Grandslam #32

THE GRANDSLAM

SRC BRIDGE SECTION NEWSLETTER
JULY/AUG 05 ISSUE #32
1. Message from the re-elected Convenor – Shamim Moledina

Two months ago, I was all set to step down and even wrote my farewell message. However, due to a combination of factors, I have been persuaded to continue. So, for better or worse, you are stuck with me for another year! I take on this second term with mixed feelings. I am, of course, honoured for the privilege and appreciate the confidence placed in me. However, at the same time, I am disappointed that there is no new blood at the helm. A two-year term does help strengthen relationships but a much longer duration could lead to complacency and other negative attributes. We should never let that happen.

A major reason why I agreed to a second term is because I believe I have an absolutely fantastic committee. Let me say just a few words about each of them.

Vice Convenor BK, is a perfect counterbalance to my impulsive personality. Always calm, diplomatic and thoughtful, his insight often puts a new angle on issues that greatly improves decision-making.

Treasurer Leong’s attention to detail and his meticulous follow up on discrepancies has earned the respect of everyone. Always rational and determined, I feel so comfortable knowing that he is overseeing our money.

Secretary Carlton is extremely resourceful. He not only knows what is needed, but also has the ability to quickly convert ideas into workable solutions.

Editor Zain is always ready to impart his extensive knowledge to improve the status quo. His smooth and precise writing style has been instrumental in conveying ideas and putting across arguments and solutions.

I also view our SRC Bridge coordinator, Sheryn as part of my team. It is difficult to imagine that someone so nice can be so efficient with organisational skills well beyond her tender years. Although her workload includes so much non-bridge work, she somehow makes us feel that that she is giving us all of her time.

If I may loosely paraphrase Sir Isaac Newton, “If it seems that I can see further or achieve greater, it is merely because I am standing on the shoulders of giants.” Thank you all.

2. SRC Bridge Section 5th AGM – 19th June 2005

As there was a quorum, our AGM started after lunch at 1pm. The finance of the section remains healthy. The section member headcount stands at 46, the highest among all the private clubs in Singapore. Dorothy Wong brought up the suggestion of playing bridge on Sunday afternoon as well because several members are unable to make it on Tuesday night. This will be looked into. The 2004 committee stood for the same position and there were no opposing candidates. Congratulations to the SRC Bridge Committee for 2005/2006.

Convenor: Shamim Moledina
Vice Convenor: B.K. Tham
Treasurer: N.W. Leong
Secretary: Carlton Parker

Editor: Zain Moledina

3. SRC 5th Annual Open Teams Tournament – 19th June

After 9 grueling round robin rounds and 36 boards, Singapore Island CC’s team of Nancy Yung, Thomas Wong, Chang Sui Sim and Yeo Wee Kiak took the title from 2004 holders SRC. Chinese Swimming Club was second followed by CLOK. Thanks to the SRC Management Committee, Tournament Director Jane Choo for a well run match and Sheryn for overseeing the event. Congrats to Ron Oh for winning the Crossword prize. (see below)

4. CBC Annual Open Pairs – 21st May

The newly revived Changi Beach Club Bridge Section held their Open Pairs event with a sizable turnout of 26 pairs. SRC managed to sweep both the Championship and the Runner’s Up positions through Zain and Shamim Moledina with 62% and Murli Vasanmal and Prof. Yu Chun Yee with 60%. All 5 SRC pairs scored over 53%. Well done indeed! This was followed by a light dinner and a sunset walk along the newly built “kelong” boardwalk. No splashes were heard.

5. SCBA 19th Inter-Club League and Cup -- update

We are still unbeaten in our Division but faltered in the cup match.

On May 14, our team of Dorothy, Richard, Shamim and Zain beat Siglap CC 22-8 VP after falling behind at half time.

Dulari has joined our team and won the match against Bukit Timah CC with a score of 21-9 VP. Her teammates were BK, Leong and Zain.

In the second round of the knockout Cup match on June 14, we lost our game against SCBA Bridge Bears, the current leaders in the 1st Division.

You can follow the results on http://www.bridgeleague.net/league.html

Once again, we are proud to acknowledge that our section member, Murli Vasanmal through his company, Saniva International, sponsored this year’s Inter-club.

6. SCBA May Day Special – 2nd May

Nyit Chu and Kimiko Endo took first place followed by Rahim Rahmat and Zain Moledina (SRC) with Yiu Lin Chau and Liang third.

7. CSC Annual In-house Championship – 25th May

Congratulations to Helen and BK Tham for their 2nd place finish in the Chinese Swimming Club In-house Handicap Pairs Tournament. The winner was Yung Tee Fa & Ng Keck Sim with Peng Huat and S. C. Moo third.

8. SRC Tuesday Bridge Results – May 3rd to June 28th 2005

DATE FIRST SECOND THIRD

3rd May David/Yu Molly/Ron S Greg/Koh

10th May Molly/Zain Yu/Ping Alan/Peng Huat

17th May Shamim/Wei Jie Ai Leng/Molly Carl/Irene

24th May Sri/Siva Pat/Leong=Suan Lin/Wei Jie

31st May Ron S/Rahim Yu/Zain Peng Huat/Alan = Rana/Ai Leng

7th June Carl/Zain Murli/Yu Jane/Nancy

14th June Ron S/Rahim Shamim/Yu Alan/Peng Huat

21st June Ron S/Zain=Carl/Dorothy Lawrence/Yew Chung

28th June Zain/Wei Jie Leong/Pat BK/Helen

9. Genting Bridge Escapade #6 -- 14th to 18th August

Our 6th Annual Genting Bridge Escapade is being held from14-18 August and will feature lots of bridge, 4 full buffet dinners and many discount coupons to make your stay in the hills of Genting exciting, cool and cost effective. Contact Shamim at zaris@pacific.net.sg for details. Closing date is 31st July.

10. History of Bridge –Card Design Innovations

The cards we use today look so ordinary that it is easy to overlook the many small, but important, innovations that have evolved throughout the centuries.

Card sizes varied from the small narrow type in China to the large Tarots of medieval Europe before settling on the easily manageable ones we use today.

All cards now have a 180 degrees rotational symmetry and a small symbol on the top left corner. Either way is still “up”. Unfortunately, it still does not have left-right symmetry so left-handed people must also unfold the cards from left (back) to right (front) like the righties do. Without the symbol, it would be difficult and cumbersome to see what cards you have when holding many in your hand. The card surface is now varnished. This reduces stains and dirt from clinging. The corners are now rounded which make the cards more durable and less susceptible to fraying.

11. Key Dates in Bridge

1857: The first game of duplicate Whist (4 players but no dummy) was played in London. This reduced the luck element and allowed bigger interactive participation.

12. Probability of Distribution

While you may be picking up the common 4-4-3-2 every few hands, what about some of the more exotic distribution?

You can expect to get a 6-card suit twice in a 24-board match, but a 7-carder will only come your way every 100 deals or so. If you are a very regular bridge player, you should be seeing an 8-card suit a couple of times a year but count yourself lucky if you ever pick up a 9-carder in your bridge career. Who knows, maybe you are one of those rare individuals who actually get to play with a 10-card suit within your lifetime!

So what do you do when one day you pick up all 13 cards of a suit? Do you scream? Will you faint? Should you call the press? Can you keep your cool and pass the first round and slowly make your way to the 7th level to draw in the double (followed by your humble redouble)?

The truth of the matter is that your bridge friends have rigged the cards and are pulling a fast one on you. Lay down your cards and have good laugh with them. You see, the odds against a 13-0-0-0 distribution are 159 Billion to 1. Let me help you visualise those odds. Imagine betting on a single number at Roulette and it occurs 9 times in a row? Or if you bet on “Red” and it occurs 47 times in a row? Are you really so lucky as to randomly draw a single suit? Only in your dreams!

L I g h t e r S I d e O f B r I d g e

13. Daffy-nit-shuns – Cards Metric System

52 cards = 1 decacards (deck of cards)

14. How’s That Again?

I assume full responsibility for my mistakes, except the ones that are someone else's fault

15. Crossword Puzzle @ the 2005 SRC Teams Event created by Zain Moledina

1 2 3 4 5 6
7 8
9
10 11
12

13 14











15

16 17
18 19

20
21
22

23
24 25
26

Across Clues

4 Where am I?

7 With a long running side suit, it is advisable to ____ ___ (4,3) the trumps first.

8 A declarer usually _____ (5) his quick tricks slowly and the slow tricks quickly.

10 With a 7-card suit and a weak hand, a player ____ (5) at the 3 level.

11 A throw-in is a form of ___ ____ (3,4).

13 Where am I?

14 If declarer has a ______ (11) hand with dummy, he may have no choice but to engineer an elimination followed by a throw-in.

