MOD ERN . CON TRAC T BR I DGE " ONE PAGE GUI DE TO BIDD ING (with explanations and examples) by the well known expert, jordanis Pav lid os This condensed booklet enables partnors intervalue their hands, carry o n t id~ing a· s:op at the riKht contract.· In th ' •tmrd ; Mr. Harrison-Gray In this Journ .1 :- ---- "It introduces within 20 pares 1 '-iE ~ys· U': THE EXPERTS PLAY and what m•y be described as . - . p · l ' ' STANDARD BRITISH BRIDG!:" rtCt.' /() Ois;>atch and Postage 3d. From Bookstalls and Book sellers, if not in stock from GAMES PUBliCATIONS Ltd., Creechurch House · s a Creechurch Lane, London, E. .C.3. Tel .: Avenue'5474 Rzte')(. give . wand \asung ne '\ks re to sl I us t d and satins. and {i rrn ness an '1\enc.e t o r es I 1\ .cHAS. ~~DBURY woollens. D ,._GENTS 26 SACKVI LLE ST., PICCADILLY 61\,._NC.HES AN c.ENTI\ES iN !'1\INC.Il',._L LONDO N, WI. 'Phone Reg. 3/23-3995 LOANS ARRANGED With or without Security.

THE CoNTRACT BRIDGE JouRNAL 1s in short supply. May we suggest that you pass Britisb Bridge League this copy along to your friends Fioals Week-eod until restrictions arc rela.xcd.

0 • • • ·. >·. :. CONDITIONS OF SALE AND SUPPLY. This Competitors m the following periodical Is sold subject to the followi ng conditions, name!~·. that It shall not, without events arc notified that the fi nal · the written consent of the publishers first given, be lent, resold, hired aut or otherwise rounds will be played at disposed of by way of Trnde except 11t the CHELTENHAM on June 20th-23rd full retail price of 1/6 ; and that I~ shall not be lent, resold, hired out or otherwise disposed 19+7: , of In n mutilated condition or In any un· authorised cover by way of Trnde ; or affixed GolJ Cup. to or n.• part of any publication or advertising literary or plctorlnl matter wh:\t!oever. Lady Milne Cup. Hubert Phillips Bowl.

Portland Club Cup. BACK NUMBERS.- Seplember to December only, are available at the Publishers- price 1 ;6 each post free. THE CO~TRACT · BRrDGE JOURNAL Edited by M. HARRISON-GRAY

VoLUIIIE 1 ~Ul\IDER .7 MAY, 1947

Regional Editors- Eire . . ; _ NoEL BvRr-."E North Eastern E\VAin KEMPSON Northern Ireland' A. J. FurrcH.ER l'forth Western 'A Ci:mRESPONDEN'r'. Scotland ALBERT BENJAMIN Yorkshire Mns. L.· L . •BEDFORD Wales. . W. H. RICARDO London Mns. M. HARRISON-GRA'Y' . . . Technical Editor-Guv RAMsEY. Competition Editor.:_J. C. H. 'MARX. The CON~RACT BR~~GE JOUR r AL is the official organ of the English Bridge Union. . '. .. . - . . Publishers- ' Ph_one...:_Gloucester· riRx/7. . PRIESTLEY STUDIOS, LTD., COMMERCIAL ROAD, GLOUCESTER. MSS. to Editorial Department-S, WATERLOO PLACE, LONDON, S."W.l. 1!_.•

.'"~ · .. .

-· CONTENTS Page EDITORIAL 3 GAME DouBLES, By, Dr. Fraser Alla11 4- THIS SIDE BEDLAM-No. 3. By llf. Harrison-Gray 6 PERSOXALlTY PAGE-No. 7-D. H. KING 8 THE LAWS OF CONTRACT BRIDGE-No. 2. By Frederick .Williams . ', c:l · A.l\OTHER RUBBER AT THE Cr.un-No. 6. By S. J. Simon· · 10' IN PURSUIT oF SLAMs-No. +. By J. C. H. ~llnr:o: 12 · Caosswono-No. 7. By Carmel Skidelshy . . 1+ CRIME A."

A - BRIDGE INDEX CLASSIFIED LIST OF HOTELS AND CLUBS

BOGNOR REGIS LEEDS :MAYMYO RESIDENTllL BRIDGE Cum­ A YSGARTII BRIDGE CLUB-34 OtleyJload Good Bridge played In plCI15llnt atmosphere. Leeds, 6. Telephone 53148. Car Park. Funr Licensed. Enquiries to the Resident Secretary Ncar Sea. Secluded garden. B. & C. In all 1 bedrooms. Apply Bon. Sec., Maymyo, B. l'. DEVEREUX. Glencathara Road, Bognor Regis. Pho11e 530. MANCHESTER NORTJIBB.N BRIDGE CLUB-28 Sloglet.o. · BRISTOL Road, Kersal, :Manchester. Preeldent, Lady TlU1 ACE OF CLUBS BRIDGE CLUB-i7 Hindle. Enquiries to the Secretary, Kuil Pembroke Rd., Clifton, Bristol, s. Proprletressa A. :M. SINCLAIR. Tel. Bro. 2036. lln5. :M. BICXLEY·JAHES. Afternoon an eo;enlng play, daily. Telephone: Bristol 33288. NOTTINGHAM CRA.NTOOX BRIDGE OLUB--480 Mamlleld HARROW ·· Road, Nottingham. Tel.· No. Nottingham B.Almow BRIDGE CLun-16, Northwick 65021. ProprlctreBB : MRS. D. :M. BOPliWILL. Park Road, B.Almow, :Middx. Tel. Barrow Bon. Secretary: N. R. 0. FRITII. Vlalton 3908, Good standard Bridge In enjoyable welcomed. Excellent venue for IDStches Ill atmosphere. · Sessions twice dAlly. Partner· :Midlands. ships and Duplicate. TOR QUAY LONDON LJVBiuouD CLIFF BRIDGE CLUB-Qub Bon. Sec., :MJ.Jon FLElliNO. Headqnartm, CBOCXFORD's-16 Carlton Bouse Terrace, DBVON COUNTY CONTRACT BRIDOB .AssocU· London, S.W.1. Tel. No. Whitehall, 1131. TION. Bon. Sec., MRS. HA.li.DJUN. R. l'BOVOBT, :Managing Director. A.. J. BORSNELL, Secretary. WORTHING TilE GLOUCESTER BRIDGE CLUB- 37 WOII.TIIINO RESIDBNTUL BIUDOB CLn­ Gloucester Walk Kensington, W.8. Tel.: Full Club IJcencc. Bridge dally, 2.16 to 7 p.m. Western 5821. Stakes 6d. and 3d. per l 00. 8 to 12 p.m. Duplicate~ 4th :Monday, 2.80 p.m. Duplicate every Friday at 8 p.m. Enquiries Further particulars apply Secretary, 12 B)'IIJII to Secretary. Road. Telephone Worthing 234.

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COMPETITION ENTRY F ORM.

NAME (Elock Capitals) ...... :., .. ..:. __ ...... -

AnDRESS ...... :...... - .... - ...... ---·--

...... -...... -·-· ··--···---·-·----

TO\VN ...... --· ··-·-

This Form must accompan:y each entry.

2 Eclito••ial

NE bridge event at least has figure at Congresses and other caused a flutter in the events, as well as a player of note, O dovecotes. The " London and it is good to hear that he will Flitch " for married couples has soon be resuming a more active roused the liveliest interest in the part in the · game which he covers Press, and many requests for their so admirably in print. cameramen to attend the heats have been made to the London Our special · six-monthly .Association by the Press Photo competition has passed the half­ Agencies. We hope that these way stage, and who should be photographs will reveal a touching leading but a damsel who was display of conjugal harmony and introduced to us a year ago at the trust even though assumed by a Cheltenham Congress as " a grea; effort for the duration of the promising beginner." Dorothy flashlight, and that the only Shanahan has evidently made rapid explosions will be those engineered strides since then, possibly due in by the cameramen. Personally, we part to the coaching of John fear the worst-and that goes for Waller, Secretary of the . Civil .our own entry. Service Association to which she belongs. . Readers will ·wish her

' the best of luck in her efforts to The series of articles for near- stave off the pack of experts hot · beainners entitled " First on .her heels, vVe wouJd· stress her Th~ughts," ~vhich en_ded in the success if only to refute those less, last number, met w1th ·such a hardy mortals who are convinced favourable reception that it will that " it is no use competing: be followed by a further series on against the experts," either on: the play of the cards. Maj~r paper or at the bridge table. lain Macleod, the author, who 1s prospective M.P. for Enfield and One·outcome of the present crop. a prominent member of the body of semi-private systems and: that advises the Conservative Front complicated artifici~l . bids·. is_ that Bench. in the House of Commons, opponents are_ dnven : to :. ex.ert. .is one of the busiest people still their. right to request an. explan~tto.~ playing in competitive · bridge. of these bids. . Sometimes thts · IS_ With more match practice he apt to be overdone.· · In a recent• would be ranked in · the country's rubber North op~;ned with One -first six. Diamond and South responde.d One Heart. West thereupon· ask~d Another series that has come to ~ort h what he. understoo_d this_ an end is " Duplicate Bridge last bid to inean. · The replY, was Organisation," written . by 'the crisp and to the pci~nt .: . '.': 'Y!!ll, . ~ t Chairman · of tne E. B. U. The might mean se\:eral _~h~ngs . . :.for. classic text-book on the subject is, instance, South IS unhkely t~ . hal~ ·of course, . '' Duplicate Bridge seven Spad.es, for tpen he. . could Simplified,'~ by Alex Hasler. Mr. only have six Hear~, and, he _,y~uld Hasl~r, the. Bridge Editor of . t!1e probably bid Spade.s firs. ~ _ I :~. ,,t · .. Evemng Nervs, used .to be a famlltar . . .lVL ' H.t\RIUSON:-G RAy; 3 -- Ace. South now caslu~d + Q and Gnnte Doubles led

4 CONTRACT BRIDGE JOURNAL trumps (if he had five it would be th.e best line of play. North opened just too bad) and he planned his wtth _Qne ~eart, South One Spade, play accordingly. and m sptte of North's dislike of NoRTH the suit South insisted on a final + K c01·~tract of 4 +· East could not (:!jA532 rest~t the temptation -to double. 0 7 6 5 3·2 Agam 3 No-Trump is the better contract. AK3 + NORTH WEST EAST • 8 + 6 • Q J 10 9 (:!j Q J 10 2 'V J 9 8'6 (:!j KQ4 0 AK62 0 }10 9 4 0 KQ + AK54 10 9 7 2 QJ86 + + WEST EAST SouTH • 42 + AJ76 + A875432 (:!j 9765 (:!j AK3 (:!j 10 7 ·o 11 s 0 109 8 0 AS + 9873 + QJ 10 + 54 SOUTH + K Q 10 9 53 South won trick one with O A (:!j84 · . and led back 0 ~ which East won with the King. Having two certain 0 Q43 Spade tricks East led (:!j K at once + 62 to establish the setting trick. South planned the play on the Dummy won and returned another assumption that the · double Diamond on which East discarded indicated an uncertain number of a Club. Declarer trumped, and a trumps with the missing honours small Spade was led to the King. · and that he must therefore reach When West played to this round an end position where a lead from South was relieved of one worry. dummy at the twelfth trick would Another Diamond was ruffed in come through East's + J x up to the closed hand and dummy his own K 10. ' entered with + A. Now, on the The play developed as follows : lead of the last Diamond, East was \Vest's Heart lead was won by East, helpless. He could either ruff with who returned a Club to duminy's ·o~e of his winning trumps, or King. + 8 was led and allowed to dtscard ; in either event South run, followed by (:!j Q, won by would get rid of his losing Heart East, and another Club was led to and the contract would be mad~ the table. Trick 6 was a Club ruff, for the loss of a trick in Diamonds and now declarer led + K, taken and two in Spades, and the contract by East's Ace, and his exit card 'Yould be made for the loss of a was a Diamond to dummy's King. trick in Diamonds and two in A Heart ruff, 0 Q followed by Spades. It will be noted that the 0 A, and the desired position is · only lead to defeat it is an original reached with dummy in the lead. Heart. .. North's last two cards are (:!j 10 and + 5, while East holds + J' 7 In the · final hand the double under declarer's K 10. again gave declarer the clue as to (Uonti11ued 01111a!l6 18) 5 Tlais Sitle Bedlaut No.3

: b ~· ltl. Hm.••• i son·Gl'n~·

HE principle that the cheapest bid is the weakest pervades T the whole structure of Approach Forcing systems- the Forcing Two, the Two Clubs, Acol, Baron and CAB. It is fi ve-card suit, provided the suit probably the most valuable theory can only be shown at the Two yet devised to guide us through level. For instance: the uncertainties of the early + K7; ((] J975; rounds of bidding. 0 Q 10 8 4 2 ; + 3 2 Your partner opens the bidding with One Club. You hold : Over One Spade you must bid One No-Trump, the cheapest bid + K 7 ; ((} J 9 7 5 ; 0 Q 10 8 2 ; + 93 2 available. It is a good rule to insist on a minimum point count A poor collection, but you are of 8 for a response at the Two too good to pass. Your partner's level, for obviously a suggestion hand might be : that the hand can stand being (a) + A J 10 ; ((} Q 10 6 ; played at this level arg.ues a OJ+; + AKQJ4 stronger holding than a simple (b) + A 8 6 5 ; ((} Q 10 8 2 ; One over One response. This 0 A; + A J 10 7 rule can, of course, be thrown overboard if responder's suit is Neither of these hands is. a rock long and strong enough to sign crusher, yet with (a) you want to off in. be .in Three No-Trumps, with · (b) m Four Hearts. + K7; ((]9; Your response should be One 0 Q J 10 9 8 4 3 2 ; + 3 2 Diamond. You have a weak hand­ therefore you make the cheapest With this holding you simply bid. One Diamond allows partner rebid your suit, to use an expression, to bid One Spade, One Heart or "without animation." Needless One No-Trump, a choice of three to say, this does not involve rebids at the level of One. A placing your cards on the table, respons~ of One No-Trump folding your arms, and rebidding automatically raises the bidding your Diamonds in tones of to the !~vel of Two, unless partner progressive dejection. passes m disgust. The Principle of Preparedness is Contrary though it may sound, too well known to call for a response of One No-Tru}np is elaboration. But there -is one correct on a similar hand even aspect of this theory about which though it be hatted up ~Yith a little has been written and to 6 CONTRACT BRIDGE JOURNAL

which one suspects very little ~ot liking anything much, North thought has been devoted. duttfully showeP. preference with . AKJ2 ;· r:::} 1075; 0 Q2; Three Diamonds. A lurking + K J 10 8 opponent doubled, and was cad You open with the prepared bid enough to lead trumps. The of One Club, so that over partner's result was hideous, and we do probable response of One Heart or not fancy that Three No-Trumps One Diamond you can make the wou!d have fared any better,. . cheap rebid of One Spade.· But History relates that this incident now a most annoying thing was followed by some discussion, happens. Left-hand opponent at the end of which it was decided bids One Heart, and your partner t~at there was something wrong Two Diamonds. Next hand passes, With South's bidding. · anq you are faced with the horrific We agree. South had in fact realisation that your beautiful One reversed the normal mechanics of over One rebid has been taken bidding. Instead of bidding a away from you. weak hand in the cheapest manner, You can forget your fears. Bid he had prevented his partner froll\. Two Spades with confidence. It making the weakest bid of all, a is the cheapest bid available. It may simple preference, except at an be music for your partner's ears if inordinately high level. Obviously he holds . something like this : South should have opened with . 52; r:::}KJ4; OAJ1084; One Spade, and he could then Q 6 3 have coped in comfort with any + response. I can hear the welkin ring with This is sheer commonsense. A cries of " Heresy." Isn't Two novice should be able to work this Spades a REVERSE ? out for himself. To bid a weak And so we · come to the subject hand this way is card table suicide. about which more undiluted But suppose you hold: nonsense has been written than all the other aspects of Contract +AK94; r:::}S; OKQJ83; ·put together-the corner stone on + K 10 5 which the pseudo-scientists have Certainly now you should open built the whole facade of their with One Diamond and rebid Two bridge religion- the great god Spades over partner's Two Clubs. "Reverse Bidding." If the best he can do is to produce Way back in the Middle Ages a Three Diamonds, you will not only · b~dge .player called South opened be dead safe in that contract, but With One Diamond on : you are going to make a further • K J 10 2 ; r:::} Q 9 3 ; try for game by bidding Four . OAK74; + 63 Clubs. Note that you have painted The response was Two Clubs. an exact picture of your distribution. South was a player who liked to With this sequence you should have s~ow what he'd got, so he now more Diamonds than Spades, and tned Two· Spades. His partner at least three Clubs, so that a North's hand was : singleton or void in Hearts is • 8 3 ; . ry J 7 5 ; 0 10 6 3 ; clearlv indicated. Fortified by • AQJ65 • (Coutiuued 011 page 18) . 7 ·P e t•soJtality Page

No. ';I

II. D. liing 'HEis known uni,·ersally as Daily Mail Pairs Contest of 1937 . · "The Sergeant-Major"­ and the Daily Graphic Teams-of- ·\ . but, although he maintains Four Contest in 1947 ; and, · order as rigorously as any swearing, within the inner circles of experts, I · sweating R.S.M. in any match he dozens of congresses, as well as c~ntrols, he is Sergeant-Major thousands of club events. New Style ; relying on tact f~r Is it Patton, or Howell, or his oaths and knowledge for Ius Mitchell ? Is it match-point or bluster. aggregate ? Is it Victory points or He is ·short, with a smudge of Quotient ? It matters nothing to ' moustache and a thin .voice; with King and his Queen : they know patience enough to deal with the it ; they can do it ; . and their trances of Meredith and equani­ results are right. mity enough to cope with the outbursts of ... perhaps we won't During the war, .the old ·war­ mention any names. horse (who retired as~ W.0.1 in 1933) went back into Service at His name is H. D. Kin8:_ ·the War Department and back " Kingey " to bridgites innumer­ into khaki with the Home Guard. able, as his wife, and inevitable Mrs. King, portly as her husband and indispensable assistant is is spare, dignified as her husband ""Queenie." \Vherever there is a is hail-fellow-well-met, retiring as :major contest to be run, the Kings her husband is sociable, went in · . are there. for the Savings Movement. But He was__:_like more of modern they managed, even during the· :British bidding than anyone black-out, to run a number of ·realises- a Buller . product. · He bridge events : one for the Inte;­ served with the Colonel at the Allied Houses in London . . . m Horse Guards ; and he devised which no British or U.S. team the method of dealing and dupli- competed I . eating hands for teams-of-four In March, 1945, Noel Mobbs contests whereby each table played invited him to take over the full­ ~h!! board si~ultaneously. time secretariat of the E.B.U. He 'so fast, so accurate was this threw up a civil service job, with . ~ethod · that the Kings gave their its sure pension, for the· excitement impresario a full record of the of the game he has· come to love­ . biddi~g . and the hands ·of an . and today ~he Union has increased :entire match two minutes after its membership from three figur~s the final ,board had been played. to · nearly 3,000 ; ·has . 1~ Co.unty Associations · and 100 affihated From 1932, when Buller put , . ' King on the bridge. map, Kingey clubs. and Queenie became more and · The toast is King •. : long may more in demand. They ran the h~ reign. Tile La,~rs of defender mststs upon strict compliance with the letter of the tontraet Bt•itlge Law. As the cantankerous fellow c~n quote the Law, one. finds it 2 dtfficult . to frame an appropriate retort wtthout at least bending the b ~· Fl.'edel'iek " 'illiams rule of Bridge Without Bickering.

One may also anticipate an The aforesaid Law also involvei ironing-out of the apparent another point which it might be inconsistency between Laws 21 wel_l to have clarified. It starts by (3) and 31 (3). Under the first­ saymg that " If the declarer claims mentioned the right to enforce the or c~n~edes . one or more of the optio11al part of the penalty lapses : rema~mng ~ncks, or so implies by while under the other the right to showmg hts hand, or othenvise " Th " any penalty lapses. e or othenvise " can create ~n argument. For example, Law 29. (1) also appears to a lead ts made and dummy's hand require modification. It compels goes down. The declarer makes a a declarer who claims one or more " th urn b s up " stgn:. which any - of the re~aining tricks forthwith sensible player would regard as to " make a comprehensive state­ merely the equivalent of a " Thank ment o( how he intends .to play the you, partner " ; but a defender remaining tricks, specifying the asserts that it indicates a claim · order in which he intends to play that the contract is a " make~" his cards and the disposition of If you think this is straining things each car9. from each of his two unduly, I agree ; but when you· hands." find seasoned . pla~ers wrangling over such a pomt, tt suggests that Why not ? Well, to take " or othenvise " is not entirely extreme e..xamples, if the declarer's satisfactory. last four -cards in a No-Trump contract are the four Aces, it would Or take perhaps the more seem· to be illegal to lay them down common happening when dummy's and to ~ay, "They are all good." hand goes down. The contract is He must (if he is to obey the Law for a part score only. Declarer says literally) .. " forthwith make a " Vve've missed a game I " Like~ comp~ehensive ·statement" etc., wise when a game has been bid ~tc. Similarly in a suit contract, and declarer says, "w·e've missed tf the declarer's remaining cards a slam I '' Unless such commentS are all trumps and neither defender are qualified by ... I think," there has a trump left, the declarer is something to be said for the ~UST still" make his comprehen­ contention that a claim is being SiVe statement. It may be thought made to " one or more of the that nobody ..would require a remaining tricks." · "comprehensiv~ statement" in The omission of the somewhat such c4~umstanc·es ; but in my dubious words "or othenvise·" ?Wn experience it happens not would not disturb the practical tnfrequentlv that when a declarer sense of the Law. lays down· his cards and says "They are all good," a pernickety (To be conti11ued) B 9 Anotlaet• .Rult.tet• at :the CJiula No . 6 b ~· s. J . SilllOJl

· (The jamous quartette from " Why You Lose at Bridge " co11tinue - their game) · Dealer, W~st. giving partner a chance to bid his North-South vulnerable. Spades at the One. level if he has NoRTH them. The fact that if partner has (Mrs. Guggenheim) worth-while Hearts or Spades he + A32 can bid them over a raise in \')A43 Diamonds is irrelevant. 0 · 54 (d) A natural raise of what the + AQJ 109 Unlucky Expert believes to be partner's suit. · EAST WEST (e) Mr. Smug is beginning to (Futile Willie) (Unlucky Expert) fancy his hand. His partner has · • J954 + K6 \') K652 10 8 bid twice and when Mrs. \') J Guggenheim bids twice · she's ·got · 0 . 10986 0 AKQ7 .• 8 . them. He passes to give the + 6 53 2 opponents rope. · · SOUTH (Mr. Smug) - (f) It hadn't occurred to Futile • Q1087 Willie that, instead of bidding 1 + \') Q97 as desired partner might support Hearts. Now he's distinctly J3 2 0 unhappy. The Unhicky Expert is K74 + not one of his pet school who _The biddi11g : guarantee four trumps when they - WEST · NoRTH EAsT SouTH support a suit. But all he can do ~o 1 + .1 0 (a) No (b) is pass for if he bids 3 O now 1 \')(c) 2 + 2 \')(d) No (e) partner ·will read it as an encourag: No(/)_3 + (g)No No(h) ing bid and might jump to 4 r::;J. 3 0 U) No No Dbl (j) (g) Mrs. Guggenheim isn't' . (a)_ A perfectly good butt-in, giving up her hundred honours m spite of the mania that exists in easily. some .circles that a butt-in · (h) Mr. Smug toyed strongly guarantees a five suit. with 3 No-Trumps but decided ~egretfully that his Diamond stop · . (b) Mr. Smug might well have was not strong enough. Note that bid 1 + but prefers to wait and it never even occurred to him that sc;e what ~appens : - Besides a 1 + he might support his partner. bid at this _stage might result in ( i) Futile Willie does what he Mrs. Guggenheim bidding No­ should have .done two rounds ago. :rrumps and playing the hand. Supports his partner. . (c) A delightful scientific (j) Mr. Smug can't bear to be approach bid by Futile Willie, silent any longer.

10 .; CONTRACT BRIDGE JOURNAL 1'HE PLAY just one ray of hope. He led the Mr. Smug made the surprisingly Jack of Hearts. Mr. Smug saw no good lead of the Two of Diamonds. reason to cover this and played low. "H'm," said the.Unlucky Expert Dummy played low. Mrs. surveying the dummy. "Thank Guggenheim won with the Ace you partner," he achieved. and triumphantly played the Quee~ The Ten of Diamonds in dummy of Clubs. held the trick. The Eight of Clubs She had been concentrating like was led. Mrs. Guggenheim went mad throughout and knew that the up with the Ace and Mr. Smug declarer had no more trumps left. glared at her. She produced another Diamond and he rela.xed. PosT MoRTEM · The Unlucky Expert won, ruffed "You squeezed me," wept Mr. a Club, and led the Four of Spades. Smug. Mrs. Guggenheim went up with the Ace. Glaring, Mr. Smug played the Eight. One might have thought that if Mrs. Guggenheim had played low he would have been allowed to win the trick. Mter a helpless trance Mrs. Guggenheim led another Spade. The Unlucky Expert won. ruffed a Club, and ruffed himself back to his own hand with a Spade. He drew the last trump on which " I'm sorry," quavered Mrs. Mrs. Guggenheim discarded a Guggenheim. " I couldn't tell, Club. . The situation now was: could I ? " · NoRTH "No," said Mr. Smug . crush- · (Mrs. Guggenheim) ingly, "yoll ·couldn't." " Next + None deal," he snapped. '::} A43 0 None Mrs. Guggenheim looked - so crestfallen that the Unlucky + O Expert's strong sense of justice WET EAST moved him to intervene. · (Futiie Willie) (Unlucky Expert) + J + None " It was your partner's fault as \)K65 \/Jl08 much as yours," he stated. "\Vhy 0 None 0 None didn't you cover the Knave ·of + None_· + 6 Hearts ? " he a~ked Mr. Smug. SOUTH Mrs. Guggenheim threw -. her .- (Mr. Smug) defender a grateful glance. , · s~e + O couldn't follmv the argument . bu~ .\1 . Q 9 7 he was a good player so he _must ·_ O None be right. She gath_er~d · her~e.l~ f~r + None the attack. - -- · The situation iooked pretty hope­ "Yes," she demanqed, _-:. ~' why ·less. But the. Unlucky Expert saw didn't you cover]" .: ....::.·~---~

I.I largely from a misapprehension as In Put•s uit to lhe purposes of bidding, which ~hey a s s~me to b~ t~e ex~hange of of Slants mfurm.atwn. Thts IS of course a confusion of ends with -means The playing of the hand at . b y ,J. II. · C. Jla••x th~ mo"t profitable contract is the end . the exchange of information is th~ A N aspect of the Four :No ­ ·. r1., Trump conventions which means. \Vhe!l once one partner can be troublesome, is the kno\\'S what thts contract is further distinction which has to be made exchange of informaiton is.pointless ·at times between the conventional aml only helps to enlighten the and the natural significance of the o~po n e nts. A _very crude example Four No-Trump bid. Cetrain wtll se r v~ ~o 1llust~ate the point. players regard the bid as invariably I was stttmg behmd ·a certain conventional, which will leave you South, who held + 54 ; ~A J 9 7 ; facing an impossible situation in a 0 K J 6 2 ; + A 10 ·2. North case like this. Partner opens with dealt and bid One Heart, South One Spade, you respond Two Threc. Hear_ts, North Three Spades. Diamonds,. partner Three No­ At thts pomt, South ·might have Tnimps. Your hand is + Q 5 ; asked himself what object' North c?uld ha v~ had in mind in making ~ K: 10 8; 0 AJ 10 7 5; + Q 8 7. Obv1ously you want to bid Four hts last b.td. It commits them to No-Trumps· purelv as a slam game, but North has not contented ~ugg~stion, but if p;rtner's reaction himself with merely bidding game IS gomg to take the form of Ace at Hearts orpossiblyatNo-Trumps. showing, you might just as well He has shown a second suit · and ·gamble the slam without ~urther this can only mean ambitions ado. Brie~y, it is now accepted by beyond game. But this reasoning !llost senstble players ~hat in any was too subtle for South. He · l~sta~ce, wh~re no forcmg to game looked stolidly at his own hand, Situation eXIsts or has existed saw he had the other two suits previously and. where no suit has stopped, and bid Three No­ been . either expressly agreed or Trumps. North bid Four Hearts ; agreed by implication, a Four South passed. Wheri asked what No-Trump bid retains its natural he imagined North was up to in meaning. bidding Three Spades South ~eplied that he thought' he was . All slam bidding methods depend JUSt " showing what he'd got." for their success on some measure North held A K 9 7; ?f partnership harmony. If it is + ~ K Q 10 8 6 ; 0 10 ; + K J 6 Imperfect or absent, it is wise to and could not reasonably be keep. the bidd_ing. as simple as accused of underbidding. posstb.le. Cue-btddmg, particularly, . sometimes confuses inexperienced Six Hearts was not a lay-down, ·players. They fail to realise that, but it was an odds-on contract, and while. the partner is apparently few players would feel complacent showmg some feature he has about missing it. That it ' was ~orne o~ject in doing s~, that he missed was due to South's failure IS trym~ to stimulate their to examine his partner's motives co-operatton. Their failure arises for making a bid somewhat out of

12 CONTRACT BRIDGE JOURNAL the ordinary. A large and varied investigation in motion, he rightly class .of slam hands, · and those feels that any further initiative lies most f~equently missed, ?epend with his partner. But South has for the1r successful handlmg on ., tasted blood and shows his second this enquiry into. motives. They Ace- Five Clubs. North, still not are the prefectly fitting hands, assured about the Diamond those ~vhere every ho~our card position, is disinclined to bid the makes its due contribution towards sl~~ himself at this point, but is I· taking a trick; where there is no wtlhng to continue to take an "duplication . of values," no interest : he bids Five Hearts. "wastage." Every sound bidding_ South, with the two vital Queens system makes allowance for v~lues can now bid Six Spades ; recollect~ equivale'nt to about a Queen to be ing his partner's earlier sign-off at "wasted." , vVhere,- · contrary to Four Spades, he no longer has average -expectancy, there is no ambitions, if he ever had them for wastage, players will often find a grand slam. ' that . they have underbid. Not In the following ca5e, South infrequently this is unavoidable, began with doubts if there was but sometimes one partner can even a game but ended by bidding ·recognise at an early stage that his a slam in partner's second suit. side may well have been dealt a He held + 4- 3 ; ((} K 10 6 ; pair of perfectly fitting hands and 0 K Q 4- 2 ; + 10 7 5 2. North can initiate a chain of exploratory opened with One Heart, South bids. Blackwood and other devices Two Hearts, North Three. for bulk computation of controls Diamonds, South Four Diamonds,. are of li~e help and are often a North Four Spades. South now positive , hindrance. Detailed applied the " motive" test to his methods of investigation have to partner's bidding. North, if he be used. had borne in mind South's first North deals and bids One Spade response, could not expect mor~ on: than a meagre holding in high + A.K876; \/K2; cards ; yet he had issued a slam OKJ965; + J invitation. The point at issue · South bids Three Spades. North must be whether South's few high thinks it just worth while to enquire cards were in the right .place ; about a slam and bids Four obviously they were, so North bid Diamonds. It is true he has only Six Diamonds. North's hand was one Ace and lacks even the Ace +A65; \/AQ987; of Diamonds, but if South should 0 A J 8 6 3 ; + Void. It will be · hold two Aces and a fitting hand noted that all this exploration has • • • • • ? South, holding : been carried out · at a level which +Q 10 9 4- ; \/ A 4- 3 ; 0 Q 7 ; at no time endangered the game. . A 8 6 2, My final ·example is that of a re.cognises his hand as very suitable, small slam bid many years ~go by With its two Aces and lit in S. J. Simon and myself, when we Diamonds, and is prepared to were quite inexperienced players. co-operate ; he bids Four Hearts. The system we used in thos~ days North now signs off with Four was riot known as Acol,· but 1t may Spades ; once he has set the (Continued on page zo) 13 CIIOSS\ \-0111)

:r J.l nbet•

b~ · Ca•·mcl Sli:iclcb•h: ~ ·

DEVISED FOR THE BRIDGE PLAYER

CLUES ACROSS . DOWN

1. llnxgc? (0, 2, •0 2. Bound (7) 9. Dnronial hol

Result of out· A1n·il CJt•oss,vortl C,t111e o.~~a . •. f7p)tfsllmen~

12. NoRTH South miss a lay-down game, and + KQ 108 6 3 North, a player who freelv admits -

~

b~'· Jain Ma.clcml

· come now to my last thoughts as very guilty, put down her hand . far as this series is concerned. and I examined it. There are three .V: 1 Later, if the Editor will give things you can do : you can bawl I me space, I shall write on the first your partner out, you can make principles of card play. Th~se Five in pointed silence or you can ~ .articles have covered a very wtde deliberately play the hand as I did. range and now we must sum up. Carefully, I drew three rounds of Remember two things, even if you trumps and set off to ruff Diamonds. forget everything else. When I'd ruffed one I · had · no . (i) How-easy bridge is ; entry for the Hearts and I just (ii) What a fine player you are. made Three. Our opponents were too polite to comment and I It isn't easy · to persuade a congratulated my partner on a beginner of either. Let's put it cold top- adding, in case she did this way. I guarantee that tf you it again, that the hand was a leam and follow carefully every­ triumph for feminine intuition, thing ·I ·have told you and in because I'd have bid Four on her addition play your cards moderately hand. From then on she never well that you would win money in made a mistake and· we won in any card-room in the country. But comfort. So remember how good I doubt if you really believe that. you are I . Once before !he war, I was playing \Vhcn you venture 10 club abroad in a pairs championship games and your partner asks what with a player who was potentially convention you like, don't say excellent if she would only realise " I don't mind/' · Say " I play the it. A stiff course of gin before the Two Clubs and my No-Trump is start · did nothing to remove her good." If he adds "Black'~?od? :• fears of the opposition and on the raise an eyebrow and say not tf very first hand played against a we're playing for ~oney." . If he famous international pair, she hc!J : is a good player, he ll be dehghted, • QJ94 and if he's not- well at least \? AK642 you're not playing Blackwood with 0 7·, him. And don't be bullied by the '+ Q86 club pro's. I know one very b~d player who, if he was playmg 10 and on_ly raised my One Spade bid strange company, used to murmur to Three. - I held : " I believe I could have made that + AK652 by a Jouble fork strip squeeze." . \? 7 3 Usually this was in a cont:act ~e · ·o· 942 could have made by puttt~g hts + .K53 cards down, but it rarely fatled t.o and of course, p~ssed. H earts arc impress I As a weapon, though, tt 3-3, Spades 3-1, and Five Spades has one obvious disadvantage : are on ice. My. partner, looking someone might say " how ? " CONTRACT BRIDGE JOURNAL And when you can, take time as there are many possible off and watch the experts. Watch variations in the defence. the case and fluency of the defence The conclusion :is inevitaoly· and the effortless bidding. Not reached that the double of a game only is bridge easy, but any first contract, however sound it may. class player makes it look easy. appear, often has the effect of '; Finally,.: on .. bridge conduct. helping declarer in his play. · Don't try 'and take advantage of minor errors even if the rules allow you to. bon't.hesitate before you pass, particularly on the first round of bidding, and if you do think for an appreciable time bid sometl;ting. Neither frown heavily

They say she plays a lot of .bridge.

(Continued from page 7) this knowledge, even the most backward of partners should muster the courage to bid Five with little else but a decent Club suit. The formula is best expressed in terms of the preference for partner's · first suit : if a player bids two suits in such a sequence that the at partner's bad leads nor beam partner is unable to show preference over his clever ones. And above for the first suit except at the level· all, use the same voice in each and of ·Three, his second bid is a every situation. reverse. · There you are then. It's an No more and no less. In other easy game and you know quite words, you indicate that you are enough about the bidding. You strong enough to play the hand_ at only need practice and then more the level of Three, even allowmg practice. Go on and play and be for the fact that responder's han_d confident about it. After all may be a minimum. But in thts: you ' re a fi ne player aren't you ? ' logical evolution of Approach bidding, the pseudo-scientists have spotted the grains of yet another of (Co11timted from page 5) the unofficial convel}tions so dear to If East holds off at trick 7 he is their hearts. " Reverse bidding " left with + A J under K. 10 .and has in fact become more than a con"' the ending is the same. The 'hand vention ; some players announce is a good one to set out and play, it proudly as their system. 18 'Lisi" of ranking players in The contract is, of course, far 'the Provinces has recently too optimistic, but it is interesting A been sent to . us marked to try to work out the method of "for your comments please." vVe play which gives the best chance. ,\·ere ·flattered to find our own North led' the Seven of Hearts. name on the list and fairly high In our view the Ace of Hearts up too. · Immediately above us should be followed by the Ace of were four Lancashire players, two Clubs and then the singleton· Cumbrians, two Maltese and Diamond. If North plays low and s·eventy-five players from Leeds. the Knave loses to the Queen, · Which reminds us it's over a South may play (a) a Club or. year since we had the pleasure of (b) a trump. playing against a team from Leeds. The Club play is by no means Mr. Graham Mathieson who, improbable and it gives West despite . rumours to the contrary, quite a good chance of. twelve has fewer grandchildren than Mr. tricks on a cross-ruff. (Does zt ?-Eo.} George Nelson, visited Newcastle If however, .South leads a· last month with Mr. J. Pavlides, Spade, West's only hope. is to Mr. 'Leslie Dodds and M r. Eddie drop the Ace of Diamonds m two Rayne. Mi-. Rayne played some further rounds. ·He must be: lovely golf and the Londoners wo n careful to take dummy's King of the two big matches by 5,300 and Clubs eu route and ruff a Club. 2,270. If the adverse trumps are 3 and 3, Unfortunately, two members of all is well. our regular team were unable to In fact North's hand was: play, so we wired for Mr. John Hastie. · He .arrived wearing a +J763; CJ 874; OAQ6; natty check suit and a happy + Q 8 2 : . expression which soon faded when In a pairs event Mr. Pavlides he was cailed. upon to play this showed fine sportsmanship on this ~land in Six Spades : little number : WEST EAST WEST EAST • KQ 1094 + A 5 + AK65 + J 104 \?}62 CJAK103 CJ 8652 CJ A9 03 OKJ 9 5 4 O K 0 AQ6.4 + AJ63. + KlO + AKQ 10 + }7 52 CONTRACT BRIDG E J OU RNAL North led the Knave of Hea rts back to his opponent and said :against Pav's Six Clubs contract, " a Heart please." .dummy won and West took the But North had indeed led .King of Diamonds before leading initially from five Hearts to the .a Heart to dummy's Nine. This K J 10 and South had led the ·was taken by South's Queen and Nine of Clubs at trick 4 from 9 6 ·the Nine of Clubs was smartly only. ·returned. So Pav. was one down, which merely proves that you can't The rest was child's play : monkl~ Y round with Newcastle .Pav. led a third Heart in the players . .knowledge that a ruff by North No London team is ever allowed -could not hurt him, North followed to leave Newcastle-undefeated, so .suit and South played the Six of we now trotted out our good ·Clu.bs on dummy's Five. players- Mr. H. V. · Marks, Mrs. It \Vas obvious to Mr. Pavlides J. Marks and Mr. and Mrs. ·that South had another Heart, but Carpenter- and they, representing :instead of whipping up his card Newcastle, finished first in a short quickly and subsequently claiming four-cornered contest. Whitley ·two tricks for the revoke (even if Bay came second, London third, he -was only entitled to one), Pav. Middlesborough fourth and our gallantly handed the Six of Clubs o\Vn honour (now satisfied) fifth.

IN PURSUIT OF SLAMS- (Coutiuuedfrom page 13) ·be called the prototype of Acol. North's Five Spade bid was a It used very few conventional denial of the Ace of Diamonds, and devices ·and was little more than South \vas able to realise that a :a thoughtful improvisation on the slam try without ·an Ace and broad principles of Approach without · a first round fosce by .Forcing. The hand illustrates how partner could be justified only by .much can be done with very little a good Spade suit and an excellent .mechanical equipment. fit in either Hearts or Clubs, We held the following cards : probably the former. NORTH: • K Q 10 7 6 5 ; KQ4; 062; + 72 This series of articles is now at an end. After reading them, SOUTH ; + A 5 4 ; A J 8 7 6 ; many will still think slam bidding 04; + A965 a far from easy subject. I do Tlze biddi11g : myself. But I have · long since abandoned the fruitless search for NORTH : 1' + 2 + 4 4 • 4 + 6 + medicine to cure all the ills to I will confine comment to two which the slam addict is subject. JlOints. South, up to and including He will overcome them by the his Four Spade bid, has shown both dexterous use of the · appropriate -the distribution of his hand and human organ-not convention but the fact of slam possibilities without brain- and he will find it, not J>roceeding beyond game level. exhausting, but refreshing.

20 No StJueeze

bY Edmuml Phillit•s

E present two hands made more likely than not that he was· by squeeze play- both of short in Hearts. Wthem with just a little Th:n decl~rer saw daylight. He more interest than the plain simple had etght tncks on top. A ninth squeeze. Each of the contracts could be secured by reversing the could have been beaten by better dummy- ruffing the last Diamond defence. It might have been and set.ting up dummy's last Spad ~ possible_so to doctor the hands as for a dtscard. The. situation would to make the end-plays foolproof, then be ripe for a squeeze. So the­ but on reflection we decided it Club lead was won duinmy would be more instructive to set entered with a Heart, ~nd 0 10 - them down just as they occurred. ,trumped with + Q ; over to + J, NORTH and the last Spade led, on which + J6 3 2 South threw + J West now -<:J KQ5 holding + Q and <:J J 10 'g was 0 107 5 left with an impossible disca:d. :_- + 1043 This situation would never have \VEST E AST arisen if East had given more .- 54 .­ AK thought to his defence. After + winning ·the first Diamond, he ~ Jl09 6 <:J 7 2 0 83 2 0 AKQ 9 64 should have led Clubs·immediatelv. He could hardly be expected to Q982 765 + + foresee the squeeze at this stage, SOUTH but it should have been obvious + Q 10 9 8 7 that a possible Club trick in West's -<:J A 8 4 3 hand- the King or Queen-would 0 J need setting up, whereas, if by - . AKJ any chance declarer had started -Dealer, South. Love All. with a doubleton Diamond, a second trick in that . suit could The bidding.: always be cashed later. SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST This is such a ·common failing. 1. ,No bid 2 + 40 If every defender, before making a 4 CVJ No bid 4+ blind routine lead, . were· to .ask Diamonds · were led and himself what vital high cards or continued, South ruffing the second distribution he could profitably round . . T]len he led trumps, and expect to find in partner's hand, East, in with the Ace and King, he would save scores of made played Clubs on each occasion. contracts every year. Declarer hated to finesse, but tht: In the example that follows it only obvious alternative was to should have been apparent to the play for the Hearts to break 3 - 3, defenders at a comparatively early tn 'which case dummy's losing stage that the contract was .only Spade could be thrown on the last likely to be made by squeeze play, . ~eart. And, in view of East's and they should ha\'e planned JUmp in Diamonds, it seemed their counter moves accordingly.

2I CONTRACT BRIDG E JOURNAL

NoRTH NoRTH + A842 +8 r::) K765 r::) K 7 0 74 0- + J62 +6 WEST EAST W EST EAST · + KJ 9 6 · • Q10 7 + J r::) J 10 ~ 8 3 r::) 2 r::) 9 83 \?- - 0 105 0 }986 3 0- ·0 -J9 ·' + QT + K 10 9 8 + - + 10'9 SOUTH SouTH • 53 r::)AQ4 r::) 4- 0 AKQ2 ·­0 Q2 + A543 +AS The play to defeat the contract South reached an obvious is for East to switch to Clubs when contract of 3 No-Trump, and r::) J he wins the first Spade trick. ·The ·was led. South won and started reasoning is perhaps a little more on the Clubs. A low one was taken advanced than on the previous by \Vest's Queen, and South won hand, but a good player sitting .the Heart continuation, East throw­ East will recognise the possibility jog a Diamond. S second Club of an impending squeeze ; it is a trick went to East, who led a cardinal principle of all simple Diamond to the Ace. Now declarer squeezes that the declarer must could run nine tricks if the Clubs lose all the tricks that he is going broke, but, in case this was not so, to lose before he starts the end­ he started a further series of ducking play ; hence in this case it is very . plays, this time in Spades, in likely that South is preparing to preparation for a possible squeeze. duck a second round of Spades. East won the first Spade, and West The Club lead thwarts South, the second, East having meanwhile because if he attempts to· duc.k led another losing Diamond. West another Spade the contract JS at this stage saw no future in the immediately defeated with the loss . Heart suit and continued Spades of three Clubs and two Spades . himself ; and now a rare and There are other possibilities in delightful end- play presented this hand. For example declarer, itself. after ducking in Clubs, .might elect to play the King and a small Afte.r dummy had won with + A, .Heart, throwing West in.the lea~: the Situation was as follows. now the latter must carefully res1st De~larer could now cash \? K, in the temptation to lead ~s _ l~t wh1ch case East is squeezed in the winning Heart, othenv1se' ?': minor suits ; or he could cross to partner is again squeezed. ·I dunk his own hand with + A, and lead it will be found that, howev~r 0 Q, which squeezes West in the declarer plays, he cannot make _h15 majors ! contract against best. defence._

22 proltlent Cot•net• interest~ What is your opinion­ you are the jury in these matters ? b!' ~' T ENEX , . WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH 1.0205 OAOK No."7 ·. 2. ~ 3 ~ 8 I(} A ~ 2 ,; CATCHING THE KNAVE" 3. 2..!.Q ~ 9 ~ 6 '\} 4 · ·· ·Trumps : Hearts 4. .:2...! + 4- 0 3 c:; 5 5. '\} Q + 5 0 4 '\} 7 NORTH • J42 6. + Q + A + 3 + 2 7. 7 6 6 Q ~ 92 0 0 + 0 0 A 104 8 . • 6 • Q • 2 • 3 + A 109 8 4 9. 0 9 0 1 • 8 • 5 \VEST EAST 10. + J + 7 + 'J + K + 7 + K 10 9 8 6 5 3 11. • 9 0 8 • . 10 '\} J I!) JlO 6 ~ Q 8 4 12. + K + A + 1 + 7 0 KQJ 53 0 92 13. o 10 • 4 · + :1o + s ·· + J652 +.K If East postpones 0 A, or West SouTH returns any other suit at trick 6, + AQ North-South have more freedom . .~ AK 7 53 If the defence fail to take out ·o 876 tmmps, South makes a second + .073 tmmp- by mffing a Cluo, having Lead : King of Diamonds. first discarded on the third round of Diamonds. How many tricks can North­ The last three tricks consist of South make? the compound fork (squeeze of both opponents) and it should be If you did not see last month's noticed how every card counts­ problem get a friend to arrange the tme economy of material which the cards from the solution given is the aim of the Chess problem. below. Hearts were trumps, and You may remember that we are South had to call a suit. trying to elevate the Bridge The_ lead in this old problem problem to the status of the. Chess was originally the 0 K from problem, and one or t\VO terms South, but as the composer (the are already common to both, such late Ernest Bergholt) remarks " no as " cook " or " dual" . when lead_ but the King of D iamonds there are two ways of getting the can win the ·eight tricks." This same result, irrespective of the ,was. where ~ first got the idea of defence. I propose we borrow ~g a lead_. . It may not be quite one or two more. The fork in Wlthm .the framework of the laws, Chess is the simultaneous attack ~ut these. are apt to change from of two of the opponent's men, and tl~e _ to time, and while I think we is peculiarly apt for describing the .must. ' insist nowadays on the squeeze. I know this latter term openmg.. lead coming from a is well-established, and . has had defe~der, perhaps . the call-where the honour of phone. t~c incorpora­ applicable, which is not often­ tion in the French First may be jus~fi~d as . adding to the Conjugation, but I am bold enough 23 CONTRACT BRID GE J OURNAL

to _sugge~t its replacement, and Now let us · try an experiment once agam I should like your with " the hand of the year" verdict. (Ol:ccmber, page 23, Hand 7). I sometimes wonder if there is To get at the root of the matter a little confusion about the Vienna we cut out the first five tricks and Coup. Surely this is performt.:d­ the last one and we are left with not at trick 11, but at trick 9- somelhing like this-: where West's 0 10 is promoted. i-\mm-1 : + Q 6, <:/ K 10 7 5, The whole hand is a masterly ~ A ; setting of this familiar endplay. Tricks 2 to 5 (a piece of nice EAST : <:/ A J ~· + 10 8 6 4; strict play for the defence) prevent SOUTH : + A, <:/ Q, 0 10, the easier line of attack, while +KJ97; tricks 1 and 6 make the North­ WEST: + 10 8, (/ 6, 0 Q-4, South play more strict to increase + Q 2. '• the chance of a mistake. Six tricks No trumps- South·to lead. · to ~ build. up ·the problem- hence the 'title, which is mine. Can you build this back into a A similar scheme is shown in a full-length hand which compares -delightful five-card " miniature " with Bergholt's ~ You will find it ·presumably·by the same composer: useful practice for the kind of competition we hope to organise NoRTH.: 6, 9 5, A 7 ; + 0 + later in this corner. · EAST : <:/ 9, 0 K 6, + Q 10 ; SoUTH: 5, J 7 2, 9 ; <:/ 0 + Tlze solution to No. 5 on page 26 WEST: • J, 0 10, + J 8 5. of the April issue should read " ... Diamonds are trumps, and South ( 4) 0 A, South throwing Heart, is to .lead. (5) ruff Heart ...."

·Arotmd the ENGLAND v. NORTHERN .IRELAND This was without e.xception the UomJ•etitions most exciting match in which I ha,·e ever participated. . ~ The visitors took the lead by 410 THE CAMROSE TROPHY points on the very first board. In COTLAND beat Northern Ireland by Room 1 the English North misplayed 1,120 points. a hand in Four Spades, but through S Contract Bridge Association of a defensive error the contract succeeded, Ireland beat Wales by 4,230 points. 'Vhereas in Room 2 the home players England beat Northern Ireland by were too ambitious and went one down 1,260 points. in a Five Spade effort. On board 3 The above are the results to-date. both teams bid and made ·Six Hearts· Our sympathy goes to Northern This made the local players in Room 1 Ireland, the unluckiest side in these so slam-minded that they reached .an contests since their inception. They impossible Sh: Hearts contract, whi~ alone have consistently held England was two light, on the very ne.xt boa d to a narrow margin, and as will be A big swing to Northern Irel!ID seen in the account that follows occurred on board 9. A light openmthg, victory was only wrested from them One No-Trumps by England's Sou in the last few hands in this year's in Room 1 when doubled was tnJ;en match. out into Two Hearts, which was also I I ' CONTRACT BRIDGE. JOURNAL

doubled, and defeat~d by five tricks. 'Where the contract was defeated, I The home South m Room 2 also declarer failed to take the apparently 0 ened with One No-Trumps, the dementnry precaution of keeping his d~uble was left in and through weak Spade Ace until the third round of defence was only two down. the suit. Unfortunately I overlooked Northern Ireland went into the lend asking him for his reasoning which I for the first ti'?e at board 15, lo~t it ~t am sure was sound and may have had 18 regained 1t at 20 and retamed 1t some connection with the weak Hearts. un'til board 43. They lost 950 points In the other room declarer took the on board 36, where both teams by third round of Spades with the Ace over-bidding arrived at Four Spades. and before disclosing the strength of Weak defence allowed England home his Clubs, immediately took a Diamond ·with an over-trick, whereas next door finesse, Inter succeeding in his Contract the contract was down three. by taking a further finesse in that suit. · The position continued to. see-saw At first glance it would seem that the and at board 93 the home team led play of the Diamond King first time by 140 points. England gained 200 by South would sink the contract but points on the next board and were fuller investigation refutes this. . The subsequently in fro~t until they finished trick is taken \Vith the A<;e and a victors by 1,260 pomts. Heart played to the King. Two England perhaps ju?t about deserved rounds of Clubs are taken, .a Diamond 'their success by v1rtue of greater is played to the Ten and North must steadiness on the last few vital boards. concede either a Diamond or a Heart. ·Their limited superiority is, however, A. J. .F,LETCHER. emphasised by the . statisti':s. The winners had a cred1t margm on 56 ScoTLAND v. NoRTHERN IRELA."'D occasions against 43 . Their largest .The Ulstermen again led ~ntil the plus ·aggregate was, however, t~eir 67th board in a match marked by final score whereas on four occasiOns steady play by both teams. Their 'Northern ireland's lead was in excess decline started on the following hand, of that figure. u text-book example of No-Trumps Some e:\":cellent bridge was witnessed technique. .but also unfortunately there were NoRTH unaccountable lapses from players of + K2 such e:">perience and repute. For the IYlA Q9 .wiliners, I was most impressed with 0 K 106 the Reese-Tarlo combination, whose + K9732 play was of a high standard. 1 refrain WEST EAST from comment on individual home • J 9 3 • Q876 players' performances as in any event IYl K J 10 4- 2 IYl 6 5 all contributed in some measure to the 0 3 0 Q974 defeat. + A 10 8 6 + J 54 An interesting deal in whid1 Northern SouTH Ireland gained 450 points occurred on + AlOH board 72, which was played by both 1Vl873 Easts in Three No-Trumps and in 0 AJ852 'each case the lead was the Spudc 5. Q . NoRTH + • QJ 6 After South had opened with 1 0, IVlA1043 which ·west over-called with 1 ~Vl. 'Q 9 3 2 North jumped to 3 No-Tru.mps, and 0 IVl 6 was Jed. The Irish North won + J 10 WEST . with IVl Q and then played 0 A and EAST O 2 from dummy. A trick had to be • 10 9 3 + A-+2 ~ Q95 IVl K72 ,given up to O .0. and the. Hearts were 0 Al10 5 0 7 6 established while West sull had + A • 983' . + AKQ54 as .an entry card, so the contract was defeated: h :; .' SOUTH North should trent 'Vest as t e + KS 7 5 danger hand, and his first play shouhld IYl J86 be an attempt to knock out + A, as.t e 0 K 84- Diamonds can safely be finessed mto + 76 2 CONTRACT BRIDGE J OU RN AL the East hand. West might be loath THE GOLD CUP to part with his only entry card, and Fourth round remits : if he allows + Q to win North has an easy ride, as 0 2 is Jed from the Guy Ramsey's team beat A. Elliott's table nnd O 10 finessed ; North is team b\· 2, 700. now certain of 9 tricks. The play is L. Baron's team beat J. Pearlstone's more complex if West wins the Club team by 3,010. trick and clears his Hearts. D eclarer E. Alpar's team beat E .. P. C. Cotter's should lead O 6 to dummy's Ace, and team by 1,930. play 0 K followed by 0 10 when M. Harrison-Gray's team beat West shows out ; East must refuse A. Oldschool's team by 370. this trick. Alternatively, dummy is D. McAllister's team beat G. D. entered with + A and a small Diamond Johnstone's team by 1,210. led ; North plays 0 10, and again N. H. C. Frith's team beat Mrs. East must be careful not to win with Crisford's team by 1,710. 0 Q. But West is put to some R. lVlanson's team beat J. Rosen's embarrassing discards and the contract team by 1,630. might still be made by a carefully-timed The " Blue Riband of British end-play. Bridge " has reached the quarter-final stage. Several fancied teams have been C.B.A.I. v. WALES eliminated. J. Tarlo .Jost narrowly to The Irish won this match by a large T. V. M. Cotter, who in turn was margin; due to the traditional Welsh beaten by Oldschool ; the latter, after policy of " going mad " in a desperate being heavily in arrears, forced a attempt to ward off defeat in the last desperate finish on the Harrison-Gray few hands. According to the bridge team. Stern and Mayer both fell correspondent of the Irish Times, the victims to the steady Alpnr combination. home team showed stupendous form, Mrs. Fleming's team of four ladies whilst with two exceptions the Welsh scored n wonderful win over Fraser players were little above club standard ; Allan. ' but this gracious assessment scarcely explains the fact that Wales were in Boron, the holder, hns had an easy the lead for more than two ti1irds of draw so far, but his team seems to the match. have fully recovered from their losing spell of some months back. Meredith The C.B.A.I. gained 750 points on nnd Goldinger have developed into board 51, where the North-South one of the best pairs yet produced by hands were as follows : this country, and the team has an NoRTH SouTH outstanding chance of repeating + K85 + 04 Lederer's achievement in winning the \/ AJ98 \/ KQ743 trophy two years running. 0 AKJ765 0 QS + - + K942 CROCKFORD'S CUP Dealer, North. North-South Semi-fiual results : vulnerable. Dr. Fraser Allan's team bent Dr. P. In Room 1 Miss McNulty nnd Stern's team by 56 m.p's. Davidson bid 1 0 - 1 CV - 4 NT L. Baron's team beat A. Oldschool's (Culbertson)-5 0-6 \/ . . In Room 2 team by 52 m.p's. Bloom and Carter bid 1 0 - 1 \/- M. Harrison-Gray's team beat E. 3 CV-4 \/-4 + -4 NT (Blackwood)- !VInyer's team by 30 m.p's. . , 5 cv. J. Pearlstone's team bent A. J. Sm1th s We do not like the hit or miss team by 47 m.p's. , methods in Room 1-North might ]. Tarlo's team beat G. D.Johnstone s just as well bid 6 cv direct over 1 cv­ team by 97 m.p's. or the trap bidding in Room 2 (North's L. Ellison's team beat S. C. Kastell's 3 \/ is not n force in any system that team by 56 m.p's. · we have heard of), but the slam is ]. Carpenter's team bent E. P. C. • most difficult to bid with any precision Collier's team by 30 m.p.'s and a good one for readers to try out T. V. M. Cotter's team beat Mrs. on their local pairs of experts. Hardie's team by 31 m.p's. 26 CONTRACT BRIDGE JOURNAL

TJ{E LADY MILNE CUP Champi?nship, it's the qualin· that Third round results : made 11mmy Wilde a champion and the lack of which stopped Bombardier Mrs. Griffiths' team beat Mrs. 'Yells . from becoming one. It was Williams' team by 180 points. given Its . Perf~ct expression by \Valter Mrs. Selby's team beat Mrs. Herga's Hagen With h1s remark on the morning team by 1,660 points. of an Open Championship (which he proceeded to win) " Who'se Gonna be Morgan's team beat Mrs. 1\1~. Se~ond ? " And in bridge it means an Ohlson's team by 270 points. ammble truculence, planning .an end Mrs. Harrison's team beat Mrs. play for an overtrick in a One Club Carpenter's team by 4, 710 points. contract, · playing the last board of a match as hard as the first even if you:re thousands in front or thousands behrnd. Personally, I go as far as to WHO'SE GONNA BE SECOND ? say that no player suspect in this !llatter-and at least one of the hvelve The finalists for the London and 1s-s~ould play for England. Here Home Counties Individual Champion­ then 1s the list : ship have been selected on a novel method. A list of seventy-eight names Ao~PTABILITY: Marx, Shapiro, was dra\\n up and each player shown S1mon, Tarlo, Whitby. was invited to select the best twenty­ BiDDING : Baron, Gray, l\"••arx, five. By what was surely an unnecessary Meredith, Whitby. provision (for all bridge players are rain) his or her own name was to be CARD PLAY : Dodds, Goldinger included. From the votes received, the Gray, Meredith, Pavlides. · • first thirteen passed straight to the FLAm : Dodds, Leist, · Pavlides · final and the remainder had to qualify Shapiro, Simon. ' for twelve places. These select thirteen KNOWLEDGE : Goldinger, Gray. were, in alphabetical order, Baron, · Leist, Meredith, Shapiro. Dodds, Goldinger, Harrison-Gray, Leist, Marx, Meredith, Pavlides, TENACITY : Baron, Gray, l\•Ieredith, Shapiro, · Simon, Tarlo, Whitby, and Tarlo, Whitby. a Scot with thinning hair whose name escapes me. It's a good list and it's You will note that (with considerable interesting to note that in the matches tact) no player gets less than hvo England won last year there were never credits. And I give Gray and Meredith less than three players in that list ; in each four. Argue about it yourselves. the match lost against Ireland there And how does all this help to find the ~vas but one. All these players were winner ? Frankly not much. Th.e m my !ist and all high up in it, so I standard will be so high that the can claun that my opinion was fairly winner will need consistent good luck .. ~epresentative. They have since been And anyway, I'm not trying to spot Jomed by the remaining twelve but the winner. I KNOW the winner. though some of these must have' been \\'ho'se gonna be second ? rery near the seeded thirteen, some " ENDPLA \' " are-well not so near and so my analysis is confirmed t~ the chosen. I have shown the players I consider the best five in each of six gradings. ~hese ar~ Adaptability, Bidding, Card The above article is controversial, to .Jay, Flair, Knowledge, and Tenaciry. put it mildly, and this frank appraisal The first quality is to an Individual by a player of the stro11g points of other houmament what partnership is in players tl)i/l cause much fur to fly. ~others. The next three are ob,·ious. Personally, tve disagree viole11tly tt:ith f owledge includes knowledge of odds, the author's assessme11ts. At the same 0 dopponents' peculiarities of theon• time the author's list of tt:hat he co11siders an. of ·practice.· Tenacity' is not so· to be the attributes that go to make a y~j;. It's the quality that keeps great player tL'ill 1111doubtedly be of 0 Ire at the head of the Cricket general i11terest- Ecl.). ,.,. 1 .~. . t'ompetiti1111. This moHinS .

