round of a suit, the Second Hand has usually nothing to do but to play
his lowest card, and make what inference he can as to the probable
distribution of the suit. But if he holds the Ace, or cards in sequence
with it, such A K, he should cover any card higher than a Ten. If he
holds K Q he should cover a J, 10, or 9 led; but it is useless for him
to cover an honour with a single honour, unless it is the Ace.
_=Low Cards Led.=_ High cards are played by the Second Hand when he
has any combination from which he would have led a high one if he had
opened the suit. The fact that a player on his right has already laid
a small card of the suit on the table should not prevent the Second
Hand from making the best use of any combinations he may hold. The only
difference between leading from such combinations, and playing them
Second Hand, is that in the latter case no attempt is made to indicate
to the partner the exact nature of the combination held. The general
rule is to win the trick as cheaply as possible, by playing the lowest
of the high cards which form the combination from which a high card
would be led. Such are the following:--
[Illustration:
🂡 🂮 🂭 🂫 | 🂾 🂽 🂻 🂸
🂱 🂾 🂽 🂳 | 🃞 🃝 🃘 🃔
🃑 🃞 🃕 🃒 | 🃎 🃋 🃊 🃅
🃁 🃍 🃋 🃂 | 🂭 🂫 🂪 🂣
]
The beginner must be careful with these:--
[Illustration:
🂡 🂮 🂫 🂢 | 🃎 🃍 🃊 🃆
]
The combination which makes the first of these a high-card lead is the
A K, and the King must be played Second Hand. The Jack has nothing
to do with it. In the second, the Ten does not form any part of the
combination, and the Queen is the card to play Second Hand. Some
players will not play a high card second hand with K Q x x unless weak
in trumps.
An exception is generally made with these combinations, from which the
proper lead is the Ace.
[Illustration:
🃑 🃝 🃘 🃔 🃓 | 🂡 🂩 🂨 🂧 🂤
]
Many will not play Ace Second Hand in any case, and will play the Queen
with the first combination only when they are weak in trumps. The
reason for this exception is the importance of retaining command of the
adverse suit as long as possible.
_=On the Second Round=_, the Second Hand should follow the usual
rule for playing the best of the suit if he holds it; or one of the
second and third best, if he holds them. He should also be careful
to estimate, by the eleven rule, how many cards are out against the
leader, which will sometimes guide him to a good finesse. For instance:
first player leads Ace, then Eight. If the Second Hand holds K J 9 2,
instead of playing the best card to the second round, which would be
King, he should finesse the Nine.
_=With Short Suits.=_ When Second Hand holds such short-suit
combinations as:--
[Illustration:
🂽 🂻 🂷 | 🂻 🂺 🂵
]
and a small card is led, his proper play is one of the high cards,
because he cannot save both of them.
_=On Strengthening Cards Led.=_ This is a difficult point for the
beginner, and his best plan is to follow the rules already given for
covering cards higher than the Ten. One of the most common errors is
to cover a Jack led with a Queen, when holding A Q and others. The Ace
should be put on invariably. To play the Queen in such a position is
called _=finessing against yourself=_.
_=Singly Guarded Honours.=_ Many players put on the King Second Hand,
if they hold only one small card with it, and a small card is led. This
will win the trick as often as it will lose it; but it betrays the hand
to the adversary, and enables him to finesse deeply if the suit is
returned. It may be done in order to get the lead, and in trumps the
practice is very common, and generally right. With Queen and only one
small card, it can be demonstrated that it is useless to play the Queen
Second Hand, except as an experiment, or to get the lead in desperate
cases.
With any combination weaker than J 10 x, it is useless to attempt to
win the trick Second Hand, and only makes it difficult for the partner
to place the cards correctly.
_=The Fourchette.=_ When the Second Hand has cards immediately above
and below the one led, he should cover. The beginner may have some
difficulty in recognising the fact that he holds fourchette if the suit
has been round once or twice, and the intermediate cards have been
played. Such cards as a Queen and a Seven may be fourchette over a
Nine, if Jack, Ten and Eight have been played.
_=Second Hand Having None=_ of the suit led, on either first or second
round, must decide whether or not to trump it. If the card led is the
best of the suit, he should certainly do so; but if it is not, and
there is any uncertainty as to who will win the trick, it is usual for
the Second Hand to pass when he has four trumps. With five trumps,
there should be some good reason for keeping the trumps together, as a
player with so many can usually afford to trump. If he does not trump,
his play comes under the rules for discarding.
_=FOURTH-HAND PLAY.=_ The Fourth Hand is the last player in any trick.
He is the partner of the Second Hand, but has not so many opportunities
for the exercise of judgment, his duties being simply to win tricks
if he can, and as cheaply as possible. If he cannot win the trick, he
should play his lowest card.
A bad habit of Fourth-Hand players is holding up the tenace A J when
a King or Queen is led originally. This is called the _=Bath Coup=_,
and the suit must go round three times for it to succeed in making two
tricks. The holder of the tenace should equally make two tricks by
playing the Ace at once, provided he does not lead the suit back.
_=The Turn-up Trump.=_ When trumps are led by the adversaries, it is
a common practice to play the turn-up as soon as possible, unless it
is a valuable card. On the contrary, it is usual to keep it as long as
possible when the partner leads trumps.
_=Changing Suits.=_ If the Second or Fourth Hand wins the first or
second round of the adversaries’ suit, it is seldom right to return
it, as that would probably be playing their game. The player should
open his own suit, as if he were the original leader. If he is strong
enough to lead trumps under ordinary circumstances, he may be deterred
from so doing if the adversaries have declared a strong suit against
him. The same consideration may prevent his leading trumps in the hope
of making a suit of his own, as the adversaries might reap the benefit
by bringing in their suit instead. On the contrary, when the Second or
Fourth Hand holds command of the adverse suit, they may often risk a
trump lead which would otherwise be injudicious. Having once started a
suit, it should not be changed, except for one of the reasons already
given for the guidance of the First Hand.
_=When the Adversaries Lead Trumps=_, and the Second Hand has a chance
either to establish a suit against them or to force his partner, he
should stop the trump lead if he can. If his partner has led trumps,
the Second Hand should generally play his winning cards on his right
hand opponent’s plain-suit leads, to stop them; and continue the trumps.
These are about all the conventionalities necessary for the beginner.
After at least a year’s practice with them, he will either discover
that he has no aptitude for the game, or will be ready to go into
further details. A beginner who attempts to handle the weapons of the
expert simply plays with edged tools, which will probably cut no one
but himself and his partner.
* * * * *
_=THE SIGNAL GAME.=_ Having become thoroughly familiar with the
elementary conventionalities of the game, so that they can be used
without the slightest hesitation at the whist table, the player may
proceed to acquaint himself with the details of what is commonly
known as the Signal Game, which comprises all the various methods of
signalling up hands between partners, according to certain arbitrary
and pre-arranged systems of play. Many players object to these methods
as unfair; but they are now too deeply rooted to yield to protest; and
the best thing for a player to do is to familiarise himself with his
adversaries’ weapons.
_=The Trump Signal.=_ A player anxious to have trumps led, but who has
no immediate prospect of the lead, may call on his partner to lead
trumps at the first opportunity, by playing any two cards of a suit
led, the higher before the lower. Let us suppose him to hold five good
trumps, with the Six and Two of a suit of which his partner leads King,
then Jack. By playing first the Six, and then the Two, he calls upon
his partner to quit the suit, and lead a trump.
Among some players, the lead of a strengthening card when an honour is
turned, is a call for trumps to be led through that honour at the first
opportunity, but it is not good play.
Passing a certain winning card is regarded by most players as an
imperative call for trumps.
The discard of any card higher than a Seven is known as a
single-card-call. Even if it was not so intended, it is assumed that a
trump lead cannot injure a player with nothing smaller than a Nine in
his hand.
_=Answering Trump Signals.=_ In response to partner’s call, a player
should lead the best trump if he holds it; one of the second and third
best if he holds them; the highest of three or less; the lowest of
four; and the fourth-best of more than four. Holding any of the regular
high-card combinations in trumps, he should lead them in the regular
way in answer to a call.
_=After a Force.=_ If the player is forced before he can answer the
call, he may indicate the number of trumps originally held by playing
them in this manner:--
With 3 or less; trumping with the lowest; leading the highest.
With 4 exactly; trumping with the 3rd-best; leading the highest.
With 5 or more; trumping with the 3rd-best; leading the 4th-best.
These methods of taking the force must not be carried to extremes.
