ers, may not prove to be an
established (or solid, as it is often called) suit. If however, the
division be at all even, as it is in the vast majority of cases, the
suit can be run, and it is cited as the minimum holding which may be
treated as established.

With the present value of Clubs and Diamonds, either suit presents an
effective original declaration. There is, therefore, much less excuse
than formerly for a reckless No-trump bid, based upon five or six Club
or Diamond tricks and one other suit stopped. When, however, an Ace of
another suit accompanies the unusual Club or Diamond strength, the
advantage of being the first to bid No-trump makes the chance worth
taking.

The hands above cited as containing the minimum strength to warrant the
call are all what are known as "weak No-trumpers." This kind of bidding
may not be conservative, but experience has shown it to be effective as
long as it is kept within the specified limits. A No-trump must,
however, justify the partner in acting upon the assumption that the
bidder has at least the stipulated strength, and it merely courts
disaster to venture such a declaration with less than the conventional
holding.

A few examples may possibly make the above somewhat more clear, as by
that means the various "minimum-strength" or "border-line" No-trumpers,
and also hands which fall just below the mark, can be accurately shown.
It will be understood that an effort is made to give the _weakest_
hands which justify the No-trump declaration, and also the hands which
fall short by the smallest possible margin. In other words, the hands
which puzzle the Declarer. With greater strength or greater weakness
the correct bid is plainly indicated.

The suits are numbered, not designated by their respective names, in
order to emphasize that it does not matter where the weakness is
located.

HANDS IN WHICH THE NO-TRUMP DECLARATION IS DOUBTFUL

Suit 1 King, Knave, X Does not contain an Ace, but is
" 2 King, X, X above the average and has four
" 3 Queen, Knave, X suits stopped. It is a No-trump
" 4 Knave, Ten, X, X bid.

Suit 1 Ace, Knave, X Has an Ace, three suits stopped,
" 2 X, X, X and a Knave over the average. It
" 3 King, X, X, X is a No-trump bid.
" 4 Queen, Knave, X

Suit 1 Ace, Queen, X Has an Ace and two face cards
"