The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-08-24
BY r. F. FOSTER.

| CORRESPONDENT In Boston,
| ~ who has already favored THE
Sun with some interesting COM
IWunications on the subject of modern
Nbidding at auction, seems to think that
the matter which probably interests the
better class of players at present, more
than any other, is the third hand take
out OF no-trumpers with five cards in
suit. He says
| my own judgment has been that the
take-outs pay when left alone, and
that II anything, tho weak take-outs
pay better than the strong ones There
| are, however, many hands where tina
dealer is weak in the take-out suit, but
yet not strong enough to risk two no
trumps, with the possibility Of a trick
| less dummy.
'other hands, where fourth hand
bids over the take-out or second hand,
when 1t comes around to him again, and
The no-trump declarer dare not go up
unless he feels sure that the dummy
VIII have reasonable strength.
Also few hands where II third
hand takes out from weakness he is
allowed TO play 1t, and goes down, while
| II ne had kept quiet fourth hand would
nave bid on moderate hand and would
play 1t without making game.
| 1T seems to me that in all these
hands the profits more than make up
Tor giving up the game IL the weak
take-outs are left alone, because the
declarer can bid again IL he is reason
ably sure of strength In the dummy.
My own rule for strength is, Of course.
| fve trumps. within a queen of average
nigh cards. That is, l should take out
on an ace, king and a Jack, or any
thing stronger. Weaker than that 1
believe the third hand had better keep
quiet"
There is an apparent contradiction in
this statement, for In the first paragraph
IT Is stated that the weak take outs pay
better than strong ones, and at the
end that third hand should keep quiet
unless he holds at least three values.
| counted according to modern methods
The best players seem to restrict
major suit take-outs TO strength, and
minor suit take-outs to warnings, SO that
there Is no doubt as to which Ii is. 1t
is the strong, or major suit take-outs
that they leave alone. In answer to
| the weak ones, good bidders are pre-
pared to shift, II they cannot support
the suit.
The fault in all take-outs usually lies
at the door of the original bidder Mo-
trumps Ia q craze. With some players
anything that contains two or three
tricks. distributed among three suits, is
| a no-trumper The type is three aces.
Players who are alive to the dangers
OF no-trump hands are careful not to
! burn their bridges behind them, and
| have always open an avenue of escape
! Il the situation turns out to DO I'M
| favorable. The usual rule Is that the
no-trumper shall be able to support a
| take-out in either of the major suits, or
| shall have a good secondary bid in q
minor suit.
The point made in the foregoing letter
seems to be the difficulty of deciding
whether to go back to no-trumps or not.
| If there is no going back the alternative
| seems to be to let the other side play
| the hand when they overcall the take
out. There is not a werd about the shift
| to suit by the no-trump bidder. 1t
seems to be assumed that IL the oppo-
nents' contract is left alone the chances
are against their going game, even
| against weak take-out. Then the no.
| trumper must have been pretty strong
| Here Is a deal. selected from many
| others on account of the fact that at
| seven tables, 80 far as could be ascer-
| tanned, every dealer started with no.
trumps. 1t is typical weak take-out"
hand.