Correct contract bridge / by E.V. Shepard ; including the official Laws of contract bridge adopted by the Whist Club, New York, and by all the leading clubs in America.

V
OPENING BIDS
MASTERY of Chapter IV is the first step towards expert contracting. Players clinging to
Auction methods of valuation and bidding will
gravitate to the bottom of the class. Only live wires
head Contract classes.
Ninety per cent of all dealt hands need at least
two contracting rounds to determine partners' best
procedure. Never hastily cry "Eureka I" First
make certain that your side's best program has been
discovered.
To 'be understandable, partnership contracting
must be somewhat conventional; each declaration
requires fulfillment of definite minimum requirements. A pass betokens nothing obligating an immediate declaration; it does not deny possession of
strong holdings worth high secondary bidding. The
hand shown below must not be utilized for an opening bid, because it lacks even a single commanding
honor but as high as 4-Spades may be bid later. No
danger exists that someone will not hold cards worth
an opening bid.
* QIo98765432 V 7 4 63 3
Adversaries may win as many as six tricks or the
hand may win as high as nine tricks; its probable
value is eight tricks. A primary pass and secondary
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