Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1900-07-01

"A SfNGLETON LEAD AND WHAT
WAS THOUGHT OF IT--DISCARD-
ING ON THE OPPONENTS TRUMP
LEAD SUBJECT TO THE FALL OF
THE CARDs-A SWING OF So
TRICKS.
Recently hand came UP in the
WQman's Whist Club CT Brooklyn,
where a player was much criticised for
leading a singleton. 1t is not claimed
that the singleton lead was justifiable
according to- the regulation game; in
fact, it would be most improper to take
such a liberty with a conservative play
er; but with the short sutton anything
goes, and the partner is not deceived
because he is always on the qui vive
for guerilla plays. The following is the
hand:
King ten and two small spades
(trumps), three small cards to the king
of hearts, three small cards to the
queen of diamonds and the four of clubs
single. Now, according to short-suit
teaching, there is no card that can be
established in the hand. The king of
hearts is probably sure of a trick, but
there is little or no hope of the diamond
queen. With a singleton in your hand
somebody is pretty certain to also hold
a singleton, and unless it happens to be
your partner your long suit will be
pretty sure to be trumped. If the player
who picked up his hand had been play
ing the regulation game she would have
been obliged to open from one of her
four card suits mot the trump. If
she had been playing the system that
allows interior openings, she would
have made such a lead from either
her heart or her diamond suit rather
than deceive her partner, but as it was
she concluded that the singleton would
be quite permissible, according to her
understanding of the short suit game.
Accordingly the four of clubs was led,
with a gain of one trick as a result.
Now the player who took this flyer
would never have done this in match.
but it seemed fair chance to take in
a progressive game with very little to
lose. The play was open to much crit
icism, all the leading players in the
game saying that such lead from four
trumps was inexcusable. z. T. Baker,
a noted whist expert, on being consult
ed, said it was exactly what he would
have done under the same circum-
satnces.-N. Y Evening Post.
The following interesting deal is re-
produced from an exchange where but
one pair out of many made slam.
There were several who made twelve,
and one pair made but eight. The
eight of diamonds is turned by east.
South holds queen, jack, nine, trey,
duce She opens the fourth
trump, the trey, which her partner
takes with the ace. returning the king,
then dropping her last trump as she
has shown by using the three echo on
her partners lead. The third round of
trumps leaves queen, jack, still in the
original leaders, hand. What shall she
do next? She has no suit, and has no
idea of what her partner may have, but
the Immediate return of the low trump
leads indicates that the partner must
have something worth playing for.
South goes on with the trump, and her
partner discards first club and then
a spade, saying, MY suit is hearts "
South has left in her hand queen of
spades twice guarded, four, FIVE of
hearts, and three clubs, seven, six. five
not another sure trick unless perhaps
the queen of spades. She leads the
five of hearts. and finds her partner
with nothing but hearts in her hand.
headed by ace, king. queen. The part
ner takes the rest of the tricks and
scores a slam.
The east and west players hold all
Of the high clubs and spades between
except the queen of spades held by
south. West holds four small cards to
the jack of hearts, and here comes in
the Importance of playing according to
nsayds1 1.-The enemy West. by
YES up the only
neSlng her