1939: Contract Bridge

Despite gloomy prophecies to the contrary, contract bridge in 1939 enjoyed its greatest popularity. The game's continued hold on the public was attributed chiefly to two reasons: (1) the laws formulated in 1935 remained the same, and (2) bidding methods were increasingly standardized. It has been estimated that 90 per cent of the 15,000,000 American devotees of the game continued to play the Culbertson System.

The 4,000 teachers registered in the Culbertson National Studios reported that the majority of their pupils wanted lessons in the intermediate zones of bidding, thus proving that most players had become fairly proficient in opening bids and responses but needed further instruction in the subsequent rounds. A new slam-bidding device, the Blackwood Convention, caught the public fancy and was made an auxiliary to the Culbertson 4-5 No-trump Convention in the Culbertson System. The two slam-bidding methods can be summarized as follows: The Blackwood four-no-trump-bid asks partner for aces; the asker needs no special values to make this request. If the responder holds no aces, he bids five clubs; one ace, five diamonds; two aces, five hearts; three aces, five spades; four aces (very improbable), five no-trump. After the responder has shown his aces, the original four-no-trump-bidder can ask for kings by bidding five no-trump. Again the responder answers in the same manner — no kings, six clubs; one king, six diamonds, etc. In the Culbertson 4-5 No-trump Convention, the four no-trump bidder must have certain key cards before he can make the bid. He must hold two aces and the king of a suit that either member of the partnership has bid previously, or three aces. The responder bids five no-trump if he holds two aces, or one ace and all the kings of the bid suits. If he holds one ace, he shows it by bidding the suit containing the ace. The one decided advantage the Culbertson Convention has over the Blackwood is the situation in which the responder is void of a suit. He can show this void in the Culbertson System by bidding the suit, but under the Blackwood Convention this information is impossible to convey.

The only other change in bidding tactics was dropping the Two-Way Three-Bid from the Culbertson System and substituting a strong three-bid in its place. The new requirements for an opening three-bid were set up as follows: For a major suit three-bid, a trump suit at least six cards long with no more than one loser in the suit and no more than one-plus honor-trick outside the trump suit; total playing-tricks of hand between 6 and 7½. For a minor suit three-bid, an absolutely solid suit of six or seven cards with same general specifications (6 to 7½ playing-tricks).

Projected Changes in Scoring.

The Laws Committee started working on new laws in the late summer of 1939. The revised laws will appear in 1940. One of the major changes suggested was that of equalizing the suits; that is, the scoring to be changed to place minor suits (diamonds and clubs) on an equal footing with the two major suits, spades and hearts. This would make a game in the minor suit require only four-odd and would leave the five-level free for an intended 'sub-slam.' This would point the way toward greater accuracy in bidding. Perfect bidders, by risking a game in going on to the five-level, could earn a reward of 200-300 points for a sub-slam. The Bridge World Magazine and the Association of Playing Card Manufacturers sent out a questionnaire on this proposal to players and the vote was overwhelmingly in favor of the change. Other slight revisions are contemplated in the revoke law, dummy's rights, and claiming tricks.

International Bridge.

The international bridge scene remained the same despite the wars going on in Europe and Asia. Fifty-two countries held the annual World Bridge Olympic, and included in this list were the warring nations of Japan, China, Germany, France, and England. Approximately 180,000 players participated in this annual affair. All the German groups asked and were given permission to postpone their games one night since Chancellor Hitler's birthday fell on the original date named.

The International Bridge League held its annual championship at The Hague, July 2 to July 9. Sweden won the title after a close struggle with Yugoslavia, the runner-up. Eleven nations competed and the other nine finished in the following order: Germany, Holland, Hungary, Great Britain, Belgium, Norway, Finland, Denmark, Italy. The 1940 tournament was awarded to Copenhagen.

In connection with the war, the blackouts in the belligerent countries have caused a swing from club play to home play. Fear of traffic accidents rather than fear of air raids has kept the populace indoors at night. The result of this has been a decided increase in home play as attested by the increase in sales of playing cards, bridge scores and tallies, bridge favors, etc. Contract bridge is also the leading pastime in the dugouts. Requests come in from the front for cards and score pads.

American Tournament.

The American Contract Bridge League (an amalgamation of the American Bridge League and the United States Bridge Association) reported a decided increase in tournament interest and attendance. All records were broken in every event at its two national championships at Asbury Park. N. J. and Pittsburgh, Pa. Four new life masters were created during the year, bringing the total number to seventeen. A nationwide card party was held on St. Valentine's Day with all receipts going to local charities benefiting crippled and undernourished children. In each city, a local newspaper handled the event and the slogan used was 'Have a Heart — Take a Hand.' This card party will be an annual event, and the League is working on a tie-up with the American Legion to publicize it further.

Ely Culbertson, key man of contract bridge, went into temporary retirement for eight months in 1939, during which time he wrote his Autobiography, 'The Strange Lives of Ely Culbertson.' This book, he maintains, will tell the full inside story of bridge — from the original idea to the national institution it is today. The Autobiography, only partially concerned with bridge, tells of Mr. Culbertson's early life in Russia, Rumania, Mexico, Canada and France.

Necrology for 1939 includes several well-known figures in the bridge world. Among those who passed away were Charles M. Schwab, bridge patron and donor of the Schwab Trophy for international play; George Reith, author of the Reith One-Over-One System, member of the National Laws Commission, and former vice-president of the United States Bridge Association; A. E. Manning-Foster, of London, founder-editor of the British Bridge Magazine and many times winner of English Bridge titles; and Norman Bonney, New England Champion and well-known tournament player.