Dubious Logic

1955 and all that

Before we leave 2005 it is perhaps appropriate that we take a look backwards. That would be all of fifty years to 1955 when Great Britain last won the world championships. The team of Leslie Dodds, Kenneth Konstam, Adam Meredith, Jordanis Pavlides, Terence Reese, Boris Schapiro with Reginald Corwen as non-playing captain, beat the Americans in New York to win the Bermuda Bowl, the official world team championships inaugurated five years earlier.

Since then, teams from these islands have come close, most noticeably in Jamaica, 1987 when they were defeated finalists. But 1955 glimmers in the past, a reminder of when bridge looked to Britain for the best in the world. So, were they any good these players of old? Or were they simply competent performers fortunate to find themselves a stage before the business of championship bridge got all too difficult? You be the judge; here is a hand from the 1955 final.

West led the spade four (purportedly fourth best) to the queen as Meredith ducked in dummy. Roth continued the spade ten and declarer won the ace and called for the club knave on which he played the king from the closed hand. Convinced that South was stealing his ninth trick, West won and played a spade to his partner's nine. Without enough tricks in spades to defeat the game, East switched to the diamond king.

It was over already; Meredith won in dummy, finessed the club nine, cashed the remainder and finessed in hearts. When they were 3-3 he had an overtrick. If someone starts a "how would the old-timers fare in the modern game?" discussion this new year's eve then I know which side I'm on.

Published Saturday 31.Dec.2005