placing the lead with a certain player; or by avoiding the necessity of
leading away from tenace suits. For example: A player holds A Q 10 of
a suit, his right hand adversary holding K J 9. These are known as the
_=major=_ and _=minor=_ tenaces. Whichever leads makes only one trick;
but if the holder of the major tenace can get the suit led twice, he
makes all. This is called the _=short-suit game=_, or _=finesse and
tenace=_. Its resources may be added to by finessing against certain
cards. For example: Holding A Q 3 of a suit led by the partner, to play
Q is a finesse against fourth hand having the King.
Each of these systems has its advantages, and almost every hand will
offer opportunities for practice in all of them.
The most important thing to impress on the beginner is that whist
cannot be played by machinery. Some authorities would have us believe
that certain theories alone are sound; that certain systems of play
alone are good; and that if one will persevere in following certain
precepts, in such matters as leading, management of trumps, etc., that
the result will be more than average success at the whist table.
Nothing can be further from the truth. As in all other matters largely
controlled by chance, there is no system, as a system, which will win
at whist. One cannot succeed by slavish adherence to either the long or
the short-suit game; by the invariable giving of information, or the
continual playing of false cards. The true elements of success in whist
lie in the happy combination of all the resources of long and short
suits, of finesse and tenace, of candour and deception, continually
adjusted to varying circumstances, so as to result in the adversaries’
losing tricks.
_=HOW TO STUDY WHIST.=_ Any person, anxious to become an expert whist
player, may attain to considerable proficiency in a short time, if he
will content himself with mastering the following general principles
one at a time; putting each into practice at the whist table before
proceeding to the next.
The science of modern whist may be divided into two parts: 1st.
_=Tactics=_; or the purely conventional rules for leading, second and
third hand play, returning partner’s suits, etc., all of which may be
learnt from books, or gathered from more experienced players. 2nd.
_=Strategy=_; or the advantageous use of the information given by the
conventional plays. This is largely dependent on personal ability to
judge the situation correctly, and to select the methods of play best
adapted to it.
_=CONVENTIONAL PLAYS.=_ These may be divided into two parts: those used
by the partners who attack, either with their strong suits, or by
leading out trumps; and those employed by their adversaries, who are
defending themselves against such suits, or wishing to prevent their
trumps being drawn. We shall first consider the conventionalities used
in attack.
_=Leading.=_ The player with the original lead should have a double
object in view; to secure the best results for his own hand, and to
indicate to his partner where he is in need of assistance.
The first matter for his consideration will be whether to begin with a
trump or with a plain suit. There are two principal uses for trumps.
The most attractive to the beginner is that of ruffing the adversaries’
winning cards; and the most important to the expert is leading trumps
to prevent this. No matter how strong or well established a plain
suit may be, it is of uncertain value as long as the adversaries have
any trumps with which to stop it. A suit is established when you can
probably take every trick in it. If a player with a good established
suit is sufficiently strong to make it probable that he can, with
his partner’s assistance, exhaust the adverse trumps, he should do
so by leading trumps. If they are probably stronger than he, he must
_=force=_ them, by leading the established suit which they will be
compelled to trump, weakening their hands and gradually reducing their
trump strength until it is possible to exhaust what remains by leading.
It being to the advantage of the player with a good suit to exhaust
the trumps, it must be desirable to his adversaries to keep theirs, if
possible, for the purpose of ruffing this good suit.
Trumps are also useful as cards of re-entry, when a player has an
established suit, but has not the lead; their most important use,
however, is in defending or stopping established suits.
_=Rules for Leading Trumps.=_ With five or more trumps, the beginner
should always begin by leading them, regardless of the rest of his
hand. With three or less he should never lead them, unless he has very
strong cards in _=all=_ the plain suits. With four trumps exactly, he
should lead them if he has an established suit and a card of re-entry
in another suit. A card of re-entry in plain suits is one which is
pretty sure to win a trick, such as an Ace, or a guarded King. The
following are examples of hands from which trumps should be led
originally by a beginner;--
Hearts are trumps in every case.
♡ J 8 6 4 2; ♣ K 3 2; ♢ 10 9 2; ♠ 7 5.
♡ Q 10 2; ♣ A K 5; ♢ K Q 10 9; ♠ A Q 3.
♡ K J 8 3; ♣ A K Q 10 7 3; ♢ 3; ♠ A 7.
The following are examples of hands from which trumps should not be
led:--
♡ A K Q; ♣ J 8 7 5 3; ♢ Q 4; ♠ K 4 2.
♡ Q J 10 2; ♣ 5 2; ♢ A K Q 2; ♠ 6 4 3.
♡ A Q 5 4; ♣ K Q J 6 3; ♢ A 9 2; ♠ K.
If at any later stage of the hand, a player finds himself with an
established suit and a card of re-entry, he should lead trumps if he
has four. For instance: The player with the last example should lead
trumps if the first round of Clubs either forced the Ace out of his
way, or found it with his partner.
_=Rules for Leading Plain Suits.=_ It is safest for the beginner
to select his longest suit for the original lead; unless he has a
four-card suit which is much stronger. Length and high cards, the two
elements of strength, are often very nearly balanced. In the following
examples the player should begin with the longest suit:--
♡ A 4 3; ♣ J 10 9 8 3; ♢ A K Q; ♠ K 2.
♡ K 10 8 3; ♣ 4 2; ♢ K Q 10 8 2; ♠ A Q.
In the following the four-card suit should be selected:--
♡ J 3; ♣ 6 5 4 3 2; ♢ J 10 5 3; ♠ Q 8.
♡ Q 4 2; ♣ 7; ♢ 10 6 4 3 2; ♠ A K Q 10.
The principle which should guide in the selection of a plain suit for
the original lead is, that if there are a number of small cards in one
suit, and a few high cards in another, by leading the long suit first,
the higher cards in it are forced out of the way, and the high cards in
the shorter suit will then bring the holder of the established small
cards into the lead again. But if the high cards of the short suit are
first led, the long suit of small cards is dead.
Having determined whether to lead the trump or the plain suit, the next
point is to select the proper card of the suit to lead. At first the
beginner need not trouble himself about making any distinction between
trumps and plain suits; that will come later.
_=Rules for Leading High Cards.=_ Having a strong suit, but without
cards of re-entry or trump strength to support it, the best policy
is to make tricks while you can. With such a suit as A K Q 2, no one
need be told not to begin with the deuce. Whenever a player holds two
or more of the best cards of a suit he should play one of them. If he
holds both second and third best, playing one of them will force the
best out of his way, leaving him with the commanding card.
The cards which are recognised by whist players as high, are the A K Q
J 10, and if we separate the various combinations from which a player
should lead each of them, a study of the groups so formed will greatly
facilitate our recollection of them.
In the first group are those containing two or more of the best cards.
In this and all following notation, the exact size of any card below a
Ten is immaterial.
[Illustration:
🂡 🂮 🂭 🂫 | 🂱 🂾 🂻 🂷
🃁 🃎 🃍 🃆 | 🃑 🃞 🃔 🃓
]
So far as trick-taking is concerned, it is of no importance which of
the winning cards is first led; but for the past hundred years it has
been the custom for good whist players to lead the _=King=_ from all
these combinations, in order that the partner may be informed, by its
winning, that the leader holds the Ace also.
In the second group are those containing both the second and third
best, but not the best.
[Illustration:
🂮 🂭 🂫 🂪 | 🂾 🂽 🂺 🂸
🃎 🃍 🃋 🃄 | 🃞 🃝 🃗 🃖
]
The _=King=_ is the proper lead from these combinations. If it wins,
the partner should have the Ace; if it loses, partner should know the
leader holds at least the Queen.
Both these groups, which contain all the King leads, may be easily
remembered by observing that the King is always led if accompanied
by the Ace or Queen, or both. Beginners should follow this rule for
leading the King, regardless of the number of small cards in the suit,
unless they hold the sequence of K Q J, and at least two other cards.
[Illustration:
🂮 🂭 🂫 🂪 🂤 | 🃎 🃍 🃋 🃄 🃃
]
From this combination the _=Jack=_ is the usual lead, in order to
invite partner to put on the Ace, if he has it, and get out of the
way, thus establishing the suit in the leader’s hand. This is the only
high-card combination from which the Jack is led.
There is only one combination from which the _=Queen=_ is led,
regardless of the number of the small cards.
[Illustration:
🂭 🂫 🂪 🂦 🂥
]
This may be remembered by observing that there is no higher card in the
suit than the one led, and that it contains a sequence of three cards,
Q J 10. This lead is an indication to the partner that the leader holds
neither Ace nor King.
There is only one combination from which the _=Ten=_ is led, regardless
of the number of small cards.
[Illustration:
🂾 🂻 🂺 🂵
]
The Ten led is an indication to partner that both Ace and Queen are
against the leader.
