By Valerie Rhead
QUESTIONS – LOTS OF QUESTIONS?
It is encouraging that so many players in Muskoka are working at improving their bridge game. I’m asked many questions about bridge. Sometimes I know the answers. Sometimes I do not.
Recently, a player asked me a question about one of the finer points of the Stayman convention. Stayman is the convention that is used frequently after a One-No-Trump or Two-No-Trump opening bid to try to find the magic eight-card major fit. If the responder has at least one four-card major and at least eight points, she responds with an artificial Two-Clubs bid. This asks the opening bidder whether or not she also has a four-card major. If she has, she bids her major (or bids the lower-ranking major if she has both majors.) If she has no four-card major she bids an artificial Two-Diamonds. Please, don’t pass the Two-Diamond bid. It says nothing about Diamonds. Partner may have just two tiny Diamonds!
My questioner had been told by another player that she must always use the Stayman bid after a One-No-Trump or Two-No-Trump opening bid when she has a four-card major, irrespective of distribution. She didn’t believe this and asked me whether or not it was true. I told her she was correct. Stayman should not be used if the responder’s hand is 4-3-3-3 or 3-4-3-3 flat distribution with the four-card suit a major. The reason is that with a square hand, such as this, there are few if any ruffing opportunities.
When responding to No-Trump, you are looking for the opportunity of creating one or more extra tricks by ruffing. This is not the case with a square hand. So, it makes little sense to bid a major suit contract that requires making ten tricks if you are unlikely to make any tricks by ruffing. In this case, responder should invite game with a bid of Two-No-Trump with 8-9 points, or should bid game, Three-No-Trump, with 10 or more points. The magic eight-card major fit has little magic if there is little trumping capability!
PLEASE NOTE that my email has changed. 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.
HUNTSVILLE DUPLICATE BRIDGE CLUB
Games for the Huntsville Club are Tuesdays, 7:15pm, Trinity United Church 33 Main Street. Please arrive 15 minutes early. Contact Susan [email protected] for information and partnerships.
NOTE: Plan for our Summer Party of Dinner and Bridge Tuesday, June 21. Dinner at Tall Trees and bridge back at Trinity United. Also, there will be NO GAME on June 14 due to a function needing the activity hall.
The following winners are for Tuesday, May 31 with 12 tables playing a Mitchell movement. North-South 1. Liz Barnes and Bev Howard; 2. Bob Schives and Bruce Elliott 3. Barb Green and Joanne Garvey; 4. Fay MacDonald and Yvonne Cox; 5. Pat Pelletier and Joan Rotenberg; 6. Chris Karn and Vern Foell; East-West 1. Jim Smith and Ralph Mitchell with a fabulous 72% night; 2. Ann Cassie and Bruce Cassie; 3. Liz Graham and Dorothy Russell; 4. Art Insley and Rod Dixon; 5. Heather Hockin and David Hockin; 6. Bev Parlett and Barb Forth
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. For information or partnerships, call Brian at 705-645-5340 [email protected]
NOTE: Plan for our Summer Party of Dinner and Bridge Monday, June 6. Dinner at the Golf and Curling Club 5pm for 5:30. Bridge back at Knox Presbyterian.
The following winners are from Monday, May 30 with 12 tables playing a Mitchell movement. North-South 1. Kel Andresen and Jim Smith; 2. Fay MacDonald and Mary Whitehead; 3. Mary Luke and Donna McIntosh; 4/5. Betty Fagin and Brian Brocklehurst; 4/5. Pamela Jardine and Ralph Mitchell; 6. Bev Parlett and Vern Foel; East-West 1. Bob Schives and David Bryce; 2. Art Insley and Don Evans; 3. Betty Rintoul and Bev Howard; 4. Liz Barnes and Lyn Walisser; 5. Ann Cassie and Bruce Cassie; 6. Kathy Kent and David Kent
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