The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1927-01-11
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Plan Your Campaign AS
Soon as Dummy Is
Exposed.
BY Milton @, Work
A pointer for today iss


Declarer should plan q campaiga
for the hand as soon as Dummy
exposed, and before he touches q carl ,
IN 1t.
In some Of the preceding arttcAa
Of this series, the Importance Of
plan Of campaign by Declarer has
been suggested, but not as greatly
emphasized as it's Importance dc
serves. When an inexperienced
player obtains the contract and con
seQuently is required to assume tht
double responsibility Of playing tins
Dummy as well as the Closed Hand
he should realize that he is in th'
position Of a general, directing th4
nnaneuvers Of two armies that havt
just combined; and IN order TO oh
tain maximum results, a precon
ceived plan of campaign is neces
sary. Nothing else in connection
with the play of the Declarer is sc
essential; and. as many of the
articles which Will follow this one
will be written on the assumption
that Declarer understands when and
how to plan, today's and tomorrow'a
articles will DO devoted to that topic
Even when the bidding has given
DeclareF a fairly accurate idea OF
the general character Of the hand he
is to have as his Dummy, he never
can be exactly sure how his combined
hands should be developed and co-or
dinated until ne sees and studies his
entire twenty-six cards. AS the Laws
OF the game provide that the touch
ing Of a card in Dummy (unless for
the purpose OF arranging IS the play
ing Of that card, a Declarer should be
careful not to commit himself 20 that
extent unfit he has given both Of his
hands most careful scrutiny and con
sideration. Sometimes it is of Vita
importance, when the first trick can
be won in either hand, that the Dunn.
my hand should be selected for that
purpose, and there may be other
points in connection with the play OF
the first trick which can satisfac.
torily be developed only by bit Of
careful consideration. The first
trick should be played not upon the
basis Of that trick alone but In har.
mony with the tricks which are to
follow; and that canont be done un
less the Declarer has determined IN
advance upon the method Of play he
Will adopt. The consideration Of this
vitality important subject will be con
tinued tomorrow.
Another pointed for today fE
Declarer, before playing Go the
first trick from Dummy, should
count his sure tricks and plan how
to handle his twentyIsix cards.
When playing a No Trump, the
thing for the Declarer to decide be
fore touching a card IN Dummy IS
which suit he intends to develop and
from which hand no wishes TO lead
It first; also whether ne intends to
win the first trick and, If so, IN
which hand. When playing suit
declaration, no should determine
whether to lead trunlps as soon asA
he gets in, or to postpone the triumph
lead so as to utilize one or two OF
Dummy's trumps for ruffing pul>
poses-or for some other reason.
Declarer should first ind out
whether he has enough sure tricks
for his contract; If that be easy, he
should then estimate his chances for
game; If game be assured, he should
determine what method Of procedure
is most apt to produce a slam
All this is quite difficult for the
player Of little experience and OF
necessity requires a considerable ex
penditure of time; success. however,
is impossible without it. Therefore,
while adversaries may be justified in
complaining about undue delay later
on, they should willingly concede the
time necessary for a reasonable
amount of preliminary planning at
the beginning of play
The beginner should not attempt
to plan the play of the entire hand
before he plays to the first tr1clo,--
the ability to do such extensive plan
ming comes only With experience
but he should at least count his sure
tricks, determine whether his
objective is to be contract. game or
slam and plan how to try for What.
ever number of additional tricks be
may need.
Tomorrow we win start tho CON
sideration Of a most important
Bridge topic--the hold-up.
Copyright, John r. Ollie Coz