Culbertson's Own Contract Bridge Self-Teacher : 1933 Culbertson system

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CULBERTSONS

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CONTRACT BRIDGE

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SELF-TEACHER

SEE

PAGES

JUST THIS

57 & 60

FOR THE EXPLANATION

BOOK AND A PENCIL-

and you have everything you need to learn 1933 Contract Bridge. Read the clear, easy-to-grasp explanations, look at the illustrative examples, and then take out your pencil and test yourself on the points you have learned. Check your bids with the correct answers in the back of the book. This new SIMPLIFIED Culbertson Self-Teacher includes all bids from Opening One-Bids to the sensationally successful Culbertson Grand Slam Convention. Only 75 Cents a Copy

ELY himse/f CULBERTSON WORLDS GREATEST PLAYER AND AUTHORITY

Bi^

CONTRACT BRIDGE SCORING LAWS ACCORDING TO INTERNATIONAL TRICK-SCORE

NOTRUMP

SUITS 4,

20

Each trick over 6 If

20

doubled, multiply obove values by

V

4

30

30

2.

If

Ist,

Each

trick

over 6

3d, 5th, 7th

2d,4th, 6th

40

30 Game

redoubled, multiply above values by 4.

100 points.

is

HONOR-SCORE Rubber:

If

won won

in

games

2

in 3 games unfinished, winner of one premium for making contract, If If

(No

Not Vulnerable

Vulnerable

Undoubled, each

Trick Value

Trick Value

Doubled, each Redoubled, each

100

200

200 400

OVERTRICKS

Slomj:

700 500 300 doubled or redoubled)

Little

one hand (5 trump or 4 Aces at notrump) Four trump honors in one hand

ESSENTIAL

SOO 750

Slam, not vulnerable Slam, vulnerable..

1500

UNDERTRICKS 1st

2250 Vulnerable

Not Vulnerable

undertrick

ND

RD

50

400

Increase each subsequent undertrick by

Honor Premiums: All in

Little

Grand Slam, not vulnerable Grand Slam, vulnerable

game

Thus, value of 2nd undertrick

150

3rd undertrick 4th undertrick

200 250

150 100

300 400 500

150

200 250

300 400

600 800

500

1000

LAWS OF CONTRACT

ACCORDING TO THE INTERNATIONAL CODE The anction is the period during which any player in proper tnm may make a call (pass, bid, double or redouble). The auction begins when the deal is and ends with a bid, double or redouble followed by three passes in

finished turn.

The Dealer opens the aaction by making the

first call.

If all four players pass on their first opportunity to call, the hand is abandoned and a new deal is made by the next player to the left. During the auction any player has the right, when it is his turn to call, to ask for a review of the bidding up to that

point.

In doubling or redoubling, it is not necessary to name the bid doubled or redoubled. Dummy should not put down his hand, or any part of it, until after the opening lead has been made to the first trick. If Declarer should fail to follow suit at any time during the play, Dummy may ask him whether he has in his hand any cards of the suit led, thereby enabling him to correct a possible revoke. Dummy may not in any way suggest any lead or play. Dummy may not call attention to a revoke by an opponent. Dummy may not call attention to a lead out of turn by an opponent, and he

not warn Declarer that he is abont wrong hand. (Dummy Declarer which hand has the lead, however, if Declarer asks him

may

to lead from the

may inform directly.)

If Declarer leads from the wrong hand and an opponent requests him to lead from the correct hand, he must, if able, lead the same suit, but if he cannot lead the same suit he may then lead any card he wishes. Tricks should be gathered and kept so that their number and sequence may be readily seen by any player at any time. It is wrong to stack the first six

tricks (book) together vrithont separation of the tricks. trick once gathered and quitted may not thereafter be examined by any player, except in special circumstances.

A

If the Declarer plays from both hands before the intervening opponent (whose turn it is to play) has played to the trick, either opponent may play before the other without penalty.

