Welcome to the Lima Duplicate Bridge Club Blog

Club Games at the Lima Duplicate Bridge Club are held TUESDAYS at 12:30 P.M. and THURSDAYS at 7:00 P.M., at the Council on Aging Building at 215 N. Central Avenue, Lima. The games are OPEN to the public, and ALL are welcome. $3.oo per session is the CHEAPEST duplicate game in the area, and sanctioned by the American Contract Bridge League. The Lima DBC is your venue for special ACBL events, as well.



Check out the CALENDAR at the bottom of this page for upcoming events and games.



If you do not have a partner, or if you have any questions,

please feel free to email the Club Owner/Director, Ruth Odenweller, at: 07bridge@gmail.com.



PARTNERS ARE ALWAYS GUARANTEED!!!



Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Free Ebooks Updated

On the left, find updated versions of some older series free ebooks, as well as some new series free ebooks for 2011.

Thursday, December 1, 2011

December 2011 Up

The December Newsletter is in the Library now.  The format is weird this month -- please excuse the somewhat odd look.

Monday, October 31, 2011

November 2011 Up, Despite...

Two of our editors, Ken and Leah Rexford, are extremely busy right now, as Leah just delivered an early-arriving Charlene Burdetta Rexford to our club as the newest player.  However, as she is only 3lbs, 14oz at the moment, she is still having trouble holding the cards, not unlike her father after a few too many.  Actually, her father cries at the table more that Charlee does, to be honest.

Despite this, the November 2011 Newsletter is online, ontime.  Find it in the online Library.

Sunday, October 9, 2011

Reverse +1 for Spades

A couple of ideas for Power 2NT sequences.

First, consider a spade reverse shown by bidding 2NT instead of 2S after a forcing 1NT.  For example:

1H-P-1NT-P-
2NT = heart-spade reverse

The idea is to potentially save space with "power 2NT" sequences, if you use them.  2S becomes a relay to 2NT, rather than 2NT a relay to 3C, which then allows Opener to rebid 3C to show the game-forcing hand with clubs, rather than bidding 3NT for that hand.

Second, what about transfer positives after the spade-initiated Power 2NT?  Thus:

1S-P-1NT-P-
2NT-P-?

3C = normal
3D = heart positive
3H = spade positive

This allows more utility on the more common major-oriented sequences.

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

August 2011 Newsletter

In this month's LDBC Newsletter, in the Library now, you can find results from the Lima STaC tournament, Bridge Tips, Bickersons on Bridge, Thinking Bridge, and your favorites, as well as some info about the Logan DBC.  Enjoy!

Saturday, July 2, 2011

Monday, June 13, 2011

Toledo Summer Lessons Flyer

If you are interested in bridge lessons this summer, the Toledo Bridge Center has some offerings that you might like.  The flyer is available at this link:

https://docs.google.com/leaf?id=0B7Jn7R4qColkMzUzMTkyYmQtZDVhNS00MzExLTkwZDYtNGRhMGMwMjlkMjdi&hl=en_US

Friday, June 3, 2011

North American Pairs Games Up North

I received this information too late for the June Newsletter, but the Bowling Green Duplicate Bridge Club has announced its North american Pairs Qualifier games:

Thursday, June 8
Thursday, June 15  CANCELED
Sunday, June 19
Thursday, July 7
Thursday, July 28
Sunday, July 31 (This is an additionally scheduled playing date.)
Thursday, August 11
Sunday, August 21 CANCELED
Thursday, August 25

Look for an article in the July Newsletter about these events.

Thursday, June 2, 2011

June 2011 Newsletter

The June 2011 Newsletter is now available in the Newsletter library.  This month, the LDBC announces its first STaC Sectional Tuornament in Lima.  Also, a special announcement about a new player on the way!  Read Bridge Tips, the Bickersons, Light Openings, and Thinking Bridge for enjoyment and learning.

