1. To make three, four, or five games love. 2. To make three, four, or five games to one. 3. To make four or five games to two. 4. To make five games to three. 5. Sometimes to make four games to three or five games to four. 6. Sometimes to make five games all. 7. Sometimes to make three or four games to five. 8. Sometimes to make deuce at four games to five. 9. Always to make game and set.
I will now try to give the reasons for taking a bisque in each of the above cases.
1. Three games love is a winning score. Two games to one is a level one. Four games to one is about three games more (practically) than three to two. So in a still greater degree is there a difference between five games to one and four games to two. In each of these cases, winning the game will give a commanding lead, and therefore it is right to take the bisque to make sure of it.
The same reasoning applies to Cases 2, 3, and 4.
5. In changing sides with a distinct difference between the sides, and with the score of games level, it is always right to take a bisque to make game on the worse side. On the other hand, it is a mistake to take it on the better side, unless winning the game will make a very great difference in the score. For instance, I should always take a bisque to make four games to three on the worse side, but never on the better, for I should feel that there was little chance for the set if I could not win on the better side without my bisque. The same principle applies, though in a smaller degree, to the service. If the server has been losing nearly every game, it would be quite right to take a bisque to make five games to four or four games to three on one’s service, or on one’s opponent’s service if the server has been winning.
6. To make five games all. This is a very hard case to decide, especially in an advantage set. It is simply a matter of judgment. If the chances are against one’s winning at five all, with the bisque gone, it is certainly better not to take it, and to run the risk of losing the set at six to four.
7. In these cases the question is not of getting an advantage in the set, but of taking the best chance of saving a losing set. The question again is, whether one thinks that one can win at three or four to five; if not, one had better keep the bisque, and trust to luck to save one more game without it.