Ashby Bridge Club 

David Hutton 

It is with great sadness that we report the death on January 29^th of David Hutton who was a member of our club for many years.  David was a popular member who served the club as a committee member and chairman.  Our condolences go out to his family and friends.

Website  

A new page, “Deal of the Week”, will be added to the website shortly. Interesting deals from the club’s duplicate sessions will be put through the Blue Chip Bridge program to find out what the bidding, as recommended by the program, should have been.  It is hoped that there will be a “Deal of the Week” for most  weeks.

Annual General Meeting 

Our 2010 annual general meeting will take place at The Cottage on Monday 12th  July.

Annual Presentation Dinner 
This event will take place on Friday September 17th at Willesley Golf Club.  Further details will be made available nearer the time.  

‘A’ Team End of Season Report by Malcolm Dawson 

Well, the Leicestershire Bridge League for 2009/10 has ended with mixed fortunes for the two teams. The A team competed in a closely contested Division 2 and the B team in an equally tight Division 5. 

Despite having won more matches than all but the guaranteed title winners County B, there was a possibility that the A team could end up in one of the two relegation positions in their Division. With the bottom two sides, Loughborough University A and County C playing each other on the final evening and Golf having completed their fixtures, we needed no worse than a 4-8 defeat to ensure that we would avoid the ignominy of relegation.

 At the other end of the table Grantham A and Blaby A were playing each other for the second promotion spot which meant we were facing runaway leaders County B to achieve safety. A hard fought, but friendly encounter, which saw large swings on several boards, ended with County narrowly winning by 14 IMPs which converted to a 5-7 Victory Point loss meaning that the A team would remain a Division 2 side.  Bridge is a game of ifs and buts and as is usual in teams’ events, a marginal decision by one or two pairs on one or two boards and the result could have been completely different. But we did what we needed to do and ended up with a creditable Won 6 Lost 6 record. The final league positions were: 

                                      P   W   D   L   IMPS  VPs

1 County B                   12  10   2    0   +349     98

2 Blaby A                     12    5   2    5      +74    78

3 Loughbro Univ A       12    4   0    8       +9     70

4 Grantham A              12    4   3    5      -16     69

5 Ashby A                   12    6   0    6     -106    66

6 Golf                           12    5   1    6       -99     65

7 County C                  12    4    0   8     -229     56  

Hopefully we will enter two teams again next year. Teams Bridge is fun and a change from pairs. I’m sure all those who have played for the first time this year enjoyed it and feel it has improved their play. If you are at all interested in joining us please let myself, Colin Dobson or a member of the committee know.  

‘B’ Team End of Season Report by Colin Dobson

 The club entered a second team in the league this season, as considerable interest was generated at the AGM by members who had never previously played in such an event.  

Automatically entered into the lowest Division (Div 5), it has not been successful results-wise (finishing bottom), but has been regarded by the team members as a great success in providing a new and invigorating experience which all look forward to the opportunity of being able to repeat - with an improved outcome!  The final league table was:

                   W   D   L   IMPs   VPs 

Swan        13   1   1    622     134

Blaby        10   3   2    263     110

Bradgate    1   3  11  -224       73

L'boro'        7   2   6   -226       73

Glenfield    4   3    8   -184       72

Ashby        2   4    9   -307      69 

As can be seen, apart from two run-away teams, there was little to choose between us and the other three teams, which perhaps for a first experience is not too bad a result. A particular highlight is the fact that Swan lost only 1 match - AGAINST US.  

Special thanks, appreciation and recognition should be afforded to Ann Potterton, who organised the whole season with consummate efficiency & professionalism, ensuring that our participation ran like a well oiled machine, despite the lack of any previous experience on our part.  

Sticking to the Laws of the Game by Malcolm Dawson 

One of the pleasures of playing Bridge at the Ashby Bridge Club is the friendly and sociable way in which the game is played. There are very few disputes and when these arise they are usually sorted out amicably and to the satisfaction of all.  

However, some of the laws of bridge are not always understood by novice (and sometimes more experienced) players and these transgressions are not only against the laws of bridge but also against the spirit of the game. Whilst they are often inadvertent and done without any intent to seek advantage, they are illegal. Over the next few months we will try to point out some of the more common misdemeanours so that all players can continue to enjoy their bridge whilst remaining within the Laws of Bridge.  For this first article I would like to address the role of dummy. 

Once an auction has ended and the first card has been led, then dummy places their cards face up on the table and must then take no further part in the play other than at the declarer's instruction.

• Dummy must not touch a card, point to a card or put their hand near to a card until declarer has instructed them to do so.
• If declarer nominates a suit, or says "play" or similar without specifying a particular card, dummy must play the lowest rank card in the suit.
• If declarer says "high" the highest card is played. If declarer says "low" the lowest card is played.
• Declarer may say run a suit from the top" and dummy can follow that instruction until directed to stop.
• Dummy may prevent declarer from playing from the wrong hand by saying "your hand" or "dummy" or similar, before the card is covered. 

Defenders can call the director if they feel dummy has unduly influenced declarer and the director may award an adjusted score if he feels that the defenders have been damaged. 

The relevant sections of the actual Laws are as follows: 

Role of the Dummy 

Dummy takes no active part in the play of the hand.  Whenever it is dummy's turn to play, the declarer must say which of dummy's cards is to be played, and dummy plays the card as instructed (provided that it is legal).  

Dummy is not permitted to offer any advice or comment on the play.  When dummy wins a trick, the declarer specifies which card dummy should lead to the next trick. If when calling for a card the declarer specifies the suit only, dummy is to play the lowest card of that suit. 

It is also legal, and not unusual, for the declarer to play dummy's cards by physically taking them from dummy's hand rather than just calling for them. This allows the dummy player to leave the table during the play of the hand.  

Law  45 

     1.  Dummy Indicates Card 

After dummy’s hand is faced, dummy may not touch or indicate any card (except for purpose of arrangement) without instruction from declarer. If he does so the Director should be summoned forthwith and informed of the action. Play continues. At the end of the play the Director shall award an adjusted score if he considers dummy suggested a play to declarer and the defenders were damaged by the play suggested. 

     2.  If declarer designates a suit but not a rank he is deemed to have called the lowest card of the suit indicated.   

Thanks to Malcolm and Colin for their contributions. 

Ron Barker. 

13th April 2010.