The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1927-12-09
EASY LESSONS IN
AUCTION BRIDGE
BY PAUL H. SEYMOUR
Author of "iighlights on Auction Bridge"
Introductory
Copyright. by Hoyls. Jr.,
80 <Aes ~ -
Article One.


a THOUGH the game of Auction
"A Bridge and its predecessors,
Bridge and Whist, have been played for
many years, a wonderful increase In its
popularity is just at the present time
sweeping over the country. Thou
sands of people who few years ago
refused to learn the game because 1t
was too much like work are today
giving up the simpler games Of Euchre
and Five Hundred and seeking instruc-
ton In Auction.
Its devotees are fascinated by 1t
principally because there is something
solid and substantial about 1t and be-
cause 1t does require sound and care
full thought. A recreation is some
thing which diverts a persons mind
and activity from its customary chan
nels, and it has been found that this
does not mean inactivity, and that 1t
need not be a frivolous, worthless,
activity. !
Even those whose daily work isl
largely mental find that they gain
rest and refreshment in totally diff
ferent kind of mental exercise such
as they find in Auction. While some
card games are agreeable for a social
hour and serve satisfactorily as time
killers, anyone who spends leisure
hours in playing and studying Auction
has the added feeling that he has
been doing something well worth
while. He has exercised and thus
strengthened his observation, memory
and reasoning faculties. AS most peo-
pie need to use these faculties In
their daily work, they find that their
study of Auction fits them better for
their duties in Office, factory or draw
ing room.
There is also steadily increasing
demand among the players for bet
ter understanding of the game. Many
who have played it in a haphazard
way simply as time killer are COM
ing to appreciate it's worth and are
devoting some time to its real study.
No matter how well person plays,
there always is room for improvement
because the possibilities of the game
are such that they can never be fully
mastered. Among the many thou
sands of players in the world, only
about 2 per cent play well enough to
be called experts, and for the other
80 per cent and for those who have
never played at all, these articles have
been prepared. There will be SO arti-
cles in the series, and while the first
two deal with fundamentals of the
game with which all players are IA
miliar and while the aim has been to
use such simple language that all may
understand them, still the treatment
Of the subject will be SO systematic
and thorough that following them
should greatly improve the game of
every player.
Their value will depend not upon
how many rules are given or how
many isolated cases are explained, but
upon the clearness and simplicity of
the statements and the comprehensive
ness with which the system will cover
the countless possibilities arising in
the bidding and playing Of the game
In order to become proficient in any
game, two things are needed-learn-
ing the rules so thoroughly that they
may be instantly put into practice,
and then learning when to break these
rules. In teaching Auction one should
not use the words always" or never
because there is no rule which should
not be broken at times. Any person
who always plays according to rule
will be wooden" player and never
can hope to rise to the level of the
expert.
To break rules wisely, however, one
must know them thoroughly, and to
do this will require study and real
work upon the part Of the student.
II anything is worth doing at all it
is worth doing we'll Therefore 1t Is
urged that all who wish to profit BY
these articles should make up their
minds to do their share of the work.
In order to learn rules Of a game
thoroughly, studying them is not suffi.
cient. One must actually play at the
same time and, therefore, it is recon-
mended that students studying these
articles do SO in groups of four.
In this way the illustrations can be
placed on the table and actually
played. This not only will make them
easier to understand, but will help
materially in remembering them.
After studying each article it would
be well to play regular game and
discuss the points which come up to
illustrate the teaching.
As the series progress, more and
more points will be covered, and the
only way to master such teaching is
to review the previous articles fire.
quentiy. Each article may possibly
make it easier to understand a pre-
ceding one, so that every time an ar
ticle is reviewed some statement in
1t is sure to shine with a new light
and give the student meaning which
he had formerly missed.
Therefore, those who wish to get the
most out of these articles would do
well to save them and reread fire.
quently from the beginning.