Should the honour tricks be evenly distributed in' each hand, the average expectancy would Ace, King, Queen and val the Ace, 1 Queen in different "plus" value for the Knave-2 honour tricks plus a Knave. This assumed average gives the player a simple yardstick for measuring the honour strength of any hand, and ju estimating the game penalty-expectancy of any bid. By Adding a Queen to. the average hand of 2 plus honour tricks, we have a hand of 24 honour tricks, or a hand slightly above average. 'This hand, therefore, is the scienti-feally determined minimum for opening bid of "one." If a hand contains 24 honour tricks, experi-fence has shown that the' chances fare that, the combined partnership hands will make. seven. playing tricks (one "odd"), which is the reagan that all Opening bids in Calbertson's system must contain 24 honour trick As already mantic of the thine As an opi of "One" shows a mit 24 honour tricks, maximum of 53, iner's No-trump take-outs will lepend_ upon the balance of honour tricks in his hand, and also on the distribution. "Provided, therefore, that partner cannot raise in the suit bid (or take-out ina new suit) but holds 13 honour tricks in two suits, Ihe should pass; unless it be a case of keeping the bidding open for his which case "One No-trump" would be permis Holding 142 honour trick, no raise im suit bid by partner, and no. other suitable bid, bid again No-trump.". "Both above bids are lwarning "bids, and are called "negative" no-trump bids.
folding 2i—8 plus honour tricks, stil assuming no raise and no other iddable suit, bid "Two No-trumps." This bid is semi-foreing, and demand that opening hand must bid again, unless holding a bare 2b honour tricks and distribution Holding about 92, but less than 44 honour tricks, bid "Three No-trumps."
Holding about 44 honour tricks, with a favourable distribution, bid "Four No-trumps," which actually a try for slam.
Opening bidder, by simply reversing. the process," can judge from partner's No-tump responses, the umber of honour tricks held An opening bid of One No-trump, not vulnerable (neither side having: won a game), shows. at least 26 honour tricks, and denies a biddable suit, If partner also lacks a iddable suit for a take-out, he should proceed as follows:
1, If holding barely 2 honour trick: Pass 2. If holding 24 h.t.: Raise from 1 to 2! Nosteunm "Te holding 3B lit: Raise from of these 1 a Nottuns won with Aces, and the!" the lower " honours.
distribution may cause this, to vary slightly: some hands may contain as low as 74 honour tricks, while others may show 9. Defen: sively speaking, the number of honour tricks for the four hands therefore not 8, but between 8 and 84+
The Rule of Eight portant, as the player, simply by Thig, rule of eight is most im. eltrdnalion, can gauge the ninimam none, tre any.
Bidding of the cans held roner's and opponents' hands. It obvious that the addition of the minimum honour tricks shown by partner to the honour tick shown fu-one's own hand, and subtracting this from's. or 8}, wil show th number of honour' tricks held by, the opponents "Ad honours serve as stoppers and re entries, the winning of tricks with Tow cards will depend entirely upon how the honours are paced. Five out of the 18 tricks are. won with low cards, and we can. therefore use the 8/5 yardstick for the aging tacks expectancy, Tf fides hold 4 honour tricks, game ig practically excluded for' either side, except with a. freakish, hand. Either side may score one "odd or be defeated by one trick in. No= trump; or score from one to two oda in a wut, The following table of expectancies {s therefore of material assistance in gauging the combined hands, but ought only to be used ae a guide: ound ate cent 4 to 43 One one feet Be oon Pen il Ham possibility '"*Depending upon distribution An opening bid of one no trump, if vulnerable (having won a game), requires about 4 honour tricks. The responding hand should, therefore, raise to two No: tramps if holding. 1i—2 honour tricks; to three no trumps with 2—3 honeer tricks; to four no-trump with 3 plus honour'
ud to six no trumps with 4 lus honour tricks,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.