North Penn Bridge News

Greetings to the

North Penn Bridge Community!

Week of 12/13/2021

From the President

Pat Andrews

It’s “Membership Week” at North Penn and it’s been exciting to see so many renewing for 2022! We are also getting new members who have found us through the classes we are offering at the club as well as our weekly “Shuffle & Deal” sessions where participants can get advice from a mentor on challenging bidding and play situations. At Shuffle and Deal, newer players are learning, but also experiencing the pleasures of social bridge & building friendships along the way. No pressure, no scoring 😊.

We are in the midst of the December holiday season and some of you have asked whether NPDBC will be holding traditional “holiday parties.” The Board has made the difficult decision to postpone our luncheons celebrating the holidays until a time when COVID is less of a threat to our communities and our current mask policy can be relaxed. We all hope that time will come soon…when it does, we will celebrate in fine form. Meanwhile, to mark the specialness of Membership Week, all F2F games this week will cost just $5 for members who have joined or renewed for 2022.

From the Club Manager

Dave Dodgson

Membership. Dues for 2022 are $10. If you want to pay with cash or check, you can put it in the red container (envelopes are beside the box) at the club. Or you can mail a check or pay online with either a credit card or PayPal. Details are available on our website.

December Events. Robot Individual on Saturday, December 18 at 4 pm. Come play Happy Hour with the Robots.

Proof of vaccination and face masks will remain a requirement at our F2F games until further notice.

Calendar (click here to see a file you can enlarge):

Looking For A Partner?

We’ve noticed that many long-standing partnerships were disrupted by the pandemic and quite a few of you are looking for new or substitute partners for the F2F games. We have new members who want to play but don’t yet have the contacts to set up partners. If you need a partner, we urge you to go to the calendar on our website, click on the partnership icon & enter your ACBL #. If another member checks the calendar, he/she will be able to contact you to see if you are available to play.

You can also send an email to the club regarding your partnership request, and we will do our best to find someone for you. Please note that using the partnership icon on the website calendar is much more efficient and more likely to get results.

Education

Shuffle & Deal for Newer Players. The last session for the year is Thursday, December 16 at 9:30.

S&D will move to Wednesday mornings in January.

Everyone is welcome - no partner needed. A mentor will be available to answer whatever questions might arise as you play. $5 per person per session. No scoring, no pressure!

2021 Beginner Lessons: Last lesson for the year is Wednesday, December 15 at 9:30 am.

2022 Beginner Lessons: Starting January 3rd, 2022, North Penn Duplicate Bridge Club will be offering beginner bridge lessons on Monday mornings from 9-11 am.

A fee of $100 covers the 5 lessons and the textbook is $15.

We all enjoy bridge and probably have friends who would too! Please pass this email (or information) on to them so that they can register for this fun class with teacher John Dickenson. Contact John at: dickenjb@gmail.com

You can view the lesson flyer on our website.

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

“The goal of duplicate bridge is not to bid games and slams, it’s to get more matchpoints than the other pairs.”

From How You Can Play Bridge Like an Expert

by Mel Colchamiro

Deal of the Week

by Mitch Snyder

The Gift Exchange II

The holidays were near and ‘Black Friday’ was the last chance for Santa to play a little bridge before the big day. He tried to gather his regular foursome Elvira Elf, Hanukah Harry and Rudolph. Unfortunately, Elvira, who specialized in IMP games, was on assignment observing the shopping frenzy. Hanukah Harry was busy with the festival of lights that came so early this year.

Rudolph was available but instead of playing himself he asked Santa if he would play with three of his beginner reindeers. Since the reindeer had little to do for a few weeks, this seemed like a good idea and the jolly old elf readily agreed.

Blitzen, Comet & Cupid were chosen to play. Blitzen would partner with Santa.

Santa viewed this as an opportunity to relax and socialize. And maybe hand out a little advice, it always better to give than receive was his mantra.

The auction:

The bidding was routine. The students had just learned about transfers and seeing one in action was good for them.

The play:

The play was not so routine.

Trick 1:

The 10 of club lead is normal. Blitzen ducked it to his hand.

There are 7 top tricks available. All but diamonds offer a chance for an extra trick. Declarer can play the club J at trick 1. If clubs are 3-2 there are always 3 tricks but if South led from QT9 he gets 4 club tricks or if QT9x, he gets 3 clubs without a loser along the way.

Trick 2:

Blitzen cashed a high diamond.

This is curious as it gains nothing and removes a possible vital entry to hand.

Trick 3:

The J of hearts was led.

Why?

Comet didn’t cover.

A gift to EW.

Trick 4:

Now a club was led.

Comet didn’t cover again.

Santa thought to himself that a lesson in second hand play might be in order. He’d mention it to Rudolph.

Trick 5:

Blitzen cashed a heart in dummy.

Another curious play.

Trick 6:

A spade towards to K was next.

Finally, a bridge play, a finesse… But no, Blitzen didn’t play the K from K4. He played the 4!

A gift to NS.

Trick 7:

A heart to the K in dummy.

Trick 8:

Now a spade towards the recently bared K.

Cupid cleverly ducked.

A gift to EW.

Tricks 9-10:

Declarer cashed the good diamonds making the contract.

Why not cash the good club too? No game is that friendly.

Trick 11:

Blitzen exited with a losing diamond.

A final gift to NS.

And Cupid proudly cashed the preserved A of spades at trick 13.

This game was played in a 6 table game at an out-of-state club. Every auction was the same and 9 tricks were taken at 5 tables. At the other table EW made 4; NS took their spade tricks early establishing dummy’s suit.