BRIDGE

Number: 214 October 2020

Julian Pottage’s Double Dummy Problem

FOUR ACES
♠ 3 2
♥ A 3 2
♦ Q
♣ A Q 6 5 4 3 2
♠ K Q J 10 9 ♠ 8 7
♥ K Q J 10 ♥ 9 8 7

N

W E

♦ 10 S
♦ K J 9 8 7 6 5
♣ J 10 9 ♣ K
♠ A 6 5 4
♥ 6 5 4
♦ A 4 3 2
♣ 8 7

Contract 3NT by South

Lead: ♠K

BRIDGE is ceasing publication.

The last issueThewill
answerbe number
will be 216
published on page - month.
4 next December 2020.
See page 5 for more information.
 A

Sally Brock Looks At Your Slam Bidding

Sally’s Slam Clinic

Where did we go wrong? Slam of the month

Another regular contributor to these Playing standard Acol, South would This month’s hand was sent in by
pages, Alex Mathers, sent in the open 2♣, but whatever system was Roger Harris who played it with his
following deal which he bid with played it is likely that he would then partner Alan Patel at the Stratford-
his partner playing their version of rebid 2NT showing 23-24 points. It is upon-Avon online bridge club.
Benjaminised Acol: normal to play the same system after
2♣/2♦ – negative – 2NT as over an
opening 2NT, so I was surprised North Dealer South. Game All.
Dealer West. Game All. did not use Stayman. In my view the ♠ A 9 4
♠ J 9 8 correct Acol sequence is: ♥ K 7 6
♥ A J 10 6 ♦ 2
♦ K J 7 2 West North East South ♣ A 9 7 6 4 2
♣ 8 6 Pass Pass Pass 2♣ ♠ Q 10 8 6 3 ♠ J 7
♠ Q 4 3 ♠ 10 7 5 2 Pass 2♦ Pass 2NT ♥ Q 9 N ♥ 10 8 5 4 2
W E
♥ 7 4 3 N ♥ 9 8 5 2 Pass 3♣ Pass 3♦ ♦ Q J 10 9 5 S ♦ K 8 7 3
W E
♦ 8 5 4 S ♦ Q 9 3 Pass 6NT All Pass ♣ 8 ♣ Q 5
♣ Q 10 9 4 ♣ J 5 Once South has shown 23 HCP or so, ♠ K 5 2
♠ A K 6 North knows the values are there for ♥ A J 3
♥ K Q slam. It might be better (from North’s ♦ A 6 4
♦ A 10 6 point of view) to consider 6♦, but 6NT ♣ K J 10 3
♣ A K 7 3 2 should be OK.
Alex asked if declarer should guess
the ♦Q correctly. When he played the The bidding was:
They bid: hand West led a spade and declarer
did well to play the ♠J from dummy, West North East South
West North East South which held the trick. Now declarer is 1♣
Pass Pass Pass 2♦ safe even if he loses a diamond trick. 1♠ 2♠ Pass 2NT
Pass 2♥ Pass 2NT On a less helpful lead, declarer should Pass 6♣ All Pass
Pass 3♦ Pass 4NT start by cashing four rounds of hearts
Pass 5♦ Pass 5NT (pitching a spade and a club). If West North-South were playing Acol. The
Pass 6♦ Pass 6NT throws a diamond (as is likely) I would 2♠ cue-bid showed club support,
All Pass be inclined to play East for the ♦Q. and the 2NT rebid was 15-18. North
could have prolonged the auction but

Mr Bridge 2021 diaries did not want to give away any more
information. 6♣ was a reasonable
punt.
Only £14.95 each Declarer won the diamond lead,
or 10 for £55 & pro rata. ruffed a diamond, drew two rounds of
trumps and ruffed his last diamond.
With a ball-point pen and soft Kidrell He now played ace, king and another
cover in a choice of colours; navy blue, spade. West had to either give a ruff-
and-discard or broach the heart suit.
ruby red, bottle green. They were the only pair to bid the
( 01483 489961 slam.
Well done. n

Page 2 BRIDGE October 2020

 BRIDGE
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BRIDGE October 2020 Page 3
Features this month include:
1 October Double Dummy Bridge Problem
by Julian Pottage
ADVERTISERS’
INDEX
2 2021 Luxury Diaries
2 Sally's Slam Clinic 3 Clive Goff ’s Stamps
8 Double Dummy Tea
4 September Double Dummy Bridge Problem Answer Towels
by Julian Pottage 11 Duplicate Bridge Rules
Simplified
4 Mr Bridge 13 Little Voice
5 BRIDGE Ceasing Publication Notice 30 Clive Goff ’s Stamps
32 Q Plus 15
6 David Stevenson Answers Your Bridge Questions
33 2021 Luxury Diaries
7 Bidding Quiz by Bernard Magee 37 Advanced Declarer Play
with Bernard Magee
9 Declarer Play Quiz by David Huggett
38 Mr Bridge Playing Cards
9 Defence Quiz by Julian Pottage 44 Acol Bidding with
Bernard Magee
10 Acol Two Bids And Strong Bids In Benjamin Acol
45 Defence with Bernard
by Andrew Kambites Magee
14 The Sheriff 's Overbidding by David Bird 50 Declarer Play with
Bernard Magee
16 Simple Take-Out Doubles. Part 4 by Sally Brock 51 Advanced Acol Bidding
with Bernard Magee
18 Catching Up with Sally Brock
52 Exploring the Capitals of
19 Simple Take-Out Doubles. Part 4 Quiz by Sally Brock the Baltic on board
Fred. Olsen's Balmoral
19 Acol Two Bids And Strong Bids In Benjamin Acol
Quiz by Andrew Kambites
20 Julian Pottage explains his Double Dummy Titles REDUCE THE
21 Bridge Glossary – O by Julian Pottage COST OF YOUR
POSTAGE
23 Bridge Glossary – P by Julian Pottage
British postage stamps
32 Bridge Glossary – Q by Julian Pottage for sale at 90% of face-
33 Seven Days by Sally Brock value, all mint and with
full gum.
35 Julian Pottage Answers Your Bridge Questions
Quotations for
37 Simple Take-Out Doubles. Part 4 Quiz Answers commercial quantities
by Sally Brock are available on
39 Defence Quiz Answers by Julian Pottage request.
Values supplied in
40 Readers' Letters
100s, higher values
41 Declarer Play Quiz Answers by David Huggett available, as well as 1st
43 Acol Two Bids And Strong Bids In Benjamin Acol and 2nd class.
Quiz Answers by Andrew Kambites ( 020 8422 4906
45 Bidding Quiz Answers (1-3) by Bernard Magee or 07719753767
46 The Diaries Of Wendy Wensum 8 clive.goff@london
rugby.com
47 Bidding Quiz Answers (4-6) by Bernard Magee
48 When Is A New Suit At The Three Level Forcing?
by Julian Pottage
49 Bidding Quiz Answers (7-9) by Bernard Magee
50 Letter From Overseas by John Barr
51 Bidding Quiz Answers (10-12) by Bernard Magee
 COLD COMFORT REFUNDS
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♣ Void ♣ K J 10 9 8 7 holidays, cruises and
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♥ A K Q J CENTRE
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These diaries are £14.95
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navy blue and bottle green.

Double Dummy Bridge Problem had an outdoor socially

distanced party which
served as a goodbye
1. Since a spade switch would allow declarer five get-together for all my
redundant office team. Lots
easy spade tricks, West continues diamonds at of tears and love and
trick two rememberances mixed up
together.
2. You discard a spade from dummy, as does They each have a useful
East, while you ruff in hand I was presented with a ballpoint pen in their spine.
lovely sponge cake which The club offer is 10 for £55.
3. Cash three top hearts was consumed with gusto,
the surplus icing and OVERSTOCKS
4. Lead a low spade and finesse the ♠J chocolate being used to
5. Draw the last trump, discarding the low club decorate my youngest Unused stamps (41p & 24p
granddaughter's 1st or 34p & 31p) 2nd class rate.
from hand, and cash the ♠A birthday cake. 65p for 55p per pair, saving
6. Finesse the ♣Q and ruff a spade to leave the 10p on face rate. Also first
class stamps for 67p each.
South hand high ( 01483 489961 for details.
Offered in multiples of 100.
Any variation from the above results in defeat
All good wishes
either because you lose a spade or because East

gets to ruff the second round of spades. n Mr Bridge

Page 4 BRIDGE October 2020

 BRIDGE is ceasing publication.
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BRIDGE October 2020 Page 5

 David Stevenson Answers Your Bridge Questions
How Should You Deal With
An Exposed Pass Card?
Q
Playing face to face
last week (we are
out of lockdown
where I live) I was East
and had just moved for
the next round. As we all
studied our cards I decided
to bid clubs when it was
my turn. I looked up and
saw that North had a pass
card on the table in front
of him so opened 1♣.
At that moment I realised
that in fact South was the
dealer. It turned out that
North’s pass card had
remained on the table since
the previous round but had
been hidden by his score
card. When he picked this
up as we sorted our hands
the pass became exposed,
but nobody noticed.
The director was called
and ruled that North had
passed out of turn but that
I had accepted his call by
bidding 1♣, so the auction
continued without penalty.
Everyone at the table
was happy and thought it
was a sensible ruling, but
was it the correct one?
Also, North might have
had greater values than
his pass suggested (he
didn’t, in fact) – would
this be unauthorised
information to South?
Andrew Elliott,
Onchan, Isle of Man.
A
The ruling looks
reasonable to me.
North is required to
pick his bidding cards up
Page 6 BRIDGE October 2020
after the lead is faced on the
previous hand and did not
do so thus has committed an
infraction. Thus to treat the
pass card as a call out of turn
seems possible. Whether he
has pass values or not is, as
you suggest, unauthorised
information to his partner but
authorised to the opponents.
This position is not a
matter of law since the
use of bidding boxes is a
matter of regulation. If there
was a regulation covering
this position of course the
director must follow it but
there is no such regulation.
Thus I would not say that
an alternative ruling by the
director is necessarily wrong
either. The problem is that it
seems unfair to say that the
pass has not been made at
all so East’s 1♣ is a call out
of turn since East-West are
the non-offending side. So I
prefer the director’s ruling.
♣♦♥♠
Q
I was playing
online in a friendly
tournament run by
a bridge holiday company.
East opened 1NT. I
(South) had 14 points and
a flat hand, so passed.
West bid 2♣ with no alert
(as you probably know you
alert your own bids online).
North bid 2♠, East passed
and I bid 3♠ inviting game.
At this point North
thought there must be a lot
of points around the table
and asked West his strength
of points for the 2♣ bid.
West said “2♣ – any
strength”. In fact West had
1 point; 2 spades, 3 hearts,
5 diamonds, headed by
the jack, and 3 clubs.
What I would like to know:
A) Should West
have alerted his 2♣
bid at the start?
B) Was his explanation
“2♣ – any strength” a true
explanation of what turned
out to be a McKendrick type
of bid, weak in a minor?
Apparently, a while back,
this was accepted in a
Stayman bid but something
I had never heard of.
We missed game because
we were not sure of the
explanation and I wonder
how you would have ruled
if called to our table after
the board had been played
and we found out that
West only had 1 point.
We did call the online
Director who said he was
correct to say ‘Stayman’,
no more, no less, so that
was the end of that.
Gail Davis,
Merlin BC, Haverfordwest.
A
Of course West
should have
announced his 2♣ bid
as Stayman. This has been
the case for many years.
Online he merely writes
Stayman in the ‘Explain’ box
and presses the alert button.
Stayman was invented
around 1938 by Jack Marx in
England and simultaneously
by George Rapee (Samuel
Stayman’s partner) in the
USA. At that time it was used
as either a signoff in clubs
or as a game try or better to
find a four card major. There
was thus no guarantee of
any points whatever. Despite
increasing uses over the
years it has not been a bid
that promises any points.
For example holding:
♠ x x x x
♥ x x x x
♦ x x x x x
♣ Void
Most authorities will tell
you that a response of
2♣ to 1NT is clear.
It is an unfortunate fact
that Stayman is usually
taught as a game try or
better. This is so as not
to confuse beginners.
Nevertheless as players’
knowledge continues
most players realise that
all Stayman promises is
the ability to handle any
replies. Therefore, while
West was wrong not to write
Stayman in the Explain box
once he had explained his
bid as any strength that
is normal for Stayman.
None of this has anything
to do with McKendrick which
is a different convention
in a different sequence.
Continued on page 8... u
 Bernard Magee’s
Acol Bidding Quiz
This month we are dealing with hands that hold an 8-card suit.
You are West in the auctions below, playing Standard Acol with a weak no-trump
(12-14 points) and four-card majors. It is your turn to call.

1. Dealer East. Love All. 4. Dealer West. N/S Game. 7. Dealer North. N/S Game. 10. Dealer North. Game All.
♠ 2 ♠ 2 ♠ 4 ♠ 4 3 2
N N N N
♥ 7 2 ♥ 7 ♥ 8 2 ♥ 4
W E W E W E W E
♦ 4 3 S ♦ K 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 S ♦ 7 6 S ♦ K 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 S
♣ K J 7 6 5 4 3 2 ♣ J 4 3 ♣ A 10 9 7 6 5 4 3 ♣ 7

West North East South West North East South West North East South West North East South
1♠ Pass 4♦ Dbl Pass 4♠ 2NT Pass 3NT 3♥ 4♥* Dbl
? ? ? ?
* strong two-suited hand

2. Dealer West. Game All. 5. Dealer North. N/S Game. . Dealer East. Love All.
8 11. Dealer West. Game All.
♠ 3 ♠ 8 7 6 ♠ 4 ♠ A K Q J 10 4 3 2
N N N N
♥ A K Q J 9 8 7 2 ♥ 7 ♥ 8 2 ♥ 4 3
W E W E W E W E
♦ 4 2 ♦ 4 ♦ 7 6 ♦ A K Q
S S S S
♣ 8 2 ♣ K 10 8 7 6 5 4 3 ♣ A 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 ♣ Void

West North East South West North East South West North East South West North East South
? 1♠ Dbl 2NT* 1NT Dbl 2♣ Pass 2♦ Pass
? ? ?
* spade raise with 10+ points

3. Dealer East. Game All. 6. Dealer West. Love All. 9. Dealer West. Game All. 12. Dealer East. Game All.
♠ 2 ♠ Q J 8 7 6 5 4 3 ♠ 4 ♠ Void
N N N N
♥ K Q W E
♥ A K W E
♥ 8 2 W E
♥ A 2 W E
♦ 4 3 S ♦ A 3 S ♦ 7 6 S ♦ 7 6 5 S
♣ K 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 ♣ 6 ♣ K 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 ♣ J 8 7 6 5 4 3 2

West North East South West North East South West North East South West North East South
3♠ Pass 1♠ Pass 1NT Pass 3♠ 2♣ Pass
? ? ? 2♦ Pass 3♠ Pass
?

My Answers: My Answers: My Answers: My Answers:

1........................................... 4........................................... 7........................................... 10..........................................

2........................................... 5........................................... 8........................................... 11..........................................

3........................................... 6........................................... 9........................................... 12..........................................

Answers on page 45 Answers on page 47 Answers on page 49 Answers on page 51

BRIDGE October 2020 Page 7


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Page 8 BRIDGE October 2020
David Stevenson Answers Your Bridge Questions
t ...Continued from page 6.
Q
Can you advise me
on a different kind
of question from
the ones you usually get?
We’re thinking of running
an online Teams of Four
league in Cornwall, but
there will be quite a wide
range of abilities. So, to
keep everyone in with a
chance of doing well, some
sort of a handicap system
seems appropriate.
Using current NGS grading
for each team would
seem the best solution.
Say, one team had an
average of 57%, and
another 52%, how best could
we reflect the 5% difference
in ability? Has anyone
ever translated percentage
difference into a number of
IMPs before? Our matches
will probably be 16 boards.
Have you any thoughts,
or is this one for the EBU?
Chris Bickerdike by email.
A
Since the EBU do
not run handicap
tournaments I doubt
they can help you. Of course
they run tournaments which
are limited to certain levels of
players but that is different.
I think the simple answer is
that you have to guess what
seems fairest. Call the cards
2, 3, 4, ... 10, 11 for jack, 12
for queen, 13 for king, 14
for club ace, 15 for diamond
ace, 16 for heart ace, 17 for
spade ace and sum them for
Email your questions for David to:
davidstevenson@mrbridge.co.uk
Please include your postal address.
each team. Consider that a
team whose average is 13 is
likely to do pretty well against
a team whose average is
nine and will nearly always
do far, far better against
a team whose average is
six, perhaps multiply the
difference by 3, assuming 24
boards, does that sound fair?
Ave 9 v ave 13 = 3x4 =
12 IMPs over 24 boards
Ave 6 v ave 13 = 3x7 =
21 IMPs over 24 boards
Ave 6 v ave 9 = 3x3 =
9 IMPs over 24 boards
This might be a little unfair
on top teams. Perhaps
you should call all aces
14. Also you have to do it
pro-rata roughly for longer
or shorter matches.
So suppose you are
playing 14 board matches,
perhaps a factor of 2 not 3.
Ave 9 v ave 13 = 2x4 =
8 IMPs over 14 boards
Ave 6 v ave 13 = 2x7 =
14 IMPs over 14 boards
Ave 6 v ave 9 = 2x3 =
6 IMPs over 14 boards
Having not played in or
run such a competition I
am merely guessing.
The nearest I came to
this was in Manchester
where I played in last year’s
knockout which was given
handicaps based on which
division they played in.
I would think the above
figures were comparable. n
 DEFENCE QUIZ

DECLARER



by Julian Pottage
PLAY

(Answers on page 39)

Y
ou are East in the defensive positions below, playing
QUIZ matchpoints with neither side vulnerable. While you
usually aim to beat the contract, you may also need to
consider the risk of conceding overtricks.
by David Huggett
(Answers on page 41)

Y
ou are South as declarer playing rubber bridge or teams,
which means you are trying to make your contract with
little concern for overtricks. In each case what is your play
strategy?
1. ♠ J 10 8 4 3. ♠ J 10 8 4
♥ K ♥ K
♦ K Q 10 ♦ A K 10 7 4
1. ♠ K 8 6 5 3. ♠ A 9 4 2 ♣ Q J 9 6 4 ♣ K Q J
♥ K J 7 ♥ 6 4 3 ♠ 7 2 ♠ A 7
N N
♦ 7 6 4 2 ♦ Q 10 9 4 ♥ Q 8 7 6 ♥ 8 7 5 4
W E W E
♣ K 6 ♣ A 8 S ♦ A 7 6 2 S ♦ Q 6
♣ 7 3 2 ♣ A 9 8 5 4
N N
W E W E
S S
West North East South West North East South
♠ A Q J 10 7 2 ♠ K Q 10 8 6 1NT1 Pass 1♦ Pass Pass
♥ 6 2 ♥ A 7 5 Pass 2♣ Pass 2♠
1
1♥ Dbl 3♥ 3♠
♦ A J ♦ A J 2 Pass 4♠ All Pass All Pass
♣ J 5 3 ♣ Q 7 1
12-14 and Stayman

You open 1♠ fourth in hand
and find yourself in 4♠. West
leads the ♦K. How do you
plan the play?
Partner leads the ♦9. What is Partner leads the ♣10. What
You are declarer in 4♠. West
your plan? is your plan?
leads the ♣6. How do you
plan the play?

2. ♠ Q 10 2 4. ♠ 6 5 2. ♠ 10 7 4 4. ♠ K 9 5
♥ K 7 4 2 ♥ J 8 7 ♥ K Q ♥ K J 6
♦ Q 3 ♦ Q J 10 5 4 ♦ J 8 6 ♦ Q J 8 7 2
♣ K 9 8 2 ♣ A J 2 ♣ K Q 10 8 4 ♣ K 10
♠ J 3 ♠ J 6
N N N N
W E W E
♥ A J ♥ A Q 10 8 3
W E W E
S S S ♦ A K Q 10 7 2 S ♦ 5 4
♣ 9 6 2 ♣ A 9 7 2
♠ K 5 4 ♠ A K
♥ A 6 ♥ A 10 2
♦ K J 10 9 2 ♦ 9 8 6 West North East South West North East South
♣ A 6 4 ♣ K Q 8 5 3 Pass 1NT1 2♥ 2♠
Pass 1♣ 1♦ 1♠ All Pass
Pass Pass 2♦ 2♠ 1
12-14
You are declarer in 3NT You are declarer in 3NT.
All Pass
after East has overcalled in West leads the ♠7. How do
spades. West leads the ♠7. you plan the play?
How do you plan the play? Partner leads the ♦3. What is Partner leads the ♥9 covered
your plan? by the ♥J. What is your plan?

