September 2016 Cover_Layout 1 02/09/2016 12:55 Page 1

NEW HONORS BOOKS FROM

MASTER POINT PRESS
THE BRIDGE PUBLISHER

Arrow Through the Heart

David Bird and Marguerite Lihou

David Bird’s third book of Robin Hood bridge stories

provides a feast of entertainment for his fans. The 27 stories
contain 113 splendid deals and provide the laugh-aloud
humor and painless instruction for which the author is
renowned.

Illustrator Marguerite Lihou is well known for her humorous

touch and attention to detail. This is David’s first book of
stories to be illustrated.

A Complete System for the

Tournament Bridge Player
Tu÷rul Kaban

This book is designed as a ready-made complete system for

the tournament player. The system framework is 2/1, which
is laid bare in the first part of the book. Then comes the
author’s choice of conventions and methods to cover all
practical aspects of bidding and carding, taking each part of
the convention card in turn.

The book comes with ready-made convention cards

(WBF, ACBL and EBU versions) together with 20-page
supplementary notes which serve as a handy summary of
the entire system discussed in the book.

AVAILABLE FROM CHESS & BRIDGE

2 September 2016 BRIDGE Magazine


I Robot

BRIDGE
The 20th World Computer-Bridge Champion-
ship will take place during the World Bridge
Games in Wroclaw, Poland, in September. The
robot championship is supported by the ACBL
and World Bridge Federation, and is sponsored
this year by Ourgame, a leading card and board
MAGAZINE game company in China. Nine top robots will
compete for the title. It is truly a world event
with entries from the U.S., Germany, the Netherlands, China,
Japan, France and Denmark. Last year’s title went to Jack, defeating
Wbridge5 in a close final. The robots are used by software devel-
opers for computer games and learning software. For a review of
the 20-year history, along with many articles published on robot
44 BAKER STREET play, visit www.computerbridge.com.
LONDON W1U 7RT
Tel: 020-7486 8222 The Right Direction
Fax: 020-7486 3355
email: [email protected] A tournament director workshop will take place in Athens, Greece
http://www.bridgeshop.com
from 2/2/17 to 5/2/17. The workshop starts on Thursday at 16:00
Editor:
with the entry test and ends on Sunday after lunch.
Mark Horton
Assistant Editor: The course is for TDs who are not on the Official TD Register of
Christina Lund Madsen the EBL. The aim is to support local TD training in the NBOs
Advertising: by improving the knowledge and synchronizing the work and
Matthew Read methodology of TDs. The language of the workshop is English.
Photographer:
Ron Tacchi
The cost of the Workshop, including accommodation and full
Proofreaders:
board, is Euro 350.Deadline to register: 30th of November 2016.
Danny Roth For more information visit: http://eurobridge.org/
Monika Kummel
Herman De Wael
Typesetter:
Shape Shifting
Ron Tacchi The ACBL’s Board of Directors removed a legal gray area surround-
BRIDGE Magazine is published
monthly. ing semi-balanced notrump openers when it approved a change
Online Subscriptions: to the definition of a notrump opening in its General Conven-
1 year: £19.95 tion Chart. The change allows hands that include a singleton ace,
Individual Issue:
£2.00 king or queen, as long as they do not also contain a doubleton to
Distributors
CHESS & BRIDGE LTD. open 1NT or 2NT.
44 Baker Street
London W1U 7RT U.K. The change was recommended by the Competitions and Conven-
Views expressed in this publication are not
necessarily those of the Editor. Editorial tions Committee, a group of players appointed by the Board, in
contributions will be published at the
Editor’s discretion and may be shortened an effort to bring regulations in line with popular and expert prac-
if space is limited.
No parts of this publication may be tice. Before, opening notrump with a singleton was considered
reproduced without the prior express
permission of the publishers. All rights
a psych. It was legal, but players could not have an agreement to
reserved. 2016 open such hands 1NT or 2NT.
Now all the ACBL have to do is approve the use of the Multi 2{
at all levels and they will have stepped into line with the rest of
the bridge playing world.

3 September 2016 BRIDGE Magazine


Lawmen
In Washington the ACBL Ethical Oversight Committee announced that overwhelming evidence established
that Lotan Fisher and Ron Schwartz engaged in collusive cheating and gave false information about prior
disciplinary convictions when applying for ACBL membership and they were expelled from the ACBL.
The committee also announced that overwhelming evidence established that Fulvio Fantoni and
Claudio Nunes engaged in collusive cheating and they were expelled from the ACBL.
Meanwhile, the Israeli Bridge Federation Special Ethics Committee published its verdict on
Fischer-Schwartz:
“Nearly a year ago, immediately after the accusations of illicit actions by the pair Fisher-Schwartz, the
Israel Bridge Federation (IBF) was the first authority to react, and it set up a Special Ethics Commit-
tee (SEC) to examine the issue.
“Today the SEC published its verdict determining that this pair is guilty of actions whose purpose was
illegally passing information from one to the other.
“The members of the SEC have reached this conclusion after a long year during which they worked with-
out any remuneration. They spent hundreds of hours, examining the material and throughout took care
to ensure a fair and open process of the highest standards.
“A top objective for the IBF and the SEC was to allow the pair the opportunity to fully present their
claims and explanations and to ensure fair due process without preconceived opinions based on the vari-
ous processes being conducted in parallel by other international and national bodies. The SEC achieved
this difficult mission with success.
“The sentence will be handed out later but the guilty decision strengthens our shared aspiration – we
must fight with all available measures against every attempt to tarnish the image of bridge as a fan-
tastic and clean game.
“With this in mind, following the verdict returned and independently of the sentence to be given later,
the IBF has decided to inform the European Bridge League that it is renouncing the European titles
won by Israeli teams which included the pair Fisher-Schwartz.
1. European Junior Teams Championship, Bulgaria 2011
2. European Open Teams Championship, Croatia 2014
“The IBF was the first authority to act on this issue. On its own initiative it announced its withdrawal
from the World Championship and set up an open, transparent and comprehensive process of which it
can be proud. The IBF is in the process of changing its statutes which will enable it to safeguard the
future cleanliness of the game. We are sure that Israeli bridge and its players will continue to bring
respect and honour and to represent Israel with success in the International field.
“On behalf of the 6,000 members of the IBF we thank the members of the SEC for their difficult and
demanding work (which is not yet concluded): Attorney David Fohrer (chairman) Attorney Asher
Axelrod, Mr Modi Kenigsberg, Mr Eitan Levy and Mr Adrian Schwartz.”
In the USA it has been widely reported that in a regional Swiss two teams sat in the same direction
against each other and played a full match. Both teams included high level professionals. With-
out reporting to the directors that there was a seating problem, the teams turned in a 0-0 IMP
score, and (at least initially) received 10 VP each. Ten people, i.e. all members of the 2 teams that
played that match are to appear before the EOC in Orlando at the Fall Nationals.
The immediate impact is that Mark Lair has withdrawn from the USBF Senior team in the 2016
World Bridge Series in Wroclaw, and Chip Martel has been added to the team.

4 September 2016 BRIDGE Magazine


A Little Learning
This is the time of year when bridge classes break out in a rash, with courses starting all over the
country. If you have a friend you want to encourage to play bridge then English Bridge Educa-
tion and Development can provide details of teachers in all parts of the country - you may have
seen their advertisement in the Daily Telegraph. They can be contacted at: [email protected].
uk, 01296 317208, or www.ebedcio.org.uk/lessons

The Yeh Online Bridge World Cup

We now know the exact composition of the teams who will contest the first Yeh Online World
Cup, 31 October - 2 November 2016 under the auspices of the World Bridge Federation.
Team Europe-Lavazza (based in Turin at the headquarters of Lavazza) will comprise Maria Teresa
Lavazza, Norberto Bocchi, Giorgio Duboin & Augustin Madala alongside the women who cur-
rently hold the top two positions in the world rankings, Sylvie Willard and Bénédicte Cronier.
Team USA-BBO team (based in Seattle) will be Bob Hamman (the all time number 1 in the
world rankings) playing with Jill Meyers (number 2 on the all time women’s list) Fred Gitelman
& Sherri Winestock and Bill Gates and Sharon Osberg.
Team CCBA (based in Beijing) will comprise Mr Zeng Peiyan , former vice premier for economy
& General secretary of the Asian Economic Forum, Mr Guo Jinlong, former Mayor of Beijing
alongside Zhang Bangxiang, Li Jianwei and World Champions Gu Ling & Sun Shaolin.
Team Chen Yeh (also based in Beijing) will be led by Mr Yeh Chen who will be joined by World
Champions Shih Juei-Yu, Chen Dawei, Sun Ming, Zhang Ya-Lan & Wang Ping
At each venue, remotely controlled webcams will monitor each player, steaming live images across
the Internet. Every match will be broadcast live using BBO & Ourgame. The best bridge journal-
ists from around the world will cover the event with voice and written commentaries and there
will be instant Daily Bulletins online. Social media will be utilised to the fullest extent with dedi-
cated accounts on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

In This Issue
I 6 Problem Corner — Ron Tacchi & Patrick Jourdain I 43 Test Your Defence — Julian Pottage
O 7 Patrick Jourdain – Obituary I 45 The Parrot’s Farewell Session — David Bird
I 16 Washington Post — The Editor reports on the GI 53 The Editor reviews a crop of the latest books
final of the 2016 Spingold I 56 Solution to Test Your Defence
GI 34 This Month’s Video Page I 57 Partnership Profile — Mark Horton
GI 36 The Over TheRainbow Bridge Club — Alex I 66 Marks & Comments — Alan Mould
Adamson & Harry Smith

5 September 2016 BRIDGE Magazine

 Intermediate
Ron Tacchi and Solution to Prize Problem 318
Patrick Jourdain’s Counted Out

Problem
♠ AK 8 N ♠ 9653
♥ KQ2 ♥ A7 4
♦ KQJ W E ♦ A 10 4 3
Corner ♣ AK J 6 S ♣ 73
After a simple auction you reach 6NT and receive
sponsored by a small heart lead. Should you duck a spade South
will encumber you by turning up with four cards in
THE ORION PUBLISHING GROUP the suit. Can you play the hand better than I did in
Master Bridge Series our local duplicate last month.
The solution is childishly simple and thus it is prob-
ably why I did not find it.
Non-Prize Problem Win the opening heart lead in hand then play ace
As you will have seen from the front cover and also and a small spade. Win whatever the defence return,
within the magazine Patrick Jourdain passed away cash the king of spades discovering the news that
last month. He was responsible for over 300 Non- South has four of them. Play off one club honour
Prize Problems. I first met Patrick in Lille in 1998 at (not strictly necessary) and then cash all your red-
the World Championships where he persuaded me suit winners ending in dummy. You are now down
to join the IBPA and I even wrote a small article for to a two-card ending with the king and jack of clubs
the Daily Bulletin which also set in train my friend- in your hand and a spade and a club in dummy. You
ship of this magazine’s editor. Patrick was one of those lead dummy’s club, South follows with a low club,
few bridge players who was always courteous, kind do you finesse? Of course not. You know South’s last
and considerate. We all have many friends and asso- card is a spade so the finesse cannot possibly work
ciates of whom we are delighted to know and would so you play the king and are rewarded when North
say ‘He/She is a good person.’ However within our started with doubleton queen of clubs.
own head there would be a silent ‘But....’ With Pat- How did I fail? Well from the opening lead I knew
rick there was no but, he was the genuine article. I North had five hearts and subsequently I discovered
shall miss him greatly. It still seems strange that I was South had only two diamonds and cleverly (or so I
talking and joking with him in the Bulletin Room in thought) counted South for five clubs and that there-
Budapest a matter of a just a few weeks ago. for the finesse was an odds-on proposition. I did not
Obviously the Non-Prize Problems will not be com- stop to realise that had I cashed all my red-suit win-
posed by Patrick any more but I am going to request ners South would be forced to come down to a spade
the editor to leave the title of this segment as the and the same number of clubs as the dummy and
‘Patrick Jourdain’s Non-Prize Problem’ as a mark of that the finesse would not be needed.
respect to a much-loved bridge journalist.

Look for Patrick Jourdain’s Problem Corner,

Congratulations available from Chess & Bridge.
Prize Problem 317
Andy Poole was fortunate enough to have his name
plucked from the sun hat of Mrs T to win this month’s
prize. Prize Problem 319
Easy to Fail
♠ A 10 7 2 N ♠ 9
♥ AK 7 6 3 ♥ 854
♦ K W E ♦ 10 8 7 6 5
♣ Q65 S ♣ AK 8 4
Email your answers to [email protected] or send After North opens a weak two in spades you arrive
on a postcard to The Editor, Bridge Magazine, 44 Baker in Four Hearts. North leads what appears to be a sin-
Street, London, W1U 7RT. Entries must be received before gleton trump knave. What is your plan?
30th September. The first correct solution out of the hat
will receive £15 of BRIDGE Magazine book vouchers.

6 September 2016 BRIDGE Magazine

 Obituary
Patrick Jourdain

T he President of the International

Bridge Press Association lost his short
battle with illness on Thursday 28 July
2016.
With typical foresight he wrote his own
obituary and once that appeared in the
newspaper that he represented for 30 years
‘Patrick Jourdain, Daily Telegraph London,
1,000,000 readers’ it was released to the
rest of the world.
I have been trying hard to remember when
I first met Patrick – it must have been at a
bridge table in the 1980s – and from that
moment on we became the best of friends.
When we were in opposition in a Camrose
match between England & Wales the teams
sported sweaters, the English white with a
red rose, the Welsh burgundian with a yel-
low dragon. When I tried to get him to exchange at the end of the match he refused – the Welsh
sweater was clearly much better made than its English equivalent!
In 1994 Patrick asked me to be his assistant at the EBL’s Mixed Championships in Barcelona.
After a certain amount of soul searching, I agreed – and at the end of the event he announced his
retirement as Chief Editor and as I happened to be on hand the role devolved onto me. That same
year we were teammates when we formed part of the official British squad for the Rosenblum at
the World Championships in Albuquerque and we occasionally played as partners in some of the
many events Patrick was invited to attend.
The following year the European Mixed Championships were held in Rome. There was a tennis
competition and as a keen player, Patrick decided to enter the lists. When he went to enrol, he
spotted that the entrant before him had written his name and that of his club, so he wrote down:
Patrick Jourdain – Dinas Powys (the name of his tennis club).
On the day of his match Patrick turned up to inspect the draw. He discovered that Mr Patrick
Jourdain would face Mr Dinas Powys! (We never discovered who won.)
In 1996 the World Championships were in Rhodes. Patrick had purchased a new laptop espe-
cially for the event but packed it into his main suitcase. That is how he became the first journalist
to operate with a ‘split screen’.
That was not his only adventure with a suitcase.
In 1997 we travelled together to Montecatini for the European Championships. When we arrived
at the airport, I saw Patrick’s suitcase being removed from the carousel by someone else. ‘Patrick,

7 September 2016 BRIDGE Magazine

 Obituary
that man has got your suitcase.’ ‘No, that’s not mine, although they look similar.’ Which is why,
the next day he had to make a round trip of 250 kilometres to affect an exchange.
It was in Montecatini that Patrick had the brilliant idea of holding a Limerick contest. Had the
rules allowed it he would have won his own competition with the following:
A young lady from Montecatini
Had suit symbols on her bikini
Designed by Versace
and worn at La Pace
It earned her a red Lamborghini
He called me at regular intervals, always prefacing his topic with a question – ‘Which country are
you in?’ If it transpired I was in foreign parts he would immediately reply ‘In that case I’ll speak
very quickly.’
He possessed a fine sense of humour – when we came up with the idea of aping one of the best
games from I’m Sorry I haven’t a Clue he delivered these announcement for the late arrivals at
the VuGraph Commentators Ball:
Mr & Mrs Esse and their son, Fin.
Fin’s schoolteachers cannot agree on his progress. His maths teacher describes him as Backward,
his philosophy report says he is Deep. Another boy who looks very like Fin has the nickname
Double Fin Esse.
Patrick’s Bols Bridge Tip proposed that sometimes the secret of making a difficult 3NT is to play
off the long suit. Its worth has been proved more than once and it features on a deal from the
Spingold Final reported in this issue.
He penned a history of the Home Internationals:
http://www.bridgewebs.com/bgb/Brief%20History.htm
He was ever present at every major event, either as a player or a reporter. You can view his record
at www.eurobridge.org
In 2014 he was a member of the Welsh team that won the Commonwealth Nations Bridge Cham-
pionship in Glasgow – he told me it was his proudest moment.
He was a fine player, with hundreds of victories.
Playing in a Camrose match against England he had to handle this combination in a slam:
♥ A 10 8 7 5 3
♥9 ♥ QJ62
♥ K4
He made the safety play of running dummy’s ten. When West (Graham Kirby) had to place his
nine on the table he accompanied it with the words ‘I think this is what you are hoping to see’.
From the early 1970’s Patrick became a regular contributor to Bridge Magazine reporting on Cam-
rose matches and tournaments from around the world.
In January 1973 he played Precision Club with Terence Reese in Lanzarote and the partnership
had the opportunity to try out the methods described in Reese’s new book on the system:

8 September 2016 BRIDGE Magazine

 Obituary
♠ A K 10 9 5 N ♠ Q42
♥3 ♥ AK 2
♦ A7 2 W E ♦ K Q J 10 6 4
♣ AJ 8 4 S ♣5
West East
Reese Jourdain
– 1♦*
2♠ 3♦
4♦ 4♥*
4NT* 5♣*
5NT* 6♥*
7♦ Pass
1♦ Could be short
4♥ Cue-bid
4NT General slam try
5♣ Cue-bid
5NT Trump enquiry
6♥ ♦AK or AQ or KQ
It helped them on their way to first place in the Pairs Championship – but would East have bid
the same way with three small spades?

Patrick Playing against Bill Gates in Montreal in 2002

9 September 2016 BRIDGE Magazine

 Obituary
In 1979 Patrick reported on the Portrush Congress, where, along with Mike Hurst, Des Deery
and Joe Dinnen he won the Teams Championship. His article contained the following:
One of the deals was suitable for describing with that over-my-shoulder style so I might as well
attempt a bit of plagiarism....
‘Playing against the she-had-a-bagful-of-knitting-how-could-I-know-she-was-going-to-psyche-
brigade I pick up:
♠Q986 ♥AQ2 ♦Q4 ♣A965
Partner passes as dealer at love all and the lady on my right opens One Club. Their system has been
described as Acol with the strong no-trump. I like to be in the auction against such opponents
and venture a double. My partner forces with Two Clubs and I reveal my major – Two Spades.
Now partner continues with Three Diamonds. I don’t think he is expecting the auction to stop
there so I bid the inevitable 3NT. This is passed out so the auction has been:
West North East South
— Pass 1♣ Double
Pass 2♣* Pass 2♠
Pass 3♦ Pass 3NT
All Pass

The jack of clubs is led and I await the dummy with some apprehension:
♠ K4
♥ J754
♦ AJ986
♣ Q4
♠ Q986
♥ AQ2
♦ Q4
♣ A965
Dummy’s queen is covered by the king and ace. I suppose I must make a start on the diamonds
and the only convenient way is to run the queen. That loses to the king and the eight of clubs
comes back. That’s interesting. I cover with the nine which West takes with the ten. There is a
short pause whilst West recalls the club pips and then she lays down the seven with an air of pride.
Dummy can spare a heart and, small devilment this, I drop the six from hand. West switches to
the nine of hearts, I play low from dummy and East has a little huddle before she plays low as
well. The queen of hearts wins and I lead a spade to the king and ace. East returns a low spade
which I must win with the queen. West drops the ten and these cards remain:
♠—
♥ J7
♦ AJ98
♣—
♠ 98
♥ A2
♦4
♣5

10 September 2016 BRIDGE Magazine

 Obituary
I need the rest and must make the right move in diamonds. I start by laying down the ace of
hearts and all play small. Now I cash the winning five of clubs to which West follows, dummy
throws the jack of hearts and East the ten. So East had four hearts and only three clubs. It seems
as if her shape was 3-4-3-3. But wait a moment. Didn’t West drop the ten of spades? If that was
a true card then West must have had ♠J105 originally and East had four. Her shape must have
been 4-4-2-3. If I lose a diamond finesse to the bare ten I shall look foolish, but not for the first
time. Backing my judgment I finesse the eight, successfully, for this was the full deal:
♠ K4
♥ J754
♦ AJ986
♣ Q4
♠ J 10 5 N ♠ A7 3 2
♥ 98 ♥ K10 6 3
♦ 10 7 5 3 W E ♦ K2
♣ J 10 7 3 S ♣ K82
♠ Q986
♥ AQ2
♦ Q4
♣ A965
Post-mortem
East had an interesting opportunity for some false-carding in the heart suit had she followed
the pips with care. It is quite safe to retain the six and follow after dummy’s seven with the ten
and then follow dummy’s jack with the king, the card you’re known to hold. Declarer would be
inclined to place the six with West and an extra diamond with East. He plays for diamonds to
break and goes two light.
Had West appreciated the significance of the eight of clubs she would have resisted the temptation
to cash the seven. Switching to any of the remaining suits leaves declarer with too much to do.
Patrick was generally regarded as a player in the classical mould, but he knew how to adopt a
more robust approach when it was required. In the Welsh Graded Pairs in 1977 he held this pow-
erhouse as South:
♠Q6543 ♥J109765 ♦— ♣107
With E/W vulnerable his partner opened 1NT and East doubled. What would you bid with the
South hand?
Sensing that a pre-empt might cause an indiscretion by West, Patrick tried the effect of Four
Hearts. This gave the next player a problem which he solved courageously by bidding Four Spades.
All passed happily and North led a heart. Declarer won and played three rounds of trumps, after
which the defenders took the rest, -600.

11 September 2016 BRIDGE Magazine

 Obituary
In 1980 Patrick reported on the match between Wales & Scotland which featured this deal:
Dealer South. E/W Vul.
♠ A975
♥4
♦ K 10 3
♣ A 10 7 5 3
♠8 N ♠ QJ6432
♥ 83 ♥ 10 9 7
♦ AQ 9 8 5 4 2 W E ♦ J7
♣ KJ4 S ♣ 96
♠ K 10
♥ AKQJ652
♦6
♣ Q82
In the Open Room Victor Goldberg opened a Texas Four Clubs and Barnet Shenkin converted
to Four Hearts. There was more to the auction on VuGraph:
Closed Room
West North East South
Haase Martin Cuthbertson Jourdain
— — — 2♥
3♦ Double Pass 3NT
Pass 4♣ Pass 4♥
Pass 4♠ Pass 6♥
All Pass

Once West has overcalled the slam becomes a sound one because, counting the king of diamonds,
declarer has eleven tricks and there are several ways of exerting pressure on West to produce the
twelfth. In practice no squeeze was needed. West led the eight of spades to the queen and king.
South drew trumps, led the ten of spades to the ace, took the marked ruffing finesse, ruffing when
East covered, led a diamond towards the king and could dispose of both his losing clubs.
Although Patrick eventually cut down his contributions he composed problems for the magazine
for more than 22 years before deciding it was time to stop, although he continued to provide the
non-prize problem.
I have no idea what the Great Shuffler has in mind for my dear friend but when I visited him in
hospital just two days before his death I noticed that he was located in bed number 13.

