Evening star., 1938-02-27
In Local Bridge Circles
McIntyre.T .Thurtell Pair Win Top Score.

was second East and West in section
2, dropped to third place In the finals
with score Of 286.
The finals were played under the
McKenny- Baldwin movement, 80 that
there was only one set OF winners,
instead Of North and South and East
and West winners, as In the pre-
liminary game.
WHAT is termed the agony Of the
w discard often causes expert con-
tract players great distress. Consider
the circumstances Of the following
deal played by c. B. Pennebaker at the
National Press Club when he found
himself in a six-club contract with
East. the doYbler holding three plus
honor tricks.
North.
A7652
70 10 986
Q95
4 None
West. East.
J754s2 VIE YAK
K87 s 1904
%9754 &Q3
South.
4 A 843
y None
>32
4 KJ10 s62
The successful play Of the hand
forced Mr. Pennebaker in the south
deliberately to surrender one trump
trick in order to win two others and
thereby make his contract. Had he
exhausted all Of his adversaries'
trumps, as he could have done, he
would have been set one trick. West
led his fourth best heart upon which
East played the king, and declarer
won the trick by trumping with the
two of clubs. He then led three
high trumps. exhausting East. who
discarded a spade on the third lead,
and West was left with the nine Of
trumps. Mr.. Pennebaker next led a
small diamond which West covered
with his king in the hope of saving
the Jack in East's hand. Dummy won
with the ace. and declarer then led a
small heart which was covered by East
with the ace, and trumped by de-
clarer He next led his remaining
diamond and won in dummy with the
queen. The five of diamonds was
then led from dummy, covered by East
and trumped. not with declarers eight,
which would have won the trick, but
with his ten. The play took Vests
last diamond and he was left with the
good nine Of trumps and his hearts.
Declarer threw West in the lead by
playing his eight of trumps, which
West won with his nine. He then had
nothing but hearts to lead. Dummy
won this lead with the ten and East
was on the spot Having no hearts, he
was forced to discard another spade:
If he discarded his Jack Of diamonds
dummy's nine would be good. His
agony Of discard was still further in
creased when declarer led the queen
Of hearts, upon which East had to sur
render another spade or a winning
diamond. Declarer was meanwhile
discarding losing spades. but had the
ace and one remaining. When East
discarded his second to the last spade,
declarer led the two OF spades from
dummy. won with the ace and his
small eight of spades was then good
for the twelfth trick.
A ANNOUNCEMENT is made that the
= Richmond open contract bridge
championships will be held at the John
Marshall Hotel In the Virginia city
beginning on Friday and continuing
through Sunday.
game will occur on Friday afternoon,
the mixed pair championship on FRI
day evening. the open pair champion
ship on Saturday afternoon and eve
ming, and the team Of four champion
ship on Sunday morning and Sunday
afternoon.
The first two championships will be
single session events, while the open
pair match and the team OF four con-
test will each be held in two sessions.
participants making less than fixed
score, to be later determined, to be
eliminated from the finals There
will also be a special trophy game on
Saturday night for those who do not
qualify for the finals in the open pair
match.
Master points will be awarded in
each event. offering an opportunity
for 20 different players to share In
the honor. Maximum awards will be
Apply DAYS