Show CULBERTSON on CONTRACT by Ely Culber on Worlds World Champion Player and Greatest Card Analyze Analyst MISCOUNTING TRUMPS A common fault at the Bridge table Is inability to count up to thirteen and Dummy and both opponents usually give a half halt derisive and half pitying smile at the Declarer who miscounts the trump suit particularly It Is not wise however to al alwa always always al- al wa ways s 's assume the Declarer has left a trump in an opposing hand that he has failed to count up to thirteen Even though he permits it to win a atrick atrick atrick trick that might otherwise have been won with a high card in his hand or orthe orthe orthe the Dumm Dummy he ma may only be concealing concealing concealing con con- a plot We were warned in our school days to watch the Greeks most closely when they came bearing gifts Toda Today's s hand is an illustration of the proffering of a Grecian gl gift t the acceptance of which permitted the Declarer to make his contract which was otherwise as unattainable as the moon Itself A forgotten trump inthe in inthe inthe the hand band of South loomed large for a moment but it lost its significance when the Declarer scored wp p four- four odd for game and rubber South South Dealer Dealer Both sides vulnerable 3 7 10 9 8 w Q 0 7 6 I 3 1 N 6 4 2 8 86 6 E 7 Q W A K 0 Q 10 9 o A 8 6 5 10 3 9 7 10 1097 9 7 77 7 Q o K J Jr r A Q J 8 3 2 The Tho Bidding Figures after bids in the table refer to numbered explanatory explanatory atory paragraphs South West North East 1 1 2 1 Pass 3 2 Pass 4 t. 3 Pass Pass Pass PassIA 1 A I-A A Jump Overcall a a stronger bid than a Takeout Double Double disclosing disclosing a strong two-suiter two or a single powerful powerful powerful pow pow- erful suit Partner is required to respond to this with a weak but 1 0 not a bust hand in order that the player making the Jump Overcall may have a further opportunity to bid 2 With 2 With a five-card five major suit headed headed headed head head- ed by 2 1 trick honor-trick and an another another another an- an other Queen in the hand East must give his partner a chance to play for game I 3 West's 3 West's hand justifies justin the game bid in spades North and South took 2 club tricks South winning the second round of that suit and leading the singleton heart The Declarer could see the contract easily made if the four adverse adverse adverse ad ad- verse trumps were held 2 in the hands of oC his adversaries ad es He therefore therefore therefore there there- fore led two rounds of or trumps only to find rind to his disappointment that South still held a trump Success now rested possibly upon the location of the diamond honors and both of or these seemed to be marked in the South hand as otherwise South was without without with with- With With-I. out the strength for an Opening bid West could defer testing the accuracy accuracy I racy of th this s surmise until later He therefore decided to try a ruse which if successful would make it il immaterial al where the King and Knave of diamonds were located He laid down the Ace of hearts as he correctly read South's lead up to East's apparent strength in that suit as being a singleton South played his remaining trump and pityingly remarked to West You forgot to count the trumps didn't you you ou West only smiled but when South returned a diamond he did not even let the trick run to the Queen but captured captured cap cap- it with the thc Ace then put Dummy Dummy Dum Dum- my in by leading the five of trumps to the six and discarded the two losing losing losing los los- ing diamonds on Dummy's established hearts retorting to South by remarking remarking remark remark- ing quietly And you ou forgot to count the tricks TODAY'S POINTER It is not always safe to assume because because because be be- cause the Declarer has left you with witha a trump that he has failed tailed to correctly correct correct- ly count the trump suit At the Contract Contract Contract Con Con- tract table as well as in other pursuits pursuits pursuits pur pur- suits it is well ell to beware of the thc Greeks when they come bearing gifts Copyright 1932 Ely Culbertson on |