November is here and the air is finally cooling down!   I opened the door this morning for the dog to go out and thought, I need a coat!   I am also still feeling the happiness with the success we have had this year with the Twenty Table Saturdays events!   The last one on Oct 19th had 9 full tables in the 299er game!  A big Thank You to Marilyn Knatz, Joyce Ryan and Sam Khyatt for making this happen.  We also kicked off our first Intermediate Limited Game for players under 1000 Masterpoints on the Fifth Tuesday of October and it was a wonderful success, we had 6 full tables! Our winners of the drawings received new bridge books.  It is so important to offer an opportunity for our I/N player to develop their skills so January we plan on adding a 0-50 game on Sundays, too.  This November is full of excitement in our club!  We will have STaC games, a 499er Tournament, and ACBL Pop-up games with Thanksgiving Potluck!  One thing I can say is that we are an active bridge club!   And if you want to celebrate with a special game, let us know so we can help you plan.   Finally, it is that time of year!   2025 are due and we need some good folks to run for the Board of Directors!  There are three positions to fill every year.  Please consider joining the team because you can make a difference!  Until next month....Janice Rush

We are looking for a few good folks to run for the Board of Directors.  These are three year terms and every member has a job helping the club run smoothly and continue to grow. Please let Joanna Hebner know if you are interested in running.  You can make a difference! 

Do you have a hidden talent just waiting to burst forth?  There are many ways we all make BCOH a wonderful club. To put your talents to use, contact:                                                                                     

CLICK HERE FOR TOURNAMENT FLYER

How would you play this hand?
by Jeff Kroll

NORTH

S - AK764
H - KT7
D - 76542
C -----

           SOUTH

S - Q5
H - AQ
D - AQ9
C - AKJ632

Question:

1. What is your suggested bidding with South as dealer? The opponents do not enter the bidding.

2. How would you play a contract of 6NT from the South hand given the lead of a low heart?

Answer

S- 2C (too strong to open 2NT.  Would plan to bid 2NT on my second bid:  22-24 points,  If we should have a club slam, hopefully we'll find it)

N -2S (5+ spades, 8+ hcp.  Sometimes I play this as showing 2 of the top 3 honors.)

S -2NT

N -3D (Already showed the spades and I have another 5 card suit and 10 hcp.  I wouldn't want to close it out at 3NT as we have 32-34 points.  That's slam territory)

S- 6NT (When North didn't close it out at 3NT and since North started with the spades.   6NT looks like the only reasonable alternative.)

I count: 3 spades, 3 hearts, 1 diamond, 2 clubs = 9 sure tricks.  I need 3 more!

Line of play 1

If spades are 3-3, I can make 5 spade tricks, but then I need the King of hearts as an entry, I count 5 spades, 2 hearts, 1 diamond (2 if the finesse works)
2 clubs = 11 possible tricks with a lot of luck.

Line of play 2

A reasonable play, unless the defense is really kind, is to play for a 4-3 club split and the Queen being with the 3 cards.
So, I play AK of clubs and a small club and hope the Queen appears.  I count: 3 spades, 3 hearts, 1 diamond, 5 clubs = 12 total tricks.

Line of play 3

The last alternative is to set up the diamonds: 4 tricks in spades and hearts, I will need to reach the dummy twice in a major suit to use the long diamonds (diamond finesse, reach long diamond,
4 diamonds if I am lucky enough for the diamond finesse to work and the diamonds to go 3-2, 2 club tricks = 10 total tricks.

The reasonable choice is number 3. Luckily the Queen of clubs was with the 2 small.

Third Hand High? Part 2

by Thomas Rush

PlayBridgeWithThomas@gmail.com

Previously we looked at an exception to the 'second hand low' rule, and last month we looked at one common exception to 'third hand high'.  Were you able to find other exceptions?   This month we'll take a look at one exception that also comes up fairly often.  It's important, because getting it right is often the difference between a Declarer making his contract or you getting a plus score for the set!  Read on...

Last month's article discussed a situation like:

            Dummy

            ♠Q75

                                    You

                                    ♠KT4

You'll remember that we want to save our King until Dummy's Queen is played... so if Declarer plays low to trick 1, we put in the Ten, instead of going up with our King.

The above works when we surround Dummy's honor with our cards.  But what if Dummy has two or three small cards?  Can it ever be right to play something besides your highest card?  Surprisingly, it can, at least in the one case we'll describe here... and using this technique is one of the defender's most powerful plays against a No-Trump contract.

Suppose partner leads a small heart against 3NT, and you see this situation

                        Dummy                                   Auction:

                        ♠AQJ5                                    South               West                North               East

                        ❤T4                                         1D                   P                      1S                    P

                        ♦A8532                                   1NT                 P                      3N                   P

                        ♣K7                                         P                      P

                                    You

            led: ❤5                       ♠K862

                                                ❤AQ6

                                                ♦Q

                                                ♣T8532

You are thrilled at the heart lead, and taught to play 'third hand high', you hop up with the Ace and, proud of yourself, you continue with the Queen which also wins the trick.  Sadly, when you follow up with the six... your hopes of a quick set are dashed when Declarer produces the King after his obligatory and insightful hold-up play.  Declarer continues to play the hand well, making sure that your partner doesn't have a chance to get in and run his heart tricks until after Declarer has nine or ten tricks in front of him.  Ugh! Was there nothing you could do?

It turns out that you held victory in the palm of your hand, but let it slip through.

                        Dummy                                   Auction:

                        ♠AQJ5                                    South               West                North               East

                        ❤T4                                         1D                   P                      1S                    P

                        ♦A8532                                   1NT                 P                      3N                   P

                        ♣K7                                         P                      P

Partner                                    You

♠T97                led: ❤5           ♠K862

❤?9752                                  ❤AQ6

♦64                                          ♦Q

♣J96                                       ♣T8532

                        Declarer

                        ♠43

                        ❤?83

                        ♦KJT97

                        ♣AQ4

You know from the auction that Declarer and Dummy, having gotten to 3NT easily, have about 25-26 points between them.  You have 11.  Partner may have no more than a king.

When your partner has the King of Hearts, it doesn't matter if you play the Ace or Queen of hearts at trick 1.  But quite often, partner will have just the Jack of Hearts (Jxxxx on a good day), and he won’t have an entry outside hearts for you to get to his suit.

In that case (Partner has led from the J, and Declarer has Kxx) it matters a lot which card you play at trick 1.  If you play the Ace, Declarer knows it's perfectly safe for him to duck the first two hearts and win the third - the contract is safe any time Declarer can keep your partner West off lead.

But suppose you play the Queen at trick 1.  Declarer doesn't know which of the two situations below he is dealing with:

A:         ❤T4                                                    B:         ❤T4

❤Jxxxx           ❤AQx                                     ❤AJxxx          ❤Qxx

            ❤Kxx                                                              ❤Kxx

When the cards are like they are in A, Declarer can  duck and the contract is safe so long as he keeps West off lead.

When the cards are like they are in B, if Declarer ducks, you will continue hearts, and your team will take the first five heart tricks.  Declarer's only winning play with this lie of the cards is to take the first trick and hope to take the first nine tricks.

And remember, if your partner has the King, it doesn't matter whether you play the Ace or Queen from AQx - so why not make the play that gives Declarer the worst possible problem?  Don't play third hand high with this holding!

IMPORTANT NOTE:

This "third hand not quite high" situation described above is only true 1) with AQx, 2) against No Trump contracts when Dummy has small cards. 

1. Do not use it when Dummy has small cards and you have AJx, KTx, and similar - go with the rule of 'third hand high'.
2. Do not use it when Dummy has small cards, and you have something like KJx.  I've seen many contracts made when third hand tries to "get cute" and play, say, J from KJx on his partner’s lead (Dummy has xx(x).  Sure, it doesn't matter which you play, if your partner has the Queen (other than your partner will never believe you have the King and will often get the rest of the defense wrong!).  Unfortunately, partner often leads from ATxx(x) against No Trump, and by playing your Jack, you've let Declarer score an undeserved trick with his Queen, and often given him time to make an otherwise unmakeable contract!  Play third hand high with small cards in Dummy unless you have AQx.

There may be other situations where this kind of play comes up, but we'll leave those for the experts. 

I hope this situation will come up for you soon so you can use it!  In our next article, we'll talk about a situation where careless defenders often give up a trick - or more - and it's an easy situation to get right every time.

I hope you are enjoying bridge at BCOH as much as I am! What a nice physical facility, loaded with good cooks looking for excuses to bring food and so many friendly players! After being exiled from all ACBL events for two years because I would not be bullied into taking a vaccine I didn't want, I am so enriched by having BCOH to resume my playing. (I'm not winning many MPs, but that's not the reason I play.)

Please let me know what you would like to read about in this column. One of our members suggested a spotlight on the Millers, and I know you enjoyed reading about this outstanding couple. They mean a lot to BCOH and BCOH means a lot to them! Keep those suggestions comin'!

One thing I'd like to know about has to do with you: What is your "pet peeve" about duplicate bridge? Maybe it's something about tournaments, or maybe it's about some habits players may not even know they have. Maybe it's about something you do - like losing count and then going down on a sure contract. Maybe you get distracted by the slow play of another, or maybe you get distracted because you forgot to turn off the coffee pot before you left the house. Many of our pet peeves are at ourselves. I remember many long years ago when I started learning the Negative Double, I just couldn't get it! To save my life, it didn't make sense to me. I was so flustered. But finally, the light bulb came on. So stupid. Really. But it happened.

Send me your "pet peeve" (cell phone 281-642-4050, email carolwilson@earthlink.net). Or just tell me about them when you see me. Everything will be completely anonymous! Your secret will be safe with me. (I worked for lawyers for 50 years. Can you guess how many secrets I'm taking to my grave?) Others may share your pet peeve and may enjoy reading about it. It could be anything. Surprise me! Surprise yourself! It doesn't even have to make sense. It could even be stupid. Doesn't matter. Inquiring minds would like to know.

The Holidays are almost here, aren't they? Party dates are already being booked, and venues are filling up. When you have a little lull in your plan-making, let me hear from you.

See you at the tables!

Carol Wilson

Annual membership dues of $25 will be collected beginning November 1.  Payments must be made by January 4 to qualify to vote for Board members.  You can pay any of these ways:
  -  $25 in cash or by check at the club
  -  $25 by check mailed to the club:  4688 Louetta Rd., Spring TX 77388
  -  $25 by Zelle to thebridgeclub@sbcglobal.net.  Please do not try Zelle if your account is at Bank of America, because we have an unresolved issue preventing Zelle from B of A to our account.

For Newer Players

In Person              

Playing on Saturday?  Contact Kas Rangan at 539-210-1333 for info or a partner.  Check the BCOH website calendar for up-to-date information! 

Beginning Bridge + Lessons with Susan Banks-Johnson to be held on Saturdays, Nov. 9, 16, 23, Dec 7, 14, & 21 at 9:30 am at BCOH. 
Pre-registration not required.  $10 per session.

Online at Choose Houston! (BBO)

         Online Mentor Games are 1st & 3rd Mondays @ 7:00 PM

         2nd Saturday (1-20) @ 9:00 AM (usually)

BBO Virtual club games

When you play on BBO, we ask that you play in SE Carolina or Choose Houston games whenever possible.

Choose Houston has an open game every Thursday at 7 p.m. and a mentor/mentee game on the first and third Mondays at 7 p.m.  To be a mentee, a player must have fewer than 300 masterpoints and must pay for their own entry as well as the entry of their mentor.  If you need a mentor or wish to mentor someone, please contact Mike Linkins via Email:  mlinkins@swbell.net.

The BCoH home page has a link to SE Carolina's website and a schedule for Choose Houston games.

And always check the BCOH Website for more!

    Regular Club Game Schedule                                                         

BCOH Specific November Events

                          November 4-10            Unit 174 STaC

                         November 14-17          499er Sectional

                         November 23               Thanksgiving Luncheon

What is the Dummy's role at the table?  As the name suggests, it is to sit there 'dumb and take instructions from the Declarer!  Law 42 says Dummy is allowed to prevent Declarer from playing the wrong suit out of their hand, "are you out of ....", play the card instructed by Declarer, prevent an irregularity by telling Declarer which hand he is playing from after the card is called from the wrong side, not before, keep count of tricks won and lost, give information in the presence of the Director and point out a revoke AFTER the hand is through being played.

What the Dummy cannot do (Laws43):  Communicate anything about the play to Declarer which includes pointing to a suggested card to play, tapping the table to indicate which side the next play is from, ask to see the cards that have been played by opponents or telling the Declarer why they are laying out the cards in a particular way for NT.  The layout is usually a partnership agreement, but Dummy cannot remind Declarer.  (Suit contracts must always lay trump to Declarer's left).

The Director is allowed to penalize a Dummy's side for repeated violations so call the Director if Dummy is not behaving. So, the next time you are Dummy, do just that, be Dumb and follow instructions!

We use a point count system to evaluate hands.  That should just be a starting point.  There are many factors that influence how good a hand is. A hand might "bloom or wilt" as the bidding proceeds.

Factors for hand evaluation:

·High Card points and distribution points are just a rule of thumb.

·Location of honors

·Fit with partner

·Quality of suits

·Distribution

·10s and 9s

·Loser count

·Counting as declarer points (length points) --- or dummy points (shortness)?

Negative Features:

·Honor doubletons KQ, QJ, Qx, Jx generally worth less than HCPs suggest.

·Honor Singletons

·Honor combinations not accompanied by a small card

·Honors in opponent's suit when supporting partner’s suit

·Honors in suits bid by left hand opponent

·4-3-3-3 distribution

·Shortness in partner's first bid suit (may be duplication of values)

·Lots of Queens and Jacks (referred to as "Quacks")

Positive Features

·Honors in long suits

·Two or Three honors in long suits (even better)

·Honor sequences in long suits (best)

·Honors in partner's suit

·Honors in your suit when overcalling

·Intermediate cards (8s, 9s, 10s) especially if headed by an honor

·Honors in suits bid by right hand opponent's

·2 long suits 5-5, 6-5, 6-4

Using Losing Trick Count to decide whether to open a hand.

·In each suit count missing Aces, Kings, and Queens.

·Stop counting after 3 cards

·The average opening hand has 7 losers

AT94
KT87

J

QJT65

This hand has 2 losers in spades,2 losers in hearts, 1 loser in diamonds,2 in clubs (7).  It also has 3 10s and a 9.  It also has 3 honors in clubs. Open this 11 HCP hand.

___________________________________________________________

A643

K764

K

JT872

I would recommend passing. (Except, optional in 3^rd or 4^th seat.)

Using Rule of 11plus 2 to decide whether to open the bidding.

·Add the length of your 2 longest suits and HCPs and if it adds to 20 consider opening the hand

o   IF you have 2 taking tricks

o   AND most of your honors are in your long suits

         Newsletter Submissions for December due November 15.