+ 9 6 54 \) A K Q () A 10 2 + A K 9
+ s 3 );. + 72 \) J7 w. ~ 'V 10 9 s 6 5 (> KQ.l'l I ·•. <) s 7 3 + QJIOn3 S . + S 7 2 . •
+ .. ~ K Q J 10 <::? ..; 3 2 +0 6:;..;:;..;
Smtrh pJ:i, ·~ (, +· \\"est lead~ 0 K . I lo\\ , J111uld the hand he ph>Yed:
Sec: page 3 I. CHAS. BRADBURY LIMITED n ~ 26 SACKVILLE ST., PICCADILLY AC"ILLE LONDON, WI . SERRE. . Phone Reg. 3/23-3995 LOANS ARRANGED Q_~ tf!:a,ujlfl With or without Security. am[
DUN LAOGHAIRE OPEN BRIDGE CONGRESS I st to 9th October, 1949 Write T. J. KELLY, 6 Crofton Mansions, Dun La.oghaire, for details. and sports new lease The copyright of this magazine is life vested in Priestley Studios Ltd. It is published under the authority of the English Bridge Union. · · The Editorial Board i& composed of, and the Editor is appointed by, the Ill English Bridge Union. IN PRINCIPAL CENTRU
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• You can alrvcrys rr~v 011 a good game u.f Bridge at The Ralph Evans's Hotel CONTRACT BRIDGE JOURNAL OFFICIAL ORGAN OF THE ENGLISH BRIDGE UNION
VOLUME 3 APRIL, 1949 Nul\mER 6
VINAIGRETTES • CONTENTS • Page * * * 2 EDITORIAL .• ·. " Reely," MASTER PAIRS 3 5. Complained Ely, Lmmo~ FLITCH " This constant praise of Goren ·wALES v. scoTLAND 6 Is jus.t too boren." CHELTENHAM- 9 PACHADO 10 * * * To WHoM IT MAY CoNCERN 11 Before you dare to play PoRTHCAWL 13 With ""Harrison-Gray, INTERNATIONAL TRIALS ·14 Take a lesson in the Squecse INTERNATIONAL From Reese. Dr. H. Li!.ist 15 ENGLAND V. NORTHERN * * * IRELAND • • . 20 Non~ ·could call Standish Booka HUNCHES P. F. Saunders 23 A palooka . Save Rixi E.B.U. COMPETITION REsULTS • • 24 When plagued-by ?cr familiar pixi. funrrutsES AND REsPONSES (2) Norma11 Squire . . 25 * * * APRIL COMPETITION ·29 " "Hell I " ANSWERs TO MARCH Boomed Geoffrey Fell, COMPETITION 30 " You ought to read Simon, * * * Nimon." All Bridge Correspondence to the · Editor: * * * GUY RAMSEY, " Arrest' er," 13, Cannon ·Place, Screamed Madeline Lester, When Madge Trollope London, N.W.3. Came down a wollope. All Correspondence 011 SrtbscritJtions or Advertisirrg to .. • Publishers : . * * PRIESTLEY,STUDIOS LTD., . Leo Baron Commercial Road, Implored : " Keep your baron " Gloucester. · When, down 1,400, Leist Claimed he had over-sacrifeist.
A I \ E_DITORIAL
A T A recent Final, the f?ll~w- . session a change of partnership .l"1. ing sequence of hiddmg and the introduction of a fifth took place. South, 1 () ; team-member, until then, for the - West, after a long trance, No ; session; acting as Reserve. At' the North, 1 + ; East, No ; South, end of the session, the _ player 2 + ; West, after a second long withdrew from the contest, leaving trance, No ; North, 2 NT ; East, (presumably) the ex-Partner and No ; South, 3 NT ; West, after the Reserve to carry on. a third. long trance, No. Unhappily, the ex-Partner was_ East led a Minor through unfit to continue : not solely owing Dummy's bid and 3 NT were to the previous fracas-flu (possibly duly rolled up. responsible for the errors that had After the hand, West turned on . occasioned the initial disagreement) East like a pickpocket : " I cannot was in full swing. understand," he trumpeted, " how The event was one in wQich a you could fail to lead a Heart on multiple-team movement was in such bidding. It must have been force ; and to scratch the team obvious I held the suit." He of which the offender was a member brooded slightly. " What else was, from purely practical con could I have been thinking about, siderations, impossible. - except whether to bid Hearts ? " The Tournament Director in This true anecdote has given:_ the general interest admitted a rightly- all bridge-players who substitute- not a member of the have heard it a hearty laugh. team. But it is no laughing matter. It is true that the offender Temperamental exhibitions, like offended-obviously, or he would those immortalised by the late not have voiced his criticism in Suzanne Lenglen on the tennis public- in ignorance. But the court, are always regrettable ; but " informatory " trance is, as all in a Singles event, there is the experienced players. are well aware easy, if disappointing, redress of (even if some of them still scratching the offender. In a transgress- without this gentle team game, like bridge, they are man's naive admission) unethical. unforgivable, for such recourse is It is doubtful whether the East unavailable. in question refrained from a Heart No game-even golf- is ~ore lead from purely ethical motives : productive of exacerbation, irrita ~me ~ather~ the st:mdard of play, tion, and not only temperament m this particular Fmal, was mixed. but temper than bridge ; but the But in such circumstances, East canon of sportsmanship is therefore ought to refuse to lead the suit. the more obligatory. In an~ther recent event, a player Bad ethics and bad sportsman was guilty of a temperamental ship are the left and right Achilles exhibition which, by the same heels of this game of ours ; and it token, must be pilloried in the is for all players- pre-eminently for interests of bridge. those at the top-to place before _ .This player, after a disagreement these vulnerable points the sure - with Partner, requested in mid- shield of their own example.
2 Contract Bridge J owmat Qfficial Kibitzers Report on
MASTER PAIRS '. ' ..
ORM at bridge, always Wit.h · many pairs playing in ~npredictable, and especially strange formation~ the standard F so this season, reached its was even less impressive than usual; peak 9f improbability in the T.B.A. A typical example of combined Masters Pairs, held, as usual, at operations by declarer and defence the Bemers Hotel before the usual was provided on Board 26. large gallery this event attracts. .+ K85 - Richard Preston . and Ralph \:) A76 Swimer, stalwarts of the Arnold 0 J62 Elliott Team, " caked-:walked " the + KJ96 event. + 94-3 + AQJ62 This came as no surprise to \:) 4- \:) KJ953 many shrewd judges who ranked 0 AS · _ 0 . 94- them, rightly, as one . qf the most + AQ8754-3 + 2 _ consistent ·pairs in the country ; _ • 107 but it is a fact that they were \:) Q1082 brought ·into the -entry as last 0 KQ 108 7 3 minute substitutes. + 10 With a 70 per ~ent. score ·they . Dealer, Vv est. North-South were still a fe\v points . behind Game. Kenneth Konstam ·and Graham Mathieson at the end of Session I ; 4- + was the popu~ar contract thereafter they had the field to but was only bid and made at one themselves. Forging ahead with table. In one case the play went scarcely. an indifferent board to as follows: South led ·0 K, mar their progress, with bidding dum~y won and ·\:) 4- was led: and play of the highest calibre, North hopped up with \:) A (one they eventually ran out winners rarely. loses by ducking in this by the record margin .of 53 match situation), cashed 0 J and led a points. , low trump. - Not to be outdone, Konstam and Mathieson were East made the classic play- ·of gallant runners-up, another knock ·winning with + A, cashing. \:) K for the selectors .who had un in a hurry and ruffing a Heart on . accountably omitted Graham from · the table. -+ A was followed by their original list for the Masters + 4-, ruffed by East and over-ruffed Individual. Incidentally, for the by South, who now made the latter event Swimer only_came in killing ·return of a Diamond. as a reserve, finishing eighth ; Time stood still ' while East Preston . was left out-. altogether. considered this Greek . gift. Playing their· own version of Eventually ·he .trumped in his own .. Streamlined Acol,''' Ralph Evans hand, led another Heart and ruffed and Victor Mollo brought · off a' with dummy's last trump . .North fine and popular performance by obliged by over-trumping with finishing third. + Kl 3 CONTRACT BRIDGE JOURNAL It will be seen that if North lets 2 \7, . South . concluded 0at she dummy hold ·this trick, East. (who had read 2 + as a cue btd ; she now has left + Q J and hts last could scarcely hold four Hearts or Heart) can make only one more she would have bid 1 \? over trick. West's 1 0 ; therefore she was 1 As the mistakes of the Maste~s bidding on a three-timer I In the are usually more popular than thetr end 3 + was bjd and made for a occasional scintillations, we quote poor match_ point score. North two bidding sequences that caught came out best in the post-mortem, our fancy. for she could point to the fact that 1 NT doubled by East, on + A 10943 the " obvious " lead of + K, \? would have yielded a cold top for 0 Q73 their side. + A 10 8 7 3 • J7 53 + K1084 • J 5 \? 7 2 KQJ8 \? AQ6 \? 0 10 8 7 2 0 A65 2 0 J10 + 642 + QJ5 + A742 • Q 962 + 953 + A762 \? A65 \? 8742 \? KJ3 0 K984 OJ5 OAQ63 + K9 + Q 10 8 5 - + J 9 Dealer, North. East-vVest Game. + KQ 108 BIDDING \? 