HAPPY NEW YEAR

FROM BARBARA & ALEX

Boarding on Flight 2023 has been announced. Hope you have checked in only the best souvenirs from 2022 in your luggage....

The BAD and SAD moments if carried, must be thrown away in the garbage bins upon arrival ...

The flight will be 12 months long.

So, loosen your seat belts, jingle and mingle.

The stop-overs will be :

Health, Love, Joy, Harmony, Well-being, Peace.

Refueling will be at

Giving, Sharing, Caring.

The following menu is offered and will be served during the flight...

Cocktail of Friendship, Supreme of Health, Gratin of Prosperity, Bowl of Excellent News, Salad of Success, Cake of Happiness,

All accompanied by bursts of laughter...

But remember, you will enjoy these meals and the journey better if you talk, share, smile and laugh together.

Sitting silent will make the flight seem longer.

Wishing you and your family  an enjoyable trip on board flight 2023!

Author unknown

BARBARA & ALEX'S BRIDGE NEWSLETTER

3 JANUARY, 2023

NOTE: In case your iPad or tablet or computer does not deliver the entire newsletter, click on this link below.

THIS NEWSLETTER ENDS WITH TORONTO IS HOSTING

A NATIONAL BRIDGE TOURNAMENT

IF YOU RECEIVE A NEWSLETTER THAT ENDS WITH ANYTHING OTHER THAN TORONTO IS HOSTING

A NATIONAL BRIDGE TOURNAMENT

YOU HAVE ONLY RECEIVED HALF (OR LESS) OF THE NEWSLETTER. IN WHICH CASE, PLEASE CLICK ON LINK BELOW TO RECEIVE FULL NEWSLETTER

Also, you can  CLICK HERE View as Webpage to open the full newsletter in a different way.

Happy New Year everyone! We are a bit late with this newsletter but this one is packed full of lots of tips and articles for you. No real quiz because it is so jammed with other bridge information.

As most of you know, Alex was recently diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. He is doing quite well although he is weak and tired as the chemo knocks the wind out of his sails. He thanks you for your many messages and cards of support AND the chicken soup and flowers! Two rounds of chemo are over now and four more to go. He will be all fixed by end of April. He has the month of May to recover and then off we go to explore the world!!

We get wonderful emails from so many of you. Here's one we got a while ago from L.

I played bridge at Toronto Bridge at Leaside Arena on Thursday. It was very pleasant. Great room, great parking, and very nice people. It feels so good to be able to socialize again! I went to the washroom before the game and met 2 older ladies. One said to the other "you have lovely colorful orange shoes" and I added "your socks even match your shoes!"

The first lady said "Now I hope your underwear doesn't match your socks and shoes". The 2nd lady answered: "I don't wear underwear!!!"

I laughed so hard I had to use the washroom again!!! WOW! Does that ever beat playing bridge online!!!

Back to bridge!!! Let's start with this! All of you know the Blackwood Convention, the regular version and Key Card Blackwood. In days gone by, there was a television program on Saturday mornings called Championship Bridge. On this link, Charles Goren (the biggest promoter of our modern game and founder of Standard American) interviews Easley Blackwood, founder of the most popular convention in bridge.

Thanks to Luis Nunes of Sao Paolo, Brazil for finding this clip from the past.

https://youtu.be/jxqTnWBBBts

So always remember that Blackwood was invented NOT to get you to slams but to keep you out of bad slams!

In this newsletter: More details about all below.

Join Barbara & Alex & Linda Tuff April 5-19, 2024 on our Transatlantic Bridge Cruise. 14 nights on Marina: Oceania: $4,499.00 USD or $5,799.00 CAD. For a verandah suite. Air included. Seven days at sea to hone your bridge skills: Have lessons and play and win master points. See below for details. Contact Carolyn Kremer to book this or any trip. She is excellent.

Josee Hammill has winter classes in Feb & March this winter. Josee is entertaining as well as excellent. Classes are face-to-face at Armour Heights Church at 105 Wilson Ave.

