P44.

Bridge Sponsors
under the microscope

№1

P24. LIFESTYLE
Five hotels P62.
for a holiday PLAYING
A CONVENTION
with a WELL
difference Alain Lévy’s

5
professional
advice
P42. INVESTIGATION

Behind the
useful scenes of
high-tech bridge at
innovations school
EXCLUSIVE
INTERVIEW

CARLOS
GHOSN
Confidences of
a bridge player
From Beirut, ex-Nissan boss talks about
his long-standing passion for bridge
2 BeBRIDGE №01
MAR.APR. 2020

BRIDGE,
A MODERN
APPROACH…
Keeping bridge alive is a constant fight and there is no place in
W E LOV E B R I D G E

the world where bridge players are not anxious about the future of our beloved
game. There is always a kind of pessimistic atmosphere, which amplifies this
feeling. I don’t accept it and the time has come to show that bridge can be seen
in a different way, a modern way and more importantly in a real fun way. This is
why we have decided to launch a new modern magazine: BeBRIDGE.
This magazine, we hope, will talk to a vast number of people and will be more
mainstream than others. Many different topics will be addressed but only and
always through a bridge prism.
By the way, the name itself is a message. Being a bridge player is much more
than only playing at the
game, this game is a
passion. Being a bridge
player is a mindset, being
a bridge player is almost
a way of life.
Today, the whole team
is very proud to present
this first opus and we all
hope that you will like it
and continue to read it by
subscribing.
It is impossible not to
mention the Coronavirus
which affects not only the
world of bridge but the
© Elodie Oliveira

entire population. I have

a special thought for
everyone who is affected
in a way by this and wish
them all the best and offer them a lot of courage”.
Our success and the future are now in your hands!
So, please, support us!

Olivier Comte
President of Group 52 Entertainement
(Le Bridgeur, Funbridge and BBO)
 BeBRIDGE №01
MAR.APR. 2020 3

editorial.
…AND A
MISSION FOR
THE FUTURE.
The legendary World chess champion, Emanuel Lasker, was the first to coin the
T H E WAY A H E A D

phrase, “When you see a good move, look for a better one.” In 2017, following the collapse of Bridge
Magazine, I decided it was time to put something back into the game that had been rewarding me
for more than 40 years by introducing the free online publication, A New Bridge Magazine. Two
years later, we witness the launch of another online magazine, one that will revolutionise the way
in which bridge is presented to its ever-increasing online audience.
Make no mistake; playing bridge can seriously affect your life. When the World championships
were located in Maastricht in 2000, the local restaurants, alerted to the invasion of thousands
of players, displayed signs that read, 'Bridge spoken here'. My wife recounts the story of how at
a tender age one of her siblings came in from the garden and attempted to draw the attention
of his mother to the fact that
he had impaled his foot on a
fork only to be told 'Not now
darling, mummy's playing
bridge'. The millions of people
around the world who play
bridge do so with a passion that
is extraordinary, encompassing
the greatest champions, the
stalwarts of your local club
and the unknown thousands
who play every day. As another
legend, the former Liverpool
F.C. manager Bill Shankly might
have said, 'Some people think
© Francesca Canali

bridge is a matter of life and

death. I assure you, it's much
more serious than that'.
As this new concept that is
BeBRIDGE evolves, we want you to be involved in its development. We stand ready to answer
your questions about every aspect of bridge. Let us know what you think. Send your questions,
your suggestions and your observations to me at: markhortonbebridge@gmail.com
In my home town of Nottingham, there is a statue of Brian Clough, which incorporates some of
his most famous quotations. As he would have said, 'It's too early to say that BeBridge is the best
bridge magazine in the business, but we aim to be the top one'.

Mark Horton
Editor
4
6 28 theARTof
BeBRIDGE №01
MAR.APR. 2020

N E WS LIVING
All the Bridge News Sleeping in a hotel… but differently!

8 #1
CARLOS
FILE 30
RENDEZ
-VOUS
The Greatest
Showman

GHOSN
BRIDGE, A FUNDAMENTAL
34 What kind
of player
are you?
MINI BREAK

LESSON FOR LIFE

37
Learn the

Meet Fundementals

44
your
Experts FILE
37
#2
14
B R I D G E S CH O O L
Responses to partners
overcall of 1♥ or 1♠
(1 in a major) R E A D E R S’ Q U E ST I O N S

53
ALAIN LÉVY'S LEADS
Michel Bessis answers
your questions
Division 1 Teams.
Final Weekend before
the Knock-out. 16 Bridge Sponsors
67 •LIVE under the
B R I D G E A D D I CT
Reisinger
microscope
22
• Defense against
an artificial inter-

50
vention over 1NT. T E ST B E N CH
• Step by step STO RY T E L L I N G
Root
• Tales of La Doyenne The dream
• Bidding questions partnership

85 51
27
B R I D G E CA L E N DA R

P L AY W I T H B e B R I D G E Tournament dates and events

• True or false? not to be missed
• The mysterious hand
SCIENCES
Focus on the gadgets
53
• The passer
• GIB: an unbeatable of tomorrow
universe
A L A I N L É V Y ' S L E A DS

Division 1 Teams
 58
BeBRIDGE №01
5

TABLEof
MAR.APR. 2020

NORTH
SOUTH
CONTENTS
EAST

Venice and its Festival

WEST
85
in the footsteps of B R I D G E GA M E S

64
Giulio Crevato-Selvaggi Bridge fiction
& Sudok'art with
Ray Lee and

63 CARDS REWIND
Michel Duguet

87
ON THE TABLE Eisenhower
Meet Florence Bourgeois the bridge player in chief

67
BRIDGE
ADDICT
PLAY
WITH
BeBRIDGE
Michel Bessis
puts you
on the
• Defense against an artificial spot
intervention over 1NT.
• Step by step
• Tales of La Doyenne
• Bidding questions

82
6 APPS
FOR LIGHT
95
BRIDGE
TRAVEL HOROSCOPE

27 rue du Quatre-Septembre - 75002 Paris, France Email revue@lebridgeur.com Telephone +33 (0)1 42 96 25 50 Internet
BeBRIDGE

www.lebridgeur.com Publishing director Olivier Comte Editor Éditions de Presse spécialisée - Le Bridgeur - 27 rue du Quatre-Septembre
75002 Paris, France Editorial committee Michel Bessis, Muriel Clément, Olivier Comte, Philippe Cronier, Mark Horton, Vincent Labbé, Alain
Lévy, Isabelle Le Squer-Fontaine (Layout), Karine Meyer-Naudan et Jean-Christophe Quantin Chief Editor Mark Horton Art Director
Isabelle Le Squer-Fontaine/Maya - mayatom@me.com Subscriptions Benjamine Voruz (8734) (see page 94) Adverts in the magazine
Muriel Clément (8742) Director General Karine Meyer-Naudan (8733) Accounting Brigitte Mendes Commercial: Lead Buyer Anne
Pinchon (8740) Shop in Paris Sandrine Veyssière (8736) Mail-order sales Maïté Marrodan (2550) Shipments Viral Parekh and Sidick
Hosenally Front page picture © Pascal Rostain
EVERY DEPARTMENT CAN BE REACHED BY DIALLING +33(0)1 42 96 FOLLOWED BY THE EXTENSION NUMBER IN PARENTHESIS NEXT TO NAMES.
BI-MONTHLY MAGAZINE
LEGAL DEPOSIT MARCH/APRIL 2020 – COPYRIGHT FOR ALL PUBLISHED ARTICLES - N° C.P.P.P. LE BRIDGEUR REVUE FRANÇAISE DE BRIDGE - 0324K85914 - ISSN 1267-8430
6 BeBRIDGE №01
MAR.APR. 2020
SURVIVORS

Out-
⋆ break

© ARR
Readers of a certain age (with the good acquired significance with the outbreak of
ELIGIBILITY memory that is the hallmark of all bridge the coronavirus. It originated in the City
During the ACBL players) may recall a series produced by of Wuhan, which was the venue for the
Nationals in San the BBC back in the mid-seventies, called 2019 World Bridge Championships. Just
Francisco last Survivors. It was about a group of people imagine what the consequences might have
month, the World who survive a global pandemic. been if the outbreak had started during the
Bridge Federation’s In the 2011 movie Rise of the Planet of the championships.
Management Apes a devastating virus is initially spread With China being a major centre for bridge
Committee by an airline pilot on his way from San contests there may yet be consequences
unanimously
Francisco to Paris. for the world's leading bridge players and
approved the new
These imagined scenarios have suddenly journalists.
WBF Eligibility
Code and Bona Fide
Residency Criteria,
which immediately
came into effect.
«More than any other card game, bridge leaves
You can see them at: little room for chance and favours the
GO →
development of strategies through calculation.»

↑
A former academy inspector turned bridge instructor turned bridge enthusiast,
in Le Point 20/12/19.

Top. REGULATIONS
Don’t be a Dope
Flop. The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has
announced that its current List of Prohibited
of-competition, and which substances
are banned in particular sports. All

↓
Substances and Methods (List), entered into
force from 1 January 2020.
The List, which is one of six International
Standards that are mandatory for all
Signatories of the World Anti-Doping Code
NO (Code), designates what substances and
NBOs and participants in World Bridge
Federation events are asked to take note
of this updated list and ensure that all the
requirements regarding applications for
TUEs are fully complied with.
Everyone playing in WBF/EBL events should

BRIDGE methods are prohibited both in- and out- take the time to check the list.

IN THE
MAXIMUS
CUP RECORD Like chess, bridge is not an age-related game and
they are both ones in which records are being set

BREAKERS
the e-sport event all the time. Many of the chess-related ones have
of the coming year been set down in Yakov Damsky’s The Batsford
held in Arles at Book of Chess Records but if you want to search
the beginning of for those relating to bridge your best bet is to refer to the ACBL's Encyclopedia of Bridge. In its
December, although February issue, the ACBL reported that Jeff Meckstroth was the Player of the Decade by virtue
Scrabble of having accumulated the most Platinum Points between 2010 and 2019. The two previous
was included. winners were… Jeff Meckstroth.
If you would like to try and make it into the record books, why not have a stab at beating
the record for acquiring the title of ACBL Life Master, currently held by Iceland's Jakob
Kristinsson, who in 1996 achieved the feat in 43 days, eclipsing the previous record of 53 days
set by Sabine Auken.

MONTREAL
DREAM
TEAM
When the world's best players gather in
Montreal for the ACBL's Summer Nationals,
those competing in the Spingold Trophy will
have a fearsome team to contend with:
Eric Rodwell, Jeff Meckstroth, Geir Helgemo,
Tor Helness, Eddie Wold and Mike Levine.
Eric & Jeff are frequently referred to as Meckwell,
while Geir and Tor are Helgeness, which leaves
the question - how best to describe Eddie &
Mike. Devine?
© ARR
Committee Stage
The European Bridge League’s
Women’s Committee has published
an information letter. You can read it
at: GO →
One of the things that impressed
me was the number of countries
that have appointed Women Bridge
Coordinators: Austria, Belgium,
Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic,
Estonia, Finland, Georgia, Germany,
Greece, Hungary, Iceland(2), Israel,
Italy, Latvia, Malta, Norway, Poland,
Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Spain,
Sweden, Switzerland.
That’s very impressive, but there are
some surprising names missing from
this list, including England, The
Netherlands & France.
BeBRIDGE №01
7
NEWS
MAR.APR. 2020
LOCATION
Where in the World
The World Championships are eagerly anticipated. The WBF
is constantly engaged in discussions with prospective hosts,
but rather like the Olympic Games, you can never be sure
where you will be going until the winner is announced. At one
point it seemed likely that this year's Championships would be
in China or Turkey, but eventually it was Salsomaggiore, Italy
that was chosen. Marrakesh is a strong favourite for 2021, and
negotiations are under way with Poland to host in 2022. China
Hong Kong has been mentioned for 2023 while in 2025 the
Bermuda Bowl is set to return to its historical home, Bermuda.
AIN’T THAT GRAND
The preceding month the ACBL announced that Sylvia Shi had
accomplished the remarkable feat of becoming a Grand Life
Master in just nine years, having started to play in January 2011.
The youngest GLM mentioned that she became influenced by
reading Louis Sachar's The Cardturner and that learning to play
bridge involved 'a lower initial monetary cost than flying lessons!'
Swiss Movement
By the time you read this this we will have had an opportunity
to see how the new Swiss Team is shaping up following the
appearance of Pierre Zimmermann, Franck Multon, Sjoert
Brink, Bas Drijver, Piotr Gawrys & Michael Klukowski in Monaco’s
Winter Games.
O TEMPORA! O MORES!
WATCH OUT!
Chess & bridge have a lot in common. They are both games
in which one might gain an unfair advantage by utilising an
electronic device. The obvious one is the mobile phone, but as
watches become more sophisticated, they could also be a threat.
So it is not unreasonable for there to be regulations relating to
electronic watches. However, a badly
worded law can wreak havoc and
at a recent event in India a
leading Grandmaster was
penalised with the loss of
a game for wearing an
analogue watch!
That strikes us as
yellow card offence, not
a red one!
8 BeBRIDGE №01
MAR.APR. 2020

© Maroun Mhanna
 BeBRIDGE №01
MAR.APR. 2020 9
FILE
#1
CARLOS
Quotes collected
by José Damiani,
Olivier Comte
and Karine

GHOSN
Meyer-Naudan

“Think before
BRIDGE, you play... and play
according to a plan:
A FUNDAMENTAL this is the secret
LESSON FOR LIFE of bridge”
Carlos Ghosn
Back in Beirut, the former car magnate has
E XCL U S I V E
granted BeBRIDGE an unusual interview. In a jumble,
this bridge lover evokes the strengths and lessons of
a passion that he has discovered more than fifty years ago,
but also the economic crisis in Lebanon and the future of
a country that means a lot to him.
The voice is well balanced, relaxed,
enthusiastic. For Carlos Ghosn, talking
about bridge is anything but a torture.
He describes a “magnificent” game,
which he missed for months before being
able to set up two duplicate tables at
his home in Beirut. An assumed craze,
AN EXCEPTIONAL

which he gladly fulfils “as soon as he has

five minutes” by a game on FunBridge,
© ARR

MEETING WITH

recognizing the software's “addictive”

side. We meet with an addicted and fine
strategist, who promises – in due course
– to knock down the cards on the big
screen.
The Couqley Bistro in Beirut's trendy Gemmayze
district .
at bringing young people to bridge. I
must have been 10 years old when she
BeBRIDGE!

took me there for the first time - I was

BeBRIDGE. – We know you are
passionate about bridge. How have
you discovered and later learned this
game?
Carlos Ghosn. – I discovered bridge
thanks to my mother, passionate about
the game. When I was a child, in the
60s, she played in a Beirut bridge club
with several of her friends. I joined
her there through a program aimed
very proud. It was in this little bridge
circle that I learned to play, educated by
professionals who are part of the current
Lebanese bridge team.
B.B.: What has it brought you on an
intellectual and human level?
C.G.: Bridge is above all an exceptional
exercise for memory. Moreover, I mean
precision in memory. In bridge, one’s
10 BeBRIDGE №01
MAR.APR. 2020

Crisis
manage-
ment seen
by Carlos
Ghosn
"I consider that there
is no problem created
by man that cannot be
resolved by man.

© Maroun Mhanna
This is the basis. The
solutions are usually
found inside the
country, just like in
a company. You just The Aero Club plays host to Toni Hashem, Carlos and Gabriel Harfourche.
need to identify them,
prioritize them, and
finally spend time memory is exercised selectively, since it to play a game with Chinese officials.
putting them into is necessary not only to memorize the Which, undeniably, would have favoured
action. Then the results cards, but also the moment when these business.
follow. cards were played. It’s also a game that I do not dispute at all the fact that bridge
Therefore, that’s not teaches anticipation, even to the youngest can be a vector of rapprochements in the
what should scare you.
players. When we play cards, we often context of business. Bridge players – like
I’ve known many other
crises. tend to think at the same time as we play; golfers, for example – take advantage
When I picked up in bridge, on the other hand, you very of game interruptions to talk about
Nissan in 1999, with quickly understand that you must think something other than the game itself.
debts of 20 billion, before playing... and play according to a Bridge can therefore be extremely useful
when the banks no
plan. It is even for this that we recognize in business, especially in countries that
longer wanted to lend
them money, they the great players: they always spend a few promote this activity. And if I do not
were on the verge of minutes – even only a few seconds, for remember examples during which we
bankruptcy, they were the very good – to think before playing did business thanks to bridge, the fact
driven by the need to the first card. The beginner plays his of establishing exchanges around a table
sign with Renault. No cards only as he discovers the cards of his at which several decision makers are
doubt they would have
opponents, the good bridge player already gathered can undoubtedly favour links
preferred to make a
deal with Daimler ... has a plan in mind. that will be productive in the future.
But their situation was Learning anticipation, mentally preparing
dire. In the same way a plan before the action, and especially B.B.: According to you, what are the
that we must strive to the ability to modify this plan depending benefits of bridge?
mobilize all employees
on the surprises encountered during its C.G.: It's a parenthesis in life, far from
in a company that is
being restructured, execution, make bridge an extraordinary its worries. During a game, you don't
you must manage exercise. The more we play, the more we think about anything else. For three or
to mobilize a whole learn to count, the more we understand four hours we escape from our moods,
country to do things that we must know how to resist the we oxygenate the brain – we're taking a
that are not easy. I temptation to play before having a clear break. It’s a bit like having a moment in an
have exercised this
plan in mind. All of this holds a very oasis, facing the storms that we experience
know-how under
complicated conditions important place, too, in business. in life. Focusing on a bridge game allows
and obtained results, you to forget everything. This is one of the
but today I leave this B.B.: As a universal game, has bridge main virtues of this game.
task to the political ever been a support for you in
leaders (Lebanese, business relations? B.B.: During the events of the past
editor's note).
C.G.: On the professional level, few months and the last several
I wouldn't say that was the case. Even if weeks, has playing bridge helped
you (José Damiani, editor's note) once you cope?
suggested to me, during a visit to China, C.G.: Unfortunately, during my detention

in Japan – 4 months in prison and 10
months under house arrest – I had no
access to bridge. I would have liked to,
but I was not allowed to use the Internet
and, therefore, to play online. In addition,
I could not imagine going to a Japanese
bridge club, where I would have been
besieged with questions from players
who were certainly not completely
neutral. I missed it a lot. Being able to
escape during a game would have been a
moment of extraordinary relaxation.
B.B.: Some bridge players have
shown you their support very
recently. Is it important to you?
C.G.: The people who kept in touch with
me during my detention include a large
number of bridge players, or friends that
I made through bridge. I must say that
this game has the ability to bring together
© Pascal Rostain
people with several similarities, starting
with an obvious interest in this discipline.
I without a doubt would not have met
some people if they had not played
bridge. Pierre Chidiac and all the players
I spend time with here, in Lebanon, are
not people I knew from elsewhere: I met
them through bridge and they are loyal
friends. Our shared passion gives us the
opportunity to forge strong ties. It’s a
matter of compatibility.
BeBRIDGE №01
MAR.APR. 2020 11
B.B.: Besides bridge, do you have any FILE
other passions?
C.G.: No, no other hobby that is as
strong. I also gave up flying. I enjoy card
games in general, as well as chess and
# 1
CARLOS
go, but bridge is by far number 1. My
wife doesn’t play but I’ll try to teach her.
GHOSN
BRIDGE,
Seeing me disappear for half a day a week A FUNDAMENTAL
makes her want to learn and share this LESSON FOR LIFE
pleasure.
My weekly bridge game in Beirut is
“I without a doubt would
not have met some people if they
had not played bridge”
Carlos Ghosn
an appointment that I want to respect
with great attention. We usually meet
on Monday afternoon in a small club
located in town, around 4.30 pm, with
Pierre Chidiac and several talented
bridge players from Lebanon. I am lucky
to be able to play with people with great
qualities and skills in bridge. It's a very
nice place, which has the advantage
– I admit! – of having an excellent
restaurant. We therefore dine there most
of the time all together, after the game,
around 7:30 p.m. The atmosphere is very
friendly; everyone talks about what they
do. It is also an opportunity to discuss the
situation in the country and what is going
on there.
© ARR
B.B.: Has your expertise as a big boss
ever been sought out locally?
C.G.: I am very honoured that some
Moment
Personally, playing
Lebanese see me as someone who online doesn't stop me
can provide solutions to the problems from running to the
that their country faces. If, through club to play my game.
my knowledge, my know-how or my It even enhances the
experiences, I can help politicians fun I have playing "in
the real" and makes the
on a voluntary basis to set up levers execution even more
likely to contribute to the recovery of enjoyable. Playing
Lebanon, then I would be particularly online is therefore not
happy. I cannot remain indifferent to a substitute for playing
this situation and am perfectly willing at a real table, they are
complementary for me.
to make myself useful. On the other
hand, I say it again very clearly and
often repeat it to my friends: I have no
political ambition, nor do I aim at any
official post. I am not a politician and
have no desire to become one. If someone
takes the initiative to ask me, I will do so
gracefully.
12 BeBRIDGE №01
MAR.APR. 2020
B.B.: What place does bridge hold in
Lebanon? Has it changed given the
current situation?
C.G.: I have not lived in Lebanon long or
permanently enough to be aware of this
development. But having talked about
it with my fellow bridge players, I know
that we miss bridge schools for young
people here. For the moment, current
© iStock
players have not succeeded in stimulating
500
new vocations, nor have they tried to
facilitate the learning of bridge in schools
or families. In addition, the clubs are few
and do not make efforts to attract young
There are people. Personally, I would never have
approximately come to bridge without my mother and
the lessons in the bridge club. Learning
500 affiliates at her side was far too demanding; I
in Lebanon wanted to shine in her eyes, not to make
“Playing online and playing at a real
table are complementary for me”
Carlos Ghosn
Bridge in Lebanon
and its numbers
In the 1960s to 1980s, bridge was a particularly popular game
in Lebanon, and it was so among all religious communities
– although Christians are probably still in the majority. The
Lebanese Bridge Federation was even one of the founders of
the European Bridge League, long before the existence of a
zone in the Middle East, which obviously wants to welcome
them now. The various events and wars that Lebanon has
suffered – and continues to suffer – unfortunately contribute to
the decrease in the number of players. Nevertheless, there are
some 500 affiliates spread over several clubs. Amongst them
there are primarily the Bridge Lebanon Club, directed by Faycal
Hamdane, Secretary General of the Federation, which counts
between 30 and 40 tables daily; as well as the Aero Club of
Beirut, where the former President of the Council of State and
President of the Federation, Master Choukri Sader, plays often,
together with Pierre Chidiac and other friends of Carlos Ghosn,
such as Michel Eidi, Mireille Fayad, Gabriel Harfourche or Nagib
Baroud. The country is now thinking about again organizing
the very famous Lebanese Bridge Festival, which should take
place in early September 2020. Bridge players from all over
the world would be joyful of going there, given how warm the
welcome is and how unique the ambiance.
J.D.
mistakes. It is therefore necessary to be
able to learn with a person from outside.
I had the benefit of these two elements
and that is where the role of the clubs
lies: offer the opportunity to young
people that they can learn without being
judged by their parents, facing someone
neutral, before whom we do not blush
because of our stupidities..
B.B.: What are your thoughts about
playing bridge online?
C.G.: In terms of the development of
your technique, it is an extraordinary
tool. You can replay a deal if you ever
make a mistake, compare your results
to those of other players, compare your
card play to that of a player having made
a fabulous move. You can effectively fine-
tune your technique anytime, anywhere,
under any conditions (on the plane, in
the hotel, aboard a taxi, etc.). For this,
it is extraordinary. But let's not forget
that you are playing against a computer.
Consequently, all the social and festive
aspect of bridge disappears, as does the
psychological dimension of the game that
otherwise makes it possible to determine
the profile of one's opponent. Personally,
playing online doesn't stop me from
running to the club to play my game. It
even enhances the fun I have playing
“in the real” and makes the execution
even more enjoyable. Playing online is
therefore not a substitute for playing at
a real table, they are complementary for
me.
B.B.: Did certain bridge tournaments
give you particularly memorable
moments?
C.G.: Usually the games played abroad
or while travelling are the ones that leave
the best memories. When we lived in
the United States, in Greenville (South
Carolina), there were tournaments
organized constantly and everywhere,
from Nevada to New York, from Boston
to San Francisco. So many opportunities
to discover a country and meet the
bridge community!
B.B.: Losing at bridge, is it a drama or
a lesson?
C.G.: Losing a tournament because of a
huge blunder is one of the most unique
moments in bridge. I remember a deal in
the United States that left me mortified

towards my partner – and myself – for
several weeks. That day, we were leading
the tournament. On the last deal of the
last table, I make a monumental error by
not bidding an obvious game. My mind
was elsewhere ... and we lost. It’s not
like a moment of shame quickly gone;
there, the guilt lasts several days. On this
tournament, there was no stake, except
the recognition of our peers. I realize this
is ridiculous, but it was the equivalent of
a drama to me.
B.B.: Thus, bridge is also a vector of
humility?
C.G.: Above all, it gives us an essential
life lesson: making mistakes is the only
way to become better. It is a life-size
demonstration that all human teaching
based on stupidities that one can commit
and on their objective examination
serves an education. Bridge tells us:
"If you want to progress, you have to
look your errors in the face, draw all
the conclusions, and make sure that
you do better." It’s something that a lot
of women and men don’t realize, even
though you can’t be a better player
without it. I would even say that you
should always be wary of modest players
in bridge tournaments: the best players
are not the most arrogant.
B.B.: How do you feel about the place
of women in bridge?
C.G.: I think bridge is gender neutral.
I don't see any difference between men and
woman on their ability to be good bridge
players. I played with male partners, female
partners .... I would even say that the
female element, in bridge, rebalances the
game. To find yourself in a country where
all the players are men, or in a club where
only women play, completely biases the
atmosphere.
B.B.: How do you see the future of
bridge?
C.G.: We are living more and more in a
virtual world, which rubs shoulders with
the real world. To be equally comfortable
in both, bridge is a great way to train. The
fact that this game has been recognized
as an Olympic discipline is an excellent
thing for this, as well as including bridge
in education programs would be a very
good initiative. Its contributions in
terms of memory, planning, discipline
BeBRIDGE №01
MAR.APR. 2020 13
FILE
# 1
CARLOS
GHOSN
© Maroun Mhanna
BRIDGE,
A FUNDAMENTAL
LESSON FOR LIFE
Carlos with Pierre Chidiac.
and humility are such that we will
undoubtedly come to that one day. Why
do children learn faster than we do?
Because they learn by playing. They don't
even have to make any efforts! The fun
side is extremely important in education.
I am convinced that the Chinese example
– pioneers in this area because they see
the long term – will be emulated. To
“You should always be wary of
modest players: the best ones are
not the most arrogant”
Carlos Ghosn
teach bridge to young people is to prepare
an entire generation for the acquisition of
the virtues it develops in humans. And,
on a country-wide basis, I see it as a wise
move.
B.B.: Many directors would like to
make a film out of your story. Will you
give us the joy of integrating a bridge
sequence into the script?
C.G.: Count on me: I will have no problem
imposing it, whether in a feature film
or – better – in a series! Negotiations are
currently underway with several great
professionals, but you must be patient
because the legal questions are not simple.
In any event, there will be a film, for sure!
© iStock
14 BeBRIDGE №01
MAR.APR. 2020

Mr. Vesval

ALARM
CLOCK ♠ A4
♥ J97
♦ K87543
♣ K10 Let’s first try to clarify the conditions Now let us now come to your pass.
N that make reopening mandatory. I think your idea is not so good, for
♠ 3 ♠ Q108762
♥ A8542 ♥ 1063 1. After a 1-level intervention two reasons:
♦ AQ109
W E
♦ 2 A reopening is compulsory with 1. A large concentration of honours
♣ 543 S ♣ 872 one or two cards in the opponent’s and length in clubs is more condu-
suit. However, certain defensive cive to making an attacking action
♠ KJ95
♥ KQ criteria are required before opting as opposed to a defensive one. This
♦ J6 for an ‘wake-up double’. With good contradicts the idea that passing
♣ AQJ96 distribution and poor defence a will assure you of a good result.
Pairs. 2nd bid is better than double. 2. Having only four spades increases
2. After a jump intervention the likelihood that your partner is
W NORTH E S
Reopening with a double is al- not short in the suit and will not
1♦ 2♠
most compulsory with a single- feel like keeping the auction going.
As South, I thought, rightly so, that ton in the opponent’s suit. With It’s a bit sad, I admit, not to take ad-
defending 2♠ doubled was the best a doubleton, you must have a vantage of the opponent’s sporting
possible score for our side. This is why non-minimum hand. intervention and get a top. However
I preferred to pass for an ultimately The purpose of this preamble is to it seems to me, in any case, better to
calamitous result. Should my partner exonerate your partner, whose pass avoid getting a zero by selecting the
wake up and reopen the bidding? really doesn’t make you happy here. natural and forcing bid of 3♣ after 2♠.

Mr. Damseaux, Belgium convention consider that now bid-

ding 2♥ indicates a weak hand com-

“GARBAGE” STAYMAN prising at least four hearts and four

We play weak Stayman after an ope- which has obvious merits, especial-
ning of 1NT (15-17). With the following ly in a Pairs tournament. But, like
hand: any convention, it requires a little
♠ 9852 thought. There are only have three
♥ 109843 answers to this Stayman, 2♦, 2♥
♦ 65 and 2♠. What is required is to spe-
♣ Q3 cify responder’s strong bids (howe-
Should I use Stayman or make a Trans- ver this is not our subject here), as
fer? well as the developments after the
reply of 2♦, which is really the pro-
Weak Stayman, sometimes called blem with your hand.
“garbage” Stayman, is a convention The majority of the followers of this
spades. After this bid, opener either
passes, or bids 2♠ if he has three spa-
des and two hearts.
If you have adopted this way of doing
things, then yes, it is better to use
Stayman. On the other hand, if bid-
ding 2♥ is a small game try for your
pair that allows the opener to say 4♥,
2NT or 3NT, use Texas.
Note
Even in this version of “garbage”
Stayman, the 2♠ bid, after the 2♦ res-
ponse, remains a ‘golden misère’.

Send all your questions to revue@lebridgeur.com

Mr. Ledan 15
BeBRIDGE №01
MAR.APR. 2020

READERS’
DILEMMA
TECHNIQUE OR JUDGMENT…
QUESTIONS
by Michel Bessis

OR BOTH?
N important card to overcome a predic-
♠ AJ74 ♠ K965
♥A ♥ 76 table bad break. On the other hand,
W E
♦ Q6 ♦ AJ3 the 1♠ bid, after the double, will have
♣ AKQ962 S ♣ 10743 a little more strength than when it is
a simple response to an opening bid.
W NORTH E S This preamble aims to explain one of
Pass Pass Pass the reasons for the final analysis. East
1♣ Dble 1♠ Pass must have thought he was minimum
4♣ Pass 4♠ for his free bid and West may not have
taken this into account.
Slam makes by taking a safety play in
But back to the technique. What is
the spade suit. Do you agree with the
the definition of the 4♣ bid? For
refusal to name the expert East who
everyone, it describes a ‘beautiful
found the West hand too strong for the
6-4’. It seems to me that we need to
4♣ bid?
further clarify its meaning. With my
In the other room, they opted for a su-
usual partners, we agreed that the
per forcing, 3♦ over 1♠, and reached
auction would show either four key
the slam. What would have been your
cards (in this case, four from ♠AKQ
choice?
♥A ♦A ♣AKQ) and a control double-
North’s double, even after his initial ton, or five key cards if the doubleton
pass, changes the data of the problem, is not controlled, which is the case
insofar as the ♠9 becomes an ultra here. Compared to this definition,
the 4♣ bid is perfect. East, who has
two key cards and four clubs, making
the presence of the queen of clubs in
partner’s hand unnecessary, must ab-
solutely say 4♦ because twelve tricks
are visible, even if West’s hand is mi-
nimum, for example:
♠ AQxx
♥ x
♦ Kx
♣ AKJ9xx
He might even consider saying 6♣ to
overcome a possible 4-1 split in spa-
des. As you will have realised, I attri-
bute most of the responsibilities for
missing the slam to East, while not
completely exonerating West.
If the 4♣ bid is well defined, I find
it superior to that of 3♦ because it
describes the hand better and allows
partner to judge the value of his four
little clubs (a real bomb!).

Mr. Clapier The first thing that comes to my

mind when I review your auction is
Using Sputnik asks partner if he
has a fit for a major and any inte-
A TYPICAL that West, after his 5♥ bid, should rest in game. The disparity between

SPUTNIK be without food and water for some

time. His side had stopped at 3♠
and, when the opponents bid 4♣,
the two suits does not worry me too
much. You can act as you did after
your pass, if the auction does not
OR A RISKY PASS? partner pulled out of his hat an im- get too high, by considering that you
♠ 94 N ♠ AQ8653 probable 4♥ bid, which had the ef- have a single suiter in spades. You
♥ Q1042 W E
♥ 8763 fect of pushing the opponents to 5♣. could bid:
♦ AK765 ♦ 84
West has three defensive tricks and WEST N E S
♣ A3 S ♣5
the certainty of not having enough 1♦ 2♣ Dble Pass
WEST N E S for game let alone the assets to hope 2♦ Pass 2♠
1♦ 2♣ Pass 3♣ to win a contract at the five-level.
Pass Pass 3♠ 4♣ It’s Christmas! He must double and While risking hearing partner jump
Pass Pass 4♥ Pass thank his partner for his inspired to 3♥ over your double, this would
Pass 5♣ Pass Pass
actions. That said, the action East save you from playing in spades if he
should take is not obvious and this has a singleton in the suit and four
5♥
problem deserves attention. cards in hearts.
For at least one, the debate is about It is dangerous to pass for several So, on reflection, I prefer to double
East’s actions. West bitterly reproaches reasons: having only one club can on the first round and announce the
him for his initial pass and East, who finds cause fear that the opener, long in spades if the bidding comes back to
the 5♥ bid more than questionable, re- clubs, may not re-open, which could me at an acceptable level, but your
fuses to make a negative double on the prove to be unfortunate. On the treatment of the hand is far from
first round, due to the great disparity other hand, an opposing barrage criminal (and even inspired in this
between the two suits. What do you think could cause problems on the next case), unlike the actions of your
of all this? round of the auction. partner.
16 BeBRIDGE №01
MAR.APR. 2020

Reisinger I t employs Board-A-Match (BAM)

scoring where instead of the more
common IMP comparison (where,
for example +620 at one table is

Man of
compared with, say down one,
-100 at the other table for a 720-point
swing converted to 12 IMPs), the BAM
score is more rudimentary. The board is

the Match
scored as either a Win a Loss or a Tie. If
the N-S pair is +620 and the E-W pair at
the other table is +100, the result is 1-0 -
a full win. If a team is -800 East-West at
one table and also -2,000 by North-South
at the other table, it is simply a loss or
San Francisco played host to the
T H E CI T Y 0-1. If both tables achieve the same score,
say +170 at each table, it is a tie and 0.5
2019 Fall Nationals, which features what is for each team. At the end of the session,
arguably the toughest event of the year. each team adds up its ties and wins. Over
26 boards, an average session is 13 points.
The Reisinger is a six-session open event Whoever gets the most points in the
event is the winner.
scored by board-a-match with two qualifying, You can win a board in BAM by the
two semi-final and two final sessions, smallest of margins. If the N-S pair
is +130 in a part-score, and their
considered the toughest on the ACBL counterparts play in 2NT, making +120,
tournament calendar. they would get a full 1-0 on the board. If
it were IMP scoring, this scenario would
produce a flat board – 0 IMP (since 0-10

© ACBL

ACBL Executive Director Joe Jones presents the Reisinger Trophy to Team Lavazza: Norberto Bocchi, Dennis Bilde, Antonio Sementa, Agustin
Madala, Giorgio Duboin & Phillipe Cronier.
 BeBRIDGE №01
17

on the IMP scale isn’t worth even 1 IMP).
Very few tournaments use this form of
scoring, yet many experts consider it the
'purest' form of the game. It is an easy
form of scoring to understand, even for a
non-player.
Lots of stamina and concentration are
required. You never know when a trick
can be the difference between a win and
a loss. At no point can you relax, even
though many of the tricks won/lost will
•LIVE
MAR.APR. 2020
In many sporting contests involving
teams it has become the norm to make
an award to the most outstanding player.
There are currently no such awards in
bridge, but were one to be given for the
Reisinger, who might be the recipient?
Let's look at some key moments from the
second half of the final:
Board 32 ♠ K1065
♥ QJ8

Francesca Canali
be irrelevant. If you are fighting hard ♦ A7
for an overtrick in 2 Hearts, but your ♣ AQ93
counterparts are in 4 Hearts, your result ♠9 N ♠ 43
won’t matter (the board is already won
or lost at the other table). Yet, the other
♥ K4
♦ 96432
W E
♥ A109753
♦ J1085 By
table might be +120 on your cards and
your effort to turn +110 into +140 will be
♣ KJ862 S ♣4 Mark
worth everything! ♠ AQJ872
♥ 62
Horton
The 42 teams who entered the lists were ♦ KQ
whittled down to the ten who would ♣ 1075
contest the final, playing two mini BAM.
matches of three deals against each other, Open Room
making average 30.00.
The finalists comprised a myriad W NORTH E S
Donati Cronier Cima Duboin
assortment of World and National
Champions -we can see how things 1NT 3♥ 4♥(*)
unravelled thanks to BBO, who covered Pass 4♠
all ten tables through both sessions. (*) 4♥ Spades.

Team Lavazza scored heavily in the semi- Closed Room

final, their score of 50.57 giving them an W NORTH E S
almost-maximum carryover of 4.82 into Madala Elahmady Bilde Sadek
the final. 1NT 2♦ 4♥
Here is how things stood as the final got
Dble 4♠
under way:

Carryover
Lavazza Norberto Bocchi, Antonio Sementa, Dennis Bilde,
Agustin Madala,Philippe Cronier, Giorgio Duboin 4.82
Fleisher Martin Fleisher, Chip Martel, Joe Grue, Brad Moss,
Geoff Hampson,Eric Greco 3.04
Bid 72 Jan Van Cleeff, Marina Wilvliet, Matthias Felmy, Iain Sime 1.79
Rippey Mike Rippey, Kamil Nowak, Leonardo Cima,
Giovanni Donati,Tarek Sadek, Walid Elahmady 1.25
Lebowitz Laurence Lebowitz, Adam Grossack, Zachary Grossack,
Michael Rosenberg, Fredrik Nystrom, Johan Upmark 1.25
Crouch Peter Crouch, Simon Cope, Espen Erichsen, Fredrik Helness 0.79
Blass Jacek Pszczola, Michal Nowosadzki, Jacek Kalita,
Sjoert Brink, Sebastiaan Drijver, Josef Blass (NPC) 0.32
Ventin Diego Brenner, Miguel Villas-Boas, Frederic Wrang,
Antonio Palma, Juan Carlos Ventin (NPC) 0.22
Nickell Nick Nickell, Ralph Katz, Jeff Meckstroth, Eric Rodwell,
Robert Levin, Steve Weinstein, 0.14
Weinstein Howard Weinstein, Michael Becker, Bob Hamman,
Peter Weichsel, Liam Milne, Andy Hung, 0.00
18 BeBRIDGE №01
№925
JAN.FÉV. 2020
MAR.APR. 2020
In the Open Room East led the 4 of Clubs another Heart. East wins and plays a
and declarer played low from dummy, Spade, but declarer ruffs, draws the last
taking West's King with the Ace and trump and plays a Diamond to the Ace
playing three rounds of trumps. When and a Diamond, pitching a club. He wins
West threw the 4 of Hearts declarer the Club exit and cashes the last Heart
continued with the10 of Clubs, covered by squeezing West.
the Jack and Queen. It was then a simple East played the Jack of Spades at trick
matter to eliminate the minor suits before one and West switched to the Queen of
playing a Heart, the enforced ruff and Clubs. Declarer won with dummy's King
discard giving declarer a vital overtrick. and played on trumps, East taking the
third round and exiting with the King of
In the Closed Room East also led the 4 of Diamonds. Declarer won with dummy's
BBO Clubs, but declarer took only two rounds Ace, ruffed the Jack of Diamonds and
Revolution of trumps before playing a Heart, +650 drew the last trump pitching a Diamond.
Bridgebase Online and a zero. That forced West to pitch a Spade, but
follows every deal of declarer played a Spade to the Ace, ruffed
YOU CAN NOW REPLAY THIS DEAL AT
the final at each table. a Spade and played a low Club to endplay
What is more, the WWW.BRIDGEBASE.COM West.
operators make sure MATCH 2 MATCH 2 MATCH 2 To defeat 4 Hearts, West must lead a
TABLE 1 TABLE 2 TABLE 3
that they log out
GO → GO → GO →
Diamond (or an unlikely low Club).
and in at the start of
Frederic Wrang was the only one to find
each round so that
the correct names
a Diamond lead. The point is that when
are displayed in
Board 37 ♠ A974 East comes in with the King of Hearts, a
the Archive of deals ♥7 Club switch is awkward. If declarer wins
preserved at ♦ AJ873 in hand, draws the last trump and plays
the website: ♣ K76 a Spade the final hurdle for the defence
www.bridgebase.com N is that West must play a Spade honour so
♠ KQ63 ♠ J108
as to be able to play a second Club when
♥ J2 ♥ K863
W E declarer ducks.
♦ 64 ♦ KQ952
In the other room, East led the Jack of
♣ QJ952 S ♣ 10
Spades against 3NT and declarer took
♠ 52 the third round of the suit and played on
♥ AQ10954 Hearts. That was good for nine tricks -
♦ 10 but not for the point, as when East came
♣ A843 in with the King of Hearts, he switched
to the 10 of Clubs which broke up the
BAM. impending squeeze on West ensuring that
Open Room the point went to Lavazza.
W N EAST S
Milne Cronier Hung Duboin
YOU CAN NOW REPLAY THIS DEAL AT
Pass 1♥
MATCH 2 MATCH 2 MATCH 2
Pass 2♦ Pass 2♥ TABLE 1 TABLE 2 TABLE 3

Pass 2NT Pass 3♥ GO → GO → GO →

Pass 4♥

Closed Room Board 45 ♠ AK3

♥ Q1063
W N EAST S
♦ AK8
Madala Weichsel Bilde Hamman
♣ A92
Pass 1♥
♠ 104 N ♠ Q95
Pass 2♦ Pass 2♥
Pass 2♠ Pass 3♣
♥ AKJ8 W E
♥ 9742
♦ 96532 ♦ J4
Pass 3NT
♣ 73 S ♣ KJ108
Against 4 Hearts, West led the King of
♠ J8762
Spades and declarer ducked, a play that
♥5
is easy to overlook. If West plays a second
♦ Q107
Spade declarer wins, plays a Heart to the
♣ Q654
Queen and continues with the Ace and
 BeBRIDGE №01
19

•LIVE
MAR.APR. 2020
Board 46 ♠ A7653
♥8
♦ 432
♣ AQ97 By Mark Horton
♠ QJ2 N ♠—
© Francesca Canali

♥ J74 W E
♥ KQ9652
♦ AQ1097 ♦ KJ5
♣ K2 S ♣ 10653
Dennis Bilde. ♠ K10984
♥ A103
BAM. ♦ 86
Open Room ♣ J84
W N EAST S
Madala Rosenberg Bilde Grossack BAM.
Pass Pass Open Room
1♥ Dble 3♣(*) 3♠ W N E SOUTH

Pass 3NT Kalita Cronier Pszczola Duboin

(*) 3♦ Weak Heart raise. Pass

1♦ 1♠ 2♦ (*)
4♠
Closed Room (*) 2♦ Hearts.
W N EAST S
Nystrom Cronier Upmark Duboin Closed Room
Pass Pass W N E SOUTH
1♥ Dble 3♥ 3♠ Madala Drijver Bilde Brink
Pass 4♠ Pass
1♣ 1♠ 2♥ 4♠
In the Open Room, When NS could not find Dble(1) Pass 4NT(2) Pass
a route to 4 Spades, West's tactical opening 6♦ Pass 6♥ Dble
was a success. East led the 7 of Hearts and Pass Pass 7♣ Dble
West won with the King and switched to the (1) Dble Extra values.
7 of Clubs for the 9, 10 and Queen. Three (2) 4NT Take-out.
rounds of Spades put East on lead and he
exited with the King of Clubs. That left Pepsi led the King of Hearts in the Open
declarer with nine tricks, +600. Room and declarer won with dummy's
In the replay, Cronier realised South was Ace and played the 10 of Spades to
marked with at most one Heart, which the Ace, East pitching the 9 of Hearts.
made it highly likely that he held five Declarer exited with a Diamond and West
Spades. West led the King of Hearts and won with the 9 and played the Queen of
switched to the 10 of Spades and declarer Spades, declarer winning with dummy's
won and played to ruff three Hearts, King and playing a second Diamond.
eventually playing a Club to the Ace and a West took the Ace, cashed the Jack of
Club for ten tricks and a win. Spades and exited with a Heart. Declarer
Hereabouts Lavazza had a narrow lead – on ruffed, ruffed a Diamond, and with a
this deal their closest challengers scored decent inferential count played a low
a point when West opened 1♥ and East Club to the Queen and cashed the Ace,
saw fit to bid 4♥ over North's 3NT, which +420.
cost 800. However, Blass lost the other EW got their wires crossed in the Closed
two deals to fall further behind. These two Room - I'm still looking at West's hand
teams were around 3 points clear of the rest trying to locate those 'extra values'. North
and they were to meet in the next round led the 8 of Hearts and West offered his
with Lavazza ahead,30.82-28.82.6 opponents down 6/7 - 'or whatever you
want!' Six down,-1700 was agreed (with
YOU CAN NOW REPLAY THIS DEAL AT perfect defence -2300 is possible!).
MATCH 6 MATCH 6 MATCH 6 MATCH 6 MATCH 6
TABLE 1 TABLE 2 TABLE 3 TABLE 4 TABLE 3

GO → GO → GO → GO → GO →
20 BeBRIDGE №01
MAR.APR. 2020
Board 47 ♠ 102 the 9 of Clubs on the first round, followed
♥ A2 by the 3 and 10 and East pitched the 6 of
♦ AK72 Diamonds. On the penultimate Club East
♣ AQJ64 parted with the 9 of Diamonds and now
declarer was up to ten tricks - not enough
♠ A93 N ♠ Q876 to save the point.
♥ K9876 W E
♥ Q103 Suppose West plays his Clubs in the order
♦ 84 ♦ QJ96 10, 9 and 3. Should that suggest he has
♣ 1093 S ♣ 85 Spades under control?
♠ KJ54
♥ J54 YOU CAN NOW REPLAY THIS DEAL AT
♦ 1053 MATCH 7 MATCH 7 MATCH 7 MATCH 7 MATCH 7
♣ K72 TABLE 1 TABLE 2 TABLE 3 TABLE 4 TABLE 3

GO → GO → GO → GO → GO →

BAM.
Open Room
WEST N E S Board 51 ♠ 964
Kalita Cronier Pszczola Duboin ♥ A4
Defensive Pass 1♣ Pass 1♠
♦ AQ42
♣ Q872
Play Pass
Pass
2♦
2NT
Pass
Pass
2♥(*)
3NT ♠ AKQ10 N ♠ J82
The defenders
(*) 2♥ Fourth-suit, game forcing. ♥ KQ9532 W E
♥ J76
have many ways of
exchanging vital
♦K ♦ 9653
information, but their Closed Room ♣ J9 S ♣ 654
first opportunity WEST N E S ♠ 753
to upset declarer's Madala Drijver Bilde Brink ♥ 108
applecart comes with
Pass 1♣ Pass 1♦ ♦ J1087
the opening lead.
Even if the defender 1♥ 2♦ 2♥ Dble ♣ AK103
selects the best suit, Pass 3NT
it may sometimes BAM.
With a nasty hand to lead from, in the Open Room
be vital to lead an
Open Room East went with the Queen
unusual card.
of Diamonds. Declarer won with the Ace WEST N E S
Crouch Cronier Cope Duboin
and played back the 2, East taking the
Jack and switching to the 6 of Spades 1♥ Pass Pass Dble
(the 10 or 3 of Hearts will hold declarer Rdbl Pass Pass 1NT
to nine tricks). Declarer played low from 2♥ 3NT Pass 4♣
dummy and when West could only win
with the Ace declarer was up to eleven Closed Room
tricks, +660. WEST N E S
Where South was declarer West's Heart Madala Helness Bilde Erichsen
lead ensured the demise of the contract, 1♥ Dble Pass 2♣
but with East on lead it was asking a lot 2♠ Pass 3♥
to expect that suit to be led when West
had not doubled 2♥. Wrang did double The BBO operator in the Open Room
4♥ so Palma led a heart. However, he reported that North was amused by his
went with the 3 (I have made this type of partner's 4♣. Nine tricks were available
mistake myself ) and now Fleisher had a in Clubs - as they were in 3NT. (This was
chance for glory by putting up dummy's the only table where the No-Trump game
Jack, which would block the suit. When was reached.)
he played low from dummy, he was In the Closed Room, 3 Hearts was
doomed to defeat. untouchable and +140 was a win that left
Hats off to Jan Van Cleeff, who led the 10 Lavazza virtually assured of victory.
of Hearts against Levin and Weinstein for
a well-deserved win.
YOU CAN NOW REPLAY THIS DEAL AT
In the Closed Room East led the 3 of
Hearts and declarer missed the blocking MATCH 8
TABLE 1
MATCH 8
TABLE 2
MATCH 8
TABLE 3
MATCH 8
TABLE 4
MATCH 8
TABLE 3
play, winning the trick with the Ace and GO → GO → GO → GO → GO →
cashing five rounds of Clubs. West played
 BeBRIDGE №01
21

•LIVE
MAR.APR. 2020
This is how they finished:
Lavazza Norberto Bocchi, Antonio Sementa, Dennis Bilde,
By Mark Horton
Agustin Madala, Philippe Cronier, Giorgio Duboin 36.32
Blass Jacek Pszczola, Michal Nowosadzki, Jacek Kalita,
Sjoert Brink, Sebastiaan Drijver, Josef Blass (NPC) 32.82
Weinstein Howard Weinstein, Michael Becker, Bob Hamman,
Peter Weichsel, Liam Milne, Andy Hung, 31.83
Crouch Peter Crouch, Simon Cope, Espen Erichsen, Fredrik Helness 30.79

© Caroline Moreau
Rippey Mike Rippey, Kamil Nowak, Leonardo Cima,
Giovanni Donati,Tarek Sadek, Walid Elahmady 28.25
Lebowitz Laurence Lebowitz, Adam Grossack, Zachary Grossack,
Michael Rosenberg, Fredrik Nystrom, Johan Upmark 27.25 Top Gun
My Man of the Match
Nickell Nick Nickell, Ralph Katz, Jeff Meckstroth, Eric Rodwell,
award goes to
Robert Levin, Steve Weinstein, 26.64 Philippe Cronier, who
Fleisher Martin Fleisher, Chip Martel, Joe Grue, Brad Moss, joined a unique club
of French players who
Geoff Hampson,Eric Greco 26.04
have won one of the
Ventin Diego Brenner, Miguel Villas-Boas, Frederic Wrang, ACBL's three 'majors'.
Antonio Palma, Juan Carlos Ventin (NPC) 23.22 Who will present him
the traditional bottle
Bid 72 Jan Van Cleeff, Marina Wilvliet, Matthias Felmy, Iain Sime 20.04
of champagne!

" www.lebridgeur.com
# +33 (1) 42 96 25 50 Du lundi au vendredi
de 9h à 18h.
22 BeBRIDGE №01
MAR.APR. 2020

THE
DREAM
PARTNER
-SHIP The last evening of the
CH A R I T Y PA I RS E V E N T

Mother Superior’s visit to the monastery coincided

with a charity pairs event. The deals, selected
by well-known bridge writers, were supposed
to be instructive or entertaining in some way.

“Y ou have to
tailor your
bidding in these
events”, declared
the Mother Superior, taking
her seat. “You realize that, Hugo?
It’s always worth bidding any thin
game or slam because you know
there’ll be some way to make it.”
The Abbot declined to agree with this
assessment. Why risk a complete bottom
by bidding some lightweight 6 Spades
that few would attempt elsewhere?
If you did manage to find the exotic
intended route to twelve tricks, you
 BeBRIDGE №01
MAR.APR. 2020 23
STORY
would also have scored well for two
overtricks in the spade game. There was
indication of being amused and the Mother
Superior called for dummy’s Ace of Clubs. TELLING
little sense in risking complete bottoms, A low trump to the King was followed by a
particularly when master points would trump to the Ace, Brother Aelred throwing
be awarded at several times the normal a Club. When she ruffed a Club in her
club rate. Not that they were of any hand, West discarded a Diamond. Now,
interest to a grandmaster such as how could she avoid two Diamond losers?
himself, of course. East had started with nine cards in the
The first round saw the welcome arrival black suits. If he followed to three rounds
of Brother Aelred and Brother Michael. of Hearts, he would hold a singleton
“I realize you don’t have a very high Diamond. She could strip this card and
regard for my defence,” said Brother then throw East in with a third round of
Aelred, taking his seat, “but I’ve recently Clubs, forcing a ruff-and-discard.
been studying a book: 20 Golden Rules The King and Queen of Hearts were played
for Defence at Bridge.” next, leaving this position:
“A worthy tome, I’m sure,” replied the
Abbot. “I can’t say I’ve heard of it.” ♠ 76
“It’s by an American expert, Philomena ♥A
Shaffer”, Brother Aelred continued. ♦ A92
“According to the back cover, she’s one of ♣5
the top bridge teachers in Detroit.” N
♠- ♠-
The Abbot nodded politely. Goodness
♥ J98 ♥-
me, had Brother Aelred actually W E
♦ KQJ8 ♦ 43
paid good money for such a useless
♣- S ♣ KQJ109
production?
This was the first board they played: ♠ J109
♥7
♠ A743 ♦ 1065
♥ A52 ♣-
♦ A92
♣ A85 The Mother Superior played her last Heart
♠ Q2 N ♠8 to dummy’s Ace and turned to survey East’s
♥ J9864 ♥ 103 card. She could barely believe her eyes when
♦ KQJ87
W E
♦ 43 the 3 of Diamonds appeared. She cashed
♣2 ♣ KQJ109764 the Ace of Diamonds drawing East’s last
S
card in the suit, and exited with a Club.
♠ KJ10954 Brother Aelred won the trick, declarer
♥ KQ7 throwing a Diamond. He then had to return
♦ 1065 a Club, giving a ruff-and-discard. Away
♣3 went declarer’s last Diamond and the slam
was made.
W N EAST S The Mother Superior turned to her right.
Brother The Brother Mother “Not the best of defences”, she observed.
Michael Abbot Aelred Superior
“If you throw one of your Clubs, keeping
3♣ 3♠ another Diamond, I go down.”
Pass 6♠ Brother Aelred looked back
uncomprehendingly. “That can’t be
Brother Michael led the 2 of Clubs against right”, he replied. “I was reading one of
the small slam, and the Abbot laid out Philomena’s Golden Rules in bed, just last
three spot cards in Spades, followed by two night: Keep winners and discard losers. She
in each of the other three suits. was quite insistent about it.”
© ARR

The Mother Superior smiled tolerantly.
“No doubt your last four cards will be
somewhat more useful, Hugo”, she said.
With the air of a conjuror, the Abbot
inserted an Ace into each of his
suits. No-one showed the slightest
“A very sensible rule”, added Brother
Michael. “I’d like to borrow the book some
time, if I may.”
By
“Yes, I’ve nearly finished it”, said Brother
Aelred. “On the deal we just played, of
David
course, all my Clubs were winners at the Bird
24 BeBRIDGE №01
MAR.APR. 2020

end.” The Abbot looked apologetically Brother Xavier led the 10 of Diamonds,
across the table. After such hopeless the Mother Superior winning with the
Ace. When she played the two top trumps,
a loser in the suit emerged. She paused to
digest the implications of this. No entry to
dummy was available. If Clubs were 4-1,
she might even go down.
A few moments later, the Mother Superior
had cashed the Ace of Hearts, the King of
Diamonds and the Ace of Clubs. She then
exited with trump. Brother Bernard won
with the Queen and cashed the Queen of
Diamonds. He then had to lead the King
of Hearts. Declarer ruffed in her hand and
exited with the 6 of Clubs.
If both defenders followed to the second
Club, the suit would be 3-2 and the game
would be home. As the cards lay, Brother
Xavier won with the 8 of Clubs and saw
his partner show out. The Reverend
© ARR
Mother displayed her cards. “The rest are
mine”, she said.
wittering, what a very poor image the “What happens to your Club loser?”
Reverend Mother must have of bridge at demanded Brother Bernard. “My partner
St Titus. He could only hope that it was is not going to return a Club, now that
memories of his own inspired bidding and you’ve shown him how the suit lies.”
play that she took back with her. Back at St Hilda’s Convent, the Mother
A few rounds later, the Abbot faced his Superior rarely encountered such
usual partner. Brother Xavier realised that ignorance of the game. Still, it was hardly
the Abbot had little choice but to partner this man’s fault if he was bone-headed.
his valued guest. Still, it had not been his “It’s not easy to see, perhaps,” she replied.
idea of fun, having to endure the occasional “But if your partner returns a Heart
player, Brother Bernard, two weeks in a row. instead, I will ruff in the dummy and
discard my Jack of Clubs.”
The players drew these cards: Brother Bernard looked across the table. “I
much prefer all the deals to be played out,”
♠ 7642 he said. “Are you happy with declarer’s
♥ Q5 claim, partner?”
♦ 763 “Of course,” replied an embarrassed
♣ 7532 Brother Xavier. “The Reverend Mother
♠5 N ♠ QJ3 played it well.”
♥ 108432 ♥ KJ976 “It was a close decision, really,” declared
W E the Mother Superior. “If the Club Queen
♦ 1098 ♦ QJ54
♣ Q1084 ♣9 was doubleton, I’d be throwing away an
S
overtrick. Xavier would doubtless have led
♠ AK1098 a singleton Club, so a 4-1 club break wasn’t
♥A particularly likely.”
♦ AK2 The Abbot inspected the score sheet,
♣ AKJ6 liking what he saw. “It’s a good one for
us,” he reported. “Several declarers went
W N E SOUTH down.”
Brother The Brother Mother “Maybe it’s more difficult on another
Xavier Abbot Bernard Superior
opening lead,” muttered Brother Bernard,
2♣ who was not exactly overjoyed by his new
Pass 2♦ Pass 2♠ partnership either.
Pass 4♠ On the last round of the evening, Brother
 BeBRIDGE №01
MAR.APR. 2020 25
STORY
Richard and the elderly Brother Sextus a straightforward simple squeeze should TELLING
arrived at the Abbot’s table. be possible against him. Still, thought the
“It must be a strange experience for you, Mother Superior, she would need to give
playing against so many men,” observed up one further trick to rectify the count.
Brother Sextus, wincing somewhat as he Otherwise East would have a spare card in
lowered himself into the East seat. the end position.
“What do you mean?” queried the Mother Brother Sextus could barely believe it
Superior. “What difference does that when the Mother Superior discarded a low
make?” Diamond, allowing his 5 of Spades to win
Brother Sextus was silent for a moment. the trick. She could have overruffed! A man
He could hardly say that men played would never make such a careless mistake,
bridge much better than women. Everyone not even a moderate player such as himself.
knew they did, but he could hardly express He switched to the King of Clubs, declarer
such an opinion. Not in these absurd days winning with the ace.
of political correctness. With the key move behind her, the
“Shall we play this board?” continued
the Reverend Mother. She had been
remainder of the play was easy. The
Mother Superior drew trumps and ran Primus
unimpressed by the standard of the
monastery game and was looking forward
her remaining trumps, reaching this end
position:
inter
to her return to St Hilda’s. The convent Pares
game was so much more enjoyable. ♠- The first story in David
♥- Bird's series of tales
This was the board before them: ♦ A76 about the monks of
♣8 St.Titus appeared in
♠ AJ42 the June 1978 issue
♠- N ♠-
♥ Q73 of Bridge Magazine,
♦ A76 ♥- W E
♥- and they have been
♣ 864 ♦ J8 ♦ Q109 delighting audiences
♣ 107 S ♣Q ever since. Regarded
♠8 N ♠ 65 as one of the greatest
♥ AKJ954 ♥ 106 ♠9 bridge writers of all
W E ♥-
♦ J8 ♦ Q10942 time he has more than
♣ 10752 ♣ KQ93 ♦ K5 130 books to his name,
S
♣J including several
♠ KQ10973 compilations about
♥ 82 When the 9 of Spades was played, the monastery and its
♦ K53 dummy throwing the 8 of Clubs, Brother community.
♣ AJ Sextus had no good discard in the East
seat. He decided to throw the Queen of
W N EAST S Clubs, and the Mother Superior then
Brother The Brother Mother faced her Jack of Clubs, claiming the
Richard Abbot Sextus Superior
remaining tricks.
2♥ Pass Pass 2♠ “Beautifully played,” observed the Abbot,
Pass 4♠ reaching for the travelling scoresheet.
“Yes, the game has been made at only one
Brother Richard played his two top Hearts other table. Discarding that Diamond was
and continued with a third round, Brother essential.”
Sextus ruffing the dummy’s Queen. “There was no other chance,” replied the
Most players would have overruffed and Mother Superior. “You would have found
then sat back in their chair, planning how the same play.”
to continue. This was not the Mother The Abbot nodded his agreement. Mind
Superior’s way. She had two potential you, a wooden performer such as Brother
losers in the minor suits. How could these Xavier would probably have gone down.
be reduced to just one? East presumably It was a pity that the Reverend Mother
held the King-Queen of Clubs, otherwise couldn’t magically be transformed into
West would be too strong for a weak-two a monk here at St Titus. What a fine
opening. If East also held five Diamonds, partnership they would make together!
 BeBRIDGE №01
27

SCIENCE
MAR.APR. 2020

The most hedonistic

This smart dispenser preserves
wine for up to six months after
opening. An ideal temperature by Marie-Sarah Bouleau
and a feeling of having just
opened a bottle: now bridge
© Albichierre

players can celebrate their last victory while enjoying each

glass at its true value. Albi Home M from Albicchiere, Kickstarter
campaign from $279 (about £212), www.albicchiere.com

FOCUS ON THE
GADGETS→
OF TOMORROW
The latest Consumer Electronics Show (CES)
CO N S U M E R E L E CT RO N I CS S H OW

brought all true high-tech enthusiasts to Las Vegas in early January.

BeBRIDGE has selected 5 (really) useful futuristic objects.

The most provident
Thanks to its sensors, this
bracelet intended for seniors
is capable of detecting
possible health problems by
analyzing changes in behavior
and activity. Malnutrition,
depression or cognitive
impairment? The alert is
given! This technology with
artificial intelligence ensures
that it is better to "predict and
prevent... than to cure"! Tempo
by CarePredict, around $449.99
© Care Predict
novo
© Le
The most practical
The ThinkPad X1 Fold (13.3 inch) tablet from the Chinese
manufacturer Lenovo transforms into a laptop with a flick of
the wrist with its foldable OLED screen. The lower part then
becomes a virtual keyboard. Minimum space requirement for
your next trips, thanks to this 2-in-1 accessory. Lenovo ThinkPad
X1 Fold, announced at $2499
(about £2000) for later this year,
www.lenovo.com

(about £400), The most mobile

www.carepredict.com
No more stress from
traffic jams between two
tournaments: the self-service
electric scooter company
Bird presents a new model to
rent or buy, designed for better
durability. The "One" travels up to
ye
be

48km on a single charge, all with

©A

The most educationalist built-in GPS connectivity so you

can always keep an eye on it.
Dyslexic children are getting ready to see As eco-friendly as it is fun.
the bright side of life! Once placed on Bird One, white, black or pink,
the tip of the nose, these glasses, which $1299 (about £1000), www.bird.co
are compatible with prescription lenses,
© Bird

simplify reading thanks to a technology

based on scientific discoveries.
This prototype, being refined to resemble
classic models, will cut short all stigma
in the playground. Lexilens de Abeye,
price not specified at the moment,
www.abeye.tech
 28 BeBRIDGE №01
MAR.APR. 2020

Sleeping in a hotel…
but differently! Each year, the hotel
5 S P OTS T H AT CH A N G E E V E RY T H I N G

industry is reinvented and enriched with new addresses

that get more and more unusual. Places are resuscitated
or innovative, always in tune with the tastes,
lifestyles and even the environmental concerns
of its customers. As the bridge player is as
nomadic as he is playful, it seemed legitimate
to us that BeBRIDGE shine a spotlight on some

© iStock
of the latest discoveries in the sector.
Now it's up to you to pack your bags...

1. MiHotel “La Tour Rose” 2. Loire Valley Lodges

(Lyon) (Tours)
© ARR

© loirevalleylodge

3h
© Sabine Serrad

is the duration of
a “forest bath” in
the company of the
naturopath and
sylvotherapeist
Céline Connan, who
is there to reconnect
you with nature at
Loire Valley Lodges.
The “shower”
version, to learn how
to breathe with the
trees, lasts 1 hour
less.
Serial travellers will be won over in one
night by this new concept, where it is no
longer a question of rooms but of private
suites, high-tech and with a fireplace.
From the decoration by Nathalie Rives to
the equipment (bathrobes, cozy lounge,
etc.), you will find all the standards of a
4-star hotel in one of the most emblematic
buildings of the Saint-Jean district.
Reservation is made online and e check-in
is 100% digital. Furthermore, a tailor-made
concierge service allows you to personalise
your stay thanks to 30 different extras
(breakfast delivered on bicycle, king's feast,
massage, valet, sports coach, yoga class,
shopping getaway…)
www.mihotel.fr
Tired of running from one contemporary
art gallery to the next or from one asphalt
pavement to another? Head for the
300-hectare Duporterie forest, in which
impressive monumental works of art
are hidden together with 18 lodges with
private spa resting on stilts. Each has its
own bar (hot & cold drinks) and a terrace
overlooking the peaks. No television,
no wi-fi, but a walkie-talkie to reach
reception. Ready for a digital detox?
www.loirevalleylodges.com
(opens on 1st July 2020)

3. Le Barn
(Rambouillet)
Again, forget the word "hotel". Think
freedom, farm and nature, barns and mill.
In the heart of the Haras de la Cense, this
establishment of human scale manages
to bring together two sensations that
are a priori contradictory: immensity
and intimacy. You can go there at your
leisure for a round of golf or a horse ride, a
badminton match or a Nordic bath, a walk
to gather flowers or a fishing break. The
73 rooms, with multiple combinations,
and the three restaurants fit in well: wood
and light have taken up residence here.
www.lebarnhotel.com
4. Le Buron de Bâne
(Pailherols)
© ARR
The Cantal (region) like you have
never tasted it before! Set up as a small
mountain stopover, this former shepherd's
Jérôme Rombaut
Distinguished sportsman and tournament
PASS I O N
marathoner, the 2017 vice-world bridge champion shares
his travel tips with BeBRIDGE.
What type of
accommo-
dation do you
prefer when
travelling to
competitions?
I always try to
get several people together to
rent a house, sometimes with
a swimming pool. During the
European Championships in the
region of San Remo, in Italy, I
had found a villa located near a
river, where we organised nice
barbecues. This adds to the
BeBRIDGE №01
29
MAR.APR. 2020
refuge is accessible on foot from the
valley in around 2 hours' walk. You
can enjoy your packed lunch around theARTof
the stove, before opting for the adjoining
beds and cabins or 'cabin-rooms'.
The accommodation is charming and
LIVING
by Marie-Sarah
rustic-chic… unless you prefer to go down Bouleau
1,400 m further and sleep at L’Auberges
des Montagnes (***).
www.auberge-des-montagnes.com
5. Menorca Experimental
(Menorca)
© Karel_balas_menorca
© Karel_balas_menorca
Bashful lovers will adore its chapel
overlooking the sea; purists its vegetable
garden that was reconstituted using old
aerial maps; thinkers all the inspiring
panoramas between junipers and pine
forests. To recharge your batteries, you
have two options: a small villa with private
pool or one room with glazed terracotta
tiles. Luxury in the wild in this thought-
provoking agritourism style hotel.
www.menorcaexperimental.com
TOP
TIPS
social character of the game. a room for 4, even if the ACBL
For the Biarritz winter festival, offers advantageous reductions…
the residence located above the but only if you rent it in advance.
place where the tournaments My teammates and I know that
are played has an outdoor pool having a kitchen also limits
and offers better prices in low restaurant costs, especially when
season. Good to know… you stay for twelve days or more.
From experience, is it better to Are these kind of gems rarer in
have a hotel or a rental? some countries?
Renting a spacious house 20 Copenhagen remains a very ex-
minutes by car from the festival pensive city; Switzerland is very
is often the same price (if not expensive too. But you can always
cheaper, even with when a rental manage by comparing prices on
car is included) than taking Booking and Airbnb.
30 BeBRIDGE №01
MAR.APR. 2020

Zia Mahmood
THE
GREATEST
SHOW-
MAN When
I N T E RV I E W

BeBRIDGE wanted to
appoint an Ambassador
there was only one possible choice, the most
charismatic figure in the game who has been
entertaining the bridge public for the last 40 years.
The editor spent some time chatting with the legend
that is Zia Mahmood.
BeBRIDGE. – It used to be that you
divided your time between New York
and London. Is that still the case and
do you do anything except bridge?
Zia Mahmood. – I live in London, and
also spend a lot of my time in Dubai and
Pakistan. Luckily I sold my apartment
in the Trump Tower before it became a
fortress.

Do you have any favourite

tournaments and which would you
recommend for BeBridge readers?
The Winter Games in Monaco is fabulous,
and I like all the French Festivals,
especially the one in Biarritz. Warsaw
© ACBL

is another favourite, along with the US

Nationals. I will always accept an invitation
that includes lots of Champagne.
What are your best memories of the
game?
Winning the Bermuda Bowl in 2009
was special, as were my other World
Championships wins. The Winter Games is
also in the mix. Finishing second with the
Pakistani team in 1981 and 1986 will always
be special.
You play with different partners. Who
are your favourites?
There are so many! My Pakistani partner,
Masood Salim, Michael Rosenberg (who I
am playing with in trials this year), Marion
 BeBRIDGE №01
MAR.APR. 2020 31
Michelson, David Gold and Andrew Here is the hand that clinched the
RENDEZ
-VOUS
Robson to name but a few. Or anyone who $40,000 first prize in the Omar Sharif
can put up with me! Individual World Championship in
Atlantic City in 1990.
Let's have a hand where Michael was
by Mark Horton
your partner - it was the Epson winner ♠ AK643
in 1993. ♥ J84
♦ AQJ
♠ AJ74 ♣ A5
♥ A3 N
♦ AKQJ9 ♠ 75 ♠ J1082
♣ 102 ♥ Q1097 W E
♥ A32
♦ K632 ♦8
♠ 102 N ♠ K985 ♣ 942 ♣ K8763
S
♥ K942 W E
♥ 875
♠ Q9
♦ 10762 ♦ 84
♥ K65
♣ Q86 S ♣ J953
♦ 109754
♠ Q63 ♣ QJ10
♥ QJ106
♦ 53 Pairs.
♣ AK74 WEST N E S
Garozzo Zia
Pairs. Pass 1♠ Pass 1NT
W NORTH E S Pass 3NT
Rosenberg Zia
1♦ Pass 1♥ Benito led the 10 of Hearts.
Pass 2♠ Pass 2NT Your right-hand opponent played the
Pass 3NT Pass 5NT three and a slight flicker told you Hearts
Pass 6NT were 4-3. After a successful Diamond
finesse, you found the only winning play
West led a small Heart.
The official booklet noted that twelve
- the Jack of Diamonds. If West ducked,
you could turn your attention to Spades.
The
tricks could be made on a neutral lead
by starting Spades with a low card from Z.M. : As I said in Bridge My Way, ninety-
Legend
Zia became a
dummy - but that would not be a natural nine times out of a hundred it wouldn't household name in
play to make. matter what you did but this time it was 1981 when he was
When the Heart finesse worked the only winning play. It's the reason why the talisman of
you realised that after cashing some I play bridge. the unknown team
Diamond winners, three or four but from Pakistan that
not five, a low Spade would work if If you could change one of the laws of
finished second in
Spades were 3-3 and might catch East the game which one and why?
the Bermuda Bowl.
in a Morton's Fork Coup. (Henry V11's I would change the law
Chancellor - if you spend a lot you can on rulings, especially
afford to give to your king - if you don't regarding hesitations and
spend a lot you must have money to the like. I would have one
spare for the king). person appointed 'God' at
Here East was well and truly caught. a tournament and let them
Playing the King would give you three make all rulings based on
Spade tricks and ducking would allow equity not law.
you to concede a Heart to get up to If someone regularly did
twelve tricks. legal but dubious things to
gain advantage then they
What do you think about the state of the would be punished.
game at the moment? I would also not allow
The standard of play is much better. penalties when a defender
However, most players take things far too 'drops' a card. They could
© ARR

seriously and don't smile enough! pick it up but partner could

 32 BeBRIDGE №01
MAR.APR. 2020

play the suit only if it was 100% obvious.
Similarly, the laws for revokes and bids
out of turn would be changed.
I also think there should be different laws
for social bridge.
How would you describe
your bridge-playing style?
1. Temperamental.
2. Erratic - but my
knowledge in the bidding
is now much better.
3. The worst in the world on
many occasions.
4. But on my day - better
than anyone, ever.
© ARR
All our readers would like to know how to
improve. What do you recommend?
Work on improving your vibes, team spirit
and confidence with your partner. This
area is the easiest to work on and produces
enormous benefits. Also double more -
for penalties. Remember, to find a good
partner, you need to be one.
What is your advice to aspiring players?
Enjoy the game, earn people's respect as
a human being, for honesty, fair play and
sportsmanship before you earn respect for
ability.
How do you relax?

I sill attempt to play golf, but I'm also fond

Here's a hand from one of those days, you of Poker.
Some were winning the Reisinger at the time:
simple ♠ A5
What single thing in your opinion could
improve the game?
questions: ♥ AKJ954 Change the image. Bridge is the worst
♦ 982 marketed commodity that ever existed. I also
Your favourite ♣ 73 think we need to find ways to make the game
record? more exciting and sometimes quicker. Maybe
♠ 9743 N ♠ 862
My Way - Frank more Speedballs. Make bridge fun!
Sinatra. ♥ 62 W E
♥ Q83
♦ 54 ♦ AQ1063 Have you ever been the victim of
Favourite Film? ♣ Q10842 ♣ K6
S cheating?
Butch Cassidy and
the Sundance Kid ♠ KQJ10 Yes. I once played a set game every week
& The Shawshank ♥ 107 (for money) against a pair who used finger
Redemption ♦ KJ7 signals. They defended great but lost every
♣ AJ95 week! Both pairs enjoyed their edge!
Do you have
Perhaps I should mention that I recently
any favourite Pairs. gave my Bermuda Bowl medal to a Polish
books, bridge or
W N E SOUTH player - to find out why, you will need to
otherwise?
Zia Granovetter read my upcoming book, Bridge My Way
Cyrano de Bergerac,
1♠ Part II. (To be published later this year. Ed)
Paul Gallico
(anything), John Pass 1♥ Pass 1NT
Time for another hand:
Grisham. Pass 3♥ Pass 3NT
Since you have a reputation for brilliant
Favourite food? Zia found the remarkable lead of the 4 of opening leads, this seems an obvious
Spicy, Pakistani, Diamonds! choice. We'll present it as a problem, which
Chinese, Thai. There His partner, Matthew Granovetter, won is how you described it in your book:
are many great with the Ace and returned the three. Not
You are and see
restaurants in San wanting to risk a Club switch and being
looking at: this auction:
Sebastian. completely safe unless East held five
Diamonds - clearly 'impossible' on the SOUTH W NORTH E S
play so far - declarer won with the King ♠ 83 1♣(1) Pass 2♣
of Diamonds and took the Heart finesse, ♥ 875 Pass 2♥ Pass 2♠
almost falling off his chair when East won ♦ K763 Pass 3♠ Pass 4♣
and cashed three Diamond tricks. ♣ K875
Pass 4♥ Pass 4♠
Pass 4NT(2) Pass 5♦(3)
What was your worst moment in the
Pass 6♠
game so far?
(1) Precision.
There have been many. Last year I (2) RKCB.
finished second in three sets of trials! (3) One keycard.
 BeBRIDGE №01
MAR.APR. 2020 33
Shall we tell the readers what you led? IMPs. RENDEZ
Here is the full deal: W
Karwur
N
Meckstroth
E
Bojoh
SOUTH
Zia -VOUS
♠ AKQ4
1NT(1) by Mark Horton
♥ AKQ104
Pass 2♦ (2)
Pass 2♠(3)
♦ 10
♣ Q42 Pass 3♦ Pass 3♥
Pass 4♠(4) Pass 4NT(5)
♠ 83 N ♠ J76 Pass 7♥
♥ 875 W E
♥ 9632
(1) 15-17.
♦ K763 ♦ A9854 (2) Transfer.
♣ K875 S ♣9 (3) Fit.
(4) Kickback keycard.
♠ 10952 (5) 0-3 keycards.
♥J
♦ QJ2 In the other room the
♣ AJ1063 Indonesians had bid
smoothly to 6 Hearts, for
Did you find Zia's choice, the only lead to +980.
defeat the slam? The KING of Diamonds!
West led the Jack of
How did you work it out? Hearts and declarer won
North could have no more than four minor- with dummy's Ace and
suit cards. Using Blackwood implied a cashed two more Hearts,
Diamond control, almost certainly the ace East pitching the three of
or a singleton. Since losing Diamonds might Clubs and West the four
be discarded on dummy's Hearts, it looked of Spades and the five of
right to attack the suit at once. I realised Clubs.
that if South had something like ♦AJ10 or Declarer's next card was
♦QJ4, declarer would be in a position to take the Jack of Diamonds and
a ruffing finesse against my King at a later when East followed with
stage. So it could hardly cost to start with the the seven he let it run
King of Diamonds. (didn't someone write a

© ACBL
Bols Tip entitled - 'Roll
Is there anything else you would like to over Houdini, when
mention? they don't cover they don't have it'? Of Postscript
I would like to see more individual course, once you play the Jack you are I was doing some
tournaments, preferably with handicaps, so committed). fine-tuning with
that everyone has a chance. Zia over the phone
How do you suppose declarer arrived at
while he was playing
Let's conclude with another fantastic the winning decision?
poker. My parting
piece of card-play - this one is from the The late Terence Reese maintained that advice was to tell
2018 Winter Games: on every deal there was always a clue, him not to go 'All
however small, that might point declarer in'. A few moments
♠ K32 in the right direction. Could it be, that later, the phone
♥ AKQ106 having seen West pitch first a Spade ('the rang. It was Zia, who
♦ KJ83 idle fifth' as Patrick Jourdain called it) told me that at that
♣J and then a Club he formed an opinion precise moment he
♠ J10654 N ♠ Q9 that West was 5-5 in the black suits? had been holding
♥J ♥ 53 In that case his only hope was to find a pair of Kings and
♦ 92
W E
♦ Q765 West with a doubleton 9 of Diamonds. had ignored my
♣ K8654 ♣ 109732 Moments later, declarer was claiming - suggestion. Just
S
another big swing for Mahaffey as they one reason why he
♠ A87 advanced to the quarter-finals and went is such a big winner,
♥ 98742 on to lift the trophy. both at and away
♦ A104
from the table.
♣ AQ
 34 BeBRIDGE №01
MAR.APR. 2020

?
What kind
of player
are you?
From attitude at the table to
T E ST

post-tournament habits, everything

about a player is indicative of his
or her personality.

$ Questions
1. Your partner intervenes at 2♣
and concedes a penalty of -1100.
a You don’t say anything, it gives you
“carte blanche” for a disaster of your
own later.
b You console him by telling him that
he played well, there are -1400’s on the
Bridgemate (even if it is not true).
c You are going to take a walk to calm
down.
d Furious, you make him promise not
to intervene with such a poor suit.

2. Tonight with your group of

friends at a summer festival, it’s an
evening at the casino.
a You pretend to have a migraine and
you go back to your hotel to go to bed.
b You stand behind the players,
a drink in hand and distribute wise
advice on roulette and blackjack.
c You quickly lose your 50 Euros
railing against the bad luck that has
been chasing you since this afternoon’s
bridge.
d You play until late at night and are
the last to go to bed, your friends being
tired of waiting for you.
© iStock
 BeBRIDGE №01
MAR.APR. 2020 35
3. You have King-Jack in a suit
in dummy, with no clues about the
8. What is your favourite painting?
a The Cheat with the Ace of MINI
BREAK
opponent’s points but you must finesse Diamonds, by Georges de la Tour
the correct card to succeed in your
contract.
a You always finesse the jack.
b You always finesse the king.
c You refer to the saying “The queen
always follows the jack, except in hearts”
to decide.
d You toss a coin.

4. At the end of a tournament:

a You rush to the best player in the room b Boy with a spinning-top,

to prove to your partner that you have bid by Jean Siméon Chardin
correctly on Board 15.
b You consult the hands record to verify
that as usual it is North, where you were
seated, who has had the least to do.
c You go to the bar to order a beer to relax
after going down in a slam.
d You thank your partner for this moment
and agree to discuss the deals over dinner.

5. At Monopoly:
a You don’t play it, it’s just a game of luck.
b You have to keep your kids or
grandchildren busy, but it’s a bit boring. c The Card Players, by Paul Cézanne
c Your only objective: acquire Park Lane
and build a hotel there to bankrupt your
opponents.
d You try to own all four railway stations,
having read somewhere that this is the
most profitable strategy.

6. You are declaring a contract of 6♠.

While the opening leader is thinking,
you say to yourself:
a The trumps must be badly distributed
otherwise the lead would be faster. d Blind Man’s Bluff,
b If he thinks, it means that he must have by Jean-Honoré Fragonard
all the missing points or something in
trumps.
© Caroline Moreau

c Nothing, the prospect of playing a slam

always paralyses you a little.
d Maybe you have missed a grand slam.

7.If you were a bridge champion,

would you be: By
a Zia Mahmood
b Alain Lévy
Lionel
c Paul Chemla Sebbane
d Michel Abécassis
Go to the
following page
to discover
your results!

→
36 BeBRIDGE №01
MAR.APR. 2020

MINI Characteristic?
BREAK your love. You often find something
A little humility
will allow you to keep
your partners longer...
to complain about, your partner,
the cards that don’t pay tribute to
your talent. You are convinced that,

% Answers
Count your different symbols
contrary to statistics, your finesses
fail more than half the time. Be
more relaxed and calm, you will see
!
that it is only a game!
and then go to the paragraph
corresponding to your most You have a majority of ♥
frequent choice.
You’re like the Hideous Hog. You
1. a ⋆* b ○○ c ⋆* d ♥♥ like to play but above all you like
2. a ○ b ** c ⋆⋆ d ♥ to win. You will always prefer a
triple cascade squeeze to a common
3. a ⋆* b ♥♥ c ○ d ○
finesse. You like to open 1NT to
4. a *⋆ b ⋆♥ c ○ d ○ increase your chances of being
5. a ⋆ b ○ c ♥ d * declarer. Unfortunately, this
means that you are not very nice
6. a ⋆ b ** c ○ d ♥⋆
with your teammates. Come on,
7. a ♥ b ⋆ c ○♥ d *
a little humility will probably
8. a ⋆♥ b ○* c *♥

One of the first bridge books

d ○

I read was Victor Mollo’s Bridge

improve your results and allow
you to keep partners longer ...

You have a majority of *

75% less chance
You are like Oscar the Owl. Your of developing
in the Menagerie. I liked and
hobby is to analyze the beauty of symptoms of
enjoyed it so much that it Alzheimer’s disease
certainly helped make me love this game. You can spend hours
watching champions play when playing
this game, rich both intellectually bridge.
on BBO or trying to
and socially. If you have never
solve a complicated
read it, I can’t encourage you too
problem. You are a
much to do so. In homage, my calm and composed
comments will refer to characters partner, what interests
from this book. you above all is the
understanding between
You have a majority of ○ partners that makes it
You are like the Rueful Rabbit. possible to produce the
You love bridge but it’s not the best possible results.
only thing in life. You play as a
dilettante, an amateur. Learning
complicated suit combinations,
double Texas and Splinters,
means very little to you. You play
as you see fit, you don’t want to
end a tournament with a bad
headache. Therefore, you are a
very understanding partner and
never provoke any argument. You
may never be a great champion but
always a valued teammate.
You have a majority of ⋆
© iStock

You’re like Karapet, the unlucky

Armenian. You love to play bridge,
but this game doesn’t always return
 BeBRIDGE №01
MAR.APR. 2020 37
BRIDGE
SCHOOL

BIDDING
ADVANCED LEVEL

Priority
Zone
© iStock

O BJ E C T I V E

Responding to a
simple intervention
by your partner.
Not easy when it
can have a wide
point range.

Learn the
Fundementals
© Caroline Moreau

INTRODUCTION In this section, an expert tackles a fundamental

subject. The many tips, tables and summaries will allow you to
learn the essentials. The exercises help you put this new knowledge By
into practice and test your progress. File away carefully!
Alain
Lévy
 38 BeBRIDGE №01
MAR.APR. 2020

Responses 1. Fit bids

After the first two bids, the opening bid

to partners
and the overcall, the offensive side is not
yet defined. The partner of the overcaller
must therefore show their support with
two opposite objectives in mind:

overcall of 1♥ · With a weak hand, bid as high as possible

in order to pre-empt, respecting the rules
of distributional security.

or 1♠ (1 in a major) · With a strong hand, give partner the ne-

cessary information so that they can judge
the offensive potential of the partnership
and, accordingly, stop at a part-score, bid
game or even consider a slam.
With this in mind, there are two principles
that stand out.

A All direct raises are limited

to 10HCP and the level
depends on the number of
trumps.
· On the two-level: 8-10 (HCP and
distribution)
Usually with three trumps, or four trumps
and a balanced hand.
Examples:

SOUTH WEST N E S

♠ K73 1♣ 1♠ Pass 2♠
♥ 84
♦ K1084
♣ K732
Game is possible if partner is in the
strong zone for his intervention. Although
limited, this support is positive and needs a
© iStock

minimum of 7HCP.

SOUTH WEST N E S
An overcall with 1♥ or 1♠ can be made
I N T RO D U C T I O N
♠ Q74 1♦ 1♥ 1♠ 2♥
on hands with a very wide point range, from 8 to ♥ 8432
Q103
17HCP and the responses are subject to these limits. ♦
♣ A72
With 8-11 HCP, the appropriateness of an overcall A jump to 3♥ is not indicated with such a
depends on three criteria: vulnerability, distribution flat hand. If the opponents compete, you’ll
bid 3♥ on the next round.
and suit quality. Three objectives are associated with
these conditions: to hinder the opposition, to suggest Note
With minimum hands (6-7HCP), the
a sacrifice or to suggest a lead. With 12HCP+ the only position of your high cards determines if
condition is to have a five-card suit, your objective you should bid in competitive auctions.
being to declare a contract.
Examples: With 3 trumps, you can use the cue-bid of
BeBRIDGE №01
MAR.APR. 2020 39
SOUTH
the opener’s suit at the two-level:
BRIDGE
SCHOOL
WEST N E S

♠ Q98 1♦ 1♥ 1♠ Pass SOUTH WEST N E S

♥ 754 ♠ 1087 1♦ 1♥ Pass 2♦

♦ KJ8 ♥ K74
♣ 10954 ♦ A4
These honours are more useful for play in ♣ A8432
defence than offense. A special chapter is dedicated to the
conditions of use of this cue-bid and the
SOUTH WEST N E S developments (see 3).
♠ 652 1♦ 1♥ 1♠ 2♥
♥ K104 You can also use a negative double, if a bid
♦ 754
KJ94
by opener’s partner makes it impossible to BIDDING
♣ cue-bid the opener’s suit at the two-level. ADVANCED LEVEL
Your side is not likely to win the auction, but
you have indicated a good lead. The position SOUTH WEST N E S
of your honours is a vital element for the ♠ K104 1♥ 1♠ 2♥ Dble
application of the law of total tricks. ♥ 73
♦ AJ874
· On the three-level: ♣ K105
A jump raise of partner’s intervention Here, you’d have to bid at the three-level
of one in a major is not a game-try but to make a cue-bid, which guarantees four
a pre-emptive bid with four trumps and trumps (see below) and 2♠ would not be
distributional values. Not vulnerable enough.
against vulnerable, the distributional Careful! This double is also used for take-
requirements are virtually zero. out, showing a positive hand and the
unbid suits.
SOUTH WEST N E S Cue-bids
♠ Q1094 1♣ 1♠ Dble 3♠ With four trumps, the following is A cue-bid at the
♥ 3 available: three-level always
promises four-card
♦ QJ953 · A cue-bid of opener’s suit at the support.
♣ 872 three-level, showing a constructive raise, A cue-bid at the
It will be harder for East-West to reach 11-13 (HCP and distribution). two-level can be
4 Hearts, much easier for North to defend. made with three-card
SOUTH WEST N E S support. These cue-
· On the four-level: ♠ K74 1♣ 1♥ 1♠ 3♣ bids are constructive,
hoping that your side
With the same concept of pre-empting, but ♥ KJ103
may be able to play a
with five trumps: ♦ A1074 game contract.
♣ 82
SOUTH WEST N E S Game-try with four trumps. Don’t forget
♠ Q1082 1♣ 1♥ 2♦ 4♥ that 3♥ would be a pre-empt.
♥ KJ873
♦ 3 Note
♣ J62 When the opponents have bid two suits,
Now let them find their correct game two cue-bids are available. As a rule, only
contract… Or slam! the cue-bid in opener’s suit is conventional
while a cue-bid in the responder’s suit is
always natural. (Not the only approach.
B To show strong hands, Editors note.)
partner has several different
bids available depending on SOUTH WEST N E S
the bidding sequence and the ♠ KQJ942 1♦ 1♥ 1♠ 2♠
number of trumps. ♥ 32
♦ 3
From 11-12 (HCP and distribution), the ♣ A1042
objective of these bids is to encourage Natural.
partner to bid game.
40 BeBRIDGE №01
MAR.APR. 2020

· Jump in a new suit. · A new convention: 2NT, Mixed raise.

This guarantees four-card support, a good
five-card suit and always a positive hand
with 11-13 (HCP and distribution), allowing
partner to bid at the level reached. This bid
is also called a “fit jump”.
SOUTH WEST N E S
This is used when third in hand has bid
anything other than Pass or after a Pass
from the start. It shows support with
8-10 (HCP plus distribution), like the
positive support at the two-level, but with
four trumps.

♠ 874 1♣ 1♥ 1♠ 3♦ SOUTH WEST N E S

♥ K1083 ♠ 1092 1♣ 1♥ 1♠ 2NT

♦ AQ1095 ♥ K1076
♣ 3 ♦ A954

BIDDING North will know what to do, either to bid

4♥ or to defend against 4♠.
♣ 93

ADVANCED LEVEL
Situated between a pre-emptive 3♥ and
the jump cue-bid of 3♣, it can also be used
SOUTH WEST N E S without a jump:
♠ AJ103 1♥ 1♠ 2♥ 4♣

Support in ♥
♦
874
3
SOUTH
♠ QJ84
WEST

1♥
N

1♠
E

2♥
S

2NT
Competitive ♣ KQ1095 ♥ 76
Situations The 2♥ bid has pushed the level of the fit ♦ J1095
K103
jump to the four-level. Careful, a 3♣ bid ♣
General Principles
would be natural and non-forcing.
1 . A natural raise, at
any level, is always
made with hands that
are weak in defensive
tricks.
2 . The level of the
2. Responding to Two rules:
a) After an intervention, all new suits are
bid that shows a fit
is directly related
partners overcall forcing for one round.
b) They deny a fit in partner's suit
to the number of
trumps held by the without a fit SOUTH WEST N E S

partnership: a support We limit this study to the case where ♠ 7 1♦ 1♠ Pass 2♥

showing bid at the
three-level guarantees
nine trumps, and
ten at the four-level
(or its distributional
equivalent).
3. When bidding a
new suit at the lowest
level is non-forcing,
a jump in a new suit
shows a two-suiter
with a good five-card
suit and at least four
cards in partner’s suit
(fit jump).
4 . Take-out doubles,
redoubles and cue-
bids (i.e. artificial bids)
indicate hands with
defensive values.
opener’s partner did not bid:
WEST N E S
1♣ 1♥ Pass ?
First of all, it should be made clear that
a misfit must lead to a certain degree of
caution. Therefore, all bids other than Pass
show more or less strong positive hands
that are never meant to be a “rescue”.
Two types of bids are possible:
→ A new suit.
→ No-trump bids.
A A new suit
There are two cases, depending on
whether they are made at the one or two
level (without a jump). (As we have seen,
a jump in a new suit guarantees at least
four cards in the overcaller's suit).
1) New suits 1 over 1: check out the Be-
BRIDGE BONUS
2) New suits 2 over 1
♥ AK1074 Pass 2♠ Pass 3♣
♦ 98
♣ AK985
The two-suiter is shown at the three-le-
vel, and our side is well placed to play the
best contract. Clear progress. Not so long
ago, it was necessary to start with a cue-
bid (2♦) then show the hearts (3♥). Clubs
either had to wait until the four-level, or
they were simply not shown at all.
Further developments after a new suit
2 over 1.
A new suit is forcing, but not auto-forcing.
As a corollary, the overcaller must now give
precise information about his strength and
distribution.
· Raise at the lowest level with three cards
in a non-forcing situation.
 BeBRIDGE №01
MAR.APR. 2020 41
NORTH WEST N E S
Note
The forcing nature of the 2 over 1 change
BRIDGE
♠
♥
AQ976
Q96
1♦
Pass
1♠
3♥
Pass 2♥
of suit does not preclude its use with
8-10 points and a six-card suit (like
SCHOOL
♦ 742
♣ J4 the response to an opening bid after
intervention).
· Show a fit at game level with the strength
of an opening bid, without any particular NORTH WEST N E S

ambitions. ♠ 4 1♦ 1♠ Pass 2♥
♥ KQ10982 Pass 2NT Pass 3♥(*)
NORTH WEST N E S ♦ 42 (*) Non forcing (3♣ forcing).
♠ AK874 1♦ 1♠ Pass 2♥ ♣ K1074
♥
♦
QJ2
K4
Pass 4♥
BIDDING
♣ 1072 B No-Trump bids ADVANCED LEVEL
· With more ambition, the overcaller can With at least 8HCP, no fit and no natural
Splinter or cue-bid, keeping in mind that bid available, the fourth player must
the latter does not guarantee a fit. respond as partner can have 17HCP.

NORTH WEST N E S
1NT shows 8-12HCP, with or without
♠ AK874 1♦ 1♠ Pass 2♥ stopper in opener’s suit.
♥ Q1092 Pass 4♦
♦ 4 SOUTH WEST N E S
♣ A72 1♦ 1♠ Pass 1NT
♠ 74
4♦ Splinter. ♥ A1092
♦ 842
· Without a fit and a minimum, repeat
♣ AJ107
your suit or show a two-suiter if the se-
cond suit is lower than the first one. Pass is out of the question. Game is No Trump
NORTH WEST N E S
possible in Hearts, Spades or No-Trump. Responses
While the response of
♠ AK874 1♦ 1♠ Pass 2♥ 2NT shows 13-14HCP and this time 1NT can be made with
♥ 92 Pass 2♠ promises a stopper. or without a stopper
♦ 104 in the opponent's suit,
♣ K1072 SOUTH WEST N E S thi is not the case
♠ Q5 1♦ 1♠ Pass 2NT when the response is
NORTH WEST N E S ♥ AJ4 2NT which absolutely
♠ AK874 1♦ 1♠ Pass 2♣ ♦ A1082 promises a stopper.
Q964 Without one you can
♥ K1092 Pass 2♥ ♣
cue-bid or bid a new
♦ 104
suit.
♣ 72
Like every bid that is ambiguous regarding
strength, this is forcing for one round. 3. The cue-bid
It is reserved for hands with at least three
· With a good hand and opening bid trumps and at least 11 points (HCP and
strength, cue bid without a stopper and distribution).
bid 2NT with a stopper. It must be used with four trumps and a
hand with slam interest of 15 points or
NORTH WEST N E S
more (HCP and distribution), that is too
AK874 1♦ 1♠ Pass 2♥
♠ strong to use a jump cue-bid or a fit bid
♥ 92 Pass 3♦ limited to 13-14 HCP.
♦ 1042
♣ AK7
SOUTH WEST N E S
Showing a second suit higher than the ♠ KQ107 1♦ 1♠ Pass 2♦
first suit shows opening strength: ♥ A5
♦ 1032
NORTH WEST N E S
♣ AK54
♠ AK874 1♦ 1♠ Pass 2♥
♥ 92 Pass 3♣ An exception
♦ 42 With 13+ HCP and a balanced hand
♣ AK107 without a stopper in the opener’s suit,
42 BeBRIDGE №01
MAR.APR. 2020

BIDDING
ADVANCED LEVEL

© iStock
a cue-bid may be preferred to bidding repeat his suit or bid a new suit that is
a new four-card suit, depending on the lower than the first one.
quality of that suit.
SOUTH W N EAST S
SOUTH WEST N E S ♠ AJ1072 1♦ 1♠
♠ K7 1♦ 1♠ Pass 2♦ ♥ J93 Pass 2♦ Pass 2♠
♥ AKQ5 ♦ 2
♦ 932 ♣ QJ104
♣ J754 Not strong enough to bid clubs.
Remember But:
After a simple cue-bid, SOUTH WEST N E S SOUTH W N EAST S
with less than an ♠ KQ1063 1♦ 1♠
♠ J9 1♦ 1♠ Pass 2♣
opening bid and lacking ♥ AJ93 Pass 2♦ Pass 2♥
a second-suit you can ♥ A1087
♦ 876 ♦ 105
bid economically you
♣ AKJ2 ♣ 82
rebid your suit at the
lowest possible level. Natural. We will pass if partner bids 2♠.
Supplements:
With strong hands, the overcaller can:
responses to a cue-bid · Show a second suit (economical, by
W N EAST S reversing or with a jump).
1♦ 1♠ · Bid No-Trump with a stopper in the
Pass 2♦ Pass ? opener's suit.
· Make a cue-bid without any suitable
natural bid.
The Principles · Repeat his suit, jumping with six cards
1. Any bid “higher” than the suit in which
and opening strength.
the overcall was made guarantees opening
strength.
2 . Repeating the suit in which the overcall SOUTH W N EAST S

was made shows a minimum hand (up to ♠ KQ1062 1♦ 1♠

12 HCP). ♥ K64 Pass 2♦ Pass 3♣
3. Bidding a new suit lower than the ♦ 2
overcalled suit remains ambiguous. ♣ AJ104
Thus, with weak hands, the overcaller can Natural and strong.
 BeBRIDGE №01
MAR.APR. 2020 43
SOUTH W N EAST S SOUTH W N EAST S
BRIDGE
SCHOOL
♠ AJ1062 1♦ 1♠ ♠ KQJ62 1♦ 1♠
♥ AQ53 Pass 2♦ Pass 2♥ ♥ AJ6 Pass 2♦ Pass 3♦
♦ 82 ♦ 1053
♣ K5 ♣ A2
We will of course bid again over partner’s A maximum for the intervention and no
next bid (they can’t pass). natural bid.

SOUTH W N EAST S SOUTH W N EAST S

♠ AQ873 1♦ 1♠ ♠ AQ10976 1♦ 1♠
♥ K72 Pass 2♦ Pass 2NT ♥ A6 Pass 2♦ Pass 3♠
♦ KJ6 ♦ 865
♣ 85 ♣ K5 BIDDING
The strength of an opening bid and a Slam is still possible. ADVANCED LEVEL
diamond stopper.

Part 3.
THE BeBRIDGE BONUS
A new suit 1 over 1 SOUTH W N EAST S
This only concerns the following
sequences:
♠
♥
KJ5
K10976 Pass 1♠
1♣
Pass
1♥
2♣
Minor
WEST N E S
♦
♣
AK2
106
Variation
1♣(♦) 1♥ Pass 1♠ A response of 1♠ to
Three trumps, 13HCP+ (or two spades a 1♥ overcall usually
Forcing for one round, this shows a hand and no club stopper). shows a five-card suit,
with at least 8-9HCP with no upper but is permitted with
limit. This bid has a particularity, you only four. However, the
overcaller should bid
can make it with a four-card suit. SOUTH W N EAST S
as if partner has a
Its use is therefore very varied: ♠ KJ97 1♣ 1♥ five-card suit.
♥ AQ654 Pass 1♠ Pass 3♠
♠ AQJ6 ♠ KQ876
♦ 7
♥ J ♥ J2
♦ J1042 but also: ♦ AK74
♣ 1072

♣ 8532 ♣ Q6 Four trumps, 8-12HCP.

Minimum for the bid. No upper limit.
SOUTH W N EAST S
As a response to this new suit at the
♠ KQ73 1♣ 1♥
one-level, partner must bid as if he was
♥ A10762 Pass 1♠ Pass 3♣
responding to a five-card suit and thus
♦ A4
show support with three cards. He must ♣ 98
also indicate his strength and number
Four trumps, 13HCP+.
of trumps, by direct raises with hands
without opening values and cue-bids
with 13 HCP upwards. It is also possible to make a splinter bid
with 12-14HCP, but only with a very
SOUTH W N EAST S distibutional hand.
♠ J95 1♣ 1♥
AJ1063 SOUTH W N EAST S
♥ Pass 1♠ Pass 2♠
♦ 85 ♠ KQ95 1♣ 1♥
♣ K93 ♥ AJ10632 Pass 1♠ Pass 4♣
♦ K5
Three trumps, 8-12HCP.
♣ 3
44 BeBRIDGE №01
MAR.APR. 2020

Bridge Sponsors
under the
microscope
Whether they are patrons
CH A L L E N G E S

or partners, brands, sponsors

or institutions, all contribute in
different ways to the notoriety and modernity
of the game, to the point that they have become
essential today. Describing a passion both French
and global, whose challenges are not limited
to big money stories.

W ith all due respect,

sponsors do not date
from yesterday but from
the 14th century, when
the Renaissance bridged
the gap between the Middle
Ages and what is commonly
called modern history. A golden age,
especially for artists. The great painters
of the time relied a lot on patrons,
starting with Michelangelo – who, like
his contemporary Raphael, received the
support of Pope Julius II (described in
a memorable way in
the film The Agony
and the Ecstasy) – and
Leonard de Vinci,
whose protectors were
the Medici family, Cesare Borgia, Ludovic
Sforza and the French King, Francis I.
Modern bridge and its artists on the
map also receive financial support at
many levels. A distinction should be
made between individual and corporate
sponsorship. The first is sponsorship.
The patron expects nothing in return
for his endowment, except esteem and
consideration. The second awaits a return
on investment, in terms of image or
financial, it specifically targets the desire
embodied by the individuals and the
values that they convey.
Patronage
Among the famous patrons, let us
quote Madame Simone Del Duca,
 BeBRIDGE №01
MAR.APR. 2020 45
FILE
#2
By José Damiani
& Mark Horton

Almost

100M€
The budgets injected in thirty
years by firms into federations
(national and international)
and various organizations.

Over

$1M
The estimated
annual cost
of sponsoring a
world-class team.
© iStock
46 BeBRIDGE №01
MAR.APR. 2020

whose husband Cino Del Duca, press
magnate on both sides of the Alps and
worshiper of bridge, gave his name to a
cup that used to take place previously
at the Castello Sforza in
Hague was chaired by Henk van Dalen,
who happened to be an experienced
player. The incredible contribution
of Maria Teresa Lavazza (everyone

1200
Milan and at the Palais
de Chaillot in Paris. Up to
“At all levels, bridge needs
1,200 players took part in active sponsors and innovative
this competition, where the
The number of
players at Del Italian benefactor did not players, as Pierre Zimmermann
Duca at the time hesitate to invite everyone
for a special evening at
and the Monegasque Bridge
of its peak.
the opera. Bolivian art Federation have been and will
collector Jaime Ortiz-
Patiño also did a continue to be.”
lot for world bridge Jean-Charles Allavena
before, during and
after his presidency
of the World Bridge Federation. misses her coffee!) is partly explained
As for the Taiwanese Chen by the fact that she is herself a real and
Yeh, who organizes the Yeh talented player. By creating the first
Bros Cup, he generously team of professionals, the Dallas Aces,
endows it without trying the American businessman Ira Corn,
to promote his own took patronage to patriotism. His goal
business. The same was to build a team capable of ending
is true of Michael the supremacy of the Italian Blue Team.
Bambang Hartono, Which he did!
to whom we owe
the integration of French sponsorship partners
bridge at the 2018 Since bridge has the particularity of being
Asian Olympic played in pairs and teams, being able to
Games in “buy” a professional or a team – whether
Indonesia. for his own pleasure, to sell a brand or
One cannot be a a product, or even to become a partner
patron of bridge of an event – is not impossible. France,
without having
a passion for the
game. For many
years, the invitation
tournament in The
© iStock

Europe and the world have experienced
all these different models, finding
the opportunity to develop both their
communication and their technologies,
while professional players saw their
incomes increase significantly.
In France, direct marketing sponsorship
relationships began in 1982 with Gitanes
and Martell, during the Biarritz world
championship; a technical partnership
had been
established
in parallel
with France
Telecom,
allowing the
immediate
dissemination
of results and
© ARR
all forms of
information
thanks to Minitel, the “ancestor” of the
Internet. This meeting was also a great
first for the presentation of the Bridge
Vision, combining video, electronic
diagram and fiber optic links.
On the financial side, a very close
collaboration was initiated in 1983
with Société Générale, which allowed,
for more than twenty-five years, the
strengthening of ties with clubs (through
the Rondes SG), but also the possibility
to organize magnificent national and
international meetings, in the forefront
of which was a France / Italy match in
front of 1,500 spectators, in the grand
auditorium of the Palais des Festivals in
Cannes in 2003.
Two million viewers
Among the event sponsors, it is difficult
to forget the preponderant role played by
Philip Morris for the European Bridge
League from 1987 to 1996. An association
which was synonymous with innovation,
the emergence of new competitions
(with cash prizes highly appreciated).
Paul Chemla, record holder of victories,
still remembers it… The quality of the
organization, as well as the participation
of Omar Sharif, ensured a live
transmission on TF1 for the European
championship in pairs, won that year
(1991) by Jean-Paul Meyer and Gérard
Le Royer. A happy sequel to the delayed
broadcast on Canal+, a year earlier, of the
Rosenblum final with the support of the
LVMH group, whose audience ratings for
BeBRIDGE №01
MAR.APR. 2020 47
a Sunday afternoon remain memorable: FILE
more than a million viewers!
Geneva 1990, renamed the World
Bridge Series (WBS), had also gathered
prestigious sponsors, including Nestlé
#2
Bridge Sponsors
who, beyond highlighting its brands Vittel under the
and Nescafé, had taken advantage of the microscope
event to launch its famous Nespresso
machine. But this was only a prelude to
Lille 1998, where events were sponsored
by Weston or Vivendi, and of course
Generali. It's CEO at the time, Antoine
Bernheim, then considered the godfather
of the economy in France and Italy,
deserves a special place in
the world of sponsorship.
From 1992 to 2008, every
other year, he sponsored
the Generali World
Masters, an individual
world championship with
considerable success for the
stars of our game. These,
invited all expenses paid,
were indeed rewarded with
attractive cash prizes. As
for the competition, it was
the subject of television
© ACBL
broadcasts for two
million viewers, listening
to the comments and
presentations of Michel Missed
Abécassis or Philippe
Cronier.
opportunity
This story dates back to the
Corporate bridge! beginnings of corporate
Among the strong and sponsorship in England. In
1982, the Woolwich Building
omnipresent brands, it is
Society agreed to sponsor
worth mentioning Lavazza, the prestigious Spring Fours.
combining sponsorship Rumor has it that it wanted to
of championships and empower the winning team
support of the Italian to compete in the Rosenblum
Cup. But the English Bridge
national team to many
Union preferred to use the
successes; in France, there money to offer all participants
will be, among others, tea and coffee throughout
the Martell team, then the tournament ... Today, the
Schneider (1992 world Schapiro Spring Fours benefits
champion), as well as from the help of a real patron,
Helen Schapiro, the event
Alcatel, who toured in
having been renamed in honour
France and abroad. As well of one of the best players of all
as the original creation, time: Boris Schapiro.
via Audi then Renault, of
original tournaments in
their dealerships, including
the particularly beautiful one in Bordeaux
in 2005, the day after a Grands Crus
tournament at Château La Conseillante
(Pomerol).
 48 BeBRIDGE №01
MAR.APR. 2020
Sponsorship, games
and invitations
The altruism of sponsors is also expressed
through transmission, as did the
company BP France from 1992 to 1998,
as a great sponsor of the teaching of
bridge at school, thus contributing to the
hatching of the Bridge educational pilot.
Raymond Bloch’s involvement made it
possible, among other things, to train
some 15,000 students in 1996 alone.
In a completely different style, Club
Méditerranée also worked in favour
of the discipline, through a regretted
figure: Mike Dennery. Both the largest
bridge school (Philippe Soulet was one
of the first GOs!) and hosts of some of
© ACBL
the most attractive and
festive festivals, the
“International bridge villages of the legendary
Club Med welcomed a
is more tiring than number of champions.
professional football. Invited to Djerba or
even Marrakech, all
It’s brutal and the keep an unforgettable
memory of these events
pressure is much higher worthy of royal diffas
and substantial prizes
than in any other sport.” to which the high
Ira Corn participation rate (up
to 1000 people) was
not unrelated. Many also remember
the magnificent cruises which made
it possible, in the morning or early
afternoon, to visit islands and countries
(Egypt or Israel, in particular) and,
in the evening, to play in the bridge
tournament.
Record to beat
In 2016, the first Bridge Online World Cup
brought together sponsors and players
from different continents: Bill Gates on the
west coast of the United States, Lavazza in
Europe and Chen Yeh from Taiwan to Beijing.
Assessment: 10 million viewers, 400,000 on
the net for each segment and the tweet
by Bill Gates seen by 32 million followers.
Sponsors of invitational tournaments,
for their part, were often the media:
the Politiken in Copenhagen or the
Sunday Times in London (which became
the Macallan and must be played in
a tuxedo), events as prestigious as
the Directors Club tournament at the
Automobile Club or at the Chamber of
Commerce with General Electric, Avis or
Multifinance.
However, the amounts invested by
Belambra, Optic 2000, Renée Costes
Viager and even Crédit Mutuel are
incommensurate with those of their
predecessors. Finding sponsors is
certainly feasible; keeping them… much
less.
Winning trio
A successful event must go through a
trilogy (organizer - sponsor/media -
partner) in which everyone plays their
part. This rule is particularly observed
in the environment of institutional
partnerships, which today deserve
primary attention. Reference is made
here, first of all to the choice of a host
city and the subsidies it can provide, in
addition to the necessary infrastructure,
in an urban environment
that is as pleasant as it
is accessible (transport
and costs). In many
countries, private
groups have
thus supported
the public
authorities
and the local
organizing
committee:
Marlboro in
Beijing in 1995 (which obtained
authorization to set up two factories
there), Orbis in Bermuda in 2000
(who received the green light to
register officially).
Building on multi-year contracts –
with the World Bridge Federation,
SportAccord, the International
University Sports Federation (FISU), the
International Mind Sports Association
(IMSA), Nissan –, China, for its part, was
lucky to be able to host in its territory
extraordinary events of mind sports and
bridge.
 BeBRIDGE №01
MAR.APR. 2020 49
Individual sponsors with sporting We have already mentioned Maria FILE
#2
motivations Teresa Lavazza (along with the now
By employing an individual, or a group of retired Francesco Angelini, formerly
players, a sponsor can hope to compete Italy's other major sponsor), another
at the highest figure with a duel role. From the distaff Bridge Sponsors
levels. My one- side of the bridge family one must also under the
time American mention several Americans; Bermuda microscope
sponsor, the late Bowl winner Rose Meltzer, multiple
Rabbi Leonard World Champion, Kathie Wei Sender and
Helman, observed Lynn Baker, and Rita Shugart. The CV It's
that having
accumulated a
little of earthly
of English sponsor Sandra Penfold
includes a near miss in the Venice Cup
and numerous medals in the European
perfect!
The most
substance he Championships along with many successful sponsor
© ACBL

could choose domestic triumphs. of all time is Nick

to indulge his One aspect that is overlooked when Nickell, associated
passion for bridge by hiring a group of discussing sponsorship is that in a long for decades
professional players. How else could term association, the sponsor is likely to with the tenors
he have hoped to reach the final of become a stronger player - you cannot be Meckstroth -
the Reisinger, or win a Polish Team amongst such immense talent without Rodwell. But
Championship? some of it rubbing off. "Meckwell" has
now left the ship…
Awards
Although the costs involved can be
considerable, the rewards can be
significant and national and world
championship titles now regularly fall
to teams containing a sponsor. In the
United States, the team led by Nick
Nickell was, for many years, primus inter
pares.
In the United Kingdom, Alexander
Allfrey's squad is consistently in the
running for all the major events and wins
more often than not. In Europe, Pierre
Zimmermann is both a patron and a
sponsor - and bridge players have a lot to
thank him for.

© iStock

Pros
To get an idea of how many professionals
now practice their art in the United
Kingdom, you just have to take a look
on the website of the Professional
Bridge Agency (www.pro-bridge.co.uk/
home .asp).
 50 BeBRIDGE №01
MAR.APR. 2020
TEST
BENCH
by Julien Delacre
© Matagot
Funny beasts…
FOR THE MIND In this expert strategy game you may play
dirty to take control of the forest – you still have to know
how to choose your faction… and your weapons.
What is it?
There are games that mark the
spirits and an entire generation of
players. Big-favorite for the Golden
Ace 2020 at Cannes*, expected
soon in its role-playing version,
ROOT is a masterpiece of the game
world. Cole Wehrle succeeded in the
impossible: make an asymmetrical
war game, based on 6 totally
different and innovative mechanics,
while avoiding the pitfall of a game
which lasts 6 hours! The story that
unravels is worthy of Shakespeare:
six families of animals (cats, mice,
otters, birds...) fight to conquer
territories. The goal: to dominate the
different clearings that make up the
fantastic Root Forest.
How does it work?
Each player embodies a faction
and will score points. The first to
arrive at 30 points is the winner.
The ground rules are common to
all factions; others depend on the
player's choices! And that’s the
genius of ROOT. By taking up the
codes of different types of games,
Root achieves a magic feat. It has
features from deck building games,
programming games, negotiation
games, while still introducing some
very strict rules.
What we like
The game is of incomparable
richness. All the parts are unique
and tell a different battle for each
confrontation. We discover spiritual
lizards while wanting to test the
vagabond loner. Haven't we won
with the forest alliance yet? Quick,
another part!
One can ask the question of
balancing in view of the complex
and distinct rules. But this is
precisely what makes ROOT so
successful and perfect: until the
end, the score remains tight. This
frustration that makes you say
“I could / should have won” is the
hallmark of great games.
Congratulations to Leder Games for
the material: colorful, very visual,
the choice of wooden meeples,
and the idea of integrating an
almost innocent design in a hostile
universe. What could be smarter,
in fact, when it comes to showing
adorable animals in claw combats?
For the youngest as well as for
the least expert among us, the
cooperation mode is even ideal in
order to become familiar with the
game.
What we don’t like
The second extension has still not
been released, unfortunately...!
Final Score: 10/10
Hard facts
· Expert (from 10 years)
· Duration: approximately 20
minutes / player
· From 1 to 6 players
· Price: $60 for main game
$40 for extension
www.ledergames.com/root/
 EVENTS
BeBRIDGE №01
MAR.APR. 2020 51
BRIDGE
A WORLD OF ADVENTURES CALENDAR
spending Easter in Toronto, taking
in a Blue Jays Baseball game between
sessions or going 'down under' and
watching some cricket in Perth
might be your cup of tea. The French

© ARR
Festivals are always great, you could
try Arcachon (not be mistaken for the 20→27.04.2020
French ship in Master & Commander:
The Far Side of the World) or one of SAINT-
my personal favourites, Juan-Les-
JEAN-
© ARR

Pins, where a Michelin Star is just

Bridge affords you the opportunity to

visit some of the most exciting places
on the planet. Can you resist the
temptation to visit Casablanca in the
hope of being able to tell partner 'Play
it again'. Or maybe you would prefer
a trip to Venice, sitting in Harry's
Bar discussing deals over a Bellini.
If you want to go further afield, then
around every corner. If history is high DE-LUZ
on your agenda, then don't miss a trip Located right in the
to Warwick, home to one of the best center of Jean-de-
medieval castles in England, and right Luz, not far from the
in the middle of Shakespeare's county. beach, come and
If your schedule is so crowded that discover this mythical
place full of
you can't make them all, then most
history. Lectures from
of the time you will be able to watch 10.00 to 12.00 and the
events unfold from the comfort of tournament at 17:00.
your armchair by logging in to BBO.

TheBRIDGE
EVENTS

March
26 →29.03 Bridge Casablanca Casablanca,
Morocco www.bridgescanner.com 27 →31.03 32nd
International Bridge Festival Agios Tychon, Cyprus
www.cyprusbridge.org 29.03 →0 4 .0 4 Festival Puerto
de la Cruz Tenerife, Canary Is., Spain manuelnegrin@ © ARR

gmail.com
April
01→ 05.0 4Venice Bridge Festival Lido di Venezia, Italy
festivaldelbridgelidodivenezia.com 03 →05.0 4 Swiss
Open Zürich, Switzerland www.fsbridge.ch 07 →12.0 4
125th Easter Regional Toronto, ON www.unit166.ca
15→22.0 4 Asia Pacific Bridge Federation Congress
Perth, Australia www.abfevents.com.au 22 →23.0 4
Baltic Cup Tallinn, Estonia www.bridgescanner.
com 23 →26.0 4 Tallin Bridge Festival Tallinn, Estonia
www.bridgescanner.com 27.0 4→ 03.05 International
Festival Arachon Bay, France www.festival-bridge-
bassin-arachon.com 3 0.0 4→03.05 58th 1st May
Tournament Pula, Croatia tihana@pilar.hr 30.0 4→0 4.05
Australian Autumn Nationals Adelaide, Australia
www.abf.com.au 3 0.0 4→05.05 Russian Cup Chelya-
binsk, Russia alriskin@mail.ru
May
01 →03.05 German Bridge Trophy Berlin, Germany
bridge.schroeder@t-online.de 05 →14.05 USBF Open
Trials Schaumberg, IL www.usbf.org 07 →11 .05
Schapiro Spring Fours Warwick, UK www.ebu.co.uk
15→24.05 Festival de Juan-les-Pins Juan-les-
Pins, France www.festivalsdusoleil.com 1 6 →23.05
70th South American Bridge Festival Lima, Peru
www.sudamericanolima2020.com 16 →23.05 22nd
Deutsches Bridgefestival Wyk-auf-Führ, Germany
www.bridge-verband.de 16 →23.05 USBC Mixed Trials
Schaumberg, IL www.usbf.org 25 →21.05 Sofia Bridge
Festival Sofia, Bulgaria www.sofiabridgefestival.com
26.05→01 .0 6 USBC Senior Trials Schaumberg, IL www.
usbf.org 27.05→08.0 6 Canadian Bridge Week Niagara
Falls, ON www.cbf.ca 28 .05 →02.0 6 USBC Women’s
Trials Schaumberg, IL www.usbf.org
Paul & Beatrice, combined
age of 100+. Love practising bridge
in the tournament of the day.

You too can join the Funbridge community!

Download for free at

www.funbridge.com
 BeBRIDGE №01
MAR.APR. 2020 53
ALAIN
LÉVY'S
LEADS

DEFENSIVE
PLAY
ADVANCED LEVEL

Look
further
USEFUL SHOPPING

Alain Lévy has been

With Alain Lévy,

delighting readers
of Le Bridgeur for
many years with
his lead problems.

start swinging
If you have some
knowledge of French
and want to delve
more deeply into this

from the lead

subject then go to
www.lebridgeur.com
and order a copy of
the bestselling La
Logique de l'entame!
BIO Against winds and tides our solid rock, used by many as a
reference you turn to. A talented professor of theory without equal,
Alain Lévy possesses one of the best records in French bridge.
Passionate about golf and cinema, nevertheless Alain spends most
of his time thinking about and how to improve the French standard
bidding system (SEF or système d’enchères français).

THE SCORE BOARD • BETWEEN 330 AND 400: BRAVO! YOU ARE AN EXPERT AT THIS • BETWEEN
© Caroline Moreau

270 AND 320: WELL DONE BUT NOT ENOUGH TO EARN A MEDAL AT THE NEXT CHAMPIONSHIPS
• BETWEEN 160 AND 260: SOME GAPS IN TECHNIQUE AND/OR A LACK OF INSPIRATION •
BETWEEN 0 AND 150: THE IMPORTANT THING IS TO TAKE PART BUT THERE IS A PROFOUND
NEED TO IMPROVE YOUR KNOWLEDGE OR THE LEAD WILL ALWAYS BE A NIGHTMARE.
54 BeBRIDGE №01
MAR.APR. 2020

Division 1 Teams.
Final Weekend
before
the Knock-out.
If you are in any doubt as to the
M ISS I O N

impact of the opening lead, test yourself

against these four difficult hands.
Four huge opportunities to move mountains
– in a good… or bad way.

As West, what is your lead?

HAND

1.
DEALER SOUTH
♠
♥
♦
♣
10
J10975
43
Q8654
NO ONE VULNERABLE

Pass
N

2NT (*)
E

Pass
SOUTH

1♠
3♦
T he last weekend of the
preliminary rounds of the
National Division 1 saw
victory for the staunch Michel
Bessis and Alain Lévy, backed up by Paul
Chemla, Robert Reiplinger, Philippe
Soulet and Hervé Vinciguerra, the latter
Pass 4♦ Pass 4NT
in pursuit of a double. The semi-final was
Pass 5♦ Pass 6♦
scheduled for January 17, Fleury versus
Pass Pass Dble
Lévy and Zaleski versus Zimmermann
(*) Spade fit.
with the final over the following two days.
HAND DEALER SOUTH NO ONE VULNERABLE
1
2. ♠
♥
AQJ5
K
W N E SOUTH

♦ K1093
K963
Pass 5♣
4♣
Decipher
the message
♣

HAND DEALER EAST ALL VULNERABLE

3. ♠
♥
♦
AQJ832
J95
64
W N EAST

Pass
S

3♦
♣ KQ 3♠ 5♦ 5♠ Pass
Pass 6♦ Dble

W N E SOUTH
HAND DEALER WEST NS VULNERABLE
1♠

4. ♠
♥
♦
KJ105
72
KJ962
WEST

1♦
N

Pass
E

1♥
S

Dble
Pass
Pass
2NT
4♦
(*)
Pass
Pass
3♦
4NT
KQ 1♠ 3♣ Pass 3NT Pass 5♦ Pass 6♦
♣
Pass Pass Dble
(*) Spade fit.
 The full deal BeBRIDGE №01
MAR.APR. 2020 55
♠ 862 ALAIN
♥4 LÉVY'S
♦ AJ972 LEADS
♣ KJ103
♠ 10 N ♠ AQ95
♥ J10975 W E
♥ KJ862
♦ 43 ♦ 65
♣ Q8654 S ♣ 92
♠ KJ743
♥ A3
♦ KQ108
♣ A7 DEFENSIVE
PLAY
Post-mortem ADVANCED LEVEL
West led a Club, allowing the contract of
6 Diamonds doubled to make and score
1540, on the pretext of looking for partner’s
void. The analysis above is more difficult
to make than a posteriori. East was asking
for the lead of a Spade. As proof, at ano-
ther table where this bad slam had been
My
© iStock

reached (4NT is excessive, South should

say 4♥ and then pass over 4♠ or 5♦), East
did not double and West led the Jack of advice
Hearts. A lead which saw 26 IMPs change
hands. Notice that East should also double
1
Often is
SCORES with four small Spades and the Ace of Dia- not always
10 of Spades 100 monds. A Lightner double is
4 of Clubs 40 an alert, suggesting
Jack of Hearts 30 that the slam will fail
on a specific lead.
2 Against 6 No-Trump,
Commentary it often asks for
Without a doubt here you decode a
Lightner double. East knows that if you Nailed to the lead of the first
suit bid by dummy.
choose the right lead, the slam will fail.
Immediately you put to one side the idea
the dummy Against a slam in a
suit, it is frequently
because of a void. But
of a trump lead. Normally a Lightner
frequent is not always!
double shows a void and you should lead Sometimes only a
your longest suit. Your first hurdle is complete analysis
that you have two five-card suits so you of the auction will
would need to choose between them. So point you in the right
answer this question, in which of those direction and this is
not always easy.
two suits is East likely to be void? The W N E SOUTH

answer is neither, otherwise the North/ 4♣

South pair have 25 cards in three suits Pass 5♣
and thus East would have a seven-card
suit and would surely have made an in- SCORES
tervention at the three-level. We must King of Hearts 100
look elsewhere for the reason for the 3 of Clubs 80
double. East knows you have a singleton Ace of Spades 40
spade and either he has the ace of spa- 10 of Diamonds 20
des or trumps and will hope to be able to
give you a ruff in Spades. You must lead Commentary
the 10 of Spades. Reconstructing the hidden hands is easy.
South has eight Clubs with two or three ho-
nours, you have sixteen points, three Kings
and an Ace and North should have the rest:
56 BeBRIDGE №01
MAR.APR. 2020
two red Aces and the King of Spades. The W N EAST S
Ace of Spades and the King of Clubs are two 3♦
sure tricks if South does not have a void in 3♠ 5♦ 5♠ Pass
Spades, but the King of Diamonds does not Pass 6♦ Dble
appear to be worth much. The unknown
cards are the two red Queens. The lead of
SCORES
the Ace of Spades will give you the chance
Ace of Spades 100
to have a look at dummy but may facilitate
King of Clubs 80
the play for declarer. The lead of the King of

My Hearts nails declarer dead, even if the Ace

is in the dummy. The lead of a Diamond
Commentary
Whichever card you are about to lead, don't
advice is by far and away the most dangerous. A
special mention for a small Club lead, re-
think you are in a situation where North is
defending against 5 Spades where, for exa-
2
Defensive vealing little of the defences’ intentions and mple, it would be necessary to lead a trump
keeping all options open.
Plan to minimise declarer’s tricks. North has bid
The possession of the on to 6♦ vulnerable, not to lose 500 against
The full deal a hypothetical 650. North knows the five-le-
majority if not all the
defence's assets by vel belongs to the opponents, so his bid
the defender on lead ♠ K76
shows that he expects to make 5 Diamonds
allows the construction ♥ A9643
of a plan to defeat the
and that 6 Diamonds is a contract not wi-
♦ AQ84
contract and to choose thout hope and maybe one that will make
♣ 10
a lead in keeping on a bad lead! What are his arguments? A
with that plan. After ♠ AQJ5 N ♠ 10942 second suit that is running or that can be
high-level pre-empts ♥K ♥ QJ108752 quickly established, which looking at your
the placing of the high W E
♦ K1093 ♦ 52 cards is more likely to be Hearts than Clubs,
cards round the table
can, under certain ♣ K963 S ♣- and also there might be a void in Spades.
conditions, be very This reasoning naturally leads to the idea of
♠ 83
precise. It is no longer a leading the King of Clubs like everyone else.
♥-
question of not making There is, however, an argument in favour of
a lead that gives ♦ J76
leading the Ace of Spades. If North’s hand
the contract but of ♣ AQJ87542
establishing a plan to
is for example ♠- ♥AK109874 ♦K105 ♣984
beat the contract. it is not impossible he would have said 4♠
Post-mortem rather than 5♦, having planned everything
On the lead of the King of Hearts, the ma- and painted a picture, hoping to play 6 Dia-
3
Attack jority choice, the declarer cannot make his monds doubled plus one on the lead of the
or defence? contract. When declarer runs the ten of Ace of Spades.
In high-level Clubs, West will duck and now declarer will
competitive auctions, lose not only the King of Clubs and the Ace The full deal
the vulnerability is of Spades but another trump or a diamond.
something to take Should West lead the Ace of Spades then de-
into account when ♠6
deciding whether one clarer’s destiny is in his hands. He needs to ♥ K2
side is the offensive return to hand by ruffing a Spade and not ♦ K52
and the other on the a Heart having seen the King of Hearts fall ♣ AJ98532
defensive. For example, under the Ace (easy if East has played the
in the sequence Queen of Hearts under the Ace). The lead ♠ AQJ832 N ♠ K1074
2♥-2♠-4♥-4♠-pass-
of the 3 of Clubs, chosen by Robert Reiplin- ♥ J95 W E
♥ A8763
pass-5♥, where
the strength lies is ger against the contract of 6 Clubs doubled, ♦ 64 ♦7
uncertain; thus if the held South to ten tricks. I give you a hint: ♣ KQ S ♣ 1064
5♥ bidder is vulnerable East's 10 or 9 of Spades...
against not then one
♠ 95
expects it has been bid ♥ Q104
to make. However, if the 3 ♦ AQJ10983
vulnerability is reversed, ♣7
the bid is considered
to be looking for a Severe punishment Post-mortem
sacrifice.
It is a bitter pill to swallow, 6 Diamonds
doubled plus one on the almost obvious
lead of the King of Clubs but one off on
the lead of the Ace of Spades. The Heart
continuation is obvious and confirmed
by the ten or even the King of Spades as a
suit preference signal. All the credit goes set up three tricks opposite the Queen, but BeBRIDGE №01
MAR.APR. 2020 57
to the courageous 6♦ bid, an insurance with this in mind you might as well lead a
which might be costly as there are good Diamond from your five-card suit. If you are ALAIN
arguments that 5 Spades will fail. unlucky enough to lead into declarer’s Ace- LÉVY'S
Queen then there was probably not a lot you LEADS
could do. You have a serious chance of es-
4 tablishing four tricks when partner has the
Queen of Diamonds.
An ordinary race The full deal
against time ♠9
♥ A84
♦ 54
♣ J987654 DEFENSIVE
♠ KJ105 N ♠ Q743 PLAY
♥ 72 ♥ 10953 ADVANCED LEVEL
W E
WEST N E S ♦ KJ962 ♦ Q73
1♦ Pass 1♥ Dble ♣ KQ S ♣ 103
1♠ 3♣ Pass 3NT ♠ A862 My
SCORES
♥ KQJ6
♦ A108 advice
6 of Diamonds 100 ♣ A2
Jack of Spades 60
4
Passive or
7 of Hearts 20 Post-mortem aggressive
It’s quite simple, the lead of a Diamond,
which was not the unanimous choice, set
lead?
Commentary Your holding in the
The jump to 3♣ has the appearance of a up four tricks for the defence to go with a opponent’s suits helps
competitive bid. South’s bidding, Double Club trick. A Spade lead established three you to determine if you
followed by 3NT, suggests a strong balanced tricks so held declarer to his contract. The should opt for a passive
hand. The King-Queen doubleton of Clubs altruistic lead of the 7 of Hearts allowed the or an aggressive
contract to succeed with three overtricks. lead. A long suit that
is cause for concern; when this situation does not need more
is exposed, declarer will surely be well on Even if one can comprehend North’s ‘brave’
than one round to be
the way to success. Leading the 7 of Hearts 3♣ bid, the pass over 3NT with such a weak established (or even
on the pretext that it is a neutral lead in hand was doubtful. 5 Clubs is cold and only

!
if it requires some
partner’s suit will not result in establishing a Diamond lead defeats 6 Clubs. assistance from partner)
suggests making an
the suit. The broken sequence KJ105 gives
aggressive lead. If no
some weight to choosing Spades as it will such suit presents itself,
make a neutral lead.
Between the four of them, these leads swung
some 70 IMPs. Anyone who never chooses the wrong
lead will never lose a match.

OFFER A SUBSCRIPTION TO
ONLINE
54$/€ PER YEAR
HEAD TO OUR WEBSITE
WWW.LEBRIDGEUR.COM
58 BeBRIDGE №01
MAR.APR. 2020

St Mark's Square
This iconic square
in the heart of
Venice, once
described as 'the
drawing room of
Europe'.

© iStock
© iStock
 BeBRIDGE №01
MAR.APR. 2020 59
NORTH
SOUTH
EAST

(Italia) VENICE WEST

by Giulio
Crevato-Selvaggi

VENICE AND
ITS FESTIVAL
IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF
GIULIO CREVATO-SELVAGGI
Italian Director, this former guide
A DV E N T U R E

is one of the loyal participants of the Venice

international bridge festival. For BeBRIDGE
readers, he looks back on the golden age of this
competition and reveals some of his secret,
gourmet or cultural addresses.

«L et me first introduce
myself. My name
is Giulio Crevato-
Selvaggi and I was
born in 1958, the year
of the first edition of
the Venice Pairs Tournament. It would
surgical operation, however banal, which
obviously caused us a lot of grief.
This experience with him taught me
many things, which then served me in my
career as a bridge Director, even if I could
have chosen that of player after winning a
silver medal in an Italian championship.
© Giulio Crevato-Selvaggi

later become the “Festival”, in the hands But Venice was also, in 1974, the scene
of Rodolfo Burcovich, who would make it of the creation of the Venice Cup, the
one of the most important European – if women's world championship which now Giulio
not global – events in modern times of Crevato-
bridge. Selvaggi
The first tournament therefore took in front of the Casino
place on September 20 and 21, 1958 of the Lido in Venice,
in the rooms of the Municipal Casino, where the Bridge
© Giulio Crevato-Selvaggi

at the Lido, where 116 pairs from 25 festival takes place.

different clubs faced players from Austria,
Germany or Netherlands. The victory
went to a Milanese pair: Bellentani -
Rijoff. I participated in the preparation
of this festival with Rodolfo from 1995 to
One of the Casino rooms, during the 2002 edition.
1999, the year of his disappearance, both The Excelsior Hotel and the Hotel des Bains also
premature and unexpected, following a host the competition.
 60 BeBRIDGE №01
MAR.APR. 2020
bears its name and whose replicas are
offered at each edition. It was held that
year in conjunction with the Bermuda
Bowl, still in Venice, with the victory of
the famous Blue Team. The Americans
took their revenge at the 1988 Olympiad
in Venice, which they won for the first
and last time to date. It was also an
opportunity to spot a pair of cheaters...
and to exclude them. I'm not sure they
went to celebrate at Harry’s Bar, the Mecca
of Venetian evenings where Giuseppe
Cipriani invented carpaccio and the
famous Bellini. As a Director, I officiated
at the world juniors in Sportilla in 1997,
at the European championships in
Bellaria (very nice restaurant, Fellini)
and Sorrento 2000/2001, as well as San
Remo 2009 and the juniors in Jesolo in
© Giulio Crevato-Selvaggi
One of the rooms of the 2007. And, above all, at the Verona World
Venice bridge Circle,
located in a Venetian championships in 2006.
palace from the 1700s. Shortly before becoming a Director, I was
also a scorer for the VuGraph at the 1997
European Championships in Montecatini.
1974
I had a little mishap that I can't resist
telling you about...
I was in the open room for the meeting
The first edition between the Italians – who already had
of the Venice the title won with a game in hand - and
Cup, the Women's the French who were battling for the
World Team 5th and last qualifying place for the
Championship Bermuda Bowl, which was to be played
in Hammamet (Tunisia). Bocchi/Duboin
1,400
participants at
had just gone down in a contract; I then
pointed out that it depended only on a
finesse which unfortunately failed. At
the Venice Bridge that moment, I heard a player fuming
Festival in 1980 in French: “What does it matter? They
have already won!” And immediately in
impeccable Italian: “They do not need
to be encouraged.” That made me mute
until the end of the match; and I promised
myself never to intervene like that again,
to make such a psychological mistake in
front of champions. That day, it was Paul
Chemla who manifested himself in this
way. Not only did he qualify, he also won
the world title three months later ... with
the French team.
Memory Lane
Let's go back to the Venice Tournament,
which became the Festival in 1966, and
which had its best hours between 1970
and 1980, a record year with nearly
1,400 participants at the Casino, the
Hotel Excelsior or the Hotel des Bains,
so it was necessary to 'move the walls' to
accommodate all the players who came to
win a near world championship worthy
title in a quite exceptional setting.
In Venice, the game of bridge continues
to flourish every day at the Circle of
bridge, housed in a Venetian palace built
in the late 1700s in the centre of the
city. The games are generally held in the
afternoon and two evenings a week; the
club has about 80 members. Needless to
say, in such a place, the rooms are more
than pleasant and all of this decor bears
witness to the ancestral splendor of the
Serenissima. During the Festival, the
Circle closes its doors, no player wishing to
miss the opportunity to participate in this
event, closely linked to the history of the
association. The rest of the time, players
passing through Venice can come and play,
or simply take a look at the Circle, located
near the Rialto market, the focal point
of local life. The easiest way is to contact
us by sending an email to the following
address: bridgevenezia@gmail.com. This
will make it easier to guide you through
the maze of Venetian alleys.
I would like to take this opportunity to
mention two places that are particularly
close to my heart. The first is perfect
for a break, a snack or a quick meal; the
second is without a doubt my favourite
restaurant in Venice and, if you are
looking for quality, then you will be
served! But beware: reservations are
compulsory, sometimes even a long time
in advance.
The bar – called “osteria” here – offers
a large selection of typical products in
 BeBRIDGE №01
MAR.APR. 2020 61
terms of “finger food”, as we say today, the good ones from those that are not yet NORTH
although in Venice it has always existed
under the name of “cicchetti”. The Antica
ready, so striking is their resemblance.
What else do I like in my city, Venice?
SOUTH
Osteria Ruga Rialto also gives the most Among the monuments, you are spoilt EAST
demanding customers the opportunity
to sit down in one of its two large rooms
for choice. Without wishing to hurt
WEST
to enjoy a full meal. The atmosphere is
characteristic of these places where there
are more Venetians than tourists, and
“My favorite Venetian dish?
where lively discussions take place over
a good glass of wine – or even two! – in
Small fried green crabs!”.
the musical dialect that made the great Giulio Crevato-Selvaggi
playwright Carlo Goldoni famous.
If you want to immerse yourself in the
flavours of Venetian cuisine, prepared
with real know-how and based on fresh
products, I can recommend the Antiche
Carampane restaurant, located in the
same neighbourhood. For years, this
© Giulio Crevato-Selvaggi

family-friendly business has seduced with
its professionalism, which is essential for
excellent service. My favourite dish is a
seasonal one, cooked with small green
crabs, which can only be found in early
spring and autumn. They are called
“moeche”, which means “soft” in Venetian.
Why “soft”? Because at these two specific
times of the year, the crabs – cramped in
their shells that have become too small –
get rid of them while they wait for another
one to form. They are therefore a delicacy
dish for the gourmets of the Lagoon, who
like to eat them fried. Fishing for them is
a difficult art, the most complicated thing
not being to find them but to distinguish
© Giulio Crevato-Selvaggi
The Antiche Carampane restaurant, favourite The Antica Osteria Ruga
address of Giulio Crevato-Selvaggi. Rialto, perfect for a gourmet
break or a quick lunch.
anyone's feelings, I would therefore
gladly signal my passion for La Scuola
Grande di San Rocco. I fell in love
with it for a very simple reason: before
devoting myself full time to bridge,
I worked in this museum for several
years. I really enjoyed extraordinary
moments, such as the concerts given
by the best performers in the world

2 Two ‘must stay’ hotels for

your visit to the City of the Doges
© ARR
© ARR

© D.R.

For the past six years, a group of about fifty French people have been At a luxurious level I recommend
going to Hotel Saturnia, a stone's throw from Piazza San Marco, Londra Palace, neighbour of
for a week of bridge. Thier loyalty is rewarded with a warm welcome the luxurious Danieli, on the Grand
and a charming home. Canal.
 62 BeBRIDGE №01
MAR.APR. 2020
NORTH
SOUTH
EAST
WEST
© Giulio Crevato-Selvaggi
The facade of La Scuola di San Rocco,
which houses a large part of Tintoretto's works.
and meeting the Dalai Lama. Not to
mention the incredible masterpieces it
houses, starting with the most important
pictorial cycle of Tintoretto, one of the
most famous painters of the Renaissance.
The extraordinary talent of this artist lay
above all in the speed with which he did
his paintings; for an artist of his time, he
© Giulio Crevato-Selvaggi
left behind a generous and considerable
production. While working in this
museum, I also had the chance to admire
his works from a distance of only few
centimetres, thus being able to distinguish
the traces left by each of his brushstrokes.
Ponte There is something particularly moving
in understanding how the human figures
Storto – observed from the room in which they
A “twisted” are located, at a certain distance from the
bridge, typical floor – are ultimately the result of four
of architecture absolutely indistinct brush strokes. The
over the canals. rendering is so intense that one realises
how much Tintoretto already anticipated,
almost, the art of the Impressionists of the
late 1800s.
And if Tintoretto remains for me the
master, my profession has also opened the
doors of places of incredible beauty, often
closed to the public, of which here is an
example. The upstairs hall, called “Sala
Capitolare” (where the Capitol's plenary
meeting used to be held), is the second
largest hall in Venice after that of the
Grand Council in the Doge’s Palace. Like
many other Venetian palaces, its roof is
covered with thick, very heavy lead slabs.
The part that struck me the most was this
system of beams supporting the hall; a
spectacle of incredible size and elegance,
which undoubtedly testifies to era of
craftsmanship unequalled to this day.
Finally – and perhaps this is a reflection
of my romantic and dreamy soul –
I particularly like to go home the evening
passing through the lesser-known Venice,
away from the tourists. Stopping to
observe a detail that escapes everyone – a
handle, a niche, a door – or encountering a
particular light in the space of a moment,
which takes me back to another time,
between gondolas and street stalls.
The Ponte Storto (“Twisted Bridge”) over
still waters evokes for me the simplicity
of a complicated city like Venice, but also
all the solutions that have often paved
the way for many other realities in the
rest of the world, from the narrative “The
Million” by Marco Polo to the invention
of “coffee”, a place dedicated to the
consumption of this drink brought back
to Europe by the Ottomans, as the Café
Florian, founded in 1720 in Saint Mark's
Square, still bears witness.
One last curiosity: do you know the history
of the Venice skyscraper? It does not
exist, because Venice is built on loose soil,
strengthened over the centuries thanks to
many specialised techniques. Limited in
its architectural possibilities, the city could
not therefore develop in height. In Venice,
like in many other European cities, there
was the Jewish ghetto. The word “ghetto”
was used here for the first time. As the
population grew, and the need to house
new families wishing to escape the floods
arose, the construction of multi-storey
buildings was undertaken within a limit
dictated by common sense. The only six-
storey house in the city is therefore on the
“campo” (the typical Venetian square) of
the Ghetto Nuovo. How was this possible?
It's quite simple: in order not to exceed
the maximum height allowed, the ceilings
were lowered so that the house – which
would normally have had 5 floors – could
have 6.
To tell the truth, the magic of Venice will
never ceases to amaze me. Even if my
bridge work takes me to some very remote
places, I always welcome the return home.
Long-awaited, even, like a good play at
the green table that makes you win the
tournament!
Antica Osteria Ruga Rialto. Calle del Sturion, n°692.
Phone: + 39 041 241 99 46.
Antiche Carampane. Rio Tera de Le Carampane,
San Polo 1911. Phone: + 39 041 524 01 65.
www.antichecarampane.com
Far from
BeBRIDGE №01
MAR.APR. 2020 63
CARDS
ON THE
TABLE
the clichés
I N T E R V I E W Director of Paris
Florence
Bourgeois

Photo for the last six years, the

former financial manager who
has studied at the École du
Louvre is trying
a new American
dream: after three
editions in Los
Angeles (from
2013 to 2015),
the international
photography fair
is moving to New
York from 2-5
April this year.
If her calendar
no longer allows
her to play bridge
with her group
of passionate friends, Florence
Bourgeois hopes to be able to
return to it one day.
Bio
October 1, 1964:
she is born in Boulogne-
Billancourt (92).
1987: she gets her business
school degree.
1997: she is in control of the
international management
at Parfums Givenchy (LVMH).
2006: she gets her degree
of the École du Louvre
and a license in Art History
at the Sorbonne.
2012: she is Managing
Director of PAD Paris
and PAD London.

What has lately set your heart on
fire?
The book Mur Méditerranée
(Mediterranean Wall) by Louis-
Philippe Dalembert (Sabine
Wespieser Éditeur), which deals
with exile through the prism of
three committed and courageous
women, ready to do anything it
takes to move towards a better
future. It approaches human nature
mercilessly, projecting us into a
dark reality. This tragedy, which is
told through a neat and evocative
feather, shook me deeply.
Do you wear your heart on your
sleeve?
Never enough ... Professional issues
and family realities contribute to a
balance in which the left behind are
absent. I am committed to evolving
on the subject and helping to share
what life has given me.
Are you in the club of careful
people?
“Caution is the mother of safety”.
I always prefer to listen and balance
before launching headlong into a
fight.
Your advice not to fall by the
wayside?
It’s not an exact science and life has
sometimes left me in the dark. It
hurts, but helps to grow...
Do you like sniping at other
people?
I love to throw stones but I hate
receiving them! But I’m improving!
What stings you the most?
Infidelity and lack of respect
© Jérémie Bouillon
or disrespect. Remnants of an
education based on referent moral
values.
Your lucky charm or lucky
number?
4: the flesh of my flesh! My children
– and, beyond them, my tribe – for
whom I could give everything. They
give it back to me.
Recently, who made you see all
the colours?
My golf swing! In the ocean of my
golfing mediocrity, it sometimes
happens that a flash makes me
want to start again.
Marie-Sarah Bouleau
 64 BeBRIDGE №01
MAR.APR. 2020

IKE Hero of World

War II, head of NATO,
President of the
United States,
Dwight D. Eisenhower
was also a formidable
bridge player. A way
to hone his strategic
skills and relax, a few
hours before D-Day.

Eisenhower
the bridge player
in chief
© Alamy

The Boss In 56 years of playing bridge,

Ike has received nicknames like
“Bridge Player in Chief ”, and “President,
patron of the bridge players»”

I t is almost 5 p.m. As the
shadows begin to fall
over the Washington
Monument, four men
enter the White House.
Two floors higher, in the
solarium with large bay windows
built into the roof, President
Dwight D. Eisenhower awaits them,
shuffling his deck of cards.
Like every Saturday evening since he
became president in January 1953,
it's bridge day in the White House.
Judges, ministers, senior military
officers... the country's elite parade
at his table. Always in groups of
four, so that the game can continue
should the president have to leave.
In an article published in May 1953,
a journalist from Time magazine
described how these parties were
conducted. Around 5 p.m., players
started the game in the solarium.
They stopped briefly for a light
supper then continued until 10:30
p.m. in the president’s office on the
floor below. The ritual is immutable.
Since he discovered bridge, nothing
seems to be able to stop Eisenhower
from indulging his passion. Not
even a landing on the beaches of
Normandy...
© ACBL
A group escorting President Dwight D. Eisenhower on his visit to the summer NABCs in
Washington D.C. To his right, Chief Tournament Director All Sobel and Harry Roth. To his left,
Charles Solomon, Charles Goren, Gen Al Gruenther, Peggy Solomon.
“You can always judge a man's character
by the way he plays cards. Eisenhower is a
calm and collected player and never whines
at his losses. He is brilliant in victory but
never commits the bridge player's worst
crime of gloating when he wins.”
In the beginning
“Ike” was introduced to bridge
forty years earlier, in 1913. He was
23 years old and trained at the
prestigious West Point Military
Academy. He was noticed for his
talents as a strategist, but also as
a poker player... so much so that
his comrades, regularly stripped of
their money, began to get annoyed.
Feeling the situation turning sour,
Ike started playing bridge. His calm,
patience, excellent memory and
ability to concentrate and bluff make
BeBRIDGE №01
MAR.APR. 2020 65
REWIND
by Julie Guérineau
Ely Culbertson.
him a particularly gifted player. At
the academy, he will play up to 6
evenings a week for several months.
After leaving West Point, Ike
continues to play bridge throughout
his assignments, notably in the
Philippines, where he will play
with President Manuel Quezón.
Eisenhower considered that card
games, where certain key pieces
remain hidden, to be – more than
chess – perfect for boosting his
strategic skills. But it is also a way to
relieve tension in particularly crucial
times. As on that night of November
7, 1942…
Eisenhower, now a general, has
just been appointed commander-
in-chief of the American forces
in Europe. World War II rages on
and he oversees Operation Torch:
the first landing of Allied forces in
Morocco and Algeria, scheduled for
the next day. On a ship off the coast
of Gibraltar, Ike organises a bridge
game with general Mark Clark, his
naval aide Harry C. Butcher and
Alfred Gruenther, his deputy and
bridge partner for the rest of his life.
The memorable game was reported
in the New York Times in 1960.
“But because of a journalist's error,
Eisenhower, the hero of the game,
found himself in the wrong role and
accused of a gross strategic fault that
he never committed”, says champion
Michel Abécassis. “Very proud of
this coup, he was very upset that it
was taken away from him!”
66 BeBRIDGE №01
MAR.APR. 2020

REWIND “The card rises vertically in the

President's hand, then describes
a 90-degree arc. It hits the table
with a thump, upsetting ash
trays and opponents.”
A man who has played with Eisenhower tells a journalist

Bridge and work Gruenther was then considered playing with Ike, who took the
A few months after Operation Torch, the best bridge player in the army. game too seriously... According to
Eisenhower and his teammates Eisenhower is reputed to be a very John, behind his appearance as the
again found comfort in bridge a good player. Master Oswald Jacoby nation's benevolent grandfather,
few hours before the Normandy
landings. Knowing how to play
bridge is said to have been an
unofficial criterion for working
with the general. A criterion that
may well have changed the destiny
of Alfred Gruenther... and NATO.
After World War II, Eisenhower was
appointed president of Columbia
University. Not very busy, he was
regular at the Manhattan Bridge
Club. It was there that President
Truman called him, one day in 1950,
to offer him the position of supreme
commander of NATO. Back at the
table, he was asked who will be his
second in command. “I should take
Bedell Smith [chief of staff under his
command during the war, editor's
note.] But I think I'll take Gruenther
because he's the better bridge player”
he reportedly answered. Gruenther
got the job, and later succeeded
© ACBL

Eisenhower as the head of NATO

when the latter becomes president of Alvin Landy, Executive Secretary of the ACBL, and his famous kibitzer, President Dwight
the United States, three years later. D. Eisenhower, at the Washington D.C. summer NABCs in 1961.

himself describes his playing style Eisenhower “was sorely lacking in

Heritage
Since 2014, the Eisenhower
Foundation organises an
annual bridge tournament,
the proceeds of which
are donated to the
foundation's education
program. It is also an
opportunity to introduce
bridge to schoolchildren.
as “classic, intelligent with flashes
of genius”. (according to http://
advocate.district8acbl.com/jun09/
ike.htm, and many others, this was
said by Culbertson. Jacoby said “The
President plays better bridge than
golf. He tries to break 90 at golf. At
bridge, you would say he plays in
the 70s. Editor's note) Gruenther
and Ike formed a close and often
victorious partnership for several
decades. In contrast, Eisenhower's
wife, Mamie, and their son John,
both bridge enthusiasts, gave up
humour” and was very demanding
once he was sitting at the bridge
table.
After his two terms in the White
House, Eisenhower will continue to
invite the small group of Saturday
night regulars to bridge games
at his property in Gettysburg,
Pennsylvania. A privilege
Eisenhower's vice-president Nixon
and his wife Pat will never know.
Why? “What the hell would we talk
about?” said Mamie Eisenhower.
“Pat can't play bridge!”
 BeBRIDGE №01
MAR.APR. 2020 67

Learn, play and BRIDGE

ADDICT
improve yourself with
the help of the best.
Here you enter the core of the
T E CH N I CA L E X E R CIS E S

magazine where you will find articles especially for

“addicts”. Explanations of new conventions by our experts,
complex bidding questions debated by great champions,
discussions about signalling and and dummy play.
That's the menu for these pages that we hope will satisfy
the most passionate of you.

BRIDGE❤
WE LOVE

TECHNICAL
EXERCISES
FOR THE
ALWAYS
CURIOUS
68 BeBRIDGE №01
MAR.APR. 2020

1. Double minor – major

One simple rule: you ignore the Double;
this means you bid as if there had been no

Defense intervention.

· 2♣ : Stayman.

against SOUTH
♠
♥
K1087
94
W NORTH E

1NT Dble(*) 2♣
(*) Dble minor – major.
S

an artificial
♦ AQJ97
♣ 92

intervention
· 2♦, 2♥ 2♠ and 2NT: transfer (2♠ for
Clubs and 2NT for Diamonds).

SOUTH W NORTH E S

over 1NT.
♠ 10 1NT Dble (*)
2NT
♥ J103 (*) Dble minor – major.
♦ AQ10952
♣ K97
Better get used to these transfers, which
may seem unusual.

· Redouble: invitational (like 2NT), 8-9H

without four-card major.

SOUTH W NORTH E S

♠ 107 1NT Dble(*) Rdbl

♥ K64 (*) Dble minor – major.
♦ QJ92
♣ K632

· 3♣: Puppet Stayman if this is part of

your system. Otherwise play it as a natural
slam try.

· 3♦, 3♥ and 3♠: natural, six cards, slam try.

© iStock

Note
As the use of the strong 1NT
I N T RO D U C T I O N You can do without these auctions at the
three-level or give them another meaning.
opening declines, the number of interventions
increase, especially artificial ones. It is · 3NT: very often, without worrying about
stoppers.
important to know how to react to the three
SOUTH
main interventions you will face at the table (or W NORTH E S

♠ 105 1NT Dble (*)

3NT
in front of your computer...): the major-minor ♥ 987 (*) Dble minor – major.
♦ AQ92
double, 2♣ Landy and 2♦ Multi. No more ♣ KJ63
misunderstandings thanks to these simple and
effective developments.
 BeBRIDGE №01
MAR.APR. 2020 69
BRIDGE
2. 2♣ Landy: at least
in the majors
5+- 4+ · 2NT: transfer to Clubs. Free bid, without
information about strength. ADDICT
· 3♣: Transfer to Diamonds. Game forcing.
· 3NT: balanced distribution, with or wit- Else, bid 2♦.
hout stoppers in the majors, 9+-15H. · 3♦: One five-card major. Game forcing.
You consider playing 4 Hearts or 4 Spa-
SOUTH W NORTH E S des (essential with a singleton in the other
♠ 942 1NT 2♣ (*)
3NT major).
♥ Q95 (*) 2♣ Landy.
♦ J9854 Over 3♦, 3♥ is a relay, then:
♣ AK - 3♠: five cards in Hearts.
No other possible contract. Don’t help your - 3NT: five cards in Spades. BIDDING
opponents find the lead! To have the correct hand play the contract. ADVANCED LEVEL

♠ 63 N ♠ A75
SOUTH W NORTH E S
♥ KQ1093 W E
♥ J87
♠ 64 1NT 2♣(*) 3NT
♦ KQ3 ♦ AJ952
♥ 974 (*) 2♣ Landy.
♦ KQJ954 ♣ 1092 S ♣ AJ
♣ K3
Transferring to your Diamonds won’t do
Rules
W N EAST S

you any good here. Again, you want to play 1NT 2♣(*)
3NT and nothing else. 3♦ Pass 3♥ Pass Over a Landy 2♣ or
3♠ Pass 4♥ Multi 2♦ a double
· Double: 8H+, balanced, starts a penalty (*) 2♣ Landy. promises 8+HCP and
suggests playing
process.
for penalties (which
· 3♥ and 3♠: 5-5 minors, void in the other does not mean you
SOUTH W NORTH E S
major, slam interest. automatically double
♠ K1085 1NT 2♣(1) Dble your opponents...)
♥ K62 Rdbl (2)
Pass 2♠ Dble SOUTH W NORTH E S
♦ 109 (1) 2♣ Landy. ♠ - 1NT 2♣ (*)
3♥
♣ Q1087 (2) Rdbl Choose. ♥ A32 (*) 2♣ Landy.
Penalty. ♦ KJ954
♣ A10872
· 2♦: natural, non-forcing. Remains a free bid.

SOUTH
3. 2♦ multi, a six-card
W NORTH E S

♠ K6 1NT 2♣(*) 2♦
♥ 874 (*) 2♣ Landy. major, 9H+
♦ Q96542 · Double: promises a four-card major, 8H+,
♣ 63 any distribution. Shows interest to double
for penalties.
· 2♥ and 2♠: Game forcing. Singleton in
the other major (or singleton in the bid suit SOUTH W NORTH E S

like after a minor suit transfer, according to ♠ 103 1NT 2♦(1) Dble
your usual habits), two-suiter in the minors ♥ AJ84 2♠ Pass Pass 3♦(2)
4-4 or 5-4. ♦ AJ9652 (1) 2♦ Multi.
♣ 4 (2) 3♦ Natural, by inference four
cards in Hearts.
SOUTH W NORTH E S

10 1NT 2♣(*) 2♥
© Caroline Moreau

♠
♥ J95 (*) 2♣ Landy.
SOUTH W NORTH E S

♦ KQ95 ♠ Q1062 1NT 2♦ Dble (1)

♣ AJ642 ♥ K3 2♠ Pass Pass Dble(2)

♦ 107
If opener does not have a spade stopper, (1) 2♦ Multi.

game in a minor must be bid.

♣ A10932 (2) Dble: penalties.
By
Alain
Lévy
70 BeBRIDGE №01
MAR.APR. 2020

SOUTH W NORTH E S · 3♣: transfer to Diamonds, without infor-

1NT 2♦(1) Dble mation about strength. Denies a four-card
♠ 87
AK65 major in the game range.
♥ 2♠ Pass Pass 3♠(2)
♦ Q102 (1) 2♦ Multi. SOUTH W NORTH E S
♣ J1065 (2) 3♠ Four cards in Hearts,
balanced hand without a ♠ 10 1NT 2♦(1) 3♣(2)
Spade stopper. ♥ 95 (1) 2♦ Multi.
♦ KJ10852 (2) 3♣ Transfer to Diamonds.
SOUTH W NORTH E S ♣ Q1063
♠ K7 1NT 2♦(1) Dble To play 3 Diamonds or to prepare to bid
♥ A1086 2♠ Pass Pass 3NT(2) higher in diamonds in offense-defense.
♦ K1083 (1) 2♦ Multi.

BIDDING ♣ 1093 (2) 3NT Four cards in Hearts with

a Spade stopper. · 3♦: transfer to hearts, game forcing.
ADVANCED LEVEL
SOUTH W NORTH E S
SOUTH W N E SOUTH
♠ 7 1NT 2♦ 3♦ (1)
♠ A3 1NT
♥ AJ985 Pass 3♥(2) Pass 4♣…
♥ J1097 2♦(1) Dble 2♥(2) Dble(3)
♦ 103
♦ KQ3 (1) 2♦ Multi.
(1) 2♦ Multi.
♣ AKJ92 (2) 3♥ agrees hearts or indicates
♣ AQ104 (2) 2♦ Pass or correct.
(3)Dble: penalties. lack of a spade stopper.

Natural bid towards slam.

SOUTH W N E SOUTH

♠ KJ95 1NT · 3♥: transfer to Spades, game forcing.

♥ K103 2♦(*) Dble 2♥ Pass
♦ A7 (*) 2♦ Multi. · 3NT: 9+-15 HCP with both majors stop-
♣ AQ94
ped or gambling without anything in the
Pass. If partner doubles 2♥, it’s Christmas; majors and no alternative contract (exa-
else we will play 4 Spades. mple: ♠964 ♥532 ♦AK8 ♣KJ104).

· 2♥ and 2♠: natural, non-forcing. · Pass followed by Double: t.-o., 8H+ without
four-card major.
· 2NT: transfer to Clubs, without infor-
mation about strength. Denies a four-card SOUTH W NORTH E S

major in the game range. ♠ 103 1NT 2♦(*) Pass

♥ K95 2♥ Pass 2♠ Dble
SOUTH W NORTH E S ♦ A1063 (*) 2♦ Multi.
♠ 2 1NT 2♦(1) 2NT(2) ♣ J1065
♥ J107 Pass 3♣ Pass 3♥(3) Careful! As Pass can hide a strong hand, if
♦ AJ32 (1) 2♦ Multi. the fourth player passes over 2♦ with long
♣ KQ954 (2) 2NT Transfer to Clubs.
(3) 3♥ Singleton Spade.
diamonds and a weak hand, opener must
balance. Risky business!

OFFER AN
E-GIFT CARD
Head to our website
www.lebridgeur.com
 BeBRIDGE №01
MAR.APR. 2020 71
SMART
SHOPPING
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SOFTWARE

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72 BeBRIDGE №01
MAR.APR. 2020

DECLARER
PLAY
IMPROVERS

© iStock
21+1 = 21 ! A strong hand opposite a weak hand equals
CH A L L E N G E

big communication problems. That you will have to

anticipate ...

Teams. Dealer East. None Vul. Here is W N EAST S

your hand as South: 1♥ Dble
Pass 1♠ Pass 2NT

♠ 10765
♥ 84
♦ J432
♣ 1092 West leads the Ace
When East opens 1♥ in front of you, your of Hearts (the Jack
N
21 points inspire you to double. appears on the right)
W E and continues with the 2,
Your partner responds 1♠. What should East winning with the
you bid? S King and continuing with
You are too strong for 1NT (which would the 10. You can easily
♠ AK
show 19-20). So you jump to 2NT to des- understand why North
♥ Q653
cribe a hand of 21-22 points, with a Heart passed over 2NT without
♦ KQ5
stopper. North takes no time to think before thought.
♣ AQJ4
passing, so his hand must be very weak...
 BeBRIDGE №01
MAR.APR. 2020 73
Count your certain and immediate
BRIDGE
ADDICT
winners
For the moment, they are not a plethora,
since you have only four, the Ace-King
of Spades, the Ace of Clubs and the
promoted Queen of Hearts. That has
been set up while establishing two Hearts
for East.
Which Club specifically?
First question: do you take 10 of Hearts This is what you have in the suit:
or not?
Yes, because, you never know, your fourth
♣ 1092
■ DECLARER
Heart could be an exit card.
♣ AQJ4 PLAY
Why? IMPROVERS
Simply because a quick count of points Take care not to mechanically throw the
[21 (in hand) + 1 (in North) + 4 (with 4. In fact, it is the Queen (or the Jack)
West) = 26] confirms that East has the that you must discard to prevent yourself
missing high honours - notably the Ace of being locked in and therefore unable to
repeat the Club finesse.
Guiding
Diamonds alongside his Hearts and that
he will inevitably regain the lead. principle
How will you conclude the play? A well-informed
How are you going to establish the four When East exits with a Spade, you will
declarer is
win, cross to the Jack of Diamonds and
tricks you need?
play the 10 of Clubs, then repeat the
priceless. In fact,
Two tricks in Diamonds and two more the sooner he
finesse against the King and claim eight
in Clubs, knowing that the King of Clubs knows the type
tricks (three Clubs, two Spades, two
must be with East. of problem he will
Diamonds and the Queen of Hearts) not
having conceded more than five (four face, the greater
What is your problem?
Hearts and the Ace of Diamonds). his chance of
It will not be easy to reach dummy. The
only possible entry is the Jack of Diamonds.
being successful.
♠ 10765
♥ 84
So, what do you do?
♦ J432
Play the King of Diamonds for the 9,

STEP
♣ 1092
2 and 7 from East who wants to make
things difficult. ♠ J9843 N ♠ Q2

BY
♥ A2 W E
♥ KJ1097
And after that? ♦ 10986 ♦ A7
Never mind: you continue with the ♣ 653 S ♣ K876

Queen of Diamonds for the 6, the 3 and...
the Ace (good news!). East now cashes:
- The 9 of Hearts. You follow painlessly
with the 6.
- And the 7 of Hearts. That is a little
awkward for you.
What do you discard on the last Heart?
You must keep your small Diamond and,
therefore, throw a Club from your hand.
Two more Clubs in addition to the Ace
will do.
STEP
♠ AK
♥ Q653
♦ KQ5
♣ AQJ4
Thus, here, even before the dummy
appeared, the known big imbalance
between the two hands hinted at thorny
communication problems (21 + 1 = 21!),
which were solved by using a necessity
hypothesis in Diamonds and a nice
© Caroline Moreau

unblock in Clubs.

Ed. By
If East has more than two Diamonds, unblock the Ace-King of Spades after the Norbert
Lébely
King-Queen of Diamonds then exit with a Heart, hoping that the opener is 2-5-3-3
or 2-5-4-2.
 Breaking
74 BeBRIDGE №01
MAR.APR. 2020

the Rules
In games, rules are
CH A L L E N G E S

supposed to be respected.
But common sense may dictate
AT THE that you have to break them.
TABLE
EXPERT LEVEL
An aggressive overcall
La Doyenne picks up the following cards as
South:
North-South vulnerable
♠ AJ87
♥ Q874
♦ -
♣ AJ1092
Her RHO opponent opens 1♥, giving her
a problem. She could pass and hope to bid
her hand later, but it may well be harder to Clearly she has her work cut out, but it
get into the auction next time. Although she looks clear to ruff the Heart. Even if she has
hates to overcall two of a minor with only a no black-suit loser, if she just plays on the
five-card suit, particularly vulnerable, that black suits she can’t hope to come to more
seems to be the lesser evil here. than nine black winners plus the Heart ruff.
She is slightly surprised to hear her LHO If she is to succeed, she needs to ruff ano-
bid 4♥, but not at all surprised that her ther Heart. So she ruffs a Diamond (noting
partner (who surely had no Hearts) bids West’s Queen), ruffs another Heart and plays
4NT, showing Diamonds with some Club the Queen of Clubs covered by the King and
© D.R.

support. Thankful that her partner did not Ace. That’s good, she thinks, no Club loser.

Bio
bid 5♦, La Doyenne bids 5♣ and West’s What does she know of the distribution? It
double closes the auction. looks as if Hearts are 5-4; it also looks as if
The auction has been: East must have the Ace of Hearts, otherwise
W N EAST S he would have at most a 10-count including
the singleton King of Clubs. If West’s Queen
Sally Brock 1♥ 2♣
of Diamonds can be taken at face value,
4♥ 4NT Pass 5♣
N ° 1 in the then his distribution would seem to be 4-4-
Dble
world, she has 1-4. If West has the longer Spades then he is
won six World West leads the King of Hearts and this is most likely to hold the Queen of Spades. So,
what she can see: La Doyenne draws all the trumps (no one
Championship
titles with British has any left) and runs the Jack of Spades,
♠ K106 followed by a Spade to dummy’s 10 and the
and English
♥- King of Spades. East is down to the Heart
teams. She lives in ♦ K1097654 A-10 and the Diamond A-J and must find a
London where she ♣ Q64 discard. Remember La Doyenne has lost no
works as a bridge
N tricks so far. If East discards a Diamond, de-
player, teacher clarer plays low on the Spade and exits with
and writer. W E a Diamond pitching her Ace of Spades. East
must give her the Queen of Hearts at trick
S
13. Alternatively, if East discards a Heart
♠ AJ87 then declarer overtakes the King of Spades
♥ Q874 with the Ace and exits with a Heart. East
♦- must give dummy the King of Diamonds at
♣ AJ1092 trick 13.
 BeBRIDGE №01
MAR.APR. 2020 75
BRIDGE
ADDICT
This was the full deal: North leads the Ace of Diamonds, and this
is what La Doyenne can see:
♠ K106
♥- N ♠ AQJ65
♦ K1097654 W E
♥ 10762
♣ Q64 ♦ 87
N S ♣ AJ
♠ Q542 ♠ 93
♥ KJ62 W E
♥ A10953 ♠ 8742 AT THE
♦Q
♣ 8753 S
♦ AJ832
♣K
♥ 83
♦ 62 TABLE
♣ K10763 EXPERT LEVEL
♠ AJ87
♥ Q874
Declarer plays low from dummy, and La
♦-
Doyenne’s reflex is to play the 6 of Dia-
♣ AJ1092
monds, starting a peter to show her dou-

Although La Doyenne’s overcall was
dangerous at unfavourable vulnera-
bility, it was also dangerous to pass.
The Club spots made it unlikely that the
overcall itself would be doubled, and after
that, she just had to hope that her partner
would not bid too much. As it was, her
LA DOYENNE
bleton. She stops herself just in time. She
can see that if she does that, partner will
surely continue with two more rounds of
the suit, expecting La Doyenne to be able
to overruff dummy’s 10 of Hearts. When
she can’t do that, declarer will lose a trick
to North’s Heart winner and declarer’s

TALES OF
partner did well to offer a choice of minor Club losers will disappear on dummy’s
suits. Spades.
Obviously, she was lucky to make her Accordingly, she plays the 2 of Diamonds.
contract, partly because of the choice of North cashes the King of Diamonds and
opening lead. It is often right when the now he must switch for he thinks he will
weaker defending hand is on lead for that be giving a ruff-and-discard if he conti-
player to lead a top card in order to be in a nues diamonds. A Club is the obvious
position to find a killing switch when ne- switch, and now a trick is set up in that
cessary at trick two. Here it did not work suit before North takes his trump winner.
out well, but La Doyenne did well to ap- The full deal:
preciate what must have happened.
♠ 103
♥ A5
Thoughtful signalling ♦ AKJ1054
La Doyenne picks up the following cards: ♣ 942
Both vulnerable, Dealer East N
♠ K9 ♠ AQJ65
♠ 8742
♥ KQJ94 W E
♥ 10762
♥ 83
♦ Q93 ♦ 87
♦ 62
♣ K10763
♣ Q85 S ♣ AJ
East opens 1♠ and La Doyenne has no- ♠ 8742
thing to say. West responds 2♥ and Nor- ♥ 83
th chips in with 3♦. East raises to 3♥, and ♦ 62
La Doyenne still has nothing to add. West ♣ K10763
closes the auction by bidding 4♥.
The bidding has been: La Doyenne shivers as she remembers how
nearly she played her higher Diamond,
W N EAST S
which would have encouraged her partner
© ARR

1♠ Pass to let the game through. Rules about si-

2♥
4♥
3♦ 3♥ Pass gnalling are all very well, but sometimes the
rules have to be broken.
By
Sally
Brock
76 BeBRIDGE №01
MAR.APR. 2020

will have two Club losers. Maybe West has

An improved line both the King and 10 of Spades, in which
of play case two Spade finesses will see the contract
La Doyenne picks up the following cards: home. La Doyenne is considering this when
Both vulnerable, Dealer East she realises that if that is the case, then a
♠ J6 squeeze will work as well. So she wins the
♥ AJ9852 trump in hand and runs her trumps. With
♦ 109 one trump to go, this is the position:
♣ J104
After a pass by East, La Doyenne looks at ♠ AQ9
her hand. Although it is a bit pushy, vulne- ♥-
AT THE rable, she has a good suit and decides to risk
opening 2♥. West overcalls 3♦ and North
♦ J6
♣-
TABLE bids 4♥, ending the auction. The bidding N
EXPERT LEVEL has been:
W E
W N EAST S
Pass 2♥ S
3♦ 4♥
♠ J6
West leads the King of Clubs, and this is ♥8
what La Doyenne can see: ♦-
♣ J10
♠ AQ9853
♥ KQ7
Assuming West’s distribution is 3-1-6-3, he
♦ J643
is stuck. At this point, he has already been
♣-
squeezed. He needs to keep three Spades,
Advice W
N

E
two Diamonds and a top Club. If he has
only two Spades, then that suit is good; if
· Do not hesitate he has only one Diamond declarer can take
to bid if passing S a Spade finesse, ruff a Diamond, bringing
risks taking you down West’s last honour and cross to a Spa-
♠ J6
out of the game. de to cash the Diamond; if he has discarded
♥ AJ9852
· Resist reflexes his Club then declarer simply gives up a
♦ 109
and other Club. This is the full deal:
♣ J104
automatic bids
♠ AQ9853
or plays. Analyse The first line of play that springs to La ♥ KQ7
the situation. Doyenne’s mind is to ruff the lead, overtake ♦ J643
Sometimes you’ll one of dummy’s Heart honours with the Ace, ♣-
have to act take the Spade finesse, cash the Ace of Spa-
♠ K104 N ♠ 72
contrary to the des, ruff a Spade and play a Heart to dummy.
If the Spade finesse is right and both majors ♥6 ♥ 1043
usual rules. W E
break (Spades 3-2 and Hearts 2-2), every- ♦ AQ8752 ♦K
· When you find
thing will be fine. However, the odds of that ♣ KQ9 S ♣ A876532
a desperate line
are not very good. 3-2 Spades with the King
(about 10%), ♠ J6
right is about 34%, 2-2 Hearts is about 40%, ♥ AJ9852
continue to
making a total of about 14%. There must be ♦ 109
search: there is something better.
often something ♣ J104
better! It looks as if East has a singleton Diamond
honour or West would surely have started La Doyenne is happy with the bidding,
with a top Diamond. So, La Doyenne ruffs and glad that she did not go for that low
the Club lead and plays a low Diamond. East percentage simple line. East defended
wins the King of Diamonds and switches to very well to (effectively) ruff his partner’s
a trump. Declarer wins in the dummy and winner and play a second trump. Al-
plays a second Diamond. Rather to her an- though on this occasion taking a double
noyance, East ruffs the Diamond and plays a Spade finesse would have worked, she was
second round of trumps, West showing out. pleased to find a line that worked whoever
Now, even if the Spade finesse is right, she held the 10 of Spades.
 BeBRIDGE №01
MAR.APR. 2020 77
BRIDGE
ADDICT

ALL LEVELS

QUESTIONS
BIDDING
Problems
Problem n°1 Problem n°3
East-West Vul. Matchpoints All Vul. Matchpoints

SOUTH THE BIDDING SOUTH THE BIDDING

♠ 10 W NORTH E S ♠ A63 W NORTH E S
♥ AJ983 Pass Pass 1♥ ♥ Q52 3♠ 3NT ?
♦ K8 Pass 2♦ Pass ? ♦ 10732
♣ KQ1053 ♣ A86

Problem n°2 Problem n°4

None Vul. Matchpoints All Vul. Matchpoints

SOUTH
A2
THE BIDDING SOUTH
4
THE BIDDING
By
Lionel
♠ W N E SOUTH ♠ W N EAST S
♥ K7 Pass ♥ 8753 1♦ Pass

Sebbane
♦ KJ64 1♦ 1♠ 1NT ? ♦ 109 1♠ Dble 2♠ ?
♣ 96543 ♣ KQ9754
 6
82
The curious
BeBRIDGE №01
MAR.APR. 2020

M A J E L A N .CO M
This tool launched by Mathieu
Gallet, former president of Radio
France and

APPS
INA, is
Between two tournaments dedicated to
around the world, it’s not podcasts: ideal

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Once there, the phone can stay in
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The
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Looking for a petrol station on This planner organises trips in
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T R I CO U N T.CO M
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© iStock
 83

Bridge fiction
BeBRIDGE №01
MAR.APR. 2020

BRIDGE
GAMES

DIFFICULTY
AVERAGE

Solutions
on page 93

→Across
1. Weapon of choice for a quiet man? (3,5)
5. Songbird spotted by executioner by the river (6)
9. Grateful for a sandwich (without filling)
indefinitely (8)
10. Smart guy loses us on the road -at this sign? (6)
12. Star seen over the roofline? (5)
13. Cover a card by East after dog has chewed it?
(3,6)
14. Make a killing at the 1 down 3 (6)
16. Short designer about dodgy bishopric? Just
the latter (7)
19. Civil rights protestor holds a high card with red
spots (7)
21. Tumbler with the 11 (6)
23. Adult epic, maybe, with 25 ac. (9)
25. Result of 14 (5)
26. Check it by phone: take two to the 25 down (6)
→Down
1. Mr. and Mrs. Newman played in the movie
(6)
2. Cavorts about itself? They do (9)
3. Postpone picnic, perhaps (5)
4. Could be minor - definitely not as much (7)
6. Poorer age for one attracted to fat ladies? (9)
7. John's cunning illusion? (5)
8. Last round with 7, unlucky for some (8)
11. Motorists back up on low grade. They're on
the 3 (4)
15. Lotharios (gay) may pull off 7s (9)
17. High jinks on leave? It can end in
promotion (9)
18. I changed the text, was given money up
front, and finally acknowledged as author (8)
20. Open door when it's not (4)
© ARR

27. Execute a partial squeeze around screen, we
hear: it wins in the end (8)
28. Eagle's dare is hero's first. Hamlet, e.g. (6)
29. Puts in little 25 down -slope is front to back (8)
21. More confused by article in proposal (7)
22. Spirited aftermath of multiple 14s? (6)
24. Canape can include a nut? (5)
by
25. Nick was upright. (5) Ray Lee
 Sudok’art
84 BeBRIDGE №01
MAR.APR. 2020

BRIDGE
GAMES
A J ♣
Q 10 A
10 Q K
A ♦ K J
DIFFICULTY
AVERAGE

K ♦ A ♥
K ♠ J
10
The
♠ ♣
principle
J A Q Complete these
grids with the five
bridge honours
(AKQJ10) and the
four suits (♠♥♦♣)
♠ K 10 so that the same
honour or symbol
10 ♥ K appears only once
per row, per column
and 3x3 box.
DIFFICULT
J ♦
Solutions
♠ A Q ♣ on page 93.

♣
Q ♠ ♥ J
♦ K
10 A Q
♠ 10 ♥

OFFER A SUBSCRIPTION TO
BRIDGERAMA
© Caroline Moreau

ONLINE 39$/€
by PER YEAR
HEAD TO OUR WEBSITE
Michel
WWW.LEBRIDGEUR.COM
Duguet
 BeBRIDGE №01
MAR.APR. 2020 85
PLAY WITH
BeBRIDGE

ALL LEVELS

Each to
his Own
Do you know two
partners who always

Michel Bessis
agree on the choice
of the best lead? Liar!
‘Because admit it, in
this area, contradiction

puts you on the spot

and untruth are king.

BIO The Godfather or Pedigree Pal (the breeder of champions),

these are but two of the nicknames that Michel Bessis has been given.
But what characterises him more than anything is the passion which
he invests in his job of bridge teacher and his love of competition. He
is a European and World Champion (Transnational), all that remains
is a bridge dream he wants to make come true: to represent France
© Caroline Moreau

and win a medal together with his son Thomas before – but we don’t
believe him – retiring from high-level competition. In the meantime,
© iStock

try to solve the fun problems that he has concocted for you.
86 BeBRIDGE №01
MAR.APR. 2020
Special
leads There are “rules” circulating
P RO B L E M
in every bridge club, but their veracity
is not always confirmed. Here, we offer
to unravel the true from the false for
you. This month, these “facts” concern
the opening lead.
The questions
1. Against No-Trump
1 Leading the Queen in an unbid suit promises
the Jack.
2 Against 3 No-Trump, if you have two five-
card suits, lead from the better one if there is no
indication.
3 With AKJ3, lead the King.
4 With AQ109x, you always have to lead the 10.
5 With A42 in partner’s suit, you must lead the 2.
2. Against suit contracts
1 To lead a trump, it is better to have three small
than two small.
2 You must avoid leading a doubleton like the
plague.
3 With 987, you must lead the 9.
4 If you have raised partner’s suit, you must lead
the highest from four small.
5 You don’t underlead a King against a slam.
True?
You have one
chance out of
thirteen to find t
he best lead!
Solutions
1. Against No-trump
1 FALSE
It is possible to lead the Queen with KQx
or KQxx if the bidding suggests choosing
that suit because the lead of the King
(strong lead) would ask for an unblock,
which that holding would not allow to
survive. Also, you might choose to lead
the Queen with AQ109x (see question 4).
2 TRUE
It is logical to choose the suit that can
be established faster, especially since
when you have such a distribution it
is likely that the success of the 3 No-
Trump contract will be linked to the
© iStock
development of an adverse long suit.

© ARR
3 FALSE
It is true that the lead of a King promises
three honors, but this is not all. It also
strongly suggests partner should unblock
any complementary honour. This could
be annoying with AKJ3, as the following
diagram shows:
♥ 62
♥ AKJ3 ■ ♥ Q74
♥ 10985
Unblocking establishes the opponents’ 10.
To lead the king, you have to either
have a five-card suit, or to have a fourth
card that is high enough to support the
unblock: AKJ9, KQ108, AKJ5, KQ103.
4 FALSE
AQ109x is a very special holding. You can
choose the 10, the Queen or even the Ace,
depending on the situation.
You will choose the Queen when you
think that the King is in dummy, in order
to conserve the tenace Ace-10 behind
declarer’s possible Jack:
♦ K62
♦ AQ1094 ■ ♦ 87
♦ J53
The lead of the 10 would allow declarer
to take two tricks.
The Ace is the correct card when you
are the one who holds all the defensive
strength of your side (without any entry
to partner’s hand), because it allows you
to see if there is a doubleton Jack or King
in one of the hands.
5 TRUE
Leading the Ace could allow declarer to
take two undeserved tricks if he holds
KJx or KQx. In addition, if there is a
blockage in the suit, it won’t be easy for
declarer to see it.
Against suit contracts
BeBRIDGE №01
MAR.APR. 2020 87
1 TRUE PLAY WITH
Leading from two small cards is not BeBRIDGE
forbidden, far from it, but it can lead to By Michel Bessis
the capturing of a combination of honours
in your partner’s hand:
♠ J742
♠ 53 ■ ♠ Q106
♠ AK98
Leading from three small is less
dangerous because if it allows declarer to
ALL LEVELS
capture an honour, he would often been
able to do so without your help.
2 FALSE
This is a rumor that has been circulated
for some time. The lead of a doubleton
has some very fierce detractors. However,
although it should not be preferred when
there is a valid alternative, this lead has a
big advantage: it can be neutral, while it
TRUE OR
creates the threat of a ruff. Two tips:
- Avoid leading doubleton honours.
- Favour this lead when you have a trump
FALSE?
entry.
3 FALSE
987 is not a sequence, but “three small”
that are next to each other. Therefore, if
you play odd-even leads, you have to lead
the 7. Note: with 987x, the 8 would be
correct.
4 TRUE
This way of leading in partner’s suit, albeit
little known, helps partner to read the
position but can only be considered after
a raise in order to avoid the possibility
that the lead may be confused with a
doubleton.
♣ K104
♣ 9862 ■ ♣ AJ753
Here, East knows that South has the
singleton Queen. On the lead of the
eight, he could not know if partner does
not have ♣Q98.
10
5 FAUX
And even very false! All depends on the
bidding sequence. If it shows that an
aggressive lead is in order (imminent This is the smallest
danger of a discard), underleading a honor.
King should even be preferred since it is So, 987 is not
enough(!) to find the Queen and an entry a sequence
opposite to beat the slam. and it starts
with even-odd.
88 BeBRIDGE №01
MAR.APR. 2020

Give me
your hand!
It’s to a riddle of a particular kind...
P RO B L E M

that you're going to be facing here.

It's about discovering a bridge hand (that of
South) thanks to a series of clues that enable
you to find its distribution and the honours it
contains. Have fun!

The clues
1
The bidding
a. With this hand, you’d use Stayman over 1NT, but over 2NT
you’d transfer.
b. With this hand, the following sequence is absolutely justified:
NORTH S
1♠ 4♥(*)
5♣ 5♠
(*) Splinter.

And this one also:

NORTH S
2♦ 2♠
3♦ 4♦
4SA 5♣
5♥ 5SA
(1) Game forcing.
(2) As of Spades.

2
The lead and the defensive play
a. You would lead the Spade Jack after the sequence 1NT-3NT.
b. But the club 8 after:
W EAST
1♥
2♦ 2♥
4♥

c. Now, if your partner leads the Club Ace and you see the Queen
third in dummy, you’d follow with the 9.

You should know enough: now let’s play!

 BeBRIDGE №01
MAR.APR. 2020 89
PLAY WITH
BeBRIDGE
Decrypting By Michel Bessis

the clues
1
During the bidding
a. To justify the transfer over 2NT, the
hand obviously contains five cards in
Spades. But when do you bid Stayman
over 1NT when you have a five-card ALL LEVELS
major? With the "golden misere", which is
used to name a hand that is too strong to
pass after a transfer and a little too weak
to jump to game opposite 1NT. Therefore,
South’s hand includes five Spades and 7-8
points.
b. 4♥ is a splinter and 5♠ after 5♣ denies
a Diamond control. The second sequence
shows that South has an Ace in a major
(2♠), a serious Diamond fit (4♦), no King
(5♣ as an answer to 4NT, King asking,
after the opening bid of 2♦) and the
Diamond Queen because 5♥, the “next
step”, asks for the Queen of trumps.

THE MYSTERIOUS
2
During play
a. Spades are now precisely known:
AJ10xx.
The singleton Heart was already
discovered. The next clues will help you
determine the distribution in the minors.
b. and c. Following with the Club 9
when the Ace is led clearly indicates an
even number of Clubs.
The lead of the Club 8 proves that South
does not have two Clubs (98), but four.
He cannot have 98xx, because he’d play
the 8 on the lead of the Club Ace (the
second best with four cards.) Thus, he
must have a card higher than the nine.
This card cannot be the 10 because he’d
have led the ten with 1098x. It follows
that it must be the Jack because else
South had 9 points or more.
HAND

The hand is now known:

♠ AJ10xx
♥ x
♦ Qxx
♣ J98x

Bravo if you found it

and super bravo if it was
with the correct deductions!
© iStock
90 BeBRIDGE №01
MAR.APR. 2020

Each his
own philosophy
The person sitting in the South seat is known for
P RO B L E M

producing very few bids. Actually, he passes nearly all the time.
Here are eight hands he passed with.
Would you have done the same? Solutions
HAND SOUTH THE SEQUENCE
1. South is absolutely right. It is out of
the question to freely bid 1NT without a

1. ♠
♥
1076
Q94
W NORTH

1♣
E

1♠
S

Pass
Spade stopper because that could lead to
playing 3 No-Trump from the wrong side
♦ K1073 if North had, for instance, the doubleton
♣ A74 Spade King and 18 points.
A negative double would not be justified
2. ♠ Q72 W N E SOUTH
vulnerable.

♥ K53 either. To double with only three cards

1♣
♦ A64 in Hearts, he would have to have Spade
Pass 1♥ 1♠ Pass
KJ95 shortness (to ruff in the short hand if
All

♣
North raises Hearts).
3. ♠ 105 W N E SOUTH
vulnerable.

♥
♦
K1087
QJ965
1♠ Dble 2♠ Pass 2. South is again right… at least in
J4 France, where a systematic support
All

♣
double with three cards in

4. Q7 responder’s major is not the

North-South

♠ W N E SOUTH
vulnerable.

♥ AQJ64
1♥ classic system. To double, some
♦ AJ5 extras coming from distribution
876 2♣ 3♣ 5♣ Pass
♣ are required if opener has a
minimum hand.
5. ♠
♥
♦
Q72
854
AK73
W N E SOUTH

1♦
When it comes to bidding 1NT,
one can’t say it would be an
♣ K104
Pass 1♠ 2♥ Pass atrocity, but it is certainly not
Pass 3♣ Pass Pass very clever to want to play in offense
at any cost when partner can have a

6. ♠
♥
53
A952
W N E SOUTH

1♦
very weak hand. So, wait and see…

♦ KQ106
1♠ Pass 1NT Pass 3. Oh no, not here! South is really
♣ A73 too timid. The two sides have
Pass Dble Pass Pass
approximately the same number of
points. The opponents have a fit, so the
7. ♠
♥
A762
-
W N E SOUTH

1♦
law of total tricks applies. There are at
least sixteen total tricks on this deal and
♦ AQ963
Pass 1NT 4♥ Pass an assumption of a double fit. Therefore,
♣ K1072
you must bid, especially because North

8. ♠
♥
J10
A104
KQ105
W N E SOUTH

1♦
certainly does not have enough to bid
again. 3♥ is the correct bid, even if it is
♦
Pass 1♠ Pass 1NT possible that partner has only three cards
♣ QJ95 in the suit. North must understand that
Pass 2♣(1) Pass 2♦(2)
Pass 4NT Pass Pass this bid is purely competitive. To suggest
(1) Checkback. game, you’d have to double first, then bid
(2) Denies three Spades. 3♥.

© iStock
4. Now, this is less obvious and needs
some explanation. The cue-bid of 3♣
has placed the North-South side in the
offensive position. Thus, the pass is
forcing and, by pure logic, encouraging.
This non-minimum hand with no
wasted points in Clubs suggests we don’t
discourage North from going higher. The
passer was right!
BeBRIDGE №01
MAR.APR. 2020 91
PLAY WITH
BeBRIDGE
By Michel Bessis
5. All lies within the interpretation ALL LEVELS
of the 3♣ bid in the pass-out position.
Is it forcing? Does it show five Spades?
Does it deny them? One thing is for sure,
if North has a hand like ♠Axxx ♥xx ♦x
♣QJ9xxx, he cannot find a bid other
than 3♣. Together with that observation
you must consider that this bid is non
forcing and denies five Spades.
The golden rule for balancing bids by
responder is the following: natural bids
(other than reverses and forcing two-
suiters) are competitive. With strong
hands, you must double or cue-bid.
South is right again.
6. What does this second-round double
conceal? For North to dare bid when the
opponents have no fit, he certainly has
some points. But why did he not bid on
the first round? Because he has length
IS SILENCE GOLDEN?
in Spades and he wanted to penalise 1♠.
South is absolutely right to pass, especially
if he leads the Spade 6. This should not go
to be cheap!
7. South is sure that his side has two
THE PASSER:
eight-card fits or even a nine-card fit,
depending on the length of his partner’s
minors. Pass, hoping to set 4 Hearts by
one trick is a losing bet in the long run,
even more so because a double game
swing (4 Hearts for East-West, 5 Clubs
or 5 Diamonds for North-South) is a
possibility. Therefore, he absolutely has to
do something. 4NT is certainly the best
bid. South was wrong this time.
8. This 4NT bid is obviously
quantitative because no fit has been
shown. Should you accept this slam
invitation? Certainly, because of the
power of the intermediate cards and
especially the Jack-10 of Spades, which
offer appreciable support for establishing
the long suit in dummy. South should
certainly not pass.
92 BeBRIDGE №01
MAR.APR. 2020

PLAY WITH
BeBRIDGE

Open cards
You all receive this hand record at the end of a
P RO B L E M

tournament. In a small corner, you see a series of numbers

ALL LEVELS
which represent the number of tricks possible with four games
being possible on the deal in question. This indication,
AN UNBEATABLE

with no pedagogical value whatsoever, is the result of

an analysis of the GIB software which is never mistaken
but which sees all the cards.
It can be fun to figure out how to Let’s take the most awkward lead: a club.
UNIVERSE

achieve this often impressive result and The problem is not to lose a trick in each
to wonder if the solution is workable at suit. It is therefore necessary to setup a
single-dummy or if this software “cheats”. second Spade to discard a loser or find
It is this exercise that I suggest you focus a way to dispose of the losing Spade. If
on here, on a fairly simple layout. you play Spades right away, South plays
the Queen, you take the Ace and cannot
♠ 83 immediately play back a Spade because
♥ A62 South can play a third Spade, killing the
♦ Q75 potential discard.
♣ K8652 You have the same problem if you play on
trumps after winning the Ace of Spades.
GIB

♠ A9 N ♠ J106
So this is not the solution.
♥ Q109854 ♥ K73
W E How about playing trumps before
♦ 642 ♦ AK1093
Spades?
♣ J4 S ♣ A7
North can win with the Ace, cash a club
♠ KQ7542 and can:
♥J · Play a Spade, in which case, you will,
♦ J8 after drawing trumps, be able to set up a
♣ Q1093 Spade for a Diamond discard
· Return a Diamond. In this case, you
NT ♠ ♥ ♦ ♣ win, draw trumps and duck a Diamond,
N - 8 - - 9 subsequently discarding a Spade on the
S - 8 - - 9 Diamonds.
E 8 - 10 9 -
It seems to be right this software! And on
W 8 - 10 9 -
a Spade lead, what do you think?
GIB claims that it takes ten tricks in It's the same principle. You win, play a
hearts as East-West after any opening Heart to the King and a Heart for the
lead and whatever the defence. This Queen and Ace. North returns a Spade
would tend to suggest that, not to prevent the discard, but you ruff
vulnerable, it would be best to high, draw the last trump and play on
sacrifice with 4 Spades (eight tricks) Diamonds. The Ace of Clubs will be the
or with 5 Clubs (nine tricks). entry for the long Diamonds.
What do you think ? Do a little
research before taking a look at It annoys me, it annoys me, I'll beat it one
the solution. day!
© iStock
 BeBRIDGE №01
MAR.APR. 2020 93
Solutions BRIDGE
Bridge fiction HOROSCOPE
& Sudok'art By
(pages 83-84) Brigitte
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Pisces
20 F E B R UA RY - 20 M A RCH
Xerri
B I G S T I C K T O M T I T
R A A H P R H At the start of this year, you are
bursting with energy. Your plans:
9 10
I N D E B T E D G E M I N I
D A L A
11
C R C R become both a strong bridge
12
G A B L E
13
P E A J A C K E T player and an outstanding golfer.
E O E R G E Nothing is impossible, but you
14
M U R
15
D E R
16
D I O C
17
E S E will have to double your efforts
18
C T E E L N to fight against your natural
19
R O S A C E
20
A
21
T U R N E R
laziness. Learn to anticipate!

Aries
22
E E J H V G
23 24 25
D U P L I C A T E D E A T H
I E V R O E T O 21 M A RCH - 20 A P R I L
26 27
T I C K E T P R E V A I L S
From one extreme to the other: you
E A R E I O T
28 29 who were relentless and passionate,
D A N I S H I M P L A N T S
are now detached, even demotivated.
Why such a radical change? Take time
for yourself and ask yourself the right
DIFFICULTY AVERAGE questions. A vacation in the sun would

♥ ♠ A J ♦ K 10 Q ♣
do you good.
Libra
Taurus
23 S E P T E M B E R - 22 O CTO B E R

K J Q ♠ ♣ 10 ♥ ♦ A An unexpected event turned your life

21 A P R I L - 21 M AY upside down at the start of the year.
♦ 10 ♣ Q A ♥ J K ♠ You are a hard worker and your efforts You are on a little cloud, life is beautiful!
start to pay off. In sight, a major final. Do not rest on your laurels: you must
A ♦ K ♥ 10 J ♠ ♣ Q maintain the passion so that it lasts.
What’s really likeable about you is your
♣ ♥ ♠ A Q ♦ K 10 J team spirit. Always benevolent, you are In bridge or in life, show your imagination,
a strong asset for your teammates. you are too predictable.
10 Q J K A ♥
Scorpio
♠ ♣ ♦
Q K 10 ♣ ♥ ♠ A J ♦ Gemini
22 M AY - 21 J U N E
23 O CTO B E R - 22 N OV E M B E R

♠ A ♦ 10 J Q ♣ ♥ K What a paradox! On the one hand,

Your motto: have what you don't have!
you are still in doubt; on the other hand,
J ♣ ♥ ♦ K A Q ♠ 10 But once you get it, you don't want it
you show unwavering confidence.
anymore ... You are one of the eternal
Result: whether in life or at the bridge
dissatisfied and it's horrible for those
table, your partners and loved ones no
around you. On the bridge table, your
DIFFICULT longer know which way to dance. Let go!
results exceed your expectations.

♦ Q ♠ ♥ K ♣ J 10 A
Cancer Sagittarius
23 N OV E M B E R - 21 D E CE M B E R
10 ♥ J Q ♦ A K ♣ ♠ 22 J U N E - 22 J U LY
When it comes to bridge, your morale is
Kind and discreet, you are a very pleasant not good: your regular partner has let you
K A ♣ 10 ♠ J Q ♦ ♥
player. However, you have a flaw that down and you have been fired from one or
♠ J K ♦ A Q 10 ♥ ♣ annoys your partners: your academic two teams. This is the life of bridge, with its
side. Bridge is not an exact science; ups and downs. Be patient, the wheel will
A 10 ♥ J ♣ K ♠ Q ♦ you have to know how to improvise and turn in your favor in the spring.
be imaginative.
Q
J
♣
♦
♦
A
♠
K
♥
Q
10
♥ ♣
A K
♠
J
10 Leo Capricorn
22 D E CE M B E R - 20 JA N UA RY

23 J U LY - 22 AU G U ST
♥ K 10 ♣ J ♠ ♦ A Q Years pass and are not alike. After
You are having an exceptional bridge crossing the desert for several months,
♣ ♠ Q A 10 ♦ ♥ J K season, and nothing can stop you. you are have achieved promotion in
Take advantage of it, because this the local league. Well done! In 2020,
state of grace will not last long. Prepare you decided to believe in yourself and you
psychologically to undergo some failures, are right.
in particular in team competitions.

Virgo Aquarius
21 JA N UA RY - 1 9 F E B R UA RY

23 AU G U ST - 22 S E P T E M B E R
You are on the verge of overdosing
on bridge. It is your passion, but it is
consuming you. Spend more time with
your spouse and friends and the fun of
the game will come back very quickly.
After a fairly poor start to the season,
you have finally found your cruising speed.
For best results, you must invest yourself
personally in a lasting relationship with
your partners. For a start, invite them
to dinner.
 NEW BOOKS FROM

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David Bird and Larry Cohen
A unique way to study defense

Test your defense skills on one hundred pairs of deals

— one described by David and the other by Larry.
Though the deals look similar, an entirely different
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A follow-up volume to On the Other Hand, winner of

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INTRODUCTION TO DECLARER PLAY

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INTRODUCTION TO DEFENSE
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Eddie Kantar
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