Read Ebook: Bridge; its Principles and Rules of Play with Illustrative Hands and the Club Code of Bridge Laws by Elwell J B Joseph Bowne

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After the rubber has been won the honour score and the trick score of each side are added, and the leaser total deducted from the greater.

THE SCORE

Before you declare the trump look at the score to determine the number of points you must make in order to win the game.

Know the score when you contemplate doubling.

Never lead without knowing how many tricks you must make in order to SAVE the game.

When you are the dealer outline your play to win the game; and if you find it impossible to win the game be sure to SAVE it.

THE DECLARATION

While a few tricks may be dropped in the play of a hand, an unsound make may result in the loss of several hundred points. The importance, both of making the trump to the score and of considering the probability of securing an honour score, cannot be too deeply impressed on the player's mind. This, more than any part of the game, requires the exercise of sound judgment. The good maker has an enormous advantage over the weak one.

Try to select the trump that will win the greatest number of points with a strong hand, and the one that will lose the fewest possible number with a weak hand. Be liberal and bold when behind in the game and conservative and timid when ahead.

In suggesting rules for the make this difficulty must be faced: the exercise of the best judgment in the world will not enable one to select the successful trump EVERY time; and players are apt to forget the many times a particular make has won, and to be impressed by the one time the rule failed them.

Follow consistently the laws for the make with a certainty that in the large majority of cases they will prove successful; and digress from these laws only when the score warrants.

NO-TRUMP DECLARATION BY THE DEALER

Provided the hand contain no large honour score in hearts or diamonds, it is evident that the no-trump declaration is more likely than any other to result in the gain of a large score; the dealer should, therefore, first consider his chances of winning at no-trump. There is a large percentage in favour of the success of an original no-trump make. The dealer can see and combine his own with the dummy hand; while his adversary makes the initial lead in the dark. The dealer can play false cards; while the adversaries cannot afford to deceive each other. In short the dealer plays the hand with an exact knowledge of the cards that are held against him, and can take advantage of any error made, or any information given by the adversaries. As tricks are won by small suit cards in every no-trump hand, there is no method of estimating how many tricks your hand may be worth. The dealer, in declaring no-trump, may assume that his partner's hand will contain an average amount of strength. If the dealer is weak in one suit he is justified in counting on his partner's hand for some protection in that suit. The dealer should not declare no-trump when he is reasonably sure of winning the game or rubber with a trump suit; neither should the dealer declare no-trump without an ace in his hand--unless the score is very desperate and then only when his hand is exceptionally strong.

RULES FOR THE NO-TRUMP DECLARATION BY THE DEALER

without protection 4 Hearts, including 3 honours } in other suits.

DIAMONDS.

Holding

The dealer should NOT declare diamonds:

When behind on the score, unless there are 4 honours, or 7 or 8 tricks, in the hand.

When 0 to 24 on the first game.

Having lost the first and 0 on the second game.

When 0 on the rubber game.

The dealer should NOT declare clubs Unless his score is 18 or more points, and the hand strong enough to win the game.

The dealer should NOT declare spades Unless his score is 24 or more points, and the hand strong enough to win the game.

PASSED MAKES

The dummy hand, in declaring the trump, should keep in mind the rules suggested for the dealer, and, at the same time, be governed in his choice by the state of the score, by the general strength of his hand, and by the dealer's acknowledged weakness. When the make has been passed, one must infer that the dealer has not a strong hand, neither has he much strength in the red suits. While the latter inference may be doubtful, the dealer often passing a fair diamond hand, it is dangerous to declare no-trump without protection in the red suits, and the declaration may result in a disastrous loss.

The following suggestions may prove useful:

The fact that your hand is exposed gives the adversaries an opportunity to take advantage of its weak points.

A no-trump make that is weak in the red suits, unless justified by the score, is unsound.

A no-trump make that is weak in Hearts is liable to be doubled.

When a game ahead be conservative. When a game behind be bold.

Endeavour to prevent the adversaries from winning the first game on your deal. When the adversaries have won a game and have the first deal on the second, they hold an advantage you will find most difficult to overcome.

If your hand is worth less than four tricks don't make the trump red.

If your hand is worth less than four tricks make the trump to lose as little as possible.

EXAMPLES OF ORIGINAL MAKES

NO-TRUMPERS WITH 3 ACES.

A 10 5 3 A J 9 K 8 A 10 6 5 A K Q 10 6 4 2 A J 6 5 3 A 8 5 4 A 8 3 A 3 2 A 9 7 5

WITH 2 ACES AND 2 GUARDED SUITS.

A K K Q J 8 4 K 9 5 A 8 3 A 7 6 3 K J x Q J 3 A 10 9 K Q 10 5 4 A K 5 4 A 8 7 4 A K Q A 9 Q 9 7 6 5 Q 10 8 A 10 3 Q 10 5 3 A 9 6 Q 9 6 Q J 10 9 A 7 J 10 8 6 A 10 2

WITH 2 ACES AND 1 PROTECTION.

K J 8 7 5 J 3 A 6 A K 9 6 A 9 8 A 8 6 K J 4 3 8 5 4 A Q 7 K J 10 4 Q 5 A Q J 5 A K J 8 A Q Q 9 7 6 10 4 2 A 9 6 10 4 K 10 8 6 A J 6 2 A J 4 9 5 A 10 2 Q 10 9 6 5 A 10 8 6 5 A Q 3 8 Q J 10 4

WITH 1 ACE AND 3 PROTECTIONS.

A 5 4 K 8 K Q 9 8 4 K Q 3 Q J 3 A 3 2 K 7 6 5 K 10 4 A 10 4 A J 10 Q J 3 K 9 8 7 Q 9 6 K J 8 A K 8 J 10 8 4 A Q 5 Q 7 4 K 9 5 3 Q 10 9

DOUBTFUL NO-TRUMPERS.

HEARTS, NOT "NO-TRUMPS."

K Q 10 5 4 A K Q 2 A 5 4 3 A K Q 8 6 Q A Q 5 A K Q 4 A K J 9 K J 8 5 3 Q Q J 8 Q J 10 9 7 6 A 7 6 A A 5 3 A Q J 9 7 A J 9 8 6 K x Q A K 10 9 6 A 8 7 6 5 4 K 9 K J 10 7 2 A 8 6 Q 8 4 K 10

BAD "RED" MAKES.

DOUBLING

If you--being the leader or his partner--are reasonably sure of the odd trick, it is decidedly to your advantage to increase its value; but to double "just for a gamble" rarely pays; it often results in a redouble, and you are apt to find the sport expensive and your partner very disagreeable.

In order to double with any degree of success, you must consider the state of the score, the possibility of a redouble, and your position in regard to the maker. Above all things, DEPEND ON YOUR OWN HAND and don't expect your partner to take MOST of the tricks.

My advice to a beginner is: Be cautious and, until you have learned to value your hand, be satisfied with the number of points you can make without doubling.

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