Show t CULBERTSON on CONTRACT CONTRACTS S By Ely Culberton Worlds World's Champion Player and Greatest Card Analyst I S One of of the things that gives to bridge its universal appeal is the fact act that hat even expert players may go wrong in their analysis of methods of play There are many fine bridge p players play play- y ers ers who arc are only superficial analysts I These players fail faU to go to the root o of things They decide that because a certain course would work in a given jivco situation such a course should be e followed in other situations which arc are almost but not quite quit like Uke it itIn In a recent team of four match in New York City in which I was one of ot the players the hand below was dealt which presented a very pretty problem in trump management In Inthis this his hand north by unnecessarily giving up a trick in trumps trump could absolutely absolutely absolutely ab ab- ab- ab assure the making of ot four four- odd This line of play was followed in hi one room while in the other a more dangerous line linc was adopt adoptS ed cd The hand was East East Dealer Dealer I It t East and w west t vulnerable rable 4 42 4 42 2 S A 9 8 7 C 4 O 0 K 9 3 3 3 A Q a 7 6 3 I N Q Ej AJ G 8 Ls 10 t 14 32 3 2 A A A J 10 5 W K J 10 0 Q 10 7 76 62 2 6 The bidding in J S East South West North Pass Pass p Pass ss 1 17 f Pass 14 1 Pass 3 3 1 Pass 4 Pass Pas Pass Pass Pau Paup p Pass s The opening lead Ie was the club lub 10 upon which upon which west played anc and north the ace The next lead was the club queen eliminating clubs from the declarers declarer's hand At t this this' point poin arose the question which later brought about the discussion of methods of ot play North could sec see his contract safe sale provided he did no not have hav t to lose more than one trick each eachin in diamonds and hearts The spa space e situation situation situation sit sit- of course would take care of itself Therefore disdaining to play for five tive declarer now led a low heart hear to the king and returned the knave which was finessed east's q queen een win win- ning East was now in a a quandary for far a lead Obviously the diamond sit situation w was s bad from his standpoint so he chose to return the singleton spade North finessed the ten and west won with the queen West also was in ina ina ina a predicament in finding a safe sate can canto card to return and eventually decided upon the return of the diamond 8 East won with the ace ce but that was the thelast thelast thelast last trick available for his side side- and thus the game contract was assured As the match hinged upon a very small margin and the team which had played this particular hand lost lot the after play was over naturally turned to to whether more could not have been made and Mr Oswald Jacoby expressed the opinion that the thc method of of play here out outlined outlined lined was incorrect In the other room a 1 man noted for his success at Howell match point play play- was seated north and hi his sole consideration was the the question of top topon I Ion on m the board whether or not thereby he le sacrificed the safe goal of game As Asa a matter of fact by th the method of play lay which he followed he risked and brought rought d disaster ter in striving for tor an Immaterial gain The bidding fol fol- follower owed lower the same Un lines A Again the club 0 was opened and again north cHin elim- his second club Without stopping stopping stop- stop ping sing to draw trumps he now led a small mall spade from rom his hand and finessed the 10 10 the queen winning W West t noted the drop of east's casts spade 9 and felt quite certain that his partner could ruff as if n north rth held a singleton single- single singleton ton on spade there would be no purpose in n risking the loss of ot a trick in that suit However this could not bring about the defeat of the contract as west saw nw it but if It east could win a trick in diamonds and be forced to return a diamond west could get get gei either one or two ruffs and cast could be ass assured d of one one Therefore the dia elia dia- dia nond 8 was was as hoped won with the theace ace ace and nd in desperation returned the suit w west vest t winning th the trick with a small mal trump Now a spade was led East trumped and returned re reo re- re turned another diamond upon which west cashed h his last trump The r re result sult was that the hand was Wa defeated two tricks The main interest of the hand Inthe in inthe the subsequent dl discussion was in the qu question tion of at the time that factor and the play of the trump suit The line of play outlined in the first part of this article article ar ar must assure the contract against any distribution It is immaterial that tha north could have captured east's queen as the cards lie He and thereby have scored 30 points points' additional over the value of game In bridge as as' as in life me the main objective should be kept kep in view and the players layer of ot el either elthe her game should never wander into bypaths by paths to gain possible victories victori s at th the risk of losing what is more tant tanto TOMORROWS TOMORROW'S HAND RAND RANDIf If south is playing a contract a at three which has been doubled doubled doubled dou dou- bled by west what discard should east make on the second heart trick and why South South- South Dealer S Neither side vulnerable rable A J 9 96 cJ A 8 2 I 0 4 10 6 6 A 10 73 Q I I N 7 G 65 6 W ER 3 10 I Is' Is 14 A 9 7 5 33 42 J K 2 t 10 9 3 7 G 5 The hand will be discussed in to tomorrows tomorrow's tomorrows tomorrow's to to- morrows morrow's article Copyright 1933 Ely Culbertson FREE CULBERTSON BO BOOKLET By special arrangement ment readers o othis ot of this newspaper ma may have a aree afree free copy cop of The Rules and Ethics of ot Bridge by y Culbertson Address Mr Cubertson Cu Cul Culbertson Cul- Cul bertson in care of this newspaper inclosIng inclosing inclosing in in- closing closing- a stamped addressed sell en envelope v lope |