| JUST ANOTHER HAND? - SEPTEMBER 2024 - No 27 |
Show Detail |
 Here is a hand played in the Club, a little while ago. Six pairs played this hand, three of them ending in 3NT, two ending in 4 ♥ & one ending in 5NT (please don't ask me how). I have shown the bidding on this hand as South bidding 3 ♦ as a transfer to ♥, but I hope that you can see how South could also decide to bid 3NT instead of 3 ♦ (a six card suit can be a valuable asset in a NT contract).
On this hand, I hope that after examining the hands, you can see that twelve tricks are easy to take, but with a 50 / 50 chance of finessing the K ♥ (two ♠, six ♥, one ♦ and four ♣ tricks), you can make thirteen tricks, so actually 7NT will make, but I think that it is impossible to bid.
There is nothing really in the play, and it matters little what the opening lead is, or whether North or South is the declarer. What the discussion point here is, which bid South should make - either 3 ♦ or 3NT?
As South, you know that (in Standard, or in standard ACOL), 2 ♣ indicates either 23+ HCP's or eight playing tricks. The fact that North has also got a balanced hand, is not as yet discernible. I would suggest that there is little to choose, from the South's perspective, as to whether you transfer or you do not. Both have their merits - I will let you decide.
I, for my sins, played this hand as South, and I took the option to transfer to ♥, and so finished in 4 ♥, and got a bottom, as the extra 10 points for being in a NT contract, makes all the difference (and I failed to take the ♥ finesse).
I hope that this displays to you all, that I am not afraid to show you all, that sometimes I can get it completely wrong!!!
|
|
|
|
| CLUB DIARY - TEAM PLAYING |
 Do not forget that the club does run teams events, on a reasonably regular basis. These occur predominately on a Monday evening (once a month) or sometimes on a Thursday evening (once every three months).
Please look out for these nights, which also appear on the "MENU" under "CALENDAR".
We plan to put out a regular pattern of teams events, every few weeks on a Monday, and a Thursday teams event once every 3 months.
This has been reviewed at the last committee meeting, and we have agreed to continue with teams events in the current format.
The next Thursday teams session is on 12th September, starting at the usual time. The list will be on the notice board on Tuesday evening next.
The next Monday teams session is on 23rd September, starting at the usual time. Look out for notice to appear on the notice board..............................
|
|
|
|
| CLUB DIARY - CLUB DUPLICATE CHAMPIONSHIPS |
 On Saturday 9th November, we shall be holding the above event over 36 boards. We hope that this will become an annual event. This will be a "Blue Point" event, but we wish to include as many of our members as we possibly can. To achieve this, this event will be stratified, which means that how your partnership is rated by stratification, you will be competing against other partnerships with the same stratification, and NOT against the best pairings in the Club. There WILL be prizes for the winners of each stratification level.
If you are unsure of what stratification means - please ask one of the TD's to explain it for you. All our results are normally stratified, so look at one of these to discover the level of where your partnership is.
Cost timings & food are at this moment in time TBC. Please watch this space for developments.......................
In advance notice, we are looking to offer in 2025, a Swiss Pairs Club Championship as well.
|
|
|
|
| CLUB DIARY - COMMITTEE MEETING AND MORE .... |
 The next committee meeting of Wakefield Bridge Club is Friday 30th November @ 1.30 p.m. If there is anything that you think might need raising at this meeting, please ask one of the committee members to bring it up on your behalf. The names and photographs of the committee members are on one of the notice boards in the big Bridge room, so that they cannot hide!
The committee members act on behalf of YOU the members, and to help keep the Club in a financially stable condition, amongst other considerations.
Is there any more we can do on other matters? Tell us please, and you never know what may happen!
Look on the Website Calendar for all future Committee meetings dates,and also the date of the 2025 AGM ...................
|
|
|
|
| CLUB DIARY - CHRISTMAS 2024 |
 In time, it will get around to the season of giving & receiving, but in the meantime, let's start before we see any adverts on TV, by getting a date into the system for you.
The date that we would like you to pencil into your diaries is Monday 10th December, for the annual Xmas dinner. More exact details will follow, regarding cost & the menu, a little bit nearer to the time.
We hope that our Xmas tree will get its annual outing, hopefully accompanied by a tub of chocolates for sharing around.
|
|
|
|
| CLUB DIARY - FUN DAY 2025 |
 The next Fun Day will probably be on the 4th January 2025, starting at 10.00 am. We hope that you can put this date in your diary, and come along to play
The proceeds of these events, are there to be seen in the fabric of our Bridge Club. We have just acquired a microphone system, to help with running this event, and others like it. Watch out for further news on what these monies raised are being used for.
This time we raised just over £1400.00, a fantastic amount, so THANK YOU all for your generosity.
Please watch out for the list to appear on the notice board, for you to sign up to, nearer the time............................ (more details coming in October).
Please note that we shall be operating a cut off date for signing up to this event, after which you must have a good reason to cancel this event.
|
|
|
|
| CLUB NEWS - FUTURE EBU EVENTS |
 Thanks should go to all of our members who took part in the EBU Summer Sims Pairs.
Future dates for the British (Seasonal) Sims Pairs events are:-
- Autumn on 10th October 2024 - we at WBC are not taking part in this event.
- Winter on 18th January 2025.
PS. You can look on the EBU web-site to see where you finished in the national results for this event (now).
|
|
|
|
| CLUB DIARY - SWISS PAIRS EVENT |
 We are pleased to announce that at the last Swiss Pairs Event, the overall winners were Allan Clarke & Martin Fenton. Thanks must go to the organisers & to our kitchen helpers.
