CONTRACT BRIDGE Inspiration Sometimes Necessary

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31728, 11 July 1968, Page 8

CONTRACT BRIDGE Inspiration Sometimes Necessary

rContributed bp J.It.WJ The master points scheme, introduced by the New Zealand Contract Bridge Association at the beginning of the year, has already succeeded in one of its aims, that of stimulating interest in competitive bridge. Every club is allowed to run for each grade of members one session's play a week, and the top third of the competing pairs are awarded C points on a graduated scale. In addition A points worth IOOCs, are awarded to the place-getters in the various national, provincial and local tournaments. Naturally these are the points the players strive for, and entries for tournaments this year have shown a definite increase. To satisfy the demand the> Christchurch . Club recently ran the first club invitation pairs, to which players from all ovbr the South Island, and a few from the North Island, travelled. While the entry may have been large and representative. the leading pairs in most South Island tournaments come from a small

group, and this was no exception. The winners were Mrs C. R. East and G. B. P. Wilson, from Dunedin, and the runners-up, not very far behind, were H. Pickering and J. D. Thomson, of Christchurch. In third place were E. Dalton and T. Kun, also of Christchurch. This is a partnership which won the New Zealand pairs seven years ago, but which was then interrupted by Kun’s semi-re-tirement from the game. Better Finish

Nevertheless the winning score was lower than usual and none of the leading pairs could have been completely satisfied with their game, for each of them had their oil moments. Until the final session any one of a number of partnerships might have won, but in the event it was the steadier nerves of the more experienced competitors that brought them home. It is, however, a good sign for the future to see the gradual improvement in the performance of younger and less experienced players. On a deal like this from the final session all players are equal, and an ounce of

inspiration or luck-is worth a ton of learning:

V est was the dealer, with only his side vulnerable, and, not surprisingly, the auction fqllowed a different course at almost every table. On a number of occasions after East-West had bid hearts vigorously up to the five level they subsided when their opponents pushed on to five spades. East usually led the ace of hearts and that concluded the defence. The declarer trumped in the South hand, cleared the adverse spades by banging out the ace and king and then ran off his club suit Five spades in his own hand, one ruff in dummy and seven clubs added up to thirteen, so the contract was made with two overtricks. Mrs East and Wilson were one of the pairs to make this score.

At three tables where the play followed these lines the contract was doubled, thus producing a very good score for North-South. Dalton and Kun were one of the beneficiaries, and one eminent pair fell into the trap of doubling on the East-West cards. Five spades can actually be defeated by a defence that was found at two tables. East led a diamond, his partner made the ace and king and examined the dummy. There were no hearts or diamonds so he tried a club. East ruffed to put the contract one down.

The best North-South score was six clubs doubled played by North. Again the ace of hearts was led, and the declarer made 12 tricks without difficulty. Where the same contract was played by South, the first two leads were the ace and* king of. diamonds and the declarer was one down. As well as bidding the correct contract, it is also’ apparently necessary to know which hand should play it. Slam Other Way

By contrast two Easts made a slam the other way, in six hearts. South led a spade. North overtook with the king and decided it was safer to make the ace of clubs than to try to cash his other top spade. The declarer trumped, drew the outstanding hearts and when the queen of -diamonds fell under the ace and king made all of dummy’s suit.

This defence was also found, and the declarers also made 12 tricks, at a number of other tables where East was allowed to play in five hearts. In fact, of course. North has a very real problem after winning the first trick with a top spade. On the bidding it is very likely East has only a singleton, so the temptation to try to cash the ace of clubs is very strong. It is just one of those hands where an inspired guess is the only solution.

N. S—A K 9 5 3 H—7 8 D—5 2 C—AKJ8 W. E. S—Q 6 S—7 2 H—J 9 8 H—A K Q 10 5 432 D—AKJ1073D—986 C—9 7 C— S. S—J 10 8 4 H— D—Q4 C—Q 1065432