ARATIONS

In this situation, the Fourth Hand comes more nearly within the
category of a second round, or late bidder; that is, he is in the
position in which a player often finds himself when, after some bidding
in which he has not participated, he is in doubt whether he has
sufficient strength to advance his partner's declaration.

Under such circumstances, a player should always remember that his
partner has counted upon him for a certain percentage of high cards. If
he have not more than that percentage, it would be the part of extreme
folly for him to declare. When the partner has made a suit declaration,
and he has weakness in the suit, but some strength elsewhere, he should
be especially careful, and, before bidding, convince himself that his
side strength is more than his partner expected. Advancing a partner's
suit bid by reason of strength in other suits, while, when the strength
warrants it, unquestionably sound, is apt to deceive the partner, as
his first thought necessarily is that the bid indicates help in the
suit declared.

When the partner has declared No-trump, and the Third Hand has called
two in a suit, the Fourth Hand is in much the same position regarding
the advancement of his partner's No-trumper as the Third Hand when the
Dealer bids a No-trump, and the Second Hand, two of a suit.[18] The only
difference is that in this case there is little probability of
high-card strength being developed on the left.

[18] See page 111.

6. WHEN THE DEALER AND SECOND HAND HAVE MADE OFFENSIVE DECLARATIONS,
AND THE THIRD HAND PASSED

It is an exceptional hand which justifies taking the partner out of a
suit declaration, called over a No-trump bid by the Dealer. The partner
has the advantage of sitting over the Dealer, while the Dealer would
have this same advantage should the Fourth Hand declare some other
suit.

In this position the partner having bid two Clubs or Diamonds, the
Fourth Hand, with the other three suits stopped, is justified in
assuming that the original No-trump was made with the minimum strength,
and the chance of game, as the declaration stands, being remote, should
try a bid of two No-trumps.

When the Dealer has declared a suit, and the Second Hand, No-trump, the
Fourth Hand should overbid the Second with a suit declaration (except,
of course, in the almost inconceivable case in which the strength of
the Fourth Hand is in the suit named by the Dealer), with the same
holding