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

Holding—4 Aces.
3 Aces.
2 Aces and one other guarded suit.
1 Ace and three other guarded suits.
1 long established black suit (A K Q x x x [A]) and one other Ace.

[A] "x" signifies small cards.