CONTRACT BRIDGE Beware of players bearing gifts

Press, Volume CXVI, Issue 34045, 8 January 1976, Page 6

CONTRACT BRIDGE Beware of players bearing gifts

(By

J. R WIGNALL)

There would be tew more professional bridge players than James O. Jacoby of Dallas. The son of Oswald Jacoby, who played with Sidney Lenz against Ely | j Culbertson in the "Bridge Battle of the Century” 40 I years ago, both his mother I and his wife are Life Masters, making this a unique family. As well as teaching he collaborates with his father in a widely syndicated newspaper column, and in the authorship of several bridge books. One of the original Dallas Aces, he was a world champion in 1970 and 1971. and has won major American titles. Though some say. as! is only natural, that “he is not the player his father used to be.” the younger Jacoby has acquired a reputation for consistency and soundness under pressure, the only possible sign of nerves being hist addiction to large and long American cigars. As number eight in the list! \of world grand masters, he 'has contributed the latest article for the Bols Bridge Tips competition, run by the .International Bridge Press Association and the Dutch i liqueur company. Incidentally. since I have been appointed a member of the panel of judges, I should appreciate comments from i readers on the merits of the articles mentioned in this! column.

Beginning with a classical reference, James Jacoby reminds us that in the Aeneid j Virgil had the soothsayer tell the Trojans. "I fear the Greeks, even when bearing ■gifts.” Nevertheless, to their [subsequent anguish, they (took the gift of the wooden ■horse into their city Jacoby’s Bols tip is "Beware bridge players bearing gifts.” more especially when [they are experts. He illustrates his theme with this deal: — N. A J 10 9 8 V K 82 • ♦432 A 4 3 2 W. E A K A 3 2 V A Q.J 10 9 6 V 54 3 ♦ J 10 9 ♦ 8765 A J 10 9 A 8 7 6 5 A A Q 7 6 5 4 ♦ A K Q A A K Q j West. who has called , hearts, leads the ace of that I suit against South’s final coni tract of six spades. East fol [lows suit with the three, and [West continues with the queen of hearts won by dummy’s king. The declarer studies this [trick very cynically. West i knows South started with a .singleton, and hence had no way of entering dummy. Why then -is he gratuitously putting the lead into the : North hand? Because he wants the declarer to take

I. a finesse in trumps, whic - he knows will be wrong jl So South leads a low -p--i from dummy, puts in his a, ■■, ? and has his suspicions < n- > firmed and rewarded whert i West has to play his king ' The next deal conies from 1 the 1972 world team championship. and features ■ Jacobv’s partner. Bobb ? Wolff i ’AK 8 5 VAIO 3 ♦AQ J 3 2 W ‘ I A A 10 6 A .1 9 4 2 VQ9 6 2 V ♦B6♦ 9 7 5 4 AK9S2A A Io 8 4 AQ7.I VKJ 8 7 4 ♦ K lo AQ 6 3 The auction was: S. W N. V IV No _’♦ No 2V No 4V All Pass I HEART POSITION West led a club to his partner’s ace, won the club 1 return with the king, and ? played the ace and another spade. After winning with the queen. South had to take s the rest of the tricks, which t meant salving the heart 1 position. > From this point of view. ■ there was no certainty that a bridge gift had been offered ' and yet . . West was a ’ good player who would be ‘ unlikely to cash the ace of spades unless he thought he had a good chance of winning the setting trick latei (He might for instance have tried a low spade, not the ace. hoping to find East with [ the queen and for the declarer to misguess.) Having concluded that West was marked with the queen of trumps, therefore, at the fifth trick. South led the jack of hearts. This was covered by the queen and ; won by the ace Again, this looked highlv suspicious, for (West w’as making things far too easy for the declarer. ’ Wolff concluded his opponent must have started with Q 9 6 2 in trumps and [ hoped to make a trick with ! I the nine. So he came to hand with [la diamond to the king to [ lead the heart eight. When .West followed with the two, I dummy put on the five. Subsequently the 10 and king of II hearts drew the remaining (trumps and the contract was [duly delivered. The declarer’s refusal to accept the apparent gifts had certainly worked to his advamage.