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Edited by M. HARRISON-GRAY

VoLUME I NUMBER 2 OCTOBER, 1946

Regional Editors- Eire NoEL BYRNE North Eastern .. EwART KEMPSON A. }. FLETCHER North Western 'A CoRRESPONDENT' Scotland Yorkshire Mns. L. L. BEDFORD · .. W. H. RICARDO London MRS. M. HARRISON-GRAY Technical Editor-GUY RAMSEY . . Competition Editor }. C. H. MARx.

Commercial Manager-GoRDON D. Jo~sTONE~ -c The CONTRACT BRIDGE JOURNAL is -the official organ-of the.. · Publishers- · Phone-Gloucester ·228i/2 PRIESTLEY STUDIOS, LTD., COMMERCIAL ROAD, GLOUCESTER. MSS. to Editorial Department-S, WATERLOO PLACE, LoNDON. S.W.1

CONTENTS Page EDITORIAL 2 .ANoTHER RunnER AT THE CLun. By S. J. Simou 4 BRIDGE AS A SociAL AssET. By Godfrey Wi1111 · 6 7 CRIME AND PUNISHl\IENT THE INTERNATIONAL OuTLOO K. By Guy Ramsey 11 THE AGA INST A S LAM CoNTRACT. By G. G. J. Walshe 13 PERSONALITY PAGE-No. 2. A. Noel Mobbs, o .n.E. _ 15 16 KILLARNEY CoNGRESS. Bv TV. H. Ricardo .. 18 . On c.\ :~I S ATJON-No. 1. By Gordou D. ]olmsto1ie 21 How Goon ARE You ? By !Jr. Paul Stem 22 THE NoRTHERN O uTLO OK. fly Ewart Kempso ll 24 NEWs FROM EmE . By J\'n,•l .i3yme . . 26 NEws FROM NoRTHEHN lH Ew\NiJ. By A. J. Fletcher 27 ScoTTISH NoTES. By .Albert Benjamin 28 Fnol\1 THE Faun ConNEHS 34 FIRST THOUGHTs-No. 2. By Jain Macleod 36 AROUND THE COMI'ETITIONS. By NI. Harrisnu-Grny 37 REsULTS OF MATCHES .. 38 A QUESTION OF ETHICS. By Boris Shapiro 40 OcronER CROSSWORD. ' ' 41 OCTOBER CoMPETITION. Set by J. C. H. Jlln r:~: 43 JiiST OF E.n,u. SECRETARIES I I I I : 'I ,: I •I i :! I ; !

Editorial up a raise to Three Diamonds on T is a ~atter for regret that Issue • 7 5 \:) 10 7 4 2 8 5 3 2 No. 1 was late ; but it is 110t a J <> I matter for apology. The delay + 9 6, and the lady now found the was due to circumstances too well­ courage to bid Six. Her partner, known to every newspaper reader who, all things considered, was not to bear repetition, (circumstances dissatisfied with the result, ventured entirely outside our control). But to enquire why she had not opened the delay was only for that single with Two Clubs. The following· issue, and ~e publishers intend to excuses were produced in rapid catch up with our subsequent succession: (a) Didn't think I was numbers. strong enough (b) I-l o\Y ,,·as I to The delay in sending out Issue know that you held those Hearts ? No. 1 was inconvenient, but what (c) Wanted to shut out SIJ ades (d) matters most is that the JOURNAL Anyhow, like playing my own met with an immediate reception game. How simple it would have that exceeded even the Editor's been to admit that she had lost optimistic expectations. Will those her head, perhaps understandably, readers who wrote so generously . on picking up such an incredible please (since we are still saving hand? Any good player will tell paper) accept this acknowledgment you that there is nothing more and. expression of gratitude, rather disarming or conducive to good than a series of individual, and relations than a candid admission inevitably stereotyped, notes of of error. Next time you commit an appreciation ? . atrocity, don't search for a far­ fetched alibi that will make your Is it our imagination or is the case (and your ability) appear general atmosphere at the bridge worse. Just say " Sorry, I was table more cordial than of yore ? crazy"- and nine times out of Post-mortems there will always be ten your mollified partner will ~nd who knows whether the gam~ protest that your opponents would IS any the worse for ·them ?-but probably have made their contract at least they seem to be conducted · I~ any event. th.ese days ~or~ in a spirit of fnendly enqmry and elucidation Nowhere has the theory of how The familiar interchange of barbed to handle a weak partner been shafts '?f sarcasm and fatuous better expressed than in the works excuse~ IS becoming a thing of the of our most popular bridge writer past. Not altogether, for the other S. J. Simon. ' day we s~w, with our own eyes, a The countless thousands of player pick up . the following. enthusiasts who have bought, . None \?AKQ 0AKJ1097 begged, borrowed or stolen Simon's 6 4 + A Q. Playing the Two­ Cl.ubs, she opened with Two cl~ssic " W~y You Lose at Bridge " Dzamonds I Her partner scraped Will be delighted at the surprise reappearance in these pages of his 2 immortal characters, Mrs. Guggen­ vernacular. A poor player at most heim, Mr. Smug, Futile Willie, games is a "rabbit," but in bridge and the Unlucky Expert. Each he is a " palooka," derived from a month Simon will disseminate wit North American Indian word in and wisdom in his inimitable style the Choctaw dialect · meaning, in " Another Rubber at the Club." tersely - a mug. The term So popular are his characters that " onlooker " is quite inapplicable their appearance in yet another to the bridge variety, who is of a medium may be anticipated. race apart : so he becomes a "kibitzer." There are many species Many readers have commented o~ this gender, notably the <>n the wealth of talent contributing " ambulitzer," who walks round to our first number. In case this the table in order to have a good appeared to be a special effort to look at all four hands ; the produce a bumper first issue, let " tchitzer," who just sits and us assure them that the standard ejaculates " Tch I Tch I " ; and will become higher, not lower, and that very rare animal the that our main' concern is to add to " kibitzer without portfolio," who the quantity as well as the quality is not armed with the usual scoring -of our pages. pad on which to record the Heading the list of October atrocities o.f his victims. contributors is Godfrey Winn, and it is a considerable tribute to his As we have said before, we do love of the game (and perhaps a not cater exclusively for the tourna­ smaller tribute to the pertinacity of ment enthusiast ; but we should the Editor I) that one of the great again stress the fact that every .1 journalists of our time should player, good, bad or indifferent, write for a new, and not yet . should try his hand at the competi­ wealthy, magazine. For Winn tive game. The fees ·are finds in bridge his greatest and­ nominal, the fun and instruction save for his garden and his friends­ derived unlimited. There is still his only relaxation. He is very time to enter for the national and nearly as good a bridge player as county events, and especially for .· he is a writer : praise for his the mammoth Daily Graphic expertese can go no further. contest, rightly described by the It is not generally known that promoters as a chance for the this Fleet Street lion after three "ordinary" player. Heats will be years as a war correspondent, held in all parts of Great Britain served for two further years in the and Eire. Not the least attractive lower deck, and only left the Navy feature will be the visit of the when he was invalided out. Much various area winners and, in some <>f his war service was on the cases, the runners up, to London -convoys-to-Russia route-that icy, next March to contest the final for deadly run from which so few the magnificient Daily Graphic returned. Trophy, with all travel and hotel . . . expenses paid. · We are not advocates of debasing All enquiries should be addressed the English language, but it is to the local County Secretaries, a possible that bridge slang may list of which is given on page 43, creep into these columns from or direct to the Secretary of the time to time. Each sport and English Bridge Union. · pastime seems to acquire its own 1\tl. HARRISON-GRAY. 3 ' i I · I f· : '

Another Rubber at the Club - by S. j. Simon

N oRTH (Mrs. Guggenheim) (The famous quartf!tte from "Why . Yort Lose at Bridge" co11ti11rte +x ~X XX their game) 0 QJ 9xx xx + A9 "Table up I" chorused Mr. WEST EAST Smug, Futile Willie, and the (Futile Willie) (Unlucky Expert) I Unlucky Expert. • xxxx l + AQ 10 A member roaming round the ~ Jxxx ~ KlOx .1' card room turned his head and XX X 0 A K I 0 quickly turned it away again. + XXX + K xxx They cut. SouTH "You and I, Mr. Smug," said (Mr. Smug) Mrs. Guggenheim. + KJ9xx ~ AQx " Quite,'' said Mr. Smug. He looked reproachfully at the pack 0 10 spread out on the table. He had + QJ lOx picked his card right·at the other Love All. Dealer, South. end from her's too I . The biddiug Futile Willie settled himself SOUTH WEST NoRTH EAsT expectantly. · 1 + (a) No 2 O No 3 (c) No · · " Forcing two, partner ? " he 2 NT(b) No 0 said." Four-Five, Asking Bids 3 NT(d} No No Dble (e) Prepared Club, Strong No-: All pass. Weak Threes, and I need protec­ (a)Mr. Smug is a believer in light tion." opening bids. That much, The Unlucky Expert looked at at least, is in his favour. him. But he didn't say it. (b) Mr. Smug lacks the values · for his bid and knows it. Mr. Smug's preliminaries were · shorter. But if he bids 2 Spades .I Mrs. Guggenheim might ! "Let me plav 'em, partner," bid No-Trumps and play he said. • the hand I 4 CONTRACT BRIDGE JOURNAL (c) Mrs. Guggenheim has enough spite of continuous disillusionment, to bid 3 No-Trumps. But he always assumes that everybody of course she doesn't know has their bid. Accordingly he had it, so she signs off. assumed that when Mrs. Guggen- (d) Mr. Smug ignores the sign- heim signed off, her hand was bad off. Anything is better enough to sign off. than letting Mrs. Guggen- Mr. Smug played the Queen heim play the hand. from dummy, The Unlucky Expert (e) The Unlucky Expert doubles false carding by force of habit, won on the bidding. with the Ace and took a short The Play trance about what to do next. In Futile Willie led a Diamond! reaching this decision he assumed Personally, I consider that a inevitably that Mr. Smug had his double of 3 No-Trumps is only bid and accordingly placed him with a lead directing double when 16-17 points and at least a double­ dummy's suit has been bid only ton Diamond. And that made the once and the rest of the opponents' outlook pretty hopeless, for declarer bidding has been confident through- could establish his Diamond suit, out. In all other cases it merely get in with the Ace of Clubs and means " I think they can't make make a million. It was clear there­ it." But doubling opponents fore that something drastic had to because you think they are going be done. down is a luxury one cannot afford With an air of triumph the when playing with a scientist like Unlucky Expert played the King Futile Willie. You can be quite of Clubs ! certain he will lead opponent's "Ah ! " said Futile Willie suit and present declarer with a approvingly. He could recognise i.f not with his contract. a Deschapelles when he saw . one. 1 .' Well, well, well," said Mr. Smug. " That was a funny one." He played the ten of Clubs from his own hand, won with the Ace and led another Diamond from dummy, discarding a Spade from his own hand. " NO Diamonds, partner ? " asked Mrs. Guggenheim. , "No Diamonds ? " echoed The Unlucky Expert unbelievingly. " Didn't bid them," said Mr. Both the Unlucky Expert and Smug happily. He finessed · the Mr. Smug frowned on seeing the Heart lead, entered dummy with dummy. Mr. Smug because he the Nine of Clubs and made Five didn't like it and the Unlucky No-Trumps. Expert because it was better than, Post-il1ortem in his view, it had any right to be. " Hard luck, partner," said It is one of the fascinating aspects Futile Willie. " I'd have made of the Unlucky Expert that, in the same play myself." 5 ! . ,.I /i)- I · 1 \ \ i I \ Bridge as ·a - Social Asset ·by Godfrey Winn

HE other day a young reporter from the town of Birmingham T where I was born came to interview me, and after a ~vhile t?e usual platitudes began to he heavily on my lips and I leant forwar~ and said something which so astomshe.d my compan~on. that he dropped ,?Is pencil. This IS what I said: If you really want to know to what I attribute such success as h~s come ·my way, I would say that It was due to the fact that my American ·grand-mother allowed process will not bore you, ~ nd I and encouraged me to watch her will take pains to be as bn ef as play bridge, when I was six years possible. old. From that day was born the In those days, I was a young ambition from which I never actor on the London stage, playing wavered." " To become a best­ the part of Marie Tempest's. so~ seller, you mean ? " the reporter in Noel Coward's "The Marqmse. broke in, picking up his pencil The play had a long run and I · again. " Not at all. To become a spent the empty days between sufficiently competent bridge player performances in two ways. One, to be able to hold my own reason­ writing a novel : two, playing ably well in any company." bridge at a small club in Queen's I am afraid that boy from my Gate. At both pastimes, I was home-town who must have been serving my apprenticeship and about the same age as I when my learning as I went along. But in first novel was published, could the course of time, my book was not follow the argument at all, and finished, accepted, published. When went away puzzled and dis­ it received some very encouraging appointed. And yet what I had notices, . and quickly went into a . told him was the truth, and nothing second edition, I was confronted but the truth. Because looking with a decision that had to be back now upon the last twenty taken. Should I give up the Stage years, I am more than ever and take to Literature ? At nine­ conscious of the vital influence that teen, one thinks in capitals, and the game of contract bridge had one's own future is of supreme upon my fortunes at what, · I importance. ~ealize now, was the turning point It was at that moment that I m my career. received an invitation to dine in a I cannot make that statement friend's house, to play bridge. I without elucidating it. I hope the was to meet that evening someone 6 CONTRACT BRIDGE JOURNAL who was a world-famous dramatist Mter all, like contract bridge, the and novelist- but it ·was made pattern of our social life is framed quite clear to me that I was not by certain conventions and sign­ being invited because of any talent posts. One of the most obvious I might possess for writing or ones is that no one wishes to be · acting, but simply because my bored- through being kind. My fellow-guest enjoyed a game of host, when in residence at the contract, as relaxation, but did not Villa Mauresque had two favourite suffer fools gladly at the bridge table. relaxations. A game of tennis I enjoyed the evening enor­ before dinner, a game of bridge mously. I held good cards, and afterwards. A house guest who equally important, the distribution could not pull his weight in a was right. Such ·skill as I had moderate four would be clearly .acquired at my little Bridge Club both a bore ·and a nuisance. was shown forth to its best advant­ So tha~ was why I began to bless age. At the end of the last rubber the memory of my American which ended in a Slam called and grand-mother, and why, had I a made, my partner leant across the son or daughter of my own; I table and said. " If you would like should take great pains to see that to come down to my villa in the they had read Simon's book on South of France this summer, you why you lose at bridge at a time could work on your new novel when too many children are forced · there." to swallow the Iliad whole. For My heart missed a beat at the every evening when we sat down prospect. To spend the summer to play in that beautiful salon in the South, to stay with the man filled with treasures brough~ from· who was- and still is-a literary all over the world, I counted my god to me, and, perhaps, the blessings anew. This was the life. greatest technician writing in the An unique bathing pool, carved world today .. . I could not believe out of the side of the hill, over­ that the evening was to have such looking the sweep of the bay, with a sequel. But I did not know then orange cushions resting on the that beneath an austere manner my marble verge, and hibiscus blossom host-to-be-have you already in full flower .. I didn't feel like guessed it was Somerset Maugham? a struggling young actor or novelist - conceals an attitude of great then . . . but like a Roman Emperor. kindness and generosity towards And then one day before lunch, young artists, because burned deep coming in from bathing, I met my into his soul are his memories of host, who had just left the tower the days when he himself almost' on the roof, where every morning starved and no one wanted to put he shut himself away, and never on his plays. failed to complete his quota of not Looking back now- indeed I less than a thousand words. He realized it long ago-! appreciate, asked me how I was getting on of course, that I was not being with my new novel. " Oh," I invited simply because my first replied " I got stuck this morning, novel showed some promise, though and it was so lovely outside." the author of "Of Human Bondage" My bathing clothes fi nished the was ki nd enough to say that it did. sentence for me, and I did_ not 7 j ! i, I CONTRACT BRIDGE JOURN AL realize that it was really the My companion looked at his beginning of a conversation that watch. It was nine o'clock: it was to change my· whole life. was time for him to retreat into Very early the next morning I his self-imposed solitude again. was summoned by his valet to have I followed him along the terrace breakfast with my host on the turning my back on the hill-side' terrace. Afterwards he smoked his the garden glowing with zinnias: pipe and broke the friendly silence. the pool that was out of a dream. He did not waste a word any more Going to my room, I struggled with than he does in his books, and he my new book till lunch : the next came straight to the point. Idleness morning, I struggled again. I still became no one; and there was no struggle today .. . I would not have easy road to success: indeed, those it othenvise . . . but in my heart I who waited for inspiration, in the know just what I owe of all the end, did just that- waited. And good fortune that has come my then he we.n~ on to explain to me, war to that ad:rice ~nd that example not. patromzmgly, but with great which were Impr~nte d so vividly patience, the frame-work of his upon my consciOusness nearly o~vn technique : how in the begin- twenty years ago. mng,a .limited he hadvocabulary found himselfand a withstyle And it all happened, remember without grace : how he had slaved th~ough my being invited to play to make himself the master of a bndge. So that to-day when I am manufactured style, that is not - ask:d what I consider are the chief only admirably lucid but as elegant attnbutes to success in life I often today as a French essayist. Such surprise my listeners, as I s ~rprised evolutions did not come about by that youn.g reporter, by including­ chance. and placmg before an ability to He. finished. up-and it is as Play The Game With a Straight fresh m my mmd still as though it Bat- a reasonable knowledge of was this morning that we break- how to make the- most of one's fasted together. " There \"Vill be cards at the ~ridge table. ~a":y d~ys when you will have no Indeed, were I the Headmaster mch~ation to sit at your desk and of a Public School, I would see work, as you would have to do in t~at every boy had the chance to an office. ,There will be man pick th d' ( people who in the course of thy up e ru Iments of the game l' e and I would institute a yearly' nexto k t f ew years 1 will tell you t h at rna t. c h b etween my pupils and d keep regu ar hours at a writing their par.ents, which would be es ' da~ after day, is to tum played With all the solemni'ty of yourself mto a machine d a d 1 hack. Do not believe then~m Al~ s;steam~. t contest between rival ~uman b~i~gs-and expecially crea- . Ive artists- need self- d'ISCip . 1'me thousAnd dnow I d have written m y ou cannot start to ac · · an wor s for to-d I Yself .-_discipline too earlyqmi.rne suochy gor to·. the Club an. d enJo. ayy, myselfcan wnti?g c_areer. And until y~~ :~emng to . other peoples' post- acqmre It, you will ha 1' rtems, which, like other peoples' future." ve no lVe.s,. seem always so much more excitmg than one's own ! 8 f,tllle n~el J'uHitAm·enl'

3

NORTH COMMENT + A The sensation of the second <::? J 10 9 8 4 round of the Whitelaw Cup (the 0 5 E.B.U. Ladies' Teams of Four + AQJ965 Championship) was the defeat of WEST EAST Lady Rhodes' strongly fancied four • Q J 7 + K 10 9 8 54 2 by a " dark horse " team captained <::?. 6 \:?732 by Mrs. Phyllis Williams. The win­ 0 Q J 10 7 3 2 0 K84 ning margin was 1, 980, of which + 873 1,510 points were gained on the · +- above deal. . SOUTH North-South have a grand slam • 63 in No-Trumps and .in Clubs; \:? AKQ5 Seven Hearts, played by South, 0 A96 can be defeated by an opening club + K1042 lead. In Room 1 Lady Rhodes' pair Dealer, East. battled valiantly against a brilliant . North-South vulnerable. pre-emptive barrage put up by Mrs. Williams and Mrs. Trott. Bidding-Room 1 East, with the vulnerability condi­ tions ideal, opens with Three EAST . SOUTH WEST NoRTH Spades ; South takes her life in J l+ 3 NT 4 6+ her hands and makes the conven­ No No 6 No tional bid of Three No~ Trumps, No Dble asking for her partner's best suit ; \:? K led. East made 10 tricks. West crowds the bidding still 300 points to North-South. further, and North tries to show her powerful holding by jumping Biddiug-Room 2 to Six Clubs. West sacrifices with EAST SouTH WEsT NORTH Six Spades, and North makes a No 1<::? 20 4+ " forcing pass," inviting her partner 4+ 5 + No 6<::? to bid Seven if she ca~, but South Dble can do no more. One hesitates to criticise North­ + Q led. South made 13 tricks. South for failing to reach the 1,810 points to North-South. grand slam, firstly because it is

9 i ,, . I: ; I I ., . ! I

CONTRACT BRIDG E JO U R NAL not easy to exchange the precise Bidding-Room 1 information necessary when one EAST SouTH \VEsT NoRTH laas to start slamming virtually at No 1 No 1 the Five level and secondly because No 2 No 2 \? their oppone~ts were quite capable No 2 NT No 3 of sacrificing all the way fo r the 0 A led. South made 12 tricks· loss of an additional 200 points. In Room 2, East decides not to 170 points to North-South (50 open, but comes in on the second points bonus for part score). round after her partner's advent- urous of Two Diamonds, which induced her to make a Bidding- Room 2 " Lightner " double when Mrs. EAsT SouTH WEsT .KORTH Alder and Mrs. Newman reached No 1 No 1 Six Hearts. With the expected No t 0 N o 3 lead of dummy's suit and a card of re-entry in her partner's hand, \? K led. North made 10 tricks. there were prospects of defeating 170 points to North-South. the contract by two tricks ; but West, whose final pass would COMMENT appear indefensible, elected to lead a Spade, and the match was· lost to In the London semi-final of the a team who, on this hand at least Richard Lederer Memorial Cup, with the exception of South'~ J. Pearlstone, ·supported bv A. palpable underbid of, Five Clubs Preston, Dr. S. Lee and. the in Room 2, had put up a first-class ubiquitous Mrs. Williams, defeated . performance. · · a strong team captained by Dr. Fraser Allan, which included three International players . .~oth North-South pairs got their 4 Wires badly crossed on this deal. NORTH Seven C,lubs is defeated only by + K98654- th~ opening lead of the Ace of ·\? 9 7 6 3 Diamonds, and Six Spades by the 0- lead ~f a Heart, yet in both rooms­ + AKQ the b1dding fizzled out for a part score. ~ll the later bids are open EAST ~? ques~~on,_ particul~rly North's • J2 Baron bid of Two Hearts in \? K Q 10 4-2 Roo?11' which successfully clouded 0 Q862 the Is~ue for his side, and South's + J 3 expenmental of Two SOUTH Diamonds in Room 2 which +.A10 subsequently induced hi~ to pass \?A to Three Spades. 0 KJ74- We. fancy that both pairs might .+ 10 9 7 6 4-2 well have reached Six Clubs had : ·Dealer, East. Love all. they stuck to their normal bidding methods. IO The International Outlook

by Guy Ramsey

(This article had to be written. Although we do not necessarily agree . Bridge is n?t to be compared with all the views of the author, the With really senous affairs but for CONTRACT BRIDGE JOURNAL illustration only, I would point out intmds to support to the full the new­ that Time, in a series of short found determination of the to make this comrtry matches, cannot be On Our Side. . pre-eminent in Bridge.-ED.) If we go into the field as un'­ prepared and ill-equipped as we HE Internationals loom not so have done hitherto, we shall lose ... far ahead ; and if Britain is with no chance of winning in the T to compete in them, · she is last quarter of an hour, for the -faced with the problem of finding "war" will be over before that , a team which will not disgrace her. comes. Before the War, we were never Before I am prepared to venture adequately represented-never, at into the vexed question of discuss­ least, successfully represented. The ing by name either potential players first thing for the Selectors to do or potential trainers ; before, even, is to acknowledge that fact freely ... detailing the methods T advocate an indispensable step to doing as a necessary preliminary to better. selection, there are certain prin­ They must throw overboard ciples which ml.!-st be openly methods proved unsuccessful. And discussed. · · the team must be recruited. from Up till riow, these have bee~ those who are prepared to do for muttered over a drink, spoken in .bridge what a test match team, or hints, whispered in ·comers. I a rowing eight, is automatically propose to bring them out in ·the expected to do for their particular open. After all, a player who has activity : train, practise, and heard the abuse of an enraged . partner ought to be used to a little Training means sacrifice : the plain-speaking-especially from a giving-up of a theatre with the journalist who has been trained· qy girl-friend ; or the very profitable twenty-five years' experience to partnership with dear old George ; write, at least, without bias or or the week-end where they do you malice. so well at the Duchess of Very well, then. Is Britain to Bilgewater's. field a purely British team ? Or to It is pointless to trust to Ye Olde put out to represent her a team of Englishe Policy of Muddle Through Britons-by-Residence only : a and It'll Be All Right On The team of the Stateless, the Refugees, Night. It won't. the Naturalised ?

II : i:

CONTRACT BRIDGE · JOURNAL technically adequate but socially acceptable. There must be .no such exhibitions as that which marred the Final. The team must avoid occasioning " incidents." The players must carrv like a banner those standards of ethics and sportsmanship which are · still our trade-mark on the Continent. They must be-what­ ever their sex, social class, pro- Were we to open tl1e. ranks ~s fesswn-. " gent1 emen. " wide as might be, we mtght be. m I, for one, had rather see Britain the Gilbertian position of sen?mg a bad fifth in a field of five than out a team of fi-devant Austnans, see her represented by anyone trained by , to play unfit to be an Ambassador of the against the quartette of the re­ Card Table. constituted Austria I It is a pity that on occasion the On the other hand, if we field a purely British team, it will .not best players do not always possess the other qualifications, while the truly represent our cosmopo~tta? country, .with its boast that 1t ts immaculate socially and ethically­ the asylum of all free peoples. the people it is a pleasu~e to P.lay And it would exclude some of those with, who carry thetr dnnk whose whole lives have been made properly, who are persona grata in Britain, who have served Britain wherever they go-may prove -perhaps with their very blood, rabbits among wolves when it certainly at the risk of it. comes to tournament play. To give :in example from the Finally-and this ends the pre­ past : what would have been said liminaries- it were well, at least for if Richard Lederer had been ex­ the next couple of years, if those cluded on the grounds of · race ? sent to carry the country's reputa­ It would taste in British mouths a tion bore as fair a war-time record little too much like Hitler's ban on as those borne, doubtless, by their Daniel Prenn froi:n the German future opponents. In this, too, tennis team. Britain has a standard to display ... Between these two extremes, a and maintain. That requirement, ' mean must be found. I venture to too, may eliminate one or two suggest that the proportion of " possibles " who might otherwise aliens-of whatever sort : aliens justly fancy their chances. · who speak with heavy accents, In a future article, I propose­ whose very appearance stamps if still alive after this bluntness of them as such-should be limited saying what all are thinking- to to 25 per cent of the' team-one in show what means should be taken four, two in eight (if we put in to find, train, and bring to concert­ reserves · and alternates). After all, pitch our team of the future. And there was only one Ranji in the to show how you and I, who play England XI. passable stuff, can help to create A second point to be faced is a victorious one even though we tl1is. The team must be not only don't play in it and never shall. 12 The Opening Lead against a Slam Contract by Col. G. G. j. Walshe

POOR opening lead too often gives the declarer that one A extra trick which he requires for his contract. In a fair propor­ CcL. tion of ordinary hands he is G.G.J. W1U.SHE dependent on faulty defensive plav in the end-game for this extra trick, but in slam hands the damage is usually done at the The leader should ask himself start. The opening leader finds (1) "shall I cash my Ace, or keep it too difficult to draw the necessary it to make use of its killing power inferences from the bidding, and, and tempo value ? "; (2) " shall I even if he knows all the book leads lead a trump, seeing that dummy's by heart, these will be of little help raise in the suit suggested ruffing in a situation where camouflage is values ? " ; and (3) " shall I lead of such vital importance. In the unbid suit as the most likely ordinary situations ·orthodox leads chance of fin,ding my partner at such as the top of touching cards home?" from K Q 10 4, Q J 9 4, or even An analysis of some examples - J 10 8 4, pay best, but in defence from actual play will best clarify against a slam contract it may be the effects of some open,ing leads. best to lead the Queen or Jack or North : + A 10 5 4

·CONTRACT BR I DGE JO URNAL West, holding + J 8 5 \? 6 3 Here is another example where () K 7 6 2 + K 8 7 6, led the the lead of a trump would have Six of Clubs to dummy's Nine and · averted a disaster. East's Two. East did not cover North: + K 10 8 4 \!} Q 8 2 with the Jack, as this would have 0 10 7 4 • A K 9 set up sufficient tricks for the South : + A Q 9 7 6 5 3 \!} K 9 declarer after conceding a trick in OA . 643 Clubs. T he opening lead gave in The bidding had proceeded : all to the declarer three discards South, the dealer, Two Spades of losing Diamonds, one on the (plaYing the Two-Ch~bs) ; N~rth, Nine of Clubs, one on the Ace, Five Spades, a maxunhu~ ratse ; and one on the long Club when South Six Spades. Nort s support established. Only a trick in Hearts for Spades clearly indicated ~at was lost. the lead of a trump was safest. West however, led the Three of HeartsI from J 7 6 3 to dummy I s Two and East's Ten. Had East STORY WITHOUT WORDS played his Ace the necessary n~elve tricks would have been m stght. In the end-game which followed, East bared his Ace of Hearts to keep a guard in Clubs (Q J 8), and the declarer . successfully ran his Nine of Hearts to force the Ace. The contract was really safe after the opening lead. It is interesting to note that the side which first attacked Hearts, with a joint hold­ ing of A J 10 against K Q 9, lost a trick in the suit, the one trick which the declarer required for his contract. . : Here is another example where. , the lead away from an unprotected high card made the play too easy for the declarer. North : + A K Q \!} A K 9 0 10 5 . • A Q 10 9 4 South : + 9 7 6 4 3 2 \!} J 7 5 0 A 9 8 6 • None The lead of a trump was ipdi­ cated on the bidding : North, One Club ; South, One Spade ; North, ~our . No-Trumps (Blackwood), unplymg strong support for Spades ; South, Five Diamonds showing one Ace ; North, Si~ Spades. 14 . - Personality Page No. 2-A. Noel Mobbs, b.B.E.

A RTHUR NOEL MOBBS, o.B.E. is ..t"'1.. the Chairman of the Portl~nd . Club and he looks every inch - all 74 of them-a Chairman. He is big ; he is ·burly ; he is genial. He has an infectious grin which smiles awav all difficulties. He has an imposing presence before which opposition dwindles. He has a breadth of vision which perceives even strangers-turn 1s A. Noel . the other man's point of view. He Mobbs. has also a tenacity of purpose which He is perhaps more proud of his · holds steadfastly to his own. foundation; the Slough Social · · Mobbs is interested in bridge­ Centre, than of anything else in but it is not only, not even his his life. This institution has main, interest. He has other turned the once dreary industrial Chairmanships to his name : Slough town that straggles down the Estates, Ltd., The United Motor Great West Road into a virile and Finance Corporation, Ltd., and enthusiastic community, infected- other public companies which he as the people down there boast­ does not trouble to list. with the Mobbs spirit and ruled He was born just 66 years ago, by Mobbs Law. educated at Bedford Modern, and His pastimes were tennis, golf is a member of a well-known and curling- especially curlihg on sporting family. Apart from the which, in 1929, . he wrote what is considerable name which he has still the classic book. But arthritis, made in the business world, he is which has given his giant frame a deeply engaged in local activities at slight twist and stiffened his gait Stoke Pages, where he lives as a into a limp, has put paid to benevolent Lord of the Manor: athletics. hospitals, the National Trust, the So he plays bridge, for preference Nuffield Health Services Fund, all privately, although his is a familiar look to him- not in vain. figure at the great Congresses. He The photograph on our cover is can hold his own in any company, from the portrait by L. Campbell­ and captained the winning team in Taylor, R.A., exhibited in this one 0f the pre-war contests for the year's academy, and shows him in Portland Cup. the robes of High Sheriff of With Harold Vanderbilt he was Buckinghamshire. responsible for the latest laws of When it comes either to finance the game. He is President of the (either providing it or organising British Bridge League. He is it) or to a good cause, the first man determined that only the best is to whom his neighbours, his good enough for British bridge­ friends, his acquaintances-and players. c 15 . HE annual Killarney Congre~s sy~tem, and fresh trout for break­ was held last month. As fast at the Lake Hotel was an added T usual, the Contract Bridge treat. Association of Ireland arranged The previous holders of the this meeting in a delightful way, " Dawn " Cup were that redoubt­ giving you no great. concentration able father and son combination, of competitive bridge, so that you the O'Connells of Cork, who were could en joy the beauties of Killarney present with a host of fine Irish, to your heart's content. Let English, Scottish and Welsh us dispose of the bridge first. ' players. The international ~avour The winners of the various was very keen, even extendmg to Congress events are listed on the Isle of Man. From Kerry came another page. It was a grand the O'Sullivans, all fighting hard performance on the part of Bob to keep their trophies from leaving Frith and Doreen Hopewell to win their county, yet handing them , the " Dawn " Cup, which carries over with that old world courtesy the title of the South of Ireland that makes a visit to Killarney the Pairs Championship, and they can pleasure that it is. · now add this trophy to the North Congratulations to Ralph of Ireland Pairs Championship Niman's team, which included the which they won in 1937 at Belfast. one and only Joel Tarlo, of B.B.C. A homeless white terrier attached and All-England fame, on lifting himself to their party and, acting the Loc Lein Trophy with its as a mascot, like Mr. llritling, beautiful replicas. After a really " saw them through," returning exciting finish, they got home by with them to Nottingham. Bob is one point over a team of Northern incidentally a good fisherman as Ireland experts, Professor Alan well as a disciple of the " Vienna " McKinnon, George Hanna, the CONTRACT BRIDGE JOURNAL evergreen Col. G. G. J. Walshe, it was our hosts who conquered us and Mrs. McConkey, the Irish as only the Irish can. 'international. A well-known Cork Let us forget our Aces and Kings team, Mr. and Mrs. Maurice for a moment, and revert to the Cohen, Con Kelliher and Jim beauty spots of this Eden of the Sullivan, had the mortification of West. There was the · Gap of leading by four match points with Dunloe to visit, where you ride on two rounds to go, to find that they ponies and shoot the rapids in could pick up only two more points Wild West fashion, the drive round in the final rounds. A remarkable the Kerry Ring; passing Valentia performance was put up by a . Island, where the transatlantic team of vV elsh ladies, Mesdames communications are issued, the Semington, Faden, Franklyn Jones lobster ponds at Caher-na-Din, :and MacDonald, who led the field the Tore waterfall, and the Lake for two thirds of the event, finishing Drive ; and, ever to . be remem­ up in fourth place. bere? among the beauty spots, the The Congress was a triumph of little bar in Killarney run by Mrs. organisation for the C.B.A.E. and O'Leary, who can make the song for Johnny Morgan, the inter­ " If you ever· go to Ireland, will national player, and Babs Mahoney, you kiss my dear mother for me," a very charming and efficient live for us all. The only thing that tournament director. Under these we were ever short of besides sleep two directors the boards moved was Scotch whisky, but Mrs. swiftly and smoothly, and I heard O'Leary could always manage one of no case where an average had for the road. · to be given for misboarding. So much for a most delightful On Saturday night the prize-giving visit. Killarney Congress is to be :and dance were held in the Town held next year early in May, and Hall, with the genial President, the weather- not that it was worse Dr. Magnier, giving away the than our own- will be better. I trophies, and though we all missed have no space in which to dwell on the ceremony of the prize-winners the golf course, the pride and being piped up with music to achievement of the late Lord receive their cups, which was such Castlerosse, which is in itself a delightful feature last season at worth going to Killarney to play the Southern Hotel, there was so on. There are daily golf competi­ much hospitality shown to the tions, with prizes given by the visitors that we could not sav " ' Ve local townsfolk, which will be a came,_ we saw, ,,·c conquerec- i " - further attraction next May. Duplicate Bridge Organisatio ~

by Gordon D. Johnsto ne

"Movements " (methods of organ­ "I NEVER play in these Competi­ tions because it is all so very ising play) whereby practically any complicated and confusing and combination of players can take I have never been able to work out part in a Duplicate Competition how they finally decide who wins." of some sort. " Oh, no, I've never played in We have Individual Movements Competitive Bridge-I'm not good which provide for each player in enough to play against all these a particular Competition playing in · experts." turn with each other player in that . These and similar remarks are Competition as partner and playing heard all too frequently and the in turn with each other competitor object of this and subsequent as his left-hand opponent and as articles will be to explain as simply his right-hand opponent, and the as possible the " mechanics " of movement of Boards is so arranged Duplicate Bridge organisation and as to provide for each and every I hope to establish, at any rate for one of the competitors in that the readers of this Magazine, that­ particular event all playing the Duplicate Bridge is not the fear­ same hands. some night-and-day occupation of Next there is the ordinary Pairs a small coterie of experts, but is Movement known as the "Mitchell one of the finest methods of Movement" whereby the Pairs playing the very finest indoor taking part (and there may be any game there is. number for this type of Competi­ The principal advantage which tion) sitting North-South play many of us derive from playing in against all the other Pairs sitting Duplicate Contests is that we do, East-West respectively and in this at any rate, know that the bad Competition the scoring is so hands we hold are held by some­ arranged that the winners are body else as well and that we are determined by comparison of the not, as is so frequent in Rubber scores with those Pairs who have Bridge, alone in our misery with sat in the same position at· the our "Yarboroughs." table. Over many years mathematicians For the more advanced and have succeeded in evolving important Competitions there is a IS CONTRACT BRIDGE JOURNAL more involved and exact Movement who, incidentally, should be the known as the "Howell Movement " only per~on in the room having which provides, by the use of' a any wornes about who plays with very neat but intricate mathe­ whom, and when, and where. matical formula, for each of the And now to the horses. Alec Pairs taking part to play . each Hasler published, many years ·ago, of the other Pairs, the results for a very excellent textbook called the Competition being assessed on " Duplicate Bridge Simplified " a system · of awarding points (as and in his introduction thereto he opposed to aggregate scoring). said that he hoped that having Finally, there are Team published the book ' he w~uld not .Matches, which may be between m. the future receive requests-as Teams of Four, Eight and any he had by the score-at the oddest of the multiples thereof, and this Competition can be organised as between any number of Teams from two upwards. To those readers of the Magazine who have not taken part in Dupli­ .cate Tournaments- and to them this article is largely directed­ some of the foregoing may sound very · complicated, but from the .competitor's point ·of view there should be, under competent Tournament direction, no difficulty of times and in the most impossible situations for advice as to how to run a Competition. He assured his readers that in the future upon receiving any requests he would say, " Read my book." The writer, in his turn, receives most regular and frequent requests not only to advise in the running of a Competition, but also to assist in its organisation and I therefore hope for the future to be able to say, " Read the Bridge Journal." or complication ,\t all, because the From the whole of the foregoing players are p:u\·ided \\"ith one of it will be apparent that the most two things ; either each player is important person in the successful given a sheet explaining the Move­ organisation of any form of ment in which lu:, or she, is Competition is the Tournament participating, or there is at each Manager, and this " Pooh Bah" and table a sheet of instructions. T hese " Panjandrum" is expected to instructions are generally known as ha\'e the knowledge of a mathe­ ' " l\!Iovement Cards " and " Table matical Don, the charm of manner Cards " respectively and arc pre­ usually associated with Royalty, pared by the Tournament Manager, the fi rmness and authority of a 19 CONTRACT . DRIDG E JO URNAL Regimental . Sergeant-Major and larly good in handling large Pairs the imperturbability of t4e Nelson Movements), M r. G . Humble has Column. Given these attributes organized Competitions of nearly and given a man or woman who every size and shape in the London can never- in any circumstances- and Home Counties area and Mr. he flustered or induced to lose his F. Bing~am manages to make a or her temper, you have the perfect complicated T eam of Four or Tournament Manager. Pairs Movement look something We arc ·most fortunate in this very simple. Scotland, Ireland and country that we have such a Wales are all equally well sc r\'ed , wealth of first-class Tournament and I know of nobody who has Managers all of whom pour into given more thought an·d study to this game of Duplicate Bridge their Competitive Organisation th~n Mr. l enthusiasm and keenness for very F. E. Perry, the enthusiastic and little, if any, return, but merely- well-known Secretary of the \ Velsh a most peculiar reason- because Contract Bridge Association. I they like doing it. In the next article in this series At the recent Cheltenham Con- will be outlined the equipment gress the handling of the very large necessary for the organisation of number of entries ·reflected the Competitions for specified Move­ greatest credit upon the experience rhents and specified numbers of and technique of the Tournament players and it will also deal wi th Managers concerned. Mr. and short descriptions of various Pai rs rj Mrs. H. D. King occupy a position Movements. Readers, however, unrivalled in the countrv as the who have particular points of leading authorities and experts on Tournament Direction, which they all forms of Competitive Move- would like dealt wi~ through the ments ; Mrs. E. Bailey has, for columns of this Journal arc invited many years, been known in the to write to the Editorial Department North of England as a first-rate and we will do our best to include and " unupsettable " Tournament the replies within the scope of this Manager (Mrs. Bailey is particu- series.

CONTRIBUTORS TO NOVEMBER ISSUE C. DENIS FREEMAN- eminent author and theatrical producer. - London's leading " super-scientist." A. J. SMITH- well-known journalist and Bridge author. S. 1: SIMON, .lAIN MACLEOD and GoRDON D. }OI·INSTONE wi!I contmue thetr monthly features · DR P•uL s 'II 'b · ' • " TERN WI c~ntrt . ute an article on safety plays ; GEOFFimY L BUTLER wtll dtscuss the advisability of leading trumps in det · . ·d EDMUND PHILLIPS will write on aspects of the Take-O~~c~~u~~.

20 Can you make this Contract?

The second of a monthly series Hand 4 of hands from actual tournament 1'-~0RTH play, submitted by Dr. Paul Stern. + A6 H and 3 NoRTH \? A J 10 8 4 + K75 0 QJ76 \? A K 104 + AS 0 7 5 42 WEST EAST + A6 .• 108742 I • KJ 5 WEST EAST \?3 \? K96 • 864 • 92 0 92 0 K854 \? 9 6 5 \? Q 8 3 + 97643 + J 102 0 10 9 8 0 KQJ3 .SOUTH + Q 10 3 2 + J 97 5 • Q93 SouTH \? Q752 + AQJ103 0 A 10 3 \? J 7 2 + KQ5 l 0 A6 Dealer, .South. Love all. + KS 4- West leads \? 3. , Dealer, South. Game all. North-South bid SixNoTrumps, ' Vest leads 10. 0 .on these cards in a Teams of Four Played in a pairs contest of 15 match. Dr. Paul Grosser, a fine tables. Only one pair bid Six Czech player now living in London, Spades, and South, AJam Meredith, made 12 tricks, sitting South. brilliant London pla\·er, made 12 tricks. - Can you make .this contract? Can you make this contract ? (Solutions on page 33)

THIS M ONTH'S CONUNDRUM Have you ever held ten cards in one suit ? A well-known player sitting South recently picked up : + Q J 10 9 8 7 54- 3 2 \? None. 0 None. + 8 53 He became the declarer at a contract of Two Diamonds. There was no misnomer, slip of the tongue, or infraction of the rules. How did this happen ? (Aus~ver on page 37)

21 by Ewart Kempson

E have received the follow­ Mr. is at present ing letter from a reader : entering into negotiations " ·ith the W" I often wonder what the Maltese minority in I .at\·ia to experts do when not playing bridge. become chairman of the Lower Can you, the greatest- of them all, Latvian League. enlighten me, please ? " Mr. George Nelson is taking to Our correspondent, obviously a art. highly intelligent man, will be glad to know that the Contract. Bridge The rest of the file is devoted Joumal's research department has entirely to the activities of M r. recently compiled a file entitled lain Macleod. At the end of "What Tpcy Do," extracts from the fil e is a foo tnote to the effect which arc as follows :- · that the term "bridge·expert" ean­ _Mr. E. Bruce Parker spends his n~t .be truly applied to anyone Without a Yorkshire birth quali­ leisure moments beating Mrs. E. fication. - Bruce Parker with an iron railing. Major G. Fell, sometimes call ed the whispering baritone lives in Our other correspondent has Yorkshire where, he may often be complained that no reference was seen speaking ·to his friends in made to bridge in our last article, DeYonshire without the use of the so here we go :- · old-fashioned telephone. · N ORTH + AQ62 \7 10 2 0 AJ6 + AJ64 W EST E AST • J 9 84 + 7 \7 KQ9643 \7 }875 0 K9 0 Ql075~2 + s + 102 SouTH + K 10 53 \/ A 0 8 3 + KQ9873 22' CONTRACT BRIDGE JOURNAL Sitting South, Mr. T. S. Wraith retain three Spades, one Heart and dealt and bid One Club, Mr. Harry one Diamond while South has four Esther (West) bid One Heart, we Spades and a Diamond. called Two Spades and Major A Spade to dummy's Ace· and Geoffrey Fell bid Three Hearts. Queen is followed by the 10 of Mr. Wraith, whose tongue was Hearts, West being forced to win now sticking out about a foot and and lead a Spade at the 12th trick. a half, bid Four Hearts and we But Mr. Esther again rose to the were foolish enough to jump to occasion, discarding the Queen of Six Clubs. South's bid of Four Hearts in a most uncouth manner. Hearts clearly shows good support Mr. ·wraith was, thus one down for North's Spades, therefore North and, when he had recovered his might have made a mark-time bid tongue (which was now wandering -instead of rushing so violently into round an adjacent room), he had the Club slam. a great deal to say regarding our West led the King of Hearts and bid of Six Clubs. South at once saw that he only This, though hard to bear, was had to cater for J x x x in Spades as nothing compared ·with the being with W est. Being the first hurricane which blew from an .chi&s player that he is, Wraith tried easterly position. to prepare for this distribution. AJter nvo rounds of Clubs he led dummy's Ace of Diamonds. He argued that West held six Hearts and probably the K ing of Diamonds. If that player did hold four Spades, he had only nvo Diamonds. Selby Wraith's plan was to take the Ace of Diamonds, a Heart and then lead a second Diamond. vVest would be forced to win and Next month we hope to give full to lead a Spade (giving South fo ur details of the Wales v. England . Spade tricks) or a Heart, giving match. This contest, which should South a ruff and discard. decide the 1946 winners of the But Mr. H arrv Esther played in , now held by ·a most ungentlemanly manner ; he Northern Ireland, promises to be threw his King of Diamonds under a thrilling struggle. · . the Ace, having carefully noted The England team is a strong Major Fell's Seven of Diamonds. one, the fo llowing having been {Only a cad could have thought of selected :- signalling with the Seven of M. Harrison-Gray, l ain Macleod, Diamonds). , N. Squire, L. Conscious of the foul work being Ellison 'and Dr. J. Whitby. ·perpetrated by the defence, Mr. \Vales relies on Simon Rivlin, Wraith abandoned his plan and Abbey Stone, E. J. Carter, D: played out all his trumps, discard­ McAllister, E. Fine, and H. ing a Spade and a Diamond from Belman. Frank Perry is the non­ ·dummy. T his allows North to playing cap t a i n~ 23

