Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1938-08-21
In Local Bridge Circles
Freak Hand Confuses Tournament Players.

after an early church attendance, to sit
down and devote the remainder of the
day to an attempt to figure out who
the victors are.
The game was one arranged by Mr..
and Mrs. Golden between the men snd
women players Of the resort-20 men
and 20 women on each side-with Mr..
Golden the captain Of the former and
Mrs Golden leading the latter. From
the inception there was q question of
handicaps. The males contended that
the women. having nothing to do the
live-long day except play bridge and
get practice, were in better position to
win than the men, who sweltered
through the August heat in an ONCE
and were compelled to commute 80
miles twice each day, and that there
fore they should be given a handicap.
The women argued that most WASH
ington of1ices are air conditioned and
that a 30-mile auto ride morning and
evening Is really a pleasure and an ex-
hilaration. II the men could not play
as we'll as the women it was due to their
stupidity and not to the work they had
to perform or to the means of reaching
1t each day. They said they would al
low no handicaps, and they didn't.
The players sat down at two rows of
nve tables each. q male and q female
pair playing At each. They did not
play rs team against team, however,
but under q plan Of movement and
scoring worked out by Mr. Golden, who
oficiates In the capacity of director
and scorer of the Federal Bridge
League. Most Of the men and not few
OF the women were unfamiliar with the
changes OF position necessary, although
Mr.. Golden maintained they were SIM
plicity itself. But at any rate the
movements caused q lot of confusion
along with all the fun.
1t was not q team versus team
match wherein the matter of deciding
which individual foursome was the
winner would not be difficult, but one
involving 20 players on a side. and the
result must be determined by adding
all the plus scores of each and sub
~,SoAAAo oAAS aggregate 6COTCS.
1t sounds simple enough, but it did not
work out that way. As q consequence
no one knew at the conclusion of the
game which side had triumphed. Mr..
Golden may reach q decision TODAY.
but there Is no assurance that it will
be conclusive, for the added reason
that the question OF 4 prize for the
winners was not agreed upon before
the match, and there Is certain to be
dispute over that. There has been
suggestion that the losers entertain
the winners at dinner. The men
object to this on the ground that they
get dinner anyway. and that in any
event they pay for it. and il it be
found that they lost-well, they don't
want to discuss the possibilities or
probabilities any further.
A DELEGATION of Washington
players is planning to attend the
Tri-State 10th annual championship
tournament to be held in Uniontown.
Pa. next Friday. Saturday and Sum-
day. There will be three major events
the mixed pair championship for the
Tri-State trophy. the OPEN pair cham
pionship for the George M. Hosack
trophy and the open team of four
championship for the Uniontown
trophy. In addition there will be .
special prize OF entry into the Western
States open-pair championship at
Pittsburgh on October / and ?, given to
the winners Of the Tri-State open
pairs.
Twice Washington pairs have won
the mixed-pair championship in the
Tri-Stats match. once in 1894 and
again in 1887. Twice Washington has
also captured the open-pair cham
pionship. once in 1885 and again in
1896. Local players have not yet won
the open team Of four championship,
but hope to do SO this year.
"ROUBLED' submits the following
hand and asks what should be
done in the circumstances described.
Spades-Q 9 4 3, hearts, 1,
diamonds 4 2, cluhs-Q
Both sides are vulnera Bile and the
adversarles have part score Of 60.
The partner OF Troubled" deals and
bids one heart. The next hand makes
an overcall Of two diamonds. This
contract II made will give opponents
game and rubber. and Troubled" is
really troubled. The answer unques-
tionably is that this hand should pass
The opening bidder has at least two
and half tricks. perhaps a little more,
since he opened vulnerable. But if