ♦AKQ6 ♣K62
Double: The fact that you are strong makes no
difference to the Negative Double, which shows 4
spades and at least 6 HCP.
AUCTION:
WEST
NORTH
1♠
EAST
2♣
SOUTH
??
6. ♠874 ♥KQ62 ♦QJ95 ♣94
2♠: You have 3 spades, so choose to raise partner
rather than make a negative double to show 4 hearts.
7. ♠K6 ♥QJ84 ♦873 ♣QJ42
Double: Showing a 4-card heart suit and 6 or more
points.
8. ♠76 ♥A52 ♦K43 ♣AJ963
Pass!!: You are hoping that when the auction gets
back to partner, he will 're-open' with a double, which
you will leave in for penalties. You cannot make a
penalty double if you are using Negative Doubles.
AUCTION:
WEST
NORTH
1♣
EAST
1♦
SOUTH
??
9. ♠9852 ♥AKQ7 ♦8764 ♣2
Double: Showing exactly 4 cards in each major and 6
or more HCP.
10. AQ98 ♥KQ652 ♦8 ♣K62
1♥: You don't have exactly 4 cards in each major, so
bid the 5-card suit.
11. ♠QJ84 ♥876 ♣K92 ♣874
1♠: You don't have exactly 4 cards in each major, so
bid the 4-card suit.
12. ♠QJ953 ♥KQ932 ♦8 ♣J4
1♠: Don't make a Negative double with 2 x 5 card
suits. Plan to bid both suits in the auction, unless of
course partner supports your spades.
WHAT DIFFERENCE DOES THE VULNERABILITY
MAKE? - for new players
I often hear new players saying - 'I don't want to bid
game, we are vulnerable!' So, how does vulnerability
affect your scores?
Playing in a duplicate session, when everyone in the
room has the same vulnerability on each board
played, means that being either vulnerable or nonvulnerable makes no difference at all in a noncompetitive auction. The relative size of the score is
not important, just the fact that you have a higher or
lower score. Minus 50 or minus 100 makes no
difference to your position because your score is held
up against the same penalty at other tables. It is no
worse going 3 down vulnerable and scoring minus 300
than it is to go 3 down non-vulnerable and scoring
minus 150. It is not the size of the score, but where
your score stands when compared to everyone else's
scores.
What you do risk, if you choose not to reach a game
contract, is the loss of the big game bonus (300 if nonvulnerable and 500 if vulnerable), and will thereby
suffer a bad score if most of the other pairs playing
the same hand reach and make the game.
So, in freely bid auctions, don't refuse to bid game
because of the vulnerability if the auction indicates
that you have the values needed.
However, in competitive auctions, vulnerability can
make all the difference in the world. If both sides are
bidding energetically WEST
1♥
NORTH
2♠(weak)
EAST
4♥
SOUTH
??
and South holds:
♠J85
♥987
♦42
♣AQ952
7
what South does next is very dependent on the
vulnerability. We are now entering the realm of the
penalty double.
If East/West are non-vulnerable they will score 420; if
they are vulnerable they will score 620.
If North/South bid 4♠ as a sacrifice, assuming that the
4♥ contract will make, they must expect to be
doubled, and can only afford to go two off if the
vulnerability is equal, or one off if it is unfavourable in other words if they are vulnerable and East/West
are not. If the vulnerability is favourable - if they are
non-vulnerable and the opponents are vulnerable,
then they can afford to go three light in their contract
and still get a better score.
If opponents can make 3♥ and you overcall 3♠, which
is not doubled - once again vulnerability enters into it.
If they make their contract, they will score 140. Not
vulnerable, if you go 2 off in 3♠, you only lose 100, but
vulnerable you would get the ghastly score of minus
200 - or, as it is called, the kiss of death.
So, in competitive auctions, be a little more
circumspect if you are vulnerable. Try to get your
opponents to the three level, but be wary of bidding 3
of your own suit if your values are suspect.
PLAN THE PLAY - TWO WAYS from page 6
♠A
♥Q3
♦AQ32
♣AQT432
6♣
Lead: ♠K
Here is a brief chart that shows the various scores for
sacrificing and going down against a making
opposition game when non-vulnerable and
vulnerable.
