In spite of that contract bridge has taken the world by storm, the old game of auction still has many faithful adherents, Many players maintain thay auction is the better game, and for those who think more of the play than of the bidding, there is quite a valid argument for auction. A casual study of the five-suit game does not seem to offer much additional enticemenj to the contract player, but will no doubt appeal strongly to the auction player. as the manipulations of the extra card lend itself to very skilful handling.
The pack contains 65 cards divided into five suits with order of precedence as follows: royals, spades, hearts, diamonds and clubs, With the exception that royals are now the highest ranking sui the rules for cutting for partnership, making up tables, etc, are the same as in auction bridge. The cards are dealt out as in ordinary bridge, 16 cards to each player and the 65th card is left exposed on the table. The dealer makes the first bid as in ordinary bridge, and. the highest bidder becomes the declarer. After the first card has been led by the player on the declarer's left and dummy is exposed, the declarer now has the right to exchange the exposed card for any of dummy's cards or, alternately, any of own cards. The exchanged card is placed face up on the right hand of declarer. The game is 36 points. The game is made, as in auction, by any declarer who succeeds in making 36 points or over. Th is regardless whether the game has been bid or not as in auction. The book is eight tricks; that is to say, to fulfil contract of one a player must win nine tricks. Trick values are as follows or spades when the distributional values, together with honour cards, is such as to guarantee that the hard will make five tricks in the trump suit.
If there is no intervening bid, the responding hand should pass declarer's bid unless the strength of his hand is such as to indicate slam possibilities. Holding five or six of declarer's trump suit and very little outside values, it, may, however, be advisable to increase the contract in order to make it difficult for the fourth player to make a bid. Molding no trump support, but a biddable suit of his own as well as some outside strength, responding hand should make an overbid in his own suit.
Responding to a minór suit, partner should only bid no trump when holding a powerful hand.
After an intervening bid, the responding hand should support his partner's suit if he can see that his hand is worth five tricks, including a trump support of three to ihe ace or king. If the hand does not contain five tricks he should pass. Make, however, an overbid in another suit if the hand contains five tricks and holds insufficient trump support in partner's suit bid
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.