Bridge Magazine 2015 Nov


NEW BOOKS FROM

MASTER POINT PRESS
THE BRIDGE PUBLISHER
The Canterbury Bridge Tales

David Silver and Tim Bourke
A disparate group of travelers meet by chance at a motel while on

the way to the Nationals in Canterbury, Florida, and naturally they
begin swapping stories. Sound familiar? Professor Silver returns
in a new collection of short stories, in which literary parody is
interwoven with Tim Bourke’s brilliant bridge hands. Murder,
mystery, sex and the supernatural – and that’s just in the first three
tales.
The Pocket Guide to Even

More Bridge Conventions
Barbara Seagram and David Bird
A pocket-sized edition of 25 More Bridge Conventions

You Should Know by the same authors, this is a handy
guide to popular intermediate-level conventions such
as Bergen Raises, Support Doubles, Puppet Stayman,
Inverted Minor Raises, Forcing 1NT and more.
Tips on Competitive Bidding

Mike Lawrence
Twenty years ago, Mike Lawrence published a series of short booklets

for intermediate players, entitled Topics on Bridge, with advice on
various aspects of bidding and card play. Long unavailable, this
material has now been revised, updated, and republished in three
anthology volumes, each comprised of about ten of the original
booklets. The topics here include: Four-Card Overcalls, Bidding
over Preempts, Balancing and Takeout Doubles.
AVAILABLE FROM CHESS & BRIDGE
2 November 2015 BRIDGE Magazine


Great Bridge Scandals
Avital Sahar, the media advisor to Lotan Fisher
BRIDGE
MAGAZINE “InBridge
and Ron Schwartz, released the following:
“Bridge champions Fisher and Schwartz call for
a WBF investigation against the perpetrators
of the false smear campaign against them.
light of the recent statement by the World
Federation, which denounced the ‘lynch
mob mentality and approach’ of several players, who published
unsubstantiated accusations against them, Fisher and Schwartz
responded with the following statement:”
“We embrace wholeheartedly the recent statement by the WBF, and
call for an immediate investigation regarding the persons and hidden
interests that are behind the recent malicious smear campaign against
44 BAKER STREET us. We are both proud of our love for Bridge and of the dignity and
LONDON W1U 7RT
Tel: 020-7486 8222 honesty in which we played so far. A team of bridge professionals and
Fax: 020-7486 3355 legal advisors are currently working on a comprehensive rebuttal doc-
email: info@bridgeshop.com ument, which will disprove every single one of the false and in some
http://www.bridgeshop.com cases anonymous allegations made against us.
Editor:
Mark Horton “We are very confident and determined to successfully fight this orches-
Assistant Editor: trated smear campaign. Such slander will not be fought in ‘talkbacks’
Christina Lund Madsen
but with hard evidence and resolve.
Advertising:
Matthew Read “As to Mr. Brogeland: The legal action against him is indeed pending.
Photographer:
Ron Tacchi In addition, an immediate step after the presentation of our rebuttal
Proofreaders: document to the proper authorities will be a clear demand for punitive
Danny Roth actions by the WBF against ALL the perpetrators and masterminds of
Monica Kummel the unjust and un-sportsmanship smear campaign against us. As the
Typesetter:
Ron Tacchi facts are unveiled, this heinous smear campaign resembles more and
BRIDGE Magazine is published more a crude attempt to remove stronger opponents by a poor and
monthly. frustrated loser. Mr. Brogeland’s accusations are not only paranoid
Online Subscriptions:
1 year: £19.95
and false, but are also a crude attempt to spin the facts.
Individual Issue:
£2.00 “Despite the great damage Mr. Brogeland inflicted not only to our good
Distributors
CHESS & BRIDGE LTD. names, but also to our livelihood and careers, he now attempts to por-
44 Baker Street
London W1U 7RT U.K.
tray himself as the ‘innocent victim’ and pretend as if he is threatened
Views expressed in this publication are not – which is another blunt lie.”
necessarily those of the Editor. Editorial
contributions will be published at the
Editor’s discretion and may be shortened On September 19, Bridge Winners received the following state-
if space is limited.
No parts of this publication may be ment from Alex Smirnov, a member of the German Open Team:
reproduced without the prior express
permission of the publishers. All rights
reserved. 2015 Josef Piekarek and I are aware of the “whispers” circulating about our
ethical conduct, and we are sorry to say there is some truth to them.
We regret that in the past as a partnership we committed some ethi-
cal violations. This morning we informed our Federation and our
teammates, and we have all agreed that the German team should
withdraw from the Bermuda Bowl.


Josef and I have voluntarily agreed never again to play competitive bridge together and to take two
years off from playing competitive bridge. We hope that after such a time has elapsed, that we might be
welcomed back into the competitive bridge-playing community.
On September 26, on the eve of the Bermuda Bowl in Chennai, the WBF Credentials Commit-
tee made the following announcement:
“The Credentials Committee of the World Bridge Federation met earlier today. It determined that
the invitation extended to Cezary Balicki and Adam Zmudzinski be withdrawn; consequently
they will no longer be eligible to play in the Bermuda Bowl in Chennai.”
Yves Aubry
Chairman of the WBF Credentials Committee
Poland carried on, their reserve pair managing to get to Chennai within a few days.
In Chancery
The judge hearing the Judicial Review has ruled that Sport England is acting lawfully when it
refuses to recognise bridge as a sport.
Despite the arguments which were put forward by the EBU’s legal representatives, Mr Justice
Dove upheld Sport England’s position that they can decline to recognise as sports activities which
do not have a significant physical component.
The EBU is disappointed by this decision, as an opportunity has been lost to enhance an activity
which has substantial benefits to wide sections of the community. It also means that current defi-
nitions of what is, or is not, a sport have little consistency or sense behind them.
For some reason this reminds me of the story of the late G.C.H.Fox, who, when asked by his
Doctor what he did for exercise replied, ‘I occasionally play East-West.’
New Kid on the Block

Lou Hobhouse has been appointed the new editor of English Bridge - her first issue will be Feb-
ruary 2016.
Based in Somerset where she has a nomadic bridge school, she has been teaching for over eight
years. She plays regularly at ‘Lovely Langport’ bridge club and occasionally at Yeovil, Taunton
and Wells.
Lou started her career working for the Financial Times, latterly for the newsletter department.
In 1998 she was the launch editor of a ‘rather dry’ monthly magazine called Asian Infrastructure
which continued to occupy her for about 10 years. Talking about her new appointment she said,
“it’s very exciting to be working on a magazine where the content focuses on my all-consuming
passion, and a real privilege to be hob-nobbing with such great and clever contributors”.
Systemic Matters
Don’t forget that the proposed changes to the Bidding System for Marks & Comments are due
to be implemented in January 2016. (See page 89)
There is still time to make your views known by emailing the Editor at markhorton007@hot-
mail.com

 Intermediate
Ron Tacchi and Solution to Prize Problem 308
Patrick Jourdain’s Bad Split
♠ AK J 8 4 ♠ Q976
Problem ♥ AK Q 6
♦ 5 W
N
E
♥ 72
♦ A 10 9 3
Corner ♣ A4 2 S ♣ 973
After a reasonable auction you arrive in 6♠ and after
sponsored by the lead of the 10♥ you cash the ace of trumps and
North discards. Set aside your dismay and continue
THE ORION PUBLISHING GROUP and make your contract.
Master Bridge Series It is time to take advantage of your trump spots and
also engineer two ruffs in dummy. To this effect the first
thing is to play a small club from both hands. Win the
Non-Prize Problem See Page 115 return and cash the remaining high hearts discarding
♠ J8 ♠ A 10 7 3 2 a club in dummy. Now cash the ace of clubs and ruff
N one in dummy. Play a small trump from dummy and
♥ AK 8 7 5 2 ♥ Q 10
♦ — W E ♦ K863 finesse against the ten. Now ruff your remaining heart
♣ K Q 10 7 5 S ♣ A6 with the queen and draw the rest of the trumps and
claim your slam.
Dealer West. E/W Vul. You must ruff the club before the heart as if South has
West North East South three hearts and three clubs he can discard his third
1♥ 2♦ 2♠ Pass club on the fourth round of hearts and then score an
3♣ Pass 3NT Pass overruff when you attempt to trump your third club.
4♣ Pass 6♥ All Pass
Email your answers to BMProb@vaupillon.com or send
Lead of of small heart to ten jack and king. Please on a postcard to The Editor, Bridge Magazine, 44 Baker
continue Street, London, W1U 7RT. Entries must be received before
30th November. The first correct solution out of the hat
will receive £15 of BRIDGE Magazine book vouchers.
Prize Problem 309
Odds On Congratulations
♠ AQ 8 6 4 3 N ♠ K 10 9 2 Prize Problem 307.
♥ 73 ♥ AK J 8 Unfortunately this month no one found the solution
♦ AK J 6 W E ♦ 8752
S to the problem - they probably had not had as good
♣6 ♣A a lunch as I had.
Following a pleasing auction you arrive in 6♠. North
leads a club. If I tell you that there are no void suits
in the defenders’ hands, then what are your chances
of making the contract and what is your line of play? Look for Patrick Jourdain’s Problem Corner,
available from Chess & Bridge.
In This Issue
I 5 Problem Corner — Ron Tacchi & Patrick Jourdain. I 105 Test Your Defence — Julian Pottage
I 6 The Best Exotic Chennai Hotel — The GI 106 Book Review— Bob Baker
Editor reports on the 2015 World Bridge GI 107 This Month’s Video Page
Championships
I 109 The Abbot’s Return to Earth — David Bird
GI 89 Proposed Basic Bridge Magazine System
I 115 Solution to Non-Prize Problem
I 93 Fantunes Revealed— The Editor looks at another
story that has set the world of bridge ablaze. I 116 Solution to Test Your Defence
GI 99 The Rainbow Bridge Club — Alex Adamson & I 117 Partnership Profile — Mark Horton
Harry Smith I 126 Marks & Comments — Alan Mould

 Intermediate
The Best Exotic Chennai Hotel
The Editor reports on the 2015 World Bridge Championships
T he inspiration for my title comes from the Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, which follows a
group of British retirees who decide to outsource their retirement to less expensive and
seemingly exotic India.
Enticed by advertisements for the newly restored Marigold Hotel and bolstered with visions of
a life of leisure, they arrive to find the palace a shell of its former self. Though the new environ-
ment is less luxurious than imagined, they are forever transformed by their shared experiences,
discovering that life and love can begin again when you let go of the past.
A key phrase from the film is:
“In India, we have a saying; everything will be alright in the end. So, if it is not alright, it is not
yet the end.”
In direct contrast to the hotel depicted in the film, the ITC Grand Chola was a magnificent
venue for the World Championships, offering every possible facility for players, spectators and
camp followers.
The championships began with the world still reeling from the withdrawal of Israel, Germany
& Monaco, and as you can read elsewhere in this issue, there were further startling developments
before play got under way.
One of the innovations was the introduction of a second Bulletin that was ‘live’ which enabled
breaking news and spectacular deals and unique material to be presented long before the publi-
cation of the Daily Bulletin.
To access it, visit: www.wbchampbulletin.org
The (by now famous) website bridgewinners.com had instigated a poll as to who might win
the Bermuda Bowl, the Venice Cup and the d’Orsi Trophy.
In the Bowl the overwhelming favourites were USA 1 who attracted 52% of the votes, followed
by Poland (15%) and England (10%).
We start with the main event, the ultimate prize in bridge, the Bermuda Bowl.
Round the Robin

The Wake Up Call
Having had to cancel his trip to Chennai at the last moment, Sweden’s Micke Melander reported
from home, despite the time difference.
He got up early to follow the match between England and Denmark.
One of the newer American TV series that just finished season one is called “Wake Up Call.”
The story has the following part of its introduction: “If you’re willing to meet me halfway and
challenge yourself . . . you’ve got the power to change your life. It’s time to make a choice. It’s
time to take a stand. It’s time for your wake up call.”
Nothing could have fitted better for what the players encountered when Round Seven kicked
off. If you wanted a slow start to warm up – then the bridge table in Chennai was not the place
for you.

 Intermediate
Board 1. Dealer North. None Vul.
♠—
♥ AJ652
♦ A K Q J 10
♣ Q95
♠ 10 8 7 6 4 N ♠ AJ 9 3 2
♥ KQ743 ♥ 10 9
♦ 632 W E ♦5
♣— S ♣ KJ643
♠ KQ5
♥8
♦ 9874
♣ A 10 8 7 2
Open Room
West North East South
Christiansen Ju. Hackett Schaltz Ja. Hackett
– 1♥ 2♥* Pass
4♠ 5♦ All Pass
2♥ Spades and a minor
The Hackett twins did well when they stopped in Five Diamonds.
Justin Hackett got the lead of the three of clubs and West ruffed with the three of diamonds
and returned the six. Declarer won, pulled the remaining trump and set up his clubs for eleven
tricks and +400.
Closed Room
Gold Konow Bakhshi Askgaard
– 1♣* 1♠ 2♣
4♥ 4♠* Double 5♣
Pass Pass Double Pass
5♠ Pass Pass Double
All Pass
1♣ 16+
4♠ Cue-bid
It looks like you have two spades, a heart and a diamond loser for two down. But when the
defence led diamonds every time they had the chance, declarer had to ruff them in dummy and
was soon locked in his hand with only spades and hearts and had to lose a second heart for three
down and minus 500.
That was 3 IMPs to Denmark since Five Spades proved to be one level too high – and who
could blame Gold for bidding?
It’s quite remarkable after four such boards where a lot could have happened that the score was
only 8-3 to England. We had to wait until Board Nine before the first real swing of the match
arrived.

 Intermediate
Board 9. Dealer North. E/W Vul.
♠ 10 3
♥ J4
♦ 94
♣ KQJ9872
♠ Q4 N ♠ K9
♥ AQ 2 ♥ K763
♦ AK108632 W E ♦ J5
♣ 10 S ♣ A6 5 4 3
♠ AJ87652
♥ 10 9 8 5
♦ Q7
♣—
Open Room
Christiansen Ju. Hackett Schaltz Ja. Hackett
– 3♣ Pass Pass
Double Pass 4♥ Pass
5♦ Pass 6♦ All Pass
The Danes in the Open Room bid all the way up to slam but when they played in diamonds and
North was on lead he didn’t miss the opportunity to give South a ruff in clubs. One might won-
der why East didn’t bid 6NT to assure that there weren’t any ruffs in the air.
Closed Room
Gold Konow Bakhshi Askgaard
– 3♣ Pass Pass
3♦ Pass 3NT All Pass
Askgaard led a low spade and when there was no way of misguessing the diamonds twelve tricks
were soon in the bag. That was13 IMPs to England and there were more to come:
Board 10. Dealer East. All Vul.
♠ 10 4
♥ K Q 10 6 2
♦ A Q 10 6 4 3
♣—
♠ 96 N ♠ 872
♥ A9 5 ♥ 8743
♦ 87 W E ♦ KJ9
♣ A Q 10 9 6 4 S ♣ J75
♠ AKQJ53
♥J
♦ 52
♣ K832

 Intermediate
In both rooms South played in Four Spades, a very inter- ♠ 10 4
esting mission. ♥ K Q 10 6 2
In the Open Room, West led a trump. ♦ A Q 10 6 4 3
Jason Hackett won in hand and played the jack of ♠ 9 6 ♣ —
N ♠ 872
hearts, which held the trick. He then ruffed a club in ♥ A 9 5 ♥ 8743
dummy and simply ran the king of hearts to West ace, ♦ 8 7 W E ♦ KJ9
pitching a second club from hand. West had no defence ♣ A Q 10 9 6 4 S ♣ J75
to this game plan because on a diamond return declarer ♠ A K Q J 5 3
could put up the ace and cash the established heart for ♥ J
♦ 52
ten tricks. ♣ K832
In the Closed Room Askgaard got the eight of dia-
monds lead and went up with dummy’s ace. He next played a heart to the jack and West’s ace.
When West returned a diamond declarer tried the ten but East won with the jack and continued
with the king of diamonds. Declarer ruffed high, which gave West the opportunity to pitch the five
of hearts. South ruffed a club, and played the king and queen of hearts, pitching clubs. But West
ruffed the second of these and continued with the ace of clubs, forcing declarer to ruff in dummy.
There was no way for declarer to avoid a trump loser since East’s ♠872 suddenly became a trick
when South again had to ruff high to get back to his hand.
Askgaard could have avoided going down in two ways. Instead of ruffing a club he could have
cashed the ace of spades and played a spade to dummy’s ten to enjoy dummy’s established hearts
for club discards when the hand that held the heart length also held the third spade or he could
have simply finessed in diamonds on the opening lead to remove East’s later diamond entry that
in the end forced him to ruff high.
(On this layout declarer can even afford to ruff the king of diamonds with a low spade. West over-
ruffs and plays a trump but declarer wins in hand ruffs a club and pitches three clubs on hearts. Editor)
That was another 12 IMPs to England, who eventually won the match 35-20.
The Squeeze that Worked (and Not)

Micke reported two tough deals from the match between Japan & Sweden:
Board 28. Dealer West. N/S Vul.
♠ A3
♥ AJ65
♦ J72
♣ A962
♠4 N ♠ K9865
♥ Q98743 ♥ 10 2
♦ 10 9 8 5 W E ♦ Q4
♣ J5 S ♣ 10 8 7 4
♠ Q J 10 7 2
♥K
♦ AK63
♣ KQ3

 Intermediate
Open Room ♠ A3
♥ AJ65
West North East South ♦ J72
Sylvan Tanaka Wrang Yokoi ♣ A962
2♦ Double Redouble Pass ♠ 4 N ♠ K9865
2♥ Pass Pass 3♥ ♥ Q98743 ♥ 10 2
♦ 10 9 8 5 W E ♦ Q4
Pass 3NT Pass 4♠ ♣ J5 S ♣ 10 8 7 4
All Pass ♠ Q J 10 7 2
♥ K
Despite the 5-1 trump split declarer was not hard pressed ♦ AK63
to record eleven tricks, +450. ♣ KQ3
Closed Room
Chen Warne Furuta Bergdahl
3♥ 3NT Pass 4♦*
Pass 4♠ Pass 6NT
All Pass
Furuta led the ten of hearts, which was taken by dummy’s king. With plenty to think about Warne
considered the possibility of developing a squeeze against East. After a spade to the ace and a
spade to the queen, West discarding a heart, declarer continued with the jack of spades, West and
declarer pitching hearts as East won with the king.
Declarer took the spade return in dummy as he and West again discarded hearts. When he
continued with the ace and king of diamonds and the queen appeared we can guess that it was a
happy declarer who crossed to his hand in diamonds and cashed the ace of hearts, squeezing East
in clubs and spades. When East discarded a club, the remaining spade went from dummy and
declarer could cash four club tricks, giving Sweden 13 IMPs.
It won’t help East to duck the jack of spades. As long as declarer cashes the ace and king of dia-
monds he will be squeezed when declarer later cashes the ace of hearts when discarding a spade
allows declarer to enter dummy with a club to set up another trick in spades.
Board 32. Dealer West. E/W Vul.
♠ K764
♥ 92
♦ Q643
♣ Q92
♠ AQ J N ♠ 9532
♥ AJ 8 7 4 ♥K
♦ J 10 W E ♦ AK 9
♣ K 10 7 S ♣ AJ 8 4 3
♠ 10 8
♥ Q 10 6 5 3
♦ 8752
♣ 65

 Intermediate
Open Room ♠ K764
♥ 92
West North East South ♦ Q643
Sylvan Tanaka Wrang Yokoi ♣ Q92
1NT Pass 2♥* Pass ♠ AQ J N ♠ 9532
♥ ♥
2♠
AJ 8 7 4 K
Pass 2NT* Pass W E
♦ J 10 ♦ AK 9
3♣ Pass 3♦ Pass ♣ K 10 7 S ♣ AJ 8 4 3
3♥ Pass 3♠ Pass ♠ 10 8
4♣ Pass 4♦ Pass ♥ Q 10 6 5 3
4♥ Pass 6♣ All Pass ♦ 8752
1NT 14-16, (semi) BAL(15-17 vul may ♣ 65
have 5-card M
2♥ 4+♠
It seems that 2NT started some sort of relay sequence, but astonishingly the section of the con-
vention card headed subsequent auction contains no information.
(The convention cards were a strange mixture, some offering all the information you might need,
whilst others fell well short of what might be expected at a world championship.)
Declarer received a spade lead that went to the two, eight and his queen. He crossed to dum-
my’s king of hearts and finessed the ten of clubs that lost to North queen whereupon he got a
club return, which he won with the king in hand. After ruffing a heart declarer cashed the two
top diamonds, ruffed a diamond and ruffed a second heart before drawing the last trump in the
hope of catching South in a show-up squeeze with the king of spades and the queen of hearts.
When that wasn’t the case he had to concede one down.
Closed Room
Chen Warne Furuta Bergdahl
1NT Pass 2♣* Pass
2♥ Pass 3♦* Pass
3♥ Pass 4♣ Pass
4♦ Pass 4NT Pass
6♣ All Pass
2♣ Stayman, might not have a major
The immaculately completed convention card of the Japanese pair contains this line:
1NT-2♣-2♥-2♠ = asks length of ♠ & strength: Reverse minor showing
So one can infer that 3♦ showed clubs.
South kicked off with the ten of spades, which declarer comfortably covered with the jack and
North won with the king and returned a heart, but it was all over since declarer won with the king
and had now three spades, two hearts, two diamonds and just had to make the correct guess in
clubs to score five club tricks and make his contract. When he continued with a club to the king
and finessed North for the queen it was a 16 IMP swing to Japan who won the match 50-38 IMPs.
You can replay these deals at: http://tinyurl.com/ofuzfcn
Father of the Nation

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was born on 2nd October, 1869. He gave birth to terms like
non-violence, civil disobedience, freedom, etc. Mahatma Gandhi is also termed as ‘Bapu’ by his
devotees. Gandhi’s birthday is celebrated as a national holiday and a day of non-violence and

 Intermediate
peace. He led and made many campaigns and described satyagraha in the true essence.
If I am to die by the bullet of a mad man, I must do so smiling. There must be no anger within me.
God must be in my heart and on my lips.
Mohandas K. Gandhi, 28 January 1948, two days prior to his assassination.
As we celebrated the Mahatma’s birthday during the Championships, I wrote this report on
the match between Bulgaria and China:
Nine Hours to Rama
Nine Hours to Rama is a 1963 British movie based on Stanley Wolpert’s novel of the same name,
which is a fictional account of the final nine hours leading up to Gandhi’s assassination.
The World renowned Indian spiritual leader and advocate of the philosophy of active non-vio-
lence, not only indulged in occasional games of bridge but even used it as a metaphor to illustrate
a basic Hindu belief.
Gandhi trained as an attorney in England and whilst in England he took dancing lessons,
learned to to play the violin and enjoyed sessions of bridge.
He used bridge to discuss the relationship between ‘Kharma’ (predetermined fate) and ‘dharma’
(man’s action).
Kharma is analogous to a hand dealt at bridge; Dharma is how man plays the hand. Man is
not bound to a predetermined destiny because he may play his hand well or poorly and it is ulti-
mately up to him whether he wins or loses.
The final result of a man’s life develops from his learning, striving and skill – not just from the
hand he is dealt.
How would the players cope with the cards they held in the match between Bulgaria and China?
Board 2. Dealer East. N/S Vul.
♠ AK52
♥ AQJ82
♦ 63
♣ K8
♠6 N ♠ 8743
♥ K43 ♥ 10 9 7
♦ KJ8754 W E ♦ A 10 2
♣ A 10 4 S ♣ Q62
♠ Q J 10 9
♥ 65
♦ Q9
♣ J9753
Open Room
Stamatov Li Danailov Hu
– – Pass Pass
2♦* 2NT All Pass
2♦ 5+M, (4-10)HCP>1,2 seat 5+4+Ms(5-14)HCP > 3 or 4seat
It appears that West momentarily forgot the system.
East led the ten of hearts and declarer took West’s king with the ace, cashed four rounds of
spades and then played hearts from the top, +150.

 Intermediate
Closed Room ♠ AK52
♥ AQJ82
West North East South ♦ 63
Sun Mihov Kang Stefanov ♣ K8
– – Pass Pass ♠ 6 N ♠ 8743
♥ ♥
1♦* 1♠
K43 10 9 7
Double Pass W E
♦ KJ8754 ♦ A 10 2
Pass 4♠ All Pass ♣ A 10 4 S ♣ Q62
1♦ 11-15HCP, 1st/2n, 4♦+,22(45), ♠ Q J 10 9
4441, 6322, 3rd/4th 2♦+ ♥ 65
♦ Q9
West led the six of spades and declarer won in hand and ♣ J9753
played a heart to the queen. When declarer cashed the
ace of spades West pitched the seven of diamonds.
Now the winning line is to come to hand with a trump, repeat the heart finesse and then play
hearts. If East ruffs in at any point declarer will score ten tricks by leading towards the king of clubs.
However, declarer played the three of diamonds and West won with the jack and correctly
returned a diamond, East winning with the ace and playing a spade. Declarer won in hand,
repeated the heart finesse and continued with the ace of hearts and a heart.
When East made the surprising error of ruffing a heart declarer could overruff and lead towards
the king of clubs for +620 and 10 IMPs.
The alternative line for declarer is to play a club to the king at trick two. When that holds he
plays another club, East winning with the queen and playing a spade. Declarer wins in hand, takes
a heart finesse, cashes the ace of hearts, ruffs a heart, draws trumps and cashes two hearts.
Board 3. Dealer South. E/W Vul.
♠ 10 8 6
♥ 9842
♦ AQJ
♣ K92
♠ AK 9 7 3 N ♠ J542
♥ K J 10 ♥ A6 5 3
♦ 10 8 W E ♦ 32
♣ AJ 7 S ♣ 654
♠Q
♥ Q7
♦ K97654
♣ Q 10 8 3
Open Room
– – – Pass
1♣* Pass 1♦* Pass
1♠ Pass 2NT* Pass
3♠ All Pass
1♣ 16+
1♦ 0-7
2NT Four-card spade raise

 Intermediate
North led the six of spades and declarer won with the ♠ 10 8 6
ace, drew trumps ending in dummy and played a heart ♥ 9842
to the ten, cashed the king and jack, played the carefully ♦ AQJ
preserved three of spades to dummy’s five and claimed ♣ K92
♠ AK 9 7 3 N ♠ J542
ten tricks, +170. ♥ K J 10 ♥ A6 5 3
I was surprised that West did not go on to game – ♦ 10 8 W E ♦ 32
once spades have been supported his hand has improved ♣ AJ 7 S ♣ 654
considerably. ♠ Q
♥ Q7
Closed Room ♦ K97654
♣ Q 10 8 3
Sun Mihov Kang Stefanov
– – – 3♦
Double 5♦ Double All Pass
Declarer won the trump lead, took a second round, played a spade to the queen and ace, ruffed
the spade return and ran the eight of clubs, two down, -300 and 4 IMPs to China.
Board 6. Dealer East. E/W Vul.
♠ 964
♥ K54
♦ K 10 8 3
♣ K74
♠ A Q 10 7 5 N ♠ KJ3
♥ J3 ♥ Q982
♦ 95 W E ♦ A6 2
♣ QJ98 S ♣ A6 5
♠ 82
♥ A 10 7 6
♦ QJ74
♣ 10 3 2
Open Room
– – 1NT Pass
2♥* Pass 2♠ Pass
3♣ Pass 4♠ All Pass
2♥ Transfer
South led the queen of diamonds and when it was ducked he continued with the four, declarer
winning with the ace and playing a heart to the jack and king. Declarer ruffed the diamond return
in dummy, played a heart to the eight and ten, won the spade return with the king, played the
queen of hearts, covered by the ace and ruffed high in dummy, and ran the queen of clubs. When
that held he drew trumps and played the eight of clubs, conceding one down when the king did
not surface, -100.

 Intermediate
Closed Room
Sun Mihov Kang Stefanov
– – 1NT Pass
2♣* Pass 2♥* Pass
2♠ Pass 3♠ Pass
4♠ All Pass
North led the six of spades and declarer won with dummy’s jack and played a heart to the jack
and king. At this point it was essential for North to switch to a diamond, but he played a second
spade, taken by declarer’s seven. A heart went to the eight and ten and South’s diamond switch
was too late.
Declarer won with the ace and played the nine of hearts, ruffing with the ace when South played
the ace. Declarer drew the outstanding trump with dummy’s king, cashed the master heart pitch-
ing a diamond and played a club to the jack and king. Declarer ruffed the diamond return and
played clubs, scoring up his game for 12 IMPs.
Board 11. Dealer South. None Vul.
♠ A J 10 9
♥ Q932
♦ A843
♣9
♠ KQ N ♠ 87654
♥ AJ 7 ♥ 86
♦ 95 W E ♦ J 10 2
♣ K Q J 10 5 4 S ♣ 632
♠ 32
♥ K 10 5 4
♦ KQ76
♣ A87
Open Room
– – – 1♣
1NT Double 2♥* Double
2♠ Double Pass Pass
3♣ Pass Pass 3♦
Pass 3♥ All Pass
2♥ Transfer
Declarer won the club lead with the ace and played a heart to the queen followed by a diamond
to the king and a spade to the king and ace. West won the next spade and played a club, declarer
ruffing and playing the ten of spades, pitching a club. That restricted the defenders to three tricks,
+170.

 Intermediate
Closed Room ♠ A J 10 9
♥ Q932
West North East South ♦ A843
Sun Mihov Kang Stefanov ♣ 9
– – – 1♦* ♠ KQ N ♠ 87654
Double Redouble 1♠ Pass ♥ AJ 7 ♥ 86
♦ 95 W E ♦ J 10 2
2♣ Pass Pass 2♥ ♣ K Q J 10 5 4 S ♣ 632
Pass 4♥ All Pass ♠ 32
1♦ Precision ♥ K 10 5 4
♦ KQ76
West led the king of clubs and declarer took the ace ♣ A87
and played a spade to the king and ace and a spade to
the queen. Declarer ruffed the club continuation, played a diamond to the king and a heart to
the queen followed by a spade, pitching a club. That guaranteed ten tricks, +420 and 6 IMPs to
Bulgaria.
This low scoring match ended dead level,
21-21 IMPs, 10-10 VP.
I’ll sign off with a few quotes from the man
whose birth we honoured:
“Be the change that you wish to see in the
world.”
“An eye for an eye will only make the whole
world blind.”
“When I despair, I remember that all through
history the way of truth and love have always
won. There have been tyrants and murderers,
Vladimar Mihov and for a time, they can seem invincible, but in
the end, they always fall. Think of it – always.”
“You must not lose faith in humanity. Human-
ity is like an ocean; if a few drops of the ocean are dirty, the ocean does not become dirty.”
You can replay the deals at: http://tinyurl.com/ne5r6jb
Madras Mallard
I’m sure you are all aware that Madras is the former name of Chennai and that the mallard or
wild duck is a dabbling duck which breeds throughout the temperate and subtropical Americas,
Europe, Asia, and North Africa, and has been introduced to New Zealand, Australia, Peru, Bra-
zil, Uruguay, Argentina, Chile, the Falkland Islands and South Africa.
I’m equally certain that you will be less familiar with the Bombay duck which, despite its name,
is not a duck but a lizardfish. It is native to the waters in Maharashtra, and a small number are
also found in the Bay of Bengal. They are also caught in the South China Sea. The fish is often
dried and salted before it is consumed, as its meat does not have a distinctive taste of its own.
After drying, the odour of the fish is extremely powerful, and it is usually transported in air-tight
containers. Fresh fish are usually fried and served as a starter. In Mumbai, Konkan, and the west-
ern coastal areas in India, this dish is popularly known as Bombil fry.
I suspect it may be unclear to you why I am introducing the following deal from the match
between Poland and Bulgaria with this long-winded preamble, but had we been playing in Mum-
bai the title of my article would have been Bombay Duck.

 Intermediate
♠ J432
♥ Q7
♦ KQ983
♣ 42
♠ A 10 8 6 N ♠ 95
♥ 864 ♥ A 10 9 2
♦ J4 W E ♦ A7 6 5
♣ QJ98 S ♣ A7 6
♠ KQ7
♥ KJ53
♦ 10 2
♣ K 10 5 3
In the Open Room North played in 2♦ which could not be defeated, +90.
Closed Room
Kaleta Stamatov Nowosadski Mihov
Pass Pass 1♦* Double
1♥* 1NT All Pass
1♦ 11-GF 3+♦, 3 only with 4432
1♥ Spades
On the convention card it says ‘1♣-(x)-transfers’ from which one can infer that 1♥ was a trans-
fer to spades.
East found the only lead to keep the defenders in with a shout when he selected the nine of
spades. When declarer played dummy’s king West ducked – winning would give declarer a vital
entry to hand.
The ten of diamonds was covered by the jack and king and now it was East’s turn to make an
important duck, as winning would give declarer the rest of the diamond suit.
When declarer continued with the eight of diamonds, East found the essential play of winning
and returned his remaining spade.
When declarer played dummy’s queen West ducked for the second time, winning the next spade,
East correctly pitching a diamond, and switching to the six of hearts for the seven, nine and jack
(the fourth defensive duck).
When declarer continued with a heart to the queen East took the ace and exited with the two
of hearts, declarer winning with dummy’s king and exiting with a heart, East taking the ten as
West disembarrassed himself of the ten of spades.
When East returned a low club declarer put up dummy’s king, but now the defenders had the
last three tricks for one down and a well deserved 4 IMPs.
You can replay this deal at: http://tinyurl.com/n99q43v
Outplaying the Analyst

At every major championship, the journalists are always on the lookout for something brilliant,
but it is frequently the case that on most of the potential deals no-one finds the winning line.
England’s Paul Barden wondered if anyone had played in 6♣ on this deal from Round 14:

 Intermediate
Board 20. Dealer West. All Vul.
♠ QJ7543
♥ K 10 4
♦2
♣ J92
♠ A 10 N ♠ K986
♥ AQ 8 ♥ J65
♦ AK 7 5 4 W E ♦6
♣ AK Q S ♣ 10 8 7 6 5
♠2
♥ 9732
♦ Q J 10 9 8 3
♣ 43
He imagined this scenario:
You open a strong club, North overcalls in spades, and you reach 6♣ (this didn’t happen that
I know of, but it could).
North leads a trump (or a diamond) but let’s say a trump.
You win, cash a diamond, ruff a diamond, bad news. North thinks for a long time then discards
a spade – he’s worked out that if he ruffs high and returns a trump you’ll discard one of dummy’s
hearts on his ruff, and another on the king of diamonds, then he’ll be caught in a trump squeeze
as you ruff diamonds.
You place him with the jack of clubs for his think. It’s no good crossing in spades to ruff another
diamond, or North will ruff up and give South a spade ruff. Nor can you use the ace of hearts.
So you cross in trumps and lead a diamond. He discards another spade for the same reason. As
before it does no good to cross in spades to lead another diamond – North can ruff high and lead
a spade honour, breaking up the squeeze. So, you change tack, draw the last trump and lead the
king of diamonds in this position:
♠ QJ75
♥ K 10 4
♦—
♣—
♠ A 10 N ♠ K986
♥ AQ 8 ♥ J65
♦ K7 W E ♦—
♣— S ♣—
♠2
♥ 9732
♦ J 10
♣—
North is caught in an unusual strip-squeeze. If he pitches a heart, you discard a spade from dummy
and endplay him with ace and queen of hearts. If he pitches a spade, you discard a heart and play
three rounds of spades, endplaying him to give you a heart trick and an entry to dummy.
Quite a hand, so I checked the records to see if anyone had reached 6♣. In all three series, only
one pair had matched the first part of the equation.
This was the auction from the Closed Room in the match between Austria & Norway in the
d’Orsi Trophy.

