Complete Suction Bridge By HELLESPONT Class G[VJ7j87 f Book. Ha COMPLETE AUCTION BRIDGE COMPLETE AUCTION BRIDGE By HELLESPONT Philadelphia : J. B. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY London : THE WEST STRAND PUBLISHING CO., Ld. 1911 GC^ :- . CONTENTS iHAPTES Laws of Auction Bridge PAGE 7 I. Introduction . 27 II. Description of the Game 35 III. General Principles 41 No Trump Formula Examples of No Trump Hands 45 46 IV. Declarations by the Dealer 48 No Trumps .... Hearts and Diamonds 48 57 Clubs ..... 62 Spades 64 V. Declarations by the Second Player 68 VI. Declarations by the Third Player . 75 VII. Declarations by the Fourth Player 87 Doubling Original No Trump made b) Declarer r 90 /III. Bidding after the First Round . 93 IX. Doubling 104 X. General Principles of the Game whee r there are Trumps . 111 Varieties of Strategy Short Suit Leads .... . 112 112 Singleton Leads Avoidance of Tenace Opening Table of Leads . . . 5 . 116 118 . 121 6 CONTENTS CHAPTER PA.QB X. (continued) Return of Leads, etc. .... 122 Leading up to or through Dummy, etc. . 123 The Finesse 126 The Ruff Signal 127 The Discard in a Trump Declaration . 128 Drawing Trumps . . . . .130 XI. General Principles of the Game when THERE ARE No TRUMPS . . .132 The Original Lead 132 Card to Lead Originally . . . .133 The Fourth-Best Lead . . . . 140 XII. No Trumps : Synopsis of Original Leads 143 Modifications with a Card of Re-entry . 143 Modifications in the Original Lead due to Bidding ...... 144 The Play of the Elder Hand . . .148 The Play of the Younger Hand . .154 The Play of the Fourth Hand . . .168 The Play of the Declarer . . .169 The Discard . . . . . .182 XIII. Examples of Strategy . . . .187 XIV. Amenities .197 Hints on General Play . . . . 204 THE LAWS OF AUCTION BRIDGE Framed by a Joint Committee of the Portland and Bath Clubs, and approved and adopted by the Committee of the Portland Club (1909). Printed by Kind Permission of Messrs. Thomas de la Rue & Co., Ltd., London, E.C. the rubber 1. The rubber is the best of three games. If the first two games be won by the same players, the third game is not played. SCORING 2. A game consists of thirty points obtained by tricks alone, exclusive of any points counted for Honours, Chicane, Slam, Bonus, or Under-tricks. 3. Every hand is played out, and any points in excess of the thirty points necessary for the game are counted. 4. When the declarer {vide Law 50) makes good his declaration by winning at least as many tricks as he de- clared to win, each trick above 6 counts : — 2 points when Spades are trumps. 4 „ „ Clubs „ 6 „ „ Diamonds „ 8 „ „ Hearts „ 12 „ ,, there are no trumps. These values become respectively 4, 8, 12, 16, and 24 when the declaration has been doubled ; and 8, 16, 24, 22, 8 THE LAWS OF AUCTION BRIDGE and 48 when the declaration has been redoubled (vide Law 56). 5. Honours consist of ace, king, queen, knave, and ten of the trump suit. When there are no trumps they consist of the four aces. 6. Honours in trump suits are thus reckoned : — If a player and his partner conjointly hold — I. The five honours of the trump suit, they score for honours five times the value of the trump suit trick. II. Any four honours of the trump suit, they score for honours four times the value of the trump suit trick. III. Any three honours of the trump suit, they score for honours twice the value of the trump suit trick. If a player in his own hand holds — I. The five honours of the trump suit, he and his partner score for honours ten times the value of the trump suit trick. II. Any four honours of the trump suit, he and his partner score for honours eight times the value of the trump suit trick; and if his partner holds the fifth honour, nine times the value of the trump suit trick. The value of the trump suit trick referred to in this law is its original value — e.g. two points in spades and six points in diamonds ; and the value of honours is in no way affected by any doubling or redoubling. 7. Honoues, when there are no trumps, are thus reckoned : — If a player and his partner conjointly hold — I. The four aces, they score for honours forty points. II. Any three aces, they score for honours thirty points. If a player in his own hand holds — The four aces, he and his partner score for honours one hundred points. These values are in no way affected by doubling or redoubling. 8. Chicane is thus reckoned : — If a player holds no trump, he and his partner score for THE LAWS OF AUCTION BRIDGE 9 Chicane twice the value of the trump suit trick. The value of Chicane is in no way affected by any doubling or redoubling. 9. Slam is thus reckoned : — If a player and his partner make, independently of any tricks taken for the revoke penalty — I. All thirteen tricks, they score for Grand Slam forty points. II. Twelve tricks, they score for Little Slam twenty points. 10. Honours, Chicane, Slam, Bonus, and points for Under-tricks are reckoned in the score at the end of the rubber. 11. At the end of the rubber, the total scores for Tricks, Honours, Chicane, Slam, Bonus, and Under-tricks obtained by each player and his partner are added up, two hundred and fifty points are added to the score of the winners of the rubber, and the difference between the two scores is the number of points won, or lost, by the winners of the rubber. 12. If an erroneous score affecting Tricks, Bonus, or Under-tricks be proved, such mistake may be corrected prior to the conclusion of the game in which it occurred, and such game is not concluded until the last card of the following deal has been dealt, or, in the case of the last game of the rubber, until the score has been made up and agreed. 13. If an erroneous score affecting Honours, Chicane, and Slam be proved, such mistake may be corrected at any time before the score of the rubber has been made up and agreed. CUTTING 14. The ace is the lowest card. 15. In all cases, every player must cut from the same pack. 16. Should a player expose more than one card, he must cut again. 10 THE LAWS OF AUCTION BRIDGE FORMATION OF TABLE 17. If there are more than four candidates, the players are selected by cutting, the first six in the room having the right of belonging to the table, which is complete with six players. The candidates who cut the next lowest cards have a prior right to any after-comer to enter the table. 18. The four who cut the lowest cards play the first rubber ; they cut for partners, and the two lowest play against the two highest. The lowest is the dealer, and he has choice of cards and seats, and, having once made his selection, must abide by it. 19. Two players cutting cards of equal value, unless such cards are the two highest, cut again ; should they be the two lowest, a fresh cut is necessary to decide which of those two deals. 20. Three players cutting cards of equal value cut again ; should the fourth (or remaining) card be the highest, the two lowest of the new cut are partners, the lower of those two the dealer ; should the fourth card be the lowest, the two highest are partners, the original lowest the dealer. CUTTING OUT 21. At the end of a rubber, should admission be claimed by one, or two candidates, the player who has, or the players who have, played a greater number of consecutive rubbers than the others is, or are, out ; but when all have played the same number, they must cut to decide upon the out-goers ; the highest are out. ENTRY AND RE-ENTRY 22. A candidate, whether he has played or not, can join a table which is not complete by declaring in at any time prior to any of the players having cut a card, either for the purpose of commencing a fresh rubber or of cutting out. THE LAWS OF AUCTION BRIDGE 11 23. In the formation of fresh tables, the candidates who have neither belonged to nor played at any other table have the prior right of entry ; the others decide their right of admission by cutting. 24. Any one quitting a table prior to the conclusion of a rubber may, with consent of the other three players, appoint a substitute in his absence during that rubber. 25. A player joining one table, whilst belonging to another, loses his right of re-entry into the latter, and takes his chance of cutting in, as if he were a fresh candidate. 26. If any one break up a table, the remaining players have the prior right to him of entry into any other ; and should there not be sufficient vacancies at such other table to admit all those candidates, they settle their pre- cedence by cutting. SHUFFLING 27. The pack must neither be shuffled below the table nor so that the face of any card can be seen. 28. The pack must not be shuffled during the play of the hand. 29. A pack, having been played with, must neither be shuffled by dealing it into packets, nor across the table. 30. Each player has a right to shuffle once only (except as provided by Law 33) prior to a deal, after a false cut, or when a new deal has occurred. 31. The dealer's partner must collect the cards for the ensuing deal, and has the first right to shuffle that pack. 32. Each player, after shuffling, must place the cards, properly collected and face downwards, to the left of the player about to deal. 33. The dealer has always the right to shuffle last ; but should a card or cards be seen during his shuffling, or whilst giving the pack to be cut, he may be compelled to reshuffle. 12 THE LAWS OF AUCTION BRIDGE THE DEAL 34. Each player deals in his turn ; the order of dealing goes to the left. 35. The player on the dealer's right cuts the pack, and, in dividing it, must not leave fewer than four cards in either packet ; if in cutting, or in replacing one of the two packets on the other, a card be exposed, or if there be any confusion of the cards or a doubt as to the exact place in which the pack was divided, there must be a fresh cut. 36. When a player, whose duty it is to cut, has once separated the pack, he cannot alter his cut ; moreover, he can neither reshuffle nor recut the cards. 37. After the pack has been cut, should the dealer shuffle the cards, the pack must be cut again. 38. The fifty-two cards shall be dealt face downwards. The deal is not completed until the last card has been dealt face downwards. There is no misdeal. A NEW DEAL 39. There must be a new deal — I. If, during a deal, or during the play of a hand, the pack be proved to be incorrect or imperfect. II. If any card be faced in the pack. III. Unless the cards are dealt into four packets, one at a time and in regular rotation, beginning at the player to the dealer's left. IV. Should the last card not come in its regular order to the dealer. V. Should a player have more than thirteen cards, and any one or more of the others less than thirteen cards. VI. Should the dealer deal two cards at once, or two cards to the same hand, and then deal a third ; but if, prior to dealing that card, the dealer can, by altering the position of one card only, rectify such error, he may do so. VII. Should the dealer omit to have the pack out to him, and the adversaries discover the error prior to the THE LAWS OF AUCTION BRIDGE 13 last card being dealt, and before looking at their eards. 40. If, whilst dealing, a card be exposed by either of the dealer's adversaries, the dealer or his partner may claim a new deal. A card similarly exposed by the dealer or his partner gives the same claim to each adversary. The claim may not be made by a player who has, or whose partner has, looked at any of his cards. If a new deal does not take place, the exposed card cannot be called. 41. If however, in dealing, one of the last cards be exposed, and the dealer has completed the deal before there is reasonable time to decide as to a fresh deal, the privilege is not thereby lost. 42. If the dealer, before he has dealt fifty-one cards, look at any card, his adversaries have a right to see it, and may exact a new deal. 43. Should three players have their right number of cards, and the fourth have less than thirteen, and not discover such deficiency until he has played any of his cards, the deal stands good ; should he have played, he is answerable for any revoke he may have made, as if the missing card, or cards, had been in his hand ; he may search the other pack for it, or them. 44. If a pack, during or after a rubber, be proved in- correct or imperfect, such proof does not alter any past score, game, or rubber ; that hand in which the imper- fection was detected is null and void, and the dealer must deal again. 45. Any one dealing out of turn, or with the adversaries' cards, may be stopped before the last card is dealt, other- wise the deal stands good, and the game must proceed as if no mistake has been made. 46. A player can neither shuffle, cut, nor deal for his partner without the permission of his opponents. DECLARING TRUMPS 47. The dealer, having examined his hand, must declare to win at least the odd trick, but he may declare to win 14 THE LAWS OF AUCTION BRIDGE more. He must declare whether the hand shall be played with or without trumps ; in the former case he must name which suit shall be trumps. The lowest declaration he can make is " One Spade " — i.e. he declares to win at least one odd trick, spades being trumps. 48. After the dealer has made his declaration, each player in turn, commencing with the player on the dealer's left, has the right to make a higher declaration, or to double the last declaration made, or to redouble a declara- tion which has been doubled, subject to the provisions of Law 56, or to pass the last declaration. A declaration of a greater number of tricks in a suit of lower value, which equals the last declaration in value of points, shall be considered a higher declaration— e.g. a declaration of " Two Spades " is a higher declaration than " One Club, and " Two Diamonds " is higher than " One No Trump." 49. A player in his turn may overbid the previous declaration any number of times, and may also overbid his partner, but he cannot overbid his own declaration which has been passed by the other three players. When the final declaration has been made — i.e. when the last declaration has been passed by the other three players — the player who made such declaration (or in the case where both partners have made declarations in the same suit, or of " No Trumps," the player who made the first of such declarations) shall play the combined hands of himself and of his partner, the latter becoming Dummy. 50. When the player of the two hands (hereinafter termed "the declarer") wins at least as many tricks as he declared to do, he scores the full value of the tricks won (see Laws 2 and 4). When he fails, his adversaries score fifty points for each under- trick — i.e. each trick short of the number declared ; or, if the declaration has been doubled, or redoubled, one hundred or two hundred respectively for each under-trick ; neither the declarer nor his adversaries score anything towards the game. 51. The loss to the declarer on the declaration of " One Spade " shall be limited to one hundred points in respect THE LAWS OF AUCTION BRIDGE 15 of under-tricks, whether doubled or not, unless either he or his partner have redoubled. 52. If a player make a declaration (other than passing) out of turn, the adversary on his left may demand a new deal, or may allow the declaration so made to stand, when the bidding shall continue as if the declaration had been in order. 53. If a player, in bidding, fail to declare a sufficient number of tricks to overbid the previous declaration, he shall be considered to have declared the requisite number of tricks in the bid which he has made, provided that the number of tricks shall not exceed seven ; and his partner shall be debarred from making any further declaration, unless either of his adversaries make a higher declaration or double. If, however, such insufficient declaration be accepted by the next player passing it, or doubling it, or by making a higher declaration, no rectification can be made. 54. After the final declaration has been made, a player is not entitled to give his partner any information as to a previous declaration, whether made by himself or either adversary ; but a player is entitled to inquire, at any time during the play of the hand, what was the final declaration. DOUBLING AND BEDOUBLING 55. The effect of doubling and redoubling is that the value of each trick over six is doubled or quadrupled, as provided in Law 4 ; but it does not alter the value of a declaration — e.g. a declaration of " Two Clubs " is higher than " One Heart," although the heart declaration has been doubled. 56. Any declaration can be doubled and redoubled once, but not more ; a player cannot double his partner's declaration, or redouble his partner's double, but he may redouble a declaration of his partner's which has been doubled by his adversaries. 57. The act of doubling, or redoubling, reopens the 16 THE LAWS OF AUCTION BRIDGE bidding. When a declaration has been doubled, or re- doubled, any player, including the player whose declaration has been doubled, or whose double has been redoubled, can in his proper turn make a further declaration of higher value. 58. When a player whose declaration has been doubled makes good his declaration by winning at least the declared number of tricks, he scores a bonus which consists of 50 points for winning the number of tricks declared, and 50 points for each additional trick he may win. If he or his partner have redoubled, the bonus is doubled. 59. If a player double out of turn, the adversary on his left may demand a new deal. 60. When the final declaration has been made (see Law 49), the play shall begin, and the player on the left of the declarer shall lead. 61. A declaration once made cannot be altered, except as provided by Law 53. DUMMY 62. As soon as a card is led by the eldest hand — i.e. the player on the left of the declarer — the declarer's partner shall place his cards face upwards on the table, and the duty of playing the cards from that hand, which is called Dummy, and of claiming and enforcing any penalties arising during the hand, shall devolve upon the declarer, unassisted by his partner. 63. Before placing his cards upon the table, the de- clarer's partner has all the rights of a player, but after so doing shall take no part whatever in the play, except that he has the right : — (a) To ask the declarer whether he has any of a suit which he may have renounced ; (b) To call the declarer'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 ; THE LAWS OF AUCTION BRIDGE 17 (d) To call attention to the fact that a trick has been wrongly gathered by either side ; (e) To participate in the discussion of any disputed question of fact, or of law ; (/) To correct an erroneous score. If he call attention to any other incident in the play of the hand, in respect of which any penalty might be exacted, the fact that he has done so shall deprive the declarer of the right of exacting such penalty against his adversaries. 64. If the declarer's partner, by touching a card, or otherwise, suggest the play of a card from Dummy, either of the adversaries may, but without consulting with his partner, call upon the declarer to play or not to play the card suggested. 65. When the declarer draws a card, either from his own hand or from Dummy, such card is not considered as played until actually quitted. 66. A card once played, or named by the declarer as to be played from his own hand or from Dummy, cannot be taken back, except to save a revoke. 67. The declarer's partner may not look over his ad- versaries' hands, nor leave his seat for the purpose of watching his partner's play. 68. Dummy is not liable to any penalty for a revoke, as his adversaries see his cards. Should he revoke, and the error not be discovered until the trick is turned and quitted, the trick stands good. 69. The declarer is not liable to any penalty for an error whence he can gain no advantage. Thus, he may expose some, or all of his cards, without incurring any penalty. EXPOSED CARDS 70. If, when all the cards have been dealt, and before the final declaration has been made, any player expose a card from his hand, the adversary on his left may demand a 2 18 THE LAWS OF AUCTION BRIDGE new deal. If the deal be allowed to stand, the exposed card may be taken up and cannot be called. 71. If, after the final declaration has been made, and before a card is led, the partner of the player who has to lead to the first trick exposes a card from his hand, the declarer may, instead of calling the card, require the leader not to lead the suit of the exposed card. CAEDS LIABLE TO BE CALLED 72. All cards exposed by the declarer's adversaries are liable to be called, and must be left face upwards on the table ; but a card is not an exposed card when dropped on the floor, or elsewhere below the table. 73. The following are exposed cards : — I. Two or more cards played at once. II. Any card dropped with its face upwards, or in any way exposed on or above the table, even though snatched up so quickly that no one can name it. 74. If either of the declarer's adversaries play to an imperfect trick the best card on the table, or lead one which is a winning card as against the declarer and his partner, and then lead again, without waiting for his partner to play, or play several such winning cards, one after the other, without waiting for his partner to play, the latter may be called on to win, if he can, the first or any other of those tricks, and the other cards thus impro- perly played are exposed cards. 75. Should the declarer indicate that all or any of the remaining tricks are his, he may be required to place his cards face upwards on the table ; but they are not liable to be called. 76. If either of the declarer's adversaries throws his cards on the table face upwards, such cards are exposed, and liable to be called by the declarer. 77. If all the players throw their cards on the table face upwards, the hands are abandoned, and the score THE LAWS OF AUCTION BRIDGE 19 must be left as claimed and admitted. The hands may be examined for the purpose of establishing a revoke, but for no other purpose. 78. A card detached from the rest of the hand of either of the declarer's adversaries, so as to be named, is liable to be called ; but should the declarer name a wrong card, he is liable to have a suit called when first he or his partner have the lead. 79. If a player, who has rendered himself liable to have the highest or lowest of a suit called, or to win or not to win a trick, fail to play as desired, though able to do so, or if when called on to lead one suit, lead another, having in his hand one or more cards of that suit demanded, he incurs the penalty of a revoke. 80. If either of the declarer's adversaries lead out of turn, the declarer may call a suit from him or his partner when it is next the turn of either of them to lead, or may call the card erroneously led. 81. If the declarer lead out of turn, either from his own hand or from Dummy, he incurs no penalty ; but he may not rectify the error after the second hand has played, unless called upon by either adversary to do so. 82. If any player lead out of turn, and the other three have followed him, the trick is complete, and the error cannot be rectified ; but if only the second, or the second and third, have played to the false lead, their cards, on discovery of the mistake, can be taken back ; and there is no penalty against any one, excepting the original offender, and then only when he is one of the declarer's adversaries. 83. In no case can a player be compelled to play a card which would oblige him to revoke. 84. The call of a card may be repeated until such card has been played. 85. If a player called on to lead a suit have none of it, the penalty is paid. 20 THE LAWS OF AUCTION BRIDGE CABDS PLAYED IN EBBOB, OB NOT PLAYED TO A TBICK 86. Should the third hand not have played, and the fourth play before his partner, the latter (not being Dummy or his partner) may be called on to win, or not to win, the trick. 87. If any one (not being Dummy) omit playing to a former trick, and such error be not discovered until he has played to the next, the adversaries may claim a new deal ; should they decide that the deal stands good, or should Dummy have omitted to play to a former trick, and such error be not discovered till he shall have played to the next, the surplus card at the end of the hand is considered to have been played to the imperfect trick, but does not constitute a revoke therein. 88. If any one play two cards to the same trick, or mix a card with a trick to which it does not properly belong, and the mistake be not discovered until the hand is played out, he (not being Dummy) is answerable for all consequent revokes he may have made. If, during the play of the hand, the error be detected, the tricks may be counted face downwards, in order to ascertain whether there be among them a card too many : should this be the case they may be searched, and the card restored ; the player (not being Dummy) is, however, liable for all revokes which he may have meanwhile made. THE BEVOKE 89. Is when a player (other than Dummy), holding one or more cards of the suit led, plays a card of a different suit. 90. The penalty for each revoke shall be :— (a) When the declarer revokes, his adversaries shall score 150 points in addition to any penalty which he may have incurred for not making good his declaration. (b) When either of the adversaries revokes, the declarer may score 150 points, or may take three tricks from his opponents and add them to his own. Such tricks THE LAWS OF AUCTION BRIDGE 21 taken as a penalty may assist the declarer to make good his declaration, but they shall not entitle him to score any bonus in the case of the declaration having been doubled or redoubled. The penalty of 150 points is not affected by doubling or redoubling. In no circumstances can partners score anything except for honours or Chicane on a hand in which one of them has revoked. 91. A revoke is established if the, trick in which it occurs has been turned and quitted — i.e. the hand removed from that trick after it has been turned face downwards on the table — or if either the revoking player or his partner, whether in his right turn or otherwise, lead or play to the following trick. 92. A player may ask his partner whether he has not a card of the suit which he has renounced ; should the question be asked before the trick is turned and quitted, subsequent turning and quitting does not establish the revoke, and the error may be corrected, unless the question be answered in the negative, or unless the revoking player or his partner have led or played to the following trick. 93. At the end of the hand, the claimants of a revoke may search all the tricks. 94. If a player discover his mistake in time to save a revoke, any player or players who have played after him may withdraw their cards and substitute others, and their cards withdrawn are not liable to be called. If the player in fault be one of the declarer's adversaries, the declarer may call the card thus played in error, or may require him to play his highest or lowest card to that trick in which he has renounced. 95. If the player in fault be the declarer, the eldest hand may require him to play the highest or lowest card of the suit in which he has renounced, provided both of the declarer's adversaries have played to the current trick ; but this penalty cannot be exacted from the de- 22 THE LAWS OF AUCTION BRIDGE clarer when he is fourth in hand, nor can it be enforced at all from Dummy. 96. After a revoke has been claimed, if the accused player or his partner mix the cards before they have been sufficiently examined by the adversaries, the revoke is established. 97. A revoke cannot be claimed after the cards have been cut for the following deal. 98. If a revoke occur, be claimed and proved, bets on the odd trick, or on the amount of the score, must be decided by the actual state of the score after the penalty is paid. 99. Should both sides subject themselves to the penalty for a revoke, neither side can score anything except for honours or Chicane ; should either or both sides revoke more than once, the side making the fewest revokes scores 150 points for each extra revoke. CALLING FOR NEW CARDS 100. Any player (on paying for them) before, but not after, the pack be cut for the deal, may call for fresh cards. He must call for two new packs, of which the dealer takes his choice. GENERAL RULES 101. Any one during the play of a trick, or after the four cards are played, and before, but not after, they are touched for the purpose of gathering them together, may demand that the cards be placed before their respective players. 102. If either of the declarer's adversaries, prior to his partner playing, should call attention to the trick — either by saying that it is his, or by naming his card, or, without being required so to do, by drawing it towards him — the declarer may require that opponent's partner to play hia highest or lowest of the suit then led, or to win or not to win the trick. THE LAWS OF AUCTION BRIDGE 23 103. Should the partner of the player solely entitled to exact a penalty suggest or demand the enforcement of it, no penalty can be enforced. Should any player claim a penalty to which he is not entitled, he loses his right to exact any penalty. 104. In all cases where a penalty has been incurred, the offender is bound to give reasonable time for the decision of his adversaries. 105. If a bystander make any remark which calls the attention of a player or players to an oversight affecting the score, he is liable to be called on, by the players only, to pay the stakes and all bets on that game or rubber. 106. A bystander, by agreement among the players, may decide any question. 107. A card or cards torn or marked must be either replaced by agreement, or new cards called at the expense of the table. 108. Once a trick is complete, turned, and quitted, it must not be looked at (except under Law 88) until the end of the hand. THREE-HANDED AUCTION BRIDGE The Laws are the same as those of Auction Bridge, except as varied by the following : — I. The game is played by three players, all against all ; the table being complete with four players. II. The player who cuts the lowest card has the first deal ; the player cutting the next lowest card sits on the dealer's left, and the remaining player on the dealer's right. The cards are dealt as at Auction Bridge, but the cards dealt to Dummy are not taken up until after the final declaration has been made. If whilst dealing a card be exposed, there must be a new deal. HE. The dealer makes his declaration, and the bidding 24 THE LAWS OF AUCTION BRIDGE continues as at Auction Bridge, except that the players sitting opposite each other are not partners, and their declarations are on their own account. There shall be no new deal on account of a player making a declaration out of turn, but the player so offending shall forfeit 50 points to each of the players, the right to declare remaining with the player whose turn it was to make a declaration. The player making the final declaration (i.e. the declara- tion that has been passed by the other two players) plays his own hand and that of Dummy against the other two players, who then, and for that particular hand, become partners. If one of the players happens to be sitting opposite the declarer, he must move into the vacant seat at the table, thereby facing the player who becomes his partner for that hand. IV. If, after the deal has been completed, and before a card is led, any player expose a card from his hand, he shall forfeit 100 points to each of the other players ; and the declarer — if he be not the offender — may call upon the eldest hand not to lead from the suit of the exposed card. If he does not exercise this right, the card must be left on the table as an exposed card. If the card be exposed by the declarer, after the final declaration has been made, there is no penalty. V. If a player double out of turn, he forfeits 100 points to each of his adversaries, and the player whose declara- tion has been so doubled shall have the right to say whether or not the double shall stand. The bidding is then re- sumed ; but if the double has been disallowed, the said declaration cannot be doubled by the player on the right of the offender. VI. The rubber consists of four games ; but when two games have been won by the same player, the other, or others, are not played. VII. When the declarer makes good his declaration, he scores as at Auction Bridge ; when he fails to do so, he loses to each of his adversaries. VIII. The scoring is the same as at Auction Bridge, THE LAWS OF AUCTION BRIDGE 25 except with regard to honours, which are scored by each player severally — i.e. each player who has one honour in spades scores two ; each player having two honours in spades scores four ; a player holding three honours in spades scores six ; a player holding four scores sixteen ; and a player holding five honours in spades scores twenty ; and similarly for the other suits. In a " no trump " declara- tion, aces count ten each ; and if all four be held by one player, one hundred. IX. One hundred points are scored by each player for every game he wins, and the winner of the rubber adds a further two hundred and fifty points to his score. X. At the conclusion of the rubber, the total scores obtained by each player are added up separately, and each player wins from, or loses to, each other player the differ- ence between his score and that of the said other player. ETIQUETTE OF AUCTION BRIDGE The following rules belong to the established Etiquette of Auction Bridge. They are not called laws, as it is difficult — in some cases impossible — to apply any penalty to their infraction, and the only remedy is to cease to play with players who habitually disregard them. It is unfair to purposely make an impossible declaration, or one insufficient to overbid the previous one. Any one, having the lead and one or more winning cards to play, should not draw a second card out of his hand until his partner has played to the first trick, such act being a distinct intimation that the former has played a winning card. A player who has looked at his cards, ought not to give any indication by word or gesture as to the nature of his hand, or call the attention of his partner to the score of the game. A player who desires the cards to be placed, should do 26 THE LAWS OF AUCTION BRIDGE it for his own information only, and not in order to invite the attention of his partner. No player should object to refer to a bystander, who professes himself uninterested in the game and able to decide, a disputed question of facts ; as to who played any particular card — whether honours were claimed though not scored, or vice versd — etc., etc. It is unfair to revoke purposely ; having made a revoke, a player is not justified in making a second in order to conceal the first. COMPLETE AUCTION BRIDGE CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION When, in the last decade of the nineteenth century, Bridge took the card-rooms of the world by storm, and entirely routed the ancient game of Whist — which had held despotic sway for upwards of 200 years — those who acclaimed its advent with such enthusiasm little recked that, even before it had attained its majority, the new arrival would have to make way for a successor. Yet so it is, and Bridge has had to admit a serious rival in Auction. It is not difficult to account for this seeming fickleness. The whole tendency of our age is to move more rapidly, to secure greater freedom of action, and to increase the element of speculation in our lives. Whist was dethroned by Bridge because Whist had become too slow, and players chafed against con- ditions which confined them within such narrow limits. Bridge, which did away with the arbitrary method 27 28 AUCTION BRIDGE of determining the trump suit, introduced the doubling option, and relieved one player from taking an active part in the game in each deal, immediately sprang into public favour. After a time the prescriptive privileges of the dealing side at Bridge proved to be a cardinal blem- ish, and, other defective features contributing to its downfall, its votaries began to cast about for some means of abolishing these drawbacks. The principle of bidding for the privilege of settling the trump suit, and playing the hand, was found to afford an attractive remedy ; and Auction Bridge was born. How long it will be before the new favourite is, in its turn, challenged need not at present enter into consideration. For the moment Auction Bridge is all-conquering, and it behoves us therefore to make the best of what we have. It will be my endeavour in the following pages to set forth and explain its principles in a manner as clear and con- vincing as possible, with the dual object of attract- ing new adherents to the game, and of rendering it even more agreeable to those already devoted to it. Auction Bridge has now been in vogue for three or four years ; and it is only necessary to compare the way in which it is played at the present time, with the teachings of the earliest writers, in order to see what immense progress has been made. Just as, in its infancy, Bridge proceeded upon altogether erroneous lines, so Auction Bridge was taught at first upon a totally wrong basis. Before this book is published, it is possible there may be still further developments ; because, after INTRODUCTION 29 all, in every pastime that is extensively practised, constant improvement is bound to be the outcome of increasing experience. In the foreword to my book upon Bridge I have pointed out how in order that the game may be played intelligibly it is essential that certain con- ventions should be generally understood and a set of broad general principles be commonly followed. What applies to Bridge applies in the same way to Auction, and it is incumbent upon every one, before joining a table, to familiarise himself with, at any rate, the most ordinary conversation of the game. To presume to cut in to a table at Auction Bridge, without first having made oneself conversant with the laws, and the ordinary usages of those who play it, constitutes an offence at least as great as entering for a boat race when one has never handled an oar in one's life. Before proceeding further it may be of interest to review some of the reasons that have caused Auction Bridge to be preferred by so many players to the parent game. In the first place, whenever you hold a good hand at Auction Bridge, it is always an asset of value ; whereas at Bridge, unless you are one of the dealing side, you may hold nine or ten hearts and all the aces, and still derive little or no profit from them. Nevertheless, although this is one of its main ad- vantages, there is also a reverse side to the picture, and unless you do hold a good hand at Auction, you may play several rubbers in succession without ever becoming the declarer. This, of course, can never happen at Bridge. 30 AUCTION BRIDGE Another strong point in favour of Auction Bridge is that, owing to there being a penalty above the line, of 50 points for every under- trick lost, irrespec- tive of what the declaration may be, it is just as important to fulfil a contract with a black suit trumps, as one without trumps (except a one spade declaration, in which the maximum penalty is limited to 100 points), and therefore the play of every hand is invested with a substantial interest. At Bridge the dealer has an advantage that is admittedly disproportionately great. At Auction Bridge, although the deal — pace the ideas of some players — confers an undoubted advantage, this has been very materially reduced. At Auction Bridge, to win the rubber never be- comes a forlorn hope, because the right to bid gives every player a chance of playing the cards in every deal, this privilege not being borne by the dealing side as at Bridge. Apart from the pleasure inherent in the bidding itself, this feature exerts a levelling influence. What I mean is that many players, although un- skilful in the play of the cards, greatly excel in the Auction department of the game, and their superiority in declaring compensates them in no small measure for their defective play. The com- posite nature of Auction Bridge thus tends to place players more or less on an equality, and adds, in consequence, to its popularity. In regard to the foregoing, a very widespread and erroneous impression has been allowed to gain ground, to the effect that at Auction Bridge the bidding is of overwhelming importance, and that INTRODUCTION 31 skilful play of the cards is of comparatively little value. This fallacy is due to the misleading pro- nouncements of those writers first in the field, who propounded it along with various other hasty inac- curacies. What appears to have given rise to their view is that, because players by their declarations disclose their strongest suits, therefore it requires no deduc- tive power to place, not only all the suits, but pre- sumably also all the cards — becaues it is the cards after all, and not the suits, that matter. It is true that, when players have been declaring freely, a certain amount of information has been imparted ,as to the holders of the different suits ; but this is not a point that ever required much inferential subtlety. The bidding does not tell one what cards are held, and it is in the placing of the cards, and in regulating one's play accordingly, that the skilful player reaps the benefit of his skill. The only standard by which to estimate the comparative value of skilful and indifferent play, is the number of points that reward the former, or penalise the latter. Let us now appraise the two by this test. It is the final game of a rubber at Bridge, and the dealer is 24 up. He declares hearts ; and in con- sequence of bad play, makes only the odd trick, instead of three by cards, as a good player would have done. Nevertheless he scores 8 below, and wins the game and rubber. All the punishment his bad play inflicts upon him is a decrease of 16 points in the rubber total, representing the value of the two tricks lost by his lack of skill. 32 AUCTION BRIDGE Now let us see what happens at Auction Bridge. The declarer, who is 24 up in the final game, has been pushed up to two hearts. (He would never be left in with one heart at that score.) He plays badly and, instead of making three by cards, he only makes the odd trick. He is not allowed to score anything below, and so fails to win the rubber, which his adversaries win next deal. He is also penalised 50 above for his lost under- trick. At Bridge the average value of a rubber is 170 points. At Auction Bridge it is 400 points. In this case the player's bad play at Bridge loses him 16 points out of his 170, and he still wins (say) 154 points. At Auction it loses him 800 points ; or, in the event of his finally winning the rubber, it has cost him 58 points. Measured by points good play at Bridge gains 16 points. At Auction it gains 816 points ; whilst bad play at Bridge does not deprive the player of his gain of 154 points, though it loses at Auction from 200 to 1,000 points ! Surely it is unnecessary to adduce stronger evidence than this in favour of the importance of good play at the new game ; although it may incidentally be stated that doubling may still further enhance its importance. My allusion in the preceding paragraphs to the value of rubbers at Bridge and Auction Bridge affords an opening here for reference to a mistaken impression that prevails somewhat extensively — an impression that Auction Bridge involves the inter- change of much more money than Bridge. If one plays for the same points, of course it does : but no one thinks of doing so. As well ban Vint (the parent of both games — at which a player INTRODUCTION 33 who holds a quart major in the trump suit scores 2,000 for it !) as a gambling medium, whereas it is nothing of the kind. It is quite easy for those who play all these games to reduce them to the same money value, by proportioning their points. In the case of Auction Bridge, it is only necessary to halve your Bridge points in order to bring the two games to the same pecuniary level. A Bridge rubber is worth 170 points, and an Auction Bridge rubber 400 points. The latter takes longer to play : so that if you are in the habit of playing six- penny points at Bridge, threepenny points at Auction will total about the same ; but if you want to be quite on the safe side, double your Auction Bridge points, and divide them by five. Thus : the rubber is worth 400 points. Multiply by 2, and divide by 5, and you will get 160, or 10 less than a Bridge rubber, and you will get more play for your money ! I think I have now made out a very good case in favour of the new game ; but it would be foolish to remain silent regarding one very serious defect indeed, which is that one is so entirely at the mercy of one's partner. At Bridge he cannot do very much harm, beyond an occasional error of judgment. At Auction there is practically no limit to the losses he may inflict upon you. He has it in his power to make impossible declarations, embark upon dis- astrous doubles, and, by his inability to remain silent, to convert a splendid winning position into one involving a very serious loss. These powers for evil are all in addition to, and apart from, the ordinary every-day partnership afflictions of want 3 34 AUCTION BRIDGE of knowledge and bad play. This constitutes the gravest objection to the game. Nevertheless, in spite of this unfortunate draw- back, I am satisfied that all who take to Auction Bridge will agree that it is a most enjoyable game, of infinite variety and absorbing interest, and that it is in no need of any special pleading on its behalf. CHAPTER II DESCRIPTION OF THE GAME The table having been formed, partners deter- mined, and the deal completed, in the manner pre- scribed in the Laws, it devolves upon the dealer to start the game. This is done by his announcing that, in con- junction with his partner's cards, he undertakes to win a declared number of tricks above six, with some suit which he names trumps, or without a trump. This announcement, or declaration, constitutes the bid, or call. The standard of value employed in bidding is the number of tricks each bidder announces that he is prepared to make in the different suits. The lowest bid of all is " one spade," which is a bid of two ; and means that the bidder undertakes, with his own and his partner's cards, to win seven tricks with the spade suit trumps. One club, which is a bid of four, overbids one spade. One diamond overbids one club ; one heart, one diamond ; and one No Trump, one heart, but although one No Trump, which is a bid of twelve, overbids one heart ; two diamonds, which is also a bid of twelve, overbids one No Trump ; because it entails winning an additional 35 36 AUCTION BRIDGE trick, and to make a greater number of tricks is a more diffioult undertaking, even though they only count the same. For this reason two spades, and three spades, overcall one club, and one diamond, respectively ; and two clubs overcall one diamond, or one heart. Three clubs overcall one No Trump or two diamonds ; and three hearts take precedence over two No Trumps — and so on. The doubling and redoubling of a bid does not alter its value for Auction purposes, because it does not make the accomplishment of the under- taking any more difficult. Thus, supposing a bid of two diamonds is doubled and redoubled, in- creasing its tricks value to 24, and 48, it may still be overcalled by two hearts, or three clubs, not- withstanding that the trick values of these latter are respectively only 16, and 12. Doubling and redoubling, however, reopen the bidding. The only player who is obliged to make a bid of some kind is the dealer, who has not the option of passing. The privilege of bidding passes from the dealer, from left to right in rotation ; and any bidder may, in his proper turn, make any bid up to grand slam in No Trumps. Each bid, however, must be higher than the preceding one ; and should a player inadvertently make a call which does not outbid the previous one, he has to raise it. For instance, if a player erroneously declares one heart over two clubs, it is obligatory upon him to correct his call to two hearts ; and, moreover, his partner DESCRIPTION OF THE GAME 37 is debarred from any further bid, unless either adversary doubles or raises. The dealer having announced his bid, the player on his left may either pass or bid higher, or he may double the declarer's call — and so on all round. A player may not double a declaration of his partner's, but he may redouble a bid of his partner's which has been doubled by an adversary. When a bid has been made which is passed by the other three players, it becomes the declaration, and the hand is played accordingly. Such de- claration or undertaking is generally referred to as " the contract." Whichever of the two partners who made the first bid, in the suit or No Trump which has finally been passed, becomes the " de- clarer " (this is the designation conferred upon him in the Laws), takes the place of the dealer, and plays the two hands, his partner's being exposed upon the table. Only the declarer and his partner can score " below the line," or towards the game ; and that only when they fulfil their contract. If they fail in their undertaking, the penalties for their want of success are scored " above the line " — along with scores for honours, chicane, slams, etc. The penalty for the non-fulfilment of a contract is the same whatever the declaration. Whether you undertake to make two by tricks with clubs trumps, or two by tricks without trumps, if you only win five tricks, your adversaries are entitled to score 150 points above the line, just the same for the club as for the No Trump. If the de- 38 AUCTION BRIDGE claration has been doubled, or redoubled, they may score 300 or 600. If, however, the declaration has been doubled, and the declarer fulfils his contract, he and his partner score 50 above the line, besides the doubled value of the tricks below : and furthermore, they score an additional 50 points above for each trick that they may make in excess of their contract. In the case of a redoubled bid, these bonuses are each increased to 100 points. Whenever the declarer fails in his contract, nothing is scored below the line on either side. For example, he undertakes to make " three hearts," and makes only eight tricks, he loses 50 above the line, but he does not score 16 below. Honour scores are scored as held, whether the declarer succeeds or not : and, of course, all tricks made in excess of a contract are credited, and count towards the game and rubber total. An illustration of how the bidding proceeds will help to make the foregoing clearer. Z deals and declares one spade. A doubles. Y declares one heart. B declares one No Trump. Z declares two hearts. A, Y, and B each pass. Y, who made the first bid in hearts, becomes the declarer, B has to lead, and Z becomes Dummy, exposing his hand upon the table. If Y Z win 8 trioks, they fulfil their contract and score 16 below the line. If they win 9 tricks, they score 24 below ; but DESCRIPTION OF THE GAME 39 if they only win 7 tricks, they score nothing below, and lose 50 points penalty above for failing to fulfil their contract. Again : Z deals and declares one heart. A declares two clubs. Y doubles. B declares two diamonds. Z declares two hearts. A doubles. Y declares two No Trumps. B doubles. Z, A, and Y pass. Y becomes the declarer, B the leader, and Z's hand is exposed. If Y Z win ten tricks they score 96 below, and 150 above the line : 50 for making the eight tricks that they contracted to make, and 50 for each of the two tricks in excess. If Y Z win eight tricks, they score 48 below, and 50 above the line, as a bonus for fulfilling their doubled contract. If Y Z win seven tricks only, they lose 100 above for the doubled under-trick, and score nothing below : and for each trick less than seven, they would lose another 100 ; so that if A B win eight tricks, Y Z would lose 300 above. The only limitation in penalties attaches to a one spade contract. If the declaration is to make one spade only, all the declarer can lose is 100 points above, even though his adversaries double and make a grand slam. This is the protection afforded by the Laws to a side which happens to be destitute of any cards of value. 40 AUCTION BRIDGE Let us now proceed to a consideration of the general principles of the game and the play of the cards ; but before doing so it will be necessary to explain the notation employed in the succeeding pages. Before the final declaration is accepted, the players will be denoted by the points of the com- pass : North, South, East, and West, and South will always be the dealer. After the final declaration has been passed, the player of the two hands will be designated the declarer : the player on his left, the elder hand ; his partner, the dummy ; and the player on his right, the younger hand. CHAPTER III GENERAL PRINCIPLES Auction Bridge first took root in London at the Bath Club, where it was played for some time before becoming more generally known. Gradually it spread from there, until it succeeded in effecting an entrance into the Portland Club. Once having established itself in that stronghold of Bridge, where it met with a very cordial reception, the game became, as it were, hall marked, and its success was assured. This was in 1908, and a Joint Committee, com- posed of Members of both the above Clubs, then framed the first set of Laws ; which was published in August of that year. In 1909 these Laws under- went revision and improvement, and the revised Code then drawn up is the one that now governs the game in Great Britain and all its Dominions. There is no need to criticise or discuss these laws, which are in themselves quite clear and compre- hensive. At the commencement, there were two distinct schools of players, who represented, I believe, the different methods followed at the Bath and Portland Clubs. One set always declared up to the limit capacity 41 42 AUCTION BRIDGE of their hands, and strove to win the game and rubber as soon as possible ; and the other aimed at concealing what strength they held, with the object of luring on their adversaries to declare beyond the value of their cards, and then, by defeating these declarations, to accumulate penalty scores above the line. The first, or straightforward school, depended for its success upon holding the necessary good cards ; and since its unvarying form of strategy eliminated some of the most interesting features of the game, it cannot be said to have embodied its most correct principles. The second, or concealment school, relied for the success of their plan upon a childlike innocence on the part of their opponents, who were expected to fall into the palpable snare of declaring in excess of what their holdings warranted ; whereupon, all the liers-in-wait had to do was to unmask their batteries and annihilate their unsuspecting victims ! Unfortunately for the adherents of this simple system, they found that their adversaries also possessed some faint glimmerings of that intel- 1 gence of which they appeared to think they owned a monopoly, and refused to be enticed into transparent traps of that nature, so that this in- genuous scheme was also doomed to fail. In short, both these methods proved defective, because they were insufficiently elastic. In no pursuit is it possible for exactly the same procedure to prosper under all conditions ; and one's tactics must always be varied, in order to meet varying sets of circumstances. In the case of Auction GENERAL PRINCIPLES 43 Bridge, it is necessary to adapt one's game so that it shall be suited to an ever-changing position. The concealment school was responsible for a ridiculous practice which ordained that, in nine cases out of ten, the dealer should declare one spade ; and for a resulting corollary that, in such cases, it was incumbent upon his partner to make some other bid, in order to give the dealer a chance of coming in again. It was hoped that a one- spade call would tempt the adversaries into making declarations, and so give the dealer some indication of their holdings before he started out to bid seriously. Since, however, the adversaries knew, just as well as the dealer, that they would have another say, they were not such simpletons as to play into his hands ; and unless they wished to convey in- formation of value to one another, they merely passed, thus rendering entirely nugatory the object of this fatuous convention. Its only effect was that very often the dealer was left to get out of a call of two spades, without any information at all ; and when the law was introduced limiting the loss on a call of one spade to 100 points, this proved a serious handicap. Accordingly its in- efficacy having been exposed, the convention of Dummy invariably overbidding the dealer's one spade call ceased to exist, and there is now no longer any such convention. Another extraordinary proceeding that had quite a vogue in the early days of Auction Bridge was the making of impossible declarations with the object of preventing your adversaries from winning 44 AUCTION BRIDGE the rubber. This very expensive pastime was defined as "keeping the flag flying"; and that high-sounding designation perhaps helped to invest its folly with a sentimental halo of heroism. It was speedily found to be as costly as it was useless, and new adherents failed to be attracted by its seductions. There are occasions, of course, when it pays to make a declaration in order to prevent the ad- versaries going out ; but such declarations are exceptions, and must always be made with dis- cretion. Likewise opportunities often occur of making a heavy score above the line ; but players must remember that, unless rubbers are won, they will never make money at Auction Bridge. When to bid oneself, and when to defeat the bids of one's adversaries, is the attribute that constitutes skill in declaring. The possession of a right perception of when to do the one, and when the other, coupled with skilful play of the cards, is the com- bination requisite to make a really fine Auction Bridge player. Auction Bridge is practically divided into two well-defined component parts : (a) the bidding to secure the declaration ; and (b) the play of the cards after the bidding is over. A similar division exists at Bridge, but in a much less marked degree, because, at the parent game, the declaration is simple, and has, to all intents and purposes, been standardised by calculation. Auction Bridge, how- ever, has not yet been long enough in existence to afford sufficient data to be similarly treated, whilst GENERAL PRINCIPLES 45 it is doubtful, moreover, whether the declaration at the new game can ever be authoritatively fixed, on account of the constant variations that are intro- duced by the succeeding bids, as well as by reason of the large proportion of the personal element that enters into it. No Trump Formula The declaration will be dealt with first, but, before commencing, it will be necessary to fix some standard for determining what constitutes a hand upon which it is worth declaring No Trumps. A formula known as the " Robertson Rule," for estimating the value of a hand for a No Trump declaration at Bridge, has been accepted by a good many Bridge players ; but since this formula has not been worked out scientifically, it allots an in- sufficient number of points to an ace, and is there- fore unsound. Mr. Whitf eld's formula, which I have given in my book on Bridge, has the merit of being arrived at by exact methods, and may therefore be accepted as more correct. It is this standard which will be utilised in this treatise. Here it is : — " Assign as follows to guarded honours : — To an Ace, 9 points ; to a King, 5 ; to a Queen, 3 ; to a Knave, 2 ; and to a Ten, 1. Two to a Queen, and one to a Knave, partly guarded. Subtract one for a suit of five cards without honours in sequence ; and add one for three honours in sequence. In the case of an estab- lished suit, add one extra if it consists of six cards, and two if it consists of seven. The minimum total for a No Trump declaration should be 26." 46 AUCTION BRIDGE At Bridge this minimum of 26 is the standard for the dealer ; and it may be taken at Auction Bridge as a guide for an original one No Trump. When making use of it, care must be taken to see that the honours are properly guarded ; and cards that form the guard must not be allotted their full value but a point must be deducted. For instance, a King is guarded when he has the ten, nine behind him. This ten is not reckoned. A suit consisting of Queen, Knave, ten, and one other, counts 5 and not 6 ; but if it is a five-card suit, it is worth seven. The formula, unlike the Persico-Median law, is not immutable, and if you prefer to declare on a higher or lower total you can do so, always bearing in mind that if you lower the limit you are laying a bit more odds than you ought. Lastly it is not suggested that whenever you deal yourself a hand counting 26 or more you should declare one No Trump, and the formula is given merely in order to provide you with an easy method of estimating what your cards are worth. Examples of No Trump Hands Here are six examples of minimum one No Trump hands for the dealer : — No. 1. No. 2. Hearts — 10, 6. Hearts — King, knave, 8. Diamonds — 9, 3. Diamonds — Queen, 10, 6. Clubs — King, 4. Clubs — King, knave, 7, 4, 2. Spades — Ace, king, queen, Spades — Ace, queen, knave, 7, 6, 2. No. 3. No. 4. Hearts — King, queen, 6. Hearts — Ace, 6, 3. Diamonds — King, queen, 5. Diamonds — 10, 8. Clubs — King, knave, 4. Clubs — Ace, king, queen, 9, 4 t Spades— King, 10, 3, 2. Spades— 7, 5, 2. GENERAL PRINCIPLES 47 No. 5. No. 6. Hearts — Queen, 7, 6, 5. Hearts — Ace, knave, 4. Diamonds — Queen, knave, 8. Diamonds — King, 10, 6, 2. Clubs— 10. Clubs— Ace, 8, 7. Spades — Ace, king, queen, Spades — Queen, 5, 3. knave, 4. Obviously there is a good deal of risk about No. 1 ; but if a Club is led, or should you be able to get in in a red suit by means of Dummy, you are sure of eight tricks right away. Again, if the long suit is in hearts or diamonds, instead of spades, you will of course declare the red suit in preference to No Trump ; and the same with hand No. 5. With hand No. 4, transpose the hearts and clubs, and the former suit should be chosen rather than No Trump — but these are all points that will be elucidated as we go along. CHAPTER IV DECLARATIONS BY THE DEALER Before proffering your first bid as dealer, you must decide whether your cards admit of your making an effort to win the game ; or whether they are only strong enough to support your partner, or hamper your adversaries ; or whether they are so poor as to necessitate defensive measures. It is here that the advantage of the deal comes in. It enables you to open the campaign in whichever manner you fancy will be most beneficial to you, and on many occasions this is a very valuable privilege indeed. As dealer, there will be ten bids, and ten bids only, from which you will have to make your choice. Here they are : — Two No Trumps, one No Trump, one heart, two hearts, one diamond, two diamonds, one club, two clubs, one spade, and two spades. Let us take them in order, and deal with each separately. No Trumps Two No Trumps is a bid you will only make when you have a powerful No Trump hand ; but one in which there is a weak spot : and your object in making such a high call to start with is in order to shut out any informatory bidding 48 DECLARATIONS BY THE DEALER 49 by your adversaries. Should you bid one No Trump only West or East may raise you with a bid of two hearts or two diamonds, and if you then go up to two No Trumps, the partner of the bidder of the red suit may be able to support the bid, and raise it to three hearts — or even to four diamonds. This would necessitate your going inside the danger line. In any case your adversaries are given an opportunity of in- forming one another about their hands. When you declare two No Trumps, it requires a powerful red suit, unaided, to outbid you. Here are four hands typifying the kind of distribution upon which you should bid two No Trumps. No. 1. No. 2. Hearts — King, 8. Hearts — Ace, 7. Diamonds — Ace, king. Diamonds — 8. Clubs — Queen, knave, 9. Clubs — Ace, king, 9. Spades — Ace, king, queen, Spades — King, queen, knave, knave, 7, 6. 10, 5, 4, 2. No. 3. No. 4. Hearts — Ace, 9. Hearts — 10, 9, 8. Diamonds — 8, 2. Diamonds — King, queen. Clubs — Ace, king, queen, 7, 6, Clubs — King, queen. 5. Spades — Ace, king, queen, Spades — Ace, 4, 3. knave 7, 3. To shut out opposing bids is particularly useful when it is the final game, and when you are ahead. Under such conditions the adversaries will generally try to keep you out, but to do this against an original two No Trumps requires wonderful cards or con- siderable courage. You may of course come to serious grief. Supposing in hand No. 1 the elder leads a club ; which his partner wins, and returns a heart through, finding ace, queen, and a longish heart suit on declarer's left : or, supposing in hands 4 50 AUCTION BRIDGE 2 and 3 the elder doubles with a solid diamond suit, or in 4 on a similar heart suit, you will lose heavily above ; but these are risks you must be prepared to run, for the advantage of preventing an adverse suit being declared against you, when it is divided between your two adversaries. When you have a very strong hand, and are guarded in every suit, it is generally preferable to declare No Trumps originally, and hear what your adversaries have to say. They may be tempted to overcall their hands, when you will be in the most advan- tageous position of all at Auction Bridge, namely that of selecting whether to go for the game ; or double, and score above the line. Unless you are pretty sure to make the game, it is more profitable to play to defeat your opponents. If, however, the game appears a certainty, do not forego it, or you may never have another chance. Supposing the score is love all in the final game of the rubber, and you are a bit behind in the total, when you deal yourself the following hand : — Hearts ; ace, queen, 6 ; Diamonds ; queen, knave, 10 ; Clubs, ace, king, queen ; and Spades ; ace, queen, knave, 4. You should declare one No Trump. You are guarded all round, and have strength in the red suits, and you are prepared to bid up to two No Trumps on your own cards ; but, without some help from Dummy, you can hardly expect to make three by cards. It is there- fore advantageous to hear what the other players have to say. West bids two diamonds : North and East pass. You now of course bid two No Trumps. West and North pass and East declares DECLARATIONS BY THE DEALER 51 three hearts. It is better not to raise your bid to three No Trumps, but you should double three hearts. It is practically certain that the Declarer cannot make good ; whereas it is also improbable, that with strong diamonds and hearts against you, you will be able to win the game : and it pays better to score 200 or 300 above, rather than win 24 below and reckon 30 for aces. Of course if your partner happens to hold the king of spades, you can make three by tricks without a trump ; but on the other hand, if West holds seven diamonds to ace, king, and the kings of spades and hearts, you will not make even two by cards — but you will still break the three heart contract. Supposing you hold the king of spades instead of the small one, the game becomes a moral certainty, and you should bid three No Trumps and secure it. Many players would still prefer to double three hearts ; but I do not think this is right. Let us presume the hands to be as under : — Declarer. Elder. Hearts — King, knave, 10, 7, Hearts — Ace, queen, 6. 3,2. Diamonds — Queen, knave, 10. Diamonds — 9. Clubs — Ace, king, queen. Clubs — 9, 7, 5, 3, Spades — Ace, queen, knave, 4. Spades, 10, 8. Dummy. Younger. Hearts — 9, 8. Hearts — 5, 4. Diamonds — Ace, king, 7, 5, 4, Diamonds — 8, 6. 3 2 Clubs— 10. Clubs— Knave, 8, 6, 4, 2. Spades— 9, 7, 5. Spades— King, 6, 3, 2. By doubling, you would score 300 above the line, which would put your total 270 ahead of your ad- versaries. In the next deal they score 24 below and 52 AUCTION BRIDGE 32 above. You are now at a disadvantage ; and in the following deal are compelled to overcall, in order to keep them from winning the rubber. Thereby you lose 100 above, less 16 for honours. At the next deal your adversaries score 60 below and 40 above, and win the rubber. Let us see how the balance sheet works out. If you had declared three No Trumps, instead of doubling three hearts, you would have scored four by tricks, and 30 above ; and, at that point being 30 behind, would have won a rubber of 298 points. As it is, you lose a rubber of 220 — a difference of 518 points. Even if you lose the rubber on the deal immediately succeeding the one when you refrained from winning it, you still lose 80 points, instead of winning 298, or a difference of 378 points. The importance of not throwing away the substance is very clearly exemplified by this analysis. The next declaration to discuss is that of one No Trump. At the time of writing, this is perhaps the most popular declaration of all ; the reason being that most players have a fancy for playing their cards without a trump, although this is probably the most difficult phase of the game. No more is lost in penalties when you fail in a No Trump contract, than with a suit declaration ; whilst, if it is successful, it is the one by which you are most likely to achieve game. This circumstance, by the way, has given rise to a popular delusion, that when you bid one spade you are laying odds of 25 to 1 on fulfilling your contract ; but that when you bid one No Trump you are only laying 50 to 12. You are of course doing DECLARATIONS BY THE DEALER 53 nothing of the kind in either case. The fallacy is founded on the fact that, if you make your one spade, you only score 2 points below, though if you lose it you lose 50 above ; whereas, if you make your one No Trump, you score 12 below ; though, if you lose it, you still lose only 50 above. The error consists in confusing your chance of making seven tricks with the reward you receive for making them, or the penalty you pay for failing to do so. Needless to say that the one has nothing to do with the other. It is possible to work out the odds in favour of or against the number of tricks that may be made with every conceivable combina- tion of cards, and with any declaration ; but, apart from such a computation taking a very long time, and entailing an immense amount of labour, its results would only occupy a great deal of space, and would, moreover, be quite useless, since no one could possibly memorise them. Suffice it to say that there are 635,013,559,600 possible hands at Auction Bridge ; and that the odds against any named com- bination of 52 cards being dealt to four players, and at the same time against naming the last card dealt, are 697,381,590,951,354,306,910,086,719,999 to 1 ; so that the stupendous magnitude of the task of attempting to commit to memory the odds against the capacities of even a fracture of the hands that may be held is at once apparent. Nevertheless I think one or two simple illustra- tions will serve to explain the misconception I have alluded to. Supposing you hold a septieme major in spades, with no other card in your hand above a three, and 54 AUCTION BRIDGE you declare one spade. It is an absolute certainty that you will make it — but if you declare one No Trump, you will stand a very good chance of losing upstairs. Similarly with a quart major in clubs, a single ace of spades, and the aces of hearts and diamonds, each at the head of three small ones, what risk do you run by bidding one No Trump ? You score 12 below and 100 above to a certainty. If you declare two No Trumps, you cannot lose anything, even if you are doubled, although you only make seven tricks. If you are not doubled, you still score 50 above. You may even bid three No Trumps, and unless you are doubled you cannot lose any- thing, although you only make seven tricks. What has the 50 penalty or the 2 or the 12 below to do with the odds you are laying, in any of the above examples, on fulfilling your contract ? Or, finally, supposing with the last hand you bid one spade, and the declaration stands (of course such a case could not be), and one of your adversaries holds a huitieme king in spades, and a quint king in dia- monds or hearts. You must lose 266 above. The 50 above has nothing to do with it. The odds against your succeeding in your contract are deter- mined by the cards you hold. There is yet one more point in connection with these tricks and penalty points. In the first two games of a rubber, points below the line are worth double as much as points above ; and in the final game, they are worth three times as much ; so that the ratio between the reward for (say) a heart trick in the final game, and the penalty for failing, is as 24 is to 50. DECLARATIONS BY THE DEALER 55 To return to the declaration of one No Trump. I have already explained what it should be made when you have a very strong hand indeed ; but that is a different matter from the ordinary one No Trump call which, apart from the advantage I have pointed out, possesses the further merit of stopping informatory bids by your adversaries. When you have a bare 26 point No Trump hand, you do not want to minimise the advantage you will have in playing the cards, by permitting either or both adversaries to intimate to one another the suits they are strong in. Take these hands : — Dealer. West. Hearts — Ace, 7. Diamonds — King, 9. Clubs — King, queen, knave, 5, 2. les— Knave, 10, 6, 4. Hearts — Queen, 9, 6. Diamonds — Ace, queen, 8, 6, 4. Clubs— 7, 3. Spades — King, 5, 2. North. East. Hearts— 8, 4, 2. Diamonds — 5, 3, 2. Clubs— Ace, 10, 8, 4. Spades — Queen, 9, 7. Hearts — King, knave, 10, 5, 3. Diamonds — Knave, 10, 7. Clubs— 9, 6. Spades — Ace, 8, 3. If the dealer declares one spade, West will bid one diamond, and East one heart, and if the dealer then bids one No Trump, West will support East, and bid two hearts. South cannot declare two No Trumps, so East will become the declarer, and play the hand, make four hearts, scoring 32 above and below. Had the dealer declared one No Trump originally, West could not well have de- clared two diamonds, nor East two hearts, and the dealer would have become the declarer, with a one 56 AUCTION BRIDGE No Trump contract ; which he would have made : so that he would have scored 12 below, instead of losing 32 above and the game. Or again, here is another case : — Dealer. West. Hearts — King, Knave, 6. Diamonds — 9, ,, 5. Clubs — Ace, queen, 4. Spades — Ace, 8, 3, 2. Hearts— 10, 9, 8. Diamonds — Knave, 6, 2. Clubs— 9, 8, 6, 2. Spades — Knave, 10, 4. North. East. Hearts — Ace, 7, 5, 4. Diamonds — 10, 8. Clubs — King, knave, 10, 3. Spades — King, queen, 7. Hearts — Queen, 3, 2. Diamonds — Ace, king, queen, 4, 3. Clubs— 7, 5. Spades — 9, 6, 5. If the dealer declares one No Trump at once, all the players pass, and West does not know what to lead. He would probably start with either the two of clubs or knave of spades. Anyway the declarer would win three by cards and the game, and score 30 above. If the dealer declares one spade, North will call one club, and East one dia- mond. When the dealer now bids one No Trump, West will lead the Knave of diamonds, and the declarer will only win two by cards, and miss the game. To sum up. The advantages of an original one No Trump bid are : — (1) That a No Trump declaration gives the best chance of winning the game. (2) That it is more interesting to play the hand without trumps. DECLARATIONS BY THE DEALER 57 (3) That it prevents your adversaries from cheaply communicating to one another the contents of their hands, and compels them to bid at least two tricks in a red suit, or three tricks in clubs in order to do so. Notwithstanding these advantages, I do not recommend bidding one No Trump originally, unless the cards you hold count at least 26. To do so is merely to gamble on your partner's hand, and involves no principle of play. There is no object in making any declaration unless the odds in favour of your succeeding are at least as good as those against. It is wiser to let the others do the talking. Next we come to the Red Suits. Hearts and Diamonds With sound, properly made declarations, the chances are that the game will be won about 30 times out of 100 with hearts trumps ; as against only 18 times with diamonds trumps. Without a trump, it should be won about 44 times out of 100. This, of course, is because, in order to win the game with- out trumps, it is only necessary to make nine tricks, as against ten and eleven with hearts and diamonds trumps respectively. However, this point may be disregarded when estimating the value of a hand for the purpose of making an equal number of tricks ; and it is convenient therefore to treat hearts and diamonds together. 58 AUCTION BRIDGE The only occasion when you will have to consider the game aspect of the question is when you hold an equally long suit of hearts and diamonds of practi- cally the same strength, which I need hardly say is an extremely unusual occurrence. Some players suggest that when you hold two red suits of approximately the same strength, it is preferable first to declare the diamond ; so that you may tempt your adversaries to overcall with a heart. You are then in a good position to score above the line ; but, in such cases, it is not very likely that you will be overcalled in hearts, whilst if you are left in with the diamond, you stand a 40% worse chance of making game than if you had declared a heart to start with. You are almost as likely to be overcalled with two diamonds, if you bid one heart originally, as you are to be overcalled with one heart when you bid one diamond, and you are in a much better position. Under these conditions therefore, it seems un- doubtedly the better course to select the heart suit rather than the diamond. Opinions appear to be fairly evenly divided as to whether it is better, when you hold a very strong heart or diamond suit, to bid two tricks in it origin- ally ; or whether your first bid should not be only one trick. It must be advanced in favour of bidding two tricks, that it prevents your adversaries from bidding one No Trump ; and stops the second player from disclosing club strength : but the ad- vantage is problematic, because, when you have a strong trump hand, you do not mind hearing what the others have to say. It is true that when you DECLARATIONS BY THE DEALER 59 bid (say) one heart, the second player may bid two clubs and so enable the fourth player to bid one, or even two, No Trumps ; which, without an intima- tion regarding the clubs, he could not have done. It may also, however, enable your partner to bid two diamonds over two clubs which may assist you to a decision as to eventually overcalling a two No Trumps bid with three hearts. The chief argument in favour of nearly always bidding one trick only in a red suit (no rule should be invariable, and sometimes when you hold a powerful suit you should call two tricks in it origin- ally) is that it affords you a means of conveying to your partner some precise information when you bid two tricks. The information you give by this bid is that you hold at least six of the suit, that it is headed by the queen and knave, and that you have no other likely trick in your hand. This specific indication is of great value, and I think outweighs the very slight disadvantage you may suffer from, by bidding one trick only with other holdings. I recommend, therefore, that, as a general rule, you should declare only one trick in a red suit as a first bid ; except when you hold six or more headed by queen and knave and no other probable trick in your hand ; when you should bid two tricks. Occa- sionally also, when you have a very strong suit indeed, you may bid two tricks to start with, in pursuance of the principle that you must not stereo- type your game. A heart or diamond declaration is, theoretically at any rate, an attacking one, and you should there- 60 AUCTION BRIDGE fore not make it, as a rule, unless you have at least five trumps and a hand of average strength — two of the trumps being honours. By a hand of average strength is meant any hand containing all the cards from ace to a two. When your hand is below average strength, you should hold stronger trumps than a bare five and any two honours. The honours should be ace king or king queen at least. With a hand practically blank in other suits, it is more advantageous to declare one heart or one diamond, with only five headed by ace king or king queen, than to bid one spade. You at least indicate to your partner that you have some strength in the suit you name. With a hand of average strength, you may declare one heart or one diamond with four, only when the red suit contains three or four honours. Here are a number of hands of minimum strength upon which you may bid one heart, or one diamond ; transposing hearts and diamonds as the case may be: — Hearts — King, queen, 8, 7, 2. Diamonds — Knave, 4, 3. Clubs — Ace, 5. Spades— 10, 9, 6. Hearts — Ace, queen, 8, 3, 2. Diamonds — 10, 9, 6. Clubs— 7, 5. Spades — King, knave, 4. Hearts — Queen, 10, 5, 4, 3. Diamonds — Ace, 9, 8. Clubs— 2. Spades — King, knave, 7, 6. Hearts — Ace, king, 8, 7, 5. Diamonds — 10, 9. Clubs— Knave, 4, 2. Spades— 6, 5, 3. Hearts— 8, 6, 4. Diamonds — King, queen, 5, 3 2. Clubs— 10, 9, 7. Spades — Knave, 8. Hearts — King, 6, 4. Diamonds— Queen, knave, 10, 3. Clubs— Ace, 9, 2. Spades, 8, 7, 5. DECLARATIONS BY THE DEALER 61 Here are stronger hands upon which to declare one heart or one diamond ; transposing again ; — Hearts — Ace, king, queen, knave. Diamonds — 5, 3, 2. Clubs — Queen, 8, 6. Spades— 10, 9, 4. Hearts — King, queen. Diamonds — Ace, knave, 10, 5, 4,2. Clubs— 9, 6, 3. Spades — Queen, 8. Hearts — Ace, 4. 3. Diamonds — King, queen, knave, 10. Clubs— Knave, 9, 8. Spades — Queen, 7, 5. Hearts — King, queen, knave, 9, 6, 3. Diamonds — 8, 4. Clubs— Ace, 7, 2. Spades — King, 5. Hearts — King, knave, 8, 6, 3. Diamonds — Queen, 10, 2. Clubs — Ace, 4. Spades — King, queen, 5. When you hold very strong red suits and wish to play the hand on a suit call you bid two tricks in it. Here are examples : — Hearts — Ace, king, queen, 10, 5, 3, 2. Diamonds — 9. Clubs— Knave, 6, 4. Spades — 8, 7. Hearts— 6, 2. Diamonds — King, queen, knave, 10, 9, 4, 3. Clubs— 8, 5. Spades — Ace, 7. Hearts — Knave. Diamonds — Ace, king, queen, 9, 8, 7, 6. Clubs— 10, 3, 2. Spades — King, 5. It will sometimes happen that you will have to choose between one heart and one No Trump. Here are some hands when hearts should be selected : — Heart* — King, queen, 10, 8, 6. Diamonds — Knave, 10, 3. Clubs — Ace. Spades — King, queen, knave, 7. Hearts — King, knave, 10, 9, 8. Diamonds — Queen, 3. Clubs — Ace, queen. Spades — Ace, king, 6, 4. 62 AUCTION BRIDGE Hearts — Queen, 10, 8, 6, 5. Diamonds — Ace. Clubs — Ace, king, queen, knave, 5. Spades— 10, 8. Here are some one diamond hands, the first two of which count over 26 : — Hearts — Ace, 3. Diamonds — King, knave, 10, 8, 7, 4. Clubs— King, 4. Spades — King, 9, 2. Hearts — King, 5. Diamonds— 10, 9, 8, 7, 4, 3, 2. Clubs — Queen, knave, 6. Spades — Ace. Hearts — King, 6. Diamonds — Ace, king, queen, knave, 10. Clubs — Queen, 9, 4. Spades — King, 8, 5. Hearts — King, knave, 10, 7. Diamonds — Ace, queen, knave, 10, 3. Clubs— 8. Spades— 10, 7, 2. It may be said that all the hands given so far as illustrations have been tested a sufficient number of times to make them trustworthy standards. Full details and analyses are given in my book on Bridge, Clubs Passing from red suits to black, we fall out of the attacking ranks, and enter a less aggressive sphere. Not altogether into a position of defence, because we sometimes offer our services as allies for a joint assault ; but when a black suit is declared, it is never bid with any idea of by itself advancing the score below the line. A bid is never made in clubs, in preference to spades, on account of additional trick value, but solely on informatory grounds. The only occasions when you should bid one club originally are : (1) when you hold a strong suit of DECLARATIONS BY THE DEALER 63 five or six clubs headed by at least the three top honours, and have not a biddable red suit or a No Trump hand ; and (2) when you have a fair all- round hand, not counting quite up to the 26 points requisite for a one No Trump bid, and not con- taining a red suit strong enough to declare, and when you can protect the club from being easily established against you. In both instances the information you wish to impart to your partner is, that you can give him assistance to the extent of at least three tricks, if his hand is such that he wishes to bid one No Trump upon it. For the sake of convenience, I will designate a hand of this nature an "Auxiliary No Trumper." Precisely similar information may be conveyed by the declaration of two spades, under similar conditions, and these two bids are made with the sole object of affording information. They mean : " I have a hand out of which you may expect at least three tricks if you care to bid one No Trump." If you have a solid spade or club suit you may of course make five or six tricks. You must be careful with such cards not to bid two clubs, because that would prevent your partner from bidding one trick in a red suit. It has been suggested that one club should signify the possession of an auxiliary No Trump hand ; and two clubs mean that you have five or more clubs headed by the four top honours ; but, al- though there is an advantage in being able to distinguish in this way, I am of opinion that, without modification, it would be too dearly bought, at the expense of always depriving your 64 AUCTION BRIDGE partner of being able to indicate strength in hearts or diamonds, unless strong enough to bid two tricks. On the other hand, if your partner's object in making such a declaration is merely in the hope of your being able to support it, and his holding is not strong enough to bid up to two tricks it follows that you incur no loss by bidding two clubs in those positions when you hold no support in the red suits ; and you secure the additional advantage of compelling your adversaries to declare two tricks in a red suit if they wish to bid it. My own view inclines to the following practice : — When you hold no supporting strength in either red suit, and hold at least five clubs with the four top honours, or at least seven headed by the tierce major, bid two clubs. Your partner will at once know what you hold, and what you can do if he bids one No Trump ; whilst if the red suit he has is not worth bidding more than one trick in, he has not been prejudiced in any way. Lastly, he is also warned that if he wishes to bid two tricks in his red suit you can give him no support. If you have some supporting strength in the red suits, or even in one, bid only one club. Always bid only one club in order to indicate the possession of an auxiliary No Trump hand. Spades The declaration of one spade is the most forlorn of all. It signifies that you have not a minimum one No Trump hand ; that you have not an DECLARATIONS BY THE DEALER 65 auxiliary No Trump hand ; that you have not strength enough in either red suit to bid it, and that you have not even a powerful club or spade. At the same time it does not necessarily imply that you have a Yarborough, or that you have no strength in any suit. You may hold hands like this : — • Hearts — Knave, 10, 9. Diamonds — Ace, 6, 2. Clubs— King, 8, 2. Spades — Knave, 9, 7, 2. Hearts — Queen, 10, 5, 4. Diamonds — King, knave, 6, 3. Clubs — Knave, 7. Spades— 10, 8, 2. Hearts— 10, 7. Diamonds — 8, 5, 4. Clubs — King, knave, 9, 2. Spades — King, queen, knave, 3. Hearts — Ace, 6, 5. Diamonds — Ace, 5, 3. Clubs— 10, 7, 8. Spades — Knave, 8, 4, 2. Hearts — Ace, queen, 4, 2. Diamonds — Ace, knave, 6, 3. Clubs— 9, 8, 7. Spades — 10, 5. Hearts — King, queen, 8, 2. Diamonds — Ace, knave, 5, 3. Clubs— 10, 9, 7. Spades — 6, 4. You cannot declare anything but one spade on any of them, yet they are all useful red supports, except No. 5, and may aid a No Trump bid also ; as well as prove obstructive to your adversaries. Here follow six auxiliary No Trumpers upon which you will declare one club and two spades respec- tively : — Hearts — Ace, 5, 4. Diamonds — 10, 9, 8. Clubs — King, knave, 10, 2. Spades — Queen, 10, 3. Hearts — Knave, 10, 3. Diamonds — Queen, 8, 7. Clubs — Ace, king, queen, knave, 2. Spades— 9, 6. Hearts — King, queen, 2. Diamonds — Queen, 10, 6. Clubs— Ace, 8, 3. 3 — Knave, 6, 5, 4. Hearts — Queen, knave, 10. Diamonds — Queen, knave, 10. Clubs— 9, 8. Spades— Ace, knave, 6, 5, 3. 5 66 AUCTION BRIDGE Hearts — Queen, 7. Diamonds — Knave, 4, 3. Clubs— 10, 8. Spades — Ace, king, queen, knave, 5, 2. Hearts,— King, 9, 7, 6. Diamonds — Queen, 8, 4. Clubs— Knave, 10, 3. Spades — Ace, queen, 4. Lastly, with either of the following hands you may declare two clubs : — Hearts — 7, 4. Diamonds — 8, 3. Clubs — Ace, king, queen, 10, 6, 5, 2. Spades — King, 9. Hearts — 7, 6. Diamonds — 9, 8. Clubs — Ace, king, queen, knave, 4, 2. Spades — King, queen, 3. To sum up suit declarations : — Bid one heart or one diamond on any hand of average strength, (1) containing five trumps at least, two of which are honours ; or (2) four trumps, all of which are honours, or containing three honours. And also on a hand that is blank in other respects, if it contains not less than five trumps headed by ace and king, or king and queen ; or four trumps if they are all honours. Likewise bid one heart or one diamond on hands of any greater degree of strength than the fore- going. Bid two hearts or two diamonds, when you hold six or more headed by queen and knave, and when your hand is otherwise trickless. Also when you hold a very powerful suit indeed, and wish to play the hand upon the declaration. Bid one club, or two spades when you hold five or six clubs headed by at least a tierce major ; or when you hold an auxiliary No Trump hand, as already explained. Bid two clubs, only when you are reasonably sure DECLARATIONS BY THE DEALER 67 of making at least five tricks in the suit ; and when, at the same time, you hold no cards of any value in either red suit. At all other times bid one spade. Always vary your bidding as much as possible when you can do so without misleading your partner. CHAPTER V DECLARATIONS BY THE SECOND PLAYER When you are second hand you are not quite in the same position as when you deal. As dealer you are bound to make some declaration — at times this is not altogether a desirable privilege ; but in order to compensate for this, you are often enabled to make declarations which are of great value, either by reason of their informatory nature, or because they shut out other bids. As second player, it is not possible for you to reduce more than one opponent to silence, because the other has already spoken ; but, on the other hand, it is not incumbent upon you to say anything at all unless you wish. When you do, you are always in possession of some data regarding the dealer's hand, which helps you to decide what course you will follow. Sometimes this information is indefinite and negative ; at others it is positive and precise — but there is always something to assist you. Whenever the dealer bids one spade, you know that the cards he holds are such that he cannot declare one or two No Trumps, and that they preclude a bid in a red suit. He has not an aux- iliary No Trumper, nor has he commanding strength in clubs or spades. He may have pretty good 68 DECLARATIONS BY SECOND PLAYER 69 hearts or diamonds, or both, and his hand may be useful, either to support his partner or obstruct his adversaries : or it may be a Yarborough. That is all you know. If you have a strong No Trump, or a strong red suit, it is generally advisable to bid one trick, otherwise it is possible that the dealer may be left in with his one spade and you don't get another chance. Also if you have a good No Trump hand, weak in one suit, you may bid two No Trumps, in the same way as is recommended for the dealer in similar circumstances. You should bid one No Trump when you hold a 26 point hand ; you may act in regard to the red suits in the same way as you would if you were dealer. There is, however, no pressing need for hurry in the case of ordinary hands, and you will often do better to pass, and let the third player have a chance. If you hold an auxiliary No Trump hand, with the spade suit stopped, you double the dealer's one spade. This is a very cheap way of communi- cating useful information to your partner. It may also have a deterrent effect upon the third player. If you have not an auxiliary no trumper, but hold a long spade suit, headed by at least a tierce major or tierce king, you should intimate the fact to your partner by declaring two spades. When you hold an auxiliary No Trump hand, with the club suit stopped instead of the spade, you will bid one club. It is also advisable to bid one club when you have five or six, with at least the three top honours ; and when you also hold 70 AUCTION BRIDGE some support in one or both red suits, but have not got an auxiliary No Trumper. When you have a very strong suit of clubs, consisting of not less than seven to a tierce major, or five to a quart major, without any support in either red suit, you should bid two clubs. . All these last five declarations are made solely in order to inform your partner ; and not because you wish to play the hand with them. Whenever the dealer bids one club, you know that he holds either a strong club suit, with some support in one or both red suits ; or an auxiliary No Trump hand with the club suit stopped. If you have a strong spade suit of five or more headed by quart or tierce major, or six or more headed by ace, king, queen, you will intimate the fact to your partner by overcalling with two spades ; so that if the third player declares No Trump, he will know what to lead. Whenever the dealer bids two spades, you know that he holds either an auxiliary No Trump hand, or a commanding spade suit, and that his partner will bid one No Trump if he can. These auxiliary No Trump declarations should always accordingly be over- called by that suit which you wish your partner to lead you, in the event of a No Trump bid being made by the third player. Two spades can be overcalled by only one diamond or heart, but two tricks in clubs are necessary. When you bid one in a red suit, or two in clubs, you do so pri- marily in the two first, and solely in the last case, with the object of telling your partner what to lead ; and it is essential, therefore, that you should DECLARATIONS BY SECOND PLAYER 71 hold strength, (say) at least five cards in hearts or diamonds, headed by ace king, or king queen • or at least seven in clubs, headed by tierce major, or five headed by quart major. Should the dealer bid two clubs, you must have at least six hearts or diamonds, with at least two honours, and some support in the other suits before over calling, or five hearts or diamonds, of which four are honours. You must not overcall two clubs with one No Trump, unless you can stop the suit, which you will scarcely ever be able to do, provided the dealer has made a proper bid. Whenever you can stop the dealer's one club, or two spade call, at least twice, in the event of the third player bidding one No Trump, you should double, in order to notify your partner of the fact. When the dealer has proclaimed that he holds an auxiliary No Trump hand, you will generally find it more judicious to pass, unless your cards admit of your employing one of the informatory devices just described. Whenever the game is likely to resolve itself into a struggle for the odd trick, between hands of seemingly evenly divided strength, it is usually more advantageous to let your adversaries strive to make it. If they suc- ceed, they will only score 12 below ; whereas if they fail, they will lose 50 above. When the dealer bids one diamond, and you hold a strong club suit, consisting of six or seven to the tierce major, or at least five with a quart major, you should overcall with two clubs. Before raising in this way, you must be good for at least three 72 AUCTION BRIDGE certain tricks, with possibly more, in the event of a No Trump declaration. If you bid two clubs without the top honours, and your partner, on the strength of your bid, declares No Trump, he will have a legitimate grievance against you. There is no object in bidding two clubs, except to help your partner to go No Trumps, because it is a profitless call to play. If the dealer and his partner are strong enough, they will bid two diamonds ; and if they are not, they could not have done much good with their one diamond contract. If you have a hand upon which, as dealer, you would declare one heart, you will call it in the same way over one diamond ; but you should not bid one heart, unless you are willing to play the hand on a heart declaration. When you hold a No Trump hand, you will bid one No Trump, provided you can stop the diamond suit ; but not otherwise, because the suit will be led up to you right away. When the dealer declares one heart, he has made an attacking declaration. If you can stop the heart suit, you will declare one No Trump, if your hand counts at least 26. As explained in regard to an original diamond, you will not bid one No Trump unless you can stop the heart. It is even dangerous when your stop is but a single one, because unless you can make the odd straight off, as soon as you get in, there is a risk of the heart suit being brought in against you. You may overcall one heart with two clubs ; when you hold clubs as described when dealing with the diamond bid. Also, if you hold at least six diamonds, with DECLARATIONS BY SECOND PLAYER 73 not less than two honours, and some support in other suits, you should bid two diamonds. In this case it is not essential that you should hold the top honours, because you do not make the bid with the object of indicating to your partner what to lead, but because you are prepared to play the hand on the declaration. When the dealer declares two hearts or two diamonds, he either has over- whelming strength, or it is an intimation that he holds nothing outside the red suit, and not even the command of that. It is generally advisable to pass, although, if you hold a 30 point hand, and can stop the red suit, you may bid two No Trumps. Also, with six or more hearts, including at least two honours, and a hand of average strength you may call two hearts over two diamonds. Whenever the dealer declares one No Trump, you will pass, unless you hold six or more dia- monds or hearts, with at least two honours, and some support in other suits ; when you will bid two hearts, or two diamonds as the case may be. Unless you hold really powerful cards, it is foolish to overcall one No Trump with two tricks in a red suit. Bluffs of that nature have an unpleasant habit of recoiling, and you may be doubled and lose heavily. It is wiser, when the cards are against you, to accept the inevitable and remain silent. It is never advisable to double one diamond or one heart, because it affords the adversaries an opportunity of switching on to something else. It is especially injudicious, when you hold a " citter," to double one No Trump, since such a proceeding 74 AUCTION BRIDGE nearly always results in two diamonds or two hearts being substituted. It is sounder to say nothing, and hope that the No Trump call will be left in, when you can weigh in with your seven or eight solid tricks. I have now described the different declarations that may be made when you are second player. In the language of the ring, these bids represent the counters to the dealer's leads, but they are not compulsory, and you are not bound to bid unless you wish. There still exist players who prefer to say nothing, or as little as possible, at the first time of asking ; but they are in a steadily increasing minority. All I can do is to outline a course of action ; whether to follow it or not rests with my readers. CHAPTER VI DECLARATIONS BY THE THIRD PLAYER When you are third player, there are two sets of conditions under which your declarations have to be considered. These are : (1) When the second player has passed, and (2) when he has overcalled your partner. For the sake of convenience I will treat them separately. When the dealer has declared one spade, which West has passed, you are not under any obligation to overcall him. If it suits you to make a bid, you will do so, otherwise you are at full liberty to pass. Unless you have at least seven spades with a tierce major, or six with a quart major, it is the height of folly to declare two spades. No possible good is done thereby, whereas you have deliberately thrown away the protection conferred by the Laws upon a one spade call. The one spade declaration has told you that South has not even the makings of a No Trump hand, and when you declare two spades therefore, you must only do so in order to intimate to your partner what to lead in the event of East declaring No Trump, and consequently must have strength as above. If you have six or seven clubs with queen knave, or queen ten, or even king queen, and very weak 75 76 AUCTION BRIDGE spades, you will probably do better with clubs trumps than spades ; and you may bid one club. You are not likely to lose more than the 100 points which you are limited to on the one spade call. You must not bid one club with less than six and two honours. If you hold seven with the tierce major, or six with a quart major, you may bid two clubs. This will tell your partner what to lead if East bids one No Trump, and will also force a call of two tricks in a red suit from your adversaries. With such strength, you prefer to play the hand with clubs rather than leave the one spade in. If you hold a 26 point hand, you will call one No Trump unless it is a better heart hand. If you hold five hearts or diamonds, containing two honours, and a hand of at least average strength, you will bid one heart, or one diamond, as the case may be. You will bid one trick also with greater strength. If you hold an overwhelmingly strong hand you may bid two tricks ; but there is not much point in doing so. With six or more in a red suit, headed by queen and knave, you will only bid one trick, and not two, as is recommended for the dealer ; because, when the dealer has declared one spade, the reason for bidding two tricks has no existence. Whenever the dealer starts with one spade, you must not expect very much from him, and caution should characterise your movements ; although, as has already been pointed out, he may hold useful support in the red suits. When your partner's one spade call has been DECLARATIONS BY THIRD PLAYER 77 doubled by West, or overcalled by one club, you know that the latter holds an auxiliary No Trump hand ; or when West bids two spades or two clubs, you are aware of great strength being against you in that suit on your right. You also know that East will declare one No Trump if his hand admits of it. You will be influenced by exactly the same con- siderations as those I have recommended for the guidance of West under the same conditions : and will proceed accordingly. When West overcalls South's one spade declaration with one diamond, or one heart, or bids one No Trump, you will again model your procedure upon that recommended for West when South has bid one No Trump, or one trick in a red suit. When your partner, by declaring two spades, or one club, has notified that he holds an auxiliary No Trumper, and West has passed, you may bid one No Trump on a hand that does not count quite up to 26. It is a matter of individual taste entirely, how much less you care to gamble on. When the values assigned to the cards by Mr. Whitfeld in his formula were fixed, they were based upon the results of a large number of trials ; and in the same way, the minimum number of points requisite for a sound No Trump declaration was arrived at. These experiments showed what was the average expectation in tricks from the un- known cards in the hand of the declarant's partner, and this average comes to about three tricks. The strength I have suggested for an auxiliary No Trumper is something under 26 points — or, say, a 78 AUCTION BRIDGE very great likelihood of at least three tricks. If we fix it at four tricks, I should not feel inclined, in reci- procation, to bid one No Trump on less than a 21 point hand. It is rather curious that so many players should be obsessed with the idea that at Auction Bridge their aim should be to get in the first bid of No Trumps. If you have a strong hand, there is no better declaration ; but if you have not, it is just as easy to incur penalty losses without a trump, as with any other declaration. Therefore, in response to your partner's intimation that he holds an auxili- ary No Trump hand, your bids should always be tempered with discretion. Besides signifying the possession of an auxiliary No Trump hand, the declaration of two spades, or one club, may also mean that your partner is strong only in the suit named ; so that, if you are pro- tected in the other three suits, and have an honour in the spade or club that is bid, with a couple of small ones, there is a strong probability that you will make five or six tricks in the suit indicated. On the other hand, when South declares two clubs, you know that his strength is concentrated in the club suit, and that he has nothing in the reds. If then, you hold (say) the knave and another, you may be pretty sure of seven tricks in clubs ; or if you have not the knave, you may reckon on almost as a certainty at least four tricks. With three or four little clubs you may count on five tricks. These are all considerations which you must take into account. DECLARATIONS BY THIRD PLAYER 79 Here follow some hands with which, upon a two club declaration by your partner, passed up to you, you will bid one No Trump, and with which you are practically certain of making the odd trick, and have a very fair chance of winning the game : — l. Hearts — Ace, queen, 5. Diamonds — King, knave, 9, 2. Clubs— 8, 4, 3. Spades — King, 7, 6. 2. Hearts — King, queen, 4, 2. Diamonds — Queen, knave, 8, 3. Clubs — Knave, 5. -Ace, knave, 6. 3. Hearts — King, 6. Diamonds — Queen, 10, 8, Clubs— 9, 7, 4, 3. Spades — Ace, king, 5, 2. When your partner declares two spades or one club you will have to infer from what you hold, whether the bid denotes an auxiliary No Trump hand, or strength only in the suit named. When you hold hands such as the following, it must be auxiliary No Trump : — 4. Hearts — Knave, 10, 7, 6. Diamonds — Ace, knave, 8. Clubs — Queen, 9, 4. Spades — King, 3, 2. 5. Hearts — King, queen, 10, 2. Diamonds — 9, 7, 6. Clubs— Ace, 8, 3. Spades — Queen, knave, 4. 6. Hearts — Queen, 8, 5. Diamonds — Knave, 7, 4. Clubs — King, knave, 6, 3. Spades — Ace, 10, 2. Hearts — Knave, 10, 9, 8. Diamonds — Knave, 10, 5, 4. Clubs — Ace, 3. Spades — King, queen, 2. 80 AUCTION BRIDGE 8. Hearts — 6, 5, 4. Diamonds — Ace, 9, 7. Clubs — Ace, knave, 3, 2. Spades — Ace, 8, 3. When you hold hands as under it must be strength in the suit named : — 9. 10. Hearts — Ace, 10, 7, 5. Diamonds — Queen, knave, 8, 3. Clubs— King, 9, 2. Spades — 6, 4. Hearts — Queen, 10, 9, 6. Diamonds — King, queen, 7, 3. Clubs — Ace, knave, 4. Spades— 9, 2. 11. 