1. You are non-vulnerable
OPP'S BID
YOUR BID
Opp. 4♥
4♠X
Making
Non Vul
Non Vul
1 off
420
-100
YOUR BID
4♠X
Non Vul
2 off
-300
YOUR BID
4♠X
Non Vul
3 off
-500
Too much
Opp. 4♥
Making
Vulnerable
620
-300
-500
-100
2. You are vulnerable
OPP'S BID
YOUR BID
Opp. 4♥
4♠X
Making
Vulnerable
Non Vul
1 off
420
-200
Opp 4♥
Making
Vulnerable
620
-200
YOUR BID
4♠X
Vulnerable
2 off
-500!
Too much
YOUR BID
4♠X
Vulnerable
3 off
-800! Much
too much
-500
-800
Too much
In part-score competitive auctions, vulnerability is a
factor also. If you can make 1NT for a score of 90, but
opponents bid 1NT ahead of you, it can be a tragedy
or a triumph. If they are Non Vulnerable and make 6
tricks on the hand, which is all they can make if you
can make 7 tricks, they only score minus 50 - giving
you a bad score. On the other hand, if they are
vulnerable and make the same 6 tricks, they now
score minus 100 - giving you a good score on the
board.
♠J2
♥AK4
♦9876
♣KJ65
The success of the contract appears to depend on the
♦K being found, but this is not so. Presuming North
has the ♠Q, he can be endplayed.
1. Win the ♠A, draw trumps, eliminate hearts and
lead the ♠J, pitching a losing diamond on this losing
spade. Now, North must lead a diamond into
declarer’s ♦AQ or lead a major allowing the ♦Q to be
pitched, ruffing in dummy.
2. And, once again - - - Ruff the ♠J, eliminate hearts
and run the ♦9. If South covers, so do you. If East
wins ♦K, he is endplayed.
Experienced players will give you a tip “When you see
AQ9, think endplay”
HOW SHOULD THIS HAND HAVE BEEN BID?
South holds:
WEST
Pass
♠KJ5
♥Q9872
♦AK5
♣93
NORTH
1♦
1♠
EAST
Pass
Pass
SOUTH
1♥
??
South thought for quite a while, then bid 3NT choosing a game contract with his 13 HCP opposite
partner's opening bid.
This did not turn out well. The opponents took the
first five club tricks and South thought, 'every time I
bid No Trumps it is a horrid failure. I hate No
Trumps!' So, what went wrong?
8
Bidding No Trumps without a winner in clubs was not
a good idea. It is a near certainty that opponents will
lead a club.
There is a very nice convention that all partnerships
should discuss - this is 'Fourth Suit Forcing' - in other
words, a bid by South of 2♣ in this auction would have
done several things.
1. It is a game forcing bid; and,
2. Asks for further information from partner.
And partner replies to the 2♣ FSF bid as follows:
1. With three cards in partner's major suit he
should raise that suit.
2. Bid No Trumps with a stopper in the fourth
suit.
3. With both of the above, choose the most
descriptive action.
4. Re-bid his own five-card suit
5. Raise the fourth suit with 4-card support
6. Rebid his original suit at the appropriate level.
Have a look at the following example:
WEST
NORTH
EAST
SOUTH
1♥
Pass
1♠
Pass
2♦
Pass
3♣
play in 4♦. South, with additional values, can
raise to game.
These options are shown below.
1. South
♠8
♥KJ754
♦KJ106
♣AQ4
3NT
2. South
♠AJ8
♥KJ762
♦KJ108
♣9
3♠
3. North
♠KQ73
♠A2
♦A964
♣863
4♦
Note: Fourth Suit Forcing is not used if one partner is
a previously passed hand. This conventional method
does not apply under these circumstances.
TALKING TO JAN JAY
You can't really say - Jan Jay, long time member of
WBC etc. etc. If it were not for Jan's husband, Denis,
there might not be a WBC at all. But, more of that
later.
Jan was born Jan Hosking, the eldest of four - three
girls, Jan, Wendy and Lynette and a boy, Gary John.
She was born and lived during her childhood in the
Bentleigh area; a third generation Australian with
ancestors who came from various parts of the British
Isles in the mid 19th century.
North holds:
♠KQ73
♥A2
♦A964
♣863
He knows that game should be present, but has no
clear idea what to bid. With only a 2-card Heart suit it
would not be suitable to bid game in Hearts. With no
stoppers in the Club suit it would not be prudent to
bid game in No Trump. Since the partnership is still
only on the two level, North knows there is sufficient
bidding space to discover more information. By
bidding the fourth, unbid, suit North informs partner
that game values are present. This bid of the fourth
suit requests additional information from partner.
1. With a Club stopper South will bid game in No
Trump since there is no known fit.
2. South can cater for the fact that North may have a
5-card Spade suit and will show support with a 3card Spade suit. This denies a Club stopper.
3. If South supports Spades showing only a 3-card
Spade suit, North can decide to declare game in
Spades with a Moysian fit. However, knowing that
there is an 8-card fit in Diamonds, North can opt to
Jan Jay
Life in Bentleigh, a growing suburb still with sections
of market gardens, where Patterson Rd was still a dirt
track, was great for children. Jan was, as were most
of us, part of the generations of children who
disappeared until it was time for tea, and remembers
great times playing in vast piles of soil left by Council
workers who were planning a park on old market
garden land. The mountains of soil provided cubbies,
climbing, caves, battle grounds and endless fun for
the neighbourhood children. Jan remembers cooking
potatoes, among other things, in fires lit by the
9
children. (The whole thing sounds like a litigator's
picnic now doesn't it? Tunnelling into vast piles of
dirt, lighting fires! Yeeks!)
War time Melbourne had almost no impact on Jan;
her father was a sheet metal worker at the
Government Aircraft Factory, and, as an essential
worker, was not allowed to join up, though he
attempted to do so. So, the War for Jan was life as
usual, except that she remembers her father digging a
vast hole in the back garden for an air raid shelter.
The shelter never eventuated, the hole filled with
water and her sister Wendy fell in and nearly
drowned. The hole was filled in after that.
Jan must have watched too many cowboy films as a
child because one day during a sisterly spat with
Wendy chasing her, Jan fetched up and punched her
on the chin. Wendy suffered some brief discomfort,
but Jan earned herself a sprained wrist which lasted
for a week. Their mother just said ‘serve you right’.
After a primary schooling at the local state school, Jan
went to Hampton High School, where she did typing
and shorthand, gaining a job at SKF Ball Bearings after
graduating from school.
This was the time of Town Hall ballroom dancing on
Saturday nights and one night at Hawthorn Town Hall
she met an 'older' man - Denis, who took a shine to
her after having the last few dances, and asked if he
could drive her home. Very cautious - he was, after all
23 and she was only 17 - she agreed, on condition that
he drive her girlfriend home too. It wasn't until they
were about to drop the girlfriend off at her house that
she realized that her planning was not that great, she
would now be alone in Denis's car. However, Denis
was, of course, a gentleman, and a four year courtship
followed culminating in their marriage at Christ
Church Bentleigh when Jan was 21. Jan says that her
aunts on her mother's side did not come to the
wedding - that side of the family was Catholic, and
Catholics weren't permitted to go into non-Catholic
churches!
Denis was a primary school teacher and had worked in
Thoona, not far from Benalla (Thoona, in the 2006
census, boasted a population of 474, so it must have
been pretty small in the 1950's.) Denis, however,
loved life in the country - as long as you could play
football and cricket and tennis, life was great. After a
few years he moved to Glenrowan North. A family
health emergency forced him back to Melbourne, and
after the marriage he worked at Glenroy North.
Subsequently, he requested a transfer to Mitcham
and was told curtly by the department - 'no, we
indulged you once already!' Finally, some years later
he was promoted and went to work at Hartwell.
Shortly after the marriage Jan became pregnant and
by the time she was five months along she had
decided that it would be a good idea to resign. Three
girls, Sue, Kerry and Fiona, came in quick succession,
and Jan got very sick of being the size of a 'walrus' and
not being able to go to the beach.
