THE NEW BRIDGE

Evening Star, Issue 20136, 28 March 1929, Page 10

THE NEW BRIDGE

CONTRACT V. AUCTION More- than a year ago there was ri sudden rage all over England for American scoring methods at auction bridge. The demand. became so insistent that the matter was finally put to the vote of the London chibs, with, tlie result that American procedure was rejected and English card players intimated their desire, to go on playing bridge in tho traditional Kuglish fashion. As a, consequence of the controversy, the Portland Club, in consultation with other London chilis where cards aro played regularly, revised the laws of auction bridge, writes the Loudon correspondent of the .Melbourne ‘ Argus.’ British players are now using the rules revised in March, 1928. It might have been thought that, after the rejection of American methods at the end of tho year, Londoners would not be casting about, for further changes. At tho St. .Ta lues’s Club, however, contract bridge is establishing itself, it. has been played to (.lie exclusion ol auction during the last, few weeks. St •• James’s ranks, with the "Portland Club and White's as one of the three chief card-playing resorts in London, si the sudden vogue of contract is _sigiiifieant. St. James's is a recognised, haunt, of ambassadors, and it, Inis a, considerable number of members who arc familiar with Parisian practice, where contract bridge lias established itself for some time. ’lbis is one reason for the change. The stakes in tho card room at St. James’s are on a.

higher level than at other London clubs, and contract lends itself_ to easier gambling than auction bridge. After a long vogue auction seems to ho losing its popularity at one London club, and bridge players are asking whether the American controversy is ti lie revived in a fresh form. Contract is a variant of auction bridge, but tho variations arc so important that it practically amounts to a new game. The outlook of the two games differ'-. In contract tho declarer can score toward game only by the odd tricks which be has contracted to make. Overtricks in excess of the contract are marked above tho line, as are the honour points and penalties of ordinary bridge, but they do not count toward game. In contract a game is 100 points, a tricky in notrumps being valued at 35, in spades and hearts at 30, and in diamonds op clubs at 20. As the winner of a, rubber scores an addition of 700 points, if it be won in two games, and side which scores a grand slam receives 1.000 or 1,500, a large premium is placed upon awaiting a favourable opportunity of making a contract. If the slain is not declared the victors do not score the slam points at all. These figures make it plain that the gambling possibilities of contract are much higher than those of auction bridge and that the rubber is longer than that at auction, in contract bridge the rule is to go slowly and Jet the other side make tlie overcalls which permit of profitable doubles. At auction it is generally necessary to tempt the declarers to bid beyond their real strength. At contract_ silence may tempt the unwary to believe that their hands are better' than they really are.. Hence tlie length of the rubbers. Another complication in contract is “ vulnerability,” a. state which occurs when one side lias won a game. “ Vulnerability ” increases the points to be won, as well as the _ penalties to bo suffered. Contract bridge would seem to lie a game only for experts with* plenty of time on their hands. Players less skilled find auction difficult.* enough as it it without introducing further complications.