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OCTOBER ALMANAC FOR DEFENDERS
Don’t think for a minute that the biggest occasion in October is Halloween! Nay, we say. There’s so much else going on to distract us from our bridge games.
There is truly a lid for every pot. If you are one of the 1100 members of the International Lace Makers, Inc., this month offers a convention for you where there will be vendors, sharing of patterns, contests and general merry-making. It is astonishing how complicated and beautiful some of the modern hand-made lace objects are. You better have good eyesight, though!
For the foodies among us, we have Pizza Month (YES! The whole month!). This includes delivery, eat-in and frozen. Take your choice. Plus, how about Taco Week. Tacos used to be a very specific dish, but now the sky’s the limit. Fish tacos, veggie tacos, you name it.
Most importantly for me personally though, is Thank Your Techie Day. The modern shaman--the Techie. For many of us, the Techie is the holder of arcane knowledge and we often feel at their mercy. Are they deliberately obscure so they can keep the knowledge all to themselves?
I am more than willing to thank my Techies. Without them, my computer would eat my "stuff" and my car would be dying by the roadside. I can only visualize The Cloud as the Star Trek ship Enterprise up above us in space, and I still associate “software” with cashmere rather than Stuff in my computer’s tummy. Thank you, Techies of the world. (And if I am completely honest, I don't want to know how that stuff works anyway.)
We want you to think of all of us here at Vu-Bridge as your Tech Support for your bridge game. We guide you through the morass of bidding, play and defense. Today, we’re going to make sure we understand the language of defense. Take this issue, for example.
DAVID BIRD kicks us off with true Tech Master Techniques. When is it disaster to lead from a King? What about unblocking? How can the opening lead save the day? How can we take advantage of the declarer’s mistakes? Read on…
BEN NORTON’S offerings this month are all about Tech signals. When should we use attitude? How about suit preference? And count? It’s all too much… but with Ben’s guidance, it should become clearer.
PAUL BOWYER has eight hands, all about counting declarer’s tricks. Knowing how to do that enables us to select the most vicious defense… should we play passively, or take an attacking line? Huh, you say? Paul will guide us through it, with his signature British wit and accent.
MATT HUBERSCHWILLER has two quizzes for us. They are both on third hand plays, should you always plays your highest card?
Finally, I’ve got two warm-up hands, on Techie Signals.
So enjoy October’s events, especially now that we’re prepared to defeat opponents!
Don't forget: if you like Marti's style, have a go with her Bridge Boot Camps. Click here to ask Marti about the schedule...
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