MODERN · CONTRACT BRIDGE ,._ .. ONE PAGE GUIDE TO BIDDING " ..• -.;.• (with explanations and examples) by the well known expert, Jordanis Pavlides This condensed booklet enables partners to intervalue their hands, carry on biddin& and stop at the right contract. In the words ol Mr. Harrison-Gray in this Journal :---­ "It introduces within 20 pages THE SYSTEM THE EXPERTS PLAY and what· may be described as . . . p • 2 '6 STANDARD BRITISH BRIDGE" riCe J Dispatch and Postote 3d. From Bookstalls and Booksellers, i( not in stock (rom GAMES PUBLICATIONS Ltd., Creechurch House ReteX giv~ a Creechurch Lone, London, E.C.J, Tel.: Avenue 5~74 ·new and lasting lustre· to silks . and satins. and "A PERFECT MANICURE gives ,.,,,. ~,...... -~.,.iiE~Si~firmness and bridge confidence. MARGARET r'esilience· to RAE, 117 Earls Court Road, S.W.5. Tel. Frobisher 4207. woollens. Specialists in permanent waving. Open Saturday afternoons." • ~HES AND AGENTS ~~At~RINCIPAL CENTRES p;, 17

CHAS. BRADBURY CONDITIONS OF SALE AND SUPPLY. This periodical Is sold subject the followln~: LIMITED to conditions: namely, that It shnll not, without 26 SACKVILLE ST., PICCADILLY the written consent of U1e publlshers llrst given, be lent, resold, hired out or otherwise LONDON, WI. dlspos~d of by way of Trnde except nt the . ··Phone- Reg, .fl/23-3995 full rctaU price of 2/6 ; nnd tbtlot It shall not be lent, resold, hired. out or otherwise disposed LOANS ARRANGED of In '. n mutllnted condition or In nny un­ With or without Security. authorised cover by wny of Trade ; or nlllxcd to or u pint of nny pubUentlon or ndvertlalne literary or plctorlnl muller whnt.loever • • ()JI,\.Nf,m OF ADUIII ~!!;S The copyright of this mugazine is vested in Priestley Studios Ltd. When advising the Pu~l!~~crs of change of addn;ss, p!~ase It is published under the authority of the English Bridge Union. give both old and new address The Editoriul Board is composed of, and full name iii" · "BLOCK and the Editor is appointed by, the CAPITALS • . English Bridge Union. THE CONTRACT BRIDGE JOURNAL Edited by M. HARRISON-GRAY

VoLUME 2 Nul\mBR 2 DECEl\IDER, 1947

Regional Editors- Eire NOEL BYRNE North Eastern EWART KEMPSON Northern Ireland A. J. FLETCHER North Western 'A CoRRESPONDENT' Scotland :·. H. KERSH~W Yorkshire Mas. L. L. BEDFORD Wales •• w. H. RICARDO London "ALIBI" Technical Editor-GUY RAMSEY. Competition Editor-J. C. H. MARX. The CONTRACT BRIDGE JOURNAL is the official organ of the English Bridge Union. Publishers- Phone-Gloucester 2281/:z. PRIESTLEY STUDIOS, LTD., COMJ.\IIERCIAL ROAD, GLOUCEST~R. MSS. to Editorial Department-S, WATERLOO PLACE, LONDON, S.W.l.

CONTENTS Page EDITORIAL 3 How GooD ARE THE AMERICANS ? By S. J. Simou 4 PERSONALITY PAGE-No. 14-MR. AND Mns. A. L. FLElllll'G 7 MASTER THE SQUEEZE-No. 5. , ·By C. E. Dickel ,8 GossiP OF THE MoNTH. By Guy Ramsey .. 10 THIS SIDE BEDLAM-No. 10. By M. Harrisou-Gray 12 THE END OF THE PIVOT-No. 1. By S. J. Simou . . H REsPONDER's RmnDs-No. 2. By Edmuud Phillips .. 16 CRIII!E AND PUNISHIIIENT 18 THE NoRTHERN OuTLOOK. By Eruart Kempsou 20 LIST OF E.D.U. SECRETARIES . . 21 PnoBLEM ConNER-No. 14. By" Tme. ..:" . . 22 AROUND THE CO:\IPETITIONS 24 DECEl\IDER COMPETITION. Set by J. C. H. Mar.\· 30 ANSWERS TO NovEMBER CoMPETITION 31

I . BRIDGE . INDEX CLASSIFIED LIST O F HOTELS AND CLUBS

BOGNOR REGIS LONDON lll.AYMYO RESIDENTIAL BRIDGE CLtm­ DORSET BRIDGE CLtm-3·5 Gleotworth Good Bridge plnyed ln plcnsnnt atmosphere. Street, N.W.1. Tel. Welbeck 1030• . Secretary Near Sen. Secluded gnrden. ll: & C. In nil · MRS. BA.."iltl!. Regulnr partnership nod bedrooms. .Apply non. Sec., Maymyo, duplicate. Gleocatbarn Rond, Bogoor Regts. Phone 580. LEDERER's-115 Mount Street, W.1. BRIGHTON & HOVE Tel. No. Mayfair 7850. Continuous piny from KINGBWAY REBIDEI'\'TLU, BRIDGE CLUD- 3 to 12 p.m. Dupllcnte, Tucsdny eventni!JI. 5, Snllsbury Road, Hove. Bridge Sessions twice dally. Luxurious 'rooms, excellent service. H. and o. ln all bedrooms. Members LEEDS Bar. Enquiries to resident Secretary, T. C. .AYSGABTil BRIDGE CLtm-34 Otley- Road, CAlll'DELL, Phone Hove 1780. Leeds, G. Telephone 53148. Car Park. Fully BRISTOL Licensed. Enquiries to the llealdent Secretary Tlllil .ACE 011' CLUBB BRIDGE CLtm-77 ,H. P. DEVEREUX. Pembroke Rd .• Cllftoo, Bristol, 8. Proprlctress1 lllJlS. ?J. DICKJ.liY•JAliEB. .Aficmoon ana NOTrJNGHAM evening play, 1\r\lly. Telephone : Brtstol 33288. CRANTOOK BRIDGE CLUD-180 )[anslleld Road, Nottingham. Tel No. NotUnllham CORNWALL 65021. · Proprietress: :Mas. D. lt. HOPEWELL. Winter guests welcomed In delll(htful Hon. Secretary : N. R. C. FBITII. VIsitors cottage on sea·c

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2 I j Editorial· noticed by many correspondents that the players who have received HIS ISSUE marks the return the greatest part of the limelight to the fold of S. J. Simon, have at any rate justified themselves T and for good measure we in open competition. have thrown in a double effort. It is said of bridge players that Our readers simply insisted on those who can; play ; those who the reappearance of the "quartette"; can't, write. The Co11tract Bridge h ca·n now be revealed that their Journal sees no reason to feel temporary absence' from these pages ashamed if its chief writers have , was due to a disastrous holiday on vindicated the principles wliich the continent where they did no~ we try to press home in our fare too well at the tables, and this articles, by winning far more than necessitated much hard work on their share of the major contests. their return· to· make up the leeway. At any rate they are , not afraid to The :irticle " How Good Are put these principles to the acid The Americans?" may be test of tournament play. considered provoking, and we may And this brings us back to the say that we do not necessarily question : What is Acol ? Buy or share Simon's confidence in our borrow the book (the Journal is in bidding superiority. It may be no way connected with this some time before this can be put publication). Perhaps you play the to the test ; but there is another Forcing Two or the ordin!U'Y Two statement of his which concerns Clubs ; but ten to one you will us more intimately. Is Acol really say to yourself : " This is nothing " the leading system in England ? " new-it is what I have been The question is a delicate one, playing for years ! " Acol is not because from time to time we hear " the leading system in England " suggestions that the Journal is in just because it has a few specialised danger of becoming an Acol Two bids, although these bids are magazine. And this brings us to used by our most successful the subject of personalities. tournament players and have been \Vhereas at least one correspondent grafted on to other systems, such complains that bridge in general as the Baron ; the bulk of the and our leading personalities in " system " is merely standard particular are not sufficiently British practice, the most effective glamorised, other expressions of method of playing contract. There opinion lead us to believe that the is no need to say that you are average reader is more concerned playing Acol. You do not have to with the solid instruction which be an Acol e."Xpert to obtain a high forms the core of the Joumal. score in our monthly competitions. Consequently, as far as is But we do suggest that you follow practicable, our personalities, their its principles. triumphs and misdeeds, are tucked away into the small-type section called "Around The Competitions." We again wish our readers a . It so happens that the Acol happy Christmas and a prosperous players who write for the Joumal New Year- both at and away from have frequently been mentioned the bridge table. during the past season ; but it is M. HARRISON-GRAY. 3 Do'v Good are tlte Autei•ieaus? b y S. J . S imon

A DOUT a . year ago all seemed n_ set to answer this question. The Bridge World team, composed entirely of U.S.A. leading lights, was scheduled to come over .here to play a series of money matches. But at the last moment it was discovered that our currency regulations would prohibit their taking our money hack with them, so the whole thing was called off. It follows from the above that the Americans were not only confident of winning, but . of quite respectable. But it wasn't. winning by a large enough margin It was a damned narrow squeak. to cover their expenses and, maybe, Have the Americans improved show a profit. so enormously since those · days This inference is not intended that a series of overwhelming as a reproach to the American victories are a foregone conclusion ? team for wishing· to exploit their The various English teams that skill financially. · My sympathies had arranged to play against them are all with them on that one. didn't think so. They hadn't Even bridge players have to live, agreed to the high stakes because if only that they can keep on they thought it was a privilege to playing bridge. But it is a comment pay for the honour of playing on their confidence. · against such famous names. They The point arises : were they agreed because they thought they right? could sock the famous names. The pre-war Anglo-American Could they? matches offer little evidence. The Well, I was in the States in 1937, first two can be ignored­ where I played a little with the emphatically ignored. In neither Four Aces, kibitzed . them a lot, case was the British team and played in one or two duplicates. representative or anything like it. I formed the impression that their In the match of 1934 the English card play was superior to ours but team, selected after exhaustive that we could lose them in the trials, was about 5,000 in front bidding. We could lose them to after 200 boards, and was only such an ex1:ent that their superior caught and passed at around Board play couldn't offset it. 280. With 10 boards to go America I held that opinion very firmly was 800 points in front. The because the Americans, as I saw English team then lost their heads them then, had just been deeply and started shooting, so that the bitten by the scientific bug, and final margin to America looked their bidding had formed the 4 I CONTRACT BRIDGE JOURNAL habit of weaving elaborately in the States. Sam Fry's straight­ towards some perfectly simple forward logical answers in " Master contract and, quite often, right Solvers' Forum," such articles as past it. I could ·hardly kibitz a Moyse's " Bunk at the Bridge rubber without seeing some famous Table," all suggest that the pair come a cropper by electing to scientist is being pushed off his respond with Two Clubs on pedestal. He hasn't been pushed something like J 6 4 2 rather than right off yet, or such articles .bid an honest Two No-Trumps wouldn't be necessary, but clearly on a balanced rtvelve points. And he is on his way. every time I saw it happen ~ I Quite how far he has been thought to myself-it can't happen pushed already I can only here. conjecture, but the conclusion I was wrong, of course. The reached from careful study of scientific bug duly crossed the their magazine is hopeful for our Atlantic and at once infected a prospCGold Cup and the major pairs about three columns to excusing events we've now stopped the ro.t its presumption in daring to and put Acol back where it belongs, recommend a force on 2* honour as the leading system in England. tricks, ending up with the-startling But we haven't killed the disease discovery tqat there must be entirely. A number of our leading exceptions to the rules laid down stars are still in the throes, and it in the Gold Book. 'Ve in England seems very doubtful if they will made this discovery years ago. ever recover. Any slip-up in our Equally heartening are the own performances, and their aura comments of some of the American will cause the epidemic to break Masters in the " Polling the out with renewed virulence. A Experts" feature of April, 1947. dreadful responsibility, ours. And North, One Spade. East, Two in this fluid situation the very Hearts. South holds : firm opinion of our bidding superiority that I once held must + 2 <::7753 OKQJ62 + AJ94 be revalued accordingly. ·what action do you take ? Especially as, judging by the Of sixteen American Masters pages of the Bridge World, which consulted, two ' bid Three is all I have by which to judge, Diamonds, seven passed, and seven the scientific virus is dyi ng down doubled. 5 CONTRACT BRIDGE JOURNAL Only sevm doubled I The bid only one bid-Three No-Trumps. sta~ds out two miles as the only You mightn't have a Heart stop? possible bid, and only seven Alright-but then maybe they American Masters out of sixteen . won't lead Hearts. And why found it I By God I the amount of should one of them have five unscathed butting-in we are going .Hearts anyway ? . to do if you're all that timid I It's as simple as that. It's How mud{ more do you want ? obvious at a glance that there is But even more interesting than no .really satisfact~ry bid available. the actions, or lack of them, were But the Three No-Trumps is the reasons given. ' l h l . ~ The Three Diamond. bidders clear y t e east unsatlsiactory, didn't like either the . double or and the quicker and ·more the pass. As they failed to reveal confidently you bid the less likely are you to get a Heart lead. on what conceivable grounds they . liked Three Diamonds, I can't A few of the Masters, after deep .discm•s them any further. · considerat~ on (Why ? Haven't they : The passers were afraid that East been there before ?) found Three might_ make his contract. He No-Trumps. Others meandered might, agreed the doublers, but between beautiful scientific·bids of they were willing to take that chance. Two Spades (a nice way of getting Not one of the sixteen mentioned the wrong hand to play the that he had a partner, who could contract), and calculated underbids take out the double if he didn't of Two No-Trumps (partner like it. It was left to the Editor unlikely to pass). · · to do that for them. Which argues B-rrr. that the Masters either don't think much of .their partners or, more If that's the form our prospects are excellent. likely, that their doubling isn't a partnership affair. And yet, in spite of all this, I Which is really astonishing. nm not too optimistic as to the If you gave this hand to sixteen result of a clash if it ever comes ~nglish Masters you would get off._ For there is one department, stxteen doubles. In fact it wouldn't whtch has nothing to do with be a problem at all, but a routine technique, in which I fear the bid- because partner would take Americans have us licked. it out if he didn't like it. T he int a n g ible quality Here is another " Polling the " Toughness," which can more- Experts " hand, from the February than compensate for technical 1947, number. ' deficiency. THE BIDDING : Old-timers, like Richard Lederer SOUTH WEST Nonn1 EAST and Willie Rose, had it and to 1 + 1 + 2 0 No hid spare. I am not so certain about ? o u ~ present crop. And I am South holds : qut te certain that any Americans + AQlO ~4-2 O AKS + AJ+32 who come over will have it in .. N ty , plenty. a~ , nest ce pas ? " says It · h I' · h the Edttor. But whv. ? T here's ts t e one qua tty that mtg t ,,enable them to win. . " Personality Page European Championships ; and her team waltzed away with the No. 14 Whitelaw this year. And, as aforesaid, she and her husband M.r. & M.rs~ A. L. Fleming own the Flitch. HIS MONTH'S Personality is Dimmie started her bridge life dual, which is unique for as a pupil of Graham Mathieson ; T. the Contract Bridge Joumal. he has been known to describe her It is the Flemings, who are so as his greatest triumph. rare as to be unique among bridge · players. A. L. Fleming (the L stands for Leslie), tall, quiet, dry-humoured, For (pace our Editor and his too little seen, is not so well-known wife ; the Simons, the Furses, as he deserves to be in the card the Kempsons, the two Tarlos, world. Although (he would be and other notable married couples) the first to agree) taking a definite the Flemings play • without the. second place to Madame, he is a normal marital wrangles and the first-class card player with an usual daily threats of divorce-at admirable temperament. least at the card table ! That is one reason why they were the It is no ·wonder he possesses ·first winners of the London Flitch­ this last qualification, for he was a tribute which, had they lived in captain of both soccer and cricket Dunmow, they would have ·won at Winchester ; was ranked as the on more orthodox grounds. finest all-round schoolboy athlete To take the lady first, not only of his year ; represented the because she is more feminine but school at racquets and squash ; because she is unquestionably the and counts himself not much good greater player : her name is Irene, at golf, having a handicap of all but to the world at large she is of 6! Dimmie-a nickname given to her In World War I, he joined up as at the age of eight by that other a Tommy in Canada ; collected a ·I charming bridge character, her commission in the D.C.L.I., present partner,. Dorothy Pearson. transferred to the R.F.C., went Tall, graceful, with an unlined on in the R.A.F. In the late face beneath smooth hair shemozzle he volunteered for the prematurely grey, and a clear, R.A.F. again, but was given a cool voice, Dimmie Fleming, major job in M.A.P. teetotaller and non-smoker, is perhaps the most impassive If the Sunday Something were woman-player Britain can field : writing this, they could not avoid she rivals even the equanimity of calling the Flemings " A Romance Jo Culbertson or Doris Rhodes. of the Bridge Table "-for they met first quite unexpectedly in a To .record her triumphs would duplicate when duplicate was a be to write the history of much novelty in Britain : Dimmie was of women's bridge over the last playing with Dorothy Pearson and decade ; but she was the star Leslie was fielded as a (very member. of the 1939 international successful) substitute in a Kent team that came second in the League match. 7 / . Master -1he ScJoeeze 5 , I b~r C. E. Dickel (Glasgow) The next two basic positions for a four-card double squeeze ending are as follows : 2. ~ .. - . J OJ in North with menaces in two + K3 other suits in South and, best of all, provided each opponent has - \?Q three Clubs the squeeze must ·OQ­ ·0-­ succeed. The 0 .2 in North could + Q93 + J 10 8 be any card and is discarded on + J + J. If neither opponent discards - the superior card in Hearts or 0- Diamonds, each will be left with + A42 only two Clubs. It may be n!)ted The three-card menace in Clubs that, where the menaces other than is our elastic friend, the split the double menace are of the menace, either part of which same length, the result is always meets the requirement- at least a simultaneous double squeeze. a two-card menace or two cards forming part of a split menace There is one other basic position opposite the squeeze card. This of the double squeeze requiring time 0 Q and \? Q can be five cards : · exchanged, but South requires to 4. • - ' know which card West holds, else ~3 he might discard the wrong card 0 AK3(orA Q 3) from North. + 3 3. 'V - 'V- 'V Q 0 2 ·0 ­Q J 5 (or K J 5) ·0 -64 · ·­ + Q9 J lO + A K 3 (or A Q 3) + + J \?- 'V Q \?J O Q 0 2 ·­ 0- + A2 ., Q 9 3 (or K 9 3) ·­ + + J 10 8 The South hand has · tl~e- double · + J menace and a menace to East. ~ J With the squeeze card and the 0 J necessary entry to · North clearly + 2 .five cards are required. · There Lastly we have a three-card must be a three-card menace to double menace (or finesse menace) ·west in the North hand and an 8 CONTRACT BRIDGE JOURNAL entry back to the double menace ; have a- double squeeze three-card the fifth card may be any card. ending. Interchange the East-West hands 3. YES- North, obviously. If an~ the squeeze would fail. _ however \/ A 4ad been cashed earlier while re-entry was still In the No-Trumps diagrams possible to the West hand the given below West is on lead. same position as was arrived at in Each opponent has three Clubs example 1 could have been reached. · but neither holds a Spade. One 4 . . NO.' Cash the two red Aces opponent holds the Heart guards and you have Type 3 of a four-card and the other the Diamond ending (see above). NoTE: in all guard(s). You will find it good double squeeze hands add the _ practice to answer this question : length of the double menace to is it necessary that one particular the length of one of the other two opponent should- hold the Heart menaces (the longer if unequal) gu:trds, and if so, which ? and you have the number of cards 1. WEST EAST required for the end position. In • J + - this example the squeeze fails if \/ K2 \/A43 + J is played first, as there _are 0- 0 J still six cards in each hand. It + A32 +K4 might be thought that cashing one Ace would correct the position, 2 . • J • - but this would necessitate a \/ AJ \/ 2 non-simultaneous double squeeze, 0 2 0 AJ here impossible as there is no +32 + AK4 second squeeze card in the East 3.• J • - hand . . \/2 \/AJ 5. NO. If North has the Heart 0- 0 J guards, cash 0 A, return · with + A32 + K4 + A, and you have a five-card 4.• J • - ending (see above). If South has \/AJ \/32 the Heart guards, cash <::; A and 0 AJ 0 2 \/ K, return with + A, and the + 2 . + AK3 result is as in Type 1 of a four-card 5 . • J • - . ending (see November _issue). \!} 2 \/ AK3 This subject would require a 0 3 2 0 AJ book in which to deal with it fully, +AK4 + 32 .but I hope that this O)..ltline will ANSWERS demonstrate the art of engineering 1. NO. If North has the guards the correct end position according + J can be played at once, but if to the location of the guards. South has them, play \/ A, return Frequently the declarer knows which opponent holds the respective with ~ - K, and + J will squeeze South. See Type 2 of a four-card guards. A full knowledge of the ending, above. different end positions will help considerably. 2. YES- South. Cash the three Aces, finishing with <::; A, and you (To be co11titmed) 13 9 Gossit• of the 1\lonth by Gu~· Ramsey

