The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-02-19
AROUND THE WHIST TABLE.
TEE QUESTION OF THE TURNED
TRUMP At DUPLICATE WHIST.

Arguments in Favor of Dispensing with tt
Some Hands That support tho Advice
Never to Lead Trumps-Play for the A.
w. L. Trophy-Probloms and Club Notes.
One OF the matters that will undoubtedly DO
brought up at the next whist congress will be
the discussion Of tho advisability OF dispensing
with the turned trump Mt duplicate whist.
While such a change would undoubtedly noces-
state some difference In the manner OF open
Ing a hand. owing to the absence OF the proba-
bility that the dealer was stronger in trumps
than any other player at the table. the non-ap-
pearance OF a turned TRUMP would simplify the
game in many respects.
In the first place II would entirely do ava
with all the complications incident to trump
slips. and would enable us to eliminate from
the code many OF the laws about which thero
has been the most discussion and dispute. In
the second place. all the annoying penalties for
leaving the trump or trump slip exposed until
after the second trick has been turned would
be at an end. and all private conventions for call
ing through honors turned would be rendered
useless. The player whose hand naturally de-
manded a trump loadwould not be deferred from
II by his objection to leading up to an honor.
nor encouraged In leading irregularly 30 as
to cover the turned card. There would be no
further excuse for the original second hands
leading small from such combinations as A.. X,
Q, or A. O. j. because his partner had the miss
Ing card OF the winning sequence turned up.
and altogether 1t would seem as II the abolition
Of the turned trump would be a decided i'm
provement. THE SUN would be very glad to
have some expression Of opinion on the subject
from It's readers. especially those who have
tried both systems. Whether or not the change
would alter present theories OF opening hands
seems to be the principal point OF interest,
NryEp LEAD TRIUMPH
Judging from the correspondence received on
the subject Of leading trumps. II would seem
that the general opinion is that leading trumps
at the proper time Is the greatest trick winner
In the game OF whist. That it wins when it Is
done at tho proper time is undoubtedly true.
just as 1nessing wins when done in the right
place. but does it win enough tricks in those
situations to make up for the tricks It loses
when it is done at an improper time? Did any
one ever take the trouble to count up the exact
number of tricks won by good trump leads and
compare them with the number lost by bad
trump leads2 Has any one carried the inves-
tigation a little further and analysed the hands
sufficiently to be sure that tricks we're not lost
even by what would be considered good trump
leads2
Il is a well;recognized principle in whist that
with an established suit. re-entry in another
trumps. and il the hand turns out well it is
assumed that the trump lead was well Judged;
HERE hHt s Is a i bn Eef IA all w FhfTe these Hes in eoh 5dH hHaa are
swimmingly. II any one had Informed the
lost four tricks by their successful manage
ment OF the trnmps in connection with their
established suit they would probably have
theless the fact. 2 dealt and turned the heart
5 and the play went as follows: