By Val Rhead
If you look into a room and see a number of tables of four people with funny looking boxes in the corners of each table, and with piles of rectangular “boards” stacked in the middle containing the four hands of cards, you likely are looking at a game of Duplicate Bridge.
In most ways, Duplicate Bridge is similar to Social Bridge. The play of the hands is the same. The bidding of the hands is similar, although often Duplicate players use special bidding sequences, called “Conventions”.
Most Social Bridge players sometimes use Conventions too, such as Blackwood, which asks partner how many aces he has in his hand. Duplicate Bridge players usually use more Conventions. Sometimes they use too many, which can cause confusion and errors. This can result in them finishing near the bottom at the end of the game. It’s best to try out one new Convention one at a time, and master one before trying another.
The main difference between the two forms of Bridge is in the scoring. If a Social Bridge player, who is vulnerable, bids Four Hearts and makes the contract, a score of 620 is entered on the score sheet. At the end of the game, all these numbers are added up and the players with the highest total are the winners.
If the same hand was played by Duplicate players who achieved an identical result, they would write 620 on the travelling score sheet that accompanies the cards. The boards containing the original hands would be moved from table to table until the end of the game. At that time, the final scores would be calculated either by a computer or by a hard-working Director, and the real score would be established as follows:
Suppose your hand was played six times and you had an overtrick giving you a score of 650 which was the highest score of all the players who played that hand. You would get a duplicate score of five points. That would be one point for each pair with the same hand that you beat. The partnership that came second with your hand would get a score of four because they beat four other pairs who played your hand. Then scores continue three-two-one and the partnership with your hand that came last would get a score of zero.
If, however, your opponents competed and bid Four Spades, also vulnerable, you would probably double them for penalty. If they went down two tricks doubled and vulnerable, your score would be only 500, instead of 650, now perhaps the poorest score of all pairs that played your hand. You would then get the bottom score of zero because your opponents played excellent defense by making a good competitive bid. This is called a sacrifice bid. The opponents used the bid as a defensive strategy. However, if the opponents went down three tricks doubled and vulnerable, your score would be 800. That might be a top for you and you would get five points.
With the different scoring systems, defense becomes a more important part of the game in Duplicate Bridge than it does in Social Bridge. As in this example, if your strategy is correct you can often get a good score playing defense in Duplicate Bridge.
If you wish to promote an activity in your bridge group or ask a bridge question, send the information to [email protected] and I will try to include it in this column.
CFUW MUSKOKA BRIDGE FOR BURSARIES FUNDRAISER
FALL LUNCH AND BRIDGE/CARD/SCRABBLE PARTY, ALL WELCOME
12 NOON FOR LUNCH Friday, Nov 3, 2017 $25 per person
Gravenhurst Senior’s Centre 480 First Street North
A great opportunity to enjoy companionship while supporting young women in Muskoka to go to college and university. Arrange your foursome and bring necessary supplies for your table. To register, please provide all four names to: Mary 705-646-8881 [email protected]
HUNTSVILLE DUPLICATE BRIDGE CLUB
Games at the Huntsville Club are Tuesday 7:15 start, Trinity United Church 33 Main Street. Please arrive 15 minutes before game time. For partners and information call Jan Roberts 705 635-2522 or email [email protected]
The following winners are for Tuesday, Oct 3 with 11 pairs playing a Howell movement. 1. Liz Barnes and David Bryce; 2. Betty Fagin and Liz Graham; 3. Jim Smith and Ralph Mitchell; 4. Julianne Gusellel and Jan Roberts; 5. Beryl Clayson and Paul Clayson; 6. Val Rhead and Gail Lederer
MUSKOKA DUPLICATE BRIDGE CLUB (Bracebridge)
Games for the Bracebridge Club are Mondays 7pm, Knox Presbyterian Church, 120 Taylor Road. Please arrive 15 minutes before game time. For information or partnerships, call Brian at 705-645-5340 [email protected]
The following winners are from Monday, Oct 2 with 21 pairs playing a Mitchell movement. North-South 1. Bev Parlett and Vern Foell; 2. Liz Barnes and David Bryce; 3. Betty Rintoul and Hazel Bowes; 4. Mary Luke and Donna McIntosh; 5. Pat Davidson and Myrna Rosemeyer; East-West 1. Frank Vagnoni and Gerry Lawrence; 2. Kathy Kent and David Kent; 3. Jinty Stewart and Jane Insley; 4. Art Insley and Don Evans; 5. Kel Andresen and Jim Smith
Looking for more bridge tips? You’ll find them here.
Don’t miss out on Doppler! Sign up for our free newsletter here.
0 Comments