North Penn Bridge News

Greetings to the

North Penn Bridge Community!

Week of 05/22/2023

From NP's Longest Day Coordinator

Pat Andrews

When our Club Manager asked if I’d lead North Penn’s Longest Day Campaign again this year, I said “yes” right away. Like many of you, I have seen the difficulties Alzheimer’s Disease presents for quite a few friends and family members. This year I am playing and donating in honor of my mother-in-law Phyllis, who introduced me to the game of bridge 13 years ago. We played together a few times, but sadly, loss of memory forced her to stop enjoying this game she loved a few years later. Today, as we continue to watch her activities become more and more limited, our family is fully committed to supporting any and all efforts to find a cure and help others who are in similar circumstances.

I urge you to join me and your fellow North Penn players in supporting The Longest Day. Your donations will make a difference! You can give by clicking here, or by mailing or dropping off a check made out to The Alzheimer’s Association at the Club, 298 Wissahickon Ave, North Wales, PA 19454. And please be a visible supporter by coming out to play bridge with us on our Longest Day F2F games on June 21 and our Virtual Robot Individual on June 24. Thank you in advance...on behalf of Phyllis and all who have been victims of Alzheimer’s Disease.

From the Club Manager

Dave Dodgson

Memorial Day Game.

There will be a game on Monday, May 29. Please join us for bridge and lunch... hot dogs

and chicken salad!

Attention 0-299 and 0-500 Players! Effective Thursday, June 1 and continuing on subsequent Thursdays, the 0-299 game will become a 0-500/NLM (non-life master) game. This change will provide the opportunity for Flight C players to qualify for the North American Pairs (NAP) and hopefully attract more participants.

North American Pairs. NAP qualifying games occur in June, July, and August. We will have a separate Flight C only section on Thursdays if we get enough players. Check out our webpage for more information.

There is a lot going on in June! Here is the schedule:

The Longest Day is back on June 21.
The online Robot Individual on June 24 will also be a Longest Day game.
The first and third full weeks are NAP qualifying games. This includes the Tuesday evening online game.
The second week is a Royal STaC game providing gold, red and silver points.
Most of the games during the fourth week will be cancelled due to the Valley Forge Regional June 26 to July 2. Check the calendar for details.

Good News. North Penn Duplicate Bridge Club is now an official IRS Charitable Organization. That means that donations to our club are deductible. The IRS approval letter can be seen here. Thanks to all those who helped make this happen, especially Pat and Toysie!

Stay Tuned

The North Penn Duplicate Bridge Club will be Fifty Years Old this year! Plans are underway for a very special celebration. As a pre-curser to the event, we would like to publish historical happenings and anecdotes. If you have a contribution, please contact Toysie Walker at hcpwalker@verizon.net.

Education

Summer Substitute Mentors Needed. Deb needs some help for some of the summer Tuesday Shuffle & Deal evening classes. She would be most appreciative if you would please call or text her at 973-769-9619.

Shuffle and Deal. Tuesday evenings from 7-9 p.m. and Wednesday mornings from 9:30-11:30 a.m. Everyone welcome!

New Fall Beginner Class. Sundays from noon until 2:00. Spread the word!

Joann Glasson’s Lessons: June lessons will be Monday at 10 a.m. on June 5 and 19. Click here for details.

Partnership

To add your name to the player list or to request a partner for a game, please send an email to northpennpartner@gmail.com.

Calendar

Click here to see a file you can enlarge.

We update our Facebook page regularly so be sure to check it out. It’s a great way to stay in touch with all the happenings at North Penn.

Tidbits

“In general, if you have a two-way finesse for a jack or queen, play the hand that is likely to have the greater length in the suit for the missing honor. With no (other) information, finesse through the player you dislike the most. It's so much more fun when it works.”

From Take Your Tricks

by Eddie Kantar

Deal of the Week

by Mitch Snyder

A Non-Conventional Hand

A while ago a less experienced player asked me about a hand. She had something like K87 KJ32 Q742 Q4. Her partner opened 1S in third seat and she bid 3S, a limit (invitational) raise. Partner passed but there were only eight tricks available resulting in down 1. She wanted to know if there was a way to invite game and remain on the 2 level if the opening bid was light.