Combinations from which the _=Ace=_ is led contain at least five cards
in suit, or both Queen and Jack.
[Illustration:
🂱 🂷 🂶 🂴 🂲 | 🃑 🃝 🃛 🃖
]
This lead is an indication to partner that the leader has not the King,
and that the suit is either long, or contains three honours.
_=Rules for Leading Low Cards.=_ If the suit selected for the lead
contains none of the combinations from which a high card should be led,
it is customary with good players to begin with the 4th-best, counting
from the top of the suit. This is called the card of uniformity;
because it indicates to the partner that there are remaining in the
leader’s hand exactly three cards higher than the one led. From any of
the following combinations the proper lead would be the Four:--
[Illustration:
🃞 🃛 🃘 🃔 🃓 | 🃑 🃝 🃚 🃔
🂽 🂻 🂶 🂴 🂲 | 🂱 🂻 🂺 🂴
]
[Illustration:
🂫 🂪 🂩 🂤 🂢 | 🂮 🂨 🂧 🂤
🃊 🃉 🃈 🃄 🃃 | 🃍 🃆 🃅 🃄
]
_=Rules for Leading Short Suits.=_ It will sometimes happen that the
only four-card suit in the leader’s hand will be trumps, which it
is not desirable to lead. In such cases, if there is no high-card
combination in any of the short suits, it is usual to lead the highest
card, unless it is an Ace or King. Many good players will not lead the
Queen from a three card suit, unless it is accompanied by the Jack.
All such leads are called _=forced=_, and are intended to assist the
partner, by playing cards which may strengthen him, although of no use
to the leader. The best card should be led from any such combinations
as the following:--
[Illustration:
🃝 🃛 🃖 | 🃊 🃉 🃄
🃋 🃊 🃅 | 🃙 🃘 🃔
🂫 🂥 🂣 | 🂷 🂶 🂴
]
All these rules for leading apply equally to any position at the table
when a player opens his own suit for the first time.
_=Rules for Leading Second Round.=_ On the second round of any suit,
the player holding the best card should play it; or having several
equally the best, one of them. If he is Fourth Hand, he may be able to
win the trick more cheaply.
If the original leader has several cards, equally the best, such as
A Q J remaining after having led the King, he should continue with
the lowest card that will win the trick. This should be an indication
to his partner that the card led is as good as the best, and that
therefore the leader must have the intermediate cards.
_=Following King=_, which has been led from these combinations:--
[Illustration:
🂡 🂮 🂭 🂫 | 🂱 🂾 🂻 🂷
🃁 🃎 🃍 🃆 | 🃑 🃞 🃔 🃓
]
Leading the Jack on the second round would show both Ace and Queen
remaining. Leading Queen would show Ace, but not the Jack. Leading Ace
would show that the leader had not the Queen.
In combinations which do not contain the best card, the lead may be
varied in some cases to show the number remaining in the leader’s hand,
or to indicate cards not shown by the first lead.
_=Following King=_, which has been led from these combinations:--
[Illustration:
🃎 🃍 🃋 🃊 | 🃞 🃝 🃛 🃖
]
Leading the Ten on the second round would show both Queen and Jack
remaining. Leading the Jack would show the Queen; but not the ten.
_=Following the Jack=_, led from this combination:--
[Illustration:
🂾 🂽 🂻 🂷 🂶
]
Leading King on the second round would show five cards in the suit
originally. Leading the Queen would show more than five.
_=Following the Queen=_, led from this combination:--
[Illustration:
🃍 🃋 🃊 🃄 🃃
]
Leading Jack on the second round shows the suit to have originally
contained only four cards; the Ten would show more than four.
_=Following the Ace=_, led from these combinations:--
[Illustration:
🃑 🃝 🃛 🃖 | 🂡 🂭 🂫 🂦 🂥
]
Leading the Queen shows the suit was short. Leading the Jack shows that
it contained at least five cards.
When a player holds both the second and third-best of a suit on the
second round, he should always play one of them, whether he is First,
Second, or Third Hand. This protects him, by forcing the command of
the suit, if it does not win the trick. Having led the Ten from K J 10
x, if the Ace or Queen wins the first trick, the K should be next led.
Having led the Four from Q J 6 4 2, if Ace or King falls to the first
trick, the Queen should be led. If the Jack, Queen, and Ace fall to the
first trick, a player holding both Ten and Nine should lead the Ten.
After leading high cards from some combinations, and winning the trick,
they may no longer contain either the best or the second and third
best. Such are the following:--
[Illustration:
🂡 🂭 🂧 🂤 🂢 | 🂾 🂽 🂺 🂴
🃁 🃋 🃉 🃄 🃃 | 🂮 🂭 🂧 🂤
🃑 🃙 🃘 🃔 🃓 | 🃎 🃋 🃊 🃄
]
The rule in all such cases is to follow with the card of uniformity,
the original fourth-best.
If the combinations are those from which the fourth-best had been led
originally, and the leader has neither the best, nor both second and
third best to go on with, he should continue with the lowest card in
his hand, unless he had six or more in suit; in which case he may go on
with the remaining fourth-best.
_=AVOID CHANGING SUITS.=_ A player having once begun with a suit,
either for the purpose of establishing it, or of taking tricks in
it, should not change it until he is forced to do so. Running off to
untried suits is one of the beginner’s worst faults. There are five
good reasons for changing suits, and unless one of them can be applied,
the suit should be continued:
1st. In order to lead trumps to defend it.
2nd. In order to avoid forcing partner.
3rd. In order to avoid forcing both adversaries.
4th. Because it is hopeless, and there is some chance in another.
5th. To prevent a cross ruff, by leading trumps.
_=Simple Inferences=_ from the fall of the cards usually supply the
best guide in the matter of changing suits.
If the Jack is led from K Q J x x, and wins the trick, partner may be
credited with the Ace; and if the original leader has four trumps,
and a card of re-entry, he should quit his established suit, and lead
trumps to defend it.
If the King and Ace have been led from A K x x, partner dropping
the Queen on the second round, the suit should be changed, unless
the original leader is strong enough to risk weakening his partner
by forcing him to trump the third round. Four trumps are generally
considered to be sufficiently strong to justify a force in this
position. Some players will force, even with a weak hand, if the two
cards played by the partner are small, and he has not availed himself
of an artifice known as _=calling for trumps=_, which we shall consider
presently.
If the King and Ten have been led from K Q J 10, and on the second
round one adversary has dropped the Eight, the other the Nine; the
suit should be changed, as partner must have the Ace, and neither of
the adversaries have any more. To lead such a suit again is called
_=forcing both adversaries=_; as it allows one to make a small trump
and the other to get rid of a losing card.
If the Four has been led from J 8 6 4, and the adversaries have won the
first trick with the Nine or Ten, A K Q must be against the leader and
his partner, and the suit should be abandoned as hopeless, unless it is
feasible to force the partner.
If at any time there is a strong indication that the adversaries will
have a cross-ruff, it is usually best to stop leading plain suits, and
attempt to get out the trumps.
_=THE LEADER’S PARTNER=_, or the Third Hand, has several conventional
plays to remember; the most important of which are the following:
_=When Partner Leads High Cards=_, the Third Hand has usually little to
do but to play his lowest of the suit. The exceptions are:
If he holds A J alone, on a King led, the Ace should be played.
If he holds A Q alone on a Ten led, the Ace should be played. With
A Q x, the Ten should be passed. With Ace and small cards, the Ace
should be played on the Ten. With Queen and small cards the Ten should
be passed. When Third Hand plays Queen on a Ten led, it should be a
certainty that he has no more of the suit.
If he holds A K and only one small card, the King should be played on a
Queen led.
If he holds Ace and only one small card, the Ace should be played on
the Jack led. If Third Hand has four trumps and a card of re-entry, the
Ace should be played on Jack led, regardless of number, in older to
lead trumps at once, to defend the suit.
_=When Partner Leads Low Cards=_, the Third Hand should do his best
to secure the trick. If he has several cards of equal trick-taking
value, such as A K Q, or K Q J, he should win the trick as cheaply
as possible. The only _=finesse=_ permitted to the Third Hand in his
partner’s suit, is the play of the Queen, when he holds A Q and others;
the odds being against Fourth Hand having the King.
_=Foster’s Eleven Rule.=_ By deducting from eleven the number of pips
on any low card led, the Third Hand may ascertain how far his partner’s
suit is from being established. For instance: if the card led is the
Seven, Second Hand playing the Eight, and Third Hand holding A J 6 3,
from which he plays Ace, Fourth Hand playing the Five; the only card
against the leader must be the King or Queen; he cannot have both, or
he would have led one. If the Second Hand has not the missing card, he
has no more of the suit. The number of inferences which may be made in
this manner by observant players is astonishing. A great many examples
and exercises in them are given in _=Foster’s Whist Manual=_.