10 9 5 0 K95 NoRTH EAST SOUTH WEST + K63 No bid 1 + Dble 1 0 Dealer, North. East-"'est Game. No bid(!)l NT No bid No bid Dble No bid 2 + (I) No bid BIDDING 2 ~ No bid 2 + No bid NORTH 3 All pass EAST SOUTH WEST + No bid 1 • No bid No bid South, who was conscious that Dble 20 Dble 2 + he had overdone things a little 3 0 {!) All pass with his " Lederer " double on the first round, was naturally When South heard the musical horrified when his partner came sound of \Vest's preference of to life in doubling 1 NT. The 2 + and envisaged the holoca.ust double could not be allowed to if this were passed round to him, stand, and as North was apparently he must have patted himself on . too weak to bid over West's 1 0 the back for his smart double of · South could only assume that her 2 O ; but North was also a player hand consisted of a string of Clubs,. of imagination. If South could His bid of 2 + was a praiseworthy double Diamonds when he (North) attempt to find a place of refuge. held four himself, then clearly ·This pair, however, were not East had bid a psychic ; and fully conversant with each others' psychics in the best circles m~t methods. When North now bid be promptly exposed. Hence hts staggering bid of 3 O ! South, of 4 CONTRACT BRIDGE JOURNAL course, passed in disgust, and we tricks in. Spades in either case ; understand that relations were and the problem was-lzow were tlze strained for the rest of the session. Spades ? · , . - At one table East was faced with North had bid the suit and South a typical match point conundrum had supported. It was reasonable on Board 62 : to place the former with a shaded WEST EAST four-card suit and South with + K 6 2 + A 10 9 4 Q x or Q J only. But a knowledge (:} A 6 4 3 . \:} 7,2 of opponents' habits came to 0 10 7 5 0 A K J 9 3 declarer's aid : he knew that + A-7 6 + 53 South would not raise with two -.Dealer, South. Love All. Spades only in this situation, '\vhich meant that North had bid BIDDING a psychic. And South, with Q x x SoUTH WEST NoRTH EAST in the suit, would lead his lowest 1 + No bid 1 .. 2 0 card, not the_Queen. East therefore 2 + 3 0 , All pass placed South with Q J x and played accordingly ; South held the South led + 'Q, · and East guarded 0 Q, but East made realised at once that, thanks to 10 tricks · for a score of 130 and a · 'Vest's lack of enterprise, the cold top. contract was a poor -one. If the Diamonds . could be nin without Fi11al placi11gs loss, nine tri~s were cold in 1. R: Preston and R. Swimer 765 ' No-Tru!llps;. 1f .0 Q had to . 2. K. W. Konstani and G. F. make, e~ght tncks _m 2 ·NT W
LONDON F LITCH AXTON HALL proved a Mter playing beautiful bridge, not inappropriate setting for Mr. and Mrs. Wallis· of Ealing C the final of this very popular had' the distinction of leading at annual event. The 28 . married the end of the first session with couples who had qualified from #5 match points out of a possible heats held in London and the 728, one point only ahead of the Home Counties included a few Harrison-Grays, with the rest of pairs of old hands and a refreshing the field some way astern. The prepon~erance of newcomers. evening session took its toll, as 5 CONTRACT BRIDGE JOURNAL
~orne of the less-experienced players considered that she had sufficient were feeling the strain ; but. one in reserve to bid the grand slam. or two pairs, notably Mr. and South, however, doubled on the Mrs. B. W. Pot and Mr. and Mrs. strength of + A ; and East, who Harry Freeman, were obviously is noted for flashes of tortuous catching up at a great pace. genius, saw the writing on the "·aU In the end the Grays just nosed but decided to go down fighting.' home,· two match points ahead of West had bid No-Trumps first, so the Pots ; the reward of persever he duly bid 7 NT, hoping that ance, for they had finished second North might find the wrong lead. and fourth in the two previous South again doubled and North, contests, and especially meritorious contemptuous of Lightner sian\ in the case of Stella, who had only doubles, stolidly led a Club. just recovered from a long illness. The penalty was 1,700, and The following hand was very East now thinks that he might as· well bid by the majority of well have redoubled in order · to competitors : be really tho.rough. WEST EAST At the conclusion of the contest, + AS +.KQJ 10962 Harrison~Gray, noted abstainer, \? K 10 6 4 3 \?AQJS was observed travelling towards 0 AKJ2 04 • . 3 Crockford's at high speed in order + Q4 to slake his thirst before the bar West dealt at Game All and the closed ; explained that his vocal small slam was bid, either in chords were somewhat ff1!yed ; Spades or Hearts, at 12 of the Stella had needed a lot · of 14 tables, but there· were a couple " encour.agerrient." of spectacular mishaps. One pair reached 7 NT, played by vVest · The leading places are given North did not fancy a lead fro~ below ; apart from those already + K J 9 8 6 2, so the grand slam mentioned, the Burrows' of Essex was made. At another table we and the Brooks of Kent played noted the _follm~ing bidding by a throughout with admirable famous pa1r of tnternationals : steadiness. · 1 \? . Z+ 1. Mr. and Mrs. M. Harrison- 3 0 3 \? Gray . . 845 3. 4 + (!) 2. Mr. and Mrs. B. W. Pot.. 843 4 NT (Culbertson) 6+ 3. Mr. and Mrs. R. Y. Wallis 817 7 • (!) 4. ' Mr. and Mrs. H. Freeman 797 West (the wife) read the b,·d of. 5. Mr. and Mrs. G. B. Burrows 76.8 6. Mr. and Mrs. P. T. S~ 4 + as showing a void, and Brook ------675· WALES v. SCOTLAND AJOR BASIL TATLOW his henchmen to make this event, ~1at master of- organisa~ M t10n, went flat out with the first Camrose match to be played in North Wales an out· ' 6 CQNTRACT BRIDGE JOURNAL standing success. The management In . Room 1 Mrs. Davidson of the Imperial Hotel, Llandudno, (North) opened.! + and Scbneiden co-operated nobly. This wrut the (East) . bid 3 +. 'vhich: Skinrier best atterppt that we have seen for (South) doubled for a penalty .of years to stage big bridge as ' a 300. ·In Room 2 the bidding went spectacle: as follows : . - . ·wales \von, by 1,9~0 points, a SoUTH WEST NoRTH EAST. match· that was always interesting, No bid No bid · 1 .+ - 2 + although the standard of play by . 3 0 No bid 3 'V 3 + · both sides never reached , the No bid .No bid 4 0 No bid heightS. This Welsh revival,· after 5 0 . a long series of. depressing defeat:S, The opening lea'cl was + 5, and was welcome· and deserved. They d fielded a ·much revised team,' who 0 10 was led from umrny at showed sufficient Welsh aggressive- Trick 2· Miss Maciui.ir (East) won and return'ed + Q which was ness and ~vill-to-win to build'up a trumped in dummy. Ross (West} corrupan_dmg l~ad that they never now gained the lead with 0 K l~oke~ like losmg. . . · and promptly led a Heart ; declarer While . all had · a shar:e in . the (Moses) . was faced with -the victory, perhaps Hubert Jones · of unpleasant alternative of finessing Swansea sho~ld be singled out for . :or playing for a miracle in the special praise ; the records show Club suit. As .. ·. HIS "year's Cheltenha~ · The following hand varies in . prograrn~e concentra.ted interest, according to tlie bidding, . T over..:heav1ly on the vanous the contract and the opening moves. County Finals, and the open events · + 10 were less numerous and less y> AKJ95 attractive than usual. This fact 0 Q974 probably accounted for the 65 3 depleted. entries from outside, + although · Gordon Johnstone's + AJ32 + KQ9764 Gloucester Coinrriittee could have y>Ql0862 \/43 'coped easily with two or . three 0 83 0 5 times the two hundred competitqrs + 108 .. + AQ72 who came to the starting tape~. . ·. • 85 London sent.only two teams to \/7 'play for the chief event-the 0 AKJ 10 6 2 Cotswold . Cup-the holders + KJ93 (Geoffrey Butler's te~m) failing. to With South dealing and both ·survive the qualifying round. The· sides vulnerable, the bidding at other London team of cracks, one table went brought 'by J. Pavlides, after SouTH WEST NoRTH EA:>i qualifying with a lap to spare, 1 0 No_ 1 \? 1 + found· they were unable to stay 20 2 + 3 + 4 + over to the Final on the Monday No No 5 0 . and sportingly withdrew to make After South had showed re .way for others. biddable Diamonds, North's second . This meant that the Cup left bid tacitly agrees the suit ; but . -London for the first time and it South is able to pass East's game was fitting that. i~ should go to bid in Spades and leave the final Bristol - R. B. Everett's team decision to . his partner. As it winning with something to spare. happe.ns 4 + goes 1 off with the The Gloucester Individual went loss of a Club, a Diamond and to Mrs. W. Morley-Burry· after a two Hearts. photo-finish, three players (Miss Against 5 0 a Spade is led and Hervey, Mrs. McNeill and A. G. :. won by East and Declarer is Bonner) tying for second half confronted \vith the problem of a-: point behind. losing only one Club trick, which · Equally pleasing was the finish (as the cards lie) is simple. If of the Consolation Team Event, East at Trick 2 leads back the + 2, Mr. and Mrs. H. W. Garfit-Clowes, what should Declarer do ? If he with Lt. Col. J. G. Leckey and finesses the Knave and it loses to Mrs. D. Clark (Haslemere) just \Vest's Queen, he is down at once, beating Bob Frith and Mrs. D. with + A. He can, on the bidding, 'Hopewell, Mr. ~nd Mrs. F. S. B. be reasonably certain that the + K Lawes (Nottingham). will hold at Trick 2 and, if he n . 9 CONTRACT BRIDGE JOURNAL - puts it up, he can play for . a by two of the youngest competitors, favourable Heart break.. · ~.1th J. Pugh and Max Feenr from seven outstanding they w1ll ~IVIde Birmingham with D. E. Young and 4/3 62 times, and 5/2 31 t1me~, P. Swinnerton-Dyer of Trinity, in a 100. The percentage plar 1s Cambridge just behind. 2 to 1 on putting up the Kt~g, Other winners were : Mr. and Mrs. establishing Hearts, and gettmg Bamkin (Nottingham), Mr. and Mrs. the needed Club discards. But Lawes (Birmingham), Mrs. Nicholas it does not work this time. and Mrs. Batchelor (Sheffield), Mrs •. Sling arid F. j. Mills {Co\·entry), Of course, if East returns any Messrs. Jones and Clark (Civil Service), thing else at Trick 2 the problem Mrs. Lester and J. Pearlstone (London), . does not exist. Declarer can try the Messrs. B. Shapiro and S. Booker Heart position first. Finding that (London), Messrs. N. R. C. Frith. and H. L. Bamkin (Nottingham), ~r. W. wrong, he is driven to t~ke the Morley Burry and Dr. K. Solon double finesse in Clubs and 1t comes (Bristol),' Mr. and . Miss Wilkinson off. (Cheltenham), M1ss M. Her\'ey Cheltenham finished with the (Cheltenham) and Mr: ~· C. ]o~ns?n (Bristol), Mr. H. E. F1eld and M1ss usual dance in the Town Hall, D . E. Coen (Civil Service), Mrs. Lester with the Chairman of the E.B.U. and Mrs. Williams (London), Mrs. introducing the Mayor for 'the Davies and Mrs. Weech (Cheltenham), prize-giving. Mr. and Mrs. Briscoe (Solihull) and Mr. G. L. Butler and Mrs. Williams The Open Pairs Final was won _;. ______(London). _ PACHABO N eight-team Final brought Spiro, and J. W ranker spurted Dr. J. Whitby's team to violently. This was the only threat A victory in the Pachabo to the leaders, and a disastrous 1949 : just ten years after he had third session put " paid " to the last won the event. Whitby, challenge . . Lewis Ellison, Count Alpar and Evans, too, had an unlucky the Sharples twins were winners, opening to the third session and, . winners all the way through the try as the Bournemouth team Final, with the Southern Counties might, it could never catch up quartette, Mr. and Mrs. Evans, the leeway. Mrs. Barnett and Mr. M. Dale . ~ ' challenging strongly · throughout. A team with four Internationals in it- S. Booker (capt.), .Lady . Whitby won by a margin .of Rhodes, Mrs. Markus, Mrs. Litante 3! Victory points : 31! against and K. W. Konstam- pro·ved Evans's 28. decisively just how unpredictable There were only two teams in it is form in bridge-in the. 1~~9 during the first session, during vintage above all- by fimshmg · which every team played + board; eighth out of eight. . · against every other. In the second The winning quintette-like all session, Oldschool, with Joel Tarlo, the bridge world-must have found Dr. Hans Leist, J. Nunes, " Tiny " in the occasion of their success a IO CONTRACT BRIDGE JOU.RNAL poignant memory of their old with the Whitby-Ellison group, as team-mate, !'Jackie" Flores: that well as gathering a vast bank round-faced, round-bodied balance of Master Points, that a Spaniard with his endearing catch- Final without him brought a pang phrase of " Oh, Partnership ! " . even to those in other teams. 'whenever his vis-a-vis took a No player was more popular :wrong view. and deservedly so-than Jackie. _Flores had . played- so long and He holds a niche in all our so often-and so "Successfully- memories. OPEN LETTER To-WHOM IT MAY CoNcERN DEAR TRANCER, International tournaments, model ' If you are ~mly ~n occasional yourself on the real experts, not trancer who plays bridge at a on the pseudo-scientists of the normal speed for three quarters of game. Every time you waste two the time and thinks when thinking · or three minutes over a simple bid is really necessary, as all first class or . pl~y, you are being ,·aguely players do, then take no notice of unethical ; not perhaps intention this letter-it is not for you. It is ally, but in just the same way as a to the small (thank God)" circle of Wimbledon tennis player who stops conti1mal trancers who make the ?etw~en every game to tie up an game a source of boredom to 1magmary shoe lace while his opponents, of ridicule to spectators, opponent is \Vaiting with jangled and a perfect nightmare to them nerves on the other side of the selves, that I am addressing it. net. Let me give you three examples. Bridge, my dear Trancer, is, for Perhaps when you see your idiocies the most part, a simple game. in the cold light of print, you may Your. opening bid-or lack of it realise that my comments. are not is at once apparent. If you are unfair. playing 4 + with 3 top losers, · 'there is no difficulty in losing them ; One of· the worst of vour the only thing you have to guard fraternity held the following hand against is a ruff. Equally on a part recently:. - - score hand, if you open on a • K X ~X 0 X X X X + A K Q J X x. 13-count and partner replies 1 NT, you know you won't miss a . game He studied this collection for by passing, so for Heaven's sake three minutes and bid- 1 O I do it quickly. Keep your trancing Why ?:-I'll tell · you · why. for occasions when thinking is Because 1f he had made the bid really needed. that every good, · bad ·or indifferent You, who arc ambitious to bridge player would always make improve your game, to take part in on this very simple hand, he would CONTRACT BRIDGE J-OlJR.NAL have had to make it quickly. Even The ·defence took the first four he ' could have found no alibi for tricks in Hearts,· after which South trancing. It is a source of _sati~ switched to a small spade. Declarer faction to relate that the btd tn took in his hand ·and played Ace question ended in complete disaster. of Clubs followed by King -and Queen of Clubs. On the latter Another of you held you had to find a discard. You + A109xxxx l\7xx Oxx + xx went into a fairly long huddle and The bidding went 1 NT- 3 NT eventually parted rather reluctantly against you and you were on lead. with a small spade. Now on· the After U minutes trance you led fourth Club you were really in a Heart-! ! Can you tell me what trouble! you were trancing about ? Either you elect to play a Spade, as all I longed to tell you what . you normal players would, quickly ; or ought to have known· yourself: you elect to play another suit : that you could have discarded imy but 110 amount of trancing will of your remaining cards-not enable you to work out which of excluding the Ace of Diamonds the other three suits your partner is and the result would have been most likely to_ hold. You'll never the same t.e., 2 NT bid 'imd know any more about the . hand, made. _however long you look at it. But no, after minutes of agony Had you led a Spade, the ·you turned to Declarer and ~ked contract would have been Four to s·ee the last trick ! What down. As it was, you struggled inspiration you expected to glean for another few minutes to get it from a partner who had been One down. forced to follow suit with his ·only Is trancing worth it ? remaining Club, Heaven alone knows. But the whole sorry During the recent international pantomime took about fourminut~. trials, another of you sat North and the deal was· as follows :- It is merely by the way that you would _ be , a better bridge - + 9xx player if . you tranced less often. 