Unit 551 News for December 2006

by Vic Sartor

The annual unit Christmas party is set for Sunday, Dec.10,and we would like to see a big turnout for what promises to be a fun event. The main attraction is a FREE CHAMPAGNE BRUNCH which starts at 12 Noon. Chef Tom Lill will be flipping pancakes, and also has promised to whip up his famous non-alcoholic fruit punch for the more sober-minded members of the crowd. Besides the bubbly and the flapjacks, the menu will include baked ham, fritattas (an egg dish-I had to ask too), muffins, juice, and coffee. The Bridge fees are only $4.00 - a real bargain even without the free food. Players are requested to buy a ticket in advance so that we can plan the meal and the number of tables.You can contact new unit prexy Penny Barbieri at (909) 599 4818 or Roger Boyar at (626) 335 1985 and buy tickets in person at the La Fetra bridge club.

The bridge session is scheduled to be a Swiss Team event, but if not enough people are able to form teams it will be changed to pairs. Don't let the lack of a team keep you away. We especially want newcomers and non- Life Masters to come out and enjoy themselves. The event will be stratified and handicapped (and the champagne should even things out, too), and if enough interest is shown we will have a separate section for players with less than 300 MPs. We want everyone to come out and have a pleasant time.

In recent results, the top game of the past month was a 65% result posted by Lary Alba and Cordell Goode. Also winning with 60%+ games were Roger Boyar, Ben Harris, Penny Barbieri, Helen Wang, Abe Abramawitz, Albert Lax, Ken Bloomfield, Dipak Comar, George Altinus, James Rhodes, Richard Patterson, John Tyner, Susan Ruoff, Dave Ruoff, and Vic Sartor. Other winners included Mary Miller, Pat Radamaker, Suzanne Wojcik, and Herb Stampfl.

We are pleased to announce several promotions this month. Lynn Parker is now a Club Master. Claudia Cochran is a Sectional Master. Eileen Finlay and Helen Wang are new Regional Masters.

Choosing a hand of the month was a very tough decision this time. There were wild distributions and unbelievable powerhouses all over the place. Faced with an abundance of riches, I decided to pick just one and squirrel away several others for months when I'm desperate for material. So here's one beauty:

♠ A K x x x ♥ K Q x x x ♦ void ♣ A K x.

Dealer, your RHO, opens 2♦(weak). Your bid? Suppose you try 3♦ (5/5+ in the majors). Your pard now jumps to 4♥. Your bid? You might q-bid, but you'll never know if partner's 5♥ bid shows the ace or just no outside control. So, perhaps you risk 4NT? Your pard shows one ace. Your bid? You can sign off in a safe 6&hearts but it's awfully tempting to try for 7. Your bid? If you bid 6♥, you are +1460. If, however, you decide that pard is more likely to have the heart ace than the diamond ace on the auction, do you trot out a nice 6♦ q-bid? If you do, your partner jumps to 7♦ with alacrity (also with enthusiasm). His hand? He holds:
♠ Q J 10 ♥ A J 10 x ♦ 10 x x x ♣ J x

Bidding 6 will get you an above average board, but would you and your pard reach the top spot?

Until next time, Merry Christmas, Happy Hannukah, Happy New Year, and a nice St. Swithin's Day. May Santa bring you lots of aces and kings!

(Ed. note: St. Swithin's Day is July 15th. We are just a bit out of season, here!)


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