Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1905-12-28
WHIST.
To Force the strong Trump Hand
Not nm 1nvNrInbic Uuje,

(3oston Trnnscrlpt)
| When the opponents make m attack
with strong trumps there is often NOR,
or less doubt which adversary Is to pro-
Ut by tho exhaustion Of the trumps.
Until this doubt Is dspcll.d the defense
can be guided only by general principles
The strongest suit In the hand should be
preached and brought to establishment
as soon Ms possible. with this weapon
you are In position to reduce your or
ponents trump strength. and so long as
there is chance to bring him down to
your level YOU should not hesitate to
force him. IL it develops that the weak
trump hand Is in danger of receiving the
force 1T may be wise TO take up the or
ponent's trump lead or to open new
suit, but as general rule you should
allow the attacking party TO force the
lighting and devote your energies to
developing your strength IN the plain
suits for counter attack. IL the player
holding the trump strength is defending
n plain suit in his own hand it Is al
ways safe to force him. ami while you
remain in doubt as to whose hand he Is
defending. it is usually right to apply the
forcing tactics. But when you prcceive
that the trumps have been led for the
benefit of his partners hand other lines
or defense become open to you which
should he pursued in preference to fore
ing unless assured that by the latter line
of play the enemy can be subdued.
When tho trumps are In the hand Of
one adversary and his partner holds n
plain suit of great strength, there is
danger that the later will secure the
lead after the trumps have been ex-
hausted and give his partner discards Of
his losing cards. The method Of defense
most obvious To the novice is to play
out his aces and kings as rapidly ne
possible. but although this line of play
is so plain. it is often missed by book
bound players especially when their mas
ter cards are at the head of short suits.
But this high card game does not end
with making your own winning cards, II
is often necessary to open new suits In
which you are very weak in the hope Of
helping your partner to make any high
card he may hold suite that you would
never think of opening early in the hand.
such as three TO the king or three to the
queen. or even without an honor. must
often be opened in this emergency.
Trump leads with five trumps are OF
frequent occurrence: and in such cases
the plain suits are commonly divided in
the proportion of 49,. This accounts for
the great number of cases where the
trump leader holds Just three OF his
partners suit. II the latter suit has been
led twice before the trump extraction i;
completed n very vulnerable point of at
tack Is offered. The bringing in of the
entire suit may depend on the trump
leader keeping this one card in his har,
until the trumps are exhausted: for this
card will servo certain medium 90
put his partner in the lead. This card is
of such importance that the long trump
hand will often lead a losing trump to
force the enemy to give up the last
trump, although it is the master. thus
assuring - clear reld for his partners
great suit. If this card. the throw in
as it may he called. is OF such vital in,
portance for your opponents TO retain. 1t
is of equal importance for you TO make
them give it up before the trumps are
exhausted.