October 2024 - 7

IN Box
" Jump Start " is for all
All of us associated with Jump
Start Bridge so much appreciated
Doc Coulter's letter in the August
issue. We would like to clarify one
aspect though: Jump Start Bridge
is for everyone! All of the course
materials and resources are available
for anyone teaching bridge to kids:
school teachers, after-school clubs,
parents, everyone! One of the challenges
we have faced is trying to get
in front of teachers and administrators
to get bridge into classrooms.
Promoting the program through
conferences for teachers of gifted students
is just one avenue we are using
to connect with schools. It is a purely
practical approach, as that audience
has a professional organization for
their teachers that holds conferences
where we can reach hundreds
of teachers, face-to-face, when they
have time to talk and are looking for
new ideas. We are looking for other
educational conferences to attend. If
anyone has a lead for us, please let us
know!
PATTY TUCKER
Jump Start Bridge
Atlanta GA
Play F2F
I am not sure the average online
bridge player who hasn't played faceto-face
bridge totally understands
that if they don't support F2F bridge
now, there will soon be no F2F
bridge.
During the Fourth of July week
at the Reston Regional in Virginia,
we had a very good turnout. We still
had a room-block penalty, but there
were 96 tables one day, a record, so
to speak. I was very happy as tournament
chair to have this happen. I
had a number of players who hadn't
played F2F since before March 2020
tell me how much they enjoyed
s 5
h Q J 3
d J 10 7 5 3 2
c K Q J
s A Q 7 4
h A 7 5 2
d A 8
c 10 8 5
Against 4s by South, say West
leads the cK (other leads aren't better).
Declarer can win the ace, play
the sA K (West pitching a diamond),
playing F2F again, and they were
going to come back and support
in-person bridge.
I think all players in ACBL-land
need to understand that if they do
not support F2F bridge at the club
and tournament level now - and continue
to support it going forward -
our only option in the future will be
to play online, and while it is a good
way to enjoy the game, it is not the
best way to play bridge.
MARTHA DEVRIES BLEY
Fort Washington MD
Missed opportunity
The " Different Strokes for Different
Folks " letter in the August issue is
indeed remarkable. Eight pairs all
declared 4s making five despite each
receiving a different opening lead.
But what is truly remarkable about
the hand is that none of the eight
pairs that declared the hand found
the club-diamond squeeze against
West that would make 6s.
MARVIN HARRIS & FRED
MUELLER
College Station TX
Ed.: The writers are correct. Here's
the deal in question:
s K 9 8 3 2
h K 9
d K 9 6
c A 9 4
s J 10 6
h 10 8 6 4
d Q 4
c 7 6 3 2
cash the hK A and ruff a heart. The
last trump is drawn and declarer's
remaining heart is ruffed in dummy,
West discarding another diamond.
A low diamond to the ace allows
declarer to turn the screws on West
by playing the last trump. This is the
position:
s -
h -
d K 9
c 9 4
s -
h -
d J 10
c Q J
s 7
h -
d 8
c 10 8
When South plays the s7, West
can't let go of a diamond, as declarer
will then run the suit, while a club
discard allows declarer to establish a
club trick on power. Making six.
Likes analysis
I just wanted to say how much
I enjoyed the article by Bob
Rasmussen in the July issue titled
" Notrump or Major-Suit Fit. " I
liked his analytical approach to the
question of whether to play 3NT versus
4h or 4s with a 4-4 fit in the
respective major. I would love to see
more articles by him using a similar
technique to examine 3NT versus 4M
with a 5-3 major-suit fit, how many
high-card points are needed for
games with a 5-4 fit, etc.
I was at the Toronto NABC and
heard many people talking about this
article. I can't say I have ever heard
an article generate such interest.
Keep it up.
STEPHEN CARPENTER
Conestogo ON
October 2024 | Bridge Bulletin |
7
s -
h -
d 4
c 7 6 3

October 2024

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of October 2024