For instance: A player holding K J 10 2, would hardly be justified in
trumping with the 10 to show number. Some experts, holding the best
trump with at least four others, will not lead it; preferring to show
number first, by leading the fourth-best. Others, holding four, lead
the lowest after trumping with the third-best.
_=The Echo in Trumps.=_ When the partner leads high trumps, the Third
Hand should echo with four or more, by signalling in the trump suit.
The universal form of the echo is to play first the third-best, then
the fourth-best. When a player has called, and his partner leads, it
is unnecessary for the caller to echo. Players seldom echo on adverse
trump leads, even with five trumps.
_=The Four-Signal.=_ There are several ways of showing four or more
trumps without asking partner to lead them. Among some players the
original lead of a strengthening card is an evidence of four trumps,
and is called an _=Albany Lead=_. A player holding three cards of any
plain suit, such as the 3, 4, 5, may show the number of his trumps by
playing these small cards as follows:--
No of trumps. 1st trick. 2nd trick. 3rd trick.
3 or less 3 4 5
4 exactly 4 5 3
5 ” 4 3 5
6 ” 5 3 4
7 or more 5 4 3
The second of these is the four-signal; the last three are trump
signals. They are used only in following suit.
The four-signal is sometimes used in the trump suit as a _=Sub-echo=_,
to show three trumps exactly.
Apart from signalling, trump strength may often be inferred, especially
from player’s passing doubtful tricks, forcing their partners, etc.
_=Trump Suit Leads.=_ When trumps are not led for the purpose of
exhausting them immediately, but simply as the longest suit, the
fourth-best may be led from the following:--
[Illustration:
🂱 🂾 🂷 🂶 🂴 | 🃎 🃍 🃆 🃅
🂡 🂨 🂧 🂤 🂢 | 🃞 🃛 🃚 🃖
]
If the Ten accompanies the King and Queen, in the third combination, it
is best to adhere to the usual lead of the King.
In leading trumps from combinations containing a winning sequence, such
as the following:--
[Illustration:
🂱 🂾 🂽 🂻 🂷 | 🃁 🃎 🃍 🃄 🃃
]
many players begin with the lowest of the winning cards, continuing
with the next above it.
_=Speculative Trump Leads.=_ The whist player will often find himself
with a single good suit, a card of re-entry, and few trumps. Certain
conditions of the score may prompt him to make a speculative trump
lead from such a hand. If his trumps are high, such as A K x, he may
safely begin by leading them; but if they are weak, and he is depending
largely on his partner’s possible strength, he should show his suit
first by leading it once.
_=Over-trumping=_ is generally regarded as bad policy when a player has
a good suit, and sufficient trump strength to justify him in hoping
to do something with it. The refusal to over-trump, unless the trump
played is a high one, should be regarded by the partner as a call.
It is sometimes necessary to over-trump partner in order to get the
lead. For instance: A player holds the two best trumps, and all winning
cards of a plain suit, while the player on his right has a losing
trump. In such a position the player with the two best trumps should
trump any winning card his partner leads, or over trump him if he
trumps, so as to prevent the adversary from making that losing trump.
_=Under-trumping, or the Grand Coup=_, is playing a low trump on a
trick that partner has already trumped with a higher, in order to avoid
the lead. For instance: A player holds major tenace in trumps with a
small one, and knows that the minor tenace is on his right. Four cards
remain in each hand. The player on the left leads; Second Hand trumps;
Third Hand follows suit. If the Fourth Hand keeps his three trumps, he
must win the next trick, and lose the advantage of his tenace.
A player will sometimes have the best card in two suits, and a small
trump, and will know that the two best trumps and an unknown card are
on his right. If the missing suit is led, and the player on the right
trumps, his unknown card must be one of the two other suits, and the
player with the command of them should keep both, and throw away his
small trump. The discards on the next trick may enable him to determine
the suit of the losing card on his right.
_=The Last Trump.=_ If two players have an equal number of trumps, each
of them having an established suit, it will be the object of both to
remain with the last trump, which must bring in the suit. The tactics
of each will be to win the third round of trumps; and then, if the best
trump is against him, to force it out with the established suit, coming
into the lead again with the last trump. So often is it important
to win the third round of trumps that few good players will win the
second round, unless they can win the third also. With an established
suit, a card of re-entry, and four trumps King high, a player should
lead trumps; but if his partner wins the first round and returns a
small trump, the King should not be put on, no matter what Second Hand
plays, unless the card next below the King is fourchette. Some of the
most brilliant endings in whist are skirmishes for the possession of
the last trump; the player who is at a disadvantage often persistently
refuses the fatal force, hoping the leader will be compelled to change
his suit, or will lose the lead.
