CLUB BIDDING

Club player’s END OF AN ERA

bidding AFTER 55 years as Honorary Secre-

tary of the Essex Contract Bridge

Association, Margaret Curtis retired

at the County AGM in May, and

quiz was presented with a silver salver

to mark this great achievement.

Answers to problems

Julian Pottage

on page 41

W N E S W N E S

Hand 1 1t Pass 1´ Pass Hand 4 1® Dble Pass

´Q83 1NT Pass 4NT Pass ´543 ?

™ K6 ? ™864

tAKQ8 tAK4 1NT. While you have no

®K965 6NT. Partner’s raise of ® J 10 3 2 suit to show, you do have

your no-trump bid is some values and a stop-

quantitative, inviting you per in opener’s suit. This

to bid a slam. With a maximum for the bid shows about 7-9 points and a stopper

15-17 points that you have shown with in the opponent’s suit. With these values,

your 1NT rebid, you accept. there is no need to invent a suit. For many years, the Association was

run by Margaret, particularly after the

death of her husband, George, when

W N E S W N E S she also took on the role of

Hand 2 1™ 2® Hand 5 1NT Pass Tournament Secretary. As a token of

´K97 Pass 3® Dble Pass ´ J 10 7 5 ? gratitude, Margaret has now been

™ 10 3 ? ™J954

invited to be President of the ECBA.

t J 10 9 6 5 tKJ85 2®. You can use Stayman

Apart from Essex, Margaret has

®Q43 3t. Your partner’s ®6 on a weak hand so long

done, and continues to do, sterling

double is for take-out. as you can handle any of

work for the EBU as our delegate and

With little support for opener’s rebids. Here,

shareholder. She was the first woman

hearts, you simply bid your longest suit with support for all the suits that opener

at the lowest level. Although you have can bid in reply to 2®, including dia- on the board of Directors, a position

some values when you have not monds, you are fine. You intend to pass at which she held for thirty-one years,

promised any, 5t is a long way off. You your next turn. A suit contract should play during which time she became Vice

do not want to punish partner’s better than 1NT. Most of the time you will Chairman. She has also served on the

enterprise for competing the part-score. find a 4-4 fit. Tournament Committee since 1981,

holding the post of Chairman for sev-

eral years. In recognition of this,

W N E S W N E S Margaret was made a Vice-President

Hand 3 1® Pass 1t Pass Hand 6 1t Pass of the EBU, and was given the EBU

´A3 ? ´ A K 10 9 8 ? Gold Award in 2000.

™ K Q 10 8 ™Q7 Margaret has a very impressive

tA5 1™. Keep the bidding tK record of bridge achievements, hav-

®KJ532 low and show your ®KQ983 1´. With a two-suited ing won every Essex tournament over

second suit. You have no hand you should start

the years, and represented the coun-

need to jump to show the auction slowly to

ty in the Tollemache Cup, Eastern

some extra values or to rush to your give yourself a chance to show both suits.

Counties League and Metropolitan

stoppers. By taking things slowly, you leave As usual, when you plan to bid two suits,

Cup, and has had numerous success-

yourself room to show those other you should bid the major before the

features later in the auction. minor. r es in National Events.

(Jill Tattersfield)

When you have finished reading this magazine, please recycle it.

42 English Bridge August 2011 www.ebu.co.uk