The evening tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 189?-190?, 1896-12-31
FOR LOVERS or Whist.
Howell On the Long Suit Form
of Whist Strategy.
OPENING WITH A SMALL CARD.

Dangers Of Such Leads-Penalties to Pay
For Deception Of Partner-what to DO
In Case OF Doubt-A Mistake That Cost
Two Tricks.
In what shall have to say of the long
suit form of whist strategy will try to
avoid giving the impression, which some
people are too ready to get, that the small
card opening is an indication of numerical
trump strength. The lead of small card
merely for the purpose of showing four or
more trumps have never recommended.
In whist Openings" (page 33), gave
the maxim, "You shall not indicate the
long suit game by your original lead un-
less you are perfectly willing that partner
should Immediately lead trumps, from
strong or weak Ones" A hard and fast
rule was careful to lay down, telling the
player that no must use his discretion In
regard to the matter of trump strength in
connection with the small card opening.
At the same time stated, as my own ex-
perience, that the original leader should
not attempt nor indicate the long suit
game unless he has four trumps with an
honor or two honors, irrespective of
length. This advice see no reason now
to alter. II appears to be founded In rea-
son as well as In experience. A practition-
or of the logical common sense game never
tries at the outset of a deal to establish a
long suit not headed by sequence unless
he has good hand. The good hand his
bly, infer from tie small card lead. Part
ner Is thereby encouraged to play for
ward game. He ill lead trumps from a
hand that would not justify the trump at
tack without the original leaders encour-
agement.
1t follows, therefore, that the original
leader, In considering his opening, must
also consider very seriously what his part
ner may infer, and, In short, the original
leader, when he starts with small card,
must he prepared for q trump lead from
partner. How far he must be prepared Is
the matter that Is to be left, to a certain
extent, to the players discretion, but 1t
seems reasonable to say that he should
have either length In trumps or else, with
out length, some high ones with which to
give partner support and assistance In the
trump attack. "Some high ones' have
defined to mean at least two honors, so
far as experience has taught me the deflni-
tion. The student of the advanced game
can hardly do better than to accept this
limitation, as rule, for general practice.
Hands he will have, not containing as
great trump strength as that which have
indicated, from which the long suit open.
ing will strike him az safe and advisable.
Very well. There are exceptions to all
rules, and the Intelligent player will be
able, with practice and experience, to REQ
ognixe the exceptions 70 this rule when
they present themselvea Only let me add
this advice: II, taking into acoount part
nef's inferonces, you have grave doubt Of
the wisdom Of venturing the small card
opening, don't II there is question be-
tween the long suit and the short suit in
itiatives, prefer the short. Always en-
deavor not to mislead partner In regard to
the character of. your holding.
One Of the most difficult opening hands
that ever held consisted Of hearts Grumpy.
8, 8; clubs, A, 6, 8; diamonds, K, j, 8, 8,
4, q; spades, 4, 2. Here we have two ele-
ments of long suit strength, the good plain
suit (diamonds) and the re-entry &C AZ,
but the third element-fair trump strength
lis missing. It is a hand for the short
suit opening, If there were one, but we
cannot start the only short plain suit
(spades) without deceiving partner by the
small card lead of the or 2. Studying
the hand, speedily rejected the idea of
leading the spade. The long diamonds
were the next thing / considered. If /
opened them, l argued, must lead
small card, and then partner would give
me credit for something in trumps This
might be dangerous, thought. What,
then, could do? The lead OF a club, high
or low, would be purposeless. And the
trumpf Well, didn't dare, on account Of
the weak spades, knowing thas partner
would give me credit, after a short trump
lead, for all round plain suit strength.
So eventually decided on the small
card opening from the diamonds. Part
ner won the first trick with the d A, both
adversaries playing low, and then led the
ace of trumps. All followed with small
ones Partner came along with the H 8;
second hand, H j; I, H 8; fourth hand,
H X. Partner had all the rest-seven
trumps to the ace and queen originally.
The winner of the third trick now led q
small spade. Partner had the s A with
two small ones and also small diamond
to give me. II he had gone In with the s
A at second hand, next leading the dia-
mond, we had all the other tricks--12 on
the deal. He played a small spade, how
ever, and third hand won. We made only
IL tricks therefore. After the play asked
partner why he had not jumped In with
his A. Because" he replied, "from
your small card opening, followed by the
disclosure of utter trump weakness on my
lead, I supposed you must have strength in
every plain suit, and trusted you for the
first spade trick" What could sayf
had deceived him by the indication of
strength on my original lead. Finding
that had no strength whatever In trumps,
he naturally inferred my strength to lie In
plain suits The inference was wrong,
and It cost us trick In an important
tournament game. But it was my fault
What, then, should have led9 Why,
1t Is just here that the moral of our little
story comes In. / should have led the
trump. We would then have ''coopered"
second hands king; partner would have
cleared the trumps with his ace and queen
In two rounds and would then have led
two more trumpa In 0et NV disca rta. I