By Valerie Rhead
Thank you to a reader who gave me this question. “Are you required to complete a TRANSFER?”
No! There is no law in bridge that you must complete a TRANSFER. According to Law 40 C (1) (Laws of Duplicate Bridge 2008 Authorized Edition Page 52), “a player may deviate from his side’s announced understandings provided the partner has no more reason to be aware of the deviation than have the opponents”. You must correctly “Announce” or ”Alert” your agreement but you are not required to follow through on your agreement.
Remember, responder to a No-Trump opening is the Captain of the partnership. Opener has limited his hand (balanced 15-17). Responder has a pretty good idea of what is in the opener’s hand. Opener has not the faintest idea what is in responder’s hand. Complete the TRANSFER! You will usually do much better.
For example: Opener bids One-No-Trump. Responder bids two Diamonds as a TRANSFER to Hearts. Opener has only two little Hearts and a good hand and thinks bidding Two-No-Trump or Three-No-Trump without completing the TRANSFER is the best option. This is perfectly legal. But is it smart? Responder may have eight Hearts, and now bids a game in Four Hearts. The strong hand becomes dummy and is exposed for the opponents to see! Bad Move!
In another case, responder may have six Hearts and zero points. Opener will now have to play No-Trump with a useless dummy where a contract of Two Hearts by completing the TRANSFER would have come home nicely.
For the final example, responder may have six Diamonds and a good hand. Opener may have four Diamonds but unless opener completes the TRANSFER the partnership may end up in Three-No-Trump missing a Six Diamond slam!
Again, to answer the question, a failure to complete the TRANSFER is not illegal but it is usually not wise.
Next week we will look at the strategy for STAYMAN.
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.
TOURNAMENT TRAIL: Gold and Red Masterpoints, North Bay Regional
August 16-21, 2016 North Bay Elks Club, 325 Elks Lane
All pair games include stratification 0-300 and novice 0-50 if numbers warrant
Tuesday Games 1pm and 7pm with both team game and pairs
Wednesday Games 9:30 2:30 pairs and team
Wednesday to Saturday 7:30 Team games only
Thursday – Team games only all day 9:30 2:30 7:30
Friday, Saturday Games 9:30 2:30 pairs and team
NOTE: No pairs game Thursday – team games only all day Thursday!
Sunday Swiss Team Only – Play through 9:30
Please confirm the details. Read the tournament info flyer at acbl.org. Your opportunity for fun and to earn gold and red masterpoints.
Stratification based on average:
Open A = 1500+, B = 500-1500, C = 0-500, also 299 game and 50 newcomer game
PORT CARLING DUPLICATE BRIDGE CLUB
Games for the Port Carling Club are in the summer only Wednesday evening 6:30, Port Carling Community Centre, 3 Bailey Street. Please arrive at least 15 minutes before game time. Call Bill & Gaye Kastning at 705-765-6354 for information and partnerships.
The following winners are from Wednesday, Jul 27 with 7 tables playing a Mitchell movement. North-South 1. Nora Robinson and Billie Anne Robinson; 2. Liz Braithwaite and Bill Kastning; 3. Linda Armstrong and Martha Stigler; 4. Mary Patterson and Lenore Wilkinson; East-West 1. Bev Howard and Liz Barnes; 2. Jean Hackett and Kathy Crossgrove; 3. Janet Evan and Joan Shaw; 4. Jennifer Thompson and Sheila Robinson
The following winners are from Wednesday, Aug 4 with 6 tables playing a Mitchell movement. North-South 1. Susan Pennal and Peter Pennal; 2. Nora Robinson and Billie Anne Robinson; 3. Valerie Rhead and Peter Rhead; 4. Bea Chafee and Mildred Syron;
East-West 1. Jennifer Thompson and Sheila Robinson with a whopping 74%; 2. Nancy Barber and Martha Stigler; 3. Beth Henderson and Tom Dyke; 4/5. Bev Howard and Liz Barnes; 4/5. Jean Hackett and Kathy Crossgrove
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.
The following winners are for Tuesday, Aug 2 with 13 tables playing a Mitchell movement. North-South 1. Bob Schives and Bruce Elliott; 2. Mary Simonett and Kel Andresen; 3. Pat Pelletier and Margaret Cordingley; 4. Joanne Garvey and Barb Green; 5. Jim Smith and Ralph Mitchell; 6. Donna Jensen and Bill Jensen; 7. Mary Hogarth and Albert Eatock; East-West 1. Liz Barnes and Bev Howard 2. Susan Marshall and Jan Roberts; 3. Jacqueline and Joel Britz; 4. Betty Rintoul and Bev Parlett; 5. Catherine McMillan and Julianne Guselle; 6. Yvonne Cox and Dorothy Russell; 7. Val Rhead and Peter Rhead
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, Aug 1 with 11 tables playing a Mitchell movement. North-South 1. Bev Parlett and Vern Foell; 2. Betty Fagin and Brian Brocklehurst; 3. Mary Luke and Donna McIntosh; 4. Jinty Stewart and Jane Insley; 5. Marilyn Aarons and David Guttman; 6. Pamela Jardine and Ralph Mitchell; East-West 1. Bob Schives and David Bryce; 2. Joanne Garvey and Kelly Andresen; 3. Art Insley and Don Evans; 4. Kel Andresen and Jim Smith; 5. Joan Joel and Pete Joel; 6. Betty Rintoul and Bev Howard
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