icON TRACT '""'! r •'
. ~ BRID. • .~l..GE r i t .t . L ·/ . J ~~ • , . ---· ._.. f:A~~~Att; ~ r·;.
nfl OFFICIAL MEDIUM FOR ENGLISH '1RIDGE UNION NEWS --- 1
ANY QUESTIONS This hand is from a match pointed pJirs event. _ North-South only vulnerable with .._North the deate • ------, - · - KJJ ~ A --- --..__..._ . 0 A Q J 10 4 ------:-~. + J762 ~ ' . -=::-:~ .. . + A98-4--- , ~ 73 --- 0 9 62 + KQ 104 North East South West 10 1 ~ 1+ No East-West make no further bid. How should the bidding proceed? The panel of experts ~~ ve their views on this trickly problem on page 22.
--~·------~------~ EDITED BY H. ST. JOHN INGRAM
' .
No.9 JULY, 1955 • • • • ·EVERY MONDAY · · IN ~ .:·rHE . I ••
• .. • I • • ...... • . . .
Bail!! Qrtltgrapb ·.,. CONTRACT BRIDGE JOURNAL . . :·... '
8[RESFORD &SMITH HUNTER SJMMONDS EST. 1895 EST. 1889
LEADING TURF ACCOUNTANTS .. . of ,· Distinction ond Hlzhest Repute'
Head Offices: 6-7-8 OLD BOND STREET, LONDON, W.l Telephones : MAYfair n60 (20 lines) ·• • HYDe Park ,.) II (40 lines)
Branches: BOURNEMOUTH • SOUTHEND • EPSOM • ROMFORO ' NO LIMITS ; e ' ·. .. ~ • I ' •
;:~ ; ]jRID·GE . -:-::·_::B R'·t~ GE • " j .. l .I : t ... ' 1 f' , I t f lt ' 1• r } ~~ The Official BuJietln ' · :t4onthiY. R_eyiew of the . or the FEDERATION OF BELG~ BRIDGEr 1{~: · ·~j::· ITAf.IAN: BRIDGE FEDERATION (F. I. B.) CONTR,A C T BRIDGE J,OURNAL
. THE "CONTRACT BRIDGE JOURNAL" • CIRCULATES IN THE BRITISH ISLES EIRE SOUTH AFRICA IRAN AUSTRAiJA "' :: · MALAYA ITALY
CANADA BELGIUM I NORWAY CEYLON DENMARK SWEDEN INDIA EGYPT SPAIN NEW ZEALAND FINLAND SWITZERLAND PAKISTAN HOLLAND TURKEY and the U.S.A. ..'
I , SUBSCRIPTION RATES Australia A.£1/18/0 Belgium Frs. 218 Italy Lire 2624.25 Canada · $4.60 Denmark Kr. 30 Norway Kr. 31 Ceylon Rs.20 Egypt E£1.50 Sweden Kr. 22.50 India Rs. 20 Eire £1 /10/0 Spain Ps.~ , New Zealand £1/10/0 Finland Mks. 970 Switzerland Fn. 19 Pakistan Rs. 13 France Frs. 1520 .T~key T£12 South Mrica £1/10/0 Holland Fls. 16.50 U.S.A. $-4.50 Malaya Rs. 14 Iran Rials 135 ~ ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION 30/· POST FREE ...
. · The Copyright of this Magazine 'is vested in Hugh Quekett Limited 35 Dover Street, London, W.l. Reprinting gf contents without permission is prohibited It is published under the authority of the English Bridge Union .. .· . .-. . . ··· ·· ·" • 6 •' . ·. ' ' .. '" " I . .'·•. .. . ,. 2 .. .. CONTRACT BRIDGE JOURNAL
AIDet•tean• •.. ,, ··
Bt•idge Books I CRAWFORD'S CONTRACI' BRIDGE by John R. Crawford and Fred L. Karpin. This complete book of 375 pages gives bidding and play of American masters, with special sections for beginners. 30/- post free
BRIDGE ENDINGS by Raphael Cioffi. Basic primer of 128 pages on endplays, a difficult subject made easy. 10/6 post free
LEADS by Charles H. Goren 10/- post free
I THE FOUR CLUBS BID, A Slam Convention, by John Gerber. Better, easier and simpler than Blaclcwood, Culbertson Four No Trumps, etc. 6/- post free
GHOULIE by P. M. Wertheimer with Introduction by Oswald Jacoby. A new faster and more'exciting way to play bridge with plenty of big hands and slams. ' . 5/- post free .. SQUEEZE PLAY IN BRIDGE by Dr. Clyde E. Love. Here is the world's latest, largest and most thorough book on that fascinating department of bridge, the squeeze. Also features when NOT to look for a squeeze in several of the 135 full illustrative peals. Writing superb. - 10/- post free . I ' ~ ·, . ' Post cheque or money order to Britlsb Sales Ageats: Hllgb Qaekett Ltd., 35 DoYer Street, Loadoa,. w.t For direct acceptance on~v · Al~ow about six' weeks for de//v~ry, since these books are shipped only' on order from . u~ s.A. ·
·~ 3 ~~.... _. __ ..... ~t~--~------: CONTRACT BRIDOB JOU RNAL '
... fly . l BEA, . .. . . mol-e people about Eq.fope ~~.~··:· than any other airline ~·" ,· . . ,. DEA's famous International network links London wilh all the capitals and principal dtla of Europe-by pressurized Viscount or Ellubdhan alrllnen. Flnt Class llights to ~ riJ, l_lrussel.s and Lisbon. And regulu services to for example-Gene,;a, Berlin, Vienna, Oslo, Copenhagen, Stockholm, M~drid, Rome, Athens, br.anbul ••• with spe-ed, comfon ~ service on_e\ ·ery route.' .
• I ln,Europe's linnt .~ fly. BEA air flc;d • EUROPEAN AIRWAYS !
...... ~ .. .. 1 '. Ta -you·r .. • ~- ~ · f. ~ ;, " J • ...· BRIDGE . FRIEND ·· ~ ·t:· ··~· ..· ·. . · ·. · n ,;,1~; '·:': •":; rd 1- ili HOJIE or, ABROAD !J4 .. . . Jl : tJ.. ' • •• • . Please.·allow u~· to send;·them a complimeJI.i_ 1 1 l .,,.,.. ... I ' e · tary c'opy of the journal. Fill in therr ' name and address here ;- · ~fn .. . \ ~ z,., • :t ...... N~ ... .• ·· I.'·.. \ ... - ...- ...... - ...... ~J: . . _·~ ...: ...... __: ... ::- ...... __...... -.---- < ·~ Lln'T&u) • • r ~ • . • .. ,,• ADDRESS .,. ·~: . . ,:) 1 - ·~·~:"· l., • ~ .. --;-·:·;-:·-...... -:...... --.. --·------;---;"-::------' i '• t .. ... : , 1 I '\ lo ~ • • • ! • ~ •- I t • r • ----·----·-----·~- ...... ,.,. .. .~ ., ,, . ..-· . ----I~... ____., U·f\ ---·-,..'\I .. . I and return,l ,t9 Hugh Queket~ Ltd., .35 . QoTer Stree London, W.l CONTRACT· BRIDGE , . • . • I · · ·. JOURNAL
OFFICIA L ltfEDIUM FOR ENGLISH BRIDGE UNION NEWS
VoLUio(E 9 JULY, 1955 No.9
Editor-in-Chief I H. ST. JOHN INGRAM
Editor for J\tldlaod and Northern Region: HAROLD FllANn.lN Editor for London and the South: ... ALAN TRUSCOTT
CompeUUon Editor: ' .. \ .. J.C. H. M.ux
Manuscripts and all Bridge Correspondence to:
THE EDm>R·IN-CinEP, CoNTRACT BRJooB JoURNAL, 3 LoNDON LANE, BROMLEY, KENT. ,· AU Comspood~ on AD Ad,ertisaDents to: ~ptlons to Publishers: CAPT. V. R. UUMAN, M.C. Huou QUEitJ!lT Lro., Huon Qmurr Lm., , 35 DovER STREET, · · · · 35 DovER STREJ!T, loNI>?N, w. t. -I ... :. f LoNDON, W.l.
CONTENTS ' EorroRIAL EUROPEAN CUAMPIONSIIII'S (OPEN) by Harold Frank/in 8-12 ;, , (WOMENS) b)' Alan Trusrott 12-14 SAF£TY PLAY by G. C. H. Fox ... 15-11 RouNo AND ABOUT by Harold Franklin .. , 18-21 n.n.L. CoNTEST ...... 21 ANY QUESTIONS ...... 22- 30 CURSE! OF MATCII POINTED PAIRS by Max Saplrt ... 31-32 SQuEEZrrus by Gordon Hammond ... , 33-34 loNDON ANo· TilE SOUTII by Alan Truscott .!. ... 35-38 ONE No TRUMP- Two CLUBS 39-40 t • by Maurice Welssberger CoMP£TmoN PAOF.S 41-45 " / 5 . ' • I I' . • • • .J. .... •• . . Editorial . .
- \ The European Championships last board had been played that are over for 1955 and what a · they could be sure of the title. shock for the British players, The team of. ladies from Copen. firushing_7th of 13 starters. Off to hagen was mdeed outstanding. · an indifferent start against Ire A charming quintette, they played ·. land, they never really looked like a sound, much to be commended . world champions and I am sure game, and never lost a match. the players themselves will all I liked their temperament and · _ agree that their performances were quite efficiency very much. At the . poor in the extreme. Some of the presentation of the prizes, the mistakes made were astonishing applause accorded them was for players of their standing. tremendous. The loss of Terence Reese to the For the Netherland Association, team · cannot be over estimated there was nothing but praise. The both from aplaying point of view organization was wonderful an~ it and psychologically. Reg Corwen will be difficult for other countnes the captain tried in vain to find to maintain the standard in future partnerships in harmony but with years. Nothing was forgotten. and out success. the press, which had been ra!Jler . There was a " Daily Tourna let down on previous occas.tons ment News " put out each mom now had the records of play soon i.ng and the Editor cited an after • play finished-there were instance of a British player being plenty of telephones-and type asked why he had not raised his writers for the asking. Most partner's suit holding more than appreciated of all was the afo~ notmal support. The answer said " Daily Tournament Ne!s. given was "I didn't trust him " This was delivered at the van~us ~ Is this the real reason for the hotels first thing every mor.s · defeats? - . ' · . giving all , the previous ay 5 The ladie~ also disappointed, results, news items, anntun~ - although at one time they were ments and a number of se ec d. good favourites for the title but hands, duly wntten· up r anthis . unexpectedly losing to Austria analysed. The Editor 0 an and then a draw with Denmark excellent production was He'Man s~w their chances Jess rosy. Filarski assisted b~ our o~nur or 0 Fm~Uy they lost their match Truscott. Often. 1t was these agamst France and finished in five in the mornmg bef~~ their the third position. gentlemen got t.o ~· ut was a The new champions of the efforts were not m vam. 1 Open (France) and the Women's great effort. 1': averY RESULTS tLadies Series . Round 1 v. Sweden Open Series G.B. won 67-36 Round I v. Ireland Round 2 v. Belgium · G.B . won 50-39 G.B. won 84-74 Round 2 v. Sweden Round 3 v. Denmark G.B. lost 5-41 G.B. drew 52- 51 ' Round 4 v. Austria Round 3 v. ·switzerland G.B. lost 42-57 G.B. drew 46-51 · Round 5 v. Holland Round 4 v. Norway · G.B. won 62-31 G.B. drew 57-60 Round 6 v. Finland Round 5 v. Belgium G.B. won 58-12 G.B. won 54-41 Round 7 v. Norway· G.B. won 60-33 Round 6 v. Finland · G.B. won 83-30 Round 8 .v. Ireland . . , G.B. dre~ 43-40 Round 7 v. Denmark Round 9 v. France · G.B. lost 33-7i . · G.B. lost 43-59 Round 8 v. Holland Played 9: Won 5,; Lost 2; G.B. lost 53-16 Drew 2. Round 9 v. Italy G'.B. lost 36-66 British Teams Round 10 v. Austria Men's Open Tea;,-~essrs. R.. F. G.B. won 95-33 Corwen (non-playmg Captam), Germany . L. w. Dodds, K. Kon.stam, J. Round II v. _ Pavlides, . A. Meredtth, B. · . - G.B. won 81-24 Ro . Schapiro, J. Tarlo. · ~d 1_2-A Bye Women's Team- Mrs. P. Ga~ Round 13 v F. dener, Mrs. B. Gordon, Mrs .. · . . ranee Gordon, Mrs. R. Marku~, .Mtss G.B. drew 51-50 D. Shanahan, Mrs. ~· WJihams, · ~ - ~~: Won ' 5; Lost 4; (non-playing Captam) Harold Franklin. 7 ' -·- ROPEAN PIO NSH IPS ·~::·:::·. ~ .U · ~HAM ' I ·. OPEN SERIES Gt. 'Britain v. Ireland diamond return followed by Round 1 ruff put paid Jo the contract 1~ For the third successive year the other room a less adventurous we were drawn against our near North, Schapiro, failed to open neighbours in the opening.round. and the hand was thrown in. The recent amalgamation of North W~ose trust was the greater and South made the Irisli entry an on thts one 1 1 especially interesting one and + A K Q J 8 4 + 6 , . their auspicious opening to this ~ K 8 1 5 ~ A 14 match stimulated the interest. 0 Q I0 1 · 0 2 ~.:. . ' At the h.alf-w~y stage they led by + None + A K Q 18 6 54 , : four pomts-m the open room In both rooms the bidding •:-·.. Gabbey and Bradley had been went :- . • · more than a match for Konstam West East and Dodds after this fortunate I+ 3+ 'escape on· Board I. - 4+ , 4NT + A J 7 4 2 I , , and West duly showed one ace. ~ J 9 4 The jump to four spades after a . ' 0 A 7 6 5 force is of course a conventional + Q bid indicating a solid suit and • Q 5 3 + None Meredith had sufficient confidence ~ Q 10 ·- · ~ A 8 5 2 in this fact to ignore his massh·e 0 10 9 2 0 K J 8 3 club suit and raise to six spades. + A K ~ 5 3 , + 1 J0 8 7 4 In the other room Gab bey felt + K 10 9 8 6 I • that this , was too much to ask - f CONTRACT BRIDGE JOURNAL two hearts. Konstam bid three diamonCl suit. The other sub hearts with the East hand and stantially supported camp points Gabhcy {South) bid four hearts. out that East's hand is limited Dodds could certainly do no more by his inability to respond even than double and North-South one no trump on the first round lost BOO, a gain of 120 against par or to bid one spade over one which they seem to have earned. heart. Once it is known that there In the other room, after one cannot be sufficient va lues for a heart-two hearts Dr. Shrage was no trump game and that East has content with a double. South neither three hearts nor four ·redoubled and West bid three spades it is difficult to see why clubs, when presumably he was West's hand is so completely permitted to pass. Shrage's next unsuitable for one no trump. bid of five clubs seemed to carry Certainly the hand indicated a caution too far. If partner had momentary lack of sympathy nothing but five clubs to the king which made the captain's decision the slam required only that he to rest them in favour of Tarlo should not hold more than six and Pavlides in the second half cards in spades and diamonds. a sound one. And the new pair Certainly not a lot to ask, found early encouragement with particularly when it was evident this hand:- that there was no hand on which + A Q 7 West could be expected to raise ~ 7 6 2 five clubs to the slam. 0 9 Konstam and Dodds were cer- • A K.Q 9 8 4 tainly not in tune on this one:- + J 9 6 3 • 10 8 5 4 +A K 7 3 + 10 8 4 ~ K 8 ~ A Q 10 5 ~ ~ ~ 10 7 2 ~ IO 0 10 8 6 53 2 0 A Q 7 4 i 7 3 2 +10 2 • A J 6 5 • 5 + K 2 • 6 W~s t (Dodds) doubled Sout.h's ~ J 9 4 3 openmg bid of one club and 0 K J Konstam responded one dia:Oond. • J 10 7 3 2 Dodds now bid one heart and North East South West Konstam made the obvious bid of Trulo Sltror r Po ,l/lkl R~od o~e. no trump. So far they have no ,. Obi. 1NT ~~ ~lites -fro m this point the bid· 3• 30 3NT t 1ng went two spades two no No No No ;u~ p s, three no tru~ps and A sound effort by South. East r? .uced many differences of won the diamond opening and 0 t~~~~h~· Dodds makes the point ·after lengthy thought switched to a rnist 15 two spades bid says un- heart and Pavlides had an uncom· suita~~ably that his hand is un- fortable moment. There were not that '{ e for. no trump piny and too many points outstanding and With ~hen h1s partner still persists East had bid strongly and nn shows wo . no trumps he clearly underlead of AKQ has been major fit!tng cards in one of the known in this company: The him. 5 ~1 t s which should permit declarer decided however that a VItal entry to establish the with four hearts East could 9 CONTRACT BRIDGE JOURNAL .. ' hardly realize that the suit would They gave the general impression not be evenly divided and so made that they were set for their bet .. the winning play of the nine. In ever championship performan~ the other room North-South Gt. Britain v. Sweden · showed no sign of playing in three Round 2 no trumps and bid up to four The team that had scrambled clubs over which East competed through the first round match unwisely \'>(ith four diamonds, two against Ireland showed few signs down. In .the closing boards of the well-oiled machine of Ireland were distinctly unfor- Montreux and New York-and tunate. 'Read played out of the the Swedish form in this match wrong hand to put himself light could not be matched by anything in a lay-down vulnerable game short of our best. In the first while in the other room Bradley half of the match we gained a and Gab bey failed to earn on this trick twice and a three point win on hand:- a favourable part-score board, and + A 5 + Q 8 3 2 for the rest we were consistently ~ K J 8 4 ~ A outplayed and outbid so that the 0 Q 10 8 4 2 0 A 9 7 6 5 final tally read 41-5. Both teams + K 3 ' + 7 4 2 continued with the same second After North had opened one half formation Meredith, Schapiro ' . ' ' no trump Bradley became de- and Dodds, Konstam for Britain I darer at three no trumps with the against Wohlin, Zachrisson and West hand and won the opening Anulf, Lilliehook for Sweden lead of the + Q. The hand of and no team can give 36 start course depends on finding the over 20 boards to such experienced diamond position without losing opponents. Meredith and a trick in the suit. One way to Schapiro made a very gallant approach the problem might have effort but the final margin was 30 been to consider whether North in favour of the 1952 champions. could afford to open with the + 10 9 7 3 blank king. Looking at it in this ~ 8 7 4 light it can be seen that there are 0 A K 1 8 2 sufficient points outstanding for + K hi.m to h~ve ~ sound opener even + Q J 2 + 1 5 wt_th. a smgleton king, and once ~ A K 10 6 5 r::l Q 9 thts ts accepted it seems reason- 0 None 0 Q I0 54 3 a~le to play him as short in + Q 10 7 5 3 • A 1 6 4 dtamonds since he is clearly + A K 8 6 marked with at least five clubs. ~ 1 3 2 Bradley took an opposite view 0 9 7 6 a~d played North for Kx and so + 9 8 2- 't fa.tled. In the other room 11 · With East-West vuJnerablfi d tncks were made in two no was hardly surprising ~ 0Wes~'s trumps. Since either this hand or Meredith (North) averca 1 'th one Read's accident would have con- opening of one heart Wlb out verted the match into a draw spade. East ~ad.e, ys and Ireland could count themselves methods, an astomshtng paTh5• ' was unfortunate to lose by II points. South bid two spades. 15 I . to I • . ' .. , t CONTRACT· BRIDGE 10URNAL pas~cd round to East whose bid of · de~larer ·made the natural play of two 1\Ll trumps called for a minor gomg for an entry with the +K suit wke-out. West jumped to .and went one down. It will be fo ur cl ubs but East could do no seen ·that the hand is a double more and II tricks were made. ·dummy make by abandoning all In the other room Lilliehook also hope of. the diamond finesse overcalled one spade and Dodds using the third heart for an exit made what seems the automatic card to finally force opponents to respo nse of two diamonds. South concede two spade tricks or open bid two spades and the failure the club suit. of East-West to take further part Reese and Schapiro have long in the auction is obvious. This described their bidding system as made a score in both rooms for .. old fashioned 'A col., While this Sweden and a gain of four I.M.P. is. anything but an accurate des Homer, in the person of Adam cription, it is 'true that they have Meredith, nodded on this next resisted -certain developments one:- which have been generally accepted • 9 4 3 into the framework of the system, ' cy> K84 :ind notably the bid of two clubs 0 Q864 over one no trump to seek a major + A107 , suit fit. This hand therefore .. + KJ872 · A · caught Schapiro out:- ' CV 10 9 3. CONTRACT BRIDGE JOURNAL West East be seen that five diamonds can f AK QJ 10~3 +- be beaten by a club lead but C'!jK42 (South having' already Clenied an North deals. Love-all, . . -~ ace 'by bidding two no trumps) .. . and the five diamonds bid gave \7 A 8 43 West the chance to double asking 0 15 4 for a diamond· lead. The ·- QJI0753 significance of this was not lost on + Mrs. Markus, who therefore +AKQ642 +97 decided to play the slam in no \7 6 5 2 <\7 K QJ 10 7 trumps. , O AJ063 OK97 ' Mrs. Gordon now became the +- + A62 declarer and got a heart lend. +Jl0853 This gave her a good clue to the \79 actual club position, because West 0 Q 8 2 would surely have preferred a club K9 84 lead 'if she had held a sequence + in the suit. South won the lead in Both Easts played in six hearts dummy, and cashed the winning after spirited bidding by North diamonds and the top spade. She South, and a club was led in eacb now entered her hand with a heart, case and ruffed in dummy. Any and established the diamonds. attempt to ruff a second club fails West played well by returning the through lack of entries to tbe +2. Dummy won, and the East hand, so both declarers led South hand was re-entered with trumps at once and both North's the remaining heart to cash the rose to the occasion by '"inning diamonds. West clung on to the the second heart and returning +K, and parted with a small a diamond. The contract c:m spade - thus allowing Mrs. now be made by running ~be qordon to drop East's +Q with diamond to dummy and fulessmg certainty. East could have re- the diamond back, but the n~tural solved West's doubts about the play is to win the diamond tn toe +Q by leading it, but the +4 East hand, draw trumps and hope in dummy would then have been the spades break no worse t~an a real threat and a true squeeze 4-l. The decision was a fatrly resulted. As the play went, West close one, because the enemY shoulcf have been able to count bidding and the pln_y made. a_ ~ South's hand, from the bidding spade brenk a defimte posst~tllty. and play as 6-3- 3- 1; she could 3 then have parted with all her 1 If North fails to return clubs in order to hold on to two diamond ' a double squeeze small spades, and Mrs. Gordon develops.' East wins a clu~ ~r wouldcertainlyhavetakenulosing heart return and draws tru PJ finesse at Trick 12. , coming down to a se~enflr'C Gt Britain w b 31 M p position. South has, to keedsp ' Y 1· • • t 50 · on spa d es an d wo dtamon h• c:~n Gt. Britain v. Belgium cannot keep n club: No~5 and I Our lady players continued in now be squeezed tn clu • good form against Belgium in diamonds. . . a match "':it~ many interes'ting Great Britain won the m~ch tn. hands. Thts ts Board 25. great comfort by 37 I.M. · .. I 14 . •\ •, •. I,,,. o 'l, SA·FE T Y P. .... l .A Y_· ( 4) I ' • , • • 0 .. .r.-. '· by G. C. H. FOX Se\'cral examples·· have been his chance of success. Having given already of s ituation ~ wh e ~e won the first trick he should play it pays declarer to test a stde smt a spade t9 the king and ·a low one whilst leaving a trump undrawn. back to the queen. If one Here is a further instance from opponent shows up with a single match play. ton it will be necessary to draw four round of trumps and there · North-South vulnerable. Dealer will then be no option but to hope South. _ that· the clubs are 3-2 or that the + ' AK4 -CV K will prove an entry for the CV K 3 - set-up clubs. If, however, the 0 3 2 spades break 3- 2 the king and a + AQ8764 low club can be played. If each + 965 + 7 3 opponent follows the + A pulls CV J 95 cv ·A 8 62 the last trump and the clubs are 0 Q J 10 ' . o. 9 8 7 6 54 all good. Should the clubs fail + J 9 5 3 + 2 to break there is the additional • Q J 10 8 2 hope that the player with the CV Qto74 singleton does not hold the odd . . 0 AK trump. In this case the clubs are + Kto ruffed out and the + A provides the necessary entry. Bidding (with East-West silent throughout):- The next deal is more compli South North cated since careful timing is ·' ,. 3+ required to break the opponents' • ,Jo.: 3CV .. 3+ communications. .I 4+ 4NT (Cul.) "o I + AS so 6+ cv 6 53 fe W~s t led the OQ- and South 0 J7654 ~! Into the common error of + A54 r 10¥ov er-confident with an easy + K Q Jo 9 2 , ~ ~ io493 s' dooktng contract. He immediately cv 7 , v K83 'I 0 Q9 2 \Vhw trumps and played clubs. 0 10 9 . den these failed to breal< he was + J 8 6 2 + re uced to ruffing the fourth . + 16 ' I ~~~d and at~empting to· get back CV AKQ42 ace ~mmy Wtth the CV K. As the . • O AIO To anas wrong he went one down. · + KQ73 fiv .ex~ent he was unlucky. The _ a ~ nusstng clubs should split 3-2 Playing ih four hea~ts, you get fi~t the position of the CV A is the lead of +K . Agam, thh oul~ lint~{tY · But he neglected a safer look is ' bright, as you do:nd play that further increased make five trumps, one ,spa e . •' I j -., IS ' ..; CONTRACT BRIDGE JOURNAL •, . three or four clubs. Winning the West, South reached six spades first trick with the ace you lead West quite correctly refrained trumps and find that one must be' from doubting and led the ~K lost. This reduces your cer \Yhich was ruffed. It was apparent tainties to nine and you are to declarer that the slam was dependent on the clubs. Suppose certain if the spades broke 2-2, you lead the +K followed by a as one diamond could be thrown low one to the +Aand a third on the fourth club and one ruffed. round from dummy, ruffed by The only problem was how to East. So far so good, for he has time the hand in the event of a 3-J only trumped a loser. But he will trump split. To play two rounds put West in with the + Q to obtain followed by four clubs would fail, a second ruff. Before tackling for as ·soon as one or other the side suit it is essential to break opponent got in with a diamond a the opponents communications trump would be returned. by returning the +J. West wins and cannot lead a diamond A small diamond must be led without setting up two tricks for at trick two. When in again you. Assume therefore he returns declarer played two rounds of the + 2 which you win with the trumps followed by four rounds of + Q. You must lead over to the clubs, discarding a diamond from +Aand return the suit. If East the table. He next led the OA r\)ffs he is using up a natural followed by a ruff for 12 tricks. trump winner on a loser. Should This line of play was only possible he discard you take with the +K if one opponent held four clubs and ruff the fourth in dummy. plus the extra trump. Had the East can overruff, but then your clubs been 3-3 it would have been losing club has gone on the same unlucky! trick as your losing trump. The next hand, played ~y The odd situation in the next Howard Schenken, occurred JO hand is that the contract cannot the U.S. Championships o~ t95t be made if the side suit breaks and was originally reported tn the evenly. . - Bridge World. It .serves to East West vulnerable. Dealer illustrate the fine techmque ofthe West. expert who seeks to. redut7 ~ 0 0f + K85 minimum the posstble nsk <:? 10753 defeat. 0 ?.!53 + Q1062 <:? K542 ., . 10 + .l..l.73 + 743 . 0 9 8 5 '\?.. A K Q 8 4 \? J 9 6 2 + AJ AJ9854 • K 73 0KQ982 0110 + '\? Void + 10 9 + 8·6 54 \?Q963 Void 0 tO 7 6 32 + AQJ962 0 tO 9 7 52 '\? Void + 843 + 0 A64 + Void + AKJ2 <:? A J 10 8 7 0 AKQJ4 Despite an opening bid from + KQ6 16 -·' CONTRACT BRIDGE JOURNAL The fi nal contract , was six + A843 heart s and West led the +A C\7 6 2 ruffed by South with the C\77. . 0 7 3 2 Disregarding the East-West hands ,. + I 9 52 it "ould appear that the s l ~ m was + J 7 6 2 + Void a lay-down, seven dependmg on C\7 1984 C\7 1075 3 catching the. 9uee~ of trun:tps. 0 KQI95 0 A 10 86 Sincea 3-1 spltt1snotembarrassmg, + Void + K 8 7 4 3 every effort .should be made to +KQ1095 counteract a 4-0. , Suppose you 1\? AKQ lead low to the 1\?K and East -<) 4 shows out. You continue trumps, + A Q 10 6 losing to West's queen. Another spade will force you to ruff and a declarer had no option but to second trump will be lost. draw all the trumps and try and make four tricks in clubs. To do Realizing this danger, Schenken this care was required to :- laid down the C\7 A and followed ( 1) Ensure that the final trump ' with the 1\?J covered with the lead was taken in dummy. queen. This was allowed to hold. (2) Play the clubs so that the lead A spade continuation was ruffed remained in the North hand with the Area winners of the North of Estate Agents everywhere it West the North-East, the Mid should not be mentioned a lands' and Yorkshire met for the "gentleman's desirable residen~." Silver Gilt Trophy. The venue This house had been requisitioned was the newly opened Wearside by the Local Authority and had Bridge Club, Sunderlqnd, a new housed unknown numbers of club which is a tribute to the Sunderland families whose houses determination of the local bridge had been blitzed. It was difficult players. But let the secretary, to see its possibilities as a Bridge Mr. .0. A. Patterson, tell his own Club for the dirt and diliipidations. story of the formation of the club:- After much argument it was decided to buy this place and our "Duplicate Bridge started in troubles really began. The enrly Sunderland in 1947 and a few estimates for its alteration and enthu5iasts met regufarly on renovation were appalling but we Thursday evenings in the winter, did eventually find a builder, an sometimes with as few as three electrician, a plumber and a tables in play. A club was decorator whose ideas seemed to eventually formed and tourna- be reasonable. The house was ments were played weekly moving bought in the autumn of 1954 and from one location to another its transformation was completed until we eventually wound up in and the Club opened in June, the pavilion of a local Cricket 1955. Club. This seemed to us to be We had a great stroke of luck. ' about the coldest place in the The largest restaurant in the town North-East and it was nothing closed its doors and for an ex· uncommon for the players to sit penditure of about £250 we had in fur lined boots und greatcoats. nearly square yards of carpet, A foot of frozen snow on the 300 h · all roads made no difference to the 25 tables and over 100 c mrs, attendances. Duplieate seemed in serviceable order . . to have a future. , We have spent about £1,600· 1 ' , ' ' We had over £200 in our funds as We talked about finding more the product of our weekly meet· comfortable premises and" a place ings. Members loaned amoun!s of our own " was a wistful dream varying from £5 to £100 to a. t~"11 until Mr. H. G. Nicholson arrived of over £?OO and a 'local BuJidJng on the scene from Glasgow with ortgage a fixed determination to establish Society gave us £~on m. mak~ a Buchanan .Club . on Wearside. Now all we have to do 15 Eventually one day talk was ends meet. . . · replaced ~y action for we had the There is a large duplicate r°001 opportumty oC obtaining at a ' with accommodation for 14 10 cost so loW that in the i~tercsts 16 tables, and two rubber roootS· ·Ja .r., J • !:;= •· ~:1 ,;~··~~>:~= :·:: L .,.. :.. l CONTRACT BRIDGE JOURNAL There is a comfortable flat for a hers can be maintained there · resident caret.aker and the '_¥hole is no real limit to what can be place is fur.mshed and eqmpped achieved. for its fu nction. ' ~ \ . . But, let no one think it was lt goes without saying that in easy. One of o"4r driving spirits, such surroundings the week-en-d · Mr. Norman Cooper, had for event was a quite delightful one. tunately retired after a life time as In the first round matches Leeds a Bank official and was bursting proved too strong for Leicester with suppressed energy .. He spent and won by 49 points while the wi nter chasing round the Liverpool beat Sunderland by contractors and .arguing with the 16 points. In 'the second round · Committee. ·Norman collapsed Leicester showed improved form (not as a result of his labours) in winning their match against just as the closing hectic stages Liverpool by 16 and ·Leeds con were reached, and Mr. H. G. tinued on the winning path with a Nicholson took over. There was 32 point victory against Sunder not one of us concerned who at land. But in this case the result some time or another was not was no reflection of the course of heartily sick of the whole business. the match for Sunderland led for three quarters of the match But now we are proud of it. against more experienced oppo Come up and see .us some time." nents. In the decisive final round And permit me to add that Livetpool held a slight lead they really do have something of against Leeds . until the last .. ' - w~ich to be proud. I cannot quarter \Yhen' Leeds gained on .. ~-.. thmk of any provincial club with every board to win by 17 points ,.. _. better bridge premises. And if the and so retain the trophy._ Sunder ... present enthusiasm of the mem- land 'earned the. rewar~ of con- 1 • J ...... '.- ··. • I ~· " ' ... _ .' ., . ... ' , I ' . THE c1iw RooM, 'fEAR_siq£ BRI~q~ · cLu~ j J9 . I ' 1• CONTR-ACT BRIDGE JOURNAL sistently steady play :vhen they club play was honest-and there ., beat Leicester by 13 pomts. was no good reason to doubt it ... :., -·. ::-: : And since no report can be that the diamond suit was counted as 3- 3 and since West had already : ~- co'mplete without a hand here !s parted with one, East was about · .~· ~ one which shows that no hand IS to be squeezed. On the last two ~ .i' too bad to be ignored:- trumps two of dummy's diamonds ~.· : • 10 X X ·· . . ' M XX were discarded and the declarer • : 1 • ~. : ,_ o • • 0 8 X X could claim the last three dia· .,;.f_".! ~- ..: + J 10 X X X mond tricks. And, of course, had "3 •• , J • ' West discarded with more thought -:-., •7 - .. Against Bidding:- his 0 8 would have become the Sour/t North vital card. . •. ··. 1+ 2+ 3+ 30 And a well-bid slam:-· ·· 4+ No + Ax x · West -led a club and saw this <\) 10 X X X dummy:~ •. 0 AJxx • J 9 X + XX 0-. -- ' CONTRACT BRIDGE JOURNAL the more orthodox opening of:- (Continued from page 17) North South Sometimes it may not be clear No 1\? at the outset whether or not 3\? 4+ you can afford to make a standard 40 4\? safety play that may involve the 4+ ~\? . loss of an unnecessary trick. The In spite of North s temptmg following example illustrates this diamond bid South quite properly point:- had to awai t further action from a '+K9 84 partner who had,passed once, but when North made a further effort \?A Q 6 that was all that was needed-and 0 K 7 3 North for his part could afford +.Jto 3 + 'Q J 52 + Void to take the bidding to the five level \?K84 \?110972 once South had made a slam try. O QJ105 O A986 +62 +9 875 B.B.L. CONTEST +A to763 The par contest organized by scores received were:- 1 can afford .to lose one more. lfthe North-South hearts finesse is wrong you must 1st D. V. Dew and E. Howells, not concede a trump. If the Movntain Ash Golf Club, heart finesse_is right you are m the 70.31 %. • happy' position of being able to 2nd G. N. Robson and N. give up one trump. Therefore Murray, Newcastle-on-Tyne, you next lead a heart and finesse. 69.36%. • Should this win you can make !he 3rd H. K. Cooke and Mr. Levey, standard safety play of leadmg Birmingham B.C., 67.50 %. a low trump from either hand and 4th Mrs. Macdonald and 'Mrs. finessing if the next p)ayer follo.ws. Simpson, Swansea B.C., You thus protect yourself ag:unst 67.00%. a 4-0 break. . h. t East-West . The important point ts t a lst R. Bowen and J. s:Thomas, there are· two smts left, each Birmingham Business House with one or more losers. Before · League, 70.14 %. deciding whether ,or not t.o m~ke 2~d. J. Nunes and G. C. H. Fox, the safety play, test the sutt whtch london Club; 67.4 %· must be tackled sooner or la~er Jrd J. A. Sugden and R. Bow- and which proyi?es nf alternattve man, Newcastle-on-Tyne, method of avmdtng a oser. 1 6 D6% . I rtll 4th M Another s-ially written a c e rs. Madden and Mrs. F r-- appear In next Crawford, Shandon Ladies by Mr. . ox w111 B.C., 65 •41 %o' month's Journal. 21 • r .Any Questions THIS MONTHLY FEATURE Is designed to answer any qucstlom I or gencrol Interest. Frcn) 1 I • The questions ' tliis month are is of course a " kibitzer's " way distinctly on the difficult side of getting to five clubs. when it comes to finding the correct North East South West sequence and final contract. As we 10 I~ I+ all know, many are the occasions 2~!1 ·, - 3+ when it is next to impossible to bid 5+ a hand to a par contract and the But I cannot see many pairs ansll'ers given by the panel for this finding irin practise and a'direct very reason become el•en more bid of three spades seems in· interesting than might be the case dicated on the North hand. South with a more cut and dried set of has just enough to totter to four questions. spades which might or might not ;Question A.- Mrs. Galpin of be a make. Br_is~ol Road, Gloucester, sends Answer'by Alan Truscott:- th1_s hand from a match-pointed Mrs. Galpin's question bristles pam_ event. North-South vul with close decisions. •In the first nerable with . North dealer. The place, and taking things out of first round of bidding was:- their rightful order, it is not at a)l North East South West clear what the right contract !s 10 - ~~ 1+ No looking at both hands. At th~s Fast-West made no further bid. vulnerability West, who must ha\; How should the bidding proceed? a few hearts would have scrape The ~omplete deal sent by Mrs. up A two hearts bid with very G~lpm appears on page 30. little; at. least one of the finess~ '. + KJ 3 .- must therefore be wrong, abe ·. ~A very like~ both: Even so, to . ·. 0 A QJ 104 in game ·in spades or clubs IS + 1762 •. reasonable. Both contra~l~ -'·' require fair breaks and care ~5 + A.9 8 4 · ·· piny. (Five clubs, of cours~rth ~ 7 3 better if played from ~ffl ~ties 0 9 6 2 hand.) In view of the 1 c tract + K Q 104 and dangers, a part-score cod s is Answ~r .by Kenneth Konstm11 : •in clubs, diamonds or spa e Thls .1s _another of those hands also reasonable. n.'tde is wh~re It IS almost impossible to What to bid over on~ 5~ two .nrnve at the best contract. There also n delicate question, I 22 . - . - .. . ~ . · CONTRACT BRIDGE JOURNAL cluhs. two spades an~ three spades can be made then four spades can arc all possible. Playmg an¥ other surely be made, at least. type of bridge I would bad two cl ubs in the hope that a pre ference to diamonds by partner Answer by Jack Marx:- or a bid of two . hearts by an North on the second round opponent would allow me to bid would like to simplify the auction two spades and complete a picture by directly supporting his partner's of my hand. But at match-point spades. If total values were the pairs I am compelled to toss up only consideration he could not mentally between the underbid give less than a double raise, but of two spades and the overbid of his trump support is insufficient three spades, - With no coin for a high contract in what may handy 1 probably just bid three be, and actually is, only a shaded spades, and partner goes to game. four-card suit. Since a single I am now badly placed for the ·raise would quite falsely stamp the post-mortem, as partner naturally hand as a minimum opening or takes the credit for his play if he something not far from it, it is makes the contract, and I get the better-for. him to evade the issue blame for my bidding if he does for the moment _and temporize not. with' a third suit, a bid !hat does not support to be quantitatively Ansll'er by Harold Franklin::_ precise. So the bidding proceeds I would prefer to bid the ....:..North two clubs, South three North hand without a sight of the clubs North three spades. Unless South (and the knowledge that South is a player who enjoys five clubs is icy). Partner having torturing himself as ~eclare: at already obliged with •a free bid forlorn contracts that sometimes ove~ one . heart North can hardly make 'but far more often do not, su~Ject ham to further strain by a he will recognize his own suit as fuhle mark-time, and by my book too feeble to be sustained at a non-forcing bid of two clubs and high level by no bett~ than should support spades at once. delayed support and will revert Afnd because the spade bid was a to clubs. Whether either partn~r ree one the raise should be to can now nerve - himself to bad th~ee spades. At_match-pointed game in the minor is another ~aars South cannot be' criticized matter. South may well take the 0~ ~ither passing three spades or view . that he has already done raasang to four spades- at any enough and bid only four club~ ~her method he -should bid four North can scarcely be l?roud of~ts cause of the vulnerability. I second suit, but I tha~k ~e as would expect to have a good quite a good case for baddmg on. chance of making a four spades South has made two freely volun contract. 1 confess myself as teered responses and, though now unable to arrive at a five clubs known to have only very_ poor ~nt~act after the first round of, spades, has made no move 10 a~ be~~•ng. And I may still make a other direction but clubstha~~is If th~ maO tKch_-po!nt score in spades. more likely, hthereJo;e~f strength as nght and six clubs clubs are oft e or e .. 23 CONTRACT BRIDGE JOURNAL ,"•...... that in fact they nre? It is clear +xx. and even on this hand . from a view of both hands that four hearts may be too high · five clubs is the only decent ~arne whereas three spades will very contract and it is not an enttrely likely be just made. I incline to ex-post facto analysis that enables the view that South should pass 1 the partners to reach it. 4 since the North hand almost 1 - Comment by the Editor:7""" certainly has six spades and only '\'··· •.. .:t t . -Undoubtedly a nasty hand to four hearts. If South did elect to .(:: .. r get to ' the ideal contract of five bid, four hearts is the ollly bid ...:_ :. clubs but when South finds a free possible but its difficult to justify ...... ·'1 any further bidding, more par r' :· ... bid of one spade over the heart I-; 0!" bid a bid of two clubs by North ticularly since the 0 K is probably can'not at this stage be very much useless and the hand will be out of order. South follows with forced from trick two. three clubs and the bidding Answer by Alan Tntscott: sequence could be:....:..... Three spades is not forcing in North East South West 10 I. my opinion, although unlikely 1~ No to be passed. I would treat it as 2+ No 3+ No being covered by my pel general 3~ No 4+ ,No rule with regular partners, that 4+ No S+ No ambiguous bids can always .be As wiU be seen by the full hand passed. North should have a stx· on page 22 six clubs or four card spade suit ~ea~ed by thrte spades is unbeatable. honours and an mdtfferent four· card heart suit. As the defende:S Question B.-Mrs. Preedy, the wiU surely cash their winners 1•0 well-known Midlands player, had the minor suits right away theJ71S this hand as South in the teams unlikely to be any gain by playmg . of-four at To,rquay :- · in . hearts' and .a spade contrac~ may succeed if the hearts brea + lOx, ~KlOxx, 0 Kx:x, + Q9xx The bidding:-• ' ' badly. I would therefore. scrare North East South . West up a raise to four spades, Jn sp K J+ No !NT 20 of the likelihood that the 0h 2~ 30 3~ No and + Q are useless. At mate~ No ? Pointed pairs a pass would · 3+ spades 1S Mrs. Preedy wants to know if preferable, as th ree . ood the three spade bid is uncon likely to produce qutte a te a ditionally forcing and if it is, what score and four spades may should South say? very bad one. Answer by Kenneth Konslam:- Ansu~~r by Harold Frankliu:- - h b"d must be . Certainly the three spade bid In principle t e d non· ts not unconditionally forcing but 'forcing. North rna e ~ and ~evertheless strongly uninten forcing bid of t~vo he 3as 5 being ttonal. After North's bid of two thereby showed hamself 'fhe hearts · 'over two , diamonds it is ' · harts prepared to play 10 e 6-4 and a hard to imagine a better hand three spades bid shows~ spades, than + AKxxxx, ~AQJx, Ox, further effort. tO play 10 24 .. . .. I • .. , ' ...... \ ·~ ' '. . CONTRACT BRIDGE JOURNAL . ' ~~ but im plies a willingness or even a . enough or had a suit long enough demand to be taken to no less to. respond at the two level, he 'than fo ur hearts. m1ght have had to bid one no There is however a limiting ·trump with a singleton spade.) fac tor on the North band and that • North's three spade bid means i is the fai~ure to ~OJ?C.n two spades. th.at th~re is. a more than usually ·But agamst this !t should be WJde d1spanty between his two I • pointed out that· there are many _ suits, in respect of either length ' bands which ·fall short of a two or quality or even both. South spades opening :which improve should accordingly raise spades to better than a two spades bid on as -tittle hs a doubleton if he .. if partner is known to fit a second has only three hearts or four not !· suit. particularly bright ones. [n this + A Q X x x x actual case it is a close decision \7 A Q X x . for South whether to · bid 0 x . , four hearts or spades, but his + K x hearts are probably good enough for example is far removed from a to enable the hand to be accorded two opening, but takes on new reverse dummy · treatment in th~ strength when partner is known · play: 1 • .. ~ ta ha_ve fo~r-card heart support. Commen(by the Editor: ..· And 1t by no-means "follows that Years ago in a match against . . the hand will play better in a' 4-4 Ewart Kempson, I asked him \ heart fit than in a 6-3 or even 6-2 during the course of the bidding if · · - ~ spade fit (opposite a doubleton · one heart-two spades from ...... honour). . partner was forcing. E.K. replied I .regard the bid therefore as _ ' 1 Certainly not, but there will be . f?rcmg. South however has every a .b-'·- row if he ~as.ses." nght to take a _view and pass. It. seems that this Is the .repl_Y If a responder makes a bid with to Mrs. Preedy. · The b1d IS th~ee or four points when he forcing with slight reservations. ~ nught have passed he is entitled to Personally I would answer the : ·_ · .'1 regard no . subsequent· bid as - force. , · . ; ·" completely forcing. Much the QuestionC.- Mr. R.'G. Roberts, · .:; ~. saJ?e applies here. · If South ' Hom5tead .Court Hotel, Welwyn • ;: ~ t.es otT ~he 0 K be might well Garden City, asks the panel to ~ 1· · ,. tid1 lfy a fatlu~e to make a second bid these hands . with , J':lorth as · · ''· he' ~ghnd , havmg made that bid, . · dealer- match pomted paars, play-· . ·.. .\i ob!!l11 . t thus ~xcuse himself any ·ing Acol and Culbertson 4/5. ·: -~£: tgatJon to btd further. _ . . North · · 1.. · ·· • • - _.,. ' o I ' • A X X X ' - ' ,., ' Answer h•" , k l.r I • • · , ., •• i ,,~ J .~ac Jvtarx:- •,: ·. ·. · \(} K Q x x : . ·· ·· : .· 1 would regard three spades as ·. ' .) 0 K Q X X x · · · · 7·:~ Uncond 1't' . , + , · .· ·,- ·; North tona 11Y forcing since as ' · . - .· ! ·• • . • . South 1 have no assu;ance that South :..t· and 1 can_stand a spade coritract • K Q ~ · . . .. :~ in the·Tust there_fore be prepared · · ' \(} A_X X • .' ·;. , , hearts ast resort to play at four · ·. 0 A J X ~ x · · .. · (Unless South were strong • K X . .. ' ' 2S 0 .. , 6 0 • ( I '•.' CONTRACT DRlDGE JOURNAL. - Mr. Roberts says Acol, Cul respons~, and I would therefo ~-;I bertson and Asking Bids can get treat thts hand as a 4-4-4-J ore •'... ·- ·' . you there, but how do Acol which a majority of the ~nei ,· . players arrive at seven diamonds? preferred a one heart opc.ning hid Well, Mr. Roberts, let us see how a month or two ago. One heart the panel react to this insult! is better th~n one spade, which may result tn a heart fit being Answer by Kenneth Konstam:- missed if the bidding starts one This hand amuses me. It is spade, two clubs, two diamonds one of many such, which I· am (b) This appears to show fiv~ continually informed, presents no hearts and four spades and to difficulty if using " such and deny diamond •support, but see such'" a system \but in practice note (d). I rarely .see bid to the optimum (c) With a lot of fitting top contract in any tournament by cards South is rather too good to any pair. . That includes myself bid three no trumps or four . since r regard this type of hand as hearts; five hearts is possible, almost impossible to bid to seven but rather crowds the auction, so diamonds unless opponents a waiting bid of four clubs il obligingly bid clubs. In my view rather preferable. the best bidding appears to be:- (d) Now North unmasks him- 10 3NT self. It is how obvious that he 4<\/ 6.0 has powerful diamond support, The grand slum might be bid if and his failure to show it at once South elected to bid a three-card should make it clear that he is suit in response as possibly the trying hard to show a void club Swedish system Ephos would _ with a better than minimum recommend. . r • opening bid. The bidding would then gd:- (e) Now that South has a clear ' 10 I <\7 picture of North's hand he can 3<\/ 40 confidently bid the grand ~lam. 4+ S+ lt is possible, though unhkely, 6+ 7 0 that a red queen is missing. If the But .. I hae my 'doots' '' and missing card is the ~ Q. the sl~m I'll settle for a small slam. will be heavily odds on, dependipg on n finesse or n break \\!lh Ansll'er b): Alan Truscott:- various squeeze chances thrown tn. . . Any system can get to · seven · As one whose enthu~insm for dtnmo.nds, but how many can do Asking Dids waned some ye3rs 1 see so Wtth reasonable confidence ago shall be interested to 10 that there are no losers? My ho~ Mr. Roberts uses them suggested Acol bidding would deal with this hand. be:- , North South Answer by Harold Frank/in:- 1<\/ (a) 3 0 I have often and at great length!, 3+ (b) ' · ·0 urna • . 4+ (c) in' the columns of thts J 0 ' 60 (d) 7 0 (e) · · made the point that the four ~r (~) One diamon-d would cause trumps bid, be it Culbertson rebtd trouble over a two clubs Blackwood, is only one weapO 0 26 I • - .. CONTRACT BRIDGE JOURNAL in the slam-bidding armoury of control by bidding four no trumps the ex pert, and a rarely used one, when he is quite unable to deter too. Cue-bids and finely drawn mine the nature of his partner's infere nces, play a m~ch more holding. The opener should have important role and stnce these no further 'misgivings except to depend so much. more on partner make sure which suit should be ship understanging an·d are. apt to trumps ·at the seven level- and be two-edged weapons tn the seven clubs clearly asks for that. bands of players whose judgment It might be pointed out that is at all suspect, books on systems the five spades bid is far too tend to avoid the issue. . dangerous since partner might bid The correspondent is clearly a heart slam not realising that the right when he suggests that the force was made on a three-card grand slam could hardly be bid suit. In spite of. the subsequent with the aid of the Culbertson four diamonds bid there might be 4-5 no trump bid. It is equally misunderstanding as to the agreed true to say that the hand can be trump suit. But even if that doubt bid with the use of asking bids. exists, a jump from four spades But Acol players, using cue-bids, to six diamonds (and there can would be just as likely to find a surely be no other alternative) sequence leading to the grand slam ought to do the trick. The failure as aski ng bidders. And asking to bid a c'ulbertson four no bidders, conversely, would be just trumps leaves the clear inference as likely to fail to find the winning that one ace is missing- the ace of sequence. The slam efforts of clubs. The opener's red cards the asking bidders in the world are so good that the responder title match in 1954 were no more could hardly have j~tified a ju.mp successful than those of their to six diamonds w1th a poss1ble , opponents or than those of either spade loser. , , of this year's teams. To return to our sheep-it is, Answer by Jack Afarx: of course, much easier with a Vt~w of both hands, but I suggest The natural impulse of ~orth thts as a practicable sequence:- on first viewing his hand IS !o open with one of his longest su1t. I 0 21V But- since he has no for~know- 31V> 40 ledge of a grand slam m t~e 4+ S+ · . · · offing, second . tho~phts Wt!! 7+ - 7 0 probably cause h1m to prepare NB ,• 'th an opening of one heart. A ~ ! ~he diamond opening, if follow~d , clearl orce .on the first round IS b the all too likely response m Ia Y obligatory and the Acol Y will leave him with two hJ'~r can do little other than two ~I.ubs, eeable alternatives - to cue ~ · After the four spades lsagr ate his values by reversing goo1•d the respon~er is clearly ex.~~g~~o hearts or to fall back since enou~h for a slam and ~ 1 sterile repetition· of the seve~ 1s not impossible he is 0 ~ a be Iter adv1sed t · · r · dmmonds. With a fi o g1ve tn1orma11on . . ssible auction:- ve spades bid than to take Tins IS one P0 - ' 27, • · CONTRACT BRIDGE JOURNAL · North Soutlz _ to bid the grand slam. PersonaU I'\} 30 I like the fiv~ no trump bid to ha;.' 40 (a) 4'\} (b) ~sort of rovmg commission, some: .· 4+ (c) SNT(d) !tm~s to be employed, as here, in 70 (e) tts _natural sense, sometimes in (a) North would be very ill obv10us cases as the old Culbert advised to try to give an impression son bid showing three aces and the of shape by first bidding three king of a bid suit. The natural spades. Any strong , suggestion use, denying the +A but affirming of real length in hearts is the one the king, is certainly valuable thing he should wish to ·avoid. here, if only because it states that lt is true that a diamond raise will the hand can be played at no cause South to think that heart trumps, provided the opposite length is at least likely, but the hand is suitable. • immediate support for diamonds (e) North's holding is · not gives North a much better chance suitable, but he can nevertheltss of insisting on them as trumps. bid the grand slam in diamonds, (b) At match-points South despite the club duplication. Since would not wish to commit him South's last bid implied a rt· self finally to a minor suit. Four stricted holding in clubs and h~rts is not a particularly strong North's own cards in the rtd b1d and the trump support might suits preclude any but a restricted be better, but the values do not · holding there, South's possession justify both a force on the first of the +K is virtually certain. At round and still more urgent action the worst, with only a weak on the second. If North should doubleton in spades, there must ~ow pc:ss, which is not entirely be every chance of throwing the mconcetvable, there is bound ~ to loser on a red side-suit winner, ., be an ace niissing and one or more whichever suit . South selects as :/.- , · holes in the red suits. · trumps . .. ~: (c) The first step in an attempt . Another more specialized t~ show both first-round controls. auction I could use with some Smce he plans to 'show them in ~ partners is this:- detail and not through the North South mechan~sm of the 4/5 no trump 1'\) 30 conventiOn, North should thus 4+ S('J convey to his partner that one of 6+ 70 them is likely to be a void. Four spades, an unneces~l)' (d) The grand slam force does jump in a forcing situation, 15 .~ ' not fig~re in my repertoire of cue-bid that confirms the last-bl conventions. Even if it did, North suit _as trumps and impl!es ~~ could not suppose that I could more than -a singleton tn I now guarantee a grand slam on fourth •suit. Six clubs affirms~ • the strength of a couple of trump void. South can now be ~u honours after my limiting . bid that North's red-suit holdings of fo~r hearts. And, ironically, must 'be at least a.s go~d as.thrJt even tf he supposed I could he actually are to justtfy h1s po\\e~'\'e has the requirements twice ~ver bidding. Note again the nega 1 28 •• J - ... CONTRACT BRIDGE JOURNAL I · 'nfcrc nce to be ,drawn from and solid diamond suit. It seems North's omission. to use the 4/5 to be generally possible to reach no trump conventions. three no trumps when that is the best contract. I find that my Comment by the Editor:- losses on that score have more Holdi ng the _South hand, ov~r than satisfactory compensation an opening b1d by partner m in the occasional disruptive effects · diamonds, I bid three clubs which of a weak and varied three is totally opposed to any of opening. I don't think the matter my colleagues but at the mome~t can be put in a more positive light that is where I want to know 1f than that-the experience of many partner has strength and it gives fine players is the same as mine the opportunity · to show -any whilst that of many equally fine other suit or rebid the diamonds. players tends in another direction. What is there against such a bid? " You pays your money and you As it happens, ~n this c~se _it takes your choice." would be ideal as opener will b1d three hearts and over four dia- Answer by Alan Truscott:- • moods by South, a four spade I prefer to use an opening bid of bid will be automatic. This last three as a pre-emptive bid in a bid can be a cue bid and the ' major or a minor, without being seven diamonds may still be tied to any specific requiremen~s . elusive for South, but again I The tactical value of the b1d would say, missing a grand some- varies so greatly with the vul times will never cost points in the nerability, the _calibre .. of the long run. opposition, and, m duplicate, the Question D is from J. Proctor, state of the match or C':Jm- Charlwood, Berkhampsted, petition. It is, however, true that Herts. . , a three bid in a minor embarrasses Mr. Proctor writes ,; there partner as often as the opponents., seems to be two schools of A reasonable compromise bet~een ' thought on the question of opening the two schools of ~h~ught 1 ~ to three of a minor suit. A few insist that a three bJd m a mmor ' prefer to think that this bid is first or second in hand must - be.tter if used to show a long sol1' d contain two of the top three , h urs If partner has the ~~lth headed by top honours and ~n~ g ·top honour he can then .WJI . . no ace or k'mg outs1'd e- 'fmiSSIO h wishes bid three no trumps ~"hYJhng_ t~ree no trumps, whilst 1k e . g that the suit can be e maJonty use the bid in the nowm . sa'?e way as three of a major. brought m. ~.til the panel give their views on Answer bv Jack Marx:- .. • . ts matter? r ~ ons 1 have no very strong opm! All.l'wer by Harold Franklin:- on . this matter, since: there IS a 1 ca On matters such as this, one ·good case for both Sides, but ~n "v~o.nty be guided by one's own " the whole I prefer the makjontyf "~Y"r · w if only. for the sa e o ~ raret'ence. Mine is that _I am v.ae 'r 't and uniformity. In to b.Y penalised by my inability s1mp tcJ Y dislike too many ld three diamonds with a long other words, I 29 I • •• J CONTRACT BRIDGE JOURNAL \ special cases, which have to be Here is the full hand of Question arranged in advance with partners A. Page 22:- and imparted in detail to oppo + KJ 3 nents. All my three bids are \!/ A pretty horrible, with the self O AQJI04 evident exceptions of fourth-in + J 7 6 2 hand pre-empts and when vul +Qto72 +65 nerable against non-vulnerable \!/ J 6 5 2 ' . by MAX SAPIRE ·, Fr()llf The Trans1•aal Bridge Bulleti11 The following hand occurred seemed certain from the fact that in a game of rubber bridge in North had made a bid and the which I was sitting North:- manner in which the defence had + K x been . conducted up to that stage, ~ A Q 8 7 6 that North held the +K, hence 0 X. x x x- there are no fu rther prospects + x x in that suit. East had an alterna- +A x + J 9 x x x tive play, to get a break in spades ~ 10 9 x x \;) K x and the diamond fi nesse which 0 x 0 A K J x would realize nine tricks in the + A Q J 10 x x + x x form of three spades, three in + Q 10 8 x diamonds, two in clubs and one in ~ J x · _ , hearts and East had sufficient 0 Q 10 x x entries in his own and dummy's + K x x· , · hand to play for this perspective The bidding with East-West H I d spade from dummy. game and West dealer was as e ' .e 11 . · h follows._ ' and tned the Jack hopmg t . at West · North East South North held KQx. South won w1th t+ 1~ + Pass the queen and led a small club, 2+ p 1NT thus forcing East to decide the 3NT pass 2Pass Pass club position before. he could fi.nd ass . . Pass out that his alternative perspective b ' ~~ doubt m duphcate the was ·doomed to failure. East Wdmg wo.uld be. the .same as, put up the ace feeling sure North ffit. has SIX playmg tncks , and had the king and played the su ctent hearts- to guarantee a diamond putting ' up the jack. ~ond stopper. South led the South won and'led his small heart . h ~nd a glance at the East-West which declarer won with the king . . ~n s reveals that East cannot and laid down a spade, but spades th fe less than 10 tricks. Never- did not break and declarer ended se~ ess !he d,efe ~ce held him to up with seven tricks for two down. en tncks and tt was not due to any particular im;ptne.ss on his Now a~sum~ that the .hand was ~rt . North put up .the (0) A on being played m a duplicate c?n ~e fi ~s t . trick and laid do~n the test. Instead of Ea~t alone bemg SK tn the desperate hope that · involved in a senes of mental ... o~th held four clubs to the king gymnastics by the unusual North ~~ East a singleton.· East won ·South defence, N?rth and · S~uth r Jth the. ace and .played the + Q wo41d have been 10 troubl~ nght 'rom du · .. . · · h t t s they would en - mmy.. South was alert from t c ou ~e a . . h ou~U~h ~0 play~ small one' wltti- have been riskmg a battom(~ht .e faced es •.ta~ion · a·nd East · is . pow boa'rd at every. stage,. 0rih. e~~ With a 4ifficult guess. . ; It early play. - Shol!l.d.. No - !'P 3,1 • I CONTRACT BRIDGE JOURNAL ' up the '{}A ~n the jack? ~f ~~rth-South have no game and the jack Js a smgleton, wh1ch IS 1t IS the task of the defence 1 quite possible, he will immediately defeat the contract if at all set up an extra heart trick on the possible. If they fail and in the finesse for East, which of itself process present an extra trick or may be sufficient to result in a two worth 30 or 60 points to the bottom score at match points. declarer, no harm is done. But Assume he risks putting up the in duplicate the extra 30 points ace, should he now play +Kin an may mean a bottom or well below attempt to remove dummy's entry average score for the defenders. for the clubs 7 East had bid Why shoulq the possibility of well spades and if he held +QJ and the reasoned defence be hampered by + K, the play of the +K by North the defenders having to concern presents East with an extra trick themselves about the extra 30 which is a disaster in duplicate. points? They have to decide in certain borderline cases that the Supposing North feels it worth- contract is cold and they must while to sacrifice the + K, what merely prevent overtricks, a some· about South when the +Q is r. • • Jed 7 North is ,already uneasy what uninteresting, de.eat1st, all!· about the results of his defence tude to have to adopt , Nor is the declarer much better off as and now South is in a cold sweat. he has often to consider a stupid He is being presented with the finesse which gains 30 points for + K which chance other Souths an overtrick, when his contract may not get and if he. hesitates one is cold and may be defeated if the second in deciding what to do, finesse fails. East will certainly finesse it. In the meanwhile dare East use this lain Macleod had good ~0•0 safety play to try and retain an · to write " Match point P":'rs ~ entry to dummy; when he can a bad imitation of real b~d~ possibly make 10 tricks by Unless the rules of sconng 10 straightforward club finesses, and duplicate are altered in good time, 11 if he include:; the diamond the above example illustrates th3t finesse on the way 7 It is clear something will disappear fr~m enough that unless North-South bridge in view of the. deaden~n~ or East-West were in such a impact of match pomts w~\1 position at that stage of the - demands playing for averages n0 f contest that their only hope was mixed field. In the ab~ence to play for tops, that all of them other disadvantages which 1:C!. would '?e ~compelled to play or not. be apparent t.o m~i ht be de~end .m !he most prosaic and national Match P01.nts g gate ummagmattve manner in order to better or total p01nt tg~1 of a avoid a bottom score where the standard of P a~ ds of · uniform 1evel. Other met 0 ded . If we assume that in the case of scoring have been recommen h'ch 1 ' the above example East-West including one by Jack Marx'\1 is ~re vul~erab~e. they will score ~ s~ems worth a trial, but ood m duplicate tf they land the three fairly certain that most g tch no trump contract. In rubber players. will agree that ma bridge it would be 600 or 800 if points should be abandoned· 32 ,v I .' ' ' ·... ·" r., .. _ . ' : SQ UEE ZIT us · by_GORDON H. HAMMOND For me, in·the days of old, life particular East. Eventually, at the bridge table was so very another low heart came back uncomplicated. A ,squeeze was and it was my turn to enact the just an affectionate gesture and I role of the Thinker. .. was happy to leave my success or Rixie Markus or Konnie failure in the fickle hands of Fate. wouldn't need . to hesitate- both The finesses were right or wrong- of them would see their duty and the suits broke or they didn't. It go right in and do it- right or was as simple as that! wrong. Plum Meredith would How different things are now. sit there long enough to make the Every hand a problem, every paralysed opposition drop their contract fraught with danger-an cards from their nerveless fingers endless search for safety plays, . and .leave him with just a double end plays and deceptive plays. dummy problem. A Reese or The colder the contract looks, the Truscott would calculate the odds greater is my fear that some to six decimal places and proceed grotesque undercurrent of dis- on the most favourable mathe- tribution .will scupper me. How- matical line. . ever, the worst nightmares are A member of the kmdergarten prod~ced by optimistic bidding class has no difficulty in these and 1ts resultant choice of action. situations. Following the cardinal Take this horror from a recent rule that all finesses in sight must duplicate, for instance. be taken at the first opportunity, For no worthwhile reason I bid the ~J would be the automatic a spade. on +Jtox, ~ iuxx , play. A junior stude.nt might OKJx, +Axx in response to appreciate the probability of the partner's one diamond opening. . queen being in West's ~and , and, After. about eight roundS of ·having won with the kmg, woul~ ; , ~ te nufic bidding I tried a waiting put his money on a blac_k sutt ... btd of six no trumps and was finesse. The pupil in the. next ~n do ned at this dizzy height. class would take the precaution ~f ha rough some oversight, hearts cashing a spade honour first !n k' d not been mentioned, so West case a singleton qu.een I~ked 10 ·~k ed off with the baby of that East's hand. Movtng 'htgher up ~~ It, and I was on my own with · the scale there is the player ese hands:- · who would win with the ~ K. cash •;." • South , North a top spade and then run all the ... i ! ~ J IO x + A K x 1 diamonds, watching hopefully O K J X x ~ x . meanwhile for someone to throw "J'. t ~ Qx 0 A J 10 x x x away one of those wretched X X. + K J x _ queens or at least, to show so!'le Ea st wo 'th ' ' t 1 ' uish whtch qu1· n Wt the ace and gave · sign of men a ang or 1e a creditable impersonntiQn would give some clue. to a quitsomeone in deep thought-. successful finesse or drop. . ·. e an achievement for this Although I spent some ttme . -.J 33 I' CONTRACT DRIDGE JOURNAL looking at the hands and con discomfort. That's I one of th sidered vaguely this finesse and awful things about squeeze: that, there:was •only one thought . often you don't know whether in my mind-twelve