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.

I can't believe Christmas is almost here and I say this every year!  It just seems to sneak up on me and I realize once again I am not going to be ready for it again this year.  The funny thing is that it is my favorite holiday of the year.  I love the decorations and, yes, the holiday music that plays constantly from Thanksgiving to New Year on the radio!  It takes me back to wonderful childhood memories.  My parents loved it too and always made Christmas magical, so I am lucky in that respect.  Enough nostalgia let's get on to Bridge!   My team of wonderful planners, Kathy L'Hommedieu, Susan Banks-Johnson, Sam Khayatt and Kas Rangan, spent a Thursday afternoon planning the calendar events for 2025.   We have tournaments, special Limited games, PARTIES scheduled and a new SUNDAY GAME for 0-50 PLAYERS throughout the year so pay attention to the calendars we publish each month that Judy Cupps works so hard making!  On a sad note, we lost two players in our community last month, Hans Stromer and Mildred Breed.  I think there is a special place in Heaven where players are all pleasant at the table, the bids are all games and no one goes down!  Thomas and I are off to the Las Vegas Nationals and Palm Springs Regional so I won't be around the club for several weeks.  Fear not!  We have a great VP, Bob Ziegler, and a fabulous board.  Remember, this is a member owned club so every member is responsible for the club.  December is election time and we have 5 who have graciously agreed to run for the board.  Kathy L'Hommedieu, Kathy Naylor, Baines Manning, John Montgomery and Steve Bollinger.  My sincere thanks to all of you for volunteering to be on the board if elected.  Until next month....Janice Rush

What do you do if Dummy is laid down wrong such as putting a diamond in with the hearts when hearts are trump and who is responsible?   Law 41D instructs Dummy to lay down a sorted hand starting with trumps to their right side.  Usually the diamond with the hearts is an unintended mistake, however, what do you do if it costs a trick such as trumping a diamond when one exists in the trump stack?  Dummy cannot revoke:  Law 64B(3) says there is no automatic trick adjustment when the revoke is a failure to play any card belonging to Dummy.  The Director does have the option of awarding a trick or two to the defenders based on the premise that they were damaged by the trumping of the diamond.  The rules are meant to provide a reasonable outcome had the mistake not been made.  So an automatic adjustment in this case is not called for.

REVERSE DRURY

   Reverse Drury is used after partner opens a major suit in third or fourth seat.  Here are the conditions for using this convention:

• • • You are a passed hand
    • you have an invitational hand. (10 + points and at least 3 card support (i.e. a limit raise)  

Reverse Drury asks the question, "Partner, do you have a solid opening bid?" Would you consider going to game if I have a limit raise?

• Bid 2 Clubs to find out.  This shows nothing about clubs.
  • It allows you to get out at the 2 level if your partner is not on an opener.
  • If your partner has opened light, the 3 level might be too high.

Responding to Reverse Drury

There is more than one system of responses, but I am going to tell you about...

Simplest Method

• Re-bidding your suit at the lowest level shows a light opening in third seat.
• Bidding anything else shows a solid opener, a hand you would consider going to game opposite a limit raise.  
• If there is interference (suit or double) by the opponents, pass if you do not have a solid opener.  Your partner will have a chance to bid.

Responding to a positive response by opener.

• • With a minimum limit, just bid 2 of the major
  • With almost an opening bid and usually 4 trump, jump to 3 or perhaps even 4 of the major.

Use Reverse Drury with the following hands:

♠ AJ8                     ♥ Q4                     ♦ KJ76                ♣ 9765

♠ KQJ7                   ♥ 98                      ♦ A1075             ♣ 643

SPOTLIGHT ON ANN STARR 

Ann Starr and her husband Fred Infortunio may be found at BCOH usually playing in the FLM room. Make it a point to meet them sometime, as they are both very special, but this article's focus is on Ann.

Several years ago, Ann Starr was pretty depressed, having been widowed for a second time. A good friend convinced her to sign up for a group and post her information, and she finally did. Well, nearly four years ago Ann and Fred were married, AFTER she told him, "If you wanna marry me, you've gotta play bridge -- and you've gotta fly with me!" They struck a deal: a 20-year contract with a 5-year extension.

Fred agreed, but he had no idea how involved bridge was, as she got him to play with her at the Bridge Club of Houston.  Ann had played "social bridge" many years ago, and as luck would have it, they both took courses with Sam Khayatt, and they are on their way! He now has 60 MP; she has 70, and they are loving what they are learning as they continue to play with and against good players in competition --both at the club and in tournaments. Now let's talk about flying.

Ann and Fred have flown to some tournaments: Gatlinburg Regional, Galveston twice, and Bentonville AR. As most ACBL players, they really liked "America's Favorite Regional" at Gatlinburg. Fred says, "In two days at Gatlinburg, we came in 1^st or 2^nd in 4 of 8 of the sessions!" Ann adds that they also did quite well at Bentonville, with some 60%+ games.

Ann co-owns a plane with her partner Jim. Ann and Fred "go flying" at least every two to four weeks, whether it's to get lunch or go to a bridge tournament. Ann said that on the way to Gatlinburg, they landed at Kosciusko MS to refuel, and it was "a real experience." The plane is a Cessna 177, accommodates 4 passengers ("if they're skinny"), but usually 3 adults. When they fly to Oshkosh, they have to do some weight and balance adjusting, because of the luggage!

Both to and from Gatlinburg, Ann flew "instruments" (IFR, or Instrument Flight Rules).  She does the flying, which she has done for many years, and the plane lives at Hooks Airport in Houston. Fred had lessons and took the private pilot test, but decided to leave the flying to Ann, with insurance costs being one of the reasons. But Ann wants Fred to be able to land the plane if something happens to her, so she's taken measures to feel comfortable with that and says, "He's really a good co-pilot."

After many years of night school, Ann graduated from UH in 1996 with a B.S. in Electrical Engineering. She was then hired by Lockheed Martin and worked at NASA as a test engineer. She started Ground School in 1998, attending classes at night, and began flying in the afternoons -- all with a husband and 3 kids at home! (Nothing easy about all that!) Then flying lessons followed, and Ann became a licensed pilot in 2000 and got her instrument rating in 2003. Ann says, "After 9/11 I decided to make sure I knew instruments." Ann was qualified for VFR (Visual Flight Rules), but "after 9/11, VFR pilots were grounded." So, she then obtained that goal, too!

Ann and Fred are both very good conversationalists, and I want to add a bit more about them for you. Ann and Fred met online and talked in a chat room.  (He had said he had a girlfriend, but didn't know if it was going to work out or not. He came back looking for Ann about a month after their chat). By all means, get Ann to tell you the story about how they met in person at Starbucks in The Vintage!

Ann is a good cook, as is her whole family (daughter, two sons, a son-in-law, all!). She's a Southerner, so she loves "good 'ole Southern cooking -- squash, collard greens, jalapeño cornbread." I'd say she fits right in with all the good cooks at BCOH!  Ann added that her late husband was her sous chef and now so is Fred!

Thank you, Ann and Fred, for sharing your stories with us!

Thomas Rush
PlayBridgeWithThomas@gmail.com

In the recent District 16 Royal STAC, we had a hand I found remarkable.  (Played October 4, 2024, Friday AM game, Board 24)

North/South held 23 HCP but had no double-dummy makeable contract.

Despite their weakness, East/West with 17 combined HCPs can make any suit at the one-level.  The real surprise?  E/W had no 8-card or longer fit!

Here is the hand:

Despite the double-dummy analysis, South ended up in NT at eight of nine local tables.  When East stuck in a 1 Spade overcall, at least several Souths were able to use that to help them bring in 8 tricks -- with a spade lead, and the Ten marked with East, declarer at our table endplayed East with the end position being something like this:

When South played the diamond Ten, East won and had to give South the last two tricks by leading a spade.  Since West was known to be out of spades, this is called a "proven finesse".

   Many of our BCOH members will remember Mildred Breed, and with sadness we announce that she passed away on November 14 after a long illness. She is survived by her daughter Monica Snideman, son-in-law Warren Snideman and          granddaughters Cara (Nick), Madison, Maya, Macy and Molly, and daughter Rhiannon Breed, and grandsons Nathen, Luke, Dunk, and Avery.

  Mildred began playing bridge in her teen years and became a Grand Life Master and joined the world of bridge royalty, as she traveled the world in competitive bridge events. She won 17 NABC titles, and internationally she was a two-time          World Champion and ranked as high as 3rd in the World Bridge Federation. Shawn Quinn was a frequent partner, and they won the Smith Life Master Women's Pairs four years in a row. She will be missed, and we know she is having fun at        the Heavenly tables.

  If you would like to attend, a "Celebration of Life" and reception will be held for Mildred on Saturday, January 4th, 2025, at 4:00 at the Stone Chapel and the Lamb & Scroll in the English Village, at the Lanier Theological Library property,                located   at 14130 Hargrave Rd., Houston, TX 77070. No need to make a reservation; you will be welcome.

For Newer Players

Lessons, Lessons, Lesson & Practice, Practice, Practice

Beginning Bridge + with Susan Banks-Johnson                 

• Nov. 9, 23, 30, Dec. 7, 14, 21 at 9:30 am         
•  $10 per session/No reservation required     
• For more info:  BridgewithSusanandAndy@gmail.com   281-536-1451

Beginning Bridge with Susan Banks-Johnson and Andrew Remson           

• Jan. 4 - Apr. 27, 2025 at 9:30 am     
• $130 for the course     
• For more info:  BridgewithSusanandAndy@gmail.com   281-651-6550

0-50 Bridge Game                 

• Beginning Jan. 19, 2025 at 1:30 pm                     
• For more info:  BridgewithCarol@gmail.com    936-650-8180

In Person

• Lessons with Julie                  Tuesdays @ 9:30 AM
• Mentor Games                        2nd & 4th Tuesdays @ 10:30 AM
• 299er Games                           Every Saturday at Noon
• I/N Game less than 1000                  Fifth Tuesday of any month, check the calendar

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

Online at Choose Houston! (BBO)

• Mentor Games              1st & 3rd Mondays @ 7:00 PM
• Open Game                   Every Thursday @ 7:00 PM         
• 0-20 Game                     2nd Saturday @ 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 Events for December

Unit 174 STaC Week               December 2-7

Club Championship Games    December 11, 13, 14 and 31

Holiday Potluck                     December 14, 11am

Stardust Week                        December 16-21

ACBL Club Membership         December 30