The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1902-11-28
side world to understand was their mission
here.
THE TRUMP ATTACK.
Some Sensible Points for Whist Players
to Absorb.

Some Sensible Points for Whist Players
to Absorb.
Boston Transcript.
Many players that are form dsble antag-
onists when they hold the "long end OF a
deal often prove utterly weak when the
tables are reversed and tacy are confronted
by superior odds Some players seem co
be inbued with the idea that the only de-
Tense against a strong trump hand is lead
ing a singleton, IN the hope Of making
small trump ruffiug or IN forcing the strong
trump hind The first IS probably tue
biggest faldcy that ever hampered a whist
player hand must be woetully weak
that would justify taking such n long
chapce. ENen The most hvGterate snort.
suffers abandon their favorite style or
game when their adversaries start out upon
the strong trump attack, ana limit THIS
Yentnresome opening TO occasions Wnen the
trump strength OF the deal Is marked WITH
their partner or where they have no means
of knowing its location.
In favor Of the forcing tactics there is
ample authority, ancient and modern, one
writer going so far as to say you are
never too weak to force the strong adver-
sary." But never" and ever are dan
gerous words TO use in whist, as many
PLAYERS who have slayisnly followed the
above maxim have learned to their loss.
A forcing suit Is weapon Of great posi-
Utilities at times. When you can reuuce
the trump strength If your opponents TO
YOUR own leNel OF destroy IL tltiItlA IL -
often right TO do so, and forcing is an i'm.
portant factor In the process that should
not he lost sight az. With an establish
suit Gnd fails trump strength, one can often
10y a force establish the iong trump MS
own hand and thus thwagt the designs OF
the enemy. Inc soundltss Of the play 10
Obvious TO the large majority OF players,
and few lose by falling TO force in such sit
nations The losses come, SIS rule, in
applying the forcing tactics t. those cases
where there is no hope Of bringing your ad-
versarief down 10 Your own ievel, where
the latter ale only too glad TO give mp a
trump or two for the suke of getting the
lead, 50 as 10 clear up their partners
suit or bring It in for HIN, thereby obtain
ing one or more much needed discar1s.
player with Jrulpp Is often likely
TO proht by a discard, and his adversaries
should bend their entire efforts so as 70
prevent him from getting this advantage.
SO long as forcing stands chance Of &C.
ccmplshlng this result you may force
with SAFETY, but when forcing an op-
ponent Will not injure BIN you must at.
tack scmG more vulnerable position. II a
suit aud his partner Is exhausted OF
trumps forcing Is the only defense, but
when a piaytr leads trumps TO defend h
partners suit there are other oppurtuni-
ties to defeat the scheme, which must be
Kept In mind. When a player h lids hve
tlunips 1t very often happens that he uolds
{pst three OF his partners suit and that
lie VIII nave a small card to put his part
ner Ia With after two rounds Of the suit.
This caI6 he is jealousy guarding for the
critical moment, when his adyersaries are
exhausted OF trumps, and its value is so
great that he often leads a losing trump
TO force an adversary to part with the
master trump, and so clear the way for his
Partners suit, This valuable card may for
the want OF better name be called the
'throw-ip,' and very properly becomes the
subject OF attack at the hands of a sharp
adversary. II the ''throw-in" can be drawn
from the strong trump hand before you
suit uni, SIS it s accomplished by a sure re-
entry card and thus you can prevent the
fatal dtscards and can deal with the
strong trump hand at your leisure.
Sometimes the opponents ault Is not es-
tablished as you hold the commanding
card OF IT. Even here Il Is not always safe
To force the strong trump hand, as he will
immediately drag the commanding card
then II his partner has re.entry card the
suit makes and again those fatal d.scards
come In such cases the re-entry card
should be the point of attack, rs that Is
saries' armor. Open the third suit right up
to the player with the suit you are afraid
OF, as this is q case where Il Is better Ia
lose a trick by "switchlng'than have
those discards given the strong trump
The above is the limit to the man.
ceuvring possibilities of the def nse II
none Of the above counters are open to
you, you must lay down your aces and
kings with the utmost rapldlty. This Is
known as the farmers game' ana fail
IRE TO resort to this elementary play Is
the cause OF more tricks being lost than
eeuvring is particularly apt to he the
Weakness Of ambitious young players who
have seen experts carry through success
fully one OF the forms OF defense outl ned
above, and then attempt to follow In the
footsteps OF their guides before they have
mastered the intrieacies OF the play.