The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-02-26
FOR LOVERS OF WHIST.
Diedrich's Remarks Upon the
Conduct of Third Hand.
PRINCIPLES GOVERNING THE pLAY

Information Given by Play OF Third Desc.
UnbioolSlng Your Partners suit-Tho
Return-Analysls OF Plays.
The one anchor of reliance for tho rcw
whist player who has lost his bearings end
Is tossed about by the contrary winds OF
doctrine Is "third hand high" Whom,
after bad case OF rattles, the partner has
come to the rescue and gained the lead, SO
suro Is the new player of the correctness Of
his play this time" that with finger on
the card In ooger anticipation Ga very bad
mental habit into which % fall) he some
times unships the anchor icst when il docs
tho mosr damage In the play Of third
hand as in the lead, consider deliberately
your forces, as we'll as 3hD infcrences to be
drawn from the lead Of tho partner
Your play will depend first upon the
number of cards In the suit. Upon an
honor led third hand holding four should
play the third best ard lator, when tho
suit is established, return tho fourth best,
thereby indicating to tho partner your
strength In his suit
The second condition OF the play Is the
denomination Of the card led On an hon.
or led play low, except when 1t Is desir-
able to unblock your partners suit. Thus
queen led, with no Indication that it is
forced lead, shows that the jack, ten and
nine arc back OF IL (see table Of American
Leads) Therefore, with ace, king and
small in third hand, play the king on the
partners queen, return the ace, thon lead
the remaining low card, thus establishing
the control and the lead in the hand which
has tho longer suit.
On the lead Of "A low card play tho high
est card except when this tops sequence,
whom, of course, the low of tho sequence is
played.
Finesse with the ace and queen. Never
fnessc, however when second hand has
Indicated weakness in the suit.
Tho third confederation is tho denomi-
nation of the card played by tho second
hand. When this Is higher than high
G~e led, cover it. When there arc in
aications that your partners lead is
forced one from q short suit or is led TO
take advantage Of declared weakness in
fourth hand, reserve as far as possible
commanding cards In the suit with which
TO cover whatever high cards are finally
forced from second hGnd.
When third hand has no cards In tho
suit, play as though the lowest trump
were tho highest of the suit led and tho
weak card of another suit, which it is do
sirable to discard, the lowest. Where 1t
would be proper to play tho acc IL present.
play tho low trump, and, where tho low
suit card would have been proper, the dis
card.
When the play of third hand high takes
the trick, return the suit If you arc also
strong in it. II not, lead back to indicate
your best suit When Tho return is prop
or, IL not as 1rst, then later, give back the
card that viii best establish the suit in
the hand which has most caFds in it, Thus
with few cards return high with four or
more and indications from either the lead
or the foil of the cards that the clearance
of the suit can be effected by your partner
for your benefit, return low.
AGALYsIs or THIRD HAND PLAYS.
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