Evening star., 1942-11-08
By Frank B. Lord.

The new weak two-bid opening
with which some New York SUPER
experts have been experimenting
recently has not been generally
adopted by local bridge fans, al
though some of them express in
terest in it.. They want to see how
it works out, however, after 1t has
been tested in the play Of sufficient
number of hands. To most of those
who have considered it, there
seems to be too much opportunity
presented for confusion, in the
minds of average .,layers, between
the standard open. ~ suit two bid
and the new opening suit two-bid
innovation.
The former. as all bridge players
know, originated with Ely Culbert-
son and has been accepted and Is
understood almost everywhere
bridge is played. It requires five to
five and one-half quick honor tricks,
five by those who are bold and dar-
ing, but five and a half by others
who are more timid or perhaps more
conservative. It Is forcing and
game demanding and points the way
to the possibility Of slam.
On the other hand the new weak
two opening bid guarantees only
trick and a half or trick and
half plus. Holding two honor tricks
cnly is regarded as too strong for
tho h;J on1 tho l,opI cbo,,1d yoocc
Opening with bid OF two on one
and half honor hand and passing
two-honor hand seems somewhat
incongruous, but the responder Is
supposed to understand If he knows
that his partner is playing that
convention and to act accordingly
A hand with king, queen, jack and
three others of a suit with 9. guarded
king in another suit Is regarded as
ideal for the new two-bid opening
Mr.. Culbertson who is always
quick to take up any new idea If 1t
looks promising has not incorpo-
rated the bid in his system, al
though he has sent out letters and
explanations of it to all his teachers
He has frankly stated that before
he adopts it as a part of his system
its value must be proved In the play
of many thousands of hands. He
also warns that since 1t Is not q
recognized system, those playing
1t must announce to their adver-
saries that they are doing so.
One of the advantages of the new
bid, it is claimed, is that if it is ir
major the partner may respond
with less than adequate trump sup
port as such support is generally
interpreted. He may respond with
a raise if he has only three or ever
two small trumps and his hanc
otherwise warrants it, for the bic
shows that the player making it ha!
six cards of the suit he names, pre-
sumably with the king-queen ane
a protected king in another suit. L
the opener rebids' simply three O.
his suit that is a sign off. This
however, does not oblige the re
sponder to pass as he may hav'
enough to go game. The responde
is warned, however, that the open
ing was on minimum values-on
and one-half tricks.
Among the organized players o
Washington the most notable use o
the new weak two bid is by DR.. w
H. Gorton and DR.. N. J. McHugfl
who, with Col. E. B. Gray and Mrs
Catharine Tidball. form the Yanke
Clipper team of the Federal Bridg
League. They are recognized a
strong players, the foursome rank
ing sixth in the leagues list of NOR
than Is teams, and it is quite pos
sible that they might easily hav
reached that position if they hat
been playing without the use Of thi
bid. Their success with it has beer
somewhat indifferent.
Washington players are noted TO
their failure to take up any new
tangled practices before they hav'
been thoroughly tested, and henc'
they are disposed to await the re-
suits of weak two-bid tryout by tn
acknowledged experts.
There was relatively little chang
in the standing of the leading team
of the Federal Bridge League a
a result of the play on Tuesda,
right except that the Allies crowded