| Show CULBERTSON on CONTRACT I Iby by Ely Culbson Word Worlds World Champion Champon Campo Player and an Greatest Card ard rd Al Analyst j This is the twenty ninth of a series o of articles artcle in response to t requests request from numerous readers read read- ers era erSt designed to explain the elementary ele ele- dc- dc mentry principles of contract bridge bridge One of these will vIll wl appear each week week In them Mr Culbertson Cuibertson Culbert- Culbert son will wi write especially for the b benefit of those who have never played contract and who may even be unfamiliar with the methods of playing It I. I The artices articles ar ar- ar- ar ticks tices will wi cover the game came from its it basic elements clement to the higher phases of contract bridge The series in its it entirety will wi comprise comprise com com- prise prie a complete course of instruction in in- in How to Play Con Con- Contract tract trac THE TiE FIVE DOS DO'S AND DON'TS OF BIDDING I LESSON NO 29 There are of or course many dos do's and donl of contract bidding but there are re five very important ones which should hould be memorized and never for forgotten for gotten goten If I these five rules of bidding bid bid- ding ling procedure are arc followed under aU all 11 circumstances the beginning contract contract con- con tract player will go co a long way toward escaping many may of the pitfalls which beset beet the path of the player who makes every bid a law unto himself himsel instead of a law lw unto the cards he holds holds in In their relation to other cards ards around the table as shown by bythe bythe the he bidding The now famous Five Culberton Dos Do's an and Don'ts Dont Don't with a brief explanation tion ion of each cacho are as follows No 1 Unless I-Unless Unless you hold adequate trump rump support do not raise your partners partner's opening bid of one or two in n a suit sit no matter what outside strength you may have That Tat is to tosy say sy do not bid higher in a suit bid bidy by y your partner unless you hold at least east four small trumps or three trumps rumps headed by the queen or bet bet- ter er If I your partner bids spades and you hold the queen and two small mall smal spades or any four spades spade or more you have adequate trump support support sup sup- port and with wih the necessary count of f 3 2 1 or more playing tricks trump rump honors and length long suit sui tricks in n side suits suit honor tricks in side suits suit and ruffing tricks you may raise If I you do not have adequate trump rump trump support you may of course take out in m another biddable suit with about 1 plus honor tricks in your hand or bid one with wih about bout 1 2 11 2 1 honor tricks if i your partner part partner ner has opened with a suit bid of one Notice particularly please that adequate adequate ade ade- quate trump support is also required to o raise an opening two bid even though hough it is 5 a forcing bid No Always 2 Always 2 Always prefer any biddable biddable ble lo suit sui to a 3 when any opening the he bidding and usual usually when re re- to partners partner's bids bids This is s the approach principle the cornerstone corner corner- corer stone tone of the Culbertson approach approach- forcing system now standard throughout the world It I is really realy a natural bid for beginners to use it itis itis i is the erstwhile auction players who persist in opening the bidding with wih because they somehow seem to think that more points point can be made at than at a suit suil Actually there here are more potential tricks at a asuit asuit auit suit uit than at if i the thc distribution tion lon is favorable The great drawback drawback draw- draw back ack of ot ota a opening bid is that it t gives your OUI partner alm almost st no information in- in i. i formation about your tour our hand except that hat you hold at least 2 24 honor tricas in i three tee suits Any suit bid if made on a biddable suit with 2 21 2 12 honor tricks in your hand gives much more precise information Also a suit bid id does not shut out for lor your our partner may actually respond with wih a negative minimum bid of one to your opening suit bid of one if i he cannot raise or take you ou out in another suit suil No 3 Do 3 Do not pass pas your partners partner's opening one bid in a suit when there theres is s no bid by the intervening opponent opponent I nent except with a very weaK You must mut always keep the bidding open if i possible by means of a raise raie if f able another biddable suit with about 1 2 11 2 1 sometimes even with only 1 honor tricks a regulation suit takeout or or when unable to show a i suit a negative with about 1 2 11 12 honor tricks in your our hand If H your our partner responds with a bid of or orone one me in a suit the suit the one over one one the he opening hand should in turn tur keep the bidding open if possible except when holding a bare minimum opening bid The reason for this rule is i that following the approach principle prin principle ciple your partner may be bidding on a great deal more strength than his one bid shows and he should be given an opportunity to improve his hs bid bid The Te losses loses that tha may result resul from strictly adhering to this th rule will be small smal in i comparison with the great gains that are arc re sure to accrue No 4 Never 4 Never Never pass your partners partner's forcing bid when the intervening intervening op op does docs not bid so long as a game is not contracted for A forcing bid is an automatic game signal the word forcing means bid or die There are four forcing situations as follows a Any opening two bid in a suit except when a part score makes make two I lodd odd a game contract contract i b Any jump bid in a new suit by the responding hand This is the forcing takeout made on another biddable suit with 3 plus plu honor tricks in i inthe the hand c Any jump jup bid in i a new suit sui by the opening hand after partner has responded to an opening suit bid bidi if i one with wih another suit sui of one or orone orone orone one This is a al forcing re- re re bid made on another biddable suit sit and 4 honor tricks in i the hand d An A overcall In the suit bid by the opponents opponent This shows control control control con con- of the first firt lead of the opponents opponents' opponent suit ace or void and about 4 honor tricks If I either partner parter permits permit himself himsel ever to pass a forcing bid he immediately immediately immediately imme imme- weakens the whole foundation tion ton of the forcing bid On the other hand no good player should make a forcing bid unless he sees secs the strong probability of game at some declaration declaration decara declara declara- tion in the combined hands ton No Always 5 Always 5 show shoW the full ful strength of your hand in one bid when raising the suit bid by your partner or when responding with wih no no- trump But when responding with witha wih a new suit takeout after the thc forcing bid the hands should be bid up gradually gradually grad grad- and not by jumps If J you bid less than your full ful raising or no ne trump strength your partner will wi assume assume as as- a. a sume the minimum and cannot be expected ex cx- to give you the benefit of ot any doubt he may have that you are holding out on him Many a game or slam may be missed through failure to follow this rule TODAY'S POINTER The five principles principle stated in this article artcle are arc the cornerstones of correct correct cor rec contract bidding When a player understands these five rules he is isable isable i able to cope with wih others at the contract contract con tract trac table ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS Question Queston Can you you tell tel me mc what whal they mean when the they say rubber is 20 counts count I know that a small smal slam is 50 and a grand slam is The scoring is the only thing that has me puzzled in i bridge Answer In auction bridge a premium premium pre of points point is scored in the honor score of the side which wins two games You are exceedingly fortunate for in not being puzzled by anything anything any any- thing else ele in bridge bridge w I Question Queston My opponent bid a spade and I doubled a one bid bid My partner part part- ncr ncr ner had almost nothing and consequently consequently conse conse- refused reused to take me off of Therefore the double stood and opponent opponent op op- op- op made a fortune This is i the third instance that this has happened to me Please answer the following 1 Could I 1 refuse to play and am 1 entitled to 2 Should double stand in circumstances circumstances circum circum- s stances bidder get double credit 3 Kindly explain the ethics ethic of this matter mater Answer 1 No 2 2 Yes 3 This is not a question queston of ot ethics I but you should adjourn to an a alley with your partner and try some strong persuasive methods Copyright 1932 Ely Cul Culbertson QUESTIONS ANSWERED Mr Culbertson will wi be glad to answer anwer any specific question on bidding or play sent in by read read- ers era Address him in care of ot this newspaper inclosing a 2 cent stamped self sel a addressed envelope |
