LIBRARY CORNERLIBRARY CORNERLIBRARY CORNERLIBRARY CORNER

Somehow We Landed in Six Notrump David Bird

The book is divided into two sections: “Part I—6NT—Fact” and “Part II—6NT—Fiction.” What all 63 examples

have in common is that the contract is 6NT. Readers can play the hands out themselves and then learn what hap-

pened to the declarer in each case. Part II actually con-tains humorous stories about Mr. Bird’s favorite charac-

ters—the nuns of St. Hilda’s Convent, the monks of St.

Titus Monastery, and the missionaries at Chomeley School, “whose main task

in life is to convert the Bozwambi tribe to the Acol bidding system.” So, you

can learn how to play (or not play)

6NT contracts while enjoying several good stories at the same time.

UNIT 206 CHIT CHATUNIT 206 CHIT CHATUNIT 206 CHIT CHATUNIT 206 CHIT CHAT Volume 3 Issue 1 Volume 3 Issue 1 Volume 3 Issue 1 Volume 3 Issue 1 Monthly Publication of ACBL Unit 206 Monthly Publication of ACBL Unit 206 Monthly Publication of ACBL Unit 206 Monthly Publication of ACBL Unit 206 January 2012January 2012January 2012January 2012 Editor: Sandy CervantesEditor: Sandy CervantesEditor: Sandy CervantesEditor: Sandy Cervantes Assistant Editor: Cheryl WhitfieldAssistant Editor: Cheryl WhitfieldAssistant Editor: Cheryl WhitfieldAssistant Editor: Cheryl Whitfield Staff: Teresa Moore Staff: Teresa Moore Staff: Teresa Moore Staff: Teresa Moore Features Editor: Marcia Lanphear Features Editor: Marcia Lanphear Features Editor: Marcia Lanphear Features Editor: Marcia Lanphear Myra ReneauMyra ReneauMyra ReneauMyra Reneau

BRIDGE TIP FOR JANUARY

The right bid with one partner

may be the wrong one with anoth-

er. Reread this one!

Eddie Kantar

DON’T FORGETDON’T FORGETDON’T FORGETDON’T FORGET

Please remember to wear your Chattanooga River

City Regional buttons at all upcoming tournaments —

We need to promote our July

2012 River City Regional at the

Chattanoogan!

MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

I hope you are pleased with a new format for

ChitChat for the New Year. It is great that we

try different things and have the talented

people to help us do so.

We had a nice holiday party and annual

meeting. Five incoming board members were

elected and the by-law change to move to

twelve (12) board members with the process

starting in 2012 passed. As we start the New

Year, I just want to reiterate from my meet-

ing comments that there are so many people

who do so much to help us be a good bridge

club. Support takes many different forms.

Each of us can find something to help with

that we are good at and enjoy doing. It may

be chairing our tournaments or it may be or-

dering supplies for the club or it may be mak-

ing boards for games. Whatever you do is

helpful, and we are a better club

for your service. Happy New

Year!

Bill

FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK...

We’re starting off the new year with a new format for our newsletter. For the last eighteen months, our Spotlight article, written by Marcia Lanphear, has appeared on Page 2 of Chit Chat. Mar-cia has presented in-depth interviews with players from Chattanooga and Cleveland, giving us a personal glimpse of friends we often see at the bridge table.

Marcia will continue to feature a new bridge player every other month, but now will share Page 2 billing. Unit 206, although small in member size, is large in talent. Some of the best players in the ACBL have ties to Chattanooga, and we have asked some to share their expertise with our membership. Every other month, a feature article written by one of our talented fellow players will appear on Page 2.

There’s no better way to kick off this change than by having the first article be written by our own resident experts, Linda and Ron Smith. We hope that you will enjoy this change and that the topics we feature will give you some food for thought.

Leading Opponents’ Suits Against No Trump Ron and Linda Smith

A common situation: The opponents arrive in 3NT and you hold both the suit bid by your left-hand opponent (LHO) and the suit bid by your right-hand opponent (RHO). Example: LHO Partner RHO You You hold: ♠QJ86 1D P 1H P ♥QJ86 1S P 1N P ♦32 P P ♣1098 Question 1: You are sitting west. What do you lead?

Answer: In general, you should lead from one of your long suits. Leading short suits against no trump is usually not a winning strategy. Hopefully, the full deal is something like the hand on the left. If you lead a major suit, you will take 8 tricks for down 2, if your partner shines. If you lead a short suit, they will take 9 tricks.

Question 2: OK, which suit do I lead?

Answer: Lead the suit bid on your right! You may give up a trick, but you won’t give up the whole suit. (Exceptions – if the suit on your right is known to be a five-card suit or better, do not lead that suit; if your suit quality is bad, i.e. J542, Q532, try to find another lead) Of course, using our bridge sense, if we hold suits like KQJ9, QJ109, we would certainly be leading these suits, regardless of the bidding.

Again, you are West. North is Dummy and South is Declarer. You are on lead and the contract is 1NT. The bidding is the same as above.

As you can see, if you lead spades, you will never take a spade trick. Declarer will finesse you out of both your spade honors. However, if you lead a heart, you only give up one trick (assuming you don’t lead them again, which you won’t).

Bottom line: Don’t be afraid to lead into a 4-card suit bid on your right.

♠ T754

♥ 32

♦ AKQ102

♣ K7

♠ QJ86

N

W E

S

♠ AK

♥ QJ86 ♥ AK4

♦ 95 ♦ 8643

♣ JT6 ♣ 8532

♠ 932

♥ T975

♦ J7

♣ AQ94

♠ AKT5

♥ 932

♠ QJ86 N

W E

S

♥ QJ86

♠ 973

♥ AKT5

HIGH GAMES FOR DECEMBER

Chattanooga

Open Michael Sherman/Jody Plummer 72.92

Ron & Linda Smith 72.92

NLM Fran Keifer/David Brown 69.20

Cleveland Ron & Linda Smith 68.18

Fairyland David McKenzie/Cotty Kale 72.92

MARK YOUR

CALENDAR

There are 2 special games this month at the Chattanooga Bridge Center. On Sun-day, January 22, there will be a GNT Qualifying Game. The game starts at 1:30 PM, and the cost is $20 per team. Also, on the following Saturday, January 28, there will be an open pairs Interna-tional Fund Game starting at 1:00 PM. Find a partner, make your team, and mark your calendar so you won’t miss these two “extras!”

ANOTHER RESOLUTION

The new year was here, so

It was time to decide

How to improve my bridge game -

What would be my new guide?

After thoughtful review

And careful deliberation,

Supporting my partner

Seemed a great consideration.

But, first time out,

Partner opens the bidding.

I’ve 7 spades in my hand,

They’re beauties, no kidding!

One heart he says,

Then 2, later 3.

Only one in my hand

But I have to agree.

So, I go to 4,

I remember my pact.

I lay down my hand,

Partner gets ready to act.

So happy is he as his

Contract is made.

And, he can only make it

With my seventh spade!

CHANGE OF RANK

NOVEMBER 2011

Lee Atchley Junior Master

Judy Monen Junior Master

DECEMBER 2011

Elizabeth Jones Sectional Master

♦♣♥♠♦♣♥♠♦♣♥♠♦♣♥♠

In SympathyIn SympathyIn SympathyIn Sympathy

Our heartfelt sympathy and prayers go Our heartfelt sympathy and prayers go Our heartfelt sympathy and prayers go Our heartfelt sympathy and prayers go out to our friend, Barbara Wright, on out to our friend, Barbara Wright, on out to our friend, Barbara Wright, on out to our friend, Barbara Wright, on the loss of her beloved husband, Ed-the loss of her beloved husband, Ed-the loss of her beloved husband, Ed-the loss of her beloved husband, Ed-ward, this past December 15, 2011. ward, this past December 15, 2011. ward, this past December 15, 2011. ward, this past December 15, 2011. We know that these are difficult times We know that these are difficult times We know that these are difficult times We know that these are difficult times for Barbara and hope she can gain strength from her for Barbara and hope she can gain strength from her for Barbara and hope she can gain strength from her for Barbara and hope she can gain strength from her family and her many friends who stand ready to help family and her many friends who stand ready to help family and her many friends who stand ready to help family and her many friends who stand ready to help her as she endures this loss. her as she endures this loss. her as she endures this loss. her as she endures this loss.

CLEVELAND NEWS

CLEVELAND GAME SCHEDULE: Tuesday and Friday — Game at 1:00 P.M.

Second Thursday — Game at 6:00 P.M.

Please arrive at least 15 minutes prior to game time. Reservations are requested.

HAPPY BIRTHDAYHAPPY BIRTHDAYHAPPY BIRTHDAYHAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!TO YOU!TO YOU!TO YOU!

Janusz Kot January 6, 2011

Warren Mitchell January 6, 2011

Lois Wyche January 6, 2011

Rosalind Savard January 6, 2011

Dan Hoffman January 7, 2011

Sonja Luckie January 11, 2011

Sue Riddle January 12, 2011

Jim Moon January 18, 2011

Charlotte Thorogood January 27, 2011

Dorothy Draper January 29, 2011

Zona Parham

The Cleveland bridge community

experienced another loss this past

December when Zona Parham

passed away. Zona headed up the social bridge

group at the Senior Center for many years and

her many friends mourn her death. Heartfelt

prayers and messages of sympathy go out to her

family as they deal with this loss.

In Memoriam

It was with great sad-

ness that we learned of

the passing of Ruth Var-

nell on December 9th.

Ruth had an infectious laugh and feisty

personality, and it was always a delight

to share the bridge table with her. She

was a true competitor who relished her

wins and took her defeats in stride, and

genuinely enjoyed the social aspect of

bridge. More often than not, Ruth had

just finished an interesting book that she

wanted to talk about and suggest you

read. If she didn’t have a book recom-

mendation, she would tell a joke, share

an interesting story or just offer a kind

word.

Ruth was a vital part of the Cleveland

bridge club and we will truly miss her.

We send our most sincere wishes of sym-

pathy to her close friends and family and

especially to her husband, E. Winston, on

their profound loss.

IN MEMORIAM

This past December

14th, our good friend

Jessal Bell passed away

after enduring a long

illness. As much as

Jessal loved bridge, and

delighted in her fre-

quent wins, most be-

lieve her first and foremost interest was

travel. Her face would light up when she

recounted one of her travel escapades —

some of which could be featured in the

Perils of Pauline. Jessal was always such a

positive person with a beautiful smile and a

kind word for all. Her quick wit and easy

going nature will certainly be missed and

her absence at the Chattanooga Bridge

Center will be felt by many for a long time.

We send our prayers and deepest sympathy

to her family, especially her beloved son,

James “Lowery” Bell.

SENIOR APPRECIATION DAY

November 9th was the day Unit 206 celebrated the contribution of senior players and recognized the

generous bequest made to the Chatta-nooga Bridge Center by our late friend, Mae Massey. A plaque in honor of Mae was dedicated during the activity. It was a won-derful afternoon filled with reminiscing and renewing old friend-

ships. Everyone had a great time and we hope to repeat this activity on a regular basis. Pictured below from left to right are Nat and Bucky Hughes with Bob Kemp.

STUDENT TEA A tea at the CBC this past November provided an opportunity for our bridge students to play with experi-

enced players. Cheryl Whitfield did a beautiful job transforming the club into a tropical paradise complete

with palm trees and leis, and Chef D’Vine made a delicious pineapple upside-down cake. Many others con-

tributed to the success of the event, and all enjoyed the camaraderie and good fellowship. Pictured below

from left to right are Anne Johnson and Susan Rothberger; Gerry Jones, Buddy Landis, Kitty Kay and Lau-

rie Buchanan; and Joyce Feher and Martha Freels.

ANNUAL MEETING AND CHRISTMAS PARTYANNUAL MEETING AND CHRISTMAS PARTYANNUAL MEETING AND CHRISTMAS PARTYANNUAL MEETING AND CHRISTMAS PARTY

Five new board members were elected at the Unit 206 Annual Meeting: David Brown, Betty Sue Farmer, Susan Kimm, Buddy Landis, and JoAn Talley. The by-law revision to reduce the board size passed and the membership enjoyed a beautiful Christmas dinner complete with roast beef and turkey. Winners that evening were North/South—Angie Cowart and Jody Plummer and East/West—Linda and Ron Smith.

REBA’S CHRISTMAS PARTYREBA’S CHRISTMAS PARTYREBA’S CHRISTMAS PARTYREBA’S CHRISTMAS PARTY

Wednesday, December 14th, our lovely hostess, Reba Jernigan, held her annual Christmas Party. The table was re-plete with ham, turkey and roast beef, and players complemented the repast with delectable side dishes and des-serts. After tummies were filled and the tables cleared, a spirited game ensued with Michael Sherman/Janusz Kot and John Friedl/Sandy Cervantes coming out on top.

Everyone got in the hol-

iday spirit at the Unit

206 Christmas party.

Pictured clockwise from

top right are Muriel

Morton and her daugh-

ter, Betty Jackson; Ian

and Corinne Madden

with Reba Jernigan; and,

the center of attraction,

the dinner table laden

with wonderful treats.

Everyone was smiling as they enjoyed the delicious lunch and good fun at Reba’s Christmas

Party. Pictured below from left are Janusz Kot with Kyle Weems; Gene Kleiman and Sylvia

Saloshin; and Jane McCurdy and Jane Armor.