Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1899-10-08

to play the master card of the suit,
giving up a tenace. Perhaps ones
partner may be able to trump, or else
the opponent may win the trick, and
lead trumps UP to ones strength; in
any case, however, one is in no worse
position that at the beginning, and a
decided advantage may be gained.
If, however, ones suit is opened by
the right hand opponent, short lead
is less likely to prove disastrous, the
strength in such suit being probably
divided between the opponent on ones
left and ones partner. The latter will
then be in position favorable to his
own protection, particularly as in most
cases he will be able to read the true
nature of the lead. Unless he be in a
fair way to establish his own suit he
will later lead through the suit origin
ally opened.
A good defensive lead may often be
made by playing a supporting trump if
ones suit be opened by either opponent,
particularly if the remainder of the hand
be evenly divided, with one honor pro-
tected in both of the other two plain
suits. There are times when the only
safe plan is to continue the suit opened,
even If one be absolutely certain that
the right hand opponent will trump 1t
must be taken into account
that he is more than likely
to hold trump strength, and,
besides weakening him in that respect,
there will be an advantage gained in
placing the lead if he be forced. A
chief objection to returning an oppo-
nent's suit through him is that one is
likely to assist him in his game, an OBJ
lection which also applies to taking up
the trump lead after trumps have been
led by the enemy.
Second hand holding king, queen, the
jack, ten, and one small card in trumps
should play the ten on any low card
led, for the reason that the partners
ace will often be saved by SO doing,
while the ten is of no more use as
guard to the king or queen than a
small card would be. Returning to the
play of plain suits: with such length
in a suit headed by the ace as to min
imize the chances of its going around
twice. the ace should be played on any
regular lead the first time unless you
are sufficiently strong in trumps to ex-
will enable you to get in for that pur-
pose. For instance, with an ace and
four small cards, when the leader has
opened low, presumably from a long
suit, you should be on the qui vive,
lest the ace die in your hand, for the
chances are. that the ace will be
''ruffed" on the second round, and it
Is best to take no chances of this sort.
Also toward the end of a hand with
trumps out or with your right-hand ad-
versary, his partner holding winning
cards upon which he can make advan-
atgeous diseards, you sitting second
hand should play ace or king ire
spective of the number of guards you
hold, rather than run the risk of being
shut out The reason for this is that
the queen of the suit led may re-cnter
the third-hand player, who viii then
proceed TO give his partner such dis
cards as vii cause the ace or king TO
die in your hand Unless second hand
should be DESTROYS of obtaining the
lead with ace, quen, and one small
card, the small card should be played
second in hand; but, with two or more
guards to the ace and queen, the queen
should at once be played, as the suit
can hardly go round more than twice
and it is dangerous to postpone the
winning of the suit. An important
matter to note is that when second
hand is strong in trumps, more back
ward game may be played than when
weak. as in the former case trumps
may be drawn and high cards protected
from loss by "ruffing. New York Even
ing Post.