Judge — August 1933 — page 18: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

Judge the entries; you even spelled your partner’s name wrong What have you got against Charlie and me?” Lenz: “You should have short, easy names like mine.” Wernher: =“ mi iven so, an error ht be disastrous in your case Next time I write up one of your aster plays T shall spell it LENDS id then nobody will believe that I mean you.” xed By Dorothy Rice Sime . HIS is the most embarrassing sit- uation that can happen to the ned tournament player. Two elderly ladies—one slightly deaf—creep timidly up, settling shawls, purses, glasses, ete. “Oh dear!” says lady No. 1, after adjusting her vision, “I go by. “Pass,” I make it one no trump wo. Two what?” I ask kindly, giving my partner a wink. ‘Two clubs,” in *Pass.” “Two no trumps.” “Pass.” Deep study—"Three diamonds.” “Pass,” shamefaced voice. “What did you say, dear? “She said ‘three diamonds’, “Er—her,—three diamonds is bid— well, I'll make it four “Four what?” “Four hearts.” ASS. “Oh my! What shall I I guess I'll say five clubs. “I'll make it a small slam.” “Pass. “She's making it a sn slam of something,—I don’t know what Ask her again, dear.” “She says clubs’. “Six clubs—six clubs—six clubs— Well, I know I'm awfully silly, but I think I'll just try seven.” “Try a double!” I cry, exasperated. “Pass.” “Pass. “Oh, now I've done it! I'm terri- bly sorry! But as long as we're doubled, I might just as well re- double. We're lost anyway and I've always wanted to try a seven re- doubled.” Yes, of course, it is made, with a couple of tricks to spare. “What did you say, dear?” she questions as she leaves the table. Sims Theory of Opening Trump Bids By Derrick J. Wernher N MY July article I stressed the great value of no trumps for pro- ducing games. It is now time to turn to the other side of the picture and con- sider the great danger incurred by un- sound no trump bids. Recklessness in this respect results, as we all know, in dreadiul penalties. If a no trump hand does go wrong it is usually punished far more severely than a hand which has been over-bid in a suit. The factor of safety is, therefore, jus as important as that of aggressive striv- ing for games. Mr. Sims’ method pro- vides a s tor which is not found in any other no trump theory that has come to my notice. Many writers have assumed that a biddable hand is of the no trump type merely because it contains no biddable suit. Mr. Sims considers that there is a definite no trump type of hand which is independent of the biddable suit fea- ture. The first consideration by which to judge a hand regarding its suitability for a no trump bid is the protection which it contains. For example, it is wide open in any one suit it is definitely disqualified for an opening no trump bid. If a hand contains a singleton it is eliminated from the no trump group. Ifa hand contains a worthless double- ton it is similarly eliminated. By worth- less is meant less than Queen x; but if the hand is exceptionally powerful in the other three suits this may be re- duced to Jack x, although never lower. If a hand contains three small cards in its weakest suit it is preferable to bid a suit rather than no trumps if a bid- dable suit is available; but a no trump may be bid, failing a suit bid. If a hand contains two doubletons, try to avoid bidding no trumps. Of course, if your partner bids your weak suits, or bids one and implies strength in the other, this weakness is rectified in the 26 cards of your partnership. But, in opening, when you have knowledge of only 13 cards, the 5-4-2-2 distribution displays a red light as regards no trumps. Naturally, if your hand as a whole is extremely strong and your two doubletons are, say, Ace King and Ace Queen, then your own thirteen cards will thoroughly justify a no trump bid. Hands which are not disqualified for no trumps by the restrictions given may be considered in three groups. 16 fety 1, Hands containing no biddable suit, so that your choice is between bid- ding one no trump and passing 2. Hands containing a biddable four card suit, but of even distribution and all-round protection: that is, of no trump type as generally detined. 3. Hands containing strong biddable suits of five or more cards, in connec- tion with which Mr. Sims considers no trump bids, while practically all other authorities advocate suit t und ignore the possibilities of opening with no trumps. WHEN YOU HAVE NO BIDDABLE SUIT HIS first group is easy to deal with. The Sims requirements for a no trump bid are the same in each of the four positions. You require 3% pri- mary tricks with some intermediate pro- tective holdings to reinforce them, cre- ating at least one tenace position. If the intermediate honors are very strong three primary tricks will suffice, pro- viding there are secondary holdings in three suits to reinforce the primary values. These requirements should not be shaded in any position. They are the gold standard of the Sims system. If you are dealer, or second hand, and your choice is between bidding a shaded no trump and passing, make it a rule to pass. You have a hand of the defen- sive type, which has everything to gain and nothing to lose by a pass in this position, as is fully explained in “Money Contract.” In third or fourth position, if you feel that the hand should be bid, but can see that a no trump bid would be below the proper requirements, bid even a very weak suit. Bid, preferably, a minor suit, even if not biddable according to the regular definition. Do not shade your no trump bids. The whole pro- cedure of responses and re-bids 3s based on the assumption that a no trump bid needs no confirmation. If you under- mine your partner's confidence in your no trump bids the immense advantage enjoyed by Sims no trump bidding will be thrown awa Use suit psychics as you may care to, but do not bid psychic no trumps. A no trump bid below the requirements given above is, according to our ideas, psychic, even though it may measure up to some of the mechan- ical counts by which the mathematicians attempt to measure no trump hands, comicbooks.com