The sun., 1916-09-24
WINNING STROKES
AT ROYAL AUCTION
Critical Points at Which the
Skill Of the Expert
Shows Itself.
BY r. r. FOSTER.

The leisure Of the summer months af-
forded opportunity for a deliberate ex-
animation Of q large collection Of the
hands played last winter in the big dupli-
cate matcheA the object being to discov.
er II possible some one striking charac.
teristic OF the winning game: Of the
game that could make a steady average
OF 90 points a deal above par.
apart from the bidding. which IL a
thing That practically defes classification
on account OF the variety Of situations
n the difference In the quality of the
partners against whom certain bids are
made, the most dominant feature of win
n,ne auction seems to be the ability so to
develop the hand as to 60 game,
Upon Analysing the detailed score, Of
those who finished In the first flight at
tho knickerbocker last winter and COM.
pairing them with some patches of scores
made on the same cards. In the same DO
slt'on n after the same bidding at
otner tables. Is continually con-
fronted by the fact that the good players
have won the game on hand after hand
where the less skilfui have failed TO do
DO. 1t may be the difference OF Ny q
trick. but II Is often the vital trick that
gets the 100 bonus Tor 1875. as It was
them.
1t Is the opportunity that duplicate Of
iers Tor this systematic training In the
art or going game and winning rubbers
by going kame hat prompts crack play
ers to insist on the retention of the bonus
Tor winning the game in duplicate. and
1t 10 now pretty well assured that there
VIII be no change In the rule his winter.
For every score Of 80 points or more
made below the line 100 will be added In
honors. and a line drawn under the trick
score OF both sides.
The examination Of q large number OF
hands upon which tho best players have
gone game while others have not fails
to reveal n particular part Of the tao
tics OF the game that Is to he credited
with the result. Sometimes It IL due 10
the trumps separately. sometimes
II Ii 5udicious ffnessing or refusing to
fnesse. sometimes placing the lead,
sometimes forcing discards. sometimes
ducking. sometimes unlocking. No one
thing seems to bring about the result
more tina another. The secret seems TO
be correct judgment Of certaintiea as
compared to risks.
1t would be very nice II one could
Classify the winning plays In the order
OF their Importance or usefulness or the
frequency or the opportunity to employ
u'Si"' cut tHis seeWS Impossible. Inc
expert at auction must be like the cham
pion at golf. who seems always to take
the right club for the shot in hand and
who knows when to risk carrying a
bunker with n brassie or to play short
with q jigger. Just 80 the auction
player must decide whether he will try a
f~inesse. or run out n suit or pull the
trumps.
IT n remarkable how a little difference
In judging how to develop q hand may
alter the result, so far as winning or not
winning the game Ia concerned.
Here are a few hands In which the diff
ference may seem to be almost a matter
OF luck but II the situation ID carefully
examined II will be found that In every
case the expert had the sounder logic
back Of his play. and was prepared for
contingencies which the less experienced
player either mad lot foreseen or hoped
would not arise.
1t is worth noting in tho FIRST three of
these hands. all Of which were played
In New York, that the bidding is confined
to the dealer n his partner. so hat II
may be fairly assumed they arrived at
the best declaration for the combined
hands. The variation in the scores is
due entirely to difference in the manner
OF developing the hand.