Minnesota Bridge

Sunny Turkey Lurkey in Minnesota!

On a shiney day in Minnesota, we'd often see some fine bridge here.

Yet with the nice sunshine, turkeys being roasted
and folks having lots of fun and a marvelous time.

We are more likely to have yummy meals -

and lots of joy and happiness
with family and friends!

And then be able to get some tough and hard core bridge
At the Table!

Here's hoping that many of us have a delightful time today.

And when our tummies are full, we can have a great time at Bridge!

Happy Turkey Day - and Lotsa luck if you beat 'em up at the table too!!

 

Bridge is a Many Splendored Thing!

Whether we have played bridge for a few weeks - or many years.
Bridge is an amazing part of bridge life that fascinates many. (I know all too well!)

With so much going on, it is both delightful to see what is happening.
And sometimes challenging to understand it all.

I shall begin with some of my own experiences.

Many moons ago, (MANY!) - I would drive all the way from the city to where my husband's uncle lived an hour away.  And once or twice a week (or two) - we would play some bridge. 

I was so brand new, that there was way more than I could possibly learn in many weeks - much less just a "here and there" segment of bridge.  I had a fun time.  But I imagine that most of you would know that it takes far far more than "a few weeks" to really start to understand The Greatest Game.

All this was so very long ago, that I simply cannot begin to recall it all.  Yet I will share with you some the fun, complicated, thrilling - etc., etc. aspects of bridge that that began to intrigue me.

I have an aunt - now in her middle 90's - who is an exceptional player.  "Aunt Rosy" thought it would be great fun for me to come to Oklahoma, meet some of her teammates and friends - and
see what I thought about it all.

I fell in love.

My aunt had many friends who were superb bridge players.  Each day I played, Rosalie would find excellent choices for me to learn from the friends.  And as the days continued, I learned more and more from these fine bridge players.

I was such a newby - I could only begin to understand all that was happening.  Yet everyone was so nice, so pleasant - and such fine players - that I was thrilled with the various players and truly began to learn even more.  Amazingly, the last day that we played, our team beat one of the top players in the area - Jim Jacoby.  And we ended up being THE top players at the event!

Being a newby - I was simply ecstatic.  We all hauled into our vehicle, meandered here and there - and had a fabulous time.  More than one of the players commented that Aunt Rosy was incredible - and how fortunate I was to have her.  (Boy they were correct!!)

It turned out that this was the first - AND the last time - that I managed to go from about 7 masterpoints to THREE TIMES AS MANY POINTS at that time EVER in my life!  But I knew I was hooked - so I was determined to keep on learning - both as to how to play bridge - and how to learn from many of the top notch players at the tourney.

My guess is that a great many of us, as the years went bye, learned more and more.  While I never again managed to add THREE sets of new bridge tales.  I did work hard to learn, question, study - and remain stoic when I went wrong.

Do I have more stories to tell?  My goodness; don't know if I could ever count them all!

That being said, I shall stop for now.  There is so much to learn, to enjoy, to have fun and now and then have tears - that I shall wait for our next time for more super duper stories!  Yay!!!!

Unit 178 Board Meeting - November 3, 2022

Minutes of Unit 178 Board Meeting - November 3, 2022

 

Fri, Nov 18, 2022 3:34 pm

 

Steven Gaynor ([email protected])To:you (Bcc) + 1 more Details

 

 The Unit 178 Board of Directors meeting was called to order on November 3, 2022 at 4pm.

 

Present: David Trevor, Cass Weil, Steve Gaynor, Vicky Smith, Deana Liddy, John Schlundt, Sue Sanger, Tom Botten 

 

Deana reported that ACBL has selected Minneapolis as the location of the summer 2026 NABC.  Exact dates and site are not yet determined.  Steve will meet in December with reps from the Unit 103 Board; discussion will include how we will work together to provide volunteer and other assistance for this event.  John and Cass will also attend.

 

Tony’s Saturday game will return to Studio One beginning in January.  He will also hold a sectional tournament May 5-7, likely at Edina.  There was discussion but no decision whether to hold an Aquatennial sectional next summer.  We need to find a tournament chair, the board will seek volunteers.

 

 

Tony’s Saturday game will return to Studio One beginning in January.  He will also hold a sectional tournament May 5-7, likely at Edina.  There was discussion but no decision whether to hold an Aquatennial sectional next summer.  We need to find a tournament chair, the board will seek volunteers.