_=Drawing the Losing Trump.=_ It is usually best to draw losing trumps
from the adversaries, unless a player can foresee that he may want the
best to stop a strong adverse suit.
_=A Thirteenth Card=_, played by the partner, is usually considered an
invitation to put on the best trump. The Second Hand should not trump a
thirteenth card unless he is weak in trumps.
_=AMERICAN LEADS.=_ Advanced players, who have had so much practice
that they can infer the probable position of the cards without devoting
their entire attention to it, have adopted a new system of leading from
the four combinations following, in order to show the number of small
cards in the suit:--
[Illustration:
🃑 🃞 🃝 🃛 🃖 | 🂱 🂾 🂶 🂴 🂲
🃁 🃎 🃍 🃆 🃅 | 🂮 🂭 🂧 🂤 🂢
]
From these the King is never led if there are more than four cards in
the suit. Having more than four, the lowest of the sequence of high
cards is led. From the first this would be the Jack; from the second
the Queen; from the third the Ace, (because the King is barred;) and
from the fourth the Queen. The Ten is not ranked among the high cards
in American Leads.
On the second round, with the first two combinations, the difference
between a suit of five or one of six cards may be indicated by
following with the Ace if five were held originally; the King, if more
than five. Seven cards may be shown with the first combination, by
leading the Queen on the second round.
The chief difference these leads make in the play of the Third Hand is
that he should not trump any court card led, even if weak in trumps.
The misunderstanding as to the meaning of the first lead, especially if
it is a Queen, often occasions confusion and loss; but this is claimed
to be offset by the value of the information given. Some lead 10 from Q
J 10; 4th-best from K J 10.
To the adversaries these leads are often of value, as they are
frequently enabled to place the cards very accurately from the
information given by the lead itself, regardless of the fall of the
cards from the other hands. For instance: Second Hand holds A J of a
suit in which King is led; Third Hand plays the Four; Fourth Hand plays
the Nine. The leader remains with Q 3 2; Third Hand still has 8 7 6 5;
and if he has also the 10, Fourth Hand has no more. Again: The leader
shows a suit of six; Second Hand holding two only. If the suit is led
a third time it is a doubtful trick, and with four trumps the Second
Hand should pass. If the leader shows the exact number of the suit
originally led, and then changes to a four-card suit, the adversaries
know at least nine of his cards.
So obvious is this that it is an almost invariable rule for a player,
on quitting his suit, to conceal the length of the second suit led by
leading the highest card of a short suit.
If it were allowable to exercise some judgment in using these leads,
they might not be open to so many objections; but they are worse than
useless unless the partner can depend on their being uniformly adopted.
_=The Minneapolis Lead.=_ This is another variation in the leads, which
is confined to one combination; that of Ace and any four other cards,
not including the King. With strength in trumps the fourth-best is led
instead of the Ace, the theory being that the Ace is more likely to be
valuable on the second or third round of such a suit than on the first,
and that the trump strength justifies the finesse of the original lead.
With weak trumps the Ace is led. Some players extend this principle to
the Second Hand, and play Ace on a small card led, when holding A x x
x x with weak trumps. This is open to the objection that it gives up
command of the adverse suit too early in the hand; but it saves many a
trick.
_=The Plain-suit Echo.=_ This is another device for giving information
as to number. When the original leader begins with a high card, the
Third Hand should play his third-best if he holds four or more; and
on the second round his second best, always retaining his fourth-best
and any below it. The value of this echo is much disputed, and the
adversaries can usually render it ineffective by holding up small
cards; a practice very much in vogue with advanced players.
_=Low’s Signal.=_ This is the latest system of indicating to the leader
the number of cards in his suit held by the Third Hand. With four or
more of the suit, the third-best is played to the lead of a high card,
or when no attempt is made to win the trick. In retaining the suit, the
second-best is led if three or more remain, and on the third round, or
in a discard, the highest is played, always retaining the fourth-best
and those below it. For instance: With the 8 7 5 2 of a suit which
partner leads, the 5 is played to the first round. If the suit is
returned, the 7 is played; and next time the 8. Holding only three
originally, the lowest is played to the first round, and the higher of
two returned, in the usual way. The chief value of this signal is that
the return of the lowest of a suit shows absolutely no more, instead of
leaving the original leader in doubt as to whether it is the only one,
or the lowest of three remaining. It is also a great exposer of false
cards.
