THE GAME OF BRIDGE

Evening Post, Volume CXXI, Issue 21, 25 January 1936, Page 19

THE GAME OF BRIDGE

Weekly Chat on Contract Sptiaixy Written fob "The Post" by "Approach Bid" ,

THE VALUE OF THE FOUR-FI YE NO-TRUMP CONVENTION

During the Anglo-American match played by Colonel Beasley and Sir Guy Domville against Messrs. Culbertson and Lighlner, in 1933, the early days of the four-five no trump convention, the American pair were misled by an opposition psychic bid, with the result that the bidding closed at a small instead of a grand slam. The four-five no trump convention was not used in bidding this hand, and the partners were thus left in doubt as to one of the Aces, and missed bidding a cast-iron grand slam. The hand was as follows: — • (Beasley.) * 9.4.2. V J. 10.9.5. + 6.4. Jf, 8.7.0.5. (Culbertson.) (Lightner.) ▲ K.J.10.7.5.3. j^E 1 * A.Q.B. V K.B. s . f * A"'A--4 A.K.Q.S. £ X ♦3Jj, Q. ' | South. | jj, A.K.J.9.4.2. (l>omvi!le.) V Q. 8.3.2. J. 10.9.7.5.2. Xorth, dealer. East-West vulnerable. The bidding: North. East. South. "West. No bid ljf, ! ♦ ! Dblc. No bid 2 X.T. . No bid 3 + No bid 5 (£ No bid 5 + No bid S 4 No bid 6jk No bid No bid No bid After East's bid of one club, South made a psychic bid of one diamond (permissible as third caller when not vulnerable when partner has passed). West made a penalty double of the diamond bid, but East, holding 4J.honourtricks and a strong rebiddable suit, preferred to bid for game and rubber, and took his partner out of the double with a jump bid of-two no trumps. The bidding proceeded to six spades, at which contract the hand was played. Seven spades, of course, was a lay down, but Souths psychic bid evidently frightened the opponents out of calling the grand slam. Using the four-five no trump convention, after West's five-diamond bid, East had a five . no-trump response (which at that time showed three Aces and a King of one of the bid suits, not of two of the bid suits, as laid down under the 1935 Culbertson system). West then had a rebid in six spades, and East a raise to the grand slam.

at once as a bluff, but would set th» stage for a slam, as East with 4£ 4-honour-tricks could count about eight honour-tricks in the East-West hands, and could afford to ignore the diamond bid, knowing it to have no value. I would suggest the following bidding by the East-West hands: North. East. South.. West.: No bid 1 Jf, 1 4 2 £ . No bid 3 Jf, No bid 3 4 No bid 5.N.T. No bid G + No bid 7^ After Souths one-diamond overcall in the early stages of the bidding, .it is essential that East should know whether South or West holds the Ace' of that suit. West's ■ six-diamond ,-bid: definitely proclaims the Ace. •■_ ~ Another very interesting slam hand. is given in the "Bridge World," illu>\ trating the danger of neglecting to use5 the four-five no trump convention in.; slam bidding, but in this case a lead favourable to the declarer was made, and clever play of the hand by hint saved the situation. 4 A.K.q.J.r. . ' 9 k.q.j.3. . . ■■'•.' ♦ K. ■ ... + A.7.2. <M. S^IEH ♦ 10.9A5.4* * A.10.7.4.2. S S V 65-. 4 7.6.5.3.2. g ' 5 ♦4- :>''■ Jf, JM. I South. : Jf, Q;0.8.J. '■'. j * c. •;• 9 9.8. ; .. . .. -■ • 4 a.q.j.10,9.8. - ■ Jf, X.10.6.3. The bidding: ' ■'*'• South. West. North; East. 1 4 No bid 2 4 No bid 34 No bid 34. No bid ''' 44 ' No bid 7 N.T. ~ No bid No bid ' Dble. No bid No bi4 v No bid ... ' ■ v After Souths four-diamond bid, en- '; couraged no doubt by his partner's two "" rebids in that suit, North leapt straight ; into seven no trumps, which bid was : doubled by West. North had a very strong hand, and instead of using the _, four-five no trump convention, he ;! banked on finding the Ace of hearts , in his partner's hand. Using the four- . five no trump convention, East-West Jj would have discovered that there was an Ace out against them, and would have closed the bidding at a contract of six diamonds or possibly six no trumps. East led the ten of .spades, when s North discovered that the' Ace: of; hearts was with the opponents. The only chance of making a grand slam was by means of a squeeze play, with two long suits to work on. ; i North took the first trick, and led. three further rounds of spades, leaving the seven of spades in'his own hand (to. assist him in the ■ squeeze play). West on these tricks" discarded the seven, two, and then the four of hearts. North then led the King of diamonds, overtaking the trick with dummy's Ace, and led the suit, out. West after following five times,' discarded the ten of hearts, while North had discarded one club and three hearts, and now discarded bis 'last heart, the King. East also had to discard five times on the diamonds, arid had thrown two hearts, one spade, and one club. One more discard was necessary, and he. wasvhopelessly squeezed. If he threw his spade.\.North's'seven would be good, and a club discard would give North-South the three last tricks in clubs. East discarded th.c eight of clubs, and ST°rth made th« grand slam, which, although' his bidding was at fault, he thoroughly deserved for his clever play of the hand.

An interesting psychological point crops up with regard to the bidding of this hand. Domville is well known as a clever psychic bidder, who saves many points by employing these bids at the right moment. On this occasion North passed, East opened the bidding, and South (Domville), with a long weak suit in an otherwise trickless hand, anticipating a strong response from East's partner, sought to mislead his opponents by a psychic bid of one diamond. These tactics make it necessary for his opponents to exchange the fullest possible information regarding their combined hands, as in this way only can the bluff be detected and defeated.

Looking at West's hand once more, a penalty double of one diamond does not seem to give any indication of the great strength of the hand. West has a rebiddable six-card suit with 3J -f honour-tricks, and the Queen of his partner's suit, which, although a singleton has some value, being an honour. A forcing take-out of two spades, showing his honour-trick value, would not only expose Souths bid to East i