CONTRACT BRIDGE Competitive Deal

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31081, 9 June 1966, Page 15

CONTRACT BRIDGE Competitive Deal

(Contributed bp J.R.WJ

From rather hesitant beginnings four years ago, the MidCanterbury pairs championship has grown into the most popular bridge tournament in the South Island.

There were so many entries this year that the Ashburton Bridge Club’s own excellent rooms, normally more than adequate for its purposes, could accommodate only just over half the entries.

Those who were disappointed can take some comfort from the following competitive hand, on which they would no doubt have done better than the majority of the participants. The dealer was West with only his side vulnerable.

The best East-West score was achieved by Mrs P. Caley and R. R. Hudson, of Dunedin, who doubled South’s contract of four diamonds. None of the players recalled how this remarkable contract was reached, but Mrs Caley and Hudson had no more difficulty in defeating it by three tricks for a 500-point penalty than they had in winning the tournament.

By contrast one NorthSouth doubled an opposing four spade bid, and when the declarer misplayed it, scored an 800-point penalty. Between these two extremes, there were all sorts of variations. Two North-South’s bid and made four hearts against imperfect defence, and there were several three-heart contracts made with or without an overtrick, one of them doubled.

Several East-West’s played in three spades just made, but the runners-up, Mrs R. R. Bell and R. O. Haigh, of Crockford’s Club, Christchurch, made four. Varied Auctions

The auctions were as varied as the final contracts. One West opened with one club, to which East made a conventional negative response of one diamond. In theory, West would now call one heart, clearly only a four card suit, and East would try one spade. The partnership would then have found its haven, an eight card major suit for trumps. In practice, the planned smooth rhythm of this auction received a rude jolt when over one diamond South jumped to two hearts. This became the final contract when West did not think the hand strong enough to bid again opposite a partner known to be weak, and everyone passed. At most tables, however, West opened one spade, following the simple theory that the best way to find out if partner likes one’s suit is to bid it and see. East had a blear raise to two. When South stepped in with three hearts, West with good defensive values passed, and in some cases this contract was not disturbed. But East had no excuse for not continuing to three spades. His hand had no defence and was of use only in a spade contract If West is allowed to play there he can make four top trumps, the ace of hearts, two clubs, and two hearts ruffed in dummy. Although South can trump the third round of clubs, this is a hard defence

to find, particularly If the first round is led from dummy. If South calls four hearts, West should double and lead three high spades forcing declarer to ruff. Trumps are led, but West holds up his ace until the third round when all dummy’s hearts have been played. He can then lead another spade forcing South’s last trump, and so makes at least two spades and the ace and a long heart. The whole deal is a good example of competitive bidding in duplicate bridge where both sides strain to extract the very most from their cards. These methods are just as applicable to rubber bridge in which it is equally important to concede a small penalty to prevent the opponents making a partscore.