THE BETTER GAME

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 148, 20 December 1930, Page 25

THE BETTER GAME

Dr. Emanuel Laskor, of Borlin, the famous chess player, called to sec me a few days ago (writes Frank England in the London "Evening Standard")- . I had been warned of his coining, and as I shook hands with him I I hastened to explain that my knowledge oi! chess was extremely limited. "Chess, sir," said the doctor, "I do not come to speak to you of chess, but of cards and bridge." Whereat I was much relieved. "But have you given up chess? Have you forsaken your old love?" "I have not played a game of chess for over four years, and I do not intend to play another." "What! And you for 27^years the chess champion of the world! Are you not anxious to wrest the championship from the great Alekhine?" "I shall bo delighted to meet M. Alekhiue, and to defeat him —at the card table—but at chess, no. But lot us talk of bridge." "Why, certainly. But toll me first why you gave up chess for cards.'' "That is a thing of the past.'. . . But, yes, I will tell you. Chess has no life, no movement, no human interest. It is etcoreotyped and machine-like. Bridge is full of interest and variety,

CHESS DROPPED FOR BRIDGE

ever changing and intensely human. As a recreation there is no comparison between the two games. Now, please, about bridge?" Dr. .Lasker here informed me that he had been commissioned to write- a series of articles oil cards in a Berlin newspaper, quite a novelty in German journalism^ and he thereupon bombarded me with every kind of question on auction, contract, and current card topics in England. "And now, doctor, it is my turn. Please toll mo . about bridge in Germany. Is any auction played there?" —"No; only contract." "How long have you played contract?"—"About four years." "Is it making headway in Germany?"—"Yes, it is increasing rapid--I}-. It is played in all the big cities aiid in most of the smaller towns, and is threatening to displace our old national game, skat." "Do you play the Portland Club rules or the American rules?" —"It is not the same everywhere, but generally we play the Portland Club rules." "Do you play the latest American conventions?" —"Some players try to play the Vanderbilt Club, but they know little- about conventions or prin-1 ciplcs." ; . I