Easy Bridge Hertford is an independently-run service founded by Paul and Patricia Quayle in 2000.  We specialize in duplicate play at a "no fear" standard.  Click "Calendar" on left for duplicate sessions.

Play:  Mondays at 2:00 pm:  Duplicate Ladder Pairs (with "find me a partner" host service), based online via RealBridge.

All dates are on the website:  click "Calendar" in left side menu.

Updates & Events for 2025-26

• Click "Calendar" in the lefthand menu for all scheduled dates to June 2026.
• We try to avoid a sitout table at most sessions, so usually 20 to 21 boards played by all.
• You can join any Monday session any time from 1:40 pm.  In our lefthand menu or righthand tab, click "Calendar" or "RealBridge Login" .  Keep your login name consistent for every session.  Please leave the lobby area no later than 1:55 pm and take your seat with partner.
• Scores are available throughout the session and at the end, both on the RealBridge site and on this site within a few minutes (see post mortem advice below). You can review hands in detail at your leisure.
• Please ensure that your table money account remains in credit or at zero balance (£4.00 per session). We send a standard email reminder for any overdrawn account, but not for zero balances. Email us for payment details at easybridgehertford@gmail.com or on 01992 589660. If using "Payee Verification", name "Howard Quayle" works best. New players are welcome, but please contact us first.
• Note on Undo requests: If you mis-click in your bidding box (without changing your mind), you can click "request undo" provided partner has not subsequently called. Opponents should normally allow the undo without calling the Director. Any legal replacement call stands.  If you mis-click in card play, please do not request an undo as opponents are not required to allow it.
• Announcing and alerting: EBU Rules have been updated. In our menu click "Announcing & Alerting" for a summary.
• Monday hand post mortems:  there are many ways (perhaps too many!) to do this, including logging back in to RealBridge.  For simplicity, we recommend starting from the results page on our website, then click your partnership names in the ranking list.  Select the board you want to review, then click "Play" on your partnership line to open BridgeWebs software linked to BBO graphics (best not to select BSOL graphics if offered a choice).  You can now review and re-play the hand with all names and orientations shown.
• IPads, MacBooks, iMacs & Lenovo laptops:  If you are using one of these devices you might be experiencing audio/visual etc. problems, depending on software. Fixes are available from RealBridge on their website:  click "Contact", then click under "Video and Sound Support Options".  www.realbridge.online;  support@realbridge.online;  07942 322209.
• Windows using Microsoft Edge Browser:  If you have installed the latest browser version, it might be adding icons to the bidding box. Fix this via the RB website as above:  click on the last option listed under "Windows".

Christmas Quiz Hand 2025: scroll to bottom for the solution from 8th January.

Congratulations and free bridge to Bill Hill and Geoff Cordingley!

It's always worth checking this page between noon and 1:00 pm each scheduled Monday.  The "next session" notice below will be altered from OPEN to CLOSED for the relevant day.  Check no earlier than 12:00 noon.


NEXT SESSION:  Open

Christmas Quiz Hand 2025: Solution

West has arrived in a 3NT contract following a routine auction in which North opened a weak two in hearts.  On the lead of the heart jack, how do you think west should play the hand, assuming:

A:  Duplicate Match Point Pairs scoring;  B:  Other scoring formats.

A:  Declarer counts 7 top tricks and aims for 3 more from clubs, ie 10 tricks.  So, win heart ace at trick 2, voiding south in hearts.  Unblock the diamond queen and cross to club ace, noting the 4-0 club break.  Cash diamond AK and run the remaining top clubs.  On this unlucky layout you will be held to 7 tricks (3 clubs, 3 diamonds, 1 heart) for minus 100, but so will everyone else, so 50% score.  Note that south must rise with a club honour on the second round to cut declarer off from dummy.  Declarer must not let south in since the spade ace with north could spell calamity!

B:  Since all that matters in a Duplicate Teams event is building up a big score, declarer must aim for +400 and take no risks for over-tricks.  He can guarantee 9 tricks against an imagined 4-0 club split as follows:

Win heart ace at trick 2.  Cross to club ace to discover the 4-0 break.  Play club 5 from dummy and win south’s jack in hand.  Play diamond queen to cash AK in dummy.  Now finesse against south’s last club honour for 6 clubs, 2 diamonds and 1 heart = 9 tricks.  An alternative would be to cash two diamonds initially, but that would need a random guess about clubs!

Remember:  duplicate pairs is a unique scoring system.  You get one match point for every other pair whose score you match on each hand and two for every other score you beat.  The size of the plus or minus scores is totally irrelevant:  all that matters is collecting tricks (with reasonable risks) and match points!  In every other form of bridge, ie duplicate teams, Chicago, Rubber etc., what matters is collecting lots of +400s/+600s in game contracts.  You should take no risks for over-tricks in those formats!

Winners: sadly, no-one got both answers right out of a good range of entries.  However, two entrants gave the best answers to at least one of scenarios A/B. Two free sessions each to:

Bill Hill and Geoff Cordingley.  Well done!