The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1926-11-27
Advice for
Second
Hand
Conduct In Event OF mo
Trump Bid Is Out
lined.
BY Milton c. Work.


When the bidding is opened
with one No Trump and the play
err on the left has considerable
strength, he has a most interest
ing question to determine Should
he double informatorily to draw a
helpful bid from his partner
Should ne bid his strongest suit
to show where his strength lies?
Should he take the bun by the
horns and bid two No Trump? or
should be pass and await develop.
ments, hoping by his position as
initial leader to save the game if
as probable, the one No Trump
becomes the contract?
When Second Hands strength is
well distributed so that. while he
has no long strong suit to open
against the No Trump, he is pre-
pared to help any suit his part
ner may name, he should double
The double is apt TO work well
provided il is made with the
strength TAT least five high cards.
q previous article has explained
are required to justify it. With
less than eight sure tricks, the
double is better than bidding two
No Trumps. BY five high cards is
meant cards which may take "a
trick; but with hands containing
two good four-card Majors. the
doubling requirements may be
slightly shaded. In the first OF a
series Of Duplicate Progressive
games, played by the Acorn Club
in Philadelphia on Nov. list. an in
teresting illustration Of this oc.
CURED. At all the tables the
Dealer, who had an obvious No
Trump, started the auction with
that bid. The Second Hand held.
Sp.; Jack-l0-N-X; lit: Queen.-O.
Xxx. Dia.: Ace-Queen-9-x. Cl.
Queen AT most Of the tables
Second Hand passed and the
Dealer made one-odd At the tables
at which Second Hand doubled.
Fourth Hands bid produced a
game, scoring quite a large gain
for the informatory double. As
between two of suit and a pass,
there is no universal rule to be
applied. TO advise an invanable
pass would be both unsound and
cowardly. There are hands with
which a No Trump should be over
called by a suit; others with a
strong suit, which should pass
Many more errors are made by
bidding a suit with hands which
should be passed than by passing
with hands which should be bid
The slit should not be laid unless
there Is a reasonable chance of
game, and In determining whether
a reasonable chance exists, II
would be carrying optimism too
far to expect more than two
tricks from the partner. II Is
generally more profitable TO defeat
a No Trump than TO make a score
Of less than game.
The most amateurish error that
the Bridge table Witnesses Is the
bidding Of "A long solid Minor with
which game is not probable) over
a No Trump. For example, hold
ing
Sp.: XXX. Ht.: Xxx. Dla.; Ace-x.x.
CT: Observation-Disclosures to bid
two Clubs over a No Trump on the
right would be the acme OF fool
ishness. The defeat OF the No
Trump by at least fifty points Is
practically assured; a game at
Clubs most improbable. A Major
bid and game is the result apt to
ensue from a Club bid. The Club
bid would be equivalent to saying.
MY dear opponent, you are ON
the wrong track; you cannot 20
game at No Trump. so am try.
ing to set you straight by pointing
out your danger; I advise you 10
shift to a suit"
The pointer for today IS:
When sitting over n No Trump
do not bid a suit unless within two
tricks of game; but double when
you hold the doubling strength
and distribution.
Copyright John q. Milton)
Work, the recognized authority
on Auction Bridge will answer
questions for readers who write
to him through The Times and
inclOse self-addressed, stamped
envelope.