The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-03-10
FOR LOVERS OF Whist
Diedrich,s Remarks Upon the
Conduct Of Third Hand.
PRINCIPLES GOVERNING THE PLAY

Information Given by Play Of Third Best.
Unblocking Your Partners Subtitle
Return-Ana1ysis of Plays.
The one anchor of reliance for the new
whist player who has lost his bearings and
is tossed about by the contrary winds OF
doctrine is third hand high" When,
after a bad case of rattles, the partner has
come to the rescue and gained the lead, SO
sure is the new player of the correctness Oh
his play this time" that with finger on
the card in eager anticipation "a very bad
mental habit into which to fall) he some
times unships the anchor just when 1t does
the most damage. In the play of third
hand. as in the lead, consider deliberately
yol,r forces. as well as the differences to be
drawn from the lead of the 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, and later, when the
suit is established, return the fourth best,
thereby indicating to the 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 lubbock your partners suit. Thus
a queen led, with no indication that it is a
forced lead, shows that the jack, ten and
nine are back of it (see table of American
Leadsl. Therefore, with ace king and
small in third hand, play the king on the
partners queen, return the ace, then lead
the remaining low card, thus establishing
the control and the lead in the hand which
has the longer suit.
On the lead of o low card play the high
est card, except when this tops seq uence,
when, of course, the low of the sequence is
played.
Finesse with the ace and queen. Never
inesse, however, when second hand has
indicated weakness in the suit.
The third consideration is the denoni-
nation of the card played by the second
hand. When this is higher than high
one led, cover it. When there are in
dications that your partners lead is a
forced one from a 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 hand.
When third hand has no cards in the
suit, play as though the lowest trump
were the highest of the suit led, and the
weak card of another suit, which it is de-
sirable to discard, the lowest. Where it
would be proper to play the ace if present,
play the low trump and, where the low
suit card would have been proper, the dis
card.
When the play of third hand high takes
tho trick, return the suit if you are also
strong in it, If not, lead back to indicate
your best suit. When the return is prop
er, if not at first, then later, give back the
card that will best establish the suit in
the hand which has most cards in it. Thus
with few cards return high; with four or
more, and Indications from either the lead
or the fall of the cards that the clearance
of the suit can be effected by your partner
for your benefit, return low.
ANALYSIS OF THIRD HAND PLAYS.
From Collins ssGist of Whist.''l