CONTRACT BRIDGE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 113, 14 May 1937, Page 6

CONTRACT BRIDGE.

SEMI-PSYCHIC BUSINESS DOUBLE

(By THE FOUR ACES.)

Many times we have preached againet the "give-away double" —that is the double that tells declarer that he may expect a bad trump break, and at the same time locate the outstanding high cards for him. We have seen countless hands won by the give-away double because declarer, from the information received, was able to play the hand practically double dummy (as if opponents' hands were fully exposed). There is another type of double that is used by experts with varying degrees of euccess, depending upon the astuteness of the opposition. This double is need on a close hand in an attempt to fool the declarer and make him place the doubler with high cards, especially in trumps, which he does not possess. Raymond Balfe, a remarkably tricky player, succeeded in foolinpr a none too bright declarer by this semi-psychic double in a close competitive hand recently. West dealer. Both eides vulnerable. Both sides 60 on ecore.

While Mr. Balfe might have elected to defend at foiir Spade*, lie whs pretty sure he could not make that contract, while at the same time he thought he ha<l a good chance of defeating the opponents, especially if he could eau~e declarer to misplace any outstanding high trump honours. Declarer fell for it hook, line and sinker.

Mr. Balfe opened the King of Spades, and followed with another Spade, which was trumped in dummy. The Queen of trumps was then led. East promptly played low. and declarer, after considerable thought, went up with hie Ace, meanwhile looking expectantly at Mr. B.ilfe. Mr. Balfe triumphantly dropped his singleton seven, and declarer was then forced to lose two Clubs and a trump trick.

Declarer's reasoning was very poor. While it would seem probable, in view of the double, that Mr. Balfe held the King of trumps, the chances were very remo T te that the King would be blank. As a matter of fact, we have yet to see the player who has doubled a close hand with a singleton King in back of the declarer. Henee. while Mr. Balfe might have had the King of trumps protected, declarer would have lost nothing by finessing, and he should have been certain that the King would not drop. — (Copyright. 1037. by The Four Ace*.)