Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-01-08
BRIDGE TALKS
BY MRS. JOHN MUNCE. JR.
Bidding.

The original bid is the first made in
| any deal. It is important to note this,
as many players fail to distinguish be-
tween the original and the initial bids.
The initial bid is the original bid by
dealer or second hand, as these two
bids are made under practically the
same conditions: and in these talks We
will discuss the initial bids first
Original bids by third and fourth
hands are made under different con-
ditions, and must be taken up sepa-
rately
A dealer making his first bid, the
original bid, also an initial bid, has no
information whatever about his part
assume that his partner holds one
third of the high cards which are not
in his own hand, therefore this initial
bid made by dealer or second hand, is
the only bid not influenced by outside
consideration, the bidder taking only
into consideration his own Is cards.
When he holds the requirement he
should bid (although it be the min
imum) as a sound initial bid not only
materially aids his partner and helps
him estimate the value of his own hand,
but often makes it difficult for the adj
versaries to bid 1t is from the initial
bid that the buying bid is built up so
that it is of primary Importance that
the initial bid be sound and conform to
the conventions which the partner will
understand
Many players have lost hundreds of
points because the initial bidder did not
hold the cards required for an initial
bid, and many games have been lost
because the players were too timid to
bid initially the strength of their hands.
An initial bid once made cannot be
recalled, and when made improperly,
often results In losing the confidence of
your partner. If you make an i'm
proper bid, you nisinform your partner,
and no player wants to do this.
Initial Suit Bids of One.
1t is now the practice to bid en-
italy with less in the hand than in
the early days of auction, as experience
has shown that it is wise to show the
strength in the hand if it contains two
quick tricks. BY quick tricks is meant
aces and king and queen in combination
in the same suit.
The general formula for an initial
one bid are:
Bid one initially, on any f1ve-card
suit headed by ace and king; ace,
queen and jack, or any stronger COM
bination, no matter how weak the rest
Of the hand.
Bid one initially, on five-card suit
headed by the ace, queen, 10 spot and
weaker combinations, such as the 5
card, queen high, and some times JACK
high suits, when you have sufficient
side strength. The measure of side
strength is the number of quick tricks
IN suits other than the one bid
Bid one initially, when holding any
of the four-card combination given be-
low, and one quick trick on the side:
Ace, king and two small cards of a suit.
Ace, queen, Jack and ono small card of
q suit.
Ace, queen and two small cards of suit:
King, queen. jack and one small card Of
King. queen, 10 spot and one small card
King. queen and two small cards Of q
suit and this is the weakest bid recognized
for four-card suits.
In bidding one Of a suit, it tells your
partner, first, that If the bid be won
at that declaration, the bidders hand
will contain at least four trumpS and
two high cards which are likely to take
tricks, and that the trump suit will
have at its head either the ace, which
may be one of the two high cards, or
two honors.
Second, that in any event two high
cards are held in bidders hand, which
may be expected to win tricks quickly.
In other words, that he has two quick
tricks in his hand.