CONTRACT BRIDGE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 28, 3 February 1939, Page 6

CONTRACT BRIDGE.

THE RULE OF ELEVEN. (By THE FOUR ACES.) For many rears the intercollegiate clubs of New York City have competed annually at bridjre, with the Yale Club more or less dominating;^the lield. While practising for this year's, tournament, Harold Colviu and Philip Farley, of the Columbia University Club, gave one particularly neat example of defensive play. Xortli dealer. "North-South vulnerable. A—A Q0 7 V <6—K 7 Mr. Farley. $■, —K QIOS 7(i Mr. Colvin. A ~~ | -vr ; ■ff —K ,T 9 I) „ «?—A 0108 7 3 <$•—Q *.T 54 3 I „ H <3,—A Uli 2 a 3 2 J 2 ! 0*0 —1 & —K 10 S li 5 4 Of—s 4 <>—10 s (&—A J 5 The Bidding. North East South West 1* IV I A 2 V . ■ 3 A -i V 4<?> 3 V 5 A Dim Pass ' Pass The bidding was quite .good, North, of course, was reasonably certain that if he doubled the live-Heart bid he conic! set it; but since lie knew t.liat whatever penalty accrued would lie less than a vulnerable game, he dcciilcd to try to make live Spades. Mr. Colvin, in the East position with two Ace», saw no point in doubling the live-Spade contract, since, due to the fact that he had already forced his opponents one trick over the'game level, he realised that any penalty would .be a satisfactorv score.

Mr. Farley opened the six of Hearts. Tlie douce was played from <iunnny, and now Mr. Culvin went into a huddle, It was* obviou* to him that declarer would hold both the Ace of Clubs and the King of Spade*, and once he got in, be abb to discard any losing cards in his own hand on dummy's long Club suit. Accordingly, the only way lie could defeat tlie contract would be to cash two Diamond trick*. Mr. Colvin now studied his partner's lead of the six cif Hearts, obviously his fourth-best. By simple application of the llule of Eleven, lie now realised that declarer could have no Heart higher than the six-spot, Accordingly, Mr. Colvin played the three of Hearts, allowing his partner's six-spot to hold the trick. Mr. Farley responded by laying down the Queen of Diamonds, whereupon declarer was set one trick, and Mr. Colvin and Mr. Farley had secured a top score.—(Copyright by The Four Aces.)