The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-05-19
=" r. !. BRIDGE TALKS
No. 6-The Opening Lead Against No Trump
3(Continued) and Against Declared Trump.
Written Expressly for The Journal by Miss Bessie
=: e." Allen of Milwaukee,. ,.~ -

Against no-trump when not holding sufficient
strength in long suit to open it with high card
have exactly three cards higher than the you have
led, and possibly others lower If you lead the two
you have no lower and therefore are marked
with but three more or if you lead the three, and
the two falls, the deduction>is the same. .r<
Your partner, knowing your best suit to be- but
four in length, prefer to violate the customary
rule of returning partners lead in no-trumper, and
open longer and better suit of his own, which
he thinks he may bring in -. IL - = N.
Leads Against Declared Trump.
While is generally accepted rule that you should
lead your longest suit against no-trump, matter
of what it consists such rule applies againsta de-
clared trump z1t>-t'. p: -. >..+'
Against no-trump, you hold up the high card Of
your suit order to third trick and thereby
make all your small cards; but in declared trump,
your long suit is likely to be trumped and high cards
lost it is advisable to play your aces early and
change from suit to- suit according to hints supplied
by dummy and the fall of the cards. =2 H. = -
The best lead against declared trump is king
from ce4and king whether alone or with others This
enables you hold the lead and to the dunmy's
cards. and you then decide whether not to con-
tinue the suit. >,> x =. '.-''- "" -"
Not holding an ace:king suit, the second best lead
king from king and queen, whether alone with
others the third best lead is from and three
or more small cards, but not with queen jack. "
- Not having any Of the above high card leads, you
should note your trump strength: IF you hold five
trumps or four with good honor, it is usually best
to open your longest suit-for with this strength in
trumps, you may establish and make some Of the
small cards-or you may use your established cards
for forcing the strong trump hand, which is nearly
always wise thing to do .,.:~.,s z%<" y,
Never hesitate to force the dummy when he has
trump strength, but when he is weak in trumps, be
careful not to let him trump in if you help it.
When dummy has but two trumps and
trump suit in which you your partner hold win
ming cards, it is often good play to lead trumps in
order to exhaust his that you can make good
cards. . -: - ~ :ffsG-}.'+
When opening the hand, holding no high card lead
and weak trumps, you may lead any singleton, hoping
to make trick or two by ruffling. g. ~.. t>.:a.
Many players are SO carried away BY short open
ngs that they make them invariably regardless Of their
holding in trumps in other suits: Remember your
singleton may be the adversary's long suit, upon
which, after getting out the trumps, they will dis
card that you will never take trick The lead of a
singleton is decidedly poor when you hold strong
combination like and king OF king and queen in
another suit or when holding four trumps with one
honor three with two honors. In the latter
your trumps are too good to use for rufing, do
not court ruff by leading a singleton
When opening suit Of any length, headed by
queen and jack, jack and ten, lead the high card