Muggitorial

Referring back to Issue No.3 you may have found it strange to read about getting your A.G.M. notification 'a bit early' when, in fact, you got it too late. The E.B.U.'s distributors decided that an enclosure dated 'March' should be held over until May. One thing the EBU did do well (with Staffordshire's help, naturally) was the Green Pointed One Day Event. This added to our coffers and the money will be used to replace some of our trophies, etc.

The Bearn Semi-Final has been under fire for some years now. It's critics will be pleased to hear of it's demise; it will be replaced by a 22 pair Final. To ensure that all clubs will know their entitlement of qualifiers, they must inform the Committee by November 30th of the number of entries they expect from their club (this may be a 'guesstimate).

The suggestion that 'Shopshire' be incorporated in our County title failed to muster sufficient support. Personally I found the arguments a bit vague and the lack of a vociferous Shropshire contingent (they did speak, but not loudly) probably led to a conservative conclusion.

The 'no smoking' rule imposed. by the E.B.U. was discussed at length at the A.G.M. and it was decided that Staffordshire was in favour. This does not affect, in any way, our own County competitions. (But those who have been given a fag-end will soon want a cigar).

The County Committee have decided that the Third and lower divisions of the League will play 24 board matches instead of 28. It is expected that this will guarantee a half-past ten finish, which may encourage more players to give teams of four league bridge a try.

COUNTY RESULTS 1984 - 85 (for other results see Bulletin No.2.)

Harold Goodwin's team was playing in the fourth round of the Hubert Phillips teams of four; on one board Harold obtained a score of 60. How?
Honours count in this competition: Opponent's played in one notrump just making and Harold claimed 150 for holding four aces:

SYSTEMS, CONVENTIONS, TREATMENTS AND THINGS

A lot of experimentation is being done with two and three -level openings, and it is not uncommon to find that your opponents have put some of them to exotic, and often, esoteric uses.

The Opening Bid of Three Clubs
is a popular choice for treatment because it is the least effective pre-empt and it leaves room for exploration at the three level. The club suit is also the bane of Big Club systems and certain, difficult to bid, hands with long clubs can be dealt with by releasing the three club opening from its normal pre-emptive role.

1. 12 - 15 high card points.
2. 7+ card club suit of quality, i.e. AKQxxxx, AQJxxxx, KQJ10xxx or better.
3. If the suit is solid (AKQ10xxx or better) then the hand will contain an outside ace or king - without an outside control you can open a gambling three notrumps.
4. If the hand contains two aces then one of them is the ace of clubs.

This is a difficult hand to show in a Big Club system, and isn't so easy in Acol either. Defining the hand is simple. Devising a system of continuations that are reasonably efficient is the hard part. After much sweat and toil (and an occasional peek at other people's ideas), I have come up with the following scheme:

Let us look at some (carefully chosen) examples.

• #1 no guard in this suit
• #2 has guard, but not in this suit
• #3 has both majors held
• #4 cue-bid agreeing diamonds
• #5 asking bid in hearts
• #6 singleton

THE BEARN FINAL - Roy Martin

Or, the Saturday night I felt a sore throat beginning; on Sunday morning sneezing and a runny nose began. At the start of the Final my bones started to ache in sympathy with my head. I was in the ideal state to play bridge! Some unkind souls might attribute our success to the presence of my cold, stating that the quality of my bridge when I am fit would not be sufficient to lead to a winning score. These comments are (I hope) merely sour grapes.

The Final was in two sections. First a 10 table scrambled Mitchell, and after tea, two 5 table Howells. Paul Leese (aka Bellapel) and myself had built up a comfortable lead from the first section and we started the second half with high hopes.

The first board, against Geoff Davies and Arthur Bloxham, saw us holding the following cards:

Stafford Bridge Club Results

Alsager Bridge Club Results and Report

The most significant event of the season was the formation of the County Inter-Club Teams by Mike Horsley, the Club Captain. This years competition will take place on Sunday 1st September at Alsager B.C.

At County level, the best result was achieved on the last day of the season when Joyce Maddock and Barbara Tams came second in the Ladies pairs. In the League, Joyce's team narrowly missed promotion from the Fourth Division.

Dennis and Elsie Brookes finished third in the County Flitch, and Shiela Allport and Dennis Bell came fourth in the Swiss Pairs. Shiela and her Sandbach teammates came within two imps a place in the Semi-final of the Staffs. Cup. Martyn Harris' team with Barbara Kitchenham and Ian Pendlebury, finished runners-up in the First Division.

At National level Barbara Kitchenham and John Rudolf were third in the Regional Master's Pairs. This was the first time they had ever played together. Barbara and Pauline Rudolf finished sixth in the National Women' s Pairs Ian Pendlebury, John Smith and the Rudolf's finished second in the B.B.L. Swiss Tams at Buxton.

