Evening star., 1946-03-31
Bridge
By Erank B. Lord

By Frank B. Lord
The Federal Bridge League sub
stituted a Red Cross benefit game
for its regular program Tuesday
night at the Wardman Park Hotel.
Membership restrictions were waived
and players not affiliated with the
organization were allowed to par
ticipate, with the result that 81
tables were in play. Proceeds of the
game, amounting to Sl10, were
turned over to the Red Cross. Mas
ter points were also awarded to the
winners.
| The game was runaway match
in the first-section North and South,
where Miss Kathleen McNutt and
J. G. Fletcher won by score of 1872
against j. P. Snyder and Mrs. Ida
Terrant, second with 183 East and
West, Mrs. Georges Paulieff and
Mrs. w. Vandeventer, led with 1873
and w. S. Benedict and r. Piper
were second with 181.
In the second section, Miller Rob-
erts and Max Grossman had a score
lof ITS, against 1859 for Capt. w. N.
McGhee and Henry Steinback, Sec
ond. East and West leaders we're
DR.. L. S. Greene and Maj. A. Pa
chelle, with score of 176; r. Frye
and L. Warren, second with III
The current team-of-four series
will be resumed next Tuesday.
Results in the March master point
game of the Washington Bridge
League were as follows: James
Sourelas and Mrs. John Coffee, first,
and Mrs. Violet Zimmer and Mrs.
Dora Schwartz, second, North and
South in the first section; Col. and
Mrs. H. L. Vandersluis, first, and
Miss Rebecca Crane and Mrs. Mary
Ruhl, second. East and West.
In the second section, North and
South, Dr. N. j. McHugh and A. I.
Helm, first, and J. r. Belt and
Mrs. w. A. Poissant, second; East
and West. Mrs. Georges Paulieff
and Mrs. w. Vandeventer, first. and
w. S. Benedict and j. r. Moore
second.
The monthly master point pair
game of the duplicate players of
the National Press Club March 3
was won by Dr. A. F. ODonnell
and Mrs. Doris Vosberg: Mr.. and
Mrs. Louis Rothschild were second
and Mr.. and Mrs. Newton Mont
gomery were third
On April the Marvin H. McIn-
tyre Cup, one of the clubs major
trophies will be in play. 1t was
presented TO the club for annual
play several years ago by the late
Mr.. Mcintyre. one of the secre-
taries to the late President Roose-
welt. Only men will be eligible to
compete for this prize under the
rules laid down by the club. At
| the same time. however, there will
be special game for women guests
and club prizes will be awarded.
/ In last weeks game at the Stephan
Studio in Euclid street, the winners
were: Miss Margaret Myrtle and
Charles Lyons, first, and Mrs Dora
Schwartz and Mrs. Violet thinner,
second James G.. Stone and Miss
Catherine Cotter. first. and James
Sourelas and Mrs. John Coffee,
second.
Winners in Mrs. Stephans master
point game were Louis and Lloyd
Tubbs, first, and Mrs. Mary Plum
and Mrs. Mary Goodstein, second.
The April master point game of the
Agriculture Bridge Club, will be
played at the Stephan Studio
April g.
Miss Virginia Kinnard and Clar-
ence Zim&ner were winners for the
second consecutive week in the du-
plicate game at the La Sale Studio.
conducted by Mrs. Dixie T. Wright
Monday night. Mrs Mary Wurzer
and Frances Drake were second.
| A reader of this column writes
that he is frequently confused by
having his partner make an OPEN
| ing call of three in a suit and asks
for a discussion. This is generally
regarded as a nuisance bid. made
when the side is not vulnerable, for
the purpose of interfering with the
adversaries and preventing them
from getting together on a game
going declaration. A player will
hesitate to overcall on an average
hand without having information
as to his partners holding. The
pre-empt is usually weak in high
card strength and has little or no
value defensively. 1t has length
but nothing much else. The bidder
in most instances expects to be set
but takes the satisfaction that he
has probably saved the game and
perhaps the rubber.
Pre-empts should not be bid
merely on long suits. If the hand
has two and one-half high honor
tricks the opener should not pre-
empt but rather make normal call.
The partner of the pre-emptive
opener should not raise the bid
except with an unusual amount
of strength. On a pre-empt bid Of
three the bidder expects to make
seven of the nine tricks necessary
to fulfill his contract. He hopes to
get two of them from his partners
hand. If he is set only two tricks
it is quite likely that the opposition
had game if they had been able
to exchange information which the
pre-empt generally prevents.
Sometimes an opening three bid
is intended to invite the partner to
bid game in no-trump. Such hands
must contain solid suit and an
ace on the side. Even then a
three-no-trump response is often
dangerous for the leader may also
hold solid suit the same as the
opener. Mr.. Goren says that a pre-
emptive bid of four in a major NAV
sometimes be made on a good hand
for strategic reasons when the part
ner has passed. He cites an ex-
ample where the hand has ace. king.
queen, ten and small hearts, 2 sim
gletons and the ace-jack and 2 of
one of the minors. Such a bid
would be likely to preclude a four
L