Money was tight for the family, and Denis took a job
as a dishwasher at Robs Restaurant on Waverley Road
- in contravention of strict Education Department
rules about holding down two jobs. At the same time
he was doing a Certificate of Arts at Caulfield Tech he was a busy boy!
They started making some money doing copying from
stencils, Jan began working from home and there was
light at the end of the tunnel - and money in the bank!
Jan could see the new camper van, perfect for
holidays, when Denis came home and said that he
wanted to start an art gallery. The camper van turned
into a second hand Ford Falcon and a used collapsible
caravan. Denis got his art gallery and Jan held the
fort there during the day till Denis turned up after
school. Jan said that she could not sell an icecream to
a dying man in the tropics, but still they persevered.
The gallery was not doing well financially and Denis
looked around for a source of extra income. Being an
enthusiastic bridge player, he decided to start a bridge
group in the gallery - playing twice a week. Very small
beginnings led to larger numbers and after three or
four years the group became a club - boasting
numbers of up to three tables on a good night.
Five moves followed, culminating in daytime bridge
being introduced at Ashwood Hall, and the club
members started talking about buying their own
premises (this was in the early 1980s).
In 1979 Jan took a job in the Law Faculty at Monash
doing phototype setting and word processing - a
position she stayed in until her retirement in 2011.
During Denis' years of illness she continued working,
but after his death in 2008 changed to part time hours
- a very civilized arrangement working 10 till 3, with
Fridays off.
Jan had refused to learn bridge - silly game, why do
you put the cards on the table? - but finally she gave
in and learned from Lucy Theobald (much given to
light preempts!!) Jan realized that she loved the
game and has never looked back.
She was
immediately playing with stronger players - and
remembers a match Denis, Ray Anderson, John Farr
and she played in Geelong. Issued with strict orders ''Do not bid 7!!'' - they went away and shortly
thereafter found themselves competing to the 7 level.
Jan was terrified, but she made the contract, and
when they went back to score were immediately
asked - ''Did you bid the 7? Yes! Thank God!!''
10
(The only rule about bridge is - don't make absolute
rules!)
And one very good argument against written bidding.
Denis and Jan were playing for Waverley in an
interclub competition. The bidding slip was turned
over for the new hand and the opposition was bidding
with Denis and Jan passing until Denis suddenly
started bidding at the four level and wouldn’t shut up.
They ended up in a horrendous contract doubled.
Denis thought that Jan had doubled because the
diagonal pass line on the other side of the bidding slip
and the pass in the same box on the current side
looked like a takeout double to him. After that he
would only use one side of double sided bidding slips.
These days Jan plays at WBC with numerous members
- Elizabeth Gralinska, Shirley Baker, Grace Wadelton,
Kathy Yang and Bill Bennett, and also fits in a game at
Ravens with Neville Houghton. She has her family to
breakfast every Saturday, is much given to going out
to lunch, and is generally having a pretty good time.
Jan says - 'Denis was the 'go-er', and I just came along
with him. ' And I think the club and all the members
are all grateful that you did, Jan - thanks from all of us.
GETTING ALONG AT THE BRIDGE TABLE
Yes folks, it's time for another admonition, certainly
not aimed at all players, but with many, usually newer
players in mind.
I am regularly drawn aside after a session and asked
for advice What should I do - my opponent:



played slowly himself, then told me to hurry
up three times,
argued with his partner all through the set
made me feel uncomfortable and inadequate!
I could go on and on forever, but you get the idea.
These things are not necessarily reason to call the
director, though they may be. If you are made
uncomfortable at the table by your opponents, please
speak to the director or to Mary. Other clubs have a
person called a 'Recorder' - an objective person who
can deal with issues like these. We do not have a
Recorder as such, but we will be able to handle these
problems.
And of course, you could not possibly be the person
being complained about - could you?? Please be very
careful to treat your opponents as you would like to
be treated yourself - with courtesy and, hopefully,
cheerfulness.
Have you checked out our great Christmas
gifts for bridge playing family, friends and
partners?? We have lots of good things
available near the Library.
