The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-05-17
AROUND THE WHIST TABLE
VABUE OF THE 70 UR SMALL CARDS
IN THE sHORT-BUIr SYSTEM.
Proof OF the ImpOrtnnce of che Small
Cards Two Games Analysed 90 what
Foster Says-A DifHeult Problem N totes.

-
Proof OF the Importance of che Small
Csrds Two Games Analysed o. what
Foster ssys-A Dineuit P-obie~ Notes.
Those who have followed these articles since
April 12 will probably have observed that the
meaning OF each card from the ace to the six in
olusiyo has been dealt with In regular order
This leaves four small cards, the o, 4. 2. .. the
use OF which completes tho so.called short-suit
system OF play.
For a long time short-suit players have recor-
nlzed the original lead OF a low card az an indI-
cation that the leader was not only willing but
nble to play the %long.suit game. This was the
first great distln gushing mark between the two
systems OF play. Fosters "whist Strategy" d.
1913, SAYS; "If a short-suit player opens a long
suit, he Ia playing the long-sult game, and his
partner may depend upon II that nothing short
Of a very unfortunate position Of the cards will
prevent its success. That Ia why the short-sult
player ia more reliable than the long. The long
suffer gives his partner no hint as to how great
or small his chances Of success may be; the
short-suiter may be depended on 70 have sue
cess pretty we'll In sight every time he plays his
long suit. All he asks from his partner is to play
to win."
The long-suit player always begins with his
long SUIT, whether he has the slightest hope of
establishing, defending, and bringing II In or
not The shortsuit player never touches II
except for one or two reasons: because he Is in a
hurry to secure tricks with any winning cards
the suit may contain, or because he Ia pretty
sure he can make tho suit with any reasonable
assistance from his partner. II neither Of
these reasons exists, he will not lead the suit as
q long suit, but will begin with an intermediate
card. II he leads It at all.
A moments reflection will show that o player
will not run by making tho A X Q of q suit of
Ave or ak cards II he has any reasonable chance
OF getting the adverse trumps out OF the way
first, so as to make sure Of the high cards, and
give him a chance for several moro tricks with
the mail ones. On the same principle. q player
will not begin by leading q small card from a
long uneatoh l,.bed ami, nnlssa he has all acient
ionR uhestaoisneu SUIT unless no u =
trumps and cards of reentry to give him a rea-
sonable hope of bringing in the suit which he
rS'n"h opon'
inns Is one OF tho most important points IN
the short.suit game. because the Information
sna9 70 ~
ashort-suit player begins with a small card MS
partner wastes no time in getting out tho trumps
II he bns any strength At al, II he has not. he
u no nus any s'rehE'n az ~ !, No mas . no
makes all the tricks he can at once, knowing
that his partners hand must be above the aver
age. On April 10 IL was suggested that. II tho
long-sult game Is going 10 succeed at all, IL may
as well be initiated with a trump attack; but
'"o .e"u '. . 'n"ii nv 'ne
am not quite strong enough to begin with the
the lonr.su,t game ~ Won can helm me-" In
tno nE-sul game II you a heup me.
trumps. or says /" ne" by running.
When lon0.suit plavers are partner, thew Col.
ow an entirely different system. II one begins
with a small card of an unestublished suit, he
shows he i. not strong enough to lead trump., it
Is true but what does his partner do II he has
not the necessary strength to help him' Does
nc ~ q. oil. ho e"'o W ~ o,is,na.
leader: III you are not strong enough to defend
that suit yourself. and | cannot help You. the
hest thin, vo n do 10 N nv 10 .s,ah,ish
70 tn'ns We d uo 10 ~ u - e'."olsn
lead his own. An example of this is given in
the game we publish to day. The writer has seen
Hee met eh' Wiah q o ea nsn IN p wSieG t ESs mas pa,t neyer
neither of whom was strong enough to lead
cept for the benefit OF their ndyersaries.
fhe %iongsuit game is usually claimed to be
opening lead, it is obviously the least so Of any
system. One OF the most important elements in
Chance Of Success ~ and 20 seize il 10 rims is os
the greatest Importance in strategy" saws
of o9s a sin ,s III, trick Du mny enable ,n hti1hr the adve rne deia tS
seize the only chance they have to spoil what
The. lead Of a small card from a lon0-suit
player may mean that no has a suit as strong as
Ahe same lEi .n cssd in mas 9 me sse1 ,Ss. a hs h iesr a tT sum oi
iiye cards; eight hirh; no other plain suit card
has ALWAYS meant a suit nearly established.
cards of regntry sufficient to handle it. and
reasonable trump strength. Reduced 10 its
the partner: II am on the verge of .trump lead
and nothing but the fear that You are too weak
to- SUPPORT me prevents INV beginning with the
tTump attack" 4 weil-known New Sork nIsv'
err put the matter pretty clearly in expiaining
the system TO a friend. an / lead Won a small
card" he SAID that is my suit, and it's a good
suit and rye got the stuff 10 hack il mn
As this principle OF Indicating strength by the
lead Of a small card became more generaIv
understood The lead cana tn he reSarSah as
practical invitation for a trump lead from the
hartman ~ he hni The trunn strrn 9th 70 snnnnrt
n hand which vas decIarrd Nv the nriSinot Lad Lad
to he above the average On April e n hand was
uivan from Which a Ipn1.snit n5avar wnnjS LAD
The riph - which "avs ahsnlnteiv No jjnfor ,uau
lion hnt from whicb n short. snit riavar wnnid
Lad The Al mond . "a n direct inv Il atjon 20 H.
mariner n lead trn,nns If he had anv Il