There was a very disappointing; response to my idea of a "Christmas Special". In fact, there was no response whatsoever, so I'm afraid this issue reverts back to the normal format. I hope to get more contributions next year. If you have an article of general interest (i.e. it should have appeal to the majority of readers), then send it. If you haven't got one - write one!

I'm lucky in haying a few dependable contributors: Bob Beech reports on the Birmingham heat of Crockfords; Mike Brettell's Tettenhall article contains Mary Slyde's acclaimed hand from the Sobranie (why can't other Clubs follow Tettenhall's example?); Roy Martin continues the exploits of Muggins, the best adventure story since Capt. W.F. John's 'Biggles flies undone'; and making a welcome contribution is Tony Mallett, who proposes a new use for 4 N.T.

The first County event of the season, the Flitch, was won by the Chasetown couple of Alan and Pauline Tabbernor. Congratulations to them. The full result:

1. Mr. and Mrs. Tabbernor
2. Mr. and Mrs. Brandon
3. Mr. and Mrs. Herrop

CROCKFORDS QUALIFYING HEAT - BIRMINGHAM

Two interesting hands occurred in this event; the first required an exercise in deduction and the second required an unfavourable (?) lie of trumps to make the contract. Right Sherlock, here we go. You are defending against a contract of 2NT after the uninterrupted auction of INT (l2-14), 2C, 2D, 2NT and you lead the spade 7 (second highest from 4 small).

What do you know so far?

It looks like declarer holds K9x of spades (not the A9x as he did not play a top card from dummy or AK9 as he would have unblocked a top honour to retain communications) and 5 or 6 diamonds to the Queen (with 4 he would not have attacked the suit and with 5 or 6 to the Ace the correct play is King, Ace, other) as well as the heart Ace and the club King, one of which is a doubleton.

You choose, correctly to play him for Ax hearts and play the heart Jack. Declarer is doomed now, but he soldiers on in case you slip. He plays dummy's Queen, partner contributing the 6 and plays a spade from dummy, unblocking his King under partner's Ace. Partner returns the heart 4 and you, in turn, unblock your King under declarer's Ace. After declarer cashes his two spades in dummy you are in with your club Ace to lead a heart through dummy. Partner cashes his two heart tricks and his diamond Ace for one off.

When you compare results you find that your other pair bid and made 3NT so you gain 12 imps on the board by this inspired defence instead of 10 imps if you let them make it! Never mind they do say that virtue is its own reward. The full hand was:

The second hand, you hold

♠108xx, ♥x, ♦Axxx, ♣Axxx and sitting South you hear West open lD and partner double. East passes - and you bid 2D (forcing to suit agreement), partner bids 2H and raises your 2S to 3S. You bid 4S and see the following dummy when West leads the spade 6.

The East-West hands were

Note that West is doomed even if he held Kxx in clubs as his club exit, after winning the heart Ace, is won in dummy and a club to the Ace and a further club end plays him again. There is a defence to beat the contract - heart Ace and a trump switch.

Crockfords qualifiers from Staffordshire for the first heat proper were:
Bob Beech, David Beavon, Roger Keane, John Morgan, Graham Link, Joe Fawcett and three Warwickshire players.

CLUB NEWS

TETTENHALL

The Treasurer, Beryl Stanley, reported a healthy bank balance at the Club's Annual Meeting. Two new members, Gill and Paul Barrow, were elected to the 12 strong Committee and Paul also agreed to become the Club's Staffordshire representative.

The winners of the Summer competitions for handicapped and non-handicapped players received the Danescourt Shield (Ken Slyde) and the Stockwell Shield (Les Burdett).

A Club Teams-Of-Four event, run on a league basis is under way with fixtures played once a month on a Sunday until April. A programme of events for the New Year is being mapped out. They will include a championship pairs, a mixed pairs, a men's pairs and a Winter men's ladies individual for the Bonnie Holliday cups.
The Club will be having its usual Christmas Bridge Party (probably on December 16th) when Christmas fare, a punch, draw for partners in a Teams of Four Competition, prizes (many of them very kindly donated) and music will be provided for the princely sum of 50p per head.

A bridge hand played by Mary Slyde from Tettenhall in the final of the Sobranie Challenge created a tremendous amount of interest and it has been widely published in national newspapers and rnagazines. Terence Reese in his Observer Bridge column featured it and it is re-produced below.

Tettenhall's opponents, St John's Wood, who won the Sobranie with Tettenhall runners-up, played in 3C making four. Mary and her partner found their way to 5C, which looks impossible. However, after a spade lead and after some cross ruffing the declarer reached this position with the lead in dummy:

THE BRASS CUP - A MUGGINS EPIC Roy Martin

Solomon Slime and Simon Soames (otherwise known as the S.S. due to the disturbing habit they have of verbally - and occasionally physically - mugging opponents and, more frequently, their teammates), are Table Masters. They achieved this elevated status by once coming second in a 2½ table Howell, their only claim to fame. As an aside I would add that their claim to infamy runs into reams and anyone wishing to examine them should contact Hanley Police Station.

Believing themselves to be capable of better things they persuaded Fred and myself to make up a team and enter the Brass Cup. Personally I thought the most persuasive part of their argument for this unholy liaison was the way in which they kept hitting my kneecap with their rubber truncheons.

However, Fred maintains the thumbscrews were the clincher.

Our first excursion in pursuit of 'greens' took us to a charming 'Oldie Worldie' house situated in the middle of nowhere, and our opponents were four little old ladies. While they were of the 'proverbial' type I don't mean it that way; I swear not one of them was under ninety years of age and the one already seated at one table was dead, and had been for several years by the look of her.

After tea and biscuits (the dead one sniffed a digestive and pronounced herself glutted), we settled down to play. Muggins and Fred exceeded their own high standards by playing one degree above mediocrity and the S.S. surprised us by playing mediocre, a standard heretofore well beyond their reach. Fortunately the LOL's did us proud and coming into the last eight boards we were leading by the handsome margin of 41 imps.

Of the last eight boards, five were flat and the others of moderate interest. On board A (1S passed out) I spurned an overtrick by making a little known safety play in the trump suit, and unfortunately lost one imp when my opposite number in the other room carelessly chose to ignore the strong possibility of a 6-0 trump division coupled with a 5-2 diamond split. Board B was a little more swingy and with me sitting South, N/S vulnerable, this was the layout:

Now it was very clear throughout the match that our opponents could not be described as pusillanimous, (for the unenlightened - a technical term used in bridge by experts to denigrate other experts; but only in print since the word is unpronounceable), and on this board it showed.

The dead one's bid of 7H was based on the belief (well founded) that it might make.You will note that West has no spade to lead and subsequently must undergo the indignity of a minor suit squeeze. In reality South was incapable of squeezing anything, but even she could see that a finesse of the ten of clubs was slightly better than playing for the drop. +2470 and a gain of 18 imps was her reward.

Board C was a trifle unfortunate. With both sides vulnerable the cards were distributed thus:

East confidently led the Ace of spades and declarer confidently made the obvious 13 tricks. S.S. asked the dead one why she raised 6CX to 7C. "Eh?" she croaked, adjusting her hearing aid. "Well laddie, we did need a swing or two", and so saving attempted to give him a sweet smile. She failed so miserably he needed smelling salts.

Praying that Fred would lead a spade I passed with considerable (and justifiable) trepidation. Fred found the imaginative lead of the Ace of clubs and followed it up with an encore when he signalled for a diamond lead by discarding a spade. Declarer was quite pleased with her three overtricks and expressed the opinion that they might have gained on the board. As it turned out, a mere 23 imps on this board brought the total to 42 imps and ended our interest in the Brass Cup for this year (and any other year as far as I am concerned).

The post mortem was quite animated, and as you have already guessed, the majority verdict is that Muggins chucked the match on board A.

Epilogue: The LOL's became so excited about their unexpected win that the dead one upped and died.... ...... mind you, nobody noticed.

That's it for 1982. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all. Many thanks to everyone who sent in contributions during 1982 (and I hope to get more in 1983). Next Bulletin will appear in March; all articles by mid February please.

Editor: Les Kendall, Oldbury Street, Wednesbury, West Midlands, WS10 0QJ