Show CULBERTSON on CONTRACT By EI Ely Worlds World's Champion S Player Flayer and Greatest Card ICard Analyst REVERSING SOUND THEORY There has re recently e hy grown up upa a small cult of pl players fortunately centered mostly in ill New York who are making a n practice of reversing the principle adhered to for years by all bridge players that greater strength is required for an opening bid in third or fourth position after partner has passed than in the thc position position tion of or second to speak The time-honored time theory is based upon the sound principle that the purpose of the auction in contract is to disclose strength If a player has a bid he makes it provided of course no other other oth oth- er player has already spoken and his very failure to bid under these thes conditions clearly suggests that he does not have the strength to Justify the making of ot a bid The illogical theory followed by some contract players of passing very strong hands in first or second position position tion and opening weak ones third or fourth hand does docs not pay in inthe the long longrun longrun longrun run in rubber bridge and assuredly not in duplicate An interesting example example ex ex- ample of the fallacy of passing openIng open open- Ing bids occurred in one of the recent recent re re- cent sessions of the eastern pair cham chani in New York City The hand was South South Dealer west East vulnerable S r 8 1 2 10 9 5 6 0 K 9 A 8 7 3 V VA 4 K Kb 10 6 N 14 A 6 43 I 7 3 A 8 2 2 E W 0 A 10 7 J l 9 6 S 4 6 82 49 9 Q J 6 0 J 5 2 K Q 10 4 Where Mr George S. S Coffin of f Boston Boston Bos Bas ton and Mrs C. C C. C Read of New York were sitting south and north respectively respectively respectively they had agreed to try tryout out this method of bidding South therefore there there- fore passed his hand which of or course justified the making of a n bid West passed and north ho holding ding only 1 L 2 1 honor tricks also passed East had barely 2 honor tricks and as a n result the board was passed out An analysis of the cards cards- held shows that hat north and south can make fo lour four r hearts against anything but the most exact defense The most that east and west can cm make is two spades It Itis Its is 15 s of course doubtful whether the theland hand land would be be bid to game frame by the north and south players but in any event whether playing rubber or duplicate du duo plicate pUcate bridge and whether the stakes takes are money marbles or chalk chalkl by y following this method of bidding the north and south players forego forello a valuable part score or the opportunity to inflict a worthwhile penalty upon vulnerable opponents in m case they should disregard th the dangers of overbidding and seek seck to secure the I contract TOMORROWS TOMORROW'S HAND With the hand below should north and south reach a gra grand slam and what would be the steps in the bidding bidding bid ding If east overcalled norths north's o openIng open open- en ins Ing bid of one diamond with two tw clubs S North North Dealer S Both sides vulnerable b iA i- i I AZ 7 A Q 10 9 o K J 9 7 Ii 2 S A N A 6 C K 1 3 2 1 W r IV J 8 Ii 0 I- I 0 6 6 8 LJ Sv J S 3 32 2 A A K Q 9 IV 0 o A Q 10 8 4 3 75 K Q 4 The answer will be given In tomorrows tomorrows tomorrow's tomorrows tomorrow's to to- morrows morrow's article Copyright Culbertson r |