Evening star., 1934-05-10
.Conquering Contract
BY p. HAL SIMS.

should now bid the suit for the pur.
pose of getting him to choose for you
whether the hand should be played
in your suit or his suit or no trumps.
The safety of the hand as you now
see it will generally dictate your policy
pretty clearly when you are doubtful
about bidding for game and wish to
hear once more from your partner
before committing the hand to three
no trumps. Perhaps we are then more
concerned with method than with the
selection of treatment when two or
more are worthy of consideration in
the particular circumstances which
have arisen. My reference today Is to
hands where you have already decided
to bid for game in no trumps, after
hearing your partners first response,
and your decision whether or not to
mention your lung concealed suit Is
based only on strategic reasons con-
cerned with the playing angle and not
concerned with the nature of the
ultimate contract, since you have al
ready decided on three no trumps.
The main factor will be the effect your
second bid may have on the opening
lead and on the first play which your
right-hand opponent may make If he
gets the lead later. If you bid this
hidden suit, will it tend to produce a
favorable lead or to deter one? On
the last few occasions when he had to
open against you under somewhat
similar conditions did your left-hand
opponent find Oh analysis that If he
had opened a suit you had bid he
would have embarrassed you. not be-
cause you could be hurt in that suit,
but because some other lead would
have saved you a guess or even a trick
or two by saving you from having
eventually to lead it first yourself? In
the main, with a concealed suit, such
as A K Q X, tend to bid the suit
SO as to induce them to lead some
other suit. may have A @ X, AK,
K in the other suits and pray for
a lead in any of them. Will the men,
ton of my Dig suit induce them to
lead another one? Or will the leader
remember this same strategy from an
earlier experience, and decide that /
bid the suit because wanted him to
lead something else? Here again you
must invoke psychology and imag-
lnation in order to select the treat
ment which is more likely to obtain
strategic playing advantage for YOU.
You may have to do the very reverse
OF the obvious thing. At another time
your main suit may itself contain a
flneSs. holding: A K Jxx or A @ j
Xxx. A lead in that suit would come
straight from heaven. How can you
brighton of 1kf i~;~
it? BY bidding the suit, giving the
inference that you want something
else led? Or by keeping quiet about
it. hoping that the leader does not
hold the missing honor. and may lead
"the top of nothing" in order not to
jeopardize honors he holds in the
other suits, or merely because he Is a
fine contract player, making what he
hopes will be a harmless lead against
a Sims no-trump bidder. who is surely
well prepared for a lead OF the fourth
best away from some honor or honor
combination?
These decisions are among the high
spots in contract thrills. canont
decide them for you. thank goodness
All I ask is that you do not expect
Vic Ciiiio SySVCii W give yOu Cut.
and-dried procedure to rob the occa-
sion of all its interest We offer
choice of treatments. each having its
logical sequel to take care of the next
round of bidding It is up to you
to make your choice
(Copyright, 1934)
Mr. Sims will answer all inquiries on
contract that are addressed to this news
paper with a self-addressed. stamped
envelope.