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Part 17 (2/2)

Auction of To-day Milton C. Work 77250K 2022-07-22

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THEY -----------+----------- 36

32 64

100 30

200 216

52 60

18 100

30 32

72 ===========+============ 16

18 60

-----------+------------ 20

48 -----------+------------ 21

24 36

___ 250

621 ____

1033

621

____

412

===========+============

THE SCORE OF THE RUBBERS IS BEST KEPT ON A SHEET OF THE FOLLOWING CHARACTER

SCORE BY RUBBERS -------------------------------------------------------

NAMES

------------------+-+-+++-+-+++-+-+++-+-+++-+-+++-+-

TOTAL

-------------------------------------------------------

THE FOLLOWING SHOWS HOW THIS SCORE SHOULD BE KEPT

SCORE BY RUBBERS

---------------------------------------------------------

NAMES

------------------+-+-+++-+-+++-+-+++-+-+++-+-+++--+--

Smith

------------------+-+-+++-+-+++-+-+++-+-+++-+-+++--+--

Jones

------------------+-+-+++-+-+++-+-+++-+-+++-+-+++--+--

Brown

------------------+-+-+++-+-+++-+-+++-+-+++-+-+++--+--

White

------------------+-+-+++-+-+++-+-+++-+-+++-+-+++--+--

Green

------------------+-+-+++-+-+++-+-+++-+-+++-+-+++--+--

King

------------------+-+-+++-+-+++-+-+++-+-+++-+-+++--+--

TOTAL

---------------------------------------------------------

It is always well to total at the end of each rubber and to note the size of the rubber. These precautions make it easy to correct mistakes, should any occur.

THE LAWS

In 1902, some years before Auction had been heard of in the United States, a number of the best-known clubs of New York, Philadelphia, Boston, and other cities were represented at a meeting held in New York for the purpose of drafting a code of Bridge Laws to be used by the clubs of this country. The so-called ”American Laws of Bridge” were adopted, and duly published. It was then expected that they would be universally accepted.

In a few months, however, some clubs, including several that had been represented at the meeting, found that certain penalties of the ”American Laws” were not popular with their members. One club after another made alterations or adopted its own code, so that the object in calling the meeting, namely, club uniformity, was soon as far as ever from being attained. Gradually, however, the various clubs began to recognize that the Whist Club of New York deserved to be ranked as the most conservative and representative card-playing organization in the United States. They realized that it devoted its attention entirely to card games, and included in its members.h.i.+p not only the most expert players of the metropolis, but also of many other cities. It was but natural, therefore, that the admirable Bridge Code of the Whist Club should be accepted by one club after another, until in the end the desideratum of the drafters of the American Laws was virtually obtained.

When, in 1909-10, Auction, with its irresistible attractions, in an incredibly brief s.p.a.ce of time made Bridge in this country a game of the past, the only Auction laws available had been drafted in London by a joint committee of the Portland and Bath Clubs. They were taken from the rules of Bridge, which were altered only when necessary to comply with the requirements of the new game. It is probable that the intent of the members of the Bath-Portland Committee was merely to meet an immediate demand, and that they expected to revise their own code as soon as wider experience with the game demonstrated just what was needed.

Under these circ.u.mstances, it was to be expected that the Whist Club of New York would promulgate a code of Auction laws which would be accepted from the Atlantic to the Pacific. The club, however, did not act hastily, and it was not until May, 1910, that it issued its first edition of ”The Laws of Auction Bridge.” This was amended in 1911, and in 1912 subjected to a most thorough and comprehensive revision.

Until the adoption of a national code by an American congress of Auction players, an event not likely to occur, it is doubtless for the best interest of Auction in this country that the laws of the Whist Club of New York be generally followed. Uniformity is most important; otherwise, players from one city, visiting another, are sure to find local conditions which will, temporarily at least, prove something of a handicap.

When any improvement is suggested, which, after due trial, meets with local favor, it would seem wise that such suggestion, whether it emanate from a club committee or an individual, be forwarded to the Card Committee of the Whist Club of New York. It may be authoritatively stated that all such ideas will be cordially received, thoroughly considered, and, if approved, incorporated in the club code at its next revision.

Appended hereto will be found ”The Laws of Auction Bridge” as published by the Whist Club of New York, November, 1912. These laws should be carefully read, if not studied, by every devotee of the game. No matter how familiar a player may have been with the old laws, he will find an examination of the new to be advisable, as the changes are both numerous and important. If it has not been his practice to keep in touch with Auction legislation, he should realize that a close acquaintance with the code which governs the game he is playing will prove most beneficial.

As the laws speak for themselves, it is not necessary to explain them, or even to point out the various alterations. The wording in many cases has been materially changed, in order to clarify and simplify. Some penalties that seemed too severe have been reduced, and certain modifications have been made which appear to be in the line of modern thought. Special attention is called to the elimination of the law which prevented consultation as to the enforcement of a penalty, and also of the law which provided that when a wrong penalty was claimed, none could be enforced. The laws referring to cards exposed after the completion of the deal, and before the beginning of the play, have been materially changed, and the law covering insufficient and impossible declarations has been altered and redrafted. A point worthy of special attention is Law 52 of the Revised Code. It covers the case, which occurs with some frequency, of a player making an insufficient bid and correcting it before action is taken by any other player. Under the old rule, a declaration once made could not be altered, but now when the player corrects himself, as, for example, ”Two Hearts--I mean three Hearts”; or ”Two Spades--I should say, two Royals,” the proper declaration is allowed without penalty.

The laws follow.

THE LAWS OF AUCTION BRIDGE

THE RUBBER

1. The partners first winning two games win the rubber. If the first two games decide the rubber, a third is not played.

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