The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-01-03

dealt. At several tables he bid three
spades and at others one royal. At one
he bid two royals, and even at that
figure a had nerve enough to bid three
hearts, simply In hopes OF saving the
game one thing that is continually
overlooked by duplicate players is that
the game won Ia worth not only the 1.5
points bonus but also the trick and honor
score, 50 that IL tx practically saving
Of about 200 points to take the declara-
ton away from opponents that may go
game.
The moment gets in a heart bid. it
is easy for Il to see that AS supporting
suit must be clubs. as the spades are
declared against them and q has all the
diamonds himself. with this view OF the
situation and his own ability to run the
spades, IL Is easy for Is to bid the hearts
up to four or live.
At one table and z went as high as
five royals, and were doubled and set,
through BIS crediting A with the ace OF
hearts, a club trick and his own two
diamonds. won the first trick with the
ace OF hearts and led two rounds OF
trumps leaving himself in the lead so as
to inosse the clubs. b got discard Of
the eight of diamonds on the second
trump lead.
\ put the ace OF clubs Oh the Jack and
led the diamond at once in answer to
diamond tricks he returned the heart. and
y made the queen. This held down to
! three odd at ROYALS, which is all that
was made at any table on that deciara-
tlor, but when Il started with a bid OF
three, IT was enough. as the hearts were
never heard from This gives Y and Il
a plus OF 20 points.
At every table at which \ and y
got going on the hearts, they made Ave
odd. with simple honors against them.
with the l2i added for going game this
gave them li9 plus. instead OF - minus,
a difference of 22l on the deal.
This shows that these two deals were
alone responsible for a difference OF $50
points In the score. which is enough to
settle the result OF almost any duplicate
contest one is naturally Inclined To ask
how many points difference there may be
In the hands that come up in the course
OF an ordinary rubber?
The manner in which \ and y get five
odd at hearts In this hand is instructive
IN two ways. or course Y led the spade,
and on seeing dummy could run that suit.
shifted 10 the diamond. going through
strength. Dummy put on the ace.
stopped the trump lead at once with
the ace and led to the weakness m clubs.
The correct play when a Jack Is led
through ace and queen is TO put or :he ace
or pass the trick up altogether, according
10 tue UunlDef OF tFlCkS you can ditOru 10
lose. A put on the ace and pulled the
trumps Then ne ruffed dummy with :he
losing spade. After that came four tricks
in diamonds. upon which \ discarded trey
and queen OF clubs.
In the first hand given to-day the in
ferences as to the dealers supporting
cards are based OF an original bid in a
minor sult. When IL comes 20 the major
suits such differences are not to be de-
pended on unless the bid itself denies the
tops In the suit named. as IL does with
those who still follow the custom Of bid
ding two with length and without tops
There may OF may not be winners Ia plain
suits. II is all "A guess.
In the spade suit, which may i've a
major suit at nine a trick. although n Is
started I'm the bidding at two. we nave
two interesting variations In the call OF
two spades and OF three. The English
nave abandoned these entirely. They did
so 20 eliminate the five. six ana seven
spade bids. watch reminds one Of the man
that cut off hls nose to remove a p.mple
The New York Bridge Whist club has
followed the English example Major Pat
ton, president of the Knickerbocker. says
he cannot see the objection to bidding
, spades as long as YOU really mean spades
and not hearts or no trumps. and he thinks
IL is quite enough TO stop the spade bids
at three tricks. Here is hand that was
played at the Bridge Club before they cut
out he spade suit at two trick