CONTRACT BRIDGE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22247, 23 October 1935, Page 7

CONTRACT BRIDGE

SLAM DOUBLES CALLING A LEAD •©Y FINESSE Further to the penalty double made with the object of directing a lead as described last week, I give an instance of an inverted slam double with the same intention.' This one, like many fine bids and plays, depended for its success upon a large portion of lurk. Since the luck was present, we give the doubler full credit for brilliancy, because for his actual opening lead West happened to pick spades instead of clubs.

* A The bidding: South West North East J pass 2 's? pass 4 0 pass 4 <v> pass 4 N.T. pass 6 0 pass pass doublu pass pass pass Summing the bidding up West concludes that his partner very likely will hold one of the aces in spades or clubs. On the lead of the deuce of spades dummy played the six, and East was relieved of all necessity for guessing by the double. Without the double, East might possibly have finessed the nine of spades, thinking that his only chance lay in West's holding the queen. After the double. East knew there was something funny about West's hand and put up thei ace. Then he led a Heart, and West ruffed. Another Slam Double In this connection mention might be made of a slam double convention used by Mr. Thnodore A. Lightner, a member of the first American team to visit England. It is as. follows. If a player who is on lead doubles a small or grand slam contract, he tells his partner that he can defeat the contract if a_different lead is made from that which would otherwise normally be expected. Speci-fic-ally, this would mean that if either partner had bid a suit, this suit should not be opened, but some other lead would set the contract. If neither partner has bid, the double would indicate that a lead of one of the suits bid by opponents was desired. Mr. Lightner asserts that the value of this bid has been continually demonstrated to him over a period of years, more from observing the many hands where its employment would have defeated the contract than from its actual results in play, as only a limited number of his partners: have known the convention. Here is an example:—

The bidding: North East South West 1 pass 3 N.T. pass 4 N.T. pass 6 N.T. pass pass ? If East now pisses West will have to guess and as a lead from four small of opponents' bid suit is about the worst that can bB imagined, the slam contract wjll almost surely be fulfilled. Force of the Convention But not« the difference using this convention. "Double" by East. This tells West "I have the contract beaten if you do not make a normal opening." As any opening other than the opponents' suit may be West's normal lead, the double here definitely advises West " A spado lead will beat the hand." If East's holding were ace-king of another suit he could only pass and pray his partner would guess the right opening. Here is another example:—

East opened third hand with a heart bid, and North-So uth arrived at a contract of six spades. Under this convention East would double, asking partner to guess between a club or a diamond, but to lead a heart. Of course, West might guess, a diamond as easily as a club, but a fifty-fifty chance of beating a slam is sureiy better than no chance at all. \ This hand occurred in an international match and at both tables the six-spade contract was made on a heart lead. Culbertson was playing in this match, and it was this hand which induced him to adopt this convention as part of his system. ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS C.C., Waiuku. —Please givo me the correct bidding on the following hands: — West: A K <S'KQJB642 OA QJ 9 3 #— East: A 4 <v' A 7 5 OK 10 876 54 2 *4 South: *AQJ962<?3 0— *QJ 10 85 2 North: A 108753 10 90—♦AK 97 6 3 West dealer. Neither side vulnerable. „ East-West: 60 on. Answer.—ln mj opinion the bidding should go as follows: — West North East South 2 pass 3 0 3 A 404 A 5 0 5 A 6 0 pass pass 6 A . ? , With absolute ifreaks like the above it is hard to say how the bidding would go in the ordinary way. North-South make What appears to be t; sacrifice bid as they do not seem to have any dei'enco against the opponents' twosuiter. As a matter of fact East-West can make (5 diamonds or 6 hearts, or a grand slam with a favourable lead (clubs or hearts). North-South can make a grand slam also with a diamond lead, and can yet be defeated in a six-con-tract by lead of a heart and a switch to a. club. The finesse in spades should not, of course, be taken.