UC-NRLF 7Dfi VO o SMALL TALKS ON AUCTION BRIDGE BY VIRGINIA M. MEYER GIFT OF SMALL TALKS ON AUCTION BRIDGE BY VIRGINIA M. MEYER AUTHOR OF "SMALL TALKS ON BRIDGE" "SMALL TALKS ON SKAT" "VIRGINIA BRIDGE CARDS" "VIRGINIA SKAT CARDS" PAUL ELDER & COMPANY PUBLISHERS SAN FRANCISCO OEWITT&SNELUN6 BOOKSELLERS 9 TELEGRAPH AYE. OAKIAUD, Copyright, 1910 by Paul Elder and Company Note The simplicity of my former books has ap- pealed to many card-players. Auction Bridge, while not difficult, needs a sound foundation. The hints in this small book are concise and so simply worded that they cannot fail to make the stepping-stones to Auction Bridge easy. After that, much license may be used if it is done with good judgment VIRGINIA M. MEYER. Penalties for Adversaries 50 Points for Each Trick The Declarant falls short his bid 100 Points If Doubled 200 Points If Re-doubled Penalties for Declarant If Doubled 50 Points .... For Fulfilling Contract 50 Points . For Each Trick above Contract 100 Points If Re-doubled 1 00 Points . For Each Trick above Contract The Adversaries NEVER score in trick col- umn. The Declarant can NEVER score Penalty Honors unless there has been doubling or re- doubling. LAWS OF AUCTION BRIDGE 4 * * AUCTION BRIPGE I \'A;>j]'> iA*'- LAWS ^ The laws given below are accepted by the best clubs in both America and England. 1. Tricks, honors, slams and chicanes are the same as in Bridge. 2. The Rubber counts 250. 3. A player may at any time during the game ask the value of the final declaration. 4. Doubling and re-doubling do not affed: the value of the tricks in bidding. If the De- clarant wins his bid, the value of the trick is increased. If he fails to fulfil his contradt, the Penalty for Adversaries is increased. 5. The Dealer must make a bid of some kind. 6. Each player in turn after the Dealer has a right to pass, raise the bid or double. 7. Partners cannot double or re-double each other. 8. Naming a suit of higher value increases the bid. 9. Contracting to take two tricks of a suit will outbid one trick of a suit the same value: as 2 tricks in Clubs will outbid 1 in Hearts; 2 Diamonds will outbid 1 No Trump, the one who declares to take the greater number of tricks being the successful bidder. 1 0. No player can raise his own bid after three players have passed. 1 1. The final Declarant plays the dummy tt> ''* AUCTlbN BRIDGE LAWS hand, unless his partner ,/zrsf named that suit. In such a case, the original bidder plays the dummy. Should an Adversary eledt to win more tricks in a suit that has already been named, he will play the dummy hand. 1 2. A Declarant who wins his bid will score toward game and any additional tricks he may make. 13. When the Declarant fails to fulfil his contract, the Adversaries score 50 in the honor column for each trick he falls short. If it has been doubled, he scores 1 00 points and 200 if it has been re-doubled. 1 4. Should the Declarant fulfil his contract after being doubled, he scores 50 points in the honor column for so doing and 50 points for each extra trick, in addition to scoring double trick values. If re-doubled and the Declarant fulfils his contract, he scores 100 points and 1 00 points for each additional trick. 1 5. Should a 1 Spade bid stand, the Declar- ant's loss is limited to 1 00 points. 1 6. Should a player fail to call a sufficient number of tricks to outbid previous declara- tions, the bid stands as if the right number had been named. 1 7. Only doubling and re-doubling is al- lowed. 1 8. A new deal may be demanded by the AUCTION BRIDGE LAWS left-hand player if any one bids or doubles out of turn. 19. If either Adversary leads out of turn, the Declarant may call a lead or consider the card led an exposed one. 20. There is no penalty for the Declarant leading out of turn. 2 1 . Raising the bid either by doubling or naming a higher suit, re-opens the bidding. 22. The Adversaries claim 1 50 points Pen- alties for each revoke the Declarant may make. 23. The Declarant may claim 1 50 points in Penalties or 3 tricks toward fulfilling his con- trad:. 24. A revoke is established when the trick is turned and quitted. 25. Players cannot score in the trick col- umn if they have revoked. BIDDING FOR TRUMPS * 4 V AUCTION BRIDGE BIDDING Opening Bids for the Dealer The opening bid is a free one and on it much depends. Information given at that time must be accurate. Later bids may be forced ones and based on sound judgment. Players must be able to distinguish one from the other. 1 No Trump with any reasonable nucleus for same: a. it shows a fair holding of high cards. b. It cuts out smaller bids. c. It takes fewer tricks to win the game. d. It makes the bidding more expensive for the opponents who, unless they have really strong hands, cannot assume too much responsibility. 1 No Trump does not mean you expedt the bid to stand but informs your partner there are trick-making possibilities in your holding. Do not be afraid to bid 1 No Trump even though short of good red cards. Opponents will raise your bid if they have many of them or they will be in your partner's hand. 1 Spade A worthless hand. 2 Spades Shows strength in Spades with cards as good as an Ace or King, Queen. 3 Spades A phenomenal suit headed by the Ace, King and Queen. 11 *M AUCTION BRIDGE BIDDING 1 Club Good Clubs headed by an Ace or King and Queen. 2 Clubs A phenomenal Club suit headed by Ace, King, Queen. All black bids except 1 Spade is an invita- tion for your partner to call No Trump. 1 Diamond or 1 Heart shows high cards in that suit but not a strong hand otherwise. 2 Diamonds or 2 Hearts Both long and strong, willing to have the bid stand or can help a Nt> Trump call. That Aces and Kings or at least Kings and Queens and not numerical strength should be shown, cannot be too thoroughly grasped. Strength and not length should be shown in all opening bids. Until this fadt is mastered you cannot become a successful Auction Bridge player. In many localities there is a convention that a bid of 2 Spades shows an all-round good hand (regardless the Spade suit). The dealer for some reason is not ready to bid the value of his hand. In my opinion this convention is an excellent one, but the fewer the conventions and the simpler the game can be made will best lead to its success. The latest theory is, a hand strong enough to bid 2 Spades is strong enough to bid 1 No Trump thus cutting out smaller inf ormatory bids. 12 AUCTION BRIDGE I A BIDDING Bids for Second Player 1 . Bid freely on a strong hand. 2. Double Spade or Club bids freeiy if you are strong in the suit. It is only a means of information and an in- vitation for your partner to bid No Trump. 3. Do not double low red or No Trump bids. The bidders will change the call or you may be left with something you do not want. If the dealer has bid 1 Spade and Second Hand raises, it is usually on the basis of bids made by the dealer. Should the dealer bid in either of the red suits, name No Trump with fairly good cards provided you have strength in the suit he has named. It will be disastrous to do so unless you can do this. Bids for Third Player 1 . If Second Player has passed do not raise your partner's bid unless you have a very strong hand and can raise to a higher call. 2. Raise your partner's bid (if Second Hand has bid) if you can assist him in suit he has named or can raise to a higher call. 3. If the dealer has bid No Trump, you, having a long red suit with little else, should name that suit, as your cards will not assist a No Trump call. 13 * AUCTION BRIDGE BIDDING Bids for Fourth Player Being a fourth player, you are in a position to judge what it is best to do. Do not bid un- less you have a really strong hand or must make a bid of some kind to re-open the bidding. You should not overbid your partner unless your hand is very strong. The hints above given are for opening bids. As bids are raised and doubled, judgment must be used and all the information given by part- ner or Adversaries must be carefully noted to be used and not abused. Doubling and Re-Doubling Doubling does not mean you expedt to win the odd, but that you can keep the Declarant from fulfilling his contract. Re-doubling by the Declarant means that he will fulfil his contract. Do not double too soon. To double a bid of /, the bidder's partner will change the suit. Doubling at that time means that you can stop that suit and assist your partner if he wants to name No Trump. Double freely when 2 or 3 have been bid, as it is hard for the Declarant to win 2 or 3 tricks with strength against him. Re-doubling is very dangerous unless the hand is very strong and you play a//erthe doubler. 14 LEADS AND TACTICS OF THE GAME 4 4 * AUCTION BRIDGE LEADS* TACTICS Opening Lead "No Tramp" If you have no good suit of your own to open, lead your partner his suit, especially if you have an honor in it, lead the honor. If your partner has doubled and he has not already named a suit in which he is strong, lead him a Heart the highest of a short Heart suit or the fourth best of a long one. Open your own suit if it is a good one. In opening a long suit in No Trump, lead your fourth best unless there are three high honors in it. Then lead an honor. Exception, if Ace, King and 1 0, lead fourth best. Leads at Declared Tramps 1. King from an Ace King suit with others. 2. A Singleton if you have weak trumps. 3. Long Suit from top, if headed by King, Queen ; or Queen, Knave, 1 0. Holding 10, Knave, King opinions differ as to the lead. Most players lead the 10. Equally strong players lead the Knave. If the 1 is led from this combination, the Knave always shows it is the top of a short, worthless suit. From all other combinations, lead fourth best. 17 M AUCTION BRIDGE LEADS & TACTICS The Rule of Eleven This rule cannot fail when players lead the fourth best of a long suit and the card must not be higher than a 9. Dedudt the face value of the card led from eleven and the result will be the number of card not in the leader's hand HIGHER than the card led. This rule is very valuable at declared trump also; when more cards can be seen than should be, the leader is playing from the top of a worthless suit. Short Openings All two-card suits are opened from the top. Avoid leading from the King and a low card, but if opened at all lead the King. Two-card suits are usually led as supporting cards or hoping to ruff the third round. Opening of Three-Card Suits A three-card suit headed by an Ace, King or Queen is opened low. A three-card suit headed by a Knave or lower is opened from the top. A three-card suit with two cards in sequence in opened from the top. Exception, Ace, King and one low card, lead the King. 18 AUCTION BRIDGE LEADS* TACTICS Four -Card Suits From a suit of four with only one honor, lead low. Four cards with two honors not in sequence, lead low. Discards If your first discard is a low card, it is from a weak suit. If it is a 7 or higher, it is from a strong suit The chances are that cards must be guarded in other suits. The discard of a high card followed by lower one shows command of that suit but not necessarily a long or strong suit. The discard of the commanding card of a suit, show full control of it. 19 READY REFERENCE HINTS DONTS ALWAYS * AUCTION BRIDGE I A HINTS Ready Reference Hints Ace followed by King, shows no more. At declared trump, a high card followed by a low one shows no more. Always take a trick as cheaply as possible. Never finesse in your partner's suit. The Adversaries should always force the strong hand to trump. Do not be in a hurry to lead out your aces at No Trump. Make your winning cards early against a declared trump. In returning your partner's lead at No Trump, give him the best you have, unless you had five or more, then return your origi- nal fourth best. Unblock your partner's suit. Block your Adversary's suit. " Lead from the short hand to the long, Let the weak hand help the strong." "When Dummy's on your right, Lead to weakest suit in sight** Lead through dummy's strong suit when at your left. Do not lead a suit that one hand can trump and the other discard. When the weak hand can trump your suit, it is wise to lead trumps. 23 * AUCTION BRIDGE HINTS Never spoil a sure red make for a doubtful No Trump. If the Declarant does not lead trumps, the opponent should. Second hand should cover an honor with an honor (not necessarily with an Ace). If dummy can cover any card you play- play low. Usually beat the dummy with any card but the Ace. Do not false card and deceive your partner. Do not hesitate to take tricks with Kings and Queens at No Trump. When the Declarant leads trumps, try to stop it and make all your high cards. Don'ts Don't raise your partner's bid in the same suit unless you can give him at least 2 sure tricks and probably more. Don't raise your partner's bid in anything unless reasonably sure your hand is stronger than his. Don't bid No Trump unless you can stop the suit in which your Adversary has bid. Don't be afraid to Double with even a mod- erately strong hand after a bid of 3 or 4 has been made. Don't forget to watch the honor score as 24 AUCTION BRIDGE DONTS GE! I well as the trick score. Reckless bidding with a big honor score against you does not pay. Don't be afraid toward the end of a Rubber to bid freely if you are ahead in honors. Don't bid No Trump too soon if you are weak in a red suit; try to locate, on such a hand bid 2 Spades. Always Always bid on a good red hand. Always double if you can stop the suit al- ready bid and have 2 or 3 outside tricks. Always raise your partner's bid of 2 Spades. Always raise your partner's Club bid by changing the suit, if you have any strength at all. Always know the score. Do not take des- perate chances when much behind in honor score. Always raise your Adversary's bid in order to score tricks (when there is a chance of winning ) in preference to doubling. Finis Only acquaintance with the game will teach its strategy and fine points. The foregoing hints are but the foundation the student must do the rest. 25 AUCTION BRIDGE NOTES AUCTION BRIDGE NOTES UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY BERKELEY Return to desk from which borrowed. This book is DUE on the last date stamped below. -' JUN 2 3 195J) 16JuJ5i RIZC'D LD AUG10'64-11.AM LD 21-100m-9,'48(B399sl6)476 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY