May 5, 18S2.] 



♦ KNOWLEDGE ♦ 



579 



<!^m ©Ilbi'st €oIumn. 



By " Five of Clubs." 



Play Second Hand (Tkumps). 



THE play second hand in tmmps differs in several respects from 

 the play in jtlain suits. This partly depends on the circnm- 

 Btance that the lead in trumps is yoniewlmt different, as we have 

 , from the lead in the other suits ; partly on the absence of risk 

 bom ruffing; and partly on the curd turned up. and its position 

 with respect to second jilayer. Then, also, the critical nature of 

 trnmp play has to be considered. When trumps are led, second 

 player knows that there is at least sufficient strength, either in the 

 leader's hand, or between the leader and his partner (if the latter 

 has signalled), to justify the expectation that between them they 

 may get out all the trumps held between second and fourth players, 

 and bring in a long suit. A defensive, or at any rate a waiting 

 game, has therefore generally to be played. 



The principal differences in detail, between trump and plain suit 

 play, second hand, are these ; — 



From Ace, King, and one or more small cards in trumps, it is 

 generally better to play a small card second hand, to give partner 

 a chance of making first trick. A small card is played for a similar 

 reason in trumps, from King, Queen, and more than one small one ; 

 if, however, you have the ten also, play it. From Ace, King, 

 Queen, and a small one, Queen is played in Trumps, as well as in 

 plain suits, because second player is so strong that he should play 

 a forward game. 



From Ace, Queen, ten, in trumps, ten is played, instead of Queen 

 as in plain suits. This gives partner a chance of making the trick ; 

 and should ho fail and third hand make it, on the return of the 

 fammp lead two tricks are certain. 



From Ace, Knave, ten, one or more small ones, the smallest is 

 played in plain suits, because the first player cannot hold bfith King 

 and Queen. But in trumps (see Leads) he may hold both these 

 cards, and it is therefore better to play the ten. 



From a honour and one small card, only play the honour if it is 

 important to stop the trump lead. If your partner has turned up 

 King or Ace, and you hold Qneen and a small one, you of cour.se 

 play the small one. 



Second Hand Second Round. 



In the second round of a suit it is nearly always best, if yon hold 

 {he winning card, to play it, unless, of course, you know third hand 

 to be very weak in the suit. When yonr adversaries' trumps are 

 exhausted it is sometimes better to pass the second round of a long 

 mit, if the third round is assured, and there is a fair chance of the 

 snit being established third round. In trumps second round, it is 

 often better to keep back the winning card if you have numerical 

 strength in trumps and a good plain suit. 



If in second round second hand holds second and third best cards, 

 he should, of course, play the third best. If you hold third best, and 

 have reason to believe your partner holds the best (and leader 

 second best) you may often with advantage play the third best, and 

 ■0 save yonr partner's best. If, however, yon are long in the 

 init, you very likely lose by this, for your partner's best card is 

 probably single, and so falls on a trick already won. 



Illu.'jtrative Game. 



Ace is usually played second hand on King ; but occasionally, 

 with Aco, Knave, and others, if yon are strong in trumps you may 

 pass the King, on the chance of making the tenace. It is, how- 

 erer, very seldom good play to do this. 



The following game illustrates the importance of clearing your 

 partner's snit when it is established, and yon hold the best cai'd 

 and but one small one. With two small ones, li, second round, 

 would not have been justified in taking his partner's trick. 



Kn, 



Cluhs—q, Kn, 7, 2. 

 Hearts — +, 3. 

 Spades — A, K 



6, 5. 

 Diamonds — A, K. 



Z. 

 Cluls—9, 6. 

 Hearts— 10, 7. 

 Spades— 10, 9, 8, 4 

 Diamonds— Q, Kn, 8, I 



0,3. 



JfoTB.— The underlined < 









♦ O 4- •!• •^^■i'i O O 



^ ^ 4. Ni. ' i^ 



<> O 4- + •J-^* O 



THE PLAY, 

 wins trick, and card below it lead* next 1 



REMARKS AND INFERENCES. 



1. Both }' and B begin to signal, 

 both with good reason, but ¥ with 

 the better, for he not only has four 

 trumps two honours, but an ex- 

 cellont hand outside trumps. 



2. A has led from Aco, Queen, 

 Knave, and two at least. l"s 

 signal is completed ; but B sees 

 his opportunity, takes tho trick, 

 (leaving his partner with the suit 

 establislicd), and leads the penul- 

 timate trump. A bad partner 

 would have saved his King 

 (knowing the Queen with A), and 

 lost the chance of making a great 

 game. 



4. B having five trumps, and 

 knowing Y cannot have leas than 

 four trumps two honours ( Y being 

 one who never signals without 

 good cause), knows that A's Club 

 3 cannot be the lowest of three 

 left in hand ; but it is the lowest 

 Club ; therefore A can have no 

 more. For if he had had two 

 he would have played the higher. 

 The inference happens to be of no 

 subsequent use to A, but it is well 

 to note it, aa inexperienced players 

 often lose by failing to notice just 

 such points as these. 1' makes a 

 similar inference, being sure that 

 B would not have led trumps, after 

 opponent's signal, from less than 

 five trumps, one honour. 1' should 

 have playe<:l the seven, on the 

 chance that ten may lie with Z. 

 As the cards lie, it would have 

 made no difference in the result. 



5. Having second and third best 

 trumps left, B leads tho second 

 best and draws Y'b Queen. Y does 

 well to take the trick, having no- 

 thing to gain from getting out more 

 trumps. 



6. Y, of course, resorts to hia 

 long snit ; but nnfortvmately, 



7. B has but one card of the 

 suit, and trumping the second 

 round (Z discards penultimate 

 diamond), 



8. Draws out the last of Y'a 

 trumps, 



9. Brings in his partner's long 

 suit, and 



10. 11, 12, 13, .4 B make five by 

 tricks. 



Score.— .4 B, ; Y Z, 0. 



W. F. — Would it not be apt to 

 perplex if Queen with two small 

 cards, or Knave with three small 

 cards, were said to be singly guarded ? Of course, Qnccn with 

 two guards is not much better guarded than King with one. (She 

 is a little better guarded, becau.se of the chance that if in first round 

 the trick falls to a small card, second round may draw Ace and 

 King together.) But that is met by keeping the expression " Queen 

 guarded," for Queen two small cards, " Knave guarded " for Knave, 

 three cards, and so on. A single card is a guard, though an im- 

 perfect one, for a Queen. 



H. W. — No ; certainly A cannot take hack the card first played, 

 unless it would have been a revoke. Not only so, but the card 

 which he threw down to replace the first can be called. If a player 

 having renounced finds, before the trick is turned and quitted, that 

 he has a card of the suit, he can take up the card played in error, 

 and follow suit ; but the card so played may be called. 



