Bristol Bridge Club aims to provide facilities and opportunities for all its members to enjoy playing and learning bridge, no matter at what level. Beginner or international.

We are a large club and are able to offer playing sessions that suit all levels of ability. Non-members are always welcome.

The club has its own premises and we are situated near the centre of Bristol in Hotwells. The club consists of a large playing room with a smaller area for classes and a licensed bar that also offers light refreshments.

The club plays duplicate bridge on most days of the week, usually with a qualified director.

The club is affiliated to the English Bridge Union (EBU), via the Avon Contract Bridge Association (ACBA).

BRISTOL BRIDGE CLUB is a charity and it has been entered onto the Register of Charities with the Registered Charity Number 1167959.

There is car parking close by.

For directions and map, click here.

Week 73

I prefer not to write about specific matches or plays good or bad made by particular players but the last set of a recent match saw some amazing boards crop up. The match was practically even after 40 boards and we sat down for the last set

First 

AKTxx

KJx

xx

Qxx

Qx

AQT9xx

Axxx

x

6h is circa 50% but not bid in either room.

Then 

AKxxx

Qxxxx

void

AKQ

xx

AJTxx

Jxx

Jxx

a cold 6h with seven making on the trump finesse missed in the other room by the opposition but bid by our team for 11 imps in.

Then you hold 

KQx

void

AKJxx

AKTxx

2s from partner weak  first in love all 5h a toy called exclusion Key Card Blackwood collected 5nt ( SA ) so we went for the jackpot !

He held 

AJxxxx

Qxx

xx

xx

So you test clubs which are 4-2 and then fall back on the diamond finesse to score up the grand slam for a flat board.

Then 

x

AKQxxxx

xx

Axx

Axxx

xx

AKxxx

Kx 

Another grand slam, the 3rd of the set.

It went 1h (4s) dbl -p 5h 6h and in the other room they reached 7nt which made on the double squeeze. Lose 13 imps. 7h is rather more straight forward !

Finally

AKxxx

Ax

x

KJTxx

xx

QTx

KJx

AQxxx

1s -2c -3d (short) -3nt -4c -4h -6c was the auction in our room. Declarer was known to hold good diamonds and 4h might be diversionary so a diamond from Axxxx looked unattractive so a heart was led for 1 off and team mates scored +400 in 5c. 

 I guess if you have been counting you will realise the outcome of the match by now

Week 72

Two hands this week.

First something rather special.

You play in 4h on the following lay out on the lead of CQ. You win and note you have a loser in each minor together with at least one trump so it appears as if the HK needs to be onside with the suit 3 -2.

AKx

Qxxx

Kxxx

Jx

QJTxx

Axxx

X

Axx

You cash the HA at trick two and LHO follows with the king .So the trumps are 4 -1 with RHO holding 2 winners in the suit. You still have a chance if RHO has 3 or more spades since you can cash 3 rounds and then discard the club loser on the 4th round of the suit when RHO is ruffing in and thereby hold yourself to two trump losers and the DA.

You therefore play on spades but RHO ruffs the second round of spades and cashes the CK and you find you must lose the DA and a trump trick to West!! 

The layout of the other hands was

Xxxx

KJT

AXxx

QX

X

Xx

QJxx

Kxxxxx

LHO followed to the HA with the HK holding KJT the effect of which was to throw declarer off beam in the belief that the trumps are breaking badly. This play was truly brilliant and the reason for the play was that West knows the trumps are favourably placed and they only have one trick in the suit so chuck a curve ball to declarer and see what effect it has. 

Our second problem is a lead which I faced recently.

1c 2d 2nt 4nt 6nt was the auction. Opponents were playing strong NT and 5 card majors and 1c may be two cards. 2d was strong.

You hold 

Kxx

Xx

Xxxx

Xxxx

What is your selection?

Do you go passive on the basis that it is two balanced hands and if so which suit do you choose? A heart could damage partner as could a club and a diamond is probably the most neutral selection. The alternative is to attack with a spade playing partner for a high card in the suit. Either approach could be correct but the diamond bid suggests five or Six tricks in that suit in the dummy and so it is not a case of two balanced hands and thus the reason for a spade lead is stronger here than it would be if the bidding had gone say 1nt 4nt 6nt. A spade was needed and of course I duly failed but did at least strongly consider that option.

Week 71

Week 70 69 68 and 67

Week 66 and 65

Week 64 and 63

Week 62 61 60 and 59

Week 55 53 and 53

Week 52 51 and 50

 Week 49 and 48

Week 47 46 and 45

Week 44 and 43

Week 42 and 41

week40 and 39

Week 38 and 37

Week 36 and 35

Week 34 and 33

Week32 and 31

Week 30 and 29 

 Week 28 and 27

Week 26 and 25 

Week 24, 23 and  22

Week 21, 20 and 19

Week 18 and 19

Week 16 and 15

Week 14 and 13

 Week 12 and 11

Week 10 and 9

Week 8 and 7

Week 6 and 5

Week 4 and week 3

Weeks 2 and 1

September

Sunday 22nd  Curtis Cup round 2

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