The British Bridge World
The British Bridge World
Editorial Board BERNARD WESTALL (CHAIRMAN) GEOFFREY BUTLER KENNETH KONSTAM TERENCE REESE
I EDITED BY EWART KEMPSON I
VOL. 15, NO. 12 CONTENTS DECEMBER, 1964 Page
Editorial ... · 5-6 Beautiful Thoughts, by Terence Reese 7-10 Tournament World, by Harold Franklin 11-17 Hand from New Zealand, by Rex Evans 18-19 A Nasty Mishap! ... 20 One Hundred Up, conducted by Alan Hiron 22-30 Bridge Academy, conducted by G. C. H. Fox ... 32-33 While There's Life, by M. Wakenell 34-37 Beginners' Pitfalls (2), by Norman de V. Hart ... 38-41 Paragraphs from the Past, by Ewart Kempson ... 42-45 Slam Bidding Tools, by Arturo F. Jaques 46-tS The Irish Can Play Too, by Paddy Murphy 49-52 Methinks Again 53 New Books ... 54-55 Tournament Direction, by W. B. Tallow 56-59 Letters to the Editor 60
Published by Andrews & \Varburg, Ltd., 35 Don-r Street, London. W.I, Tel. MAYfair 8997. Printed by G. F. Tomkin Ltd., 501-9 Gro\·e Green Road, London, E.ll, on behalf of the proprietors. Thomas De La Rue & Co. I.ttl. 4 Editorial
.. E 'GLAND, holders of the This time the Welsh team, drawn Camrose Trophy, were from North as well as South, beaten by Wales-an historic defeated England by ten victory d feat since it brings to an end points to eight. Wales won the England's hitherto unbroken run third, and final, 32-board match f successes. The nearest they by 57 international match points h d previously come to disaster or six victory points to nil. A \\3 in 1937 when Northern full report of the match appears lr land ran them to within 200 in this issue. points. Heartiest congratulations to '"Whilst sympathising with the Wales! Engli h players, everyone will While the England-Wales \\ant to congratulate Wales on so match was being played in \Vind m rnorablc a victory. We all sor, Scotland, the current holders now what dangerous opponents of the trophy, were playing th Cardiff and Swansea players Northern Ireland in Edinburgh. c.sn •• Scotland won by thirteen victory Before readers in Scotland and points to five, a gallant effort by lrd and ei1c pens to write strong the Ulstermen who had to call on 1 tt(r~ of protc~t. both having a reserve pair at the last moment. d f(:llcd England in Camrose Described as a "Unique Bridge rr, phy matches, they should Match To Determine The Value 1 1 ' • that the two paragraphs Of Unlimited Bidding Com·cn · . 'c.: arc "in quote:-.''. The quo tions" the Bridge World is spon t Ill~ Cllntinue,: ''The Welsh team soring a three-day marathon in 11 1 • . t~J of C:tptain W. 11. New York next month between a R1 .. rdo S R' ,. · · · l\ m, A. Stone, t~am of "Sci~ntists", who will b~ I) . 1c \IIi t r J ~ F .. · ~r, .:. · '- artcr an I r~rmitt~d to U!>e as many artificial · ~Ill\: l·n •l·tl1 t · • .. • l: was n:pr~- conventions and bidding treat 1\hl' hy R. J. Tarlo [) L~.:dc.:rw. m~nts as th~y wish, and a t~am of r. \\ hith'-' J G • I I J• • rcw, . 1ajLlr G. "Traditionalists" who will be . nd R. \'in '"'nt." . I m . strictly contin~d to the u:c of p ·. 1.\Uutm• th· hue llu~rt rdatin~ly r~w conventions :t'\ •II• I • Rriri,h Rri 1.• •,· 'I. II Iii, I ~9. , or c. ~tipulat~d by a committ~c. The Scienti~ts ar~ Alvin Roth . II. ·,,, h· dnn • it Ul!ain! and Tobias Ston~. Arthur Robin- son and Robert Jordan, Samuel outstanding pair m the recent M. Stayman and Victor Mitchell. World Olympiad. The Traditionalists are Lewis The match will go the whole way Mathe and Meyer Schleifer, Eric to prove exactly nothing. It will Murray and Sam Kehela, B. follow the path of the Lenz Jay Becker and Mrs. Dorothy Culbertson match and the sub Hayden. sequent Culbertson-Sims match. The Scientists are a formidable team and, in my opinion, will With this issue the British win in comparative comfort. If Bridge World concludes a long the Scientists and the Tradition innings. As a reader who has alists changed roles, I would back enjoyed it, I give thanks on be the Traditionalists to win by a half of many readers to the world larger margin. As it stands, famous De La Rue Company who the Scientists, team is composed of founded it, to Andrews and three established pairs, the Robin Warburg Ltd., who published, son-Jordan combination being and to G. F. Tomkin Ltd who according to many reports-the printed it in recent years.
BRIDGE WRITERS' CHOICE 69 HANDS l by 69 EXPERTS ONLY ONE GIDNEA
Nicholas Kaye Ltd., 194 Bishopsgntc, London, E.C.2. I
i I BRIDGE WRITERS' l __ CHOICE, 1964 ------::.:;;; 6 BEAUTIFUL THOUGHTS By TERENCE REESE .
.. In view of your association (I) with the British Bridge World WEST EAST since 1935, readers will certainly 1\? 30 expect an article from you in the 3\? 4+ final issue", wrote the eternal 5+ 5NT flatterer. I know, he's short of (2) copy. WEST EAST At such a moment I feel that 1\? 30 more is required than an uplifting 3\? 4\? article on play, demonstrating 5NT some neat point that may ·never arise. I would like to leave he had two of · the three top readers with beautiful thoughts, honours. All right, so far as it and what could be more beauti went, but it didn't go particu!Jrly ful, even if you're playing for far. There have been other con money, than a grand slam, bid ventions-the Dutch h:1d one and made? wherein partner responded Six In the Little Major we have an Clubs, Six Diamonds, etc., accord array of exciting trump asking ing to the precise honour held in bids, known as TAB, and we have the trump suit. Again, all right hcen working on a schedule for on occasions. the 5NT level. It has to be a But one can do much better. jump to 5NT, because when there You know the sort of problem has been no room for 4NT a bid that ariscs. You have a suit like of 5NT may be wanted as some . AQxxxx, ~111d partncr has gi,cn form of Ace enquiry. Compare you pn:fcrcnce to it, N ha' these two auctions: raiscd a rcbid. lias he got the (St'e llt'XI co/1111111) King or just hx "? Th.: probkm In (1) 5NT is Roman Blackwood can be cqually acute from the -or \\hatc\w you play, hut (:!) othcr side-the short trump hand. Your partner h:1s orx-n,·J and is ~~ trump asking hid, since .tNT is by-passed. rebid a suit of "hich you ho!J h or :\XX. If he h:1s AKQ\\ Of course, )'lHI krww tb: old you want to pby in Sc,cn. C111 Cul~rtson Grand Sbm force: 5NT asked partner to l,i,l Sewn you find out"? 7 Before describing the proposed Responses to 5NT new schedule, I must say a word 6+ No Ace, King or Queen about the odds relating to grand 6 0 A ~' K x or Q x slams when using the present 6\7 A x x, K x x, Q x x or scale of IMP. Not vulnerable, AJ, K J, QJ it will cost you 14 if you bid Two of the three top · Seven and go one down, when 6+ honours opponents are making Six; but 6NT A K Q or A K x x if you make the grand slam you There is a logical . basis for all will gain 11. Vulnerable, the stages. To take them in figures are 17 to 13. In short, ~hese order: the odds that you require in your favour are mid-way between 5 to 4 6+ No high honour. This on and 11 to 8 on; quite different, solves the problem for a of course, from the 2 to 1 on that player who holds, for is demanded at rubber bridge. example, A K x x and has One must take into account, been raised; or he can however, that if there is a poss have a better suit like ibility that opponents may not A Q x x x x and have be~n even be in Six, it gains little raised after rebidding lt. to bid the grand slam rather 60 A x or K x or Q x. Critical than the small slam. information, negative or 't' ror a plavcr who In general, at IMP you want to pOSI tVe, ~· : J , • X has sUit ltke be in a grand slam when a 3-2 a A KxxJ or K J x x x x or A Q, . break will practically sec you x x. In the first two cas~:, home. (This is also a fair propo . . lOt sohd sition at rubber bridge). AKJxxx the SUit IS I enough, in the third cas~ opposite xxx is slightly under the odds, and so is AKQJOx opposite .. it is. . · x orQ x ~. xx. To require one out of two Ax x or K x · ·- K J Q J It J:o> 3-3 breaks is enough-not that or A J , • · t 1ll. 1 important to 11 otc J one can often asses a hand in of cran those terms. for purposes ~ _ . ' · x and K J ar~ sl.tm, K x holdin!!S • ·s·'Jltiallv equal -.. 5NT by the long trump hand c.::- . .... • J • • x. It I~ oppos1tc A Q x x · -'th· Enquiry will be made more 1·trcult 1 '" Particularly d ' • - , of a C(' 11 often by the long trump hand, so out the u::.c.: • di~- we will look at that first. n:ntion like thiS. t 0 8 cover that a holding such S~T by the short trump hand as K J opposite A Q x x x The schedule is one sta~"c is solid for five tricks. longer: = You hold as West: Respomes to 5NT . AQxxx 6+ Suit not better than Jack high. AQx 60 Axxxx or Kxxxx or KJ XX Q x x x x, or A J x x, K J The bidding goes: XX, QJ XX. WEST EAST 6~ A K x x or A Q x x or ·~ 2+ KQxx. 3+ 3NT 6+ A K X X X, A Q X X X, K 40 4~ Q x x x, or A K J x, A Q ? J X, K QJ X. 6NT AKxxxx, AQxxxx. Don't waste time reas K Q x x x x, or A K J x x, suring yourself that part A Q J X x, K Q J X x. ~er has two Aces. What A K Q x x, and in some you really want to know 7+ circumstances A K x x x x is the heart holding-is Again we examine these re it K x or as good as K J sponses individually: or K x x? If your 5NT 6+ Suit not better than Jack enquiry is answered by high. That keeps you Six Hearts, bid Seven; if out of Seven with A K x by 60 (or 6+). settle for opposite J 10 x x x. etc. 6NT. 6~ A K x x or A Q x x or 6+ Two of the three top K Q x x. This is an im honours. The Culbert portant stage tx-cause it son convention did this solves the guess f'-)r a for you. player who has K J x. etc. 6NT A K Q or A K x x. This You hold as \\'est: is the information needed X by a player who has AJ X J 10 X X X or ) 0 X X X X X. A J X X If you end up in a grand A K Q lOx slam with A K x x 60 A x x x x etc., or A J x x opposite J 10 x x x you etc. These holdings ~m: ~m: fractionally on the sunicicnt for no losers op wrong side of the odds. posite K Q x. etc. Partner opens One Spade, and The bidding begins: the bidding continues: WEST EAST WEST EAST I+ I+ 30 3+ 3+ 3\? ? ? All you want to know If partner's hearts are K Q x x is whether the spades are there should be a good play for solid. In this sequence Seven. {True, East can have an partner would respond opening bid without the Ace of Seven Clubs to 5NT only spades, but a player who has with A K Q x x. But if opened the bidding, or responded the bidding begins, say, at the level of Two, without an 0 n e S p a d e:- Three Ace should hold back when Spades, then the re responding to 5NT.) If the re sponder is marked with sponse to SNT is Six Diamonds four spades and the open showing no better than K x x x ~ ing bidder will know that or Q x x x x, you can bid 6NT. A K x x x x represents a Partner is not debarred from bid solid suit. ding Seven if he has substantial So that is the system. Good reserves. luck with your next grand slam! 6+ K Q x x x etc., or K Q J x If you employ the convention etc. These holdings are successfully, do send me a note of solid opposite A x x, K the hand; or, better still, a divi x x, Q x x, and also dend. opposite A J, K J, Q J. 6NT K Q x x x x etc., or K Q J x x etc. These holdings The new, true.classlc of brldl• are sufficient opposite A (Guy R1m1~1ln lht 01111 Ttl~gr~plt} x, Kx, Qx. 7+ AKQxx or x in some circumstances A K x x x x. The Expert Game You hold as West: by Terence Reese XXX A AKQJx Edward Arnold Ltd. 111. 14. AIOxx - 10 UR A ENT WORLD HAROLD FRANKLIN reporting on ENGLA~D V. \VALES.
England. M. Harrison-Gray, Butler-Smith who played through A. Hiron, R. S. Brock, I. Manning, out the decisive third match. Of J. R. A. Beale, Dr. R. Y. Forbes, the two trialist pairs, Brock and R. A. Priday (non-playing capt.). Manning began in fine form, sat Wales. E. J. Spurway, B. Clowes, out for only eight boards in each Dr. J. B. Butler, C. S. Smith, of the first two matches, and G. Orlick, P. Davies, L. R. seemed to be having the better of Griffin (non-playing capt.). things at their table. In the final match they were off on the wrong foot and suffered further in their The Camrose Trophy which efforts to retrieve a losing match. was given a shot in the arm when Beale and Forbes, neither of them Scotland won it for the first time newcomers to international brid£e, last year was further stimulated at were not at their best, but their Windsor when Wales defeated partnership is in its early d:1ys England for the first time since and incorporates a sufficient 1939. There was little indication wealth of talent to hold promise of the final result when England for the future. won the first two matches 4-2 Manning was faced with the after being well placed for a 6-0 first awkward decision ''hen, vul win on each occasion. ln the nerable against non-vulncr:1bk. third match it was the Welsh who his partner, second to sreal.. took the early lead and they gave doubled an opening bid of On:: their opponents no opportunity to Spade. What shouiJ he n:~rl"'rl l recover: although Priday played with: his anchor pair throughout this +76 ~KJIO OA765 +JJ0€4 final match, his opponents took He has the values to t-:: s0m.: full advantage of lapses in the when: m:ar f!ame but h.t:; n,, other room to take maximum oJWilHIS bid Ill l'.XJ'rt':.'S thi.;, in tit ;: point with u win of 57 I.M.P, absence nf a !!l1l'd :-uit. C:rt.:inly makin the match result Wale" 10 h~ is not !!lll)d l!lhHJ~h f~.,r T" ~_, En lund X. Sp:tdl.'s, ,, hi.:J 1 "ill l,l,li: .: him t'' :l!!;lill r.: All the WcJ..h h::un cma~: t·d bid aft.:r r :• rtn.:r h.h ~pl)l\d:·d . Tint:.: Cluh (~.'r l!i:: ith corhid~rablc ncdit, and l':.- llHlllLb) l'\ prl':-'.:s :-,,n:.: 'tr .:n :::t pecially the p.lirs Spu '"" ay-Ciln\ l'', II without being forcing, but would Gray and Hiron bid the hand suggest a rather better suit. Man simply: ning, not unreasonably, decided WEST EAST on a modest Two Clubs in the 2+ 2NT hope that partner might give him 30 40 a further opportunity. The No opener bid Two Spades and after 50 two passes he was back in the hot The 2NT response did not seat. Clearly he had the values to permit of the cards which would contest further, and equally make a slam attractive and Biron · clearly, there was no bid that he was not tempted to an effort after could safely make, and so he his partner's diamond support. settled for a reluctant pass. At the other table Spurway also Partner held: opened Two Spades and Clowes +K3
RESULT OF NOVEMBER C0~1PETITIO~ This was a high scoring month, but Problem One and Probl~m S.:\en (b) roth tr;~~pcd a large proportion of competitors. As I had gloomrly fN~~ast, m .:m) llllSmtcrprctcd North's 4NT hid in Problem One as an attempt to fon.""C &')uth to bid his bc!>t minor suit. Wlnnt·r: ,\/.JX. J()O 94 J. K. PATI s, Two-Ways, 46 Oak Avenue, Shirley, Cro)dl'n, Surre)·
St>t•ond: ,. ~ G. K. Russru., St. Alphcge llousc, 7 Frith Road, 0 ..1\er ,~I Equal I bird: J. MA'ill, 25 Broadlands An:., \\'atcrlt"-)\illc, Portsmouth, ll..1nts. P. J. C~tAnnr, 23 Allxrt Squar~', Lond0n, S.W.!\. 0 t 1 · C R B ~!UO{AY s-t· ~~ D Twu SJ; II. S. I K·r t·adm~ !>Con·!>: J. 11111111 KT, • • • • • • • ' . • 1•10 · 11 ·J, D Sr\t\IO'n' Ro1u~~l~, K. L. G. ~IA"ll Y, A. F. JAil RILOT, ~· K. KROI.S I . ..1\;11 ~ ( \u,tri ,,· !\:!; J. E. TAYIOK, CIRCOIO Ort. llRll>CL (Tn~~td, l?R. ?· ~- ,~ ' · · C. J . P ."'""'~"· Sl; D. J. Dw, L. L. Roni"S..')S, R. \\. ltC"-"·' · T\\o further gLlOJ s.:L)res in the O.:w~r Cl~m~tition "~n:: K. T. Rl If'!'" Cllnll.lnd). i6; !'.:. At\lc;RI s (S\\cJ~n), ":6. 17 HAND FROM NEW ZEALAND REX EVANS, discusses another deal from the team chmnpionship.