Anna Gudge penned this tribute:

I knew Patrick for 30 years and worked with him in the old BBL days, as well as more recently
when we met at the various Championships.
Patrick usually had something (in fact often quite a lot!) to say in the BBL Meetings at which I was
Secretary, and it wasn’t always easy to take the minutes, so I did wonder what I was in for when
he was elected as Chairman. I needn’t have had any worries at all – he was one of the best Chair-
men I have ever worked with. Let everyone have their say but cut the waffle and then presented

12 September 2016 BRIDGE Magazine

 Obituary
a clear synopsis so a decision could be made. Every Secretary’s dream!
Once the BBL was devolved I really only met Patrick at the Championships, but I often heard
from him when he wanted details for a Telegraph article or something. And I can still “hear” his
voice across a room when he saw me and came to give me a kiss when we met up!
Patrick was one of the kindest of men – I recall the day when we landed together in Santiago,
Chile, me with raging toothache that had developed on the flight. Patrick took charge, arranged
a dentist, escorted me – a quivering wreck – in the taxi to make sure I was safe, waited and took
me back to the hotel and looked after me. Never will I forget that.
Mark joins me in sending our sincere condolences to his sisters and to his many close friends and
colleagues – Patrick we will all miss you.

Patrick’s ‘Official’ Daily Telegraph Obituary

Patrick David Jourdain
1942-2016
Patrick Jourdain, who was born on 1st November 1942, was bridge correspondent of the Daily
Telegraph from 1992 and Wales’ most-capped bridge player with more than seventy appearances
over six decades for the Principality in the Home Internationals.
Jourdain was the bridge-journalist’s journalist. The International Bridge Press Association is a club
of the world’s leading bridge columnists and journalists. For twenty years, from 1982, Jourdain
was Editor of its monthly Bulletin which acted as the source of many of the world’s bridge col-
umns, read by many millions of players. In 2003 he was elected IBPA’s President.
Jourdain was born on 1st November 1942 to a middle-class family in Woking, Surrey. His father,
a vicar’s son, worked in the Patent Office, the Lord President’s Office and was then an inspector
for the Agricultural Research Council – commuting to London every day throughout the war. He
went to Egypt immediately after the war and also took a part in the trade treaty with the Benelux
Coutries. His mother was the daughter of a radiologist at Bart’s Hospital, one of the first with a
practice outside London. He built his own X-ray machine for his practice in Woking and then
gave it to the local hospital.
Jourdain was educated at St. Edward’s School, Oxford where he founded the school bridge club
in his last year at school. He served the church as a boat boy when very young and continued
all his life to sing (bass) at church Festivals and attend the annual All Saint’s day service on his
birthday. He won a scholarship to Peterhouse, Cambridge where, in theory, he read Physics and
Natural Sciences whilst actually spending much of his time playing bridge. He was Secretary of
the University Bridge Club and played in the 1964 Varsity match.
His first job after graduation was in Operational Research for the GKN Steel Company in Car-
diff, which was nationalised shortly after he joined it. In 1965, on the morning the Trials for the
Welsh Bridge team were due to start, a player was taken ill. Jourdain was called in as a substitute,
and after a few minutes preparation with his new partner, Roy Griffin of Swansea, the pair went
on to win the Trials. The Selectors had promised the winners a match and so Wales fielded its
youngest ever-player at the age of 23 in the match against Northern Ireland in Belfast in early
1966. For six consecutive decades Jourdain was a regular feature on Welsh teams.
In 1973 Jourdain was promoted by British Steel to run a team in Glasgow designing computer

13 September 2016 BRIDGE Magazine

 Obituary
systems for the nationalised company. In bridge two years’ residence of a country qualifies you
to represent it, and Jourdain played two matches for Scotland in 1977 helping Scotland win the
Home Internationals for the Camrose Trophy. The trophy for the annual bridge match between
Scotland and Wales now bears his name.
In 1976 Jourdain had won the Gold Cup, the British knockout Championships, and was already
earning money as a writer and teacher of bridge. He took the major decision to switch to bridge
fulltime, something that came as a surprise to British Steel who had him on a high-flier list for
senior management.
Jourdain returned to Cardiff in 1977 as manager of the main bridge club in Cardiff and bridge
correspondent of the Western Mail. He also became the bridge journalist for Channel 4’s teletext
section on bridge. After re-qualifying for Wales by residence he became the squad’s most frequent
member. From 1982 when he became Editor of the Press Association’s magazine he also under-
studied GCH Fox, bridge correspondent of the Daily Telegraph, reporting for the newspaper from
each World and European Championship.
When “Foxy” retired from the post of correspondent in 1992, retaining the post of columnist,
Jourdain became the correspondent, reporting bridge news. On the rare occasion bridge made
the front page it was mostly scandal. When a quirky story about a computer coming fifth in a
field of the world’s top bridge players in solving bridge problems, made the front page, Jourdain
was exhilarated. “Today,” he told a friend, “my words have been read by more people than saw
Shakespeare when he was alive!” “Ah”, his friend replied, “but how many of them will remember
your words two hundred years after you are dead?”

Patrick celebrating his birthday with Jean-Paul Meyer

during the World Championships in Paris 2001

14 September 2016 BRIDGE Magazine

 Obituary
In 1999 Jourdain was the key person in the exposure of a Welsh international bridge player as a
cheat. In such cases allegations are frequent, convictions rare, but once Jourdain realised what was
happening he spent months gathering evidence. At the denouement at a Welsh National Cham-
pionship independent witnesses observed the player exchanging shuffled packs for prepared decks
where he knew every card. At the subsequent Laws & Ethics Hearing, faced with the irrefutable
evidence, the player confessed and was suspended for ten years. The story made the front page of
the Daily Telegraph and was picked up by the media throughout the world.
At the 2002 World Championships in Montreal, Jourdain competed against Bill Gates (see photo).
At the Press Awards, Jourdain was declared Bridge Personality of the Year. At the time Jourdain sup-
ported the addition of Mind games to the Olympics and as a journalist in Montreal he achieved
a world scoop. At the time, bridge was trying to get into Olympic Games and had taken up the
same drug-testing procedures. On the grapevine he heard a player had refused a drug-test but no
name had been released. At the prize-giving banquet he noticed that when the American women’s
team went up to get their medals a player was missing. He located the missing player and she told
her story of being stripped of her medal for refusing to take the drug test, asking him to make her
treatment public. The story made the front page of the Telegraph and was picked up from there
by the BBC World News and the main American press and television stations who interviewed
the player on prime time television. The following year in Menton for the European Open she
spotted Jourdain and came rushing over. “When I told you to make my treatment public,” she
said, “I did not expect the whole world to know!”
When in China he played bridge with Mao Tse Tung, a good player, and was commissioned to
write the eminent Chairman’s obituary for the Daily Telegraph.
In 2010 Jourdain was organiser of the Buffett Cup bridge match between Europe and the USA
that preceded the Ryder Cup golf match between the two. Two of the finest bridge teams ever to
compete in Britain saw a win for the USA.
In 2014 Jourdain was on the team that won the first Welsh Premier League. The team represented
Wales in the Commonwealth Nations Bridge Championship and won the gold medal. The same
team was selected for the 2015 Camrose Home Internationals, finishing a narrow second to the
Republic of Ireland. This was Jourdain’s first Camrose season for ten years.
Jourdain was co-author with Terence Reese of “Squeeze Play is Easy” (1980) and on his own wrote
“Play the Game Bridge” (1990), “The Daily Telegraph Easy Guide to Acol Bridge” (2005) and
Patrick Jourdain’s Problem Corner (2009). At the Cardiff School of Bridge where he was Princi-
pal, he taught more than a thousand people to play bridge.
Jourdain was a social golfer and tennis-player. He never married. He is survived by his two older
sisters, Jennifer and Susan.

15 September 2016 BRIDGE Magazine

 Intermediate
Washington Post
The Editor reports on the final of the 2016 Spingold

T he final of the 2016 Spingold saw the number eight seeds, Pierre Zimmermann’s Franck Mul-
ton, Geir Helgemo, Tor Helness, Krzysztof Martens and Dominik Filipowicz take on the
team seeded second, Martin Fleisher’s Chip Martel, Brad Moss, Joe Grue, Sabine Auken and
Roy Welland. It promised to be an exciting match especially if one recalls the incident during
the 2013 Vanderbilt involving four of the players: http://tinyurl.com/jvedjpq and: http://tinyurl.
com/gqd3ot4.
Board 3. Dealer South. None Vul.
♠ A9632
♥ Q8765
♦ 10
♣ AK
♠ J 10 N ♠ K85
♥ J2 ♥ A9 3
♦ AJ 8 7 2 W E ♦ Q9653
♣ 9874 S ♣ J 10
♠ Q74
♥ K 10 4
♦ K4
♣ Q6532
Open Room
West North East South
Moss Multon Grue Zimmermann
– – – 1NT*
Pass 4♣* Pass 4♥
All Pass
1NT 10-12 or 13 if only two clubs
4♣ Both majors
West led the ace of diamonds, hoping that it would not blow a defensive trick and that the sight
of dummy would be revealing. East followed with the nine of diamonds and West switched to
the jack of spades. East won with the king and returned the eight and when he came in with the
ace of hearts he could give his partner a spade ruff, one down, -50.
Closed Room
West North East South
Helgemo Auken Helness Welland
– – – 1♣*
Pass 2♦* Pass 2♠
Pass 3♥ Pass 3♠
Pass 4♠ All Pass
1♣ May be any balanced hand including any other five-card suit, also 5422
2♦ 5♠ and 4+♥, 6-10

16 September 2016 BRIDGE Magazine

 Intermediate
South’s decision to play in spades (perhaps following the prin- ♠ A9632
ciple of choosing the weaker holding) was a winner. West led ♥ Q8765
the jack of spades and East won with the king and returned ♦ 10
♣ AK
the suit. Declarer won with dummy’s ace, unblocked the ♠ J 10 ♠ K85
clubs, came to hand with the queen of spades, pitched a dia- N
♥ J2 ♥ A9 3
mond on the queen of clubs and played a heart to the queen ♦ AJ 8 7 2 W E ♦ Q9653
and ace. He ruffed the diamond return in dummy, played a ♣ 9874 S ♣ J 10
heart to the king and claimed, +450 and 11 IMPs. ♠ Q74
♥ K 10 4
If West starts with a heart, declarer needs to get the trumps ♦ K4
right, crossing to the ace and then playing back to the queen. ♣ Q6532
Board 8. Dealer West. None Vul.
♠ KQ972
♥ Q9543
♦ 10
♣ 42
♠ A5 3 N ♠ J84
♥ K72 ♥ 10 8
♦ AK 7 6 2 W E ♦ 843
♣ 95 S ♣ Q J 10 6 3
♠ 10 6
♥ AJ6
♦ QJ95
♣ AK87
Open Room
West North East South
Moss Multon Grue Zimmermann
1NT* 2♣* Pass 2♦*
Double Pass Pass Redouble
Pass 2♥ Pass 4♥
All Pass
1NT 14-16
2♣ Majors
2♦ Game try
East led the jack of clubs and declarer won with dummy’s king, played a spade to the king and
the ten of diamonds. West won with the ace and returned a club, declarer winning with dummy’s
ace and playing the ten of spades. West took the ace and returned a spade to declarer’s queen. A
heart to the jack lost to the king, but declarer had the rest, +420.
Closed Room
West North East South
Helgemo Auken Helness Welland
1NT 2♣* Pass 2♦*
Pass 2♥ Pass 3♥
All Pass
2♣ Majors
2♦ Game try
South’s more conservative approach resulted in the game being missed. Play followed a similar
pattern, +170 and 6 IMPs for Zimmermann.

17 September 2016 BRIDGE Magazine

 Intermediate
Board 10. Dealer East. All Vul.
♠ 10 8 7 4 3
♥ Q 10
♦ K953
♣ 10 7
♠9 N ♠ KQ65
♥ J54 ♥ K6
♦ Q J 10 4 W E ♦ 62
♣ J9652 S ♣ AK Q 8 3
♠ AJ2
♥ A98732
♦ A87
♣4
Open Room
West North East South
Moss Multon Grue Zimmermann
– – 1♣ 1♥
3♣ Pass 3NT Double
4♣ All Pass

When 3NT was doubled West wisely removed to higher ground.

South led the ace of spades and switched to the ace of hearts. North’s ten was encouraging, but
when South continued with a heart declarer could win with the king, draw trumps and pitch a
diamond on the jack of hearts, +130.
Before playing a second heart South should have cashed the ace of diamonds, continuing the
suit when North follows with the nine. If North discourages he can go back to hearts hoping to
find partner with the king.
Closed Room
West North East South
Helgemo Auken Helness Welland
– – 1♣ 1♥
3♣* Pass 3NT All Pass
3♣ Weak raise
South elected to lead the jack of spades (a heart should result in an easy three down) and declarer
won with the queen and played a diamond for the eight, queen and king. When North returned
the seven of spades declarer put up the king and South won and returned the suit which gave the
defenders seven tricks, three down, -300 and 10 IMPs.

18 September 2016 BRIDGE Magazine

 Intermediate
Board 11. Dealer South. None Vul.
♠ KJ96
♥ QJ
♦ A98
♣ A652
♠ Q74 N ♠ A5
♥ 10 9 4 2 ♥ AK 7 3
♦ Q2 W E ♦ K J 10 4 3
♣ 9743 S ♣ K8
♠ 10 8 3 2
♥ 865
♦ 765
♣ Q J 10
Open Room
West North East South
Moss Multon Grue Zimmermann
– – – Pass
Pass 1♣ Double Pass
1♥ Pass 3♥ Pass
4♥ All Pass

North led the queen of hearts and declarer won with dummy’s ace, played a diamond to the queen
and a diamond, North taking the ace and switching to the five of clubs. Declarer put up dummy’s
king, cashed the king of hearts and claimed +450 when the jack fell.
Closed Room
West North East South
Helgemo Auken Helness Welland
– – – Pass
Pass 1♣ Double Pass
1♥ Pass 3♥ All Pass

Had E/W been vulnerable I suspect West would have raised to game, despite the modest nature
of his hand.
Once again North led the queen of hearts and declarer won in dummy, cashed a second heart,
took a third round and claimed eleven tricks for a loss of 6 IMPs.
Fleisher led 27-9.
You can replay these deals at: http://tinyurl.com/gq94eug

19 September 2016 BRIDGE Magazine

 Intermediate
Board 17. Dealer North. None Vul.
♠ 10 6
♥ 10 9 4
♦ J853
♣ AKJ6
♠ 874 N ♠ A5 3
♥ K2 ♥ AJ 7 5
♦ Q76 W E ♦ AK 9
♣ 10 8 7 5 4 S ♣ 932
♠ KQJ92
♥ Q863
♦ 10 4 2
♣Q
Open Room
West North East South
Welland Martens Auken Zimmermann
– Pass 1NT 2♣*
Pass 2♥ All Pass
2♣ Majors
The defenders started with three rounds of diamonds, West switching to the four of clubs at trick
four. Declarer won in hand and played the king of spades. East took the ace and returned the
suit and declarer won with the ten and ran the nine of hearts to West’s king. He ruffed the spade
return, pitched two spades on top clubs and then tried the ten of hearts. East covered with the
jack and scored the last two tricks with the ♥A7 for two down, +100.
Having been allowed access to his hand with the ♠10 declarer should have played the winning
clubs. East can ruff the fourth round, but declarer overruffs, ruffs a spade and can now secure a
seventh trick by running the ten of hearts.
East can prevent this by ducking the king of spades. She wins the next spade and can exit with
a spade. that upsets declarer’s timing and the contract must fail by two tricks.
Closed Room
West North East South
Helgemo Fleisher Helness Martel
– Pass 1NT 2♣*
2NT* All Pass
2♣ Majors
I am sure 2NT meant something. Assuming it was in principle a weak takeout it might be that
East thought there was little point in getting a level higher.
South led the king of spades and continued with the jack. Declarer took that with the ace,
played three rounds of diamonds ending in dummy, cashed the king of hearts and exited with a
club. North went up with the king (a crocodile coup) cashed the jack of diamonds and declarer
saved some time by acknowledging that he could only score one more trick, two down, -100 and
5 IMPs to Fleisher.

20 September 2016 BRIDGE Magazine

 Intermediate
Board 20. Dealer West. All Vul.
♠3
♥ AK7642
♦ 653
♣ 985
♠ 10 2 N ♠ Q986
♥ J9 ♥ Q 10
♦ AK Q J 8 4 W E ♦ 972
♣ J64 S ♣ K Q 10 3
♠ AKJ754
♥ 853
♦ 10
♣ A72
Open Room
West North East South
Welland Martens Auken Zimmermann
1NT* Pass 2♠* Double
Pass Pass 2NT All Pass
1NT 14-16
2♠ Balanced invitational or 6+♣ invitational+ or /6+♦ invitational
Leading a top heart (or a spade) would have given the defenders an easy route to five down, but
North not unreasonably started with the six of hearts and declarer won with dummy’s queen and
claimed seven tricks, -100.
Closed Room
West North East South
Helgemo Fleisher Helness Martel
1♦ 1♥ Double* 2♣
2♦ 2♥ 3♦ 4♥
All Pass

East led the king of clubs and declarer won with dummy’s ace, cashed the top hearts and claimed
ten tricks, +620 and 11 IMPs, the only double digit swing of the set.

21 September 2016 BRIDGE Magazine

 Intermediate
Board 29. Dealer North. All Vul.
♠ 10 2
♥ AJ98
♦ AQJ53
♣ J3
♠ K643 N ♠A
♥ K76 ♥ Q5432
♦2 W E ♦ K984
♣ 10 9 5 4 2 S ♣ 876
♠ QJ9875
♥ 10
♦ 10 7 6
♣ AKQ
Open Room
West North East South
Welland Martens Auken Zimmermann
– 1♦ 1♥ Double*
3♥ Pass Pass Double
All Pass

Jumping to 3♥ with only three-card support was hardly a law-abiding action and when South
reopened with a double North was happy to play for penalties.
In theory N/S can collect +1100 (South cashes three clubs, North pitching a spade and switches
to the ten of hearts. Declarer wins in hand, unblocks the spades and ducks a diamond, but South
wins and plays a second diamond.)
South led the ace of clubs, but a slight misstep saw declarer scramble six tricks, -800.
Closed Room
West North East South
Helgemo Fleisher Helness Martel
– 1♦ 1♥ 1♠
2♥ Pass Pass Double
All Pass

South led the queen of clubs and then switched to the ten of hearts. Declarer won with the queen,
cashed the ace of spades and exited with a club. South won, cashed a third club and exited with
the six of diamonds. North won with the ace and continued with the queen, but declarer could
win with the king, ruff a diamond and play the king of spades, ensuring six tricks, two down,
-500 and 7 IMPs to Zimmermann.
Fleisher won a low scoring session 17-10 to lead 44-19.
You can replay these deals at: http://tinyurl.com/jsj8432
The third set started well for the team playing catch up. Welland/Auken bid a game with four top
losers to drop 5 IMPs and then contrived to play in a 4-2 fit which cost a further 6 IMPs. They
appeared to have steadied the ship on the next board when they defeated 4♠ but at the other table
a mildly aggressive double by Helness netted +500 for another 5 IMPs.

22 September 2016 BRIDGE Magazine

 Intermediate
Board 4. Dealer West. All Vul.
♠ 982
♥ QJ2
♦ QJ953
♣ 83
♠ A 10 7 5 4 N ♠3
♥ K864 ♥3
♦ 74 W E ♦ A K 10 6 2
♣ A4 S ♣ K Q 10 9 7 5
♠ KQJ6
♥ A 10 9 7 5
♦8
♣ J62
Open Room
West North East South
Auken Multon Welland Martens
1♠ Pass 1NT* Pass
2NT* Pass 3♣* Pass
3♦* Pass 4♣ Pass
4♦ Pass 5♣ All Pass
1NT Artificial game force
2NT 5+♠, 4+♥, 5422 or 6511 or 7411
3♣ Relay
3♦ 5422, 11-15
It is possible that 4♣ was optional RKCB and 4♦ rejected it.
South led the six of clubs and declarer won in hand with the ten and attempted to cash the top
diamonds. South ruffed the second round and exited with a trump. The remaining cards were
played so quickly that what happened next is unclear, but declarer finished three down, -300.
After the trump lead declarer has an unlikely way to get home by crossing to dummy with a
trump and playing a diamond, putting in the ten if North plays low.
Closed Room
West North East South
Helgemo Grue Helness Moss
1♠ Pass 2♣ Pass
2♥ Pass 3♣ Pass
3♦* Pass 3NT All Pass
3♦ Fourth suit forcing
South led the six of spades and declarer won with dummy’s ace and went after the clubs. When
they broke he was in the clear, +600 and 14 IMPs to Zimmermann, who had taken the lead.

23 September 2016 BRIDGE Magazine

 Intermediate
Board 5. Dealer North. N/S Vul.
♠ A853
♥ Q 10 3 2
♦ 10 9 4
♣ A9
♠ QJ6 N ♠ K742
♥ 965 ♥—
♦ AJ W E ♦ KQ765
♣ K Q 10 4 3 S ♣ J652
♠ 10 9
♥ AKJ874
♦ 832
♣ 87
Open Room
West North East South
Auken Multon Welland Martens
– Pass 1♦* 1♥
1♠ 2NT* Pass 3♥
Double All Pass
1♦ Unbalanced, usually 5+♦ unless 4441
2NT Heart raise
West led a trump and declarer played three rounds of the suit, East pitching the seven and five
of diamonds and the two of clubs, followed by a spade to the ten. West won and switched to the
jack of clubs and declarer had to go one down, -200.
If declarer had started spades by leading the nine from hand West would have needed to cover.
Closed Room
West North East South
Helgemo Grue Helness Moss
– Pass Pass 1♥
Double 2NT* 4♥* Pass
4♠ All Pass
2NT Heart raise
4♥ Heart shortage
North led the ace of clubs and continued the suit. Declarer won with dummy’s jack, crossed to
the ace of diamonds and played the jack of spades. When that held he continued with the six of
spades. Had North ducked declarer would have been home, but he put up the ace and switched
to the two of hearts. Declarer ruffed and cashed the king of spades. When South discarded the
contract was in tatters, three down, -150 and 8 IMPs back to Fleisher, who regained the lead.
The best game for E/W is 5♣. Superficially it looks as if a spade lead might defeat it, but if
declarer reads the situation he can get home by playing diamonds to pitch a spade before touch-
ing trumps.
Facing a passed partner West could have passed over 1♥. Say North bid 2NT* and then passed
over South’s 3♥. If East now finds a double West might bid 5♣.

24 September 2016 BRIDGE Magazine

 Intermediate
Board 6. Dealer East. E/W Vul.
♠ J 10 4 2
♥ AK94
♦ K84
♣ AQ
♠ AQ 8 N ♠ 973
♥ Q762 ♥J
♦ A9 2 W E ♦ 10 7 5 3
♣ J63 S ♣ 10 8 5 4 2
♠ K65
♥ 10 8 5 3
♦ QJ6
♣ K97
Open Room
West North East South
Auken Multon Welland Martens
– – Pass Pass
1♣* 1NT Pass 3NT
All Pass
1♣ May be any balanced hand including any other five-card suit, also 5422
East led the two of clubs and declarer won with the queen and ran the ten of spades to West’s
queen. The club return saw declarer win with the ace and play the four of diamonds for the queen
and ace and West cleared the clubs. Declarer’s next move was to run the ten of hearts and East
won, cashed his clubs and played a spade for two down, -100.
Closed Room
West North East South
Helgemo Grue Helness Moss
– – Pass Pass
1♥ 1NT Pass 3NT
All Pass

East led the jack of hearts and declarer won with the king and played the two of spades for the
king and ace. He took the switch to the two of diamonds with the king, unblocked the clubs and
played the jack of spades. West won and cashed the ace of diamonds, declarer claiming the bal-
ance, +430 and 11 IMPs.

25 September 2016 BRIDGE Magazine

 Intermediate
Board 8. Dealer West. None Vul.
♠ A643
♥ K95
♦ 10 8 5
♣ J82
♠ 752 N ♠ 10 8
♥ 10 8 3 2 ♥ QJ74
♦ Q72 W E ♦ AJ 4
♣ 764 S ♣ K Q 10 5
♠ KQJ9
♥ A6
♦ K963
♣ A93
Open Room
West North East South
Auken Multon Welland Martens
Pass Pass 1♣* 1NT
Pass 2NT Pass 3NT
All Pass
1♣ May be any balanced hand including any other five-card suit, also 5422
West led the seven of spades and declarer won with the king and followed Patrick Jourdain’s Bols
Bridge Tip by cashing three more rounds of the suit. When East pitched the five of clubs on the
third round declarer could win the fourth spade in dummy and run the ten of diamonds. West
won and switched to the seven of clubs, ducked to East’s ten. Declarer won the heart switch with
dummy’s king and played a diamond. When East’s ace appeared and the suit divided declarer was
home, +400.
Closed Room
West North East South
Helgemo Grue Helness Moss
Pass Pass 1♣ 1♠
Pass 3♠ Pass 4♠
All Pass

West led the four of clubs and East won with the ten and continued with the king. Declarer ducked,
won the next club drew trumps and played a diamond. That got him up to nine tricks, but there
was no way to generate a tenth, one down, -50 and 10 IMPs away.

26 September 2016 BRIDGE Magazine

 Intermediate
Board 12. Dealer West. N/S Vul.
♠ KJ52
♥Q
♦ 876
♣ K Q 10 9 5
♠8 N ♠ Q943
♥ A 10 7 4 3 ♥ K98652
♦ QJ943 W E ♦2
♣ 63 S ♣ A7
♠ A 10 7 6
♥J
♦ A K 10 5
♣ J842
Open Room
West North East South
Auken Multon Welland Martens
2♥* Double 4♥ 4♠
Double* Pass 5♥ All Pass
2♥ 3-9, 5+♥, very light 1st non vul v vul
Dble Action double
East did the right thing by removing the double, as 4♠ would almost certainly have made.
North led the king of clubs and declarer won with dummy’s ace, took around of trumps and
played the jack of diamonds, South winning and cashing a trick in each black suit for +50.
Closed Room
West North East South
Helgemo Grue Helness Moss
Pass Pass 1♥ Double
4♥ 4♠ Pass Pass
5♥ Double All Pass

South led the king of diamonds and when West followed with the eight he switched to the jack
of hearts. Declarer won with dummy’s ace, ruffed a diamond, gave up a spade and claimed. He
could win the return and cross ruff, establishing a diamond along the way for +650 and 12 IMPs,
putting Zimmermann back in the lead.

27 September 2016 BRIDGE Magazine

 Intermediate
Board 13. Dealer North. All Vul.
♠ Q 10 9 2
♥ J 10
♦ J 10 9 4
♣ 864
♠ AK 7 N ♠ 85
♥ 8752 ♥ KQ964
♦ K83 W E ♦ AQ 5 2
♣ J52 S ♣ 10 7
♠ J643
♥ A3
♦ 76
♣ AKQ93
Open Room
West North East South
Auken Multon Welland Martens
– Pass 1♥ Double
2♦* Pass 2♥ Pass
2NT Pass 3♣ Pass
4♥ All Pass
2♦ Good raise with 3/4♥
With trumps 2-2 there were only three losers, +620.
Closed Room
West North East South
Helgemo Grue Helness Moss
– Pass 1♥ Double
2NT* Pass 3♥ All Pass
2NT 9+ with ♥ support
+170, but 10 IMPs in the out column.
Once East’s five-card suit is supported his hand increases in value by around that of an extra
king, but it was not enough to persuade East to try for the game bonus.
Zimmermann took the set 54-30 to trail by a single IMP, 73-74.
You can replay these deals at: http://tinyurl.com/jp2gh4x

28 September 2016 BRIDGE Magazine

 Intermediate
Board 20. Dealer West. All Vul.
♠ 63
♥ K983
♦ AJ742
♣ K5
♠ K Q J 10 9 4 N ♠ A7 5
♥ 10 5 4 ♥—
♦ 65 W E ♦ K 10 9 3
♣ 64 S ♣ A Q 10 7 3 2
♠ 82
♥ AQJ762
♦ Q8
♣ J98
Open Room
West North East South
Moss Helness Grue Helgemo
2♠ Double 2NT* 4♥
Pass Pass 4♠ All Pass

Declarer ruffed the heart lead with dummy’s ace of spades, played a spade to the queen and a club
to the queen. When that held he played three more rounds of trumps followed by a diamond,
claiming ten tricks when North produced the ace.
Closed Room
West North East South
Martens Fleisher Multon Martel
2♦* Pass 2♥* Pass
2♠ Double* 4♥* All Pass
2♦ Multi
2♥ Pass or correct
Double Take out of spades
4♥ Splinter
What a tragedy.
With a wonderfully suitable hand for spades East felt entitled to look for a slam – and the dis-
position of the black suits mean that 6♠ will make. It might be that East was intending to bid 5♠
over partner’s 4♠ when West’s trumps are good enough to go on to the slam.
South led the ace of hearts followed by the queen and then the two and North won and switched
to the two of diamonds. Although declarer failed to put up the king he was allowed to score five
tricks when North failed to take the ace of diamonds, -500 and 15 IMPs.

29 September 2016 BRIDGE Magazine

 Intermediate
Board 22. Dealer East. E/W Vul.
♠ KQ95
♥ AQ6
♦ 83
♣ J 10 6 3
♠ 87432 N ♠—
♥ 82 ♥ K 10 7 4 3
♦ A9 4 W E ♦ Q52
♣ AK 4 S ♣ Q9852
♠ A J 10 6
♥ J95
♦ K J 10 7 6
♣7
Open Room
West North East South
Moss Helness Grue Helgemo
– – Pass 1♦
1♠ All Pass

North led the eight of diamonds and when his ten held South switched to the seven of clubs.
Declarer won with the ace and played the eight of hearts. North took the ace and returned the
six of clubs. South ruffed and played the six of diamonds and declarer went up with the ace and
played the eight of spades. South won with the ten,cashed the king of diamonds and continued
with the jack, the defensive crossruff holding declarer to four tricks, -300.
Closed Room
West North East South
Martens Fleisher Multon Martel
– – 2♥* All Pass
2♥ Hearts and a minor, weak
South led the jack of diamonds and declarer decided to go up with dummy’s ace. A heart to the
king was followed by a club to the ace and the king of clubs. South ruffed and continued with the
king of diamonds and a diamond. North ruffed and returned the jack of clubs, but now declarer
was in the clear – he could ruff a club in dummy and lose only to the ace of hearts, +110 and 9
IMPs.
Having cashed the king of diamonds, South needed to switch to spades. That should not have
been too difficult, as East had to be 1-5-3-4 or have his actual distribution.
Zimmermann picked up 3 IMPs via overtricks to trail by just 5 IMPs with five deals to go.

30 September 2016 BRIDGE Magazine

 Intermediate
Board 26. Dealer East. All Vul.
♠ AJ54
♥ K75
♦ J972
♣ K3
♠ K 10 9 2 N ♠ Q87
♥ QJ3 ♥ A9 6 4
♦ K84 W E ♦ Q 10 5
♣ 975 S ♣ AQ J
♠ 63
♥ 10 8 2
♦ A63
♣ 10 8 6 4 2
Open Room
West North East South
Moss Helness Grue Helgemo
– – 1NT Pass
3NT All Pass

South led the two of clubs, declarer taking North’s king with the ace and playing a spade to the
king and ace. Declarer won the club return with the queen and played a heart to the eight, queen
and king. Back came the nine of diamonds and South won with the ace and cleared the clubs.
Declarer took three rounds of hearts followed by two diamonds ending in dummy. When South
pitched the six of spades on the last of these he was known to be 2-3-3-5, so declarer could safely
take the spade finesse for an overtrick. However, when he played dummy’s ten North covered
with the jack and declarer followed with the eight, getting back to +600.
Closed Room
West North East South
Martens Fleisher Multon Martel
– – 1NT Pass
2NT All Pass

Facing a 15-17 1NT West was only prepared to invite game, which is surprising. Declarer won
the club lead and played the queen of spades, ducked, and continued with the eight, North win-
ning with the jack and switching to the nine of diamonds for the ten and ace. A diamond went
to declarer’s queen and he knocked out the ace of spades, won the club return and played a heart
to the queen for nine tricks, +150 but a vital 10 IMP pick up for Fleisher.

31 September 2016 BRIDGE Magazine

 Intermediate
Board 27. Dealer South. None Vul.
♠ 10 6 2
♥ K 10 7 5
♦ QJ53
♣ J7
♠ KJ5 N ♠ A9 8
♥J ♥ A9 8 6 3
♦ K 10 9 8 W E ♦4
♣ 98543 S ♣ KQ62
♠ Q743
♥ Q42
♦ A762
♣ A 10
Open Room
West North East South
Moss Helness Grue Helgemo
– – – 1♦
Pass 1♥ Pass 1♠
Pass 2♣* Pass 2♦*
Pass Pass Double All Pass
2♣ Forces 2♦
West, perhaps influenced by the fact that 2♦ doubled making would not deliver a game bonus,
picked the right moment to play for a penalty.
He led the jack of hearts and had East won and returned a heart the defenders would have col-
lected +500 (West ruffs and returns whichever black suit East has asked for, the defenders taking
three spades, the ace of hearts, two heart ruffs and a club). However, East ducked and declarer
won with the queen and played a diamond to the ten and queen. he continued with dummy’s
king of hearts and East took the ace and switched to the queen of clubs. Declarer won with the
ace, cashed the ace of diamonds and played a heart. West ruffed and switched to the five of spades
and East won, cashed a club and then went back to spades for two down, -300.
Closed Room
West North East South
Martens Fleisher Multon Martel
– – – 1♣*
Pass 1♦* Pass 1♥*
Pass 1NT All Pass
1♣ 2+♣
1♦ 4+♥
1♥ 2/3♥ balanced minimum or 1345 or 4♥ with a bad hand
With an awkward lead East opted for the three of hearts (a top club works best) and declarer took
West’s jack with the king and returned the five of hearts. Going up with the ace and switching
to clubs would have got the defenders back on course for +150, but East put in the eight and
declarer won with dummy’s queen and could now have escaped for one down by playing a low
diamond. However, he cashed the ace and then played the two. He could win with the queen, but
when he exited with a spade West won and switched to a club for the queen and ace. West took

32 September 2016 BRIDGE Magazine

 Intermediate
the diamond exit with the king and the defenders had the rest, +100 but another 5 IMPs away.
Zimmermann was 20 IMPs adrift, but on the following deal East held ♠QJ10975 ♥AK105 ♦10
♣Q2 and saw North open 1NT. Grue overcalled 2♥ showing spades and South raised to 3NT.
Leading a top spade would have held declarer to eight tricks, but Grue led the ace of hearts and
the cost a vital tempo, enabling declarer to set up his ninth trick in hearts (he had ♥943 oppo-
site ♥QJ6).
In the replay Multon overcalled 3[ but then made the same disastrous lead, so no swing.
Zimmermann recovered 6 IMPs on the final deal to lose by 15 IMPs, 91-106.
You can replay these deals at: http://tinyurl.com/jslw♦2

Summer Showcase from

MASTER POINT PRESS the bridge publisher

25 BRIDGE CONVENTIONS YOU SHOULD KNOW: THE RIGHT BID AT THE RIGHT TIME
PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT
Neil Kimelman
Barbara Seagram and David Bird

AVAILABLE FROM CHESS & BRIDGE

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33 September 2016 BRIDGE Magazine

Back to the Future
VIDEO OF THE MONTH 3

The 2016 World Youth Teams Championships took place at the Palazzo dei Congressi in
Salsomaggiore Terme, Italy, between 3-13 August They comprised four World Championship
events: the Jaime Ortiz-Patiño Trophy for Junior Teams, the José Damiani Cup for Youngsters
Teams, the Gianarrigo Rona Trophy for Girls Teams and the Koç University Trophy for Kids Teams.
The President of the World Bridge Federation, Gianarrigo Rona mentioned that Salsomaggiore felt
like a second home to him, because he has organized so many events there, starting when he was
the President of the Italian Bridge Federation, then of the European Bridge League and continuing
in his present position. He was delighted that teams came from all eight WBF zones and the six
populated continents. He stressed the WBF motto Bridge 4 Peace, pointing out that bridge players
do not care about the nationality, race or religion of their opponents. They wish only to play bridge
in a friendly and competitive atmosphere.

Poland took the gold medals in the Juniors (born after 1/1/1991), easily defeating China in the final.
The Netherlands fought off the spirited Australian team to win the Girls title (born after 1/1/1991).
Italy staged a dramatic comeback to defeat the Netherlands in the Youngsters final (born after 1/1/1996).
Israel withstood a strong challenge from China to win the Kids title (born after 1/1/2001).

The English Bridge Explosion Play, Count Plan with David Bakhshi
running time: 2 minutes running time: 4 minutes

Play, Count Plan with Gilad Ofir A Few Words with Christian Lahrmann
running time: 3 minutes running time: 2 minutes
By kind permission of the World Bridge Federation
34 September 2016 BRIDGE Magazine
 Intermediate

The 2016 World Bridge Games have a new format!

The first events, starting on 3rd September, will be the National Open,
Women’s, Seniors and Mixed Teams, with each WBF Member Bridge
Organisation being entitled and invited to send a team in each category
to compete in these exciting and challenging Championships.

The second week is for the new National Open, Women’s, Seniors and
Mixed Pairs Championships, and for these there is no limit to the
number of pairs each NBO may nominate to participate. The pairs
events will start on Tuesday 13th September.

More information can be found on the WBF Website :

www.worldbridge.org
and on the special website set up for the event at :
www.worldbridgegames2016.com
where details of the hotels can be found.

Registration can be done through the website at www.worldbridge.org

after 1st April 2016

The World Bridge Federation and the Polish Bridge Union look forward
to welcoming participants from all over the world to enjoy the 2016
World Bridge Games in the magnificent
Hala Stulecia in Wroclaw, Poland.

35 September 2016 BRIDGE Magazine

 General Interest
The Over the Rainbow Bridge Club
Alex Adamson and Harry Smith with more stories from The Over The Rainbow Club

The Wonderful Wizard

In the aftermath of the last board defeat to the Witches in the final of the Handicap Cup the Lion
absented himself from all bridge commitments for the following week. It seemed that he had a
friend who was struggling with an undefined problem and required someone to stand by him in
an incredibly brave way.
This left the Scarecrow at something of a loose end. He had a high capacity for playing bridge
as he put much less mental effort into it than most people. He fondly remembered the time that
the Tin Man had remarked that he was every bit as sharp at the end of a long match as he was at
the start. With the Lion suddenly unavailable for a week that left him without a partner for three
nights. He approached Dorothy, who agreed to play with him on the Monday night. For the
sake of her sanity she felt that she could not risk any more than that. For the Wednesday night,
she fixed him up with her Uncle Henry, but only after accepting the latter’s condition that they
play together on the Friday. For some reason the Scarecrow and Uncle Henry did not gel. Hen-
ry’s inflexible approach jarred with the Scarecrow’s unintentional flair. It was a disaster which left
both men shaken and club members wondering if they had ever seen a score worse than 28%.
It looked as if the Scarecrow would be without a game on the Friday. More out of habit than
anything else he turned up at the club with a view to watching some of the better players. About
fifteen minutes before the start of play he was sitting at the bar sipping a lemonade when a dis-
tinguished looking stranger walked in through the door. He approached the barman, gave him a
pleasant smile, and asked if he could speak to someone in charge. As the barman went to check
the tournament director’s rota the Scarecrow stepped in to offer his help.
‘Hello. I’m not in charge in any sense but I wonder if I could be of any help?’
‘That’s very kind of you,’ said the stranger, turning his smile onto the Scarecrow and offering
him his hand. ‘I know that this is ridiculously short notice, but I am in town on business for a
couple of days and stopped by in the hope of getting a game.’
‘What tremendous luck! It so happens that I’m without a partner myself tonight and I would
be very happy to play with you. By the way, I couldn’t help noticing your accent. Would I be right
in assuming that you are from Norway?’
The stranger’s smile widened. ‘Close enough. Australia.’
The Scarecrow visibly brightened. ‘Wonderful. I do love Ron Klinger’s books. I believe I have read
them all, and I’m fairly sure I’ve read some of them twice. I think you’ll find the standard a bit mixed
but the players friendly. I’m sure you’ll always get a warm welcome at the table with me as your partner.’
They discussed their system earnestly for the next few minutes then launched into the evening’s session.
The Australian proved himself to be quite handy with the cards and rescued the Scarecrow from
a few misbids and misdefences. At half time the stranger felt it wise to try and clear up some mis-
understandings that the Scarecrow had picked up from his reading. ‘Thank you so much,’ said the
Scarecrow afterwards. ‘I can see that I had totally misunderstood Mr Klinger’s book on the Losing
Trick Count. I had thought that it was like point-count, and the more you had the better it was.’
‘Next time I see him I’ll suggest he makes that a bit more clear,’ smiled the Australian.
The second half went well for the new pair, with more good scores than disasters. Coming up
to the last round it was clear that they were nicely placed. ‘I don’t want to make you nervous,’ the

36 September 2016 BRIDGE Magazine

 General Interest
Scarecrow whispered to his partner, ‘but I think that two good boards would give us about 60%!’
Their opponents, another irregular partnership; Dorothy and Uncle Henry approached their table
and sat down to play.
‘Welcome to the club,’ said Dorothy. ‘I hope you are enjoying your game.’
‘Very much so,’ said the Australian. ‘I have been very lucky to get a game at such short notice,
and with such a pleasant partner. I’ll have lots to tell the people back home.’
‘I bet you will,’ muttered Henry under his breath.
This was the first of the two hands in the round.
Dealer South. None Vul.
♠ 10 5 2
♥ 74
♦ AK65
♣ Q J 10 8
♠— N ♠ QJ943
♥ K J 10 8 2 ♥A
♦ Q J 10 8 2 W E ♦ 943
♣ 942 S ♣ 7653
♠ AK876
♥ Q9653
♦7
♣ AK
South, the card Wizard from Oz, opened One Spade and Uncle Henry overcalled Two Spades,
showing hearts and a minor. His natural instincts were to play this as a power house but in a nod
to the 1960s he had agreed to update to Michaels. The Scarecrow raised to Three Spades and Dor-
othy passed. Though not without some concerns about his hearts, the Wizard bid Four Spades
and, after two passes, Dorothy doubled.
Uncle Henry led the ♦Q and the Wizard quickly assessed the dummy. With clubs blocked, trumps
breaking badly, and a pile of heart losers, prospects did not look good. He ducked the opening lead
and Uncle Henry continued with the ♦J. Years of practice enabled Dorothy to keep a straight face.
It was such a wooden play, but she still felt confident that the contract was going down.
The Wizard won this time and used the two top diamonds to discard his two top clubs. Three
rounds of clubs allowed three hearts to be discarded. The Wizard noted with double pleasure the fall
of the nine of clubs. It meant both that his eight was a master and that West, having started with
three clubs, clearly had a 0-5-5-3 shape. He could now safely play the fourth club from dummy
and pitch another heart. Next came a spade from the dummy and he finessed the six. With five
tricks to go this was the position, declarer having lost just the opening trick:
♠ 10 5
♥ 74
♦6
♣ —-
♠— N ♠ QJ94
♥ K J 10 ♥A
♦ 10 8 W E ♦—
♣— S ♣—
♠ AK87
♥Q
♦—
♣—
37 September 2016 BRIDGE Magazine
 General Interest
Declarer led the ♥Q. Uncle Henry put up the king but Dorothy had to win the ace. A low
trump would obviously be fatal since declarer would run it. She tried the ♠Q. The Wizard won
and played a spade to dummy’s ten and Dorothy’s jack. For the second time in three tricks she
was end-played, declarer having ♠K8 over her ♠94. ‘Well played,’ she said, conceding the last two.
The Scarecrow entered the score into the Bridge-Mate. ‘Gosh partner, you seem to be the only
person to have made Four Spades, despite that slip when you played low on the opening lead.’
He examined his partner’s hand uncomprehendingly.
The Wizard smiled. ‘Yes, I was probably the only declarer to lose a diamond trick. Sorry about
that.’
‘Did you have to double?’ asked Uncle Henry. ‘All you did was tip him off to the bad break.’
This was a real test for Dorothy. She had a glazed expression for a second, then said, ‘You could
be right. Perhaps we should ask Aunty Em about the hand when I take you home.’
The Scarecrow started to tingle with excitement as he placed the last board on the table. He
had never scored as much as 60% before. Now one decent board was all that stood between him
and that achievement. Who knows, they might even have a chance of winning!
Uncle Henry passed and after less than a minute the Scarecrow realised it was his bid, holding:
♠ AK 8 7 6
♥ Q9653
♦7
♣ AK
Vulnerable against not, he opened One Spade. The Wizard from Oz responded Three Hearts. The
Scarecrow’s heart jumped. Not only was he going to get his best ever score but he was going to
round it all off with a bang! Surely there was a slam in this – perhaps even a grand slam!
Seeing no point in hanging back he jumped to 4NT. His partner had declined to play anything
other than basic Blackwood, which made his Five Spades reply extremely unexpected. Check-
ing his addition, the Scarecrow concluded that they had five aces between them. He had heard
people talking about fancy key card systems where the queen of trumps was an extra ace, or was
it the jack? Surely his partner would remember that they weren’t playing anything like that. He
pressed on with 5NT to which his partner responded Six Spades. Five aces and five kings. The
Scarecrow’s head was spinning, still surely too many aces was better than too few. He bid Seven
Hearts and when Uncle Henry doubled he redoubled.
Uncle Henry led the ♠10 and the Scarecrow laid dummy down. He had scarcely got the trumps
on the table when the other three players at the table started
to protest.
‘What’s going on here?’ cried Dorothy, ‘you’ve got some
of my cards!’ ‘...and mine’, added Uncle Henry.
‘You’ve got my entire hand’, said the Wizard, ‘from the
last board.’
Sure enough, the North cards were still untouched in
the board. Trembling with shame and fear the Scarecrow
extracted his real hand.

