G V 12^1 I \ 0^. ENLARGED MALL TALKS ON Bridge Virginia M« Meyer Class _lz_l_aJj Book ^-. •>..-^- Cofiyright}^"-^ _. COPYRIGHT DEPOSn^ ENLARGED SMALL TALKS ON BRIDGE VIRGINIA M. MEYER TEACHER OF WHIST. BRIDGE AND SKAT PUBLISHED BY THE RULEDGE PLAYING CARD GO. PORT HURON. MICH.. U. S. A. c^^^^;^^ LIBRARY of CONGRESS Two CoDies Received IAN 13 1909 Copyri^ut £ntr Copyri^ut Entry SLaSS CL. AXc. No, I COPY 3. Copyrighted 19€l8 By Vieginia M. Meyer NOTE My talks on Bridge are so simplified that even a beginner may readily understand them. While learning to play it will be well to follow the rigid rules and makes. After that, let experience be your teacher. It will not be a kind one (most uncom- promising in every way), but it will strengthen the knowledge already gained, and each time one plays will add a little more. I owe much to my many pupils, who have always been a help and inspiration to me. The questions they ask, the way in which things appeal to them, have oftentimes given me ideas and made it possible for me to make it clearer to others. V. M. M. Small Talks on Bridge THE PLAYERS Dealer. Leader, at dealer's left. Dummy — The dealer's partner. Pone, at dealer's right. CONVERSATION OF THE GAME The cards are dealt as for Whist, without a trump being turned. The Dealer after looking at his hand may name the trump or pass the declara- tion to his partner. His partner must make the trump if asked to do so. The simplest form of doing this is the best, by saying: *T make it Hearts," or "I pass." The Dealer's partner makes to win; if he cannot do this he makes to lose as little as possible. The Leader may then double or ask if he may play saying only, "I double." or "May I play?" if it is the latter. Pone either says "I double," or "You may play." Should either Leader or Pone double, the origi- nal maker of the trump says, "I redouble," or "I am satisfied." The maker's partner then redoubles or announces he, too, is satisfied. The conversation of the game should be accu- rately learned. Making or doubling out of turn is not only most annoying to the careful player, but is often expensive, as penalties may be exacted for carelessness. The play then begins by the Leader playing a card, after which the Dummy hand is placed on the table and he ceases to have any rights in the game, except to call attention to a revoke, or that a trick is not complete. TABLE OF SCORING Thirty points is a game. Two games out of three is a rubber. For each trick over six — Spades count 2 Clubs count 4 Diamonds count 6 Hearts count 8 No trump counts 12 Honor score at no trump — 3 Aces count 30 4 Aces count 40 4 Aces in one hand count 100 Honors declared trump — Simple honors twice a trick value. 4 honors four times a trick value. 5 honors 5 times a trick value. 4 honors in one hand eight times a trick value. 5 honors, 4 in one hand, nine times a trick value. 5 honors in one hand, ten times a trick value. Little Slam, winning twelve tricks, adds 20 points to the honor score. Grand Slam, winning thirteen tricks, adds 40 points to the honor score. Chicane, a hand without a trump, adds twice a trick value to the honor score. One hundred points is added to the honor score of the pair winning the rubber. After each rubber the trick and honor score of each pair is added, the lesser total subtracted from the greater, and the result will be the number of points won. ORIGINAL MAKES NO TRUMP Always with four Aces. Always with three Aces unless it is a stronger and safer Red Make. With one long established suit and a sure card of Re-entry. With two Aces and a guarded honor in a third suit. An all around good hand that has five or more guarded honors in three suits. A good test for a "No Trump" is to take the collective value of the hand counting Aces 4, Kings 3, Queens 2, Knaves i. If the result is 15 or more the make up is apt to win. If under 15 more help is expected from your partner. Cards not guarded lose their value and cannot be counted. A good player will rarely pass a hand if he sees four tricks in three suits. For the beginner it may be wise to see five. The conventional ''No Trump" makes are not the ones with the greatest trick winning possibilities. A hand with 3 or 4 Aces, and no other strength, is not a winning hand unless dummy can render much assistance. An all around good hand will work out much better. When the dealer is in doubt a ''No Trump" dec- laration is usually safe, provided he has strentgh in three suits. If he has one long strong red suit, the Red Make is much safer than "No Trump" unless a "No Trump" is equally sure. When the dealer has passed, if dummy is in doubt, a spade declaration is the safe one. A strong suit will not leave him in doubt so he may safely declare that suit. Dummy should very rarely declare "No Trump" without at least one Ace some strength in Hearts, and 5 tricks in sight. Three small Hearts means protection in Hearts, for it is not likely that there is a long suit in Hearts with the opponents. A Borderland or weak "No Trump" is not safe in the hands of a novice and until experience has taught him how to manage such, it will be wiser not to attempt weak hands. HEART MAKES Six with one honor. Five with three honors. Five with two honors and one outside trick. Four if they are all honors. With 6 Hearts without an honor and an abso- lutely worthless hand it may be made Hearts under 8 the defensive Heart rule, afraid to pass fearing your partner may try a weak "No Trump" or even a fairly strong Diamond that would be a loser, as you could afford no assistance, while with your 6 weak Hearts and some assistance from him you could make i or 2 on Hearts. It only takes i more trick to win game in Hearts than "No Trump.'' DIAMOND MAKES Six with three honors. Five with three honors and an outside trick. Four if they are all honors. Four card Red Makes are destined to lose with- out outside tricks. In such case "No Trump" is the better make. One so often hears, "Diamonds are so unlucky." This is an error. It is no harder to win tricks with Diamonds for trumps, but it does take i more to win a game; while 4 tricks can easily be won with a good hand, the 5th is not so easy. There are 3 good reasons for making it Dia- monds : — 1. A hand so long and strong it would be folly to pass it; 2. With 4 or more honors in one hand; 3. That your hand is such, if you pass it, the in- dications are your partner would have to make it black. From your hand, the probabilities are he cannot make it "No Trump" or Hearts. One is justified in making a comparatively weak Diamond under such circumstances, not otherwise. It would be folly to make Diamonds, with long weak Dia- 9 monds and an otherwise worthless hand. It would mean your partner must have the winning hand. If he has, give him a chance to make better use of it. With 9 or lo read cards make it if you possibly can as the majority of your partner's cards must be black. BLACK MAKES There is no excuse for an Original Black Make unless you see the winning of the game in your own hand. With 9 or lo red cards in your hand make it if you possibly can, for the majority of your partner's cards must be black. There is much talk about the defensive or shield spade make. It is an unsafe weapon to put in the hands of any but an expert. Equally good players are for and against it. The spade declaration by the dealer announces a worthless hand. The op- ponents know this, see every weakness in the dummy hand and are in the position to make suc- cessful finesses on both sides. Yarborough does not come so often that one cannot take a chance on partner having a good hand and at least you have not advertised poverty. The argument in its favor is dummy may make it on a rather weaker hand than heretofore. Does this offset the information the weak Spade Make gives ? Clubs should be declared at any time when one can see a possibility of gain. Some players advocate the defensive Club Make. If you have a long weak suit of Clubs, your partner 10 may have another long suit to offset it. The result is not so bad after all, even if it is a spade. For, if your opponents double, he may be able to re- double and you have a trick the value of hearts. A TEST FOR A TRUMP MAKE Add your trumps, your honors in trumps and out-side tricks. If the result is more than 8 the make is a sound one. If exactly 8 the chances are still in your favor. If less than 8 the make usually fails to win. Charles Stuart Street. The above rule is an excellent one for doubling. If the maker is at your right, double if you can count 8, for his hand is sacrificed to yours. . If he is at the left, it should count to 9 as your hand is sacrificed to his. To re-double let your hand count 9 or 10 according to the position of the maker. PASSED MAKES The Dummy should remember his hand must be stronger than that of the Dealer to declare "No Trump" or "Hearts" as the dealer has declares weakness in these Makes by passing. The Dealer may have passed with a fair Diamond hand, and is more than likely to be strong in at least one of the black suits. Dummy should not declare "No Trump" unless he has at least one ace and some protection in Hearts. Five tricks is a safe "No Trump" for even a beginner. 11 A weak "No Trump*' is preferable to a weak Red Make. If the hand is worth less than four tricks make to lose as little as possible. If a hand is practically worthless a Spade Make is the proper thing. DOUBLING Do not double just to see what will happen. It does not pay and makes your partner ill-natured. Doubling and re-doubling doubles, quadruples and so on each trick. A trick cannot count more than lOO. Passed Spade Makes can be doubled on either suit or trump strength by the leader. Pone must have some trump strength. If he is short in trumps they are marked with the Dealer or Dummy. Double Spades with four tricks. Five tricks and a possible sixth should be seen to double Hearts, Diamonds or Clubs. Six tricks should be seen to double "No Trump.'" If the Leader doubles "No Trump" he knows his hand and plays accordingly. If Pone doubles "No Trump" the Leader plays a Heart, leading the highest of three or less, or the fourth best of four or more. This convention has been generally adopted and unless Pone can meet a Heart lead he should not double. There is also the weak suit convention. The Leader will play the top card from his shortest or weakest suit. 12 Before beginning to play find out which conven- tion is used. To Re-double, a hand must be very strong. Do not double when ahead on the score, unless it is a sure thing. If Pone doubles a Passed Make of Hearts, Dia- monds or Clubs, the Leader will play a trump, leading the highest of three or less, or the lowest of four. If Pone doubles an Original Make do not lead the trump unless you can lead an honor. If Pone doubles a Passed Make of Spades, the Leader will win the first trick if possible and then be guided by the Dummy hand. If the Leader cannot win the first trick he will lead a trump. DECLARED TRUMP LEADS The King is led from any combination that has Ace or Queen and may have both. Follow with the next lowest card that will win the trick. The Queen is led from Queen, Knave, Ten, with or without others. Ten from Ten, Knave, King, with or without others. Knave shows the HIGHEST card in the suit, and is usually a short one. THE ACE LEAD AT DECLARED TRUMPS An Ace as an initial lead does not indicate it is Leaders long suit. It is only to hold the first trick till the Dummy hand is seen, and judgment must be used what to do next. 13 Remember the leader is entitled to the first lead. Let him pay the price for it by holding first trick (at declared trumps). Take a look at the Dummy's hand, make best use of information gained from it and you will win tricks at Bridge. At "No Trump" the leader shows his strong suit by opening it. If it is so long he can continue it, his partner will be able to discard once or twice from one or two weak suits, and from that you should be able to infer what his strong suit is. The discard is a much argued subject, has strong advocates on both sides. Lead the King to win the first trick if you have the Ace also (with others). Ace followed by King shows no more, THE NON-DEALERS PLAY AGAINST A DECLARED TRUMP Lead to win the trick, if possible. Often the entire scheme of play is changed after seeing the Dummy hand. As soon as the Dealer sees the Dummy hand he knows all the cards that are against him, and it makes little difference to him which opponent has them. Partners by leads and signals must try to give each other as much information as the Dealer already Aas. Remember, the trumps are declared against you, and a long suit is rarely brought in by the Non- Dealer. If the Dealer does not lead trumps he does not want them led, as the suit cards are against him. In such a case the adversaries should lead them. 14 If the Dealer attacks the trump suit stop the lead at once and make all suit tricks possible. Against aggressive Red Makes, win tricks early in the game. SECOND-HAND PLAYS Cover an HONOR with an HONOR. If you hold three or less, you may win the trick or make good an intermediate card in your partner's hand. Always cover the card led if you hold a perfect or imperfect Fourchette. Holding two or more Honors in sequence, play the lowest. If the Dummy can cover any card you play, play low, unless it is to cover an Honor already led with an Honor to draw another that is in the Dummy hand. Usually beat the Dummy with any card but the Ace. It may save high cards in your partner's hand.. Holding King and small card in the Dummy hand and no support in your own hand, play King. It is King "now or never." This applies to "No Trump." "Keep off" declared trump on low card led. THIRD HAND PLAY Play your highest card if trying to win the trick, unless you hold cards in sequence, then win as cheaply as possible. Do not finesse your partner's suit. The cards that are not in your hand or Dummy's must be in the Dealer's of your partner's. Do not deceive your partner. Being accurate is the only way you have of giving information. 