The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1926-12-01
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Further Advice on Taking
Out No Trump Bid
Given,
BY Milton G. Work

Yesterdays article contained two
hands which raised questions as to
whether they justified the holder in
taking out a partners No Trump,
the intervening adversary having
passed. These two hands were:
/. Sp. Ace-King Jack-X. Ht.. Ace
xxx. Dia.: King.x-x-x. Cl; K.
2. Sp.: Ace King -Jack-x. Ht.: Ace
Xxx Dia. King-x-x. CT: xxx.
The main point in these hands Is
whether No Trump should be taken
out with a fOur-card major suit. 1t
should not be, unless the hand con
tains the unusual combination Of
great strength in the four-card
Major, side strength and a blank
suit, or a menacing singleton. The
two hands above given have exactly
the same high-card strength and the
same strong Spade suit, but the take
out advisable in No. l (Which fulfills
the three requirements named,
would be unsound in No. 2, as it has
a good No Trump distribution.
At one time there was considerable
doubt among expert players concern 4
ing the advisability of taking QUIT
partners No Trump with a strong
four-card Major, regardless of what
the balance of the hand might be;
but experience proved that, except
in the most unusual cases, the four
card takeout does not work salts
factorily. The No Trumper, with ex-
actly three cards of the take-out suit,
is very apt to allow it to stand When
this happens, the contract is played
with a total Of seven trumps in the
combined hands, leaving six for the
adVersarieS. Under such conditions,
as one adversary is apt to have four
trulnps, it is generally much more
difficult to make four Of the Major
than it would have been to make
three No Trumps. For this reason,
taking out with four-card Majors,
even with as strong a suit as Ace
King Queen-X, is generally unwise
unless a blank suit or worthless
singleton suggests serious danger
for the No Trump. The honor.score
take-out that is, a take-out made so
as to obtain an S0-or 90-above the
line) is the only other type Of four.
card Major take-out which is advis-
able. With a four-card Major in
which every card is an honor, and
with such side strength that oppo.
site to a No Trump, game is obvi-
ously assured at either declaration,
the certainty that the honor-score
will be materially greater with the
Major than at No Trump, makes the
take.out advantageous.
The pointer for today IS:
Do not take out your partners No
Trump with a four-card Major, I'M
less the Major is very strong and
the hand contains additional strength
and a blank suit or weak singleton:
or unless, with four honors in onQx
hand the side strength assures,
Major game and a higher honor
count.
During the last few days 1t has
been explained that a Major take
out should be made with strength,
and should not be made with weak
ness; but what minimum strength
is required to justify it has not been
stated. To illustrate this, four hands
are given which will be discussed
tomorrow; the question in each be-
ing whether, after a No Trump by
partner and a pass by Second Hand.
Third Hand should bid two Spades.
1. Sp.; King Queen-x-x-x Ht.; xxx.
Di.: Xxx. c.: Xxx.
2. Sp.; King-Jack-x-x-x HIT: Xxx.
Di.; Xxx. Cl.: Xxx.
8. SIP. King-10-X-x.x. HIT: Xxx.
d.: Queen-10. Cl.: Ace-Jack-10.
A. Sp.; Jack-10-X-x-x. HIT: Ace.x.x.
Di.: X. Cl.: Ace-Jack-10-x
Copyright National Newspaper
Service)
Work, the recognized authority OH
auction bridge. will answer questions
for Times readers who write 20 him
H., g