Chris Hasney

Another Media Bridge Reference

Watching old Dick Van Dyke show, opened with couples playing bridge. After some bidding and creativity, the bidding ended with “44 no tickets.”

p.s., sorry for being absent, health and family issues.

Frustrating day at the tables

Three times in today’s club duplicate I had to prefer partner’s 1st bid suit with one card in it once at the four level), and twice I overcalled and passed him in a new suit with a stiff. Jeesh! Coined a new phrase on the 4 spade preference though (them passing throughout until the double — 1D – 1S…2D – 3C…3D – 4C…4S DBL! All pass.) Anyway, when I put down the dummy I said pard had a “Mafia” (a black hand). There’s also the “Shaft” (It’s black and it’s bad!).

Basic American in French

The French language version of my 1st book, The Basic American Bidding System, is now available for purchase as a pdf download (e-book).Basic American French Language Edition

SAYC Strikes Again

Got an invite to a new playing site, Bridgehit My first board I opened in first seat 1nt, LHO bid 2D, pard doubled, RHO passes and my turn. What the devil did x mean? In SAYC it means belt, so I passed. Pard thought it meant neg for takeout. Oh well. Can’t we get this sorted out?

An Experiment

I want to run a little test to see if we can help each other improve our website rankings. I’m going to use my site and another that is linked from mine. Let’s see if the page rankings for the two sites improve dramatically. If they do, then we can all hit each others sites and improve everyone’s rankings! The two sites are simplicitybridge.com and pdibridgesupplies.com. (Add the www.) PDI carries Steve Bruno’s book on Team Tactics which I recommend. Let’s see what happens!

CardSlingers

CardSlingers LogoCardSlingers Contract Bridge Video Game

I now have CardSlingers version beta 0.1 linked from my website. I know there are glitches and that the graphics are terrible and that it is incomplete. This is the place to post comments on other things about the game, such as basic bridge errors, hand errors, play errors, game errors, etc.

Billy Miller Returns

Good to see Billy Miller back in bridge and back in the Bulletin. His article this month featuring the “Impossible 2S” bid is spot on for Forcing 1NT players, and could work for non-forcing 1NT players as well. I recommend that you take a look.

Agreements

Watched an instructive hand today. Bidding with opponents passing throughout was 2NT-3C 3H-4NT 5S-7H swish. Making. Cold for 7NT but about 25%, so the bidding was perfect. At the conclusion of the round I asked the 2NT bidder how he knew what 4NT meant, quantitative, Blackwood for notrump, or BW for hearts. (they play RKC) He said it had to be BW for hearts as trump. Never quant, never for notrump. If for notrump responder would have bid 4C Gerber, which would also have guaranteed a 4 card spade suit. Question: Do you and your partner have such clearly defined agreements?

Good Luck In Reno

Safe trip and good luck to all who will be going to Reno for the year end regional. I always liked that tourney and wish I could still join you.

High Desert Hands STaC

Traveling to Sunsites, Arizona tomorrow to play in the 1st Invitational STaC in the badlands of Arizona, 2!/2 hours from anywhere with more than 20,000 people. Carol Erbeck has been nurturing a bridge club where one couldn’t exist, and doing it anyway despite the odds. She has invited our Unit to play tomorrow, and despite infirmity I’ll limp in and play to support her club and its members. Thank goodness I get a new driver at the halfway point in Benson! Will let you know how it all comes out. BTW, Carol and her partner won our District’s NAP and will compete for the Title in Reno come Spring.

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