Show CULBERTSON on CONTRACT B By Ely Culbertson Worlds World's Champion Player and Greatest Card Analyst THE TilE IMPORTANCE L E OF LITTLE THINGS A great many players fail lail to realize realize realize real real- ize the Importance of being continually continually contin contin- on the qui vive during the play of a hand A tendency to consider some seemingly minor plays as being of no importance frequently allows many apparently impossible contracts contracts con con- tracts to be made The following is isan isan isan an innocent enough looking hand which was successfully defended and defeated b by Mr H. H Huber Boscowitz at the Cavendish club in New York The play itself seems simple enough but I wonder how man many players would make this same play should the opportunity arise again East East Dealer Neither side vulnerable A A 32 V 0 J 49 9 A K Q 5 J 9 6 c 10 1093 9 3 W 1 E J 8 5 0 A 1 10 M 4 I l OK K J 10 2 5 A K Q 7 54 10 1084 8 4 V A Q 4 f 0 Q 9 93 J 2 4 86 3 The bidding East South Vest West North 1 1 14 Pass 1 Pass 2 24 2 Pass Pass Pass Pass Pass The bidding may seem a little optimistic optimistic op op- op but actually east and west did get within an inch of making the contract Mr Boscowitz sitting silting north chose as his opening lead the fourth best diamond Declarer won the trick in dummy with the king led a low club dub over to the knave in his own h hand hd and then laid down the spade 5 I am quite sure that most players would now nov unthinkingly unthinking unthinking- ly play low hoping that the dummy could be t topped by partner Mr Boscowitz Boscowitz Bos Bos- cowitz however did not play carelessly carelessly care are lessly but paused to consider the sit sit- Obviously declarer had a a total of six club tricks available plus the diamond ace South could not hold the diamond ace as he would certainly r. r thinly have captured the king with it on the first trick Declarer therefore therefore therefore there there- fore needed only one more trick and if the spade knave should hold this one trick was autom automatically Usher Why was he leading a spade immediately Obviously because he hc must be afraid of some other suit and the only missing suit is hearts North therefore went right up with the spade ace and led his fourth best heart South caught on to the idea 1 immediately and took the trick with I the ace returning the queen When this held he led his last heart and I Mr Boscowitz was able to cash the two setting tricks Obviously if declarers declarer's plan had I succeeded and d dummy's ys y's spade knave had held the tricks he would have abandoned the spade suit and taken i his nine tricks immediately His plan of campaign was undoubtedly the I best and I venture to say would have succeeded against nine out of ten players Alertness at all times is a vital part of ever every strong players player's game TODAY'S POI POINTER TER Whether you are the declarer or orare orare orare are playing on the defense it is vi vitally vitally vi vi- tally important if it you wish to succeed suc sue I in contract to be continuously on the alert Even minor plays may be bethe bethe bethe the difference between the making and the losing of a contract TOMORROWS TOMORROW'S HAND lIAND The bidding and pIa play of th the hand printed below will be discussed to tomorrow tomorrow to to- morrow North North Dealer Neither side vulnerable A 41 Q J JV c V Q 10 J 3 O 05 S A A i A N NW J 64 J A K Q J 10 W E ES 8 5 4 S 5 10 1096 9 6 A A 10 7 3 3 Z V 92 0 o ilk ilk- Study the hand decide how you would bid and play it and then compare compare com com- pare parc the results you obtain with those shown in tomorrows tomorrow's article Copyright 1932 1032 jy y Ely Culbertson I |