The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-04-02
the pARrHnRis wAANlNo

OnO Oh Inc urUt oIIucUlu00 th1t tn0
beginner 1t auction has to overcome 10
the tendency to grasp It the chance to
make Q few points on . hand when there
IL not the remotest prospect Of going
game. Many opportunities for substan-
tial penalties are lost through this short
sighted policy.
The theory underlying the bids Of all
good players 10 to let the other side play
the hand when neither can go game.
! When you see n player bidding no
trumps and the opponents bidding . suit.
they cannot both be right. The one that
gets the declaration. after II goos a high
as three tricks. 10 going to get set.
But this refers to hands In which each
sid. IL striving to set the winning decla.
ration either In the hope Of going game
or Of saving the rubber. II 10 q COM
paratively easy matter to sit back and
let YOU opponents play the rand when
you know they will have all they on do
to max. their contract and thatS their
going game 10 practically impossible.
But what about the partners that are
allowed to play the hand In this way?
Suppose the opponents never make . bid.
but leave o to find out where you
will lose the least? II u no longer .
question of going game or OF saving
IL. but of getting yourself out Of IN
unfortunate situation.
Declarations are made on averages,
but some OF them will lose very heavily
II left alone. although nc fault can be
found with them. The old style Of play
ing auction was to take II for granted
that II a good player bid to win the
odd trick he could do II or should be
allowed to try II. The modern style ID
TO warn him when the situation 10 un-
favorable or seems 80 to the partner.
\ year or so ago no n dreamed OF
doing such a thing. II the dealer bid
a heart his partner would not think OF
bidding a spade unless he had some.
thing phenomenal In that suit. and as
for denying any assistance for a nc
trumper II was unheard Of,
There are still players whose skill
10 generally acknowledged who do moi
believe In this modern system OF deny.
Ing the partners suits and no trulnpers,
Their theory seems to BE- that II the
bidder Is a sound player the best thins
Is 10 let him alone and not to run any
risk OF getting in deeper by shifting tc
another suit in which there will be q
heavier contract to carry out.
But this Is losing sight Of the fact
tina all hands are overbid. The player
who bids a heart never has seven sur
tricks In his own hand against n dis
tribution Of the cards. II he had III
would bid two or three. not n
He expects average assistance from
his dummy. II that assistance will no
be forthcoming It n surely worth Viii
to warn him. to give him 4 chance to TT,
!. something else. instead Of leaving him II
. the lurch. when you know he Is goinl
to get hurt.
This is ono Of the most interesting
I features Of the bidding W part
: ners to which very little attention ha
. been paid In any OF the text books a
yet. his hun for some declaration tina
will lose less than the first m II !
4 no longer a question Of winning or saw
ing the game against an opposing decla
= ration II In a question Of saving your
g self from impending penalties.
I 1t may he a false alarm. Then Their
r is no harm In warning your partner no
: to go too far. He bid and you IA,
nothing. Fourth han overcalls him an
r he goes on, which he would never hav
lone had you warned him that you NJ
not a trick In your hand.
When two partners bid against end
other. each sure he can make his cor
tract. It usually makes very little differ
ence which does II eventually but whe
one Ii simply denying the others sui
J and any such thing as winning the gam
> Is for the moment out Of the questio
the skiifui bidding In that which arrivu
at the safest declaration-the contraC
that will lose the least or make tn
most.
Here is a good example Of II, from
recent duplicate tournament:
Y!r.