by
Willie Zurfluh
007, Bridge Player
| THE BRIGDGE WIZARD by Willie Zurfluh 007, Bridge Player |
The James Bond movies are one of Hollywood's biggest Box Office attractions. Ever since Dr. No in 1962, moviegoers have thrilled to the fascinating plots, larger than life villians, beautiful women and fast action. Based on the novels of Ian Fleming, these movies continue to thrill audiences.
During my student days at Marquette, I read all of the James Bond novels (perhaps, my time might have been better served if I had been reading my class assignments, but that is another story). James Bond was no stranger to the Casino. He usually played Chemin de Fer, also known as Baccarat, a European member of the Blackjack family of games.
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CONTRACT: 7§ Redoubled by West
OPENING LEAD: © 3
In one of the novels, Moonraker, however, James Bond plays a little Bridge. M calls James into his office with an unusual assignment. It seems that there is this fellow, Hugo Drax, who is thought to be cheating at Bridge at M's club, but noone has any evidence. M asks James to play against Drax and see what he is up to.
Well, Bond does go to M's club and quickly discovers what Drax is doing. He has a shiny cigarette case that he lays on the table and when he deals he can see everybody's cards as he deals them. Bond also notices that his unusual bids and plays only occur when he is the dealer.
Bond decides to teach Drax a lesson. He prepared a deck ahead of time which he slipped into the game during the final rubber of the night. It was the infamous Duke of Cumberland hand, which Ely Culbertson used to spoof his quick trick bidding methods.
The hand was named after Butcher Cumberland, son of George III, who lost 100,000 Pounds betting on it at the casino in Bath, England. He was known as Butcher because he commanded the English army at the battle of Culloden Moor in 1746. This was the last battle fought on British soil and one of the bloodiest, the battle which drove Bonnie Prince Charlie from England forever. The battle orders were written on the back of the 9. That is why the 9 is known as the "Curse of Scotland".
Bond held the West cards and opened 7. Drax, sitting South, could not wait for the bidding to come to him so he could say double. He was positively drooling when Bond redoubled.
The opening Heart lead was ruffed by Bond and he ruffed a Diamond in dummy. After Bond sucessfully finessed the 10 Drax began to sense what was happening to him. Bond ruffed another Diamond in dummy and finessed the Q. He ruffed another Diamond in dummy, setting up the suit. Bond ruffed a Spade in his hand, cashed the A and claimed the balance. Drax started to mouth a word (cheat), but thought better of it. Look for this same hand elsewhere in this issue of Brewer Bridge.