President-Bernetha Henry                                                                                                                September   2007  Vol.   XXIV   No. 9

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)

The CBC was saddened by the news of the death of long time member Bob Pierce.  He was a successful business man before retiring from The State newspaper, a good player, always friendly and will be missed by the entire club.  May He hold you in the palm of His hand.

 

Our August Birthday party was hosted by Irma Murray and Madalyn Dybvik.  It isn’t often that the game comes down to, as this one did, the last two boards played between the leaders.  The winners went into the last pair down a couple match points and emerged with a fine 66.67% game for the win. Congrats to Ardis and Ellen.

                  E/W    North American Pair Qualifying event   ( 12 1/2 tables)            N/S____

1) Ardis Dalrymple/Ellen Oliver                190.67    1)  Joyce Lauterbach/Lil Hopkins     187.50                                                                                                                                                                                                                            

2) Bob and Pat Webb                              177.67    2) Roni Keisler/Ellie Hack                170.50

3) Harold Moore/Butch Maybin                172.25   3) Ken Fasching/Brian Lipscomb     167.50

4) Marj Edens/Margaret Hill                     153.29    4) Mary Townhill/Elaine Wade        156.50

5) Linda York/Ed Scheiblich                    147.33     5) Katie Langston/Jackie King        141.50

  

Our Sectional Tournament August 9-12. It was a great success-a great venue. I guess if it’s bigger next year, we do have a little room for expansion.  We’ll probably need it.  Congratulations to Fred and Carole Clemenz on the job they did as co-chairs and all their helpers from the CBC.

     

Congratulations –to our newest Bronze Life Master, Lee Webb.

 

Thank you to those who have commented favorable on this publication-please also mention it to the Board members.  If you would like to receive your T&T by way of the internet site (see above) let me know and I will take you off the mailing list.  Remember, you can print out the calendar from there.

 

We continue with some more defensive help from Eddie Kantar.   #25   In General, the lead of a low card shows strength and the lead of a relatively high spot card shows weakness.

#26 When Partner leads low from length and dummy has small cards, third hand plays high.  However, if third hand has two or three equal high cards, third hand plays the lower or lowest equal.  ( From K10x play the King, from KQx play the Queen, from KQJ(x) play the Jack.)  (ed note: that last combination where you play the Jack:  there is a considerable body of opinion that holds you always play the second of equals so that declarer has less room for foolery.  Talk it over with partner.)  

 

The new phone list is coming out with this month’s Tricks and Treats.  Pat Webb put a lot of time into this.  Hope you gave us all the updated info-we live with what we have for the next year.

 

September is club championship month-all the third quarter championships will be held-Get your favorite partner and come on down! 

 

Welcome to Greg Winkler.  Our newest addition is from Australia by way of Boston.  He has about 300 points (rapidly accumulating more) and a cell phone 508-963-5224.

I know that in the past I have made wisecracks when someone has referred to duplicate bridge as “..just a game.” But I want to talk to all club members seriously now and tell them that it is NOT just a game.  It is a competition. It has rules-rules that must be followed if you want to compete and avoid hurt feelings or feelings of victimization on your own or your opponents’ parts. It is a game in a social, but not a sociable sense.   It is a seriously enjoyable competitive event and intellectual exercise.  The rules are there to keep it that way.  We try to ease new players into these in Limited games and to a certain extent in Open competition.  So we will do a few illustrations.  Let’s try one a month.  First case:  Declarer leads from wrong hand:  If Dummy points this out, it does not affect the right of either defender to accept the lead from the wrong side.  Any lead out of turn may be accepted.  Call the director.  Further discussion:  Dummy may act to try to prevent an irregularity by declarer (remind him where he’s leading from BEFORE he leads for example).  But dummy is not obligated to point out an irregularity by partner if it occurs.  In this case if partner is too quick for me to prevent a mistake, I keep quiet (unusual), hope he knows what he is doing (unlikely-he is making at least one mistake after all) and hope the opponents don’t notice. (It happens once in a while)  You dummies keep on your toes-you don’t have the time off just because you aren’t declaring or defending. 

 

Players on the DL- Grace Bishop is now up and about-playing once in a while at Tricity.  She needs a ride to play downtown.  Nate Fain-a chronic problem – hope you get better soon.  Margarita Staugler is still laid up resulting from a fall-looking forward to you getting better.  Bob Woodham-best of luck, hope to see you soon also.  Cynthia Cone’s son is still in the hospital, making progress.  Last heard, she said she would be back in September.  Hope that turns out OK, Cynthia.

 

The card combination I see misplayed most often:

                                A-Q-x-x                                     J-x-x

Your best chance to get three tricks?  If you think the King is in front of you, lead the low card-not the Jack.  Play Queen then Ace and a small one.  (If you’re right. If the Queen loses, you still have a shot at a 3-3 break )  If you think the King is behind the A-Q, lead low to the Jack.  If the Jack wins, come back to the Ace and lead your last low card looking for the 3-3 break.  Never lead the Jack first unless you also hold the ten.

 

Up the ladder Sectional Master- Jim Willrodt

 

Centurion Cup- 1) Lib Odom (13.68) 2) Jim Willrodt (11.60) 3) Zan Edmunds (10.88) 4) George Davey (7.84) 5) Irene Fields (4.61) 6) Sam Robison (3.61) 7) Deb Thomas (3.19) 8) Dozier Shaw (3.18) 9) Francis Robinson (2.69), 10) Morris Mitchum (2.60)

  Sol Lourie Open                                  Henry Mills 0-2000                Coleman Farrell NLM

1) Joyce Lauterbach          42.82         Lil Hopkins          34.94             Tom Gabriel              21.96          

2) Patrick Lauterbach        42.80         Mary Townhill     30.14             Susan McFadden      20.36

3) Brian Lipscomb            37.93         Gwen Beckman    23.09             Jan  Ripley                19.75                          4) Ken Fasching                36.39         Bernetha Henry    22.25             Everett Ness              19.26

5) Lil Hopkins                   34.94         Henry Momand    22.10             Sue Harrington          15.99

6) Bob Webb                     32.54         Tom Gabriel         21.96             Arnold Levinson        15.22   

7) Mary Townhill              30.14         Brent Holcomb     21.22             Lib Odom                  13.68                  8) Pat Webb                       28.79         Susan McFadden   20.36            Joan Osteen               13.28

9) Ellie Hack                      25.33         Jim Chianelli         19.95            Leck Mason               12.37

10) Gwen Beckman           23.09         Jan Ripley              19.75            Ed Young                   12.30