HANDS IN WHICH A TRUMP DECLARATION IS DOUBTFUL

Spades Ace, King, X, X, X Has five Spades headed by Ace Hearts X, X, X and King. With Royals Trump has Diamonds X, X, X two high-card tricks, and can Clubs X, X take at least one with small cards. It is, therefore, a one Royal bid.

Spades King, X, X, X Has not high-card strength Hearts King, Knave, X, X, X sufficient for either a Heart or Diamonds X, X two-Spade bid. One Spade is the Clubs X, X correct call.

Spades X, X Complies with all the requirements Hearts King, Queen, X, X, X of a Heart bid.

Diamonds Ace, Knave, X Clubs X, X, X

Spades X, X, X Has only four Hearts; is, Hearts King, Queen, X, X therefore, a one Spade call.

Diamonds Ace, Knave, X Clubs X, X, X

Spades X, X, X Has only four Hearts, but has Hearts Ace, Queen, Knave, X sufficient high-card strength Diamonds Ace, Queen, X to justify a Heart bid.

Clubs X, X, X

Spades Ace, Queen, X, X A two Spade bid; with one more Hearts X, X, X Spade, it would be one Royal.

Diamonds Ace, X, X Clubs X, X, X

Spades Ace, Knave, X A two Spade bid. With two more Hearts X, X, X, Spades, it would be one Royal.

Diamonds King, Queen, X Clubs X, X, X, X

Spades Ace, Knave, X, X Either two Spades or one Club Hearts X, X could be bid, but the Club is Diamonds X, X distinctly preferable.

Clubs Ace, Queen, Knave, X, X

Spades King, X, X, X A one Spade bid, as it has not Hearts Ace, X, X two honors in Spades.

Diamonds Knave, X, X Clubs Knave, X, X

Spades Queen, Knave, Ten, X, X, A three Spade bid; cannot be X, X started as a Royal without Ace Hearts Ace, Queen or King, and so strong, one Spade Diamonds King, Knave, X might not be overbid.

Clubs King

Spades None A two or three Heart bid.

Hearts Ace, King, Knave, Ten, X, X Diamonds Queen, Knave, Ten Clubs Ace, X, X, X

Spades Ace, King A one Heart bid. So strong that Hearts Ace, King, Knave, Ten, a higher call is unnecessary, as X, X adverse bidding is desired.

Diamonds Queen, Knave, Ten Clubs King, Queen

Spades Ace, King, Knave, Ten, A three Royals bid. Important to X, X, X shut out adverse bidding.

Hearts None Diamonds X, X Clubs Ace, King, X, X

Spades X, X A two Diamonds bid.

Hearts King, X, X Diamonds Ace, King, Queen, X, X, X Clubs X, X

Spades Ace, King, Knave, X, X Should either be bid one Club Hearts X and subsequently Royals, or Diamonds X, X started at two Royals to shut out Clubs Ace, King, X, X, X other bidding.

Spades King, X While this hand has more than Hearts Ace, King, Queen sufficient high-card strength to Diamonds X, X, X, X justify an offensive bid, it is only Clubs X, X, X, X a Spade. Two Spades would mislead the partner as to length and strength of Spades and might induce him to bid high Royals; one Heart would mislead him as to length of Hearts; having, however, called one Spade, the hand can advance any declaration of the partner and if the partner bid either Clubs or Diamonds, can call No-trump.

Spades King, Knave, X, X, X, Should not be bid one Royal, as X, X that deceives partner as to Hearts X, X high-card strength; two Spades Diamonds X, X invites a No-trump, which is not Clubs X, X wanted. Either three Spades or one Spade should be called. The hand, outside of Spades, is so weak that the latter is the wiser bid.

Spades Queen, Ten, X, X Spade honors are too weak for two Hearts Ace, X, X Spades. One Spade is the only Diamonds X, X, X sound bid.

Clubs X, X, X

Spades X One Club should be bid, followed, Hearts Queen, Knave, Ten, X, regardless of the partner's X, X, X declaration, with Hearts.

Diamonds None Clubs Ace, King, X, X, X

Spades Queen, Knave, Ten, X, Three Spades, and on the next X, X round, Hearts, unless the partner Hearts King, Knave, Ten, X, has bid _two_ Royals.