· ~ by Noel Byrne

placed no higher than sc\ · cnt~: In LL previous records were broken at Killarney's Con­ this competition, howenr, N u:nan A gress last month, and it. was has particularly happy recollectwns only by requisitioning pnvate of the following deal, where he houses that Hon. Sees. D.r. made a spectacular lead which E. N. M. O'Sullivan and Kevm defeated a contract and earned a. O'Farrel ·were able to accom­ clear top. modate all those wishing to take NoRTH part. Upwards of 100 came from • 63 across the water, including leading c::7 AQJ97 players from England, Scotland 0 43 2 and Wales, and with such a strong + KJ9 cross-Channel challenge it was EAST W EST expected that one, if not two, of • K42 + AQJ10 8 the principal trophies · would ~e c::7K53 c::7108 leaving our shores. These predic­ 0 975 0 KJ1086 tions came true, and the " Dawn " + AQ86 + 2 Cup went to Nottingham, while SouTH the " Loc Lein "- Trophy was • 97 5 annexed by the genial Yorkshire­ c::7642 man, Ralph Niman, whose team­ 0 AQ mates were H. ' Franklin arid + 10 7 54 3 . English Internationals J. Tarlo South (Niman) dealt at Game­ and S. Merkin. The home players All, and the final contract was were by no means out of the Three Spades by East after North running, however, and just failed · (Tarlo) had opened with One to retain the major trophy. The Heart and East had bid Spades visitors were loud in their praises and Diamonds. Four Spades is a of the organisation of the Congress, reasonable contract, but Niman and the running of the various led the Ace of Diamonds and events, and for this bouquets go switched to a low Heart. Tarlo to the Tournament Director, J. P. won with the Queen and returned Morgan (Dublin) and his efficient a Diamond ; East, assuming South assistant, Miss Mahony of Cork. . had led a singleton, played the Ten, After topping the qualifying and the Queen won the trick. rounds, Niman and Tarlo struck Another Heart put North in to a bad run in the " Dawn "- Cup return a Diamond which South. and, despite a terrific finish, were trumped to set the contract.* C'ONTRACT BRIDGE JOURNAL CONGRESS WINNERS D. Kleuser (Nottingham), Mrs ~ DAWN CuP.- N. R, C. FRITH McCluskey and Miss A. O'Kelly and Mrs. D. · N. Hopewell (Dublin), Mrs. Foden and Mrs. (Nottingham). Semington (Wales), Mr. and Mrs. Loc LEIN TnoPHY.-R. Niman, D. Gould (Cardiff), Trevor H. Franklin (Leeds), J. Tarlo, Williams and Mrs. N. David S. Merkin (London). (Cardiff), J. A. Hunter and M. BEST MUNSTER TEAM OF FouR.- Cullen (Dun Laoghaire), M. F. Mr. and Mrs. M. Cohen, J. O'Connell (Cork) and Mrs. J. M. Sullivan, C. Kellehir (Cork). O'Sullivan (Tralee), J. Sullivan CoNSOLATION TEAMs OF FouR.- {Cork) and Mrs. D. G. Bonnyman H; Brostoff, Miss P. Barnett, Mr. (Cardiff), Barry O'Connell (Cork)­ and Mrs. Corwen (Leeds). and Mrs. J. O'Neill (Duhlin), OPEN PAIRS EVENTS.- ·Mrs. N. B. Barry (Dun Laoghaire) and At.ldnson (Belfast) and M. F. Mrs. K. Burke (Dublin), 1\ir. and O'Connell (Cork), Miss T. Magnier Mrs. D. Lyne (Dublin), Mr. and. (Fermoy) and W. F. Quinlan Mrs. E. O'Mahony (Fermoy), P. (Tralee), Miss C. Morgan and Hilliard and Dr. J. I. O'Sullivan J. M. Stanley (Drogheda), R. (Killarney), Miss S. Murphy and · Niman and H. Brostoff (Leeds), Mrs. K. · O'Farrell (Killar11cy), Mr. and Mrs. M. Cohen (Cork), Mrs. Summers (Brighton) and Mr. and Mrs. Emlyn · Lewis Mrs. Briers (Nottingham), Mrs. · (Swansea), L. Feehan (Dundalk) S. H. Draper and Mrs. H. P. and E. Rice (Fermoy), Mrs. D. N. Dockrell (Dun Laoghaire), Mrs. Hopewell and N. R. C. Frith S. H. Draper and P. Bardon (Nottingham), Capt. W. H. Ricardo (Dun Laoghaire). and Mrs. E. Morgan {Cardiff), Col. * Jt seems to us that the contract might G. G. J. "\¥alshe (London) and tr;e/l have been defeated by the -un.r J. L . O'Conn e 11 (C or k) , J . normal opening lead· of n·a Heart,d r f ollowed by a st~· ltc 11 to IGIIIOII s Tarlo {London) and R. N I man by N orth ; this, however, does not (Leeds), Mrs. C. Roy and P. Quinn detract from tlze brilliant reasoning (Dublin), Mrs. Briers and Miss behind Niman's lead.- Eo.

Result of our Septem ber Crossword

DID YOU FIND THIS ONE FAR TOO EASY?

25 NORTH + Q 9654 2 ~ 109 0 7 43 4t A6 WEST EAST + J 10 • A 7 3 ~ KJ 8 62 ~ A3 N~ws frbHt 0 AK () Q J 102 + KQJS i 107 42 J,-'brtllerlt /,e/alltl SouTH + K S by A. .). Fletcher ~ Q 7 5 - ~ The 1946-47 season is now in 0 9 8 6 5 full swing. The qualifying round + 983 .of the Belfast Pairs Championship, Dealer, South. Game All . Mitchell Movement, was held in the Carlton on September 21st. Provincial Clubs hayc been affili­ A very close finish resulted in a ating in increasing numbers. Now tie for top place between C. that a Derry club has enrolled, the Sampson and J. Gordon, and Union's activities cover most of the A. Mackinnon and A. J. Fletcher, area, though there arc still a number with Mrs. McKee and H. Anderson of towns not represented. It . is .only four Match Points away. An hoped that the present season will ·even more narrow result occurred · find these becoming members of the in the final in the Kelvin Club on Union. Outstanding amongst the · the 28th September under the provincials, indeed even outside this Howell Schedule, when Mackinnon limit, is the Portadown Club. Of and Fletcher and E. D. Goldblatt comparatively recent origin, it has and B. Vard tied with 129 Match made wonderful progress both in "Points with Gordon and Sampson membership and playing ability. just one point behind. Especially Already a number of open events deserving of mention is the per­ have been won and if improvement formance of these last two. Sampson continues at the present rate, there has been playing consistently for is no doubt that the highest honours ·some time but Gordon has only are in store. A large portion of the recently come from Scotland, so credit for this success is due to the that the partnership has not had present Secretary, 'Vilfie Robb, who much . opportunity to develop. has the knack of transmitting his Somettmes, of course, that is an own zeal to others. He has able :advantage I helpers in the former Secretary, During the final the play was of George Sloan, the ubiquitous a high standard, but on 7 Jimmy Green and Mrs. Burnett. !lo one arrived at a game contract The only regret on a visit to the m Hearts or Clubs, which seems Club is that Tom Burnett is no the most reasonable try. In every longer in evidence. There may be ·Case a No-Trumps contract was found also probably the most reached, twice the small slam being improved player in Northern bid, which once was five down on Ireland in the Club's Captain, Tom a Spade lead. Here is the complete .deal:- Berry, who has made wonderful strides in recent years. by Albert Benjamin

The solid meat of competitive Entries for the Congress at bridge in Scotland_, is the various Dunblane Hydro on 25-28 October District League games between have been more numerous than club teams of 8-a-side. In the expected and those who attend can · Edinburgh zone, the league this be sure of an enjoyable week-end. year will probably be run in three Tournament direction will be ·in sections. The Evening News Cup, the capable hands of Mr. G. H. not contested for since 1938, will Kershaw, bridge correspondent of again be up for competition. The the Glasgow Evening News and winning team may come from Daily Record. Dundas, Carlton " A " or Carlton The healthy state of bridge Nomads. Some new clubs have . affairs in the new Central District entered the lowest division. The is to a large extent due to the system of promotion and relegation enthusiasm of Dundee devotees of helps to maintain the keenness in the game. It is just two years all sections of the league. since the first private club was In the Glasgow zone, 56 clubs formed in the city. The success are taking part. Four separate of the Dundee Club has exceeded sections of the League were re­ the hopes of the founders. Of quired and the matches are now many friendly matches played, in full swing. Buchanan and only one has so far been lost. Glasgow Jewish Institute have Their leading couple, A. Cameron each won the League Trophy on and H. S. Robb, were runners-up three occasions (no other club ever in last years Scottish National having won) and each will be keen Pairs Championship. to outdo the other this year. But Messrs. W. A. McKerrow, R. R. Civic, Setayro Park, Eglinton and French and R. Gray have been others will not allow the champion­ appointed to select the Scottish ship to be won easily. teams for the forthcoming .inter­ national matches. A comprehensive . Little interest has hitherto been series of trial games have been shown by Scottish players in the arranged, and some pairs may be B.B.L. Competitions. For nrious required to play approximately 200 reasons, an increased representation hands, to provide data on which can be looked for this season. the selectors can act. The selectors Perhaps we may see a Scottish view their task seriously, and win team win for the first time one of or lose, Scotland will field her b!!st this year's major events. team. 27 ~IN- de · }~~!r . London and Home Counti es C.B.A. players from the fol!l)wi:1g co~nties wiii be invited to take part m the London various events ·: Bcdfordshire, The new London County Con­ Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Essex, tract · Bridge Association, which Hertfordshire, K ent, M iddlesex, was formed last May, under the Surrev and Sussex. Chairmanship ofM.Harrison-Gray, A brochure will shortlv be issued has ' already done valuable work. m giving full details of · the main helping new Clubs ~o get gomg events, which arc as foiiows : and to improve the standard of . THE MELVILLE SMITH TROPHY play of their members. With the (Open Championship for Teams:. wealth of talent at its disposal, the of-Four in the London area), run Association is always ready to as in the past in the form of a supply experienced lecturers and straight knock-out, with the in­ tournament directors at short novation that each member of a notice, and to arrange exhibition team must play an equal number matches and demonstrations by of boards with each team-mate experts.' during the course of a match. · · Although the Association doe~ THE" DAILY TELEGRAPH" CuP. not confine its activities to com­ As before, each county wiii provide petitive Bridge, it has prepared for its best team for the ten-team final its members and prospective of the ·" most enjoyable contest of members the most comprehensive the year." The final wiii again programme of events yet offered take place under unique conditions by a Bridge organisation. The in the Daily Telegraph building. Tournament Committee's task has THE DUVEEN SHIELD, run as not beeri an easy one, for the before in the form of a League territory · covered ranges from the contest for Teams-of-Six, with most exclusive West End Clubs to several divisions. This is the ideal the va~t reservoir . of potential instrument for infusing fresh blood talent m the London business into duplicate, as teams of moderate houses and factory Clubs ; it has strength play against opponents of therefore fo.Ilowed .the example. of their own standing . until they the E.B.U. m catenng both for the acknowledged expert and the keen become good enough to tackle the crack teams in a higher division ; newc?mer to th~ competition game. a. sys:em of promotion and relega­ Pendmg the rev1val of the regional tion 1s used. CONTRACT BRIDGE . JOURNAL A NEW RUBBER DUPLICATE confined to players of known COMPETITION for Teams-of-Four first-class ability. representing Clubs in the London THE LONDON AND HOME area. COUNTIES OPEN PAIRS CHAMPION­ THE CoMMITIEE CuP, a Teams­ SHIP, each county providing its ·Of-Four event confined to players best pairs to take part in the two­ who have not previously achieved session final. success in · National competitions. A NEW PAIRS CoNTEST FOR MARRIED COUPLES, in an attempt to THE LONDON AND HOME settle the long-standing debate as CouNTIES MASTERS INDIVIDUAL to who are our best husband and CHAMPIONSHIP, an invitation event wife combinations.

North-Western NORTH • 97542 HE North Western Contract '\/ 852 Bridge Association Congress 0 85 T which is to take place at the + KJ 10 Casino, Blackpool, on October WEST EAST 25th, 26th and 27th, looks like • ]103 • AKQ86 being a great success, judging by '\/ A J 7 '\/ Q 10 9 6 3 early entries and hotel reservations. 0 10 0 2 There will be six Open Pairs + Q86543 + A7 .contests, a Teams-of-Four open SouTH .event, an invitation Teams-of-Four, :and .the twelve-a-side Lancashire '\/ K4 v. Yorkshire m atch. N orth-West ·0 ­AKQJ97643 Pairs Championship final will also + 92 be staged. This competition has Dealer, South. Love All. already started, and results received At most tables South opened .so far are as follows : cautiouslv with Three or Four Qualifying Pairs- Southport Diamonds, and East naturally came S. Goldstone and S. Yates. in with Three or Four Spad-es. In 1\lrs. A. C. Douglass and V. some cases the final contract was Vernon . Five Diamonds doubled, one down, Mrs. Charnley an d M rs. and at a few tables Five Spades Deaves. - was made. At only one table was Mr. and lVI rs. BcaYe r. the correct opening bid of Five Diamonds made, and East 'vas Qualifying Pairs- Li-verpool faced with the problem of whether Mr. and Mrs. \V. Bruce. or not to bid against it ; eventually Mr. and Mrs. F ern. he doubled. Some suggested Mi-. and Mrs. K er. afterwards that he should have bid Mrs. Goldson and Miss FiYe Spades, but were inclined to McKenna. revise their opinions when he ·An interesting hand in the pointed out that if the King of Liverpool competition was the Hearts is in the North hand, the .following : contract can fail by fi ve tricks • • • I ~ • • I .

CONTRACT BRIDGE JOURNAL all over the British Isles, and he expects this first post-war Congress Yorkshire at Harrogate to be the biggest ever It is a time-honoured jest t~at held there. w1en1 Lan-cashire and Yorkshtre. The following hand was played meet at cricket, the .Pl~y~~s ex- recently at the Leeds Aysgarth ch ange " Good Mormng s, . after· Bridge Club : ,\rhich the only conversa~ton ts East-West vul nerable­ " How's That I " But m th,~ Bridge " Battle of the Roses, Dealer West. though there may be such phrases NoRTH " Sorry partner," we feel sure • J 9 as ' " H ' Th t " there will be no ow s a . '\J X X The Yorkshire team to play 0 AJ xxxx "Lancashire at the Blackpool Con­ 4z. QlOx gress will be: Geo. Nelson, capt. ,~.EST EAST (Leeds) and C. Vicker~an • A 10 :X :X X + K X X X (Huddersfield), Mrs. B. Bml.ey F. '\l 10 '\l K X X X and F. H. Smith (Hull), Mtss 0 Qx 0 :x S. T. Binns (Leeds) and Mrs. + Axxxx J :xxx E. M. Turner (Halifax), Dr. W. E. SouTH Dornan and D. Brown (Sheffield), + Qx Mrs. H. Everett and Mrs. R. '\l AQJ9x x Corwen (Leeds), Major G. Fell O Kxxx (Keighley) and R. Niman (Leeds), H. Franklyn and R. Mercado _ + K (Leeds), J. Morrison and A. E. R. Vincent sat West and playing Field (Harrogate), Mrs. M. S. opened One Club. R. Niman Rankin and Mrs. L. Hadfield (North) passed. H. Franklyn (Sheffield), Dr: M. Rushton and (East) bid One Heart. Now what A. 0. Craven (Bradford), J. H. should South bid? G. Nelson put Taylor and Dr. J. Wright in a bid of Two Diamonds. West (Bradford), R. Vincent and H. bid Two Spades and North bid Brostoff (Leeds). Five Diamonds, which was doubled It will be seen that the team is The 10 of Hearts was led after fairly representative of the Gounty, which Six Diamonds was cold. with a good sprinkling of the fair There was some leg pulling about sex. - that bid of Two Diamonds." Well" The second half of the match is G .N. said, " I was prepared to to be played at the Harrogate bid Two Hearts if doubled, but Congress on November 17th. but you must admit it was very difficult not necessarily by the above team. to bid the Slam." Niman's Fi,-e The match being played in this Diamonds was a good bid made way gives the Y.C.B.A. Selection with the idea of possibly being Committee an excellent opportun­ two down, for after the vulnerable ity to know where our strength lies opponents had made constructiYe for future matches. bids he felt they had a certain game. Mr. John Morrison tells me that So many funny things happen in entries for the Harrogate Congress this game of Contract that Wilfred are coming in remarkably well from Pickles' signature tune " Have a 30 CONTRACT BRIDGE JOURNAL Go, Joe " may be said to be a C.B.A. Qualifying rounds are good bridge slogan. being played during October in Yorkshire bridge players were Exeter, Plymouth, Taunton and pleased to see the honour paid to Torquay, and the finals will be Mr. Gordon D. Johnstone in being held in Torquay on November 8th. elected Chairman of the E.B. U. The Livermead Cliff Bridge Mr. Johnstone was one time hon­ Club (Torquay) will hold its first orary secretary of the Y.C.B.A. and post-war Congress on November did much towards putting it on 8th, 9th and lOth, in response to the firm basis it now enjoys. many requests for its revival. The principal events are the South West Championship for Teams of ·Gioucestershire Four (holders-Col. H. M. Gloucestershire Contract Bridge Beasley's team) and the South Association has got off to a flying West Pairs Championship (holders start for the 1946-47 Season and -Lt.-Col. G. Lawton and Mrs. the brochure of Competitions is Flemmich). Entries are limited expected to be in the hands of the to a maximum of 25 teams. Members very shortly. They are, The honour of travelling the as in previous years, organising the greatest distance in order to County Teams of Four, the County compete goes to Dr. Twyning, League, the County Pairs and the who will captain a Team of Four County Individual Championships. from Blackpool, Lancashire. The Membership of the Associa­ tion has recently entitled them to another delegate to the English Hertfordshire Bridge Union and Mr. R. F. P. The Annual General Meeting Holloway, of Bristol, has been and first Pairs event of the appointed. Hertfordshire Bridge Association The Members nominated for were held on October 3rd at the the England v. The Rest series of Harpenden Hall. W. H. Weightman trials are: was re-elected Chairman, C. Gordon D. Johnstone and Hugh vVorssam, Hon. Treasurer and Collins ; G. Humble, Tournament Manager E. C. Johnson and A. Jacobs ; and representative on the E.B.U. Council. P. R. Hall, 128, Piggotts Mrs. A. V. Morgan and J. N. Hill Lane, Harpenden (Phone 3735) Collett, and was elected Hon. Secretary and R. F. P. Holloway and R. B. Mr. Stokes was thanked for his Everett. work for the Association during the past year. It was agreed to change the date Devon of the end of the financial year to . The fVestem Morning News have 31st March to fit in with the E.B.U . again offered their Championship programme and to enable the n.ew Trophy for competition amongst Committee to plan the followmg West Country Teams of Four, winter's programme during the under the auspices of the Devon precceding summer. 31 CONTRACT BRIDGE JOURNAL are also being made for a number A full programme o f "Lo~a I". events is being arranged and tt ts of Inter- Club matches between hoped that Members will support Kent Bridge Clubs. the competitions arranged by the E.B.U. Results of local events and Leicestershire local heats of the E.B.U. ev~nts will appear in the Co11tract Brzdge A circle for Duplicate players .Joumal. was formed in Leicester in March, 1933. In those days it was called the " British Bridge League Leicester Branch." Five tables Kent were arranged, with Mr. E. L. Duplicate Bridge is d~finitely Hague of Birmingham pres~ nt to reviving in Kent, and entnes have initiate us into the mystenes of now closed for the Winter League Duplicate Pairs. After this try-out ' and the Arnold Cup, the two Mrs. ' Cole was asked to be Local main events of the Kent Contract Honorary Secretary, and in a short Bridge Association (Hon. Sec., time 7S members were enrolled. M rs. 1\lr·.1. A • A • H arvey , 2A,. As there was no Bridge Club iri Molyneu.x Park, Tunbridge Wells). Leicester at that time, members · Both competitions are for Teams- kindly offered the hospitality of of-Four. The League is played in their homes for matches and three divisions, with a cup for each. competitions, until a room was The last time the contest was held, obtained at the Grand Hotel. The during the 1939-40 season, there first match was against Birmingham, were seven teams in each Division, twenty-four a side, on June 12th, each team playing once against 1933, at Kibworth House, by kind each of the other six teams in the invitation of Mrs. Evans. Leicester same section. The two bottom won by 1,910 points. From then teams in each.Division went down until 1940 we played regular to the lower Division, from which matches against neighbouring the two top teams moved up. · Play towns, and on one occasion eight for the Arnold Cup is knock-out. players toured Devon for a week. The Annual County Congress The greatest interest was aroused will be held in May at Tunbridge when London experts came to Wells, and will include the usual Leicester, and we had the privilege open events and the final of the of playing against teams captained Arnold Cup. Perhaps the most by R. Lederer, H. St. J. Ingram, intere·sting feature is the match , A. \Volfers, Dr. between " Kentish Men " and Paul Stern and Capt. Ewart " Men of Kent," of about fifty Kempson, while. the England v. players a side, drawn from those Wales match took place here iri taking part in the Congress. The 1939, three members of the Circle dividing line is roughly East and providing the funds for hospitality. West of the Medway. • During the war Duplicate was All the teams entering for the ?orm~nt, but was revived last year League competition have been m sptte of accommodation diffi~ nvited to enter for the Daily culties. Play took place under Graphic contest. Arrangements primitive conditions until excellent 32 CONTRACT BRIDGE JOURNAL accommodation was secured at the HOW GOOD ARE Leicester Squash Club, and the u .rcle is now looking fonvard to YOU ? SOLUTIONS the resumption of matches with old friends. Hand 3 Last month we suffered a great WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH loss in the d~ath of Dr. Hurwich, an InternatiOnal player whose 1. 0 10 0 2 0 J 0 6 happy and delightful personality 2. 0 8 04 OK OA as doctor, bridge player and friend 3. + 2 + A + 5 + 4 endeared him to all. 4. + 3 + 6 + 7 + K 5. + 10 + 5 + 9 tfo8 6 . • 4 +K + Z . 3 Warwickshire 7 . • 6 + 7 + 9 + A The Warwickshire Contract .8 . • 8 ~4 + J +O Bridge Association has now revived 9.• Q ~ 10 ? -• 10 . its activities, and it is hoped that If East discards 0 3, declarer the coming season will see all the trumps dui:nmy's 0 5 and 0 7 pre-war competitions played once becomes good. If he throws ~ 3, more. dummy's top Hearts are made,· O Mr. E. Reeve has been elected 5 is trumped, and ~ J wins the Chairman, Miss M. Osborne, Hon. 12th trick. Secretary, and Miss G. Pepper, Hon An example of a rare type of Treasurer. Membership at present squeeze, technically lmown as the is approximately 100, which number Criss-Cross (Backwards) Squeeze. it is hoped materially to increase. About 12 clubs are affiliated. Hand 4 A number of team competitions WEST NoRTH EAST SoUTH are being organised, including the 1.~3 ~4 ~K ~2 Greenwood Cup-for ladies teams­ 2. + 3 + A + 5 of four, the Wanvickshire Champ­ +J ionships-for duplicate teams of 3. 0 2 0 o . 04 0 3 four, and the Midland Circle Cup 4. 0 9 06 0 5 0 10 -for duplicate teams of four. 5.• 2 ~8 . ~ 6 ~Q In. addition, a duplicate pairs 6. 4 ~ 10 ~9 ~7 contest is to be held each month, 7. + 6 ~A + 5 ~5 and open pairs contests are being 8 .• 4 ~ +Z • 3 organised in various parts of the 9. + 7 +8 + 10 + O county. A league is being formed ? in which it is hoped all affiliated 10. + 9 • 6 + K clubs will participate. Another example of the Criss­ The Association is also anxious Cross (Backwards) Squeeze, rarer to resume county matches, and still in No-Trumps play. If East Hon. Secretaries of other Associat­ throws + J, dummy's + A is ions are invited to get in touch with made, declarer enters his hand with Miss Osborne, 2 Park Road, O A, and + Q is good. If East Moseley, Birmingham 13, in regard discards 0 8, South cashes 0 A to these. and dummy's 0 J is good. 33 first Thoughts by lain Macleod

