The San Francisco call., 1906-10-04

TN all trump declarations it is usual
4 to classify all red makes as "at-
1 tacking" and all black makes as
defensive" The reason for this dis
tinction is, that with a red suit you
are playing for the possibility of win
ming the game. With a black suit you
are usually playing to save 1t.
The red suits are valuable not only
for the trick points, but for honors.
The average value of hand being
about 40 points, trick scores and hon
ors combined, any hand which is worth
more than 40 points is so much above
found that about 21 of these 40 are
trick points, and 19 are honor points.
Any combination of cards which is
worth more than 40 points for honors
alone, and has a fair chance Of getting
the odd trick, must be considered
good declaration. The honor score is
certain, and 1t is also certain that the
adyersaries will not score honors, un-
less 1t be for chicane. For this reason
there should be no hesitation about
declaring hearts or diamonds with four
honors in one hand. Very few players
will risk no. trumper when they have
four honors in hearts unless they have
four aces With four honors in dia-
monds a no-trumper might be better,
as the ITiChS dEO WI III lW1CC dS @hOSAis
but the outside cards would have to be
pretty strong and safe to Justify the
risk Of losing As above the line for
honors.
with five honors in hearts some play
ers Will always declare, even If they
have four aces. While experiment has
proved that the no-trumper with four
aces will win more in the long run than
FIVE honors in hearts with three outside
aces. there are those who insist that
hearts is safer although it takes one
more trick. One is not likely TO have
the choice very often. however.
Five honors in diamonds are worth
60, and there should be at least three
aces in the hand to Justify a no-trump-
er In preference, unless the game is
desperate and nothing but no-trump-
er is likely to win it. There is no use
in winning four by cards in diamonds,
with five honors In one hand, when the
score is 2S to 0 against you on the
rubber game. If you can win three or
four by cards in diamonds 1t will US
ually be found that you could have
gone game at no-trumps. 1t is good
rule that If the hand is good no
trumper but for the attractions of the
honor score in diamonds, 1T is probably
a better no-trumper on account of the
increased value of the tricks, and also
the advantage that the dealer always
has in no-trump declarations.
When we come to the black suits
honors do not enter so largely into
consideration. Even five honors in
one hand in clubs are worth only forty
and the tricks are of such small value
that unless the score is sufficiently ad-
vanced to give a reasonable prospect OF
winning the game 1t is not worth while
to declare clubs, even with five honors
If there is another sure trick In the
hands. especially in hearts. 1T will prob
ably pay better as a no-trumper. Hon
ors do not win games, and five tricks
In one suit is powerful weapon at
no-trumps.
In spades five honors in one hand are
not worth mentioning, the twenty
points being only about the average
value of honors in any hand. Unless
the game can probably be won with a
spade make the dealer should pass.
With an outside ace the hand is a
sporty" no-trumpeT, of course, espe-
cially If the ace is the ace of hearts.
When no valuable combination of
honors is held, nothing better than
three honors IN a red suit. for instance.
the cards are still valuable as trick
winners. A suit of five hearts to the
A K O is heart make, even II there is
not an outside trick in the hand. When
the heart honors are weak, such as
|
at least one outside trick to justify
heart call. Failing a trick in plain
suits, there should be missing suit,
that can be trumped, or a fiye-card
suit that can be established with lit
tie help from dummy.
The advantage of a very short or
entirely missing suit is that II it is
found inexpedient to draw the trumps
by leading them they can be used for
ruff1ing this short suit. Nothing is so
weak as what is called a split hand
one that contains two or three small
cards of each plain suit.
A suit of five diamonds to three
honors is not worth much as a diamond
make sunless the score is advanced.
If there is any outside strength, the
hand is a better no-trumper. 1t has
been found poor policy to declare dfa-
| monds with five of them to simple
honors and only one outside trick,
when much behind on the first game,
or having lost the first and nothing up
on the second, or at love-all on the
rubber game At these scores you
want something better than diamonds.
| One authority says that you should
never pass the make with five dia-
monds to the A K @, an opinion with
which I cannot agree. The reason
given is. that if your partner has a
| fine hand you are Likely to win the
game, even from the score of love.
To win the game in diamonds requires
| eleven tricks, of which you have five