THE INTERNATIONAL BRIDGE PRESS ASSOCIATION Editor: ..................... JOHN CARRUTHERS This Bulletin is published monthly and circulated to around 400 members of the International Bridge Press Association comprising the world’s leading journalists, authors and editors of news, books and articles about contract bridge, with an estimated readership of some 200 million people BULLETIN who enjoy the most widely played of all card games www.IBPA.com No 485 Year 2005 Date June 10 [email protected] President: PATRICK D JOURDAIN Editorial 8 Felin Wen, Rhiwbina The opinions expressed here are solely those of the Editor, and do not Cardiff CF14 6NW WALES UK (44) 29 2062 8839 necessarily represent those of the IBPA Executive or its members. email: [email protected] “I have just had the most extraordinary conversation with David Rex-Taylor,” my wife Chairman: HENRY G FRANCIS Katie said to me upon my return home on Friday, May 6 from the Bonn Nations Cup. 6875 Stornaway Drive “What about?” I asked. “You should take off your coat and put your suitcase away, at Memphis, TN 38119 USA least,” she replied, “this will take a while.” (1) 901 754 3405 Cell: 901 355 6875 The crux of that conversation and the two I had with Rex-Taylor over the following two Email: [email protected] days was that Terence Reese had confessed to him years ago, and had sworn him to Executive Vice-President: JAN TOBIAS van CLEEFF secrecy until both Schapiro and he (Reese) were dead and 40 years’ time had passed Prinsegracht 28a between the Buenos Aires Bermuda Bowl incident and the revelations to follow. 2512 GA The Hague, NETHERLANDS Following is the text of Rex-Taylor’s submission, details of which were to be published (31) 70 360 5902 simultaneously by Alan Truscott in the New York Times and Patrick Jourdain in The Email: [email protected] Daily Telegraph on Tuesday, May 10, then in the June number of the IBPA Bulletin. It is Organizational Vice-President: printed it here in its entirety, with very minor editing for clarity. PER E JANNERSTEN Banergatan 15 CHEATING AT WORLD BRIDGE SE-752 37 Uppsala, SWEDEN New York Times 60s Exposé Vindicated after 40 Years (46) 18 52 13 00 from David Rex-Taylor Email: [email protected] Secretary: The nineteen fifty-five world bridge champion, Englishman Terence Reese, was a MAUREEN DENNISON genius player and author. Forty years ago news media worldwide broke the biggest 148 Thornbury Road, Osterley bridge story of the 20th century, alleging that he and his partner, fellow-champion Isleworth TW7 4QE, ENGLAND UK Boris Schapiro, had been observed cheating in a major international event in Buenos (44) 20 8560 3788 F: 20 8568 3553 Aires. Official hearings in the USA and UK reached opposite conclusions as to guilt. Email: [email protected] Both Reese and New York Times correspondent Alan Truscott wrote books each Membership Secretary: convincingly presenting opposing cases. Controversy has raged inconclusively Dr STUART STAVELEY since then. Rhu-na-Bidh, Shieldaig, Strathcarron Over 30 years ago, Reese privately explained to me what had really happened after Ross-shire IV54 8XN SCOTLAND UK I solemnly promised I would reveal nothing whatever to anyone until after both his (44) 1520 755 217 F: 1520 755 355 and Boris’ deaths and then only after 40 years from the time of the allegations in Treasurer: HANS CHRISTER ANDERSSON 1965. I have kept that promise. Arstagatan 20 C Firstly, to clarify my involvement with Reese that has finally brought me to this point. 75434 Uppsala, SWEDEN After the general horror and fallout from what had happened, Reese chose not to be (46) 18 253584 O: 18 175764 seen for many months, and I, like many others, was concerned. As organiser of the Email: [email protected] Richmond Bridge Congress, a popular annual event, I decided to tempt him back to Honorary General Counsel: WILLIAM J PENCHARZ competitive bridge by including a special ‘Little Major’ session to give players a 50 Broadway, Westminster unique opportunity to use Reese’s new artificial bidding system (of which the London SW1H 0BL ENGLAND ‘establishment’ utterly disapproved). After days of consideration he agreed to (44) 207 222 7000 compete. Email: [email protected] After months of bidding practice with my partner, 48 hours before the event Reese Awards Secretary: BARRY J RIGAL phoned me to confirm his attendance, adding