The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-08-02
BIDS OF TWO KINDS
AT ROYAL AUCTION
Some Show the Trump Wanted,
Others Merely Indicate
Strength.
MAJOR AND MINOR SUITS
A study Of Probabilities and
Results in One Suit
Declarations.
MAJOR AND MINOR SUITS

! In royal auction. under the old system
of declaring. which IL largely n survival
OF straight bridge. the suit the dealer
names is supposed to be the one he would
like to have for the trump. II he does
not want any trump he BIDS no trumps
or spade. This forces him to consider
every bid he makes from the standpoint
OF being left to play tho suit he names
as the trump suit.
| Experience has shown that even with
the new count. under which any suit can
go game on the deal, there Ia no use in
calling a minor suit. clubs or diamonds.
with the idea that II viii prove to be
the trump unless the declarer can win
| eight or nine tricks on his own hand.
This is IN accordance with the modern
theory that anything short of game is
OF no value.
The best players have therefore come
TO believe that minor suits should never
be called for one or two tricks by the
dealer because he wants them for trumps.
but only because he wants to assist a
no trumper or to indicate the best de-
fence In his hand against an adverse
declaration. 1t Is only when he calls
three or more that he wants the suit for
trumps. regardless OF his partners hand.
The present practice with regard to
the MINOR tultS IL therefore, tnls.
l. Bid one to show two sure tricks
in the suit. or one In the suit and two
in short major suit Such cards as
ace and king OF clubs. with or without
smaller clubs or ace OF clubs snd small
ones, with ace king and one small heart,
would be one trick call in clubs
?. Bid two 20 show suit which 10
good for five or more tricks at no trumps
II the suit itself IL not solid there must
he reentry with II. Such cards as
ace king queen to six clubs or king
queen Jack to six clubs with an outside
ace are rood examples OF two trick calls,
In a minor suit.
| 3. Bid three 10 show great length In
n suit which II not solid and has no re-
entry with IT, so that II does not come
under ether of the classes for one or
two trick bids. Three bids show hand
| that will probably 20 game with only
| average assistance from the partner
Such cards as king Jack ten to nine d'a-
monds with a missing suit are good for
three tricks bid.
observe that the first two bids are
equally good fo- attack or defence: the
third Is good for attack only.
II we analyze these bids we md that
the first one. the call OF ono trick by the
dealer. requires nothing more than nee
and king. or king queen Jack. or acc
queen Jack In the suits itself. regardless
| three other suits
The second bid requires length and the
Ave or six cards Of the suit should be
all winners. II indicates great strength
for defence against a no trumper. but
10 rather weak defence against a
trump declaration, because 1t Ia too long
10 20 round moro than once without
being trumped by the opponents.
The major suits are declared on very
different principles. They are always
bid with the idea OF their being the
trump suit and they have the length 10
Justify this assumption. High cards,
sure winners, are equally necessary In
case the suit named does not prove 10 be
the winning declaration, but length Is
wanted TO outlast or exhaus. the re-
| mainder OF the SUIT. which would he
| equally valuable 10 tho opponents II II
| were the trump
Almost every text book so far pub
| fished fails 20 make this distinction and
puts all tho suits IN tho tame class for
the purposes OF declaring, telling players
that they should have at least i've clubs
or diamonds TO Justify calling either OF
| those suits.
Such teaching In based on the mistaken
idea that the dealer wants those suits
| for the trump. even with onlv five cards
TO two top honors. Length in such suits
| Ia an element OF weakness instead OF
ton In another suit. because OF the lkeli-
hood that the high cards VIII be ruffed
Conservative bidding requires the dealer
to restrict his declaration OF the ma Dor
sriiB to hands that are probably good for
tho contract, the odd trick Mt least with
only average assistance from tho part
ner. Some authorities advise declaring
hearts or royals with nothing but five
cards TO two winners, regardless OF the
weakness OF the other suits The sound
bidder wants more than five in suit or a
trick outside TO take the place Of the
trump. Six hearts to the ace king r.
a sound bid, but Ave TO the ace king
should have a sure trick outside some
where.
Owing 10 the strong probability that
the partner will leave the dealer In IL he
calls a major suit ono must he prepared
to play the hand on that declaration (:
but tho interesting question still remains
What will happen II the dealer does not
declare such n suit, Just because he has
nothing but Ave cards 20 two winners
and not a trick outside?
The writer has asked a number OF per-
sons to be on the lookout for such hands
and has been rather astonshed 20 flnd
that they are extremely rare. Out OF
900 consecutive deals that one correspond
ent has noted only eight such holdings
for the dealer turned up. and in three of
these there were more than two sure
tricks at the head OF the FIVE cards.
The suit des,lared in each case. with
varying results, but curiously enough II
never went game, being overcalled, held
, down 10 safety or set. Here are some OF
the hands: