The Evolution of Contract Bridge bfs 2018 The

The Evolution of Contract Bridge bfs 2018

The development of bridge § Whist (from mid-16 th century) § Bridge-Whist (c. 1880) § Auction Bridge (c. 1904) § Bridge Plafond (c. 1913) § Contract Bridge (c. 1925) § Culbertson. Blue Book (1932) § 1 st recognized World Championship (1937) 12/23/2021 2

Whistory § Origins Mid-17 th century England § 1742. Edmund Hoyle. A Short Treatise § 1857. Duplicate play in clubs. London, New York, Boston § 1891. American Whist League organized § 1891. Sherlock Holmes Red-headed League”) 12/23/2021 (“The 3

Whist: rules of the game § Four players, with partners seated across § A game of tricks and trumps § Deal all 52 cards. Expose last card, determining trump § Player to dealer’s left begins play; play follows suit § Highest card, or highest trump, wins the trick § Honors (A, K, Q, J, 10 of trumps in a single hand) score § English whist: 5 (short whist) or 10 (long whist) win § Boston whist: 7 tricks win (no honors) 12/23/2021 4

Bridge-Whist (c. 1880) § The dealer or his partner may name trump or not, before the opening lead. § The dealer’s partner exposes hand, the dummy, after the opening lead. § Differing values are assigned to the four suits and notrump. (10, 9, 8, 7, 6) § Contracts may be doubled and redoubled (ad infinitum) § Each trick more than six counts some number of points toward a game. (=30) § Two games make a rubber. Rubber bonuses. 12/23/2021 5

The Red-Headed League "Ha! Our party is complete, " said Holmes, buttoning up his peajacket and taking his heavy hunting crop from the rack. "Watson, I think you know Mr. Jones, of Scotland Yard? Let me introduce you to Mr. Merryweather, who is to be our companion in tonight's adventure. “. . . "You may place considerable confidence in Mr. Holmes, sir, " said the police agent loftily. "He has his own little methods, which are, if he won't mind my saying so, just a little too theoretical and fantastic, but he has the makings of a detective in him. It is not too much to say that once or twice, as in that business of the Sholto murder and the Agra treasure, he has been more nearly correct than the official force. " "Oh, if you say so, Mr. Jones, it is all right, " said the stranger with deference. "Still, I confess that I miss my rubber. It is the first Saturday night for seven-and-twenty years that I have not had my rubber. " "I think you will find, " said Sherlock Holmes, "that you will play for a higher stake tonight than you have ever done yet, and that the play will be more exciting. For you, Mr. Merryweather, the stake will be some 30, 000 pounds; and for you, Jones, it will be the man upon whom you wish to lay your hands. " 12/23/2021 6

Auction Bridge (c. 1904) § § Trump determined by highest bid § Bids proceed as in an auction § Each bid names a prospective trump suit and a minimum number of tricks § Rank order for trump suits established: , , , , NT 12/23/2021 7

Auction Bridge Scoring § Points for each odd-trick (in excess of six) won by the declarer § Game = 30 points 12/23/2021 8

Auction Bridge Scoring (cont. ) • Honor points (top 5 in trumps or Aces in NT) • 30 -100 points, depending on holding • Slam (all 13 tricks)= 50 points • Undertricks: • 50 points each-- Doubled. 100, redoubled 200 • Rubber (two games) = 250 points 12/23/2021 9

Contract Bridge (1925) § Codified by Harold Vanderbilt on his yacht “Finland” § Only tricks that have been contracted for count toward game. Additional tricks result in bonus points. § Slam Bonuses are awarded only if the slam was contracted for. 12/23/2021 10

Contract Bridge Scoring § Trick score for fulfilling a contract § Bonuses for fulfilling special contracts and for winning rubbers § Penalties for defeating opponents’ contract 12/23/2021 11