Our next monthly seminar is being presented on 7 October by Nigel Lancaster, the topic being Opening 1NT with a 5-card major.

You pick up a 5-3-3-2 hand within your no-trump range, 12-14 for most of us, and the 5-card suit is a major. Would you open this 1-Major or 1NT?

If you would always open such a hand 1NT, come to the seminar. If you would never open it 1NT, come to the seminar. If you're interested in the considerations that would indicate which course of action to adopt in specific circumstances, come to the seminar.

Our seminars are held in the Garden Room, begin at 6:45pm promptly, and last half-an-hour. They're free of charge to all-comers, and hand-outs are provided. If you'd like to come, and stay for our pairs event at 7:30pm, we'd be delighted to accommodate you, whether you've come with a partner or not [we operate a hosting system].

If you'd like to be added to our seminar mailing list, sent out during the week preceding each seminar, let us know.

Email Nigel for more information.

We learned last week that Len Handley died last weekend. We asked long-time friend and bridge-partner Chris Burley whether we would kindly let us have his reminiscences:

I first met Len in 1955 when I joined the Harrow bridge club, where he was already a well-established and successful member. His wife Elizabeth was also a prominent member of the club, where they won many events and had a team in the Harrow League, later to become the Middlesex League. I gave up playing bridge when I got married, but kept in touch with Len, who moved to Tunbridge Wells. He was again a successful member of the bridge club, and served for many years as secretary of the Kent County Bridge Association.

Later Len moved to Henley, and played for Wycombe in the Berks & Bucks league-of-8, whose team won the first division for several years in the 1980's and early 1990's. When one of their team-of-4 quartet, David Small, left the area,  Len knew by then that I had retired and was living in Beaconsfied, and persuaded me to take up bridge again. Len and I had a very happy partnership for many years, our successes including the B&B championship pairs twice and the county teams knock-out.

Sadly, Wycombe Bridge Club closed in the 1990's, but the four of us [Colin Harrison, Robin Gardner, Len, and I] transferred our affections to Burnham, where Len continued to play until four years ago. When advancing years forced Len to move to a residential care home, Steve Gore, David Beever, Graham Dickens, my wife Delia, and myself would visit him to play bridge once a month. We were able to celebrate his ninetieth birthday with him last January.

Chris

Len's funeral will be at 11:00 am on Monday 23 September at Amersham Crematorium, and afterwards at The Hit and Miss pub.

Charles Chisnall discussed "responding to partner's overcall".

So, you have overcalled and partner bids a new suit - is it forcing, invitational or to be passed?
What about if partner jumps in a new suit - forcing, invitational or to be passed?
What about if partner bids the opponents' suit - UCB  or something else?
What if the opener's partner bids - does that change any of the above for your bid now?
Then we have the question of Vulnerability to consider ...........

Something for you to think about between now and Monday evening: with which of these hands would you overcall 1♥ over a 1♣ opening bid?

1. ♠ xx  ♥ AQxxx  ♦ xxx  ♣ xxx
2. ♠ xx  ♥ AQxxx  ♦ Kxx  ♣ xxx
3. ♠ xx  ♥ AQxxx  ♦ KQx  ♣ xxx
4. ♠ xx  ♥ AQxxx  ♦ KQx  ♣ Axx
5. ♠ xx  ♥ AQxxx  ♦ KQx  ♣ AKx

We'll be fielding three teams again in the upcoming season, the 'A' and 'B' teams playing in Berks and Bucks divisions 1 and 2 respectively, and the 'C' team playing in the Chiltern League.

Our aim is to provide the opportunity for all interested members to play in one or other team. The team captains are Nigel Marlow [A], Graham Dickens [B], and Nigel Lancaster [C].

Note that the 'C' team, being outside of the Berks & Bucks system, can accommodate members also playing in Burnham or other clubs' B&B teams.

Those members whose vacation or other commitments limit their availability are nonetheless welcome to play an appropriately restricted part.

Our standard organisation for Monday evening is that we start play promptly at 7:30, play 26/27 boards, and finish at 10:45. In order for the Director to be able to start play at 7:30, the movement must have been entered into the computer, and boards[/movement cards] distributed, so he/she needs to know the number of participating pairs/teams by 7:25. If you know you won't arrive by 7:25, please notify either the Centre or your partner that you're on your way and your expected arrival time.

Club policy as validated by the recent members' vote is that 3-board sit-outs for pairs events are to be avoided and so, with a half-table, our standard movement will be based on 2-board rounds. Our Directors have been instructed that, once the movement for the evening has been selected, it should not be significantly changed to accommodate unnotified late arrivals, particularly where this might prejudice the prompt commencement of play.

The 29th annual team-of-24 match took place last evening [Thursday 15th August] between Ascot and Burnham.

Home advantage didn't prevail as our team of stalwarts regained the trophy. This is primarily a social event, very much enjoyed by all who take part. Still, coming home with the trophy adds a layer of icing to the cake.

The match details may be seen in the Results area on the right of this page.

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This year's AGM  and annual prize giving was held on June 10th.

The team completed its inaugural year in the Chiltern League with a 13-7 win away to Newbury A, leaving Burnham at the top of the division. Loddon Vale weren't able to manage the 20-0 victory needed in their final match to upset things [they lost 5-15].

Things have worked out pretty much as we'd hoped, providing opportunities for members who wouldn't otherwise have had the chance to represent the Club to take part. Some 15 members played for the team, with Colin Dale taking the role of administrative captain.

Thanks to all who've supported the Club in this venture: we hope that as many of you as possible will take part in the Chiltern Elimination Pairs heat at the Club on April 1st [see below].

Burnham members have already featured in the initial  Berks & Bucks CBA competitions of the 2018-2019 season:

• Heather & Matthew Tan won the Swiss Pairs for the Denys Jenkins trophy on 17th October 2018, with  David Owen & Bob Holder in joint 2nd place, Dick Davey & Paula Hopkinson in 4th place, and Liz Hayton & Angela Flintoft in 5th place
• David Owen & Bob Holder were placed second in the Mixed Swiss Teams for the Carole Mueller Trophy held at Windsor on Sunday 11th November, after finishing 1st equal with a Butler score of 74 - leading the field by a clear margin of 25, the final result being determined from the head-to-head boards. Evelyn Crossley & Eva Wallen finished in 4th place. 
• David Perkins & Phil Thornton playing with Carole & Herb Mueller were placed second in the Butler scored pairs for the Jarrett Cup held at Windsor on Sunday 2nd December.  As there was a 3-way tie for the 3rd place, this was awarded on the basis of the head-to-head tie-break results to Evelyn Crossley, David Owen, Bill  Godenzie & Charles Chisnall.
• Charles Chisnall, David Owen, Bill Godenzie & Evelyn Crossley won the Perkins Cup in the teams event played at Windsor on 17th February, with Nigel Wolfendale, Bob Holder, Dick Davey & Paula Hopkinson taking second place.

Forthcoming competitions are:

• The Senior Pairs for the Directors' Cup to be held at SBBC on 17th April 2019

We have twice weekly sessions of good standard Duplicate Bridge at the very attractive South Bucks Bridge Centre - a purpose-converted 16th Century barn in its own grounds, between Beaconsfield, Maidenhead and Slough 

Our main session is at 7.30 every Monday evening, when we play Pairs, except Teams of Four on the third Monday each month except when this is a bank holiday.  A host is available to play with anyone without a partner on Pairs evenings.

We use Bridgemates, for instant scoring, with current scores displayed on a large screen.  Hand records and results print-outs are available within a few minutes of the end of every session. 

Several teams from the Club compete in the Berks and Bucks League of 8, with the A team in the first division.  We also encourage less experienced players and hold monthly free seminars before the start of an evening session.