The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1909-07-17
THE BRIDGE TABLE
Some Of the Intricate Points of the
Game Explained.


which many players fail to recog-
nize is when no-trump hand Is
met. ip which all attempt to win the I
game must be relinquistled, and ev
cry effort must be concentrated to |
prevent the adversary from SO do
ing Every one knows that a |
three-ace hand is an obligatory no.
trumper, on account of the honor |
score, and the fact the three suits
can be stopped. For these reasons
hand containing three aces is too
strong TO pass. A bridge player
relies somewhat on the maxim that
he may expect to find one-third OF
| the trick-taking cards in the hands
of dummy; and no-trumper which
/ is based upon the holding of three
winning cards, is generally per-
/ fectly good make.
/ There are, unfortunately, times
when the partners response may
contain cards which, while they are
apparently of trick-taling value, are
distributed in such manner among
| the suits that there is every poss1-
biiity of the game being lost. Take
the following hand, for example:
The dealer declares no trump with
three four-card suits, each headed
by the ace, with singleton in the
fourth suit If the leader opens
one Of the suits in which the dealer
holds an ace, it is frequently the
part of wisdom for the dealer to. at
once, win tricks sufficient to save
the game and to give ZIP all thoughts
of winning it until after the tricks
which will do this have been gath
cred in. This refers more particu-
lar1y to hands in which the dealer
and dummy are short of the same
| suit The very fact that the open
ing lead has not been made from
the suit in which he and dummy are
short makes it certain that the play
err at his right holds an exceedingly
2 long suit, and that there III danger
that this suit will be open when
either adversary gets in the lead
: again.
: With this as with other hands
the score is a most important fac
q tor If the adversaries have wof
5 the first game and have made con
5 siderable score toward the seconf
game, a. good player might risl
{ The loss of the rubber for the SAX,
i of winning the game. II, however
; the score is love all, or if the deal
er is a game in, it is, as rule, bet
ter for the dealer to win suffcien
J tricks TO save the game before play
s ing for the suit with which he hope
u 70 win it. Thereisare many situa
/ tons IN which the tricks which ar
necessary to save the game can onl,
be won by abandoning the possibi
E lities which are held IN the longe
suit
Ie As another example, suppose tn
7 dealer again holds the three-car
suits, each headed by the ace, an
: singleton in the fourth suit Sup
pose that dummy lays down tire
&c four-card suits, two of them heade
J by king, jack, ten and the third b
: IN honor. If dummy's singleto
III be in the same suit as the dealer
4 singleton, and the score be love :
X on the second game, the first haN
lie ing been won by the dealer, il woul
IN be very poor bridge for the deale
II to attempt TO win the game. althot
| Il. L. 80 lfa oh
an his combined hands might easil
Ut win the necessary nine tricks, viii
he the probabilities are strongly again
ne ST his making the odd if he shouI
win with his aces and kings befoI
giving tip the lead.
3 Should it happen that both Il
I'd queens of the suits, of which dun
&c my holds king, ace, 10, lie to Il
left of the dealer, and are not mo
than twice guarded, nine tricks m;
be easily made. #, on the co
trary, either queen lies at the rig
OF the dealer. and has two guards.
is probable thar the dealer will n
"a: take a single trick after his fines
'er has failed.
IRE Certainly. there is always t
chance that, if kings and aces a
led right out. the leader may dr.
singly guarded queen, and that
playing out his suit he will Tor
no discards, which will assist him
placing the second queen, but Il
ICE must be counted among the ae'
k; dents which will occasionally help
nd player to win game. His CO
slant effort must be to save t
re- game, even at the cost OF being G
liged TO abandon the possibility
: winning it.
he At recent bridge game. deal
was seen who. with a score OF not
ing to four against him, had an c
r. portunity to hnesse at the tweli
lie. trick. If the finesse succeeded.
ear meant the winning OF the game
ife. he lost, he would score but twel
ids The whole situation was a mat
of pure guess-work. The pla.