Non-Life Masters: Run, don't walk to the Sheraton Hotel downtown 6-8 January to play in a Regional Tournament where you can win gold and red master points. A wonderful opportunity.

Join us in Barbados for our Sectional Bridge Tournament: Feb 12-19. $1,120.00 USD includes all meals and drinks and seven nights accommodation. Fun in the sun. The committee will even pick you up and return you to the airport. We have 240 booked so far so call the hotel now to book.

BIDDING TIPS FROM BARBARA & ALEX

North

S 3

H KJ874

D QJ103

C 972

South

S AKJ42

H A92

D AK4

C 42

South is Dealer and opens 1S. West overcalls 2C. What should North bid?

North is not strong enough to bid 2H. His hand is flawed because he is short in partner's suit so he must devalue this hand. The correct bid is Double. A negative double, guaranteeing at least 4 cards in the other major (Hearts). We never make a negative double when we have a fit with partner's major so North promises two or fewer Spades.

If South HAS four Hearts, he would now bid Hearts. But South does not. When you cannot find a fit in a major, what do we aim for? South has a very nice hand! South cannot bid 3NT in spite of having 19 HCP as he does not have a Club stopper.

BUT maybe North has a Club stopper? How can South find out?

South's next bid should be 3C. This cue bid asks North to bid 3NT if he has a Club stopper. North does not but he does have a five-card Heart suit that he has not yet bragged about. So he bids 3H and South happily raises to 4H. A good contract.

Here's another interesting hand:

North

S A9842

H KJ102

D A9

C K5

South

S KJ10

H Q864

D J10862

C A

South is Dealer. Should he open? He has 11 HCP. And one length point. When in doubt about whether to open in 1st or 2nd seat, use the Rule of 40. Add the # of HCP to the number of cards held in the two longest suits. 11 HCP plus a 5 card suit and a 4 card suit. If it adds up to 20, do open.

South opens 1D. Partner responds 1S. (Opponents do not bid.) What is South's rebid?

This is a hard one.

2D? Diamonds are pretty pathetic.

1NT? We really should not rebid NT with a singleton as it promises a balanced hand.

South cannot rebid 2H as this is a reverse and we do not have enough points for this bid.

We would bid 2S. This does not guarantee 4-card support, although we will often have 4-card support when we make this bid.

If South bids 2S, North will now bid 4S.

If South rebids 1NT instead, North has to now bid New Minor Forcing (2C). This is a special convention used to find out if partner has three-card support for Spades or a side four-card Heart suit or both or neither.

1D - 1S

1N - 2H shows 6-9 points and five Spades and maybe only four Hearts(could be five).

It is the 6-9 points that many are not aware of. This bid is the exception to the rule that new suits by Responder are always forcing. After opener rebids 1NT after

1D -1S

1N - 2H shows a weak hand and this is not forcing.

On this hand, South bids 2H in response to New Minor Forcing. (He has both 3-card support and 4-card H suit so he bids up the ladder.)

North will now bid 4H. We prefer to be on a 4-4 fit than on a 5-3 fit if given a choice as then we can pull trump and make discards using the long suit.

The above two hands are from Rob Drummond of Toronto Bridge. Analysis by Barbara and Alex.

BARBARA'S QUIZZES

NOW ON SALE: REG. PRICE: $16.00 USD/$18.00 CAD

NOW: $12.00 USD/$15.00 CAD

If you have not yet purchased this, you need one for you AND one for partner!

Such a great learning opportunity!

POSTAGE in Canada: $5.75 per book

POSTAGE TO USA: $7.50 per book

or pick up near Yonge and Lawrence in Toronto

Email Barbara to get this special deal. It is not listed in our online store

OFFER good till end of February.

MORE BIDDING TIPS FROM BARBARA & ALEX

The player on your right (East) preempts: He opens with 3S. You are South and you bid 4H. Pass-Pass-Pass.

Your partner presents this dummy:

S xxx

H K10x

D xxxx

C AQx

You are Declarer with this hand:

S 3

H AJxxxx

D Axx

C KJx

E    S  N  E

3S 4H  P  P

P

You have two Diamond losers, one Spade loser and a potential Heart loser. How will you play the H suit. Who do you think has the missing Queen of Hearts?

Or do you simply use the nursery rhyme? “Eight ever, nine never?” and play for the Q to fall when you play the Ace and King.

You have what we call a two way finesse in Hearts. Who rates to have the Queen?

Answer: East has SEVEN cards in the Spade suit. He has only SIX “empty spots” to be occupied by other cards.

He has had fewer chances to be dealt the Queen Hearts. In other words, he has fewer Hearts. West has more Hearts.

If East has only one Heart and West has three Hearts, then West has had THREE chances to be dealt the Q Hearts and East only had ONE chance to be dealt the Q Hearts. Thus the odds are with West having the Q Hearts.

You lead the Ace Hearts (in case a singleton Q drops) and now lead towards the Heart 10, finessing N for the Q Hearts.

SUMMARY: When missing the Queen in a long suit, it is usually right to play the partner of the preempter to hold the missing Queen. 

STILL MORE BIDDING PRACTICE WITH BARBARA & ALEX BELOW

FROM GRAND RIVER BRIDGE CLUB NEWSLETTER

CONTRIBUTED BY BARBARA ARTHUR

Ten Reasons Why Bridge is Better than Sex

• Your partner doesn’t become upset about people you played bridge with long ago.

• It is perfectly acceptable to hire a pro to play bridge with you once in a while.

• There are no bridge-transmitted diseases.

• Nobody expects you to play bridge with the same partner for the rest of your life.

• You can still do it in your eighties and people won’t gasp in horror if they find out.

• A man doesn’t need a lot of finesse to be successful at bridge, but he does need some squeezes.

• The phrase “could be short” carries no negative connotation.

• You don’t have to hide your Bridge Bulletin.

Look at the hand below. This hand was presented by Mike Kenny and Julie Berdock and was in our last newsletter but had no answers.

The commentary is by Alex and Barbara

West opened 1H, North overcalled 1S. East bid 2C. Pass by South, West passed and North bid 2D. East now bid 3H and everyone passed.

There is a lot to talk about on this hand. Sitting North, I would not have overcalled 1S. A one-level overcall, holding only 8-12 points should have two of the top 3 honours or three of the top 5 honours IN THAT SUIT. The Heart Jack is a useless card when opponents have bid the suit.

However, let us assume that North did indeed bid 1S. What should East bid? When this hand was played, East bid 2C. We do not like this bid BUT it is a forcing bid as East was not a passed hand. New suits by Responder are forcing.

What would West bid next then? West did not know what to do so he passed but that is not acceptable. West can bid 3C but we prefer 2NT because of the stoppers in Spades and besides, the lead in NT will be coming from West's LHO (Left Hand Opponent), North. If a Spade is led by North, West can handle this well.

East-West got lucky and North entered the bidding again!!! North had his bidding shoes on that day! 2D by North. East now bid 3H and West passed.

East should have bid 4H after the 2D bid by North. East has 15 points (dummy points) after partner opens 1H and thus he has an obligation to get to game. ALWAYS count distribution, unless you are bidding NT.

East actually made an error on his very first bid. He failed to show his Heart support. Suppose South had now bid 4S (not on these cards but with different cards)? Now how would East later show support? At the 5-level?

East should have bid 2S immediately after the 1S overcall, showing a limit raise or better with Heart support: 3 or 4 cards and 10 or more points. West will bid only 3H, saying "I have a dead minimum, partner" and after Pass by North, East will now bid 4H.

East is the captain of the bidding on this hand, once West shows her minimum opener by bidding 3H only. East must get to game.

Thank you to Mike and Julie who teach at Richmond Hill Bridge Club.

Naples Bridge Center

Some suggested New Year’s Resolutions:

- Be nice to your opponents (always)

- Be nice to your partner (whenever possible)

- Be nice to your game director (occasionally)

- Don’t discuss the hands where you can be overheard by others

- Recruit at least one new player to duplicate bridge (more, if possible)

- Play more bridge

NO TRUMP BIDDING

by Marty Bergen and modified a bit by Richard Ross and by Barbara

Richard is Manager & Director at Stephen's Bridge Club

How come some of my partners open 1NT with a 5-card major and some of them say they never would? Who is right? asked SL this week.

Whenever you have a balanced hand and the appropriate point count, open 1NT. There are absolutely no exceptions. Do not be distracted by a five-card major. 

Life will be much easier when you open 1NT with a five-card major and a balanced hand. You will not have a rebid problem and your partner will immediately know about your strength and balanced distribution. If you open your five-card major, partner will not know about your strength now, and there will be no way to tell him later! Bridge can be a very unforgiving game:

Either you open 1NT, or forget about showing your 15-17 HCP.

Although many regard the above as heresy, please read on. What would you open with this hand?

S 873  

H KJ865  

D AQ10  

C AQ

If you open 1H, your partner will often respond 1S. The opponents are silent. It is time for your rebid; decide before continuing.

Let’s look at your options:

1.   Can you pass? Absolutely not! Partner’s 1S response did not deny a good hand. It promised 6-20+ points and was 100% forcing.

2.   Can you rebid 1NT? No, this shows a balanced minimum; less than a 1NT opening. 12-14 HCP only. Obviously, a 1NT rebid misrepresents your strength.

3.   Can you rebid 2C? No. A 2C bid would promise a four-card suit at least. You are asking for trouble if you lie about your distribution.

4.   Can you raise to 2S? No. This shows a minimum hand (13-15) with good spade support. Partner’s response promises only a four-card suit.

5.   Can you rebid 2NT? No. This shows more points than an opening 1NT bid. You would need 18-19 HCP to make this bid.

Give up? You certainly do not need this aggravation – life is too short. Ignore your major and open 1NT. Get it off your chest now!

It is true that partner will not know that you have a five-card major when you open 1NT with hands like these. That is not the end of the world. (A convention called Puppet Stayman allows responder to discover if opener has a five-card major after opening 1NT.

It will be beneficial for you to declare a notrump contract. You would prefer to play last at trick one so that the lead does not come through your honors.

Here is a recap:

1.   Should you still open 1NT if the major is strong? yes, Yes, YES.

2.   Is this true regardless of which major is involved? yes, Yes, YES.

3.   Should you open 1NT with all balanced hands that include a five-card major and have the appropriate strength? yes, Yes, YES

Congratulations – you are on your way to becoming a practical, non-stubborn bridge player.

In India, old cardboard boxes are used to create school bags that transform into desks -

Aarambh is using    discarded cardboard waste to create school bags which unpack into small desks —

This is designed to improve the  posture of children who are used to sitting and writing on the floor. PLEASE click on this link to see the magic that they have come up with.

  www.youtube.com/embed/ZPUFpEbkOoc?rel=0

NON-LIFE MASTERS

There is a special REGIONAL bridge tournament for you at the downtown Sheraton Hotel : JAN 6-8, 2023

Win red and gold master points. See below for more details

OPEN PLAYERS: SECIONAL BRIDGE TOURNAMENT ON SAME DATES

Go to www.unit166.ca

Click on Event schedule at Top left menu

      DON'T TAP THE TABLE; USE THE PASS CARD

by Jack Brawner: St Petersburg Bridge Club

The act of tapping the table is not a bid. We all understand that it is intended to mean "pass", but it is not a legal bid. And it's not just being fussy -- imagine this auction (you are north):

North: 1S

East: 2H

South: 2S

West: 4H

North: taps table

There are still two more bids to go, including your partner's. Now you may *expect* partner to pass, but might they reevaluate and bid 4S? Might they double? Your pass is a potentially unethical attempt to coach your partner into passing when you indicated that you believed the auction should be over.

Was it intentionally unethical? Probably not. But even if it was innocent, could it be viewed as poor ethics? Definitely yes.

-- BUT --

Since "table thumping" is definitely not legal and potentially unethical (or interpreted as such), why not just pick up the pass card and put it on the table? (They aren't heavy -- grin!)

It could save a lot of problems and hard feelings. Thanks.

((The example may seem extreme, but I witnessed this exact auction and some other equally poor "table tapping" habits recently.))

Can we all make New Year's resolutions, perhaps?

Lebensohl by Fran Pilch

         What starts with an L and ends with an L and is so ridiculously complicated that only the geniuses among us at the Bridge Center comprehend it? Why yes, it is the Lebensohl Convention.

The other day I asked Kay Brock if she liked it and used it, and here is what she said. “I think I get ‘parts’ of it.” Then she and I agreed that playing just ‘parts’ of Lebensohl probably could lead to big trouble. Sort of like a love affair, I think Lebensohl should be an all or nothing kind of thing.

         Another more seasoned lady at the Bridge Center offered, “The trouble with Lebensohl is that it doesn’t really seem to make sense.” To which John Dukellis replied, “It makes sense to me.” Of course that was John Dukellis, to whom every weird bridge convention makes sense.

         Here was my experience with Lebensohl. I eagerly signed up for John’s 5 lesson series on it. It was a great series, but unfortunately I had to miss the very first lesson – which proved to be a serious handicap. When I tried to do the homework for lesson TWO, I answered only 2 (of 50) questions correctly, and I suspect I only got those right through dumb luck. Clearly I needed to brush up my Lebensohl.

         I looked it up on Google and found page after page of incomprehensible gibberish. Some instructions were seven pages long! Single spaced! Most started with, “This is a very complicated convention…” Not encouraging at all!

         But I persisted. I studied it and studied it and studied it until finally I thought Professor Higgins would have said, “By George, I think she’s got it!” Then I sat down in an open game, with the kind and patient John D as my partner, to demonstrate my newfound prowess.

         Sadly, it never came up. But I managed to screw up Two Over One, the Unusual Two No Trump, AND a cue bid. My mind was so full of Lebensohl that I forgot most everything else! Here is my conclusion. The average brain can hold only so many conventions. When you pour in a new one, out goes an old one. Or two. Or three. Like a sluice. Would you agree?

ED. NOTE: Lebensohl is clearly explained in the new, revised

25 Bridge Conventions You Should Know. Available from Barbara Seagram

Fran Pilch is the author of two wonderful books:

Invisible: Surviving the Cambodia Genocide

Domestic Violence: Tragedy and Hope

Available on Amazon. Both are powerful reads.

WAYS TO IMPROVE YOUR BRIDGE GAME

by Marilyn Hemenway

Bridge is such a hard game.....there are so many things to learn, to remember and to put into practice. Once you become semi-proficient at bidding, declarer play and defense, there are lots of little things that you can do that will help you to continue to improve your game.

These are just a few of them.

During the bidding:

(1) Avoid opening bad hands....for example 4-3-3-3 hands with 12 HCP’s unless there’s a couple of Aces

(2) Be very careful in competitive auctions when you are bidding ahead of partner. It’s quite possible that partner does NOT have a fit with you and would like to be penalizing the opponents for getting in your way.

(3) Avoid like the plague using Blackwood or RKC Blackwood with two or three cards or a void in an unbid suit.

When you are declarer:

(1) Draw trumps at once if you can...especially if you think that the opponents will be ruffing your winners in side-suits. However, if you need to ruff some losers in the hand with the fewer trumps, postpone drawing the trumps. Instead embark upon a method to ruff some of your losers with the short trumps.

(2) If you decide the best way to make a contract is to crossruff the hand, remember to cash out your side suit winners first.

(3) Know the “hold-up” rule, i.e. the Rule of 7. (A guideline for the declarer in holding up an Ace when declaring a NT contract is to subtract from 7 the total number of cards in the suit in his own hand and in the dummy....the answer is the number of times the declarer should hold up before playing the Ace.) But beware of holding up at all if there is extreme danger in another suit.!

(4) At times it may be wise to refuse to ruff in order to keep from losing control of the trump suit.

(5) Read about and practice safety plays.

(6) Make a habit of trying to picture one or both of the opponents’ hands. This is done by taking inferences from their bidding, their leads, their carding and their discards. So pay attention to all the spot cards etc.!!

(7) False card when appropriate but do NOT do it all the time. Do it when you think it is appropriate only.

(8) Consider eliminating side suits and then throwing an opponent in so that they have to lead into your tenace. (Ed. Note: Otherwise known as an end play or a Strip & Throw-In)

When you are a defender:

(1) Cover an honour only when there is a chance to promote a card in your own hand or in partner’s hand but do NOT do so if your honour is safe.

(2) When declarer leads from touching honors (QJ, J10) cover the second honor unless you are short in the suit, in which case you should cover the first honor.

(3) Second hand low is a good rule MOST of the time.

(4) In suit contracts always consider leading trumps in order to cut down on the opponents cross ruffing possibilities. But avoid leading singleton trumps.

(5) If you’re going to be ruffing declarer’s tricks try to ruff out his winners, not his losers. This is particularly important to the defender who plays second to the trick.

(6) If dummy has a long suit that can be established, good defenders will attempt to knock out dummy’s entries before the suit can be set up.

(7) Do not overruff automatically as often refusing to overruff increases the chances of developing more trump tricks. Thus with a natural trump trick don’t overruff unless you want the lead or hope to get a second ruff.

(8) If declarer will be forced to overruff you ruffing high might promote a trump trick for partner.

(9) Do NOT signal unnecessarily. Instead when discarding, pitch cards that do you no good and serve to show no interest in that suit.

(10) Leading against slams is not the same as leading against game or part-score contracts. When the opponents’ bidding indicates that they have balanced hands, it’s normally best to be passive. On the other hand it generally pays to be aggressive if their bidding indicates long suits that will produce a lot of tricks when they are in control.

Do visit our online store for bridge books and cheat sheets!

Canadian Store: store.barbaraseagram.com

USA Store: storeus.barbaraseagram.com

TRANSATLANTIC BRIDGE CRUISE 2024



with Linda Tuff, teacher extraordinaire, teaching and directing

Barbara & Alex will be sailing as part of the group

APRIL 5-19, 2024

OCEANIA CRUISES: MARINA

VERANDAH cabins from $5,799.00 CAD for 14 night sailing

or $4,499.00 USD

on one of the finest ships afloat. With the best cuisine

BOOK NOW FOR BEST-SITUATED CABINS

Miami, Bahamas, Bermuda, Azores, Cadiz, Grenada, Alicante, Barcelona (the last 4 are all Spain)

Call my new excellent partner in the travel industry: Carolyn Kremer

705-435-5533 or 1-800-363-5533 #1435

OR email her at carolyn.kremer@visiontravel.ca

NOTE; Monday to Friday. Off on weekends

RAAHI Modern Indian Kitchen and Bar 

543 St. Clair Ave. W

just west of Vaughan Rd. on the south side of St. Clair

Phone: 416-658-8582

Great food!

NON-LIFE MASTERS: WIN RED & GOLD MASTER POINTS

TORONTO NON-LIFE MASTER REGIONAL

January 6 - 8, 2023

Intermediate / Novice

Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel

123 Queen St. West, Toronto ON M5H 2M9

Rooms - Call 1-888-627-7175 Ask for special bridge rate “AC3”

$159 CAD (approx. $119.00 USD) if booked by December 8, 2022

Book this special rate for American Contract Bridge League 2023

https://www.marriott.com/event-reservations/reservation-link.mi?id=1663169488869&key=GRP&app=resvlink

See below for schedule

OPEN PLAYERS: SECIONAL BRIDGE TOURNAMENT ON SAME DATES

Go to www.unit166.ca



Click on Event Schedule at Top left menu

NON-LIFE MASTERS TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE IS BELOW

CLICK HERE FOR A LIST OF ALL MY RECORDINGS (VIDEO & AUDIO)

OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS



https://barbaraseagram.com/pdf/Recordings-links-for-purchase-final-listing.pdf



EACH ONE COMES WITH A FULL SET OF STUDENT NOTES WHICH ARE VERY DETAILED

A stepping stone is an action that helps one make progress towards a goal.

Our first goal is to offer bridge in a fun, friendly, supportive and welcoming

environment.

Stepping Stones Bridge with Cyndy Winkler & Josée Hammill

We hold a face-to-face weekly, ACBL duplicate bridge game on Mondays at 12.30 pm for players with 0-20 master points.

Email CYNDY with questions: cwinkler@rogers.com

This game will continue on during the winter. In Jan and Feb, we are lucky to welcome Doug Jordan to run the Monday game in Cyndy's absence.

LOCATION: Armour Heights Presbyterian Church 105 Wilson Ave

Handicap accessible – elevator.

Coming Soon : A game for players with 0-199 master points, starting in March 2023 at 12 noon. Tuesdays. Starting March 7th.

It is difficult and intimidating for new players to compete against opponents who have years of playing experience and have earned many master points.

Both these games are aimed at players who may make mistakes but want to learn by playing and get better. Players must know how to bid, respond and rebid and know how to score.

The 0-199 game: Players must be within the 0-199 ACBL master point range to compete in this non-intimidating atmosphere where all competitors will be patient and show respect for others.

Partnerships can be arranged. Table manners and basic etiquette will be followed at all times. Games will be held on Tuesdays at noon starting on March 7.

Our second goal is for players to reach their goal, AND enjoy the process along the way. Once they outgrow this group, they can move on to the next step and more advanced games.

“Bridge is a competitive, challenging game that should be enjoyed by all who play it”

A huge thank you to the Monday games amazing volunteers:

Susan Trumper, Beth Hemstad, Ruth Oppenheim & Lynn Eplett. In January, we will also welcome Defne Berkin and Jocelyne Mongrain.

Barbara's Pre-recorded Lessons

Special Price: Now you can buy any Seminar below (with Recording & Notes) for Only $25!

Just note that these are not brand-new lessons, and you may already have a few of them but if not, now you can buy these singly. Some have CAD link and USA link (in blue), others just one link. Please choose the best for you.

Clues: Become A Deadly Declarer

An Introduction To Two Over One

End Plays Made

Simple

Reverses & Other Challenges at Bridge

New Minor Forcing

Opening Leads

Planning a trip? Call a travel agent. SO worth it. NO EXTRA cost except for air tickets. 

Call Carolyn Kremer 

705 435 5533 or toll free at

1-800-363-5533 # 1435

or email her at

carolyn.kremer@visiontravel.ca

Carolyn is excellent and can advise you and book you on anything. Ocean cruises and river boat cruises are her specialty. But she is terrific at booking anything. VISION TRAVEL/DIRECT TRAVEL. 

MENTION that you are a bridge player!

Carolyn is taking over from Paola who is slowing down and trying to gradually retire. 

25 BRIDGE CONVENTIONS YOU SHOULD KNOW

NOW HERE!

$24.00 (reg $27.95 CAD $)

$20.00 (reg $21.95 USD $)

plus postage

or pick up from our home at 220 Lawrence Ave East

Toronto

NEW & FULLY REVISED & REWRITTEN FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE 1999

Buy online on our store OR email us and we will ship. or pick up in Toronto

Here's the link for CAD store: https://store.barbaraseagram.com/collections/all-bridge-books/products/25-bridge-conventions-you-should-know

Here's the link for USD store: https://storeus.barbaraseagram.com/collections/all-bridge-books/products/25-bridge-conventions-you-should-know

Since its publication in 1999, 25 Bridge Conventions You Should Know has sold more than 300,000 copies in six languages. It has become a much-valued learning tool and reference for everyone from social players to those who regularly spend time at their local bridge club.

But bridge has changed in the last twenty-odd years. Bidding has changed. Some of the conventions in the original book have fallen into disuse, while others have gained in popularity and importance. Many basic conventions have changed in subtle ways as bidding methods have developed. It is now time, therefore, to update this modern classic so that today's players can be in tune with what is happening and stay current.

This new edition has been thoroughly updated, while retaining the approach and features that made the original so popular. Each convention in the book has been carefully revised to reflect the way it is used in the modern game. Students are now universally taught to play transfers in response to a strong notrump opening, and the new edition reflects that change in several ways. Three chapters (Landy, Grand Slam Force and Ogust responses to Weak Twos) have been dropped completely in favor of Bergen Raises and the DONT and Meckwell defenses to 1NT. 

ORDER OUR CHEAT SHEETS

Great hostess gifts and partnership survival gifts!!!

Laminated fold out sheets with many panels

See below for information

All cheat sheets and books available by emailing

Barbara with your postal address. We will send it to you by postal mail or you can pick up near to Yonge & Lawrence if you live in Toronto. 

OR ORDER FROM OUR NEW ONLINE STORE AT

www.barbaraseagram.com 

or email Barbara

barbaraseagram@gmail.com

INTERMEDIATE CHEAT SHEET: Regular bidding: $10.00

DEFENCE CHEAT SHEET: Strategy and signalling: $12.00

CONVENTIONS CHEAT SHEET: All the conventions (see below): $12.00

(Formerly called Advanced)

Takeout double, Support double, Negative double, Responsive, Penalty & Lead-Directing Doubles, Splinter Bids, Jacoby 2NT, Roman Keycard Blackwood, Raising Partner's Overcall (Cue Bid Raises of overcalls and opening bids), Balancing, Texas Transfers, Gerber, Bergen Raises, Cue Bidding First Round Controls, Unusual NT, Michaels Cue Bid, Fourth Suit Forcing to Game

DOUBLES CHEAT SHEET: $10.00

TWO OVER ONE CHEAT SHEET: $12.00

SPECIAL: ANY 4 cheat sheets: $40.00  plus postage

or all 5 cheat sheets for $48.00 plus postage

Special is on until February 28, 2023

OR if you live in Canada email transfer to AKORNEL@SYMPATICO.CA

Barbara Seagram

220 Lawrence Ave East

Toronto ON M4N 1T2

Canada

 BARBARA SEAGRAM BRIDGE STORE ONLINE

Buy Books & cheat sheets from our online store and we ship them to you. Great hostess gifts and gifts for partners. Click on the appropriate link below to explore.

Canadian Store: store.barbaraseagram.com

USA Store: storeus.barbaraseagram.com

JAN STEWART. A MUST-READ FOR ALL

Do read this compelling interview with Jan. Click on link below. Many of you know Jan from the bridge world. She has taken some time off from bridge recently to write her book and work on many things including Mental Health projects.

https://medium.com/authority-magazine/mental-health-champions-why-how-author-jan-stewart-is-helping-to-champion-mental-wellness-c3ba89887fd9

Our very own bridge player & everyone's friend

JAN STEWART

BOOK LAUNCH: MARCH 2023

Jan Stewart never thought she would live with fear in her own house.

Hold on Tight: A Parent's Journey Raising Children with Mental Illness

describes her brutally honest journey raising two children with multiple mental health disorders. The author details the roller coaster lives and challenges that both children have faced in detail, from the time they were born to the present as young adults in their 30's.

Through compelling insights and advice, the book educates, inspires and empowers parents of children with similar challenges to better help their children and lead more fulfilling lives. Health care professionals, as well as families, friends, educators, employers and others who interact with those facing these challenges, get an inside look into the lives and unique perspectives of these parents. Powerful, honest and inspirational, the book is a love song to Jan's children and inspires readers to never give up.

TORONTO IS HOSTING A NATIONAL BRIDGE TOURNAMENT July 18-28 2024

Darlene Scott is the chairperson

oakvilledarlene@gmail.com

It is called the Toronto NABC

North American Bridge Championships

It sounds daunting for less experienced players BUT it s a huge opportunity for novices and intermediates and they have a big room set aside JUST FOR YOU. SO hold those dates!

Darlene needs volunteers to help her to run this very special tournament. It is heaps of fun being involved.

Do contact Darlene if you can help in ANY way

oakvilledarlene@gmail.com