CONTRACT BRIDGE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23000, 30 March 1938, Page 22

CONTRACT BRIDGE

USE OF THE ECHO THE REAL MEANING BY O. li. EASTGATE One of the oldest and most commonlyused signalling devices is the echo, and it is one that is constantly misused on many occasions. As most players know, the echo is the play of a high card follpwed by the play of a lower card in the same suit. When it comes to the real object of an echo, however, inexperienced players often get off the track. The true object is not to indicate an honour in the suit, nor the ability to ruff the third round, but, in a broad sense, is simply a command to continue with that suit. The echoer's reason for his signal is really none of his partner's business; ho should just follow orders.

Misuse of Convention In the following hand East's use, or misuse, of this convention was typical of so many players who miss the real art of signalling:— South dealer. Both sides vulnerable.

West would not havo been blamed for I overcalling one spade. Admittedly, his i suit was weak, but a defensive bid at , the level of one would seem to bo titrate- | gically desirable. As it happened, four ; spades could have been made against the best defence. West opened tho diamond king;, and East made the very bad play of starting an echo with the seven. His idea was to grab three diamond tricks, and then his s ire heart trick would defeat tho contract, bnt tho short-sightedness of this plan should have been apparent to anyone. There was no assurance that the declarer would follow to three rounds of diamonds; if West were to obey his partner's command and continue with the ace and another, the queen might easily be ruffed, and that, of course, is what happened.

Fatal Alternatives West did as ho was told, like a good soldier, having no way of telling that his partner was asleep, or worse, and played the ace of diamonds and a third round, which declarer ruffed. The ace and king of hearts followed and showed up the bad trump situation. The ace and king of spades were then cashed, and East thrown on lead with the trump. You can easily see what happens then; East has the choice of leading a spade, on which a club can be discarded in the South hand (and a second club discarded on the jack of diamonds), or returning a club right up to dummy's major tenace. Either pi a;/ is equally fatal. Obviously, East should have played the deuce of diamonds on the first lead, and West, following the command for a shift, would have led a club. South would have had no choice but to iinesse and the defenders would havo ended up with five tricks, instead of three, the difference being accounted for by East's misuse of the echo. LAST WEEK'S HAND

South is playing a grand slam in diamonds, and West leads the club king. The solution is that the declarer wins with the club ace, and has two leads of trumps. Ace and king of hearts follow, and a third heart, ruffed. This leaves the ten of lien: is good. Declarer then leads king and a small spade to the ace; cashes dummy's ten of hearts, discarding South's last spade. Now he ruffs a spade, and dummy's fourth spade is good. Dummy is entered with a trump, and the losing club in South's hand is discarded on the thirteenth spade. A case of taking advantage of the fortunate lay-out of the cards.

CURRENT EVENTS At the Auckland Bridge Club the first night of a two-night cumulative pairs tournament resulted as follows: North-South: 11. K. Wylie and C. N. Tucker, plus 2140 (basic score), 1; Mrs. Broclie and Miss M. Langlev, plus 1710, 2: Mrs. de C. Lowe and 11. C. Barnes, plus 1150, 3. At tho Northern Contract Bridge Club last week three tournaments were played in one night, two Howell movements and a Mitchell. The Howell tournaments went as follows:—Sixtable: Mrs. Brodie and Mrs. Buscke, 62.3 per cent, 1; Mrs. Harvey and Miss Langley, 60.5 per cent, 2; N. Mitchell and C. L. Eastgate, 59.5 per cent, 3. Five-table: Mrs. Heigh way and N. 0. Morgan, 56.2 per cent, °1; Mrs. Abbot arid Miss Sloman, 54.2 per cent, 2; the Misses Murray and Mrs. Heed and Mrs. Martin, equal for third with 53 per cent. The Mitchell tournament resulted: —North-South: Dr. Friedlander and R. K. Wylie, 63.3 per cent, 1; Mesdames Lowe and Bloom field, 55 per cent, 2; Miss M. Wright and Mrs. Sherlock. 50.5 per cent. 3. East-West: C. N. Tucker and N. Watson, 60 per cent, 1; Mesdames Waugh and Israel, 55 per cent, 2; Misses N. MaeCormick and Miss Swap, 52.2 per-cent, 3. NEXT WEEK'S HAND

South is playing a contract of seven spades. Has he got to lose a trick? The solution will be given next week.