Shrewsbury Bridge Club Results

A new event, The Open Shropshire Teams of Four League, was successfully organised by Brian Nicholls. 16 teams entered playing 7 times during the winter months, with Malcolm Mitchell's team winning by one point in the last match. Malcolm also captained a team in the Sullivan Powell Challenge competition which qualified for the Final to be played in London.

RUFFING FINESSE - a device for discovering that the normal finesse would have worked.
TRUMP REDUCTION - having your trumps drawn by the defenders so that they can cash their outside winners without the danger of ruffs.

COMMENTS FROM THE MEMBERSHIP SECRETARY - Ian Pendlebury

After I had been persuaded to accept the job of County Membership Secretary in May last year, I realised that the County Association was within reach of two milestones:

1. to improve upon the County's best ever year of 273 members, which was achieved in 1975.
2. to achieve a membership of at least 301, at which point the County would be permitted a second E.B.U. delegate and a third entry in the Reg Corwen Trophy.

In 1983/84 the County had 262 members, which meant that the second milestone represented an increase of about 15%. Over the previous 5 years the average increase had been only 2% per annum.

The first target was achieved early in November and the second by mid-December. The final figure was 307 members, representing an increase of 17% over the previous year. Neither target would have accomplished without the considerable efforts of Club Representatives, who collected the subscriptions. The following people deserve recognition for their efforts on behalf of the County:

• Basford - Roy Martin
• Chasetown - Alan Tabbernor
• Newcastle - Harold Goodwin
• Newport - Steve Hiscock and Arthur Wilkinson
• Oswestry - Norman Vossey
• Sandbach - Shiela Allport
• Shrewsbury - Judy Mitchell
• Stafford - Geoff. Davies
• Tettenhall - Paul Barrow
• Wolverhampton - Barbara. Johnson

(Editorial Comment: I'm sure all of the above will agree that being badgered, bullied, and pestered by Ian also had a lot to do with their success. Strange that Alsager don't get a mention - their Club Rep. must be pretty hopeless!)

Analysis of Membership Change:

1. New Members - Over 40 new members joined the County in 1984/85. A large part of this increase was provided by Shropshire (Newport in particular). In 1983/84 there were about 20 Salop residents in the County association, whereas there are now over 50.
2. Conversions from, other Counties - Normally members leaving the County will balance members joining from other Counties. However, in 1984/85 the County gained ten extra members in the exchange. This situation is unlikely to be repeated in future years.
3. Non-renewing members - The E.B.U. has a drop-out rate of about 12% pear annum, with Staffordshire's rate being about 10% in recent years. However, in 1984/85 the drop-out rate was reduced to 6%. This reduction was probably brought about by an earlier start to subscription collection.

Conditions Which Helped to Increase Membership:

1. English Bridge - The new magazine has a considerably better format than the old Quarterly, Sir issues for an E.B.U. subscription of six pounds is good value.
2. S.C.B.A. Bulletin - The Bulletin reappeared in August 1984 after an absence of over a year. As it is now distributed with English Bridge it reaches more County members than previously.

General Comments :

Over half of Newcastle 's 120 members are also members of the E.B.U. Shrewsbury and Stone are similar in size but only one-tenth of their members are E.B.U. members. The reasons for this are historical; Newcastle members have been strong supporters of the County for many years, whereas Shrewsbury joined the County about 4 years ago and Stone rejoined the County after an absence of many years.

Conclusion.

Given the low E.B.U. membership in many clubs, there is no reason why the County membership should not increase to 400 within a few years. However, based on the performance of the County over the previous decade, membership could easily drift back to 250.

[Editorial Comment- Under the heading "Conditions which help to increase membership" we should also consider County competitions. The County Committee must get these right, because for those who don't care to play in E.B.U. events the County bridge scene is of paramount importance.]

COUNTY COMPETITIONS

1. Bearn Cups (0pen Pairs)
   1. Initial entry fee is currently 70p.
   2. Clubs may use any method to produce a ranking list of their entrants.
   3. The County designates the number of qualifiers from each club; this is calculated from the expected number of entrants (i.e. the number of £1.40's sent to the County).
   4. A 22 pair final, comprising the qualifiers, is played in late April or early May.
   5. Green points are awarded for the final.
2. Staffs. Cup (Knock-out Teams of Four)
   1. Entry fee is £2 per team for each match won i.e. if you lose a match you don't pay.
   2. All League clubs are automatically entered in the first round draw, unless they express a wish not to be included. Non-league teams who wish to play rust contact the League Secretary.
   3. Team captains are notified of whom they are to play and whether they are drawn home or away.
   4. 32 board matches for the early rounds. 40 for the Semi-final. 48 for the final. For a complete 3 set of rules see the League Secretary.
   5. Green points are awarded throughout.
3. Flitch
   1. Restricted to married pairs only, only one of which needs be an E.B.U. member.
   2. Entry via the notice posted on your club notice board.
4. Restricted Pairs
   1. Restricted to County Master and below.
   2. Entrants do not need to be members of the E.B.U.
   3. Entry via your club notice board.
5. Ladies Pairs, Mens Pairs, Mixed Pairs, Individual
   1. Entry via club notice board.
6. League Teams of Four
   1. Entries to any member of the League Committee.
   2. New teams will start in the lower divisions.
7. 'Top Club' Multiple Teams of Four
   1. Run during the Summer months on specific Wednesdays. See your club notice board or your County Representative.
8. General
   1. Staffs. Cup, Leagues, 'Top Club' - inquiries to the League Secretary.
   2. All other competitions - inquiries to the Competitions Secretary.

FOUR LOSERS PLUS A GRANDMASTER EQUALS TEN WINNERS by Bob Beech

Holding the South hand in a recent Dawes inter - county match against Warwickshire Phil Topley opened the bidding with 1H.

The beauty of the hand lies in the fact that if West holds four or more clubs (so that the ace cannot be ruffed out) Declarer continues as before and simply ruffs Dummy's last club before cashing his remaining top trump. He is now left with a losing trump and a losing diamond but he has made ten tricks: AK of trumps, AK of diamonds, AQ of spades, one spade ruff in Dummy and three club ruffs in hand. At trick 12 he still has three winners outstanding against him (two trumps with West and a diamond with East), but the opposition have run out of time and East's winning diamond is ruffed by West's winning trump. It does no good for West to rise with his club ace at trick 2 as this permits Declarer to take a ruffing finesse against East's club king to obtain a diamond discard.

The moral of the story? Well it could be not to double Grandmasters, or if you do to make the correct lead; alternately it could be to keep an eye on the Grandmasters if you wish to improve your game.

(Editorial addition: Captain Turf played this hand, undoubled, and on the lead of the queen of hearts. Taking this he led the 10 of diamonds, queen, ace, small and then finessed the spade, cashed a spade and ruffed his last spade in Dummy. Back to hand with the king of hearts he led the three of diamonds to the king and played the nine of diamonds in the manner of a man contemplating a ruffing finesse.. Not giving any­thing away R.H.O. smoothly played low and discovered he had given Declarer his tenth trick.

Grandmaster would, no doubt, infer from his partners diamond cards that his jack would hold (and/or recognise an entryless Dummy) - the moral being that if you wish to make rotten contracts keep an eye on Grandmasters... and avoid playing against them!)

Newcastle Bridge Club Results

Newport Bridge Club Results

Teams of Four: P. Baker, S. Hiscock, A. Soar, J. Soar
Championship Pairs: N. Simpson, P. Hiscock
Individual: J. Lewis

Basford Bridge Club Results

Success

Charles Foster and Barbara Ellis finished second in the Championship Pairs at the Bedford Congress held in June.

QUESTION: In how many ways can you score 710 in Duplicate Bridge?
ANSWER: 1NTXX (V); 1NTXX +1(NV); 2CXX + 1 (NV); 2CXX (V); 3SXX (NV); 4CX +2 (NV); 4CX (V); 4S + 3 (V); 4NTX + 1 (NV); 5S + 2 (V).

QUESTION: In how many ways can you score 1470 in Duplicate Bridge?
ANSWER: 6NT + 1 (V); 4NTXX + 1 (V); 4NTXX + 3 (NV) ; 3DX + 4 (V) ; 2SXX + 4. (V) ; 1SXX + 5 (NV); 1SXX +2 (V).

RULES AND ETHICS - 1985 Yearbook

The major change this year concerns the alerting procedure:

You must alert any bid which is

(a) Conventional e.g.s an Acol 2C opening, Stayman, Benjaminised 2D, etc.

(b).Natural but which is used by the partnership in a way that their opponents may not anticipate e.g. 1C - 1H- 2D, you play Sputnik doubles after an overcall and although 2D is natural you have agreed that the bid is non-forcing. You must alert the 2D bid.

But you do not alert any bids above 3NT if your partnership has previously bid i.e. cue-bids, Gerber, Blackwood, splinters etc. However pass, double or redouble where they fall within the categories (a) and (b) above must still be alerted.

Double of any bid at the one, two or three level (when partner hasn't bid) is defined as for take-out. If it is a penalty double, you must alert.

Double in circumstances other than above is for penalties i.e. if partner, or yourself, has previously bid (or passed to show values) then double is for penalties. If it is for take-out in your methods then you must alert.

Editor: Roy Martin, 1 Baron St, Fenton, ST4 3PH.