The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-12-19
FOR THB BEGINNER
AT ROYAL AUCTION
Simple Conventions Whose
Disregard Causes Loss Of
Many Tricks.
FINE POINTS OF A d

bringing out new editions Of books on
auction bridge to assume that the
reader 10 already familiar with what
has gsns before and knows the elemen-
tary principles Of the game. It seems
to be assumed that every n knows
the leads and tho reasons for them.
because they are Just the same ~ they
we're IN whist and bridge"
That this 10 not true and that . large
number u not the majority ef those that
play auction know nothing Of the hnse
points Of leading must be evident TO n
one who 10 capable Of judging the aver
~ rubber. At the best clubs, which
contain the pick Of the expert class. It
10 not TO hnd q dosen or
more who know every detail Of the con-
ventions Of the game. II 10 equally
easy TO And . dosen social rubbers In
which not one OF tho foul players at
the table knows anything At all about
me conventions Of play.
"what difference DOES II make" says
the untaught player. whether I lead the
ace or the king when either Of them.
will win the trick" And his partner
echoes. What does It matter whether
I put on the king or the queen third
hand when nothing but the ace will
win IT,"
The answer y, mo difference II the
winning Of the trick 10 the only object
In view and the partner pays no at
tention to such details. When the de-
ciarer is playing . suit he can do what
he likes. He cannot mislead his dummy.
neither can dummy deceive him.. But
with the partners opposed to the de-
clarer the case 10 quite otherwise.
The moment dummy's casds are laid
down the declarer can see exactly what
high cards are against him in each
suit. This advantage Is roughly esti-
mated as being worth at least a trick
on every hand the deciarer plays.
Unless the adversaries a reach
some knowledge Of the distribution Of
the cards approaching II not equallins
that Of the dsclarer they are bound to
lose q trick a hand. perhaps two or
three, some Of which might have been
saved mad they only. known" ~ they
express Il after the debacle.
This fact being clearly recognised by
all good players. they follow certain
standard conventions. which are known
all over the world and which nave been
found TO produce the best average re.
suits, regardless OF Individual lapses.
The most important Of these conven-
lions Of play. those which every beginner
should know. may be grouped In some
such a. this:
I. Leads, that show what high cards
are against the player and are therefore
In the hand Of the declarer II they are
not in the dummy.
Q. Echoes, which show how many
cards Of the suit are In the hand OF the
partner. and sometimes what those cards
are. The Of the leaders suit Is
practically a completed echo.
3. Discards. indicating protection In
suits tbs have not been led or the com-
mand Of suits that the partner may he
doubtful about.
SO many inquiries for an explanation
Of these conventions ave reached THE
Sun lately that some part of them will
be briefly explained each week. The
FIRST thing IL the
D. rHE SUI
The rule for this IL very simple. II
you have any suit headed by both ace
and king which 10 not the trump lead
the king regardless Of what the bidding
has been. For the second trick. II your
partner has declared a suit. lead the
best card you hold IN II. Then he knows
that you have the ace Of the first suit.
with which he q put you back into the
lead at any time.
II you have no ace king suit lead the
best lard Of the suit your partner has
declared. II he has not declared any
thing lead n suit headed BY " or
more touching honors. such n king
queen or queen Jack. and always lead
the higher honor Of the two when neither
Of them Ia the ace.
Avoid, " possible. all suits headed by
honors that are not in sequence such
as ace and queen, king and Jack or
queen and ten. II all three plain suits
are Of that nature lead the trump.
Against no trumpers. our partner not
hvainG shown any suit, lead length In
preference to high cards. With n suit
Of i've headed by the king and another
OF three headed by the king and queen
lead the longer suit hrst.
With four trumps lead your longest
Bult III CuN " tsh6 ibAh
with a singleton.
II you do not lead the suit your part
ner has declared or the suit you have de-
clared yourself your lead must be a
singleton and invite a run. Such . lead
10 dangerous unless O can stop the
trump lead at least once.
The selection Of the suit secures you
partners cooperation in its develop
ment. The selection OF the card led
shows him Its possibilities as a trick
winner.
THE CARD TO FAD
From all combinations that are not
headed by two or more honors in
sequence md which are not your part
ner's declared suit lead your fourth
best. counting from the top. From
X 9 8 I 2. for instance, lead the seven.
The object of selecting certain cards
when others are equally sure Of winning
the trick Ia to affirm or to deny the
possession Of certain other cards. To
the partnership opposed 10 the dsclara-
ton this II vital. Sometimes the lead
af1rms only sometimes II denies only
at times II does both.
There are three simple rules that
govern all the opening leads Of high
cards when the suit is not led because
the partner has asked for II by his
declaration
/. A king led shows that the~> or
the queen or both these cards are btcin md
the king.
2. An ace led denies the king. or
shows seven or more In suit when led
against a no trumper.
8. A queen or a Jack led denies any
higher card In the suit.
These three rules are all that are
necessary for the beginner in the omen.