+fA 7 3 2 CVIK 0 K Q 10 4 • Q 9 85 • 85 + K 1 10 6-' CVI98654 CV1 10 7 3 0 86532 0 g7 .2 + A43 • Q9 CVIAQ12 0 A1 + K 1 10 7 6
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e Y 0 11 can always rely ou a good game of Bridge at The Ralph · Evans's Hotel CONTRACT BRIDGE JOURNAL OFFICIAL ORGAN OF T H E ENGLISH BRIDGE UNJOr..·
VoLmiE 4 SEPTEMBER, 1950 Nu~rBER II
CONGRESS · CONTENTS · E ASTBOURNE, a Congrc s Page running from October 6 t;> October 9, fittingly in:tugur 2 EDITORIAL •.• ates the 1950-51 Tournament FLEXIBILITY Season. This event-taken over j oh11 Brow11 4 by arrangement from Mr. Te:-ence .\.NALYSIS EXTRAORDINARY ReesP's T.B.A. by the E.B.U. 11!. Harrisn11-G•ay ... 9 is featuring all the varif'd !:'elec LoNDON CoNGRESS . • 12 tion of events which have di'iting SECOND THOUGHTS ON uished it heretolore: no:.tbly, BRIGHTON the Twc> Stars (one of 1_he premier Guy Ramsey 15 P~>ir events) ; the Inter City ORDER OF ~lJmiT 18 Cup ; the Cavalcade Cup, given THE " ·o TTINGllA~I CLuB" by the newspaper of that n~e ~d J1 largery Bums 19 organised by Dr. Edward Smci?-Ir; RIO GRAND SLA~I 2 1 the Riviera Cup ;tnd the Burling THREE Bros ton Cup. M 'llfi,l Healc 23 TheGrand Hotel is Congres'iH.Q. hiPORTANT ~ OTICE 26 Co-incidentally, unhappily for COVER PROBLEM SOLUTION 27 those teams \vhich (like the THIS l\loNTH's Co~tPEnnoN 29 Percys of old) intended to raid ANSWE RS TO jULY "over the border," the S.B.U. CoMPETITION 30 is holding its Autumn Congress • • • at Gleneagle,;. A II Bridge Correspo11dence to llu The thronged programme of ' Editor: Tation;tl and County events ~~ GUY RAMSEY, alreadv begun to move, With I 13 Cannon Place, the i!:>£tie of brochures and calend London, N .W.3. ars. A detailed list of events
All Correspondenu 011 and dates will appear next mont!~. Subscriptions or Advertising In In the meantime, Blackpool IS Publishers : a fi~ · cd star. Licensed by the PRIESTLEY STUDIOS Ltd., E.H.U., the North-Western. Con Commercial Road, gr~ss on November 17 i~ hopmg to Gloucester. break its rPcord-hrcakmg atten dance of la: t year. 1 EDITORIAL HILE the majority of bridge quarter the difficulties and frus W players have spent the tration of the present arrangement. dog-days in team-building, the As it is the E.B.U. Southern beavers of the game-the Com Congress at Eastbourne-October mitteemen and women-have 6th. to October 9th-clashes with been busy striving to press a the Scottish Brid~e Union's gallon of essential fixtures into Autumn Congress at ··Gleneagles: the pint-pot of available dates. an inconvenience, 'doubtless, to Heaven defend the game from but a few teams, but still a matter the submergence under yet more for regrP-t. Committees ; and yet, there is It might be well if such a room-urgent room-for just one Committee (to save travelling) more : viz., a Co-ordinating Com were synchronised with the E.B.U. mittee (blessed phrase!) on the Council :Meeting of appropriate question of the Calendar. date ; well, too, if the Members of Between the B.B.L., the E.B.U. such a Committee were themselves and all the County Committees, Delegates to the E.B.U. the over-loaded programme runs Such a Committee could then the gravest risk of regrettable together fix ALL calendars with clashes. Frantic telephone calls, the minimum of clashing and impassioned juggling of pro friction. grammes, insuperable difficulties The l\Iembers would, of course, of fixing venues, anxiety to space have to have individually dis properly the engagements that covered venues and filed must occupy the all-too-few week provisional dates for the several ends, the incidence oi bank events of each autonomous organi holidays and school holidays : all zation before the Committee met. these make the task of the Such a Committee might then Committees all but impossible. inexorably perceive that the bridge ' Nevertheless, somehow, with more programme of the whole country kicks than ha'pence for the is grossly over-crowded; and organizers, the rank-and-file of take appropriate corporate steps competitive bridge-players get to pool events or othenvise thin their programmes scheduled and them out. fulfilled. * * * The existence of such a Co Now that a new Season is upon ordinating Committee, to be us, with its intra-Britain Inter attended by a representative of nationals, the Camrose matches, the B.B.L., of the E.B.U., of the we beg to suggest yet another L.C.C.B.A., of the Y.C.B.A., and innovation : the holding of Trials of one or two of the other lead for the Metropolitan area. ing tournament-and Congress As things stand at present, a running organizations ; holding very small Panel of Internationals one meeting (or, at most, two) among the (mainly London) 1\Ias some time in July or August ters has been compiled, from might-would, if the Committee which four plavers are selected members were co-operative- for each Camrose : sometimes, 2 CONTRACT BRIDGE JOURNAL though not always, B.B.L. Nomi- T?e whole quesbon of Vni nations for E. B.L. Internationals. verstty players neerls considerable :\clditionall y, for every other attention and not only revision match, a Pair is chosen either but careful original tho-ught. Ex from the orth or the South to perts form the senior University, till the six places in the team ; for example, receive scant en and these Provincials are chosen coura.gement-since they are but as a result of a gruelling Trial. transients-from the Oxfordshire No such machinery, however, A~!"ociation which this yem exi ts for the very considerable failed to nominate Truscott and bod\' of London players who are, d'Unienville for the CamrosP and. are doomed to remain, within Trial even though, on record, onl y " smelling distance " of an this pair was appreciably stronger International Cap. than most County players. Such an innovation would It may well be possible that assuredly, give a fillip to Duplicat~ Mr. .\ and i\Irs. B from London are equally (or even more) worthy of bridge throughout the country. " Third Pair " status as l\Ir. X and * * * l\lrs. Y from Leeds, or as that pair One third suggestion we offer; of Birmingham stalwarts, K and despite the inherent difficulties, Q. But if K. and Q win the to those at the top who control Sou thern, X and y win the bridge: this is, the widening,
orthern Trials, 011 merit, these through cheapening, of the Dupli two pairs wi ll play against cot- cate net. land, \Vales, Eire or Northern There is in England (as in Irel
played. On the King, the Nine Clubs ; ~orth, Three Diamonds ; was pl ayed. Then the Kna\·e was outh, Five Diamonds. thrown on the Queen. This left + A] 9 6 :~ the fiv e in the dummy and the \/ Q :i Eight and Two in the closed hand ; 0 9 6 5 Declarer has thus maintained a + A] 6 two-way street ready for any • Q 10 7 4 • 8 52 emergency. This preparedness to \/106:1 \/AJ9742 meet a situation costs nothing, 0] 2 0 10 7 :~ and although in the present in + Q542 + K stance it proved unnecessary, + K owing to East's misplay, South \/ K 8 had something up his sleeve OAKQS-t ready to be of service had the + 109873 defence been better. A Heart was led and East played At trick five, outh played the his Ace following with a second Eight of Clubs and ran it to East's round. On winning, outh Knave. East then made the played out the Ace and King mistake of leading a low Heart. of trumps and the King of pades. After \Vest had made his Ace and He then led the ~ine of Clubs the Diamond return had been won and when West played low the in dummy, the Queen of Hearts Kna\·e was played in the :'\orth put East in a hopeless position. hand. East's Singleton won. Had East's best play at trick six outh careless!\• led his valuable is the King of Hearts ; This is Three and then played ~orth's fol lowed bv another round. Kna\·e, he could not ha,·e made West after \\-: inning with his Ace, his contract. And if South leads a Diamond. If South after leading the Three, had believes that East holds the played dummy's Six, what a Di:unond Queen, he resorts to a lot of information he would han sq ueeze for his contract. This given to West, who could then sq ueeze is rendered possible mark East's King as being a because outh, by thP mnnner of singleton. \\'est could probably • . playing his trump suit, is per- assume it was a singleton on the mitted to enter his own hand calling, but there was no need to after he has cashed the Ace emphasize the fact. Besides all and King of Diamonds. l'or this, the hand would not then be the Five of trumps would be so flexible. East got rid of the O\·er-taken with the Eight ; on lead bv playing his last Diamond. the last trump, the Diamond is He might ha\·e tried tempting thrown in Dummy and East is South by giving him a useless Sf1urezccl. · ruff and discard. ~are in manipulating the Club "South won, and then made the SUit made a trump squeeze essential play of a fourth round possible in this hand. North of trumps, on which a Spade wc:s opened with one Spade (\'ienna) ; thrown in the Dummy. Thts South, Two Diamonds; North, lead squeezed West ; . he could Two pades ; South, Three not discard a Club wtthout per-
5 CO~TR:\CT BRIDGE JOUR~AL mitting his Queen to be captured ; VJ 7 so a Spade was thrown. Now 0 J 9 the flexibility preserved in the + S Club suit bears fruit. For South VJ9 0 Q 87 is able to enter the North hand 0 A 53 + Q twice. YJ3 The Club Three was led and 0 K 10 6 the Six won the trick.* This additional entry into the If South ruffs his losing Club North hand permitted the Spade the contract is defeated if West Queen to be ruffed out and the refuses to over-ruff. As the cards now established Knave to be lie, South makes contract by reached by the Club Ace . putting in West by the trump lead, The squeeze is rather an and thus forcing him to lead unusual one ; so is the one in the Diamonds. This play fails, how next hand which was also made ever, if East holds the Diamond possible by maintaining this Ace. ductile quality. South decided to lead a + K Q J 5 Diamond. Although the Knave YJA764 and Nine rank as equals, it is 0 J 9 the Knave lead that keeps the + KS2 hand most pliable, the choice + 10 8 6 :2 • 9 7 4 widest. The Knave was covered VJ K982 YJ5 by the Queen, King and Ace. OA 53 OQ8743 West then made the last trick + AJ + Q974 for the Defence, the Master + A3 trump. East was squeezed, for • CO:\TR:\CT BRIDGE jOURNAl + K ~ ha\·e gone on second pade trick, \!)K7G, an underlead by West which 0 Q 9 -t permits East's Eight to win the + AQ653 third round. Then a Heart return + A 9 7 54 + j 10 8 defeats the contract. \!)Q105-t \!)932 outh can make his contract 0 62 OKS74 if he is prepared to play \\'est for + S~ + KJ7 three Hearts to the Queen and • Q 6 ;{ a singleton Club, after the \!)A]S Diamonds have been run. For 0 A] 10 5 the Ace of Clubs followed by the + 10 9 4 King and Ace of Hearts ,,;11 Played in a contract of Three enable South to throw in West No Trumps, there was at one with the Heart Queen ; this table no difficulty experienced in forces West to lead up to declarer's making the contract, for East Queen of Spades. uch a line failed to unblock in Spades. of plav is, of course, a ,·ery The opening lead was the Five unlike!\• one for South to choose. of pades. North's King won, In t.he last hand it was seen and East failed to throw an that an unblocking procedure Honour. The suit therefore be was necessary to give the defend came blocked. For when East ers the best chance. It was necess got in and led the K na ,·e, it was ary for the short hand to get covered by the Queen and an out of the way of the long hand. Ace, and the Ten blocked the This, of course, is the usual and running of the suit. accepted thing. But bridge is a Let us examine the play after game of such remarkable com the unblock bv East. South's task plexity, and is so replete with is now much· more difficult, and exceptions and paradoxes that he is quite likely to go down. At it cannot surprise anybody to most tables, at trick two, the know that sometimes the long Nine of Diamonds was Jed and hand has to get out of the short followed, when it held, by the hand's way to defeat the contract. Queen. outh runs four Diamond If bridge were not so full of tricks, discarding a club in the surprises it could surprise us Dummy. \Vest's discards were a more ; we have in fact grown H eart and a Club. lf South takes accustomed to its wavward be the view that \Vest now holds haviour, its versatile "c haracter. only one Club, he may try to make I looked on at one table where his contract as follows. The Ace the next hand was played. There of Clubs is cashed, followed by were several defensive errors in the King of Hearts. A Spade the play. East made an early lead the puts West in . And after mistake. If the cards did forgive \Vest has made his four Spade East for this bad mistake, they tricks, he has to lead up to must have done it ve_ry grudgingly South's Ace Knave of Hearts. for the second line of defence The defence against this is, was a much more difficult one after the Knave, Queen and Ace to hold than the first, and it was 7 CONTRACT BRIDGE JOURNAL one, moreo,·er, 111 which both The defenders have \\on one defenders had to co-operate in a Heart, one Diamond and one perfect manner- a thing almost Club, It is therefore necessary impossible in bridge. The second for them to win two of the remain defence crumbled without either ing tricks to defeat the contract. defender making any contribution The last Diamond was led from to what was wanted- an excep the 1 orth hand. South threw a tional unblocking play to avoid Club, and West has only one a fa tal end-play. good discard, a Heart: he made the mistake of throwing a Spade. + A J 4 ~ After this, there was no defence. \? K 3 For South led a low Spade to 0 A Q 10 8 her King, and returned a Spade. + 9 6-+ This was ducked to East, who + s 7 • Q 10 9 6 then had to lead up to Dummy's r',...... _.,_, __. -....~~ ...... , ; . Conli111wl jl'o111 page :1 : f who ne\·er enter for the great , , con tests. There may well be among them-not to name living f . DROITWICH I players - some Simon, some Lederer, who ought, on sheer f CONGRESS l ability, to qualify for the highest honours; but will remain, for t t mere lack of money, mute and l f inglorious. t The E.B.U. and, especiall y, the London Association, have taken JAN. 12th, 13th & 14th, I the admirable step of reducirtg 1951 l entr -fees and membership-fees for certain types of players. I· urlher steps in the same direction would serve a two-fold purpo e : increase competition entries, so \VINTER GARDEN that the reduction in fee would not diminish revenue; and make our DROIT\VICH game genuin.ely as n ON BRIGHTON by G Y RAni EY A LO 'G, and very gracious, held. There is the chance of a letter from i\1 r. Leslie Diamond finesse ; the chance of Dodds points out certain quest a Club break : the chance of ionable analyses in the July both Spade honours right ; the issue which dealt with Brighton. chance of a Heart lead ; the ln the interests of justice, of chance (no worse than 50/50) accuracy, and the intrinsic fascin of the Heart :\ce being right e\·en ation of the hands, I venture to if the uit be not led. · re,·ert to them, appending i\lr. The next hand occurred "· Dodds's criticisms of mv original Sweden and was this criticisms, and mv rebuttals to + Qx + 9xxxx them when l do not merely cry \?Qx y>AJxx "Peccavi." - · O AQI09x OJ The l1rst hand occurred in the + AQxx + Kxx Dutch match, and Dodds held 1 " crimed " Leslie for open + AQ IOxxx \? Kxx 0 Jx + xx ing I NT · on the \\'est cards. Over Konstam's opening Pccwl'i. Konstam took this shot Diamond, he bid I + ; over ~ + . at a 1\Iaster-bid. Dodds de he bid merely ~ + - I contended precates his own 4\? bid after that 3+ was the better bid and I :\TT - 3+ -3NT ; but points out 'crimed 'him for' missing a game.' that 4 + (which was doubled) The Dummy held : is ' on '- as is 4.\'T, to which + xx y>IOx OAKIOx + AJxxx the contract was remo\·ed. I On a Club lead (found b~ · i\larx should hate to make ten tricks against 4+ in Room 1), a 4+ on this myself as I see a minimum contract will fail, provided trumps of a Diamond and three Spades are led whenever the Opponents to lose even if the Heart King is gain entry, for the Heart King right and the Clubs break. and Diamond Queen are alike The slam against Xonmy, wrong. Dodds comments that which I characterised as a " not his ' mere ' 2+ should have very good slam anyway " but brought a swing since 4+ could which I admitted was certainly ha\·e heen broken. He exonerates unfortunate in that the two Marx, since "the bidding was hands fitted ven· badly, was this : so cra7.\' in the other room that + .-\ Q .) X • + g· X X X X he was put off the defence in \?Axxx \?Kxx spite of his correct opening lead." OA~x Ox It is quite true that 4+ can + Ax + KQxx be defeated by the line of play " Small slams had to be bid found by Dodds for the defence ; under the 1\Iatch-point scoring but I believe that the chances employed . at Brighton," says arc ' on ' rather than against Dodds, •; where the chances were a 4+ contract with the 26 cards even. This is definitely better 15 CO fltACT 13RTDGE JOURNAL than an c\·en chance ; for, with outh from bidding an unbreak all 111\" controls, I know that able 5+ . This is questionable, Konstam must ha\·e three second since . outh had not bid 4+ over round controls to accept the :~ + - Dodds regards the 5+ slam-try. If his singleton is oppo bid as " automatic," but this I site my longest outside suit, the take leave to doubt; it is raising the slam is cold ; or, as the cards the level, and it is possible that arc, G+ will be made with the West may hold Clubs. Still, Spade finesse wrong but with there is a possibility that outh either hand holding four Hearts might take the Double to ;) + and and four Clubs ... I do con idcr then sacrifice in pades, at t 1e that this was a good slam on ;1-le\·el, would surely be Double:!. all ground except the result." Leslie also comments that -1\? Objection sustained. is a make unless, with one pade The hand in the Iceland match cashed, the defence makes an where 1 commented that the immediate (and very difficult) Home team " were far from their switch to Diamonds. This pre best in both rooms " fell thus :- supposes (a) that Declarer 1 orth + XX . takes the right view and, after \?A Q _x x x one trump, plays on Clubs, 0 j 9 X forcing West ; (b) takes another + K 10 X right view, and sheds a loser + J 10 X X + A K Q X X X when West ruffs for the second CVJI09xxx CVJx time : in other words, that De OKx OQxx clarer can produce the inspired + Jx + xxx Dummy-play that my critic him + x self features. A second pade, \? K J incidentally, forcing one of OAlOxxx Dummy's Honours, does not + AQxxx make North's task terribly easy. Half my original statement The Italian hand, where I was true, at least ; ·for in Room 2 suggested that Dodds played for we played in 3+ making an I down rather than ri king going in fiLllible II tricks. When Dodds two clown or making the contract ;wd Konstam were E- \V, Leslie he defines, rightly enough, as opened 1 + (as did the Icelander " really most interesting." The holding his cards). South bid cards fell :- 20 and West 2+ . North bid + AKx + xxxx ~\? and East 3+ . outh found CVJAKQJx CVJxxx a doubtful -1\? which Konstam Ox OKxxx Doubled. 1 wrote: " !)odds, + Kxxx + Qx consciou of his weak opening The opening is a trump. How and the fact that Spades wcr ', should the hand be played ? aftrr the raise, at best worth I said that the immediate lead of one trick, removed to the compara a Di by MARGERY BURi~S THE "1\ottingham Club" is a usually attended the game, (if recognised system. i\f r. Geoffrey they picked it up well enough) : Butler, (when Chairman of the Terence H.eese, the late S. J E.B.U.) said so, so that settles it. Simon, H. Pressburger, S. Booker, For years we've been a sort of Kenneth Konstam, Harold Bridge Joke-I came upon an Franklin-only just a little old Bridge magazine in which game with the 1\ottingham Hubert Phillips write , "The Palookas, but it was a pleasant Nottingham crowd, with their little game surely, and a winning somewhat comic system, carried one. off, as usual, the Harrogate It is so simple you can learn Gold Cup, the Queen Cup, and it in a few minutes, and there is most of the other events." less argument between partners And what a record ! the White than happens in any other system. law up three times at least, It is a Point Count system, when Daphne Kleuser led the first and foremost : .i.\filton Women's teams to Victory with \Vork count, of course. almost monotonous regularity ; Our I -bids except for I+ are the Queen Cup on more occasions plain ordinary bids and show II than any other system ; the to 15 points, and preferably a Harrogate Gold Cup at least 5-card suit. We tell an awful twice ; England versus Ireland ; lot in that first bid. \Ye say: England in the European Chapion " I haven't a big hand or I should ships before the War. hid I+ " That is where we gain Then after the War, newcomers over systems which do not tell and the T.B.A. Women's cham so much in their first bid. If pionship, and successes at our suit is Clubs we bid 2+ and Congresses by Notts. players out it means the same. Partner of all proportion to the entry. knows that he need not respond This year already, the Hamilton under about 9 points. If he has a up, the Eastbourne Invitation poor little hand with a long suit, Event, players in the Camrose nine times out of ten the bidding is match against Scotland, (not, kept open by the opposition alas! playing the 'Nottingham' and then he can bid distibutionally but trained in it and surely knowing the Opener will probably checking up all the time on it pass, but the vital information as one docs automatically when has been exchanged at a very one knows two or three systems low level as to whether the game well) and minor successes too is likely or not. numerous to mention. If the Responder to a One-bid And what is this quaint comic has an opening bid in his hand, system that many of the Experts he jumps the bidding to show ha\'e tried out with us, only for points and dis~ribution, an_d the a joke maybe, and names pulled game is arnved at wtthout out of a hat, but success has the opposition knowing what 19 ------~--· --- they ha\·e not got. Sometimes Our ' heavy forcing' bid IS it lakes two or three bids to 2 Diamonds, and is similar to get in to the right contract, any other Forcing Two bid. It but it cuts out that slow approach should be made only with a bidding which reveals so much game in the openers hand. The to a clever Defender. negative