whose privilege it is to make the trump: First, to win as much as
possible, if he has the cards to do it. Second, to save himself, if he
is weak; or the game, if it is in danger. As a general proposition,
it may be said that his decision will be indicated by the colour of
the trump he names. If it is red, he is strong, and plays to win; if
it is black, he is taking to the woods. A further element may enter
into his calculations, the state of the score. If he feels sure of the
few points necessary to win the game or the rubber with a black trump,
there is no necessity to risk making it red. This is a part of the
subject which we shall go into further when we come to the suggestions
for good play.
The dealer has the first say in making the trump. If he does not feel
himself strong enough to make it no trump, or red, although his hand
may be black enough to promise a good score in clubs or spades, he
should transfer to his partner the privilege of making the trump by
saying: “I leave it to you, partner.” Guided by this indication, his
partner must fix on some suit for the trump or go no-trumps, and must
announce it.
Either the dealer or his partner may elect to play without a trump, if
he has sufficient strength in all the suits to do so.
_=IRREGULARITIES IN DECLARING.=_ If the dealer’s partner makes a
declaration before being asked to do so, either adversary may demand
that the declaration shall stand, or that there shall be a new deal.
In England, only the eldest hand, A, may exact the penalty. If the
dealer’s partner passes the declaration to the dealer, either adversary
may claim a new deal or may insist that the player in error shall make
the declaration. In England, the eldest hand exacts this penalty.
Should an adversary of the dealer make a declaration, the dealer may,
after looking at his own hand, either have a new deal or proceed as if
nothing had been said.
_=SETTLING THE VALUE OF THE TRICKS.=_ The trump suit having been
announced, the first hand or leader, A, before he plays a card, has
the privilege of doubling the value of the tricks if he thinks the
opponents cannot win the odd trick with the trump named. To do this,
he simply says: “I double.” If he does not feel justified in doubling,
he transfers the opportunity to his partner, by asking him: “Shall I
play?” That is to say, “shall we play without doubling?” If his partner
will not double, he answers: “Yes.” Either A or B having doubled, it
becomes the privilege of the player who made the trump to double him
again; making the value of the trick four times greater than that given
in the table. If he does not do so, he says: “I pass”; and his partner
then has the privilege. If either the dealer or his partner doubles,
the adversary who first doubled may repeat it; or if he passes, his
partner may double. This doubling may be continued until the value of
each trick over the book is 100 points, when it must cease.
_=IRREGULARITIES IN DOUBLING.=_ If the pone doubles before his partner
has asked him “Shall I play?” the maker of the trump shall say whether
or not the double shall stand. If he allows it to stand it may be
redoubled. Should a player redouble out of turn, the one whom he
redoubles shall have the right to say whether or not the redouble shall
stand.
Any consultation between partners as to doubling or redoubling will
entitle their adversaries to insist on a new deal.
If the eldest hand leads without asking his partner’s permission to
play, the pone cannot double without the consent of the maker of the
trump. Should the pone ask the eldest hand, “Shall I play?” that does
not deprive the eldest hand of the right to double.
_=METHOD OF PLAYING.=_ The trump suit and the value of the tricks
settled, the player on the dealer’s left begins by leading any card he
pleases. After he has played, the second player, Y, lays his hand face
up on the table, and takes no further part in the play beyond availing
himself of the privilege of asking his partner if he has none of a suit
to which he renounces. From the moment that Y’s cards are exposed the
game becomes Dummy, the dealer, Z, playing Y’s cards for him.
The dealer gathers the tricks for his side; either adversary may gather
for the other. The first six tricks taken by one side make a “book” and
all over six count toward game. The tricks should be so laid that they
can be readily counted by any player at the table.
_=The Revoke.=_ Should a player fail to follow suit when able to do
so, it is a revoke. Dummy cannot revoke under any circumstances; but
the penalty for any other player is the loss of three tricks for each
revoke made, which are taken from the side in error at the end of the
hand. In England, the penalty may be exacted in any of three ways;
three tricks, or the value of three tricks in points, or the addition
of a like amount to opponent’s score. A slam cannot be scored if the
tricks necessary to make it were taken for the revoke penalty. The
side making a revoke cannot win the game that hand, no matter what
they score; but they may play the hand out, and count all they make to
within two points of game, or 28. Players cannot score a slam in a hand
in which they have revoked.
