The Game of Bridge

Evening Post, Volume CXXXIII, Issue 22, 27 January 1942, Page 8

The Game of Bridge

o (By "Approach Bid.")

OFFENCE AND DEFENCE AT THEIR BEST The following hand, played in a game between experts, was a battle of wits, with clever play on both sides. 4 J. 9.7.4. y k.8.3. + X.10.4. * A.5.2. ♦ 5- N^FtE ♦ A.Q.10.8.6.3. - * A.7.4. | S »6. 4 9.6.3. > t§ ♦ 7.2. Jff K.Q.J.8.6.3. South. | Jfr 10.9.7.4. ■ '■ V Q.J.10.9.5.2. + A.Q.J.8.5. South dealer. Both sides vulnerable. The bidding: South. West. North. East. IV2* 2 ¥ 2 * 4 9 Pass Pass 4 5 9 Pass Pass Pass West led the five of spades, and East played the Ace. South cleverly falsecarded, as his only hope of making his contract, dropping the King of spades on the trick. From the bidding, it seemed logical for the King to be a singleton, and at first glance it would appear that the Queen of spades, if led, would be ruffed, establishing dummy's Jack for a discard later. A switch to a club could therefore be expected—exactly what Souths play was intended to bring about, as he could then discard his two of spades. Eleven tricks were in sight on a club return. East, however, was a good counter, and knew that his partner's vulnerable overcall meant that South could hold but one club at most. His holding, therefore, was probably six hearts, five diamonds, a singleton spade, and a singleton club. East, studying the hand, saw that a diamond discard would not help South, so, after assuring himself that the lead of the Queen of spades would not cost his side a trick, he led that card, and [was rewarded by seeing the two played by South, which meant the defeat of the contract.

Here is a bidding proposition, set in a Culbertson examination. I The bidding has proceeded: I North. South. | -Z + 2 N.T. 3* 3 4 4 Jf, 4 N.T. ? North holds: £J. y K.Q. + A.K.Q.10.5.5 Jfr A.KJ.IO. What does North now bid?

Answer: "Pass. Naturally, on this bidding Souths four no-trump bid is not conventional in any sense of the word. He first responded with two notrumps, and cannot conceivably be trying for a slam, and cannot force you to show him Aces and Kings—that would be a job for the two-bidder himself if he so chose. Souths bid is obviously nothing more or less than the only bid that he can find that shows his distribution. He cannot support diamonds or clubs, and has some sort of heart stopper, or at least four cards in that suit. His probable distribution is 5.4.2.2., or 5.4.3.1. North, therefore, knowing that his partner has a hand very definitely limited in honour strength and with no support for either mivor suit, should stop, knowing that a slam is out of the question, and that a ten-trick game at notrumps is the best bet. Partner's, hand will have no ruffing power opposite a minor suit contract, and therefore, the tricks that can be taken will easily go to no-trumps. Souths spade bid should be a guarantee against the running of the spade suit* by the adversaries, and his four no-trump bid implies some sort of heart stopper."

Note that in the 1941 Culbertson system, the Rule of Thirteen has re-, placed the previous rule used in counting up the hand for an opening twobid in a suit. The rule is as follows: — 1. Count your honour-tricks. (The hand should contain at least five honour-tricks, except in rare cases where the hand is a freak.) 2. Count your winners. Add honour-tricks and other winners together, and if the total is thirteen or more, you have an opening •two-bid in a suit. Applying the Rule of Thirteen to North's hand above, count as follows: Honour- Honour Length tricks, winners, winners. £ K.Q 1 1 0 ; ▲ A.K.Q.10.5.5 .... 2 3Vi+ i J A.K.J.10 5 3% % Total 1(5 5+ S+ 2% Note also that Souths two no-trump response denied a five-card suit as good as X.x.x.x.x., or Q.J.x.x.x., or a sixcard suit with no honour value, as then his response would have been two spades (1941 system).