The Waterbury Democrat., 1931-08-17
BY WILLIAM F. McKENNY


 Secretary American Bridge League
 In the game of auction bridge it k quite true that many players l preferred to bid m original no trump rather than n four-card suit unless the four-card suit was strong and contained simple honors, but in contract bridge, four-card suit bidding plays a most importa nt part
 In our previous articles we learn cd that the bidding of n no trump simply indicated n hand containing distributed strength and no bid- dable fOur-card suit. While 1t is true that in contract we endehvor to play as many hands as possible In no trump. the reason the no trump Is not bid first is because 1t Is better to bid the fOur-card suits and thereby approach the best bid in the hand. If no trump Is the best declaration, the bidding of the four card suit will plug the weak spots in the hand and more safely get you into no trump declaration.
 Bidding of FOur-Card Suits
 Ahead of Longer Suits The writer has long advocated the bidding of four-card suits ahead l of five or even six card suits: q. E, you hold the king and queen and two small diamonds and the acc and king and three small spades | The writer prefers to start the bid- 1 ding with one diamond and theh on | the second round of bidding to shaw the spade suit. In this manner | your partner can easily read tha' t,t 1in 1 \ | and five spades.
 finder this system of bidding. the second suit shown almost always contains five or six cards. While it is quite true that in some cases you must bid two four-card suits, | the ma jority of hands arise where 1 inc distribution Is four-fve. The most important reason TOT bidding the four-card suit first IS tha while the size of the contract Ia small the four-card suit can be shown. When the size of the con tract is increased, we show the suit containing the longer number Often when you start off with the hve.card suit first. the bidding be- comes 30 high that it Is impossible | to show the second suit. and n may De IHdt oH'y III '"" "
 there game.
 The Ideal trump distribution is to have four In your hand and md four in your partners hhnd. !hhF ia . far better distribution than three In your partners hand ana five in yOur own. the majority of cases. three rounds of trump VIII pick up all the opponents trump With q fvc-three distribution. this would leave one hand without any trump for ruffing, but with TOUT card distribution. each hand VIII have one trump Tor ruhing Puf- poses.
 Another advantage in blddin: n l four-card suit ahead of five iS thnt if partner has support TOT DO, u suits. he will allow you to play m your short suit and your long si'' can then be used for valuable dis- cards: Q. F. If you held four hear,s and five spades. and partner he" | four hearts and four spades. ns yom have shown both suits. partner VII know the pattern of your hann' ne will then allow you to play .ne hand nt hearts 30 that you can use the fifth spade for vau'nh'e d's- card. Playing the hand at spades. me heart suit has no value except TOT the tricks that 1t will take istelf. hut playing the hand at hearts, me hearts may he used for trump. 'h" | spade suit can he quickly set. ann as stated above. the long spade VIII l allow y0u a valuable slun. (Copyright, 1881. NEA Servise Inc) 
 TEAR GAS ROuTS JANlToR. Sta mford. Conn - With tenrs streaming down his cheeks. hs janitor of the Fidelity Title Com