The sun., 1916-09-17
'INQUESTS ON BIDS
AT ROYAL AUCTION
Common Faults Of Beginners
in Arriving at
Declaration.
By r. F. FOSTER.

1t Is rather interesting to observe the
manner in which the text books on any
game follow along certain grooves and
take It for granted that certain things
mus. be learned not only in a certain
way. but in a particular order.
All golf books start with the drive. in
stead Of the putt. Books IN swimming
all begin with the breast stroke. instead
Of how to float. Books on bridge start
with the declarations on individual suits.
instead Of tho difference In alu be-
tween plain suits and trumrs.
In the bids themselves there is a
classification that Is seldom sufficiently
insisted upon. and that ID the difference
between bids built up By the partners
alone. the opponents having 2i0 things 10
say. and bids made in the face Of op-
posing declarations.
It Is seldom that an original one trick
| bid by the dealer gets tho contract. ex-
cept at no trumps. The partners bid
is usually a moderating factor. or the
declarations Of the opponents form an
obstruction.
II would undoubtedly simplify matters
for the beginner n give him a much
clearer insight into the true value OF
hands II all the declarations could
be confined to the dealers side for the
frst dozen rubbers OF 80. II things
wen, wrong, there would be no one but
themselves to blame. and the weak spot
in the bidding could be easily found.
Nothing Is more confusing TO the be-
ginner than the notifications required
by opposing declarations. lie Is told
that no must never assist his partner II
he has none OF the opponents suit. ant
on tho next hand he is told that hold!n.
none OF the suit IL the very reason VIII.
he should assist. When II 10 expla!ne'
that one Is a no trumper and the othe'
"A heart. he thinks he has learned some
thing, and assists a hear: bid with non
Of the a~dversaries' spades and no hearts
either.
He Il told that II his partner bids
hear, and he has none. he should biz
something else. but that II the secon'
hand makes a bid In " he
not say anything at al. .
All these IFS and butts. which seem I
crop up In every hand. tend TO contus
the beginner by filling his mind Wit
apparent exceptions to every rule n
learns, and he is continually doing III
wrong thing.
). II it were possible to give MIN
weeks practice with hands on wnich u
and his PARTNER were the only ones I
maize any decla rntiors. so that he Nigh
obtain a complete mastery OF those DID
inst. then the interference OF opposin
h,ds could liz added and bull, upon IN
acquired knowledge without upsetons !
unfortunately, except In teaehin
c,asses. where prearranRed hand ar
used. this is impossible. hr' a great de'
might be learned by ca -tuliy watchih
,he outcome Of hands in which the OF
poncnts ave not made a hid, pH!t'
no attention to the other HANDS tcr
week or two.
There should n no excuse for al
ambiguity In such cases. II the 81
docs not turn out we'll II should DC q
. easy matter to place the blame TO o.
,erminc whether III" original oid W.
unsound. or the assist Was not justine
or the shit was no, called Tor. or u
declarer should have been warned
But when the opponents ihterpo'
their bids. II is "A dihicuI' nla''er 'ol l,
+. beginner TO judge when they are pusi
ers. bluffs or nag diers. and when ms
, are genuine bids on strong hands IL
. still more difficult for the beginner
> Judge the location Of an unnamed su'
simply by the bidding on other sun
Errors in Judgment with resard TO u
oppo.ing bids are responsible for mar
OF the beginners losses. =,
But when there Is no bidding ny u
other side, the fault IN arriving at
sound declaration az between two par
1 ncrs that have II NIL TO themselr
: should he easily traced and also instru
k tive when found. One Of the more cor
( mon faults is the reluctance 20 refra
3 from bidding at all. Some persons W
g breaL their nocks to catch a car, az
|, Il were the last that would ever run
that line. although there may he a
u other only ninety seconds behind.
some bridge players will snatch at al
u CHARGE to make a bid, for fear tn,
n may never get another, regardless OF I
n fact that the bid they make is unsour
Here are a few hands recently sent
THE SrN with requests for some CT
~ icism on the bidding: