The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-09-12
SUITS WITH HOLES
AT ROYAL AUCTION
Useful Hints in Handling
il Them for Beginners at
u the Game.
RULING UNDER NEW CODE

The COMMITTEES on laws has beep
good enough to send TO THE SUN an
other decision under the new code, upon
a point that is more likely to come up
in social games han at a club.
The dealer says. mo bid" Second
hand passes. Third hand says: 81 don't
think / am strong enough to bid y
thing. as you say club are no good,
30 j pass"
Tho opponents maintain that this is
giving information hat the third hand
holds something in clubs. or better
clubs than anything else. Can they in
sist on a club declaration or can they
demand a new deal. or what remedy
have they?
The committee decides that the pass
must stand and that there is no PEN
atty. This seems to be the m
sense view of the situation. IL any In
formation Is given It is to the advantage
of the opponents and not to the part
ner. The case might be different II
the partner had yet to speak. but as he
las already passed he cannot possibly
take any advantage OF the hin rs to the
club suit except to lead II. and then
only II the fourth hand choose to give
him the opportunity by making a bid.
II Is one of the cardinal principles
Of teaching that the beginner should
be told only one thing Mt n time and
that all rules should be given In the first
instance without any mentor Of excep-
tions.
There are two classes OF rules hat
apply to the bidding at auction. One
is general and covers the situation In its
broadcast aspect. This Is for the be-
ginner. The other is specific and APP
piles to particular combinations. This
Is for the experienced player.
The difficulty with the beginner is
that after he has apparently mastered
a certain rule and begins to feel at home
with Il. he seems to get hold OF a
number OF hands to which the rule does
not apply or which it does not fit. In
stead OF correcting the beginner at this
early stage and going into a discussion
OF exceptions II is better to leave him
alone with the broad rule for the pres
snl.
Then one OF two things must happen,
He will discover for himself. through
observation and experience. especially
by watching the declarations of bet
ter players. that certain hands per-
nit of n modification OF the rule and
that the best players have a reason for
their departures from II. Or he will
never notice anything. but will either
stick to the rule through thick and thin
or find fault with It and depart from II
without my reason for so doing.
The first class will be bridge players
in a short time, as they will see the rea-
sons for things without being told. The
others might as we'll turn their atten'
ton to euchre or seven UP. as they
lack the power OF observation n In
ference which Is essential to success
at the bridge table.
One OF the hard and fast rules which
the beginner will do we'll to stick to a
the start Is never to name a suit origi'
nally in which he does not hold two
sure tricks these sure tricks being on,
Of three combinations. ace king, ac,
queen Jack or king queen Jack. The
same rule applies to both major ant
minor suits. but the major suits should
have length. five cards at least. in or,
der to Justify the declaration. Clubs o.
diamonds can be declared on the sur,
tricks alone.
The underlying principle of all thes
original bids of only one trick whei
have such strength as two or NOR,
tricks in the hand is not to show tina
you want TO play the hand, but tha
you want your partner to know 20
have those tricks.
This Is the reasoning that under
Hes all original no trump declaration
which are made upon little moro thal
shoppers in three suits. Perhaps Their
are not two tricks in any one suit, bu
IL the general strength is not indicate
a valuable opportunity may be lost, be
cause the partner Will be over eau
t5ous
Now II II is good policy 10 show tw
sure tricks in one suit by amin tina
suit and TO show tricks in three differ
ant suits by bidding no trump what ar
we going to do with the intermediat
hands, hands thai show one sure trio
IN two different suits?
II a suit is headed by two honor
that do not touch such as ace quee
or ace jack ten or anything of that kline
we say that the suit has a hole in n
The hole In an ace queen suit Is IN
missing king. In an ace Jack suit II
the king and queen. The idea is that
the high cards are not in sequence. II tn
top honors do not touch. as ace kini
king queen jack do, there Is an open
.ng for the adversaries a hole in tn
suit.
II there Is enough elsewhere TO max
up for the hole IN the suit 1t is sti
considered a legitimate bid, because tn
two tricks are in the hand. even
they are not in the suit named. Con
vention requires at least one sure an
one probable on the outside TO justif
bidding a suit with a hole In II, an
some cautious players demand two sur
tricks, which must be in a major sui
or the wo-sure-trick suit would b
the one 10 name instead of the one wit
the hole In It.
II a player holds the ace Jack ten {
diamonds and ace king of hearts h
cannot hid hearts II he has only two G
three of the suit, so he calls the dia
mond. II the ace king were in club
he would call clubs, not diamonds.
A few illustrations will probabl
make this principle clear. Here al
two hands, both from games played la,
winter and each showing how the ruI
works out for the original bid, wheth,
made by the dealer or by the secon
player when the dealer passes.
"a 1913
5.Ss
HJlob