CONTRACT BRIDGE Big Audience Watched High-level Play

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32232, 26 February 1970, Page 7

CONTRACT BRIDGE Big Audience Watched High-level Play

(Contributed by J R.V.) The visit of a strong American team recently gave Christchurch bridge-players the opportunity to watch bridge of a very high standard. So that they could do so in com-

fort the two leading .clubs: combined forces to stage the : matches against Canterbury and Otago on Viewgraph. <

The actual play took place in Crockford’s Club, where each hand was played first in the “closed room” and then in the “open room”. The second time through an announcer relayed by telephone to the Christchurch Club every bid and every card as it was played. At the Christchurch Club an audience of about 200 could see all four hands flashed on to a screen by an over-head projector. A commentator told them the bidding, and as the play progressed each card was marked off. The audience was also told what had happened when the hand was first played in the “closed room”

and could thus compare results. The whole venture was extremely successful and con-

vinced a lot of the audience that bridge could be a spectator sport. The visiting Americans took turns in commenting on the play, local players assisting. The match against Canterbury produced a number of very interesting deals which were of a sufficiently varied nature to show very clearly the difference between the amateur and the professional bridge player. While the home team was not outplayed, its members made several mistakes from all of which the visitors exacted their toll. On the other hand the Americans made very few errors and played with almost machine-like precision. By being privileged to watch this display, Christchurch players have learned much. The Americans were, generally speaking, cautious in their approach, adopting sound standards to open the bidding and for overcalls. While these tactics were obviously successful they did fail on occasions. This was one of the few deals where Canterbury outplayed their opponents: N. S—Q H—Q JlO9 3 2 D—7 4 C—A KQ 9 W. E. 109652 S-AK74 H—6 5 H—7 D—0832 D—KlO96 C—J C—10732 S. S—S3 H—AKB4 D—AJ 5 C—8654 With South the dealer and no-one vulnerable, when Canterbury was North-South the auction was: S. W. N. E. 1H No 2C No 3C No 4H All pass J. R. Wignall chose a good moment for a rather light opening bid, and after W. Root for the United States had passed, F. Lu, with visions of a possible slam, showed his clubs. Any action on the East hand could have been dangerous so Mrs Hayden passed. In due course South finished in four hearts which was duly made with the loss of one spade, one diamond and One club. At the other table where A. Jordan and R. Robinson were North-South for the United States, South passed on the first round. North opened one heart third in hand, but now East was able to enter the auction at the one level. H. Pickering and J. D. Thomson duly arrived at four spades, a contract they probably would have made for the loss of one heart, one club and one diamond. But the Americans sacrificed in five hearts, judging the situation very accurately. When five hearts was one down Canterbury had scored 420 at one table and 50 at the other but the final result of 67-28 in favour of the visitors was a fair reflection of the over-all play. THE PRACTICAL APPROACH TO SELLING OR BUYING WITH SATISFYING RESULTS IS THROUGH CLASSIFIEDS. "THE PRESSCARRIES YOUR MESSAGE EARLY TO MORE THAN 200,000 READERS IN CITY. SUBURBS AND COUNTRY.