The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-02-02
HOWELL ON WHIST.
The Practice of Leading Trunps From
Numerical Strength.


vi
The fourth and last and also the most
speculative form of the trump attack is
that from q hand containing great numer-
ical trump strength, but little no
strength in plain suits. Whist authors are
not agreed upon rule, even q princi-
pie, governing the original opening from
long trumps. Most OF them say, In effect,
"H you have five or more trumps original
ly, it is generally best to lead them" As
word of instruction generally ie rather
indefinite, though certainly a convenient
resort at times To the student it is apt
to mean always, &" until by experience,
he discovers for himself the exceptions,
which the authors hint at, but do not par-
ticularize. That the exceptions from the
general rule are numerous every skill
full player knows. That the practice of
leading trumps from numerical strength
should indeed be at all general" may be
doubted At any rate, something better
than a vague direction may be form ulated
for the players guidance in such cases.
In the class Of hands now under consid-
Grafton do not include any that contains
all round plain suit strength, which must
be opened with the trump whether the
trump suit is long or short, nor any that
contains one strong plain suit, itself worth
protecszng by the exhaustion of trumps,
which hands, too, constitute distinct
class for the trump attack. I suppose that
the given hand is practically worthless,
outside of the trumps, for trick taking
purposes Say it is hearts (trump), Z, Q,
8, 4, 8; clubs, j, 10, 2; diamonds, 9, 8, 2;
spades, 8, 4. Shall open this hand with
the trump Why should II In the answer
to the latter question we shall find the So
cret of the whole discussion. The object Of
opening with the trump is the protection
not of my own hand, but of partners, and
in order that after exhausting the trumps
I may give partner my best card in the
suit which, by discards or otherwise, 1
know to be his best, or else, if he opens his
suit with small card, that may play my
best card at third hand. Now, IL his
strongest suit is clubs, may be able to as
sist him materially with my jack and 10;
If his suit is diamonds, my support will be
Of little value; If it is spades, cannot help
him ct ALI
We learn by experience, and my expe-
rience both in play and in analysis is that
ones inability to assist partner in the
plain suits after getting trumps out Is
not only a vexatious thing, but the cause
of frequent loss, which might be ayerted
by declining to institute the trump attack
with hands so weak as the one given above.
To be sure, may possibly find partner
very strong in enc OF more of the plain
suits-so strong that he does not require
my assistanoe-hnt the chances are much
against this. A player should not think
that because be is very weak partner is
bound TO be very strong. The odds are in
deed in favor of his having considerable
strength Gas two or three high cards) in
suit in which I am utterly weak, but
against his having such strength las A,
K, Q, or Z, Q, j that he may be able to
control the suit without any assistance
from me. In short, If my hand is that
above given my purpose in the exhaustion
of trumps is the protection and support
of partner, but If, after protecting, can
not support him my purpose is invalid.
and should let the trumps alone.
But, instead of our hopelessly weak
hand, let us take this one: Hearts Grumpy,
K, Q. 9, 4, 3; clubs J, 10, 2; diamonds,
10, 9, 5; spades, O, 4. Here I have not
probable trick in plain suit, but in every
suit 1 have at least one good supporting
or assisting card for partner. The hand
contains what I call all around support.
Whatever suit turns out to be partners
best, can surely give him a good card in
it after the exhaustion of trumps.
For support draw the line at the 10.
That is, don't reckon a hand good for all
round support unless, in every plain suit,
1t contains a 10 or better; hence derive
the maxim:
Give hand containing great numerical
strength in trumps Give or more), but not
plain suit strength itself worth protecting
by the exhaustion of trumps, do not start
support 90 or better1, in every plain suit,
but open, instead, that one OF your short
suits which is most likely to assist partner
and least likely to injure yourself
The only departures from this rule that
I ever find adNisab Bile to make are when (1)
I have overwhelming trump strength "a,
| K, Q, at least, with two or more others)
and I do not dare give the adversaries an
opportunity to make a small trump by
rufing and (e) when my supporting
| strength in two suits ia considerably above
the SITS ndard 10 Gas King in one and queen
in another) and in the third suit is only
| degree below the standard @ instead of
| 1Ol. The latter class of hand is an ap-
proach to all round strength, and my pur-
| pose in trying to get the trumps out is
| affected more or less by the idea of self
| protection, in addition to that of assisting
partner
resume of the four different classes of
trump opening may be given briefly by
means of examples, as follows:
All round strength, hearts (trump), 8,
4; clubs, A, K, Q; diamonds, A, Q, 9, 3;
spades, Z, J, 8, 4. Exhaust trumps SO far
as you can in order to protect the winning
plain suit cards from being ruffed.
All round protection, hearts (trump),
| 8, 4; clubs, A, 8, Q; diamonds, A, g, 4,
8; spades, <, 6, 5, T. Lead trumps as a
| gambit rather than touch one of the plain
| SUITS which would better be led up to
than opened. But, if there is a safe gam
bit in plain suit, prefer that, as from
hearts (trump), 8, 4; clubs, @, j, 2; dia-
monds, A, 8, 4, 3; spades, Z, 6, 8. 4, lead
the c Q.
One very strong plain suit and re-entry,
| with four trumps, hearts (trump), &, 10,
| 4, 2; clubs, A, Z, J, 8, 3; diamonds, Z,
! Q, s; spades, ]. Lead trumps to protect
the plain suit strength. But, if the best
plain suit is not very strong start with
that as from hearts (trump), K, 10, 4. 2;
clubs, Z, j, 8, g. 2; diamonds, z, @, 8;
spades, J, lead the c 3. Or, if there is DO