The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-02-24

Lead Efkh to Preserve and Establish Yo-r
Pnftner's Strength-Enect of Turned Up
Gard on Trump Lead-PermissibIe yari-
ations.
There will often bo occasions when the
regular American leads must be departed
from. For instance an honor card turned
up on the right of the leader will neces-
sarlly cause a variation from the usual
mode of play. il ttis Is ace or king, con-
slider seriously the question of leading
trumps under any but the safest circum-
stances. Rather signal to your partner to
lead through the declared strength IL
the turned up card is a queen, with ace,
king and Others, or king, jack, 10 and
others, lead king. III 1t is jack, from
ace, queen, 10 and others, lead queen.
Even If 10 Is n 10 or 9 it Is best from
king, jaok, Q and others, or jack, TO-
and others, to lead tho jnck, or from
queen, jack, 8 and others, the queen.
Never, In these circumstances, lead Fourth
Best.
When your partner has high card
turned as trump, of course the rule Is
varied in just the contrary way, and Fourth
Best is led In the majority Of cases. This
Is the rule also when high card is turned
to your left.
When the opponent on the right has do
clared strength in your long suit, it some
times becomes necessary for you to lead
from short one of three cards or less.
common sense here suggests that you
play In way TO preserve the high cards
which your partner may have in the suit
rather than to draw them for the purpose
of clearing what is at best hut short suit
In your own hand. Therefore In nearly
every case load the highest card in the
suit. From suit of three containing
only one honor you may, If you are forced
to 1t, lead low. This applies also TO short
suits containing the major and minor
tenaces, ACC and queen and king and jack,
which should, however, Never be led II
there Is another suit with cards as high as
the jack and ten in 1t.
There are other circumstances when
players with the game we'll in hand may
depart from tho conventional leads. To
quote from Hamilton, Modern Scientific
Whist" page 40:
"You may ut any time lead tho king
from tho ace, king and three or more
small when you deem it advisable TO show
the ACC rather than numerical strength.
You may likewise lead tho king from
ACC, king, knave and two or moro small,
with the idea Of changing the suit to
nwait the return for the flnesso. You may
lead Fourth Best from ace, king and others,
ace and four or more small. You may re-
fuse to open from your best suit
when it Is headed by tenace. Tho fall
to the first lead may render an irregular
second lead necessity. On the
other hand, double tenaces, like the ace,
queen, ten, are not good suits to open So
also are any three card suits not in So
quence, or court card and one or two
small. No singleton Is ever led,
except the ace Of trumps tas an original
lead)."
GAME It-IRREsULAH LEAD VERSUS REGULAR.
Cards held, South-Hearts, A, Q, Q, 3, 2; clubs,
h, 4: diamonds, g. 4; spades, X, 8, 3, 2.
Cards held, West-Hc2rts. q, 3; clubs, a, q, s;
diamonds, X, Q, 10, s. 2; spades, a, 4, 0.
Cards held, North-Hearts 10; clubs, 10, Z, q,
2; diamonds, ~ j, o, Z, spades, j, 10. o.
Cards held, East-Hearts X j, 5, Z, 4; clubs,
j, 9, 8, 3; diamonds 3; spades, q, :, G.
King of hearts turned az trump to the East.
South leads. Tho uaderscored card takes the
trick, and the card below is led.