1\7 Kxxx 0 AQxx The main point is you .would be less of a bore. Fewer people XX + woul FTER much hard work by triea5ured in terms of hard ·cash. a Congress. Committee with For not only have we eight satisfied A Mr. 1 John Fogarty · as winners, but eight who were second President, Mr. Trevor Williams (" If only I'd taken the finesse the as Chairman, Major J3asil Tatlo\v other way ") and a further eight as Tournament Director and Mrs. thirds ("When my partner improves Ferrie Gould as Hon. Sec. a little we shall win e;tsily "), all Treasurer, the first Congr~ss ever 24 delighted with the world m to be held by the Welsh Bridge general and the Competition m Union came into being at Porthcawl particular. during the week end March 3-7. · The experts, as was to be Perhaps because Tournament expected won the major events. Bridge has been so little , play<:~ Leeds took our Championship in South Wales, local players were Pairs Cup, Mrs. Kremer an~ at first most dubious about e!)tering, Harold Franklin being their re ~d one of the main problems doubtable representatives, and confronting the ·Committee was Leeds took our Championship how to assure and re-assure them Teams of Four_Trophy, the above that our " Tigers " , had no pair in this instance being cannibalistic tendencies. accompanied by Mr. C. E. Phillips Visible proof was produced when (Northwich) ·and Dr. N. J. S. it was· noted in the local press that Dewar (Maidenhead). not only were the " rabbits " alive o ·ur other two Major Cups and kicking after the first few days, found homes in ·London for one out they had actually succeeded in year, Congress Teams of Four ,vinning prizes. In consequence, being won by Mr. Terence Reese the last two days produced a (London) Mrs. F 1em in g· sudden influx of 'new entrants, '(Tunbridge Wells), Mrs. P. and these last minute entries are Williams and Mr. J. Pearlstone now amongst those who look (London) ; and Ladies Teams of fonvard most eagerly to the second Four by Mrs. P. Williams (London), W.B.U. Congress .. Mrs. Fleming (Tunbridge Wells), Our Advisory Council feel sure Mrs. E. Morgan and Mrs_. Williams this must be to the good of the (Worthing). game, as surely the foundation of " That did the " locals " do ? Bridge lies more with the vast They resolved to learn by number of average-standard players experience. The average players rather than with the comparatively went home to consider and small number of experts. re-consider their bidding and their To encourage newcomers no play, but our better players learnt fewer than eight prizes were something very different : strategy awarded for the Novices Competi and tactics. Space tforbids me to tion, and their value cannot be enlarge on 'this most important IJ CONTRACT BRIDGE JOURNAL section of the game, but if I may prizes and paid tribute to the make a small prophesy it is that Committee and their assistan~ next year our Team Captains will Mr. H. D. King and Mr. Doig. . be studying very carefully such The Frank Perry Shield was won points as the positioning of their by Eli Fine's South Wales team team, whether to plunge desperately against North Wales ; ·H. · T. for " tops " or not, the position of Thomas (capt.) with Me5srs. the opponents, and their tempera · Sharples, Greatrix and Andre\ts, ment, and the score of other factors all of Pontypridd, won tpe which very· definitely decide the Consolation Teams of Four ; and issue between evenly matched Mrs.· Randall-Mrs. Mills, -Mrs: teams. Young-Mrs. Hyland \valked ·away Lady Webber presented the with the Ladies event. . . INTERNATIONAL TRIALS 'T HE preliminary stages of the S. Merkin by 12 "New" Inter . International Trials have been national Match Points, and N. completed and the European Gardener, A. Meredith, Dr. M. Champions of last year (M. Rockfelt and S. Bendi.x by 29. Harrison-Gray, L. Dodds, E. Rayne, K. Konstam, T. Reese In the other match the Gardener..: and B. Shapiro) will be playing Rockfelt four had decisively beaten a 200-Board match against the the Tarlo-Mathieson team bv Challengers during April. 50 I.M.P's. . If the " European " team win The Challenging team was formed they will later have to stave off by adding "Nico" Gardener and ·· · a further challenge against a team " Plum " Meredith to the Lee four - that the Selectors will nominate and dropping Kremer. and, should they lose, the During the trials the Selectors Challengers would be " in thl" box" and the composition of the were. assisted by a number . of Offictal Observers who were each ~10min~ted team, though doubtless mcludmg some of the Harrison given the task of watching the Gray si.x, would give the Selectors play of one or more of the pairs some sort of headache. conce~ned, in order that a pair on a. l?sm~ side that might have The preliminary difficulties were d1stmgmshed itself should not be solved by a triangular contest, the overlooked. three teams each playing a 6+-Board match against the others. T~e team finally selected w~ a Dr. S. Lee (with S. Booker unammous choice, but the Selectors H. Franklin, R. Mercado and are naturally keeping their own A. Kremer) won both their counsel at .t~~ moment in regard matches, beating L. Tarlo, L. to the possibility of re-introducing Baron, G. Mathieson and at a later stage any pairs that have s. not so far survived. INTERNATIONAL by Dr. H.' Leist OR the fi~t time in Brita~'s Our instructions, further, gave bridge history, trialc; for us the task of regarding the players F potential International we. watched as pairs : thus, if one honours have been watched by a partner made 10 mistakes in a little corps of official experts, session, while the other made 2, expressly entrusted with the task the partnership was · marked with of scrutinising the bidding and 12 demerits. For it is as pairs that play of every . hand and, even, any team must be fielded and, every card, and charged with the therefore, judged. unenv_iable duty of reporting to The conditions of play - at the British Bridge League their Lederers-were as onerous as those most merciless analysis. . at any bo11a fide International. I was one of these " official Almost all the experts in London kibitzers "; and, although my at· one time' or another watched Report to the B.B.L. is, of necessity, the · play ; there was a ·constant confidential; I have agreed to give va et vie11t from room to room ; the Joumal and its readers some the · official....- and unofficial - pu-rely personal impressions of the . scrutineers were incessantly dis · triangular duel (if the Irishism be cussing point · after point-and, be permitted)' that has just been it said, not one of the 13 contestants waged over 192 strenuous boards. did anything but welcome our A certain amount of pre-amble enquiries and express his personal is . needed, for our instructions pleasure at our presence. were specific. We were .strajtly There were no alibis offered : informed that we were not to look about the conditions, the distrac for brilliance-either meretricious tions, the strain. The finest or genuine ; the canon of criticism sportsmanship was in evidence was laid down : a correct, players admitting the inevitable conservative, ste.ady game. errors graciously and, invariably, If a psychic, a bid on a 3-card giving all information for which suit, a lead-inhibiting or a Master they were asked. bid were made-and failed- the In fact, so successful has been attempt was to be charged a3 a the introduction of us official demerit to the maker : the test of kibitzers :that the Challenge such a bid was to be alone its Match- and subsequent Challenge success. If it succeeded, on the Matches-are also to be subjected other hand, no special merit was to expert scrutiny at, as well as to be given to its perpetrator. analysis after, play. Nevertheless, since bridge is a. Three teams- more properly to game of cards- that is, a game of be regarded as six pairs- were in chance- a certain latitude was to action : Leo Baron and Louis be given to the kibitzers to interpret Tarlo, Graham Mathieson and their instructions ; and a coup Stanley Merkin forming one ; Nico that succeeded might be charged Gardener, and Adam (" Plum ") as a demerit to the pair th:tt Meredith, Dr. M. Rockfelt and " bought " it. S. Bendix forming the second ; 1.5 CONTRACT BRIDGE JOURNAL ., . and Dr. S. Lee and S. Booker ; and Meredith the eccentric partner. with a triangular partnership, But there seemed to be a certain H. Franklyn, R. Mercado and listlessness in their game. A. Kremer (the two first-named doing the brunt of the work) Lee .and Booket (Vienna) lacked . forming the third. the fluidity and ease of genuine big_ bridge-they were, however. All 13 players are, of course, of succ~ssful, . always appar~n~y expert class : in fact, tht; B.B.L. makmg heavy weather of their was criticised for refusing entries matches·; and the laborious nature they did not consider of a _ ?f the_ _Stern system -was appa_rent sufficiently high standard. Even m the1r performance. _ within expert class, however, there are fine gradations. In the triangle, it would be unfair to comment upon Kremer, As regatds the partnerships, my for he played but 32 boards against own views are, very frankly stated, the others' 12R apiece. . The these : Baron and Tarlo strove Franklyn - Mercado partnership very hard to build up a genuine made- during these trials-fewer partnership and they almost mistakes than any other and, achieved it. Unhappily for them, therefore, were the most successful it did not quite " click." But pair. They produced admirably their effort to get together, despite· steady stuff, but there still lingers occasional _disappointing results, about them a certain - air of was always m evidence. uncertainty. Mathieson and Merkin. as On the whole,· the part-score perhaps, might have been expected bidding and play was first class ; - from a pair relying on flair rather the game-bids were not sufficiently than strict system, produced results accurate ; and in slam bidding, that ranged ·from the sublime to the st~ndard was, to · say the least, the- not so sublime. defective. - Rockfelt and Bendix after a B7fore p~oceeding to the dis brilliant first match, fail~d in their cusston of the hands- only half.: second attempt : and this was in a-dozen since space is so short-. some measure due to the fact that I should like to put myself formally' - · n_endix w~s not only playing in upon record that these comments , Ills first b1g event but was also a of mine-which niriy seem, perhaps, comparative newcomer to the too frank-,-are absolutely imper system th~y w_ere employing sonal and as objective a.