BRIDGE October 2020 Page 9

 About Bidding Judgement by Andrew Kambites

Acol Two Bids And Strong

Bids In Benjamin Acol

S
trong hands have traditionally Now consider a holding like A-J- ♠ = 5.5 tricks: A
-K-J = 2.5 tricks &
been evaluated by their ‘playing 10. Again you intend to take two 6-card suit = 3 tricks
tricks’ rather than point count. finesses. You can expect one to fail ♥ = 2.5 tricks: A-Q-10 = 2 tricks &
and one to succeed (when the missing 4-card suit = 0.5 tricks
Playing Tricks honours are divided between your two ♦ = 1 trick: A = 1 trick
Playing tricks are calculated as follows: opponents). Again you are likely to ♣=0
make two tricks. However A-Q-10 is
Suits with at least three cards: clearly better than A-J-10 because you
3 tricks A-K-Q do have the chance on a lucky day of Hand C
2.5 tricks A-K-J A-Q-J three tricks. In this way Playing Tricks ♠ 10
2 tricks A-K-x A-Q-10 are not a precise tool, though less ♥ 10 9
A-J-10 K-Q-J imprecise than the losing trick count if ♦ A K Q J 7 6 5 4
1.5 tricks A-Q-x K-Q-x you fail to make suitable adjustments. ♣ 9 6
K-J-10 Equally the definition does assume
1 trick A-J-x A-x-x there are entries to your partner’s
K-J-x Q-J-10 hand that allow you to take finesses. Hand C has 8 playing tricks:
0.5 tricks K-x-x Q-J-x A strong hand needing finesses rarely ♠=0
Q-10-9 makes as many tricks as might be ♥=0
expected opposite a really bad hand. ♦ = 8 tricks: A-K-Q = 3 tricks &
In addition, add length tricks as To give some examples: 8-card suit = 5 tricks
follows: ♣=0
0.5 tricks Each 4-card suit
1.5 tricks Each 5-card suit Hand A Acol two bids
3 tricks Each 6-card suit ♠ A Q 6 5 4 3 Acol two bids (2♦, 2♥ and 2♠),
4 tricks Each 7-card suit ♥ A Q J showing near game hands, have been
5 tricks Each 8-card suit etc. ♦ K 8 7 traditionally defined in terms of
♣ 6 playing tricks rather than point count.
Doubletons and singletons If the hand meets the following three
2 tricks A-K conditions it satisfies the requirements
1.5 tricks A-Q Hand A has 7.5 playing tricks: of an Acol two bid.
1 trick A-x K-Q ♠ = 4.5 tricks: A-Q-x = 1.5 tricks & C1) It should have at least 8 playing
Singleton A 6-card suit = 3 tricks tricks.
0.5 tricks K-J K-x ♥ = 2.5 tricks : A-Q-J = 2.5 tricks C2) It should contain sufficient
♦ = 0.5 tricks: K-x-x = 0.5 tricks defensive strength to convince you
This is all very logical. Consider why a ♣=0 that the hand belongs to your side
holding like A-Q-10 is counted as two and that if opponents try to outbid
tricks. Assuming you have sufficient you they will be punished. Thus you
entries to the hand opposite, you can Hand B can afford to bid constructively rather
finesse the ten, and subsequently you ♠ A K J 7 6 5 than feel you need to pre-empt your
can finesse the queen. If both finesses ♥ A Q 10 6 opponents.
are successful you make three tricks. ♦ A 4 2 C3) You have a suit of quality: at
If both finesses fail you make just one ♣ Void least five cards in length. A 5-card
trick, the ace. Half of the time one suit should be very good: A-Q-J-9-x is
finesse will work and the other will minimum. The minimum for a 6-card
fail, giving you two tricks. Hand B has 9 playing tricks: suit should be A-J-x-x-x-x. If partner

Page 10 BRIDGE October 2020

has a doubleton honour (eg K-x) he
should feel the suit should usually
play for at least 5 tricks with at most
one loser. Note this strict requirement
for suit quality explains why many
hands are opened 2NT with shapes
that might not be considered ideal (eg
5-4-2-2 with a poor 5-card major). If
you show a two-suited hand with your
rebid that suit may be only four cards
in length.
Hand A would not satisfy C1 and
should be opened 1♠.
Hand B is an Acol 2♠ opener.
Hand C has 8 playing tricks but
certainly does not satisfy C2. If your
opponents bid a grand slam in a major
suit could you be confident of beating
it if your ♦A lead was ruffed at trick
1? Hand C is not an Acol 2♦ opening
bid. You should open Hand C with a
gambling 3NT, showing a solid 7- or
8-card minor and no more than a
queen outside. This has two desirable
effects: it pre-empts your opponents,
making it necessary for them to enter
the auction at the four level if they
wish to do so and it makes it easy for
your partner to judge whether 3NT
is likely to be a making contract for
your side. If he thinks 3NT has little
chance, he can take it out by bidding
4♣; this instructs you to pass if your
solid minor is clubs or convert to 4♦ if
you have solid diamonds.
Opinions differ as to whether an
Acol two opener should be forcing
for one round. The argument that
8-playing tricks opposite rubbish
won’t produce game seems persuasive,
and sometimes not even 9 tricks,
however the counter argument is
that you need to be able open an Acol
two with a two-suited hand. Look at
Layout D which features Hand B.
Layout D
♠ A K J 7 6 5
♥ A Q 10 6 N
W E
♠ 2
♥ J 9 8 7 2
♦ A 4 2 S ♦ 7 5 3
♣ Void ♣ 10 5 4 3
West East
2♠ 2NT
3♥ 4♥
Pass
BRIDGE October 2020 Page 11
East might want to pass 2♠ rather than
seemingly dig his side deeper into
trouble, but if he plays 2♠ as forcing
he has to give a negative 2NT response
(0-7 points). When West rebids 3♥
East realises he has found a huge heart
fit and he can raise to the excellent
heart game. If you play an Acol two
opener as forcing to suit agreement (ie
the same suit bid twice by the partners)
you can afford to open an Acol 2♠ on
hands with great playing strength
but limited points, keeping the 2♣
opening bid for hands with 23+ points.
Layout E
♠ A K J 7 6 5 2 ♠ 8 3
♥ A Q 10 6 3 N ♥ J 2
W E
♦ 6 S ♦ 7 5 3 2
♣ Void ♣ 10 5 4 3 2
West East
2♠ 2NT
3♥ 3♠
4♠ End
In Layout E West intends to play in
game whatever East has but prefers
to keep an Acol 2♣ opener for a hand
with more points. East replies with a
negative 2NT. West introduces his
second suit, forcing because it is a
new suit at the three level. East gives
preference to 3♠. This can be passed
because now spades have been bid
twice by East/West. West now raises
to the excellent game.
Below I explain the concept of
an auction being ‘forcing till suit
DUPLICATE  BRIDGE 
RULES  SIMPLIFIED
by David Stevenson
(otherwise known as the Yellow Book)
FULLY REVISED IN 2017
Available from Mr Bridge Limited
( 01483 489961 www.mrbridge.co.uk
agreement’ in the context of Benji
Acol. Acol two bids should also be
forcing to suit agreement.
Benjaminised Acol (or
Benji)
Benji is rightly popular with club
players. The concept is straightforward:
2♥ and 2♠ are played as weak two
bids (5-9 or 6-10 points and a 6-card
suit). These bids have a pre-emptive
value. However I will give a couple of
warnings.
First, you have five strong bids when
playing Acol: 2♣, 2♦, 2♥, 2♠ and 2NT.
You now have only three strong bids.
Many club players enjoy the thrill of
playing weak two bids and put a lot
of work into this part of the system.
Players tend to neglect the strong
bids. Benji uses 2♦ as the strongest
possible bid with a 2♥ artificial
negative response showing 0-7 points.
A 2♣ opening shows an Acol two bid
in an unspecified suit with 2♦ as the
negative response. If opener’s long
suit is a major, a 2♣ opening is game
forcing unless the first response is 2♦
and responder’s rebid is 2NT. I would
advise that 2♣ be played as forcing
to suit agreement after a negative 2♦
response, just like after an Acol two
bid if responder has shown no sign of
life.
Auction F Auction G Auction H
West East West East West East
2♣ 2♦ 2♣ 2♦ 2♣ 2♦
2♠ 2NT 2♠ 3♠ 2♠ 2NT
3♠ 3♥ 3♠
u
£595
t are given the rather misleading
Thus in Auction F East has made an explanation that it is ‘strong’. This of
initial negative response of 2♦ (0-7 course can put opponents off from
points) and a second negative of 2NT bidding even if they have most of the
(0-3 points). 3♠ is not forcing. high cards between them because each
In Auction G East has made an initial one believes that his partner must have
negative of 2♦ but hasn’t made the nothing, leading to Auctions K and L.
second negative of 2NT. Therefore 3♠ It is in your interests to understand
shows 4-7 points and logic determines how the EBU have chosen to resolve
it cannot be passed. West's decision to this because otherwise you could
open 2♣ rather than 1♠ suggests he is find that opponents call the director
worried that if his partner passes then claiming they have been misled. The
game might be missed, so 4-7 points EBU have constantly changed their
opposite should be enough for game. regulations as they proved very hard
In Auction H East has given two to enforce and players are genuinely
negative responses, 2♦ and 2NT. 3♥ is confused.
forcing but, when East gives preference I will give the present EBU criteria
to 3♠ over 3♥, that can be passed. and then explain the implications.
The EBU has had to deal with
problems arising out of Acol two bids EBU criteria for strong
and Benji. The West hand in Layout J two bids
is the Hand C we considered earlier. To be considered a ‘Strong’ opening
Look at the two auctions shown below. bid or overcall, the minimum
I would certainly not approve of requirement allowed by agreement is
the East/West bidding but this sort of either or both of:
auction is seen regularly in real life. (a) any hand of at least 16 HCP.
(b) any hand of at least 12 HCP with
at least five controls. An ace counts
Layout J as two controls, a king counts as one
♠ K Q 5 4 control.
♥ A K 7 6 Partnerships may agree that an
♦ 9 3 2 artificial opening (such as 2♣) may
♣ A Q be made with a hand that would not
♠ 10 ♠ 9 8 7 3 historically have been considered
N
♥ 10 9 W E ♥ 5 3 2 worthy of a forcing opening, such as
♦ A K Q J 7 6 5 4 S ♦ 8 a balanced or semi-balanced hand
♣ 9 6 ♣ 10 8 7 5 4 with fewer than 18 HCP, or a hand
♠ A J 6 2 with a lot of playing strength but
♥ Q J 8 4 limited high cards (such as eight
♦ 10 solid spades and little else). This must
♣ K J 3 2 be disclosed clearly. For example, the
opening could be described as “Either
a strong hand or eight playing tricks
Auction K (Playing Acol) in a major”. This applies even if the
West North East South minimum agreed strength is in line
2♦ All Pass with (b) above.
There is no restriction on the
Auction L (Playing Benji) strength of a natural two-level or
West North East South higher opening bid but similar
2♣ Pass 2♦ Pass requirements for full disclosure
3♦ All Pass apply.
I have already explained that Hand I can understand that such legal
C doesn’t fit the requirements of language is not necessarily user
an Acol two but players count their friendly, but I can easily pick out the
eight playing tricks and open 2♦ if important implications, namely that
playing Acol or 2♣ if playing Benji. opponents must be properly informed.
The problem is that opponents ask You are permitted to agree to open
the meaning of West’s bidding and hands like Hand C with a two bid but
Page 12 BRIDGE October 2020
you must, if asked, describe accurately
your arrangement. To just say ‘Strong’
is not good enough. Note their advised
description: ‘Either a strong hand or
eight playing tricks’.
To describe a hand as strong it needs
to conform to (a) or (b).
While the purpose of my explanation
is to try to help you avoid problems
with the director, I would stress that
although you are allowed (with proper
disclosure) to open a Benji 2♣ with
Hand C it is simply bad bridge. If
you hold a hand with lots of playing
strength but very limited defence your
priority should be to do your best to
buy the contract, while making it hard
for opponents to get their act together.
You should be trying to use up lots of
bidding space, while giving partner an
accurate description of your hand. That
leaves partner best placed to decide on
the best action, while opponents have
to guess at a high level. Good bridge
dictates that you should pre-empt with
such hands.
Opening strong,
balanced hands
The principles behind Benji came from
America. Weak two opening bids were
easy to use, effective as pre-empts and
rightly popular. Problems had to be
solved about how to deal with strong
hands but the solutions found by the
early advocates of Benji have proved
enduring. By contrast, other ideas
used by the early advocates of Benji
have not proved so effective.
Bridge players love to tell partner
exactly what they hold. However,
there must be a purpose behind this,
namely to arrive at the best possible
contract. It might seem impressive to
know exactly what partner has but not
if you end up too high. In the early
days of Benji it was noted that there
were effectively three ways of opening
2NT: an actual 2NT opening, a Benji
2♣ followed by a 2NT rebid after a 2♦
negative, and a Benji 2♦ followed by a
2NT rebid after a 2♥ negative. Then
there were sequences that involved
opening 2♣ or 2♦ and rebidding with
a jump to 3NT. So many choices!
Early Benji enthusiasts introduced
the idea of showing a balanced 19-20,
by opening 2♣ and rebidding 2NT.
However, look at Layout M.

Layout M
♠ 9 4
♥ J 10 9 8
♦ A J 7 2
♣ Q 8 7
♠ K J 7 6 ♠ 5 3 2
N
♥ A Q 4
W E
♥ 5 3 2
♦ Q 5 4 S ♦ 10 3
♣ A K 3 ♣ 9 6 5 4 2
♠ A Q 10 8
♥ K 7 6
♦ K 9 8 6
♣ J 10
West opens 2♣, East responds 2♦ and
West rebids 2NT, which is passed out.
2NT is a truly awful contract. North
will lead a heart, giving declarer two
heart tricks but where does declarer go
from there?
He needs entries to dummy to take
finesses but dummy has nothing.
Declarer has four tricks and in practice
the defenders might be endplayed
to give him a fifth trick, but that is
hardly a success story. A strong hand
facing a Yarborough usually has huge
problems of communications. Note
that even giving East the ♣Q instead
of the ♣2 would hugely improve
declarer’s prospects. Two club tricks
would become five and after running
the clubs with the 3-2 club break
declarer would be in the right hand to
take a spade finesse.
The issue is not whether you can
show a balanced 19-20 points by
opening 2♣ and rebidding 2NT over
2♦. Of course you can if you want. A
more relevant question is to ask why
would anybody want to open the West
hand in Layout M at the two level?
West would have been far better off to
open 1♠. East would have passed but
at least this contract has some play. If
West opens 1♠ and East passes, it is
highly unlikely that East/West have
missed a good game and that is surely
the main criteria for opening at the
two level. It is also worth commenting
that any sequence where your first
natural bid is 2NT is a slight weakness
of any system. After a 1NT opening
bid, you can investigate the correct
denomination, sign off, invite game
or force to game, all below 3NT. After
a 2NT opening bid you only have the
BRIDGE October 2020 Page 13
three level available, which means
there is less room to investigate the
best fit and no space at all to invite
game. Opening 2NT should be a
reluctant act, only tolerated when you
are afraid of missing game if you open
at the one level and partner passes.
The idea of opening 2♣ and
rebidding 2NT with 19-20 is not an
essential part of Benji. Yes, original
enthusiasts played it (or some played
the 2NT opening as the 19-20 hand),
but with any new idea it makes sense to
keep the strengths and try to improve
the weaknesses. Most strong players
abandoned this flawed idea years ago,
but it persists at club level. Players
often quote me Hand N as an example
of a hand with 19 points where game
may be missed if you open just 1♣.
This is true, but as my earlier articles
in this series demonstrated this hand
is worth more than 19 points. It has
5-3-3-2 shape, strong intermediates,
a good club suit that should provide
extra tricks and no unsupported
queens and jacks. If you are playing
a 2NT opening bid as showing 20-22
points, Hand N is easily worth a 2NT
opening bid.
Hand N
♠ A Q 10
♥ J 10 9
♦ A 9
♣ A K J 10 5
Another point is worth making here.
Theoretically you can open 2♣ or 2♦
and rebid 3NT to show very strong
hands but consider Layout P.
Layout P
♠ Q 6 2
♥ 8 6
♦ K Q J 8 3
♣ Q J 6
♠ A K J ♠ 10 9 7 5 4
♥ A K 7 N ♥ 5 2
W E
♦ A 2 S ♦ 7 6 4
♣ A K 7 3 2 ♣ 9 5 4
♠ 8 3
♥ Q J 10 9 4 3
♦ 10 9 5
♣ 10 8
Auction R Auction S
West East West East
2♣ 2♦ 2♦ 2♥
3NT Pass 2NT 3♥
(transfer)
3♠ 3NT
4♠ Pass
If you play that the way to show a
balanced 26 points is Auction R, West
has to jump to 3NT to show his point
count and the bidding is too high for
East to investigate whether a 5-3 or
even a 5-4 spade fit exists. 3NT has no
chance on a diamond lead.
It works better to do so via Auction
S: East can show his balanced 26 points
with a 2NT rebid, allowing East/West
the space to investigate and uncover
the 5-3 spade fit.
Jumping the bidding on strong
hands to show point count is not
sensible bridge. If you have a very
strong hand why do you want to pre-
empt your own side? I suggest you
do best to play a system in which
sequences like 2♣-2♦-3NT or 2♦-2♥-
3NT don’t exist. Of course you can
choose to play whatever you want but
my choice would be the following:
2NT opening bid = 20-22 points
Benji 2♣ with a 2NT rebid over a 2♦
negative = 23-24. Not forcing.
Benji 2♦ with a 2NT rebid over a 2♥
negative = 25 upwards. Game forcing.
You might ask how you can sensibly
investigate a slam after 2♦-2♥-2NT
if it is unlimited, but balanced 27+
counts are rare and, if partner has
nothing, game might be a struggle.
The priority should be to find the best
game contract. n
To support Little Voice, send your
used stamps to:
Malcolm Finebaum
Flat 8 Mountford House
8 Crescent Road
Enfield EN2 7BL
Little Voice work directly with an
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 Robin Hood's Bridge Adventures by David Bird
The Sheriff’s
Overbidding
T
he Sheriff was not greatly
overjoyed by the unannounced
appearance at Nottingham
Castle of Jubert Wilmere. He had
made the long journey from London
on King John’s behalf, to check how
much tax had been collected in recent
months.
‘I hope I can rely on you just this
once,’ said the Sheriff to Guy of
Gisborne. ‘Wilmere has asked to
partner me in tonight’s duplicate.
Whatever his standard of play may
be, it will be unappreciated if you and
your partner give our esteemed visitor
any poor scores.’
‘You can trust me, as always,
my Lord,’ Gisborne replied. ‘I’ll be
partnering Sergeant Heade. Not the
brightest spark in the fire, but I’ll
explain the situation to him.’
The overweight Wilmere, dressed in
black, turned out to play a reasonable
but uninspired game. An hour into
the session, Gisborne and his partner
arrived at the Sheriff’s table. This was
the first board they played:
Dealer South. E/W Game.
♠ Q 7 6
♥ K 8 5
♦ K 5 4 2
♣ 8 7 2
♠ 10 3 ♠ 8 5 2
♥ Q 9 7 2 N ♥ A J 10
W E
♦ Q 9 7 S ♦ J 10 8
♣ J 10 9 4 ♣ Q 6 5 3
♠ A K J 9 4
♥ 6 4 3
♦ A 6 3
♣ A K
Page 14 BRIDGE October 2020
West North East South
Guy of The Sgt. Jubert next move was the ♦3 from his hand.
Gisborne Sheriff Heade Wilmere
1♠
Pass 2♠ Pass 4♠
All Pass were all on view. The ♦7 was the lowest
Gisborne had a standard opening lead
available in the club suit. Mindful of
the Sheriff’s instructions, he chose the
more risky lead of the ♥2. With any
luck, this would give the dreaded tax
inspector an undeserved extra trick.
He might then take a lenient view if
the recent Castle tax receipts were
below expectations.
Dummy went down and Jubert
shook his head disapprovingly.
‘3NT, that’s where we should be,’ he
informed his partner. ‘Also, this man
here has found a good lead for them.’
The Sheriff glared at Gisborne.
Had he not listened to the earlier
instructions?
‘Play low,’ said Wilmere.
Sergeant Heade won with the
♥10 and switched to a low club. The
declarer won with the ace and drew
two rounds of trumps with the ace and
king, both defenders following. His
When the ♦7 appeared from Gisborne
in the West seat, he studied it with
interest. The 6, 5, 4, 3 and 2 of the suit
spot card out! It was unclear which
defender held the ♥A, but it could not
be wrong to duck this diamond trick
into the safe hand.
‘Play low,’ said Wilmere.
Sergeant Heade had to overtake
with the ♦8 and could not continue
hearts effectively from his side of the
table. The portly declarer won the
club switch and drew the last trump.
When diamonds proved to be 3-3, he
discarded a heart on the thirteenth
diamond and claimed the contract.
‘Play the ♦9 on the first round, Sir
Guy!’ exclaimed the Sergeant. ‘He has
to lose a diamond to your hand then,
and two more heart tricks put him one
down.’
‘What a brilliant duck in diamonds
by Jubert!’ declared the Sheriff. ‘Few
would have spotted it.’ He turned
towards Gisborne. ‘I told you Jubert
was one of London’s best players,’ he
said. ‘You can’t afford to defend so
carelessly against an expert like that.’
‘But, my Lord,’ protested Gisborne,
‘this morning you...’
‘Be silent!’ cried the Sheriff. He
entered the score on the sheet and
placed the next board in position.
Dealer North. Game All.
♠ 10 4 3
♥ 8 3
♦ A K 8 6 2
♣ A 6 2
♠ Q 2 ♠ K J 9 8 6 5
N
♥ 10 9 6 4
W E
♥ 2
♦ J 5 4 3 S ♦ Q 10
♣ 10 9 4 ♣ K J 5 3
♠ A 7
♥ A K Q J 7 5
♦ 9 7
♣ Q 8 7
West North East South
Guy of The Sgt. Jubert on the table:
Gisborne Sheriff Heade Wilmere
1♦ 1♠ 3♥ When the ♣2 appeared from East,
Pass 4♥ Pass 4NT
Pass 5♥ Pass 6♥ ♠ 10 8 4
All Pass ♥ Q J 8 4
Gisborne led the ♠Q and down went
the dummy. Jubert Wilmere eyed
it disapprovingly. ‘You have a card
missing?’ he queried.
The Sheriff looked down at his
dummy in alarm. ‘No,’ he replied
‘The hand has 3-2-5-3 shape, that’s 13
cards.’
‘I meant that one more high card
is missing,’ Wilmere persisted. ‘You
open with only 11 points, vulnerable?
Er, well, not normally,’ stuttered the
Sheriff. ‘But you played the last hand
so well, I decided to bid boldly.’
Wilmere won with the spade ace
and drew trumps in four rounds,
discarding two spades from dummy.
The only apparent chance was to find
the diamond suit breaking 3-3. Both
defenders followed to the ace and king
of diamonds.
‘And play the two of diamonds,’ said
Wilmere.
The Sheriff’s mouth fell open. Had
Wilmere not noticed the high cards
that had fallen in diamonds? ‘Sorry,
partner,’ he said. ‘Which diamond did
BRIDGE October 2020 Page 15
you want, I didn’t hear. The eight, was
it?’
‘Your hearing is as bad as your
bidding,’ Wilmere reprimanded. It
makes no difference, play the two.’
When East showed out, the slam was
down. Declarer ruffed and rescued a
trick by crossing to the ace of clubs to
lead successfully towards his queen.
He lost a trick in each black suit.
‘A valuable but expensive lesson for
you,’ he informed the Sheriff. ‘To open
the bidding, you need 13 points or a
good 12.’
Gisborne shared a brief glance with
the Sheriff. Had declarer led the 8 or
the 6 on the third round of diamonds,
he could have thrown his spade loser
and set up two diamond tricks for club
discards. Why had the Sheriff said
nothing on the matter?
With any other partner, every player
in the hall would have heard his
reaction.
The last board of the round was soon
Dealer South. Love All.
♦ 7 6 3
♣ J 7 4
♠ J 7 3 2 ♠ 9 6 5
♥ 7 5 N ♥ K 3
W E
♦ Q 8 4 2 S ♦ A K 10 5
♣ 9 8 5 ♣ A 6 3 2
♠ A K Q
♥ A 10 9 6 2
♦ J 9
♣ K Q 10
West North East South
Guy of The Sgt. Jubert ‘I can tolerate such a hopeless
Gisborne Sheriff Heade Wilmere
1♥ declared. He indicated the East chair
Pass 2♥ Pass 4♥
All Pass with this man here for the rest of the
Gisborne led the ♣9 and the Sheriff
laid out his meagre dummy as
attractively as possible.
‘The Lord preserve me from ever
playing bridge in Nottingham again!’
Jubert Wilmere exclaimed. ‘In London
we respond only with 7 points or a
good 6. Does it not mark disrespect
for your partner to lay down such a
hopeless dummy?’
‘With my 4-card support, I was
trying to make it more difficult for the
opponents,’ the Sheriff replied.
‘What a lambs-brain you are,’
Wilmere continued. ‘They will find
it more difficult to defend when the
dummy is very weak? That makes
good sense, do you think?’
Players at the adjacent tables had
turned to watch this exchange. It was
beyond their experience to witness
anyone daring to criticize the Sheriff.
‘With my good hand, I nearly tried
for a slam,’ declared Wilmere. ‘Play
low.’
Sergeant Heade paused for thought.
The lead marked declarer with the
king, queen and 10 of clubs. If he won
with the ace, declarer would be able to
unblock the king or queen and cross
to the ♣J subsequently for a successful
finesse against the king of trumps.
If declarer could be kept out of the
dummy, he would surely lose a trump
trick as well as the three top cards in
the minors.
the Sheriff glared at him. This was
no time to dream up some fancy
defence. Had the witless Gisborne not
instructed him of his duty against this
opponent?
Wilmere won with the ♣Q and
continued with the ♣K. Sergeant
Heade knew from the opening lead of
the ♣9 that declarer still held the ♣10.
He ducked once more, retaining his
ace.
Excluded from the dummy now, it
was the end of the road for declarer.
He played the ace of trumps, failing
to drop the king, and was soon one
down.
partner no longer,’ Jubert Wilmere
to the Sheriff. ‘You will change places
evening.
The round was completed and the
players nearby could not believe their
eyes, as the Sheriff left the table with
Gisborne in tow.
Wilmere looked across the table at
his new partner. ‘You defended well on
the last deal,’ he informed him. ‘To play
with you, instead of that bonehead... it
will be a big relief for me.’ n
 About Doubles by Sally Brock
Simple Take-Out Double
Part 4
I
n this article, we will look at take-
out doubles after openings at the
two level or higher.
a. At the two level
Generally speaking, doubles of weak
two openings are more or less the
same as doubles of one-level openings.
The difference lies in responding to
such doubles. While a double of a one
level opening allows a simple response
with, say, 0-8 HCP, a jump with
roughly 9-11, and a cue-bid (or jump
to game) with 12+, that doesn’t work
with a double of 2♠, say. You would get
too high and might bypass 3NT when
that is your best place.
The solution is to play a convention
called Lebensohl. Basically, how it
works is that a 2NT response to the
double is artificial, showing first and
foremost a weak hand. That frees up a
simple response in a suit to show what
would be equivalent to a jump response
after a one-level opening, ie about
9–11 HCP. Because the 2NT response
is forcing it also gives different ways
to make a cue-bid – either directly or
after an initial 2NT response. Here is a
simple structure:
(2♥) Dbl (Pass) 2♠ natural, roughly
0–8 HCP
2NT Lebensohl,
as above
3♣/3♦ natural, five spades
roughly 9–11 (any 3NT natural, but
bid now by the
doubler is forcing
to game)
3♥ shows four least one minor –
spades with no
heart stopper
3♠ forcing with five
or more spades
3NT to play
4♣/4♦ natural and
forcing
Page 16 BRIDGE October 2020
If partner responds 2NT, then the doubles and you have hearts, bidding
doubler should bid their lowest four- 2NT and then 3♥ is the weakest option,
card suit (some people prefer to play bidding 3♥ directly is invitational and
that the doubler should always bid 3♣ if you have more than four hearts you
without significant extra values – it need to jump to 4♥ if you wish to insist
can work better on some hands but on game.
worse on others). I’m sorry that has been rather a
lot of theory, but you can refer back
(2♥) Dbl (Pass) 2NT to it while looking at the following
(Pass) 3♣ four or more clubs, examples.
no significant Suppose your LHO opens 2♥,
extras partner doubles and the next hand
3♦ four or more passes.
diamonds,
no significant
extras Hand A Hand B
3♥ strong hand, ♠ 8 7 2 ♠ A 10 3
probably with ♥ Q 3 2 ♥ J 6 5
four spades ♦ 9 8 4 3 ♦ Q J 10 7
3♠ significant extras ♣ J 5 4 ♣ Q 6 5
with at least
five spades
3NT at least 20 HCP Hand A is very weak, so bid 2NT,
intending to pass anything partner
(2♥) Dbl (Pass) 2NT bids (except a cue-bid, obviously).
(Pass) 3♣ (Pass) Pass 0–8 HCP, at least Hand B is a different kettle of fish,
three clubs and worth a positive bid of 3♦, showing
3♦ 0–8 HCP, fewer about 9–11 HCP.
than three clubs, This time, again your LHO opens
four or more 2♥, partner doubles and the next hand
diamonds passes:
3♥ shows four spades
and a heart
stopper Hand C Hand D
3♠ invitational with ♠ K Q 10 6 5 ♠ K J 10 4
♥ A 5 4 ♥ 8 7 3
♦ 10 5 ♦ A Q 10 3
probably only one ♣ J 8 7 ♣ K 6
heart stopper and
very playable in at
With Hand C you want to show an
suggesting that invitational hand with five spades.
partner should not You do this by starting with 2NT and
pass with a then bid 3♠ when partner bids 3♣/3♦.
singleton heart With Hand D you have only four
spades but you don’t hold a heart
Note that if the opponents open 2♠ stopper. You show this by making
you have slightly less room. If partner a cue-bid of 3♥. If partner does not
have a heart stopper himself and does
not have four spades, he will bid 4♣
and you can then bid 4♦ to offer an
alternative trump suit.
b. Opponents open at the
three level
In this case we have even less room and
there is inevitably a lot of guesswork.
The only advice I can give is that if
one opponent pre-empts and the other
does not raise, then very often 3NT
will be the best place for you to play.
Obviously if partner doubles and you
have the other major then you can
bid that suit, but often you have some
scattered values– maybe half a stopper
and no good suit. It’s better to take a
chance on 3NT than to bid a poor suit
at the four level – at least if you are in
3NT, when you make it you will score
a game bonus.
Suppose it is Love All and your RHO
opens 3♥. What do you bid?
Hand E Hand F
♠ K J 4 ♠ K 3 2
♥ A 3 2 ♥ 5
♦ A Q 10 3 ♦ A Q J 10 4 3
♣ K 9 8 ♣ A Q 4
With Hand E you should bid 3NT. A
typical pre-empt shows a long good
suit with little outside. So here, you
can duck the heart lead once or twice
as seems appropriate and then with
any luck your RHO won’t be able to get
the lead while you lose the lead to your
LHO in order to set up your tricks. If
your RHO had opened 1♥ you would
have overcalled 1NT, and it may seem
rather a lot to bid 3NT all on your own
now. And, indeed, it might backfire,
but that is why people pre-empt – to
make you guess. The way to look at it
is this: You have 17 HCP, which leaves
23 HCP for the other three players. On
average they will have about 8 HCP
each, so with any luck you will have
about 25 HCP between you and your
partner. It would be wrong to double
on this hand because your partner is
unlikely to have a heart stopper and
then you won’t be able to play in 3NT.
With Hand F you could overcall
4♦, but that goes past 3NT if partner
has a good stopper or two in hearts. A
BRIDGE October 2020 Page 17
double is more flexible. Partner might
bid 3NT which would suit you well, or
he might bid 4♠ which would be OK
with you. Neither of those outcomes is
likely if you overcall 4♦.
Now suppose your LHO opens 3♥,
partner doubles and the next hand
passes. You hold one of the hands
below:
Hand G Hand H
♠ J 7 6 2 ♠ Q 3
♥ K 4 ♥ 10 9 4 3
♦ A 6 2 ♦ A Q J 10 5
♣ 10 9 6 5 ♣ K 4
With Hand G, you are not bereft, but
partner is playing you to have 7 or 8
HCP anyway when he dares to double
at the three level. Bid a simple 3♠, and
expect him to raise you on most hands
that will make game.
Hand H does not quite have a heart
stopper, but any singleton honour
with partner will give you a stopper, or
indeed if that singleton honour is with
your RHO. You have good playing
strength in diamonds, so take a chance
on the heart suit and bid 3NT.
c. Opponents open at the
four level
If an opponent opens four of a
minor, double should be for take-out,
concentrating on the majors. There
is not a great deal more to say on the
matter – just hope you guess well.
There are many different views about
doubles of four of a major. What I like
is for a double of 4♥ to be for take-out,
and to usually promise four spades.
On the other hand, given a double of
4♠ forces partner to the five level, I like
a double to show a hand like a strong
no-trump with little wastage in the
suit opened.
Hand I Hand J
♠ K J 10 4 ♠ A 6 5
♥ 6 ♥ K J 10 3
♦ A Q 6 5 ♦ Q 6
♣ K J 10 3 ♣ A K 4 3
Hand I is an ideal double of a 4♥
opening. Obviously you won't always
hold such a suitable hand, but that is
the kind of hand your partner should
play you for. He will tend to bid 4♠ on
most hands with four, and otherwise
pass unless he has good distribution.
He should not remove out of weakness,
so if he bids at all he should have in the
region of 10 HCP.
Hand J is a typical double of 4♠.
Partner should pass unless he has
good distribution.
Now suppose that your LHO opens
4♥, partner doubles and the next hand
passes. You hold:
Hand K Hand L
♠ A 10 3 2 ♠ A 10 4
♥ 8 7 2 ♥ 8 7 2
♦ K 4 3 ♦ K 9 8 4 3
♣ Q 5 2 ♣ Q 5
With Hand K you should bid 4♠ and
hope for the best. Your partner should
have four spades, so your best guess
is to play in 4♠. However, with Hand
L you should pass. It could be right
to play in 5♦ but partner has made
no promises about diamond support.
You should have either a 6-card suit or
two 5-card suits before you remove a
double without spades. And the same
distributional requirement applies if
partner makes a double of a 4♠ opener.
So, assuming you have agreed
to play a double of 4♥ in the
way suggested, what do you bid
on this hand if RHO opens 4♥?
Hand M
♠ A 3
♥ K J 10 3
♦ A 6 5
♣ K 7 6 2
The answer is that you have to pass
and take your plus score. Yes, you can
almost certainly beat 4♥ by a couple
of tricks, but if you double partner is
almost certain to remove to something
you probably will not make. Just pass
and take your plus score. If you pass in
tempo, you never know, partner might
double for take-out.
Next month we will look at doubles
of 1NT. n
 Catching Up
W
e’ve been out and about
quite a lot in the last few
weeks. We went to Dawlish
for the weekend to stay with my friend
Gilly, her boyfriend Vas, daughter Mel
and Mel’s friend Soozy. They usually
let the house out but bookings have
been down due to Covid and so it was
available. It took about four hours to
drive there on the Friday, and we just
got there in time for an online session
with my Dublin women. Then it was
fish and chips for supper and we
played cards (not bridge) into the wee
hours. The following day we went to
Exmouth by train and ferry, walked
a long way and had lunch out before
going to a favourite pub for dinner. On
Sunday we went out and about, again
by train and ferry, before going out
to a fish restaurant for dinner. Such a
treat to go to a restaurant. We stayed
on till Monday – Indian takeaway this
time – and again played cards into the
small hours.
A few days afterwards, Briony and I
went to Calais for an overnight visit.
Pre-Lockdown we did this regularly,
stocking up on wine and cheese and
generally having a nice time together.
We stay at the Hotel Meurice which,
for the price, is my favourite hotel
in the world! All very ornate, with
excellent service, very good value (€62
for a double room), and a convenient
location in the middle of town. We go
out to a fish restaurant and discover
that in France you have to wear a mask
to go into a restaurant – they have
them on sale for €1 if you don’t have
one – and that you need to wear it to
get to the table, and later if you want to
get up – to go to the loo, for example
– but you don’t have to wear it when
you are seated. In the shops it was a bit
variable. In my favourite cheese shop I
was told a mask was 'obligatoire' and I
Page 18 BRIDGE October 2020
with Sally Brock
could not put my hand anywhere near
the glass counter, but in the chocolate
shop or the wine shop no one was
wearing a mask.
Otherwise the online bridge goes
on. We played the last match in the
Lockdown League, comfortably in
the middle of the field – no chance of
winning or being relegated. We had
hopes of gaining on this board:
Dealer North. E/W Game.
♠ K 10 3
♥ K 4
♦ 8 6 4 2
♣ K 9 6 5
♠ J 7 6 2 ♠ 9 5
N
♥ 10 8 5 3 W E
♥ Q6
♦ Q 9 7 3 S ♦ A K J 10 5
♣ 3 ♣ Q 8 4 2
♠ A Q 8 4
♥ A J 9 7 2
♦ Void
♣ A J 10 7
What would you bid with that South
hand after East opens with 1♦? This
was the auction at our table:
West North East South
Pass 1♦ 1♥
All Pass
I led my singleton club, solving one of
declarer’s problems, and the contract
made with four overtricks. In the
other room the bidding was:
West North East South
Pass 1♦ 1♥
Pass 2♦ Pass 2♠
Pass 3♦ Pass 4♣
Pass 4♥ Pass 4♠
Pass 5♣ Pass 6♥
All Pass
North's 2♦ cue-bid supposedly showed
three-card heart support. As he
couldn't bid 1NT without a diamond
stopper, perhaps a simple raise to 2♥
would have been about right?
South understandably thought
North had a better hand and so over
4♥ he asked for key cards with 4♠ and
bid the slam over the one key card
reply.
West led a diamond, ruffed by
declarer. He then led a heart to the
king and a heart back, capturing the
queen with the ace. After that he led
the ♣7 to the king and finessed a club
ruffed by West. A second diamond
was played, ruffed by declarer and he
drew the last trump.
At this point it was a question of how
best to play the spade suit for no losers.
In fact he had an inferential count:
East was known to have started with
two hearts, four clubs, presumably five
diamonds and so only two spades. So
the ♠A followed by a spade to the ten,
the ♠K and another club finesse would
have brought home the slam. However,
declarer played for East to have the ♠J
for his opening bid and the slam was
one trick short. We lost 6 IMPs instead
of gaining 13.
We played in other bridge events:
we are not doing very well in the
Midsummer Swiss Teams; I have
started playing on Friday evenings
usually with Kitty (but I had one game
with Olly) which is enjoyable (but
rather slow); Barry and I both played
in the YC’s Summer Party Individual
– here they arranged each table to
Zoom so it was very sociable – and we
finished OK, but nothing special.
Chris and I scored well when we bid
this slam:
Continued on page 20... u
 Sally Brock’s
Simple Take-Out
Double Part 4
Quiz
(Answers on page 37)
What do you bid on the following
hands with the auctions given?
The vulnerability and scoring method
should not affect your answers.
Hand 1 Hand 2
♠ K 7 6 2 ♠ A Q 10 7 6
♥ A Q 4 ♥ 7 6 2
♦ 7 6 3 2 ♦ A Q 6 5
♣ A 10 ♣ 4
West North East South
2♥ Dbl Pass
? 2♣ 2♠ 2♣ 2♦ 2♣ 2♥
Hand 3 Hand 4
♠ Q 3 ♠ K Q 10 6 5
♥ J 10 5 4 ♥ A 5 4
♦ A Q 3 ♦ 10 5
♣ 7 6 3 2 ♣ J 8 7
West North East South
3♥ Dbl Pass
? ♣ 3 ♣ A Q 5 4
Hand 5 Hand 6
♠ 7 ♠ 8
♥ A Q 4 3 ♥ A Q 10 6 5
♦ K 10 5 4 ♦ K 10 6 5 4
♣ J 10 3 2 ♣ 7 3
West North East South
4♠ Dbl Pass
? after a Benji 2♣ opening and no
BRIDGE October 2020 Page 19
Acol Two Bids And
Strong Bids In
Benjamin Acol Quiz
by Andrew Kambites
(Answers on page 43)
1 Consider the following hands
(i) How many playing tricks does the
hand have?
(ii) How many points does the hand
have?
(iii) How many controls does the
hand have? (Ace = 2, King = 1)
(iv) Under EBU regulations are you
allowed to describe the hand as
strong?
(v) At love all what would you open if
you are playing Acol with strong
twos?
(vi) At love all what would you open if
you are playing Benji?
Hand 1A Hand 1B
♠ A Q J 10 8 5 ♠ K Q J 10 6 5
♥ Void ♥ Void
♦ A K 6 5 4 ♦ A Q J 5 4
♣ 7 4 ♣ 7 4
Hand 1C Hand 1D
♠ A K Q 5 4 ♠ K 6 4 3 2
♥ A K 5 4 ♥ A J
♦ A K 2 ♦ A K
Hand 1E Hand 1F
♠ A K Q J 7 6 5 2 ♠ 7
♥ 7 6 ♥ 7 6
♦ 9 4 ♦ A K Q J 7 6 5 2
♣ 7 ♣ 9 4
2 You are playing Benji as I have
described.
Suit bids forcing to suit agreement
values shown by responder. For
bidding strong, balanced hands you
have the following agreement:
2NT opening bid = 20-22 points
Benji 2♣ with a 2NT rebid over a 2♦
negative = 23-24. Not forcing.
Benji 2♦ with a 2NT rebid over a 2♥
negative = 25+. Game forcing.
In Auctions 2A to F is the last bid forcing?
Auction 2A Auction 2B Auction 2C
West East West East West East
2♦ 2♥ 2♣ 2♦ 2♣ 2♦
2♠ 2NT 2♠ 3♣ 2♥ 2NT
3♠ 3♠ 3♦ 3♥
Auction 2D Auction 2E Auction 2F
West East West East West East
3♠ 2♥ 2♠ 2NT
3♠
3 You are playing Benji. What is your
opening bid with these hands. If you
open 2♣ or 2♦ what is your rebid
after a negative response?
Hand 3A Hand 3B
♠ Q 10 9 ♠ A Q 4
♥ A K 10 ♥ K Q J
♦ K Q J 6 5 ♦ A Q 5 2
♣ A 10 ♣ A K 3
Hand 3C Hand 3D
♠ J 8 5 4 3 ♠ Q 6 4
♥ K J ♥ A K 4
♦ A K Q 3 ♦ K Q 7 6 5
♣ A K ♣ A J
Hand 3E Hand 3F
♠ A Q 8 ♠ A Q 8
♥ K Q 8 2 ♥ K Q J 9
♦ A 5 ♦ A K
♣ A K J 10 ♣ A K J 10
 Catching Up
with Sally Brock
Julian Pottage explains his Continued
Double Dummy titles. t ...Continued from page 18.

GRIDLOCK Dealer East. E/W Game.

The difficulty is of moving through the play without being stuck ♠ K J 7
in the wrong place. ♥ 6 4 2
♦ A K 10
PROTECTION ♣ Q J 8 7
The theme is protecting from an overruff as South ruffs spades ♠ 10 4 ♠ 9 8 3 2
in hand. ♥ A K 9 7 5 N ♥ Q 10 8 3
W E
♦ 8 7 4 3 S ♦ 9 5 2
THE EXCHEQUER ♣ 5 2 ♣ 9 4
Sorry my history was slightly wrong. John Morton from whom ♠ A Q 6 5
the play Morton's Fork takes his name was Lord Chancellor ♥ J
rather than Chancellor of the Exchequer. ♦ Q J 6
♣ A K 10 6 3
RED BALLOONS
The two red nines are key cards in the play and there was a
song 99 Red Balloons. West North East South
Pass 1♣
THE EDWARDIAN Pass 1♦ Pass 1♠
The key play is variation on a Scissor's Coup and there was a Pass 2♥ Pass 3♦
film Edward Scissorhands. I also have a son Edward, who is a Pass 4♣ Pass 4♥
quiet lad and rarely in the limelight. Pass 4NT Pass 5♣
Pass 6♣ All Pass
ELIZABETH AND MARY
The key play involves queens played as successive cards on the After my partner opened 1♣, I was
key trick and the name refers to Queen Elizabeth of England not sure what our methods were. Did
and Queen Mary of Scotland. we play inverted minor-suit raises or
not? So I temporised with 1♦, Chris
THE GENERATOR bid 1♠ and I needed to bid the fourth-
The play is about generating extra tricks to add to those readily suit in order to make a forcing raise in
available. clubs. When she bid 3♦ I thought she
would probably have the distribution
GROUNDWORK she had. I agreed clubs and over her
Before you begin the crossruff you need to prepare the ground 4♥ cue-bid, tried Roman Key Card
by making your club winners. Blackwood. I would have to admit that
there was little point in this. If she had
PROHIBITION had only two key cards and bid 5♥, we
In the play you try to prohibit East from gaining the lead and would have been too high! It would
prohibit West from discarding a diamond. have been more prudent to bid 4♠,
allowing Chris to bid 4NT, which she
FOUR ACES could have done more safely.
The declarer has side all four aces, each one of which you On a domestic front, things are
need to play at the right time. getting interesting. First, Briony is
going to Kenya for a couple of months
RUFF AND SMOOTH shortly; she has a placement in a
This is a combination of 'ruff and discard' and 'rough and hospital for abused women and
smooth' as well as relating to the fact the in some ways the children (she is doing an Open
cards lie well (black suit finesses) and in another way they lie University degree in psychology). Then,
badly (trump break). the following day, Toby is moving out –
to share a flat with a friend in Stratford
(East London). Things are going to be
very quiet for me! n

Page 20 BRIDGE October 2020


A to Z of Bridge
compiled by Julian Pottage
O the ♥2 asks for a club.
OBLIGATORY FINESSE
The play of a small card on the second
round of a suit in the hope that a
particular opponent will have to play
the master card. For example:
K 4 3 2
N
A 8
W E J 10 9
S
Q 7 6 5
To avoid two losers in the suit, you
start with a small card towards dummy.
After winning with the king, you play
small from both hands – there is no
point in playing up to the queen since
East’s failure to capture the king marks
West with the ace. If you reverse the
East-West hands, it would be necessary
to play initially from the North hand
towards South’s Q-7-6-5; again, you
would need to duck the second round.
ODD-EVEN DISCARDS
A system of discards in which the
face value (odd/even) of the discard
may signal attitude or suit preference.
Odd cards encourage the suit
discarded while even cards indicate
suit preference between the other two
suits. For instance, when discarding
on a spade lead, the ♥3 asks for a
heart, the ♥8 asks for a diamond and
BRIDGE October 2020 Page 21
A to Z of Bridge
ODD TRICK
Each trick won by declarer in excess
of the book. ‘One odd’ is one trick in
excess (ie declarer’s seventh trick).
OFFENCE
1. Any breach of the Law.
2. Attacking mode in bidding or play.
OFFSIDE
If you finesse and it loses, you can say
the missing card is ‘offside’.
A Q 10
N
K 7 5 W E
S
J842
9 6 3
In this double finesse position, the
king is onside (under the queen) while
the jack is offside (over the ten).
OGUST
Another name for Blue Club responses
to a 2NT enquiry over a weak opening.
Opener rebids as follows:
3♣ minimum, poor suit
3♦ minimum, good suit
3♥ maximum, poor suit
3♠ maximum, good suit
3NT A-K-Q-x-x-x in suit opened
OLYMPIAD
A bridge event held every four years,
in the same years as the Olympics,
in which countries from all over the
world compete – now known as the
Mind Sports games.
ONE-BID
A bid at the one-level.
ONE CLUB SYSTEM
A system of bidding that employs an
artificial bid of 1♣ as its strongest
opening. Usually the bid denotes a
minimum of about 16 or 17 points. In
the UK, strong club systems were quite
popular in the early 1980s but are now
relatively rare. Precision is the most
common strong club system.
ONE OVER ONE RESPONSE
A sequence such as 1♣-1♠, where
responder bids at the one-level. A one-
over-one response has a very wide
range and (by an unpassed hand) is
forcing for one round. Responder may
have as few as 5 or 6 points or, with an
unsuitable hand type for a jump shift,
great strength.
Hand 1 Hand 2
♠ K Q 8 5 2 ♠ K Q 8 5 2
♥ 9 6 3 ♥ A K J 4
♦ 8 5 ♦ A 4
♣ 7 5 2 ♣ K 3
A one-over-one response of 1♠ is
correct with either of the above hands
if partner opens one of either minor.
ONE-SUITER
An unbalanced hand with one long
suit and no other biddable suit. Pre-
emptive openings and overcalls u
t show a one-suiter with a single bid.
Bidding a suit twice, particularly if the
rebid is with a jump, tends to show a
one-suiter.
ONLINE BRIDGE
A method of playing bridge using a
computer and an internet connection.
You can play from home or from
wherever you have a laptop and a
suitable connection. You play against
other players sitting at their computers.
Online bridge is popular for players
who want to play at unsocial hours
or who, for whatever reason, cannot
attend a bridge club.
ONSIDE
If you take a finesse and it succeeds,
you can say the missing card is ‘onside’.
OPEN
1. To make the first bid in the auction.
2. A teams or pairs competition
where no restriction applies to the
contestants (sex, age, master point
ranking etc).
OPEN HAND
Dummy.
OPEN PAIRS
A competition open to any pair,
irrespective of nationality, age, sex
or masterpoint ranking. In British
congresses, where entry to the main
event is restricted, it is customary for
an Open Pairs event to take place at
the same time.
OPEN ROOM
Room where spectators can watch the
players.
At international or other important
events it is usual to have at least one
room for this purpose.
OPEN UP
To ‘open up’ a suit is to play the first
cards in that suit. As a defender, you
are more likely to open up new suits
when you are playing an active defence
than when you are trying to defend
passively.
Some suits are safer to open up
than are others. The riskiest suits to
open up are those where you have an
honour ranking just above an honour
held on your right.
Page 22 BRIDGE October 2020
K 9 5
N a no-trump contract, you usually lead
W E
S
A 10 6 2
Holding the ace over dummy’s king
and the ten over the nine, East is
unlikely to want to open up this suit.
While it might be safe to do so if South
holds Q-x or Q-J-x, often you will find
the suit frozen and opening it up will
cost a trick. If South has J-x, x-x, J-x-x,
x-x-x, Q-x-x, Q-x-x-x or Q-J-x-x, it is
better not to lead the suit.
OPENING BID
The first call of the auction other than
pass. The generally accepted wisdom
is that you need a hand a little better
than average (eg 12+ HCP) to make a
one-level opening. This way, if partner
has his fair share of the remaining
points, your side can make a part-
score, or if partner also has opening
bid strength, you can make game.
OPENING POINTS
A method of hand valuation by which
you add your high card points to the
length of your two longest suits.
Hand 1 Hand 2 tend to occur when the opponents
♠ A Q 8 7 5 ♠ A Q J 7 5 2
♥ K J 7 3 ♥ A K 8 3 2
♦ 7 4 ♦ 5
♣ 6 3 ♣ 4
The first hand has nineteen opening
points (10 in high cards, 5 for the spade 1♥ Dbl 4♥
length and 4 for the heart length). The
second hand has twenty-five (14 HCP,
6 spades and 5 hearts). On each of these auctions, West’s
OPENING LEAD
The lead to the first trick, before the
dummy appears. The opening lead is
often the single most important play
on a deal. Before making the opening
lead, you should consider the bidding
and your own hand. At duplicate,
having selected your lead, you should
place it face down on the table.
The best opening leads are those
that are both safe (unlikely to concede
a trick) and attacking (likely to set up implicitly agrees the suit partner has
tricks). A sequence such as K-Q-J-x is
usually a good lead. A suit partner has
bid is usually a good lead too. Against
from a long suit, aiming to set up long
cards as well as high-card winners.
When, as often happens, you do
not have an ideal holding in any suit,
you will need to weigh up, from the
auction and your hand, whether to
prefer a passive lead or an active lead.
If you can see that suits are breaking
badly for declarer and finesses are
likely to fail, you are more likely to go
passive. If the auction sounds confident
and your hand holds few surprises for
declarer, you are more likely to attack.
A trump can be a good lead if you have
a good holding in declarer’s second
suit. Leads from unsupported honours,
especially aces, tend to be risky.
OPENING LEADER
The player who makes the opening
lead, the one to the left of declarer.
OPTIONAL DOUBLE
A double suggesting all-round
strength and inviting partner to choose
between bidding on and defending
for penalties. At low levels, optional
doubles are relatively rare; normally
doubles are either definitely penalty or
definitely takeout. Optional doubles
have pre-empted to the game level.
West North East South
4♠
Dbl
West North East South
Dbl
double is optional.
ORANGE BOOK
Colloquial term for The Handbook
of Directives and Conventions
Authorised by The Laws and Ethics
Committee of The English Bridge
Union.
OUT-OF-THE-BLUE CUE BID
This is a cue bid made before the
partners have bid and raised a suit. It
just bid as trumps and shows a control
in the suit of the cue bid.
West North East South
1♥ Pass
2♣ Pass 3♥ Pass
3♠
A spade contract is unlikely to be best
– East has shown six good hearts and,
by not rebidding 2♠ despite having the
strength to reverse, has denied four
spades. Therefore, West’s 3♠ agrees
hearts and shows a spade control.
Depending upon the partnership
style, the control may be first round
(ace or void) or second round (king or
singleton).
West might hold:
♠ A J 4
N
♥ K 6
W E
♦ 9 6 4 S OVERRUFF
♣ A Q 10 8 4
OUT ON A LIMB
Phrase used to describe a dangerous
action such as bidding no-trumps
with no stopper in an opponent’s suit.
OVER
Term describing a player’s hand (or
cards therein) with respect to his right-
hand opponent, eg ‘Sitting over’. South
is over East while honours in West’s
hand will be over South’s honours.
OVERBID
A call made on insufficient values.
For example, if partner opens 2NT
showing 20-22 points and you raise to
6NT with an average 10-point hand,
this is an overbid.
OVERBIDDER
A person who overbids.
OVERBOARD
To be at too high a level.
OVERCALL
1. The first bid by a member of the side
that did not open the bidding.
2. To make a bid after an opponent has
opened the bidding.
West North East South
1♦ 2♣ A poor bridge player. u
BRIDGE October 2020 Page 23
North’s 2♣ is an overcall and, in
bidding 2♣, North is overcalling.
An overcall can serve many
purposes:
1. To disrupt the opposing bidding;
2. To suggest a lead;
3. To find a good contract in which to
play;
4. To pave the way for a sacrifice,
which may be cheaper than letting
the opponents play in their contract.
Shape and suit quality are more
important for an overcall than they
are for an opening bid. Here, North
could hold a 9-count with ♣K-Q-10-x-
x-x and an ace on the side, but should
not hold a 2-3-3-5 13-count with
♣A-J-x-x-x.
OVERCALLER
The player who makes an overcall.
To ruff a trick that someone has already
ruffed, with a higher trump. Although
usually it is a good idea to overruff
when you get the chance, if you would
have to play a very high trump to do so
and you have a useful discard to make,
it may be better not to do so. Also, if
an opponent threatens to overruff you,
again it might be better to discard.
♠ Q 9 5 2
♥ 9 6 3
♦ A K 5
♣ 9 7 2
♠ J 10 3
♠ 8
♥ 10 5 N ♥ A K Q 8 7 2
W E
♦ Q 8 7 4 S ♦ J 9 2
♣ J 8 5 3 ♣ 10 6 4
♠ A K 7 6 4
♥ J 4
♦ 10 6 3
♣ A K Q
South plays in 4♠ after East has bid
hearts. The defenders start with three
rounds of hearts. If South ruffs the
third round of hearts low, West can
play the ten (or jack) of spades to
overruff. South does better to discard
his diamond loser. Then, if East
persists with a fourth heart and West
ruffs with an honour, dummy can play
the queen to overruff.
OVERTAKE
To play a higher card from one hand
when already winning a trick. You
often use this technique when a hand
is devoid of entries and the suit is
blocked. For example:
♦ A Q J 6 5 4
N
W E
S
♦ K
If dummy has no side entry, you
overtake the king with the ace. This
gives you access to three tricks in the
suit and may allow you to run the
entire suit if it divides evenly.
OVERTRICK
A trick in excess of the number
for which you have contracted.
Overtricks do not count towards game
and, in rubber bridge, you score them
above the line. For example, if you
bid 4♠ and make 13 tricks, you have
made three overtricks, the difference
between the 13 you have made and the
10 you contracted to make.
At matchpoints, making overtricks
can be a particularly useful way to
improve your score.
OVERTRUMP
Synonym for overruff.
P
PACK
The deck of 52 playing cards.
PAIR
A partnership of two bridge players.
PAIRS EVENT
An event in which players compete
as pairs, normally with matchpoint
scoring.
PALOOKA
t the ♦J, which you ruff. You want to
PAR
The result on a board if both sides had
bid and played to the optimum result.
PAR CONTEST
A contest, usually using preset hands
of great technical difficulty, where
players compare their results with the
par rather than each other.
On each deal usually only one side
has the chance to earn a par with the
other side not involved. The par setters
may specify the bidding or the play to
the first trick or two. S uch contests are
rare in the UK. elimination succeeds.
PARTIAL
A partscore contract, ie one less than
game such as 2♦.
PARTIAL DESIGNATION
An incomplete request for dummy to
play a card. If declarer names only the
suit, dummy must play the lowest card
in the suit. If declarer names only the
rank, dummy must play the card from
the same suit as last led.
For example, if dummy holds
A-9-4-2 of spades and declarer says
‘spade’, dummy plays the ♠2. If on the
next trick, declarer says ‘nine’, dummy
plays the ♠9.
PARTIAL ELIMINATION
A play by which a declarer only
partially eliminates the suits that a
defender may safely lead. Whether
the defender will have to lead to
declarer’s advantage depends on the
distribution.
Here is an example:
♠ K Q 8 2
♥ 7 6 5 3 2
♦ K 7
♣ J 6
♠ 6 ♠ 4 3
N
♥ K J 4 W E ♥ 10 8
♦ J 10 9 6 5 4 S ♦ A Q 8 3 2
♣ 9 5 4 ♣ Q 10 7 2
♠ A J 10 9 7 5
♥ A Q 9
♦ Void
♣ A K 8 3
As South, you arrive in 6♠. West leads
Page 24 BRIDGE October 2020
delay playing on hearts until you have
eliminated the other suits so that
if a heart finesse loses to West then
he can only return a heart or give a
ruff and discard. The snag is that if
you draw two rounds of trumps and
ruff two clubs, dummy will be out of
trumps and it will be safe for West to
exit in diamonds. Accordingly, you
draw only one round of trumps. Then
you cash the top clubs, crossruff the
minors and play a heart to the nine
(or cover East’s card). Since East has
the outstanding trump, the partial
PARTIAL STOPPER
A holding that, if partner has a similar
holding, will prevent the run of the
opposing suit. Typical partial stopper
holdings are J-x-x and Q-x. It is the
same as a half stopper.
PARTNER
One of the two members of a
partnership.
PARTNERSHIP RUBBER BRIDGE
Rubber bridge where players retain the
same partner throughout the session
of play.
PARTNERSHIP
UNDERSTANDING
An agreement between members of a
partnership regarding c onventions in
bidding and play, allowing for efficient
communication. Such agreements,
whether explicit or implicit, must be
fully and freely available to opponents.
PARTSCORE
A trick score of less than 100 points. A
‘partial’ is another name.
PARTSCORE, BIDDING TO THE
Bidding affected by the presence of a
partscore. For example, playing rubber
bridge with a score of 40 below the
line, a 2♥ response to a 1♠ opening
would not be forcing.
PARTSCORE BONUS
If a rubber ends without two games
scored, there is a 100 bonus for a
partscore in an incomplete game. At
Chicago, there is a bonus of 100 for
a partscore on the fourth deal. At
duplicate, a 50 bonus applies for any
partscore bid and made.
PASS
Call by which a player indicates that he
does not wish, or is not allowed by the
Laws, to enter the bidding at his turn
to bid. Auctions normally end when
three consecutive players pass. Using
bidding boxes, the pass card is green.
PASS OR CORRECT
A bid made after partner has shown
one or more unspecified suits by
means of a conventional bid that is to
play if and only if the bid suit coincides
with one of partner’s possible suits.
For example:
West North East South
3NT Pass
4♣
Facing the Gambling 3NT opening,
which usually shows a solid minor and
little outside, West decides he has too
few stoppers to pass 3NT. He bids 4♣
expecting East to pass with a long suit
of clubs and otherwise to correct to 4♦.
PASS-OUT
1. A deal is a ‘pass-out’ if all four
players pass at their first turn to
call. At rubber bridge, the deal
passes to the next player, at Chicago
the same player must redeal, and at
duplicate bridge the hands go back
in the board as if played and the
score is zero.
2. To make the third consecutive pass
after someone has bid.
PASS OUT OF TURN
A ‘Pass’ by a player when it is not his
turn to call. The Laws apply.
PASS-OUT SEAT
A player is in the pass-out seat if the
auction would end if he passed.
PASSED HAND
A hand that has already passed (and
therefore, if its holder subsequently
makes a bid, that bid is limited in
value by his previous pass).
For example:
West North East South
Pass Pass 1♥ 1♠
Here both West and North are passed
hands. No matter what they bid
subsequently, their partners will not
place them with great strength.
PASSIVE DEFENCE
A style of defence that attempts to
avoid establishing tricks for declarer as
opposed to actively trying to establish
defensive tricks.
This style is most likely to be right
when dummy is flat, lacking a source
of tricks. To defend passively you
would usually play on suits where
your holding is worthless or where the
previous play of the suit has already
determined how many tricks each side
can make in the suit.
♠ K 8 2
♥ K Q 9 3
♦ A 10 7 5
♣ K 9
♠ A 10 4 ♠ J 5
♥ 10 2 N ♥ J 7 6 5
W E
♦ Q 6 4 S ♦ J 8 2
♣ Q 10 7 5 3 ♣ A 8 6 4
♠ Q 9 7 6 3
♥ A 8 4
♦ K 9 3
♣ J 2
South plays in 4♠. West leads the five
of clubs and the ace wins. Returning
a club to dummy’s now bare king
is passive and gives nothing away.
Opening up either red suit would be
highly dangerous.
If declarer next plays a spade to the
queen, West takes the ace and, again
refusing to open up one of the red
suits, returns a low spade, thereby
continuing the passive defence.
PASSIVE LEAD
A lead made more in an attempt
to avoid conceding a trick than to
establish one. A lead from a long
weak suit is usually a passive lead. The
stronger your hand, the more attractive
a passive lead. This is because partner
is less likely to have fitting cards in the
suits in which you have strength. If
the opponents stagger into their final
contract and you sense that the cards
are lying poorly for them, this also
indicates a passive lead.
PATTERN
This is a shape of the hand as expressed
in suit lengths. For example, a hand
with five spades, a singleton heart,
four diamonds and three clubs has a
5-1-4-3 pattern.
PENALTY
1. This is a term for the score that
arises if you fail to make a contract,
especially a doubled contract.
2. The sanction imposed by the Laws,
or by the Tournament Director, for
an irregularity or an infraction.
PENALTY CARD
A card that a defender wrongly plays
or exposes may become a penalty
card. In duplicate, some penalty
cards are designated ‘minor’ penalty
cards, others ‘major’ penalty cards.
In rubber bridge, there is no such
distinction. The Laws apply.
PENALTY DOUBLE
A double made in the belief that the
opposing contract will not make.
Another name for this is a ‘business
double’.
For example:
West North East South
1♥ 1NT
Dbl 2♠ Dbl
West’s double of 1NT is a penalty
double, as is East’s double of North’s
retreat to 2♠.
Whether a double is a penalty
double is partly a matter of general
bridge knowledge and partly a matter
of partnership agreement.
PENALTY PASS
To pass a takeout or optional double
thus effectively converting it to a
penalty double. For example:
West North East South
3♥
Pass Pass Dbl Pass
Pass
East’s double is for takeout, expecting
West to bid something. West’s pass is
a penalty pass, indicating a wish to
defend 3♥ doubled.
You will need a long strong trump
holding to make a penalty pass,
especially if you are under the declarer,
as partner is likely to be short in the
suit.
PERCENTAGE PLAY
The line most likely to succeed based
on mathematical probabilities.

BRIDGE
♠ 8 2
♥ 9 8 3
♦ A K 7 5 4
♣ 9 5 2

is ceasing publication. ♠ J 10 9 4
♥ Q 7 4 2 N
W E
♠ A K 5
♥ K 6 5

The last issue will be number

♦ Q 9 S ♦ J 10 8 2
♣ 10 7 4 ♣ 8 6 3
♠ Q 7 6 3

216 - December 2020.

♥ A J 10
♦ 6 3

See page 5 for more information.

♣ A K Q J

As South, you play in 3NT. u

BRIDGE October 2020 Page 25

t West leads the jack of spades and you
win the third round with the queen.
You have eight top tricks and chances
in the red suits for more. If diamonds
are 3-3, you can set up the suit by
ducking a round. If East has one or
both heart honours, you can make an
extra heart trick by using the ♦A-K as
entries for finessing. With no apparent
way of combining the chances, you
need to choose between the two.
The chance of a 3-3 diamond break
is about 36% while the chance that
East holds one or both heart honours
is about 75%. The percentage play is
the one with the higher probability of
success, in this case finessing twice in
hearts.
Note that in practice you would
cash some clubs before committing
yourself, though as the difference in
percentages is so high, it is unlikely
that you would have cause to change
your mind.
PERMUTATION
Term describing all possible
arrangements of a set of objects and,
in bridge, the possible disposition of
the cards.
PERSONAL SCORE CARD
The card on which a player may record
all the details of his bridge session,
including the outline of his bidding
system and conventions, as well as
contracts played and results achieved
on each board of the session.
While keeping a personal score card
is not compulsory, it is helpful if at least
one member of the partnership does
so because this will help in resolving
any scoring queries.
PETER
The play by a defender of a high card
on the first round of a suit followed by
a lower card on the second round to
signal to partner eg the seven followed
by the three. Usually you use the peter
to show that you like the suit or that
you have an even number of cards
in it. Other names for the peter are a
‘high-low’ signal and, especially in
North America, an ‘echo’.
PHANTOM PAIR
If the number of pairs at a duplicate
event is odd, there will be a table
Page 26 BRIDGE October 2020
with only one pair (a half table). In
consequence, on every round one pair
will be due to play the ‘phantom pair’
and will instead spend that round
sitting out.
PHANTOM SACRIFICE
A sacrifice bid when the contract
against which one is sacrificing would
fail. Taking out a phantom sacrifice
is often a costly move, turning a
plus score into a potentially sizeable
minus. Before making a sacrifice, it
is therefore wise to check that you are
confident the opponents can make
their contract.
PHONEY CLUB
A rudimentary system based on a
strong no-trump and five-card suit
openings in diamonds, hearts and
spades, with a (possibly) phoney club
being the first move on other hands.
‘Fishing Club’, ‘Short Club’ and
‘Utility Club’ are similar systems.
PHONEY DIAMOND
An opening of 1♦ used in much
the same way as a phoney 1♣. You
will meet this most commonly in
conjunction with a strong club system
and five-card majors. If opener cannot
start with 1♣ because that would show
16+ or 17+ and cannot start with 1♥ or
1♠ because that would show a five-card
suit, 1♦ will be a common opening. A
‘Loose Diamond’ is another name for
the method.
PICK A SLAM
Some pairs use a bid of 5NT
(not preceded by 4NT) when the
partnership has bid more than one
suit to indicate that the values for a
slam are present but doubt remains
about strain.
In general it is a good idea to
establish the trump suit before
embarking on a slam hunt, so the
convention usually occurs only in
highly competitive auctions where the
opposing bidding has prevented the
customary exploration.
PICK UP
To play a suit with minimal loss, or to
capture a particular card (eg ‘To play
a small spade to hand picking up the
queen’).
♠ 9 5 3
N
♠ Q
W E
S
♠ 10 6 4 2
♠ A K J 8 7
South might ‘pick up’ West’s queen
by cashing the ace and then ‘pick up’
East’s ten by finessing, thereby ‘picking
up’ the whole suit without loss.
PICK UP SLIP
Used in place of a traveller and collected
by a caddy during a competition.
PIN
The lead of an honour to neutralise a
card ranked just below it.
A 10 9 8 7
N
K 6 5 J
W E
S
Q 4 3 2
The lead of the queen towards the ace
brings in five tricks when, as here, the
jack is singleton and on the right and
therefore ‘pinned’ by the queen.
PIP
A design on the front of the playing
card showing the card’s rank by the
number of pips, and the suit by the
shape of the pip. Different countries
use different images for their pips:
hearts, cloves, acorns, leaves etc.
PITCH
To discard.
PIVOT TEAMS
A teams contest whereby members
of each team change partnerships so
that by the end of the contest every
member of each team has to have
played a proportion of the boards with
every other member of the team as a
partner.
PLACING THE CARDS
The diagnosis of the position of key
cards from clues arising from the
bidding or play.
For example:

♠ K 10 8
♥ 8 4 3 2
♦ A 7 3
♣ Q 10 2
♠ Q 7 4 ♠ 5
♥ K 7 N ♥ A Q 9 6 5
W E
♦ Q 10 6 4 S ♦ 9 8 2
♣ A J 7 4 ♣ 9 6 5 3
♠ A J 9 6 3 2
♥ J 10
♦ K J 5
♣ K 8
As South, you play in a spade contract
after West has opened 1NT (12-14) and
East has shown a heart suit.
West leads the king of hearts and
continues with a low one. East wins
with the ace and continues with the
nine. From the bidding you place West
with a heart shortage (rather than the
king-queen of hearts).
Counting the missing points then
enables you to place the rest of the high
cards. You place West with the ♠Q, the
♦Q and the ♣A-J. This tells you to ruff
with the ace, finesse West for the ♠Q
and then finesse in clubs rather than
diamonds.
PLAIN SUIT
In a trump contract, any of the three
non-trump suits.
PLAN OF PLAY
The mental process that declarers
should follow in determining their best
line of play to make their contracts.
As declarer, you would usually make
a plan once you see dummy. You may
need to revise your plan as the play
progresses and you find out more
about the layout of the opposing cards.
PLAY
1. The play follows the auction.
During the play, players contribute
their cards to tricks, one card to
each, until they run out of cards.
2. Used to describe an action in the
play, for example, ‘The key play is to
ruff a diamond’.
PLAY OUT OF TURN
The play of a card by a player when it is
another player’s turn to play. The Laws
apply.
BRIDGE October 2020 Page 27
The correct order of play is in
rotation, clockwise, starting with the
player who leads to the trick. West
plays after South, North after West
and so on.
PLAYED CARD
A defender plays a card by placing it
face up on the table in front of him.
If a defender places a card in such a
position that the other defender can
see the front of the card, it counts as
played.
Declarer plays a card in a similar
manner and any card placed face up,
on or near the surface of the table, by
declarer counts as played.
Declarer plays dummy’s cards by
either naming them (the correct
procedure in duplicate bridge) or
physically handling them (in rubber
bridge).
PLAYER
One of the four people who participate
in a game of bridge.
PLAYING A KNOWN CARD
If a player has the choice between
cards, it is sometimes better to play the
one that his opponent knows he holds.
For example:
1. A J 4 PLAYING TRICK
N
Q 10 8
W E 532
S
K 9 7 6
2. A Q 7 5 3
N
K J 9 4
W E 10 8 2
S
6 hand valuation.
In 1, South, as declarer, plays a small
card and successfully finesses the
jack. When the ace is played West
should drop the queen (the card he is
known to hold) presenting South with
a choice of plays, finessing East for the
ten or playing for the even break.
If West follows with the ten on the
second round, declarer will inevitably
play for the break.
In 2, this is a side suit in a trump
contract. If declarer finesses dummy’s
queen and cashes the ace, West should
drop the king.
Declarer may then fear an overruff
on the third round of the suit. So long
as West retains the king, declarer can
safely ruff low.
PLAYING CARDS
The set of fifty-two cards used for
playing the game of bridge.
The pack consists of four suits,
clubs, diamonds, hearts and spades
(ascending rank order) each containing
thirteen cards: ace, king, queen, jack,
10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2 (descending rank
order). The card rank is indicated by a
pictorial image and/or the number of
pips, the suit is indicated by the shape
and colour of the pips.
PLAYING TO THE SCORE
To allow one’s decisions regarding
bidding or play to take account of the
score.
Typically, it means to underbid
at rubber bridge with a partscore.
For example, if partner opens 1NT
showing 12-14 points and you have
13 points, you would raise to 2NT
rather than the usual 3NT if you have
a partscore of 30 or more.
A card that you can reasonably
expect to win a trick given a normal
distribution of the cards and ignoring
the possibility of losing tricks to ruffs:
A-K-Q-J-x-x is six playing tricks and
K-Q-J-x-x-x-x-x is seven.
PLUS VALUES
These are small adjustments made in
valuing your cards, typically when
using the honour tricks method of
POCKET
Part of a duplicate wallet or board
used to hold the cards.
PODI
A method of coping with intervention
after partner’s Blackwood bid. Pass
shows zero (O) aces. Double shows one
(I) ace and the lowest bid two aces etc.
This method is relatively rare.
u
t position at the table.
POINT-A-BOARD
A scoring method of determining
a winner in a teams-of-four match.
You score each board individually,
getting one point for a win and half a
point for a tie.
In Britain, it is more common to
award two points for a win and one for
a tie.
Tactics are similar to matchpoints
because what counts is whether you
beat the result at the other table rather
than the margin of the win.
POINT COUNT
A method of hand valuation by points,
the most popular of which is the
Milton Work count: you count four
for an ace, three for a king, two for a
queen, one for a jack.
Some pairs, depending upon the
auction, also count points for length
or shortages.
POINTED SUITS
Diamonds and spades, so called
because of the shape of their suit
symbols. Similarly, clubs and hearts
are the ‘rounded suits’.
POKER BRIDGE
A style of bidding and play that has
an unduly large element of gambling
about it.
PORI
After an opponent doubles a 4NT ace
enquiry, Pass shows zero (O) aces, and
Redouble shows one (I). This method
is common for users of PODI but
otherwise rare.
PORTLAND CLUB, THE
First body to codify the Laws of Bridge
(1895). At rubber bridge, it is still an
important authority in the world of
international bridge and holds the
copyright to the Laws in many parts
of the world.
PORTLAND RULES
Rules the Portland Club has laid down
that include banning the use of any
conventional bids in the club’s rooms.
POSITION
1. The cardinal compass point (North-
South-East-West) of a player is his
Page 28 BRIDGE October 2020
2. Position can be a relative term, such
as a player’s position in relation to
the dealer (first hand is the dealer,
second hand is on the dealer’s left
etc.). Position can also be in relation
to another player: to sit over/behind
(to be the left-hand opponent) or
under/in front of (to be the right-
hand opponent).
3. The position of a card eg if North
holds the A-Q of spades and West
holds the ♠K, this card is in a
favourable position for North-
South.
POSITIONAL FACTOR
The value of a particular holding may
change as the auction develops, thus
indicating the likely disposition of the
other relevant cards.
For instance, a holding of K-x in
a suit is more valuable if the lead is
coming up to it or partner has bid the
suit; it is less valuable if your left-hand
opponent has bid the suit. Thus, the
positional factor affects its value.
POSITIONAL SQUEEZE
A squeeze that is effective against one
opponent but not the other, ie it will
not operate if you interchange the
opponents’ hands.
A common reason why a squeeze
works against one opponent only is
if both threats are in the same hand,
which means they will need to lie over
rather than under the stoppers.
For example:
♠ A J
♥ K
♦ —
♣ —
♠ K Q ♠ 9
♥ A N ♥ Q
W E
♦ — S
♦ —
♣ — ♣ 2
♠ 6
♥ 6
♦ —
♣ A
Both threats are in the North hand,
so when South leads the ♣A West is
squeezed in the majors. If you swap
the East-West cards, the squeeze
would fail because East discards after
North and would discard the same
suit as North.
POSITIVE RESPONSE
A constructive response guaranteeing
some conventionally agreed minimum
strength. The term usually applies after
partner has made a forcing opening
bid (when the mere fact of keeping
the bidding open would not promise
strength).
For example, 2♣-Pass-2♠ would be a
positive response. Requirements vary
between partnerships. Some allow a
positive response on a four-card suit;
others require a five-card suit or even a
five-card suit headed by two of the top
three honours.
POST MORTEM
The discussion of a bridge deal after
the conclusion of play. Discussing
a deal can be useful in helping
you to learn from any mistakes or
misunderstandings.
The best time to discuss a deal is
at the end of the session, when hand
records can be useful for the purpose.
You should only conduct a post
mortem at the table if you are sure that
you are not holding up or upsetting
the other players.
POSTING THE SCORE
To place the overall results chart of
an event where it is accessible to the
competitors.
POWERHOUSE
A hand of tremendous trick-taking
ability.
PRECISION
A bidding system that originated
in Taiwan in the 1960s and was the
brainchild of C. C. Wei. It achieved
world attention when the team from
Nationalist China finished second
in both the 1969 and 1970 World
Championships. The system is based
on an artificial 1♣ (16+ points)
opening, five-card majors and a 13-15
1NT. A 2♣ opening is natural while
a 2♦ opening shows a three-suited-
hand short in diamonds; 2♥ and 2♠
openings are weak twos. The range for
the 1♥, 1♠, 2♣ and 2♦ openings is 11-
15, ie less than the 16 required to open
1♣.
When opener has a strong hand,
the benefit of the system is that the
partnership can establish a game force
at a low level (any positive response
creates a game force), making it easier
to find the best game or slam. When
opener has a weaker hand, the benefit
is that responder knows opener’s
strength better than in a natural
system. The disadvantages are that
a 1♦ opening occurs commonly and
says little about opener’s hand; in
addition, vigorous opposing bidding
can disrupt sequences that start 1♣.
PRE-DEALING
The dealing of the hands in advance
of the competition. This is common if
a computer does the dealing or if the
competition is a simultaneous pairs.
PRE-EMPTIVE BID OR
SHUTOUT BID
A weak high-level bid based upon the
playing strength contained in a long
suit, with few outside values. The bid
is purely obstructive in nature and
can make opposing bidding extremely
difficult.
Pre-emptive bids can be opening
bids or overcalls:
West North East South
3♦ have to bid 3♠ with 7-8 points and
West North East South
1♣
3♦
West North East South
1♣ 1♥ 1♠
4♥
In each case, West’s bid is pre-emptive
in nature. For the first and second
auctions, West might hold:
♠ 8 6 2
♥ 5 N
W E
♦ A Q J 10 5 3 2 S
♣ 8 3
PRE-EMPTIVE RAISE
A raise based on distributional rather
than high-card values in an attempt to
pre-empt the opponents, rather than
necessarily reach a makeable contract.
BRIDGE October 2020 Page 29
For raising partner’s 1♥ opening to 4♥
you might hold:
♠ 7 5
♥ K Q 8 4 3
♦ J 9 6 4 2
♣ 7
PREFERENCE
After partner has bid two suits, putting
him back to his first suit or leaving him
in his second suit is giving preference.
For example in the sequence:
1♥- p a s s -1N T- p a s s -2♦ - p a s s -2 ♥,
responder has given preference for
hearts over diamonds. Since opener’s
first suit will invariably be at least as
long as his second suit, responder
would also show ‘preference’ for
opener’s first suit if his two holdings
were of equal length. Responder would
‘prefer’ the second suit by passing or
raising.
With 3 cards in opener's second
suit and 2 cards in opener's first suit,
responder may go back to opener's first
suit, an action known as giving 'false
preference'. This is partly because a
5-2 fit may play better than a 4-3 fit
and partly because doing so keeps the
bidding open in case opener is fairly
strong.
PREPARED CLUB
An opening bid of 1♣ made on a
balanced hand with possibly only a
three-card (or even two-card) club suit
to prepare for a no-trump rebid.
Using a prepared club is quite
common in five-card major systems
BRIDGE
is ceasing publication.
The last issue will be number
216 - December 2020.
See page 5 for more information.
(because opener cannot open a four-
card major) and when the partnership
is playing a mini or strong no-trump.
PREPARED HANDS
In a par contest, competitors play
specially selected hands designed
to test particular skills. Before Mr
Bridge took over its running, the
Charity Challenge simultaneous pairs
event featured prepared hands. The
organisers invited experts to submit a
hand or two.
PREPARED MINOR SUITS
An opening bid of 1♣ or 1♦ made on
a balanced hand with possibly only
a three-card suit to prepare for a no-
trump rebid.
PREPAREDNESS, THE
PRINCIPLE OF
The principle whereby one selects
an opening bid so that one always
has a sound rebid over any possible
response. The principle can also apply
to responding hands if responder
intends to bid more than once.
PRESSURE BID
A bid made at a high level due to the
presence of interference bidding.
For example after a 1♠ opening
and a 3♣ overcall, responder may
some spade support, less than that
required for an uncontested 3♠
bid. Such a bid is a ‘pressure bid’.
If holding full values for a
3♠ raise, responder would find
another bid to take the pressure of
opener, such as jumping to 4♠. u
t The usual rule is to allow the makes his living from the game of tables in play. The winners on a round
opposing bidding to pressure you into bridge, though not necessarily as a move up a table while the losers stay
bidding one level higher than you player. put (or vice versa).
would have bid without their bidding.
PRINCIPLE OF FAST ARRIVAL PROBABILITIES OF
The idea that in a game-forcing DISTRIBUTION
♠ K 8 5 4 situation, the more quickly you reach The mathematically expected
♥ Q 4 N game the less interest you have in distribution of the opposing cards.
W E
♦ J 6 S alternative contracts.
♣ A Q 9 8 5 Opponents Division Probability
West North East South hold (to nearest
1NT Pass 2♦* Pass percent)
West North East South 2♥ Pass 3♣ Pass 8 cards 5-3 47%
1♣ Pass 1♠ 3♥/4♥ 4♥ 4-4 33%
? *transfer to hearts 6-2 17%
7-1 3%
You would have bid only 2♠ if South It is common here to play that West’s 7 cards 4-3 62%
had passed, so you should bid 3♠ over 4♥ shows a dead minimum opening. 5-2 31%
3♥ but not 4♠ over 4♥. With a heart fit and any sort of 6-1 7%
willingness to co-operate if East 6 cards 4-2 48%
PRIMARY SUPPORT has slam interest, West would bid 3-1 36%
Four-card support for a bid that 3♥ to set the suit and leave room for 5-1 15%
promises four or five cards in the suit, investigation. 6-0 1%
such as a natural opening bid of one of 5 cards 3-2 68%
a suit. Three cards suffice if partner has PRINCIPLE OF RESTRICTED 4-1 28%
shown six or more cards in the suit. If CHOICE 5-0 4%
partner has made a prepared opening This is the idea that if an opponent 4 cards 3-1 50%
in a minor, you need five cards. makes a particular play, especially 2-2 40%
In most systems, showing primary dropping a high card, this is more 4-0 10%
support for a major fixes the suit as likely to be a forced (ie restricted) play 3 cards 2-1 78%
trumps. rather than a chosen play. 3-0 22%
2 cards 1-1 52%
PRIME VALUES 2-0 48%
Aces, kings and other cards that stand ♠ Q 4 2
a high chance of being useful in the N
PROGRESSIVE SQUEEZE
play. W E A triple squeeze in which you force an
S
opponent to release control of one suit
♠ A K 9 3 and then use the newly created winner
♠ K Q J 10 6 in that suit to squeezed him again in
♥ A K 6 the remaining two suits. For example:
♦ J 6 4 Suppose you cash the ace and cross
♣ Q 4 to the queen, picking up the jack (or
ten) from West on the second round. If ♠ K
the jack (or ten) is a forced play from a ♥ A J
In this hand, the ♠K-Q-J-10 and the doubleton honour, you want to finesse ♦ 3
♥A-K are prime values. The ♦J and the the nine on the third round. Finessing ♣ 5
♣Q, which may or may not contribute is normally correct because with ♠ A
to the hand’s trick-taking potential, J-10-x West might equally have played ♥ K Q N
W E
are not. the other honour on the second round. ♦ K Q S
♣ —
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A bridge professional is a person who A form of social bridge with several ♥ 5
♦ A J
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Page 30 BRIDGE October 2020

whichever suit West discards to
squeeze him again in the other two
suits. This type of squeeze can be
automatic but is more commonly
positional, as here (East, if holding
West’s cards, could escape the second
squeeze by discarding a diamond).
PROMOTION
The play of one card to promote
another to winning status. The term
usually applies to covering honours or
to a promotion in the trump suit that
occurs through ruffing.
♠ Q 9
N
♠ J 10 8 5
W E ♠ K 7 4 3 2
S
♠ A 6
West leads the jack, which the queen
covers. East covers in turn, causing the
promotion of West’s ten to winning
rank once South’s ace has gone.
PROPRIETIES
The rules of proper conduct, ethics
and etiquette.
PROTECT
1. If you have small cards to guard an
honour in a suit, you may describe
the honour as ‘protected’.
2. To bid after two successive passes so
that your partner may have another
opportunity to bid. The word
protect comes about because your
partner may have held adequate
values for a bid but had the wrong
kind of hand (such as length in the
opposing suit) to act on his own.
3. If you prevent an opponent from
leading through a vulnerable high
card, you protect that high card.
For example:
8 6 4
N
A 9 7 3
W E Q J 10 2
S
K 5
South’s king is safe from a lead by
West, but not by East. To protect
BRIDGE October 2020 Page 31
the king South might choose a bid
that makes him rather than North
declarer. During the play, South might
arrange to lose the lead to West rather
than East.
PROTECTION
This means taking action when your
side has not been in the bidding and,
if you passed, the auction would end.
In common context, the term is
synonymous with re-opening.
PROTEST PERIOD
The period in competitions, usually for
thirty minutes after the officials have
posted the score, within which a player
or players may request the correction
of any anomaly in the scoring or may
register an appeal against a ruling by
the tournament director.
PSEUDO SQUEEZE
A play that leads a defender to believe
that a squeeze position exists when in
fact none does.
Most defenders are inexpert at
defending when they have to make a
series of discards, so it is often a good
idea as declarer to run a long suit.
PSYCHIC BID
A bid that deliberately and
substantially misstates the strength
and / or distribution of a hand. So long
as the bid is as much of a surprise to
your partner as the opponents, psychic
bids are a legitimate part of the game.
For example:
♠ 8 5 4
♥ K 7 3 2 N East seat in jeopardy.
W E
♦ 8 4 S
♣ Q 8 5 2
West North East South
3♥ Pass
4NT
Knowing that North-South certainly
have a game on and possibly a slam,
West feigns a show of strength by
asking for aces.
PUMP
Colloquialism for forcing declarer to
ruff.
PUNCH
To force a player to shorten his trumps
by ruffing.
PUNT
To bid directly to game or slam when
more constructive and descriptive
bids are available.
The term normally refers to hands
on which you bid a game or a slam
on a speculative rather than a sound
basis.
PUPPET STAYMAN
A version of Stayman for five-card and
four-card suits following an opening
bid of 1NT or 2NT. After 2NT-Pass-
3♣-Pass-3♦ (denying a five-card
major), responder bids the major in
which he does not hold four cards.
The main purpose of bidding the
major he does not hold is that the
strong opening hand will become
declarer if a fit is present.
For example:
♠ K Q 8 2 ♠ J 10 7 4
♥ K 8 5 3 N ♥ 4 2
W E
♦ A Q J S ♦ K 8
♣ A 6 ♣ Q 10 5 4 2
West East
2NT 3♣1
3♦2 3♥3
3♠ 4♠
1
do you have a five-card major?
2
no
3
showing four spades
A heart lead would put 4♠ from the
With West as declarer, there is the
chance of playing three rounds of
diamonds to discard a heart from the
East hand.
PUSH
1. To make a non-constructive raise
in a competitive situation – usually
with the idea to encourage the
opponents to bid higher, to a level
where you can defeat them.
2. A board in a teams match with no
swing (slang).
u
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Page 32 BRIDGE October 2020
t QUANTITATIVE 5NT
Q
QUANTITATIVE 4NT
The use of 4NT, usually as a direct
raise of no-trumps, to request partner
to pass or bid 6NT depending on
whether he is minimum or maximum
in the context of the previous bidding.
If neither partner has a long suit, you
will need to able to envisage 31-34
points between the two hands for a
quantitative 4NT.
♠ A 8 5 2
♥ K Q 10
♦ A K 5
♣ K J 3
If partner shows a balanced 12-14 (for
example by opening a weak 1NT), you
make a quantitative raise to 4NT.
Hand 1 Hand 2
♠ K 10 4 ♠ K Q 4
♥ A 8 5 ♥ A 8 5
♦ Q J 9 2 ♦ Q J 9 2
♣ Q 7 4 ♣ Q 7 4
With the first hand, partner is
minimum and passes 4NT. The second
hand has 14 points (maximum) and
warrants an advance to 6NT, which is
a good contract.
BRIDGE
is ceasing publication.
The last issue will be number
216 - December 2020.
See page 5 for more information.
The use of 5NT, usually as a direct
raise of no-trumps, to request partner
to bid 6NT or 7NT depending on
whether he is minimum or maximum
in the context of the previous bidding.
If neither partner has a long suit, you
will need to able to envisage 35-38
points between the two hands for a
quantitative 4NT.
QUEEN OVER JACK
An assumption made in rubber bridge
that the queen lies over the jack of
the same suit more often than simple
probabilities suggest. It comes from
the theory that on the previous deal
the queen may have covered the jack
and that, after the trick was gathered,
the two cards remained together even
after the shuffle.
QUICK TRICK
A quick trick is the same as or similar
to a defensive trick. In one suit, an A-K
is two quick tricks; ace or K-Q is one;
A-Q is one and a half; a king is a half.
Lower honours do not count towards
quick tricks.
QUITTED TRICK
In duplicate bridge, you call a trick
quitted once all four players have
turned their cards over. In rubber
bridge, you call a trick quitted once
the four cards making up the trick
are gathered by the winning side.
In duplicate, nobody can inspect a
quitted trick although a player may
look at (but not expose) his own card
until someone leads to the next trick.
In rubber bridge, a player may inspect
the current trick until his side has
played to the next trick. n
 Seven Days
SATURDAY
Up early for my weekly session with
Fiona against Hanna and Siyu – the
hands are particularly unexciting this
week. Then I pick up Barry before
driving off to Suffolk to stay with
his sister Carole. We have a late soup
lunch and then chat about this and
that (she lives alone so apologises for
being particularly chatty when she has
company) until a healthy supper of
smoked fish and salad.
SUNDAY
Our regular weekly session with Karen
and Axel is today. Somehow there is
always a big penalty lurking around
the corner when we play them. Here is
this week’s effort:
Dealer North. Game All.
♠ 10 8 6
♥ J 10 9 6 5
♦ 8 5 4
♣ 8 7
♠ A J 7 4 3 ♠ Q
N
♥ A KQ8432
W E
♥
♦ A Q J 7 S ♦ 9 6 3
♣ K 9 4 ♣ J 10 6
♠ K 9 5 2
♥ 7
♦ K 10 2
♣ A Q 5 3 2
West North East South
Pass 2♦ 2♥
Dbl Pass Pass 3♣
Dbl All Pass
BRIDGE October 2020 Page 33
by Sally Brock
Karen and Axel play a defence to a
Multi that has gone out of favour in
the UK. 2♥ shows a take-out of hearts.
I am happy to double, asking partner
to pass with hearts. When he obliges,
Axel is rather stuck. He bids his 5-card
suit and I am happy to double that. I
kick off to a good opening lead: the
♠A. Barry ruffs the second spade,
plays a diamond to my jack and I
give him another spade ruff. He plays
another diamond. I take two tricks
there, and play another spade and he
overruffs the dummy. I still have the
♥A and another couple of trump tricks
to come. Plus 1700. This is worth only
a 6 IMP gain; at both the tables we are
comparing with, East opened a weak
2♥, South doubled, West redoubled
and North-South were in the same
position. The standard English defence
to a Multi would have worked much
better here, because South would
pass 2♦, expecting to be able to make
a take-out double of 2♥ later. On the
actual deal that would have led to West
bidding 2NT, East 3NT (showing two
of the top three heart honours in their
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methods), and West removing to 4♥. A
mere +620 would not have scored well
for East-West.
After the game we go in the car
to Aldeburgh and walk along the
beach, stopping to buy Dover sole for
dinner at one of the fish shacks there.
Certainly cheaper than London prices.
We go home for a snacky lunch and
then out again to Sizewell where the
nuclear reactor is. That may be a blot
on the landscape (though there is a
strange beauty about the bright white
dome), but the sea is beautiful – huge
horizon with the sea going on forever.
I sit doing nothing while Carole and
Barry cook the Dover sole – which is
completely delicious.
MONDAY
In the morning I have my usual online
session with Debbie, then we go to
Richard and Jenni’s house for lunch.
They are friends who live in London
but also have a country house in
Aldeburgh, where they have decided
to be for the lockdown. u
t It was great to see them and the
extension they have had built for their
house. We have an excellent lunch
(just managing to eat most of it outside
before the rain starts) and then go for
a walk in the area beyond their house.
We probably outstay our welcome
(though you would never know it) and
it is early evening before we leave. We
only have a little room for soup for
supper and entertain ourselves with
Casualty and University Challenge.
TUESDAY
It’s roughly a three-hour drive to get
home and I drop Barry off before
getting back to my place just in time
to go and pick Briony up from her
cricket training. Then she’s off to
sailing while I am online with Andy.
In the evening there is a Midsummer
Swiss match which we manage to win
by 12 IMPs. I don’t join in for the post
mortem because Briony is just back
from sailing and I feel as if I haven’t
really seen her for a while (and she is
going away on Friday).
WEDNESDAY
We are entertaining this evening and
I have forgotten to buy a few things.
Briony needs to go and have a Corona
virus test in order to be able to travel
on Friday, so she drops me off in
Holland Park and I buy a few things
– most importantly cheese from the
Jeroboam deli there. (My old favourite
in South Kensington has closed down
so I was looking for a replacement.)
I haven’t had time to do my usual
exercise routine, so after she leaves (she
is helping with a holiday cricket camp
for schoolchildren) I get all that done
in readiness for an 11.15 online session
with Gilly, but she rings to cancel as
she is not feeling good. I spend the
next hour or so deleting old emails (I
had a message saying that I had nearly
filled my storage and if I don’t do
something I will not be able to receive
any emails). Then I guess I need to do
a bit of tidying. When Briony comes
home we have an enjoyable couple of
hours cooking and preparing food
for the evening: roast chicken dinner
with all the trimmings, followed by
French apple tart. Barry, Margaret
Page 34 BRIDGE October 2020
and Martin arrive 7ish, and we have
a really nice evening: the food works
well and conversation flows freely
(I’m really impressed about how well
informed Toby is about US politics).
THURSDAY
Today is quiet. I help Briony with
various packing decisions. We both
help Toby decide what he should
take. What is rubbish and what is fit
for a charity shop? Later on I have a
practice with Fiona against Heather
and Maggie – always good fun.
FRIDAY
I 'Zoom' with my old schoolfriends
for half an hour or so in the morning
and then wander up the High Street
– Briony needs to get her Kenyan
shillings and I need a bit of food. We
potter about – she is still deciding what
to take. There are a lot of uncertainties
about flying in the Covid-19 world.
She’s been told she is to be allowed very
little hand luggage but as much hold
luggage as she wants. Should she put
her computer in the hold? What about
her camera? Etc. Then we help load the
car up with Toby’s stuff for tomorrow.
At six o’clock Briony and I set off for
Heathrow and when I come back I
play in the YC duplicate with Kitty.
We do some good stuff and some bad
but do at least finish positive.
SATURDAY
Today I am playing in the ‘Eastbourne’
Pairs with Gilly. It is also the day Toby
is moving out. I had promised to
help him but have passed that job on
to Barry because of my bridge date.
They leave at 9.30 or so – to Stratford,
first to get the keys to the flat, then
to move Toby’s stuff in, then to go to
Joe’s flat to pick up his stuff, etc, etc.
Eventually, Barry arrives home at 6ish.
Meanwhile, Gilly and I have the bridge
session from hell. I start by discarding
carelessly on a hand where I could have
sworn dummy had had four diamonds
when it actually had only three, so I let
through a ridiculous overtrick. Then
we take it in turns to do something
stupid, and even when we don't do
something stupid, our results do not
improve. In the middle of all of this,
Briony lands in Addis Ababa and texts
me from there. Maybe I am distracted
by the movements of my children and
Gilly has not been well. We both feel
so depressed afterwards that we are
considering not playing on Sunday.
Maybe we wouldn’t have done if it
wasn’t for this high spot near the end:
Dealer West. Game All.
♠ 10 6
♥ K Q J 6
♦ 9 6 4 3
♣ K J 9
♠ A 8 5
♥ 2 N
♠ 9 3 2
♥ 10 7 5
W E
♦ A Q J 8 5 S ♦ K 10 7 2
♣ 7 4 3 2 ♣ 8 6 5
♠ K Q J 7 4
♥ A 9 8 4 3
♦ Void
♣ A Q 10
West North East South
Pass Pass Pass 1♠
Pass 2♦ Pass 2♥
Pass
Pass
3♥ Pass 4♣
5♥ Pass 6♥
All Pass
Gilly has good judgement in the slam
zone, and this deal is no exception.
She had made a non-forcing 3♥ bid, so
when I still make a slam try of 4♣ she
knows she has magic cards. As I hadn’t
shown delayed diamond support, I
am likely to be short there. Her jump
to 5♥ shows good trumps which is
exactly what I want to hear. I bid the
slam happily and lose just the ♠A. This
scores us 93.4% as only a handful of
other pairs bid it.
Later I cook venison steaks for Barry
and me – it’s ages since he’s been here
as I usually go to his place when the
children are here. What will happen
to our routine without them? Briony
eventually lands in Mombasa – 30
people on a plane designed for 600,
and the first incoming flight since
the Lockdown. She says she felt like
a celebrity as there were so many
paparazzi there to greet the plane.
Anyway, she is in good spirits – quite a
relief. With Toby gone too, it feels like
the end of an era. n
 BRIDGE is ceasing publication.
The last issue will be number 216 - December 2020.
See page 5 for more information.

Julian Pottage Answers Your Bridge Questions

Can A Michaels Cue Bid

Be Very Strong?

Q
The following players made a bid to bid one of the majors with a to say ‘provided sufficient
very distributional show their 2-suiter decent hand) trumps are available
deal occurred at a 3. At our table the 4
Expecting North to hold a weak for ruffing purposes’.
recent online club session bidding went: hand, South settles for game. For example:
and we would, please, like There is a case for bidding 4♦,
to have your observations West North East South though at this vulnerability
on how it should be bid. 1♠ 2♥ Pass 4NT1 South is expecting to buy the ♠ A Q 8 4
Pass 5♠2 Pass 6♥ contract in 4♥. ♥ 8
All Pass 5
With significant extra shape ♦ A Q 5 3
Dealer West. E/W Game. 1
RKCB West makes the unusual ♣ 9 7 4 3
♠ K Q 10 6 5 3 2
Two key cards plus the ♥Q (or, decision to sacrifice vulnerable
♥ A K 9 6 5 2 as here, enough hearts to think against not in 5♣, a contract
♦ 5 the partnership has a 10-card fit) that would in fact make. If spades were trumps,
♣ Void 6
Holding the strong variety most players would say
♠ A J 9 7 2 ♠ 8 On the lead of the club ace North must do something. Just this is a 6 loser hand.
N
♥ J W E
♥ 4 3 all 13 tricks were taken as all in case South has both pointed But could two trumps be
♦ 6 S ♦ 9 8 4 2 of North’s spades went away suit aces North cue bids 6♣. spared for ruffing hearts?
♣ K J 10 8 6 2 ♣ A 9 7 5 4 3 on dummy’s diamonds. 7
Shows first-round diamond Many years ago I came
♠ 4 4. Should West open 1♣ control but denies the ability to across a description of
♥ Q 10 8 7 and if so is it reasonable bid a grand slam. the Australian One Club
♦ A K Q J 10 7 3 for East/West to find System. In this system it was
♣ Q their 7♣ sacrifice? At any other vulnerability assumed that the first three
Steve Fieldhouse by email. the auction might end in trumps (if declarer) or the first
7♣ doubled. As it is East- two trumps (if responder)

The bidding was different
at all 11 tables and only
two North/South pairs
reached the laydown small
slam in hearts over which
the opponents have an
excellent sacrifice in 7♣.
The various West players
either passed or opened
A
On a wildly West need to get out for were unavailable for ruffing
distributional deal 3 off in 7♣ doubled if the shortages in side suits. In this
you would expect field is bidding and making case the hand above would
a variety of results. small slam as North-South be a 6 loser hand if held
Here is a possible auction: and for 1 off if the field is by responder but a 7 loser
stopping in game. West hand if held by declarer.
West North East South also hopes to defeat 6♥ via Keith Jackson,
1♣1 2♣2 4♣3 4♥4 the ♠A and a spade ruff. Cheam.
5♣5 6♣6 Pass 6♦7

A
1♣ or 1♠; 1♣ appears Pass 6♥ All Pass ♣♦♥♠ The losing trick
preferable to me. 1
West has no reason not to count slightly

1. At the two tables where
West passed, both Norths
opened in hearts rather
than with the correct 1♠.
2. When West opened
1♣, none of the North
open the longest suit. In the
olden days people opened 1♣
with 5-5 in the black suits.
2
Michaels, both majors (at least
5-5), weak or strong
3
Pre-emptive (East would cue
Q
In the LTC, xx, x,
and a void are
counted as 2, 1
and 0 losers respectively
provided there is a trump
fit. Would it not be better
overvalues 4-4-4-1
hands. If you open 1♦
and partner responds 1♠,
you would definitely raise
to 2♠ rather than 3♠.
u

BRIDGE October 2020 Page 35

t For the LTC to produce
the correct number of
expected tricks your side
generally needs a 9-card
fit, so typically the player
who bids the suit first will
have at least one more
trump than the player who
raises, so yes there is a logic
in valuing declarer and
dummy differently. For using
the LTC, a 4-card trump
holding is generally adequate
if partner has shown a
5-card suit but might not be
enough if partner has only
four, as could easily be the
case after a 1♦-1♠ start.
If the auction in fact started
1♦-(2♣)-2♠ then you place
partner with at least five
spades (a hand with only
four spades would make
a negative double.) In this
case, your hand would be
worth a jump to 4♠ (a 4♥
splinter would perhaps be
doing a bit too much).
♣♦♥♠
Q
I was puzzled by
Andrew Kambites’
answer to the
Slam Bidding Part 1 quiz
in BRIDGE 212, p35, Hand
1B. He must play a different
version of Stayman to that
which I have used and
taught for many years. He
states “If partner shows four
hearts you will bid 3♠ to see
if he is 4-4 in the majors”.
For me this would show
that you hold five spades in
your hand, and are looking
for a 5-3 fit. I would rebid
3NT instead and partner
then knows that hearts
was not my suit and I must
therefore be holding four
spades. With both majors
opener can, if he wishes,
bid 4♠ depending on the
strength or weaknesses of
the other suits. Incidentally,
my partner and I do play
the “old fashioned Baron
convention over 2NT” and
Page 36 BRIDGE October 2020
find it excellent in finding a
fit in both minors and majors.
Bruce McDougall,
Co Durham.
A
We recommend
using transfers in
response to a 2NT
opening, so a hand with five
spades but not four hearts
would respond 3♥, not 3♣.
Bidding 3♣ and then 3♠
would not therefore show
five spades – a golden
principle of bidding systems
is that different sequences
show different hands.
If you are playing 2NT-3♣-
3♥-3NT as promising four
spades, you do not need 3♠
as natural with four spades
or with five spades; you
would need to agree it with
your partner but the most
helpful meaning might be a
hand with heart support too
good for a simple raise to 4♥.
♣♦♥♠
Q
On the deal
below North in
our room made
ten tricks for a shared top.
Dealer West. Game All.
♠ K J 10
♥ A 10 7
♦ K 8
♣ A J 9 6 3
♠ A 8 6 ♠ Q 5 4
N
♥ K 8 6 W E ♥ 5 3
♦ 10 7 6 5 S ♦ Q 9 3
♣ Q 4 2 ♣ K 10 8 7 5
♠ 9 7 3 2
♥ Q J 9 4 2
♦ A J 4 2
♣ Void
West North East South
Pass 1♣1 Pass 2♦2
Pass 2♥ Pass 3♥
Pass 4♥ All Pass
1
Strong, artificial (Precision
style).
2
Transfer, promising at least five
hearts.
The opening lead was a club.
3♥ by South made eleven
tricks, by two pairs.
Should they have bid 4♥?
1NT by North made ten
tricks, by four pairs.
1NT by North made
seven tricks, once.
3NT by South was one
light, by four pairs.
Could North make
eleven tricks in hearts?
Could the partnership
reach 4♥?
Alex Mathers,
Northallerton.
A
With the ♠Q in the
East hand, declarer
has two sure spade
losers in a heart contract.
With the ♥K and ♦Q both
onside, it is possible to avoid
any losers in the red suits
by taking all the available
finesses and discarding
a diamond on the ♣A.
Declarer might try ruffing
the third round of diamonds
in dummy, which only costs
a trump trick if West has
exactly three hearts including
the king (the actual layout)
– if West has the doubleton
king or East holds the king,
shortening North’s trumps
makes no difference. Perhaps
the right play is ruff a club
at trick two and tackle
trumps at once, leading the
queen early, to discover the
position (and reducing the
chance of an adverse spade
ruff). If East (holding K-x-x)
manages to duck the first
trump smoothly and wins
the second round and exits
with a third round, you still
have the diamond finesse
in reserve. Of course, with
24 HCP between the two
hands, some pairs will not be
in game (as the results you
quote confirm) and declarer
will be reasonably happy
just with 10 tricks. Ruffing
a club could result in losing
control if hearts are 4-1.
If South declares a heart
contract, West might well
lead a diamond, making
life easier for declarer.
♣♦♥♠
Q
I have a bidding
query. My
partner opened
1♠; what should my
response be please?
♠ J 2
♥ A J 5
♦ K Q 6
♣ A K J 8 2
We do not play weak jump
shifts or Bergen raises
or anything like that.
Elizabeth Kempshall,
Hove, West Sussex.
A
Given that you play
strong jump shifts,
you could start
with 3♣ and rebid 3NT.
That would give a good
general impression of the
hand, though I would say
you would normally be in
the 16-18 range for that.
If you start with 2♣ and
partner rebids 2♠, you will
be a bit too strong to rebid
3NT and so need to invent
a rebid, a 3♦ reverse for
example. Then if partner
continues with either 3NT or
a fourth suit 3♥ you could
make an invitational 4NT bid.
♣♦♥♠
Q
We had an
interesting
bidding sequence
when, as West, I held this
uninspiring collection:
♠ Q 8 7 4
♥ 9 6 4 2
♦ 8 5 4
♣ 10 2
Continued on page 38... u
 BERNARD  Answers to Sally Brock’s
MAGEE’S
INTERACTIVE
Simple Take-Out Doubles
TUTORIAL CD Part 4 Quiz, on page 19
ADVANCED What do you bid on the following hands with the auction given?
DECLARER The vulnerability and scoring method should not affect your answers.
PLAY
Hand 1 Hand 2
♠ K 7 6 2 ♠ A Q 10 7 6
♥ A Q 4 ♥ 7 6 2
♦ 7 6 3 2 ♦ A Q 6 5
♣ A 10 ♣ 4
MAC
or Windows West North East South
2♥ Dbl Pass
? have a stronger hand with
Hand 1 Bid 2NT, Lebensohl. Then,
when partner bids 3♣ or
3♦, bid 3♥. This shows four
spades and a heart stopper,
so partner can choose
which game he prefers.
Hand 2 Bid 3♠. This is forcing
Bernard develops your (remember, you would bid
advanced declarer play 2NT first if you had only
technique in the course of invitational values with five
spades). Even if partner
ten exercises and 120 new
is minimum you want to
complete deals. play in game, but if he
has extras a slam is quite
l Overtricks in Notrump possible. If he has extra
Contracts values he will cue-bid.
l Overtricks in Suit
Contracts
£81 Hand 3 Hand 4
l Endplay
£61
♠ Q 3 ♠ K Q 10 6 5
l Avoidance ♥ J 10 5 4 ♥ A 5 4
♦ A Q 3 ♦ 10 5
l Wrong Contract
♣ 7 6 3 2 ♣ J 8 7
l Squeezes
l Counting the Hand
West North East South
l Trump Trouble
3♥ Dbl Pass
l Doubled Contracts ? percentages favour a pass.
l Safety Plays
Hand 3 Pass. You don’t need to have
Operating system requirements:
Windows or Mac OS 10.08 -10.14 a very strong trump holding
to pass a take-out double of
a three level opening. You
Mr Bridge Limited don’t have enough to think
3NT would make but you
( 01483 489961 should have good chances
www.mrbridge.co.uk/shop of beating 3♥. You may even
BRIDGE October 2020 Page 37
get a decent penalty with
nothing making your way.
Hand 4 If partner had opened 2♥
you would have settled for
an invitational bid in spades
(start with 2NT and then bid
3♠), but you are too strong
for a mere 3♠ after the 3♥
opening. If you bid 3♠, your
partner will place you with at
most 7 HCP and possibly only
a 4-card spade suit. Here you
a robust 5-card spade suit,
so you should jump to 4♠.
Hand 5 Hand 6
♠ 7 ♠ 8
♥ A Q 4 3 ♥ A Q 10 6 5
♦ K 10 5 4 ♦ K 10 6 5 4
♣ J 10 3 2 ♣ 7 3
West North East South
4♠ Dbl Pass
?
Hand 5 A double of 4♠ should
be a strong no-trump or
thereabouts, and if partner
had opened one of those
you certainly would not want
to be driving to the five level
on your 4-4-4-1 shape. Pass
and hope for the best. Of
course, partner’s double
might not be so balanced
(he has to do something
with any strong hand), so it
could be right to bid, but the
Hand 6 Here with two good suits you
should remove the double.
A 4NT bid on this auction
shows two possible places
to play. Partner should bid
his better minor. If he bids
5♦ you will pass, but if bids
5♣ you will continue with
5♦ showing both red suits.
t ...Continued from page 36.
West North East South
1♣ Dbl 1♥
Pass 2♣ 2♦ 3♣
Pass Pass Dbl Pass
?
We play a double of a
3 level bid for penalties
but with our opponents
having found a fit I did
not think I could pass.
Margaret Moonan by email.
A
Partner’s initial
double followed by
2♦ showed a strong
hand with diamonds.
The second double shows
more of the same with either
extra strength or extra shape.
Since with four spades
and a longer diamond
suit, partner would have
doubled 2♣ rather than bid
2♦, I do not think we have
a 4-4 spade fit. I therefore
bid 3♦. Although the ♠Q
could be a useful card, the
doubleton club is unlikely to
be working. I do not wish to
punish partner for competing
by jumping to 4♦ – it would
be inconsistent to pass over
3♣ on the previous round
and jump to 4♦ now.
♣♦♥♠
Q
May I ask for your
advice as to how
we should have
bid these hands at teams.
♠ 10 7 5
♥ K 8 6 4
♦ 9 6 5 2
♣ A 7
♠ Q 9 6 2 ♠ A K 4
♥ 10 2 N ♥ 5
W E
♦ K J 3 S ♦ A Q 10 8 7 4
♣ K Q 6 4 ♣ J 9 2
♠ J 8 3
♥ A Q J 9 7 3
♦ Void
♣ 10 8 5 3
Page 38 BRIDGE October 2020
We were E/W and the
auction was as follows:
West North East South
1♦ 2♥
Dbl Pass 3♦ All Pass
At the other table the initial
bidding was the same, but
after the double, North
raised to 3♥. East then rebid
3♠, which West raised to
4♠, the game making with
the favourable spade split.
5♦ looks to be the best
contract. How should
we have bid it?
Hugh Ball,
Eastbourne, East Sussex.
A
This is a tricky one.
Neither West nor East
did anything terribly
wrong – both players were
maximum for their bidding.
The hands happened to fit
perfectly – no wasted values
in hearts facing the singleton
– which is why 5♦ was on.
West had already shown
a reasonable hand by
doubling at the two level
but could have had a
couple of points fewer.
East might have bid 3♥
rather than 3♦ because if
West had a heart stopper
it would be possible to
envisage scoring six diamond
tricks, two spades and
a heart to make 3NT.
Knowing that heart
ruffs would be in the short
trump hand, the 3♠ bid
chosen at the other table
certainly had merit.
♣♦♥♠
Q
The following hands
came up in a BBO
matchpoint game:
Email your questions (including
your postal address) for Julian to:
julianpottage@mrbridge.co.uk
Dealer West. N/S Game.
Mr Bridge
♠ A K 9
♥ K Q J 10 9
Luxury
♦ J 10 6
♣ 8 4
Playing
N
W E
Cards
S
♠ 10 7 6 5 4
♥ 4
♦ K 4 3
♣ Q J 10 3
West North East South
1♣ 1♥ 2♣ Pass
Pass 2♥ All Pass
My partner felt that I, as
South, should have doubled
2♣ to show I had spades.
Given the vulnerability
and the weakness of my
suit I did not think so. I
would appreciate your
advice and comments.
Simon Bloomfield,
Hitchin, Hertfordshire.
A
With only 6 HCP and
no fit, South does
not have enough to
double 2♣. Normally with a
5-3-3-2 shape North would
reopen with a double; with
hearts this good I quite
understand treating the suit
as if it was a six-card suit.
It looks as if 2♥ and 2♠ Box of 72 - £72
would both go one down. (36 red, 36 blue)
Defending 2♣ doubled
would appear to be the
Strip of 12 -
winning move, though I do £19.95
not think South would leave (6 red, 6 blue)
in the double anyway. When
opponents bid and raise a Includes
suit and you hold four cards postage to UK
in it, partner usually has a
addresses.
singleton. Furthermore South
has five spades and would
expect North to have some
Cards are not
support. n barcoded and do
not have tuck-
boxes
( 01483 489961
www.mrbridge.co.uk/shop
 Answers to Julian Pottage’s 
Defence Quiz on page 9
1. ♠ J 10 8 4
♥ K
♦ K Q 10
♣ Q J 9 6 4
♠ K 6 5 ♠ 7 2
N
♥ A 9 5 4 2 ♥ Q 8 7 6
W E
♦ 9 3 S ♦ A 7 6 2
♣ K 10 5 ♣ 7 3 2 ruffing opportunity unless declarer has a
♠ A Q 9 3
♥ J 10 3
♦ J 8 5 4
♣ A 8
West North East South
1NT1
Pass 2♣ Pass 2♠
1
Pass 4♠ All Pass
1
12-14 and Stayman
Partner leads the ♦9. What is your plan?
You read the ♦9 as a short-suit lead.
It is far more likely to be a doubleton
than a singleton partly because there
are many more doubleton holdings and
partly because South might have opened
1♦ with a 4-2-5-2 shape. Lacking an
outside entry, you should duck, playing
the ♦7 to encourage. A diamond ruff
later will enable you to beat the contract
by two tricks.
Partner leads the ♦3. What is your plan? compete to 3♠ and yet would hardly pass
Since you can see all the diamond North’s 1♦ opening with ♠K-Q-x-x-x, it is
honours and the ♦2, the ♦3 lead must be very likely that partner has K-x or Q-x of
a singleton. This means you can win three trumps.
tricks in the suit. What is more, partner This being the case, you need to
will be able to make two club discards duck the first trick, playing the ♣9 to
on your winners, perhaps setting up a encourage. You must then duck the first
round of trumps, allowing partner to
singleton or void in clubs. win. This way, when you get in with the
You should win with the ♦10 (or capture ♣A, you can play a third club, enabling
the ♦J with the ♦Q) and cash two more partner to ruff with a low trump.
winners in the suit. West discards two
clubs and you switch to clubs. Declarer
cannot have all the high spades and the 4. ♠ K 9 5
♣A yet pass as dealer, so partner will be ♥ K J 6
able to get in, give you the lead with the ♦ Q J 8 7 2
♥A and score a club ruff for one down. ♣ K 10
♠ Q 8 2 ♠ J 6
N
♥ 9 4 ♥ A Q 10 8 3
W E
3. ♠ J 10 8 4 ♦ A 10 6 3 S ♦ 5 4
♥ K ♣ J 5 4 3 ♣ A 9 7 2
♦ A K 10 7 4 ♠ A 10 7 4 3
♣ K Q J ♥ 7 5 2
♠ K 6 ♠ A 7 ♦ K 9
N
♥ A Q 9 6 2 ♥ 8 7 5 4 ♣ Q 8 6
W E
♦ J 9 3 2 S ♦ Q 6
♣ 10 3 ♣ A 9 8 5 4
♠ Q 9 5 3 2 West North East South
♥ J 10 3 1NT1 2♥ 2♠
♦ 8 5 All Pass
♣ 7 6 2 1
12-14

Partner leads the ♥9, covered by the ♥J.

2. ♠ 10 7 4 West North East South What is your plan?
♥ K Q Pass 1♦ Pass Pass You can tell the ♥9 is top of a doubleton
♦ J 8 6 1♥ Dbl 3♥ 3♠ (or possibly a singleton), which means
♣ K Q 10 8 4 All Pass you could take the ♥Q, cash the ♥A and
♠ K 8 5 ♠ J 3 give partner a heart ruff. The trouble
N
♥ 9 7 6 5 3 2
W E
♥ AJ Partner leads the ♣10. What is your plan? is that the ruff will quite often cost your
♦ 3 S ♦ A K Q 10 7 2 You read the lead as from a shortage. side a trump trick. If partner has Q-x-x, a
♣ J 7 5 ♣ 9 6 2 Since it looks as if you have the ♠A as trump trick would be coming without the
♠ A Q 9 6 2 an entry, it might seem that you can ruff but not after it. If partner has A-10-x,
♥ 10 8 4 afford to take the ♣A at once and return two trump tricks would be coming without
♦ 9 5 4 the suit in case partner has a singleton. the ruff but only one after it.
♣ A 3 The problem is that if the ten is top of Your hearts are good enough to score
a doubleton you may not get to give three winners without any ruffing so long
partner a productive ruff. The only way as the next heart lead comes from the
West North East South to get in will be to go up with the ♠A on other side of the table. After taking the
Pass the first round and play a third club. As ♥Q, switch to the ♦5. Partner should
Pass 1♣ 1♦ 1♠ you can see, partner would be ruffing deduce from your failure to continue
Pass Pass 2♦ 2♠ with the ♠K. hearts that you have the ♥10 and so will
All Pass Since South surely holds five spades to take the ♦A and revert to hearts. n

BRIDGE October 2020 Page 39

READERS’
LETTERS
GET A LIFE
One of your many attributes
is the publishing of criticism
of yourself, your products
and your team. This serves to
demonstrate that you really
care about your customers
and have enough self esteem
to accept the criticism.
Critical letters do not
have to be constructive but
they should be reasonable
and proportionate. The
rant against Bernard by
Gavin Wilson in BRIDGE
212 was neither, and should
not have been printed.
Gavin is clearly intelligent
and articulate but his
arguments are absurd
and Bernard is right not to
dignify them with a response.
I have never met Bernard
but everyone I know speaks
very highly of him and say
he is a thoroughly decent
and trustworthy man. He
must have been devastated
when Covid put his whole
career on hold and he
deserves great credit for
getting his online teaching
off the ground so quickly.
He has to make an income
from it and rightly so.
With his talent I’m sure
Bernard could make a lot
more income in some other
activity like IT, and thus
have lots more free time,
but he believes, as we all
do, that bridge can enhance
people’s lives and he puts
that far above money.
When Gavin says that
£11.99 is a lot of money,
what planet is he on?
He states that Bernard’s
teaching is slightly different
Page 40 BRIDGE October 2020
from Andrew Robson’s
and so it should be – mine
was different to both of
them. ‘Vive la difference’.
Apparently Gavin has
160 passwords; well that
tells us everything. Come on
Gavin, ‘get a life’ and leave
Bernard to get on with his.
On reflection, I’m
beginning to wonder if
Gavin’s letter was a spoof
or maybe he wrote after
taking a refreshment?
Ian Dalziel by email.
YOU’RE WRONG
I was really disappointed to
open the August edition of
BRIDGE to find, on the very
first page, a long diatribe
from Gavin Wilson strongly
criticising Bernard Magee
Bridge. It runs to almost four
columns, which I think makes
it the longest reader’s letter
you have ever printed. Why?
In your July issue you say
how impressed you are with
what Bernard has achieved,
that you are encouraging
him and that you encourage
your readers to support
him, and then you print
that outrageous letter.
Just about every point which is, I am sure, less than
Mr Wilson makes is wrong.
He writes that readers are
making a ‘leap of faith’ in
signing up at £13.99 per
month with no knowledge
of what the website will look
like. In fact Bernard had
delivered 39 free seminars
in advance, giving a good
feel of the style of offering,
and he had provided a
description on the ‘taster’
page of the new site.
If subscribers don’t like it
they can cancel at any time.
On Bernard’s site there
are, all included, one paid
for 45-minute live seminar
per week, one free 45-minute
seminar (which non-
subscribers can continue to
watch), per week, one “over
the shoulder” live teams
match which viewers can
watch and hear Bernard’s
running commentary. There
are also, each month, on the
site, two pre-recorded topic
seminars (45 minutes each),
16 set hands, 4 bidding
quizzes, 4 lead quizzes, and
4 play quizzes plus forums
where subscribers can ask
each other, and experts, any
bridge-related questions they
want. All previous seminars
and quizzes are archived
and available making it very
good value for money. There
is also a private Facebook
group for members and
plenty of opportunities to play
with other BMB members on
the free BBO site. Members
get much, much more for
their money than on Andrew
Robson’s site which
Mr Wilson is so keen to extol.
Mr Wilson is writing as
if Bernard has no right to
try and make a living, even
though bridge has been
his career for more than
25 years. It appears from
his letter that he was happy
to watch three times a week
while it was free but he
begrudges a monthly cost
the monthly table money
he used to play for one
session of club bridge a week
before lockdown started.
He also makes a very strange
complaint about the number
of ladies who take part.
Doesn’t he understand the
age profile of most bridge
players? There are more
ladies than men around in
the bridge-playing sector.
I can see that Mr Wilson
is possibly a lost cause to
bernardmageebridge.com
but if he keeps watching
he will find that large
numbers of subscribers
are proving him wrong.
Will Parsons by email.
GOOD RIDDANCE
Gavin Wilson should see
the Bernard Magee Bridge
website as a continuation/
development of Mr Bridge,
undermined as it has
been by Covid-19.
The subscribers to this
website are in the main
those who have for many
years enjoyed friendly
holiday bridge with
Mr Bridge, hosted by
Bernard Magee and others,
catering for those who are
single and travelling alone.
Bernard will continue to
foster the care and attention
for his clients, and will listen
to their views, to give value
for money as he always has.
He has made it very clear
that anyone who does not
wish to continue can leave
with no further payment.
We will all continue to enjoy
the family atmosphere and
you are welcome to take
your views to another place
that suits your needs.
Helen and Crombie McNeil,
Eastbourne, East Sussex.
This correspondance is
now considered closed.
Continued on page 42... u
 Answers to David Huggett’s
Play Quiz on page 9
1. ♠ K 8 6 5
♥ K J 7
♦ 7 6 4 2
♣ K 6
♠ 9 4 ♠ 3
N
♥ Q 8 5 4 W E
♥ A 10 9 3
♦ K Q 10 3 S ♦ 9 8 5
♣ A 9 4 ♣ Q 10 8 7 2
♠ A Q J 10 7 2
♥ 6 2
♦ A J
♣ J 5 3
You open 1♠ fourth in hand and find
yourself in 4♠. West leads the ♦K. How
do you plan the play?
You are clearly going to be lucky
if the game makes and the king of
diamonds lead sets up a loser in that
suit immediately. However there are still
hopes of making six spades, a diamond,
a club ruff and hopefully a trick in
both clubs and hearts with some lucky
guesswork perhaps. At the table declarer
drew trumps and led the diamond jack
but West won with the queen and played
a low heart and declarer was at the
crossroads. But was he really? For the
contract to stand any chance at all West
had to hold the ace of clubs which meant
he couldn’t have the ace of hearts as well
or he wouldn’t have passed as dealer,
making the play of the jack from dummy
the only plausible action.
2. ♠ Q 10 2
♥ K 7 4 2
♦ Q 3
♣ K 9 8 2
♠ 7 6 ♠ A J 9 8 3
♥ 10 9 8 5 N ♥ Q J 3
W E
♦ A 7 5 4 S ♦ 8 6
♣ J 10 3 ♣ Q 7 5
♠ K 5 4
♥ A 6
♦ K J 10 9 2
♣ A 6 4
BRIDGE October 2020 Page 41
You are declarer in 3NT after East has
overcalled in spades. West leads the ♠7.
How do you plan the play?
It may be easy to make an unwarranted
assumption on the hand, given that East
has waded into the bidding. You might
be forgiven for thinking that East was
bound to hold the ace of diamonds, in
which case the contract was in no danger
at all; of course, these days overcalls are
often paper-thin and a little thought
should show that the position of that
particular ace is immaterial.
Accordingly, play the queen of spades
from dummy at trick one!
What can East do?
He has to capture this otherwise
declarer will make two tricks in the suit
but equally he cannot afford to continue
the suit because declarer can let the
trick run round to the ten. Whatever he
switches to then allows declarer plenty of
time to knock out the ace of diamonds.
3. ♠ A 9 4 2
♥ 6 4 3
♦ Q 10 9 4
♣ A 8
♠ J ♠ 7 5 3
♥ K J 10 9 8 N ♥ Q 2 to knock out the ace and king but that
W E
♦ K 8 5 3 S ♦ 7 6
♣ 9 6 3 ♣ K J 10 5 4 2
♠ K Q 10 8 6
♥ A 7 5
♦ A J 2
♣ Q 7
You are declarer in 4♠. West leads the
♣6. How do you plan the play?
An awful lot of the time a contract can
fail because of insufficient thought going
into the play at trick one, and you have
to be careful that that does not happen
here.
Just suppose you think that you have
been given the opportunity of making
a second club trick and play low from
dummy at trick one. On a good day the
queen will score, but on a bad day East
will win with the king and return a heart
setting up two potential losers for you in
that suit. Then if the diamond finesse fails
you will have four losers.Much better is
to play the ace of clubs at trick one, draw
trumps (preferably ending in dummy),
and knock out the king of diamonds.
Assuming you have left yourself a spade
entry to dummy, you expect to make
five spades, one heart, at least three
diamonds and a club.
4. ♠ 6 5
♥ J 8 7
♦ Q J 10 5 4
♣ A J 2
♠ Q 10 8 7 3 ♠ J 9 4 2
N
♥ Q 5 4 W E ♥ K 9 6 3
♦ A 7 2 S ♦ K 3
♣ 6 4 ♣ 10 9 7
♠ A K
♥ A 10 2
♦ 9 8 6
♣ K Q 8 5 3
You are declarer in 3NT. West leads the
♠7. How do you plan the play?
It would be nice to play on diamonds
line doesn’t stand a chance as you are a
tempo behind the defenders. They would
simply win the first diamond and play
another spade, setting up the suit.
No, the extra trick you need can only
come from hearts and for that to happen
you need a bit of luck. Cross to dummy
with a club at trick two and lead the heart
jack.
If East ducks, you let West win and later
finesse against East for the remaining
honour. More likely East will cover but
then you win with the ace and simply
reenter dummy with a club and lead the
heart eight, finessing against the nine if
East plays low.
You might argue that East could have
both missing heart honours without the
nine but he is twice as likely to have K-9-x
or Q-9-x than K-Q-x. n
READERS’ LETTERS
continued...
t ...Continued from page 40.
THANK YOU
FROM ERIN
I would like to thank Mr
Bridge and all the staff for
the immense amount of
enjoyment I have got from
the magazine which I look
forward to receiving.
I have found each
magazine informative and
interesting. One only has
to look at the magazine to
see how much trouble one
has gone into producing it.
I would also like to thank
the person who has gone
to so much trouble to send
my magazine each time
with the most amazing
stamps on it. I have also
enjoyed looking at each
stamp to see what is on it.
I am indeed sorry to
see it finish. I think one is
not nearly old until one
gets to 86. So if Mr Bridge
is not that age maybe
a few more magazines
might be on the way.
I will treasure the
magazines I have and
continue to reread them
over and over again. Over
the last few years I have
been in hospital a few
times. Along with the bare
essentials the only thing I
have brought with me are
my BRIDGE magazines.
Wishing Mr Bridge a
very happy retirement.
To all the staff I
wish you health and
happiness in your lives.
Above all keep
safe and healthy.
Meabh Gallgher, Dublin.
GIVE THE BALANCE
TO LITTLE VOICE
I am most sad that you
feel it necessary to give
Page 42 BRIDGE October 2020
up publishing your montly
magasine BRIDGE. It was
an essential read for anyone
interested in bridge. Even a
learner would get much help
from it. Its discontinuance will
really be a hole in our lives as
it was avidly read from cover
to cover and with lockdown
it filled a big hole in our lives
(don’t under estimate that).
However, as older people
we all have to step back at
times when health starts to
become a major issue and it
does appear that from what I
have read in your magazine
that this might be the cause
of your decision. We have
never been on any of your
holidays but am sure that
those that have will be even
more heartbroken than us.
Well, we are left with the
choice of what to do with our
credit balance. It is necessary
for us to make a decision on
our credit balance of £19.46.
I am sure you do not want
to be left with 100’s of tea
towels so please feel free to
email me later once the dust
has settled to offer us tea
towels and any other bridge
paraphernalia that you hold
in stock. However, as a direct
answer to your options, make
that a donation to Little Voice.
Yes, we have enjoyed your
monthly magazine no end.
Absolutely great and sadly
irreplaceable. Good luck in
the future Mr Bridge; you will
never know what pleasure it
has given us mere mortals.
Graham Stevens,
Caterham, Surrey.
Write to Mr Bridge at: Ryden Grange, Knaphill,
Surrey GU21 2TH or e-mail letters@mrbridge.co.uk
E-mail correspondents are asked to include their name,
full postal address, telephone number and to send no
attachments.
Letters may be edited for length and clarity.
UPDATE FROM THE
NEW OWNER OF
A. L. FLEMING
I am fully aware that a large
number of club players are
satisfying their bridge needs
by playing on the various
on-line sites but a far larger
number of players, often
decried as social players
are awaiting the return to
their clubs. These social
players are, without doubt
the backbone of a game that
is competitive but above all
a social occasion, that can
only be achieved by seeing,
speaking and playing with
friends. Whilst I admit that I
have a commercial interest
in clubs re-opening, I also
have an interest in “keeping
bridge alive”, a situation I
fear will not be achieved if
bridge becomes a game
of graphic interpretations
and button pushing.
I have had many enquiries
from clubs that would
seriously consider re-opening
if they could acquire Perspex
screens at a reasonable
price. Alas, the demand for
Perspex at present, makes
me ask, does it have a
“golden lining”? I hear of
costs ranging from £50 -
£200 per table, which is
ridiculous, especially when
you know that the final result
will be a heavy piece of
equipment that is awkward
to handle and very easy to
break. Due to this, I have
decided that we wouldn’t
be doing our customers a
service if we couldn’t offer an
alternative. Perspex screens
are good for the clubs that
can leave their tables and
screens in situ 24/7, but not
for the majority who don’t
have this luxury. So we are
happy to provide information
and assistance to those
looking for Perspex screens
and produce an alternative
for the majority of clubs.
So, to the alternative, which
is a table screen system, that
we have designed to sell for
just £18.50 per table. The
system consists of four pieces
of white corrugated card,
each piece measures 1.30m
x 70cm but folds in three so
50 x 70cm. When erected,
using simple Velcro fasteners,
they provide each player with
an enclosed side of the table
and a clear window looking
onto 50cm square space, in
the centre of the table, where
the action takes place. The
screens can be erected and
taken down in a matter of a
few minutes and either stored
or transported with ease.
We are also making a
similar system for chess,
resulting in a considerable
saving on the £50+, that
has been quoted for a
single Perspex shield.
The other issue, is one of
social distancing, between
tables, to assist with this.
We are also producing
our own “pull out” screens
size 1 x 2m. These are
similar to advertising signs
but a meter wide, rather
than the standard 80cm,
forming a clear plastic
screen, that are easy to
put out and take away,
they are lightweight and
compact when not in use.
Finally, we are staging
some Zoom conferences,
with Nicky Bainbridge from
Rugby. We would be happy
to invite you to take part.
We would also be happy
to assist anyone who may
have concerns or questions.
Do please contact me:
terry@playbridgedealer4.com
Terry Collier,
A.L. Fleming’s Bridge Shop,
Dunmow Road, Herts. n
 BRIDGE is ceasing publication.
The last issue will be number 216 - December 2020.
See page 5 for more information.
Answers to Acol Two Bids And Strong
Bids In Benjamin Acol Quiz on page 19
1 Consider the following hands
(i) How many playing tricks does the
hand have?
(ii) How many points does the hand
have?
(iii) How many controls does the
hand have? (Ace = 2, King = 1)
(iv) Under EBU regulations are you
allowed to describe the hand as
strong?
(v) At love all what would you open if
you are playing Acol with strong
twos?
(vi) At love all what would you open if
you are playing Benji?
Hand 1A Hand 1B
♠ A Q J 10 8 5 ♠ K Q J 10 6 5
♥ Void ♥ Void
♦ A K 6 5 4 ♦ A Q J 5 4
♣ 7 4 ♣ 7 4
Hand 1C Hand 1D
♠ A K Q 5 4 ♠ K 6 4 3 2
♥ A K 5 4 ♥ A J
♦ A K 2 ♦ A K
♣ 3 ♣ A Q 5 4
Hand 1E Hand 1F
♠ A K Q J 7 6 5 2 ♠ 7
♥ 7 6 ♥ 7 6
♦ 9 4 ♦ A K Q J 7 6 5 2
♣ 7 ♣ 9 4
Hand 1A: (i) 9 PT – spades 5.5 PT &
diamonds 3.5 PT
(ii) 14 points (iv) It meets the requirements
(iii) 5 controls
(iv) It meets the requirements
to be described as ‘strong’.
(v) You could theoretically
BRIDGE October 2020 Page 43
open 2♠, though 1♠ is a 2♦ and the quality of the
reasonable alternative. spade suit is not good
(vi) Open 2♣ intending to enough for an Acol 2♠ or a
rebid 2♠ over a 2♦ negative Benji 2♣ with a 2♠ rebid.
response, or open 1♠. Hand 1E: (i) 8 PT – spades 8 PT
Hand 1B: (i) 9 PT – spades 5 PT & (ii) 10 points
diamonds 4 PT (iii) 3 controls
(ii) 13 points (iv) It should be described
(iii) 3 controls as: ‘Either a strong hand
(iv) With only 13 points or eight playing tricks’.
you would need 5 controls (v) and (vi) Open 4♠.
to describe it as strong. It Pre-emptive. You have
should be described as: very little defence.
‘Either a strong hand or Hand 1F: (i) 8 PT – diamonds 8 PT
eight playing tricks’. (ii) 10 points
(v) You could open 2♠, (iii) 3 controls
though 4♠ is a reasonable (iv) It should be described
alternative. The point is as: ‘Either a strong hand
that you don’t have much or eight playing tricks’.
defence to an opposition (v) and (vi) Open a
contract in hearts or clubs. gambling 3NT, showing
(vi) Open 2♣ intending to a solid 7 or 8 card minor
rebid 2♠ over a 2♦ negative with very little outside.
response, or open 4♠.
Hand 1C: (i) 9 PT – spades 4.5 PT, 2 You are playing Benji as I have
hearts 2.5 PT, diamonds 2 PT described.
Suit bids forcing to suit
(ii) 23 points agreement after a Benji 2♣ opening
(iii) 9 controls and no values shown by responder.
(iv) It meets the requirements For bidding strong, balanced hands
to be described as ‘strong’. you have the following agreement:
(v) Open 2♣. Game forcing. 2NT opening bid = 20-22 points
(vi) Open 2♦, the strongest Benji 2♣ with a 2NT rebid over a 2♦
possible Benji bid, and negative = 23-24. Not forcing.
rebid 2♠ over a negative Benji 2♦ with a 2NT rebid over a
2♥. This is game forcing. 2♥ negative = 25 upwards. Game
Hand 1D: (i) 7 PT – spades 2 PT, forcing.
hearts 1 PT, diamonds: In Auctions 2A to 2F, is the last bid
2 PT, clubs: 2 PT forcing?
(ii) 21 points
(iii) 8 controls Auction 2A Auction 2B Auction 2C
West East West East West East
to be described as ‘strong’. 2♦ 2♥ 2♣ 2♦ 2♣ 2♦
(v) and (vi) Open 2NT. The 2♠ 2NT 2♠ 3♣ 2♥ 2NT
hand isn’t strong enough 3♠ 3♠ 3♦ 3♥
for an Acol 2♣ or a Benji u
 Answers to Acol Two Bids And
Strong Bids In Benjamin Acol
Quiz on page 19
Continued...
t
Auction 2D Auction 2E Auction 2F
West East West East West East
2♣ 2♠ 2♣ 2♦ 2♣ 2♥
3♠ 2♥ 2♠ 2NT
3♠
Auction 2A: 3♠ is forcing. A Benji 2♦
opening is game forcing.
Auction 2B: 3♠ is forcing. 2♦ was a
negative response but
East didn’t give a second
negative of 2NT. 3♣ shows
4-7 points and a club
suit, enough to make the
auction game forcing.
Auction 2C: 3♥ is not forcing. East
has given two negative
responses. 2♦ shows
0-7 points. 2NT shows
0-3 points. Hearts
are bid for the second
time in the auction.
Auction 2D: 3♠ is forcing. East gave a
positive response to 2♣.
Auction 2E: 3♠ is forcing. East gave
a negative 2♦ response
to 2♣ but then bid a
natural 2♠ rather than the
second negative of 2NT.
Auction 2F: 2NT is forcing. 2♣-2♦-2NT
is not forcing but East’s 2♥
is a positive response.
3 You are playing Benji. What is your
opening bid with these hands. If you
open 2♣ or 2♦ what is your rebid
after a negative response?
Hand 3A Hand 3B
♠ Q 10 9
♥ A K 10
♠ A Q 4
♥ K Q J
♦ K Q J 6 5 ♦ A Q 5 2
♣ A 10 ♣ A K 3
Page 44 BRIDGE October 2020
BERNARD 
MAGEE’S
INTERACTIVE
TUTORIAL CD
ACOL BIDDING
Hand 3C Hand 3D
♠ J 8 5 4 3 ♠ Q 6 4 MAC
♥ K J ♥ A K 4 or Windows
♦ A K Q 3 ♦ K Q 7 6 5
♣ A K ♣ A J
Hand 3E Hand 3F
♠ A Q 8 ♠ A Q 8
♥ K Q 8 2 ♥ K Q J 9
♦ A 5 ♦ A K
♣ A K J 10 ♣ A K J 10
Throughout 200 deals split
into ten chapters, Bernard
Hand 3A: Open 2NT. 19 points but evaluates your bids, praising
the shape and intermediates the correct ones and
make it as good as discussing the wrong ones.
most 20 point hands.
Hand 3B: Open 2♣ and rebid 2NT l Opening Bids
and Responses
£66
over 2♦. This shows 23-24
points. You have 25 points
but the poor shape and lack
l Slams and
Strong Openings
£46
of intermediates suggest l Support for Partner
downgrading the hand.
l Pre-empting
Hand 3C: Open 2NT. The spades
are not remotely good l Overcalls
enough to open 2♣ and l No-trump Openings
rebid 2♠, which shows an and Responses
Acol two bid in spades. l Opener’s and
Hand 3D: Open 1♦. An average 19 Responder’s Rebids
points. The 5-card diamond
l Minors and Misfits
suit is promising but the
hand has no intermediates. l Doubles
Hand 3E: Open 2♣ and rebid l Competitive Auctions
2NT over 2♦. This
shows 23-24 points.
Hand 3F: Open 2♦ and rebid 2NT Operating System requirements:
over 2♥. This is game forcing Windows or Mac OS 10.08 -10.14
showing upwards of 25
points.
n
Mr Bridge Limited
( 01483 489961
www.mrbridge.co.uk/shop
 Answers to Bernard Magee’s 
BERNARD  Bidding Quizzes 1-3
MAGEE’S
INTERACTIVE on page 7
TUTORIAL CD
1. Dealer East. Love All.
DEFENCE ♠ 2
N
♠ A K 10 4 3
♥ 7 2 W E ♥ K Q 6
♦ 4 3 S ♦ A 6 2
♣ K J 7 6 5 4 3 2 ♣ Q 9
MAC West North East South
or Windows
1♠ Pass
? a large number of tricks with one suit as
1NT. Just 4 high card points, but an
8-card suit – what on earth should you
do?
You would like to play with clubs as
trumps and choose the right level to play
at. If your partner has 12-16 points, a
partscore is probably best, whilst if he is
strong, you might be able to make 5♣.
Bernard develops your Any club bid you make will not paint
defence in the course of ten the right picture: 2♣ shows 10+ HCP,
introductory exercises and 3♣ shows 16+ and 4♣ is used as a
120 complete deals. splinter. This is perhaps the rare example
of needing 4♣ naturally, but even if 4♣
l Lead vs was natural – it might take you too high.
No-trump Contracts You could pass, but surely 1♠ is
l Lead vs unlikely to be the best contract from your
Suit Contracts perspective. What you would like to do
is show your weakness and your clubs.
l Partner of Leader
To do this, you have to start with a 1NT
vs No-trump Contracts response. This might seem crazy, but it
l Partner of Leader sets the tone for the rest of the auction.
vs Suit Contracts Your subsequent club bids will show very
l Count Signals long clubs and extreme weakness.
West North East South
?
4♥. You have eight tricks in hearts, but
this is not a ‘strong’ hand. To open with a
strong bid, you should have a hand that
can make some tricks in any contract –
no-trumps, spades, hearts, etc.
When you have a hand that will make
trumps, but very few against other suits
or as dummy, then you are looking at
a hand that should pre-empt. Bid high
and fast to stop the opponents from
encroaching on the auction.
With 8 solid hearts, 4♥ is the correct
bid – you will make the game if your
partner can supply two quick tricks, but
at the same time you will make it difficult
for your opponents to compete for the
deal.
Here, 4♥ will go one off, but your
opponents can surely make 4♠.
3. Dealer East. Game All.
♠ 2 ♠ A K 9 7 5 4 3
N
♥ K Q W E ♥ 4 3 2
♦ 4 3 S ♦ 6 2
♣ K 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 ♣ 9
West North East South
3♠ Pass

l Attitude Signals
£76 If your partner passes your 1NT ?