_=Exposed Cards.=_ If the dealer or his partner exposes a card before
the declaration has been made, either adversary may claim a new deal.
If any player exposes a card before the first card is led, his partner
forfeits the right to double or redouble. If the pone exposes a card in
this manner, the dealer may call it an exposed card, or he may require
the eldest hand not to lead that suit.
If, during the play of the hand, either adversary of the dealer exposes
a card, by playing two cards at once, dropping one face up on the
table, or holding it so that his partner can see any portion of its
face, the card so exposed must be left face upward on the table, and is
liable to be called.
Exposed cards can be called by the dealer at any time, but he cannot
compel the play of a card which would constitute a revoke.
_=Leading Out of Turn.=_ If either of the dealer’s adversaries lead
out of turn, the dealer may either call the card exposed, or may call
a suit when it is the turn of either adversary to lead. If the dealer
leads out of turn, there is no penalty, but he cannot correct the error
if the second hand has played.
_=Cards Played in Error.=_ If any player but the Dummy omits to play
to a trick and does not correct the error until he has played to the
next trick, his adversaries may claim a new deal. If any one, excepting
Dummy, plays two cards to a trick and does not discover it, he is
responsible for any revokes that he may make in consequence of not
having the card in his hand.
_=OBJECT OF THE GAME.=_ As in all members of the whist family, the
object in Bridge is to win tricks, the highest card played of the suit
led winning, and trumps, if any, winning against all other suits. At
the end of each hand the side that has won any tricks in excess of the
book, scores them, after multiplying their number by the unit of value
settled upon by the doubling, if any took place. As soon as either side
reaches or passes 30, they win the game; but the hand must be played
out, and all tricks taken must be counted. The total is written on the
score-sheet; the score of the losers standing to their credit until the
final accounting at the end of the rubber.
_=RUBBERS.=_ Three games, of 30 points each, constitute a rubber; but
if the first two are won by the same players, the third is not played.
The side winning the majority of the games adds 100 (rubber) points to
its score.
_=SUGGESTIONS FOR GOOD PLAY.=_ The points which the beginner may
profitably study in Bridge are chiefly in making the trump, and in the
methods by which the hands of the partners are combined, so as to work
together.
_=Making the Trump.=_ The bridge player’s first consideration should be
the state of the score, which will show how many points he needs to win
the game. Let us suppose this number to be 12, he having already scored
18. These 12 points can be made by winning six by cards with spades for
trumps; three by cards with clubs; or two by cards with diamonds or
hearts. But if the hand can be played without a trump, the odd trick
wins the game.
It is hardly necessary to say that a player would be very foolish to
engage himself to win six by cards if the odd trick would equally
answer his purpose; nor would he undertake to win three by cards with
clubs for trumps, if he had as good a chance of making two by cards
with diamonds or hearts. In other words, the player should not make the
trump which promises the greatest number of tricks, but should select
that which will yield the largest number of points.
It is for this reason that every good player first considers
the advisability of making it “no-trump,” and if he thinks that
injudicious, hearts or diamonds, leaving the black suits as a last
resort.
It is the custom invariably to make it no-trump with three Aces, unless
the hand is strong enough for a heart make, or holds great honour value
in red.
In estimating the probabilities of trick-taking, it is usual to count
the partner for three tricks on the average. Conservative players do
not depend on him for more than two. Generally speaking, the maker of
the trump should have four pretty certain tricks in his own hand.
The dealer should seldom announce a black trump unless he has a
certainty of the game in his own hand, without any assistance from
his partner, or unless he has such a poor hand that he must make it
a “defensive spade.” If he cannot safely make it no-trump or red, he
should pass, and allow his partner the chance. With such a hand as
seven clubs, including four honours, and absolutely worthless cards
otherwise, the dealer should make it clubs, except when the adversaries
have won the first game, and are about 20 points in the second. This
makes it not unlikely that they will win the rubber on the next hand
with their deal. Under such circumstances the dealer must invariably
leave it to his partner, in the hope that he can save the rubber by
making it no-trump.
The dealer’s partner should be aware that there cannot be any
reasonable hope of four tricks in red in the leader’s hand, or a red
trump would have been announced; and unless he has at least five
probable tricks in his own hand he should not make it red. With three
Aces he should make it no-trump. Four Aces is always a no-trumper,
no matter what the rest of the hand may be. If he is obliged to make
it black, and has three or four probable tricks, he should announce
whichever suit he is best in. Attention should be paid to the score;
for in many instances the suit must be selected so that the adversaries
cannot win the game with the odd trick, even if they double.
_=Doubling.=_ The dealer or his partner having announced the trump,
the adversary should carefully consider the score before doubling or
playing. Most players consider themselves justified in doubling when
they have six reasonably certain tricks in their own hands, trusting
partner for one only. Great caution should be used in doubling
no-trumpers, the position of the lead being carefully studied; because
the odd trick usually settles the fate of the game when a no-trumper is
doubled. While a player with the lead, and seven certain tricks in one
suit, should double a no-trumper, his partner would be very foolish to
do so, unless he had, in addition to his long suit, the heart ace; for
it is a conventionality of the game for A to lead hearts if B doubles a
no-trumper.
The original maker of the trump should be very strong to justify him in
redoubling the adversary. If he had four probable tricks originally, he
may count the adversary who doubles for five, and of the four doubtful
tricks remaining, the odds are against partner having the three which
would be necessary to win the odd trick.
_=Opening Leads.=_ The first lead must necessarily be made in the dark,
but the selection of the suit will often depend on the trump, and
whether it was named by the dealer or by his partner.
If the dealer has made it red, and A has the A K of any plain suit, he
should play the King, so as to retain the lead until Dummy’s hand is
exposed.
If the dealer passes it to his partner, he is probably weak in red. If
Y makes it hearts, A should lead a supporting diamond, unless he has
strength in another suit. If Y has made it diamonds, A should lead a
supporting heart. But in either case, if A has in his hand such cards
as A K, even of a black suit, he should play the King, and wait to see
the Dummy’s hand. If Y has made it black, A must be guided by his own
cards, but should give a red suit the preference for his opening lead.
Details as to the correct card to lead and the play after the opening
lead have been fully covered in connection with auction bridge, which
see.
The discard is usually coupled with the system of opening against a
doubled no-trumper. If your partner says he is “_=heart and strong=_”
he means that if you double a no-trumper and he is eldest hand, he will
lead you his best heart, and that he will discard his strong suit when
playing against a no-trumper. If he says he is “_=heart and weak=_,”
he will lead the top heart; but he will discard his weak suit. If he
says he is “_=weak and weak=_,” he means that he will lead the shortest
or weakest suit in his hand, if you double no-trumps, that being the
almost universal custom in England.
All the situations which have been covered in the play of the second,
third and fourth hands at auction can be studied with advantage by
the bridge player, as the manner of securing the best results from
certain distributions of the cards is the same in both games. The chief
difference lies in the value of the tricks, because at bridge the
opponents of the declaration can score toward game, and it is therefore
frequently advisable to take a finesse or make a play that would be
quite unjustifiable at auction, if there is any chance that such a play
may win a game that would be otherwise impossible.
Close attention to the score is an important factor in bridge which
does not operate in auction, because in that game any previous score
toward game is seldom of any use, eighteen out of every twenty deals
being game hands or nothing, and the dealer having no more advantage in
the selection of the trump than any other player. In bridge, one always
calculates that the dealer will go out if he is 18 or 20 up on the
score, as almost any suit will do. This prompts the side that has the
deal, or a chance to go game, to lose no opportunity to win at once,
before the other side gets a chance at it.
ILLUSTRATIVE BRIDGE HANDS.
The dealer is Z in both instances. In the first example, he makes it
no-trump. In the second, Dummy, Y, makes it no-trump. A leads in both
cases:--
------------------------------+ +------------------------------
A Y B Z | | A Y B Z
+------+------+-------+-------+--+-------+-------+------+------+
| 7♢ | 3♢ | J♢ | _K♢_ | 1| ♡6 | _♡A_ | ♡7 | ♡3 |
| ♣Q | ♣2 | _♣K_ | ♣J | 2| ♣5 | _♣K_ | ♣3 | ♣2 |
| _A♢_ | 8♢ | 6♢ | 2♢ | 3| ♣8 | ♣10 | ♣7 | _♣J_ |
| 4♢ | _Q♢_| 2♠ | 5♢ | 4| 5♢ | 3♢ | _♣A_ | ♣4 |
| ♣4 | ♣3 | _♣A_ | ♣10 | 5| _♡K_ | ♡2 | ♡9 | ♡J |
| ♡3 | ♡5 | ♡J | _♡A_ | 6| ♡5 | ♡4 | 6♢ | _♡Q_ |
| 8♠ | _♣9_ | ♡2 | ♣8 | 7| 5♠ | 3♠ | 6♠ | _♣Q_ |
| 9♠ | _♣7_ | 3♠ | ♡4 | 8| 7♢ | 4♠ | 8♠ | _♣9_ |
| ♡6 | _♣6_ | 4♠ | ♡Q | 9| 9♢ | 4♢ | 10♠ | _♣6_ |
| ♡9 | _♣5_ | ♡8 | 7♠ |10| _A♠_ | 9♠ | J♠ | 7♠ |
| 9♢ | J♠ | 5♠ | _Q♠_ |11| _♡10_ | Q♠ | 8♢ | 2♠ |
| 10♢ | ♡7 | 6♠ | _A♠_ |12| _♡8_ | K♠ | 10♢ | 2♢ |
| ♡K | ♡10 | _K♠_ | 10♠ |13| K♢ | _A♢_ | Q♢ | J♢ |
+------+------+-------+-------+--+-------+-------+------+------+
The first of these examples shows the importance of playing for the
suit which is longest between the two hands. Observe that the dealer
plays the high cards from the hand which is shorter in the suit, and
on the second round of clubs is careful to give up the higher of two
cards, so as to get out of Dummy’s way and clear, or establish, the
suit. B, hoping to get his partner into the lead again, leads a heart
up to Dummy’s weakness, and leads a heart which will beat Dummy’s best
heart. At the eleventh trick, unless the dealer can make two tricks in
spades by the finesse, he cannot win the game.
The second example shows the importance of preserving a re-entry card
in the hand which is longer in the suit the dealer intends playing for.
If the dealer lets the heart come up to him, it is true that he will
make win the first trick with the Jack; but he will never win a trick
with the Queen, and therefore he can never get in to make his clubs,
even if he establishes them. By putting up the Ace of hearts, and
keeping both Q and J in his own hand, he is certain of a re-entry in
hearts. On the second round of clubs, the adversary still holding up or
underplaying, the dealer must be careful to overtake Dummy’s ten with
his own Jack, so as to continue the suit without losing the lead.
VARIETIES OF BRIDGE.
_=THREE HAND AUCTION.=_ This is a game for three active players only,
but four may form a table. Each player is for himself, there being no
partnerships except the temporary combination against the declarer for
each deal. The player who cuts the lowest card chooses his seat and
cards and the player with the next lower cut sits on his left, the
other on his right.
The cards are dealt one at a time into four packets, of thirteen
each, just as in the ordinary game of auction, the odd hand remaining
untouched until the winning declaration is decided. The dealer
makes the first bid and then each bids in turn until two pass. The
penalty for bidding out of turn is 50 points added to the score of
each opponent, for doubling out of turn it is 100. If both pass the
irregularity there is no penalty, but if only one passes, the third may
call attention to it.
The highest bidder takes up the dummy hand, sorts it and lays it on the
table opposite him, face up, as soon as the eldest hand leads a card.
If there is a player sitting opposite the highest bidder, he moves to
the vacant seat.
The game is 30 points, and the winner of a game adds 125 points to his
score at once. The first player to win two games not only adds the 125
for the second game, but 250 more for winning the rubber. Honours are
scored by each player separately, every honour being worth as much as a
trick in that suit. Four or five in one hand count double. At no trump,
the aces count for 10 each to the holders, four in one hand 100. The
declarer scores his dummy’s honours.
At the end of the rubber, each wins from or loses to each of the
others. The score is usually made up in this way, the final amounts to
the credit of each being shown in the top line:
A, 240 B, 980 C, 456
----------------------------
-740 +740 +215
-215 +524 -524
---- ---- ----
-955 +1264 -309
_=DUPLICATE AUCTION.=_ This game may be played in any of the ways
described for the movement of trays and players under the head of
duplicate whist. Tricks and honours are scored as usual, but there are
no games or rubbers. Should the declarer make 30 or more points on a
single hand he gets 125 points bonus in the honour column. This game is
now covered by the official laws for auction, which see.
_=BRIDGE FOR THREE.=_ Sometimes called _=Dummy Bridge=_, or
_=Cut-Throat=_. The lowest cut deals the first hand and plays the
Dummy. If the dealer will not declare on his own cards, he passes,
and Dummy must declare according to a fixed schedule. With three or
four aces; no-trumps, no matter what the rest of the hand may be.
With less than three aces, Dummy cannot make it no-trumps under any
circumstances; but must name the longest suit. If two suits are equal,
the pips on each are counted, reckoning aces as 11 each, other honours
at 10 each, and the larger number of pips is the suit. If this is still
equal, the more valuable suit must be declared.
No one but the eldest hand may double, and no one but the dealer may
redouble. In order to make this fair for both sides, it is usual to let
the pone sort and declare on Dummy’s cards, so that the dealer shall
not see them until the first card is led.
No matter what points are made for tricks, the dealer only can score
them below the line, to count toward game. If the adversaries make the
odd trick, they score above the line, in the honour column, so that no
one can go out except on his own deal.
After the deal is finished and scored, the players move, so as to
bring about a change of partners. The one on the left of the vacant
place moves into it, and the player on his right deals. Three of these
movements bring about the original position.
Each player’s score is kept individually, and when one of the three has
won two games, the scores are added up and balanced, after giving the
winner 100 rubber points. Each then pays the difference to the others.
Suppose the winner to be A, with 320; B having 80 and C 64. A wins 240
from B and 256 from C; while B wins 16 from C.
_=BRIDGE FOR TWO.=_ Sometimes called “_=Chinese Bridge=_.” The dealer
gives his adversary four cards face down, and then deals four to
himself, also face down. He then distributes the remainder of the pack
by dealing to his adversary and himself alternately, one card at a
time, keeping them separate from the first four. Without lifting or
looking at any of these twenty-two cards, each player places eleven of
them in two rows, face down, and then the other eleven on the top of
the first, but face up. This gives each player eleven cards face up on
the table, covering eleven face down under them, and a separate hand of
four cards.
The dealer looks at his four cards, without showing them to his
adversary, and after due consideration of what he sees on the table,
declares. His adversary can double if he likes, or he can simply play a
card. Tricks and honours count as in the ordinary rubber.
The declaration made, the non-dealer leads any card he pleases, from
the four in his hand or from the eleven face up on the table, and
the dealer must follow suit if he can, either from his hand or from
the table. The moment a card is played from the table, the card under
it must be turned face up, and becomes playable; but no card which is
on the top of another card can be shifted, so that the card under it
cannot be turned up until its covering card is legitimately played away.
The second player having played to the trick, the original leader must
play to it in his turn, and then his adversary plays the fourth card,
completing the trick. The winner of the trick takes it in, turns it
down, and leads for the next trick, and so on until all thirteen tricks
have been played. The winner of the rubber scores 100 points extra.
_=MISERY BRIDGE.=_ This is a game for two players, who sit opposite
each other. Four hands of thirteen cards each are dealt, the dealer
beginning on his left. Before declaring, the dealer may discard any
number of cards from one to four, laying them on the table at his left,
but face up, where they so remain during the play of the hand.
In place of this discard, the dealer takes an equal number of cards
from the top of the hand on his left. These are not shown to the
adversary. Having discarded and drawn, the dealer declares. There is no
doubling; but the dealer himself may undertake to win at least eight of
the thirteen tricks, and if he announces “eight tricks,” he can score
them at double value if he succeeds. If he fails to get the full eight,
his adversary scores ten points penalty, the dealer scoring nothing at
all. No matter what the trump suit, the penalty of ten points remains
the same.
After discarding, drawing and declaring, the stock hand is laid aside,
still face down, and the non-dealer takes up and sorts the hand on his
left, turning it face up on the table, like a Dummy. This hand belongs
to the non-dealer, who leads first and plays both hands, so that the
dealer is practically opposed to two hands of thirteen cards each.
If the dealer does not want to discard and draw, he can play
_=misery=_, which is a no-trumper, but played to lose tricks, instead
of to win them. If the dealer takes more than one trick, his adversary
scores five points penalty for each so taken. But if the dealer
succeeds in taking only one trick, or none at all, he scores five
points for every trick his adversary has taken over the book of six.