Frank Morgan

Every January Williams students take one special course. Faculty, every other year, teach whatever they like. In 2013 for the second time I taught “Tournament Bridge.” The five first- and second-year students and I studied, practiced, and played in tournaments in Pittsfield, Newton, Rye, and Schenectady.

Paul Freidrich, Neeko Gardner, Ben Hoyle, Professor Frank Morgan, Caroline Atwood, and Llewellyn Smith at the Rye Regional

  Continue reading ‘Tournament Bridge January 2013’ »

When I was at the Field’s Institute in Toronto on sabbatical in the fall of 2010, I played duplicate bridge with 25 different partners. Here’s an interesting hand from Hazel’s Bridge Club on September 6, with Joyce Fraser. I was East at 4S. Do you see how to make it? The key after taking the heart ace is to force an entry to dummy by leading a low spade to the 6. This was good for 10/15 matchpoints.

Actually it can be set by perfect defense. Do you see how? South has to underlead the AK of clubs to North’s Q, so that North can return a diamond to eventually score two diamond tricks.

Here’s an interesting hand from a Royal Caribbean regional bridge tournament cruise (with 6000 passengers and 2000 staff on the Allure of the Seas) with Larry Cohen in December, 2012. After my partner (Lois Hausman) opened 1D, I took her to 6N. After a heart lead, she properly advanced the 9 of spades and West properly covered, leaving East with the J86 after dummy’s A1075. Do you see how to make the hand? Take the club finesse and the AK, play out the red winners, and then put East in with the club 9 to his 10. Now he must lead from his spades. Continue reading ‘Royal Caribbean Bridge with Larry Cohen and Jeff Meckstroth’ »