Our tip of this month is that, at the end of the auction, the calls from the bidding boxes should remain in place until the opening lead has been faced and all explanations have been obtained, after which they should be returned to this boxes.   This is a requirement of the rules.   The reason for it is to enable both the person making the opening lead to see what has been bid when deciding what to lead, and to enable him and his partner to see what questions they might have.

Our first tip is, when you are deciding what to bid, do not touch the bidding box or partly pull out a card until you have made your decision.   When you have decided, pull out the card that you want.   In the same vein, when, during play, you are deciding which card to play, do not partly pull out a card.   When you have decided, pull out and face the card that you want.

The reason for this is that such premature touching of the bidding box or cards gives a message that you have a choice - for example, you may be thinking about overcalling or passing.   This is not actually illegal under the laws of bridge but this information might be helpful to your partner.   Under the laws of bridge, it does give your partner what is called unauthorised information.   If your opponents are unhappy with this, they may well call the Director, who is likely to impose some constraints on your partner, such as requiring him to pass throughout the rest of the auction.

There has been a request to explain the movement of pairs and boards.   There are a number of possible movements that could be played but we always play what is called a straight Mitchell.   In this, pairs who start North/South remain North/South throughout, and stay at the table on which they have started.   At the end of the round, boards move down one table, i.e. boards at say table 13 move to table 12.   Boards at table 1 move to the highest number table.   Pairs who start East/West remain East/West throughout and move up one table at the end of a round, except when there is a skip round - i.e. pairs at say table 12 move to table 13.   Pairs at the highest number table move to table 1.   There will not be a skip round if there is an odd number of tables.   If there is an even number of tables, this movement will result in pairs meeting the   boards that they have already played half way round.   To avoid this, after the number of rounds which is equal to half the number of tables, East/West pairs move up two tables.

Our 'Tip of the Month' is about playing the hands in reasonable tempo.   Although it is entirely right and appropiate to spend a bit of time thinking when there is a need for it, consistently slow play is unfair to the majority of the players in the room.   The Directors have stated at the start of the play on several evening that, if they see a board that has not been started near the end - two minutes to go - of the allocated time for the round, the Director will tell the participants at the table not to play it and award an average or average minus depending on circumstances.

Our 'Tip of the Month' is not a point of law but one of etiquette, which also keeps the play moving.   It is simply that if you are the person making the opening lead, please do so before writing down the Contract on your score card, or anything else for that matter, to allow the Declarer to plan the play of his hand.