Hello Josee ,

Well, you’d think that with all my lessons done for the summer, this should be a time for relaxing, golfing, playing with my grandkids and smelling the roses - oops pardon me smelling the trilliums. But this morning all came crashing down - I realized that there were some emails from 2 weeks ago which had remained unanswered, requests for donations to valuable causes followed by a gentle nudge - à la " Not sure if you got my request..." ; a bridge book that I promised to mail over a week ago, and was still on my desk yesterday morning. That is just so unlike me!! Blame it on a very long to do list.

I am hardly alone in this. Don’t you agree? We all have “stuff” – I had another word in mind but not for publication! Everyone is busy! I don’t own the monopoly on busy. Ask Barbara Seagram! She likely gets 10 times the number of emails that I get, does a ton of charity work (please support her Cambodia lesson this Wednesday - a great cause, and much to learn from her lesson !), and she still gets stuff done, mostly around 3 am mind you. I try to sleep during those times.

Anyhow, all changed yesterday morning ! No I didn't hire myself a personal secretary (although that would be awfully nice) ! I just gained some perspective. Every Sunday I receive a weekly newsletter from my friend/yoga and wellness teacher – Allie Chisholm-Smith. I met Allie 15-20 years ago when she was teaching yoga between the bookcases at the local library 10 minutes from my cottage. Allie is a born writer, and she is the one who can quickly “set me right” whether it is through her newsletter, the monthly zoom calls with our group The Curious Yogi, her classes or a personal email.

Here is the quote at the top of her newsletter. “In our final days, we will not be asked why the to do list is still so long. We will be asked if we enjoyed our time here in this body. Did you love? Did you laugh? Did you see the beauty”

Can’t you see how even though this applies to our whole life and is so very true, you can make this about anything you do. A bridge game for example. Did you enjoy your time at the table? Was it wonderful to look up into the smiling eyes of your partner? Did you absolutely LOVE that you used a suit preference signal and partner recognized it!!! Did you laugh? You missed partner’s Bergen raise and passed her after 1♥ - 3♣ with a 4 card club fit (true story happened to me years ago). Did you see the beauty in how well you and partner communicated your hands during the difficult bidding of a slam?

That puts an end to my musings. Have a look below on all things bridge! My Fall schedule is finalized - lots for every level. An idea brewing and I need your support. The NABC just 7 weeks away. Barbara's Cambodia fundraiser this Wednesday and her cruise on the Danube... and more. Hope you enjoy the Fun facts that Luis dug out for you.



Until the next time – LET'S ALL LOVE, LAUGH AND NOTICE THE BEAUTY ALL AROUND US. The to do list can wait a little bit longer!

✨ MY NEW FALL SCHEDULE ✨

ALL IN PERSON LESSONS!

Location: Armour Heights Presbyterian Church

 105 Wilson Ave, Toronto

Tricks And Trumps

Do you have friends who are curious about learning to play bridge? They see you talking about it incessantly, but can’t quite get what the big deal is? Likely they are unsure if that is the game for them. So here is what you can tell them!  They can try bridge for FREE with no conditions attached! All I ask is that they give me 90 minutes for them to play bridge. All hands on. No theory! Just PLAY!!! - Did I mention it is free too ? 

DATE: Tuesday September 24^th 6:30 to 8 pm

PRICE: 100% FREE!!!! 

A special Bonus, sign up for the 8 week beginners series on September 24^th, immediately receive Barbara Seagram Bridge Basics Book and take advantage of a reduced course price of $220 (vs $240).

Basics Beginners Bridge Series

Over the course of 8 weeks, you will learn all the basic elements of the game of bridge: how to take tricks, how to work with a partner, how to open the bidding in a suit and in No Trump, how to respond, how to compete, and much, much more. During each lesson you can put theory into practice by playing bridge hands, right from the very first lesson! Ready to join the fun? Enroll now to secure your spot, and let the bridge adventure begin. Here are more in-depth details:

DATES: Tuesdays starting on October 8 (for 8 weeks)

TIME: 6:30 to 8:30 pm.

PRICE: $240. Includes taxes, Barbara Seagram Basic Bridge textbook, PDF of PowerPoint presentations and online recordings.

Register and pay by September 24^th and pay only $220! 

