EBU 75th Anniversary Left to right: Ely Culbertson (American Captain) Simultaneous Pairs Lady Doris Rhodes (England), Colonel George Walshe (Umpire) Thursday 10 May 2012 Josephine Culbertson (America) and Colonel H M Beasley (English Captain) Left to right: Captain Colonel H M Beasley and Captain Ely Culbertson in a practice session Over 75 years dedicated to Duplicate Bridge in England Left to right: Michael Gottlieb (America) George Morris (England) Mr Mundy (Umpire) Theodore Lightner (America) P V Tabbush (England) English Bridge Union Broadfield, Bicester Road Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire HP19 8AZ Tel: 01296 317200 Email: [email protected] Website: www.ebu.co.uk Bridge in the 1930s Welcome from the Chairman (continued from front inside cover..) Welcome to the EBU’s 75th Anniversary Simultaneous Pairs. This event is the Culbertson attracted media coverage with his pronouncements and general approach and culmination of a momentous year in the life of the EBU and all its counties, clubs and the game of contract bridge fed off this to strengthen its position and gain new adherents. individual members. To mark this special event we will be offering enhanced Master Point awards. As well as playing high-profile challenge matches in USA, Culbertson took teams to We have received some very positive responses to this special birthday – letters of Europe to play further matches and, in particular, to Great Britain, which his team visited congratulations from our sister national bridge organisations from across the globe, from in 1930, defeating Lt.Col. Walter Buller's team followed by another win over a team the European Bridge League and the World Bridge Federation and a very special letter of representing Crockford's Club; in 1933, when he defeated Lt. Col. 'Pops' Beasley's team recognition from Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. We have looked back over the past 75 for the Schwab Cup; and in 1934, when he retained the Schwab Cup, this time defeating a years in our members’ magazine English Bridge, and celebrated our Bridge Babes - team captained by Col. George Walshe. members of the EBU who were born in 1936. But most of all we have looked at what we do today and its impact on tomorrow. We have held a special Minibridge day in London All these matches were scored on total aggregate points as this was before the creation and we continue our work at national level to demonstrate the significance of playing of the first IMP scale. The deals for this evening's special 75th anniversary EBU duplicate bridge on the health and welfare of the older members of our society. Simultaneous Pairs competition are taken from the 1933 Schwab Cup match between Thank you for being part of our organisation. I hope you have an enjoyable game. Culbertson (Ely & Josephine Culbertson, Theodore Lightner and Michael Gottlieb, and Beasley (Col. H.M. Beasley, Sir Guy Domville, Lady Doris Rhodes, Graham Mathieson, Very best wishes George Morris and P.V. Tabbush). Incidentally, Beasley and Tabbush were members of the team which, in 1931-32 won the first ever British Gold Cup, the UK’s premier domestic teams’ event. Sally Bugden There were differences in the scoring from what we are used to today. The scale for undertricks, both doubled and undoubled, was different, while the teams also agreed that for any successful contract below game level the trick score would be doubled for those tricks actually contracted for – there was no partscore bonus as such. So to bid and Bridge in the 1930s make 3♥ would score +180 (2 x 90), while to bid 2♥ and make nine tricks would score by Brian Senior +150 (2 x 60 plus 30). Bidding methods were also somewhat primitive – this was, for Bridge in the 1930s was very different to bridge today. For one thing, it was NEWS. A big example before the invention of either Blackwood or Stayman. part of the responsibility for that can be laid at the door of the biggest name in the history of bridge – Ely Culbertson. The Culbertson team won the 300-board match by 10,900 aggregate points. It was as recently as 1925 that Harold S. Vanderbilt had produced the new scoring table, Over this evening's 32 deals, Culbertson gained 820 aggregate points. which had proved to be so popular that his new contract bridge had overtaken the old auction bridge form of the game. Various groups of top players and teachers in the USA Thank you to our commentator today: Brian Senior. were trying to claim the position of leading authority on how the game should best be played and, in particular, to gain dominance for their bidding methods. Culbertson was a great self-publicist – he challenged rivals to set matches and, when his team won those matches, claimed that this proved the superiority of his bidding methods. It proved nothing of the kind, of course, merely that Culbertson's team was substantially stronger than his rivals. However, the public were willing to believe the claims, and Culbertson's future as a bridge teacher, writer and publisher of books based on his methods was assured. (continued on back pages..) Thursday – EBU 75th Anniversary Simultaneous Pairs Thursday – EBU 75th Anniversary Simultaneous Pairs ♠ 3 2 Board 31 : Dealer South : NS vulnerable ♠ K 2 Board 1 : Dealer North : Love all ♥ Q 9 2 North will overcall 2♦ at many tables, though what is virtually ♥ J 8 What is the best way to deal with the North hand? North can ♦ A J 10 7 2 a weak no trump is not an ideal hand for a two-level overcall. ♦ K Q 8 6 open 1♣ and rebid the suit, open 1♦ and rebid 2♣, or treat his ♣ A K 4 Still, we sometimes have to take the least bad option, rather ♣ A J 10 8 7 hand as balanced and open or rebid 1NT according to system. ♠ A Q J ♠ K 6 5 than make a positively good bid. If North does bid and east ♠ Q 10 7 ♠ A 9 4 3 Opening 1♣ and rebidding 2♦ is not an option – the hand is ♥ A 10 8 6 4 3 ♥ J 7 5 raises to 2♥, South may double for take-out and West bid a ♥ A 10 5 4 ♥ Q 7 2 well short of reversing values. My preference is to treat the ♦ 5 3 ♦ K 9 6 4 third heart. That contract makes exactly. N/S can make 3♣ or ♦ A 10 9 7 ♦ J 5 2 hand as balanced and, with the club suit justifying an upgrade, I ♣ 9 6 ♣ 10 8 7 2♠ but no more so, as they are vulnerable, the par result is 3♥ ♣ 6 2 ♣ K 9 5 would therefore open a strong no trump or, if playing weak, ♠ 10 9 8 7 4 just making by West. ♠ J 8 6 5 open 1♣ and rebid 1NT. As it happens, this approach gets N/S ♥ K In 1933, Beasley overcalled 2♦ and Lightner did not compete ♥ K 9 6 3 to the best spot of 1NT quite easily. ♦ Q 8 in hearts. Mathieson bid 2♠ as South and was left to play there, ♦ 4 3 In 1933, there was a difference of opinion between the two ♣ Q J 5 3 2 making exactly after a low heart lead from Ely; +120. ♣ Q 4 3 North players but neither followed my preference. Josephine HCP Makeable At the other table, Josephine did not overcall so Tabbush HCP Makeable opened 1♦ and rebid 2♣ over Gottlieb's 1NT response. She contracts responded 1NT and Morris rebid 2♥. Josephine passed again, contracts made eight tricks after a heart lead for +80. Mathieson opened 1♣ and rebid 2♦ over the 1NT response. Domville had to give ♣ ♦ ♥ ♠ NT as did Tabbush. Most modern players would now balance with ♣ ♦ ♥ ♠ NT 14 N 3 3 - 2 1 the South hand, bidding 2♠, but Gottlieb went quietly and 14 N 1 - - - 1 preference to 3♣ and that contract failed by three tricks after a spade lead; –150 and a 230 point swing to Culbertson. One 11 7 S 3 3 - 1 1 Morris was left to play 2♥, where he slopped a trick but still 10 10 S 1 - - - 1 may well ask why North was not permitted to pass the 1NT 8 E - - 3 - - scored +120, giving Beasley a swing of 240 points. 6 E - 1 1 2 - response. W - - 3 - - W - 1 1 2 - ♠ 4 3 Board 32 : Dealer West : EW vulnerable ♠ K 10 5 4 Board 2 : Dealer East : NS vulnerable ♥ 9 6 3 2 N/S can make a partscore in either red suit while E/W have ♥ J 10 5 This seems to be a very straightforward deal with everyone ♦ Q 10 5 4 3 2 eight tricks in a club contract. If West opens 1NT, South will ♦ 7 6 bidding quickly and easily to 4♠ by South. The only variation in ♣ 7 double and North may run in front of East, much to that ♣ J 10 8 4 the auction mat come if West makes a shaded 2♣ overcall but ♠ K 9 7 6 ♠ Q 10 2 player's relief. South should leave his partner to play 2♦ as no ♠ 2 ♠ 8 6 3 this will not prevent North from agreeing spades. As for the ♥ K 5 ♥ Q 10 8 trump will be hard work facing a hand that cannot stand the ♥ Q 9 6 4 ♥ A 8 3 2 outcome, it is all about the heart guess and declarer will have ♦ A J 6 ♦ 9 8 double of 1NT. If West opens 1♣, East may raise.