_=Discard Signalling=_ is another method of indicating plain suits.
When a player is known to have no trumps, and therefore cannot be
calling for them, he may use the trump signal in any plain suit which
he wishes led to him. As a general rule, a player should not use this
signal unless he has a certain trick in the suit in which he signals.
Some players use what is called the reverse discard; a signal in one
suit meaning weakness in it, and an invitation to lead another. This
avoids the necessity for using the good suit for signalling purposes.
_=Unblocking.=_ When the original leader shows a suit of five cards,
and the Third Hand has four exactly, the latter should keep his lowest
card, not for the purpose of echoing, but in order to retain a small
card which will not block the holder of the longer suit. If the Third
Hand has three cards of the suit led, and among them a card which
may block his partner, he should give it up on the second round. For
instance: Holding K 4 3, and partner showing a five-card suit by
leading Ace then Jack, Third Hand should give up the King on the second
round. Again: Holding Q 9 3, partner leading Ace then Eight; Second
Hand playing King second round, Third Hand should give up the Queen.
Again: Holding K Q, partner leading the 8 originally, won by Fourth
Hand with Ace; the King should be discarded or otherwise got rid of at
the first opportunity.
_=Short-suit Leads.=_ Many players will not lead a long weak suit
unless they have sufficient strength to justify them in hoping to
establish, defend, and bring it in, with _=reasonable=_ support from
the partner. With a long suit, headed by a single honour, weak trumps,
and no cards of re-entry, they prefer selecting a strengthening card
for the original lead, hoping it may be of some assistance to partner
by affording a successful finesse. It is claimed that it is better for
a person, especially with a strong hand, to play with the knowledge
that his partner is weak, than under the impression that he may be
strong. Such an opening lead should warn the Third Hand to finesse
deeply, to hold any tenaces he may have, and to let nothing pass him
which might be too much for his weak partner to attend to. This is a
very difficult game to play well, and is seldom resorted to except by
the most expert.
_=Deschapelles Coups.=_ It often happens that after the adverse trumps
are exhausted, a player will find himself with the lead, but unable
to give his partner a card of his established suit. In such cases the
best course is to sacrifice the King or Queen of any suit of which he
has not the Ace, in the hope that it may force the best of the suit,
and leave partner with a card of re-entry. For instance: The leader
has established the Club suit; his partner has exhausted the trumps,
Hearts; and having no Clubs, leads the King of Spades from K x x x. If
the holder of the Club suit has Spade Queen, and the King forces the
Ace, the Club suit will be brought in. If he has not the Queen, the
Clubs are probably hopeless. The _=coup=_ risks a trick to gain several.
Players should be careful not to fall into this trap in the end-game;
and it is generally right to hold up the Ace if the circumstances are
at all suspicious.
_=Tenace Positions.=_ Many expert players will not lead away from a
suit in which they hold tenace. Having two suits, one containing a
tenace, and the other without it, they will select the latter, although
it may be much weaker. It is noteworthy that players who disregard the
value of holding a tenace in the opening lead, are well aware of its
importance toward the end of the hand. When one player holds tenace
over another, the end game often becomes a struggle to place the lead;
and players frequently refuse to win tricks in order to avoid leading
away from tenaces, or to compel another player to lead up to them.
_=Underplay=_ is often resorted to by the Fourth Hand in suits in which
the Third Hand has shown weakness. For instance: A small card is led;
Third Hand playing the Ten, and Fourth Hand holding A Q J x. It is
a common artifice to win with the Queen, and return the small card.
When the original leader is underplayed in his own suit, he should
invariably put up his best card.
_=Finessing.=_ The expert may finesse much more freely than the
beginner. Having led from such a suit as K J x x and partner having
won with Ace and returned a small card, the Jack may be finessed with
strong trumps. If the adversaries lead trumps, and the Ace wins the
first round, a player holding the King second hand on the return, may
finesse by holding it up, trusting his partner for the trick.