May 2014 - 7

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Partnership harmony

I always try to play the best that I
can, but when I do mess up, my wonderful partner (and fiancé) just smiles
sweetly and says, "That's OK. I still love
you." It always surprises our opponents
and makes them smile. It surely lightens the mood all around and promotes
the fun of the game.
Now isn't that a great example of
partnership harmony?
TUDI MOLDESTAD
Swansboro NC

Bidding card sense

In reference to the February Ruling
the Game article (page 51), there would
have been no dispute if the bidding
cards had been left on the table until
the opening lead had been made.
If bidding cards are not picked up until the lead is on the table, there would
be fewer leads out of turn, no asking for
reviews of the bidding and no question
as to the final contract. Why is this not
a rule?
JUDITH HOFBAUER
New Port Richey FL

Problem solver

While working the partnership desk
at our club's recent sectional tournament, I received a request by phone on
a Friday morning. "My husband just
came home from the hospital and cannot play bridge yet. I would like to play
in the Sunday Swiss teams. I will need
a partner, teammates and a ride, as I do
not drive."
I began talking to folks in hopes of
finding what this player desired. I had
almost given up hope when a player
came up to the partnership desk on
Saturday evening and said that his
partner had canceled for the Sunday
Swiss teams, and he wondered if I
could find a single player for him.

Letters to the Editor

I told him I had just the player if he
could pick her up. He phoned her and
got directions to her home, which happened to be along his route. When they
arrived on Sunday morning he commented, "Only in bridge can you go to a
stranger's home, shake hands with her
husband and take his wife out for the
day."
HELEN NELSON
Grand Prairie TX

one masterpoint. Use of the rating point
slips at clubs ceased in the mid-1990s.

Watch those spots

Regarding Eddie Wold's fine play in
slam from the Fall NABC in Phoenix
(February, page 28). In the article,
this five-card ending is reached in the
contract of 6♥:

Helpful staff

About two years ago, Bee Kinman,
Unit 557, was rummaging around her
place and found some rating point
slips from many years ago. Evidently,
they were issued to those players who
earned points at local games. Players
then sent them to ACBL Headquarters to be added to their masterpoint
records.
That was news to me. I never thought
about the way points were accounted
for before the computer age. Bee asked
me to contact ACBL to see whether
these points could still be counted.
The lady I dealt with at ACBL got
back to me quickly to say Bee could
send her rating point slips to the office
so they could be added to her masterpoint record in the ACBL database.
I would like to thank the people at
ACBL for helping Bee become a Diamond Life Master not long after her
lost points were included in her point
count. She is now in her early 90s and
playing five or six days a week, still
looking forward to and getting more
points.
I thought this would be a nice comment on how ACBL is friendly to its
players. Well done, ACBL!
WILLIAM H. SMITH
Seal Beach CA
For those who don't know about rating
point slips, 100 rating points equaled

♠-
♥8
♦ 10
♣ K 10 7

♠-
♥-
♦QJ
♣Q98

♠-
♥-
♦K965
♣3

♠-
♥-
♦A43
♣54

Declarer (East) played the ♦A and
another diamond, South playing low
on both. North wins the ♦Q and must
lead into dummy's club tenace. The author states that even if South executes
a crocodile coup, going up with the
♦K, declarer can ruff and play the ♣7,
again endplaying North.
As the cards lie, this is the winning
line, but the odds favor North holding
♣Q 9 3 or ♣Q 8 3, in which case declarer, after ruffing the diamond, must
exit dummy with the ♣10, smothering South's 8 or 9, to accomplish the
contract-fulfilling endplay.
H. FRANKLIN BUNN
Auburndale MA
Well spotted. Considering Wold's
skill, he is a favorite to make the winLetters to the editor are welcome by regular mail and email.
Brevity is considered a virtue, as is subject matter with relevance
to a majority of ACBL members. Unsigned letters are not
considered for publication, so please include your name and
hometown. Letters may be edited. All letters will receive a
response. Email editor@acbl.org.

May 2014 Bridge Bulletin

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of May 2014