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and fiaila ~ketch fNiMfHfN lu co--operatiou witlz tlze British Bridge League CLOSING DATE FOR ENTRmS y , 28th OCTOBER, 1946 Y THE CONTRACT BRIDGE JOURNAL Edited by M. HARRISON-GRAY ... VoLUME I NUMBER t SEPTEMilER, 1946

Regional Editors- Eire NoEL BYRNE North Eastern EWART KEMPSON Northern Ireland A. J. FurrcHER North Western A CoRRESPONDENT Scotland ALBERT BENJAI\UN Yorkshire MRS. L. L •. BEnimRD Wales .. w. H. RICARDO London MRS. M: HARRISON-GRAY Technical Editpr-GUY. RA¥sEY. Commercial· Manager-GORDON D. JOHNSTONE. . _ :· . • "I The CONTRACT BE.IDGE JOURNAL is the official organ o( the Englisll Bridge Union. · · · .~. ,- • · • Publishers- _ ' Ph6~e-Glotic~ster 228x/z PRIESTLEY STUDIOS, , LTD., COMMERCI:\L .ROAJ?i. GL_C?!:J{?_ES'tERi MSS. to Editorial Dep_artment-8, WATERLOO PLAcE, ·. LONDON. S.W.f - !' .

. ' ~ CONTENTS _'. Page EDITORIAL ... ·. ··<. 2 BRIDGING THE YEARS. By Guy Ramsey . : :.--- 4 FIRST THOUGHTS. By lain Macleod . '• .. 6 - ... ' 8 CRil\ffi AND PuNISHMENT PERSONALITY ~AGE :·: . ·.- :1a· . : ·'-. 11 How Goon ARE You ? BRIDGE ON THE Am. By Ewart Kempso11_ . :t2 NEW . BooKS ON BRIDGE. Reviewed by M. Harrison-Gray · "15 CROSSWORD . i7." EXPERI!'YmNTS WITH FREAK HANns. By Dr. Paul Stern' . 18 . CoMPETITION RoUND-UP. ·. By M. Harrison-Gray . . · .. 20 REsULTS OF .MATCHEs ·• . . : . . . . 22 WHAT? ANoTHER CoNVENTION I By J. C. H. Marx :· 23' THE NoRTHERN 9UTLOOK. By Ewart Kempson · ...... ·. . . ..' 26 NEWs FROM EmE. By Noel BymB .. ·. 30. NEws ·FRoM NoRTHERN lrull::,mn. By A. J. Fletcher ·. : .. -.31 ScoTTISH NoTES. By Albert Benjamin : ." 32 WELSH BrunGE NoTES. By W. H. · Ricardo · ' 33 NoRTH WESTERN NoTES. From a Correspondent. . .. 34 NoTES FROM YoRKSHIRE .. ~ By Nancy Bedford ·. ! .._ 35. ATTITUDE OF MIND . . By S. J. Simon · · · . .: 3.6 FEMININE .SLANT ? · By Carmel Skidels~y 38 SEPTE!\IBER CoMPETITION. . Set by 'J. (:'. H. "1.\tlarx . :_ , .:- :. ·.'.. 40 ' • i •• - - .. l ....

I · editorial

A new bridge magazine .. Why ? Because bridge is no longer l! game for the Smart Set, the Professional Gambler, the small, • fanatical colony of Experts. . Because bridge has kept mmds by the million from the drea~ of air raids the boredom of pnson camps, ilie enforced ii~ertia of troopships ; because bndge ~as filled in the snatched hours behmd the lines, the all-too-brief respites from the actualities of war. Because bridge has gone On The Air in a big way. Because, in short, the hundreds of experts, the thousands of players, the hundreds of thousands of people who push round the cards and the millions who woul~ like to play, want, need, and ought to have a magazine devoted to their interest. This magazine has a set policy. Far too often a bridge magazine has catered almost exclusively for ,, the expert. The CONTRACT If YOU have an article, an idea. BRIDGE JOURNAL is designed an illustration, a · bridge story. as much for the beginner as for the send it to us. · player whose attention can only be . . . arrested by a progressive squeeze. Now that the game has resumed We cannot give you what you its legitimate status all eyes · are; want unless we know ; we cannot turned towards the British· Bridge­ know unless you tell us. Therefore, League, with its constituent ~a~on­ write to us : not only with your al, regional and county Assoctatto~s. problems-which we shall do our -the whole hierarchy of the game s. best to answer as informatively as organisation. . we can, but with your criticisms, The democratic machinery, 'vt.th. your suggestions, your requests. its various activities, necessarilY' We shall endeavour to disarm the suspended during the war, has. first, adopt the second, and grant lumbered slowly, though steadily the third. into operation.

2 With the resumption of the others (perhaps I) will find them Camrose Cup matches between too easy. We have advisedly pitched England, Scotland, Wales, ~or~h­ high the standard of this feature. ern Ireland and Eire, the quest10n It will require, no doubt, a Master of international qualifications has Mind (if not a series of M~ster inevitably been raised. T~e influx Bids) to gain full marks month by in recent years of a number of fine month, but we feel sure that any­ players from the continent-rden one who attempts these problems_ (and women) who would prove will admit to learning something ·towers of strength in any national useful when he studies the answers team-has given rise to consider­ · a month later. able controversy. On the one hand But if you would like an addition­ we have the diehards who maintain al and easier series-as a London that England is capable of selecting newspaper publishes two Cross-. an adequate tearp of E;nglish born word puzzles-write and tell us. players without the adventitious We shall be only _too happy to oblige. aid of ex-Middle-Eu~opeans, and that the policy followed by the Systems come and ·systems go. Lawn Tennis Association (but ·not · On another page· a review of all by the Rugby Union) should apply· widely current methods of·play is to bridge. The more liberally published · for which, doubtless,. minded consider that a foreigner the author will be in hiding for· who becomes a naturalised subject, his outspoken comments for some and possibly served with the J;Jritish time to :come. Forces, should be entitled to the The most successful " system ?!.·, full rights of citizenship. to-date seerris to have been con­ The donor of the Camrose ceived by two Naval ratirigs who Trophy · takes the side of the informed u.s with some pride that liberals. With that view, the. they won consistently below deck C 0 N T R A CT B R I D G E without the aid of any conventions: JOURNAL whole-heartedly con­ with one proviso. curs. It is inconceivable that such "We decide · beforehand," we British players as S. J. Simon or were told, " to bid the suit im-: the late Richard Lederer, who mediately lower in -rank than the have done so much for the game, one we -really hold. If I open, for_· should be debarred from playing example, : a Heart, ·my partner for England through a mere knows-but the opponents don't-;­ accident of birth. that I · really hold Spades. There will inevitably occur · " Mter an hour of play, the border-line cases. These must be system changes. ·· We then bid the judged on their merits. · · suit higher in· rank to our real suit, so that a Heart bid tells To turn to lighter topics : partner that I hold Diamonds." Every Bridge Magazine-every This, we have no hesitation. in bridge player-lives by problems: saying, ~arries bridge research just What you should bid, lead, play, a little too far I · forms the substance of every bridge conversation. · . The problem!:! set this month by Your 'ivlagazine wishes you J. C. H. Marx will, doubtless, success at the bridge table. impress some as . too difficult ; M. HARRISON-GRAY. 3 bridging the years

by Guy Ramsey

HE difference between Pre in the card-clubs-from Crockfords ·war and Post War Contract and the Hamilton down through T is the difference betewen a the " Half-Crown-Top-Stake " to range of mountains and a plateau. the Three-penny Suburban-is, for In 1939 there were peaks rising all the inquests, horror-stories, and above whole . prairies of palookas. fatuities, generally higher today than In 1946 there are, instead, only a it was eight years ago. few undulations marking clusters of The convulsion of the war has players better than others. ft ung up a handful of new mountains Eight years ago, M. Harrison­ but they do not tower. There is Gray, the Bald Mountain ; S. J. the Carpathian range, playing Simon, the shaggy Ural ; Ewart Vienna : headed by Dr. Paul Kempson, swart as the Black Cuillin Stern, backboned by that Austrian and Dick Lederer, Everest of the Ruperta, Rixie Markus-a team lot, bulked so large-Lederer by (rightly enough) consisting very person and personality ; the Gray ·largely of ;i-deva11t Austrians, contingent on metropolitan, Kemp­ Germans and Czechs with Standish son on provincial performance­ Booker and A. J. Smith to provide that they almost filled the tourna­ (in theory only) British steadiness ment-players' vision. and phlegm. Beyond those, Kenneth Konstam, Also emergent is the Baronial a slender peak (seen in a bobby's Chain : Baron-Meredith- Leist­ helmet early in 1940) ; Leslie Goldinger-Juan-Squire, and Boris Dodds, a grinning crevasse into Shapiro, their brightest star, who whose pitfalls many a player has elected to sever his connection stumbled ; and a few superior with it and revert to his first love, mountains who played_high rubber Acol. I am tempted to borrow from· bridge and never deigned to Simon's flippancy and say these mingle with the (often very mixed) superb card-players have nothing to crowd at tournaments and con­ lose but their Chain : the chain of gresses : these made up the"British their system. Bridge World" (wherein their The " new " systems-Vienna exploits were duly recorded)._ and Baron (for Vienna 1946 is less All save the Everest are still with like Vienna 1938 than Algerian us ; but war has worn away the wine is like a Richebourg)-are fine cutting edges that cleft the sky. both strait-jas;kets. It is freely, Moreover, the ground has risen credibly and authentically reported about them. The standard of play that if a Baronite gets a good result 4 CONTRACT BRI~GE JOURNAL by flouting the system at the expense and the Acolytes (now justly regar­ of his card-sense, he is taken dcd as high Priests) anywhere from seriously to task ; ·while, if he gets Carlton-House Terrace to Leeds. a bad result by sticking to the Acol and Kempson are fluid where system, he is patted on th~ 'he!ld- Baron clings to academic " sequen­ though the team then goes into cies " and Stern to arbitrary, conference to amend the fault. ingenious, wrong-hea~ed even if right-resulted conventions . .

r ------,_..,~~~· The 2 Club is as varied as ever. I . . . . • i' .· .· ~ ~ .'.' .' , -.· One or two die-hards-though none among players of the first rank I - -cling to Lederer's Simple System. From the Hamilton, pressurised by •Col. G. ·G. J. Walshein his book arid Jordanis Pavlides at the card-table has emerged CAB. Pavlides in lzis book has gone on record that, to bid perfectly, all "the reader needs to do is to count up to the 40 points in the pack. As for the Carpathians, Dr. Stern Scotland is virtually a CulbertSon is prone to produce with a flourish stronghold. Whether the rest' of at every weekly meeting of the teams U.K. will be able to stand out he sponsors and trains, one or more against ·the threa~ened (and eagerly hands, for each of which he immed­ anticipated) visit of Ely himself with iately invents a new conventional an ovenvlielming American team­ bid. Members of The Stern and the consequent rocketing of his Circle often sit down to a match prestige in the event of an American wondering if they must bid the victory-remains to be seen. Nothing suit in which they have a guard, or succeeds like success : Ely swept the suit in which they have no guard the country into playing Culbertson in answer to partner's opening by his victories over Buller, Beasley Three. Absolute, definite, final and and Lederer- and, ~f lze wins, may , different instructions are given . . . easily do it again. every seven days. Even if we all go Culbertson, The main snag about playing there will not be very much need t9 Vienna-as I know to my. cost.....:.... alter the stuff we have (except, of is that, playing the sort of" F & B " course, Barons and Viennas) been or " 2C & B " that one encounters playing for a decade : Culbertson daily at the club, one is api: to add 1946, save for one or two specialised one Austrian Ace (counting 7) to bids, is roughly ordinary standard a couple of English Queens (count­ of British practice. ing 2) and get the wrong answer. . If Culbertson, anxious to poilr the Against the strait-jackets of the shekels he collects from. Approach Baronites and the Sternites are ·Forcing into his Quota Force Peace ranked two groups which have Plan, does make the British come­ not modified their methods for a back he confidently expects, I cannot. ' decade : the Kempsonites in the forbear to voice a personal plea for North, and their allies in Ireland, (Continued_on page 42) · s· first thoughts by lain Macleod

(The first of a monthly series of articles by the well-known International player).

