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for Junior and Intermediate players....and others. It's Fri  day.  A Dangerous Opponent. Something perhaps tough for Junior players today: something perhaps to aspire to. The following deal looked pretty routine, at least when South... read more here

Choices….. Often, when the opposition open the bidding, we have one obvious bid to make. Sometimes, we may have a choice of two bids…and then there are the times when it is much harder…like here!   South... read more here

Wrong but Right. Could it be because this deal occurred in a Pairs competition that so few pairs bid to an excellent slam? Let’s be generous and say “yes”. Perhaps some East-West spade intervention did not enable North to... read more here

                                                      stolen bid!   The natural psych! Something a... read more here

Jan Cormack Age is no barrier to success. The South Island Pairs was played on-line this past weekend, hosted by the Nelson Bridge Club. There was plenty of bridge with 4 x 30 board sessions and an excellent turn-out with 74 pairs taking part.... read more here

for Junior, Intermediate and Novice players...and others! It's Fri day.  A “Maybe” Trick. Today’s deal offers a number of instructive points about play and defence, perhaps in bidding, too. For now, we will watch the deal... read more here

Not quite the norm. It seems however you treat today’s problem hand, it will fall outside what partner expects you to hold. Maybe, then, the aim should be to finish as declarer to prolong the suspense of what you do have…or in this... read more here

Pearson Points to Passing! The two hands below have some things in common but one point of difference. The bidding in each case starts in an identical way.... read more here

                                    can be different.  A Teams and a Pairs top! What does it take to score a good board at Teams? Bidding a... read more here

Never presume you have nothing to say! Round 4 of the monthly Trans-Tasman Teams took place this past Friday evening. It was a great night for two teams, Cornell and the Australian Seniors Team who both recorded maximum wins. For Cornell, with... read more here

For Junior, Intermediate and Novice players…and others! Slam tools. We all love bidding slams, as long as we then make them! We are, justifiably, a little nervous, maybe more circumspect when it comes to grand slams. One slip or bad break... read more here

The price we may pay. Penalty doubles and even bids by opponents issue warnings to a declarer that suits are breaking badly. We have to be pretty sure that when we do double for penalties that the warning given is not enough to put declarer on... read more here

Does it really matter? An innocuous choice. Well, is it? You might think so but it could be the key to success or failure on the following board. East DealsNone Vul ♠ 9 8 ♥ K 10 7 3... read more here

Cream….or custard!  Could that describe our hand today? Altogether, you have a 16 hcp hand. It must sound promising that you have a game to bid and make. Well…..         West... read more here

Beaten…quickly! Swift Sequence and quickly down! Today’s deal is both instructive and exciting. Let’s put you on lead after the following sequence:   ♠ K 10 4 ♥ A K... read more here

  For Junior, Intermediate and Novice players..and others! It's fri day! Before trumps are drawn! There are times to follow the golden rule of drawing the opponents’ trumps as soon as you and there are times when your priorities... read more here

                                                        guess which one? Finesse for slam.... read more here

Grant and Debs reliving this board and others.  Just good friends…on the same wavelength…Just! Indeed, Debs Smith and Grant Jarvis are just that…and occasionally, they get to play bridge together like last weekend at... read more here

Safety First. There was lots of bridge played over the past weekend especially in Auckland, Hastings and Wanaka. All three Congresses featured Teams events where if we can, one's aim is to find to the safest game, given there is a choice. With... read more here

For Junior, Intermediate and Novice players..and others. It’s Fri day! Putting the pressure on! Competitive bidding often creates difficult situations. One good piece of advice is to bid quickly to where you think (with emphasis on... read more here

No Profit from “Crime”. Whoever says crime does not pay, certainly when the crime is reaching the no-trump game and totally missing the top-scoring suit game. At Teams, such a “crime” might gain or lose an imp, not... read more here

                                                 to the fore! The strange case of the Missing Majors. We all know that... read more here

Kiwi Success in Bangkok New Zealand did not send official teams to the 9th APBF Open Bridge Congress which was held in Bangkok from 18th until 27th May this year. However, two self-funded New Zealand teams did attend: Tislevoll: GeO Tislevoll... read more here

Reasons to Bid. There can be many reasons for overcalling. You may overcall in an effort to win the contract. Sometimes, you can make it more difficult for your opponents by bidding. Then, you may just be wanting to help your partner with an... read more here

for Junior, Intermediate and Novice players...and others. It's Fri  Day.  I had a dream! Well, that’s not what you should do at the bridge table, not even in retrospect about a deal! With only our side vulnerable, it was my turn... read more here

Going against the grain. We know what happens, in a no-trump contract, when we do not duck an opponent’s lead of a danger suit. The defence regains the lead and runs winners when playing low at trick one would have cut communications. So,... read more here

Fortune favours the brave. Well, you do not need to be too brave with as there are various ways to achieve a good result with today’s deal. It is complicated by the fact that it was played in the Pairs environment which means the top score... read more here

 An online Swiss Pairs fundraiser is being run on the Matariki Holiday (Friday 28th June).   Attached is the poster with more information.    Matariki Fundraiser (9.23MB)   Funds raised for this event will go... read more here

A little (in partner's hand) means a lot…..well, undertricks! Have you ever not known what to lead? Dumb question? Frequently! Well, in that case, you will find yourself in familiar territory today. The play will not take place until you... read more here

                                      Finesse and Care. The following board required both of the above for one declarer. Firstly, though, would you... read more here

For Junior, Intermediate and Novice players…and others. It’s Fri day! Guiding Partner, Avoiding Disaster! Sometimes as a defender you have to work out what to play next. Then there are times when your partner gives you a good clue,... read more here

Listen (to the bidding) and look (at your hand).   Today’s problem might seem no problem for some but for the vast majority of North-South pairs who faced it, they could not come to the right conclusion. So, if you get the wrong answer... read more here

                                                                     ... read more here

  Trans- Tasman Round 3. The 3rd round of the Trans- Tasman Teams took place last Friday night. New Zealand teams still occupy 6 of the top 8 positions in the 16 team competition though the leaders are now Australian Mixed Team who had a... read more here