By Val Rhead
When you have a life partner, it’s important for you to have an agreement about how you handle different aspects of your life together. For example, do you spend all your vacations playing bridge at the Fall National Bridge Tournaments, or do you spend them racing your sports car at Mosport? Without agreements about such key issues, you will not have a happy relationship.
In bridge, agreements also are essential between partners. When your partner opens One Heart and you respond Four Hearts, what does your bid mean? You had better make sure your partner knows the answer. If you and your partners do not know the answer – or at least, if each of you has a different understanding of the meaning – it means trouble! You could miss a Heart slam because you have a strong hand and partner thought you were weak. Or you could go down three tricks doubled and vulnerable for a poor score because your hand was weak and partner thought you were strong.
I remember a number of years ago we were playing against two men with a similar problem. Opener bid One Spade. The responder said “Three Spades,” showing, he thought, spade support and a weak hand (less than 6 points). Opener, who had a very good hand, thought the bid was a Limit Raise showing Spade support and 10 to 12 points. He bid a slam. Down, down, down!
Partnership agreements are essential. When playing with a different partner, it’s important to check with him about what basic conventions you should use together. If you are playing with someone for the first time, it’s not the time to suggest a convention which might come up once during the game. In these situations, it’s best to keep it simple Sweetie.
If you wish to promote an activity in your bridge group or ask a bridge question, send the information to vrhead23@gmail.com 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 before game time. Contact Jan Roberts 705-635-2522 or [email protected] for information and partnerships.
The following winners are for Tuesday, Sep 27 with 8 tables playing a Bump Mitchell (one winner) movement. 1. Bruce Elliott and Rod Dixon; 2. Liz Barnes and Bev Howard; 3. Mary Simonett and Kel Andresen; 4/5. Jim Smith and Ralph Mitchell; 4/5. Mary Whitehead and Helen Pearson; 6. Liz Graham and Dorothy Russell; 7. Fay MacDonald and Yvonne Cox; 8. Susan Marshall and Jan Roberts
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]
The following winners are from Monday, Sep 26 with 8 tables playing a Mitchell movement. North-South 1. Mary Luke and Donna McIntosh; 2. Betty Fagin and Bev Howard; 3. Bev Parlett and Vern Foell; 4. Pamela Jardine and Ralph Mitchell; East-West 1. Liz Barnes and Lyn Walisser; 2. Yvonne Cox and Mary Whitehead; 3. Mary Mitchell and Susan Maddocks; 4. Catherine McMillan and Betty Franklin
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