12. Hearts— Knave, 10, 4, 2. Diamonds — Queen, 7, 6, 5. Clubs — Knave, 3. Spades — King, queen, 2. Hearts — Ace, 9, 7, 6. Diamonds — Ace, 10, 5, 4. Clubs— 8, 2. Spades — Ace, knave, 3. You will, of course, bid one No Trump with all the preceding, except No. 8. With such cards you have to pass. You cannot make any better declaration than your partner's club and certainly must not declare No Trump ; whereas if East declares a red suit, you may be able to avert disaster. Next let us consider what you should do when your partner has bid two spades, or one club, and West has doubled. You now know that the doubled suit is out of action, and that if you go into No Trumps it will be opened at once. In such positions No Trump ought not to be declared, unless you have a very strong hand. Supposing South has bid two spades, and West has doubled, you know that your partner has the club suit barely, if at all, guarded ; DECLARATIONS BY THIRD PLAYER 81 otherwise he would have called one club rather than two spades. Therefore he has fair strength in both red suits ; and he will probably hold a hand some- thing like one of these : — Hearts — King, queen, 8, 2. Diamonds — King, knave, 4, 3. Clubs— 10, 5. Spades — King, knave, 9. Hearts — King, queen, 6, 2. Diamonds — King, 10, 9, 4. Clubs— 3. Spades — Knave, 10, 9, 8. Hearts — Queen, knave, 9, 8. Diamonds — King, queen, 7. Clubs— 5, 3. Spades — Queen, 10, 4, 2. Hearts — Queen, knave, 9. Diamonds — King, knave, 5, 4. Clubs— 8, 4, 2. Spades — King, 10, 7. If South has called one club, and has been doubled, we need only transpose the spades and clubs in the above examples in order to show the sort of hand he is likely to have. Now it is obvious that in these circumstances, in order to venture on No Trumps, you ought to have at least a 26 point hand ; and that further- more, in such cases as the above, unless you hold the other black suit solid, and good for at least five or six tricks, with both red suits guarded, your hand can only count 26 with all your strength in the hearts and diamonds. Here are some examples : — Hearts — Ace, knave, 6, 5. Diamonds — Ace, queen, 3, 2. Clubs— Queen, 10, 9. Spades — 7, 4. Hearts — Knave, 10, 9. Diamonds — Ace, queen, 5, 3. Clubs — King, queen, knave, 2. Spades — 8, 6. Hearts — Queen, 10, 4. Diamonds — Knave, 10, 8, 2. Clubs — Ace, king, queen, knave, 10. Spades — 7. Hearts — Ace, king, 7, 3. Diamonds — Queen, 10, 5, 4. Clubs — King, knave, 9. Spades — 5, 2. 6 82 AUCTION BRIDGE Hearts — King, 6. Diamonds — Queen, 10, 8. Clubs — Ace, king, queen, 7, 4, 3, 2. Spades — 5. It does not need much examination to recognise that such hands, taken in conjunction with your partner's, are likely to do better with a red suit declared than without a trump. Therefore with No. 1 and 4 and similar hands, you should declare one heart ; and with No. 3, one diamond. With hands like Nos. 2 and 5, a bid of one No Trump is probably the best call. When your partner declares one diamond, and it comes up to you, you should pass ; unless you have (1) at least five hearts, with at least two honours and a hand of average strength, with nothing in diamonds ; (2) weak diamonds, and a 26 point hand, with the other suits protected ; (3) at least six hearts with the queen knave, and no other tricks in your hand ; and (4) very weak diamonds, and have not a No Trump hand, but hold seven clubs headed by tierce major, or six with quart major. In these several positions you should declare respec- tively (1) one heart, (2) one No Trump, (3) one heart, and (4) two clubs. There is a greater possibility of the game, with hearts and No Trumps, with the first two holdings. With the third, your hand is useless, except with hearts trumps ; and in the fourth case, you tell your partner what to lead in the event of East bidding one No Trump, and you also shut East out from calling one heart. If your partner has as strong diamonds as you have clubs, he is not pre- DECLARATIONS BY THIRD PLAYER 83 judiced, because he can always bid two diamonds ; whereas, if he has not, you do not run any greater risk of loss with the club suit than with the diamond. With both declarations your expectation of game is a zero one. When your partner's diamond is overcalledby West with one heart, or one No Trump, and you have at least three diamonds with an honour, together with some plain suit strength, you should bid two dia- monds. If you have strong hearts in the first case, or a solid black suit in the second, you will keep silent, and hope the bid will stand. If you have the heart suit stopped, and a 26 point hand, you will overcall one heart with one No Trump. When your partner declares one heart, and it comes Up to you, you will generally let it go. If you have only one or two small hearts, and a very strong diamond suit (say seven with at least three honours ; or at least six, with the tierce major or four honours) you may bid two diamonds. Also, if you are very weak in hearts, and have a 26 point hand in the other suits, all of which are protected, you may bid one No Trump. It is wrong to overcall his heart with any less strength than above. Some- times, when your partner declares one heart, which comes up to you, you may hold no hearts, or only one or two small ones, but you may have a solid club suit, good for five or six tricks, and possibly an out- side trick. In such cases it is better to overcall the heart with two clubs. One of your adversaries may be sitting quiet with very strong hearts. If your partner holds great strength, no harm is done, since 84 AUCTION BRIDGE he can then bid two hearts. If he has not sufficient strength, your club call may enable him to go into No Trumps ; and at any rate can do no harm. The club strength however must be great and command- ing — seven with tierce major or five with quart major at least. When your partner declares one heart, and West calls two clubs, two diamonds, or one No Trump, you will bid two hearts, if you hold at least three with an honour, and two or three tricks in plain suits ; or even if you hold only a couple of small hearts, if you are practically sure of four plain suit tricks. When South's one heart is overcalled by two clubs, and you hold not less than six diamonds, with at least two honours, and (say) a trick in spades, you should declare two diamonds ; and the same when West bids one No Trump. Should West bid two diamonds over one heart, and you can guard the suit, and have no heart strength, you should only bid two No Trumps if you have powerful black suits. In such cases your cards should total 30 points. Otherwise it is generally better to pass, and leave your partner to call two hearts if he wishes to do so. West is not likely to win the game on his call. When your partner declares one No Trump, and it comes up to you, the only occasions (with the score at love, which, in everything relating to declarations hitherto, is assumed to be the score) on which you may bid two diamonds, are when you hold very strong diamonds, say at least six of the suit with at least two honours, but without com- DECLARATIONS BY THIRD PLAYER 85 mand, and without the semblance of trick in any- thing else. If you hold the top honours with the diamonds, it will generally be better to pass. When on the other hand you hold very strong hearts, you may bid two hearts ; even when you have the command. You then avoid any risk of a suit being brought in against you, and stand, therefore, as good a chance of the game as on your partner's No Trump. When your partner declares one No Trump, and West overcalls with two hearts or two diamonds, you should bid two No Trumps, if you can stop the heart or diamond suit, and can also give your partner other assistance to the extent of three or four tricks. In the same way, if West bids two diamonds, you may overcall with two hearts, if you have not less than six, with at least two honours and some other strength. When your partner has originally declared two diamonds, which West has overcalled with two hearts, or two hearts, which West has outbid with two No Trumps, you may bid three diamonds, or three hearts, only if you have, in the first case, nothing in hearts, and at least three diamonds with ace or king, or ace and king, and something in the black suits ; and in the second, if you hold only one of the top honours in hearts, with at least two small ones, and no sure entries in the other suits. Obviously, if with preceding hearts, you hold certain re-entry cards in the other suits, or the ace king and one or more hearts, it is better to pass the No Trump bid, and break the contract. It is seldom wise to volunteer to make nine tricks, when there is strength declared against you ; par- 86 AUCTION BEIDGE ticularly when, even if you fulfil your contract, you do not win the game. I think that the preceding has anticipated and provided for all the ordinary contingencies with which you are likely to be con- fronted when you are third players. CHAPTER VII DECLARATIONS BY THE FOURTH PLAYER The further the bidding proceeds the more com- plicated the position becomes ; and one is irresistibly reminded of the nursery rhyme regarding the "House that Jack built." When you are fourth player, you will usually have derived a certain amount of information from the preceding declarations, although it not infrequently happens that you have little or nothing to go on. When the dealer has declared one spade, and it has come up to you, you know that there is no great strength held against you by either adversary, also that your partner has nothing very out of the way, although he may have some good cards. If you hold only an average hand, it is a reasonable assump- tion that all the hands are of the same description, and you will do better to pass the one spade. You cannot lose much over it, whereas if you specula- tively go into something else, you may quite con- ceivably come to grief and lose above the line. When you have not a neutral or average hand, you are prompted by just the same considerations a» actuate the second player in like cases ; and you should declare in exactly the same way as he is recommended to do, save that there is never any necessity to bid two No Trumps. 87 88 AUCTION BRIDGE Whenever the dealer signifies that he holds an auxiliary No Trumper, or several tricks in the suit bid, by declaring two spades or one club, and the declaration comes up to you, which is very unlikely, you must have either a very strong hand, or only an average one, or even one below the average. It is impossible to formulate any general rule, and you will have to be guided by what you hold. The following examples will show how varied these holdings may be : — Dealer. Hearts — King, queen, 7, 5. Diamonds — Queen, knave, 6. Clubs— 9, 8. Spades — King, queen, 4, 3. West. Hearts — Ace, 8, 6. Diamonds — King, 9, 4, 2. Clubs— King, 7, 2. Spades — Knave, 5, 2. North. Hearts — Knave, 10, 3. Diamonds — Ace, 7, 3. Clubs — Queen, knave 5, 4. Spades— 10, 7, 6. East. Hearts— 9, 4, 2. Diamonds — 10, 8, 5. Clubs— Ace, 10, 6, 3. Spades — Ace, 9, 8. Dealer. Hearts — King, queen, 7, 5. Diamonds — Queen, knave, 6. Spades— 9, 8. Clubs — King, queen, 4, 3. West. Hearts— 8, 4, 2. Diamonds — Ace, 4, 3. Spades — King, 6, 5, 2. Clubs — Ace, 7, 6. North. Hearts — Knave, 9, 3. Diamonds— 10, 8, 7, 2. Spades — Ace, knave, 10. Clubs— 10, 9, 5. East. Hearts — Ace, 10, 6. Diamonds — King, 9, 5. Spades — Queen, 7, 4, 3. Clubs — Knave, 8, 2. Dealer. Hearts — King, queen, 7, 5. Diamonds — Queen, knave, 6. Clubs— 9, 8. Spades — King, queen, 4, 3. West. Hearts— 9, 8, 6. Diamonds — 9, 5, 4, 2. Clubs— King, 7, 2. Spades — Knave, 5, 2. DECLARATIONS BY FOURTH PLAYER 89 North. East. Hearts — Knave, 10, 3. Diamonds — 10, 7, 3. Clubs— Knave, 10, 5, 4. Spades— 10, 7, 6. Dealer. Hearts — Queen, 7, 5. Diamonds — King, knave, 3, 2. Clubs— Ace, 6, 4. Spades— 10, 9, 8. North. Hearts — 9, 6. Diamonds— 10, 8, 7, 5. Clubs— King, 7, 2. Spades — Ace, 6, 4, 3. Dealer. Hearts — Queen, knave, 9. Diamonds — 7, 4. Clubs — Ace, king, queen, knave, 3. Spades— 10, 8, 2. North. Hearts — Ace, 6, 3, 2. Diamonds — 10, 5. Clubs— 9, 7, 4. Spades — King, 9, 5, 4. Dealer. Hearts — 9, 6. Diamonds — Knave, 2. Clubs— 7, 4. Spades — Ace, king, queen, 10, 8, 5, 3. North. Hearts — Knave, 8, 7, 3, 2. Diamonds — 5, 4. Clubs— 10, 9, 5. Spades— 9, 7, 6. Hearts — Ace, 4, 2. Diamonds — Ace, king, 8. Clubs — Ace, queen, 6, 3. Spades — Ace, 9, 8. West. Hearts— 8, 3. Diamonds — Queen, 9, 6, 4. Clubs — Queen, 5, 3. Spades — Knave, 7, 5, 2. East. Hearts— Ace, king, knave, 10, 4, 2. Diamonds — Ace . Clubs— Knave, 10, 9, 8. Spades — King, queen. West. Hearts— King, 10, 8, 4. Diamonds — Knave, 9. Clubs— 6, 5, 2. Spades — Queen, knave, 7, 3. East. Hearts — 7, 5. Diamonds — Ace, king, queen, 8, 6, 3, 2. Clubs— 10, 8. Spades — Ace, 6. West. Hearts — King, queen, 5. Diamonds — Queen, 8, 7. Clubs — Ace, queen, 6, 3, 2. Spades — Knave, 4. East. Hearts — Ace, 10, 4. Diamonds — Ace, king, 9, 6, 3. Clubs — King, knave, 8. Spades — 2. 10, 90 AUCTION BRIDGE With Nos. 1 and 2 you can only pass the two spades. With No. 3 you will of course bid one No Trump, and with Nos. 4, 5, and 6, one heart, one diamond, and one diamond respectively, over one club and two spades. Whenever the dealer's one spade has been over- called by your partner, and passed by the third player, you will act in just the same way as the third player is recommended to proceed, when the dealer's bids of two spades, one or two clubs, one or two hearts or diamonds, or one No Trump, come up to him. Also, when your partner intimates that he holds an auxiliary No Trump hand, or strength in a black suit and is overcalled by North, you will declare No Trumps or a red suit, in the same manner as has been explained in the case of the third player, when West has overcalled the dealer under similar circumstances. In brief, in all cases admitting of overcalling, you will follow the same course as has been prescribed for the second and third players. For example : — the dealer declares one diamond, your partner bids one heart, and North declares one No Trump. If you hold at least three hearts with an honour, and two or three tricks in the plain suits ; or even if you have only one or two little hearts, provided that you can reckon on four plain suit tricks, you may bid two hearts. Doubling Original No Trump made by Declarer When the dealer declares one No Trump origin- ally, and it comes up to you, you will bid three DECLARATIONS BY FOURTH PLAYER 91 clubs if you have at least seven with a quart major. You only do this in order to intimate to your partner that you can make at least seven tricks in the suit on his leading it. Even then you may be doubled, and if neither you nor your partner can make any- thing else, you will lose 200 above. It is therefore a bid to be treated cautiously, and usually depends on the score. When an original No Trump declara- tion of the dealer's comes up to you, and you hold at least six certain tricks in spades, you should double. At straight Bridge, when the younger hand doubles a No Trump declaration, he does so in order that the elder may lead him a particular suit of which he holds the entire command. At Auction Bridge, when your suit is hearts or diamonds, you are able to intimate the fact by overcalling one No Trump with two tricks in it. Even if it is clubs, you may bid three tricks if you have an exceptionally powerful suit ; but when your commanding strength happens to be in spades, you are powerless to give any indication of it except by doubling the No Trump bid. It has therefore come about that when the younger hand doubles a No Trump declaration, it is understood to mean that he holds an established spade suit. This convention is very useful, because by em- ploying it you tell your partner to lead a spade, and inform him that on his doing so you will make at least six tricks. It is therefore, I need hardly say, essential that you should hold not less than six spades headed by a quint major, or seven headed by a quart major. The convention may also be 92 AUCTION BRIDGE employed on such rare occasions as your holding an established club suit and the ace of spades. With such cards of course you will also double. It is absolutely necessary that there should be a clear understanding about the double, and there must be no tampering with it. Whenever the younger hand doubles a No Trump bid, the elder must lead him a spade. If the elder has an ace, or an ace king, he may lead them first if he likes, but he must then lead a spade, before he loses the chance. This double is often very useful when the dealer has started off with two No Trumps — though as a rule the two trick bid is only opened with in order to shut out a red suit call. There is nothing else in the bidding by the fourth player that is not governed by principles identical with those that influence the previous bidders, which have already been explained. CHAPTER VIII BIDDING AFTER THE FIRST ROUND When the prehistoric proceeding of always opening with one spade was abandoned for more rational methods, the first declarations ceased to be a farce. Now, when players follow an intelligent system in their bids, it usually happens that, at the conclusion of the first round, some degree of information has been imparted as to the various hands held. Seeing the number of contingencies that may arise, and the endless variety of considerations involved, it is naturally impossible to provide a text to meet every case, or even a fraction of the cases, that may occur : and as a rule therefore players will have to be guided by circumstances, and by their own experience. The most difficult problem to solve is when one has to distinguish between a spontaneous bid and a raise. It is of course often impossible to discern which it is. At other times there is no doubt. The following examples will illustrate some of the positions that present themselves. South declares one No Trump — West bids two 93 94 AUCTION BRIDGE hearts, or two diamonds : or South bids one heart, or one diamond ; and West declares two clubs, or one heart. It is impossible to tell whether West's bids are made merely in order to raise South ; or whether he has great strength. Again, South declares one spade, and West bids one No Trump, or one heart. This is a purely spontaneous bid. If South bids one diamond, West passes, and North declares one heart, or one No Trump ; this too is a voluntary pronounce- ment. South bids one spade, holding — hearts, king, 8, 5 ; diamonds, 7, 3; clubs, ace, 9, 4, 2; and spades, knave, 10, 8, 7. West declares one diamond, North calls one heart, East bids two diamonds. What should South do ? North's bid may be from strength, or it may be merely a raise, and if it is the latter, South will spoil the position entirely if he bids two hearts. In such circumstances, South's better course is to pass, and give North an opportunity of declaring two hearts if he is strong. Here is another position : — South. West. Hearts — Knave, 7, 2. Diamonds — Ace, knave, 2. Clubs— 5, 4, 3. Spades — Ace, knave, 10, 8. Hearts — 4. Diamonds — King, queen, 10, 8, 7, 5, 3. Clubs— King, 9. Spades — King, queen, 9. North. East. Hearts — Ace, king, queen, 9, 5. Diamonds — 4. Clubs — Queen, knave, 6, 2. Spades— 7, 6, 2. Hearts— 10, 8, 6, 3. Diamonds — 9, 6. Clubs— Ace, 10, 8, 7. Spades — 5, 4, 3. BIDDING AFTER THE FIRST ROUND 95 The first round is one spade, one diamond, one heart, pass ; then pass, two diamonds, pass, pass. South now knows that West is strong, and that North has not very great strength in hearts. What should he do ? He may either bid two No Trumps or two hearts. Holding three hearts with an honour, and two aces he ought to declare two hearts — West is now in a difficulty, but with seven diamonds, including three honours, only one heart, and some black suit strength, his best plan is to risk three diamonds ; especially since he knows that North is not overpoweringly strong in hearts. North and East pass. It is again South 's turn and he has now three courses open to him : (1) to double three diamonds ; (2) to bid three hearts ; or (3) to bid two No Trumps. It is nearly always the wisest course not to undertake to make nine tricks. The men who win most at Auction Bridge are those who leave their adversaries with this undertaking. The score is in this particular case the determining factor. At love all, South should double three diamonds. If he is behind, or if it is game all and he has the worst of the score, he should bid two No Trumps. By doubling he will score 100 above, less 12 for West's honours. Without a trump, he would score 30 above and 24 below. Here is another case : — South. West. Hearts — Queen, 9, 6, 3. Diamonds — King, 7, 4. Clubs— King, 10, 8, 5. Spades— 10, 2. Hearts— 8, 7, 4. Diamonds — Ace, knave, 10, 3 2. Clubs— 9, 6, 4. Spades— 8 3. 96 AUCTION BRIDGE North. East. Hearts — Ace, knave, 10, 5. Diamonds — Queen, 9, 8. Clubs — Queen, 2. Spades— 9, 7, 6, 5. Hearts — King, 2. Diamonds — 6, 5. Clubs — Ace, knave, 7, 3. Spades — Ace, king, queen, knave, 4. South declares one spade, West one diamond, North one heart, and East one No Trump. It is impossible for South to know whether North's bid was made merely in order to raise West, or whether it is from strength. Probably the former, because he holds four hearts himself, and East is able to stop the suit. East No Trump call is almost surely on black suits, and since South holds four Clubs to the king ten, a solid spade suit is indicated. North must have at least four hearts, so that if South raises to two hearts they will hold at any rate eight trumps between them. In this instance, South should bid two hearts. Supposing now West were to support his partner, and declare two No Trumps, North is bound to pass. If West passes two hearts, and East himself bids two No Trumps, South must not call three hearts, but must let the call go up to North. North's hand is not good enough to bid three tricks on, in the face of South's original one spade. The bid of two No Trumps therefore ought not to be overcalled by either South or North. East and West will make their two No Trumps, but North and South would be short of a three heart contract by at least one trick. The score, as in all preceding examples, is pre- sumed to be love all. If East and West are 6 or more up, then the three heart call is justifiable. BIDDING AFTER THE FIRST ROUND 97 It is made deliberately, and it means that you are prepared to lose 50 or 100 above in order to keep your adversaries from winning the game. If they should go up to three No Trumps you must retire ; but in this case you will make 50 above (less their 30 for aces) because West and East would fail to win nine tricks. It is a very good general rule to avoid undertaking a contract of nine tricks if you possibly can, and to leave your adversaries in whenever they bid over eight. Skill in bidding consists in tempting your opponents to take on a larger contract than they can carry out, and to refuse to be tempted yourself. This is why it is such a very important thing at Auction Bridge to know when to keep silent. One of the most injudicious proceedings is to make a raising bid on an impossible hand : yet this weakness, coupled with too great a tendency to undertake three trick contracts, are the two causes that account for nearly all heavy overline scores. It is asking for trouble, for instance, to call two hearts or two diamonds on a weak hand containing but five trumps without ace and king over a No Trump bid made by North, when South has noti- fied the possession of an auxiliary No Trumper ; nevertheless, there are players who do it. When your partner, as has been explained in the chapters on declaring, overbids your call, and you elect to overcall him in turn, he should leave you with the bid, unless his cards are almost certainly better than yours. For instance, South declares one heart, North bids one No Trump, and South 7 98 AUCTION BRIDGE bids two hearts. Unless North has a practically certain game without trumps, he should leave the two hearts in. Should he declare two No Trumps, South should not overcall with three hearts unless he holds seven or eight hearts with at least the four top honours, and nothing else in bis hand. The following remarkable hands recently oc- curred : — South. Hearts — Ace, king, queen, 10, 8, 7, 3, 2. Diamonds — 6, 4. Clubs— 5. Spades — 9, 3. North. Hearts — None. Diamonds — Ace, king, queen, 5,2. Clubs — Ace, queen, 10, 7. Spades — Ace, king, 8, 6. West. Hearts — Knave, 5, 4. Diamonds — 3. Clubs — King, knave, 9, 8, 6. Spades — Knave, 5, 4, 2. East. Hearts— 9, 6. Diamonds — Knave, 10, 8, 7. Clubs— 4, 3, 2. Spades — Queen, 10, 7. South bid one heart, North overcalled with one No Trump. South bid two hearts — North bid two No Trumps — South declared three hearts. North was perhaps right to bid two No Trumps, because he had a very strong hand, and South 's two heart call did not necessarily imply commanding and overwhelming strength : but he certainly should not have overcalled three hearts. Without a heart in his hand, South 's hearts were useless on a No Trump declaration. However, North did bid three No Trumps. South concluded that if North held all the other cards, the game was certain with hearts trumps, and he bid therefore five hearts. BIDDING AFTER THE FIRST ROUND 99 North then retired, and of course North and South made a grand slam. Had South, assuming that North had everything else, and a heart to put him in with (as he had a right to do), left the bid at three No Trumps, they would have been two tricks under their contract. It was only because he held the four honours in hearts that he reckoned five hearts as good as three No Trumps. Here is another hand I have recorded. The score was game all, and West and East 18 up. South dealt, and declared one heart — West bid two dia- monds. North passed, and East called two No Trumps. This was an altogether unjustifiable and ridiculous bid. The score being what it was, South bid three hearts. West, becoming ruffled, overcalled with four diamonds. South passed, and in order to reduce their liability, East bid three No Trumps. South doubled, as he would also have doubled four diamonds : all passed. The hands were as follows : — South. West. Hearts — Ace, king, 9, 8, 5, 3. Diamonds — Ace, 8. Clubs — Knave, 7, 6. Spades — 4, 2. Hearts — 7, 2. Diamonds — King, queen, knave, 10, 9, 5, 4, 2. Clubs— Ace, 4, 3. Spades — none. North. East. Hearts — 10. Diamonds — 7, 3. Clubs — King, queen, 10, 5, 2. Spades— King, 10, 9, 8, 3. Hearts — Queen, knave, 6, 4. Diamonds — 6. Clubs— 9, 8. Spades — Ace, queen, knave, 7, 6, 5. South was a very good player. He knew East 100 AUCTION BRIDGE must have the hearts well guarded, so he did not open with a heart. Knowing that his ace king must make later, and that he would always get in with his ace of diamonds, he started with the knave of clubs : and North and South scored 400 above. Had four diamonds been left in, South would also have doubled, and would have scored 500 above, less 48. This bidding was all wrong. East should have passed West's two diamonds. He had not even the semblance of a No Trump hand, certainly not an overcalling one : besides with the score of 18, two diamonds was enough. The bidding ought to have gone as follows : one heart, two diamonds, pass, pass : two hearts, three diamonds, pass, pass ; three hearts, pass, pass, pass. East must on no account double, because if he does, and South fulfils his con- tract, it gives South the rubber. The three heart contract fails, and South loses 50 above, less 16. Nevertheless, three hearts is a proper bid, in order to prevent East and West winning the rubber. As a matter of fact, three diamonds would also have failed. The foregoing illustrations will show some of the situations that have to be faced, but experience alone can decide how to deal with many others. In discussing the various declarations so far, the score has always been presumed to be love. At Auction Bridge the game is generally won at a bound, and there is no gradual advance to the goal by progressive steps. The bidding element usually eliminates all the minor suits, and it is not often that you have the BIDDING AFTER THE FIRST ROUND 101 chance of building up your score by degrees. Never- theless it not infrequently happens that the score is 12, 16, 18, or 24, and it is then that most over line penalties accrue. Declarations that are sound at love are also equally sound when some progress towards the game has been achieved ; but it by no means follows that the converse applies, and many declarations that you may make when you are within a trick of the game would be open to very serious question if the score were love. You are often justified in declaring at this stage in a manner that would be indefensible at the start ; and in the same way, in such positions bids are overcalled with cards that under other conditions would not legitimately warrant such temerity. The point I wish particularly to emphasise in this connexion is that one does not make these declarations and overcalls in these circumstances because there is any better chance of their succeed- ing, but because the conditions are such that each side will try to force his adversary into a contract that will fail. In my book on Bridge ■ I have adduced proofs to show that the score has no appreciable bearing on the soundness of a declaration ; and exactly the same arguments apply at Auction Bridge, in so far as the mere score is concerned, but at the latter game you are overdeclaring and overbidding with your eyes open — not with any idea of succeed- ing, but with the different object of forcing your adversaries across the border line of a safe contract. 1 De la Rue & Co., 6d. edition. 102 AUCTION BRIDGE When, for instance, you are 18 up in the final game, and deal yourself the following hand : Hearts, knave, 10, 9, 4 ; diamonds, ace, 10, 8, 6 ; clubs, king, 7 ; and spades, queen, 5, 2, you bid one No Trump unhesitatingly ; or, if you are 24 up, with hearts, ace, knave, 6, 3 ; diamonds, queen, 10, 4, 2 ; clubs, 9, 7 ; and spades 6, 5, 3, you will declare one heart. In neither case would you so declare at love. You are almost sure to be overcalled what- ever you bid, so you may as well make it expensive. If not, you may win the game, and are prepared to pay a penalty for the chance. If your No Trump is overcalled with two in a red suit, or your heart with two diamonds, you may break the contract ; or perhaps your partner will chip in and raise the opposition to a bid of three or four. It is, of course, necessary to use some common sense, and not make absolutely impossible declarations and outrageous overbids. All I wish to invite attention to is, that, for the reasons given, lighter declarations may be made when one is within sight of goal than at the start ; and that one may, on that account, overcall with greater confidence and lesser strength. Finally, although all the declarations that have been recommended are based upon perfectly sound principles, it is not suggested that you should in- variably make them. Occasionally, when you are in a good position, you may, to begin with, prefer to remain silent when you hold a strong hand, in the hope of entrapping your adversaries into overcallmg. This is part of the strategy at Auction Bridge, but it is best learnt by experience : and I will only BIDDING AFTER THE FIRST ROUND 103 repeat, in conclusion, that you must not always declare in exactly the same stereotyped way, but should alter your methods whenever you can do so without misleading your partner, and so long as you do not violate any recognised convention. CHAPTER IX DOUBLING Because doubling at Auction Bridge has, by re- opening the bidding, the same effect as a declara- tion, I will refer to it next. Before the Laws were altered in such a manner as to penalise a side which fails to justify its double of a declaration by defeating it, doubling was rather recklessly indulged in. Now, when a player knows that if he doubles a declaration, and the declarer fulfils his contract, he will lose 50 points above the line, and an additional 50 points for every trick made in excess of the contract, it has a decidedly deterrent effect. Nevertheless, judicious doubling is one of the most effective weapons in the armoury of the skilful Auction Bridge player : and the opportunities for using it most frequently occur when one side or the other, or both, have partially advanced their scores. Each is then desirous of preventing the other from going out, and the result is usually that one of the hands is pretty sure to be overcalled. Since doubling opens the door to further bidding, it is a useless proceeding, other than for informatory 104 DOUBLING 105 purposes, to double any declaration that can easily be switched away from. It is foolish, except with the object of affording information to your partner, to double any black suit declaration, except three clubs. It is of no avail with strong cards to double one diamond, one heart, or one No Trump, because the doubled side is sure to shift to one heart, one No Trump, or two diamonds or hearts. Even a call of two diamonds is not often successfully doubled. Apart from the futility of such doubles, the gain to be secured is not so temptingly great. Of course it may occasionally happen that you may hold a solid suit of seven or eight spades or clubs when you are elder hand, and when the dealer has bid one No Trump, and has been pushed up to two No Trumps by your partner calling two hearts ; in which fortunate circum- stances you will of course double. Your partner having indicated heart strength, your adversaries can only get out of the hole they are in by bidding four diamonds, which is a very unlikely call, and one that, if it is made, is pretty sure to come to grief. This happy position, however, is not one in which you are often likely to find yourself. It is almost always contracts of more than two tricks that fail ; still, if you invariably wait until your adversaries have been enticed into the three or more trick zone before you double them, your opportunities for doubling will be very much fewer than if you are less greedy. You must be very chary of doubling any declara- 106 AUCTION BRIDGE tion which, but for the double, would not win the game ; and it is better, in cases of doubt on this point, to leave such doubles alone. For instance, the score is love, and the bid is two hearts or three diamonds. If you double, and the declarer fulfils his contract, he wins the game ; whereas if he had not been doubled, he would only have scored 16 or 18. On the other hand, if he is 14 or more up, he will win the game in either case if he fulfils his contract, whether doubled or not. In these latter posi- tions, when the game result is not affected by the double, you are not hindered by any considera- tion of that kind ; and such doubles have accord- ingly come to be called free doubles. Although convenient and sufficiently explanatory, the term " free " is scarcely accurate ; because, when such doubles fail, a penalty of 50 points is incurred for the failure. In fact, every double is in favour of the declarer, and against the doubler. For instance, South has declared two diamonds and has been doubled. South wins eight tricks, and scores 24 below and 50 above for fulfilling his contract : or he wins only seven tricks, and loses 100 above. If he is not doubled, he wins only 12 in the first case, and loses 50 in the second. Clearly the doubler is at a disadvantage. When in doubt about doubling, it is well to remember that an overcall is often made upon less strength than an original bid ; and you may there- fore venture to double such overbids with less diffidence. Say the dealer has bid one heart, and West has overcalled with two diamonds. If you DOUBLING 107 hold a fair black suit hand, and four diamonds with a couple of honours, or five with one, you may safely double. In the same way, two clubs are often called over one heart, with no remarkable strength, and this bid may therefore also be doubled somewhat freely. There is another kind of double that has to be carefully considered. This is when the dealer declares one heart or one diamond, and you are able to stop the suit twice. It has already been explained how a black suit is to be doubled, in order to intimate to one's partner that, in the event of his bidding No Trumps, the doubler holds the declared suit. The question for consideration is the extension of this principle to red suits, and the difficulty of course lies in the danger of such a proceeding. If you double a red bid, with not more than four possible tricks in your hand, and your partner is neither able to declare No Trumps nor to take you out, you stand a very fair chance of losing the game by your double. Therefore, unless the red suit bidder's score is such that the game result is not affected by the double — in other words, unless he is 22 or 24 up when he bids one heart or one diamond — you should not double a red suit for information' sake. On the other hand, when it is a " free " double, and you can stop the suit twice, and hold at least one other trick, you should double the declaration. You