The Game of Bridge

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLI, Issue 26, 23 December 1908, Page 38

The Game of Bridge

•* NO TRUMPS ”

By

"CUT-CAVENDISH,”

Author of "How to Win at Bridge ’•

Tho aspirant to Bridge honours has much to learn, and bi* first duty to himself and to the world in general, is . to acquire all the knowledge obtainable on the subject of the declaration. Recollect that the game must be played with intelligence ami in accordance with the lines of play laid down by the leading authorities. It is a curious fact how many men there are at Bridge, who play their cards well enough, but whoso declarations arc, to say the least of it, supremely shaky. After all, if success is to crown your efforts your declaration in the main will be responsible for the issue. It stands to reason that whenever your cards permit of an attacking vail you make the declaration as valuable a one as possible. Therefore the goal of the declarer must ever be No Trumps. Not only does the call carry with it most points per trick, but the play of the hand favours the dealer, who the moment the Dummy’s cards are exposed, knows exactly wherein his strength lies, and can often proceed to establish his long huit without endangering the situation. In any case the firsts duty of the declarer. whether he be the dealer or Dummy, is to consult the score, a point it is impossible to emphasise too strongly. Indeed, whether it bi' your declaration or not, you should always know the exact state of affairs in relation to the score. It will guide' you not only in the declaration, but actually to the play of the hand. A DOUBTFUL NO TRUMPER. To hazard a doubtful No Trumper when you can practically sec your way to game on < lubs or Spades is a foolhardy proceeding. As dealer, make certain of the game, whenever you are afforded the opportunity, even if the call •be Spades, for a difference of two hundred points hangs on the result of a rubber, and if you leave it, Dummy may chance a comparatively weak rod suit with possibly di.-atons result*. The thief von sudoration must ever be to win the game without running any unnecessary risks. Yet how frequently we .see the dealer, with .1 score of iwcnly t-wo or twentyfour, rashly pa-s the declaration, holding th;- while a list full of Clubs. He richly deserve* to lose tin* game in question. and happily has often tn pay the penalty of hi- reckless temerity. Perhaps it has never struck you what a wide dilieren. e even two points can make to lh»- «rore. Take, for example, the relative xa’uo* of four and six. On Ihe latter mark you are a trick nearer h< me on ejih of the different declarations opt n to the Bridge player. No small matter this surely. Other important landing stations arel2. IS and 24. and failing t e game you must make ©m or othvi'- of these your goal X\ believer po-sible. Ami now to print ed more particularly with the -übject of this article —the dei larat i’in of No Trumps. At the com* im m -m* nt of a game naturally the dealer will not attempt too speculative jiicasuips. \t the same tiim .if his band has the makings of a No Trumper it would I madne-s on his part not to lake full advantage of tin- call. The Ximn to tempt piovideme by initiating an attacking <l< dan* must ever be when you hold .i hand above rather than below the flverag*. <hnuld your partner hold po-ilive lags. \on ar« «»f course down, but this po->il»ility mud not be allowed to influence you in your call. Anyone would de.dare No Trumps holding four aces, a- whatvwr happens a nice little addition i- math- to the score above the line. A hand • -outaining three aces is abo voted a No Tiumn r. though hero, even, with a blank -core sheet, Heart- might «a-ily j-...x« the sounder • lerlai ation. For example. I would rather tall Hearts than No Trumps on Cither of the following hands. as it seems io mo the declarer is quite a« likely to get four by trick- in Hearts as three in No Trumps, and the risk in each instance is greatly mini mined: — Heart** Are, 9,7, ft. 4, 3. Diamond** 7, £ Clubs Ace, Knave, 8. Sj*ades Ace, 0.

Hearts Ace. Queen, 10. 5,2. Diamonds Ace, 8, 3. Clubs Ace. Spades 10. 8, (>, 4. WHAT CONSTITUTES A NO TRUMPER. It is impossible to lay oown a hard ami fast line as to what constitutes a No Trumper. merely because you would hazard that, call on lighter paper than usual should y our position be a desperate one. That is to say . supposing the adversaries were far advanced in the final game of the rubber you would call No Trumps on tin* smallest provocation. A hand only a Queen or Knave above the average would then serve your purpose, and it is surprising how frequently a desperate call of this description comes off. The light No Trumper affords the greatest gambling counter in the game, and it is at all times much to be preferred to a doubtful rod suit declaration. In the latter event you may’ find your partner’s weakness in trumps a fatal stumbling block, whilst in No Trumps strength in any one of your partner s suits should prove a valuable asset. Opinions differ tin* wide world over, yet occasionally one is surprised to a startling extent. Let us glance at a case in point. A well-known writer on Bridge some few years ago gave the appended hands as affording- Heart declarations: — Hearts, Kings, Queens, 10. 7. Diamonds Ace, 8. 6. Clubs Ace, 5. Spades 10. 9. 4,2. Hearts Queen. Knave. 9. 8. Diamonds Ace. 10, 3. Club* Queen, Knave, 8. Spades. King, Queen, 9. Here we have a recognised authority on the.game, whose advice is for the most part admirable, going, in my humble opinion, on this one point hopelessly astray. Surely both hands comprise sound No Trumpers, and I cannot understand an experienced player making any other declaration at any stage of the game. THE “ ROBERTSON RULE.’’ Sunnmd up in a nutshell, the essential requirements of a No Trumper are three guarded suits, the hand at tin* same time to’ contain an Ace, King or Queen above the average. Anything over and above such strength will be to the good. To be guarded in any suit you must hold nothing less than an Ace: a King and two other-: a Queen, knave and another; or a Knave. 10 and two others. Such are the qualifications of i No Trumps call, hut if the beginner is over in doubt, as to the declaration. let him apply the “Robertson Rule.*' Under its guidance an Are counts a- 7. a King 5, a Queen 3. a Knave 2. and a 10 mie, and should the total addition of these figures realise 24 i r more h<‘ < n safely* declare No Trumps, the only provision being that he be guarded in three suits. Indeed, when you may be -aid to have found your Bridge legs, you will call No J rumps on considerably less strength than this, being satisfied to take your chance should the total under the “Robertson Rule*’ exceed 20, That one suit contains no vestige of strength must not for one moment deter the declarer from going No Trumps. Very possible hi- partner may hold some good card- in l he declarer's weak -mit, and » voh .f h does not, it is quite on the card- that •; n.•<• other -nit will constitute tin* original lead, and that the game will hr won lelore the opposition are abb* ii> bring their heavy gun* into action. AN EXT EPUON. An exception ther* i« to the general rule in N’<> 'Trumps r«l live to the declarer being in on tlirc.* -uit-. Five or more certain tricks in a black suit, backed up by another a< e affords a very pretty call. With your partner probably able to help yon in on one of the other suit- the chances of your gelling going suflii irnt |y eai ly in tin* game to score the odd trick ar? favourable, and there is no ria-cm why the game should not be won a number of times. Thia rub* only applies to strength in u bla<*k suit, as on a strong red suit you would not be tempted to iuu too great a risk, but

rather help yourself to a highly ‘'profitable red declaration. * Another * two suit No Trumper of a still more hazardous description,which I would also advocate, is on a hand similar to the following: — Hearts Ace, Queen,. Knave, (J. Diamonds Ace, King, 8, 5. Clubs 8, 3. Spades 9,7, 2. With, the dealer holding such strength in both red suits, if lie leaves it to his partner, a black suit i*’ practically bound to be the response. Better take the bull by the horns and call No Trumps, the hand being one above the average. On a left declaration it is for Dummy to initiate an attack whenever opportunity arises. He can still look to the dealer for some good cards even if that individual be not overwhelmingly strong in either of the red suits, or able to declare No Trumps on his own. He must eschew, however, too light a No Trumper, as the fact that his hand is first led through and then exposed, enables the enemy to take advantage of any pronounced weakness with deplorable results. He should also particularly avoid the t hin No Trumper wherein weakness is too clearly demonstrated in his red suits. If his partner belongs to the cautious school nf declarers, Dummy will allow himself a little more rope—perchance to hang himself with.