The British ~~~•., Cj
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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.