do so solely in order to tell your partner that he may declare No Trumps safely as far as the declared suit is concerned. This may be of great value, 108 AUCTION BRIDGE as the following hands will show : — You hold : hearts, ace, knave, 7 ; nothing in diamonds and clubs ; and the king, queen, and three small spades. Your partner holds : hearts, 3, 2 ; diamonds, ace, king, knave, 6, 4 ; clubs, king, queen, 10, 8 ; and spades, ace, 9. The dealer declares one heart. If you pass, all your partner can do is to bid two diamonds. If the dealer then bids two hearts, everything is of course easy, and you double ; but with such cards out against him, the two diamonds will probably be left in ; and may even fail. If on the other hand you double the dealer's one heart, your partner no longer fears the heart suit, and of course bids one No Trump, and will go into two No Trumps if necessary : in either event you will most likely win the game. Therefore, whenever with at least one other trick in your hand, you hold the ace, queen, and another, ace, knave, and another, king, queen, and another, or king, knave, and two others, or similar com- binations, of a red suit in which one trick is bid, you should double, provided that the bidder is 22 or 24 up. It occasionally happens that a double affords a player an opportunity of retreating from an un- tenable position. Let us say that South has declared one spade ; West passes ; North bids one heart ; East overcalls with two clubs. South raises to two hearts ; West and North pass. East doubles ; South and West pass. North, whose hearts are not very grand, declares two No Trump — which all pass. The declarer makes the odd trick, and DOUBLING 109 loses only 50 above. Had the double heart remained, the declarer would have lost 300 above. Obviously experience only can guide you in positions such as the foregoing, but you should always be on the look-out for them when you are doubled. A point that should never be lost sight of, in connection with the preceding, is that the partner of the original bidder should never interfere with the doubled declaration unless he is sure that his intervention will be to the mutual advantage. It would have been absurd, for example, in the case just instanced, if South had bid three diamonds, merely in order to get his partner out of the doubled two hearts. For all he knew, South was glad to be doubled ; yet one often comes across players who think it is incumbent upon them to make ridiculous declarations when their partner's bids have been doubled. Always remember there- fore that your partner may be quite satisfied for the double to stand. Of course, if you have a sure get out, it is another matter, and you should utilise it. It is not necessary in some situations that you should have strong trumps, or even any trumps at all, in order to double. If your partner and one of your adversaries have been bidding against one another, and your partner's three diamonds have been overcalled by three hearts, you may double the hearts if you have the aces and kings of both black suits, even though you have not a heart in your hand. This is fairly obvious, but there are graded degrees of strength which are less simple, and it is 110 AUCTION BRIDGE not possible to do more than call attention to such contingencies. Doubling is one of the sciences of Auction Bridge, which can only be fully acquired after long experience. CHAPTER X GENERAL PRINCIPLES OF THE GAME WHEN THERE ARE TRUMPS The strategy at Auction Bridge differs materially when a trump suit has been declared, and when there are No Trumps. The method of attack constitutes the main differ- ence, and involves a radical alteration in the style of leading. The history of whist may be useful here. The world of whist was divided into the long-suit players, who followed " Cavendish " and Hamilton ; and the short-suit contingent, who had Howell for their apostle. The long-suit adherents contended that their method was the only scientific one, whereas the short-suit school claimed that it could beat the long-suiters out of the field every time. Fortunately, by means of duplicate whist, it was possible to settle the question beyond dispute ; and in the great American League tournaments the short- suit game was able to establish its supremacy by reason of its disciples signally defeating their rivals. It was thus conclusively proved, in a manner which admits of no further argument, that the short-suit method is the most effective. The success of short-suit whist-players is due to ill 112 AUCTION BRIDGE the fact that they do not bind themselves always to follow one undeviating principle. Varieties of Strategy What applied to whist applies also to Auction Bridge ; and when a trump suit has been declared, you should follow short-suit whist tactics. There are five forms of strategy employed, which are known as : (1) the high-card game, (2) the supporting- card game, (3) the ruffing game, (4) the long-suit game, and (5) the trump attack. The high-card game is played when the leader holds a sequence of top cards, such as ace, king, etc. ; ace, king, queen, etc. ; king, queen, knave, etc. ; or queen, knave, ten, etc. The supporting-card game (which is the principal one, and is described by Howell as " the essence of short-suit play ; the theme, of which other forms of strategy are but variations ") is the form that is of the greatest utility at Auction Bridge. Four cards are reserved for the supporting-card game — the queen, the knave, the ten, and the nine. In playing it, the highest must always be led ; and it is essential for the success of the lead that the younger hand should finesse deeply. Short Suit Leads The ruffing game is when the leader opens a short suit, in the hope of making one or more small trumps. The cards reserved for leading at the ruffing game at short-suit whist are the eight, seven, and six, GENERAL PRINCIPLES WHEN TRUMPS 113 which are led as the "top of nothing," or as the head of two or three little ones. The long-suit game is only selected by the short- suit follower when he holds a good plain suit, fair strength in trumps, and at least one re-entry card in another suit. The cards reserved for leading at the long-suit game are the two, three, four, and five. The trump attack is only chosen when the leader holds four very good trumps, or five or more to- gether with a strong plain suit. These are the five forms into which the scientific short-suit whist-player divides his game ; and it will be found that, when a trump suit has been declared, the whole scheme of Auction Bridge leads will perfectly naturally range itself under one or other of these heads. The essence of long-suit whist consisted of an effort to establish and bring in a long suit. This being so, the original leader's first card was selected in order to direct his partner to the suit he wished to bring in. So that he might aid in this object, his partner, if he was strong in trumps, would lead them as soon as he got a chance. It is clear that at Auction Bridge, when an attack- ing trump declaration has been made, all strategy of this nature becomes an absurdity. Again, if a long-suit whist-player originally opened with a supporting card, the lead frequently resulted in the sacrifice of a high card held by his partner. This also occurs occasionally at Auction Bridge ; but, since the strengthener at the latter game is led through an exposed hand, the leader's partner is better able both to gauge the nature of the lead 8 114 AUCTION BRIDGE and to finesse more deeply. Another important consideration is that, at Auction Bridge, in such situations as may occur when the cards held by the younger hands are likely to be sacrificed by the lead of a supporting card, they stand an equally good chance of being similarly sacrificed by the declarer, later on, leading through them from the exposed hand, even though the elder hand avoids touching the suit. Two simple illustrations will render this clearer. Hearts are trumps in both examples : — Elder. Dummy. Clubs— 9, 4. Spades — Ace, queen, knave, 3, 2. Clubs — Queen, 10, 7. Spades— 9, 8, 6. Younger. Declarer. Clubs — King, knave, 8, 6. Clubs — Ace, 5, 3, 2. Spades — 10, 4. Spades — King, 7, 5. At Auction Bridge, the elder hand leads the nine of clubs ; Dummy plays the ten ; the younger plays the knave ; declarer wins with the ace. As soon as the younger gets in, he does not return the tenace club suit, but leads the ten of spades up to the ex- posed weakness in Dummy. The elder wins, and leads a second club through the exposed queen — elder and younger thus make five tricks in these two suits. At long-suit whist, if the elder opened with the nine of clubs, his partner would play his king, because the cards on his right are not exposed. The command of the suit would then lie with dummy. Nor would the younger hand, when he gets in, lead the ten of spades ; because he would not see the GENERAL PRINCIPLES WHEN TRUMPS 115 weak spades in Dummy's hand. He would probably return a club. The foregoing is a favourable dis- position of the cards. Let us try another : — Elder. Dummy. Clubs— 9, 4. | Clubs— 5, 3, 2. Younger. Declarer. Clubs — King, knave, 8, 6. Clubs — Ace, queen, 10, 7. Here, if the elder opens with the nine of clubs, the declarer sits over the younger all round. On the other hand, even supposing the elder does not open with the supporting club, the declarer, as soon as dummy gets the lead, will lead through the younger ; or rather he will lead to his own tenace ; because of course he does not know that the younger holds the king, knave, etc. Thus, there is no greater loss to the elder hand whether he opens the club suit, or whether he leaves it alone. In whist, and in Auction Bridge, the result of the lead with this second dis- tribution would be equally unfavourable. One point must never be lost sight of. The great feature — the dominating principle — of the supporting-card lead is that it enables the younger hand to finesse, and to preserve his high cards. It is essential that this should be thoroughly under- stood. If the elder starts with a ten or nine, and the younger holds the king with three or four small ones, he should hardly ever play the king. Even with the ace to his right, it is better to pass ; if he can count three with the declarer. No good card has been sacrificed, and the declarer has to open up to 116 AUCTION BRIDGE him, whilst he and his partner still retain such high cards as were dealt to them. Supposing the elder hand starts with the knave, from knave and another. Five of the suit to the nine appear in dummy. The younger holds ace, queen, and another. He must of course pass the knave ; for, by so doing, he retains the command over dummy for two rounds. Singleton Leads Coming to original singleton leads, the gravest objection to them at whist was that they misled the leader's partner into assuming the suit to be the leader's strongest ; and if he had a powerful hand, he proceeded to extract trumps at once, if he got in, in order to assist his partner to establish and bring in his supposed long suit. It is easy to see how disastrous this was. At Auction Bridge, since your adversaries select their trump suit, it is obvious that this objection is non-existent. When, in cases where the bidding has disclosed nothing, a singleton is led, there is always the danger of finding the suit to be one in which your adver- saries hold all the strength, and in such cases such leads spell disaster. It may also happen that by opening with a singleton, a high card of your partner's, that might otherwise have made a trick, or proved useful in checking the adverse establish- ment of a suit, is sacrificed on the first round, with- out any compensating gain ; or a tenace may be destroyed. It must also be remembered that the GENERAL PRINCIPLES WHEN TRUMPS 117 declarer is in a much better position than your partner is, to diagnose whether the card led is a singleton or not ; and being the possessor of the trump strength, he may, if he wins the trick (if it suits him to do so), draw the trumps, and render the would-be ruffer impotent. Against these drawbacks must be placed on the credit side the opportunities that singleton leads often give the leader of making one or two small trumps, although in this connexion it is as well to point out that it will rarely happen that the single- ton leader will obtain more than two ruffs, albeit one is as much as he can ordinarily hope for ; because in order to have the suit led to him a second or third time, his partner has to obtain the lead two or three times before trumps are extracted ; and this, against a sound declaration, argues a very unusual hand. When, therefore, you are elder hand you should examine your cards in the light of the declaration and the bidding, and decide upon what form of strategy you will embark. If you hold a suit containing winning cards, your most advantageous course is to play the high-card game, and lead one. This will give you an oppor- tunity of seeing dummy without losing the lead, which may be of some assistance to you. If, how- ever, you hold no ace king suits, or other high combinations, it is best to open with a supporting card, or a singleton. In selecting a supporting card, when the bidding has told you nothing, it may of course happen that you hit upon the suit in which the adversaries hold all the strength, but that is a 118 AUCTION BRIDGE risk inseparable from such ventures, and you may- console yourself with the knowledge that, in such circumstances, your strengthening card would in no case have been of any use for either attack or defence. We have now got thus far — that your best open- ing lead is from an ace king, or ace king queen suit, next from a king queen knave, or king queen suit ; and that, failing these, you should lead a sup- porting card (a queen, knave, ten, or nine) or a singleton. Avoidance of Tenace Opening There is one kind of lead that you should always eschew, and that is a lead from a tenace. The short-suit whist-player sedulously avoids opening from any suit headed by an ace queen, king knave, or ace knave ; and experiments have shown that at Auction Bridge it is even more disadvantageous to lead from these tenaces. A player is more likely to win tricks in such suits, if he waits for them to be led by some one else. This was remarkably de- monstrated in the American Whist League Trophy Finals in 1894, when the following hand occurred : — nine, six, of spades ; king, nine, eight, five, of hearts ; king, knave, nine, six, three, of clubs ; and ten, four, of diamonds. All the long-suit players of course started with the six of clubs ; but the short- suiters opened with the ten of diamonds. As a result, the latter method of play won seven tricks as against five by the former. It is hardly neces- sary to explain that these whist league tests were GENERAL PRINCIPLES WHEN TRUMPS 1 1 9 decided by Duplicate Whist, so that the proof, on that particular hand, is conclusive. Rejecting, then, all tenace suits, the field of selec- tion becomes narrowed, and the only remaining combinations are (i) suits of three cards headed by ace, king, or queen ; (ii) suits of four or more cards, headed by ace, king, queen, or knave ; (iii) suits headed by king, queen ; and (iv) long suits, headed by lower cards than the knave. If you are driven to open a suit of ace and two small ones, lead a small one ; but with four or more in the suit, lead the ace. If, however, you have any other suit you can start with, it is inadvisable to lead out an ace. The chance of making it is hardly at all affected by leading it out at once, whereas later on it may prove of great obstructive value. Never lead a small one from king and others. If you are compelled to open from a queen and two others, lead a queen. Do not lead away from her. From suits of four or more headed by a knave, a small one is a useful protective lead, when no better combination is held. From king, queen, and others, it is usual to lead the king ; but if you do not touch the suit, there is always a chance of making both the king and the queen. From king and queen only, the king is an excellent lead. If your partner happens to have the ace you will make both king and queen ; whereas, if one of your adversaries holds it, you lose nothing. An original lead from a long suit of four or more, headed by moderate cards, is your last refuge, and should only be resorted to when you hold no win- ning cards, no singleton, and no strengthening 120 AUCTION BRIDGE cards. You then open a long snit merely as a measure of defence, in order to hinder the declarer. It may occasionally happen that you hold four pretty strong trumps, together with a good plain suit, and a re-entry card or two — when you should lead from the strong plain suit, in the hope of bringing it in or hampering the declarer. On other occasions you may hold strong black suits, and your partner may have shown some strength in the other red suit ; when your best lead is a trump. It is led on the principle that trumps being the only weapon your adversaries have ; you wish to exhaust them as speedily and as harmlessly as you can. At Auction Bridge you always hare to lead originally up to the declarer, and you generally know what his strong suit is. You also very often know, from the bidding, which is dummy's strong suit, and which is your partner's, and you must regulate your leads accordingly. At Auction Bridge, since you always have to open up to the declarer you must never lead a trump to your partner's double. When the contract is a heavy one, he may of course have doubled without much trump strength, on all-round strong playing cards, or upon powerful black suits, when you have been pushing the declarer up with the other red one. In such cases it would appear good policy to extract trumps ; nevertheless it is better to open your own suit, or lead a strength- ener in one of the blacks, and leave your partner to put a trump through the declarer, if he wishes to do so. GENERAL PRINCIPLES WHEN TRUMPS 121 Table of Leads As a rule, when you are opposed to the declarer you are acting on the defensive, and your object should be to open in such a manner as to do as little harm as possible before dummy's hand is exposed ; and the leads best designed to achieve this aim are given below, as much as possible in their order of merit : — Lead — The ace, from ace, king only. The king, from ace, king, queen, knave, with or without others. The king, from ace, king, queen, with or without others. The king, from ace, king, knave, with or without others. The king, from ace, king, etc. A singleton, if three or four small trumps are held. The king, from king, queen only. The king, from king, queen, knave, with or without others. The queen, from queen, knave, or queen and another. The knave, from knave, ten, or knave and another. The ten, from ten, nine, or ten and another. The nine, from nine, eight, or nine and another. The queen, from queen, knave, ten, nine, with or with- out others. The queen, from queen, knave, ten, with or without others. The king, from king, queen, ten, with or without others. The king, from king, queen, and small ones. The knave, from knave, ten, nine, with or without others. The knave from knave, ten, nine ; knave, ten, and another, or knave and two small ones. The ten, from any three cards headed by the ten. The nine, from the top of three cards. The queen, from the top of three cards. A small one, from the knave or lower card, and three or more smaller ones. A small one, from ace and two little ones. The ace, from ace and three or more small ones. Failing any of the above holdings, lead the highest of a low doubleton, rather than touch a tenace suit. 122 AUCTION BRIDGE Occasionally, when you hold a very long suit of five or more cards, headed by the ace, queen, knave ; ace, queen ; or ace, knave ; it may be advisable to lead out the ace, for fear that it may be ruffed later on. Also, with ace, queen, knave, etc. ; and a re-entry card in another suit, the ace, followed by the queen, is a permissible lead. If you hold the king, knave, ten, nine, with or without others, or the king, knave, ten, etc., and are obliged to open the suit, lead the ten. If you can open another suit, it is better to leave these tenace suits alone. Since the highest of a short suit is a common lead against a declared trump, it is of advantage, when you begin with a long suit against a trump call, to open with the fourth-best ; because, by so doing, your partner is often enabled, by the application of the old eleven whist rule, to deduce whether the lead is from length or shortness. Return of Leads, etc. When you lead a small card originally, and your partner wins the trick, it is in no wise incumbent on him to return your lead. Of course, if he suspects a singleton, he will do so ; otherwise he will gener- ally do better to play out any winning cards he has, and then lead up to the weakest suit in the exposed hand ; unless he can infer that you hold the winning card in the suit you led originally. The play, after dummy is exposed, is influenced almost entirely by the cards in it, and varies accordingly with every deal. GENERAL PRINCIPLES WHEN TRUMPS 123 When you lead the king, from ace, king, knave only of a suit, and find three small ones only in the exposed hand, you may change the suit, if you have some other you can open without detriment, provided it is not essential to collect all the tricks you can at once. Your partner is thus informed that you are left with the ace knave only, and will lead the suit through the dealer as soon as he gets in. When you hold the ace, king, knave, with others, or if the number of cards in the suit held by the exposed hand total eight or more, together with those in your own hand, it is generally safer to continue with the ace, and not change the suit in order to wait for the suit to be led to you, for fear that it may be ruffed. In cases when you return your partner's lead, you should, as a general rule, return the highest of two, or the lowest of three or more ; unless you hold the winning card of the suit, when it should always be played. You should also return the highest of a sequence, irrespective of number. For instance, holding queen, knave, ten, etc., if you win the first trick with the ten, return the queen, and so on. The preceding maxim is, of course, subject to modification according to the cards in the exposed hand, or to considerations of ruffing. Leading up to or through Dummy, etc. It has been said that, after the game has com- menced, you should lead up to the weakest suit in the exposed hand, if you have nothing better to do ; 124 AUCTION BRIDGE and, as a rule, this is a perfectly sound maxim. The only exception is, that it is inadvisable to lead a supporting card (higher than the highest in dummy) up to a long suit on the table, because you may, by so doing, be assisting the declarer to establish the suit. The same principle operates here as governs the original lead of supporting cards. The declarer will sacrifice his own high cards to force out higher ones from your partner, and so leave Dummy with the best. The broad general principle of leading through Dummy's strongest suit must also be applied intel- ligently. It is no use to lead through a quint, quart, or tierce major suit, unless you want Dummy to get the lead ; nor is it of much avail to play through an exposed ace, queen, if you hold the king yourself ; unless, knowing that the declarer is very anxious to put the lead in the exposed hand, you hope that he will play the ace at once. In leading through Dummy, after the game has started, you must always keep before you the principle of the strengthening card. Exactly the same principles apply to the play by the declarer of the exposed hand's cards as guide you in your opening when you lead a supporting card. As explained above, in dealing with leads up to Dummy, the declarer will, if he is long in the suit led through the exposed hand, utilise the high cards in it, in order to clear it from his own hand. There- fore, the number of cards in the suit held by the leader, and the number that appear on the table, will supply the factor for determining the card to be led. GENERAL PRINCIPLES WHEN TRUMPS 125 If you hold fewer cards of the suit you contem- plate leading than Dummy holds, you should lead your highest ; if you hold more, you should lead a small one ; if you both hold the same number, the card to be led depends upon the values of the cards severally held. In the latter positions, if Dummy holds one card higher than your highest, you should lead your top card, unless it is the king. If the queen and two small ones appear in the exposed hand, and you hold the knave and two small ones, lead the knave. Should your partner hold the king, ten, nine, etc., the knave will be a very good card for him. When you hold queen and another, and Dummy holds king and another, you should generally lead the queen, and always, if you require only two tricks to save the game. In such positions, you assume your partner to hold the ace, knave, etc., and, since he may not venture to finesse the knave if you lead a small one, and Dummy does not put up the king, you simplify the game for him by leading the queen. If Dummy holds ace and another, or king and another, and you know the declarer wants to jump in with the lead, you do not lead a high card, as it would be a waste of a possible trick, since he will play the ace or king in any case. If you have a suit of three, four, or even five or more cards, headed by two moderate cards in sequence, such as queen knave, knave ten, or ten nine, and Dummy holds the card immediately above your highest, you lead your best. With three cards in your hand, and three in Dummy — yours alternating 126 AUCTION BRIDGE with dummy's, or with your second card immedi- ately below dummy's highest — lead your second- best. As, for instance, when you hold king, ten, and another, and dummy holds ace, knave, and another, or knave and two small ones, the proper lead is the ten. If your partner holds the queen, nine, and others, or the queen and others, the ten will prove a very advantageous card. If you hold four, and dummy three, lead your smallest. When you hold the ace, and the king and another, or others, are in the exposed hand, lead a small one. If you partner holds the queen, you may make an extra trick. If you hold the queen and another, or knave and another, and especially if you hold queen, knave, lead the highest when four or five to the ten appear in the exposed hand ; but if you hold four, headed by queen, knave, ten, lead your smallest. Whatever you do, unless one adversary has no trumps left, and you wish to force the strong hand, avoid leading a suit in which both your adversaries are void, and in which your partner holds one or more. It is the worst of all possible leads, since it enables the strong adverse hand to discard, and the weak one to trump. The Finesse In no circumstances should you finesse against your partner ; and any finesse is bad, when by not finessing you can save the game, or break the contract, or win the odd trick. When it is clear that a player leads to finesse, GENERAL PRINCIPLES WHEN TRUMPS 127 and you hold the card he intends finessing against, and see that it must eventually be sacrificed, put it on at once. For instance, the declarer leads the queen of spades : you hold the king, seven, six ; and the ace, knave, nine, three are in the exposed hand. If you pass the queen led, your king must fall later on. If you put it on at once, your partner may remain with the command with the ten, after the second round. If the ten is with the dealer, it is a matter of complete indifference what you do. The play varies slightly when there is no trump, since the suit cannot be ruffed. This will be ex- plained later. Provided that his contract is safe, the declarer should finesse deeply whenever he sees a chance of the game being won should the finesse succeed. On the other hand, when, as sometimes happens, he finds on the exposure of Dummy's cards that his contract is in danger, he should run no risks, and should direct all his efforts to making all the tricks he can, in order to fulfil his undertaking. The Ruff Signal There exists a universally recognised convention at Bridge, which has since been imported into Auction Bridge, whereby, whenever a trump suit has been declared, a player is enabled to signify his ability to ruff. It is as follows : When to the first round of a suit led by your partner you play a higher card than you do on the second, it is an intimation that you hold no more of it, and indicates 128 AUCTION BKIDGE that you can trump the third round. This signal is of considerable value negatively, as well as positively. Supposing your partner leads the king, ace of diamonds (hearts being trumps), and you play to the king the knave, and to the ace the eight, and there are three to the queen in the exposed hand, your partner at once leads a third round which you ruff. But for the signal, he would not have played a third round. Again, supposing you lead the king, ace of a suit of which you hold five, and there are three small ones in the exposed hand, and your partner does not signal. It is useless to lead a third round, because it will be ruffed by the declarer. When there are No Trumps, if you play a higher and then a lower card to your partner's leads, you are noti- fying that you hold four or five, as will be explained further on ; but there is no object in thus echoing when there are trumps, and this method of play is therefore utilised as above. As Auction Bridge becomes more generally played, room will no doubt be found for including a signal to intimate a wish for a trump lead, but the time is seemingly not yet. The Discard in a Trump Declaration Although the discard when a trump suit has been declared is of some importance, it is less vital than when there are no trumps. If you have been unable to indicate your best GENERAL PRINCIPLES WHEN TRUMPS 129 suit to your partner by calling it, and if the other suits have not been located by the bidding, your first discard, against a trump declaration, should be from the suit you want led. No inferences should be drawn from any subsequent discards. The first alone counts, and intimates what suit you wish led to you. If all the suits have been declared, you will still generally do better to be consistent, and discard as above. Of course, in very many cases the holders of the various suits have been marked by the preliminary bidding, and when you have made a declaration your partner knows what your strong suit is ; but even then it does not follow that you hold the winning cards in it, whereas you may hold the winner in an adverse suit. Also, you may want a particular suit led through Dummy, or up to him ; and it is useful therefore to be able to communicate by your first discard some information that is valuable as an indication of the suit you want. Many players prefer always to discard from their weakest suit. Unless a suit is absolutely valueless, it certainly seems more rational not further to weaken an already weak suit by discarding from it. It also seems desirable to any reasonable person, other conditions being equal, to utilise your discard for conveying to your partner information that is of value. It is of no benefit whatever to him to be told that your discard indicates a worthless suit. It must always be remembered that, owing to the fact that forced discards frequently have to be made, too rigid inferences must never be drawn from the cards thrown. When a player is compelled 130 AUCTION BRIDGE to depart from rule, his partner must appraise the situation as best he can. An intelligent partner will generally be able, in such positions, to draw a tolerably correct inference from the discard made. Drawing Trumps When you are the declarer, unless you are anxious to utilise trumps in one of the hands for ruffing, it is as a rule the soundest policy to extract them as soon as you get in, in order to prevent your adversaries from making their trumps separately and getting ruffs. Here is an example of how not to play : — Dealer. West. Hearts — Ace, knave, 10, 9, 7, 5, 2. Diamonds — 6, 4. Clubs — Ace, king, 8, 6. Spades — none. Hearts — Queen. Diamonds — Ace, 3. Clubs— Knave, 10, 9, 7, 5, 4,2. Spades — Knave, 7, 5. North. East. Hearts— 6, 4, 3. Diamonds — Queen, 9, 8, 7, 5. Clubs — Queen, 3. Spades — King, queen, 4. Hearts — King, 8. Diamonds — King, knave, 10, 2. Clubs — none. Spades— Ace, 10, 9, 8, 6, 3, 2. The dealer declared one heart — West two clubs — pass — one No Trump. Two hearts — two No Trumps — pass — pass. Three hearts — pass — pass — pass. The elder hand led the knave of spades. The declarer ruffed the ace and led a small club — in order, as he afterwards explained, to put Dummy GENERAL PRINCIPLES WHEN TRUMPS 131 in, so that he might discard a losing diamond and so make five by tricks. The result was that the adversaries won five tricks, and broke the contract. If the declarer, as of course he ought to have done : had led the ace of trumps at trick 2, he must make four by cards and win the game. Such situations are by no means uncommon, and you should always be on the look-out for the un- expected. CHAPTER XI GENERAL PRINCIPLES OP THE GAME WHEN THERE ARE NO TRUMPS When Auction Bridge is played without trumps it becomes quite a different game from that with a trump suit declared, and the tactics employed are altogether different. When there is no trump, the game resolves itself into a struggle between the opposing players, on the one hand to estab- lish and bring in their own long suit or suits, and on the other to prevent a like accomplishment on the part of their opponents. What is aimed at, therefore, is to bring in your own long suit, and to prevent your adversaries from establishing theirs. The Original Leap At Auction Bridge the opening lead has to be made up to the declarer, and when there has been preliminary bidding, you know that your own or your partner's overcalled suits are guarded. Often it will happen that the dealer will declare No Trumps right away, and in such cases, if your partner has not been able to give any indication as to his hand, your original lead should be from 132 * PRINCIPLES WHEN NO TRUMPS 133 your longest suit. This is a point upon which all players are agreed, and concerning which no di- versity of opinion exists. Every deal played without trumps will see four or five tricks made by small cards. To make this possible, adverse high cards must be got out of the way. The process is called the establishment of a suit. The object of opening with your longest suit is primarily in order to establish and bring it in, and secondly to utilise its length as a check against your adversaries es- tablishing it, should they be found to hold the high cards in it. If, however, it should consist of five very small cards, without an honour, and you hold at the same time a second suit of four, containing one or two honours, and composed of higher cards, you may start with the latter. When a legitimate No Trump declaration has been made, your only chance, ordinarily, of saving the game — to say nothing of breaking the contract — will be by establishing a long suit. The system of leading which now follows shows how a long suit should be led, and why ; and the table of leads at the end of the chapter indicates the card to be led according to the universally accepted view. Card to Lead Originally Since your object in trying to establish a long suit is to endeavour to obtain for the small cards in it a value that does not rightly belong to them, you should, in selecting which card of your suit to 134 AUCTION BRIDGE lead, avoid parting with commanding cards in it as long as it is necessary to retain them. When you have a card of re-entry, you may lead differently to when the whole strength in your hand is confined from one suit. Leads from suits in hands containing no card of re-entry will first be dealt with. With any suit headed by a tierce major, or better, you should lead out the king, queen, ace. With a suit of less than seven, headed by the ace, king, if you lead out the king, ace, you cannot hope to make any more tricks in it. If you have six, it is within the bounds of possibility that each adversary will only have two, and your partner three, and that he can get out of your way, but it is very improbable. With five, unless your partner has four and unblocks, and each adversary two only, you cannot make five tricks in the suit. With four, unless your partner has the queen and others, you cannot make more than two tricks, if you lead out king, ace. As it is foolish to assume the most unlikely distributions, and since it is of no use to you to make only two tricks in your one strong suit, it is clearly profitless to lead out the highest cards of it. Therefore from suits of ace, king, and less than five small ones, always lead the fourth-best. It is only 2 to 1 against the queen being with your partner. It is 5 to 4 on his holding either queen or knave, and, if he holds the knave, it is just as likely that the queen will be on your left as on your right, in which case his knave will win the first trick, thus placing you in a most advantageous position. If the declarer wins the trick, he wil} PRINCIPLES WHEN NO TRUMPS 135 have to open a suit up to your partner, who may be able to get in at once, and return you your suit immediately, when you will probably make all the rest of it. With seven or more, headed by ace, king, the case is different. If one of your adver- saries has three with the queen, your partner, unless the other is void, will be likely to hold only one of the suit ; and even if that one is the queen, it is no good your opening with a little one, as he will not have a card of your suit to return to you. Therefore, with seven or more, headed by ace, king, always lead king, ace. With the ace, king, knave, and one or more, unless you hold seven, lead the fourth-best. If your partner holds the queen, the fourth-best is obviously the best lead ; if he does not, he may play the ten, or some other card that may force out the queen or win the trick, and establish your suit. Unless there are four with the queen in one adverse hand, one round of the suit will establish it, as the queen must fall to your ace, king, as soon as you get in. With the ace, king, knave, with or without one or two more, lead the knave. If the queen is on your left it may not be put on, and if it is only doubly guarded, you will catch it with the king ace, and make all your suit. Should the queen and three others lie on your left, and it is put on your knave led, continue with the ten. The declarer cannot tell whether the ace or king, or possibly both, may not be in your partner's hand, and may retain the queen, even on the second round, in the hope of blocking the suit on the third or fourth round. If the queen is put on, your suit is estab- 136 AUCTION BRIDGE lished. If your partner has not got the queen in either of above cases, the odds against its falling, if you lead the king, ace from five, are about 6 to 1 ; and from six, over 3 to 1. With either of the above combinations, holding seven or more, lead king, ace. With ace, queen, knave, tett, with or without one or two others, or with ace, c/ieen, knave, with less than four small ones, lead the queen. If the king is doubly guarded on your left, it will not be put on on the first round. Continue with the knave. If the queen wins, and the king is not in the exposed hand, lead the ace next. Your partner, if he has it, must play the king on your ace. With seven or more headed by ace, queen, knave, ten ; ace, queen, knave ; or ace, queen, ten, lead the ace. If your partner has the king, he must play it on the ace. If the king is guarded against you, it is as likely as not that your partner will not have more than one. It is about 6 to 1 against the king falling on the ace led, if you have seven. With the ace, knave, ten and others, lead the knave. If your partner has the king, and the queen is on your left, she is doomed, unless there are more guards behind the queen than behind your partner's king. If your partner has the king, and the queen is not in the exposed hand, he must play the king on your knave, and return the suit to your major tenace, so that you can capture the queen on your right, if she is only doubly guarded. With ace, queen, and little ones, or ace knave, and little ones, lead the fourth-best ; though with ace, queen, and six small ones, lead the ace on the PRINCIPLES WHEN NO TRUMPS 137 off chance of catching the king. With the ace, queen, ten, and less than four others, some players lead the ten. This lead possesses no intrinsic merits to recommend it, nor does the information it gives adequately compensate for this defect. The fourth- best should be led. It is 5 to 4 on the leader's partner holding either the king or the knave. If he holds the knave the lead of the ten can do no good in any circum- stances. If he holds the king and others, and the knave is not in the exposed hand, he must play the king on the ten led, or the dealer will win with the knave. Should the declarer hold the knave and three others, he will in this case block the suit, unless twice led through ; whereas, if a small one is led originally, the suit is established at once, even though the knave be trebly guarded in the declarer's hand. In order to give the lead of the ten any advantage over the lead of the fourth-best, the distribution of the suit would have to be very remarkable ; and, considering the disadvantages of the ten lead as indicated above, the Author is of opinion that it is not a good opening. The preceding leads are jeu de regie when the leader holds no card of re-entry. Holding a card of re-entry, they undergo certain modifications as follows : — With the ace, king, knave, ten, and one or two more, or ace, king, knave, with one, two, or three more, the king should be led if you have a card of re-entry ; continuing with the ace on the second round. If the queen is against you, you will be 138 AUCTION BRIDGE pretty sure to drop her on the third round ; and, on getting in again later on with your card of re- entry, will be able to make your small ones. In the same way, holding a card of re-entry, you should lead the ace from ace, queen, and five small ones, on the chance of the king falling. Unless the cards are exceptionally badly divided, your suit will be cleared on the second round, and your card of re- entry will enable you to make your five small ones. With a card of re-entry, the ace should be led from ace, queen, knave, ten, with or without one or two others ; and from ace, queen, knave, and less than four others, followed by the queen and knave. Also from the ace, queen, ten, and three others, followed by the queen or ten, according to what you see in the exposed hand, and the fall of the cards on the first trick. The succeeding leads are the same whether a card of re-entry is held or not. With king, queen, knave, ten, and others, or king, queen, knave, and others, always start with the king. If you have only four, and the king wins, continue with the queen. If all follow to the queen, and your partner has not echoed, next lead the lowest. If he has echoed, lead the knave after the queen, and then the lowest. If you hold five, and the king wins the first trick, continue with the knave. Should your partner have five also, he will echo as a matter of form ; though, unless there are none of the suit in the exposed hand, you will know he has five after the second round, whether he echoes or not. A few players suggest the lead of the knave from PRINCIPLES WHEN NO TRUMPS 139 king, queen, knave, to five or more, as they say it helps your partner to unblock. They do not ex- plain how, and it is difficult to see in what way it accomplishes this ; so the king is, generally in England, and unanimously in America, conceded to be the better card. With the king, queen, ten, and two or more others, lead the king ; and follow with the queen or ten if the king wins, according to what you learn from the exposed hand and the cards played to the first trick. With less than five it is better to lead the lowest ; because, if you have only four, and both ace and knave are against you, they are both likely to be guarded, and you gam nothing by leading the king. If your partner has either of them, its utility as a clearing card is decreased by your leading the king, since he may have to play it on the second round to avoid blocking you. If, however, you have no other high cards in your hand, you may lead the king from king, queen, ten, and only one other. With the king, queen, and little ones, lead the fourth-best, unless you have seven or more. In that case lead the king, as the knave will probably fall to the queen when you get in again. With the queen, knave, ten, etc., or the queen, knave, nine, with five or six in suit, lead the queen. You hope to find the ace with your partner and the king in the exposed hand. If you are fortunate enough to do so, and the king is not at least doubly guarded, your suit will be established unless the cards are very badly distributed. Some authorities recommend the queen from 140 AUCTION BRIDGE queen, knave, nine, with only four ; but at whist it was proved that, with less than six, the fourth best is the better lead. The best card to lead from king, knave, ten and others is a generally disputed point. Personally I have always preferred the knave, and latterly Bridge players mostly selected that card ; but now the tide again seems turning in favour of the ten. I think the knave is a better card, for the same reason that I prefer it from ace, queen, knave, ten, ace, queen, ten, etc., queen, knave, ten, etc., and queen, knave, nine, to six or more ; because it multiplies the number of combinations from which this card may be led, and so complicates matters for the declarer, whilst it does not in any way confuse your partner. Those who prefer the ten do so be- cause of the precise information it imparts — namely, that the knave indicates the possession of the ace ; and the ten denies it. The point that seems to me doubtful is whether this exact information is not more to the advantage of the declarer than the defenders. However let us concede that the ten should be led. From the king, knave, ten, nine, with or without others, lead the nine. In The Field, in 1893, it was proved that the nine is a better lead than the ten. From the knave, ten, nine, etc., lead the knave. From the ten, nine, eight, and others, lead the ten. The Fourth-Best Lead The idea of conveying information by abandoning the lead of the lowest card was tentativelv intro- PRINCIPLES WHEN M) TRUMPS 141 duced into whist a good many years ago, by the "penultimate" of "Cavendish," and the "ante- penultimate " of General Dray son ; but it was not until Mr. N. B. Trist, of New Orleans, propounded his "fourth-best" as the "card of uniformity," that this lead became a regularly recognised principle of the game. Very soon after the final incorporation into whist conventions of the fourth-best lead, the Eleven Rule was discovered and published. This formula has maintained its supremacy ever since, as the readiest method a player has, of seeing at a glance how many cards higher than the one led are against the leader. Its operation is perfectly simple : deduct the number of pips on the card led from eleven, and the difference will show how many cards there are, higher than the one led, that are not in the leader's hand. Owing to one hand being exposed at Auction Bridge, this method of leading conveys a much greater amount of precise information to the leader's partner, and to the declarer, than was the case at whist. The following examples will show what is meant : — The elder hand starts with a seven. Dummy lays down the queen, ten, five ; and the younger hand holds the ace, eight, six. Deduct 7 from 11, and the difference is 4 ; therefore there are four cards out against the elder. Two are in the exposed hand, and two with the younger hand, therefore the declarer cannot beat the seven, and the leader holds the king, knave, nine. Again : a five is led ; Dummy lays down ace, 142 AUCTION BRIDGE nine, eight, three, and the younger hand holds the queen, ten, two ; therefore there is only one card higher than the five with the declarer and it may be single ; and so on. Whether the informa- tion given to the younger hand, by the lead of the fourth-best, counterbalances the opportunities it often affords the declarer of immediately locating the whole suit, is very much open to doubt. Nevertheless, the fourth-best lead is recommended here because it has been adopted by all American players, and by a majority in London. Therefore, in all other cases than from the com- binations enumerated, the fourth-best card of the suit must be led originally. CHAPTER XII NO TRUMPS : SYNOPSIS OF ORIGINAL LEADS From ace, queen, knave, ten, and three or more small ones From ace, queen, knave, and four or more small ones From ace, queen, ten, and four or more small ones . From ace, queen, and six or more small ones From ace, king, and nve or more From king, queen, and five or more small ones . From king, queen, knave, ten, with or without others From king, queen, f Continue with the queen if you knave, and one -| have only four ; with the knave or more others { if you have more than four . From king, queen, ten, and two or more others . From ace, king, queen, knave, with or without others From ace, king, queen, and others . From queen, knave, ten, and others .... From queen, knave, nine, and five or more in suit . From ace, queen, knave, ten, with or without one or two more From ace, queen, knave, with less than four others From ace, king, knave, ten, with or without one or two more .... From ace, knave, ten, and others From knave, ten, nine, and others From king, knave, ten, and others From ten, nine, eight, and others Lead the Ace. Lead the King. Lead the Queen. Lead the Knave. Lead the Ten. Modifications With a Card of Re-entry From ace, queen, knave, ten, with or without one or^ two more I Lead From ace, queen, knave, and less than four others . J- the From ace, queen, ten, and three others . . . | Ace. From ace, queen, and five small ones . 143 144 AUCTION BRIDGE From ace, king, knave, ten, with or without one or ) t j two more .1 t ? & From ace, king, knave, and less than four small f j^. 9 „ ones J JUn ©* In all other cases lead the fourth best. Modifications in the Original Lead Due to Bidding So far, in dealing with the opening leads, most of what has been written regarding them relates to the leads when no modifications have been intro- duced by the bidding. The correct cards to start with from the various combinations remain the same under all conditions ; but the position, in respect of the suit to lead originally, is often much complicated by the preliminary declarations. A reference to the chapters on the declarations by the several players will best indicate what I mean. When you are playing against a trump declara- tion, your partner's bid, whenever he has made one, will assist you in your opening lead. Unless you hold some certain winning cards, such as an ace king suit ; or a very strong king queen knave suit, you will ordinarily lead the suit which your partner has named ; but it is not so much when a trump suit has been declared that the selection of the suit to start with is rendered difficult by the preliminary bidding, as when there are no trumps. It is then that the declarations have the greatest influence upon your original lead. An explanation will now follow. When you are elder hand, and the dealer declares SYNOPSIS OF ORIGINAL LEADS 145 one No Trump originally, and all pass, you are conscious of the following facts : — Your partner has not an overwhelming spade or club suit, or he would have doubled with the first, or declared three clubs with the second ; nor has he great strength in either red suit, or he would have bid two tricks in it. Therefore he has probably an average hand, and you will lead accordingly, as already explained. If, on the other hand, your partner doubles, or bids three clubs, you of course lead a spade or a club, as the case may be. Supposing the dealer has declared one diamond, or one heart, and East bids one heart or two clubs, which the dealer overcalls with one No Trump which all pass ; or supposing the dealer declares one No Trump, and East bids two diamonds or hearts, which the dealer overcalls with two No Trumps : you should start with the heart, club, or red suit indicated, whichever it may be. Supposing the dealer has declared one spade, and West overcalls with two spades, or one or two clubs. If North bids one No Trump, and becomes the declarer, you are in no doubt as to what to lead. Similarly, if West overcalls one spade with one heart or diamond, and you become elder hand in North's one No Trump, you will open with your partner's suit ; unless you have a very strong suit of your own, which in the circumstances is not very likely. You know that your partner's red call is nothing out of the way, or he would otherwise have raised it to two tricks : still, it is a voluntary bid, and is therefore probably the best suit you can open. 10 U6 AUCTION BRIDGE In the following cases if North declares one or two No Trumps, and you become the elder hand, you will start with the suit called by your partner ; saving in those very exceptional circumstances when you happen to hold one yourself which is almost certainly stronger : — Whenever the dealer's auxiliary No Trump intimation is over- called by West with a red suit. When the dealer bids — One club, and West overcalls with two spades. ,, „ doubles. Two spades, and West doubles. One diamond, and West overcalls with two clubs. „ „ „ „ one heart. One heart and West overcalls with two diamonds. Two clubs „ „ „ two hearts, or diamonds. Raising bids do not necessarily imply commanding strength, still if they are legitimately made you are unlikely to do better by ignoring them and leading some other suit. The fact of North declar- ing No Trumps proclaims that he is guarded in the suit by West ; or, in such cases as when West bids two spades, or two clubs, that he reckons upon making all the other tricks ; otherwise he is merely bidding for the purpose of preventing his adversaries from going out. In spite of this knowledge, it is, in nine cases out of ten, better to open the suit in which your partner has intimated that he is strong. Granted that the declaring side has the suit pro- tected, it is obvious that until such obstruction has been removed your partner's suit is useless. The sooner therefore that you set about getting it out of the way, the sooner you are likely to accomplish your purpose of establishing the suit. Whenever either or both of you hold re-entry cards, the task SYNOPSIS OF ORIGINAL LEADS 147 is simplified, whereas if you open some other suit, you deprive yourself of the advantage of the lead, and the entry card is sacrificed in order to regain it. Therefore you may regard it as practically an in- variable rule that you should start with your partner's suit ; a rule which should only be departed from when you hold a very powerful suit of your own. In some cases failure to give him his suit results most calamitously. Here is an instance. The dealer declared one heart, West bid one No Trump, North and East passed. South raised to two hearts, West and North passed, and East overcalled with two No Trumps ; which all passed. West became declarer, and North elder hand. South held seven hearts to ace, king, knave, but, having nothing else, did not care to bid three hearts, especially since East must have some strength in the suit, and there were strong No Trump hands against him. The elder hand's lead was obvious and palpable. Clearly the declarer (who passed two hearts) had no protection in hearts, so that the elder would be leading through whatever strength there might be against his partner. Nevertheless, instead of starting with a heart, the elder opened with a diamond from five to king, knave ; and the declarer won a small slam and rubber. Dummy held queen, ten, three of hearts, so that if the elder had led correctly, and started with his partner's suit, the declarer would have lost 100 above, less 30 for aces — a difference of 442 points. The younger hand did not dare to double ; because, if, as seemed likely, Dummy held the heart suit (say queen, ten, and two 148 AUCTION BRIDGE others) they might have lost very heavily indeed. In positions such as the foregoing the lead of your partner's suit should be invariable. Whenever the dealer has bid one spade, which West has passed, and North declares one No Trump, you know West has nothing particular, and you will lead in the ordinary manner. If you deal and declare one spade, and North, West having passed, bids a heart or a diamond, or one or two clubs, or two spades, and East declares one No Trump, you should lead your partner's suit : also in all cases when he has made a bid, and you become elder hand to East's No Trump declaration, you will do best to open originally with the suit he has named. It is not absolutely incumbent upon you, but experience has amply demonstrated that it is the most successful lead, unless you have a very strong suit of winning cards yourself. The Play of the Elder Hand It must be borne in mind that when the declarer is leading, any inference drawn from the cards played by him cannot be implicitly relied upon, since he will select them with intent to deceive. Whenever the declarer leads through the elder hand to Dummy, with the intention of finessing, the player led through is in the dark as to the com- bination led from. All he can do is to infer the situation from the card led, and from the cards in the exposed hand. If Dummy is long in the suit, the declarer may be presumed to be without any great strength, or any sequence in it. If Dummy is SYNOPSIS OF ORIGINAL LEADS 149 short, the suit may be assumed to be the declarer's, and his high card led to be one of a sequence. When you are elder hand, do not part with the command of your adversaries' suit as long as you can keep it ; and do not cover a card, obviously led as a clearing card, unless it is plain that your covering card must be sacrificed later on. In the latter case, cover. For instance, the declarer on getting in leads a knave. In the exposed hand are ace, queen, ten, and two others. You, elder hand, hold the king and two others. It is useless to cover the knave. If the declarer has another to lead, your partner could only have held three originally. If he has not another, Dummy must take the trick. With the king and one other, cover ; as there is just a possibility that the nine trebly guarded may be in your partner's hand. If there are ace, queen, and three others in the exposed hand, and you hold king, ten, and a little one, cover a knave led, as it makes your ten good, unless the declarer finesses through you a second time. Similarly, if you hold king and two small ones, cover a knave led, as your partner may have the ten and two little ones. If the ten also is with the declarer the king is useless anyhow. With the king and one small one, always cover a knave led to ace, queen, etc., in the exposed hand. Always cover in any position when you hold a fourchette, even with small cards — that is to say, when you hold the cards immediately above and below the card led. When Dummy is strong, and particularly when the card led by the declarer is in sequence with those in the exposed hand, you, as second player, 150 AUCTION BRIDGE should generally cover. When, however, he is very strong, your only chance is not to cover a high card led. This may appear paradoxical and must be explained by an example : — South, the declarer, leads a queen through you, who hold king, six, five to North (Dummy) holding ace, knave, ten, nine. If you cover South's queen, North will be left with the next three tricks. Your only hope is that the declarer may not have another card to lead. If, on the contrary, Dummy holds the ace, knave, ten, and a small one, you should cover, in the hope of making the nine good with your partner on the fourth round. If Dummy holds more than four, headed by ace, knave, ten, you should pass. In that case, as explained above, if the declarer has another to lead, your partner cannot hold four to the nine. If he has not another, your king must block the suit. Sometimes you must be guided by your know- ledge of the declarer's play. If a knave is led to the ace, ten, nine, etc., in the exposed hand, and you hold the king or queen with two others, you should cover, if you feel sure that the declarer will finesse, and that you will be led through again later. If you pass, your partner will win the first trick, and the suit will be established as soon as the declarer leads through you again. If you cover, your partner will block the suit on the second or third round. If you have reason to believe the declarer will not finesse (though it is hardly conceivable), you of course will not cover. When dummy holds only one card in sequence with the one led, you should often cover second in SYNOPSIS OF ORIGINAL LEADS 151 hand, even with four. Supposing the declarer leads the queen to dummy, holding ace, knave, eight, five, three, through you, who have the king, nine, seven, two ; you should cover. You can stop the suit later with your nine, and it is just possible that the declarer's queen may be single, which would make your partner's ten good on the third round. Supposing the declarer leads a high card to a ragged suit in Dummy, which cannot be of any advantage unless he holds others in sequence with it, you should not cover. You should not, as elder hand, and holding the queen, nine, six, cover a knave led to the ace and four small ones in Dummy, as the declarer is almost certain to hold the ten also, and very possibly the king as well. Presuming the declarer has led the kna^e from king, knave, ten ; if you cover, he secures three tricks right off. If you pass, the declarer will probably win with the ace, with the intention of finessing on the second round when your queen will make. If the declarer has led from the knave, ten, etc., and does not pass up the knave (which is unlikely), and if your partner holds the king and another, your passing will enable you and him to win two tricks in the suit. When the declarer leads a queen to the ace, nine, seven, three, or similar cards, and you hold king, eight, and another, you should pass. You cannot benefit by covering, as the declarer must be leading from some strength. If a knave is led by the declarer, through queen, eight, and another, to less than five in Dummy, headed by king, seven, it should be passed. If five or more are in the exposed hand, you should cover. 152 AUCTION BRIDGE If the declarer leads a knave, through your queen and three others, to ace, king, with two or more in Dummy, you should cover, if your second card is higher than any of the small ones in the exposed hand. If the ace, ten, seven, and less than three small ones are in the exposed hand, and the declarer leads a knave through your king, eight, and another, your best course is to cover. If dummy holds six or the nine also, you should pass the knave, in the hope that the declarer will put on the ace, or that he holds no more. If the declarer leads a ten, to the ace, queen, seven, and another, through your king, eight, and small one, you should pass, in the hope that your partner may win with the knave. You must remember that the declarer will lead the ten, even if he holds the knave, in pursuance of his policy of always endeavouring to mislead. If he has the knave, it makes no difference what you do. The declarer's false play is one of the difficulties the second player has to encounter, and it often upsets his conclusions. In all the preceding examples, it will be noticed that the second card held by the second hand is always higher than the second or third card held by Dummy ; thus assisting to obstruct the suit later. It is an important element in such positions, and one that must not be overlooked when applying these principles. From the foregoing, as shown in my book on Bridge, this following simple rule may be formulated : — Unless it is palpably useless to do so, always cover a high card obviously led to support strength in the exposed hand ; but do not cover high cards led SYNOPSIS OF ORIGINAL LEADS 153 by the declarer, which appear to be led from strength unless you hold only two, or a second card not lower than the ten, or a fourchette. Whenever you hold the ace, queen, and another, and the declarer leads a ten to king, knave, etc., in Dummy, play the ace. It is useless to play the queen, unless you hold ace, queen, nine, when of course you put her on. With king, knave, nine, play the knave on a ten led to the ace, queen, etc., in dummy ; but with king, knave, and a small one, play your lowest. Your only chance in the latter position is that the declarer may play the exposed queen on his own ten. If you hold king, queen, and another, and you are led through with a ten, to ace, knave, etc., in the exposed hand, play the queen ; but if you hold two small ones, play the lowest, and your queen to the next lead through. The same if you hold ace, knave, and two small ones, and a ten is led to king, queen, etc. Pass the first round, and play your ace on the second. With ace, knave, and another, and of course with ace, knave, nine, cover the ten with the knave. Do not cover a queen led to king and others, if you hold ace, knave, and two small ones, unless you want the lead ; but win the trick if you have only one small one. Never be in too great a hurry to win a trick, unless you have some particular object in doing so. Supposing you hold the king and two small ones, and the declarer leads a small card to the queen in the exposed hand ; do not play the king, since by retaining him you defer the establishment of the suit. 154 AUCTION BRIDGE Sometimes, when you open a suit, you will find the whole strength against you. In such cases, do not attempt to cover cards led through you by the declarer to dummy. Supposing you open with the smallest from queen, knave, five, four. The dummy puts down king, ten, nine, eight, seven, six. Your partner is void. The declarer, with ace, three, two, wins with the ace, in order to lead through you. You should not play the knave on his three, but your five. This will stop the suit. If you play the knave, the declarer will pass the trick from Dummy ; and when he next gets in, will lead through you again, and make all Dummy's cards in the suit. The Play of the Younger Hand As younger hand when the bidding has disclosed nothing you know your partner's first lead is from his strongest suit. It is your duty always to get out of his way, lest you block his long suit ; and it is obligatory on you, when you get in, always to return your partner's lead at once ; unless it is obvious from the exposed hand that to do so will result disastrously ; or unless you have a strong suit yourself, consisting of certain winning cards, which you should make first. When your partner opens with a high card, you must be guided in your play by a consideration of the combination led from. When he leads an ace, it is from seven or more headed by ace, queen, knave, ten, or ace, queen, knave, or ace, queen, ten ; or it is from ace, queen, and six or more small ones ; or it may be from the same high cards, and less small ones, plus a card SYNOPSIS OF ORIGINAL LEADS 155 of re-entry. Unless he holds the queen and knave as well as the ace, his lead cannot be from less than six of the suit led. If you hold the king and one other, play the king on the ace led. If you hold two small ones, defer playing the king till the second round. Should you hold four to the king, play the penultimate to the ace, the ante-penultimate to the second round, and the king to the third round, unless it becomes patent in the meantime that the lead was from ace, queen, knave, and one other only, in which case your play will depend upon whether, in your opinion, it will be more advantageous for the lead to be with you or your partner after the fourth round. With the king, knave, and another, or the king, ten, and another — and of course, if they are unguarded — you should play the king on the ace led, and the ten or knave on the second round. When you hold the knave or ten, and the king is in the exposed hand, you will play your knave or ten when the king is put on. So long as the king remains in the exposed hand, your knave or ten cannot block your partner's suit, whereas if you play it at once it may mislead him as to the number you hold ; and it is always of the greatest importance to avoid misleading your partner. When a king is led, it can only be from ace, king, or king, queen, and five or more small ones, or from ace, king, queen, etc., from ace, king, knave, ten, or ace, king, knave, and others, plus a card of re- entry ; or from king, queen, knave, ten, etc., king, queen, knave, etc., or king, queen, ten, and two or more others. When you hold the ace, knave, or 156 AUCTION BRIDGE ace, ten, with or without a small one, the lead can only be from king, queen, and five or more, or king, queen, ten, and two or more, or from king, queen, knave, and one or more. You should play your ace on the king led, and return the knave or ten. With two small ones, play your penultimate on the king, your ace on the second round, and lead the knave or ten third round. When a king is led, and you hold the ace, the lead may be from king, queen, and five or more small ones ; the king, queen, knave, ten, with or without others ; the king, queen, knave, with one or more ; or the king, queen, ten, and two or more. With one small one, you must play the ace on the king, and return the small one. If you have the ace and two small ones, play your penultimate on the king, the ace on the second round, and return the lowest. Occasionally, when the lead is from king, queen, knave, and two or three small ones, the ten, with three others, may appear in the exposed hand. With the ace and one other, you should then play the small one on the king led. It will be of no use for your partner to continue with the knave, because it is clear that the ten will stop the suit on the fourth round. He must next lead a small one, because his only chance of making five tricks in the suit is to find you with the ace, and to be able to get in again. When a king is led, and you hold the ace and three small ones, play your penultimate to the king. If it is followed by the queen, you play your remain- ing middle card ; if by the knave, your ace. When a king is led and four to the ten appear in Dummy, and you hold the ace and three small ones, SYNOPSIS OF ORIGINAL LEADS 157 the lead is from king, queen, knave, etc. You play your highest to the king, and your penultimate to the second lead. If four to the knave appear in dummy, the lead is from king, queen, ten, and two others. To the king you will play your lowest but one, because the declarer can have none of the suit, and your partner will know all the cards you hold, and will play accordingly. When a king is led, and there are none of the suit in the exposed hand, you will, if you hold the ace and three little ones, play your highest small card on the king. If the king is followed by the queen or knave, you will play your penultimate. Your partner, if he followed king with queen, will con- tinue with the knave, and then his smallest. If he followed king with knave, he will lead a small one, which you will take with your ace, and return your lowest. Unless you play in this way, a trick loss may result. It is only when there are none of the suit led in the exposed hand, that you will make a false echo, with only four (as in the case given above) ; and it is only in such cases that your partner, with more than four, must lead a small one on the third round, when you have echoed. When a king is led, and you hold the ace and four or more small ones, you must play your ante- penultimate on the king, and your penultimate on the queen or knave next led. This is called echoing, and indicates to your partner that you hold five or more in the suit. It is seldom of practical value, since in such positions the information is nearly always deducible from the fall of the cards. When, however, your partner leads from ace, king, 158 AUCTION BRIDGE queen, and another, and you hold five to the knave, the echo is most useful. To the king led you play your ante-penultimate, and to his queen your penultimate. He knows you hold •Q.ve, and may fearlessly continue the suit. To his ace you must play your lowest, and win his little one with your knave, making the fifth trick with your last card. But for your echo, he might fear to relinquish command of the suit by leading a third round. If you hold five to the ten, and there are none in the exposed hand, the declarer will win the fourth round ; but you may get in later, when your remain- ing card will be good for a trick. Anyhow, when you echo, the most the declarer can do is to make one trick in the suit. When a king is led, and you hold the queen, knave ; or queen, ten ; or knave, ten ; with or without another or others, play the lowest of the two high cards on the king led, and the highest on the ace. If you hold the queen and small ones, play the queen on the king led. If you hold the knave or ten, and two others, play the knave or ten on the king led. If you hold three others, play your penultimate on the king led, retaining the knave or ten till the third round. When a knave is led, and you hold the queen and small ones, play your lowest but one. The lead can only be from ace, king, knave, ten ; ace, knave, ten, etc. ; or knave, ten, nine, etc. When a knave is led, and you hold the king and others, and the queen is in the exposed hand, retain the king. If the queen is not in the exposed hand, play your king on the knave ; and if it wins, return your highest. SYNOPSIS OF ORIGINAL LEADS 159 A study of the analysis of the original leads of high cards will supply the reasons for the above system of play. Unless it is followed, you may often block your partner's suit. Speaking broadly, when your partner leads a high card, you should nearly always retain your lowest card of the suit led, in No Trumps. A difference will be noticed between unblocking and echoing. A true echo is when you hold five or more, and you play a higher card to the first round of your partner's high card led, and a lower to the second. You occasionally have to make a false echo with only four, as has been shown ; but ordin- arily, when unblocking with four, the proper play is to play your third card on the first high card led by your partner, and your second on the second round, retaining your highest and lowest cards for the later rounds. When a queen is led, and you hold the ace, and the king is in the exposed hand, you will defer playing your ace until he is put on, or as long as possible. If the king is not in the exposed hand, you will play your ace, if it is only singly guarded, but not if doubly guarded ; unless you can infer that the lead is from queen, knave, nine, etc., and think that you will catch the king in the declarer's hand, when you may play the ace on the queen. When the elder hand leads a small card origin- ally, you should play your highest card, third in hand, remembering always that you must play the lowest of a sequence. It is contrary to principle to finesse in your partner's strong suit. With ace, queen, etc., or ace, queen, knave, etc., you must 160 AUCTION BRIDGE play the ace (unless the king is in the exposed hand) and return the queen. You may possibly find the king single with the declarer, and in any case there is no advantage in playing the queen or knave. This applies with even greater force when you hold ace, queen only, because if you finesse you will block the suit for your partner. With ace, queen only, even if the king is in Dummy, you must play the ace and return the queen. If you hold the king, knave, ten, or king, knave, and another, and you see the queen and two small ones in the exposed hand, you will of course play the ten or the knave, and, if it wins, return the king. The queen will fall to your partner's ace on the third round, and the suit will be brought in. If you see the queen, ten, two in the exposed hand, and you hold the knave, nine, three, you will play the nine ; and, if it should happen to win, you will return the knave ; and so on. Such positions are obvious. Your play, as third hand, will be influenced to a very great extent by what you see in the exposed hand. You hold ace, knave, two ; your partner leads the five. You see, in the exposed hand, king and another. If the declarer is a sound player, he will of course play the king, unless he holds the queen himself. If the king is not put on, and you play the ace, the king must block the suit next round. You should finesse the knave. The same if you hold ace, ten, etc., as your partner may have led from knave and others. The declarer wins with the queen, and must then open a suit up to you. When you next get in, your ace will bring down SYNOPSIS OF ORIGINAL LEADS 161 the king, and your partner's suit will be established. Likewise, with queen and two others in the exposed hand, you should finesse the knave or ten, with ace knave, or ace ten, etc., or king knave, or king ten, etc . ; for you cannot otherwise establish the suit. With the king and two others or the queen and three others exposed, you cannot establish the suit right away, whatever you do ; so do not in such cases finesse knave or ten, from ace knave, or ace ten, etc., or king knave, king ten, etc., but play the ace or king, and return the knave or ten. If the knave or ten forces out the exposed king or queen, you will be able to lead your small one to your partner when you get in again. With only the king or queen and small ones in the exposed hand, it is useless to finesse the nine from ace nine, or king nine, since your partner can- not hold the queen, knave, ten ; ace, knave, ten ; or king, knave, ten, etc. ; but with the king, knave, and another, king, ten, and another ; queen, knave, and two others ; or queen, ten, and two others, in the exposed hand, you are forced to finesse the nine. You can obviously do no good by winning with the ace or king, and returning the nine ; but if your partner has led from a long suit headed by the queen or king, you may, by finessing the nine, clear his suit on the third round. You cannot lose by finessing the nine, and you may gain a trick ; there- fore you should venture it. As the card led by your partner will be his fourth-best, it may occasion- ally enable you to infer how the cards lie. As has been stated already, you should always return your partner's suit, unless, from the cards 11 162 AUCTION BRIDGE in the exposed hand, you see it will be useless to do so. For instance, if you win the first trick with the king, and see the ace, queen, ten in the ex- posed hand, it is hopeless to return the suit. Except, however, there are at least two certain winning cards of your partner's suit in the exposed hand, you should return his lead, in preference to opening a fresh suit. You cannot hope to establish two suits, and the attempt will usually result in your failing to establish either. Except in the instance given, you should, when you get in and return your partner's lead, ordinarily return him your highest card, unless you hold at least as many as he does, when you are guided by a consideration as to whom it is best for the lead to remain with after the suit is exhausted. Suppose your partner leads a small card, when the declarer has made the declaration, and you hold (say) king, queen, ten, nine, and a small one, and the knave and another are in the exposed hand ; you will play the nine. If it wins, you will return a small one ; the reason being that, if your partner holds five also, you will be able to lead through the strong hand when the suit is done. Be careful always to give your partner as much assistance as you can, and all the information possible about his suit. Avoid spoiling his tenaces later on, by getting rid of cards likely to do this. It is generally safer to discard a higher card of his suit, when you are forced to throw away, than a lower. Do not try to bring in two suits ; and if you win the first trick, return your partner's lead at once, without indulging in the silly practice of SYNOPSIS OF ORIGINAL LEADS 163 showing your suit first. Win with the lowest of a sequence always, as it helps your partner to locate the cards ; and when you return his lead, return the highest of two, or the lowest of three or more, unless you hold winning cards, or cards in sequence, when you should return the best. The returned lead from four or more depends sometimes on the card led, the cards in the exposed hand, and the cards you hold. If there is a chance of blocking your partner's suit by returning the lowest, do not do so, but retain it, and return the penultimate. In relation to the declarer, your efforts should be directed to obstructing, as long as possible, the establishment of his suits. Do not, however, go to the absurd extreme of losing tricks merely in order to retain a commanding card. You should only refuse to give up the command when parting with it will entail a greater loss. Whenever the declarer leads a queen, knave, or ten, through you from Dummy, you are better placed than your partner is when he is led through to Dummy, because you see from what combination the lead is. In all cases, when any player is led through, it is more advantageous, if possible, to preserve any strength on the left of the strong hand as long as practicable. Since the result of covering a high card led is to place two high cards out of action at once, the value of lower cards is increased thereby. Therefore, before covering, an important element is the position of these lower cards, and due note must be taken of their position in your own and the 164 AUCTION BRIDGE exposed hand. This was alluded to in dealing with this phase of the game in regard to the play of the elder hand. Several illustrations will now be given, in order to explain the theory of covering when you see the combination led from. South is the declarer, North is dummy, West is elder hand ; and East is the younger hand. North holds the knave, six, three ; and East the king, eight, five. North leads the knave. South must hold at least four. If he has the ace, queen, and ten, whether East covers or not, four tricks are lost at once. If he has the ace and queen, and not the ten, East will make West's ten good by covering and will lose a trick by not covering. If South holds the ace, ten, nine, East and West will only make one trick, whether East covers or not ; but it will be the second or third trick if he covers, and only the first if he passes. If South holds the ace, ten ; and East covers, East and West will make two tricks in the suit. Therefore, when Dummy leads an unsupported knave, the balance is all in favour of covering. Supposing, now, that Dummy holds the knave, ten, three, and East the king, eight, five, as before. South must hold at least four. If South has the ace, queen, East's play is immaterial ; but if he only holds the ace, and the queen and nine are with West, East will gain a trick by passing. West would win the first trick with the queen. When North continues the suit with the ten, East would cover, and leave West's nine good for the third trick. If East covers the knave, South wins with the ace ; and North's ten, being on the left of West, will SYNOPSIS OF ORIGINAL LEADS 165 make a trick. The whole situation is thus altered by the position of the ten. In the first case, the strength (i.e. the ten) is on the left of the third hand ; and in the second, the third hand is on the left of the strength (i.e. the ten). It has been shown that, in the latter position, it is disadvantageous to cover, and that it is better to preserve strength over the supported knave led, and not to cover. Covering the knave clears the suit, and increases the value of the ten. Another contingent advantage of not covering is that you avoid the possible mis- chance of your covering card falling to a blank ace ; • whilst if you pass, there is nothing to prevent your covering the second high card. It sometimes pays better to defer covering till the second round, as in the following cases : North holds the queen, knave, nine, two ; and East the king, seven, three. The declarer must have the ace or ten, and perhaps both. If he has both ace and ten, East's play is of no consequence, but if he holds the ace only, and the ten is doubly guarded with West, East must win a trick in the suit if he passes the queen led. If he covers, and the declarer finesses the nine through West on the return of the suit, East and West cannot make any trick. Thus, although there are some situations when not to cover may lose a trick, the balance of advan- tage rests with not covering a card led from a sequence. Whenever, from Dummy, the declarer leads an unsupported high card from only two, and you, second hand, hold the king or queen and two small 166 AUCTION BRIDGE ones, it should be covered. All that has been written to explain the first example of an unsup- ported knave applies with even greater force when the Dummy's high card is only singly guarded. In such cases, the declarer probably holds at least five, since he will scarcely try to clear a suit unless he and dummy hold at least seven of it between them ; and all the strength may, there- fore, be presumed to be on your left ; and unless you cover, your covering card will be rendered useless. If you cover, you are taking the best chance of making good, in your partner's hand, any lower card he may hold. Of course, you will not cover a singleton high card led from dummy. If, however, you hold three guards behind your king or queen, and there are two of the suit in dummy, your partner is very unlikely to hold more than two ; and to cover them would be a useless waste of your high card. In such positions you should pass, and trust to doing the stopping with your own hand. Of course, if with your king or queen you hold the ten, or a fourchette, you should cover. To summarise the position, you should cover an unsupported queen, knave, or ten led from dummy, when you have the king, queen, or knave, singly or doubly guarded ; and even when trebly guarded, if you hold the ten as well, or a fourchette ; but do not cover a queen, knave, or ten, led from two or more in sequence, unless you hold a fourchette. Should the declarer lead a ten, from ten, nine, eight, in the exposed hand, and you hold king, SYNOPSIS OF ORIGINAL LEADS 167 knave, and another, cover the ten with the king, not with the knave. If the ace is with your partner, your king will make ; if it is with the declarer, your partner's queen will become good. If both ace and queen are with the declarer, your king is of no value. When a medium card, such as an eight or a nine, is led, and you hold a king, queen, and another, or queen, knave, and another, play the lowest of the sequence ; with two small ones, play the fourth best. When you obtain the lead later in the hand, your best lead will generally be up to weakness in Dummy. When leading to weakness, it is advan- tageous to lead a card higher than appears in the exposed hand. When there is a great suit in the exposed hand, which can only be brought in by the aid of one or two entry cards in it in other suits, you should try to get these out before the long suit is cleared ; even if, in order to do so, you have to sacrifice one or two sure tricks. Unless anxious to secure the lead, either to lead your 1 own or return your partner's established suit, do not take a trick on the first round, if you can defer it till later. For example, the ace and two small ones are in the exposed hand. The dealer leads the ace and then a small one from it. You hold the king and two small ones ; you should not play the king on the second round, because stopping cards should also be held back as long as possible, especially when there is a card remaining in the weak hand that may be used to bring in the long suit later. 168 AUCTION BRIDGE The Play of the Fourth Hand As a rule the function of the fourth player being to win, if he can, the tricks that are against him, his play does not call for much remark. Apart from the general principle that the command of an adverse suit should be retained as long as pos- sible, positions occasionally occur when, as fourth player, you should refrain from winning the first trick. These special exceptions are when, by holding up, you may upset the declarer's game ; or when, by not winning the first, or even the second trick, you may secure an eventual trick again. These situations will be best explained by examples. Supposing the declarer has led a small card to the ace, queen, knave, etc., in the exposed hand, and finessed the knave, and you, as fourth player, hold the king and two small ones. You should not win the knave. The declarer will imagine the king is on his left ; and in order to put himself in again, with a view to again leading, as he supposes, through the king, he may open a suit from the exposed hand, which may necessitate his parting with the command in it, and thus place you in an advantageous position when you get in on the next trick with your king. Or supposing you, fourth hand, hold the king, knave only, of a suit of which ace, queen, ten, two are in the exposed hand, and the declarer leads the nine. You should win with the king. When he next leads, he will play the ten from the exposed hand, and your knave will win. You cannot lose anything by playing in this way, and may win an extra trick. SYNOPSIS OP ORIGINAL LEADS 169 Again, supposing the cards remaining in the exposed hand are the ace of clubs ; queen, four of spades ; and six, three of hearts, and the declarer leads from it the queen of spades. You know your partner holds the two best hearts, and that the other high spades are with the dealer. With the ace and two other spades, and two small clubs, you should pass the queen of spades fourth in hand. If you win the queen, you will lose all the other tricks. If you forbear, you will make three tricks instead of one. Sometimes again, when you are declarer, and have declared No Trump, and the elder hand leads a king, which he follows with queen or knave, you should refuse to win the first two tricks if you hold four of the suit with ace, ten. You may make an extra trick, and cannot lose one. It is by at- tending to little points like these that the skilled performer scores over the less-experienced player. The Play of the Declarer Let us now turn to the declarer's management of the two hands. Especially when the game is played without trumps, this is one of the most difficult, and at the same time fascinating studies in Auction as in ordinary Bridge. A card having been led, the exposed hand goes down, and the declarer sees all the material at his disposal with which he has to combat his two adversaries. Now is the time when he has to decide upon his course of action — whether he is to defend or attack ; whether he is to lose his con- 170 AUCTION BRIDGE tract or make it, to save the game or win it — and before he commits himself to any kind of policy, and before he plays a single card, it is most import- ant that he should study his resources carefully. It is this ability at once to formulate his plans, owing to his knowledge of all his twenty-six cards that confers upon the declarer the very great advantage he has in the play. In playing No Trumps, apart from his plan of campaign (i.e. whether he is to play for the game, or any minor goal) there are two aims that the declarer has to keep before him : — (1) To bring in one or more long suits. (2) To prevent the adversaries bringing in a long suit. Keeping these main objects in mind, the means he adopts to achieve them constitute his strategy. In order to bring in his own suits, he has to force out cards of obstruction ; he has to preserve or create cards of re-entry ; he has to unblock ; he has to compel discards, to finesse, and to place the leads. In order to prevent his adversaries bringing in a suit, he has to retain cards of obstruction ; to extract their cards of re-entry ; and to deceive them as often as he can, by playing false cards whenever possible. As the first lead comes from the adversaries, his first efforts will be directed to accomplishing this second aim. Being familiar with the scheme of leading and the principles of play, he is able to derive as accurate information, from the cards led or played by his adversaries, as they are themselves. SYNOPSIS OF ORIGINAL LEADS 171 Supposing the original leader opens with a knave. The lead is either from ace, king, knave, ten, etc., and no re-entry ; or ace, knave, ten, etc. ; or knave, ten, nine, etc. If you hold the ace, or if it is in the exposed hand, the lead can only be from the last combination ; or if one of you holds the king, it must be from one of the last two, and so on. If the king is in your hand, there is no difficulty ; but if he is with Dummy, and the lead is from knave, ten, etc., the ace and queen are on your right, and to cover would establish the suit. If it is from the ace, knave, ten, etc., you will win the trick if you cover the knave from Dummy ; but the suit will be cleared, and this is what you wish to avoid. You must be guided by the number of cards there are behind the king, and the number of the suit you hold yourself. Your only chance of blocking the suit is that the younger hand may be short in it. If the king in Dummy is only singly guarded, it must obviously be always put on a knave led. When a queen is led, it is from ace, queen, knave, ten ; or ace, queen, knave, etc., without a card of re-entry ; or from queen, knave, ten, etc. ; or queen, knave, nine, etc. If the king is with Dummy, and one of you holds the ten, it is from the second or last combination ; and whether, if it is the last, the king makes or not, depends upon whether the ace in the hand of the leader's partner is singly or doubly guarded. If you and Dummy each hold three, the ace is almost certainly only singly guarded, and Dummy's king will block the suit if not put on. 172 AUCTION BRIDGE If Dummy holds three, and you four, or vice versa, either the ace is single with the player on your right, or the lead is from ace, queen, knave, etc. If you or Dummy hold the nine also, of course the lead can only be from the latter combination. Even without knowing where the ten is, you should never play a doubly guarded king from the exposed hand on a queen led. Your only chance of making him, or of stopping the suit, will be to find fewer guards behind the presumed ace in the hand of the leader's partner than there are in Dummy. Whenever a king is singly guarded in the exposed hand, he must always be played on a queen led ; and when doubly guarded, he must be played von the second round. If he should be trebly guarded, retain him as long as possible. When a knave is led, and the queen is in the exposed hand, and you have not the king, the lead is from ace, king, knave, ten, etc. ; ace, knave, ten, etc. ; or knave, ten, nine, etc. The only chance the queen has of making, if she is put on, is if the lead is from the first combination. If singly guarded you must put her on ; if not, there is a better chance of her stopping the suit if you hold her up, in the hope that it may become exhausted first in the hand of the leader's partner. When a king is singly guarded in the exposed hand, you should play him on any card led ; even if you have the ace or queen, or both yourself, unless you wish to preserve him for a re-entry card. If you have not the ace, and do not play the king, he must fall to the ace on the second round. Unless for the purpose of subsequently placing SYNOPSIS OF ORIGINAL LEADS 173 the lead, do not try to take a trick from the ex- posed hand when you hold a card of equal value yourself. For instance, the elder hand originally leads a small diamond. In the exposed hand are the queen and two small ones. You hold, as declarer, the king and another. You should play a small one from the exposed hand. Your king must make ; and, if the ace is with the leader, the queen will also be good. The foregoing examples illustrate the position when the elder hand opens with" a high card, and when the majority of the strength in the suit is against you. In other somewhat similar positions, a reference to the instructions given for the play of the elder and younger hands when led through will supply you with the necessary guidance how to proceed. It must be remembered that the declarer's play is easier, because he knows the cards Dummy has ; whilst the cards led by his adversaries tell him what combinations they are leading from. When a suit is led in which you have strength, and in which you are able to take two tricks, it is better to win the first and third, or second and third, than the first and second ; unless you are anxious to get in, or unless there is another whole suit against you. Do not refrain from taking a trick, if you can still stop the suit, when by so doing you may win one trick less in it. For instance, the elder hand opens with a king. You hold the ace and a small one, and Dummy the knave and two little ones. The lead can only be from king, queen, ten, etc., and 174 AUCTION BRIDGE you should win the king with your ace. Dummy can still stop the suit with his knave. Or, a six is led. Dummy puts down the ten, nine, three. You hold ace, knave. Third player plays the king. You should win with the ace. The original leader holds the queen, eight, seven ; and Dummy's ten holds the suit. If all the strength is in your own hand, you must be careful to guard against being led through. A king is led. Dummy puts down two small ones. You hold the ace, ten, and two small ones ; or ace, knave, and another. The lead is either from king, queen, knave, etc.. ; or from king, queen, ten, etc. It is better to pass the king ; because if the suit is persevered with, you will win the second and third tricks. If, however, you hold the same cards, and a fourth-best is led, upon which the queen is played by the third hand, you should win her. If not, you will be led through. In this instance, the strength will be on your left, which has been shown to be disadvantageous. When you hold the king, queen, and another, do not win the first trick. You must make one trick in the suit, and the longer you defer it the better. If a fourth-best is led, and you hold the ace, queen only, and the Dummy puts down the knave and two small ones, you should win the first trick with your ace, whereby you will win the first and third tricks, Again, if you hold ace and a small one, and the Dummy holds king and two others, you should pass the first trick, and win the second and third. These last are all examples of the best methods of blocking an adverse suit when you have strength SYNOPSIS OF ORIGINAL LEADS 175 in it. When, however, a suit is led in which you have the winning card, and there is another whole suit against you, it is injudicious not to take the first trick, lest the other suit be opened. For instance, the elder hand leads the ten of hearts. You hold the ace and another, and Dummy two small ones. The younger hand plays the queen. You and Dummy are blank in clubs, which suit is all against you. You should win the queen, and proceed to make your diamonds and spades. If not, the younger hand may win half-a-dozen tricks in clubs. Occasionally the adversaries will open a long suit headed by (say) queen, knave, ten ; and there are one or two re-entry cards against you. Im- mediately you take the first trick of the long suit, you should start to force out one of these re-entry cards, and establish your own longest suit before you lose command of your adversary's. You will thus compel discards, and perhaps oblige your adversary to weaken his long suit, in order to retain his second re-entry card. Your third weapon is the play of false cards. Incidentally, it may be pointed out that nothing is to be gained by playing cards irregularly from the exposed hand, unless they are in sequence with cards held by yourself. In that case, it becomes necessary, in order to prevent the adversaries locating the cards. For instance, the leader starts with a four. Dummy puts down the queen, nine, eight ; and you hold the knave, ten, and a small one. If you play the eight, which is won by the king, the leader knows you hold the knave. You should play the queen ; and when the suit is re- 176 AUCTION BRIDGE turned, you should put on the knave. Likewise, when you lead to Dummy, do not play regularly. For instance, you lead a small one, from king, knave, ten, to the queen, nine, and another in the exposed hand. You should put on the queen, and not the nine. To play an ace on a queen led, when you hold the king, is the merest folly. It at once makes plain to the leader's partner the combination led from. A queen may be led from ace, queen, knave, etc., or queen, knave, ten, etc., or queen, knave, nine, etc. If you win with the ace, the leader's partner knows you have the king, and is informed also that the leader has opened from one of the latter combinations. The lead of the fourth-best by your adversaries will often help you out of a difficulty. Supposing the elder hand leads a five. You have none of the suit ; and Dummy exposes the king, nine, six, three. Unless you cover the five with Dummy's six, you may lose five tricks in the suit. Whenever you cannot beat a fourth-best lead in your own hand, you should cover it from the exposed hand, in order to prevent the adversary continuing to lead through Dummy. We now come to the declarer's management of his own suits. As soon as you see the exposed hand, you should select the suit or suits you intend to clear. It is better to go for a suit in the hand that holds re-entry cards, and it is better to give the preference to a suit headed by a king and queen, rather than one headed by an ace. It is obviously better to choose a suit of which you hold five or SYNOPSIS OF ORIGINAL LEADS 177 six in one hand, with two or three in the other, than one of which you hold four in either hand. When you have decided which suit you intend to play for, you must endeavour to clear it before you lose control of the adverse suits, and before your entry cards are drawn. You must also be careful not to block it ; and you should try to arrange the leads so as to hem in obstructive cards by finessing through them. There are several ways of forcing out cards of obstruction. The common one of continuing to lead high cards in sequence needs no explanation. Another method is that indicated in the leads, when a card such as a queen or knave is led from ace, queen, knave, etc. ; or ace, knave, ten, etc. ; and so on. A device less well known, but familiar to instructed players, is that of giving away the first, and sometimes the first and second tricks, in order to make the re- mainder. This is often the only way of clearing a suit when the hand in which it is contains no re-entry card. Here are some examples : — You hold three small ones. There are five to the ace in the exposed hand. In order to make three tricks in the suit, you will have to lose the first two. You hold two small ones. Dummy has five to the ace, queen. You cannot make four tricks in the suit unless you give up the first, and the finesse is successful on the second round. You hold two small ones, and Dummy puts down six to the ace, king. You must let the first trick go. You hold the queen, knave, and another. Dummy 12 178 AUCTION BRIDGE has the ace and four small ones. You lead the queen. If the second player covers, you must pass it up. You hold two small ones, and Dummy has seven to the tierce major. When you lead, you discover that your left-hand adversary has none of the suit. You must let the first trick go. If you do not, the fourth player will stop the suit on the fourth round. These situations are constantly occurring, and the preceding illustrations will serve to show the operation of the principle involved in sacrificing the less in order to gain the greater ; as well as how to get rid of stopping cards. Very often you are able to capture an obstructive card by leading through it. Supposing the ace, queen, knave, etc. ; the ace, queen, ten, etc. ; or the ace, knave, ten, etc., are in the exposed hand, and you hold the ten and another, or the knave and another, or the queen and another. If you lead, you must kill the king if he is on your left and only doubly guarded ; or, if you hold the ten and another, the knave and another, or the king and another ; and Dummy has the ace, king, knave, etc. ; the ace, king, ten, etc. ; or the ace, knave, ten, etc., the queen is likewise hemmed in, if on your left and only doubly guarded. Whenever there is a tenace (major, minor, or vice) it should be led to from the weak hand. The second point the declarer has to attend to is that of re-entry cards, and a very important one it is. The first rule has already been alluded to — i.e. to establish your long suit before your card or cards of re-entry have been forced out. SYNOPSIS OF ORIGINAL LEADS 179 Cards of re-entry may be divided into two classes — those that are natural trick-makers ; and those that are made so by sacrificing or getting rid of cards in the other hand, in order to leave them winners. Aces, kings, and queens belong to the former category ; whilst a four or a five may be constituted a re-entry card. A few illustrations will best explain what is meant. You hold the ace, queen, and a small one ; or the king, queen, and a small one. Dummy holds the knave and two small ones. You must give up your queen, or your king and queen, in order to make Dummy's knave good. Or, you hold the king and two small ones, and Dummy holds the queen and two small ones. You must try to force out the ace with your king. It must not be forgotten that the adversaries will see through your aim, and will always endeavour to frustrate it by refusing to win your forcing cards. Often there is a chance of making a low card a re-entry, and this is frequently the case when you and Dummy hold all the winning cards. For instance, you hold the ace, king, eight, three. Dummy has the queen, six, five, two. You should lead the ace, king, eight, and play from Dummy the two, five, and queen ; thus making Dummy's six another re-entry. Or, you hold the ace, queen, knave, three. Dummy has the king, five, four, two. You play the ace, queen, knave, on which Dummy plays the two, four, king, leaving the five as a second re-entry when you lead the three next. Again, you hold the tierce major and a three. Dummy has an established suit, and four of your 180 AUCTION BRIDGE tierce major suit to the six. You can make this six a re-entry card. Sometimes you can make a re-entry card by winning a trick already won by Dummy. Thus : you hold the ace, king, and a small one. Dummy has the queen, knave only. You win dummy's knave with your king, leaving his queen a card of re-entry. A simple instance of placing the lead, and one that occurs most frequently, is when you know that an adversary holds the winning card of one suit, and a guarded card in another, in which you hold a tenace. This generally occurs towards the end of a hand. For instance, you hold two spades, and the knave, nine of diamonds. On your left is the winning spade and the ten and two small diamonds. If you lead a losing spade, you will win three tricks. The simplest case of arranging leads is when the cards lie somewhat as follows : — You and Dummy hold (say) four clubs each, and can win every trick in them. Dummy holds a tenace in diamonds over the elder hand. You play the clubs in such a way that you win the fourth trick, in order to lead a diamond through to Dummy. Sometimes, when the adversaries refuse to win your clearing cards, you may have to win one your- self, in order to continue the suit. This is essential when you have only one re-entry. For instance, you hold the queen, knave only. Dummy has the king, ten, nine, and two small ones. You lead the queen, and then the knave. You must win the knave with Dummy's king, if the second player passes it in order to continue with his ten. SYNOPSIS OF ORIGINAL LEADS 181 The last variety of strategy the declarer has to employ is to unblock, and this includes the clearance of tenaces. There is no need to