President-Bernetha Henry                                                                                                                November   2007 Vol.   XXIV   No.10

Editor – Patrick Lauterbach                                                                                                              All the news that fits, we print

                                           TRICKS AND TREATS  

                  For Members of the Columbia Duplicate Bridge Club  

                                           (On-line at www.cbcbridge.com)

 

Everyone be at the meeting 5:30 October 29 (Monday).  Dick Coulter will be presenting and a go/no go vote will be taken of the attending membership on the moving of the club to the Senior Center

Due to lack of interest, there will be no more Friday night games. 

 

Our Christmas party this year has a new look.  Instead of pot-luck, it will be catered and there will be a $5/person charge.  See the flyer insert for a map to the site and a coupon to attach your payment and RSVP Bridge is free, same place as the summer party-Must respond by 11/28.

 

We will have an ACBL Charity game on Monday November 26.  There will be pre-duplicated hands and hand records.  

 

Our October Birthday party was hosted by Harriet Blasetti and Joyce Lauterbach-always glad to see that rum cake.  DaMaris Rorie teams up with newcomer Greg Winkler for a wire-to-wire win. 

                 N/S                          12 ½ tables Club appreciation                                E/W ____

1) Emily Lamphere/Lil Hopkins                165.21          1) DaMaris Rorie/Greg Winkler    181.50

2) Ellie Hack/Roni Kiesler                         162.50          2) Butch Maybin/Harold Moore    176.50

3) Annie Hawkins/Luanne Edwards          158.17          3) Margaret Hill/Marj Edens          164.50 

4) Jan Harrison/Carolyn Floyd                   149.50          4) Bob and Pat Webb                     162.00

5) Betty Warren/Hap Neuffer                     148.96          5) Mary Townhill/Brent Holcomb 159.50

 

We continue with some more defensive help from Eddie Kantar.  #29 If partner leads a low card in one suit, gets in and shifts to a low card (showing strength) in another suit, partner wants a return in the second suit.  If instead partner shifts to a high card in the second suit (top of nothing perhaps?), he is looking for a return in the first suit. Got it? 

#30 One doesn’t lead the same against 3 NT as against 6 NT.  Against 6 NT, avoid leading from an honor unless you have a sequence. (With  ♠ K10763  ♥ J108 ♦ 85 ♣Q92 lead the ♠6 against 3 NT, but the ♥J against 6 NT. If they have about 33 HCP between them, guess how many partner has!)

 

NOT just a game.  During the auction period-you only get to ask questions about the bidding when it’s your turn.  We haven’t been strict on enforcing this at CBC and it’s no favor to the players since if you’re called on it at a tournament, I guarantee it’ll bite you.  Calling attention to significant developments in the bidding for the benefit of your partner is strictly forbidden.  Further discussion: Alertable bids are required to be explained fully and clearly.  The mere name of the convention is not adequate (That is considered a form of intimidation and is a Zero Tolerance violation).   On the other side, follow up questions such as “Does that guarantee a Spade suit?” Or “Does it say anything about Diamonds?” are prohibited.  A full explanation of an alertable bid covers that.  If you put unauthorized information into the auction by asking such a question about a specific suit, you should be penalized.  The best policy if you have no intention of bidding is to wait until it’s your turn to play on the opening lead.  (You must still avoid questions pointed at specific suits)

“News is what interests an editor,”  Quoted by Brad Warthen in The State newspaper’s editorial page

“Once around the league.”  That’s an old-time coach’s assessment of a young ballplayer who will do well until the pitchers find his weakness (or the batters can time his fastball or sit for a hanging curve).  It’s the sane with bridge treatments and conventions.  Swiss cheese overcalls, off shape doubles (that’s now alertable by the way) two suit cues promising 4-4 (!?) All of these and others like them may work once against Open players-or more in invitational games-but after that, it’s like the young phenom with a blazing fastball and a hanging curve.  If you’re going to overcall, have values-or use a jump overcall to show few points but more length.  If you’re going to show two suits-make them good ones-5-5 or 5 and a good four..  If you’re going to play a convention, play it, don’t torture it.  Example:  ( I should have been tipped off by partner’s black hood and whip)  I opened 1♠ in third chair with a 9-count.  Partner responded a Drury 2♣.  My reply was of course 2♠.  He now bid 3♠.  What!!!??  Did he find an ace or something?  No, instead of the great nine to so-so 11 that he promised with the Drury call,  he had 12-count ‘em-12 high card points!!!  Folks, some conventions have open ends and you can take an extra bid with Aces and Kings in reserve when partner shows a minimum (Jacoby 2NT, 16+ HCP take-out doubles and strong Michael’s hands come immediately to mind).  But an extra Jack does not give you an extra bid.   That’s ‘punishing partner’ for being enterprising.  Don’t do it!!!

 

“Are you barking mad?”  Harry Potter to Sirius Black.   The Order of the Phoenix        

 

Sorry about blowing the Appreciation game’s announcement for October.  We did play the Appreciation games, but the second half Charity games and fourth quarter Club Championships will be played over the November/December time period.

 

Got a partner or system you want to school “off Broadway” before trying out the game downtown?  You’re in luck.  Depending on which side of town you’re on, there are two games on Tuesday night.  7:00 in Camden and 6:30 at Batesburg.  There is also the 1:30 game at the Tri-cities Leisure Center on Sunday afternoon. When you walk in, you recognize all three of these games have a lot of ‘locals’ who are also members of the CBC.  All three games are played at their regular tournament site so they’re easy to find.  They like to play here-let’s return the favor.  Besides, it’s a great excuse for dinner on the road at a place you usually enjoy only once a year

 

Centurion Cup- 1) Lib Odom (23.02) 2) Jim Willrodt (22.06) 3) Zan Edmunds (19.65) 4) Francis Robinson (6.44) 5)  Faye Levinson (5.48) 6) Dozier Shaw (5.42) 7) Sam Robison (5.23) 8) Melinda Young (4.79), 9) Irene Fields (4.61) 10) Teri Kuhs (4.60) Lois Ball (4.60)

  Sol Lourie Open                                  Henry Mills 0-2000                Coleman Farrell NLM

1) Pat Lauterbach              68.87         Lil Hopkins          56.09             Sue Harrington         35.27          

2) Ken Fasching                68.74        Bernetha Henry     42.69             Tom Gabriel             34.69

3) Brian Lipscomb            63.26         Mary Townhill     41.19             Jan  Ripley                33.89                          4) Joyce Lauterbach          61.17         Brent Holcomb     38.35             Everett Ness             29.72

5) Bob Webb                     59.67         Jim Chianelli        37.43             Susan McFadden      29.63           6) Lil Hopkins                   56.09         Sue Harrington     35.27             Arnold Levinson       23.48   

7) Pat Webb                       48.97         Tom Gabriel         34.69             Lib Odom                  23.02                  8) Hap  Neuffer                  42.72         Jan Ripley            33.89             Jim Willrodt              22.06       

9) Bernetha Henry              42.69         Henry Momand    32.05            Zan Edmunds             19.65

10) Ellie Hack                    41.95         Everett Ness          29.72            Jack Wilkinson           18.67   

“You see but you do not observe.  You hear but you do not listen.”  Sherlock Holmes “The 7 Percent Solution”