ahh

Nina Simone's version of Just like Tom thumb's blues . Outstanding now if I could get a copy of her CD To love somebody .

Germany have withdrawn from BB and a German pair have admitted wrongdoing .I hope this is the end of the troubled times for Bridge

It is based on the widely publicized existence of a letter opened after the death of both players confirming that Reese was intending to write a book on cheating at cards . Some of the information to be used was the hands from the World Championship. it was suggested that afterwards he would have admitted to all that that was he had done .Unless the letter was an elaborate hoax that remains the basis for making the statement . If i am wrong about that then I stand to be corrected and better informed Jim Hay

Nigel (nige1) there is little point using Reese Schapiro to challenge how we investigate cheating . Whatever the evidence and whatever the interpretation of the evidence Reese admitted he cheated . End of . They cheated . In this day and age where honour and integrity have little following we will have to wait a long time before anybody confesses this time round unless it is in their interests to do as part of a plea bargain Jim Hay

This topic is a good example of why the internet fora can be a hard world . We forget that when we post problems here for all to comment on that we are dealing with REAL people and comments are made that if read by those real people can cause great hurt . All the experts will have a view of what should happen at the table in a top class game but 95% of bridge is not played in that hallowed arena and many people go to play bridge to have fun, meet people and do the very best that they can which is not the same as doing the very best that international class players will do . I have no trouble at all with us all slaughtering the experts who can stand up for themselves but to pour derision on the inexperienced players / new players to congress bridge / elderly players past their best / youngsters with no leaned disciple / etc etc etc is not helpful. I declare an interest at this point. I know all 4 players very well also the original poster and he has definitely played against all 4 regularly . E/W are a top Scottish pair who have played together for years and have played at the highest level . N/S are club players and it does not surprise me to learn they had methods but both forgot them (i suspect more likely 1 was worried that the other would forget if they bid 4NT what it meant ) that is what club players do all the time and most of the time you get a good score from them . When you get fixed learn to live with it , it is part of the price you pay for playing in mixed standard events . Live with it or stop playing except in games where everyone is expert or better still as perfect as you want them to be . Bridge is a game of errors we all make them . The inexperienced players make different mistakes to experts . It is the cost of learning . Club players feel intimidated by good players and for no logical reason do bizarre things that experts will not . That is unfortunate but true . Please try to remember that whatever their ability in bridge they still have feelings and avoid hurtful comments that you might not say to their face as they may well be reading this. Jim Hay PS you can say what you like about this post or me I have a thick skin .

1 view of individual tournaments is that they are the worst form of torture known to the bridge world . However I play in an event once every 4 years or so to remind me why I don't play in them more often

how many players sort their hands into suits and then rank the cards ? only the ones that don't know that many/some/ few or 1 of their opponents are likely to 'slot' i .e. watch carefully where the cards they play come from in their hand to work out suit patterns. So if I have to play under the proposed changes 1st thing I will do is to shuffle the hand before I look at it and then sort my hand randomly which is exactly what I do now. Big fuss over nothing .

I am heartbroken James Gandolfini aka Tony Soprano sleeps with the fishes

On Sunday I was in Edinburgh Scotland to watch my daughter compete in her 1st half Marathon . It was an appalling day with gale force winds driving rain and very cold for the time of year. Despite this she finished in a respectable time and I was so proud to see her run along the finishing straight. It was thronged with people cheering on their family and friends and also encouraging people they didn't know to get over that distant finishing line . At the end everyone I spoke to was so proud of either their achievement or that of friends and family . To a person they all agreed it was the toughest race they had ever been in. 24 hours later I am watching the awful pictures from Boston --- it puts a lot of things into perspective . Jim Hay

In the far North East of Scotland the local dialect is Doric and we have no trouble announcing a person with whom we are in relationship but are not married to ---- they are called our 'Bidey in '

for what it is worth as I am diabetic injecting Insulin I required to obtain a Therapeutic Use Exemption certificate to be allowed to participate in the recent World Mind Sports Games in Lille as part of the Scottish open team .

I thought it was pronounced 'boofay' which would surely make it french ?

Open Italy Netherlands Monaco Israel Poland Bulgaria Womens France England Netherlands Sweden Poland Denmark Seniors England Poland France Germany Denmark Scotland

My partner and I are looking for a pair or 2 single ladies to team up with for the mixed event We will be representing Scotland in the open event but wish to stay on for the mixed event I represented Scotland at Ostend in the open team and my partner is a regular junior international we both play 2/1 but can cope with 12 14 acol style systems I believe that entry is free to players eliminated from the open /senior/ladies events but a fee has to be paid by players joining afresh. I also believe that the partnerships have to mixed. Any takers? Jim Hay

we didnt travel as far as Ventin but 9 hours in a car was enough for me until we started playing. Mickey B and team fantastic opponents hard match played in great spirit De Botton team very gracious in surprise ( for them only :) ) defeat Ventin and team delightful opposition again hard fought match played in great spirit. into the punch bowl qualifier 7 x8 boards against good and varied opposition young old scottish english etc miss punch bowl by 1VP and so into the swiss play more Scots Bulgarians English juniors and finish 3rd great weekend great bridge great opponents what more can you ask for ?