The conjurer with his stock in Against West's 3 club contract, trade of hats and doves and North led the King of diamonds. rabbits never fails to astound us. Readers are invited to defend the Because it is all beyond our hand from the South position. comprehension we shrug it off in To the first trick East and bewilderment by saying that the South played low and West quickness of the hand deceives fo11owed with the 5. the eye. North now switched to the 9 The expert bridge player is not of trumps, which was won in permitted to indulge in any sleight dummy. West played the 3. A of hand tactics to encompass the small spade was led and West's downfall of his opponents. How king was captured by North's ace. ever, he can on occasions create a North exited with the queen of veil of deception which is very trumps, won on the table, West hard to penetrate. playing the 6. Such a situation was exploited The queen and the jack of in this hand from the recent spades were led from dummy on New Zealand Championship which West discarded the 5 and Teams of Four; dealer North. the I 0 of hearts. Then followed NORTH the 10 of spades and South had WEST EAST to make up his mind whether or • QJ 1062 not to trump with his master jack. \/ Q6 He correctly decided that 0 43 thcr~ 0 11 .A K52 could be no profit in holding . • SOUTII \Vhen he trumped, West c.hs· • 8 53 carded the King of hearts . \/A874 Sitting South, what would )"l)U 0 9 6 2 lead now'? .J 74 \Vhilc you arc taking a momcn; SOUTII Wt:sT NOR Til EAST or two to think lhat one out. I+ will hasten to a!!rec that then~ arc No 2. No 3. clues a\'aibble ;nd that, posed ~1 s No No No a spccthc• • probkm h.1nu,• .I •tt nlJ\'· 18 not be too difficult to arrive at the by appearing to advertise that he correct solution. had only K I 05 in hearts. South In actual play and especially believed this and enquired no . in the final stage of an arduous further. He was understandably tournament, it is by no means reluctant to sec his precious ace easy. ruffed to set up the queen in dummy. In the event, South returned As against this, however, it the 9 of diamonds. This was cannot be denied that cool and captured by West with the ace accurate counting of the \Vest and a small diamond was ruffed hand would inevitably lead South in the dummy. to the conclusion that, regardless Now came the 6 of spades from of apparent indications, the ace East on which declarer discarded of hearts must be led at this point. the Two of hearts! The cat was South knows that North started now well and truly out of the bag. with four spades and two clubs, But too late! West comfortably therefore if North holds four gathered up the rest of the tricks hearts-which Wcsfs play is try on a cross-ruff. ing to suggest-he cannot have As you will now know, the full more than three diamonds. This hands were as follows: would give West a five-card dia NORTII mond suit, which is impossible in + A974 view of his two club bid on a four <::? J 9 3 card club suit. 0 K Q 108 +Q9 1: WEST EAST E.B.U. CHAMPIONSHIP FOR i! +K +QJ 1062 WOMEN'S TEAt-1S j! C:)K1052 <::? Q6 j; 0 A J 7 5 0 4 3 llnd to 14th J3nu3ry :; + 10 X6 3 +A K 52 WHITELAW CUP SoU"J II WEEKEND +X 53 ro t;.e tle/J or t .~e \?AS74 0 9 (l2 GRAND HOTEL, EASTBOURNE + j 74 Wc~t had drawn a l'tlllning n·il nf deception mer the pwcccdings A NASTY MIS HAP ! In the Camrose Trophy match king of diamonds, he still had between England and Wales, the three diamond winners for three following hand proved somewhat heart discards. This gave Wales costly. 1t was Hand 34 and it 640 points. occurred in 1939: Carter's double of one heart Dealer South. may or may not have had some Game All. thing to do with the feeble North NORTH South bidding. +QJ104 Rivlin Tarlo .Ricardo Lederer ~AKJ63 0 K 7 54 No 10 1~ 2+ +- 2+ 3+ 4+ No No S+ S+ Dble WEST EAST No 6+ 6•. Dble + K 76 No No No \/Q ~ 1072 This gave Wales 1,610 points, OQJto962 ·- OA8 a total of 2,250. +AQJ753 +KI0842 SOUTH +A98532 \/9854 La Revue Beige 03 du +96 SOUTII WEST NORTH EAST Bridge Whitby AfcAI/is- Grew Carter ter Un programme complet pour No 10 I~ Dble amateurs et experts No 2+ No 3+ 3\f 4+ 4\f 5+ Direction technique: No No No A. Flnklcsteln
The queen of spades was led Abonnemcnt annucl and West made 13 tricks. After ( 12 numeros) rufl_ing and drawing trumps, Mc 220 frs. belges A_lhster finessed the eight of dtamonds, played the ace and 64, Avenue Louise, BruxeUes. ruffed a spade. After forcing the :!0 Directory of E.B.U. Affiliated Clt1bs
KENT IE~~~~REBittDGf. CLUB, JS Jesse Terrace, Stocur-Sidcup Bridge Oub, SiJcu;> Go:f Rudinlf. Td. Reading S2136. Hon. Sec. Club, Hurst Road, Sidcup. Hon. Sec., !'.fn.. C. T. Holloway. Hours of play: . 2 p.m. to W. Da•· i~. 24 Carlton Road, Sidcup. Telerhone: 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. to II p.m. Duphcate alter· FOO 1868. Stakes 3d. Pannershi;'! !'.fon .• nate Mondays. Cut-in (3d.): 2nd., 4th and Sth Wed .• Fri. Duplicate Mon., Wed. Tuesday afternoons, every Tuesday evening and ~•cry Thursday afternoon. Partnership (3d.) 1st. and 3rd. Tuesday afternoons, every Thurs· LANCS LIVERPOOL-Liverpool Bridge Ou~. ll Ur~r day and Saturday evening. Partnership {6d.) Ouke Street, Liverpool. Tel.: Ro)'al 8180. c•cry Tuesday evening. Hon. Sec., Mrs. H. T. Halcwood. Pannershipt Tue., Fri. afternoon. Duplicate Mon. evrnin'-
LONDON DE\'ON . MAYFAIR BRIDGE Sruoto-110 Mount Stre-et., PlYtoWIJTtt-Piymouth Drid~te Club, Moore View House, Moor View Terrace, Tel.: Plymouth WI. (2nd floor). GRO 2844. Hon. Sec:· !'.fn.. H. Ponting. Stake5 I!· and 6d. Pannersh1;:1 ~un. 67733. Cut-in or Partnership Mon., Tues., Wed. evenings 6d., Mon. aftcrn'?On 6d. D!;'rhcatc Thurs., Sat. evenings. Wed., Sun. afternoons. pairs 1st and 3rd Thursday e•·entnGS 7.30, .nd a.'ld Duplicate Thurs. afternoons. Tuition Clll5ses. 4th Sun. afternoons, teams 2nd and 4th S;ll. e-·en Vi\llors welcome. Stakes ld. and 3d. inGS. Tuition by G. C. H. Fox.
MW.~~!"BtuDGE cu:-so Hi~h~te West IIA!'II'TS Hill, N.6. MOU 3423. Hon. Sec.. !'.fn.. 0\~,m. IJoUitNEMOUTII, GROVE ROAD DtttDGE CLUH Stakes 2d. Partnership Wed. Afternoons, Fn.. ~r East Cliff Cottaae, S7 Grove Road, Bourne· and Saturday e\·enin&,, mouth 24311. Bon. Sec., Mrs. !'.toss. Stakes 3d. Partnership, Thurs. and Sat. aO., Sun. evening. Duplicate, 1st Wed., Jrd Fri. s~~s~~YMAYFIELO BIUDGE Cu;-:::.a St. !'.hr.inl WasEX CLUB. Lindsay Manor, Lindsay Road, Avcnu~,' Epsom 4938. Hon. Sees. H .. G. k llournemouth. Wcstbourne 64034. Hen. Sec., 0. M. Diggs, Stake5, _3d. (e,ccrt .\\c:J. rJ;. The Secretary. 6d. Partnership Mon. aft .• Fri . .aft. 6d.) P.lrtnersh•p. !'.fon., \\ c.L, ~.t. Wed . evening. 2d. Partnership Tues. aft. and Wed., Fri., eve. Closed Sunday. Fri. aft. Duplicate 1st, 2nd and 4th Friday e•·enina each month and Jrd Thursday afternoon. JIEAnl Dll!DGE Ctua-The Hcat.'l, We~· fxl. cut-in e•·ery ni&ht except Partnership and bridge \\'eybriJ&c 436=0. Hon. Sec.. C. G. l>uplicate days. 2d. or tid. cut-in e•·ery afternoon. A' e; Alway~ oren. \'isitors v.ck<>me. St .~l~ Vi\ltors v.elcome. 3JnG p;nnership Tue1. aft., Fri. afl. Du;-!..:.>:c M~n. and Thurs. e•·c. Tuition &\3obl-le.
ISLE OF WIGHT SHANKLIN, CRAIG MOllE llttllX.it. Ct UU-IIo-..aro.l Moad, Shanklin, I.W. Shanklin 2940. lion. Sec., J. S. Danby, Stakn 2J. J)uplic:tte Mon. (Oct. to May). l'artner~hip, Tues.