response is 2\? (Herbert) lf we have a good-looking but the bidding should never stop hand, but not a ' power house', short of a game. we open 'I + .' This bid is conven We make an opening bid of tional and indicates some I G-21 2 No Trumps with 22 points and points. Now our Partner sits a ' flat pattern ' This, of course, up and takes notice ! First he can be passed. replies 'I O' if he hasn't 8 points; Our No Trump is weak, ~~~-15 1 ~o Trump if he has more than points, ·and we protect it with a eight points and that distributjon ; weak sign off into a long suit. and one of a suit if he has a 5 In effect we say ' Partner, I card major suit, or two of a minor can't bear your No Trump but or 1 No Trump if he thinks it I can play it in this miserable will play better that way. suit; leave it, please!' Then the bidding runs calmly We 'asked ' in a minor for to game. Slam tries are made as a a four card-major before Acol rule if the responder to the Club was !thought of,* but otherwi!;e call ha.o:; violent distribution or we have learnt a lot from ' Acol ' some 'shape' and more than 13 about the treatment of the \\ eak points. Every bid (with a positive No Trump. response) is a true and honest bid If we really are in a quandary and the correct declaration is for a bid, having lost the chance found without the slightest of playing a weak Club bid, third difficulty. or fourth in hand we " push a \Vith the ' negative response' little Diamond bid round the of I O, made on a hand with table " We call this the "Loose fr.wer tl1an 8 points, the Openrr Diamond!" \ Vhatever our partner sh9ws distribution at the lowest bids distributionally, unless he possible level, and his partner jumps the bidding, weleaye him in. with a little distribution or 7 Our l\Iajor 3-bids are weak. points makes a bid to show his Our l\Iinor 3-bicls show a long hand.- The Opener can leave minor suit and about 15 points, it or bid again according to his · and ask partner to go to game in ' lit ' with the new information No Trumps if he has two other supplierl. There is one proviso to snits covered. this. If the opening hand has We have another s1=ecialised 20 or 21 points, he makes a 2-bid bid with an exact meaning. Two to show this, and then his partner Hearts or Two Spades. This can raise with -1 or 5 points, shows 15 Points, an outside Ace or a bit of distribution and a or King and complete control of hope! Trumps. Partner can respond with The only time we pass I+ is less than the requirements for with a completely bust hand a 1-bid. with five Clubs. *So did J\empson.-Eonon BRIDGE ARTICLE APPEARS EVERY FRIDAY together with a WEEKLY PROBLEM RIO GRANDE SLAM F ROl\I the far-flung spaces me not lightly to be undertaken. of Southern Rhodesia, Says J\Ir. Forbes: " The simple P. P. ("Teddy") Forbes, once device of ruffing a Heart was a stalwart of Crockford's, sends us, ' off ' since it depended on the via i\Ir. A. L. Marx, the following even break in trumps." Note, hand which cropped up at rubber by the way, that North held bridge in Salisbury, in the '::}Q 10 9, doubleton Diamond Rhodesias. and 10 8 to four spades, as it + QJ9xx + AK happened, witlz ] 10 9 x in Clubs. '::}]xx I::}AK Forbes cashed two Spades and OKJ OA9xxx entered his hand with the high + KSx + AQxx Diamond. A third Spade found J\lr. Forbes (" the cards he him looking at Dummv for a holds !") reached 7 + and North Discard. He might set- _up the Jed a trump. Diamonds; the Clubs might You can count five Spades, two break : but to set up Diamonds Hearts, two Diamonds and three against a -l -~ split would require Clubs (barring an improbable Trumps to fall in 3 rounds : 5- 0 Spade break) . But where, which thev did not. He therefore oh where, is Trick No. 13 to decided to play for the break come from ? Finesses or 3-:; in one minor or, failing this, breaks against the odds in Sevens a Squeeze. He played off four 21 CONTRACT BRIDGE JOURNAL Spades, Ace and King of table, we tested the market by IJi amoncl , ruffing a third cashing one Spade. This was Di amond, and _\Vest's goose was incontinently ruffed by the de cooked : he held the Queen of plorable i\lr. Baldwin and we Hearts and four Clubs! retired hurt. Teddy Forbes comments Subsequent wrangles inclined pertinently that )Vest could to point out that we had chucked easily have created a very good badly : we should, it was suggest chance of breaking the contract, ed, have drawn trumps and then by dropping the Ten of pades played for the Knave of pades on the third round, which would to be susceptible to ruff on the surely have induced him to shed fourth round. This, plus a proven a Club in Dummy, in the hope of Spade 11nesse, when North shows establishing a Diamond for dis void on the first round, brings card : unle s, of course, East in 1:; tricks. General comment played' an off-suit before the was satisfied that we had played Dummy played anything, as is badly, against the odds, like a t.he deplorable habit of too many palooka and e\·en like a lunatic : defenders. in fact, to quote an old crack of Our congratulations to 1\f r. Stanley l\Ierkin's, like a Paloon ForbE -and our envy. atic. This cropped up at the Hamil We begged-and till recalcit ton. We did not like it :- rant, still beg- to differ. \\"e + AKQ9x + lOx embarked on the demonstration : ry A K 10 X X X ry Q J X X but, happy to see the cribe 0 X 0 A Q J 10 X discomlited, the kibitzers said : +A + x " Next hand" briefly, and re Pia •ing \\"e t, we ventured 2+ tained their happy opinion of (our y tem was CAB, almost " monumental and cia ic inevitably, in that haunt of Col. chuck." That always makes Walshe and Leslie Dodd , Mrs. kibitzers