The British ~~~•., cJ. 'i.k; ~ V.j>, dae:;:, wo· rid Editorial Bo:1 rd BERNARD WESTALL (CHAIRMAN) GEOFFREY BUTLER KENNETH KONSTAM TERENCE REESE ALBERT DORMER (EDITOR)
VOL. 14, NO. 8 CONTENTS AUGUST, 1963
Page
Editorial 5-6 The Big Battalions, by Pedro Juan 7-11 New Books ... 12-13 Annals of Ruff's Club, by Terence Reese 14-15 Tournament World, by Harold Franklin 16-19 The Decision is Yours, by A. Hutchinson 20-23 Precautionary Measures, by Eric Crow hurst ... 24-29 Thinking Aloud, by Harold Franklin ... 30-33 You Say 35 The Bridge Battle of the Century, by Terence Reese 38-43 One Hundred Up, conducted by Alan Hiron 44-53 Bridge Academy, conducted by G. C. H. Fox 55-61
A U V E R T I S I N G : All enquiriu •hould be addrt>ssl'd to thl' : AI>\' ERTISJ!'IG MA!'IAGER, TIIOMI!.S DE 1.11. RUE &; CO. J.TU. 92 !\tiddl .. •n Str.-et, E. t ... ------11.1.1. OTIIEK COKKESI'O:-.;J>ENCE, 1:-.;CJ.UUING SUBSCRII' TIO:-.;S, TO THE I'UBUSIII' JtS, ANUKEWS & WAKBUKG. I.TU.. ~S 1)0\'1-: R STR EET, 1.0:--;uo:-.;, W. l. Tt·l: \IA\'I,.i r 11'*'17
Annu:o l Sub•niptiun 35.'·
l' wbli>hc· J b)' . ~IIJT< ' M ' S d; w .. , b .. ,~.l . t.l ., JS J> o .. .., Strc·c·t,l.vn.lvn, 11 '.1 .. , J rrj,Jic·J by G. F. r ••, . J.. i .. I IJ . S0 /.9 Grc>l't Grc'c' n R o,l./, l..ond ,> n 1-:./1, un h ~ h.• /f tif tht p rt>pritll'tJ, 1Ju>m .u Dt l .u R wt ,{ l'·•- I tJ. For the third time since ti;<: WHITHER THE L.M.? war Britain has won both sc:r;t::s The Little Major is designed in the European Championshi!J, to help Britain climb back to the a feat unequalled in the annals top in international bridge and of the tournament. Captained by Reese, Schapiro and Flint are Harold Franklin, Mesdames well pleased with its showing at Fleming and Moss, Markus and Baden Baden. They intend to Gordon, Juan and Miss Shanahan persevere with the syste'!l and won the Ladies with 85 v.p.s they look forward to the keener out of a possible 96. There was challenge of the World Cham a record field of fifteen countries. pionship. It is the sixth time that Britain Naturally, they want to practise has won the Ladies Championship the system and one expects that since the war, and Mrs. Gordon they will apply to the E.B.U. may well be proud of the fact for a licence to play the Little that she has been a member of Major in British tournaments. every winning team. Kenneth In dealing with such an applica Konstam-the old war-horse, as tion the E.B.U. would have to he has been called-has the display judgement and courage. same great record in the Open Many ordinary players would Championship. not object to Reese and Flint Our men took the Open series playing the Little Major in, for in the easiest imaginable style, example, the Eastbourne Con winning two matches 5-l and gresc;. The novelty of the matter fifteen matches 6-0. Italy were and the thrill of playing against second and Poland a very credit such stars would undermine any able third. The team consisted resentment. But what happens of Flint, Harrison-Gray, Kon when the Little l'vfajor is taken up stam, Reese, Schapiro and J. by the minority of ordinary Tarlo, with Louis Tarlo the non players who like to experiment playing captain. Pedro Juan's with the unusual? It is possible impressions arc on page 7, and that artificial systems will one r~e~t month we hope to present day be popular, but that day is E~rc Janncrstcn's account together not yet and to let the Little l\tajor Wrth Harold Franklin's report loose in horne tournaments could 011 the little Major in action. well harm the game. 5 On the other hand, nothing is Fe' :::~. ps a new kind of licence better calculated to stimulate \'IG:.·ild be the answer, authorising bridge in this country than a the ~sc of a system only in the British win in the World Cham new · Jnternational Class Events pionship or the assertion of such as the Masters Pairs, the British dominance in the field Gold Cup and the Sunday Times of bidding. Neither of these has Pairs. seemed at all likely to eventuate in recent years. If the inventive \VINNING DRAW and executive skill of Reese and Big bridge tournaments seldom his teammates cannot put Britain pass without the world's store back on the bridge map,. we shall of humour being enriched by have to wait a long time for Mrs. Markus. Pedro and Jane a better prospect. Juan report two new "Rixi Personally, I found the Little isms" from Baden-Baden. Major amusing and exciting to Quote No. 1 : (At a time when play against in the B.B.L. trials Egypt were threatening the leaders and I am sure that many players of the Ladies Series.) would find it so. Let us hope Enter Mrs. Markus, excitedly: that the E.B.U. licensin·g authori "Belgium have just beaten Egypt ties can find a formula which will three-three." give scope for the development Quote No. 2: "Rixi is not only of the system without upsetting a genius, c'est uneforce de natllre." the more conservative players. (Jean Besse.)
CONTRACT BRIDGE ASSOCIATION OF BUDAPEST prt•sellls the 6th Imernational Bridge Festival at the Mot£'1, Tilumy, Lake Balaton (teams and pairs) 4 to 8 SEPTEMBER
Entry fcc S5 each person to Budap~:st. Bridzs Egycstilct, Budap~:st XIII, Balzac u. 5-7.
6 HE BIG
Candid impressions of the European Championships by Pedro Juan.
I seem to remember being told, So Denmark went in with nine when I was a little boy, that le tricks and came out with eight. A Bon Dieu is always on the side gift of 13 i.m.p.s at a very of the big battalions. I believe this opportune moment. was the case in Baden-Baden. Duckment No. 2: Great During the most critical match, Britain versus Sweden. (G.B. the one against Italy, Great II i.m.p.s down at half-time.) Britain played a hand in Six An enthusiastic young Swede Clubs with a trump holding of found himself in Six Hearts on AKQxxx opposite a singleton, this board: and a certain loser outside. Six NORTH Diamonds, reached in the other +A K87 room, was unbeatable. The clubs \?Q63 broke 3-3. No swing. OAKQ Now I will tell the story of two +A94 curious "d.uckments." Duckment WEST EAST No. I was in the match between +54 2 + Q63 Great Britain and Denmark. \?154 \?AIO (G.B. 19 i.m.p.s down at half 010862 OJ9753 time.) A Danish declarer in a + K 8 5 + J 7 6 vulnerable 3NT received the lead SOUTH of the 9 of hearts. In dummy + J 109 there was I 0 8 3 in his hand <:JKJ9S2 K 5 2. He covered' the 9 with the 04 10, East played the Jack and he +QI032 ducked! East led back a small The opening kad was the 5 of heart, declarer played the King Spades which the declarer won and West produced the Ace! on the table and played the 3 of 7 'v-:t~~~J g !bel~~®~ ~~~(%)~@~ ~~D®@J~ ~
~?/ /
------·. . / Directed by NICO GARDENER British International and Life Master
TUITION CLASSES BEGINNER'S CLUB
POSTAL COURSES PRACTICE CLASSES
There is no better or gayer way to learn the game than at the London School of Bridge, 38 King's Road, Chelsea. Telephone: KENsington 7201-2.
8 hearts. Our English East tL~_.; d. at any other Championship I the 10 (! !) and Sunde! in ~.<.: il remember. Many of them were with the King. After this · u :c, capable, some brilliant; but few fortunate error the cor, t;-i;ct as yet keyed up to sustained could actually have been made. effort. The might and experience Three rounds of diamonds art! of the old campaigners ground played, South discarding a spade them all to dust in the end. · and a club, then East is put in It is unfortunate that Bridge with the Ace of hearts. He must rama was not run with more either give a ruff and discard or enterprise and imagination. To lead into a tenace, and the illustrate my point-while France declarer can still develop dummy's and Egypt were toiling away on fourth spade. Rama in a match which had little If a club is returned declarer bearing on the final standings, is unlikely to misguess as East I came across the following would scarcely have ducked the morceau in a corner of the Open Ace of hearts holding the King of Room, where the Swiss and the clubs as well. However, the Italians were fighting it out: Swedish declarer failed to take advantage and, with Great Bernasconi Britain stopping in Four Hearts • A 8 7 5 in the other room, to i.m.p.s \? 7 4 3 were gained. 0 Q 108 At the risk of being very +A 104 unpopular I have to say that the Messina Pabis Ticci resounding victory of our team • K2 .11064 in the Open cannot be taken at \?QJ95 \?Kl086 its face value. The French team 017642 09 was comparatively weak and + QJ 97 Italy, already World Champions, + 6 3 could afford to put in their Besse "second eleven." I heard many • Q9 3 people talk of the low standard \?A 2 ?f play at this Championship, but 0 A K 53 tt would be more accurate to + K R 52 s.ay that many competitors had httle experience of the big Iksse played in 3NT and re occasion. There were more new ceived the lead of the Queen of young faces at Baden-Baden than hearts. lie won the second heart 9 and played the Queen of dia given : ~-;. c Rama spectators their monds, followed by the King, on five D -::: : ~:; chmarks' worth! which Pabis Ticci discarded a As .he Open was won so heart. With only seven certain .easily ;_ h ~ Championship lacked tricks, Besse assumed that East excit'! rnc Ht and dramatic interest. was 4-4-1-4 and led a spade But biidge is bridge and one can t'o the Ace and a spade back. still take pleasure in simple things. When East played low, Besse Look at this modest part-score realised that he could ·not make hand: more than eight tricks if the NORTH Queen of spades held, and that + A K 10 5 he would be better placed if he ~ Q94 could drop the doubleton King. 0 AK3 He therefore played low. + 10 6 5 Messina could have beaten WEST EAST the contract by exiting with the • 9 8 • QJ 6 Jack of diamonds but he could not ~AKIO ~ 7 5 resist the temptation to cash his 0 Q 642 0 10 9 7 two heart tricks. The following + K9 74 +AJ832 classic criss-cross squeeze position SouTH then arose: • 7 4 3 2 ~J8632 Be mas coni 0 J 8 5 • 8 7 +Q ~- 0- North opened I NT, South bid + A 104 Two Hearts and West · led the Messina Pabis Ticci 9 of spades. South sought to +JIO avoid taking a view in the trump ~- ~- suit and set about shortening his ·0 J 7 6 0- trumps. He won the first spade • 6 3 + QJ 9 and led a club: East won and /Jesse switched to the 10 of diamonds, +Q covered by the Jack, Queen and ~ King. A club was rutTed, a OA diamond Jed to the Ace and + K S 5 another club ruffed. DummY Italy still won the match 6-{) then cashed the second top spade: hut this hand alone would have and exited with a spade. East 10 .... on and cashed a diamv i~:::·. shrugged his shoulders, took the 1 aving this position: Ace and King of hearts and NoRTH conceded the last two tricks. + 10 South, one of the world's leading \? Q 9 4 players and analysts, turned t~ 0- West and said: "What happens if +- you play the I 0 of hearts instead WI.ST EAST of the Ace T' West's face was a study. \?A K 10 \!) 7 5 Oh yes, some of the youngsters ·-06 ·0- learned a lot at Baden-Baden. + J 8 One of them, having received the SOUTII full treatment from the English ·- +7 veterans, smiled and said: "In \!)186 1970 we shall play better against 0- you-1 hope we shall all be +- there!" East led the 7 of hearts and Youth can be very cruel, at declarer played low. West times. ·
OPEN SERIES LADIES SERIES I. Britain 100 v.p.s I. Britain 85 v.p.s 2. Italy 84 2. France 73 , 3. 62 Poland 70 , 3. Denmark " 4. 54 Finland 60 , 4. Egypt " 5. France 59 5. Belgium 54 " " 6. Switzerland 59 6. Norway 53 " " 7. Belgium 49 7. Sweden 51 8. Sweden 46 s. Switzerland 51 9. Ireland 44 9. Ireland 49 .. 10. Norway 43 10. Spain 41 II. 39 Iceland 42 II. Holland " 12. Spain 41 12. Germany 37 .. 13. Denmark 39 13. Lebanon 34 .. 14. Germany 38 14. Austria 2S " 15. Austria 3H 15. Finland 9 .. 16. Holland 36 .. 17. Lebanon 35 .. In the Open Seril:s Finland and I H. Egypt 31 Sweden wen: each fined 2 v.p.s. II New Boc/{s
Reriewed by Albert D.:.·l."/1. r!r All Fifty-Two Cards, by M~m~l..~ .'lll Miles (Exposition Press Inc., New York, price $3.50)
Marshall Miles is probably best Here is a hand from the known to British readers as a chapter entitled "Help From lively and original contributor Partner": to the Bridge World and the NORTH American Bridge Digest. He is + K6 also a top West Coast expert and \7AK863 has won the Spingold Trophy 0 K 7 twice and the Lifcmastcrs' Pairs. + 9 7 52 With the publication of this WFST EAST book Miles qualifies as one of +A9742 . • 10 8 3 the few bridge writers who have \75 \7QJ972 something fresh and valuable to 011084 0 A 9 62 say. His purpose is to instil +Q63 +K the mental attitudes which mark SOUTH ofT the accomplished player from • QJ 5 the average. It is not an easy \7104 . subject, nor one which is likely 0 Q 53 to achieve vast sales figures, but +AJ1084 successful works on the theme such as Reese's Expert Game and NORTH EAST SOUTH WEST Play Bridge With Reese-arc I \7 Pass 2+ Pass notable events. Miles succeeds 3+ Pass 3NT Pass in his purpose and his book can Pass Pass he thoroughly recommended to "West led the four of spades, readers of this magazine. It upon which the king, eight and includes many little elaborations five were played. A club was of expert technique incidental led to the ace, and the jack of to the writer's main theme which clubs continued. West went right in themselves contain rn~re in in with the queen and return~d struction than is to be found the jack of diamonds. oumrn)' in the whole of many other played small, but East won th~ hooks. ace and returned a spade. D~- 12 darer then scored ten tricb: . . you for three if necessary to beat Let's listen to the comment ~ ,. the hand. The jack of diamonds Wr:.Sr: "Why hit the pan : ~. · meant I \Vas willing for you to button? What was that ace-o: duck with the ace." diamonds play for?" As is often the case, both EAST: "I thought they had defenders were at fault. West's nine tricks if I ducked-five comment about leading a diamond club tricks, two heart . tricks, a other than the jack if he wanted spade and a diamond. · My only East to step right in with the chance to beat the hand was to ace is logical. However, West find you with five spades to the could have made things much ace-jack." easier for his partner by ducking "Jf my spades were ready to the second round of clubs. Then run, and if I didn't want you to East would know that declarer duck the diamond, I wouldn't only had four club tricks, and have led the jack. I'd have led he would have no excuse to hop the eight or something like that." up . with the ace of diamonds. "You couldn't be sure the The principle is that you should spades would run, even if you hold off as long as possible, if had AJxxx, since I might have you know that declarer must just had two." develop the suit, in order to give "Yes, but I would have played partn~r a count."
The Elements of Bridge, by Charles H. Goren (A Twortext book published by the English Universities Press, price 25/-) This book follows the "teaching the field of bridge literature. This machine" principle, whereby the book is intended for the complete reader is presented with a tit-bit beginner, but even allowing for of information and is immedi that the pace seems rather slow. ately asked a question. Two or Written first for the American three possible answers arc market, the book contains an ?PPended to each question and appendix on the British style •f the reader selects the right of bidding by Miss Sandra answer he is allowed to go on Ogilvie, a talented young lady to the next tit-bit· otherwise he who will be remembered for her is referred back for' revision. part in knocking Harrison-Gray's There could well be a future 1961-62 Gold Cup-winning tc:am for this type of presentation in out of the 1962-63 competition. 13 ~(.(, U ...-1··r-. ,, S [AnnaLs ' ,). '·~·
"Turn of Duty." An episode in Terence I:;; ..: :;/s famous series.
Every six weeks or so Mr. Pi.·zybetter Playbetter did his turn of duty by ¢ K5 playing partnership with Lady c.:;li08643 Glum. One Tuesday evening he OKQ10762 was engaged in a long rubber against George and Pamela Deuceace Pamela Deuceacc. The opposition was +J8743 +QI0962 a game in front when Playbettcr America's bright new monthly magazine, acclaimed by top experts C\'erywherc ..•. THE AMEiliCAN BlliDGE lliGEST Regular comributorJ ar~: OSWALD JACOBY, EASLEY BLACKWOOD, LEW MATHE, B. JAY UECKER, EDWIN B. KANTAR, MARSHALL MILES, ET AL, Plus TERENCE REESE :snd ALBERT DORMER. Annual Subscription: Send £2. 17s. to 35, Do\'er Street, London, W.l, or H tloJI;m; to P. 0. Box 1245, Studio City, C~lifornia . 15 TOURNfit tVJENT , WORLD /larold Franklin ' ~:;~ orts the encounter hetll'een four young p[,_;.ycrs and the British teams who subsequently won the Baden-Baden Championships. Under the auspices of the Bottone led a heart, after which E.B.U. the teams to represent there was no reasonable way to Britain in Baden-Baden provided succeed in the contract. Mrs. the opposition for the Young Markus led a diamond, and Players, the two pairs who finished either a diamond or a spade was first and second in the under-35 fatal. pairs competition earlier in the The Young Players had year. These were R. S. Brock developed an appetite for success and I. Manning (Yorkshire) and which they were helped to satisfy A. Bottone and C. Bottone (Kent). in the second match. After a In a short week-end they played quiet beginning they displayed two matches against the British the more mature judgement to Ladies team, from which Mrs. earn a 16-point swing here: Moss was unavoidably absent, and one match against all six NORTH members of the Open team. It seemed that they had had \?AK642 their brief moment of glory when OAK762 they held the Ladies to a draw · + 10 3 2 in the first match of 36 boards. WEST EAST A choice of lead earned them a + AKQ8 . +J76432 swing of 17 points. \?10953 <:,?7 +J643 c;j975 OJ 10862 +A. 05 0 J 4 You have to lead against 6NT +A K98 + Q J 7 5 after the following auction: SOUTII SOUTH NORTH • 10 9 5 10 2+ <:.? Q J 8 3c;j 3NT OQI09S3 6NT No +64 16 Soulll WEST NOR Til EJ,ST and all things combined to give Manning Mrs. Brock Mrs. the men a flying start. A little Markus Gordon later Mrs. Gordon was caught 1\7 No for 1100 by opponents quick ~0 Dblc 20 2 on the trigger, and two boards 30 4. No No later an attempt to recover the 50 Dble No No loss saw opponents doubled out No into a vulnerable game. The men returned none of these various East found a club lead and benefits and ran out comfortable salvaged two tricks for the de winners, 6-0. fence. North, by his bid of Two Diamonds, showed a probable Comfortable winners, and in ten cards in the two red suits and good heart for the Open Team, South judged correctly that his who played as two threesomes: best chance was to proceed in Reese - Schapiro - Flint astride the most restrained manner. At the Little Major, Konstam - the other table North was un Tarlo - Gray with more familiar characteristically timid: methods. The Young Players Soum WEST NoRTH EAsT showed no sign of being dis Miss A. Mrs. C. countenanced by the artificiality Shana- Bottone Juan Bot- of the new methods: the system hun tone did however produce at least two 1\7 No delicate problems of judgment for its exponents and found the No Dble No I+ threesome with divided views: 2(/ No No 2+ No 4. No No WEST EAST No • 109 . +AK842 Q J . Having neglected to give a \7 9 8 6 \7 5 r•cture by bidding Two Diamonds OJI03 0 K6 over the double, North had a +AKJ64 + Q9 7 ~ ~cond chance when partner was West, Reese, opened One Heart. ahl~ to raise hearts belatedly. This is a system bid which shows l~oth defensively and construc 6-11 points and one long minor t•vcly there seemed to be some suit (at least five cards). Schapiro m~rit in a bid of Three Diamonds bid I NT, which shows no precise '11 this st News from the Midlands by A. Hutchinson. Once a year, at the end of each NORTH ~cason, we play a match, the +Q ladies; of Warwickshire versus The ,\'cdcr/ c wd s t~ J1ricloc-1Jolld wcst•flt the Jiltll DUTCH SUMMER TOURNAMENT nt the ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS, THE HAGUE, on 7th nnll Bth SEPTE~tllER, 19G3. ' 111 OJJ<' I.l ])u i rs tuurllam<'lzt 011 til•• Su·c·tlisll / i< JT C> IIIctr r lr:.' ti:Od, lritll n:. .JI :l/ msh zm:,·s. llst J>ri : <' ~uo ouildcrs). },'1ztrics t~O ou11Lkrs z>cr ;>.ur) .• to. the NEDERLANDSE BHIDGE-BOND, E~t~IAPARK 9, THE IIAGUI:: :!I "Do you agree with West's "Er--ycs milord." double of the opening bid?" "Neve r in all my experience "Emphatically!" have I heard such a shameless "Then, \Vith normal methods confession. I have no hesitation in use, East would make the in ordering that, at the end of Acol weakness Two Club bid this case, the relevant papers be and probably play there, going sent to the Director of Public perhaps one off?" Prosecutions. You may proceed, "Probably-but I wouldn't usc Mr. Mas-er-Hutchinson." the weakness bid." "Thank you m'lud. Then East, "What!-Milord ?" presumably, would have to bid "Really", exclaims the judge, Two Diamonds and the final "you hold yourself out as an contract would probably be Three expert and you dare to say that Clubs by West, two off?" you do not usc the Two Club · "~ expect so," agrees the expert weakness bid?" sulkily. , "/still say she should hm·c led a cluh." 22 ''Then it would be better for NORTH West to bid I NT, instead of doubling, even without a full The first of a series in which Eric Crowhurst leavens standard technique with some fresh thoughts. Every book on cara play has a play the 9 if North follows small. chapter on Safety Plays. It might This guarantees three tricks therefore be thought. that the against any distribution of the subject has been given adequate remaining cards in the suit, and coverage, but I hope to introduce therefore is a perfect safety play. one or two points which will be An imperfect safety play, on new to even the most avid readers the other hand, is a way of of bridge literature. managing a particular suit com Safety Plays can be divided bination so as to give oneself the into two groups: Perfect and best chance of making a given Imperfect. A perfect safety play number of tricks, and it is this guarantees a given number of type of play which is not so well tricks, no matter how the out covered by the theorists. Going standing cards arc distributed back to the above, and assuming, between the two concealed hands. as we shall do for the rest of This variety of play is covered these articles, that there an: extensively in textbooks. For adequate entries to both hands example, most reputable high · and no clue to the adverse school primers include the follow distribution, how would you pl:ly ing: for four tricks? WEST EAST WEST EAST KJ42 A953 KJ42 A953 How do you play for three A common mistake is to play tricks'? The answer is, of course, for four tricks by cashing the ,\cc that you should play otT the King ("in case the singleton Queen and, if both opponents follow, drops") and then finessing. th_c lead low to dummy intending to Jack. This is clearly fallacJou~. for if you do drop the sin gleton Queen, it will not be possible The new, true clo.sslc of bridre to make four tricks. (Guy R•msty in lht D•ilf Ttltgfl ph ) Closer analysis reveals that it THE EXPERT GAME is important to lead small and by Terence Reese finesse the Jack immediately, for if the singleton Queen is with South, there is still the A 9 tenace Edward Arnold Ltd. 121. 6d. in dummy to pick up North's 10. Leading small to the knave will in fact, produce four tricks when~ ever South has Q, Q x, or Q x x force. The only danger is there total odds of 37%; this compares fore a 5-0 break, and the perfect with the 34% chance given by safety play is to withhold the top cashing the Ace and finessi~g honours on the first round by t~e Jack and the 30% chance either leading small to the Jack given by laying down the King or leading the Jack and running and Ace. It is the best per it. If the Jack draws the Queen centage chance available. and a 5-0 distribution shows up, we still have the 9 and 8 with That was an elementary ex which to make a third trick. ample of the principle of perfect Leading small to the Jack will, and imperfect safety plays. There · of course, give away a trick if arc other more complicated cases: South has the singleton Queen. If we arc playing for four tricks. WE'iT EAST therefore, the imperfect safety AK432 J98 play is to cash the Acc bdore .How would you play for three leading to the Jack. This will tr~ck s "? And for four tricks or five lcavc us with only two tricks if tncks '! And for the maximum North turns out to bc void in numhcr. of t nc· k· s on the assump- the suit, but it docs olfer the he ~ t tion that your contract is assured chancc of making four tricks, :tnd that )' ou arc merely lookmg. succeed in~ ~H " 1 of the time and to this SUI· ·t f or as many overtricks failing 01;ly wl1°en therc is a 5-0 :Is possihh: '? break or when North has a sm:tll Let us consider first thc case sinc.lcton. "here. tl lrl:e. tncks· arc required. \\'e cannot alford the luxury It the ·Sll 1.t l)rea k·s no worse than of lcadin!! small to the hck if 4·· l, three tricks arc yours by wc need t1,e tricks from the s:t mc holding. The best chance now is ,,. c News ·· ~ · · & Jews... oups ••. to lay down the Ace and King: the Queen will be doubleton 27% The complete picture of of the time and no other line offers a better chance of collecting all five tricks in the suit. AM 't~A AN BRIDGE Despite being the best play for every month in five tricks, to cash the Ace and King will leave us with disap 7 Contract pointingly few tricks if the suit //tb Bridge fails to break 3-2, and is not the recommended line if we want to make as many tricks as possible. The most profitable line then is BULLETIN to run the Jack, cashing the Ace next if the Jack loses and running of the the 9 through next if it is American Contract covered. This approach will net Bridge League only three tricks if one hand is void or if North has Q or Q 10 x x In addition to news of every Important ( 15.2 %), but will bring in five American tournament you get each month: tricks whenever South has Q 10, HAND O'THE MONTH DUPLI·OUIZ AROUND THE WORLD OF BRIDGE Q 10 x or Q x x x (16.4%), and Technical articles by top American writers, will make four tricks in the Including former English star, ALAN remaining 6!L4% of the cases TRUSCOTT. thereby producing an average of Average leeuo 64 page• or better. 4.01 tricks from the suit. This Poetpald anywhere 1 15 ehllllngs compares with the 3.99 tricks per year. made by cashing the Ace and King, ------ 3.88 made by playing the Ace and 8 8 1 0 small to the Jack, and 3.85 made ::·~~ v'!r :t .:'!~f. ~o nRdLC::,, w.t. Agent f'or N hy leading small to the Jack first. THE CONTRACT BRIDOE BULL£TI If ~tnyone should ever ask you Enclosed Is 15 sh illings for wh ich enter how the above combination should my subscription for ono year, Including foreign post. he played, therefore, the answer is simple. Lead small to the Jack Name ••.•....•• . ..•.••. · · ······· ·· ·· · to make three tricks, play the Address ••••..•....•... ···· ·• ···· · · · · Ace ~tnd small to the Jack to ······ ·························· make four tricks, cash tL(. /,c..: cash the Ace and lead small and King to make five tr;d ;s, towards the King, intending to and lead the Jack and rt:i1 i~ to play the 9 if East follows w~h a give yourself the highest ~x small card. There is no way of pectation of tricks. making four tricks · if either Applying the same principles, opponent is void, but the im how should the following com perfect safety play of the Ace and bination be managed? low to the 9 will succeed 96% of the time. WEST EAST To cash the Ace first would be AJ542 K 9 3 incorrect if we needed five tricks, Playing for three tricks there is for now the odds clearly favour no problem-one makes the per the finesse of the Jack. The fect safety play of one of the top position is analogous with that honours in case the suit divides described in the first example 5-0. If we need four tricks, and we should again lead small however, care is needed: the to the Jack without first cashing way to guarantee four tricks the King: it could never help against any 3-2 or 4-l break is to our quest. for five tricks to drop Enter now for the onnuol ST. DUNSTAN'S CONGRESS Last year the supporters of this Congress raised I ,000 guineas for the blinded of two world wars. Please help us to do even better this year. Entries to Donald Pearson, Dinorbcn, Clifton Road, llkley. £2 full Congress. CRAIGLANDS HOTEL, llKlEY 25 to 27 OCTOBER, 1963 Bridge players who arc unable to attend arc invited to writ.: for raOlc tickets, or send a donation to: MAJOR GwJTREY Frtl., E.B.U. Tournam.:nt Secretary, The Hob Hill, Stccton, Nr. Keighley, Yorkshir.:. the singleton Queen from North three trid.s, play the Ace and but if the Queen appears from low to the 9 for four tricks, lead South on the first round it is low to th~ Jack for five tricks, imperative to be able to finesse and play i.he King and . then the 9 on the next round. Leading finesse the Jack for the highest small to the Jack will, in fact, expectation of tricks. produce five tricks whenever Now try this one: South has Q 10 x, Q x x, Q 10, Q x or, with indifferent South's, Q WEST EAST -total odds of 37 %· AQ 64 2 10 53 The danger of losing two tricks THREE TRICKS. There is no if North has the singleton Queen perfect safety play to guarantee makes the immediate Jack finesse three tricks. To make three incorrect if we arc playing the tricks against any 4-1 or 3-2 suit for the highest expectation break (96 %), play the Ace and of tricks; then the most profitable then lead small to the 10. line is to cash the King before finessing the Jack. This produces FOUR TRICKS. The best five tricks 34% .of the time, four line is to pl~y the Ace and then, tricks 54%, and three t~icks 12% unless the King appears from -an average of 4.22 tricks per South, lead small to the Queen. deal. This offers a 50% chance and is Once again, therefore, the superior to the immediate Queen correct way to play this particular finesse in that, while making four combination of cards varies tricks in exactly the same circum according to the requirements: stances, it saves a trick whenever cash one high honour to make North has the singleton King. A NEW EXPERIMENT ·IN BIDDING THE 'PALOOKA' TWO-SUIT SYSTEM To cover postage and printing of 12-pngo booklet. send 2/6d. to Dr. L. Peters, 89 Victorin Rond, Leeds 6 - 28 FIVE TRICKS. The only h0f.··:· FOUR TRICKS. The im is that South will obligingly he,; . :~ perfect safety play for three tricks K J doubleton-a 3% ch~mc~; sacrifices an unnecessary trick to We must take an immcdi<.!tc several adverse holdings where one fine sse of the Queen; moreovl:c, opponent has the King and two if South plays the King on the other cards. .Seeking four · tricks, first round, we must cash the therefore, the best chance lies in Queen next in the hope that he is first cashing the Ace and then, fal secarding with the doubleton unless the King drops from the honours. right, leading small to the Queen; this produces four tricks whenever MAXIMUM TRICKS. The South has K J x, K x x, x x x, K J, best way is to lead small towards K x, J x, or K-total odds of the A Q, playing the Ace unless slightly over 50%. the Jack appears from South; then, unless South played the MAXIMUM TRICKS. Going King on the first round, lead all out for four tricks will turn ~mall to the Queen. Unless South . out badly when South started with fal secards with K J doubleton, a small singleton. If we are merely this line produces five tricks in trying to make as many tricks as 3.4 % of the cases, four tricks possible in the suit, two slightly 46.9 %. three tricks 37.3% and more profitable lines are recom two tricks 12.4 %-an average of mended: either lead small to the 3.41 tricks. Queen and finesse the 10 next, or Similar considerations apply to finesse the I 0 first and then play another combination in which the Ace and small to the Queen. Both King, Jack and three other cards these lines will produce an average arc missing: of 3.41 tricks per deal, making four tricks 47% of the time, three WL<;T EAST tricks 46% and two tricks 7 %. Q6532 AI04 If South is likely to have a singleton honour, the former line TIIREE TRICKS. There is is indicated; if North is more no perfect safety play which likely to be short, the latter a~~ures three tricks. Just as in the approach is best. previous example, however, we can guarantee success al.!ainst all 4 I ~ - . or 3- 2 breaks (96 %) by Next month J shall tf,·al 1dth lay•ng down the Ace and kadinl.! .HJ/11£' more holdings 11·hcrc the /JcJt lllllall towan..ls th~: 10. ~ odd\· are not readily apparent. Thinking Ali ~Jttd by Harold Franklin The Sunday morning diversion ' WEST EAST at the Weston-super-Mare con +AK93 +J42 gress was intended to be instruc Problem !'oio. J (10 points) Problem t,·o. 5 (I 0 points) J.m.p. scoring, North-South vulner I.m.p. ~.. .: oring, love all, the biddin:t h:: \ able, the bidding has gone:- gone:- - Soum WEsT NoRTH EAsT SOUTJI WEST NORTII EA.q No No No t+ !\o 10 No 1<:/ No 10 No 3NT !\o 4+ No 40 No South holds:- +AKIO <:/74 OAKJ873 +OS South holds:- What should South bid? +A4 <:/Q83 0109764 +AK2 Problem !'oio. 2 ( 10 points) What should South bid? J.m.p. scoring, love all, the bidding has gone:- Problem No. 6 (10 points) Soum Wr.sT NORTH EAST Rubber bridge, game all, the bidding 10 No has gone:- No 3(/ No SouTH WEsT NORTH EAST I+ Dble No South holds:- 20 No 3<:/ No +AQI032 (/JI09 OA +AK82 ? What should South bid? South holds:- Problem l'o. 3 (20 points) +JS <:/KI04 . 0108654 +At09 What should South bid? Match-point pairs, game all, the bidding has gone:- SouTu WrsT Problem No. 7 (20 points) EAST Match-point pairs, East-West vul· No ncrable, the bidding has gonc:- 10 No No 2NT SouTH WEsT NoRTH EAST No No ,. 1\? South holds:- South holds:- +A9 <:/JI086 0AQI094 +n +7432 <:/A6 OKJ984 +107 (a) What should South bid? (u) Do you agree with South's bid (b) What should South bid if East of 2NT. If not, what alternative do you prefer? had bid One Spade instead of One (b) What should South bid now? Heart? Problt•m No. 4 (tO points) Problem No. 8 (10 points) l.m.p. scoring, North-South vulner Rubber bridge, Jove all, the bidding able, the bidding has gonc :- has gone:- Sou Ill Wt s r NORTH EAsT Sount Wt.sT NoRTH I~ No 20 No 2<:/ Dblc 4<:/ 2NT No 5<:/ 6+ No No South holds:-- South holds:- +AJ \?K.t 0All7M32 +H +5 <:/AKQJO')S5 OQIO') +KJ What ~houlll South bid "! What should South kad? 34 Yoti • • • Readers arc inYited to send letters on aJI subjects to the Editor, B.B.\V., 35 DoYcr Street, London, W.l. May I offer through your Morehead's display of lexico magazine my congratulations to graphical one-upmanship to con Louis Tarlo and his distinguished vince me that this is "best style team of elder statesmen plus Mr. in the use of relative pronouns." Flint on their great victory at TERESCE REESE, Baden-Baden. It must be par London, W.l. ticularly satisfying to Louis Tarlo, * * Reese, Schapiro and Flint after In the July issue you published their disappointment in Turin the results of three county com three years ago. With such a petitions which in fact took place large entry this Championship during last autumn and winter, must be a tremendous feat of doubtless in the belief that they endurance. Congratulations again, were of recent date. I fully and on to the World Champion appreciate that yours is a national ~hip. magazine covering national events Do:-: McALLISTER, and cannot be expected to give Porthcawl, South Wales. close coverage to local events, Ut!(ortunately the victors of but nonetheless there is a gap Baden-Baden have to wait until which needs filling. How many 1964 for a tilt at the World Counties disseminate regular news ('hampionship. of . their activities; results of • County matches, who phycd for When I commented on the whom, and where, etc."? The usc (misuse) of "that" and circulation of news within a Club "\\hich" in the new laws, I was or County is a vital factor in thinking in particular of the creating and sustaining interest. footnote on page 3!): ~ PHIR J. Owns. "Declarer may he required to Bcxkyheath, Kent. draw, or not to draw an out- I certainly agrt'e ll'ith your lmt ~ant (rmg. trump that he •may have .H'IItt'IIC"t', but it I\"Otdd Pt' 11'1· o~-crlookcd and that is a possible: realistic to expat a higlt standard '' •nncr." of llt'll'.\' di.Ht'mination hy tht• It will take more than Mr. Cotmtit's 1rlren t!tey art' St'l mclz a poor example hy the E.B.U. an intemaifutlal flarour, looking You are right when you say for more orerseas subscribers. that a national magazine cannot British pla_rers, I fear, would give close corerage to local erents. rather borrow a copy of the Indeed, it is possible that in future maga:ine thall pay for one, but 1re Jhall Jeek to give the B. B. W. someone has to pay. RESULT OF JULY COMPETITION Problem No. 5 constituted an unintentional trap for solvers as the full hand appeared elsewhere in the magazine. Unfortunately, however, the aggressive and succc!.sful bid of 6NT found by the player in the report received no support from the panel! Winner: Max. 100 II . S. Rom~sos, I 16 Bents Road, Sheffield 11, Yorks. 91 Equ:tl M-cond: J. MAsll, 25 Broadlands Avenue, Waterlooville, Portsmouth, Hants. · 87 J. L. LATJ~Ir:R, 154 Centenary Road, Goole, Yorks. 87 Other lcadin~ !>Cores: N. F. MORLEY, R. B. MORRIS, 84; F. v. Kl~1MENADE (Hol- land), 82; MRS. FAWCKNER, H. R. STEVEN, 81; J. E. GORDON, 79; D. J. DAY, 78; J. I. CIIAI'MAS, 77; G. P. LITTLER, 76; W/0 K. E. WAKE, 75; R. B. JACKSON, L. G. Woou, 73; R. W. TARRANT, N. A. WATKINSON, I FOGG, 72; H G. RHODES, 7~; J. HIIIIIU!.T, J. A. EASS0~1. S. LAHIRI, c. R. B. MURRAY, 70. Some further good scores in the June competition were: A. G. BAUER (Djakarta, Indonesia), 85; C. CALLERY (Fort Wayne, Indiana), 83; MRS N. l. RUSSEll, 75. One Hli11dred Up Conducted by A LA N H I R 0 N August Competition A J?<~ncl o~ experts will a!1swer the questions and the marking of t~1c compet1_t•on w1ll be determmed by, though not necessarily in stnct proportion to, the votes of the panel. · FIRST PRIZE SECOND AND TJ IIRD PJUZES Two Guineas. One Guinea. 1'/m.S£• rmd these rules carefully. No competitor may s~:nd in m.on: than ~ne entry. Only annual subscribers to the B.B.W. arc clig,blc for pnzcs. Answers should be Sl'lll to One llundred u1,, British Bridge World. ~5 Donr Street, London, W.J, to arrh·c not later than first post on Scptemhl·r I. Some httitude will be ~in·n to on•rsc~1s competitors. 36 Problcn• ~o. I ( 10 points) Problem :\o. 5 (10 points) Ru bber bridge, East-West vulncral:'.! , Match-point pairs, game all, the 1 bidding has gone:- bidding has gone:- $1)t:TH WLST l':OI!.TII E\S1 SouTH WEsT l':oRnt EAsT 2+ No I 0 Dble :"\o 3:; No 4<::1 No ? South holds:- South holds :- +K742 <::16 OKJ86 +K&t3 +07 ~AI09764 03 +8764 What should South bid? Wh at should South bid? Problem No. 6 (10 points) Problrm l'o. 2 (10 points) Match-point pairs, East-West .,·ulner l.m.p. scoring, game all, the bidding able, the bidding has gone:- has gone :- SouTH WEsT NoRTH EAST Soum WEST NORTH EAST I Problem No. 3 (20 points) Problem No. 7 (20 points) l.m.p. scoring, North-South vulner- Match-point pairs, North-South vul- able, the bidding has gone:- nerable, the bidding has gone:- SOUTH W[ST NORTH EAST SOUTH WEST NoRTH EAST ,. No 2<::1 No IO No 2+ No 30 No I+ No 3+ No 3\) No 4+ No 4+ No 4+ No ? South holds:- South holds:- +KQI0942 <::1109 OAIO +094 +AKI097 <::1542 OJ +0432 (a) Do you agree with South's bid (a) Do you agree with South's bid of l~ f Three Hearts? If not, what alterna Four Clubs? If not, what alternati\'e tJ \'c do you prefer? do you prefer? (h) What should South bid now? (b) What should South bid now? Problt'm ~o. 4 (10 points) Problem No. 8 (10 points) l.m.fl. scoring, lo\'c all, the bidding Match-point pairs, lo\'e all, the has gonc :- bidding has gone:- Souru WJsT NOI!.lll EAST Sount WrsT NoR Til EAST No IO No tv> No No I+ No J:"T No No No South holds:- South holds:- + - \)KJI076 OQIOS7 +KOJ3 +NJ4 Terence Reese recalls the most publicised match in bridge history-the Culbertson-Len: encounter of 1931. Bridge books, as impecunious discussed in one part of the book authors know better than any, there is often a cross reference arc borrowed more often than below, so that you can turn to bought. I don't suppose that I see how it struck the other side am allowed to keep more than or the neutral referee. one quarter of the books that Historically, the match was pass through my hands, but there more important than any of the is or1c which I never in any international contests of that time. circumstances Jet out of my grasp. Although Culbertson's Blue Book That is "Famous Hands of the had been published the previous Culbcrtson-Lcnz Match," pub autumn and his Summary was a lished in 1932. best seller, it still seemed reason Stimulated by Harry Ingram's able to a large section of the recollections of the 1934 Schwab bridge populace that strong hands Cup match later, I took this book should be opened with a bid of down from my shelves and again Two and very . strong hands .with found it rich in human as well as a bid of Three. This principle technical interest. What makes was embodied in the Official it so fascinating, apart from the 1-2-3 System, to which the 01~ excellent production, is that most Guard rallied in strength. Thrs of the sclected hands arc seen is how Culbertson, who yielded from two or three quite indepen nothing to Cassius Clay in the dent angles. The book is divided art of being provocative, described into three parts, the first by the challenge: Culbertson and his partners, the "There were, of course, a second by Oswald Jacoby, the number of people who had becn third by the referee, Lieut. Alfred making a livelihood writing books M. Gruenther. When a hand is on Bridge. It was natural thlt the uni versal demand for Mr. to eliminate any possible con Culbert son's books should c<:.u :-; c fusion by settling the question the !laic of other books to dwindle once and for all." to va nishing point. By far the most noted player "Faced with the prospect of of the Official group was Sidney oblivion, a number of these Lenz, author of Len: on Bridge writers met and decided to evolve and More Lenz on Bridge, which a 'new' system for the public. both in a literary arid technical They elected to christen this sense were quite the best books unhappy offspring with the high ever written on Auction. He sounding title of the 'Official' was a man of many parts-an System. expert table tennis player and a "Mr. Culbertson was generously brilliant magician and conjurer. invited to join this eleemosynary Both he and Mrs. Culbertson group, which was organised under watched the British team play the modest name of 'Bridge Head in New York in 1955. Lenz died quarters, Inc.' .... To prevent un ·recently at a considerable age, measured harm being done to and his family presented the Bridge, Mr. Culbertson decided trophies for the World Par Olympiad. Lenz chose as his partner for the match Oswald Jacoby, who was not in fact a member of the Official group. No\v in his sixties, Jacoby is still the most successful tournament player . in America. He played for one of the Amcrican teams in Turin and rccently overtook Goren in the ~tasta Points race. I lis son, Jim Jacoby, played for the U.S. team in the world championship last month. Culbcrtson played l\S of the !50 rubbers with his wife and 41 rubbers with Thcodore Li~htner, who was his partner in other matches both before ~md aftcr. Sidnt'y L<·n:- "a man clmany Li!!htncr is still a \\ell-known rarrs,'' says Reese. fi~~trc in thc Ncw York cluhs, though no longer prominent in rubbers, that {.:ulbertson should the tournament game. play at least k~if the time with Culbertson played one session his wife, and tl.::tt Lenz, with his each with Waldemar von Zedt partner, should adhere to the witz, Howard Schenken and Official method. · Culbertson laid Michael Gottlieb. Gottlieb and his opponent 5,000 dollars to Schenken later teamed up with I ,000 dollars, the winnings to go Jacoby and Burnstinc as members to charity. of the Four Aces-a team that The match was played in a would probably have beaten Cul glare of publicity such as has bertson had it been possible to never attended any other bridge draw him to the table. Schenken game nor ever will in the future. and von Zedtwitz arc still right The day-by-day scores were front at the top. page news in 30different countries. Lenz played the last 47 rubbers To quote from a short chapter with a naval officer, Commander by Robert Neville: "Down the Winfield S. Liggett, Jr. After this match, though he performed hall were the press room and the creditably enough, not a great telegraph rooms, resembling noth deal was heard of him. ing so much in this reporter's In the world outside bridge, memory as a World Series set-up. the greatest fame awaited the The Culbertson-Lenz match, in referee, Lt. Alfred Gruenthcr. deed, was a sporting event of major importance in the estima I h~sitate to specify military appomtments Jest 1 give them tion of the newspapers. The wro.ngly, so in unmilitary language Associated Press and the United I wtll say that Gruenther became Press each had two men there to a General and Eisenhower's right cover the event, one to write that hand man in the war, as well as dear old 'crowd' story and another a l~ading Allied military figure. to write the bridge. Two ·New durmg a c~itical post-war period. York morning newspapers each I le k~pt Ius interest in the game had two reporters covering the :u~d ts now I lonorary President alTair from the beginning .... In ol the World Bridge Federation. addition every move was reported Now to the match itself. on the radio." Lenz and Jacoby were the first llow the match went to strike the front. Their lead The. terms of the contest were touched 7,000 after 25 rubbers that 1l should consist of I 50 and they were still ahead after 43 40 firm conclusions. First, the Official System, even allowing for the dreary persistence with which Culbertson exploited its failures, was discredited. Lenz himself was faithful to his Two bids but never knew how to follow them up. . He would open with a Two bid on a balanced 17 points, and after his suit had been raised he would run away from it into no trumps. Jacoby and Cdr. . Liggett frequently de clined to open a Two bid when according to the system they "The greatest fame mmited the · should have done. Culbertson rtferee." A bridge afficionado made great capital out of this .Iince West Point days, General and constantly protested to the Gruenther is now Honorary Presi referees. dent of the W.B.F. That the Culbertsons did not win more easily (for their con rubbers. Then Culbertson and structive bidding was much better his partners had a great run. than that of their opponents) was When Jacoby resigned after 103 due to the fact that Jacoby was a rubbers, the margin was just short player of quite different class of 17.000. It rose to 20 000 but from any of the others. He bid was reduced at the finish ;o 8,980: away like "Plum" Meredith play not a great amount for a match ing rubber bridge in the early of 150 rubbers and 879 deals hours of the morning, and the e~pecially as the penalties fo; Culbertsons handled these com undertricks, whether doubled or petitive situations rather poorly. undoubted, were a good deal Jacoby's psychic bids had tre Meeper in those days. Statistics mendous news value ~md the !-howed that high cards had been records show that they gained Wry nearly equal. points. Unfortunately, however, What it Jlron~d Lenz was not amused and the The hook contains about one final brt•ak-up resulted partly \lllartcr o f t1 1c hands played, and because he criticised Jacoby'~ fron1 th·· .. ~:-.~.: one can dr~tw certain play, but mostly because he com- 41 plained of the psychic bids even South dealer · when they caused no loss. Love all E-W 90 Lenz himself had a no trump NORTH complex and his constructive bid 963 ding was often poor. Commander \?6432 Liggett showed a tendency to OKQ underbid. Mrs. Culbertson played + 7 6 4 3 a fair down-the-middle game, WEST EAST handling the system accurately. +A 1052 • 8 7 4 Culbertson himself played some \?Al09 \?K875 diflicult hands well but, as I have 01107 0 8 6 5 said, his judgment in competitive +AK2 + 10 9 8 situations was poor. Lightner, SOUTH although he had plenty of ex + KQJ perience of playing with Culbert \? Q J son, got the blame for a number OA9432 of doubtful bids during his spell + QJ 5 at the table. Culbertson's other SO UTI I WEST NORTH EAST partners had little chance to im Jacoby Cui- Lenz Mrs. Cul- press, as for the most part they bertson bertson held poor cards during their brief No No appearances. I 0 Dblc No I((] I+ INT No No llow would a modern team hnc 2+ 2\? 3+ No fared against these players? No 3\? No No I think the answer is the same Jacoby led the King of spades as it would be at most games and the contract was three down. that modern technique would have You sec what I mean when I enabled less skilful players to say that Jacoby "bid away'"? triumph quite easily. In con Sometimes he bid on nothing and structive bidding and in the play sometimes when he had a usdul of the cards there would not be hand he bid two or three non· so much in it, hut competitive existing suits. Of course, Culbert· bidding in the part score area was son's Three llearts was appalling. extremely primitive in those days. In both an historical and tcch· I will h~:gin with a deal that nical sense one of the most illustrates several of the points intercstin~ hands was thl! follow· I have mentioned: ing, deal~ by East with ncithcr (sec next column) side vulncrahk: NORTH +AK2 v> Q 8 0 J 7 3 +KJ875 WEST EAST • 7 3 +QI098654 \116542 \[)AIO'J OQI064 0 9 8 +JO 3 +6 SOUTH +J v> K 9 3 0 A K52 +AQ942 Soum WEST NORTH EAST Jacoby Cui- Lenz Mrs. Cul- bertson bertson "Different class from any of No the others." The remarkable '• No 3+ 3+ "Ossie" Jacoby . is current top 4 • No 5+ No master-point scorer in tlze U.S.A . .6 • No No No Jacoby, in his comment, says ·have been one down against a that after his partner's jump and spade or club lead, but from Mrs. Culbertson's Three Spade juvenile scribblings made 30 years call he arbitrarily decided to ago I sec that I noted a way to contract for a slam and bid Four make the contract. Suppose that Spades in the hope of averting a a spade is led. Declarer wins, spade lead. Whether he would draws trumps, and leads 'VS ~lave been successful in this ob from the table. After the King ~ttive will never be known, for has won he throws a heart on the . irs. Culbertson led the Ace of second spade, ruffs a spade, cashes dhearts ou t o f turn. In those OAK and exits with a heart, ays you could call for a lead leaving East on play. when tl lat 11appened, so Jacoby called ~ d' (Nt•xt month Tat'IIC£' Rt't'Jt' ll'ill 1 d or a ramond lead and ~? 