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

May 2011 Newsletter (Almost)

The May 2011 Newsletter is up, although incomplete.  The info for the last Thursday results, as well as for the monthly Top Five, is missing.  The Editor will be on vacation, so this is being loaded early.  Check back for the updated information in mid-May.  As always, the pdf can be found in the Newsletter Library on this page.

Thursday, April 7, 2011

Good 2011 start for Lima!

The Mini-McKinney for the Unit is full of Lima players this year.  Through the first quarter, the following 10 Lima players have made it into the ranks:

Matt Kuhn, 7th, 0-5 category
Greg Novak, 9th, 0-5 category
Mike Mullen, 7th, 5-20 category
Roy Baldridge, 5th, 20-50 category
Leah Rexford, 1st, 100-200 category
John Hoffman, 2nd, 100-200 category
Linda Clay, 10th, 100-200 category
Tom Faulkner, 8th, 200-300 category
Ruth Odenweller, 8th, 500-1000 category
AnaKay Utrup, 5th, 1000-2500 category

Well done, everyone!

Saturday, April 2, 2011

Thursday, March 24, 2011

Location, Location, Location

How much is a Queen worth?

You might immediately say, "Two points!"  Well, that's not so easy.

Here's a simple case in point.  Partner opens One Spade, and your hand is Q32-A1092-872-872.  Six points, right?  Two for the Queen, four for the Ace, and no distribution.

What about the next hand?  Partner again opens One Spade, and your hand is A32-10982-Q72-872.  Looks similar?  All the same pips, no shape, plus exactly six points again?

Which do you like better?

If the side value is an Ace, this surely takes a trick.  Plus, a Queen in partner's suit is surely welcome.  But, a side Queen might well be facing a stiff, or Ax, or three small. 

Thursday, March 10, 2011

Tom Kaple

The Lima Duplicate Bridge Club is today mourning the loss of a dear friend and excellent bridge partner.  Tom passed away this morning after a long struggle with cancer.  Quite a while back, we all were warned that Tom was likely to leave us soon, but he ended up recovering for a wonderful extra time with us and his family and friends.  He tore up the bridge table during that period.  We all hoped that perhaps this latest battle might also be won by our amazing fighter.  Unfortunately, that was not to be.  But, we all cherish the extra time we had with Tom, even if he did continue to embarrass us at the table up until the very end.

Checvk back later for more information.

Sunday, March 6, 2011

Bidding Problem

You are dealt AQx-void-xxx-AKQxxxx.  After opening 1C, LHO intervenes with 1H, partner bids 2D, and RHO preempts to 3H.  Your call?

On the one hand, you have 15 HCP, with a four-loser hand (three diamond losers, plus a spade loser).  Additionally, the spade finesse might fair (probably does), for five losers.  How do you explore, then, this slam?

You could get scientific and bid 4H, but what will partner think that means?  I mean, she certainly won't be excited by her clubs, because she is probably short and definitely has no honors.  She might think you are supporting diamonds, which is not really your intention, and diamonds out-rank clubs (you cannot correct any diamond bid to the same level in clubs). 

On hands like these, you sometimes have to go with general principles.  What was this 2D call?  You expect that partner probably has some heart length, probably not four spades, and probably not hearts double-stopped, because of the auctio so far.  If she has a good hand, therefore, 6C probably has play.  But, what if she has a minimum, or even sub-minimum?

In that event, you must hope that partner knows bidding and only bids with a weak hand if her diamonds are good.  So, blast 6C!  You know where you want to be, you cannot really find out what you want to find out FOR SURE by any auction that is not prone to possible confusion and disaster, and you expect that partner will have something resembling what you need anyway.

Sure enough, partner tables xxx-Qx-AQJxx-Jxx.  That's a fairly ugly hand.  Only 10 HCP, and two of them are the doubleton Queen in the opponents' suit.  But, the suit quality is really good.

If you think that the 6C call was the key action on this deal, I personally think you are wrong.  That 2D call, with a quality suit, was the key call.  Way to go Responder!

Friday, March 4, 2011

An Interesting Slam Auction Last Night

Opener: AKx-x-AQxxxx-K10x
Responder: x-Axxx-J-QJ9xxxx

Opener starts with 1D.  The opponent overcalls 1S.  Responder bids 2C. 

Assuming that start, can the 6C slam be reliably bid?  This was the question asked last night.

Well, even if it could be bid, is this a good contract?  Any sequence approaching slam should send a red flag up that a trump lead is called for.  If the person on lead has Ax or Axx in clubs, or a stiff club (to lead to partner's Ax), the opponents can play club-club ad the opening lead and trick two.  Now, Declarer can win six clubs, three Aces, one King, and ONE heart ruff, for 11 tricks.  Trick 12 seems to be on a diamond hook (which failed in practice), such that 6C should be set quite frequently.

My assessment, then, is this.  Some hands cannot be reliably bid.  Minor slam sequences are particularly tough, and they often call for some sort of "just guess" end point.  This gets especially troubling when the opponents intervene.

Also, the practicality of not bypassing 3NT to explore a sickly minor suit slam often means the critical information is kept secret for too long and if often too difficult to have re-emerge.

So, even if this slam actually should make (because the person on lead does not have the club Ace and another club, or one small), not getting there is reasonable.  If Responder does bypass 3NT, however, Opener should force this slam.

Friday, February 25, 2011

March 2011 is Up

See the March 2011 in the Newsletter Library!  The hyperlinks are working, but the quick jumping in the table of contents seems to only work if you are on the mailing list or if you download the pdf onto your computer.

Also, we have added "Free Ebooks" to the left of this screen, as well.  You will find all of Ruth's 2010 Bridge Tips in one "mini ebook" format.  Also available are the 2010 Bickersons on Bridge articles and the 2010 series on Two Over One Game Force.  These are free to anyone interested.

Monday, February 21, 2011

Upcoming Newsletter -- New Features!

The PDF/online version of the Newsletter will have a few new features starting next month.

First, there will be an interactive Table of Contents on Page Two.  If you want to jump to a specific article, simply "click" your mouse on the article, and you will jump right there.

Second, there will be embedded links.  For example, if you read in an article the term "Losing Trick Count" and want to know more about that, you may well be able to click that term and be taken on your computer to an internet site with an article about that topic.  The same thing might be available for linking to older Newsletters, to tournament information, and the like.  Some will be informative, but some will also be just silliness -- my sense of humor popping out.

Friday, February 4, 2011

Follow Up to Newsletter Article

In this month's Newletter, there was a discussion about showing 5-5 in the majors.  I indicated a more complicated manner of handling 5-5's briefly.  Here's more on that topic, with my recommendations on how to continue in the auction.  There are sexier methods available (and I have played them), but what follows is workable and easier.

The idea, as I noted, was to bid 3D (1NT-P-3D) with 5-5 in the majors and just about any strength (invitational+).  Opener then responds as follows:

3H or 3S = weak, suggesting playing here.  Responder might respect that and pass with a weak hand.  With enough for game, Responder will typically raise to game (or bid 3NT to give Opener a choice).  With slam interest despite this bad news (Responder is allowed to have a really big hand), Responder can move toward slam by bidding shortness.

4H or 4S = enough for game, but not really slammish.  Responder can ask for Aces (4NT) or bid shortness as a slam move.

4C (hearts) or 4D (spades) = slammish hands.  Good controls and fits.

3NT = special.  3-card fit for both suits, plus extras.  Responder can again bid shortness with slam interest.

I also mentioned that this 3D call allows a few other neat calls.  These include the following:

3C as Puppet Stayman.  1NT-P-3C asks Opener for 5-card majors.  With none, Opener bids 3NT, or 3D if he has one or noth 4-card majors.  Responder, after 3D, can then suggest either 4-card major by bidding the other one.  Thus, 3S shows hearts, 3H shows spades.  Responder need not get any sexier than that, because he will not have bnoth 4-card majors -- he would bid 2C normal stayman with that.  So, Responder's 3C either shows 4-3 or 3-4 in the majors, or just one or both 3-card majors.

