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