CONTRACT BRIDGE

Dominion, Volume 26, Issue 302, 16 September 1933, Page 24

CONTRACT BRIDGE

A Weekly Talk with Players 18 THE INTERNATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

By

Hereward”

The most important event in the Contract world, has been the championship contest, Britain v. America, played in London for the first time in July last, and resulting in a victory for America by 10,900 points in 300 hands. England led during the whole of the first half, up to the 153rd hand, reaching the high-water mark with 3630 lead at the 134th hand; in the whole second half America led, reaching 10,000 at the 236th, dropping again to the five thousands, and touching her high-water mark with 11,000 at the 282nd. The match was therefore full of excitement, and for the first time an arrangement of illuminated electric screens enabled the play from trick to trick to be watched as it was going on by large numbers of spectators. Contract has thus definitely been put on the map as a spectacular game, and promises to develop the sort of financial possibilities that ensure substantial “gates,” with their concomitants of attractive prizes and the commercialisation of sport. Such considerations have a considerably bearing on the probable duration of Contract as a fashionable game. Many people have felt that Contract has become too scientific and too complicated to remain a popular game for many years, and it has often been said that the very thoroughness of Mr. Culbertson’s methods of testing out ■ his theories, his huge staff of experts and elaborate organisation, which are. said to absorb nearly aU his gross annual receipts of some £200,000, his numerous long books and frequent modifications of detail, are calculated to shorten the life of the goose that lays the golden eggs. Needless to say, Mr. Culbertson is jubilant over the success of the international match as a spectacular draw. , Another remarkable feature is the record rapidity with which Mr. Culbertson has brought out his 400-page book recording and commenting ,on every hand played—a marvellous school of play. The book was on sale in London within 36 hours of the termination of the match, a feat which compelled the author to work all night while playing the 300 hands. Under the circumstances it is hardly surprising that he always arrived late to take his place at the table. It is also interesting that in duplicate match play the method of scoring is necessarily somewhat different from rubber play. Rubbers cannot be played; as the number of hands at the two tables might differ from rubber to rubber. Thus a special arrangement has to be made treating each hand as a separate entity, allowing a fixed bonus to represent the value of game or partial scores. Also, every pair has to be vulnerable and invulnerable an equal number of times, so that these conditions have to be determined by rotation. But the bidding and playing of the hands remain as they would be in rubber contract..

The victory of America is regarded not as evidence of superior play—indeed for the average player it is consoling to see how numerous are the errors of judgment in bidding and in play perpetrated by these experts—but as quite clearly due to the added accuracy in slam bidding secured by strict application of Mr. Culbertson’s system, and in particular of the fourfive no-trump convention. The latter seems to be well vindicated by the analysis of the hands. _ < On two previous occasions English teams have challenged and played teams brought over by Mr. Culbertson, but the recent match ranks as the first of a representative international kind

for two reasons: a trophy has been given by Mr. Schwab to be competed for on lines somewhat similar to those of the Davis Cup for international tennis; and an endeavour was made to make the teams on both sides nationally representative. Now, in America it was relatively easy to secure general recognition for the representative character of such a team owing to the existence of a central body, the American Bridge Association, as well as the Holding Committee of the Schwab Cup ; jn England an ad hoc selection committee had to be constituted, which consisted mainly of well-known publicists and authorities on contra'ct. Not unnaturally there has been controversy in England both, as to the constitution of the selecting committee and as to the merits of the selected team. The selectors have bad to offer a reasoned explanation of the method they adopted, of which the most important part is the desirability of examining the record of all outstanding players not as individuals but as pairs. A moment’s reflection will show how difficult the’' application of such a method would be in selecting a New Zealand representative team. In future it may be necessary to select such a team. It is the intention of Mr. Schwab that ultimately the international bridge championship should be divided into two sections, Atlantic and Pacific. In spite of difficulties the general consensus of opinion on both sides of the Atlantic has been that the opposing teams were well and truly representative. '

The 300 hands were played off In twelve sessions, beginning at 2.30 and 9 p.m. for six: successive days. It was further agreed between the captains that both teams play substantially the Aonroach-Forcing (Culbertson) system, but that the English team be at liberty to use any variations they please, such as the artificial Club bids. The match is understood to be not a trial of systems, but of the relative merits of the teams. Readers of “The Dominion” may be interested in, a few details about the American team, derived mainly from the current issue of the "British. Bridge World.”

Ely Culbertson: Age 41, rasping voice, mixed Continental and American accent. Immaculately but not over-dressed. Generally about one appointment behind through the day. Understands the arts of putting people at ease and of making enemies by indiscreet remarks. Has an encyclopaedic memory for names and faces, is deeply interested in music, and hopes to retire from business early and devote his life to scientific research.

Josephine Culbertson: Known as Jo. Age, say, 30. Piquante, slight, etoncropped. Pleasant speaking voice and an instinct for the right clothes. Dislikes the limelight and looks forward to retirement and a domestic life. Theodore Lightner: Age, 39, looks younger. Strong American accent and drawl, very slow speaker, lightning thinker. , Michael Gottlieb: Age 32, the humourist of the team. Likes pulling the legs of his mates, both at the bridge table and elsewhere. After the conclusion of the championship, the American team played a duplicate match against a team representing the British bridge world, again captained by Colonel Beasley. The results are not yet to hand, but we mayhope that England’s recent defeat will be retrieved. The next article will be about psychic bidding.