DOUBLES AT BRIDGE.

Colonist, Volume LIV, Issue 13419, 17 May 1912, Page 8

DOUBLES AT BRIDGE.

A curious incident occurred in a bridge- game on board tlio Olympic on her last voyage from New York to Plymouth. The players—two Americans, un Australian, and an Englishman— wore friends. Thoy were playing fivecent (2kl) points, or a little nioro than a sovereign a hundred, and thoy were all fairly matched. They played freely —i.e., they were calling on light hands and doubling the declaration with tho smallest justification. The Australian had one of the- Americans for his partner, the Englishman tho other. Tho last-named made a heart call (for which each trick counts eight). Thia was promptly doubled by bis Australian opponent. A redouble was again doubled by the Australian, and then tho English partner of tho American, who had made tho original call, raised the game still higher. The redoubling did not finish until, according to an onlooker keeping tally, tho value- had multiplied eight-con times. Tho gamo was played, and resulted in tho loss of tho odd trick by tho man who had called hearts. When, however, the players calculated what tho points were, they found that thoy had multiplied to 2,097,152, and that each trick was worth over £20,000. Tho losers said this was absurd, that no ono realised what ho was doing, and eventually it was agreed that tho losera should each pay £100 for the odd trick. The onlooker who kept a tally, now puts forward the plea that tho odd trick could be> worth only 100 times' tho original j cents (say, £1) to tho winner, and asks : "Is not the Portland Club rulo (that doubling must not carry tho points above 100) decisive in this matter?"