The Cardturner by Louis Sachar Page B

Cliff.
    "That would be unauthorized information," said Toni.
    He winked at her.
    Toni's cheeks turned pink. "After you sort your hand into suits," she continued, "you count your points. An ace is worth four points. A king, three. A queen is worth two, and a jack, one."
    "How about a six?" asked Cliff.
    "Nothing," said Toni.
    "How about two sixes?"
    "Still nothing."
    "Three sixes and an eight?"
    "C'mon, Cliff, you're not that stupid!" said Leslie. "I can understand it, and I'm only eleven!"
    Cliff laughed.
    You also get points for voids, singletons, and doubletons. Toni had made note cards for each of us.

    She explained that the points were just used as a way to help evaluate how good a hand you have. If you have thirteen points, then you have a good enough hand to open the bidding. With fewer than thirteen points, you should pass.
    "Pass," said Cliff.
    "It's not your turn," said Toni. "Alton dealt."
    The dealer is always the first to bid. At the bridge studio it's indicated on the boards who is the dealer for each hand.
    I looked at my cards.

    I had fourteen points. The ace, king, and queen of spades were worth a total of nine points. The king of diamonds was worth three, and the jack of clubs was worth one. I also added one point for the doubleton diamond.
    Even though my points were in the other suits, I was supposed to bid my longest suit. "One heart," I said.
    "Six spades," said Cliff.
    Toni pretended to slap him.
    "Double!" shouted Leslie.
    Toni told Cliff that if he didn't have enough points to open the bidding, he certainly didn't have enough to bid six spades.
    "But I have six spades," said Cliff.
    "Just bid one spade," said Toni.
    "Too late," said Leslie.
    Leslie's protests notwithstanding, we let Cliff take back his bid. Cliff bid one spade.
    "One no-trump," said Leslie.
    Toni passed, I passed, and Cliff passed too.
    One no-trump was the final contract. Toni led a spade, and my hand became the dummy.
    Leslie was completely on her own. She had to choose which card to play from her hand, and which card to play from dummy. Watching her, you would never have known she had never played before.
    Not only did she make her contract, but she made an overtrick to boot.
    "Well done," said Toni.
    "Hey, whose side are you on?" asked Cliff.
    Leslie's grin was a mile wide.
    Toni dealt the next hand. She opened "One club," Leslie passed, and it was up to Cliff. He rubbed his chin. "Suppose I had the nine and seven of spades; four hearts, including the king and queen; the ace and two other diamonds; and four little clubs. What would I bid?"
    "One heart," said Toni. "Once your partner opens the bidding, you only need six points to respond ."
    "One heart," said Cliff.
    "Uh, hello?" said Leslie. "He just told you his entire hand."
    "I didn't say that was my hand," said Cliff. "I was simply asking a hypothetical question." He winked at Toni.
    "He just winked!" shouted Leslie.
    "I really don't remember what he said," Toni assured Leslie.
    Cliff sighed. "The nine and seven of spades, the king and queen of hearts . . ."
    Toni and I laughed, but Leslie wasn't amused.
    Cliff wasn't as dumb as he pretended. The final contract was two hearts, and he made two overtricks.
    He had played the card game hearts, so he knew all about following suit and taking tricks. It wasn't that much of a stretch to learn about trump.
    At the bridge studio, it took my uncle and his group about three hours to play twenty-four boards, one right after another. Leslie, Toni, Cliff, and I played from about two-thirty to six o'clock and maybe got through ten hands.
    I got to be the declarer twice. The first time I went down in three clubs, and the second time I made a four-spade contract.
    Cliff actually seemed to have a good time. I was glad that he and Toni got along, and after a while even Leslie laughed at his jokes.
    Once I got over my initial awkwardness, I was able to throw in a few funny and insightful comments. I know they were funny and insightful because