Evening Star Newspaper, January 10, 1937, Page 26

Winning Contract BY THE FOUR ACES. (David Burnstine, Merwin D. Maier, Oswald Jacoby, Howard Schenken, world's leading team-of-four, inventors of the system that has beaten every other system in existence.) Outlook for 1937. INCE Contract Bridge is still less than 10 years old, it is pretty hard te make accurate predic- tions of what is going to happen for a full year, but here goes anyway. First, we predict that the year 1937 will show further standardization and simplification of bidding methods and, in particular, a reduction in the num- ber of artificial slam-bidding conven- tions in use. The average player may like to experiment with his game from time to time, but apparently he can- not help but come around to the view- point that the more complicated the bidding, the less valuable the results. We ourselves intend to stick by our own bidding methods, having seen no need for any changes other than in occasional unimportant phases. ‘We predict that many of the major tournaments will again be won by newcomers, just as they were in 1936. At the same time, we predict that we will be able to win as many tourna- ments as any one else, and will con- tinue to give a good account of our= 2elves in those we happen to lose. Incidentally, this is quite a come- down for us. There was a time not so far back when we felt that it was | practically disgraceful for us to lose | &ny tournament whatsoever. 'HAT was in the days when many | of our opponents were employing - bidding systems which differed radi- cally from ours. Today practically every opponent we run up against is employing the Four Aces’ principles. | As a result, in the early rounds of | knock-out tournaments where the matches are 30 or 40 boards only, practically every hand is bid to the £ame contract at both tables, and the whole match is decided either by play of the dummy or by the result on a few swing hands. We predict that many challenges vill be hurled back and forth between various bridge experts, but that noth- ing will come of them. As a matter cf fact, we intend to start the chal- Ianging by hurling one ourselves, as follows: We, the Four Aces, hereby challenge either (a) Ely Culbertson and any team he may select playing the Culbertson system: (b) P. Hal €ims and any team he may select playing the Sims system, or (¢) pro- ronents of any other system what- soever, to a duplicate team-of-four match of 250 boards. In such a match we, the Four Aces, are pre- pared to offer a handicap of 5,000 points. The only condition we make is that the losing side must bear all the expenses, while any other condi- tions will be by individual arrange- rent. At the same time we are also pre- rared to play a similar match against eny team playing the Four Aces’ sys- tem, but in this event we will not offer a handicap. Finally, we predict that contract bridge will continue to be the coun- try’s most popular game and that at the end of 1937 more people will be playing it than ever before. 'HE following. hand wes played at six hearts in a recent tournament. The king of spades was opened and declarer went down one trick, due to the fact he failed to play the hand in the best manner. Spades Hearts Diamonds Clubs Spades Hearts Diamonds Clubs A654 Before you read the actual and the correct play, which we give below, we suggest that you plan how you would handle the situation yourself. 432 opening lead with the ace of spades and queen of diamonds, discarding two spades and a club from his own hand. He now played a heart over to his ace and the jack and ten dropped. He next led a low trump. West won with the king and played & club. A low club was played from dummy, East played the nine, and South now had to lose a club trick, thereby going down one. The correct play would be to start out just as declarer did and cash the three diamonds and the ace of hearts. However, at this point declarer should have also taken the ace and king of clubs. heart, West would have won with the king; but it happened that West held but two clubs originally. Hence, he would have been forced to lead either a diamond or a spade, whereupon de= clarer could have discarded the re- and make the contract. While this type of elimination play is not particularly difficult, it is re- markable how often players miss it. Incidentally, suppose declarer's origi- | nal club holding had been headed by | ace-nine instead of ace-six—then his | play of returning the heart before playing either the ace or king of clubs | would have been correct since, irre- spective of which opponent got in with | the king, the expected club return | would in all probability enable the de- clarer to avoid losing a trick in that suit. bidding with a spade. hand passed. I held: Spades QJ x Hearts X x Diamonds A 10 x x Clubs AXxxXx ‘What was my correct response? Answer: The exploratory response Second In the actual play declarer won the | and promptly cashed the ace, k\ng‘l Now when he played the low | maining losing card from his own hand | UESTION: My partner opened the | THE SUNDAY STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C, JANUARY 10, 1937—PART ONE. of two diamonds. A mere two-spade response with your hand would be in- adequate, while a game forcing jump to three spades would be a distinct overbid. (Copyright, 1937.) The Four Aces will be pleased to ane swer letters from readers if a stamped to the Four Ace Inc. 130 West Forty- second street. New York City. and you vill_receive ‘an_outline without any charge. The next articles in this series will appear tomorrow. 90 FIREMEN ENROLLED IN PREVENTION COURSE Lieut. A. J. Bargagni of District Department Will Conduct Work Beginning Monday. By » Staff Correspondent ot The Star. KENSINGTON, Md, January 9.— Ninety firemen have enrolled for the course in fire prevention and combat work to be offered by the Montgomery County Association of Volunteer Fire- men for its members. The course will be conducted by | Lieut. A. J. Bargagni, member of the District of Columbia Fire Department and former instructor in the fire school of that city, and is to begin Monday at 8 pm. in the auditorium of the Kensington Elementary School. School. Classes will be held semi-monthly, with eight sessions scheduled over a period of four months. TWO WELL-BABY CLINICS TO BE HELD IN FAIRFAX County Public Health Unit Spon- sors Work for Colored at Falls Church and Burke. £pecial Dispatch to The Star. FAIRFAX, Va, January 9.—Two well-baby clinics for colored children to be held this month under the au- spices of the Fairfax County Public Health Unit were announced yester- day by Edward M. Holmes, jr., direc- tor. The first will be held in the office of Dr. H. M. Johnson at Falls Church January 13 from 1 to 3 pm. and the second will be held for the Burke Community January 20, at Pearson School, from 1 to 3 p.m. Dr. Johnson will have charge of both clinics. Dr. Holmes said a number of other well-baby clinics are | being arranged for the near future. Democrat League to Meet. cial)—~The Woman's Democratic League of Northern Virginia will hold | its regular meeting at the Warren Green Hotel January 13 at 3 pm. This meeting will be conducted by the Child Welfare Committee, Mrs. B. Richards Glascock, chairman, and the WARRENTON, Va., January 9 (Spe- | feature will be an address by Miss | Lavinia Keys, regional director of the | National Security Board. | COUNTY KIWANIS CLUB INDUCTS NEW OFFICERS Prof. Metzger Heads Prince Georges Group—Retiring President Honored. Special Dispateh to The Star. LANDOVER, Md., January 9.—Prof. J. E. Metzger of Riverdale, assistant direcfor of the experiment station at the University of Maryland, has been installed as president of the Kiwanis Club of Prince Georges County, with Edward G. Duncan of District Heights first vice president; Prof. Harold F. Cotterman of College Park, second vice president; S. C. Helfer of Chev- erly, secretary, and George T. Willing- myre of Hollywood, treasurer. Arthur C. Keefer of Mount Rainier, lieutenant governor of the Kiwanis Capital district and first president of the Prince Georges club, installed the officers, along with the club’s new board of directors, comprising Thomas C. Anglin, Dr. A. Kirk Besley, Ed- ward Christmas, Rev. R. Cotter Fitz- gerald, John Raymond Fletcher, Dr. Louis M. Jimal, Herbert Wells and Frank Little. Prof. W. T. L. Taliaferro presented John S. White, retiring president, with his past president’s pin. It was announced the club would hold its January 28 meeting at the C. C. C. camp at Beltsville. There will be dinner, entertainment and other features. o Carnival Committees Named. McLEAN, Va,, January 9 (Special). —Various committees for a Winter carnival and circus in the parish hall at 8 p.m. Friday have been named by the General Committee on Arrange- ments. Many new features have been added to the program this year. ESTABLISHED 1823 hickeri Chn ing SMART NEW VERTICAL DESIGN Petite size, glorious tone, typically Chickering. EASY TERMS ARTHUR JORDAN PIANO COMPANY 1239 G St., Cor. 13th ACACIA in the year just closed PASSED ITS All Time High with more than $364.800.000 of LIFE INSURANCE IN FORCE and more than $66.000.000 of ASSETS All signs indicate aut 197 win ve THE BEST YEAR IN ACACIA’S HISTORY ACACIA MUTUAL LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY A Great Loeal Institution A Great National Institution with Branches in 60 Principal Cities Chartered by the Congress of the United States in 1869, WILLIAM MONTGOMERY, President 5L Louisiana Avenue Washington, D. C. e SPECIALS $37 Solid Maple 4-Drawer Dresser 234 $30 Maple Chest on est Ch. $16.50 Walnut Server $ 8.60 $42 Mahogany Buffet $45 Walnut Dining Room Table, 10 legs 1284 $30 Twin Studio Couch 194 $80 Upholstered Sofa Bed, 1 pillow short. Floor sample 348.70 $20 Tapestry Cogswell Lounge Chair = $17.50 Modern Desk, walnut 31 0.50 $19.50 3/3 Solid Maple Bed, 1 only .’1 1.80 $6.50 Boudoir Ottoman, floor sample 32.80 $1.50 Mahogany Frame Mirrors, choice 88¢ $6 Simmons Metal Beds, 3/3 and 4 '6 sizes only $ 3.95 0Odds and Ends Curtains, values to $4.95, now 50% off Lamps, values to $25; floor samples, choice $ 3.95 $40 Kroehler Frieze Lounge Chair, now 324.75 $8 Glass-top Cocktail Table 79c Sofa Pillows, assorted colors 57¢ $15 Occasional Chair, solid walnut, spring seat $ 9.60 Virginia Sofa, solid mahogany frame 48 $1.50 Mahogany Frame Mirrors 8c $18 Duncan Phyfe Drop Leaf Table $1 3.20 $17.50 76-piece Silver and Glass Dinner Set, service for 6 $ 9 .85 $22.50 Values Gate-leg Tables, mahogany, wal- nut or maple, choice $184 General Electric Refrigerator, floor sample 1 ‘114 $70 Chaise Lounge and Stool, less than cost $38% $40 Solid Maple Bed $ I 7.50 $20 Simmons Jenny Lind Bed, floor sample §7.50 NSBURGH | !’:‘ 9 F ST. N.W. SAVE 5%¢ 75% Sweeping Reductions throughout the store. actual cost. Naturally we are unable to fill mail orders or phone orders. No returns—all sales must be final. Because of limited quantities in some instances, all items subject to previous sale. Some items below LANSTYLE SUITES REDUCED Sale Price 115 *195 *145 136 132 148 69 *107 *108 *105 *110 117 '124 48 *105 *154 Odd Pieces Priced for Clearance $4.50 3-fold Screens, a value _ $35 D Phyfe Dinett Table, mibogany veneer —oee 32340 g’iblgn:i-t hu! Kidney Pawder’ ’2_90 $42.50 Walnut China Cal lnel_ ‘22.50 1 to sell Former Price Genuine Walnut 4-Pc. Bed Room Suite, 18th century reproduction. Bed, chest, dresser and vanity 5145 4-Piece Bed Room Suite, solid mahogany, Colonial reproduction 275 Solid Rock Maple 4-Pc. Bed Room Suite with hand- s carved maple leaf design. Bed, chest, dresser and vanity 2 00 3.Piece Modern Bed Room Suite in fine Oriental Wal- $ nut. Bed, chest and vanity__ - 200 Genuine Walnut Veneer Bed Room Suite, 4 pieces, s — handsome waterfalls fronts ] 9:) 200 Friezette Living Room Suite, floor sample, 2 to sell— :]05 Grip Arm Living Room Suite, 2 luxurious pieces, with down backs rust or green 2-Piece Custom Built Living Room Suite, in figured mohair Solid Walnut Frame 18th Century Living Room Suite. 2 pieces in tapestry__ $140 $160 $149 5165 $170 ‘l'gl-‘l‘e‘:;‘.Mog::l;tPining Room Suite, in genuine walnut $ ] 6 0 380 Soli_d Del Ray Mahogany Dinette Set, 2 benches, 2 chairs, table. Ideal for apartments, breakfast room__ 5145 195 Modern 2-piece Living Room Suite, two-tone tapestry__ Solid Oak Dinette Suite, 6 pieces; buffet, china cabinet, refectory table and 3 chairs to match Crotch Mahogany 18th Century Dining Room Suite, 9 lovely pieces . . . don’t miss this bargain Kroehler-built 2-piece frieze Bed Davenport Suite___ 18th Century Mahogany Dining Room Suite, 10 pieces, a real buy ______ = $11 Chest of Drawers, $40 Solid Maple Dresser, re: duced to ___ $4450 R. C. A. Radio, reduced to - $79.50 R. C. A. new 1936 ¥ e e oo $250 R. C. A. Radio, new 1936 model, 15 tubes, close out____ ’169 $55 Walnut Vanity, close $24.50 nev 1936 $24.50 holstery, 1 to $27.50 Tapestry Loun, a splendid value ___ * $40 Tapestry Loun; colors _ $68 Maple Frame Studio Bed, opens to bed $17 Solid Maple 4/6 Bed, thres $Q).60 . $27.50 Modern Walnut Twin $3480 5. i $17.50 Solid Mapl, $17 Dinner Set, 100 pcs. Clearance $55 Duncan Phyfe Dining Room Table $15 Solid Oak Server, opens to bed_. $15 Georg Table, mahog: Open a “J. L.” Budget Charge Account I1US LANEBURGH umitute omyan? 909 F STREET N.W.