Award for Bridge Writer of the Year for Great Britain
Riki Marcus and Carl Edward Dickel - 1984
A Bridge Phantasmagoria
About the Author
Carl Edward Dickel, a retired Glasgow Chartered Accountant, has been
playing and writing bridge for some forty years and his weekly column in
the Glasgow Herald was greatly looked forward to by his many readers.
In addition, he wrote for the Contract Bridge Journal and is currently
a regular contributor to the Scottish Bridge Union News.
In 1984 he was chosen as bridge writer of the year for Great Britain and
received his award at the hands of the late world famous Rixi Marcus at
the Park Lane Hotel in London.
As a player, he has won the premier Master Pairs and the Scottish Men’s
Pairs with different partners, and other trophies such as the British Bridge
League Scottish Cup and the Haig Trophy. He has also represented his
country at International level
He has been Secretary and Treasurer of the Scottish Bridge Union and,
mainly for his writings, has been made an Honorary Life Member of the
Union.
During his career he has amassed a wealth of material, the best of which
has been incorporated into this web site.
Note: It is an honor to be able to archive and preserve these bridge
columns of Mr. Carl Edward Dickel for future generations. Any additional
and contributed information about this bridge writer and columnist would
be greatly appreciated.
Mr. Carl Edward Dickel was born December 1, 1909, and died April 17,
2001, at the age of 101 years. In 1984, at the age of 75, he was recognised
as the Sobraine Bridge Writer of the Year for Great Britain. He wrote
regular articles for the Contract Bridge Journal and the Scottish Bridge
Union News.
Moriarty Versus Holmes
After I encountered the hand below, I imagined that Professor Moriarty held
the South cards and that Sherlock Holmes occupied the West seat - the
evil genius of Moriarty against the keen intellect of Holmes.
Game all: South deals.
North
♠ Q106
♥ J54
♦ A10752
♣ 65
West
♠A
♥ KQ962
♦ KJ98
♣ KQ2
East
♠ 53
♥ 83
♦ Q643
♣ 98743
South
♠ KJ98742
♥ A107
♦♣ AJ10
Moriarty opened One Spade and Holmes doubled to show a strong hand.
North raised the ante by bidding Two Spades and East could only pass.
Moriarty went straight to Four Spades duly doubled by Holmes and
there the bidding ended.
Holmes led king of hearts and Moriarty took time off before playing
from dummy, not because the card from dummy posed any problem,
but so that when the time came he could play smoothly from his own
hand. Now when East signalled with the eight he was able to play a
small one from his own hand without the slightest hesitation.
Moriarty was fully aware of the impending ruff. Had he had a quick
entry to dummy, a losing heart could have been thrown on the ace
of diamonds but other means had to be tried. The play of the seven
of hearts was indicative of Moriarty’s cunning. If Holmes could be
persuaded to switch, there would be no problem and if he could be
inveigled into continuing with a small heart, dummy’s jack would
win and the ace of hearts could be discarded on the ace of diamonds.
Such a plot might well have succeeded against a lesser mortal.
Meantime, Holmes’ powers of pure reasoning were working overtime.
Without the ace of hearts he concluded that Moriarty would have opened
with a three bid. Why then had he refused to take the ace of hearts,
which would have assured him of two heart tricks?
Diagnosing the plot, Holmes did not shift to another suit, nor did he
continue with a small heart. Instead he produced the queen of hearts
and that was a ‘checkmate’.
Moriarty had to win with the ace in his own hand and play a trump,
his last hope being that East had a singleton trump. Holmes won and
gave his partner a heart ruff and a subsequent club trick put paid to the
contract.