PREFACE
In the study of any game, the foundation of success must be a thorough acquaintance with the principles of play. This once attained, future progress becomes easy and rapid.
Many writers on Bridge have left much of the play to the individual judgment and knowledge of the player, and in most works on this subject, illustrations of the fundamental principles are largely wanting.
The present work is an attempt to supply these deficiencies; this volume is intended to aid the Bridge student in acquiring a practical acquaintance with the various forms of attack and defence as outlined by the best players. Particular attention is given to the dealer’s play of the dummy hand, the management of trumps is outlined in detail, and the underlying principles are fully illustrated by the complete play of selected hands.
The writer has endeavoured to make this work simple in its arrangement and style so as to be adapted to the capacity of all lovers of Bridge, comprehensive and complete so as to be a sufficient and certain guide in the most difficult as well as in the easy situations.
The laws of Bridge published in this edition have been prepared by the author, who has used as a foundation the codes accepted by the principal clubs of the world. The author does not favour the exaction of a penalty for the dealer’s lead out of turn. The American opinion on this point is divided, but the English practice is to exact no penalty. Otherwise the various club codes show but minor differences.
CONTENTS
| page | |
| PREFACE | [vii] |
THE LAWS OF BRIDGE | [ 1] |
ETIQUETTE | [22] |
BRIDGE FOR THREE PLAYERS | [25] |
THE SCORE | [27] |
| Declaring to the score | [ 27] |
| Playing to the score | [ 28] |
| The non-dealer’s play to the score | [ 29] |
THE DECLARATION | [ 31] |
| “No-Trump” declaration by the dealer | [ 32] |
| Rules for “No-Trump” declaration by the dealer | [ 32] |
| “No-Trump” with three aces | [ 35] |
| “No-Trump” with two aces and one other guarded suit | [ 35] |
| “No-Trump” with two aces | [ 36] |
| “No-Trump” with one ace | [ 37] |
| “No-Trump” without an ace | [ 37] |
| Examples of “No-Trump” makes | [ 38] |
| Hearts | [ 38] |
| Rules for the heart make | [ 40] |
| Five hearts including three honours | [ 40] |
| Five hearts including two honours | [ 41] |
| Five hearts with one honour | [ 41] |
| Four hearts with three honours | [ 41] |
| Examples of hands that should not be passed | [ 42] |
| Hearts in preference to “No-Trump” | [ 42] |
| Hearts, not “No-Trump” | [ 43] |
| Diamonds | [ 43] |
| Clubs | [ 46] |
| Spades | [ 47] |
| Passed makes | [ 47] |
| Abandoning spade hands | [ 49] |
DOUBLING | [ 51] |
| Redoubling | [ 54] |
| Estimating the value of a hand | [ 54] |
| The lead when partner has doubled | [ 55] |
| The heart convention | [ 57] |
| The weak suit convention | [ 57] |
THE NON-DEALER’S PLAY AGAINST A DECLARED TRUMP | [ 59] |
| The opening lead | [ 60] |
| Examples of opening leads | [ 63] |
| Inferences from high card leads | [ 64] |
| Inferences from low card leads | [ 67] |
| Examples of inference from opening leads | [ 68] |
| Original trump openings | [ 70] |
| Original trump openings from strength | [ 72] |
| The trump lead against a spade make | [ 72] |
| How to play to partner’s trump opening | [ 73] |
| Leading trumps to prevent a ruff in the weak trump hand | [ 74] |
| Short suit openings | [ 74] |
| Leading through strength | [ 77] |
| When to lead through strength | [ 78] |
| Choice of suits to lead through | [ 79] |
| Suggestions for third hand play | [ 80] |
| Inferences from third hand play | [ 82] |
| Leading up to dummy | [ 87] |
| The Echo | [ 88] |
| Forcing | [ 89] |
| Returning partner’s lead | [ 91] |
| Second hand play | [ 91] |
| When you play before the dummy | [ 92] |
| When you play before the dealer | [ 94] |
INFERENCES | [ 95] |
| The value of information | [ 96] |
| How to draw inferences | [ 97] |
| Inferences regarding the make | [ 98] |
| General inferences | [ 99] |
THE NON-DEALER’S PLAY OF A “NO-TRUMP” HAND | [102] |
| The original lead | [103] |
| The original lead at “No-Trump” | [106] |
| Opening a short suit against a “No-Trump” declaration | [107] |
| Unblocking | [108] |
| Returning partner’s lead | [109] |
| Holding up by the non-dealers | [111] |
| Examples of holding up | [112] |
| Taking out re-entry cards | [115] |
THE DISCARD | [116] |
| The discard against a declared trump | [117] |
| The discard at “No-Trump” | [118] |
| Hints on discarding | [121] |
| The reverse discard | [122] |
| Discarding by the dealer | [122] |
THE DEALER’S PLAY | [124] |
| Combining the hands of dealer and dummy | [125] |
| Ace, Queen, Jack Combination | [125] |
| Ace, king, jack combination | [127] |
| Ace, jack, ten combination | [129] |
| King, jack, ten combination | [129] |
| Miscellaneous combinations | [130] |
| Arranging the lead | [131] |
| Finessing | [132] |
| The finesse obligatory | [134] |
| Watching the discards in order to locate finesses | [135] |
| Second hand plays | [136] |
MANAGEMENT OF TRUMPS BY THE DEALER | [139] |
| When to lead trumps | [139] |
| When not to lead trumps | [141] |
| Unblocking the trump suit | [142] |
| Not forcing your strong trump hand | [142] |
| Leading trumps to prevent a ruff | [143] |
| When to draw the remaining trumps | [144] |
| Discontinuing the lead of trumps | [144] |
| When to trump | [146] |
| Overtrumping | [147] |
| Re-entry cards | [148] |
| Forcing discards | [148] |
| Throwing the lead | [150] |
THE DEALER’S PLAY OF A “NO-TRUMP” DECLARATION | [151] |
| Choice of suits | [152] |
| Keeping the commanding card of the adversaries’ suit | [154] |
| Re-entry cards | [158] |
| Unblocking | [162] |
| Overtaking | [164] |
| “Ducking” | [167] |
| “Overtaking and unblocking” | [171] |
| “Overtaking and ducking” | [172] |
| The defence against overtaking and “ducking” | [173] |
CARD STRATEGY | [175] |
LOST TRICKS | [183] |
“YOUR PARTNER.” HIS IDIOSYNCRASIES, AND SOME OF YOURS | [190] |
ILLUSTRATIVE HANDS | [195] |
END PLAYS | [277] |
| Refusing to draw the losing trump | [279] |
| Leading the losing trump | [280] |
| Throwing the lead | [281] |
| Leading a singleton | [282] |
| Saving a low trump to lead | [283] |
| Refusing to over trump | [284] |
| The extra trump | [285] |
| Unblocking | [286] |
| Making a tenace | [287] |
GLOSSARY | [289] |
INDEX | [293] |