Evening star., 1945-07-22
Bridge
Bv Frank B. Lord

1
Inclement weather did not damp
en- the enthusiasm Of the bridge
players of the Federal Bridge
League who met at the .Wardman
Park Hotel on Tuesday night fol-
their usual weekly game. The play
was In two sections with these re-
suits.
Section A, north and south: Gene
Smith and DR.. N. ]. McHugh. first;
Mime. Boschan and DR.. j. j. Wooley
second, and Mrs. Theresa Pestell anc
Mrs. Violet Zimmer, third. East
and west: Mrs. John M. Coffee and
James Sourelas, first; Mrs. Kitty
Boyle and Mrs. Marian Barre. Sec
ond, and Mrs. Mabel Du Bois and
Miss Paris Keener, third.
Section B, north and south: Mrs
Jack Bennett and Mrs. M. e. Reddy
first; Miller Roberts and James q
Stone, second, and Mrs. Alma
Byrnes and Mrs. Mary Gross, third
East and west, Leo Kershenbaum
and DR.. D. Keeslink, first; Mrs. Doris
Vosburgh and r. E. johnson, Sec
onds and Mrs. June Hodgkins and
o. r. Mathews, third.
The monthly pair game of the
league will be played on July 81
1t will be open to nonmembers.
Some washington players who are
always anxious to improve theil
game by following the suggestions
of the recognized experts have lately
been experimenting with new con-
vention. 1t was devised by Samue
M. Stayman with Howard Schenker
as his partner. Mr.. Stayman alse
has been testing it out with othel
we'll known players, such as George
Rapee, Edward Hymes and Waldo.
mar Won Zedtwitz, and has hac
what he declares good results. 1t Il
somewhat more involved than the
customary conventions which are
popular with the players and re-
quires a thorough understanding
between the partnership and the
ability to apply it correctly.
Several requests have been made
for its explanation and elucidation
The convention provides that in re-
sponse to an opening bid of one no.
trump in any position the response
of two clubs is artificial and forcing
for one round. Partner is requested
in rebidding to show major suit
Qxxx or better.
After the two-club response the
rebid by the opener of two hearts
or two spades shows possession oi
the major suit but implies no addi-
tional strength. Two diamonds Is
artificial and denies possession Of q
major suit of Q-x-x-x or better. II
also shows that the general strength
Of the hand is minimum. Two no.
trump, like two diamonds, denies
holding biddable major suit. II
shows, however, that the general
strength of the hand is at or near
the maximum of the range for the
opening one no-trump.
When the first response to part
ner's no-trump bid is two of any
suit except clubs, it is signoff. II
should be passed in most instances
1t denotes insufficient strength to
raise the no-trump contract. With
the limit of strength shown by the
one-no-trump bid, it denies pros
pect of game. In effect it simply
chooses contract of two in suit
in preference to one no-trump for
a part score. All other responses
are natural. Raises to two or three
no-trump can be made. Jump re-
sponses in a suit have their usual
meaning. The inference is clear
that the failure to respond two clubs
denies interest in exploring what
the usual conventions could have
shown. except that the two-club re-
spense, like the opening no-trump
bid itself, is strictly limited in
strength. 1t denies slam possibilities
through failure to make a natural
jump response in a suit.
The convention was employed in
the recent Vanderbilt champion
ships, and the result in most cases
was not unfavorable.
When Jesse Jones retired from the
cabinet the Presidents official fam
lily lost its best bridge player. While
Mr.. Jones did not take part in any
of the local tournaments or dupli-
cate games, he enjoyed a reputation
for skill and ability when playing
rubber bridge with his friends.
Now with the appointment of Fred
M. Vinson to succeed Mr.. Morgen-
thau the cabinet will have another
expert bridge player. Like Mr..
Jones, the new Secretary does not
play bridge publicly because the de-
mand upon his time does not permit
it. Yet in a friendly foursome he
is said to exhibit remarkable talent.
Col. Robert Gill, formerly head
of the Baltimore bridge organiza-
ton and well known in Washington
where he has represented the Mary
land players in many interstate
contests, reports that he will be
back home in September. He is
now in Paris and writes that he
has encountered many bridge play
ers from the States. He believes
generally their playing is better
than that of the Parisians. The
American players are not only skill
full but careful, while the French
men are inclined to be emotional,
he says.
Farm Deaths Decline