explain elementary unblocking, such as playing high cards on high cards ; but carelessness is often fatal, even in these simple situations. For instance, you hold the ace, king, seven, six, five, two ; and Dummy the nine, eight, four. You lead the ace and king ; if you drop the queen and knave, and do not play the eight and nine from Dummy, your suit is blocked. Supposing you hold the ace and another, and Dummy has queen, knave, ten, etc., with only one re-entry. You should play the ace and a small one, and not attempt the finesse by leading the queen from the exposed hand. If you do, and if you find the king on your left, the adversary will extract your Dummy's re-entry, and your suit is spoiled. An example of unblocking a tenace is as follows :— Dummy has the ace, king, nine, and a small one, You know that four are with the elder hand. You should lead the ten, and win with the king ; then lead the small one, which you win with your queen ; and leave Dummy with the ace, nine over the elder's knave. As declarer, when you hold a long suit consisting of winning cards, in your own to your partner's hand, you should take the lead as soon as you can get it, and proceed to play out the suit. By doing this, you compel discards from your adversaries' long suits. Therefore, with the ace and a small one of the suit led in the exposed hand, play the ace at once on the card led, whatever it may be. Also, 182 AUCTION BRIDGE whenever you can make enough tricks right off to win the game, you should do so. You are more likely to make additional ones later by doing this, than by attempting to make additional tricks in the early part of the hand before collecting your certainties. The declarer has almost endless opportunities of exercising his nki\\ ; but these (so to speak) ex- tempore artifices can hardly be reduced to principles, and the preceding well-known methods must suffice for your instructions. The Discard The importance of the discard, when there are no trumps, must be insisted on. A right interpre- tation of the information conveyed will often avert consequences at Auction more serious than at ordinary Bridge. A consideration of the subject is much com- plicated by the variety of conditions under which discards have to be made. Ordinarily, when a man has to throw something away, his natural impulse is to throw away what is of least use to him. In the same way, when a player has to discard some of his cards, ho will reject those that are of the least value. This is the primary idea of the discard. A secondary object is to convey to your partner by your discards some information that may be of use to him. The secondary object must not be allowed to obscure the primary idea, though the two may often be combined. When there are trumps, your discard should be SYNOPSIS OF ORIGINAL LEADS 183 determined by a consideration as to who are the possessors of trump strength. When there are no trumps, the determinant is whether the lead is with your partner or the adversaries. There are two ways of discarding that supply exceptions to this ; and, when they are employed, it is immaterial whether your partner or your opponent is leading. The first of these is the call, or the directive discard by two cards ; and the second is the discard of the highest of a head sequence, or the directive discard by one card. When there are trumps, and you play a higher card on the first round of a suit led by your partner, and a lower on the second, it is an intimation that you have no more of it, and wish the suit led to you for a ruff. When there are no trumps, and you cannot follow suit, if you discard to the first round of a suit, led by either side, a higher card, and then to the second a lower one, it indicates great strength in the suit, and means you desire it led. In both cases, a call in this way signifies that the suit in which it is made is the one you require led. It is useful in cases when you hold five or six, headed by an ace, king, or a tierce major, and do not wish to unguard cards in shorter suits. This is known as the reverse discard, and is valuable inasmuch as it tells your partner that you can take care of the suit in which you make it. The second of these methods — i.e. by discarding the highest of a head sequence — is useful in showing a strong suit in one discard. With a quart or quint major, or a quart or quint to a king, the discard of the ace or king is a valuable way of indicating 184 AUCTION BRIDGE your strength in the suit. It is not of much avail to discard a queen or lower card from long sequences headed by such cards, as you can hardly hope to clear them. ' Apart from these exceptions, you will be guided by who is leading, because the player who is leading is the one in a position to avail himself first of any information you may give. The values of the cards in your hand vary very materially, whether your partner or your opponents have the lead. If the declarer has the lead, and you, younger hand, see in the exposed hand on your right the ace, king, queen, and two other clubs, the knave and three small clubs is a more valuable suit in your hand than the quart major in hearts. If your partner is leading, your hearts represent four tricks, and are more valuable than the clubs. When your partner is leading, your discard should be from your weakest suits, since you wish, by every means in your power, to direct him to the suit you wish him to lead to you as soon as he has finished playing out his winning cards ; and at the same time you do not care to throw away any card of your suit which may be valuable. When you are obliged to discard, it frequently happens that you have to do so more than once ; and in such cases you should generally discard from the two suits you do not want led, unless this necessitates unguarding a card that may be valuable. By discarding from two suits, your partner can be in no doubt as to which is your strong suit, when his own is exhausted. When you are compelled to discard from three suits, the one you discard from last is the one you wish led. SYNOPSIS OP ORIGINAL LEADS 185 When the lead is with your adversaries, and you have to discard, your partner should not draw any very rigid inferences from what you throw. Your discards will generally aim at being as protective as possible, and usually your first discard will therefore be from your best guarded suit. Conse- quently your first discard has some directive value, but your partner must infer nothing from any subsequent ones. Your first discard may some- times be from a worthless suit ; and in order then that you may not mislead your partner into sup- posing it to be your best guarded suit, you discard twice consecutively from it without calling. This is a useful method when you dare not unguard your only strong suit. It must be clearly under- stood that such discards are to be made consecu- tively. For instance, if you discard first a heart and then a spade, and later another heart, you have indicated hearts as your suit ; and the second discard from the suit is a forced one. If you first discard the three of hearts, and your next discard is the six, hearts is not your best protected suit. It very frequently happens that, when your adversaries have declared No Trumps, you have no suit with any commanding strength in it. Your strongest may be four, headed by a knave ; and there may be four or five of it in the exposed hand. In such situations you are compelled to keep the knave guarded, and your discards will be from your other suits, repeating the first one, so as not to mislead your partner. When your one suit is so weak, and you cannot discard from it without robbing it of its only power, it is very useful to be 186 AUCTION BRIDGE able to discard twice consecutively from some other suit. It is essential for each player to discard, and to watch discards, most carefully ; otherwise he omits to avail himself of one of the most useful channels of information. To sum up, speaking generally, your first discard when the dealer's side is leading, unless it is repeated without calling, indicates your best protected suit ; but too rigid inferences must never be drawn from discards when the adversaries are in the lead. When your partner is leading, your discards are to be made from the suits you do not want him to lead. The reverse discard, and the head sequence dis- card, always indicate great strength, whichever side is leading, and denote that you wish that suit led. CHAPTER XIII EXAMPLES OF STRATEGY In the preceding pages reference has been made to tactics such as forcing cards of entry ; unblocking, refusing to win tricks, and other points that are constantly occurring in the course of the game ; and some examples will now be given to illustrate them. First is shown an instance of unblocking. The hands are as follows : — Declarer. Hearts — Ace, 10, 4. Diamonds — Ace, 6, 5. Clubs — Ace, king, queen, 9, 8,6. Spades — 8. Dummy. Hearts— 9, 8, 5, 3, 2. Diamonds — Queen, knave. Clubs— 10, 7, 5, 4. Spades — 6, 4. or Hearts — Ace, 10, 4. Diamonds — Ace, 6, 5. Clubs— 5. Spades — Ace, king, queen, 7, 5, 3. Hearts— 9, 8, 5, 3, 2. Diamonds — Queen, knave. Clubs — Knave, 6. Spades — Knave, 10, 9, 2. Elder. Hearts — Queen, 6. Diamonds — 8, 7, 4. Clubs — Knave, 3. Spades — Ace, king, queen, 7, 5, 3. Younger. Hearts — King, knave, 7. Diamonds — King, 10, 9, 3, 2. Clubs— 2. Spades — Knave, 10, 9, 2. Hearts — Queen, 6. Diamonds — 8, 7, 4. Clubs — Ace, king, queen, 7, 4,3. Spades — 6, 4. Hearts — King, knave, 7. Diamonds — King, 10, 9, 3, 2. Clubs— 10, 9, 8, 2. Spades — 8. 187 188 AUCTION BRIDGE The score is love all, and the dealer has declared one No Trump. In the first hand the elder leads the king, queen, ace of spades. The younger must play to them the nine, ten, knave ; otherwise he will block the suit and lose the game. Similarly in the second hand, to the king, queen, ace of clubs, the younger must play the eight, nine, ten, or the suit is blocked and the game lost. Thoughtless or careless play to the first trick in such situations loses many a trick, and even game. The following illustrates forcing re-entry cards : — Declarer. Elder. Hearts — 8, 4. Diamonds — Ace, knave, 10. Clubs— Queen, 10, 5, 4. Spades — Ace, king, 9, 6. Hearts— 9, 6. Diamonds — 8, 5, 3, 2. Clubs — Knave, 9, 7. • Spades — Queen, 10, 8, 3. Dummy. Younger. Hearts — Queen, knave, 10, 7, 5, 3, 2. Diamonds — Queen, 7, 6. Clubs — Ace, 3. Spades — 7. Hearts — Ace, king. Diamonds — King, 9, 4. Clubs— King, 8, 6, 2. Spades — Knave, 5, 4, 2. The score is love all, and the dealer has declared one No Trump. Dummy ought of course to have declared two hearts, but, thinking No Trump was all right, since he held the ace of clubs and queen of diamonds, he did not. At trick 1, the elder hand leads the three of spades, which the declarer wins with ace : and leads the eight of hearts. The younger hand wins with the king ; and it is now obvious to him that, unless Dummy's ace of clubs is forced out before his own ace of hearts is extracted, all the heart suit will be brought in. Accordingly at trick 3 he leads the king of clubs. Dummy must EXAMPLES OF STRATEGY 189 take it, otherwise the younger hand will draw his ace by next leading a small club. Trick 4. Dummy leads the queen of hearts, which the younger hand wins with the ace. The heart suit is now cleared. At trick 5, the younger hand returns a spade, which the declarer wins with the king, and at trick 6 leads his knave of diamonds, in the hope that the king will be put on ; leaving Dummy's queen a re-entry card for the long estab- lished heart suit. The younger hand, however, refuses to part with the king, so long as the queen is not played. At trick 7 the declarer continues with the ten of diamonds, but the younger hand still refuses to be drawn ; because, for all he knows, the declarer may still have a small diamond left. Whatever the declarer now plays, he cannot bring in Dummy's hearts, and he only makes the odd trick. If the younger hand plays differently at trick 3 (returns his partner's spade for instance), or had been beguiled into playing his king of diamonds at trick 6, the declarer would win the game. The. latter might have put the queen of diamonds on his own ten at trick 7, on the chance of the king being with the elder hand ; but it happens that, if he had done so, he would have lost a trick. The next hands illustrate one of those positions when it is necessary to refrain from winning a trick that several tricks may be made later. Declarer. Elder. Hearts — 9, 5. Diamonds — Ace, 4, 3. Clubs— Ace, 10, 8. Spades — Ace, king, queen, 5, 3. Hearts— 10, 6. Diamonds — 9, 8. Clubs — King, queen, knave, 7, 3. Spades — Knave, 10, 9, 7. 190 AUCTION BRIDGE Dummy. Younger. Hearts — Kins:, 8, 4. Hearts — Ace, queen, knave 7, 3, 2. Diamonds — Knave, 7. Clubs— 9, 4, 2. Spades — 8, 6. Diamonds — King, queen, 10, 6,5,2. Clubs— 6, 5. Spades — 4, 2. Dealer declared one No Trump. Dummy two hearts. Dealer two No Trumps. Score love all, second game. Elder hand leads the king, and then the knave of clubs. The declarer wins the latter, because the younger hand cannot hold any more, and there is therefore no object in holding up any longer. The declarer next leads three rounds of spades ; when finding the knave with the holder of the established clubs, he leads a heart, and finesses the knave from Dummy. The younger hand passes. This is the point of the hand. At trick 7, Dummy leads the knave of diamonds ; the younger covers, and the declarer wins with the ace. At trick 8, he leads the five of hearts, and believing the king to be with the elder hand, plays the queen from Dummy, which the elder wins, and makes four diamonds. The declarer loses his contract. Had the younger hand taken Dummy's knave of hearts the first time, the declarer would have made four by cards. Differ- ence in points 348. The next example illustrates attacks, and counters : — Declarer. Elder. Hearts — Ace, king, 7, 6. Diamonds — 9, 4, 2. Clubs— King, 9, 5. Spades — Ace, king, 4. Hearts — 5, 4, 2. Diamonds — King, queen, 6, 5. Clubs— Ace, 8, 7. Spades — Knave, 3, 2. EXAMPLES OF STRATEGY 191 Dummy. Younger. Hearts — Queen, knave, 9. Diamonds — 3. Clubs— Knave, 6, 4, 3. Spades — Queen, 9, 7, 6, 5. Hearts— 10, 8, 3. Diamonds — Ace, knave, 10 8, 7. Clubs— Queen, 10, 2. Spades— 10, 8. Score love all — dealer declares one No Trump. At trick 1 the elder leads the five of diamonds. The declarer overtakes Dummy's seven, in order to lead through the elder again. At trick 2 the declarer leads the four of diamonds. The elder hand plays the six. If he foolishly plays the queen, Dummy will pass ; and as soon as the declarer gets in again, he will lead the two through the king, six, and let Dummy make three diamonds. At tricks 3 and 4, Dummy leads the ace and knave of diamonds, hoping later to get in with the queen of clubs and make the ten. At trick 5, the elder hand leads the five of hearts (the younger discards to the three diamond tricks, the five and six of spades, and the three of clubs : and the declarer, to the last diamond, the six of hearts) and the declarer wins the younger 's nine with the king. He now wants to make Dummy's queen of clubs a re-entry card for the last diamond, so he leads the king of clubs. The elder hand declines to play the ace. The declarer next leads the live of clubs. He finesses the ten from Dummy, which the younger wins with knave. The younger leads the six of clubs, which the elder wins with the ace, dropping Dummy's queen. At trick 9, the elder leads the four of hearts. The declarer wins two by cards. If the elder hand plays the ace of clubs at tricks 6 192 AUCTION BRIDGE or 7, the declarer wins the game : also if he plays differently at trick 2. The declarer might play the queen of clubs at trick 7, but it is an even chance how the ace and knave lie. If ace and knave are both with the elder, or ace with younger, and knave with elder, Dummy must get in. It is in such situations at Auction Bridge that good play exacts its toll. The positions when the instructed player most often scores are those which occur towards the end of a hand. By the fall of the cards during the previous play, aiid his inferences therefrom, he is able to locate all the remaining cards ; and by the right application of this knowledge many con- tracts are fulfilled and games won, which would otherwise fail, or be lost. The inattentive and less skilful player, on the other hand, does not know how the last cards lie ; and even when he does, he is unable to take advantage of it. The following simple examples will clearly illus- trate the foregoing : — Declarer. Elder. Hearts — 7. Diamonds — nil. Clubs — nil. 3—9, 7. Hearts — Ace, 8. Diamonds — King. Clubs — nil. Spades — nil. Dummy. Younger Hearts — nil. Diamonds — Knave, 10. Clubs — nil. Spades — 10. Hearts — Queen, 10. Diamonds — nil. Clubs — Ace. Spades — nil. Hearts are trumps. Each side has won five tricks. Declarer's contract is one heart. Elder to EXAMPLES OF STRATEGY 193 lead. He leads the nine of spades, which younger ruffs with the ten of hearts. Declarer must discard the king of diamonds. If he over-ruffs the ten he will lose his contract. Declarer. Hearts — 10. Diamonds — nil . Clubs— King, 10, 3. Spades — nil. Dummy. Hearts — nil. Diamonds — 10, 6. Clubs — nil. Spades — Ace, 8. Elder. Hearts — nil. Diamonds — nil . Clubs — Queen, 9, 4. 3—7. Younger. Hearts — nil. Diamonds — 9, 2. Clubs — nil. Spades — Queen, 10. Hearts are trumps. Unless the declarer wins three tricks he loses his contract. It is his lead. He must lead the three of clubs. Declarer. Hearts — King. Diamonds — King, knave. Clubs— nil. les — nil. Dummy. Hearts — nil. Diamonds — nil. Clubs — Knave, 9, 8. Spades — nil. Elder. Hearts— 10. Diamonds — Ace, 6. Clubs— nil. Spades — nil. Younger. Hearts — nil. Diamonds — Queen, 8. Clubs — nil. Spades — 10. Hearts are trumps. Elder to lead, and in order to save the game he must make two tricks. He must lead the ten of hearts. Declarer. Hearts — Queen. Diamonds — nil. Clubs — nil. Spades — King, queen, knave, 10. Elder. Hearts — nil. Diamonds — King, 7, 3. Clubs — nil. Spades— 9, 2. 13 194 AUCTION BRIDGE Dummy. Younger. Hearts — nil. Diamonds — 6. Clubs — nil. Spades — 8, 7, 5, 4. Hearts — 4. Diamonds — 8. Clubs — nil. Spades — Ace, 6, 3. Hearts are trumps. The declarer has to lead, and to make three tricks to fulfil his contract. He must lead the king of spades. If he draws the losing trump, he will only make one trick. Declarer. Hearts — nil. Diamonds — Knave, 6, 4. Clubs — Ace. Spades — nil. Dummy. Hearts— Ace, 10, 9. Diamonds — nil. Clubs— 10. les — nil. Elder. Hearts — Queen, 8. Diamonds — nil . Clubs— 6. Spades — 8. Younger. Hearts — nil. Diamonds — King, 7. Clubs— 7, 5. Spades — nil. Hearts are trumps. Elder hand has to lead, and to make one trick to save the game. He must lead the six of clubs. If he leads the last spade he will lose every trick. Declarer. Hearts — Queen, knave, 3. Diamonds — 4. Clubs — nil. Spades — nil. Dummy. Hearts — 6. Diamonds — 5. Clubs— 7. Spades — Queen. Elder. Hearts — nil. Diamonds — nil. Clubs— King, 10. Spades — 7, 3. Younger. Hearts — nil. Diamonds — 7. Clubs— 9, 5. Spades — 10. Hearts are trumps. Elder hand leads the king of clubs. Declarer must win every trick. He EXAMPLES OF STRATEGY 195 must trump with the knave and lead the three so that Dummy may lead the queen of spades. Declarer. Hearts — King . Diamonds — nil. Clubs — King, queen, knave, 3. Spades — nil. Dummy. Hearts — nil. Diamonds — nil . Clubs— 10, 9, 7. Spades — 7, 3. Elder. Hearts — 5. Diamonds — nil. Clubs — Ace, 6, 5. Spades — 6. Younger. Hearts — nil. Diamonds^— nil. Clubs— 4, 2. Spades — King, 9, 4. Hearts are trumps. Elder to lead and make four tricks. He must lead the five of hearts. There are no trumps — you are declarer and hold the ace of clubs and two small spades. Dummy holds the queen of spades and two losing hearts. There are no other spades in. Elder hand leads the king of clubs. You must discard the queen of spades from Dummy. Again. There are three cards left. You are elder hand and hold ace, knave, five of diamonds. Dummy has king, seven, four. In order to win two tricks you must lead the five. Declarer. Hearts — 4, 3. Diamonds — Ace, 9. Clubs — nil. Spades — 9, 5. Dummy. Hearts — nil. Diamonds — 8, 4, 2. Clubs— 10. Spades — Queen, 8. Elder. Hearts — nil. Diamonds — 10. Clubs— King, 4, 3. -7,6. Younger. Hearts — nil. Diamonds — King, queen, 7. Clubs — nil. Spades — Ace, 10, 2. 196 AUCTION BRIDGE Hearts are trumps — declarer to lead and win four tricks to make the game. He must lead the two trumps ; and if the younger discards a diamond and a spade, he will lead the ace and nine of diamonds. If the younger discards two spades, he will lead the five of spades. Instances of this kind may be multiplied in- definitely, but I think enough examples have now been given to show that play earns at least its fair share of reward at Auction Bridge. CHAPTER XIV AMENITIES Early in this book allusion is made to the poten- tialities of one's partner at Auction Bridge. His powers for evil or for good are so great, that one's success at the game in no small measure depends upon the early establishment between you of the most sympathetic relations possible. Unless you are in tune with your partner, there will be discord in your game. As soon as you cut together, inquire whether he has any choice of cards or seats, and if he has, indulge him in his harmless fancy. Incredible as it may appear to any one not affected in that way, there exist numbers of players who are steeped to the eyes in card-room supersti- tions, and the variety of these " hoodoos," as the Americans call them, is infinite. If the selection of cards and seats gives your partner any satisfac- tion, or if it pleases him to invoke any other occult enchantments, by all means afford him the opportunity. It is also essential to ascertain beforehand his wishes and methods in regard to bidding, and however absurd they may appear to be to you, it will be an aid to your mutual success to observe 197 198 AUCTION BRIDGE them. Having thus humoured him at the commence- ment, and acquainted yourself with his idiosyn- crasies, do not spoil all by finding fault with his play ; or if he makes mistakes, by hectoring him about them. Always remember that your partner is doing his best. It is not given to every one to be a first-class player, and at least fifty per cent of the men who take part in Auction Bridge never emerge from the deepest abyss of dufferism. This is not a feature peculiar to Auction Bridge. You will see the same thing at billiards, or golf, or almost every other game, whereat men who play regularly all their lives never get beyond a certain very modest stage. Anyway it does not conduce to harmony to haul your partner over the coals for some offence of omission or commission, when he has offended in all innocence. The following incident affords a striking example of this. I once cut in with a man who appeared to be quite at home at the card -table and conversant with the game. In the course of play, he intimated that he could ruff the third round of a suit by calling in it. I led it to him to find it trumped by the declarer, and we lost the game. But for the signal, I should have led differ- ently, and we should have saved it. At the end of the hand, I reproachfully inquired of him why he had misled me by calling. His answer was : " 1 have not the remotest idea what you mean by calling. When and how did I do it ? " Comment is superfluous. It is players of this type who can never learn, and they are quite incorrigible. Nevertheless, it AMENITIES 199 will be your ill fortune to cut in with them some- times ; and to point out some elementary blunder, or to ask why they did or did not do something or other, only makes them play worse — if that were possible. Their mental vision, as far as card-playing goes, is distorted and obscured, and they are in- capable of comprehending ; although, in their own walk of life, and in other respects, they may be a great success. However, my present remarks on partnery apply more to players of a higher stratum than the altogether hopeless fifty per cent. The majority of average players are conscious of it when they make a mistake, and it is unneces- sary to refer to their error. They probably feel it just as keenly as you do ; and if you remain silent, they may even hope that you did not notice it. Some players maintain a grim silence throughout the rubber ; whilst others babble the whole time. Neither is an exhilarating kind of partner, though the latter is by far the worse. Again, there are others who cannot bear to be beaten. It is not the pecuniary loss that annoys them in the very least little bit, but it is the sense of being worsted that they hate. Especially are they exasperated when they suffer defeat at the hands of inferior adversaries ; and this added bitterness impels them to complain of the cards, and to rail at their ill luck. When one of these infuriated grumblers is indisputably a first-class player, you may be sure that there are grounds for his allegations of ill luck ; whereas, if he is not, 200 AUCTION BRIDGE his losses are probably due to his own bad play. Anyhow, a tendency to blame Fortune is one of those constitutional infirmities to which some men are liable, and which they cannot help, and you will get on much better with such partners if you fall in with their humour, and sympathise with their irritation. I must here digress for a moment to refer to the question of luck. Theoretically there is no such thing as luck, and mathematicians refuse even to acknowledge the existence of such a factor. Yet in practice it aggressively obtrudes itself every day on all sides. The theory is that cards equalise themselves in time. I freely concede this, but the flaw is that the period required for such equalisa- tion may be infinitely greater than the whole span of human existence. I am acquainted with men who play atrociously, who go on winning year after year, and yet they lose on an average a trick per deal by bad play ; whilst others, who play against them, lose just as steadily, although they rarely throw away a trick. The matter is fortunately one that is susceptible of absolute proof by means of duplicate, and is therefore always demonstrable. If the hands be transposed, the bad players will lose far more heavily, and the good win infinitely more. Luck presents itself in many shapes. You may hold bad cards — or you may hold good ones, and your partner nothing ; or you may constantly cut the worst or unluckiest players. You may finesse, and al- ways find the cards wrong ; or you do not finesse, and find them right ; whilst your adversaries make AMENITIES 201 the most inexcusable finesses, which all come off. You may be guilty of some trifling error of judg- ment, and thereafter everything goes wrong ; or your partner may make a mistake which costs you the rubber. There are no end to the tricks that ill fortune may play you, and it is idle to say that there is no such thing as luck. Luck sticks to some men like a cat to a house. Were it not so,, how is it that the most mediocre players continue year after year to hold their own with men infinitely their superiors in skill ? Therefore, do not disbelieve in luck. Personally, I would far rather have as a partner the luckiest player of my acquaintance^ even though he be an indifferent performer, than the finest player who ever lived, provided he m consistently unfortunate. But to return to one's partner at Auction Bridge. Apart from preserving a pleasant demeanour at all times, and humouring him in every way, you should play in such a manner as to make the game as easy as possible for your partner. Avoid puzzling him, and never play false cards. This is even more imperative when there are no trumps, than when there is a trump suit declared. When you are Dummy, do not read a paper,, or get up and leave your seat, or commit any other act that ostentatiously proclaims your in- difference to your partner's management of the hands ; but watch the play, look out for revokes, and generally evince a proper interest in the co-partnership. Whenever the declarer leads out of turn, either from his own hand or Dummy, and you are second! 202 AUCTION BRIDGE player, do not correct the error, unless it is distinctly to your advantage to do so. It should be left to your partner, who is fourth player, to recall the lead or let it stand, as suits him. Whenever your partner deals, lay down your hand at once, and without any remark, as soon as the elder hand leads a card. Spread out the cards, so that they are most conveniently visible, taking care to do so in any order that you know your partner prefers. Then resolve yourself into your position as Dummy. It is good policy to defer to your partner's opinion as much as possible, even though you may not agree with him. This courtesy is particularly re- commended when he is a much older man than you are. Probably the most aggravating type of partner to cut with is the assertive person who is satisfied that he is always right. It goes without saying that any man holding such views is far more gener- ally wrong ; but it is waste of breath to argue with him. He makes unsound declarations, unjustifiable overcalls, and wild doubles, and when they meet with the reward they merit and come to grief, he is at pains to try to show that they were irreproach- able. Being in error how the cards lie, he criticises your play, because he is incapable of comprehending its motives ; or he bewails your not supporting him, or deplores your having done so. When you are unfortunate enough to be tied temporarily to a partner of this kind ; or to a beginner with a smattering of knowledge which he regards as omni- science, your wisest plan is to suffer in silence, and AMENITIES 203 to acquiesce in everything. It is always a consola- tion to recollect that, on some other occasion, you will have these men for your adversaries. Besides one's duty to one's partner, there are certain other amenities that should always be observed. You should never draw attention to an error of your adversaries by which you have benefited. Be satisfied with the advantage you have gained ; and do not say to your partner, " If So-and-so had done so-and-so, or had omitted to do so-and-so, they would have made their contract," or offer any other observation of a similar nature Such remarks are not calculated to promote good will. When you are sitting out and overlooking a game, you should refrain from volunteering any comments whatever. If one of the players invites your opinion, or if any question is referred to you, it is of course another matter, and you will give your view, taking care to express yourself as diplomati- cally as possible. When you have not been con- sulted, you should maintain a strict silence ; and you should never give any sign whatever regarding the play — of approval, or otherwise. At Auction Bridge it is very important that each bid should be made clearly and unmistakably. It almost amounts to unfairness to make a declara- tion in a tone that is in the least degree indistinct, because this may cause an adversary to make an insufficient over call. If it is too much trouble to speak audibly and plainly, you should not play the game. The word " Pass " is inadmissible, since it is so easily mistaken for " Hearts." The best way to 204 AUCTION BRIDGE bid is something like this. " One diamond.'* " I pass one diamond." " One heart." " I pass one heart," and so on. Or merely pass a bid by saying " No." The point I desire to emphasise is that bids must be distinct and must not be slurred. Lastly, do not play slowly. There are few things more trying to one's patience than the man who ponders over every card he has to play. It greatly adds to the pleasure of Auction Bridge to play it quickly, and without any of that interminable hesitation and indecision which are the characteris- tics of a vacillating and slow-moving mind. Hints on General Play Your first aim when you are the declarer is to fulfil your contract. Your next to win the game. Your principal object when you are playing against the declarer is to save the game, your second to break his contract. It sometimes becomes apparent after a few tricks have been played without trumps, that, unless your partner holds some particular card or cards you cannot save the game, or break the contract. In such a situation you must assume him to hold that card or cards, and play accordingly, even though this may necessitate your sacrificing a winning card in your hand. For instance, late in the hand you get the lead, and hold the king and one small club. The queen and two others are in Dummy. You require three tricks to save the game, and unless you partner holds the ace, knave, and at least one small club, you cannot get them. AMENITIES 205 You must lead the king, on the assumption that he has these cards. You should always closely observe the tactics adopted by the declarer. If he avoids opening any particular suit, of which the Dummy holds some good cards, you may assume that he is weak in it, and that your partner holds some of the missing cards. Likewise, if he plays a cautious game, by avoiding finesses and securing tricks at once, you may take it that he is not very strong, or that your partner has some powerful cards against him. When a trump is declared, if the declarer does not extract trumps, he is either very weak, or he wants to ruff. Remember that the declarer will always play his cards with the object of misleading his adversaries, and you must not be deterred from continuing with a winning card in a suit merely because he has dropped a high card on the previous trick. Supposing, when there are no trumps, you lead from a long suit headed by the queen. Only two small ones appear in the exposed hand. Your partner plays the knave ; the declarer wins with the ace. You should not be deceived ; the king and ten are marked with him. Your partner would not finesse the knave of your suit if he held the king, nor would he play the knave if he held the ten. Always give your partner a ruff whenever you get the chance ; you cannot afford him too many oppor- tunities of trumping at Auction Bridge. At the same time, always force the strong adverse trump hand, unless by doing so you play the declarer's 206 AUCTION BRIDGE game, or unless it is so strong that the force is welcome. The word " force " is an unfortunate one, as it implies compulsion. No player is obi ged to ruff unless it suits him. When your partner refuses to trump, you of course will not force him to do so by leading the suit again. If you throw away all the cards of your partner's suit when there are no trumps, you indicate to him that you have no card of entry. As dealer, play false cards whenever you can ; but avoid giving information by so doing. This practice is better suited to small cards than high ones. In discarding, when there are no trumps, never denude yourself entirely of a suit unless you can never get the lead. If you do, you not only are unable to lead it to your partner, should it turn out to be his strong suit, but you also enable the de- clarer, as soon as it is led, to locate the whole of it, and to finesse accordingly. You must always be careful not to risk the con- tract or game in the hope of making extra points ; and never play in such a way as to make things difficult for your partner. The fall of every card must be noted. It often happens that an inattentive player will fail to recollect that his eight or nine is the best of the suit remaining, because he has omitted to observe the fall of the nine or ten. Lastly, the winners of the first game are in a very advantageous position. Therefore to secure it no effort should be spared. Should you have lost the first game, it is essential to do every- AMENITIES 207 thing possible, in reason, to keep your adver- saries from winning the second, and with it of course the rubber. In this position it becomes legitimate to sacrifice a certain amount above the- line in order to accomplish your purpose, whilst no effort should be relaxed to even matters as soon as you can. PRINTER BY HAZELL, WATBON AND VINEY, ID., LONDON AND AYLBSBUKY ENGLAND. mi L'BRARY OF CONGRESS 020 237 446 3