If you wish to take part in the next one, please watch this space, for details to be announced, which will probably be in 2025.
The payment for this event, will be taken at the same time as your monthly bill.
|
|
|
|
| CLUB NEWS - THE T D's CORNER |
 This directive aims to help all players understand the rights and limitations of dummy.
What can dummy do?
- Dummy plays the cards from dummy as directed by the declarer. Dummy must only remove a card from the dummy once it has been named or touched by declarer. The selected card must be played behind the laid out cards, but in front of dummy (the person).
- Dummy can keep count of the tricks won and lost by positioning the cards vertically if won and horizontally if lost. Dummy can inform declarer that they have placed a quitted trick (a trick that has been won or lost & placed face down) incorrectly, but only before they have played to the next trick. Dummy cannot inform an opponent that they have placed a quitted trick incorrectly.
- Dummy can prevent a revoke by asking declarer if they have any cards in a suit on which they have just discarded. E.g. “No spades, partner?"
- Dummy can act to prevent declarer from leading from the wrong hand. If dummy notices that declarer is about to play from the wrong hand, they can alert declarer by saying “table” or “your hand”. Dummy should not point at the cards on the table, as this can be seen to be suggesting a line of play to declarer.
- Dummy can draw attention to an irregularity, but only after the play of the hand is finished, that is all thirteen cards. E.g. if dummy notices a revoke, they must not say anything during play, but can immediately afterwards inform declarer, and then call the director.
- Dummy can give information to the director if asked to do so.
What dummy cannot do :-
- Dummy cannot play a card from the table until directed by the declarer.
- Dummy cannot ask questions of either defender.
- Dummy cannot draw attention to an irregularity in the play.
- Dummy cannot rearrange the cards during play.
- Dummy cannot call the director unless another player has drawn attention to an irregularity.
Please reserve the statements "Good luck partner" (from dummy to declarer) and "Thank you partner" (from declarer to dummy), or any such comments, until AFTER the opening lead card has been shown (face up). Sometimes the manner of such comments can give unauthorised information.
Please remember to call the TD if there is any concern or issue at the table. This helps to ensure consistency and fairness for all players.
For further information please see the links below :-
https://www.bridge-club.org/clientdocs/4249.pdf
https://www.bridgewebs.com/barrie/Dummy%20Rules.pdf
Please also note that all TD's are on the look out for the following bad habits that have crept into our play :-
- Slow play - We all wish that this one will go away, but it keeps occurring. Please reserve your thinking time for when you really need it, not for every decision. Slow play inevitably leads to a noticeable increase in noise, as more people got tired of waiting. We are telling you to all speed up, as otherwise, having to take an average will be applied to you. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!!! We have not done it yet, but we are planning to use an audible timer, to reinforce this.
- Bidding Cards - These should not be removed from the table until the lead card has shown FACE UP!! The defender on lead, should have the opportunity to make an opening lead, based on the bidding, but also on whether or not he chooses to use or ignores this information.
- Looking at the quitted card - Another NO-NO!! If you cannot remember that which happened just a few seconds beforehand, try not turning your own card over until such time as you have interpreted that information. We do not mean take an age, but do this in a measured manner.
|
|
|
|
| CLUB NEWS - IDEAS FOR THE FUTURE |
 An idea which we are looking into is Cafe Bridge. This is just as simple as it seems - Bridge played in a Cafe. We are at present looking into Cafe's in the centre of Wakefield, where we could try this out. Our idea is simply to promote the game of Bridge to the inhabitants of Wakefield, some of whom may be under the misapprehension that Bridge is a game/pastime that took place in big houses (it seems to be portrayed this way on television) in the recent past. We are probably looking at a time which is not a busy time (meal times), but when they are open & have some passing trade. It may be a good idea or it may not, but other Bridge Clubs up & down the country have tried it, so why not us!
Having just completed the survey part, of the majority of Wakefield Bridge Club members, now comes the stage where all your answers & comments are collected & collated into some conclusions. This is taking a little bit longer than we anticipated, so although some of the initial thoughts were discussed at the committee meeting on 30th August, it was decided that to give the survey credence, we should wait until all the analysis has been 100% completed. We have therefore planned an extra committee meeting on Friday 11th October, just so that we can discuss the survey, where hopefully, there will be some further news afterwards, about what actions we propose to effect. We have the thought in mind, that any proposals that come out of all of this, are likely not to be implemented until January 2025. It has been a pleasure to talk to you all individually, and we hope that you consider that you, as individual members, truly feel that we have listened to you all. Please watch this space for further developments..............
We are also looking into more ways to get out & about to promote our Bridge Club, as we feel sure that there are a lot of people out there, who are totally unaware of us. Watch this space to see what develops.....................
|
|
|
|
| THE LAST THOUGHT - MK18 |
 The phrase "The Full Monty" does not originate from a famous 1990's film, but actually comes from the fashion industry. It refers to the tailor Montague Maurice Burton, who was born in what is now Lithuania & emigrated here in 1900. Eventually he founded Burton's, who were a major employer in Leeds for the manufacture & sale of suits etc. (Those of us who are old enough, will remember the chain of shops).
The phrase "the full monty", actually refers to the purchasing of a three piece suit as opposed to a two piece one, that is one which includes a waistcoat. This we can relate to Bridge, in that when we have all the cards in all four suits, it is having the full monty - everything. I know that there is not much to explain with this one, but what I did like, was the connection of suits (I know that it is from a different context),
Good luck everyone in being fortunate to be in this situation, it will occur, but beware of bidding too low with these type of hands, if you do not want a bad result.............................
|
|
|
|