Contract Bridge

Three of diamonds

This deal occurred many years ago in a match between Cadbury’s and Waddington’s, two English bridge clubs. The deal could be regarded as more amusing than instructive, but it is published here so that our readers will have some idea of how the other half lives.

North was Tony Priday, partnered by G.C.H. Fox, both wellknown international players. As to what happened on the deal, No. 13 in the match, we couldn’t possibly do better to describe it than did Ewart Kempson, whose witty account appeared in the British Bridge Magazine, of which he was the editor.

“Sitting North and playing Acol, Mr. Priday opened the bidding smartly with one heart. Maybe I’m a bit old-fashioned, but to my way of thinking, one club is a better bid. It is true that the club suit is not as good as the heart suit — this is probably what influenced Mr. Priday — but I always think one should prepare for a rebid when opening, and if South responds one diamond, North is free to rebid one heart if the other inmates don’t mind. “East had the temerity to bid one notrump, which South doubled. It seemed to the deafened spectators that Mr. Fox was not doubling for takeout. A swift redouble by West allowed Mr. Priday to show his other suit with a corking bid of two clubs. This infuriated Mr. Fox into two notrump, which was defeated by three tricks undoubled. “Why Mr. Fox bid only two notrump on his 17-point hand after Mr. Priday had opened vulnerable is one of those unsolved and unsavoury crimes which will remain in the open files at Scotland Yard probably forever.

“Mr. Priday described it as a gross overbid. ‘It should have been obvious, even to Foxy, that I had made one of my very fine psychs,’ said Mr. Priday.

“‘Nothing about your bidding is ever obvious to me,’ riposted Mr. Fox.”