REVOKES player is able to lead or play, in following suit or as otherwise required by the laws, and fails to do so, he revokes. A revoke may be corrected by taking back the card wrongly led or played, but the penalty for revoke corrected must then be paid. A revoke not corrected before the If a

offender or his partner leads or plays to the following trick (or partner plays to the current trick if the revoke is in leading), becomes established. revoke to the twelfth trick never

A

becomes established. If Dummy revokes, there is no penalty, whether the revoke is corrected or becomes establishedPenalty for Revoke Corrected: If wrong card belongs to opponent of De-

clarer, Declarer may treat that card as exposed or require the offender to lead

or play his highest or lowest card of the correct suit. If wrong card is Declarer's (in closed hand), opponent on his left may require him to lead or play his highest or lowest card of the correct suit. Penalty for Established Revoke: Trick stands as played, and, for first revoke, 2 tricks won by the revoking side are transferred to the other side at the end of the hand, plus, for each subsequent revoke, I more trick from the revoking side to the other side, always provided that tricks won before the revoke occurs are not subject to transfer. If no tricks are won by the revoking side after or including the trick in which the revoke occurs, there is no penalty. Tricks transferred from one side to the other in payment of a revoke penalty are scored exactly as though they had

been won in play.

Culbertson "Culbertson's Own Contract Bridge Self-Teacher" is the only self-teaching manual on the Reproduction (Approach-Forcing) System written by Ely Culbertson himself, and is fully protected by copyright.

NOTICE: In

whole or

in

part

COPYRIGHT

is

strictly prohibited.

1933 by The Bridge World,

Inc.

570 Lexington Avenue,

Printed in the United Sutes of America

New

York, N. Y.

WHO

WHO'S

What

This Self -Teacher

Is

In response to thousands of requests for a

self-

of

Ely Culbertson

teaching manual on the Culbertson (Approach-Forc-

World^s Greatest Player and Authority Ely Cnlbertson

is

the originator, with

the able assistance of his wife, Josephine Cnlbertson (the greatest woman Bridge player in the world), of the Culbertson

(Approach-Forcing) bidding.

The

System of Contract

brilliant

simplicity of his

writings and the logic of his analysis have brought a complex intellectual game into the home« of millions of Americans. As a

he has won more national and international championships and practical player,

matches of importance than any other great player and is today rated by the overwhelming majority as the world's top ranking master player. His Bine Book and Summary alone have not only sold ten times as much as all other Bridge books together but have broken all fiction and non-fiction records of the last two years. Author of several books, a daily syndicated newspaper article on Bridge, a series of movie shorts entitled "My Bridge Experiences," scores of magazine articles, radio talks, lectures, etc., and editor-inchief of The Bridge World Magazine, Ely

Culbertson is unquestionably the world's greatest Bridge authority.

ing) System of 1933, based on the principles set forth

my

in

"Contract Bridge Blue Book of 1933" and

tabulated for easy reference in "Culbertson's Sum-

mary

of 1933," this book has been prepared. The purpose of this Self-Teacher is to make it easy for anyone to learn up-to-date Contract Bridge with a minimum of time and effort. The primary counts for all bidding, and the fundamental bids of the Culbertson System, together with more advanced bidding, up to and including bidding for Slams (even Grand Slams!), are all treated with the same object in view to provide, first, easily understood explanations; second, a multitude of examples to illustrate and viv-

—

ify every bid;

and

^

BOOKS BY Ely Culbertson Contract Bridge Bine

How

Book of 1933

(Four Books in One: Bidding Valuation, Partnership Language, Distribution and Higher Strategy, Bridge Psychology). Culbertson's Summary of 1933. Contract Bridge at a Glance. Ready Guide to Leads and Plays. (In preparation.)

Red Book of Leads and

third, a series of practice drills

which, with the aid of a pencil, will enable you to check up quickly on how much you have learned.

Plays.

(In

preparation.)

Famous Hands of the CulbertsonLenz Match,

in collaboration with Josephine Culbertson, T. A. Lightner, Waldemar von Zedtwitz, and others.

Contract Bridge for Auction Players.

The

CULBERTSON (Approach-Forcing)

SYSTEM The

(Approach-Forcing) Cnlbertson System is the standard now used by at least 96 percent of the Bridge players of the world— average, advanced, and expert. If you know the Culbertson System yon can play anywhere, with anyone. Learn the system that is universally used— the proof that it is the winning system!

The Bridge World Magazme Ely Culbertson is editor-in-chief of The Bridge World Magazine, a monthly periodical devoted to Contract Bridge (news, interesting hands, tournament announcements, etc., etc.), $3 yearly. A sample copy will be sent on request. Write to Bridge World, 570 Lexington Ave, New York.

to

Teach Yourself

use this Self-Teacher— and, what's more, fun Equip yourself with a sharp pencil and a copy of this book and you are ready to teach yourself Contract Bridge. Turn to Lesson I on page 2— read it through carefully. Be sure you understand every word of it, and try to follow the examples given. As soon as you think you know this lesson, turn to the practice drill that follows (in this instance, Drill No. It is easy to

it's

!

1, page 3), and read the brief instructions. Then write on the page, in the spaces provided, the missing

counts or bids or whatever is asked for. When you have finished, check the correctness of your answers with those given in the back of the book. If you have made any errors, read the preceding lesson or lessons again until you thoroughly understand your error and have been able to correct it intelligently. Proceed then to the next lesson, and so on through the book. You can progress as rapidly as you wish — but don't try to absorb too much in one sitting! If you follow these instructions conscientiously, there is no question that this book wiU teach you upto-date Contract Bridge quickly and well.

Lesson

HOW TO COUNT

I.

HONOR-TRICKS

Attacking and Defensive Tricks

racy,

Before you can bid your hands in Contract Bridge, you must be able to estimate, with fair accuhow many tricks your hand is likely to develop in the play. You must consider this from

two angles, as follows: (1) In Attack-

(2) In Defense-

how many

how many

ner hands (Declarer's and Diunmy's) together and of play-

partner play your hands defensively against an adverse Declarer, and probably against an adverse trump suit of which you and your partner are short.

tricks your hand is worth if yon or your partplay as Declarer, with the advantages of playing 2

ing at the best contract for those 2 hands, and so on.

tricks

your hand

is

worth

if

yon and your

by no means assured that every time you bid you will secure the contract, you must how many tricks you can take in Attack, but also of how many tricks you can take in Defense. Every bid, therefore, and particularly every Original or Opening bid, must be based upon a certain irreducible minimum of defensive strength. Since

it is

not only inform your partner of

What

Is

The is

an

HONOR-TRICK? hand valuation is the HONOR-TRICK, so called because it honor combination. That is, the value of a hand in HONOR-TRICKS. An honor-trick is an expected winner even if the oppo-

unit of defensive strength in

a trick-taking value given to an honor or

Defense

is

measured in

nents play the hand at their contract.

J 9

For example, if you hold A K Q J 9 7, these six cards are worth, probably, 6 tricks if you or your partner play the bands as Declarer, for even at a suit contract all the adverse trumps can be drawn before this suit is played. But against an adverse suit contract, you can expect to take 2 tricks at the most, since the third round of the suit is almost certain to be ruffed (trumped) by *^* adverse Declarer. This suit is therefore worth 6 tricks in Attack, but

7

only 2 tricks in Defense. The 2 defensive tricks are HONOR-TRICKS, a valuation which must be learned and memorized in all its variations, given in the table below.

6 Winners in Attack

TABLE OF HONOR-TRICKS 1^

2 Honor-Tricks Ace-King in the same

No more

than

2

suit

Honor-Tricks

A Q in the same suit AJ

honor-

be counted in the same suit, for this is the maximum value of any suit against an adverse

10 in the same suit

tricks can

trump

K Q J in the same suit K Q 10 in the same suit

contract.

V^ Honor-Trick

1 Honor-Trick

K X or K 10 in the same suit K J in the same suit (without

Any Ace

K Q in the same suit K J X in the same suit K X in one suit and Q x in an-

low cards)

Q J 10 or Q J X in the same suit Q X in one suit and J x in an-

other suit (see Example 3)

other suit (see Example 1)

Letter "x" represents any small card below "10" in denomination. Uncounted blank Kings or Q x and J x, when not already counted with some other honor in the hand, may be counted as "Plus Values." Two "Plus Values" equal about Vz honor-trick. The value of honors is positional (in front of or behind a bid suit),

which must also be borne

in

mind.

HOW MANY H(

Lesson The

II.

THE FULL MEAMNG OF HONOR VALUES

Full Playing Value of Honors

seen how honor-tricks are limited in number because of the restrictions that no more than 2 tricks can be counted defensively in each suit. Naturally this eliminates certain cards which are bound to be winners if the hand is played in attack. For this reason, after the Opening bid, a player begin§ to count the playing-tricks in his hand. The first step is to assign values to vari-

You have

K

ous combinations of high cards. A Q, which counts only 2 honor-tricks, will obviously take 3 tricks if the hand is played in attack (that is. Declarer's or Dummy's hand). Therefore it is worth 3 playing-tricks. Other honor combinations are counted as in the table below.

The Rule

of Eight

of Eight is a simple mathematical formula which can be easily memorized. It means simply this: When 52 cards are dealt into four hands the total number of honor-tricks outstanding equals about 8 (sometimes SVi). This formula enables you to determine whether a hand is above or below average strength and serves as an invaluable guide in determining the highhand should be above card holding of a partnership. average before a player can consider opening the bid-

The Role

A

ding. If the 8 honoi'-tricks are divided equally around the table, no player will hold more than 2. This is not enough to warrant opening the bidding. With 2V2» howev*, ther hand is above average and can be bid First

and Second Hand. For a Third Hand bid

3

honor-

bricks ai% required. Every bid or pass affirms or denies the possession of a certain number of honor-tricks. Therefore it is veryeasy to determine not only how many honor4ricks you and your partner hold but also how many are held by the opponents.

The Yardstick of Tricks It is also possible through the use of the Rule of Eight to estimate the trick-taking possibilities of a hand. The 8:5 Yardstick provides that the ratio of tricks won with honors to those won with lower cards is 8 to 5 (or possibly 8Vi to'. 41/2 ). This proportion holds true for any average deal. In valuing a hand for play at notrtunp, th^ honor-tricks stand out as definite and sure winners. Through the use of the Honor-Trick Table and the 8:5 Yardstick it is also* possible to compute the average trick expectancy at a' notrump contract. Only honortricks and plus values are counted when a hand is valued for a notrump bid.

THE PLAYING-TRICK VALUE OF HONORS At your own or

Holding

partner's bid

APPLYING THE

4-5-6

COUNT

DriUNo. 2

To apply the 4-5-6 Count, an application of the Rule of Eight, count the honor-trickj in the following partnership hands and indicate in the blank space provided the trick expectancy of the partnership at notrump. Check with correct answers on page 62.

i' >f 4k

AQ876

^ K5 4 l)vO QJ5

»fy

1

y

*K5

Lesson

COUNTING TRICKS FOR A SUIT CONTRACT

III.

{Continued from bottom of preceding page)

Trick Winners at Your Partner's

When you

Trump Bid

are supporting partner's bid suit, count the honor-tricks,

suit tricks in yoxu-

hand.

trick not counted in the

You

trump tricks and longwhich are a type of

also count short-suit tricks or ruffing-tricks,

Opening Hand.

EXAMPLES OF COUNTING PLAYING-TRICKS Counting Trump Tricks in Bid Suit Partner Has Supported 2 long-suit tricks = 4 playing-tricks + 2 long-suit tricks = SV2 playing-tricks K J 5 4 3 2 has 1 honor-trick + 3 long-suit tricks = 4 playing-tricks Q J 9 7 6 has V2 honor-trick + 2 long-suit tricks = 2^/4 playing-tricks

AK976 AQ432

has 2 honor-tricks

+

has IV^ honor-tricks

Counting Long-Suit Tricks in Side Suits

KJ5 4 Q

has 1 honor-trick

J 10 8 has

+

V2 honor-trick

Important: Actually this

=

V2 long-suit trick

+

Vz

last

long-suit trick

example

is

worth

IV2 playing-tricks.

=

1

1*/^

playing-trick tricks according to the full value of

honors and should be counted as such.

AJ

10 7 6 has IV2 honor-tricks

J 6 5 4 has a plus value

+

V2

+

1 long-suit trick

long-suit trick

=

Counting Ruffing-Tricks

*A765

I

2