Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-02-19
BRIDGE TALKS
By MRS. JOHN MuNcE. JR.

Discussing further the initial bid Of
one no trump we will take up the
second requirement given for an initial
bid of one no trump, namely, hand
containing two powerful short suits.
While these hands do not come up
often, many persons hesitate about bid
ding these combinations, but as I have
said before, always remember that you
have a partner and that your bid Is
to help him in bidding his hand to the
best advantage.
The following hand is a splendid
example of this bid:
Spades-Ace, queen, jack.
Hearts-Ace, king and 10 spot.
Diamonds-Eight spot, 6 spot, spot
and 3 spot.
Clubs-Ten spot, spo4 and spot.
The above hand contains two power
full short suits, neither strong enough
to bid initially, therefore the no-trump
bid of one Cd initially is advisable,
but only when both strong suits are
short. To pass with hand like this
might mean losing game.
You will realize by now that by the
initial bid Is meant the first bids by
the first or second hands, so-called
initial bids because they are made I'M
der practically the same conditions,
namely, without information whatever
from their partners. You must also
realize by now that even a pass con-
veys some information to your partner
as we'll as to your opponent, but no
information given to your opponent is
nearly as valuable to him as it Is to
your partner.
Having discussed the strength requ1r-
ed for an initial suit bid of one O
as we'll az the high cards necessary to
bid initialiy one Cd no trump and
their distribution over the different
suits. before going further it seems the
opportune time to explain what is
meant by the expression so often used
in auction bridge, normal expectancy
or average expectancy.
It is legitimate for the initial bidder
to count on his partner for one-thlrd OF
the high cards which he does not hold
in his own hand, and We speak OF
dummy's share OF tricks as two l2). IL
Is possible that dummy's strength may
fall below the expected two tricks, Stlii
there is always the possibility of dunn
my's strength rising above that average.
You will sometimes ses a hand put
down which does not contain the ex-
pected two tricks, and often hand
which does contain three or four tricks
This bears out the much used express
sion in bridge, that there Is no such
| thing as ever, or never, in regard to
hands. We base the rules on the eX-
perts, who tell US If We play by these
rules, we will win In the majority OF
cases, and that Is what every player
wants 70 do. win the game Is often as
| possible.
IL your partner has bid one heart. the
| following hand will show you what nor
NAL expectancy would be In that case:
Spades, Z spot and 4'spet
Hearts. Q spot, Z spot and spot:
Diamonds, ace, 10 spot, spot spo'
oiubs. Jack, O spet and 5 spot,
BY going over this hand carefully YOU
will see that II contains enc quick trlck
and three cards Of the trump suit.
Normal support for your partner wnen
| he has bid suit Is three eafdS OF the
suit bid, no matter how small; or king
and one small card Of the suit, or ace
anSs one small card Of the suit BID, WIZ
one quick trick on the side. Looking ~
| the above hand carefully, you WIN see
| that you have normal support Tor your
partner who has bid one heart.
Had your partner bid one spade. ano
the above hand contained the king and
4 spot Of spades instead OF the 2 spo'
and 4 spot of spades. YOU would then
have held normal support for him.