After a long illness Wendy Leonard passed away last week. She was a long standing member of the bridge section at EDLTCC, and played often on a Friday afternoon and during the evenings where she regularly played with Jan Stokes. She returned briefly to the bridge table after lock-down, but didn't ever really recover from such a long absence  A lovely lady who will be missed by many.

The notes for the One-level suit openings and limit raises session, held on Tuesday 14th July are now available for viewing... OneLevelSuitOpenings.pdf

Topics included:

• Unbalanced hand responses to 1NT
• Opening one of a suit
• Opening unbalanced hands with the Rule of Twenty
• Values needed when responding to an opening - as few as 6 as many as 16+
• Responder when holding sound opening bid values must drive to game
• Having a fit for partner's major suit opening bid
• Show support for partner's major by raising to the appropriate level

Unfortunately board 12 from last night's session (8th July 2026) was fouled after the first round, North and East's cards were transposed.  So only one table played the hands as dealt, everyone else played them as fouled boards.  The individual scores stand, they reflect what was bid and played, but then they are scored in two groups: fouled boards and non-fouled boards.  As only one table played the non-fouled boards, then they have no other scores to be compared against, and so by default they score an average 50/50.

As it is everyone's responsibility to ensure cards are returned correctly to the board, then both North and East are at fault.  I have therefore taken a decision, after consulting with the EBU Laws of Bridge, of awarding a 1/2 table adjusted score for N/S and E/W pair number 6, for both pairs for a Procedural Penalty.

Please let that be a warning, that it is everyone's responsibility to return cards to the correct position in the board.

I’m planning a series of Bridge Refresher sessions over the summer months.  Note: this series will not be suitable for Bridge Beginners.

Sessions will be held on Tuesday afternoons in the function room, starting promptly at 2pm and lasting till about 5pm - and will be a combination of discussions (with presentations) and example boards for bidding and/or playing.  These sessions are likely to be very popular, so please let me know if you are planning on attending the series.

This is open to all existing bridge section members.  Table money will be £2 per session.  If you would like other non-members to take part, then please speak to me first as to the suitability or otherwise of the series with non-members.  Non-members, once confirmed to have a level of understanding that makes the series suitable, will have to become members of the bridge section first, which also makes them eligible to attend on Friday afternoons, and continue playing on Tuesday afternoon once the Bridge Refresher series ends.

Any questions please contact me on either martin.c.webb@gmail.com or 07595 453 913

The following is a draft session plan - it is subject to change.

#3 - Tuesday 21st July - New Suit and No Trump Responses

• 1-level opening bids and responses
• Responding in a new suit
• Responding with a no trump bid

Tuesday 28th July - cancelled due to Tennis Tournament

#4 - Tuesday 4th August - Opener’s rebid with a strong hand

• Opener & responder's options with weak opening hands
• Points needed for game and part-score
• The "safety barrier"
• Opener's rebids with a stronger opening hand

#5 - Tuesday 11th August - The Opening Lead

• What do you know about defence?
• Choose a lead against no trump contract
• Choose a lead against a trump contract
• Identify the right suit to lead
• Active and passive leads

#6 - Tuesday 18th August - Defenders play of the cards

• Defence summary
• Third hand plays
• Interpret the opening lead
• The rule of eleven
• Second hand plays
• Defence strategies

#7 - Tuesday 25th August - Suit overcalls and responses

• What is an overcall?
• One-level overcalls
• Respond to one-level overcall - with a fit
• Respond to one-level overcall - with a new suit
• Respond to one-level overcall - with NT
• Two-level overcalls

#8 - Tuesday 1st September - 1NT overcall and responses

• The 1NT opening bid
• Requirements for a 1NT overcall
• Responding to a 1NT overcall
• Action by opener's partner
• Some borderline hands

#9 - Tuesday 8th September - Stayman Convention

• The weak 1NT opening bid
• Why do we prefer to play in a major suit fit
• What is a conventional bid
• How to continue the bidding
• When to use Stayman

The East Dorset Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club – founded in 1909 – is set in a secluded five-acre site close to Poole Harbour and the renowned Sandbanks peninsula. It has a reputation for being one of the largest and friendliest clubs in the area and is solely managed by its members.

The EDLT&CC Bridge Section is equally renowned for its tea breaks! We believe that this has created an atmosphere, unique in the area, where members come to enjoy playing bridge together.

Non-members may visit the Club up to four times a year on Monday evenings or Friday afternoons and are welcome to attend any of the Bridge courses.

The Club plays Chicago and Duplicate Bridge:

• Monday evening is for Soft Duplicate (hosts are available) - 6.30pm for a 6.45pm start - £2 table money, £3 for non-members
• Tuesday afternoon, for improvers, is Chicago - 2pm onwards - £1 table money, £2 for non-members
• Wednesday evening is Duplicate for pre-arranged partnerships, £2 table money - 6.30pm for a 6.45pm start.
• Friday afternoon 2pm onwards, is cut-in Chicago but with an emphasis on tuition where players are encouraged to ask for help and guidance with their bidding and card play - £1 table money, £2 for non-members..
• Every 4th Friday of the month, rather than playing cut-in Chicago, we instead play mini-Duplicate, where we play several one or two board rounds, which are scored.  Then after the tea break, Terry Wood goes through several of the hands.  No pre-arranged partnerships required but recommended, £2 table money, £3 for non-members - 1.50pm for a 2pm start.

East Dorset Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club is registered in England no. 10465307 Registered Charity.

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