~ any erring human can make them. ~aron, wl11ch IS_ a very rigid mstrument. Th1s unfamiliarity stood them in had stead. Most of the hands I have ~hosen arc slams ; not merely because they . are spectacular, but because these Ga~~ener and Meredith were, are the swings that win-or lose surpnsmgly not so effective as at matches. Besides, it is more first blush, rhey were expected to instructive to reac;l of .. ·chucks" be. Gardner was the conservative than coitps. r6 CONTRACT . BRIDGE JOURNAL + AK 109 7 • 10 8.4 3 y> A109 y> 96532 0 !{10642 0 Q96 + Void + 5 + J5432 + 6 + 9.7 65 + AJ y> Q863 y> 742 y> 8 y> K 10 7 O J OA75 0 A K 10 7 0 J 8 5 3 + A 8 2 + Q 9 7. 5 4 3. · + 8 6 4 2. + K Q 10 9 • Q8 + KQ2 y>-KJ 5 .. y>AQJ4 0 Q98 3 0 42 + KJ 10·6 + AJ73 With North-South vulnerable 'Meredith, as the' Vulnerable and the deal ·at • South, both East who dealt, opened (on Baron) North's got to 6 0· Baron opened 1 O ;- Lee (South) made the 1 NT on the South cards, and the Vienna's informatory double of sequence went.3 + -3 NT- 4 0 .;. 2 O and Gardener pre-empted. 5 0 - 6 O. In the other room, with 4 0-the contract, un Mercado (North) opened 1 + and doubled, going a comfortable two Franklin, who had passed, jumped off. to 3 NT. North showed the. In the other room, Franklin Diamonds and South, short of (playing Acol) opened the more controls, bid 4 +. but when normal bid of 1 + anc! Rockfelt North rebid the O, South went doubled ; Mercado raised the to 6. Clubs but Bendix felt his 5-:card Merkin, at East, led a Club ; suit was worth a bid. ' South and the contract was admirably raised to 4 y> and Franklin led played by Mercado as a double + K. . squeeze: Vlest having to keep With a disaStrous shortage of + J against North, and East + Q entries to his hand, Bendix started against the Dummy. The Heart by winning and ruffing a .Club. Queen, therefore, had to drop. He needs to lead Hearts (possibly) Booker found a more difficult twice, Spades (possibly) twice and lead: the y> 7. Although this can reach his hand only thre!! gave Tarlo the Heart finesse "free" times by + ruffs. the 5-1 Spade break makes the Instead of starting on the si~e contract impossible- save for an suit he led Trumps and Franklm . unnatural Spade finesse : · no-one pla;ed the fine false_-card of V' 10. would play on split Club honours Taking this , at tts face:-valuc, early enough to establish a . Club Bendix played the trump ~ce at discard, rather than· rely on one once for the drop ; hopmg to .ruff establishing the Spades. have' thereby two entries to lead Unhappily, on the second round the Spades. Had he prospec~ed of trumps, Lee played the + 8 with tpe Spades before cashmg and, when Booker got in with the the Heart Ace (as he could), h_e 0 . A, he led a Club. would have made contract ; as tt Finis I was, _he went two light. 17 CONTRACT BRIDGE JOURNAL • 10 9 8 4 • AJ cy>5 cy> K942 0 J 10 9 53 0 AQ742 + AQJ + A4 • J 7 53 + AK + K + 10 8 3 2 \?2 cy> A K 10 8 6 4 cy> Q J 8'7 cy> 5 . 0 AKQ874 0 6 . 0 J 8 6 3 0 10 + 104 + K762 + KJ 82 + Q1097653 • Q62 • Q97654 <:? QJ973 cy> A 10 6 3 0 2 0 K94 + 9 8 53_ + Void 'Vhen Booker held the West The passion for the 4-4 trump cards at Game All, he opened 3 O· suit betrayed both partnerships-on I am not a Vienna expert, but I this hand, despite efforts by both believe the bid requires a single South's to prefer Spades to Hearts. certain outside trick. Banking on Six · Spades is cold ; but 6 cy> is this, L'ee " shot " a direct 6 NT sure to go down on normal .play. and, on the lead of the cy> Q (which Both Baron and Gardener opened he ducked) went four down. the South hand 1 + and received Bendix did not· omit to double. a force. Gardener bid 3 + . Baron Meredith, in the other room, 3 cy>. But over Tarlo's 4 cy>, Baron opened 1 0 ·and Gardener forced reverted to + and over North's with 2 <::;. A third 0 was followed 5 + . bid 5 cy>, to be raised to 6 <::;. by a third \?, and Meredith found In the other room, Meredith the fine (Baron) waiting-bid of used. the Baron force of 2 NT and 3 + . to steer the 3 NT .contract over 3 + showed his 5-card into the East hand. 0 suit ; now Gardener bid his Kremer led the <::; Q which was 4-card major and, over 5 cy>, found duly ducked ; and found the right the intelligent bid of 5 + · But switch of + 9. Franklin slipped the 4-4 fetish was too strong, and here : the best play is to duck North still went 6 cy>. with + J ; or, if he puts up + A, + 074 + AK2 must now, immediately, switch to \? A 9 7 6 cy> K 10 0 to kill the table. Instead, 0 2 0 AQ4 North played Ace, Queen and + KQ962 + AJ75+ Knave of Clubs, the third being Both Bendix and Franklin (East) \yon by East ; and Gardener is opened 2 NT- the best bid on far too fine a technician not to the hand for, after a 1 + opening, accept . the chance 9f making his you can never catch up. Both contract. Three rounds of \Vest's- Rockfelt and Mercado Diamonds wer:e followed by two bid 3 + · Both Easts found 3 NT- of Spades- and West was stuck · the Baron pair having the advantage in witl1 the losing Club to lead of knowing the bid connoted + away from the cy> tenace. The cards in Clubs. Mercado now swing was 1,700-and the team went _direc~ to 6 + . which on the wrong end of this swing Frankhn ratsed, correctly to the still won the match ! big slam, Rockfelt went to 4 + , 18 CONTRACT BRIDGR JOURNAL to which Bendix replied 4 O, The bidding should have' warned doubled - (presumab!y for a lead) JJaron that this was. an exception by South. West showed the TWO ANGLES ON ENGLAND v. NORTHERN IRELAND ·E NGLAND defeated Northern + Kxxx Irelanq by 1,500 in the \? KJxx · Camrose Trophy match at 0 Axx Belfast. The teams were: + Jx - ENGLAND, . Kenneth Konstam • XXX + AQJ (Captain); Graham Mathieson, R. \? Axx \? Ql09x Sharples, J. Sharples, M. Porter 0 XX 0 KQ lOx and T. Cooke; NoRTHERN IRELAND, K98xx W. McCollom (Non-playing + + XX Captain), B. Vat:d, . E. Goldblatt, 10 9 X M. Gabbey, T. Shanks, A. Fletcher, •\?XX G. Hanna. 0 Jxxx + AQ lOx True to their reputation, the home team once again gave England This was the only sizeable swing a close fight and, for !1 fleeting on the first day and England led moment, appeared likely to win. by 920 at the end of Board 72. - • England started off · in great form On the second day, the whole on a series of part-score hands and, character of the match changed, after 16 boards, led by over 2,000. the hands running very big for Hand No. 19 was disastrous for the balance. Fortified by a lunch England and gave away a 1,000 of oysters and stout, Graham and I swing. Mathieson elected to open bid and made game on hands 73, 1 + on a doubleton ; I made 74, 75 and 76, on only one of which what I fondly imagined to be a we failed to get a swing · and the shut-out bid over an informatory English lead was no~v 2,500. double ; and Mr. Gabbey doubled Shortly aftenvards, we reached to the tune of 700. In the other our peak lead of 3,070. room, Messrs. Porter and Cooke Between Boards 80 and 95 the suddenly imagined their geese were Irish team played very steadily swans and came down 300 on a and,. aided by a hand played by combined 21 count which they had me m 3 NT where I took three co'nfidently bid up to 3 NT. The wrong views to go three off, · hands were, with E-W vulnerable gradually reduced the lead to and Dealer-North: 1,560. Hand 95 was a cold .... . 20 CONTRACT BRIDGE JOURNAL douche ; with N-S vulnerable - NoRTH SOUTH and Dealer South, the cards fell: +: K Q x xx + 10 9 x x x ~ AJ9 ~ Kx·x + KQJ ~XXX 0 AK lOx 0- Q 9 0 Jxxx + ·A" + QJx + xxx- The bidding in the other room between Fletcher (N) and Goldblatt + x + Axxx (S) was: ~ AK lOx ~X • NORTH 0 A 10 X X 0 Q98x 1 .