cards clutched the darn things have worked or in my fist, eleven tricks in sight, n<;>t. At this stage the dregs twelve needed · and the count could be like this:- rectified-a squeeze! Not only + a squeeze, but lashings of Vienna ~ - Coup as well! 0- The trouble caused by these ~ + KJ X • clever types who write books on +Q . squeeze-play! Those among you ~ Q ·~- who have also read the darn 0- 0- things will sympathize and under +x + Q lOx stand 'how the mania gets you. Like some noxious drug, you ~J have to keep on doing it, in spite . ·0- of the torture of going down in + Ax . contracts made by lesser per In which case, a simple spade formers with the aid of a simple finesse would have landed the finesse. Perhaps, East was a contract and the squeeze mania complete lunatic and was offering would hnve caused yet another me n successful free finesse disaster. Maybe, however, East unles~, of course, he thought me had been clutching the major suit lunnt1c enough to be in six no queens to his bosom all the time t~umps missing the ~AKQ. In and now a club finesse would Cidentally he wouldn't have been bring home the bacon. far out-once I did play six no Dismissing these ' horrible trumps with but + AKQ and ~A thoughts from my h~d, and and made the contract! summoning my last reserves of . courage, I bashed out the +AK However, I dismissed any idea and down came the queen and 10. o~ _mundane finesses from my It I mmd and played ~K, discarding had worked For the benefit of those who art n Sf!lall spade from dummy. After unable to reconstruct the full deal, t~kmg the + AK, I started on the dmm_onds. I reckoned that by here it is:- the hme the last one was played + AKX East, if lie held the + Q would b~ ~X down to two clubs, which would 0 AJIOXXX leave me free to chuck my losing + KJx • xxxx spade nnd West, the poor so-nnd + Qxx ':::) AQXX 1 ~ lOxxx ~0• W?uld be faced with an 0 xx Impossible discard from three 0 XX • !OXX clubs (possibly including the + Qxxx queen) and the ~Q. • J 10 X ~ KJ XX All is ,Planned, ench opponent 0 KQX p~rted With n low club on the la5t + A X X 38) dlUmond, but showed no sign of • (Conlinued on pag~ 34 . •• • ; · ' 0 ••. ·... London and .the S_outh by ALAN TRUSCOIT .. Ladil'S Trials opening bid. It is also useful' Two trial matches, previously partly because the partnership unreported, were held in May to can still, if it wishes, stop under help decide the Ladies team to game; (a simple rebid by the represent Great Britain in opener in his own suit shows a Amsterdam. The winners of the sub-minimum hand and can be Whitelaw and the Lady Milne· passed); and partly because it trophies (Mrs. McDonnell, Miss gives more scope for exploration Coen, Mrs. Gardener and Mrs. B. on hands with slam prospects Gordon) were opposed by a like the one we are considering. selected team consisting of Mrs. After East has shown simul Markus and Mrs ~ F. Gordon, and taneously a club suit and a spade Mrs. Williams and Miss Shanahan. fit West should visualize a slam. The combined exJ)erience of this She only needs to find + Kxxx latter team, although without and + Axxxx opposite, which is established partnerships, proved by no means unlikely. The too great for Mrs. McDonnell's bidding could then go:- team, which was beaten by 30. West East I.M.P. and 19 I.M.P. in two NB successive 64 board matches. . t+ 3+ Two slams missed by both 3 ~ - 3+ teams underline the need for · 4+ 6+ partnership understanding:- If over four clubs East still • A J 10 9 7 4 + K Q 5 fears · that there may be two ~ A 7 4 ~ K diamond losers, which is hardly · 0 9 0 8 7 4 2 possible she can bid five spades 4 ~ Q 6 + A 8 S 3 2 and wdst knows enough to bid be Stx spades is obviously cold,• the slam. cause of the splendid fit in I am sorry to have to report !he black suits and West's controls that over three clubs We~t's !"the red suits, but good bidding next bid was three spades,. whtch 15 needed to get there. East was shows that the partnership had the dealer and passed in both either not agreed about. the ~oo m s. One East raised the one meaning of. three ~tubs after pa.de openin,g bid to four spades, passing, or had not ~1scussed t~e Whtch ~ nded matters. The other implications. A thlrd~hand bid :~ dtd better by bidding three is always liable to be.sh~htly su~ s ove~ one spade. Many good standard, and ~o pmr ~hou P."rnershlps now piny that this be forced by thetr syste!D mto a a ~r~-nfter-passing" guarantees game contract ~~en netth~r h~f lo ·11 10 partner's suit. This is a full openi~g btd_; there ore 1 1 1 fog ~ • ?ecause if the bid is to·be ' three clubs IS forcmg the thred har~~"t I ~ can only mean that the ' spades rebid s~ould r,ot. be\~~st as been improved by the if three spades ,IS not orcmg 3S • CONTRACT BRIDGE JOU_RNAL should not bid it. At the very extraor~in~'r· be_cause West took least she should bid four spades, th.e opttm1sttc v1ew and opened which would be right if. the force w1th two clubs. The · biddi had been in diamonds. then went:- ng A good partnership 'under East · standing could reach the slam . '• if West i_s the dealer:- 30 . 4+ . West East 4NT ~·, I +~ 2+ · ·, \ . · 4+ 5~ This agai~ is partly a question _. :. , 6+ 6+ of partnership und.erstanding, but .• . The four spades rebid is an the blame must he mainly wilh .,, · unusual one. With a strong hand East. Four clubs is an unneces and long spades why did not West sary piece of cleverness which .. open with two spades or four gives West the impression of a spades 1 The only explanation is misfit. In East»s place I would .. .• that his hand has been improved expect a grand slam and bid five :~ by his partner's response. By no trumps as a grand slam force. logical implication West has there- (It -ds true that duplication of fore shown a fit in clubs. East values combined with a doubtful r • now knows even more about his two clubs bid makes the grand partner's hand than West did in slam depend on a finesse; but I ' · the - p~evious sequence. Five 'am happy.to say that the ~Q lay · ,. · spades ts also a good try over four favourably.) The four no trumps .- •· : spades, but as. West may have two bid was presumably intended to be r' .:· o~ three losing hearts five hearts is conventional; if so it would ha\-e slightly better. been wiser to make the bid directly • .'· The second missed slam was a over three spades. My feeling is • much easier one:- • that a bid of four no trumps by t~ ~' , the partner of a two clubs bidder · ._ · West ' East - should always be natural. Moral: ;,: · + A K 1 6 3 + Q J 8 4 do not make an ambiguous bid . - - '- ~ ~ ~ ~ 4 ~ 8 6 ·3 unless you are quite willing for K ~ ~ ~ 7 5 your partner to pass. ·. · :·: ' + 1 ·..... '· ' As a result of these trials tnc -:. ~ The West hand is a bord~rline British Bridge League selected the , one. · C?ne West made the slight winners together with Mrs. ;:·:·· underbid of two no trumps and Gardener and Mrs. D. Gordon • 1 East gave a timi? raise to three , to represent Great Britain in t~c no trumps. Holdmg 11 points and Ladies event in Amslerdam. ThiS -two aces . East should certainly is a good team, but not as good ·• : e?lhre With a. conventional bid as the one which captured the52 0 1 ree clubs m the hopes of a title for Britain in 1950/SI / · •. s1 hmh The slam .is then reached largely because it has no estab- ., •, ~ fit er J::tst ra1ses the spades lished partnerships.' l ex~ 0 tve or.slx. ' them to do well, but not to WID · in T~~ fatlhre to reach the slam ,_ it is doubtful whether ,they r~ ' 1 ·~ . e ot er roqm was quite mntch the powerful French La e I 36 I' o, ..' - CO~TRACT BRIDGE JOURNAL team which won the title last year A report of the first one ~ AQ8 or two matches appears elsewhere ·0 - in this issue, and also the final • 87 result. ~ 10 6 5 Before leaving for Amsterdam ·0 -- the Ladies team played several . 92 serious practice matches against +Q strong opposition. (Part of the ~ 9 opposition was provided by the 0 J 9 8 Nationa l Pairs winners, N. Hughes ' .. _ and Mrs. van Rees, who per West had parted with his 0 5 formed· with great credit). One on the previous round of spades, fascinating end-position was and gave up the +2 on the +Q. reached by a declarer who was in Dummy has now only to keep two too much of a hurry for dinner ~I.ubs and the two winning hearts to sit and work it out. to be sure of making three of the last four tric~s : it is a triple North deals. Love-all : squeeze without the count which + AJ 5 works even if dummy's clubs are ~ AQ84 both lower than West's. O K + A 8 753 + K2 ' + 9763 METROPOLITAN CUP ~ 10 6 5 2 ~ J 7 3 0 A 5 0 Q 10 7 4 2 This popular summer com +KJ 9 4 2 • Q petition between County teams- + Qto84 of-12 from North and South of the ~ K9 Thames 'has commenced. Middle 0 J 9 8 6'3 sex Hertfordshire and Essex fight + 10 6 for'the honour of representing the North whilst Surrey, Sussex and South played in an optimistic Kent battle for the South position. contract .of three no trumps (one In the final the North is 'usually club 0 d' - represented by Middlesex but one • ne tamond • one heart • and no trump, three no trumps) rather to the surprise of many, to 1{0 ~ the + 4 lead which went the strong combination repre st 5 + Q. West won the 0 4 senting this county last month ~e~ukn and led the + K which was could only draw with Herts. Both d c ed. The +J was won in teams have to play Essex. . h~~my~ and South came to his In the South, the ·opentng W Wtth ~K to play the + IO. match was between Kent and Ea~~n West covered the + I0 and Sussex at Tunbridge Well ~ . Kent on thco mpleted, an unwise peter won fairly comfortably by 54 JlOsire next round of spades the points. All three teams-of-four the was clear, so after making were .. up " at the end of play tf with scores of 41 pts., 2 pts., Tbe po . t~outh finessed the + 8. 51 ton was now this:- 11 pts. 37 . ' CONTRACT BRIDGE JOUR,NAL This was a hand which led I made twelve tricks in spite of; many to bid too high:- Vienna Coup and a. double sq~eeze : So the grip of the 14 •' + p01son IS now stronger than ever. r;::; J 10 4 Anyone know an antidote? · o 10642 • QJ 3 2 +Q107 6 +K 2 r;::; Q986 r;::; 532 • • • 0- . O KJ98 + K 7 6 54 + A 10 9 8 BRIDGE PUBLICITY + A9853 r;::) AK 7 AQ753 Very few of us will query the 0 statement that bridge does not get sufficient publicity compared Both sides were vulnerable with with other games. The news given South the· dealer.- The opening by our national papers is meagre bids were generally one spade, in the extreme. Why this sh9uld one no trump, three diamonds. be so, it is difficult to understand. Now North has bid a no trump on Surely there are more bridge a hand on which a pass would be players in the count.ry than ~ere justified and .the force of three are followers of p1geon racmg. diamonds should be ignored. archery, chess and fencing. Yet However, five North-South we see quite a deal of space couples went to game either in devoted to these games and bridge spade~ or diamonds, were duly almost completely neglected ex· doubled and suffered varying cept by newspapers like the Times penalties. The sixth couple and Telegraph. Have we got .to Dimmie Fleming and Naiman wait for Terence Reese to ~ste Smart were content to play in two Leslie Dodd's ear for not ret?n:'IDg diamonds, which was South's bid a lead or something smular, over the no trump. ·To my mind before the game is reported. this. is the correct bid. South should' reason that some ofNorth's The E.B.U. recently ~nte~~ strength- is likely to be in clubs tained a number of assJSta and would be useless, so that the editors and other leading jouf!!a· chances of game scarcely exist. lists to lunch and put the qu~~': ' to these gentlemen as to ho";,)~ 'ty possible to get more pu !'Ited 010 (C t' dfi · 34) Mr. Ted Weldon was npP .4. on mue rom page Press Officer to use his best efti0 d' lt All right, I know, East was a to provide news and cophy u" get lunatic. The kindergarten make is to be hoped we s 11 twelve tricks, the juniors something done. The Euro~ make twelve tricks, the juniors Championships results w~re ~as make twelve tricks, the seniors over the radio and thiS tub· make twelve tricks, every- excellent publicity. Congrasible. body makes twelve tricks. Even tions to whoever was respon l 38 ' ' ., ONE NO TRUMP-TWO CLUBS An elaboration of the convention by_ MAURICE WEISSBERGER One of the big problems faced fit over one no trump but a 5-3 by responder, is his bid over one fit. The solution is as follows. no trump by his dealer partner. • ·Take the following hand:- The gap between a dreadful two - \ spades which will be lucky to go •A Jtoxx only one or two down and· the \?KJ!Ox reasonable two spades which will 0 XX make fo ur with a good no trump +A x and fit , is, considerable. Mr. Cotter suggested a means of over Your partner opens one (weak) coming this, but as the · con no trump. You bid two clubs and vention needed two articles for partner two diamonds. Ruling explanation, I doubt its efficiency out a four-heart contract, you by any except possibly our beloved now bid three diamonds. This bid masters. tells partner you are 5-4 (or 4-5) in the majors, and that even One very simple past solution opposite a minimum no trump w~ich i~ in successful use by some you want to be in game. It tells. patrs, IS that the sequence one him you have one five-card major no trump - two clubs ..: two dia and that if he has three cards in monds .- three spades can be that suit you would rather play passed, 1f opener has a minimum. the hand in four of the suit than Now this is very useful One three no trumps.' So he replies. no trump - two spades ca~ never to the three diamonds bid, by ~ an I I point two spades. And bidding his three-card major suit Wl~h an I 1 point five-card spade upwards. If he has three hearts ~e ~b .t Y~u can stay out of game. The bids three hearts , and you b1d ~ectiOn to this however is when three spades. If he has three ~~d~nder ~as sufficient for game spades also he bids four; if h~ has su 15 S-4 Jn the majors.• Let us only two he bids three no trumps. t PPose he has five spades and If he bids ,three spades and yo~r b~~~ .hearts, and.l2-13 points. The five-card suit was hearts you b1d club~ng goes .one no trump - two three no trumps whilst if he has would- !Wo d1amonds and now he two major suit doubletons-he. fore' h~e to bid three spades as bids three no trumps! is a ~ng ,.ut ~e can't because this on-.orcmg bid. With the hand above give. Un 'II' partner:- forcinWJ ~ng to abandon the non- think g Situation I have tried to' • Kxx forcin or. a w.ay to incorporate a \? Q X , . . if """~SituatiOn as well and also 0 Axxx ~ssa ry, fimd not only a 4-4' + KJxx 39 . ' CONTRACT BRIDGE JOURNAL The bidding goes :- + Atoxxx 1\?KIOxx Oxx 4 Kx INT 2+ 20 30 3+ 4+ Bidding-tNT 2+ 20 3+ + AKxxx 1\?AJxx Oxxx t x But give partner: Bidding-I~T 2' 20 3+ + Kxx Mr. We1ssberger s solution to 1\? Qxx this problem certainly offers good 0 Axx f ood far thought but unfortunately + KJxx it tends to increase the number of convelllional pids to be used. It and the bidding goes :- is generally agreed that the fewer INT 2+ 20 30 .,31\? 3+ 44 and in each case you are in the of these bids there are, the betttr best contract. it will be .for bridge. We do not wish to have a system on tht So this simple convention lines of " Mannie " in this country. enables you to play the sequence One of these days I expect to hear one no trump - two clubs - two someone at the table tell me they diamonds - three spades as non are playing Baronized Marmic forcing. It also enables you to Vienna Acol-with variations. find a 5-3 fit in the majors when -Editor you wish to force. • • • A Contract Bridge Journal team What are the objections? I can of 8 will play a match against the see very few. One minor ob B.B.C. at the London Club on jection is that the three-card major Thursday, September 15th. bolder will play the hand, but a bigger objection is that the partner • • • ship have described a lot of their hand to the enemy. The conven tional use of the three diamond bid appears negligible- for what possible occasion can we want one no trump - two clubs - two diamonds - three diamonds- to be natural? So there it is. I should be interested to hear readers vie\I(S on this-especially those who like playing one no trump - two clubs - two diamopds - three spades as non-forcing. · Examples: + AJtOxx 'V' KJIOx Oxx + Ax Bidding- tNT 2+ 20 30 + AlOxxx 'V'QJ lOx Oxx + Ax Bidding- tNT 2+ 20 30 + AJtOxx 'V'QJIOx Oxx + Kx •Bidding- tNT 2+ 20 30 + AtOxxx 'V'KIOxx Oxx + Qx Bidding- tNT 2+ 20 3+ 40 . . ~. . :I T hi~·· : M. 6nth~s· · C~mpetitiOn . Th e CO NTRACT BRIDGE can lakemore thanoneprizc inany one JOUR NA L offers a prize of 1WO month. ' GUINEAS for the best set of solu- Answers to J. C. H. MARX Com- lions to the following problems. Half petition Editor, Contract . ' Bridg~ 1 guinea will go to the second best Journal, 63 Bedford Gardens, London, sel In the event of two or more sets of W.S, postmarked not later than • solutions being ·of equal merit, the August, 14, 1955. Solutions a nd names month ly prizes will be divided. of prize-winners will be published in ... There "ill also be a special prize of the September issue. bali-a-guinea for the best score sent in Every entry must have contestant's by a lady. · ' · name,and address (IN BLOCK L£TIERs). ' No competitor may send in more than Failure to observe these rules makes one entry each month. No competitor • the entry void.· .. ------~------N.B.- In problems Nos. 1 to 6~ggregate scoring is assumed. Problem No. 1 (14 points) • West's hand is:-+ A65, ~ K7542, OA, +AK62. . As dealer at Ganne-all West opens one heart. North-South do not bid. East responds one spade and West rebids two clubs. What should West say following a rebid by East of (a) two hearts; (b) three no trumps? Problem No. 2 (14 pOints) . , _ ' West's hand is :-+ Void, ~ J74 , O Q108642. + 9765 • . ' '-- East a.s dealer at Ganne-all opens two clubs, conventionally forcing to game. • r . ~orth-South do not bid. West makes the conventionally negative response of two diamonds. East rebids two spades and West three diamonds. What should West 1 . say after a further bid from East of {a) three hearts; (b) five diamonds? _. •'. ,. · Probl~ No. 3 (10 points) . . . ,._ ...#...... West s hand is;-+ KQJ75 tyJ76 0 753 +Q2. ' ' ·. At the score North-South Game· West as' dealer passed and the following auction , look place:- ' I ' I West NB 3 ~ NB NB NB \ ... ; ' I. North I + 4 0 NB ,.. Rdbl. · East 2~ 4 ~ Obi. : NB . o• • South 30 5 0 NB NB I What should West lead? Why 1 , · , .• ' · . . . 1 "~ . B .~ n the reliability of the bidding by the four players •. 1t IS faJr I~ ~y o th!lt• · . telli e 1 e more fastidious critics might not approve· of all of 11, none of It ~ ~ umn- . gent. . . . 1 , . , 0 . ~~No. 4. (14 points;:~ ~ ·_' 0 • • • _ • • • - , • At G hand IS:- + Q84, ~ K10542, OK964, '+ 2. · - 'd West 0 : !tspondsame-all East as dealer opens one club. North-South do _not b• ( ) h · clubs· (b) one heart. What should West say next where East reb1ds to a t reo • · • two spades 1 , o _ o _ 1 Ptobltn~ N 1 • • • • • • • • 0 w , • 5 (14 points) •: : 0 ~ • , ·, • N:~ hand is:.:.._+ AlO, ~A76432, O KQ864, + Void. one · ' no tru • the dealer, and East pass at the score East-West Game. S?ut~ opens 4 Points?'(Pb.) What should West say where South's bid is alleged to s1gmfy (a) 12•1 • 16- 18 points? ' . • · o · PtobJent N 1 , • • • • • • , West' o. 6. (7 points) ' ' . ' 1 • • ' At G~nd •s:-+ 986, ~2. O K74."+ AKQJ92. 0 bid "East ~Ponds ~allh West as dealer opens one club. • North·S!>uth _dd ~~t.sboutd ' 0 "est say n0 e cart,. West rebids two clubs and East two d1amon 5• ext? . · · 41 .' •. ' : .... •. l CONTRACT BRIDGE JOURNAL ,t . .' ·'. ._, . Problem No. 7 (ll points) r I ... , West and East held these hands in a large match-pointed pairs cilntest, but I (: • 110 •• f\ pair managed to reach the all but lay-down grand slam. r- '. West East \ - +54 +AK6 ' ~ AK62 ~ 075 ·- OAKJ86 OQ9 + AS + KQ975 Construct a sound sequence for the partners at match-point scoring, West bciaa the dealer at Love-all. Any well-known system and/or conventions (or none) may be assumed to be in use and should be stated. Any bids whose mearung is not self-evident should be annotated. Problem No. 8 (15 points) The hands of West and East are:- West East + A K J 10 3 + Q 6 2 ~9812 ~KJ . OA6 OQ4 + K6 + 198542 West has become declarer at a contract of four spades. At Love-all South as dealer opened a" weak" no trump (12-14 points) and West doubled. North bid two diamonds and East three clubs. Neither North nor South bid again. West bid three spades and East four spades. North led the ~3 and South's ace covered dummy's jack. South retUrned the +9. How should West plan the play? .... ~- • r" .. . . ., . :ANSWERS TO . . .. ' .. MAY COMPETITION N.B.-AII problems relate to rubber bridge • Problem No. 1 (15 points) West's hand is:-+AK54 ~A9763 08 +0102. At Iove-all East as de:llcr opens one diamond. North~South do 'not bid. West responds one heart. Wb1l should West say next where East rebids to:- (a) two diamonds . (b) one spade (c) two no trumps? 't docs not A nswers: therefore unlikely. B~t 1 ·hen he (a) 2NT-S 2+-3 JNT- follow that it can be made ~ rebid {b) J+-5 +_ 2 could think of no more 2+-4 , 4 3 stimu~ll~iwhOSC (c) 3+-s 3NT-4 4NT-l · than a mere repetition of~mmo trumps The ',Vell-k!lown and popular equation establishment as a long su•t a~t~nslcton -opem_ng bJd plus openmg bid equals may need more than a smaV tshould same-1s apt to produce crude results if in support to bring about. V.csto ~ 1:TUdely applic;d. If game is to be bid on not therefore plunge directl~:~oo gttlt general values the chosen denomination pending further assurance t re pat must be suitable for the combined a proportion of East's valuestr!st. the hands; the less suitable it is in .other distributional. In (b)1 by co~lea' and respects, the &renter must be these final denomination IS so pmc: is values. In (a} East has declined to hopeful that a direct raise, t~his paint. 11 suppof1 one major suit or to seize a only doubtfully adequat~ 5p3dc. a>nve.ment opportunit~ or bidding the If East had ope!led Wtlh 0~.-W his other • any same but 10 no trumps is West would certamly ha~-e rep ..-- 42 ·. , ' ... ,...... • f CONTRACT BRIDGE JOURNAL top ..:.~rd values as too .goo~ for such a though holding promising values is less cour'c The present s1tuat1on, though sure of his ultimate and not ,Jcntical, is certainly parallel and destinati~n shouiJ be met with the parallel measure therefore has cause to probe around at of a forcing rebid. Of the two forcing n low level. In (c), it is unlikely that the bid5 a\ailnble, two clubs and three clubs, combined honour values alone are the Iauer is preferable, since it announces enough for a slam, and the main hope clear!} that the hand is going to be lies in the heart suit fitting well enough pla}ed at least in game and will have for But to show preference for it after Cll3bled the shape to be displayed when the suggested bid in spades. West can spades are subsequently supported. scarcely rebid such a suit to four on his The one-round force of two clubs is own and n rebid · to three would be more suitable for cases where responder, construed as n sign-ofT. Problem No. 2 (15 points) West's hand is the same as in Problem No. I. North as dealer opens the bidding at game-all. What should West say in each of these auctions? North (a) t + (b) 10 (c) 10 But ND NB NB South 10 2+ INT West ? ? ? AIUII'tr.J: one of his own mediocre majors. This (a) Dbl.-S NB-3 liV- 2 procedure also affords a better chance of (b) NB-S Dbl.-2 ' the opponents instead of his own side (c) NB-S Dbl.-3 being the sufferers from all-round . With opposing bids on both sides of misfitting hands. In (_a), when the level ~un that may be concealing much or is as low as it can be, the risk: of action !IItle, Wc:;st is in an e~tposed position for seems worth taking; in (b), where it is tntcrventton. Where he decides he can higher and responder is apt to be atro.rd the risk, he .is certainly better stronger, much more doubtfully so. ad~ to use the take-out double, In both (b) and (c) it may well be wiser usu.nng . partner of support for the to remain passive unless the opponents' unbid SUits and leaving htm to choose bidding peters out weakly at some between them, rather than to plump for contract like two diamonds. Problem No. 3 (IS points) . West's ha!ld is:.:_+ K. IVJIO, OKJI096 + AQI064. At Jove-all West as dealer : .nsd one d1amond. North-South do not bid. East responds two h~rts and West 1 s three clubs. What.:;hould West say following East's next btd of:- (a) four clubs ·(b) three diamonds (c) three spades? AnsM·tr.r· • misses the opportunity of mentioning (a) 4 •~s S+-3 6+-2 it now he can scarcely Cllpect to have r/ 4+-S 40-3 3+ -2 • anothe~. The cue-bid is of .course c 4~-S 3NT- 3 4+ -2 only a half-truth, but West has hts com- hisWest h 's dgoo d ·sntermediate cards lend pensations elsewhere; .h e ha~ an a,...... , ,a a~" · a somewhat deceptive decent side-suit, a parttal fit tn partner 5 negativ n~ of solidity. They' have the suit and a trump suit that, after suppo~. or fail~;lrtthue of lessening the chances · should have no holes. In {b) the levclts &i\tn rough bad breaks at any lower and there need be no hurry to Posit' contrac.t rather than making a impart the news of the spade: control; to lYe and sndis 'bJ 'b . a l"t'n statement of a two-su}ted ~and itssucees 5 penst e contn utton ,...Pnn.. ot r.at'l to be he~ful and IS entirely some ro . • Nevertheless the hand has .... " h t Iliad/ ~·se ~fa slam once partner has truthful. In (c) it oes not ~m t a cautions11 orcm~ · take-out, and some West's two suits are of much mte~t to afforded 5 Uh8J!cshons to this effect can be East and an intimation that West 15 at C:Ontrolla~ 11e the auction remains at a least not averse to hearts may be more &lalll rna Y.1 ow level. In (a) a small gratefully received than any other. Tho l~d Easf hinge on the spade control prolonged an argument overh .t h~ \lthout rnay not be able to bid it denomination usually leav~tt~th: 1:ir 50 1 rne such assurance. If West of the final contract somewn.. • .. 43 "'!~ 'f' · ~t- · : }'~~ r.'\,_,.... -.r .,~ ... --r t.:t-;F-~.HJ "\.\~; :_:~..;· 1/ .. ~~ f .•,;;;· ::r. ,. ,~ 1. ; I f ;~ · .: ;· ~ :::'·<;..!\•' ~... ..~" J .~\' :.a- ..t 1 .-: :¥Mil 0M , .... i • ~ \ ~ ~ ~ • •" I J . o• - ""''•, \ !.& • ~1.'" : ' ; (: .~.. ~ )' f I, , .. '"'•'" • .... •t , ._ ;\1 I , 1 1 ·,.-, .... . l i'~. ~. - ',:,• • t 1 ~ · ,t(t..'.\:'""'/,._\-f· - . .!\wi "'i · ~·•"''~r •;--. -;or ; 11 1"' . ~.. ,, • ., \ !'·'·r ;• ir ;# ... r t ~.,...... :.• t~-ol=t ,·...... , .. !~~~·r."'.···<;.., ··i·· . ''•' ., ,~ .. ~ ..... ~~ .... t'•;·;'t', Jol ,, .. . -lr.. "''i .:r .. •' t ..:~··, ... "'• ...... , ' • I -.._'" t • o I , ., ) t t ' 141, ' ._ 'll li • ~':\ ~-:•, ~ '•:~:t, ,~ .. • l .. f ,o,_, I •• t I ' ,- 4 t ~::/•-4 I; ;.," ··t· '1·: :; .. :... • r t •• · ,· ... ~~ • './:: • '~ . ··~· • . CONTRACT BRIDGE JOURNAL · • .''• · 1.,4 ,·: "' 1, .. ,. ! ': · Problem No . .4 (15 points) , _ :.':\ · . North is the dealer at Iove-aii. West's hand is :-+ 52, ~K9, 0AK106, + AK86l · · '·' What should he say next in each of these auctions? • ~~~~: :-- • · North (a)- 2~ 2+ (b)- 2~ (c)- 2~ 2+ ,~ East - Dbl. 3~ Dbl. - Db!.- ' ~.:, ·· · " South t + I+ 2+ t+ ~-~~ ( . . - West Obi. - ? Db!. ? Dbl. - 1 ~'::~' Answers: stand up well even to West's rathcrs;b- ;r:r• (a) 4~-5 NB- 3 normal support With West's exctllcnt )";~, ·, (b) 3+-5 NB-3 top-card tricks on the side, there should -l'. ,, (c) '3+-5 NB-1 be a fair play for game. (b) is a more ·-- ,. West's hand is far from ideal for a difficult case. There is no very positi\-e , ~.~\~ take-out double, since the implied evidence of psychic action by opponenu ·. ··.~ '" -.support for the other major suit is of a and West's hearts are not such that be ::,- ~ decidedly inferior order. Nevertheless can contemplate a heart contract unk:ss ;1(·.: ·· the hand is too strong for any~ other East is prepared to bid the suit himself. 1:· .' action and West must hope to be in a It is possible that East can punish the .•: ··~ ·: position later to correct any false spade contract if West passes, but it is •r.l •' ~ Impression if East has the values to take far more likely that left to himSdf be ,i' :' . any interest. In (a) South's acquiescence will be unable to muster another bid. ,. ·: · ~ in the doubled heart contract and North's A bid in a minor wiiJ not deter East ~::·J . retreat from .it strongly s~ggests that the from bidding hearts if the suit is long :;. ; • latter has tned a psychic of a type so enough, but he should realize that West's •·l ' common as to be almost routine. · support may not be better tban it is. ,,.;\'~, ·• Nevertheless, East's action in not only In (c) East's hearts are evidently not so : ;;: ·: , doubl!ng .North's. heart bid but bidding good as in (a), and it is then:forc all tJ_le ,·,.t · thes~uthlmselfat theth~level must be more likely, since he has ,talcen part Ill • " ·· considered pretty drastic and almost the auction, that a minor suit contract :.::•:·.: certainly implies a six CONTRACT BRIDGE JOURNAL •no r ad as a spur. t«? partn~r, but ~in'7 resPc:ctabl~ and West should be much it wa'i preceded by a reverse . btd tt less neryous of supporting it. In (c) cannot he considered a complete Stgn-off. some evtdence of fit has emerged and the In (bl East's mention of a second suit hand will accordingly be the less does at least imply that the first was awkward to manage in the play. Problem No. 7 (JS points) These were the hands of West and East:- + KQJ 1064 + ·A97· !VI A6542 !V17 .. . 0 A 0 K87532 . + 9 + AQ6 At the score East-West Game, South as dealer opened four hearts, .West bid four spades and East, after formalities with Blackwood, raised to six spades. North- South made no further bid. _ West's OA won the first trick from North's opening lead of the queen and South's play of the nine. West failed in his contract and an' onlooker remarked, as on lookers will, that he could have made it a certainty against any distribution of the cards consistent with the bidding and the play so far. States, Yes or No, with as brief as possible an explanation, whether you agree• • cannot afford to ruff more than one . . heart and still retain trump control, Yes, though wtth ,one_ reservation. , , but he can , draw trumps and bring This, some will consider, is equivalent about this position:- to No, but there is only one and not at West .-. all probable lie of the cards whe.re the + J ' - • I con~ract cannot be made, and then o,itly ' !VI A 6 5 .. agamst a far from obvio~s . defence.. . 0 ·- When the hand was actually played, · + 9 ' West at _trick t_";'O led the !VIA w.~i<;h , ' · Soutlr .. . ·t as he mtght easily have foreseen; wru; + _ t ruffed by North. On a trump return, ~ K Q .. he .can now only ruff two of his four •· '· 0 to 9 .. •• .i• • . losmg hearts and dispose of another on • t + x ' · , . the OK. But it was not a trump return - - · Eas • ' :· - that defeated him, but a club. With West. plays th~ + J, throwmg t s . 1 the + A remaining as an eventual entry, Sf!lall ~Iamond. South mu~ now g:rt ... , h~; CI?IIId ,.haye .~ s~tcceeded , b . a· com-·.· ·.":'lth ,hts, <;lub, kn~wn _by .W~~ to a btnaito_n of heart 'ruffs anl diamond' smgleton,andEast~~Q~ntfn_eces~ry estalifishment', ·even.- if 'North" had . held be safelY, finessedr.. r. • • 1., · Jive · diamoq4~ ,and (our, , spades. Jn ., However, , North m.a.Y. npt .. ~?e. so ~ual fact,. North only · helrl three• obliging as to allo~ S~!Jti! tq W!n the spades, but ihe1club' ~eturri deni~d West ·• hellrt'-at trick. two. · He may ruff_ tt ahli jFSto !he established long diamond. lead a clu~. ~nd. now . ~n ;~hts.: 0~ he accordmgly he tried to ruff three p.articular dtstnbutton (~tde r~ \h . harts, he could not cash the . 0 K and • impossible" case of mne c1 u WI !tiW tetdid of the fourth, because South North) the contrahct caNn~~ :k~a~he~ ' 0 Wo 1 a a trump. A little thougtit ' lri other cases, w er:e - · d'ffi at ~~~ave led him to the winning play· same action, We~~t' 5 10 8[r~~r. q~lt~ 5 0 1 c _two-a small heart. South culty but , can .stt ~~ d • • e~ry~~ •s Jn~ble t~ J1mlove IJ:te : cl~b ·, inl~)ligibl!j P.l~y. ,.,Jie;JJr d'l!~o~d.mylf Irick andm um~y wtthout concedmg a ace and ea. s a s ust ruff high, but tion Play flnnot pr.cl(e_nt t~e .combina-·:. South follbwbJ ~S ~th will renounce. does 1b rom succeedmg, whatever pe more pro a Y •0 d Ia s dummy's for West~ wont possible distribution' r. He ruffs ~ hehart ff~ - JoJh can have '0..7-.5 !S 4-0-t- 8 with North and OK. Jr . .,out ru ' d West can South-;-sl ~th South. With this holding no more than twh t~TP:~dn still retain West Will t wu'!l is a diamond, which . ruff two moiT C:h his '\J A at the end. · aware that~ htgh and will now be trump cohn~ro o t ruff West needs to Clltd, aim uth has only one black 1f Soul canno h~rt ost certainly a club. He now ruff only one more · ,. · .· 4S ' • .- . ' ...... ' • I .. · _CALEN_DAR OF EVE~TS \ Sept. '21-28 NoRTIIERN IRELAND CoNGRESS Portrush Sept. 30-0ct. 9 C .D.A.I. CoNGRESS Dun Laoghajre Oct. 21-24 E.B.U. AUTUMN CoNGRESS East bourne Oct. 21-23 S.B.U. AUTUMN CoNGRESS Gleneagles Oct. 28-30 D ERBYSHIRE C.B.A. Matlock Oct. 28-30 l LKLEY CoNGRESS (ST. D UNSTANS) , Ilk ley Nov. 4-6 W E~SH , B.U. CONGRESS ,, Porthcawl -· . : STOP PRESS · ~ European Championships:- · ·, , - 1956 In STOCKHOLM I 1957 In VIENNA ... ! • ·. . * * ' I • ... * .' ·. ' ' ~ \ France as winners in Amsterdam will represent Europe in the next World Championship Match against the winners ofihe American . Championships which takes place in Chicago in September. It is · hoped to organize a match between the Danish Ladies and a team Of American Ladies. • • J : - ~- English Bridg~ Union ·. List of Delegates Chairman:-]. W. PEARSON Vice-Presidents:-G. L. BunER ' L. TARLO Tournament Secretarj,:-G. FELL '. .. • ., (Chairman: J. W. PEARSON, EsQ.) Hon. Secretary and Treasurer... H . CoLUNS, EsQ., A.C.A., c/o Messrs. Leaver Cole & Co., 30 Budge Row, Cannon Street, I.oodon, E.C.4. (Phone: City 4887) Hon. Tournament Secretary ... MAJOR GEOFFREY FELL, Craven Lead Works, Skipton, Yorkshire. (Phone: Skipton 32) ...J,• Hon. Registrars Messrs. LEAVER, CoLE & Co. -. The Council of the English Bridge Union is made up of Delegates from County and Area Associa!ions, whose Secretaries arc as follows:- ' DERBYSHIRE E. White, 119 Alexandra Road, Burton upon Trent. DEVONSHIRE • ... G. Graham Wilson, Esq., 8 Georgian Court, Babbacombe Road, Torquay ESSEX F. M. Fletcher, Esq., 22 Fontayne Avenue, Chigwell GLOUCESTERSHIRE W. N. Morgan-Brown, ~q ., S, Douro Road, Cheltenham HERTFORDSHIRE ... C. G. Grenside, Esq., 1 Cloisters, Grange Court Road, Harpenden, Herts • KENT ••• Mrs. R. H. Corbett, West Kent Club, Boyne P:uk:, Tunbridge Wells ·TH LEICESTERSHIRE. ... L. G . Cayless, !:sq., Farm Edge, Leicester Road, ·•' Thurcaston ' LINCOLNS~E :.. 1 •• ~ •• • Mrs. S. N. Dean, 2 Westlands Avenue, Grill15by LONDON ... F. Pitt Reynolds, Esq., 37 High bury Place, London, ~ . N.S • MIDDLESE:X 1 ·' .. , 1. .. • ••• Mrs. J. Johnston, 54 Berkeley"' tourt, • Mer Street, London, N.W.l , 1 NORFOLK ' ••• R. Mallinson, Esq., Shibden, Lower Hellcsdon. . , , o~ , - • Norwich 1 • J t • · t NORTH EA.SfER.N,... . •••. R. G. Stuart, Esq., 42 Gt.' Lime Road, Forest 1 · h ,. ·: Hall, Newcastle upon Tyne. . ~ 'i. ts NORTH WESTERN ... f ... · Mrs. H. T. Halewood, 7 Mendip, Rd., LtverJlC?Qio In NOITINGHAMSHIRE . ... J~ H. C. Godfrey, Esq., 'leighton House, Unc0 1 ' Street, Nottingham •1 - • "" ' . 1 OXFORDSHIRE ' ...... Mrs. R. G. Beck, I Blenheim Drive, Oxf~ SOUTHERN COUNTIES ... Mrs. A. H. Hogg, 27 Elgin Road,' Bou STAFFORDSHIRE ,... •.. , C. E. Robinson, 6 Lichfield Road; Stalt:dord.So tb, SURREY • ' .' .. • • . R. F. R. Phillips, Esq., 110.Banstead .Roa u , • 1 • • • • ' 1 ' Sutton 1 ' . SUSSEX ...... : . · . ... Mrs. Ricardo, 12 Byron Rood, Worthingd,, B~ WARWICKSHIRE 1 I.', •: · ·'.. , f. 0. Bingham, Esq., 64a Greenhill Roa . • 1r ''·. •• ,. mingham, 13 . · · tcr WORCESTERSHIRE '· .!1 ... R. D. Allen, Esq., 28 Britannia Squarc. ·'Y~ts. YORKSHIRE... .., ' · ... Mrs. A. Cartwright, 146 SoothiU Lane, Ba ....n · ; ~. #I .. , • .. ... ' l 1 l ... . .! ·• '"'' ·-' :J • r.> ":; ... ; 1. ~ :'"~. '• I"' J""" •• " ~I 7 ·. \ CLASSIFIED ADVERTISEMENTS 5/- per line. Special terms for n series BRIDGE CLUBS AND HOTELS !!ARROW • TUNBRJDGE WELLS, KENT HAUOW IIRI"DOB CLua-16 Nortbwack Park WEST KENT Cwo-12 Boyne Pul<, Tun Road Harrow, Middx. Tel. Harrow 3908. bridae Wells. Comfortable well-appointed Good' standard Bridge In enjorable atmosphere. Dridae Club. FuUy licensed.' Stakes Jd. and Sessions twice daily. Partncnhaps and Duplicate. 6d •.Re11ular Partnership and Duplicate. Private partaes specially catered for. For further details apply to R. H. Corbett, Secn:tary. Tel. Tun· bndae Wells 21Si3. WNDON SOUTHPORT OuND SLAM BRIDOE CLuo-17 Craven The Noted Club n the North-West the Hill Gardens, W .2, Phone: Padd 7234. Pro SotrntPORT D.C. welcomes visitors. Every prietor Dr. W. Splrer. . Stakes 6d. 1/· and 2/-. afternoon, stakes 2d. to 1/-. Partnenhip Sunday, Partnenhip evenrnas, Tuesday Thursday and Wednesday and Saturday eveninas. Duplicate Saaurday. Best 1/· a a me in London. Niaht 11ames twice monthly. Secretary, Mrs. E. A. Tawse, with refreshments. 399 Lord Street. Tel. 4490. TUITION NICO GARDENER teaches players of all PERFECf YOUR BRIDGE under cham• atJ.adards by new method. Classes, team pionship auidance. Private or Group Tuition. coachln&, correspondence courses. The London Practice classes. Duplicate coachina. Lectures. School or Bridge, 38a Kina's Road, London, Folder free on request from The Mayfair Dridae S.W.3 KENsinaton 2197. Studio (Dept. ~) . 114 Wiamore Street, London W.l. WELbcck 6655. DUPLICATE BRIDGE BOARDS Stronalf. made, Quick delivery. Si~e 7" sq. £jf" • per set of 32 plus 2/10 postage and reaistrution. Metal Edaes 16/- per set extra. Actual Maker: F. Lawes, 10 Farquhu Road, :·~ Edabaston, Dirminaham,IS • I ... EASTBOURNE WHITEHALL BRIDGE CLUB AND RESIDENTIAL HOTEL Good Bridge In comfort Club · LI~ens~ Two Sessions dally Overlooking Se Flm edition sold out- Second edition now ready HOW TO WIN AT ., B~GE by . H. St. JOHN INGRAM _ . Published by Eyre & Spottiswoode or aU booksellers · 3/6 I ~~~. ·11.7b. 'oD.· u• I . II All who desire to further the development of Contract Bridge as a game should be members of, and support THE ENGLISH BRIDGE UNION the governing body for England • Membership of the Union may be obtained through membership of the appropriate affiliated Col}nty Association II or m Counties, where no County Association exists~:. by direct application to LEAVER ~COLE & co., . \' 30 Budge Row, London, E.C.4 .I ' . (~egistrars •to the• E.B .U.) Membership of the E.B.U. entitles you to: (a) All Literatur~ (b) Entry to all National Competitions (c) A voice m the management of the game ;·--=-='------E U. Printed In Great Briu.ln b M D • 1 -4 d pu~ for the Proprietors by HJah ~:: 4~~ Lro. • Hmckney, £.9, and London, E.g. •.!je atleldinl bookstalls, or direct from tbe Publl:hc11 ·R• 3~ Dover Street, Lon.don, W.l. . "Post tO c;aa..U and Newfoundland. rs. eatstcred for transmln&on by Maawne Jack Marx, Alan Truscott, nnd the Editor, 'H. St. John Ingrum. Send your questions to:-Editor C.B.J., 3 London Lnne, Bromley, Kent.