The sun., 1919-06-01
Nv r. r. FOSTER.

Some interesting opinions have come
to THE Sun with regard to the merits
OF the no trump double. Here Is one
from a correspondent who approaches
The subject from a new angle:
I'm my opinion the no trump double
Is best employed as defensive meas
ure-not for attack. 1t Is seldom that
hand is held which Justifies the double
as an offensive measure, which means
game count between the two hands,
30 seldom in fact that I thoroughly
agree with THE SUN that II is usually
much the best to sit tight and defeat
or at least hold down the declarer.
However, we all know that the great
majority OF no trumpers are bid on
minor suits. so II hold either three
or four of the two major suits with
fair tops, particularly on the rubber
game. I have found that double usu-
ally drives the original declarer into
minor suit. thereby preventing n pos
sible game at no trump. 1t Is a SAFE
play, whether the double Is made either
second or fourth hand, because either
the declarer or his partner will, as a
rule. continue to bid, being driven to
two no trumps II they think they have
the take out suit properly stopped, or
to one OF the three other suits, most
often a minor one.
Another system which 1 fnd works
successfully after a no trump bid by
my opponent and when both other play
ers have passed Is to bid fourth hand
two hearts or spades on five, even only
queen high and with weak support. be-
cause the no trumper almost Invariably
goes into a minor suit On the rare
occasions when he happens to have my
suit stopped twice he goes to two no
trumps. 30 that not only lose nothing
by my bid but have actually gained
by forcing a higher declaration and by
receiving information valuable both TO
my partner and myself. OF course. when
left in. which doesn't often happen. /
am sometimes set, and then again some
times make my contract, but the whole
value OF the bid Is purely defensive.
Auction bridge Is essentially q gam
bling game, and such being the case
always take into consideration the char
acter and temperament Of my opponents
when making my bids. We must re-
member that there are few Lenzes and
Liebenderfers met with in actual play
so that all bidding rules are subject to
many exceptions, governed absolutely
by the kind OF people one Is playing
with. The great tendency OF the aver
nge bridge player is to prevent the
opponents from obtaining the final dec
lATatlOn, SO tNaI 10 tDc Eulc
rather than the exception, and since the
total plus ia dependent upon the score
above the line the wise player uses his
intelligence to feel out the others, TO
! study their temperaments and to do his
| bidding in such a manner as TO force
his opponents into an unsound declara-
| tion.'
The only criticism OF this system,
would seem to be that 1t overlookS the
| fact that the double is q demand on the
partner to bid something. and that the
| option OF going further with the no
trumper or backing Off into a minor suit
is then left to the original no trump
| bidder. A further point Is that IL the
doubler has the Two major suits safely
stopped any suit bid will probably be
in one OF the minors.
| II the double is answered by one OF
these suits there is only one suit left
| for the no trumper. Why should he drive
| himself into 1t unless he has a game
hand? The only things worth playing
| for In auction are game or to save game
II the player to the left is going to
double on fair tops" IN both the major
quits II Is his partner and not the
dealer that will be "dtiven into n minor
suit"
In looking over my collection OF deal,
played at the knickerbocker duplicate
matches I find quite n number OF the
character described "three or four card,
OF both the major suits, with fair tops
Here Is one OF them: