FIVE SUIT BRIDGE

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 3, 4 July 1938, Page 3

FIVE SUIT BRIDGE

SUGGESTIONS FOR SCORING

The committee presided over by Lieutenant-Colonel H. M. Beasley, which has been considering the rules and method of scoring for Five Suit Bridge in Britain, proposes to make drastic changes which will place the four existing suits on an equality for game bids, says 'The Times."

In a" draft scheme which has been prepared the score required to make a game is 150, points, and Spades, Hearts, Diamonds, and Clubs, while maintaining their established precedence, will all count 30 points for each trick over the "book" of eight tricks. It will be necessary therefore to.bid five in each of these suits which will involve making 13 tricks •to secure game on one hand. The new suit Royal will count 40 points arid No Trumps 50 points, Four Boyals or Three No Trumps being a game bid. The game points will be 250 for the first game gained by each side, scored when the game is made, and 750 points for the rubber game. .The bonuses for slams will be for. the Small Slam (14 tricks) 250 not vulnerable, 500 vulnerable; Grand Slam (15 tricks). 500 not vulnerable and 1000 vulnerable; and for the Royal Slam (16 tricks) 1000 not vulnerable and 2000 vulnerable. PENALTIES FOR "FLAG FLYING.* One of the complaints against Four Suit Bridge has been, that rubbers last too long. The committee proposes to deal with this complaint by increasing the penalties for failure to make a contract in'order to, prevent "flag flying" to save the rubber. Not vulnerable and not doubled the penalties will be 50 points, for the first under trick and 100 for each subsequent trick; doubled they will be 100 for the first trick, 200 for the second trick, and 300 for each subsequent trick. The vulnerable penalties are 100 for the first trick and 200 for each subsequent trick, doubled 200 for the first trick, 400 for the second trick, and" 600 for each subsequent trick. The penalties for failure when, doubled are heavy, but it has been.found in practice that the fifth suit has made so great a difference to the game that it is exceedingly dangerous to double. The score for over tricks when doubled is 150 not. vulnerable and 300 vulnerr able. The Honours premiums will be: Five Aces in one hand, 300; Five Honours, 150; Four Aces, .150; Four Honours, 100. For duplicate play the same bonus will be 500 not vulnerable, 750 vulnerable.

These suggestions put forward in the draft report are to be tested in practice at two duplicate pairs contests to bo held at the Harrogate Congress and after studying the results obtained there the committee will draw up its final report.