Set b~r J ~ II. C. ]l:u•x

The CONTRACT BRIDGE P R(JIILE:Il No. 2 (12 points) JOURNAL offers a prize of T\\'0 ·GUINEAS for the best set of solutions Score: ~o rth-South Game, East­ to the following problems. In the \Vcst Love. event of two or more sets of solutions The bidding : being of equal merit, the monthly NORTH EAST SOUTH WEST prize will be divided •. 1 0 3 • 5 0 5 . Answers to CONTRACT BRIDGE (dealer) JOURNAL (Editorial Department) North holds: 8, \Vaterloo Place, London, S.\V.l., not later than June 3rd, 1947. ·-; \;7 AK86; OK10984; Solutions and prizewinners' names in + A KJ2 July issue, What should he bid now ? A special prize of Ten Guineas is offered for the best aggregate score in PROBLEM No. 3 (10 points) the sL....: monthly competitions from November, 1946, to June, 1947, North holds.: inclusive. · + A K ; 1;:7 2 ; 0 K J 10 6 4- ; During this period no competitor + KJ985 may win the monthly prize of Two The bidding, with East and West Guineas more than once. silent: NORTH : 1 0 3 + . .PROBLEM No. 1 (32 points) SOUTH : 2 • 3 NT . In each . of the· following auctions, North now inadvertently bids Three 'Vest bids a suit, Hearts, which has Spades and the opponents require him been already bid by one of the to bid in conformity with the laws. opponents. State in each case whethei: West's last bid (A) indicates a desire, What should he bid now ? or at least an ability to play the hand in Hearts, or (B) has some conventional PROBI.El\1 No. 4 (10 points) significance and is forcing on East. West holds: SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST . (a) 1 1;:7 Dbl No bid 1 + + Q432; \;7K864; 062; No bid 2 1;:7 + Q 10 7 (b) 1 1;:7 No bid 1 NT No bid At the score Love ·All,' the bidding 2 + . 21;:7 has proceeded : · (c) 1 1;:7 No bid No bid 1 + SoUTH 'WEST NoRTh EAST 1 No bid 2 Db! Nobi~ 4 r:::2 0 0 (d) 1 1;:7 Dbl No bid 2 + 3 0 3 + No bid 2 1;:7 No bid ? (e) No bid 1 · O 1 1;:7 Db! What should West bid now? 2 + 21;:7 (f) 1 0 Dbl 1 1;:7 Db! PROBLEM No. 5 (24 points) No bid 2 1;:7 North holds : (g) 1 0 + K J 9 6 4 · 2 ; 1;:7 2 ; 0 J 8 .i 1 1;:7 Db! 2 + No bid Q 7 52 No bid 21;:7 + What should he bid in each of the (h) 1 1;:7 Kobid 1 + Db! following cases, with East and W~t 2 • 3 1;:7 taking no part in the auction ? CONTRACT BRIDGE JOURNAL

SotTTH (a) 1 + 3 + 3 NT The hands of North and East are: 1 3 ? NoRTH NORTH SotTTH (b) 1 •0 3 •0 3 NT EAST 1 3 ? + AJ975 • 10 8 6 2 NoRTH 'V1 }87 SoUTH (c) 1 •'V1 3 •'V1 3 NT 'V1 Q96 1 3 ? 0 J 9 2 0 10 8 7'5 NoRTH + 10 5 SotTTH (d) 1 +• 3 • + 94 1 ? NoRTH • The piny to the first three tricks has • been: PROBLEM No. 6 (12 points) WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH At the score Game All, the bidding 1. K + 5 + 9 + 8 + has proceeded : 2. A + 10 + 4 + 7 + 3. WrsT NoRTH EAST SOUTH O + J 'V1 ~ J + 1 + No bid No bid 2 'V1 No bid No bid 3 'V1 What card should East lead at the 2. fourth trick ? Why? No bid 4'V1 No bid No bid No bid NOTE.-Each entry must be accompanied by Competition Entry Form on page 2.

ENGLISH BRWGE UNION LIST OF SECRETARIES

E..~GI.ISII BRIDGE U!o'ION (also DRITIS!l BRIDGE NOTTINO!LU[ CONTRACT BRIDGE ASSOOLUION" LUGUE}-H. D. King, Esq., 21 Hale Grove · Mrs. Bull, 28 Addison Street, Nottingham. G:udens, N.W.7. NORTH EAsTERN CONTRACT BRIDGE AsSOCIA- Im::t CONTRACT BRIDGE AsSOOUTIOX-F. TION-J". W; Cmke, Esq., 36 L!Iiden Road, . ll. Fletcher, ESq., 22 Fontnyne A venue, Gosforth, Newcastle. Cblgwcll, Essex. NORTH WESTERN CONTRACT BRIDGE .!.BSOOIA­ DnnrSlllRE CONTIUCT BRIDGE ABSOCI.\TIOX­ TION-W. H. :Preece, Esq., 14 Drown Street, W.llumstone, Esq., cfo Town Clerk's Otllcu, Manchester. . llllrket Place, Derby. O::UORDBIURE CONTRACT BRIDGE AsSOCIATION DETOI! CONTRACT BRIDGE ASSOOUTION-::Ilrs. -Capt. F. W . Taylor. 433 Banbury Road, Hudman, Llvcrmeads Cliff Hotel, Torquay. Oxford. · · GLOlillESTEll8IImE CONTRACT BRIDGE ABSOCIA· SDllERSET CONTIIACT BRIDGE ASSOCIATION­ nos-Miss F. :H. Ford, 1 Pelham \'lllus, ::Ilrs. Tomson, The Tithe llam, Crowcombe, !!stone Avenue, Cbeltcnhum. :somerset. BniFORDSIImE CONTRACT BRIDGE ASSOCI.!· SOUT!IERN COUNTIES CO:I'TR.\CT BRIDGE 'DO!!-P. R. Hall, Esq., 128 :Piggotts HUt ASSOUIATION-::Ilrs. Flemmlch, / Whlttl Lane, llnrpcnden. (:Phone 3735). Cottage, Sandbanks, llouurembuth. I!n COI'ITRACT BRIDGE AsSOCUTION-:\[rd. STAFFORDSllffiE CONTRACT BRIDGE AsBOCIA• Han-ey,2Ulolyneux:Pnrk, Tunbridge Wells. TION-D. E. Sutton, Esq., 87 Birmingham Road, West Bromwlch. ~CESna BRIDGE CmOLl!-Mrs. Cole, Broxton," The Fairway, Leicester. SURREY CONTRACT BRIDGE .!.BSOOUTION­ Major George Gray, cfo Wanborough Manor, L!rc~~BlllRII CONTRACT BRIDGE ASSO CUTION Nr. Gulldford. · ;;;-_.ae,_Tnrner and Mrs. Brumptou, 51 WAiliWII Avenue, Cleethorpes. W .!1\WIOKS!IIRE CONTR.!CT BRIDGE ASOSCU· TION-lllrs. :H. Knott, 0 Calthorpe Road, Lo!iDON COJITJU.OT BRIDGE ABSOCIA TIO!l'-P. Edgbnston, lllrmlnqhnm, 15. lw~i. Charters, 16 Carlton House 1'errace. YORKBIIml! CONTRACT BRIDGE ASSOOIA.TION­ Jilrs. Bedford, Woodlands Vlow, Bachelor ~DtiSEXI CONTR.\CT DRIDGE .-\BSOCI.\l'I•.JS• Lnne, Horsfortb, Nr. Leeds. ann rhncl·llason, Esq., 61 Munor Jtoad, Ui rrow. I'JWIILE.ll No. 4 (12 JIOinfs) ....~DS\VeJ•s to .-\:-i~IH:It

_\ small Henrt. It should occur at 0 to En~t thu t South, with nry little In ~ce Atn•il ­ tliTf·P other suits, probably holds Ace Kln e 1\_n,.,.,. of Hearts. If a Spade Is returned, an~ " est., holding the Ace, ducks, ns he should .fJomttetition South will be driven to taking the finesse In ll en rt ' • and will run home with one trick In Spad t~ s, thrPe In Hearts nnd five In Diamond.! It is regretted tha{ owing to restn'cted A_ H enrt lead ut trick two, however confront.i space notu available it is not possible tu tum with an unpleasantly early critical momeul, nnd, though he may ponder on repeat the previous month's problems for East's motives, he mny luck tho courage to Jht; com:enience of readers. stak1' everything on tho llcnrt finesse while the Club position Is still unexplored nnd the JlROllLE.ll No. 1 (16 points) :-ipndes not yet cleared. _<\..'iSWERS (a) One Heart- 4 points. 1f North -should make a neutral rebid such as Two l'ROHI,EM No. 5 (16 points) .Dirunonds, South's hand Is not strong enough ,\:-;SWEll to bid again, and he must pass. By first res)JOndlng with One Hcnrt, South gives North With South probably In possession of the the opportunity of showing a four card Spnde Ace of llearts, dectnrer must take precautions· length, If he hns one, at the level of One. A ngalnRt the opponents being ·able to take one first response of One Spade, on the other hnml trick In Diamonds and three In Hearts. The prevents North from showing a four cnra1 dnnger will not arise unless one of the black Heart length except at the level of Two, suits breaks badly nnd, If both break badly ·which, being a reverse bid, he may not be the contract will probably be Impossible if .strong enough to do. A response of One South's opening lead Is a Diamond, whiCh I! Spade may therefore result In the best spot not overtaken by North. East should duck. for the hands never being found. In tackling the Spades. East should first play • (b) · One Heart-4 points. One Spade- the Ace, throwing the Ten in dummy, and then 1 point. 1f North ~hould rebid Two Diamonds n small one to the Queen. If both opponents South Is strong enough to bid Three No: follow, he should then lend a Club from Trumps at once, thus avoiding further dummy and finesse tho Ten. Tills play can lnformntlon being given to the opponents. lose only If North holds a smnll singleton South should therefore adopt tho same method Club and the outstanding trump. Declarer ns In (a) for finding a fitting major suit, lf lt should not, of course, touch Hearts himself -e.xlsts. As he Intends to bld ngnin In any case except as a last hope. .a llrst response by South of One Spade Is l es~ dlsndvnntageous than In (a). (c) One Spnde-4"poluts. If North should l'ROBLEM No. 0 (32 points) rebid Two Dlamonds South ls strong enough -to show both his· suits.1 There ls llttle to be A.'iSWEI\S ~,tnlmi d, therefore, from bidding them other- This hand cropped up .In a rubber at a ·wlse thnn ln tho normal order. • London club not Jon!( ngo. North actually Jed (d) One Heart-4 points. The same the Heart Knave and the doubled contract was -considerations app))• as_ ln (a). - made with an overtrick. On a Club lead II goes two down and no lead can defeat Four .PROBLEM No. 2 (12 points) Spades, though the hand was twice pnssed out ANSWERS short of gnme by West. For an onlooker, the . (a) Two Dlamonds-ll points. The hand post-mortem was not the least fascinating :IS too strong for a simple raise to Two Hearts. part of the performance, no quarter being ~lveu . _ . . , (b) Two - Hearts-ll points. · Two Dlnmonds-2 points. Considerations of tactics . (1) Souud-2 points. Whatever the score, .apply here. The opponents may well enter there Is no point In bidding tbl! the bidding In view of the score, and If North· hnnd other thnn normally. bids Diamonds and subsequently hns to (2) Sound-2 points. · support Hearte at n Ingber level, tho result muy be unsatisfactory If South's Hearts are (:l) IJI-judged-2 points. Doubtrul-1 not partlculnrly good. 1f he gives tepid point. This is not so much technicallY support to Hearls in the first place and bi11K wrong ·as tactically unwise. At the Diamonds later If necessary the Inference ns Hcore, South's pass may mcnn any· ~ the nature of his hand wlh become clear to thing or nothing, aml North'a beSt South. . hope of eventually buying ult~~ contract Is to show both his B "' nnd keep one move ahead of the .PllODLEll: No. 3 (12 points) opponents • .A:SSWEI\S · (4) Doubtful-2 points.. Sound-~-."1 polbint. : · (a) •rwo Spndes-ll points. (b) Two East cnnnot be sure how far 3 S}mdes-o points. To Jenve in a double with partner's double has been provoked n_vold In the trump suit Is rarely good policy by the score. Jf lt ls very speculntlthve, " 11en the contract Is a low one especially In he hns some -reason to fear thnt · e II cnse s~~h as t)!is1 wlum South inuy well have bldd,ug will rise too high lf"he b1d.!th­ mnde n light uouble. Tho real problem Is Spades first nod follows w1 not whether to· pass, but what to bid. Two Diamonds over Ws partner's oxpedci.edh Ht:J•rts d,oes not do Justice to the power of the Heart bid. On the other .han , 6 l~ud. Three Hearts may well result In u holds two quito good five cnrd sul1! ~ pa~ e gnme being m)ssed. North Is best nnd n contract nt tho three Jo\·e 1 111 ol dVISCd to bid Two Spades with ll view to one or the other should not end In .rcbl ddln~; the llcurts Inter, If necessary. utter disaster, 30 CONTRACT BRIDGE JOURNAL (5) Shocklng-2. polnt.s. Ill-Judged-! (11) fu:lnt. " est appears to have lost Sound-!! points. East cannot possibly s nerve and been more lnfiuenced Imagine thnt West's hnnd Is ns strong hy North's confident redouble limn ILS It Is, nnd, ns West had previously the evidence of his own eyes. He ~LSse d One Diamond 11 Thr l'l}lght at lenst hnve venturetl OntJ ~fmond contract should be renso: :rio·Tmmp. a Y snfe. (12) Sound-!! polnt.s. Sound-!l polnt.s. With no reason to (6) suppose that East has five ~des : (7) Sound-2 points. It would bo foolhardy to take urthef t'ct~~· And North may be tempted (8) Shocklog-2 ~olnt.s. However much . o Three Henrt.s 1 North may 1ave tried to Impress the (13) Doubtful-2 points. Having' already table with the power of his hand made no fewer than four strong bids South's cards are unfit for nny volun: North might well take the view thai tary bid: he has done enou~h . Nevertheless (0) Sound-2 polnt.s. Doubtful- ! point. the opponents ml~ht be brllted Into In view of East's second und bidding further with profitable results. voluntary bid, West could not be (14) Shocklng-2 polnt.s, • If West has criticised for bidding Three N 0 • stcudfastly refused to bid game Trumps. hitherto, there Is certalcdy no reason (10) Ill-jud~ted-2 polnt.s. North Is not for doing so now when North has entitled to ~ace South with more bid himself into a · seemingly than some trlbutloual support for impossible contract. Hearts with ocdy very meagre honour (15) Sound-2 points. It would certalcdy strength. The lead against No- he Inconsistent for North not to Trumps Is awkward and embarrassing double. ·. discards may have to be found early (10) Sound-2 points: So .what I· If West In the hand. If North thinks he Is Is us crazy as he sounds It is of justified In bidding again at this little U~e for East to apply his stage, he should bid Three Heurt.s. reasoning fncultlcs · to the problem.

THE GOLD CUP Commended: Esmond Ling Draru for Ouarter-Final Ro1111d: (Croydon) 59 ; J. H. Boatman (St. · D. McAllister's team (Bridgend) v. Albans) ~9 ; A. J. Fletcher (Belfast) 58. E. Alpar's team (London). Lea.d!11g ·scores in six-monthly R. G. Manson's team (Edinburgh) competltzon : < v. L. Baron's team (London). Edmund Phillips 313 ; Miss D. R. N. R. C. Frith's team (Nottingham) Shanahan 307. v. M. Harrison-Gmy's team (London). J. Brown's team (Grimsbv) or G. NEW BOOKS Nelson's team (Leeds) v. G. ·Ramsey's Revie·wed by Guy Ramsey . team (London). ENJOY YOUR BRIDGE. THE HUBERT PHILLIPS BOWL by Emil Klein ' · (Nicholson and Watson, 6 1-) Draw for Semi-Fi11al Round : L. Jacob's . team (Birmingham) v. No-one-save, possibly, Ely N. R. C. Frith's team (Nottingham). Culbertson-has been able to write ·a . Dr.· Fmser -Allan's team (London complete text-book on. bridge • . Many "· Dr. P. Stel'l}'s team (London). have tried to give the basi_c knowledge that turns a nightmare partner -into a THE__ LADY MILNE CUP passable club player. . Draw for Semi-Fi11al Round: By no means the least of the larter Mrs. , Selby's team (London) v. books is " Enjoy Your Bridge," which Mrs. Griffiths' team (Croydon). may be compared to the best type of Mrs. Morgan's team (Cardiff) ,., utility dinner-adequate nourishment Mrs. Harrison's team (Grimsby). (information), reasonable pleasantness of taste (style), and well-balanced vitamins (correct selection of advice). The monthly priz~ of Two Guineas If the announced 3!-4 honour trick for the best set of solutions for the No-Trump did not, in the e.-..:amples April. Competition is awarded to : given, turn almost . always into a A. F. STEPHE.-.soN (Streathum) super-strong 19-pointer, the book would who scored 64 points. be unreservedly recommended. .GSpecia'lly ·,~,imended :· C. E. Dickel Author Klein, old-time . bridge < lasgow) 69 ; ' Edmund Phillips columnist in Vienna, died recently. (~orthwich) 68 ; Miss D. R. Shanahan A loss to lucid and · valuablt: bridge ( endon) 60. (Previous winners.) literature. MORE BEDLAM I Tllr•ee • Four­ Two Contract Bridge Joumal (Ta.·i••licn te) personalities played a prominent part in a playful interlude at Crockford's b ~· "• 'l' I~NEX '~ rcccntlv. Mr: No rth opened with a {Several readers have asked for dPtaill conn.·ntional Two Clubs and Mr. of three-handed ve~;ions . of ~h e South beheld: game. " Three-Four, the mveut;ou ci' :\4; \? 93; OKQS4; of " TENEX," strikes us as the + AQ 543 best rce have come across su far, South bid Three Clubs ; North, and commei1ts from readers rvould Three S p a des ; $outh, Four be ruelcomed-Eo.) D iamonus ; North, Four Hearts; Try this as a change from the other South, Four No-Trumps. Blackwood " cut-throats " when a fourth fails to was in fo rce, so when North produced ~ppear. It has been. tested in the Five H earts South bid a majestic rubber variety, but I wonder what Seven No-Trumps. West (S. J. would happen if three teams· of six Simon) doubled and -South (Guy engaged, playing six tables in different Ramscv) redoubled, thinking· that Skid permutations. . had taken leave of his senses. Deal seventeen cards to each player, West led the Ace of Diamonds, and and the last (face down) to the centre. North went down with : Go through the usual small talk + K Q J 9 7 6 3 ; \? A Q J 10 8 7 ; commonly known as the auction. The ()-; + - odd card is placed (still face· down) Simon and partner smirked. Ramsey opposite the declarer, and the table is swore. North isn't playing Blackwood made. any more. Declarer .leads, and four tricks arc The question remains :· \Vas it a· played, and left exposed. Of these Blackwood ? What do ) '011 think ? tricks, each to be lost by the declarer raises his contract one trick (to a limit of seven I I) and each wo_n by him CffiCUMSTANCES ALTER gi\'es him the right to e.-..change one card. CASES ' Declarer then takes the odd card into his hand without exposing it, and A clever young Noncomformist, who also picks up as many cards as he. is has since become a distinguished entitled to exchange. His. left-hand Member of· Parliament, was · very neighbour leads, whereupon declarer strictly brought up. . e.-..poses as many cards as are necessary Mter he got married and left his ' to make up his dummy together with father's house he started· to play bridge­ the cards still left from the first four at which he soon became very proficient. tricks. The rest is normal. ·For example, the declarer is. in at' · One evening, when he had b~en Three Hearts, and wins one of the dining with his father, the followmg· first four tricks. This puts him up conversation took place between them. to small slam (with bonus ·attached) FATHER (anxiously): "My boy, i! and gives him one exchange· card. it true that you play cards for money ? ' He thus holds fifteen cards when the opening lead is made, and has to So,N: "Yes, father." supply two to dummy. Vulnerability FATHER ' (reproachfully): "I am and scoring are as usual, except that very grieved to hear it." rubbers when played score 500 (four SoN : " Oh I But I win quite a lot."· games), 700 (three games) and 1,000 1 (two games). · FATHER ·(sadly): ' Surely you · do In the opening four tricks declarer not always win." must not lend trumps if there has been a SoN : " Oh yes, on balance I make round previously, and in No-Trumps quite a useful little addition to my· this applies to every suit. If he cannot income." comply the lead passes to his left. This is necessary to avoid gambling in . ..•• Pause .•.. • deformed distributions, but readers FATHER (Cheerfully) : "And ~f may be able to supply a more course that isn't subject to Income Tu.x, satisfactory solution of this difficulty. is it ? " ·The New Writing Instrument e Contains sufficient ink to write for months without refilling. • Writes on a ball-bearing with a velvet touch and a smooth gliding action. e The ink dries as you write. • Does not smudge even on wet paper. • Makes at least six perfect carbon copies. • Boon to left-handed writers. Does not leak at any altitude

Retail Price: 34/10 inc. tax Place your order with local retailers. trade Enquiries Only : SIR HENRY LUNN LTD ., (Commercial Oep t.) 67 Brook Street, London, W.l Made in England by : THE MILES MARTI N PEN CO . LTD . REFILL- SERVICE 'Biro' Service retaile1·s will fit a refill unit and service your ' Biro' for mz i11clttsive charge of jive slzilli11gs. Patents granted •••or pending • . :, . ·.. _ .. . . · .. I 1:::

~~~<>".~-~·•··· _., JO"• •r,. -· ... . •..~ ''-"···-• " ~~ -' ,. § --·· . . .. E. B. . . .· ANNUAL MEETING . SATU~DAY, JUNE 7th, 1947

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! ANNUAL MEETING . SATURDAY, JUNE 7th, 1947

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