Evening star., 1934-05-20

~ ERHAPS you wonder why ] am
spending so much time on
psychics, when they are not a
i recognized part of any &C
credited method of teaching
bridge. We must not, like so many
ostriches, blind our eyes to the foibles
of other players. Psychics are being
used widely today. Against inexperi-
enced players they are often pow
erful weapon against any one who be-
lieves firmly in the axioms, Trust
thy partner" and BE unafraid to
double" they may prove murderous
trap for their sponsors.
The most unfortunate results Of a
psychic bid are generally arrived at
because your partner fails to realize
that you made an unconventional
opening or overcall. For example,
the bidding goes: One heart, four
hearts, four spades. five hearts, five
spades, six hearts, double, six spades,
double, seven hearts, double, seven
spades, double-down five or six tricks.
Afterward the mutual recriminations
start. South says defenSively that he
had five hearts to the king queen and
to know you were bidding psychic?"
he demands. North. who didn't have
a heart in his hand, merely mutters
to himself.
Both sides were definitely at fault.
This is no place to blame North for
having made the opening psychic. He
probably had his own deep motives
for the crime. The most obvious one
is an attempt to shut the opponents
out of a game in hearts. But If I
suddenly went crazy and opened the
bidding on a void suit, would respect
my partners Jump to game, unless my
rescue suit was so long that could
show it twice without danger Of be-
ing seriously hurt at an eventual con-
tract Of five or six.
That brings us automatically to the
Ways and Means Committee, on how
to tell if your partner has made an
opening psychic.
Q) If your partner takes himself
out of a doubled-suit contract in
which you have given him a raise, do
not take him back to his original suit.
He knows where the strength OF your
hand lies. Presumably he has some
good reason for refusing to play the
contract in the suit for which you
have shown support.
(2) If your partner bids and re-
bids a second suit, after you have
shown him support for his first suit,
the same reasoning applies. There
are exceptions. of course. If the bid
ding goes, one diamond, one heart
Qrom you), one spade, two diamonds,
two spades, your partner may be at
tempting to show you a six-card dia-
mond and five-card spade suit. II,
however, he takes out twice over q
double raise from you-then is the
time to beware-particularly on over
calls. A takeout twice in a minor
suit, when he has originally bid .
major suit. Is also suspicious sign.
I have been attempting to show
you how to prevent the contracts
reaching ridiculous heights. because
you won't believe the openers subse-
quent denials Of his original suit. Any
catastrophe is, however. mainly his
fault for having opened with
psychic in the first place. II 1t turns
out that you-not the opponents
have the big hand, he is, to put It
broadly, up tree. Naturally he can
not pass any force you give him for
fear that a possible game or slam
may be missed. He can only give
constant sign-offs, hoping that you will
recognize the weakness Of his OPEN
ing bid.
Don't cruelty your partner by the
leaping lena method Of bidding. Learn
to recognize his sign-offs. If you give
him the strongest sort Of bidding, and
he remains persistently pessimistic in
his responses. let the fact dawn on
your consciousness that he may have
opened or overcalled on q subnormal
hand. II the opponents overcall and
he passes, he Is trying TO tip you of.
Don't be too reckless about re-enter-
ing the bidding. unless your distrinu-
ton can stand double.
(Copyright 1e34)
Mr. Sims will answer all inquiries on