Bridge Mag


NEW FROM
MASTER POINT PRESS
THE BRIDGE PUBLISHER
FAMOUS BRIDGE SWINGS

David Bird
In this book you will have the chance to learn from other
players’ mistakes. We will look at over 150 big swings
from international play. Every deal will illustrate at least
one important point of bidding, play or defense. By
analyzing how and why the great stars of the game went
wrong, you will have the chance to put your own game in
order. We all make mistakes, occasionally horrific ones,
and it’s reassuring to see that even the greatest players
occasionally do the same!
PLAYING 2/1: THE REST OF THE STORY

Paul Thurston
Paul Thurston’s 25 Steps to Learning 2/1 was an instant
bestseller, winning the 2003 American Bridge Teachers’
Association Book of the Year award. In a tantalizing
postscript to that book, he promised a sequel, one that
would cover ‘the rest of the story’ for those who wanted
to add modern sophistication to their 2/1 bidding. Here
at last he delivers, and the long wait has been worth
it. The book describes an understandable and playable
version of today’s most popular system, something that
has been missing from the literature until now.
ALSO FROM PAUL THURSTON

25 Steps to Learning 2/1
If you know how to bid using Standard American, you can
make the move to the modern Two-over-One system using the
25 easy Steps contained in this book.
AVAILABLE FROM CHESS & BRIDGE
2 December 2017 BRIDGE Magazine


A Court too Far
BRIDGE
The English Bridge Union’s long running
battle in the courts appears to have finally
come to an end.The European Court of
Justice overturned a recommendation from
its Advocate General, and has ruled that
bridge should not be considered a sport
MAGAZINE for VAT purposes.
The EBU had welcomed the earlier recommendation made by the
Advocate General that bridge should considered a sport for this
purpose. A positive ruling by the court would have both made
participation in bridge competitions cheaper, and would have pro-
vided a rebate to the EBU which it would have been able to invest
in bringing bridge - and the enjoyment and health benefits which
44 BAKER STREET participation offers - to a wider audience.
LONDON W1U 7RT
Tel: 020-7486 8222 The Court did, however, leave open the opportunity for individual
Fax: 020-7486 3355 states to exempt bridge from VAT by recognising it as a ‘cultural ser-
email: info@bridgeshop.com vice’. Perhaps some vigorous lobbying might yet have a positive result.
http://www.bridgeshop.com The EBU are still considering the implications of the suggestion.
Editor:
Mark Horton Champions Cup
Advertising:
Matthew Read England, represented by Alexander Allfrey, Andrew Robson, Tony
Photographer: Forrester, David Bakhshi, David Gold, & Mike Bell finished fourth
Ron Tacchi in the European Champions’ Cup in Riga. The Allfrey team topped
Proofreaders: the table in the Round Robin phase, but lost both their semi-final
Danny Roth and subsequent third place play-off. If England perform well in
Monika Kummel next year’s European Championships they will get another chance
Herman De Wael in 2019 as is explained in this month’s Partnership Profile.
Typesetter:
Ron Tacchi A Fly in the Ointment
BRIDGE Magazine is published
monthly.
Online Subscriptions:
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Views expressed in this publication
are not necessarily those of the Editor.
Editorial contributions will be published
at the Editor’s discretion and may be
For updated information please visit bridgemagazine.co.uk or con-
shortened if space is limited.
No parts of this publication may be
tact the Editor at markhorton007@hotmail.com. You can how this
reproduced without the prior express
permission of the publishers. All rights
magazine would have appeared at www.tinyurl.com/NewBM1712.
reserved. 2017
Write in Haste, Repent at Leisure

During the World Championships in Lyon I penned the follow-
ing article:


For the Lead, Partner
Have you noticed how often a player makes an overcall hoping that it will help partner if they
happen to be on lead but then fails to start with that suit when they have to fire the opening salvo.
In the match between USA 2 and Bulgaria in the Bermuda Bowl this principle came back to haunt
one of the players with a vengeance:
Board 12. Dealer West. N/S Vul.
♠ K J 10 9 3 2
♥ 10
♦ 76432
♣ 4
♠ Q65 N ♠ 874
♥ AQ J 8 ♥ 7652
♦A W E ♦ KQ
♣ J 10 8 3 2 S ♣ AK Q 7
♠ A
♥ K943
♦ J 10 9 8 5
♣ 965
West North East South
Martel Karakolev Fleisher Mihov
1♣* 2♠ Double* Pass
4♥ Pass 6♣ All Pass
1♣ 2+♣
After West’s 4♥ at one point East had a Pass card in his hand, but then returned it to his bid-
ding box. Commentating on BBO Kit Woolsey outlined the danger - East might play West for
real extra values - but the four small hearts plus the possibility that partner might be stretching
suggested it was clear to pass. As declarer continued to ponder Kit pointed out that a good phi-
losophy when having a close decision is to look at your trump suit.
Finally East made his choice – out came the 6♣ card!
On the surface that looks hopeless, but when North led the ten of hearts, declarer had a chance
to prove otherwise.
He won with the queen, cashed dummy’s ace and king of clubs and saw North pitch the seven
of diamonds. This was the critical point of the hand – declarer played a heart and when South
followed with the three he put in the eight. When North pitched the two of spades I suspect
declarer knew he was home. He unblocked the ace of diamonds, crossed to dummy’s queen of
clubs, pitched a spade on the king of diamonds, played a heart to the jack, cashed the ace and
exited with the queen of spades. South had to win and his enforced return of a diamond gave
declarer the ruff and discard he required.
By now you will have realised that an opening spade lead would had spelt declarer’s downfall.
I was delighted to receive an email from Chip Martel who is an avid reader of Bulletins (and
Bridge Magazine). He pointed out that in the predicated ending where he exited with a spade, it
was of course a small one, not the queen, which would not be a good choice if North had held
♠AJ10932. Such subtleties demonstrate why Chip has won so many World and National titles.

MASTER POINT PRESS the bridge publisher

A Taste of Bridge
Jeff Bayone
Jeff Bayone’s Honors Bridge Club in New York is the
largest in North America, perhaps in the world. This
book is based on their beginners’ course, a series of six
lessons that have started thousands of people on the
road to enjoying the world’s most popular card game.
This book is intended to give the reader a taste of
bridge, and whet the appetite for more.
Download the FREE Teacher Resource Material for
A Taste of Bridge : a collection of lessons and other
teacher materials.

DISCUSS
DISCUSSTODAY’S
TODAY’SBRIDGE
BRIDGEISSUES
ISSUESON
ONWWW.BRIDGEBLOGGING.COM
WWW.BRIDGEBLOGGING.COM
In This Issue
I 6 Problem Corner — Ron Tacchi & Patrick Jourdain I 65 Solution to Non-Prize Problem
I 7 Lyon 2017 — The Editor continues his report on I 66 Test Your Defence — Julian Pottage
the World Championships I 68 David Hoggit’s Little Joke — David Bird
GI 45 Deals That Caught My Eye — David Bird GI 73 This Month’s Video Page
GI 52 Misplay These Hands With Me — The Editor I 74 Solution to Test Your Defence
GI 55 The Over The Rainbow Bridge Club — Alex I 76 Partnership Profile — Mark Horton
Adamson & Harry Smith I 83 Marks & Comments — Alan Mould

 Intermediate
Ron Tacchi and
Patrick Jourdain’s
Problem Solution to Prize Problem 333
Corner
Animals Again
♠ AK Q J 4 N ♠ 10 9 7 6 5
sponsored by ♥ A4 ♥ K3
♦ A9 5 W E ♦ 10 6 2
THE ORION PUBLISHING GROUP ♣ A8 6 S ♣ 732
Master Bridge Series North opens the bidding with Four Hearts which
comes round to you and you close proceedings with
a call of Four Spades.
North leads his singleton jack of clubs and when you
cash the first round of trumps South discards.
How will you make your contract? Also what is the
best defence and what will you then need to find to
guarantee your contract?
Non-Prize Problem See Page 65
North’s distribution is 3-8-1-1 so take a second round
♠ AK Q 9 N ♠ J 10 5 4 of trumps, should North have played the two and the
♥ A8 5 4 3 ♥ KQ three now cash the ace and king of hearts followed by
♦ K 10 4 3 W E ♦ Q2
♣ — S ♣ J 10 9 3 2
the ace of diamonds. Now give North the lead with a
small trump from both hands. North must now lead
Contact: 6♠ by East
hearts, let him do this twice each time discarding a
Lead: ♣A
club from one hand and a diamond from the other
You can then then crossruff for the final four tricks
and your contract.
If North is wide awake and jettisons the eight of
spades then draw his last trump and lead the ace
of hearts. If North plays the deuce throw your king
and exit with a heart to produce the ending as above.
Should a high heart appear from North then play
small from dummy and then take the king and fol-
low this up with a small diamond. If North has an
Look for Patrick Jourdain’s Problem Corner, honour he is either thrown in or should South over-
available from Chess & Bridge. take you will not lose another diamond as you can
finesse against South’s other honour.
So to fail you need a very awake North who does not
have a diamond honour.
This hand comes from one of the menagerie stories
Congratulations and of course the Rabbit playing North accidentally
and without malice found the perfect defence whilst
Prize Problem 332 Papa who was declarer had prematurely cashed the
Andrew King is this month’s winner having had the ace of diamonds as he did not believe that he would
slip of paper with his name on drawn from Mrs T’s be unable to exit in hearts and so he failed in his con-
eponymous headware, A slightly smaller than nor- tract much to the amusement of HH.
mal entry, but never mind the width, feel the quality.

 Intermediate
Lyon 2017
The Editor continues his report on the World Championships.
This month I take a look at the final of the Bermuda Bowl between France and USAII aided by
David Bird and Jos Jacobs.
France won the Round Robin and then defeated China and New Zealand to reach the final
where they would meet USA 2, who had finished fifth in the preliminaries and then won two
tough matches against Sweden and Bulgaria.
Although the Americans had a fair amount of experience I suspect that most people made
France favourites. Playing at home confers certain advantages, but if you do well the weight of
expectation increases and that extra pressure can be hard to bear.
Set 1 Boards 1-16
David Bird was following the first session.
Board 3. Dealer South. E/W Vul.
♠ A 10 9 5 3
♥ AQ953
♦ 9
♣ Q9
♠ QJ N ♠ K8764
♥ 862 ♥K
♦ Q J 10 7 2 W E ♦ AK 8 6 5 4
♣ 852 S ♣K
♠2
♥ J 10 7 4
♦3
♣ A J 10 7 6 4 3
Open Room
Pszczola Rombaut Rosenberg Combescure
– – – 3♣
Pass 4♣ 4♦ Pass
5♦ Double All Pass
Combescure was happy to open 3♣ with a side 4-card major (applause from learned author) and
Rombaut invited an indiscretion from East by raising to 4♣.
What was Rosenberg supposed to do on his shapely hand? It seemed very reasonable to bid 4♦,
non-Leaping Michaels, to show diamonds and a major. (I doubt that was part of the E/W agree-
ment here. Editor) Such bids are normally played as forcing but Pszczola didn’t mind having to
raise with his 5-card support. North doubled 5♦ and South cashed the ♣A, switching to his sin-
gleton spade. North won with the ace, cashed the ♥A and delivered a spade ruff. That was two
down and +500.

 Intermediate
Closed Room ♠ A 10 9 5 3
♥ AQ953
West North East South ♦ 9
Lorenzini Grue Quantin Moss ♣ Q9
– – – 3♣ ♠ QJ N ♠ K8764
♥ 862 ♥ K
Pass Pass 3♦ 3♥ W E
♦ Q J 10 7 2 ♦ AK 8 6 5 4
4♦ 4♥ 4♠ Pass ♣ 852 S ♣ K
5♦ 5♥ All Pass ♠ 2
♥ J 10 7 4
Wow! Moss rebid 3♥ after pre-empting. Playing in 5♥ ♦ 3
a few moments later, he won the spade lead in dummy ♣ A J 10 7 6 4 3
and led the ♣Q, covered by the king and ace. A trump
to the ace, East’s king falling, then allowed him to score +510 for an eventful flat board.
Fortune favoured the brave on Board 5:
Board 5. Dealer North. N/S Vul.
♠ Q J 10 7 5 2
♥ J5
♦2
♣ K Q 10 8
♠8 N ♠ AK
♥ A 10 6 3 ♥ Q972
♦ AJ 7 6 4 3 W E ♦ K 10 8
♣ 96 S ♣ AJ 5 3
♠ 9643
♥ K84
♦ Q95
♣ 742
Open Room
– 2♦* 2NT Pass
3♣* Double 3♥* Pass
3♠* Pass 3NT* Pass
4♥* Pass 4NT* Pass
5♥* Pass 6♥ All Pass
2♦ Multi
3♣ Stayman
3♥ 4+♥ and a club stopper
3♠ unbalanced with five spades or a slam try in hearts
3NT doubleton spade
4♥ mild slam try in hearts
4NT RKCB
5♥ 2 key cards
West had issued the mildest of slam tries by bidding 3♠ on the way to 4♥, then declining to cue-
bid in diamonds. His message was: ‘You need to be really good to make a slam.’
Rosenberg’s hand was really good and he was soon in 6♥. South led the ♣2 to the queen and
declarer’s ace. The ♠AK disposed of dummy’s club loser and declarer continued with the ♥Q,

 Intermediate
covered by the king and ace. North won the next trump ♠ Q J 10 7 5 2
with the jack and played the ♣K, ruffed in the dummy. ♥ J5
After drawing the last trump, Rosenberg played South ♦ 2
♣ K Q 10 8
for the ♦Q, marked by North’s 2♠ opening and the lead- ♠ 8 ♠ AK
directing double of 3♣. ♥ A 10 6 3
N
♥ Q972
The brave bidding, combined with a splash of luck, ♦ AJ 7 6 4 3 W E ♦ K 10 8
gave USA2 a fine +980. ♣ 96 S ♣ AJ 5 3
♠ 9643
Closed Room ♥ K84
♦ Q95
West North East South ♣ 742
Lorenzini Grue Quantin Moss
– 2♠ 2NT Pass
3♣* Pass 3♦* Pass
3♠* Pass 3NT All Pass
After a Puppet Stayman sequence, Quantin liked his chances in 3NT. He made +490, on a spade
lead, but that was a loss of 10 IMPs, USA2 leading 18-1.
An apparent lack of bidding machinery cost USA2 on this deal:
Board 8. Dealer West. None Vul.
♠ J986
♥ 96
♦ J3
♣ AKJ73
♠ K Q 10 5 4 N ♠A
♥ 10 ♥ KQ83
♦ K986 W E ♦ A Q 10 5
♣ Q52 S ♣ 10 9 6 4
♠ 732
♥ AJ7542
♦ 742
♣ 8
Open Room
Pass 1NT Double 2♥
3♥* Pass 3NT Pass
4♠ All Pass
3♥ Artificial game force
After North opens a 10-12 point 1NT, what should West say at his second turn? The situation
lends itself well to some version of Lebensohl. Playing the basic method, you can bid 2♠ to com-
pete, 2NT followed by 3♠ to invite. This leaves a jump to 3♠ as natural and forcing – perfect for
this West hand.
Three rounds of clubs, for a ruff, were followed by the ♥A and a trump switch. It was two
down for 100 away.

 Intermediate
Closed Room
– 1♦* Pass 1♥
1♠ Pass 2NT Pass
3NT All Pass
Grue and Moss play Precision when non-vulnerable. Against 3NT Moss led a heart, won with
dummy’s 10. Declarer crossed to the ♦Q to play the ♥K. He soon had nine tricks and 11 IMPs
in the plus column, 18-13 to USA2.
This was the next big swing:
Board 10. Dealer East. Both Vul.
♠ A 10 8 3 2
♥ J73
♦ 64
♣ QJ6
♠7 N ♠ Q94
♥ A9 ♥ Q2
♦ K98532 W E ♦ AQ J 7
♣ 10 8 3 2 S ♣ K954
♠ KJ65
♥ K 10 8 6 5 4
♦ 10
♣ A7
Open Room
– – 1♦ 1♥
2♥* 3♥ Pass 4♥
All Pass
West had a choice of bids: 2♥, 3♦, perhaps 4♦ (to inconvenience North). He opted to show a
sound diamond raise and subsequently led the ♠7 against 4♥. Combescure won with dummy’s
ace and led the ♥3. When East did not rise with the ♥A to give his partner a spade ruff, declarer
took the inference that he did not hold that card. He finessed the ♥10, forcing the ace. A dia-
mond to East’s ace permitted a spade ruff but declarer had his +620.
Closed Room
– – 1♦ 1♥
3♦ 3♥ Pass 4♥
All Pass
After a similar auction, declarer again won the spade lead in dummy and called for the ♥3. Moss
judged to rise with the ♥K, losing to West’s ♥A. The ♦9 to East’s ♦A was followed by a spade
ruff. Declarer lost a total of three trump tricks and was one down for the loss of 12 IMPs, giving
France the lead, 25-18.

 Intermediate
I have space for one more deal and I’m going to choose a part-score. This may surprise you, yes,
but I was very impressed by a bid chosen by Grue.
Board 16 Dealer West. E/W Vul.
♠ QJ93
♥ 976
♦ 76
♣ Q 10 9 8
♠ K76 N ♠ A8 5 4 2
♥ J54 ♥ Q32
♦ AJ 3 W E ♦ 98542
♣ AJ 7 4 S ♣—
♠ 10
♥ A K 10 8
♦ K Q 10
♣ K6532
Open Room
1♣ Pass 1♠ Double
Redouble* Pass 2♠ All Pass
West’s Support Redouble showed a hand of any strength that contained 3-card spade support.
Combescure led the ♥A, switching to the ♦Q, won with the ace. Rosenberg led a heart to his
queen, South winning with the king and returning a third round of the suit. Rosenberg won with
the ♥J, ruffed a club in his hand and led a diamond towards the jack. South rose and delivered
a diamond ruff, followed by a club switch to the king and ace. Rosenberg had his +110, for the
loss of two trumps, two hearts and a diamond.
Closed Room
1♣ Pass 1♠ Double
Redouble* 1NT 2♠ 3♣
All Pass
What a great little bid 1NT is! It shows stoppers in the black suits and no interest in partner’s sug-
gested red suits. ‘I like a little more for a free 1NT bid,’ would be a common view. As the cards
lay here, South had reason to hope for club fit now. He bid 3♣ and, after a trump lead, the con-
tract was made. It was +110 at both tables and a useful swing of 6 IMPs.
The first segment finished with a score of 33-33, backing the early views that this would be
a close encounter. The 4000 early-rising BBO kibitzers were happy with the entertainment laid
before them by these great players. No doubt there would be plenty ‘more of the same’ to come!
You can replay these deals at:
You can see the VuGraph presentation at: http://tinyurl.com/yaf5dwgc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RqQrwsSSwRc

 Intermediate
Set 2 Boards 17-32
On a relatively quiet set of deals by the time the penultimate one arrives USA 2 lead 62-51.
Board 31. Dealer South. N/S Vul.
♠ 75
♥ Q 10 8 5 3 2
♦ 10 4
♣ A87
♠ Q9 N ♠ 10 8 6 4
♥ AK ♥9
♦ J983 W E ♦ AK Q 7 5
♣ 10 9 5 3 2 S ♣ KQ4
♠ AKJ32
♥ J764
♦ 62
♣ J6
Open Room
B Moss Bessis Grue Volcker
– – – Pass
1♦ 1♥ Double* 2♠
Pass 3♥ Double* Pass
3NT Pass Pass Double
All Pass
Moss’s opening bid leads to a touch and go game.

North led the ♠7 and South won with the king and returned the jack of hearts, North con-
tributing the queen. A club to the king was followed by two rounds of diamonds ending in hand
and another club,+550.
The eagle eyed among you will have spotted that if South ducks the opening lead declarer will
go down.
Closed Room
Combescure Fleisher Rombaut Martel
– – – Pass
1NT* Pass 2♣* Pass
2♦ Pass 2NT All Pass
1NT 10-12
After a heart lead declarer has time to play on clubs and when he guesses right on the second
round of the suit he has nine tricks, +150 but a loss of 9 IMPs.

 Intermediate
Board 32. Dealer West. E/W Vul.
♠ Q6
♥ KJ53
♦ A K 10 5 2
♣ A4
♠ 975 N ♠ J 10 4
♥ A9 8 6 4 ♥ 10 2
♦ 84 W E ♦ 973
♣ Q92 S ♣ KJ865
♠ AK832
♥ Q7
♦ QJ6
♣ 10 7 3
Open Room
B Moss Bessis Grue Volcker
Pass 1♦ Pass 1♠
Pass 2♥ Pass 3♦
Pass 3NT Pass 4♦
Pass 4♥* Pass 4♠*
Pass 5♣* Pass 6♦
All Pass
Declarer wins the club lead, cashes the queen of diamonds and plays a diamond to the ace. When
the suit breaks 3-2 he plays on spades, ruffing the third round high before drawing the last trump
with dummy’s jack for +920. Had trumps been four-one, he would have needed the spades to
be 3-3.
Closed Room
Combescure Fleisher Rombaut C Martel
Pass 1♣ Pass 1♥*
Pass 1NT* Pass 2♥*
Pass 2♠ Pass 3NT
All Pass
1♥ Spades
1NT 17-19
2♥ 5 spades
Diamonds are never in the picture and the club lead holds declarer to eleven tricks,+460 and 10
IMPs to France who would go into the third set of the day trailing 61-71.
You can see the VuGraph presentation at: http://tinyurl.com/ybgpq62h
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9NDnFcok_b4

 Intermediate
Set 3 Boards 33-48
The USA had marginally the better of a few part-score battles but they were not the only swings.
Board 40. Dealer West. Neither Vul.
♠ AQ5
♥ K853
♦ J2
♣ AJ82
♠3 N ♠ K7642
♥ 972 ♥ J4
♦ K Q 10 9 8 3 W E ♦ A7 6
♣ 965 S ♣ Q 10 4
♠ J 10 9 8
♥ A Q 10 6
♦ 54
♣ K73
Open Room
Pszczola Lorenzini Rosenberg Quantin
3♦ Double 4♦ Double
All Pass
If you don’t have a weak two in diamonds available then you either pass or bid 3♦. With a bal-
anced hand North does well to pass his partner’s value showing double and the defenders have
an easy two down, -300.
Closed Room
Volcker Fleisher Bessis C Martel
Pass 1NT Pass 2♣*
2♦ 2♥ 3♦ 4♥
All Pass
West has nothing to say initially, but came in on the next round.
East led the ace of diamonds and continued the suit, West win-
ning with the king and switching to his spade. Declarer took the
finesse, so West scored a ruff a ruff and there was still a club to
come for two down, +100 and 9 IMPs to France, trailing 77-86.
Chip Martel

 Intermediate
♠ AQJ8643
♥ 7
♦ 3
♣ AK53
♠ 972 N ♠ 5
♥ J84 ♥ K Q 10 6 5 3 2
♦ K Q 10 7 6 W E ♦ J9
♣ J2 S ♣ Q94
♠ K 10
♥ A9
♦ A8542
♣ 10 8 7 6
Open Room
Pszczola Lorenzini Rosenberg Quantin
– – 2♦* Pass
3♥* 4♠ Pass 4NT*
Pass 5♠* Pass 6♠
All Pass
2♦ Multi
3♥ Pass or correct
4NT RKCB
5♠ 2 key cards + ♠Q
When North jumped to 4♠ South knew his prime cards must be useful, +1430.
Closed Room
Volcker Fleisher Bessis C Martel
– – 3♥ Pass
4♥ 4♠ All Pass
In the this room, West’s raise meant that the inference

drawn at the other table was not available. +680 but 13
IMPs to France who won the set 35-25 which meant
the scores were level, 96-96.
You can replay these deals at: http://tinyurl.com/
yca324v9
You can watch the VuGraph Presentation at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-6utv4c♦4
Thomas Bessis

 Intermediate
Set 4 Boards 49-64
Board 54. Dealer East. E/W Vul.
♠ Q J 10 5
♥ A73
♦ K8
♣ J843
♠ 9762 N ♠4
♥ QJ ♥ K 10 8 6 4 2
♦ 10 7 4 2 W E ♦ J95
♣ A7 6 S ♣ K92
♠ AK83
♥ 95
♦ AQ63
♣ Q 10 5
Open Room
Pszczola Bessis Rosenberg Volcker
– – 2♦* Pass
3♥ Pass Pass Double
Pass 4♠ All Pass
2♦ Multi
East led a heart to the jack and ace, declarer continuing with a spade to the ace and spade to the
queen. Seeing the four-one split he led a club to the ten and ace and West returned a trump to
declarer’s jack. A second club saw East win with the king and leading the ten of hearts to West’s
queen, the last trick for the defence, +420.
Closed Room
Lorenzini Moss Quantin Grue
– – 2♦* Double
2♥* Double Pass 2♠
Pass 3♠ Pass 4♠
All Pass
2♦ Multi
West led the queen of hearts and declarer won immediately with dummy’s ace and played two
rounds of trumps. When he next led a club to the ten and ace, West returned the jack of hearts
and East overtook and played the ten. Declarer could ruff that high in hand but West pitched a
club and when declarer played a second club East won and gave his partner a ruff for -50 and 10
IMPs to France, taking the lead at 107-105.
Note that both declarers won the first heart, not wishing to run the risk of suffering a club ruff
if the suit was 4-2 with trumps 3-2.

 Intermediate
Board 57. Dealer North. E/W Vul.
♠ AQJ53
♥3
♦ AKJ853
♣ 8
♠ 87 N ♠ 10 9 6 4
♥ K 10 5 ♥ 8764
♦ Q97 W E ♦ 10 6
♣ AQ 9 6 3 S ♣ 10 5 2
♠ K2
♥ AQJ92
♦ 42
♣ KJ74
Open Room
– 1♦ Pass 1♥
Pass 2♠ Pass 2NT
Pass 3♠ Pass 4♣*
Double 4♦* Pass 4♥*
Pass 4♠ All Pass
4♣ Cue-bid
4♦ Cue-bid, denies first-round club control
4♥ Cue-bid
East led the five of clubs, declarer putting in dummy’s jack and losing to the queen. Though West
knew the ace of clubs might be ruffed he continued with it knowing that it would shorten declar-
er’s trumps if he ruffed. Declarer did ruff and then drew trumps in four rounds. He cashed the
top diamonds and when the queen failed to appear he took a heart finesse. West won and cashed
a diamond but had to surrender the rest to dummy, +420.
Closed Room
– 1♣* Pass 1♠*
Pass 2♦ Pass 3♣
Pass 3♠ Pass 4♦
Pass 5♦ Pass 6♦
All Pass
1♣ Strong
1♠ Positive with hearts
East led the ten of spades and declarer won in hand, cashed the ace of diamonds and then played a
heart to the ace followed by the queen, covered and ruffed. Declarer crossed to dummy with a spade,
pitched his losing club on the jack of hearts and played a diamond to the jack, taking all the tricks, +940.
What do you make of declarer’s decision in the trump suit?
If East had held the doubleton queen he would have been able to give his partner a spade ruff.
On the other hand if trumps are 4-1 he needs to take the finesse.
Isn’t bridge an easy game?

 Intermediate
It was 11 IMPs to USA2, now leading 120-107.
Board 59. Dealer South. None Vul.
♠ A5
♥4
♦ J 10 9 5 4
♣ AQ742
♠ J983 N ♠ Q742
♥ Q8762 ♥ 953
♦ 862 W E ♦ AK 7
♣ 10 S ♣ K95
♠ K 10 6
♥ A K J 10
♦ Q3
♣ J863
Open Room
– – – 1NT
Pass 2♠* Pass 2NT
Pass 3♦ Pass 3♥
Pass 3♠ Pass 4♣
Pass 5♣ All Pass
2♠ Transfer to clubs
There was no escaping the loss of two diamonds and a club, -50.
Closed Room
– – – 1NT
Pass 2♦* Pass 2♥
Pass 2♠* Pass 3♣
Pass 3♥* Pass 3NT
All Pass
2♦ Hearts, or a game force with both minors
2♠ Minors
3♥ Shortage
West led a heart and declarer won with the jack and ran the jack of clubs, East winning with
the king and returning a heart. Declarer won and led the queen of diamonds, East winning and
switching to a spade. Declarer won in dummy and played the jack of diamonds for +430 and 10
IMPs to USA2, 130-107.

 Intermediate
♠ 5
♥ A Q 10 6 5
♦ A64
♣ J 10 9 7
♠ A Q J 10 7 3 N ♠ K9842
♥ J3 ♥ K97
♦ Q8 W E ♦ J52
♣ Q85 S ♣ 32
♠6
♥ 842
♦ K 10 9 7 3
♣ AK64
Open Room
1♠ 2♥ 4♠ Double
All Pass
South’s card showing double saw the defenders cash their five top tricks for -300.
Closed Room
2♠* 3♥ 4♠ 5♥
All Pass
2♠ 10-14, 6♠
Perhaps expecting more for the overcall South elected to bid on.
East led the two of spades to his partner’s ace and West returned the three of hearts to the ten
and king. East continued with a second trump and declarer won and drew the outstanding trump.
He had to lose a diamond, -100 and 9 IMPs to France, who narrowed the gap, 116-130.
Board 62. Dealer East. None Vul.
♠ 9843
♥ 852
♦ Q94
♣ J87
♠ AK 6 N ♠ Q J 10 7
♥ 10 4 3 ♥ Q9
♦ K 10 2 W E ♦ AJ 8 5 3
♣ 10 9 6 5 S ♣ AK
♠ 52
♥ AKJ76
♦ 76
♣ Q432

 Intermediate
Open Room ♠ 9843
♥ 852
West North East South ♦ Q94
Pszczola Bessis Rosenberg Volcker ♣ J87
– – 1♦ 1♥ ♠ AK 6 N ♠ Q J 10 7
♥ 10 4 3 ♥ Q9
Double Pass 3♠ Pass W E
♦ K 10 2 ♦ AJ 8 5 3
4♠ All Pass ♣ 10 9 6 5 S ♣ AK
♠ 52
South started with three rounds of hearts and declarer ♥ AKJ76
ruffed, cashed the ace of diamonds and then played a ♦ 76
low one to the king followed by the top clubs. He exited ♣ Q432
with a diamond and claimed on high crossruff, +420.
Closed Room
– – 1♦ 1♥
1♠* Pass 2♠ Pass
1♠ Denies four spades
South led the king of hearts asking for count or an unblock and continued with the king for a
rapid one down, -50 and 10 IMPs to USA2, extending their lead to 140-120 and as the session
came to a close they were ahead 145-124.
You can replay these deals at: http://tinyurl.com/y93d5z7g
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=crt4_fXUSj4
Set 5 Boards 65-80

David Bird was back in action as the fifth session got under way.
The first half-dozen boards were drab and I began to worry that there might not be enough
worthy material for my last report of the championships. Then (wow!) the IMPs started to fly.
Let’s see some action.
♠ 10 9 8 6
♥ 632
♦8
♣ K Q 10 6 4
♠ KQ75 N ♠ J3
♥ 10 9 7 5 ♥ K4
♦ K 10 4 2 W E ♦ QJ75
♣J S ♣ 98732
♠ A42
♥ AQJ8
♦ A963
♣ A5

 Intermediate
Open Room ♠ 10 9 8 6
♥ 632
Martel Rombaut Fleischer Combescure ♣ K Q 10 6 4
Pass Pass Pass 2NT ♠ KQ75 N ♠ J3
♥ 10 9 7 5 ♥ K4
Pass 3♣ Pass 3♥ W E
♦ K 10 4 2 ♦ QJ75
Pass 3NT All Pass ♣ J S ♣ 98732
♠ A42
With spades implied by North’s 4-card Stayman bid, ♥ AQJ8
Martel led the ♦2 to East’s jack. Combescure won imme- ♦ A963
diately with the ♦A and played the ♣A, the jack falling ♣ A5
from West. Three more rounds of clubs were played,
South throwing two spades and West three spades. A finesse of the ♥Q won and the ♥A then
dropped the king. Declarer had nine tricks and no cause to complain about his luck. Perhaps
declarer at the other table would be blessed with similar fortune.
Closed Room
Volcker Moss Bessis Grue
Pass Pass Pass 1♣*
Pass 1♦* Pass 1NT
Pass 2♣* Pass 2♥
Pass 3♣ Pass 3NT
All Pass
I must tell you (not for the first time) that Grue and Moss play Precision when non-vulnerable.
The ♦2 was led but at this table declarer took a look at two rounds of the suit before winning
with the ace on the third round.
Leaving the club suit to look after itself for a few moments, Grue led the ♥J from his hand.
This would establish a ninth trick if five club tricks were coming in. If they were not, he would
need the ♣J to fall singleton and hearts to break 3-3.
The cards did not reward this line of play. East won with the ♥K, cashed a diamond and returned
a spade. The heart suit refused to break and the clubs provided only four tricks instead of five. It
was one down and 10 IMPs to France, down only 144-150.
♠ J 10 9 2
♥ K984
♦ A J 10 7 5
♣—
♠— N ♠ 653
♥ Q76 ♥ J 10 5 2
♦ KQ98643 W E ♦2
♣ J75 S ♣ A9 8 6 4
♠ AKQ874
♥ A3
♦ —
♣ K Q 10 3 2

 Intermediate
Open Room ♠ J 10 9 2
♥ K984
West North East South ♦ A J 10 7 5
Martel Rombaut Fleischer Combescure ♣ —
– 1♦ Pass 1♠ ♠ — N ♠ 653
♥ Q76 ♥ J 10 5 2
Pass 2♠ Pass 5♦* W E
♦ KQ98643 ♦ 2
Pass 5♥* Pass 6♠ ♣ J75 S ♣ A9 8 6 4
All Pass ♠ AKQ874
♥ A3
On this board East somewhat spoiled the party by not ♦ —
having a void in his hand. Our slight disappointment was ♣ K Q 10 3 2
brushed aside by South’s rare usage of Exclusion RKCB
in partner’s suit. North’s 5♥ showed 0 keycards outside diamonds (it’s advisable not to play 1430
responses to Exclusion bids) and 6♠ was reached.
Martel led the ♣5, declarer throwing a diamond from dummy and East winning with the ace.
Combescure then claimed on the trump switch. +980.
The vast crowd of BBO kibitzers were naturally wondering if lightning would strike twice.
Closed Room
– 1♦ Pass 1♠
Pass 2♠ Pass 5♦*
Pass 5♥* Pass 6♠
All Pass
It did, as you see! Declarer won the ♦Q lead in dummy, crossed to the ♠A and ruffed a club. After
crossruffing in the minors, he ended with a double-squeeze for an overtrick. West had to guard
dummy’s ♦J and East had to guard declarer’s ♣K. Neither could retain a heart guard and that was
+1010 for a hard-earned 1 IMP swing.
Brad Moss

 Intermediate
♠ J94
♥ AJ85
♦ 10 9
♣ J862
♠ 32 N ♠ AK Q 8 7
♥Q ♥ K432
♦ AK Q 8 7 5 W E ♦ 32
♣ A7 5 3 S ♣ K 10
♠ 10 6 5
♥ 10 9 7 6
♦ J64
♣ Q94
Open Room
Martel Rombaut Fleischer Combescure
– – 1♠ Pass
2♦ Pass 2♥ Pass
A diamond slam was there on a 3-2 break, but it seemed difficult to reach. Declarer won the club
lead and picked up a quick +720 when both the long suits broke favourably.
How would the French E/W tackle the hand?
Closed Room
– – 1♠ Pass
2♦ Pass 2♥ Pass
3♦ Pass 3♠ Pass
3NT Pass 4♣ Pass
4♦ Pass 4♥ Pass
6♦ All Pass
It seems that 2NT showed 5-4-2-2 shape, whetting Volcker’s appetite for a diamond slam. Bessis
cooperated with two cue-bids and 6♦ was reached. Moss cashed the ♥A and switched to a club,
declarer claiming the slam when trumps proved to be 3-2. That gave France 12 IMPs and the
lead, 156-151.
The run of big boards continued without any pause for breath.

 Intermediate
Board 75. Dealer South. None Vul.
♠ K8743
♥ A 10 8 6
♦ Q74
♣ 2
♠9 N ♠ AQ J 6
♥ KQJ975 ♥ 43
♦ 652 W E ♦ J 10
♣ A8 4 S ♣ K9763
♠ 10 5 2
♥2
♦ AK983
♣ Q J 10 5
Open Room
– – – Pass
1♥ 1♠ 2NT 3♥*
Pass 3♠ Double All Pass
Combescure showed a sound spade raise but Fleischer reckoned that his trump holding justified
a penalty double of 3♠. No game was available to E/W, so perhaps he had taken a good view.
Rombaut won the heart lead and played a club to the queen and ace. A trump return was essen-
tial now and Martel found it, East winning with the jack. Declarer won the commendable ♦J
switch with dummy’s ace and played a second diamond to his queen. He ruffed a heart with the
♠5, returned to his hand with a club ruff and led the ♥10 towards dummy’s bare ♠10.
If East had discarded a club, he could not have been prevented from scoring three trump tricks
for one down. When instead he ruffed with the ♠Q, all was lost. He cashed the ♠A and declarer
claimed the remaining tricks for +530.
Closed Room
– – – 1♦
1♥ 1♠ 1NT 2♠
3♥ 3♠ All Pass
After a heart to the declarer’s ace and a club to the queen and ace, West returned the ♠9 as at the
other table. Bessis won with the ♠J and played a second round of hearts. Now declarer was OK.
He ruffed in the dummy and ran the ♠10 to East’s queen. Winning the diamond switch in hand,
he drove out the trump ace and had nine tricks. It was only +140, though, because Bessis had not
doubled the contract. France duly gained another 9 IMPs to lead 165-151.
Right, was that the end of the big boards? Not quite. Try this one for size.

 Intermediate
♠ A762
♥ 43
♦ 6
♣ AK8752
♠5 N ♠ Q 10 3
♥ K 10 9 7 ♥ J8652
♦ QJ8752 W E ♦A
♣ Q4 S ♣ J 10 9 6
♠ KJ984
♥ AQ
♦ K 10 9 4 3
♣3
Open Room
Pass 1♣ Pass 1♠
3♦ 3♠ Pass 4♠
All Pass
With diamonds bid over his second suit, Combescure made no move towards a slam. East won the
♦Q lead with the ace and returned the ♥8. After some time declarer decided to rise with the ♥A.
He then played two top clubs to dispose of the ♥Q. The trump ace followed by a finesse against
the ♠Q (indicated after West’s overcall) gave him +650.
News reached us from the Closed Room that the Americans had reached 6♠! They had lost
the previous four boards 31-1 and were surely due to add a further large number to this deficit.
Closed Room
Pass 1♣ 1♥ 1♠
4♦* 4♠ Pass 5♥
Pass 6♠ Pass Pass
7♥ Double All Pass
Volcker’s four-level fit jump caused the French pair to overreach. We can all see that West’s 7♥
was an unsuccessful venture but I will leave you to judge if it was wise or not. Grue led the ♠K,
continuing with the ♣3 to partner’s king. The double-dummy return of a low club would have
given the Americans +1100. Moss cashed the ♣A instead and then all roads led to +800.
It was only 4 IMPs to the USA but without the 7♥ sacrifice it would have been 13 IMPs the
other way. France took the set 45-11 to lead by 13 IMPs with 48 boards still to play.
You can watch the VuGraph Presentation at: http://tinyurl.com/ycwmll8j
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SaNyU4Zd4T4

 Intermediate
Set 6 Boards 81-96
Board 82. Dealer East. N/S Vul.
♠ A Q 10 9 4 2
♥A
♦ A
♣ AQ874
♠K N ♠ J875
♥ QJ7 ♥ 10 8 5 4 3
♦ K J 10 9 6 5 3 W E ♦ Q2
♣ K6 S ♣ J9
♠ 63
♥ K962
♦ 874
♣ 10 5 3 2
Open Room
– – Pass Pass
1♦ Double Pass 1♥
2♦ Double Pass 2♥
3♦ Double Pass 4♣
Pass 6♣ All Pass
Declarer won the diamond lead in dummy perforce, unblocked dummy’s ace of hearts and played
the ace of clubs and a club. The 2-2 break and the spade position meant 12 tricks and +1370.
Closed Room
– – 2♥* Pass
Pass Double Pass 2NT*
Pass 3♠ All Pass
2♥ Weak, at least 4-4 in the majors
2NT Lebensohl
When North bid 3♠, ignoring the request to bid 3♣ he showed a good hand, but his partner saw
no reason to bid on. Declarer had to lose a trick in both black suits, +200 but 15 IMPs to France,
who led 184-156.

 Intermediate
♠ 742
♥ K8432
♦ J
♣ A 10 7 2
♠ K J 10 6 5 N ♠ 98
♥5 ♥ A 10 9 7 6
♦ Q982 W E ♦ 76
♣ QJ5 S ♣ 9863
♠ AQ3
♥ QJ
♦ A K 10 5 4 3
♣ K4
Open Room
– – – 2NT
Pass 3♦* Pass 3NT
All Pass
West led the jack of spades and declarer won with the queen and led a low diamond from hand.
West went in with the ♦Q and continued with the king of spades, but declarer had nine tricks
for a painless +400.
Closed Room
– – – 1♣*
Pass 1♠* Pass 1NT*
Pass 2♦* Pass 2♥*
Pass 3♦* Pass 3NT
All Pass
1♣ Strong
1♠ Positive, 5+♥
1NT Relay
2♦ 5+ in the other three suits down the line
2♥ Relay
3♦ 3-5-1-4
Here too West lead the jack of spades, but declarer mysteriously ducked and when East followed
with a discouraging nine West switched to the queen of clubs (had he found a heart East could win
and play a spade before the diamonds are established). Declarer won with dummy’s ace and ran
the jack of diamonds, which West ducked. Now declarer can get home by coming to hand with
a club and playing on diamonds, but declarer gave the defenders another chance when he played
a heart. East went up with the ace, and could now play a spade, but he exited with a club to the
king. Declarer cashed the ace and king of diamonds and jack of hearts and exited with a diamond.
West could win and cash the jack of clubs, but then had to lead a spade, +400 and a flat board.

 Intermediate
Board 84. Dealer West. All Vul.
♠ 965432
♥ 9
♦ A 10 5 4
♣ J4
♠K N ♠ Q87
♥ A6 3 2 ♥ J 10 7 5
♦ K3 W E ♦ J87
♣ A8 7 5 3 2 S ♣ Q 10 6
♠ A J 10
♥ KQ84
♦ Q962
♣ K9
Open Room
1♣ Pass 1♥ Pass
3♦ Pass 3♥ All Pass
South led the six of diamonds to the ten and jack and declarer played the ten of hearts. When that
held he went back to diamonds, leading the seven to the king and ace. North returned a spade to
his partner’s ace and South, wanting to ensure two trump winners, forced dummy with the queen
of diamonds. Declarer ruffed, cashed the ace of clubs and played a second club. South won and
returned the ten of spades, declarer ruffing in dummy and cashing the ace of hearts. South had
his two trump winners for one down, -100.
Closed Room
1♣ 1♠ Pass 2♣
Pass 2♠ Pass 3NT
Pass 4♠ All Pass
North’s emaciated overcall led to the modest game.

East led the jack of hearts for the king and ace and West continued with a second heart round
to dummy’s eight as declarer pitched a club. After cashing the ace of spades declarer threw another
club on queen of hearts followed by a diamond to the ten and jack. The queen of clubs was cov-
ered by the king and ace and ruffed and now declarer played a trump to East’s queen. Declarer
ruffed the club return, draw the outstanding trump with dummy’s jack and lead a diamond. When
the king popped up he had ten tricks for +620.
To defeat 4♠ West must cash the ace of clubs before returning a heart, after which declarer must
lose a trick in every suit. It was 11 IMPs to USA2, still trailing, 167-184.

 Intermediate
♠ KQ974
♥ J2
♦ K863
♣ 75
♠ A 10 8 6 3 2 N ♠ J5
♥ 983 ♥ K54
♦ 74 W E ♦ A J 10
♣ 10 3 S ♣ KQ942
♠—
♥ A Q 10 7 6
♦ Q952
♣ AJ86
Open Room
– – 1♣ 1♥
1♠ Pass 1NT 2♦
All Pass
West led the ten of clubs and when East played the queen declarer ducked. He won the club con-
tinuation with the jack, ruffed a club, West pitching the eight of hearts, and advanced the jack of
hearts, winning with the ace when East covered. A diamond to the king lost to the ace and East
played back a club, West ruffing with the seven and declarer overruffing with dummy’s eight. A
heart to the queen was followed by the queen of diamonds and declarer claimed ten tricks, +130.
Closed Room
– – 1NT 2♦*
2♠ Pass Pass Double*
All Pass
2♦ Hearts
Dble Takeout
North led the jack of hearts and when it held he contin-
ued with the two to his partner’s ten. South cashed the
ace, North pitching a club the five of clubs, then played
the ace of clubs followed by the six, North ruffing and
returning a diamond to dummy’s ace. Declarer played the
king of clubs for a diamond discard and North ruffed and
still had two trumps to come for three down and -800,
12 IMPs to USA2, edging them ever closer at 179-184.
Cedric Lorenzini

 Intermediate
♠ 7543
♥ J43
♦ 963
♣ 642
♠ A9 6 2 N ♠ KQ
♥ 72 ♥ K Q 10 8 6
♦ QJ W E ♦ K752
♣ QJ875 S ♣ 10 3
♠ J 10 8
♥ A95
♦ A 10 8 4
♣ AK9
Open Room
– Pass 1♥ 1NT
Double All Pass
West led the seven of clubs and declarer won with the ace and ducked a diamond, West winning
and playing the queen of clubs to dummy’s king. A diamond to the ace and a third diamond
established an extra winner in the suit. East took the king of diamonds and played the king of
spades followed by the queen and exited with a diamond. and, when he found himself to be still
on lead he exited with a diamond. Declarer won, cashed the ace of hearts and was two down, -300.
To restrict declarer to his four top tricks West needs to find a heart switch – not easy.
Closed Room
– Pass 1♥ Double
1♠ Pass 2♦ Pass
2♥ All Pass
Here South preferred to double, despite the shape and the lack of a fourth spade. However, this
type of decision is very much a matter for the individual conscience, and once West rejected the
idea of redoubling N/S were off the hook.
South led the king of clubs and switched to the jack of spades. Declarer won, unblocked the
spades and played a diamond, South going up with the ace and cashing the ace of clubs before
exiting with a diamond. Declarer won in dummy, ruffed a club, ruffed a diamond, and pitched
the king of diamonds on the ace of spades. He led a heart to the ten and South took the ace and
returned a diamond, North’s ruff with the jack of hearts promoting South’s nine and holding
declarer to eight tricks, +110. That gave USA 2 5 IMPs and the lead, 185-184.

 Intermediate
Board 93. Dealer North. All Vul.
♠ J83
♥ 10 9 7 4 2
♦—
♣ AQJ84
♠ A Q 10 9 2 N ♠ K76
♥ Q3 ♥ KJ8
♦ 10 6 3 2 W E ♦ KQJ984
♣ K6 S ♣ 3
♠ 54
♥ A65
♦ A75
♣ 10 9 7 5 2
Open Room
– Pass 1♦ Pass
1♠ 2♦* 2♥ 4♥
4♠ Pass Pass 5♣
Double All Pass
2♦ Hearts and Clubs
West led a diamond to the jack and ace, declarer pitching a spade from dummy. He ran the ten
of clubs then ruffed a diamond, cashed the ace of clubs and exited with a spade. West won with
the nine and the ten to his partner’s king. East exited with a diamond, ruffed in dummy. When
declarer led dummy’s ten of hearts East covered with the jack which meant that when declarer
put up the ace West needed to unblock the queen to make sure the defenders collected two heart
tricks. When he kept the queen declarer’s next heart resulted in an end play – East could not afford
to overtake the queen and West had to give a ruff and discard allowing declarer to escape for one
down, -200.
Closed Room
– Pass 1♦ Pass
1♠ 1NT* 2♦ 2♥
Double Pass 2♠ Pass
4♠ All Pass
1NT Hearts and clubs
North led the two of hearts and declarer played dummy’s king. South won and returned a heart
which saw declarer win with the queen, cash the ace of spades, cross to the king, pitch a club on
the jack of hearts, draw the outstanding trump and play on diamonds for ten tricks, +620 and 9
IMPs to France, ahead 201-185.
Some small swings saw France extend their lead to 205-186 at the end of the session.
You can watch the VuGraph Presentation at: http://tinyurl.com/ydb6s8hk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IL0FeHfeuOU

 Intermediate
Set 7 Boards 97-112
The penultimate session of the Bermuda Bowl was a classic, full of dramatic deals.
Board 98. Dealer East. N/S Vul.
♠ Q J 10 9 7 4 3 2
♥A
♦ A4
♣ 10 2
♠K N ♠ A8 5
♥ 9832 ♥ K Q 10 7 6 4
♦ J876 W E ♦K
♣ KQ65 S ♣ A4 3
♠ 6
♥ J5
♦ Q 10 9 5 3 2
♣ J987
Open Room
Grue Bessis Moss Volcker
– – 1♣* 1♦
Double* 4♠ Pass Pass
Double All Pass
1♣ Strong
Double Game-forcing, no better bid
East led the king of diamonds and declarer won with ace and played the queen of spades. East
went up with the ace and must have winced when West followed with his majesty. When the next
card to settle on the table was the queen of hearts declarer could draw trumps and claim, +790.
From the comfort of my armchair it is easy to suggest that East might have laid down the ace
of clubs at trick three, only switching to a heart if West discouraged.
It’s also worth noting that if East leads a high heart at trick one, the defence might be easier as
long as West is allowed to win the king of spades; he switches to a diamond and East has time to
switch to clubs to secure his diamond ruff.
Closed Room
Combescure Pszczola Rombaut Rosenberg
– – 1♥ Pass
2NT* 4♠ 5♥ All Pass
South led the six of spades and declarer won with dummy’s king as North followed with the queen
and played a heart, North taking the ace and returning the jack of spades. South ruffed with the
outstanding trump and played a diamond, One down, but 12 IMPs for France.

 Intermediate
♠ K 10 2
♥ QJ872
♦ A
♣ AQ63
♠ 743 N ♠ AJ 9 8
♥ A9 4 3 ♥ K65
♦ 10 5 W E ♦ K98743
♣ K 10 9 5 S ♣—
♠ Q65
♥ 10
♦ QJ62
♣ J8742
Open Room
– – – Pass
Pass 1♥ 2♦ Pass
Pass Double Pass 3♣
Double All Pass
West led the ten of diamonds and declarer won perforce with dummy’s ace and played the two of
hearts, East going up with the king and returning the five. Declarer cross-ruffed the next three
tricks and played a spade to the king and ace. He ruffed the diamond return in dummy, ruffed
a heart, played a club to the queen, cashed the ace of clubs and played the queen of hearts. West
could ruff and cash the king of clubs but had to surrender the last trick to the queen of spades,
+470.
After East goes in with the king of hearts declarer has the chance to score an overtrick.
After ruffing the next heart declarer leads a club. If West plays low you have to put in the six
(not too difficult) and can then ruff a heart, play another club to the queen, ruff a heart and play
a spade to the king. East wins but is endplayed for a useful overtrick.
If West is allowed to win the first heart and play a second diamond (best) holds declarer to
nine tricks.
Closed Room
Combescure Pszczola Rombaut Rosenberg
– – – Pass
Pass 1♥ 2♦ Pass
Pass Double Pass 2NT*
Pass 3NT All Pass
There was some confusion about the meaning of 2NT, North thinking it was natural while for
South it was Lebensohl.
West led the ten of diamonds and declarer won with dummy’s ace and tried the two of hearts.
West won with the ace and played another diamond, ducked to declarer’s jack as a heart went from
dummy. The jack of clubs was covered by the king and ace and East took the queen of hearts with

 Intermediate
the king and played the king followed by the eight of diamonds. The eight of clubs was covered
by the nine and queen and declarer played the two of spades. Ducking that would have led to
two down, but East went in with the ace and cashed the seven of diamonds, +50 and another 11
IMPs for France, suddenly ahead 230-186.
Board 100. Dealer West. All Vul.
♠ Q 10 7
♥ 64
♦ KJ653
♣ KQ6
♠ J4 N ♠ AK 9 8 6
♥ QJ875 ♥ AK 3
♦ Q 10 4 2 W E ♦ A7
♣ J9 S ♣ A5 2
♠ 532
♥ 10 9 2
♦ 98
♣ 10 8 7 4 3
Open Room
– – 2♣* Pass
2♦* Pass 2♥* Pass
3♦* Pass 3♥ Pass
4♦ Pass 4NT* Pass
5♠* Pass 6♥ All Pass
2♣ Strong
2♦ Waiting, game-forcing
2♥ Natural or very strong balanced
2♠ Waiting
3♦ Usually five hearts
3♠ Four clubs or diamonds
3NT Which
4NT RKCB for hearts
5♣ Zero key cards
5♦ Asking about the ♥Q
5♠ ♥Q but no side king
A diamond lead defeats 6♥, and declarer would still have plenty of work to do after a club or a
trump (essentially declarer has to play spades for no loser) but South started with the two of spades
for the jack, queen and ace. Declarer played a diamond for the nine, ten and jack, North return-
ing the king of clubs to declarer’s ace. Declarer played four rounds of trumps and when North
pitched a spade the ten came up on the next round of the suit, +1430.

 Intermediate
Closed Room ♠ Q 10 7
♥ 64
West North East South ♦ KJ653
Combescure Pszczola Rombaut Rosenberg ♣ KQ6
Pass 1♦ Double Pass ♠ J4 N ♠ AK 9 8 6
♥ QJ875 ♥ AK 3
1♥ Pass 2♦* Pass W E
♦ Q 10 4 2 ♦ A7
2NT Pass 3♠ Pass ♣ J9 S ♣ A5 2
4♠ All Pass ♠ 532
♥ 10 9 2
Declarer won the diamond lead with the ace, ducked a ♦ 98
spade to the ten, took the king of clubs return with the ♣ 10 8 7 4 3
ace and cashed the top spades, +650 but 13 IMPs to
USA 2 down 199-230.
♠ 10 8 7 3
♥ 9764
♦ 83
♣ 976
♠ QJ5 N ♠ A9 2
♥ A K 10 8 ♥Q
♦A W E ♦ K Q 10 9 5 4
♣ Q J 10 5 4 S ♣ AK 2
♠ K64
♥ J532
♦ J762
♣ 83
Open Room
1♣* Pass 1♥* Pass
1♠* Pass 2♠* Pass
2NT* Pass 3♥* Pass
3NT Pass 4♠* Pass
4NT* Pass 5♣* Pass
7♣ All Pass
1♣ Strong
1♥ 12+ not hearts unless 3532 with balanced shape then 2♣ after 1♠
1♠ Relay
2♠ 6+♦ no side suit and a shortage
2NT Relay
3♥ 3163
3NT Relay
4♠ 12 ‘3-2-1’ points (A=3, K=2, Q=1)
4NT RKCB for clubs
5♣ Three key cards
After a spade lead declarer could win with dummy’s ace, cash a top club, cross to the ace of dia-
monds, draw trumps and establish the diamonds, +1440.

 Intermediate
Closed Room ♠ 10 8 7 3
♥ 9764
Combescure Pszczola Rombaut Rosenberg ♣ 976
1♣ Pass 1♦ Pass ♠ QJ5 N ♠ A9 2
♥ A K 10 8 ♥ Q
1♥* Pass 2♦ Pass W E
♦ A ♦ K Q 10 9 5 4
3NT Pass 4♦ Pass ♣ Q J 10 5 4 S ♣ AK 2
4♥ Pass 4NT* Pass ♠ K64
5♥* Pass 5NT* Pass ♥ J532
6♦ Pass 7NT All Pass ♦ J762
♣ 83
Declarer would have some (mostly double-dummy)
chances after a non-spade lead, but North put his hand on the eight of spades and that was that,
one down and a massive 16 IMPs for USA 2 right back in the match at 215-230.
Readers with a long memory might recall Board 29 from the 1964 Olympiad semi-final between
Italy and Great Britain.
Board 110. Dealer East. None Vul.
♠ A 10 7 2
♥—
♦ 10 6 5 4 3
♣ AQ98
♠ QJ9843 N ♠ K6
♥ Q97 ♥ AJ 8 2
♦ KJ9 W E ♦ A7
♣J S ♣ 10 7 6 3 2
♠5
♥ K 10 6 5 4 3
♦ Q82
♣ K54
Open Room
– – 1♦* 1♥
2♥* Pass 2♠ Pass
Pass Double Redouble All Pass
2♥ Transfer
South led his spade and when the nine won he played a spade to the king and a heart to the seven,
North ruffing, cashing the aces of spades and clubs and playing a second club, declarer claiming
nine tricks, +840.
My French colleague Jean-Paul Meyer could not understand North’s double of 2♠. I was minded
to recall the comment of English international Keith Stanley, who, discussing an equally disas-
trous outcome politely asked the player who had doubled, ‘Did you need the extra fifty points?’
When East redoubled North might have considered running – if South is short in spades he
must have length in one of the minors. 3♦ is playable – to defeat it by two tricks East must start
with the ace of diamonds.

 Intermediate
Closed Room ♠ A 10 7 2
♥ —
West North East South ♦ 10 6 5 4 3
Combescure Pszczola Rombaut Rosenberg ♣ AQ98
– – 1NT* Pass ♠ QJ9843 N ♠ K6
♥ Q97 ♥ AJ 8 2
2♥* Pass 2♠ All Pass W E
♦ KJ9 ♦ A7
♣ J S ♣ 10 7 6 3 2
South led the five of hearts and North ruffed and returned ♠ 5
the six of diamonds for the seven, queen and king and ♥ K 10 6 5 4 3
played a spade to the king and a spade, North winning ♦ Q82
and underleading his clubs to get a heart ruff, +140 but ♣ K54
another big swing to the USA, 12 IMPs, reducing the
margin to 3 IMPs.
USA 2 picked up 12 IMPs on the last two deals to complete an amazing fight back, taking a 9
IMP lead into the last session.
You can watch the VuGraph Presentation at: http://tinyurl.com/y9veu397
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3HpAPx7omY0
Set 8 Boards 113-128

Board 117. Dealer North. N/S Vul.
♠ —
♥ 9764
♦ K 10 9 2
♣ KQJ63
♠ QJ975 N ♠ 86432
♥ 852 ♥ A3
♦ J6 W E ♦ Q43
♣ 10 9 2 S ♣ A8 7
♠ A K 10
♥ K Q J 10
♦ A875
♣ 54
Open Room
Moss Lorenzini Grue Quantin
– Pass 1♠ Double
4♠ 4NT* Pass 5♦
All Pass
4NT Takeout
The light opening and the space-consuming raise combine to give N/S an insoluble problem. As
it happens a double would collect 800, but naturally North prefers to show his offensive poten-
tial. It is singularly unlucky that N/S end in diamonds – the suit that only delivers ten tricks, -100.

 Intermediate
Closed Room ♠ —
♥ 9764
West North East South ♦ K 10 9 2
Volcker Fleisher Bessis Martel ♣ KQJ63
– Pass Pass 1NT ♠ QJ975 N ♠ 86432
♥ 852 ♥ A3
Pass 2♣* Pass 2♥ W E
♦ J6 ♦ Q43
Pass 3♠* Pass 3NT* ♣ 10 9 2 S ♣ A8 7
Pass 4♥* All Pass ♠ A K 10
3♠ Unspecified splinter ♥ K Q J 10
3NT Where ♦ A875
4♥ Spades ♣ 54
With everything breaking declarer quickly records +650 giving 12 IMPs to USA II who lead 259-232.
♠ AQJ
♥ QJ842
♦ 92
♣ 874
♠ K9876 N ♠ 53
♥ 76 ♥ A 10 9 5 3
♦ A7 5 W E ♦ Q J 10
♣ 10 3 2 S ♣ Q95
♠ 10 4 2
♥K
♦ K8643
♣ AKJ6
Open Room
– – Pass 1♦
Pass 1♥ Pass 2♣
Pass 2NT Pass 3NT
All Pass
East led the five of hearts to the bare king, and declarer played a diamond, East winning with
the ten, West following with a suit preference seven. East switched to spades, and declarer took
West’s king with the ace and played a diamond for the jack, king and ace. West returned the six of
hearts and when declarer put up the queen East followed with the ten, hoping declarer will place
West with the missing ♥3 and a diamond entry. Declarer cogitated for a considerable period of
time, eventually deciding to cash his spade winners. On the last of these East discarded the ♥3
and when declarer played a club to the jack the 3-3 break gave him nine tricks, +400.
Closed Room
Volcker Fleisher Bessis Martel
– – Pass 1♦
Pass 1♥ Pass 1NT*
Pass 2♣ All Pass
1NT Clubs

 Intermediate
With an awkward choice North elected to bid a non-forcing 2♣.
East led the five of spades and declarer won with the queen. He played a heart, East taking the
ace and returning a club to dummy’s ace. Thinking that the king of spades was offside declarer
played a spade to the ace, discarded a spade on the queen of hearts and then threw a diamond
on the jack. West ruffed and played the king of spades, ruffed in dummy. When declarer exited
with a diamond East won and played another club. Declarer put in the jack and led a second low
diamond, East winning and returning his last club which meant declarer had to lose a third dia-
mond and was one down, -50 and 10 IMPs to France, 242-259.
To make 2♣ when he wins the ♣J, declarer must play the ♦K, forcing West to win; West can’t
profitably play a third diamond, so must lead another spade; declarer discards and even though
declarer is about to ruff with dummy’s ♣K East is squeezed. If he throws a heart, declarer ruffs a
diamond for his eighth trick; if he discards his diamond winner, declarer leads the master ♦8 to
force East to ruff with the ♣Q, and the ♣8 takes the last trick.
To counter this possibility after ruffing the third heart West must exit with the ♣10. Then
declarer will lose three diamonds and a heart.
♠ Q3
♥ J3
♦ 10 6 2
♣ Q 10 8 6 5 3
♠ K 10 9 7 4 N ♠ J8652
♥ 94 ♥K
♦ AQ 8 7 3 W E ♦ J95
♣4 S ♣ K972
♠A
♥ A Q 10 8 7 6 5 2
♦ K4
♣ AJ
Open Room
1♠ Pass 3♠ Double
4♠ Pass Pass 5♥
All Pass
West leads the four of spades and declarer puts up dummy’s queen – if East has the king it’s pos-
sible the defenders won’t be sure if they can cash a spade. Winning with the ace declarer cashes
the ace of hearts and when the king falls he has a choice of plays. Eventually he cashes the ace
of clubs and follows it with the jack, but West ruffs and exits with the king of spades. Declarer
ruffs, crosses to dummy with a heart and plays a diamond, but as expected West has the ace, -50.
Closed Room
Pass Pass Pass 2♣*
2♠ Pass 4♠ 5♥
All Pass

 Intermediate
West led his club and declarer won with the jack and played the ace of hearts, +450 and 11 IMPs
to USA2. The lead was back up to 270-242.
♠9
♥ K 10 9 4
♦ 10 3
♣ A 10 9 8 6 2
♠ QJ83 N ♠ A 10 7 4 2
♥8 ♥ Q62
♦ AK Q W E ♦ 9862
♣ KJ743 S ♣5
♠ K65
♥ AJ753
♦ J754
♣Q
Open Room
– Pass Pass 1♥
Double 3♣* 3♠ Pass
4♠ 5♥ Pass Pass
Double All Pass
3♣ Fit jump
At the prevailing vulnerability North is unwilling to defend 4♠ (South would have to find an
unlikely diamond lead).
West led the king of diamonds, continued with the queen, then switched to the queen of spades.
East took the ace and returned a second spade, declarer ruffing in dummy, cashing the ace of
clubs and ruffing a club, East pitching a diamond. Declarer mistakenly ruffed his winning king
of spades and ruffed another club as East disposed of his last diamond. Declarer ruffed a diamond
with the king of hearts, ruffed a club then ruffed the winning diamond with the ♥10. He was
sure to lose a trick to the ♥Q whoever held it and was two down, -300.
Closed Room
– Pass Pass 1♥
Double 3NT* 4♠ Pass
Pass 5♣ Pass 5♥
Double All Pass
3NT Good raise to 4♥
Here too West cashed the king and queen of diamonds and switched to the ♠Q. East took the ace
and returned a spade, declarer winning with the king, playing a club for the king and ace, ruff-
ing the ten of clubs, ruffing a diamond and ruffing a club. A heart to the king was followed by a
heart to the jack and was only one down, -100 5 IMPs to USA2, extending their lead to 275-242.

 Intermediate
♠ K875
♥ 2
♦ 96432
♣ A62
♠ J64 N ♠ A Q 10 9
♥ K5 ♥ AQ J 8 4
♦ KQJ5 W E ♦ A 10
♣ KQ53 S ♣ 94
♠ 32
♥ 10 9 7 6 3
♦ 87
♣ J 10 8 7
Open Room
1NT Pass 2♣* Pass
2♦* Pass 3♠* Pass
3NT Pass 4NT All Pass
3♠ 4♠+5♥
Moss made 12 tricks in 4NT, just losing to the ace of clubs; +490.
Closed Room
1NT Pass 2♣* Pass
3NT Pass 5NT Pass
6NT All Pass
North led a passive diamond. If the ♣A is onside and

the ♠K offside, declarer can arrive at 12 tricks if hearts
are no worse than four-two by rejecting the spade finesse.
If 6NT is the contract in the other room that would
be a reasonable way to try and achieve a big swing.
Declarer won with the ♦A, crossed to the ♥K, ran the
♠J, repeated the finesse, tested hearts, and led a club to
the king, ducked. Declarer eventually took a third spade
finesse for the overtrick, +1020 and 11 IMPs to France,
who trailed by 259-275.
With only two deals left France trailed by 259-278.
Joe Grue

 Intermediate
Board 127. Dealer South. N/S Vul.
♠ J 10 8 4
♥ 8
♦ A6
♣ Q 10 9 7 6 2
♠A N ♠ K972
♥ A J 10 7 3 2 ♥ K954
♦ Q83 W E ♦ K94
♣ K85 S ♣ AJ
♠ Q653
♥ Q6
♦ J 10 7 5 2
♣ 43
Open Room
– – – Pass
1♥ Pass 1NT* Pass
3♥* Pass 3♠* Pass
5♣* Pass 5♥ All Pass
1NT Artificial game-forcing relay
2♣ Maximum
2♦ Relay
3♣ 6+♥, unbalanced
3♦ Relay
3♥ 1633
3♠ Relay
4♦ Nine 3-2-1 controls (A=3, K=2, Q=1)
4♠ Relay
5♣ ♥A or ♥K, no ace or king of diamonds
East could have relayed again with 5♦ but that would take the partnership past 5♥ and it was
just possible they were missing two aces. If West’s minor-suit queen was in clubs then a diamond
lead might beat 6♥.
Closed Room
– – – Pass
1♥ Pass 1♠ Pass
2♥ Pass 4♥ All Pass
Bessis/Volcker have numerous artificial major-suit raises in their arsenal, but no game-forcing raise
with at least four trumps. They use Gazzilli after 1♥-1♠ but this can be an awkward start for hands
with primary heart support. East could have bid 2NT over 2♥ as a game-forcing relay, but was wor-
ried that West would not be able to evaluate his cards given the numerous hands that East might
have. As it happens West would almost certainly have driven to a slam had East made any move.

 Intermediate
Board 128. Dealer West. E/W Vul.
♠ 965
♥ K Q J 10
♦ 10 3 2
♣ 10 6 2
♠ AJ 4 3 N ♠ K Q 10 8 2
♥ A2 ♥9
♦ KQJ9 W E ♦ A7 6
♣ J95 S ♣ AK 8 7
♠7
♥ 876543
♦ 854
♣ Q43
Open Room
1NT Pass 2♥* Pass
2NT* Pass 4♥* Pass
4♠ Pass 4NT* Pass
5♥* Pass 5NT* Pass
7♠ All Pass
2NT Four-card spade support
4♥ Shortage, slam interest
5NT Grand slam try
East thought his 4♥ showed a shortage, but systemically it promised a balanced slam try with a
heart control and no minor suit controls.
North leads a trump and in due course declarer tries a club to the eight, -100.
Closed Room
1NT Pass 2♥* Pass
3♠ Pass 4♣ Pass
4♦* Pass 4♥* Pass
4♠ Pass 4NT* Pass
5♥* Pass 6♣* Pass
6♠ All Pass
4♦ Cue-bid
4♥ Cue-bid
6♣ Grand slam try
Six Clubs was asking about third round control in the suit and without it West signed off.
East had taken the trouble to show a heart control before asking for key cards. If East’s heart con-
trol is a singleton, there is an extra ruffing trick in the four-three (or even 4-2!) 7♦; if East has
the ♥K, West can count 13 top tricks in no-trumps (or spades), and East can convert 7♦ to 7NT,
+1430 gave France 17 IMPs which meant that USA2 had held on to win by 2 IMPs, 278-276.
Had France bid 7♦ they would have collected 19 IMPs, tying the match. In days of yore that

 Intermediate
would have meant extra deals, but here the result of the Round Robin match would have been
the tie-breaker – and USA2 had won it.
You can replay these deals at: http://tinyurl.com/yaqtuahd
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGPpr5JeKqE
USAII Gold winning team of Martin Fleisher, Chip Martel, Jan Martel (npc),
Michael Rosenberg, Brad Moss, Jacek Pszczola, Patrick Grenthe (President
FFB) and Joe Grue
France silver medal winning team of Francois Combesure, Frederic

Volcker, Jean-Christophe Quantin, Lionel Sebbane (npc), Thomas Bessis,
Cedric Lorenzini and Jerome Rombaut

 Intermediate
Deals that Caught my Eye
David Bird looks at some big deals from an international ladies’ Swiss event, held at the
Young Chelsea Club.
As usual, I will be inspecting some of the big swings, hoping to draw instructive benefit. Franc-
esca faced Duckworth in Round 4.
Match 4. Board 9. Dealer North. E/W Vul.
♠ 96
♥ AK4
♦ J98762
♣ J 10
♠ A 10 8 5 3 N ♠7
♥ 98753 ♥ QJ6
♦ Q 10 W E ♦ AK
♣7 S ♣ AK Q 9 6 4 3
♠ KQJ42
♥ 10 2
♦ 543
♣ 852
Moore Piscitelli Fawcett Paoluzzi
– Pass 1♣* 1♠
Pass 2♦ 3♣ 3♦
3♥ Pass 4♦ Pass
4♥ Double All Pass
I found North’s double rather surprising. How would you play the contract when North leads
the ♠9 to South’s ♠J?
On the lie of the cards, an overtrick can be made by winning and playing on trumps. If North
chooses to play the ♥4, you win with the ♥Q and play three rounds of clubs, discarding spades.
North will score his two trump tricks but he will be out of spades when he takes his second winner.
After winning with the ♠A, declarer cashed dummy’s ♦AK and continued with three top clubs.
North ruffed with the ♥4 and played a second spade, ruffed with the ♥6. The contract was now
one down. If declarer plays another good club, South can ruff with the ♥10 or discard her last
diamond (allowing a subsequent promotion of the ♥10).
At the other table North opened with a weak 2♦ and Beryl Kerr overcalled 3NT, making +630
on the ♠K lead. It was 13 IMPs to Piscitelli.
Our next deal features a bidding decision and then, at one table, a critical opening lead decision.

 Intermediate
Match 5. Board 12. Dealer West. N/S Vul.
♠ A 10 6
♥ Q 10 9 5 4
♦ J32
♣ 85
♠ QJ942 N ♠ K83
♥ KJ82 ♥ A7 6
♦ 86 W E ♦ A7 5 4
♣ 42 S ♣ A7 3
♠ 75
♥3
♦ K Q 10 9
♣ K Q J 10 9 6
Clench Bakhshi Godfrey Robinson
Pass Pass 1NT 3♣
Double Pass 3NT All Pass
What action should East take, facing her partner’s take-out double of 3♣? Lizzie Godfrey chose
to bid 3NT and Claire Robinson led the ♣K, continuing with the ♣9. Perhaps declarer should
have won this trick, although it would have made little difference as the cards lay. When she held
up, Robinson switched brightly to the ♦K. Declarer ducked once and won the diamond contin-
uation. A spade to the queen and North’s ace allowed the defenders to score two more diamond
tricks. That was two down for +200.
Erichsen McCallum Brown Brock
Pass Pass 1NT 3♣
Double Pass Pass Pass
Again 3♣ was doubled for take-out but this time Fiona Brown opted to pass for penalties. What
should West lead? A recent learned work on opening leads proclaimed the effectiveness of spot-
card doubleton leads. West may have saved herself £11.95 by not buying the book, but it cost her
side -670 on this deal. Sally Brock won the spade lead and drew trumps, losing a trick in every
suit. After a diamond lead, West would have scored a diamond ruff, gaining 7 IMPs instead of
losing 11.
From the same match we continue with a 3NT contract ‒ made at one table, down at the other.
See what you make of it.

 Intermediate
Match 5, Board 19. Dealer South. E/W Vul.
♠ J 10 6
♥ K4
♦ K J 10 3 2
♣ 10 9 5
♠ 5432 N ♠ AK 9
♥ AQ 8 ♥ 10 6 5
♦ 97 W E ♦ A5 4
♣ KJ73 S ♣ AQ 6 2
♠ Q87
♥ J9732
♦ Q86
♣ 84
Erichsen McCallum Brown Brock
– – – 2♦
Pass Pass 2NT Pass
3♣ Pass 3NT All Pass
Brock glanced at her hand and immediately thought ‘Weak Two’. Yes, indeed. Karen McCallum
passed the opening multi bid and Brown was soon in 3NT. Brock led the ♦6, declarer winning
the third round as she ditched a spade from dummy. Her ninth trick would now have to come
from the heart suit, where there was every expectation that the weak-two bidder would hold the
king. She played four rounds of clubs and North discarded the ♠6, South retaining her ♠Q87.
A finesse of the ♥Q lost to the king and McCallum cashed two diamond winners for one down.
Clench Bakhshi Godfrey Robinson
– – – Pass
Pass Pass 1NT Pass
3NT All Pass
Robinson led the ♥3 against 3NT. Calling for dummy’s ♥Q would result in defeat but of course
declarer gave herself a double chance by playing the ♥8. If this lost to the ♥J, she could seek her
ninth trick by finessing the ♥Q later. Heather Bakhshi won with the ♥K and returned a heart. God-
frey won and played ace, king and another spade, setting up an overtrick for a swing of 12 IMPs.
In round 7 Paula’s Angels faced The Weak Link (it was obvious how much thought had gone
into choosing the team names). Godfrey judged the bidding much better than her counterpart
on this instructive deal:

 Intermediate
Match 7, Board 9. Dealer North. E/W Vul.
♠ K J 10 9 3 2
♥ 10 8
♦ Q6
♣ Q 10 3
♠7 N ♠ 85
♥ A7 2 ♥ J964
♦ A K J 10 5 4 W E ♦ 9872
♣ A8 2 S ♣ KJ4
♠ AQ64
♥ KQ53
♦3
♣ 9765
Vist McCallum Fuglestad Brock
– 3♠ Pass 4♠
Double Pass 5♥ Double
All Pass
What should East say opposite her partner’s double? As it happens, the fortunate lie in both hearts
and clubs allows 5♦ to be made. If East is determined to reach some five-level contract her way,
it is better to bid 4NT to show two places to play. If partner then bids 5♣, you would have to
guess whether to pass or continue with 5♦, offering a choice of red suits. Surely, though, the East
hand is too balanced and too weak to attempt eleven tricks.
Brock led the ♠A, switching to a club when North followed with the ♠2. Fuglestad went two
down for -500.
Clench Leslie Godfrey Remen
‒ 3♠ Pass 4♠
Double Pass Pass Pass
Godfrey followed a wiser path, seeking at least four tricks in defence rather than eleven tricks
as declarer. After a heart lead to the ace and a low club switch, the defenders took their five top
tricks for +300 and 13 IMPs.
When Gold met Girls on Fire (a bridge team, surprisingly, not a pop group) in round 9, a bar-
row-load of IMPs depended on the choice of opening lead on Board 2. Feel free to test yourself.
The bidding was:
Indreboe Basa Ekren Jansma
– – 3♥ Pass
4♦ 4♠ 5♦ Pass
6♥ All Pass
You are South, on lead (vulnerable against not) and hold: ♠1082 ♥953 ♦10632 ♣J63
Choose your lead before continuing to read.
What do you make of West’s bidding? She had excellent heart support and chose to respond
4♦. Even without asking the opponents, this is surely a cue-bid once West rebids 6♥. In that case

 Intermediate
it will deny a club control. Also West has leapt to 6♥ in the face of a 4♠ bid by North. Can you
expect a spade lead to be productive?
Aida Jansma led the ♠2 and dummy went down with ♠A54 ♥AKQ ♦AKQ9 ♣Q102. Declarer
claimed 12 tricks and there were two top club losers.
The other table played in 5♥+1, also on a spade lead, so the Gold team lost 11 IMPs when they
might have gained 11 IMPs.
We will end with a double game swing from the same match:
Match 9, Board 6. Dealer East. E/W Vul.
♠ 5
♥ A98
♦ A 10 9 6
♣ KJ764
♠ 10 7 6 2 N ♠ AK Q 9 4 3
♥ J 10 7 5 4 ♥ 32
♦ KQ8 W E ♦ 532
♣9 S ♣ 10 3
♠ J8
♥ KQ6
♦ J74
♣ AQ852
Indreboe Basa Ekren Jansma
– – Pass 1♣
Pass 2♣ Pass 2♥
Pass 3♦ Pass 4♣
Pass 4♥ Pass 5♣
All Pass
It doesn’t seem right to pass on that East hand. If your system sadly doesn’t allow you to open
some sort of weak-two, opening 1♠ is probably better than passing.
An effective ‘inverted minor’ auction detected the lack of a spade stopper and the best contract
of 5♣ was reached. Jansma ruffed the second round of spades in dummy, drew trumps and elim-
inated hearts. She was then able to play a diamond to the 10, claiming the contract even if East
held both missing diamond honours.
Smith Hauge Green Kjensli
– – 2♠* Pass
4♠ All Pass
East’s 2♠ was alerted as being slightly stronger than a standard weak two-bid. It looks like two
down, assuming that the defenders set up two diamond tricks before declarer can establish the
heart suit. In fact the contract was allowed to make. Let’s study the sequence of defensive plays
and try to decide what went wrong.
Kjensli led the ♥K, which looks like the best shot, and continued with the ♥6 to partner’s ace.
Hauge cashed the ♦A next, South playing the ♦4, and the defenders had the first three tricks. How
should she continue? It was possible that the opening heart lead was from a doubleton. Hoping
that this was the case, North played a third round of hearts. Declarer ruffed with the ♠Q and

 Intermediate
drew trumps. Dummy’s heart suit provided two club discards and the resultant +620 gave the
Gold team 14 IMPs.
North could not be certain where the ♥Q was. If declarer did hold that card, though, surely
she would be missing the ♣A or one of the two top trump honours. On that basis it looks better
to play the ♣K at trick 4. When this card holds, North can pursue her quest for a heart ruff. (To
resolve any doubt on North’s best continuation, perhaps partner’s ♦4 on the ♦A should be taken
as a suit preference signal for clubs.)
After the prescribed ten rounds, these were the top three finishers:
1st. Karen McCullum, Sally Brock, Gilly Clench, Lizzie Godfrey 134 VPs
2nd. Nevena Senior, Brigid Battiscombe, Heather Dhondy, E.Lyons 129
3rd. Francesca Piscitelli, Simonetta Paoluzzi, Beryl Kerr, Anne Catchpole 114
The editor has kindly allowed me space to include two deals from a ‘First for Bridge’ holiday held
in the 15th century Chateau des Comtes de Challes in the alpine region of Savoie. At the time of
writing, I was recovering from a lunch of melon, local ham, salad, bread and ewe’s milk cheese –
washed down, of course, with a bière pression.
This was a slam deal from the previous evening:
Dealer East. Both Vul.
♠ KJ754
♥ K863
♦ 6
♣ 964
♠ A6 2 N ♠Q
♥ A Q 10 7 ♥ J4
♦ Q J 10 9 7 5 W E ♦ A8 4 3
♣— S ♣ A K 10 8 7 2
♠ 10 9 8 3
♥ 952
♦ K2
♣ QJ53
Savita Margaret Sharad Margaret
Singhal Stirling Singhal Shaw
– ‒ 1♣ Pass
1♦ Pass 3♦ Pass
4NT Pass 5♥ Pass
6♦ All Pass
Some East players rebid only 2♦ but Sharad’s excellent 3♦ rebid was the key to reaching the good
slam. Perhaps worried about impending discards on dummy’s club suit, North led a low spade.
Dummy’s ♠Q won and the ♠A was now good for a heart discard from dummy. The ♦A failed
to drop the king, but declarer could discard two hearts on the ♣AK. A spade and a heart ruff in
dummy brought the total to twelve.
On a trump lead, declarer would win with the ace (since North could hardly be leading from
the ♦K) and then ruff a club in hand. Ace of spades and a spade ruff would permit another club
ruff, setting up the club suit for three heart discards.