T month I . wrote for ~ou some suggestwns on. operung L bids of one of a smt. The :article was designed to steer a near beginner out ' of trouble and to T wo no-trump to three on 4. .ensure a reasonable standard for Rebid over a raise to two no­ -your openings. Thi.s ~onth I shall trumps on 17 or 18. .discuss no-trump b1ddmg and also Shade all raises by one point for responses to the suit bid of one. a five card suit, (e.g. raise one no­ Remember we use the Milton work trump to three on: + xxx \? Axx ·Count (Ace = 4, King = 3, O x x K Q x x x, but to two Queen = 2, Jack = 1) and only on : x x x \? A x x 0 x x x remember again that for you these + KQxx articles and only these articles are If your five card suit is a major Holy Script. . you should force in that suit to . No-trump bidding is by far the give your partner a choice of .easiest part of contract. It is the contract. With a si.x card minor branch of the game that can most suit headed by one of the two top easily be taught by Rule of Thumb honours you should raise on two methods. It is, in fact, a piece of points less than shown, (e.g., one .cake. To make 3 NT you need a to three no-trumps on : + x x combined count of twenty-six \? K x x 0 J x + A x x x x x). (experts say 25 but I suggest you If the combined count shows at .only shade· to 25 if you have a five least 34 points raise directly to . .card suit). To open one no-trump six no-trumps (e.g., On: + Axx you should have between 16 and \?Kxx OKQxx + Jxx .18 poin~ with at least three suits raise two no-trumps to si:..:. Never .guarded and not less than 10 x x issue a partial invitation with 4 NT). in the fourt~ . .Vulnerability doesn't !he. question o.f responding to a · .enter mto 1t. smt b1d of one IS not so simple. . The rules are simple : Many books have been written .Bm e;"tolling various methods of ascer­ One no-trump on 16 to iS. taining if a game is held between Two no-trump on 21 to 22. the two hands. None are satis­ Three no-trump on 23.· factory. The truth is that experts RAISE do not use such methods. They may say they do (because expert One no-trump to two on 8 or 9. bridge 'players are often authors as One no-trump to three on 10 or over. · well and have to sell their books) but they don't. In this part .of 34 CONTRACT BRIDGE JOURNAL contract, rules are at best a make­ mean a fairly weak hand_ shift substitute for knowledge. But You should have a mini­ rules at our stage are necessary and mum count of seven. The so I summarise the lines of thought suit you bid should not be you should follow. weaker than K 10 x x, but 1. A response of 1 NT shows the greater your support (for you) 6 to 9 points and for partner, the weaker a . Partner may be your own bid suit. may pass. _ Each change of suit is­ 2. A simple raise shows a fit forcing for one round but with partner and no other as soon as no-trumps are· biddable suit. With four bid or a suit already called. trumps you should have is rebid, the partner may 5 points, with five trumps pass unless a forcing to· three. Partner may pass. game bid has been made. 3. A double raise (1 +-3 +or That is rather complicated,. 1 \?-3 \?) is about twice so Jet's stick down a few as good as the last hand. examples. In these cases. With four trumps you you (as responder) may should have 10 points, pass: with five trumps seven. Ex. 1. 1 +-2 \? Ex. 2. 1 +-2 \? Count a singleton in a 2+-? 2NT-? Ex. 3. 1 +-2 \? Ex. 4. 1+-2 \? 3 <::?-? 3 +-30 3+-? although in the last three examples you should only pass with a very weak. hand. In these you may not : Ex. 1. 1 · - 2 \? Ex. 2. 1 + -2 \?' 3+- ? 4+-? . Ex.3.1+- 2• side suit as two points. 3\?- 3 + Partner may only pass on 4 - ? a minimum. It isn't always easy to decide· 4. The direct raise to game is when you should make a forci~g­ about two points better bid (one more than necessary . m than the double raise. another suit i.e., 1 - 3 +) whtch. 5. A one over one response even compels partner to keep bidding to­ at the two level (1 - 1 \? game. When in doubt you should or 1 \?-2 0) is un­ force, but only do it on over­ conditionally forcing for whelming strength unless yo.u have one round. It may mean either a fit in partner's smt o~ a a hand which is nearly solid suit of your own. To gtve good enough for a fo rcing to game bid or it may (Continued 011 page 37). 35 Around the Co~ petitions by M. Harrison-Gray

HIEF interest this month will centre round the England Cv. Wales Camrose Trophy match at Cardiff, postpo~ed until October 19th-20th. Thts match will decide the fate of the Cup, for the positions of the various countries are now as follows : Played Won Lost Points after an excttmg match, and Dr. England 2 2 0 4 Joe Whitby's, who carried. ~oo Wales 2 2 0 4 many guns for the very promtsmg Northern Ireland 3 1 2 2 Della Porta- Hammond combina­ Scotland 3 1 ·2 2 tion. Eire 2 0 2 0 The Whitelaw Cup (E.B.U. The England team is a powerful Ladies' Teams of Four Champion­ one, with its personnel drawn from ship) provided some first-class three of the most successful London sensations. Mrs. Kastell (Harrow) teams, but Wales will be fortified and Mrs. Williams scored over­ by the memory of their sensational whelming victories against fancied victory over England in the 1939 London teams, and Mrs. Crisford series. It may well be the old (\Varwickshire), who once reached story of an early English lead the final of the Gold Cup, won her whittled do,vn by some inspired match by the fantastic margin of play by the Welshmen, but the 7,610 points. Miss Kleuser Londoners should be tough enough (Nottingham) also won convinc­ to stand the strain, severe though ingly against a good team, and her it will be. It should be an epic quartette have a fine chance of Jllatch. A full report will appear adding to their IT\any laurels in in the November issue. . women's events. The final of the Pachabo Cup Duplicate Pairs contests are (E.B.U. Inter-County Champion­ booming everywhere. Each Monday ship) is to be held at the Bexhill night the Lyndhurst Club attracts Congress, and will consist of 16 the biggest galaxy of stars seen in teams, five of them coming from London since the pre-war Upper London. First London teams to Berkeley Street days of Lederer's. reach the final are Mrs. Madeline Crockford's resumed its monthly Lester's, who got home against series on September 29th with a Mrs. P. Williams by 190 points 19 table entry, and a really high CONTRACT BRIDGE JOURNAL standard is set at regular contests First Thoughts. at the · Hamilton, Lederer's, the Jacob Ehrlich Society, and the (continued from page 35) Park Lane Club. The entries for Example 1 : + A K Q x x x the national competitions during

37 My . partner again passed, and Madame X whose hand consisted of the following collection : A Question + xx - O KJ.xxx.. + A K] 10 X X now happily bid 5 Clubs in a very of Eth ics high pitched voice, suggesting as. it were to partner that this was. by Boris Shapiro really the first time she was bidding and would partner have the intelli­ WAS feeling mildly annoyed. I gence to realise that she had not had lost ~hree rubbers in sucre~ ­ bid Hearts before, and if she had I sion agamst Madame X and 1t that she really had not meant to ? was not easy to lose rubbers against I decided the time had come t<> Madame X. · I had nmv however double. cut against her again, with quite My friendly opponent West no\V a reasonable partner, and the skill duly put Madame X back to 5· of Madame X's vis-a-vis was of Hearts, looking rather hurt; had doubtful quality. I was sitting he not already unselfishly supported South, Madame X East. After the his partner's Heart suit? And · usual agreement on conventions, what was she bothering with Clubs 'Vest dealt, opened one No-Trump, for when Hearts was already the was lifted to three by Madame X, agreed suit ? who to my rage put down a 14 count Madame X by this time was as dummy. 5 No-Trump was duly desperate, and decided to !ake rriade (six incidentally being stone refuge in 5 No-Trumps. South cold). The next two hands were again doubled in his usual gentle uneventful. We made a part score manner. 'Vest went into a trance. of 60 and conceded a penalty of He could not make up . his mind 50 points. whether partner's 5 No-Trumps I now dealt myself the following was some sort of delayed Blackwood hand, . or the . He decided to compromise between + xx <\) AK Q Jl09xx O xx the two and bid 6 Spades, which + X ·' my·. partner promptly doubled. and decided to pass. ·West bid One Madame X, now in the greatest Spade and my partner passed with state of agitation bid 7 Clubs with a mournful look. Madame X bid an imploring look at her partner. Three Hearts ! Yes I · Three I doubled again, and the wretched . Hearts I I passed quickly and ·west, by this time losing his pretended not to notice Madame temper, belligerently bid 7 No­ X's twitch when she realised her Trumps with a " Double that if misnomer, as she had actually you Dare " look on his ' face. intended to bid Three Clubs. West I doubled very quietly and now with a happy smirk lifted Lady X at last we come to the question of to Four Hearts for reasons best ethics. known to himself his hand being : Which Heart should South lead r The Ace or the nine ? + AQJxx xx OAQxxx (This is lmozv11 to be a true story.­ + x Ed.). 38 THIS MONTH'S CROSSWORD Devised for the Bridge Player

C LUES ACROSS DOWN

I . You may pay these but they won't I. Bridge partners seldom thank you settle your losses. (8) for this attempted liberation. (6) 5· Deduces. (6) 2 . Such a player seldom ' psyches.' ~ o . Need not show affection at the (5) card table. (7) 3· Perform. (7) u. Withdrawal. (7) 4· Where Spades and Clubs are bid ? I 2. A rash bidder often prefers his (3, 5, 6) contract to be. (9) 6. Partner can't trump your Ace in I3· Violet or marine may follow. (5) such a contract (2, 5) I 4• When opponents have a certain 7· Peepers should suffer from this. game, you may. (4, 1, 5, 4) (3, 6) 17. Distinguishing. (14) 8. Placed. (8) 2I. In a pairs contest, a generally 9· Popular B.B.C. programme. (6, 2, immobile player. (5) 3, 3) ..t2. Most familiar when dressed. (9) I S· For many Bridge is all this. (9) 24. Sincerely flatter. (7) x6. No one plays with such cards. (8) 25. Score for an unplayed board. (7) x8. Warms up. (7) 26. Bridge trancers are not necessarily 19. The score sheet sometimes does devotees of this Eastern cult. (6) this w\th.J:he board. (7) .27. Wrong view? No : Just a view. 20. Linguists andl iars are. (6) (8) 23. Blunt Major. (5) See . correct solution in next month 's issue