_=Third Hand having None of the Suit=_, should trump anything but an
Ace or a King on the first round. On the second round, if there is only
one card against the leader, his partner should pass with four trumps,
and allow the suit to be established. For instance: If the leads have
been Ace, then Jack, Third Hand holding only one of the suit; he should
pass if the Second Hand does not play King.
_=Third Hand on Strengthening Cards.=_ Unless Third Hand has both Ace
and King of the suit, he should pass any forced or strengthening lead
which is not covered by the Second Hand. This obliges the Fourth Hand
to open another suit, or to continue at a disadvantage.
Third Hand winning first round has the choice of four lines of play:
1st. To lead trumps, if he is strong enough.
2nd. To return the best card of his partner’s suit if he has it. This
is imperative before opening any other suit but trumps.
3rd. To lead his own suit, if he can do anything with it. It is
considered better play for the Third Hand to return the original
leader’s suit than to open a long weak suit of his own such as one
headed by a single honour.
4th. To return his partner’s suit even with a losing card, in
preference to changing.
When the original lead is a trump, it should be returned in every case,
either immediately, or as soon as the player can obtain the lead.
The same reasons for changing suits as those given for the original
leader will apply to the Third Hand.
_=RULES FOR RETURNING PARTNER’S SUITS.=_ When the original leader’s
suit is returned by his partner, either immediately or upon his
regaining the lead, it is usual to show, if possible, how many cards
remain in the Third Hand, so that by adding them to his own, the leader
may estimate the number held by his adversaries. This consideration is
secondary to the return of the best, or one of the second and third
best; but in the absence of such cards, the Third Hand should always
return the higher of only two remaining, and the lowest of three or
more, regardless of their value.
In addition to the foregoing conventionalities, which are proper to
the leader of a suit and his partner, there are two usages which apply
equally to any player at the table. These are discarding and forcing.
_=Discarding.=_ When a player cannot follow suit, and does not wish to
trump, his safest play is to discard whatever seems of least use to
him. It is not considered good play to unguard a King or to leave an
Ace alone; but this may be done if the partner is leading trumps, and
there is a good established suit to keep. Beginners should be careful
to preserve cards of re-entry, even if they have to discard from their
good suit in order to do so.
When the adversaries have shown strength in trumps, or are leading
them, there is little use in keeping a long suit together. It is much
better to keep guard on the suits in which they are probably strong,
letting your own and your partner’s go.
A player having full command of a suit, may show it to his partner
by discarding the best card of it. Discarding the second-best is an
indication that the player has not the best; and in general, the
discard of any small card shows weakness in that suit.
_=Forcing.=_ We have already observed that a player who is weak himself
should not force his partner. An exception may be made in cases where
he has shown weakness, or has had a chance to lead trumps and has not
done so. On the contrary, an adversary should not be forced unless he
has shown strength, or the player forcing him is weak. The hope of a
player with a good suit is to defend it by leading and exhausting the
trumps. His adversary tries to keep his trumps in order to stop that
suit; at the same time forcing the strong hand, by leading cards which
he must trump, hoping that such a force may so weaken him that he will
be unable to continue the trump lead.
It is usually very difficult to convince the beginner that the weaker
he is himself, the more reason he has for forcing the adversaries
to trump his good cards. He is constantly falling into the error of
changing from a good suit, which the adversaries cannot stop without
trumping, to a weak suit, which allows them to get into the lead
without any waste of trump strength. If an adversary refuses to trump
a suit, it is imperative to keep on with it until he does; for it is
always good play to force an adversary to do what he does not wish to
do.
Any person may convince himself of the soundness of this theory of
forcing, by giving himself the six highest cards in any suit, three
small cards in the others, and four trumps; giving another player the
four best trumps, and nine of the highest cards in two suits. If the
first player forces the second with his good suit, and continues every
time he gets the lead, he must win six tricks; if he does not, the
second player makes a slam.
A deliberate force from a partner should always be accepted, if he is a
good player.
We may now turn our attention to the conventionalities used by players
who are opposed to the establishment of suits in the hands of the
leader and his partner. These are divided between the Second and the
Fourth Hand, the former being the more important. Generally speaking,
they are the tactics of defence.
_=SECOND HAND PLAY.=_ The player who is second to play on any trick
is called the Second Hand. It is his duty to protect himself and his
partner, as far as possible, in the adversaries’ strong suits. The
chief point for the beginner to observe in Second Hand play, is the
difference between the circumstances requiring him to play high cards,
and those in which he should play low ones.