 Intermediate
Modesty forbids me from commenting on the quality of the three bridge seminars, but there
was a very full and enthusiastic attendance. (It was reduced by four on Sunday due to the local
morning Mass. Some things are even more important than Opening Leads).
Here’s another slam deal.
Dealer East. None Vul.
♠ J5
♥ AQJ952
♦ K72
♣ A7
♠ Q743 N ♠6
♥ K73 ♥ 10 6
♦ Q8 W E ♦ J 10 9 6 5 3
♣ 10 6 5 2 S ♣ Q984
♠ A K 10 9 8 2
♥ 84
♦ A4
♣ KJ3
Lawrence Mary Moira Paul
Miller Thomas Henderson Thomas
– – Pass 1♠
Pass 2♥ Pass 3♠
Pass 4NT Pass 5♠
Pass 6♠ All Pass
It was a good auction to a splendid slam. One of the major-suit finesses was right, so what could
possibly go wrong? Step forward Mr. Lawrence Miller, who made the brilliant opening lead of
the ♥7! It seemed to the declarer, Paul Thomas, that a lead in dummy’s main suit was very likely
to be a singleton. Not wishing to
wave goodbye to the slam at trick
2, if East won a heart finesse with
the king and delivered a ruff, he
rose with the ♥A. When a sub-
sequent trump finesse lost, the
slam was one down. No justice
for North-South!
What else can I say about the
holiday? The ancient chateau is
splendid. The circular tables for
10 at dinner encourage conviviality
as do the white, rosé and red wines
(three new wines every day!) I note
with approval that the French like
their beef and duck to be served
rare. The two included day trips
were excellent, so a good time was
had by all. The Chateau

 General Interest
Misplay These Hands with Me
Duck Soup
In the quarter-final of a major team event with only the opponents vulnerable I pick up a modest hand:
♠ J7652
♥ A6
♦ 864
♣ 753
The player on my right opens 1♥ and when his partner responds 1NT he rebids 2♥. When that
reaches my partner he bids 2NT. I take it he must have the minors and I try 3♣, which is passed
out, leaving us with this auction:
– – 1♥ Pass
1NT Pass 2♥ Pass
Pass 2NT* Pass 3♣
All Pass
West leads the three of hearts and I get a promising dummy:
♠ 93
♥ 52
♦ A K 10 2
♣ AK Q J 4
♠ J7652
♥ A6
♦ 864
♣ 753
I play low and take East’s queen with the ace. I have eight certain tricks and the ninth will have
to come from the diamond suit. With no entry to hand it seems I will need a 3-3 break so I cash
the top diamonds. East follows with the five and jack, but when I continue with the two of dia-
monds East discards the seven of hearts. West wins with the nine, and plays the jack of hearts.
When that holds he switches back to diamonds and East ruffs in with the eight of clubs. I still
have to lose two spades so I am one down. This was the full deal:
♠ 93
♥ 52
♦ A K 10 2
♣ AKQJ4
♠ KQ8 N ♠ A 10 4
♥ J43 ♥ K Q 10 9 8 7
♦ Q973 W E ♦ J5
♣ 10 9 6 S ♣ 82
♠ J7652
♥ A6
♦ 864
♣ 753

Post mortem
The winning line is to play a diamond to the ten at trick two. When declarer regains the lead he
draws two rounds of trumps and then plays on diamonds. That way declarer succeeds whenever
the suit is 3-3 or the defender with the doubleton diamond also started with two trumps.
At the other table declarer drew trumps at once and then played the top diamonds, abandon-
ing the suit when East’s jack appeared. He eventually had to lose two more diamonds so there
was no swing.
Eliminating Error
Towards the end of one of the major invitational pairs events we are doing well when I pick up
a reasonable hand.
♠ A5 3
♥ 94
♦ A Q 10 8 2
♣ K98
With only the opponents vulnerable the player on my right passes and I open 1♦. When West
doubles my partner jumps to 3♠ which we play a splinter in support of diamonds. I could try
3NT, but I don’t like that with only one stopper so I settle for a direct jump to 5♦ which con-
cludes proceedings, leaving us with this auction:
– – Pass 1♦
Double 3♠* Pass 5♦
All Pass
West leads the king of spades and I get a fair dummy:

♠7
♥ K2
♦ J9765
♣ AJ 7 4 3
♠ A5 3
♥ 94
♦ A Q 10 8 2
♣ K98
West’s double marks him with the ace of hearts, so as long as I can avoid two minor-suit losers the
contract will be safe. I win with the ace of spades and play a heart. West goes up with the ace and
exits with the jack of hearts. I win in dummy and run the nine of diamonds. Annoyingly West
wins with the king and returns the jack of spades. I ruff in dummy, draw the outstanding trump
with the jack of diamonds (West discarding a heart) and have to decide how best to tackle the clubs.
It looks as if West is 4-5-1-3, so I play a club to my king and a club to the jack. When East
produces the queen I am one down.

The full deal:
♠7
♥ K2
♦ J9765
♣ AJ743
♠ KQJ4 N ♠ 10 9 8 6 2
♥ A J 10 8 5 ♥ Q763
♦K W E ♦ 43
♣ 10 6 5 S ♣ Q2
♠ A53
♥ 94
♦ A Q 10 8 2
♣ K98
Post mortem
When West doubled the opening bid he was likely to be short in diamonds. A better plan is to
return to hand with the ace of diamonds at trick four, ruff a spade, come to hand with the king
of clubs and ruff a spade. Now declarer cashes the ace of clubs, and if the king of diamonds or
queen of clubs have not appeared, exits with a trump, hoping to achieve an endplay. This line will
only fail if West is 4-4-2-3 with both the king of diamonds and the queen of clubs – and then he
might have overcalled 1NT.
The First Course Series by Bill Treble from

MASTER POINT PRESS the bridge publisher
TWO-OVER-ONE: DEFENDING AT BRIDGE:

A FIRST COURSE A FIRST COURSE

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The Over the Rainbow Bridge Club
Alex Adamson and Harry Smith with more stories from The Over The Rainbow Club
The Master
‘Fifty per cent qualifying! What sort of event is that? Why, even the Scarecrow might qualify. It’s
a disgrace.’ The Tin Man had backed Aunty Em into a corner for his harangue. ‘You’re on the
Committee. Surely it should have had the good sense to exempt Dorothy and me, and possibly
even you,’ he continued. ‘That is with a good partner, of course. And perhaps a few others could
be considered, that Professor Mysterio, or whatever he’s called, for example. Then the rest of the
Munchkins can compete for the remaining few places.’
‘I don’t think you understand.’ Aunty Em had faced more formidable assailants without losing
her composure and brushed past the Tin Man to get out of the corner. ‘This is a national compe-
tition. The rules are set by the Ozian Bridge Union and the club has to follow them. Perhaps you
could attend the Annual General Meeting of the OBU in June, and make your suggestion there.
I’m sure you’ll get a good hearing.’ She couldn’t stop herself chortling.
‘I’ll see if I’m free that evening,’ the Tin Man continued, apparently unaware of Aunty Em’s
heavy sarcasm.
‘Fifty per cent qualifying! What sort of event is that?’ Almira Gulch was seated in the coffee
lounge of the club with her system card in front of her. ‘When would we ever not be in the top
half of this field?’ she continued. The committee should have the decency to exempt good play-
ers like us, and possibly one or two others.’
Professor Marvel smiled calmly. ‘Just think of how good this will be for the rest of the club.
They can only improve by facing good competition, players like you,’ he continued. ‘And then
once we get through, we’ll have the opportunity to bring honour to the club. It works all ways.’
Doing good for others wasn’t high on Almira’s list of interests, but hearing complementary
remarks about herself certainly was. She softened visibly. ‘I suppose you’re right. It is incumbent on
us better players to lead the way.’ She paused, then added ‘Noblesse Oblige.’ without any hint of
irony ‘However,’ and she stared at Professor Marvel, ‘I expect us not just to qualify but to be first.’
‘Fifty per cent qualifying! What sort of event is that?’ The Irritable Witch of the South cackled
to the Wicked Witch of the West. ‘Even playing with that old hag, the Unpleasant Witch of the
North, we’re certainties and shouldn’t have to go through the indignity of competing for a place
in the next round. And you’re in exactly the same situation, even though you’ll be playing with
Glinda.’
‘The Wicked Witch of the West mused for a moment. ‘There is a positive side to it, she whis-
pered thoughtfully. ‘With players like us in the event, we have an opportunity to influence the
result. Wouldn’t it be so much better if a few Munchkins qualified with us, rather than that Gulch
woman, or that smarmy Dorothy, or old Tinny, or any others like them? Who better than us to
upset them, or, should I say, have a few well-played boards against them?’
The club had decided to hold a heat of the Ozian National Pairs. The qualifiers would go
through to the next round for all the clubs in the area. It was a new venture for the club. Many
of the Munchkins felt, with some reasonable grounds for thinking so, that they might be out of
their depth in a national event, while a number of other members considered the standard of the
final, to be held in June, might just possibly provide sufficient challenge for their individual talents.
There was also the prospect of blue points. These were the master points only given for national

events, and essential for any player who wished to scale the heights of the master point categories.
The better players in the club had lost interest in the pink points awarded in club and district
events, when they all reached the level of 20-star masters. The commitment to travel to play in
the latter rounds of national events put many players off entering, and for many years their pri-
mary focus had been in club events, or at least in showing their superiority within the club. As a
result, they had played so little nationally that no member of the club had yet attained the higher
statuses, which needed a certain level of blue points.
All bar one, that is. A frequent visitor to the country’s capital, Emerald City, Almira Gulch, for
whom time and money were no constraint, had toiled though sufficient national events to earn
the rank of National Master. Though this was little more than a good attendance certificate, she
missed few chances to bring it into the conversation, especially after her win in the Club Pairs
Championship.
And so began a master points arms race: it was not the titles that held any interest, what mat-
tered was that the larger egos in the club could not bear the thought of being ranked lower than
Miss Gulch.
For many years the Tin Man had refused on principle to register for the master points scheme
or to send in any points he was awarded. He couldn’t see any merit in achieving any status com-
pared to other players, as it was quite clear to him that they were inferior. He had never looked
at the master point lists and so, until Almira Gulch had pointed it out to him, had no idea that
his name appeared in the Local Master category, the second lowest level of all.
The Lion had been responsible for him being on the list at all. One evening when he and the
Tin Man had played together and won, he had taken the thirty pink points for the Tin Man and
sent them into the Rainbow Bridge Union’s Master Point Secretary, registering the Tin Man for
the master point scheme. He felt that was some degree of revenge for the suffering he had endured
that evening. Despite their success, there was only one hand out of the 24 played where he hadn’t
been criticised, and that was only because the Tin Man had opened Four Spades and played there,
leaving the Lion no decision whatsoever to make in the bidding or the play.
Their outing last year to the Emerald City Swiss Teams had resulted in some blue points. How-
ever, the Tin Man remained ignorant of his master point standing and his recent elevation from
Club Master to Local Master.
***
At the end of the session Dorothy rose from the table and went into the coffee lounge. She was
fairly sure they had qualified, but some of the scores she had seen on the bridgemate machine
had certainly reduced their likely percentage. The Tin Man followed her out, and they sat down
beside Aunty Em, who was chatting to Hickory.
‘Are you sure of the score on that last hand?’ the Tin Man’s voice was querulous. ‘That should
be an intergalactic top, not 70%.’ He turned to Aunty Em. ‘On the very last hand we played, we
bid a reasonable slam which just depends on a finesse. The finesse fails, and the contract cannot
make. The Scarecrow finds a horrendous defence, as one would hope he might, and the contract
actually makes. We should be scoring 100%, but, if the Bridgemate is right, we only have 70%.’
‘Look, it’s Hand fifteen.’ He thrust the hand record in front of Aunty Em.

Dealer South. N/S Vul
♠ Q5
♥ 983
♦ KQ9
♣ J 10 6 5 4
♠ AJ 8 7 6 4 N ♠ K 10 3 2
♥ KQ7 ♥ J 10 6 5 4 2
♦ 43 W E ♦ J86
♣ K2 S ♣ –—
♠9
♥A
♦ A 10 7 5 2
♣ AQ9873
‘Dorothy opened a natural One Club, and after hearing One Spade on my right, I leapt to Five
Clubs.’ He paused for a moment. ‘East has an automatic Five Spade bid. When I saw the hand,
however, I was surprised that the Lion had the courage to find it, even non-vulnerable. Anyway,’
he continued, ‘Dorothy bid the slam, and, after carefully studying the ceiling, the Scarecrow
passed. With his partner’s hesitation, the Lion now felt he could easily justify passing as the only
ethical thing to do.’
The full auction had been:
Scarecrow Tin Man Lion Dorothy
– – – 1♣
1♠ 5♣ 5♠ 6♣
All Pass
‘And Dorothy made this and you expected a top,’ interrupted Aunty Em. ‘Let me guess what hap-
pened.’ She paused for effect. ‘The Scarecrow led the king of hearts. The Lion played the jack, to
let his partner know that he had the ten – not the information that he needed. Dorothy won and
played her ace of trumps. She then embarked on the diamonds, the Scarecrow ruffed the third
round, and now he didn’t know whether to try to cash his ace of spades or his queen of hearts
and got it wrong.’
‘The Tin Man stared at her. ‘Are you saying that’s what happened at your table also?’ The sur-
prise was evident in his raised voice.
‘Not just at my table, but Hickory and I have just been discussing it, and it was exactly the same
at his table.’ Aunty Em continued. ‘Clearly a lot of weak players were sitting East/West for this
hand. It’s an easy good score for any decent pair sitting that direction. A sacrifice in Six Spades
will score better than a making North/South slam, and, as it’s only two down non-vulnerable, it’s
actually even better than any pair defending against opposition who stop in game.’
‘But beating Six Clubs is routine,’ whined the Tin Man. ‘There’s no guess involved.’
‘I completely agree,’ continued Aunty Em. All West has to do is be patient and carry out some
simple arithmetic.’
‘Yes, I see it,’ said Dorothy. ‘East must show an even number of hearts. West mustn’t ruff the
third round of diamonds. He must wait till the fourth round, and allow declarer to make one
discard from the dummy. That can’t cost.’
‘Now,’ continued Aunty Em, ‘West will know that East started with no clubs, exactly three
diamonds, and an even number of hearts. If he only had four hearts, he would need to have six

spades, which would make this a very unusual pack.’
‘A trivial problem, for any decent player,’ the Tin Man grated. ‘He knows partner has six hearts
and thus four spades, so the ace of spades can be cashed.’
‘That wasn’t the only iniquitous result on the boards tonight.’ Hickory was looking miserable.
‘That Scarecrow leads a charmed life. You were lucky,’ he turned to the Tin Man. ‘His poor play
against you at least let you make a contract and get an above average score. Look what he did to
Zeke and me on board five.
This was the deal in question:
Dealer North. N/S Vul
♠ 10 9
♥ AJ82
♦J
♣ A K 10 6 5 3
♠ K7 N ♠ AJ 3 2
♥ K7643 ♥ Q 10 5
♦ 853 W E ♦ 10 7 6 4
♣ QJ7 S ♣ 84
♠ Q8654
♥9
♦ AKQ92
♣ 92
‘North/South played the hand at every table,’ continued Hickory, usually a quiet reserved man,
but his emotions aroused by a deep sense of injustice. ‘A few were in a variety of part-scores, all
making, while most were in 3NT. This contract seemed to depend on whether it was declared by
North or South.’ He gave his audience a moment to assimilate the hand.
‘None of those who declared 3NT from the North seat received a heart lead or switch. With no
entry to allow declarer to make all his diamonds, they ended up scoring three tricks in that suit,
five in clubs and a heart, making nine tricks in total for 600 to North/South.
When played by South the lead was always a heart, and now at all these tables the defenders
took two hearts, two spades and a club to score 100 for East/West.’
‘Well at least you would get a few match points if he made 3NT against you,’ the Tin Man
announced, sympathy definitely absent from his tone.
‘That’s not what happened.’ Hickory’s voice was bursting with emotion. ‘The Scarecrow was
South. Over his partner’s One Club opener, he bid One Spade and then Two Diamonds over the
Two Club rebid. The Lion now bid 3NT. We were about to get a good score. I had three min-
utes to think about my lead while the Scarecrow examined the ceiling in great detail, and I had
decided on a heart. Then he suddenly awoke from his reverie and bid Four Spades, which became
the final contract.’
The full auction had been as follows:
Zeke Lion Hickory Scarecrow
– 1♣ Pass 1♠
Pass 2♣ Pass 2♦
Pass 3NT Pass 4♠
All Pass

‘Zeke led the three of hearts,’ Hickory continued, ‘and dummy went down. The Scarecrow won
the first trick with the ace and called for a spade at trick two. I followed suit, and as he detached
the four of spades, he paused and looked puzzled.’
‘It’s hardly headline news that the Scarecrow looked puzzled,’ interrupted Aunty Em with a
smile. ‘Life is a constant puzzle for him.’
‘Indeed,’ said Hickory, his mood lightening for a brief moment, ‘but on this occasion, he leaned
forward and told us that he would have to call the tournament director, as there were two nines
of spades in the pack. The Lion just raised his eyebrows skywards as the Scarecrow showed us the
offending card, and pointed out that the curly ones were usually called clubs.’
Hickory continued. ‘We missed a good chance here. The Scarecrow was in a tizzy. He kept
mumbling to himself that he would never have bid on over 3NT. We should have agreed to treat
it as a fouled board, and at least got an average.’
With a shake of his head Hickory continued. ‘Not even the Scarecrow could go down in this
contract, not that he had any idea what he was doing. He ruffed the heart return from my partner,
who had won the first spade, he crossed to dummy with the jack of diamonds and then played
another trump. All we can ever get are three spade tricks.’
‘But he must lose trump control.’ Dorothy’s logical mind was baffled.
‘We certainly continued hearts, ‘ Hickory continued, ‘and, yes, I was left with the sole out-
standing trump. But look at the position he reached, completely accidentally of course.’ Hickory
scribbled the six-card end position:
♠—
♥J
♦–
♣ A K 10 6 3
♠— N ♠J
♥ K7 ♥—
♦8 W E ♦ 10 7 6
♣ QJ7 S ♣ 84
♠—
♥—
♦ AKQ9
♣ 92
Now he just played out his top diamonds, and, while he had no idea how many tricks he had
taken, he scored 620 for a complete top.’
‘Not a complete top.’ Dorothy looked round. Aunty Em grimaced. Professor Marvel was hold-
ing the chair beside Hickory, and Almira Gulch was lowering herself into it. It had been a difficult
decision. There was no empty table, and as she certainly was not going to stand while having her
tea, it was a matter of finding the least bad group to join.
‘My partner had no trouble wrapping up ten tricks in Four Spades for a joint top with that
Scarecrow.’ Miss Gulch was addressing a frozen-faced Aunty Em. Hickory was only a farm hand.
Almira Gulch didn’t talk directly to mere labourers. ‘We had a slightly different auction’ she con-
tinued. ‘After I rebid Two Hearts rather than a wimpish Two Clubs, my partner rebid his Spades,
so I did think he had six of them. However, he does seem to have a peculiar knack of playing
hands rather well when he has a small number of trumps.’
Professor Marvel had drawn up a chair for himself. ‘It’s the quality of the dummies you give
me partner,’ he smiled. Aunty Em ground her teeth and stared straight ahead.
‘We did our duty by taking the Wicked Witch of the West down a peg or two on Board 23,’

Almira Gulch continued, her seeming dispassion clearly only skin deep. Aunty Em’s face softened
slightly at the thought. Anything unpleasant affecting the Wicked Witch of the West was always
good news, even when Almira Gulch was telling it. ‘We managed to achieve a score which was
certainly not going to be beaten.’ This was the hand:
Dealer South. Both Vul
♠ AJ
♥ –—
♦ Q 10 9 8 7 6
♣ AK754
♠ K74 N ♠ 852
♥ A Q 10 9 7 6 ♥ 42
♦ A5 2 W E ♦ KJ43
♣8 S ♣ 10 9 6 2
♠ Q 10 9 6 3
♥ KJ853
♦ –—
♣ QJ3
‘We had an effective auction.’ Almira Gulch was in full flow. ‘After he opened the South hand
One Spade, that awful woman overcalled Two Hearts. I bid the obvious Three Diamonds.’ Almira
Gulch’s face creased into what was probably intended as a smile. ‘My partner now bid 3NT and
played there.’
Wicked Almira Gulch Glinda Prof Marvel
– – – 1♠
2♥ 3♦ Pass 3NT
All Pass
‘I do apologise for interrupting,’ Professor Marvel came in. ‘I think there’s one aspect of that auc-
tion that needs to be explained to understand what happened next.’ Almira Gulch looked baffled.
‘Over your excellent Three Diamond bid, Glinda was admiring her nails, and took about ten sec-
onds to pass. The Wicked Witch was too busy trying to put me off with her usual cold stare that
I think she failed to realise the real reason for the hesitation. With her diamond holding Glinda
was no doubt contemplating doubling for that lead, but she showed admirable ethics by cover-
ing up her thought process.’
‘Anyway, West started off with the ace of hearts and continued the suit with the seven, my jack
winning the trick.’ A smile crossed Professor Marvel’s face. ‘I took the finesse of the jack of spades,
and cashed the ace, and could just have taken my nine tricks now. However, I was worried that
someone might make Four Spades, and I could see that Madame West clearly thought her part-
ner had some heart support, including the eight of hearts which I had failed to play.’
He chuckled as he remembered what happened. ‘I returned to the queen of clubs, and exited
with my queen of spades. West confidently returned the queen of hearts, and I took my eleven
tricks, two hearts, four spades and five clubs. Poor Glinda probably still thinks she was to blame
for the misdefence, after she was berated for a distressing length of time. Madame West seems to
have some anger issues.’
‘Yes, you needed your overtricks for the top,’ said Aunty Em, addressing Professor Marvel. She

pointedly never spoke directly to Almira Gulch. ‘I played in Four Spades which is an easy make
as the cards lie.’
Miss Gulch looked at the hand record. ‘We do seem to have a better spade fit than on that last
hand we were discussing. Perhaps we should have played in that. However, you judged the hand
adequately, partner,’ she finished, seemingly unaware that 3NT could have lost the first six tricks.
‘Well at least both of you helped us avoid a complete bottom on the board,’ Dorothy announced.
‘We were playing the Lion and the Scarecrow on this board and they got the only other positive
North/South score. The Scarecrow opened One Club,’ she continued.
‘But South is dealer,’ interrupted Hickory.
‘He was in the South seat,’ said Dorothy. ‘He just pulled the wrong bidding card and didn’t
realise it. After my One Heart overcall, the Lion made a splinter bid of Four Hearts, taking him
unusually high without his arm being twisted. When he rebid Five Clubs over his partner’s Four
Spades, the Scarecrow clearly didn’t know what was going on and passed, happy that whatever
the bid meant, at least he had three-card support.’
Dorothy Lion Tin Man Scarecrow
– – – 1♣
1♥ 4♥ Pass 4♠
Pass 5♣ All Pass
Dorothy recounted the rest of the story. When she had led the ♣8, face down, the Scarecrow
had looked bewildered. ‘Isn’t the Tin Man on lead? I didn’t bid clubs.’ Putting his hand down as
dummy was one of his favourite parts of the game – playing high level contracts was something
he always tried to avoid. Close inspection of the bidding cards confirmed that he was in fact the
declarer. Dummy was laid down in the Lion’s usual careful manner.
The Scarecrow won the first trick in hand. Without any clear idea where he was going, he
finessed against the ♠K, and called for a small diamond. He was about to ruff this, when some-
thing very unusual happened – he stopped to think. It wasn’t a great thought he had, but it was
a thought nonetheless. ‘What if the Tin Man had ducked with the three missing diamond hon-
ours?’ He discarded a heart, and was crestfallen when Dorothy won the trick with the ace.
He won the spade return with the ace, and thought he would try again with diamonds. When
the Tin Man played the jack of diamonds he ruffed. Entering dummy with a spade ruff, felling
the king, he tried another diamond, ruffing the ♦K with the last trump in his hand.
He had reached the following position:
♠—
♥—
♦ Q 10 9
♣ AK7
♠— N ♠—
♥ A Q 10 9 7 6 ♥ 42
♦— W E ♦4
♣— S ♣ 10 9 6
♠ Q 10
♥ KJ85
♦—
♣—

Puffing out his flat chest at having noticed that his ♠Q was a master, he cashed it, discarding a
diamond, and for the second time in the hand, looked crestfallen, as the Tin Man won the trick
with a ruff. He realised he had forgotten to pull the trumps. He ruffed the heart return, played
his ace and king of trumps, and was very surprised when the Tin Man gathered up his cards and
put them back in the board. Surely he had a trump left? The Scarecrow knew better than to ques-
tion, however. Long experience had taught him that.
‘A beautiful ending – not at all intuitive,’ Professor Marvel nodded, sympathetically. ‘It doesn’t
even help East to let declarer win both his spades. Even though he sits after dummy he can’t come
to more than one trick.
‘He shouldn’t be allowed,’ said Miss Gulch. ‘Any fair seeding system would have seen to that.’
‘You’ll be seeing him in the next round,’ the Tin Man announced. He had gone to see the
Tournament Director pinning up the results while Dorothy told the story. Everyone at this table
qualified.’
‘And the witches?’ asked Aunty Em.
‘Oh yes, they got through too. Really the Scarecrow was the only surprise,’ the Tin Man
announced.
Almira Gulch rose from her seat. ‘Just as I said,’ she snapped. ‘A complete waste of time hold-
ing the event when the qualification was obvious.’
‘Exactly,’ said the Tin Man in his most steely tone. ‘Will you come with me to the Ozian Bridge
Union Annual General Meeting, so we can get this sorted out for the future?’

