THE GAME OF BRIDGE PART-SCORE BIDDING

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 19, 23 January 1937, Page 19

THE GAME OF BRIDGE

PART-SCORE BIDDING

Continuing the discussion on partscore bidding in last week's notes, further points are given below. BIDDING TO ONE'S OWN PART SCORE. Concealing Strength.—With an advanced part score, the partner of the opening bidder is in a very favourable position if he holds a iairly strong hand. He can afford to lie low and await developments.

Suppose North, with a part score of fiO, opens the bidding with one club, East passes, and South holds 4k K. 10.8, f A.J.9, *Q. 10.4. With such a hand, he knows that game is assured, but that there is very little chance of a slam. At the same time he would like to encourage West to bid. as against any bid of twt> he has a very damaging hand. He therefore responds to his partner's opening bid of one club with one no-trump. If, instead, he bid one diamond, West could bid one heart or one spade, whereas a one no-trump response, besides concealing the strength of the hand, may tempt West at the score to make an overcall of two, hoping that South's one no-trump meant a very weak hand. It follows then, that in this situation, West must regard a one no-trump re-1 sponse by South as a possible trap, andj must tread warily. Concealing- Weakness.—When partner has opened with a part score, it is much more difficult for the responding hand to conccal weakness than to conceal strength. Yet, in this situation, the greater the weakness, the greater the reason for concealment. Mr. Culbertson gives the following hand as an illustration of this point'— Suppose North, with a part score, opens the bidding with one club, South holds— 4 8.6, V 7, + Q.J.10.6.2, £K. 7.5.4.2. South must overcall with two notrumps whether East makes an intervening bid or not. After any rebid by North, South, of course, must take his partner back to four clubs. A direct pre-emptive raise to four clubs by South, after North's opening bid, would be recognised by the opponents at once for what it was—no defence values—and instead of shutting them out, would be more likely to encourage them to bid. As South's bid of two no-trumps is forcing, North must rebid, even if an j opposition overcall is made. South then returns to clubs, so that the two no-trump take-out by him is not the dangerous bid it appears to be, as his j partner will certainly leave the contract in clubs. With a part score of 40, 50, or CO, a shaded raise of partner's opening bid j of one spade should be given on the following hand: — 4k 9.8.5.4, *9.6, ♦Q. 8.7.5. * 9.8.7, j Although the hand actually has less than the requirements for" even a shaded raise at the risk of going down one extra trick, the partnership may score a game. With a part score of 40 or 50, a response of one no-trump to any opening bid of one in a suit should be considered unconditionally forcing for one round, since only two in a major or three iri a minor suit are required for game. After an opening two bid with a part score, the procedure is as follows: — (a) An opening two bid in a suit is

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bidder must bid at least once more. If he raises responder's suit, it is in turn forcing for one round. If he bids a new suit, or jumps one trick in his own suit, it is also forcing for one round. As in the case of the opening two-bid, any bid in a new suit and any jump in a suit previously bid is forcing for one round thereafter, but, if either partner simply rebids his suit ■ or bids no-trumps, the other may j^iss. An opening four-bid with a part score is purely a shut-out bid. The two-way three bid means exactly the same thing as when there is no score, and partner's responses are the same, The common belief that a bid is strength-showing because it is higher than is needed for game is entirely incorrect. Having at his disposal an opening two bid and a jump suit response. a player does not need to use the regular pre-emptive bid to show strength, and such bids are particularly valuable in part-score situations. A double raise in partner's suit, or a non-jump suit take-out which is ordinarily forcing for one round, means exactly the same with or without a ] i part score. These bids are not fore-! ing when game has already been reached. ! In general, an opening two no-trump' bid or a jump response' of two no-j trumps should not be made. With hands of this type it is better tactics to keep the bidding low, and give the opponents every opportunity to overcall. LOOSE COVER MAGIC Loose covers can change the old. dovvn-at-thc-heel chairs and couches into new, colourful, charming piecGs of furniture, states an exchange. Loose cover material should be durable, and it should be suitable both to the piece of furniture it covcrs and to the room in which it is used. A small design or a solii colour looks best on a small chair, in a material which does not give a bulky effect. A large chair, on the other hand, may be covered with a plain material, a small inconspicuous design, or a large pattern, depending on which lits best into the general colour scheme of the room. Dark, plain material against a light background may rnan.o a chair seem larger than does a patterned fabric which has for its background the colour used on the walls. Coarser weaves are more suited to big chairs than to small ones. Chairs with simple straight lines may have bolder elfects in the colour, pattern, and textUre of their coverings than those lightly built and witn graceful designs. If some of the wood is to be left uncovered, consider the elTcct. A smooth satiny mahogany, for instance, does not look its best next to coarse fabrics of strong colours. No matter what the colour, design and texture used, material for loose covers ujiould have a firm weave so that the slip cover can hold its shape and stand Arm wear. Avoid materials with loose threads which may catch on buttons. The covers, if -possible, should be sun-fast and pre-shrunk. If material is likely to shrink badly, it is best to shrink it before it is cut.