BRIDGE
George's idea
Andrew Robson
South West North East 1* pass 2f double 2, 24 pass 44 all pass West lacked the values to respond 2+ to his partner's 1* in modern style; North doubled 24 for take-out showing 4s and Vs, and showed his delight for partner's 24 bid with a direct raise to game. It appears that, with both major suit kings sitting behind the ace, declarer will lose one trick in each suit and fail in 44. South, Crawford, had other ideas. East won West's •4 (second top of 'rubbish') lead with •Q and switched to his singleton 4. South won 4A, trumped a • and led 4A and another 4. East won 4K and led •A, on which Crawford made the key play: he discarded dummy's +J. East was still on play and now had the unenviable choice of leading a r into dummy's AQJ or leading a fourth • which is what he chose. Craw- ford discarded a r from his hand and trumped in dummy. He led VA and fol- lowed with YQ, ruffing away East's VK. He still had one trump in his hand to take care of North's losing and could claim his contract. IT IS a little known fact that the Stayman convention was not invented by America's Sam Stayman but rather by his partner George Rapee. Sam was impoverished in those days (though he later became a multi-millionaire) and needed the money that would come from naming the conven- tion. George, who is still playing top-level bridge over 50 years later, generously handed over his brainchild. George's other main partner, Johnny Crawford, was one of the most naturally gifted bridge players ever to have lived. The following hand, played in 1943, saw Crawford condense four apparently inescapable losers into three: Dealer East Both Vulnerable 4 A Q 7 6 5 2 IP A Q J 3
• 7 J 4
44
♦ 10 8 7 • 9 4 3 • K Q 8 6 5 3
• J 9 8 3 IP 4 2
• J 105 • A 109 2
4K 10
• K 9 6 5 • A K Q 8 6 2 • 7
N
W E
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