Evening star., 1947-07-01
Goren on Bridge
fcopyrisht, 1s47, by Charles H. Goren
No-TRUMP BIDDING.

In compliance with number O,
requests from various sections O,
the continent, I shall devote the
next few days to brief sketch Of
the methods advocate in no-trump
bidding.
I am offering no new ideas, for
there have been no new theories
advanced in no-trump bidding since
1884, at which time the Power
house No Trump" featured by
P. Hal Sims, which had then gained
an extensive vogue, slumped sud-
denly into oblivion.
With few minor divergences
which shall discuss presentely, the
requirements for various no-trump
bids and responses in most systems
at that time became standardized.
The practices which were outlined
in my first book in 1885 and to
which I still adhere, are currently
in use by over 95 per cent OF the
masters. This regard as high
form of recommendation, for in
their anxiety to win, the top-f1ight
tournament players may be relied
upon to select the best available
equipment.
Now for the method of counting.
I always preferred the count orig
inally sponsored by my partner and
associate, the late Milton c. Work
(A-4, ks, o., J-D. But have
never claimed for it superiority over
other methods of counting, to wit:
The four aces or Winslow AS, K-2.
Q-1, J-1s; Reith, AS, K-4, Q-3, J-2,
and the honor trick table. One is
no better than the other. Each has
it's own inflrmi les. My count has
the tendency to undervalue the ace.
The four aces count tends to under
value the jack. But in the last
analysis there isn't l per cent Of
difference between any two. And
l per cent in bridge is virtually
synonymous with nothing"
The 4-3-2-1 count is my choice be-
cause it is easier to remember.
There are 10 points in each suit,
and fractions, mental hazard to
many players, are thus avoided.
EAiSAA OAASAldi1y pxOlLoA1C1 GAAC oyo-
tenn I assigned the value of y to
the 10, but have since learned
from practical application that the
student will be better advised to
memorize the standard values and
then permit the presence or absence
of los to influence him one way or
the other in making close decisions.
I now defer to Milton Works su-
perior pedagogic wisdom in stating
that two los may be regarded as the .
equal of one jack.
Stated in these terms the require
ments for an opening one no-trump
bid are as follows: ID The hand
must be of a balanced distribution,
that is, 1888; 4-4-3-2, or 5-3-3-2.
(2 At least three suits must be pro-
tected, and if there is an unprotected
suit it must contain least three
cards. 90 The point count of the
hand must range from 16 to 10.
The requirements for two no.
trump opening bid are as follows:
% The hand must be of a balanced
distribution. % All suits must be
protected. 60 The point count of
the hand must range from % to a.
The requirements for an opening
bid of three no trump are similar
to those for two no trump except
that the point count of the hand
must range from Is to 81.
1t will be observed that there Is
gap between the maximum one no
trump Q9) and the minimum two
no trump (22). Hands counting 20
and 81 must not be opened with any
no trump. The reason is this: Such
hands will produce game if partner
has about two kings or an ace and
queen, in other words about six
points. But if you open with one no
trump partner holding only six
points will not raise and game may
be missed. The practice, therefore,
is to open such hands with one of
suit and then jump in no trump If
partner responds.
(This discussion tDiH be con-
timed t07norrO1D