Evening star., 1929-01-01
BRIDGE TALKS
BY MRS. JOHN MUNcE, JR.
The Auction.

The Auction.
Each hand or deal is divided into two
parts, namely, the auction and the play.
The auction, so-called because each side
tries to buy the contract by outbidding
the other, each player trying to tell his
partner by his bid what cards or suits
he holds in his hand and so help him
in his succeeding bid. One must realize
that auction bridge is a partnership
game. I cannot stress this too strongly.
It is you and your partner working to-
gether that counts, there is no place in
bridge for solo work. Every bid or pass
should tell your partner something. 1t is
the only way you have to show him your
hand, or in bridge terms to mirror"
your hand This is done by highly
conventionalized system of bidding and
doubling.
The skilled declarer has the two fol-
lowing objects In view during the auc-
tion First. to secure the contract II
they have the necessary cards. and, II
there are two or more contracts pos
sible. to choose the one which will be
the most profitable. Second, II they
have not strength enough to secure the
contract to make their opponents bid
so high that they will not be able to
make their contract.
desirable partner it is not only neces-
sary to know the laws, but 1t is equally
necessary to know the etiquette OF the
game as we'll The ideal game Is one
in which no one speaks or plays out OF
turn. You will do we'll to remember
that you may discuss the affairs of the
Nation while the cards are being dealt,
but as soon as the cards are picked up
this kind of conversation must cease,
and only conversation about bridge and
in bridge terms is necessary from then
until the last card is played and the
score written.
game we would not need penalty laws,
but as such is not the case it seems per-
tinent to give here the laws on bidding.
An insufficient bid Tin other words, a
bid not as high AS the last previous bid)
may be corrected by the bidder If he do
so before another player calls his at
tention to 1t or before another player
bids In the case of q suit bid 1t must
be made sufficient In that suit and in
no trump must be made SUFFICIENT IN
that declaration. If another player call
attention to the insufficient bid it must
be made sufficient, and the penalty for
| this is that the partner of the INSULT
cient bidder is barred from further par
| ticipation in the auction.
To bid out of turn is void unless the
opponent on the left of the offender
bids before the in-turn bidder declares
or before any player calls attention to
the void bid. The penalty for bidding
or doubling out of turn is that the part
ner of the out-of-turn bidder is barred
from taking part in the auction.
In both of these cases you will note
that it is the partner of the offender
who has to suffer, but in passing out OF
| turn the offender himself is not allowed
to bid or double until the first bid has
been overbid or doubled.
II bid. double or redouble. be made
| by an adversary after the auction has
| the partner of the offender the flrst
time it is the turn Of said partner to
! lead.
A double or redouble Is void and
either opponent of the person making
such a double or redouble may do one
| of two things, namely, demand a new
deal or add 100 to their honor score.
The penalty for doubling your part
ners bid or redoubling partners double
is that so points may be added to the
honor score of the opposing side.
To double or redouble when it is your
partners turn to bid carries the follow
ing penalties: First, you may call the
bid made before the offense the final
bid second, you may call the doubled
or redoubled bid the Anal bid; third
you may demand a new deal.
Never let any one tell you that these
penalties are not enforced, for can as
sure you that all people playing real
bride, as we'll as the most prominent
bridge clubs in this country, are most
careful in seeing that every penalty il
paid.
In the majority of deals that are
not passed out the first bid is made
either by dealer or by second hand
after dealer has passed In a small
percentage OF deals after dealer and
second hand pass the third hand bids
and in a still smaller percentage after
three passes the fourth hand opens the
| bidding.