If you would like particulars· o f your c Iu b to •·tpp~u · in BriJ-:,l'. • . · • · J·1nu·tr)' wntc: for Mac:a~int• for twelve months, b c:g.•nmng II1 • • • . · • · l\1 "" ·r Orid~"c: ~b~:lZin~-. details to the Ad\'crtJscmcnt an .• :~ • : - Wakdlcld Road, Leeds, 10.
:!I ONE HUNDRED UP NOVEMBER SOLUTIONS conducted by ALAN HIRON
The panel for the November com stopped but no great preference for any petition consisted of the following of the other three suits. While it is fourteen experts; Mrs. R. Markus, possible that 4NT will not be the per J. Cansino, J. Collings, E. Crowhurst, fect contract, it must represent a better G. C. H. Fox, J. Nunes, T. Reese, chance than a guess at the five level. D. Rimington, R. Sharples and N. I am quietly confident that quite a few Smart, all of London and the Home competitors will regard 4NT as a Counties; C. E. Phillips of Cheshire; manifestation of the unusual no-trump J. Lc Dcntu of Paris; J. Besse of Geneva; but I promise that this is my last trap as and H. Filarski of Amsterdam. Conductor of 100 Up: the other nine Problem No. 1 (10 points) problems are all relatively · straight Match-point pairs, North-South · forward. vulnerable, the bidding has gone: REESE: "No Bid. Other consider SoUTII WEST NORTH EAST ations apart, with partner's who play 3+ this bid as conventional I take the 4+ No 4NT No earliest opportunity to finish the rubber.' SHARPLES: "No Bid. Partner's 4NT (North-South are using the Lower bid must be natural. As he could ha\'e Minor convention for a take-out over passed our Four Club bid he must ha\'e three-bids) some scattered values-probably a South holds: 4-3-3-3 pattern with two spade stop +- ~AQI043 0AK7 +AJ862 pers." What should South bid? CAr-:StNo: "No Bid. We ha\'e asked Anmw: No Bid, 10; Five Clubs, 3; partner to bid a suit and he has refrained Six Clubs, 3; Seven Clubs, 3. from doing so. True, we could bl: ThC' panC'/'s l'otC': II for No Bid; I for missing something in either clubs or Five Clubs (le Dentu): I for Six Clubs hearts, e\'Cn if he has only three Of
for the work of Oxfam"-says a collector for the Oxfam Pledged Gift Scheme. She collects 2/6d. a month from each of them-it provides food, tools and training for those in desperate need. Could you help by collecting at your Bridge Club?
For full details of the Scheme write to: 274 BANBURY ROAD OXFAM OXFORD
31 BRIDGE ACADEMY Conducted by G. C. H. Fox.
Last month I mentioned several West passed 5+ round to East factors which needed to be taken who doubled, not being certain into account when making safety of making 5+. plays in match pointed pairs. West led 3+ taken by East who Tactical considerations also switched to OQ covered by OK arise in estimating a sacrifice bid. and 0 A. South ruffed the third It is important to consider whether diamond and led a low club to the the opponents would have been ace. He returned 5+ and East likely to make their contract. followed with 4+. The problem The following hand from play now arose as to whether to finesse illustrates the point. or play for the drop. Dealer East. South could see that i~ defence East-West Vulnerable against 4+ his side would make NORTH 1'\), no Diamonds, probably one +742 Spade and at least one Club. '\)A92 If the Clubs were 2-2, 4+ 0 7 6 53 would probably be defeated, there +A85 fore it had to be assumed that the Clubs lay 3-1, and +J was WEST EAST successfully finessed. The loss of • Q85 3 +AJ1096 '\)QJ97 '\) K 6 500 was a good result since 4+ 0 A984 0 QJ 10 was unbeatable. It will be noted that it was +IO +Q43 assumed that K+ would make, SOUTII although it was unguarded. Once +K the Ace was located on the right '\) 10543 and the opponents did not hold · K2 0 so many of the suit that they were +KJ98762 likely to play for the drop, the /Jidding bare King was almost certain to SOUTII WEST NORTH EAST win. I+ It is not merely a question as to 2+ 3+ 4+ 4+ whether the opponents' contract 5+ No. No. dhl. can be made hut whether it can No. No. No. reasonably be made. Here is another example of a VICTOR MOLLO'S justifiable safety play: NEW BOOK Dealer South. "The modern bridge disease, Game All. ranking high among the secrets Wr.sT EAsT of failure, is Psittacosis. This the +J +AK2 dictionary defines as: a parrot \?853 'JA976 disease, communicable to man. OAKQ542 063 The symptoms arc unmistakable . • 9 7 6 + 1 10 8 5 Every few minutes the patient SoUTII WEST NORTH EAST utters some catchphrase or slogan t+ 20 No 2NT which he docs not pretend to No 3NT No No understand, and during C\'el)· deal South led +6 and +J held the he gives a number. trick. East can be sure of his "At game all South picks up contract with only five tricks in +KJ8 <::/KB OAKI075 +KJ diamonds, therefore he can afford West, on his left, opens one spade. to duck one round in case they are East calls two hearts. divided 4-1. This precaution is "His judgment ha\'ing been justified because corrupted by years of numerology. (I) 3NT bid and made looks South launches blithely into three to be a good contract with diamonds, and, owing to a faulty a combined 22 count and defence, goes down only 1100. no adverse opening bid. "Of course he bemoans bitterly: (2) The opening lead has given 'With 19 points I could not p:1~s. an unexpected trick ( +J). Every card was wrong.' ''Ari advanced state of Psitt~ cosis can be diagnosed at once. "Since it was known-or should THE AMERICAN have been-that dummy can h:ud ly ha\'e a card of entry, <.kdar~r BRIDGE WORLD was predestined to kad C\ cry stut from his own hand. \\'h:ll nutt.:r. Subscrl ptlons then, whether the aces and qt:ccrh for One Year - £2 IS 0 were over or under the kin~'·" Two Yurs • • £4 7 6 Victor :\tollo in S:t.-cl·-'s ,:: Sole Arent in Great Britain: /Jridt:t'. Tilis has just "'"'en pubti~h.:J hy .ln. Hixi Murku• NcWil\.'S at Js. 6d. It i.; a r.t:-'r~'rt :.!:.! J.o,..,ldu l..ucl,_;t', l.mulnn, S.\\'.3. to winnin~ hrid::c. E.K. 3.' WHILE THERE'S LIFE M. WAKENELL discusses two huge turnovers.
It was the semi-final of the North dealt. Vanderbilt Cup, the most im- North-South vulnerable. portant team tournament in the NORTH United States. It seemed a waste +JI075 of time to play it, for one team \? KQ6 consisted of an inexperienced 0- foursome who had scraped +KQ10843 through the preliminary rounds WEST EAST with considerable luck, while the +Q96 +K4 other team was a mass of talent : \?1107 \?A985 B. J. Becker, John Crawford, 0 Q976 OKI0842 Howard Schenken, Sam Stayman +A95 +72 and George Rapee. I SOUTH The match consisted of 48 +A832 boards, aggregate scoring. At \? 43 2 half time there was an interval of · 0 AJ 53 two hours, during which period +J6 the mass of talent discussed ways SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST and means of getting back their I+ 10 deficit in the 24 remaining boards. 1\? No 2\? No They were in arrears to the tune 2NT No 3+ No of 3,770 points. 3NT Dble No No They decided that only bashing Redble No No No could save them, for there just wasn't time to get the points to stray from his normally accur back by waiting for the opponents ate path. Schenken went quietly to make mistakes. and confidently to three no One of the spectacular deals trumps, bidding hearts en route, was played in a part score in one and then redoubled. room, but not in the other. Of course he could neva go (See next column) down many tricks, not more than North, B. J. Becker, rather three on a heart lead and switch overstepped the mark by opening to the eight of diamonds, but vulnerable on only two honour \Vest naturally led the six of tricks vulnerable, but he decided diamonds. The <.kclan:r took 34 Ea (s king and led the knave of 0:0RTII club . We t, certain of the kill, + 72 jumped in with the ace and led \? 10653 the seven of diamonds. East 0 1074 played the 10, thus blocking the + K 109 5 suit and South lost two diamonds, WEST EAST one club and one heart to score +AQJ43 +KI096 plus 950 instead of minus I ,600. \?A 97 \? 14 The Becker team continued the 0 KQJ 8 0 A96 bashing treatment, eventually win +Q +J 842 ning the match by 2,560. SOUTH I was fortunate to be at the + 85 Buchanan Club, Glasgow, many \?KQ82 years ago when Clement Ellis 0 5 32 seemed to be taking Ewart Kemp +A 763 son apart. At the final interval, the Scottish team of Ellis, Nichol It was explained later that son, Peel and Clark were 3,300 East made a cue bid in advance ahead of Kempson, Wraith, Gold and tl?is became apparent to blatt and MacKinnon with 20 \Vest when East jumped to four boards to go. spades on the second round. Kempson had quite a different West at first assumed that three approach to the position than the diamonds was a genuine suit and Americans had in their final made an advanced cue bid in interval. He insisted that his hearts, but re-assessed his hand system would recover the points after the jump raise in spades. without any heroics. The play was simple enough, b~.nh The Scots lost the lead 011 declarers making 12 tricks. Board 90! West was the dealer Another big swing came a few at love all. hands later. (Sec 11ext colum11) (Scc IICXl pagl') Ellis and Nicholson bid one East led the four of hearts, anJ ~padc-two spades, four spades. there was ne\cr any chan~e l'f The other, so-called "Natural", making more than ei~ht tri~l.-.; . cqucncc was: unless the dianwnJ suit b~h:t\ed . MacKinnon Goldblatt The tkcbrcr, thad~.,r~.-, h't'~ th:: 2+ 30 ~I.'Ct)Jhl round of he:1rts ~1nd kJ 3\/ -t+ a di;unnnd to the Jack and Qt:~.·cn . (). No After this, thc h:1nd f~.·ll ap:trt and South dealt. ended with win for the visiting Love all. team by 3,200 or a turnover of NORTH 6,500 in 20 boards. • J 5 You may say that anything \79832 could happen in the bad old 0 AJ days when aggregate scoring was +AJ0985 combined with poor bidding, but WEST EAST it couldn't happen today. It • Q 103 • 962 could, and did as recently as last \7Q75 \7KI064 July when, in the final of the Gold 010943 OQ5 Cup, the team captained by +643 +KQ72 Terence Reese lost 65 i.m.p. to the team captained by M .. Har +AK874 rison-Gray in 64 boards. With \7 A J only 36 left for play, the match OK8762 was all over; in fact K. W. +J Konstam, a member of the Reese The Scots bid "normally" as team, gave the odds as 10 to I on follows: Harrison-Gray. There was a 10 2+ team conference before the final 2+ 2NT session began and "controlled 30 3NT aggression" was taken as the key to success. It was too. There the contract was defeated by was a turnover of 114 i.m.p. on three tricks. tlie 36 boards for Reese to win comfortably by 49. The "natural" bidders wasted Here is an example of controlled no time: aggression, dealt by South with Wraith Kempson both sides vulnerable: 2. 4+ (Sec next page.) The 010 was led, Wraith· J. Sharples and Dr. M. Rockfclt playing the ace followed by the reached three no-trumps, missing king and a third diamond. This the lay down contract of six clubs. was ruffed with the knave and a The former opened with one heart was led to the ace. The diamond and rebid two clubs declarer led a fourth diamond, over the rather unnatural one East over-rufiing dummy. The spade response. East bid the declarer lost one spade, one ruff fourth suit and passed \\'est's and one heart and the match three no-trumps. 36 NoRTH .KQJ4 y> Q 54 The Bridge 0 J 7 64 +43 Player's WEST EAST Bedside Book +A3 +9852 GEORGE F. HERVEY ~K9 y>AJ3 OKQ532 OA9 A delightful and unusual bridge book for it sets ou.t to +AQ87 +KJ92 entertain, and makes no .1076 attempt to instruct the <\)108762 reader in either the bidding 0 10 8 or the play of cards. However, these essays +1065 contain such a fund of information about bridge that it will be surprising if the In the other room: book docs not help your Schapiro Reese game. 16,'- 20 2NT 3NT 40 4• . sy> Suit Preference 60 No Again the club slam was missed Signals in but West made six diamond~ Contract Bridge after North had led the king of HY LA \'1:--."THAL spades. When the diamonds failed to break 3-3, West took the The Suit Preference Signal heart finesse. devised by Hy La\·inthal in I asked the "natural" bidders to the early 30's is prob:1!:-ly the most advantag~-ous c~ud have a go·. Their sequence: playing conwntion ewr 20 3+ invented. Throughout the 5+. 5<\) years he has worked to 60 perfect it, anJ has now 5. produced a rook \\ hi..;h is ;10 7+ No exceedingly instru..:tiw anJ On a Spade (worst lead for useful contribution tll briJ:;c declarer), the grand depends on a literJtur~. ~I.'- 3-3 Diamond hrcak or the heart finesse. If the Diamonds arc 3-3, FABER & FABER the cluhs can be 4-l. 37 BEGINNERS' PITFALLS (2) by NoRMAN DE V. HART.
In the first of these two articles I my own game," each one de discussed some of the pitfalls a fiantly announces, "just Utility, well-taught beginner must beware partner". And by Utility they of when, fresh from the tutelage mean an amorphous two-club of a good teacher, he has joined a system with a strong opening small-stake bridge club to gain no-trump and hardly any other experience and find his feet. The conventions than the informative pitfalls I dealt with were those he double Blackwood, and the sim dug for himself in his natural pler forcing bids, none of which eagerness to play the forward, they use correctly. rather dashing game that he had It is impossible to list all the been told pays ofT in the long run. pitfalls that attitude to bidding Now I am going to warn him of a creates for our modern-minded few of the many pitfalls some of beginner. Since I must restrict his partners will inevitably con myself, I think the really help trive for him. For while he will ful thing I can do for him is to put cut good, fairly good, and just him on his guard against the most tolerable partners, he will also dangerous result, for him, of their have to play with some who have still living in the distant past. It never seriously learnt the game. is their ignorance of, their refusal Far too soon after they were to recognise, special bidding sit weaned from auction bridge and uations that have for long been took up the new-fangled contract handled by all good· players in their ideas of bidding began to certain specified ways. They just solidify, and later bidding de go on bidding as if no special velopments, with very few ex situation had arisen. ceptions, passed them by un That is not true of all Utilit heeded. In short, .their bidding arians, of course. Very many is dreadfully old-fashioned, and play the modern game and play it they still practise many of the well, merely keeping it relatively bidding fallacies that the rest of us free from artificial conventions. have outgrown or never known. With them our beginner can What's more, they arc astound safely and happily usc the routines ingly proud of never having he has been taught to follow. But moved with the times. .., play from the moment he joins a club 3M he must set himself to separate in NORTH his mind the Utilitarian wheat + K72 from the chaff. '\? 7 4 The most common of the special OAI054 ~ituations I am thinking of arc +QJ082 protection, the sign-off, the in \VEST EAST tervening no-trump, and the in + 8 643 + Q 109 formative double. The need for . '\? 6 2 \/KJI083 protection usually arises when an 0 83 . 0 Q96 opening bid at the level of one is +K9763 +A5 followed by two passes. The SOUTII fourth player must realise that +AJ5 his partner may well have passed a \/AQ95 hand of substance for lack of a 0 KJ72 good bid, and he must protect his +J4 partner's pass by keeping the auction open on as little as eight doubling instead of passing. A or nine points. But that is just protective double, this, not an what old-fashioned Utilitarians informative double; but no such never think of doing; they require distraction, of course, was known a fat opening hand themselves, to North, who saw nothing special before even dreaming of ·doing in the situation. South could have anything but thankfully pass out a turned the double into business by harmless bid of one. That is passing, North would then have what our beginner discovered in led trumps when he got in, and this deal, in which he sat South. East could have been three down, (See next column) doubled. Or South might have East dealt and opened with one trusted North for a club hold, heart. With his mairi strength bid three no-trumps, and made it. in that suit and no five-card suit Next, the sign-off. Our be of his own, our beginner decided ginner is again South. to pass and await events-and (See next page) one heart was passed out. South · North opens with one di=lmond, led his five of spades, East played and South responds with one well and, with North not playing heart, having been properly so well, managed to ruff a dia taught that he nuy do th:lt on mond in dummy, and so was only only five high-card points if part two down. But let us suppose of the count is in his partner's North had duly protected by diamonds. North now jumps to 39 NORTH be illustrated with the following +AQ6 deal: \/8 4 NORTH OAK105 +72 +A 1092 \/AQ10854 WEST EAST 0 96 + K 7 3 +110842 +KQ2 \1 A1 2 \1 K 6 WEST EAST 018 7 4 0 93 + A1 10 • 954 + 8 54 +KQ73 \1 K9 3 \/7 SOUTJI OQJ104 087532 • 95 +A 107 +J643 \/Q109743 SOUTH 0 Q62 + KQ 8 6 3 +16 \1 J 6 2 OAK two no-trumps, and South signs +985 ofT \Vith three hearts. North South, our beginner, opens with docs not sec this as a sign-off; the one spade and West comes in with only sign-ofT he recognises is in an one no-trump. North bids two agreed trump suit. He thinks hearts and East passes. So does South is showing ofT a fine heart our beginner. Has he not been suit, and thus encouraged joyfully taught that North doubles no bids three no-trumps. East leads trumps with eight points or m?re, the four of spades and defeats the and bids only if he lacks e1ght contract. Three hearts can just points but has a long suit with be made. Our beginner has now which to put up a bit of a fight learned that there arc some part against no-trumps? South with ners from whom he cannot expect his minimum opening naturally protection and some with whom it sees no hope of game. If he had is best to pass a jump rebid of known that North ignores the two no-trumps and not try to no-trump and bids just as if it had sign ofT in his own long suit. been a suit intervention, South of The two remaining cases I still course would have bid three have to touch on concern the hearts, and North with eleven reactions of the opener's partner points would have bid and made to an intervening no-trump and to game. And it would have been an informative double. Both can exactly the same if \Vest had 40 doubled instead of bidding no described, must adapt his own trumps. North would have ig bidding to theirs. If they seem to nored the double and bid two sign-ofT he knows they have a hearts, expecting South to rebid really good suit, and if they bid ju t as if there had been no double over an intervening no-trump or by West. an informative double he knows What it all comes to is that our they have the goods-and acts beginner, once he has found out accordingly. The thing is to take ,.,,hich of his partners will behave t~e trouble to understand the . in the antediluvian ways I have antediluvians-and cash in on it.
GUESS WHO'S HERE
This is tht' first and only autht'lltic pic/tift' (~( thl· l.itth· .\/ajor. Jh· .\Oilt'd hand clutching thl' spatacll·s may f.l·long to thl' Litt!.· Jl'atcl:a. -II Paragraphs from the Past By EWART. KEMPSON
It would be the greatest of Konstam's good interference bid pities to allow this number of the is another brickbat in the British Bridge World to go to machinery. press without recalling one or two It would be fit and proper to . of its past glories. So let us go use the same terms today regarding back 30 years and see what was Kenneth Konstam's great ability. going on. Writing on the match, Colonel Hubert Phillips gave consider Buller had this to say: "The able space to the B.B.W. match British Bridge World team are against Colonel Buller's team. to be congratulated on their The British Bridge World team success. After the first session was composed of four players: they played the steadier game, Hubert Phillips, B. C. Westall, and, seeing that they were well Kenneth Konstam and Simon behind, this reflects great credit Rivlin. The opposing team con on them and shows them to have sisted of five players: Colonel team work and good morale. Walter Buller, Mrs. Evers, Graham Mathieson, Guy Ramsey, "We thoroughly deserved our C. H. Collingwood. loss, and, of course, we missed Mr. Mathieson is the only one of the regular members of surviving member of Colonel our team who was unable to Buller's team, while Mr. Phillips participate. is the only non-surviving member "It seems evident that, while of the B.B.W. team. with increased experience and the Trailing by nearly 4,000 points tendency to forsake the approach at Board 42, the British Bridge forcing system, other teams arc World team won by 2,400 over improving, we, as a team arc 100 boards. deteriorating." The report draws frequent New books of the day included attention to Kenneth Konstam: Lederer Bids Tll'o Clubs, 220 Konstam's play was beyond praise. pages for six shillings. Tire Theory Konstam's bid of Three Hearts of /t.fodem Contract, 196 pages was an excellent piece of imagina for six shillings. Contract /Jrit~!Jt' tive bidding. Konstam's bidding Dictionary, 160 pages for three is admirably straightforward. shillings ~tnd sixpcnct' . ..tn·s .\!mit• 42 £a y, 134 pages by W. D. H. be suflicient to condemn the \tcCullough with illustrations by COn\'ention." Fougasse at the trifling cost of The competition winners that fi'"c shillings. month - December, 1934 - In Letters to the Editor, George were Mrs. Cail of Hexham and Her\'ey wrote: "When Mr. Cul Mr. Andrew Lane of Newlands, bertson brought out his four-five Glasgow. no-trump convention, he asserted Finally a tribute which appeared that it was so effective that it in that 30 year old issue to the came perilously near card Britislz Bridge World's first editor, sharping. In the eyes of all who Hubert Phillips. It was written by have the interests of the game at B. C. \Vestall, the reigning Presi heart, that statement alone should dent of the English Bridge Union. HUBERT PHILLIPS By B. C. WESTALL Hubert Phillips is the most think that Phillips has a natural extraordinary man I have ever aptitude for cards in the same met. His mental energy is amaz way that he has for chess. As a ing. In the course of a week he player he has improved out of all contributes a column a day to the knowledge during the last two News-Chronicle (under the pseu years, but this is due to application donym "Dogberry"), an article coupled with his unusual intel for the New Statesman, three lectual qualities. On another articles on Bridge for the News page is described a recent match Chronicle, and, in addition, he between the British Brid..~e WorM edits this magazine. Apart from and Colonel Buller's team. This this routine work he produces was the first occasion on '' hich two or three books a year and has Phillips had captained the team recently started a magazine of his and the "B.B.\\'.s" \'ictory may own called The Sphinx at Play; in be largely attributed not only ll' connection with that he runs the his excellent play hut ll) hi.; Sphinx Club which by now is splendid captaincy. Indeed, known to mo!'.t Bridge players. Phillips is an id~,· ; •l captain tn Nut only is lluhcrt Phillips play under. lie i:\ imari;1bly one of the hc~t known authorities che~.·rful and I dd'y anyb~,dy hl in the muntry on Bridge, hut he tell from hi-; ~l'lltltenanc~ '' hl.'th~-r i.;; a \ay line playa. I lhl not his team is \\ innin1:! l'r I~., ~ in~. 11~ .. p is a delightful partner to play with, remember playing a match down and on this subject I can speak at Cardiff where, by some ad with authority because I have mirable bidding, he and I had partnered him in most of the reached a contract of Seven matches played by The British Diamonds. To make his contract Bridge World team, and I have he had to take a quite unavoidable yet to hear a word of reproof finesse. To my surprise he halted fall from his lips. and thought for at least five I first met Hubert Phillips minutes and eventually played the during the war when we served hand in the one way in which he together in the same battalion could have lost the contract. I and it was in those hectic days hasten to add that Hubert was that we first played Bridge to never a bad card player, but he gether. In the last few years, was at times liable to most however, I have come to know curious obsessions. For no suffi him very much better than I did cient reason he would imagine during the war, and I have that the opponents' cards were developed a most profound regard distributed in some unusual way. for him. If he has a fault it is During the last year, however, he that he has never a bad word to has entirely eliminated this weak say for anybody. This is all the ness and in our last match, with more extraordinary because one possible exception, he made Hubert possesses a very pungent no mistake in the play of the cards. wit, but so carefully does he wield Perhaps the best example of it that nobody can ever take Phillips' . unusual brain may be offence at his shafts. found in his Caliban's Problem It is a pleasant sight to watch Book. I think there are something Hubert playing in a duplicate like a hundred problems in this bridge match. He leans well back book. He gave me a copy. I do in his chair, a cigar of huge not think that I am stupider than dimensions clenched between his the next man, but I must confess teeth. When he has decided that I succeeded in solving three what to bid he takes an enormous out of the hundred problems! puff of his cigar and expels Two of these solutions, I must the smoke together with his call. Phillips' chief weakness at Bridge add, were incorrect. ~sed to be that he was occasionally Another curious thing about hable to make an extraordinary Hubert Phillips is his choice of blunder in the play of the cards. 1 diet. Take him out to dinner 44 and Hubert will cat whatever he is Hubert sitting down to a dinner given . If, however, you know composed of tomatoes and lettuce. him fairly well, he will ask to be I think that is the only time when allowed to choose his own food. I have ever seen Hubert downcast. This will consist of a large helping I have tried hard to \\Tite of caviare, two glasses of vodka, something about him, but on and a piece of Gruyere cheese. A looking it over I feel that I have few months ago his doctor put entirely failed to convey any him on a special diet-his vodka idea of the real Hubert: Let me was knocked off and caviare just say that Hubert is the most was verboten. It was really a lovable fellow and the best friend most pathetic sight to see poor that a man can have. l 2nd WORLD OLYMPIAD HANDBOOK
18/• post paid
II FULL COVERAGE U.S. v BRITAIN and If U.S. v ITALY round robin
FULL COVERAGE U.S. v ITALY final I AMPLE SELECTION of hands from BRITAIN vITAL Y and U.S. v CANADA semi-finals
1 : SWING HANDS FROM WOMEN'S EVENT
' Order direct (rom: BRIDGE MAGAZINE, WAKEFIELD ROAD, LEEDS, 10
- - --· - · ·- --- SLAM BIDDING TOOLS ARTURO F. JAQUES, COJnbines CULBERTSON and BLACKWOOD.
CUE BIDS arc the basic tools best a rather crude weapon, which in most slam sequences, providing only serves to check up on how vital information as to the loca many Aces and Kings are missing tion of specific controls and key and puts the entire responsibility cards in trump contracts which of placing the final contract in the depend essentially on the dis hands of one partner. This is tributional fit on the long suits Terence Reese's objection to the _ and not on point count valuation, convention, perhaps not without a reasonable yardstick for No reason, and in advocating the Trump contracts only. CULBERTSON convention *he ROMAN ASKING BIDS are points out the advantages of the another useful adjunct for locat two-way traffic which allows both ing control cards but, unfortun partners to obtain information ately, they arc fundamentally and play an intelligent role in the incompatible with cue bidding; proceedings. "you either ask or you tell''. My partner and I feel that Some have tried to graft this Culbertson and Blackwood are gadget onto natural methods by both useful conventions under the using jump bids for this purpose, right conditions and the use of with the resulting confusion when one need not exclude the other, as these bids arc required as simple most authorities seem to believe. strength-showing manoeuvres. So many years have elapsed Finally, the FOUR NO since Culbertson went out of TRUMP CONVENTIONS. The favour that the following out NEAPOLITAN D.J. is only truly line may serve to refresh our useful when bid in conjunction failing memories. In a construc with one of the precise bidding tive bidding sequence, · once the sequences of the Italian system, · trump suit has been ~\greed, 4NT in which the exact meaning of the is really another glorified cue bid, responses can be clearly identified showing either three Aces or two in the light of the previous bidding. Aclually most players have come to rely almost cx • See lkaut({ul Thoughts by 7i.·rcllct' du.,ivdy on BLACK WOOD, at Reese ill this issue.-Ed. Aces and the King of a suit bid by can do this at the Six level below the partnership. the agreed trump suit; altern Partner's responses arc equally atively, he may be able to bid rc\'ealing: Seven directly if he feels his a) Primarily he must bid 5NT undisclosed strength or special with two Aces or one Ace and the values offer sufficient justification. Kings of all genuine suits bid by The sign-ofT at the Six level is a the partnership. The response is return to the agreed trump suit. mandatory with either of these At first glance the Convention holdings. may appear a little complicated, b) If responder's hand docs not ·no doubt the reason it was meet the requirements for a 5NT discarded, but in this age of response, he can bid Six of the scientific bidding and ever-in agreed trump suit or Five of a creasing conventionalism, it must suit that is not the lowest valued surely be worth the effort, on the bid by the partnership; holding part of top flight tournament either an Ace of a bid suit or the players, to include this valuable Kings of all bid suits. machinery in their slam bidding c) With an Ace or void of a suit repertoire. · Othenvise, how else not bid by the partnership he can are we ~ improve in ili~ ~d~ show this at the Five level: lacking department of the game? unconditionally, if the suit is Now let us watch the Con- lower ranking than the agreed vention at work. trump· suit, and discretionally, WEST EAST if the suit is higher ranking; in the +x +Axx latter case he must judge whether y>A Q X X y>Kxx his general strength, as shown on +AQxx OKxx the previous bidding, has not +AQxx +KJxx already been overstated. Jy> 2+ d) Finally, the sign-ofT bid by 30 3y> responder is a return to the lowest 4+ 40 valued suit bid by the partnership. 4NT(l) 5NT (2) After a response from partner at 7+ the Five level, the 4NT bidder can (I) Three Aces. still issue a Grand Slam invitation by bidding 5NT: this guarantees (2) One Ace and srx--cilic~lly that the partnership holds all the Kings of Clubs. Diamonds four Aces and requests partner to and I karts. show an additional feature if he It is intcn:sting to obscn·c that 47 a Blackwood 5NT bid by \Vest situation is clearcut and merely would have revealed only three quantitative, a jump 4NT Black Kings with no assurance that the wood bid is often the simplest useless Spade King was not solution. among them. Very often, however, such de ROMAN BLACKWOOD tailed information is not required and GERBER and a strong distributional hand Roman Blackwood. After a need only know how many Aces trump suit has been agreed, the partner's hand contains. On bid of four No-trumps is con these occasions a direct Black ventional. Partner responds as wood bid will solve the problem follows: and a jump to 4NT after a suit bid 5+=no ace or 3 aces at the Three level or lower will no 50=1 ace or 4 aces longer be Culbertson. 5\?=2 aces-both red, both The following hands give an black, both major or both excellent example: minor WEST EAST 5+ =2 aces, not matched +AQxxx +Kxxxx C+ and 0 or\? and+) \?x x \?A K Q x x x If the four No-trump bidder OAxx Ox follows with a bid of five No +Axx +x trumps, he asks partner for Kings. I+ 3\? The responses are on the same 3+ 4NT (I) basis, but one level higher. 5+ (2) 7+ Gerber. Four Clubs . is con- (I) Blackwood: a jump to 4NT. . ventional when it is a jump bid; (2) Three Aces. when the opening bid was in Summing up, I feel this method No-trumps; when the bid pre of using both conventions is a ceding Four Clubs was in No simple and practical solution to trumps. Partner responds as many slam sequences and offers a follows: flexible choice of bidding tools to 40=no ace meet the specific requirements in 4\?= 1 ace each case. Cue bidding and its 4+=2 aces logical extension, the Culbertson 4NT= 3 aces Convention, will provide a sound 5+= 4 aces basis for exchanging information Many players usc the four and locating specific controls in Diamonds response to show most instances, but when the either no ace or four aces. 48 HCA PL YTOO by PADDY MURPHY Ire/and.
·r poor howing in The choice of four clubs proH~d orld events, there happy as, when We 1 was ab!e to ery fine bridge players double, North knew partner h:td . It m to be a a void, or, less likely. the lone ace. f temperament that they When North passed the double he do better. Or possibly showed a minimum but South was play rs ar not selected. still not satisfied as if he could get orth-South partnership diamond support he wanted to • turned in a ry fine performance in a grand slam. th" hand from are cent match. The third round bid of four orth Dealer diamonds was quite safe, ab Game all solutely forcing, and if 'orth had ORTH raised the suit se\'en hearts would AQ432 have been promptly bid. But ~9 North was in a spot. He could 0 J84 not once again bid the mi .:era , KJI02 spade suit, he could not su port EAST diamonds and was forced to gi' 965 + KJ 8 preference on the singleton ten llf ~ 5 ~ 1084 hearts. Once again South tried: 0 109 7 6 0 K53 his cue bid of fi\'e clubs p. •. d AQ954 .8 7 6 3 for North to gi\'e any kind 0f J SoUTH lift in diamonds but "h ·n . ·0n 1 107 again passed South g:n r: in ar~J ~AKQJ7632 settled for the small . bm. 0AQ2 It was not enough h' biJ t :.: none slam, there was aJ ·l, th-.· pr'"'"! ·m TH E T SoU Til Wt.:ST of making it. :\t rin.t :- i::.: i 3\? seems to turn on th • :o-I'· t•! ..• ti l::• .: 4 Dblc succeeding l'r l'l1 E:ht h.n in:· t .. : 40 king of di:tllh'thl :; :- in _·: ..·li• H ,, : 5 Dhlc doubkton but :h it tum:,! ,• u: 6 :1 End thac "·" athHh ·r "·! . t: ~"· ·. quite a \\\•,t did "·II ,,, ,,,,,i,! :.1! :·: t r lrth\ l)nc ~p.tth.: th~ :1,·"· ,,r"·lul" h :t .ll! i.tt:~ ·' l~.i , , ~ .. nd thr . p. de rchid. tru111p "''u!,l lt.lh' :·i,::l ,!:..:~ .. :.- : ·II a tougher guess than the actual SOUTH WEST NORTH choice of the nine of spades. Al though this could easily have INT No 3NT been a clever underlead of the No No king South decided to believe it to The Spiro Cup, Mixed Pairs be honest, the reviled 'top of Championship of the Contract nothing.' He went up with the Bridge Association of Ireland ace of spades, finessed the queen seems always to be retained b; of diamonds successfully and then Mrs. 0. G. Giddings, one of the peeled offeight hearts in succession. leading women players in the East was under extreme pressure country. This year she won with · as a result of all this. With only Peter Pigot and this is one of the three tricks to go he was forced to hands that earned them a top. bare down to the king of spades The one no trump overbid was and the king and five of diamonds. an aggressive bid by Pigot, South, A spade lead now forced him to but things were going well and he lead away from the diamond king believes in pushing a run to its giving the contract. If he had limit. bared the king of diamonds to In the event of a double of one keep two spades South could no-trump, presumably South easily have read the situation and intended to retire into two made his eleventh and twelfth diamonds. tricks by dropping the 0 K. West did not like the look of the Game all; East dealer clubs, partner's opening could NORTH have been a prepared bid with a • J742 three-card suit, so he began with \?A Q 104 the five of spades and South's OQ8 ace won over the singleton king. + 107 3 A diamond to the queen at the WEST EAST second trick lost and East con +108653 +K tinued the knave of diamonds. \?1963 \? K8 7 The fall of West's nine gave him 0 9 3 OKJ105 . thought and eventually he +42 +AJ865 switched to the six of clubs SOUTH which was won by the queen in +AQ9 South's hand. Two spades fol \?52 lowed forcing East to discard OA7642 clubs and a finesse of the ten of +KQ9 hearts felled the king. East now 50 got off lead with ace and another East-\Vest vulnerable club lea\-ing four cards in each South dealer hand: NORTH NORTH +AKQ642 +7 CVKJ73