15 In returning your partner's lead at Declared Trump /ead the highest of three or less, or lowest of four, always counting from the original holding. The Dealer will do enough to keep you guessing and make it hard for you, gaining all he can from your leads, plays and discards. In return he will false-card and convey all the wrong information possible, but in spite of all this be honest with your partner. It is your only redress. THE RULE OF ELEVEN Deduct the face value of the card led from Eleven and the result will be the number of cards not in the leader's hand higher than the card led. By applying the rule of Eleven at Declared Trump it is often easy to detect the lead of a single- ton or short suit. THE ECHO The Echo in Bridge is made by playing first a high and then a low card to show you can trump the third round of the suit. At ''No Trump" it shows the commanding card of the suit. Some players use this to mean "Change the suit." TWO-CARD SUITS ALL two-card suits are opened from the top. Eception — Avoid opening from King and low card, but if opened at all lead the King. Two-card suits are usually led as supporting cards, or hoping to ruff the third round. 16 OPENING OF THREE-CARD SUITS A three-card suit, headed by Ace, King or Queen, is opened low. A three-card suit, headed by a Knave or lower, is opened from the top. A three-card suit with two cards in sequence is opened from the top. Exception: Ace, King and Low, lead King. FOUR CARD SUITS From a suit of four, headed by only one honor open low unless that honor be the Ace — then lead the Ace. Four cards with two honors not in sequence, lead low. Always lead ace from four or more unless you also hold the King, then lead the King. NON-DEALER^S PLAY AT **NO TRUMP'' All four-card suits are opened low, unless there are three Honors in sequence. All suits containing two Honors are opened low. Suits of five or more having three Honors are usually opened with an Honor. Unfortunately the books differ as to "No Trump" leads. The ones given below are used by most players, and are identiacl with trump leads in Whist by R. F. Foster. Ace from — Ace, King and five others. Ace, Queen, Knave and others. Ace, King, Knave and others. 17 King from four-card suit, with three or four in sequence. Queen from — Queen, King, Ace and others. Queen, Knave, Ten and others. Knave from — Knave, Queen, King and others. Ten from — Ten, Knave, King and others. ELWELL LEADS AT NO TRUMPS Ace from — Ace Queen, Knave and others, with a card of re- entry. Ace and sevven or more others. Ace, Queen, with five others. Ace, Knave, with five others. King from — Ace, King, Queen and others. Ace, King, Knave and others. Ace, King, Ten and three others. Ace, King and five others. King, Queen, Knave and others. King, Queen, Ten and others. King, Queen and five others. Queen from — Queen, Knave, Ten and others. Queen, Knave, Nine and others. Ace, Queen, Knave and others with no re-entry card. Knave from — Knave, Ten, Nine and others. When your partner opens from any high card 18 combination, show him the highest card you have of the suit, with three or less. With four cards hold the lowest card till the last round. Unblocking at "No Trump" is one of the most important features at Bridge. Failure to do so often results in the loss of several tricks. Unblocking is getting rid of all your high cards that your partner may make his low ones. This is the most intricate and interesting part of Bridge. Only experience will teach the strategy of this part of the game. In returning your partner's lead at "No Trump" with four or less give him the best you have. By this he can judge from the cards in his own and the Dummy hand what the dealer holds in the suit. If you hold five or more of your partner's suit, return your original fourth best. Keep the commanding card of your adversary's suit until the leader's partner has no more of the suit. The beginner is too prone to take the first trick in sight, but notice how many tricks are won if you have the courage to hold up the winning card for a round or two. Do not be in a hurry to play out your Aces at "No Trump." Establish your weak suits, keeping your high cards for re-entries. DISCARDS Opinions as to discard differ. The majority of players discard from the suit they do not want led at "No Trump" and the suit they do want at Declared Trump. 19 Some players always discard from strength, others always from weakness. Acquaintance with the game will influence you as to the one best to adopt. In discarding do not unguard an honor, blank an Ace or discard a singleton. In many cases it does not matter what you dis- card, you have neither strength nor weakness to show. Surely in such a case the weak or protective discard is the best one. Often any discard is lost, for after a time a player will ruefully say, ^'I forgot to look at your discard." This is the case too often. Often this hand has no more trick taking qualities for a De- clared Trump than it would for ''No Trump." The discard of an Ace shows entire command of the suit. The discard of a high and then a low card of the same suit shows command of the suit. FORCING Force the hand strong in trumps. Do not allow the weak hand to make a trump. Do not lead a suit that one hand can trump and the other discard. Proper forcing will ruin a trump hand. When the weak hand can ruff your suit it is well to lead trumps. THE DEALER'S PLAY Take advantage of all information given by the adversaries. Play to the score. If you cannot win the game, at least try to save it. Lead from the weak hand to the strong. Let the short hand help the long. With high cards in the Dummy hand lead a sup- porting card from your own hand, hoping to find the high card in second hand. Be careful not to block your suit. Remember, the lead must always be left in the hand with the long suit. At *'No T^ump" always begin to play for your LONGEST suit, cven though it is not your strongest. READY REFERENCE HINTS Beware of the four-card Red Makes unless they are all honors. Exception : Four with Ace, King, Queen and one outside trick. Do not finesse in your partner's suit. Do not fail to help your partner establish his suit at "No Trumps," The only excuse for not doing so is having one longer and very strong of your own. Lead through strength at your left, and up to weakness on your right. on your right. Leading up to strength your partner will read you short in the suit. Remember your partner has not passed with four tricks in his hands. You can anly rely on him for two tricks and a possible third. Never spoil a sure Red Make with honors for a doubtful "No Trump.'' When the Dealer leads trumps, stop it at once and make every possible trick. If the Dealer does not lead trumps the oppo- 21 nents should. As the Dealer wishes to establish a ruff, therefore exhaust his trumps. When the Dealer leads a high card toward a high card he intends finessing. Second hand must then cover with any higher card except the Ace. Avoid leading up to a tenace. When your partner abandons his suit at "No Trump," it may be for one of several reasons : 1. That he wishes it led to him instead of con- tiiiing it himself; 2. It was only a forced lead and he has nothing in the suit; 3. That he has no re-entry card or hope of bringing in his suit; 4. If he perists in clearing his suit he shows re- entries in other suits or that he expects to bring it in. There are several reasons for not returning your partner's lead at "No Trump." 1. If you have a long strong suit of your own that has more possibilities; 2. That the suit is not your partner's but the Dummy's ; 3. That you can better assist him by letting him lead it again through the Dummy. There are some justifiable finesses at "No Trump." With the Queen in the Dummy hand, a finesse is almost obligatory. If a trick must win in your own or partner's suit, let it win at once, or the Queen will block it on the third round. If a finesse can be taken on either the first or second round, take it on the second, as you can better judge from the six cards already played whether or not to take it. 22 With a King in the Dummy on your left and no honors in your own hand lead through it hoping your partner can "kill" the King. Do not invite a "ruff.l' With four good trumps you may do more damage with them in some other way — after the Dummy hand goes on the table. PLAYING TO THE SCORE Do not plunge when ahead on the game, and one or two tricks in a sure Make will wind game.' Play a defensive game when ahead on the score. Be aggressive when behind on the score. Always play to the score. One cannot become too well acquainted with this part of Bridge. It wins many games. Do not declare a doubtful "No Trump" if a trump declaration will win the game. Never declare until you know how many points it will take to win the game. If you cannot win the game SAVE IT. BRIDGE ESSENTIALS All things are important in the learning of bridge. The most important of all — I. Try to be a good maker. Use judgment. Do not make a hand until you have thought what as- sistance your partner may render or whether by passing he may be able to do something better than you can do. If there are two chances of this, give him the opportunity. If he must do worse than you do, make it on your own hand. After the make has been passed, dummy must con- sider what his partner did not have and be guided accordingly. 23 2. The leader by his opening lead should give his partner as much information as possible. In "No Trump" this is easy. He shows the suit in which he has the greatest length if not the great- est strength. There is practically only one exception to this : If his partner has doubled, he must either lead a heart (according to the number held) or from the top of his weakest suit, whichever may be the convention of the club. At declared trump, his opening lead will show the general strength of his hand. The lead of an ace means nothing. It is the card with which he fol- lows that is the keynote to his hand. The lead of a king or other high card shows a strong suit (unless it indicates a short suit). The lead of an intermediate high card is apt to be the top of a short suit, led for the purpose of using otherwise worthless trumps for ruffing. The lead of a low card shows an indifferent hand. THE RULE OF ELEVEN This is one of the most important rules in bridge. At *'No Trump," it will allow you to practically place the whole suit. At declared trump, it shows almost at once whether a suit is long or short. There should not be one trick played from which you do not store away some information. It is much easier to do this at the playing of each trick than after 8, 9 or 10 tricks have been played to helplessly wonder what has happened. Remember the dealer knows every card that is against him. It makes little difference to him whether they are with his right or left hand ad- 24 versary. The opponents also know the cards that are against them, but unfortunately they do not know whether they are with partner or dealer. They can give to each other the information the dealer already has, and two can make better use of it than one. While a good memory means much in bridge, good judgment means much more. In using one, you will necessarily strengthen the other. Do not give information by any mannerisms. This is not only bad form, but on the borderland of giving information as to the holding of one's cards. DUPLICATE BRIDGE TO THE SCORE We are indebted to L. J. Bruck of New York for the introduction of the most interesting and most helpful form of Bridge that has been given us — Duplicate Bridge to the score. The duplicate game has been played for years. As games and rubbers were not scored, declarations to the score were not considered. Often declarations were made for the honor score or anything was done that meant high score. By Mr. Bruck's excellent new system, not only games and rubbers are scored, but unfinished games and rubbers have a scoring value that gives an incentive to play for all there is in it until the drop of the last card. It has given new life to Bridge. It opens the way to strengthening one's playing as no other method can. Much of the play- ing is for the pleasure of the game, but best of all this can be for mutual improvement as well. Twelve hands well and thoughtfully played are more beneficial than fifty played in a hurry and for the sake of winning. Play the cards the best you 25 know how, and the winning will take care of itself. Any schedule used for duplicate whist may be used for this game, moving the players and boards ac- cording to the number of tables and schedule. RULES OF THE GAME Four boards are played at each table. Boards on the multiple of 5 are not used. Play 4 boards, mov- ing players toward the foot table boards toward the head table, or according to the schedule used. Score as for ordinary Bridge, except that there is a rubber bonus added. Play exactly as if games and rubbers were being played. When the first game is over, 50 points are put in the rubber bonus space. When the second game is won, 50 points are again put in this space, no mat- ter which pair wins it. When each pair has won a game and has 50 points, 100 points are added. The 50 points for each pair may or may not be elimi- nated, according to the rule adopted by the club. If each pair has won a game, and rubber is not finished, multiply the points over in the trick column by 3 and add to the rubber bonus column. If a rubber has not been made, but either pair has I, 2 or 3 games to his credit, the unfinished game is scored by multiplying the points made on it 1V2. By this method it will be seen that players are credited with all that is due them. As in the duplicate Whist games, the north pair is responsible for the boards being correct. They must be played in rotation, otherwise the declaring to the score be useless. Regular score boards with the system of scoring so clearly defined that it can- not be mistaken, are used. After playing two or 26 three times things will run smoothly and true en- joyment had, with an incentive as well, to play bet- ter Bridge. PROGRESSIVE BRIDGE Play 4 Hands — Pair having high scores will prog- ress. Tricks are scored in one column, honors in another. If prizes are given, the fairest way is to give one or more for the players having the great- est number of points, one or more for players having highest honor score. Prizes may also be given for player having the greatest number of Grand or Llittle Slams, another for having the greatest number of Chicanes. DEHNITIONS Block — To hold up a card that will stop a suit. This should be done against an adversary. Do not block your partner's suit. Clearing Suit — To persist in establishing a suit. Cross Ruff — Partners each trumping a suit. Ducking — Refusing to win a trick when able to do so. Echo — Playing first a high and then a low card to show you can trump the next round or have the winning card in the suit. Establish — To force out high cards in your suit to