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' I 0 TRACT BRIDGE JOU-RN·AL OFFICIAL ORGAN OF THE ENGLISH BRIDGE UNION

VoLUME 3 NoVE!\tnER, 1948 NUMBER 1 CALENDAR .CONTENTS • You are now playing Page to the new Laws CALDIDAR OF EvENTS 1 'fhe Contract Bridge -Joumal will EDITORIAL •• 2 gladly obtain rulings in the e\'ent GEOFFREY BUTLER • • . + of disputes or difficulties.. THE GROOVES OF CHANGE 5 Mark down these dates for 1:948-49 FREAK DEVIL 9 from Mrs: B. Kershaw Nov. FREAK ANGEL P. F. Saunders .. 9 n}England v. Scotland at Leeds. CRI:\IE :\NO PUNISHMENT .M. Harrison-Gray · 'to ~~}Tolle~ache Cup Final at Leeds. A-"'""ECDOTAGE Ralph Niman 12 n~~: D~~~t':n~~ent in aid of .ARDIA. 14 Venue: Cl'l!iglands Hydro 27 Hotel, Ilkley, Yorks. GOSSIP OF THE MONTH 261 Guy Ramsey · 21 • Congress Secretary: \V. G. A- 28 Bell, ~· Ingleside," Grange FoR LEAD OR PENALTY Avenue, Ben Rhydding,llldey, V. H. Walker · 22 Yorks. Two HEARTS S.J. Simon 23 Dec. IN PRAISE OF BILL_ PREECI! 24 ~}Pairs Test: Southern Pairs. Two-EDGED SwoRD 28 Jan. C. R. Mur~ay · · Tollemache Cup : Inter-county NovEl\tnER CoMPETITION 15 week-end at Stratford-on- lH. Harrison-Gray ' 29 } Avon. A-"'SWERS TO OCTOBER 16 North v. South match. CoMPETITION 30 28}E.B.U. CONGRESS: 31 This date is authentic. Feb. * * * 5 }T.B.A. Master Pairs, 6 Demers Hotel, London. All Correspondence to the Editor : 25} Daily Telegraph Final : GUY RAMSEY, 26 Daily Telegraph, E.C.4. 13, Cannon Place, Mar. ~} Pachabo Cup Final. London, N.W.J. 12 Flitch Final, Caxton Hall, S.W.

I A EDITORIAL

Last month, News. This month, the E.B.U. to preclude the Views. possibility of thei r repetition. · The Journal, reserving "Readers' * * * Forum" for · inere technical Other letters refer to the article discussion, now institutes a new written by Terence Reese in the occasional Department, to be penultimate issue. 'Ve grant their christened "Arena," wherein any writers frankness to the same gladiator who keeps merely the degree that we urged upon their single Queensberry· Rule of avoid­ provoker the liberty of our columns. ing Libel may flourish his grievance W"ith one suggestion we fi nd ~nd his pen.· ourselves fully in accord : we should be happy to see Mr. Reese We publish this month .an · on the E.B.U. Council. important letter from Kenneth Konstam, which we counsel our ·with another, we find ourselves sponsors' Council to consider personally, at variance : we shoulcl with-if possible-even more than regret the disappearance of; the their usual responsible care . Tournament Bridge Association if • for no other reason than that its vVe have, in our more light­ events have set, m Britain the hearted momentS as a simple high-water-mark of tourn;ment Contributor, reflected more than organisation. once on the fact that '~e bridge Looking ahead, we whole­ players are over-prone to believe heartedly recommend to the B.B.L. the worst of one another. A a policy of consultation with Mr player trances-:_and he is auto­ Reese in early 1950 when thi~ matically accused of lack of ethics. country shall be compelled to A partner makes a bid after the endure comparisons between trance and-with more justification Denmark this year and France . -the bid is automatically branded next year. as unethical. * . * * This being the nature of the Mr. Pablo . Scarfi's grievance bridge-playing beast, it is and the reply to it, are self: . ·] imJ?era~ve that those augiist bodies explanat?ry, as is the protest, and which govern us should legislate _explanatiOn, from and to Mr for that idiosyncracy ; by so Standish. Booker. We take th~ doing, obviate some of the more opportumty, · however, to state facile (if false) conclusions · and formally, in regard to the latter in so doing, stifle before bi~h the !hat t\~enty-five years of publi~ rumours, innuendoes and hints JOUrnalism have inculcated in us which sour relations and foment a sense of responsibility in feuds. utterance ~vhich e.xcludes prejudice for, or agamst, any serious qu ~; stion. 'Ve deprecate the suggestions Such a serious question is a that have been more than system like Vienna, the achieve­ whispered in the case to which men.ts of which, in expert hands Mr. Kopstam refers ; but it is for are Incontrovertible.

2 CONTRACT BRIDGE JOURNAL If a~y differ. from its adherents, It is an 80-page booklet published we clmm the nght to express such at half-a-crown, and gives all reaso11ed objections. relevant information which players·. " Freak " systems, which the in Eire can possibly want : the whole body of expert opinion not records of all major events in the only passes by but, where they are competitive field ; a review of knmvn, derides, we take the liberty books of the year ; a list of Clubs to ignore until- if ever- in the throughout the whole of Southern searching test of competitive play, Ireland. In addition, there are they emerge as worthy of serious articles historical, provincial, and consideration. . directional. It would be waste of paper­ We have been privately informed which is still " at war," so strictly that this will be a hardy annual, rationed is it - to expend it and we wish it, and its promoter upon meticulous refutation of and publisher, good blossoming. inconsiderable folly. * * * Future editions may be improved \Ve desire to correct an by a less lavish use of black type inadvertent error which appeared in which gives some of the pages the the article on Leslie Dodds last appearance of an advanced case of month. spotted fever ; but we are frank It was stated that Mr. Dodds to confess that Ireland has led the was .the only player to have been . way in a · field wherein other internationally " capped " for National Associations and Unions ·Britain three times. That stalwart should follow as rapidly as may be. of pre-war · bridge in Britain, Mr. H. St. J. Ingram, played in London (1933}, in Brussels (1935) * * * and in Stockholm (1936). This month, we are happy to Mr. Ingram also points out that inform our reader:s that the the statement' in our report of the Competition reverts to the " pure " Gold Cup Final-that bridge for bridge questions which the first time was reported in a distinguished the contests set by " Stop Press " column on that J. C. H. Marx. Harrison-Gray occasion-is incorrect ; and has contributed the present set of informs us that this honour was teasers. paid to our' game in 1935 (Ingram and Hughes v. Gottlieb and With the New Year, it is our Schenken) and in the following aim, ratl1er than (as previously year (Ingram v. Lederer in the announced) to invite Notables ad Gold Cup, won by Ingram). /zoe, whose efforts may require Our unreserved regrets for our merely a specialised knowledge of errors. the setter's system and style ~f * * * play, to appoint a single \Ve welcome the first (so far as Competition Editor, whose brief it we know) Bridge Ammal. This is will be to limit the enquiries to a the product of that Notable of range wherein System plays no Irish bridge, Noel Byrne. part whatsoever. 3 E CLAIMS to ha\·e received But it is as an administrator more brickbats than anyone and, above all, as a chairman that H else in the bridge world ; he shines most brightly. Whether . ·but it is truer to say that he has a meeting grows slow and sleepy·; fewer enemies than anyone else­ or it becomes argumentative and and, since he is Chairman of the acrimonious ; or it de,·elops into E.B. U. and has been for two discursiveness and sectionalism, the years Vice-'Chairman ; since he iron, velvet-gloved hand of the is a Delegate to the European Chairman brings it obediently imd Bridge League, a member of th"e gladly to heel. Portland Club Card Committee Suaviter in modo, for/iter in 11e (New Laws) and of the Selection is the manner in which Butler Committee both of the B."B.L. handles everything. In addition, and of the E.B.U., his universal he has an endearing habit of popularity argues a considerable starting a speech from the Chair. chaqn of manner, a considerable in the most · formal of terms­ talent for negotiation, and a referring to his best friend as considerable personality. " Mr. So-and-so "-and suddenly . Geoffrey Butler is tall, dark changing the idiom to Christian with a touch of grey at the temple~ names and schoolboy slang. which detracts in A similar blend no way from the of personal appeal surprisingly youth­ and technical skill fulness of his GEOFFREY has endeared him appearance. Al­ to hundreds of though he has · BUTLER competitors as a just passed his Tournament h.alf~century, he. giv~s the impres­ Director ; and he claims, justly, Sion of a man m h1s late thirties. he has attended more Natio"nal He is a considerable player Congresses in one capacity or with a fine tournament record ~-nother than anyone else. be~i~d (an~; it is confidently ant1c1pated, m front of) him. He His private life · revoh·es round first emerged as Tke " find , . of the. National School of Journalism the year just before the "ivar. which teaches many crafts very . He is a considerable writer, with largely by correspondence and !lumbers Charles Graves among the Bridge Editorship of the Quee 11 and of several newspapers to hi~ Its most successful graduates. credit, plus the book he wrote with the late Paul Stern on on·e . Between his work and his bridge, Geoffrey- a non-smoker but .a 1: of the many Standard Two Club. systems. At one time he was non-teetotal!er- plays a spot of pr?ducing in "the Press a daily · golf .and sttll finds time to be a bpdge lesson, and was responsible genume family man. for a surprisingly and commendably "low percentage of "chucks"­ He has-so .far as bridge is ow!ng to the meticulous care he ~oncerned-a smgle aim : that It should always be a pleasant lav1sRes upon any activity he game. undertakes. * * * 4 T HE ROOVES OF CHANGE ·T HE great army of players partner's No-Trump cannot be who echo, in parody of made without, specifically, between Islam, There is no god but ~- and 2! Honour Tricks with a bridge and Ely is his Prophet, 6-card suit ; while a 5-carder must resign themselves to slight requires between 1~ - and 2! Honour but important alterations of the Tricks. Tables of the Law last vouchsafed The reason : the weak take-out :in 1941. (as normally used in Britain) was, These have been issued from to the bulk of players, " technically the Sinai of the 'Culbertson s;ound but psychologically un­ Teachers' Convention held in acceptable." People, it was New York at the end of August; discovered, did not usc it ; and and only the bare synopsis has, No-Trump bidders would not pass as yet, reached this country in the over a simple take-out. Also, form of the hand-out given to all partners, facing a One No-Trump the exponents of the System opening, refused to bid anything 98 per cent. Play. but Two Spades on Despite threats in the · Bridge + AQxxx minor suit. learning) ' easier. Ely, shrewd The weakest spot in such hands commercial mind that he is, has need no longer be A J bare but his eye on the hundred-thousands may be as dubious as K x or rather than the hundreds : Palookas Q 10 x. Two No-Trumpers are rather than those experts who shaded down to between · 5 and (rightly) · make any system their 5.\ Honour Tricks, the minimum servant instead of their master. h;nds requiring 8 Honour cards. For example : Any Two.-bid ov~r In the case of the solid minor typ·e, partner's No-Trump is now a one­ with "7 quick winners," the round force, as is any One-over-one opening need contain only 4~ or Two-over-one bid. The Honour Tricks. unbalanced blizzard cannot bid Three No-Trumpers are no longer t-r.·o of its long suit over a No the overwhelming rock-crushers of Trump in peace, sure that it will yore. Six to 6A Honour Tricks, if be left to play in the best contract. balanced, with no suit weaker th:m In consequence, the take-out of K x, Q J x or Q 10 ·x x ; or 5 to 5 CONTRACT BRIDGE JOURNAL

5!- Honour Tricks with ' '8 qmc.- k· . Respo11ses t o Two-d d bids are w"inners, are regarded as simplified and sha e upward.- satisfactory. · If you would have passed a 1-bid,· Again the reason for the change reply 2 NT. If you would have is tempering the wind t.o, 110t ~he responded to a 1-bid, respond. shorn lamb but the rabbtt. Facmg similarly (Two-over-Two as One­ an opening 3 NT of the ol~ type over-One ; Three-over-: Two· as (7 -6! Honour Tricks and 4-3 - 3 - 3), Two-over-One). With 1 -~ Honour partners (if poor) just would 110t tricks or better, bid a suit or go to bid hands with six to King Knave 3 NT. The bid of any 6-card suit and a blizzard, with the result over a 2-bid, the response on K that slams were too often missed ; or ·Q J to five and a bust, ha\·e· while players who wanted to win alike been dropped : reason­ at rubber bridge would, in defiance " teachers didn't teach them, of the system, open with Two or players wouldn't use them." Three No-Trumps on strong ·Negative doubles on the type of playing-trick values lest weak. hands that, a year or so ago, would partners 'should drop them too have been so bid only by the late early, or grow too ambitious, S. J. Simon or, a decade ago, only while opponents might' find a by the disciples of the late Richard cheap sacrificial overbid. Lederer, are now sanctioned on The down-shading of the big "shape." The example given is a_ opening No-Trumpers has, 5-4-3-1 11-pointer: automaticallv, resulted in a strengthening J of . the responses. • X overcall i1l more formidable. opponents' suit is now only a Single Raises of opening bids have 1-round force. This innovation is been made more tactical : a raise to obviate the .risk of being left in · is advocated on three " adequate " a Negative Double by a Penalty trumps, a singleton and one Honour Pass on a hand unsuitable to Trick defend. To compel partner to go (+JlOx \/x OKxxx +Oxxxx to game, jump the reply to partner's is the example given of a single take-out. The bid still requires Spade raise). This Gorenesque 4+. Honour tricks, with either strong ~evelopment is all to the good. s~pport for any take-out or an independent trump suit of its own. Negative No-Trumps are shaded upwards ; 1! Honour tricks is the Opening No-Trumpers are more statutory minimum, to which flexible than they .used to be. certain exceptions are added. The No more is anything but the Pass is approved on hands which, 4-3-3-3 hand sanctioned : 4-4-3-2 earlier, would have been bid as and· even 5-3-3-2 is acceptable. One No Trump over partner's The minimum doubleton (following unopposed opener. pre-war Vanderbilt} is now Q x. Tlze double raise of a Major is Suit-bids are preferred with still forcing, but the double raise 5-card majors or two 4-card majors of a Minor is not. This is also all or any major +-carder with 4 to the good, since the double raise honours. The requirements are of a Minor, if forcing, virtually between 3! and 4 Honour Tricks, compels the rebid of 3 NT whether but a bare"" 3! is bid, usually and opener's hand guards three suits preferably, 'as- a suit. or not. Opener is e.xpected to bid Opening bids of One must possess if his opening was predicated on at least lt Honour Trick outside 3~ or more Honour tricks : by trumps: -thus, A K J x x x, with bidding a 4-card Major, if held, nothing else is no longer a or by shooting 3 NT if his cards legitimate opener. .Nor is K Q J warrant a probably successful to five with a K Q J outside, for contract. The Minor should be the ban is up against accless re-bid (to 4 or more) only if very minima. strong. The ban is down, however, to Tlze seqtumce One-of-a-Mi710r­ hands with either an Ace and response-Tlzree-of-tlte- Jltfinor may three Kings or with four " empty " be made on hands as weak as 7 CONTRACT BRIDGE JOURNAL ·! ' Bridge, however, remains the I A K Q to 6 plus an Ace, or A K Q I to 7 plus a King : it 'is imploring indispensable source of the ~ulk I partner to bid 3 NT if possible of his income ; and Peace ts- (on H to 2 Honour tricks which agam. m. El• y ' s own wor d s-" an stop a"'t least· two suits and at least expensive racket." Hence the two cards of Open.er's Minor). need for more and e1•cr more pupils, teachers to teach them and All Threes are now pre-e~ptive-::­ more pupils to keep the teachers I not screams for NT even iii Minors; going. Hence, too, the need to l but Minor 3-bid openers m~st I make the System that 9S per cent. I hold two of the three top-honours. Play not only hold its pre-eminence I lest partner, with the doubleton but, if possible, add to it. missing top, refrain from 3 NT which might well be on. No-one knows the business side The 4-5 No Trump bid under the of coptract better than Ely Culbertson system is now assumed Culbertson; but h e first to be Blackwood, unless otherwise established himself as the high­ stated. This is, perhaps, the most cockalorum boss and Approach­ glaring example of . the trend to Forcing as the outstanding method gear the system to the weaker of play by means of quality rather players save the forcing 2-of-a-suit than ' quantity ; by convincing over 1 NT. ' victories in the searching test of , . I duplicate. Just how · Ely Culbertson, to wh.om all bridge players owe so It is early days to cnttctse the ,, great a debt, could bring himself to new changes in Culbertson, for " discard as an integral part of his they have not yet ·been subjected i ~ system, his owri 4~5 No Trump­ to effective practical analysis, but ! a piece of adult slam-hunting, at first sight it would seem that :i slam-preventing mechanism which ~ow Ely is following fashion ,J both requires one partner to hold mstead of creating it · and f valuable cards before embarking while the 1949 Culberts~n may on it and gives. to the other the well make bridge at the Jones'!! right to use what sense he has­ less of an ordeal, it will, if followed in favour of the amusing, and by the haut ton of American bridge, occasionally valuable, toy of set a U:S· team at a disadvantage Blackwood, can be explained only when-tf ever- an American team on the ground that the expert playing this vintage Culbertson game no longer interests him. crosses the Atlantic once again to show Europe" the b.est there is." It is well kndwn that, for some years, E ..C. - father of two military ------·------age chtldren- has poured his ORDER OF MERIT system-building mind, his U ~ho monthly 11rltn of 'l'wo Guineas for insatiable energy, and his private ; c ~ st set or solutions In the ~c t c mll e r Comllctltlon Is nwnrtlctl to -1. F 11W \LIIS fortune into the attempt to put A;"01,1lcu, liClllhtlcltl llontl, :U,;hlstonc · \\: h~ over his own formula for world scorctl 70 )lolnts out of " possllllc ~o.' lluun ~rt-up : llrl~: W )[ Jh 1 ~e li peace. " I have gone out of Bridge W~ 1 "~~h ';'~'~t e, S.E.) tis : '1:. s. ·)lacl'•1Aick into Peace," he told the present 1'. :-1. . 1•:~~ wn ~ L, ,;ldO I~ · !Jorrcll (l)a,·:·nlry), commentator two years ago. qlnycs) J -\. p • \\ .U), G . .-\. . 1 arsons 1 hllll(l s' (No rthw~S~ )"~~ .( ltl c hm mu l :11ul l'. E. 8 fREAK DEVIL -. fREAK ANGEL . from Mrs. B. Kershaw by P. F. Saunders

HIS formidable freak comes AME all, and they're 20 to the Contract Bridge below with lots above. T Jounzal from Mrs B. G We've just got to get this Kershaw, Honorary Secretary of · rubber off Colin and Kay. What's the Blackpool Bridge Club. Colin dealt me ? A Spade suit of sorts and- well, here it is : Like our informant, we feel comment would be painting the +AQJxx '::}Kxx Oxxx +Jx lily. Yes. Not sorry I'm fourth At the Blackpool Br:idge Club bidder. Now for Colin's opener. on September 20th in a Duplicate " Three Hearts." · Pairs Competition the following Damn, he's made a game call. hand was dealt by· North \vith the Might be a pre-empt, but more score, North-South game. North · likely a crusher, if I know Colin. dealer. · . Rullo, Mary doesn't often trance: + A what's coming ? '::} AKQ9876543.2 "Four Clubs." O .A Well, that's something. What + Void do I do if Kay passes ? She's not passed, she's gone "Four + KQJ 108 ·+ Void Diamonds." 765432 '::} 10 I know I'm all sorts of an ass, '::}] 0 KQJ'109 8 but I can't resist " Four Spades,'~ 0 ,Void 765432 so now ·for Colin's double and another 1,100 on their roof. + A + Void .No. He's put in "Five • 9 Diamonds." Steady, Mary, here's '::} Void where we go quietly. What's that ? • O Void ," Six Diamonds ~· ? Alleluia 1 +· KQJ1098765432 We must fit in Spades, or 'else-- Hullo 1 Kay's doubled. What There ~as no question of a an idiotic call I Lots of Diamonds, goulash. The hand was straight­ I suppose, and no imagination as fonvardly dealt. usual. What's more, it lets me At all North opened 7 pass. Colin of course is saying tabl~s '::J •. nothing and looking a lot. Now for At one table the . final .contract a slide back into Spades by Mary. was 7 '::}, Doubled and Re-doubled In the name of all that's out­ -two light. landish, she's said " Six Hearts " I At two tables the final contract No double this time from Kay : was 7 '::}-two light. At the a cringing " Six Spades " from remaining tables, the final contract me : nothing .from Colin. was 7 • , Doubled- two light. (C011ti1111ed 011 page IJ)

ll 9 1j 1 CRIME ·AND ·p_UNIS.HM ENT i 1 · by · M. Ha rrison-Gray

54 . too many high cards outside the + K2 . trump suit. Mrs. IVIcConk~y's ~ . 10 ,direct raise to game den::r;·es high 0 .Q 10 9 8 7 4 3 commendation ; she rcststs the + AJ9 temptation to. fl~ rt wi~h No-Trumps • 9 . • 10 8 7 64 .0 r a Spade sutt m ~vht ch her partner ~ KJ9763 \!) Q842 · is unlikely to be mterested. ·0 J o ·A2 • · + K Q 10 _5 3 + 8.7 With an eye on the vulnera~ili~ . conditions, West (Konstam) ts · m , + AQJ53 no mood to be shut out, and he ~AS strikes oil to a considerable extent' K6s ·o in his partner's hand. + 642 Dealer, North. · North-South North's second round bid of . Game. 6 O raises an interesting point. Having made · a limit bid when he ' Biddi11g_:.Room 1 pre-empted, it is usually an NoRTH EAST SoUTH · WEST accepted principle that the final 3 0 . No bid 5 0 5 ~ decision must rest with his partner. 6 0 Dble But here North feels that he has undisclosed strength in the shape ' ,+ 8 led. North made 9 tricks_. I' of controls ; his partner's raise to ! 800 points to East-West. 5 0 shows a powerful hand ; and ' · his side is well behind on points. Biddi11g~Room · 2 His bold slam bid all but proved a ,- ·NoRTH. EAST Sourn . WEST spectacular success ; at a casual 1 0 No bid 1 + 2 ~ glance only the Ace of trumps No-bid 3 \!) 3 NT 4 -~ need be lost. 5 O No bid No bid 5 ~ Dble This nebulous " crime " met with savage punishment. Called · + K led. West made 10 tricks. upon to make one of those decisions 100 points to North-South. that win or Jose matches, East (Eddie Rayne) rose to the occasion. CoMMENT Many players might be panicked An inter_esting and instructive into a " safety first-" sacrifice of e."{ample of competitive bidding 6 ~ ; but not only did he double, - from Britain's match against but he found the devastating lead ·Ireland in the 1948 European + 8-,.the oRly lead to beat the Championships. contract. In Room 1 North (Egan) sets Desperately trying to minimise the ball rolling .wi~ a pre-emptive the loss, the hapless declarer played Three-bid that may, or may not, on the Spades before leading conform to the standard set by this trumps. The tragedy that attended particular pair ; there seem to be this line of play, resulting in a i, 10 CONTRACT BRIDGE . JOURNAL ' three-trick set, can be followed in CoMMENT the diagram. The curtain fell on the The bidding by both sides in Copenhagen drama only after Room 2 is fine throughout. East­ Britain's last match of the week. W.est (Mrs. McMenamin and Peart) After decisive victories against display the same enterprise as their the stronger teams-Sweden, opponents in the other room, but Holland, Norway- our players North-South (Shapiro and Rcc:;e) \Vere all set for a finish in style always appear to be in control, and against Belgium. But the Belgian North's final double is well-judged. resistance was of the stoutest, and He can scarcdy be blamed for the British supporters had heart ,failing to visualise a slam contract failure many times during the that will be defeated only by an course of the match. It must be 'inspired lead. remembered that we had to win A gallant performance by Ireland outright-a draw would result 1n both rooms that deserved a in Sweden retaining th e better fate. championship. The above hand nearly endod 55 in a dreadful loss. Shapiro and + AK10 Reese creditably reach 6 + in ~ AQ 103 2 Room 1, the opposition. for once 0 AK64 being strangely unobstructive. The + O contract appears to be a reasonable .i ... Q96 • 8 lay-down ; but South's judgment, ~ K7 ~ 97 for once at fault, landed him in 0 10 5 0 Q 8 3 2 the direst difficulties. + A K J 10 4 3 + 9 8 7 6 5 2 Declarer's line of play, after trumping the opening Club lead, . • J75432 was to tackle the trumps immedi­ ~ J 865 0 J 97 . ately ; when East showed out the lead was given to West with + Q. + - All would have been well if West .I Bidding- Room 1 (Belliere} had obliged by returning a Club ; but the Belgian captain EAST SouTH WEST NoRTH brilliantly switched to 0 10 which N() bid No bid 1 + Dble South had perforce to run, 2 + 2 + No bid 4 + . unsuccessfully, to his 0 J. 5 + 5 +. · No bid 6 + It will be noted that South could + K led. South made 11 tricks. have extricated himself from this 100 points to East-West. impasse if he had had the courage to cash dummy's top Diamonds Bidding- Room 2 before giving the lead to West. EAsT SouTH WEST NoRTII The- consensus o f expert opmton' .. No bid No bid 1 + 2 + is that South should lead Hearts 5 + No bid No bid Dble at Trick 2. The bidding seems to O K led. West made 9 tricks. place ~ K with West, so the card 500 ·points to North-South. (continued 011 page zJ)

I I I ANECPO.TAGE by Ralph Niman · 1: ·w HILST others have 'Vest, who knew the rules, .,at !: · collected "Hands,., once said' to Uncle, " That is art 1 · ' _Safety Plays" and under-bid ; you can't do that." ! · "Coups,", I have collected stories, Un~le ; s eyes twinkled as he For instance, the Harrogate. enquired dryly, " What kind of a: l Congress of · 1939 was attended game is this- East can and I can't?" I by a large body of · well-known '!· London players. * * * I During. a Match-po~ted P~irs During a Y.C.B.A. Propaganda two of these " Masters " were effort, Geoffrey Fell asked me . to f feeling quite bored at having to play as part of a team of four· • I defend a contract of One No during a visit to a small Yorkshire Trump played against them by a town. He was to give a lecture pear Old Lady. This contract on the game and to follow this by . .was quickly set one trick, and there a short ·exhibition match to try · was a prospect of a long wait until and illustrate some of his points. the next move. The lecture went well and the To make converf!ation, one of audience were considerably r the London players asked the impressed. Then came the match. I• Dear Old Lady where she had ! There was nothing spectacular, come from. until " the " hand came along, and . " Swansea," she replied. Geoffrey and I bid it into a contract · ... Oh," said the · ' Master,' "it of Four Spades, which I had to does seem sad to have come all play. . the way from Swansea to Harrogate to be.,. one down at One No When: ·the dullll}ly went down I Trump." . was taken aback to find that the hand was the coldest · Six Spade · "Yes," ·replied the Dear Old contract you ever saw and · that, in ,Lady, "but if I'd stayed in fact, Seven depended ortly on a I Swansea, I should have been finesse. We, the " Experts " had i· two down." missed an icy slam. * * * I did some quick thinking. I felt sure that our opponents would In Leeds, there is a lovable not· have bid this slam and would, character who is a shrewd rubber perhaps, not even see it unless it bridge player, with a dry sense of was pointed out to them. So I humour peculiarly his own. proceeded to play the hand very " .Uncle," as he is affectionately carefully. With some difficulty I J called by everyone; was one day succeeded in making only 5 odd sitting· South when the auction and thought that the day was saved, .I proceeded as follm\'s :- whe~ to my horror, Geoffrey (at I all tlmes a stickler for getting the West (dealer), Pass. North, One most out of a hand) boomed at me f Spade. East, One Heart. Uncle, across the table " " 'hy, partner, One Diamond. you could have made Seven. " 12 I ·j I CONTRACT BRIDGE -JOURNAL I I Imagine my feelings I · More Bill Craven and Martin Rushton I ·especially so, when at the other of Bradford were one half of a table our 11 pupils " had bid Four team of four, other half being Spades and made Seven I B. Westall of Nottingham and the I am still trying to work out late A. F. Bearn (pronounced, whose 11 chuck " it was. approximately, 11 Burn "). They * * * were · p1ayirig in the last session of I was playing in a 11 Palooka " an important teams-of-four match, pairs at Wakefield in tpe early and at this time Ben Cohen, of Leeds, was writing for the Press i. days, my partner being Abe and covering the contest. He I 13rostoff, of Leeds. We started at arrived some time after the session Table 1, playing against t\vo Dear was due to startt, to find \Vestall; Old Ladies. Tournament Manager Rushton and Craven sitting at a G. D. Johnstone announced II Add table looking very disconsolate ; 50 for part scores-Part scores must the fourth member of the team 110t be doubled."* was missing. \Ve then proceeded to the auction. ,One DOL opened with Enquiring as to the reason for One Club. Her partner bid· One this state of affairs, Ben was told Spade. This was raised to Three that Bearn had not arrived, they Spades and Abe doubled. did not know the reason for his absence, and that all they could With no further ado the DOL sent for the Tournament Manager do was sit about, and wait, and hope. in a fury and accused us of -being

.unethical--=-hadn't he expressly 11 Ah," said Ben, 11 Fiddling, announced that ·part scores must whilst Bearn roams ! " not be doubled ? Collapse of G.D.J. I t Jl!lr. Colzm was doubtless making "* At some pre-war tournaments, a telephone call.-EDITOR. part-scores were doubled instead of, as now, receiving a 50-point bonus.-EDITOR. * * *

FREAK ANGEL-(coutimtedfrompage 9) A quiet 11 Seven Spades " from of Diamonds, :ind a single Club. Mary : an automatic Kay double : That leaves Kay with eight three passes : a Diamond King Diamonds but no voids. Mine's lead : and a delicate spreading of the only sane hand. the dummy to show me : Mary, I'm not ungrateful, but + KlOxxx ~ 0 + AK lOxxxxx I've been thinking. If you put me with the Spade . Ace. why not Mary, you angel ! " Seven " straight away ? No play in this, even if there's And- Mary- it was Kay, not a crazy distribution. Let's spread Lightner, who doubled. the hands. Yes, I see. Colin's got eight hearts, the King, Queen Don't angels re-double ? 13 The Editor, THE ED!TOR REPLIES :- The Co11tract Bridge Joumal. \Ve may as well dot the i's and cross. the t's in the substance of this. IR : \Vith reference to the Camrose complaint. Cup matches for the coming S Season, I have nothing but praise It has been whisJ;:ered-and we for the Selectors who have offered prefer to report it not in a whisper-'­ places in the team to represent England that the motive for synchronising the in each match to that provincial pair Trials with Gleneaglcs was to give which manages to emerge successfully certain players ambitious to be capped from Regional Trials. for England a better chance of winning the Trials inasmuch ns more favoured It ill the best possible incenlive to rivals would be absent further North. the provinces, and may even fore­ \Ve fully agree with Mr. Konstam shadow the time when the best (garlanded with a new crop of laurels. provincial teams will be able to compete from Gleneagles) that whispers- how­ on· equal terms with London's best. ever true, however fals~hould be But this fine plan must go further­ made impossible by the E.B.U. which . in ·that the E.B.U. Selectors must could, and should, control the dates. · control these Regional Trials,' and not We also beg !&ave to offer our !t;ave them to local mism~ngement. congratulations to Mr. and Mrs. Kremer whose victory-well-earned Let me explain what I mean :­ on past, asJ on present, performance­ Invitations to the first of these Trials brings them the prize of the Cap. were sent out .to selected players for the week-end of September 25. The • • • dates chosen clashed with Scotland's . The Editor, main Congress of the year, at The Co11tract Bridge Joumal. Gleneagles, to which the S.B.U. had SIR :-As one who has a great deaf issued invitations to a limited number to do with the development of the of English players, some of whom .English Bridge Union, I should like were due to take · part in the Trials. the opoprtunity of replying in some I cannot believe that those respo_nsible detail to the article by Mr. Terence for fixing the Trials were in ignorance Reese, which appeared in your issue of this ; and I consider that their of September, 1948. But before complete disregard for this factor, and referring to his recommendations (the their subsequent refusal to alter dates, publication of which can do nothing constitutes not only a mark of but assist the development of the discourtesy to the S.B.U. but involved game), I should like to deal with the unfair discrimination against · some detailed criticisms of certain of the players who would otherwise have Finals. · taken part in, and quite possibly won, Firstly, with regard to the Pachabo­ the Trials. the facts are surely well-known. The E.B.U. Council and Tournament The E.B.U. should surely take a Committee, on the representations of firm stand in these matters, and the delegates, tried to stage the Finals declare as invalid any Trials which outside London, because the delegates do not include all the best available themselves pointed out that, since the provincial talent. majority of the Teams had to come I consider, and always have done, from various parts of the Provinces, that the game is more important than it would most probably suit their personalities ; and that any friction, convenience better were a more central such as occurred over the Trials in point to be fixed than the capital. question can only be to its detriment. Two yean; ago the F inal was, Yours, &c., acc?rdingly, played at Nottingham, whtch was not popular, and which was KllNNETH KoNSTAM. not well supported, and last year it CONTRACT BR ID GE JOU RNA L ,.,-as played at Bim1inghnm, and w2s quite justifiably, have been criticised even less wc!J supported. for compelling a team to play in the It is 'unfortunate that the Finals fell absence of their Captain. flat but, as the delegates views arc Fourthly, with regard to the Portland sovereign in thc3e matters, the Cup-! have really nothing to odd to Tournament Committee can.."lot be the statement which appeared . in the accused of mismannging the affair Cautract Bridge Joumal. T he F inals when they were, in fact, carrying out were rushed and there was mit adequate the wishes of the Constituent County Associations. notice to the competitors, which of itsclf was indefensible. . • 1 Secondly, with regard to the staging cif the Gold Cup and other Finals, I Ar.d now to the general p ic t~ am not entirely in agreement with am entirely with Mr. Reese in ·his Mr. Reese in his statement that they view that the present, as it were, . have been staged with " little sense of managerial set-up of the E.B.U. could r" I promotion," because all m embers of be s tr ~ngthened by the Council the E.B.U. were aware of the Finals ; delegating to a small and reasonablv they were staged, in the case of the energetic Executive a good deal ~f Gold Cup, by the North West County the work which they most conscient­ Association, and in the case of the iously seek to do at large and, as he other Finals (excluding the Hubert says, unselective Council meetings Phillips) either at a Congress or at held monthly. vemtes which were agreed by the M y view for some time ·has been delegates as being the most suitable. that the effiCiency of the organisation In the case of. the Gold Cup Final, would be considernbly strengthened you will recollect that in your own' were the Council to meet not more columns you referred to the fact that than quarterly, to review progress, for the fir5t time in its history, the and- were the Executive functiom: to reiult had achieved the prominence of be delegated to a small Executive with Stop Press News in th!! Lancashire complete authority to act. papers. I agree with Mr. Reese that there Bridge ·itself, I believe, does not are too many bodies, and that the possess great promotional value, because B.B.L. as the senior body for the it is practically impossible to provide British Isles, should cease to organise for both the comfort of the players and competitions which, when all is said the comfort of the spectators--one or and done, ·ore · merely competitions other must suffer. But I believe that organised in parallel with, and to the Bridge is nevertheless attracting bigger disadvantage of, the competitions audiences and wider interest than in organised by their own Constituent pre-war years. members. At those Congresses where such I agree also that the E.B.U. sho1,1ld events are staged as part of the limit their competitions to those on a. programme, entries and attendance National scale, although I go a little ore higher. than for any of the pre-war further than your contributor in Congresses. suggesting that they should organise Thirdly, with regard to the Hubert precisely three principal competitions- Phillips Bowl, the Final of which . was (!) Teams of Four _; ' played in mid-September : delay was (2) National Pairs, and due to the fact that ~he Captain of one (~) .Inter-County Event. of the Teams was asked to go to Copenhagen and ·was therefore unable The E.B.U. should also take much to play on the date fixed. By the time more definite netion toward assisting, the Copenhagen Tournament was over, advising and encouraging the Countv the other Team were without reserves, Associations, and should most probabl):, and asked for the mntch to be as is suggested in the article under postponed. This, so far as I can see, reply, transfer to County Associations, caused inconyenience to nobody at all ; on loan, those trophies which are at ,.,·heroos had we strictly adhered to the present in the possession of the E.B.U. dnte fi :~o:ed fo r the Final, we should, or B.B.L. CONTRACT BRIDGE· JOURNAL The principal desire of Mr. Reese, his arguments one by one, analyse. myself and many other people interested and amend them. in Bridge organisation nnd development, (1) Mr. Reese states that a large is to see a strong representative and and rmselectit:e Council meets I authoritative central organisation and The members of this Council nn enthusiastic recruitment of individual nrc elected annually by their members by the County Associations, County Associations. With and these objects can only be achieved regard to t h e prodncial by _ delegates, I can assure Mr. ·. (1) limiting the number1of inter­ Reese they are most select. necine competitions ; I presume therefore that lVIr. (2) strengthening the County Reese docs not approve of the Association organisations ; members selected b\· the Londori Association. Here is (3) ensuring that n higher degree room for action by Mr. Reese. of efficiency and practical e.xperience is brought to bear (2) He states that the E.B.U.'s upon all phases of overheads nrc too high. This : administration. is agreed, but belated, ns the E.B.U. took steps to reduce The picture however, ·is not their expenses some time ago. necessarily so black as Mr. Reese indicates. ~.B.U. membership has (3) That the B.B.L. should run no quadrupled m t!)ree .years ; new competitions-agreed. members are steadily joining ; and (4) That the E.B.U. should run fraticidnl competition has been some­ orily the Gold Cup. I would what reduced ; but the progress has add to this, The • ntionnl not been so rapid as many of us would Pairs, the Lady Milne (or have liked. ' Whitelaw), and the Pnchnbo Cup for the County Champion­ Finally, we still have too ronny ship. amateurs trying to do professional jobs, and too many professionals seeking to (5) That the E.B.U. should run one advance interests other than those of annual Congress, playing there the common will. the final of the Gold Cup. He suggests that at this Congress I am, Sir,· be also played the finals of Yours, etc., the National Pairs, Lady Milne GonnoN D. JoHNSTONE , and Pnchnbo. Having suggested that the E.B.U. do not run Cheltenham. t~ese three particular competi­ tions, he has failed to state • • • who would run them. A minor matter of failing to tie up his · The Editor; ends which is symbolic of The Coutrcict Bridge Joumal. autocracy versus democracy­ Sn.t :-I read \vith great interest Mr. power without responsibility. Reese's suggestions to the E.B.U . for: My view is that the E.B.U. the .improvement of Tournament should run two Congresses n Bri~ge. I •reply, although a member y~ar, but play no finals at of the E.B.U . .Council (and in fact etther. I go even further and one of the founders , of the E.B.U.), say that no other National .in n private, and not in on official, Congresses,should be permitted capacity. -~·, and that private bodies (such ns the T .B.A.) should be Firstly, it gives me great personal nbolis~ed. pleasure to say that for the last two Why I suggest no finals at years I hove been labouring one of ~ongr~sses is that : firstly, it Mr. Reese's points : that the ts agnmst the wishes of all competitions run by the E.B.U. provincial associations · and should be drastically reduced. Mr. ~ econdly , if one team is playing Reese and I nrc here in full agreement. m two or more finals (as at \Ve differ in detail. I propose to take Cheltenham) it is impractical. 16 CONTRACT BRIDGE JOURNAL

(6) That :~II other trophies held bv The evidence of this inner circle is· B.D.L. and E.B.U. should be contained in Mr. Reese's own words : loaned to the County " the big events are all won by a group -Associations-agreed. of London players only." · (7) The expenses of Cnmrose Far be it from me to minimise the Trophy matches ore negligible ability of these players, or to -imply in and these could always be met the slightest degree that they are in by the E .B.U. any way unfair. On the contrary, Finally I should like to give Mr. knowing bridge players ns I do, I have Reese a little advice. It is very easy not the least hesitation in affirming to cntJcJse. Surely if Mr. Reese has that these gentlemen would be far the welfare of Tournament Bridge at more ·happy if their victories were heart, it would be easy for him to gained from a more complete cross­ -persuade his Association that he is an section of players ; but, as things are able, impartial administrator and that at present, very few " outsiders " have ). they should elect him to the· Council the chance to qualify for the finals, <>f the E.B.U. where his great abilities and these nrc therefore decided by the would be heartily welcomed. This, London players. to my mind, would be more helpful I should never have written in this than running a rival organisation and vein but for the fact that you have rival competitions for personal profit. invited suggestions and critisicm. This If Mr. Reese wishes · the E.B.U. to invitation is indeed a godsend to me ; :flourish, he could soon take some very I relate my experience in the hope active steps to help it. We all know that " this time " the Journal will find he is a very great Bridge player. Let space for it. him nm'! show he is a ·very great man·. You mention' the disastrous chaos of I am, Sir, the Portland Pairs ; of this competition Your obedient Servant, I can tell my story. Eow~o PARKER. On March 13th I received a letter with a halfpenny stamp affi.xed, bearing * * * an address totally different from mine ; The Editor, it is a tribute to the efficiencv of our The Co11tract Bridge Journal. postal service that they managed to find me and collect fourpence " postage SIR :-The . September issue of due." This letter informed me that Co11tract Bridge Journal brings . to the first round was to be played on light the unsatisfactory state of affairs the 21st, and that I was to let the ·which exists with regard to Bridge Secretary know if I was entering. competitions in- general. An article There was jUiot a week's time . left ; on the subject by Terence Reese shows yet within such short notice I found up some of the defects and gives some si.x pairs, including myself, notified very constructive and able criticism. the Se!=retary, and arrived there at the But, good as his suggestions are, they appointed time. \Ve had to travel do not touch the fringe of the problem. 24 miles to get there and back. I can speak only with n localised The whole tournament consisted of knowledge, but experience of what has 16 pairs ; the movement (whether by been going on in this territory must design or accident)* was in a terrible be an index of what is happening mess ; my pair played three times everywhere else, seeing that the slump against the same opponents ; none of is general-or perhaps we should say, the North-South pairs played all the geneml outside the London oren. East-West pairs ; one North-South Th~ increasing np11thy of players pair played the same East-\Vest pair towards competitions is mainly due four times ; the director himself played to n feeling of frustration. Many come the same board twice agai11st the same to the sad conclusion that these events oppo11e11ts I arc not run impartially, nnd that the None of the competitors made any dice seem to be loaded in advance fuss about it, but the fact remains that against any player who does not belong to the " favoured inner circle." * Surely, accidtmt.-EDlTOR. CONTRACT DRIDG~ JOVRNAL you cannot run a competition on these (4) The decision of all disputed lines and call it fair. points to be made public in Board No. 15 arrived at my table the Joumal. in "mixed form." Dummy turned It may be too much to expect that up with only 12 cards, \'fhilst \Vest this long letter will appenr in the held 14. The mistake was not Joumal, but if that docs t-appen it discovered until after the tenth trick will be nn indication that this organ had been played,~ and, although this at long last is turnin g on~r n new leaf :· situation is coyered specifically in the putting Bridge first nnd personalities. rules, the D irector, without giving me later .. even the chance to explain, ruled Yours faithfull~ ·, against me. P ADLO ScARFJ, Since then I have written to all the Newport, Mon. authorities that I know, including the Jormzal. Some dodged the question, THE EDITOR REPLIES :- others ignored it. The E.B.U. passed it on to the B.B.L., and they referred We have made it our business to­ it back to the E .B.U. I now have a discover the facts of the case cited so acrimoniously by Mr. Scarfi. 'We I file of· 25 · pages, and, even after six I. months of correspondence, all the print both his letter and the facts. Bridge. authorities . decline to give a There is little more to say than has. ruling on such a simple matter. already been said aoout the mismanage­ If all, or any of, those committees ment-deplored by all concerned--of I that rule the game had been impartial, this event. But on the specific question they would have given a ruling within of false ruling, the facts, as they ha,·e­ 24 hours ; without taking into account been · rais~d by our correspondent, I '.' who " is making the complaint, or must be laid squarely before the public. l ~ against "whom." Mr. Scarfi got into a contract of It is obvious, therefore, that they Two. No Trumps and was the only have ·not the courage to give a fair player so to do. He was one down and just verdict. They might as well, on his contract: Dummy's hand was. with . more sincerity, reply.: "We one card short, an opponent one card cannot give a ruling which works long and Declarer appealed for a ruling. against our Mr. So-and-So." The card was a Queen-but the Is it any wonder that ·the mas~ of 2 NT was bid without it. Bridge players capable of entering The To!Jrnament Director, Capt. competitions are gradually refraining W. H. Ricardo, the Welsh Inter­ from doing so, ~vhilst the game itself national, gave the ad /roc ruling that is increasing in popularity ? since the contract was·a poor one, th~ I cite only one case, one of which presence or absence of the . missing I can prove every word, and . one car~ · was irrelevant, and that, in which is typical of what is happening equity, t.he One Down must stand. here over and over ugain. C_apt. R1cardo further submitted in In conclusion I would offer the h1s report to the E.B.U. that the following suggestions : alteration of this single board would !lot have affected Mr. Scam's position (1) The appointment of an unbiased • m the result sufficiently to qualify him. arbitrator, capable of giving a quick and just ruling on any Ther~ can be no question but that point of La\(', the r:uh!lg was given in good faith ; (2) Tournament directors not to be and 1f 1t has been sustained by the allowed to play in the same E.B.l!. an~ / or the B.B.L., it has been tournament that they arc ~ustame~ m good faith. Mr. S~arfi's !:nputatlon that t~e operative feeling ran directing. \Ve cannot g1ve a ruling against (3) No loopholes whereby a player ' our ' Capt. Ricardo " (we venture to \Yho failed to qualify is allowed ~II ou_t Mr. Scarfi'a careful anonymitv) to enter the next round of the IS, qu1te bluntly, nonsense. · same contest. \Ve venture further to e.~plain, if • A sat/ reflecti•" o11 tire p/ayers.-Eo. explanation be needed, that Mr. IS CONT RA CT BRID GE JO URNAL

Rceso's remark that " all the biq Presumably your contributor has. competitions are won by a group of some roudv instances from the match pluyars who li ve within five miles of in question to illustrate his statement. one another. " did not imply, any So, unless this person can furnish a more than Jt s ta~ed, that there was convincing rtply in a · few days, an " inner ring " which unfai rly accounting fo r the majority of the indulged in " log-roliing." M r. Ree5e, winning margin, I can only look upon whose clarity and lucidity of exposition the statement as being the product of are, perhaps, h is most notable literary a warped imagination. qualities meant what he said : vi7.., that the London players won (on merit, I will not state my opinion more­ as Mr. Pablo Scarfi concedes) the major strongly in case the article is by chance­ events. the product of the Editor's too facile­ journalism, but lacking a real basis. Briefly, it is the view of the cntJcs of the E.B.U. and the B.B.L. that '"""The Austrian team in this 96-board they may be inept ; but Mr. Scarfi match gained some 4,500 ppints­ is the first to suggest that their roughly the winning margin-on slam administration is conducted not only hands which could not be broken by by fools but also by knaves. any defence . . . The making of only one of these slam hands would appear This suggestion we, as, perhaps, the to depend on fine play by the Declarer. . sternest, as we are die most public, In. general, the large gain must be· critic of the several influences in the attributed to the more effective slam­ game, flat~y 'deny. bidding of the Vienna System. Mr. Scarfi's four· constructive The understanding between any suggestions we print with great pair can be divided into two parts : pleasure : we consider them admirable. viz., system ·understanding, which is. One thing further : it is our intention known, or can be explained. to the­ to ventilate grievances and, where opposition, and partnership under- . possible, by . publicity to redress them. standing which cannot. With any But we feel it is a pity that so many pair playing a Two Club or Forcing tea-cup dimension storms are inflated Two system, the partnership under­ to hurricane stature. standing becomes an important factor and represents a far greater proportion of their total understanding than is * * * usual or likely in the Vienna System ; The Editor, and I hold the Vienna System is far The Co11tract Bridge Journal. more open than other systems which have to make up for their deficiencies­ Sm : read witlt considerable by increased partnership understanding. surprise in the September number Incidentally, the Culbertson-Austrian that " the defeat of the Culbertsons match is, perhaps, an illustration of by the Austrians in 1937 was generally this, since the Culbertsons employed conceded to be due as much to a certain amount of semi-psychic unfnmilin~ity with the Weak Club bidding ..... and the Forcing One No-Trump as The article seems to be written wi.th to the spectacular card-play of the u considerable bins against the Vienna winning team." and systems based on it. I have­ If my friend 1 Paul Stem were alive, experienced this bins· when playing I doubt if anyone would care to publish Vienna, and it reminds me of the such n statement since, even if the opposition to the installation . of above view were accepted, which I do machinery • . . or to Col. Buller's not believe it can be by any know­ attack on methods such us the Forcing ledgeable and fuir-minded person, it Two which were then considered can only have been put fonvard by unduly conventional but which are some typical old woman in trousertl now accepted by opponents of the who may wish to belittle a system Vienna System which, of course, has which at the ven· least, shows promise gone oae stage further. of an ad\•nnce · on their own more The article i~ headed " \\'anted : ~>tercot y ped methods. Reality "- and it certainly !eems to ,.I

CONTRACT BRIDGE JOURNAL ·suffer from this · crying need, in its which only one system was · composition. · Small wonder that it is played. -unsigited . • . • . We regret that Mr. Booker should I hope you will be able to print hnve so misconstrued the concise this letter, since I find the article not expression " tramline accretion of to be very generous in spirit to the Vienna " ns evidence of malice. It Austrian System and certainly cnlls was-it still is-our belief that it is for a reply. If you are able to do so, the highest boast of this system that, will you please note that I do not if one run on its rails, one is certain wish to shelter behind a clank of to arrive at the terminus of the correct anonymity. contract. Yours, &c., The Contract Bridge Joumal is a STA.."entry. We take leave to disabuse Mr. Booker The immediate post-war entries were 1.on several points. more numerous because teams had not I 1. 'Ve cherish no spite against then found their level ; and aU. without Vienna (or any other) system ; e..xception, thought they were better . 2. Vve should (had we been at that than they reaUy were. Light has now time editing the Journal) have dawned, and they say in many instances printed the article if Dr. Stern " It is a waste of time and money for were--as we wish he were­ us to enter.'' t still alive ; The Regional draw is largely .3. '\Te think Mr. Booker's loyalty responsible. If-say-a · 'Vorthing ·has led him to rend into what team considers entering for-say-the was n casual illustration infinitely Pachabo, and ;mother Worthing team more than was intended or, on has entered, the second one knows analysis; there to be read. that it will be drawn against their -4. No-one in their senses would other Club t.eam. T~e result is foregone, deny that the Austrian. 1937 and the m!nor -?-"~1tement of playing team won on anything else than strangers Ill m1ssmg-so thev just merit. It is tennble-'-and it is don't enter. · held by .many persons of competent judgment-that the Further, could you re-iJ1troduce poor" performance put up by Arou11d the Competitions and quote the U.S." team wns due to vain the ~tnges wi!hout comynent ? It keeps attempts to cope with their the mterest m the Competitions very much alive-even if we have been unfamiliarity with the Vienna ·knocked out by 5,000. System. 'S. It takes much time nnd experience Yours, etc., effectively to counter nn G. F. SPASHETT, unfamiliar system. Worthing. ·6. 'Vhnt the article wns designed to advocate was, not n warning Arou11d the Competitio11s wiU be against any system, but the revived .s? soon ns there are enough abandonment of n vague, vain CompetitiOns for our Ro\•ing Reporters dream for n bridge world in to Go Around . .! 20 I GOSSIP OF THE MONTH by Guy Ramsey

" SPECTACULAR" is the North with, originally, Q J 10 x x, key-word of recent happen­ drew three more trumps and put ings. Pride of place given partner in to cash the balance of to most-expensive-ever Master the Hearts. The damage \\;ould Bid That Misfired (thank Heaven, have been 4,000 if Mrs. McKechnie not by Gossil?er : worse luck, not had not, in a daze of incredulous agai11st Gossiper). delight, thrown a Hea~t. Cards fell as follows : ''rhat made it worse for East­ West is that Six Diamonds· (which WEST EAST Mr. Somlo held Mrs. le Bom·ier + Ax + lOxxxxx should have bid) is " on." -- ":) Void ":) x x Also suffered : hostess Mrs. 0 AKQxx 0 J9xxx Phyllis Bosworth; called to keep + AKxxxx + Void the peace : achieved with usual Dealer South (Mrs. Muriel skll. Mc~{echnie) bid a Heart and West * * * (Mr. Josef Somlo), Two Hearts: a bid justified by high· cards but Next hand, also from five bob (possibly) injudicious on· a minor room at Crockford's, concerns the nvo-suiter as it cr:amps the chance cheapest psyche yet recorded. Algy to bid both suits. de Horsey regarded + O ":]KQlOxx Oxxxxx + Ax · North'(Mrs. Hilda Namias) tried to shut East up with 3 ":), but and, brave Acolyte that he is Mrs. Frances le Bouvier, not to be (although at this time playing CAB) daunted, produced an impeccable opened One Heart. Mrs. Trixie ·3 + from. East. Opener, hoping Lewis, stalwart of Tunbridge \Yells, to save, went 4 ":) and Mr. SomlO not unnaturally found Two Hearts found Master (Inferential) bid of on 6 + ! + AKx ":}A OAKQx,x + KJxx. "Double," snapped North and Enter upon the scene long­ Mrs. le Bouvier passed, awaiting legged, long-headed (and normally developments. Somlo, by '~ay of conservative) Chairman of Crox, development, found the super­ Peter Irwin, who (as invariably, Master_ Bid of Redouble: sorting his cards and then reversing imploring East to find an " out." their order one by one to check Unhappily, Mrs. le Bouvier took them) saw the following Gossiper's · it as business rather than SOS Special: . (at the six-level) and passed. + lOx":) Jxxx 0 J 109 + Q lOxx. The hand cost the film-magnate He bid a brace of Spades ! (and partner) 3,400: for he ruffed the Heart lead :md, after a Mrs. Greta Phillips, with se\·en considerable period of weeping Spades to Knave-Ten-Nine, void and tooth-gnashing, led Ace, King, Diamond, and two worthless and another Club : whereupon triplctons, not unnaturally Doubled 2I II I· CONTRACT BRIDGE JOURNAL j .ana Algy re-psyched with . . Scion, however, takes \Vord of Three .. Spades I Yes - on a the· Lord out of Minister's mouth, singleton. and re-cracks ahead. l Stubbornly; Mrs. Lewis Opener, pondering the best lead l .contested this auction with 4 0, to get the most of Agt;-and-Youth which Irwin passed. Mrs. Phillips, combination selects " scientific " ·with· Spades trumpeted on eitl1er single Trwnp Queen. Irate Papa .side of her plus a " worthless " remarks : " I hope you knoi,. what hand, also passed ; and de Horsey · you've done : bid Six merely on likewise went " by-by." Result­ the strength of, so far as you can ·three down witl1 6 Spades icy on possibly know, four Diamonds to ·the natural Club view. the nothing in my hand ! " Son diffidently replies : " I'm * * * sure I hope so" and puts down . .. Third hand comes from Ace, King Queen, Knave to six ·Gloucester Club where Gossiper Spades, Ace, King, Ten to six partnered his· 20-year-old and Diamonds and a single Club. ·promising, but not yet arrived, C o n t r a c t n o w m a d e mit ·son, Valentine. Gossiper picked (unde~erved) overtrick. ·up: Exit Gossiper, confused, thr~ugh -+ x \?QJ9x OJ9xxx + Kxx gap in hedge . .and resigned. himself to just another · game against, probably in Spades, * * * ·when Dealer, on his left, opened Puzzle : Find the best · bid over ., . .Heart. partner's uncontested opening One i Son emerged with confident Diamond on: I 'Two Hearts and Gossiper toyed + Qxx \?AKQ OKQx + Axxx I with. 2 NT but compromised with System immaterial (unless you play­ 'Three Di-dies, intending to bid Buller-Kempson-Lawford British .3 NT over " inevitable " Three Bridge when 4 NT is the answer) . .Spuds. Gossiper also resigned 'himself to seeing hand played in No prize-but amiable suggestion :Four Spuds, one off, or-worse of (don't faint) One Spade I If ·for moral parental-cum-instruc­ partner (as expected) wax I. ·tional effect- 3 NT, one down. enthusiastic, re-bid can be 4 NT (a':ly s:ystem) _; if partner re-bids To his. modest 3 O, Gossiper smt, d1tto_ ; 1f partner sign off in hears offspring burst direct into 1 NT, b1d then Four NT (now ·(Culbertson) 4 NT and dutifully not conventional) . . signs off with 5 0- Scion of all ·the Ramseys- nothing daunted­ Any objections ? goes Si.x. This is passed to opener ·who cracks. * * * Gossiper determines to re-crack Asked if this is the worst bid I ·to teach Son an (expensive to ever : Opener One Club . Second r ·Gossiper) lesson, for bidding has hand, One Diamond ; Third hand, gone, virtually, One Heart, Six Double on: . Diamonds- ugh I + JIO \?x O JHlxx + KIOxxxx 22

·, CONTRAC T BRI D GE JO U RNAL ·My verdict : not quite but very Dealt at a Pairs and passed ; nearly. The "sn: Qxx Q xx (seldom more than t\¥0 curds) in + + partner's suit ; should surely not and, grateful for the butt-in, pass. hold fin e llssistance whereby Two Spades on left, discreet No partner could score heavi ly ; and Bid from partner, and Three .should either envisage a cross-ruff Diamonds .on right. Think of <>r a forcing game, in which case doubling to drive Them back to the trumps ought to be either Hearts (which ought to be a rotten four to K J or so, or five to Queen contract), but am discreet. minimum. . With six of partner's After a pass, Partner abandons .suit, and a filthy 4-count, I bid discretion and finds 4 + on : 2 and, later, 3 in stubborn misery. I might crack Five Diamonds- + Kxx \/KQxx (>K + KJlOxx. 4' after all, it's a free double, Popped and sunk for 900 plus an partner I " · icy bottom : the ought-to-have­ ·: * '* * been-anticipated cross-ruff duly ,developing. That one didn't happen to me, so it's " almost " the wqrst ; this Bring forth the torture irons I did:- Twice I

CRIME AND PUNISHMENT- (colltimtedfrompage n) .selected should be \1 J, not a small Fortunately Britain were saved <>ne ; if all p1ay low to this trick, from complete disaster by their a second Heart should be led. pair in Room 2. · East was Leslie It is true that East may. ruff· the Dodds. Great match player-that second round, . but declarer will he _is, he had no " Prepared Club" still be safe unless East started life inhibitions · in mind when North with 'two singletons, · leaving· West produced the memicing game-force with the 'gUarded + Q ; but of 2 +· At all costs a certain :East's- tepid first bid of 2 + seems adverse game, and a probable slam, to rule out this possibility. must be inhibited ; and a very There is only, therefore, one sound principle, when about to real danger : that the Heart finesse pre-empt, is to pre-empt to the will lose to East, who will be smart limit. And in spite of the -enough to return the suit for his vulnerability, that is just what partner to ruff. But here again Leslie did-on a hand conta_ining ·the implications of the bidding one Queen I · .must be lltudied ; it seems The slam was saved at a cost of improbable that East would 500 _points, but Britain still lost sacrifice, vulnerable, at such a 9 match points on the deal- a high level if he held an almost performance that was redeemed .ceaain trick in defence such as in the later stages by a storming \1 K. finish. 23 FoR LEAD OR PENALTY? by V. · H. Walker F the S.O.S. Redouble is the passed by partner and provoked greatest cause of bridge-table 2 + from the opponent on my I rows, then the Lightner Slam right. Opener then raised to 3 + Double runs it pretty cl9se. The a·nd over her partner's (ambiguous) normal purpose of a double is to 4 0 bid 5 0 . The origi~al increase an almost certain penalty ; Spade-monger bid six :> f his suit, it expresses an assurance to partner which m y partner D oubled. that the opponents' contract is in Declarer Redoubled "in rage." , r danger . . I knew that ·1,720 points The only two types of doubles depended upon my lead, and went which are not for penalties are the into a long huddle. I could not ·Informatory double at. the level of lead trumps, so two of my 13 cards one or. two, and the Slam doubles, were ruled out. I examined the asking for a particular lead. , results of leading one of the other . The responses to Informatory three suits, and came to the doubles are now so widely knoWn, conclusion, both as a result of the even throughout Paloo~stan, that bidding and the rule of thumb, I need not trouble with them here. that a Diamond was the lead. Not so the Slam do.ubles. Ali that Both opponentS had bid them, and I seems to be known about ·them is probably had eight between them. ·j that they .preclude the lead (a) of I had five, so partner must be out trumps and (b) of partner's. suit. of stock. .... · · That leaves two suits from which · · But alas ! such was not the case. 1 to choose . . . hence the difficulty I chuckled too soon when dummy (and the tears). If partner has not went down with four Diamonds bid, the choice is from three suits­ to the King and a Club suit no I hence the greater difficulty: better than K r X x. One of the small Diamonds 1vas played on " Past bidding will .show which my lead ·of the Ten, and partner r suit should be led," say the experts who had A J· x x, put on. the Ac; glibly, as though in the advanced (before the rats got at' it). This stages of slam bidding one coulq was ruffed, and· now the King in ever tell what · a p;1rticular bid dummy .was set up for an essential might mean. Club discard. Or again, " Lead your longest Partner, who had doubled on suit-partner may have a void." the strength.of the Ace of Diamonds Certainly . . . and perhaps he and the Ace-Queen of Clubs over may not. · the 'bid, was very annoyed to find The following hand gives a very herself making the Ace of Clubs . good idea of what I mean : I was and the Ace of Clubs only ; and sitting South, arid at Love All held : I was soundly rapped over the ~nuckles for having led a Diamond + xx ~ QJ 0 Q 109xx + xxxx mstead of the later-prescribed Club. I had dealt and, quite obviously, Now, had partner uot doubled passed. One Club on my left was a Club might have been a possibl; CONTRACT BRIDGE JOURNA L" lead : through Dummy's suit-or that the contract was doomed to ~ might have gone passive with a be two down, for declarer would trump. The bid of 4 0 on my lose two Club tricks and the Ace right would have seemed to be of Diamonds. what it in fact was : a cue-l.:iid of Partner thought the odds were a void or Ace. The ill-fated worth the risk. double was made on the ground I don't.

Two EARTS (T~at did not beat as one) by S. J. Simon

Dealer, East. Both vulnerable. chance of gain against the risk of loss. The greater the possible gain, (Mrs. Guggenheim) the greater the risk that may be • • 654" taken. And the less, the less. \? AJ7654 0 KQ 109 That is why the answer to a . + Void contemplated butt-in at the two level on a balanced hand studded (Mr. Smug) (Unlucky Expert) with high cards is, 110. The chance + AK872 + 3 of getting doubled and going down . \? Q 3 2 \? K 10 9 8 yourself to save nothing is obviously 06 OA5432 good, while your only chance of a· + AQ98 + 763 worth-while profit after an opening (Futile Willie) bid is, to find partner either with • QJ 10 9 the balance of the high card~ or a \?Void freak shape. For, these hands 0 J 87 Culbertson safety· Rule of Two + -KJ10542 and Three should never be broken. THE BIDDING : But when it comes to having the EAsT SouTH \VEsT NoRTH' freak hand yourself, the odds are · No bid ·No bid 1 + 2 \?(a) quite different. · The gain on a fit Dbl (b) 3 + (c) Dbl (d) No bid (e) can ·take you into the slam zone, No bid No bid while only a complete misfit will . pitch you into c;atastrophe. Even (a) An eminently correct a Yarborough, so long as it contains butt-in- anyway in my opinion. a .few cards in your suit, won't be Granted it may cost a packet, and disastrous. in this case does ; but that is only Consider the hand under one side of the argument. If discussion. How often will the safety were the sole consideration fate that overtakes it here overtake in bidding then, clearly, one would it in practice ? How little it needs hardly ever bid at all. from partner, admittedly in the The correct approach in right place, to make a game-or I considering the making of an even a slam ! How unlucky it has 1 intervening bid or, come to thnt, to be to get punished so severely 1' any bid whatever, is to weigh the at the two level as it is here. I 25

I CO NTRACT BRIDGE J OU RNAL Alter the present distribution just THE PLAY a fraction. Give South a singleton They f01:md the best defence.­ Heart and pass his extra Diamond (i) Ace of Spades. (ii) K ing of to West. Two Hearts doubled is Spades. (iii) Spade ruffed. (iv) Ace now only two down. of Diamonds. (v) Diamond ruffed. ·A d ·f h • 1 fi h b 1 (vi) Spade ruffe d. (vii) Diamond- n 1 t ere s a rea t-o ' oy ruffe d. And the defence still made· . But if you don't take the risk of the Ace and King of Clubs for bidding Two Hearts over One total of 9 tricks. 5 down doubled Spade you'll never fin d out about vulnerable, 1,400. the fit. (b) Obviously. PosT M oRTEM Futile W illie read Mrs. (c) U npardonabl~ : But that is Guggenheim a lecture on the · .one of the reasons why poor 'enormity of her butt-in and Mrs. Guggenheim .loses so much. extracted a promise that she The temptation to rescue her from wouldn't do it again. a double, \vhich you know she will play to the worst advantage, is . practically irresistible. I've done CHUCKS it myself, to my cost, and on By my lights, slight. Mrs. worse suits than the one Futile Guggenheim goes 4 down in Willie's got. But even that does~'t 2 Hearts doubled, so the chuck pardon it. is only the extra trick, 300 points. (d) Enthusiastically. Of course if you wouldn't have butted in on that rubbish, then (e) Why did n' t Mrs. debit North-South with the whole Guggenheim rescue into 3 1,400, plus what East-West would Diamonds ? Because experience have gone down if left in peace. has taught her that it is no use rescuing her partners. All they Only then I don't quite know do is glare and bid their own ·suit by what yard-stick you will crime again. next month's hand.

IN PRAISE OF BILL PREECE HE most important item on Preece's assoctatton with the the agenda of the North N.W.C.B.A. will not cease, as he T \\'estern C.B.A.'s annual has agreed to continue as Hon. meeting was the · resignatiOn of Treasurer and will also be \\'. H. Preece who has been responsible for the ·organisation Honorary Secretary and Treasurer of the North West Congress at for the past eleven years, and to Blackpool early this month. whom the excellent position in The new secretary is Mr. F. which the Association finds itself Farrington the enthusiastic playe r is very largely due. from Bolton. CONTRACT BRIDGE JOURNAL TWO-EDGED SWORD-(continuedfromfollorvillg page) i~g two ~carts from Dummy ; "Well done, partner," said North contmued to throw Clubs South. " Pretty stout false- while South threw a Heart and carding." his + 10, baring the King. The squeeze had come to pass­ "False-carding?" replied North, but East was quite certain that the somewhat indignantly, evidently King of Clubs · was with North. imagining he had been accused He led the Ace of Hearts on which of some form of cheating." ·what. North threw the Ten. East noted do you mean ? " this with satisfaction, feeling that ""'hy," said East, "from your North must now have the Queen first two Club discards I placed bare. He accordingly led the \? 2 you with the King. What made and put up Duminy's King-but you throw a high Club first ? " was disappointed when the Queen . . did not faiL " Oh," said North," my discards Howe\·er, he had, he thought, didn't mean anything in particular. another string to his bow-the I had such a string of Clubs that finesse against the King of Clubs, I didn't think it mattered how I marked, as he imagined, in North's threw them." hand. So he took the finesse with " And why did you play the Ten confidence but-to his di~may­ on the first round of Hearts ? ,. South's King took the trick and, asked South. as his Queen of Hearts was good, . East-West were two off · their " I did that to show a doubleton. contract. Isn't that the right thing to do ? "

ANSWERS-{continuedfrom page 31) non-fitting whale must be (iii) Ttco Clubs with a palooka. She taken in order to reach Game. is not educated enough to If the two .Guggenheims know that a Two-bid should against you protest you have be kept open for a round not your Five Quix Trix and whatever you hold, playing are, therefore, unethical, tell any of the more reputable them that you would not varieties of the Two Club. dream of insulting them by On the hands actually held, applying to them the ancient Mrs. G. would pass anything advice : Do not shade, or but :m abRolute force ; und psike with, · a forcinc-bid the risk of her holding a against weak opposition.

A GIFT SUGGESTION Complete sets of Volume II We can bind your own copies can now be supplied bound of Vols. I and II in blue in blue Rexine and lettered Rexinc with go.Jd lettering at in gold to match Volume I a cost of 21 /- per volume. at a cost of 112/· Please send orders, with Please send orders to Journals, to PRIESTLEY PRIESTLEY STUDIOS Ltd. STUDIOS LTD., Commercial Commercial Rd ., G loucestcr Road, Gloucester. 'T WO-EDGED SWORD (Adventures in Palooklstan-1 1) by C. R. B. Murray

COMMO N fault in of some of the lower forms of Palookistan is the unnecessary Club bridge. The final contract A discard of a high card to of Six No Trumps "·as reached 1nduce a lead- a useful enough through a misunderstanding : play when made at the proper \'VP..st's Six Diamor.d bid was time, but quite often it .either tells made under the confused impression Declarer exactly what he wants to that East's Five No Trumps was know, or else helps him by a Blackwood t:all for Kings ! East weakening an adverse suit which understood it to show the Ace would 'have been led anyhow. and bid Six . No Trumps in This is the ·· story, taken from preference to Six Spades because, ~ctual play, of an unwitting signal as he said afterwards, he " didn't by a Palooka which, so far from like bidding a slam with only giving the game away, completely four trumps in my hand ! .. misled the Declarer and resulted South foresaw a squeeze, but in the defeat of a slam contract : there didn't seem much he could such a two-edged sword can -bad do about it ; so, remembering , play be I . Simon's · remarks on " passive At rubber bridge, score game ' defence,"' he led a Spade. :all, the hands were dealt: .East took five rounds of Spades, • . 82 i on the third of which North

by M. Harrison-Gray

The CONTRACT BRIDGE BIDDING JOURNAL offers a prize of TWO GUINEAS for the' best set of solutions \VEST NORTH EAST SoUTH ,to the following problems. In the 2 + No bid 3 0 No bid event of two or more sets of solutions 4 \? No bid 6 + ? being of equal merit, the monthly What should South bid ? prize will be divided. PROBLEM No. 5 (30 points) Answers to CONTRACT BRIDGE JOURNAL (Editorial Department) Dealer, \Vest. East-\Vest Game. 13, Cannon Place, London, N.W.3, WEST . EAST not later than November 25th, 1948. + "K8 + AQ65} Solutions and names of prize winners \? AK~~ \?'Ql1!t> in the September Competition appear' 0 Q10~ 0 At~ on page 8. + ~told + 1 PROBLEM No. 1 (10 points) BIDDING . 1 Dealer, West. Love All. South \VEST EAST holds: 1 \? 2 + 3 \? + K 4 \?A Q 10 9 8 4 0 K 9 + Q J 10 3 + 3 + 4 0 BIDDING 6 NT This contract failed by two tricks. WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH 1 + · No bid No bid ? (a) Which of the above bids were chiefly responsible for this bad What should South bid ? result? &1 PROBLEM No. 2 (10 points) (b) Whnt should the correct bidding be? Dealer, South. East-West Game. (c) How should West plnn the play South holds : in a contract of 6 \?, North + K 9 \? Q J 10 9 3 2 0 A 10 4 + Q 3 having led a trump ? BIDDING PROBLEM No. 6 (20 points) SoUTH \VEST NoRTH EAST Denier, \Vest. East-West Gnme. 1 \? No bid 3 + No bid WEST EAST What should. South bid ? + 62 + AKH3 \? K Q 10 3 \? A6 . PROBLEM No. 3 (10 points) 0 43 0 AK652 DeaJer, South. East-West Game. + A K 10 9+ + 3 South holds : BIDDING '+ AK98 \?Void OAK863 + Al098 \VEST EAST BIDDING 1 + 2 + SouTH WEST NoRTH EAST 3 \? + 0 1 0 1 \? Dble No bid 4 + 6 + ? As nil four suits broke badly, this What should South bid ? contract failed by three tricks. (a) Which of the above bids were PRODI.EM No. 4 (10 points) chiefly responsible for this bnd Dealer, West. Game All. South result? holds: · (b) What should the correct bidding + 6 5 3 ~ 8 74 O Void + Q 8 7 6 +3 2 be? CO NT RACT DRI DGE JOURNAL I~,:>: J>nonLEM Nt>. 7 (10 points) it-an odds-on chance : yes, even over a palooka's 3 NT. :-·-I? Dealer, West. Love All. South You will play the h and, which holds: should be an advantage + 10 9 5 3 2 \7 8 () A K 9 5 + J 9 3 opposite Mrs. Guggenheim. ·:BIDDING 2. You hold: WEST N ORTH EAST SouTH .I) KQ10x \? K 109x Ox + AKJx 1 + No bid t' \7 N o bid 2 • N o bid 3 \7 No bid East, on your right, bids a Diamond ; 4 \?. N o bid 4 + No bid you Double ; \Vest passes and partner 6 \7 bids One Heart. D ealer East passes. What do you bid with (i) an expert ; West (dummy) holds: (ii) An average player ; (iii) A palooka ? -+ KQJS \?KQ6 ()2 +AK 106 2 South lends · () K, North following ANs WElt -with () 10 nnd East with () 7. 2. (i) W ith an expert, bid Three T his does full j ustice What enrd should South lend to the H earts. to the e.'(trem ely fine Double second trick, nnd why ? you have produced and should encourage partner to find the game bid (for which he is just as anxious as you !) if _Answers fo there be any play for it at all. (ii) 'Vith an average player, bid ·October Four Hearts. The usual. run of players will not appreciate just how good a Three Heart ·Competition bid is in this situation, and _1 by Guy Ramsey will pass when they should go Four. You gave the e)l.--pert 1. You hold: leeway beacuse he u:as an expert ; but the average -+ x \JQx ()AQ109_xx + KJ9x player must be pushed into · Your partner opens On~ Spade ; the water on this occasion, .you bid Two Diamonds ; partner · even if he enn swim. There jumps to 3 No Trumps. What do should be a good play for you bid with (i) An e.xpert ; (ii)' An Four Hearts. average player ; (iii) A palooka ? (iii) With a palooka, bid Three :ANswER Hearts I Yes-the e.'(tremes ' i. (i) With an expert, Four Diamonds meet : you make the ~ same is the best bid. Over (say) bid with the Guggenheim as Four Hearts, you can now with Gray, Reese or Dodds. bid Five Clubs and partner It seems silly, since vou took is in n posltlon to rend the n shot with nn average player. hand nccuratelv. There is no But the average player would need to jump: · play the hand at ' least averagely, and- in perhaps a (ii) With nn average player, Four close contract- Mrs. G. will Clubs has the best chance of very ~ikel y muck it up. So eliciting the necessary slam you gn·e her leewnv. On the awareness : i t i s more other hand, you cannot afford encouraging than the bid to bid only Two Hearts or you make with the expert : s ~e will pass in sleep. You an average player would g1ve her very strong encourage­ ·regard Four Diamonds ns n ment to continue and if she sign-off. does, she will doubtl e~s have -(iii) 'Vith n palooka, you shoot enough stuff jn her own hand Si.'l: Diamonds. You hnve a to bring in 10 tricks even very fair chance of making when she is playing it. 30 CONTRACT BRIDGE JOURNAL 3. You hold: (ii) With un averuge player, bid + AO 109xx "K 0 lOxx + A lOx Three Clubs. This should nwakcn interest at the score, Partner opens a Club ; You bid n but not too much. It also Spade ; , partner now finds 2 NT. might trap opponents. (When What do you bid with (i) An expert ; uctually held, South opened (ii) An average player ; (iii) A palooka ? Three Clubs, West bid Three Hcurts and was subsequently .ANS\VEII carried out on a stretcher 3. (i) With an expert, bid Thret 1,100 points the poorer I) Diamonds. This, culled from . (iii) With a palooka, bid One No an International match, was Tmmp. This guarantees the bid actually made by the !(arne, at least and, if partner, player who held it. It is a thinking " It's much safer superb temporising bid and, in Two somethings," bids, by an expert, will never be you can, at your own sweet passed. Any subsequent bid will, pass, re-bid No Trumps he makes-whether a raise of or bid Three Clubs. If Spa'des or Four No Trumps­ partner bids Two Clubs us must be answered with a a blanket sign-off for weakness peremptory Sbc Spades. the result might be very (ii) 'With an average player, bid enjoyable (Yes, such folk are Five Spades . or-if you play still known). ·Blackwood-Four No Trumps. It is going to: be very bad 5. You hold: luck if partner has A Q of Diamonds under the King + KQlOxxxx"Axxxx OVoid + A and the Heart Ace' is on your What do you bid with (i) An expert ; left and the Clubs are not (ii) An average player ; (iii) A palooka ? solid and he has only Knave to three Spades and the ANSWER Spade finesse fails. In fact, if all those are wrong, he 5. (i) One Spade with an expert. hasn't a 2 NT re-bid, has he ? There is no need to excite him : he will hear all the (iii) \Vith a palooka, shoot Six subsequent bidding. What­ Spades at sight : you should ever the system, still One have no . Seven ambitions­ Spade : with five Hearts, you can't trust partner enough there is no earthlv need to even to e.xplore. pre-empt, still less to "invite" a weak response . . You'll get it anyway. 4. At the score of 60 up in the :rubber game, you hold : (ii) Two Spades with an average performer, in case he will not + AJx "Ajx OK:x + KQJlOx keep a One"-bid open. \Vhen What do y~u bid with (i) An expert.; the hand was actually held, .(ii) An average player ; (iii) A palooka .r One Spade was passed out, and made Three, with Four .ANSWER • Hearts making an over-trick• Dummy had a filthy five 4. (i) \Vith an e.xpert, bid One Club : he will (rightly) regard it as points, with a singleton Spade and four Hearts to the Ten. an absolute force at the score " I was afraid you would bid and will find, even on a · Two Spades if I went a 7 - h i g h Y a r b o r o u g h,, a No Trump," said the Dummy. Diamond (I am not suggestmg " I'd have bid Three Spades he is playing Ingram, ( !) " announced Declarer, Vanderbilt, Barton or Vienna). irritably. No-none of them He will NOT bid 1 NT were Guggenheims. without seven or eight points. Opponents might protect I (continued on 'age 27) CONTRACT BRIDGE JOUR~AL

I~ _,. ENGL § BRmGE UNI 1 \• LIST OF SECRETll..RIES

ENDLISII IJRIDOI: UNION-H. D. 1\lntt, E;;q., NOTTINGII.U£ CON'f!Ur.T IlRIDGf: ASSOOIA.TION 211Inle Grove Gardens, N.W.7. -Mrs . .Uttll, 2!! AddJson Street, Nottingham. ESBC: CONTIIACT JlltlDOE A5SOCIATJO.Il­ HOUTII EAST.t:l\11 CIJ!fTRACT lli1. Fletcher, Esq., 22 Fontnync Avenue, TIO!i-U. 1. Rho•lcs, ,-, Wooclblne Avenue, CWgwell, Essex. · Gosforth, Ncwcastlc-on·Tync, 3. DERDYSIIffiE COlil'RACT JIRIDOE ASSOCL!.TION­ NORTII WIISTI:IIN CONTRACT JlnrDOE ASSOOIA.· W. Durnstono, Esq., cfo To-..n Clerl:'a Office, '!ION-W. H. Preece, Elienden, Herta. ASSOCIATION - Jllrs. Flemmlcb, Wblte Cottage, Sandbanks, Doumemonth. KE.~ CONTl!ACT DRIDGB ABSOOIATION-Mn • . Harvey, Manor llouso, Tunbridge Wellll. '3TAFFORDSIIIRB CONTIIACT DRIDGB ASSOCIA.· TION-W. R. Cato, Esq., Thomhlll Rd., LEIOESTERSIIIRE CONTRACT BRIDGE ABBOOIA.· 204 TION-P de R. Pearse, Esq., 152, Upper StreGtly, Sutton Coldtleld. New Wnlk, Leicester. . SURREY CONTRACT DBIDGE ASSO~ON­ (n.lso DRITI.81l DRIDGB LEAGUE)- Major LI!IOOLJISIURll CONTRACT DRIDGB ABBOOllTION George Grny, 23, Clydesdale Gardens, -Mrs. Turner nod Mrs. Brompton, 51 Richmond, Surrey. Slgnhillll A. venue, Cleetborpes. LoNDON CONTRACT DRIDGII ASSOCIA.TION­ W AllWIOKBIIIRB CONTIIACT DRIDGB ASSOCIA.· P. R. G. Charters, Esq., 16 Carlton House TION-Mrs. lll. Knott, 0 Caltborpe Road, ; Terrace, B.W .l. . Edgbaaton, Dlnnlngbnm, 15. MIDDLESEX CONTRACT BRIDGE ABSOOIA.TION­ . YollKSnmB CONTRACT BRIDGE ASSOCIA.TIO~--,. llis. H. Freeman, The Nook, Lyndhurst R. 0. Hartley, Esq., 14 Dransfield Road Terrace, London, N.W.3 • . Sheffield, ln.

CONTRACT BRIDGE JOURNAL Regional Editors- Eire NoEL BYRNE North Eastern EWART KEMPSON Northern Ireland A. J. FLETCHER North Western A. C. DoUGLASS Scotland H. KERSHAW Yorkshire Mns. L. L. BEDFORD Wales W. H. RICARDO · London ·" Auni. " _ Competition Editor-M. 1-IAmilsoN-GRAY The CONTRACT· BRIDGE JOURNAL is the official orgnn of the English Bridge Union. Publishers-:-PRIESTLEY STUDIOS, LTD., Phone- COMMERCIAL ROAD, GLOUCESTER. Gloucester 2 2 2 sr. /J All Bridge Correspondence to- EDITOR, Co!'TitACT BmoGE JouRNAL, 13,. CANNoN PLAcE, LoNDoN, N.,V.J

JZ BRIDGE INDEX CLASSIFIED LIST OF HOTELS AND CLUBS

HARROW LONDON ' liAIIIlOW )IIUDOB CJ.UD-10 Northwlck l'nrk lload, llARilOW, Mlddx. Tel. llarrow Don~ET CLUD-3·fi Glentworth Street 3D08. Good ataudnrd llrldge In enjoyable llnkcr Street, N.W.I. Tel. WciiJcck 1030: ntmosphere. 8e!slons twice dally. Pnrtoenhlpa Jlegulnr pnrtncrshlp nnd duplicate. Stakes o.nd Duplicate. 1/·, 2/U nnd 10/·. LllDERBR'S-11!> !tlount Street, W.1. LONDON Tel. No. lllnyfnlr 78fiD. Continuous piny from 2·30 to 12 p.m. Duplicate, Tueadny evenlu~•· CnooKFOUD's-10 Carlton llousc Termce, London, S.W.l. Tel. No. Whltchnll/ 11!11. 6/· l'nrtnershlp, Tuesdny Evenings. 2 • Part­ NOTTINGHAM nership, Wednesday and Frldny evenlmts. Dupllcnto Pnlrs under the direction of ~lr . CR.\l'ITOCK llRIDOE CLUD-480 .Jilllnaftcld IInrrlson·Grny every Thnrsdny evenlnl! nt Road, Nottingham. Tel. No. NottlnQhnm 7-30 p.m. ll. PuovosT, Managing Director. 65021. 1'roprletrcos: ~Ins . 0. M. II OJ' EWELL. A. J. llonsNELL, Secretary. Bon. Secretary: .N. 1l. C. l>'RITII. VIsitors welcomed. Excellent venue for mo.tcht!S In AUdlnnds. , The GLENALVOY liRJDGE CLUD, 22 Netherhnll Gardens, N.W.3. :: Stakes Od. nnd 1/·. ------ltegulnr Pnrtncrshlp. Duplicate 1st Wednes­ WORTHING . dny of each month nt 8 p.m. ~Irs. llo.lph ,\Vllllams, Secretary. llAM. 7414. WORTIIlYO llESIDBNTUL liRIDClll CLUB­ Full Club Licence. Bridge dnUy, 2.15 to 7 p.m. 8 to 12 p.m. Duplknto, Hh ~londny, 2.30 p.m• . ' . PARK LANE liRIDOE CLUB, 28 Curzon Further particulars llPt•IY Secretary, 12 Dyrou · Street, W.l. Tel. Grosvenor 1400. Stnkes Rond. Telephone Worthlu11 23!. Od. 1 1/·, 2/0 and 10/·. l'artnershlps at Od. nnu 1/· on Mondny nnd Wednesday nfter­ .\liRAlli.:I.L& IIIIIDOI! CLUII-Uccnc Terrace, hoons nnd Tuesda)' nnd Friday evenln11s. Sen Jo'rout, Worthln:l. DaUy Scsslous, 2·30 p.m. · Dupllcnte 1st Wednesday In e\·cry month. and 8 p.m. llestaurnnt ndjolnlng. Llccuacd. . T. V. JII. Cotter, Secretary. VIsitors Welcomed. Tel. 0431·2 .

CUT i ' Ji \. -B- U. . :' ., . - -· EC E. A· IAL

can supply Playing Cards

. i Duplicate Boards . ~~ N l~, .1 ; '\ '.\