THE GAME OF BRIDGE Weekly Chat on Contract Specially Written for "The Post" by "Approach Bid"

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 132, 5 June 1937, Page 19

THE GAME OF BRIDGE Weekly Chat on Contract Specially Written for "The Post" by "Approach Bid"

Hands No. 6, 7, and 8 from the 1937 World Bridge Olympic are given • below, with comments on the bidding and play for each hand by Mr. Culbertson. HAND No. 7. East-west par.: Three clubs bid and made. South:. Dealer. Both sides vulnerable. ■ 4k J. 5.7.4.3. if j.t.2 4 10.9.5. ♦ K- 9;5> .— Xonh. 1 $ Q-10■<■'• ' i S. I- i.\ ty A.K.r.'.s. ■ $ 6.3. i| a! I + K.U.J.2. {> t Q.J.9.7.5.3 2. j South. | 10. S. 9 Q. 9.7.4.3. j A.5.7.4. «fr 6.4. FORESEEING A DANGER. The bidding :— South. West. Korth. East, pass. pass. pass. 1 iff pass. 2 Jf, ' pass. 2 pass. 3 Jf, pass. pass. Despite East's strength in the ' red suits, he should be warned by his partner's three-club bid. If West has even a fairly good club suit he cannot have spade strength because of his. failure to bid two no-trumps. West's repeated club take-outs, while not strictly a sign-off, constitute a' grave warning.l . j North should open the fourth best spade, and South should win with the Ace and return the lead. In order to avoid a third-round spade ruff, West should take two high hearts and discard his King of spades before touching a single trump. West thus loses one spade, one diamond, and two trumps. * haxd Xo. 8. ■ .. i North-South par.: Bidding four hearts. East-West par.: Opponents held to .nine | tricks in hearts. West:. Dealer. j Neither side vulnerable. 4 K.Q.2. . | EJ.10.4.2. + 9.8.5." * 3.2. 4k "10.7.6. Xo-th. ~1 4 A- J' 3V 6.3. | g V --3+J. 6.4.3. | s ♦ A.X.10.7.2. Jf, X.0.8.4. I South. I Jf, 7.6.5. ' 4k 9.5.4.3. ' A.Q.9.8. 4 Q. Jf, A.Q.J.10. NO OTHER HOPE. The bidding:— West. ' North. East. South, pass. pass. 14> double, pass. . 2 y pass. 3ff ■ pass. 4 pass. pass, pass. . Souths distribution warrants a shaded take-out double. North, having passed a fine hand, must give a_ jump response. If West tries a mild

THE 1937 WORLD OLYMPIC HANDS

pre-empt of two diamonds North should bid three hearts. The heart game should be reached, as the play for four hearts is excellent. West should open the King of diamonds and should then see the necessity for obtaining three spade tricks or two spade tricks and either a club or a heart. He should therefore lead the five of spades. West's ten drives out North's Queen. North can draw tramps and =try to set up the clubs, but when West gets in with the King of clubs a spade lead defeats declarer. HAND No. 9. Last-West par.: Bidding tour spades. North-South par.: Opponents held to n!IM tricks In spades. . North : Dealer. East-West vulnerable. 6 7.5.4. A.6.4-3.2. <■)) 9.7.4.3. A X..1.10.9.8.2. , sWt h : * A.Q. 5.6. |t v V K.Q.7.*. £ X.7. g £ + 10.5. C J, K.Q.5. j South. [ jfr A.J.10.6.1 | ' - A S-3. I V A.J.10.3.5.4. , y Q Q.J.9.5. ■"'■ * SWHERE HASTE WILL FAIL. - The bidding:— yortli. East. South. West, pass. , 1 * ; 1*" 1 ■ pass. 1 N.T. pass. 3t^ pass. 4 pass. pass, pass. With an excellent major suit East and West should avoid a. no-trump contract, especially in view of the diamond weakness. North should open the singletoa deuce of hearts, dummy's Queen forcing out Souths Ace. South-Should recognise the necessity for providing for enough tricks to set the contract. An immediate heart ruff will . not accomplish this. The single card which North is most likely to hold, if the contract can be set, is the Ace of diamonds. South should therefore lead his Queen of. diamonds at trick two. If West covers, South wins the diamond return and then gives his partner a' heart ruff. If West ducks the first diamond South must lead the heart at once, after which North takes the Ace of diamonds for the setting trick. '