A Auction Bridge Don'ts 3V 1282 C3 >opy 1 BY WALTER CAMP 41 UNIFORM WITH THIS VOLUME BRIDGE DON'TS Price, net 50 Cents CONDENSED AUCTION FOR THE BUSY MAN T^ON'T blame your partner or the cards unless you follow these DONT'S BY WALTER CAMP iSeto ^orfe THE PLATT & PECK CO. Copyright. 1912 By THE PLATT & PECK CO. ^C!.A312410 To "matt" anb "pir* Good Partners PR E FA C E r JL^ HE success of "Bridge A Dont's" which was compiled to aid the player who wished a condensation of the best points of the various systems has natu- rally led to a similar publi- cation for Auction. My only hope is that this at- tempt will meet with as favorable a reception. GENERAL BRIEF SYNOPSIS AUCTION DON'TS T HE general rules of Bridge govern. General ^ The dealer has first dec- B"ef laration. He declares the number he guarantees to win in odd tricks, naming his trump or no trump. The other three hands, pass- ing to the left, are privileged to over bid. AUCTION DON'TS fl The bids count according to their value: The Value of OLD COUNT Tricks No Trumps 12 Hearts - 8 Diamonds 6 Clubs - 4 Spades - 2 NEW COUNT No Trumps 10 Lilies (Royal Spades) 9 Hearts - 8 Diamonds 7 Clubs - 6 Spades - 2 AUCTION D O N ' T S I in hearts is 8, but a bid of a lower suit totaling in value the same as the heart suit has the preference; that is, 4 spades will beat i heart; 2 diamonds will beat I no trump. fl If the player other than the dealer does not care to make a higher declaration he passes. A player may over bid his opponent's dec- laration and may also over bid his partner's declara- tion, but he cannot over bid AUCTION DON'TS his own declaration which has been passed by the three other players. fl When the last declaration has been passed by the three other players the player who has first made such declaration shall play the combined hands of himself and partner, the latter be- coming dummy. flWhen the declarer wins at least as many odd tricks as he promises, he scores the full value of these tricks. A U C T I O N D O N'T S When he fails, his adver- saries score in the honor column 50 points for each trick short of the declared number ; if the declaration has been doubled or re- doubled 100 or 2 00 respect- ively for each such trick short. In case of failure to take the required number of tricks neither the declarer nor his opponents score any- thing below the line. The loss on the declaration of i A U C tf O N '£) O N'T S spade, however, is limited to loo points whether doubled or not, but if re- doubled there is no limit, q If a player declares out of turn either adversary may demand a new deal or allow the declaration to stand. If a player declares an insufficient number of tricks to over bid he is con- sidered to have declared the requisite number of tricks provided either adversary calls attention to the insuf- ficiency. A U C T I O N D O N ' T S fl Any declaration may be doubled once but no more; nor can a player double his partner's declaration nor redouble his partner's double. He may, however, redouble a declaration of his partner which has been doubled by an adversary. ^ Doubling or redoubling reopens the bidding. ^ When a declaration has been doubled, if the declarer makes good he scores a bo- nus of 50 points for taking PRELIMINARY DON'TS AUCTION DON'TS DON'T delay on Dec- Preiimi- laration. Don'ts fl Don't add an explanation. ^ Don't forget your bid is dependent upon the score whether you wish to win the game, save the game, or defeat opponents. AUCTION DON'TS DON'T forget good form in Auction requires the observance of certain eti- quette as follows: ^ Cut toward the dealer, but do not complete the cut. ^ Keep your score sheet where all the players can see it. ^ Dealer's partner collects the cards from the preced- ing deal and shuffles the cards first. Each player has the right to shuffle consecu- AUCTION DO N'T S tively, and the dealer has the right to shuffle last. ^ When you have shuffled place the cards face down on the left of the player whose deal comes next. 9 Make up your books cor- rectly; that is, when play- ing against the declarer close your book when it is neces- sary for him to take ail the remaining tricks. State your methods of declaration. AUCTION DO N'T S 9 Place Dummy's trumps on the right and alternate the red and black. Don't demand the placing of the cards in order to call your partner's attention to any card or play. fl Don't play a card with such emphasis as to draw attention to it. fl Don't take one card from your hand and then play another. ^ Don't incur a penalty in- tentionally. AUCTION DO N'T S fl Don't make a second re- voke to conceal the first. fl Don't indulge in discus- sion. fli Don't, as dummy, leave your seat to watch your partner's play. fl Don't look at any of your cards until the deal is com- pleted. STANDARD DECLARATIONS AUCTION DON'TS Standard Declaration original Don'ts ^^""[^''l Declaration General Principles No Score ON'T fail to declare: I. Two no frumpy ii very strong in three suits and afraid of one red suit. 2. One no trump y if protected in three suits and average hand. 3. Two hearts with great strength in the suit. Ace, King, Jack, and three others, or Ace, two and four others. 4. Two diamonds y same as above for hearts. 5. One heart or one diamond with two sure tricks in that suit. AUCTION DONETS 6. Two clubs with the suit absolutely established. Ace, King, Queen and two or more others. 7. One club if you can take care of that suit and a generally good hand. 8- Two spades if strong in spades and want a no trump or want spades led if opponents de- clare no trump. 9. One spade if generally weak hand. AUCTION DON'TS If you don't play the "One Trick checking Bid" the following while not infallible Count for is a quick guide. Ordinary DDeclara- ON'T bid one in red *'o°« make unless your hand counts five or over on the following basis (hold- ing at least four cards and two honors of the make). Count as tricks lost in each suit throughout the hand: One for each missing Ace, King and Queen. If there be five or more cards remain- ing the bid is safe. Every additional one justifies go- ing up if forced. AUCTION DON'T S ^ Don't raise your partner's make unless you have two sure tricks. You can raise him if necessary, one for each sure trick over one. That is, he counts on you for one trick on above make. If you have another it is one more than he counts on. AUCTION DON'TS Second Hand DON'T forget if dealer has declared one Deciaratior spade better pass unless too good a hand to lose, then your declarations are same as if you were dealer ex- cept you know that dealer is weak. ^ Don't fail to double one spade or one club if you hold two or more tricks in that suit. Q Don't double any other one trick declaration. ^ Don't fail to raise two AUCTION DON'TS spades or two clubs, one diamond or one heart if very anxious to give infor- mation to partner which suit to lead against no trump by third player. AUCTION DON'TS DON'T fail to declare no trump if protected in three suits and your partner has shown strength in your weak suit. fl Don't fail to make highest call your hand admits if dealer has declared one spade and second hand has passed; One no trump if the hand justifies, but if no fairly sound call in hand must pass even though leaves dealer in. fli Don't fail to increase partner's bid of one club, Third Hand Declaratioa AUCTION DON'TS second hand having passed, by showing, if you have it, an Ace, King suit; with a poor hand never bid two spades to show you are weak except you are playing the "One Trick Bid" earlier described. C| Don't hesitate to overcall partner's one no trump if hold strong heart or dia- mond make and no outside support, indicating that hand is either game with that trump or useless except in that suit. AUCTION DON'T S D ON'T take opponents f^"*"**^ i 1 ^ Player* out of a black suit Declaration unless having a bid that is fair chance to go game. ^ Don't fail to^pverbid deal- ers one no trump if essential to give partner information. ^ Don't do this in case of third player's declaration, be- cause you will yourself have the lead. ^ Don't hesitate to go one no trump over third player's one heart or one diamond to force him up if you can AUCTION DO N'T S afford to take the chance of playing it. fl Don't over call partner except under same condition as third player would over call dealer. DOUBLING AUCTION DO N'T S DON'T forget a double Doubung in Auction is unlike a double in Bridge. In Auc- tion it merely means a denial of the declarer's ability to fulfil his contract. Q Don't double a one trick declaration unless it is black, fl Don't try risky double that will help opponents to go game — but take a chance when it is a free double, that is, would go game anyway without the double. Don't double a high bid — three or more — without aces and kings. AUCTION DON'T S DON'T fail on partner's double in no trump to lead your highest spade, i.e., failing any other infor- mation unless you have very strong suit of your own. ^ Don't lead any other than regular Bridge leads on low bids without other informa- tion. fl Don't delay on higher bids to take your tricks — lead your aces and kings. 9 Don't lead against no trump — failing other infor- AUCTION DON'TS mation — your red suits — start the black. ^ Don't hesitate to lead your own suit to partner's decla- ration, if it is good enough to open with an honor — if not open partner's suit with command or highest of two honors in sequence or high- est of three or less; lowest of four or more. AUCTION DO N'T S SudSs rAON'T "keep the flag "*-^ flying" at too great a risk. €| Don't forget that if you stop the opponents by over- bidding your hand so that you are set much over 200 you run the chance of hav- ing no balance even with your 250 for the rubber. ^ Don't ignore the fact that you are no nearer the rub- ber after this than before. ^I Don't make the other mistake of letting them play AUCTION DON'TS the hand on a low bid and make the rubber when your hand justifies forcing them up to the danger point. ^ Don't waste a sure chance to set your opponents 200 or 300. Remember you have a chance for the rubber in addition. ^ Don't on the other hand let a chance for the rubber game go by for the sake of setting opponents 50 or 100. ^ Don't forget that unless AUCTION DO N'T S it be to stop opponents go- ing game it does not pay to secure the playing of any hand that will not give you game. ^ Don't forget that aces and kings keep their value in all the shifting changes of bid. ^ Don't get so occupied in studying your own bid as not to get all possible in- formation from your op- ponent's bid. q Don't be flustered by a AU CTION DON'TS double into shifting from what may be a sure thing into something unknown. ^ OTHER METHODS OF DECLARATION "ONE TRICK BID" Bid AUCTION DON'TS DECLARATION— DEALER ^ Don't declare original ^^Id good no trumper or sound red one Trick make, but in such instance declare one spade. ^ Don't declare one spade with a "busted" hand, but one "no trump". ^ Don't fail, when holding neither good no trump nor sound red make, but having a quick sure trick [Ace or both King and Queen], to bid one in that suit. If it be a spade Ace or spade King and Queen declare two spades. AUCTION DO N'T S INSTRUCTIONS TO PARTNER ON '^ONE TRICK BID" Instruc- tions to Declarer's Partner or Third Hand on ** One Trick Bid" System D ON'T take dealer out of a no trump unless: first, you have a make in your own hand without assistance from him; second, if you have nothing in the hand but six or seven inferior cards in diamonds or hearts and no sure winning cards in any suit; in other words, a heart or a diamond "bust," then take him out of his no trumper with a bid of two in the red suit. AUCTION DO N'T S ^ Don't fail to take dealer out of one spade by calling the suit with one sure trick, in it. If there is absolutely nothing in the hand then call two spades. If the sure trick is in spades bid three spades. In playing the new count Spades - 2 Clubs - 6 Diamonds 7 Hearts - 8 Lilies (Royal Spades) 9 No Trumps 10 AUCTION D ON'T S regard Lilies as equivalent to hearts. Note, — A later develop- ment of this "one trick bid" system is to declare two spades when holding a sound red make or no trumps, reserving the one spade bid for a busted hand and thus limiting the penalty. AUCTION DON'TS BLACK SUITS "NO TRUMP" CALL A NOTHER method is •*- ^ thatin which the deal- er, if strong in the two black suits, bids "no trumps" re- gardless of the red suits. His partner takes him out with a call of "two" in a red suit if he be long and weak in that suit. PENAL TIES Brief of •Rules and Penalties DON'T forget following rules: A REVOKING side may not score ''slam" or ''little slam." ^ An error in the honor score may be cor- rected at any time before the score of the rubber has been settled, but an error in a trick score may only be corrected prior to the conclusion of the game in which it occurred, that conclusion being reached when a declaration has been made in the following game, or, if this be the final game, when the score has been made by and agreed upon. SThe Ace of Hearts is low in the cut^ llowing by diamond, club and spade. Q There must be a new deal if any card is faced; if the pack proves incorrect or im- perfect; if the dealer deals two cards at once and then deals a third before correcting the error; if the pack is not cut and either ad- versary calls attention to this before the completion of the deal and before either adversary has looked at any card. PENALTIES Q Dealing out of turn, must be corrected before the last card is played; otherwise the deal must stand. ^ If a player make a declaration, either passing out of turn, either adversary may demand a new deal or allow the declaration to stand. ^ If a player fail to declare a number of tricks sufficient to over bid the declaration he must make it the requisite number, pro- vided either adversary called attention to the bid, but if either adversary passes, doubles or makes a higher declaration the offense is condoned. ^ An insufficient declaration corrected to the requisite number prevents the partner of the erroneous declarer from making any further declaration unless his adversaries go higher or double. jj[ After a final declaration has been made a player may not give his partner any notion as to any previous declaration, but a player may inquire at any time what was the final declaration. PENAL TIES fl| If a player double out of turn either ad- versary may demand a new deal. q The Dummy, until his cards are ex- posed, has all the rights of a player, but after may take no part whatever except to ask the declarer whether he have any of a suit which he may have refused ; to call the declarer's attention to the fact that too many or too few cards have been played to a trick; to correct the claim of either adver- sary to a penalty ; to call attention to the fact that a trick has been erroneously taken by the opponents; to participate in the dis- cussion of any question of fact after it has arisen ; to correct an erroneous score. q Should Dummy call attention to any other point in conseqence through which a penalty might have been exacted, the de- clarer's privilege to exact the penalty is forfeited. q If Dummy by touching a card, or other- wise suggest the play, either adversary may call upon the declarer to play or not play the card. P EN AL TIE S ^ Dummy is not liable for a revoke. If the error be not discovered until the trick is turned and quitted, the trick must stand. " A card from the declarer's hand is not played until actually quitted, but if he only touch a card in dummy, such card is con- sidered as played unless he says ' ' I arrange. ' ' ^ If any player exposes a card from his own hand before the declaration is finally deter- mined, the adversaries may demand a new deal. If the play be allowed to stand, however, the card is not an exposed card. ^ If any player lead before the final declaration, his partner may not make any further bid, and the declarer may call the lead from the adversary whose turn it is to lead. ^ If after the final declaration the third hand exposes a card the declarer may, in- stead of calling the card, require the leader not to lead that suit. ^ Any card mentioned by either adversary as being held by him or his partner becomes an exposed card. P EN A L TIE S 9 A card dropped on the floor or so held that an adversary, but not the partner, sees it is not an exposed card, 5 If a declarer lead out of turn either from his own hand or dummy he incurs no penalty, but may not rectify the error after the second hand is played. fl If a player be called on to lead a suit, holding none of it, the penalty is paid. fl If any one except dummy play two or more cards to the same trick he is answer- able for any subsequent revokes he may have made. ^ If the declarer revokes, his adversaries add 150 points in their honor column. H If either adversary revokes, the declarer has the choice of adding 150 points to his honor score or taking three tricks from his opponents. Such tricks may aid in making good his declaration, but not the score in bonus in the honor column in the case of a double or redouble, "when more than one revoke is made PENALTIES during the hand each revoke after the first counts 100 in the honor column. y The revoking side may not score except for honors in trumps or chicane. ^ Partners may not consult as to enforce- ment of penalties. If they do consult the penalty is paid. ^ No trick must be looked at after turned and quitted. Any player before the cards are touched to gather them together may demand the placing of the cards. ^ If either of the adversaries before his partner has played calls attention to the trick, either by saying what it is, or with- out request by naming his card, the declarer may require partner to play his highest or lowest to win or lose the trick. 9 When the declarer or his partner has in- curred a penalty the proper form is for one of the adversaries to say * 'Partner, will you exact the penalty or shall I?" But whether this is said or not, if either adver- sary name the penalty, that decision is final. P EN A L TIES ^ If the wrong penalty be demanded none can be enforced. ^ Unless a pack be imperfect no player may call for one new pack. There must always be two, and new cards must be called for before the pack be cut for the new deal. APR ^2 1912 LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 020 237 578 9