May 2005 - 43

should have support for the unbid
suits when you double with
normal-strength values. This hand
would tempt many players to
double, and it would be acceptable.
You do not have perfect shape, but
doubling is barely okay because
you have an opening bid, you have
support for the unbid major and
you have another four-card suit.
I would not, however, criticize
anyone who passed.
West
North
East
South
1
?
13. 7 6 3 Q J 7 A Q J 8 K J 6
Pass. There are two reasons why
passing is right. Can you name them?
The first is that you have bad
distribution. The second is that East
opened 1. When an opponent
bids 1, you must be aware that
if your side bids a suit, it must be
at the two level. You do not want
to put this hand down in dummy
in a two-level contract if you do
not have to. Take away one spade
and give yourself a fourth heart or
a fourth club and doubling is fine.
Watch out for bad-shape doubles
when they open 1.
14. 7 4 A Q 7 2 A 7 4 Q 8 7 4
This is close, but with a minimum
hand and a little bit less than
perfect shape, passing is best.
When you think of the dangers of
playing at the two level instead of
the one level, you will appreciate
that this hand is not quite good
enough to double.
15. 9 K Q 7 4 10 9 5 3 A Q 10 4
Double. Why double with only 11
HCP when the two hands before
passed with 14 and 12? The reason
that you can double with this
minimum hand is that you have
ideal shape. No matter which suit
your partner picks, it will be good
for you. If he has five diamonds
and zero HCP, this hand might
prove good enough to take nine
tricks because of its good shape and
quality points, minimum though
they may be.
Enjoy and learn with free daily
bidding and play hands at
www.bridgeclues.com
Hands created by Mike Lawrence.
May 2005



Bridge Players Survival Kit

and with six tricks in his own hand, when the club finesse worked.
Making seven on
pushed to 6NT.
If you are going to bid
"only" 30 HCP!
The big
(and make) a pushy slam,
The author is
difference
between these
you need a source of tricks! an accredited
bridge teacher
two pushy
and president of the American
slams is that North in the second
Bridge Teachers' Association. She
hand had a "source of tricks" -
is editor of Bridge Students 'R Us,
his long diamond suit, which he
a newsletter for intermediate and
hoped would run. In the first hand,
newcomer players (six issues per
North's points were scattered with
no long suit. With a source of tricks year for $25). Write to Leslie Shafer,
690 Concerto Lane, Silver Spring
you can be a tad more aggressive.
MD 20901.

The second declarer took 13 tricks

Just what the doctor ordered
The first player to become a new Life Master while playing at the
Pittsburgh North American Bridge Championships was Mortimer Katz of
Ottawa ON. Katz, a physician who specializes in allergies, received a 14k
gold Life Master pendant in honor of the achievement.
Upon receiving the pendant, Katz quipped, "I swore I'd become a Life
Master before I turned 80. I was cutting it close since I celebrated my 79th
birthday on March 1."
Katz first learned duplicate bridge in the mid-Seventies.
In 1976, however, he gave up smoking, which made
it difficult for him to continue playing at clubs and
tournaments. So, with just 21 masterpoints to his
credit, he gave up the game to pursue his other
interests, which include tennis, squash, clarinet
and piano. (Katz is a skilled jazz clarinetist.)
In 1995, Katz attempted a return to bridge, but
another impediment occurred.
"My wife found it too stressful, so I
gave it up again," he said.
In June 2002, however, Katz
developed a high spinal cord
abscess that left him temporarily
paralyzed. Two surgeries
and three months later, Katz
eschewed more physical
activities and returned to
bridge full time.
Katz came to Pittsburgh
lacking only 2.31 gold points
for his gold card. After picking
up a partner (Judy Mannschreck
of Virginia Beach VA) and
teammates (Fred Mason of
Beckley WV and Carroll Givens of
79-year-old Mortimer Katz became
Daniels WV), Katz's team made it to
the first new LM at the Pittsburgh
the semifinal round of a bracketed
NABC. Katz is holding a gold
knockout event, giving him
Life Master pendant given by the
enough to complete his gold-point
Bridge Gold Group.
requirement.

43
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Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of May 2005
