Bridge lessons started with a bang last week with 16 people showing up. All of these folks had played lots of bridge, but they want to hone their skills and to learn what the duplicate craze is all about.
Brownie and Jimmy Doss, Harriet Saunders, Kathryn Spicer, Marie Coker, Lib Braswell, Pat Smith, Betsy Harrold, Maureen Prys, Mona McConnaughey, Gene and Pat Bauer, Joan Hackmann, Kathy Jones, John Walston, and Linda Watson filled up four tables and listened politely as I told them of the only requirement of the course: that they come to the game and play bridge.
I told them that their presence at the Christmas party was expected and that the only way out was to have a medical excuse. With that, Harriet Saunders quipped, “Well, that shouldn’t be too hard with this group.”
Shelby Bizzell, Tommy Franklin, Sterling Jarrett, and Bill Warren showed up to help, so it was a wonderful situation. Each table had its own mentor when we started playing the hands and could ask advice as they bid and played.
More than 10 other people have expressed an interest in the lessons, so here’s hoping that we will swell our numbers soon. Gene and Pat Bauer took my admonitions to heart and showed up at Thursday’s game. Tommy said they were delightful. I hope they had fun and will come back.
Our topic is Defense, but we are beginning with a general review. Defense is half of the game. Maybe not the fun half, but the beauty of duplicate bridge is that you can sit there all afternoon with sorry cards and still come out on top if you defend well.
One rule of thumb for defending is that you should never give your opponents a ruff and a sluff if you can help it. In other words, don’t lead a suit that they have no card in either the dummy or their hand. If you do this, it not only lets them ruff (trump) the trick, but it also allows them to get rid of a losing card in the other hand.
To paraphrase Gilbert and Sullivan, “A director’s lot is not a happy one.” The director is also trying to play, and when he is summoned to settle a dispute or to answer a question, it interrupts his concentration and unsettles him. We are fortunate to have five directors: Shelby Bizzell, Tommy Franklin, Sterling Jarrett, Sherry Owens, and Krishnaprasad. Directors are volunteers who many times would prefer not to be directing.
Let’s remember to thank them for all they do. We could not have a sanctioned game without them.
Thursday’s winners: first, Linda Greenwood and Shelby Bizzell; second (tie) Tempie Pierce and Dayle Pond and John and Judy Haverkamp; fourth, Migeon Knowles and Carole Ray.
Monday’s results: first, Tommy Franklin and Barbara Ann Vinson; second, Linda Meyer and Pat Keim; third, Joe Hatch and Faye Hatch.
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