AUCTION BRIDGE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18937, 6 December 1929, Page 13

AUCTION BRIDGE.

QUICK TRICKS.

(By

A. E. MANNING FOSTER.)

As an example of how the quick trick system works out in actual play, take this hand. Score, game all; A-B 20 in rubber game, Y S—A 2 H —Q 6 4 D—A KQB6 C—Q J 4 A R Z S—9 7 6 lI—A 8 3 D—9 5 4 3 C—A K 3 Z deals, and, not being a “quick tricker.” says “No bid"; A, “One Spade”; Y, “Two Diamonds.” All pass. Y makes four Diamonds, losing one Spade and two Hearts. But if Z had opened with a bid of “One Club.” S' would have called “No Trumps” oyer A’s bid of Spades and made four No Trumps, game, and rubber. \ did not like to risk a No Trumper after Z’s initial “No bid.” He could not reasonably expect that his partner held two Aces and a King. This is only one of numerous hands I could give which illustrate the value of the quick trick minor bid. While the quick trick system is mainly useful when you hold sure tricks in minor suits., it should also be applied •in bidding the major suits, in this sense. \ou should never make an initial or free bid of a major suit unless you hold two quick tricks either in the suit you name or outside it. Further, it is necessary you should have at least five of the suit you name with two honours in it. The only exception is a major suit of four headed by Ace, King, Queen, or Ace, King, Jack, 10, which is a correct bid of one of the suit, even without outside support. The reason for this distinction between bidding major and minor suits is quite easy to understand. The initial bidding of minor suits is purely informative. It does not by any means necessarily invite support or signify that you wish to play the game in the suit you mention. A major suit call, on the contrary, is an attacking bid. It intimates that you are prepared, with reasonable assistance from your partner, to take the offensive in that suit. It is, therefore, necessary that • the major suit should be long, and the minimum length (except with three honours) is five. But as you never know whether your bid is going to be the final one, it is necessary also that it should be good in defence. An initial bid of one of a major suit under the system I am describing shows two quick tricks in the same way as a minor suit bid; but, in addition/to the two quick tricks, it shows length. This method of bidding embraces all the advantages of the hard and fast system, which inculcates that you must never make an original bid of one without top honours. At the same time it permits of greater elasticity in your calling. It has this inestimable advantage, that it frequently permits you to show a suit which, under conservative rules, 3’ou would be debarred from naming. By* it you will, of course, bid a major suit consisting of at least five, headed by Ace, King, even though you hold nothing else of value in y*our hand. But you will not make an original bid on King Queen, to five or six, or even King, Queen, Jack, to five or six. unless you hold at least an outside Ace or'guarded King. The reason is that with King, Queen, or King, Queen, Jack high r v you have not the requisite two quick tricks. Now here the system cuts across those authorities who say you are justified ip bidding one of a suit of five or six, headed by King, Queen, Jack. If you follow the system you will give up this call. Holding Spades or Hearts —Queen, Jack, 10, x, x, and two Aces outside, or one Ace, and a guarded Fink, you will be justified in bidding “One Spade” or “One Heart,” as the case may be. I consider Queen, Jack to five with two outside quick tricks as the barest minimum on which an initial bid of one of a major suit should be made. I regard Jack, 10 to five as insufficient, as also Queen, 10 to five. With six to the Jack, 10 and two outside Aces there is something to be said for bidding the suit. But if you bid it, bid one only’, not two, and, of course, remember that the quick trick system does not apply to pre-emptive or shut out bids first hand. Thus, with King, Queen, to seven or eight of a major suit, the correct bid would be “three,” not one or two. Here are three illustrative hands:— No. 1 No. 2. S—Q J x x x S—A x x H—A x lI—K J x x x D—A x x D—x x C—x x x O—A x x No. 3. S—J 10 x x x x lI—A x x D—A x C-—x x Note that on all three hands you would be justified in making a bid of one in a minor suit, but the length in the major just enables you to make a bid of one in Spades on Nos. 1 and 3 and one in Hearts on No. 2. I know so-called advanced bidders who make a call on five to the King, Jack, without another trick in their hands, on the ground that they “must show something.” I am all for showing something; but you must first have something to show. King, Jack, to five alone is not the requisite minimum. Two Aces outside make up for its deficiencies, but without them it is not a first call. It is not to be expected that a uniform system of bidding will be universally adopted. Perhaps it would be a pity if it were. But I will back the quick trick system of biclidng in the hands of intelligent players against any other method.