The sun., 1912-07-14
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IT,. y, ILL., 70
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Y dealt and bid a heart. which A passed
Y did not think the hearts could be a.
good as his spades. SO he shifted TO a
royal and r declared two diamonds.
With his two sure tricks in hearts and
a probable stopper in diamonds nine
players out Of ten would have supported
their partner with two royals. as z may
legit imately consider his hand as good
for three tricks. which is one more than
his average support would be.
But z does not look at it that way
He leaves the matter of going on TO two
tricks in ROYALS TO his partner. who alone
knows whether the cards are worth n
| or not. and simply doubles the two dia-
monds. which IL something the novice
would probably never dream Of doing. as
4 has only three 10 the queen: yet II In a
perfectly safe call.
A passed. and Y. who was not as keen
n player "a his partner. z. unthinkinRly
| went two royals. and when Il overcalle
| with three diamonds Y went on 10 three
| ROYALS. which was the winning declaration
r led the king Of diamonds and then
stopped for fear of making the queen
good for a trick. He then led tho king
of clubs. which y won. Y took out four
rounds of 'r,imps and Lpd heart. dummy
playing h, king and returning the ace
upon which r fell out. having disca rded
a heart and two diamonds on the trhmps
| As the cards lay y could not get another
trick no matter what he played from
"a hand. as he could neither establish
the hearts nor make the queen Of dia =
monds. so he had TO stop NJ three by
cards. or three points short of the game.
| This was entirely his own fault, be-
ca'ls, his partners double of the two
diamond call gave him tho key 70 the
situation as clearly as II the cards had
been laid on the table.
rs original declaration showed two
tricks in hearts or one sure in hearts and
ono outside. The moment z doubled the
diamond bid the outside trick is marked
in that suit But the double shows some
thing else. II shows that he Ia inviting
his partner to shift to no trimps II his
two royals il his spades are not quite w
to no trump standard.
y should have been able to count up the
TWO hands tn a certainty as good for ak
tricks in spades. one in clubs. one in da
monds and one in hearts. That ia nine
tricks and the game AZ no trimps. without
the possibility of loss. He can count all
day and not make another trick out of il il
spades are trnmps; theyefore he Ia Just as
sure not to go game in royals as he is to
go game in no trimps.
Had y bid the two no tr,imps, as he
should have done after his partner 4
double. and heen overcalled with three
diamonds by B he would still hsGe been
bidding on a certainty to 60 three no
trnmps. which would have forced b To 10
five in diamonds or quit This, Of course.
means that Y IL n good player whose
bidding can be absolutely relied on.
Play the hand as no trimper and il
would be B's lead, He would naturally
start with his long suit and with his clubs
TO get in with he would 60 right on and
clear il. But so far as winning the game
goes. whether b clears up a diamond trick
for Il or not makes no difference 20 Y. as
he does not need the diamond trick when
he finds that Zhas two sure tricks in hearts,
These with the black suits Rre enough.
Here is another hand in which a player
has an opportunity to infer very closely
the distribution of the ca rcs, or at least the
suits, from the fact that his partner assists
J him instead Of doubling the adversary: