EASY AUCTION BRIDGE

Greymouth Evening Star, 18 June 1930, Page 3

EASY AUCTION BRIDGE

LESSON No. 26.

[special to “star.”]

I have repeatedly warned you about, the risk of a long suit being run against a no trump declaration, so preventing game. It is often possible to prevent such a suit being brought in by what is known as holding up, which means allowing the opponents to make two tricks in. that, suit, so that one player will be unable to lead :t. Last hand illustrates the. play, and. when using it, all finessing must hv done towards the hand holding no more of the suit, usually th-.- one on the right.

The quick trick values are given at the side of*the suits. South should bid 1 no trump, and the others must agree. In this case. West should not lead his fourth highest; hokl'ng a three-card sequence, the leal is the Queen. East must, unblock by playing tho King on the Queen, otherwise hn would not be able to return the lead if South, allowed h ; n Io win the second trick with the King. When holding one or more high cards of partner’s suit, make sure you do not block it. Note that ail finesses are attempted on the second roam] of the suit, and tho Club finesse is not ti'keii; why risk game, for one trick, 10 points? Leader Suit Led Cards Played West Hearts Q., 6, K., 3. East , Hearts 9,5, 10,7. West Hearts- J., 8.D.3, A; South Spades ' K., -1, 5, 8. South Spades J., 6,7, Q. East Clubs 5, A., 3,2. South Diamonds A., 2,7, 5. South Diamonds J., 4, 10, 6. South Diamonds 9, Q., K., 8. North Spades A., 9. 2, H.2. North Spades 10, C. 6, 3, I-1.4. North Clubs 4,7, K., 8. South Clubs J., Q., 9, 10. The result is, 3 over at no trumps 30 points, game. Thic concludes tho lessons dealing with the play; the next lesson consists of Questions, and the concluding one of the series provid-.s the Answers. If you would like the complete sets in column form, as published in this paper, send a postal not-j for 1/6 to Box 401, G.P.0., Melbourne. You cannot learn bridge in one- season, so read the lessons over occasionally and refresh your memory. Letters on bridge subjects sent to me at the above address will be prom pt y answered, provided .a stamped, addressed envelope is enclosed. In any case, I would like to know if you have derived any benefit from the lessons. CONTRACT BRIDGE. Contract Bridge has taken a strong hold in Europe and America. It is a natural development from Auction, and players should know a little about rbo new game.

The play of the hands at Contract ’s exactly the same as at Auction, but I the bidding and scoring are different. To play Contract, you must be a good player, and, what is more important, a good bidder, because the number of tricks bid me the only ones scored be'low the line. If a bid of two spades is made, and four over obtained, only two spades are scored bNow the line, but a bonus of 50 points per trick is scored above the line. Game at Contract is IDOjioints, and no thumps are worth 35 points per trick, Spades and Heads, ho points; Diamonds and Clubs, 20 points; so 3 no trumps or 4 in a major suit, and 5 in a minor suit, me required for game as at Auction.

A side winning one game are vulnerable; -when game-all, they are both vulnerable ,and this vulnerable feature strongly influences the bidding. Winning a two-game rubber is worth 700 points, and a three-game rubber 500 points, so that winning one game in the rubber is worth 200 points. Fifty points are scored by opponents for all undoubled undertricks, but when Declarer is vulnerable and undoubled, the penalty for undertricks is 100 points for the first and 200 points for subsequent tricks. Doubling, of course, doubles those values, so a vulnerable Declarer doubled would lose 600 points if set. two tricks. Over bidders do not receive much mercy at Contract. Little Slam bid and made is worth 500 points, and Grand Slam 750 points. When vulnerable, the above values are double, i.e., 1000 and 1500 points. The bidding system given in these lessons can be used for Contract, provided a little extra strength is held. A dealer at Auction is quite safe, with two quick tricks, but at Contract two and a-half quick tricks are advisable Certain other bids made at. Contract make it advisable for players to study the game, either from a book or receive lessons before attempting to play it. (Copyright by S. N. Lythgo, Box 401, G.P.0., Melbourne).