The Ely miner., 1928-01-06
~-0-A-0-s-s--e--e
EASY LESSONS IN
AUCTION BRIDGE
By PAUL II. SEYMOUR
Author Of "Highlights on Auction Bridge"
Article Five.
The Original Bid
Copyright. by Hoyle. Jr.)

N L
IN definite requirements for an orig
inal bid Of one Of suit
A bid of one contracts to take seven
tricks-one odd, or one over the book
of six. Ii dealer has four tricks in
his hand and the remaining nine are
evenly distributed between the other
three players, his partner would hold
three Of them. and together they could
take the one odd. Therefore, the gen.
eral requirement for bid of one Is
four sure tricks.
When dealer is considering bid he
knows absolutely nothing regarding
the other hands, and so has right
to assume that the winning cards
which he does not hold are evenly di-
vided among the other three players.
II dealer passes, second hand finds
himself in practically the same situ-
alton. The only added information
which he has is that one Of his oppo-
nents, the dealer, does not hold four
sure tricks. Therefore. the require
ments for bid by dealer or by second
hand after dealer has passed are just
the same and are as follows:
An Original Bid of a Suit
To bid one of suit, that suit should
be Of four or more cards with three
sure tricks, and the hand as a whole
should contain two quick tricks (four
probable tricks).
This rule is very simple and only
needs a few illustrations to fix it in
The A X Q and one small card Is
the only four-card combination, and
the A K and three small cards,
A Q and two small ones, and K Q ]
and two small ones are the only five
card combinations which contain two
quick tricks. and as they will also
take four sure tricks they may be bid
without any outside strength.
Any other five-card combination
headed by the Ace or the King, Queen
that Is by one quick trick-may be
bid If the hand also contains one
quick trick In a side suit. Any FIVE
card suit headed by the Queen, Jack.
Ten. requires two outside quick tricks
because the trump suit contains none.
If suit which is to be bid lacks a
part of the specific requirements a bid
may still be made provided the hand
contains enough extra strength to
compensate for this lack. For in
stance, q four-card suit such as A K
and two small ones, or A Q j and one
small one, or K Q ] and one small
one, or a six-card suit which con-
tains only one-half a quick trick
like K and five small ones, or @ 10
and three small ones, may be bid with
one outside quick trick.
An Original Bid of One No
Trump
The simple requirements for bid
of one no trump by dealer or second
hand are: (D Two quick tricks with
three suits protected or (2) -Four
quick tricks in two suits.
The following examples will Illus
trate:
(D S-A, Xxx; H-K, Xxx; D.
Z, *; C-x x;-2 quick tricks.
(2) S-A, K K; H-K, @, x; D.
@, J,x x;C-x x;-21h quick tricks.
(3) S-A, K, <; H-x <; D.
A, X, Xxx; CSx K x;4 quick tricks.
(4 S-A, K; H-x K x; D-A, K,
Q, K K; OK x x;-41h quick tricks.
No. (1) is absolutely the minimum
strength upon which no trump may
be bid. This type Of hand may cause
the beginner some trouble because
having only one Ace and two Kings it
may be difficult to see how it can pro-
duce four tricks which are the req
uisites for any bid. 1t is we'll
known fact in other games as well
as in Auction that the cards held by
the one playing the hand-in Auction,
the declarer-are of greater value
than the same ones would be when
held by the opponents or, in other
words, the offensive strength of cards
Is greater than their defensive
strength; TINS the quick trick values
worked out for the defensive, may be
doubled to obtain the probable tricks
extensively held. Therefore, two quick
tricks are valued as four probable
| tricks extensively played.
No. (2) requires no explanation.
Having 21a quick tricks it can be
counted for five probable offensive
tricks. making good no trump bid.
No. (3) is entirely too strong to pass
as it contains four quick tricks; one
no trump would make a better bid
| than one diamond. The same is true
of No. (4) although the diamond suit
| Is still stronger.
II this four or five-card suit were
a major it should be bid in preference
to no trump; but no trump should
be bid rather than a minor in all such
hands.
R;rEs Shorn Eve.