The first bulletin of 1979-80 heralds the start of a new bridge season. Included in the bulletin is the calendar of events for the new season, and as usual your Committee members would exhort you to enter as many competitions as possible. Not only do increased entries make for healthier competitions, it also gives your Committee members - who do a tremendous amount of voluntary work on your behalf--consider their efforts are worthwhile and appreciated. The Chinese philosophy on football - I don't believe they play bridge - is also worthy of a mention; to enjoy the game comes first, and to win comes second. So let us all enjoy our bridge, respect our partners and the opposition, and remember that bridge is, after all, only a game which derives the greatest satisfaction for all when it is played with respect for others and a high level of sportsmanship.

CHAIRMAN'S REPORT

We got off to a bad start this season, losing both our Chairman, Jim Riley and Secretary, John Hudson, both of whom are largely responsible for the resurgence of the SCBA over the last two years. Last season was the most successful for some time, particularly in that the entries for County events were increased, and also the number of events. The finances were sorted out and we won the Dawes Inter-Countv Cup. We owe them both our thanks for a job well done, particularly John who devoted a large part of his free time, at considerable personal cost, to organizing events, struggling with the E.B.U., keeping all informed of problems, and, solving many himself. Some of us may have disagreed with his policies but he did a fine job.

We have restructured the Secretary's post by sharing the responsibilities:-

• Tournament Sec. - We are still seeking a volunteer - please come forward if you feel you can help in any way.
• Tournament Results Sec. - Basil Cooke
• Minutes Sec. - Ron West
• County Captain - Arthur Bloxham
• Correspondence
  

Novices Competition We are holding this on Sunday 18th November at 2.15p.m. prompt at Stafford Bridge Club. It is open to all (members or not), below the rank of County Master, and will give everyone the opportunity to try their hand. We look forward to your entries. I hope you all enjoy your bridge this coming season. There are plenty of events for everyone and we look forward to your continuing support.

David McDonald, Park Drive, Wistanton,

I feel sure we would all endorse the Chairman's comments that losing both John Hudson and Jim Riley simultaneously is a sad blow for the County. Both have done a marvellous job in recent years, and they have laid a strong foundation for the County Association to go from strength to strength. It is unfair to single either out, but, with apologies to Jim, I don't believe the rank and file know the contribution John has made to County Bridge over recent years. He came along, at a time when morale was very low, and has been largely responsible for increased membership, healthier entries in the County's competitions, and not least, the County's share in the new premises at the County Show Ground. Thank you, John, for a job very well done.

SECRETARY'S REPORT

Following the resignation of John Hudson I am at present filling the position nominally but it is impossible to be Secretary, Captain and League Secretary. A large number of the duties incorporated in those, positions need to be taken over by other members of the Association. Volunteers please. Ron West has offered to be Minuting Secretary and Sheila Green is incorporating Membership with her duties as Treasurer. Have we anyone willing to be Tournament Secretary or League Secretary?

It is a great pity John saw fit to resign just at the time when his campaign to defend the County events against the flood of National Green Point events has born fruit with the introduction of the new Green Point Pairs event which has to be qualified for through a County event an ideal incentive for our Pairs League. We hope it will attract many more players and make the Pairs League into an even more attractive event.

We are one of the three Counties whose membership declined last year. Can we reverse this trend? Please try and encourage membership and entry to County events.

A.H. Bloxham

CAPTAIN'S REPORT

We have started our defence of the Dawes in good form and the first three matches have resulted in good victories for the first team.

A.H. Bloxham

LEAGUE SECRETARY'S REPORT

We want four leagues each of eight teams. Make your entry as soon as possible. Encourage new teams; league matches are excellent for improving your game and having an enjoyable evening.

A.H. Bloxham, The Meadows, Salt

Despite his willingness, and whole-hearted endeavour, it really is asking too much for Arthur to carry out the duties of all three offices. Any volunteers, please to act in any of the following roles?

1. Tournament Secretary -
   • With the cooperation of other Committee members and volunteers, this will not be too time-consuming an exercise.
   • It is a figure head to act as a front-man (or woman), to coordinate the number of entries for the various County competitions from the individual clubs. The Pairs League and Teams of Four League are dealt with separately, so we are only talking about the remaining County competitions.
2. Teams-of-Four League Secretary
   • If Arthur could relinquish this post, it might solve the answer of Tournament Secretary!
3. Correspondence Secretary
   • To deal with the limited correspondence from the English Bridge Union and other Counties.

TREASURER'S REPORT

As those of you who were at the A.G.M. are aware, Mr. R. Perry was appointed as Auditor to the County. I presented the Balance Sheet and Books etc. to Mr. Perry. He has now completed the audit for the year 1978-79 and I am very pleased to announce that he found the figures I gave to him correct, so we now have a set of signed audited accounts.

Would people who have not yet paid their subs. for this year do so as soon as possible; to their Club representative. As subs. no longer have to go to the E.B.U. direct, but to the County, our present state of finance is:-

Sheila Green, The Griffons, Keepers Lane, The Wergs

EVENTS IN 1979/80

For all events, you can enter your name on the County Notice Board at Stafford. Alternatively, give your name to your County representative. To facilitate table movements, and requirements for refreshments, entries for all events close seven days before the actual date of the event.

THE STAFFS. CUP
Teams of Four Knockout with the winning team to represent Staffordshire in the Pachabo Cup. This is really the premier event in the County calendar, although the number of entries always seems to be disappointing. The first round - with the draw on the day - to be held at Stafford on Sunday, 2nd December.

THE BEARN CUPS
Staffordshire Pairs Championship event. Affiliated Clubs are invited to run qualifying series events. 28 pairs to qualify for the semi-final, reducing to a 14 pairs final. The number of qualifiers from each Club will be a percentage of the numbers entering from that Club - approximately one third. Master Point Award to the winner between 500 - 700 according to entry. Semi-final, Sunday, 27th April 1980, with the final on Sunday, 4th May 1980.

THE CORONATION CUP Date: Sunday, 28th October 1979
The multiple Teams of Four event in which seven teams invited from our neigh­bouring Counties take part with teams entered by Staffordshire County members. To be played at Wolverhampton B.C. on 28th October 1979 under the very excellent direction of Peter Tottenham. S.C.B.A. members wishing to enter a team please contact Peter Tottenham, Wolverhampton B.C. Tel: Wolverhampton 20927 for full details. Peter has kindly offered to organise and run this event for us.

NEWCASTLE COUNTY PAIRS
Run by Freddie Dumbleton at Newcastle B.C. on the second Friday of each month; start 7.15 p.m. If you want to play you just turn up. To add further interest we run an inter-Club competition between Stafford, Chasetown (it's a long way to come but much to this Club's credit they have pledged support and never let Freddie down), Newcastle and Alsager. This ensures at least six pairs playing who are not from Newcastle B.C. and therefore adds variety to their evening's Bridge. Playing different opponents will improve your Bridge. The competition starts on Friday, 14th, September.

THE MEN'S PAIRS EVENT FOR THE MUGS CUP
A single session event to be played on Sunday, 27th January 1980.

THE LADIES PAIRS EVENT FOR THE HALLETT-BAILEY CUP
A single session event to be played on Sunday, 27th January 1980.

THE MIXED PAIRS EVENT FOR THE DAVIES CUP
A single session event to be played on Sunday, 16th March 1980.

THE COUNTY INDIVIDUAL EVENT - FOR THE LITTLEFORD CUP
A single session event to be played on Sunday, 11th November 1979.

THE COUNTY FLITCH
A single session event to be played on Sunday, 25th November 1979. 1st, 2nd, 3rd are invited to take part in the Final of the Midland Counties Flitch run by Warwickshire, which is normally held early in February.

COUNTY LEAGUE FOR TEAMS OF FOUR
Entries for this most popular event should be sent to Arthur Bloxham as soon as possible. (Telephone: Sandon 434). We are hoping for four Divisions and the competition in the 4th Division will not be very fierce, so you need have no fears of being out of your depth.

COUNTY PAIRS LEAGUE
This popular event is held on the fourth Wednesday each month, from September to April inclusive. There is no closing date for entries - you merely turn up on the Wednesday night - 7.15pm start at Stafford. The competition starts on 26th September 1979.
Many people reckon this is the best pairs bridge in the County, so why not give it a try.? Although at the time of going to press, no definite decision has been made by your County Committee, it seems most likely that this event will be the qualifying competition for the EBU's recently announced Inter Counties National Pairs Event.

SWISS TEAMS
A single session event to be held at Stafford on Sunday, 23 rd September 1979. This is the first event (other than the League Teams of Four) of the 1979/80, so let us see a bumper entry. For those of you who have not played in a Swiss teams event, this type of teams bridge can be strongly recommended.

NOVICE PAIRS
A new one-session pairs event to be held at Stafford on Sunday, 18th November. It is open to County and non-County members alike who are below the rank of County Master. This is an ideal opportunity for those of us, who are a little apprehensive of joining in some of the other competitions, to do battle against opponents of more or less equal ability.

And now, a bridge article, kindly submitted by one of our leading County members.

This article is intended to illustrate some of the competitive decisions with which one is faced in team play, at i.m.p. The principles here are different from match points, in that it is less important to take risks for overtricks; and more important to reach sound contracts than to take risks in the hope of a higher scoring contract of doubtful safety.

The choices are 1D, 1S or Pass. A pass would be supine, for partner might well hold the right cards for 4S to be on ice: a bid of 1D allows LHO. to bid 1H cheaply, so 1S is a more useful bid. You then hear partner say 1NT, opponents silent. Now what?

Your valid choices are pass, 2D or 2S. If you pass then only LHO will have the chance to reopen the bidding (and opponents hold at least nine hearts between them, and about half the high cards). If you bid 2D, an intervening 2H bid or double becomes more probable. If you bid 2S, you may win the auction, but score a minus if partners spades are poor or they break badly. Since a pass is a gamble, you choose this if you think that opponents will reopen unless you choose it. A guess; but a chance to use your powers of psychology. Against strong opponents I chose to bid 2D, and heard 2H, 3D, 4H before the bidding reverted to me.

Your choice of bid now is not even close. You must bid 5D, even if you can't make it. The reason; You think that 4H bid in that way must be close to making; and there is no reason why they can judge accurately if 5D will make or not - so half the time they may guess wrongly whether to sacrifice or not, and some of the time you make 5D anyway.

You pass, partner opens 1C, you decide that the hand is worth two bids. so bid 1D (not 1H) since this way if partner is short of hearts he will not bid 2NT when your best contract is a diamond partscore. For example, instead of a sequence starting 1C - 1D - 2D you might have 1C - 1H - 2C - 2D with partner guessing whether to go on or not, and if so with what bid.

L.H.O. intervenes with double after 1C - 1D. Partner says 1S, now what? The answer is that you have the values for a poorish 2NT bid, but knowing that the hearts are held over you and that bad suit breaks are likely you should bid conservatively and your best bid is 1NT. If partner now passes, it is unlikely that you have missed a safe game.

Partner opens 1S. You should not force, as you may have an appalling misfit. 2D is your best bid. Partner now rebids 2NT, showing a balanced 15-16 points. Clearly a slam is possible, and what you need to know is how the hands fit. So bid 3H, which is forcing of course. Partner bids 4H (which he would be unlikely to do without 4 hearts, and he clearly has poor hearts for his card raise). If you haven't got club losers (and a club lead on this auction is probable) you may have a slam still. But how best to find out, as a spade bid now would be preference not a cue-bid? What you need to know is what his diamond holding is like; and without this knowledge you can make no rational decision. So, why not kill two bids with one stone? Cue-bid 5C! This may deter the lead, and also gives partner a cue-bid of 5D if he holds the DK, which is the bid he will be likely to make as it is the only cue-bid left to him below the 5H level. If he makes it, you should now bid 6D not 6H (teams, remember) as once the diamond suit is likely to be solid it will be more likely you get a losing heart away on his black cards, than with a heart loser in 6H you can avoid any side suit loser. Partner must hold clubs on this bidding, of course.

In practice, 6D was cold, and 6H failed on a 4-1 heart break.

My last hand caused some partnership grief in the Waddington Cup.

The bidding starts 1D - 1H - 1S and it is now your turn to bid. Clearly if the opponents bid 3NT they are in trouble; and clearly if you support partners hearts he will be in good position to decide if a sacrifice is worthwhile, except that your shape is so poor that his sacrifice might be more expensive than he will realise. So the wisdom of raising hearts is doubtful, particularly as by so doing you will be restricting the bidding space available to LHO who may be forced into supporting spades when otherwise he would have chosen another bid, thereby propelling them into a spade contract which on present evidence may be their best contract. So a pass has much to commend it; opponents may well think each other not to be short in hearts if they themselves are short, for example. In practice I bid 1NT psychic, which expressed the value of the hand whilst misleading as to its high card distribution. As a result the opponents ended in 3NT instead of a cold 4S; partner when on lead was in a position to put the contract down by cashing hearts, but believing that by bidding of 1NT I had the spade ace and not the heart AK, led to my mythical spade trick and declarer made the contract. There must be a moral in that story; even though -600 was a top as -620 was the fate of others with our hands.

A. S. Monckton

I am, of course, always delighted to receive articles on bridge for publication in the Bulletin - please drop me a line at Fernwood, Nursery Gardens, Stafford.

Geoff Davies