39 This

1 mutually inconsistent. In other Set by j. · C H.·. Marx words, if one biJ is right on any given holding at least one other bid The CONTRACT BRIDGE JOURNAL offers a prize of TWO must be wrong. GUINEAS for the best set of Classify the following auctions solutions to the following problems. as (A) consi,;tcnt o~ (B) incol!­ In the event of two or more se_ts sistent. If the answer ts (B), explam of solutions being. of equal ment, briefly wherein lies the incon­ the monthly prize will be divided. sistency. Answers to CONTRACT 4y> BRIDGE JOURNAL (Editorial North (a) 1 r:} 2 NT No Department) 8, \Vaterloo Place, South 2 \:) 3 y>. London S.W.l. not later than N orth (b ) 1 y> 2 + 4y> Nov. lOth, 1946. Solutions and South 2 y> 3 y> No prizewinners' names , in Dec. issue. North (c) 1 y> 3 + 4NT NoTE.-For the purpose of this South 1 + ++ ? competition, it should be North (d) 1 \/ 2 0 so No assumed that the players are South 1 4 0 60 employing the Approach-Forcing + method. of bidding. This is not North (e) 1 y> 2 0 S+ No necessarily identical with any South 1 + 4 0 60 particular vintage of the Culbert­ North (f) 1 y> 2 NT 4y> son system, but conforms to the South 2 0 3 y> No flexible form of the method North {g) 1 4 followed · by most " Forcing + + South 3 NTS Two " and " Two Club " players + in this country. North (h) 1 0 2 + so In framing their solutions, South 2 0 3 0 No competitors should disregard North ( i) 1 0 2 y> 3NT specialised conventions, such as . South 1 + 2 + No the Blackwood or the Herbert, North {j) 1 0 2 y> unless the terms of the problem South 1 2 includes specific reference to + + them. PROBLEM No. 2 (20 points) PROBLEM No. 1 (25 points) South holds :- + K J S y> 9 7 6 It can some~imes be said of an 0 A 4 2 + 10 7 S 3. North deals auction between weak or uninstruc­ and opens with One Heart. East ted partners that "there is no and West do not bid. South such bidding" in the sense that responds One No-Trump. . two or more bids by the same What should South bid next if player, who is presumed to North rebids to (a) Two Hearts have confidence in the correct- (b) Two Spades (c) Two Diamonds ness of his partner's bidding are (d) Two Clubs. CONTRACT BRIDGE JOURNAL PROBLEM _No. 3 (15 points) South is playing the hand in Six: North holds:- + A K 8 6 5 Clubs, East and West having taken '\) Q 9 4 3 0 A 10 2 + 7. North- no part in the auction. West leads South are using the Approach the Heart Jack, East playing the 5. Forcing System and the Blackw~od South leads Ace and the 4 of Convention. The bidding has Spades, ruffing in dummy with the proceeded, with East-West silent : Club 6 ; . East and West play low NoRTH SouTH cards to both tricks. 1 + 3 + What card should South now 3 + 4 + lead from dummy ?_ Why ? ? What should North bid now ? PROBLEM No. 6 (15 points) The hands of North and South PROBLEM No. 4 (15 points) are respectively :- Score North- South Game; + KJ84 '\) Q 0 A643Z dealer South. North holds :­ + 10 8 6 ' + KJ8 '\) 64 0 Q84 + AK J 3 2. + AQ932 (\)AKJ OJ75 The bidding has proceeded :­ + J9 SoUTH WEST NoRTH EAsT South is playing the hand in 10 NB 2 + 2 '\) Four Spades, East and West having NB NB ? taken no part in the auction. West leads the King, followed by the Wha~ should North bi.d now ? Queen of Clubs, on which East PROBLEM No. 5 (10 points) plays the 7 and 2. West then leads­ the Club 5, East plays the Ace and . The hands of North and South South ruffs. The next two tricks are respectively : 'are won by the King and Ace of + 2 \? 764 0 ]86432 Spades, East and West both follow- + A106 ing suit. / + A K 10 4 '\) A K Q 0 Q What cards should North and - + KQJ73 South play to the next trick ? Why ?

HEARD AT THE BRIDGE TABLE BL\CKWOOD IN REVERSE The following hands " ·ere recently dealt at a well-known London, Club: NORTH: + K 10 6 \) A Q J 8 4 0 K Q 7 + 10 9 SOUTH : + A '\) 10 9 7 3 2 0 A J 4 + A J 6 3 Bidding: ·NORTH : 1 '\) 5 0 6 + ' SOUTH : 4 NT 5 7 '\) This contract fa iled by two tricks. Explanation given by South for his bid of Five Spades : " Playing Blackwood, I had to show you my three Aces." CONTRACT BRIDGE JO URNAL

ENGLISH BRIDGE UNION LIST OF SECRETARIES

ENGLISH BRIDGE UNION (also BRITISH BRIDGE LEAGUE). H. D. King, Esq., 21 Hale GroYe Gardens, N .W.7.

DEVON CONTRACT BRIDGE AssOCIATION Mrs. Hardman, Livermeads· Cliff Hotel, Torquay.

·GLoucESTERSHIRE CoNTRACT BRIDGE AssociATION :Vliss D. E. Webb, 44 London Rand, Gloucester.

HERTFORDSHIRE CONTRACT BRIDGE AssOCIATION . · P .R. Hall, 128 PiggottsHill Lane, Harpenden. (Phone 3735)

KENT CoNTRACT BRIDGE AssociATIO:>~ M rs. Harvey, 24 Molyneux P ark, T unbridge Wells. LEICESTER BRIDGE CIRCLE .. Mrs. Cole, " Broxton," The F airway, L eicester. LINCOLNSHIRE CoNTRACT BRIDGE AssociATION Mrs. Turner and Mrs. Brumpton, 51 Signhills A venue, Cleethorpes. LONDON CONTRACT BRIDGE AssOCIATION Mrs. Harrison-Gray, 16 Carlton House Terrace, S.W.l. "iVhDDLESEX CONTRACT BRIDGE AsSOCIATION S. C . Kastell, Esq., 16 Northwick Park Road, Harrow• .NoTTINGHAM CoNTRAcT BRIDQE AssoCIATION .. Mrs. Bull, 28.Addison Street, Nottingham. NoRTH EASTER.~ CONTRACT BRIDGE AssociATION ]. W. Crake, Esq., 36 Linden · Road, Gosforth, Newcastle NORTH WESTER."' CONTRACT BRIDGE AsSOCIATION W. H. Preece, Esq., 14 Brown Street, l\1anchester. ·0XFOR.DSHIRE CONTRACT BRIDGE AsSOCIATION Capt. F. W. Taylor, 433 Banbury Road, Oxford. STAFFORDSHIRE CONTRACT _BRIDGE AsSOCIATION D. E. Sutton, Esq., 87 Birmingham Road, West Bromwich. \VARWICKSHIRE CoNTRACT BRIDGE AssociATION Miss Osborne, 2 Park Road, Moseley, Birmingham, 15. YORKSHIRE CONTRACT BRIDGE ASSOCIATION Mrs. Bedford, \Voodlands View, Bachelor Lane, Horsforth, Nr. Leeds. CONTRACT BRIDGE JOURNAL

CALENDAR OF EVENTS October-November

North Western C.B.A; Congress-Blackpool Oct. 25th- 27th

Closing date for entries for : The Daily Graphic Contest 28th The Gold Cup (B.B.L. Championship for Teams " of Four) ...... Crockford's Cup (E.B.U. Championship for " " Teams of Four) ...... National Individual Championship (E.B.U.) " " It Affiliated Clubs Cup (for T eams of Four from " Clubs affiliated to the E.B.U. . . It Inter-County League (E.B.U. Championship for " representative County T eams of Eight) .. " " Devon C.B.A. Congr~ss-'forquay Nov. 8th- 10th E.B.U. International Selection Trials- Leeds .. 9th- 10th .. " Yorkshire C.B.A. Congress (Yorkshire Evening News)- Harrogate 15th- 18th " England v. Eire (Camrose Trophy) 23rd- 24th " Closing date for entries for : The· Lady Milne Cup (B .B .L. Championship for Ladies' Teams of Four) 25th " The Hubert Phillips BO\d (B.B.L. Championship fo r Mixed Teams of four) " " National Pairs Championship (E.B.U.) . . " The•Harewood T rophies (Open event for Pairs) " " E.B.U. Congress- Bexhill . . Nov. 29th­ Dec. 2nd Tunbridge Wells Tournament (T.B.A.) Dec. 13th- 16th

43 BRIDGE INDEX CLASSIFIED LIST Of HOTELS AND CL UBS

LONDONcnocKFOI\11'5 --IG Cnrlto. n House Terrace, :BOGNOR REGIS !!ADrYO London, :i.W.I. Trl. Xo. Whltehnll, 1131, RESIDENTIAL ]]RIDGE CLUB It. PROVOST, St•en•tary. GLENO.~TllAil.A ROAD !'hone : ]IOGNGU &30 MANCHESTER NOilTIIf:H S Ulltn I urr lilliDOE CLUD~C l ub :BLACKPOOL n on. Sec., )1.\.lllit Ft.F.JJJ:SG. Hendqunrtel1!, TliE ]]MORrOoJ, ]]RIDGE CLUII - 10 D EVON CoU:ST\' Co:STit.ICT lllliDOE .ASSOCU· Waterloo Rond. S.S. lllnck)lOOI. !'hone S.S. TION. lion. St•c., ~- I nS. Jl.l llDMA..'!. 415Si. )[. SHAW, Ron. Sec. WORTHING liARROW .,., tl 1 k W ORTlllNG JtF.i'lllF.STI.U. BRIDGE CLUB- H.mROW DRIDGE CLun-16, ...,or 1w c Full Club Llc~ncc. llridge dally, 2.15 to 7 p.m. l'nrk Rond HARROW, 1\IIdd.x. Tel. llnrrow 8 to 12 p.m . Dnplicntr, 4th ~Iondny, 2.30 p.m. 3028. Good stnndnrd llrldgo In enJoyable Ftuther partlculnrs npply Secretnry, 12 Byron atmosphere. Sessions twice dnlly. l'nrtner­ R and. 'l'clephorw Worthin!.l 234. cShlps nnd Duplicate.

LEEDS :llOORTOWN llltiDGE .AND SOCIAL CLUD :lloonTOWN CoRNER noosE LEEDS 7 Telephone : LEEDS 66H3 .W o W elcomc nil llrldgc !'layers VIsiting Leeds.

Autumn Congress PROVISIONAL ARRANGEMENTS HAVE BEEN MADE ~ To HOLD THE THE AUTUMN CONGRESS AT BEXHILL ON NOVEMBER .29th and 30th : DECEMBER 1st and 2_nd Full Details announced shortly.

iii EXCLUSIVE - NOVEL BRIDGE BUTTONS Jn Sparkling Plastic

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iv A limited amount of advertising space is available In the " Contract Bridge Journal " and ap pli cations relative to this space sho uld be addressed to the Publ is hers. Priestley Studios Ltd., Commercia l Road, Gloucester, who wil l be pleased to submit a tariff of rates together with prices for Ad­ vertisement insertions in Colour and for special positions.

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I I. I !• ~ f l. •·

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