The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1901-12-08
The BRIDGE WHIST TABLE.
ENGLISH AND AMERICAN LEADS
IN LONG SUITS.
Curious Third Hand Plays In England
Confusion Resulting From Them
A Little Siam o st--Interior Gard
Leads From Weak suits of -Four
They Have Advantages Sometimes.

A Little Siam Lost--Interior Card
Leads From Weak Suits of Four
They Have Advantages Sometimes.
While all authorities agree that the long
sui, should always he opened when play
Ing against o n~o-trumpcr, unless the partner
has gone over, they are by no means in ac-
cord AZ 10 the manner of opening the suit.
For instance. the English use the ACE
largely TO show accompanying re-entry
cards In another suit; we use II to show
such length that We are anxious for the
third hand to get out Of the way by giving
up any possible blocking cards.
With A X j 10, we lead the ace always,
regardless Of number. and " the queen is
not 10 the dummy WI 60 on with the king,
inviting the third hand to give up the queen
N be has Il. The English players do not
believe in this and lead the ace, from A X
] 10. only when they have a sure re-entry
card in another suit. If they have no sure
re-en,ry they lead the Jack.
The Jack is an indication OF great strength
with the English players, and they lead
Il from A q J. A J 10. X j 10 and q j 10.
Americans lead IL from the bottom Of a
SEQUENCE OF three or four high cards only,
when PLAYING against no-trumpers, so that
Il is easy TO tell what 20 do II you are third
hand. These English jack leads require
some curious third ham plays. among
which the following may lie noticed:
n third hand holds king and only one
ANAL when a Jack Is lcd tho king should I've
given Up even II the queen is IT. the dlmmy,
70 a. 20 avoid stopping tho sIi; on the
second round and thur preventing us estab-
li.hnent. Holding king and two small
the king il played 20 the first round on a
Jack led il the queen IL not in the dummy:
20 the second round II the queen is In the
dummy.
With queen and one small the queen Ia
out on the Jack first round; II ia played the
second round when II il twice guarded.
With ACC and one other. the ace is played
on the jack II the king is twice guarded in
the dummy. even II the king does not cover:
but il the dummy's king Is only once
guarded hold up the ace.
The philosophy Of these plays il evident,
as they allow the original'leader to continue
his suit until he has il cleared and avoid
the common error OF forcing n partner
or the other to change suits and so give
ups card OF re-entry before the right time,
but Il Is difficult to see in what way these
tedQN HTt pNlNSi Niuh tiOCt W ah ~
in his country, which have at least the adj
vantage Of simplicity and freedom from
ambiguity.
The English jack leads are too confusing
TO the third hand, on account OF the variety
81 combinations from which the card Is
led, which are as follows:
AK 10, with or without others.
4 Q J and others.
A 10 and others.
X J 10 and others.
o. 10 and others.
While the rule for third hand play may
seem clear enough. the play itself IL GER
tsinly no, 50 sound as that followed in this
country. Here il a hand. for instance.
which the writer saw played in London
and in which the English system Of unlock
ing lost a little slam on cards which were
good enough TO win the game. The SCORE
was love--all and z made IL no trump.
Here 10 the actual play: