Practise soon shows a player the relative importance of playing for
the greatest possible number of points and tricks, and of playing
to win or to save the game. No matter how cleverly the cards are
managed, the player who underestimates the attention the state of the
score demands, will unnecessarily lose many a rubber. The declaration
largely depends upon the score, and much of the play is influenced by
the number of tricks required to win or to save the game.
Most Bridge players take means to ascertain the score before
announcing a declaration; it is only an occasional game that is lost
by a hasty declaration regardless of the state of the score; but in
the play of the hand, the score is frequently entirely overlooked.
Interested in his scheme of play, the dealer will try for too much or
too little, and quite lose sight of what should be his first goal--to
win or to save the game.