110 problem when the Jack of dt>scrihc the t'l'f.'lltS ll'hiclz led up to r:arnonds held the first trick. Jacoby's res(r;:nation as Lcll='s ·co by remarks that he would part11cr.) ONE HUND~~D UP Conducted by ALAN HIRON July solutions: If you did not enter for the July competition, try your hand at the problems on page 34 before reading how the experts voted. · · The panel for the July competition better resting spots available; Three consisted of the following twelve Diamonds stands to miss 3NT if partner experts: Mrs. R. Markus, K. Barbour, has no spade guard; finally, Two Spades E. Crowhurst, G. C. H. Fox, J. Nunes, would commit the partnership to game T. Reese, C. Rodrigue, R. Sharples and when there might be no game available. N. Smart, all of London and the Home RODRIGUE: "2NT. Am 1 supposed Counties; C. E. Phillips of Cheshire; to have inhibitions about my +Qx? J. Besse of Rome; and H. Filarski of Or to advertise my weakness after a Amsterdam. series of approach bids?" BESSE: "2NT. Better than Three Problem l"o. 1 (10 points) Diamonds. (Docs South expect North I.m.p. scoring, North-South vulner to bid 3NT with two little spades?). ahle, the bidding has gone:- And also better than the opponents, SoUlll WLsT NORTH EAST lead-directing bid of One Spade, which No No No furthermore gives a wrong picture of I., 0 No I<;? No South's hand." Crowhurst bids 2NT. but makes the South holds:- useful point that if South's spade and +AKJO <;?74 0AKJ873 +Q5 club holdings were reversed then Three What should South bid? Diamonds would be best, pcrmiuing An1uw: 2NT, 10; One Spade, 9; · North with a spade stop to explore 3NT, (•; Two Spades, 4; Three Dia 3NT possibilities with Thn:e Spad~-s . monds, 4. As the hand is, however, North c;1nnot 1111• panel's rotr: 4 for 2NT; 4 for One show a club stop hclow the JNT lc'.d Sp;tde (Nunes, Reese, Sharples :md and is unlikely to hold sullicicnt 10 Fox); 2 for 3NT (Barbour and Smart); spades (in addition to a club guard) Ill I for Two Spades (Mrs. Markus); 1 for permit him to bid 3NT over Thr~"l: Three Diamonds (Filarski). Diamonds. As is seen from the diverse answers, SIIARI'trs: "One Spade. If panna ~n , . . rebid is Cl~mpletcly satisfactory. pas!>es we have probably done the ri~ht -N I or 3NT mtght wdl n:sult in the thing in not bidding Thn:e Oianll'0 J' opponmts taking the lirst live or six or 2NT. I lis next bi.t will k;l\e us "~II tricks; One Spade might he passed, "ith pbc~d. If Yllll do bid Three Oi;IOll10J' and get a Three Heart respon\c yo:J ar:! Nowadays (a) is somewhat old hat ~till on a guess." and the consensus of opinion lies While agreeing that you will be ·o;,·cll between (b) and (c): and indeed this is plJced ~hould partner proceed ovr:r One only logical, for the primary objection Spade, I don't sec that South would be to reversing on limited -.·alues is that in ditliculty in the circumstances cnvi the bidding might get too high on ~ged in Sharples' last sentence. A insufficient material, and this fear is mark-time bid of Three Spades leaves not present when the partnership has the way clear to 3NT if partner holds game-going values. · clubs, and he can show belated diamond Still wearing his curly-brimmed bow support if he dosen't. Furthermore, if ler:- partner passes One Spade, this could CROWHURST: "3NT. In my book he a worse spot than Three Diamonds partner has full reversing values and m2N~ . will certainly proceed over 3NT, which Smart and Barbour unashamedly must be the best descriptive bid at this blast away with 3NT; indeed, Barbour point. remarks that the only possible objection "If partner belongs to the other to this bid is that Six Diamonds might school of thought, which guarantees be missed! nothing beyond a minimum opening. we might on a superficial analysis be Problem ~o. 2 (10 points) afraid of his passing. But though ''e l.m.p. scoring, love all, the bidding have an extremely good hand, the fit has gone:- with partner's suits could hardly be worse and our 5-3-1-4 shape will not SoUTu W[ST NORTH EAST 10 No play well opposite a minimum 1-4-5-3. No 3\? No "Best to keep a little in hand; after all, partner is still there and he knows South holds:- that a force which is not based on a fit +AQI032 \?JI09 OA +AK82 with his suit or a strong suit of our own What should South bid? . will be full value in terms of honour All.lk"t'r; Four Clubs, 10; 3NT, 5. cards." Tlw pam•/'s rotc: 9 for Four Clubs; Sound points, I would say, and yct 3 for 3NT (Barbour, Smart ;tnd Crow 3NT docs not meet with warm accl:tim. hur~t) . RooRtGUE: "Four Clubs. Northcrn Thi~ question has its roots in a (Or is it "modern"? A./I.) pl:tycrs h:l\e theoretical argument surrounding been known to be 0-4-5-4 and l-id this North's last bid. Docs a reverse by way. In uny c~1sc, I should like to opener, after a forcing response, show know if partner has six diamonds or c~tra values above a minimum opening five hearts, ;~s a slam in one of his t\\\.) hid? ll1ere appcar to be three schools suits sccms more prol-:11-lc th:•n in nll of thought: trumps t-.:c;mse of entry trout"lks." (u) Full re\cr!>ing values; (b) Not You really must borrow a t)p.:· lll".l'l:\\;lrily a full revcrse, but not a writer, )'l)ung Claude. I c:1n't d\.'\:iphcr lll ~ nunurn npcning; (c) Any old junk \\hcthcr this gihc ill intenJed for th.: that (l;lrtncr has ~ccn lit to class as Write for a supply of leaflets with claim forms giving full details of this wonderful scheme to 'YARBOROUGH', HOME SALES DEPARTMENT THE PRESTIGE GROUP LIMITED • 14-18 HOLBORN, LONDON, E.C.1. Prestige Greatest name in housewares point about trying to play in. one of North's hand can be one of three partner's suits is noted, and IS t::l:cn types: a powerful all-round hand which C\Cn further by: for some reason was unsuitable for an . PHILLIPS: "Four Clubs. Prospects opening bid of 2NT; a strong two look good for Six Hearts since partner's suiter, corresponding to an Acol Two ~uit, after the force, should not be bid but with clubs as the main suit; or a weaker than KQxx. We might support hand which has suddenly been improved hearts straight away, but I prefer Four by a fine fit with South's diamonds. Clubs because it gives partner the Because of these possibilities the chance to show spade support." mark-time bid of 2NT is well supported; Some saw the hand in a simple light: it affords partner space to develop his Mils. MARKus: "Four Clubs. This hand and does not mis-state the charac must be a catch question. As part of ter of South's hand. Indeed, for the my force consists of AK to four clubs, first time in my recollection a · panelist I can see no reason to keep it a secret. actually commends this first part of a There is plenty of time to support two-part question: partner and I would be delighted to RODRIGUE: "Agree with 2NT. A get a spade preference." good bid." Ruse "Four Clubs. South is a But inevitably there were dissenters: little too strong to close shop in 3NT." · Fox: "Four Clubs. With so many BESSE: "Prefer Three Diamonds. controls it would be wrong to bid 3NT Why shouldn't South use his bid to tell and to risk the bidding stopping." partner something useful instead of marking time?'' FtLARSKt : "Prefer 3NT. This would Problem No. 3 (20 points) have given a better idea of all round Match-point pairs, game all, the strength although the heart suit is not bidding has gone:- ' very promising. Three Diamonds Sotint WEST NORTH EAST would also have lx:en a bid with good I+ No purpose." . 10 No 2+ No As you say, Herman, ''the heart su1t 2NT No 3NT No is not very promising." Don't you think that 3NT suggests a h::md with South holds:- all its values concentr<~h:d in the red •A9 (.?JI086 0AQI094 +J7 suits and, in particular, a good doubk (u) Do you agree with South's bid heart guard and general lack of tors fM of 2NT. If not, what alternative do you slam purposes? prefer'! MRS. MARKUS: "Prefer Thr~:. Clubs. lh) What should South bid now? 2NT docs not seem :tdequatc. . AIII~ 'The best exposition of good bid Problem No.5 (10 points) ding ever to appear in a book.' I.m.p. scoring, love all, the bidding has Hy Larinthal gone:- SOUTH WEST NoRnt EAsT ISs. net I+ !':o Edward Arnold 10 No 3NT No 4+ No .40 No 41, Haddox Street, London, W.l South holds:- +A4 ~Q83 0109764 +AK2 monds, while allowing partner to sign · What should South bid? off at 4NT, docs give latitude for Ansll'er: Four Spades, 10; 5NT. 3. exploration but runs a slight risk of The panel's rote: II for Four Spades: achieving an ignominious minus. · I for 5NT (Phillips). Ru:sE: "Four Diamonds. One must All right, so it wasn't a good problem. make a gesture. The bidding can still South, confident of at least eleven tricks ~ubside in 4NT if partner has elected in no trumps once partner rebids 3~T. to rebid 2NT with a singleton diamond.'' makes a try with Four Clubs to sec if SttARPLL'i: "Four Diamonds. This partner has anything in reserve. When has the edge on 4NT (quantitative), as North plays along with Four Diamonds. we can still play in Four Hearts. If South must go on and the natur.tl cue ra.rtncr has no tolerance for diamonds bid of Four Spades seems obvious. this could be a safer contract." fiLARSKI: "Four Spades. I don't Yes, this puts the 4NT bidders in know exactly what l"'orth wants, t-ut thei r pl ace, but it docs not exhaust the four Spades cannot fail to help. .t~T •amut of possibilities. might be passed, while we may m\t h;l\c Fll . AR~Kt: "five Diamonds. This enough trumps for Six Clu~s a~J ~!JOuld he a make, and might lead to perhaps two trump kl~rs in Six D l.l· Si x Dia monds if partner has the right monds." C ;l rd ~ . True, you might lo\e two dia BAtUIOt:K: "Four Sp.hks. I am n,,t mond tricks, but in that case you might proud of the diamonds. t-.ut the P.'int !'•l ~ohmn in 3NT." count and ~prinl..lin~ .. ,f h'ps lknl.lnJ~ M R ~ . MARKl:s: "5NT. My hand a furtha clfllrt." - ··~ ------YOU CHOOSE THE PROGRAMME AND THIS BOX DOES THE REST Now Potterton have put the brain into central heating This year Potterton boilers have a comfort Keeps fuel bills down. The Pro~mrr.er is givin~. fud-comcrving refinement no other a built-in "economy measure". \\'hen ~-o:J boil<"r- no other system- can match. The programme your central heatin~ you h=? l'otterton Programmer (that's it in the pic only the fuel you need. 1l1ere's no w:l5!C"- :--:• ture) is the automatic brain that docs you keep money in your poclet. _ evt·rything for you. The Programmer is a standard f<"an;~c c: s-programmc flexibility. Accor~ling to your all Pottcrton gas-fircd, small-bore b:.,::~:'lo; nct·th, you pick one of the five programm<"s With other Pa"tt<"rton gas-fire-d and o:l-:.:r-· and you gt·t just the central heating you boill"rs it is a\'ailablc as an optional r:\tr.l- want at the times you want it. Sce these people. Your local r0 ::rr. ~ :: Con\"cnkncc, Comfort, Control. Those arc Appro\'cd lmtall<"r or Gas lkurd C-!:1.: · . ~ the tlm·c C's of programmed central heat in:: you all you want to know about l'u::r. ·· ·· by Pottnton. It cuts out fud hauling and programm('d central lu·atin~. a~h carrying. Thnc's no dirt and no work. Once you've st't the Pottrrton l'rogrammrr Pick a Pottcrton- oil or ~-lS you don't gi\'c it another thought until you 1"'hotn3s l'ott~rton I .. in1itrd, zo-3° I~ ~: (l.