Evening star., 1938-09-18
By Frank B. Lord.

By Frank B. Lord.
Bridge pointer: The minor short
suit exploratory bid is one that Is
becoming quite popular in its use.
and while it should be attempted
only by advanced players, 1t is Of
such importance that 1t cannot be
ignored. In following what r. Dud-
ley Courtnay and some other experts
call the principle OF preparedness"
IT Is sometimes advantageous to make
three-card minor bid, or at times
= two-card minor, usually with .
guarded honor or an ace, in order
to give your partner an opportunity
to name . higher ranking suit at the
one level, to ascertain II he has sup
port in your minor short" bid with
veiw Of bidding no-trump on the
second round, to discourage . lead by
opponents in the short" suit, or to
anticipate and prevent an embarrass-
ing response by your partner. The
original short suit bidder should have
another suit. preferably = major, with
which he can escape if doubled. The
responding hand should not pass
minor bid Of one. Some players
show their weakness by responding
with one diamond, others with one
no-trump.
THE last pair game Of the season Of
the Federal Bridge League was
played Tuesday night at the Wardman
Park Hotel. The winners were. North
and South. L. E. Shmidl and william
Shafnos, first: Mrs. Dixie T. Wright
and Mrs. Anne O. Grimes, second; !;
East and West, L. T. Smith and M.
Kurtz, first, and Mrs. w. A. Gardner,
second.
Beginning next Tuesday evening
the League will play q series OF team
games In two sessions OF IL games
each. Any player employed In the
Federal or District governments or
attached to the Army, Navy or Marine
Corps is eligible for membership in
the league. Miles E. Myers, president
Of the league. anticipates from the
registrations already made that there
will be 80 or more teams entered In
the first half Of the series. This num-
Der will provide three sections. which
will be directed by Paul Z. Golden.
There will be prizes In each section
for each half Of the series in addi-
ton to pair prizes and the grand
trophy to the season winners, pre-
sented by Luther Stewart, president
OF the Federation of Government En-
ployes. This will be played by the
winners In each half OF the series,
provided one team does not win in
each half. as was the case last year
when the team composed OF Lloyd and
Lewis Tubbs. Isaac York and Sam
Groves. Roy Astleford. alternate, won
in both halves of the series.
The initial team game meet will be
preceded on Tuesday by 4 "get-ac-
quainted" dinner to be given at the
Wardman Park Hotel when individuals
and pairs not attached to any depart
mental team will be assigned by the
leagues Executive Committee. In
most OF the Government departments
teams have been made up already, but
in others. where there are individual
players or pairs, designa tions will be
made to accommodate them.
Special guests invited to attend the
opening night dinner will include DR..
and Mrs L. W. Lord Of Baltimore.
James H. Lemon. vice president for
Washington Of the American Contract
Bridge League; Mr.. and Mrs. T. B..
Swanson, the latter the president of
the Washington Bridge League, and
1t. Comdr. w. A. Corley. for several
years president of that organization.
r EADERS Of this column found the
problem hand printed last Sum
day highly interesting and not 4 few
OF the experts were successful in solv-
ing 1t. The deal was:
= None
vAQ53
<AKQlo7
&AK52
- AJss2
vKloo7s42 W
None Ie432
%Jlo976 &Q043
WE
S
AJAX Ql06765
>J965
4 None
The problem was to make q grand
slam in spades. The jack Of clubs