CONTRACT BRIDGE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22714, 28 April 1937, Page 17

CONTRACT BRIDGE

MATCH-POINT PROBLEMS GETTING A TOP BY 0. L. EASTGATE If match-point duplicate can claim any superiority over total point contests as represented by team of four oJay, or rubber bridge, it is, perhaps, -he fierce defensive battles that ensue over low contracts. In rubber bridge it is the natural tendency to " let down " a little when the opponents are playing a contract of one or two. These occasions are used as breathing spells by the average player in order to conserve his mental resources for the swing hands. In match-point play, as there are only about 24 hands played during a session (in other countries, including Australia, it is round about 30), there is neither need nor excuse for letting down a single second. Whether an opponent makes two or three clubs on a hand may make the difference between coming out a glorious first or an alsoran second. The hand given last week, reproduced below, brought a top on the board to the team that defeated two spades:— North, dealer. Neither side vulnerable.

The bidding:— North East South West 1 pass 1 djt double 2 double 2 double pass pass pass North should not have bid two hearts after the take-out double; he should have been glad to pass, since his hand was a near-minimum. West opened his low club and East won with the ace. Now, instead of returning the opening lead blindly, East manoeuvred for a diamond ruff. He saw that there was an excellent chance that West, his partner, held both the diamond ace and the spade ace. Therefore, 011 the lead of a diamond, West would win and return the suit. Then West would jump on the first trump lead and return a third diamond for East to ruff. That is exactly how the play went, and in no other way could the contract have been defeated. Declarer saw what was coming, but cou 1 I not protect himself. It is true that he could have discarded his third diamond on a heart in dummy, but this would not have saved him, since West still would have led a third round of diamonds for East to ruff and declarer to over-ruff. This would have saved West's queen of clubs for him. Had East returned a club, declarer would have put up the king and discarded his losing club on dummy's heart, then led trumps. It would then be impossible fCB' West to give East a diamond ruff, and the defenders would have been held to three spade tricks, the ace of clubs and the ace of„diamonds. #

The bidding:—

The contract is seven no-trump by South (please don't ask how it ,»was reached). West leads the nine of spades. How would you play it? NEW BOOKS ON BRIDGE Culbertson's new self-teacher (Faber and Faber, Limited, London): —Whenever Mr. Culbertson writes a new book on bridge he brings out first a summary and then a self-teacher. Following 011 the Gold Book, the new self-teacher has just reached me. It covers 80 pages and, with an explanation and lessons on the new asking bids, two-way three-bid, is fuller than its predecessors. All the phases of the modern Culbertson system are fully explained for the beginner, but it is a book that could easily be perused and studied by the more experienced player. Everything is most clearly set out, with 40 lessons and some .35 practice drills. In addition, the official scoring table is given, and a digest of some of the laws of contract bridge. "Contract Kernels Up-to-date," by Mrs. M. Mill ingen (Angus and Robertson, Limited, Sydney).—Mrs. Millingen has been in the habit of bringing out a presentation of the Culbertson system since its inception, and the latest work is in keeping with her previous efforts, which have alwavs called forth expressions of approval from her large public in Australia. Nothing in the Culbertson system has been forgotten by Mrs. Millingen, including all the new bids and aids to slam bidding. A very compact little volume and one readily understood by beginners and others. CURRENT EVENTS Last week the Northern Contract Bridge Club held the second session of the scratch and handicap tenms-of-four American tournament. Tho following are the results, the tourney being conducted in two sections:— First Section. —Mrs. Hume's team won from Mr. Stratton's team by 3560 points; Mr. Watson's team won from Mrs. Acheson's team by 660 points; Miss MacCormick's team won from Mrs. Sherlock's team by .'sllO points; Mrs. Noakes' team won from Mrs. Caughey's team by 2350 points. Second Section. —Mr. Hamilton's team won from Mrs. Nettletoirs team by 2310 points; Miss Langley's team won from Mrs. Cleghorn's team by 2120 points; Captain Barnes' team won from Mrs. Hamlin-White's team by 520 points; .Mr. Eastgate's team won from Mr. W ylie's team by 970 points. j These are tho gross scores, and handicaps have to be deducted for that part of the competition.