EASY AUCTION BRIDGE

Greymouth Evening Star, 14 June 1930, Page 4

EASY AUCTION BRIDGE

LESSON 25. In tho lessons dealing with the play I have urged Declarer to plan the play df the hands in an endeavour to get game, but it is also very necessary for tho opponents to plan to try and prevent the Declarer scoring game. Expert players often realise that game is impossible against perfect defence; their only hope is for the opponents to make a mistake, and so allow game to be scored. Your first thought after seeing Dummy should be: “Can we prevent game?” An excellent convention, known various names such as “Peter,’ and “Come on” signal, but one which requires close attention, will help to prevent game. When partner leads the King from Ace, King, etc., \ and you hold only two cards of the suit, it does not matter what they are, play the highest on the King,, then the lowest on the Ace, if led. If yp u hold the Queen and Jack, play the Queen on the King. This should make partner sit up and take notice, and when he plays the Ace the fall of your Jack will tell him you can trump the third round. 'The “Come on” signal should always be given when holding only two cards. A wide-awake player will recognise the signal even if the cards are the three and two.

Another excellent play is to lead up to Dummy’s weakest suit. The deal given below, illustrates this play. NORTH.

Tile quick trick values are given at the, side of the suits. South should bid 1 Heart and West 1 Spade. North, holding five probable tricks, would raise to 2 Hearts. East should bid 2 Spades and South 3 Hearts, which ends the Auction.

West should lead the Queen of Clubs in preference to opening his Spade suit, and Dummy is then placed on the table with the trumps on the right. East can see two- Club tricks, and as partner did not lead the King of Spades, it must be held by South, and their only chance to prevent game is to take two Club tricks, and lead Spades through South. This is called “Leading through strength up to weakness,” and is one of the best plaiys for Declarer’s opponents. If East fails to take over West’s high Clubs, South’ would discard his Spades on Dummy’s Diamonds, and so make game. Keep your wits about you all the time, and try and prevent game being scored against you. ' Follow the play carefully and don’t forget to lead through strength up to weakness.

South now obtains the lead, exhausts the adverse trumps, and discards his losing Spade on the Diamond, scoring only 3 OVertricks in Hearts, 24 points and 9 times Honors —72 points.

"The following is the next deal for discussion: —

South. —Spades, K.J.3.2.; Hearts, A. 5.3; Diamonds, A.J.9; Clubs A.K.J. West. —Spades, 6.4.; Hearts, Q.J.10. 4.2; Diamonds, Q. 4.2; Clubs, Q. 8.3. North. —Spades, A.. 10.7.5; Hearts, 8.7.6; Diamonds, K. 10.7; Clubs 9.4.2. East. —Spades, Q. 9.8; Hearts, K. 9; Diamonds, 5.6.5.3; Clubs 10.7.6.5.

South is the Dealer, and the score love-all.

The Laws of Auction Bridge fill a booklet of about thirty pages, and the average player is not expected to learn them off by heart. Study bidding, and play before the Laws. However, there are certain matters under “Etiquette” which should be known to every player.

Declarations should be made simply, without and without undue delay. Don’t study your cards carefully for about a minute, and then say, “no bid.” *

When holding bad or good cards, don’t, by word or gesture, indicate the nature of your cards. It is not pleasant to play with people who throw the cards on the table and look disgusted when they hold poor cards. They depress their partners, and disgust all decent players. -Don’t call partner’s attention to the score after the cards have been dealt.

Always adopt the same tone for your bids. “No bid,” spoken in a disgusted tone, is unfair, just the same as paying “Good” in a cheerful voice, and smiling nicely when partner bids 1 no trump. Don’t throw a card from your hand before it is your turn to play. Don’t think you are the best player in the -world, and that you never make mistakes. (Copyright by S. N. Lythgo, Box 401, G.P.0., Melbourne).

Leader Suit Led Cards Played West Clubs Q. G. K. 5. East Spades J. K. A. 5. West Spades ,Q. 6. 3. 9. West Clubs 10. 7. A. 9.