3H or 3S (1NT-P-3H or 1NT-P-3S) as showing 3-1 (or 1-3) in the majors, with 4-5 or 5-4 in the minors, game-forcing.  This call is designed to (1) find a 5-3 major fit if it exists, (2) avoid 3NT if the stiff major is not covered, or (3) find a nice minor-suit slam.  Whether to b id the 3-card major or to bid the stiff major is negotiable with partner.  This is game-forcing, so Opener will bid (a) 3NT if he has the stiff covered, (b) four of the 3-card major with a fit (could be a 4-3 fit), (c) 5C or 5D to play, (d) 4C or 4D with slam interest, or (e) the OTHER MAJOR with slam interest and a fit for the 3-card major.

Sunday, January 30, 2011

February 2011

Don't miss the new Newsletter, as always in the Newsletter Library to the left side of this page.

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Doubling for Penalty

Suppose that you re playing duplicate.  Your opponents have hearts; you and partner have spades.  After a back-and-forth, you end up pushing all the way to Three Spades, but the opponents, after some thought, bid a VERY hesitant Four Hearts, vulnerable.  What happens if you double?

Suppose that there are five tables at play and that only 40% of the field would bid Four Hearts, 60% settling for defending Three Spades.  Assume, also, that Three Spades would fail by one trick, for -100.  What if Four Hearts makes, but you do not double?

-420
-420
-100
-100
-100

You were -420, for a 1/2 on a 4 top.

Suppose you double, instead.  You now get a goose-egg, but this only cost you 1/2 MP.

What if Four Hearts goes set one trick, without the double?

+100
+100
-100
-100
-100

You get a 3 1/2 on the board.  Had you doubled, you would get a top, but that only gains the same 1/2 MP that you lost when 4H made.  So, a wash.

But, what if Three Spades would have made?

Now, both 4H and 3S makes, let us say.  No double, and the scores are as follows:

-420
-420
+140
+140
+140

You get a 1/2 for defending 4H undoubled.  Bad score.

However, if you double, you get a goose-egg again, losing 1/2 MP.

Now, what if the opponents cannot make 4H but you make 3S?

Undoubled, the scores are:

+100
+100
+140
+140
+140

You get a darned 1/2 again!

But, if you double:

+200
+100
+140
+140
+140

A top!  Gaining 3 1/2 MP!

The point should be easy to see.  If you double a minority contract when you were going down anyway, not much is at stake.  In the example, you gain a smidge when the contract fails but lose a smidge when it succeeds.  Nothing to get too excited about.  However, if your contract was making, not doubling costs you a ton on the board. 

So, a few principles seem clear.  When the opponents bid a minority contract, it seems right to double if you think you were making, even if the contract might be close to making.  There is a lot of upside to doubling, and little downside.  However, if you think you were over your head, then double if you think they won't make.

The "odds" might be stated a different way.

If you think you were failing, double if their contract seems 51% to fail.

If you think your contract was making, double if their contract might fail every so often.

Saturday, January 15, 2011

Martha Farmer

The Lima Duplicate Bridge Club is grieving the loss of a good friend and bridge partner, Martha Farmer.  On Wednesday, January 12, 2011, Martha apparently passed away at her home.  Elaine had just spoken with her, and she seemed ready to play on Thursday night.  That was not to be.  We expect that she instead will have joined in the game upstairs with many of our other friends already at that game.

Martha was quite an interesting person, even away from the bridge table.  You can find a story about her at the Lima News, if you have online access.  More information will hopefully be available later, as far as memorial services and the like.

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

January 2011 Up!

The first edition of the New Year is now up on the website.  Check out the Library!