38 September 2016 BRIDGE Magazine

 General Interest
This was the full deal:
Dealer West. N/S Vul.
♠ J752
♥—
♦J
♣ Q J 10 9 7 6 5 2
♠ 10 9 8 6 4 N ♠—
♥ KJ9 ♥ 76543
♦ AQ W E ♦ 10 9 8 6 5 4 3 2
♣ 843 S ♣—
♠ AKQ3
♥ A Q 10 8 2
♦ K7
♣ AK
The spade was ruffed and a diamond returned to the queen. The play continued; second spade
ruff, diamond to the ace, third spade ruff, diamond ruffed with the queen and overruffed, fourth
spade ruff, diamond ruffed with the ten and over ruffed, club ruff. Dorothy now played a fifth
diamond. Declarer put in the ♥8 but Henry was able to over ruff with his last trump. The Wiz-
ard tabled his remaining three cards; the ♥A-2 and ♣A. ‘As I’ve managed to pull all the trumps,
I think the rest are mine’, he said quietly.
‘There,’ said Uncle Henry with feeling. ‘That is a what a sound double looks like.’
The stranger took the Bridge-Mate and filled it in for the shaking Scarecrow. -5800. ‘Cheer up,
mate’, he said. ‘Think of it as a flat set. That’s the magic of matchpoints’.
Five minutes later, a shaking Scarecrow returned from the toilets. One table was still in play,
and as he waited for the results, he looked for his partner. The Australian was nowhere to be seen.
He sat down beside Dorothy.
’Don’t worry about that last hand,’ she said sympathetically. ’It’s the sort of thing that could
happen to anyone. How were you doing, apart from that?’
’That’s the horror of it,’ replied the Scarecrow, ‘I think we might have reached 60%. I don’t
often do that well.’
It took a tremendous effort of will power for Dorothy to suppress a smile. The Scarecrow man-
aged over 50% about twice in a season, and 55% was unheard of.
The director came into the bar carrying the computer printed page with the results. ‘We have
a tie for third place on 56.3%, but clearly ahead in second place with 60.4% are Dorothy and
Uncle Henry. In first place ….’. The Director paused. ’I’ll announce the results, but I think we’ll
hold off giving out prize money tonight until we’ve checked the scoring. In first place with a score
of 68.2% are the Scarecrow and his partner, whose name we don’t seem to have.’
The whole room gasped as one. All eyes turned toward the Scarecrow, who was sitting with
his mouth wide open, his hands grasping the chair, and a look of total wonderment on his face.
’Well done,” said Dorothy. ’it was obviously even… even better than you thought. You must
have played very well indeed.’ Dorothy just managed to finish her sentence before bursting into
a coughing fit.
‘Yes,” said the Scarecrow, ‘my partner wasn’t bad. He made a few silly errors, but then which
of us doesn’t?’

39 September 2016 BRIDGE Magazine

 THIS MONTH’S NEW
RELEASES & FEATURED
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Arrow Through The Abbot,The

the Heart Parrot and the
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200 pages, paperback David Bird, 144 pages
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The official record of last year's world championships held In this book, you will learn about the right questions to ask
in Chennai, India. With 382 pages you get an amazing yourself as declarer when dummy appears. In each of the 52
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Marc Smith, 240 pages, paperback David Bird, 144 pages, paperback
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In this book, Marc Smith looks at those less For more than 35 years, David Bird's tales of the bridge-
straightforward deals where you can’t just ‘draw trumps crazy monks of St. Titus have appeared in magazines
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entry problems, or (shudder) a less than robust trump take part in that Holy Grail of bridge - the Bermuda Bowl
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Category: Declarer Play. Suitable for intermediate players. Category: Bridge fiction. Suitable for all standards of players.

41 September 2016 BRIDGE Magazine

 General Interest

LYON - the place to be in August 2017

World Youth Championships
from 15th – 25th August 2017
LYON - FRANCE

Lyon is a place of warmth and

cultural exchange, and cultivates
a tradition of hospitality and
openness.

As a UNESCO World Heritage Site

and a leading European tourist
destination, Lyon is also known
for the hosting and organisation
of major events.

In Lyon, the past and the future

meet. Ancient, modern and urban
combine with each other, every
discovery and every encounter
that you experience will be full of
wonder.

Welcome to Lyon where the 5th

World Youth Open Bridge
Championships, which are
organised by the World Bridge
Federation in cooperation with
the French Bridge Federation, will
be held at the Cité Internationale
of Lyon Schedule of play for the 2017
Youth Open Championships
The French Bridge Federation is
Pairs Registration Tues 15th Aug (at 10.00 hrs)
pleased to invite you to come and
participate in the events for Opening Ceremony Tues 15th Aug at 19.30
Juniors, Girls, Youngster
Pairs Championship From Wed 16th to Sat 19th Aug
and kids. (Prize-giving at 19.00)

Teams Championship From Sun 20th to Thurs 24th Aug

(Prize-Giving at 19.30)
Teams BAM From Tues 22nd to Fri 25th Aug
Championship
Prize-giving & Fri 25th Aug at 19.30 hrs.
Closing Ceremony

42 September 2016 BRIDGE Magazine

 Intermediate

Test Your
Defence
with Julian Pottage Solutions on page 56
♠ ♠
1 ♥
K J 10 9
K 2 ♥
J 10 2
A7
♦ K 10 9 8 ♦ J 10 2
♣ 10 9 7 3 ♣ A K 10 8 2
♠ AQ 8 2 N ♠ AK 6 5 3 N
♥ 963 ♥ 642
♦ A5 3 W E ♦ K987 W E
♣ Q82 S ♣ 5 S
WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH
– – – 1♥ – – – 1♠
Pass 1♠ Pass 2♥ Pass 2♣ Pass 2♥
Pass 2NT Pass 4♥ Pass 4♠ All Pass
All Pass You lead the five of clubs and see the two followed by
You lead the two of clubs, which goes to the jack and the three go under it. Declarer does not play ball and
ace. When declarer leads the five of spades, you win wins with the queen. A low spade goes to the jack,
with the ace and see partner follow with the six (stand- on which partner discards the five of diamonds. On
ard count). What do you do now? the second spade partner discards the seven of clubs.
What is your plan?

43 September 2016 BRIDGE Magazine



44 September 2016 BRIDGE Magazine

 Intermediate

The Parrot’s Farewell Session

David Bird

I t was the last evening before the Parrot’s return to the Bozwambi tribe in Upper Bhumpopo.
The Abbot had greatly enjoyed being reunited with his partner from the Chennai Bermuda
Bowl but the Parrot had resisted all invitations to stay longer. He cited the English weather as
the main reason but in truth he felt somewhat confined in the cold, damp monastery buildings.
For one last time he took his seat opposite the Abbot for the weekly duplicate.
‘Long journey for you tomorrow,’ observed Brother Cameron, slumping into the West seat. ‘Is
the Abbot taking you to the airport or are you flying?’
‘I’m driving him there,’ said the Abbot. Talking of long journeys, he was not looking forward
to going all the way to Stansted Airport. Did the Parrot have any idea of the heavy traffic on the
M25? Surely it would have been easy for him to get there on his own? He could simply fly over
the traffic jams, enjoying the view. It was not as if he had any luggage.
This was the deal before them:
Dealer West. N/S Vul.
♠ A642
♥ 984
♦ K4
♣ K Q J 10
♠ K8 N ♠ J 10 7
♥ K Q J 10 7 ♥3
♦ Q J 10 8 W E ♦ 97652
♣ 54 S ♣ 8762
♠ Q953
♥ A652
♦ A3
♣ A93
West North East South
Brother The Brother The
Cameron Abbot Damien Parrot
1♥ Pass Pass 1NT
Pass 2♣ Pass 2♠
Pass 4♠ All Pass

A Stayman auction carried the Parrot to game in spades and the king of hearts was led. He won
with the ace and turned his mind to the best play in the trump suit. West was marked with the
king of trumps, obviously. There was no future in playing ace and another trump, ducking in the
South hand. Even if West’s king was doubleton, he would just cash two hearts and give East a
heart ruff. How about leading the trump queen, covered by the king and ace? That was no good.
Even if this left West with no trump entry, East would win the second round of trumps with his
jack-ten and play a third round. This would leave declarer a trick short.

45 September 2016 BRIDGE Magazine

 Intermediate
Only one possibility was left and the Parrot saw that it would indeed offer some hope of suc-
cess. He reached towards his wooden cardholder and extracted the ♠9 with his beak.
Brother Cameron followed with the ♠8 and Brother Damien won with the ♠10. The Parrot
won the diamond return and played the ace of trumps, dropping West’s king. He then drew the
last trump with the queen and claimed ten tricks.
‘Wow!’ exclaimed Brother Cameron. ‘How did you spot that?’
‘Only chance, only chance,’ declared the Parrot, not rating his play as anything unexceptional.
A few moments later, the Parrot was sorting through a hand of some potential:
Dealer South. None Vul.
♠ KJ975
♥ K54
♦ 76
♣ Q43
♠ A 10 8 N ♠ 42
♥ Q J 10 9 8 6 2 ♥ A7 3
♦5 W E ♦ 10 4 2
♣ 10 7 S ♣ AJ 9 8 5
♠ Q63
♥—
♦ AKQJ983
♣ K62
West North East South
Brother The Brother The
Cameron Abbot Damien Parrot
– – – 1♦
4♥ Double Pass 5♦
All Pass

The queen of hearts appeared on the table and the Parrot surveyed the dummy. Four Spades was
the contract to be in, not that he could really blame the Abbot for failing to bid it. Indeed, if he
had made such a bid, he would probably be struggling in Six Spades at the moment. Now, what
were the chances in the diamond game?
The Parrot ruffed the first trick and drew trumps in three rounds. A spade to dummy’s jack was
allowed to win and he ruffed another heart in his hand. When he led another spade from his hand,
Brother Cameron held up the ace a second time and dummy’s king won. These cards remained:
♠ 975
♥K
♦—
♣ Q4
♠A N ♠—
♥ J 10 9 ♥A
♦— W E ♦—
♣ 10 7 S ♣ AJ 9 8 5
♠Q
♥—
♦ J9
♣ K62

46 September 2016 BRIDGE Magazine

 Intermediate
The Parrot pointed a claw at the king of hearts. Brother Damien played the ace and the Parrot
discarded his last spade. It was the end of the road for the defence. Whether East exited with a
low club or ace and another club, the Parrot would score the queen and the king for the contract.
‘Sorry,’ said Brother Cameron. ‘Club lead works better.’
‘Is Five Hearts any good,’ asked Brother Damien.
‘Well, it’s cheaper than their game,’ Brother Cameron replied. ‘I can’t even make Four Hearts
if they keep playing diamonds.’
A few rounds later, the Abbot and the Parrot faced Lucius and Paulo.
‘I expect you’re looking forward to the African sun,’ said Brother Paulo, smiling at his opponent.
‘Dreadful journey, dreadful journey,’ squawked the Parrot.
Yes indeed, thought the Abbot. Driving the Parrot to Stanstead Airport at a busy time of day,
that could take nearly four hours. If the Parrot had been more reasonable, agreeing to fly there
himself, he would be there in no time.
‘Let’s see what this deal has to offer,’ said Brother Lucius, reaching for his cards.
Dealer North. None Vul.
♠ Q96
♥ Q3
♦ AKJ6
♣ Q432
♠ J 10 7 4 2 N ♠—
♥ 98 ♥ K J 10 6 5 4 2
♦ 10 5 4 W E ♦ 9872
♣ 976 S ♣ J8
♠ AK853
♥ A7
♦ Q3
♣ A K 10 5
West North East South
The Brother The Brother
Abbot Paulo Parrot Lucius
– 1♦ 3♥ 3♠
Pass 4♠ Pass 6♠
All Pass

The Abbot was not in the least displeased to find Brother Lucius in a slam. He was famous for
finding a 3-2 trump break when he needed it. He might well go to pieces when he found, for the
first time in his life, that trumps were 5-0.
The Abbot led the nine of hearts and Brother Lucius nodded approvingly at the dummy that
appeared. ‘Low, please,’ he said, winning with the ace.
When the ace of trumps was played, the Parrot discarded a heart. Brother Lucius was in no way
disappointed by this turn of events. ‘Suddenly the hand becomes interesting,’ he said.
Brother Lucius continued with a low trump from his hand, the Abbot inserting the 10. He
won with dummy’s queen and continued with a diamond to the queen and two more diamond
honours from dummy, discarding his heart loser. The odds favoured playing the Abbot for 3-3
in the minors and this view was encouraged by the appearance of the Abbot’s ten of diamonds.
Lucius cashed three rounds of clubs successfully to leave these cards still in play:

47 September 2016 BRIDGE Magazine

 Intermediate
♠9
♥Q
♦J
♣4
♠ J742 N ♠—
♥— ♥ KJ6
♦— W E ♦9
♣— S ♣—
♠ AK8
♥—
♦—
♣ 10
Not overjoyed at the situation, the Abbot had to ruff the club exit and return a trump from the
jack. Brother Lucius claimed the last three tricks and the contract. ‘A lucky one for us,’ he remarked.
‘It was a reasonable grand slam, as it happens.’
Brother Paulo nodded. ‘Best to stay low after the pre-empt,’ he replied.
The Parrot made no comment but it occurred to him that 6NT was a better contract than Six
Spades. They could have made Seven Clubs from the North hand, too.
The next board was soon in position and the players drew these cards:
Dealer South. E/W Vul.
♠ A2
♥ J65
♦ K Q J 10 3
♣ 965
♠ J964 N ♠ K 10 7
♥ Q982 ♥ A 10 4
♦ 95 W E ♦ A6 2
♣ J83 S ♣ 10 7 4 2
♠ Q853
♥ K73
♦ 874
♣ AKQ
West North East South
The Brother The Brother
Abbot Paulo Parrot Lucius
– – – 1♣
Pass 1♦ Pass 1NT
Pass 3NT All Pass

The Abbot led the ♥2 against 3NT and the Parrot won with the ace. With a bored look, he switched
to the king of spades, a Deschapelles Coup to remove the side entry to dummy’s diamond suit.
Brother Lucius sent a congratulatory smile in the Parrot’s direction. It was unbelievable that a
creature with a brain no bigger than a walnut could play bridge at such an advanced level.
Lucius won with dummy’s spade ace and continued with two top diamonds. The Abbot gave
count with the ♦9 on the first round and the Parrot held up the ace twice. With the diamond suit
now dead, Brother Lucius turned his mind to the remaining chances, if any. Yes, perhaps there

48 September 2016 BRIDGE Magazine

 Intermediate
was still some hope. He called for a spade from dummy and covered the Parrot’s ♠7 with the ♠8,
ducking the trick to the safe hand who could not play another heart. The Abbot won with the ♠9
and exited with a club, won by declarer. Two further club winners left this end position:
♠—
♥ J6
♦ J 10 3
♣—
♠ J9 N ♠ 10
♥ Q98 ♥ 10 4
♦— W E ♦A
♣— S ♣ 10
♠ Q5
♥ K7
♦8
♣—
Brother Lucius exited with queen and another spade, forcing the Abbot to lead away from the
queen of hearts. Three clubs and two tricks in each of the other suits brought his total to a tri-
umphant nine.
‘Nice spade play at Trick 2,’ congratulated Brother Lucius.
‘One trick too late!’ squawked the Parrot.
Lucius and Paulo looked at each other with raised eyebrows. It seemed that the amazing bird
was right. The heart lead, removing the Parrot’s ace, had helped declarer considerably. After a
spade to the king and a spade return, declarer could not have achieved the end position under
his own steam.
(Continued next month)

49 September 2016 BRIDGE Magazine

 Intermediate

50 September 2016 BRIDGE Magazine

 Intermediate

BRIDGE PACKAGE INCLUDES: (1) (2)

51 September 2016 BRIDGE Magazine

 Intermediate
I am Reviewing the Situation
The Editor takes a look at the latest publications

One of my favourite reviews was by the English chess Grandmaster Tony Miles. His review of
Eric Schiller’s book Unorthodox Chess Openings (Cardoza Publishing, 1998) which appeared in
Kingpin consisted of just two words: ‘Utter crap.’
The current generation of bridge writers are unlikely to generate anything quite so risible and that
is certainly true of the latest publications to land on my desk.
Master Point Press dominates the bridge publishing world. Before I look at some of their recent
publications here are a couple of books that are well worth adding to your library:

HCL World Bridge Championships 2015

Brian Senior (with Barry Rigal, Geo Tislevoll & John Carruthers)
£22.99
Rating:

The 2015 World Championships took place during the height of numer-
ous cheating scandals and attracted a huge amount of attention from the
media. This lavishly produced book (in full colour) which runs to 383 pages
provides a permanent record of the contest and is must for your collection.

The Abbot, the Parrot and the Bermuda Bowl

David Bird
Master Bridge Series
The Orion Publishing Group
£12.99
Rating:
David Bird has written a record 130 bridge books, and in the last ten
years he has won six ‘Book of the Year’ awards from the American Bridge
Teachers Association. He contributes regularly to Bridge Magazine, English
Bridge, The Bridge World, the American Contract Bridge League Bulletin
and many other magazines around the world. He is also a voice commen-
tator for Bridge Base Online.
This latest collection of stories featuring the monks of St Titus contains twenty chapters, half set
in the monastery and half at the World Championships in Chennai where the Abbot joins forces
with the Parrot, with the Witchdoctor, Mbozi, Mrs Okoku and Miss Nabooba and faces many
of the world’s real-life players in the Bermuda Bowl.
Brilliant stuff in every respect.

52 September 2016 BRIDGE Magazine

 General Interest
Arrow through the Heart
David Bird
A Master Point Press Honors Book
£11.95
Rating:
Having spent the formative years of my life in Nottingham I can claim to
have a modest amount of knowledge about Robin Hood and his merry
men. All the famous names are featured in this wonderful book, the third
collection of stories about the outlaws who robbed from the rich to give
to the poor. All the major characters, Robin Hood, Maid Marian, Little
John, Friar Tuck and their arch-enemies, the Sheriff of Nottingham and
his hapless side-kick, Sir Guy of Gisborne are brought to life by illustrator and bridge player Mar-
guerite Lihou.
I wonder if she was tempted to make the characters resemble some of the famous actors who have
portrayed them on screen – for example Errol Flynn as Robin Hood, Alan Rickman as the Sher-
riff of Nottingham.
Apart from the main protagonists you will encounter a host of nuns, priests, soldiers, ill-smelling
serfs, horse traders, bishops, barmaids, young girls and ladies of the court.
Perhaps in his next set of adventures Robin will compete in the annual duplicate played at Ye
Olde Trip to Jerusalem: http://triptojerusalem.com/
Coming in September: The Abbot’s Return to Earth

Should I or Shouldn’t I?
Marc Smith
Drawing Trumps at Bridge
A Master Point Press Honors Book
£12.95
Rating:
Marc Smith’s latest book tackles the thorny issue of how to handle the
trump suit – to draw or not to draw, that is the question. Every topic is dis-
sected and illustrated with numerous well chosen examples in way that is
designed to make it easier to recognise the various situations that will arise
at the table. At the end of each chapter, the reader can test their under-
standing of the concept under discussion with a series of quizzes.
Like David Bird, Marc is a multiple winner of awards from ABTA and this book could easily be
a candidate for another.

53 September 2016 BRIDGE Magazine

 General Interest
A Complete System for the Tournament Bridge Player
Tugrul Kaban
A Master Point Press Honors Book
£11.95
Rating:
The concept of this book is to provide a ready-made system for the tourna-
ment player. Coincidently it follows the lead of Bridge Magazine Online
by using a framework that is based on the increasingly popular 2/1. The
author recommends many ultra modern methods, including Muiderberg
Two Bids, Rubensohl and Questem and is not afraid to introduce his own
ideas, such as transfer responses and defending against 1NT.
If you are not quite ready to switch from your current system you could adopt some of the methods
that are advocated. Equally, you could take up the system whilst retaining your preferred conven-
tions. There are completed Convention Cards for WBF, ACBL and EBU events and a 20-page
summary as an aide-memoir.
If you’re looking for a new system to adopt which has had success at the highest levels, or for some
new ideas or perspectives to add to your existing system, this book does the job nicely. It might
also come in handy when tackling the problems in our Marks & Comments feature.

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54 September 2016 BRIDGE Magazine

 General Interest

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•’‡…‹ƒŽ’”‹œ‡•λ‘’‡–‡ƒ™‹‡”•ͶǤͲͲͲ—”‘

55 September 2016 BRIDGE Magazine

 Intermediate
Solutions to “Test Your Defence”
with Julian Pottage See page 43

♠ ♠
1 ♥
K J 10 9
K 2 ♥
J 10 2
A7
♦ K 10 9 8 ♦ J 10 2
♣ 10 9 7 3 ♣ A K 10 8 2
♠ AQ 8 2 N ♠ 7643 ♠ AK 6 5 3 N ♠ —
♥ 963 ♥ A7 ♥ 642 ♥ J 10 8 3
♦ A5 3 W E ♦ QJ42 ♦ K987 W E ♦ Q653
♣ Q82 S ♣ J64 ♣ 5 S ♣ J9763
♠
5 ♠ Q9874
♥
Q J 10 8 5 4 2 ♥ KQ95
♦
76 ♦ A4
♣
AK5 ♣ Q4
WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH
– – – 1♥ – – – 1♠
Pass 1♠ Pass 2♥ Pass 2♣ Pass 2♥
Pass 2NT Pass 4♥ Pass 4♠ All Pass
All Pass You lead the lead of five clubs and see the two followed
You lead the two of clubs, which goes to the jack and by the three go under it. Declarer does not play ball
ace. When declarer leads the five of spades, you win and wins with the queen. A low spade goes to the jack,
with the ace and see partner follow with the six (stand- on which partner discards the five of diamonds. On
ard count). What do you do now? the second spade partner discards the seven of clubs.
You have made one of your aces and are confident of What is your plan?
making your other ace. Unless declarer started with Defeating this contract might not prove easy despite
ace-king doubleton, you hope to come to a club trick. your five trumps. This is why you did not double!
Given dummy’s club holding, the second round of If you can find partner with a winner, that winner
clubs will need to come from the other side of the table. will give your side a third trick as well as the com-
Do you feel tempted to underlead the ace of diamonds? munication to take a club ruff for the setting trick.
If partner has the queen of diamonds but not the jack, Unfortunately, if holding either the king of hearts or
leading a low diamond might give your side two dia- the ace of diamonds, partner would surely have encour-
mond tricks and give partner an entry. Unfortunately, aged the relevant suit rather than make a relatively
there are a few snags. Your failure to lead a diamond neutral discard.
at trick one is likely to help declarer to guess correctly. If declarer holds the ace of diamonds, partner is likely
Much of the time partner will have the wrong dia- to hold the queen. Can you see how to take advan-
monds anyway. A third problem is that if the king of tage? Leading a low diamond will not help. Declarer
hearts is an entry then declarer can win a club switch, plays an honour from dummy and captures the queen
cross to dummy and park a club on the king of spades. with the ace. Now try the effect of leading the king...
Your best chance is simply to play partner for the If declarer wins the first diamond, partner has an entry
ace of hearts. Switch to a trump and await a club to give you a ruff. If instead the king of diamonds
continuation. holds, you (and partner) duck the second round of
diamonds to set up a forcing game.

56 September 2016 BRIDGE Magazine

 Intermediate
PARTNERSHIP PROFILE
In this issue, the Editor takes a look at the Spingold semi-final between the mighty Lavazza &
Zimmermann teams.
Lavazza were fielding Norberto Bocchi, Giorgio Duboin, Dennis Bilde, Agustin Madala, Alejan-
dro Bianchedi and Diego Brenner, while Pierre Zimmermann’s musketeers were Franck Multon,
Geir Helgemo, Tor Helness, Krzysztof Martens and Dominik Filipowicz.

