Bridge & Humor: Somerset Maugham & bridge

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St. Petersburg Times – 30 Abr 1944

W. Somerset Maugham’s new book, «The Razor’s Edge» concerns itself with a young man who decides that he wants to learn about the mysticism of India, and learns all about it.

Then he decides to become a New York taxi-driver, and becomes one. Maugham, himself, for twiny years, has told his friends that he could do anything he wanted to do . . .

He repeated this line once, during a bridge game, when his partner was bridge expert George S. Kaufman.

«Yes, I could do anything, if I really want to,» Maugham insisted . . .

Kaulfman glanced at the bridge score, which showed that his team was losing, principally because of Maugham’s mistake.

«Then tell me, Mr. Maugham,» asked Kaufman, «do you WANT to play bridge poorly?»

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette – 3 Feb 1943

The Cavendish Club, which received a summons last week, as part of La Guardia’s anti-gambling drive, numbers among its members the foremost bridge players in the world. These experts used to play at the club-rate of 2 cents a point—but that was long ago.

One of them once took Publisher Bennett Cerf there, for a bridge game. Cerf later discovered that his overcoat had been taken by a player who left another coat in its stead. He went to the club’s secretary, to get the player’s name.

«Oh, we don’t keep his name on file,» the secretary haughtily replied. «You see, he’s only a 1/2-of-a-cent-a-point player.»