that he was looking forward to “our Apt 8E, 22 West 26th Street, playing together.” I was surprised, as it had not occurred to me to ask, or that he New York NY 10010, USA would have even considered playing with me. I said there had been a (1) 212 366 4799 misunderstanding, which he immediately accepted. Seeking a partner (Jeremy Email: [email protected] Flint declined as he was abroad), Reese finally persuaded a reluctant Jack Sponsored Members’ Secretary: Albuquerque, a London rubber bridge player, who had but a few hours to study the IRENA CHODOROWSKA complexities of the Little Major from scratch! GCH Fox reported the result in The UI Sewastopolska 3m41 02-758 Warsaw, POLAND Daily Telegraph: 1 T Burger/D Rex-Taylor; 2 JT Reese…! For me it was an (48) 842 5054 unwelcome Pyrrhic victory. At his suggestion, I partnered Reese in another of the Email: [email protected] congress events, and when I misdefended, he remarked, “Partner, you really butchered that one!” Bulletin Production Manager: cont. on p. 16... JEAN TYSON 105 Roundways, Coalpit Heath Address all editorial correspondence to: JOHN CARRUTHERS Bristol BS36 2LT, ENGLAND 65 Tiago Avenue, Toronto, Ontario M4B 2A2, Canada (44) 1454 778432 Tel: +1 416 752 7034 Fax: +1 416 344 5500 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] 1 The Carrousel Cup, Amsterdam West North East South April 11-15, 2005 ——--1 { 1 [ 3 { 3 [ Pass Kees Tammens, Amsterdam 4 [ Pass Pass Pass What is the most frequently-asked question by a Junior at 4. The following deal arose in the semifinal match between the start of a training session? Usually the players enter the Poland and Norway. playing area with an urgent question, “When are we going Dealer West. Both Vul. to eat?” [ Q 10 8 6 3 Eight invited national junior teams met in April to contest ]9 4 the 2005 Carrousel Cup in Amsterdam. The fancied teams { A J 7 2 were Poland and the host Netherlands, due mainly to their }7 5 extensive youth training programmes. [ A K 7 5 Can you match the juniors in this quiz? ]A K 2 1. Danny Molenaar of the Netherlands had a fine moment {9 3 with an ordinary 6-6: } Q J 9 2 [ A K 10 9 3 2 West North East South ]— 1 NT Pass 2 } Pass { A 9 8 5 4 2 2 ] Pass 3 } Pass }7 3 NT Pass 6 NT Pass He opened one spade and rebid three diamonds after partner Pass Pass answered one no trump. Partner raised to four diamonds With a tough lead against the opponents’ six-no-trump slam, and now the Dutch junior took things in hand by bidding you (North) decide on a fairly aggressive spade six. Declarer six diamonds. After the lead of club queen he had the task of ducks in dummy (gulp!) and wins Partner’s nine with his making twelve tricks. jack. He continues with the heart six to the ace, Partner [6 5 following with the three (reverse signals), and the diamond ] 10 9 8 7 three, four, king. Do you win or not? { Q 10 7 Answers: } A K 9 5 1. [ 6 5 [ A K 10 9 3 2 ] 10 9 8 7 ]— { Q 10 7 { A 9 8 5 4 2 } A K 9 5 }7 [Q 8 7 [J 4 ] A J 5 3 ] K Q 6 4 2 How do you play six diamonds with the lead of queen of {3 {K J 6 clubs? } Q J 8 6 4 } 10 3 2 2. Rutger van Mechelen from Belgium had a tough bidding [ A K 10 9 3 2 decision, like always on hands with a semi-solid ten-card ]— suit! { A 9 8 5 4 2 Dealer North. Neither Vul. }7 [7 2 Danny Molenaar took the club queen opening lead and went ]2 on with the diamond queen, which was certainly the right {-- move when East covered with the king. Ace of diamonds, } A K J 10 8 6 5 4 3 2 ace-king of spades and a spade ruffed with the diamond ten West North East South was the winning play. —1 ]3 [?? 2. Rutger van Mechelen jumped all the way to six clubs, not What is your bid? showing any fear of two possible losers in spades. Right he was. The dummy: 3. Tim Heeres of the Netherlands was pleased by the way he [A 8 5 made this tricky four-spade contract. ] A K 9 6 3 2 Dealer South. Both Vul. {J 8 2 [ Q J 10 8 7 5 4 [ 9 6 3 }7 ] A 9 7 ] 8 5 3 2 [7 2 {A 3 {K ]2 }4 }A Q J 9 2 {-- How would you play as West on the heart queen lead? } A K J 10 8 6 5 4 3 2 2 A nice result, and the Belgian pair only wanted to know how West North East South they should or could have bid the grand! — 1 NT Pass 3 NT 3. [ K Pass Pass Pass ]Q J A low club was led to the nine and queen. Mortensen { J 10 9 7 5 continued with the diamond king to the ace and East got off } 10 8 7 6 3 play with the heart ten.