 Intermediate
Kubak Anderssen Bamberger Marstander
1♣* 1♠ Pass* Pass
Double Pass 2♣ Pass
2♠* Pass 3NT* Pass
6♣ All Pass
1♣ Blue Club
Pass 0-7
3NT Spade stopper, 5+ clubs
North led the two of diamonds and declarer won and correctly played back a diamond. North
refused to ruff, pitching a spade and declarer ruffed, came to hand with a club, ruffed a diamond,
came to hand with a club and ruffed yet another diamond.
This is a clear improvement on the line already described; it was clear from my conversation
with declarer that he had worked out that if North ruffed in with the jack of clubs at any point he
would be subjected to a squeeze. When he refused to do so declarer came to hand with the ace of
hearts and drew the last trump. He could now play the queen of hearts, establishing a twelfth trick.
During my research I discovered that a couple of pairs had bid to 6NT, North leading the
queen of spades.
Declarer can win in hand, unblock the clubs and run the ten of spades. Suppose he then plays
the ♥Q? North must duck, but then declarer cashes the ♦AK, extracting any potential exit cards
from North and plays the ace of hearts and a heart. North wins but has to give dummy the last
three tricks. A beautiful combination of a Dentist’s Coup and Stepping Stone.
(No doubt you have noticed that a minor-suit lead defeats 6NT.)
The opportunity was missed, as 6NT failed at both tables.
Now I’ll leave you with a question:
Is this deal a contender for best played hand, best bid hand, or even, considering North’s refusal
to ruff in, best defence?
You can replay this deal at: http://tinyurl.com/og3u62o
At the end of 21 rounds the table looked like this:
1 BULGARIA 277.74 12 INDIA 218.69
2 CHINA 274.90 13 AUSTRALIA 205.86
3 POLAND 267.87 14 SINGAPORE 205.32
4 ENGLAND 267.18 15 CANADA 195.90
5 FRANCE 256.68 16 SOUTH AFRICA 181.15
6 USA1 243.67 17 NEW ZEALAND 178.91
7 USA2 236.56 18 ARGENTINA 177.05
8 SWEDEN 225.18 19 EGYPT 165.65
9 JAPAN 225.04 20 GUADELOUPE 154.30
10 BRAZIL 223.81 21 UAE 114.73
11 DENMARK 220.29 22 JORDAN 94.02
After an amusing Captain’s meeting where the computer generated coin toss appeared to have a
strong bias this is how the quarter-finalists lined up:
Bulgaria v Sweden
USA2 v China
England v USAI
France v Poland

 Intermediate
After two sessions of their quarter-final England led 85-47. However, as one commentator remarked,
when the third one got under way they (rather like Manchester United, in their match against
Arsenal) appeared to be still on the bus.
Board 7. Dealer South. All Vul.
♠ A85
♥ 75
♦ J985
♣ AKQ3
♠ Q97632 N ♠J
♥ 64 ♥ A 10 3
♦ 10 7 4 W E ♦ AK Q 6
♣ 62 S ♣ 10 9 7 5 4
♠ K 10 4
♥ KQJ982
♦ 32
♣ J8
Open Room
Meckstroth Robson Rodwell Forrester
– – – 2♥*
Pass 4♥ All Pass
2♥ Constructive weak 2 (8-11/9-12)
West led the six of clubs and declarer won in hand with the jack and decided to play two more
rounds of the suit, pitching a diamond from hand. When West ruffed and played the four of
diamonds East could win and play another club and one way or another declarer had to go one
down, -100.
Closed Room
Hackett Levin Hackett Weinstein
– – – 2♥
Pass 2NT* Pass 3♣*
Pass 3♦* Double 3NT*
Pass 4♥ All Pass
2NT Asks for feature with a reasonable hand
3♣ Good hand, good suit or bad hand, bad suit
3♦ Asking
3NT Good, good with no shortness
West led the four of diamonds and East won with the queen, cashed the king and switched to the
jack of spades. Declarer won with dummy’s ace, played a heart to the king and continued with
the queen, claiming when East won with the ace, +620 and 12 IMPs to the USA.

 Intermediate
Board 8. Dealer West. None Vul.
♠ J97
♥ Q952
♦ 10 9 2
♣ K74
♠ AQ 2 N ♠ K53
♥ 43 ♥ A J 10 7 6
♦A W E ♦ Q43
♣ AQ J 9 6 3 2 S ♣ 10 5
♠ 10 8 6 4
♥ K8
♦ KJ8765
♣8
Open Room
1♣* Pass 1♠* 3♦
4♣ Pass 5♣ All Pass
1♣ RM Precision,16+
1♠ 5+ hearts, 8+
Declarer won the diamond lead and played ace of clubs, queen of clubs, for a rapid +400.
Closed Room
1♣ Pass 1♥ Pass
2NT Pass 3NT All Pass
North found the excellent lead of the ten of diamonds and declarer won and cashed the ace of
clubs, continuing with the queen when the Rabbi’s rule failed to come to his aid. North won
and played the nine of diamonds for a rapid two down, +100 and another 11 IMPs for the USA
Justin Hackett

 Intermediate
♠ K963
♥ J653
♦ J 10
♣ K85
♠ QJ8 N ♠ A4
♥ 94 ♥ 872
♦ AQ 8 6 4 2 W E ♦ K973
♣ A6 S ♣ QJ94
♠ 10 7 5 2
♥ A K Q 10
♦5
♣ 10 7 3 2
Open Room
– – – Pass
North led the three of spades and when declarer was able to win in hand with the queen, he had
nine tricks, +400.
Closed Room
– – – Pass
1♦ Pass 2♦ 2♥
2♠ 3♥ Pass Pass
South’s overcall was enough to eliminate no-trumps as a possible denomination.

North led the five of hearts and South took two tricks in the suit and switched to the three of
clubs. When the finesse lost declarer was one down, -50 and 10 IMPs to USA who won the set
52-16 to close the gap to just 2 IMPs.
You can replay the deals at: http://tinyurl.com/qgc3484
Under the Radar

With so many close matches taking place in the quarter-finals, it was quite easy to miss one of the
most sensational finishes in the history of the Bermuda Bowl.
At the start of the last session China led USA II 198-195, and with two deals to play they had
increased their lead to 11 IMPs.

 Intermediate
Board 31. Dealer South. N/S Vul.
♠ Q985432
♥ Q2
♦ 54
♣ K8
♠ J 10 7 6 N ♠—
♥ 543 ♥ A 10 9 7 6
♦ J62 W E ♦ K983
♣ QJ2 S ♣ 10 9 5 4
♠ AK
♥ KJ8
♦ A Q 10 7
♣ A763
Open Room
Kranyak Sun Demuy Kang
– – – 1♣*
Pass 1♦* 1♥ 2NT
Pass 3♥* Pass 3♠
Pass 4♠ All Pass
West led the three of hearts and declarer had to lose two tricks, +650.
This appeared to be a huge position for China – if USA bid the slam the match would be over.
Closed Room
Li Hurd Hu Wooldridge
– – – 2NT
Pass 4♥* Double 4♠
Pass Pass 4NT* Pass
5♣ Pass Pass Double
All Pass
4♥ Spades
Commentating on BBO Kit Woolsey commentated, ‘USA can’t pick up anything here, so will
need a miracle on the last board.
If East had known the score in the match he would have passed like a shot, but perhaps think-
ing his team was behind he came again, with disastrous consequences.
North led the five of diamonds and South won with the queen of diamonds and exited with a
trump, North winning with the king and returning his remaining diamond. If South had taken
the ace and returned a diamond declarer would have been held to just four tricks, but he put in
the ten and declarer won with dummy’s jack. That dropped trick meant the penalty was reduced
to a mere 1400 and for only the second time in the match the USA had taken the lead.

 Intermediate
♠ AKQ
♥ A65
♦ J84
♣ K 10 3 2
♠ J 10 8 6 4 N ♠2
♥ Q82 ♥ K 10 9 7 4 3
♦ Q 10 2 W E ♦ K75
♣ 54 S ♣ AJ 6
♠ 9753
♥J
♦ A963
♣ Q987
Open Room
Kranyak Sun Demuy Kang
Pass 1♣* 1♥ Double*
Pass 1NT Pass 2♣*
Pass 2♦* Pass 2NT
Pass 3NT All Pass
1♣ 16+
East led the four of hearts and declarer ducked twice, took the third round, cashed two top spades
and played a club. East took his ace and cashed out for two down, -100.
Closed Room
Li Hurd Hu Wooldridge
Pass 1♣ 2♥ Double*
Pass 3♥* Pass 5♣
All Pass
There was some speculation amongst the commentators that East, mindful of the previous deal,
might double 5♣, but at the very least that would depend on how he thought the match was going.
East led the two of spades and declarer won with the king and played a club to the queen and
a club, East winning with the jack, cashing the ace of clubs and, when West discarded the six of
spades, exiting with the king of hearts. Declarer won with the ace, cashed two top spades and
played the eight of diamonds for the five, three and ten. West exited with a spade and declarer
won with the queen, played a diamond to the ace and a diamond, establishing the nine for a dis-
card, two down, -100 and a flat board.
If West had played a heart when he was in with the ten of diamonds declarer would have had
no way to avoid three down, and the 2 IMPs that China would have gained would have meant
the match was tied.
In Europe they have now adopted ‘sudden death’ one board at a time play-offs, but here the
players would have been required to contest another eight deals, which might be described as cruel
and unnatural punishment. You might think that – I couldn’t possibly comment.
You can replay the deals at: http://tinyurl.com/nucuucw

 Intermediate
Primus Inter Pares
There is a line from the bible that runs, ‘Greater love hath no man than this, that he lay down his
life for his friends.’
In the world of bridge journalism, the equivalent is to spot a beautiful deal and rather than
write it up yourself, offer it to a colleague.
So, a big thank you to Micke Melander, who suggested I look at this deal from the last session
of the quarter-finals.
♠ QJ43
♥ KJ9643
♦2
♣ 53
♠ 97 N ♠ AK 8 2
♥ 10 ♥ AQ 8 7 5
♦ AJ 10 9 8 6 4 W E ♦5
♣ J76 S ♣ AQ 4
♠ 10 6 5
♥2
♦ KQ73
♣ K 10 9 8 2
Open Room
– – – Pass
At several tables, E/W tried 3NT, but barring a defensive error there are only eight tricks and the
contract usually failed.
Looking at all four hands 5♦ does not look promising and everyone attempting it failed –
except one.
North led the queen of spades and declarer won with dummy’s ace and played a diamond to
the jack. His next move was a heart to the ace and a heart, South pitching the ten of clubs as
declarer ruffed.
A spade to the king was followed by a spade ruff and with South now out of major-suit cards
declarer exited with the ten of diamonds. South could win, but was left with ♦K7 ♣K10982 and
hopelessly placed, he exited with the seven of diamonds, but declarer won, drew the last trump
and played a club to the queen and king for eleven tricks and 13 IMPs.
You can replay this deal at: http://tinyurl.com/p7bo4x2
England led all the way in their match against the favourites, but they had to withstand a typi-
cal last set charge before emerging triumphant, 215-195.
Once they had wiped out Bulgaria’s carryover advantage Bulgaria also held off a last-set counter-
attack to prevail 223-202.5.
France led Poland through four sessions, but the Poles rallied in the last two to edge home
211-197.
In the semi-finals England faced Poland, while Sweden took on USA2.

 Intermediate
Hasta La Vista Baby
Micke Melander watched his heroes from afar:
The first set of the semi-final between Sweden and USA2 resembled one of the Arnold
Schwarzenegger Terminator movies where a lot of bullets are fired in all directions.
♠4
♥ AQ63
♦ A Q J 10 9
♣ A95
♠ AQ 8 7 6 2 N ♠J
♥ J 10 ♥ K97542
♦ K75 W E ♦3
♣ QJ S ♣ 86432
♠ K 10 9 5 3
♥8
♦ 8642
♣ K 10 7
Open Room
Kranyak Warne Demuy Bergdahl
– 1♣* 2♥ Pass
4♠ Pass Pass Double
All Pass
Warne opened with his big club and Demuy decided to pre-empt in hearts. Why on earth Kranyak
now believed that game in spades was on or would create a mess for the opponents to miss their
contract is a mystery. It’s clear that Four Spades made life very difficult to evaluate if they could
play slam in diamonds or not, however it wasn’t on so Four Spades would always be very bad.
North led a trump that went to the jack, king and declarer’s ace. Kranyak tried the ten of hearts,
but North jumped up with the ace, cashed the ace of clubs to get an encouraging signal from part-
ner and led a second round of the suit that went to South’s king. Bergdahl returned a diamond
and when North won and exited with his club declarer was six down for -1400!
Closed Room
Sylvan Wolpert Wrang Fireman
– 1♦ 3♥ 3♠
Pass 3NT Pass Pass
Double All Pass
East pre-empted again in hearts, North eventually becoming declarer in 3NT doubled, which
was a very interesting contract. Declarer had to read the cards right and be very careful to make
it. The jack of spades was led and declarer covered correctly with the king and was now on track
for even 10 tricks thanks to the lucky lie. West won and returned the jack of hearts, which won
the trick. The ten followed, again ducked and declarer was now down to nine tricks.
West then played the queen of clubs, when declarer decided it was time to step in and win it
with the ace. When Wolpert now finessed in clubs it was game over since that established a fourth

 Intermediate
trick for the defence and they also had the queen of spades to cash.
Moreover, he had lost his second entry to dummy to finesse twice in diamonds when West
held king-third in the suit.
West gave declarer some hope by returning a diamond. Wolpert finessed, entered dummy with
a club to the king to repeat the finesse but East still had to get a trick with the king of hearts at
the end for one down.
That was 17 IMPs to Sweden and I bet Kranyak was thinking, ‘I’ll be back’, and what had just
happened was a bit unlucky...
For sure he was a few boards later:
Board 5. Dealer North. N/S Vul.
♠ 10 6 5
♥ K64
♦ 10 5 4
♣ 9875
♠ AK 4 3 N ♠ 9872
♥ J3 ♥ Q95
♦ AK 9 8 W E ♦ 763
♣ KQ6 S ♣ A 10 2
♠ QJ
♥ A 10 8 7 2
♦ QJ2
♣ J43
Open Room
– Pass Pass Pass
2♥ Pass 2♠ Pass
The American big club system took them to 3NT which was a decent spot.
However Warne found the lead of an apparently killing six of hearts!
Kranyak realised that they were in great danger and found a brilliant solution when he was
allowed to win with the jack. He immediately played back his three of hearts. North rose with
his king and returned a club that went to the two, jack and declarer’s king.
Kranyak then played three rounds of spades, North getting in on the last of them. South did
what he could by trying to signal for hearts when playing the queen and jack of spades and dis-
carding a club on the third round (maybe the queen of diamonds would have worked better) but
North switched to a diamond.
Hasta la vista, baby, was probably going through Kranyak’s mind this time.
Closed Room
– Pass Pass 1♥
Double Pass 1♠ Pass
2♥* Double Pass Pass
3♠ Pass 4♠ All Pass

 Intermediate
With four sure losers if the defence didn’t do anything bad, Four Spades was an impossible mis-
sion and Wrang eventually had to concede one down.
♠—
♥ AJ984
♦ Q8643
♣ A 10 4
♠ AKJ97654 N ♠ Q 10 3 2
♥ K2 ♥ 10 7 3
♦ J9 W E ♦ A 10 7 5
♣J S ♣ 96
♠8
♥ Q65
♦ K2
♣ KQ87532
Open Room
– – – 2♣
4♠ 5♣ 5♠ Pass
Pass 6♣ Pass Pass
6♠ Double All Pass
The Swedish defenders played a perfect defence to collect 800. Two rounds of clubs were led and
declarer ruffed and tried the diamond finesse. South won with the king and returned a heart
through declarer and the defence cashed out.
Closed Room
– – – 3♣
4♠ 5♣ 5♠ 6♣
6♠ All Pass
The Swedes escaped being doubled and when North decided to kick-off with the ace of hearts
declarer was just two down.
Another Swedish swing was a fact.

 Intermediate
Board 14. Dealer East. None Vul.
♠ AK4
♥Q
♦ AK98762
♣ AQ
♠ 972 N ♠ Q 10 3
♥ K632 ♥ A7 5 4
♦ 10 4 W E ♦ J5
♣ K942 S ♣ 10 8 7 5
♠ J865
♥ J 10 9 8
♦ Q3
♣ J63
Open Room
– – Pass Pass
Pass 1♣* Pass 1♦*
Pass 1♥* Pass 2♣*
Pass 2♦ Pass 2♥*
Pass 2♠* Pass 3♠*
Pass 6♦ All Pass
Demuy was under the gun. Kranyak led a diamond that went to the nine, jack and declarer’s
queen. With not much to hope for, declarer tried the finesse in clubs, which worked. Six more
rounds of trumps and the ace of clubs followed. As soon as Kranyak discarded his two of hearts
Demuy pitched his ace to avoid beeing thrown in and having to led away from queen-third of
spades into declarers tenace. Well done!
Closed Room
– – Pass Pass
Pass 2♣* Pass 2♦*
Pass 3♦ Pass 3NT
All Pass
The defence cashed two hearts and when the diamonds were not 4-0 declarer could claim eleven
quick tricks and the same number of IMPs for USA 2.
When the smoke had cleared the Americans had added 4 IMPs to their 16 IMP carry-over and
led 76-56. The spectators had witnessed one of the biggest scoring segments from this champion-
ship. The Swedes had a 17,13, 12 and an 11 while the Americans got a 13, 11, 10, & 9.
Hasta la Vista, Baby!
You can replay the deals at: http://tinyurl.com/oyjshsk

 Intermediate
The Man Who Would Be King
John Huston’s “The Man Who Would Be King” is swashbuckling adventure, pure and simple, from
the hand of a master. It’s unabashed and thrilling and fun. The movie invites comparison with the
great action films like “Gunga Din” and “Mutiny on the Bounty,” and with Huston’s own classic
“The Treasure of the Sierra Madre”: We get strong characterizations, we get excitement, we even get
to laugh every once in a while.
Huston’s casting of Michael Caine and Sean Connery is exactly right.
They work together so well, they interact so easily and with such camaraderie, that watching
them is a pleasure.
The movie proceeds with impossible coincidences, untold riches, romances and betrayals, heroic
last words and – best of all – some genuinely witty scenes between Connery and Caine, and when
it’s over we haven’t learned a single thing worth knowing and there’s not even a moral, to speak
of, but we’ve had fun.
Success at bridge requires a perfect partnership and when you are following a match you may
experience many different emotions. You may not learn anything of value but if the deals are
exciting you may sometimes have a lot of fun.
Join me now as we look at the second and third sessions of one of the Bermuda Bowl semi-finals.
Poland led 41-25 and immediately increased their advantage:
♠ 8754
♥ A Q 10 7
♦6
♣ A Q 10 2
♠ KQJ N ♠ A 10 9
♥ K9854 ♥ J6
♦ K J 10 4 W E ♦ A7 5 3
♣9 S ♣ J764
♠ 632
♥ 32
♦ Q982
♣ K853
Open Room
Gold Kalita Bakhshi Nowosadzki
– 1♣ Pass 1♦
1♥ Pass 2♦* Pass
3♦ Pass 3NT Pass
Pass Double All Pass
When East rejected 1NT in favour of 2♦ the auction was out of control. With his hearts perfectly
poised North did not hesitate to pull the trigger.
South led the six of spades and declarer won with dummy’s jack, played a diamond to the ace
and a diamond to the ten. After cashing his winners declarer was out of ammunition, two down,
-300.

 Intermediate
Closed Room ♠ 8754
♥ A Q 10 7
West North East South ♦ 6
Klukowski Robson Gawrys Forrester ♣ A Q 10 2
– 1♣* Pass Pass ♠ KQJ N ♠ A 10 9
♥ ♥
1♥ 2♣ 4♣
K9854 J6
Double* W E
♦ K J 10 4 ♦ A7 5 3
Double All Pass ♣ 9 S ♣ J764
1♣ 5+♣ or 4414 short ♦ (<17) 11-14 ♠ 632
balanced or 18-19 balanced ♥ 32
♦ Q982
Forrester could not respond 1♦ as it would have been a ♣ K853
transfer to hearts and bidding 2♣ would have promised
a game-forcing hand with five diamonds.
No doubt readers of The Times (where Andrew Robson writes a daily column on bridge) will
soon be enlightened as to the rationale behind his rebid.
East led the jack of hearts and declarer won with the queen and played the seven of spades,
West winning with the ten and switching to the nine of clubs for the ten, jack and king. Declarer
played a heart to the ten and exited with a spade, West taking the queen and returning the king,
East winning with the ace and exiting with a club. Declarer won in hand and played a diamond
and East went up with the ace and played another club. Declarer won in hand and played the
established spade, ruffed by East and overruffed in dummy. Declarer ruffed a diamond, cashed
the ace of hearts and gave up a heart for two down, -300 and 12 IMPs to Poland.
♠ Q 10 9 8 6
♥ Q643
♦ J95
♣5
♠ KJ N ♠ 532
♥ AK J 8 5 ♥ 10 2
♦ A8 7 4 W E ♦ KQ2
♣ J9 S ♣ A8 7 3 2
♠ A74
♥ 97
♦ 10 6 3
♣ K Q 10 6 4
Open Room
1♥ Pass 1♠* Pass
2♣* Pass 2♦ Pass
1♠ 0-4 spades
2♣ Diamonds
North led the ten of spades and South won with the ace and returned the four, declarer winning
with the king as North innocently followed with the six of spades.
Declarer crossed to hand with a diamond and played a heart to the jack. North took the queen

 Intermediate
and cashed his spades for one down, +50.
Double dummy fans will have spotted that declarer can make 3NT once North has failed to
retain the six of spades – after cashing four diamonds and the ace of clubs declarer exits with a
spade to endplay North.
Closed Room
Klukowski Robson Gawrys Forrester
1♥ Pass 1NT Pass
2♦ Pass 2♥ Pass
South led the king of clubs and declarer won and played a heart to the jack. North ducked that,
but declarer continued with three more rounds of the suit and exited with the jack of diamonds.
Declarer won with the king, cashed the queen of diamonds and played a spade to the king – that
led to ten tricks, +430 and 10 IMPs to Poland who led 70-32.
Board 29. Dealer North. All Vul.
♠ 72
♥ 762
♦ A752
♣ K742
♠ AK 6 3 N ♠ QJ5
♥ K3 ♥ QJ854
♦ Q 10 9 4 3 W E ♦ J6
♣ A9 S ♣ J 10 6
♠ 10 9 8 4
♥ A 10 9
♦ K8
♣ Q853
Open Room
– Pass Pass Pass
1NT Pass 2♦* Pass
2♥ Pass 2NT Pass
3NT All Pass
The old adage of ‘leading fourth best of your longest and strongest’ works here – as long as South
wins and switches to a club, but North correctly (in my view) led a club. When declarer put up
the jack South withheld his queen and declarer played on hearts, the 3-3 break giving him an
overtrick, +630.
Closed Room
Klukowski Robson Gawrys Forrester
– Pass Pass Pass
1NT Pass 2♦* Pass
2♥ All Pass

 Intermediate
North led the seven of spades and declarer won with dummy’s queen and played a heart to the king and a
heart to the queen and ace. South switched to the king of diamonds and three rounds of the suit allowed
South to score his ten of hearts, but declarer had the rest, +140 but 10 welcome IMPs to England.
Poland took the set 29-23 to lead 70-48.
♠ 85
♥ J83
♦ A 10 8 6 2
♣ K 10 3
♠ 10 7 6 2 N ♠ AJ 9 4
♥ AK ♥ Q 10 6 2
♦ KQ974 W E ♦3
♣ Q4 S ♣ A9 8 2
♠ KQ3
♥ 9754
♦ J5
♣ J765
Open Room
Forrester Kalita Robson Nowosadzki
– – 1♣ Pass
2♣* Pass 2♦ Pass
2♠ Pass 3♠ Pass
4♠ All Pass
1♣ 5+♣ or 4414 short ♦ (<17) 11-14 balanced or 18-19 balanced
2♣ Game-forcing, 5+ diamonds
North led the eight of hearts for the two, four and ace. Declarer played the king of diamonds
and North took the ace and switched to the three of clubs. Declarer went up with dummy’s ace,
played a heart to the king, cashed the queen of diamonds and ruffed a diamond with the nine of
spades. South overuffed, cashed a club and waited for his second trump trick, one down, -100.
Closed Room
Klukowski Gold Gawrys Bakhshi
– – 1♣* Pass
2♦ Pass 2NT Pass
3♠ Pass 4♠ All Pass
1♣ 12-14 PC, balanced or 4-4-1-4 distribution or 15+ PC, natural; or 18+PC, any
2♦ 5+♦ four in major possible
North led the three of hearts and declarer won, unblocked the hearts and played the queen of dia-
monds. North took the ace and switched to the three of clubs and declarer elected to let it run to
his queen after which declarer was in clover. He cashed a diamond pitching a club, crossed to the
ace of clubs, cashed the queen of hearts and the ace of spades and played a second spade, claim-
ing +620 and 10 IMPs to Poland.
Having unblocked the hearts, as the cards lie declarer can also get home by rising with the ace
of clubs and then pitching a club on the queen of hearts.

 Intermediate
♠2
♥ 732
♦ Q98643
♣ Q 10 4
♠ AQ 6 5 ♠ K J 10 4
♥ AK 9 5 ♥ Q8
♦ 75 ♦ AK J
♣ 965 ♣ AK 8 7
♠ 9873
♥ J 10 6 4
♦ 10 2
♣ J32
Open Room
– – 2NT Pass
3♣* Pass 3♠ Pass
4♥* Pass 4NT* Pass
5♠* Pass 5NT* Pass
6♥* Pass 7♠ All Pass
3♣ Stayman
4♥ Slam try for spades
4NT RKCB
5♠ 2 + ♠Q
6♥ ♥K no minor king
I was following the match on BBO, but as is often the case I was momentarily distracted and
having seen East open 2NT and West respond 3♣ I discovered that a power cut had somehow
removed the auction.
By the time I discovered this, play had already started in Session 4, so there was no way to ask
the players. However, Roland Wald had been commentating on the match and as he was also cov-
ering it, he was able to enlighten me.
South led the nine of spades and, as you might imagine this particular declarer took some time
to play the hand, eventually, having ruffed a heart, cashed the top clubs and a top diamond and
drawn trumps, took the diamond finesse for a majestic +2210.
Closed Room
– – 2NT Pass
4♦* Pass 4♠ Pass
6♠ All Pass
2NT (19)20-21(22) balanced (semi-balanced)
3♣ Puppet Stayman
4♦ Both majors, slammish
Here declarer ruffed a heart to get up to twelve tricks, +1430 and a great start for England.

 Intermediate
♠ 65
♥ 97643
♦ K Q 10 6 5
♣9
♠ AJ 8 4 N ♠ KQ9
♥K ♥ AQ 8 5
♦ J74 W E ♦ 983
♣ KQ762 S ♣ J 10 4
♠ 10 7 3 2
♥ J 10 2
♦ A2
♣ A853
Open Room
– 2♥* Pass 3♥
Double Pass 3NT All Pass
2♥ 5/5+H and other, 54 poss. with m nv
South led the jack of hearts and North followed with the nine as declarer won perforce with dum-
my’s king. The king of clubs took the next trick and declarer, who could hardly imagine that he
could score three more tricks in hearts, played a spade to the king followed by the ten of clubs.
When South withheld his ace declarer claimed his contract without bothering to play off the hearts,
+600. (My advice – never claim!)
Charge those points to South, who should surely have taken the ace of clubs and tried the ace
of diamonds and a diamond.
Mind you, it would have been impressive if declarer had cashed out after South had ducked
the first club – how would North have felt then about his play of the nine of hearts?
Closed Room
– 2♥* Pass 3♦*
Pass 3♥ All Pass
2♥ 5♥/4+m weak NV
3♦ Invitational in hearts
East started with three rounds of spades and declarer ruffed and played three rounds of diamonds,
pitching a spade from dummy. He had chances of escaping for one down at this point by either
playing a diamond or crossing to the ace of clubs and ruffing a club first, but he played a trump
and West won with the king and switched to the king of clubs. Declarer took dummy’s ace and
played the ten of hearts, but East won and forced declarer with a club, ensuring three down, -150,
still 10 IMPs for England.

 Intermediate
♠ 52
♥ 52
♦ AKQ865
♣ Q 10 9
♠ Q3 N ♠ K 10 4
♥ K J 10 9 4 3 ♥ Q7
♦7 W E ♦ J 10 3 2
♣ A8 6 2 S ♣ KJ54
♠ AJ9876
♥ A86
♦ 94
♣ 73
Open Room
– – Pass 2♦*
2♥ 2♠ 2NT Pass
3♥ Pass Pass 3♠
All Pass
2♦ 6+H/S 5-11HCP
East led the queen of hearts and declarer won with dummy’s ace and ducked a spade to East’s ten.
When the four of spades was returned declarer won with dummy’s ace and went after the diamonds,
cashing three winners pitching a heart and then playing a fourth diamond, ruffing East’s jack and
exiting with a spade. The defenders still had a heart and two clubs to come, one down, -50.
Closed Room
– – Pass Pass
1♥ 2♦ Double* 2♠
3♥ Pass 3NT Double
All Pass
If West was trying to show a weak hand when he bid 3♥ the message was not received by East.
South led the nine of diamonds and North won with the queen and switched to the five of
spades, covered by the ten, jack and queen. Declarer cashed the ace of clubs, played a club to the
jack, cashed two more clubs ending in dummy and played the king of hearts. South won with
the ace and played a diamond and after taking two diamonds North played a spade giving South
the last four tricks, four down, -800 and 13 IMPs to England.
By taking the set 40-29 England had closed to within 11 IMPs.
You can replay the deals at: http://tinyurl.com/o2pym7o

 Intermediate
Slumdog Millionaires
Slumdog Millionaire is a 2008 British drama film loosely adapted from the 2005 novel Q & A by
Indian author and diplomat Vikas Swarup. Set and filmed in India, it tells the story of Jamal Malik,
a young man from the Juhu slums of Mumbai who appears on the Indian version of Who Wants to
Be a Millionaire? and exceeds people’s expectations, thereby arousing the suspicions of cheating; Jamal
recounts in flashback how he knows the answer to each question, each one linked to a key event in his life.
As the semi-final of the match between England and Poland unfolded the players sought to draw
upon their vast experience to answer the many tough questions they had to answer at the table.
Join me now as we explore what happened on day two – I promise you will not be disappointed.
♠ 9643
♥ J84
♦ A62
♣ J64
♠ AQ 2 N ♠ 75
♥ A 10 9 ♥ Q76
♦ K J 10 W E ♦ Q9753
♣ A K 10 9 S ♣ 753
♠ K J 10 8
♥ K532
♦ 84
♣ Q82
Open Room
Forrester Jassem Robson Mazurkiewicz
– Pass Pass Pass
North led the six of spades and when South played the king declarer ducked. He took the return of
the eight of spades with the ace and played the king of diamonds, followed by the ten. When that also
held he played three rounds of clubs, South winning with the queen and returning the jack of spades.
Declarer won, cashed the ten of clubs and exited with the jack of diamonds. North won, cashed the
nine of spades and played the eight of hearts. Declarer played low from dummy and was home,+400.
There is more to this hand than meets the eye.
For instance, if North had held the king of hearts declarer would have been able to get home
by playing a third diamond, relying on the queen of hearts to be an entry. He was perhaps able
to judge that was unlikely from the early play.
Closed Room
Kalita Hackett Nowosadzki Hackett
– Pass Pass Pass
2NT Pass 3♣* Pass
3♥* Pass 3♠* Double
3NT All Pass
3♣ Puppet Stayman
3♥ No Major

 Intermediate
North led the four of spades and declarer took South’s king with the ace and played three rounds of
diamonds, North winning with the ace and continuing with the three of spades. Declarer ducked,
won the next spade and played a heart for the jack, queen and king.
The defenders cashed a spade and exited with a heart, waiting for a club trick, -50 and 10 IMPs
for England.
Credit those to Forrester.
♠ Q2
♥ 862
♦ AJ532
♣ Q 10 4
♠ J764 N ♠ A9 5 3
♥ K3 ♥ 10 9 5 4
♦ 9764 W E ♦ Q 10
♣ A6 5 S ♣ J93
♠ K 10 8
♥ AQJ7
♦ K8
♣ K872
Open Room
– – Pass 1NT
Pass 3NT All Pass
West led the four of diamonds and declarer took East’s ten with the king and played a club to the
ten and jack. The return of the four of hearts went to the queen and king and West played the
nine of diamonds, covered by the jack and queen. Declarer won the heart return played a club to
the queen and cashed the ace of diamonds. When East showed out he tried the queen of spades
but East won and returned the nine of spades and declarer was three down, -150.
Closed Room
– – Pass 1NT
Pass 3NT All Pass
West led the seven of spades and East won with the ace and returned the five of hearts for the
queen and king, West returning the three for the six ten and ace. Declarer played a club to the ten
and jack, won the heart return with the jack and played a club, West taking the ace and switch-
ing to the seven of diamonds for the ten and king. Declarer played a spade to the queen, overtook
the queen of clubs with the king, cashed the eight of clubs and the king of spades and played a
diamond to the ace, the fall of the queen giving declarer his ninth trick, +400 and 11 IMPs to
England, putting them ahead, 120.3-112.

 Intermediate
♠Q
♥ A9654
♦ QJ843
♣ K7
♠4 N ♠ KJ95
♥ J72 ♥ K Q 10
♦ 962 W E ♦ A 10 7 5
♣ J 10 8 6 4 2 S ♣ 95
♠ A 10 8 7 6 3 2
♥ 83
♦K
♣ AQ3
Open Room
– – 1♣* 1♠
3♣ Double* Pass 4♠
All Pass
1♣ 5+♣ or 4414 short ♦ (<17). 11-14 bal, 18-19 bal, Doubleton ♣ possible
To defeat 4♠ West must lead a heart.
I thought it was a possibility, as at least you have an honour in the suit, but my esteemed col-
league Jean-Paul Meyer assured me it is the last thing he would consider, so West can consider
himself to be unlucky.
East took the diamond lead with the ace and returned the five, but the potential heart loser had
vanished and declarer could safely negotiate the trump suit for two losers by playing the queen,
winning with the ace when East covered and continuing with the ten, +420.
Closed Room
– – 1♦ 1♠
Pass 2♥ Pass 2♠
Pass 2NT Pass 3♦
Pass 3NT All Pass
East led the queen of hearts and when West followed with the two he switched to the five of clubs.
Declarer won with the king and played the queen of spades. East should have covered that, but
he made the slight mistake of ducking, giving declarer a difficult opportunity.
Declarer takes two rounds of clubs followed by the king of diamonds. If East ducks declarer plays
a heart, covering West’s card. With West out of the game declarer can take on East and should easily
come to nine tricks. Terence Reese described a very similar hand in a story entitled Divide and Rule.
In practice declarer played a diamond and East took the ace. Playing a heart at this point ensures
the defeat of the contract, but East played a second club, giving declarer a chance to revert to the win-
ning line. However, the spade suit was too tempting and declarer cashed dummy’s ace of spades which
meant he had to go one down, -50 and 10 IMPs to Poland, who had regained the lead, 137-125.3.
You can replay the deals at: http://tinyurl.com/pp76rsj

 Intermediate
♠ J8
♥ A97653
♦ 10 5
♣ 865
♠ A K 10 5 4 3 N ♠Q
♥ K4 ♥ Q2
♦ A7 W E ♦ KQJ863
♣ J72 S ♣ AQ 9 4
♠ 9762
♥ J 10 8
♦ 942
♣ K 10 3
Open Room
1♠ Pass 2♦ Pass
2♠ Pass 3♣ Pass
3♦ Pass 3♥* Pass
3NT Pass 4♦ Pass
4♥* Pass 5♣* Pass
6♦ All Pass
3♥ Fourth suit forcing
4♥ Cue-bid
5♣ Cue-bid
South led the jack of hearts and declarer played low from dummy, North winning with the ace
and returning the three of hearts.
After long thought declarer played a club to the queen and was one down, -100.
Closed Room
1♠ Pass 2♦ Pass
2NT* Pass 3♦ Pass
3♠ Pass 4♣* Double
Pass Pass Redouble Pass
4♦ Pass 4NT* Pass
5♦* Pass 6♦ All Pass
2NT Extra values
4♣ Cue-bid
4NT RKCB
5♦ 3 key cards
The defence started in the same way.
Having been warned off the club finesse by South’s double, declarer crossed to the king of dia-
monds, unblocked the queen of spades, came to hand with a diamond and cashed three spades,
which took care of dummy’s clubs, +1370 and 16 IMPs to Poland.

 Intermediate
West had taken several minutes before bidding 4♦ and the deal was subsequently reviewed, but
there was no change to the result.
♠Q
♥ QJ8542
♦ KQ8
♣ Q 10 6
♠ J7532 N ♠ AK 8 4
♥ K9 ♥ A 10 7 3
♦ 976 W E ♦ 10 5 3
♣ 932 S ♣ J4
♠ 10 9 6
♥6
♦ AJ42
♣ AK875
Open Room
– – – 1♣
Pass 1♥ Pass 2♣
Pass 2♦ Pass 3♦
Pass 3♥ Pass 3♠
Pass 5♣ Double All Pass
West led the two of spades and East won with the ace and returned the ten of diamonds, declarer
winning with dummy’s king and playing a heart. East went in with the ace and continued with
the three of diamonds, declarer taking the trick with the jack, ruffing a spade and playing the
queen of hearts, ruffing when East followed with the three, bringing down West’s king.
At this point declarer can get home in more than one way, the simplest being to draw trumps,
cross to dummy with a diamond and pitch the losing spade on the jack of hearts. When declarer
cashed the ace of clubs, crossed to dummy with the queen and pitched a spade on the jack of
hearts West was able to ruff with the nine of clubs, one down, -200.
Closed Room
– – – 1♣
Pass 1♥ Pass 2♣
Pass 3♥ Pass 4♥
Pass 5♣ Double All Pass
Having doubled 4♥ (a contract that was going down) and perhaps recalling the old Russian prov-
erb that ‘having said A you have to say B’ East felt compelled to double 5♣.
West led the two of clubs and declarer won with the seven and played a spade, East winning
with the king and returning the three of diamonds. Declarer won in hand with the jack and ruffed
a spade.

 Intermediate
The way home now is to play a low heart.
West wins and plays a club, but declarer wins with dummy’s queen and ruffs a heart, bringing
down the king. He draws the outstanding trump, crosses to dummy with a diamond and plays
the queen of hearts, running it if East does not cover.
Alas, fearing ghosts, declarer overtook the queen of clubs, drew trumps and played a heart, West
winning and playing a spade for one down, -200 and no swing.
♠ 10 9 6 5 4
♥ 74
♦ AK
♣ K654
♠ AK J 8 7 2 N ♠Q
♥ K96 ♥ A J 10 8 5 3
♦ Q9 W E ♦ 10 6 5 4
♣ QJ S ♣ A8
♠3
♥ Q2
♦ J8732
♣ 10 9 7 3 2
Open Room
– – – Pass
1♠ Pass 2♥ Pass
2♠ Pass 3♥ Pass
5♥ Pass 6♥ All Pass
With little to go on South went for the nine of clubs. With trumps 2-2 that was all the help declarer
needed and he was soon claiming all the tricks, +1460.
Closed Room
– – – Pass
1♠ Pass 2♥ Pass
2NT* Pass 3♥ Pass
2NT Extra values
Here South led his spade and once again, declarer took all the tricks, +510 but 11 IMPs to England.

 Intermediate
♠ A8732
♥ 986
♦ A54
♣ 10 4
♠ 10 9 6 N ♠ KQJ54
♥ Q5 ♥—
♦ K872 W E ♦ J 10 9 6
♣ A6 3 2 S ♣ KJ85
♠—
♥ A K J 10 7 4 3 2
♦ Q3
♣ Q97
Open Room
– Pass 1♠ 4♥
South led the ace of hearts and declarer ruffed and ran the jack of diamonds. When it held he
decided to play the jack of spades, which held the trick and disclosed the 5-0 split. The nine of
diamonds was covered all around and North could have assured two down by playing trumps.
When he went for the eight of hearts declarer pitched the ten of diamonds, allowing South to
win with the king.
He exited with the seven of clubs and declarer won with the jack, played a diamond to dum-
my’s seven, cashed the ace of clubs and played a diamond, ruffed by the seven and overuffed by
declarer who played the king of clubs. North could ruff, but the ace of spades was the last defen-
sive trick, one down, -200.
Closed Room
– Pass 1♠ 4♥
All Pass
West led the nine of spades and declarer pitched a diamond on the ace and drew trumps, claim-
ing eleven tricks, +650 and 10 IMPs to England.

 Intermediate
♠ A J 10 7 6
♥ A7
♦ AKJ986
♣—
♠ 92 N ♠4
♥ K98652 ♥ QJ3
♦— W E ♦ Q 10 3 2
♣ 10 8 7 5 3 S ♣ AQ J 4 2
♠ KQ853
♥ 10 4
♦ 754
♣ K96
Open Room
2♦* 4♦* Pass 4♥
Pass 4♠ Pass 5♣*
Double 6♦ Pass 6♠
Double All Pass
2♦ Weak 2M (4-8) or 17-20 4441
4♦ Diamonds and a major
5♣ Cue-bid
Forrester & Robson had already produced several doubles of the type made here.
The critical decision for West came on the next round – should he make a Lightner double?
It looks like a reasonable investment – but it proved to disastrous, as East’s dutiful lead of the
two of diamonds gave declarer an easy route to twelve tricks and +1210.
Should East have ignored his partner and led a heart, which would defeat 6♠?
You might think that – I couldn’t possibly comment.
Closed Room
Pass 1♦ Pass 1♠
Pass 4♣* Pass 4♠
Pass 4NT* Pass 5♣*
Pass 5♦* Pass 6♠
All Pass
4♣ Splinter
4NT RKCB
5♣ 0 key cards
When North bid 5♦, asking about the trump queen South jumped to slam.
With South as declarer West needs to find a heart lead to defeat 6♠ – and out came the six of hearts.
That gave Poland a massive 15 IMPs at a psychologically important moment and with 16 deals
to play they led 182-163.3.
You can replay the deals at: http://tinyurl.com/qcf6vfw

 Intermediate
♠ KQ83
♥ KQ
♦ K 10 8 6
♣ 872
♠A N ♠ 742
♥ 10 9 8 5 ♥ J762
♦ A9 W E ♦ J742
♣ KQJ953 S ♣ 10 6
♠ J 10 9 6 5
♥ A43
♦ Q53
♣ A4
Open Room
Robson Gawrys Forrester Klukowski
– 1♣* Pass 1♠
Pass 2♠ Pass 2NT
Pass 3♥* Pass 4♠
All Pass
1♣ 12-14, balanced or 4-4-1-4 distribution or 15+ PC, natural; or 18+ PC, any
West led the king of clubs, East following with the ten as declarer won and played the six of spades.
West took the ace, cashed the nine of clubs and continued with the queen, ruffed by East with
the seven of spades and overruffed by declarer who crossed to the king of spades, unblocked the
hearts, came to hand with a spade, pitched a diamond on the ace of hearts and played the queen
of diamonds. West took the ace and exited with a diamond, one down, -50.
Closed Room
Kalita Bakhshi Nowosadzki Gold
– 1NT Pass 2♥*
3♣ 3♠ Pass 4♠
All Pass
East led the ten of clubs and declarer won and played a spade. West
won and played two more clubs, East pitching a diamond as declarer
ruffed.
After drawing trumps declarer took the winning view in diamonds,
+420 and 10 IMPs to England.
David Bakhshi

 Intermediate
♠ KJ92
♥ 74
♦ 873
♣ Q 10 9 3
♠ 764 N ♠ 85
♥ A K 10 9 ♥ 862
♦— W E ♦ QJ952
♣ AK J 8 5 4 S ♣ 762
♠ A Q 10 3
♥ QJ53
♦ A K 10 6 4
♣—
Open Room
– Pass Pass 1♦
2♣ Pass Pass Double
Redouble 2♦ Pass Pass
2♥ 2♠ 3♣ 3♥*
Double Pass Pass 4♠
Double All Pass
East led the two of hearts, and when declarer played the three from dummy West won with the
nine.
Back came a trump and declarer won with the ten and tried to cash the ace of diamonds.
West ruffed and played another trump and declarer won in dummy and played a heart to the
jack and ace. He ruffed the return of the ace of clubs, ruffed a heart and played a diamond, duck-
ing when East played the queen.
When East played a club declarer pitched a heart allowing West to win, two down, -300.
Closed Room
– Pass Pass 1♦
Double 1♠ Pass 4♠
4NT* Pass 5♣ Double
All Pass
South led the king of diamonds and declarer ruffed and played a spade, North winning and return-
ing a spade, South winning with the queen and continuing with the ace, forcing dummy to ruff.
The jack of diamonds was covered by the ace and ruffed and declarer cashed the ace of clubs and
then played three rounds of hearts, South winning and exiting with a diamond.
When declarer pitched his remaining heart North ruffed and exited with a spade. There was
still a trump to come, three down, -800 and 15 IMPs to England, closing in at 193-190.3.

 Intermediate
♠ 983
♥ AK32
♦ 9863
♣ K8
♠ A K J 10 N ♠ Q75
♥ 10 9 7 4 ♥ 865
♦— W E ♦ AQ 7
♣ Q J 10 9 4 S ♣ A6 5 2
♠ 642
♥ QJ
♦ K J 10 5 4 2
♣ 73
Open Room
– – 1♣* Pass
1NT* Pass 2♣* Pass
2♠ Pass 3♣ Pass
3♥ Pass 3NT All Pass
North led the eight of diamonds for the queen and king, declarer throwing the ten of spades. He
took the return of the two of diamonds with dummy’s ace, played a spade to the ace and ran the
queen of clubs, ready to go six down if it lost.
Not today, +600.
Closed Room
– – 1♣ Pass
1♥ Pass 1NT Pass
2♦* Pass 2♥* Pass
3♣ Pass 3NT Pass
5♣ Double All Pass
South led the queen of hearts and continued with the jack, North overtaking, cashing the ace
and playing his last heart, neatly promoting his king of clubs, as declarer had to ruff with dum-
my’s ace. Two down, -500 and incredibly, a consecutive gain of 15 IMPs to England, now ahead
at 205.3-193.
On the next deal England handed Poland a lifeline.
In the Closed Room they reached a normal looking 2NT which failed by a trick when declarer
failed to divine that the king of spades was an offside singleton.
In the replay after South had opened a Polish Club on ♠84 ♥A872 ♦AJ62 ♣A96 and North
had responded a spade with ♠AQJ2 ♥K4 ♦9543 ♣J53, East, with ♠K ♥QJ105 ♦KQ87 ♣K842
elected to double.
West found the best solution to this horrible problem by passing with ♠1097653 ♥963 ♦10
♣Q107 but declarer made an overtrick for +260 and 8 IMPs.

 Intermediate
A well-bid slam on 29 was flat, as was 3NT on the next deal, although Robson had to work
much harder than Kalita, as he faced a tougher opening lead.
31 was a flat part-score and, with around 8,000 watching on BBO this was the final deal.
♠ 94
♥ K Q 10 2
♦ AQJ98
♣ Q2
♠ J76 N ♠ KQ8
♥ AJ 8 4 ♥9
♦ K3 W E ♦ 10 7 6
♣ 9765 S ♣ AK J 8 4 3
♠ A 10 5 3 2
♥ 7653
♦ 542
♣ 10
Open Room
Pass 1NT* Pass 2♥*
Pass 2♠ All Pass
1NT (14)15-17 PC, balanced, can be 5 in a major, 5422 minors, 6322 minor longer
The English pair use a double of 1NT to show the majors or 18+ (partner can relay via 2♣ with
10+ and 2♦ with 0-9). 2♣/♦ would promise clubs/diamonds and a major.
Having passed on the first round it was perhaps incumbent on East to bid 3♣ on the next one,
but these things are much easier from a distance.
East led the ace of clubs and switched to the six of diamonds for the king and ace. When declarer
played the nine of spades East put up the queen and played the ten of diamonds, declarer win-
ning with the queen and playing the four of spades. East played the eight and time stood still as
declarer considered playing dummy’s ten. Had he done so the defenders would have been able to
crossruff for one down, but when he eventually played the ace he had eight tricks, +110.
Closed Room
Pass 1♦ 2♣ Double*
Redouble 2♥ 3♣ All Pass
There was no compelling reason for North to start with 1NT (it would have been 12-14) and in
any event my guess is that East, expecting to be behind after the body blows on 25 & 26 would
have bid 3♣ on the second round of the auction.
Declarer was not hard pressed to take ten tricks, +130 and 6 IMPs that took Poland to their
second Bermuda Bowl final.
It had been a tremendous match – I could easily have described many more deals–trust me,
you will enjoy reading this year’s World Championship Book.
You can replay the deals at: http://tinyurl.com/pyvgtzh

 Intermediate
Great Expectations
Micke Melander was following the progress of his countrymen in the other semi-final.
After watching yesterday morning’s set between Sweden and USA 2 it was with great expec-
tations that I waited to see how many IMPs would be shared in the opening session of day two.
Sweden had managed to wipe out USA 2’s 16 IMP carry-over and given themselves a small lead
in the match, 142-129.
Those waiting for IMPs were not disappointed when they started to flow on the very first board.
♠ Q64
♥ K4
♦ K6543
♣ Q J 10
♠ 98753 N ♠ J 10
♥ J 10 8 7 3 ♥ Q5
♦Q W E ♦ AJ 9
♣ A8 S ♣ 976542
♠ AK2
♥ A962
♦ 10 8 7 2
♣ K3
Open Room
Hurd Wrang Wooldridge Sylvan
– 1♣* Pass 1♦*
Pass 1♥* Pass 3NT
All Pass
1♦ Hearts
The Swedish relays made South declarer.
As South had shown hearts Hurd went for the other major and started with the eight of spades.
That was all Sylvan needed since he won with the king and started to set up his diamonds. Wool-
dridge got in and attacked clubs but it was all too late. 10 tricks and +430.
Closed Room
Nyström Demuy Upmark Kranyak
– 1♦ Pass 1♥
Pass 1NT Pass 3NT
All Pass
Demuy stood no chance when Upmark led his longest and strongest, clubs. When declarer tried
the king, West won and continued the suit and as East had to get in twice in diamonds declarer
was soon two down.
That was 11 quick IMPs to Sweden.

 Intermediate
♠ J7
♥A
♦ AK652
♣ A8632
♠ K3 N ♠ Q96
♥ KQJ964 ♥2
♦J W E ♦ Q 10 9 7 4 3
♣ K 10 7 5 S ♣ J94
♠ A 10 8 5 4 2
♥ 10 8 7 5 3
♦8
♣Q
Open Room
– – Pass Pass
1♥ 2NT* Pass 3♣
Pass Pass Pass
The defence showed no mercy when they started with the queen of hearts. Declarer won with
dummy’s ace and tried to cash the ace and king of diamonds. When West ruffed the defenders
started their cross-ruff in hearts and diamonds. Declared tried ruffing only to see himself over-
ruffed. The contract eventually went the scheduled four down, +400 for E/W.
Closed Room
– – Pass Pass
1♥ 2NT* Pass 3♣
3♥ Double All Pass
Nyström acted as a rescue patrol for the Americans when he decided his hand was worth another
bid.
North led the king of diamonds to see the dummy and when that held he shifted to the jack of
spades that went to South ace, declarer unblocking the king. South played back the queen of clubs
that went to the king and ace. The defence then ruffed a club and South exited with a spade that
went to dummy’s nine. A heart to the king and North’s ace followed. North had to lose another
trick in trumps and was two down.
With the 400 they had collected in the other room it meant 12 IMPs for USA 2.

 Intermediate
♠ Q2
♥ 862
♦ AJ532
♣ Q 10 4
♠ J764 N ♠ A9 5 3
♥ K3 ♥ 10 9 5 4
♦ 9764 W E ♦ Q 10
♣ A6 5 S ♣ J93
♠ K 10 8
♥ AQJ7
♦ K8
♣ K872
Open Room
– – Pass 1NT
Pass 2♣* Pass 2♥
Pass 2NT Pass 3NT
All Pass
Hurd led the seven of diamonds, attitude. It went to the two, ten and declarer’s king.
Sylvan then tried a club towards dummy and finessed the ten, losing to East jack. It wasn’t easy
to see that the killing defence was to exit with the queen of diamonds to set up partners nine. East
played back the three of clubs that went to West ace. He shifted to a spade for the two, nine and
ten. A club to dummy was followed by a heart finesse. This was now the situation:
♠Q
♥ 86
♦ AJ53
♣—
♠ J76 N ♠ A5 3
♥3 ♥ 10 9 4
♦ 964 W E ♦Q
♣— S ♣—
♠ K8
♥ AQ7
♦8
♣K
West played a second spade, and East allowed dummy to win with the queen. With four tricks in
the bag declarer crossed to his hand in hearts and cashed the king of clubs seeing a spade discard
from both defenders. The queen of hearts followed, West pitching the jack of spades. Declarer
now knew that West had started with a 4-2-4-3 distribution so he could not throw East in, but
what about the attitude diamond lead?
Declarer played the eight and West covered innocently with the nine. Declarer called for the
ace bringing the queen down for nine tricks. Very well played by Sylvan!

 Intermediate
Closed Room
– – Pass 1NT
Pass 2♠* Pass 3♣
Pass 3NT All Pass
Kranyak was up to the task. Nyström led the four of spades, when declarer played the two from
dummy Upmark rose with the ace and played back a heart that went to the queen and king.
Another heart followed and that went to the eight, nine and jack. Declarer then took the losing
finesse in clubs with dummy’s ten. Upmark continued with his five of hearts. Kranyak, who had
understood what was going on, finessed with the seven and when that succeeded he set up his
clubs and claimed nine tricks. No swing.
The set finished 21-33 to USA2 who closed the gap between the two teams so Sweden led by a
single IMP going in to the fifth segment. Another thriller was being directed for the world of bridge!
You can replay the deals at: http://tinyurl.com/nlkcwch
Sweden eventually edged out USA2 248-241.7 setting up what would be only the third all
European final in Bermuda Bowl history.
Quote Unquote
Do you recall Bob Hamman’s remark that ‘the best play badly and the rest are awful?’
What do you make of this deal from the second session of the Finals?
♠ J82
♥ J63
♦ J 10 6 5
♣ Q 10 7
♠ K6543 N ♠ Q 10 9 7
♥ 98 ♥ A2
♦ AK 8 W E ♦ 943
♣ AJ 3 S ♣ K962
♠A
♥ K Q 10 7 5 4
♦ Q72
♣ 854
With the exception of the French women, who played in 3♠, the entire field attempted 4♠ on
the E/W cards.
Everyone got a heart lead and winning with the ace meant that declarer was likely to play a
spade at trick two, thereby avoiding the possible loss of two trump tricks.
After taking the ace of spades and a heart South inevitably switched to a diamond, leaving
declarer to work out how to avoid the possible loss of two tricks in the minors.
Two players drew trumps and followed that with two rounds of diamonds, hoping that if South
won, one of the club honours would be well placed. Down they went.
Everyone else went after the clubs, usually playing low to the jack (one rogue started by lead-
ing the jack of clubs) subsequently getting rid of a losing diamond.
However, there is stronger line in the club suit, one that affords an 83.85% chance of scoring

 Intermediate
three tricks.
Declarer should start by cashing the ace; on the second round, you lead low towards the jack.
The bidding on this deal would have tended to eliminate the possibility that North had started
with a singleton queen of clubs, but this combination is worth remembering!
Another Tight Battle

In the qualifying round-robin Poland played solid bridge against Sweden, winning the match
21-0. That gave them a carry-over lead of 10.5 IMPs as the final got under way. It took Sweden
another three boards before they finally managed to score their first Chennai IMP against Poland.
Two boards later came the first significant swing of the match.
♠ AKJ642
♥ Q32
♦ 85
♣ 54
♠ 87 N ♠ Q95
♥ K J 10 9 7 ♥ A5 4
♦ 10 4 3 W E ♦ KQJ6
♣ KQ9 S ♣ A8 6
♠ 10 3
♥ 86
♦ A972
♣ J 10 7 3 2
Open Room
Klukowski Upmark Gawrys Nyström
– 1♠ 1NT Pass
2♦* Pass 2♥ Pass
3NT Pass 4♥ All Pass
Gawrys had an easy ride for 10 tricks when the ten of spades was led. Ace and king of spades and
a diamond that went to South’s ace were the first three tricks. Without doubt, North now held
the queen of hearts since he had opened the bidding.
Closed Room
Sylvan Jassem Wrang Mazurkiewicz
– 2♦* 2NT Pass
3♦* Pass 3♥ Pass
3NT Pass 4♥ All Pass
Wrang went one off in the same contract, where three rounds of spades were played, South nat-
urally pitching a club on the third round. Knowing that North had ace-king-jack six times in
spades he surely didn’t have much more than a jack. When the heart finesse lost to the queen, it
was 10 IMPs to Poland.

 Intermediate
♠7
♥ K98763
♦ J 10 9 6
♣ KQ
♠ J92 N ♠ A K Q 10 6 5
♥5 ♥ J 10 4
♦ Q52 W E ♦ K87
♣ J98632 S ♣ 10
♠ 843
♥ AQ2
♦ A43
♣ A754
Open Room
– – – 1NT
Pass 4♦* Pass 4♥
All Pass
When North made his heart transfer at the four-level, Gawrys didn’t risk an overcall. Klukowski
led a club and Nyström had no problems pulling trumps, unblocking the king of clubs and pitch-
ing dummy’s losing spade on the ace of clubs for eleven tricks.
Closed Room
– – – 1♣*
Pass 1♥ 1♠ Double
2♠ 4♥ 4♠ All Pass
The Polish Club gave Wrang opportunity to overcall and when East raised he knew that Four
Spades must be a good sacrifice if not even making.
Mazurkiewicz led a potentially killing trump and Wrang had to change plan and to try set up
dummy’s clubs. Declarer needed the ace of diamonds to be with South to have the three entries
needed to dummy so that if clubs were 3-3 he would make his game.
He won the trump lead in hand to play a club. North won with the queen and returned the
jack of diamonds, which ran to dummy’s queen.
Then came a club ruff, spade to the nine, and the nine of clubs and when North pitched a heart
declarer did the same. South won with his ace and cashed the ace of diamonds, noticing the two,
nine and seven. Instead of cashing the ace of hearts, Mazurkiewicz must have believed that partner
had played second-fourth from KJ96 in diamonds and played another round of the suit. Declarer
won with the king, entered dummy with a trump and claimed his contract. 15 IMPs to Sweden.
Why on earth it might be right not to cash the ace of hearts before playing a diamond is writ-
ten in the stars.

 Intermediate
♠ J43
♥ AK952
♦ 10 7
♣ 872
♠ A8 7 N ♠ Q6
♥ 10 6 ♥ Q83
♦ 983 W E ♦ AK Q J 5 2
♣ AK Q 6 4 S ♣ J5
♠ K 10 9 5 2
♥ J74
♦ 64
♣ 10 9 3
Open Room
1♣ 1♥ 2♦ Pass
2♥ Pass 3NT All Pass
When South led the five of spades Gawrys went up with the ace to collect his eleven minor-suit
winners for twelve tricks.
Closed Room
Sylvan, had upgraded his hand to a 14-16 1NT and when North led the five of hearts he was on
a guess. With the ten in hand, he naturally called for a low card. Mazurkiewicz won with the jack
to return the suit for one down. 11 IMPs back to Poland.
Krzysztof Jassem

 Intermediate
♠ 9754
♥ K Q 10
♦ AK432
♣Q
♠ K86 N ♠ A Q J 10 3 2
♥ 74 ♥ 532
♦ J9 W E ♦ Q85
♣ J86432 S ♣7
♠—
♥ AJ986
♦ 10 7 6
♣ A K 10 9 5
Open Room
– – 2♦* 4♣*
Pass 4♦* Pass 4♥
Pass 5♥ Pass 6♥
All Pass
2♦ Mini-multi: 6-10, pre-empt in a major
Four Clubs was a strong two-suiter with clubs and a major, Four Diamonds asked, and Four Hearts
told the full story. North made a natural slam try happily accepted by South. West led a spade,
ruffed by declarer. A club to the queen, heart to the jack and a ruff in clubs constituted the first
four tricks. Declarer then pulled trumps and ducked a diamond for twelve tricks.
Closed Room
– – 2♦* 2♥
Pass 4♥ All Pass
2♦ Multi
When South overcalled North made no attempt to reach the excellent slam.
Declarer was held to ten tricks when he played on dummy reversal lines. Mazurkiewicz ruffed
the spade lead, played a club to the queen, cashed the ace of diamonds and ruffed a second spade.
He then entered dummy with a diamond and ruffed a third spade. Nothing could prevent declarer
from ruffing dummy’s last spade with the ace of hearts and scoring three more tricks with dum-
my’s king-queen-ten of trumps. 11 IMPs to Sweden.
The first set finished 39-37 to Poland, who with their carry-over led 49.5-37.
You can replay the deals at: http://tinyurl.com/pwkpbcc
Sweden’s only previous appearance in the final was in 1953 when they lost to North America.
Poland’s was in 1991 when they went down to Iceland.
One thing was certain, there would be a new name on the trophy.

 Intermediate
♠ Q8
♥ KJ9843
♦—
♣ Q8764
♠ 10 3 N ♠ KJ65
♥ Q2 ♥ A 10 6 5
♦ KQJ10632 W E ♦9
♣ J5 S ♣ A K 10 9
♠ A9742
♥7
♦ A8754
♣ 32
Open Room
Klukowski Upmark Gawrys Nystrom
– – – Pass
3♦ 3♥ Double 3♠
Pass Pass Double All Pass
I had been hoping to get the chance to use a line from a song by Noel Coward which runs, ‘Mad
Dogs and Englishmen go out in the Midday Sun.’ It also contains the line, ‘In Hong Kong, they
strike a gong, and fire off a noonday gun.’
When North overcalled East was ready with a broadside.
West led the king of diamonds and declarer ruffed in dummy and ran the queen of spades. When
it held he tried the three of hearts and West won with the queen and found the excellent switch to
the jack of clubs. When that held he played a second club and East won with the ten and contin-
ued with the ace, ruffed by declarer with the seven and overruffed by the ten. West exited with the
queen of diamonds and East pitched a heart. Declarer took the ace and conceded four down, -800.
Closed Room
Sylvan Kalita Wrang Nowosaddzki
– – – 2♠*
Pass Pass 2NT Pass
3NT All Pass
2♠ 5+♠ and 5(4)+♣/♦ 5-11
South led the four of spades and declarer took North’s queen with the king and played the nine
of diamonds. South correctly put up the ace, but when North pitched the seven of clubs, declarer
was in with a shout, albeit a very difficult one.
South switched to the seven of hearts for the two jack and ace and declarer played the five of spades.
South took the ace of spades and returned the nine, declarer winning with the jack as North pitched
the three of hearts. Declarer cashed the ace and king of clubs and then exited with the five of spades.
Well, not quite, as South, not wishing to be endplayed, astutely ducked. Declarer tried the ten of
clubs, but North won, cashed the king of hearts and exited with a club. Declarer could win and cash
the ten of hearts, but had to surrender the last trick to North, one down, -100 and 14 IMPs to Poland.

 Intermediate
Declarer was on the right lines, but he had missed an important detail.
Having taken the jack of spades declarer must play the ten of clubs. North cannot afford to
win as then the jack of clubs will be an entry to dummy’s diamonds. Now declarer cashes a top
club and then plays his last spade. South cannot afford to win, but now declarer plays a heart to
the queen and king. He wins the heart return and exits with a heart, North having to win and
return a club into declarer’s tenace.
That would have held the loss on the deal to 5 IMPs.
♠ J53
♥ 653
♦ 94
♣ 10 9 7 4 2
♠ K862 N ♠ 10
♥ KQ742 ♥ A 10 8
♦ AK 3 2 W E ♦ Q J 10 5
♣— S ♣ AJ 8 6 3
♠ AQ974
♥ J9
♦ 876
♣ KQ5
Open Room
1♥ Pass 2♣ Pass
2♠ Pass 3♥ Pass
The Poles missed the target on this deal by a wide margin.
Declarer won the diamond lead with dummy’s nine and played a spade, South putting up the
ace and returning a diamond. Declarer won in hand, ruffed a spade and drew trumps, +680.
Closed Room
1♥ Pass 2♣ Pass
2♦ Pass 3♠* Pass
4♦ Pass 4♥* Pass
4NT* Pass 5♠* Pass
6♦ All Pass
3♠ Splinter
4♥ Cue-bid
4NT RKCB
5♠ 2 keys plus the ♦Q
Declarer won the club lead with dummy’s ace and played a spade. South won and returned a club
and declarer ruffed high, drew trumps and played hearts, +1370 and 12 deserved IMPs to Sweden.

 Intermediate
♠ K J 10 8 7
♥ 10 8
♦9
♣ 10 7 6 5 2
♠Q N ♠ 532
♥ AK Q J 9 6 ♥ 732
♦ KQJ W E ♦ 542
♣ A9 4 S ♣ KQJ8
♠ A964
♥ 54
♦ A 10 8 7 6 3
♣3
Open Room
– – Pass Pass
1♣* Pass 1♦* 2♦
3NT All Pass
1♣ 12-14 PC, balanced or 4-4-1-4 distribution or 15+ PC, natural; or 18+PC, any
1♦ 0-6 PC, any; 7-11 PC, unbalanced without 4 in a major suit
West’s decision turned out badly – North led the eight of spades and the defenders took five spades
and the ace of diamonds, two down, -200.
However, with 4♥ appearing to be doomed it appeared unlikely to be expensive, and if N/S
were to reach 4♠ in the other room it might even turn out to be a triumph.
Closed Room
– – Pass Pass
2♣* Pass 2♦* Double
2♥ Pass 3NT* Pass
4♥ All Pass
2♣ 20-21 Bal or 25+ Bal or FG any
2♦ Relay
North led the nine of diamonds and South took the ace and returned the ten for North to ruff.
When North switched to the king of spades South failed to overtake it and Sweden had been
handed 13 IMPs, now only 10.5 behind.

 Intermediate
♠ 97
♥ A J 10 9 8 5
♦ 9876
♣K
♠ A J 10 8 4 2 N ♠ Q63
♥4 ♥ Q632
♦4 W E ♦ AJ 3
♣ A J 10 8 3 S ♣ 642
♠ K5
♥ K7
♦ K Q 10 5 2
♣ Q975
Open Room
1♠ Pass 2♠ Pass
4♠ All Pass
North led the seven of diamonds and declarer won with dummy’s ace and played a club to the
ten and king. Back came a diamond and declarer ruffed and played the ace of spades followed by
the jack to dummy’s queen and South’s king.
Declarer ruffed the diamond return but could not avoid the loss of a heart and a club, one
down, -50.
Closed Room
1♠ Pass 2♠ Pass
4♠ All Pass
The play followed an identical course for the first six tricks, but then
South made huge mistake by returning the seven of clubs. Declarer
won with the ten, cashed the ace, ruffed a club and claimed, +420
and 10 IMPs to Sweden.
Frederic Wrang

 Intermediate
♠ A 10
♥ Q932
♦ Q865
♣ A42
♠ Q94 N ♠ 7653
♥ A8 6 ♥ 10
♦ J 10 7 2 W E ♦ K943
♣ QJ8 S ♣ 9653
♠ KJ82
♥ KJ754
♦A
♣ K 10 7
Open Room
– 1♦ Pass 1♥
Pass 2♥ Pass 3♦
Pass 3♥ Pass 4♥
All Pass
West led the queen of clubs and declarer won with dummy’s ace, played a heart to the king and a
heart, West taking the ace and exiting with a heart. Declarer won in hand and played a spade to
the ten, soon claiming the rest, +680.
Closed Room
– 1♦ Pass 1♥
Pass 2♥ Pass 4♦*
Pass 4♠* Pass 4NT*
Pass 5♠* Pass 6♥
All Pass
4♦ Splinter
4♠ Cue-bid
4NT RKCB
5♠ 2 keys + the ♥Q
Here West led the seven of diamonds and declarer won and played the king of hearts, West taking
the ace and returning the jack of diamonds. Declarer ruffed, crossed to the nine of hearts, ruffed
a diamond, played a club to the ace, ruffed the queen of diamonds, played a spade to the ace and
drew the outstanding trump.
When he ran the ten of spades West’s queen was the setting trick and Sweden collected another 13 IMPs.
Should declarer’s suspicions have been aroused by the diamond lead? When West subsequently
turned up with the ace of hearts did it suggest he was looking to make a safe lead that did not risk
surrendering a potential trick in a side suit?
Sweden took the set 57-36 to lead 94-85.5.
You can replay the deals at: http://tinyurl.com/ngedlhy

 Intermediate
♠ A Q 10 9
♥ 75
♦ 832
♣ KQ43
♠ KJ74 N ♠ 82
♥ 10 6 ♥ KQ842
♦ A7 5 4 W E ♦6
♣ AJ 8 S ♣ 10 9 7 5 2
♠ 653
♥ AJ93
♦ K Q J 10 9
♣6
Open Room
Klukowski Warne Gawrys Bergdahl
– – 2♥* Pass
Pass Double Pass 3♦*
All Pass
2♥ 6-10 PC, 5+♥ & 5+♣/♦
3♦ Values
Doubtless South was planning to bid 3NT over a possible 3♥ by partner, but the opportunity
did not arise.
West led the four of diamonds and declarer won with the nine and played a club to the jack
and king. A heart to the nine lost to the ten and West continued with the ace of diamonds and a
diamond. Declarer won, played a spade to the ten, and then played the nine of spades to West’s
jack. He took the heart return with the ace, cashed two trumps and played a spade to the queen
for nine tricks, +110.
Closed Room
– – 2♦* Pass
2♥* Double Pass 3NT
All Pass
2♦ 5-9, 6+major or strong with ♦
2♥ Relay
West led the ten of hearts and when East put up the queen declarer ducked. The diamond exit
went to the queen and declarer continued with the king and then the jack to West’s ace. He won
the heart return with the jack, cashed two diamonds, played a spade to the ten and the king of
clubs. West took the ace and tried the jack of spades, but declarer won with dummy’s queen and
cashed two more winners for +600 and 10 IMPs that put Poland ahead by 0.5.

 Intermediate
♠ K Q 10 8 6
♥ 643
♦ 54
♣ Q82
♠3 N ♠ A7 2
♥ A9 8 ♥ J 10 2
♦ KJ 9 6 W E ♦ A 10 7 3 2
♣ A 10 7 6 4 S ♣ KJ
♠ J954
♥ KQ75
♦ Q8
♣ 953
Open Room
1♦* Pass 2♦ Pass
3♣ Pass 3♠ Pass
3NT All Pass
1♦ 12-17 PC, 5+♦ (4 when 4441 or 5♣–4♦, 11-14 PC)
2♦ Inverted raise
North led the king of spades and continued the suit, declarer winning the third round (throwing
two hearts from hand) and playing the ace of diamonds and a diamond, +600.
Closed Room
1♣ 1♠ 2♣* 3♠
4♦ Pass 4♠* Pass
5♣* Pass 6♦ All Pass
2♣ Transfer to diamonds
4♠ Cue-bid
5♣ Cue-bid
Declarer won the king of spades lead with dummy’s ace, played a diamond to the king and the
jack of diamonds, eventually going up with dummy’s ace.
He cashed the king of clubs and then ran the jack, claiming the rest when it lost to North’s queen.
13 IMPs for Sweden, who regained the lead.

 Intermediate
♠ J9
♥ J94
♦ J 10 5
♣ AQ864
♠ AK 6 N ♠3
♥ A 10 6 2 ♥ Q85
♦ AQ 8 6 W E ♦ 9743
♣ 32 S ♣ KJ975
♠ Q 10 8 7 5 4 2
♥ K73
♦ K2
♣ 10
Open Room
– Pass Pass 3♠
3NT All Pass
North led the jack of spades and declarer ducked, won the next spade with the king, pitching a
diamond from dummy, cashed the ace of hearts and played a heart to the nine, queen and king.
South switched to the king of diamonds and declarer won and played a heart, North winning
with the jack and playing the jack of diamonds. When it held he cashed the ace of clubs, one
down, +100.
Closed Room
– Pass Pass 3♠
3NT All Pass
Here declarer won the second spade and played a club to dummy’s jack. A diamond to the queen
saw North follow with the jack and declarer played another club, North taking the ace and exiting
with the five of diamonds for the four, king and ace. Declarer exited with a diamond and North,
endplayed, tried the nine of hearts, which ran to declarer’s ten.
After cashing the eight of diamonds declarer played the two of hearts for the queen and king.
South returned the seven of hearts, but declarer had a full count and put up the ace, +600 and
12 IMPs to Sweden.

 Intermediate
♠ 10
♥ AJ632
♦8
♣ AJ7543
♠ AJ 3 N ♠ K97
♥8 ♥ KQ4
♦ A J 10 9 7 5 W E ♦ K6432
♣ K 10 9 S ♣ Q8
♠ Q86542
♥ 10 9 7 5
♦Q
♣ 62
Open Room
– – – Pass
1♦* 2NT* Double* 4♥
1♦ 12-17 PC, 5+♦ (4 when 4441 or 5♣–4♦, 11-14 PC)
2NT ♥+♣
West led the eight of hearts and East won with the queen and returned the four of diamonds, West
winning with the ace and cashing the ace of spades, on which East played the seven. When West
exited with the jack of diamonds declarer ruffed in dummy and pitched a club from hand. He
could crossruff in the black suits, establishing them both, so that when he played a winning club
in the four-card ending East could only score the king of hearts, one down, -100.
Closed Room
– – – Pass
1♦ 2NT* 3♣* 3♥
4♠* Pass 5♦ Pass
3♣ Good raise in diamonds
4♠ Cue-bid
If North was hoping South had some values for 3♥ he was quickly disabused. After cashing the
ace of hearts, he tried the ace of clubs and a club, but when South could not ruff declarer could
claim, +550 and 10 IMPs.

 Intermediate
♠ Q742
♥ 10 5 2
♦5
♣ K Q 10 9 4
♠ J 10 8 3 N ♠ A6
♥— ♥ A J 8 74
♦ K8763 W E ♦ A9 2
♣ 8653 S ♣ A7 2
♠ K95
♥ KQ963
♦ Q J 10 4
♣J
Open Room
Pass Pass 1♥ Pass
1♠ Pass 2NT Pass
3♣* Pass 3NT All Pass
I’m not sure about the precise meaning of 3♣ – it might be some form of checkback.
Even though South led the four of diamonds 3NT was hopeless. When declarer tried ducking
a club North won and continued the suit, easily restricting declarer to just six tricks, -150.
Closed Room
Pass Pass 1♥ Pass
Pass 2♣ All Pass
East led the ace of hearts and when West discarded the three of diamonds he cashed the ace of
spades and exited with a spade, declarer winning with dummy’s king and playing the jack of clubs.
East won, played the jack of hearts for West to ruff, ruffed the ten of spades return, played the
eight of hearts for West to ruff, ruffed the spade return and cashed the ace of diamonds for +300
and yet another double digit swing to Sweden, who ended the day well ahead, 154-103.5.
You can replay the deals at: http://tinyurl.com/ps6p9sg

 Intermediate
River of No Return
Poland went into the fourth set of the match with a lot to do, but with 80 deals still to play they
might have kept in mind the old Polish proverb, ‘Do not push the river it will flow by itself.’
On the other hand, to stay in the match they would surely have to prevent any further IMPs
from flowing their opponents’ way.
♠ K 10 6 3
♥ 762
♦ 964
♣ A 10 7
♠ J42 N ♠ Q85
♥ A3 ♥ K J 10 9 8 4
♦ 10 8 5 W E ♦—
♣ KJ943 S ♣ Q852
♠ A97
♥ Q5
♦ AKQJ732
♣6
Open Room
Jassem Warne Mazurkiewicz Bergdahl
– – 2♦* Double
3♥* Pass Pass 4♦
Pass 5♦ All Pass
2♦ weak multi, 4-9 non vul, 6-11 vul
3♥ Pass or correct
The defenders started with three rounds of hearts and declarer ruffed high and played all his
remaining trumps. Alas, there was no squeeze, one down, -100.
Closed Room
Sylvan Kalita Wrang Nowosadzki
– – 2♦* 3NT
All Pass
2♦ 5-9 6+Maj or strong with ♦
South’s practical overcall left West find a lead.
Given there was a good chance the overcall was in part based on a long diamond suit you could
make a case for West to start with the ace of hearts but he opted for the two of spades and when
East put in the eight declarer wrapped up twelve tricks and 13 IMPs.

 Intermediate
♠ 10 9 4 3 2
♥ J3
♦ 97
♣ Q753
♠ QJ7 N ♠—
♥ Q7 ♥ K9865
♦ AK Q 8 5 3 2 W E ♦ J 10 6
♣9 S ♣ AJ 8 6 4
♠ AK865
♥ A 10 4 2
♦4
♣ K 10 2
Open Room
– – – 1♠
2♦ 4♠ 5♦ Double
All Pass
North led the ten of spades and declarer ruffed in dummy and played a heart. South went in with
the ace to play a trump and declarer won in dummy, played a heart to the queen, ruffed a spade,
ruffed a heart and claimed twelve tricks, +950.
Could Sweden find a way to the unbeatable slam?
Closed Room
– – – 1♠
Double 4♠ 5♦ 5♠
I don’t believe this auction, but in any event the Poles were assured of a good result.
West led the king of diamonds, East following with the jack, and switched to the queen of
spades, declarer winning as East pitched the four of clubs.
The two of hearts was taken by West’s queen and he switched to the nine of clubs, East taking
the ace and giving West a ruff for two down, -300 and 12 IMPs to Poland.
Had West started with his singleton club 500 would have been theoretically possible, which
would have saved a couple of IMPs.

 Intermediate
♠ A4
♥ A95
♦ Q 10 4 3
♣ Q 10 5 4
♠ Q 10 7 3 N ♠ J965
♥ QJ87 ♥ K642
♦ AK 8 2 W E ♦ J65
♣9 S ♣ AK
♠ K82
♥ 10 3
♦ 97
♣ J87632
Open Room
1♦ Pass 1♥ Pass
South led the nine of diamonds and declarer won with dummy’s ace and played the queen of
hearts, North taking the ace and South following with the three.
Imagining that South would be able to ruff, North continued with the ten of diamonds and
the grateful declarer won with the jack, drew trumps and claimed, +620 – a massive result.
Closed Room
1♦ Pass 1♥ Pass
South led the eight of clubs and declarer won with the ace and played a heart to the queen and
ace. North cashed the ace of spades and continued the suit, scoring a ruff on the third round and
exiting with a trump. The eventual diamond trick meant the contract was two down, -200 and
13 IMPs to Poland, who had picked up 35 IMPs on three consecutive deals.

 Intermediate
♠K
♥—
♦ AQ9764
♣ AJ8732
♠ J83 N ♠ AQ 9 7 6 4
♥ K J 10 5 3 ♥ 9876
♦ K 10 W E ♦ 83
♣ KQ4 S ♣9
♠ 10 5 2
♥ AQ42
♦ J52
♣ 10 6 5
Open Room
1♥ 2NT* 4♥ Pass
Pass Double Pass 4NT*
Double Pass Pass Redouble*
Pass 5♦ Pass Pass
Double All Pass
2NT Minors
4NT Takeout
South resisted the temptation to defend 4♥ doubled.
If East had led his partner’s suit declarer would have been able to pitch the king of spades on
the ace of hearts and then take the diamond finesse and land his contract, but East started with
the ace of spades and then switched to the nine of clubs, leaving declarer with no chance. He took
West’s queen with the ace and played two rounds of diamonds, one down, -200.
Closed Room
1♥ 2NT* 4♥ Pass
North led the ace of clubs and switched to the king of spades. Declarer won with dummy’s ace
and came to hand with the jack of spades. Dummy’s diamonds went on the top clubs and declarer
ruffed a diamond. Playing spades now should lead to an overtrick–there are some pretty line where
declarer ruffs a spade with ten of hearts, ruffs a diamond and plays the eight of hearts, holding
South to just one trump trick, but declarer played a heart and South took the ace and returned a
diamond forcing dummy to ruff.
The timing was wrong now so South was sure to score the queen of hearts, still +590 and 9
badly needed IMPs to Sweden.
Poland had picked up a few bits and pieces and at the end of the set the score was 165.5-164
in their favour.
You can replay the deals at: http://tinyurl.com/oedaaoa

 Intermediate
The Jewel in the Crown
The Jewel in the Crown is a British television serial about the final days of the British Raj in India
during World War II, based upon the Raj Quartet novels by British author Paul Scott.
The phrase has an idiom for the best or most valuable thing in a group and the Bermuda Bowl
is regarded as the jewel in the WBF’s crown.
After the emphatic Polish comeback in the previous session, the Swedish team would be hop-
ing to turn things around.
♠—
♥ K7
♦ A65
♣ A K Q J 10 9 6 4
♠ 10 9 5 4 N ♠ KJ 8
♥ A4 2 ♥ Q J 10 9 8 6 3
♦ K J 10 W E ♦ 87
♣ 532 S ♣8
♠ AQ7632
♥5
♦ Q9432
♣7
Open Room
– – 3♥ 4♦*
Pass 6♣ All Pass
4♦ 5+♦ and 4+♠
Rather than resorting to the appliance of science North adopted an eminently reasonable practical approach
and made what in England is known as a ‘Landy Slam Try’ – you bid a slam and then try to make it.
When East led the eight of spades, declarer could have put in the queen which would have
allowed him to pitch two diamonds and then lead towards the king of hearts.
There is also an inferior – but beautiful – route to twelve tricks – declarer discards a heart and
a diamond on the spades.
Then declarer plays eight rounds of clubs. On the last of these West will down to ♠10 ♥A ♦KJ
and forced to part with a spade. Declarer exits with a heart and West will have to lead into the
split diamond tenace.
When declarer put up dummy’s ace the chance was gone.
He could lead towards the king of hearts, but had to lose a diamond at the end, -50.
Closed Room
– – Pass 2♠*
Pass 2NT* Pass 3♠*
Pass 3NT All Pass
2♠ 5+♠ and 5(4)+♣/♦ 5-11
2NT Relay

 Intermediate
The convention card is silent as to the meaning of 3♠ (one treatment is for it to be used to show a maximum
with diamonds) but when North resisted all temptation he ensured that the Polish charge would continue.
East led the queen of hearts and when declarer was allowed to win with the king he rattled off
his clubs. West pitched two diamonds so that was twelve tricks, +490 and 12 IMPs.
♠ A87
♥ Q64
♦5
♣ J 10 9 7 6 2
♠ K Q 10 6 3 2 N ♠ J54
♥ J87 ♥ K 10 5 3 2
♦ Q98 W E ♦ 643
♣3 S ♣ A5
♠9
♥ A9
♦ A K J 10 7 2
♣ KQ84
Open Room
– Pass Pass 1♣*
1♠ 2♥* 2♠ 4♣
Pass 4♦* Pass 4NT*
Pass 5♣* Pass 6♣
All Pass
1♣ 16+ All hands except 16 BAL or 16 (4441)
2♥ Transfer to clubs
4♦ Cue-bid
4NT RKCB
5♣ 1 key card
It is possible that 2♥ was game-forcing.
West looked no further than the king of spades and declarer won with dummy’s ace, played a
diamond to the ace, ruffed a diamond high and played a trump the king, claiming +920.
Closed Room
– Pass Pass 1♦
1♠ 2♥* 2♠ 3♠*
Pass 3NT Pass 4♣
Pass 4♦* Pass 4NT*
Pass 5♣* Pass 6♣
All Pass
2♥ Transfer to clubs
4♦ Cue-bid
4NT RKCB
5♣ One key card

 Intermediate
My interpretation of the auction is partly guesswork, but the overall effect was to once again wrong
side 6♣. Could West find the killing heart lead?
Unsurprisingly out came the king of spades, no swing.
♠ A7
♥ KQ874
♦ 432
♣ J32
♠ K Q 10 8 6 5 N ♠ J4
♥9 ♥ J65
♦ KJ86 W E ♦ Q 10 9 7
♣ KQ S ♣ 10 9 7 5
♠ 932
♥ A 10 3 2
♦ A5
♣ A864
Open Room
– – Pass 1♦*
1♠ 2♥ Pass 3♥
3♠ All Pass
1♦ 0+ ♦ Balanced V:(11+)12-14 NV:11-13 or (10)11-15 4M and 5+m or 12-16 any
4441
Once your five-card suit has been supported you hand increases in value, but as you can see 4♥
is somewhat fortunate.
North led the king of hearts and South overtook it and played two rounds of diamonds, mak-
ing it easy for North to win the first round of spades and give partner a ruff, when the ace of clubs
was the setting trick, +100.
Closed Room
– – Pass 1♣*
1♠ 2♦* Pass 3♥
3♠ 4♥ All Pass
1♣ 11- GF 3+♣, can be 2 cards and longer diamonds only with 18-19 bal
2♦ Transfer to hearts
Declarer won the spade lead in dummy, drew trumps and ducked a spade. He won the diamond
return, ruffed a spade and ducked a diamond. He ruffed the diamond exit and played the four of
clubs, West winning with the queen and forcing out the last trump with a spade. When the king
of clubs fell under the ace declarer was home, +620 and 11 IMPs to Poland.

 Intermediate
♠ A 10 5 2
♥ 532
♦4
♣ AJ862
♠ QJ N ♠ K98763
♥ QJ ♥ 10 4
♦ AQJ1087653 W E ♦K
♣— S ♣ Q 10 9 5
♠4
♥ AK9876
♦ 92
♣ K743
Open Room
– – – 1♥
5♦ Double All Pass
North led the two of hearts and South won with the king and cashed the ace, North following
with the three. When South continued with a club declarer escaped for one down, -100.
I’ll leave you to debate North’s choice of card on the second round of hearts. The five would
be a clear signal for spades, but is it the message North wants to give?
Closed Room
– – – 1♥
4♦ 4♥ All Pass
For the third time in this set the opening lead was critical. Would you have found a low diamond
when East can win, give West a club ruff, ruff the diamond return and then give West another ruff.
I thought not.
West led the queen of spades and declarer won with the ace and sensing no danger played a
diamond. East won with the king and West followed with the three.
That was a clear message, giving East the chance to play a club, transposing into the winning
defence, but it was lost in translation and when East returned a spade declarer was home free.
He ruffed, drew two rounds of trumps, ruffed a diamond and played the two of clubs, ducking
when East followed with the nine, a neat endplay for an eleventh trick and 8 IMPs.
It seemed to me that the Swedish players were tired – and in the remaining deals of the set they
surrendered another 22 IMPs, losing the set 7-45 and trailing 171-210.5.
Far from hopeless, but it was clear which way the wind was blowing.
You can replay the deals at: http://tinyurl.com/p5rdn48
As the sixth session got under way Sweden were hoping to make inroads into their deficit of
39.5, but the Poles were looking very solid.

 Intermediate
♠ J 10 4
♥ 10 7 6 5
♦ Q542
♣ 10 2
♠ AQ 5 N ♠ K763
♥ 98 ♥ K3
♦ K 10 7 6 W E ♦ AJ 9 8
♣ A8 5 4 S ♣ Q73
♠ 982
♥ AQJ42
♦3
♣ KJ96
Open Room
Klukowski Sylvan Gawrys Wrang
– – 1♣* 1♥
1♠* 1NT Pass Pass
Double 2♥ Pass Pass
3♥* Pass 3NT All Pass
1♣ Polish ♣ 12-14, bal or 4-4-1-4 distribution or 15+ PC, natural; or 18+ PC, any
1♠ Denies four spades
3♥ Stopper ask
South found the most challenging lead of the queen of hearts and declarer won with the king and
tested the spades, playing a fourth round when the suit divided, pitching a club from dummy.
Rather than attempt to divine the location of the queen of diamonds declarer exited with his
remaining heart. North won with the ten and returned the two of clubs for the seven, nine and
ace. It was make your mind up time and when declarer cashed the king of diamonds and ran the
ten, he had an overtrick, +630.
Closed Room
Upmark Kalita Nystrom Nowosadzki
– – 1♦* 1♥
1♠ 3♥ Pass Pass
Double* Pass 3NT All Pass
1♦ Bal V:(11+)12-14 NV:11-13 or (10)11-15 4M and 5+m or 12-16 any 4441
South cashed the ace of hearts and continued with the queen. After cashing four spades, declarer
played the ace of diamonds followed by the eight. When South discarded declarer had to settle
for eight tricks and a loss of 12 IMPs.

 Intermediate
♠ Q 10 2
♥ AK63
♦ J3
♣ Q873
♠ A7 6 5 3 N ♠ J6
♥ 82 ♥ Q J 10 7 4
♦ AK Q 8 6 W E ♦ 10 7 5 4
♣9 S ♣ J2
♠ K94
♥ 95
♦ 92
♣ A K 10 6 5 4
Open Room
Klukowski Sylvan Gawrys Wrang
– – Pass 1♣
1♠ Double* Pass 1NT
Pass 3NT All Pass
The convention card says ‘Cue-bid – with highest from unbid suits; 2NT – two lowest unbid
suits; after 1♣/♦ − 2♦= both majors’ which is not clear (well, not clear to me) but if West had a
way of showing both suits he elected not to use it.
1♣ 2+♣, 1-13(12-14 vul) balanced or 17-19(18-19 vul) balanced or 4+♣ 11-22Hcp
One BBO commentator expressed the view that ‘West was luring with his diamonds’, adding
that he was not sure if luring was the right word but that everyone would know what he meant.
He was only one keystroke short – the word he was searching for was ‘lurking’.
West led the ace of diamonds and cashed five tricks in the suit, East unblocking the ten, fol-
lowed by the ace of spades, two down, -200.
Closed Room
Upmark Kalita Nystrom Nowosadzki
– – Pass 1♣*
2♦ Double* 3♦ Pass
Pass Double* Pass 3♠
Pass 4♣ All Pass
1♣ 11- GF 3+♣, can be 2 cards and longer diamond only with 18-19 bal
The E/W card says, ‘2-Suiter: 2NT = 5-5 in 2 lowest unbid suits, 3♣ over M is oM+♦‘ so make
what you can of 2♦.
The defenders could only score two diamonds and a club, -130 and Poland added 8 IMPs, lead-
ing 236.5-190 at the end of the set.
You can replay the deals at: http://tinyurl.com/ntrm6ux
For the seventh set of the final, Brent Manley took over the conductor’s baton.
Going into the penultimate set, Sweden faced the daunting task of overcoming a 46.5-IMP
deficit. What transpired was a startling reversal of fortune that left Sweden in good position to

 Intermediate
claim the championship. The score was 7-0 Sweden in the set: 236.5 -197 overall. The momen-
tum started to swing on this deal:
♠ A32
♥ AJ92
♦ 54
♣ KQJ5
♠ J 10 8 N ♠ 964
♥ KQ6543 ♥ 10 7
♦ Q 10 9 6 W E ♦ A3 2
♣— S ♣ 87432
♠ KQ75
♥8
♦ KJ87
♣ A 10 9 6
Open Room
2♦* Double 2♥* Double
All Pass
2♦ Weak two in a major
2♥ Pass or correct, weak hand
Fredrik Nystrom led his singleton heart, ducked by Piotr Gawrys. Johan Upmark won with the
♥J and played a high club. Rather than ruff in dummy, Gawrys discarded a spade from dummy,
doing the same on the next two club tricks. When Nystrom won the third round of clubs, he
played the ♠K. Gawrys ruffed and played the ♦Q, running it to Nystrom’s king. Another spade
was ruffed in dummy and Gawrys took a second finesse in diamonds. Nystrom won and played
the ♣A, ruffed. Upmark took the ♥K with his ace and cleared the suit with a low trump to dum-
my’s now bare queen. The upshot was four down for minus 1100.
Closed Room
2♦* 2NT Pass 3♣
Pass 3♥ Pass 3NT
All Pass
Frederic Wrang led the ♥10 to the queen and ace. It was not long before declarer, Jacek Kalita,was
claiming 10 tricks for plus 630. It was a 10-IMP loss.
On the next deal, Sweden had a chance for another big gain, but they missed their chance.

 Intermediate
♠ 8752
♥ 876
♦ 10 9
♣ AKQ2
♠ J 10 6 N ♠—
♥— ♥ A K Q 10 4 3 2
♦ QJ42 W E ♦ AK 8 3
♣ J 10 8 6 4 3 S ♣ 97
♠ AKQ943
♥ J95
♦ 765
♣5
In one room, Kalita and Wrang bid to 4♥, making with an overtrick for plus 450. Meanwhile,
Upmark and Nystrom put themselves in position for another double-digit swing:
– Pass 1♣ 2♠
Pass 4♠ 5♥ Pass
Had Nystrom led his singleton club, Upmark could have taken the first two tricks then contin-
ued the suit, promoting his partner’s ♥J to the setting trick.
Nystrom, however, started with a high spade, ruffed by declarer, who was quick to claim 11
tricks for plus 650, a 5-IMP swing to Poland.
♠ KJ752
♥—
♦ A7
♣ K87643
♠ AQ N ♠ 8643
♥ AJ 9 5 ♥ KQ643
♦ Q965 W E ♦ K83
♣ A 10 9 S ♣2
♠ 10 9
♥ 10 8 7 2
♦ J 10 4 2
♣ QJ5
Open Room
– – – Pass
1NT 2♦* Double Redouble
Pass 2♠ Double Pass
Pass 3♣ Pass Pass
Double All Pass
2♦ Nominally weak or “very strong” with a major suit.

 Intermediate
Gawrys started with the ♥K, ruffed by Upmark, who played a club to the queen and Michal Klukowski’s
ace. The ♥A was ruffed and, rather than use a trump to lead a spade from dummy, Upmark played a low
spade from hand to dummy’s 9. Klukowski won with the queen and exited with the ♣10 to dummy’s jack.
Upmark played a spade to Klukowski’s ace and was able to claim his contract, losing two spades,
one club and one diamond. That was plus 670 for Sweden.
Closed Room
– – – 1NT
2♠ 3♦* Pass 4♥
All Pass
3♦ Transfer to hearts.
Johan Sylvan had no trouble taking 11 tricks after Kalita started with a low club. Sylvan lost a
spade and a diamond for plus 650 and Sweden had gained 16 IMPs, closing the gap to 18.5 IMPs.
♠ K Q 10 8 7 6 4
♥ 10 9
♦K
♣ J96
♠5 N ♠2
♥ Q7643 ♥ A2
♦ 7654 W E ♦ A J 10 9 8 3 2
♣ 842 S ♣ AQ 3
♠ AJ93
♥ KJ85
♦Q
♣ K 10 7 5
Open Room
Pass 3♠ 4♦ 4♠
5♦ All Pass
Nystrom hit on the diabolical opening lead of the ♠9, putting his partner in. Upmark made no mistake, switch-
ing to the ♣9. Gawrys went up with the ace, played the ♦A, picking up the opponents’ trumps, then played
the ♥A and another heart. Nystrom could win with the ♥K and cash his club winner for one down, minus 50.
Closed Room
Pass 2♦* 3♦ 4♣
4♦ 4♠ 5♦ Double
All Pass
Michal Nowosadzki led his singleton trump, and Wrang won with the ♦A, cashed the ♥A and
played a second heart. South won the ♥K but Wrang could use a low trump to get to dummy
to cash the ♥Q, pitching a club, followed by a heart ruff high and return to dummy to get rid
of his other club and claim plus 550. The 12-IMP gain reduced the Swedish deficit to 6.5 IMPs.

 Intermediate
♠ J62
♥ Q 10 5 3
♦ K863
♣ 10 8
♠ AQ 4 3 N ♠ 98
♥ A8 7 4 ♥ 96
♦ Q 10 W E ♦ J42
♣ J96 S ♣ AK Q 7 3 2
♠ K 10 7 5
♥ KJ2
♦ A975
♣ 54
Open Room
– Pass Pass 1♦
Double Pass 2♦ Pass
2♥ Pass 3♣ All Pass
After Gawrys passed in second seat, it was difficult for his partner to envision game. Neither
Klukowski nor Gawrys was confident enough about the diamond suit to try no-trump, so they
languished in the club partial. Ten tricks were available for plus 130, but it looked like more bad
news for Poland.
Closed Room
– Pass 1♣ Double
1♦ Pass 2♣ Pass
3NT All Pass
Kalita’s heart lead went to the king, ducked by Sylvan. He played low
on the ♥J and again on the low heart. The club switch by North went
to declarer’s jack. He cashed his clubs then took the spade finesse.
When it worked, Sylvan claimed plus 600 for a 10 IMP gain and
Sweden was in the lead.
Fredrik Nystrom

 Intermediate
♠ J42
♥ 943
♦ AJ4
♣ AK65
♠ K Q 10 9 5 N ♠ A8 7 6
♥ AK 5 ♥ J 10 8 7 2
♦7 W E ♦ 10 9 3
♣ J742 S ♣ 10
♠3
♥ Q6
♦ KQ8652
♣ Q983
Open Room
– 1♦ Pass 2♣
2♠ 3♣ 3♠ Pass
Pass 4♣ All Pass
The 4-1 split in trumps makes this a difficult contract, and Nystrom did not find the double-dummy
solution after West led a high heart, then the ♠K and a spade to East’s ace. Nystrom ruffed and
played a club to the ace. He could no longer make the contract, and in fact finished two down.
Looking at all the cards, he could play the ♣Q after ruffing the spade and follow with the 9,
running it if West played low. He would end up making 11 tricks. Two down was a disappoint-
ing result – for both sides.
Closed Room
– 1♣ Pass 1♦
1♠ Double 3♠ 4♦
4♥ Pass 4♠ All Pass
This was an easy contract for Sylvan, who lost one trick in each minor for plus 650 and another
10 IMPs to Sweden. They had outscored Poland 70-6 to enter the final set with a 260-242.5 lead.
You can replay the deals at: http://tinyurl.com/pto7965
On to the final set. Would the Poles be demoralised or galvanised?

 Intermediate
We did not have to wait long for an answer.
♠ 10 9 7 4 3
♥ 765
♦ J5
♣ A94
♠ J52 N ♠ AQ 6
♥ A 10 9 4 ♥ J3
♦ A 10 8 4 W E ♦ K92
♣ KJ S ♣ 87532
♠ K8
♥ KQ82
♦ Q763
♣ Q 10 6
Open Room
Kalita Sylvan Nowosadzki Wrang
– – – 1♣*
Double 1♥* 2NT Pass
3NT All Pass
1♣ 11-13(12-14 vul) balanced or 17-19(18-19 vul) balanced or 4+♣ 11-22Hcp
1♥ Transfer to spades
South led the three of diamonds and declarer took North’s jack with the king and played the jack
of hearts, covered by the king and ace. A spade to the queen lost to the king and declarer took
the spade return with dummy’s jack and played the ten of hearts. When it held he found the only
way home, exiting with the nine of hearts.
South could win and cash the eight of hearts, but then had to exit in a minor. He opted for the
six of clubs, but declarer put in the jack. North took the ace and exited with a spade, but declarer
could win in hand and run the nine of diamonds for a morale boosting +600.
Closed Room
Nystrom Gawrys Upmark Klukowski
– – – 1♣*
Double 1♥* 1NT All Pass
1♣ 12-14 PC, balanced or 4-4-1-4 distribution or 15+ PC, natural or 18+PC, any
South led the king of spades and under no pressure declarer followed a line that only led to seven
tricks, +90 and 11 IMPs to Poland.
Sweden immediately recovered 6 IMPs and with almost a third of the deals completed they
led 266-258.5

 Intermediate
♠7
♥J
♦ Q 10 7 6 3
♣ AKQJ53
♠ J83 N ♠ A Q 10 6 5
♥ 86432 ♥ Q 10 9
♦ A8 W E ♦ KJ94
♣ 864 S ♣9
♠ K942
♥ AK75
♦ 52
♣ 10 7 2
Open Room
Pass 1♣* 1♠ Double*
2♠ 3♣ 3♠ Double
Pass 5♣ All Pass
I think South intended his second double to be for penalties, but North was not interested in
defending.
East led the ace of spades and when West followed with the three he switched to the four of
diamonds and the contract was down ‘on the go’.
Closed Room
Pass 2♣* Double Redouble
2♥ 3♦ Pass 3NT
All Pass
2♣ Precision, 5♣–4M or 6♣, 11-14
West’s lead of the six of hearts was covered by the jack, queen and king and declarer crossed to
dummy with a club and played a spade towards his king, claiming when East went in with the
ace, +400 and 10 IMPs to Poland.
On the next deal N/S held ♠KQ ♥J7 ♦AQ84 ♣KJ1042 opposite ♠AJ1042 ♥A54 ♦965 ♣87.
Sweden stopped in 2♠ after North had opened 1NT and South had transferred to spades (West
doubling 2♥ with ♠876 ♥Q10863 ♦KJ10 ♣A9).
Poland reached 3NT via 1NT-2♥*-2♠-3NT and with no double to guide him East led a club
after which declarer was in control, taking 10 tricks and 6 IMPs.
Superficially it looks as if a heart lead will defeat 3NT, but declarer can duck twice, win the
third round and then cash five spades. West is forced down to ♥10 ♦KJ10 ♣A and declarer can
secure nine tricks by playing either minor.

 Intermediate
♠ Q872
♥ Q 10
♦ KJ986
♣ 98
♠ A J 10 9 3 N ♠ K65
♥ A6 4 ♥ K932
♦ AQ 7 W E ♦ 43
♣ K3 S ♣ 10 7 5 4
♠4
♥ J875
♦ 10 5 2
♣ AQJ62
Open Room
– – Pass Pass
1♠ Pass 2♠ Pass
3NT Pass 4♠ All Pass
North led the nine of clubs and South played the two, allowing declarer to win in hand with the
king. With North marked with a club shortness declarer started well by running he jack of spades.
When it held he continued with the ten, crossed to the king of spades, came to hand with the ace
of hearts and drew the outstanding trump, discarding a club as South pitched two clubs and the
five of diamonds.
Declarer now ducked a heart and North won with the queen and played a club, South win-
ning and playing another club, forcing out declarer’s last trump. Having ruffed he played a heart
and when North discarded he had to play a diamond. South wide awake and put in the ten, and
when the queen lost to the ace declarer was one down, -100.
Declarer had missed a brilliant opportunity.
Instead of playing a heart he must exit with a club.
South wins and can play another club forcing declarer to ruff. If North hangs on to the queen
of hearts he is end played with it at the next trick. If he discards it on the last club declarer can
play a low diamond, win the diamond return and then throw South in with a heart to lead into
dummy’s heart tenace.
For the record, if North starts by leading a heart declarer is left without resource.
In the other room E/W sailed into 3NT and when declarer got the spades right he emerged
with ten tricks and 12 IMPs that put Sweden back in front by 0.5 of an IMP.
They immediately tacked on five more by stopping safely in 3♦ when the Poles attempted 5♦
with ♠83 ♥A52 ♦Q9842 ♣A54 facing ♠KQ65 ♥10 ♦AKJ5 ♣10863.
Trumps were 2-2, but with the ace of spades offside it had to fail.

 Intermediate
♠A
♥ A95
♦ KQ985
♣ AK62
♠ J2 N ♠ K Q 10 8 5 4 3
♥ K Q 10 6 ♥ J853
♦ A7 4 W E ♦ 10 2
♣ J987 S ♣—
♠ 976
♥ 72
♦ J63
♣ Q 10 5 4 3
Open Room
1♣ Double 3♥* Pass
1♣ 11- GF 3+♣, can be 2 cards and longer diamond only with 18-19 bal
North clearly intended his second double to be for takeout, but South didn’t see it that way.
North led the king of clubs and declarer ruffed in dummy and played a spade to the jack and
ace. When North switched to the king of diamonds declarer took the ace, drew trumps and
claimed ten tricks, +630.
Closed Room
1♦* Double 4♠ Pass
1♦ Bal, V:(11+)12-14 NV:11-13 or (10)11-15 4M and 5+m or 12-16 any 4441
South found the only lead, the
two of hearts.
North allowed dummy’s
king to win, following with
the nine. He took the jack of
spades with the ace, cashed the
ace of hearts and gave South a
ruff. There was still a diamond
to come, +100 and 12 IMPs.
The Polish Gold Medal

Team

 Intermediate
♠ 10 7 6 5
♥ 10
♦ J97642
♣ J6
♠ A9 2 N ♠ QJ3
♥ A9 6 2 ♥ QJ8543
♦K W E ♦ 10 5 3
♣ Q9754 S ♣2
♠ K84
♥ K7
♦ AQ8
♣ A K 10 8 3
Open Room
– Pass Pass 2♣*
Pass 2NT* Pass 3♣
Pass 3♦ All Pass
2♣ 20-21Bal or 25+Bal or FG any
It looks as if 2NT may have been a transfer to diamonds.
Declarer won the club lead in dummy and tried to cash another club. East ruffed and switched
to the queen of hearts (a trump leaves declarer short of tricks) and when it held he followed it
with the three of hearts, declarer ruffing and playing a diamond to the queen.
West won with the king and exited with a club. Declarer was already out of ammunition and
finished two down, -200.
Closed Room
– Pass Pass 2NT
Pass 3♣* Pass 3♥*
Pass 3♠* Pass 3NT
All Pass
3♣ Muppet Stayman
3♥ No major
3♠ Relay to 3NT, denying 5 spades
West led the five of clubs and when dummy’s six held declarer played a diamond to the queen
and king. West, endplayed, exited with the six of hearts and declarer had his ninth trick, +600
and 13 IMPs to Poland.
On Board 30 E/W held ♠Q983 ♥K54 ♦K ♣KJ965 opposite ♠J ♥AQJ10 ♦J875 ♣AQ72. Poland
reached game via 1♣-(Dble)-1♥-1NT-3NT and with South holding ♠AK7 ♥9832 ♦AQ94 ♣43
there was no real hope for the defenders,+400.
In the other room the Swedes got their wires crossed and played in 4♣ handing Poland another 6 IMPs.
Sweden did pickup a game swing on the final deal, but Poland had won, 308.5-293.
You can replay the deals at: http://tinyurl.com/p33zffq
Next month we look at the races for the Venice Cup and the d’Orsi Trophy.

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Category: Instructional, Bidding,

88 November 2015 Bridge Magazine

 Intermediate
Proposed Basic Bridge Magazine System
See Editorial – Page 4
Basic Method
Natural
5-card majors
Minors are 3 cards in length minimum. Always open 1♣ with 3-3 or 4-4, so 1♦ is 3 cards only
if precisely 4-4-3-2 shape
15-17 no-trump in all positions and vulnerabilities
Two over one is game forcing in all uncontested auctions
A 1NT is up to a non-game force but it is not-forcing. However the only hands that pass are weak
no-trump types.
Jumps at the two-level are weak (eg, 1♦ – 2♠) and at the three-level are invitational (eg 1♥ – 3♣)
1M – 3M is a limit raise
Inverted minors are played. 1m – 2m is F2NT and 1m – 3m is pre-emptive. Over 1m – 2m,
2NT is a WNT and is non-forcing, 3m is unbalanced and non-forcing. All other bids are at least
quasi-natural and FG
Weak 2♦, 2♥ and 2♠ (5–9, 6-card suit). In response 2NT is a relay asking for a high-card feature
if not minimum with 3NT showing a good suit, non-minimum. 3♣ asks for a singleton with
3NT showing a singleton ♣. 4♣ is RKCB
Three-level openings are natural and pre-emptive. Over 3♦/♥/♠, 4♣ is RKCB and over 3♣, 4♦
is RKCB.
3NT opening is Acol gambling – solid suit and at most a queen outside.
Four-level opening are natural.
No-trump bidding:
After 1NT 15–17, 2♣ = Stayman, 2♦/2♥ = transfers, 2♠ = ♣s with 2NT/3♣ denying/showing
a fit, 2NT = ♦s with 3♣/♦ denying/showing a fit. After this new suits are splinters. 3♣ is 5 card
Stayman, 3♦ is 5-5 ms FG, 3♥/♠ 1-3-(4-5) / 3-1-(4-5) and FG. 4♣ is 5-5 majors, game only,
4♦/♥ = ♥/♠s (then 4NT = RKCB and new suits are Exclusion).
1NT rebid = 12 - 14 with 2♣ a puppet to 2♦ to play in 2♦ or make an invitational bid, 2♦ is
game forcing checkback, new suits at the 3 level are 5-5 FG and higher bids are auto-splinters.
Jump 2NT rebid = 18–19 with natural continuations.
After 2 over 1, 2NT is 12-14 balanced or 18-19 balanced and 3NT is 15-17 range with a reason
not to have opened 1NT
3NT rebid after a one level response shows a good suit and a good hand.
After 2NT, 20-22, 3♣ = Stayman, 3♦/3♥ = transfers, 3♠ = slam try with both minors. Four level

 Intermediate
bids are as after 1NT opening.
Kokish is played after 2♣ opening (2♣-2♦-2♥-2♠-2NT is 25+ balanced FG, and 2♣-2♦-2NT
is 23-24 balanced NF)
Initial response:
Jump shifts are weak at the two-level and invitational at the three-level. Bidding and rebidding a
suit is invitational, bidding and jump rebidding a suit is FG (eg 1♦, 2♥ is weak, 1♦, 1♥, 2♣ 2♥
is invitational; 1♦, 1♥, 2♣, 3♥ is FG).
2NT after 1♣/1♦ is natural and invitational without 4M.
2NT after 1♥/1♠ = game-forcing with 4+ card support. Continuations in new suits are splin-
ters, 3♥/♠ extras with no singleton, 3NT = 18-19 balanced, 4 new suits are 5-5 good suits, 4♥/♠
minimum balanced.
Continuations:
1x – 1M – 2M promises four-card support or three-card support and an unbalanced hand. Bal-
anced hands with three-card support rebid 1NT
Reverses are forcing for one round after a one-level response. The lower of 2NT and 4th suit
encompasses all weak hands, responder’s rebid of own suit is F1 but not necessarily strong, all
other bids are FG.
All high reverses are game-forcing.
Jumps when a bid of the suit one level lower is forcing are splinters, as are four-level responses in
a lower-ranking suit to 1♥/1♠. Jumps when the previous level is forcing are splinters.
4th suit = game-forcing.
When responder’s suit is raised a return to opener’s suit is forcing.
Slam bidding:
Roman Key Card Blackwood (1 or 4, 0 or 3, 2, 2 + trump Q).
Exclusion Blackwood only in clear circumstances including a jump to the five-level in a new suit
and after 1NT – 4♦/♥. Responses are 0, 1, 2.
Cue-bids are Italian style, that is the lowest control is shown regardless of whether it is first or
second round or a positive or negative control and skipping a suit denies a control in that suit.
Exception: a negative control in partner’s suit is not shown immediately.
The default for 5NT is “pick a slam”.
Competition:
Responsive and competitive doubles through 3♠ – after that, doubles are value-showing, not
penalties.
Negative doubles through 3♠ – after that, doubles are value showing, not penalties.
After a 1M opening bid and an overcall, 2NT = four-card limit raise or better and a cue-bid is a
three-card limit raise or better, raises are pre-emptive, change of suit forcing one round but not
FG. New suits at the three-level are FG.

 Intermediate
After a 1m opening and an overcall, 2NT is natural and invitational and the cue-bid is a limit raise
or better, raise are pre-emptive, change of suit F1 but not FG, new suit at the three-level is FG.
Fit-jumps after opponents overcall or take-out double.
Fit jumps after our overcalls. Jump cue-bid is a mixed raise (about 6-9 with four-card support)
Double jumps are splinters.
Lebensohl applies after interference over our 1NT. An immediate 3NT shows a stopper but not
4oM, 2NT then 3NT shows a stopper and 4oM, 2NT then cue-bid shows no stopper but 4oM
immediate cue-bid shows no stopper and no 4oM. In summary 3NT at any time shows a stop-
per and cue-bid at any time denies one, a jump to 3♠ (eg 1NT – 2♥ – 3♠ is FG).
2NT is rarely natural in competition (except as defined above). Possibilities include Lebensohl or
scramble if game is not viable.
Overcalls:
After a 1M overcall, 2NT = four-card limit raise or better and a cue-bid is a three-card limit raise
or better, raises are pre-emptive, change of suit forcing one round. Fit jumps, jump cue is a mixed
raise (about 6-9 and four trumps)
After a minor suit overcall, 2NT is natural and invitational and the cue-bid is a limit raise or bet-
ter, raises are pre-emptive. Fit jumps, jump cue is a mixed raise (about 6-9 and four trumps)
Weak jump overcalls, intermediate in 4th.
Michaels cue-bids. 1m -2m = Ms, 1M – 2M = oM and m with 2NT asking for the m, inv+ and
3m P/C
Defences:
Against all pre-empts, take-out doubles with Lebensohl responses - same structure as above.
2NT is rarely natural in competition (except as defined above). Possibilities include Lebensohl or
scramble if game is not viable.
Over 2M, 4♣/♦ are Leaping Michaels (5,5 in ♣/♦ and oM, FG). Over Natural weak 2♦, 4♣ =
Leaping Michaels (5, 5 in ♣ & a M with 4♦ to ask for M). Over 3♣, 4♣ = Ms and 4♦ = ♦&M
with 4♥/♠ as P/C. Over 3♦, 4♣ = Nat and 4♦ = Ms. Over 3♥, 4♣/♦ = Nat, 4♥ = ♠&m, 4NT =
ms. Over 3♠, 4♠/♦/♥ = nat, 4♠/4NT = two-suiter
Over their 1NT, Dble = pens, 2♣ = majors, 2♦ = 1 major, 2♥/♠ = 5♥/♠ & 4+m 2NT = minors
or game-forcing 2-suiter.
Over a strong 1♣, natural, double = majors, 1NT = minors, pass then bid is strong.
Send stamped addressed envelope to Chess & Bridge Ltd for WBF style Convention Card

 Intermediate
LYON - the place to be in August 2017

World Youth Championships
from 15th – 25th August 2017
LYON - FRANCE
Lyon is a place of warmth and

cultural exchange, and cultivates
a tradition of hospitality and
openness.
As a UNESCO World Heritage Site

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

meet. Ancient, modern and urban
combine with each other, every
discovery and every encounter
that you experience will be full of
wonder.
Welcome to Lyon where the 5th

World Youth Open Bridge
Championships, which are
organised by the World Bridge
Federation in cooperation with
the French Bridge Federation, will
be held at the Cité Internationale
of Lyon Schedule of play for the 2017
Youth Open Championships
The French Bridge Federation is
Pairs Registration Tues 15th Aug (at 10.00 hrs)
pleased to invite you to come and
participate in the events for Opening Ceremony Tues 15th Aug at 19.30
Juniors, Girls, Youngster
Pairs Championship From Wed 16th to Sat 19th Aug
and kids. (Prize-giving at 19.00)
Teams Championship From Sun 20th to Thurs 24th Aug

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

 Intermediate
Fantunes Revealed
The Editor reports on the dramatic announcements concerning the players ranked 1 & 2 in
the world, Fulvio Fantoni & Claudio Nunes.
While the bridge world was still in turmoil following the allegations made against Fisher & Schwartz,
the following announcement appeared on Bridgewinners:
“Bridge Winners has received overwhelming evidence alleging improper communication between
the world’s #1 and #2 ranked bridge players, Fulvio Fantoni and Claudio Nunes, during the 2014
European Championships. The pair was on the Monaco team that placed second in this event, earning
Monaco a spot in the upcoming Bermuda Bowl.
“Many people worked on reviewing Vugraph and video evidence, but we would like to especially give
credit to Maaijke Mevius from the Netherlands, who originally contacted Boye Brogeland with her
theory that the angle at which Fantoni and Nunes placed their card on the table when they led con-
veyed information about their holding in the suit. Brogeland immediately recognized that she was onto
something, and enlisted others to assist him, including Ishmael Del’Monte, Brad Moss, Kit Woolsey,
Jeff Meckstroth, Chris Willenken, Norman Beck, Tom Hanlon, Per-Ola Cullin, and Steve Weinstein.
From there things moved quickly, with many people reviewing hours of footage and testing the theory.”
It was not long before Kit Woolsey posted this:
The Videos Speak: Fantoni-Nunes
I examined the following hypothesis regarding the way Fantoni-Nunes placed their opening lead
on the table:
The card is placed vertically when:
the led suit contains an unseen high honour (ace, king, or queen) OR
the led card is a side-suit singleton in a trump contract
Otherwise, the card is placed horizontally.
I examined ten matches where Fantoni and Nunes were recorded on Vugraph at the 2014 EBTC.
The ten matches in question are listed below. For each match, you can view YouTube screenshots of
the opening lead for each hand at the point in time when Fantoni or Nunes made an opening lead.
For each match, the following information is displayed for each hand they were on defence:
A link to the video of the match at approximately the time the opening lead is made.
The board number.
Whether it’s a suit or notrump contract.
The holding which was led from. If a trump was led, this is indicated by “tr”.
The rank of the card led.
My observation about the placement of the opening lead card.

 Intermediate
Monaco–Bulgaria F1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lsMxdydH5UU
Board Type Holding Lead Orientation Video
18 suit AKJ A vertical 29m58s
19 NT Q653 6 vertical 33m21s
21 suit A3(tr) A horizontal 46m3s
22 suit Q1075 7 vertical 63m55s
24 suit QJ7 Q horizontal 74m17s
25 suit K87643 3 vertical 82m13s
26 suit K1087(tr) 7 vertical 87m56s
27 NT QJ96 Q horizontal 95m4s
28 NT J862 6 horizontal 102m45s
29 suit J10532 J horizontal 107m56s
31 suit 97653 7 horizontal 126m7s
http://www.bridgebase.com/tools/handviewer.html?bbo=y&linurl=http://www.bridgebase.
com/tools/vugraph_linfetch.php?id=34289
Monaco–Denmark F7
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gMrJd7tR9yA
18 suit AKQ A vertical 31m50s
24 suit KQ10865 K vertical 81m9s
26 NT 10854 4 horizontal 91m3s
Monaco–England F9
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rXQZSzHoZP4
17* NT Q9873 3 vertical 10m48s
19 suit AKQ A vertical 45m35s
20 suit 8(tr) 8 vertical** 52m40s
21 NT J10542 2 horizontal 62m21s
23 suit J9432 2 horizontal 82m06s
24* NT 10976 10 horizontal 85m18s
28 NT K9876 9 vertical 107m04s
* = BBO record incorrect ** = signal does not match hypothesis

 Intermediate
Monaco–Iceland Round 7
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MI7PvPjbIeA
18 NT AKQJ103 A vertical 16m50s
20 suit AKJ A vertical 27m53s
21 NT AQ863 3 vertical 36m51s
23 suit KJ105 J vertical 51m35s
28 suit AK105 A vertical 101m39s
29 suit J(tr) J horizontal 109m38s
Monaco–Ireland Round 16
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AyuYM6o_-Jg
18 suit J82(tr) 2 horizontal 24m58s
27 suit A94(tr) 4 vertical 99m23s
Monaco–Norway Round 12
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SRaStFf886E
25 NT J94 4 vertical** 87m40s
28 suit QJ1072 Q horizontal 105m12s
30 suit J J vertical 119m1s
31 NT A843 4 vertical 125m58s
** = signal does not match hypothesis

 Intermediate
Monaco–Poland F8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9PvP23SJSMQ
2 suit 2 2 vertical 18m6s
3 suit A3(tr) A horizontal 29m1s
4 suit A8754 4 vertical 38m13s
12 suit 83(tr) 3 horizontal 87m52s
13 suit 52(tr) 2 horizontal 93m13s
Monaco–Romania F2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XwI♠NtvSbw
3 suit J932 3 horizontal 32m45s
7 suit KQJ542 K vertical 53m1s
12 suit J(tr) J horizontal 87m192
14 suit KQJ42 K vertical 99m5s
15 NT A1042 4 vertical 103m30s
Monaco–Russia Round 4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=skn18r6_ZEY
1 NT QJ653 3 vertical 14m33s
14 suit Q72 2 vertical->horizontal** 107m03s
** = signal does not match hypothesis

 Intermediate
As an illustration, this was Board 2:
♠ 10 2
♥ 8752
♦ K95
♣ Q986
♠ K953 N ♠ 8764
♥ KQ ♥ J 10 9 6
♦ J643 W E ♦ 10 8 2
♣ AK 2 S ♣ J4
♠ AQJ
♥ A43
♦ AQ7
♣ 10 7 5 3
Nunes Gromov Fantoni Dubinin
– – Pass 1♣*
Pass 1♦* Pass 1NT
All Pass
West led the five of spades–vertical.

Monaco–Sweden
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PC_m1VLl8O4
21 suit J109(tr) J horizontal 57m25s
32 suit AKQ5432 A vertical 135m54s
There were 85 hands in this sample. On 82 of the 85 hands, this simple hypothesis correctly pre-
dicted the orientation of the opening lead.
(82 out of 85 is an extraordinary coincidence. Editor)
On this month’s video page, we present a video by Michael Clark, which explains in detail
what is alleged.
It has been suggested that this ‘code’ might explain what happened on the deal referred to in
this episode, reported on various web sites earlier this year:
A hand defended by Fulvio Fantoni and Claudio Nunes – the current no. 1 and 2 players
of the World Bridge Federation – was under investigation and forwarded to the Federal Pub-
lic Prosecutor Office. The note concerns board 19 of the 4th stanza of the Open Teams Italian
Championships 2015, held in Salsomaggiore Terme (Parma, Italy) from 30th April to 3rd May.
Fantoni-Nunes (team Vinci) were playing against Mazzadi-Lo Presti (team Palma). Questions
have been raised by the ace of diamonds lead from Claudio Nunes, followed by another diamond
(the 2) ruffed by Fantoni who returned a club. The verdict of the Sports Judge has been delivered

 Intermediate
today,12th of June 2015.
Prosecution: Fantonio Fulvio and Nunes Claudio are accused of breaching art. 48 a) of the
Italian Olympic Committee Federal Charter and art. 36 of the Tournament Regulations, because
of an abnormal play, which raises the doubt that players received UI.
Defence: Nunes claims to have had a mental blackout, and as a consequence he was incapable
of thinking properly. He played mechanically and continued with a diamond without thinking,
because he was convinced declarer had a club void.
Verdict: The Judge does not have any proof that UI was received by either player, so we acquit
FIGB members Fantoni Fulvio and Nunes Claudio.
This was the deal in question:
♠ 863
♥ 10 6 3
♦6
♣ Q J 10 9 5 4
♠ A K 10 2 N ♠ Q5
♥ 82 ♥ AK Q J 9 7 5
♦ KJ943 W E ♦ Q8
♣ 63 S ♣ K8
♠ J974
♥4
♦ A 10 7 5 2
♣ A72
Open Room
Mazzadi Fantoni Lo Presti Nunes
– – – Pass
1♦ 2♣ 2♦ Double*
Pass 3♣ 4♣* 5♣
Pass Pass 6♥ All Pass
South led the ace of diamonds for the three, six and eight. rather than cash the ace of clubs, South
continued with the two of diamonds and North ruffed and switched to the queen of clubs for +300.
The question everyone wanted to know the answer to was how did South know that North had
started with a singleton diamond?
If East was void in clubs, it meant North had started with eight of them.
Whatever one makes of that it was not long before Monaco followed the path taken by Israel
and Germany and withdrew from the Bermuda Bowl.
Just before we went to press, the European Bridge League announced that Evidence files have
been completed and presented to the pairs involved in the allegations. Upon receipt of their
responses and any exculpatory evidence presented, the files will be forwarded to the expert panel
for evaluation.
The findings will be referred back to the EBL Executive Committee and, where necessary, the
EBL Disciplinary Committee.
The title ‘Fantunes Revealed’ is used by permission of Master Point Press.

 Intermediate
Bridge Over the Rainbow
Alex Adamson and Harry Smith with more stories from Over The Rainbow Club
Social Match
‘To be quite honest, I am still baffled by the whole concept,’ the Tin Man said for the third time.
‘What is a ‘social’ match, and what is the point of it? Am I not always sociable?’ The Lion turned
to stare at the Tin Man. ‘Eyes on the road,’ said Dorothy.
The Tin Man continued. ‘Was I supposed to play badly? When I bid a vulnerable game which I
expected to make and they sacrificed non-vulnerable was I not supposed to double? Or was I sup-
posed to concede the rest when we had already taken the contract for 1100 and I could squeeze
her for 1400 then endplay her for 1700? I thought she would appreciate the beauty of my defence.’
‘That was not the problem, as I have already told you,’ replied Dorothy through gritted teeth.
‘No one likes to be told that their worst hand of the season will be immortalised in an article in
the district magazine.’
‘I said I would hide the names.’
‘You also said that you would have to improve their bidding and her play as there could be
children reading.’
‘That was a joke! True, of course, but any improvements would be to avoid my incisive defence
being clouded by the enormity of their inadequacies.’
‘Yes,’ said the Scarecrow. ‘’The enormity of their inadequacies’. That was the phrase I heard her
repeating to the tournament director.’
The four friends were returning from a friendly match between The Over the Rainbow Bridge
Club and their equivalents from Poppyfield, a sleepy town on the main road to the Emerald City.
The match was played between teams of eight. The Over the Rainbow team had travelled in two
cars. The match over, Dorothy, the Tin Man and the Scarecrow were with the Lion in his large,
powerful, gold coloured car, hurtling back home up the motorway at speeds approaching 50 mph.
‘I also do not understand,’ persisted the Tin Man. ‘Why we did not stay for the buffet. I thought
that socialising was supposed to be one of the key elements of this bizarre event. Apart from any-
thing else, I thought that was where part of our table money went.’
Dorothy refused to be drawn on this subject. ‘If you must write an article,’ she began.
‘Oh I must, I promised!’
‘If you must;’ she went on, ‘then there were a number of other hands which are worth writing
up. There were these two hands where you’ve explained in detail to each of us just how well you
played them. They might be a more instructive read than that other hand. It’s important that you
let people see just how well normal contracts can be played rather than focusing on the defence
against a ridiculous one.’ Dorothy hoped that if an article was unstoppable then perhaps flattery
could deflect it into a less harmful path.
The match had been played through a Saturday afternoon with each pair playing four sets of
six boards against the pairs in the other team. The first eleven boards had been uneventful. This
was the last board of the second set.

 Intermediate
Dealer East. Both Vul.
♠ K86
♥ J7
♦ 542
♣ AJ763
♠ 10 9 3 2 N ♠ 54
♥ 9853 ♥ A 10
♦ Q 10 8 W E ♦ AK J 9 6 3
♣ 10 4 S ♣ Q92
♠ AQJ7
♥ KQ642
♦7
♣ K85
Each team had two North-South and two East-West pairs. For the Over the Rainbow team the
Lion and the Tin Man were both sitting South. The auction at the Lion’s table was over quickly.
After a One Diamond opening from East the Lion had doubled. West had passed and the Scare-
crow had jumped to Three Clubs. East, rather boldly, had come back in with Three Diamonds.
That had ended matters, though the Lion had felt a twinge of concern that they might have a
five-three heart fit.
Scarecrow Lion
– – 1♦ Double
Pass 3♣ 3♦ All Pass
The defence had not gone well. The Lion had led his partner’s suit, and after winning the ♣A,
the Scarecrow had returned a low club to the Lion’s king. The Lion now tried the ♥K, ducked
all round. ‘Has declarer played the ten holding ♥AJ10 hoping he would continue?’ he thought,
‘Well he was in for a shock if he had!’ He led his ♥Q expecting partner to ruff, and giving the
clear message that a spade return would get his partner a second ruff.
Events did not quite materialise as the Lion had hoped, the trumps providing an entry to the
now established 9-8 of hearts for declarer to discard both spade losers. Fortunately the Tin Man
was so pleased with his own play on the hand that he hadn’t bothered to ask how East/West had
made ten tricks in diamonds with five seemingly-unavoidable losers.!
The auction was quite different at the Tin Man and Dorothy’s table, where they were playing
against two ladies with almost luminous pink rinses.
Dorothy Tin Man
– – 1NT Double
Redouble Pass 2♦ Double
Pass 3♣ Pass 3♥
Pass 4♥ All Pass
Over East’s off-centre strong 1NT the Tin Man had doubled for penalties. West’s Redouble was
for rescue, showing either a hand which was one-suited with clubs or a two-suited hand without.
East was expected to bid Two Clubs, so her Two Diamond rebid strongly suggested a six-card suit.
The Tin Man’s second double was for take out. Dorothy’s bid of Three Clubs showed values and
the Tin Man felt he had to press on for game. Over Three Hearts Dorothy was in an awkward
position. Four Hearts seemed to be the least bad option.

 Intermediate
West led the ♦Q and followed that up with a second ♠ K86
round. ♥ J7
The Tin Man ruffed. The auction had been quite ♦ 5 42
♣ AJ763
revealing. Unless West was messing around on a 4-3- ♠ 10 9 3 2 ♠ 54
3-3 hand it seemed very likely that she was 4-4 in the ♥ 9 8 5 3 N
♥ A 10
majors. Unless East’s 1NT was an out-and-out psyche ♦ Q 10 8 W E ♦ AK J 9 6 3
then she had to have all the remaining points, includ- ♣ 10 4 S ♣ Q92
ing the ♣Q. ♠ A Q J 7
♥ KQ642
If hearts were 3-3 then he could draw trumps and take ♦ 7
four hearts, four spades and two clubs for ten tricks. If ♣ K85
they were 4-2 then it would seem he had two hearts, a
diamond and a club to lose. He played a heart to the jack and East’s ace. East continued with a
third diamond, forcing him to ruff again. He had been reduced to two trumps in hand and when
he played them East followed to the first but then discarded a diamond.
West now had the only remaining trump but the Tin Man was unperturbed. He led out his
four spade winners and two club winners, safe in the knowledge that West would have to follow
suit throughout. At trick thirteen he played his third club triumphantly and watched West ruff
East’s queen. ‘I had four inescapable losers, as I hope you have observed. I am delighted to be able
to lose two of them on the same trick.’
The lady in the West seat snorted. ‘Lucky lie. Still, I suppose there was nothing else for you to
play for.’
‘I beg your pardon,’ stuttered the Tin Man. ‘I knew exactly what was going on in the hand.’
‘So then you will know exactly how lucky you were!’ West smiled at him as she got up to move
to the next table.
In the third quarter, Dorothy and the Tin Man were up against the Poppyfield Club Captain,
and his partner, the Secretary. They found that the concentration of power in as few partnerships
as possible made for greatly improved decision making.
Dorothy knew that they were a decent pair and capable of putting up stiff resistance. After a
couple of quiet boards they took out their cards for this deal:
Dealer South. Both Vul.
♠ 7532
♥ 852
♦ 8753
♣ Q7
♠ 64 N ♠ QJ8
♥J ♥ K7
♦ K92 W E ♦ QJ64
♣ AJ 9 6 4 3 2 S ♣ K 10 8 5
♠ A K 10 9
♥ A Q 10 9 6 4 3
♦ A 10
♣—
The Tin Man opened the South hand One Heart. He heard a Three Club weak jump overcall on
his left by the Captain, a pass from his partner, and 3NT on his right. He doubled. After two
passes, the Secretary went into a huddle, emerging eventually with a jump to Five Clubs. The Tin
Man doubled that too, and the Captain passed. The key decision now lay with Dorothy.

 Intermediate
It seemed to her that every time she held a virtual bust the Tin Man managed to put her on
the spot. These opponents were not dummies so it was unlikely that there was a big score com-
ing from Five Clubs doubled. She had no way of knowing if it was even going down. She bid a
reluctant Five Hearts, which was passed out. ‘No double, no trouble,’ thought Dorothy.
The auction had been:
Captain Dorothy Secretary Tin Man
– – – 1♥
3♣ Pass 3NT Double
Pass Pass 5♣ Double
Pass 5♥ All Pass
The Captain led the ♣A.

The Tin Man considered the dummy. He could see that they had been taking at best 500 from
Five Clubs while Four Hearts was very likely to be making. Could he make his five-level contract
though? On the face of it, given that the 3NT bid seemed to rule out a singleton ♥K, he seemed
booked to lose at least a diamond, a heart and a spade.
He ruffed the opening lead with the ♥6 then played off ace and another diamond. The Cap-
tain, on his left, flickered when playing low on the ♦10. The Secretary won the trick with the jack
and played back a third round of the suit. The Tin Man ruffed this with the nine while the Cap-
tain dropped the king. With the defence having already scored one trick, this was the position:
♠ 7532
♥ 852
♦8
♣Q
♠ 64 N ♠ QJ8
♥J ♥ K7
♦— W E ♦Q
♣ J96432 S ♣ K 10 5
♠ A K 10 9
♥ A Q 10 4 3
♦—
♣—
Clearly, the Captain’s store of high cards was almost exhausted. Virtually all the remainder were
clearly with the Secretary, including the guarded ♥K. There were so many finesses that the Tin
Man would like to take by leading from the dummy, but so few entries to get there. Assuming
that trumps were indeed 2-1, two top trumps would establish one entry but that was not going to
be enough – the Secretary was sure to put in a spade honour when he led one from the dummy.
In a moment of inspiration (or as he himself described it, genius) the Tin Man saw the answer.
There was one realistic holding that would give him the contract so he played for it. Giving the
Secretary a meaningful look he placed the ♥Q on the table. The jack fell on his left, dummy gave
up its two, and the Secretary, with a light shrug of his shoulders, took the king. He tried a fourth
diamond but the Tin Man ruffed in with the ten. The Tin Man now played one of his carefully
preserved small trumps to the eight, drawing the defence’s last one and called for a spade. He
tabled his cards.
‘I am going to play the double finesse. I will re-enter dummy with the five of hearts to repeat
it. If you have both spade honours, Mr Secretary, then I have my contract.’

 Intermediate
The opponents both considered this for a moment then conceded. ‘Well played, a pretty ending.’
‘Thank you, if trick five can be called an ‘ending’,’ said the Tin Man, ‘and thank you again, for
allowing me to play it.’
‘Well Six Clubs was going for 800.’
‘Oh, no. I mean for pulling 3NT. I would have been endplayed at trick one and forced to give
you an eighth trick. A much better score for you. I suppose ‘endings’ don’t come any further from
the end than that!’
The Captain and the Secretary felt that for them the end could not come soon enough.
As they sat in the car on the way home Dorothy reflected back on these happy times when her
partner had only irritated the opponents – before the painful events of the last round.
They sat in their own thoughts for some time. The Tin Man fell asleep. Ahead of them, the
lights of the town began to twinkle.
‘You know, said the Scarecrow, breaking the silence. ‘It’s funny but it always seems to take less
time to come back than it does on the journey out.’
‘Oh, indeed. It’s a scientific fact,’ said the Lion, in his most knowledgeable tones. ‘It’s called the
Law of Diminishing Returns.’
Dorothy studied his face without success for signs that he was joking. She drew breath to speak
then exhaled, closed her eyes, and relaxed back into her seat.
Mike Lawrence titles from

MASTER POINT PRESS the bridge publisher
THE COMPLETE GUIDE THE COMPLETE BOOK THE COMPLETE BOOK FALSECARDS
TO PASSED HAND ON TAKEOUT DOUBLES ON OVERCALLS IN
BIDDING CONTRACT BRIDGE

DISCUSS
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ONWWW.BRIDGEBLOGGING.COM
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 Intermediate
LYON - the place to be in August 2017

World Youth Championships
from 15th – 25th August 2017
LYON - FRANCE
Lyon is a place of warmth and

cultural exchange, and cultivates
a tradition of hospitality and
openness.
As a UNESCO World Heritage Site

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

meet. Ancient, modern and urban
combine with each other, every
discovery and every encounter
that you experience will be full of
wonder.
Welcome to Lyon where the 5th

World Youth Open Bridge
Championships, which are
organised by the World Bridge
Federation in cooperation with
the French Bridge Federation, will
be held at the Cité Internationale
of Lyon Schedule of play for the 2017
Youth Open Championships
The French Bridge Federation is
Pairs Registration Tues 15th Aug (at 10.00 hrs)
pleased to invite you to come and
participate in the events for Opening Ceremony Tues 15th Aug at 19.30
Juniors, Girls, Youngster
Pairs Championship From Wed 16th to Sat 19th Aug
and kids. (Prize-giving at 19.00)
Teams Championship From Sun 20th to Thurs 24th Aug

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

 Intermediate
Test Your
Defence
with Julian Pottage Solutions on page 116
♠ ♠
1 ♥
A Q 10 5
Q862 2 ♥
3
QJ94
♦ 10 ♦ K962
♣ QJ92 ♣ K 10 3 2
♠ 86 N ♠ Q 10 7 6 5 4 2 N
♥ K J 10 9 4 3 ♥ K8
♦ AQ 8 5 W E ♦ Q 10 W E
♣4 S ♣ 85 S
WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH
– – – 1♣* – – – 1♣
1♥ Double Redouble 2♣* 3♠ Double 4♠ 4NT*
2♥ 5♣ All Pass Pass 5♣ All Pass
1♣ Could be short 4NT Two places to play
2♣ Genuine clubs but not necessarily six
You lead the six of spades to the king and ace. Declarer
You lead the jack of hearts, which holds. How do you draws two rounds of trumps with the king and ace; part-
play to the next two tricks? ner follows once and then discards a spade. Declarer
now leads a low heart. What do you do?

 Intermediate
Book Reviews Bob Baker

Accurate Cardplay and Imaginative Cardplay
Terence Reese and Roger Trézel
£10.99 each from MasterPoint Press
S ome years ago - well, about forty to be precise - there was a series of small books written
by two world champion players. Each covered a particular area of the game and comprised
a brief explanation of the topic followed by thirty or forty well-chosen example hands.
Now these books, long out of print, have been combined into two new books, each with the
material from four of the earlier volumes.
The first of these, Accurate Cardplay, comprises four sections: “Elimination Play”, “When to
Duck, When to Win”, “Blocking and Unblocking Plays” and Safety Plays. After the introductory
explanation there is then the series of hands which gradually become more advanced without
ever being obscure. For example, in the section on “Blocking and Unblocking Plays” the follow-
ing is Example 1:
North: ♠ A3 ♥ KJ5 ♦ K762 ♣ Q942 South: ♠ 10962 ♥ AQ2 ♦ AQJ8 ♣ K5
South plays in 3NT on the lead of ♠5. Players with some experience will probably duck the open-
ing lead - there is something called the “Rule of Seven” which suggests this is the right thing to
do (beware this “Rule” which will often prove to be wrong!). However, if the spade suit is exam-
ined more closely then this can be seen to be the wrong play.
Declarer has eight top tricks (one spade, three hearts and four diamonds) and a further trick
may easily be established in clubs - of course, if spades are 4-3 then there is no danger to the con-
tract, as all he would lose is three spade tricks and ♠A. However, if spades are 5-2 then there is a
danger of losing four tricks in the suit plus the ♣A. If the lead is in fact from a five-card suit then
East must surely hold a doubleton honour, as with ♠KQJxx West would surely have led ♠K. By
going up with dummy’s ♠A on the opening lead declarer blocks the run of the suit (Note: West
held ♠ KJ754 ♥ 743 ♦ 104 ♣ A83 and this was the only way to make the game).
Imaginative Cardplay, the second of these two books, comprises “Those Extra Chances”, “Master
the Odds”, “Snares and Swindles” and “The Art of Defence”. Once again an example (taken in
this case from the first part) will give a flavour of the content:
North: ♠763 ♥ K87 ♦ A84 ♣ 8742 South: ♠ KQ52 ♥ A10932 ♦ 93 ♣ AQ
With bidding that is not recommended South ends up in 4♥ and receives ♦K lead. Prospects are poor -
declarer needs to find the trumps splitting 3-2 and East holding precisely ♠Axx together with ♣K. He
would need to lead twice from dummy towards his spades and once to take the club finesse, so three
entries to dummy are needed and there are only two (♥K and ♦A). However, South’s dummy play
was better than his bidding: he won ♦A and finessed in clubs, with ♣Q winning. Then he led ♥10
from hand, playing low from dummy when West followed with ♥5. East won and played diamonds,
declarer ruffing the third round. Now a low trump was led to dummy’s ♥8, which won, and a spade
led towards declarer’s ♠Q, which also won. Now the last trump was drawn with dummy’s ♥K and a
further spade towards declarer’s hand found East with the required ♠Axx, so the contract was made.
These books are aimed at fairly experienced players with a good grasp of basic technique, but
there is much in them which will repay careful study. As always with books by Reese there are
instances of his dry wit which help to make the books easy to read, and both are recommended.

The Videos Speak...
VIDEO OF THE MONTH 3
The dramatic revelations of the last two months in the lead

up to the World Bridge Championships in Chennai thrust
bridge into the public eye, with worldwide press, television
and radio coverage of the alleged cheating scandals.
Following on from the accusations made against the

Israeli players, Lotan Fisher and Ron Schwartz, which we
highlighted last month, came the news that charges
against other partnerships would follow and that the
world's top ranked pair, Fulvio Fantoni & Claudio Nunes
were under suspicion. Alex Smirnov, left, and Josef Piekarek announced that they had
committed 'ethical violations' and shortly afterwards
Germany withdrew from the upcoming Bermuda Bowl.
From that moment, news continued to break on an almost
daily basis. Germany's Josef Piekarek & Alexander
Smirnov announced that they had committed 'ethical
violations' and shortly afterwards Germany withdrew
from the upcoming Bermuda Bowl.
Following a meeting in the South of France, Monaco

announced that they were withdrawing from the
Bermuda Bowl.
On the eve of the Championships Poland's Cezary Balicki

and Adam Zmudzinski had their invitation to play in
Chennai withdrawn by the World Bridge Federation, but, It has also been announced that the world's top
with their players already in Chennai, and little ranked pair, Fulvio Fantoni, right, and Claudio
information available, Poland played four handed until a Nunes are also under suspicion.
reserve pair could reach India.
This month's videos show in detail the allegations made against Fantoni-Nunes and offer an overview of
the overall situation regarding the various accusations.
We're in the middle of the biggest scandal since the game was Triple Dummy featuring Peter Hollands, Nick Jacob, and
invented. This video offers an explanation as to what was going Ellena Moskovsky. This episode features a guest speaker,
on with one of the pairs involved: world numbers 1 and 2; Ishmael Del'monte, who gives his opinion of the
Fulvio Fantoni and Claudio Nunes. (Running time: 7 minutes) cheating scandals from the front line. (Running time: 1 hour)
107 November 2015 Bridge Magazine



 Intermediate
The Abbot’s Return to Earth

David Bird
B
rother Hubert, the monastery janitor, unlocked the iron front gate. ‘Ah, you’re back,
Abbot,’ he said. ‘Great to see you again!’
The two monks took the long walk to the main building. ‘Goodness me, these cases are
heavy,’ exclaimed Brother Hubert. ‘Did you bring back some duty-free bottles?’
‘I’ve brought all the spare copies I could find of the Bermuda Bowl bulletins,’ replied the Abbot.
‘They make inspiring reading, I can tell you. We’ll need a full set for the monastery archives too.’
‘Did you enjoy the event?’ asked Brother Hubert. ‘I wouldn’t have minded watching for a cou-
ple of hours. Any longer than that and I’d find it a bit boring.’
‘Watching?’ exclaimed the Abbot. ‘Have you not seen all the emails that I sent? I was playing
in it!’
‘Not the main Bermuda Bowl event, surely?’ queried Brother Hubert. ‘I thought that was an
event for experts.’
The Abbot strode into the main building, disappointed that his reception had been somewhat
less than ticker-tape. What was the point of sending email after email from unsavoury internet
cafés in Chennai when nobody bothered to read them?
The Abbot had no intention of missing the Thursday night duplicate, despite his exhaustion
from the long journey. His first opponents were Brother Aelred and Brother Michael. The Abbot
smiled to himself. There could hardly be a greater contrast between these two and the last pair he
had faced: Jeff Meckstroth and Eric Rodwell!
This was the first board of the evening:
Dealer South. N/S Vul.
♠ K6
♥ KQ8532
♦ 82
♣ Q76
♠ 93 N ♠ J 10 4
♥ 10 9 6 ♥ J74
♦ A K Q 10 9 5 W E ♦ 76
♣ J4 S ♣ K 10 9 5 2
♠ AQ8752
♥A
♦ J43
♣ A83
Brother Brother Brother The
Michael Xavier Aelred Abbot
– – – 1♠
2♦ 2♥ Pass 3♠
Pass 4♠ All Pass

 Intermediate
Brother Michael began with the ace and king of dia- ♠ K6
monds, his partner playing high-low. The Abbot paused ♥ KQ8532
for thought when the queen of diamonds was led at ♦ 82
♣ Q76
trick 3. If he ruffed low in the dummy, even a moder- ♠ 9 3 ♠ J 10 4
ate performer such as Brother Aelred might return a ♥ 10 9 6 N
♥ J74
trump after overruffing. That would kill the entry to ♦ A K Q 10 9 5 W E ♦ 76
dummy while the hearts were blocked. ♣ J 4 S ♣ K 10 9 5 2
How about allowing the diamond queen to win, ♠ A Q 8 7 5 2
♥ A
discarding a club? The defenders would not then have ♦ J43
the opportunity to dislodge the trump king entry. Still, ♣ A83
if East held only three hearts, he would be able to dis-
card one. Give him three trumps as well and he would be able to prevent a second club discard
on dummy’s hearts.
The Abbot decided to try something different. ‘Ruff with the king,’ he said.
Brother Aelred discarded a heart on this trick and the Abbot proceeded to draw two rounds
of trumps with the ace and queen. He then cashed the ace of hearts and threw Brother Aelred
on lead with a third round of trumps. Seeing that a heart exit would allow a quick claim of the
remaining tricks, he returned the ♣9. The Abbot ran this successfully to dummy’s queen and was
able to claim the contract.
‘Memories of the Bermuda Bowl come flooding back,’ he declared. ‘Even Geir Helgemo would
have admired that line of play.’
‘If he’d been sitting East, I think he would have beaten it,’ observed Brother Xavier. ‘What hap-
pens if Brother Aelred underruffs with the jack or ten on
the third round of diamonds?’
The Abbot waved this suggestion aside. It was typical
of Xavier to seek some distraction rather than praising
his partner’s efforts.
‘You can’t throw him in on the third round of trumps
then,’ Brother Xavier continued. ‘If you try ace and a low
trump instead, playing for the remaining trumps to be
2-2, East can unblock again and West wins with the nine.’
The Abbot raised his eyebrows. Did Brother Xavier
realize how foolish he sounded? No creature on God’s
earth was less likely to find the defence of a double trump
unblock than the present occupant of the East seat.
A round or two later, Brother Cameron and Brother
Damien took their seats against the Abbot. On the first
deal they scored above average in a spade game. This was
the second board of the round:

 Intermediate
Dealer North. N/S Vul.
♠ A64
♥ AQ6
♦ 10 8
♣ K9852
♠ QJ932 N ♠ K 10 8 7
♥ K7 ♥ J95
♦ K952 W E ♦ QJ7
♣ J3 S ♣ Q 10 6
♠5
♥ 10 8 4 3 2
♦ A643
♣ A74
Brother Brother The Brother
Xavier Damien Abbot Cameron
– 1♣ Pass 1♥
1♠ Double 3♠ 4♥
All Pass
Brother Damien showed three hearts with his Support Double. When the Abbot raised partner’s spade over-
call to the three-level, Brother Cameron had no hesitation in bidding the heart game. With any luck, the
opponents would sacrifice at this score. If not, was there any law against partner putting down a useful hand?
There was no further bidding and Brother Xavier led the queen of spades. ‘Yeah, that’s good,’
said Brother Cameron as the dummy appeared. ‘Ace up!’
The Abbot winced at the novice’s disrespectful tone. Was this any way to speak at the bridge
table? Not when you were playing against a Bermuda Bowl veteran.
Brother Cameron reached his hand with the ace of clubs and finessed the queen of trumps suc-
cessfully. He cashed the trump ace, finding a 3-2 break, and ducked a round of clubs. The Abbot
won with the queen of clubs and had no successful return. If he drew a third round of trumps
with the jack, declarer would reach dummy with the king of clubs to discard two diamond los-
ers on the clubs. If instead he returned a club and ruffed the fourth round of clubs with the jack,
dummy’s last trump would be brought back to life.
With little hope of success, the Abbot switched to the queen of diamonds. Brother Cameron
won with the ace, crossed to the king of clubs and called for another club. He then faced his cards,
claiming ten tricks.
The Abbot shook his head as he returned his cards to the wallet. It was hard to imagine a more
impertinent bid from the novice. Four Hearts, he says, holding only five low trumps and two aces.
Of course, all the cards lie perfectly and the game is lay-down. Typical!
Brother Damien raised an eyebrow as he inspected the scoresheet. ‘No-one else has bid it.’
‘Four Hearts was a two-way bid,’ explained Brother Cameron. ‘I was hoping for a sacrifice.’
On the next round two more novices arrived at the Abbot’s table. Polite and respectful in every
way, Brother Daniel and Brother Simon set a commendable example to the other members of the
novitiate. The hapless Brother Cameron could learn a lot from them.
‘Did you enjoy playing in the Bermuda Bowl, Abbot?’ asked the dark-haired Brother Daniel.
Pleased by the question, the Abbot nodded his head. ‘It’s quite an experience, playing in an
event where every opponent is world-class,’ he replied. ‘I scarcely remember anyone making a
mistake against us.’

 Intermediate
Brother Simon looked at the Abbot somewhat nervously. ‘We’ll do our best,’ he said.
‘You two mustn’t worry at all,’ the Abbot informed him. ‘Bridge is always difficult at first, par-
ticularly when you’re facing an expert opponent. It took me many years to reach Bermuda Bowl
standard.’
The players extracted their cards for this deal:
Dealer East. None Vul.
♠ 743
♥ A852
♦ 52
♣ 10 5 4 2
♠ 10 6 N ♠ AJ 8
♥ QJ974 ♥ K 10 6
♦ 94 W E ♦ K 10 8 3
♣ J976 S ♣ KQ3
♠ KQ952
♥3
♦ AQJ76
♣ A8
Brother Brother Brother The
Daniel Xavier Simon Abbot
– – 1NT Double
2♥ Pass Pass 2♠
Pass 3♠ Pass 4♠
All Pass
Brother Daniel led the queen of hearts and down went the dummy. The Abbot surveyed it with
no obvious enthusiasm. Three low trumps, only one good card and ten losers in the hand? Was
that enough for a raise? Not as he saw it. Mind you, I suppose all normal standards had to be
abandoned when your partner was a Bermuda Bowl veteran. ‘Play the ace,’ said the Abbot. A
finesse of the diamond queen succeeded and the Abbot continued with the ace of diamonds, both
defenders following.
When the Abbot led the ♦6 next, Brother Daniel paused to consider his defence. His ♠10 was
higher than the ♠7 in dummy. Would the Abbot get cross if he ruffed with it? Well, he would
soon find out.
Brother Daniel ruffed with the ten of trumps and the Abbot threw a heart from dummy. He
ruffed the heart continuation in his hand and led the ♦7. West discarded a heart and the Abbot
ruffed in the dummy. A trump to the nine won the next trick and the Abbot continued with the
trump king. A few moments later the game was his.
Ah well, thought Brother Daniel, at least the Abbot hadn’t got annoyed when he ruffed in with
the ten.
The Abbot turned to his left. ‘You shouldn’t have ruffed with the ten,’ he informed him.
Brother Daniel looked down at the table. ‘Sorry, Abbot,’ he replied. ‘I thought you might not
take it too well.’
‘Discard instead and I ruff in the dummy,’ the Abbot continued. ‘Suppose I reach my hand
with a heart ruff and lead another diamond. Now you ruff with the ten and exit with a heart or
a club. With no entry left to the dummy, I have to lose two further trump tricks to your partner.’

 Intermediate
It was way beyond Brother Daniel’s mental powers to follow this analysis. ‘Ah yes,’ he replied.
‘I see what you mean.’
The final visitors to the Abbot’s table were Brother Lucius and Brother Paulo.
‘What a marvellous time you must have had in Chennai!’ Brother Lucius exclaimed. ‘We could
hardly believe some of the hands you played against USA-1 in the final match.’
‘One does one’s best,’ the Abbot replied.
‘Almost like a fairy tale for you and the Upper Bhumpopo team to beat the USA,’ Brother Lucius
continued. ‘If you read about it in a bridge magazine or some book, no-one would believe it!’
The players drew their cards for this board:
Dealer South. None Vul.
♠ AQ9
♥ A 10 6 2
♦ J92
♣ AK8
♠ K J 10 8 7 N ♠ 6542
♥ KQJ943 ♥ 875
♦— W E ♦ Q 10 8
♣ Q4 S ♣ J 10 7
♠3
♥—
♦ AK76543
♣ 96532
Brother Brother The Brother
Xavier Paulo Abbot Lucius
– – – 3♦
4♦ 6♦ All Pass
All Pass
Brother Lucius ruffed the king of hearts lead and

played the ace of trumps, West discarding a heart. So,
he had a trump trick to lose. How could he avoid los-
ing a club trick too? A successful spade finesse would
give him two discards on the major-suit aces. Sup-
pose he gave up a trump trick. Would there then be
a chance of squeezing West in the major suits? If the
Abbot was still in his Bermuda Bowl form, he could
break up any such squeeze with a spade return into
dummy’s ace-queen tenace.
Brother Lucius decided to try something differ-
ent. He finessed the queen of spades successfully and
cashed the ace of spades, discarding a club. He then
ruffed a spade in his hand. Returning to dummy with
the king of clubs, he discarded another club on the
ace of hearts and ruffed a heart in his hand. A club to
dummy’s ace left these cards still to be played:

 Intermediate
♠—
♥ 10
♦ J9
♣8
♠K N ♠6
♥ QJ9 ♥—
♦— W E ♦ Q 10
♣— S ♣J
♠—
♥—
♦ K76
♣9
‘Ten of hearts, please,’ said Brother Lucius.
If the Abbot ruffed this trick, Lucius would simply discard his club loser. Nor was a discard of
the master club any good; East would then score just a trump trick. With a small shrug, the Abbot
discarded a spade. Brother Lucius ruffed in his hand and exited with a club. The Abbot won with
the jack and then had to lead into declarer’s split trump tenace. The slam had been made.
‘Xavier held all the major-suit cards,’ observed Brother Lucius, turning towards the Abbot. ‘A
simpler line was to exit with a trump early on. My fear was that you would break up the squeeze
with a spade return into the ace-queen.’
‘Indeed I would have done,’ the Abbot replied. ‘No other defence would make any sense at all!’
David Silver titles from

MASTER POINT PRESS the bridge publisher
A STUDY IN SILVER BRIDGE THE SILVER WAY TALES OUT OF SCHOOL THE NAKED BRIDGE
PLAYER

DISCUSS
DISCUSSTODAY’S
TODAY’SBRIDGE
BRIDGEISSUES
ISSUESON

 Intermediate
Solution to Non-Prize Problem

Dealer West. E/W Vul.
1♥ 2♦ 2♠ Pass
3♣ Pass 3NT Pass
Lead of of small heart to ten jack and king. This deal is from the Warm Up Pairs in this years
Madeira Bridge Festival. Declarer takes a second round of trumps and ruffs a diamond back
to hand to draw the last trump. On the lead of a small spade towards dummy North must
split his honours. Declarer wins with the ace and plays a second spade to the jack taken by
North’s other spade honour. North is now left with no winning option. If he exits with a
spade declarer can easily establish another if the suit splits 4-2, if he attempts to cash the ace
of diamonds then declarer had two discards for clubs on black suit winners and finally if he
exits with a club he gifts declarer a fourth club trick with the fifth club being discarded on
the ten of spades.
This was the full layout:
♠ KQ4
♥ 93
♦ A J 10 9 7 4 2
♣8
♠ J8 N ♠ A 10 7 3 2
♥ AK 8 7 5 2 ♥ Q 10
♦— W E ♦ K863
♣ K Q 10 7 5 S ♣ A6
♠ 965
♥ J64
♦ Q5
♣ J9432
At the table the declarer was your illustrious layout editor who received the less taxing lead
of the ace of diamonds and so had an immediate discard for his losing spade, but he man-
aged to play the club suit accurately, not a feat everyone who played in the slam managed to
achieve. He played the ace and then a small one to the ten, either this would hold or the suit
was splitting, either way he was guaranteed four club tricks and his contract.

 Intermediate
Solutions to “Test Your Defence”
with Julian Pottage See page 105
♠ ♠
1 ♥
A Q 10 5
Q862 2 ♥
3
QJ94
♦ 10 ♦ K962
♣ QJ92 ♣ K 10 3 2
♠ 86 N ♠ J932 ♠ Q 10 7 6 5 4 2 N ♠ KJ98
♥ K J 10 9 4 3 ♥ A5 ♥ K8 ♥ A 10 6 5 3
♦ AQ 8 5 W E ♦ K632 ♦ Q 10 W E ♦ 853
♣ 4 S ♣ 873 ♣ 85 S ♣ J
♠ K74 ♠ A
♥ 7 ♥ 72
♦ J974 ♦ AJ74
♣ A K 10 6 5 ♣ AQ9764
WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH
– – – 1♣* – – – 1♣
1♥ Double Redouble 2♣* 3♠ Double 4♠ 4NT*
2♥ 5♣ All Pass Pass 5♣ All Pass
1♣ Could be short 4NT Two places to play
2♣ Genuine clubs but not necessarily six
You lead the six of spades to the king and ace. Declarer
You lead the jack of hearts, which holds. How do you draws two rounds of trumps with the king and ace;
play to the next two tricks? partner follows once and then discards a spade. Declarer
With only the ace of hearts outstanding, you know that now leads a low heart. What do you do?
you cannot cash a second heart trick. The singleton dia- This deal comes from the trial to select the Wales teams
mond in dummy limits your ambitions in that suit too. for the Commonwealth games. The question posed did
The king of spades, if partner has it, will be an easy set- not arise because both North-South pairs defended.
ting trick. What are your plans otherwise? Your trumps have gone and you can assume that the
Although dummy has only one diamond, perhaps an opposing hands are out of spades since declarer could
assault on its trump holding will work. You can lead a easily have arranged to ruff one. You are thus in danger
trump now. If partner, holding the king of diamonds, of coming on play and having to make a losing lead.
can win the first round of diamonds, it will be possible
Suppose you duck the heart, allowing East to capture
to draw a second of dummy’s trumps.
an honour with the ace. Whether a diamond or a heart
You duly switch to a trump and note that partner fol- comes back, you will soon find yourself in with the king
lows with the three – presumably a suit-preference signal of hearts and obliged to open up the diamonds or give a
to indicate the king of diamonds rather than the king ruff and discard. While a diamond exit might prove safe
of spades. You then know to duck the first diamond if partner holds the jack, you need not take the chance.
even if declarer decides to attack the suit from hand. You should hop up with the king of hearts and exit with
There is a further point. You do not signal length by a heart. Partner wins and, unwilling to return a heart
following with the eight. That would set up a ruffing into the tenace, switches to a diamond. Declarer is likely
finesse position. to play low from hand and finesse on the way back.

 Intermediate
PARTNERSHIP PROFILE
In this issue, the Editor looks back to the final of the 2015 Spingold between Cayne & Monaco, which has
already taken its place in history.
The Hands
(This month all the deals were played at IMPs.)
Hand 1. Dealer South. E/W Vul.
♠ KQ8732 N ♠ A6
♥K ♥ J982
♦ AK 8 W E ♦ Q97
♣ K98 S ♣ AJ 5 2
West East
Seamon Cayne
1♠ 2♣*
2♠ 2NT
3♣ 3♠
4♦* 4♠*
4NT* 5♥* (Double)
6♣ All Pass
2♣ Game-forcing
4♦ Cue-bid
4♠ Cue-bid
4NT RKCB
5♥ 2 key cards, no trump queen.
According to the BBO commentators West’s 3♣ set that suit as trumps.
Once East could not bid 4♥ over 4♦ West knew the ace of hearts was missing, but still elected
to ask for key cards.
South led the ace of hearts from ♠J5 ♥AQ103 ♦J643 ♣Q64 and switched to the six of diamonds.
At double dummy South has to continue with the queen of hearts, forcing the dummy to ruff
and ensuring a trump trick. He may have considered this, but was perhaps worried that declarer
with say ♣AJ1052, would take the right view in trumps.
Declarer won the diamond return and reading nothing special into the opening lead, took the
percentage play in trumps (21.80%) cashing the king and playing low to the jack.
South’s queen was the setting trick.
West East
Multon Zimmermann
1♠ 2♣
2♠ 2NT
3♥ 4♠
4NT* 5♥* (Double)
6♣ 6♠
All Pass
4NT RKCB
5♥ 2 key cards

 Intermediate
The precise meaning of 3♥ is unclear – it may have been a tactical bid.
With spades agreed as trumps, West asked for key cards before settling for 6♠.
North led the five of hearts from ♠1094 ♥7654 ♦1052 ♣1073 and when declarer played low
from dummy South put in the ten and declarer won with the king. He took two rounds of spades
ending in dummy and advanced the jack of hearts, eventually taking all thirteen tricks by setting
up a second heart trick.
The director was called because of West’s 3♥ bid and at some point declarer observed that even
if South had taken the ace of hearts he would still make the contract by playing for all three heart
honours to be onside. That brought some laughter from Versace, who said ‘so you will play for
three honours onside instead of the club queen.’
For the moment, Monaco had collected 17 IMPs.
Recommended auction: After 1♠-2♣ a jump to 3♠ is a possibility, but the suit is perhaps not
quite good enough. If you play that after a two-level response a change of suit is forcing, or that
the partnership is forced to 2NT, then West can choose between 2♦ and 2♠.
After 1♠-2♣-2♠-2NT- 3♦-3♠-4♣*-4♠ West knows the ace of hearts is missing but might well
bid on to 6♠ after making sure that 2 aces are not absent.
Marks: 6♠ 10, 4♠/3NT 5, 6♣ 3.
Running score: Monaco 10 (17) Cayne 3 (0)
Hand 2. Dealer East. E/W Vul.
♠ KQJ N ♠ A8
♥ K3 ♥ A4 2
♦ 43 W E ♦ A K Q 10 7
♣ A 10 8 6 4 3 S ♣ Q97
West East
Nunes Fantoni
– 1♣*
2♠* 2NT*
3♣* 4♣
4♥* 4♠*
5♣ 6♣
All Pass
1♣ 14+ (good 12/13) 4+ clubs or 15+ balanced
2♠ Clubs, unbalanced, game forcing.
I think 2NT showed a strong balanced hand and as soon as clubs were agreed on the next round
the players swopped cue-bids.
South led the five of hearts from ♠963 ♥J9765 ♦952 ♣K2 and declarer won in hand and
advanced the queen of clubs, losing only one trump trick, +1370.
The technically correct way to play the club suit for one loser is to start with a low card from
dummy, putting in the nine if an honour does not appear – this offers an 81.34% chance of five tricks.
West East
Versace Lauria
– 2NT*
3♣* 3♥*
3♠* 3NT
4♥* 4♠*
4NT* 5♦*
6NT All Pass

 Intermediate
2NT 20-21
3♣ Puppet Stayman
3♥ No major
3♠ Forces 3NT, denies 5+♠
4♥ Slam try, 5+♣
4♠ Cue-bid for clubs
4NT RKCB
5♦ 3 key cards
South led the two of diamonds and declarer took North’s jack with the king and played three more
rounds of the suit, pitching clubs from dummy. Needing only two club tricks declarer played the
seven of clubs to dummy’s ace and a second club, +1440 and 2 IMPs.
Recommended auction: 1♦-2♣-2NT-3♣-4NT*-5♣*-6♣ would be one way to approach the
hand. In The Acol Index Eric Crowhurst suggests that 3♣ could be treated as RKCB, asking for
controls at a low level, but I don’t think this idea has ever caught on.
Marks: 6NT/6♣10, 3NT/5♣ 5.
Hand 3. Dealer West. E/W Vul.
♠ AJ 5 4 3 N ♠ Q 10 9
♥ Q7 ♥ K J 10 4 2
♦ AQ 8 2 W E ♦ 974
♣ KQ S ♣ 53
North overcalls 2♦
West East
Zimmerman Multon
1♠ (2♦) 2♠
3NT All Pass
North led the eight of clubs from ♠86 ♥A5 ♦KJ1063 ♣AJ98 which looked to put the defenders
in control. However, you will have noticed that South’s clubs were ♣107642 and when he inno-
cently played the ♣10 on the first round the suit was blocked.
Declarer won with the queen of clubs and played the seven of hearts to dummy’s jack. When
that held he ran the ten of spades and followed it with the queen of spades, covered by the king
and ace. After cashing his spades declarer played the queen of hearts and all North could do was
win, cash three clubs and then lead into the diamond tenace.
West East
Versace Lauria
1♠ 2♠*
2NT 3♦*
4♠ All Pass
2♠ three-card support, 4-9
3♦ Medium hand
North led the six of spades and declarer put up dummy’s queen. The winning line now is to play
on hearts, but that is far from obvious, and declarer played a club, North taking the ace and
returning a second spade. When dummy’s nine held, declarer tried the king of hearts, dropping
the queen from hand but North ducked. Declarer cashed the king of clubs and played a heart,

 Intermediate
but North won and exited with the nine of clubs. That gave up a ruff and discard, but there were
only nine tricks, -100 and 12 IMPs to Monaco.
It was the first deal of the second set and Monaco managed only one more IMP on the remain-
ing 15.
Recommended auction: 3NT rates to fail on a club lead (and should have done so here) while
4♠ is not much better. Even so, the lure of a vulnerable game at IMPs is not to be sniffed at.
After the 2♦ overcall 3NT is the practical shot. Without intervention E/W might bid 1♠-1NT-
2NT when East can bid 3♥, offering a choice of games (still keeping spades in the picture) or
ignore hearts and bid a forcing 3♠. I prefer the former.
Marks: 3NT/4♠ 10, 3♠/2NT/3♥ 5.
Hand 4. All Vul. Dealer East.
♠ 97 N ♠ K 10
♥ 10 6 ♥ K92
♦ J 10 8 3 W E ♦ AK 9 7 5
♣ A Q J 10 2 S ♣ K86
If East opens 1NT South overcalls 2♣ (Majors). If East opens 1♦ South overcalls 2♦ (Majors)
West East
Seamon Cayne
– 1NT (2♣*)
3NT All Pass
South, who held ♠A86543 ♥AQ743 ♦6 ♣9 led the five of spades. Declarer took North’s jack
with the king, cashed the ace of diamonds, crossed to dummy with a club and ran the jack of
diamonds, +660.
Helness Helgemo
– – 1NT 2♣*
3NT Pass Pass Double
4♣ All Pass
According to the BBO operator, Helness was heard to say ‘I have to trust him’.
North led the queen of spades, covered by the king and ace. Back came the five of spades and
North won and switched to the jack of hearts. That gave the defenders the first four tricks, and
although declarer got the diamonds right he was still -100 and 13 IMPs poorer.
Recommended auction: Over South’s intervention, I would bid 2NT, a transfer to clubs, with at
least invitational values. East bids 3NT and if South still doubles then West would have no rea-
son to run to 4♣.
Marks: 3NT(E) 10, 5♣/5♦ (E) 7, 3♣/3♦ (E) 6, 2NT/4♣/4♦ (E) 5.

 Intermediate
Hand 5. Dealer South. None Vul.
♠ Q742 N ♠ AK 3
♥ K87 ♥5
♦ AQ 8 W E ♦ K752
♣ J97 S ♣ K Q 10 3 2
West East
Zimmermann Multon
1NT* 2♣*
2♠ 3♣*
3NT All Pass
1NT 10-13
2♣ Stayman
3♣ Forcing
With the most balanced shape possible plus a stopper in every suit West saw no reason to look
beyond 3NT.
North led the two of hearts from ♠85 ♥QJ962 ♦J93 ♣A54 and South took the ace and returned
the three. Declarer won the third round and played the queen of diamonds, followed by the ace
and a diamond. He had four tricks in that suit, but when the spades failed to divide he was one
down.
Versace Helness Lauria Helgemo
– – – Pass
1♣* 1♥ 2♣* 3♥
3NT All Pass
1♣ 2+♣
2♣ Natural, forcing
3♥ doubled would have been expensive, but West preferred to try for game. Unfortunately he
selected the one that was unlikely to make.
North led the queen of hearts and South took the ace and returned the three, declarer winning
the third round and then playing the queen of diamonds followed by the ace. Unfortunately for
North while attempting to follow to the trick he dropped the ace of clubs onto the table and it
became a penalty card. It had to be discarded on the fourth round of diamonds and declarer (who
had pitched two clubs on the hearts) had eleven tricks, +460 and 11 fortunate IMPs.
Recommended auction: 1NT-3NT is possible, but I prefer 1NT-2♠*-2NT*-3♦-3NT. East has
shown clubs and diamonds while West has denied a top honour in clubs and promised stoppers
in both majors.
The big advantage comes when West has nothing in hearts and bids 3♠ over 3♦. Then E/W
should be able to reach a playable game in spades or clubs (and on a good day they might get to
a very good slam).
Marks: 5♣/4♠10, 3NT 3.

 Intermediate
Hand 6. Dealer East. E/W Vul.
♠ 97 N ♠ 10
♥ Q J 10 ♥ AK 8 7 4
♦ K6532 W E ♦ A J 10 7
♣ J72 S ♣ AK 8
If possible North bids 2♠ and South raises to 3♠.
Fisher Nunes Schwartz Fantoni
– – 1♥ Pass
1NT 2♥* 3♠* 4♠
5♥ All Pass
2♥ Spades and another suit
3♠ Good hand
With partner marked with spade shortage West went for the game bonus rather than settle for
some sort of penalty from 4♠ doubled.
South led the three of clubs from ♠86543 ♥632 ♦Q98 ♣93 and the jack was covered by the
queen and ace. Declarer drew trumps, cashed the ace of diamonds and ran the jack, picking up
the suit – but because of the blockage it was only worth four tricks, +650.
Helgemo Versace Helness Lauria
– – 1♥ Pass
2♥ 2♠ 3♦ 3♠
4♦ 4♠ 5♣* Pass
6♦ All Pass
5♣ Cue-bid
South led the eight of spades and North won with the king and continued with the ace. Declarer
ruffed, cashed the ace of diamonds and advanced the jack. When South followed impassively with
the nine declarer went up with dummy’s king – and down went the contract.
Declarer might have guessed right, but if North had a singleton it could have been in either
red suit. 13 IMPs for Cayne.
Recommended auction: I much prefer that of Helgeness, which put diamonds into the equation.
Marks: 6♦ 10, 5♥ 8, 4♠ doubled 5.
Hand 7. Dealer East. None Vul.
♠ KQ N ♠ 10 8 7 6
♥ KQJ7 ♥ 853
♦ KQ6 W E ♦ A9 5
♣ QJ87 S ♣ K54
West East
Schwartz Fisher
– Pass
1♣ 1♠
2NT 3NT
All Pass

 Intermediate
Looking at ♠953 ♥A1092 ♦102 ♣A932 North led the ten of hearts and declarer won with the
queen and played a club to the king and a heart to the king and ace. North switched to the ten
of diamonds and declarer won with the king and played the queen of clubs. North took the ace
and played another diamond, declarer winning with the queen and playing the king of spades.
When it held declarer went back to clubs, cashing the jack. When West discarded a spade declarer
tried the queen of spades, but West won and played a diamond. Declarer could score the jack of
hearts, but the defenders had the last two tricks, +50.
To make 3NT once the king of spades has held, declarer has to continue with the queen of
spades. South wins and returns a diamond, but North is forced to part with a spade and now
declarer plays two rounds of hearts to endplay North.
West East
Helness Helgemo
– Pass
1♣ 1♠
2NT 3NT
All Pass
Here North led the two of hearts and declarer won with the seven and returned the king. When
that held he played a club to the king and ten and a club to the queen and ace. North cashed the
ace of hearts and exited with a heart and declarer won and played the king of spades, establishing
his ninth trick, +400 and 10 IMPs to Monaco.
Recommended auction: 1♥-1♠-2NT-3NT. East might also consider bidding 3♥ over 2NT.
Marks: 3NT 10, 2NT 5.
Hand 8. Dealer North. None Vul.
♠ KQ3 N ♠ AJ 9 5 4
♥ KQJ ♥ A3
♦ 7543 W E ♦ Q8
♣ 432 S ♣ KQ96
West East
Schwartz Fisher
– 1NT
3NT All Pass
South led the two of hearts from ♠87 ♥10742 ♦1062 ♣AJ107 and declarer won with dummy’s
jack and played a club for the eight, queen and ace.
The convention card indicates that N/S were playing reverse Smith Peters so it seemed clear to
switch, but when South played a second heart declarer was home, +400.
West East
Helness Helgemo
– 1♠
3♠ 4♠
All Pass

 Intermediate
South found the killing lead of the two of diamonds and North took the king and ace and switched
to a club. There was no way to avoid the loss of two club tricks, -50 and 10 IMPs to Cayne.
Recommended auction: 1♠-2♦-2NT-3NT is one possibility, 1♠-2♦-2NT-3♠-4♠ another.
Marks: 4♠ 10, 3NT 8.
Monaco won the bidding battle, but Cayne took the honours where it counted – on the score-
board – and went on to win 123-88.
This month’s bonus deal:
Dealer West. All Vul.
♠7
♥4
♦ AQJ8765
♣ KQ82
♠ K53 N ♠ 10 9 6
♥ A J 10 5 ♥ Q963
♦ K 10 4 2 W E ♦3
♣ J9 S ♣ 10 7 6 5 4
♠ AQJ842
♥ K872
♦9
♣ A3
In the Open Room:
Nunes Schwartz Fantoni Fisher
1♣ Pass 1♥* Pass
1NT 3♦ Pass 3♠
Pass 4♣ Pass 4♦
Pass 5♦ All Pass
East led the six of hearts and West won with the ten and returned the jack of clubs. Declarer won
with the king, crossed to the ace of spades and played the queen, ruffing when West covered. Now
the winning line is for declarer to cross to the ace of clubs, pitch a club on the jack of spades and
then run the nine of diamonds.
That was far too tough to find and declarer cashed the ace of diamonds and followed it with
the queen, West winning and waiting for his trump trick, +100.
Closed Room
Versace Helness Lauria Helgemo
1♦ Pass Pass 1♠
Pass 1NT Pass 2♦*
Pass 3♣ Pass 3♥
Pass 3NT All Pass

 Intermediate
East led the three of diamonds and when West refused to cover dummy’s nine declarer won with
the queen and played a spade for the nine, ace and three.
Should declarer play for spades to be 3-3 or for West to hold the doubleton king?
When Declarer went for the eight of spades East won and switched to the queen of hearts when
declarer, misreading the ending went three down to lose 5 IMPs.
A couple of points:
Should West double 3♥?
The only lead to be sure of defeating 3NT is the nine of hearts–make a note of that!
You can play through the deals mentioned in this article.
Just follow the links:
Hands 1 & 2: http://tinyurl.com/o7ngrgo

Hands 3,4 & 5: http://tinyurl.com/nblk3fc
Hands 6,7 & 8: http://tinyurl.com/qgtp2mh
Master Point Pressthe bridge publisher

Bumblepuppy Days
by Julian Laderman
Nominee for the 2015 International Bridge Press
Association Book of the Year Award
The origins of the game of bridge have been shrouded in mystery...

but no longer. Tracing the development of the game and the
fascinating characters who played it from whist through to auction
bridge and eventually contract, the author reveals the missing link, and
demonstrates how the world’s most popular card game came into being.
“This is the most interesting book that I have read in a long time. I
thoroughly recommend this book to all readers, not merely those who
are interested in the history of the game.” — Richard Fleet, Bridge
Magazine

DISCUSS
DISCUSSTODAY’S
TODAY’SBRIDGE
BRIDGEISSUES
ISSUESON

 Intermediate
MARKS & COMMENTS

Set 297 conducted by Alan Mould
I write this a week after the World Championships in

Chennai and my congratulations to all who partici-
pated and further congratulations to the medal win-
ners. My deepest commiserations to the England open
team who had the gut-wrenching experience of losing THE BIDS & MARKS
the semi-final on the last board and then losing the Bid Marks No. of Votes
bronze play-off on the last board. 1. Pass 10 16
Also as I write the bridge world continues to be Double 8 2
Five Diamonds 8 3
rocked by seemingly never-ending bridge scandals of 4NT 6 1
cheating from some of the world’s top pairs. From Five Hearts 2 0
Boye Brogeland accusing Fischer-Swartz of cheating 2. Four Hearts 10 19
Five Diamonds 7 3
what seems to be only a few weeks ago there are now Pass 3 0
four pairs under investigation with rumours of more Four Spades 2 0
to come. It is a sad day for bridge that the game has Any other bid 1 0
3. Four Clubs 10 9
reached this level but hopefully the authorities will Three Hearts 9 8
take the necessary action to ensure fair play in all Three Diamonds 8 2
aspects of the game. 3NT 7 1
Three Spades 6 2
At least bidding problems remain and there can be Five Clubs 3 0
no cheating in them (apart from my arbitrary assign- 4NT 1 0
ment of the scores ). A somewhat mixed bag this 4. Five Clubs 10 10
month with several problems generating overwhelm- Five Hearts 9 1
Four Hearts 8 8
ing majorities but others have multiple answers and 4NT 8 1
in some cases very different views from the panelists. 5NT 7 1
Problem 1 this month I held in a local game; prob- Six Hearts 4 0
Five Diamonds 2 0
lem 2 comes from reader Andy Poole; problem 3 comes 5. 4NT 10 12
from Manchester player and reader Alan Jones; prob- Five Spades 8 6
lem 4 was sent to me by Mark Horton and comes from Five Diamonds 7 2
Six Hearts 6 2
the German Bridge Magazin; problem 5 comes from Seven Hearts 4 0
the 2015 Spingold round of 16 and was sent to me by 6. 4NT 10 18
John Matheson; problem 6 comes from Boye Brogeland Double 8 3
Five Clubs 7 1
– more of that later; problem 7 again comes from John Pass 3 0
Matheson and finally problem 8 comes from Ron Tac- 7. Five Diamonds 10 16
chi and occurred in a French tournament.. Pass 8 1
Double 8 1
Before we start on the problems I have an apology to Five Hearts 7 3
make to Mike Lawrence. In Set 292 problem 8 part- 5NT 3 0
ner had opened Two Spades and we held ♠KJ9742 Five Spades 2 0
♥A ♦K52 ♣AQ3. Mike’s answer was: “Four Clubs. I 8.
Six Diamonds
Five Spades
2
10
0
8
expect that this isn’t in your list of acceptable conven- Six Clubs 9 4
tions. This is KC for spades. If partner has two, I will Three Hearts 8 3
bid Six Spades. But only if he has two”. And my com- Four Spades 8 2
Seven Clubs 7 1
ment on that was “As has been said above you won’t 5NT 6 3
catch anyone in England opening Two Spades with 4NT 5 1
two aces Mike”. Mike took me to task on this and chal- Three Diamonds 2 0
Five Clubs 1 0
lenged me to ask the panel what action they would
choose first in hand at love all on ♠43 ♥A109843
♦874 ♣A8 with the comment that “if the vote isn’t at
least 90% for Two Hearts I give up!”. So I did and the

 Intermediate
votes were….. drum roll….. 15 for Two Hearts and think (well I would wouldn’t I since he comes to the
three for Pass (an Englishman, a Canadian and an same conclusion I did!):
Australian in case anyone is interested – which sounds Sime: Pass. Here is my futile attempt to introduce
like the start of a joke). 15 out of 18 is 83.3%, so not logic into what is probably a crapshoot. Five Hearts
90% but certainly an overwhelming majority and I may make or go four down. I would estimate two
concede the argument to Mike. down, minus 300, on average. If Four Spades makes,
OK on with the problems: we lose three IMPs by not saving. If Four Spades
was going down, bidding costs 8 IMPs. I don’t think
PROBLEM 1 Four Spades is a 75% favourite.
David has picked the problem perfectly in every
IMPs. Dealer East. None Vul. respect:
♠K Bird: Pass. The spade game could go down, so I am
♥6 not inclined to bid 4NT or Five Diamonds. Pre-
♦ AK Q J 9 4 sumably some unusual action would have brought
♣ J9643 success and the submitter wondered if BM’s outra-
geously capable panellists would find the winning
move. Not me!
– – 4♥ Pass
Teramoto: Pass. Pass is normal with a stiff heart.
Pass 4♠ Pass Pass
Four Spades may be down and Five Diamonds dou-
?
bled may also not be cheap.
Bid Marks No. of Votes A couple mention what partner’s Four Hearts might
Pass 10 16 (or might not) look like:
Double 8 2 Silver: Pass. This decision is really partly dependent
Five Diamonds 8 3 on how often will East’s Four Hearts show a solid
4NT 6 1 suit? Since rarely, if ever, my partner nor I have
Five Hearts 2 0 solid hearts for that bid (without solid hearts a bid
I held this hand at the table. I didn’t know whether of Five Hearts could be very costly) I opt to go low,
we could beat Four Spades or not (it seemed to depend pass, and take my chances on defence.
on how many diamonds were cashing). If Four Spades Alder: Pass. This is a guess, especially as we do not
was not making perhaps I should double it; if Four employ South African Texas (or Namyats, as it is
Spades were making perhaps I should save, but if so in called on this side of the pond). But bidding looks
what? In full dither mode I eventually wimped out and like it will result in a minus score, and we could
passed. This was very wrong at the table so I thought well defeat Four Spades.
I would ask the panel if I had been a serious mouse. In passing a couple mention the possibility of intro-
“No” say nearly three quarters of the panel with pretty ducing the minors:
much the arguments I had. So I am delighted to give Smith: Pass. I think the odds are that Four Spades
all of the following 10 marks: is making, so we have a little leeway here. Even so,
Bowyer: Pass. A guessing game. I don’t think we backing in (presumably with 4NT) just seems too
can make anything at the five-level (although we likely to lead to a silly result. If my minors were
might if partner has a single club and the hearts reversed I’d be happier to bid, since he will bid Five
run). On the other hand, is Four Spades going to Clubs over 4NT with equal length in the minors.
make? Quite possibly not, especially if two dia- It’s okay if he is 3-3 but 2-2 is much more likely,
monds stand up. With no clear-cut action I avoid when Five Clubs doubled could be a real bloodbath.
the last guess and pass. I cannot see that suggesting playing in clubs is going
Given that you were in the pass-out seat Paul this to be a good idea – diamonds could be right but for
is, de facto, the last guess. clubs to be right partner is surely going to need four of
Cope: Pass. If partner has the ♥A then there is an them – hugely against the odds. Moreover the LAST
excellent chance of breaking Four Spades. With- lead we want against Five Spades is a club. Still Ben
out that card, we may still have a chance if partner has similar thoughts:
is short in diamonds, but a save by us in Five Dia- Green: Pass. Four Spades could be cold or we could
monds rates to go for 500 unless we find partner be taking it off trivially. I have no reason to think
with some lucky diamond length. that we have a cheap save in a minor (I could bid
Iain introduces some odds and makes a good case I 4NT to offer a choice) so I’ll try and go plus.

