THE GAME OF BRIDGE

Evening Post, Volume CXXX, Issue 108, 2 November 1940, Page 15

THE GAME OF BRIDGE

A player on picking up a strong hand should consider its possibilities from every point of view—his own score, the opponents' score, vulnerability or non-vulnerability of both sides, the possibility of a penalty score, and last, but not least, the psychology of his opponents, as' well as that of his partner. All these things he must keep in view as the bidding progresses. An opening bid on his right, for instance, may' give him the choice of two courses to follow. He may hold the requirements far a perfectly sound "book" bid, but sees a more profitable way of using his values by employing other tactics. Take the following hand for example:— £ K.J.9. . y Q.J.6. + k;q.j.s. I Jf, A.J.10. | jqp A.X.7. ■£ - 9 9.5.4. 4 A.6.2. | . : | 4> 1d.7.4./. 4» K- 9- 7- 4- South. 1 JJL Q. 5.2. -~ l• . 4»i0.5.4. -.-.,: .-; ■ I i o.'sis.'' I .4, 8.6.3. South dealer. East-West vulnerable. Score, love-all.

South passes and West bids one notrump. North's powerful hand, with its array of honour-tricks, fulfils all the requirements for a take-out double, and many players with North's hold-

PASS'NG ON A STRONG HAND (Specially Written for "The Post" by "Approach Bid.")

ing would not hesitate to adopt this course. A little consideration of the position by North, however, shows that with at least four honour-tricks revealed by West's opening bid, together with his own four honour-trick hand, there can be practically nothing left for either of the two remaining hands. Why, then, force his partner into what is almost certain to be a losing pro-j position? North should simply pass the opening bid. He knows that, with his powerful hand against them, the opponents at best can make only a part-score, while his chances of defeating any opposition contract of twoodd are very good. j Had the position been that one notrump would give the opponents game and, being vulnerable, a 700 rubber, North would employ different bidding tactics to meet a different situation. He would certainly double for a take-out, as he is prepared to make a sacrifice bid in order to save the rubber. His partner might possibly hold a weak five-card suit in a worthless hand. If so, the non-vulnerable penalty incurred would not be heavy—the contract might even be made. In the first situation. North can afford to play a waiting game, in the second, he is practically compelled to speak. A BOOMERANG. After a minimum (forced) response to a take-out double, the doubler must realise that a useful parkscore is all that the partnership can hope to make. Failure to recognise this important point led the take-out doubler into trouble on the following hand:—- ---♦ 6.2. * V K.G.5.4.3. ♦ 5. ! Jfc Q. 9.8.5.2. ♦ A.10.5.7. ■■■ * K.y.4.3. 9 A.10.9. - ■ - 8.7.2. ♦ K.Q. g « 4 8.7.6.3. Jf* K-J.10.0. South. Jf, 4.3. 4k Q.J.5. j « QJ. : + A..T.10.9.4.2. I South dealer. Both sides vulnerable. Score, love-all. The bidding: South. West. .North. liast. J (Jblc. jiaws 1 4k Z 4> -1 4>! I'iiss pass Übk. This hand was played ■ recently at rubber bridge. After the hand had been played, West, the doubler, announced that she would give up making take-out doubles, as her experience was that they usually resulted in a penalty score for her opponents. The fault lay, not with the convention, but with the doubler, who, hay ing employed the convention, did not know how to handle the situation after her partner's response. West's hand, in spite of its great strength and spade support, was now only worth a single raise, and the final contract should have been two spades. Souths rebid in the face of a take-out double, should have conveyed a further warning to West, but there was no stopping her. Led away by her good hand she jumped to four spades. South, knowing West for a very "free" bidder, doubled, hop^ ing to get a trick from his partner to set the contract.

He led the ,Ace of diamonds and continued with another diamond, which his partner, fortunately, was able to ruff. North-South made live tricks and EastWest were set two tricks for a penalty of 500 points, instead of being 60 up towards game.l - -■ ■