As well as these we have gift vouchers available
for free games for your partner. You can buy
one, two, or any number of games - the perfect
gift for the partner who has everything, and just
needs to play more bridge!!
DECISIONS! DECISIONS!
You are East and hold:
♠AK
♥AKJ83
♦1098
♣J64
WEST
Pass
NORTH
1♦
3NT
EAST
1♥
All pass
SOUTH
1NT
Partner dutifully leads the ♥6.
Dummy comes down and you see:
♠QJ87
♥2
♦AKQ642
♣Q8
♠AK
♥AKJ83
♦1098
♣J64
You take the first trick with the ♥K as declarer follows
with the ♥9.
What now? East could see four tricks for his side - 2
Hearts and 2 Spades. Where was the fifth trick
coming from? It looks like declarer has one heart trick
in the Queen and that the best chance of taking the
11
contract off is to hope that partner has the ♣K - there
is room in his hand for that card, just.
So, East switches to the ♣4. Alas, the full hand was:
♠QJ87
♥2
♦AKQ642
♣Q8
♠9532
♠AK
♥Q76
♥AKJ83
♦3
♦1098
♣107532
♣J64
♠1064
♥10965
♦J75
♣AK9
Declarer wraps up nine tricks in very short order and
you sit there saying - how was I supposed to know
that partner had the ♥Q!?!
This is a very good question. The fashion for leading
the highest card in partner's suit has gone to the great
bridge game in the sky. And, when was the last time
you bid No Trumps not exactly having a stopper in
opponent's suit, as is true here. And you relied on
partner, or a defensive error, or hope?
So, what we need is a bit of ingenuity.
Play the ♠A! Partner can see the ♠QJ in the dummy,
so cannot possibly think that you are asking him for
attitude in Spades. So, you want something else - and
that something is a suit preference signal!
If West had the ♥Q, he should play the ♠9 - a high
card for the higher suit. If, on the other hand, he has
the ♣K, he should follow to the ♠A with the ♠2 - a low
card for the lower side suit.
Did I hear you say - 'this is too hard, I'd never think of
that!'? Just keep on working away, these plays will
become easier to find and fewer opponents will be
able to steal game contracts from you.
WHO HAS THE ACE from page 4
The ♥7 look like a discouraging card, but is it? If
declarer had the heart Ace he would surely have
played it at trick one because then he can assure
himself of a second heart trick with the heart Jack
now that he knows you must have the heart Queen.
So, he doesn't have the Ace.
Therefore, logically, partner must have the Ace. Then
why did he play the ♥7? Because he had no other
choice - he must have ♥A7 only. He could not
overtake the King with his Ace because then he would
be setting up a trick for dummy's Jack.
At trick two, lead your ♥8.
The hand must look something like:
♠AQ6
♥J93
♦853
♣QJ94
♠J105
♠8732
♥KQ108
♥A7
♦K742
♦106
♣83
♣107652
♠K94
♥6542
♦AQJ9
♣AK
MAKING IT WORK - - The people who win at this game are the ones who, in the
long run, make the fewest mistakes. Reducing your own
errors is one thing. Being accepting of partner's errors is
tougher. Here are some tips for minimizing trouble:
 Stick
to
your
partnership
understandings
agreements as if they were gospel.
and
Don't deviate
from making percentage plays unless there is
overwhelming evidence that you should.
BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU SAY
#I have travelled the length and breadth of this
country and talked with the best people, and I can
assure you that data processing is a fad that won't last
out the year.
Editor in charge of business books for Prentice Hall,
1957
#It would appear that we have reached the limits of
what it is possible to achieve with computer
technology, although one should be careful with such
statements, as they tend to sound pretty silly in 5
years.
John Von Neumann (ca. 1949)
 Work harder to improve your own game. You'll still
be frustrated, but at least your mistakes will occur on
a higher, less embarrassing level.
 Make a rock solid agreement with partner never to
criticize each other at the table.
Make an
arrangement to discuss the hands at another time.
Be sure to listen to partner's point of view with an
open mind. Be prepared to admit that you might,
on occasion, actually be the one in the wrong!
12