By Valerie Rhead
MISTAKES AND DUMB STUPID MISTAKES
Are you ever afflicted by dumb stupid mistakes at the bridge table? This sounds like the start of a TV commercial for which a miracle solution then is offered. One miracle solution: Don’t listen to the conversations at the next table!
In the game of bridge, you can learn from your mistakes. It’s normal when you are first learning a new convention, such as Transfers, to forget and bid two Hearts as a Heart suit rather than as a transfer to Spades. But hopefully these kinds of mistakes get fewer as time goes by. I remember my partner missing a transfer on a hand that would have been a laydown for a slam. As a result, we went down for a number, a BIG number! This kind of mistake always seemed to happen when we were playing against the director of our club. I remember the director smiling at my partner saying, ”You will never miss a transfer again, will you?” And my partner did not, at least not for a long time!
But then there are the other kinds of mistakes in bridge where you are distracted and do something incredibly stupid—something that you know inside and out not to do. I had recently explained to a few friends that the only way for the opening bidder to force his partner to bid again was to use a strong jump shift to a new suit. For example, if he opened with one diamond, to which his partner responded one heart, and opener wanted to make sure his partner wouldn’t pass before a game was reached, he would jump to another suit such as two Spades. Well, shortly after “this lesson” my partner bid a perfect strong jump shift—absolutely perfect. However, I was listening to the conversation at the next table and blew it. I was distracted and didn’t recognize the strong jump shift. I passed instead of bidding to a lay-down five diamond game.
How do you avoid having this happening to you? Don’t listen to the conversations at the next table and concentrate on your damn bridge game!
If you wish to promote an activity in your bridge group, send the information to [email protected] and I will include it in this column.
SYRIAN REFUGEE FAMILY FUNDRAISER
LUNCHEON AND BRIDGE PARTY, ALL WELCOME
Saint Patrick’s Day
12 NOON FOR LUNCH Thursday, Mar 17, 2016 $20 per person
Saint Joseph’s Catholic Church, Bracebridge, 118 McMurray Street
Please arrange your foursome and bring cards for your table.
Tickets: Call with four names Sylvia Miles 645-8556 [email protected]
HUNTSVILLE DUPLICATE BRIDGE CLUB
Games for the Huntsville Club are now Tuesday afternoon 1PM for the winter Jan‑Feb‑Mar, Trinity United Church 33 Main Street. Please arrive 15 minutes before game time. Call Betty 705-789-2560 [email protected] or Susan at 705-789-7156 [email protected] for information and partnerships. For the winter, the game now is held downstairs in the warm basement. To avoid the long stairs, enter from the door on Main Street.
The following results are for Tuesday, Feb 23 with 5 tables playing a Howell movement. 1. Mary Simonett and Kel Andresen; 2. Bev Parlett and Barb Forth; 3. Jim Smith and Ralph Mitchell; 4. Betty Fagin and Rod Dixon; 5. Heather Hockin and David Hockin
MUSKOKA DUPLICATE BRIDGE CLUB (Bracebridge)
Games at the Bracebridge Club are at the Knox Presbyterian Church, 120 Taylor Road 7pm Monday evenings. Please arrive 15 minutes before game time.
The following results are for Monday, Feb 22 with 7 tables playing a Mitchell movement. North-South 1. Mary Luke and Donna McIntosh; 2. Bev Parlett and Vern Foel; 3. Pamela Jardine and Ralph Mitchell; 4. Val Rhead and Peter Rhead; East-West 1. Ruth Thompson and Don Evans; 2. Albert Eatock and David Bryce; 3. Kel Andresen and Jim Smith; 4. Ralph Hair and Gerry Flaherty
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