Evening star., 1939-01-08
By Frank B. Lord.

The next big event on the bridge
calendar to engage the interest Of
Washington bridge players will be
the Maryland State championship
games, to be held at the Belvedere
Hotel, in Baltimore, February to S.
Although the tourney draws fans
from various parts Of the neighbor-
ing State, as well as Baltimore, local
enthusiasts are always very much in
evidence at these games and have
frequently come home with prizes
in the major event matches.
Baltimore always puts on a good
show for the bridge players, and as
there is keen rivalry between the
experts of both cities, some exciting
exhibitions of play are anticipated.
Arrangements are being perfected
by Col. Robert Gill, the president OF
the Maryland State Bridge League,
and by Mrs. Allan Rutherford, a
vice president Of the Women's
Auxiliary.
The tournament will open on the
afternoon of February 3 with a
women's pair match in one session,
to be followed on the evening Of the
same day with a mixed pair event,
also in one session. The open pair
match will be two-session event on
Saturday afternoon and evening.
The team-o -four championship will
be played also in two sessions, the
first beginning at 1880 am. on Sun
day and the second at S o'clock in
the afternoon.
The New Jersey Bridge League
meet, to which Washington players
have been invited, will conduct its
events on staggered dates at the
Essex House, in Newark. The open
pair sessions will take place on
January IA and 81, and the knock
out team-of-four event on February
18 at the same place.
A representative delegation Of
local players is attending the meet
ing of the Central Pennsylvania
League, which has been in session
at Harrisburg since Friday and
which concludes today.
President Miles E. Myers has sent
a special invitation to Government
employees, both Federal and District,
to join the second half of the
season contest of the Federal Bridge
League, which will begin at the
Wardman Park Hotel on Tuesday.
Tho leo oI,o jc q MN y,rof3t mo h. spo
welfare association of persons in the
Government service, including those
of the Army, Navy and Marine Corps.
1t has recently opened its lists to
members of the immediate families
of such employees provided the en-
ploye is playing member of the
league
In the first half of the season
team Of four game the league
membership numbered approximate
ly 100 persons, including substitutes
and alternates, playing at 81 tables.
It's method Of playing is so arranged
that newcomers and novice may
participate without the necessity of
matching their skill against such
experts as are members of the Or
ganization. The play will continue
Tuesday evening for the next II
weeks.
During the holiday recess the
league has supported a series of
three pair games in place of the usual
team of four games. At last Tues
days meet the following were win
ners: North and south, Mrs. M. r.
Reddy and Mrs. Kitty Boyle, first;
Mrs. M. E. Myers and Mrs. Paul F.
Golden, second east and west, John
Donnelly and M. Hayden, second;
Rush Buckley and R. Aukshun,
second.
The bridge club of the Treasury
Recreation Association will here
after meet on Tuesday evenings at
the Cheeks Studio, 1928 Decatur
place NV. Treasury employees are
eligible for membership.
Bridge Editor: Under the Cul-
bertson system of bidding which bid
would you say shows the stronger
hand? South, dealer, bids one
spade. or south bids, one no trump.
e. H."
In certain sense this is a double
barrelled question. Undoubtedly, un-
der the Culbertson system, and
probably under most other stand
ardized systems, south's one no
trump bid is stronger than his one
spade bid, that is, stronger in honor
tricks. That does not mean, how