R rather second thoughts average hand (one Ace, one King, because I must assume a one Queen, one Jack) is 10 points. Ocertain basic knowledge. So To be able to open you must expect I shall assume that you know the to take more than half "the tricks elementary theory of contract (with normal support from your bridge, that you have started to partner) and you should therefore play family bridge and are casting have about a King over average­ a calculating eye on the local club. or about 13 points. · We will Probably you play one of the consider freak distributions later variations of approach forcing, and but with any normal shape the probably - almost certainly - you opening zone of decision is 10 to have one or more pet bidding 14 points. I am going to give you formulae (I suspect the Blackwood) five rules. I suggest, to begin with, to enable you to bid slams. Let us that you follow them religiously. be clear on this. I am trying to You won't go far wrong and with teach you Bridge, not a system of experience you will learn to be bidding, and I will tell you nothing more flexible. Leave the rest of of such formulae. I shall be much more dogmatic than I would be if I were writing for experts. Above everything DON'T listen to any­ one who says that the answers and theories I give you conflict with those of Harrison-Gray or Culbert­ son or Simon. Of course they do. They are meant to. And finally we will use the Milton work count (Ace= 4, King= 3, Queen= 2, Jack = 1) to express the value of a hand...... cast a calculating elfe on. . So much for introduction and lite lucal llnilf!e Club for theory. Now let us be practical and consid.er the opening bid of the magazine to your more expert one of a suit. Whether you should husband (or wife) and for the time open or not is governed by two being believe only what you read factors, first your high card strength here. These then are the rules : · secondly your "shape," i.e., the 1. Always Bid on any hand with suit distribution of your hand. An 14 points or more. 6 CONTRACT BRIDGE JOURNAL 2. Always Bid on any hand with (2) With three four card 13 points unless it has a suits open the one suit distribution of 4-3-3-3. immediately below 3. Always Bid on any hand with the singleton u.a., 12 points if it has ·at least A:xxx x QJxx AQJx, a five card suit. . bid one diamond). 4. Always Bid on any hand with (3) With two biddable 11 points if it has a six four card suits open card suit or two five card the higher suit with suits. · Spade-Heart, Heart­ 5. Always pass a hand with Diamond, Diamond.:. 10 points or less unless it Club holding and the has a freak shape. lower ranking on all In other words these are bids : others. AJ:xxx Axxx AQ:xxxx J{Q.xxx N OTE.-Any suit of A..xx · KJxx Axxx · KJ:xxx five cards is bidd­ Kx AQxx Jxx Qxx able. A four card XXX X . suit is biddable .if _. it has three points. and these are not : (4) If your count de- · _!ll,"'\X . AKxx.x Ax · mands an opening A..xx Qx KJxxx bid but the four card Axx. Qxx . Qxxxx suit selected. by thes~ Jxx XXX X rules is not biddable, These rules tell you clearly when bid the other suit. to bid. What to bid is rather more If neither is biddable, difficult. I shall deal later with no t.e. bid one Club. trump bidding, but I intend to lay 1~ but 1 0 and 1 + down a minimum of 16 points even + AK AK AK non-vulnerable; On any non freak ~Kxxx Jxxx Jxxx holding then of between 10 and <)AJxx · AJxx Jxxx 16 points you have two mental steps. 4-xxx xxx AJx 1. Should I open at all ? Check by the rules given. 2. If so, what ? And check this by the following : (a) Always open · your longest suit if it contains five cards. (b) If two are of equal length, open the higher ranking first, except­ (1) If you have 4 3 3 3 and 14--16 points open the four card suit if it has five points or more. Let me deal quickly with the Otherwise bid one factor of vulnerability and of the . club. (Contitmed on. page 42) B 7 C,i~He o.Hd ~11ishmenl'

CoMMENT NoRTH +AKQ1095 This deal occurred in the 1938 \;) 10 2 series of International matches for 0 72 the Camrose Cup. The loss of + Q 103 1,400 points (for it will be noted EAST that the same team lost points in WEST both rooms) virtually decided the • 82 • J 7 6 3 \;) Q965 fate of the match. The hand '0- provides a striking example of the 0 KQJ965 0 A 10 AK98654 poor judgment even of expert +2 + players in this type of competitive SouTH bidding situation. +4 In Room 1, South was over­ '\7 AKJ8743 eager in bidding Four Hearts, but 0 843 owing to ·west's failure to double J 7 his side might well have kept out Dealer, North. of trouble, had it not been for North's premature rescue into four . North-South vulnerable. Spades. Can the 100 honours have gone to North's head? South's Bidding-Room 1 retreat to Five Hearts wa's the NORTH EAST SOUTH WEST final step in this ingloriou~ round 1 + 3 + 4 \;) No bid of bidding. The variations of the 4 + . Dble 5 \;) Dble d:fence against Four Spades and + 2 led. South made 7 tricks. Ftve Hearts, ensuring in each case a heavy penalty, are interesting to 1,100 points to East-West. work out. . Bidding-Room 2 In Room 2, the bidding by the No~th-South pair was better, but NoRTH EAST SOUTH WEST agam West had his chance of 3 + 3 \;) No bid doubling Four Hearts and failed 1. No bid 4 \;) No bid 3+ to take it. Presumably his excuse No bid 5 + No bid No bid Dble was that he was satisfied with the \;) K led. East made 9 tricks. co~tract and feared a possible swttch to ~our Spades ; this 300 points to North-South. argument enttrely fails to realise 8 CONTRACT BRIDGE JOURNAL the implications of East's jump CoMMENT overcall and the defensive potent­ This is another hand from a pre­ iality of his own hand. Finally, war International match, but in East attempted an ill-judged sacri­ this case the punishment fail~ ~q fice of Five Clubs, and ·North­ South were allowed to escape unscathed. A curious feature was that ·in neither room did West see fit to mention his Diamonds.

CRIME AND fit the crime. Excellent bidding by PUNISHMENT-2 North-South in Room 1, and a ridic­ NORTH ulous display in Room 2, achieve J72 precisely the same result : ·a loss \:}A76 of 50 points. Such is the element 0 Q7 of luck even in duplicate bridge. · QJ 8 52 In Room 1 the small slam in WEST EAST Diamonds is bid on academic lines; • 106 • Q953 but is . defeated by the ·adverse: \:} J 10 9 5 2 \:} Q43 trump distribution. . · · 0 J 9 84 02 North-South in Room 2 : were • 74 + K 10 9 6 3 nlso playing the Forcing Two; or. SOUTH so they alleged ; and the trouble + AK84 started with North's negative re­ \:} K 8 sponse of Two No-Trumps. The 0 A K 10 6 53 vogue of requiring something like an Ace and a King for a positive +A response has its adherents, but is Dealer, South. entirely without authority ; the East-West vulnerable. " book " says one honour.. ,' trick Bidding-Room 1 plus is sufficient, and indeed the SouTH WEST NoRTH EAsT Forcing Two starts with the bidding 2 0 No bid 3 + No bid so high ·that . the cutting out of 3 0 No bid 4 0 No bid a round of bidding with an un­ 4 + No bid 5 0 No bid necessary .response of Two No- · 6 0 No bid No bid No bid Trumps is a hnn1ry to be dispensed with whenever possible. In a!! \:} J led. South made 11 · tricks. attempt to rectify this underbid, 50 points to East-West. North tried to show his Ace of Bidding-Room 2 Hearts. But South by this time SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST was beginning to· take .a poor view 2 0 No bid 2 N.T. No bid of his powerhouse, and decided 3 + No bid 4 + No bid that North had a weak two-suited 4 0 No bid 4 \:} No bid hand . . The only redeeming feature No bid No bid of this grotesque misunderstanding was the fact that North contrived + 3 led. North made 9 tricks. to make nine tricks m his' ·un.:. 50 points to East-West. promising contract I 9 personality page No. /-Gordon D. Johnstone

ORDON JOHNSTONE appears as the first Personality in this G Magazine, not only because he inaugurated it but by virtue of his Chairmanship of the English unites the shrewd determination of . Bridge Union. the one to the kin.dly; rock-like For this onerous task, Johnstone steadiness of the other. The two has three supreme qualifications : are fl~voured by his metropolitan 1. He is so experienced a person expenence. in public affairs that he holds posts So far as Contract goes, John­ of distinction on no fewer than stone has played with distinction, eight public bodies, ranging from largely in the hottest schools of the trusteeship of the Cheltenham the North where he has made an District Savings Bank to the appreciable mark j has written secretariat of an association of both in the North and the West. electric 'power companies. Not the least valuable· of his 2. He is such a glutton for work bridge assets is his membership of that he conceived, organised, the Card Committee of the Portland arranged the finance for, and Club-a position really required by generally supervised the Chelten­ the Chairman of the E.B.U. ham Bridge Congress-a triumph­ Johnstone, still comfortably short ant success-in the minutes of forty, can cram more into snatched from other (and more his life-his appetite has a profitable) activities ; so hard­ Yorkshire zest-than most. He working, in fact, that he has only ranks among his hobbies not only one complaint-that every day bridge but chess, at which he has holds but 24 hours, every week only just short of ranking-player but seven days. status ; and golf, which h~ plays 3. He possesses so demoniac off a handicap of 6. an ambition, so sublime a confi­ Bridge does not figure in his list dence, so irrepressible an optimism of hobbies. That, to him, is that he has already gone on public business-Big Business. It surely record to the effect that he will will be if he hits the 50,000 mark not be satisfied until the E.B.U. at which he aims. has a membership of 50,000 and Gordon-our founder-carrieS · this Magazine a circulation of our hopes : not merely because · equal dimensions. we shall succeed with him and In addition, the E.B.U. owes the suffer if he suffers ; but because very form of its existence to him he has set before the not-so-small already: he, with G. F. Stapleton world of card-players the good Harris, drafted its constitution in democratic slogan that will charac· 1939. terise his tenure of office : The Scottish-ancestored, Yorkshire­ Greatest Good for the Greatest bom, Gloucestershire-resident, he Number. ·

IO Can you make this ContraCt?

The first of a monthly series of Ha11d 2 hands from actual tournament play, NoRTH submitted by Dr. Paul Stern. • 85 3 Hand 1 · \:)K5 NORTH 0 AQJ • 6 - + ~~{743 \:) K 7 6 3 2 WEST EAST . 0 A103 + AQJ4 • 10 96 + K:J76 \:) ]962 \:)743 WEST EAST 0- 0 10 9 6 3 A J 10 5 • 8 7 3 2 + Q J 8 6 2 + 1095 \:) 5 \:) Q Q SOUTH OQ972 OJ6 +K72 + A 8 53 + Q 10 9 4 2 \:) A Q 10 8 SouTH - 0 K 8 7 5 4 2 KQ94 ' +- . C? A J 10 8 4 Dealer, South. Game all. 0 K 8 5 4 . West leads + 6. +- Dealer, West. Love all. · Played in a pairs contest. of 13 tables. Three North-South pairs ·west leads \:) ~· bid Six Diamonds. Two declarers Played in a pairs contest of 11 made 12 tricks, but the third made tables. Only one North-South all thirteen tricks. pair bid Six He~rts, . and the · · Can you .make a grand slam declarer made 12 tncks. after the opening lead of the Six Can you make this contract ? of Clubs ? (Solutions on page 4~).

CONGRESS DATES . Devon Congress, Torquay Nov. 8-10 North Western Congress, Blackpool Oct. 25-27 Harrogate Congress ;• Nov. 15-18 E.B.U. Congress, Bexhill .. Nov. 29-30, Dec. 1-2

II "bridge on the air"

by Ewart Kempson

(The first person in this country convince listeners that he knew to broadcast on Contract Bridge, way much about the game. back in the 'twenties, was Ewart Kempson. In the two years preceding Adverse comment was heard in the war he gave a fortnightly series bridge circles and only a handful of Bridge Half Hours on National and of people bothered to listen. Regional programmes. As he represents the views of a great number of listeners, In future bridge commentaries, he is eminently fitted to submit this it is probable that the commenta­ critical survey of the current series of tors will be experts, and features bridge broadcasts.-Eo.) of this kind will then attract the RIDGE went on the air m a vast majority of bridge players. big way on Monday, 29th V/hat goes on behind the scenes B October, 1945. Starting with at Broadcasting House prior to · a listening audience of a few " Bridge on the Air " ? Who thousand, this weekly feature has decides what to do and how to grown steadily in popularity and do it ? Who invites the guest is at present attracting an audience players? of more than one million ; through­ Dealing with these questions in out the country, bridge players reverse order, the guest players are (and many who have never played invited at the instigation of .!he bridge in their lives) make a point master of ceremonies after the of listening to " Bridge on the particular type of broadcast has Air" at 11.3 every Monday night ; been decided on. Thus Mr. Reese it is hardly an exaggeration to say suggests that a discussion on bluff that it has become part of their . bidding should be featured, obtains lives, and many a rubber is in­ the consent of the B.B.C. produce{ terrupted to listen to the experts, in charge of bridge, and at once chief of whom are M. Harrison­ decides that the outstanding artist Gray and Terence Reese, who take of bluff bidding should be invited. it in turn to be master of An invitation is sent to Mr. ceremonies. H. St. J. Ingram. Before the war the B.B.C. gave I have not been present at· one occasional running commentaries of Mr. Reese's broadcasts ' but I on important bridge matches, and, 1magme. . that it follows the lines of more often than not, the commen­ " In Town To-night " or a . Quiz tator was a nationally known B.B.C. or a Brains Trust. An hour before personality who, despite his charm the, say, Bluff Bidding broadcast ~~ of manner and excellent style of goes on the air, Mr. Reese, Mr. I~ delivery, completely failed to Ingram, the producer and the il 12

II ' CONTRACT BRIDGE JOURNAL announcer meet in the studio. Mr. while it may be made light and Reese gives an outline of what he entertaining, should not be held proposes to do, .and this is vetted up to ridicule. bv the producer who decides what Many listeners may have enjoyed part the announcer will play: There the Bluff Bidding broa_dcast ; is neither rehearsal nor script for others, to whom I have· spoken, this particular broadcast. Occasion­ thought it "badly put over." ally the play of a hand is rehearsed Many listeners may have enjoyed (as in the case of the duel between the Quiz between ·stage and club attack and defence on August 20th), players ; others, to whom I have but where any rehearsal takes place ·spoken, thought it a " waste of an announcement to that effect is time." made. In all other cases " Bridge It is possible that the treatment on the Air " . is practically of both broadcasts was decided by impromptu. the B.B.C. authorities, and, if so, I have been at some pains to they missed a splendid opportunity collect opinions on this series, and in the Bluff Bidding. · lVIessrs. Harrison-Gray and Reese, In putting over Mr. Ingram, a who take it in tum to be Master great " character " in the bridge of Ceremonies, should be gratified world, I should have built up an to know that their respective efforts atmosphere of a tense . struggle are much appreciated. Generally speaking, they both avoid the pitfall of talking over the heads of their audiences, the majority of whom consist of the poor to average player. Anyone in the public eye should expect criticism ; the man in the street can always do better. The criticisms I have heard may be placed under two main headings : (a) ~adly put over, and (b) A waste of time instructionally. between England and America. Sometimes hands are read out too Then, with England leading and quickly ; this infuriates listeners. Culbertson jumpy, along comes a Sometimes the players are given typical " Ingram."· At this stage insufficient time to decide on their the hands are read out. bids in a " bidding match "; this The tense atmosphere is again produces a race against the clock worked up as Culbertson sits and and results in ludicrous contracts. studies his cards. The listener is Sometimes an obviously rehearsed tol~ what he bids and then. the joke (alleged) is introduced.; this voice of Ingram is heard making causes listeners to wonder if the his bluff bid. The entire bidding entire broadcast is being read from sequence is re-enacted, and then script. Sometimes an outside Ingram· is called upon to give his influence is brought in as a stunt ; explanation. this defeats the whole object of an Possibly this is how Mr. Reese instructional broadcast, which, wanted to stage the affair ; I CONTRACT BRIDGE JOURNAL don't know. He did, in fact, engage he led the King of Spades at Trick in a long discussion with Mr. 2 and found vVest void. Ingram which most listeners found We now heard S. J. Simon excessively dull. (South) wondering how to avoid One of the best broadcasts in the loss of a Club and a Spade the series was the blindfold exhibi­ and we followed his reasoning tion the skill of the experts in when he said his best chance was rem~mbering the cards being to try to throw East in the lead particularly noticeable in the case after stripping the hand. So a of Mrs. " Rixie 11 Marcus, who Diamond to dummy's Ace and an held a most uninteresting (and innocent-looking Club from the most difficult to memorise) collec­ table. . tion of rubbish. Most players Now came Boris Shapiro (East) would have been at si.'{es and wondering what " Skid 11 was up sevens trying to memorise those to, spotting the ruse and playing fours and fives, but Mrs. Marcus his Queen of Clubs. Stewart na~ed every one. ·MacPherson put on the 10 to Another very good broadcast encourage East to continue the was the one referred to above, unblocking process. when .Harrison-Gray was assisted So the hand went on until the by S. J. Simon, Boris Shapiro final under-ruffing defence by East and Stewart MacPherson. He which defeated the contract. It announced that the hand was an was beautifully put over by Gray, old one and had been rehearsed. who was well backed by the It 'vas a hand which required announcer and guests. expert treatment, but was put over so well that even the novices could If I may venture to give a little · appreciate it. advice, I would urge the masters First MacPherson read out the of ceremonies to remember that hands with real life in his voice : there is always tomorrow. While a broadcast which drags is quite NORTH painful, the cramming in of as • Q 10 6 53 much as possible is equally bad. \?A 7 6 Bridge players do not like comi~ OA strips introduced. If I were 8 5 43 + listening to a talk on tennis, I WEST EAST should want to hear tennis and • J 9 8 7 not be interrupted even by the \? Q 10 9 8 5 \? J 4 3 greatest comedian in the world, 0 Q9864 ·- 0 10 53 The object of this chipping in + 10 97 + QJ2 SOUTH is to clear up points for the poor· player, but Mr. Gray and Mr. · + AK42 \? K2 Reese are quite capable of doing 0 K}72 that without assistance. AK6 When bridge players tune in to + a bridge broadcast they want to West led the 10 of Hearts against hear the experts. : South's Six Spa?es contract, and What is the point in buying a the declarer got hts first shock when dog if you can bark ? . THE ACOL SYSTEM OF The authors have outlined the , system in this edition as efficiently CONTRACT BRIDGE I as ever, and I am only inclined to By Ben Cohen and Terence Reese. quarrel with them on one extra­ (Contract Bridge Equipment, neous point ; the lay reader might Ltc,i., in association with be pardoned for forming the im­ Joiner and Steele, Ltd., 7/6) pression that Messrs. Cohen and For more than a decade the Acol Reese are solely responsible for the birth, development and success system has dominated the tourna­ of the system. Surely a word of ment world, and 'vill no doubt · acknowledgment to the inventors, continue to .do so, for every week some new team, · using these S. J. Simon and J. C. H. Marx, and to the players who put Acol methods, makes its presence felt on the bridge map, would have in competitions. I very much bee~ a reasonable gesture. doubt whether the authors' claim that 90 per cent of our leading players use undilufed Acol is FROM NO BID correct ; one would expect more teams to employ the Acol Two­ TO GRAND SLAM I • bids, surely the most logical and By F. W. Taylor, M.A. effective of all. But I am convinced (The Holywell Press, Ltd., 3/6) that 98 per cent. of the experts -make use of the essentials of the In this little book the author sets system, the famous Acol " attitude out the prmciples both of bidding of mind." · and play which he advocates~ This new edition, the third, Whilst the sections on play in the adorned with a· new introduction main follow standard practice, his by S. J. Simon and twelve selected ~eories on bidding are so revolu- . hands from Waddington Par t10nary that they are likely to Contests, is stated to be " com­ appeal only. to those who are .pletely revised." In point of fact, prepared to explore every avenue the only differences to be noted are in their search . for. ultimate a strengthening of pre-emptive perfection. Three-bids and the omission of the redundant" King Convention." The most striking feature of the KEMPSON VERSUS BARON­ system is the fact that it has stood EXHffiiTION CONTEST the test of time since 1933 without By Ewart Kempson. the necessity for a single major' modification, and slowly but surely (Newcastle ·chro_nicle and Journal the leading Americans have swung . . Ltd.) right round to a brand of Approach­ Those who like studying the Forcing scarcely distinguishable . bidding and play qf experts will from Acol. do· well to obtain this booldet, ..·· c IS CONTRACT BRIDGE JOURNAL which sets out the 100 deal~ of a bidding with One Spade on 8 6 4 2 recent match at Newcastle with ~n in order not to interrupt the even flow of a Baron bidding sequence, analysis for each . hand I~ inimitable style. Copies ~~y be and as a corollary a direct raise of obtained by sending a mmtmu~ partner'~ suit can only be made donation of 2/6 for :he auth~r s with four trumps. .Frequent re­ pet charity, . the Clzromcle Sunshme course is made to bids of non­ Fund for poo~ childret?-, to Ewart existent suits ; any change of Kempson, Brtdge Edttor, New­ suit by opener or resp?nder is castle Chronicle and Journal, Ltd., forcing ; One No-Trump _Is opened · Kemsley House, Newcastle-upon­ with 1Zt-13i points regardless of Tyne. vulnerability. Simple overcalls and informatory doubles can only be made on strong values, but a THE BARON SYSTEM jump overcall is a wea!rne.ss bid;· Outlined by Leq Baron an.d Adam if partner opens the . biddmg and Meredith. an opponent doubles, · a bid of "(Nicholson and Watson, 2/6) some sort must b~ made with 5 This attractive little booklet points or less. condenses a complete system of All these features have ·been bridge into a short precis ; the tried out in the past by other · fundamental doctrine is lucidly players, and hurriedly disc~rded. explained, as well as the frequent There is no doubt that their use ·departures from hitherto accepted has been partly responsjble for practice. some of the Baron team's defeats; The Baron team has won the at the same time no other system Gold Cup ; it has won matches can paint such an accurate picture and lost matches, and in this of the distribution and limited topsy-turvy post-war season it is strength of the partners' hands. difficult to assess their form, let albeit at the cost of flexibility. alone to decide what share the system (as distinct from the players) It is early yet to judge· a system has had in their successes and which, although it can scarcely failures. appeal to the bulk of rubber Whether or not one believes in bridge players, may . well prove this system (it has variously been predominant, after a certain amount described by unbiassed judges as of revision, in the field of competi­ "horrible" and " a masterpiece"), tion bridge. one cannot fail to respect the thoroughness of the research work put into it by some of the best HEARD AT THE BRIDGE TABLE brains in bridg~. Where the TWO REASONS for respo11ding system sticks to fundamental zvith One No-Trump, when holding . prin~iples of .car?s, it is wholly three Aces, to partner's openi1ig bid of admirable ; It IS the peculiar One Spade : · exploitation of the unorthodox " Partner, I had ten losing cards, that will deter the rank and file so 011 the Losing Trick Count One from adopting it in its entirety. No-Trump is my only response." One is compelled to open the " Part11er, you knozv I like playing the strong No- Trump." 16 THIS MONTH'S CROSSWORD Devised for the Bridge · Playe·r.

CLUES ACROSS DOWN .I, Popular form of ebony. (9) .1, Alibi ? (3, 4) 6. The Hays Office doesn't object ::~:. Following. . (5) to this play. (5) 3· X.T. Herod. (4, 3, .3)

9· Fruity meetings. (5) 4· . A confused noise. (6) 0 .10. Unwritten belief. (9) 5· A Self appointed Bridge instructor .II & 6 down. Trouble with the dry­ usually addresses these. (4, 4) cleaners ? (10, 4) 6. See· 11 Across. n . With this score you pay. (4) 7· · What Adam and Eve might do .14. Turkish ·view of disastrous 0 with trump support. (5, 4) session? (6) 8. Bridge without conventions. (7) .16. Emulate Bruce's spider. (3, 5) .13. There was one on the back of .1 8. Pre-war sundaes had many. (8) "Why You Lose at Bridge." x9. Dolce far--. (6) 0 (10) 0 22. Repository for human bun. (4) .15. Pencils are. (9) 23. Does this describe the holder of .17. Well known temperament. (8) a Two Club opener? (10) .18. Avoid unless your eye-sight is 26. Insufficient trump support. (9) good. (7) 27. King from Ace King is a this 20. The final coup ? (3, 4) lead. (5) 21. Bad loser. (6) 28. Tree. (5) 24. 0 When in this lend trumps ? (5) . 29. No prize is offered for . solving :2:5. M usical blot. (4) this puzzle thus. (9) · See correct solution in next month's issue 17 , D!l PA\lL 5TrRN. t}

experiments with freak hands

by Dr. Paul Stern

OR the last five years I have NORTH been experimenting in pass­ F ing freak hands when dealer <\I KQ9752' or second hand. Generally speaking ·0 -KQJ84 these tactics have proved very + A7 successful. WEST EAST Only once had I to regret passing + AJ96 • 3 second in hand, when my partner <\./3 <\I 8'6 put these cards on the table, saying i· 0 A 10 9 6 7 52 I . 0 ; . " There is certainly no opening 11 + KQ 104 + }986532 bid here : + 85432<\./ A 0 AQ3 + 9764 SOUTH I remember blushing as I quickly + KQ1087 '542 threw my cards in and replied '' I <\I A J 10 4 only had a point count of 10. 11 0 3 + None <\/K Q J 9 8 6 4 2 + - 0 KJ75 + 3 Dealer, South. But I enjoyed many of the North-South vulnerable. remaining deals, for their success as well as for the great Bidding-Room 1 fun of watching opponents who SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST never realised until too late what No 1 + Double 2 + they were up against. These 2<\./ 3 + 4 + * No tactics nave also helped to save 5<\.1 No 6 <\I No ~ thousands of points, because the No Dbl Redble No opponents, once bitten, twice shy, No No refraine_d from doubling late calls, suspectmg that I held at least a Opening lead, + K. 7, 6, 0, 0 distribution. South made 12 tricks. Here are two of these hands. 1,970 points to N.S. The first was dealt in the fourth * Asking bid. round of the Tournament Bridge Association's Richard Lederer Bidding-Room 2 Memorial contest of 1945 ; the SOUTH WEST NORTH EAsT second comes from a qualifying 4 + No No No round of the T.B.A's" Two Stars 11 pairs contest, in which there were Opening lead, 0 A. ,I 13 tables. South made 9 tricks. i 100 points to East-West. 18 CONTRACT BRIDGE JOURNAL NoRTH . July 28th, 1943, two new packs of + A Q 5 3 cards-a great rarity in those ~ A 10 3 , ·weary days of war-:-were placed .0 9 2 ,.; 1 on the table, and the first hand, + J 6 4 3 dealt with the blue pack, passed .WEST EAST off' quite normally. My partner, • 10 9 8 2 . + K J 7 6 a so-called " good card holder," \:; KQ}75 ~ 9 8 6 2 managed to make 3 No-Trumps, 0- 0 Q 6 although I had iny usual collection + KQ 102 + 9 8 5 of rubbish. I dealt the next han~ · SOUTH myself with· the red pack, and picked up the following : + 4 ~4 · + - ~ - 0 A J ;o s 6·3 2 o· AK}1087543 • Q 10 8 5 42• + A7 I passed. To my amazement, Dealer, East Both vulnerable. South, playing the Two-Clubs, Bidding opened with Two Diamonds. The - EAST SouTH WEsT NoRTH bidding, believe it or not, proceeded No No 1 ~ No as follows : · 1 NT 5 0 Double Redble EAST SouTH WEsT NoRTH No No No No 2 0 Dble Redble Opening lead, + K.. No No 3 0 6 0 After the lead of the King of No No Dble Redble Clubs, I had no difficulty in collecting 13 tricks on a simple It was not until the dummy went squeeze, while on the lead of the down that at last I came to my .King of Hearts only 12 tricks senses. This was the full deal : <:ould be made. Realising that on NoRTH his tepid bid of One No-Trump, + K9843 East probably held only the King ~ - .of Spades and the Queen of 0 KQ97542 Diamonds, the play was easy, ~nd +3 pur score of 1,700 was a clear top. WEST EAST At the remaining tables, the hand ' was played ten times in 6 Diamonds + Q765 but only one declarer was doubled. ~- . ~- Here the opening lead was again 0 K98643 ·0 ­AJ 10 8 6 3 2 the King of Clubs, and 13 tricks + A96 + Q 10 8 5 42 were made for a score of 1,690. SouTH · One pair bid and made 6 No­ + A} 102 Trumps, while the thirteenth ~- declarer contracted for 7 Diam·onds AQJ 107 5 which was defeated by the lead of . 0 the King of Hearts + KJ7 But sometimes things happen The most astounding feature was which are even more peculiar. that not a single Diamond was Playing at Lederer's Club on duplicated in anylone hand. particularly desirable that our competition Number One team should be eliminated in an early round round-up · through the hazards of a short match of 32 boards ; 'nor that a by M. Harrison-Gray promising team who gallantly enter every competition in sight in the ITH the present wave of London area should go out in the enthusiasm which is sweep­ first round with monotonous W ing the country, the value regularity through being drawn of tournament play as a means of against teams of International improving one's game cannot be too players. strongly stressed. . Large. numb.e.rs Nevertheless, as there are many of potential ch~pwns sh1rk .takmg who prefer the type of contest up duplicate bndge for a. var~ety of reasons, chief among wh1ch 1s lack where all contestants play right of knowledge as to how to start through with a " straight " draw, this fascinating form of the game. certain events will continue to be · run on the old lines, notably the '• Next month we are publishing an ·I British Bridge League's Gold Cup, I article explaining the A to Z of ; ' duplicate and just why it is im­ the " blue riband " of British portant that all players of reasonable bridge, and the Club Pairs Contest proficiency should try their hand for the Portland Club Cup. It is at tournament play. only i!l the English Bridge Union's The 1945-46 season draws 'Championship events that, for the rapidly to a close, the only out­ first time, seeding and exemption ·from early rounds will come info I standing events being the Pachabo I Cup (the English Bridge Union force. .. Inter-County Championship), the The events affected are the Whitelaw Cup (the E.B.U. National Pairs and Nationallndivi­ Championship for Ladies' Teams dual Championships, and the new of Four), and the Tournament Teams of Four Championship f?r Bridge Association's Richard Crockford's Cup. The latter will · Lederer Memorial Cup. The culminate in a final of'eight teams, second round of the Pachabo and composed of those grant;d. full the 'Whitelaw contests have been exemption from the prelimmary completed and the results are given stages and those which have below ; in the Lederer, teams struggled through to the last round. ·· captained by Dr. Paul Stern, ]. Each team will play two matches Pearlstone and Dr. Fraser Allan against every other team in the have reached the semi-final. final, which will therefore be ~ The English Bridge Union will exact replica of the · EuroJ?~ be issuing to its · members the Championships at which Bnush Competition Brochure for next teams have so often failed to season, and the Tournaments justify themselves. Committee has gone all out to The news will be acceptable both make the programme attractive to the hard-working doctor or both to expert and newcomer to solicitor whose prowess is kn?wn the competition game. In the past to the Tournaments Comm1ttee the luck of the draw has played and who will thus be saved some far too prominent a part. It is not of the endless sessions of duplicate

20 CONTRACT BRIDGE ~OURNAL necessary if he is to participate in each county playing a home and the leading events, and to the rank away match against each other and file of tournament players who County team in the same division ; will be assured of a fair1 run for for, again · in order to re·duce their money by meeting~ opponents travelling, it may be necessary to of approximately their own calibre divide the country into sections. in the earlier rounds. A novel feature of the · Pairs In order to minimise travelling, Contest for the . Harewood the first stages of each · contest, Challenge Trophies, which is open· whether it be seeded or othenvise, to non-members of the E.B.U., is will be held as near as possible to the clause · which permits the first the districts which· provide the round to consist of rubber bridge entries : thus a team which enters instead of duplicate . and to . be in Lancashire will in the first place played off in private houses or be drawn against another team in wherever convenientto competitors. the same town or at any rate in As the closing date for entries the same county, and it is only as for some of the 1946-47 contests the competition progresses that is not far off, all non-members of they will be called upon to play the E.B.U. should 'lose no time in ,.- ~ against, say, a team from Yorkshire. applying to the Secretary, English Of the new contests, one of most · Bridge Union, 21, Hale Grove interesting ·is the Inter-County Gardens, London N.W.7, for entry League, for teams of eight-a-side, forms ·and the Competition for the Tollemache Cup. This will Brochure, and for details of how be run on much the same lines as to join their respective County the County Cricket Championship, Associations.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS-OCTOBER Tournaments Committee Meeting, E.B.U.-Crockford's Club,'10.30 a.m. October 1st Selection Committee Meeting, E.B.U.-Crockford's Club, 11.45 a.m. 'council Meeting, E.B.U.-;-Crockford's Club, 2.30 p.m. " " Closing date for entries for : " " The Gold Cup (B.B.L. Championship for Teams of Four) .. October 28th Crockford's Cup (E.B.U. Championship for Teams of · · Four) ...... · . . • ...... National Individual Championship . (E.B.U.) ... " ", Affiliated Clubs Cup (for Teams of Four from Clubs " affiliated to the E.B.U.) Inter-County League (for ~epresentative County Teams " " of Eight) , " Items for inclusion in the Calendar should be fonvarded to reach the CONT-RACT BRIDGE JOURNAL, Editorial Department, . 8, Waterloo Pface, London, S.W.l., ~ot later than the lOth day of each month. · 2I 'I II

I' LEICESTERSHIRE results of matches Mr. S. Joseph's Team beat Mrs. M. Cole's Team by 2,900. PACHABO CUP NOTTINGHAMSHIRE & DERBYSHIRE Results of Second Round Matches are Mrs. Wibberley's Team beat Mr. as follows: N. R:.C. Frith's Team·by 320. LONDON, SURREY & MIDDLESEX WARWICKSHIRE & STAFFORDSHIRE Dr. P. Stern's Team beat Mr. Mrs. T. S. Crisford'~ Team heat S. F. Chorley's Team by 2,690. Mr. L. Jacob's Team by 2,140. Mr. C. E .. Davis' Team beat Mr. Mr. A. F. Beam's Team beat Mr. J. Colvin's Team by 1,270. · R. Morton's Team by 80. Mrs. P. Williams' Team beat Mr. LANCASHIRE & CHESHIRE · M. Block's Team by 1,520. Major R. B. Verdin's Team beat Mr. L. W. Dodds' Team beat Mrs. F. Bailey's Team by 750. Mr. G. Ramsey's Team by YORKSHIRE & LINCOLNSHIRE . 4,400. Mr. G. Nelson's Team-beat Mr. Mr. A. L. Della Porta's Team J. Brown's Team by .4,480 . . beat Mrs. Lyons' Team by Mr. H. L. · Shapidt's Team· beat 3,400. Mr. R. F. Conven's Team by Mr. D. P. Braithwaite's Team 540. wfo. Mr. R. Cole's Team

'I scratched. , I Mr. G. Farhat's Team beat Mr. WHITELAW CUP L. Baron's Team by 1,250. Mr. T.V. M. Cotter's Team beat Results of Second Round Matches are Mr. S. C. Kastell's Team by as follows: 580. Mrs. P. Williams' Team beat Mr. M. Harrison Gray's Team Lady Rhodes Team by 1,980. I . beat Mr. J. W. Waller's Team Mrs. D. S. Kastell's Team beat . by 700. Mrs. Titmas' Team by 670. HERTFORDSHIRE Mrs. Furse's Team beat Mrs. Mr. W. H. Weightman's Team Block's Team by 1,500. . beat Mr. A. J. Smith's Team Mrs. Summer's Team beat Mrs . by 2,930. Godfray's Team by 320. SUSSEX & KENT Mrs. Griffith's Team beat Mrs. Mrs. E. A. O'Callaghan's Team Cavendish's Team by 540. beat Lady Climo's Team by Mrs. Jarvis' Team beat Mrs. 1,990. Paxon's Team by 1,170. Mrs. A. L. Fleming's Team beat Mrs. Symes' Team beat Mrs. Mr. E. Summers Team by 38Q. Hardman's Team by 1,600. HAMPSHIRE & DEVONSHIRE Mrs. Flemmich's Team wfo. Mrs. C. Trollope's Team beat Mrs. H. M. W'illiams' Team Sir Hugh Garrett's Team by scratched. r 1,890. Mrs. Wibberley's Team beat GLOUCESTERSHIRE Mrs. Burn's Team by 690; Mr. A. Barnett's Team beat Mr. Mrs. Eames' Team beat Mrs. G. D. Johnstone's Team by Smith's Team by 6,250. 820. Mrs. Crisford's Team beat Mrs. Mr. R. F. P. Holloway's Team Rowley's Team by 730. beat Major C. MacLachlan's Mrs. Booth's Team beat Mrs. Team by 1,200. Turner's Team by 1,110. 22 what? another convention !

by j. C. H. Marx

N the Early Culbertson Age, the assumed in all these cases that opening No-Trump was m out- partner has opened One No-Trump ·I cast in the community of bids. of an agreed range of strength It was considered capricious and between 16 and 18 points. unreliable. It had' been censured (1) You .hold + Q 10 x x x by the High Priest for violating \!) K x x 0 x + Q x x. There may · his sacred Approach 'Principle and be a game in Spades, if the no- . it · was denied all honourable em- trump is not a minimum and the ployment save by the few militant hand fits. Or there may not. What ' · Bullers and the more numerous but can you do about it under current pathetic Bourbons who still sighed methods ? Bid 2 Spades, the for the languid allurements of weakness take-out, which partner, Auction. It was a happy-go-lucky fearing you have six to the Jack vagabond, and might be secretly and a bust, ·will almost certainly envied but could not be openly pass, whatever his hand ? Bid approved. . 3 Spades, committing you to a Then came its regeneration. game, whether or not partner has a The 1936 Gold Book and the minimum ? Raise happily to Two . contemporary emergence of Acol No-Trumps, in spite of that single­ made it respectable and it became ton Diamond ? ·in fact almost 'puritanical. The (2) You hold + K x x x \!) Q J · code of conduct laid down for it x x O Q x x x + x. There is a likely was rigid and austere. In this game in a major if partner has four guise it survives to-day as the of either, and an unlikely game at " Strong No-Trump," beloved of No-Trumps because of the single-" so many good average players. \ ton Club. Can you investigate In theory it is an admirable bid. '· with any assurance that you will It states simply and squarely'both find both the right spot and the the nature of the hand pattern and, right level ? within narrow limits, the general (3) You hold + K x x x \!) A high-card strength. The responder x x x O K J x x + x. More than can USU;ally judge at once whether ample high card strength for game there is a hope of game. But some- at No-Trumps, provided the d~­ times he cannot, and, what is worse, fence ~o not run away with .the has no safe means of finding out. Clubs: But they might, yet you , Let us examine some of these dare not force with either of ·these difficulties which may be en- scanty majors and risk being raised countered by the resp'onder. It is on three to the Queen. 23 'I I :'I CONTRA C T B RIDG E JO U RNAL ( 4) You hold + K x x x \:} K must bid the suit at the range J x 0 A x x x + x x. A sound of T wo. If he holds both raise to Three No-Trumps, but majors, he should bid Spades Four Spades might be safer ; first and, if the opportunity unfortunately you cannot find out. arises, H earts later. (5) You hold + KJxxxx (b) Holding no four card \:} Q x x 0 x + 10 x x. A possible major and .a minimum no. game at Spades if the No-Tru~p trump he must ·bid Two is a maximum. But partner wtll Diamonds. . pass Two Spades and Three Spades (c) Holding no four card commits you to game in any case. major and a better than (6) You hold + x \:} K x x x minimum no-trump, he must O Q x x x x x + Q x. A possible bid Two No-Trumps. game at Hearts, Diamonds or No­ (2) When the opener has rebid Trumps. The best course is to denying a four card major, a bid Three Diamonds and hope further bid of either a major partner bids Three Hearts. But or a minor by the responder if he doesn't there is nothing to implies a suit of not less than tell you whether the resultant · five cards. T hree No-Trumps will be perfectly (3) The rebid by the responder, Ho peless or almost a lay-down. where it reverts to No­ Is there a remedy ? Yes, of Trumps or raises the four course there is. You knew it all card major bid by the opener the time-another confounded con­ is purely quantitative. and vention ! And although I am should be passed by the opposed to the proliferation of o ~et;le r if his holding is a co nventional devices (other mmtmum. people's, anyway), I am prepared (4 ) If the opener has a minimum, to sponsor this one. Its rules are he should not bid again simple, easily remembered and unless the responder creates require only a little good judgment a game forcing situation by and sense of playing trick values jumping the bidding. Ex~ep­ to operate successfully. Moreover tionally, with some distnbu· they can be explained to the tional• support (4 4 3 2) for opponents' satisfaction in ten a five card major bid by the seconds. responder, he may raise. On all the above examples, you (5) Further bidding after a Two make a conventional one-round No-T rump rebid by ope~f!'· forcing bid of Two Clubs. T his showing a better thim Jllllll• bid is not in i~elf forcing to game, mum No-Trump, is forcing though a forcmg to game situation to game, except as in (6) may develop from it. The sub­ below. sequent procedure is governed by (6) A rebid by responder to 3 the following rules. Clubs .or Diamonds' denotes (1) Opener must rebid, in re­ a suit ·of at least five carc!s, 1 sponse to the Two Club an unbalanced hand and 1 : take-out, as under :- consequent fear of No- 1 (a) . Hol~ing any four Trumps as a safe contract. cards 10 etther major, he (Example 6 above is a case CONTRACT BRIDGE JOURNAL in point). Opener should game in a fitting four card major, pass unless he can envisage either or both of which he may game at five of the minor ; hold. The convention banishes exceptionally, holding a this inhibition. No-Trumps can maximum and three to a top be opened on any suitable 4 3 3 3 ; honour in "i:he suit, he may 4 4 3 2 or 'even 5 3 3 2 hand, pro­ bic;i Three No-Trumps. vided its high card strength falls The effect of the use of this within the agreed range. Incident­ convention on normal bidding ally, the convention ·can be used in procedure can be assessed by conjunction with a No-:Trump of examining the types of hand, in any prescribed 'strength ; it works the ·examples above. on which the particularly well with the " weak " use of the bid is recommended. All No-Trump of 13-15 points. of them are hands on which there Finally, there is nothing to exists at least some shadow ~f hope prevent the responder making of game. All of them are either normal raises ·to two or three unbalanced or have a pronounced No-Trumps, when playing the weak suit, suggesting that a final · . convention. In fact, he ·should · contract in No-Trumps may be always do so, where there is no less · desirable 'than in ·a suit, . point in exploring otlier contracts·. especially a major suit. The For instance, Three No-Trump~ conventional Two Club bid is in is . the most promising landing effect a bid of Two and a half place for a balanced hand such as · Spades or Hearts, standing between + Q J x x x \? A x 0 Q x x + J 10 the weakness take-out of Two of a x with no pronounced weakness suit and the Forcing Take-out of anywhere, and it should be bid Three. · without further ado. It follows that the simple Take­ out of Two of a suit; other than Clubs, shquld be reserved for hands CONTRIBUTORS TO OCTOBER of extreme weakness and should invariably be · passed by opener. ISSUE . Godfrey Witm-eminetzt author and · If responder had thought there colutmzist. was any hope of game, he would Col. G. G. fValshe--" Yarborough" have bid Two Clubs. The forci~g of the " Sunday Times." take .out of Three of a suit also .. Gordon D. Johnstone, wlzo · tvill becomes more clear-cut and can wrtte on first steps · to Duplicate and be reserved for really powerful Toumament play. . , hands, more closely approximating s. J. Simon-!.author of " Why yozr to those on which a forcing take­ lose at Bridge." · out is used after an opening of One Geoffrey L. Butler--1.vell-ktzotv11 of a suit, a game being assured and Bridge columnist. a slam not unlikely. . . A_nd all our regular contributors, Every bridge player has met z.ncludt7!g Guy Ramsey, distinguished JOitmallst, author and Bridge Editor • hands where, on account of tenace · Dr. Paul Stem, ex-captain of the Worltl . holdi~gs .in one ~r m~re suits, every Champion Austrian team ; lain MaCleod . card mstmct urges !urn to bid One and J. C. H. 111arx, Intemational No-Trump. He fears, however play~rs of repute ; · Etvart Kempson, · leadmg player and authority in the that if he does so, he may miss ~~ North of England. flte Nurtlter. I il II fJutlfJo ·

II. by Ewart Kempson q T ET's go back a bit, back to · the had dared to play one of th~t 64 il L 1940 North v. South match, boards and it was . at once agreed ~ I which was played in aid of to teach him a sharp lesson. He the Red Cross. was carried screaming from the ,j The South team mistook the date room and forced to play with and only the non-playing captain, . Geoffrey Fell. ii Colonel Walshe, turned up. With The Walshe-Kempson combina­ the aid of Geoffrey Butler, Geoffrey tion at once bid a lovely grand slam 1\ Fell and the non-playing captain of and made it. In the other room, j, the North (us), a " South" team the North stopped at six and went was raised to play against the one down through guessing all _ ,I North cracks : Messrs. J. vV. three finesses wrong. Crake, H. Marks, R. Vincent, Three further slams by the . II R. Mercado, A. Ralli and Mrs. Walshe-Kempson combine, each Parkes. requiring some delicate play and We started off in partnership a couple of leads out of tum, with Geoffrey Fell and soon got helped the " South " to draw ­ into his way of bidding. By the level and eventually to win. same token he got into our way. Colonel \Valshe claims this as In the other room, Geoffrey Butler his own triumph. quickly mastered the Walshe system but the North team led In 1942 we played an unofficial by the negligible margin of one match in aid of the Red Cross. thousand points after three boards. Colonel Walshe, as the bolder, Thanks to some rare bidding by insisted on playing, whereupon Fell, the " South" team reached every player in London refused a contract· of four spades on Board to take part. 5 . . . down three. With the Eventually we persuaded Graham other cards Colonel Walshe · and Mathieson to play with the late Butler, remarkably enough, also Wash Carr, but we couldn't get a · bid to four spades. They were fourth. This is what the other rather less lucky and carne down experts said :- four. lVI. Harrison-Gray : "vVho, me ?" At this stage the '.' South" was Jack Marx : " I don't really 2,000 behind, but subsequently mind the blitz." went to pieces. '· Mrs. Evers : " Is \Valshie still At Board 65 Colonel Walshe trying to play bridge ? reported to us that Butler had been Colonel Beasley : " I'm no I " too awful." Apparently Butler masochist." ! ~ I CONTRACT DRIDGE JOURNAL - Lord Tollemache: 11 No--- Energeia Bridge Club. We won fear." the most important match against Geoffrey Butler : I'm a respect- the champions by 360, lost to able married man." · · Liege by· 200, lost to the Auto­ · Mrs. Rankin : I mobile Club by 1800 and defeated Sydney J oseplis : 11 Who is Energeia by 4,600. Colonel Walshe?" · All the matches .were played in · Mr. N. Goldingcr: 11 How can an atmosphere of great cordiality I possibly get away next week ; · and our hosts, headed by Colonel · I've got to finish playing this· hand." R. Borgerhoff, secretary general of Eventually we bribed Mr. John the Belgian Federation of Bridge, 0. Hastie. gave us a generous helping of the The North team duly won and traditional Belgian hospitality. Mr. John Hastie was seen in Only one_woman player played Ipswich the following day, cracking against us ; she was Miss Simone his head against a stone wall. He Moulia, a petite brunette with a said he found this extremely great flair for the game. . pleasant. We were in dazzling form, one of our best efforts being against The lOth North-South match Mr. Albert Cranz who dealt and was played last January, Colonel passed. Colonel' Walshe, wearing Walshe, M. Harrison-Gray, S. J. his famous look of depression f?imon, Jack Marx, Niel Furse, (whenever he plays with us), Geoffrey Fell, Rex Vincent, Dr. passed and ·so did the third player. 'Goodman Jones and Ian Freeman Weexamined + xx; <\/AKxx; defeating Selby Wraith and us 0 Q J 10 x x ; + K J and called by 2,680. ' one heart in a strong voice. Mr. Cranz bid one spade, Colonel Walshe bid four hearts and this was passed to Mr. Cranz who bid four spades. What would you do, chum? You're vulnerable. We made a devastating double, but refused to be bluffed by Mr. Cranz's re-double. We knmvwhen to pass, so we passed. Mr. Cranz made only thirteen tricks and Colonel Walshe continued to wear his ·look of depression. The four English players stuck closely together throughout the tour. They did this to prevent · Towards the end of July we any three discussing any one visited Brussels with Colonel behind his back. This panned Walshe, Leslie Dodds and Eddie out very \Veil until it was discovered Rayne to play a .series of private that Mr. Dodds could· not speak matches against (a) the Belgian French,. from which moment Mr. champion team, (b) .Liege, (c) The Dodds 'vas ·at the mercy of the Automobile Club and (d) the other three who discussed his CONTRACT BRIDGE JOU R N~L many shortcomings in front of his without shoes, so Dr. Leist's feet face. Thus we would say to were forced into a pair of local Colonel Walshe and Eddie Rayne shoes, and he played throughout " Monsieur Dodds est un Joueur in great pain. H ad he . been tres mauvais " To which Eddie fortunate enough to secure a pair would reply " Mais oui, et mon of Rayne's, he would have played oncle est dans le jardin avec les in perfect comfort (Cheque from lions." Rayne's should be made payable to the writer). Colonel vValshe would then chip in with the statement that the pen Mr. Meredith was playing ex­ of his aunt was black, but nothing tremely well until a spectator like as black as Leslie. asked if he was S. J. Simon; From It was all exceedingly pleasant, that moment, Mr. Meredith con­ but we understand that Mr. Dodds centrated entirely on keeping his is now taking French lessons so hair brushed. it wont be any use taking him on It is quite untrue to suggest that the next tour. we tried to put Mr. Baron off by sending him a telegram which read " London wishes Leo Luck." It was signed by all the members of Mr. Harrison-Gray's team and by all the members of Dr. Stern's team. The only unfortunate incident in a fine, sporting match was when a spectator said that Mr. Goldinger had played par bridge for 99 of the 100 board·s. Mr. Goldinaer promptly struck this ob noxi~us · person and is bringing an action for defamation of character. . The rate of play was e~tremely fast, the average being nine boards Last month Leslie Dodds to the hour. Mr. Baron inter­ Edw~rd Rayne, and Selby Wraith changed his partnerships, but Eddie handtcapped us in 100 boards Rayne was not allowed to escape against Leo B~ron, Nico Goldinger, from Leslie Dodds even for one Adam Meredtth and Dr. H. Leist. board. We lost (by 4,100) to a better team. M;. Baron's team triumphed desptte many handicaps. In the first place, Dr. Leist arrived with­ ~he first person in England to out any shoes (apparently the poor achteve Master r~k (regional) is fell~w ~ad failed to draw trumps Mrs. Harry Jackson, of Whitley earher m the week). In Newcastle Bay, Northumberland. we don't allow people to play CONTRACT DRID~E JOURNAL

GREETINGS from from ELY CULBERTSON, Esq. A. NOEL MOBBS, Esq. ''\ Chairman of the Portland Club' 16a East 62nd Street, and the British Bridge League. · • New York City, U.S.A. 18b Charles Sti·eet, lltJ. Harrison-Gray, Esq., Lon~on, TV.l·. Editor, Contract Bridge Journal, It is indeed with pleasure that I London, England .. learn that the English Bridge Union is to produce a monthly Contract Bridge Journal. · Dear Harrison-Gray, The lack of any Magazine to keep It is good news, indeed, to learn Bridge players in touch with one that Britain is to have a Bridge another, and with what is happming in the Bn'dge world, has undoubtedly Nlagazine again after the seven­ been one of the causes of the diffi­ year interval of the war. culties that have hampered the Such a venture can do only good post-war reiJival of Bridge Leagues, both of a National and County both to the game and its players. character. All our good wishes Jor your great The first Congress held at success. Cheltenham was an outstanding success, reflecting great credit on the In sending you this message, which Officials 'of the British Bridge comes from my associates and myself League, the· English Bridge Union and the Gloucestershire Contract and from the "Bridge World," I Bridge Association.' It will be should like to take the opportunity followed by further Congresses and to assure you-an assurance you International matches. should not need-that if .we 'over I shall recommend the Journal to Clubs and Bridge players, and I here can do anything to he_lp you, hope that you, its first readers, you can count it already done. many of whom must· be friends and Cordially and fraternally yours, colleagues of mine at Bridge Congresses, will do likewise. ELY CULBERTSON. A. NOEL :MOBBS. by Noel Byrne

HE 1946-47 season has been have allotted the Spiro Cup (for· ushered in by the, now mixed pai~s) to the Drogheda T famous, Killarney Congress. Branch and it will be held in that Founded in 1944 by Dr. T. P. town on Saturday and Sunday the Magnier of Fermoy and organised 2nd and 3rd November. · Another by the Killarney Club, the Congress of the Association's trophies will · proved an instantaneous success be competed for outside the Metro­ and entries for this year's fixture polis, namely, the Jackson Cup have broken all records. Ireland's (for women pairs), which will be best players are being challenged held at Cork on the 8th and 9th by leading teams from England, March, 1947. Scotland and Wales, to whom the idea of a Bridge Congress, Our 1945-46 series of Camrose · set against the background of the Trophy Matches will be continued · unrivalled beauty of Killarney, on the 19th and 20th of October, appeals mightily. when we take on Scotland at The With improved transport facili­ Central Hotel, Dublin. Despite ties available, steps are being taken the poor display put up .by our to extend the scope of the Associa­ Representatives in the matches tion's activities, so as to cater for played to date, I have great hopes bridge players in the Provinces. that they will score their first win in the series-their form in previous · The Association's Annual General Meeting will be held on matches was too bad to be true . . the 23rd September at which tribute will be paid to that active The team to meet Scotland has cen_tre of Bridge, Drogheda; when been selected and is as follows :­ thetr Mr. J. M. Stanley will be Mrs. F. McMenamin ahd T. D. elected President for the coming Purcell, T. P. Boden and T . Ryder; year. One of the best known and W. J. L. O'Connell and Barry . ~ost popular figures in the Associa­ O'Connell (Cork). Reserve Pair, tlon, Mr. Stanley's election :will be J. J. Bastow and W. R. Bastow . . hailed with acclamation on all sides Of the team selected 1 Messrs. and under his leadership the Boden and Ryder are both new Association seems assured ' of a to _Interna?onal Bridge and owe reco:d year. In honour of the new thetr selectwn to consistently good Prestdent, the executive committee performances in the trial matches. 30 For the second year in succession which in fact means since the inauguration of the event, by virtue of leadership of the Senior League, Barney Yard's Jewish Institute team represented the North against the South for the handsome trophy provided by Colonel Walshe, President of the N.I.B.U. Once frbl#f- · again he was narrowly defeated At News the annual prize distribution in May NbFiheJAH /,ela~ttl he and Tom Shanks shared the honours, each receiving three well­ . by A. j. Fletcher deserved awards .

NTHUSIASM for Contract The annual Easter Congress, in Bridge in Northern Ireland, abeyance since 1939, attracted a E evid~nt but controlled during number of promirient players from the war years, has now developed the other home countries and the beyond expectations. standard was exceptionally high. Revival of the Camrose Cup The main event, the Invitation matches has, of course, been a Teams of-four for the Belfast News­ determining factor, as competitive Letter Cup, was won by one of the play at the highest level is ever an English nominations, Ben Cohen's outstanding attraction. The NIBU. Yorkshire team, and David Cohen's got off to a good start with a Belfast-cum-Dublin side was suc­ substantial victory over. Eire in cessful in the Open Congress Fours. March, and there were visions of the A very interesting deal occured in famous trophy leaving England for the invitation Fours. At most tables the first time. Alas, we slipped at South reached a 3 no-trumps the second hurdle, when Scotland contract after North had bid Spades deservedly won in Belfast in April, and West has to find a lead from though the margin was not large. + A.9.6.5., ~ }.9.4.2., 0 6.5.2., In the match against England at + K.6. The only lead which will Cheltenham yet another defeat defeat the contract is the + 6. was suffered, so that early expect­ Partner holds + A.J.10.9.4., and ations have not been realised. The must play the 9, declaring winning · forthcoming Welsh match is, \vith the Queen, To land the con­ however, being anticipated as a tract tricks in spades are needed, and means of adjusting the balance. when West gets in with the Ace Hope springs eternal . I the Club King is played and In the matches played .to date partner overtakes with the Ace ten players have taken part. These to cash the rest of his Clubs. were Mrs. McKee, Cohen, Fletcher However, had declarer, holding Gabbey,Goldblatt, Hanna, Lindsay, Q x x in Clubs, refused the first Mackinnon, Shanks and Vard. . trick, he can still get home as East Only one player, Eric Goldblatt, cannot establish his suit with the took part in all three matches, and, necessary entry I as usual, he gave an excellent Unfortunately for the story, no· performance. A brilliant exponent one made the lead, so that declarer his only failing is that he is inclined did not get the opportunity for too often to expect the unusual. the brilliant counter. " 31 by Albert Benjamin to be hoped that his connection with S.B. U. affairs will not be AST season was the halfway completely severed. The ·new stage in the return to pre­ president, a popular choice for the L war standards. National and post, is Mr. W. A. McKerrow of District competitions were revived, Edinburgh. Mr. McKerrow has but entries for the most part fell along with Mr. Ellis, done much short of 1939 numbers. One to maintain Scotland's interest in cause was the difficulty faced by the B.B.L. and has been honoured clubs, closed down for the duration, · by being elected Vice-President of in finding suitable premises. that body. The interest in Duplicate is The honours of the season were definitely on the increase. This shared by Glasgow and Edinburgh. was evidenced by the appeal of a The Scottish Cup went to Glasgow new event introduced last year­ (Messrs. S. B. Nicolson, C. Ellis, The National Pairs Championship. P. Duff and G. Bryce) as did the A very fine cup was presented by Scottish Women's Cup (Mrs. the " Scotsman " for this Turpie, Mrs. Davidson, Mrs. competition. Burnside, Mrs. Langmuir and Another pointer to the spread of Miss Smith). The new National organised bridge is the creation of Pairs was won by Mr. and Mrs. a new district within the Scottish T. G. Porteous of Edinburgh. Bridge Union. This will take ·in This pair were part of the team of the counties of Angus, Perth and 4 narrowly defeated by Mr. North Fife and will be known as Nicolson in the final of the Scottish the Central District. Cup. A team of Edinburgh ladies At no time during the period of (Miss A. G. McKenzie, Miss Bell, hostilities did the S.B.U. cease to Miss MeNair and Mrs. Porteous) I function. To cut down travelling, did well in reaching the final of 'I emphasis was laid on district the Lady Milne Cup, staged at I .I . competitions and teams of 4 were the Cheltenham Congress. Although substituted for teams of 8. beaten by Lady Rhodes' team, The guiding spirit during these they did not return empty-handed troubled times was Mr. C. Ellis, from the Congress as they won President of the Union. His long the Queen Cup. services, technical and admini­ The recent A.G.M. of the Union strative, to Scottish Bridge have was well attended. The main no doubt received the tar.it appreci­ debate centred round the procedure ation of players, and now that of international team selection. Mr. Ellis has demitted office, it is Mter a critical discussion the 32 meeting upheld the policy of ~he executive and refused to sanct10n any alteration to the constitution. Welcome news is to hand that a Congress will be held at Dunbl.ane Hydro in October. By the t1me these notes appear full details will be in the hands of Scottish readers, many of whom wi~l recall past triumphs of the bndge table at this popular and traditional venue of Scottish Congresses. by W. H. Ricardo

HE international Bridge matcn against England is due to , T take place in · Cardiff on October 12th and 13th. The DAILY GRAPHIC selection) Committee have adopted CONTEST the policy of not altering a winning team, and are playing the same The largest and most ambitious side as defeated Scotland recently ~ competition yet staged is being F. E. Perry (non-playing Captain), organised by the British Bridge E. J. Carter, D. McAllister, A .. League on behalf of the " Daily Stone, S. Rivlin, E. Fine, and Graphic" and " Daily Sketch." H. Belman. The competition is for teams of Special interest will be taken in four and it is understood no entry this match as the result may have­ . fee will be payable. It "'ill be a distinct bearing on the destiny organised on a regional basis and of the Camrose Trophy. England trophies will be awarded to area will be all out to avenge the defeat winners and the area winners will inflicted on them by Wales in tl1e last match played at Leicester in go forward for a National Final to 1939. . be held in London. Members of those teams who are fortunate Cardiff is setting out in force for enough to get into the Final will an invasion of Eire, and the venue be entertained for 2 days by the is again at Killarney, where every · " Daily Graphic." prospect pleases and only your partner is vile. If the same delight­ Preliminary announcements will ful holiday that we all enjoyed last be appearing in the National press year is given us again, we shall all this month and entry forms will of us be indeed fortunate. shortly be in the hands of County The finals of the Webber Cup Secretaries. are due to be played on September 2~th, and will consist of from 8 to· The entry anticipated for this 12 teams, playing on Patton most attractive competition is Schedule. The Welsh Bridge expected to be a record for any Association are gradually getting British event and on the terms back to t~eir pre-war activities, and conditions outlined above it and are hopmg for a much extended certainly deserves to be. programme for next year. 33 participated and the event was North 'Western eventually won by a team captained . . by vV. H. Preece, consisting of The North ·western Contract himself and Messrs. Henriques, Bridge Association prior to the war Maud and Mills. was verv active and run in a very In June, this Association ran on efficient. manner with W. H. Preece behalf of the English Bridge Union as Hon. Secretarv and Lieut.-Col. the. International Pairs Trial, which P. L. Coates, D.S.O., T.D., as resulted in a very close scoring Chairman. During the war, activi­ amongst the first five pairs : C. ties were reduced to nil, but in Henriques and vV. H. Preece July, 1945 the Committee decided (Blackpool) 177 match·. poinhl; to proceed with its activities on a J. E. Gordon and A. C. Douglass limited basis. The first event was (Liverpool) 174 match points i a trial to choose a pair to represent T. Gee and A. V. Rahr (Bolton this area in the North v. South 17 4 match points. match at Newcastle in January, During the coming s~ason the 1946. In a very close Contest, the Association hope to be more active -first position was gained by Mr. and an area congress has been Freeman and Dr. Goodman Jones arranged to take place at Blackpool, .of Liverpool. 25th, 26th and 27th October. In the Liverpool area the So far not many new first-class \iVaterworth Cup competition was players have made their appearance resumed. This is a match pointed in this area, but C. E. Phillips. event covering 168 boards played V. J. G. Eayres and M. Keppner in 7 sessions. In spite of a disa­ now in Blackpool greatly strengthen strous start, J. E. Gordon and bridge in that area. A. C. Douglass were the winners, The Annual Meeting of the nine match points above Mrs. M. Association was held in Manchester Parkes and C. M. Ralli. on 31st July. The Chairman I I In Soutnport the invitation pairs reviewed the past twelve mon~ I took place during the winter months and the Treasurer submitted a I and in an exciting finish S. satisfactory halance sheet. All the Goldstone and S. Yates just beat officers were re-elected and it was. M. Hargreave and A. McCarthy. announced that a much enlarged I In Blackpool a teams-of-four programme of competitions was .championship was played during being arranged for the coming the winter and spring. 14 teams year. 34 November 17th, the winners to be decided bv the aggregate score of the two matches. Lancashire are Yorkshire the present holders of the York~lzire Eveniug News Cup and the Stiver by Nancy Bedford Record Book presented by Major Fell. This event was promoted by When the Yorkshire Contract G. Nelson in 1932 between teams. Bridge Association was first formed of four-a-side and it was more in in 1935, under the chairmanship the nature of an annual " friendly " of Mr. George Nelson, amongst match until it became " official " its active supporters were Mrs. in 1936, when the North ·western F. B. Bailey (Hull), Mrs. L. Association was formed. Hadfield (Sheffield), Mrs. E. M. The Association have arranged Turner (Halifa.'X), Dr. L. Bathurst the following events for the coming (Leeds), Major G. Fell, O.~.E. season:- (Leeds), Mr. J. Mornson yorkshire Pairs Championship (Harrogate) and Mr. J. H. Taylor for the Yorkshire Evening Post (Bradford). It is good to see these Cups. Open to any player resident members on the post-war Council, in Yorkshire, whether a member ' along \Vith Mrs. M .. Cartw~ight of the Association or not. · A (Dewsbury), Mrs. L. Drx~n substantial proportion of the net (Leeds), Mrs. M. S. Rankm entrance fees to be contributed to (Sheffield}, Mrs. E. A. West a charity. (Bradford), Messrs. W. Barker Teams -of- four - Championship · (Hull), F. Bray (Dewsbury), L. M. for the Waddington Shield. Bodlender (Harrogate), R. C. Yorkshire Individual Champion­ Hartley (Shr;:ffield}, R. Niman (Leeds), F. Sleightholme (Leeds), ship for the Yorkshire Post Cup. A. R. Steele (Huddersfield}, L. Mixed Teams-of-four Contest Taylor (Mytholmroyd) and R. for the Nelson Rose Bowl. Vincent (Leeds). This strong and Inter - City Teams - of - eight . representative Council is under Contest for the Yorkshire Telegraph the active chairmanship of Mr. and Star Cup. Ben Cohen, who is successor to Yorkshire League Championship Dr. L. ·Bathurst. for the Waddington Cup. A very full and interesting In addition a monthly pairs season is expected, and with competition will be played in each Autumn Congresses at Blackpool, local area in rotation, winners to and Harrogate Northern bridge qualify ' for a final at the end of players are indeed provided for. the season. There will also be. What is likely to prove the most County Selection Trials participa­ interesting contest of the Blackpool tion in which will be by invitation and Harrogate events is the bridge only. " Battle of the Roses " between I do not claim to be a bridge teams of twelve pairs a-side re­ expert myself, but that well-known presenting Yorkshire and Lanca­ Yorkshire player, Mr. George shire. This match is to be played Nelson . (my father) has promised in two halves, the first at Blackpool for this page any deals of interest on Sundav, October 27th and the that crop up in his tilts with the second at· Harrogate on Sunday, prominent Yorkshire players. 35 attitude of mind by S. J. Simon

Mr. James Agate, there is no

'"'I. difference between them and look­ I ing at your wrist watch to tell partner you hold all four Aces. What Mr. Agate of course ignores (From the author's introduction to i_s that bidding, say, a conventional ' Four No-Trumps uses up a tempo 'I the the new edition of "The Acol q System of Contract Bridge" by while looking at your wrist watch I' Ben Cohen and Terence Reese, ,I doesn't. reviewed on page 15 of this issue). The Acol attitude has realised HE Acol System has often that bidding is not an exact lj been described as an attitude science but a scientific estimation T of mind. It is high time this of mathematical probabilities. It il II attitude was set down in print for, has also realised that the proba­ ij judging by their constantly sug­ bilities to be estimated include the gested improvements which have probable actions of opponents, -to be firmly sat on, a great many who regrettably happen to be alleged Acol exponents don't even present, and that the entire begin to possess it. It is never language for estimating is limited I easy to explain an attitude but I to 35 bids (1 Club to 7 N.T.), and il feel that I must have a stab at that that is not nearly enough to explaining this one. paint a complete picture of the The Acol attitude comes half­ hand most of the time or even part wav between two schools of of the· time. It has therefore thO'ught. The first and most realised that there is a limit to the popular school, whom I call the accuracy any system can reach and scientists, believe that bidding is that no system can hope to be essentially a duet between partners, completely acc'urate all the time. an exact science subject to im­ Accordingly it has thrown that mutable laws, and that the more particular ambition into the gutter, one learns of those laws the more where the scientists can scramble .accurate will bidding become. The for it, and set itself out to evolve a second school, still flourishing in loose flexible style of bidding, the North, believes in no conven­ which, though not as accurate f tions and common sense, the some systems on certain type~ 0 more you've got the more you bid, hands, will in the long run achievf and, when hard-pressed in argu­ better results over all types 0 ment, that all these features showing hands both by the aid of it's ow~ .conventions are nothing but cheat­ bidding machinery and opponents ing anyway and, in the words of mistakes. CONTRACT DRIDGE JOURNAL Opponent's mistakes I . the scientists line of play gives These words form an essential opponents no chance to go wrong, element of the Acol attitude. But Buller offered both East and West the scientists do not appear even a first class opportunity to chuck. to envisage that they can happen. First West on play does not Recently I found a bunch of know whether to lead Hearts or them clustered round a hand Diamonds and, if he leads .published by Ewart Kempson m Diamonds-that's that ! And if the Star. he leads Hearts and East holds + 10xxxxx Queen to four, then . East must ~ Kxx play low or he will present declarer 0 XXX with the contract. + x And how many -Easts do you N. know who could be guaranteed to W. S. E. play low in this situation ? + AKJxx But this aspect of the Colonel's ~ AJ 10 9 play had inevitably . never even · 0 AQ occurred to the scientists. It never + AlO does occur to them to think about The late Colonel Walter Buller opponents. had played this hand in 6 Spades Opponents will make mistakes. against an opening lead of the Further, opponents can be en­ King of Clubs. Winning the trick couraged to make mistakes. If with Ace, he drew trumps, played they don't make mistakes you the .10 of Clubs and when West won't win many matches. But covered with the Jack, let him the Acol is the only system I know hold it discarding a Heart from that consciously devotes a part of dummy. it's machinery to encouraging Kempson had been rightly en­ opponents into errors. There are thusiastic about Buller's line of other systems that are difficult to play but the scientists were play against-natural bidders for sceptical and were busily discussing instance are a nightmare to oppose. percentage angles, distributional But it is an accidental nightmare frequencies and what nots in an arising out of the general sloven­ effort to prove a simple Heart liness of their methods and not a finesse through East offered the planned nightmare. You don't better chance. 'Vhether or not they know what to do against them were right mathematically, I because these bidders so often would'nt know. Buller fails while don't know what they're doing. they succeed against ~ Q x x x or · Acol bidders always know exactly ~ Q x x x x in East's hand, while what they're doing. Their machin-: Buller . succeeds and they fail ery often puts opponents on a spot against Q x x with West. Both from which they have to guess fail against ~ Q x x x with West. while the partnership knows it's Mathematically it is clearly ex­ own combined strength to within tremely close. a point. But in practice there is no This is known as making life argument but that Buller's line of difficult for the enemy and easy play was correct. Because while for yourself. 37 feminine slant? by Carmel Skidelsky

What is the feminine slant on bridge? · Quite simply. There ain't no such animal. Unreliable statistics (mine) show stands at once that the woman that there are far more women plays an agressive game with bridge players in this country than judgment and skill. · men. Voluntary ones at any rate. But take the converse. You are Yet bridge, on its creatiYe side, told, " Oh ! She plays a typical is still as exclusively a man's game woman's game." Do you honestly as chess. know anything except that the You don't agree ? speakers considers the player in O.K. Then answer a few question bad ? . questions. You don't know if she underbids Can you think of any bidding or overbids or wobbles between syst~m invented by a woman ? the two extremes. You don't Any coup or convention in the know if her card play is·· beneath play of the cards either invented contempt or as good as the shocking by or named after a woman ? contracts she lands will allow. Can you think of a single woman In fact, in spite of their superior who has evolved bridge principles numbers, women are only bridge of her own? parasites. If you can, I'd like to meet her. The reasons for this art I should say she was rarer than debateable. the dinosaur. My own theory is that most And don't drag the red herring women suffer from a centuries old of first class women players across lack of education. this page. Elegant accomplishments may We all know there are women charm potential ever-lovings but who can take men on at their own they seldom train more than the game and beat them. But the surface of the mind. . operative words are " at their own Bridge is a game requiring lope, game." The highest praise ever common sense and concentrabOO. given to a ranking woman player Such qualities are not often the.bY is :-"She plays like a man." product of Mendelssohn's Sprill3 However high their executive Song or exquisite embroidery•• L:. skill, these women have contributed I am well aware that 11"" nothing to the structure of bridge. curri<;:ulum was obsolete 'by::. Not even a characteristic feminine time my generation was educa t style. By my parents' time as well. But When it is said, " She plays a I think that the inherited bell man's game," no further explana­ towards the graces rather than the tion is needed. Everyone under- sinews of the mind persists. CONTRACT BRIDGE JOURNAL Tlu; result is that the average neither inclination nor ability for woman learns to play bridge reason­ feminine research work. Which ably well with a good deal more means that women cannot influence difficulty than the average male. the game except on its purely With a further result that while social side. the purely instinctive woman So creative bridge remains an player doesn't stop to think out exclusively masculine industry lack­ anything, the rest think only along ing even the germ of a suffragette the already beaten tracks. movement. Look where you will, there is And who cares anyway ?

(The editor hastens to add that he does 11ot · 1;~cessarily agree zuith the authoress, and 1/JOtt!d welcome reactio11s by readers.)

39 ,1 _I t'ompetititJn This H1°111"s . . · by j. (b) 1 + NB 1 ~ NB Set C. H. Marx 2NT NB ? The CONTRACT BRIDGE (c) 1 0 1 + 2 ~ · NB JOURNAL offers a prize of TWO 2NT NB ? GUINEAS for the best set of PROBLEM No. 2. (10 points) solutions to the following problems. In the event of two or more sets · Score East-West Game. East of solutions being of equal merit, holds + J 6 ~ 8 7 0 K Q 2 the monthly prize will be divided. + A K 9 7 4 2. Answers to CONTRACT The biddjng has proceeded, with BRIDGE JOURNAL (Editorial North and South silent through­ Department) 8, Waterloo Place, out: London, S.W.l. not later than WEST EAST October lOth, 1946. Solutions and 1 + 2+ prizewinners' names in November. 2. ?· NoTE.-For the purpose of this What should East bid now ? competition, it should be PROBLEM No. 3. (10 points) assumed ·that the players are employing the Approach-Forcing Score North-South Game. method of bidding. This is not North holds : necessarily identical with any + 6 "K Q 10 9 8 7 0 K 104 particular vintage of the Culbert­ +OJ 4 son system, but conforms to the The bidding proceeds : flexible form of the method followed by most "Forcing NoRTH EAST SouTH WEST !wo :· and" Two Club " players 1 ~ 3 + 4NT 6. m th1s country. (Blackwood) In ~raming their solutions, ? competitors should disregard What should North bid now·? specialised conventions, such as the Blackwood or the Herbert PROBLEM No. 4. (12 points) ~nless the terms of the proble~ Score Game All. South holds: mcludes specific reference to +OJ 97 5 3 ~ 6 OAQJ9 them. +J 5 PROBLEM No. 1. (15 points) The bidding proceeds : Score Love all. North holds: EAST Soum WEsT NoRTH + 7 5 "A Q J 10 8 2 0 3 + J 6 1 + 1 + DBL NB 53. What should he bid in each 2 + NB NB 2 r:[) of the following situations ? ? ? SOUTH 'VEST NORTH EAST What should South bid (a) 1 + NB 2" NB (a) if East passes 2 " 2 NT NB ? (b) if East doubles 2 'V? CONTRACT BRIDGE JOURNAL PROBLEM No. 5. (10 points) EAST SouTH WEST NoRTH Score North-South Game. The 1 <::/ (1) 3 0 (2) Dbl (3) 3 . (4) bidding has proceeded : Dbl (5) NB (6) NB 4 + (7) EAST SouTH WEsT NoRTH Dbl (8) Red (9) 4 <::/ (10) Dbl (11} 1 0 DBL 2 <::/ ? NB N B NB North holds: + 9 8 Q J 9 8 7 6 4 2 0 Void Competitors are asked to classify + J73 by merit, or demerit, all the bids above which are numbered in What should he bid ? brackets. The terms to be used PROBLEM No. 6. (10 points) are (a) Sound, (b) Doubtful, (c) Ill-judged and (d) Shocking. In The bidding has proceeded, with explanation, the term " doubtful " East and West silent throughout should be applied where an alter­ NoRTH SouTH native better bid exists, though 1 2 . the decision is close ; the term 3+ 3. " ill-judged " where such alter­ 4 NT* 5 native is markedly and demon­ 6 + NB strably better. * Blackwood West holds + 865 K1042 0 010965 + 5 What should he lead ? PROBLEM No. 7. (33 points) The four hands are : ACHI LE NORTH + A975 2 SERRE 3 OQ ~~ ~'?'and + AQ 8 65 3 . 0~;vbJf~ WEST EAST ~6tt/l~ • 643 . + KQ J 8 Q52 <\? KJ9876 D.D.T 0 J 10 7 6 4 2 Void MOTHPROOFING + Z + 10 7 4 SO UTH • 10 A 104 0 AK9853 + KJ9 . T he bidding, with the score North-South Game CONTRACT BRIDGE JOURNAL

Bridging tlze Years. fight put even Culbertson's appal­ ling display _when. he lost to Stern (contilllled from page s) in 1937 to mglonous shame. the substitution of the old _4/~ No Trump for the almost ub1qmtous This is, on the whole, a healthy Blackwood. symptom. It proves a thing which needed proving : that even bridge · The 4/5 does impose some ~es~ri~­ players have realised for the past tion upon unduly opt1m1st~c partners : with Blackwood, one 1s seven years that there are questions more burning than that revolving at their mercy. In fact, Bla~kwo?d requires, simple as it seems, mfimt­ round the dilemma whether East or ely more expert treatment than West holds the Queen of Spades. Culbertson. The new (about 2 years old) Four Aces bid-the Weak Two-has not caught on over here. A handful ~f successful money-players expen­ mented with it ; but Crockford's First Tlzouglzts. barred it at the request of the mass (conti1111ed fmm page 7) of ordinary practitioners. Acol position you occupy at the table. preserves it for 8 plus playing-tricks; Should you be stronger to open the Kempson keeps opponents (and bidding if vulnerable and do you partner) guessing whether it is AKQ need a stronger hand to open fourth to 7 and a blizzard or A to 4 with a in hand than you do as dealer~ couple of Ace-Kings on the side. A In both cases the answer is " No." handful reserve the bid for a two­ There are certain niceties of bidding suiter and most Two Clubbers play when a part score is involved, but it to show about four honour tricks these are too advanced to discuss 'I with a bit of shape, or five with I here. Take as your guide that if the none. I rules given indicate that an open­ rj Three-bids have become (thank ing bid is sound, then it is equally "I Heaven) sane at last. The Queen sound under any circumstances. to-si.x-and-a-bust Three is a relic of \Ve have not explored the difficult an unhappy past. Asking bids, country of freak hands. For the optional in Culbertson, have been moment use your own judgement dropped by all but a few seasoned on them , and when in doubt pass. partnerships and, of course, the Vienna addicts, for who~ they are And that, I think, is enough to integral. digest in one mont.h Rea~ the By and large, it is, I think, fair article again and learn the rul~· . to say that, while the bridge Write to me if any point won:es generally played has appreciably you, but do not at this stage rrus.e improved, the top-notch bridge has problems outside the scope of th~ declined even more appreciably. article. And remember again. ThiS article is not for experts but for The standard exhibited in the near beginners. Don't muddle Gold Cup Final, the North-South your thinking by trying too much match, and the Stern-Ellinger dog at once. CONTRACT DRIDGE JOURNAL

HOW GOOD ARE YOU 1 SOLUTIONS BRITISH Ha11d 1 BRIDGE WEST NoRTH EAST SOUTH l. c::}5 c::}2 ~Q c::}A LEAGUE 2. + 3 c::}K c::}9 C\JJ c::; s 3. + 5 +6 +2 1946-47 +6 +2 +K 4. +A ' 5.• J c::}3 +3 +4 +4 C\J 10 DETAILED PROGRAMME OF 6. + 8 +7 EVENTS AND ENTRY FORMS +Q 7.• 5 0 3 +7 WILL BE ISSUED SHORTLY. 8.• 10 ~6 +8 +9 COMPRISING (INTER ALIA) 9. +A +J +Q ~4 10. 0 2 OA 0 6 04 CAMROSE TROPHY. For Inter- 11. 0 7 +K +9 0 5 National Matches between England,. 12. 0 9· 0 10 OK · Eire, Northern Ireland, Scotland. 0 J and Wales. 13. 0 Q '\/7 + 10 08 GOLD CUP. The British Bridge· West is squeezed at trick 2. If League Championship for Teams he discards a Spade, South's 9 of of Four. Recognised as the " Blue· If he Riband " of Bridge by the Bridge Spades becomes good. Playing Public of Great Britain. : discards a Diamond, South's 8 of Diamonds wins the twelfth trick. LADY MILNE CUP. The premier T he choice of opening lead is event for Ladies' Teams of Four. immaterial. HUBERT PHILLIPS BOWL. A . contest for mi.xed Teams of Four. Teams must consist of at least one· Ha11d 2 mun and one lady. 1.+6 +K +5 +2 PORTLAND CLUB CUP. A Club 2. + 2 + 3 +9 0 2 contest for Pairs. The Club to which 3.• 4 0 J 0 3 04 the winning pair belongs to hold. 4.• J ()A 0 6 0 5 the Cup for 12 months. 5. + 8 +A + 10 +7 6•• Q 9 The B.B.L. is the parent body of the· O Q 0 07 English Bridge Union, The Northern. 7.• J + 4 '\! 3 0 8 Irish Bridge Union, The Scottish. 8. + A 3 0 10 OK Bridge Union and the Welsh Bridge + Association and with it is associated 9. '\! 2 +7 +6 +K the Contract Bridge Association or· Ireland. and the three top Hearts win the last three tricks. The B.B.L. is the Controlling Bodv for· \Vest is the victim of an early all Inter-National Events and progressive squeeze from which Champiomhips of the British Isles. there is no escape. 43 BRIDGE INDEX CLASSIFIED LIST OF HOTELS AND CLUBS

BOGNOR REGIS . . l\LUT)lYO LONDON RESIDESTLU. BlliDGE CLUB CROCK•'ORD'S-111 Carlton HoUBC Tena GLENCATII.U\A RO.-\D London, S.W.l. Tel. No. WhltehnU ll ~' Phone : DOGNOll 530 It. PROVOST, Secretary. ' I.

Good Bridge plnyc!l In n 11lcnsnnt atmo­ MANCHESTER sphere at moderate stakes. All latest systems NORTHERS BRJDGE CLUD-28 Singleton taught. First class cuisine, comfort and Road, Kersnl, lllnnchcstcr. President L-Id service. Delightful rooms. H. nnd C. In nil Hindle. Enquiries to tho Secretary' ~ bedrooms. Only Members bar. A. :III. SL'iCL.Ull. Tel. Bro. 2036. ' CHELTENHAM CHELTE1HL\M lllllDGE CLUD- Open 7 !lays TORQUAY per week. Afternoon and Evening Sessions. LJVER:UE.U> CLIFF B RIDGE CLUB-Club Visitors \l"cloomed. Telephone, ClJeltcnham Hon. Sec., lliJOR FLEmNG. Hendquarten, 25il. DEVON COUNTY CONTRACT BRIDGE .AsSOCI!· TION. Hon. Sec., :1\lRS. HARD:uAN. GRIMSBY CONVENEll-D. B. Clapham, 3 Pelham WORTHING Terrace, Grimsby. Duplicnte Bridge- W ORTIIL'iG RESIDENTIAL BRIDGE ·CLUB­ Thursday afternoons. (Alternately Wheat Full Club Licence. Bridge dally, 2.15 to 7 p.m. Sheaf Hotel, St. James Church House). 8 to 12 p.m. Duplicate, 1st Monday, 2.30 p.m. Partnership Bridge-Saturday evenings. Yar­ Residential terms, 17s. Od. per day. Further borough Hotel. Tues!lay afternoons. 1st llllrticulars apply Secretary, 12 Byron· Road. Tuesdny-Whcat Sheaf Hotel. 3rd Tuesday­ St. J ames Church House.

LEEDS MOORTOWN BltlDGE .AND SOCIAL CLUB l\IOORTOWN CollNER HousE LEEDS 7 'fele11honc : LEEDS G6413 We We come nil Bridge Players Visiting Leeds.

-ENGLISH Autumn Con gress

PROVISIONAL AR·RANGEMENTS HAVE BEEN MADE TO HOLD THE THE AUTUMN CONGRESS AT BEXH ILL ON :N O VEMBER ~9th and 30th : DECEM BER 1st and lnd Full Details announced shortly.

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