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In This Issue
Feb. Sectional
Annual Brunch
I/N Games
Book Club
Table Tips
Club News
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Upcoming Events
February 8-10
New Location at Bala Golf Club
Wilmington Sectional
February 22-24
Spring Nationals (St. Louis, MO)
March 14-25
Unit 141 Sectional April 12-14 New Location at Bala Golf Club Unit 141 STaC April 15-21 Unit 141 Doylestown Sectional (0-99) April 22
Annual Brunch
April 28
Unit 141 Shore Sectional (Mays Landing)
May 17-19
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Bala February Sectional Arrives February 8-10
The weather can't decide if it's the deep freeze of winter or early spring, but make no mistake: It's February. That means it's time for the second Unit 141 Sectional of 2013. The dates are February 8-10 and the location is the Bala Golf Club.
If you enjoyed the January Sectional at Bala, come enjoy the setting, competition, easy parking, and hospitality again. If you heard good things, come see for yourself what the talk is about.
There will be Stratified Open and NLM events at 10 AM and 2:30 PM on Friday and Saturday, as well as compact KOs starting at 10 AM on Saturday. Please note that the Sunday Swiss will be a BRACKETED Swiss--with preduplicated boards and hand records, as always.
Click here for the tournament flyer. For additional information, including directions to the easily-reached Bala Golf Club, please see the Unit 141 website. Don't hesitate to contact Tournament Chair Meyer Kotkin (guymath@comcast.net) or Unit President Mike Giesler (mgiesler@comcast.net) with questions.
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Save the Date! Annual Meeting Brunch Set for Sunday, April 28, 2013
 Everyone is welcome and encouraged to attend the Unit 141 Annual Meeting. This year it will be held on Sunday, April 28 at Bala Golf Club. There will be a full Sunday brunch followed by a short business meeting where we will present annual awards. Brunch will include eggs, bacon, sausage, French toast, bagels, danishes, juice, coffee, and more. The annual Sonny Jaspan Memorial Game will follow the meeting.
Cost for the event will be $30. Pre-registration is required. More details, including how to register and exact starting times, will follow shortly and will be listed on the Unit 141 website (www.philadelphiabridge.info) so please check there soon.
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I/N Games Spread Across Unit 141
 If you are new to bridge and don't feel quite ready to jump into a regular duplicate game, don't worry. There are regular Intermediate/Newcomer and novice games available at many Unit 141 clubs and the number of these games is growing all the time.
These games sometimes play fewer than 24 boards or offer a mini-lesson before the game. They always limit the number of masterpoints each player can have (say 49, 99, or 199 points), but players need not be members of the ACBL to enjoy the game.
Here are some of the I/N games we know about around the Unit. If you are trying bridge or know someone who is, please pass on the information or try the games yourself.
* BCDC now holds an I/N game every Wednesday evening. A free lesson starts at 6:15 PM followed by an 18-board game ($8) at 7 PM. No player with more than 100 masterpoints can play. Doors open at 6 PM; snacks are served and players are welcome to bring their dinners. This flyer has more information.
* Raffles
offers a novice game on Thursday morning at 9:15 AM. There is a 15-minute lesson before play starts at 9:30. Contact Wendy De Chadarevian (negdouble@aol.com) for more information.
* South Jersey Bridge Club hosts a large I/N game on Wednesday afternoon at 12 PM. Learn more at their website here.
* North Penn Duplicate Bridge Club runs a 0-750 masterpoints at Swiss Teams at 10 AM on Friday and a 0-750 duplicate game on Friday at 7 PM. They will be resuming a similar I/N game on Wednesday nights at 7 PM in the spring. Check their website or contact Mitch Snyder ( Bridge4all@comcast.net) for more information, partners, or a start date for the Wednesday game. Reservations are not required and hand analysis is available after the duplicate games.
If the regular I/N games have you feeling the need for more competition, keep in mind the Non-Life Master Sectional being held in Doylestown on April 22. To register or learn more, click here for the flyer or contact Tournament Chair Jane Ball (beginbridge@gmail.com).
[Any club omitted from list is encouraged to send news of their I/N or novice games for inclusion in future newsletters.]
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Book Club
When the weather is cold, it's a good time to stay inside and read a book. Need a bridge book suggestion? We have a few ideas of some good ones to page through.
 * One Trick at a Time Newer players will enjoy this very readable and encouraging book by Jim Jackson. Jackson, a self-proclaimed "regular guy," guides players who are doing ok, but would like more success at clubs and tournaments. His book is well-organized, easy to read, and chock full of example hands that make his points easy to follow. Advanced players and experts would find the level a little too basic, but nearly everyone else will find something of value in this thorough review of how to improve bidding, play, and defense.
 * Winning No Trump Leads On lead against a 3NT contract, how often would you lead a singleton? Probably never, right? In this groundbreaking book by renowned bridge writer David Bird and Cisco Systems Vice President Taf Anthias, you'll find out that certain auctions suggest leads that you might have thought impossible before. How do the authors know that their advice works? It isn't guesswork, but the result of thousands of simulations. Their methodology and conclusions might have you shaking your head, but you'll be leading better too.
 * 15 Winning Cardplay Techniques Here's another winner from David Bird, this time writing with Tim Bourke. This book ups the ante on how to take tricks and will help improve your declarer play. There's nothing here that an advancing player can't understand (no squeezes!), but goes beyond the basics of establishing a long suit and ruffing tricks in dummy. Like all of Bird's books, the instruction is clear without being simplistic and treats readers with enough respect to challenge them on every page. |
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Table Tips: Lead First
 About a year ago, we ran a table tip that we promised to reprise. The time has come, partly because we've noticed lately that many players on lead do a lot of housekeeping before laying down their opening lead. Perhaps it's because newer duplicate players haven't yet learned how important it is to lead first before you do anything else!
In short, don't enter or write the contract before you consider and make your lead. We understand that housekeeping jobs are important, but it's more important and considerate to lay down the lead before attending to those details. Once you table the lead, declarer and your partner can begin to strategize the play or defense. Leading first therefore saves time, which over the course of an entire game can add up.
Don't worry that you will forget the contract. The contract and bidding will be foremost in your mind as you consider the lead, so you're not likely to forget it. "But," you say, "I'm thinking about my lead while I write down the contract..." Very few players can memorize their hand (including spots) and think seriously while writing. You might be one them, but it still creates a better table atmosphere if you lead first.
We've said it before and we'll certainly say it again: Please, lead first!
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Club News
The current owner of the Bridge Center of Delaware County (BCDC), Paula Oldfather, has reached a tentative agreement to transfer ownership of the club to Tom O'Brien. The effective date of the transfer will be March 1, 2013. There is no expected change in the day-to-day operations of the club. Tom looks forward to continuing BCDC's fine traditions of hospitality, collegiality, and good bridge. For more information, visit their website.
Local clubs are encouraged to send announcements, schedules, updates, and special games for placement in upcoming newsletters.
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