By Val Rhead
I wrote an earlier column “Why Play Bridge”. Some Social Bridge players wonder why in the world anyone would want to play Duplicate Bridge. “It’s just so serious. You can’t talk,” they exclaim.
Well you can talk, although just between rounds. Also, there’s lots of talking before the game begins, after it’s over and on the ride home. Some lifelong friendships, and marriages too, are made at Duplicate Bridge tables. What better way to find a congenial spouse, with whom you share a favourite activity, than at a weekly Bridge game? And you know, girls, generally Duplicate games have a higher ratio of men to women than Social games.
And as for being serious – I guess it is. You try to bid accurately so that you bid the right contracts. There’s nothing more discouraging in Bridge than making a Four Heart contract with two overtricks when you should have bid the Small Slam. Also, you do want to hone your playing skills so that you can make the contracts that you bid, and sometimes with an overtrick or two.
One of the disadvantages of Social Bridge is that you have fun only if you have good hands that make games and slams. Hands that produce part-scores in Social Bridge, such as 1 No Trump or 2 Hearts, don’t give you winning scores, no matter how well you play them. And if you have really miserable hands of three points or seven points, hand after hand, you can end up feeling pretty frustrated. In Duplicate Bridge, if you play miserable hands well, you can still get a good score.
Duplicate Bridge and Social Bridge are much the same game. You play your cards the same way. You bid much the same way. Only the scoring is different. Herein lies the difference. If in your Social Bridge game, you have hand after hand of Two Hearts for a score of 110 or One No Trump for a score of 90, you do not rack up much of a score. In Duplicate Bridge, however, your score is compared with all the other pairs who have played the same hands, whether they are good hands or crummy hands. If you play your hands better than the pack, maybe even taking a one-trick set on a particularly challenging hand when all the other players went down two, this could sometimes give you a top score. That score could rival the score you’d get on another hand for bidding and making Six No Trump. So every hand, whatever its potential, gives you the opportunity of doing well and becomes interesting.
You often hear wails as players leave the room where Social Bridge is played. “I couldn’t do anything. I didn’t have any cards.” So give yourself a chance to do well at your Bridge games by giving Duplicate a try.
CONTINUE YOUR PLANS FOR THE LONGEST DAY JUNE 21
REMINDER: Last chance to find your partner for THE LONGEST DAY Bridge Event in Orillia Wednesday, June 21, 2017 AT 1PM and 3PM (two short games of 12-15 boards). These special games raise money to fight Alzheimer’s. Just show up with your partner. ($5 plus donation)
Guardian Angels Church
115 West Street North
Orillia, Ontario L3V 5C4
More information on Orillia’s website www.orilliabridge.com
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 Susan Marshall 705 787-5454 or email [email protected]
The following winners are for Tuesday, Jun 13 with 20 pairs playing a Mitchell movement. North-South 1. Catherine MacMillan and Julianne Guselle; 2. Mary Simonett and Kel Andresen; 3. Betty Fagin and Brian Brocklehurst; 4. Bev Parlett and Barb Forth; 5/6. Marjorie Clark and John Clark; 5/6. Betty Rintoul and Hazel Bowes; East-West 1. Susan Marshall and Mary Whitehead; 2. Liz Graham and Dorothy Russell; 3. Ann Cassie and Bruce Cassie; 4. Fay MacDonald and Yvonne Cox; 5. Mary Norman and Don Norman; Jim Smith and Don Evans
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, Jun 12 with 20 pairs playing a Mitchell movement. North-South 1/2. Betty Fagin and Brian Brocklehurst; 1/2. Fay MacDonald and Yvonne Cox; 3. Mary Luke and Donna McIntosh; 4/5. Lyn Walisser and Bev Howard; 4/5. Catherine McMillan and Julianne Guselle; East-West 1/2. Kathy Kent and David Kent; 1/2. Lynda Mochrie and Wayne Mochrie; 3. Anna Wilson and Gil Little; 4. Ann Cassie and Bruce Cassie; 5. Hazel Bowes and Kel Andresen
Looking for more bridge tips? You’ll find them here.
Don’t miss out on Doppler! Sign up for our free newsletter here.
Join the discussion: