Part 16
VII. Should the dealer omit to have the pack cut to him, and the adversaries discover the error prior to the last card being dealt, and before looking at their cards; but not after having done so.
40. If, whilst dealing, a card be exposed by either of the dealer's adversaries, the dealer or his partner may claim a new deal. A card similarly exposed by the dealer or his partner gives the same claim to each adversary. The claim may not be made by a player {235} who has looked at any of his cards. If a new deal does not take place, the exposed card cannot be called.
41. If, in dealing, one of the last cards be exposed, and the dealer completes the deal before there is reasonable time to decide as to a fresh deal, the privilege is not thereby lost.
42. If the dealer, before he has dealt fifty-one cards, look at any card, his adversaries have a right to see it, and may exact a new deal.
43. Should three players have their right number of cards--the fourth have less than thirteen, and not discover such deficiency until he has played any of his cards, the deal stands good; should he have played, he is as answerable for any revoke he may have made as if the missing card or cards had been in his hand; he may search the other pack for it, or them.
44. If a pack, during or after a rubber, be proved incorrect or imperfect, such proof does not alter any past score, game, or rubber; that hand in which the imperfection was detected is null and void; the dealer deals again.
45. Any one dealing out of turn, or with the adversary's cards, may be stopped before the last card is dealt, otherwise the deal stands good, and the game must proceed as if no mistake had been made.
46 A player can neither shuffle, cut, nor deal for his partner without the permission of his opponents.
DECLARING TRUMPS.
47. The dealer, having examined his hand, has the option of declaring what suit shall be trumps, {236} or whether the hand shall be played without trumps. If he exercise that option, he shall do so by naming the suit, or by saying "No trumps."
48. If the dealer does not wish to exercise his option, he may pass it to his partner by saying "I leave it to you, Partner," and his partner must thereupon make the necessary declaration, in the manner provided in the preceding Law.
49. If the dealer's partner make the trump declaration without receiving permission from the dealer, the eldest hand may demand:
I. That the declaration so made shall stand.
II. That there shall be a new deal.
But if any declaration as to doubling or not doubling shall have been made, or if a new deal is not claimed, the declaration wrongly made shall stand. The eldest hand is the player on the left of the dealer.
50. If the dealer's partner pass the declaration to the dealer, the eldest hand may demand:
I. That there shall be a new deal.
II. That the dealer's partner shall himself make the declaration.
51. If either of the dealer's adversaries makes the declaration, the dealer may, after looking at his hand, either claim a fresh deal or proceed as if no such declaration had been made.
52. A declaration once made cannot be altered, save as provided above.
DOUBLING AND RE-DOUBLING.
53. The effect of doubling and re-doubling, and so on, is that the value of each trick above six is doubled, quadrupled, and so on. {237}
54. After the trump declaration has been made by the dealer or his partner, their adversaries have the right to double. The eldest hand has the first right. If he does not wish to double, he shall say to his partner, "May I lead?" His partner shall answer, "Yes," or "I double."
55. If either of their adversaries elect to double, the dealer and his partner have the right to re-double. The player who has declared the trump shall have the first right. He may say, "I re-double," or "Satisfied." Should he say the latter, his partner may re-double.
56. If the dealer or his partner elect to re-double, their adversaries have the right to again double. The original doubler has the first right.
57. If the right-hand adversary of the dealer double before his partner has asked "May I lead?" the declarer of the trump shall have the right to say whether or not the double shall stand. If he decide that the double shall stand, the process of re-doubling may continue as described in Laws 55, 56, 58.
58. The process of re-doubling may be continued until the limit of 100 points is reached--the first right to continue the re-doubling on behalf of a partnership belonging to that player who has last re-doubled. Should he, however, express himself satisfied, the right to continue the re-doubling passes to his partner. Should any player re-double out of turn, the adversary who last doubled shall decide whether or not such double shall stand. If it is decided that the re-double shall stand, the process of re-doubling may continue as described in this and foregoing Laws (55 and 56). If any double or re-double out of turn be not accepted, there shall {238} be no further doubling in that hand. Any consultation between partners as to doubling or re-doubling will entitle the maker of the trump or the eldest hand, without consultation, to a new deal.
59. If the eldest hand lead before the doubling be completed, his partner may re-double only with the consent of the adversary who last doubled; but such lead shall not affect the right of either adversary to double.
60. When the question, "May I lead?" has been answered in the affirmative, or when the player who has the last right to continue the doubling expresses himself satisfied, the play shall begin.
61. A declaration once made cannot be altered.
DUMMY.
62. As soon as a card is led, whether in or out of turn, the dealer's partner shall place his cards face upwards on the table, and the duty of playing the cards from that hand, which is called Dummy, and of claiming and enforcing any penalties arising during the hand, shall devolve upon the dealer, unassisted by his partner.
63. After exposing Dummy, the dealer's partner has no part whatever in the game, except that he has the right to ask the dealer if he has none of the suit in which he may have renounced. If he call attention to any other incident in the play of the hand, in respect of which any penalty might be exacted, the fact that he has done so shall deprive the dealer of the right of exacting such penalty against his adversaries.
64. If the dealer's partner, by touching a card, or {239} otherwise, suggest the play of a card from Dummy, either of the adversaries may, but without consulting with his partner, call upon the dealer to play or not to play the card suggested.
65. When the dealer draws a card, either from his own hand or from Dummy, such card is not considered as played until actually quitted.
66. A card once played, or named by the dealer as to be played from his own hand or from Dummy, cannot be taken back, except to save a revoke.
67. The dealer's partner may not look over his adversaries' hands, nor leave his seat for the purpose of watching his partner's play.
68. Dummy is not liable to any penalty for a revoke, as his adversaries see his cards. Should he revoke, and the error not be discovered until the trick is turned and quitted, the trick stands good.
69. Dummy being blind and deaf, his partner is not liable to any penalty for an error whence he can gain no advantage. Thus, he may expose some, or all of his cards, without incurring any penalty.
EXPOSED CARDS.
70. If after the deal has been completed, and before the trump declaration has been made, either the dealer or his partner expose a card from his hand, the eldest hand may claim a new deal.
71. If after the deal has been completed, and before a card is led, any player shall expose a card, his partner shall forfeit any right to double or re-double which he would otherwise have been entitled to exercise; and in the case of a card being so exposed by the leader's partner, the dealer may, instead of calling the card, {240} require the leader not to lead the suit of the exposed card.
CARDS LIABLE TO BE CALLED.
72. All cards exposed by the dealer's adversaries are liable to be called, and must be left face upwards on the table; but a card is not an exposed card when dropped on the floor, or elsewhere below the table.
73. The following are exposed cards:--
I. Two or more cards played at once.
II. Any card dropped with its face upwards, or in any way exposed on or above the table, even though snatched up so quickly that no one can name it.
74. If either of the dealer's adversaries play to an imperfect trick the best card on the table, or lead one which is a winning card as against the dealer and his partner, and then lead again, without waiting for his partner to play, or play several such winning cards, one after the other, without waiting for his partner to play, the latter may be called on to win, if he can, the first or any other of those tricks, and the other cards thus improperly played are exposed cards.
75. Should the dealer indicate that all or any of the remaining tricks are his, he may be required to place his cards face upwards on the table; but they are not liable to be called.
76. If either of the dealer's adversaries throws his cards on the table face upwards, such cards are exposed, and liable to be called by the dealer.
77. If all the players throw their cards on the table face upwards, the hands are abandoned, and the score must be left as claimed and admitted. The hands may be examined for the purpose of establishing a revoke, but for no other purpose. {241}
78. A card detached from the rest of the hand of either of the dealer's adversaries, so as to be named, is liable to be called; but should the dealer name a wrong card, he is liable to have a suit called when first he or his partner have the lead.
79. If a player, who has rendered himself liable to have the highest or lowest of a suit called, or to win or not to win a trick, fail to play as desired, though able to do so, or if when called on to lead one suit, lead another, having in his hand one or more cards of that suit demanded, he incurs the penalty of a revoke.
80. If either of the dealer's adversaries lead out of turn, the dealer may call a suit from him or his partner when it is next the turn of either of them to lead, or may call the card erroneously led.
81. If the dealer lead out of turn, either from his own hand or from Dummy, he incurs no penalty; but he may not rectify the error after the second hand has played.
82. If any player lead out of turn, and the other three have followed him, the trick is complete, and the error cannot be rectified; but if only the second, or the second and third, have played to the false lead, their cards, on discovery of the mistake, are taken back; and there is no penalty against any one, excepting the original offender, and then only when he is one of the dealer's adversaries.
83. In no case can a player be compelled to play a card which would oblige him to revoke.
84. The call of a card may be repeated until such card has been played.
85. If a player called on to lead a suit have none of it, the penalty is paid. {242}
CARDS PLAYED IN ERROR, OR NOT PLAYED TO A TRICK.
86. Should the third hand not have played, and the fourth play before his partner, the latter (not being Dummy or his partner) may be called on to win, or not to win, the trick.
87. If any one (not being Dummy) omit playing to a former trick, and such error be not discovered until he has played to the next, the adversaries may claim a new deal; should they decide that the deal stand good, or should Dummy have omitted to play to a former trick, and such error be not discovered till he shall have played to the next, the surplus card at the end of the hand is considered to have been played to the imperfect trick, but does not constitute a revoke therein.