The Hands
(This month all the deals were played at IMPs.)
Hand 1. Dealer South. E/W Vul.
♠ A 10 9 8 3 2 N ♠ Q765
♥ Q92 ♥3
♦ 43 W E ♦ K 10 8 2
♣ K4 S ♣ A Q 10 3
South opens 1♥
West North East South
Brenner Helness Bocchi Helgemo
– – – 1♥*
1♠ 2♥ 4♠ All Pass
1♥ 4+♥
North, looking at ♠K ♥A87 ♦J9765 ♣J752 led the five of diamonds and when declarer put in
dummy’s ten South won with the queen, cashed the ace and switched to the jack of hearts. When
declarer followed with the two, North took the ace and played the jack of diamonds. South ruffed
with the jack of spades and that ensured North’s king of spades would be the setting trick.
West North East South
Zimmermann Bianchedi Multon Madala
– – – 2♥
Pass 4♥ Double Pass
4♠ All Pass

North led the ace of hearts and switched to the five of diamonds. When declarer put up dummy’s
king South won with the ace, cashed the queen and switched to the four of spades. That caused
the declarer to chuckle as he went up with the ace and claimed when His Majesty appeared, 12
IMPs for Zimmerman.
Recommended auction: Two good auctions to the spade game.
Marks: 4♠ 10.
Running score: Zimmermann 10 (12) Lavazza 10 (0)

57 September 2016 BRIDGE Magazine

 Intermediate
Hand 2. Dealer North. N/S Vul.
♠ Q63 N ♠ AJ 7
♥ K 10 6 3 2 ♥ A9 8 5 4
♦3 W E ♦ A4
♣ AK Q 7 S ♣ 10 8 2
North opens 2♠ (♠+♦/♣) and South bids 4♣ pass or correct
West East
Helness Helgemo
– 1♥
2NT* 3♥
4♦* 4♠
5♣ 6♥
Pass
2NT Game-forcing raise with 4+♥
4♦ Shortage
4♠ Cue-bid
5♣ Cue-bid
An immediate jump to 4♦ would have promised a void.
South led the three of clubs from ♠105 ♥Q ♦K8762 ♣J9653 and declarer won with dummy’s
ace, cashed the king of hearts and played a heart to the ace, claiming twelve tricks.
As the cards lie it is possible to collect them all, but what’s an IMP among friends?
West North East South
Bianchedi Multon Madala Zimmermann
– 2♠* Pass 4♣*
Pass 4♦ Pass Pass
Double Pass 6♥ All Pass
2♠ Spades and a minor
4♣ Pass or correct
South led the ten of spades and declarer won with the jack, drew trumps ending in hand, played
the eight of clubs to the ace, returned to hand with a diamond and played the two of clubs, put-
ting in dummy’s seven when West followed with the six, gaining an IMP.
Recommended auction: There are several ways to tackle this type of hand, the critical factor being
East’s first round controls. For that reason it would be a mistake to jump to 4♥ after 1♥-2NT. In
the sequence 1♥-2NT*-3♥-4♣*-4♦*-4♥- East can show the spade control and 6♥ will be reached.
Were West to start with a splinter bid of 4♦ East can bid 4♠ and then press on to a slam over 5♣.
Where North opens 2♠ East would be taking an unnecessary risk by overcalling. When West
is able to show reasonable values bidding a slam is a fair shot.
Marks: 6♥ 10, 3NT/4♥ 5.
Running score: Zimmermann 20 (12) Lavazza 20 (1)

58 September 2016 BRIDGE Magazine

 Intermediate
Hand 3. Dealer West. E/W Vul.
♠ J83 N ♠5
♥ AJ 5 4 ♥ Q 10 9 8 3 2
♦ KQJ4 W E ♦A
♣ K7 S ♣ Q J 10 9 6
If possible South bids 2♠ and North raises to 4♠
West East
Helness Helgemo
1NT 4♣*
4♥ Pass
4♣ Texas for ♥
North led the three of diamonds from ♠K1064 ♥K7 ♦10953 ♣A53 and declarer won perforce
with dummy’s ace and allegedly took a trump finesse, losing to the king, which looks like ten tricks.
However, he was credited with eleven, so he probably crossed to the ace of hearts and pitched a
spade on a diamond.
West North East South
Bilde Zimmermann Duboin Martens
1NT Pass 2♦* 2♠
3♦* 3♥* 3♠* Pass
4♣* 4♠ 4NT* Pass
5♣* Pass 6♥ All Pass
3♦ Diamond values or wants partner to be declarer
3♥ Good spade raise
3♠ Cue-bid
4♣ Cue-bid
4NT RKCB
5♣ 1 or 4 key cards
It is possible that 4NT was something other than a key card ask, but when the response is ambig-
uous you would normally sign off in 5♥, expecting partner to go on with 4 key cards.
Recommended auction: Given a free run it should not be difficult to stop in game, for example
1NT-2♦*-2♥-3♣-4♥. Having to cope with intervention makes life more difficult even in the best
regulated circles. Perhaps East would have done better to bid 4♣ over 3♥. He can then decide
if it is right to compete further over 4♠ (wrong in theory) or take whatever is available from 4♠
doubled.
Marks: 4♥ 10, 4♠X 7 5♥ 4.
Running score: Zimmermann 30 (25) Lavazza 20 (1)

59 September 2016 BRIDGE Magazine

 Intermediate
Hand 4. E/W Vul. Dealer North.
♠6 N ♠ J72
♥ AK Q J 4 3 ♥—
♦— W E ♦ A J 10 9 6 4 2
♣ AK J 8 7 2 S ♣ 10 9 4
West East
Helgemo Helness
– 3♦
3♥ 3NT
6♣ Pass

North led the ten of spades from ♠Q1095 ♥10952 ♦Q753 ♣Q and South won with the ace and
tried to cash the king. Declarer ruffed, cashed the ace of clubs and tabled his hand.
West East
Duboin Bilde
– 3♦
6♥ Pass

South led the queen of clubs and declarer won, drew trumps and claimed.
Recommended auction: I prefer Helgemo’s 3♥. It allowed his partner to show that he at least
held some support for the unbid suits which meant they could play in their best fit.
Marks: 6♣/6♥ 10, 4♥/5♣ 6.
Running score: Zimmermann 40 (25) Lavazza 30 (4)
Hand 5. Dealer South. N/S Vul.
♠ AK Q N ♠ 752
♥ A K Q 10 7 4 ♥ 962
♦ A7 4 W E ♦—
♣9 S ♣ A Q J 10 8 7 4
West East
Helgemo Helness
2♣* 3♣
3♥ 4♣*
4♥ 6♥
7♥ Pass
2♣ Strong, artificial, forcing 2NT or 3M
4♣ Cue-bid
There is nothing on the convention card to suggest that 4♣ was anything other than a cue-bid.
When East jumped to 6♥ West’s control rich hand justified adding one for the road.
North led the three of spades from ♠963 ♥J ♦KJ10852 ♣632 and declarer won, ruffed a dia-
mond, came to hand with a trump, ruffed a diamond and claimed.

60 September 2016 BRIDGE Magazine

 Intermediate
West East
Duboin Bilde
2♦* 2NT*
3♥ 5♦*
6♣* 6♦*
7♦ 7♥
Pass
2♦ Artificial, game-forcing
2NT 6+♣ at least 2 of the top three honours
5♦ Exclusion Blackwood
6♣ 3 key cards
6♦ Asking for the trump queen
7♦ ♥Q+♦A
North led the jack of hearts and declarer won, ruffed a diamond, came to hand with a spade,
ruffed a diamond, played a second spade and drew trumps.
Recommended auction: 2♣-3♣-3♥-4♣*-4♦*-4♥-4♠*-5♦*-7♥ is one of the many ways to reach
the grand slam.
Marks: 7♥10, 6♥ 6, 6♣ 5, 4♥/3NT/5♣ 3.
Running score: Zimmermann 50 (25) Lavazza 40 (4)
Hand 6. Dealer East. None Vul.
♠ 643 N ♠ A7 5
♥ QJ85 ♥2
♦ Q 10 8 3 W E ♦ AK 9 7 5 2
♣ A7 S ♣ KQJ
South overcalls 1♠
West East
Helgemo Helness
– 1♦ (1♠)
Double* 3♦
3♠* (Dble) Redouble*
3NT Pass
Double Negative double
3♠ Asking for a stopper
Rdbl Shows a stopper
North led the queen of spades from ♠QJ ♥K1093 ♦J64 ♣10983 and declarer claimed ten tricks,
+430.
West East
Duboin Bilde
– 1♦ (1♠)
Double* 2♠*
3♠ (Dble) Redouble
4♦ 4♠*
5♣* 6♦
Pass

61 September 2016 BRIDGE Magazine

 Intermediate
When East bid 2♠ to show a good hand West tried 3♠ looking for the notrump game. When
North doubled East probably meant his redouble to show the ace of spades. He confirmed that
on the next round and when West cue-bid in clubs East thought he knew enough to bid the
slam. South led the ace of hearts and continued the suit and there was no way to avoid the loss
of a spade, -50 and 10 IMPs.
Recommended auction: That of Helgemo-Helness.
Marks: 3NT/5♦ 10.
Running score: Zimmermann 60 (35) Lavazza 40 (4)
Hand 7. Dealer East. E/W Vul.
♠ KQ6532 N ♠ J84
♥ K63 ♥ AJ 5 4
♦— W E ♦ A 10 9 8 4 2
♣ A 10 8 5 S ♣—
West East
Bianchedi Madala
– 1♦
1♠ 2♦*
2NT 3♥*
4♣* 4♦*
4♥* 4♠
4NT* 6♣*
6♠ Pass
2♦ 6+♦ and 3♠
3♥ 4♥
4♣ Cue-bid
4♦ Cue-bid
4♥ Cue-bid
4NT RKCB
6♣ 2 key cards and a void
North led the ace of spades from ♠A10 ♥1072 ♦KJ765 ♣Q43 and continued the suit. Declarer
won in dummy, cashed the ace of diamonds, ruffed a diamond, ruffed a club, ruffed a diamond,
cashed the kings of spades and hearts and played a heart to the jack, one down, -100.
West East
Martens Multon
– 1♦
1♠ 2♦
2NT 3♦
3♠ 4♠
Pass
North led the two of hearts for the jack, queen and king and declarer played on crossruff lines.
He didn’t attempt to cash the ace of hearts early and South was able to pitch two hearts, holding
declarer to his contract, +620 and 12 IMPs.
Recommended auction: 1♦-1♠-2♦-2NT-3♠-4♣*-4♦*-4♥*-4♠ is one option. West might bid 4♠
over 3♠, but give East the ♥Q and you would want to be in 6♠.
Marks: 4♠10, 6♠ 4.

62 September 2016 BRIDGE Magazine

 Intermediate
Running score: Zimmermann 70 (47) Lavazza 44 (4)
Hand 8. Dealer West. N/S Vul.
♠ A 10 9 7 3 N ♠ KJ
♥K ♥ AQ 4
♦ A Q J 10 W E ♦ 7432
♣ 532 S ♣ AK Q 8
West East
Helness Helgemo
1♠ 2♣*
2♦ 2NT
3NT 4♦
4♥* 4NT*
5♠* 6NT
Pass
2♣ Game-forcing
4♥ Cue-bid
4NT RKCB
5♠ 2 key cards + ♦Q
South led the jack of hearts from ♠Q ♥J10972 ♦9865 ♣1064 and declarer won with dummy’s
king, came to hand with a club and took a losing diamond finesse. When South returned a club
declarer won, cashed a third club and claimed when the suit divided, +990.
West East
Bilde Duboin
1♠ 2♣*
2♥* 2♠*
3♠* 4♦*
4♥* 4♠*
4NT* Pass
2♣ Relay, invitational plus, could be clubs invitational when East rebids 3♣
2♥ 11-14, 4+♦
2♠ Game-forcing relay
3♠ 5-2-4-2 minimum
4♦ Ace asking
4♥ Even number of aces
4♠ Cue-bid
4NT Cue-bid in hearts
Duboin surprised his partner by guessing to pass 4NT. The same twelve tricks meant another 11
IMPs changed hands.
Recommended auction: I can’t improve on Helgemo-Helness. I guess Acol partnerships would
start 1♠-2♣-2♦-2♥*-3♣-3♦ and then move on to a slam.
6♦ is a good slam, but a spade lead would require declarer to do the right thing in diamonds
to avoid the possible ruff.
Marks: 6NT10, 6♦ 8, 4NT/5♦ 5.
Running score: Zimmermann 80 (58) Lavazza 49 (4)
Lavazza picked up 30 IMPs near the end but they were comprehensively defeated, 158-96.

63 September 2016 BRIDGE Magazine

 Intermediate
As a bonus, here is a deal which defeated both teams:
♠ A Q 10 9
♥ J652
♦ AK7
♣ Q6
♠ J876 N ♠5
♥ AK 9 8 ♥ Q 10 7 4 3
♦ J53 W E ♦ 10 9 6 4
♣ 42 S ♣ A5 3
♠ K432
♥—
♦ Q82
♣ K J 10 9 8 7
South North
Helgemo Helness
Pass 1NT
2♣* 2♥
2NT 3♠
4♠ Pass
2♣ Stayman
South North
Duboin Bilde
Pass 1NT
2♥* 3♣*
3♥* 3♠
4♠ Pass

With no convention card to act as a guide it looks as if 2♥ was a four-card transfer, with 3♣ show-
ing a liking for spades and 3♥ a cue-bid.
Superficially it looks as if 6♠ might go down after a heart lead, but declarer ruffs, plays two
rounds of spades and then attacks clubs. If East wins and plays a second heart declarer ruffs and
can play winning clubs (cashing the queen of diamonds as necessary) to neutralise West’s trumps.
6♣ is a good contract, but reaching it looks very difficult. Even if South started with a transfer
to clubs the partnership would get locked into spades.
You can play through the deals mentioned in this article.
Just follow the links:
Hands 1 & 2: http://tinyurl.com/znb5um6
Hands 3 & 4: http://tinyurl.com/zb7hdyg
Hand 5 and the bonus deal: http://tinyurl.com/jq2mk6k
Hands 6, 7 & 8 http://tinyurl.com/zb4ssdd

64 September 2016 BRIDGE Magazine

 Intermediate .XUVDDO2RVWHQGH

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65 September 2016 BRIDGE Magazine

 Intermediate
MARKS & COMMENTS
Set 307 conducted by Alan Mould
21 panellists so straight into this month. Problem
1 I held in the “All Counties Super Final” which is THE BIDS & MARKS
nowhere near as grand an event as it sounds; prob- Bid Marks No. of Votes
lems 2, 3, 5 and 6 come from the ever reliable Marc 1. Pass 10 10
Smith; problem 4 was sent to me by Ron Tacchi and Five Clubs 9 5
Double 9 1
comes from a local duplicate (I changed the scoring Four Spades 9 1
method deliberately as I thought it was a more inter- Five Diamonds 9 1
esting problem that way); problem 7 was sent to me Six Clubs 9 2
by Mike Lawrence and finally problem 8 again comes Six Hearts 9 1
Any other bid 4 0
from the aforementioned All Counties Super Final. 2. Four Hearts 10 8
Three Spades 10 8
PROBLEM 1 Four Clubs 9 2
Four Diamonds 7 1
IMPs. Dealer East. N/S Vul Double 7 2
Three Hearts 3 0
♠ 9542 3.
4NT
Three Hearts
1
10
0
12
♥ 98 Five Clubs 9 5
♦ 10 9 3 2 Four Hearts 7 3
♣ J 10 8 Five Hearts
Four Clubs
5
5
1
0
West North East South Pass 3 0
– – 3NT* 4♥ Three Spades 2 0
? 3NT 1 0
Four Spades 1 0
3NT Solid minor with at most a queen outside 4. Pass 10 9
E/W methods are Double = penalties, 4NT = bid your
♣ ♦ ♣
minor but suggests values, 5 /5 /6 are all pass or
Three Spades
3NT
8
8
5
5
correct Four Hearts 8 2
Bid Marks No. of Votes Four Diamonds 1 0
Pass 10 10 5. Three Hearts 10 16
Two Spades 8 5
Five Clubs 9 5 Four Hearts 4 0
Double 9 1 2NT 3 0
Four Spades 9 1 Three Diamonds 1 0
Five Diamonds 9 1 6. Four Clubs 10 17
Six Clubs 9 2 Three Clubs 8 2
Three Diamonds 6 1
Six Hearts 9 1 Four Hearts 6 1
Any other bid 4 0 Four Diamonds 4 0
Despite what several of the panel say it seems incon- Two Hearts 3 0
ceivable that the opponents cannot make a small slam Three Hearts 2 0
7. Six Hearts 10 8
(partner’s suit will have to stand up for one round 4NT 9 6
AND we will have to make his outside queen even Five Hearts 9 1
assuming s/he have one). It is way more likely that Five Spades 9 6
5NT 5 0
the opponents can make a grand – all it needs is for Seven Hearts 2 0
one of the opponent to be void in partner’s suit or us Double 1 0
to lead the wrong minor. Given that, our problem is 8. Three Clubs 10 10
entirely a tactical one – do we keep mum and hope they 2NT 9 4
Four Hearts 8 3
don’t know how strong they are; bid something gentle, Double 7 1
bid something elephantine; or try various diversion- Three Hearts 7 2
ary tactics. Various of the panel are up for every one Pass 6 1
Three Diamonds 3 0
of these and this problem has produced an astonish- 3NT 2 0
ing five single votes – certainly the largest I have ever

66 September 2016 BRIDGE Magazine

 Intermediate
seen in my tenure. 10 out of 19 panellists do what I from N/S. Sometimes silence is golden.
did at the table, which perhaps shows my judgement Apteker: Pass. Looks like they have slam and it may
ain’t that far off. I will let them give you the reasoning: be difficult for North to make a forward going move.
Brock: Pass. I think I will make it easier for them I prefer not to give away any distributional informa-
to bid a making slam if I bid. North will tend to tion by bidding clubs and propel them into slam.
underbid here, not wishing to punish South for a Robson: Pass. They haven’t bid slam yet. Toyed
successful aggressive action. If South is overweight with the striped-tailed ape, or the confusion-set-
for the Four Heart bid they may easily play there. ting Four Spades (we will get to both of those soon
Exactly! South will bid Four Hearts sometimes on Andrew) before settling on passivity. Let’s not give
pretty strong hands as that is just what you have to do. the auction any more momentum.
But also on relatively weak but distributional hands Bird: Pass. They are 90% likely to have a cold slam.
as that is just what you have to do. So North is liable Any fit-showing action by me will only make their
to give South a fair amount of leeway here and may task easier or simply push them into a lucrative
pass when slam is solid. Would it be such a shock that slam. I am tempted to play my Joker on a Pass being
South overcalled Four Hearts on ♠xx ♥AKQJxxxx worth 10 points. Perhaps I’d better see if there’s an
♦Axx ♣- and North passed on ♠AKQJx ♥- ♦KQxxx even more obvious answer coming up.
♣xxx? From North’s point of view Five Hearts could You should have played it David
be going off. Teramoto: Pass. I hope they don’t go to slam.
Bowyer: Pass. Second choice No Bid. North may The next most popular bid with four votes was the
have no convenient bid over Four Hearts. You don’t gentle pass/correct Five Clubs. I toyed with this and
want him to make a free bid and tell South he has rejected it almost immediately – the only upside (as
something.  its advocates point out) is that it takes away Black-
Green: Pass. A slight gamble and more likely to be wood. However, since to bid the grand they will need
effective if partner has clubs, as if North is look- to identify the void and I have seen nothing but sor-
ing at a small doubleton in either minor then he row from void showing Blackwood responses I for
cannot necessarily afford to drive to the five level. one am happy to let them bid it! The huge downside
I will keep quiet and hope they pass Four Hearts is as above – North is BOUND to have enough to
out, don’t forget the Four Heart bid can be reason- bid and this will propel them into a slam surely? Can
ably strong so North doesn’t always hold the earth. they convince me?
Rigal: Pass. I suspect they can make slam but won’t Lawrence: Five Clubs. The only reason for this is
bid on over Four Hearts, and might do so over Five to take away their Blackwood. Would pass on any
Clubs. Imagine the opponents with eg 4-7-2-0 and other vulnerability. A close second choice is to dou-
4-3-4-2 pattern. When North raises to Five Hearts ble. It will get a lot of votes.
the hand with the club void might bid on. Not to Errr…. No!
mention we expect to go for 500 at the five-level Greco: Five Clubs. Clearly the opponents have a
facing eight solid clubs (so what!! I will take -500 slam or grand slam (barring our ace cashing and
against -2210). partner scoring their Qx), so I want to take up
Smith: Pass. Whichever minor partner holds, just space in an effort to make it hard on LHO to make
about every other card in his hand rates to be a loser, a slam try or even bid Blackwood. RHO should of
as you can cover none of them. Thus any sacrifice doubled first if they have a huge hand.
rates to be too expensive. You can also be fairly sure Sime: Five Clubs. Let’s try to make North’s Five
that the opponents are cold for slam, and a bid by Hearts sound like a Pass/Double/Bid decision rather
you seems more likely to help rather than hinder than a Slam or Not decision. Maybe I should make
them in bidding it. a striped tailed ape double? It shouldn’t work even
Cannell: Pass. Bidding rates to go for 800 – we if I have a reputation for doing so unwittingly.
likely only have seven tricks in our solid minor We’ll get to double soon. Meanwhile carrying on
unless partner has three hearts. If I do bid Five with Five Clubs:
Clubs = pass-or-correct this may give N/S help in Cope: Five Clubs. Only 800 versus their slam takes
ascertaining if a slam is available to them. We may away some cue-bidding and key-catd options. No
score one trick in our minor and partner’s hoped need to do more that might push them into the slam.
for side queen – who knows? (yeah right! Can I I think you have done enough already to do that .
interest you in some shares in the Brooklyn Bridge?) Leufkens: Five Clubs. What can North bid? Five
The one thing Five Clubs does is take away RKCB Diamonds/Six Clubs can be natural also I suppose.

