Culbertson2

This article first appeared in

vol. 9, nr. 3 & 4/5, May & July 1998.

Culbertson Dissected Part 2/4

by Jules van Ogtrop

Who was Ely Culbertson? Did he deserve the idolising veneration our parents and grandparents had for him? These are the questions Jules van Ogtrop tries to answer in this four-part series about the famous American bridge player and bridge promotor. Van Ogtrop bases his account on the records of the 300-deal match played by Culbertson and his wife Josephine, and their respective partners Theodore Lightner and Michael Gottlieb, against a strong British team in 1933.

Whereas the last hand in the previous article was a sample of overbidding, this next one is an example of too much reticence.

S/both	Q 8 7 6 5 5 2 A 10 9 2 7 2		WEST Morris Pass Pass	NORTH Josephine - Pass Pass	EAST Tabbush - 1	SOUTH Gottlieb Pass(!) Pass(!)
10 4 3 2 9 8 6 3 K 4 9 8 4		K K Q 10 7 J 7 3 A K J 10 6
-	A J 8 A J 4 Q 8 6 5 Q 5 3

North-South can make 3

, but Gottlieb passed as dealer, and didn't have the nerve to re-enter with a takeout double at his second turn, even though he had that device at his disposal. Exactly the same thing happended at the other table.

Culbertson himself displayed the height of inertia:

S/neither	J 4 Q 8 7 3 A 4 3 J 6 3 2		WEST Culbertson Pass(!) 1(!)	NORTH Beasley - Pass Pass	EAST Lightner - 1 Pass	SOUTH Domville Pass Pass Pass
10 9 8 7 5 3 2 A K J K Q 5		A Q 6 6 5 Q J 7 2 K 10 8 7
-	K 10 9 4 2 10 9 8 6 5 A 9 4

At the other table, Morris had opened 1

with the West-hand, and 4

was duly reached and made, with on overtrick. If you think Culbertson steeped himself in remorse and apologies for his cowardly bidding, you're quite wrong. Once his partner had opened the bidding (against the rules, on an unbiddable suit!), he should have kept on bidding; such was the Master's absurd reasoning, intended solely to absolve himself from all blame.

Strong hands opposite weak ones.

In those days, serious problems were encountered with strong hands facing weak ones. A few examples:

E/both	Q 7 9 8 7 6 3 J 7 2 J 8 5		WEST Morris - Pass Pass	NORTH Josephine - 2NT Pass	EAST Tabbush Pass Pass Pass	SOUTH Gottlieb 2(!) 3NT
10 8 5 2 J 10 2 K 3 10 7 4 3		J 6 4 Q 5 Q 10 8 5 4 A 9 6
-	A K 9 3 A K 4 A 9 6 K Q 2

Tabbush, East, led a small diamond. Josephine could have made things more difficult for the defense by rising with the ace, but she didn't. Now, she went down without a chance, but the damage was limited. At the other table, Domville, South, opened 2NT and Beasley found a conservative pass - presumably in keeping with his political orientation. Ten tricks were made foolwing the

J-lead. In his commentary, Culbertson kept insisting that 2

was the proper opening call on the South hand, because otherwise a spade slam might easily be missed. One has to keep in mind, though, that the Stayman convention had not been invented yet at that time, and that game contracts in a major were hard to reach, particularly in a 4-4 fit.
Give these hand to a modern mediocre pair, and the auction will proceed:

WEST

Pass
Pass
Pass
Pass

NORTH

2

(tr)
3NT
Pass

EAST
Pass
Pass
Pass
Pass
Pass

SOUTH
2

2NT
3

was cold. We've indeed made some progress. Even if South were to pass with his 4-3-3-3-shape, the contract would be played from the right side of the table.

The analysis of this next deal had Culbertson stumped.

S/neither	9 3 K J 6 4 9 8 7 6 5 3 2		WEST Morris - Pass Pass Pass	NORTH Josephine - Pass 2	EAST Tabbush - 1 Pass	SOUTH Gottlieb 1(!) Double Pass(!)
8 7 6 2 8 7 6 9 8 5 2 A J		K 10 4 Q J 10 9 4 2 7 3 Q 10
-	A Q J 5 A 5 3 A K Q 10 K 4

As it turned out, the result wasn't too bad; after all, Josephine might equally well have held four small clubs. Culbertson was full of admiration for the opponents at his table who had managed to reach game after this sequence: 2NT-3

-3NT-4

-5

. Of course, 3NT is at least as good, but that he chose to ignore. As for the 'action' of his teammates he remarked significantly: "There ought to be a way to continue the auction, but I don't know how."

Culbertson/England match
1933 Culbertson - England match. Left to Right around table: Culbertson, Lady Rhodes, Josephine, Col. Beasley.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------to be continued

To Part 3 To Part 1

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