A landmark new book, Bridge Master: The Best of Edgar Kaplan (256 pages; hardcover), celebrates the achievements, teachings and writing of one of the major figures in bridge history. The handsome volume (available for $26.95 plus $3 S/H from Bridge World Books, PO Box 299, Scarsdale NY 10583 USA; (800) 366-1939; www.bridgeworld.com) includes outstanding material on many facets of the game.
This deal is from the oldest continuous event in the game's history: the battle of the sexes.
Kaplan, West, led the queen of spades, asking his partner to drop the jack. But his wife, Betty, East, thought South had the king of spades. Fearing that declarer could take nine tricks once given the lead, she took the first trick with the ace of spades and shifted expertly to the jack of diamonds--the correct card to lead to neutralize both declarer's queen and dummy's ten when West has the ace.
Declarer missed the inference available from East's line of defense. She went up with the ace of diamonds, ran hearts, and, placing club length to her right, finessed against East for the queen of clubs. West's spades gained new life, and the contract was defeated.
Each husband, West and North, was unhappy with his wife's play. North remonstrated, but the Kaplans had arranged a secret code to enable civil post-mortem conversations, so Edgar was able to question East's defense by saying, "It was very attractive to switch to diamonds, dear." "See!" said South to her husband, "She makes the wrong play, and listen to what he says to her!"
District 5 of the American Contract Bridge League sponsored the All American Regional Bridge Tournament from May 24 to 31 in Independence. The following players were successful in their respective events on May 28. Other results where listed in previous columns, more will appear next week.
Two Session Open Pairs (58 pairs). Stratum A. 1. Chet Moody, Greenville, PA, and Vernon De Jong, Sharon, PA. 2. Barbara and James Klein, Pittsburgh, PA. Stratum B. 1. Moody and De Jong. 2. Betsy Wilson and Joanne Schumacher, Strongsville. Stratum C. 1. Donald Barrick, Cleveland, and Henry Essig, Westlake. 2. Barbara and Leonard Gelfand, Chagrin Falls.
Two Session Swiss Teams (45 teams). Stratum A. 1. Gail and Mary Paulone Carns, Export, Pa, Phillip Becker, Beachwood, and Neil Waletzky, Shaker Heights. 2. Stephen Landen, Rochester Hills, MI, Larry Mori, Clearwater, FL, Rhonda Monro, Beverly Hills, MI, Dan Gerstman, Buffalo, NY. Stratum B. 1. Daniel Dopps, Mansfield, Robert Feasley, Eden, NY, Michael Ryan, Buffalo, NY, and Jacqueline Merkel, Lexington, KY. 2. William Bedford and F. Plunkett, Bolivar, PA, Lynne Ostrow and John Plunkett, Morgantown, WV. Stratum C. 1. John Bernhard and Catherine Thompson, Pittsburgh, PA, Sandra Harris, South Park, PA, and Darlene Mannheimer, Carnegie, PA. 2. James Wise, Cambridge Springs, PA, Melvin Skol, Erie, PA, Mary Mercatoris and Richard Weig, Meadville, PA.
Afternoon Side Game Series 1 (36 pairs). Strata A. 1. Mina Ronen, Akron, and John Marhofer, Cuyahoga Falls. 2. Erna Pavick, North Royalton, and Jeno Triboldt, Vermilion. Strata B & C. 1. Pavick and Triboldt. 2. Peter Miller, Shaker Heights, and Karen Kerr, Newbury.
Afternoon Non Life Master Pairs (28 pairs). 1. Vivien Sevin, Lyndhurst, and Gayle Singer, Moreland Hills. 2. Fleur Howard, Gates Mills, and Laura Ross, Solon.
Evening Side Game Series 2 (31 pairs). Stratum A. 1. Judi Sonon and Barbara Belardi, Pittsburgh, PA. 2. Albert Freeman and Oscar Saffold, Cleveland. Stratum B. 1. Freeman and Saffold. 2. Olive Deany Tabor, Shaker Heights, and B. Shakoor, Pepper Pike. Stratum C. 1. Tabor and Shakoor. 2. Jayne Fleming and Michael Stahr, Akron.
Evening Non Life Master Pairs (16 pairs). Stratum A. Judith
and Marvin Shapiro, Akron. 2. Jim Wilson, Strongsville, and John
Parker, Cleveland. Stratum B. 1. The Shapiros. 2. Judit and
Istvan Bardi, Pittsburgh, PA. Stratum C. 1. The Shapiros. 2/3.
Kristen Kemp and Linda Beringer, Akron, with Keith and Karen
Kerr, Newbury.
----
Bernstein is
a free-lance writer in Solon.