Suppose A says two hearts, Y doubles, B redoubles, and Z says two royals. The doubling is all knocked out, and if A were to go three hearts and get the contract, hearts would be worth only 8 a trick in the scoring unless Y doubled all over again. A double reopens the bidding, just the same as any other declaration, allowing the player’s partner, or the player himself in his turn, to take himself out of the double by bidding something else. _=IRREGULARITIES IN DECLARING.=_ If any player declares out of turn, either in bidding a suit or in doubling, either opponent may demand a new deal, or may allow the declaration so made to stand, in which case the next player to the left must bid, just as if the declaration had been in turn. If a player pass out of turn there is no penalty, and the player whose turn it was must declare himself. The player who has passed out of his proper turn may re-enter the bidding if the declaration he passed has been over-called or doubled. If a player makes an insufficient or impossible declaration, either adversary may call attention to it. Suppose the last bid is three royals, and the next player says four clubs. This is not enough, as three royals is worth 27 and four clubs only 24.
Nasty man, said the little girl. She said it declaratively, without reproach. Underhill, looking at her, shivered. He didn t see how she could take Captain Wow so calmly. Captain Wow s mind _did_ leer. When Captain Wow got excited in the middle of a battle, confused images of Dragons, deadly Rats, luscious beds, the smell of fish, and the shock of space all scrambled together in his mind as he and Captain Wow, their consciousnesses linked together through the pin-set, became a fantastic composite of human being and Persian cat. That s the trouble with working with cats, thought Underhill. It s a pity that nothing else anywhere will serve as Partner. Cats were all right once you got in touch with them telepathically. They were smart enough to meet the needs of the fight, but their motives and desires were certainly different from those of humans.
_=DEALING.=_ The cards having been properly shuffled and cut, five are given to each player; two the first round and three the next, or three the first round and two the next. An extra hand, known as the _=widow=_, is dealt face downward in the centre of the table. The dealer gives cards to the widow just before dealing to himself in each round. When all are helped, the next card is turned up for the trump. Irregularities in the deal are governed by the same rules as in Spoil Five. _=DECLARING TO PLAY.=_ Each player in turn, beginning with the eldest hand, may either play or pass. If he passes, he lays his cards face downward in front of him, and takes no further part in that deal unless a general rams is announced. If he plays, he engages himself to take at least one trick, or forfeit five counters to the pool.
=_ It may briefly be stated that duplicate proceeds upon the principle that if two partners have made a certain number of tricks with certain cards, under certain conditions with respect to the lead, distribution of the other cards in the adversaries’ hands, etc., the only way to decide whether or not two other players could have done better, or cannot do so well, is to let them try it, by giving them the same cards, under exactly similar conditions. This comparison may be carried out in various ways; but in every instance it depends entirely upon the number and arrangement of the players engaged. The most common forms are: club against club; team against team; pair against pair; or man against man. The reason for the arrangement of the players will be better understood if we first describe the method. _=METHOD OF PLAYING.=_ There is no cutting for partners, and choice of seats and cards as at whist, because the players take their places and deal according to a pre-arranged schedule. The player to the left of the dealer begins by placing the card he leads face up on the table, and in front of him. The second player follows by placing his card in front of him in the same manner; and so the third, and so the fourth. The four cards are then turned face down, and the dealer takes up the trump.
|Green gravel. | -- | | 2.| -- | -- |Round the green | | | | |gravel. | | 3.| -- | -- | -- | | 4.| -- | -- | -- | | 5.| -- | -- | -- | | 6.| -- | -- | -- | | 7.| -- | -- | -- | | 8.| -- |Fairest young lady | -- | | | |ever seen.