Auction of To-day

by Milton C. Work

The adversaries of the Declarer must realize that they are at some disadvantage in the play. The Declarer knows every card in the Dummy, but each of his opponents can at best only guess the holding of his partner. They should, therefore, strive by every means in their power to give each other all possible information.

They should always play the lowest, and (except with Ace, King, and one or more others) lead the highest of a sequence. The only case in which they should withhold information or play a false card is when such action may upset the calculations of the Declarer, and either cannot mislead the partner, or, if it do, will not affect his play. For example, with King, Queen, over an adverse Ace, Knave, 10, a false card is more than justified, as it tempts the Declarer to mould his play for another finesse; so also, in other cases in which the partner is without strength in the suit and his play is, therefore, unimportant, he may be treated as if he were a Dummy.

The advantage of forcing the strong hand is just as great in Auction as in Whist or Bridge, and as a rule it is the best play possible for the adversaries of the Declarer. The only exception is when the Dummy has an established suit and a reëntry.

Suppose, for example, with four tricks to play, the Declarer has the last Trump (Hearts), one Club, and two Diamonds. The Dummy has three winning Clubs, and the leader a Diamond and winning Spades. He knows he can force the Declarer's last Trump with a Spade, and generally this would be his wisest play; but the long Clubs in the Dummy show that the usual tactics cannot now be employed, and his only chance is to lead a Diamond hoping that his partner has one or two winners.

It goes without saying that leading a suit the weak adverse hand can trump, and upon which the strong hand can discard, is carrying out a custom most commendable at Christmas, but which at the card-table does not arouse the enthusiasm of the partner.

A player should be most careful not to indicate by some mannerism that his hand is trickless. By pulling a card before it is his turn to play, by apparent lack of interest, or by allowing himself to be wrapped in gloom, he may give the Declarer as much information as if he spread his hand on the table.

THE SIGNAL

One of the best and most serviceable methods of giving information is by using "the signal," which is made by the play of an unnecessarily high card. For example, the Ace and King of a suit are led. The play of the 6 before the 5 constitutes a signal, as the 6 is an unnecessarily high card.

The meaning of this signal is that the maker desires the suit, in which it is made, continued. Playing in ordinary order, lower before higher, shows that the continuation of that suit is not requested. It is the old Trump signal of the game of Whist, which, inasmuch as a demand for a Trump lead is not needed in Auction, has been borrowed and transformed into a request to continue the suit. This signal was first used to mean, "I can ruff the third round," but the absurdity of limiting it to any such meaning soon became apparent, and, as it is now played, it means, "Partner, continue this suit. I have some reason for asking you so to do." The failure to give this signal may mean, "Shift the suit," but does not of necessity do so. It merely says, "Partner, I have no reason for asking you to lead this suit a third time."

This signal is a most important part of Auction tactics. It can be given on either the partner's or the Declarer's lead, should always be used when a continuation of the suit is desired, and should be watched for by the partner with the most painstaking care. The first trick sometimes furnishes this information. For example, the play of the deuce, or of any card which the partner can read as being of necessity the lowest, tells him that either the card is a singleton or that the player is not beginning a signal.