May 2025 - ICU-BridgeSoc - imperial.ac.uk

Weekly Question
by bridgeclub 31 May '25

31 May '25

W----N----E----S -----1D---/----1H /----1S---/----2D* /----3D---/----3H /----3S---/----3NT /----4D---/----4NT /----5H--/-----6H // 2D = X-Y-Z, FG S: KJ73 H: K4 D: AKQ94 C: 85 S: 8 H: AQ9862 D: 87 C: AQJ3 Lead=SA, then the defender pitches a low Heart. Please try to avoid the Club loser. Tianxiang Fu (Jacky) Vice President (2024-2025)

1 0

Answers to last week's question
by bridgeclub 31 May '25

31 May '25

Awfully sorry for my mis-typing, the dummy actually holds 6-card Diamonds. W----N----E----S -----1D---/----1S /----2D---/----2H /----3D---/----3NT // Lead = C2 (4th) 2H: Game Forcing, not promising H S: A9 H: Q10 D: QJ8743 C: QJ6 S: KJ1052 H: A52 D: A10 C: 1083 Case 0: Diamond splits (23) The opponents duck the first trick to preserve their Club communication. The Club distribution is either 4-3 or 3-4. Thus, we can afford losing 3C+1D to make this contract, aiming for SAK + HA + 5D + CQ = 9 tricks. Please notice that the only reliable entry to the dummy is SA, and we have to play DA and then D10, which will be covered by DQ, so that we can secure the contract when Diamond splits 2-3 or 3-2. However, we do not hold D9, so if either opponent holds DK9xx, complications may arise. Case 1: E holds DK9xx If E holds K9xx, then W is supposed to be 4-4-1-4 or something similar. If we play low Diamond when W discards, E will force to duck the second round of Diamond. Our revised plan would then be to aim for: 5S + HA + 2D + CQ. If West holds at least as many Spades as East, shall we hope him to hold 3-5-1-4 with SQxx? - Unlikely, because he may lead the H and also finesse with S9 will fail when W holds SQxxx. Wait! We might hope for an additional Spade entry to dummy, allowing us to safely establish the Diamonds. Case 2: W holds DK9xx If W holds K9xx, then W is supposed to be 2-3-4-4 or similar (E holds no less Spade than the W). Please notice that E passed 1D, rather than bidding 1H or 2H. We can now pitch a Club out! W dare not to cash the DK after cashing 4th Club trick (otherwise D will be ready). He will have to give you a free finesse on Spade or pitch a Heart (smarter choice). Suppose he chooses to play a Heart out. We can then count the high card points to make our final decision on Spade (whether hoping W 3-2-4-4 without SQ or 2-3-4-4 with SQ) by deliberately losing the Heart trick to E. S: A9 H: Q10 D: QJ8743 S: Q7 C: QJ6 S: 8643 H: 743 H: KJ864 D: K965 D: 2 C: A952 S: KJ1052 C: K74 H: A52 D: A10 C: 1083 The best defense should be win with CK and then play C7 to the CA, hoping W would shift to Hearts. Tianxiang Fu (Jacky) Vice President (2024-2025)

1 0

Bridge Club Twenty-fifth Session
by bridgeclub 25 May '25

25 May '25

Hello everyone! Due to college room allocations. We have to change our schedule from Tuesday to Wednesday this week. Apologize for the change. We will have a few sessions in June, depending on how many people are coming. 25th Session Details: Date: 28th May 2025 Time: 6-9 PM Venue: Blackett 539 (SW7 2AZ, access from Prince Consort Road, or Sherfield Walkway through Huxley Building) Best Regards, Lawrence (Hu Yang) President of ICL Bridge Club

1 0

Bridge Club Twenty-fifth Session
by bridgeclub 24 May '25

24 May '25

Hello everyone! We will have a few sessions in June, depending on how many people are coming. 25th Session Details: Date: 27th May 2025 Time: 6-9 PM Venue: Blackett 539 (SW7 2AZ, access from Prince Consort Road, or Sherfield Walkway through Huxley Building) Best Regards, Lawrence (Hu Yang) President of ICL Bridge Club

1 0

No Session in May 20
by bridgeclub 20 May '25

20 May '25

Hello Everyone There is no session in May 20. However, we still have weekly questions. W----N----E----S ------1D---/-----1S /-----2D---/-----2H /-----3D---/-----3NT // Lead = C2 (4th) S: A9 H: Q10 D: QJ87453 C: QJ6 S: KJ1052 H: A52 D: A10 C: 1083 The opponents will let you win the first round. Please try your best to make this contract. ########################################### The answer to last week's question is now given below: 13rd May Weekly Question (From Portland Bowl Final) W----N----E----S 2NT--/---3D*---/ 3H---/---3NT---/ 4H--// Notice that 3D is a transfer just like you bid 2D to 1NT opening. Thus 3NT is the pass-or-correct S: 973 H: A8543 D: 85 C: 1086 S: AJ10 H: Q102 D: AQJ7 C: AK3 Lead = C5, try to make this contract and please take great care of your entries. Suggested route is to win with the CA (remember you can try C8 at the first trick, but we assume the C9 is in the right hand). Then we have to assume we only lose 1H otherwise this contract will be too difficult to play. The HA should be reserved for drawing the trumps, since the generally acceptable play for this suit combination is H2 to HA and then H3 to H10. Thus, we assume the H is 23 break and the remaining 2 trumps must be used to ruff the minor, since we need the two entries for double finesses in Spade. In all, the Diamond finesse must be given up, and should be played immediately because we are likely to lose the trick on the second round, risking the club losers to be revealed. My answer to this deal is: CA -> DA -> DQ (lost to DK) -> CA (Assume opponents continued the C) -> HA -> H10 (lost to HK) -> Double finesses on Spade [cid:44635a97-f20f-4af1-95cd-cf52c7548a87] Thank you Vice President Tianxiang Fu (Jacky)

1 0

Friendly Post
by bridgeclub 13 May '25

13 May '25

Hello everyone! This e-mail is not directly linked to playing bridge and it is a friendly post of Vivien<https://www.elivapress.com/en/authors/author-3031502904/>. She is doing her works on the Japanese concept of "ma間" intrigues fashion designers' imagination of the space between textile and skin. Exploring Art, Knowledge and Movement in Japanese Fashion tells a philosophical story of the Greek poiein, avant-garde Japanese fashion designers, the Paris high fashion scene, and Chinese classics from early modern to contemporary times. It traverses the terrain of history of art, performance studies, religion, and the eighteenth-century literary masterpiece The Dream of Red Chamber (Hongloumeng 紅樓夢, Story of the Stone 石頭記). Her new book Exploring Art, Knowledge and Movement in Japanese Fashion (Eliva Press, 2025<https://www.elivabooks.com/en/book/book-7117369360>) has been released. If someone is interested in writing a book review (electronic version in the attachment also available), please contact her via [jiaqianvivienzhu(a)outlook.com] Please see the book banner and e-version attached. Media reviews and interviews are also welcomed. Thank you

1 0

Weekly Question Suggested Answer
by bridgeclub 13 May '25

13 May '25

Hello Everyone This is the suggested answer for the weekly question last week I posed on WhatsApp Group. W N E S 1D--/--1H /----1S--/---3S /----4S--// S AKxx H Qx D AKJTx C Jx S JT9x H AKJT D 9x C xxx Lead is a low club, and the left played until the third round. Please maximise your possibility of success. Recommended route is to low ruff the club, then play the SA and SJ. This will success at almost any 1-4 distribution. However, if the lead (from East) seems to be doubleton, the trick should be ruffed with SA. Common mistakes: Cash the SA and SK then you will find that you've lost the trump control if anyone holds SQxxx with no less than 4-card club. Also, please notice that we should not cash the hearts before we clear the trumps, since this is the only fast entrance we have.

1 0

Bridge Club Twenty-fourth Session
by bridgeclub 10 May '25

10 May '25

Welcome back! 24th Session Details: Date: 13th May 2025 Time: 6-9 PM Venue: Blackett 539 (SW7 2AZ, access from Prince Consort Road, or Sherfield Walkway through Huxley Building) Best Regards, Lawrence (Hu Yang) President of ICL Bridge Club

2 1

Bridge Club Twenty-Third Session
by bridgeclub 04 May '25

04 May '25

Hello everyone! 23rd Session Details: Date: 6th May 2025 Time: 6-9 PM Venue: Blackett 539 (SW7 2AZ, access from Prince Consort Road, or Sherfield Walkway through Huxley Building) Best Regards, Jacky (Tianxiang Fu) Vice President of ICL Bridge Club

1 0