When an earthquake devastated entire communities in Pakistan in October 2005, the bridge community showed a magnificent response. I have been working with the Citizens' Foundation, a non-profit educational trust, to raise money to build a school in the north of the country. They informed me that the project would cost $150,000, and bridge players the world over ensured that this sum was soon raised. Work on building the World Bridge Campus will begin shortly, writes Zia Mahmood, The Guardian, Monday January 29, 2007 at http://www.guardian.co.uk/.
Forwarded by Budhi Mulyawan 290107.

The project has been helped by the fact that President Musharraf is an avid player. I was surprised to receive an invitation to Islamabad to play in a tournament at which the president himself presented the prizes (though sadly not to my team). After the game I joined the president and two of his generals for a few friendly rubbers. I was told that the official system of the army of Pakistan was based on a strong opening bid of one club, with responses that showed a particular range of high-card points.

The officials were no mean players, and our opponents' skill in handling the good cards that came their way meant that we were soon several hundred points to the bad. So when I picked up ♠1065 ♥QJ104 ♦J43 ♣1086, I decided it was time to make a stand. I opened the bidding with a strong one club, ostensibly showing 19 or more points. Left-hand general passed and the president responded one heart, showing exactly 7-8 points. Already I knew that the opponents must have a game, but our side had so far had the auction to itself. Right-hand general doubled, so I passed while trying to give the impression that everything was under control. When the bidding came back to my partner, he bid two diamonds - after all, our side was supposed to have at least 26 points. I passed, of course, but was alarmed to note that the guards in the room had started to bristle somewhat, and I was beginning to wonder what the punishment was for passing out a forcing bid by a president.

Everyone else passed also, and I put down my dummy in fear and trembling. I need not have worried. After a moment's astonishment, the entire table bust into laughter. "You see, Zia," said Musharraf, "how difficult my job is when my generals are so easily deceived!"

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