CONTRACT BRIDGE Sponsored tournament for charity

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 33033, 28 September 1972, Page 21

CONTRACT BRIDGE Sponsored tournament for charity

(Contributed by

J.R.W.)

If you wanted to raise $5OO painlessly in one day for Birthright, how would you go about it? The members of the West Christchurch Lions Club, when they decided to run a bridge tournament, found a perfect answer. They did the bulk of the organising, catering and scoring, and the Christchurch Bridge Club was happy to provide the facilities. Success became assured when Gilbey’s N.Z., Ltd, agreed to sponsor the event. At least one of those who withstood their hospitality last year quailed a little before entering again, but in common with 183 other players from all over Canterbury he turned up to sample the sponsor’s fine products. Like most of the competitors at the conclusion of play, he felt his bridge might have been improved had the sampling taken place before rather than after, but there was more than sufficient hospitality dispensed to drown the sorrows of even the most disappointed participant. The winners of the first prize, two bottles of vodka so large they would have gladdened the heart of a Soviet diplomat, were H. Pickering and J. D. Thomson. Second prize, two slightly smaller bottles, was won by the New Zealand Women’s pair Mrs V. Bell and Mrs P. J. Oakley. P. D. Mathewson and F. D. Power took third place and two double - sized bottles, a splendid achievement by a pair of great promise. The prize list was a very long one and few left emptyhanded. As befitted a charity tournament, the bridge was of mixed standard and occasionally could only be described as charitable. What else can one say of the treatment of this hand: S—A6 5 H—K5 D—A KQJ 7 3 2 C—A If you play Acol you probably open two clubs, announcing a hand of gamegoing strength, and partner gives the negative response of two diamonds. If you play Goren you open two diamonds to which partner responds two no-trumps. In either event, is there a case for any rebid other than three no-trumps? With nine all but certain tricks in

hand one would not have thought so, but only eight out of twenty-three pairs played in this desirable contract. Most of the rest rebid their diamonds, partner with a dreadful hand but four trumps, raised and the final contract; of five diamonds was defeated by one or two tricks. Similarly it did not seem too hard to reach a small slam on this deal, but only five pairs arrived there:

When North opened one spade, then bid and rebid hearts she was marked with 10 major suit cards, and South with visions of a grand slam checked on aces. On finding one missing he settled tor six spades. After the lead of a side suit, the declarer can make all 13' tricks, by cashing the

ace king of hearts and ace king of clubs, then ruffing his remaining three hearts and one small club with dummy’s four spades, returning to his hand by ruffing diamonds. Even calling six and making seven spades was not, however, the best score on the board. This was achieved at a table where the spirit of charity overcame the East-West pair. They arrived in five clubs doubled, found the defence anything but charitable and eventually conceded a penalty of 2000 for seven down. Despite this, and like the other competitors, they will be back next year.

this way: W. N. E. S. No IS No 3D No 3H No 3S No 4H No 4NT No 5H No 6S