|
|
NORTH
S: QJ1065 H:A54 D:97 C:643 |
|
|
WEST
S:972 H: J862 D: KQJ4 C: A7 |
|
EAST
S: AK H:Q10973 D: 832 C: KQ2 |
|
|
SOUTH
S:843
|
|
On Sunday, 29th April, the Wallingford Bridge Club hosted Oxfordshire’s first county-wide “Bridge for All” tournament for players who have completed beginners’ courses and wish to progress further in duplicate bridge.
The primary objective was to provide a tournament where novices could compete with others with a similar level of experience in a friendly atmosphere.Mike Brown has been the main driving force behind this venture.“Bridge for All” is a standardised approach to teaching bridge sponsored by the English Bridge Union.
Twenty-two pairs competed in the event.The deals were selected to demonstrate simple points in bidding and play which “Bridge for All” students should have come across.The above deal is an example.
East should open one heart, which West, with four card heart support and eleven points, should raise to three hearts.East has a couple of points over a minimum bid and a five card heart suit, so he is advised to accept the invitation to game and bid four hearts.South will normally make the opening lead of the jack of clubs (top of a sequence) and provided East draws trumps straight away, he should make ten tricks quite easily.
But can you see a clever way of beating the contract?
South leads the ace, then a small diamond, North following first with the 9, then with the 7 to show a doubleton.Now, when South wins the first round of trumps with his bare king, he leads a third diamond, so that North can trump small and still make his ace of trumps later for the setting trick.Bridge is a much easier game when you can see all four hands.Can the contract still be beaten after you have led the jack of clubs initially?Yes, but I will leave it to the cleverer readers to work out how it is done!
In the event, 9 out of 11 pairs played in hearts, only 6 pairs bidding game.3 pairs made 11 tricks (which Norths forgot to play “second hand low” on the first round of trumps?).Only one pair was defeated in four hearts.
Overall winners of the event were Hazel Aldred and Mary Greenfield (Wantage), with Charles Wroth and Pamela Lear (Oxford) second.
First year winners were Alan and Lyn Morton (Wantage), with Janet Monk and Jill Tunley (Wantage) second.
Section winners were Charles and Virginia Brown (Faringdon), Diana Brazier and Angela Armstrong (Charlbury).
Congratulations to Alison Nicolson, who teaches at Wantage, as well as being a member and teacher at the Wallingford Club.Her students took the lion’s share of the prizes!
Wallingford Bridge Club intends to make the County “Bridge for All” Tournament a regular event and is considering staging another tournament in October.
The Club has several qualified “Bridge for All” teachers and provides lessons and practice sessions for beginners and relative novices.If you are interested, why not give Mike Brown a ring on 01235 850135It’s never too late to take up this fascinating game.
And don’t forget to watch this space during the summer.All my monthly offerings will be aimed towards the novice player.
LOCAL NEWSWallingfordLast year’s Annual Winners:-Individual and Handicap Individual:Finn Clark.Pairs: Sara Tulip and Peter Russell.Handicap Pairs:Edna Gillett and Gordon Carroll.Mixed Pairs: Sheila Zinkin and Norman Gascoyne.Teams Individual:Ron Quainton.
Wessex LeagueAbingdon A 7 Menagerie A 13,Abingdon A 14 Wallingford B 6,
Wallingford A 19 Thame A 1,Wallingford B 16 Aylesbury A 4,Wallingford B 9 Banbury A 11,
Wallingford B 4 Bicester A 16,Abingdon D 3 Summertown A 17.