The British Bridge World February 1962 • Changing Probabilities in Practice, by Col. R. L. Telfer Th(• Talk of Torquay, by J. Van den Borre tight Opening Bids in the World Championship, by "Analyst" Scotland v. England, by George Baxter PUBLISHED ON 15TH OF EACH MONTH The Clubman's choice . ." Linette" playing cards T hese fine quality, linen grained, playing cards are the popular choice with club players. The familiar geo­ metrical back design is available in red and blue to make playing pairs. They are packed singly in tuck cases. Retail price 3f3d. per pack. STATIONERS DIVISION THOMAS DE LA RUE & CO. LTD.• 92 MIDDLESEX STREET, LONDON, E. I • • • • EVERY SATURDAY IN • THE • • • • • • • • • llaily t!tltgraph "·Not exactl"'r ~ sunny South, is lae?'' said North "You have to de-ice before every deal, his house is so cold," growled West, wincing. cc You might as well expect a Vienna coup at .wery hand as expect warmth at his table,n said North numbly. "Well, if he doesn't want to eliminate me from his table, the sooner he puts in an automatic boiler the better," ·East exclaimed. << Tell him to pick a Potterton boiler. I did,n declared North. "So did I," said West warmly. Potterton-owning bridge players if it were paying Jfor it. play in blissful warmth and com­ Other PJ:Ople whose tiny hands fort, and can devote all their are frozen · at thei•' bridge tables concentration to their game. should write to Miss M . Meredith, They don't have the slightest at 20-30 Buckhold Road, London qualm about running costs, either. S.W.18 , or phone h er at VANdyke Because a Potterton burns fuel as 7202 for full information. Potterton Boilers at t he heart of efficient central heating-oil or gas A HEHBER Of THE (I) DE LA A.UE CiROUP Thomas Potterton Limited, 20-30 Duckhold Road, London• S.W.18 "POnERTON" IS A REGISTERED TRADE HARK 2 The British Bridge World SUCCESSOR TO THE CONTRACT BRIDGE JOURNAL: MEDIUM FOR ENGLISH BRIDGE UNION NEWS Edited by TERENCE REESE VOLUME 13 February 1962 NUMBER 2 Editorial Board BERNARD WESTALL (CHAIRMAN) GEOFFREY L. BUTLE R K ENNETH KONSTAM TERENCE REESE ALBERT D ORMER ADVERTISING AU enquiries should 1-e addressed to the ADVERTISING MANAGER, THOMAS DE LA RUE & CO. LTD., 92 Middlesex Street, E.l All other correspondence, including Subscriptions, to the Publishers: Moore Batley Ltd., 35 Dover Street, London, W.l Hyde Park 3601-2 Annual Subscription 35/· The British Bridge World is published on the 15th of each month Publi<hl'd aud prillll'•f on bl'lwlfof the proprlnors Thomas De La RuP & Co. Ltd., by Moor~ Batfl'y Lttf. 35 Dovu Strl'l'l, Landon, W.l February, 1962 Contents Page Editorial 5 Masters Pairs Result ·6 Changing Probabilities in Practice, by Col. R. L. Telfer 7- 10 The Talk of Torquay, by J. Van den Borre 10-14 Report on Bridge Pool C ... 15 Repeat of January Problems 16 London and the South, by Alan Hiron 17- 23 Scotland v. England, by George Baxter 24-25 Par Point Olympiad (2), by Terence Reese 25- 27 Light Opening Bids in the World Championship, by "Analyst" 28- 29 You Say . 30-32 One Hundred Up: February Problems 32- 33 Directory of E.B.U. Clubs .. 34 E.B.U. List of Secretaries .. 35 One Hundred Up: Answers to January Competitio n 36-44 Result of January Competition 44 E.B.U. Results 44-46 E.B.U. Master Points Register 46 Subscription Form 47 Diary of Events 48 4 Editorial NO LACK OF VOLUNTEERS REVISION As announced last month, On page 15 appears tbe result of Britain's representatives in the our third Bridge Pool. This pro­ World Olympic Pairs will consist motion earned much publicity in of the two front pairs in the America and elsewhere, but the Masters Pairs (see overleaf), two support has not quite justified its winners from a free-for-all on continuance on the present scale. March 3 and 4, one pair from We have studied the lessons, and Wales and one from Scotland. when we resume it the cost of a We shall need a strong force to line wi ll be less, there wi ll be more put up against, say, the French, prizes, and maybe the hands will for whom Jais-Trezel and two be set on a different principle. other first class pairs have already qualified. LUCKY DIP The organisers of the inter­ Financial considerations under­ national pairs tournament at lay the whole plan, and no doubt Vichy on June 2 and 3 have once the E.B.U. had a tricky view to again most generously offered take. It would not have been free hotel accommodation for the difficult, 1 feel, to find six of week-end for two readers of the our best pairs who would have B.B.W. Please send in your been willing to pay their own requests shortly, and a ballot will expenses to play at Cannes in the be held in a few weeks' time. spring. PREPARATION GLAD YOU CAME ALONG As this issue comes out, our " I have a Crockford's Cup team in New York will be nearing match to-night," said Mrs. Pat the end of the battle. Whatever Albuquerque to her husband one the result, this team has taken morning at their home in Surrey. much more trouble than any "I've got nothing on, I'll come before to make itself familiar with and kibitz," said her faithful the opposition systems. Who spouse. knows, if we had done that in the On arrival he found that he was past we might have saved some a member of the opposing team, of those close matches against the captain Collings having neglected Italians. to inform him. 5 STOP PRESS Masters Pairs Re~sult After a very close fin ish between the two leading pairs, Reese and Schapiro won by 3 poihts from Rose and Gardener. Preston and Swimer were third, Crown and Collings fourth, Dormer and Riming­ ton fifth, Sharples and Sharples sixth. Farrington and Miezis finished best of the provincial pairs and Frank Farrington (~olton) has attained to Life Master status. Alan Hiron will report on the Masters Pairs ne)l:t month. European Championship. It was announced during the Masters Pairs that should the British team win the world championship it would be chosen automatically to represent Britain in the European Champion­ ship to be played in the Lebanon. Otherwise trials, open in the first place to National Masters, wi ll begin in March. JUST PUBLISHED POKER- GAME OF SKILL By TERENCE REESE and ANTHONY WATKINS 18s How to Play Jackpots - Freak Pots - Miseres Straight Poker - Stud - Choice Pots How to Organize A Private Game - A Club Game Published by Faber & Faber, 24 Russell Square, W.C.l. 6 Changing Probabilities in Practice by COLONEL R. L . TELFE R A great deal has appeared in instead of the initial 40 per cent. these pages on the variation of In addition there is the small probabilities during play. There probability that a defender with a has in fact been so much of inter­ singleton diamond will be void est to students of theory that the of trumps. On the other hand, mere player may have wondered the finesse in hearts has a prob­ where he comes in. ability of 48 per cent if West does One of the simplest examples of in fact lack + K. The odds are changing probability occurs m rathe1 less than 48 to 46 in favour the following unusual deal. of finessing <v> Q. Declarer must NORTH be specially alert for any other inferences. <v> 642 Suppose now that North's dia­ ·0 ­A K Q J 10 9 8 7 6 monds in this example had been + A headed by AKJ instead of AKQ. + Q ted What significance would the play SOUTH of the Queen on the first round + A K Q J 10 54 3 2 then have? <v> A Q Depending on the quality of 0- the opposition, one gets three + 32 different answers: After vigorous bidding by North-South and silence from Against weak opponents the East-West, South plays in Seven play of the Queen would denote a Spades. The opening lead of + Q singleton. is won in dummy. Both oppo- Against good opponents the nents follow to ()A, South dis- play of the Queen would actually carding a club. increase the chances of a 2- 2 To continue with O K will break. This is because a player obviously win if the suit breaks with Qx would often play the 2-2, and the chance of this Queen, and Qx is a commoner division is now about 45 per cent holding than Q alone. 7 Against expert opponents the and + Q, followed by two top play of the Queen would give diamonds. When O J did not fall nothing away, because these he reckoned that, as the chance players, sensing declarer's dilem­ of a 3- 3 break in diamonds was ma, would be capable of the only 36 per c;ent, he would do brilliant play of the Queen from better to rely on the finesse in Qxx as well as from Qx. hearts. He therefore ruffed 03, The following deal offers a entered dummy with + K and contrast to the foregoing. De­ cashed O Q and <> 10, discarding clarer now lacks one clearly his two low hearts. He then significant card-that is to say, finessed ~ Q, g;oing one down.