The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-12-17
BIRMINGHAM AGE-HERAID. SUNDAY, DECEMBER l7, 1922
Solving the Latest Bridge Perplexity

clear that the specific inference to be drawn from . negative double of any bid other than spades, is that doubler must expect and there fore must be prepared for . spade bid however weak. or. if spades is the bid doubled for a heart bid
 Players should thoroughly understand that the foregoing precise inference. popularly known as the Spade Convention" Is a natural develop ment of the negative double; that 1t must not bs regarded as in any ssnse arbitrary. for the req son that this would be the logical inference of players thoroughly grounded in the fundamen- tals of auction. Also. that the rules governing the requirements of the negative doubles, and those governing thetr response. are all based upon this specific inference
 { double Is bid. The vast majority of play CTS seem to ignore this most important fact n we'll as the equally important fact that the top strength required to double is logically greater or at least great as would be required to bid originally. While as for it's added requirement. to wit. that doubler should be- at all times pre- pared for a weak spade bid by partner, or, if spades is bid doubled, for weak heart bid. such added requirement is practically unknown sx- cept among advanced players.
 By prepared is meant prepared not only as regards top strength but as regards adequate length in the major suit suits that would be partners logical response to double This length is at least four cards, possibly but thFee. never two even though two top honors.
 Observation and experience have clearly dem- onstrated the value of four card suit bids if you can find partner with four cards of same suft. This, think, is one of the strongest points fn favor of the double. By doubling player d6es ,<~< xs- any one of which would be an extremely dotbtfM bid unless sure of finding partner with compile mentary holding.
 There are but two types of hands wherewith . player is justfned in oyer-calling instead of dou- bling original no-trump on right First, hand and suit of suf1cie9t strength to justifysa pre-emptive bid of four in major suit, or i've in a minor suit; and, second, hand that contains two strong suits view of calling both suits if necessary, or, if two no-trumps is bid over first suit, of keeping quiet, possibly, and opening second suit. Holding any other type of hand no matter what it's strength, player, if not content to leave in the no-trump should double necessary or expedient-
 The foregoing is brief exposition of the fundamental principles governing the proper uss
 
 more to be said on the subject, such as the rules governing partners procedure following an fn- tervening bid, the procedure of player ton left of doubler) following double or bid partner. &c. Also, examples showing how the require ments for negative doubles may be modified by reason of holding strong intermediate cards or favoring distribution. All these points, how ever have covered exhaustively in my book Auction Bridge Standards"
 In conclusion it should be clearly understood that negative double can be fin part if not who'll Y defensive: that partner of doubIer should al- ways take into consideration. particularly where opponents are advanced on score, the possibility that the double made with the expectancy of taking loss if necessary to save gana, or with view to forcing opponents into hfghe- bid or into less dangerous declaration