THE BRIDGE TABLE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20229, 13 April 1929, Page 5 (Supplement)

THE BRIDGE TABLE.

BIDDING IN CONTRACT.

BT MA JOE TENAO.

Since at contract only odd tricks bid and made are scored below the line, partners who have game or slam between their hands must bid tho requisite number of tricks if they wish to win game or tho slam bonus. But if they Jiave only five odd tricks at no trumps or a major suit, that is game, but not slam, they not only run an unnecessary risk, but definitely loso by bidding above the requirement for game unless forced to do so by the opponents; and if they cannot go game, they lose by bidding moro than the minimum necessary to secure the contract. The reason is that tricks contracted for and made do not score as much as tricks made in excess of contract, and though it is worth while to score at tiie lower rate <o win g.in;o or slam, it is as well, when neither of these objects can bo achieved, to get the highest possibls return for any tricks in excess of the minimum requirement. To illustrate this: Suppose that at love score two partners can make five odd at no trumps, and their opponents do not intervene in tho bidding. If they bid five and make them they will score 175 below the line, whereas if they bid three to ensure game they will score 105 below the line and 100 aboye, or a total of 30 more. Bidding to the Score. These two considerations—first, the necessity of bidding for game or slam if either is to be scored, and, second, the advisability of keeping the contract as low as possible when one or other of these objects cannot be achieved—lie at the root of the whole system of contract bidding. The second consideration need not be taken seriously into account at Jove score, for in a rubber of 600 to 1200 points 30 one way or the other do not make much difference. But it becomes important when one side has a partial score toward game, for the difference between a contract score of five and a game bid and overtricks can be more than 100 points. It behoves contract players to bid to the score as scrupulously as auclion players play to it. Scientific bidding at auction consists in informing partner.of tho strength of one's hand; but the information can be imparted gradually unless it is thought advisable to shut the opponents out, for if a low bid is left in no harm is done since overtricks score toward game, and if opponents overbid there is an opportunity for giving further details on the next round. .At contract this gradual unfolding of strength will not do. A player must tell his partner as early as possible whether his hand offers any game-going possibilities, so that partner may bid up for game or keep the contract down, according to the support which he can give. Yet it does not do to show the full strength of a hand at once, for this will often preclude a switch and the combination of the two hands at the best bid. Certain conventions are, therefore, necessary to indicate certain types of hands without exhausting their bidding possibilities. The Two Quick Tricks. In the early days of the present American code, players were rather overawed by the penalties for undertricks, and abandoned the whole system of light initial bids which had been developed at auction. They insisted that an initial bid should not bo made without two quick tricks, and at least a king on the side, but it has since been realised that, since the two quick tricks minimum wins more often than it loses at auction, there is no reason why it should not do the same at contract. Moreover, two quick tricks have such a strong defensive value that to pass on a hand that contains them places a player at a distinct disadvantage when the opponents secure the contract. Some authorities recommend using the auction minimum for an initial bid when invulnerable, and the early contract minimum when vulnerable. My own view is that this is unnecessary. The most that can be said for any system of bidding is that it wins more often than it loses. The scoring does not affect this in the least, and since the two quick tricks minimum for an initial bid has stood the test of time, I do not see why it should be abandoned merely because the penalty for failure is increased. _ The only hands on which I would make an initial bid at auction but pass at contract are hands containing a five-card suit ace high, with an ace outside and no other honour; and hands containing a four card suit to the ace-king with nothing outside. I bid those hands at auction because most of those with whom I play do so, but I havo never cared lor them very much, and I think they are too risky at contract. For the rest, I keep to the auction minimum bids at both no trumps and trump suits. Accepted Conventions. Where contract bidding differs most markedly from auction is in the necessity for initial bids of more than one, and for raising partner's uncontested bid to show the possibilitv of winning game or slam. Suppose at auction a player holds the following hand:—S—A Iv 10 xx x ; H A K x . D_A x- C—x x; and his partner holds S-x x*; ' il-Q 10 xx; D-x xx; C A Q x x If the player bids t#ie spade and neither opponent overcalls, ho will be left in with the bid, for his partner can neither support nor deny spades, though ho holds a fairly good all-round hand. At auction this does not matter, for game will be won at whatever declaration the contract is secured. But in contract the two players would miss a practically certain game. This situation shows the necessity for initial bids of moro than one to which well-established meanings are attached. The following are the conventions most widely recognised in America : An initial bid of two no trumps indicates that a player has good prospects of game if his partner has anything better than normal support for a bid of_ one. Now a minimum no truinper at auction is a hand a queen above average strength, and it is supposed to be worth four tricks in attack. _ Normal support from partner is three tricks, 'lo make an initial no trump bid of two at contract, therefore, a player should have five probable tricks and a possiblo sixth. Also all four suits should be more or less guarded, though possibly, with three strong suits, and one unguarded but not numerically short, the bid may be allowed. Here are two hands which illustrate the minimum strength:—S—Q, J7; H—KJIO4; q3. c—A 10 5. One suit unguarded: S—A K; H—A Q 10; D—A Iv Q5; C—--9 7 4 3. . v t An initial suit bid of two indicates a holding of seven probable tricks, with such length of the suit bid Lhat the player can dispenso with normal support in the suit from his partner. The suit, therefore, should be of at lc.ast six caids headed by at least one quick trick, and the hand should contain at least two more quick tricks and a probable third. Hero is an example:—S—A Iv J75 2; H—A 6; D—K 10 3; C—B 7. I will deal next week with original game bids and tho method of showing two-suiters.