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The Killer Defence vs. 1NT
the Story
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 Intermediate
Solution to Non-Prize Problem

Dealer West. E/W Vul
♠ 8762
♥ 10 9 6
♦ AJ98
♣ Q8
♠ AK Q 9 N ♠ J 10 5 4
♥ A8 5 4 3 ♥ KQ
♦ K 10 4 3 W E ♦ Q2
♣— S ♣ J 10 9 3 2
♠3
♥ J72
♦ 765
♣ AK7654
Contract 6♠
Lead ♣A
At the 1964 Olympiad Final in New York between Italy and the USA both sides reached 6♠
played by East.
After the ace of clubs lead, ruffed in dummy, Stayman played a diamond and after having
won with the queen he ruffed a club and then unblocked the top hearts before ruffing a third
club. North was able to pitch a heart on this trick and there was now no way for declarer to
secure a twelfth trick.
After the same lead Garozzo ruffed and played a diamond but when the queen won he
cashed the queen and king of hearts, went back to dummy by ruffing a club, pitched the two
of diamonds on the ace of hearts and cross-ruffed diamonds and clubs.
An unlikely spade lead will defeat the contract.

 Intermediate
Test Your
Defence
with Julian Pottage Solutions on page 74
♠ ♠
1 ♥
KQ93
63 2 ♥
K Q 10 9
AKQ72
♦ J8 ♦ 10 4
♣ K9762 ♣ KQ
N ♠ 8762 N ♠A7 2
♥ Q ♥43
W E ♦ 9763 W E ♦J932
S ♣ J 10 8 3 S ♣10 6 5 2
WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH
– – – 1♦ – – – 1♣
1♥ Double Pass 1NT* Pass 1♥ Pass 2♣
2♥ 2NT Pass 3NT Pass 2♠ Pass 2NT
All Pass Pass 6NT All Pass
1NT 15-17 West leads the jack of hearts, won by the ace, every-
Partner leads the seven of hearts (fourth highest) and one following. Declarer calls for the king of spades.
your queen wins, the nine appearing on your left. What What is your plan?
do you return?



 Intermediate
David Hoggitt’s Little Joke

David Bird
The Abbot slit open the envelope. ‘Tell me this is some sort of joke,’ he exclaimed, as he scanned
the letter inside.
‘Not a demand for extra tax, is it?’ queried Brother Lucius. ‘I thought we’d survived the last
exchange I had with them.’
‘No, no, it’s the 3rd-round draw for the Cahalan Cup,’ replied the Abbot. ‘We’re playing against
the team of a certain Brother Cameron from the Monastery of St Titus, Hursley.’
Brother Lucius smiled at this news. ‘It was always possible,’ he said. ‘Only eight teams left at
this stage, aren’t there?’
‘The draw’s obviously been fiddled,’ declared the Abbot. ‘Hoggitt’s in charge of the draw. He’d
think it no end of fun to pitch us against the novices’ team. Meanwhile, I note that he has awarded
himself a draw against Veronica Stanhope. How she survived the first two rounds, I can’t imagine.’
‘Well, we won’t have to worry about travelling,’ said Brother Lucius. ‘When you drove us to
Andover for the second-round match, your Morris Minor seemed on its last legs.’
The day of the great confrontation soon arrived. It was Brother Cameron’s choice of opponents
for the first of four 8-board sets and it was no surprise when he chose to face the Abbot. This was
an early board:
Dealer West. N/S Vul.
♠ K953
♥ 62
♦ 8632
♣ A96
♠ J87 N ♠A
♥ K Q 10 5 ♥ 9743
♦ A7 5 4 W E ♦ Q J 10 9
♣ 83 S ♣ 10 5 4 2
♠ Q 10 6 4 2
♥ AJ8
♦ K
♣ KQJ7
The Brother Brother Brother
Abbot Damien Xavier Cameron
Pass Pass Pass 1♠
Pass 3♣ Pass 4♠
All Pass
‘What was this 3♣ bid?’ demanded the Abbot, who was on lead against the spade game.
Normal,’ Brother Cameron replied. ‘Bergen Raise, 7-9 points.’
The Abbot exhaled deeply. Normal, did the boy say? What on earth was normal about an ill-con-
ceived American method that prevented you from developing a slam-going hand with good clubs?

 Intermediate
Apart from that, was this particular North hand not a ♠ K953
text-book example of a simple raise from 1♠ to 2♠? ♥ 62
Brother Cameron won the ♥K lead with the ace and, ♦ 8632
♣ A96
after a couple of quick looks at the dummy, played the ♠ J 8 7 ♠ A
king of diamonds. The Abbot won with the ace, not- ♥ K Q 10 5 N
♥ 9743
ing his partner’s signal of the ♦Q, and continued the ♦ A 7 5 4 W E ♦ Q J 10 9
suit. Brother Cameron ruffed in his hand and crossed ♣ 8 3 S ♣ 10 5 4 2
to dummy with the ♣A. ‘Low trump,’ he said. ♠ Q 10 6 4 2
♥ AJ8
The trump ace appeared from East, who returned a ♦ K
heart to the Abbot’s ten. Brother Cameron ruffed the ♣ KQJ7
heart continuation, drew the remaining trumps and
faced his ♣K-Q-J, claiming the contract. ‘Obvious to play East for the ♠A,’ he observed. ‘West
had shown king-queen and an ace already.’
‘Such basic points are totally obvious to my partner and me,’ declared the Abbot. ‘Any expla-
nations for your partner’s benefit, could they not be left until later?’
At the other table, Brother Lucius had also reached a game in spades:
Dealer North. None Vul.
♠ Q 10 6 4
♥ 76
♦ AQJ4
♣ KJ6
♠3 N ♠ 852
♥ AK J 9 4 2 ♥ 10 8 3
♦ 10 9 8 6 W E ♦ K2
♣ 92 S ♣ Q 10 8 5 3
♠ AKJ97
♥ Q5
♦ 753
♣ A74
Brother Brother Brother Brother
Mark Paulo James Lucius
– 1♦ Pass 1♠
2♥ 2♠ Pass 4♠
All Pass
Brother Mark led the ♥K, his partner playing the ♥3 to show an odd number of hearts. Know-
ing that the ♥Q would be bare if declarer held it, Brother Mark continued with the ♥A. When
he switched to the ♦10, Brother Lucius paused to consider the matter.
If the ♦K was onside, which was entirely possible, there was no need to finesse immediately.
Indeed, rising with dummy’s ace would give him a good chance of making the contract even if
the king was offside. He rose with the ♦A, drew trumps in three rounds and led a diamond to the
queen and king. Brother James had no good return. He led a low club, hoping his partner had
the ace, and the contract was made.
Brother Mark turned towards Brother Lucius. ‘Is it any good if I switch to a diamond at trick
2?’ he asked.
‘No, no,’ Lucius replied. ‘I win with the ace, draw trumps and play another heart. The same

 Intermediate
situation arises. I’m also OK if Brother James has K-x-x, of course. I get a discard on the thir-
teenth diamond.’
‘Seems that I have to lead a diamond at trick 1, then,’ concluded Brother Mark. ‘Good luck to
anyone who finds that lead!’
The senior team had a lead of 6 IMPs after the first set. This was somewhat below the Abbot’s
expectations and he decided to switch opponents.
Brother Cameron took his seat against Lucius and Paulo. ‘Disappointing that the first of those
spade games was flat,’ he observed.
‘No problem, was there?’ Brother Lucius replied. ‘Bergen Raise gets you to game and there’s no
guess in the trump suit. West was a passed hand.’
‘I didn’t know you played Bergen Raises,’ said Brother Damien.
Brother Paulo laughed. ‘Keep it quiet and I’ll tell you a small secret,’ he replied. ‘The Abbot doesn’t
know either. He still thinks the powerhouse jump shifts are a good idea. Pity they never come up!’
This was the deal before them:
Dealer South. Both Vul.
♠ K62
♥ 952
♦ 93
♣ A J 10 9 3
♠ A4 N ♠ QJ73
♥ Q 10 8 7 4 ♥ J6
♦ Q865 W E ♦ J 10 7 2
♣ 72 S ♣ K54
♠ 10 9 8 5
♥ AK3
♦ AK4
♣ Q86
Brother Brother Brother Brother
Paulo Damien Lucius Cameron
– – – 1NT
Pass 3NT All Pass
Brother Paulo led the ♥7 to East’s jack and Brother Cameron won immediately, to avoid a dia-
mond switch. What now?
If the clubs were good for five tricks, all would be easy. If there were only four club tricks, he
might need to find the ♠A onside. However, East would doubtless clear the hearts if a club finesse
lost and that could be five tricks away even if West did hold the ♠A. It seemed to Brother Cam-
eron that there was little to lose by playing a spade first. If the king lost to East’s ace, then he
would have to fall back on the clubs.
When the ♠5 appeared from declarer, Brother Paulo rose with the ♠A. Hoping that his part-
ner had started with three hearts, he continued with the ♥Q. Brother Cameron won with the ace
and ran the ♣8. The finesse lost but East had no heart to return. The contract was home with
one spade, two AK combinations and four clubs.
Brother Paulo chuckled to himself. ‘Yes, nice play, the spade,’ he said. ‘The Abbot is South at
the other table. He will find the same play, of course, but you did well to make it a flat board.’
Back at the other table, the Abbot was consulting his watch – a somewhat worn timepiece that
had been a birthday present from his father, more years ago than he cared to contemplate. He had

 Intermediate
ordered the half-time refreshments for nine o’clock. These youngsters played so fast, they would
probably reach the interval before the food was ready.
The Abbot withdrew a somewhat threadbare 15-point hand from the board. Ah well, he should
end as declarer after a 1NT opening. He would give the contract some extra care and attention
to slow down the rate of play a bit.
Dealer South. N/S Vul.
♠ A J 10 7 6 4
♥2
♦ 864
♣ K64
♠2 N ♠ Q85
♥ Q54 ♥ K J 10 9 6
♦ KJ32 W E ♦ Q95
♣ Q 10 7 3 2 S ♣ J9
♠ K93
♥ A873
♦ A 10 7
♣ A85
Brother Brother Brother The
Mark Xavier James Abbot
– – – 1NT
Pass 4♥ Double 4♠
All Pass
Brother James doubled the high-level transfer bid and the ♥4 was led against the Abbot’s contract
of 4♠. As planned, the Abbot took his time considering how to play the deal. He had four side-
suit winners, so six trump tricks would carry him to the finishing line. If he was forced to guess
the trump position on the evidence so far, he would finesse West for the ♠Q. East’s lead-direct-
ing double suggested he would hold longer hearts than West and therefore shorter trumps. Still,
there was no hurry to take a view on the trump suit.
Brother James played the ♥9 on the first trick and the Abbot won with the ace. A heart ruff in
dummy was followed by the king and ace of clubs and a second heart ruff. When he returned to
his hand with the ♦A and led his last heart, West discarded a low club. ‘Ruff low,’ said the Abbot.
These cards remained in play:
♠ A J 10
♥—
♦ 86
♣ 6
♠2 N ♠ Q85
♥ – ♥K
♦ KJ3 W E ♦ Q9
♣ Q 10 S ♣ —
♠ K93
♥—
♦ 10 7
♣8

 Intermediate
With the air of a Bermuda Bowl veteran who had seen everything worth seeing at the bridge table,
the Abbot pointed a finger at the dummy. ‘Play a club,’ he said.
The defenders claimed three tricks in the minors and then had to surrender the last three tricks
in the trump suit. When the Abbot noted that East had started with ♠Qxx, he sucked in his cheeks
ecstatically. Surely there was a chance of a big swing on this deal. Who but a true master player
would delay drawing trumps until trick 11?
Soon afterwards the players regrouped to compare scores. ‘And I think you’ll like this one,’
declared the Abbot. ‘+620! Even that notoriously harsh judge, Brother Xavier, must have been
impressed by my line of play.’
‘Same at our table,’ said Brother Paulo. ‘And +110 on the next one.’
‘Wait a minute,’ exclaimed the Abbot. ‘How did they make that spade game?’
‘No problem, was there?’ replied Brother Paulo. ‘What happened, let me see. Ah yes, Brother
Cameron won my trump lead in hand and, well, I think he just drew trumps and claimed ten
tricks.’
The Abbot’s mouth fell open. ‘You led a singleton trump?’
‘Nothing looked better,’ Paulo replied. ‘Jack third, king-jack fourth, queen-10 fifth. A trump
was safer than any of those.’
‘I had to play the spots off the cards at our table,’ continued the Abbot. Brother James doubled
the 4♥ transfer bid for the lead and West led a heart, of course.’
‘They use a 4♦ transfer,’ said Brother Lucius. ‘I had no chance to double. Ah good, here are the
refreshments. Well, I’m glad to see it’s not the usual margarine sandwiches.’
‘Excellent!’ Brother Paulo exclaimed. ‘Cold sausages and one
of Brother Anthony’s famous giant pork pies. A very welcome
improvement.’
‘Eleven IMPs to us, do you make it?’ queried Brother Cameron,
arriving on the scene. ‘Wow! The half-time refreshments look good.’
‘I know you boys like sausages,’ replied the Abbot. ‘I had expected
you would need some cheering up after the half-time scoring. Still,
no doubt the natural order of things will be restored in the second
half. Eat up!’

VIDEO OF THE MONTH 3
Lyon 2017 - The Grand Limonaire

Lyon is regarded as the gastronomic capital of France and the city will forever be linked with the
name of the chef Paul Bocuse.
The Collonges Abbey, in Collonges-au-Mont-d'Or contains his collection of ancient fairground

organs and in the principal dining room - La salle du Grand Limonaire - stands the most majestic
of them all, a Gaudin.
The Grolière family, local merchants who sold bread, wine and wood, commissioned this
mechanical organ in order to provide entertainment for the village on Saturday nights.
When the Great War came the store was requisitioned to take in the wounded and the owners,
fearing an invasion, decided to wall up the instrument.
Years passed and the organ was forgotten until one day in 1966, when, upon learning what was
behind the wall Paul arranged to have it opened up. It took four years to restore it into good
working condition.
This remarkable instrument replicates the work of an orchestra and contains: 103 Keys, 20 Automa,
23 Automatic figurines, 840 Pipes, 80 trumpets, 2 Large drum, 2 Tambourines, 2 Cymbals, 2
Castanets, 1 Xylophone, 1 Metalophone
It is played whenever the restaurant is in use, During the Championships in Lyon the WBF
its introductory piece being Julius Fucik's introduced the concept of a live video feed dur-
Entry of the Gladiators. ing the VuGraph matches. Round 6 featured a
running time: 4 minutes Question and Answer session with Fred
Gitelman (starting around 15.49)
running time: 3 minutes

 Intermediate
Solutions to “Test Your Defence”
with Julian Pottage See page 66
♠ ♠
1 ♥
KQ93
63
2 ♥
K Q 10 9
AKQ72
♦ J8 ♦ 10 4
♣ K9762 ♣ KQ
♠ 10 4 N ♠ 8762 ♠ 653 N ♠ A7 2
♥ KJ87542 ♥ Q ♥ J 10 9 8 6 ♥ 43
♦ A2 W E ♦ 9763 ♦ K86 W E ♦ J932
♣ A4 S ♣ J 10 8 3 ♣ 74 S ♣ 10 6 5 2
♠
AJ5 ♠
J84
♥
A 10 9 ♥
5
♦
K Q 10 5 4 ♦
AQ75
♣
Q5 ♣
AJ983
WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH
– – – 1♦ – – – 1♣
1♥ Double Pass 1NT* Pass 1♥ Pass 2♣
2♥ 2NT Pass 3NT Pass 2♠ Pass 2NT
All Pass Pass 6NT All Pass
1NT 15-17 West leads the jack of hearts, won by the ace, every-
Partner leads the seven of hearts (fourth highest) and one following. Declarer calls for the king of spades.
your queen wins, the nine appearing on your left. What What is your plan?
do you return? Since the position is hopeless if declarer has both top
Declarer must be holding up in hearts and is no doubt diamonds and the ace-jack of clubs, you must assume
hoping for the blockage that actually exists. Given that partner has either the king of diamonds or both the
the weak diamonds in dummy, do you feel tempted jack of clubs and the queen of diamonds. In the latter
to switch to a diamond? Let us see what happens if case, the danger to guard against is a double squeeze.
you do that. You would be protecting clubs and partner hearts,
Partner wins with the ace of diamonds and continues both trying to protect diamonds. Holding up the ace
with the jack of hearts, driving out the ace. Sadly for of spades to stop declarer from cashing the winners in
you, declarer makes nine tricks by way of four spades, a the right order should thwart this.
heart and four diamonds. Given the bidding and what On the actual layout, your opponent does potentially
you can see, this is a fairly predictable course of events. have twelve tricks - three in each major, a diamond and
Although your side might have a stopper in all the other five clubs. Again, you need to focus on disrupt oppos-
three suits (if partner has both the pointed suit aces), ing communications. Holding up the ace of spades is
you do not want to rely on this. Your best switch is to once more the best way to start doing so. You then
a club (the jack), the point being that you still have switch to a diamond after you have taken the ace.
a stopper even after partner’s ace has gone. Declarer Whether your opponent risks an immediate diamond
needs to play on diamonds to develop enough tricks finesse or takes the ace and overtakes the second round
and the contract fails because partner’s hearts will be of clubs in the hope that the ten of clubs falls in two
ready to cash. or three rounds, you beat the slam.



 Intermediate
PARTNERSHIP PROFILE
In this issue, the Editor takes a look at the final weekend of the Premier League.
The Premier League was won by Alexander Allfrey, Andrew Robson, Graham Osborne, Tony
Forrester, Mike Bell & David Gold, who finished just over 9 VPs ahead Frances Hinden, Jeffrey
Allerton, Michael Byrne, Kieran Dyke and Chris Jagger, with Janet De Botton’s team third.
That earns Allfrey the right to represent England in one weekend of the 2018 Camrose Trophy,
and in the 2018 European Champions Cup (provided England qualifies to enter a team).
Division 2 was won by Heather Dhondy, Sally Brock, Brian Callaghan, Barry Myers and Frank-
lin To. They finished 25 VPs ahead of Jeff Morris’s team.
Paul Gipson, Sarah Bell, Simon Creasey, Alex Gipson, Alex Roberts, Graeme Robertson, Ankush
Khandelwal and Ed Jones finished atop the newly-formed Division 3.
The Hands
(This month all the deals were played at IMPs.)
Hand 1. Dealer South. E/W Vul.
♠5 N ♠ KQ7643
♥ A9 4 ♥ KQ3
♦ KJ4 W E ♦ 65
♣ AJ 9 7 5 3 S ♣ K4
North overcalls 1NT
Allerton Penfold Jagger Senior
1♣ 1NT Double Redouble*
2♣ Pass 3♠ Pass
3NT All Pass
North’s 1NT was based on ♠AJ102 ♥J10 ♦AQ93 ♣Q102. It’s a question of balancing the inter-
mediates and the vulnerability against the fact that partner is a passed hand. Redouble was the
start of an escape manoeuvre, but West was not interested in playing for a penalty.
North led the ace of diamonds and continued with the three, declarer winning with the jack
and playing the jack of clubs for the queen and king, soon claiming +630.
Holland Byrne Senior Dyke
1♣ 1NT Double 2♥
Pass Pass 4♠ All Pass
The decision to bid 4♠ did not work well, as declarer could not avoid the loss of three spades and
diamond. 3♠ would have offered partner a choice of games but perhaps East was worried that it
might not be construed as forcing.
Recommended auction: After the overcall East can double and then bid 3♠ on the next round
when West will opt for 3NT.
Marks: 3NT 10, 4♠ 4.
Running score: Premier League 14/20

 Intermediate
Hand 2. Dealer North. N/S Vul.
♠ KJ964 N ♠ A8 3
♥— ♥ A J 10 8 7 5 4
♦ AJ 8 6 5 2 W E ♦ KQ
♣ 10 9 S ♣ 8
North opens 1♣ and South raises to 2♣
Crouch Allfrey Cope Robson
– 1♣ 1♥ Pass
1♠ Pass 2♣ Double
2♦ 3♣ 3♥ Pass
4♦ Pass 4♥ All Pass
Against 4♥ South led a club from his ♠105 ♥KQ96 ♦104 ♣J7543 which meant declarer had to
lose a club and three hearts. A little unlucky, as you will score five trump tricks over 71% of the
time (cashing the ace and then leading the eight if the six has not appeared).
Forrester Paske Osborne Gillis
– 1♣ 1♥ 2♣
2♠ Pass 3♣* Pass
3♦ Pass 4♠ All Pass
North started with two top clubs and declarer ruffed and lost a trick to the queen of spades, +450.
Recommended auction:
Marks: 4♠ 10, 4♥ 7,6♠ 5.
Hand 3. Dealer South. None Vul.
♠ K9732 N ♠ A6
♥ 73 ♥ J8
♦ AJ 6 5 2 W E ♦ K9874
♣Q S ♣ AK 8 3
South opens 3♥ and North raises to 4♥
Crouch Allfrey Cope Robson
– – – 3♥
Pass 4♥ All Pass
South’s pre-empt was on ♠8 ♥KQ9652 ♦Q10 ♣10954.

West led the queen of clubs and switched to a trump, so declarer took eight tricks, -100.
Forrester Gillis Osborne Paske
– – – 2♥
2♠ 3♥ Double* Pass
4♦ Pass 4♥* Pass
4♠ Pass 5♦ All Pass

 Intermediate
The defenders cashed two hearts, but declarer had the rest, +400.
Recommended auction: If South opens 3♥ it would be really pushing the boat out to bid 3♠,
but after a pass and North’s raise to 4♥ East can consider bidding 4NT - not without risk, but
then so is passing.
Marks: 5♦ 10, 4♥X(NS) 6, 4♥(NS) 4, 4♠ 3.
Hand 4. Dealer West. Both Vul
♠ KJ6 N ♠7
♥ J 10 5 ♥ KQ874
♦ K7 W E ♦ 10 4 3 2
♣ AK Q 6 2 S ♣ 853
If West opens 1♣ and East responds 1♥ South bids 1♠ and North bids 3♠
Paske Allerton Mould Jagger
1♣ Pass 1♥ 1♠
Double* 3♠ Pass Pass
3NT Pass 4♥ All Pass
Dble Support double
West’s double (on my list of the ‘25 Conventions you don’t need to know) made it easy for East
to correct to 4♥.
South held ♠Q9532 ♥A9 ♦AJ9 ♣974 so it was easy enough to garner ten tricks, +620.
Dyke Cope Byrne Crouch
1NT Pass 2♦* Pass
2♥ Pass Pass 2♠
3♥ All Pass
I think East should have raised to 4♥. Once partner shows heart support East’s fifth heart increases
in value and it is likely that any spade honours in partner’s hand will be well placed.
Recommended auction: After 1NT you will only get a chance to reach game if South protects.
After 1♣-1♥-(1♠) West can double to show a strong balanced hand. If North then jumps to
3♠ West will know East has at most 1♠ and might well try 4♥.
Marks: 4♥ 10, 2♥/3♥ 5.
Hand 5. Dealer North. N/S Vul.
♠ K75 N ♠ Q 10 2
♥ AK Q 5 ♥ 83
♦ 10 5 3 W E ♦ QJ76
♣ J83 S ♣ A K 10 2
If East opens 1♣ South overcalls 1♦.

 Intermediate
West East ♠ K75 ♠ Q 10 2
N
Paske Mould ♥ AK Q 5 ♥ 83
W E
– 1♦ ♦ 10 5 3 ♦ QJ76
♣ J83 S ♣ A K 10 2
1♥ 1NT
3NT Pass
South led the four of spades from ♠J84 ♥J42 ♦AK984 ♣95 and declarer won with the ten, crossed
to dummy with a heart and played a diamond to the queen and king. He won the spade return
with dummy’s king and played a diamond to the jack and ace. South returned a spade, and North
took two tricks in the suit and exited with a heart. With the ♣Q onside declarer was home, +400.
– Pass 1♣ 1♦
Double* Pass 1NT Pass
3NT All Pass
Dble Hearts
South led the eight of diamonds and declarer won with the jack, played a heart to the ace and
ran the jack of clubs. When it held he played a club to the ten and cashed two more tricks in the
suit, South pitching the four of hearts and the eight of spades. A spade to the king and ace saw
North win and return the three. When declarer, with nine top tricks, put in the ten South won,
cashed two diamonds and exited with the jack of hearts which meant North took the last trick
with the ♥10 for one down.
One might take this sort of risk at pairs, but at IMPs it is well, choose your own adjective.
Recommended auction: Michael Rosenberg advocates that with the type of hand East holds one
should be flexible about the choice of opening 1♣/1♦. Here I would go for 1♣ because if we end
up defending a club lead may be best.
Were East to start with a 12-14 1NT there is a lot to be said for West eschewing the use of Stay-
man, simply jumping to 3NT.
Marks: 3NT 10
Hand 6. Dealer North. E/W Vul.
♠ A K 10 8 4 N ♠7
♥ AK 7 ♥ Q96
♦ J7 W E ♦ A K Q 10 9 8 5 4
♣ 964 S ♣3
North opens 3♣ and South raises to 4♣
Paske Allerton Mould Jagger
– 3♣ 3♦ 3♥
3♠ Pass 4♦ Pass
4♥* Pass 5♣* Pass
6♦ All Pass
4♥ Cue-bid
5♣ Cue-bid
South, holding ♠QJ3 ♥J108543 ♦6 ♣AKQ cashed a club, +1370.

