The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-08-01
PLAYS FOR EXPERTS
AT ROYAL AUCTION
Exceptional Leads and Bids
Which the Beginner
Should Avoid.
INSTANCES IN DUPLICATE

Nv - s''''' 49,
the game of auction. both in bidding and
In play. that have exceptions which
should be applied only by the experienced
player. That these exceptions should
not be equally at the NINA of the
beginner may seem p~aradoxical to some
persons. who cannot see why the be-
| ginner should not he as well informed
Of the exceptions to the rules as the ex-
| pert, bu. the logic Of the case is this:
The exceptional case requires judg-
ment in order to recognize IT rs an ex-
. ception and to understand why II Is ono
| and this judgment the beginner does not
possess. because his experience has not
yet ripened It. 1t is therefore safer to
leave him with the rule n to say
rothing about the exceptions until such
time as he begins to see occasions for
them himself.
one Of the most common OF the rules
that n teacher lays down for the beginner
II always to lead one Of two or more
touching honors at the head of a suit.
! such as ace and king. king and queen. or
1 queen and Jack. and to lead the ace
from ace queen Jack.
The expert knows that when playing
against a no trumper the proba bilities
are in favor of leading a small card
from suits headed by only two honors.
even ace and king. the object being to
leave the partner with n card Of the
suit to return. II he gets in, as the
chances are against his holding three II
the leader is long in II.
There are a number Of these excep-
tional leads. such as the queen from ace
queen Jack when there It. no reentry. hut
the moment YOU explain these exceptions
to the beginner he becomes confused.
and does not know which Is the rule and
which is the exception in some cases.
Therefore II is better to let him use the
,.tA. 80 l~al. .rat,gt Assl.A, la,l., SEQ
ton. trumps or no trumps. and he thank
full II he gets them nearly enough right
for his partner to depend on their cor
rectness.
In the curse OF time he will note oc-
casional instances In which he loses a
trick or two through his partners ina.
bility to lead a third round. or cases i'm
which his partners queen has to fall on
his ace or king. II he is All ohservant
PLAYER he will notice that experts vary
their opening against M trumpers. II
he Is not an observrrt player It does
not matter what he leads. as he is "A
hopeless proposition as n bridge player.
Another important rule. perhaps one
OF the most important for the beginner,
applies to the first round ~ bids. and
II beginners and many OF those who are
not beginners would paste IL on the
edge Of the table in front OF them IL
M'tAlN y = = ~ lFNiAAF
every time they play. The rule Is this
II the player on your right bids no
rump. let him play n. no matter what
you hold.
In teaching. the writer advises the
beginner not to look at his hand even.
hut to pass all no trump bids made m
the right. on general principles. The
expert knows there are several excep-
tons to this rule. hut the perception Of
sbe ayrantinnal st.nutfOp lie H. sod on rgpa
Judgment. which the beginner does not
possess.
The state Of the score. for instance.
may show that II the dealer is left in
with his no trumper he may go game
with only the odd trick. or the second
pla yer's hand may he such that there is
a fair chance or even a certainty OF win
ming the game against "A 10 m or
he may see that he has a perfectly safe
bid for two or three tricks. which will
at least force the no trumper Just a
trick beyond what Il can make Many
a hand that can make two odd and go
game cannot make three.
But all such matters require the exer-
else of nice judgment and a certain abil-
fly 10 calculate the value Of hands. For
the beginner. the safe rule is always to
pass. because one OF three things must
be the case IL the second bidder has not
a game hand, without any assistance
from his partner.
I II the declarer can afford to go on
with his no trumper In spite Of the OPP
posing suit call the second bidder is SIM
ply wasting his breath.
.. II the deClarer cannot afford to GO
on and say two no trumps all that has
been accomplished by overCalling him Is
to warn him OF his danger and either
drive him to a safer bid han no trumps,
or allow him to use his strength to de-
feat the opposing trump declaration A
hand was published In THE sun not
lonE ago In which a no trumper was
overcalled by two hearts. and the no
trump bidder at once said Ave clubs
and made them against any possible
distribution Of the cards.
3. II the second hand is strong enough
10 make his contract, but not the game.
against the no trumper. he is wasting
his time In playing for from six to nine
points a trick, instead Of for fifty. II
Ia practically impossible for a no
trumper to GO game II the second pla Yer
is strong enough to win eight or nine
tricks against 1t with a declared TRUMP
Even the best players sometimes make
the mistake Of overcalling n no trumper
second hand when cooler Judgment
should tell them that there is y much
better chance for penalties tina for
game. II being a recognized principle
that nothing short of game Is worth
pla ying for.
Here ia a hand that went the rounds
Of nine or ten tables at the Knicker-
booker In a duplicate game last winter
and not a single table left the dealer
In with his original no trumper, Some
called two spades ithen called royals)
and at two tables the bid was hubs.