THE GAME OF BRIDGE

Evening Post, Volume CXVII, Issue 17, 20 January 1934, Page 9

THE GAME OF BRIDGE

THE ELEMENT OF LUCK

That luck plays a great part in the game of bridge cannot be denied. A player may hold a wonderful-looking hand, and have the bad luck to find all the strength in the hand sitting over him, or every finesse that he takes may go wrong. .Another times a lucky fall in a side suit, which cannot reasonably be expected, may mean an added two or even three tricks. Sometimes an outright mistake "on . the,part of the bidder, or player, will have the most unexpected results. Two hands are given ~below, one played locally, and the other during an international tournament. * 4.3. 9 A.Q.9.3. Q. 9.5.3. * X.7.6. * 10.9.T.2. I Nonb . A 5. if K.J.S. ~ Is 9 10.7.6.5.4. J. > r + X.5.4.2 ' Jf, A.Q.10.5.4. I South. ' I Jff J. 9.2. A A.K.Q.J.B.G. ¥ 2. 4 A.10.8.T. Jf, 8.3. South dealt. Both sides vulnerable. N. and S. 30. South, looking at his hand, and seeing only, one heart, inadvertently bid one heart instead of one spade. West overcalled with two j clubs before South realised his mis- j take. North immediately raised his j partner to three hearts!! East passed, and South then called 3 spades (sufficient for game). West passed. North not liking the spade call, and quite correctly assuming that as it was Souths second suit it was probably only a- four-card suit, called four hearts. East 'passed, feeling quite pleased to get the call back to hearts, as there seemed a possibility of defeating that contract. South, of course, bid four spades, which West doubled, hoping to drive North back to hearts. North now stopped to' consider the situation. His partner, in spite of very strong support in the heart suit, had still persisted with the, spade bid. North was distinctly puzzled, but wisely decided to leave the decision to South, who redoubled, his partner's double raise on the first round of the bidding justifying redouble. West led his singleton diamond, the only possible lead open to him with his holding. " Dummy covered with the Queen, the first trick being Knave, Queen, King, Ace. The diamonds were established for North on the ■ first trick. The rest was easy ; the only trick ■ Kast and West made being the Ace of clubs. North and Soiith made the rub- i ber, which they would have made in any case had the correct bid been, made, but they scored an extra 800, points," 400 for each of the two' ovettricks doubled, vulnerable. It was very bad luck for their opponents, as , West's double was based on Souths opening bid, and was justified. His feelings can be better imagined than described.

Weekly Chat on Contract

Specially Written for 'The Post" by;'' Approach Bid"

Another hand in which the element ;of luck played'a great part. o~iurred | during a recent international tournai ment. The hand was as follows:— j i 4A.2. I fP K..T.8.7. 4 A.10.9.4. Jf, X.7.3. J 10"- -■North. !♦■«• VQ. 10.9.6.3. ~ J 9 5.4. ♦ J- 8- 5- £.''..*£+ K.Q.7.6.3.1 ♦ 6-5' ' I South. I a.10.4.2". A Q.J.8.7.6.5.3. A.2. None. jj, Q.J.9.8. Score—Lore all. South dealt. The bidding was:— . South. West. . North. East. ~ ~ !♦ No bid. 3* No bid. 4N.T.» No bid. sjk No bid. 64 No bid. INo bid. . ' •The players were not using the Culbert«o» system. The only possible way in which the small slam can be made on this hand is if the spades are led straight out, hoping that the King will fall on the Ace. West's opening lead was the Knave of diamonds, which was taken by dummy's Ace. South then carelessly led the Queen of spades, out of turn, from his own hand. West without stopping to realise that this was the one lead that could give him (West) a chance of making a trump if Mb partner had the King alone (as was fairly certain from , the bidding) required South to lead from dummy's hand. South! had to lead a spade from dummy of course, and the Ace lead was his onlyhope. The King fell, and he made his contract, which, if he had been allowed to play his own way, must have been defeated, as the opponents would have made the Ace of clubs and-one trump trick. In the case of South playing for a fall in trumps in spite of leading the Queen, West's ten of spades must make; if South decides to finesse against the King he must still lose one trump trick. East and West lost 550 points on th« hand—soo for the small slam and 50 points that they should, have scored as penalty for one undertrick. . Not only that, the first game is worth 200 points to the winners as, in- the event of their winning a lovo rubber they score a 700 bonus, and if the other side eventually win it, they, can only score 500 for the rubber.

It is never necessary: to insist on the lead being made from the correct hand. In the rule which covers this point it says '.'Either opponent may (not must)' require him to lead from the correct hand." It sometimes suits' the opponents much better to allow the wrong lead to stand. In the case given above, such a course would have paid them handsomely.