The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-06-21
THREE SPADE BIDS
AT ROYAL AUCTION
Rules for Second Hand That
Save Misunderstanding and
Loss Of Points.
A LESSON IN INFERENCES
Advantages Of Position Made
Use or by Careful
Players.
A LESSON IN INFERENCES

After a bridge player has mastered the
distinction between doubling spade bid
by the dealer when holding two sure
tricks in spades. but less than four In
suit. and overcalllng with two spades
when holding exactly four of the suit
and two sure tricks. there remains the
question OF what to do with more than
four spades. or with less than two sure
tricks or both.
These cases are usually covered by the
general rule which governs the second
hand when the dealer starts with a spade.
This rule Is that the second hand then
becomes, automatically, as II were. the
original deciarer. and bids upon his cards
very much as II he were the actual dealer.
Tho exception Is that he cannot bid a
spade. This is the condition that forces
him to pass when he has nothing worth
showing. 1t would save a. good deal Of
misunderstanding and loss at the bridge
table II players would remember that the
second hand should never take the dealer
out OF spade unless he has the cards
that would have justified the same call
had he held them as dealer
Guided by this simple rule OF deciar-
Ing as II he were the dealer, we find that
II the second hand holds two sure tricks
in a short spade suit and a trick or two
were the dealer. II would seem simple
enough to let him bid the same two spades
second hand when the dealer bids one.
But the second hand has been placed
in position of additional advantage.
which the dealer can never possess. Tina,
Is the possibility OF doubling. The dealer
cannot double. because no declaration has
been made. When the dealer holds two
sure spade tricks and a trick or two out
side, the only possible way for him &c
show 1t Is to bid two spades
IL the two tricks were In clubs or dia-
monds. bid OF one would be enough, but
one spade means. 81 pass" and has moth.
Ing TO do with the spade suit. SO that the
dealer must bid two. and In order to jus.
tify the extra trick. he must have that
trick outside the spades.
The point to remember In that whether
he holds two. three or four spades, hi:
| bid remains the same; and Il Is onl,
! when he reaches five or more In the spad,
suit that he ventures to bid a royal, al
though some declare II with three toI
honors and only four in suit, and Amos
any one will call Il with four honors II
one hand.
| There Is no way in which a dealer car
| distinguish between a number OF card
In the spade suit that would be too small
to invite a royal by his partner and
| number that would be quite safe. Blu
the second hand can make this distinc
| ton. because he has at his disposal ar
| alternative bid which Is the double.
BY means Of a judicious use Of thes,
two bids. the double and the two spad,
| call, the second hand can indicate tn,
range of his possibilities within the limit!
OF four cards In the spade suit but wheI
he holds more than four he must declar,
himself exactly as II he were the deale
and were making an original call.
This compels him to declare a royal or
a suit OF Ave or more with two sur,
tricks and a trick or two outside and q
call three spades with the same holding
but no tops In the spade suit itself.
The chief difference between these tw'
bids lies In the fact that the first ask
the partner to support Il. while the secont
forces the partner to take 1t out. Som'
clever players. with a keen eye to the ad
vantages OF position. will make the win
ming declaration themselves where a les
careful player would simply follow rul'
and force II on the partner. Here In al
| instance Of such q case: