1937-05-03 — Page 11

THE CHINA MAIL, MAY 3, 1937.

Cut-Throat Bridge Is Keen Fun,

But It Keeps You Constantly On Edge

ANGUS,"

PARTNER TROUBLE

burst out,

said Sandy, “have " "Twas but a short swim to not supposed to announce his status kle-headed idiot,”

“you're a disgrace to the clan Mac- you heard of this game call-Wales, and, judging by the rats, a until the bidding had ended. ed Cut-Throat Contract?"

few snakes must have been more Of course, Sandy could not avoid Gregor. When this gets out, the "Cut-Throat? It sounds very than welcome. Just when was it losing two diamonds, two hearts, entire Scotch

much like what you've been playing your ancestors left in such a hurry? and a club. The set was 500 points, putation pace will lose its re-

Briefly,

screamed

canniness: Couldn't lately, for I've felt as though my But, to return to your foul bid- but since Angus had declined, Sandy you tell I might be psychic with my throat had been cut on more than ding??

had to pay 500 to each opponent. He bid" one occasion," replied Angus. "What "Gentlemen," interrupted Angus, muttered something about Angus "In or out?" interrupted Angus, is it it and how do you play it?” "why don't you try our new system deliberately cutting his throat. But calmly.

course," Sandy explained the that we have just been explaining Angus carefully pointed out the⠀⠀ “Out, of game. During the bidding each and stop this ceaseless bickering? terrific set he had built up against Sandy, and so are you out of your player bid as an individual there Let's get on with the game." the opponents if Sandy had passed head, but not nearly as far as

But,

you'll be out of pocket when you were no fixed partnerships. since the successful bidder could

get through with this one.”. choose his partner from among the other three, each player bid with the idea of selecting a particular

Having thus adroitly poured oil (as, of course, he knew he should partner- naturally the one whose bidding indicated the best "fit" for on the fire, he waited for Paddy to have), and Sandy said no more.

..

bid.

By Ely Culbertson

This was the deal:

East and West were vulnerable:

his own hand. The player selected could not refuse to become the dummy of the highest bidder, but he could, if he chose, decline to have a financial interest in the suc- cess or failure of the final bid. In this case his hand still became the dummy of the successful bidder, but the latter won or lost to all the players. A substantial penalty re- strained the opening bidder from "psyching," but thereafter every- thing was allowed. Naturally, the game was often wild and wooly, and g AJ 7 its name "Cut-Throat” was apt.

"Well," said Angus, “I can where the game may have points, but I would not play it with a Welshman and an Irishman. Per- haps we could work it out so that we played the accept and decline" feature just between ourselves."

Paddy

H

see D C

A 7 AQJ83

9 52

its

Sandy

H K J 10.8 6 4 DK 74 € K-10 8 3

Three more hands went by, dur- ing which the Scots got themselves a game, and the situation was tense when Paddy again dealt and bid one diamond. Sandy, gazing, dis

consolately at his hand: S- # 95

"Lead," said Angus to Paddy, Paddy played the Ace of clubs. Whereupon® Angus spread his hand. This was the deal:

H 9.5

D. 8 4:3

C KQ J 10 9 4 3 2

N S 9 7 6 WE H 8 4 3

:: Q J∙ 10 6 2 5

S

AKQ J 10 8 8

H

A K Q 10 2

D

D 8 43 CK QJ 10 9 43 2, felt 5 4.2

H 76 that the time had come for desper. D. AK975 ate measures. With a menacing void in spades but a "safe", run- -out in his long club suit, Sandy de- cided on guile and bid one spade. Lloyd's pass gave Sandy an uneasy feeling. Angus's huddle increased Q 10 6 4 2 it, but Angus's bid proved more Q 9 2 S D 6 5 C

Lloyd

N

S

WE H

Q·J 4

Angus

S

K 9 8 5 3

H 5 3

D 10 9 2 CA 76

"Agreed," said Sandy, and they entered Paddy's apartment to find the Irishman and Lloyd involved in

Paddy opened with one diamond. a heated argument about their own partnership. It looked as though Sandy bid one heart, and it seem- the game would never start, until ed to Angus that Lloyd hesitated

the Scots explained their new ar- rangement to their opponents.

sat

slightly before he passed. The vul- nerability condition and the mental

"We might try that ourselves," condition of his opponents had ap- foundation for said Paddy. "But perhaps we'll parently laid the

there seemed see how it works out first." And some skullduggery: with a new idea to try, they

to Angus little chance that his side

down to play.

could make game, but if he could make the opponents think so (or The first few rubbers were un-

think that he was bluffing) and if eventful enough. Sandy and Angus

Lloyd's thought had been about -although each could not lose by. poor bids unless his was the final bidding spades, and if he could in- bid-realised that they could not sure their not playing the hand at diamonds, perhaps he might manu- gain unless they participated in the result of each others' contracts. facture a swing.

So Angus promptly bid two dia- monds the opponents' suit. Paddy passed and Sandy bid two hearts.

horrifying than Sandy could dream. Dazedly, Sandy gazed at the awe- It was "seven spades." Looking at some sight the vulnerable grand Sandy's face, Paddy promptly slam a laydown in his partner's own doubled, and Angus's redouble com- hand. Doubled and redoubled, with

150 honour pleted the debacle All passed

That was let's see

2990 Sandy's was scarcely audible and with the rubber premium Angus made the usual inquiry. points. But he Sandy was “out."

“Cut-Throat "Well Sandy, are you in or out?”

So each "declined" only when he felt that the other had grossly misbid. Since this usually gave Now Lloyd stepped in and did just each player the chance to back out

as Angus had hoped. Having duti when he felt the others' bidding

fully passed the first time-and still was at fault the game proceeded smarting under Paddy's criticism of more peacefully than usual - ex- his previous bidding-he now bid

cept for a few grumbles over what. Sandy called "contributing to his downfall," and a few gloats over participating all alone in several contracts which were made;:

two spades, feeling that they might have a fine save against four hearts, if or perhaps make four spades, "Angus non-vulnerable cue bid were

The question apparently restored Sandy. That mourned

Sandy to speech."Why you chuc- anyone got a razor

In fact the loudest arguments fishy. had been between Paddy and Lloyd. Angus, carrying out his plan, now One of these was in progress leaped to four hearts, and Paddy of course bid four spades. Awaiting Paddy dealt. On the preceding

the fruits of his successful stra- hand, Lloyd's bidding had steered them into an unsuccessful three tégy, Angua was horrified to hear four Sandy (completely disregarding notrump contract, when hearts would have given them rub the fact that Angus's earlier cue bid had commanded that he be ber.

"By Saint Patrick himself," allowed to choose between a penalty on to game or stormed Paddy, “that was a foul double or "going

slam) bid-five hearts.

“Double,” said Lloyd, “Decline,”.

"snapped Angus, getting in his disgust that he

"Speaking of St. Patrick," ^ re- joined Lloyd, "wasn't it your an- cestors he drove out of Ireland?"

NORWAY'S

M.

me. Has

FINEST

BEER

AIDENLUND

BRE

M PILSEN BEER

IN PILSEN & BOCK TYPES

L.

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