67 September 2016 BRIDGE Magazine

 Intermediate
And we are now at the five single votes. Going up: ♠AQJxx ♥xxx ♦x ♣AKxx so they had 14 tricks on
Matheson: Five Diamonds. Our opponents have a top. This leaves partner with ♠x ♥x ♦AKQJxxxx
slam. If partner has clubs then, given our holding, ♣Qxx which looks like a Five Diamond opening bid
it is likely to be eight cards so both Five Diamonds to me even playing a gambling 3NT. That would have
and Six Clubs will go for 800. On a very good day got Five Hearts from South and now I think double
partner has three hearts and we have an extra trick. is a stand out bid. At the table my masterly inactiv-
Bidding Six Clubs may push them into their slam. ity did not work out well since the auction continued
And up: Six Hearts – Pass – Seven Hearts. Not very elegant
Wolff: Six Clubs. To hopefully prick N/S into but successful. Since they were the only pair to bid the
going wrong by making them guess. Yes partner grand in the field this did my Butler IMP score no
may wind up bidding Seven Clubs, if he has his good at all! This is a tactical situation with no right
classic hand, but let us hope there are no club voids answer so everyone gets plenty of marks, including any
around, unless, of course, they wind up doubling readers who come up with anything the panel haven’t
us prematurely. thought of yet!
Alder: Six Clubs. I think it very unlikely that Four
Hearts would be passed out. PROBLEM 2
And still further up!:
Carruthers: Six Hearts. I want to block the oppo- IMPs. Dealer South. E/W Vul
nent’s ability to bid Six Hearts, then make a forc-
ing pass over my save. A few things seem certain
♠ A Q 10 7 4 2
here: (a.) this bid will NOT attract a unanimous
♥ 74
panel; (true!!) (b.) North/South are cold for at least
♦J
a small slam in hearts or spades or both; (thank you ♣ AK J 4
John, I agree!) (c.) partner will be able to figure out West North East South
to bid his suit–if not, we’ll both be looking for a – – – 1♠
new partner immediately the session ends (I agree Pass 1NT 2♥ 3♦
again). Attempts to con the opponents at a low ?
level are doomed to failure here. They simply have Bid Marks No. of Votes
too much power. Four Hearts 10 8
Every so often I think something gets into the Cana- Three Spades 10 8
dian water supply, because about once a year we get Four Clubs 9 2
a series of highly original bids from all the Canadi- Four Diamonds 7 1
ans on the panel. A couple of months ago John out- Double 7 2
psyched his partner. This time Joey properly shows us Three Hearts 3 0
life in the fast lane: 4NT 1 0
Silver: Four Spades. From where I sit it appears A curious pack – an opening bid, a response, a vulner-
N/S are cold for at least a vul small slam, so hope- able two level overcall in the sandwich position, a three
fully (but to be honest doubtfully) I can throw a level free bid and somehow an excellent 15 count left
little dirt in their eyes without getting any in mine. over for us! How do we express this and what anyway
And finally this is the bid I really, really wish I had do we think is going on? The panel are largely split
made at the table, if only because I have never made between just bidding game and going for a strength
a stripe tailed ape double in my life: showing Three Spade cue-bid. The game bidders believe
Kokish: Double. Sometimes they forget to redou- that partner simply must have very good hearts and
ble or misjudge the meaning of redouble. I haven’t so are happy to take a pot right there:
tried this in a while. Bids like 4NT, Five Clubs and Brock: Four Hearts. Partner has bid at adverse vul-
Seven Clubs could work better, of course. FWIW, if nerability. There’s not much left for him to hold
solid means AKQJ-solid we would know that East but a good suit.
has diamonds and the chance for cashing a minor- Bowyer: Four Hearts. Partner can only have good
suit trick are much lower than if we did not have hearts. North-South are bidding on shape and their
that clue. Part 2 is “what do you bid if it continues good looks. 
redouble-pass-pass?” Often the two go together.
That is part 2 only for you Eric! The Four Heart bid- Lawrence: Four Hearts. This should be cold. I
der had ♠Kxx ♥AKQJxxx ♦- ♣xxx and his partner might cue-bid something but am afraid that partner

68 September 2016 BRIDGE Magazine

 Intermediate
might expect better trumps along with my good partner has at least six hearts (or significant extras
hand. The bidding warns that partner is weakish at this vulnerability. Yes, I might have missed Six
and shapely and it warns that North could have Clubs but I don’t see any easy way to get there with-
length in trumps. If North bids Five Diamonds and out potentially overstating my heart support via a
partner doesn’t double, I will have another problem. cue-bid of Three Spades.
Bird: Four Hearts. A partner who is both sane and Which brings us to the other mainstream choice:
vulnerable will surely have a good six card heart suit. Cannell: Three Spades. Partner entered this auction
Am I meant to look for a slam, or perhaps choose Vulnerable versus Not. Therefore, I expect game in
a more informative route to game? I can’t see any hearts is cold, and very likely eleven or twelve tricks
point in the latter option since I will be happy to are there in a heart contract. A simple Four Heart
double Five Diamonds myself. bid does not cut the mustard. I am not sure if I can
Hmmm – but might partner not get in the way coax partner into investigating loftier ambitions, but
of that? Might partner not bid Five Hearts in front I am going to try. If partner does anything other
of you sometimes believing your support to be rather than Four Hearts next then we are off to the races.
better than it is? Maybe partner can just never have Carruthers: Three Spades. Four Clubs could attract
enough to do this. an inappropriate raise on say 10xx. While it’s true
Robson: Four Hearts. Facing a vul v not Two Heart that partner may have secondary clubs in a skewed
bid, this must have play. I wonder what Four Clubs two-suiter, he pretty much has to have long or strong
would mean – it could easily strike gold. hearts on the bidding.
Well let’s have The Koach tell us then: Cope: Three Spades. I fancy my chances in Four
Kokish: Four Clubs. While it’s possible North won’t Hearts even if partner has pre-balanced and despite
bid Five Diamonds over my Four Hearts I consider the worry of a bad heart break. Important that I
that very unlikely. It’s impossible to know how well show values on route to Four Hearts, as I also fancy
both sides mesh but if East has length in clubs he my chances against Five Diamonds doubled on a
may now know enough not to sit for Five Dia- trump lead.
monds doubled which we might not beat on occa- Apteker: Three Spades. I want to be in Four Hearts
sion. There is no hand without heart support that and want to involve partner should the opponents
could bid Four Clubs here. Four Diamonds is not compete to Four Diamonds or Five Diamonds so I
wrong but Four Clubs hints at spade length and setup the force with the bid in which I have values.
therefore diamond shortage, and showing a con- Sime: Three Spades. Watch out, there are thieves
centration must be a sound strategy. about! Partner wasn’t forced to bid Two Hearts so
That all sounds very sensible Eric and Bobby has should at least have a decent suit. Not only does
something to say on this as well: Three Spades keep a slam in the frame, it also sets
Wolff: Four Clubs. Lead directional when oppo- up a forcing pass of Five Diamonds by North.
nents arrive at the Five Diamonds I expect and Matheson: Three Spades. I always trust partner
partner then can decide what to do after that. when there seems to be too much bidding. Three
However, those were the only Four Club bidders, so Spades indicates I have values there, possibly help-
back to Four Hearts: ing partner if the opposition bid Five Diamonds
Many of the Four Heart bidders seem very content over Four Hearts.
with their choice. Barry at least has doubts: All the above assume hearts are where we are play-
Rigal: Four Hearts. No idea what is going on here ing. Only Eric G is looking for 3NT:
but I admit we might be missing a penalty of 1100 Greco: Three Spades. This has to show a hand trying
to go down (doubled) or they might have a big to get to 3NT with a spade stopper. Since I passed
diamond fit while we can make lots in hearts. I’m the first time I must have spade values or else this
assuming Four Hearts will at the very worst be a makes no sense. IF partner obliges with 3NT am
normal contract on a different auction at other fine with that.
tables. And only Enri thinks we might get to clubs instead
Alder: Four Hearts. Technically, I guess Four Dia- by another means that bidding them (though Heaven
monds is the “best” bid, but it permits North to knows how!):
make a support double. If they go to Five Dia- Leufkens: Three Spades. Strong, probably going to
monds, I will double; and if that is passed out, I heart contract. But might become Six Clubs also.
will lead a trump. On his own Tadishi goes for the other cue-bid. It
Green: Four Hearts. I have a very strong hand and is not clear to me what advantages it has over Three

69 September 2016 BRIDGE Magazine

 Intermediate
Spades and it certainly has the disadvantage of tak- Diamonds Doubled cannot be ignored.
ing up more space. Maybe Marc is influenced by the hand. Partner held
Teramoto: Four Diamonds. Showing a good hand ♠–♥AQ8xxx ♦Q10xx ♣xxx – OK hardly top of the
with a heart fit. We have a small chance of a slam. shelf but surely we would all bid it! You can make 9
Finally two panellists get out their red one. You had tricks but not 10 in hearts so the entire panel is going
better be on firm ground with your partner about the negative except Joey and Marc who are arguing with
meaning of this one (are YOU? – I am far from sure I declarer about whether it is 500 or 800 they are tak-
am) or you will be writing 570 or so in the out column: ing. Honours even I think between Four Hearts and
Silver: Double. The ubiquitous double strikes again. Three Spades so I have declined to use my casting vote.
Hopefully my OX will interpret it the way I mean However, I think Eric makes a very sound case for
it on this particular deal (“When I make a bid” said Four Clubs so I have upgraded it.
the Red Queen – almost – “it means exactly what I
want it to mean”), ie I have no clear direction and PROBLEM 3
am looking to partner for help.
Smith: Double. In similar situations, such as IMPs. Dealer East. N/S Vul
(1♠)-Pass-(Pass)-Dble-(2♦)-? a double now clearly ♠ 75
shows a penalty double of opener’s first suit. ♥ AK
Whether this also applies here is less clear, but you ♦ 6432
surely have to take some action and what else is ♣ J9853
there? Yes, perhaps you can make game in hearts,
West North East South
but surely the chance of a juicy penalty from Three
– – 1♠ 2♥
Pass Pass 3♣ Pass
?
ACBL Encyclopedia of Bid Marks No. of Votes
Bridge Three Hearts 10 12
Five Clubs 9 5
Official ACBL Encyclopedia of Bridge – Four Hearts 7 3
Five Hearts 5 1
7th Edition Four Clubs 5 0
Edited by Brent Manley, 600+ pages Pass 3 0
(Hardback) Three Spades 2 0
3NT 1 0
OUT NOW Four Spades 1 0
RRP £49.95 SUBSCRIBERS’ £45 + post free I wondered how much stick I was going to get from
to UK customers (£10 for overseas customers) the panel about our inaction on the previous round.
The most complete volume of bridge informa- Sure we have 8 HCP, the other two suits and a dou-
tion and instruction ever compiled. bleton in partner’s suit but of those 8 HCP seven of
them are in the oppo’s suit. Is it therefore such a crime
Over 600 easy-to read and easy-to-search
to pass? Actually most of the panel didn’t think it was
pages
a big deal and I got off relatively lightly apart from
• Thousands of entries the usual suspects. Anyway we are where we are which
covering bridge terms, is that partner rather surprisingly hasn’t doubled Two
conventions, sys- Hearts and rather surprisingly has bid our best suit.
tems, rules, and top What does all that tell us and where do we go form
personalities. here? The majority of the panel reach for the “pitiful
• Contains a CD-ROM crutch” of the cue-bid of the opponents’ suit (yes I know
containing hundreds of this was Reese’s phrase for 4th suit but what the Hell)
extra biographies that and hope things will work out. What do they expect
didn't make the printed to learn I wonder?
edition Cannell: Three Hearts. All of a sudden my hand is
huge. I will let partner in on the secret. Since partner
is at least five-five in the black suits, and North did

70 September 2016 BRIDGE Magazine

 Intermediate
not raise hearts that points to shortness in diamonds Clubs – and yes I would not be facing this prob-
in the East hand. I will likely try Four Hearts next lem since this looks like a normal negative double
in an effort to arrive in a possible Six Club contract. of Two Hearts. Three Hearts just shows a good
Certainly Five Clubs is in the crosshairs. hand in context not necessarily a penalty double
OK a slam try in the offing from Drew. of Two Hearts.
Apteker: Three Hearts. Showing a good raise in And Eric takes this up fully:
clubs opposite partner’s shapely hand. Over Three Kokish: Three Hearts. But the truth is that I would
Spades, I will bid Four Spades, over Four Clubs I prefer to treat this as natural despite the overcall.
will bid Five Clubs and over Four Diamonds, I will The idea in not bidding Five Clubs is to cater to
bid Four Hearts. East’s 6-4 where Four Spades might be the only
OK a game force and maybe Four Spades in the making game, admittedly not very likely. If we
picture. also consider that Four Hearts might also be nat-
Robson: Three Hearts. More info please pard. ural rather than a SPL for clubs, the only techni-
Could be right to play Four Spades. cal choice-of-games action might well be . . . Four
Ditto Spades as any three-card-support hand appropri-
Matheson: Three Hearts. Five Clubs or even Six ate for game would have raised over Two Hearts or
Clubs could be on if my heart honours are working. tried for slam over Three Clubs. In BM Standard
OK a game try I’m pretty sure that Three Hearts is a cue-bid and
Carruthers: Three Hearts. I’d have preferred Dou- Four Hearts a SPL, but think of me fondly when
ble at my first turn, getting the hand off my chest you pick up next year: ♠- ♥QJ1098754 ♦Kxxx ♣xx
immediately. As it is, neither of us will be certain and have to deal with this very auction.
of our footing. I must admit that to play Three Hearts as natural
OK a grope and hope. is not something that would occur to me but the case
Greco: Three Hearts. Sounds like partner might is well made don’t you think? I will award this the
have not have doubled because they can’t stand a comment of the month.
diamond bid by me which is good for my hand. Five of the panel just bid what they think partner
Ditto can make:
Lawrence: Three Hearts. Professional Master Solv- Bird: Five Clubs. This may be too high. If I bid
er’s buck passing bid. anything less, though, I fear that partner will have
Now that is a great reason for bidding Three Hearts a hard time in deciding the right level.
– and of course garners the 10 marks  Phillip is in Eric’s camp about Three Hearts:
Green: Three Hearts. I have a big hand but it’s not Alder: Five Clubs. I expect the majority will bid
clear where we belong, I can always bid Five Clubs Three Hearts (I think this is the fourth accurate predic-
later on. 3NT is out as partner rates to be short tion this month and we are only at problem 3. What
there (else why didn’t he double). is the panel coming to? How can I laugh at them if
OK I am bored with comments now. they keep doing this to me!), but what would they do
Sime: Three Hearts. Partner had a reason for not with: ♠5 ♥AKJ9874(2) ♦643(2) ♣3?? I will bid
doubling Two Hearts, most likely a weak two suiter, what I hope partner can make. I doubt that Four
I will belatedly show some strength. Forgetting to Spades is our only game. Yes, maybe 3NT is right,
double Two Hearts deserved to have worked out but that seems a shot in the dusk.
worse. Smith: Five Clubs. North’s failure to raise to even
Alone amongst the panel Joey thinks 3NT is in the Three Hearts suggests that partner holds at least two
frame: cards in that suit to go with his 9+ (and probably
Silver: Three Hearts. Personally I would have dou- 10) black cards, so attempting game in notrumps
bled Two Hearts, and not put myself in this very when partner is virtually marked with short dia-
uncomfortable position. In effect I have trapped monds seems wrong. If he can ruff the second dia-
myself into hanging partner. My two heart stoppers mond, you surely must fancy your chances of game
and club fit I feel obliges me to try for 3NT with in clubs, though, so I do not think that an invita-
Three Hearts, but if partner rejects 3NT as a final tional Four Clubs is enough. One slightly worry-
destination I will then feel obliged to raise Three ing thought is that with a good 5-5 in the blacks
Spades to Four or Four Clubs to Five. he would presumably open One Club (Naw, you
Barry introduces a note of caution to Three Hearts: are living in the past Marc – everyone opens One
Rigal: Three Hearts. On my way to at least Five Spade on 5-5 these days, regardless of strength and

71 September 2016 BRIDGE Magazine

 Intermediate
particularly in 5 card major systems), so he is either Partner did not hold a great hand: ♠AQxxx ♥x
fairly weak or has 5-4 or 6-4 shape. Is there a rea- ♦xx ♣AQ10xx so game is terrible. However Marc
son why we didn’t make a negative double on the simply jumped to Five Clubs over Three Clubs and
previous round BTW? South saw no reason not to lead a heart. That was
Bowyer: Five Clubs. Game try. one diamond loser away, so it was simply a matter of
Teramoto: Five Clubs. Good chance to make. one of two finesses – or was it? North surely had at
Modern theory says that unnecessary jumps are least three hearts and, on the lead, the ♦K, so it was
pretty much always splinters, but it seems inconceiv- unlikely that he would also have either of the other
able on this auction that we have a splinter in hearts missing kings and not have raised. Marc’s man there-
(though to be fair we are close!) so three panellists jump fore led a trump to the ace at trick three and duly
to Four Hearts as a full blooded slam try for clubs. felled South’s singleton king to chalk up +400. Bravo!
Leufkens: Four Hearts. Don’t know if this implies a
splinter, but this is the only clear support bid. With PROBLEM 4
a penalty pass I would bid Three Hearts.
Cope: Four Hearts. Partner has a distributional IMPs. Dealer East. All Vul
hand that would not have stood a penalty double ♠ KJ852
of hearts if it had been made. My hearts may well ♥—
be working cards from the failure to raise hearts ♦ A7 6 5 3
on my left. I will pass Four Spades if that is part- ♣ 10 9 3
ner’s next bid.
West North East South
Really? I think partner may be a bit surprised about that!
– – 1♥ Pass
Brock: Four Hearts. The opponents’ failure to bid
1♠ Pass 3♥ Pass
more hearts suggests partner has some length there
?
– maybe he is very short in diamonds, i.e. 5-2-1-5
or 6-2-0-5. Looks like I have a great hand. Bid Marks No. of Votes
Bobby is completely on his own on this hand and Pass 10 9
I fear may have misread the problem: Three Spades 8 5
Wolff: Five Hearts. When North did not raise hearts, 3NT 8 5
my top hearts took on greater speculative value. Four Hearts 8 2
Four Diamonds 1 0
An age old problem perhaps with seemingly the values
for game and possibly, just possibly, a fit, but a void
in the suit partner has jump rebid. The old solution
to this was to get out whilst you can and nine of the
panel – enough for the 10 marks – do just that:
CARD TABLES Greco: Pass. We could have a game in one of three
suits but with a void in partner’s suit I will slow
FOR SALE down. At matchpoints this is easy at imps it is close.
Refurbished old tables standard size Some are rather more trenchant about it:
with new green baize top Smith: Pass. If I can get this past North, we will
avoid the -800/-1100 that we might well be booked
£29 each for on this misfit. If Three Hearts comes back dou-
Will deliver within reasonable distance bled I may rethink, but bidding again now is surely
just asking the opponents to lower the boom.
DANNY ROTH Cope: Pass. Yes, there are hands where partner has
47 Bearing Way, CHIGWELL, three card spade support, but there are far more
ESSEX IG7 4NB hands where they do not. The likelihood of 3NT
making with no heart transportation is also remote
020 8501 1643 tel/fax [email protected]
so time to get out on a misfit before the opponents
put a red card on the table. If it were allowed my
second choice would be Two Hearts.
Sime: Pass. I am guessing here which would be eas-
ier if we were playing Gazzilli. Being able to put 16+

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 Intermediate
hands through Two Clubs takes some Three Heart these kind of hands – it NEVER seemed to be the right
rebid hands out of this equation. Gazzilli also leaves thing to do so I learnt to stop doing it. Two Canadi-
room to explore alternative games. Of course this ans, an Englishman and an American (sounds like the
might be a hand where Gazzilli would have com- start of a joke) obviously have a different experience:
mitted us to a choice of no-play games. I am going Green: 3NT. Since there are hands where 3NT is
low even though I hate missing vulnerable games. completely cold (♠AQ ♥AKxxxx ♦xx ♣Axx) I will
Not as much as I hate losing 800 from an uncon- try a hopeful 3NT, it’s not clear that Three Hearts
tested auction to a stupid contract. will play any better. I don’t want to rebid Three
Alder: Pass. Four Diamonds could work well, as Spades and catch a raise with Qx although if part-
long as partner treats it as natural and not a con- ner happens to have three spades I will have almost
trol-bid showing a good hand for hearts. certainly done the wrong thing.
Not sure anyone plays it as natural these days Phillip. Rigal: 3NT. If we don’t have a spade fit will we
Teramoto: Pass. I cannot wish for too much. The make Four Hearts or 3NT? Let’s say partner has a
void in hearts is bad news. typical ♠Qx ♥AKJxxx ♦Kx ♣Kxx. I’m gambling
Several passers look to Three Spades as the main one of diamonds or spades will run, I admit, hop-
alternative: ing partner can find another call with extra shape.
Lawrence: Pass. This hand has a large upside to At least I bid it in good tempo...
bidding but also a horrible downside. My heart(s) Cannell: 3NT. The cramped auction leads me to
suggests passing. I listen. Three Spades is my sec- Hamman’s Rule. My preference for a Three Spade
ond choice. advance after the Three Heart jump is six-plus
Enri and David think it is clear and make the spades – right or wrong.
same simile: Carruthers: 3NT. I’m not thrilled with this, but feel
Leufkens: Pass. Everything else resembles going I have no choice. My majors are not good enough
to the casino. for a rebid of Three Spades or a raise to Four Hearts;
Bird: Pass. To bid Three Spades now would be the 3NT may well depend on the solidity of his hearts
action of a dissolute gambler chucking good money or the degree of his club fit.
after bad. It’s long odds against finding partner Finally, we have those who believe by system or phi-
with a spade fit. The most likely outcome is that losophy that partner has shown a REALLY good suit:
we would end up doubled in some unpleasant spot. Kokish: Four Hearts. Which emphasizes the impor-
The dissolute gamblers are the following wild bunch: tance of having a very good suit for Three Hearts.
Brock: Three Spades. Maybe pass is winning, but … And the consequent need to occasionally rebid in a
Not the sort of auction on which anyone is likely to three-card minor. Or we can pretend those unsuit-
double! Anything could be right but Three Spades able hands never happen.
at least offers an alternative trump suit. John gets in a plug for his favourite convention:
No surprise that Bobby doesn’t pass: Matheson: Four Hearts. A question of style, but
Wolff: Three Spades. Man the torpedoes - full speed for me Three Hearts = good hand + very strong
ahead, totally dependent on either a spade fit or hearts. With a good hand + moderate hearts I find
solid hearts from partner but passing is just too another bid eg holding ♠Axx ♥AJxxxx ♦x ♣AKx I
pusillanimous for both my reputation and for hid- rebid Two Clubs. Even better still is to play Gazzilli.
ing my cowardice. Silver: Four Hearts. I really want to pass, but we
Rather more surprising is that Paul didn’t: are vul, and I have no idea how my pointed suits fit
Bowyer: Three Spades. Could be right to pass – partner. I would not be surprised that if we cannot
however, partner may have bid Three Hearts because make 10 tricks in hearts we cannot make 9 either, so
of a partial spade fit. what the Hell I’ll man up and go for the vul bonus.
Apteker: Three Spades. Despite the negative of the Partner held ♠A ♥AQ10xxx ♦xxx ♣AKx which I
void and marginal game going values, I am taking suspect is Two Clubs for Eric and John (giving us an
the high road given the upside Vul at teams. I hope entirely different bidding problem and I suspect Pass
to catch three spades or two honour spades with would also be the majority choice). I suppose 3NT
partner or that my potential source of diamond MIGHT make some days and Three Hearts is no thing
tricks still allows for 3NT to make. of beauty to play. Clearly you want to play in about
Robson: Three Spades. Assuming partner had no One Diamond. For all John’s love of Gazilli it doesn’t
way to show a good 3♠-6♥ as many do these days. solve this hand since as Iain rightly said we are com-
When I was young I always used to bid 3NT on mitted to a choice of no play games.

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 Intermediate
PROBLEM 5 Gulp.
Kokish: Three Hearts. Non-forcing in BMS and
IMPs. Dealer West. All Vul less awful than a non-forcing Two Spades or 2NT.
A bad hand for everyone’s methods except for the
♠ QJ652 Negative Free Bid guys who will/should have a
♥ KQ decent weak two-bid for that sort of Two Heart bid.
♦ 9852 Bird: Three Hearts. It’s close and Two Spades might
♣ A6 work better. Still, this will improve our chances of
West North East South reaching a playable heart game.
1♠ 2♦ 2♥* Pass Bowyer: Three Hearts. It’s either that or a fairly
? repulsive 2NT. Don’t like the latter with such fee-
2♥ In BM Standard now 2♥ is F1 but not FG ble diamonds.
Bid Marks No. of Votes Carruthers: Three Hearts. I’d prefer a sixth spade
Three Hearts 10 16 for Two Spades and actual stoppers for 2NT.
Two Spades 8 5 Rigal: Three Hearts. Not perfect – indeed far from
Four Hearts 4 0 it – but how far off base are we to suggest heart sup-
2NT 3 0 port and a minimum. Bingo! Prediction: half the
Three Diamonds 1 0 panel will bid Three Hearts; a sizable element of
The main choices here are Two Spades, of which we them will say “they dislike their choice or ‘the least
have already shown five but rebidding them does not lie’ but what else is there?”
show six, and Three Hearts, for which partner will OK Barry 16 out of 21 so well more than half – you
expect three but hey we do have the KQ. By the second- can have that one. Five say things like that so I sup-
est largest majority of the set (16 out of 21) the panel pose I will have to give you that well as well. Will the
opt for the raise. Some think it blindingly obvious: panel please STOP making accurate predictions and go
Alder: Three Hearts. What else? back to your old ways so we can all have a good laugh.
Wolff: Three Hearts. By default with no second Teramoto: Three Hearts. It is NF and usually shows
choice. three hearts. Two Spades is also possible but I pre-
Cope: Three Hearts. ♥KQ is as good as 3 card sup- fer to support hearts.
port and no other bid looks remotely sensible. Five bid Two Spades:
Silver: Three Hearts. What my support lacks in Lawrence: Two Spades. But Three Hearts is decent. I
quantity it more than makes up for in quality. play a style where Two Spades DOES NOT PROM-
Besides with this particular hand what else can I ISE six cards. If partner bids again, I have an easy
reasonably do? Three Heart bid available. There’s a hidden issue
Robson: Three Hearts. I’ve good cards, I’m not in here. Two Hearts may be forcing, but does it guar-
the least ashamed. Far wiser choice this than Two antee another bid?
Spades in my opinion. I think partner could pass Two Spades or 2NT or
Sime: Three Hearts. This looks like the least flawed Three Hearts. Clearly Alon thinks so too!
action. Partner will expect three hearts, so KQ dou- Apteker: Two Spades. In preference to the other
bleton shouldn’t be a huge disappointment. main possibility of a Three Heart rebid as it allows
Smith: Three Hearts. I can hardly bid 2NT with us to declare at the two level if partner has a mini-
such a poor diamond stopper, which leaves a choice mum hand.
between Three Hearts with only doubleton-support Leufkens: Two Spades. Not Three Hearts as part-
and rebidding Two Spades on this manky suit. I am ner will be short in trumps before he even starts
not ashamed of my opening bid, so I prefer the action to play. Two Spades can be five card suit if noth-
that is more likely to encourage partner to bid game. ing else appeals.
In my view, it’s not a particularly close decision. Green: Two Spades. I think this is the catch all bid
Matheson: Three Hearts. Partner will expect three when we don’t have an appropriate hand for 2NT
card support, but I have compensation. (i.e. a stopper) and we don’t have three card heart
Some think it is the best of a bad job: support. I don’t mind a Three Heart bid but part-
Greco: Three Hearts. This feels like three card sup- ner will expect three card support.
port so I will show it as a least of evils bid. Brock: Two Spades. When he chose Two Hearts
Cannell: Three Hearts. A difficult one to be sure. he knew there would be a lot of 5-3-3-2 hands on
I choose this two-card raise as a least of evils effort. which I would rebid Two Spades.

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 Intermediate
The least contentious hand of the set and the panel – just the SOB this hand really is!
have this one spot on. Partner held ♠AK ♥AJ10xx ♦x Cope: Four Clubs. Splinter. So may prime features,
♣Kxxxx so Six Hearts was cold. Partner will probably the worry is will we have time to show them all, but
just drive it over the heart raise. this is the most descriptive starting point.
Smith: Four Clubs. This is a huge hand in support
PROBLEM 6 of diamonds. If partner has short spades, slam on
minimal values is more than possible: ♠x ♥Qxxxx
IMPs. Dealer East. N/S Vul ♦AKxxx ♣Ax is only a combined 22-count. The
♠ 10 8 5 4 2 only question is whether this jump in the fourth
♥ AK suit is a splinter agreeing diamonds in this auction,
♦ Q 10 7 4 3 since usually jumps in the fourth suit (1♣-1♥-1♠-
♣6 3 ♦ for example, show big two-suited hands) (well
that is matter of agreement as well, but I agree that
West North East South
is the most common treatment), but that doesn’t feel
– – 1♥ Pass
like the right interpretation once we go past 3NT.
1♠ Pass 2♦ Pass
Raising to Four Diamonds is likely to leave partner
?
stuck – he cannot cue-bid in hearts and will not
Bid Marks No. of Votes show a shortage in my first suit with his first cue-
Four Clubs 10 17 bid, so we would then have to guess over his likely
Three Clubs 8 2 Five Clubs. Over Four Clubs, he would cue-bid a
Three Diamonds 6 1 high-card control in spades (which is not what we
Four Hearts 6 1 want to hear), or he can wait with Four Diamonds
Four Diamonds 4 0 and then cue-bid a shortage in spades over Four
Two Hearts 3 0 Hearts from me.
Three Hearts 2 0
As Marc says it is not clear what Four Clubs means.
We have only 9 points and yet three quarters of the Take Sally or David:
panel not only force to game but issue a slam try. What Brock: Four Clubs. I don’t actually play this as a
would Walter the Walrus say! But what a nine count splinter but I think most of the world does, so I
it is – ♥AK and ♦Q10xxx. The panel can see a slam may as well take advantage…
on minimal values: It is a splinter in hearts for you I think Sally. Yes?
Green: Four Clubs. Splinter bid showing diamond Bird: Four Clubs. I am hoping that this is a splin-
support and short clubs, slam may well be making ter bid and is not described in some dusty primeval
and I think I’m worth game so I might as well show tome as showing a great club suit. Anyway, what’s
my shortage along the way. Opposite as little as ♠x the worst that can happen? If he raises the clubs, I
♥QJxxx ♦AKxx ♣Axx slam is nearly cold. will (after due consideration) correct to diamonds.
Rigal: Four Clubs. Not quite good enough for Silver: Four Clubs. Biding the fourth suit might
Blackwood. Note that facing a Yarborough (♠x well lead to unwanted complications, so I choose to
♥xxxxx ♦AKxxx ♣Ax) (Err that’s a Yarborough?) simplify things. While this might prevent us from
slam is likely to make – so I’m not exactly kidding. playing our best game when it is Four Hearts, it
This is a splinter and I think Four Hearts over Four will instead help get us to our best potential slam
Clubs is either to play or a cue-bid depending on – Six Diamonds.
what partner has (and what he tells me in the post Alder: Four Clubs. Then Four Hearts over Four
mortem...). Cue-bid I think. Diamonds. Live it up!
Robson: Four Clubs. Splinter bid – ideal. I can see Bowyer: Four Clubs. I think this hand is worth
a perfecto slam facing spade shortage. a splinter. True, you can construct hands where
Carruthers: Four Clubs. Could it be more perfect? Five Diamonds might not make but there are those
Lawrence: Four Clubs. Splinter. Definitely a unan- where slam is cold.
imous choice. Sime: Four Clubs. I will commit to game, aware
17 out of 21. I’m feeling generous so I won’t laugh that we can be off on top tricks on a bad day. Once
at you  I have decided to bid game, a splinter is obligatory.
Leufkens: Four Clubs. Great fitting hand, so It doesn’t promise extras, and might hit the jackpot.
enough for splinter. A game invitation may be declined on a hand where
Wolff: Four Clubs. Shortness, overbid, but beautiful we can make slam, e.g. ♠A ♥xxxxx ♦Kxxxx ♣Ax.

75 September 2016 BRIDGE Magazine

 Intermediate
Teramoto: Four Clubs. Splinter raise. It may be an And one for my least favourite of all the options:
overbid but if partner has a good hand with a shape Matheson: Four Hearts. Partner has ♠xx ♥QJ10xx
such as 1-5-4-3 we have a good chance for a slam. ♦AKxx ♣Kx and I am a a hero!
Kokish: Four Clubs. Sensational problem (why And when he has ♠–♥QJxxx ♦AKxxx ♣Axx you
thank you, sir) as West would like to show his club are not!
SPL for diamonds while leaving open Four Hearts Partner held ♠J ♥QJ10xx ♦AKxx ♣Axx which is
as a final contract. Unfortunately, that’s not possi- pretty much exactly the hand several panellists suggested.
ble, so the alternative choices are Three Diamonds, Since there is such a strong majority for the splin-
Four Diamonds (undiscussed as to strength), Three ter (17 out of 21) I have downgraded the Three Dia-
Hearts, Four Hearts, Three Clubs (4SFG). Four mond and Four Heart bids.
Clubs is perhaps a mild overbid although East, hold-
ing short spades, will not need much for Five/Six PROBLEM 7
Diamonds.
Eric has given us the full menu of options so let’s see IMPs. Dealer North. E/W Vul
what else the panel picked. Two are up for the actual ♠A
pitiful crutch this time: ♥ AQ 9 8 7 5 2
Apteker: Three Clubs. My hand has become huge ♦ 43
for partner and is now worth forcing to game as I ♣ Q 10 5
am still unsure of strain. I will bid Five Diamonds
West North East South
over Three Diamonds or 3NT, Four Hearts over
– 2♠* Double 4♠
Three Hearts or Four Spades over Three Spades.
?
Greco: Three Clubs. What little I have is monstrous 2♠ Natural and weak
and we could easily have a slam so I will G.F. and
see how things play out. Any direct diamond leap Bid Marks No. of Votes
is a weaker hand that might be more distributional. Six Hearts 10 8
One for Three Diamonds: 4NT 9 6
Cannell: Three Diamonds. Invitational in context Five Hearts 9 1
in the 2/1 system base. There are still possibilities Five Spades 9 6
5NT 5 0
of playing in several strains here. I need a further Seven Hearts 2 0
noise from partner (if any) to make an informed Double 1 0
decision. We may play in no-trump, spades, hearts
This was the closest vote of the set with the top three
or diamonds! I guess that clubs is a non-contender.
votes attracting 8, 6 and 6 votes respectively. I must
admit you would not keep me out of a slam on this
hand and two thirds of the panel agree with me. Eight
just bid it whereas six try for the grand by cue-bidding
the first round spade control on the way. Is the hand
worth it? Let’s interleave them and see:
YOUNG CHELSEA Alder: Six Hearts. Then pass if South bids Six
Spades. I could control-bid Five Spades, then bid
BRIDGE CLUB Six Hearts over six of a minor if partner would read
it (hard to see what else it could mean). But we would
One of the World’s Great Bridge Clubs need the agreement that 5NT by me now would
be showing two places to play, not, as some expert
pairs in the United States play, both minors with
Duplicate every weekday evening Five Spades as hearts and a minor.
Ah OK – fair enough, but what about:
Carruthers: Five Spades. I shall correct whatever
Tel: 020 7373 1665 he bids to hearts, Without first-round spade con-
www.ycbc.co.uk trol, I could bid something else, 5NT say.
Yes, that seems the obvious way forward to me –
4NT (two places to play) then Five Hearts is a slam try,
Five Spades then Six Hearts is a grand try with first

76 September 2016 BRIDGE Magazine

 Intermediate
round spade control and 5NT (pick a slam) then Six is therefore a slam try. I think that this hand is too
Hearts is a grand try without first round spade control. good for that (this is a sort of Lebensohl variant).
Apteker: Six Hearts. Bidding what I think I can However, I am reluctant to suggest seven (presum-
make. It may be right to merely invite slam via ably via Five Spades) without any minor controls.
4NT and pulling the minor to Five Hearts but it Partner will accept when Seven Haerts is even worse
is close between the two and the upside with bid- than a finesse.
ding the slam immediately is that opponents may Kokish: Five Spades. 4NT, initially two places to
also take the insurance at Six Spades doubled when play, then Five Hearts as a clear slam try by agree-
11 tricks was our limit. ment, might not be enough as East needs so little
Leufkens: Five Spades. And then Six Hearts. Should for slam. Still, missing slam might produce a big-
be invitation for seven, as 5NT is two places to ger plus than the penalty against Six Spades Dou-
play/stay. bled. In North America it is more common to treat
Smith: Six Hearts. What else, other than Five Hearts Five Hearts directly as the slam try and via 4NT as
or Six Hearts? Is partner really going to raise Five less. Once committing to Six Hearts we might as
Hearts with some sort of sub-minimum double such well bid Five Spades on the way as East is unlim-
as ♠xx ♥Kxxx ♦Kxx ♣AKxx? The only downside ited. ♠xx ♥Kxx ♦Axxx ♣AKJx (an unexceptional
of bidding Six Hearts is that it gives up on a grand, perfecto) is 13 tricks in notrump.
but how to investigate that possibility is far from Bird: Six Hearts. If I were suffering from depression,
clear (and, no, 4NT is NOT Blackwood). I would bid Five Hearts. If I were near the end of
Well you could try….. let me see… how about Five a second bottle of 2009 claret, I would investigate
Spades? Seven Hearts. Since it’s a Tuesday afternoon and I’m
Bowyer: Five Spades. I nearly just bid Six Hearts feeling reasonably cheerful, I will steer a middle path.
but why not bid Five Spades and convert partner’s And a sober middle path apparently.
six of a minor to Six Hearts? That gives East the Silver: Six Hearts. Go Know (No idea! Anyone?).
chance of bidding seven if it’s cold. And of them (I think he means ‘Go now’ perhaps an oblique refer-
cashing two aces against six.  ence to a line from the Scottish Play. Editor) Since I
Greco: Six Hearts. Let them guess whether to save have no idea what we can make or any idea how
or not. They might need to find the right lead to to intelligently explore for slam starting at the five
beat me. level I’ll settle for giving the Villains the last guess.
Which is Paul’s argument again. Six panellists are prepared to let partner out at the
Cannell: Five Spades. As a 4NT bid would denote five level by only issuing a slam try. Five do so by 4NT:
at least two places to play this Five Spade bid should Teramoto: 4NT. 4NT is takeout for the minors and
denote first round spade control when I bid Six I will bid Five Hearts over the expected 5m. This
Hearts next. At least this gives partner some insight shows a slam try in hearts and is NF.
on our holding. Partner will be able to bid a grand There is a problem with playing 4NT then Five
slam in hearts when holding the heart king, both Hearts as the slam try which is:
minor-suit aces along with a source of tricks in one Brock: 4NT. I’m not prepared to commit to the five
or both minors. Partner is Vulnerable versus not level. But if partner bids Five Clubs and I convert
here, so I expect decent values. to Five Hearts, in my book this is a slam try with
Yeah right - as if partner wouldn’t double on ♠x hearts. Of course, if he bids Five Diamonds and
♥KJxx ♦KQJxx ♣KJx. I bid Five Hearts there is not the same inference.
Wolff: Six Hearts. Slam try. To my beloved LHO- As you could just have a hand with hearts and clubs
Your guess? (this is the reason of course for reversing the “stand-
Cope: Five Spades. Normally this will be slam forc- ard” treatment and playing a direct Five Hearts as a
ing with two places to play. But when I remove the slam try and 4NT then Five Hearts as the non-slam
response to Six Hearts it will just show a hand too try. All very sensible – you just have to remember it
good to bid Six Hearts first time round. If there is in the heat of battle!
any better bid to show a seven card heart suit and Green: 4NT. I plan to follow partners Five Clubs
first round spade control, please let me know. (hopefully) response with five Hearts to show a slam
Iain and Eric mention another treatment: try in hearts (I think it is better to play the direct
Sime: Six Hearts. There is a gadget; 4NT starts off five Hearts here as the strong heart hand). I could
as two places to play but, when followed by Five blast Six Hearts but there are lots of normal take-
Hearts, it is to play Five Hearts. A direct Five Hearts out doubles where we are off two cashing tricks. If

77 September 2016 BRIDGE Magazine

 Intermediate
I am able to make my slam try then partner with Partner is limited to exactly three hearts and about an
plenty of ammunition in the minors has a chance eight count because of Drury. Does this make a differ-
of raising me. ence? Yes, to some but not to many who try for game
John doesn’t bother with the hearts and clubs hand: anyway. If we are trying for game the majority went
Matheson: 4NT. Followed by Five Hearts = slam for the natural Three Club bid:
try in hearts. I think this is a more useful agreement Silver: Three Clubs. Partner has not promised much,
than wriggling with clubs and hearts. but then again I don’t need much to make game.
Andrew is bidding 4NT for tactical reasons and On the expected spade lead all I need is the ♥Q
actually has no intention of not bidding a slam: and one of the missing aces. So with three choices
Robson: 4NT. Must slow the bidding down so they of game tries (Three Clubs, Three Diamonds and
don’t save. Certainly going to Six Hearts – at least. of course Four Hearts) I’ll show what I have rather
Only Barry is prepared to bid Five Hearts as the than make a try in a red suit.
slam try: Matheson: Three Clubs. If partner has the ♥Q
Rigal: Five Hearts. We play 4NT then Five Hearts and a minor ace (especially ♣A) game should be
less strong than the direct call – an inversion of nor- reasonable.
mal methods. If this isn’t available I’d probably bid Drury came in for some stick (hey you were asked
Six Hearts and damn the torpedoes. about it in the system reboot):
It ain’t really but I have upgraded it anyway! Bowyer: Three Clubs. Don’t see the problem,
Last word to the man who knows: nor the relevance to Droopy (not one of my
Lawrence: Five Spades. 4NT is takeout so that’s favourite methods). Four Hearts might make,
tentatively out. My choices are Five Spades followed it might not; Three Clubs consults partner on
likely with Six Hearts. 4NT is also possible if you the matter.
next bid Five Spades, and later Six Hearts. I think Rigal: Three Clubs. FOUR CARD DRURY –
that the immediate Five Spades auction promises a UGH!!!!! (see above–AM) Worth a game try since
control. The sad thing about this hand is that after they rate to lead spades, and whoever has the king
you make your decision, you will see that dummy that is good news. I’d do the same without the inter-
has the AQ9 of diamonds and the AKJxx of clubs vention though as De Niro said “Yes, but I was very
making your queen of clubs the key card for a grand. conflicted about it” (when Billy Crystal asked if he
Partner held ♠x ♥KJxx ♦AQx ♣AKJxx so surely had taken a contract out on him).
would bid it over Five Spades then Six Hearts. “Analyse This” I think
Green: Three Clubs. Tempted to blast Four Hearts
PROBLEM 8 as I need very little from partner, if game is decent
then we should get there over Three Clubs so I’ll
IMPs. Dealer East. All Vul be disciplined for once.
♠ AQ Wolff: Three Clubs. An upgrade to the positional
♥ KJ976 spade lead upgrade, but still a small overbid.
♦ 10 6 Alder: Three Clubs. My alternative is Four Hearts,
♣ KQJ6 then a double of Four Spades.
Only three go for Four Hearts:
West North East South
Carruthers: Four Hearts. For a couple of reasons:
– – Pass Pass
(i.) to keep the defence in the dark as much as pos-
1♥ Pass 2♥* 2♠
sible, and; (ii.) I don’t know which game try (which
?
♣
2♥ 2 would have been three card Drury and 2 ♦ is what the hand is worth) to make. If I try with
four card Drury three of a minor, how will partner be able to eval-
Bid Marks No. of Votes uate three low in the suit, both holding which are
Three Clubs 10 10 good for my hand and if I try 2NT, it may warn
2NT 9 4 North off a spade lead.
Four Hearts 8 3 Leufkens: Four Hearts. ♥Axx is enough so no rea-
Double 7 1 son to be timid. They might even save!
Three Hearts 7 2 Lawrence: Four Hearts. You could, I suppose, bid
Pass 6 1 Three Diamonds as a psychic game try. No need to
Three Diamonds 3 0 bid Three Clubs. Partner’s hand won’t benefit from
3NT 2 0 it. 2NT is possible.

78 September 2016 BRIDGE Magazine

 Intermediate
Back to Three Clubs: One doesn’t even attempt to play the hand (though
Sime: Three Clubs. Two Hearts is wide-ranging I do think Tim has missed a line of the auction!)
even if playing Drury. Partner strains to keep these Cope: Pass. The most we can expect from partner
auctions open. We don’t need to be in game if he is two pieces from the failure to Drury, and we
has done that. Conveniently Three Clubs is our long might only get one. Opposite a hand such as ♠xxx
suit try and has left room for a last train return try ♥Axx ♦Qxxx ♣xxx I shall be delighted to make
of Three Diamonds, which would be an average Two Hearts.
hand, e.g. ♥Q and an ace. And Marc has Andrew’s sneaking admiration:
Teramoto: Three Clubs. Game try with something Smith: Double. Drury? Are you serious? (I refer
in clubs. you to my comments above!) We’re now playing
Apteker: Three Clubs. Long suited game try and Capp and Drury, so you might as well add Flan-
willing to go to game as well if partner counters nery too so that we have all three of the worst
with Three Diamonds. I considered a natural 2NT conventions ever invented. A more useful way
try but it is hard to see how 3NT could be better to play these two-level responses at the two-
than Four Hearts. level by a passed hand is that they are all natu-
Well what about the 2NT bidders then: ral, maximum passes with three-card support,
Kokish: 2NT. As the ♥ Q and an ace is not which enables partner to judge the hand much
too much to hope for West must try for game. better IMHO (yes, but not actually in the opin-
However, bidding game is a bit much as East ion of almost everyone else in the world Marc –
can have three low trumps and less perfect val- humble or not). Rant done, back to the problem:
ues outside. competing to Three Hearts here is unLAWful
Brock: 2NT. It depends a bit on partnership style (partner will bid on with four trumps) and not
as to where we set the level for our Drury. In my that helpful since, with a spade lead likely even
view it shouldn’t really affect the simple raise and if North holds the king, we could be cold for
I like my hand as the ♠AQ is effectively the ♠AK. game opposite Qxx trumps and a minor-suit
Cannell: 2NT. This should be a natural game try. ace. I have to make a try, and this seems to be
If we play help-suit-game-tries here that might be the most obvious way to do so.
Three Diamonds, but it is unclear what holding Err does it? Even I think that is penalties!
from partner would constitute an acceptance of This hand tried 2NT at the table and partner looked
that. The same applies to a natural suit try of Three at his source of tricks and singleton and bid game (per-
Clubs. Three or four small clubs may be an asset haps wrongly) on ♠10xxx ♥10xx ♦KQJxx ♣x. We
instead of a hindrance. So, I will invite the vulner- have all been in worse games but when LHO said
able game at IMPs. This also leaves partner room “double” the news was not good. The overcaller was
to accept by bidding three-of-a-minor. That will 5-0-2-6 and so with trumps 5-0 care had to be taken
receive a Four Heart bid. to get out for one off. Care wasn’t taken and so that
Is it so clear that 3m is accepting the game try? was -500. Given that ill-fitting hand still gives a play
What is the poor guy supposed to do with ♠xxx ♥xxx for game the tries seem spot on and indeed the game
♦KJxxxx ♣x? bidders look sensible.
Greco: 2NT. feels about right as a game try. A mixed bag of problems this month: four had no
Two don’t even think the hand is worth a game try: overall majorities and problem 1 had seven differ-
Bird: Three Hearts. It may seem wrong to go to the ent bids, and there were 12 single votes overall, but
three-level when I am expecting only eight trumps two problems had large majorities. Taking gold this
between the hands. The trouble is that a dummy month (it is the Olympics) is Iain Sime, one short of
such as ♠xxx ♥Qxx ♦Axxx ♣xxx (well most of the the maximum on 79, silver for Phillip Alder on 78
panel want to be in Four Hearts on that!) will offer with Eric Greco and Barry Rigal sharing the bronze
us fair play. Am I meant to infer that South’s Two one point behind. May I finish by wishing all pan-
Spades, after passing, may mean long spades with- elists and readers playing in Wroclaw this month the
out the king? North will lead a spade anyway if he very best of luck.
has the ♠K.
Robson: Three Hearts. Facing a non-Drury, this
is not a game try for me even with ♠AQ seem-
ingly promoted. Sneaking admiration for double,
optional trying for +200.