Intermediate I Bridge Series

Bridge Basics Graduates, Take the Next Step

Are you ready to take your bridge journey to the next level? Whether you're feeling a bit rusty, and need a refresher or you've recently graduated from Bridge Basics lessons, the Intermediate I Bridge Series is your ticket to a renewed sense of excitement and skill in the world of bridge. Dive deeper into the basic foundation of bridge, solidify your bidding and playing skills.

DATES: Wednesdays, starting on October 9th, (for 7 weeks)

TIME: 1 pm to 3pm

PRICE: $210. Includes taxes, Barbara Seagram Intermediate I textbook, PDF of PowerPoint presentations and online recordings.

Bid And Play – The Next Level! 

Did you take the Intermediate 2 course recently? Do you feel that you have the basics well honed but need a bit more practice? Have you and partner started using more sophisticated bidding and playing methods? Do you want to solidify your slam bidding, feel confident on when and how to interfere in the opponents’ bidding? Think preempts, Michaels cuebids, Unusual No Trump. Are you clear when to balance? Know when to pass your partner’s Takeout Double? Do you know how to execute a true cross ruff or a loser on loser play? What about partner’s signals? Do you pay attention? Do you choose your discards carefully? 

If these questions resonate with you, then join me for a 4 week series of Bid and Play where you will bid and play 8 different hands each session based on these concepts and more. You can sign up for the whole series (thus a bit of a discount) or register for one or more individual sessions.

DATES: Wednesdays, October 16, October 30, November 13 and November 27.

TIME: 10 am to 12 pm

PRICE:  $120 for all 4 weeks or $35 per session. Included will be a PDF of each hand with bidding, playing, opening lead and defence details. 

PRE-REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED

To register, please contact Josée at mjhammill@rogers.com. For any questions, feel free to reach out via email or call 416-300-9140.

Payment: Once registration confirmed, please send payment by etransfer to mjhammill@rogers.com or by cheque mailed to 1717 Avenue Road, Suite 418, Toronto, Ontario, M5M 0A2. 

Space is very limited – Don't be left out! Reserve quickly for this amazing opportunity.

TORONTO NABC SUMMER 2024

NABC GRINs REQUEST FOR ONE OR MORE SPECIAL VOLUNTEERS

Picture me down on my knees and BEGGING !!! During the NABC from July 18 to 28 – there are games every day twice a day. We will have our own partnership desk within the GRINs room.

I have been losing sleep lately over the situation where one day someone shows up without a partner, and I have to apologize and say "Sorry you have to go home. Thanks for trying! "

So now I am thinking that if I was going to be able to find a few people who live not too far or would be available to be on site in case of such a last minute emergency, I would sleep a whole lot better. It’s all about my sleeping you see.

Some questions and some answers for you if you might be considering stepping up to the plate.

• WHO – Anyone with no more than 300 MP who would feel comfortable playing in either the 299er pairs or the Gold Rush Pairs. Preferably can get to the playing site short notice or has booked to stay at the tournament hotels for a specific period of time.
• WHEN – Any day and session you can give me – I would just pencil you in . I would make every effort to let you know the day before.
• WHAT THIS WILL COST YOU – Nothing. We will pay for your entry fee.
• WHAT IT WILL INCLUDE – free lunch if you make yourself available for both sessions.
• ANY OTHER PERKS? - First dibs at the yummy candies I have just for our group. The opportunity to hang out with myself and the other wonderful volunteers! - PRICELESS!!!

Questions or interest in helping out, please send me an email at mjhammill@rogers.com

DID YOU KNOW THAT? BRIDGE FUN FACTS

THREE FAMOUS BRIDGE HANDS

Bridge is a game rich with strategy, skill, and endless intriguing hands. Among the many remarkable and fascinating aspects of the game are the unforgettable deals that have entered bridge folklore. Let’s see a few of them

MISSISSIPPI HEART HAND

One of the most famous trick hand dating from the days of whist was the Mississippi Heart hand. Variations of it used to appear in different editions of Hoyle’s books from 1746 on, and the full deal was published in Thomas Mathews’ Advice to the Young Whist Player in 1803.

A diamond lead by West holds South to six tricks in a heart contract, and a game cannot be made in any denomination. South can make nine tricks in a spade contract or ten tricks in a club contract.

This hand got its name from being used by card sharps on Mississippi River steamboats in the nineteenth century, who hoped to persuade South to make a heavy bet when hearts were trumps. The bridge player Charles M. Schwab, who donated an international bridge trophy in the 1930s, is reported to have once been taken to the cleaners over this hand and lost over ten thousand dollars.

South's hand seems to be a winner by all accounts (29 HCP, zero Losing Trick Count, etc). However, with West's Diamond lead, South can do no better than make 6 tricks.

Unusual hands have always intrigued bridge players. The chances of getting all thirteen of a suit are 6,250,000,000 to 1. Newspapers occasionally report this happening. This hand was dealt in Culbertson’s first “World Bridge Olympic’ in 1932.

South opened the bidding with one club and the committee in charge of the event decided that West should not receive credit for having bid his hand correctly if he now bids seven hearts. Any other bid on his hand gave him par, regardless of the result, but a bid of seven hearts, pointing the way to a no-trump grand slam by his opponents, was out.

The results achieved by various players were remarkable. In some instances, South played the hand in seven no trumps and was, of course, defeated thirteen tricks, the West player facetiously leading the two of hearts.

At another table North played the hand at six hearts doubled and redoubled, his partner failing to decode his redouble as an SOS redouble. At still another table East rescued his partner from seven hearts doubled with a bid of seven spades.

Elsewhere the bidding went: one club, two hearts, followed by three passes.

Another West achieved a remarkable result by bidding two diamonds over South’s opening bid of one club. This bid was followed by three passes in turn and, of course, North and South won all thirteen tricks.

Finally, trick hands can appear in many forms. In this hand, North and South ended up in, and made, a slam contract in clubs holding only four trumps. Play it through for yourself. Opening lead: jack of spades.

Extracted from the book Tales from the Bridge Table: Contract Bridge 1925 to 1995 – by John Clay

Double Trouble

Learning she was going to have twins, the bridge playing wife said, … “That’s just like my husband, doubling me when I’m vulnerable”.

Misunderstanding

“We had a partnership misunderstanding. My partner assumed I knew what I was doing.”

Deja Vus

You know you’re in trouble when you are the declarer and the opponents start drawing trumps.

NEW ZOOM LESSON WITH BARBARA SEAGRAM

BRAND NEW LESSON ONLINE WITH BARBARA SEAGRAM

WEDNESDAY - JUNE 5th: 4.00 - 6.00 PM

ZOOM LESSON

ALL PROCEEDS GO TO OUR CAMBODIA PROJECTS

Minimum

$25.00 CAD donation.

Donate

$105.00 or more and receive a tax receipt

DONATE HERE.

CLICK ON LINK BELOW & RECEIVE ZOOM LINK &/OR RECORDING

https://barbaraseagram.clickfunnels.com/how-to-be-a-nuisance-cambodia-lesson

Review overcalls, takeout doubles, learn MECKWELL, Balancing, Unusual NT, Michaels cuebids and preemptive bidding

CAMBODIA FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGN 2024

We will only

have ONE fundraiser this year and this is it.

WATCH THIS

BRAND NEW VIDEO DONE BY PATTI LEE PROVIDING AN UPDATE OF OUR PROJECTS

https://youtu.be/rFFxEVbIUk8

Donate

whatever you can at link below

https://barbaraseagram.clickfunnels.com/how-to-be-a-nuisance-cambodia-lesson

or Canadians

can etransfer to pattilee@sympatico.ca

Do give email

address and postal address

If you

donate, you are invited to attend an online lesson with Barbara on Wed June

5th: 4-6 pm Eastern time

AND/OR

receive a recording and a full set of student notes

$25.00 CAD

MINIMUM. NO MAXIMUM.

THANK YOU!!

AN IDEA IS BREWING! READ ON!!!

I have recently been approached by a friend of mine suggesting that there are no games in person in the evenings for players just starting their bridge journey. Those players have fewer than 20 masterpoints. If you don’t know what Masterpoints are, then you belong in that group too. 😊

Anyhow, being of the type that has trouble saying NO when the well being of beginner players is foremost on my mind, I jumped on the idea. But I need to be guaranteed bodies so that I can cover my rent and the director’s fee.

So here is what this would look like

• Day : Thursday
• Time : 6:30 to 9 pm.
• Location : Armour Heights Presbyterian Church, 105 Wilson Ave.
• Running from mid October to beginning of May
• What : A supervised bridge game for players with no more than 20 Masterpoints. Volunteers would be available to help you with bidding questions. Hand of the week analysis every week. Teaching table some of the time when we don’t have an even number of pairs playing.  Free coffee, tea and cookies. All this for $12!

