Beautiful, clever or inspired games and bids... You'll find them here.
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Brilliant deceptive play*** |
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Wednesday, 14 July 2010 07:00 |
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In the 4♠ contract below, from a team match (IMP scoring, therefore) Frenchman Dominique Pilon found an ingenious defensive play. It was a manoeuvre any bridge player will wish to have thought of himself. As is so often the case with deceptive plays, it presents the opponent with an extra, losing option. Without the deceptive play he couldn't have gone wrong. |
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Italian tour de force *** |
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Thursday, 01 July 2010 07:00 |
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Every year an IBPA (International Bridge Press Association) jury awards prizes for best declarer play, defence and bidding.
Italian bridge-legend Benito Garozzo received the 1974 award for best declarer play. The deal was from the Italian team trials for the 1975 World Championship. By skilfully interpreting the bidding he made a slam on a combined point count of 19! 'Brilliantly bid and played', observed the jury... |
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The defence often starts in the bidding ** |
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Friday, 25 June 2010 07:00 |
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The 2003 Lederer Memorial Trophy, a very strong invitation tournament in England. David Burn and David Price are awarded the prize for best defence. By defeating 4♥ in a very elegant way, they show that sometimes good defence already starts during the bidding. | N/EW | ♠ | K Q J 3
| | | | ♥ | K 8 6 3 2
| | ♦ | J 9
| | ♣ | 6 4
| | ♠ | 10 7
|  | ♠ | 6 5 4
| | ♥ | Q 4
| ♥ | J 9
| | ♦ | A Q 8 3 2
| ♦ | 10 5
| | ♣ | A 10 8 5
| ♣ | K Q J 9 3 2
| | | ♠ | A 9 8 2
| | | ♥ | A 10 7 5
| | ♦ | K 7 6 4
| | ♣ | 7
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Reese was a great player...*** |
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Saturday, 19 June 2010 07:00 |
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Although his reputation was thoroughly damaged by the infamous Buenos Aires cheating scandal in 1966, friend and foe agree that Englishman Terence Reese (1913-1996) was a hugely talented bridge player. He declared the deal below during the 1955 World Championship, playing for Great Britain against the USA. Let us first follow events at the other table where William Rosen (USA) declared the same contract as Reese. Rosen, an acknowledged crack in those days, was totally outplayed by Reese. | E/All | ♠ | A J 9 3 | | | | ♥ | K J 8 7 4 3 | | ♦ | A 3 | | ♣ | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ♠ | Q 5 4 2 | | | ♥ | A 10 | | ♦ | —
| | ♣ | A K J 10 9 7 6 |
| West | North | East | South |
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Pavlides
| Ellenby
| Meredith
| Rosen | | — | — | pass | 1♣ | | 3♦ | 3♥ | 4♦ | 6♣ | | pass | pass | pass | |
| West | North | East | South |
|---|
Mathe
| Schapiro
| Moran
| Reese | | — | — | pass | 1♣ | | 3♦ | 3♥ | 5♦ | 6♣ | | pass | pass | pass | |
At both tables West led the ♦9. |
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Tuesday, 08 June 2010 07:00 |
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Niek Brink, brother of acknowledged international top player (and Bridgevaria columnist) Sjoert Brink, showed at an early age that he too is very talented.
During the 1996 European Youth Championships, playing in the 'under twenties', he won the award for best dummy play. The way in which he bamboozled the opponents, will probably remind the reader of the master (Zia Mahmood). |
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Friday, 25 December 2009 07:00 |
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Santa Claus sighed. How on earth was that contract to be defeated?
He would have to do it quickly as well, since he was late already. He still had his three fellow players to hitch up in front of the sleigh. Then he had to fly South like a bat out of hell. As the years passed he more and more felt the burden of having to deliver these accursed presents, if only because of their ever increasing number. Furthermore it became ever more dangerous with the air space teeming with Ultra Light airplanes, paragliders, hang gliders and whatever diabolic objects men would send up. So far no accidents had happened... not yet, that is! He shuddered at the thought of the near-collision last year with that base-jumper over Norway. It had been very fortunate Rudolph had seen him coming.
Funny though, Santa contemplated, that Rudolph was still the leader of the pack, the best reindeer in leading the sleigh. After all, he drank like a fish, which was evident from his shiny (some even say it glows) red hooter.
Mentioning Rudolph's name alarmed Santa. Rudolph was a fine player and the question remained: how to defeat this contract? Santa reflected on the bidding and play so far: |
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