BRIDGE

BRIDGE is a funny old game, although I’d imagine it most certainly is not meant to be.

Nevertheless, when you play online it is quite hilarious just how bad players can actually get.

The other day, I signed up with a self-declared “advanced” player from India and he demonstrated clearly how not to bid.

But I do not think that he is not the only player in the world who simply will not bid the minors. If someone bids a minor slam on Eamon Galligan’s website, you can mark down minus 10 at least. Reminds me of a game in the centre some years ago, when the lady on my left said she couldn’t bid an eight-card club suit because that would be Gerber.

Anyway, back to my online partner. You can see the hand below and as it is plainly obvious there are about 17 tricks if that were possible.

I played this in a part-score, believe it or not. Before revealing this missed Grand Slam, a more positive note about Sligo Congress — which is being played online with all the usual events, ending today with teams.

Okay, and on to this week’s hand. You probably won’t believe the bidding — but I assure you, this is exactly what happened.