CONTRACT BRIDGE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23160, 5 October 1938, Page 8

CONTRACT BRIDGE

, MATCH-POINT LUCK TROUBLES OF EXPERTS ,BV 0. L. EASTGATE In tournament bridge, some curious things occur, especially in match-point contests.'The expert, or good player, is often at sea not so much from faulty technique as from, the things his opponents may do, and the fact that ho cannot always rely on. their bidding. This is particularly true when sitting opposite -weak players, who have only a hazy idea of values. Nevertheless, it is sometimes impossible for him to believe that a certain bid, or double, could havo,been made without certain cards, and at these' times he is apt to go astray in his card placing. Take .the following hand, from an American tournament, match-point. In a field of 16 teams only one team reached a fourspade contract. This particular declarer was an expert, which fact in. itself was a reason for failure:-—* South dealer. East-West vul.

It seems incredible that East should lave passed over four hearts only to double four spades; obviously East had a good double of four hearts, but a questionable four-spade double. Nevertheless, that is what happened. - ;■> Trump Division Not Foreseen. West., opened a low diamond and < East won with the ace and shifted to a low heart. Declarer ruffed, and led to the queen of spades. It will be easily seen that the contract is a laydown if he merely ruffs another heart to re-enter his hand and draw the outstanding trumps. But he could hafdly ■ anticipate, on the double, such a good division* of trumps; East's double Purely promised at least a 4-2 trump division/ \ ■ V '. Declarer had been shortened at the second trick: if he voluntarily shortened himself agairf h«v would be down to the shine trump level as East. He still had the club ace *to knock out and this would give the opponents tho . opportunity. to bring him dbwn to one under East's trump length. Thus it looked like suicide to attempt to draw trumps. Declarer therefore made the wise ajitl normal play under the circumstances; he led a low club from •dummy. To his great disgust East jtuffed.4nd. led a diamond; West won, cashed his ace of clubs, and gave Ea§t pother club ruff. \ w Contract a Good One : : When declarer , saw the result and that he/ had gone down two oh a hand which ordinarily cciuld have been made, and found out that he had . been tho only one in the room to. bid four spades, his feelings can be better imagined than described. On the combined North-South holdings the contract was a good one, and the result .can only be ascribed to bad luck arising out of incorrect bidding on the part Of the opponents.

South is-PUiJririg:' a contract of seven hearts andVWestleads the club queen. Solutionrj)u'mm.y, ; w'inß' ace, and a heart lead •reveafs East's void. A/dub is led to the. king, and a low' club ruffed. A lieart is then; led, and a spade ruffed and. West's trumps drawn. Declarer riOw holds one trump and four diamond?; West's cards are inconsequential. .Dummy holds*A-10-8 of •spades and 'A-K, of diamonds. East had to tceep.QrJ, and.another.diamond .and, therefore could only hold two ■spades. A diamond is led to the king, the ace, of; spades cashed, and a spade ruff establishes dummy's fifth spade for the 13th trick. A trump squeeze. CURRENT EVENTS Pascoo Cup, Eighth Round.—-North-South percent", 1; "Mrs. Harvey ind Ham ilton, 67.9 per cent, Winn and Cornes, 67.9 per cent'; equal,'2. East-West: Anstiss and Esam, 61.8 " 'per | cent, I';' Mrs. Rogorson and. Miss * Adlington, ' 6D.6 per, centj, 2;. Mesdames Gabitos and Keeping,Jp&.s\per cent, 3. _ Miss >Coutts'. Teams-of- : *our: Mr. and Mrs. 'Earl and the Misses Gudgeon, plus, 2960, ; 1; Dr. Bennett and Mrs. Parkinson, Miss Preeco and H. Scott, plus 2020, 2;

South is in a contract of six spades; West opens . the .heart kingand - continues with queen. -Cart you make the contract? • - " ' „