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.

ASSISTING PARTNER

lo9

allowed for honors held and where at the same time
deductions must be made for shortage of the number
of trumps held. The following illustrations will
make clear the method employed to rectify dummy's
trump holdings of honors, when fewer than three
trumps are held.
The ace of trumps is worth I Y2 tricks in dummy,
as well as when held by the declarer. If dummy
holds just A X X the value is i 2 trump tricks; in
case dummy holds A X X X the value is 2 tricks,
I 2 tricks for the ace and the added /2 trick for
four trumps. In case only the A X are held the
ace is still worth i Y2 tricks but holding one trump
fewer than three deducts Y2 trick, so that the final
value assigned to A X is only one trump trick. In
case the singleton ace of trumps is in dummy the rectified value is i 2 less I trick, because dummy is
short two trumps of normal support, a final value
of Y2 trick, or Y2 trick better on an average than
having three worthless trumps and neither declarer
nor dummy holding the ace.
Calculating in similar manner, K X X = I trick;
K X = - 2 == 2 tricks; K only, the precise
equivalent of three small trumps. Q X X = 4
tricks; Q X - Y4 trick; Q only, minus Y4 trick, or
poorer than three small trumps. Thus either the
lone ace or king, or the singly guarded Q, affords
normal trump support, just the equivalent of three
small trumps, but the singleton Q does not afford
normal trump support. The J X X X has a
value of one full assisting trick, 2 trick for the
fully guarded J, plus ~2 trick for four trumps. The