White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1932-10-20
|: Modern Contract
!: Bridge By Leila 1,.,ters'ey
No. 10.
The Scale of Raises for Suit

DA0S VI /uS
THE rule that when in supporting
i partners suit bid your hand con-
tains two short suits you should count
only one Of them, the shorter, and
ignore the second, prevents overvalua-
ton.
A short suit takes on increasing
value if 1t has been previously bid
by your partner. A short suit also
has slightly more value with three
trumps if one Of these is an ace or q
king.
But 1t must be particularly noted
that ruffing tricks are not increased
in value by the presence of more than
four trumps in the dummy hand.
In raising your partners bid suit,
count the sum total of your playing
tricks in trumps, and in long and
short side suits with their honor
values. Then subtract three tricks
Expected by partner) and give one
raise for each trick left over. That
is, with four assisting tricks, raise
once; with five assisting tricks, raise
twice, etc. In raising your partners
bid, always show at once the full
value of your support, stopping only
alta game contract unless you have
reason to look for a slam.
An additional II trick (3h totaD
is sufficient for the first raise. Also
when the next player passes after
your partners opening suit bid of
one, it is imperative that you keep
the bidding open. So, with no good
alternative, you may raise the bid
on only the expected assisting tricks.
But in this situation you will usually
have some take-out which offers a
better alternative.
Taking Out Partners Suit Bid
of One
When unable to support your part
ners major suit, or wishing to take
him out Of minor, look for bid
dable suit. Holding any biddable suit,
with a total Of Ia honor-tricks in
your hand, regulation take-out of
one over one is practically compul-
sorry. When your take-out requires a
bid of two, your suit should rarely
be four-carder. If the next player
passes after your partners original
suit bid of one, if holding III honor
tricks, remember that you must keep
the bid open, whenever possible, If
not with a raise or a suit take-out,
then with a take-out Of one no trump.
A suit take-out of one over one may
run as high as 21a honortricks so
the original bidder, in his turn, must
always be on the alert to keep such
a take-out open unless every bit of
his strength has already been de-
clared.
Only when you hold 3 honor-tricks
may your take-outs be jumped" 9th
erwise you should declare bid just
sufficient to cover your partners
opening.
When you hold the 8 or more hon
or-tricks, which, in conjunction with
the 21a shown by your partners orig
inal bid, tell you that your partner
ship is in the game zone, you must
be sure that the bidding will not be
dropped until the promised game is
reached. In taking-out with no
trump bid, you would have to con-
tract for the game Immediately as
there is no forcing take-out In no
trumps. But with a suit bid, you may
be assured that you will have another
chance to declare yourself if you take
out with a jump of one more than
necessary.
1t must be clearly understood that
while the forcing take-out always In
dicates sufficient complementary hon
or strength automatically to put your
partnership in the game zone, it does
not necessarily show dominating
suit.
The message of a forcing take-out
reads something like this:
partner, this looks like game
hand. 1t may possibly be a slam
You must keep the bidding open ir
one of the following ways: (1st) Civ
ing me a raise If you have support
for my suit, (2nd) Rebuilding your
own suit if it is worth tricks, (3rd)
Naming a second suit if you have
one, (4th) Covering my bid with JUS
the required number of no trumps /!
you have nothing additional to show
or (5th) Jumping the no trump take
out if you have more strength. Dom
worry about the outcome. have an
other bid in reserve. Or il we canno
get together on suit, our hono1
tricks are sufficient to see us through
game bid at no trumps."
70, 1882. by Leila Hattersley.)-WNUS ervic
Porpoise Joined Swimmer
While several hundred yards from