By Valerie Rhead<\/p>\n
QUESTIONS PARTNER? NO SECRETS ALLOWED<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cQuestions partner?\u201d I said as I thrust my lead unto the table FACE DOWN.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat do you mean?\u201d asked my partner, \u201cWhat questions are you talking about?\u201d<\/p>\n I then realized that my partner was a novice player and he didn\u2019t understand what I was asking. This was not his opportunity to ask questions about the meaning of life! This was his chance to learn the meaning of any mystifying bids made by the opponents. In bridge, you aren\u2019t allowed to keep secrets.<\/p>\n If a player doesn\u2019t know the meaning of an opponent\u2019s bid, he may ask his opponent\u2019s partner at his turn to bid, or later at his turn to play. Sometimes it is better to ask at the end of the bidding rather than just after the bid is made. The problem with asking right away is that the partner may have forgotten the special meaning of the bid. Perhaps it hasn\u2019t come up recently. For example, one player may have opened one No-Trump. His partner responds, two Diamonds. If you ask for the meaning of the two Diamond bid, the partner may reply \u201cOh, it\u2019s natural!\u201d He might then correct himself, \u201cOh, I forgot, it must be a transfer to Hearts\u201d! Or he may have to \u201cfess up\u201d and admit that he just doesn\u2019t have a clue what it means. The opponent\u2019s partner then learns that his partner isn\u2019t on the correct wavelength and now can take remedial action. If you wait until the bidding is completed to ask about the meaning of a bid, it doesn\u2019t give the opponents a chance to correct their bidding.<\/p>\n If you are on lead, first you may ask about any bid before leading FACE DOWN. A second reason for extending the card, FACE DOWN, at the beginning of play is that if you are making a lead out of turn, when it is really your partner who should be leading, you can return the card to your hand without an annoying penalty. If you are on lead, you may not change the lead once you have placed it FACE DOWN on the table.<\/p>\n This all reminds me of the time I asked a new player what was the meaning of his partner\u2019s bid. \u201cWell, that\u2019s between my partner and me,\u201d he huffed. He must have thought he was playing some other game. There are no secret agreements allowed in bridge!<\/p>\n If you wish to promote an activity in your bridge group, send the information to vrhead@sympatico.ca<\/a> and I will include it in this column.<\/p>\n FERN RESORT, ORILLIA, Bridge Weekend HUNTSVILLE DUPLICATE BRIDGE CLUB<\/strong><\/p>\n Please NOTE: EVENING PLAY for the summer begins Tuesday, April 5, 2016 7:15pm Games for the Huntsville Club are Tuesday afternoon 1PM for the winter Jan\u2011Feb\u2011Mar. Trinity United Church 33 Main Street. Please arrive at least 15 minutes early. Call Betty 705-789-2560 bennettb@vianet.ca<\/a> or Susan at 705-789-7156 jasu.marshall@gmail.com<\/a> for information and partnerships. The game continues downstairs in the warm basement until the crowd becomes too large. To avoid the long stairs, enter from the door on Main Street.<\/p>\n The following results are for Tuesday, Mar 15 with 6 tables playing a Howell movement. 1. Betty Fagin and Brian Brocklehurst; 2. Susan Marshall and Betty Bennett; 3. Jim Smith and Ralph Mitchell; 4. Mary Hogarth and Albert Eatock; 5. Chris Karn and Vern Foell; 6. Beryl Clayson and Paul Clayson<\/p>\n MUSKOKA DUPLICATE BRIDGE CLUB (Bracebridge)<\/strong><\/p>\n 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 brian_brocklehurst@sympatico.ca<\/a><\/p>\n The following results are for Monday, Mar 14 with 8 tables playing a Bump Mitchell movement. 1. Kel Andresen and Jim Smith; 2. Liz Barnes and David Bryce; 3. Betty Fagin and Brian Brocklehurst; 4. Betty Rintoul and Barb Forth; 5. Mary Hogarth and Albert Eatock; 6\/7. Bev Parlett and Vern Foel; 6\/7. Val Rhead and Peter Rhead; 8. Lynda Mochrie and Wayne Mochrie<\/p>\n Don’t miss out on Doppler! Sign up for our twice-weekly email digest and get some of our top stories delivered right to your inbox.<\/strong><\/p>\n *<\/span> indicates required<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>By ACBL Bridge Teacher GREG COLES
\n<\/strong>Seminars and Games for both Duplicate and Progressive Bridge
\n<\/strong>Tips in Bidding, Play and Defense
\n<\/strong>Workshop: Avoiding Simple Mistakes
\n<\/strong>Friday \u2013 Sunday Apr 22-24, 2016 $395 per person double Plus Tax and Service
\n<\/strong>This is another fun opportunity to continue the learning process that never ends.
\nFor more information and registration, go to www.fernresort.com<\/a> OR (705)325-2256 1-800-567-3376<\/p>\n
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