~ . ~ : w;mt to change the programme. Ro;ul, l..c.mdon S.\\'.t1l. \"ar. cl~l..t' ;.: :·:. 1A. ~\I ~ · '· ' IJ Hts~c "four Spades. The; ·: ., q Fox: "four Clubs. Ha,ing con- (Crtainly be a problem with tLi. · . :~ ~ d siderab!y more than I might have. 1 on the nc>.t round of bidding bt ·: ti·.<:: can afTord a mild slam try:· momcnr South has an easy mO\ · ~ ." PwLurs: "Four Clubs. A sim;Jlc Exactly: that is what torpedc.': 3 t:,.: raise in hearts would be far too tim id. problem. However, an interestin; :-:ide On the next round \\e plan to bid Five light did occur:- Hearts, when it will be clear that Four Rm>RIGvE: "Four Spades. 4NT Clubs was a cue-bid and not a suit." "ould be conventional as I have not The case for caution is put by: hid no trumps naturally." I would interpret 4NT as a sign-ofT, REESE: "Four Hearts. The hand may meaning 'I was worth one mild cfTort play for Six, but there is no com·cnicnt with Four Clubs, but if you cannot now way of ·making a slam try without bid the slam yourself we shall have to going beyond the level of Four. To play in 4NT'. bid Four Clubs and then, over Four Diamonds, Four Hearts would not be clear." Prohlem 1'\o. 6 (10 points) Such a sequence could indeed be Rubber bridge, game all, the bidding read as showing scattered values in has gone:- the minor suits and only mild tolerance Soum WEST NORTH EAST for hearts. But I think the more I+ Dble No enterprising panelists have the better 2() No 3<::/ No of the argument. MRs. MARKus: "Five He3rtS. This South holds:- should be a certainty and Six Hearts is +JS VJK104 0108654 +AJ09 a possibility." What should South bid? The disadvantage of Five He3rts is Answer: Four Clubs,· 10; Five Clubs, pointed out by its other advocate:- X; Five Hearts, 8; Four Hearts, 6. BESsE: "Five Hearts. Not very nl(• panel's rote: 4 for Four Clubs; 2 informative. If you do not like it, bid for Five Clubs (Barbour and Sharples); a simple Four Hearts but do not 2 for Five Hearts (Mrs. Markus and initiate complications with the am lksM:); 4 for Four Hearts (Filarski, biguous bid of Five Clubs." Reese, Cro\\hurst and Rodrigue). We have seen that Four Cluhs coulJ The basis of the marking is that eight be ambiguous unless foJIO\,ed up ''ith p;mclists make a slam try of one sort Five Hearts, but surely the mc:s<.;afC or another while four quietly put up conveyed by Five Clubs should t'nsc of Two Diamonds-with a has gone out of his w;l)' tl) ~lww an ACl'l ~attle more he would have been worth a Two-hid in hearts anJ ;llthllll~h _t~:c JUmp-and 1'-:orth has announced that Fi\·e level cout.l t'JJJ.an;; :at lea~t eleven tricks for North-S,luth had ~t;artcd "ith On.: Sr.t•k by \\ c:~t ~houlll be !>C..:ure. ;and p.artncr had ll\c:rc.alkJ \~ath nn.·c 51 lfearts, then Four Hearts by South ludicrous to t= / {.~ :: -: Spade on a suit would have been quite adequate. But headed by the ~: ::·. .. · North hao; adopted a stronger sequence RooRtGt;E: ''G:!·'; ,::ipade. Preferable and a slam cannot be ruled out. Five to INT and I de.<.~: contemplate Two Clubs is equivalent to Five Hearts; it Diamonds." also pinpoints the control, fixes hearts REI:SE: "Two L;;:;;;"!oJnds. This is not as trumps and underlines the diamond such a bad hand after all. You can weakness." stand a rebid of 2t-.iT or Three Clubs. Quite so; if South has a club control Worse problems will arise if you pass and good heart support, then his and partner reopens. I NT is unsuitable diamonds cannot be any great shakes with this sort of heart guard." in view of his weak first bid. I am Answer to (b): Two Diamonds, 10; surprised that Five Clubs did not meet No Bid, 5; I NT, 4. with general enthusiasm. The panel's \'Ole: 7 for Two Diamonds; 3 for No Bid (Filarski, Sharples and Problem fl\o. 7 (20 points) Besse); 2 for lNT (Crowhurst and Match-point pairs, East-West vul Rodrigue). nerable, the bidding has gonc:- Two Diamonds is now the only Souru W[ST NORTH EAST natural-looking bid. Its previous sup I+ 1~ porters stick to their guns and arc South holds:- joined by: +7432 ~A6 0KJ984 +107 MRS. MARKus: "Two Diamonds. (a) What should South bid? Now that spades have been bid by the Ch) What should South bid if East enemy there is a better chance . that had bid One Spade instead of One partner can support our diamonds." Heart? BARBOUR: "Two Diamonds. We An.lll't'r to (a): One Spade, 10; Two might get out of our depth but ,,..e can't Diamonds, 5; I NT, 4. afford not to contest the part-score at 71u• panel's mtr: 7 for One Spade; 3 match-point scoring." for Two Diamonds (Reese, Smart and Another possibility has crept in: Phillips); 2 for I NT (Mrs. Markus and SHARPLEs: "No Bid. Apart from Nunes). the fact that all calls except No Bid I'm surprised that l'\.·c got so many would be exaggerated, I don't know yet votes in favour of bidding the paralytic whether I want to defend or not and !>j)ade suit; although all but two arc would prefer to hear if West or North :1pologetic. have anything to contribute." Fox: "One Sradc. Every time I FJLAKSKJ: "No Bid. Two Diamonds suggest these hids on four small cards will lead to disaster if rartner is wc:~k,' I am 'odd man out' and I cxrcct I !>hall und if he is strong, our shir will come he again. But this may well he the home anyway." last Oj)j)Ortunity tO find a Sj)ade fit." True, hut on the hands \\ hich lie in BAHIIOUK: "One Srade. A close between the two extremes partner nuy llecision: if the srades were much he afraid to launch it and you "ill he \\eaker Two Diamonds would have left with ;1 roor match·pl)int scnre. Slllllething to recommend it." The voters for 1NT h;l\e chan!!.:,l Quite right; my hoy. It would he identity: 5:! (P.O I\lltJR~T: "One No Trump. .-\ T:L\P.SKt: "Ace of hearts. :"ot id of Two Diamonds over One Spade .: .;.~! li; : nt, but sometimes worth 50 ·~ould be even more foolhardy thar: ~ ·, ~ !;1ls. A diamond lead might find o1cr One Heart, for whereas before wr. . : ' :~..:;:-West with AKJ, and either a might have welcomed a change of suit ·. ic ~.ing heart will disappear or we will y p3rtncr we would not welcome it i!r,d that the diamond lead has given now. tNT is slightly misleading but away a trick that would not otherwise '>:!fer and it at least has the merit of !1avc run away." limiting the hand." Nu:-.;ES: "Ace of hearts. A spade 1 concur except when you class I NT lead is pointless as partner cannot hold as only slightly misleading. You have the Ace and any spade trick will come not got the advertised spade guard, whether I lead one or not. There arc nor is the hand fitted for no trump play. hands on which South must lead a diamond before his trump is knocked out, but I feel that this is too risky." Problem :'\o. 8 (10 points) REESE: "King of hearts. Is one Rubber bridge, Jove all, the bidding expected to try +J in order to divert has gonc:- declarer from a winning finesse? It Souru WEST NORTH EAST could well be that West holds AIOxxx 2<:;) Dble 4\? 5+ and East Qxxx. There is no point in 5<:;) 6+ No No trying a diamond lead. If you have No a trick here it will come." South holds:- T.R. has avoided my carefully +5 ~AKQ10985 OQ109 +KJ baited Reese trap. When the hand What should South lead? occurred some years ago in a late round Answer: Ten of Diamonds, 10; Ace of the Gold Cup, one of his team or King of Hearts, 7. mates led 010 after very similar The panel's rote: 7 for the 10 of dia bidding and it proved to be about the monds; 5 for the Ace or King of hearts only lead to give the contract. As T.R. !Nunes, Filarski, Reese, Fox and remarked in his account of the hand in Smart). this journal, "A memorable lead." The panel arc more or less agreed However, the majority plump for it here. that, whatever defensive values North MRs. MARKUS: "Ten of diamonds. might hold, they arc unlikely to include The spade lead may kill a trick in an Ace, for then he would surely have partner's hand and I can sec no other tlouhlcd the final contr Last month attention was drawn in playing hands in no trumps to the importance of avoiding rather than in a major suit. One minor-suit contracts. This is due is apt to overlook all the other to the wide disparity between cases in which no trumps is held the values of minor suits as to nine tricks (600) while players op po ~ cd to majors and no trumps, in hearts or spades are scoring and the importance of every 620. Also, there are many other point at pairs scoring. instances where the additional When the choice lies between control provided by a trump playing a contract in a major suit and the ability to ruff enables !l uit or no trumps the position is you to make an overtrick. There I ss clear cut. Since no trumps are also the cases where those count I 0 more than a major who have distorted the bidding thc·rc is a big temptation to play to snatch these I 0 extra points hands in no trumps as frequently arc justly punished by going a, po. o, iblc. This tendency fre down. quently leads to unsound bidding The soundest advice is to play and poor contracts. in a major suit if you consider When a hand crops up where it to be the proper contract. In e\cryone has · hid and made four the long run you will nN h:1\c ~pa des (620) except for one pair caus~: for regret. " 110 hu vc made four no trumps Amon~ the scon:s that an: 1 (( ·30) l' t I. s. \ ' cry tcmptmg. to ta k· e ~llmost aiways bad we citl.'d mintl' ~h~ view: "We should have been 200. This is b~..·cause ~CO is morl' 111 . 110 trumps- the extra ten than any part scorL". For this Pntnt~ arc vital." But owr a reason it is som~tim~' Cl)rr~o.·~.:"t lonl! I) ' · .1 • • • • dlllu It 1s dl)Ubtlul whcthcr hl make a p..-nalty douhk in lhnc i' any d~o.·tinitc ad\ · anla~l' (Contin:L,·d 011 fl•l:..:•· 5()) BIDDI Ronald Crown discussc~ ~tandard British bidding and tests your knowledge with a special quiz. This month his subject is defensive bidding. When one of your opponents and you will generally put him opens the bidding you should, under pressure. if at all possible, try to enter the An overcall may also pave the auction. There are a number of way for a profitable sacrifice, reasons to intervene and not and it will usually indicate a good leave the enemy a free hand. or safe lead for your partner should In the first place you should not your opponents play the hand. assume, when the bidding is Against all the advantages in opened against you, that you are favour of the overcall is the risk outgunned. There are times when that you may be doubled. But you can still make game and even, this risk is worth taking, es on rare occasions, a slam. Light pecially if you follow tried and opening bids arc common nowa proved methods in making your days and sometimes contain little overcalls. These methods arc as in the way of defensive tricks. follows: Secondly, you should strive to Simple 0\·ercalls enter the auction on suitable For a · simple overcall at thi! hands in order to make it dinicult One level, the point-count may he for your h:fthand opponent to weaker than for an opening hid make his normal bid. This factor but you should have a good suit is especially evident when you containing high cards. It is a hid One Spade over righthand's sound principle to make it a On~: Club, as you th~:rehy pre ent rule to on:rhid on!y on live-card lcfthand biddin~ One Diamond or longa suits. It is rarely. or One II cart. You may even and then only for tactical r~·~t S llll :' . stop him hiddin • a moderate that ~Ill O\ crcall is made llll a four-card heart suit altogether, four-card suit. Ex mph:..;: 56 Righthand opponent bids One Learn Bridge rt. You may bid One Spade. with Reese 5 C? A98752 0 K 74 +43. I The principles of bidding Righthand opponent bids One and play are explained in an uncomplicated way that will Club. You may bid One Heart. be illuminating not only to If your overcall has to be made learners but also to people at the Two level, the risk of being who play a certain amount doubl d is greater and your hand without always being too sure what they are doing ' mu t be stronger. In particular, or why. our suit must be strong: an Writing for beginners, immediate overcall at the Two Terence Reese displays the el is never made on a four same brilliant quality of ex card suit, nor should it be made position as in his famous books on advanced play. on a moderate five-card suit. Faber & Faber ISs. 64 ~Q7 OK85 +AKJ764. Jump Overcalls Righthand opponent bids One These show a goodish hand Spade. You may bid Two Clubs. with a very good suit: normally 9 about 6-7 tricks in a m~tjor suit 3. \?AKQ65 09S64 +AS. and 7-H tricks in a minor suit. , Rl hthand opponent bids One Examples: Sp· d~. You may bid T\vo Hearts. In making these Two-level O\cr +AQJ765 \')AQ5 05~ ·~:' . 11 . • you mu~t take vulnerability Rh!.hthund opponl'nt bids On.: Into ccount. When vulnerable Club~ You may bid T1ro Sp ~1d~·s. ~our hand !>hould contain about fl\c:. ~)r mon: playing tricks, in .~~ C..?KX OA5.t :\.KQ7(•J. dduwn to the other qualilica Ri~htlwml oppon.:nt htd~ On~· tioll'i. . You 111:1)' hid .S pal I.... T/:r,·,· . If partner rc),ponds to \' lHir Cluh'\. lmplc: overcall by biddin-1! a A r~· ... pon ..,.: in a n.:\\ ~uit lL' n w : lsit at the minimum l~vd. a jwnf' ova~· : dl j-; forcin !~ fpr th I h nc't I'llrtm · ' upon you. ()Ill' f LHllll J. 1NT Overcall Rightha!·!,::·· <~'l 'onent bids One This shows the same as an Spade. Yot1· ·:: ::~; ?id I NT. opening bid of a strong no trump, i.e. a balanced 16-18 points, +K5 \?KQI:· .. ·<) KJ6 +AJ654. and !luggests a double guard in the Righthand ;:, ~·, ponent bids One suit opened by your opponent. Heart. You rn;.y bid 1NT. Examples: Next month we shall deal with the takeout, or informatory, +AQ74 \?K84 OAJ7 +QJ6. double. BIDDING QUIZ Your righthand opponent has opened One Heart. What do you !>ay on the following hands? · I. +KQJ53 \?K54 0653 +85 2. + K J 8 4 \? Q 6 4 0 A 7 + J 8 6 4 3. + K 7 5 \? 6 5 0 A Q J 7 6 4 + 7 6 4. + 8 7 \? K J 5 0 A K Q 4 + K Q 9 6 5. + A K 10 9 7 5 \? 7 0 A Q 4 2 + K 3 Your left hand opponent bids One Heart and your partner overcalls One Spade. What do you say? 6. + 6 5 \? K Q 4 0 A 8 7 5 2 + Q 5 4 7. + K Q 6 54 2 \? 4 3 0 1 8 7 3 + 7 X. + A J \? 6 4 2 0 A K Q 8 7 3 + A 4 Your lcfthand opponent opens One Heart and your partner overcalls I NT. What do you say? 9. +A 10 8 7 4 \? 7 2 0 A 6 5 + 10 8 3 10. + J X 3 2 \? 9 0 Q 9 53 2 + J 9 4 ANSWERS TO BIDDING QUIZ I. One Spadt', 10 points. No 3. Tll'c> Diamoml\·, 10 points. /lid, 2 points. Not a very good This hand will make quite a hand hut certainly the right type number of tricks with diamonds for an overcall. as trumps and it is therefore s~tfc 2. No /Jicl, 10 points. Al to overcall at the Two level. though you have a sprinkling of 4. I NT, 10 points. With such a points the di~trihution is barren strong hand you must take action and it is advisable to pass. and a I NT mwc ~tll is hy f~tr the most descriptive bid that you c <.~ i / not so sure \vhether it will be in ma~ c. spades, diamonds, or even no 5. Tiro Spades, 10 points. i\ trumps. Investigate by making a typical jump overcall. forcing bid: partner could pass 6. INT. 10 points. Two Diu Two Diamonds. mondr. 2 points. When partner 9. 3NT, 10 points. Do not on makes a simple overcall there is a ·any account bid Three Spades presumption that the principal on this type. of hand. If partner feature of his hand is a strong were at all interested in playing suit. Therefore you should not in a suit he could have doubled put forward in reply a suit so One Heart instead of bidding anaemic as these diamonds. INT. 1. Four Spades or Three Spades, Your point count is minimum 10 points. There is not much for the raise to 3NT, but you chance of making Four Spades, have a five-timer and partner but your defensive prospects arc will know where the enemy very slim and it is likely that the strength lies. opponents can make something. 10. No Bid, 10 points. There is Try to shut them out. every reason to suppose that 8. Three Diamonds, 10 points. partner will make I NT and no Four Spades, 3 points. You are reason to think that diamonds !lure to make game, but you arc will be safer. G. C. II. FOX continued match-point pairs in circumstances to go down more than one trick. v.hcrc you would not even con You should dot,blc. If they arc !lid~r doubling in rubber bridge. one down undoublcd you will l·or example, at game all, you score only 100, which is less tl~ln open One I h~art. Opponents bid you would have scored for n~~km~ ~pades. You reach Three Hearts Three Hearts (140). But, 11 you and they bid Three Spades. You double and gain 200 you hln: a v.wc fairly confident that you line score. \\ould make Three Hearts but Suppose thcy make .it._ You equally certain that you cannot will cct a bottom. But It IS mo~t m.akc Four. You also fed they prob;blc that had thcy ~corl."d Will no t make Three Spades 140 you would al so haw ~ot a thouull \' .a ~ ,ou uo not expect them poor score. 5') Dan Burgess impro\c.S : ~; our card play with his specially designed ~ ?:.jbJcms. This month he contim The "Rule of Eleven" was tract docs not lead his long suit; invented to help you decide what for example, when declarer has to play when your partner leads bid the suit twice and it would a low card through dummy. obviously help him to have his Assuming that he is making the own suit led round ·to him. In orthodox lead of "fourth best," such a case, the bidding might you subtract the pips on the card suggest that a safer lead would he leads from I 1 and the re be from a worthless suit in which mainder indicates the number of the defender's partner may have higher cards which arc held by strength. In that case your lead dummy, yourself and declarer should be .. top of nothing." comhi11ed. Then if your partner applies the If you again subtract the total Rule of Eleven he will get such number of higher cards which you an absurd result that it will be can sec in dummy and in your easy for him to read your lead own hand, you know how many for what it really is. But never card\· declarer has to beat rite lead the lowest or the middle lead. It may sound far-fetched of three worthless cards. but it is true. You will notice, Let us take some examples of though, that it depends absolutely the Rule of Eleven in action: upon your partner making a Lead Dummy You correct lead and it reinforces the 6 Q 9 7 A 10 2 arguments against attempting Against a suit contract. partner "clewr" leads which arc more leads the 6 and dummy plays th~ likely to help your opponents 7. You subtract partner's kad. than your partner. the 6, from 1 1 which lcaws 5. Trw.:, there arc times when a You can sec three canis hi g h~r defender against a no-trump con- than the 6 in dummy and two (,() . . . rein your hand, five in all. So cost. Suppos·~ · ~ r.. ·~ ~~, . - :~ :.s the larer has no card higher and King and yot: r;"l..:.y l~e Qu~~n: h~.! ou can play the 10 knowing can win this whi; •:; , ~ King nnd that it•ril/lrin. then finesse through jour partner's Jack up to the A JO~ This will give Lead Dummy You him three tricks: Suppose instead 5 Q93 Al08 that he has the Jack: your Quce_n This time you are defending a would win but now he could no-trump contract. 5 from J 1 finesse · through your partner's I aves 6. There are two cards King to the A 10. higher than the 5 in dummy and three more in your hand, five "This is all very well," you may in all; so declarer has one card be saying, · "but there are some higher. Now if declarer plays hands where you cannot afford the 3 from dummy, you play the to wait so patiently to develop H. This will win if declarer's high your defensive tricks. Sometimes card is the 6 or 7, but will lose it's a case of grabbing your tricks if it is the King or Jack. You before the declarer makes his." know, though, that you stand · only to gain and not to lose since · This is very true, of course, and declarer always has a guard in one of the keys to good defence the suit if he holds the Jack. is to be able to decide, in concert If declarer holds the King, with your . partner, wJlen to you would give him two tricks if abandon the strategy of attrition you played the Ace. If your 8 and make a desperate plunge for ~scs to his King, though, your the quick, setting tricks. There is . 10 now stand ready to conquer no easy way to acquire this skill: h•s Q 9 at a later stage. it can only come by the intelligent usc· of experience. One point, I.e ad Dummr You 6 though, is that if you arc on A 10 S Q 9 4 lead and you decide that quick Th~ Rule of Eleven again sho\vs tricks must be sought, try to get declarer t 1 0 lave one card higher that message across to your ~han the 6. If the 5 is played from partner. Now is not the tim!! UJ~Hny you should play the 9 to lead "fourth hcst," hut to v.luch will : 'f ' 1 "' 10 ' your partner lay down an unsupported Ace las the King and Jack. Even if or King and sec what happens. lc ha!ln't . d d • , ·. an eclarcr has either If your partner is alert, he will llc'I Kulg o I 9 . . r t 1c hck, to play the recognise that your unusual may save a trick and cannot defence betokens uq!l!ncy. 61 CLASS I FJ ED ADVER TJSEI··,1 ENTS 5!- per line. Special termc; for :; :.cries HIUDGE CLUBS A:"'D IIG'/T LS BOUM!'iE'-fOUTJI, CA:-.iFOMD CLII'FS <:Jo~d st ~ n ~ ;, :-! . l~ r id ,; c in enjoy.abh: atmo JIRIIHil-: JtEQUISITES CAROnOAiliJ .£3 35. Od. per set of 3~ LEATIIf.RElTE £4 I.Ss. 6d. per set of 3~ l'crr.onal Scure Card•, Tra•·elling Score Slip~. WRITE I-OU SAMPLES: Rewlt Chart•, llanll Record (Curtain) Card~. W. B. Tallow, 2 Rmel>crry Court,LLANDUD!'O "Silent Jlidder~," tic. 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