Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-04-30

After the winning declaration has been
settled upon In auction, many persons
imagine that the play Of the hand is just
like bridge, but there are several excep-
tons to this rule. AS It is always the
player sitting to the left Of the winning
declaration that leads for the first trick
regardless Of the position Of the deal. this
factor often influences the bids them
stop to consider the position Of the lead
and the suit that will probably be led.
Bids are frequently made for the purpose
of debating q lead to the partner. and II
Is often good policy when in doubt to lead
| through suit that your partner has dou-
bled. but which is not the trump.
Every time there Is q change in the
declaration 1t entails q potential change
in the position OF the lead, because the
new declaration. II allowed to stand, will
play the dummy. A player will frequent
ly be prevented from bidding his hand
| to Its normal value because of the posi-
ton of the lead that would ensue.
The most obvious example of this diff
ference would be to suppose player with
solid suit OF eight diamonds, but no,
| another trick in his hand, at the score OF
love-ail. If there Is a no-trump declara.
ton on his right he will, of course. pass
| it up. because he can defeat 1t. but cannot
go game himself. II he anticipates q no.
trumper on his left, he may declare dia.
monds. in order to show his partner wha,
to lead. although that will frequently pre-.
vent a no-trump call by q Mayer who
cannot stop the suit. But with such 8
hand q player cannot declare no trumps
himself, because he has not the lead. II
any trump suit is bid against him, and
he sees there is no probability OF any
ones going no-trumps he must come out
into the open with his diamonds and bic
| them up for the trump. or he will lose
on the hand.
iy prompt shrewd player to make g
declaration that will place the lead to his
advantage. when such a bid would be
otherwise absurd: To illustrate: The
dealer: S. started with one spade. "
| passed, n bid one diamond. E and S
passed. W called one heart and n two
diamonds E and s passed again and W
shifted to three in clubs, going three
diamonds
E held five spades to the jack. king and
each Of the other suits. His partner has
shown two suits. clubs and hearts anG
although E had not a trick in his hand
but the king Of diamonds. he promptly
! would lead a diamond to n, as that was
the only suit N had named. n went or
to four diamonds, holding seven of them
to four honors, with the ace and king OF
spades. E bid three no-trumps and won
five by cards.
When the dealers original call Of g
light no-trumper is overcalled by the
second hand with a red trump, there is
one point that the dealers partner, who
becomes the leader. often overlooks. II
he has guarded honors in any suits he
should avoid opening them and should
lead the top of his weakest suit IL it is
not the trump, because his partner must
have something in the other suits to JUS.
tify his no-trump bid II he is one of those
that bid no-trumps from strength Lead.
ing from four-card suits headed by single
honors or two honors not in sequence is
bad policy at any time and is worst OF
! all when playing up to a no-trumper or
your right. Singletons are very good
leads against a trump declaration hui
one should never lead a short suit when
holding four or five trumps. because the
object then should be to force the de.
claring hand with a long suit. which the
trumps may bring into play. Force
five-trump hand twice and you have more
trumps than he has, even if you began
with only Aour.
There are some simple principles for