The October 1969 issue of the ABTA Quarterly carries anecdotes by Harry Fishbein and Easley Blackwood about the conventions which bear their names, and by Fred Karpin about Grouch Marx.
In a tournament Fishbein found his own convention listed on the card of one of his opponents who he knew personally. Jokingly. Fishbein remarked. «You can’t play that convention!»
His opponent promptly crossed it off his card.
And do you know,'» recalled Fishbein, «I had to pay him 50 cents to put it back.
Blackwood was reminiscing about a class in which he had completely covered – or so he thought — the void-showing responses to Blackwood. There was an upraised hand. «How do you show three aces and a void?» was the question. Mr. B gave the answer.
Then the same hand went up again. «Mr. Blackwood,» Inquired the student, «how do you show four aces and a void!»
Finally about Grouch who had been talked into taking bridge lessons by his brothers. The bridge teacher stalled by exhibiting a deck of cards, stating, «There are fifty-two cards in each deck.»
At this point Grouch asked what the next lesson would be about? The bridge teacher, frustated assured him the class was not over.
It is for me; said Groucho. That’s enough for me to remember.
Which perhaps expresses the sentiments of many of your and our non-card players friends.