The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-03-28
STRIKING NEW RULE
AT ROYAL AUCTION
BY II Third Hand Warns His
Partner. Who Has Bid
No Trumps.


Those who have kept in touch with
the publication OF the statistics OF mod
orn auction and have noted tho results
Of the various Investigations into the
outcome Of decla rations must have been
strongly impressed by the trlfing value
Of any score that stops short 81 game.
IL IL Is true. "a get forth by Milton
Work In his Auction developments,
that only 100 times IN 2,H14 recorded
deals was a previous score of any as
sistance in going gainc while IN 2,Alt
the game was won without II or WOULD
nave been won from zero. then We are
forced 10 the conclusion that 1t Is only
about once In twenty-five times that !
il Of any use 10 have % or even ~
points scored oward game.
That the truth Of tins has been
brought home to the better class of
player. is evident from the marked
change that has taken place Ia the
theory Of bidding. II II II useless for
\ ard II to score anythlns abort ot
game on tho hand Il must ne equally
useless for Y and to Y to do 30. II
neither side can go snme why should
either play 10?
The answer is that the one who makes
the first hid must play Il II LEFT with
L and the player that takes Rim out OF II
~ VI " ~ HI ~ AANtH ~ ~ n
Tie old style selfish player thinks Il 4.
hetter TO wv Is on his side than TO let
tho other side have is or theirs, but tho
modern pla yer looks deeper.
z deals and bids a heart. A knows
he cannot possibly 20 game IN hearts. II
T. makes the odd trick he scores 3
points. II he clips up A scor~s 80. on
the other hand A might mako the Old
at royals. but game IA very doubtful
49,. 80. n -. rlV A-lsA 90
set the heart contract for four or I'VE
tricks. II \ plays It at royals ne may
score 2 II he slips IN, 2 scores 80.
As Il Is frequently an even chance
which happens. the contrac. or a sct OF
one trick or more, We may reKard the
matter pretty much az the toss OF a
co!n. which may come heads or tails
II 2 plays II at hearts he may make
the d or he set. II \ a y we royal
he may make II or I've set.
Ru: there is n great difference In the
score. All the declarer can win IL 9
1r . a trick. HIS opponents can wiz
30 a trick. Lot US call this 6 10 |
against the declaration.
II you saw two men tossing a coin
and 2 said 20 A. II will bet YOU
e % ! that II comes heads you would
think lie was crazy and the only pos
sihle explanation would he tina z WAS
l'NS ~ 10y AAiNNF NlNlN rs HN u
make q bid OF some kind. But what
would you think ~ \, who was not
obliged to do anything but accept
rs proposition. II he were % turn round
and say: NO. please let me lay you
: 10 1 that II comes tails"
Yet This is precisely what every player
does who makes a declaration that can
uent has already made u similar d~eciara-
D. fiDN When e D1tN.~ Affsre Ipts T. to I
on ar even chance. why not nccep. II.
instead ~ turning round and Offering
him the long odds
THIS has led to the formulation OF
one OF the most important Of the axioms
IN modern auction-if the opponents
cannot win the game on their declara.
ION and you canno. win Il on yours
: or : q trick. Will. you ara playing
for 50, and as long as they do not &c
game Il does not matter what they
score.
Now !et Us look AZ me results 81 .his
theory. TIL" shrcwd player n longer
takes his opporert out ~ a losing posi-.
tion Just TO jump into q; himself. H.
masses M doubtful hands. upon which
sc would have bid his head or a yea,
ago. When the dealer bids no trump,
you no longer find The second hand
calling two hearts on six to the acc
king and a couple o. possible trick,
on tho SIDE. nor declaring two club
with eight solid tricks IN thai suit.
He knows ne cannot possibly 70 gam,
against the no trumper II Il is genuine
and - y IA not genuine II viii he re
'or a good deal mora thar .he game g
worth.
Tho result ~ this prac.lc. has Nter
that the original declarcr IS otts" CaUgh
manning. and y has led rim prac;icall'
20 saving 20 his partner: look here
my bid Is AL right IN theory. u I 4.
pend ~ vol for some help. II yo,
haven't got IL warn me or I'm I'm
Being continually lert IN with dec
lsrattons that would never Rave sue
ceeded a year ago, and continually losir,
~ them, hns led the partners 70 realiz
!. tho importance % these warning bids y,
the third hand, and from this we hav,
g. developed one ~ the most striking Tea
lures OF tho modern game, tina thir.
hands standing guard 20 protect NJ
} partner from the ambusNes ~ his opp
ucnts.
Chief among these TAX. out BIDS Their
!, Is one which seems 20 nave - exception
!, IN its application and might ne called
universal rule. This s for the thi-l
hand never - leave the dealer IN VIII
an original no trumper II the third han.
n1s i've hearts Or nv" ROYALS, no matte
uhl lu'y slF', OF NNtl ne I#tS WIZ
them. II the dealer does not like th
!, takuont ne can return 20 the ~
! trumper, but ne does so AZ his own risk
; after being fairly warned.
To disregard this warning. or not I
give Il, IL almost lnva raoly fatal, We
we md many otherwise good player
who cannot zee the value OF II an
| ~habltualiy disregard II when they thin
II urnecessar ~. There ehouId be n
|, 'think' about u The rule ehould b
=, absolute.
ANY player who will watch tho re~ul
of this warning or the failure to talk
] the dealer ont with Ave hearts or royal
I VIII not need more than a dozen rubber
, 10 convince himself that II IL a yer
q, valuable ruls, probably the most vnll
a able IN the modern game.
, Players Of the Old school maintai
! that If tho third hand Is strong enoug
20 support a no trumper tho takeout 1
+ "a suit II entirely unnecessary an
q simply forces the d~sclarer to win .
, extra trick 10 GO game on tho othe
= hand, the original declarer will assum
: that the suit Will help him, and will =
back 70 no rulnps
\ Both these theories are false, as OF
I seryation OF results VIII show. TAX
these hands ~ illustrating both phase
Of The argument. They wer. played I
= a recent dupllcat" match.
o. 10 6A3
81
81 S