Learn to Play Bridge

Plus: Individual and group coaching at any time - 07710 867982 - sue@aylesburyvalebridge.com

Common two-hour topic seminars for two, three and four players:
responding to partners overcalls: learning and using weak two openings properly: Transfers: 5-card Stayman. Managing big hands. Defence.

This is hand 16 from August 24th, which TD-on-the-night Richard sent to me.  There is a comfortable slam on for East-West - in fact, as the cards lie, they can make all 13 tricks with either hearts or clubs as trumps.  But nobody bid the slam - and a couple of pairs didn't even reach game.

For a starter, let's look at the East hand.  This is far more valuable than its 17 High Card Points suggest.  It's worth at least 8 tricks in its own right, which would make it worth a traditional Acol 'strong two' opening, if only the main suit weren't clubs!  I personally would not open this with a game-forcing 2♣, but start with a quiet 1♣, hoping to get across my strength later.

If partner can make the slightest squeak in response to 1♣, or even if partner opens ahead of me with a 'Weak Two' opening, then I would immediately assume that game is on, whilst thinking about the possibility of a slam.  If West opens with 1♥ (the hand is just short of the 'Rule of 20' mark, but some players will think it's just too good for a Weak Two), then slam is a serious prospect.

However, it often happens that it's very hard to find out whether West has just the right cards for you.  Suppose the auction starts 1♣ - 1♥ - 1♠ - 3♥.  The last bid from West shows a 6-card heart suit and a better-than-minimum response (about 9-11 HCP) - not dissimilar to a good Weak Two opening.  If West were to hold ♥ Q J 10 x x x, and a few diamond honours, slam is a poor prospect.  But with West holding ♥ K Q x x x x, the slam looks very good.

Blackwood is not much good in cases when you have a void - what use is it to know that partner has the ♦A?

I fear that the only sensible way to reach the slam is to trust your evaluation of the hand and just go for it!  Or is it the only way...?

It was nice to see so many new faces at our Open Evening. Most are in their early stages of bridge development and still on courses but all agreed that whilst the bridge was a bit scarey - the food and drink that regular members brought was very good indeed! Hats off to mentor/teachers Martin Hilder, Nick Doe, Simon Husband and Abbey Smith for bringing along their proteges and a particular congrats to new player Tanya Guiver for easily coming top. My partner Steve Baker (Yes! Tessa's Other Half)  was no slouch either, scoring 64%

 We are delighted to welcome Abbey Smith to AVB. Partnering Sandra Landy, Abbey won the European championships in Malta in 1999 for Great Britain, the youngest person ever to do so. A record unlikely to be broken.
Abbey joins us with her four proteges. We have already met Caroline and Mary and we look forward to meeting the other girls very soon.

Universal Membership

The EBU's Universal Membership scheme was launched successfully on April 1st 2010. All members of Aylesbury Vale have been registered as members of the EBU, although we still need more contact details for a small handful of members.

Players who weren't previously members of the EBU that earned Master Points in the past should have had Master Point certificates printed and given to them.  For the last six months, though, I have been hoarding these, and have registered these directly with the EBU now that you are all members.  If you are holding on to any other certificates, whether from Aylesbury Vale or other sources, you can still send these in to the EBU to be registered, providing that the certificates are no more than three years old.

Ian Mitchell

Our England Junior Under 21s have received a late invitation to attend the World Championships in Philadelphia. The invitation was a surprise and the Under 21s are doing all they can to raise funds to be able to attend the event taking place in October.   We hope that they will be able to go one better than the Silver Medal they received in the Beijing World Mind Sports Games in 2008.
Aylesbury Vale Bridge has donated £100 to this very worthy cause and wish them the very best of luck!

Mini Bridge is a simple intro to the game used by all good teachers. In fact it is a very good game in its own right. Most established bridge authors don't much bother with the subject, preferring to stick to the intricicies of the big game.
Many of the existing publications are joyless and dire.

Very Easy Mini Bridge is a 20 page full colour, spiral bound, laminated publication. As you would expect from this author, it is full of fun, humour and is very, very easy to understand.
This booklet is ideal if you want to teach your children or grandchildren the rudiments of the game. 
Bridge author, Andrew Kambites comments 'this booklet is typical Sue Maxwell - and that is a compliment'
If you would like a copy, email Sue at sue@aylesburyvalebridge.com
20% discount applies to all members present and past of AVB, P&O cruisers and EBUTA teachers.