Complete auction bridge for 1922

Front matter

Complete

cAuction Bridge

The Game The Play The Bidding The Laws

Foreword

The writer has endeavored to make a clear presentation of Auction Bridge, comprehensible to beginners as well as to those experienced in the game. The conventions selected are generally accepted by the large majority of good players. Where there exists any real difference of opinion, both sides are presented, with the writer's reasons for the view adopted.

The purpose of this book is to standardize the game among average players, and its price has accordingly been made so as to put it within the reach of all. Some detail has been sacrificed to simplicity and clearness, but nothing really essential has been omitted.

Complete Auction Bridge for IQ22 J

Part I The Game

Auction Bridge is a variation of the game of Whist in which bidding decides whether the play shall be with or without a Trump, along with the privilege to the Dealer of playing both his own and his partner's hands.

A full deck of cards is used, the deuce counting lowest and the other cards ascending in value to the ace, which is highest. The highest card takes any trick, except in the instance of its being trumped, trumps always winning over the other suits.

There are four players who cut for partners, the lowest two playing against the highest two. If cards of equal value are drawn the players must cut again. Lowest deals. Ace is lowest in cutting.

The Trump or No Trump is decided by declaration or bidding. The dealer has the first bid and is followed by the players to his left. When nobody bids there is a new deal.

Bidding Optional It is optional with the players whether they bid Spades, Hearts, Diamonds, Clubs, No Trump or pass. After any player makes a declaration the other three players each has a say, and can overcall, double or pass. A player may not overbid his own declaration when it is passed up to him.

When all players have finally passed the highest declaration stands. The player, who started it, plays both his own and his partner's hand, the latter being placed face upward on the table. The exposed hand is called the Dummy. It is not laid down until the first card is led.

The points made in the games played are recorded in a trick score and an honor score.

No Trump tricks have the highest value and are followed by Spades, Hearts, Diamonds and Clubs in order named. One No Trump overcalls one in Spades or one of any suit of lower trick value. One in Spades overcalls one in Hearts or in any other suit, and so on. Two of any suit of lower trick value overcalls one in No Trump or any suit of higher trick value. For example: Two in Clubs is required to overcall one in No Trump, or Spades or Hearts or Diamonds, and so on through the list.

Thirty Points a Game Thirty or more points made by trick values constitute a game. The number of tricks necessary to make these thirty points, depends upon whether the winning declaration calls for No Trump or for one of the four suits.

The first six tricks taken by the side having the declaration make a book. The seventh trick and those following are called the odd trick or odd tricks.

The value of each trick above the book is, No Trump, 10; Spades, 9; Hearts, 8; Diamonds, 7; and Clubs, 6 points.

To make game the Declarer must, as a minimum, take in addition to the book, 3 tricks in No Trump, 4 in Spades or Hearts and 5 in Diamonds or Clubs. Spades and Hearts are called the major suits and Diamonds and Clubs the minor suits.

Rubber is Best of Three Games The rubber is the best of three games. If the first two games are won by the same players, the third game is not played. The bonus for winning the two games of the rubber is 250 points. The Ace, King, Queen, Jack and Ten in the trump suit constitute the honors, which individually are of equal point value. Their collective value is : 3 honors in one or both hands have the value of 2 tricks ; 4 honors in both hands have the value of 4 tricks; 4 honors in one hand have the value of 8 tricks ; 4 honors in one hand and one honor in the partner's hand have the value of 9 tricks; 5 honors in one hand have the value of 10 tricks. Three honors are called Simple Honors. To illustrate : 3 honors in Clubs count 2 tricks lO Complete Auction Bridge for IQ22

or 12— the value of each Club trick being 6. 3 honors in Spades count 2 tricks or 18 — the value of each Spade trick being 9, and so on.

In a No Trump game only Aces are counted. Three Aces held between partners count 30, 4 Aces held between partners count 40; 4 Aces in one hand count 100.

Honors in Suit hands and Aces in No Trumps are always counted for the side having them, whether it is the Declarer's or not.

Grand Slam and Small Slam When one side takes the whole 13 tricks it makes a Grand Slam, and a bonus of 100 is added to the honor score, in addition to the value of the seven tricks in the Trick score. When it takes 12 tricks, 50 points are added in the Honor score, in addition to the tricks in the Trick score. This is called a Small Slam.

When a hand has been played through and the Declarer makes his contract or better, he gets for his Trick score the value of all the tricks made over and above the book. If he fails to make his contract, that is the number of tricks of his declaration, he gets nothing for the tricks he has made, while his adversaries get in the Honor score as penalties, 50 points for each trick less than the declaration. Or if the declaration was doubled by the adversary, then the penalty is 100 points for each trick short of the contract, and if

Complete Auction Bridge for ig22 il

redoubled 200 for each deficient trick. These penalties go in the score above the line along with the honors and bonuses.

Doubling and Redoubling

When an adversary of a Declarer believes the declaration can be beaten he ''Doubles." This means that if the Declarer loses, the penalty for each lost trick becomes 100 points instead of 50. If the Declarer makes his contract he gets double value for each trick called for by the contract and in addition a bonus of 50 for making his contract. Also, for every trick over his contract he gets an additional bonus of 50 points.

Should the final Declarer after being doubled, have confidence enough in his hand, he can redouble. This means if he makes his contract he gets 100 bonus, and four times the value of each contracted trick, and for every trick he makes above his contract he gets 100. If he fails to make his contract, his adversary scores 200 points for every trick less than the number called for by the contract. A player may not double his partner's bid.

When a declaration is doubled or redoubled it is optional with the Declarer whether he will accept or change his declaration to a higher one. In such instance each of the three other players has also another say.

The value of honors, grand slam or small slam are not affected by doubling or redoubling.

Keeping the Score

The score is kept on a card or sheet of paper with a line running from top to bottom forming two columns and a double line cutting these two columns across. The scores of the two competing sides are recorded separately in these columns. Below the double line are only written the values of the tricks taken. This is called the Trick score.

The trick values only are used in counting game.

Above the double line are recorded the points for honors, bonuses and penalties. This is called the Honor score.

At the conclusion of a rubber all the points in both Trick and Honor scores for each set of partners are added up, and the difference goes to the side which has the greatest number of points. Each of the winning partners receives the full amount of the points won, which is paid by each of the losers.

For example : A and B are partners, and their adversaries are Y and Z. A goes 3 No Trump and makes his contract. These three tricks, of 10 points value each, gives him 30 points or game, and 30 points are placed in his side's trick score below the line. He has three Aces which give 30 points for honors, which go above the line in the honor score.

If he had made only two odd tricks, they would not be counted and he would be penalized 50 for the lost trick. This fifty would go above the double line in his adversary's honor score.

In the next deal, A declares 3 Spades and makes them. He gets 27 in his trick score and 18 for honors in his honor score. In the following hand his adversary Y, holding 5 honors, declares 4 Hearts and makes them. Y gets 32 in his trick score and 80 for honors in his honor score. A and Y each now has a game. In the fourth hand Y with 3 honors gets a declaration in Hearts and loses by one trick. A gets 50 points penalty which go in his honor score. Y gets 16 for his honors.

In the next hand Y wins on a 4 Spades declaration with 3 honors, making game and rubber, which gives him 36 points in his trick score and 18 in the honor score, and the bonus of 250 for winning the two rubber games.

These figures totaled give for the Rubber A and B 155 points and Y and Z 432 points. The difference is 277 which Y and Z win, A paying Y the value of 277 points and B paying Z the value of 277 points.

Score card with record of described rubber.

PLAYERS

PLAYERS

AandB

YandZ

HONOR

SCORE

18 16

TRICK SCORE

Part II The Bidding

FIVE ESSENTIAL BRIDGE CONVENTIONS

"Convention" is a very comprehensive term used more by the English writers on Auction Bridge than by those in this country. As it will appear frequently throughout this book it may be well to define it.

The Century dictionary says : "General agreement, tacit understanding, common sense as the foundation of a custom."

Its definition as directly applied to bridge is thus expressed by an English writer:

"Rules in bridge which have emerged by degrees from the welter of all sorts of conflicting ideas, in the course of which the pros and cons of each of them have been anxiously considered and warmly debated by persons best qualified to judge their merits."

There are comparatively few conventions for auction bridge bidding, but what there are should be carefully studied, and rigorously observed. In clubs or circles where the same individuals convene for play they soon become habit. But in chance gatherings or in general play there are often many who know nothing about them, which detracts from the pleasure of the occasion.

It is considered within the bounds of Bridge Etiquette, to inform the table before a game begins, what conventions you use. Of course you cannot give them all, but there are five, the failure to observe any one of which, may create confusion as well as cause loss in points.

We refer to Initial Bid Conventions and Informative Doubles, which are subjoined. If you copy them out and use them as occasion prompts, you will do much to standardize the game, and help along good playing:

Five Essential Conventions

An Initial One No Trump bid must be a hand a little better than the average in high cards with three suits guarded.

An Initial One Major Suit bid must have length and strength, with four sure tricks for attack, or two sure tricks for defense or support.

An Initial One Minor Suit bid must have two quick tricks in the suit named. It is informative only, and the bidder does not desire to play it through.

Doubling an Initial One Major Suit bid tells the partner the Doubler is hopelessly

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weak in that suit, but otherwise has a good No

Trump hand.

Doubling an Initial One No Trump bid

tells the partner the Doubler has a Two No

Trump, and leaves action to him.

With these five conventions observed, it is amazing how much better the game will proceed. Do not forget that the whole structure rests on the Initial Bids. They give information that forms the plan of campaign. Never deceive your partner by violating the conventions governing them. He is entitled to know the true strength of your hand. Never misinform him.

RELATIVE HANDS AND CARD VALUES

A knowledge of the relation of hands to one another and the trick values of high cards is essential to the playing of Auction Bridge. The first of these is readily acquired. The latter is more difficult. Cards have combination values as well as individual values. Both vary with conditions.

There are, however, some card values fixed by averages and experience that have become standard. For instance, an Ace may be reckoned as one sure trick. An Ace King of the same suit, two sure tricks. King Queen, one sure trick; because if the Ace takes one, the other remains highest. A King, guarded by one or two small cards, is counted as half a trick, because it stands to lose as many times as to win, depending on whether the adverse Ace is on the left or right.

A Queen or Queen Jack guarded is of doubtful value, owing to the uncertainty of a suit going around three times untrumped. In No Trump hands they may be reckoned on.

Here is the table of standard values of high cards:

Ace, King, x =2 tricks

Ace, Queen, Jack = 2 + ^'

King, Queen, Jack =2 — '^

Ace, Queen, Ten == i>^ ''

King, Queen, Ten

= i^ tricks ^

Ace, Jack, Ten

Ace, Queen, x

I trick

Ace, Jack, x

King, Queen, x

I "

King, Jack, x

= /2+"

King, X X

Queen, Jack, x

The Value of Small Cards

Small cards are more or less valuable, depending upon conditions. When Trumps they are always valuable. The difference between Trumps and Plain Suits is illustrated this way: A Trump suit with Ace, King and five small is worth six tricks. A Trump suit with Ace, King and one small is worth two tricks. A plain suit with Ace, King and five small may be worth only one trick. A plain suit with Ace, King and one small is worth two tricks. The reason for the difference is that the high cards of a plain suit with many small are liable to be trumped.

In a No Trump hand when a suit is established, the small cards in it become trick makers. The same plain suit conditions also exist in a Trump hand after the Trumps have been exhausted. A blank suit or Singleton with Trumps for ruffing is always counted on for one or more tricks in any hand but the Declarer's.

Combination Value of Uncertain Cards Uncertain cards in a player's hand, while weak by themselves, taken in combination with those of his partner, may become sure trick winners. For instance, a Declarer holds King, Jack and two small, the average value of which by themselves is less than one trick. His partner holds Ace, Queen. This lifts their collective value to four tricks.

The position of the player also affects the values of his cards, as may be illustrated by a King with an adverse Ace on his right or on his left, making the King worth one trick or nothing at all.

Values in an Assisting Hand It is more puzzling for the third player to calculate the trick value and assisting value of his hand, when the Declarer has been overcalled in a Trump declaration, and he is put in the position of raising or passing. The number of small trumps, blank suits, singletons, doubletons, as well as honors and side suit strength, have all got to be considered. The values of these are as follows :

Blank suit with trumps for ruffing. . .2 tricks Singletons with trumps for ruffing. . . i trick Doubletons with trumps for ruffing. .>4 ^'

Three small trumps ^

One honor and one small trump >4 "

One honor and 2 small trumps. . . . i J^ tricks Two honors and two small trumps . . 2 " Four or more small trumps without

short suits to ruff i trick

Except in No Trumps guarded Queens are not safe to reckon on, and five small trumps in the Dummy are of no greater value than four, as the excess fall to the Declarer's leads.

Estimating the values in the hand of the Declarer's partner in a No Trump is very different, and is explained further on.

The Relation of Hands

The player should also become familiar with the general run of hands as related to one another, which can be done quite simply and without outside assistance.

