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#52466 01/11/02 09:48 AM
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[Deja vu -e]

I don't know whether this has been discussed recently, but why do we say we have it in spades?

I have the strangest feeling that we've discussed this and it didn't stick in my brain.

If someone will just toss me a crumb of explanation, thanks. I'm not in a searching mood this morning.

Thanks,
DubDub who really does think I've asked this very same question...wonder why it didn't stick?


#52467 01/11/02 11:46 AM
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Spades being the highest suit at bridge, a good hand is even better in spades.

This is a fairly new expression to me: I've only seen it in the last several years. Has it been around long?


#52468 01/11/02 12:01 PM
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Has it been around long?

In spades!


#52469 01/11/02 12:18 PM
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Spades being the highest suit at bridge, a good hand is even better in spades.

The phrase emphasizes that spades (as the highest suit) can outbid the others, and also that spades (as the highest suit) is scored for the most posts of any suit. As in the phrase "doubled and redoubled, in spades".


#52470 01/11/02 12:48 PM
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The explanation has been aced, in spades!


#52471 01/11/02 01:34 PM
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Yep, I agree. Thanks for the explanation. I'll move on to synonyms in my thoughts now.

WW


#52472 01/11/02 02:16 PM
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spades (as the highest suit) is scored for the most posts(points??) of any suit

well, acksherly, spades and hearts are both "major suits", and they score the same, although for bidding purposes spades do outrank hearts.

and for the record, the expression should probably be 'in no trumps', b/c a 'no trumps' bid supercedes (and outscores, as well) *all* of the suits, including spades.


beatcha to it, ann & ant!

#52473 01/11/02 02:37 PM
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"In Spades" isn't always enough.I knew a woman who was dealt thirteen Spades, got flustered and bid a no trump, and didn't take a trick.


#52474 01/11/02 04:19 PM
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Hi caradea! I carefully phrased my post to be consistent with your points about hearts and no trump -- and then missed the typo!!


#52475 01/12/02 03:38 AM
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I don't believe that the value of the spade suit in bridge is the answer.

I have this vague remembrance of a card game in which a hand played with spades as trump counts more than any other, but I don't remember anything specific. There is a card game called "Spades" but I don't know if that's the game I'm thinking of.


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