AFETY----- PLAY ~. OF _THE MONTH was committed by an· expert .S who had been re-reading for the umpteenth time a tr~atise ~n the subject and found h1mself m Four . Spades at gaine up on the following: + AJ943 + . K87 \? KS \? AQ76_ 0 J74 0 AKQ10 " Rixi " · Marcus and l\1:adeline + 1094 ' + QS Lester were North-South against Leader cashed two Clubs and Mrs. Esme Johnstone, '~Test, and switched to a safe Diamond for self, El!St, when this bidding i· exit. Expert bethought himself of took place : . certain way to garner 10-point SouTH WEST · NoRTH EAST love ·rubber. To guard against · 2 + Dble ·. 2 5 + (I) + Q 10 x x in either hand, played 0 6 No bid . No bid Spade to Ace ; played small s + + 6 0 No bid No bid 7 + Spade to dummy and covered Six Dble with Eight, chortling. The Ten won this trick and a Club was WEST EAST returned, forcing the immediate, • 5 • - or ultimate, loss of contract. C'} A Q 7 4 \? K J 10 9 8 6 3 Normally, this expert 'vould have 0 Q65 0- taken three rounds of Hearts to + AKQ73 + 1086542 disgorge Club ; or taken two Only noteworthy feature, except rounds of trumps, cursing if the actual distribution; was East's Q 10 x x lay over him ; or finessed " sinking " of the Heart· suit ; trumps at once ; or taken two top West's double of a conventional trumps and then ruffed Club­ Two Clubs, of course, merely t any one of a number of plays to indicates a good Club holding. l bring home the bacon. Seven Spades is only two off. I Safety play ? Grrr ! [. The moral ? One weapon is of CONTROVERSY OF THE MoNTH L no use in bridge or in life. One needs a full armoury and the still rages over the hand quoted i last morith, from the London and I judgment to use it. Home Counties Open Pairs final, The Greeks had a word for it : when East-West held the following : they called it Balance. WEST EAST + K 7 .• 10986 FREAK OF THE MONTH : grand \?- \?QJ8 slam bid and made at Crockford's KJ1097643 A,QS against an opening Two Clubs bid. 0 0 + J 54 + A107 10 CONTRACT BRIDGE JOURNAL Ill-fated assortment produced WEST EAST protest at " trance-bidding " at • Q7S + AK9 one table ; at another the "K98 ~ 64 . unorthodox bidding led to an 0 87 0 AK 109S unofficial protest which has since · + J 10 8 6 3 + AQ9 been officially investigated. Kempson ducks the first Heart, Dealer South opened One Heart, ducks the Ace, and wins third and West, notorious psychist, bid round with King, Mathieson One Spade. North found Three showing out. To this trick Harding Hearts, and East passed I South . led the Two of Hearts. Convinced played hand in Four Hearts, (wrongly) that this sinister-looking misplaced every high card, got ca.rd indicated a C}ub re-entry, ' wrong count on hand, and went Kempson plays out three Diamo·nds one down ; was not amused. and loses three more Hearts and Tempers run high on both sides. both outstanding Diamond honours. Query : Is a team which psykes North held the King of Clubs I as a habit unethical ? By definition, a psyke must be unsuspected by Kibitzer congratulated Harding both partner and opponents : on fine piece·of deception. Harding certainly, by the former if ethical ; (modestly?) disclaimed any such obviously, by the latter if to be brilliance. " The Two of Hearts effective. was just a Heart," he said. Regular partnerships inevitably become familiar with the styl~ of play affected by one member. CHRISTMAS DOUBLE Solomon Edward Mayer and DUMMY PROBLEM Socrates Geoffrey Butler, of the E.B.U. Committee of Rules and With the Greetings of the Season Ethics, to the rescue, please. from " Tenex " to all his solvers : Question too hard for this reporter. No Trumps NoRTH l.'!NIJ:"TENTIONAL McKENNEY + K9 SuiT PREFERENCE SIGNAL that " Q 9 3 downed a contract in " expert " 0 K6432 game in the big room at Crockford's + KJ8 recently. Ewart Kempson, WEST EAST miserably playing " Two Clubs • J 87 6 • Q1032 and nothing " as compromise 'VJ876 'V K102. between Acol and his own svstem, 0 - 0 Q 108 cuts Terence Reese against G·rabam + 10 9 6 4 2 + Q73 '! Mathieson and Colin Harding. SOUTH Reese opens Two Clubs and + AS4 Harding butts in with Two .Hearts. " AS+ Kempson (West) ends up playing 0 AJ 9 7 S Three No-Trumps with following ,. + AS assortment : Lead : Six of H earts. II This Side Bedlam No. 10' b y M. 'uarrison·Gray

HE P.HRASE · " Attitude of _ Mind " has become one ?f T the most hackneyed m bridge. Whether it· appears meaningless or merely pompous, the fact remains that the principles evolved by a group of players in, • the 1930's, which have stood the test of time for more than a: decade, -appeal to the great majority of British players and form an integral part of their style of play. There is no need to enumerate these principles, for they form the gospel that the Journal has But we shall have an· unhappy endeavoured to preach since its time if Hearts are led and· dummy inception-sane, effortless, effective goes down with : - bidding ; principles that are equally effective in the hurly-burly of + 8642 '\)63 0964 + 64~2 family cut-in bridge and the tense Acol solves the problem by atmosphere of a Gold Cup final. opening 2 + and, over the negative Therefore this instalment of the response of 2 0, rebidding 2 NT. series is devoted to one of the Partner will raise to 3 NT in ·the specialised bids that distinguish first example, but will pass mthe . Acol from other versions of the second. This one vital trick may Approach-Forcing system. make all the difference between a The Acol Two Clubs bid differs good and a bad score, particularly little from the Two Clubs bid of at match point play, apart from other systems. The main difference the lurking possibility of being is the non-forcing character of a doubleg at the higher level. rebid of 2 NT by opener. But this Acol theory was not We have already mentioned the developed with the sole object o( difficulty experienced with the keeping out of trouble. Its balanced hands with a high point evolution is interesting. · . count. For example : Many years ago the teams + AQ9 '\/AlO OAK103 + AQlOS captained by the late Richard Lederer swept the board in This hand is far too strong for tournament play. ~he system ? NT. We opening lead coming up to our othenvise known as I" Four-and­ a-half and Two "; this meant ~~a~d , for we shall probably make It 1f partner holds something like : that 2 + could be opened on any· decent hand containing 4!- quick • 10 7 3 '\7 J 8 7 4 0 J 8 6 + J 9 3 tricks, but that 2 quick tricks ~vere r. 12 CONTRACT BRIDGE JOURNAL required for ' a positive response. It must not be thought, however, The bid was nQt forcing to game · that responder holding a few after a negative response unless scattered values should automatic­ the opener made a jump bid in his ally raise to 3 NT. The possibility genuine suit on the second round. of game in a suit should be explored, · The necessity for this jump bid and the use of an extension of the was a horrible feature, and the One No;.Trump-Two Clubs system was derided by the scientists convention is recommended. In of -the day. But there was , one the sequence : 2 + - 2 O - 2 NT - fact that did not pass unnoticed . 3 + . the last bid should be treated by the Acol players : following an as a conventional request to opener opening 2 + , even when· there was to bid a suit. no forcing rebid, tlze Ledererites WEST EAST never missed a slam. · The reason, + AK7 + Q 104 of course, was that responder was . ~ A K J 4 ~ Q 10 9 6 emboldened to bid his values to 0 AQ6-3 0 J4 the hilt when he knew that the + K2 + A943 han<:l opposite was studded with . In a teams-of-four match, ·west, quick tricks. playing Culbertson, opened Acol players therefore came to unhappily with 2 NT, but went the conclusion that 2 + should be gaily to 6 NT when East correctly opened far . more often than the bid 4 NT. · Although 0 K was scientists would allow, but that, to in the South hand, West could a . certain extent, the non-forcing· only make 11 tricks. The Acol chara-cter of the Lederer n;bid bidding was : 2 + - 2 0 - 2 NT - would have to be retained. Many 3 + (conventional) - 3 ~ - 6 ~. hands cq_ntaining a five-suit can 13 tricks wt!re made. safely be opened with . 2 + : WEST. EAST + A10 ~KQ3 OAKQ104 + A94 + . AQ + 962 ~ A l{ 10 ~ J 9 3 2 + AK86 ~AQ104 OAQ4 + K9 0 AKQ62 -0 106 + KJ9 ~AKQ74 OA10 + J\04 + KJ 3 + 10 7 54 All the above hands, on Acol, · West, again playing Culbertson, can be opened with · 2 + , but the opened with 2 0. East gave the rebid in each case, over 2 O, negative response of 2 NT, and should be 2 NT. The normal West raised to 3 NT. South led rebids of 3 O, 2 + and 2 ~. a Spade from + J 10 8 7 4, and respectively, are dangerous, as that was the end of the party, as responder with ·a balanced the Diamonds broke 4-2. In Room Yarborough might be compelled 2 the Acol bidding was: 2 + ,- to keep the bidding open with a · 2 0 - 3 NT. North held: · minimum response in No-Trumps. -+ K53 ~875 OJ953 +AQ9 If the hand is to be pl;lyed in this • He elected to lead ~ 8, and denomination, the opener should although South correctly refused at least make sure of becoming the to play his ~ Q to this trick, declarer, with the lead coming up North was eventually subjected to his hand and his tenaces to an end play in the black suits. concealed from the enemy. (To be co11tinued) 13 The Eutl of tlte Pi,Tot b!' S. J. Sinton•

The famous quartette from " Why You Lose at Bridge " start · a11other rubber. " Table up " chorused Mr. Smug, ' Futile Willie and the Unlucky Expert. Nobody came near them. THE BIDDING : They cut. EAST SouTH WEST NoRTH 1 + No bid 1.0 1+ (a) "You and I, Mrs. Guggenheim," No bid 1 NT(b) 2 + (c) No bid said Futile Willie with what he No bid (d) r thought was a cheerful smile. 2. " Face nte, partner," said Mr:. (a) The school of the strong Smug, who had cut the King of butt-in won't like Mrs. Clubs. Guggenheim's bid. I don't like it myself, for quite another reason. "Face me, partner," said the I prefer to double informatively Unlucky Expert, who had cut the and give myself the chance of King of Diamonds. playing in either of the major suits. " But we won the rubber in these seats," said Mr: Smug. However, this perhaps is not -the place to discuss the theqry of the The Unlucky Expert looked at weak Simon double. All that can him. Mr. Smug wilted and moved. be said is that it is just as well that Mrs. Guggenheim didn't elect to DEAL No. 1 make one. Futile Willie would Dealer, East. Love All. still be trancing over what to bid on his hand. Mrs. Guggenheim + K 10 8 6 5 . (b) A typical bit of Futile \? 9876 Willie nonsense to try and stop 0 AS 3 Mrs. Guggenheim playing the + A hand. It ignores the fact that it Mr. Smug Unlucky Expert will clearly play about t\vo tricks • 3 better in Spades than in + AJ 42 No-Trumps. · \? J 10 3 2 \? KS 0 KJ874 0 10 9 6 (c) Mr. Smug never gives in + 9 87 + KQJlO easily. Futile Willie (d) Very cunning I The idea ' • Q97 was not to let Mrs. Guggenheim \? AQ4 play the hand but tq lure Mr. 0 Q2 Smug into bidding Three Clubs + 65432 and doubling him. CONTRACT BRIDGE JOURNAL

THE PL\w a plan of campaign. Sound advice, I The Unlucky Expert led the but about the only plan you can King o(Clubs. Mrs. Guggenheim make here is a determination not \\'On with the Ace, led a trump to touch trumps at any price but and, on winning in dummy with just to potter about trying to grab the Queen, led back the Nine. as many tricks as you can. The Unlucky Expert won with Following this plan, the obvious the Knave, cashed the Ace of lead at trick 2 is a low Diamond, trumps and punched her with a (a) because East may have the Club. Panting and puffing, Mrs. IGng, (b) to pave the way for a Guggenheim now went one down, Diamond ruff in dummy. Now making only three Spades, ' two . see what happens. Hearts, one Diamond and one Club. West wins. His best return as it happens is a trump, but he is PosT- MoRTEM unlikely to find that. · He will " I'm sorry, partner," quavered almost certainly play a Club. You Mrs. Guggenheim. " Nothing ruff and take the Heart finesse, would break and everything was which wins. Sticking· to your wrong." • policy of making as many tricks " You ought to have finessed as possi~le while you ca?, you ruff the Nine of Spades on the first another Club, cash the Ace of round," said ·Futile Willie with Diamonds, cash the Ace of Hearts. strained charm. He went off into and rUff a fourth Club. You now a long, eminently correct, but ruff a Diamond and the situation quite irrelevant lecture about the is : probability of an opening One . + KlO Club bidder who does not rebid 1\1 9 8 having quite a few Spades. It 0 - f e ature d the Principle of + - Anticipation, probable bidding • 3 sequences and similar eruditions, + AJ42 10 but none of it had anything to qo 1\1 J 1\7- with how this particular hand 0 J 0- should have been played. + - + - There are said to be a great • Q9 m a n y peopl e walking the 1\74 Embankment because they didn't 0 - . draw trumps. But what the old + 6 saying omits to add is that there You don't know it, of course, an: just as many, if not more, but what you do know is that you walking it because they did. And have already made eight tricks and the type of hand on which they can't fail to make at least one more. kept on doing it is just like the You should in fact, remembering one aboYe, featuring a distinctly Futile Willie's theory of an opening groggy trump suit and nothing One Club bidder fiaving Spades, else of particular interest. make ten by the simple process of You have often read that declarer leading dummy's last Club and at trick 1 should pause and make putting your King of Spades on it. WEST .. EAST - Resttondet•'s + AK64-.2 • 98'{ <;? -QJ87 \? A6 - ~ Rebids <> 10 4- o 1 1 + K3 + AJ~_7 5_2 This hand was played · in a b y Edmun~ Philli 1•s teams-of-four match some years ago. In one room, ·the correct (Northwich) contract of Four Spades ,vas bid and made. In the other, the .H~S month's artfcle is devoted bidding went 1 + -2 + -2 <;? ~ largely to preference bids. 3 \? - 4- \? : one down. East, . an T Everybody knows the rules expert player, elaborated an for putting partner back to his ingenious argument,' which need first-bid suit, but many players not concern us here, in justification seem to forget that a mere of his Three Hearts rebid. Yet · preference hid denies any additional the reqsoning that leads to the . strengili and should be eschewed correct rebid is simple enough~ in favour ·of a jump preference First, a rebid in the Club suit is when the necessary values are rejected as un constructive, held. This particular form of suggestive of a complete misfit in . underbidding has two causes. the majors. Secondly, with equal _First, a lofty disdain of part scores length in each of partner's suits, and precise contracts ; according preference l.s given to the first bid, to these philosophers a sequence as more likely ·to be the longer.' such as 1 \? -: 2 + -2 + -3 <;? Finally, as the hand has rather too cannot possibly die short of a ·much shape for a simple preference, game contract. . .. Partner, you a jump to Three Spades must be reversed, and I supported you. made~ _ If East's original bid was a How can you pass ? " The fact " prepared " one based on four is, the opener may have strained Spades and five Hearts, he may his resources to the utmost in be put to a quandary ; but that making the reverse bid ; if the is not your fault-at least you responder sees the necessary values have told him the truth about in the combined hands for a game your distribution. hid, there is no reason in the world Sometimes, provided the· opener why he should not bid it at once has rebid his original suit, a raise himself. Even the jump preference can be given on as little as 10 x or, is not forcing, though many players at a pinch, two small cards. · think it is. The sequence 1 + - 2 0 - 2 \? - 3 + can quite well + 104- \? AKJ 107 0 87_ + KS4-2 be passed. This hand was dealt to South in the 1947 Gold Cup final. In The second reason 1s over­ each room North opened One conservatism as to the minimum Spade, South bid Two Hearts and trump strength required for a North Two Spades. What is raise. At times, when the general South's best rebid ? In our view, stre~gth of ~he hand warrants it, neither player chose well. In a raise or a Jump preference must Room 1, South said Three Clubs­ be given on three small cards. a flagrant trap bid, since it is bound. 16 CONTRACT BRIDGE JOURNAL to make things difficult on the WEST NoRTH EAST SouTH next round; if North now goes 1 0 1 ~ 2 + No bid Three Spades or Four Clubs 2 0 _ 2 ~ 4- 0 No bid South will not know whether t~ 5 O No bid , No bid Dble pass or to bid Four Spades. In Room 2, South simply passed on East's .Four Diamond rebid was the se~ond round. As it happened, a stretch that would have been this gave his side a good result justified had the suit been a major. since North had made a super~ He should have been content with __.. shaded opening bid on a 9-point _Three Diamonds, which would hand, the opposing cards lay have led to an easy Three No­ • : unluckily, and Two Spades was Trumps contract. Five Diamonds all that could be made. Neverthe­ would no doubt have been defeated less, without judging by resultc;, but for SoJ!th's ill-judged double. the correct rebid for South is As it was, his four Diamonds to surely Three Spades. The hand th.e King-Ten did not take a single is too ~good to pass out the chance tnck ; declarer finessed the Eight of a game, and Three Spades, on the first round of trumps, then, being a limit bid, gives the most . two top Spades, a Spade ruff and precise picture of South's holding. another Diamond lead from dummy Four Spades will be a good contract set the stage for a coup by playing if North holds, for example : Ace-King of Cluqs and ruffing a Club ; North was put in the lead +A96532 ~9 OAK3 + 0106 to make two Hearts, but declarer Earlier "ve sai!i that, when with Ace-Knave of Diamonds ove; supporting partner's suit on the South's King-Ten, was bound to second round, the full value of pick up the last two tricks. the hand should be shown. To Note that the bidding problem all bridge rules there are exceptions, is quite different after a partnership - and one occurs when partner's sequence that has started, for suit is a minor and the full raise example, 1 ~ - 2 NT - 3 would go beyond the limit of a +· possibly easier Three No-Trumps + J952~K7 OAQ10 + K864 contract. Many players with the above hand would now complacently bid + J 10 7 4 Three No-Trumps. But if opener ~ KQ10852 had wanted this contract he could 0 7 · have bid it himself ; clearly he ts 104 + sugge~ting a. game, or possibly a + A98 + KS slam, m a smt, and responder, with ~ AJ4 ~ 976 four trumps and a good fit in 0 AJ 9 8 2 0 Q54 Hearts, has ample values for a + 62 + AK973 raise to Four Clubs. + Q632 The corollary, of course, is that ~ 3 the opener should not bid a second 0 K 10 6 3 suit, inviting a game or a slam in + QJ 8 5 a suit contract, unless he has East-West were vulnerable, and valid reasons for disliking No­ the actual bidding went : Trumps as the final contract. (,,;,e etRel _ Pu~tii!IHIBIII' ·.

36 Cup, reported on page 24. This + A95 deal has already been published in (() 9 3 the Press, accompanied by an 0 Q 10 9 42 analysis in which every intelligent + K62 · bid made is castigated, and the worst bid in either auction lauded • Q 10 7 43 • 8 to the skies. <:;7 7 6 5 · .<::7 KJ 2 ·o J 6 o A 8 7 5 In Room 1, the first two bids .• A 7 4 + ) 9 8.5 3 would appear to be routine, l:>ut + KJ62 now comes the question of South's <:;7 A Q 10 8 4 rebid over 2· 0. The critic 0 K3 referred to above states that + Q10 " South rightly avoided a reverse bid of Spades . . . . but in doing Dealer, South. Game All. so had to bid No-Trumps without Bidding-Room 1 a guard in Clubs." SouTH WEsT NoRTH EAST We venture to suggest that 1 <:;7 No bid 2 0 No bid So).lth, a player with an inter­ 2 NT No bid 3 NT national reputation, did not fall + 4 led. South made 10 tricks. back on 2 NT under the erroneous impression that she was not strong 630 points to North-South. enough to show " reversing values " by bidding 2 +. Except in one Bidding- Room 2 or two very small circles, this SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST once-popular theory has died a 1 + No bid 2 0 No bid natural death. South elected to 2 <:;7 No bid 3 + No bid bid 2 NT because, inter alia, she 4 + Dble actually liked her Q 10-the 0 J led. South made 8 tricks. " non-existent guard, "-in Clubs. She is said to have been lucky in 500 points to East-West. finding her partner with K 6 2 in Col\tl\IENT this suit ; but, personally, holding this combination in the two hands, ~ ' Irs . Fleming's team gained a we prefer the lead to come up to swmg of 1,130 points on the above the despised Q 10. We are at least hand in the final of the Whitelaw spared th.e agony of guessing which 18 CONTRACT BRIDGE JOURNAL- card to play in.. dummy at the first Biddi11g-Room 1 trick;· There are few. good players SoUTH WEST NoRTH EAST who insist on . solid guards in all 1 + No bid 1 NT No bid four suits before bidding · - 2 cy> No bid 3 + No-Trumps. _ 0 10 led. South made 11 tricks. - In Room 2, we' sec the full effect of the " correct "· opening bid of 150 points to North-South. 1 +· Naturally, North is made to ]Jiddi11g-Room 2 take the bla'me for her jump to 3 + ; but we know many experts SouTH WEST · NoRTH EAST who would make this bid, which 1 cy> No bid 2 NT No bid only means that the North hand 3 + No bid 4 cy> . is just too good to give a mere 0 10 led. South made 10 tricks. preference of 2 +: It certainly 420 points to North-South. does not promise " strong trump support." The cause of the ilebacle was South's opening bid, and the CoMMENT impossible situation that faced her Board 21 in the England v. Wales after North's jump to. 3 +· ·camros!! Cup 'match produced · some strange bidding by the Welsh We are told (in the article from players in Room 1, and provides which we quote) that the proper yet another example of the modern sequence of 1 + -2 O - 2 cy> - craze for unorthodox theories. 2 NT - 3 NT could hardly have been simpler or could hardly have It is not1 clear whether South provided more commonly occurring elected to open 1 • as a prepared examples of sta11dardised bids (the bid, in case the response were 1 0 . italics are ours). · or in order to show reversing values 'if the response were, say, 1 + or If these indeed be " standard 1 NT. In our view these departures .bids," perhaps they account for .from . accepted practice can only the intriguing title of the article : lead to confusion between -the " Are Our Standards Poor ?" partners. North's amazing response of 37 1 NT is explained by. the fact that • 9 6 53 the Welshmen treat this response cy> Q87 to a bid of 1 ~. as a strong bid­ 0 AQ possibly borrO\ved from the Vienna + KJ93 system, . but certainly not from + KQ 8 7 . + J42 Goren, as has been al~eged. \? 5 cy> A 10 9 6 South duly gets in his reverse of 0 10 9 8 6 4 3 0 K J 7 5 2 cy>, and now comes another + 8 2 + 106 remarkable bid by North- a mere preference of 3 + I But once + A 10 again we blame the system mor e cy> KJ432 than the player ; for·the Welshmen 0 2 are apparently under the impression + AQ754 that after a reverse the bidding· _ Dealer, South. Love All. cannot die short of game. /J.'e Nu;th"A · fJutltJoi( by ~wart Kempson

-ToSAY that we are a strong . play a hand. After all, even Homer · man is a gross under- and Colonel Walshe have nodded. statement ; in our time • Q863 we have managed wild horses, \? Q4 ' . carried heavy weights (Mr. Hanna, 0 AJ97 Mr. Dodds, Mr. Hastie and A94 lVIr. E. Bruce Parker, to mention . + +J 7542 · - but a few) we have even defeated \? 8 7 6 -- \? 10 5 Miss MacKenzie--in a Heart 0 Q 10 6 0 K 8 54 3 2 contract, let us hasten to add. + 6 5 + Q J 10 7 3 - \Ve have even subdued our wife. + AK 109 It was, therefore, with an almost \? AKJ932 Daltonian song in our heart that 0 - we journeyed to Dunblane for the + K82 . Scottish Congress to team up with Professor MaciGnnon, Mr. H. Dealer, East. Game All. Esther and Mr. Clement Ellis. It is tt;Ie that a . Spade -lead A tote was organised for: the defeats the Seven Heart contract men's team event, the number of in which we landed, ·that . Seven backers for each team being chalked :r-;ro-Trumps is cold and that Seven on a black board. Just before play Spades can be made as the cards started we noticed, with . some lie, but nobody in their senses amazement, that 60 visitors from should deny that· Seven Hearts is a nearby asylum had been allowed the proper contract. - to purchase tickets. 58 of them Give West a low Club or Heart had backed Mr. Stanley Nicholson's instead of a low Spade and the - team and the remaining two (\yho making of Seven No-Trumps or wore straight jackets) had backed . Seven Spades depends on guessing Major Fell's team. that West has four Spades to the Purchasing 61 tickets on our Knave. . Seven Hearts, however, own team, which brought the can be made on what would surely grand total to 61, we took up our be an automatic trump lead from position with ,Professor MaciGnnon West. · and proceeded to burn up the The play is not . uninteresting. course with par figures. Assume that West has four Spades So great was our enjoyment and four Hearts and leads a trump that we allowed our partner to against South's Seven Hearts. 20

, CONTRACT BRIDGE JOURNAL - Dummy wins, a_:piamond is ruffed · " Did they get to Six ? " we and three further rounds of trumps asked. are played, dummy discarding a "No,'~ said Mr. Ellis ; "we Spade and a Club. The· Ace and are minus 4-,600." then the Queen of Spades are " That's quite · good on the taken . .. When East shows void on East-West cards," we said ; "we the 1 second round, a second are plus 8,000 odd." Diamond is ruffed. with South's "I'm talking about this hand," last trump and th~ King"of Spades said Mr. Ellis, "not the total." is made. Dummy is put in _with " There was a slight misunder­ the Ace of Clubs, at which stage standing," said Mr. Esther; each player holds three cards. · " Clement played the hand in East cannot keep a guard in Clubs Two Spades redoubled and was as well as the King and another eight down." . Diamond, thus 13 tricks are made. South had bid One Heart, North To return to the Congress, we One Spade and East (Mr. Ellis) marked up . 2,210 in our plus Two Spades. South had doubled, column, · flashed a sympathetic East had redoubled for a take-out· smile at East and West, sauntered and West had passed. Apparently . • across to our team mates and asked Mr. Ellis had had the chance of if the . grand slam had been bid making one ·trick but had failed. against them. We can only think that he had "No," said Mr. Ellis. miscounted · his-trumps.

ENGLISH BRmGE UNION LIST OF SECRETARIES . ENGLISH llRIDGE UNUiN (nlso DRlTI81I DRIDGE NOTTINGU.ill: CONTRACT BRIDGE AsSOCLI.TION U:.wm:)-H. D. King, Esq., 21 llnle Grove -Mn. Bull, 28 Addison Street, Nottlngll!lm. Gnrdens, N.W.7. NORTH EASTERN CONTRACT BRIDGE ASSOCU· ESSEX CONTRACT DRIDGE ASSOCIATION­ TION--J. W. Croke, Esq., 36 Linden Road, F. lf. Fletcher, Esq., 22 Fontnyne Avenue, Gosforth, Newcnstle. Chlgwcll, Essex. NORTII WESTERN CONTRACT llRll>GE ASSOCU· DERDYSIIIRY. CONTRACT DRIDGE AsBOCIATION­ TION-W. H . Preece, Esq., 14 Drown Street, W. Durnstone, Esq., c/o Town Clerk's Office, Manchester. . Market Plnce, Derby. 0 XFOilDSI!IRE COl!iTIUCT Dllll>GE ASSOCI.\TIO!I' DEVON CONT:IiACT DRIDGE A5SOOU.TION-11£rs. Qif~~J: F. W. Tnylor, 43:! Danbury Roud, Hurdmnn, Llvennends Clllf Hotel, Torquay. GLOUCEST.EI!SIIlll.E CONTRACT DRIDGE ASSOOLI.• SOl!EilBET CONTRACT BRIDGE .ASSOCUTION­ TION-S. E. Franklin, Esq., Delmont Avenue, ~c~~r'OD, The Tithe Darn, Crowcombc, llucclecotc, Glos. llEilTFO!lDSHIIU! CON'rllACT BRIDGII AsSOOIA· 80UTllEilN COUNTIES CO!iTIUCT BRIDGE TION-P. R. Hall, Esq., 128 Plggotts Hill ASSOOlATIOlf - llfrs. Flemmlcb, White Lane, llnrpenden. (l'bone 3735), Cottnge, Sandbnnk.s, nourncmouU1. KENT CONTRACT BRIDGE ASSOOUTION-MI'll. 8T.U'FO!lDRI!IRE COl'iTIUCT BRIDGE ASSOCLI.• Harvey, 24 Molyneux Park, Tunbridge Wells. TION-W. R. Cnto, Esq., 20-l Thornhill Rd., Streotly, Sutton Coltlfleld. LEICESTER DRIDGE . CmCI.E-MI'l!. Cole, " Broxton," The Fnlnmy, Leicester. 8URRRY CO!<"Til.\CT DIUDOE ASSO<'UTIO!I'­ JI[njor George Omr, ••}o Wnnborough MAnor, LINCOLNSIIIRE CON'rllACT DIUDGE ASSOOUTION Nr. Gulldford. -M:n. Turner and lira. Drun1pton, 51 Slgnhllls A venue, Clcetborpcs. W.AR\I'IOKSIIIRE CO!I'TRACT DlllDGE ASSOCU· TION-llln. lll. Knott, ll Cnlthorpe Road, LONDON CONTRACT BRIDGE ASSOCLI.TION_: Edgbnston, Dlnnlngham, 15. 1'. R . G. Cbnrten, .Eaq., 16 Curium IIouse Tcrrnce, S.W.l. · YO!lKSI!IB.E CONTRACT D!liDGE ASSOCU.TIO!I'­ R. 0. llnrtley, Esq., U Drnnsfleld Road Mll>DLl!SElt CONTRACT DRIDGE ASSOClATION­ Sheffield, 10. W. CarmlchMI·Mnson, Esq., 61 Manor Ro.~d, llnrrow. 2I: Problem, Corner If West discards a Spade at trick 10, North ruffs the Seven and sets b y '' TENEX '' up the Nine ; if East discards a Diamond, . North has the last No. 14 Diamond. This is just one of those " THE SIGNAL " hands built round what is called,- ' No trumps I believe, . the Double · Trump Squeeze ; I see there is also one + AK in Sure· Tricks. \?A642 0 K5 3 + AQ42 Solvers have been finding the + 52 + J973 -. four lines of the seven carder \? J 9 7 \? Q 10 8 quoted in September-the 0 Q 10 8 6 0 J 9 7 alternative black leads, each with + J 10 8 6 + ·9 7 5 its two red defences-but they do • Q 10 8 64 n'ot appear to have noticed a fifth \? K5 3 line, as in one case it is ·possible to 0 A42 operate the ,final squeeze on either K3 East or \Vest at will. As one of + the solvers proclaims herself a Lead : Knave of Clubs. novice, I think we must congratulate This problem is based, by her on a good start. You may liko permission, . on a . seven carder to play about with my attempt at from Sure Tricks, which I began combining these lines : by reducing to an eight carder, SOUTH: + J97 \?- 0 53 • •AK42 but I had better go into all that WEST: + I086c:j>J90K108 + J next month. NoRTH: + A c:j>Q6 OAQ6 + 753 Royal Sequence (Clubs) was a . EAST: · - \?108 OJ97 + 01086 study in the use of trump honours, No trumps-South to lead. as distinct from the normal practice of reeling them off : If we ever succeed in making a full length problem out oHhis (at \VEST NoRTH EAST SouTH present I see no hope, though the missing tricks are quite easy to l. \? 2 \?A \?3 \?7 supply) we must christen it Dual 2. + 7 + 8 + 2 + 9 Control. 3. + A + 10 + 2 + K 4 . • 3 + 4 + 3 + 6 How many of you succeeded in 5 . • Q + J • 4 +T making North-South lose four 6. \? 4 + o· + 5 0 10 tricks in last month's Nullos 7. \? 6 + K 0 4 OQ quotati~n ? - · 8. \? 8 \? Q \? 5 \? K The solution (in Sure · Tricks) is 9. 0 9 0 2 \? 10 "WT " followed by a short dissertation on 10. 0 J 0 3 • 6 \? 9 ~ · "Fairy problems!" where the solver 11. + 10 + A · + 8 is under obligation to fulfil certain +9 artificial conditions. I think it is 12.0 K OS 0 6 O A 13 . • 5 0 7 0 8 a little hard to compare this with • 7:: the deliberate losing of tricks, as I 22 CONTRACT BRIDGE JOURNAL feel that some of our Solo problems time, and add to it month -by month in misere ouverte constitute a fine as opportunity permits. Later on training in card play. Be this as we will look back and review the it may, I would prefer to see the examples to date. " Task " idea carried over from Chess, where it is the composer I am sure that those of you who who works to the conditions. are intere_sted in working these Alfred P. Sheinwold is quoted as thing~ out will not mind transcribing having said that he would one day them into more usual notation, so compose the fairy-de-luxe in which that we can make the most of our North and South have to play available space. The four hands black and red cards alternately. are separated by semi-colons, _and w ·hat about a task-de-luxe, on placed in order of play tQ the first similar lines ? We will go into trick. (You can call them South ; this question of task themes some West ; North ; East if you like). other time. The first and third hands are partners of course against the The whole collection is prefaced second and fourth, and have to by a " Rogues' Gallery " of basic make the best of their cards positions, nineteen in number. against any defence. The suits ·others have done this too­ are separated by commas, and Culbertson has his eighteen again you can choose your own matrices, and Robert Rendell did labels. If one of the suits is a whole book on the squeeze. No necessarily a trump suit, all the two p~:;ople would ever agree on cards in it will be enclosed in this sort of thing, and as I have parenthesis. When no trumps are not yet turned out a version of my given you will find it instructive to own, I am not in a very strong discover which suit, if any, might position for argument. I think be trumps. perhaps the best tribute I can pay to the small fry in .Sure Tricks is One Suit in the nature of a personal one. M 31. 10 8 6 ; K 9 5 ; A J 2 ; Q 7 4. For long enough I looked on anythmg less than a full hand as Two Suits. merely a potential theme, ultimately M 32. Q 8 9, - ; A J 7,-; to be built up to thirteen tricks. 10, A J ; K, Q 9. Gradually came! a feeling after a very exclusive anthology of Four Suits miniatures, though the eligible M 33. 8, -, 7, J; - , 10, K material remained small in quantity. 9, - ; - , 8, A 4,-; 10, - , Sure Tricks crystallized this feeling J 10, - . by supplying overnight, as it were, a wealth of additional specimens M 34. -, (Q), J, 10; - (J 10), in this department. So in place 8, - ; J, (A 9), - , - ; 9, (K), 10, -. of actual quotations I will start to M 35. (A) Q, 7, - ; -, K, 9, 9 ; compile this anthology of (5 4), - , - , 8 ; (7), 10, 4, -. miniatures, many of which occur in Sure Tricks, and several of M 36. 9, J 7, -,-; -, Q, Q, Q ; which I met there for the first - , K, J, 9 ; Q, 9 6, -, - . 23 was bad enough, but the subseq~eht Around the failure to take action over West's further bid of 5 ~ was incomprehens­ £ompetitioJI!li ible. Although West's 4 f\} was a praiseworthy . attempt to · show the T.Izy: WHITELAW CUP shape of her hand, the bidding \vould The two best teams of women players, have progressed more smoothly had - on current form, met in the 64-board she bid 3 f\} only over South's 3 + ; final at Crockford's. Mrs. Fleming had Spades having been supported, this reached this stage after a desperate bid ·. could not possibly be passed. semi-final clash with Miss Daphne. East would bid 4 ~, West could now Kleuser, .the holder, the winning cue-bid 5 + and East 5 0, which margin being a mere 660 points after would enable West to bid · the slam 48 boards. In the other seini-final, with confidence. The swing was 750 Mrs. Lester was just too good for points to Mrs. Fleming, who led at Mrs. Flemmich. In both matches the half-time by 4,350. : . piny reached a high standard. . - · Everyone expected a recovery by .. . The final was to sonic extent marred Mrs. Lester in the second half, and by ·the one-sided nature of the first this duly materialised. On the ne:'l:t s.ession exchanges. Mrs. Fleming's 16 hands she lost a further 250 points, players settled down to devastating, but then came a succession of s'l'."ing · aggressive bridge ; the cards favoured hands of the type that a losing ·team their style of play, while their opponents dreams of. Mrs. Godfray and Mrs. were continually at sixes and sevens. Litante, who held the good cards · in Partnership misunderstandings were Room 2, bid and played with great surprisingly frequent, resulting in a · accuracy, while Mrs. Fleming's pl-lyers crop of missed games and slams. One took one wrong view after another. of the most interesting slam hands was They incurred a heavy loss on Board 58 : the following : · • J 9 6 3 WEST EAST ~ AQ 105 + A 10 8 7 6 4 + KJ9 0 AKQ73 ~ AK973 ~ J 8 64 + - 0- 0 A 7 6 3 + K7·5 .- + 82 + A4 + 103 ~ ]963 ~ K82 Dealer, North. East-West Game. ·0 J 64' 0 10 9 2' + 1084 + K9732 · Biddi11g-Room 1 + AQ104· NORTH E AST SOUTH , WEST ·f\? . 7 4 No bid No bid No bid 1 + ' 0 8 5 : ·. 2 + 2 0 Dble . 2 '9 .. + AQJ65 . No bid 4 ~ No bid 6 ~ Dealer, South. Love AII.- Biddi11g-Room 2 In Room 1, Mrs.' Fleming's pair NoRTH E AST SouTH WESr reached the . slam as follows : 1 + - No bid No bid No hid 1 + 1 0- 1 +-3 f\}- 3 NT- 6 . +. and 2 + 2 + 3 + 4' ~ ~est: led ~ 3: Sou!h started well by 'o bid No bid 5 + 5 f\} wmnmgw1th dummy s_f\? A and playing three ·rounds · of Dmmonds 1 safel.r 0 8 was led in both rooms, and discarding the losing Heart. As the West made 12 tricks without difficulty. cards lie, 12 tricks can now be made East's bid of 2 0 in Room 1 is by cross-ruffing, but South elected to doubtful, as on the system played she lead trumps, finessing + to: West might be left in this call after her . won and exited with f\} 6. Faced with original pass, resulting in an inferior a horrible guess, South decided that· part score contract. A free raise to 2 + Wc;:st was underleading f\} .K, and ­ shows her values better. "Dimmie " played dummy's f\} Q, · covered by Fleming (\Vest) summed up the East. The dummy can now be set up situation nicely after South's double by a process of ruffing this trick with of 2 0 and her partner's jump to 4 f\}. + Q, leading • 4 to dummy's + 9 In Room 2, East completely failed and .ru!fing f\} 5 with + A; ~ 10 i~ . to realise the implications of her then discarded on + A a small Club · partner's bidding. The pass over 4 f\} is. ruffJ!d with + 6 and the last adverse CONTRACT BRIDGE JOURNAL trump e.xtracted with + J. South, 26 points on boards 51-60 ; during however, drew trumps and then ran the latter set they obtained the + Q, losing to East's + K. In the maximum of 12 points on the following \ other room, Mrs. Fleming's East-West death-trap slam hand : pair played the deal in a remarkable • 103 contract of 2 1::;> doubled, which cost I::;>Q 900 points. 0 KQ9874 The final margin was 2,250. Mrs. + 9763 Lester herself had played consistently + 5 + J862 well, and all her team mates rose IV> 10 8 6 3 2 IV> 7 grandly to the occasion in a storming 0 A 6 5 0 10 3 2 finish. The winners, in my opinion + KQ105 • AJ842 the strongest combination of women + AKQ974 players yet assembled in this country, I::;>AKJ954 played superbly until victory was 0 J assured. + - Teams: Roth sides reached 6 + , the opening Mrs. Fleming (captain), Lady Rhodes, lead in both rooms being + K. Mrs. Marcus, Miss Pearson. Summers' South player could do nothing against the diabolical Mrs. Lester (captain), Mrs. Summers, distribution, and eventually lost to Mrs. Godfray, Mrs. Litante. 0 A, + J and 1::;> 10 for a set of 200. In the other room South played two THE MELVILLE SMITH TROPHY top trumps, discovered the bad break, and then led 0 J. West obliged by . The London Championship for winning and returning a second Club teams of four was this year open to all for South to ruff ; his trumps were players in the Home Counties. Another now reduced to the required length, innovation was the rule that each dummy was entered with 1::;> Q, and player must play an equal number of the play of the Diamonds compelled boards with each team mate in tum. East to surrender to a trump coup. The contract was thus made for an The dmw was needed, the strongest aggregate swing of 1,630. teams being placed in different sections. " Accidents " started early in the top With 10 boards to go the Gray team half ; . Fraser Allan wept out in the led by 84 match points, but during first round to Cavendish, who in tum the last session they dropped 18 points, lost to Mrs. Selby, winner of the largely as a result of a spectacular coup Lady Milne Cup. In the meantime by their South player on Board 86. Baron had bowed the knee to the Mter two passes, East opened with consistent Elliott team. Mrs. Selby 1 + ; South held the following : then lost to Eric Summers' Worthing team, and the latter entered the final + K8 1::;>}6 O J9 + AKQJ873 with a fine win against Elliott. The other finalist was Harrison-Gray, who 1 NT struck him as a reasonable had scored convincing wins against overcall ; \Vest doubled, and South, Colvin, the holder, and Flores. who is not unconnected with this Joumal, took a chance and elected to The final was played at Crockford's stay in this contract. · \Vest, who held over 90 boards, with international + A 6 4, opened with a Heart, and match point scoring. The plucky the upshot was that South, vulnerable, \Vorthing team took the lead at the failed to take a single trick, losing 2,000 outset, and at intervals throughout the aggregate points. This rare feat is match more than held their own with unusual in any circle. their formidable adversaries. A feature Teams : of the match was the impressive display given by Eric Summers himself, M. Harrison-Gray (captain), S. J. who belied his reputation by pluying Simon, J. T. Reese, B. Shapiro, accurate bridge of the highest order. I. N. !VIacleod. The Gray team, however, gained E. Summers (captain), lVIrs. 41 match points on bonrds 21-30, and Summer.:, A. Blow, C. \Vrightson. CONTRACT BRIDGE JOURNAL I I I THE DAILY TELEGRAPH CUP first night, the . Harrison-Gray team London, Surrey and Essex provided caused a sensation by finishing with a two teams each for the final of the minus score in eighth place, 48 match London and Home Counties Inter­ points behind Alpar, who therefore County Championship, and appeared to have the Cup in his pocket. Hertfordshire, Kent, Middlesex and With Gray playing in the second Sussex were represented by ·single session, his team wrought a complete teams. The contest, for this first transformation. Scoring inexorably on post-war year, attracted a record each" set of ·boards, they performed the entry, Surrey alone sending in a score incredible feat of not only catching the of teams. The final, as before, was Middlesex team, but finishing the held in the Daily Telegraph building, session with a clear lead of 15 points. and under the able direction of A. J. The three boards played against each Smith, with scoring' arrangements in other by these two teams, particulnrlr the hands of Major George Gray, it the last, were breathlessly watched by more than ever justified its reputation the spectators. as ',' the most enjoyable final of the year/ ' • 6 The issue was thought to rest \:1 K Q J 10 9 7 4 3 2 between London " A " (M. Harrison­ 0 4 Gray), London " B " (L. Baron), and + A10 Middlesex (E. Alpar), with the odds + K 10 54 apparently in favour of the first named. ~ ~8 2 \:/6 - Baron had just scrambled through his 0 A 10 8 6 2 o .KQ7 s qualifying heat, with a modest quotient + }753 + K864 only fractionally better than that of + AQJ73 G . H. Hammond's Beckenham team. \:1 A 8 Gray, however playing in a stronger 0 J 9 3 heat, had romped home with an Q92 unbelievable international match point + score of 96 plus against 3 minus, a North dealt at Lo\·e All. Playing quotient of 32 I Acol, both North-South pairs easily Unfortunat~ly , on the eve of the reached 6 \:/, and East in both rooms contest Baron announced that he was led 0 K. Simon, in. Room 1, led unable to muster· a team under the 0 Q at trick 2, North ruffed and conditions of the contest, and elected decided to use dummy's trump entries in an endeavour to ruff out K in to play as a non-competing team. + '· Rockfelt and l\1ollo were roped in to three rounds. As the cards lay, this join Baron and Goldinger, and th.is plan had to fail, and the contract was combination proceeded to give one of one down. the finest displays of the season. As In Room 2, North (Shapiro) was so often happens with a non-competing quick to recognise the possibilities of team, everything came off ; they a double squeeze ; but the play played with an abandon entirely developed in an une:..:pectedly simple fo reign to their usual style, and casheq manner, for East· at trick 2 made the in heavil y on thei r opponents' mistakes. fatal mistake of lending a smilll Diamond This impressive dis play seemed a on which 'Vest played his Ace. E ast happy augury for the coming season, was therefore left with three suits to during which it is understood that control, and surrendered gracefully at Baron will use the same line-up in the 9th trick. Gruy's match point score certain ev.,nts . for the session was 62 plus against Stark drama characterised the tussle 4 minus. h<'tween the legitimate contestants. During the first of the three sessions The Alpar team could do ·nothing Hertfordshire took the lead at the right in the last session, and plthough outset, onl y to full away badly ; the Baron continued to pile up a fantastic Middles"x team played finely, and score it was soon clear that the Cup returnt:d a score nearly as good as must inevitably go to Gray. The Baron's. Playing without their captain, proceedings were enlivened by the who was unavoidably absent on the following remarkable freak hand : CONTRACT BRIDGE JOU.RNAL + · 4 Northern and Southern sections of the IV- country, over 64 boards at the Hamilton 0 Q 10 52 Club. The stage was set for some + AK 1097642 tough and exciting exchanges ; the + KJ82 + 0105 ,fact that the bridge degenerated into ' IV106532 · IVKQ the worst and wildest of the season · 0 9 7 4 3 0 · K J 6 was due to several 'Causes. · - .+ QJ853 , Firstly, one or two of the London -+ A9763 players made the fatal mistake· of IV· AJ 9 8 7 4 underestimating their opponents, and 0 AS Yorkshire scored heavily on doubled contracts which were almost invariably­ South dealt at Game All, and it is a made. In return, most of the Yorkshire tribute to the judgment of the modem players showed a lack of· restraint and player that· South- in most cases a quality of excitability entirely foreign • surrendered the initiative before the to Yorkshire temperament in other prospective penalty had reached branches of sport. astronomical proportions. The most The visitors got off the mark with a remarkable contract was 3 NT doubled telling success on the first board of the by a lady sitting North ; she contrived match, when the East-\Vest players to get out with one down I The ·best held these cards : :East-West score was 800, and Gray WEST EAST and Shapiro got the top for North­ + AKQ984 • . 7 3 South with one down, undoubled, in IV5 IV AQJ642 5 + · 10 tricks can be made in this 0 KQ98 OA contract . by careful play : East leads AK • ]9 3,2 IV!{ to dummy's IV A, North discarding + 0 2, and a Heart is ruffed at trick 2. Both Yorkshire pairs rushed into· The play of + K reveals West's void ; 7 NT, and were faced with a nasty + 4 is now led to + A and + 3 is proposition at trick 1, for both London ruffed in the closed hand. North now Norths led IV 9. The declarers decided leads + 9 to East's + ], and East's that the alternative chance of dropping only safe exit is his 'last Spade. This 0 J and 0 10 in three rounds was a is ruffed, and the play of another low slight one, and held their breath while trump again puts East in the lead·; they took the Heart finesse, which he must now return a trump or a succeeded. One London pair played Diamond, with dummy's IV J available in 6 NT, the other reached a weirCI for a Diamond discard. contract of 6 'VI which was set one trick, Nord~ holding 'VI K 9 8 7 3. RESULT: The worst feature of the play was 1. London ''A'' the atrocious slam bidding. For (M. Harrison-Gray) + 62 instance, two pairs bid a grand slam 2. Middlesex (E. Alpar) + 32 on Board 57. 3. Sussex (E. Summers) -10 WEST EAST 4. Essex "A" + AQ4 + KJ 8 6 3 (G. M . Pennant-Jones) .. - 29 'VIAQ]72 'VI853 5. Kent (Mrs. H arvey). . - 30 0 AK52 OQ 6. Essex "B" + 5 + AQ84 (Dr. J, F . O' Rourke) - 31 There was no excuse for these pairs, 7. Hertfordshire (G. Humble) - 37 for both were employing the Culbertson 8. Surrey " A " (Mrs. Trollope) - 43 4-5 NT. East dealt at Game All, and 9. Surrey " B " (E. Summers) - 79 the sequence 1 + - 3 IV - 3 + - 4 NT - London " B " (L. Baron, 5 + clearly reveals that East does not non-competing) .. + 165 hold + A and both major suit Kings, otherwise his response would be 5 NT. THE TOLLEMACHE CUP One Yorkshire pair shot 7 + which, as The final of the eight-a-side E.B.U. the cards lie, can only be made at double County Championship was contested, dummy, while a London pair went one fittinglv enough, by the Yorkshire and better and finished in 7 NT, with London C.B.A's, winners of the North holding IV K. 27 CONTRACT D R I ~GE JOURNAL London won the match by 49 teams, attracted an enormous entry international match points, a narrow Last year the contest was won .by margin indeed and one that might well Ralph Evans' Bournemouth quartette ; have been closer still. the strength of the challenge on this . From the criticisms of the players occasion · appeared irresistible ; but, e.~pressed ~hove, one or two pairs playing with rare determination, the were notably exempt. For Yorkshire, Boumemouth team just managed to Franklin and Mercado played some retain the trophy, finishing a few points first-rate stuff, and it is hoped that ahead of the consistent Welwyn team they may have further opportunities of captained by A. J. Smith.. Ralph Evans, showing their mettle in · the best one of the best players still uncapped company. Vincent and Fell had some for England, was assisted by l'VIrs. spectacular successes and were not Evans, Mrs. Barnett and Max Stern. slow to cash in on their opponents' _-\J team new to competition bridge mistakes. led the field in the qualifying round As befits the winner and runner up with a sensational score ; this was the in the London Masters Individual Portsmouth quartette captained by .contest, Joel Tarlo and 'Pearlstone Miss Paine, who went on to finish were largely responsible for London's fourth in the final. success, returning several outstanding scores. Apart from a bad patch here Meanwhile an epic struggle was in .and there, Oldschool and Spiro also progress for the Tunbridge Wells Cup . played finely. The entry included all the leading Teams: London teams; and the usual desperate LONDON: Sydney Woodward (non­ finish was to he anticipated. Scoring -playing captain), M. Harrison-Gray and was on international match points and B. Shapiro, J. Tarlo and J. Pearlstone, victory points, and Harrison-Gray (16) L. Baron and Dr. M. Rockfelt, A. ended the first session with a useful ·Oldschool and I. Spiro. lead of 2 points. Nc.."t best was Leist YoRKSHIRE: R. J. Corwen (non­ (14), followed by Baron (13), Ellison -playing captain), R. Mercado and (12), and Dr. Stem and Pearlstone H. Franklin, R. Vincent and G . Fell, with 10 apiece. Mr. and Mrs. A. Kremer, R. Niman There were some exciting exchanges ~nd H. L. Shapiro. during the final session, but Gmy increased his lead over his nearest rivals ; it was lucky for him that he THE BOURNEMOUTH CONGRESS had plenty in hand, for his team Pessimists who insisted that the day incurred a disaster on the following of Congresses was over were confounded hand when they met Leist, their most b y the success of the Tournament dangerous opposition, in the Bridge Association's annual event. penultimate round : The attendance, keeness of competition and general atmosphere made it quite + KQ6 clear that bridge players from all parts ~ QJH of the country will find wavs and means 0 K 10 of attt!nding a Congress, provided that + KQJ8 the v:enue, programme of events and + 10 3 + 98 52 tournament direction nrc of the right ~ K 10 9 6 3 ~ A82 standard. All of tht!sc conditions 0 J 8 0 Q6542 were satisfit!d : the Burlington Hotel + 975-1- + 2 prm·idt!d unequallt!d comfort, ser\"icc + AJ74 and cuisine ; the programme was ~5 findy balanct!d ; the organisation was 0 A973 · first-class. + A 10 6 3 The bridge itself was packed with t!Xcitt!ment from start to finish. The South dealt at Game All. Both i nter-City Contest, for teams-of-four North-South pairs creditably reached representing any town or city in the 6 +. Leist and Rose, playing Baron, liin'-!dom with the t!xception of London, started off with 1 0 - 2 NT ; the and run concurrt!nth· with the latter is a conventional forcing-to-game Tunbridge ll"ells Cup · for London ~esponse, indicating 16-18 points and CONTRACT BRIDGE JOURNAL no five-sui~. The Acol bidding was The winners were never afraid to g~ 1 0-2~-2 + -2NT-J + -4 + - ou.t for tops, and they thoroughly 4 NT - 6 + · South was so pleased deserved all the luck that came their with the bidding that he tackled the way. The struggle for second place, hand like a bull in a china shop and and the success of the women players succeeded in going one down. The who finished 5th and 6th will be noted. hand is the simplest type of dummy Commander . and Mrs. _ Freer, . of reversal-South ruffs two of dummy's Portsmouth, playing in their first Hearts, trumps are drawn in the tournament, distinguished themselves North hand, and 12 tricks are made by finishing 9th out of the 22 pairs with 4 Clubs, 2 ruffs, 2 Diamonds who qualified for the final. and 4 Spades. The contract was of Several strong pairs failed to qualify course made at the other table. for the final of the -Mixed Pail·• In spite of this reverse, the Harrison­ Clzampiouship, including the holders. Gray team, which 'included Furse, Pearlstone and ·Phyllis \Villiams, and Reese, Shapiro and Simon, finished the Ralph Evanses. Play in the final with a clear lend of 2 points. Four was up-and-down, and in the end teams tied on victory points for second three Acol pairs figured in a photo place : Leist, Baron, Ellison and Stem, finish ; Harrison-Gray and Madeline the tie being split in that order. The Lester were 2 points ahead of Shapiro combination of Leist, · Rose, Juan and and Carmel Simon and Mr. and Mrs. Lee, team with a strong ex-Baron Niel Furse, who tied for second place. flavour, proved a powerful one ; Baron, The most novel event was " Plav who had Rockfelt, Goldinger and Mollo, with the Masters," in which i2 the quartette that had done so well in " ordinary " players balloted for the the Daily Telegraph Cup final, never privilege of playing a pairs session looked like catching the lenders, losing with a well-known expert. Best vital points, strangely enou_gh, in the North-South pair were Simon and play of the cards. Mrs. Bums, well-known Nottingham player ; " Rixi " Marcus gained. lThe T.B.A'1l chief open pairs eveut, another success by winning the East­ the Two Stars, ended in a triumph for West section with Spashett of\Vorthing. two women players. In the T.B.A. Winners of other pairs events : TVaddi11gto11 Cup for Master Pairs, earlier this season, Lady Rhodes and Southem Couuties Pairs Clzampiou­ " Rixi " Marcus created a sensation ship : 1st, S. Moore and Miss Haslam. by leading at the end of the first (Boumemouth) ; 2nd, Commander and session with a terrific sc.ore ; although Mrs. Freer (Portsmouth). they finished creditably in the final " Bormremouth Pairs " Fiual : E. Fine placings, they were unable to maintain and W. Crystal (Cardiff). this super standard. History looked Ope11 Pairs : J. Kean and J. Overton ; like repeating. itself when . the same J. Flores and R. Sharples ; Mrs. pair returned a superb score in the Gordon and :Mrs. Renshaw ; Mrs. first session of the Two Stars final ; Fitzgibbon and P. R. G. Charters ; they had 231 match points, next best Mrs. Northcott and Mrs. Stansell ; being Harrison-Gray and Shapiro (219), E. N. Furse and Dr. J. Whitby; Mrs. Mrs. Gordon and Mrs. Renshaw (216) Gordon and 1\llrs. Renshaw ; Colonel and the Sharples brothers, also with Lecky and Mrs. Clarke ; 0. J. B. Cole 216. But this time the leaders refused and Mrs. Coker ; G. Spashett and to crack ; on the contrary, they played Mrs. Williams ; J. Pearlstone and better still in the last session, and their Mrs: Alder ; S. J. Simon and J. Flores. final margin of victory speaks for itself. Ha11dicap Pairs: North-South-1st, Fiual placiugs • Mr. and Mrs. Coker; 2nd, J. G. Hartley and Mrs. Richard. East-West- 1. Lady Rhodes and Mrs. Marcus 505 1st, Mr. and Mrs. N iman ; 2nd. 2. A. Oldschool and I. Spiro . . 473 Mrs. Flemmich and Miss Haslam. 3. R. Sharples and J. Sharples . . 472 4. M. Harrison-Gray Co11solatio11 Pairs: Mrs. Eldridge and B. Shapiro . . . . 471 and Mrs. Cayless ; Mr. and Mrs. 5. Mrs. Renshaw and Mrs. Gordon 445 Ormerod. 6. Mrs. McDonnell and Mrs. Alder 441 .. ALIBI " Tkis Set by ~. ·H .. U. Marx ..

The CONTRACT BRIDGE. PROBLEM ~0. 4 (16 points) JOURNAL offers a ,prize : of TWO GUINEAS for the best set of solutions West holds: to the following problems. In. the + KQ10 ~AS OQ109876 + AS event of two or more sets of solutions· being ' of equal merit; the monthly East de~is nt the scar~ East-West prize ·~m be· divided. · Game. The•. bidding proceeds : EAST SOUTH ·WEST NORTH Answers to CONTRACT BRIDGE No ·· No 1 0 No JOURNAL (Editorial Department) 2 + ' ·z- BLEJ\1 No. 5 (8 points) + 0103 IVAKJ1086 04 + 1065 · S6uth deals nt the score Love: All West deals' at the score Game All and bids One Club. · East and West and · holds : . .do not bid. North bids One ·Heart, • J 8 6 · (1) 2 + (2) 2 0 (3) four hands or the result, but should No (4) 2 CV1 2 • (5) base their decisions on the facts and 3 " (6) inferences which seem to be available 3 + (7) No (8) 4 • (9) No (10) to the individual players on the occasion No Dble (11) No No (12) of each bid and piny.

compelled to bld ngaln, since his refusal to Answers to double One No·Trump has llmltcd the hhzh cnrd values of South's hnnd. Howcn•r, the mndom choice of one or other may' not produce Novemhet· more thnn a part-score, whereas a double might with luck bring In a substnntlnl ]lCnnlty. Considerations of surety should Jlersnade fJompetition South against bidding the Spades lmmcdlntcly. l'ltODLE~l No. 1 (24 points) (a) Two Diamonds- 8 )lolnts • PltODLEM No. 2 (24 11oluts) .Annoyance nt East's lntcrfercucc, which (11) Four Clnbs-10 points. Three hns prevented him bl n revert to Diamonds. South mh:ht llku to rebid hb Clubs, he cannot tlo everything nt onct'. IIIR band Is sultnhlc (r) Double-S JlOiuts. Two Diamonds­ for Jllay at No-Trtunll8, he guards the unhhl :! 110lnts. East's lntcrferenco fa again sull and he has tho high curd vahws. t•mbarrasslntt, for It lmR le•sencd tho chanccs of both suits behuz shown. If South bids (r) Three No-Trumps-7 110lnts. Thl' <~ue of them lmmcdln tely, North Is not sumc rcusonhlll ns In (b) Rll)lllcs here. 'JI CONTRACT BRIDGE JOURNAL

PllODLEU No. 3 (8 poluts) PltOBLEM No. 7 (20 points) l?our Clubs-8 poluts. Five Clubs- All tho evidence from the blddln11 nnd 0 volnts. This Is the type of one· suited hnnd piny points to South's distribution being 'six Spades, five Clubs nnd two Diamonds If on which th~ holder should bid ns high ns he dnrcs without further ndo. An nppronch bid this Is tho cnso£ North's holding In Spndcs of Two Clubs will probnbly be followed by n nftcr the third rick Is K 10 3. These cnn battle of suits between the partners, In the be cxtrnctcd by West with the loss of only course of which the whole Issue wlll become one further trick In tho sult1 provided thnt confused. Since South requires Nort.lt to hnve South docs not rcgnln tho lcnu before North's n Quick Trick type of opening bld to fulfll Spnde Ten hns been drawn. Should this n contrnct of Five Clubs, caution sug11esta n happen~. nnother Heart lend by South will bid of only Four Chibs. enable .North to mnke tho Spnde Ten. West might tnko the risk of n double finesse in Dlnmonds, discarding his losing Club on the third round, but the odds In favour of success PROBLEM No. 4 (8 points) nrc poor nnd, should South hold the Dlnmond Knave but not tho King, he loses one more Four Spndcs-S points. With such n trick t11an nccC!ISary. A fur better plnn Is powerful hand, South cannot nfford to nllow to test the ~pade position nt the fourth trick the bidding to die short of gnme. As no by lending tho Ace, when, It Is nssumed ~:enulne forcing bid Is nvnllnble, he should South falls to follow suit. West should then bid ~:arne himself nt ouce. North's No·Trump finesse tho Diamond Queen nod, If successful rebid should Include nt ·1cnst n doubleton piny the Ace nod n third round of the suit: Spndo nnd this, with South's 1\t for Hearts, If the nssumptions nbout South's suit should assure n rcnsonable play for n Four distribution nre correch South will ngnln fall Spndo contract. South's wenJ.."tlcss In the to follow, West cnn Ull!cnrd his losing Club minors should dlscourngo nn attempt nt nnd throw the lend to North. South's hand ~:nmo In No-Trumps. As for game In Hearts, Is now cut olf nnd North's Ten of trumps there Is no reason to suppose that North hns cnn eventually be drown. West will fultll more than n fonr-cnrd or wcnk 1\ve-cnrd suit, his ' contract with the loss of one Hcnrt a · which will In any cnse be much tnferlor to Henrt ruff, n Diamond nnd the King of trun{ps. South's own Spade suit.

PROBLEM No. 5 (8 points) Three IIearls-8 points. North's bidding . hnplles n powerful unbalanced hand nod therefore n preference for a suit contract ns N ovetultet• ngalnst No-'.rrumps. Tho choice for South Is necortllngly one of selecting the suit. Tho only reason for supporting Cl•:bs at this stage, \Vinnet•s lu view of tho fa~t that he hns no aversion for Hearts, Is the posslblllty of a slam. The monthly prlzo of Two Gulnens for the However, there Is one feature of his hand best set of solutions In the November apart from Its general wcakness • which should Competition Is nwnrded to: L. 0. P.\YlUX convince him thnt such a posslbulty1 Is remote. (Salford) who scored 85 poln ts. That Is Its holding of three Hearts to the Ten. At lcnst one trick In Henrts will nhnost Specially COIIIIIICIIdcd : Miss D. lt. certainly have to be lost. Thnt the rest of Shnnnhnn (Hendon) 84 ; A. J. Fletcher tho combined hands nrc solid Is nltol!ethcr (Belfust) 83 ; J. H. llontmnn (St. Albans) 78 - too much to hope. A. F. Stephenson (Strenthnm) 78 · C. E: l'hUIIps (Nortltwlch) 77; W. J . S. Robb (Portadown, N.I.) 77 : U .-Col. G. H. F. Droad (llugby) 76; Mrs. 1'. M. llcclns (Minchin· PltOBLm[ No. 0 (8 points) hampton) 76 ; D. 11. Snell (llromborough) 70. Four Clubs-S points. Three Spadcs- Commended : Miss W. Jcwson (Pevenscy) 0 pohits. . Four Spndcs--l points. Uerc 75 ; E. II. Potter (IJounslow) 74 ; C. E. Dickel ngalu, In view of North's expressed desire (Glnsgow) 72; C. ll. ll. S tur~tes (Taunton) 72 ; for n suit contrnct, South should not rebid A. F. Wnllls (Mnldstonc) 72; W . . J. Tlbb& to Three No-Trumps. North mus~ hnve nt (Leeds) 71 ; W. ll. Evn (Holton) 70; J. W. worst a modcrnto, but unnblnnced, opening Gerber (Gltfnock) 70. bid! for with n mlnlmum.t he would lmvo reb d to Three 8\Jadcs. l:iouth Is therefore Ltadino •cora i11 •ix-monthly competitio11 : not nt tltl.s point n 11 position to rule out 11 C. E . l'hllllps 41!1 ; C. Vlckcm1nn 370; slnm tuul should /linn to fnellltnto Its uttnln­ Dr. K. Solon 371 ; A. J. Fletcher 300; J. H. ment1 should Nor h's further bidding lndlcnto Doutmnn 352; C. E. Dickel 348; A. F. Wulll& Its llt.:cllhood. If tho hnnd Is to be plnycd 347; J . E. Gordon (llromborou~h) 337; In n 'Blnm, n Club contrnct Is p11tently to be Miss D. ll. Shnnnhnn 333; L. G. Wood 333 )!referred. If, on tho other hnndl North UJlpenrs to be !eBB ambitious, It wou d be na Owing to Into receipt of solutions, tlie well to plJlt' tho hand nt n ten trick contract following were omitted from tho list of lending In n lllt\jor suit. l'olnts huvo accordingly scores In the O~tobcr Competition : Sper:iallu been nwtu

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