Shuffle and cut a deck of cards in the usual way. Then deal around the table as if there were four persons really present. Pick up each hand by itself, beginning with the dealer, sort it and make declarations one after another, just as would be made in a regular game. This done, spread all the hands face upward on the table, when you will get a good ocular demonstration of the relations of the individual hands to one another, as well as a fair idea as to the wisdom of the declarations you have made. From time to time play the hands through.

BIDDING DEFINED AND CLASSIFIED

In Auction Bridge the cards represent 60 per cent of the game, bidding 30 per cent and play 10 per cent. This means that correct bidding is three times as important as the play. If you bid more tricks than you can possibly take, the most brilliant play in the world will not win your contract.

There are two general classifications of bids or declarations, namely. Free Bids and Forced Bids.

A Free Bid is where the player makes a voluntary declaration such as the Initial Bid of the dealer or the player on his left. (Initial Bids and Free Bids are used synonymously in this book.)

Any bid that overcalls or assists a previous bid is a Forced Bid.

There is also a variety of bid that has no particular classification, namely, the first round bid made by the third or fourth player after the dealer and his left have passed. This bid is not governed by the Initial Bid conventions, for although voluntary, it is influenced by the indicated weakness of the preceding hands.

Secondary Bids are Forced Bids made in the second round after a pass in the first. They are generally strong Major suit declarations which do not come up to the regulation standard, and have been held back to avoid giving misinformation.

Free Bids are governed by conventions, that is, fixed rules. Forced Bids are not conventional. They show the number of tricks, which with the partner's assistance may win the declaration, but are otherwise not informative.

TRICK MAKEUP OF INITIAL BIDS

As there are thirteen tricks in every hand, the average for each player should be 3^ tricks. Of course, this is not the case always, but if you try several hundred deals and tabulate the results you will find it comes out about this way. For the sake of convenience the fraction is eliminated and three tricks is the quota taken as the standard.

This is the only guide that the Initial bidder has as to what support he may expect from his partner. He sees that his own hand has four sure tricks. This being somewhat better than the average, indicates that his partner's hand may have less than the average.

Experience has demonstrated that the partner may be credited with two tricks. He may have fewer or more, but anyway two tricks estimated assistance is the standard.

These two and the bidder's own four tricks total six. The privilege of playing one's own and the Dummy's hand is calculated as one trick, although often worth more. Here then are the seven tricks calculated on for an Initial Major suit bid of one.

Tricks in Bidder's hand 4

Partner's tricks 2

Trick value of playing both hands i

Total 7

With No Trump bids there is a difference. You have here three guarded suits which are roughly calculated as three tricks. This leaves an additional trick to be made up. But the element of loss of high cards by trumping is eliminated, so the trick quota on account of playing both hands is increased to two, the greater promotion value of the combined high cards being also a factor. The seven tricks in a one No Trump are made up this way:

Tricks in Bidder's hand 3

Partner's tricks 2

Trick value of playing both hands 2

Total 7

Initial One Minor suit declarations are merely informative indicating two sure tricks in the suit named.

THE THREE CLASSES OF INITIAL BIDS

As already stated the dealer has the privilege of bidding first. If he passes, the call goes to the player on his left, and so on around. The first bids of the dealer and the player on his left are Initial or Free Bids, and the same conventions govern them. When both of these players pass and the say goes to the third or fourth player conditions have altered, and these latter bids, while seemingly voluntary, are really outside of the category of Free Bids.

Initial Bids are made with No Trump or in Major suits or Minor suits.

There are writers who insist that the Initial Bids of Major and Minor suits should be treated alike, and as if they both were to be played eventually as final declarations. Also that the same conventions should govern them. On the other hand, it is argued that the paramount idea in bridge is to make game, and as eleven tricks are necessary for game in a Free Minor suit bid, it is better to use the Minor suit initially as a guide to the Partner for a No Trump or a Major suit. Indeed, this is the view of the majority and is the standard adopted here.

Minimum Initial Bids of One

A minimum Initial one No Trump declaration represents about a Queen's strength better than the average hand with three guarded suits, and tells the partner he can depend on three tricks or better, either for defense or assistance. It says if the partner can help the Bidder would like to play out the declaration.

A minimum one Major suit declaration informs the partner of four sure tricks if the suit is Trump, or two sure tricks for defense or support. It also expresses the hope that the suit will go through as Trump.

An Initial one Minor suit declaration offers assistance to the partner in case he can go to No Trump or some Major suit. It says, '^I have two sure tricks in the suit named. Take me out in any instance."

Bids of Two or More

There are Initial bids of two, three or more in all of the classes named except Minor Suit Declarations where there should be no bid of two or three. All Free Bids over two are preemptive, and indicate the Declarer expects to go game.

