The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1928-03-30
Copyright. by Hoyle. Jr.)
84 Article Seventeen.
Seniors Play to Declared
Trump
(Continued.)


s. (Continued.) '.a
THE .rule of eleven" as stated at
i the close of the last article Is:
.If the number of spots on the card
led Fourth best of leaders suit be
subtracted from eleven 1t Will tell the
number of cards in that suit above the
one led which are in the other three
hands,"
After seniors first lead dummy's
cards are spread on the table lmmedi-
ately. Thus junior and the declarer
each can tell at once how many CARDS
the other one holds above the one led.
When this lead is as high as the six or
seven it frequently gives very valuable
information. Suppose, for instance.
that senior opens by leading the SIX
of clubs, that dummy contains the ten,
nine, seven and four, and that decfafer
holds the Ace, Queen and three spot.
Six from eleven is five, which means
that there are only five clubs above
the six spot in the three hands held
by dummy, junior and the declarer.
In this case the declarer can see all
five of these cards in his two hands
and so knows at once that junior can
not cover the six spot he would
therefore play the seven from dummy
and would not need to play the Queen
from his own hand. In the same way
junior often obtains information of
value by applying this rule.
Returning to further consideration
of seniors leads, it frequently happens
that he does not have any combina-
ton which is recognized as desirable
from which to lead, and that he must
make a choice between several unde-
sirable ones.
In this case a singleton often may
be led to advantage. If senior holds
several small trumpS which will be OF
no use because declarer will draw
them out as soon as he gets the lead,
a singleton lead may enable junior to
take the trick and lead back so that
senior may win trick by trumping.
Suppose, for instance, that senior
leads the eight of clubs when de-
clarer is playing heart declaration.
Suppose that dummy has the King.
Jack and several small ones and that
junior holds the Ace, ten and one or
more small ones. Junior applies the
rule Of eleven and finds that this Is
not q fourth best lead because he
can see four higher ones); therefore
he knows that it must be singleton.
In such case he would win with his
Ace and lead the suit back at once.
The fact that the King is in dummy
would deter junior from leading it
back unless he recognized seniors
lead as a singleton This again shows
the benefit Of the rule of eleven.
The lead of a singleton is not wise
when holding three trumps to the
Queen, or four to the Jack, because in
such case the trumps are too valuable
In order to embarrass declarer when
he starts to draw them out. The suit
should not be weakened by using even
one for ruffing.
The order of preference best to be
observed for an original lead at a de-
clared trump may be stated as fol-
lows:
Q) A from A X and no others.
(2) X from A K and others.
90 Top of three-card sequence.
(D Top of two-card sequence.
(5) A singleton provided hand has
four or less small trumps).
(6) A doubleton.
CD Any four-card suit except with
tenace or Ace or King unaccompa-
MED by another honor.
For CD the order of preference
would be:
(9) yyyX (d1 X wy