BRIDGE NOTES

Press, Volume LXXI, Issue 21464, 4 May 1935, Page 9

BRIDGE NOTES

I "TOWIE" I ISI'KCIALLV WIUTTEM FOH, MS KtBSS.) 18/ WILLIAM SHACKLE.] 1 In last week's article a description was given and the scoring explained, of the latest bridge game called "Towie." To continue:— As no game is played unless a game contract has been bid, it can readily be understood that there are peculiar possibilities for bids of one and provided the suit is a minor one for bids of two, for no possible penalty can be incurred by making .such a bid. Two no trumps or two of either major suit is too risky, for one is liable to bo doubled, with disastrous results if the bid has been in the nature cf a bluff, with the intention of stopping an opponent from bidding into no trumps." The only real advantage of a bid of a less point value than game, other than as before mentioned, as a bluff, is to give one';; partner some guide as to his opening lead. Thus, for example, suppose one held 12 small cards plus an ace, it would be in order to bid one of the ace suit, even though the ace were a singleton. The "honest" bid of two is meant to give partner the information that one is holding a long suit with either a major or minor tenace, so that he may at the right moment lead that suit to the disadvantage of declarer. Such bids .make the game less a matter of chance, as they ensure That the two who become partners against the ultimate declarer will have at least some opportunity of playing as a team instead of as isolated units. Immediately a hand has been played the declarer has to vacate his seat to any member who has been sitting out. This applies equally whether the contract was made or defeated. The one exception to this rule is that if a nonvulnerable player fails to obtain his contract he does not give way to a vlunerablc inactive player. Thus he is given a further opportunity to win a game and thus retrieve his losses. The reason for this is to level up the game to a certain extent for, as the declarer pays or receives from all the others making up the table, both active and inactive members, there arc sometimes very heavy losses or gains even in one hand, for it must bo remembered that the declarer has made his bid, while yet seven cards are unknown to him (only six of dummy's cards being turned up before the bidding), with Ihe result Ihat quite unexpected disasters are liable to occur, especially when one no ti'tirr.os.

It is a game worthy of a few trials, and as previously mentioned, a real gamble.