Details of these and other Initial Declarations are gone into fully later on under their regular classifications.

FREE OR INITIAL MAJOR SUIT DECLARATIONS

The Initial one Major suit declaration is the best average free bid, although the No Trump requires one trick less for a game score. There is always, however, a risk in a No Trump that equalizes the disadvantage of having to make the additional Trump trick.

The Major suit bid should have both length and strength, and conform to the accepted convention. That is, an Initial Major Suit Bid of one must have four tricks for attack or two for defense or assistance. It says to the Partner: ^'I can make four tricks with my suit as Trump. If you shift or double you may count on me for two quick tricks."

The minimum Major bid should have five cards headed by Ace King, with or without side suit strength. Or five cards topped by an Ace or a King and a Minor honor, along with one sure trick on the side. This sure trick must be an Ace, a King Queen of the same suit, or two Kings well guarded.

Four Card Major Suit Bid Risky

Some writers consider a suit of four cards headed by Ace, King, Queen with or without side suit strength, a sound One Major Suit Bid, claiming that it fulfils the convention requirements, namely four tricks for attack and two tricks for defense or assistance.

While this interpretation is technically correct, it is really unsound, because there is too much chance of one of the adversaries having more Trumps than the Declarer, w^hich is a tremendous advantage. Besides, if the Declarer is forced in Trumps he is entirely gone. Besides even if Dummy has a good plain suit there are not enough Trumps in the Declarer's hand for proper reentry, to say nothing of the adversaries' trumping possibilities.

If the Declarer has four cards headed by Ace, King, Queen, w^ith side suit strength, then the play in all probability would be better at No Trump.

Even while we consider a hand with five cards topped by Ace King, but without side suit strength, a sound One Major Suit Bid, we cannot deny that it is weak. However, it should always be called.

This table gives the minimum strength for a One Major Suit declaration.

Ace, King and three small.

Ace, Queen, Jack and two small.

King, Queen, Jack and two small.

Ace and four small with one side quick trick.

King, Queen and three small with one side quick trick.

As explained before, the side suit quick trick is an Ace, or King Queen of the same suit, .or two well guarded Kings.

Bids of Two or More

If without side suit strength the suit is six cards with two sure top tricks you may start with a bid of two, and so on, with one additional for every additional Trump.

With side suit strength support it is better to start with a bid of one.

The following is a table of suit lengths, headed by Ace King, Ace Queen Jack, or King Queen Jack without side strength.

5 cards — Initial Major suit bid of one.

6 cards — Initial Major suit bid of two.

7 cards — Initial Major suit bid of three. With eight or nine cards you have a freak hand

and should preempt with a bid of 4 or 5 as judgment dictates.

It is advisable, with a hand, the only strength of which is Trumps, to go the limit on the first bid. Bidding one at the start and then raising to two or three in the succeeding rounds is not good play.

Suits Headed by a Queen Long Major suits headed by Queen Jack or Queen Ten with good side suit support, are often better trick makers than those recorded above.

but they cannot be bid as Initial one suit declarations, because the partner would expect one or more Major honors in the declared suit and the usual proffer of No Trump assistance. Hands of this kind therefore come under the head of Major suit bids of two.

Some authorities are violently against this, and advise holding back until the second round. The risk of losing the declaration, however, seems too great Suppose for instance you hold Queen Jack and four or five small Hearts, and you have on the side an Ace Queen in a Minor suit. You pass up the call for the second round. In the meanwhile an adverse bid of three Spades is made. Your partner knows nothing of your hand and passes. You, knowing nothing about his, cannot risk calling four Hearts. And your chance of game is lost.

Major Suit Bids of One, Two or More

An initial declaration of One indicates length with Major honors, and assistance for a No Trump.

A declaration of Two indicates length with Major honors but no side suit strength, or length without Major honors with side suit strength. They do not invite a No Trump.

Declarations of Three or more are preemptive and indicate long suits with Major honor strength.

It will be observed that the second of the above classifications covers the Initial two Major declaration of Ace King and four small with no side strength, as well as the long suit headed by Queen Jack, with side strength.

Free bids with Jack Ten, Jack or Ten with five or six small and an Ace King of a side suit, although worth five tricks with the long suit as Trump, should be held for the second round.

Here are some examples of one, two and three Initial One Suit Bids, the Trump being Spades:

Spades — Ace King and three small.

Hearts — Three small.

Diamonds — Three small.

Clubs — Two small.