ILLUSTRATIVE BRIDGE HANDS.
The dealer is Z in both instances. In the first example, he makes it no-trump. In the second, Dummy, Y, makes it no-trump. A leads in both cases:—
| A | Y | B | Z | A | Y | B | Z | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7♢ | 3♢ | J♢ | K♢ | 1 | ♡6 | ♡A | ♡7 | ♡3 |
| ♣Q | ♣2 | ♣K | ♣J | 2 | ♣5 | ♣K | ♣3 | ♣2 |
| A♢ | 8♢ | 6♢ | 2♢ | 3 | ♣8 | ♣10 | ♣7 | ♣J |
| 4♢ | Q♢ | 2♠ | 5♢ | 4 | 5♢ | 3♢ | ♣A | ♣4 |
| ♣4 | ♣3 | ♣A | ♣10 | 5 | ♡K | ♡2 | ♡9 | ♡J |
| ♡3 | ♡5 | ♡J | ♡A | 6 | ♡5 | ♡4 | 6♢ | ♡Q |
| 8♠ | ♣9 | ♡2 | ♣8 | 7 | 5♠ | 3♠ | 6♠ | ♣Q |
| 9♠ | ♣7 | 3♠ | ♡4 | 8 | 7♢ | 4♠ | 8♠ | ♣9 |
| ♡6 | ♣6 | 4♠ | ♡Q | 9 | 9♢ | 4♢ | 10♠ | ♣6 |
| ♡9 | ♣5 | ♡8 | 7♠ | 10 | A♠ | 9♠ | J♠ | 7♠ |
| 9♢ | J♠ | 5♠ | Q♠ | 11 | ♡10 | Q♠ | 8♢ | 2♠ |
| 10♢ | ♡7 | 6♠ | A♠ | 12 | ♡8 | K♠ | 10♢ | 2♢ |
| ♡K | ♡10 | K♠ | 10♠ | 13 | K♢ | A♢ | Q♢ | J♢ |
The first of these examples shows the importance of playing for the suit which is longest between the two hands. Observe that the dealer plays the high cards from the hand which is shorter in the suit, and on the second round of clubs is careful to give up the higher of two cards, so as to get out of Dummy’s way and clear, or establish, the suit. B, hoping to get his partner into the lead again, leads a heart up to Dummy’s weakness, and leads a heart which will beat Dummy’s best heart. At the eleventh trick, unless the dealer can make two tricks in spades by the finesse, he cannot win the game.
The second example shows the importance of preserving a re-entry card in the hand which is longer in the suit the dealer intends playing for. If the dealer lets the heart come up to him, it is true that he will make win the first trick with the Jack; but he will never win a trick with the Queen, and therefore he can never get in to make his clubs, even if he establishes them. By putting up the Ace of hearts, and keeping both Q and J in his own hand, he is certain of a re-entry in hearts. On the second round of clubs, the adversary still holding up or underplaying, the dealer must be careful to overtake Dummy’s ten with his own Jack, so as to continue the suit without losing the lead.
VARIETIES OF BRIDGE.
THREE HAND AUCTION. This is a game for three active players only, but four may form a table. Each player is for himself, there being no partnerships except the temporary combination against the declarer for each deal. The player who cuts the lowest card chooses his seat and cards and the player with the next lower cut sits on his left, the other on his right.
The cards are dealt one at a time into four packets, of thirteen each, just as in the ordinary game of auction, the odd hand remaining untouched until the winning declaration is decided. The dealer makes the first bid and then each bids in turn until two pass. The penalty for bidding out of turn is 50 points added to the score of each opponent, for doubling out of turn it is 100. If both pass the irregularity there is no penalty, but if only one passes, the third may call attention to it.
The highest bidder takes up the dummy hand, sorts it and lays it on the table opposite him, face up, as soon as the eldest hand leads a card. If there is a player sitting opposite the highest bidder, he moves to the vacant seat.