happy. ;\Jarkus, Lady Rhodes THE Weak Three bid features one East passed. A Spade was in most popular bidding led and declarer, holding systems, and yet it appears to + 2 \?AJ109862 OQ108 + Q-! trouble many players. made 12 tricks. For example there are those But not all decisions in this who bid One Heart on field are as easy, and players +G \?KJ87543 OAJ96 + J who dislike unnecessary problems either because of the I 0 points, in bridge may be interested in or because of the fine Diamond the following rules, which ha,·e suppport. On the next round been thoroughly tested in practice they decide to pre-empt with and which fit the example hands Three Hearts, thus considerably in text-books on bidding very overstating their high card adequately. strength. _ An opening bid (or jump over Or consider this East hand from call) of three in a suit shows a recent duplicate match. KQJ432, 8765-!32 or better in +AS4 \?K75 OAJ32 + J83 trumps and denies 18 Vienna At love all \Vest opens Three points. It also denies 8 winners, Hearts. With only three winners and if vulnerable shows at least r·~~..._...... _....._..~ ...... ~ .. ~· ...... ~l II I I .. I I ...... , l THE AUTUMN CONGRESS l ~ of the I .~ l North Western Contract Bridge Association l l will be again held at the J' l CLIFFS HOTEL, NORTH PROMENADE BLACKPOOL I - ~~ :~:~ ~~ :.. ~:~,:.8:~ u:•:oo~~ :~;.,,I:~oPI•Y'" I ! """arc strongly advised to book.. their hotel accommodation early, with a ! view to securing the best rooms. In addition, within a few yards, three ~ f Private Hotels," \'OHI\ HOUSE,"" CHE CHANGE OF PUBLISHERS Messrs. PRIESTLEY TUDIO Ltd., of Commercial Road, Gloucester, publishers of this J onrnal since its inception lzave by mutual arra11gement with th e E11glislz Bridge Un ion ag1'eed to transfer the pnblislzing riglzls to CANIBR AY PUBLICATIONS L T D ., 3 Cambrdy, Clz eltenlzam, . commencwg with tlz e NOVE!IJBER issue. E ach direct subscriber will be notified by post and the new Publishers will , commencing with the NOVEMBER issue, send the journal direct to all existing subscribers. rill co rrespollde11 ce after October 16th, 1950 sho11ld be addressed to :- CAMBRAY PUBLICATIONS LTD. 3, Cambray, CHELTENHAM , GLOS. 26 CONTRACT BRIDGE JOURNAL E-\V, were experimenting with a conventional-psychic 2NT over Cover Problem Solution · call as suggested by 1\'lollo. + A732 Playing a jump overcall of three IVK in a lower ranking suit as strong, 0 K Q 10 4 the bid can be useful; but why + Q9 8 5 + 8 5 + KJ 1064 \V, made it here is still obscure. IV 98654 IV 10 7 3 Note that a player who has pre 0 86532 0 9 7 empted should not repeat him + 2 + A 4 3 + Q9 self. If his partner passes he IVAQJ2 must always pass subsequently. 0 A J Otherwise he should still not + K J 10 7 6 South reaches the optimistic con rebid his suit above the game tract of 6+. West leads + 8 to East's level : but should double an overbid. Can South make the contract? adverse bid with more than one If so, how? probable defensive trick, passing ANSWER with less. Hence my rebid of The bidding given was I + -I O whereupon East shoved in I+ ; South five Spades, violating these prin bid 21V and :s'orth 4+. South ciples, suggests a semi-two-suited emerged with 4 ~ . T. (Culbertson) and hand which has been improved North, with nothing to be ashamed of, by the knowledge that partner bid 5 + . Nobody Doubled the final bid of 6+. has trump support (what else l\lissing the trump .-\ce, South must can his raise contain when oppo win the Spade opening in Dummy. nents are bidding so strongly?) To lead trumps is hopeless, since there So Ivan knew that Six Clubs was arc two black losers on top. To run Hearts, throwing Dummy's Spades, is on, and that Six Spades would also hopeless, for East will (as the So Ivan knew that Six Clubs was cards lie) make the :\ce and a small on, and that Six Spades would trump. be fairly cheap. So two Diamonds arc cashed, ending in the Dummy and a third The methods advocated may be Diamond compels East to ruff, lest extended. South chucks his Spade. This is ovcr-ruJicd ; Dummy is re-entered with An opening four bid shows a the Heart King to lead a fourth Dia hand weak in defensive strength, mond : again ruffed and 0\·er-ruffed. but containing a strong seven Now, three rounds of Hearts are card trump suit and 8 winners played, Dummy throwing Spades ; on the last of them, East may, if he or eight trumps and at least 7 will, ruff-but only with the Ace of winners. Clubs I A minor four bid is raised to A contract not to be recommended : 6 N.T. by North being very much game on 4 Beale points, and a easier-but even more difficult to bid. slam try should be made over any The hand comes from Frank Perkins, a four bid with 6 Beale points notable U.S. writer, quoted by George including two Aces. This rule Coffin. can give curious results with an abnormal number of small trumps which are less valuable than opposite a three bid. However such occasions are too infrequent to matter much. 27 # , ~1.. ~ (o111 nettlt1Jn This IHDiflnS r by J. .. H. ·rvrarx Answers to J. C. 1-1. ;\fARX, E . q .. and theu discnnls the Spndc Three and Competition Editor, Co11/rttc/ /Jr idgr Four. Spade Jnck is led from I h11nm · . ./ ourrwl, 63 13 •clford Gardens, London, ·o"c:red h • East's 1\ing ancl taken hy W.R, not Inter lhnn Od. 7th, 1950. outh's ,\cc, Wl'sl discanlin~-: 1-l enrl Solutions allllnam ·s of prize winners in Four. South leacls a small Cluh, \\'est the ,\ug. Competition will nppcar next winnin!( with Jack, East discarding month. Spnclc Fiv ·. This competition continue the \\'hal should \\'c. l now Jcacl ? \\'h · ? Lndclcr Contest, announced last • ov ember. l'HOIII.I"I No. :1 (11 points) Prizes of I Os. Gel. will be awarded At the score Gnmc All, :'\orth cleats •ven· month henceforth to those ancl bicls One Spad ·. E.ast-\\'cst clo not comjletitors who reach the top of the hid .• outh bids Two Diamonds, ~orth ladder. They will then automatically Two padcs. outh's hand is: fall to U1e bottom, starling with a + Q 9 \;)4 2 0 '' 10 8 4 :l +-' 10 4 2 score of zero. \\'hal ~hou ld he bid ? E\•ery contestant will therefore, iu time, win a prize; but the successful PIWIILEM :'\0. 4 (3() points) scorer, by reaching the top with greater speed, will win more prizes In the course of a post-mortem, a and grca tcr distinction. certain player sought to silence his partner with the scornful remark, I'ROIILE~I • 'o. I (12 points) " You can't •ven di ·tinguish betwe •n a sig' ll-ofl ami a slam-try." Though few :'\orth clcals and bids One Heart. players would cnre to admit that such East passes lhroug"houl. South bid incnpacit ·applies to themselves, mnny Two Diamonds, \\'c. t Two padcs, nrc pu7.7.lcd by certain bidding si tua . ' orth clouble . . tion on which text-books ofTcr little South's hand is guiclnncc. A selection of these is + 2 \;)K 103 0•\ K5-4 :1 + V IOS3 g-iven below, the opponents being What should South hid (n) nt the nssumcd to take no part in the bidding. score North- outh Game (h) al the Classify the last bid in each auction as . core East-\Vcst Game? (a) Forcing (b) Encouraging (c) Neutral (d) Discouraging, and briefly stat • PnouLE~I No. 2 ( 12 points) reasons for each answer. The hands of \\'est and Xorth arc: (Credit will he given C\'en where the + J 10 answer diflcrs from the Competition \;) 7 6 Editor's opinion, provided the reasoning 0 Q 9 R 7 is self-consistent). + :\9753 .\'cnlh (a) I 0 2 ~.T (b) I \;) 2 N.T . South I + ao I + 3\;) \;)• K9, 5-4 Snrlh (c) I\;) :1 ~ . T . (d) I 3 ~.T. 0 J 10 3 0 + "Q J 2 S oulh I + 4\;) I + 40 South is playing the hand in • 1x Xorlh (c) I + 4\;) (f) I \;) 4 + Diamonds, East having dealt nntl So11/h :1 ~:r. 3 N.'f. op •nt' CONTRACT BRIDGE JOURNAL ohtains at least as good a score as the double raise to Three Spades, even if majority of his competitors and shou.ltl played as forci ng, far too good in high i~nore Clubs as a possible trump su1t. canis for a treble raise to Four Spades, and not really quite good enough for a PIWULE~I No. 3 (14 points) forci ng take-out. The method is to bid South deals at the score Love All and a suit at the minimum level, even a opens the bidding with One of a suit. non-biddable one of lower rank, and East-West do not bid. North responds then, following a neutral rcbitl, to One Spade and South raises to Three jump to game in opener's first suit. l f Spades. opener's rebid is very encouraging, it North's hand is: may be necessary to jump above the +K Q I 0 3 2 '\}A fi 0 J 9 :1 + 1\: 4 2 game level. It is not of great import \Vhat should he bid next when ance 'which suit is selected for the first South's opening bid has been (a) One response. but Clubs is to be preferred, Club, (b) One Heart? being both the longer and a minor suit. ANS\\"EI! 3. (a) Four Hearts- 7 points. PIWBLE~I No. 5 (28 points) Four Clubs--! points. Five Spades- At the score Game All, North deals 2 points. and bids One Spade. His hand is : (b) Four Clubs-7 points. Five +K Q 9 7 5 4 '\}- 0 K Q 11 + K Q 8 5 Spadcs-3 points. East-\Vest do not hid. \\' hat should (a) Clearly on general values North North bid next if South responds with has enough to hope for a slam and (a) Two Hearts, (b) Two Diamonds, should feel certain of makin~ at least (c) Two Clubs, (d) Three Spades? eJe,·en tricl>s. An honest cue bid in Hearts is his best course, and he will .'\NSWEil bid Six if South shows he controls the 5. (a) Three Clubs-7 points. Diamonds. A bid of Four Clubs, Two Spacles-3 points. though not to be ruled out, is apt to (b) Three Clubs-7 points. Three be misleading, in that it suggests the Spades- 3 points. Three Diamonds- hand ought to be played in Clubs and 2 points. hy implication that the Spade holding (c) Four Clubs-7 points. Three is far from solid. Diamonds- 5 points. Three Spades, (b) Here the honest cue bid must be Fi~·e Clubs-2 points. ruled out, since a bid of Four Hearts (d) Four Clubs-7 points. Four means that North wishes to play at l-T<;a rts-4 points. that contract. His hand was probably (a) In spite of the void Heart, a worth a raise of between 1[wo and mere Two Spades does not do justice to Three Hearts, and so he compromised the playing trick strength of the hand. with a mark-time bid of One Spade. Three Spades is of course out of the With his actual hand, he cannot risk question, as it may provoke South into conveying such a misleading message. bidclin~ Four Hearts on some far from Of the alternatives, Four Clubs, though solid six card suit. The best wav out not" strictly honest, is to be preferred , is to bid Three Clubs and await since it stresses the necessity for South developments. Tf South now bids to hold control of Diamonds. Three Hearts, North can bid Three Spades. PnOBLI~ M No. 4 (8 points) (h) The waitin~ bid is again the ~orth deals at the score Love All and best . With the Diamond fit, Three hid~ One Spade. East passes. South's Spades is more jus tifiable. Three hand is : Diamonds is a possibility, but it makes + K Q 10 a 2 '\}As OJ 9 :1 +K4 2 hut a poor attempt to describe the What should he bid? hand. ;\NSWEil (c) This is a dillicult situation. The 4. Two Clubs-8 points. Two forcin~ rehicl take·out of Three 1-lcarts- 6 points. Three Clubs Diamonds is tempting, but the bidding -! points. Three Hcarls-:l points. may rise undesirably high before Three Spadcs- 2 points. Four Spades Clubs. hav~ been confirmed, and by - 2 points. thai: brnc 1t may be too late to check This is a hand for the " dclaye(J up on which Aces South holds, if an\·. game misc.'' lt is rather loo good for a The recommended bid of Four Clubs ·is 30 CONTRACT BRiDGE JOURNAL not perfect , since, being a direct raise lengths. Two Clubs is by far the bes t in partner's suit, it is not by definition available bid, for though it does not forcing ; on the other hand, a double quite. do justice to the strength and r<~i se in a minor in this situation is very promtse of the hand, it is made at a r<~r e l y passed by the responder, who level low enough to entice the other h<~ s already announced himself as three players to come out into the open strong enough to bid at the level of two and disclose ·the nature of their hands, Five Clubs runs the risk of partner and it is fear of the unknown which bidding six on the Ace and other values causes South to view his hand with a in Hearts, when there will be two Aces certain misgiving. H later he should to Jose. Three Spades is not very decide to bid Spades, he will at least constructive and runs the risk of being not be given preference by his partner passed and, what is worse, of being for a suit he does not prefer. defeated . (d) The hand is too promising not to PROBLEM No. 7 (16 points) try for a slam, even though cue The hands of West and East arc : bidding a non-existent Ace is slightly + A 9 8 6 4 3 + Q 10 7 52 hazardous. If South now starts ~2 ~A654 bidding H earts, North will put the <) K 10 9 <) 2 brakes on hard. + AJ9 + 876 \Vest, the dealer at the score Game PttOnLDt No. 6 (10 points) All, has become the declarer at Four -\ t the score Game All, East deals Spades Doubled, the bidding having <~nrl bids One Heart. South holds: proceeded: q. \ Q 10 7 ~A 10 R 4 <)- + A J 10 8 2 West One Spade Four No Bid ami is faced with a choice of bids, none Spades of which is entirely satisfactory. North Double Double Arrange the following possible bids for East Three Spades No Bid South in order of prcfercnce- (al One South Four Spade, (b) Two Clubs, (c) Three Clubs, Diamonds No Bid (d) Pass, (c) One No-trump, (f) Double. North's opening lead of the Club :\:- SEASON 1950- 1951 /Inn. Sarflnrv a,,.; Trramrcr: 11 . Col.l.ISS, EsQ., ~lll>l>l . t:SEx-~lrs. I. Frre111an , The :o;ook. \.C. A , r /n :\lcssr!'. L l·a\'t•r, Cole~'\.:. Co., 30,Budg~ Lyndhur5l Tt•rrace, N. \\'.3. How, Cannon Street, London, l.!. .C.4. (l hone . NoRfUI . K-1~. :\lallinson, EstJ., Shihdt."n, Lower Cit )" 4H~7) . Hcllc~don, Norwich. /lo,1. To'lnltlmru' Srrrclar)' : :'II_ AJOn (~1:nn: 1 ~1 : Y Fu.1., Crtt\'(' 11 Lead \Vorks, Skipton, ' orkslurc. NoRTH EASTERS-G. I. Rhode:-;, E~q., 5 \\"oodbine ' !'hone : Skipton :1~). Avcuuc, Ncwcastlc-on-Tynr, :t fl o 'L N t t:,i ~ trars: :'\ l cssn~ . Lr.AVEH, Cu r.t: ~\:. Co. NoRTH \VESTt-: kN- F. F : 1rriu~t on, Esq., :\loor Erlg(', Chapcltown Hoad, Turton, ~r . Uolton. Th1· Co uncil of the English Bridge Union is TJnd t· up of Dt•ll•gatcs fro111_ County and Area NoTTISGIIA~l!-'IIIRE-0. G. F . BlaJI(l, E~q., .-\..:-.od a lion :o , whose Sern·tancs arc as follows: 57 Friar Laue, Nottingham. Ill RU\' ~ IIIRE - S. c. Batt·, Esq., s:l \Villowcroft O:uoKt>S IIIR E- ~Ir s. H. G. l.lcck, I Blenheim Hoad, Spomlon, Dcrl>y. _ Orin~ , Oxford. l> L\ o:-o ..:lltH:t - G. Graham \\'ilsou, Esq., h:inrora, So11T1n:ns CouNTIEs-:\lrs. \V. J. Davy, Flat 4, ~ 1-l i~ hr • r \\'arUcrry Road, Tnrquar. ~\.5 \\'imbournc Hoad, l\ourue1nouth. E s..:~:. x - F. )f. Fletcher, Esq., ~~ Fontayuc STAHOIWSIIJRE-W. H. Cato, E;oq., ~04 Thorn· A \'('nuc, Chigwcll. hill Road, Strcl"lly, Sutton Cnlrlficltl, lr1 ourESTFRSII IR E-S. E. Franklin, Esq., Hcd \Varwick ~ hirc. \t<~yt •s, Belmont A ,·cnuc, Hucclccotc. SuttREY-R. F. H. Phillips, Esq., 110 Banstead llt: JI T Fonns HtRE- \r. 11. \VcightmaH, Esq., Four Road South, Sutton. \\ ' ind ~, St. :\ndrcws An~ nue, Harpcnclcn. SussEx-\.. F. Spashc tt, Esq., 31 St. Genrgc"s Kr.s1-:\l rs. R. H. Corbett, \\'est Kent CJuh' Road, \ \'orthing. Boyne Park, Tunhri '"Jcc \Vrlls. \VAH\\'I C lo; S IIIR E-F. 0. Bingham, Esq., 64a L1 JCESTF.RSI11RE-L. C·. Cayless, Esq., Farm Greenhill Road, HirminF;ham 13. EdE!c, Lricestrr H.oad, Thurcaston. \VnR ci::S TI ~ RSIIJRE-R. D. A11Pn, Esq., ~S LtscoLs-~ lr s . A. Brumpton. :!.fl Scacroft Ro11r1, Britannia Square, \Vorcestcr. Cl~t·tht•rpt • :i. LotHJos-F. P. H'•yunlcl :-:, E ... q., :J:! Hi ghhury Y O HKS IIIRE- H . H. C110P1: , E~Q., ~fl Riverdale Plact\ Lonclon, :\'.5. Road, SlwfTit•hl, 1!1. CO N TRACT BRIDGE JOURNAL Regional Editors- Eire .... 1\"oEL BYRNE North \.Vestern A . C. DouGLASS Scotla nd H . l(EI!£HAW Yorkshire !\IRs. L. L. BEDFOR D Wales H. J. GOULD London u A LI BI •• N orth Eastern EWART 1\:EMPSON Competition Editor- J. C. H . ;\ IAHX ,. The CONTRACT BRIDGE JOURNAL is the official organ of t he Enslish Bridse Union. Publis hers- PRIESTLEY STUDIOS LTD., Phone- COI\11\lEHCIAL ROAD, GLOUCESTEH Gloucester 22281 {3 All llrhlge Correspondence to- EunoH. CONTRACT BRIDGE jOURNAL, 13 CANNON PLACE, LONDON. N. \V .3 32 BRIDGE INDEX CLASSIFIED LIST OF HOTELS AND CLUBS NOTTINGILUI CRAIITOCK BRIDGE CLuo-480 Mansfield HARROW Road, Nottingham. Tel. No. Nottingham • IIAHHOW IIHJOGE CLuu-16 Northwick 6S921 . Proprietress: MR s. D. M. HorEWELL. Park Hoad, !lARROW, Mid Ln;nnunsT CLUu-36 Finchley Road, N. \V.S: 'Phones PRimrose 5858 and 3435. f DUPA~li~~!SE}B~~~?!q ~~~ ~e~!.CES I Shilling Partnership c\·cry afternoon. Duplicate ~airs C\'ery :\lomlay fortnight at 1:! p.m. Fully Price List on application to Mrs. B. ~! . King, l l!renseENGLISH BRIDGE UNION Chairman : J. \V. PEARSON, EsQ.