The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1928-01-13
Article Six.
Original No Trump Bids


TN CONSIDERING a no trump bid
there are a few restrictions which
should be mentioned:
Frequently a hand will meet all Of
the requirements of a no trump bid
and also contain a fve-card suit with
ample support for bid of that suit.
Either a no trump or a suit bid may be
made; which shall it be?
All of the rules of Auction have
been determined from the mathemat-
zeal law of averages by trying large
number of experiments, and it has
been found that good five-card suit
bid is much safer than a no trump,
especially when the hand contains
worthless doubleton. Therefore, If all
bids had equal games going possibili-
ties the suit always would be chosen.
but because of the various counts the
no trump has the greatest game-go-
ing possibility 1t requires but three
odd tricks to make game in no trump
while four odd are necessary in
major suit and five odd In a minor.
Taking these differences into con-
sideration it has been found that
most hands of the aforementioned
type will produce game oftener at no
trump if the long suit is minor, but
that the chances for game are bet
ter with the suit as trump If that suit
is a major. Therefore, we obtain the
simple rule that when holding hand
from which bid of suit or Of no
trump may be made, to bid the suit
If 1t Is a major but to bid no trump
Ii the strong suit is a minor.
Another matter of Importance In q
no trump declaration is the distribu-
ton of the cards in the various suits.
The most favorable distributions for
a no trump bid are 1888, 4432
and $500; while 1922, 5-4-3-1,
1921 and $40 are increasingly
more dangerous. In other words, two
doubletons are very undesirable un-
less both are protected suits; single
ton is decidedly Objectionable; and
being void of a suit prohibits no
trump bid.
The reasons for this are easy to see.
If the bidder is very short of suit
some one at the table is probably
very long in that suit, and if the
opponents open 1t and dummy does
not have it stopped the opponents are
quite sure to take five or six tricks
In 1t before the declarer can get the
lead.
1t is not wise to abandon good no
trump because of holding a singleton
Ace or King, since even If that suit
Is led, the declarer could expect to
stop it by taking the first trick. How
ever, if the hand has worthless
singleton much more heed should be
given to it. A major worthless single
ton is not nearly so dangerous as a
minor, because if second hand holds
a powerful major suit he is quite sure
to bid 1t while he would invariably
pass when holding an equally strong
minor suit
A hand which contains two suits
of at least five cards, either of which
is strong enough for an original bid,
is called a ''two-suiter" and is con-
sidered the strongest possible hand at
Auction when played with that suit
for trump which best fits the partners
hand. A no trump should not be bid
when holding a two-suiter.
We find a slight difference between
an original bid by third hand and
one by dealer or second hand be-
cause third hands partner, by passing,
has informed him that he does not
hold four sure tricks Therefore, third
hand should have pa quick tricks in
order to make an original bid of one.
When we reach fourth hand this
same condition exists, but there is
another reason why fourth hand
should have added strength before
making an original bid. After three
players have passed, unless fourth
hand has an especially strong hold
ing the indications are that the cards
are very evenly divided. and that
fourth hand could not make game,
which should be the goal aimed at by
every bid. If fourth hand passes the
hand is not played, but If he bids, it
opens up a new round of bidding and
the opponents may start a secondary
bid upon which they may be able to
help each other sufficiently to go
game. Therefore, unless fourth hand
has at least one quick trick more
than the requirements for an original
bid by dealer or second hand. he
should pass and throw down the hand