N°43 • NOVEMBER 2023
EDITORIAL
ONWARDS AND UPWARDS
Well organised events, offering good conditions, exciting venues and generous prizes are flourishing, with increased attendances (the recent Madeira Festival recorded a record number of tables). What is more, new tournaments are being added to an already crowded calendar. The latest rumour is that a new Cavendish style event is being planned for next year in the Netherlands, incorporating Rubber Bridge scoring.
by Mark Horton
You only have to look at the International bridge calendar to appreciate that it is possible to visit some of the most exciting cities in the world in order to enjoy your favorite pastime.
Over the next few months the options include St Moritz (Switzerland), Reykjavik (Iceland), Vienna (Austria), Barcelona (Spain), Biarritz (France), London (England), Bangkok (Thailand), Bucharest (Romania), Toronto (Canada) and Örebro (Sweden).
They represent the tip of a very large iceberg, and indicate that although bridge clubs and federations may still be struggling to return to pre-pandemic levels, the long-term future is bright. At the end of 2024, it is not unlikely that Festivals around the world will have reported record attendances.
Number 43 – Monthly – November 2023 – Director of publication Olivier Comte – Publisher Éditions de Presse Spécialisée Le Bridgeur – WOJO – 43 rue Camille Desmoulins, 92130 Issy-les-Moulineaux – France – Executive Director Karine Meyer-Naudan – Editorial Committee Michel Bessis – Muriel Clément – Philippe Cronier – Mark Horton – Vincent Labbé – Norbert Lébely – Karine Meyer-Naudan – Assistant Editor-in Chief Vincent Labbé – Editorial Secretary Muriel Clément – Adverts Bridgerama+ Muriel Clément 01 42 96 25 50 – Subscriptions 01 42 96 25 50 – Art Director Isabelle Le Squer-Fontaine/Maya – mayatom@me.com – Translation Monika Kummel – Legal Deposit november 2023, N°7.680 – Joint Committee – 1118 K 85690 – ISSN 0184-8127.
CONTENTS
43 - NOVEMBER 2023
THE RED MIST – DOUBLE TROUBLE [PART 6]
This month, we cover some low-level doubles, starting with one which has many different names. DSI DOUBLES This isn’t an official name, but maybe it will become so. “DSI” stands for “Do Something Intelligent.” Others might call it “Card-Showing” or…
43 - NOVEMBER 2023
GOOD, BETTER, BEST
GOOD, BETTER, BEST Jan Eric Larsson Bridge players constantly argue about the ‘best’ bidding systems and conventions. Strong Club or Natural? With or without relays? Standard or 2/1? Weak or strong No-Trump? Was Blue Club really better than the natural…
43 - NOVEMBER 2023
COUNTING ON YOUR FINGERS
Match par quatre.
Sud donneur,
Nord-Sud vulnérables.
43 - NOVEMBER 2023
Find the mistake – November 2023
In this game, East-West have reached a good contract. However, mistakes were made during the auction by one or the other protagonist (and most often by both). Your job is to find those mistakes. You get 2 points for each mistake found at…
43 - NOVEMBER 2023
Developments after a 1NT opening – ACT II
North-South have reached a very poor contract. As so often, each of the two players considers that his partner is responsible for the accident. And you, what do you think? This month we will be looking at: Developments after a…
43 - NOVEMBER 2023
Report – Polish Championship
Polish Championship Today, you are Krzysztof Buras, an internationally renowned Polish champion, competing in the national team championship. E/W Vul. W N E S 1♣ 1♠ 2♦ 2♠ Pass Pass 3♥ Pass 3NT Contract: 3 No-Trump by South. West leads the…
43 - NOVEMBER 2023
BIDDING OPPOSITE A STRONG HAND [PART 2]
Last month, we saw the importance of evaluating apparently weak hands when partner has opened with a strong bid such as 2♣. Similar situations can also occur in competitive auctions. How often have you heard the comment, “I couldn’t bid…
43 - NOVEMBER 2023
DISSECTED AT THE PIAZZA
Some bridge players hate post-mortems. Personally, I love them – and my team routinely goes through every deal played that day, chewing over the instructive points and learning from our mistakes. Here is an East-West disaster from the World Bridge…
43 - NOVEMBER 2023
Isabelle’s last training before the world championships
This Sunday, Isabelle plays a training match on BBO against the Polish ladies before leaving to play in the world championships. The latter are the big favourites of the event and allow us to gauge our team before the start.…
43 - NOVEMBER 2023
No other choice…
Il n’est pas rare que le déclarant, à la simple vue de la main du mort, se rende compte qu’il chutera très probablement son contrat.
43 - NOVEMBER 2023
RUFFING Plays [PART 3]
Sometimes, declarer doesn’t have the possibility of a ruff in the short hand at the start of the play, but he can manage to create one thanks to a discard. Let’s illustrate this with a very simple example: W N…
43 - NOVEMBER 2023
COURAGE, LET’S RUN AWAY!
Match par quatre.
Nord donneur,
Nord-Sud vulnérables.
43 - NOVEMBER 2023
PRECISION AND SERENITY
WHEN YOU’RE DEFENDING, USING THE CORRECT SIGNALS ASSURES YOU PRECISION AND SERENITY IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES. W N E S 1♣ Pass 1♦ 1♠ 1NT Pass 3♦ Pass 3NT Lead: ♠2 How do you imagine the defense? The lead of the Spade…
43 - NOVEMBER 2023
RESPONDING OPPOSITE A STRONG HAND
In this traditional section of BRIDGERAMA+,we invite you to bid with the partner of your choice. Ready to bid ? West’s hands East’s hands The expert’s eye You have access to this section because your partner has shared this article with…
43 - NOVEMBER 2023
ABTA Provides the Answers
This month’s questions come from the World Bridge Tour Masters in Copenhagen. Grand Life Master Patty Tucker was inducted into the ACBL’s Hall of Fame in 2019. For the last several decades she has devoted more time to teaching and…
43 - NOVEMBER 2023
THE RED MIST – DOUBLE TROUBLE [PART 6]
This month, we cover some low-level doubles, starting with one which has many different names. DSI DOUBLES This isn’t an official name, but maybe it will become so. “DSI” stands for “Do Something Intelligent.” Others might call it “Card-Showing” or…
43 - NOVEMBER 2023
GOOD, BETTER, BEST
GOOD, BETTER, BEST Jan Eric Larsson Bridge players constantly argue about the ‘best’ bidding systems and conventions. Strong Club or Natural? With or without relays? Standard or 2/1? Weak or strong No-Trump? Was Blue Club really better than the natural…
43 - NOVEMBER 2023
COUNTING ON YOUR FINGERS
Match par quatre.
Sud donneur,
Nord-Sud vulnérables.
43 - NOVEMBER 2023
Find the mistake – November 2023
In this game, East-West have reached a good contract. However, mistakes were made during the auction by one or the other protagonist (and most often by both). Your job is to find those mistakes. You get 2 points for each mistake found at…
43 - NOVEMBER 2023
Developments after a 1NT opening – ACT II
North-South have reached a very poor contract. As so often, each of the two players considers that his partner is responsible for the accident. And you, what do you think? This month we will be looking at: Developments after a…
43 - NOVEMBER 2023
Report – Polish Championship
Polish Championship Today, you are Krzysztof Buras, an internationally renowned Polish champion, competing in the national team championship. E/W Vul. W N E S 1♣ 1♠ 2♦ 2♠ Pass Pass 3♥ Pass 3NT Contract: 3 No-Trump by South. West leads the…
43 - NOVEMBER 2023
BIDDING OPPOSITE A STRONG HAND [PART 2]
Last month, we saw the importance of evaluating apparently weak hands when partner has opened with a strong bid such as 2♣. Similar situations can also occur in competitive auctions. How often have you heard the comment, “I couldn’t bid…
43 - NOVEMBER 2023
DISSECTED AT THE PIAZZA
Some bridge players hate post-mortems. Personally, I love them – and my team routinely goes through every deal played that day, chewing over the instructive points and learning from our mistakes. Here is an East-West disaster from the World Bridge…
43 - NOVEMBER 2023
Isabelle’s last training before the world championships
This Sunday, Isabelle plays a training match on BBO against the Polish ladies before leaving to play in the world championships. The latter are the big favourites of the event and allow us to gauge our team before the start.…
43 - NOVEMBER 2023
No other choice…
Il n’est pas rare que le déclarant, à la simple vue de la main du mort, se rende compte qu’il chutera très probablement son contrat.
43 - NOVEMBER 2023
RUFFING Plays [PART 3]
Sometimes, declarer doesn’t have the possibility of a ruff in the short hand at the start of the play, but he can manage to create one thanks to a discard. Let’s illustrate this with a very simple example: W N…
43 - NOVEMBER 2023
COURAGE, LET’S RUN AWAY!
Match par quatre.
Nord donneur,
Nord-Sud vulnérables.
43 - NOVEMBER 2023
PRECISION AND SERENITY
WHEN YOU’RE DEFENDING, USING THE CORRECT SIGNALS ASSURES YOU PRECISION AND SERENITY IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES. W N E S 1♣ Pass 1♦ 1♠ 1NT Pass 3♦ Pass 3NT Lead: ♠2 How do you imagine the defense? The lead of the Spade…
43 - NOVEMBER 2023
RESPONDING OPPOSITE A STRONG HAND
In this traditional section of BRIDGERAMA+,we invite you to bid with the partner of your choice. Ready to bid ? West’s hands East’s hands The expert’s eye You have access to this section because your partner has shared this article with…
43 - NOVEMBER 2023
ABTA Provides the Answers
This month’s questions come from the World Bridge Tour Masters in Copenhagen. Grand Life Master Patty Tucker was inducted into the ACBL’s Hall of Fame in 2019. For the last several decades she has devoted more time to teaching and…
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