79 September 2016 BRIDGE Magazine

 Intermediate
SET 307 – THE PANEL’S BIDS & MARKS
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Total
Iain Sime Scotland 5♣ 3♠ 3♥ Pass 3♥ 4♣ 6♥ 3♣ 79
Phillip Alder USA 6♣ 4♥ 5♣ Pass 3♥ 4♣ 6♥ 3♣ 78
Eric Greco USA 5♣ 3♠ 3♥ Pass 3♥ 3♣ 6♥ 2NT 77
Barry Rigal USA Pass 4♥ 3♥ 3NT 3♥ 4♣ 5♥ 3♣ 77
David Bird England Pass 4♥ 5♣ Pass 3♥ 4♣ 6♥ 3♥ 76
Paul Bowyer England Pass 4♥ 5♣ 3♠ 4♥ 4♣ 5♠ 3♣ 76
Ben Green England Pass 4♥ 3♥ 3NT 2♠ 3♣ 4NT 3♣ 75
Tadashi Teramoto Japan Pass 4♦ 5♣ Pass 3♥ 4♣ 4NT 3♣ 75
Eric Kokish Canada Double 4♣ 3♥ 4♥ 3♥ 4♣ 4NT 2NT 74
Mike Lawrence USA 5♣ 4♥ 3♥ Pass 2♠ 4♣ 5♠ 4♥ 74
Andrew Robson England Pass 4♥ 3♥ 3♠ 3♥ 4♣ 4NT 3♥ 74
Joey Silver Canada 4♠ Double 3♥ 4♥ 3♥ 4♣ 6♥ 3♣ 74
Alon Apteker South Africa Pass 3♠ 3♥ 3♠ 2♠ 3♣ 6♥ 3♣ 74
John Carruthers Canada 6♥ 3♠ 3♥ 3NT 3♥ 4♣ 5♠ 4♥ 73
Marc Smith England Pass Double 5♣ Pass 3♥ 4♣ 6♥ Double 73
Drew Cannell Canada Pass 3♠ 3♥ 3NT 3♥ 3♦ 5♠ 2NT 72
Tim Cope South Africa 5♣ 3♠ 4♥ Pass 3♥ 4♣ 5♠ Pass 72
John Matheson Scotland 5♦ 3♠ 3♥ 4♥ 3♥ 4♥ 4NT 3♣ 72
Sally Brock England Pass 4♥ 4♥ 3♠ 2♠ 4♣ 4NT 2NT 71
Enri Leufkens Netherlands 5♣ 3♠ 4♥ Pass 2♠ 4♣ 5♠ 4♥ 70
Bobby Wolff USA 6♣ 4♣ 5♥ 3♠ 3♥ 4♣ 6♥ 3♣ 70
Eric Kokish Canada 5♠ 3♥ 2♦ 3♠ 4NT 5♣ 4♠ 2♦ 68

Mike Lawrence Bridge Tips from

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80 September 2016 BRIDGE Magazine


Bidding Competition – Set 308
Open to all – Free Entry
See following pages for system and method of entry
PROBLEM 1 PROBLEM 5
IMPs. Dealer East. None Vul. IMPs. Dealer West. E/W Vul.
♠ A K 10 6 3 ♠ KQ52
♥— ♥6
♦ 865 ♦ KQJ743
♣ AK Q 5 3 ♣ 86
West North East South West North East South
– – 3♦ Pass 1♦ Pass 1♥ Pass
? 1♠ Pass 2♣* Pass
2♦ Pass 3♦ Pass
PROBLEM 2
?
IMPs. Dealer West. N/S Vul. 2♣ Fourth suit forcing, forcing to game
♠ Q85 PROBLEM 6
♥ J763
♦Q IMPs. Dealer East. E/W Vul
♣ A J 10 8 2 ♠ AK 5
West North East South ♥7
Pass 1NT* Pass 2♥* ♦ A 10 7 4 3
Pass 2NT* Double* 3♥* ♣ AK 6 5
? West North East South
1NT 12-14 2♥ Transfer – – 1♥ Pass
2NT Max with 4 ♠ DbleTakeout of s ♠ 2♦ Pass 3♥ Pass
3♥ Re-transfer
?
PROBLEM 3
PROBLEM 7
IMPs. Dealer East. N/S Vul.
IMPs. Dealer East. All Vul.
♠ 542
♥ AK 6 2 ♠ J76
♦ K Q 10 6 3 ♥5
♣A ♦ A 10 7 5 4
West North East South ♣ A8 7 4
– – 1♣ Pass West North East South
1♦ Pass 1♥ Pass – – 1♠ Pass
1♠* Pass 2♣ Pass ?
2♥ Pass 3♣ Pass PROBLEM 8
?
1♠ Fourth suit forcing, forcing to game IMPs. Dealer East. E/W Vul..
PROBLEM 4
♠J
♥ K Q J 10 5 4
IMPs. Dealer West. E/W Vul. ♦ K J 10
♠ AK 9 4 ♣ AJ 5
♥7 West North East South
♦ K 10 9 8 5 2 – – 1♠ Pass
♣ Q4 2♥ Pass 3sx Pass
West North East South ?
1♦ Pass 1♥ Pass
1♠ Pass 2♣* Pass
2♦ Pass 3♦ Pass
?
2 ♣ Fourth suit forcing, forcing to game
81 September 2016 BRIDGE Magazine


1ST
YEH
ONLINE
BRIDGE
WORLD CUP
The
1st Yeh
Online Bridge
World Cup
will take place
31 October - 2 November 2016
under the auspices of the World Bridge Federation.
This will be the first live online Bridge Show, featuring the greatest champions and biggest personalities associated
with the game and a top class team of commentators who will analyze the deals for the watching online spectators.
Team EUROPE-LAVAZZA (based in Turin at the headquarters of Lavazza) will include the women who
currently hold the top two positions in the world rankings, Sylvie Willard and Bénédicte Cronier, alongside
Giorgio Duboin, Augustin Madala, and another pair to be announced.
Team USA-BBO team (based in Seattle) will be Bob Hamman (the all time number 1 in the
world rankings) playing with Jill Meyers (number 2 on the all time women's list) Fred Gitelman
& Sherri Winestock and Bill Gates and Sharon Osberg.
Team CCBA (based in Beijing) will comprise Mr Zeng Peiyan, former vice premier for
economy & General secretary of the Asian Economic Forum, Mr Guo Jinlong, former Mayor
of Beijing plus Chinese World Champions.
Team CHEN YEH (also based in Beijing) will include Mr Yeh who will be joined by World Champions.

At each venue, remotely controlled webcams will monitor each player, steaming live images
across the Internet. Every match will be broadcast live using BBO & Ourgame.
The best bridge journalists from around the world will cover the event with voice and written
commentaries and there will be instant Daily Bulletins online. Social media will be utilised to
the fullest extent with dedicated accounts on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
The first match will start at 09.00 (US PDT time) 17.00 (European CEST) on 31 October
with Bill Gates playing for the USA against Lavazza; the schedule is as follows:

Daily Time Schedule

Turin matches: 10.00,17.00 or 21.00 (European CEST)
Seattle matches: 09.00, 13.00, 19.00 or 22.00 (US PDT time)
Beijing matches: 10.00, 13.00,17/18.00 or 21/22.00 (China time)
Starting Monday 31 October 2016
China v Chinese Taipei RR1 15.00 RR2 21/22.00 (Beijing & Taipei time)
USA v Europe RR1 09.00 RR2 13.00 (Seattle time)
More information will be available shortly
82 September 2016 BRIDGE Magazine

How to enter
Send your chosen bid in each of the eight sequences opposite, preferably by email, to John Car-
ruthers at: [email protected]. Alternatively, you can enter by post, to: John
Carruthers, 1322 Patricia Blvd., Kingsville ON N9Y 2R4, Canada. Entries must be received by
the 30th September. Include your name, address and telephone number. Please quote the month,
competition and value of your prize when ordering Master Point Press books.

Grand Prix
PRIZES In addition there is an annual Grand Prix with
1st £50 Master Point Press books Master Point Press prizes of £100, £50 and £35.
2nd £25 Master Point Press books Only scores of 50 and over will count and the
3rd £15 Master Point Press books maximum score is 400. Each contestant’s Grand
4th £10 Master Point Press books Prix total is their five best scores over the year
(January – December).

Bridge Magazine Bidding System

Basic Method Weak 2♦, 2♥ and 2♠ (5 – 9, six-card suit). In
response 2NT is a relay asking for a high-card
Natural feature if not minimum with 3NT showing a
Five-card majors good suit, non-minimum. 3♣ asks for a sin-
gleton with 3NT showing a singleton ♣. 4♣
Minors are three cards in length minimum. is RKCB
Always open 1♣ with 3-3 or 4-4, so 1♦ is 3
cards only if precisely 4-4-3-2 shape Three-level openings are natural and pre-emp-
tive. Over 3♦/♥/♠, 4♣ is RKCB and over 3♣,
15-17 no-trump in all positions and 4♦ is RKCB.
vulnerabilities
3NT opening is Acol gambling – solid suit and
Two over one is game forcing in all uncontested at most a queen outside.
auctions
Four-level openings are natural.
A 1NT is up to a non-game force but it is not-
forcing. However the only hands that Pass are No-trump bidding:
weak no-trump types. After 1NT 15 – 17, 2♣ = Stayman, 2♦/2♥ =
Jumps at the two-level are weak (eg, 1♦ – 2♠) transfers, 2♠ = ♣s with 2NT/3♣ denying/show-
and at the three-level are invitational (eg 1♥ ing a fit, 2NT = ♦s with 3♣/♦ denying/showing
– 3♣) a fit. After this new suits are splinters. 3♣ is 5
card Stayman, 3♦ is 5-5 ms FG, 3♥/♠ 1-3-(4-
1M – 3M is a limit raise 5) / 3-1-(4-5) and FG. 4♣ is 5-5 majors, game
Inverted minors are played. 1m – 2m is F2NT only, 4♦/♥ = ♥/♠s (then 4NT = RKCB and
and 1m – 3m is pre-emptive. Over 1m – 2m, new suits are Exclusion).
2NT is a WNT and is non-forcing, 3m is unbal- 1NT rebid = 12 – 14 with 2♣ a puppet to 2♦
anced and non-forcing. All other bids are at least to play in 2♦ or make an invitational bid, 2♦ is
quasi-natural and FG game forcing checkback, new suits at the 3 level
are 5-5 FG and higher bids are auto-splinters.

83 September 2016 BRIDGE Magazine

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

Continuations: Negative Doubles through 3♠ – after that, Dou-

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

84 September 2016 BRIDGE Magazine

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

Send stamped addressed envelope to Chess & Bridge Ltd for WBF style Convention Card. You will be
able to find a link to the new Convention Card on our web site.

85 September 2016 BRIDGE Magazine


WEST Bid these hands with those on the following
Hands for the page with your favourite partner; then turn to
September 2016 Partnership Profile Partnership Bidding inside to see how your score
compares to that of the experts
Hand 1. Dealer South. E/W Vul. Hand 5. Dealer South. E/W Vul.
♠ A 10 9 8 3 2 ♠ K J 10 4 2
♥ Q92 ♥ K Q J 10 2
♦ 43 ♦ 43
♣ K4 ♣ 7
South opens 1♥
Hand 6. Dealer East. None Vul.
Hand 2. Dealer North. N/S Vul. ♠ 643
♠ Q63 ♥ QJ85
♥ K 10 6 3 2 ♦ Q 10 8 3
♦ 3 ♣ A7J
♣ AKQ7 South overcalls 1♠
North opens 2♠ (♠+♦/♣) and South bids 4♣ pass or correct
Hand 7. Dealer East. E/W Vul.
Hand 3. Dealer West. E/W Vul. ♠ KQ6532
♠ J83 ♥ K63
♥ AJ54 ♦ —
♦ KQJ4 ♣ A 10 8 5
♣ K7 Hand 8. Dealer West. N/S Vul.
If possible South bids 2♠ and North raises to 4♠
♠ A 10 9 7 3
♥ K
Hand 4. E/W Vul. Dealer North.
♦ A Q J 10
♠ 6 ♣ 532
♥ AKQJ43
♦ —
♣ AKJ872

BIDDING COMPETITION Why not enter a bridge hand or bidding problem of your
own for use in BRIDGE Magazine?
SET 308
♠
(for the September Competition) ♥
My answers are (the Adjudicator)
♦
1. ♣
♠ ♠
2. ♥ ♥
3. ♦ ♦
♣ ♣
4. ♠
5.
♥
♦
6. ♣
7. WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH
8.

Total marks: Name: (please print)

Email to [email protected]
or post to: Bidding Competition (292), Address:
John Carruthers, 1322 Patricia Blvd.
Kingsville ON N9Y 2R4, Canada Telephone: ___________________________________

Entries must be received by

30th September 2016.

86 September 2016 BRIDGE Magazine


EAST Bid these hands with those on the previous
Hands for the page with your favourite partner; then turn to
September 2016 Partnership Profile Partnership Bidding inside to see how your score
compares to that of the experts

Hand 1. Dealer South. E/W Vul. Hand 5. Dealer South. E/W Vul.
♠ Q765 ♠ A
♥ 3 ♥ 963
♦ K 10 8 2 ♦ K752
♣ A Q 10 3 ♣ KQ965
South opens 1♥
Hand 6. Dealer East. None Vul.
Hand 2. Dealer North. N/SVul. ♠ A75
♠ AJ7 ♥ 2
♥ A9854 ♦ A K 9 7 52
♦ A4 ♣ KQJ
♣ 10 8 2 South overcalls 1♠
North opens 2♠ (♠+♦/♣) and South bids 4♣ pass or correct
Hand 7. Dealer East. E/W Vul.
Hand 3. Dealer West. E/W Vul. ♠ J84
♠ 5 ♥ AJ54
♥ Q 10 9 8 3 2 ♦ A 10 9 8 4 2
♦ A ♣ —
♣ Q J 10 9 6 Hand 8. Dealer West. N/S Vul.
If possible South bids 2♠ and North raises to 4♠
♠ KJ
♥ AQ4
Hand 4. E/W Vul. Dealer North.
♦ 7432
♠ J72 ♣ AKQ8
♥ —
♦ A J 10 9 6 4 2
♣ 10 9 4

BIDDING COMPETITION
Set 306 Top Scores Grand Prix Standings 1 Nick Simms 375
Well done Graham Johnson and Andrew after Set 306 2= Nigel Guthrie 373
King, both on 77. After the coin toss, Nick Simms has maintained his slim 2= Stuart Nelson 373
Graham receives ₤50 worth of Master lead - but more contestants jumped into 4= Graham Johnson 369
Point Press books from Chess and Bridge contention. Remember that only the best 4= Mike Perkins 369
and Andrew receives ₤25 worth. Kresten FIVE scores of the year will count at the 6 Kresten Kristensen 367
Kristensen on 75 finishes 3rd, winning end, so lots of time to catch up! Four
₤15 worth and Nigel Guthrie on 74 7= Edwin Lau 363
more entries to make your move.
receives ₤10 worth. 7= Olga Shadyro 363
If your own records do not agree with
9= Peter Barker 361
Other good scores: these standings, please email so we can
73 Edwin Lau, Mike Perkins check 9= Peter Hawkes 361
72 Mike Ralph 9= Axel Johannsson 361
71 Axel Johannsson, Keith Lawler, Tony 9= Andrew King 361
Poole 13 Mike Ralph 360
70 Pyers Pennant 14 Harald Bletz 359
69 David Barnes, Harald Bletz, Bob 15= Bob Brown 358
Brown 15= Bill Gordon 358
68 Michael Kaye, Dudley Leigh, Derek 17 Norman Massey 355
Markham, Stuart Nelson
18= Derek Markham 354
67 Janet Barnes, James Carpenter, Meic
18= Martin Turner 354
Goodyear, Norman Massey, Chris
Shambrook 20= Tugrul Kaban 350
66 Peter Hawkes 20= Chris Shambrook 350

87 September 2016 BRIDGE Magazine

 BOOKS FROM MASTER POINT PRESS
Master Point Press are the world’s leading bridge book publisher and winner of many bridge publishing awards. A list of Masterpoint titles
can be found below - for full details on each of these titles please visit www.bridgeshop.com. Recent releases are highlighted in bold.
Please note, winners of the Bidding Competition do not get the 10% Subscriber discount when redeeming their prize
VOUCHERS and a deduction will also be made to cover the cost of postage. For further details please call 020 7288 1305

Deadly Endplay (fiction) Allen, Ken £12.95 Falsecards (New Edition) Lawrence, Mike £14.95
Shades of Grey (fiction) Allen, Ken £11.95 Tips on Bidding Lawrence, Mike £12.95
Six Steps to Winning Declarer Play Apfelbaum, Jay £11.95 Tips on Cardplay Lawrence, Mike £13.95
I Love This Game Auken, Sabine £12.50 Tips on Competitive Bidding Lawrence, Mike £12.95
25 Bridge Myths Exposed Bird, David £10.50 Encyclopedia of Card Play Techniques Levé, Guy £21.95
Arrow Through the Heart (fiction) Bird, David £11.95 Bridge Squeezes Complete Love, Clyde. E £14.95
Bridge Endplays for Everyone Bird, David £12.95 Bridge, Probability and Information MacKinnon, Robert F. £12.95
Bridge Squeezes for Everyone Bird, David £11.95 Win the Bermuda Bowl with Me Meckstroth & Smith £11.50
Clever Plays in the Trump Suit Bird, David £12.95 Competitive Bidding in the 21st Century Miles, Marshal £11.50
Defensive Signaling at Bridge Bird, David £11.95 Inferences at Bridge Miles, Marshall £11.50
Off-Road Declarer Play Bird, David £11.95 It's Your Call Miles, Marshall £12.95
Somehow We Landed in 6NT Bird, David £12.95 Modern Constructive Bidding Miles, Marshall £11.95
Winning Duplicate Tactics Bird, David £12.95 My System: The Unbalanced Diamond Miles, Marshall £11.95
Winning Notrump Leads Bird & Anthias £10.95 Bridge in the Menagerie (fiction) Mollo, Victor £13.95
Winning Suit Contract Leads Bird & Anthias £10.95 Card Play Technique Mollo & Gardener £14.95
Leading Questions in Bridge Brock, Sally £11.95 Diamonds are the Hog’s Best Friend (fiction)
Mollo, Victor £13.95
Bridge at the Edge Brogeland & Bird £13.95 Last Call in the Menagerie (fiction) Mollo, Victor £13.95
Following the Law Cohen, Larry £9.95 Swings and Arrows (fiction) Mollo, Victor £13.95
Larry Cohen's Bidding Challenge Cohen, Larry £9.95 The Hog Takes to Precision (fiction) Mollo, Victor £11.95
To Bid or Not To Bid Cohen, Larry £11.50 Kickback: Slam Bidding at Bridge Munger, Robert £7.95
Death in Duplicate (fiction) Coplea, Carole £13.95 First Book of Play Problems O’Connor, Patrick £10.95
Standard Bidding with SAYC Downey & Pomer £11.95 Second Book of Play Problems O’Connor, Patrick £10.95
A Modern Approach to Two-Over-One Eichenbaum, Ken £8.95 Bridge Behind Bars (fiction) Pottage & Smith £12.95
I Shot My Bridge Partner (fiction) Granovetter, Matthew £9.50 Clues from the Bidding Pottage, Julian £10.95
Murder at the Bridge Table (fiction) Granovetter, Matthew £9.50 Defend These Hands with Me Pottage, Julian £11.50
Bridge Conventions in Depth Granovetter & Granovetter £13.95 Play or Defend? Pottage, Julian £8.95
Bridge Master Vs Bridge Amateur Horton, Mark £11.95 Defend or Declare? Pottage, Julian £11.95
Misplay These Hands with Me Horton, Mark £11.95 Deadly Hold-Up Priebe, Jim £11.95
The Hands of Time Horton, Mark £10.50 Double Elimination: A Bridge Mystery (fiction)
Priebe, Jim £11.95
The Mysterious Multi Horton, Mark £12.95 Takeout Double: A Bridge Mystery (fiction) Priebe, Jim £11.50
Duplicate Bridge at Home Horton & Gittelman £12.95 Positive Declarer Play in Bridge Reese & Pottage £10.50
The Bridge Magicians Horton & Kielbasinski £11.50 Positive Defense in Bridge Reese & Pottage £10.50
For Love or Money Horton & Senior £12.95 The Extra Edge in Play Reese & Pottage £10.95
The Rabbi’s Rules Horton, Mark £12.95 Accurate Cardplay Reese & Trezel £12.95
Building a Bidding System Hughes, Roy £11.50 Imaginative Cardplay Reese & Trezel £12.95
Canada’s Bridge Warriors Hughes, Roy £15.95 Modified Italian Canapé System Rexford, Ken £8.95
Card by Card Hughes, Roy £11.50 New Frontiers for Strong Forcing Openings Rexford, Ken £8.95
Fantunes Revealed Jacobs, Bill £9.95 Overcalling Opponent's 1NT Rexford, Ken £6.95
Polish Club International Jassem,Krzysztof £10.95 Really Unusual Notrump (R.U.N.T.) Rexford, Ken £7.95
Patrick Jourdain’s Problem Corner Jourdain, Patrick £12.95 Variable Key Card Blackwood Rexford, Ken £8.95
Advanced Bridge Defense Kantar, Eddie £13.95 Breaking the Bridge Rules Rigal, Barry £12.95
Classic Kantar Kantar, Eddie £9.50 Rodwell Files: Secrets of a champion Rodwell, Eric £17.95
Defensive Tips for Bad Card Holders Kantar, Eddie £14.95 25 Bridge Conventions You Should Know Seagram & Smith £10.50
Kantar on Kontract Kantar, Eddie £10.50 25 Bridge Conventions You Should Know: Seagram & Bird £9.99
Modern Bridge Defense Kantar, Eddie £13.95 Practice Makes Perfect
Roman Keycard Blackwood - 5th ed. Kantar, Eddie £13.95 25 More Conventions You Should Know Seagram & Bird £10.50
Topics in Declarer Play Kantar, Eddie £13.95 25 Ways to Be a Better Defender Seagram & Bird £10.50
Improve Your Bidding Judgment Kimelman, Neil £12.95 25 Ways to Compete in the Bidding Seagram & Smith £10.50
The Right Bid at the Right Time Kimelman, Neil £12.95 25 Ways to Take More Tricks as Declarer Seagram & Bird £10.50
The Thin Line Kimelman, Neil £12.95 Bidding at Bridge: A Quizbook Seagram & Bird £9.95
365 Winning Bridge Tips Kleinman, Danny £13.95 Declarer Play at Bridge: A Quizbook Seagram & Bird £9.95
Human Bridge Errors Kleinman & Straguzzi £10.50 Defensive Play Quizbook: A Quizbook Seagram & Bird £9.95
A Bridge to Inspired Declarer Play Laderman, Julian £12.95 Planning the Play of a Bridge Hand Seagram & Bird £12.95
A Bridge to Simple Squeezes Laderman, Julian £11.95 Pocket Guide to Defensive Play Seagram & Bird £6.95
Bumblepuppy Days Laderman, Julian £14.95 The Canterbury Bridge Tales - Silver & Bourke £9.95
Still Not Finding Squeezes? Laderman, Julian £7.95 Should I or Shouldn’t I? Drawing trumps Smith, Marc £12.95
25 Conventions for ACOL Players Landry & Horton £11.95 25 Steps to Learning 2/1 Thurston, Paul £10.50
Complete Book on Overcalls (2nd ed.) Lawrence, Mike £13.95 North of the Master Solvers’ Club Vine, Frank £11.95
Complete Book on Passed Hand Bidding Lawrence, Mike £13.95 Bridge at the Enigma Club (fiction) Winkler, Peter £11.95
Complete Book Takeout Doubles (2nd ed.) Lawrence, Mike £15.95 The Lone Wolff Wollf, Bobby £15.95
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