The suit that is trumps is the most powerful suit of all. A two of trumps
will beat the ace of another suit. Consequently, it is of the utmost
importance that trumps be treated with the greatest respect. As a general
rule, the original leader with a strong numerical hand of trumps should
lead them, six or even five trumps being numerical strength, even though no
honour is held. If the original leader {206} hold six trumps, there are
only seven others against him; and if these be divided as they most
generally will be, viz. two each in two hands and three in one other, three
rounds of trumps will extract all the trumps except the three remaining in
the leader's hand; in which case three certain tricks are held by the
leader. If one player hold six trumps, it is probable that his partner
holds a long suit (not trumps); and if trumps be extracted, his partner may
make several tricks in this long suit. There is no fear of the adversaries
doing so, as the long suit would be trumped by the leader who held
originally five or six trumps. If, on the contrary, partner has no good
cards, a valuable score can hardly be made by any method of play.
Therefore, to lead trumps, if strong in them, is almost imperative,
although the leader may hold no winning card in any other suit. If the
partner only hold one trump, which will be discovered in the second round,
it is advisable to continue leading a trump in order to draw two of the
adversaries' trumps together, and thus to prevent them from making these
separately.
One of the great difficulties which players only partially acquainted with
the game experience, is when to trump or not to trump a doubtful card.
It has been laid down as a law not to trump a doubtful card if strong in
trumps, and many players will never trump a doubtful card if they hold only
four small trumps, as they seem to consider such a hand is strong.
It must be remembered that refusing to trump a doubtful card is in reality
declining to make certain of a trick, in exchange for a possibility that
one's partner may hold the winning card of the suit. If {207} the adversary
hold the winning card, then a trick has been actually lost by declining to
trump. How, then, can the loss of this trick be recovered? It may be
recovered if the player who refused to trump is able to extract the
adversaries' trumps, and bring in one or more cards of a long suit, a
proceeding which he would have been unable to accomplish had he trumped the
doubtful card. Also, the player who refused to trump may get rid of a
worthless card of some other suit, which he may then be able to trump
should the winning card of that suit be against him.
When, however, no card that is worthless can be thrown away, and when
strength in trumps has been indicated against him, a player can with
advantage trump a doubtful card, even though he hold four trumps, one of
which is an honour.
Another important item in connection with trumping a doubtful card is
whether one desires the lead, or does not wish for it. If the lead would be
disadvantageous, then the doubtful card should _not_ be trumped, and _vice
versa_.
When one's partner has either led or has called for trumps, then the
doubtful card should be trumped without hesitation, and the best trump led
to the partner's call or lead of trumps.
One very common and oft-repeated error of the bad player is to refuse to
trump a winning card merely because he holds four trumps with one honour.
He will refuse to trump more than once, and imagines he is playing a strong
winning game by discarding one or more worthless cards of a short suit,
which he believes he will be able to trump when this suit is led. {208}
With a hand of trumps not sufficiently strong to make certain of extracting
all the trumps and remaining with the lead, it is advisable to consider how
many tricks are likely to be won by the trumps in one's own hand. For
example, the trumps held are queen, nine, four, and two. It is not likely
that more than one trump will make a trick, and possibly not one. We have
the chance of trumping a doubtful card, and we refuse to make even one of
our trumps, and throw away a certain trick if our partner does not hold the
winning card of that suit. If our partner does hold the winning card of the
suit, he may not be obliged to play it on our trump; and it is no severe
loss to make one trump out of four, even if the partner does hold the
winning card.
It cannot be too strongly impressed on the young player that the great
object of Whist is to win tricks, and to refuse to win a trick when you can
do so is to accept a dangerous responsibility.