METHINKS AGAIN Can ·South make three no The hand, from a report by trumps after West leads the H. W. Kelsey, appears in page 23 king of spades? of the November issue. ~1r. NORTH Kelsey said ''Three no-trumps is • J 7 2 likely to make on the lead of the Attractively produced by the ace, or that the spades are Nicholaw Kaye at the modest 4-4, or can finesse the knave of price (for such a book) of 21 hearts and then play the ace in the shillings, Card Reading at Con hope of finding North with <;?Kx tract is one of the best works on only. the play of the cards your corres There is no comparison be pondent has ever read. tween the two players; obviously The author, Marshall Miles, an the club is the proper course and American upper ten expert, demon no card reading comes into the strates how to win at any form of question at all. bridge. It is a matter of reading But suppose that North hand the cards accurately and then dealt and that the bidding were making usc of the information NORTH EAST SOUTH WFST just as if you saw all 52 cards. I+ Dble No 2NT There arc two main ways in No 3NT End which clues may be gathered to The bidding and the early play enable a player to read cards. enable West to read North's hand Take, for example, the bidding: he know knows North would WEST EAST not open the bidding in a major +AK5 +73 suit with four spades to the Jack, \?Q73 <;?AJ42 therefore North is easily counted 010972 OKQJ65 with five spades. He must also +QJ06 +KJ have the two ninor suit aces and the Against silent opponents West king of hearts. reaches three no-trumps and North Having read North's high cards leads the Jack of Spades, South and spade length accurately, West playing the four and West the can go a step farther, for now it is five. North leads the eight of clear that nine tricks can be made spades, South plays the queen no matter how many times North's and West the king. A diamond is king of hearts is guarded. taken by North and a third spade Here is North's hand: +110986; is led, South playing the two. \7Kl085; OA4; +A7. The declarer can make seven top Having successfully finessed the tricks, and requires two further Jack of hearts, \Vest plays four tricks. He can lead a club to the winning diamonds, reducing every king in the hope that South has one to four cards. North has to .54 keep king and another heart and states that North's two club bid the ace of clubs, therefore only one is the .. Kempson convention, in spade. He is thrown in with the the U.S.A. usually called 'Stay ace of clubs and South makes the man over no-trump'" In fact Jast two tricks. ~ f •\V · Ewart Kempson made usc of both minor suits over an opening bid Suit Preference Signals of one no-trump as far back as The author, Hy Lavinthal, is 1933, these responses being dis the inventor of this universally cussed in his first book on bidding. played convention. Here is an \Vest led the eight of spades, example of the signal in its East won \\ith the nine and played simpliest form: the king of spades. South won NORTH and led the Jack of Hearts, \Vest • J 32 playing the ace and East the eight D'UPLXO..A.TE :B~XX»GE 0 B.D& METAL EDGED for'"" 0«1411• Write to ..A..x-be:J.. Px-od.-u..ots ~======~l;6~R:E~G~EN~T~rL~A~C~f~,B~I:R:H~IN~G~H~A~H~,~I===.- -=::::..:...-=-·=-- -: -- ··- . ss TOURNAMENT DIRECTION W. B. TATLOW, the Welsh international, discusses awkward nwnbers at pair events. This month I want to deal with 13 other pairs only and 26 boards the "Awkward" Numbers. In are always played. the Weekly Club Duplicate the For 6 tables there is a movement session is generally expected to be for 9 rounds, 27 boards. Club about 31 to 3~- hours-this applies Directors who do not possess in Congresses as well-and it is such a movement can easily make considered that 24 to 28 boards is one for themselves. Use the 5 about right with 26 the ideal table movement and insert a number. No difficulty arises with "bye" table (more correctly called Howell Movements (except 6 an "Appendix" table) opposite tables). The number of rounds is any table except the pivot. Sup always the number of pairs less p-ose your Bye table is 2A (opposite one and the number of boards is 2). Now you will have a station of course a multiple of the number ary pair at 2 N.S. and another at of rounds. With any number of 2A E.W. When - the movement tables from 3 to 7 (except 6) it is cards direct a particular pair to quite easy to play a convenient go to 2 N.S. they go to 2A N.S. number: and when they direct them to go to Tables Pairs :Rounds 2 E.W. they comply. Tables 2 3 6 5 and 2A share boards. For the 4 8 7 Purist the position of the station 5 10 9 ary pairs -should vary, one of 6 12 II them should sit N.S. half the time 7 14 13 and E.W. for the remainder. Boards Boards The other should sit E.W. for the per Round Played first two and last two rounds and 5 25 N.S. for rounds 3-7. This will 4 28 need a little care in writing out 3 27 your movement cards, but it 2 or.3 22 or 33 should not present any difficulty 2 26 to a Director with a little ex With 8 to 12 tables the so called perience. I will be pleased to Three-Quarter movement is best help anyone who asks me-of in this movement each pair play~ course a full movement of 33 56 boards is best or for a short play 24 boards in each case Session 22. sitting out 4 in one case and 3 in With half-tables always omit a the other. With 7! (8) tables the "Shunt" principle is preferable pivot pair. With 5! tables the movement given above for 6 set out your boards and players tables, 27 boards is almost ideal · for 7 complete tables, 28 boards. Call your odd pair N.S.8. They -2A will be your ~ table. sit out round I then they replace For Mitchell Movements-and N.S.7 who sit out round 2. They most Clubs prefer these for the (N.S.7) then replace N.S.6 and so weekly duplicate-You don't have on, each pair sitting out in tum much difficulty with up to 9 and then "shunting'' out the next tables. You play the same num lower number and remaining there ber of rounds as these are tables, for the rest of the session. Now so with complete tables it is easy: all E.W. pairs play 28 boards and Tables Boards Boards Seven of the N.S. pairs (N.S.2 to per Round Played N.S.8) play 24 boards-the re 3 9 27 maining pair N.S.l play 28 boards 4 6 24 and their score must be reduced 5 5 25 by one-seventh. 6 4 24 For 10 and II tables a Normal 7 4 28 Mitchell would require 20 or 30 8 3 24 boards or 22 or 33 boards re 9 3 27 spectively-Neither very good If you have a half-table one so the so-called Augment~d method is to omit the N.S. pair Mitchell should be used. With 10 at the highest numbered table and tables you play 12 rounds-~~ the E.W. pairs miss one set of boards-Put out 2 boards a tabk boards-this is all right, but with with relays or byestands octw~~n some numbers it means they sit tables 5 and 6 and 10 and I. out for a long time and play very Now E.W. pairs mo\'e normally few boards. This is particularly one table up and the bo~uds ('lle the case with 3~ (4), 4A (5) or table down, trawlling through 5! (6) tables and with these each relay table in turn. For the numbers I personally alw GOREN'S BRIDGE COMPLETE CHARLES H. GOREN A revised, up-to-date version of New Contract Bridge Complete 35s. Also available: BETTER BRIDGE FOR BETTER PLAYERS 21s. BARRIE & ROCKLIFF ---- ~ 5') Letters to the Editor Points Count Inventors grand father was the foreign-born In the British Bridg:! World for immigrant who rebelled in 1776. October, we published under Dr. It was A. Morehead's great grand Frederick Frost's name an appreci father who set/led in Virginia in atiOii of Bryant Campbell, an 1630 and whose progeny went American, who inrellled the 4, 3, along with Patrick Henry and 2, I count .In an editorial footnote G. Washington. it 1\'as stated that Bryant Campbell "This is merely to set the ll'as a scot who sell led in the States. record right." · Albert Afore/read has this to say: "/ knew B. Campbell well, Remember Robertson am/ also his brother Leavelle who Under this heading Jewell S. for years was chairman of the Weller of Los Angeles has this Whist Club's commillee on laws. to say: "At the tum of the century "It was in the case of the there was stationed in India an informatory double or take-out Englishman named Edmund Robert double, not the 4, 3, 2, I count son. It is known that he used a that B. Campbell and Major 3, 2, I count for no-trump bidding Pa/fon wrre in controversy. many ye_ars before Bryant Mc "Certainly Bryant am! Lem·elle Campbell's I915 suggestion (which McCampbell were Scots by an might lvell have been independent~l' cestry, as indeed one A. Morehead arrived at). Robertson's second may be, but their great grandfather book, in I9I4 recommended the at least was hom in these colonies improved (by him) 4, 3, 2, I count and it is likely that their great for high cards." 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