Part 9

[11] When the penalty for an insufficient declaration is not demanded, the bid over which it was made may be repeated unless some higher bid have intervened.

[12] The question, “Partner, will you select the penalty, or shall I?” is a form of consultation which is not permitted.

[13] The penalty is determined by the declarer (see Law 66).

[14] See Law 50_a_.

[15] If more than one card be exposed, all may be called.

[16] The rule in Law 50_c_ as to consultations governs the right of adversaries to consult as to whether such direction be given.

[17] Should the declarer play third hand before the second hand, the fourth hand may without penalty play before his partner.

[18] As to the right of adversaries to consult, see Law 50_a_.

[19] Either adversary may decide which card shall be considered played to the trick which contains more than four cards.

[20] See Law 73.

[21] The dummy may advise the declarer which penalty to exact.

[22] The value of the three tricks, doubled or redoubled, as the case may be, is counted in the trick score.

ETIQUETTE OF AUCTION.

In the game of Auction slight intimations convey much information. The code succinctly states laws which fix penalties for an offence. To offend against etiquette is far more serious than to offend against a law; for in the latter case the offender is subject to the prescribed penalties; in the former his adversaries are without redress.

1. Declarations should be made in a simple manner, thus: “one heart,” “one no trump,” “pass,” “double”; they should be made orally and not by gesture.

2. Aside from his legitimate declaration, a player should not show by word or gesture the nature of his hand, or his pleasure or displeasure at a play, bid, or double.

3. If a player demand that the cards be placed, he should do so for his own information and not to call his partner’s attention to any card or play.

4. An opponent of the declarer should not lead until the preceding trick has been turned and quitted; nor, after having led a winning card, should he draw another from his hand before his partner has played to the current trick.

5. A card should not be played with such emphasis as to draw attention to it, nor should a player detach one card from his hand and subsequently play another.

6. A player should not purposely incur a penalty because he is willing to pay it, nor should he make a second revoke to conceal a first.

7. Conversation during the play should be avoided, as it may annoy players at the table or at other tables in the room.

8. The dummy should not leave his seat to watch his partner play. He should not call attention to the score nor to any card or cards that he or the other players hold.

9. If a player say, “I have the rest,” or any words indicating that the remaining tricks, or any number thereof, are his, and one or both of the other players expose his or their cards, or request him to play out the hand, he should not allow any information so obtained to influence his play.

10. If a player concede, in error, one or more tricks, the concession should stand.

11. A player having been cut out of one table should not seek admission in another unless willing to cut for the privilege of entry.

12. A player should not look at any of his cards until the end of the deal.

THE LAWS OF THREE HAND AUCTION.

The Laws of Auction govern the three-hand game except as follows:

(1) Three players take part in a game and four constitute a complete table. Each plays for himself; there are no partners, except as provided in Law 7.

(2) The player who cuts lowest selects his seat and the cards with which he deals first. The player who cuts next lowest sits on the dealer’s left.

(3) The cards are dealt in four packets, one for each of the three players and one for the dummy.[23] The dummy hand is not touched until after the final declaration has been made.

(4) The dealer declares, and the bidding continues as in Auction, except that each player bids exclusively on his own account.

(5) The penalty for a declaration out of turn is that each of the other players receives 50 points in his honour score. A declaration out of turn does not affect the right of the player whose turn it is to declare, unless both he and the other player, either by passing or declaring, accept the improper declaration.

(6) If a player declare out of turn, and the succeeding player either pass or declare, the third player may demand that the mistake be corrected as is provided in Law 5. In such case the player who first declared out of turn is the only one penalized.

(7) The player making the final declaration, _i.e._, a declaration that has been passed by both of the others, plays his own hand and that of the dummy against the two others, who then, and for that particular hand, assume the relationship of partners.

(8) It is advisable that the game be played at a round table so that the hand of the dummy can be placed in front of the declarer without obliging any player to move; but, in the event of a square table being used, the two players who become the adversaries of the declarer should sit opposite each other, the dummy being opposite the declarer. At the end of the play the original positions should be resumed.

(9) If, after the deal has been completed and before the conclusion of the declaration, any player expose a card, each of his adversaries counts 50 points in his honour score, and the declarer, if he be not the offender, may call upon the player on his left to lead or not to lead the suit of the exposed card. If a card be exposed by the declarer after the final declaration, there is no penalty, but if exposed by an adversary of the declarer, it is subject to the same penalty as in Auction.

(10) If a player double out of turn, each of his adversaries counts 100 points in his respective honour score, and the player whose declaration has been doubled may elect whether the double shall stand. The bidding is then resumed, but if the double shall be disallowed, the declaration may not be doubled by the other player.

(11) The rubber continues until two games have been won by the same player; it may consist of two, three, or four games.

(12) When the declarer fulfils his contract, he scores as in Auction. When he fails to do so, both of his adversaries score as in Auction.

(13) Honours are scored by each player separately, _i.e._, each player who holds one honour scores the value of a trick; each player who holds two honours scores twice the value of a trick; a player who holds three honours scores three times the value of a trick; a player who holds four honours scores eight times the value of a trick; and a player who holds five honours scores ten times the value of a trick. In a no-trump declaration, each ace counts ten, and four held by one player count 100. The declarer counts separately both his own honours and those held by the dummy.

(14) A player scores 125 points for winning a game, a further 125 points for winning a second game, and 250 points for winning a rubber.

(15) At the end of the rubber, all scores of each player are added and his total obtained. Each one wins from or loses to each other the difference between their respective totals. A player may win from both the others, lose to one and win from the other, or lose to both.

[23] This hand is generally dealt opposite to the dealer.

THE LAWS OF DUPLICATE AUCTION.

Duplicate Auction is governed by the Laws of Auction, except in so far as they are modified by the following special laws:

A. _Scoring._ In Duplicate Auction there are neither games nor rubbers. Each deal is scored just as in Auction, with the addition that whenever a pair makes 30 or more for tricks as the score of one deal, it adds as a premium 125 points in its honour column.

B. _Irregularities in the Hands._ If a player have either more or less than his correct number of cards, the course to be pursued is determined by the time of the discovery of the irregularity.

(1) When the irregularity is discovered before or during the original play: There must be a new deal.

(2) When the irregularity is discovered at the time the cards are taken up for overplay and before such overplay has begun: It must be sent back to the table from which it came, and the error be there rectified.

(3) When the irregularity is not discovered until after the overplay has begun: In two-table duplicate there must be a new deal; but in a game in which the same deals are played at more than two tables, the hands must be rectified as is provided above and then passed to the next table without overplay at the table at which the error was discovered; in which case, if a player have less than thirteen cards and his adversary the corresponding surplus, each pair takes the average score for that deal; if, however, his partner have the corresponding surplus, his pair is given the lowest score and his opponents the highest score made at any table for that deal.

C. _Playing the cards._ Each player, when it is his turn to play, must place his card, face upward, before him and toward the centre of the table. He must allow it to remain upon the table in this position until all have played to the trick, when he must turn it over and place it face downward, nearer to himself; if he or his partner have won the trick, the card should point toward his partner and himself; otherwise it should point toward the adversaries.

The declarer may either play dummy’s cards or may call them by name whenever it is dummy’s turn to play and have dummy play them for him.

A trick is turned and quitted when all four players have turned and ceased to touch their respective cards.

The cards must be left in the order in which they were played until the scores of the deal have been recorded.

D. _The Revoke._ A revoke may be claimed at any time before the last trick of the deal in which it occurs has been turned and quitted and the scores of that deal agreed upon and recorded, but not thereafter.

E. _Error in Score._ A proved error in the trick or honour score may be corrected at any time before the final score of the contestants for the deal or deals played before changing opponents has been made up and agreed upon.

F. _A New Deal._ A new deal is not allowed for any reason, except as provided in Laws of Auction 36 and 37. If there be an impossible declaration some other penalty must be selected.[24] A declaration (other than passing) out of turn must stand;[25] as a penalty, the adversaries score 50 honour points in their honour column and the partner of the offending player cannot thereafter participate in the bidding of that deal.

The penalty for the offence mentioned in Law 81 is 50 points in the adverse honour score.

G. _Team Matches._ A match consists of any agreed number of deals, each of which is played once at each table.

The contesting teams must be of equal size, but each may consist of any agreed number of pairs (not less than two). One half of each team, or as near thereto as possible, sits north and south; the other half east and west.

In case the teams are composed of an odd number of pairs, each team, in making up its total score, adds, as though won by it, the average score of all pairs seated in the positions opposite to its odd pair.

In making up averages, fractions are disregarded and the nearest whole numbers taken, unless it be necessary to take the fraction into account to avoid a tie, in which case the match is won “by the fraction of a point.” The team making the higher score wins the match.

H. _Pair Contests._ The score of a pair is compared only with other pairs who have played the same hands. A pair obtains a plus score for the contest when its net total is more than the average; a minus score for the contest when its net total is less than the average.

NOTE.--Some players in America are adopting the English rule, which allows the dealer to pass, without making any declaration. The usual expression is, “No bid.” Each player to the left may then pass in turn, and if no bid is made the deal passes to the left. The lowest declaration is one club, as spades have a constant value of nine and are always “royals.”

The English rule is to score 50 for little slam and 100 for grand slam, and some American players have adopted that rule.

[24] See Law 50. The same ruling applies to Law 54.

[25] This includes a double or redouble out of turn. See Law 57.

TEXT BOOKS.

Bridge, and How to Play It, by A. Dunn, Jr., 1899. Foster’s Bridge Manual, by R.F. Foster, 1900. Foster on Bridge, by R.F. Foster, 1900. The Bridge Manual, by John Doe, 1900. Bridge Abridged, by W. Dalton, 1901. Elwell on Bridge, by J.B. Elwell, 1902. Foster’s Bridge Tactics, by R.F. Foster, 1903. Foster’s Self-playing Bridge Cards, 1903. The Bridge Book, by A. Dunn, Jr., 1903. Bridge Up to Date, by C.S. Street, 1903. Sixty Bridge Hands, by C.S. Street, 1903. Laws and Principles of Bridge, by “Badsworth,” 1903. Bridge Whist in Brief, by Fisher Ames, 1904. Bridge at a Glance, by W. Dalton, 1904. The Gist of Bridge, by R.F. Foster, 1904. Bridge Developments, by Robertson and Wallaston, 1904. Advanced Bridge, by J.B. Elwell, 1904. Auction Bridge, by John Doe, 1904. Bridge that Wins, by A. Metcalfe, 1905. Foster’s Complete Bridge, by R.F. Foster, 1905. Foster’s Bridge Maxims, by R.F. Foster, 1905. The Bridge Blue Book, by P.F. Mottelay, 1906. Good Bridge, by C.S. Street, 1907. Practical Bridge, by J.B. Elwell, 1908. Auction Bridge Up to Date, by W. Dalton, 1909. Principles of Auction Bridge, by “Badsworth,” 1910. Auction Bridge Up to Date, by R.F. Foster, 1910. Advanced Auction Bridge, by R.F. Foster, 1911. Auction Bridge, by “Bascule,” 1911. New Auction and Dummy Play, by J.B. Gleason, 1912. Fine Points of Bridge, by Florence Irwin, 1912. Auction Bridge, by J.B. Elwell, 1912. Royal Auction Bridge, by R.F. Foster, 1912. Scientific Auction Bridge, by E.V. Shepard, 1913. Auction of To-day, by Milton Work, 1913. Royal Auction and Nullos, by R.F. Foster, 1914. Auction Developments, by Milton Work, 1914. Whitehead’s Conventions of Auction Bridge, by Wilbur C. Whitehead, 1914.

WHIST.

_=CARDS.=_ Whist is played with a full pack of fifty-two cards, ranking A K Q J 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2; the Ace being the highest in play, but ranking below the deuce in cutting. Two packs are generally used, the one being shuffled while the other is dealt.

_=MARKERS=_ are necessary to keep the score. The most common are red and white circular counters; the white being used for the points in each game, and the red for the games themselves, or for rubber points. It is better to have two sets, of different colours, each set consisting of four circular and three oblong counters, the latter being used for the rubber points, or for games.

_=PLAYERS.=_ Whist is played by four persons. When there are more than four candidates for play, five or six may form a “table.” If more than six offer for play, the selection of the table is made by cutting.

The table being formed, the four persons who shall play the first rubber are determined by cutting, and they again cut for partners, and the choice of seats and cards.

_=CUTTING.=_ The methods of cutting are the same as those described in connection with Bridge, and ties are decided in the same manner.

_=PLAYERS’ POSITIONS.=_ The four players at a whist table are usually distinguished by the letters A, B, Y, Z; the first two letters of the alphabet being partners against the last two, and their positions at the table being indicated as follows:--

Z is always the dealer; A the original leader, or first hand; Y the second hand; B the third hand; and Z the fourth hand. After the first trick, some other player may become the leader; the one on his left being the second hand; his partner the third hand, and the player on his right the fourth hand. B is the pone.

_=DEALING.=_ The cards having been properly shuffled, the dealer presents them to the _=pone=_ to be cut. The American laws require that after separating the pack, the pone shall place the cut part, which he lifts off, nearer the dealer. Beginning at his left, the dealer distributes the cards one at a time in rotation, until the pack is exhausted. The last card is turned face up on the table, and the suit to which it belongs is the trump for that hand.

When two packs are used, one is shuffled by the dealer’s partner while the other is dealt, and the shuffled pack is placed on the left of the player whose turn it will be to deal next. Each player deals in turn until the conclusion of the game or rubber.

_=IRREGULARITIES IN THE DEAL.=_ The following rules regarding the deal should be strictly observed:--

If any card is found faced in the pack, the dealer must deal again. Should the dealer turn over any card but the trump, while dealing, the adversaries may, if they please, demand a new deal. A player dealing out of turn may be stopped before the trump card is turned; but after that, the deal must stand, afterwards passing to the left in regular order. On the completion of the deal, each player should take up and count his cards to see that he has thirteen; if not, it is a misdeal, and unless the pack is found to be imperfect, the deal passes to the player on the misdealer’s left. The dealer loses the deal:--if he neglects to have the pack cut; if he deals a card incorrectly, and fails to remedy the error before dealing another; if he counts the cards on the table, or those remaining in the pack; if he looks at the trump card before the deal is complete; or if he places the trump card face down, on his own or on any other player’s cards.

_=STAKES.=_ When stakes are played for, it should be distinctly understood at the beginning whether the unit is for a game, for a rubber, for rubber points, or for tricks. The English game is invariably played for so much a rubber point; sometimes with an extra stake upon the rubber itself. In America, it is usual to play for so much a game; but in some cases the tricks are the unit, deducting the loser’s score from seven, or playing the last hand out and then deducting the loser’s score. A very popular method is to play for a triple stake: so much a trick, playing each hand out; so much a game; and so much a rubber. These three stakes are usually in the proportion of 10, 25, and 50. In clubs it is customary to have a uniform stake for whist, and to fix a limit for all betting on the game beyond the “club stake.” Good usage demands that those at the table should have the refusal of any bet made by a player, before it is offered to an outsider.

_=METHOD OF PLAYING.=_ The player on the dealer’s left begins by leading any card he chooses, and the others must all follow suit if they can. Failure to follow suit when able is called _=revoking=_; the penalty for which, under the American laws, is the loss of two tricks; under the English laws, three tricks or points. Any player having none of the suit led may either trump it or throw away a card of another suit, which is called _=discarding=_. When it is the dealer’s turn to play to the first trick, he should take the trump card into his hand. After it has been taken up it must not be named, and any player naming it is subject to a penalty, (see Laws;) but a player may ask what the trump _=suit=_ is. If all follow suit, the highest card played wins the trick; trumps win against all other suits, and a higher trump wins a lower. The winner of the trick may lead any card he pleases for the next trick, and so on until all thirteen tricks have been played.

_=Cards Played in Error=_, or dropped face upward on the table, or two or more played at once, are called _=exposed cards=_, and must be left on the table. They can be _=called=_ by the adversaries; but the fact of their being exposed does not prevent their being played when the opportunity offers. Some persons imagine that the adversaries can prevent an exposed card from being played; but such is not the case.

_=Leading out of Turn.=_ Should a player lead out of turn, the adversaries may call a suit from the player in error, or from his partner, when it is next the turn of either of them to lead. American laws require the call to be made by the player on the right of the one from whom the suit is called. The English laws give the adversaries the option of calling the card played in error an exposed card. If all have played to the trick before discovering the error, it cannot be rectified; but if all have not played, those who have followed the false lead must take back their cards, which are not, however, liable to be called.

_=Revoking Players=_ cannot win the game that hand, no matter what they score; but they may play the hand out, and score all points they make to within one point of game.

Any player may ask the others to _=draw cards=_ in any trick, provided he does so before they are touched for the purpose of gathering them. In answer to this demand, each player should indicate which of the cards on the table he played.

In the English game, any player may look at the last trick turned and quitted; in the American he may not.

_=Taking Tricks.=_ As the tricks are taken, they should be neatly laid one upon the other in such a manner that any player at the table can count them at a glance. There are several methods of stacking tricks; the first shown being probably the best.

When six have been taken by one side they are usually gathered together to form a _=book=_; any subsequently taken being laid apart, as they are the only ones that count. It is customary for the partner of the player winning the first trick on each side to gather the tricks for that deal. In some places it is the custom for the partner of the winner of each trick to gather it, so that at the end of the hand each player has tricks in front of him. Although this method saves time, the practice is not to be recommended, as it hinders the players in counting the tricks already gained by each side.

Immediately upon the completion of the play of a hand, the score should be claimed and marked. Any discussion of the play should be postponed until this has been attended to. The adversaries must detect and claim revokes before the cards are cut for the following deal.

The laws of whist should be carefully studied.

_=OBJECT OF THE GAME.=_ The object of all whist play is to take tricks, of which there are thirteen in each hand or deal. The first six tricks taken by one side are called a _=book=_, and do not count; but each trick above that number counts one point towards game. The seventh trick is called the _=odd=_; and two or more over the book are called _=two=_, _=three=_, etc., _=by cards=_. At the conclusion of each hand, the side that has won any tricks in excess of the book, scores them; the opponents counting nothing. As soon as either side has scored the number of points previously agreed upon as a game, which must be 5, 7, or 10, the cards are again shuffled and spread for the choice of partners, etc., unless it has been agreed to play a rubber.

_=SCORING.=_ There are several methods of scoring at whist. The English game is 5 points, rubbers being always played. Besides the points scored for tricks, honours are counted; the games have a different value, according to the score of the adversaries; and the side winning the rubber adds two points to its score.

In scoring, the revoke penalty counts first, tricks next, and honours last.