Notes from Tom

Published weekly since May, 2004. This is being sent to players in the IN (Intermediate/Novice) game (0-50 points) and some

Club officials. If you wish to be removed from the mailing list, please e-mail the writer with the subject line saying UNSUBSCRIBE

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The Novice Pre-Game NOVICE Lecture next Tuesday will be presented by

Al Beaupre. His topic will be Opening a Weak Two. It's not as simple as you

think. The key lesson points are the differences in positions (1st seat vs.

2nd seat, etc.). This is not usually dealt with in books/lessons. Al will begin in

the Training Room at 6:40, so please arrive by 6:30 to sign in and pay before

going to the lecture. Please attend these lectures and let them (and me) know

how you feel about them.

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Points Winners 7/13: We had nine and one half tables. The letter following the names below indicates

the stratification the pair played in (A 21-50; B 6-20; C 0-5 points).

1st Linda Pretz/Joyce Tedrick (A)

1st: Nancy Brant/Linda Drasnin (A)

2nd: Steve Simon/Garen Wisner (A)

2nd: Amy Gerowitz/Stephanie Richardson (A)

3rd: Lois Jones/Caroline Richards (A)

3rd: Peg Jervis/Pat Lindeman (B)

4th: Gerry & Wendy Murphy (C)

5th: Judy Eilers/Judy Crotty Hall (A)

5th: Phyllis Ringel/Aline Simon (A)

6th: Deborah Eckert/Jeff Rubinstein (C)

7th: Ashvin & Dolar Zumkhawala (C)

Welcome to first-timers (in our game) Gerry & Wendy Murphy and Tom Kereiakes, and welcome

back to Nancy Brant and Linda Drasnin.

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Old Farmer's Advice..........

The biggest troublemaker you'll probably ever have to deal with,

watches you from the mirror every morning.

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We Need Some New Players: The more players in the game, the more points to be won.

So if you like getting masterpoints, you have a vested interest in getting your friends to

come to our game. They don't even have to be duplicate players. A lot of rubber bridge

players would have a ball playing duplicate, especially the more competitive ones. Let

me know the kind of support they need, and I will gladly provide it. If you know someone

new to our game who would like a partner, let me know their skill level and personality so I

can try to match them up compatibly.

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Can You Spare a Couple of Minutes Each Day? Please say a prayer for the

speedy recovery of at least one of our I/N game players in the midst of serious

health problems. God does work miracles -- we just need to ask! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Need an excuse to see the New Orleans BP Tarballs? The ACBL National Tournament runs until

8/1 in New Orleans. Many of the club's players will be there. They have great schedules for

novices.

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8/3-8 Dayton Regional Tournament; Regionals award RED points. For schedule, go to

our website (www.cincybridge.com); on left side, click on "District 11 Site"; scroll down to

"August Flying Buckeye Regional flyer". Players with 0-5 points play free. Held in Hope Hotel

& Conference Center on Wright -Pat AFB. You'll have alot of company from here in Dayton

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Other Games of Particular Interest to Our Players:

Thursday Evening NLM game: Annease and Marvin Comer run this game. This is a great game. The

Non Life Master game has a 0-99 stratification, so you'll be scored against these players. If contacted

early enough, Annease will be happy to help try to help get you a partner. Home phone: 281-2027; cell

phone: 382-2214; atcomer@zoomtown.com. Mentor/Mentees may still play in the Open game any

time.

Wednesday Home-Style Games: This is similar to contract bridge (not duplicate). Six rounds of four

hands are played. Masterpoints are awarded for each round won. Weak Twos and Transfers and a few

other basic conventions are allowed if you wish. This is a great way to practice bidding and the play of

the hand in a more social environment. Games are every Wednesday at 11 a.m. A partner is not

necessary on Wednesday. Kay provides a lunch "buffet" for $1 or you can bring your lunch. Kay

Mulford runs this game.

Friday morning (11:00) Non-Life Master game: A number of newer players are playing in the Friday

morning NLM game. Kay Mulford and/or Rob Weidenfeld run the games. There is a 0-50 pt.

stratification (often, even a 0-20) in the non-life master section. This is a great game for our players!

Wednesday Evening No. Ky. Bridge Club - Open and 199'er game: The Wednesday Evening NO. KY.

BRIDGE CLUB hosts an OPEN and 199'er GAME (stratified based on attendance). Temporarily, the game

is being held at the Crescent Springs Presbyterian Church at 6:30. For directions, go to the CBA website

(www.cincybridge.com), left hand column, click on No. KY Bridge Club. at the Elsmere Senior Citizens

Building Center at 6:30. The game is stratified based on attendance.

Monday Evening Games: Two games are hosted every Monday evening at 7 -- a weekly Home Style

game AND a 0-99 point Novice game. . If you need a partner, call Mike Lipp at 513-467-8054.

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PLEASE ME MORE CONSIDERATE OF THE OPEN GAME PLAYERS: When we

change rounds, the Open game is still playing. I had some complaints about the loud noise

we make at round change. Please try to imagine yourself playing a 6NT bid with all that

distraction! If someone is talking loudly, please ask them to be more courteous.

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Please help at the end of the game by cleaning up at your table -- push in your chairs,

throw away your garbage, and bring your boards up to the first table. At the end of the

game, I am often tied up with new players showing them how to read the printouts and get

late with cleaning up. Any help would be appreciated.

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The following appeared in the "ASK JERRY" column in the May/June, 1999 issue of BETTER BRIDGE

(a forerunner of today's BRIDGE BULLETIN sent free monthly to all ACBL members). Well-known

teacher and player Jerry Helms answers your bridge questions. Send questions to jeryhelms@aol.com.

Ask Jerry

Dear Jerry: I held this hand. Partner opened 1♠ and I bid 1NT. Partner rebid 2♥ and I passed because

I have a minimum hand and I like Hearts a lot better than Spades. It didn't work out very well. Any

suggestions? M. Sanderson, Palm Springs, FL

Dear M.S.: My suggestion is always bid 2♠! Any time your partnership is faced with a situation where

the choice is between two seven-card fits, choose the 5-2 division over the 4-3. You know partner has at

least five spades and you have two, so you've found a seven-card fit. Partner does not need five hearts

to rebid 2♥ and is likely to have only a four-card suit. If you pass, you're playing in the 4-3

combination. Declarer has more control with a 5-2 fit.

The complete hand might be something like this:

NORTH (YOU)

♠ 10 4

♥ A 10 5

♦ Q 9 6 3

♣ 7 6 4 2

WEST EAST

♠ 6 2 ♠ K 9 7 3

♥ Q 8 7 3 ♥ J 2

♦ A 10 7 ♦ J 8 2

♣ K Q 10 9 ♣ A J 5 3

SOUTH (PARTNER)

♠ A Q J 8 5

♥ K 9 6 4

♦ K 5 4

♣ 8

If West leads the K♣ and plays another club, partner is down to only three trumps in each hand after

ruffing. Unless the six missing trumps divide exactly 3-3, one opponent already has more trumps than

declarer. If your side were playing in the 5-2 spade fit, after using one trump on the second club partner

would still have four left, as many or more than an opponent is likely to hold.

Corollary: Don't raise partner's second suit unless you have four-card support.

OPENER RESPONDER

1♠ 2♣

2♦ 3♦

Responder's 3♦ bid shows four-card or longer support.

Suppose you have this hand and the auction begins:

OPENER RESPONDER (YOU)

1♠ 1NT ♣ J 8 6 5 ♦ 7 4 3 2 ♥ A Q 5 ♠ 5 2

3♥ ?

Bid 3♠ with your two low spades. Partner can rebid 4♥ over 3♠ with a five-card heart suit. The

preference to 3♠ shows no extra values; it clarifies your spade holding. Opener knows you have

specifically two spades. You would have raised immediately with three or more. With fewer than two,

you'd probably choose another bid . . . notrump or support of heart

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See you all Tuesday night!

Tom Deddens

513/851-3857

Tom1118@cinci.rr.com .