The Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1895-1897, 1896-02-21
FOR LOVERS OF WHIST
Diedrich's Observations Upon a
Critical Point In the Game.
THE PLAY OF SECOND HAND.

The Principle OF the Plny-Reservntion OF
Strength In Suits OF Your Right oppo-
nent-Annlysis OF Proper Second Hand
Plsys.
The management Of second hand is oon-
adhered tho best test Of whist play. It Is,
moro than any other feature Of the game,
the shibboleth which distinguishes the gu
perior taotioian from the routine player
1t Is true that second hand low" Is the
oountersign, but one must know why this
Is the normal rule in order that, at critical
times, no may be Intelligent enough to
give 1t the proper variation. $3.50
Many time when blind adherance TO
this injunction has resulted in disaster the
look of injury on the face Of the response
Bile party would be ludicrous II 1t wore not
piteous. 1t is part Of the great GLASS of
grievances against the inanimate. "The
cards wore against me' But in duplicate
whist this excuse doesn't go.
loo often the play Of second hand Is left
to caprice, and no systematic rule is adopt
ed. With queen and small oard 1t may
be question, whether or not the queen
should be played on q low lead. The
game Of information dictates the play of
the small card. Experience and personal
knowledge OF the opponent leading may
suggest the play of the queen. But what
ever Is the decision arrived at stick to &C.
Do not play low at one time and In exact
ly similar circumstances at another time
the queen, for this will result in the worst
form OF misinformation, confusion worse
COMPOUNDED in tho mind Of your partner.
In n recent game the partner of tho
writer was q Latin teacher, more vivaoious
than veraoious in her hours of relaxation,
foS she said she "doted on whist" and
yet when 1t came her turn to play in such
situation as that described above, she ar
rived at decision by rhyming ovor the
cards the incarnation of
Eeney, meeny, miney, mo,
Carpe negrum digito,
81 exclamnt iberoi
and thereby proved that the game she
dotted on, whatever utilization it may hnyo
had with the Elousinian mysteries, certain
ly WINS not whist.
The plny Of second hand proceeds on the
following principles: Reserve as far as you
safely can tho commanding cards in tho
suit which, from indications, has been led
from strength by your right hand oppo-
mont. Conceal, therefore, from him tho
presence of these cards in your hand En-
courage your left hand opponent to play
his commanding cards in such manner
as to permit your partner either to utilize
or reserve his strength in the suit. Espo
oially follow these principles If your part
ner is ono Of that increasing class of play
ers who "spar for position and unaccus-
toned to lead baok through strong second
hand up to exhausted strength or declared
weakness in the fourth hand thus putting
the opponents "all abroad as to tho
whereabouts of tho command.
On q high card led play tho ace if alone
or the lower one of two cards in sequence
higher than tho ono led. Holding X, O
or J, and only one small, cover an original
lead Of nine or any higher card; otherwise
play low.
On low card led play high card
Whenever it is necessary to establish thore-
by your own strength In the suit (See
American loads Play, however, tho low
of any sequence; otherwise play small
card
Generally play low on trump lead.
ANALYSIS OF SECOND HAND PLAYS
Iron Coffin i(SiSt of Whist ~