The San Francisco call., 1906-09-20

The rules which have so far been
given for measuring a hand In order
to discover whether or not 1t is good
enough to declare no trumps REFER 70
average hands, and at normal slates
of the score
But there are hands which do not
conform to any of these rules which
might be made no trumps for either OF
two very good reasons-because no
trumper Is necessary at the score, or,
because 1T is improbable that dummy
can do anything better than help out
no-trumper declared by the dealer.
That is to say. although dummy may
have good suit which he could make
the trump, with trick or two outside
to help 1t, those cards would probably
be just as valuable as an assistance
to no-trumper declared by the dealer.
Declarations which are made on ac-
count of the score. or which are q
shade outside the regulations, as usual
ly spoken of as sporty" no-trumpers,
because there, is a large element Of
speculation in them. They sometimes
go down. but in many cases they are
tie only chance. a sporty no-trumper
has pulled many a rubber out or the
fire, and nothing is lost in the long
run at bridge by playing courageous
game.
If a hand contains five sure tricks in
the black suits, even if there is nothing
at all in the red suits, it is usually
better to go no trumps on it than to
pass the make. With six. tricks in one
suit. nothing in the others, the same
thing is true
Let us suppose you hold three small
hearts. three small diamonds. the A, IS,
and another club. and four spades to
the A, X, @. You cannot expect dummy
to have no-trumper, because he must
be weak in two suits. If he is strong
enough to declare a red trump. the
strength that would Justify such a dec
laration. with nothing in the black
suits, must be just what you want to
support your own no -trumper.
The same reasoning applies to six
sure tricks in a black suit, even with
out another possible trick in the hand.
II dummy holds even average strength
you should make a great score with the
combined hands. The only danger is
that his strength is all in one suit like
your own, and that the adyersaries
have control Of both the other suits
which is possible, but improbable
That is the chance you take.
with regard to hands which make it
evident that dummy cannot have bet
ter call If you pass the make to him,
they are usually hands in which there
are four or five sure tricks in the red
suits, neither suit being good enough
to make 1t the trump. Suppose you
have A, *, and a small heart, A. K,
c of diamonds and nothing In the black
suits. AS we shall see when we come
to dummy's declarations, he would be
unlikely to go no-trumps with both
the red suits weak, and he can hardly
be expected TO make red trump when
you have all the high cards. 1t seems
as II 1T were inevitable that he would
make II black If you leave 1t, and If
he does, the hand is wasted In order
to make the most of your cards and
your opportunity you are practically
compelled to declare no trumps with
five tricks in the red suits. even If you
have two suits absolutely unprotect-
ed
All these declarations are more or
less speculative but IL they are JUS
tifiable at the score of love-all, how
much more so must they be If the
score is against you, and a o-trumper
is the only thing to save you?
The following are fair examples of
sporty no-trumpers, the score being
either love-all that is, the beginning
of the rubber, or slightly against the
dealer. as when he has lost the first
game, or is behind on the third:
III Y. Ar>r<