 Intermediate
Greco: Pass. Unless I catch a side minor fit bid- I do not expect to defeat Four Spades, especially
ding could be a disaster and we might even beat while holding the onside king. And, of course Five
them to boot! Diamonds could turn out to be a mini disaster, but
Lawrence: Pass. Where is our plus if not in Four so could a wimpy pass.
Spades down one or two? Drew is alone in suggesting that 4NT would imply
A bigger plus if you double it Mike?  heart tolerance:
Matheson: Pass, I hope that the pre-empt has Cannell: Five Diamonds. I do not see our side
worked. getting rich versus Four Spades doubled, or not.
Zmudzinski: Pass. Pretty good chance they are Therefore, I will take out a modicum of insurance
going down but you can toss. and try Five Diamonds. Partner should infer short
Rosen: Pass. No reason for anyone to be making hearts for this bid and choose accordingly. I think
anything... if I bid Four No-trump I would imply at least a
Brock: Pass. At Love All I would let it go. doubleton heart and both minors.
Robson: Pass. Let’s live to fight another day. Best Partner held ♠Axx ♥KJ109xxxx ♦- ♣10x whilst
reason to bid on is to hear a Five Spade bid but... the Four Spade bidder was 6-2-2-3 with almost all
On to those who want to fight today! Firstly those of the outstanding high cards. Partner led the ♣10
who are sufficiently confident that Four Spades is going so that was a trivial two off. Meanwhile Five Hearts
down to apply the axe: makes unless the opposition lead a club or a trump –
Apteker: Double. A guess to pass or double. I am neither of which they were going to.
short in hearts and hoping that partner is short
in diamonds. On a good day, we will take this
down two and on a bad day, they will make with
an overtrick.
That about sums it up! Barry has the perfect bid
but a dangerous comment given the times we are liv-
ACBL Encyclopedia of
ing in  Bridge
Rigal: Double. I don’t expect Four Spades to be our
smallest minus. If I double slowly enough maybe Official ACBL Encyclopedia of Bridge–
partner can pull if appropriate…only kidding (I 7th Edition
think). Edited by Brent Manley, 600+ pages
The remaining five panelists go the other way and (Hardback)
elect to bid. Liz does indeed bid 4NT:
McGowan: 4NT. Who knows? I surely don’t. Hope- OUT NOW
fully partner will know to bid Five Hearts if he RRP £49.95 SUBSCRIBERS’ £45 + post free
hates the minors. I should probably double, but to UK customers (£10 for overseas customers)
why would I expect to beat Four Spades? The most complete volume of bridge informa-
Well you certainly shouldn’t double if you don’t tion and instruction ever compiled.
expect to beat it! And whilst I am here why should
partner bid Five Hearts if he hates the minors? You Over 600 easy-to read and easy-to-search
have told him to pick a minor and nothing else. I pages
suppose he might bid Five Hearts if he is (say) 1-1 • Thousands of entries covering bridge
in the minors but if he has (say) xxx, KQJ10xxxx, -, terms, conventions, sys-
xx will he not bid Five Clubs happily enough? And tems, rules, and top
won’t that be jolly… personalities.
Everyone else opts for Five Diamonds, a combina- • Contains a CD-ROM
tion of lead director and to play: containing hundreds of
Leufkens: Five Diamonds. Stupid bid, but who extra biographies that
knows who can make what? For the lead, maybe didn't make the printed
even to bid six after Five Spades (picture partner edition
with ♠x ♥AQJ10xxxx ♦10xx ♣x. Don’t believe
people who say Double is forward-going.
I assure you Enri that I won’t! Double is penalties.
Wolff: Five Diamonds. Unusual delayed action but

 Intermediate
PROBLEM 2 pre-empts. Bidding Six Hearts is asking for too
much. You might have two trump losers for a start.
IMPs. Dealer East. N/S Vul. Brock: Four Hearts. Natural in my view. Obviously
slam could be on, but more likely partner will be
♠ AK Q 8 3 very short in the majors and game is in doubt.
♥ KQJ763 Teramoto: Four Hearts. It is difficult to find a fit
♦— and reach a good slam. I give up on that and Four
♣ A6 Hearts looks a better game than Five Diamonds. At
West North East South this vulnerability the diamond suit may not be great.
– – 4♦* Pass Greco: Four Hearts. Slam is impossible unless part-
? ner is pre-empting with an opening bid or I catch
4♦ Natural pre-empt a major fit but since I have no way to explore for
Bid Marks No. of Votes a major fits I can’t see what could be any clearer
Four Hearts 10 19 than Four Hearts.
Five Diamonds 7 3 Apteker: Four Hearts. We may have slam on in
Pass 3 0 either major but I cannot find out after this start.
Four Spades 2 0 Hoping that this makes in the end.
Any other bid 1 0 Or that it is a strain issue:
Ok this wasn’t much of a problem. Yes Four Hearts Bowyer: Four Hearts. Terrific. Thank you, partner.
is a possible call, but (a) I thought some might play it I bid Four Hearts and expect/hope to make it. If we
as a cue-bid – daft in my view but what do I know can make a slam (Six Diamonds?) then it’s beyond
(b) I thought some might think diamonds are the cor- me. No doubt partner has a void heart and a one-
rect strain and so bid Five Diamonds or even, given loser diamond suit and Five Diamonds or Six Dia-
the vulnerability (c) pass Four Diamonds. Not a bit monds is better. C’est la vie.
of it – the stampede for Four Hearts was deafening: Marc is alone in thinking that Four Hearts “ought”
Cannell: Four Hearts. An attempt to garner the to be a cue-bid:
game bonus. Smith: Four Hearts. This seems like the obvious
Alder: Four Hearts. I will bid what I hope I can answer on the grounds that partner might think it is
make. natural, although on grounds of frequency I would
A fine comment from Andrew: think it was better played as a cue-bid. Since the
Robson: Four Hearts. Probably hopeless, like my alternative for me, though, is a raise to Five Dia-
self control. monds, this seems like a free shot to play game in
And that shares the comment of the month with my suit rather than partner’s.
Enri Luefkens on problem 4. Lawrence: Four Hearts. Can’t imagine another
Zmudzinski: Four Hearts. Even this contract might option other than Five Diamonds and that doesn’t
be in danger. appeal to me. Four Diamonds can be bid on
Cope: Four Hearts. Seems fairly easy to try for a ♦QJ987643.
likely game – opposite a void in hearts perhaps Iain thinks the same:
partner will be kind enough to produce the ♠J. Sime: Four Hearts. Should have a play opposite
Silver: Four Hearts. Since I don’t expect solid dia- partner’s usual 1-1-7-4. I doubt if Five Diamonds
monds (see problem 1) I will bid my longest and is any better, especially if a solid minor opens 3NT.
strongest major suit and try to make game. I cer- At these colours, two trump losers wouldn’t sur-
tainly see no scientific solution to this problem. prise me.
Wolff: Four Hearts. Betting on taking 10 tricks in Green: Four Hearts. I don’t have an intelligent way
hearts as more likely than 11 in diamonds. to offer a choice of major-suit games so I’ll take a
Rigal: Four Hearts. Natural. What else, pray? Yes shot at Four Hearts and be prepared to be wrong.
it is natural – if you pre-empt like me. I could pass or raise to Five Diamonds but that’s
Leufkens: Four Hearts. Natural, so I don’t see a a bit scary at this vulnerability when partner isn’t
problem. promising KQJxxxxx. Four Hearts or Four Spades
Some try and pick the problem thinking it is about could be cold with Five Diamonds down off the top.
a slam: Which brings us on to the only other choice the
Bird: Four Hearts. No, this is not a ‘cue-bid agreeing panel made – Five Diamonds. Precisely three pan-
diamonds’. Major-suit game bids are natural facing elists chose this bid and they are two Scots this month

 Intermediate
and an Englishman. Put that down to what you will bids Three Spades is that because he has three-card
– personally I think it is the cold Scottish air… support or because he cannot bid 3NT? If we bid
McGowan: Five Diamonds. Another guess. Hoping Three Diamonds, he will bid Three Spades with a
he has the right cards and they make the wrong lead. fit and Three Hearts with a hand that has no obvi-
Matheson: Five Diamonds. ♦KQJxxxxx should ous natural bid.
give us play. Eric (a bit like Marc) thinks this is effectively an
But see Mike’s suggested suit…. extension of the increasingly popular “third suit forc-
Rosen: Five Diamonds. Slam surely against the ing” principle:
odds. Four Hearts might not survive bad breaks. Greco: Three Diamonds. This has to be an artifi-
It is all a bit of a guess (as it always is after high cial force as my options are limited and I want to
level pre-empts) but this time partner has a superb see what partner does rather than committing to
hand for your suit – ♠ – ♥98x ♦KJ1098xxx ♣Qx. something now.
I have been in worse slams but the cards are horribly Three Hearts garnered seven votes:
placed for you – hearts are 4-0 offside, diamonds are Rigal: Three Hearts. Will bid 3NT over Three
4-1 offside and the ♣K is over the ♣Q so you have to Spades and let partner decide what to do now. This
play the hand sensibly to make Four Hearts. auction must express doubt about strain or level.
Perfect!
PROBLEM 3 Phillip sums up the problems well:
Alder: Three Hearts. This is another guess. Which
IMPs. Dealer East. E/W Vul. hand does partner hold? ♠x ♥Jxx ♦AKx ♣AKJxxx,
♠ AK 9 6 2 ♠Qx ♥AJ10 ♦xx ♣AKJ10xx, ♠Qx ♥x ♦Axx
♥ Q93 ♣AKJ10xxx. I hope my bid will get us to 3NT
♦ Q6 when it is right, because partner will need a dia-
♣ Q86 mond stopper to bid it. But, of course, I am worried
he has something like ♠Qx ♥Kx ♦Jxx ♣AKJ10xx
when 3NT would be my winning bid.
– – 1♣ Pass
Cannell: Three Hearts. Probing for the right level
1♠ Pass 3♣ Pass
and strain. I believe we need to throw this into
?
partner’s court for more information.
Bid Marks No. of Votes Sime: Three Hearts. I doubt my red queens are
Four Clubs 10 9 going to be of much use in Five Clubs, so let’s see
Three Hearts 9 8 if we can make 3NT or Four Spades.
Three Diamonds 8 2 Brock: Three Hearts. Should make sure we have
3NT 7 1 a diamond stopper, but if hearts are the problem
Three Spades 6 2 maybe it will put them off the lead.
Five Clubs 3 0 Green: Three Hearts. Showing a stopper and see-
4NT 1 0
Four Spades 0 0 ing what partner does next. Five/Six Clubs could
be the top spot but I don’t want to rule out NT if
It never ceases to amaze me the problems still created partner bids it.
by a simple jump-rebid in a minor. We have all had Leufkens: Three Hearts. I’m not sure about the
the problem of continuing over it for decades. Surely strength of Three Clubs, but as it is not GF Six
by now we would know the best way forward. Nope. Clubs is still far away. So Three Hearts and see
Still everyone is floundering around and this hand is what happens.
no exception. We have a promising but not great hand Zmudzinski: Three Hearts. I do not have enough
but with great support for partner. The panel amaz- for Four Clubs.
ingly produce the lowest legal bid in all five strains – Cancel the game with half the panel then!
something I have never seen before! So let’s start with Going up:
Three Diamonds and just go on up: Rosen: Three Spades. Not ideal, tempted with Four
Smith: Three Diamonds. It is often right to make Clubs but a bit too soft. Strangely Three Spades
the cheapest available bid in this sort of situation. I might work well if partner shows both red suits
want to try to keep all three possible strains in play. stopped by bidding 3NT – then Six Clubs might
IMHO Three Diamonds is significantly better than well have a play.
Three Hearts – if we bid Three Hearts and partner Bowyer: Three Spades. Chez moi that is a five-card

 Intermediate
suit and is forcing. If partner now bids 3NT I will Three Diamonds/Hearts), so must have good spades.
let that go. Obvious to me, at least.
Yes but what if he doesn’t bid 3NT? Is he supposed to Matheson: Four Clubs. Heading towards Five
bid 3NT on ♠Jx ♥xxx ♦A ♣AKJ10xxx (even assum- Clubs or Six Clubs
ing that is a Three Club bid) because if he doesn’t you This time what you do is a matter of complete irrel-
can kiss the game bonus goodbye. evance! Partner held ♠Qx ♥KJx ♦K ♣AK10xxxx
Next up are those who bid the house. There are so 3NT and Five Clubs were both cold as was Four
always some but mildly to my surprise only one this Spades with spades 3-3. The only 100% game is 3NT
month… of course.
Silver: 3NT. Hoping my soft values in the red suits
will pull their weight rather than pull me down. PROBLEM 4
Nine of the panel decide that the hand is good
enough/unsuitable enough for NTs/both to raise part- IMPs. Dealer East. All Vul.
ner and see if the slam is possible. Please note that there ♠ J973
is no suggestion from anyone (as we would expect) that ♥ K6
Four Clubs is anything other than 100% forcing. ♦ AJ 9 5 3
Robson: Four Clubs. Too much slam potential for ♣ AK
anything else. Queens can be useful.
Tim makes a good point about the scoring method:
– – 1♥ Pass
Cope: Four Clubs. I might bid Three Hearts at
2♦ Pass 2♥ Pass
Pairs where 3NT could be the winning match-
2♠ Pass 3♣ Pass
point contract but Five Clubs looks safe enough at
3♥ Pass 4♦ Pass
IMPs. Opposite ♠Jx ♥KJx ♦Kx ♣AKJxxx 3NT is
?
the limit on a diamond lead but Five Clubs is also
safe, but we might be making Six Clubs opposite Bid Marks No. of Votes
♠Qx ♥Kxx ♦Ax ♣AKJxxx. Five Clubs 10 10
Tadashi makes similar points: Five Hearts 9 1
Teramoto: Four Clubs. Natural and forcing. We Four Hearts 8 8
have a small chance for a slam. Also 3NT will not 4NT 8 1
be good if he is short in a red suit. At IMPs Four 5NT 7 1
Spades or Five Clubs is fine. Six Hearts 4 0
Bird: Four Clubs. Looks like we are strong enough Five Diamonds 2 0
to play in clubs, so I don’t need to bother about Six panel bids to this problem and it does not sur-
looking for a spade fit. However, if partner bids prise me. The panel’s diverse opinions revolve around
Four Spades next, I will pass. If instead he cue-bids what it is that partner has shown and that in itself
Four Diamonds, I will of course bid Four Spades revolves around the nature of partner’s Three Clubs
(cue-bid). call. I have commented several times in these pages
Wolff: Four Clubs. Should be GF and will then about the differing nature of fourth suit forcing in
cue-bid Four Spades over either Four Hearts or already game-forcing auctions. In the UK it is usually
Four Diamonds. Perhaps a little too optimistic, but played as effectively “I have nothing sensible to say” so
what else is new? partner’s Three Clubs followed by Four Diamond bid
Apteker: Four Clubs. Slam prospects are reason- might be construed as a hand something like ♠AQx
able and this is the best and most unambiguous ♥Axxxxx ♦xx ♣Jx. In North America and in many
way to start exploring. parts of Europe FSF in game-forcing auctions is essen-
Lawrence: Four Clubs. Very interesting problem. tially natural. In that scenario partner has five+ hearts,
Four Clubs. Forcing and not Keycard. I considered four clubs and presumably a diamond fragment. Since
Five Clubs but that should be weaker values, per- partner has also gone past 3NT a reasonable hand (in
haps with a little more shape. the context of Two Hearts being non-forcing) and a
McGowan: Four Clubs. Denies a red-suit control singleton spade seem highly probable, which improves
(does it? Not in my book. To have to make an advance this hand no end. This explains the two main panel
cue-bid of Three Diamonds/Hearts instead of a suit bids – the sign off of Four Hearts which will definitely
setting Four Clubs can make the auction extremely end the auction and the cue-bid of Five Clubs. By a
murky every time partner does not bid 3NT over vote of 10 to 8 the Five Club bidders have it but let’s

 Intermediate
start with the sign offs: Robson: Five Clubs. Hmm. What does partner’s
Rosen: Four Hearts. Couldn’t really think of a sen- Three Clubs bid mean? Is it fourth suit forcing show-
sible alternative. ing eg ♠Kx ♥AQJxxx ♦Kx ♣Jxx? Or naturalish
Zmudzinski: Four Hearts. And pray my partner showing eg ♠x ♥AQJxxx ♦Kx ♣QJxx? I go for
passes it. Do I have such a huge hand I didn’t bid the first. Anyway partner seems slam interested so
3NT? I think Five Clubs may get the job done.
Rigal: Four Hearts. Assuming Two Hearts was non- Tim also makes the same arguments but goes for
forcing (right?) (correct) partner cannot have dia- the other side of the street:
mond support else he bids Three Diamonds over Cope: Five Clubs. Everything really hinges around
Two Spades or raises at once. Three Clubs sounds a the meaning of the Three Clubs bid. I would play
little like 6-4 weak (see – told you so! Barry counts as this as a 6-4 hand (with 5-4 they can bid 2NT, else
North American now), and Four Diamonds might they can find another bid). So provided that is the
be ♠x ♥AJxxxx ♦Kx ♣QJxx. Not shortage I think case and partner is now showing a diamond hon-
though I could be persuaded otherwise. I’ll go for our, we have a good chance we are facing a single-
Four Hearts unwillingly. ton spade – something like ♠x ♥AQ10xxx ♦Kx
Sime: Four Hearts. Even if we are not off two spades, ♣Qxxx would be consistent with the bidding and
partner having a singleton, a trump loser is possi- a good Six Heart contract to get to.
ble. And even if he has AQJxx, twelve tricks are Silver: Five Clubs. I have a good, not great, hand,
still a bit away. but with four controls in partner’s two suits my
Green: Four Hearts. I assume that Two Spades hand is just too good to NOT give up on slam
was forcing to game and that Two Hearts was non- without trying, and if that means a pilgrimage to
forcing (correct), in that context as partner couldn’t the five-level so be it.
rebid Three Hearts over Two Spades I struggle to Apteker: Five Clubs. Playing first-round control
see how slam could be decent. Perhaps if partner shows means partner may still have spades con-
has the miracle ♠x ♥AQJxxx ♦Kx ♣Qxxx but isn’t trolled. I have too much to merely sign out with
that a 2NT bid as opposed to a Three Club call? Four Hearts.
(see told you so! Ben is English) Partner could easily Well particularly if you think that Three Spades
be hoping their spade values fit well when in fact isn’t a cue-bid with hearts agreed anyway!
we need a singleton opposite. Teramoto: Five Clubs. A cue trying for Six Hearts.
Bird: Four Hearts. This is a messy auction. Any- I will pass if he bids Five Hearts over this.
one who thinks that Four Diamonds is a cue-bid Matheson: Five Clubs. My cards seem to be work-
with hearts agreed will have to answer the question: ing well, and Six Hearts will have play if partner
‘Why did he not cue-bid Three Spades?’ I suspect controls spades.
that Four Diamonds is natural and that partner Mike is concerned about partner’s bidding – some-
did not fancy hearts as trumps when I declined to thing I frequently am and my partners even more so
agree the suit at my second turn. Lawrence: Five Clubs. Not sure why partner
That is certainly my interpretation and I think bid Three Clubs a moment ago instead of Three
Three Spades would just be a grope as well hoping we Diamonds.
will land on our feet – just as Marc describes: Enri thinks partner has made a cue-bid with hearts
Smith: Four Hearts. I think partner is just offering agreed:
me a choice of red-suit games. My hearts are bet- Leufkens: Five Clubs. Four Diamonds is a cue for
ter than they might be and my diamonds are about hearts (so no minimum), but doesn’t deny spade cue
average, so choosing the ten trick option seems clear. (singleton for example). Three Clubs denies three
I am not worried that he has weak hearts as he had diamonds. Five Clubs clears up the situation. Also
Three Spades available on the previous round to for the oppoments but I don’t want to gamble (Six
keep 3NT in the picture on that sort of hand. Hearts) when I think I’m better than the opponents.
It looks like Liz thinks Three Hearts set hearts and Love it! Bid properly because we are better than
therefore all partner’s bids are cue-bids (something they are – that shares the comment of the month with
shared by a number of the Five Club bidders): Andrew on problem 2. Drew makes the same comment
McGowan: Four Hearts. I think he has ♠Qx about pinpointing the lead:
♥AQJxxx ♦K ♣Qxxx. No spade control. Cannell: Five Clubs. Onwards and upwards. Part-
OK onto the Five Club bidders and Andrew gives ner needs to know about these club values for the
the arguments I did in the preamble: partnership to have any clue on the course forward.

 Intermediate
Sure, we pinpoint our spade weakness, but – c’est PROBLEM 5
la vie.
Sally is going all the way anyway: IMPs. Dealer South. All Vul
Brock: Five Clubs. Doubt I am going to bid less
than Six Hearts. It sounds to me as if partner has ♠ A6 3 2
gone out of his way to show me short spades (else ♥ A9 8 7 4 2
Three Diamonds over Two Spades). ♦J
Wolff: Five Clubs. And allow partner to now make ♣ J6
a mistake. Is Two Hearts forcing? (No) West North East South
This problem also generated three single bids. – – – 3♠
Phillip clearly thinks Four Diamonds is a cue-bid Pass Pass Double Pass
and moreover believes (hopes?) partner has a spade 4♥ Pass 4♠ Pass
control: ?
Alder: 4NT. I hope this is six-ace RKCB. But even Bid Marks No. of Votes
if it is “simple” RKCB in hearts, that is fine – I hope. 4NT 10 12
Eric gets partner to use their judgment: Five Spades 8 6
Greco: Five Hearts. Has partner shown short Five Diamonds 7 2
spades? Would they have cue-bid Three Spades Six Hearts 6 2
with shortness. I think partner must have 10 cards Seven Hearts 4 0
in the round suits for his lack of a 2NT bid, and I invited the panel to comment on whether they would
then partner cue-bid diamonds which should be have bid anything else over partner’s double. Not that
Kx or else why bother. I think partner might well I expected them to. Given that partner may have a
have ♠x ♥AQ10xxx ♦Kx ♣Qxxx, but I will try 1-4-4-4 ten-count anything other than Four Hearts
and stop in five if I am wrong and hope to make it. is pushing the boat out. However Bobby, Iain (and I
Whereas Paul is the only player to commit to slam think Barry and maybe Phillip as well) would have
right now: taken a more aggressive action. But having said that
Bowyer: 5NT. Is partner’s bidding designed to tell we now have a HUGE hand for our bidding. The
me he has a single spade? Hard to see it otherwise; panel believe it is a matter of a small or a grand and
if we have two spade losers I want a new partner. I agree with them – the question being what is the
Anyway, Six Diamonds or Six Hearts are now in best way to inform partner. Slightly to my surprise 11
the frame. By bidding 5NT I’ll get him to pick the out of 21 of the panel let Blackwood do the walking
right spot. (though to be fair John does not think it is Blackwood)
I cannot see how it can ever be right to play in dia- presumably hoping that after 4NT then 5NT if all the
monds. Surely partner’s diamonds are Kx at best or key cards are present partner will be able to bid the
he would have bid Three Diamonds over Two Spades. grand with sufficient tricks. I am unconvinced that
This seems to me to be the way to end up in the wrong our surprising playing strength will get across though
slam, not the right one! (the sixth heart is a real bonus)
This hand was passed on to me by our editor and Apteker: 4NT. I am taking over after partner’s slam
comes from the German Bridge Magazin. He com- try as I have a massive hand in context and ignor-
ments “The panel went for 4♥ 17 votes (10) 5♣ 4 ing the fact that I do not have clubs controlled. I
votes (3) and 5♥ one vote (1). At the risk of aping agree with the bid on the previous round as part-
Terence I voted for 5♥ saying something along the lines ner may have been stretching in balancing position.
that as partner appeared to be 1-6-2-4 even a modest Tim is prepared to bid it himself – fair enough!
hand such as ♠x ♥AQxxxx ♦Kx ♣Qxxx would give Cope: 4NT. Time for Keycard. Whilst Four Hearts
us a decent play for 6♥. I never mind getting a poor was a slight underbid on the previous round, we
score (I have never understood bidding theory) but could not really do more. Opposite a slam try from
partner’s hand was revealed as ♠4 ♥AQ7542 ♦K8 partner, nothing will stop me bidding six now, and
♣QJ103. That gives me 221 IMPs. Well Mark you opposite two aces and a king with the relevant
would not have done so well on this panel since the trumps, nothing will stop me bidding the grand.
majority will reach the slam. Given that the panel were Green: 4NT. For me Four Spades sets hearts and so
13 out of 21 in favour of inviting a slam the sign off I’ll bid RKCB for hearts? I have a monster hand so
of Four Hearts and the slam force of 5NT have been I’m going to see if we’re missing any keycards. We
marked down slightly. could easily be making a grand slam.

 Intermediate
Enri is the only person to mention the possibility of Wolff: Five Spades. If you wanna try for a grand I’m
bidding immediately over Three Spades – wow! Part- very willing. Yes I probably would have jumped to
ner will bid about Ten Hearts if you bid Four Hearts Five Hearts over partner’s double.
immediately  Brock: Five Spades. Certainly going to accept slam
Leufkens: 4NT. I’m fine with Pass (but close) and try. He’s probably void in spades so won’t care about
Four Hearts (don’t punish partner with his short my ace, but maybe not. If he has ♠x ♥Kxxx ♦Axx
spades). Obviously, we’ve got a great hand, so RKC ♣AKQxx, or similar, he will know what to do.
is simple and effective. Will he? Might he not be worried about a trump
Sime: 4NT. All roads now should lead to 1430 or loser? Might you not have ♠Axxx ♥Axxxx ♦xx ♣xx
2210. I would have rather bid Four Spades. There or similar?
seems a much greater danger of playing Four Hearts Rigal: Five Spades. The action so far is truly pessi-
missing slam than going off at the five-level. mistic but not absurd. Five Spades now suggests a
Alder: 4NT. My Four Hearts was cautious. Now I grand-slam try…partner will have to hold me back.
will roll out RKCB because the risk of two imme- One more try and I’m there.
diate club losers seems to be zero. So why not go the 4NT route then?
Lawrence: 4NT. Not far from Seven Hearts here. Silver: Five Spades. On my way to bidding Six
13 bids I make it  Hearts (bidding slam seems clear here) I might as
Greco: 4NT. This has to be RKCB for hearts and well show the spade ace.
I have a moose! Teramoto: Five Spades. This hand is good enough
“This has to be RKCB for hearts”. Let me intro- for Six Hearts after his Four Spades. Five Spades
duce you to: tells him I have first-round spade control and is a
Matheson: 4NT. Rolling. Here we have values for try for Seven Hearts.
4NT RKCB, but that will not usually be the case. Two panelists try Five Diamonds, rather oddly in
More commonly I will want to distinguish between my view:
a hand with no values (ie bid Five Hearts) and a Cannell: Five Diamonds. The Four Heart bid on
hand with something eg ♠xxx ♥Axxxx ♦xx ♣xxx. the previous round seems entirely normal to me.
If I cannot use 4NT to show this type I am strug- Other efforts would be an over estimation of values
gling to make a sensible move. This hand will be I believe. This Five Diamond effort is a cue-bid to
deciding between Six Hearts and Seven Hearts. help partner ascertain level. It also shows partner
As you can see John whatever the merits of your argu- (and opponents) our club problem.
ments the panel are not with you and go for the simple Fair enough but as other panelists have said is it
“4NT is RKCB”. Want more evidence? OK here it is: really conceivable we have two quick club losers? Would
Rosen: 4NT. RKCB - totally obvious. partner go on with say ♠–♥KQJxx ♦AKQxx ♣Qxx?
Robson: 4NT. RKCB driving six may easily play It seems unlikely.
seven. I am huge. Smith: Five Diamonds. We are definitely cue-bid-
Zmudzinski: 4NT. We know what it is. ding with hearts agreed, and with such a good hand
Well I would with anyone except John! in context I co-operate in case we have a grand
Onto the other choices. If not 4NT the next pop- slam on. I do not intend to stop short of Six Hearts
ular with six votes was Five Spades. I wonder given now. I am not worried that he wants me to pick a
that partner may very well be void whether this should minor to play – he had both Four Spades and 4NT
actually be a “Bluhmer bid”. The Five Spade bidders available on the previous round for big minor two-
don’t want to take charge and feel partner will be in suiters. (Four Hearts was enough on the previous
a better position to judge: round BTW.)
Bowyer: Five Spades. Yes, I would have bid Four I have to say I would be a tad worried about an
Hearts on the previous round, following the prin- embarrassing accident when partner held ♠- ♥KQxx
ciple that the most important thing following a ♦KQJxx ♣AKxx…
preempt is to secure a plus score. Now what? The And finally two panelists give up on the grand:
choices are 4NT, Five Spades and Six Hearts. (The McGowan: Six Hearts. Expect to make this. Might
only rationale for Blackwood is to reach a grand, I miss the grand but can’t see a clear way forward.
reckon, as you must bid six on this hand). As I don’t Happy with Four Hearts – partner was under pres-
like taking charge of a hand when I don’t know what sure in 4th seat.
partner has got I’ll pass the buck with Five Spades, Bird: Six Hearts. I don’t read him for the minors
saying I am as good as I can be. on this sequence. It seems to be a shortage cue-bid

 Intermediate
with hearts agreed. If I am meant to bid Five Spades of one!) and certainly for Double. Assuming you are
on the way to Six Hearts, I will accept this verdict going to make a positive call is Five Clubs SO much
without protest. worse than 4NT? Given the disparity in both length
Kind of you David and I think the panel are saying and strength of your suits it seems unlikely that Five
you are guilty as charged. Partner held ♠–♥K10xx Diamonds will be better than Five Clubs a lot of the
♦AK109x ♣AQ98 so had done well to go on at all time. Boye mentions that partner might be 5-1-5-2
in my opinion. So the grand is both good and making but that seems highly unlikely – partner will bid Three
as trumps are 2-1. The most elegant line is the double Spades almost always with five; won’t he? And most of
squeeze or you can be boring and just take the club the time even if partner is 5-1-4-3 Five Clubs will be
finesse which works. as good as Five Diamonds. There is also a factor that
the panel do not go into at all and it seems to me is
PROBLEM 6 underestimated in this and many similar situations.
The big upside of bidding Five Clubs is that it forces
IMPs. Dealer South. N/S Vul a decision on your LHO. Leftie has to decide to Pass,
♠ 10 5 Double or bid NOW (assuming the auction is not forc-
♥ 95 ing on them and why should it be?) whereas if you bid
♦ Q 10 7 3 4NT leftie has two bites at the cherry – he can Pass,
♣ AK 7 6 3 Double or bid now and has the same options when 5m
comes back to him, and also has seen what partner has
done. All that extra information for the oppo seems to
– – – 1♥*
me too high a price to pay for the odd occasion when
Pass 3♥* Double 4♥
Five Diamonds plays better than Five Clubs.
?
1♥ five-card major
So what do I know? Nothing! The panel goes 18-4
3♥ Invitational for 4NT suggesting that Boye Brogeland may know
Bid Marks No. of Votes more about the game than me. Who would have
4NT 10 18 thought it?
Double 8 3 Greco: 4NT. Partner has made a takeout double on
Five Clubs 7 1 what is likely a offensive hand light on points. and
Pass 3 0 I have a very offensive hand. I love bidding 4NT
OK I ‘fess up now – this hand has history. It is one of when I am 4-5 in diamonds and clubs because part-
the original hands given by Boye Brogeland on www. ner should pick clubs with equal length.
bridgecheaters.com as evidence that Lotan Fischer – Sime: 4NT. The minors are conveniently placed
Ron Schwartz were cheating. To quote Boye “What for club preference with equal length. Of course we
would you bid? I guess most experts (all that I have might not make. However, quite likely they won’t
asked, and that isn’t few) if they act with a bid instead figure that out and will bid Five Hearts (he’s right –
of a double would bid 4NT for the minors. That way they did! An upside of bidding no one else mentioned.
you get diamonds into the picture in case your partner Of course “the five-level belongs to the opponents you
has 4=1=5=3 or even 5=1=5=2 (when he chose to know). The expression on South’s coupon (is this
double instead of bidding 3 spades). You really don’t Scottish for face? Not one I have heard before) should
have to be afraid to end up in diamonds with fewer we both follow to a second round of trumps could
trumps than in clubs as most world-class players have be priceless.
the agreement that they bid the lower suit with equal Green: 4NT. Four Hearts could be cold off, or it
length. Lotan Fisher bid Five Clubs, and some of his could be cold with us either making or being cheap
Israeli entourage explained to me that he bids like that in five minor. At this vulnerability I’m happy to
because he likes to play the hands. Lotan would prob- take out insurance and I’ll let partner choose which
ably give the same macho answer, but there could be minor to play in.
more to it than that. A world-class player would hardly I made a bet with myself that someone would cite
bid Five Clubs unless he had some extra information.” THE LAW. In fact only Joey does, and that is in the
I have no axe to grind for Fischer – Schwartz and context of trashing it.
maybe this hand is still sub-judice but I thought it was Silver: 4NT. There might be some “Law” abiding
an interesting problem. Firstly is it clear to bid at all? citizens who will look to penalize North-South, but
I think a case might be made for Pass (OK not much partner has made a takeout double at the three-level,
which might well be distributional at the colours,

 Intermediate
so I say “The Law” be damned and look for our No passers but there are three doublers:
best game by telling partner I have two places to McGowan: Double. I think this shows values with-
play at the five-level. out spades. Hope it is not strictly penalty – it never
Cope: 4NT. Asking partner to pick a minor. This is these days surely?
should be better than Five Clubs which might be Don’t think so no. I think doubling an opening bid
scuppered by a diamond ruff if partner has ♦KJxxx. of Seven Spades shows values…
Close between this and a value-showing double, but Apteker: Double. Showing values with emphasis
will partner know what to do opposite a double? on minors.
Leufkens: 4NT. Easy. Obviously, can be wrong Marc has a very different evaluation of our cards.
(partner two hearts), but when in doubt, bid your Whereas others are worried Four Hearts is cold Marc
hand. Double would not be this hand (again; as thinks it could be a number:
in Problem 1). Smith: Double. Sure, we may be able to make slam
Well at least Double is cards here – in problem 1 it in a minor, but are we likely to get there? The best
was a request for the OL (opening lead). I can do is to bid 4NT to get him to pick a minor,
Teramoto: 4NT. Takeout for the minors. It may but when he does so I cannot raise. At this vul-
be an overbid but I am not comfortable with Dou- nerability, it seems right to take the money, which
ble. 5m looks a good contract if he has a stiff heart. might be quite substantial.
Cannell: 4NT. Pick-a-minor. Double would imply And we have one for the bid chosen at the table:
more spade length and optional values. At least part- Wolff: Five Clubs. The disparity between the two
ner will choose clubs if 3-3 in the minors. Though, minor suits is just too great to offer 4NT and if I
that is most unlikely given his double of Three buy it there, doubled or not, there is not a great
Hearts. deal of sense in arming the worthy opponents with
Bird: 4NT. Suppose East had passed instead of too much information which could effect either or
bidding Four Hearts. I wouldn’t have bid just Four both the further bidding and or the opening lead.
Clubs then. The chance of partner being short in Also if the opponents compete to Five Hearts I
hearts has actually increased after the Four Heart would prefer not suggesting very unusual distribu-
bid, so I can hardly bid less than 4NT now. tion which 4NT might tend to convey.
Some panellists have wildly differing views it appears That all makes a great deal of sense to me!
of what to expect of partner’s Double of Three Hearts: Last words to the only two panelists who admitted
Brock: 4NT. I have a huge hand in context. Will to knowing the hand – both were at the event and
raise five of a minor to slam. both were asked about it:
Wow! That seems to be playing partner for ♠AKxx
♥x ♦AKxx ♣Qxxx at a minimum. Contrast that
with Phillip:
Alder: 4NT. There seems to be a theme develop-
ing here! Yes, this is a slight overbid, but it is IMPs.
The eagle-eyed will have spotted that this is Phillip’s
third consecutive 4NT bid.
CARD TABLES
And Barry is in the middle thinking it is obvious: FOR SALE
Rigal: 4NT. Surely you jest; what else could you
possibly bid? Yes we might have tricks on the side, Refurbished old tables standard size
but when partner has eg ♠QJxx ♥x ♦AKxx ♣QJxx with new green baize top
who is to say they can’t make Four Hearts or Five £29 each
Hearts?
Matheson: 4NT. I trust vulnerable opponents. Will deliver within reasonable distance
Robson: 4NT. Could be one down one down but DANNY ROTH
either could make. No other choice. 47 Bearing Way, CHIGWELL,
Bowyer: 4NT. I am not doubling on this, neither ESSEX IG7 4NB
am I passing. So that only leaves 4NT, doesn’t it?
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Rosen: 4NT. It’s cutting it very fine to pass (if either
Four Hearts or 5m are making then it is essential
to bid now).

 Intermediate
Zmudzinski: 4NT. 4NT–80%, Double–20%. They seems clear.
told me opener was none the others vulnerable. I Cope: Five Diamonds. Bidding what I have in front
was there so I know the hand. Got it as a leading of me and leaving the last mistake to partner.
problem – I led a spade against Five Hearts Dou- Bird: Five Diamonds. This seems clear to me. I
bled but never bid Five Clubs. Afraid of red two- might be willing to gamble that partner has the
suiter by partner. spade ace, but not that he can also fill in my heart
Lawrence: 4NT. When I first saw this hand, it came suit.
to me in a late-night phone call. I bid Five Clubs at Leufkens: Five Diamonds. Four Spades can be
that time. I suppose partner can have 4-1-5-3 but ♠KQJxxxx ♥Qxx ♦x ♣xx, so we can’t bid more.
I don’t see a passed hand doing this. Hopefully, partner will raise when it’s right (and
For the record partner was light for his action – without any top honour in diamond).
♠AKxx ♥x ♦xxxx ♣Q10xx so Five Clubs is two off Yeah right – my experience is that partners never
and you need to find the spade ruff to beat Four Hearts, proceed in these auctions (particularly without trump
honours) as they have no idea what you need!
PROBLEM 7 Brock: Five Diamonds. God knows. Partner doesn’t
need a huge suit to bid Four Spades on this auction.
Pairs. Dealer South. E/W Vul. I’m hoping I sound short in both black suits with
♠ 10 excellent diamonds so he can proceed if appropriate.
♥ A 10 7 6 4 See above
♦ AK Q J 7 2 Alder: Five Diamonds. As it is Pairs and we are
♣7 vulnerable, I will go for the game bonus. Also, if
partner has the right hand for a slam, he might be
able to bid it.
– – – Pass
See above.
1♦ 4♣ 4♠ 5♣
Robson: Five Diamonds. Why not? I have a self-
?
supporting suit.
Bid Marks No. of Votes Marc is one of the two panelists to address the forc-
Five Diamonds 10 16 ing pass issue:
Pass 8 1 Smith: Five Diamonds. Partner might have all sorts
Double 8 1 of hands for his Four Spade bid under pressure
Five Hearts 7 3 and I don’t think he has created a forcing pass sit-
5NT 3 0 uation (No he hasn’t, but has the opponents’ bidding
Five Spades 2 0 created one?), so passing and then pulling to Five
Six Diamonds 2 0
Diamonds is not an available option. Bidding on
For the second time running the entire panel have without supporting his spades surely shows a good
sadly not addressed a question which I think is key to offensive hand and a decent suit, which is what I
this problem. In this case – is a Pass by us forcing? I seem to have.
agree that if the auction had gone 1♦, 4♣, 4♠, 5♣ Teramoto: Five Diamonds. Just to play. Six Dia-
there is no reason at all why Pass should be forcing, monds is an overbid (sure is!), particularly since
but that is not the case here. Here we have a pre-empt Four Spades may have been a stretch.
opposite a passed hand that has then bid Five Clubs. Rosen: Five Diamonds. Alternative is Double - but
Does bridge logic tell us that this must be an attempted surely partner will never do the right thing?!
save and that therefore we are in a forcing auction? If Wolff: Five Diamonds. That suit seems to be worth
that is true then it changes the nature of our Pass, our a rebid and to Double or risk Five Hearts seems
Double and our bids. Only John Matheson and Marc shortsighted.
Smith address this. The rest of the panel simply bid Green: Five Diamonds. Yuck, Partner has bid Four
what seems best to them. And best to 80% of the panel Spades under pressure, he could hold anything from
is to rebid our excellent six-card suit. Fair enough! a seven bagger with minimal values e.g. ♠KQ10xxxx
Bowyer: Five Diamonds. I bid what I think I might ♥Kxx ♦x ♣xx to an opening bid or better. I think
make. Oh, and I claim 100 for honours too. introducing my hearts here is a pure gamble. I’ll try
Ho ho! and go plus (who knows whether I will succeed). I
Greco: Five Diamonds. I really don’t know what could Double as I have a lot of losers to shift and
we can or can’t make but bidding Five Diamonds partner hasn’t promised me any support.

 Intermediate
Lawrence: Five Diamonds. Partner bid Four Spades PROBLEM 8
under duress. He may have been stretching.
Rigal: Five Diamonds. Bid where you live; miss- IMPs. Dealer South. E/W Vul.
ing a 5-4 heart fit won’t bother me…will it? Play-
ing a 5-3 heart fit might well make me seriously ill. ♠—
Apteker: Five Diamonds. Practical as partner’s Four ♥ AK Q 9 6
Spades could be stretching. I considered Five Hearts ♦ AJ 6
which may be taken as agreeing spades. ♣ J8654
The last few comments have introduced the two West North East South
main minority choices. Drew and Joey bid Five Hearts. – – – 2♥*
Canadian solidarity? Afraid not since to Drew it is Pass Pass 3♣ Pass
natural and to Joey a cue-bid. Whoops! ?
Cannell: Five Hearts. I am just bidding what I see 2♥ Natural and weak
in front of me. I hope partner “sees” it the same Bid Marks No. of Votes
way.  Five Spades 10 8
Silver: Five Hearts. Since I am a buyer not a seller Six Clubs 9 4
I might as well show my heart control on the way Three Hearts 8 3
to playing spades. Who knows? We might even end Four Spades 8 2
up playing in a red suit. Seven Clubs 7 1
Both of those seem pretty extreme positions to me. 5NT 6 3
4NT 5 1
Since both hearts and diamonds are the same at the Three Diamonds 2 0
five-level it seems a huge gamble to introduce ♥Axxxx Five Clubs 1 0
and not rebid ♦AKQJxx and as for cueing for spades
A surprising auction all round from our point of view!
with a singleton….
We have this heart holding and RHO (a Frenchman no
Iain is also a Five Heart bidder:
less!) opens Two Hearts, we pass it round and partner
Sime: Five Hearts. I am happy if partner passes,
bids our other five-card suit when we have a void spade.
bids diamonds or spades, and even happier if he
What is going on? Where are the spades? I invited the
bids 5NT. Not so happy if he raises hearts.
panel to comment if they would have taken an action
Only Liz doubles:
on the previous round but of course nobody would have
McGowan: Double. If he has a red suit in reserve
(what for Gawd’s sake?). Now what do we do? This
he can bid it!
hand generated more panel answers than any other and
And only John fully addresses the forcing pass issue
more than I have seen for a long time – 8 to be precise.
and believes he is making one:
Which rather surprised me as I thought the technical
Matheson: Pass. This is forcing for me. The fact
answer and the one the panel would reach for is this:
that this is Pairs complicates the decision as Five
Cannell: Five Spades. Yes – the usual Exclusion
Diamonds may be a sensible game at teams, but
RKCB! Though, this is a first for me having passed
will likely score poorly at pairs.
on my first go-round! If partner does show two key-
Adam passes, but I don’t think he thinks it is forc-
cards (♣A and ♣K) – with or without the Club
ing (he certainly doesn’t say so)
Queen – Seven Clubs! The pass of Two Hearts is
Zmudzinski: Pass. Sometimes nice to open a major
clear in my opinion.
with 5-6. It would be Five Diamonds now.
OK we don’t technically play Voidwood/Exclusion
Partner held ♠AKJ98xxx ♥J ♦9x ♣Qxx. At the
keycard (watch this space though) but it is hard to see
table the player bid Five Diamonds and made 12
what else it can be in this auction. Six other panelists
tricks for a poor score (others were allowed to play in
agree with Drew – sufficient for the 10 marks (the
spades). The Pairs aspect was something else the panel
lowest of the set).
did not address. Spades is an irritating contract to both
Rigal: Five Spades. Exclusion RKCB for clubs. Why
play and defend since there is ♠Qx of spades offside.
shouldn’t we be off ♣A facing ♠AQx ♥x ♦KQx
So if dummy is forced declarer has no option but to
drop the spade queen whereas if dummy is not forced
♣KQxxxx?
Why not indeed?
declarer is left to reflect on why not! The easiest way to
Sime: Five Spades. No daisy-picking as I don’t want
a good score is to defend Five Clubs Doubled – with
to allow anyone to bid Three Spades (but this allows
the Four Club bidder being 3-2-1-7 800 is available.
North to double). That includes partner. AKxxxx

 Intermediate
of clubs is thirteen tricks, unless partner has both it in my opinion.
missing hearts which is unlikely. Yes, I would have Bowyer: Six Clubs. Don’cha love science?
preferred a different initial action, but not by West. Sally thinks there will simply be too much work:
Love it! Almost wins the comment of the month. Brock: Six Clubs. No idea how to investigate prop-
Alder: Five Spades. Voidwood! Bridge can be an erly. But he probably has a lot wasted in spades and
easy game! But if that action is not allowed, I will I’ll have to draw trumps before cashing hearts, so
cue-bid Three Hearts and hope to know what to need quite a lot for a grand.
do next time around. P.S. Yes, I would have passed Wolff: Six Clubs. Slam try and closer to bidding seven
on the first round. than bidding less than six. No different first pass.
Matheson & Zmudzinski: Five Spades. Exclusion Two panelists try the splinter at a lower level:
Andrew and Tim think they are just showing a void Bird: Four Spades. The perfect bid is Four Spades,
– either because they really think that or don’t think Exclusion Blackwood, because I did not overcall
we play Voidwood Two Spades. Is this part of the BM system? I assume
Robson: Five Spades. Void-showing grand-slam try. that it is. Am I going to risk partner taking Four
Tempted just to blast Seven. Spades as natural? Well, I think I am. Wish me
Cope: Five Spades. Nothing I could bid earlier, good luck!
and now it’s a question of how to catch up. This Smith: Four Spades. Okay, you’ve persuaded me
must show a void and both red suits controlled as to try playing in the 3-0 fit with a grand slam on
I am committing to slam and feels more descrip- in our real suit. It is, however, hard to believe that
tive than Four Spades which could be a common I could possibly have natural jump to Four Spades
or garden splinter. now when I couldn’t even muster a two-level over-
Three panelists attempt to ask for trump honours call on the previous round, so I’ll trust partner to
the old-fashioned way – haven’t seen a Josephine bid work out that this must be Exclusion RKCB.
in years! Well I don’t think this is Exclusion. Isn’t the usual
Green: 5NT. Grand slam force I hope? If partner rule that if a bid is forcing then the next level is a
has AKxxxx in clubs I’ll take a pot at a grand slam. splinter and the next level Exclusion? So here Three
Different initial action? What else could I possibly Spades is forcing, Four Spades a splinter and Five
bid? Please don’t offer Three Clubs as a possible call. Spades Exclusion. But at least you won’t play there
No – no one offered Three Clubs. However isn’t this unless you are opposite:
awfully dangerous? Are you not going to play in Seven Leufkens: Three Hearts. Pass in first round is fine
Clubs on Barry’s example hand? (obviously!). I wanted to bid Four Spades now
Lawrence: 5NT. If partner has six clubs to the AK, (splinter or exclusion), but why can’t that be natu-
we have six club tricks, three hearts, a diamond, and ral? With ♠KQxxxxx ♥xx ♦xxx ♣x you can’t afford
surely three spade ruffs in my hand. This bid avoids to bid Three Spades now. 5NT would be unlucky
all complications that may come up if I start with if partner has KQ of clubs.
Three Hearts. The only risk is a heart ruff. For varying reasons two other panellists bid Three
Really? What about bidding a grand slam off the Hearts:
ace of trumps? Or are the AK the only trump honours Silver: Three Hearts. There are two major problems
in your methods? in getting to Seven Clubs. First finding out if partner
McGowan: 5NT. All very odd. I guess North has has the two top trump honours (Exclusion Black-
lots of spades. wood in spades be damned!) and secondly avoiding
I guess so too. the grand slam when North is void in hearts. So
Four panellists give up on a grand slam and just bid a my first bid Three Hearts is easy. However my real
small slam. The best reasons for this is given by Tadashi: problems will start with my OX’s next bid.
Teramoto: Six Clubs. We may have Seven Clubs on Rosen: Three Hearts. Could bid some version of
but I want to make a practical bid. They may ruff GSF I suppose (showing my age) but let’s just get
hearts against Seven Clubs. Plus I want to avoid the ball rolling and await developments. If I had
them finding a cheap save in spades. one bid it would be Seven Clubs...
The point about spades is a very good one. The Five Alon opts for a very unusual Blackwood:
Spade bidders may well get a double (surely North has Apteker: 4NT. Slam is virtually cold opposite just
spades like rice?) and now South could easily take a AKxxx in Clubs in partner’s hand so I am taking
sacrifice. That sacrifice could easily be less than the over and heading there. If partner shows one or two,
value of game let alone slam so this has a lot going for I will bid Six Clubs (and seven could still be cold if

 Intermediate
they are ♣AK) and Seven Clubs if he shows three.
And finally Eric is all in:
Greco: Seven Clubs. After I check the backs of the
cards, I could try Exclusion with Five Spades but
how to I know partner doesn’t have AQxxxx(x) or
KQxxxx. this hand really looks to be about buying
it and I want to put LHO under the gun immedi-
ately with no help from his partner.
Well it is true that you may get a save when he has
(say) KQ to eight spades and out, but I doubt you will
get one when he is looking at the club ace .
Partner has a surprising hand in many ways ♠xxx
♥x ♦109xx ♣AKQxx so Seven Clubs has no play
unless the opener has both diamond honours and you
avoid a diamond lead I think which seem impossi-
ble. How many of the panel would bid Three Clubs
on that hand? One can see the obvious problems with
the other potential bids.
As an aside if you play in Six Clubs and get a heart
lead you should duck – just in case the hearts are 7-0
and one of your winners gets ruffed.
In what was a generally low-scoring month with a
couple of scores in the 60s particular congratulations
go to Tim Cope and Andrew Robson for a pair of per- Andrew Robson
fect 80s, third equal were Phillip Alder and Tadashi
Teramoto on 77.
SET 297 – THE PANEL’S BIDS & MARKS
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Total
Tim Cope South Africa Pass 4♥ 4♣ 5♣ 4NT 4NT 5♦ 5♠ 80
Andrew Robson England Pass 4♥ 4♣ 5♣ 4NT 4NT 5♦ 5♠ 80
Phillip Alder USA Pass 4♥ 3♥ 4NT 4NT 4NT 5♦ 5♠ 77
Tadashi Teramoto Japan Pass 4♥ 4♣ 5♣ 5♠ 4NT 5♦ 6♣ 77
Sally Brock England Pass 4♥ 3♥ 5♣ 5♠ 4NT 5♦ 6♣ 76
Mike Lawrence USA Pass 4♥ 4♣ 5♣ 4NT 4NT 5♦ 5NT 76
Enri Leufkens Netherlands 5♦ 4♥ 3♥ 5♣ 4NT 4NT 5♦ 3♥ 75
John Matheson Scotland Pass 5♦ 4♣ 5♣ 4NT 4NT Pass 5♠ 75
Adam Zmudzinski Poland Pass 4♥ 3♥ 4♥ 4NT 4NT Pass 5♠ 75
Eric Greco USA Pass 4♥ 3♦ 5♥ 4NT 4NT 5♦ 7♣ 74
Iain Sime Scotland Pass 4♥ 3♥ 4♥ 4NT 4NT 5♥ 5♠ 74
Ben Green England Pass 4♥ 3♥ 4♥ 4NT 4NT 5♦ 5NT 73
Barry Rigal USA Dble 4♥ 3♥ 4♥ 5♠ 4NT 5♦ 5♠ 73
David Bird England Pass 4♥ 4♣ 4♥ 6♥ 4NT 5♦ 4♠ 72
Bobby Wolff USA 5♦ 4♥ 4♣ 5♣ 5♠ 5♣ 5♦ 6♣ 72
Alon Apteker South Africa Dble 4♥ 4♣ 5♣ 4NT Dble 5♦ 4NT 71
Drew Cannell Canada 5♦ 4♥ 3♥ 5♣ 5♦ 4NT 5♥ 5♠ 71
Paul Bowyer England Pass 4♥ 3♠ 5NT 5♠ 4NT 5♦ 6♣ 70
Joey Silver Canada Pass 4♥ 3NT 5♣ 5♠ 4NT 5♥ 3♥ 70
Neil Rosen England Pass 5♦ 3♠ 4♥ 4NT 4NT 5♦ 3♥ 69
Marc Smith England Pass 4♥ 3♦ 4♥ 5♦ Dble 5♦ 4♠ 69
Liz McGowan Scotland 4NT 5♦ 4♣ 4♥ 6♥ Dble Dble 5NT 61


Bidding Competition – Set 298

Open to all – Free Entry
PROBLEM 1 Basic System

Pairs. Dealer North. E/W Vul. Natural, 4-card majors with a major bid before a minor (clubs before
♠ AKQ4 West North East South diamonds and hearts before spades), limit raises in uncontested
♥ J9632 — 2♠* Pass Pass auctions, weak no-trump, weak 2, 2 and 2 (5–9, 6-card suit) with
♦ — ? a 2NT relay asking for a high-card feature.
♣ K Q 10 3 No-trump bidding: After 1NT 12–14, 2 = Stayman, 2/2 =
2♠ Natural and weak transfers, 2 = a raise to 2NT or a balanced slam try, 2NT = minor-
suit sign-off or slam try with both minors (continue with major-suit
PROBLEM 2 shortage).
IMPs. Dealer West. E/W Vul. 1NT rebid = 15–17 with a 2 enquiry encompassing all forcing
sequences. Jump 2NT rebid = 18–19. Non-jump 2NT rebid = game-
♠ AKJ4 West North East South forcing. 3NT rebid = running suit.
♥ 6 1♣ Pass 1♠ 4♥ After 2NT, 20-22, 3 = Stayman, 3/3 = transfers, 3 = slam try
♦ A ? with both minors.
♣ K Q J 10 8 6 3 Initial response: Jump shifts are either single-suited or two-suited
PROBLEM 3 with opener’s suit.
Baron 2NT (16+) after 1/1. 2NT after 1/1 = game-forcing with
IMPs. Dealer West. All Vul. 4+ card support (simple continuations natural, jumps splinters).
♠ AKJ84 West North East South Continuations: Reverses are forcing for one round after a 1-level
♥ A84 2♣* Pass 2♦* Pass response (preference to the first suit and 2NT are the only non-forcing
♦ A 2♠ Pass 3♦ * Pass continuations, rebid of responder’s suit is 1-round force, game-forcing
♣ AKQ6 3NT Pass 4♥ Pass otherwise). All high reverses are game-forcing. Change of suit forcing
? for one round after a 2-level response. Jumps when a bid of the
2♣ 23+ balanced or any game force suit one level lower is forcing are splinters, as are 4-level responses
2♦ Negative in a lower-ranking suit to 1/1. 4th suit = game-forcing. When
3♦ Natural responder’s suit is raised a return to opener’s suit is forcing.
Slam bidding: Roman Keycard Blackwood. Gerber (only immediately
PROBLEM 4 after 1NT and 2NT). Cue-bids are generally first-round ahead of
IMPs. Dealer East. N/S Vul. second.
♠ 4 West North East South Competition: Responsive and competitive Doubles through 3,
♥ AQ762 — — 2NT* Pass negative Doubles through 3 – after that Doubles are value showing,
♦ K53 3♦* Pass 3♥ Pass not penalties.
♣ Q873 4♣* Dble Pass Pass Cue-bids in competitive auctions show value raises in partner’s suit
whilst raises are pre-emptive. Fit-jumps after opponents overcall or
?
takeout Double. Double jumps are splinter.
2NT 20-22
3♦ Transfer
Lebensohl applies after interference over our 1NT (through
4♣ Natural
2NT shows a stopper).
Overcalls: In response to an overcall: UCB = 3 trumps, jumps = fit
PROBLEM 5 jumps, jump cue = 4-card raise, change of suit = constructive, non-
forcing.
IMPs. Dealer West. E/W Vul. Weak jump overcalls, intermediate in 4th. Michaels cue-bids.
♠ 3 West North East South Defences: Against all pre-empts, takeout Doubles.
♥ A K 10 7 5 4 1♥ 1♠ Dble 3♠* Over their 1NT, 2 = majors, 2NT = minors or game-forcing 2-suiter.
♦ A8 ? Over a strong 1, natural, Double = majors, 1NT = minors, Pass then
♣ AJ86 bid is strong.
3♠ Pre-emptive Send stamped addressed envelope to Chess & Bridge Ltd for WBF style
Convention Card
PROBLEM 6
IMPs. Dealer East. E/W Vul How to enter
♠ AKQ West North East South Send your chosen bid in each of the eight sequences opposite,
♥ 5 — — 1♥ Pass preferably by email, to John Carruthers at: marksandcomments@
♦ Q 10 9 5 4 3 2♦ Pass 2♥ Pass sympatico.ca. Alternatively, you can enter by post, to: John Carruthers,
♣ A Q 10 2♠* Pass 3♠* Pass 1322 Patricia Blvd., Kingsville ON N9Y 2R4, Canada. Entries must
? be received by the 30th November. Include your name, address and
2♠ In BM neither 2NT nor Three Diamonds is forcing telephone number. Please quote the month, competition and value of
3♠ Natural and forcing your prize when ordering Master Point Press books.
PROBLEM 7
IMPs. Dealer South. All Vul. PRIZES
♠ A West North East South 1st £50 Master Point Press books
♥ A 10 8 7 6 4 — — — Pass
♦ K72 1♥ Pass 2♣ Dble 2nd £25 Master Point Press books
♣ A62 ?
3rd £15 Master Point Press books
PROBLEM 8 4th £10 Master Point Press books
IMPs. Dealer North. E/W Vul..
♠ A 10 8 7 2 West North East South Grand Prix
♥ Q62 — 1NT* Pass 2♦*
♦ A82 Pass 2♥ 3♣ Pass
In addition there is an annual Grand Prix with Master Point Press
♣ J5 ?
prizes of £100, £50 and £35. Only scores of 50 and over will count
and the maximum score is 400. Each contestant’s Grand Prix total is
1NT 12-14
2♦ Transfer
their five best scores over the year (January–December).


WEST Bid these hands with those on the following
Hands for the page with your favourite partner; then turn to
November 2015 Partnership Profile Partnership Bidding inside to see how your score
compares to that of the experts
Hand 1. Dealer South. E/W Vul. Hand 5. Dealer South. None Vul.
♠ KQ8732 ♠ Q742
♥ — ♥ K87
♦ AK8 ♦ AQ8
♣ K98 ♣ J97
Hand 2. Dealer East. E/W Vul. Hand 6. Dealer East. E/W Vul.
♠ KQJ ♠ 97
♥ K3 ♥ Q J 10
♦ 43 ♦ K6532
♣ A 10 8 6 4 3 ♣ J72
Hand 3. Dealer West. E/W Vul. If possible North bids 2♠ and South raises to 3♠
♠ AJ543 Hand 7. Dealer East. None Vul.
♥ Q7 ♠ KQ
♦ AQ82 ♥ KQJ7
♣ KQ ♦ KQ6
North overcalls 2♦ ♣ QJ87
North overcalls 1♠ and South raises to 2♠
Hand 4. Dealer East. All Vul
♠ 97 Hand 8. Dealer North. None Vul.
♥ 10 6 ♠ KQ3
♦ J 10 8 3 ♥ KQJ
♣ A Q J 10 2 ♦ 7543
If East opens 1NT South overcalls 2♣ (Majors). If East opens ♣ 432
1♦ South overcalls 2♦ (Majors)
BIDDING COMPETITION Why not enter a bridge hand or bidding problem of your
own for use in BRIDGE Magazine?
SET 298
♠
(for the November Competition) ♥
My answers are (the Adjudicator)
♦
1. ♣
♠ ♠
2. ♥ ♥
3. ♦ ♦
♣ ♣
4. ♠
5.
♥
♦
6. ♣
7. WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH
8.
Total marks:
Email to marksandcomments@sympatico.ca
or post to: Bidding Competition (292), Name: (please print)
John Carruthers, 1322 Patricia Blvd. Address:
Kingsville ON N9Y 2R4, Canada Telephone: ___________________________________
Entries must be received by

30th November 2015.


EAST Bid these hands with those on the previous
Hands for the page with your favourite partner; then turn to
November 2015 Partnership Profile Partnership Bidding inside to see how your score
compares to that of the experts
Hand 1. Dealer South. E/W Vul. Hand 5. Dealer South. None Vul.
♠ A6 ♠ AK3
♥ J982 ♥ 5
♦ Q97 ♦ K752
♣ AJ52 ♣ K Q 10 3 2
Hand 2. Dealer East. E/W Vul. Hand 6. Dealer East. E/W Vul.
♠ A8 ♠ 10
♥ A42 ♥ AK874
♦ A K Q 10 7 ♦ A J 10 7
♣ Q97 ♣ AK8
Hand 3. Dealer West. E/W Vul. If possible North bids 2♠ and South raises to 3♠.
♠ Q 10 9 Hand 7. Dealer East. None Vul.
♥ K J 10 4 2 ♠ 10 8 7 6
♦ 974 ♥ 853
♣ 53 ♦ A95
North overcalls 2♦ ♣ K54
Hand 4. Dealer East. All Vul. North overcalls 1♠ and South raises to 2♠
♠ K 10 Hand 8. Dealer North. None Vul.
♥ K92 ♠ AJ954
♦ AK975 ♥ A3
♣ K86 ♦ Q8
If East opens 1NT South overcalls 2♣ (Majors). If East opens ♣ KQ96
1♦ South overcalls 2♦ (Majors)
BIDDING COMPETITION
Set 296 Top Scores 73 Bob Brown, Peter Hawkes 1 Mike Perkins 383
72 Nigel Osmer, Nick Simms 2 Peter Hawkes 377
Prize winners should quote the month,
competition and value of their prize when 71 Neil Macdonald 3 Graham Johnson 376
placing an order for Master Point Press 70 Axel Johannsson, Andrew King 4= Kresten Kristensen 373
books. Prize winners can refer to the list of 69 Tugrul Kaban, Bil lLinton, Ray Stubbs 4= Norman Massey 373
MPP titles on the inside back cover of the 68 Tony Poole, Alan Sant, Andre van der 6 Mike Ralph 371
current issue of Bridge Magazine. Werff 7= Harald Bletz 370
Congratulations to Janet Barnes, scoring
7= Stuart Nelson 370
a perfect 80! Janet wins ₤50 worth of
Master Point Press books from Chess 9 Bill Gordon 366
and Bridge. One back on 79 is Kresten 10 Michael Kaye 365
Kristensen who receives ₤25 worth and 11= David Barnes 363
one more back, on 78, Dudley Leigh Grand Prix Standings 11= Andrew King 363
receives ₤15 worth. Bill Gordon and after Set 296 11= Frank Turton 363
Norman Massey tied on 77; Norman Only two months to go!! Mike still leads
won the coin toss and so receives ₤10 14= Nigel Guthrie 362
but by a bit less ... only your top five
worth. scores of the year count at the end, so keep
14= Axel Johannsson 362
entering to improve your score. 16= Chris Bickerdike 361
16= Derek Markham 361
Other Good Scores: 16= Olga Shadyro 361
76 Graham Johnson
19= Simon Hill 360
75 Derek Markham, Mike Perkins
19= Alan Sant 360
74 Harald Bletz, Tony Burt

MasterPoint Press October 2014_Layout 1 08/10/2014 15:56 Page 1
BOOKS FROM MASTER POINT PRESS

Master Point Press are the world’s leading bridge book publisher and winner of many bridge publishing awards. A list of Masterpoint
titles can be found below - for full details on each of these titles please visit www.bridgeshop.com. Recent releases are highlighted in
bold. Please note, winners of the Bidding Competition do not get the 10% Subscriber discount when redeeming their prize
VOUCHERS and a deduction will also be made to cover the cost of postage. For further details please call 020 7288 1305
Deadly Endplay (fiction) Allen, Ken £12.95 Complete Book Takeout Doubles (2nd ed.) Lawrence, Mike £15.95
Shades of Grey (fiction) Allen, Ken £11.95 Falsecards (New Edition) Lawrence, Mike £14.95
I Love This Game Auken, Sabine £12.50 Encyclopedia of Card Play Techniques Levé, Guy £21.95
25 Bridge Myths Exposed Bird, David £10.50 Bridge Squeezes Complete Love, Clyde. E £14.95
Bridge Endplays for Everyone Bird, David £12.95 Bridge, Probability and Information MacKinnon, Robert F. £12.95
Bridge Squeezes for Everyone Bird, David £11.95 Win the Bermuda Bowl with Me Meckstroth & Smith £11.50
Clever Plays in the Trump Suit Bird, David £12.95 The Setting Trick McCance, Ian £11.95
Defensive Signaling at Bridge Bird, David £11.95 Competitive Bidding in the 21st Century Miles, Marshall £11.50
Off-Road Declarer Play Bird, David £11.95 Inferences at Bridge Miles, Marshall £11.50
Somehow We Landed in 6NT Bird, David £12.95 It's Your Call Miles, Marshall £12.95
Winning Notrump Leads Bird & Anthias £10.95 Modern Constructive Bidding Miles, Marshall £11.95
Winning Suit Contract Leads Bird & Anthias £10.95 My System: The Unbalanced Diamond Miles, Marshall £11.95
Leading Questions in Bridge Brock, Sally £11.95 Bridge in the Menagerie Mollo, Victor £13.95
Bridge at the Edge Brogeland, Boye & Bird, David £13.95 Card Play Technique Mollo & Gardener £14.95
Bridge Crosswords Chen, Jeff £7.95 Diamonds are the Hog’s Best Friend Mollo, Victor £13.95
Following the Law Cohen, Larry £9.95 Swings and Arrows Mollo, Victor £13.95
Larry Cohen's Bidding Challenge Cohen, Larry £9.95 The Hog Takes to Precision Mollo, Victor £11.95
To Bid or Not To Bid Cohen, Larry £11.50 Kickback: Slam Bidding at Bridge Munger, Robert £7.95
Death in Duplicate Coplea, Carole £13.95 First Book of Play Problems O’Connor, Patrick £10.95
Standard Bidding with SAYC Downey, Ned & Ellen Pomer £11.95 Second Book of Play Problems O’Connor, Patrick £10.95
Bridge with Bells and Whistles Dufresne, MA & Ellingsen, M £11.95 Bridge Behind Bars (fiction) Pottage & Smith £12.95
A Modern Approach to Two-Over-One Eichenbaum, Ken £8.95 Clues from the Bidding Pottage, Julian £10.95
Winners, Losers and Cover Cards Eichenbaum, Ken £8.95 Defend These Hands with Me Pottage, Julian £11.50
Can You Win The USBC Team Trials Felmy, Matthias £13.95 Play or Defend? Pottage, Julian £8.95
I Shot My Bridge Partner (fiction) Granovetter, Matthew £9.50 Defend or Declare? Pottage, Julian £11.95
Murder at the Bridge Table (fiction) Granovetter, Matthew £9.50 Deadly Hold-Up Priebe, Jim £11.95
Bridge Conventions in Depth Granovetter & Granovetter £13.95 Double Elimination: A Bridge Mystery Priebe, Jim £11.95
Bridge Master Vs Bridge Amateur Horton, Mark £11.95 Matchpoint Defense Priebe, Jim £11.95
Misplay These Hands with Me Horton, Mark £11.95 Takeout Double: A Bridge Mystery Priebe, Jim £11.50
The Hands of Time Horton, Mark £10.50 Thinking on Defense Priebe, Jim £9.95
The Mysterious Multi Horton, Mark £12.95 Positive Declarer Play in Bridge Reese & Pottage £10.50
Duplicate Bridge at Home Horton & Gittelman £12.95 Positive Defense in Bridge Reese & Pottage £10.50
The Bridge Magicians Horton & Kielbasinski £11.50 The Extra Edge in Play Reese & Pottage £10.95
For Love or Money Horton & Senior £12.95 Modified Italian Canapé System Rexford, Ken £8.95
The Rabbi’s Rules Horton, Mark £12.95 New Frontiers for Strong Forcing Openings Rexford, Ken £8.95
Building a Bidding System Hughes, Roy £11.50 Overcalling Opponent's 1NT Rexford, Ken £6.95
Canada’s Bridge Warriors Hughes, Roy £15.95 Really Unusual Notrump (R.U.N.T.) Rexford, Ken £7.95
Card by Card Hughes, Roy £11.50 Variable Key Card Blackwood Rexford, Ken £8.95
Fantunes Revealed Jacobs, Bill £9.95 Breaking the Bridge Rules Rigal, Barry £12.95
One Trick at a TIme Jackson, Jim £11.95 Rodwell Files: Secrets of a champion Rodwell, Eric £17.95
Polish Club International Jassem,Krzysztof £10.95 How Good is Your Bridge Roth, Danny £11.95
Patrick Jourdain’s Problem Corner Jourdain, Patrick £12.95 Bridge on a Shoestring Schoenborn, Michael £13.95
Advanced Bridge Defense Kantar, Eddie £13.95 25 Bridge Conventions You Should Know Seagram & Smith £10.50
Classic Kantar Kantar, Eddie £9.50 25 More Conventions You Should Know Seagram & Bird £10.50
Defensive Tips for Bad Card Holders Kantar, Eddie £14.95 25 Ways to Be a Better Defender Seagram & Bird £10.50
Kantar on Kontract Kantar, Eddie £10.50 25 Ways to Compete in the Bidding Seagram & Smith £10.50
Modern Bridge Defense Kantar, Eddie £13.95 25 Ways to Take More Tricks as Declarer Seagram & Bird £10.50
Roman Keycard Blackwood - 5th ed. Kantar, Eddie £13.95 Declarer Play at Bridge: A Quizbook Seagram & Bird £9.95
Topics in Declarer Play Kantar, Eddie £13.95 Defensive Play Quizbook: A Quizbook Seagram & Bird £9.95
Improve Your Bidding Judgment Kimelman, Neil £12.95 Planning the Play of a Bridge Hand Seagram & Bird £12.95
The Thin Line Kimelman, Neil £12.95 Pocket Guide to Defensive Play Seagram & Bird £6.95
365 Winning Bridge Tips Kleinman, Danny £13.95 Scotland’s Senior Moment Smith & Adamson £13.95
Human Bridge Errors Kleinman & Straguzzi £10.50 Becoming a Bridge Expert Stewart, Frank £13.95
A Bridge to Inspired Declarer Play Laderman, Julian £12.95 Frank Stewart's Bridge Club Stewart, Frank £10.50
A Bridge to Simple Squeezes Laderman, Julian £11.95 How to Play Bridge with your Spouse Tevkolsky, Roselyn £9.95
Bumblepuppy Days Laderman, Julian £14.95 Bridge at the Breakfast Table Thurston, Paul £1.50
Still Not Finding Squeezes? Laderman, Julian £7.95 25 Steps to Learning 2/1 Thurston, Paul £10.50
25 Conventions for ACOL Players Landry & Horton £11.95 North of the Master Solvers’ Club Vine, Frank £11.95
Complete Book on Overcalls (2nd ed.) Lawrence, Mike £13.95 Bridge at the Enigma Club Winkler, Peter £11.95
Complete Book on Passed Hand Bidding Lawrence, Mike £13.95 The Lone Wolff Wollf, Bobby £15.95
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A disparate group of travelers meet by chance at a motel while on

The Pocket Guide to Even

A pocket-sized edition of 25 More Bridge Conventions

Tips on Competitive Bidding

Twenty years ago, Mike Lawrence published a series of short booklets

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New Kid on the Block

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Round the Robin

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The Squeeze that Worked (and Not)

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Father of the Nation

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Outplaying the Analyst

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South’s overcall was enough to eliminate no-trumps as a possible denomination.

Under the Radar

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