 Intermediate
– 3♣ 3♦ 4♣
Double* Pass 5♣* Pass
7♦ All Pass
5♣ was dangerous - if East had simply jumped to 5♦ West would have inferred the club short-
age and gone on to 6♦.
South cashed a club, -100.
Recommended auction: What should South bid after 3♣-(3♦)? 3♥ turned out badly because it
gave E/W more room and, as it happened it also permitted West any easy cue-bid. 4♣ cannot be
criticised, but perhaps the ‘money bid’ is 5♣, taking away as much room as possible.
Marks: 6♦ 10, 5♦ 5.
Hand 7. Dealer South. E/W Vul.
♠ KJ9764 N ♠ AQ 8 3
♥ 10 2 ♥ K6
♦ AK Q J W E ♦ 652
♣5 S ♣ AQ J 8
North overcalls 4♥.
Liggins Robson Erichsen Allfrey
– – – Pass
1♠ 4♥ 4♠ All Pass
North led the nine of diamonds from his ♠10 ♥AQJ943 ♦97 ♣K762 and declarer won, drew
trumps, cashed four diamonds and ran his trumps, pitching both hearts and a club from dummy.
West threw all his hearts, so when East parted with all his to keep three clubs declarer took two
tricks with the ♥102, a cute way to record +710.
Forrester de Botton Osborne Malinowski
– – – Pass
1♠ 2♥ 2NT* Pass
4♣* Pass 4♥* Pass
4NT* Pass 5♠* Pass
6♠ All Pass
2NT Spade support
4♣ Splinter
4♥ Cue-bid
4NT RKCB
5♠ 2 key cards +♠Q
North cashed the ace of hearts, +1430.
Recommended auction: After the 2♥ overcall Forrester/Osborne were right on the money. Rob-
son’s more aggressive approach made things more or less impossible.
Marks: 6♠ 10, 6NT 8, 4♠/3NT 5.

 Intermediate
Hand 8. Dealer East. N/S Vul.
♠ AQ J 8 4 3 N ♠ K7
♥ 10 9 3 ♥ 75
♦— W E ♦ 98763
♣ AQ 9 6 S ♣ J852
South opens 1♦. If West overcalls 1♠ North doubles and South bids 4♥.
Forrester Byrne Osborne Dyke
– – Pass 1♦
1♠ Double* Pass 4♥
All Pass
West led the three of hearts, so declarer, who held ♠106 ♥QJ84 ♦AKQJ42 ♣K took eleven tricks,
+650.
Should West have bid 4♠ over 4♥?
Allerton Allfrey Jagger Robson
– – Pass 1♦
1♠ Double* Redouble* 4♥
4♠ All Pass
East’s redouble looks like a variation of the Rosenkranz version, here promising a top honour in
spades. That was enough for West to bid 4♠, expecting it to be a cheap save against 4♥. North
led a top heart and switched to a trump and declarer won in hand, crossed to dummy with the
♠K and played a club, soon claiming +420.
Recommended auction: The gadget worked well. Its main function is to help partner with the
lead, but as you can see there is more to it than that.
Marks: 4♠ 10.
You can play through the deals mentioned in this article.
Just follow the links:
Hand1: http://tinyurl.com/yb5kyhf2
Hands 2 & 3: http://tinyurl.com/yamvmfnc
Hands 4, 5 & 6: http://tinyurl.com/yatgdvbp
Hand 7: http://tinyurl.com/yadc4mph
Hand 8: http://tinyurl.com/yar6ckn5

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 Intermediate
MARKS & COMMENTS
Set 322 conducted by Alan Mould
This month the problems are: problem 1 was sent to
me by our layout editor, Ron Tacchi, and comes from THE BIDS & MARKS
the Zone 8 Championships; problems 2, 3, 5 and 6 Bid Marks No. of Votes
are from the ever reliable Marc Smith (who seems to 1. Pass 10 11
hold more problem hands than the rest of the panel 3NT 9 9
put together!); problem 4 comes from Nick Simms; Double 7 1
and finally problems 7 and 8 come from Mike Law- Four Hearts 4 0
rence. A bumper panel of 21 this month, the largest 2. Pass 10 8
Five Clubs 9 5
in a good while, so straight into the action. Five Diamonds 9 4
Six Hearts 7 4
PROBLEM 1 5NT 2 0
Five Hearts 1 0
IMPs. Dealer North. E/W Vul. 6NT 1 0
Seven Hearts 1 0
♠ Q43 3. Three Clubs 10 15
♥ AK 9 6 5 Three Spades 8 4
♦ Q6 Four Hearts 8 1
♣ A9 6 Four Clubs 6 1
West North East South 2NT 5 0
Three Diamonds 3 0
– Pass Pass 3♠ Two Hearts 3 0
? Three Hearts 2 0
Bid Marks No. of Votes Two Clubs 1 0
Pass 10 11 4. Four Clubs/4NT 10 10/5
5NT 9 5
3NT 9 9 Six Hearts 6 1
Double 7 1 Four Hearts 3 0
Four Hearts 4 0 3NT 1 0
Not much of a problem this one, and it is very largely Five Hearts 1 0
a two horse race. I thought we may have a few more 5. Two Hearts 10 16
votes for Double, but Tadashi was the only proponent 1NT 8 1
of that: Pass 7 4
Any other bid 1 0
Teramoto: Double. I hope partner can bid Four 6. Two Spades 10 8
Hearts or 3NT. My hearts are not good enough for Two Hearts 9 4
Four Hearts by me. Three Diamonds 9 4
All the panel agree with that, and no one seriously Four Clubs 7 4
considered Four Hearts. The panel split themselves Three Spades 6 1
between the aggressive 3NT and the conservative Pass. I Four Spades 2 0
suspect that if partner was not a passed hand we would Five Diamonds 2 0
Pass 1 0
have had more votes for 3NT, with the panel mut- 7. 2NT 10 15
tering about partner having “unbiddable 13 counts” Four Clubs 8 3
or the like. Here, however, the chance of 3NT being Five Clubs 8 1
the winner is hugely reduced – you basically need to Five Spades 8 2
catch partner with a 9-11 hand to have the “values” 5NT 5 0
for 3NT. We thus have that rarest of rare beasts on the Six Spades 3 0
panel – a conservative Pass scoring the top mark. Enri Two Diamonds 1 0
8. Four Spades 10 12
sums up the position well: Five Diamonds 9 9
Leufkens: Pass. No heroics from me. Sure, it can Any other bid 2 0
be a game to us, but after partner’s pass no more

 Intermediate
than about 30% I would reckon. Even if it’s 3NT to make something at the four-level opposite a
or Four Hearts, you have to bid it yourself. Dou- passed hand? Partner is not lurking with a penalty
ble can lead to ridiculous results. double, so double from me will surely end in tears.
And Eric G. makes similar points about guessing Mike attempts to lead the conductor:
the right contract if you do bid: Lawrence: Pass. As tempting as is to bid after a
Greco: Pass. It certainly feels right to bid when third seat pre-empt, I can’t bring myself to do it.
LHO is a passed hand but so is partner which means Especially not at IMPs. I have no certain source of
they can reopen much more liberally. The problem tricks, a flimsy spade stopper, no diamond stopper,
is that either 3NT or Four Hearts could be right and a couple of aces. Suggested marks:
and if I act now I am just guessing. If LHO raises 4♥ 0 Should get a minus score
I will double. 3NT 2 A gift
Would that be penalties or takeout Eric? Pass 10
Smith: Pass. I suppose the alternatives are 3NT, Green: Pass. I’m close to bidding 3NT (not Four
Double and, probably worst of all, Four Hearts, all Hearts!) but if we have game on then partner should
of which seem to be seriously flawed. True, LHO be able to reopen at least some of the time. If part-
is a passed hand, but so is partner. I predict that at ner had not passed then I would take a shot at 3NT.
least one panellist will pass with the comment that Rosen: Pass. Seems against the odds to bid facing
partner re-open, but I’m a realist and accept that I a passed partner unless they could re-open. 3NT
will be defending for 50s. would be my call if I had to bid.
I have to say that seems right to me Marc. Most of Kokish: Pass. Not really close, but if forced at pain
the time you will collecting 50s (or scoring -140 – why of bodily harm, 3NT.
should this go off?). And you are right about comments Since the last four panellists have all mentioned it,
about re-opening – Eric above and these below: let’s move on to Eric K’s bid on pain of bodily harm.
Apteker: Pass. Given that partner is a passed hand, Some do not surprise us at all:
3NT is unlikely to make which is really the only Brock: 3NT. Pass is probably my percentage action
logical alternative. The only time it will be wrong facing a passed partner but I have found I make
is when partner has some spades length and near 3NT on fewer than normal values in this type of
maximum values for his original pass. If partner position.
is short in spades, he may well double after this Byrne: 3NT. Am I man or a mouse? Partner is a
sequence in pass-out position which will allow the passed hand and will surely not be able to bolster
superior Four Heart contact to be found. our spade stopper, so on a doubleton spade lead the
The usual panel predictive powers from Phillip, defence can stick an intermediate card in and watch
but he also accurately comments on the assumptions me struggle. However, two things convinced me
we make about what partner will have when we bid to bid 3NT: a) firstly it might well be partner who
over a pre-empt: has the doubleton spade instead of LHO in which
Alder: Pass. I doubt this will be popular with the case the defence will be out of touch with each
panel, but I am supposed to assume partner has other already, and b) if partner is short in spades
six or seven points. If so, we do not have a game. the hearts might run and that is seven tricks already,
Also, if three spades is passed around to partner, he only more is needed to get us up to -100 which
might be able to balance with ten or eleven points. is better than -140. Re-reading the vulnerability
I wish I had John’s luck. He has clearly mis-read has given me a third option - the Three Spade bid
the question and still scores 10 points for his answer! might be on rubbish and we might make loads of
Carruthers: Pass. I may regret this, but any other tricks. Since partner will have trouble re-opening
action could lead to regrets as well. Nevertheless, on 2-2-5-4 9-10 I shall take the pressure off and
cogent arguments can be made for Double, Three go for the jackpot.
Hearts and 3NT. In my view, my poor support for Robson: 3NT. I must say I consider this a no-brainer.
diamonds and spades, not to mention the dreadful That spade holding is so no-trumpy, surely. I mean
distribution, argues against Double. My spotty heart you can’t shoot Four Hearts (doubled down four?)
suit argues against Three Hearts. My single club or double for take-out with few good outcomes.
stop with a rock-bottom minimum argues against Sime: 3NT. Any of Pass, Double, Four Hearts or
3NT. Not that I’ve much positive to say about Pass. 3NT may be right on the particular layout. Since
It’s a case here of looking for the least-worst action. partner is expected to have a third of the missing
McGowan: Pass. They got me. Why would I expect points, I prefer action. A double seems more likely

 Intermediate
to end in the wrong denomination than the right Rigal: 3NT. This is a balanced hand and an ideal
one. If I bid Four Hearts, North can save if he has spade stopper in a way. We might have nine tricks
spades and ruff if he doesn’t. 3NT may have the on the go even when partner is short in spades (and
best chance. if we can’t run the hearts then Four Hearts may be
Some are more surprising: equally unsuccessful).
Bowyer: 3NT. As far as I am concerned the only Double was the call chosen at the table and led,
realistic choices are Pass and 3NT – Four Hearts as several predicted, to a bad outcome as partner bid
is too committal. I’ll try 3NT. A complete guess, Five Diamonds on ♠xx ♥xx ♦AJxxx ♣KJ10x. Part-
though. ner is not going to bid if you Pass so you will collect
And not for the first time, David tries to guess what 150. Meanwhile 3NT is a terrible contract but with
will get 10 marks and guesses wrong : the spades 7-1 this time, and North having all the
Bird: 3NT. I wrote down Pass on a first look but non-spade honours and hearts being 3-3 there was
wimpish actions are rarely rewarded on this panel. no losing line in 3NT.
Even if North has a maximum pass, he is unlikely to
double with his partner’s hand being an unknown PROBLEM 2
quantity. Just this once, I will be a bit bolder than
normal. IMPs. Dealer East. E/W Vul
I am surprised that we have only two mentions of ♠ KJ72
Hamman’s First Law: ♥ AQ J 4
Silver: 3NT. Opposite a passed hand I guess a case ♦ K5
can be made for passing, but the idea of scoring a ♣ KQ6
small plus (if that!) into our vulnerable game would
be just too hard psychologically (sic) for me to han-
– – 1♥ Pass
dle, so out of consideration for my fragile mental
2NT* Pass 4♦* 4NT*
health I ain’t passing. For me the only issue is what
?
to bid, and between Double, Four Hearts, and 3NT 2NT FG heart raise with 4+ trumps
I choose the latter. It just feels right (Hamman’s 4♦ Void diamond, any range
Rule anyone?). 4NT minors
Cannell: 3NT. You pays your money – you takes
Bid Marks No. of Votes
your chance …. Awful English, but practical for
R. Hamman. Pass 10 8
Five Clubs 9 5
Five Diamonds 9 4
Six Hearts 7 4
5NT 2 0
Five Hearts 1 0
6NT 1 0
YOUNG CHELSEA Seven Hearts 1 0
These are not standard BM methods, but I thought
BRIDGE CLUB the problem sufficiently interesting that it was worth
asking the panel anyway. An unusual situation – the
One of the World’s Great Bridge Clubs opponents have passed and then come charging it at the
four-level in the middle of our slam auction. I invited
the panel to comment on how they were intending to
Duplicate every weekday evening develop the auction, and got some pretty acerbic com-
ments back, not more so that from Michael:
Byrne: Five Clubs. How do I intend to develop the
Tel: 020 7373 1665 auction?? Are you @!?*ing kidding me? I pick up
www.ycbc.co.uk a flat 19 count with a fit and the opponents pass
and then pile drive back in at the five-level and I
am expected to have a long term plan? I am sure
we will be bidding a small slam, I think I need AQ,
K and A to make a grand surely not that fanciful

 Intermediate
but I shall have to tread carefully. Since we are in a pass North’s diamond bid I will bid Seven Hearts
forcing pass auction (no s**t!) I think double would as the Spade Ace / Heart King and Club Ace will
be regressive, I shall start with Five Clubs and try be in partner’s hand. If partner doubles I will only
and elicit Five Spades from partner. I can’t imagine bid to Six Hearts
we will get to seven with any certainty but I don’t Drew makes a good point that partner can double
want to waste any room. North’s diamond bid regressively. Usually partners are
OK, one of the reasons I set this problem was to see justifiably worried about doubling with a void just
what the panel thought double was. I have heard the because they have a bad hand for slam, since there are
argument that if the opponents bid 4NT in the mid- just too many hands where the opponents “save” is cold,
dle of our slam auction then double is RKCB from us but here partner has already shown a void, so can slow
and partner responds accordingly. That seems a very the auction down with a double without over-stating
rational idea to me, but obviously needs plenty of dis- their defensive strength.
cussion about when and how it occurs. I wondered Silver: Pass. Not an auction that most partnerships
how mainstream it was. Judging from the panel, the have discussed. However, I would guess that dou-
answer is “not at all”. No one bids it, although several ble by me would be telling partner that I wish to
wistfully mention it, including Phillip: defend, so passing must be a more offensive type
Alder: Five Diamonds. The ideal answer is: “Dou- hand. Needing only ♠AQ, ♥K, ♣A from East (only
ble, South stole my bid.” Now I will make a clear- 13 HCPs) I intend to bid a small slam. Should part-
cut slam-try denying first-round club control and ner double their sacrifice (surely partner has three or
hope partner can work out what to do. four key cards for his opening bid – if not tant pis)
The problem with Five Diamonds is that partner and try for a grand should partner bid or pass next.
may feel we have denied any sort of club control with Barry makes a good point about not doubling 4NT
this bid (one of the reasons Michael chose Five Clubs (that partner now is almost bound to pass Five/Six
I think). Eric K also talks about double of 4NT being Diamonds since you have said you know what to do:)
Blackwood: Rigal: Pass. I think if I pass and partner is mini-
Kokish: Pass. With no special agreements we mum he will double, if he has extras he might bid
couldn’t double 4NT to ask for key cards but that on. If I double he will pass Five Diamonds whatever
would be the most useful agreement on this hand as he has? If he doubles Five Diamonds I’ll remove
East is marked with enough for at least six: ♥K, ♣A, to Five Hearts; if he passes I’ll bid Six Hearts; if he
♠A (or opposite an Acol player, maybe only the ♠Q). bids I’ll look for a grand.
So, it’s either pass requesting double without much Green: Pass. For me this should deny a first round
extra and double = encouraging, or vice versa. Pass control in clubs else why aren’t I bidding Five Clubs
encouraging as a fit has been confirmed is probably with the ace or doubling with no club control at all?
the more popular approach, which means double I’m hoping to get a Five Spade bid out of partner
and double would be worst. Another idea, which or if necessary bid it myself. I imagine that I will
is probably easier to apply is to treat 5♦ (partner’s stop in Six Hearts at some point but if I can get a
void) as RKC. I would risk that undiscussed with Six Club bid out of partner then I could try a last
anyone I would play with. I guess that explains train Six Diamonds. Tough to find out all of the
why I never play! info but I think pass must be the best start.
Great final comment and this month’s joint winner Robson: Pass. Cheapest ongoing action. Driving
of the “Comment of the Month”. Eric has perfectly to six, although it may go down on a ruff.
explained the “standard” agreements whereby Double Give that man a coconut.
is regressive and Pass is constructive. That is what the Rosen: Pass. Forcing - even if partner doubles their
panel think, and with the equal smallest plurality of next bid I am driving slam (seems clear to me he
the set, eight pass as a constructive slam try (though to predicts lol).
be fair they and everyone else on the panel is driving Yep, everyone agrees with you there Neil.
at least a small slam). Drew puts the arguments well: Teramoto: Pass. I am going to at least Six Hearts.
Cannell: Pass. Forcing in context of course. Double My plan is (4NT) – Pass - (Five Diamonds) – Pass –
would be the slow down bid here. Clearly North (Pass) – Six Hearts. Pass, then Six Hearts shows more
will bid Five or Six Diamonds next, and partner than an immediate Six Hearts.
will use a similar forcing pass or slow down double. We have already heard from Michael, who bids Five
Regardless, we are certain of a small slam, and need Clubs. We may as well continue with the Five Club
to ascertain if Seven Hearts is there. If partner does bidders and just go on up:

 Intermediate
Sime: Five Clubs. Confirms that slam is an issue partner passes, I will bid Seven Hearts and pass if
and that we have a club control. If they bid Six Dia- partner bids Six Hearts.
monds, partner’s double is regressive, but I will still Alone amongst the panel, John is prepared to let it
bid Six Hearts. If partner bids Six Hearts, I will bid go at the five level:
a grand, but I will settle for Six Hearts over a Pass. Carruthers: Five Diamonds. I’ll let him out if he
A third mention of Double = RKCB from Mike: bids Five Hearts – even if he has two of the three
Lawrence: Five Clubs. Would like to play double key cards, we may be off a second-trick black-suit
= stolen bid KC here. A first. The key to a grand ruff. With a diamond void, he must have length in
on this hand is the queen of spades in addition to both. My hope is that if he has the three big cards,
the three key cards. Or some extreme hand such as he can bid Six Hearts, which I shall also pass. In that
♠Axx ♥Kxxxxxxx ♦- ♣Ax. As it is, I will bid Five case, unless he has the ten of spades as well, a grand
Clubs. The auction isn’t going to have much science slam could be on a (probably-losing) spade finesse.
to it since North will usually bid some number of Finally, if he has ♠AQ, ♥K and ♣A, my hope is that
diamonds. That will create an interesting problem he’ll bid Five Spades over Five Diamonds.
for my partner. He has a diamond void so a pass by John prepared to let it go at Five Hearts, the rest
him should show interest in going further without of the above are hoping for grand slams, and we have
reference to diamonds. four panellists who give up attempting to find out if
Quite! partner has everything and bid what they think part-
Greco: Five Clubs. Seems right to start with my ner can make:
cheapest cue and if partner co-operates with Five Leufkens: Six Hearts. After any lower bid, North
Spades I will bid 5NT to see if I catch a Six Club will bid his diamonds, probably at six or even seven
bid. I will raise Five Hearts to Six Hearts for good level. How can you let partner know what you need
or for bad, although a club ruff could be looming. to know? That he needs all of ♠AQ, ♥K and ♣A?
Brock: Five Clubs. I want to make it clear to part- He needs to be able to describe all of his black Aces
ner that I’m slammy. I’m worried about third-round and ♥K before he can admit to ♠Q, and you’ll never
spade control, but he might be able to bid slam if have the space to do that. Actually, after Five Spades
he knows I have a club control, or at least make a or 5NT, won’t partner bid Seven Hearts with ♠Axxx
forcing pass of Five Diamonds. ♥Kxxxxx ♦- ♣Axx? So just blast and see what will
We have already heard from Phillip who bids Five happen after North bids Seven Diamonds. Maybe
Diamonds. He has three supporters: partner will be smart enough to bid Seven Hearts
Bowyer: Five Diamonds. I’m obviously going to with all necessary key cards.
bid Six Hearts anyway; the problem is to get part- Bird: Six Hearts. If I consider just the 30-point
ner to bid seven or to show extras to allow me pack outside diamonds, I have 16 points and part-
to bid the grand. Although it’s highly likely partner has made a vulnerable opening bid. He is surely
ner has both black Aces he could still have ♠Axx favourite to hold the ♥K and the two black aces. I
♥Kxxxxx ♦- ♣AJxx and I don’t fancy the odds of don’t see that an effort such as Five Clubs will help
the spade finesse. What has South got? 1-1-6-5 in the slightest.
heap of rubbish? McGowan: Six Hearts. No further developments
Funny you should mention that… unless they offer me a penalty, which I kind of hope
Apteker: Five Diamonds. It is clear partner has they will. When did I agree to such a silly method?
at least two keycards for his opening values so Six Silly? Seems to have worked pretty well on this hand!
Hearts is definitely on unless they can get in a club Would you have preferred partner to have only shown
ruff. They will probably profitably sacrifice in Seven a splinter?
Diamonds. So, the issue is how to find out if partner Smith: Six Hearts. Given that partner is playing
has three keycards now that we don’t have RKCB with a 30 point deck, it is hard to construct even
available. Partner has to have the ace of clubs to start. one of my opening bids that doesn’t include both
Five Diamonds also has the benefit that LHO can- black aces, so slam rates to be a reasonable propo-
not double for lead if he is void or has a singleton. sition. South’s delayed entry into the auction sug-
If LHO doubles Five Diamonds and partner bids gests enormous shape with virtually no high cards
Five Hearts, then I will know that he does not have (something like ♠x ♥- ♦Qxxxxx ♣Jxxxxx), so bid-
the ace of clubs. If he bids Five Spades, I will try ding a grand is fraught with danger with suits cer-
5NT, hopefully as GSF, but will probably bid Seven tain to break badly. As for how I plan on develop-
Hearts in the end. If LHO bids Six Diamonds and ing the auction, I consider it fully developed already.

 Intermediate
Sadly, South had a less shapely hand that Marc suit and let him work out what to do. If he is say
suggests – ♠x ♥x ♦Jxxxxx ♣Jxxxx. Against Six Hearts, 4-5-3-1 then defending seems a good plan, other-
he led his black singleton, scored his red singleton at wise the five-level awaits.
trick 2, wrote down +100 and moved onto to the next Rosen: Three Clubs. Fit showing- they are bound
board. Partner held ♠Qxxx ♥K109xxxx ♦ - ♣Ax. to get together in spades so let’s involve partner.
Note Eric K’s prescience in predicting what an “Acol McGowan: Three Clubs. Fit jump. Supposed to
opener” would have, though it is hard to see what else help him decide what to do over Four Spades – I
this hand could open – Pass seems wrong and the Three can sit back smugly.
Hearts chosen at the other table turns my stomach. Bowyer: Three Clubs. Entirely routine in my opin-
ion. You must make a fit-jump now, while you can,
PROBLEM 3 before North takes the bidding too high to compete.
If the next bid is Four Spades and partner passes
IMPs. Dealer North. E/W Vul. I’m content to defend - at least partner will get off
♠ — to the right lead.
♥ 7532 Apteker: Three Clubs. A fit jump, as per system
♦ 8654 definition. Will best assist partner in judging what
♣ AK 8 4 2 action to take as the competitive auction progresses
and when the opponents next bid spades.
Teramoto: Three Clubs. Fit showing jump. I show
– 1♦ 1♥ 1♠
my hand and hope partner can judge later in the
?
auction.
Bid Marks No. of Votes Sime: Three Clubs. Fit Jump, shows where my val-
Three Clubs 10 15 ues are if partner chooses to defend.
Three Spades 8 4 Silver: Three Clubs. Despite the vulnerability my
Four Hearts 8 1 fit showing jump does not (in my opinion) set up
Four Clubs 6 1 a forcing pass, but it should leave East well placed
2NT 5 0 when the Villains inevitably bid to their non-vul
Three Diamonds 3 0 Four Spades.
Two Hearts 3 0
Three Hearts 2 0 I do not think anyone believes it sets up a FP situ-
Two Clubs 1 0 ation Joey.
Unusually for BM standard, we have some system Rigal: Three Clubs. Fit jump hearts and clubs; no
definition here. The system says: “Fit jumps after our need to go mad, despite my instincts that it is our
overcalls. Jump cue-bid is a mixed raise (about 6-9 hand.
with four-card support). Double jumps are splinters”. Several would have preferred Four Clubs as a fit
So here, Three Clubs would be a fit jump and Four jump, but have bothered to read the system and know
Clubs a splinter. That being the case, two thirds of or suspect it is a splinter:
the panel look no further than Three Clubs and I am Green: Three Clubs. Shows my club suit and a
wholly in agreement with them. These comments sum good raise in hearts (I will bid on to game later). I
it up for me: would be happy to bid Four Clubs too if that was
Bird: Three Clubs. I will file this hand away, in case fit showing but I suspect it’s a splinter raise.
I ever have to write a beginners’ guide to fit-jumps. Cannell: Three Clubs. Fit showing jump for hearts.
Smith: Three Clubs. If you were writing a textbook I expect that Four Clubs might be taken as splin-
describing fit jumps, this would be a reasonable ter, so will go low with Three Clubs. Double as
example of what one might look like. clubs and heart tolerance is a possibility, but takes
Why should we make a fit jump, rather than just no room. I understand we do not really play Snap-
jumping to game as the hand suggests? Because of this: dragon Doubles here, but I expect the expert panel
Byrne: Three Clubs. Fit jump. I must be missing to acknowledge that double shows clubs with heart
something, but since the opponents are about to tolerance.
raise spades voraciously (no Michaels from partner) Alder: Three Clubs. For choice, I would make a
I need to tell partner as much I can about my hand. Four Clubs fit jump, but it is a splinter in your sys-
He will be able to work out I am short in spades tem. I much prefer the fit jump, partly because it
(maybe!) so I shall tell him about my powerful side stops North being able to double a Three Spade
splinter.

 Intermediate
Four panellists however, did still bid Four Clubs as is a high possibility as the auction develops.
a fit jump – which will not help partner at all when Robson: Three Spades. May as well involve partner
partner knows it is a splinter! I did ask them if they over Four Spades, I hate to have to guess.
wanted to change their bid, but….. Does not Three Clubs involve partner more?
Kokish: Four Clubs. Why worry? Be done with it I do not think Mike plays (or likes) fit jumps, so
and leave the rest to Harry. that probably explains his choice:
Extensive research (i.e. I asked Eric) revealed that Lawrence: Three Spades. A splinter. It’s important
this is a Kokish-ism rather than a quote from anywhere. to tell partner that I have a serious raise to Four
Carruthers: Three Clubs. Fit jump. I would have Hearts as opposed to a direct Four Hearts. No other
preferred to bid Four Clubs as a fit jump, but I am bid does this. 2NT, if available, would not show the
told that is a splinter in BM standard. However, a specific nature of this hand. Slam is mildly possible
perfect illustration of why we should play fit-jumps and Three Spades will give us a chance.
in competition. Three Spades here is useless since It is interesting that not a single panellist bid 2NT
partner will soon know from North’s next bid that (good four card raise) and only Mike even mentions it.
we are short in the suit. This time the fit jump is very, very right as it hits
Sally did change her bid when it was pointed out partner with ♠Axx ♥AKxxx ♦ - ♣10xxxx. You may
to her, and goes for the splinter. Not that she is happy not get to the excellent low point slam, but for sure
about it… partner will not be selling the hand at any level.
Brock: Three Spades. I’ll bid Three Spades and
assume partner will expect my values to not be in PROBLEM 4
their suits. But I don’t like it. Why would I want to
show a splinter in the unbid suit when they have Pairs. Dealer East. None Vul.
bid both other suits? This way I will probably feel ♠ A9 2
I have to bid Five Clubs over Four Spades. I under- ♥ A4
stand the general idea of single jumps being fit and ♦ A K 10 9 5 2
double being splinter, but not when there is only ♣ A7
one unbid suit.
A fair enough point, but BM standard cannot really
– – 3♥ Pass
be expected to cope with such subtleties.
?
Enri also did change his bid when it was pointed
out to him, and goes for the “tell no one anything” Bid Marks No. of Votes
Four Hearts. Accepting that this may give problems Four Clubs/4NT 10 10/5
to his side, he still thinks it is worth it as it may give 5NT 9 5
problems to their side. And a pretty good case he makes Six Hearts 6 1
for it as well: Four Hearts 3 0
Leufkens: Four Hearts. Seems easy enough: Four 3NT 1 0
Clubs….. Until somebody told me it’s a splinter. Five Hearts 1 0
Which can’t be the hog percentage meaning by the This hand came up in the Corwen Trophy (for our
way… So, I have to choose between Four Hearts overseas readers this is a Pairs competition in which
and Three Clubs (Three Spades should be reserved counties each have an event to qualify approximately
for stronger hands). Three Clubs has the advantage four pairs for the trophy). It was held by my partner
of bringing in the second suit; Four Hearts has the and was also sent to me by several readers including
advantage of making it harder for North. I always Nick Simms. For the second time this month, we actu-
try to make it hardest on the opponents, and if that ally have some system! BM standard says: “Three-level
means a difficult problem in the next round for openings are natural and pre-emptive. Over 3♦/♥/♠,
ourselves (after Four Spades – Pass - Pass for exam- 4♣ is RKCB and over 3♣, 4♦ is RKCB.” Thus, we
ple), then so be it. can bid Four Clubs here as Keycard. In practice, only
Finally, we have three (plus Sally who makes four) five of the panel remembered that, but another 10 bid
who ignore the fit jump and make a splinter instead. 4NT as keycard. I have thus taken the unique step in
Why is this better than the fit jump? None of them my tenure of awarding both bids the top mark, even
give much explanation. though one did not get as many votes as the other. Since
Greco: Three Spades. This is a bit light but unlike both were meant as keycard, it seemed plain wrong
Four Clubs at least partner knows that a spade void to mark down those panellists and readers who had

 Intermediate
read the system. be bidding it in hearts, though, despite the form of
Bird: 4NT. If partner has the ♥KQ, I will bid Seven scoring, since a singleton in partner’s most likely
Hearts. If he has the ♥K only, I will bid Six Hearts. diamond holding, so he may need a ruff to set up
If he denies the ♥K, I will leave him in Five Hearts. his 13th trick.
How’s that for a plan? Bidding 7NT would be really wild!
Several mention the Pairs element, but we have so Teramoto: 4NT. RKCB and then ask for kings if
much and partner should not be absurd first in at love he has ♥K and ♥Q. The king ask guarantees all the
all. Michael and Alon sum it up well: key cards and is a grand slam try. If he has a sound
Byrne: 4NT. First at love all at pairs, partner should hand he will bid Seven Hearts.
have a respectable pre-empt, and as little as ♠xx McGowan: 4NT. If he has ♥KQxxxxx I shall bid
♥Kxxxxxx ♦xx ♣xx gives us play for a slam. (Hearts the grand.
2-2 or diamonds 3-2 with the long heart in front Greco: 4NT. Since I am not sure what Four Clubs
of us or with the long diamond. The real question would be I will just blast RKC and bid seven if part-
will come when I have located ♥KQxxxxx with ner shows one with the Q.
partner, will I have the courage to bid seven? I am Onto those who do know what Four Clubs is:
slightly worried about entries, assuming partner has Lawrence: Four Clubs. Usual keycard ask for hearts
a singleton diamond (odds on in my view) then a with special responses. Nice to know partner’s style.
black suit lead will leave us unable to draw trumps Mike mentions “special responses”. A very sensible
and ruff out the suit when they are 4-2, I shall have idea to modify the responses to RKCB when partner
to hope that trumps are 2-2, diamonds are 3-3 or cannot have more than, say, a max of two key cards.
partner has a helpful ♥J to let us ruff the third dia- Something similar could be done if the partner of a
mond high. Regardless the first step seems to be to Two Club opener puts in Blackwood, with the responses
find out about keycards. I think with some part- all showing a minimum of, say, two key cards. Three
ners I play Four Clubs as keycard (Alan is probably panellists, all North Americans, treat us to variants
about to tell me that’s only over a weak two) but I on this theme:
wouldn’t assume that with an unknown expert so Alder: Four Clubs. Modified Roman Key Card
I shan’t bid that here. Blackwood. The replies are: Four Diamonds: no key
Apteker: 4NT. While it is pairs and the five level cards, Four Hearts: one key card, Four Spades: one
may not be safe opposite no key cards, there is too key card and the key queen, 4NT: two key cards,
much chance that slam is laydown and the grand Five Clubs: two key cards and the key queen. But
very probable opposite KQ of Hearts. Would be a opposite some partners, pass!
no brainer if we were vulnerable as partner would Rigal: Four Clubs. Yes, we could be cold for slam;
almost guarantee suit quality. Four Clubs keycard won’t find out much but if
Silver: 4NT. RKCB rather than 5NT because with- we find one plus the queen (responses 0,1,1+Q, 2,
out solid hearts even a small slam could be in dan- 2+Q) we have the entries to bring in the diamonds.
ger. With no ♥K I will sign off in Five Hearts, and The Koach introduces us to the very en vogue
will bid Five Diamonds over Five Clubs and guess optional Keycard (ORKCB) whereby responder can
what to do should my OX deny the trump queen also express an opinion about her/his hand:
(this could well be a five or seven situation with Kokish: Four Clubs. With no info we’ve got to
no ♥Q) and of course bid Seven Hearts if we have assume something about style. Opposite a classic
solid hearts. ♥KQ10xxxx suit we can commit to seven sooner
Sime: 4NT. Let’s assume a middle of the road pre- or later, but opposite ♥Q109xxxx and similar we
empt- seven hearts or six good ones. I will bid Seven might not make five. These days the way to start
Hearts opposite the missing key cards. is with the dread Optional RKC Four Clubs; if
Cannell: 4NT. RKCB for hearts. I expect to hear opener hates his hand for slam he bids step 1 (Four
one key-card which will have me step relaying to Diamonds) and we can ask for real via Four Spades
ask for the Heart Queen. If zero key-cards I will (Four Hearts would be a retreat). If he’s OK for slam
shoot out Six Hearts. If partner holds the KQ of cooperation he shows from steps 2-5 0, 1, 1+TQ,
hearts I am gambling on Seven Hearts as odds dic- 2, 2+TQ. Or something like that scheme. We are
tate two or less (fewer actually ) diamonds using not equipped with this gizmo, but we do have Four
vacant spaces. Clubs non-optional KC so may as well go with that
Smith: 4NT. I’m happy to take a shot at the grand rather than a gut-wrenching Five Hearts (trumps
slam opposite any hand with KQxxxxx trumps. I’ll or an advance save?) with no pure agreement about

 Intermediate
what constitutes good trumps for THIS partnership. as well.
Ben also mentions optional keycard: Robson: 5NT. Old-fashioned grand slam force.
Green: Four Clubs. RKCB seems to be my only We’ll make seven if partner bids it (but may not
option if I want to keep slam in the picture. It make six if he doesn’t).
would be nice if Four Clubs was simply a slam try Which surely is the argument for Blackwood rather
(or optional RKCB) that way partner could sign off than this?
with ♥QJxxxxx and show aces with ♥KQxxxxx and Bowyer: 5NT. The problem with this problem,
an outside K when grand could be cold. If partner so to speak, is who partner is and what his pre-
shows no key cards then I will sign off. If partner empting style is. If he is a solid, sensible, old-fash-
shows one then I will ask for the queen and see ioned player (i.e. one who agrees with Paul ) then
what happens next. you can bid 5NT (Josephine), getting him to bid
For the second time this set, a panellist has got lucky. Seven Hearts with two of the top three honours.
This time Enri has bid Four Clubs as a cue, and scored Of course, if partner is a lunatic who likes to open
10 points for his trouble . Three Hearts in first seat with a Jack-high trump
Leufkens: Four Clubs. I suppose partner can have suit then you should bid Four Hearts and hope it
KQxxxxx in any partnership, however loose your makes. As I don’t play with lunatics I vote for 5NT.
pre-empt style is. I don’t know how you play Three Entirely on his own Neil just bids Six Hearts:
Spades, but it might be an attempt for 3NT or even Rosen: Six Hearts. Practical punt.
natural, so not so clear (It is natural Enri). And I Partner held ♠xx ♥K109xxxx ♦Jx ♣Kx. Every-
want partner to be able to bid Four Diamonds last thing broke and the ♦Q was even onside if you played
train anyway, so Four Clubs is the most conveni- in NTs (as some did!) so you could make 13 tricks in
ent bid. I’ll pass partner’s signoff in Four Hearts. three different denominations. Six Hearts (to which
Four panellists eschew Blackwood and invoke that the panel to a person are heading), rather surprisingly,
rarest of rare beasts in the modern game – the old fash- scored well above average.
ioned Josephine grand slam force. Why is this bet-
ter than Blackwood for example? Sally gives a cogent PROBLEM 5
reason:
Brock: 5NT. We hardly ever use this these days. I IMPs. Dealer North. N/S Vul
think this hand is rather difficult. If he has ♥KQJxxx ♠—
and a singleton diamond I don’t want to be in a ♥ 985432
grand at matchpoints. I could bid Four Clubs ♦ A6
before using RKCB (Four Clubs would be keycard ♣ A 10 7 5 4
Sally…). Then whether he bids Four Diamonds or
Four Hearts I will ask for the queen, expecting him
– 1♣ 1♠ Pass
to bid 5NT with the queen and extra length (i.e.
?*
seven). If he has a singleton diamond I will only ? In BM standard, change of suit after an over-
bid the grand if has the seventh trumps. However, call is forcing
all that messing about will give them a lot of infer- Bid Marks No. of Votes
ences about the opening lead. I would much pre-
Two Hearts 10 16
fer them to lead a red suit than a black suit, so I’m 1NT 8 1
not going bid any suits which let them double or Pass 7 4
not – I’m just going to be in a grand if he has both Any other bid 1 0
top hearts. We play change of suit after an overcall as forcing.
A fine comment from John and joint winner of the About half the panel do, about a quarter don’t, and
“comment of the Month”: about a quarter do not care. Some of those who do
Carruthers: 5NT. Obviously Josephine, a bid not are vociferous in hating it, so I expected some
becoming rarer every day. I do not see any way of adverse comments as this hand is grist to the mill for
determining that he has solid hearts and no single- Two Hearts non-forcing. In practice, I got very few
ton diamond. At worst, we’ll declare Seven Hearts and the panel seemed pretty happy with their choices.
and he has ♠xxx ♥KQxxxx ♦x ♣xxx. If he held Passing is very dangerous, particularly in the modern,
♥KJxxxx and we declared Seven Hearts, it would be almost unlimited overcall style, since you could be
a Canadian slam (finesse, 3-2 trump break, 3-3 side- missing slam, let alone game. For example ♠Qxxxx
suit break). Although usually we’d need a squeeze

 Intermediate
♥AKxx ♦Kxx ♣K is a completely normal One Spade Enri sums up the case cogently:
overcall these days and you have a decent play for a Leufkens: Two Hearts. No alternative for me. You
grand slam. Nevertheless, four of the panel think the can’t pass with two aces and a six-card major unbid.
risk of making matters worse outweighs the gains of Several bad things can happen, but if you pass you’d
making matters better and do indeed Pass. Can they better stay in your bed every morning: life is full
convince me? of opportunities.
Bowyer: Pass. If One Spade gets passed out, tough. Greco: Two Hearts. Forcing or not can’t possibly
Better than bidding something and having the imagine passing One Spade with this hand. I will
delightful experience of seeing partner bid Two bid and yell at pard for the stupid system.
Spades. Told you there were people who did not like it .
That, of course, is the obvious downside of Two Ironically, I told the panel to send abuse to the usual
Hearts. Marc makes the same points rather more email address and as you can see…
forcefully: Kokish: Two Hearts. Abuse to follow, under sep-
Smith: Pass. Of course, Four Hearts may be cold, arate cover. Open in time for Christmas. To play
but I still consider anyone who bids Two Hearts NEITHER transfer advances nor a non-forcing
on this as close to certifiable. I also play change of Two Hearts is just stubborn.
suit forcing, and the most likely continuation after Lawrence: Two Hearts. Hand is too good not to
bidding Two Hearts is Two Spades from partner bid Two Hearts. Why send complaints to a non-
and a penalty double on your right. Are the bid- responsive email address when I can send them in
ders planning to sit for that or try their luck at the this email?
three-level in their robust suit, or perhaps they’ll Brock: Two Hearts. Whether forcing or non-forc-
see if partner likes clubs next… ing (by the way, for what it’s worth, I think 2-over-1
McGowan: Pass. North is about to re-open with should be NF, all others F). I don’t really see an
a double, South will Pass and I shall find a way to alternative.
escape to a doubled making contract….. dream on. Rosen: Two Hearts. You simply have to! No abuse
Exact plan may depend on whether One Club is here but just to note my preference is also to play
four plus cards or not. change of suit as F1 - EXCEPT for a two over one
Indeed, dream on. Yes, it could be the case that One as here (kind of goes nicely with playing 2 over 1
Spade Doubled comes back to you when the spades are as a system!).
6-6-1-0 around the table or something. But those dis- Rigal: Two Hearts. Two Diamonds transfer to show
tributions are rare and my experience is that when you hearts would not help us much here, but whatever
pass partner’s overcall on these sort of hands, opener looks it means, we can’t ignore the hearts.
at his 3-1-4-5 or 4-1-3-5 shape and folds his cards in Silver: Two Hearts. Game in either major is too
contentment. And these are the sorts of hands when you much a possibility to justify PASS (I do have two
go off in One Spade with an easy heart game available. aces after all) and certainly worth the risk of run-
Bird: Pass. Bidding Two Hearts is a bit like swal- ning into a complete misfit.
lowing an unrecognisable wild mushroom. It might Teramoto: Two Hearts. This hand has good poten-
turn out OK. (All mushrooms are edible, but some tial for game. Finding hearts is important if we
only once. Editor) have a fit.
Strong argument there! Cannell: Two Hearts. So, it is forcing – only for one
Hardly oblivious of these dangers, but taking the round though! I can live with that since a game or
other road, by the largest majority of the set, 16 of more in hearts could be there. I will pass if part-
the panel bid Marc’s “certifiable” Two Hearts. Bring ner rebids Two Spades / Three Spades / Three Dia-
on the lunatics: monds. Other rebids – I am still thinking.
Alder: Two Hearts. To be honest, I like new suit Three Diamonds over Two Hearts being NF is an
forcing because then a cue-bid guarantees support unusual treatment I think.
for partner’s suit. Now I will take the risk because Carruthers: Two Hearts. How else can we get to
we might even have a slam in hearts. game missing 150 honours?
Quite! How else indeed!
Robson: Two Hearts. Ugh but what else? I can Several panellists comment on the downside of
hardly pass when we could be cold for Seven Hearts. course:
Quite again! Green: Two Hearts. I may regret this when part-
ner bids Two Spades but we could easily be making

 Intermediate
game in hearts so I prefer not to pass. that Three Spades here is NOT invitational as in old
Apteker: Two Hearts. I’ll pass partner’s Two Spade fashioned Acol, but is forcing, and by implication shows
rebid. a good suit (as we could have forced in plenty of other
Byrne: Two Hearts. I always play a change of suit ways as well). Thus, it is both far too much in terms
as forcing since it is easy to remember and I shall of both values and suit quality on this hand and the
bid it here. The problem comes on the next round Three Spade bid has been marked down a little as a
when partner rebids Two Spades showing noth- result. Secondly, this proved to be the best problem of
ing at all. I don’t see how responding 1NT would the set by far. It is one of only three problems without
change the problem it would just leave us in a silly an overall majority; has five different bids from the
part-score most of the time. panel; those bids mainly focus on two different denom-
One and only one is prepared to try 1NT: inations (more or less to the exclusion of all others);
Sime: 1NT. Modern overcalls have a wide range, and the bids range from mildly invitational through
so this hand is too strong to pass. However, nei- to full blooded slam tries. Not bad. With eight votes,
ther the hand nor the suit is strong enough for Two the joint smallest plurality of the set, the 10 marks go
Hearts. Therefore, we use the 1NT bucket, as we to the panellists who make the invitational Two Spade
would have done if partner had opened One Spade. bid, giving due weight to their seven-card major, but
Yes, but the situation is not really the same is it Iain, losing the certain 8 and probably 9 card diamond fit.
since the overcall has a lower bottom limit, and for Michael sets out the arguments well:
almost everyone (EOK, Joey Silver and John Mathe- Byrne: Two Spades. Now this is a great problem!
son excepted I think) a lower top limit. Does partner have ♠ - ♥Qxxx ♦AKxxxx ♣Axx
One hand proves nothing of course but this time where grand is close (not on a trump lead!) or ♠xx
it was very right to bid Two Hearts. If you Pass you ♥Qxx ♦KJxxxx ♣AQ where Four Spades is play-
score +80 opposite ♠AQJxx ♥Q10xx ♦Kx ♣Kx. It is ble or ♠J ♥xxx ♦KJxxxx ♣AK8 where 3NT is on?
easy to see that you have a bigger plus score available… You know I have no idea what to say. Two Spades
is presumably constructive (we play weak jump
PROBLEM 6 shifts don’t we?) so Three Spades would be like a
strong jump shift, that’s way too much (correct!).
IMPs. Dealer East. None Vul Two Hearts maybe? I can’t see that getting us any-
♠ 9865432 where at all. Three Diamonds seems a strange dis-
♥ AK tortion of our shape and loses the seventh spade
♦ Q73 (not to mention the sixth one). I am done trying
♣ 6 to work out what the right bid is, I shall just bid
Two Spades and hope that’s what the rest of the
panel bids.
– – 1♦ Pass
Enough of them for you to scoop all the points
1♠ Pass 2♦ Pass
Michael.
?
Brock: Two Spades. Should be constructive after
Bid Marks No. of Votes a bid and rebid suit (an old, standard and correct
Two Spades 10 8 argument – but as I said above it is always construc-
Two Hearts 9 4 tive in BM standard). It still seems our most likely
Three Diamonds 9 4 game. Maybe partner is 1-4-5-3. Five Diamonds
Four Clubs 7 4 seems a long way away.
Three Spades 6 1 Paul is aware of the downside:
Four Spades 2 0 Bowyer: Two Spades. Nasty problem. Two Spades
Five Diamonds 2 0
Pass 1 0 is constructive, though, after partner rebids his
suit If he passes now with a singleton spade, Two
Right, firstly, for the third time this set and very unusu- Spades may well be the right contract (eg ♠Q ♥QJx
ally, we actually have some system here. BM standard ♦Axxxxx ♣KJx). If he has something good in spades
says that: “Jump shifts are weak at the two-level and I may catch a raise. For sure, I may miss Five Dia-
invitational at the three-level. Bidding and rebidding monds this way; tough.
a suit is invitational, bidding and jump rebidding a Rigal: Two Spades. Natural and constructive; no
suit is FG (eg 1♦, 2♥ is weak, 1♦, 1♥, 2♣ 2♥ is real reason to do more, though Three Diamonds
invitational; 1♦, 1♥, 2♣, 3♥ is FG).” That means might be a safer part-score. Still, I’m happy with

 Intermediate
Two Spades as opposed to Three Spades. he has a decent Two Diamond rebid with a sixth
Green: Two Spades. Tricky. Two Spades is construc- diamond we’ll hear more from him.
tive (as we play weak jump shifts) it gets across the Teramoto: Three Diamonds. Invitational with some
sixth spade (I know I have seven) and if partner diamonds. I don’t know how many spades he has.
bids 2NT then I can always revert to diamonds. Also, 3NT does look close.
My alternative is Three Diamonds (which may well From two invitational bids, we move on to the
lead to the best game of 3NT when partner might game-forcers. To my amazement, four panellists are
be passing Two Spades) but that loses the spade suit. not only prepared to lose the spade suit forever, but
Rosen: Two Spades. When I started reading bridge issue a splinter slam try in diamonds. Something must
magazines (about 100 years ago!) these sort of auc- have got in the water supply in Canada again, because
tions were discussed a lot. The consensus was that it three of them reside there:
is more encouraging to repeat your suit here where Cannell: Four Clubs. Splinter in support of dia-
partner has repeated his than if they had introduced monds. My hand is now enormous after the Two
a second suit. I will be interested in our panels votes Diamond rebid. If partner is curious about a heart
here, Three Spades probably popular; also Three control (certain) he will bid Four Diamonds and
Diamonds definitely a possibility.... receive the welcome Four Heart cue-bid. Ball is
Bird: Two Spades. This is an underbid - with the now in partner’s court.
seventh spade, a diamond fit and a singleton club. Silver: Four Clubs. Game or slam in diamonds is a
I would like Three Spades to be non-forcing on real possibility with our fit for partner’s opening bid,
this deal, but Alan tells me that it is forcing in the so it seems foolish to risk stopping short of game
BM system. A raise to Three Diamonds is absurd, by insisting on spades. Once I have settled on dia-
as I see it. monds as trumps, showing my shortness as a first
The last four panellists have mentioned it, so let us move towards how much to bid seems automatic.
move on to the four who bid David’s “absurd” Three Carruthers: Four Clubs. If we have a slam, odds on
Diamonds. Is it really absurd to support partner with it’ll be in diamonds. The splinter will show the way
support!!?!? forward to Partner. If he marks time (encouragingly)
Apteker: Three Diamonds. Tough problem! Keeps with Four Diamonds, I’ll give him Four Hearts. On
game in diamonds, NT and perhaps spades in the this auction, he should only bid Four Spades as an
picture i.e. over Three Hearts – Three Spades – offer to play. If he does that, I’ll play there.
3NT – Four Spades. I am tempted to bid Three Hmmm…. I bet Four Clubs locks you into dia-
Spades with the seventh spade but that could lead monds for most partnerships.
to a poor 3NT or Four Spades when Five Diamonds McGowan: Four Clubs. Splinter for diamonds.
is right. I will pass a 3NT bid from partner now. If Hoping for the singleton spade opposite – if he has
partner passes Three Diamonds and we miss Four a second suit it is hearts.
Spades, at least it is just a NV game but it is the A further four panellists force to game, but by Two
only certain making part-score. Hearts, which at least has the merit of keeping all the
That seems a pretty good set of outcomes to me! strains in the game. Its protagonists, however, are aware
Leufkens: Three Diamonds. I think chances for of the dangers; Eric G even refers to it as a psyche:
3NT (or Five Diamonds) are higher than Four Greco: Two Hearts. I will psyche a GF and then
Spades, with two silent non-vulnerable opponents rebid my spades. This might get us too high but
(I assume that Enri is referring to the fact that since if I bid Three Spades we could play there (no we
the oppo have not bid they do not have a lot of hearts couldn’t) cold for Six Diamonds.
or clubs, which means partner will have some of each, T’other Eric makes the case for the bid well:
which leaves little room for spades). Maybe unlikely Kokish: Two Hearts. Live a little. Whether part-
you still get to spades, but at least you’ve got a ner has two spades or shortage this hand can pro-
chance. Anyway, alternatives are much worse: Two duce tons of tricks, and neither Three Diamonds
Spades doesn’t get partner active, Three Spades puts nor Two Spades or a weird Three Spades keeps the
all your eggs in one basket. other strain in focus. Old story. Risk getting too
Andrew makes similar arguments: high to try for the best denomination.
Robson: Three Diamonds. Pusillanimous but Lawrence: Two Hearts. Any spade bid loses sight
there’s something fishy in the air - partner may of the diamond fit. If partner has two spades, he
have wasted club values. If he is four hearts and normally will bid Two Spades. If not, I can aim
five diamonds my hand is only quite good and if for Five Diamonds or Six Diamonds.

 Intermediate
Fair enough! gets you the dummy, though partner may just raise I
Sime: Two Hearts. I am game going, but I don’t suppose with that stiff ace. Five Diamonds looks the
want to commit to diamonds (splinter best) or best game and 3NT from partner’s side second best.
spades yet. Let’s see if I can squeeze a spade pref- Partner is going to get pretty excited after the splinter
erence out of partner. If not, we probably belong and then Four Hearts bid chosen by four panellists…
in diamonds.
Phillip is alone in his Three Spade bid: PROBLEM 7
Alder: Three Spades. What a nightmare guess!
Last word to the man who sent in the problem: IMPs. Dealer East. Both Vul.
Smith: Two Spades. By far the toughest problem ♠ 98543
of the set, and I know the hand. I expect the pan- ♥ AK 7 4
el’s answers to range from Pass or Three Diamonds ♦ AK 6 2
all the way up to Four Spades, which is what our ♣ —
opponent bid when the hand occurred in a Gold
Cup match (no one for Pass or Four Spades Marc, but
– – 1♠ Pass
actually a wider range than you predicted). As I recall,
?
dummy was something like ♠A ♥Jxx ♦K9xxxx
♣AQx and with trumps 3-2 and diamonds 2-2 Bid Marks No. of Votes
that was a routine 420. Even now, though, I can’t 2NT 10 15
bring myself to consider this hand worth any more Four Clubs 8 3
than Two Spades, with Three Spades a close second Five Clubs 8 1
choice. Interested to see what the panel make of it. Five Spades 8 2
I was too, so thanks Marc. Two Spades probably 5NT 5 0
Six Spades 3 0
Two Diamonds 1 0
This hand was partially an exercise is whether the
panel thought all good hands with primary support
ACBL Encyclopedia of started with 2NT, or whether there were hands that
Bridge did other things. The resounding vote from the panel
is that if there were hands that did not start with 2NT,
Official ACBL Encyclopedia of Bridge – this was not one of them.
7th Edition Byrne: 2NT. A nice easy one for a change. I am
far too strong for Four Clubs which would achieve
Edited by Brent Manley, 600+ pages
nothing at all, so I shall start with an interrogatory
(Hardback) call of 2NT, it is I that wants to find out what part-
OUT NOW ner has, not the other way around. For one thing I
RRP £49.95 SUBSCRIBERS’ £45 + post free might want to launch into Exclusion later on, and
to UK customers (£10 for overseas customers) 2NT will at least make that clear.
Well, I think an immediate Five Clubs is Void-
The most complete volume of bridge informa- wood, but reading the panel’s comments this is clearly
tion and instruction ever compiled.
not universal.
Over 600 easy-to read and easy-to-search Drew makes similar comments:
pages Cannell: 2NT. Forcing spade raise. This hand is
for asking questions – not showing (ie. Four Club
• Thousands of entries cov- Splinter).
ering bridge terms, con-
Several comment on the demerits of the Four Club
ventions, systems, rules,
splinter:
and top personalities.
Bird: 2NT. A splinter bid of Four Clubs has sev-
• Contains a CD-ROM con-
eral defects. You are too strong and it would not
taining hundreds of extra
‘tell the whole story’; you have a void club rather
biographies that didn't
make the printed edition
than a singleton; partner cannot collaborate when
you have all the top red cards. I have not bothered
to look up the BM responses to the Jacoby 2NT

 Intermediate
but I feel confident that they will get the job done. Not sure whether I’m worth exclusion Five Clubs
Bowyer: 2NT. What else? The hand is far too good after response to 2NT. Hope to hear something else!
for Four Clubs, which I think is limited. Anyway, Something else other than what?
what could partner do over Four Clubs but sign Robson: 2NT. For now. I don’t think you have to
off with Four Spades as he (probably) has no red- guess the final contract yet, we’re not at the Port-
suit control. land Club.
John mentions a couple of bids that none of the A fine comment from Andrew, but doubtless lost
panel chose and also comments on a cute hand that on our overseas readers. The Portland Club is in Lon-
partner could have, which a splinter would not solve: don and reputedly is the oldest card club in the world.
Carruthers: 2NT. This has lots of ways to gain. I’d not Amongst other games, they play high stake rubber
quarrel with Two Diamonds or even an imaginative bridge. You are allowed NO conventions playing there,
Two Clubs, hoping to extract Partner’s natural rebid. not even Stayman or Blackwood.
The issue is how to determine if he has ♠AKxxx and Sime: 2NT. Not Exclusion as I wouldn’t know
only four red-suit cards. A splinter is not so good since whether to try for grand opposite the Ace-King.
club honours might be useful for discards from a red Tell partner spades are trump, we have game-plus,
suit. For example: ♠AKxxx ♥xxx ♦xx ♣AKx. and let him describe.
And several comment on different ways of getting This is my concern about anything that simply asks
in Exclusion: for top trumps. ♠AKQxx ♥xx ♦Qx ♣xxxx is a cold
Rosen: 2NT. I like my continuations. I can under- grand, but ♠AKQxx ♥xxx ♦xxx ♣Ax you have yet
stand Four Clubs then 4NT which is now Exclu- to make a small slam with. How are you going to tell?
sion but not quite good enough for me. Apteker: 2NT. Seems like a good base to start hear-
Smith: 2NT. I start with Jacoby. The main problem ing further from partner.
with starting with a Four Club splinter is that partner Three for the splinter:
is almost bound to be unable to bid anything other Brock: Four Clubs. I generally play this as a void so
than Four Spades. Starting with 2NT may allow me now I can use RKCB. Not 100% sure Five Clubs
to jump to Five Clubs as Exclusion later in the auc- would be Exclusion here. However, even when I
tion. Since slam is good opposite as little as ♠Axxxx didn’t play Four Clubs as a void, when I splintered
♥xx ♦xx ♣xxxx, we’ll have to be missing the A-K of and then bid 4NT over a sign-off (which seems
trumps to keep me out of slam, and even then it may likely given my red-suit holdings), that would be
be making if partner has a sixth spade. Exclusion (otherwise I could bid 2NT and then
Greco: 2NT. I will start here and get a response 4NT to use regular RKCB).
before I Exclusion. I don’t want to splinter as then As ever, the Koach has a well thought out plan:
Five Clubs might be a cue and not Exclusion. Kokish: Four Clubs. Then Five Clubs. Too many
Leufkens: 2NT. GF with 4+ trumps seems adequate. spades for Five Spades as ♠Axxxx is a good slam
I suppose it’s about an evaluation whether this too often enough. Too many possible red losers for an
strong for a direct splinter. This hand is 16+ as the Exclusion RKC adventure. Not that this is perfect
lack of spade honours doesn’t harm slam chances either, but it will be good for East when he has
because of my 5th spade. I would have preferred (say) ♠AK, the red quacks or just red queens, and/
5-3 in the red suits, but it’s OK for now. or enough clubs to ruff to make the red queens
Silver: 2NT. Showing my spade fit seems a good less important.
first step on my campaign to reach a grand slam Teramoto: Four Clubs. Splinter raise. Then Five
(avoiding a small slam, both cold, or no play will Clubs showing the void.
be very difficult if not impossible). Should partner One for an Exclusion Five Clubs:
show a red suit shortness that certainly will be a Alder: Five Clubs. Roman Key Card Voidwood or
big help in the bidding. Exclusion, according to choice. If that is not in your
Green: 2NT. With five card trump support it is system, can I bid Four Clubs, then rebid 4NT as
clear to raise my partner’s suit so I’ll start with my Voidwood? (It ought to be).
Jacoby club. I hope to be able to show my void later And two for Five Spades, asking for good trumps:
and see if partner is interested. I couldn’t find what McGowan: Five Spades. (Making it up as one goes
a direct Four Clubs is in the system but I assume it along) Bid Six Spades with two top trumps, seven
shows a limited splinter or void? with a no loser suit, Pass with the dreaded ♠QJxxx
Rigal: 2NT. Best to set spades; not invent a red suit ♥Qxx ♦x ♣AKxx. Nice if he has any idea what I
and splinter will surely get a Four Spade response. am doing .

 Intermediate
I am sure that is the standard treatment, and as I the two with Four Spades just coming out on top by
say you play in an entirely ZP grand opposite ♠AKQxx 12 votes to 9. This actually comes down simply to phi-
♥xxx ♦xxx ♣Ax…. losophy I think. Let’s interleave the bids and see if we
Lawrence: Five Spades. Asks for trump quality. can learn anything. We start with the case for the con-
BM standard responses to 2NT are not well suited to servatives given by Eric G:
this hand as partner will have to jump to Four Spades Greco: Four Spades. Am I missing something? I bid
to show a balanced minimum and now sorting it out Three Spades on an 11 count (albeit a nice one),
will be a problem. Much better responses are “Swedish and now pard wants me to bid more with this? Four
Jacoby” as it is known over here where all minimum Hearts can be bid on so many hands here I just can’t
hands start with Three Clubs. Not that it is easy to see doing any more. If we have slam hopefully part-
accurately bid the grand anyway opposite partner’s ner can try once more and then I will co-operate.
hand of ♠AK10xx ♥Qx ♦xxx ♣QJx. Just how do Then the case for the Aggressives given by Eric K:
you identify the keys of three clubs and a red queen? Kokish: Five Diamonds. Although Three Spades
is a slight overbid it is a necessary move and far
PROBLEM 8 clearer than a negative double. Having forced to
game without limiting our hand, we have no way
IMPs. Dealer East. E/W Vul. to know whether East is making a serious try or
♠ AQ J 8 3 just saying he is fine for slam if we have any inter-
♥ J 10 est. Good spades and promising diamond holding
♦ K 10 3 trump the high-card minimum, at least for me, so
♣ 982 I’m going past game. Slam is great opposite the right
HCP minimum: ♠Kxxx ♥x ♦AQ9xx ♣Axx, and he
could have more and pass a retreat to Four Spades.
– – 1♦ 3♥
Apteker: Four Spades. I stretched to show my fifth
3♠ Pass 4♥ Pass
spade and game forced under pressure first time
?
round so I need to convey minimum values for my
Bid Marks No. of Votes initial bid and let partner continue the auction fur-
Four Spades 10 12 ther if he has the hand to do so. Partner does not
Five Diamonds 9 9 guarantee a heart control in this auction, merely
Any other bid 2 0 extra values for a raise to Four Spades.
OK, this one is my fault. I thought it was an inter- Byrne: Five Diamonds. I am pretty sure partner’s
esting question of evaluation as to whether, having Four Heart bid shows a control, as well as a good
forced to game, the golden pointed suit holding where hand for spades. It does seem like we will have the
enough to now go past it after partner’s slam try. What wherewithal to make 12 tricks (five spades, five
I had failed to appreciate was that there were only two diamonds, a heart ruff and another high card) but
rational bids on the hand – Four Spades and Five Dia- launching into Keycard (my usual response to these
monds. And the panel is very closely divided between slam auctions) would be hasty since I lack a club
control. The ♦K is a golden card so I feel I am
CARD TABLES worth a cue-bid.
Bird: Four Spades. This seems to be a minimum
FOR SALE Three Spade response. I can see that the ♦K is a
Refurbished old tables standard size good card but I have only five spades and nothing
else is the least bit inspiring.
with new green baize top Cannell: Five Diamonds. Show partner this golden
£29 each card now. If partner requires only two of the top
honours in spades he has 5NT = GSF available now.
Will deliver within reasonable distance Four Hearts sets spades as trump and announces
DANNY ROTH a very nice hand.
47 Bearing Way, CHIGWELL, Does it really? Is partner not required to bid Four
ESSEX IG7 4NB Hearts with (say) ♠Kxxx ♥x ♦AQJxxx ♣Qx and
that has obvious problems at the five-level… Sally
020 8501 1643 tel/fax dannyroth@btinternet.com agrees with me:
Brock: Four Spades. In my view Three Spades = FG

 Intermediate
so partner may well be cue-bidding on a moderate under pressure to bid Three Spades, this is a good
hand in case I have a better hand. I do not think I hand.
have enough to go voluntarily above game – even Rigal: Four Spades. More than enough, surely, I
if my king of diamonds looks useful. don’t think Four Hearts promises heart control by
Carruthers: Five Diamonds. Fairly good hand this the way.
turned out to be, what? While my rounded-suit Rosen: Five Diamonds. I’m huge in context. Will
cards are awful, Partner has made a slam try and I respect partner’s next decision.
have great trumps and a very nice fit with his suit. Teramoto: Four Spades. Three Spades showed 5+
I feel I must co-operate once. spades and FG, so I do not have any extras.
Alder: Four Spades. This hand is a minimum game- Smith: Four Spades. Can my hand really be any
force. Although the king of diamonds is an excel- worse than this? (Okay, my minors could be the
lent card, I have a lot of rounded-suit losers. other way around). I’ve bid my whole hand with
McGowan: Five Diamonds. We do not have much, Three Spades, so partner will need to make all the
but we have just the tickets opposite ♠Kxxx ♥x rest of the running if we’re going to reach slam.
♦AQJxx ♣Axx. Can he have less for Four Hearts? Sime: Four Spades. I have a minimum Three Spades,
(of course, he can have the wrong cards, but if there so Four Spades may be high enough. I might want
are three top losers in Five Spades I can always to check what South’s Pass meant - don’t lead a heart?
apologise…) Again, one hand proves nothing, but this time
Does Four Hearts promise a heart control? Not in aggression is right. Partner held ♠K9 ♥Ax ♦AJ9xxx
my world (partner is just showing a good Four Spade ♣A10x so had a really tough call over Three Spades
bid). Many agree: as well. That hand might have opened 1NT, but was
Leufkens: Four Spades. Sorry, I don’t have enough. judged too strong. Six Diamonds is clearly where you
I already bid GF with a minimum, although fit- want to be and partner might bid it over Five Dia-
ting honours in partner’s first suit. Partner can have monds. In spades it is more or less a five or seven hand.
♠Kxxx ♥xx ♦AQJxx ♣AK. Everybody would bid With the ♦Q singleton this time it was a seven hand.
Four Hearts as it doesn’t promise a heart cue-bid, A mixed bag of problems again this month with some
because it’s the only possible strength showing bid fine problems (problems 4 and 6 in particular) but
for spades. Anyway, if I would bid on, I have to bid also some duds (problems 1 and 8 in particular).
Five Diamonds which doesn’t leave any manoeu- Santa’s favourite elf this month is Ben Green, with
vring for partner with the example hand. What the rarely seen perfect 80, closely followed by Barry
should partner do with ♠Kxxx ♥x ♦AQxxxx ♣Ax. Rigal on 79, and Alon Apteker on 78. Happy holi-
Hopefully he’s a hero and will try once more, but days to all the readers.
in all honesty, I wouldn’t do so.
Silver: Five Diamonds. Partner should get the idea
that I lack rounded suit controls in order to bid a
slam.
Others think partner has a heart control though.
Paul does and still signs off…
Bowyer: Four Spades. Partner is showing a good
Four Spades raise with a heart control. Having
stretched to bid Three Spades I can’t afford to
advance to the five-level.
Robson: Five Diamonds. Must show this enormous
card and my spades are pretty good. Bidding Four
Spades is a bit of an insult to partner.
Green: Four Spades. This is a bit tricky because, for
me, Four Hearts simply shows a good raise to Four
Spades but does not say anything about a heart con-
trol. I have lovely trumps and a nice diamond card
but with nothing in clubs or hearts I don’t feel that
I can drive us to the five-level.
Lawrence: Five Diamonds. Partner’s Four Hearts Ben Green
bid did not deny club control. Given West was

 Intermediate
SET 322 – THE PANEL’S BIDS & MARKS
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Total
Ben Green England Pass Pass 3♣ 4♣ 2♥ 2♠ 2NT 4♠ 80
Barry Rigal USA 3NT Pass 3♣ 4♣ 2♥ 2♠ 2NT 4♠ 79
Alon Apteker South Africa Pass 5♦ 3♣ 4NT 2♥ 3♦ 2NT 4♠ 78
Michael Byrne England 3NT 5♣ 3♣ 4NT 2♥ 2♠ 2NT 5♦ 77
Eric Greco USA Pass 5♣ 3♠ 4NT 2♥ 2♥ 2NT 4♠ 76
Drew Cannell Canada 3NT Pass 3♣ 4NT 2♥ 4♣ 2NT 5♦ 75
Mike Lawrence USA Pass 5♣ 3♠ 4♣ 2♥ 2♥ 5♠ 5♦ 75
Neil Rosen England Pass Pass 3♣ 6♥ 2♥ 2♠ 2NT 5♦ 75
Joey Silver Canada 3NT Pass 3♣ 4NT 2♥ 4♣ 2NT 5♦ 75
Iain Sime Scotland 3NT 5♣ 3♣ 4NT 1NT 2♥ 2NT 4♠ 75
Paul Bowyer England 3NT 5♦ 3♣ 5NT Pass 2♠ 2NT 4♠ 74
Enri Leufkens Netherlands Pass 6♥ 4♥ 4♣ 2♥ 3♦ 2NT 4♠ 74
Andrew Robson England 3NT Pass 3♠ 5NT 2♥ 3♦ 2NT 5♦ 74
Marc Smith England Pass 6♥ 3♣ 4NT Pass 2♠ 2NT 4♠ 74
Tadashi Teramoto Japan Dble Pass 3♣ 4NT 2♥ 3♦ 4♣ 4♠ 74
Phillip Alder USA Pass 5♦ 3♣ 4♣ 2♥ 3♠ 5♣ 4♠ 73
David Bird England 3NT 6♥ 3♣ 4NT Pass 2♠ 2NT 4♠ 73
Sally Brock England 3NT 5♣ 3♠ 5NT 2♥ 2♠ 4♣ 4♠ 73
John Carruthers Canada Pass 5♦ 3♣ 5NT 2♥ 4♣ 2NT 5♦ 72
Eric Kokish Canada Pass Pass 4♣ 5NT 2♥ 2♥ 4♣ 5♦ 71
Liz McGowan Scotland Pass 6♥ 3♣ 4NT Pass 4♣ 5♠ 5♦ 68
BIDDING COMPETITION
Whoops! Grand Prix Standings 1 Peter Hawkes 375
Last month the scores for Set 319 were after Set 320 2 Andrew King 374
inadvertently reprinted as Set 320. Both 3= Olga Shadyro 371
sets Set 320 and 321 are included in this 3= Nick Simms 371
Peter Hawkes held onto the lead but
month’s reporting. Andrew King is now only one back! Two 5 Bill Gordon 370
Set 320 Top Scores more entries this year, so room for more 6= Tugrul Kaban 368
changes. Only your best five scores of the 6= Stuart Nelson 368
A close and relatively low scoring set this
year count at the end, so the more times 6= Mike Perkins 368
month, with Andrew King and Stuart
you enter the better chance you have for 9 Bill Linton 366
Nelson tied on 74 and Bill Linton and
five good scores!
Martin Turner tied one back on 73. 10 Frank Turton 364
After the coin tosses, Andrew receives ₤50 Remember the email address!! Please send
11= Chris Bickerdike 363
worth of Master Point Press books from entries to:
11= James Carpenter 363
Chess and Bridge, Stuart receives ₤25 marksandcomments@gmail.com
worth, Martin ₤15 worth and Bill ₤10 13 Nigel Guthrie 361
The old address has been phased out.
worth.Other Good Scores 14 Graham Johnson 359
71 Andy Poole 15= Tony Burt 357
If your own records do not agree with 15= Andy Poole 357
70 Michael Kaye these standings, please email so we can
68 Nigel Guthrie check. 17 Norman Massey 356
67 Olga Shadyro 18 Edwin Lau 355
66 Ian Andrew, Chris Bickerdike 19 Martin Turner 353
65 Peter Barker, Norman Massey 20= Axel Johannsson 352
20= Mike Ralph 352

 Intermediate
WEST Bid these hands with those on the following
Hands for the page with your favourite partner; then turn to
December 2017 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 North. N/S Vul.
♠ 5 ♠ K75
♥ A94 ♥ AKQ5
♦ KJ4 ♦ 10 5 3
♣ AJ9753 ♣ J83
North overcalls 1NT If East opens 1♣ South overcalls 1♦.
Hand 2. Dealer North. N/S Vul. Hand 6. Dealer North. E/W Vul.
♠ KJ964 ♠ A K 10 8 4
♥ — ♥ AK7
♦ AJ8652 ♦ J7
♣ 10 9 ♣ 964
North opens 1♣ and South raises to 2♣ North opens 3♣ and South raises to 4♣
Hand 3. Dealer South. None Vul. Hand 7. Dealer South. E/W Vul.
♠ K9732 ♠ KJ9764
♥ 73 ♥ 10 2
♦ AJ652 ♦ AKQJ
♣ Q ♣ 5
South opens 3♥ and North raises to 4♥ North overcalls 4♥.
Hand 4. Dealer West. Both Vul Hand 8. Dealer East. N/S Vul.
♠ KJ6 ♠ AQJ843
♥ J 10 5 ♥ 10 9 3
♦ K7 ♦ —
♣ AKQ62 ♣ AQ96
If West opens 1♣ and East responds 1♥ South bids 1♠ and South opens 1♦. If West overcalls 1♠ North doubles and
North bids 3♠ South bids 4♥.
BIDDING COMPETITION Why not enter a bridge hand or bidding problem of your
own for use in BRIDGE Magazine?
SET 323
♠
(for the December 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 marksandcomments@gmail.com
or post to: Bidding Competition (292), Address:
John Carruthers, 1322 Patricia Blvd.
Kingsville ON N9Y 2R4, Canada Telephone: ___________________________________
Entries must be received by

31st December.

 Intermediate
EAST Bid these hands with those on the previous
Hands for the page with your favourite partner; then turn to
December 2017 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 North. N/S Vul.
♠ KQ7643 ♠ Q 10 2
♥ KQ3 ♥ 83
♦ 65 ♦ QJ76
♣ K4 ♣ A K 10 2
North overcalls 1NT If East opens 1♣ South overcalls 1♦.
Hand 2. Dealer North. N/S Vul. Hand 6. Dealer North. E/W Vul.
♠ A83 ♠ 7
♥ A J 10 8 7 5 4 ♥ Q96
♦ KQ ♦ A K Q 10 9 8 5 4
♣ 8 ♣ 3
North opens 1♣ and South raises to 2♣ North opens 3♣ and South raises to 4♣
Hand 3. Dealer South. None Vul. Hand 7. Dealer South. E/W Vul.
♠ A6 ♠ AQ83
♥ J8 ♥ K6
♦ K9874 ♦ 652
♣ AK83 ♣ AQJ8
South opens 3♥ and North raises to 4♥ North overcalls 4♥.
Hand 4. Dealer West. Both Vul Hand 8. Dealer East. N/S Vul.
♠ 7 ♠ K7
♥ KQ874 ♥ 75
♦ 10 4 3 2 ♦ 98763
♣ 853 ♣ J852
If West opens 1♣ and East responds 1♥ South bids 1♠ and South opens 1♦. If West overcalls 1♠ North doubles and
North bids 3♠ South bids 4♥.
BIDDING COMPETITION
Set 321 Top Scores Grand Prix Standings 1 Nick Simms 379
Well done Mike Ralph on an almost after Set 321 2= Peter Hawkes 375
perfect 79! Mike wins ₤50 worth of With some very good scores this month, 2= Mike Perkins 375
Master Point Press books from Chess and the standings changed quite a bit! 4 Andrew King 374
Bridge. Tied on 77 are Mike Perkins Frequent contender Nick Simms jumped 5 Olga Shadyro 372
and Nick Simms, with the coin toss into the lead, and Mike Perkins moved 6 Bill Gordon 370
awarding ₤25 worth of books to Nick and up into a tie for second place. Set 322 is 7= Tugrul Kaban 368
₤15 worth to Mike. Phil Callow on 75 the last for this cycle, so final standings
collects the remaining ₤10 worth. 7= Stuart Nelson 368
next month!
9 Bill Linton 366
Other Good Scores Remember the email address!! Please send
10 Frank Turton 364
74 David Barnes entries to:
11= Chris Bickerdike 363
73 Tina Jay, Olga Shadyro marksandcomments@gmail.com
11= James Carpenter 363
72 Stuart Nelson The old address has been phased out.
13 Mike Ralph 362
71 Andrew King, Norman Massey, Alan 14 Nigel Guthrie 361
Sant If your own records do not agree with 15 Graham Johnson 359
69 Peter Hawkes these standings, please email so we can
check. 16 Phil Callow 358
68 Graham Johnson 17= Tony Burt 357
67 Janet Barnes, Nigel Guthrie 17= Norman Massey 357
66 Tony Burt, James Carpenter 17= Andy Poole 357
Apologies to Tina Jay for previously 20 Edwin Lau 355
adding to her name incorrectly!!

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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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FAMOUS BRIDGE SWINGS

PLAYING 2/1: THE REST OF THE STORY

ALSO FROM PAUL THURSTON

AVAILABLE FROM CHESS & BRIDGE

2 December 2017 BRIDGE Magazine

Write in Haste, Repent at Leisure

3 December 2017 BRIDGE Magazine

MASTER POINT PRESS the bridge publisher

AVAILABLE FROM CHESS & BRIDGE

5 December 2017 BRIDGE Magazine

Problem Solution to Prize Problem 333

6 December 2017 BRIDGE Magazine

7 December 2017 BRIDGE Magazine

8 December 2017 BRIDGE Magazine

9 December 2017 BRIDGE Magazine

10 December 2017 BRIDGE Magazine

11 December 2017 BRIDGE Magazine

Moss’s opening bid leads to a touch and go game.

12 December 2017 BRIDGE Magazine

13 December 2017 BRIDGE Magazine

14 December 2017 BRIDGE Magazine

In the this room, West’s raise meant that the inference

15 December 2017 BRIDGE Magazine

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17 December 2017 BRIDGE Magazine

18 December 2017 BRIDGE Magazine

19 December 2017 BRIDGE Magazine

Set 5 Boards 65-80

20 December 2017 BRIDGE Magazine

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23 December 2017 BRIDGE Magazine

24 December 2017 BRIDGE Magazine

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27 December 2017 BRIDGE Magazine

North’s emaciated overcall led to the modest game.

28 December 2017 BRIDGE Magazine

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34 December 2017 BRIDGE Magazine

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36 December 2017 BRIDGE Magazine

Set 8 Boards 113-128

37 December 2017 BRIDGE Magazine

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39 December 2017 BRIDGE Magazine

40 December 2017 BRIDGE Magazine

North led a passive diamond. If the ♣A is onside and

41 December 2017 BRIDGE Magazine

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43 December 2017 BRIDGE Magazine

France silver medal winning team of Francois Combesure, Frederic

44 December 2017 BRIDGE Magazine