Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1901-03-24
WHIST.
BOOK RULES VS.. PERCEPTION AND
JUDGMENT = AN ELABORATE
TREATIES BY DOCTOR MACH
BAR ON WHETHER ACE
OR FOURTH BEST
SHALL BE LED.

All minister's recognize the facC that
they are often in doubt whether it is
better to lead the ace of a plain suit,
holding five or six small, or lead the
fourth best. i said all minister's. l use
the term in a qualified sense I mean
making an original lead, S their brain
to "size up" the component parts OF
the hand and form an opinion as to
whether it be more advantageous to fol-
low the book rule or, because Of the
unusual character Of the hand, make a
judicious diviation therefrom. We all
know there are many admirers of the
royal game who Believe it a sort of
Sacrilege to deviate a hair from the
established rules. They are supposed
to be made of cast iron; W. to be
broken, not even flexible. Ut should be
always second hand, low and third hand
high, though the armament crash
upon them in anger the moment after
the play. Fortunately that class of
players, if they persevere after knowl-
edge get their eyes opened and learn
that there are occasions when the rules
are no more applicable or helpful than
would be kicks to a corpse. At such
times the trick winner is the trinity
of vigilance, quick perception and good
judgment. Vigilance in watching the fall
CT the cards, perception in %devouring
what the drop of the cards mean and
judgement in knowing what to do on the
moment. Study and practice develop
all these attributes of the mind-more
in some than in others, but all are
greatly benefited.
In this connection the current num-
Der of Whist contains a most excel
lent article from the pen of DIR. John
Nachbar on whether ace or fourth best
shall be led. Subjoined are extracts
(the treatise is too long to reproduce
in fulD giving the Doctors principal
reasons for leading or not leading the
ace:
In estimating the gain or loss like
ly to ensue from leading the fourth
best from ace and Jour or more, we
have to take into consideration the
strength of the hand and the strength
of the suit in question.
we shall, therefore, discuss the case
of ace and four small ii. e., lower than
the jack; secondly, that of ace, queen
and three small; and, thirdly, that of
ace, jack and three small. In each
case h conditions vary, according as
the suit is held in conjunction with
strength of weakness in trumps.
With strength in trumps. we have
reason to hope that the suit can be
established, and there is no longer any
question that the fourth best is the
proper lead. In the first place, the
risk of losing the ace 81. e., a possible
loss of one trick is less than the aver
age, and, in the second, the small
cards are likely to make ii. e., prob
able gain of more than one trick. To
quote Col. Lowsley: BY leading a small
card first, you can, on your partner
giving you back the suit, insure three
rounds without expenditure of an out
side re-entry card, because your ace
wins the second round, and you follow
for the third round with a small card.
hoping thus to establish your two re-
naming cards; whereas. if you lead
your ace first, you can command onlv
two rounds, unless you gain a re-entry
by the expenditure of a ~re-entry card
in another suit.
With a weak hand it is necessary
TO play a defensive game, and it is
from this point of view that it is so
lmnortant to hold up the ace when the
suit Is weak, for the ace. being gone
there is no power of resistance left. In
this connection l may quote some re-
m rEc IF Hamilton. fyITl.-
nents have displayed great strength.
shrewd defensive tactics may force a
compromise that may yield you sew
era tricks. Contest the ground trick
by trick, and husband your forces.
though feeble, by deep fnesse, and in
this way keep control of some of the
suits as long as possible. The longer
you keep control of the suits the more
embarrassment you will give your adj
~versaries.' With a very weak hand.
holding ace and four small cards in one
suit, to lead the ace is to rob the rest
of the play of all interest and to make
you a passive spectator. Not only this.
but by preventing you from re-entering
the game and assisting your partner,
may cause you a loss of several tricks.
1T appears, then, that with ace and
four small cards, the initial lead of
fourth best is distinctly advantageous
as compared with that of the ace. These
remarks apply more especially to the
case of original leads. If the lead be
made during the course of the game,
circumstances may favor the lead of
the ace. For example, when the eppo-
nents are absolutely irresistible, hav-
ing, let us. say, the long trumps and a
great established suit, it may be neces-
sary to take the only chance of MAX
ing the ace.
with ace, queen and three small
cards, DR.. Nachbar estimates that,
roughly speaking. out of twenty hands
the lead of fourth best loses in five
and gains in two. But in tn, remain
ing cases the lead of the ace, followed
by fourth best, is Instantaneous only
when the king does not fall on the
second round. /. e., in about one case
in six. 1t follows, therefore, that in
fifteen cases out of twenty there is
| practically nc advantage in the lead
of ace, and that. for the sake Of the