ansoe

The June IBPA Bulletin confirms Philadelphia as the venue and October 1 - 16 as the dates.

Can I suggest you consider adopting transfer positive responses. If you do then a response of one spade shows positive values with no 5 card or longer suit. Opener rebids one no trump which asks responder for more information. With all 4441 hands responder will now bid two clubs over which opener relays with two diamonds and responder bids the suit below the singleton. If opener now bids the short suit it can be used to ask the range of the responders hand, or number of controls. This treatment has the added advantage that NT contracts are usually played by opener and openers rebid of 1NT is unlimited.

A possible explanation of the auction is 4♦ = what is your major 5♦ = control asking bid in ♦ 5♠ = second round control Knowing of a certain ♦ looser North decided against a slam.

In bridge this is pretty new. Until recently Great Brittain could send only one team to the European Championships. The first time England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales could enter their own teams was in 2003. In football (soccer B) ) it's a different story. Not quite correct, Harald. First time we saw England, Scotland and Wales as separate entities was in year 2000 (Olympiad in Maastricht, Netherlands). Then we had the same three (bridge) nations at the European Team Championships in 2001 (Tenerife, Spain) and 2002 (Salsomaggiore, Italy). As an aside, Italy Open fielded the exact same team in Salso and won. Team photo here ... http://www.eurobridge.org/competitions/02S...lsomaggiore.htm Roland This is not correct. Irish teams, ( Open and Women's) have played in European Championships for 60 years.

Joan Hunter Dunn died on 11th April at the age of 92. She is immortalised in John Betjamin's famous poem " A Subaltern's Love-song". Some time ago an Irish bridge player, Seamus Dowling, imagined the lovers were bridge players and wrote a parody on the original. I think it is a masterpiece. A Male Bridge Player’s Love-song. Miss J.Hunter Dunn, Miss J.Hunter Dunn, With wisdom and wiles of Ely Culbertson, Engaged in a rubber we played after tea, My dearest, her mamma, her papa and me. At five hundred above and sixty below She played in two spades, on my lead she played low My King held the trick, I continued, alack, My torturer held both the Ace and the Jack. With the speed of a swallow; the grace of a stag, She later end-played me, eight tricks in the bag, And the rubber to boot, her papa just glared, As he and I paid, but my heart was ensnared. Miss Joan Hunter Dunn, Miss Joan Hunter Dunn, How mad I am, sad I am, glad that you won. The smooth-coated cards are returned to the press, And I know that my champion, she loves me no less. The scent of the woodbine, the song of the thrush, As I view from my bedroom the gardens so lush, And I struggle with cuff links and collar and tie, For we play at the bridge club, my victor and I. In drawing room cabinet her trophies arrayed, And photos of victories on walls are displayed At tennis and bridge Oh! what consummate craft; Bare footed she stands, five foot twelve and a half. The Hillman is waiting, the engine still purrs, My darling emerges in satins and furs, “We’ll play strong notrump and weak twos and have fun” I’m o’er come by your mastery Joan Hunter Dunn. Miss Joan Hunter Dunn, Miss Joan Hunter Dunn, Came in from the car, the mixed pairs had begun, She picked up her cards which she gracefully fanned, Nor diamond, nor spade, ‘twas my heart in her hand. “Two clubs” a game force, oh faultless of calls I passed, she just smiled, how she softens my falls, She claimed thirteen tricks, then remarked “ ‘tis just fun,” I am faint from your graciousness, Joan Hunter Dunn. The next board was average, the third one a steal When my darling false carded I scarce could conceal My joy when declarer was fooled by her ruse, And when our opponents in praise were profuse. The first hand I played was board ten in round six, A one no trump contract, I made seven tricks, The score sheet revealed half the field had made eight A broad reassuring smile came from my date. The Hillman heads homewards, we recall the way, She backward finessed, Morton’s fork, her end play, She played nineteen hands, I should tell you we won, Oh! rapturous squeeze from Miss Joan Hunter Dunn. We talked about technique as reclined she lay, How expert she was at discovery play, Light openings and entries and when to advance, She strove for an hour my approach to enhance. The power of her perfume, and tender words said, And planning for congress and mixed pairs ahead, We parked in the driveway till twenty to one, And now I’m engaged to Miss Joan Hunter Dunn. It was published last year in "The Irish Bridge Journal" which has a limited circulation and I post it here as I think it deserves a wider audience.

I havn't seen this but the following scheme is based on the same idea. In reply to 1♣ opening 1♦ Negative all other responses GF 1♥ Only one 5 card or longer suit, no singleton / void 1♠ No 5 card or longer suit ( This allows opener to rebid 1nt and avoids weak hand playing nt games when balanced.) 4441 hands are included in the 1♠ response. Opener rebids 1NT and responder rebids 2♣ to show this hand type. Opener relays with 2♦ and responder bids the suit below the singleton. Responses from 1NT to 2♥ are transfers showing 5+ no other 5+ card suit and a singleton / void elsewhere 2♠ 5+/ 5+ in minors 2NT 5+ / 5+ at least one Major. Opener can relay for distribution, controls, by accepting transfer or relaying over the 1♥ response, or bid naturally.

To deal with positive responses with balanced or 4441 hands you might consider this scheme. If you are concerned about 8 - 13 range a relay can narrow it. 1c > 1s positive no five card or longer suit 1nt ? 2c = any 4441 2d = 4h and max of 13hcp 2h = 4s and max of 13hcp 2s = no 4 card M max of 13hcp 2n = 14+ any 4333 hand 3c = 14+ 4c and another 4 card suit 3d = 14+ 4d with a 4 card M 3h = 14+ 3h and 4/4 minors 3s = 14+ 3s and 4/4 minors Opener can relay if necessary or sign off. Openers hand is undisclosed in the auction and opener is declarer most of the time. This is the major advantage in not using 1nt as a response with a balanced hand.

A 12 15 NT opening on all balanced /semi balanced hands ( including a 5 card M or a 6 card m) means that the 1 Diamond opening will always be at least four card and the hand will usually be unbalanced. A good follow up system is needed as the range is a bit wide but the advantages compensate.

And another 1D Negative All other responses GF 1H One 5 card or longer suit and no singleton/void 1S No 5 card or longer suit 1N 5+ clubs, no second 5 card suit and a singlton/void 2C 5+ diamonds, no second 5 card suit and a singleton/void 2D 5+ hearts, no second 5 card suit and a singleton/void 2H 5+ spades, no second 5 card suit and a singleton/void 2S 5+ 5 in minors 2N 5+ 5 at least 1 major Opener can relay for further definition or bid naturally.

I have been working on a set of responses where the first bid by responder shows game values and distributional features. I would welcome comments. It goes like this 1C 1H One five card or longer suit (any) no singleton/void 1S No five card or longer suit All other responses from 1NT to 2 H are transfers showing 5+ and an undisclosed s/v Responding hands with two suits 5+ start with 2S (minors) or 2NT( at least 1 M) Opener can relay for distribution/controls if desired or bid naturally.