• . + KQxx + AJxx 4 NT + 109xxx 7 + ~ QJxxx And· Maurice Porter all this O · K . time · was nursing · the Ace · of + lOx Tru~~s I · Hanna a~d Gabbe;·, ·who held ·_ So.I!ie mis-~i~ed correspondent the E-W cards, made a very well pubhshed ·an ·account of the hand bid 6 + · The Sharples Brothers in which he said that the mistake played in 3 NT and went orie occurred ·owing to one Northern down- a swing to Northern Ii-eland Irelander's thinking they were of 1,470 ; and England, after being pl_E.ying Blackwood and the o~her, in moderate comfort for 94 hands, Culbertson I This is, of course, were now leading by a mere clap-trap. They were . playing 90 points. \Vorse was to follow. Culbertson and both knew it. Board 97 of an International is a On Board 96 I had this head- · little .late to be ignorant which ache : convention ·you are playing. + A98xx ~Qxx OlOxx + Ax The result wa~ . due to a not unknown misunderstanding when Graham opened 4 ~ and, knowing playing the 4/5 NT, and the fault the Irish pair wo_uld bid everything was entirely North's. Over 3 + in sight, I made a slam ·try ; and, he should bid 4 0 and then 4 NT in a vain effort to make the over partner's 4 + · South then contract, Graham was two down has something to sign off into, in ,5 ~. and can bid 5 0 to deny the Ace To defend myself against a of Spades. As the bidding. went, charge of being plumb- crazy, I with 110 lower-ranking suit to sign would point out that we don't off into, North · literally didn't play a 4-bid as being necessarily know about the Trump fice.* a weak hand, so the decision was, · The final result was a fair obviously, close. My partner's ' reflection of the play. ·The English hand was: · • P/ayi11g Cu/bertso11, ttith otlly 011e Trump suit me11tioned, the sig11-ojJ + x ~ AJlOxxx OKx + KQxx. rcithout the Ace of Trumps is Five of the suit ; the bid ttitll the Trump England were then led by 420. Ace is Six of the suit. IVe " dime" Hand 97 was played quietly by North, qs does Jlfr. Ko71Stam-but Graham and me in 6 + : for a different reason • .21 . CONTRACT BRIDGE JOURNA _L team were always slightly superior, For Northern Ireland, Goldblatt especially on -the small hands ; but proved outstanding : he played they could never build up a brilliantly and was always worrying sufficient lead to relax·. his opponents. Hanna and Gabbey For the winners, "Porter and also deserve mention, but the Cooke played a splendid game in whole team proved a most difficult their first International, and are nut to crack. ideally suited, temperamentally, to the big occasion. ' K. W. KQNSTAM The Northern Ireland Editor subjoins:- This match packed most of its thrills into the last twenty boards. •\?AK875 The visitors reached their . peak 0 A KJ 8 7 aggregate plus score of 3,000 points ,0 10 6 4 :at Board 89, but by a series of + K J 10 9 53 + A 8 7 spectacular swings the home side \? QJ6 \? 942 went into the lead for the first 0 0 9654-2 time by 430 points at Board 97. + A932 + OJ An impossible grand slam on "Board 98, however, .cost 1 ,630 • 0642 points and England eventually won \? 10 3 by 1,500. . 0 Q 103 K875 Although there was not a great + .discrepancy between the merits of West dealt and bid 1 +. North the opposing teams, the winners said 2 \? and it is mv contention .deserved their victory. In the that East should. bid · 2 +· He play of the cards the home side has a good single raise and, even _.at · least held its , own. Better ·over an intervention that is all bidding on part score hands, ?is bid conveys. West'will probably however, tinie and· again provided JUmp to game. Assuming, however, double swings for the winners that a consen•ative East passes and ·which, in the aggregate, amounted West re-opens the bidding with to an impressive total ; and this 2 +. then over North's 3 0, East was the decisive factor in the must surely raise partner to game. result. The play of the hand is interest It was a match in which no ing. The lead is immaterial. reputations were made or enhanced. ~robahly the \? K is openc:d and 111 response to partner's " come Undoubtedly _a great deal of excellent bridge was witnessed, · on," the Ace is played followed by ?ut there were far too many the J?=ight which South trumps. mstances of thoughtless bidding Obeymg North's signal, South .and loose play. now leads_ a Diamond which Declarer trumps with the + 3 T~e following hand provided a~d leads the + 5 to the Ace . . constderable controversy and widely Now the + Q is played and holds. divergent views were expressed : · Here two lines of action !ire 22 CONTRACT BRIDGE i OURNAL available. One is to conti~ue Clubs at the three level it is a reasonable and hope that ~fter Ace takes King assumption that he started with the ten will •• come down in three," ten red cards. 'Vhen he shows as one of Dummy's trumps is out on the first lead of Spades the needed to finesse. In actual fact remaining three cards are' known this happens but the chance is less - to be Clubs, leaving South with than even and I think the alternative four Clubs which makes the play play of a trump coup. is decidedly a certainty. After the Club superior. Queen a Diamond is led and ruffed, After the first three leads, followed by Club Ace, Club ruff, Decl arer knows that North had Diamond ruff, and Club ruff, thus fi ve Hearts and if he------bid Diamonds reaching·------the desir~d· end position. HUNCHES by P. F. Saunders · + XX " Another · improper call ! " \7 JlOxxxxx East was getting excited. " When 0 - .will you two people learn- " · + xxxx " I don't think we're helping • + A Q 10 X X X + J X X X each other much at present," put <::! A X \7 KQ X in George, blandly, " All we're 0 10xx '0 XXX doing is making it easier for you + JlO + Oxx to double." ' + K The double followed, somewhat \? x explosively, an~ George, was still 0 AKQJxxx cheerful. Of course there was an + AKxx obvious retreat into D~amonds. \\"est had dealt and. opened But how dull I " Four No Trumps " A Spade " at game all, and with no frills on"· he stated. East had raised him to Two. East cast his eyes to the heavens George, sitting South, had had but contented himself with a three good rubbers and fo'ur good passionate double ~nd, after. three drinks. He gazed at his hand and passes, with an . equally pass10nate restrained a desire to giggle. An lead of- a small Spade. old idea, he thought, but at this George's laughter was checked by particular moment a very, very a quiet " What will you ha,·e ? " hcautiful one. " Three No 'frumps " he announced, and from West.* added carelessly, " A hunch." What would he have?: This was ~n ~ntirely new angle. He could ":\ most improper call" still play safe and ask fo~ a. Club, protested the schoolmaster sitting East. with the poss~bility of p1ckmg_ ~p · the tenth trick and the probabJhty . " My dear old usher," George of being one down. But ... began- but West had . quickly passed, and the attempt to sootlie * This was played before the New was further interrupted by a groan Laws were issued. . •HH.l " Four Hearts '" from North. · (co 11 tillutd o11 page 25) 23 ·HOW THEY STAND E.B.U. Competition Results CROCKFORD'S CUP Mrs. Gimson beat R. W; Zair 3rd ~omzd completed by 480 points. F. Farrington beat J. Brown by 3rd Round 56 I.M.P. A. E. Field beat W. Terry by E. P. C. Cotter beat J. Colvin 6,680 points. by 4 I.M.P. Dr. T. C. Macfarlane beat M. Wolach beat A. Elliott by G. L. Mltcheson by 3,330 80 I.M.P. points. S. lVI. Dawkins w.o. A. T. Dr. J. Whitby beat F. F. Sladen Hasler, scr. by 5,100 }?Oi~ts. 4th Round (to . be completed by WHITELAW CUP 20th Nlarch) 3rd Round (to be completed ·.. by T. Reese beat J. ·Pearlstone by 27th February) .. 31 I.M.P. J. Pavlides beat M . .Wolach by Mrs. D. Flemmich beat Mrs. 48 I.M.P. I. A. Cole by 110 points. Major G. Fell beat F. Farrington Mrs. A. L. Fleming beat Miss by 26 I.M.P. . P. Dransfield by 870 points. Baroness Knoop beat W. · J. Mrs. G. M. Harrison w.o. Mrs. Beach by 23 I.M.P. G. C. Carpe_nter, scr. ' Mrs. MacDonnell beat Mrs. AFFll..IATED CLUBS CUP Dobson by 760 points. 3rd Round completed Semi-Final Hamilton Club beat Lederers Mrs. A. L. Fleming and Mrs. Clt~b by 1,400 points. Flemmich tied with '53 I.M.P. each. - Lyndhurst Club (L. Baron) beat The Match will be replayed. Sutton Harrl Courts Club by 2,150 points. · NATIONAL PAIRS Grimsby Bridge Club beat South of England Pairs Oxford Uf!iversity Bridge Club Championship .· by 1,580 points. The f~llo\ving have qualified : Semi-Final Middlesex Heat Lyndhurst Club (L. Baron) beat C. Lawson and F. Lewis. Wanborough Manor Club by L. Wolfers and A. Ingel. 