The Shadowfax Bridge Club
The Friendly Bridge Club
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Jan 26, 2026 16:31 EST
Lessons from the Past
Jan 15, 2026 11:11 EST
Welcome to The Shadowfax Bridge Club

THE SHADOWFAX BRIDGE CLUB IS OPEN !!!

679 Bartley Road, Chester NJ 07930
SHADOWFAX SCHEDULE

Tues 9:30 lesson, 10 a.m. 0-999 game

... followed by a postgame discussion of hands played that morning

Wed & Fri 10 a.m. Open games (BYO lunch!)

regular game card fees are $10 per person

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TUESDAY LESSON (01/13/26) - When are there only 30 HCPs in the deck?

Sometimes you might decide that you are playing with a "30 HCP" deck!  You can recognize this is the case when:

  • You & Partner have a Good Trump fit ... AND
  • There is known shortness* in one hand ... AND
  • The hand opposite the shortness has no "wasted values" (i.e. no HCPs) in that suit

* Shortness (a void or singleton) can be discovered or revealed by: 

  • Opener's 3-level response to Jacoby 2NT
  • Opponent's preemptive bidding
  • Partner's Splinter bid

When you have a good fit with Partner AND you know your partner has a void (or singleton) that will cover your losers AND all your values are "working"  ... you're playing with a 30 point deck!

On this deal, you can infer from the Opponent's bids that Partner has a void in Diamonds and will "cover" (ruff) your losers in that suit. Also you have no wasted HCPs in that suit - all your points are :working"! Ignore that suit and focus on the other 30 points in the deck, and you will see Slam possibilities! Bidding 4NT for keycards (and 5NT to find an important CK!) will give you a clear picture of where the points promised by Partner's 3-level overcall are located - you'll bid & make a Grand Slam with 27 HCPs! 

Looking for ways to improve your game? --- Our website can help!

Our website provides analysis (by individual and pair) about sessions played at Shadowfax. Color-coding of the hand-by-hand results makes it easy to identify the boards on which your partnership scored well ^ (or didn't ^). 

To see just the hands you played as Declarer or those where you defended & made the Opening Lead, click the BSOL Analysis icon:  

To learn how to use these and other features of our website to improve your game, just ask - we want our members to use all the bells&whistles on our website!

Review and Replay Our Lesson Hands!

Did you know our Tuesday Lesson Hands (more than two years worth!) are available at the Lessons from the Past link?

Review the analysis (bidding & play), then replay the hand

- just click Play It Again!

Results
Open
Director: Andrew Barlow
Open
Director: Jim Buell
0-1000
Director: Andrew Barlow
Calendar
February 24, 2026
0-1000
9:30 a.m.
February 25, 2026
Open
10:00 a.m.
February 27, 2026
Open
10:00 a.m.
Tuesday Postgame Reviews!

Tuesday Players - after play ends, Andrew, Laureen, and Arman are always available to review any hands played that morning!

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What, When and How to ALERT or ANNOUNCE

Convention card items in Blue should be ANNOUNCED - that means immediately explained. Convention card items in Red are ALERTED, but explained ONLY IF & WHEN the opponent whose turn it is to bid asks. 

If an opponent asks you to explain your partner's bid, you should provide a clear and succinct explanation of your partnership agreement pertaining to that bid. DO NOT simply give the name of the convention. For example, don't say "Michaels." State what your partner's bid means - "shows 5-5 in the two highest unbid suits." Include any point ranges (hcps or total points), suit(s), or shape (length or shortness) that the bid shows. You should also state if it is Forcing or Game Forcing.

If you do not have a partnership agreement covering the bid in question, then "We have no agreement" is sufficient. DO NOT state how you 'interpret' partner's bid, or what you 'think' it means - doing so provides your partner with information about what your response was or will be based on. This is illegal and will very likely force the Director to impose bidding restrictions and/or penalties. 

Again, only state what you and your partner have as agreements, made in advance. This is the main reason every partnership pair should fill out and review a convention card before playing, and have fully completed convention cards available for the opponents to review, as is their right.
 

Matchpoint scoring Trivia
Matchpoint scoring trivia:
The highest score without a double or redouble is 7NT vulnerable and making, is 2220.
The highest score without overtricks is 7NT-XX redoubled, vulnerable, and making, is 2980.
The highest score for a making contract is 1NT-XX redoubled, vulnerable, and making six overtricks, is 3160.

But the highest score possible (7600) can only be made by the Defenders, by taking 13 tricks against a vulnerable Declarer who bid a 7-level contract, was doubled and redoubled!

Think it could never happen? In his award-winning book Points Schmoints!, bridge expert Marty Bergen tells about a partnership misunderstanding that led to him going down 12 in a 6NTXX contract for -7000!