The San Francisco call., 1897-07-11
Judge George L. Bum on Lead.
ing Trumps.


short time ago We called the attention OF
our readers TO one OF, if not, the best article
that ever was written on the discard. 1t was
from the pen OF John H. Briggs OF Minneapo-
lis. The article we present to-day Is from The
pen OF Mr.. Briggs playing partner, Hon.
George L. Bum, on the management OF
trnmps. Whether 10 open a hand with O
trump or plain suit from certain holdings is
fully explained. This article should be care
fully Ttad and preserved by all whist stu
dents.
WHAT TO LEAD FROM FIVE TRUMPs AND FIVE
CARD PLAIN SUIT.
Our views as TO the trump lead from hands
containing trump strength and strength or
length in plain suit pro Dably do not differ ma
terlally from The views of the majority OF mod
ern whist writers. On the question ofwheJher
TO lead the rum p from such hand, or first en-
deavor TO establish the suit, very little can be
said in the way of attempting to lay down a
general rule; where a fivc-card plain suit and
five or more lrumIs are held by the leader, we
advise the trump lead where The suit is estab.
lished or where it can be established with the
assistance irCm artner that may be expected.
" here tie plain suit is headed by ace, king, or
king, queen. or queen. jack, 10, or ace, queen,
jack, it seems strong enough 10 justify if not
demand the trump LEAD. and we are inclined
to include suits headed by ace. qeeen, or king,
jack, 10, or ace, jack, 10, in the same cate
CORY.
There are various combinations slightly
weaker than those mentioned, which are vet
strong enough to make trump lead the play,
Ii the five trumps strong enough to war
rant the expectation of being able TO exhaus
the adversaries without being subjected to
more than one force before this Is accom-
plished. Of course the size of the cards OF the
N hp
some influence in Geciding his line OF play.
WITH FIVE TRUMPs AND A FoUR-CARD PLAIN
SUIT.
Where the leaders, hand contains five
trumps and four-card plain suit the question
is more fficult Where the trumps are small
and the plain suit weak with no strength or
little strength in the other suits, we consider
the lead OF the plain suit the conservative line
OF PLAY. Where the trumps are strong enough
10 warrant the expectation of exhausIing the
adveIsaries and being left with at least one
long trump and the lead we are inclined to
advise trump lead; this does away with the
disadvantage of leading from weak suit and
information is requently obtained which en-
ables the leader 10 discover his partners
strong suit and lead to it.
In many cases the leader viii be able to
adopt line of play thatis favorite with St.
Paul and Minneapolis players where the
Ge,
king, jack, or ace, queen, jack. combinations
which require the lead of winning trump
and the plain suit OF four or more cards not
established the leader may lead one trump
and then change 10 his long plain suit; if his
partner gels the LEAD, he Will return the trump
II he has strength in the suit led or great suit
of his own, which he can show mis- partner
either by lead or discard If he is short in his
partners suit, he can play 10 make small
trump by returning that suit, or if he holds an
unestabiished long suit which he cannot show
his partner except by lead, and which can be
easily established by leading il, he may, in
rare cases, refuse to return either the trump or
his partners suit but play 10 establish and
bring in his own suit.
This line OF play requires pretty high
order of whist judgment. and the player VIII
DO we'll 10 canvass situation pretty thorough
ly tefore he takes the game out of his part
ner's hands.
PLAIN SUIT LEAD, THEN SWITCH TO TRUMP.
1T wei to notice here what may be called
the reverse of this method; with an estab-
lished plain suit or one from which it is
proper 10 lead a winning card, il is often, if
not always, good play TO indicate that suit by
one lead before leading a trump Especially