Judge — February 9, 1929 — page 26: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

M, dear, he was so eligi- ble, and such a shark at Bridge. It was clever of me always to bring out gorgeous crisp new packs of Congress Playing Cards whenever he called... a Play Auction & Contract with Work, Whitehead and other experts Tune in with any one of the one hundred and sixteen stations broad- casting the new series of games every week. Send the coupon for complete chedule showing broadcasting time, list of stations, newspapers publish- ing advance hands, ete Fasy Lessons in Auction Bridge. 120 pages of instructions, rules, etc.,— 10c postpaid The U. S. Playing Card Co. Dept. J-8, Cincinnati, U.S. A. or Windsor, Canada Co-sponsors with Auction Bridge Magazine, 19 W. 44th St, New York, of Bridge by Radio. G CARD CO. U.S. A.,or Windsor, THE U.S. PL Dept. J-8, Cincint Canada. Please send the items checked Bridge by Radio Schedule free. Easy Lessons in Auction Bridge — 10c. Name Addres: City. State BICYCLE CONGRESS PLAYING CARDS HOW GWD THE entire Bridge World is state of transition, Or isn’t it? Contract Bridge is being played, discussed—or cussed— wherever playing cards are used for diversion, profit, or what do you bid? The main points before the House of Cards are whether Contract is a better game than Bridge. and whether or not it is too difficult for the average player to master, On the first point I would say that most Bridge players who have taken up Contract, however reluctantly, appear to be not merely interested in it, but in- trigued. The reason is not hard to understand. We are living in an of big figures, high specu lation, jazz and big slams, Con- tract has all these and more. As to the difficulties, I cannot sce much difference in the two games, aside from the angle of biddin Sound judgment in this department, backed by the re age equipment of the ordinary Bridge player, is quite sufficient to carry one through. True, nerve, verve and vision are essential factors, without i cannot hope to rise yond mediocrity. If the teachers and writers would only refrain from endeav- oring to put over a lot of pet arbitrary conventions, that mean nothing to the player without a detailed explanation, then I firmly believe the game of Contract will go over with a bang. Why the player should be required to learn all the despotic systems advo- cated by certain experts is not casy to comprehend. If I think Mr. Brown’s convention is help- ful and elect to use it, then I must learn Mr. Black's conven- tion, because my friend White prefers it to Mr. Brown's and al- ways plays it with Green. If you will kindly pardon my color scheme, I will dwell just a mo- ment on a convention that has ‘em all lashed to the mast, because I, myself—well, well, I hope the Doctor Seuss virus has not gotten into me. In the play of the cards, there is practically no difference be- tween Contract and Bri cept that at the former player usually has agreed to t I the tricks that his combined hands are worth, and at times, considerably more. As it is per- missible to score towards game only the tricks actually bid for, many deals that would probably he played at a bid of one at Bridge, are played for six or seven at Contract. When a yer gets into a high contract, he is apt to imagine traps and barriers that are not there at all. If a player hypnotizes himself into the belief that every hand is a tough one, it immediately be- comes so. A large percentage of deals do not present unusual difhi- culties. It is far better to go at a hand as if there was nothing to it, than to fret and fume and give comfort to the enemy with the in- formation that you don’t: know how to play it.” Even bad play will win occasi and this be the If you haven't committed yourself, even a few choice remarks about your skill in reading an intricate situa- tion can be gotten away with. I wouldn't advise making it too pointed—a bit equivocal would be better. Contract deal was played recently at the Knickerbocker Whist Club of N York that may present as many features of unusual play as did the problem endings I have been inflicting on Jupor readers for the past y This deal was played. by two of the ranking players of the Club. (Continued on page 31) ar. (See Page 26 for Lenz solution to Problem Thirty-three, Series Two) a comicbooks.com