HINIS ON AUCTION BRIDGE

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 956, 26 April 1930, Page 12

HINIS ON AUCTION BRIDGE

Calibans Duplicate Bridge Contest (V)

THIS is perhaps the most difficult hand of the whole series. The bidding, as may be imagined, produced some rather startling results. At three tables, the initial call was One No-Trump. I think that this is correct. The alternatives are: (1) One Diamond (wj>li a view to ascertaining whether one’s partner has (2) Three Diamonds; (3) Two No-Trumps. I regard all these as inferior. The One Diamond call may well be left in, and a possible game (to say nothing of a hundred Aces, thrown away. The same applies to the Three-Diamond call. It may shut out the adverse Spades—if these are not too strong—jut at too high a price. There is no point in pre-empting in a minor suit unless one is pretty sure of game—and Z ’s hand, for all its strength, has too many losing tricks in it. As for Two No-Trumps, there is something to be said for it* but with two short suits, it involves too big a risk. At all three tables, A over-called the No-Trump with Two Spades. I believe the right call to be a pre-emptive one of Three Spades. Z has shown strength, and A has no Diamonds and is weak in Hearts. On the Other hand, his hand, with a no-trumper on his right, ought to be worth from seven to eight tricks. On balance, therefore, he should take a risk in the hope of closing the bidding. Moreover, with Three Spades, he should, ia fact, close the bidding. B, with four trumps, will be well content to leave his partner alone; and Z would be ill-advised to mention his Diamonds, where there is the strongest possibility that he can save game out of hand. The Two-Spade call led to diverse results At one table, Z did cal his Diamonds, was pushed too far and doubled, and lost 300 points. This FourDiamond call, for the reason mentioned above, is a very bad one. At one ion’ a sh , owed . llis Hearts ? z raised the contract to Four' and ZY went dowr. * * table, Z called Three Diamonds, and A secured the eon tract at Three Spades. He contrived, moreover, to get home, rp, remains the table at which Z elected to make an initial bid of mree Diamonds. This ought, as we have seen, to lead to disaster; but the luck was with Z and his paitner. A called Three Spades; Z called Four Diamonds; A (unable to leave well alone—for the call wa3 in a minor sui* ana no tad three Kings sitting over a no-trumper) called Five Clubs: Y doubled; and A returned to the Spades and was doubled bv Z. He went U °Y l v- Vr ° ? 11S ras k intervention, after Z’s Four-Diamond call, coating him and his partner some 404 points.

extent bp * f ake( i 101 tiie occasion, and to that theless a rathp-'amFc*- inclined to Mown upon it. It represents, nevervhovere cSned uTon to g p!^ r r C ’ a "ia! “> Z No enough. began in the tame way at each table: initial call’ of Trn \n T I p ' , (It 13 ar Buable8 uable that A’s hand is worth an At each table y S I am incline,f to think not.) of its unanimitv T Y ° u^ ed A 3 >o-Trump. With this decision, in spite the NoT gree - 1 beie ' e that Y 9 call is Xw. (though, in fact*hia TlonTniZm' 5 ™ 1 ’” ° n bls ri § ht > aE<l he can hardly expect holds a Yarborough * ° est iCars ' vvould be confirmed) that his partner the only one d —and it w»< unanimity in retard tne s P ectac l Q of one round’s c.ompiett At this poTnt .lifferences'of n Bl * ° f the tables Participating. Z—overcome’ 1 bv the prospect of presented themselves. At one table, borough—left in the double of v g v° make a declaration on a Taxless of the game would not be L ® >lo Tr t?“P- He argued that even th. declaration of his Thi ■ r, - S ° serious a disaster as might result from any of the No-Trump declaration'fTw ’ wa V er 2 naughty of Z, and the defeat nate climax to his laosp * . blnl . an d his partner was rather an unfortnought to have called Two Club* 1D ttlE band > ' lTen t unrewarded; for z A passed; whereupon *X* y' 1 Clubs ’ and st two of thClt . called Two No-Trumps himself T tVt / Ump6 ' At tfcc tbird taHe ’ t Two Clubs alone. In the A 13 better advised to leave tar every table No-Trump contract wa«* defeated * c

(Written (01 lilt. b'l/iV 03 "Caliban."— Copyright In hew Zealand^ HAND No. 9. _ Spades Q 5 Hearts Q J 10 7 o Diamonds 2 Clubs Q 9 6 5 4 Spades K J 10 7 4 3 Y Spades 9 8 6 2 Hearts K 9 A J5 Hearts 6 4 Diamonds None Diamonds K Q 9 S 6 3 Clubs K J 8 7 2 Clubs 10 Spades A Hearts A 8 3 2 Diamonds A J l<j 7 5 4 Clubs A 3 *

HAND No. 10. Spades J 10 9 8 Hearts A K Q Diamonds A Q 3 Clubs K J 10 Hearts J 10 9 8 ! * Spades 7 4 3 Diamonds K J 30 A H Clubs A Q 2 Clubs 9 6 5 Spade 6 5 2 Hearts 4 S 2 Diamonds—9 6 5 ' Clubs 8 7 4 3