 

We discussed the need for a stronger pipeline of new directors.  One obstacle appears to be that some who may be willing to direct are not willing to handle all the set=up and other required computer tasks.  However, there may be others who would be willing to handle the computer tasks but prefer to play rather than direct games.  We will try to identify players who might be willing to fulfill these roles, and provide appropriate training.

 

 We discussed what action, if any, the Unit should take when a player dies.  Consensus seems to be to take no action except if the player has been a director, tournament chair or other active leader in the bridge community.  Sue will draft a policy statement prior to the next Board meeting.

 

 Respectfully submitted,

 Sue Sanger

Does Steve Gaynor Know how to Share Bridge Secrets?

You Betcha!!

 

SECRETS OF NEGATIVE DOUBLES

 

by Steven Gaynor

 

 

Negative doubles are used when the opponents interfere with your auction and make it difficult to bid your suits without misleading partner about your HCP or length of your best suits.  The player using the negative double usually has at least two places to comfortably play the hand with an emphasis on unbid majors.

 

 

Example:  You hold:  53, KQ98, K875, J54

 

 

Partner opens 1C, and your RHO bids 1S.  You rarely want to double 1S for penalties, so the double is called ‘negative’ meaning you have the unbid suits or, at least, the unbid major and about 7-10 HCP.  This would be a classic negative double situation.  It is most important to be disciplined in these hands so partner knows when to bid again or to pass.

 

 

When you have a longer suit, it is tempting to bid at the two level, but you run the danger of misleading partner about your strength.  There is a way to handle it – double, then bid your suit.  This shows extra length, but limited point count.

 

 

Take this quiz with your favorite partner(s).  Discuss your responses and come to agreements.  The suggested responses on the next page are based on the most common treatments among experienced Standard American partnerships.  Of course you may play anything you want, but these seem to work the best in the long run.

 

 

Partner opens 1C and RHO bids Spades.  What would you bid with:

 

 

                                                                              Over 1S                Over 2S

 

1. 53, KJ98,  854,  K965

 

2. AJT, KJT4,  32, Q654

 

3. 53, KQ9865,  32, Q54

 

4. A3, KQ9865, 32, Q54

 

5. 3, KQ9865,  QJ975, 2

 

6. AJT, KJ3, A5, K9743

 

7. J8754, Q98,  A54,  43

 

8. KQJT9, Q98, A5, Q54

 

 

 

 

 

SUGGESTED RESPONSES:

 

 

 

X = double

 

P = Pass

 

 

 

1. X - P. You have plenty to double over 1S.  If partner bids 2D you can go back to 3C.  If he bids hearts, you pass.  If he jumps to 3H you will go on for sure at IMP’s and probably would at matchpoints, too.  Over 2S this is probably the best hand you could hold and not make a negative double. 

 

2. X - X. With your near opener, you have enough to force to the 3 level. Over 3D you may try 3N with double stops in both majors and the likelihood of 5 Club tricks.

 

3. X - X. Doubling and then bidding a suit tells partner you do not have enough to bid your suit freely, but you have 5+ cards in it.  This is not forcing, nor should you ever entertain bidding hearts directly without at least 10 HCP, or at least a beefy 9.  Changing the CQ to the CA would justify a direct 2H call.

 

4. 2H - 3H. Here you have your direct heart bids at either level.  Partner will appreciate hand #4 for a direct heart call vs. hand #3.  A Spade bid now by partner would ask you for a stopper for a NT contract.

 

5. X - X. If partner rebids clubs, you bid hearts in either case.  Nothing you can do about a diamond fit if you have one.

 

6. 2S - 3S. Sometimes it is tough to bid good hands with interference.  You probably have a play for 6C and should aim for that eventually.  First, however, you need to find out more about partner’s hand.  The best way to do that is to cue bid and see what happens.  If you double, partner may jump in hearts, since you really should have 4 of them in any case.

 

7. 1N - P. Bidding 1N here shows your point count well and gives partner a clue as to what to do next (probably pass).  Over 2S, pass, and if partner reopens with a double, do not leave it in as your spades are not close to being good enough.  Over partner’s reopening X, 2N is your best call in that shows your values (6-9) and a stopper in their suit.  Partner should have a pretty good hand to reopen over 2S, and will carry on if appropriate.

 

8. P – P. Now you are out for blood.  If you get to defend a spade contract, you will start by drawing trumps and watch them go down a lot, probably more than the value of your game.