Evening star., 1942-10-25
Bv Frank B. Lord.

ny FfUnR d. LOf0.
In spite of war conditions the
bridge calendar is quite we'll filled
between now and the time just prior
to the beginning of the holidays,
with a series of major events. The
18th annual championship tourna-
ment of the Washington Bridge
League will be held the middle of
next month, and is scheduled for
three days with five matches in
seven sessions. Two weeks there
after will come the fall meeting of
the American Contract Bridge
eLague at Syracuse, N. Y.
There are also listed within the
next six weeks the Easton Pa)
tournament with its program of
women's pair, mixed pair, open
pair and open team games on Oc-
tober 30, 81 and November l the.
Lynchburg Va) city champion
ships, limited to mixed and open
pair contests on November and T.,
and the Philadelphia Whist Asso-
citation meet at Philadelphia on
November 81, with it's field of open
pairs. Each of these tournaments
has always heretofore attracted a
representation of Washington play
ers, but this year because of war
conditions and difficulties of travel
it is not likely that any local de-
votees of the game will be able to
attend.
The Washington event which has
been especially arranged to over
come as many of the obstacles as
possible is expected to draw fair
sized contingent from Baltimore,
as there has always been strong
playing rivalry between the two
cities, a few from Richmond and
Norfolk and scattering nearby
towns, and perhaps a sprinkling
from New York and Philadelphia
Otherwise the Capital players will
have the spacious bathrooms of the
Shoreham where the tournament
is to be held, largely to themselves
That does not mean, however. that
there will be a falling off in at
tendance for the indicated entries
show that in lace of out-of- -towr
players who usually participate
there is a large element of new
bridge enthusiasts in Washington
who will take advantage of theil
first opportunity to enjoy big con-
tract affair.
Strenuous efforts are being made
to round up a like representation
for the national meet at Syracuse
The city is strongly bridge-mindec
and boasts of a large number O.
master players, but most OF thu
experts from the Middle West ant
the deep South are likely to b.
missing
The committee in charge Of tn
tourney has been canvassing thu
cities and small towns of centra
New York where the question o
transportation is not so serious {
factor as elsewhere, in an efor
to interest players who have no
heretofore taken part in nationa
tournaments. 1t has been meet
ing with fairly good success.
The program besides the usua
national events is to include severa
attractive features which will ap
peal to the visitors. The fact tha
war was declared on the day tina
Syracuse was decided upon as tn
tournament city has been a seriou
handicap.
George L. Kathan, president Q
the Federal Bridge League, who
former resident of Syracuse, ha
originally expected to take a grou
of his bridge associates to the tour
nament and show his old HON
town few tricks in the art G
playing. He fears now that he ma
not be able to do so, although n
hopes to attend himself.
The metropolitan tournament
which for 10 years has parallele
the fall nationals in many respect
has been in progress in New Yor
during the past week. 1t was sched
uled so that player could tax
part in any event and still be abl
to attend to business every weekda.
Nearly all of its participants WEI
from the metropolis or its environ
1t opened with the women's pa
championship, which was won b
Ers M Sohe1 and Miss Put