This part of the game merits much more consideration than a cursory
knowledge of Bridge would suggest. The ordinary Bridge player is
confused by the many difficulties attendant on discarding, and his
cards are apt to be injudiciously thrown away. It would greatly
simplify the discard if you were always to throw away your lowest
card or to follow some other hard-and-fast rule; but, unfortunately,
the discard is so affected by the particular situation and by the
previous play as to preclude the possibility of establishing such a
rule. When you advise the beginner to throw away a high card instead
of a two spot, the situation appears to him hopeless; he fails to
realise that at times high cards have little value, and, to obtain
the lead, honours and even smaller cards must be properly protected.
When opposed to the dealer, it should be your aim both to protect
your hand and to give your partner information. As the eldest hand,
your opening lead indicates strength or weakness; any subsequent
discard is simply the card that you can best spare, and is not
intended to convey any definite information. As the original
leader, it is important that you know your partner’s suit, and this
information he should convey to you by a recognised system of
discarding decided on before beginning the game. Thus the discard
from the strength or from weakness refers only to the first card
thrown away by the younger hand.
There are three methods of discarding used by Bridge players, each
having the same object--to protect the hand and to give information.
1st. Strength both with a trump and at “no-trump.”
2d. Strength with a trump and weakness at “no-trump.”
3d. Weakness both with a trump and at “no-trump.”
Some merit may be claimed for each; but there is a wide difference of
opinion regarding the relative values of these discards. In Whist, as
well as in Bridge, there has always been more or less discussion on
this point. It can, however, be stated that the foremost authorities
on Whist have uniformly agreed that with strength declared against
you, the best discard is from your strong suit.