The answer is the Drury convention. It’s used after the auction is opened 1H or 1S in third or fourth seat and it lets you to make a limit raise on the 2 level in case partner did open a little light. The bid is 2C. It is artificial, you may or may not have clubs, but you have at least 3 of partner’s suit and about 11 dummy points.

I wanted to write a Drury column so I started perusing hand records to see if I could find one. The one below caught my attention and even though it appears at first to fit the bill it’s not likely to turn out that way. But the hand got me to thinking about some of the choices we have to make in an auction and I want to share some of those thoughts with you.

After 2 passes west opened 1H. Yes, there are 17 HCPs and 1NT is possible but I like the heart bid. The hand is too good for 1NT. If partner responds 1S, I think a jump to 2NT suggesting an 18-19 HCP hand is appropriate.

Here’s the Drury angle: If north passes (which I think is unlikely) east can bid 2C (alert! Drury) promising a limit raise in hearts. With a minimum partner can sign off in 2H. With this hand west would bid 4H or maybe even make a slam try.

Say north bids 2C and east makes a limit raise with a club cuebid, 3C in this case.

Now south has something to think about. It seems likely that EW have a heart game maybe even slam. A jump to 5C would put them to a guess. Passing and planning to bid 5C over their 4H is possible but that leaves them bidding space to find the best contract. 4C is also possible, but it still leaves room for EW to explore for slam. I think 5C is best. Let the opponents guess at the 5 level.

The auction so far:---E----S----W----N

-----------------------..P----.P----1H---.2C

------------------------3C---5C

Now west has a problem. Slam is possible and Blackwood would be appropriate here but that darn 5C bid… West has 4 possible calls without committing to slam. 5H, 5D, pass and double. Let’s look at each from west’s point of view.

5H: This will likely end the auction resulting in +650 or +680. It’s safe.

5D: A bid showing slam interest. It would be nice to have the ace of diamonds but it is the only bid that keeps the auction open and shows slam interest. Partner should recognize this.

Pass: This is not forcing and letting the opponents play 5C, undoubled, can’t be good. (Yes, partner might bid again).

Double: This is mostly for penalty since 5D is available as a slam try.

I choose 5D.

Now north is on the hot seat. Given the favorable vulnerability, a 6C bid is very reasonable. Down 3* doubled is good if EW can make 5 or more in hearts which seems likely. North could pass, planning to bid 6C over 5H but, just like south reasoned, why leave the opponents room to communicate if you plan to bid 6 anyway.

*losers: 8 (2S, 4H, 1D, 1C) South is obviously short in hearts, long in clubs and can ruff at least 3. Also not really expecting to lose a club. Ergo 4 losers.

This is a win-win situation for NS. A likely -500 in 6C doubled or +100 in 6H down. But be wary, don’t double 6H, one of the opponents might be void in clubs.

With no clear idea of what is best east passes and, off 2 aces, west just doubles.

The complete auction:---E----S----W----N

--------------------------.-P----.P----1H---.2C

--------------------------..3C---5C---5D---6C

--------------------------..P---...P----.X----.P

--------------------------..P---...P---...P

As you can see in the hand diagram, hearts makes 5, pitching a club on a spade and getting the diamonds right. 6C is down 3, ruffing 3 hearts and taking the club finesse.

As much as I like conventional bids, this hand illustrates how preempts, sacrifices and some commonsense are a part of the game too.

Laughter is the Best Medicine

A prominent doctor was an enthusiastic but not very good bridge player. One day his friend, a man he occasionally played bridge with, fell sick and the doctor was called in.

The patient was gloomy over his condition, and the doctor made a careful examination. Wishing to reassure him that there was nothing to worry about, he said cheerfully, "You'll be all right. Mark my words, you'll live to play many a rubber of bridge with me as your partner yet."

"Oh Lord," groaned the despondent patient. "I think I'd rather die."