Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1898-09-11
carries with it an unusual amount Of

carries with it an unusual amount Of
information, even for these convention
al days. It informs partner that this
is suit which the leader may reason
ably expect to make, il he is rendered
any assistance; that it contains posi-
bly, two honors, certainly enc, and
that the leader holds four trumps or
three very goods ones. With some
players it means also that the leader
holds a card of re-entry In another
suit If partner can rendered any assist
ance in the suit he is invited TO lead
trumps If he cannot assist with suit
cards, but is short therein, he is not
expected to lead trumps until he has
assisted the suit to establishment by
ruffing the opponents good card.
The negative inference to be drawn
by the opener OF an Invitation lead,
when his partner fails to accept the in
vitation, ought to be either that part
ner will ruff an early round Of the suit,
or that he has no trump to lead. There
are several objections that may be urg-
ed to the Invitation lead, or indeed, TO
any form of trump-showing leads, but
whether, in the aggregate, these out
Weigh illc uoLi1CSI doN dAto6So SNSN- ~
by their use, is a matter for the reader
to determine.
One objection is the tendency en-
couraged in its advocates to make use
of the Invitation as call for trumpS
from hands in which the trump lead
itself would be much more sound. In
deed, the temptation held out to their
users not to lead trumps themselves,
but to wait for partner to lead them
if, in his Judgment, the play will prove
beneficial, is the gravest impeachment
TO which all trump-showing leads are
subject. Partner will often hold a
very strong suit, which he cannot
bring in either because he plays for
the suit originally opened, or because
the trumps are not exhausted until af-
ter his last re-entry is taken from his
hand.
Again, the Invitation lead will put
the opponents on their guard, and Of
ten prevent them from leading trumpS
until after a force has been admins
tered to the announced strong ad-
verse hand. The adversary with strong
trumps will nurse his strength, warned
that there is another strong hand at
the table. while the weaker opponent
will use every erdeavor to make his
trumps off by rufIing. a method OF pro-
cedure that will often succeed before
partner can obtain the lead and obey
the invitation.
But the most serious objection to be
charged against the Invitation lead is
the enccura cement afforded adversar-
les by the negative inference to be
drawn when the lead is not made, for
trump weakness or suit weakness is
thereby proclaimed. The opponents
are thus embroidered, and their game
apt to be much forward than if they
were playing against straight Amer1-
can leads. They will lead trumps fear
lessly up to such an announcement Of
weakness, and will play their hands
generally with more confidence, and
accordingly with better chance of sue
cess. That an advocate Of the Invita-
ton lead make a confession of weak
ness when he fails to open his hand
with such a lead is undoubted, and
that such a confession not only gives
comfort to the enemy but also endan-
gers the success of his own game Will
be admitted without argument.