October fall header 

 

 Unit 141 Newsletter           October 2011

   Philadelphia Contract Bridge Association

 

In This Issue

  • Fall Bridge 
  •  

  • Conshohocken 
  •  

  • Pro-Am
  •  

  • NAPs
  •  

  • Table Tips
  •  

  • Club News
  • Upcoming Events

     

    Kingston Sectional 

    September 30-

    October 2

     

    Conshohocken Sectional

    October 14-16

     

    Jane Segal Pro-Am (at Conshohocken Sectional)

    October 14

     

    NAP Flight A (at Allentown)

    October 22-23

     
    NAP Flight B (at Wilmington)

    October 29

     

    NAP Flight C (at clubs)

    October 22

     

    Lancaster Regional

    October 31-

    November 6

     

    Doylestown Newcomer Sectional (0-100)

    November 14-15

     

    Feedback 
      

    Send your comments and suggestions for future articles to Allison Brandt at allison@dovetailpress.com

     

    Join Button 

    Cooler Weather Means Cool Bridge 

     

    September TreeHave you been busy playing bridge? The Westhampton Sectional has already come and gone and now we are looking forward to Conshohocken, which always has a good turnout. This year, the inaugural kickoff of the Jane Segal Pro Am takes place on Friday of that sectional. Pre-attendance is already high and the event promises to be a great addition to the line up. The NAP district finals all take occur in October -- check out the schedule for those events and more in Upcoming Events.

     

     Conshohocken Sectional 

    Consho Better 

    It is back to Conshohocken! The October sectional offers great events and hospitality. On Friday, there will be free pizza lunch as well as wine and hors d'oeuvres between the afternoon and evening sessions. Don't forget about the Jane Segal Pro-Am (see more information below). Because of this special event, there will be plenty of good players milling around on Friday, so take the opportunity to ask any of them how you might have played a hand from the afternoon session or how your partner should have bid.

     

    On Saturday, game times are 10:00 am and 2:30 pm. The hospitality continues with free sandwiches between sessions. There are also good eateries nearby and time between sessions to enjoy them. The Sunday Swiss is stratified and starts at 10:00 am. Come early and enjoy the free bagel brunch.

     

    No partner? The very active and helpful partnership desk is there to assist. Just look for it when you come in.

     

     

    Conshohocken Pro-Am
     
     JaneSegalProAm

     

    Over forty "am's" -- any non-life master -- have already signed up to play in the Jane Segal Pro-Am, a special event being held on Friday evening of the Conshohocken Sectional.  Event chairman Joan Brandeis has rounded up a stellar group of top players from the area, each one ready to make this event fun and educational for everyone. Pairs will be assigned at random just before the event, but you must sign up in advance. See the event flyer here details.

     

    NAP Schedule 
     NAP Logo
    What great event gives you a chance to win money to subsidize your trip to Nationals? It's the NAPs, of course! Why not play?
     
    The Flight A, B, and C district finals all take place in October. The only requirement to play is that you have to have qualified in a club game. (If you are not sure if you qualified, check with your local club.) 

     

    Flight A is on October 22-23 at the Sectional in Allentown.

     

    Flight B is on October 29 at the Bridge Studio of Delaware.

     

    Flight C is being played at various clubs around the District.

    The two clubs hosting the game in the Philly area are:

    North Penn and the Bridge Studio of Delaware. Click on either name for more details.

     

    For more details on the NAP, click here for info from the  District 4 website.

     

    For the Flight A, B, and C schedules, click here.

     

    For a complete list of all clubs hosting the Flight C finals, click here.

     

    Lancaster is Coming! 
     
    Lancaster Regional
     
    Reminder! The Lancaster Regional runs October 31 to November 6.
    Audrey Grant Book

     

    This year there is a special lecture by Audrey Grant. Click here for tournament details and information on the Audrey Grant two-day event.

     

    Table Tips: What Not to Do (Part 1)

     

    player memoThe Table Tips series has tried to take a positive approach by suggesting how players should try act at the table. There are plenty of ways to do what's right, however, by not doing what's wrong. This month, in the first of three articles, we suggest ways to avoid "bad" behavior at the table.

     

    Here are three tips on how to manage the cards.

     

    Tip #1: Don't pull a card from your hand before it's your turn to play. Not only is this action sort of unethical, it can help your opponents. Pulling a card early as a defender, for example, might suggest to the declarer whether (or how) to take a finesse. 

     

    Tip #2: As dummy, don't pull a card before declarer calls for it. Pulling cards early suggests a line of play to partner. It can also be disorienting or annoying to the opponents. Dummy's two jobs are to (1) play a card when it is called for and (2) keep declaring from breaking the rules (leading from the wrong hand, for example). Other than that, dummy should be mute and still.

     

    Tip #3: Don't snap your cards. Most card snappers probably don't know that they do it. Or they like the sound. Or they don't realize how incredibly distracting it is to others. Or maybe they do realize how distracting it is to others... Whatever the reason, try to stop. It's a bad habit, like chewing with your mouth open.

     

    Next month, we'll talk about table chatter at the table. In the meantime, try to correct any bad habits you might have fallen into; your partner and opponents will appreciate it.

     

    Hand and Dummy
    Club News

     

    Old York Road Bridge Club will be awarding 5% gold points during their regular October 3 Swiss Teams game as part of club appreciation night. October 24 is a pairs appreciation game, which offers special point awards (but no gold). More information is available at their website: http://bridgescore.com/oldyork/.

     

    Local clubs are encouraged to send announcements, schedules, updates, and special games for placement in upcoming newsletters.

     

    Unit 141 Newsletter, October 2011
    Volume 1, Issue 6
    Editor: Allison Brandt (allison@dovetailpress.com