X, X Diamonds None Clubs X

Spades Knave, Ten, Nine, X, X, X This very interesting hand affords Hearts None a number of correct original bids.

Diamonds Ace, Knave, X One Club, three Spades, and one Clubs Ace, Queen, Knave, X Spade are all sound; the latter is not apt to be left in, as a Heart call is most probable, the long hand in that suit containing at least five. Three Suits being stopped, with more than an average hand, one No-trump is also technically correct. The chances are, however, that the hand will produce better results if the Trump be Royals, and as the call of one No-trump may stand, it is not wise to open the bidding that way. Three Spades seems the most advisable declaration, as it gives the information most important for the partner to receive. The risk in calling one Spade, while slight, is totally unnecessary, and one Club does not warn the partner not to bid Hearts, if he have anything in Spades.

Should three Spades be called and the partner declare one Heart, the dealer on the next round could try No-trump, but one Club, followed by one Heart from partner, would necessitate a Royal from the dealer, as the absence of Spades in the partner's hand is not then announced.

In the event of the small Club being transposed to a Diamond, so that the hand contain four Diamonds and three Clubs, three Spades would unquestionably be the most advantageous original call.

III

SECOND HAND DECLARATIONS

The Second Hand bids under two totally dissimilar conditions. The Dealer of necessity has declared and, either by a call of one Spade, shown comparative weakness, or, by an offensive declaration, given evidence of strength.

It is obvious that whether the Dealer be strong or weak materially affects the question of how the Second Hand should bid, as it makes quite a variation in the number of tricks he has the right to expect to find in his partner's hand. This, however, is not the only, and, possibly, not the most important difference.

When the Dealer has called one Spade, it is practically certain, should the Second Hand pa.s.s, that he will have another opportunity to enter the bidding. When, however, the Dealer has declared a suit or No-trump, it is possible, if the Second Hand fail to declare, that no other bid will be made, and the declaration of the Dealer will stand.

It is, therefore, readily seen that, in the first case, the Second Hand is making an initial declaration; in the other, a forced bid.

BIDDING OVER ONE SPADE

When Auction was in its infancy, the authorities advised the Second Hand, regardless of the character of his cards, to pa.s.s a declaration of one Spade. The reason given was that the Third Hand would have to take his partner out, which might prove embarra.s.sing, and that a bid by the Second Hand would release his left-hand adversary from this, possibly, trying position.

Modern Auction developments have proven the futility of this idea. The Third Hand of to-day is not troubled by any obligation to take the Dealer out of "one Spade," and will not do so without considerable strength. Should the Second Hand pa.s.s, with winning cards, the Fourth Hand may be the player who finds himself in the awkward position, and if, adopting the conservative course, he allow the Spade declaration to stand, a good chance to score game may be lost by the failure of the Second Hand to avail himself of his opportunity.

Second Hand silence is not now regarded as golden, but there is still some question as to the amount of strength required to make a declaration advisable. Some authorities believe the Second Hand should pa.s.s, unless his cards justify him in expecting to make game. This theory was for a time very generally accepted, and even yet has a considerable following. Experience, however, has convinced most of its advocates that it is unsound, and it is being rapidly abandoned.

It is now conceded that the deal is quite an advantage, because of the opportunity it gives the Dealer to strike the first blow. It follows that when the Dealer has been obliged to relinquish his favorable position, it is the height of folly for the Second Hand, when he has the requisite strength, not to grasp it. Furthermore, the Dealer having shown weakness, the adverse strength is probably in the Third Hand.

Should the Third Hand call No-trump, the Fourth Hand will be the leader, and it will then be important for him to know which suit his partner desires opened. On the first round of the declaration, this can be indicated by a bid of one, but after the No-trump, it takes two, which, with the strength over the bidder, may be dangerous.

The bid of the Second Hand, furthermore, makes the task of his left-hand adversary more difficult and may prevent a No-trump. It certainly aids the Fourth Hand--indeed, it may be just the information he needs for a game declaration.

It seems clear, therefore, that the Second Hand should show his strength when he has the chance. He should not, however, carry too far the principles above outlined. It is just as fatal for the Second Hand as for the Dealer, to deceive his partner.

WHEN TO BID NO-TRUMP