£56
response, you will go down in 50s, when
l Discarding surely your opponents have something Pass. As a general rule, if your partner
l Defensive Plan good on in hearts. pre-empts in front of you, you cede to
Here, after your 1NT response your his suit. The only exceptions are when
l Stopping Declarer
partner might even jump to 3NT, over you are very strong and might want to
l Counting the Hand which you could jump to 5♣ – 8 clubs discuss the partnership’s options further.
opposite 18-19 points gives a reasonable This means that a change of suit opposite
chance for game. a pre-emptive opening is a forcing bid.
Operating System requirements: What this means is that you cannot
Windows or Mac OS 10.08 -10.14 simply bid 4♣ and expect to be left there.
2. Dealer West. Game All. With two weak hands, you should pass
partner’s 3♠ and hope he can muster
Mr Bridge Limited

♠ 3
♥ A K Q J 9 8 7 2 N
♠ 9 8 7
♥ 5 4 enough tricks. Here, 3♠ is likely to go a
( 01483 489961 ♦ 4 2 W E ♦ K Q 9 8 couple off – even if it is doubled that is
S
www.mrbridge.co.uk/shop ♣ 8 2 ♣ Q J 5 4 just -500 which the opponents can surely
beat by bidding and making 4♥ (620). n

BRIDGE October 2020 Page 45

 The Diaries of Wendy Wensum
A
few autumns ago, Spouse
and I planted a pear tree in
our garden. There it stood
throughout winter, spring and
summer without any signs of life. We
christened it the stick, proudly took
a photo of it and showed the latter
to the nursery who happily replaced
it. Spouse planted the new sapling
last autumn and on his return to the
house, removed his boots and left them
forgotten on the lawn. Overnight the
rain was excellent for the tree, but not
so good for the boots. Not surprisingly
in the morning they were full of
water. ‘What should I do? How will I
get them dry?’ he moaned. Crushed
up newspapers were stuffed into the
boots, which then spent a day or so
in the airing cupboard. They were
soon restored to their former glory.
Honestly sometimes Spouse can be a
bit of a wimp. The new tree is thriving
and a fine addition to our garden.
It was teams of four at the Riverside.
Unusually Millie was an absentee,
having been invited to play as a guest at
a neighbouring club as president of the
Page 46 BRIDGE October 2020
Episode 102:
Any Questions Partner?
Riverside. I was playing with Spouse. Spouse was sitting South, a pint of real
I can usually bribe him to partner ale close at hand. Unlike his reaction
me when necessary by reminding to wet feet, he could not be accused of
him of the excellent range of real wimpish behaviour on this occasion
ales available. It always works unless as he opened 1♥. It was true his hand
there is a special football or rugby technically contained more than 19
match live on TV; our teammates opening points, but I suspect many
were Kate and Jo. Computer dealt- Riverside players would open a weak
boards can be relied on to give the odd 2♥ instead. West passed and I bid
freak distributions. This deal was no 2NT, agreeing hearts as trumps and
exception. forcing to at least 3♥. East now came
in with 4♠. Spouse bid 5♦ and West
came to life with 5♠. Holding a spade
Dealer South. E/W Game. singleton, I ventured 6♥, which ended
♠ 7 the auction.
♥ K Q 5 2
♦ A Q 10 6 4 West North East South
♣ A 9 5 Wendy Spouse
♠ A 6 5 4 ♠ K Q J 10 9 8 3 2 1♥
♥ 10 7 4 N ♥ Void Pass 2NT 4♠ 5♦
1
W E
♦ K S ♦ 5 5♠ 6♥ All Pass
♣ K J 8 4 2 ♣ 10 7 6 3 1
Forcing with at least a four-card heart suit
♠ Void
♥ A J 9 8 6 3 ‘Any questions?’ asked East, laying
♦ J 9 8 7 3 2 a card face down on the table. ‘Yes, I
♣ Q have,’ said West,’ Why are you asking
me? It’s my lead, South is declarer.’
During this banter, Spouse was busy
placing his cards down as dummy.
He suddenly stopped, looked up and
quickly replaced the cards in his
hand, simultaneously displaying an
embarrassed grin. His antics were
of no help to the defenders. West
formally went through the correct
procedure of asking, ‘Any questions
partner?’ On receiving a negative
response, he displayed the ♠A. Spouse
won in hand, removed the opposing
trumps and claimed all the tricks
when the ♦K appeared from West. As
it was impossible to go wrong with
the ♦K singleton onside, the grand in
hearts is always making, whereas 7♦
by South can go off on a heart lead.
As we scored up at the interval, we
found we had a good result on the
hand. South had opened a weak two in
hearts. Kate as West passed. North’s
2NT was an enquiry regarding the
strength and quality of South’s
holding. Jo jumped to 4♠. South now
bid 5♦. When asked North was unsure
of the meaning. Kate, with a near
opener, supported Jo by bidding 5♠.
North thought for a long time before
bidding 6♥. Jo then sacrificed in 6♠.
West North East South
Kate Jo
2♥1
Pass 2NT 4♠ 5♦
2
5♠ 6♥ 6♠ Pass
Pass Dbl All Pass pre-empt partner – you have managed
1
Weak, 5-9 HCP
2
Ogust
South led the ♥A ruffed in hand by Jo.
The contract of 6♠ slipped one off as
Jo conceded the two minor-suit aces
to North.
At the end of the bridge we retired
to our usual tavern. Even without
Millie, we still managed to discuss the
apparent high frequency of freakish
distributions in the era of computer
generated hands. Jo’s theory is that in
the interest of reducing running time
and saving memory space, the coding
of the algorithm on a small machine is
simplified and as a result the quality
of random number generation is less
reliable. Perhaps some pear trees suffer
a similar fate caused by a random lack
of individual care leading to an equally
unsatisfactory outcome; witness our
stick as an example. n
BRIDGE October 2020 Page 47
Answers to Bernard Magee’s 
Bidding Quizzes 4-6
on page 7
4. Dealer West. N/S Game.
♠ 2 N ♠ Q J 10 9
♥ 7 W E ♥ A K 3
♦ K 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 S ♦ 10 2
♣ J 4 3 ♣ A 9 8 7
West North East South
4♦ Dbl Pass 4♠
? no doubt that 4♠ will be making. So you
Pass. At favourable vulnerability you
chose to open 4♦ on this hand – with 8
cards that is a reasonable risk. However,
you have not managed to stop the
opponents from bidding a game. There
is then the thought that if they can make
game (620) then you could bid 5♦ and if
you make 8 tricks, that would be a great
sacrifice against their game (-500 for
three off doubled).
Of course, this is how things look from
your side of the table – from your partner’s
side of the table, he is thinking – ‘great
to get the opponents to bid to the wrong
contract’. He is waiting to double 4♠.
You should only ever pre-empt once on
a hand – after that things are left to your
partner. On a really good day 5♦ might
actually make, but 400 does not score as
well as 500 for defeating 4♠ doubled by
two tricks or maybe even 800 if you get
a heart ruff.
5. Dealer North. N/S Game.
♠ 8 7 6 ♠ J
N
♥ 7 W E ♥ A J 9 5
♦ 4 S ♦ Q J 8 5 3
♣ K 10 8 7 6 5 4 3 ♣ Q J 9
West North East South
1♠ Dbl 2NT*
? three trump losers you should make, and
* spade raise with 10+ points
5♣. Your partner has made a take-out
double, whilst your opponents have
found a spade fit. It looks highly likely
that they can make a game in spades. At
the same time, you surely have a big fit in
clubs. Your partner has shown shortage
in spades and support for the other suits.
You can imagine making 5♣ – if partner
has a singleton spade and a couple of
aces. However, if 5♣ is going off there is
should jump to 5♣, to make or to save.
5♣ goes one off, whilst the opponents
can probably make 11 tricks in spades.
By jumping to 5♣ you make it difficult for
them to judge what to do next.
6. Dealer West. Love All.
♠ Q J 8 7 6 5 4 3 ♠ 2
♥ A K N ♥ J 8 6 5
W E
♦ A 3 ♦ Q 8 7 4
S
♣ 6 ♣ A 9 3 2
West North East South
1♠ Pass 1NT Pass
?
4♠. You chose to open just 1♠ with this
hand because you had good all-round
strength, but not enough to suggest a
strong 2-level opening. Your partner
has shown limited strength opposite, so
a slam is out of the question, but surely
4♠ is a reasonable assessment of your
combined assets.
East could have a void in spades, but
it is reasonable to hope for one spade at
least and then you hope he has a trick
outside the suit for you. You have to bid
the game yourself – inviting partner will
get little response. 3♠, after all, might
show just six spades, so he would pass
quickly.
4♠ has good chances – if you can avoid
this is with your partner having a poor
hand. n
 Julian Pottage Answers Your Frequently Asked Questions

When Is A New
Suit At The Three
Level Forcing?

1
When both members of the Auction C just forcing for one round, it is forcing
partnership are bidding, West North East South to game. In Auctions, B, C and D the
introducing a new suit at the three 1♠ 2♥ West hand is unlimited. In Auction A,
level is forcing unless a previous action 3♣ the East hand is unlimited.

2
makes this illogical.
When one player is bidding solo,
a new suit at the three level will
only be forcing if that player has
Now let us see some auctions when
Auction D a new suit is not forcing and examine
West North East South the reasons why.
1NT Pass

3
already shown great strength. 2♦* Pass 2♥ Pass Auction E
When one partner has made a 3♣ West North East South
takeout double, a suit bid by the *5+ hearts 1♥ Pass
other partner is not forcing and a 1NT Pass 2♦ Pass
suit introduced by the doubler is only In Auction A, opener is showing at 3♣
forcing if the other partner has shown least 15 points and responder at least
some values. a good 9 points. No way would opener Auction F
want to have to jump to 4♣ to show West North East South
Let us examine the logic and see some a good hand with clubs. By playing Pass Pass 1NT Pass
examples of the above. 3♣ as forcing not only does this allow 2♦* Pass 2♥ Pass
When both members of the space for the auction to develop when 3♣
partnership are bidding, you are opener has hearts and clubs but it also * 5+ hearts
exchanging information, trying to allows the partnership to assign a
find the best contract. If one of you special meaning to a jump to 4♣. With In Auction E, West has denied the
introduces a new suit, this suggests a weaker opening hand with hearts values to make a two-over-one 2♣
you have yet to establish the correct and clubs, opener simply rebids 2♥. response while East has not promised
denomination and so want to leave Likewise in Auction B, responder anything more than a minimum
room to do so. In case you want to play would not want to have to jump to opening bid. West’s sequence shows a
in 3NT, you do not want to have to 4♣ to show a good hand with clubs weakish hand with a long club suit.
jump to the four level to create a force. as a second suit. With a weaker hand, Auction F looks suspiciously like
In case the deal is a misfit, likewise responder has the options of passing Auction D. Have you spotted the
you do not want to have to jump to 2♥ or rebidding 2NT. difference? This time West passed as
show your suit. In Auction C, West’s 3♣ is a non- dealer, limiting the hand. A passed
jump change-of-suit response, albeit hand cannot have the values to force
Auction A at a higher level than usual because of facing a weak no-trump opening.
West North East South the overcall. If, however, 1NT is strong then 3♣
1♥ Pass 2♦ Pass Auction D is similar to Auction is forcing – sorry this is a bit of an
3♣ B. Responder does not want to have anomaly.
to jump to show a secondary club
Auction B suit and a good hand; again, passing Auction G
West North East South 2♥ and rebidding 2NT are options West North East South
1♥ Pass available on weaker hands. 1♥ 1♠
2♦ Pass 2♥ Pass In all of Auctions A to D, West’s 2♥ Pass Pass 2♠
3♣ new suit bid at the three level is not 3♦

Page 48 BRIDGE October 2020

 West
Auction H
North East South
Answers to Bernard Magee’s 

3♥
1♠ Dbl 2♠
Bidding Quizzes 7-9
In Auction G, East has announced that
game values are not present by passing
on page 7
2♥, so 3♦ cannot be a game try. Instead
it is competing in the auction and
offering an alternative place to play.
West will typically have three hearts
and six diamonds in a hand too weak 4♣. Your partner’s weak no-trump gets
to have bid 2♦ over 1♠. 7. Dealer North. N/S Game. doubled and you have an eight-card
In Auction H, the partnership has ♠ 4 N ♠ 9 7 6 5 2 minor. You are certainly not going to
not bid any suits previously, so hearts ♥ 8 2 W E ♥ A654 leave your partner in 1NT, but it is a
is the first suit rather than a new suit. ♦ 7 6 S ♦ Q 8 2 question of how many clubs to bid.
Assuming that that doubler has some ♣ A 10 9 7 6 5 4 3 ♣ 8 You have plenty of potential in clubs,
heart support, West would simply but at the same time, you can expect your
jump to 4♥ with a better hand or, if opponents to have a fit somewhere and
unsure of the correct denomination, West North East South possibly even the potential for game.
West could double 2♠. 2NT Pass 3NT So you want to make it difficult for your
? opponents to compete further in the
auction, but without risking too large
Auction I 4♣. On a lot of weak shapely hands, the a penalty. 4♣ seems the right level –
West North East South vulnerability is key. Here, your opponents bidding to the level of your fit – partner
1♠ are vulnerable and you are not, so you has at least two and you have eight,
2♥ 2♠ Pass Pass might consider a sacrifice – three off making ten in total, so bid to make ten
3♦ doubled will give you a profit against tricks. In the play you expect to make
their game. 7 club tricks and surely one from your
Your partner is not going to lead clubs partner.
Auction J against 3NT (and even if he does you Bidding 4♣ makes it difficult for your
West North East South have no side entry) so you cannot see opponents to reach 4♠.
2♣* 2♠ Pass Pass much chance of defeating their game.
3♦ How likely are you to make 7 tricks in
4♣? 9. Dealer West. Game All.
In Auction I, only one member of the You expect to have no more than 2 ♠ 4 ♠ A K 8
N
partnership is bidding, which means club losers, but you might also have just ♥ 8 2 W E
♥ Q J 10 4
that 3♦ is non forcing. On a hand with one loser, which is good enough (without ♦ 7 6 S ♦ A J 10 3 2
great strength, West might have made an outside trick) and it is reasonable to ♣ K 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 ♣ Q
a 2♠ Michaels cue bid on the previous hope partner might have one trick for
round (planning to bid again) or you.
doubled. It is a gamble, but a calculated one West North East South
In Auction J, if West’s 2♣ opening – even if they can make 4NT, they may 3♠
is Acol then the 3♦ rebid is forcing, be reluctant to bid it so they may find it ?
just as it would have been if North had difficult to get the game bonus.
passed and East had made a negative 4♣ is likely to go two or three off, for a Pass. Never pre-empt a pre-empt. What
response. reasonable gain against 3NT. does this phrase mean? You pre-empt
If, however, 2♣ is Benjamin (so not to disrupt potentially strong opponents,
the partnership’s strongest opening), so when an opponent indicates that he
3♦ is non forcing – East might have 8. Dealer East. Love All. is weak by pre-empting that rationale
a Yarborough and West has denied ♠ 4 ♠ Q 6 5 no longer applies. Your partner will
N
the ability to make a game forcing ♥ 8 2 W E
♥ KQ54 consequently assume you have a suitable
opening. ♦ 7 6 S ♦ A 10 3 2 hand if you overcall and he can therefore
Trying to remember every possible ♣ A 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 ♣ J 9 act accordingly. If you overcall 4♣, your
auction is difficult. The important partner will play you for a good hand –
question to ask yourself is whether he will raise to game or perhaps try 6NT!
both players have limited their hands. West North East South You pass and allow your partner to
Unless they both have, a new suit at 1NT Dbl bid, possibly 3NT, then you can choose
the three level is going to be forcing. n ? your bid: 4♣ might be enough. n

BRIDGE October 2020 Page 49

 Letter From Overseas by John Barr
BERNARD 
MAGEE’S
INTERACTIVE
TUTORIAL CD
Quarantine
DECLARER
PLAY

K
itzbühel Bridge Club was West North East South
one of the first in Europe to Pass 4♣
start playing again after the 4♥ 5♣ Pass Pass
COVID-19 lockdown. Dbl All Pass
I confess that I was concerned about
MAC the health risks, especially with so West started with the ♥A and the
or Windows many elderly people playing bridge, ♥K, and then made the fatal mistake
but the club responded well to the of trying to cash the ♦A. My partner
challenge. Everyone must wear a ruffed this, drew trumps and threw his
face covering, with free masks and losing spades away on the established
subsidised visors available. There is a diamond tricks – thus making his
bottle of hand disinfectant on every contract. After cashing the top hearts,
table, and those players having to West knows that declarer has seven, or
move from table to table must take more likely eight, clubs to go with his
their own bidding box with them. The two or three hearts.
only downside for me is that, when If you consider the different holdings
Bernard develops your
faced with a difficult dummy play, I that declarer may have in spades and
declarer play technique in
sit back to plan the hand, then pick up diamonds, switching to the ♠K will
the course of ten my beer for a quick swig and crash the never give away the contract. Even
introductory exercises and drink into my visor. if declarer has ace to three and your
120 complete deals. Here is a hand from yesterday’s club spade switch costs a trick by helping to
l Suit Establishment
game where the defence should have set up the ♠J, it’s the second undertrick
considered putting a key defensive that you concede, not the contract.
in No-trumps
card into quarantine for a while. And if declarer is short in spades then
l Suit Establishment your ♦A is guaranteed to win a trick.
in Suits So at trick three you can put your ♦A
l Hold-ups
£76
Dealer East. E/W Game.
♠ J 8 4 2
into quarantine and switch to the ♠K,
safe in the knowledge that you will
l Ruffing for
Extra Tricks £56

♥ J 4
♦ K Q 4 3
win at least one more trick with the
♠Q or the ♦A.
l Entries in ♣ K J 8 Note that bidding 5♣ guaranteed us
No-trumps ♠ K Q 10 ♠ A 7 6 3 a good score on this hand. Worst case,
N
l Delaying Drawing Trumps ♥ A K Q 10 8 W E ♥ 7 6 2 if the opponents doubled us and then
l Using the Lead ♦ A 10 6 2 S ♦ J 9 8 7 5 defended perfectly, we would go two
♣ 3 ♣ 5 off and lose 300 for a middle score. If
l Trump Control ♠ 9 5 they failed to double, then even two
l Endplays & Avoidance ♥ 9 5 3 off for -100 would have been a top, and
l Using the Bidding ♦ Void the mis-defence which let the contract
Operating system requirements: ♣ A Q 10 9 7 6 4 2 through was just icing on the cake.
Windows or Mac OS 10.08 -10.14 It is often worth pushing the boat
out in competitive situations when you
Most pairs played in hearts at the are non-vulnerable against vulnerable
Mr Bridge Limited three or four level, making 10 or opponents. And even if it is actually
( 01483 489961 occasionally 11 tricks. The opponents the wrong thing to do, your opponents
www.mrbridge.co.uk/shop bid game against us and we pushed on may nevertheless bid one more and be
to 5♣: defeated. n

Page 50 BRIDGE October 2020

 BERNARD  Answers to Bernard Magee’s
MAGEE’S
INTERACTIVE
TUTORIAL CD
ADVANCED
ACOL BIDDING
Throughout 200 deals,
Bernard not only evaluates
your bids, praising the
correct ones and discussing
the wrong ones, he also
plays the hands with you.
l The Basics
£76
l Advanced Use of consider bidding 5♦, but since you can
the Basics
l Weak Two Openings
l Strong Two Openings
l Defence to Weak Twos
l Defence Against 1NT
l Doubles
l Two Suited Overcalls
l Defending against Other
Systems
l Misfits and Big
Distributions
Operating system requirements:
Windows only
Mr Bridge Limited
( 01483 489961
www.mrbridge.co.uk/shop
BRIDGE October 2020 Page 51
Bidding Quizzes 10-12
on page 7
10. Dealer North. Game All.
♠ 4 3 2 N ♠ A K Q 9 8
♥ 4 W E ♥ 9 7
S
♦ K 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 ♦ 9
♣ 7 ♣ A K 9 8 5
West North East South
3♥ 4♥* Dbl
? discuss the trump suit – we are playing
* strong two-suited hand
4♠. Your partner has bid the opponents’
suit – what should it mean?
In this kind of auction, over a pre-
empt, it shows a two-suited hand, in this
case not the minors because 4NT would
show that.
Almost always you should choose to
play in one of your partner’s suits, even
with an 8-card suit of your own. If your
£96 suit was stronger, then maybe you might
be pretty sure that your partner’s suits
are spades and clubs you have a better
option available. You have a decent
fit with spades and plenty of ruffing
potential, so you should bid 4♠.
11. Dealer West. Game All.
♠ A K Q J 10 4 3 2 ♠ Void
♥ 4 3 N ♥ A 9 2
W E
♦ A K Q ♦ 9 8 7 6 5
S
♣ Void ♣ 10 8 7 5 2
West North East South
2♣ Pass 2♦ Pass
? cards.
3♠. You have an extraordinary hand
and you need to get this across to your
partner – you clearly have game in your
own hand, so you open 2♣ to show that
and now how do you get across that your
spades are so powerful?
Since 2♣ followed by 2♠ is forcing to
game, you could rebid 2♠. However, you
want to tell your partner that spades are
trumps whatever he holds. To do this
you jump to 3♠ – while this appears to
be an unnecessary use of bidding space,
you are doing it for good reason. Your
3♠ rebid says: ‘Partner, I do not want to
in spades – please show any useful high
card you have.’
East cue bids 4♥ and you can then bid
to the slam.
12. Dealer East. Game All.
♠ Void ♠ A K Q J 10 9 4
N
♥ A 2 ♥ 6 3
W E
♦ 7 6 5 S ♦ A K Q J
♣ J 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 ♣ Void
West North East South
2♣ Pass
2♦ Pass 3♠ Pass
?
4♥. Over the 2♣ opening, you do have
an 8-card suit, but you take the sensible
option of making a negative response
first – after all, you might find you have
only one useful card for your partner.
East’s jump to 3♠ is exactly what was
discussed in question 11. East is telling
you that his spades are so good that he is
setting them as the trump suit, even if you
have a void. He does not want to hear
about your long suits at all, just your high
Therefore, over 3♠ you bid 4♥
– showing your ace. Partner bids
Blackwood and knows that your one ace
is in hearts, rather than in clubs, so can
bid 6♠ with confidence. n