2,560 points. L. Ellison and J. Sharples. PACHABO CUP Southern Counties C.B. .A. Heat 3rd Round (to be completed by· R. Evans and Mrs. Evans 27th February) Mrs. Grumbler and Mr. Knight, T. Gee beat Major G. Fell by Mrs. B. Williams and Mrs. 210 points. · Stevens. A. Oldschool beat W. J. Beach Mr. Packer and Mr. Samos. by 1,950 points. · Mrs. Barne~t _and Mr. Jeffs R. Evans beat Mrs. Flemmich by· London 5 Heats . 1,340 points. 23 pairs have qualified. CONTRACT BRIDGE JOURNAL Birclzi11gtott Heat Mrs. M. Rowley and Mrs. A. Sq.-Leader Bett and Mrs. Bett. Scott. . Mrs. Drewitt Browne and Mr. le Mase. Mrs . . S. H. Glover and Mrs. J. Mrs. Armstrong and Mrs. · Sumberg. Coshett. E. J. Latham and C. E ..Collier. Mrs. F. ·Bailey and Mrs. Beech. Hertfordshire Heat Mrs. F. A. Jarvis am~ N. H. NORTH OF ENGLAND PAIRS Thorne. CHAMPIONSIDP Dr. Richards and Mrs. Richards. Halifax Heat H. Hill and W. H. Weightman. ·Mrs. Hadfield and F. H. Addison. Essex Heat Dr. Mackay and Mrs. Mackav. H . D. Ashby and Mrs. Ashby. Mrs. Woodruff and Miss S. Dr. E. Herga and Mrs. E. Cook. Wright. A. Reid and C. Lloyd. Miss Rothwell and Miss Rothwell. Mrs. T. Knight and Mrs. L. G. Mrs. Siddall · and Mrs. S. Orr Smith. Horsfall. Mrs. V. White and Mrs. I. M. Mr. Duffy and Mrs. Duffy. Douglas. Moortowtt B ridge Club Heat, Leeds. MIDLAND COUNTIES PAIRS Qualified. . CHAMPIONSHIP M. Rougall and W. Crystal . . H. Franklin and H. Brostoff. Warwickshire Heat K. Spencer and H. Raghaven: G. R. Dawes and H. Marsden. (conti1med from page 22) F. Mills and M rs. Adkins. "Oh, a' Spade, please," he said. M. A. Porter and H. K. Cooke. " Just like that one on the table,'' Staffordshire Heat . he added too airily. R. J. Carvean and F. W. Shelley. West glanced at him .and led T. 0. Penn and · Dr. W. the Ace with the exasperatimg Anderson. murmer " Just a hunch." ERRATUM . The address of the West of England Bridge Club is 2, Leigh Road, Chf~ o n , Bristol 8. Will readeni please amend in the 'List of Clubs affihated to the E.B.U. published in the February issue of the Jour11al. SCIENCE FOR THE AVERAGE PLAYER REVERSES AND RESPONSES (2) .. by Norman Squ ~ re T AST ~onth I dealt with the · The Responder should support L requirements for a Reverse, to the limit of his hand if he can. High or Low. Now let us It is the essence of good bidding ~cc what the action of the res-ponder that one partner should mak~ a Is when his partner announces limited bid at the first opportumty, such strength. thus leaving the decision as to the CONTRACT BRIDGE JOURNAL final contract with his partner. he the values for 3 NT he 'vould The ~ig hand here-the one have bid it, for· holding- · · which has reversed-will probably 3. + 32 \1)32 OQJ3Z.+ AQ432 make that decision, but, to do so he does. 'vith authority, knowledge of the exact strength facing it must be 4. + 432 \1)432 0 Q2 + KQJ32. ob~!lined. So t)1at . strength must Bid 3 \1). This is ag:J!n a-sign-off be shO\:n · immedhitely unless the f?howing complete minimum values, . hand is too strong, or is an apparent but the 'knowledge that yoii: have misfit. · · ·· ~hree small Hearts may be vital if the opener is really good. · The . Responder credits the Opener with the requirements for 5. + 02 \?03~ OA32 + 054-32. a minimum Reverse (which is all 4 \? is the bid here. It is a slight he has shown up to now) and underbid for, though we can raises accordingly." · probably throw our Clubs out · of ' Thus, a hand unable to rais~ a the window, we have a Ace and suit even once may, in the light of two very vital Queens. But there the added strength and distribution is no slam unless · partner makes shown by a Reverse, become good another effort. If he does, it will enough for a double raise or even be accepted happily. . . more; Let us examine · a· few . 6. + 32 \?43Z:OA32 + KQ432: responses. There is a choice of bids her~ .. In each case the biddil')g -has 4 \?or 3 NT. If we had the O 10, gone : 1 \? 2_+ 2 + . I think 3 NT would be the bid. Without it, 4 is probably safer• . 1. + 32 \1)2 OJ32 + AJ10932. \? Bid 3 +. a complete sign-off 7. + 1432 \?2 OAQ2 + J5432. showing no interest whatever in 4 + is the bid, not 3 + . If we going even so far as game. say 3 + and partner goes 4 + we 2. + 32 \?32 00432 + AJ432. have trapped ourselves. \Ve have Bid 2 NT. Tpis is also a sign-off, grossly underbid the hand, yet but shows some sort of stop in the any further effort may reveal what unbid suit. It does NOT show is, apart from Spades, a misfit, 11 points as might be thought by and we may already be too high s~me. It is the maximum strength at the 5 level. Bid 4 + . If partner of the responding hand combined ~akes a!l effort in Clubs, sign-off ; . with the strength so far shown by 1f he tnes in Diamonds bid 6 ·• . the opener (a minimum Reverse). gladly. . The combined count shown to be 8. + OJ32 \?32 OA2 + KQ-l-32. held is at present about 24. And 4 + is far too little. 6 must. be with a minimum .Reverse ·the there. Btd it. Check on controls opener· should automatically pass first if you like. this 2 NT bid, for as little as 9. · ~2 \?432 OA2 + AKQ432. 6 points may be opposite him. 4 + w11l do here. The hand is · The temptation to bid a good good ~nough to play in 6 _Qf hand again and again must be somethmg. Partner's. next bid resisted. The responder is not will help us to decide. Or ";e deaf- he heard the Reverse. Had might 'bid the fourth suit- 3 o-=-: ...26 CONT~ACT . B~lDGE JOURNAC when preference to Clubs will mark sequence here is 1 The CONTRACT B RIDGE' P~OBLEllt No. 3 (12 points) JOURNAL offers a prize of TWO North-South Game. You, South, GUINEAS -for the best set of solutions hold: to .the following problems. In the - + AJ96 <\710 0010864 + K72 event of two or more sets of solutions The' bidding proceeds: being of equal merit, the monthly SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST prize will be divided. No bid 1 + 2 + 2 + ? Answers to EDMUND PHILLIPS, What .do you bid ? Esq., Competition. Editor, Contract Bridge Joumal, 172 Chester Road, PnoBLEM No. 4 (12 points) Northwich, Cheshire, not later than Game All. You, South, hold: April 30th, 1949. Solutions ~d names of prize winners in the March + A9 <\/A103 OKOJ + KOJ103 Competition will appear next month. The bidding proceeds : SouTH WEST NoRTH EAST 1 + 1<\1 1 + 3-<\1 PRODLE..\1 No. 1 (30 points) ? In each of the following hands, the What do you biq ? score is Game All, North-South 60 : your partner, North, makes the opening bid stated, East passes, and the question PROIILElii No. 5 (18 points)' is what response you should make on the South hand given. Love All. You, South, held : (i) + 8 <\7 01064 0109853 + 042 + A104 <\1]10 <)AKJ10 + A753 Korth bids One Club. The bidding proceeds : SoUTH NoRTH (ii) + K102 <\/ K01075 <)}1087 + J 1<) 1<\7 North bids One Spade. 2 NT ? ? (iii) + K 107 5 <\/ }98 o ·AK4 + OJ9 What do you say if North's rebid is : ~orth bids One Heart. (a) Three Clubs, (b) Three Diamonds ? PROULDI No. 2 (12 points) Lo\·e All. You, South, hold : PROBLEM No. 6 (16 points) + 9 2 <\/ A J 6 5 <) A 10 8 7 + 7 6 4 + AK1072 + OJ 53 The bidding proceeds : <\/K085 <\74 0943 OAJ EAsT SouTH 'WEST NoRTH + 3 + AK10962 1 + No bid No bid 2 + Contract Sh:: Spades lly West. No bid ? North lends the 5 of Diamonds. What do you bid ? · How do you play the hand ? An$wers to March Competition I :PRODLEM No. 1 (j6 points) · ANSWER (i) Love All. You, South, hold: 2. Two ' Diamonds - 12 points. Responder should always consider + J 6 ~A 10 5 0 A Q 8 2 + K J7 6 carefully before forcing on a two You open One Diamond, and Wesi: suiter. There is little danger of bei~g passes. What is your rebid if North stuck for a rebid if a simple take-out bids: is made, since a force in the second (a) One Spade, or suit will be available on the second round if necessary : on the other . (b) Two Spa?es? hand, the immediate force, especially (ii) What are your rebids, in the if made at the three level, is liable to· same circumstances, if your One crowd the bidding. In this case, if Dinniond opening was based on : . South bids Three Diamonds and · North Three No-Trumps, there is no. + A 7 ~ 9 6 4 AK 9 2 Q 8 4 ?_ 0 + J clear continuation, and the situation ANSWER is just as difficult if North bids Four 1. (i) (a) Two· Clubs-9 points. Clubs ; whereas, after Two Diamonds; One No-Trump-4 points. With any rebid by North can be handled -fifteen points and seven honour cards, comfortably. this hand is rather too strong to sign _.off at One No-Trump, but decidedly PRODLEM No. 3 (12 points) weak for Two No-Trumps. The .Game All. You, South, hold: . -compromise bid of Two Clubs is + K1075 ~Q3 04 + AJ10864 ' therefore best. True, partner may -pass, but if he does there is probably The bidding proceeds : no game. If partner does show signs .of interest, you bid No-Trumps on NORTH SOUTH the next round. · 1 0 . 2 . 