The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-04-30
BONUS SCORES IN
DUPLICATE AUCTION
illustrations Of the Injustice
of the Present Method Of
Counting Points.
THE ELEMENT OF LUCK
BY r. r. FOSTER,

OhS " NhV IutNliolS THAI Will DTOD~
ably come up for discussion this sum-
mer at the annual meeting OF the Amcri-
can Whist League at Spring Lake is OF
vital Importance 10 every player who
is Interested In the future OF the game
OF auction. and that Is the matter OF
scoring bonuses for games won, or for
unfinished games. at duplicate.
The fundamental idea of duplicate Is
TO eliminate as far as possible the cle-
mcnt of luck. and to get at the results
OF playing equal cards under equal con-
ditions. That these conditions can never
be absolutely equal is universally ad-
mitted. because of the disturbing element
OF the adversaries' play. but this factor
should be reduced to a minimum.
There is a great deal Of luck that
cannot be avoided. especially in the
hands that are played against certain
pairs of opponents. The strongest pair
In the room may be opposed to the weak
est On four deals that are absolute
pianos: hands on which the strongest
play could not possibly make a diner-
ence Of more than a few points as COM
pared with the weakest.
At another table this weak pair will
b. called upon to manage four deals In
which there may he the possibility Of
large swings and tie score made on that
round alone may settle the result of the
whole contest.
The writer has been at great pains
% pick out the place AT which most of
these big swings occur and has come to
the conclusion that the greatest element
Of luck In duplicate. which is rcspon-
oible for the largest swings In the score.
Hes In the greatly enhanced value Of
single tricks. when those tricks win or
cave the game.
At the last big duplicate game in New
York there were three consecutive hands
played at one table which showed a diff
ference OF AL points. as compared to
che scores made at other tables. and the
cair who got the best of these three
hands made the top score their way.
On the first deal Of the three. the de-
cfarer failed to go game in hearts by
enc trick. when he should have dom so
easily. That shows a loss Of S-I125 1919
points. In the next hand the same
player allowed tho other side to 20 game
IN clubs. when all he had to do was to
take a sure trick. after having won two
and save it. That cost S+l25-l3i
more. On the next deal the losers went
four hearts over four clubs and missed
the contract and game by one trick
through AN entirely unnecessary finesSe.
NO that instead Of making 32+12J~ 49,.
they lost 80, q difference OF .01. Total
boss on three deals In succession. Al.
The point in this explanation is that
these AL points are the value of three
tricks. which gives us an average of
15I points each. when their official
value. according to the schedule. was
only 90 for the three, or about : each.
These tricks are raised To more than ."
times their normal value by the fact
That they carried with them a bonus of
125. or "a loss Of 80. or both.
This is pure luck and is a direct vio-
Rtion OF the spirit and intent of dupli-
cate play. That a trick should be ac-
cidentally advanced from a value of 3
points TO 151 and that this enhanced
value should he credited to the pair
who have nothing whatever TO do with
the result Of the play. except to follow
suit and see their opponents make q
mistake on one trick. Is absurd. yet the
fortunate pair that sat there helplesSly
for three deals found themselves with
the top score. 600 more than any other
pair In the room.
When duplicate whist was first sug-
eested TO eliminate the luck OF straight
whist there was "A large premium on
winning a rubber In two games. besides
the honor scores. Tn very first thing
the duplicate players did was 10 cut
~ nv u NV Alt lut
and to count nothing but the tricks, and
always AT the same value, whether they
won "A game or stopped at the odd.
1t is impossible TO eliminate the
honors al auction bridge. because the
honor scores are large factors in the
declarations, but ii is easily possible 10
eliminate the score for rubbers or parts
of rubbers In "A game IN which no rub
Sers are played. II has long been ad-
mitted by thoughtful players that the
addition Of 80 points for an unfinished
game is M absurdity. because tbs
equity In such a game is only about
10 points.
The addition Of l25 for a game won
IL equally out Of place In duplicate.
These points are supposed To make two
games worth 30, which is the value of
q rubber in the straight game. when
played for stakes. Hut this is false
because the winners Of two games al
ways get the fun 80, even If their OPP
pouents ave Won a game. In dupli-
cate they get only 1913 for winning two
games out of three.
The object Of adding the $50 20 The
winners Of the rubber when playing
for a stake was TO make the game worth
while. and to offset probable honor
scores. II was simply "A gamblers de.
vice to increase his winnings, as without
n a rubber would not average more
than 100 points, instead OF between
500 and 400 AS now.
To these rubber points is 'iuc most OF
the wild bidding that leads to suc'
serious losses at tho card table. On.
may see players continually overbldding
their hands with the deliberate intention
OF taking a sting Of a hundred or two
Just to get one more chance at those 80
rubber points.
This gambling element Ia entirely on,
of place in any form OF duplicate and
should he eliminated.
But how about the player VINO has bid
two hearts and hy the exercise ~ cx-
c.ilcut judgment makes three, which ne
other PLAYER in the room succeeds (,
6oing? Why does he not get 125 fof
that extra trick" IN what respect Is n
less crcditablc than the one that wen,
game 10y making one more than seemed
to be in The cards
Duplicate Is fun Of similar absurd.
ties in tho matter of bonuses. You pla,
. ha,ri badly aud stop at Is when 70,
should hay" made -. The ncXt Ica'
YOU bid diamonds, because YOU want two
cdd only. although sou feel you have u
no %tru'nper. You make two in diamond,
aud could have made "A little Sian, at ~
truinps. Nothing but Your anxiety t,
make sure Of that 12j for the gan.
prompted you TO undorbrl your hand.
This ~, points bonus sometimes work.
n serious Injustice 10 the best players n
the game There is "A deal in which any
S;c should Sc game easily, ha: i; Oh.
table soru" dub makes a freak opening