Newbie News is designed for 0-5 and 5-49 players and is your source for news, classes and special events.  
Look for Newbie News in your Sunday morning inbox each week!
Your Weekly News & Updates
  

Mark your calendars!  All games ~ all levels from June 12th-June 18th will award silver points.  Many of you probably have no idea the value of silver points.  It is a type of color point which allows you to move up the masterpoint levels.  Each new rank has a minimum number of silver points.  There are very few opportunities to win silver points at the club level so don't miss out!  Click here for the June Calendar.

BAND's NEW 49er Pairs on Friday afternoons at 12:30pm is off and running with 5.5 tables this week!  Haven't tried a 49er game yet?  We have them on Sundays at 1:30pm, Wednesdays and Fridays at 12:30pm.  These games have special relaxed ruling book which the directors apply to common irregularities like a lead out of turn, insufficient bid, or bid out of turn.  No stress, all fun is our 49er motto.

Sharon Lux is at your service to make sure you have a partner for our 49er pairs.  She would love to hear from you if you would like to play!

Thank you for making BAND your home for bridge!

Donna Compton
BAND Owner, World Champion & Master Teacher
Special Limited Point Games This Week
ALL SILVER POINT GAMES!

Sunday, June 11th at 1:30pm
Monthly Unit Game
Overall Free Plays, Trophies & Pictures
Bonus Points 299er & 49er Pairs

Monday, June 12th at 12:30pm
Silver Bonus + Points 299er Pairs

Tuesday, June 13th at 12:30pm
Silver Bonus + Points 299er Pairs

Wednesday, June 14th at 12:30pm
Silver Bonus + Points 299er & 49er Pairs

Wednesday, June 14th at 6:30pm
Silver Bonus + Points 299er Pairs

Thursday, June 15th at 6:30pm
Silver Bonus + Points 299er Swiss Teams
Each match win awards silver points!

Friday, June 16th at 12:30pm
Silver Bonus + Points 299er & 49er Pairs

Saturday, June 17th at 9:30am
Silver Bonus + Points 2500er Pairs

Saturday, June 17th at 1:30pm
Silver Bonus + Points 299er Pairs

Sunday, June 18th at 1:30pm
Silver Bonus + Points 299er & 49er Pairs

Friday June Special for 49ers ~ $4 for BPM $8 for Non Members

Silver Games Extra $2 June 12th-18th

Smiley Surf
Games for New Players

Play & Learn BAND has three Play & Learn games which are great opportunities to introduce the game to new players, practice new techniques from class and meet new friends.  ACBL Certified Instructors are on hand to answer your questions. No partners needed.

Mondays 6:30-9pm
Tuesdays 12:30-3pm
Wednesdays 9:30am-12pm 

49er Pairs BAND has three 49er pairs which are perfect for those who are wanting to play a few more hands in a more structured atmosphere.  18 hands are played in a three-hour time period. You may still ask questions of our ACBL Certified Instructors but you actually have a chance to win masterpoints (rating points)!

Sundays 1:30-4:30pm
Wednesdays 12:30-3:30pm
Fridays 12:30-3:30pm 
 
Contact Sharon Lux with questions and/or partners.
Smiley Rainbow
Fundamental Classes ~ Still Time to Join

Fundamental V ~
All In One with Sharon
Mondays @ 10am

Fundamental II ~
Modern Bidding with Sharon
Tuesday @ 10am

Fundamental IV ~
Defense with Sharon
Wednesday @ 6:30pm
Retakes are FREE!

Mentor/Mentee Program

BAND new Mentor/Mentee Program is growing like crazy and we hope that you will join in the fun and become a mentee and perhaps even a mentor to someone who has less experience at the game than you!

Some goals you may have that the BAND Mentor/Mentee Program can help you meet:
1. To feel more comfortable playing up at the next game level
2. To get to know more players
3. To understand the etiquette and proper behavior at the table
4. To understand director's rulings
5. To recognize strengths and identify areas of the game which may need more work.

If you think the BAND Mentor/Mentee Program is for you then 
 and we will find you a mentor to help you with your goals!
0-5 Free-Play Punch Card

A new program for 0-5 players is up and running and it includes a free play for you!

Just ask a BAND director for your very own 0-5 punch card and present it to the director each time you play.  Once you accumulate five punches, your 6th game is free!  Already used up one punch card, just pick up another one...It's that simple.
Smiley Book
New Intro Class Starting Soon...

Intro to Bridge ~  Tell Your Friends!

Starting June 23rd 
Fridays 10am-12pm
Instructor Susan Bates

Retakes are FREE!
Bridge on the Santa Fe Plaza
July 11-16, 2017
Still Time To Join the Fun!

No partners necessary!  We have lots of singles who we will mix and match throughout the week.  We have morning lessons designed for different levels of players and afternoon duplicates for all to play.  There is still time to join and we would love for you to come along with us for a fun-filled week of learning, playing and meeting new friends from all around the country!

World Champion & Master Teacher
Donna Compton
Tips with Donna

Counting Losers & The Master Hand

Declarer play is a very methodical process.  When the dummy comes into view, declarer first asks whether the contract is a notrump contract or a suit contract?  If declarer is playing in a notrump contract, then the total number of tricks required is determined and declarer counts winners.  If, however, declarer is playing in a suit contract, then the total number of losers that can be afforded is determined and declarer counts losers.

The key to counting losers is identifying the master hand and count the losers from this hand only.  Let's start with how does declarer choose the master hand?  There are four choices in order of priority:

1) Chose the hand with the longer trump suit;
2) With an equal length trump suit, choose the more distributional hand;
3) With an equal length trump suit and two balanced hands, choose the stronger trump suit;
4) If equal length trump suit, two balanced hands and equal strength trump suit, choose declarer's hand.

Once the master hand has been determined based on the above guidelines, declarer now goes to work counting losers.  There are two types of losers: 1) fast and 2) slow.  Given that we often have losers as declarer, we prefer the slow losers to the fast losers because slow losers give us "time" to eliminate them! Let's take a look at these two type of losers.

Fast Loser: These are losers which the defenders can take at will once on lead.  Aces are a great example of fast losers.
  • K Q J = 1 fast loser
  • Q J 10 9 8 = 2 fast losers
Slow Losers: These are losers which the defenders must work to take.  Usually these are second and third round losers. 
  • A x x = 2 slow losers
  •  A K x = 1 slow loser
I will be talking more about the effects of fast and slow losers in future Tips with Donna.  Stay tuned.  Meanwhile, practice identifying the master hand along with the fast/slow losers as declarer.

Got questions? Email me at [email protected]  
BAND | 972-960-6700 | B[email protected] | www.BridgeInDallas.com
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