If you used to come to my Gentle Bridge games in 2019 and when we returned in 2022, it would be the same experience. I have a director ready to commit, volunteers who are keen to help you, I just need to know if this is something you’d like to do! Personally speaking, I hope this takes off as I have so missed this way of helping aspiring new players. Give me something to do on Thursday night will you? 

Could you tell me if this would fit into your weekly plans? Please email me and by next month, I will be able to let you know if we are a go. I am keeping my fingers crossed! 

Josée

BRIDGE QUESTIONS? - ASK JOSÉE!

In this section I'll be featuring your most commonly asked bridge questions.

You can ask anything bridge related! Just email me @ mjhammill@rogers.com.

Put in the subject line Ask Josée. I look forward to hearing from you!

Question: Last week PW sent me an email that started this way:

"I had 11 pts and my partner had around 11 pts – both holding flat hands. The opponents opened 1D and it went all pass. Can you tell me what we should have done? "

Great question I replied but any chance you can dig out all 4 hands or even better send me a picture of the hands.

So she digs it out and here we are:

Dealer is East and passes. No question there is there ! Pass by South is also fine, 1D opening bid by West, then I look at North and think…no there is nothing you can do in direct seat. East passes again(what a surprise! ) and now up to South…and no you can't do anything here either…. The problem here is that neither North nor South have a decent holding in the majors to justify taking action. South in the balancing seat should have a 3rd spade to think about doing a balancing double.

The whole thing felt wrong but I couldn’t at first put the finger on it. I was just so focused on what North South could or should have done.

Can you find the problem with all of this ? 

Go back to the opening bid! Shouldn’t West have opened 1NT? North and South still can’t do a thing BUT much better contract all around.

So keep taking pictures 😊 and keep sending me your questions! 

WHAT WOULD YOU OPEN THIS HAND?

I was playing on BBO the other day and picked up this hand as the Dealer

S A

H AK

D A984

C AKQT83

24 HCP + 2 points for my length in clubs.

What are my options

1.  1C and jump shift to 3 diamonds

2.  2C followed by 3C after 2D waiting , then show my diamonds so partner can have an idea of the shape of my hand.

3.   An opening bid of 3NT (25-27 HCP balanced hand)

Before you read on – think about what you would have opened this hand and for what reason.

A question before opening the bidding is to always ask yourself what your rebid will be after partner bids.

So let’s go through the options.

1.  Too strong to open at the one level. Partner rates to not have 6 points and I can't afford to be passed.

2.  Bidding this way would be to find a slam in clubs but what are the chances. I have 3 diamond losers. I am not sure I like this really and you know me with playing in a minor. Partner would need to have exactly the right stuff for this being the right contract.

3.  There is merit in this one although I am not balanced. But I can count 10 tricks. I am "cheating in two ways" The singleton spade although it is now accepted by the ACBL that an opening in no trump can include a singleton Ace, King or Queen. So it is now considered legal to open NT with this shape.

I also don't have a 25-25 HCP hand. I have 24 HCP but revalued with a good 6 card suit. So that is worth an extra 2 points.

What I am asking myself by this point is are systems on in this auction. 4C would be Stayman and 4D or 4H would be a transfer. Partnership agreement. Make sure you ask Partner.

I chose this 3rd option and opened 3NT because I felt it was the best description of my hand. Do you agree?

Contract bid and made !

Speaking of planning your rebid , here's a good one:

You hold :

S 93

H AKJ72

D AJ6

C K93

16 HCP and 5 hearts. What is your opening bid?

Two choices - 1H or 1NT

Let's say you choose 1H because you have 5 of them and someone once said you need stoppers in all the suits to open 1NT. Partner now bids 1S , ohhhhh have you thought of your rebid ?

Your options are

1NT : I am the hand that wasn't good enough to open 1NT - so 12 -14 HCP but I am balanced and have 5 hearts. Your partner sitting with only 2 hearts and 10 HCP will pass you.

2H : denies having 4 spades, 4 diamonds, or 4 clubs so very strong implication that you have 6 or more hearts in this auction.

2NT: that would show 18-19 HCP .

Do you still think you should open 1H?

Save yourself the rebid headache!!! Open 1NT and if you are that worried about your 5 card Major, learn the Puppet Stayman Convention!