3 ~ ? (b) Three No-Trumps-9 points. What do you bid now ? Three Clubs-6 points. Even after a force, opportunity should be taken to ANSWER _make n quantum bid. You are interested ·in a slam-provided partner has slightly · 3. Four Clubs~12 points. Three better than a minimum force. If you No-Trumps-8 points. Here the say Three Clubs, you will never be ?bvi • :PRODLEM No. 2 (12 points) + AK108 ~AQH 0102 + KQ9 Love All. You, South, hold : The bidding proceeds : + AKJj OAK1053 + Q8 ~102 NORTH SOUTH · North deals a~d bids One Heart, 1 • 2 • .nnd East passes. What do you bid ? 3 • 30 CONTRACT BRIDGE JOURNAL What do you bid now? You are The hands of North and you East. playing the Culbertson 4-5 No-Trump :_are : ' convention. · ·. · · · ·: • 97 .ANswER \II Kl!53 0 9 4. Four Hearts-12 _points. . Four AK 10642 Clubs-4 ·points. This is a difficult + hand, since you· have little · idea at + A6 what level or even at what denomination 'II J 1074 the hand should be played. · There 0 . A J 10 5 are many things you are interested in + 953 besides partner's Aces, and a Four No-Trump bid would quite certainly West lends King ofDinmonds. What be premature. Four Hearts is preferred is your plan of defence' ? to Four Clubs, because: ANSWER (i) partner may have four Hearts 6. · Take over with the Ace of and only three Spades (to the Queen) ; PJamonds and lend the + 6. Declarer probably has seven Spades to the K .Q J, (ii) the way is still. open to n a void in Hearts and two or three 'Clubs. Club contract, if partner rebids this If he has three Clubs, there is nothing suit, but after Four Clubs it- would be to .be done: -you can switch to Clubs nlm_ost impossible to find the Heart fit ; and eventually give your partner n (iii) the bid tells partner that the Club ruff,· but this together-with two \II K, if held, is. a . key-card : he· may Aces. will be all you make. If, however, now be enabled to bid 4 NT : then, he has. two Clubs, and therefore .four after your 5 NT response, if he ·tries · Diamonds, the defence recommended Si.-..: Diamonds you can confidently bid beats the contract ; declarer can ruff the grand slam: . · • • • • . only one Diamond and you· ,,.m make 1 two more tricks in the suit when you get in with the + A. Of course ·it does no good· to play Ace of Spades PROBI.EM "No:. 5 (12 points) first, for declarer will- then 'discard his . Love All. You, South, hold : Diamonds ' on the Clubs, · which are surely established whether he· ploys for the drop or for the finesse against + K1062 \IIAK7 OA98S3 +' partner's (possible) Queen. ' The bidding proceeds : EAST SOUTH WFST NoRTH . COVER SOLUTI ON Nobid 1 0 2 + No bid 2 \II No bid No bid 2. With 11 tricks on top and no No bid ? : possibility of developing the twelfth save by squeeze play, the key to the 'Ybnt do you bid ? . hand is to .lose immedioteh· the trick ANSWER 'whose loss will " rectify the count " i.e., reduce Declarer's cards to the · 5. Four Spades-12 points. This N - 1 formula. \Vest is, therefore will be n good contract if partner has permitted to hold the Diamond. ' as little as six small Spades and three small Clubs, and n second bid could D~clorer now wins the second hardly be expected from him on this Diamond (or the + Q if led) and reels holding. off, in this order, 2 Spades, 3 Hearts 1 Club (if West has continued Diamonds) or the Ace of Diamonds (if West has switched to Clubs) and PROBLEl\1 No. 6 (16 points) then three more Spades. dame All. The bidding proceeds : · , · ·West is inescapably squeezed. The hand is token, with grateful ai:know WFST ;NoRTH EAST SouTH · ledgemnts from Goren's " Detter 1\11 2 + 3\11 4 + BridJile for Better Players." ' 3_1 CONTRACT BRIDGE JOURNAL ENGLISH BRWGE UNION LIST OF SECRETARIES ENGLISII BRIDGE UNIGN-Secretnru: Mrs. MIDDLESEX CONTRACT BRIDGE ASSOOIA.TIGN Stem, 7 Abboy Road, London, N.W. 8. , Mrs. H. Freemnn, Tho Nook, Lyndhurst. Tournament Sccrctarv: Jl[njor G. Fell, Terrace, London, N.W.9. Craven Lend Works, Skipton, Yorkshire. NOTTINGUAll CONTRACT DRIDGB ASSOOIA.TIO!I Registrar: IT. Collins, Esq., 30 Dudgo !low, -Mrs. Bull, 28 Addison Street, Nottingham. London, E.O. 4. NORTII EASTBR!I CONTRACT BRIDGB ASSOOIA.· ESSIIX CONTRACT BRIDGE AsSOCIATION TION-G. I. Rhodes, 5 Woodbine; Avenue, F. M. Fletcher, Esq., 22 Fontnyne Avenue, Gosforth, NewcnsUe-on-Tync, 9. Chlgwell, Essex. NORTII WESTERN CONTRACT BRIDGE ASSOCIA• TION-F. Farrington, Esq., Moor 'Edge, ." DBIUIYSRffilil CONTRACT BRIDGE ABSOOIATION Chapeltown Road, Turton, Nr. Bolton. W. Bumstone, Esq., c/o Town Clerk's Office, QXFORDSIIml! CONTRACT BRIDGB ASSOCIATION Market Plnce, Derby. -Capt. F. W. Taylor, 43:1 Banbury Rood, DEVON CONTRACT BRIDGE ASSOCIATION O:d'ord. G. Graham Wilson, Esq., "Hampton," SOIIERSET CONTRACT BRIDGE ASSOOIA.TION- St. Knthnrlnes Rand, Torquny. 0 . H. Dolley, Esq., Kcllsnll Lodge, Stnplegrovc, Taunton, Somerset. GLOUOESTERSIImE CONTRACT BRIDGE ASBOCIA· TION-S. E. Fronklln, Esq., Delmont Avenue, SOUTIIBR!I COUNTIES CONTRACT BRIDGB IIucclecote, Glos. • ASSOCIATION - Jl[rs. Flemmlch, White Cottage, Sandbanks, Boumemouth. ll.EnTFORDBRmR CONTRACT BRIDGE ABSOOIA· BT.I.l'l'ORDBIImll CONTRACT BRIDGB ABSOOIA.· TION-W. H. Weightman, Four Winds, · TION-W. R. Onto, Esq., 204 Thomhlll Rd., St. Andrews Avonuo, Hnrpondon, Herta. Streetly, Sutton Coldfleld. KENT CONTRACT BRIDGE ASSOCIATION-Mrs, SURRBY CONTRACT BRIDGB ASSOCIA.TION Harvey, Manor Houso, Tunbridge Wells. (nlso BRITIBR BRIDGB LEAGt111) - Major George Groy, 29, Clydesdale Gardens, LEIOESTERSIImlil CONTRACT BRIDGE ASSOOIA• Richmond, Surrey. TION-P de R. Pearse, Esq., 152, Upper New Walk, Leicester. WARWIOKSIImE CONTRACT BRIDGB ASSOCIA.· TION-JI[rs. Jl[, Knott, 9 CnlthofPe Road, LnlOOLNSnmE CONTRACT BRIDGE ASSOOIA.TION Edgbnston, Birmingham, 15. -Mrs. Turner and Mrs. · Drumpton, 51 WOROESTERSIIIRE CONTRACT BRIDGE A.sSOOIA· Blgnhllls Avenue,_ CleothorPes. TION-R. D. Allen, E!q., 28 Britannia Square, Worcester. LONDON CONTRACT BRIDGE ASSOOIA.TION YORKSRIRE CONTRACT BRIDGE ASSOCUTION P. n.. G. Charters, Esq., 10 Carlton House R. C. Hartley, Esq., 14 DronsOeld Road Terrace, S.W.1. Sheffield, 10. CONTRACT BRIDGE JOURNAL Regional Editors- Eire NoEL BYRNE North Eastern EWART KEMPSON Northern Ireland A. J. FLETCHtm North Western A. C. DouGLASS Scotland H. KERSHAW Yorkshire Mns. L. L. BEDFORD Wales .. H. J. GouLD London .. ALIBI .. Competition Editor-EDIIIUND PHILLIPS The CONTRACT BRIDGE JOURNAL is the official orgnn of the English Bridge Union. Publishers-PRIESTLEY STUDIOS, LTD., Phone COMMERCIAL ROAD, GLOUCESTER. Gloucester 22281/3 All Bridge Correspondence to- EDITOR, CoNTRACT BRIDCB }OUIINAL, 13, CANNON PLACE, LONDON, N.\V,3 JZ BRIDGE INDEX CLASSIFIED LIST OF HOTE.LS AND CLUBS HARROW LONDON TIARilOW IIIUDOK C!.Ull-16 ::iorthwlck DORSET CLUD-3·5 Glentworth Street, Pnrk Road, fl.lnnow, Mlddx. Tel. ll:lrrow llaker Street, N.W.I. Tel. Welbeck 1030, 3008. Good et.uudard llrld!(C In enjoyable llegulnr partnership and duplicate. Stakes 11tmoepherc. Sesslous twice dally. Partnerships 1/·, 2/6 and 10/·. ILnd Duplicate. LEDERER's-115 Mount Street, W.l. Tel. No. Mnyfulr 7850. Contlnuons play from 2·30 to 12 p.m. Duplicate, Tuesday evenings. LONDON CnocKFORD'S-16 Carlton House Terrace, NOTTINGHAM London, S.W.l. Tel. No. Whitehall/ 1131. CRANTOCK lln!DGE CJ,UD-480 lln.o!tldd 5/' Partnership, Tuesdny Evenings. 2 • Part· Road, Nottln~:ham. Tel. No. Nottln:d1am nershlp, Wednesday und Friday cvenln~ts. 65U21. Proprletre•s: ~Ins. D. 11[, ROPJ.:WF.LL. Duplicate Pain under the direction of i\lr. Bon. SecretMy: .S. R. C. FRITII. VIsitors Hnrrison-Gmy e\·ery Thursday evening at welcomed. Excellent venue for matches lo 7·30 p.m. lt. PROVOST, Mnunglng Director. 1\Udlands. A. J. llORSNELL, Secretary. WORTHING GLENALVON lllllllGE CLUD-22 Nether· hall Gardens, N.W.3. Play llrldgc under lliRADEJ,LE BRIDGE CLUU-lleene Temoce Ideal conditions. :: Uc!lulnr l'urtnershlp. Sen Front, Worthln:z. Dally Sr.sslons, 2·30 p.no. VIsitors welcomed. Sccrctary ... IIAM. 7414. and 8 p.m. Restanrnot adjoinin:z. Llcensr.d. Visitors Welcomed. Tel. 6~31·2. PAilK LANE llRIDGE CLUD, 28 Curzon Street, W.l. Tel. Grosvenor 1460. Stakes 6d. 1/· , 2/6 and 10/· . Partnerships at 6d. ana1 1/· on Mondny and Wednesday nrter· noons and Tuesday nod Friday evenings. Duplicate Jst Wednesday In every month. T. V. 111. Cotter, Secretary. CUT f ~ :: :: :: : :. : : 1 E. · B. .U . c=: : : : : :;l ... l desi.J•e to fu••the1• ·the de1· ~~op~tent- 1 of Cont•·act B••idge 4 o o : I 'J I as 3 ' ·Gatne should be· mmubers of, an.. _suppo1•t the ENGLISH :BRiDGE UNION ~ ' ' . E~ ... • . Membership of the Union may be . ,. · ., obtained by : [] (a) Direct application to LEAVER COLE & CO., B. 30 Budge Row, LONDON, E.C.4, Registrars, B. or fll....J ,- (b) Through Appropriate Affiliated []