get the control of it. Established Suit — Holding Ace, King, Queen of suit with others. Finesse — Trying to make a low card win when when you could play a better one. Fourchette—Holding a card above and below the one led. 27 Force — To play a card that will win the trick or force the adversary to trump. Fourth Best — The fourth best of a suit, beginning from the top. Guarded Honors — High cards protected by smaller ones, as the King and One, Queen and Two, Knave and Three. Hold Up — Refusing to play the best card of a suit. Do not hold up the best card of your partner's suit. Lead Through Strength — To lead a suit when the player at your left holds high cards. Lead Up to Weakness — Leading a suit in which fourth hand has no strength. Major Tenace — Holding Ace and Queen of a suit with the King missing. Minor Tenace — Holding King and Knave of a suit with the Ace and Queen missing. Passed Make — Declaration by the Dummy. Quitted — After a trick has been turned. Ruff — To trump a trick. Re-entry Cards — Cards that will enable you to regain the lead. Usually applied to cards in some suit other than your long one. Revoke — To play a card of another suit when you hold one of the suit led. Sequence — Cards following each other in value. Short Suit — Suit of 3 cards or less. Strengthening Card — Medium high card led in the hope that it may strengthen your partner's suit. Yarborough — Hand that holds no card higher than the Nine. 28 FROM "BRIDGE" The new code of laws gives the following rights to dummy after he has placed his cards upon the table. Until he has so placed them he has all the rights of a player. A. To ask the dealer whether he has any of a suit which he may have renounced. B. To call the dealer's attention to the fact that too many or too few cards have been played to a trick. C. To correct the claim of either adversary to a penalty to which the latter is not entitled. D. To call attention to the fact that a trick has been erroneously taken by either side. E. To participate in the discussion of any dis- puted question of fact after it has arisen between the dealer and either adversary. F. To correct an erroneous score. In the paragraphs in this section which deal with the play of dummy's cards by the dealer the follow- ing has been added: "If he simultaneously touch two or more such cards (this clause refers to dummy's cards), he may elect which one to play." General Rtiles One important change has been made in this por- tion of the code. The old Whist Club laws forbade the dealer's adversaries calling their partner's at- tention to the fact that he was about to play or lead out of turn. The new code of laws especially permits either of the dealer's adversaries to call his partner's atention to the fact that he is about to play or lead out of turn. 29 Undoubled Spade The new code says that an undoubled spade dec- laration is not played unless the dealer's score is twenty-four or over. When the spade declaration is not played the dealer's side counts two for tricks and four for honors. The present code of laws includes the old para- graph reading: "Should the third hand player double before his partner asks permission to play, the spade declarer may decide whether the double shall stand, but the deal must be played out." The new code, however, omits the clause which governs when the third hand asks, "Shall I play?" or leads out of turn and when the eldest hands leads without asking permission to play. Etiquette The following clauses have been added to the sec- tion dealing with the etiquette of Bridge: "If the dealer says, T have the rest,' or any words indicating the remaining tricks are his and one or both of the other players should expose his or her cards, or request the dealer to play out his hand, he should not allow any information so obtained to influence his play nor take any finesse not an- nounced by him at the time of making such claim unless it had previously proven to be a winner." "If a player abandon his hand and concede in error one or more of the remaining tricks, the concession should stand." 30 BRIDGE NOTES. 31 BRIDGE NOTES. 32 BRIDGE NOTES. 33 BRIDGE NOTES. 34 BRIDGE NOTES. 35 BRIDGE NOTES. BRIDGE NOTES, 37 BRIDGE NOTES. 38 BRIDGE NOTES. 39 BRIDGE NOTES. 40 BRIDGEO 020 237 425 6 WHEN THE FOLLOWING SUITS ARE TRUMPS 4k 4b ♦ t O EACH TRICK ABOVE SIX COUNTS ....<.•..••. 2 4 4 8 6 12 S 12 CHICANE COUNTS ........... NO TRUMP HONORS THREE ACES.......... ...35 FOUR ACES .........40 FOUR ACES IN ONE HAN0 ...................100 DECLARED TRUMP HONORS THREE HONORS .....TWICE A FOUR HONORS cFOUR TIMES A FIVE HONORS....... ...FIVE TIMES A FOUR HONORS IN ONE HAND.. ............ .....EIGHT TIMES A FIVE HONORS FOUR IN ONE HAND. ........NINE TIMES A FIVE HONORS IN ONE HAND TEN TIMES A LITTLE SLAM COUNTS GRAND SLAM COUNTS.. TRICK TRICK TRICK TRICK TRICK TRICK 20 40