88. If any one play two cards to the same trick, or mix a card with a trick to which it does not properly belong, and the mistake be not discovered until the hand is played out, he (not being Dummy) is answerable for all consequent revokes he may have made. If, during the play of the hand, the error be detected, the tricks may be counted face downwards, in order to ascertain whether there be among them a card too many: should this be the case they may be searched, and the card restored; the player (not being Dummy) is, however, liable for all revokes which he may have meanwhile made.
THE REVOKE.
89. Is when a player (other than Dummy), holding one or more cards of the suit led, plays a card of a different suit. {243}
90. The penalty for a revoke--
I. Is at the option of the adversaries, who, at the end of the hand, may, after consultation, either take three tricks from the revoking player and add them to their own--or deduct the value of three tricks from his existing score--or add the value of three tricks to their own score;
II. Can be claimed for as many revokes as occur during the hand;
III. Is applicable only to the score of the game in which it occurs;
IV. Cannot be divided--_i.e._ a player cannot add the value of one or two tricks to his own score and deduct the value of one or two from the revoking player.
V. In whatever way the penalty may be enforced, under no circumstances can the suit revoking score Game, Grand Slam or Little Slam, that hand. Whatever their previous score may be, the side revoking cannot attain a higher score towards the game than twenty-eight.
91. A revoke is established, if the trick in which it occurs be turned and quitted--_i.e._ the hand removed from that trick after it has been turned face downwards on the table--or if either the revoking player or his partner, whether in his right turn or otherwise, lead or play to the following trick.
92. A player may ask his partner whether he has not a card of the suit which he has renounced; should the question be asked before the trick is turned and quitted, subsequent turning and quitting does not establish the revoke, and the error may be corrected, unless the question be answered in the negative, or unless the revoking player or his partner have led or played to the following trick.
[NOTE.--A negative answer to the question does not _in itself_ establish the revoke, apart from turning and quitting the trick, or some subsequent act of play.--ED.]
{244}
93. At the end of the hand, the claimants of a revoke may search all the tricks.
94. If a player discover his mistake in time to save a revoke, any player or players who have played after him may withdraw their cards and substitute others, and their cards withdrawn are not liable to be called. If the player in fault be one of the dealer's adversaries, the dealer may call the card thus played in error, or may require him to play his highest or lowest card to that trick in which he has renounced.
95. If the player in fault be the dealer, the eldest hand may require him to play the highest or lowest card of the suit in which he has renounced, provided both of the dealer's adversaries have played to the current trick; but this penalty cannot be exacted from the dealer when he is fourth in hand, nor can it be enforced at all from Dummy.
96. If a revoke be claimed, and the accused player or his partner mix the cards before they have been sufficiently examined by the adversaries, the revoke is established. The mixing of the cards only renders the proof of a revoke difficult, but does not prevent the claim, and possible establishment, of the penalty.
97. A revoke cannot be claimed after the cards have been cut for the following deal.
98. If a revoke occur, be claimed and proved, bets on the odd trick, or on amount of score, must be decided by the actual state of the score after the penalty is paid.
99. Should the players on both sides subject themselves to the penalty of one or more revokes, neither can win the game by that hand; each is punished at the discretion of his adversary. {245}
CALLING FOR NEW CARDS.
100. Any player (on paying for them) before, but not after, the pack be cut for the deal, may call for fresh cards. He must call for two new packs, of which the dealer takes his choice.
GENERAL RULES.
101. Any one during the play of a trick, or after the four cards are played, and before, but not after, they are touched for the purpose of gathering them together, may demand that the cards be placed before their respective players.
102. If either of the dealer's adversaries, prior to his partner playing, should call attention to the trick--either by saying that it is his, or by naming his card, or, without being required so to do, by drawing it towards him--the dealer may require that opponent's partner to play his highest or lowest of the suit then led, or to win or lose the trick.
103. Should the partner of the player solely entitled to exact a penalty, suggest or demand the enforcement of it, no penalty can be enforced.
104. In all cases where a penalty has been incurred, the offender is bound to give reasonable time for the decision of his adversaries.
105. If a bystander make any remark which calls the attention of a player or players to an oversight affecting the score, he is liable to be called on, by the players only, to pay the stakes and all bets on that game or rubber.
106. A bystander, by agreement among the players, may decide any question. {246}
107. A card or cards torn or marked must be either replaced by agreement, or new cards called at the expense of the table.
108. Once a trick is complete, turned, and quitted, it must not be looked at (except under Law 88) until the end of the hand.
BOOKS ON BRIDGE.
The greater number of these have come into existence quite unnecessarily. All that the student need know will be found in the following:--
BADSWORTH.--The Laws and Principles of Bridge, with Cases and Decisions reviewed and explained. (G. P. Putnam's Sons.)
BERGHOLT, ERNEST.--Double Dummy Bridge: [an exhaustive collection of card-problems by living composers]. (Thos. De la Rue & Co., Ld.)
DALTON, WILLIAM.--Bridge at a Glance: an Alphabetical Synopsis. (Thos. De la Rue & Co., Ld.)
---- Bridge Abridged; or, Practical Bridge. (Do.)
---- "Saturday" Bridge. (The West Strand Publishing Co., Ld.)
DOE, JOHN.--The Bridge Manual. (Frederick Warne and Co.)
HOFFMANN, Professor.--Bridge. (Chas. Goodall & Son, Ld.)
_For American Views on the Game._
ELWELL, J. B.--Bridge.--Advanced Bridge.--Practical Bridge. (Chas. Scribner's Sons, New York; and George Newnes, Ld., London.)
STREET, C. S.--Bridge Up to Date. Dodd, Mead & Co., New York.
_For Anglo-Indian Views._
HELLESPONT.--The Laws and Principles of Bridge. (De la Rue, London)
ACE OF SPADES.--The Theory and Practice of Bridge. (_Times of India_ Press, Bombay.)
LYNX.--Bridge Topics. (W. Newman & Co., Calcutta.)
ROBERTSON and WOLLASTON.--The Robertson Rule and other Bridge Axioms. (Calcutta.)
* * * * *
{247}
AUCTION BRIDGE.
A lively offshoot from the preceding game, which has recently become very popular in some of the London Clubs. So highly is it ranked in many quarters, that a well-known player has given it as his opinion that "in a year or two we shall only remember Bridge as the son of Whist and the father of Auction." Having in view the strong element of gambling which the latter game contains, and the expectedly heavy losses which may be incurred by the unwary player, the writer opines that a good many impecunious folk are likely to remember it only as being connected with their "uncle."
It is, in fact, a combination of Bridge and Poker. In all that takes place after the declaration has been finally determined, it is pure Bridge, with an extra infusion of "double dummy," due to inferences from the course of the bidding. In the bidding itself, which leads up to the final declaration, the qualities of the Poker-player are pre-eminent--cool but rapid judgment, shrewd reading of character, a happy instinct when to "lie low" and when to "bluff"; when to make a spurt forward for game, and when to egg the opponents on beyond the limits of discretion, and to leave them in the lurch!
By the adherents of the new game--who are head {248} over ears in love with it, and are consequently blind to all its weak points--it is contended that the "gambling" argument brought against it is as fallacious as it was when urged against Bridge proper, and that, to redress the balance, it is only necessary to readjust the value of the points. This is not true. Poker is an excellent game, but no readjustment of values will ever place it on the same plane as games of science, because the qualities of brain and temperament upon which it is based are essentially distinct from the qualities of analysis and combination such as go to the making of (say) a first-class Chess-player. There is, undoubtedly, a greater difference in kind between Auction Bridge and Bridge than there is between Bridge and Whist; whether that difference renders Auction "inferior" or "superior," however, is a moot question which every card-player must decide for himself. There are many who regard the additional spice of hazard, not as a defect, but as a merit.
The Laws of the game, which for some time were in a state of flux, have now been settled as authoritatively as those of Bridge or Whist. It will only be necessary to set out _verbatim_ those Laws which differ from the Laws of Bridge. As regards the remainder, the reader is referred to the preceding Bridge Code.
THE LAWS OF AUCTION BRIDGE.
(Framed by a Joint Committee of the Portland and Bath Clubs, 1908; and reprinted, by permission, so far as they differ from the Laws of Bridge.)
1. _As in Bridge._
2. A game consists of thirty points obtained by {249} tricks alone, when the declarer fulfils his contract, which are scored below the line, exclusive of any points counted for Honours, Chicane, Slam, or under-tricks, which are scored above the line.
3. _As in Bridge._
4. When the declarer fulfils his contract, each trick above six counts, &c. (_as in Bridge_).
5 to 10. _As in Bridge._
11. At the end of the rubber, the total scores for tricks, Honours, Chicane, and Slam obtained by each player and his partner are added up, 250 points are added to the score of the winners of the rubber, and the difference between the two scores is the number of points won, or lost, by the winners of the rubber.
12 to 46. _As in Bridge._
47. The dealer, having examined his hand, must declare to win at least one odd trick, either with a trump suit, or at "no trumps."
48. After the dealer has made his declaration, each player in turn, commencing with the player on the dealer's left, has the right to pass the previous declaration, or to double, or re-double, or to overcall the previous declaration by making a call of higher value. A call of a greater number of tricks in a suit of lower value, which equals the previous call in value of points, shall be considered a call of higher value--_e.g._ a call of two tricks in Spades overcalls one trick in Clubs, or "Two Diamonds" overcalls "One No Trump."
49. A player may overbid the previous call any number of times, and may also overbid his partner. The play of the two combined hands shall rest with the partners who make the final call. Where two partners have both made calls in the same suit, the {250} one who made the first such call shall play the hand, his partner becoming Dummy.