BRIDGE News:
Congratulations to Earle Marie Hanson, who just became a ruby life master, having accumulated more than 1,500 masterpoints!
Open winners on Monday were Joy Green and Jerry Morzinski. Flight B winners were Alan Wadlinger and Randy Baker.
Open winners on Wednesday were John Ruminer and Earle Marie Hanson.
High card points (HCP) aren’t everything, as the following deal illustrates.
Board 1: North is the dealer and nobody is vulnerable.
After North and East pass, South opens with 1♠. West should bid 2♥, and North should find either a 2♠ bid or a 3♠ preemptive call. Over 2♠, a bold East might well bid 3♣, but if North bids 3♠, East would probably pass. Assuming the above, South would likely bid 3♠ over East’s 3♣, but would pass North’s 3♠ all. Is the auction over? Perhaps, but it’s hard seeing West pass after a 3♠ bid by N/S. He/she should probably now bid 4♦, over which East will likely bid 4♥. That will likely end the auction. On this hand, it is very interesting to note that, while N/S have one more HCP than do E/W, E/W can take 11 or 12 tricks, while N/S can take only 8! That’s one of the many reasons why bridge is not only cerebral, but a lot of fun.
When this hand was played locally, one pair played in 3♠/S down 1, two pairs played in 4♠/S down 2, and the 4th pair played in 5♣/E making 6.
The Los Alamos Duplicate Bridge Club games are held at the Betty Ehart Senior Activity Center (BESAC) starting at 12:45 p.m., Wednesdays, and at the White Rock Senior Activity Center (WRSAC at 12:45 p.m., Mondays.
Check out the Los Alamos Duplicate Bridge Club’s new website at www.ladbc.net to learn what it’s all about, contact the club to get involved, join the fun, and much more.
Perhaps you’ve seen the old card game “Bridge“ mentioned in a book or seen it being played on the Orient Express in an old Agatha Christie black-and-white movie. Maybe you’ve even tried to play it in the remote past with Mom and Dad (or even more likely Grandma and Grandpa) around the kitchen table. Well, it hasn’t quite gone the way of the typewriter or film cameras, yet – and, in fact, it has a substantial Free-on-the-Internet presence. LEARN TO PLAY BRIDGE!
That being said, it is a game that needs new and younger Face-to-Face players and, here in Los Alamos the local club is ready to bring you on board with nighttime, after work or weekend, FREE lessons, and playing opportunities.
We have four locations available – the game store in White Rock, the Mesa game store on Central here in Los Alamos, the Los Alamos Public Library, or Smith’s Market! What we need from interested folks is some indication of interest and what day of the week and location would be most convenient. Please reach out to Neill Goltz at 641.236.1170 (neill.goltz2@gmail.com) or Bobby Haynes at 505.753.3249 (rsh@valornet.com) with your questions and preferred time and location!