16 It is not easy to find a strong partner who is also ______ (11) and understanding.

19 Where am I?

21 To play at 3NT, you need at least one ______ (7) in each suit.

22 Some matches do not allow _____ (5) bids because opponents may not be aware of the bidding personality of the bidder thus creating an unfair advantage.

24 To be a good Bridge player, you not only have to be _____ (5) but tricky as well.

25 If an honour card is exposed while dealing, the hand is a ______ (7).

26 Where am I?

Down Clues
1 With 4 cards with the opponents and the Q missing, it is better not to finesse. Odds are slightly in your favour that the Q _____ (5) when you play the A and K.

2 When playing strong NT and with a point count of _____ (6), the bidder will open 2NT.

3 Once a suit has been agreed, interest in slam is shown by ___ (3) bids or Blackwood.

5 Much of the development of the Precision System came from Mr. Wei who was from the city of _____ (6).

6 You may not win any tricks in a suit where you have ___ ____ (3,4) from a king.

9 A good declarer plays in a way that keeps his options open. So if a bad split occurs, he is able to try ______ (7) way.

12 There is a rare endplay where a defender’s K-x of trumps sits in front of dummy’s singleton A and does not win any tricks. His partner plays a suit nobody has and declarer with 2 high trumps ruffs. This is called the _____ (7) coup.

15 Of all the numerous bidding _____ (7) being used, Standard American is the most popular.

17 Although there are many _____ (6) being circulated in Singapore, not a single one carries a Bridge column.

18 It is illegal for you and your partner to have special _____ (6) information about how to convey bidding and defending signals not known to the opponents.

20 If cards in a board are not put back properly, others will not be able to play the hand meaningfully and the director will have to _____ (5) the board and scores.

23 A small slam is a bid at the ___ (3) level.

16. Family Issues
A husband playing with his wife picks up a zillion spades facing his wife who has a zillion and one hearts. The battle begins. Higher and higher they go. In spite of the nasty looks he has been getting, he bids 7S over her 7H bid, which finally buys the contract.

The lead is made and when the dummy hits, he sees he can't make 7S, but 7H is cold. He knows he is in very big trouble.

He tries to cool his wife down before playing to trick one by saying, "Sorry dear, I should have withdrawn. "

She says, "You should have withdrawn? Your father should have withdrawn!"

17. Send in the Clowns

I smile while playing Bridge because I don't know what the hell is going on.

18. Bridge Dikshunairy – Dopeler Effect

Dopeler Effect (n): The tendency to make stupid mistakes when rushing.

19. Confusion Says …

Bridge player who plays as good at 50 as he played at 30 has wasted 20 years of his life.

20. Bridge Movies

Bridge On the River Kwai — one of the first bridge cruises in Asia … a real blowout!

21. Important Bridge Rules

Second Hand Plays Low — the easiest way to lose your aces on defense.

22. Famous Last Words

After he had won a bridge tournament with his wife as his partner, she asked him,

“Now don’t I deserve a reward?”

“What do you have in mind, honey,” he asked

“How about taking me somewhere I have never gone before.”

“Are you sure you want me to take you to the kitchen.”

23. A Sign that You are a Bridge Addict

You curse the game only to play it the next day.

24. Why Bridge is Better

You have 4 queens at your fingertips just waiting to go down on the table.

(Jacks will make tricks as well)

25. Divine Quota

God must hate bridge players. He made so few good ones.

26. 20-20 Hindsight

The trouble with Bridge is that there is no rewind button.

27. Crossword Puzzle Answers

ACROSS CLUES 4. N 7. Draw Out 8. Takes 10. Opens 11. End Play 13. W 14. Symmetrical 16. Sympathetic 19. E 21. Stopper 22. Psych 24. Smart 25. Misdeal 26. S

DOWN CLUES 1. Drops 2. Twenty 3. Cue 5. Taipei 6. Led Away 9. Another 12. Smother 15. Systems 17. Papers 18. Inside 20. Scrap 23. Six

Zain Moledina

Editor, SRC Bridge Section

July 1st 2005