The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-05-23
Many Players Express Regret
at Loss Of Spade Suit
Another Suggestion.
SIMPLICITY rs FAVORED

or the game mas GOT 10 go. Inc pr1vate
conventions that were built on the lower
value Of the suit killed II.
On the other a there are indica-
lions OF a decided sentiment in favor OF
the proposition to allow n bid OF a
trick more 10 outrank any other bid.
This will not interfere In any way with
the present values and rank OF the suits.
as one heart will stiil be better than
one diamond. Just a. two no trumps will
still be better than two royals. II Ia
when We come to the higher bids that
we md the constant recurrence Of men
tai arithmetic n the feeling Of irri-
tation at the shutting out OF the minor
suits.
There are at present three bids OF
four or nve tricks that car he over
called for a bid OF only three In another
suit. There are three bids OF nve or
six that can be overca,led by a bid OF
only four In another suit. There are
four bids OF six or seven tricks that can
be overcalied by . bid OF i've IN an
other suit.
That Is to say. there are no less h
twelve bids that can be overcailed by q
less number OF tricks In other suits. and
four Of them can be overcslled for two
tricks less. Not only that, but every
utt VI tho EoS dir CdH NC dUUOlutcly
shut out Of the bidding altogether by
bids Of only nve or six tricks IN other
suits.
All twelve OF these bids require a
player who Is not as familiar with the
numerical value OF the bids as he Is with
the multiplication table TO stop and
think Just what the bid Is worth on the
score sheet before he makes II.
That all this complication 10 a blot
on the game. which should be made as
simple as possible. especially for the be-
glnner. must be obvious 10 any thinking
person who Is not selnshly inclined TO
old he thinks an advantage.
Every suit should be allowed 10 bid as
far as a grand slam in order TO give II
a fighting chance. II there Is a grand
slam against II In a better suit. all
right. but no Ave or six trick bid should
be allowed to head II on.
There is no definite statement In the
present laws 10 the effect that the suits
outrank one another in the bidding. Law
20 assumes hat the player understa nds
by higher declaration" one OF greater
scoring value. II the laws on scoring
are altered TO eliminate spades at W
n trick. laws ~. 4s and ~ might he
amended to read something like this:
~. The dealer may either pass or de-
clare TO win any number OF tricks with
3 named suit for trumps. or at no
trump The number Of tricks so named
being over the book. or first six.
~. The dealer having declared, each
player In turn 10 the left may pass.
make a better declaration. double the
last declaration made by an opponent,
or redouble an opponents double. only
one redouble being allowed. This
would cut out all but the nrst two lines
or the first paragraph In Law 81. The
second paragraph covers the penalties
To this law - might be added: II
All four players pass each shall have
another opportunity 10 start the bidding
and then II no bid is made the deal
shall pass to the left.
~, The declaration OF a greater num-
Der OF tricks Is a higher bid. rega rdless
OF the suit named. Four clubs Is better
than three royals. for instance. and four
diamonds is better han three no trunps
Law IS. limiting the penalty on =
bid OF one spade. would he dispensed
with. but the frs, part NJ law so. cover.
ing insufficient declarations. might stand,
as II would refer to players who hid
only two clubs when another had already
hid two diamonds or who called tw,
hearts over three clubs. There would
he no impossible declarations except
overcalllnR a grand slam with n Frand
siam In a " suit. which Is hardly
worth making a law about.
THE SuN would be very glad to have
any suggestions from liz readers as to
the points that hould he covered by
the new laws.
A number have written asking for
some more definite information as TO
the nature OF the three fundamental
principles Of bidding referred to in
these articles from time 10 time. In
order to make each Of these clear to
tho reader they should be considered
separately.
The first and most important Of all
Is never to declare a suit originally A.
dealer unless II Ia good for at least
two tricks, regardless of what may
prove to ne the fnal declaration"
(secondary bids are another thing.)
The quoted condition Is the impor-
tant thing, There are many dealers
who will show you a and with six
or seven hearts In II, queen or Jack
high. and ask you II six or seven
trumps are not good for three or .
tricks. The answer Is that hearts are
not trumps. and that no one knows what
will he the trump until the bidding Is
closed. No player can make sure Of
hearts being trumps. even II he bids
~ sibli's "lil' All'l' : WV AAN
that may o~vercall him The dealer bids
no trump. Second hand holds six hearts
TO four honors and an outside ace and
! bids two hearts.
What for? why. he has six trumps,
and four honors in one hand, OF course 1!
But these trumps and the four honors
In one hand exist only In his imagina-
ton not on the score card, The next
bid Is FIVE dia monds, and the heart dec
laration has done nothing but drive the
dealer out " a dangerous no trumper
into n safe game hand,
All suits bid originally should he
good for two tricks. regardless OF who
plays the hand or what becomes the
trump. The question OF who plays the
hand II often important. The holder
OF a guard king. or a king Jack suit
IL entitled TO count that for a trick
II he is reasonably sure that the lead
will come up to that king. and not
through II. II he is not certain wncre
the lead will come from. a king-jack
suit Is good for nothing as a PROPOSE
,lon to bid on. except as part OF n no
trumper.
A player will often And himself with
a hand which Is too good to pass. but
without two sure tricks in any one suit
that he can declare, II there Is one
suro and one or two probable In the
suit he wishes to name, he should have
enough outside to stop up the holes
in his suit. as II were,
This frequently leads to interesting
differences and pretty bidding. Tho
dealer hnds himself with an ace-queen
suit, and an outside ace. or an ace-jack-
ten suit of clubs. and the ace and klng
of hearts, lie Is too short In hearts 10
bid that, and he Is too strong to pass.
The club In n good bid.