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Bridge Education in Oxford

Oxford Bridge Club runs a comprehensive bridge education programme under the banner of Oxford Bridge School. Courses are available at all levels, from beginners to more experienced players. Further details are on their website.  

Junior Bridge - Spring Term

DO YOU KNOW ANY 8 – 19 YEAR OLDS?

Click here for further information about the Oxford Junior Bridge Club's sessions.

News 2019
Wessex & Daytime League
In the 2019-20 season we have two teams in the Wessex League, a teams-of-eight competition for Oxfordshire clubs. Our "A" team is playing in Division 2 and  our "B" Team in Division 3.
 
Fixtures and results for 2019/20 season are from the links below.
 
For match reports, please scroll further down.
 
 
 
 
Wessex & Daytime League Match Reports 2019-20

Daytime League

The Daytime Wessex League A team had their first match on 6th November (against Abingdon MG) and did really well - winning by Plus 26.
 
The team was:
   Christina Hardyment
   Tom Brus
   Kati di Gleria
   Tunde Scott
 
A really good start to the D-WL season so well done to them all.
 
------------------------------------------
On the morning of 4th December the team of Christina Hardyment, Robert Gasser, Bridget Watson and Holly Kilpatrick, set out to play in a Wessex League daytime match.
As the event was held at the Oxford Bridge Club and we knew our opponents so well, it felt like a decadent and enjoyable social occasion, which included fab biscuits!
At half time, Summertown were ahead by 25 imps but this gap narrowed by the end of the morning and we won by a score of 17.79 VPs.
Very many thanks to the team and to our opponents for their hospitality.
------------------------------------------

The daytime Wessex league B team started the season off badly against Oxford B on 14th November, in the absence of their captain Neil who was enjoying tea in Japan. We had a terrible first half, with only 2 out of 10 positive boards, 4 flat, but 4 bad ones. This meant we were -11 at the interval. We did rally and only narrowly lost the 2nd half. However, we came home with a result of 6.80 to 13.20 VPs

Sorry, Neil!

The team was: Annabel and Suzette; Paul and Ann.

----------------------------------------------------

The Daytime League B team travelled to darkest Abingdon on the morning of Wednesday 5th December to take on one of the Abingdon Bridge club teams in our second match.

In the first half it seemed that North-South were going to have all the fun and we were lucky that Ann and Joanna’s 20 minutes convention chat beforehand came up with game dividends whilst Neil and Sara were Guesstuming and discarding decisively as their NS opponents were bidding games. At the end of that first set of 10 boards we were 32-12 up.

After some very nice coffee and biscuits (which I assumed had been meant for the Wednesday morning bridge club really!) the second half did not go quite so well so, with a couple of games going begging, and Neil still thinking he was in a  different time zone, we lost it 22-34.

But luckily with the aid of a spreadsheet we were able to calculate that we won overall 54-46 making it a 12.07 to 7.93 victory

Well done team!

Ann and Joanna

Neil and Sara (very last minute sub!-thanks)

Reserve: (thanks Annabel)

As always there were several  interesting hands in pre-dealt boards but this one was set up for a slam.

How would you bid it? (even the club finesse works for 13 tricks!)

 Dealer S

S   AK

H  2

D  AQJ865

S  J943

 

S  JT7643

H  73

D  94

S  T82

 

S  Q52

H  QJT65

D  72

S  K75

 

S  98

H  AK984

D  KT3

S  AQ6

 

-----------------------------------------------------------------

On 15 February we played our third Daytime Wessex League Section B match against Candleford, a new team based in Buckingham.

It was a match played in great spirit with lots of laughs from both teams, just the way bridge should be played.

Lawrence Haines began the match by confusing the Summertown team by playing for the opposition, his first bit of clever psychology to try to put us off. The second had something to do with the positioning of his table in a draught.

Summertown had the stable pairing of Annabel and Suzette together with a  new pairing of Ann and Neil who seemed to be playing a hybrid discard system of McKenney and HELO; it is possible that Ann was put off by the fact that Neil had casually mentioned that she was his wife’s bridge teacher and therefore he would be reporting back on any mistakes!

Anyway we relaxed into the first ten boards which were pretty uneventful and had built up a half time lead of 34-19 by the time Ann came out with the trolley of refreshments looking like Victoria Wood from dinnerladies. All that was missing was the “fag” in the corner of her mouth.

The second half did not go so well for us, the main difference being that Ann and I got the opposition 3 down in 1NT doubled (+300) but with the same hand the opposition EW bid to 3NT (-600). Not sure how their bidding went but with our table North opened 1NT (“12-14”?!) and East doubled, everyone then passing.

The hand is below

Dealer West

EW Vulnerable

S

KT42

H

A8

D

K97

C

J987

S

AQ983

H

65

D

Q32

§C

652

S

J6

H

QJ73

D

AJT

C

AQT4

S

75

H

KT942

D

8654

C

K3

Is it possible that a weak transfer by South encouraged West to bid on whereas our South passed so West left the double as a penalty?

So the score for the second half was 19-22, leaving us with a overall win of 53-41

Well done to the team of

Annabel and Suzette

Ann and Neil

And thanks to our reserve, Eileen

 

A Team

The A team hosted its first Wessex league match at OBC on 23rd October.

We lost the first half 45 -16 in the main due Blewbury bidding 2 slams that we did not.

The halftime consumption of hot drinks and chocolate biscuits was just the pick me up the team needed ;and we won the 2nd 12 boards 86-10 giving us a 16.4 a 3.6 win.

An excellent start and many thanks to:
Robert and Alison
Sandra and Krys
James and Valerie
Ruth and Howard

Thanks to Ruth for doing all the scoring and to Christopher and Erica who stood by as reserves.

-------------------------------------------

The A team played the Oxford D team at OBC on 30th October. We knew everyone very well and it was a pleasant harmonious atmosphere.
We won the 1st half by a good margin, but their biscuits didn't have the same magical effect as last week and we lost the 2nd half by 10.
Overall the result was 15.79 to 4.21 to us ,another good win.
Thanks to Christopher and Erica,

Robert and Alison,

Krys and Sandra,

and Ruth & Howard

and to Steph for standing by as reserve.
-----------------------------------------------------

The A-Team played its third match at Abingdon on Wednesday 13th November and after a closely contested first half which we won 34-32, we were thoroughly thrashed in the second half by 53 to 5 resulting in a 16.4 - 3.6 defeat.

Not quite sure why we had such a poor second-half ! But one board saw Abingdon bid a slam, see below

S: T8632

H: T2

D: 97

C: T985

S: A754

H: Q63

D: Q865

C: 32

E dealer

Nobody vulnerable

S: KQJ9

H: J95

D: JT42

C: J6

S: -

H: AK874

D: AK3

C: AKQ74


which I don't blame any of our team for not bidding.
The 2D opener having received a negative 0-3 reply from partner quickly bid 6H with a 5-2 fit, gambling on a 3-3 trump split.

Many thanks to Krys and Sandra, Steven and Steph, Robert and Alison and Ruth for also doing all the scoring.

Howard

-----------------------------------------------------------------

The A team had its 4th match on Tuesday evening, 17th December, against Wallingford B at Roke.  The 1st half was closely fought with Summertown edging it 37 - 35.  However we lost the 2nd half giving an overall loss of 17.

The main difference was them making a slam on board 13, defeatable if I had led a club.

13

10 8 6

Q 10 9 7 5 4

J 8 5

9

Q 7 5 3

3

A K 7 3

Q J 10 4

N dealer

All vul

K 9 4 2

A K J 2

Q 10 2

A K

A J

8 6

9 6 4

8 7 6 5 3 2

This resulted in a loss of 12.76 - 7.24 leaving us mid table.

Many thanks to

Sandra and Krys

Steven and Steph

Alison and Robert

And Ruth who also did the scoring

Howard

-------------------------------------------------

The A team played its 5th match of the season away at Banbury on 12th February and after many ups and downs came away with a 74/73 win which converted to a score just over 10 in the league table. We won the 1st half by 7 and lost the 2nd half by 6

This kept us still in sixth place, well above the relegation zone and not far behind Banbury, though probably too far behind teams at the top to have any chance of promotion.

This was an enjoyable evening at a new venue, Banbury cricket ground just off Junction 11, certainly much easier to find than the attic deep in the countryside well to the west of Banbury.

Many thanks to Steven and Steph, Krys and Sandra, James and Valerie and Ruth who also did the scoring.

B Team

Summertown B had its first match on 29th October, at home to Bicester A. The first half went badly for us, despite Paul & Roger being doubled into a vulnerable game and making an overtrick (3S X +1 = +930); elsewhere there were games missed, and games let through, and we ended up 36-58 down on the half.

The second half went somewhat better, and it was Bicester's turn to miss a couple of games. There was one slam, found by Ann & Mike, but also by one of the Bicester pairs, and we ended up 31-31 for the second half. That meant a loss of 67-89 overall (6.55-13.45 in Victory Points).

Board 15 produced an interesting issue:-

S: KT4
H: AQT3
D: 532
C: KJ8

S: J8
H: K9752
D: AQJT4
C: 7

S: AQ763
H: -
D: K9
C: A96532

S: 952
H: J864
D: 876
C: QT4

Paul, as East, was declarer in 3N (please don't ask about the bidding!). South led the ten of clubs, the unbid suit, to the King and Ace.
Paul then took the next 9 tricks reaching this ending, with declarer (East) on lead:-

S: -
H: AQ
D: -
C: J

S: -

H: K97
D: -
C: -

S: -
H: -
D: -
C: 965

S: -
H: J
D: -
C: QT

When Paul led a club, South put in the ten, thinking to win cheaply. As a result, North had to overtake and ended up giving a trick to dummy's King of hearts, and presenting Paul with a second overtrick. If South had read the position correctly he could have played the club queen rather than the ten, giving the defenders the last three tricks. Apparently this play has been dubbed the "Crocodile Coup". The Q & T of clubs form the jaws of the crocodile, and South has to open his jaws and swallow the jack!

Many thanks to the team

Tunde & Kati
Ann & Mike
Moira & Trevor
Paul & Roger

and to our reserves: Annabel & Suzette.

--------------------------------------------------

Summertown B had its second match on 20th November, away to Frilford.  Things did not go well, and we lost 43-90 overall.  We had a few successes - Annabel and Suzette scored a vulnerable game made by no-one else, and Paul & Roger made a doubled 4C.  Overall though there were too many 7's and 8's in the minus column.

Here was one particularly disasterous hand - Board 9 with EW vulnerable:

S: 9
H: KJT865
D: A8
C: QJ83

S: T75
H: Q9432
D: J92
C: 62

S: AQJ83
H: -
D: QT6
C: AKT75

S: K642
H: A7
D: K7543
C: 94


One Summertown NS played in 4H-1, another as EW were in 2S+1. A third pair were EW in 4SX-2, while the fourth conceded 4SX= as NS. That was a total of -1200 , = -15IMPS. I don't know how the play went in 4SX, but one can construct plausible defences for both results.

Thanks to those who played:

Ann & Mike
Annabel & Suzette
Kati & Moira
Paul & Roger

and also to Sean, our reserve.

-----------------------------------------------------

Summertown B had its third match on Wednesday 11th December, at home to Aylesbury Vale. It was an unmitigated disaster! We lost by 28 IMPs to 132 overall (0-20 VP's).

Here was our worst hand - Board 20, Dealer West, both vulnerable:

North holds 

S: KJxxxx

H: Ax

D: Axxxx

C: -

South has

S: -

H: xx

D: KQxxx

C: Axxxxx

Paul and I had a bidding misunderstanding and ended in 4SX-4 for -1100, whereas Aylesbury made 5D (indeed 6D would have made).  The other tables played 4H by EW, made by Aylesbury but not by Summertown.  That was a total of 2520 (21 IMPs) away on a single board.

Here is one of my own contributions to the result, Board 5, Dealer N, NS vulnerable

North holds 

S: A986

H: JT76

D: JT95

C: 6

South has

S: K73

H: AK98

D: K64

C: AT9

The bidding, starting with North, goes P, P, 1H, 1S, 2H, 3D, 3H, P,P,P. A diamond was lead to the Ace, and a spade came back.  Plan the play (which I didn't).

I led the jack of hearts and let it run, losing to the queen, and the defence cross-ruffed the next 3 tricks in spades and diamonds - just as the auction had said they might. What a dunce I am! To make matters worse, the heart queen would have dropped doubleton if only I had taken my top two trumps at once.

Well, we can only do better next time.

Thanks to those who played:

Ann & Mike
Annabel & Suzette
Kati & Sean
Paul & Roger

and also to Mary, our reserve.

Roger Heath-Brown

------------------------------------------------

Summertown B had its 4th match of the season on 4th March, away to the Aylesbury Aces. Overall it was a close competition. Aylesbury led 55 to 35 at the break, but we pulled back 7 IMPS in the second half so that we ended 65 to 78 down (about 8VPs to 12).

There were many highly distributional hands. Paul played a hand in 2S with AQJxx opposite a singleton, and found the opposing trumps to be 7-0!
(No, he didn't make it.)

The most exciting hand was also our least successful. West deals at love all holding

S: J4
H: KT64
D: 65
C: AKT72

while East has

S: AKQ652
H: A
D: AK87
C: J9

One Summertown pair made an untaxing 6N when the spades broke nicely, as did one Aylesbury pair. The other Summertown pair stopped in 5N after a bidding misunderstanding. The second Aylesbury pair bid to 7N, which made (via a pseudo-squeeze?) even though the club queen was off-side.

What contract would you have reached?

Out of 6S and 6N, No Trumps looks slightly safer, since there are excellent chances of 4 club tricks even if the spades are 5-0. Paradoxically, playing in the grand slam, Spades looks a much better bet than No Trumps.

Thanks to the team:-

Ann & Mike
Moira & Trevor
Kati & Sean
Paul & me

And also to Suzette, who stood by as reserve.

Roger Heath-Brown

Charity Bridge at WBC
Charity Bridge at WBC

Two Wallingford BC members are organising a Swiss Pairs event at WBC on 27th October to raise money for a charity that is planting trees to help preserve the environment. Please click here to view the flyer. You can enter on the WBC website by clicking here.

Stuart Scott

We were sad to hear of the death early this year of Stuart Scott, at one time a regular attendee on a Monday evening.  Our condolences go to his family.

Master Pairs

A heat of the EBU Masters Pairs 2019 competition is being held at Oxford Bridge Club on Sunday 24 February.  This is a national two-session one-day green-pointed event held simultaneously at several different venues across the country, which gives players an unusual chance to earn green points in their local area, and in the absence of higher ranked players.

It is open to all players below the rank of Regional Master.  Further details can be found on the EBU website [click here].

Play starts at 11am, and is expected to finish at about 6pm. The entry fee is £12.00 per player. 

Please book and pay for your place in advance.  Further details and online booking can be found by clicking here.

Christmas Party

A fun time seemed to be had by all at this year's Xmas Party on 10th December.  Such fun, in fact, that the bridge which followed was characterised by a record number of director calls, mis-scorings and failures to arrowswitch!

Many thanks to Holly & Bridget for organising the food, to Steph and Steven for providing some fine wine (and on winning the bridge), to Ruth for directing on such a busy evening, Krys for scoring and correcting all the mis-scorings, and to Moira for raising money for the homeless.

Thanks to everyone who gave generously to “Homeless Oxfordshire”: we raised £684.70. “Homeless Oxfordshire” is a large organisation which is based in O’Hanlon House in Luther Street, next to the medical centre that specializes in care for the homeless.  O’Hanlon house itself has 56 beds but also has sit-up places in severe weather and provides a day service for another 80 clients. The charity is also responsible for a range of special ‘move-on’ projects helping certain groups of clients re-establish themselves in the community.

Moira reminds us that although we have collected at Christmas, this is not just a Christmas charity.  It operates all year round, providing moral and physical support to its clients, through a range of specialist services.