2004-04 - Home of Calgary Duplicate Bridge Association

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The single most important skill for card play is counting. Counting to 13 is not difficult but keeping track of 4 suits in 4 hands can be challenging. I want to let you in a little secret that will help. Instead of counting the actual cards use the suit distributions. By this I mean when you have 4 trumps in dummy and 5 in your hand instead of drawing a round and counting “4” for the trick + “3” left in dummy +”4” in your hand, getting “11”, and then subtracting from “13” to get “2” still out, and doing that for all 4 suits; try the following: with 5-4 the remaining cards are 4-0, 3-1, or 2-2 so the possible distributions are 5-4-4-0, 5-4-3-1, or 5-4-2-2. If you draw a round of trump and everyone follows then 5-4-4-0 is impossible and the distribution in the trump suit is either 5-4-3-1 or 5-4-2-2. When RHO fails to follow to a second round of trump then the distribution in the trump suit is 5-4-3-1 with LHO having 3 – and you didn’t have to “count” anything! Notice that since there are 13 cards in a suit and also 13 cards in each hand (and four suits and 4 hands) you have started counting the opponents hands! Say you ended in 4S after LHO opened a weak 2H in first seat then his distribution is 3-6-x-x where he is either 4-0, 3-1, or 2-2 in the minors and playing some minor-suit winners should clarify that. Once one opponent’s hand is counted you know the whole distribution and finesses and endplays become, if not sure things, then much more probable. This method does not require you to remember how many times each opponent followed to every trick of every suit, you merely have to remember the distributions of each suit and of one of the opposing hands. Instead of counting sheep as you struggle to fall asleep at night try going through all possible distributions (13-0-0-0, 12-1-0-0, down to 4-3-3-3) until you have them all memorized. Then the next time you are in a 6-2 trump fit the numbers 6-2-5- 0, 6-2-4-1, 6-2-3-2 will instantly pop into your head. While I am on the subject of counting you also have to count the opponent’s High Card Points and the opponent’s tricks and you have to do these both as declarer and on defense but try to perfect counting distributions first. Spotlight on Teachers - Freda Nychkalo by Frank Ayer At lunch time in classroom 10 on the second floor of Ranchlands Elementary School Freda Nychkalo prepares a fifteen-minute lesson for nine students in grades 5 and 6. The lesson is bidding and hand evaluation. That’s right, it’s about bridge. While the six boys and three girls settle down and start eating their lunches Freda has them go over their homework. How many tricks could you get from A K x opposite Q x x? When one student is asked about 4 3 2 opposite 9 8 7 6 5 he replies “zero, one, or two; depending on the distribution”. Now there is a kid with promise at this game. These kids are ten and eleven years old. It takes about fifteen minutes to play each of the two lesson hands but Freda and her assistant Lorraine Weller patiently sort out the partnerships, make the students answer their own questions, and encourage thinking and fair play. I ask a couple of students why they are learning bridge – “Something new to do” and “My parents play” seem to be the common answers although not many of the parents play bridge. Two of the girls think things are going too slowly and want to leave the class but they are persuaded that it will get more exciting and decide to stay. At one o’clock the students pack up their books and Freda, Lorraine, and I go for lunch. Freda explains that bridge teaches sportsmanship and patience as well as arithmetic and logic. This is her first year teaching; she and Lorraine took the Teacher Accreditation Program (TAP) last year in Pencticton and started classes last fall. Lorraine plans to start her own classes next year at a nearby school. This will allow a yearend tournament between the two schools. Freda is a retired teacher and looked for a way to combine her love of teaching, kids, and bridge. She would like to get more programs going in schools and says that there is ample support from the ACBL and BridgeBase. BridgeBase provides Mini-Bridge which trains trick-taking abilities -- the students get to see dummy, decide how many tricks they can take, and then declare the contract; and Bridge-it where the students have forms to fill out High Card Points and distribution points to practice bidding. The ACBL provides books – The ACBL School Series, Audrey Grant’s Bidding, and Teach Me to Play by Jude Goodwin and Don Ellison. The ACBL also provides Easy-Deal cards and financial reimbursement when there are sixteen classes and eight or more students. There is a year-end tournament planned for year-end and I am invited to come back and see how well the students have learned the game. I’m excited and that is an offer I can’t refuse. If anyone wants guidance on starting bridge lessons in school contact me and I will get you in touch with Freda. Podium Finishes in January and March Calgary Sectionals
OPEN PAIRS 1 Pam Peard - Dann Kramer, Calgary AB 2 Karen Kilworth, Strathmore AB; Vince Nowlan, Edmonton AB 3 Carol McManus - Regina Shedd, Calgary AB 3 Anne Primeau - Hilary Bean, Calgary AB 4 1 Patricia Purvis - Barrie Purvis, Calgary AB 2 Yvonne Snowdy - Helga Baldwinson, Calgary AB 3 Robert Wright - Olga Wright, Calgary AB STRATIFIED IMP PAIRS 1 1 Diane Thompson - Carole Anne Snow, Calgary AB 2 Brenda Bertrand - David Johnson, Calgary AB 3 Rod Ward - Devinder Sood, Calgary AB 2 1 Roy Shaw - Larry Sutter, Calgary AB 3 Tina Gokturk - Marlene Lenstra, Calgary AB 2 Peter Leesment - Ken Fidler, Calgary AB 3 Yvonne Snowdy - Helga Baldwinson, Calgary AB FRIDAY AFT 99ER PAIRS 1 Mary Ungar - Andrew Ungar, Calgary AB 2 Edna Gosbee - Margi Molyneux, Calgary AB 3 1 Donald Wilson - David Hansen, Calgary AB 2 Elizabeth Little - Lindy Sacuta, Calgary AB 3 1 Karol Szklarz, Calgary AB; Darryn Roy, Prince Albert SK 2 Bev Mason - Barbara Bayer, Calgary AB 3 Tania Ritchie - Margriet Huisman, Calgary AB FRIDAY EVENING 99ER PAIRS 1 Doug Biggs - Patricia Biggs, Calgary AB 2 1 1 Karol Szklarz, Calgary AB; Darryn Roy, Prince Albert SK 3 2 2 Carolyn Preece - Laurie Shapka, Red Deer AB SATURDAY AFT SIDE PAIRS 1 Bonnie Scott - Paula Nowlan, Edmonton AB 2 1 1 Fred Klein - Douglas Collister, Calgary AB 3 Rolf Saetre - Heinz Weis, Calgary AB 2 2 Roy Shaw - Larry Sutter, Calgary AB 3 Tina Gokturk - Drina Barton, Calgary AB 3 Don Dumka - Jenna Dumka, Calgary AB SATURDAY AFT 99ER PAIRS 1 1 1 Karol Szklarz, Calgary AB; Darryn Roy, Prince Albert SK 2 Larry Pizzey - Rita Pizzey, Red Deer AB 3 2 Madeline Grainger - Marjorie Kushnir, Calgary AB 3 Milt Mansell - Sharon Mansell, Calgary AB 2 Barbara Horn - Delia Pfeffeir, Calgary AB FLIGHT A OPEN PAIRS 1 Nicolae Vartosu - George Lungu, Calgary AB 2 Nicholas Gartaganis, Calgary AB; Piotr Klimowicz, Edmonton AB 3 Dan Bertrand - Dann Kramer, Calgary AB STRATIFIED B/C PAIRS 1 Sharon Dalton, Calgary AB; Patricia Dalton, Parksville BC 2 1 Dawna Findlay, Olds AB; Shellan Chaney, Didsbury AB 3 2 Patricia Purvis - Barrie Purvis, Calgary AB 3 Helga Baldwinson - Yvonne Snowdy, Calgary AB SATURDAY EVE SIDE PAIRS 1 1 Heinz Weis - Rolf Saetre, Calgary AB 2 Sue Walker, Calgary AB; Marlene Nelson, Strathmore AB 3 2 Helen Signer - Larry Sutter, Calgary AB SATURDAY EVE 99ER PAIRS 1 1 Elaine Smith, Calgary AB; Donna Mae Barks, Prince Albert SK 2 2 Jeanne Lefebvre - Harvey Olsen, Calgary AB 3 Dave Armstrong - Pat Butler, Calgary AB 3 Louis Sandmaier - Roxy Sandmaier, Calgary AB STRATIFIED SWISS TEAMS 1 Judith Gartaganis - Gordon Campbell - Nicholas Gartaganis - Piotr Klimowicz 2/3 Paula Nowlan - Vince Nowlan - Doug Deschner - Lorna Deschner, 2/3 Willy Zinter - Dave Adelman - Walter Brock - Ilya Kuzkin 1 Barry Pashak - Bob Padget - Merle Hickey - Marlene Nelson 2/3 Wayne Smith - Gerry Marchant - Tammy Purkin - Noel Purkin 2/3 1 Gordon McLure - Susan McLure - Jean Kerr - Ken Green 2/3 M Sami Naydani - Jan McLeod - Bob Wright - Olga Wright 2/3 Doug Biggs - Patricia Biggs - Don Dumka - Jenna Dumka IMP PAIRS 1 Terri Bedard - Steve Lawrence, Calgary AB 2 Don Gladman - Dan Bertrand, Calgary AB 3 Tanja Hurlbert - Jnan Sarkar, Calgary AB 1 Dave Adelman - Willy Zinter, Calgary AB 2 1 Terry O'Marr - Helga Baldwinson, Calgary AB 3 Ron Carswell - Mel Mills, Calgary AB 3 Tom Nault - Lyman Warner, Calgary AB FRIDAY AFT 99ER PAIRS 1 1 Cathy Bird - Jean Ward, Calgary AB 2 Mary Tebo - Helen Scott, Calgary AB 3 2 Karol Szklarz, Calgary AB; Darryn Roy, Prince Albert SK 3/4 Carolyn Saucier - Jo Ann Horne, Calgary AB 3/4 Gail Gorman - Susan Pattillo, Calgary AB FRIDAY EVENING 99ER PAIRS 1 Dave Armstrong - Pat Butler, Calgary AB 2 1 Karol Szklarz, Calgary AB; Darryn Roy, Prince Albert SK 3 Mary Tebo - Helen Scott, Calgary AB 2 Roxy Sandmaier - Louis Sandmaier, Calgary AB FRIDAY EVENING OPEN PAIRS 1 Doran Flock - Linda Thierman, Calgary AB 2 Elsie Johnson - David Johnson, Calgary AB 3 Jim Berglund - Carol McManus, Calgary AB 1 Carole Anne Snow - Mary Ross, Calgary AB 2 1 Gerry Boudrias - Al Stacey, Edmonton AB 3 Dick Yuen - Hash Mohamed, Calgary AB 2 M Sami Naydani - Jan McLeod, Calgary AB 3 Dawna Findlay, Olds AB; Larry Sutter, Calgary AB SATURDAY AFT 99ER PAIRS 1 Evelyn Iwasa - Art Iwasa, Calgary AB 2 1 Jean Ward - Cathy Bird, Calgary AB 3 2 Miryam Waldman - Peggy Muir, Calgary AB 3 Barbara Horn, Calgary AB; Duffy McCallum, Cochrane AB SATURDAY AFT SIDE PAIRS 1 Perry Chan - Glenn Lefebvre, Calgary AB 2 Colin Crawford - Willy Zinter, Calgary AB 3 1 Freda Nychkalo - Ralph Solinger, Calgary AB 2 1 Mary Royal - Kay Grove, Calgary AB 3 James Wandler, Saskatoon SK; David Wandler, Port Williams NS 2 Brian Turner - Dianna Wreford, Calgary AB 3 Iris Eggen - Mildred Eckford, Calgary AB FLIGHT A OPEN PAIRS 1 Nicholas Gartaganis, Calgary AB; Piotr Klimowicz, Edmonton AB 2 Gordon Campbell - Judith Gartaganis, Calgary AB 3 Andy Stark, Lethbridge AB; Dann Kramer, Calgary AB 1 Ron Pritchard - David Johnson, Calgary AB 2 George Lungu - Nicolae Vartosu, Calgary AB 3 Carol McManus - Hattie Whitmore, Calgary AB STRATIFIED B/C PAIRS 1 Linda Martin - Jeffrey Robertson, Calgary AB 2 1 Doug Biggs - Patricia Biggs, Calgary AB 3 2 Gary Abell, Crossfield AB; Bill Irsa, Airdrie AB 3 Ellie O'Connor - Richard Hurd, Trumansburg NY SATURDAY EVE SIDE PAIRS 1 Bruce Mottle - Ralph Solinger, Calgary AB 2 1 Penny McQuarrie - Gordon Gair, Calgary AB 3 Ed Ridgen - Tanja Hurlbert, Calgary AB 2 Jim Broadbent - Dave Adelman, Calgary AB 3 1 Karol Szklarz, Calgary AB; Darryn Roy, Prince Albert SK 2 Sharon Mansell - Milt Mansell, Calgary AB SUNDAY MORNING 99ER TEAMS 1/3 Susan Stanley - Wayne Stanley - Frannie Mills - Jan Biggeman 1/3 Cathy Bird - Jean Ward - Chrystal Hay - Yvonne Edwards 1/3 Elaine Smith - Miryam Waldman - Peggy Muir - Darryn Roy OPEN SWISS TEAMS 1 Judith Gartaganis - Nicholas Gartaganis - Gordon Campbell - Piotr Klimowicz 2 Dann Kramer - Ken Penton - Don Gladman - Dan Bertrand - Andy Stark 3 Ron Grove - Judy Chapman - Jim Berglund - Carol McManus
Page 1 and 2: THE KIBITZER CALGARY DUPLICATE BRID
Page 3 and 4: MEMBERSHIP DESK - Delores Hedley We
Page 5 and 6: Rick’s Bridge Classes Read the Le
Page 7: NATIONAL BRIDGE WEEK St.Catherine's

2004-04 - Home of Calgary Duplicate Bridge Association

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