Chapter VI: Introduction (5)

_=SCORING.=_ There are several methods of scoring at whist. The English game is 5 points, rubbers being always played. Besides the points scored for tricks, honours are counted; the games have a different value, according to the score of the adversaries; and the side winning the rubber adds two points to its score.

In scoring, the revoke penalty counts first, tricks next, and honours last.

_=The Revoke.=_ Should the adversaries detect and claim a revoke before the cards are cut for the following deal, they have the option of three penalties: 1st. To take three tricks from the revoking player, adding them to their own. 2nd. To deduct three points from his game score. 3rd. To add three points to their own game score. The penalty cannot be divided. A revoke may be corrected by the player making it before the trick in which it occurs has been turned and quitted. The card played in error must be left face up on the table, and must be played when demanded by the adversaries, unless it can be got rid of previously, in the course of play. In America, the revoke penalty is two tricks.

_=The Honours=_ are the four highest trumps, A, K, Q, and J; and _=after tricks have been scored=_, partners who held three honours between them are entitled to count two points towards game; four honours counting four points. If each side has two honours, neither can count them. It is not enough to score them; after the last card has been played, they must be claimed by word of mouth. If they are not claimed before the trump is turned for the following deal, they cannot be scored. Partners who, at the beginning of a deal, are at the score of four, cannot count honours; they must get the odd trick to win the game. Should one side be out by tricks, and the other by honours, the tricks win the game, the honours counting nothing.

_=Rubber Points.=_ At the conclusion of each game, the rubber points are scored, either with the oblong counters, or on the small keys of the whist-marker. If the winners of a game are five points to their adversaries’ nothing, they win a _=treble=_, and count three rubber points. If the adversaries have scored, but have one or two points only, the winners mark two points, for a _=double=_. If the adversaries have reached three or four, the winners mark one, for a _=single=_. The rubber points having been marked, all other scores are turned down. The side winning the rubber adds two points to its score for so doing. The value of the rubber is determined by deducting from the score of the winners any rubber points that may have been made by their adversaries. The smallest rubber possible to win is one point; the winners having scored two singles and the rubber, equal to four; from which they have to deduct a triple made by their adversaries. The largest rubber possible is eight points, called a _=bumper=_, the winners having scored two triples and the rubber, to their adversaries’ nothing.

It is sometimes important to observe the order of precedence in scoring. For instance: if, at the beginning of a hand, A-B have three points to Y-Z’s nothing, and A-B make two by honours, Y-Z winning three by cards, Y-Z mark first; so that A-B win only a _=single=_, instead of a _=treble=_. On the contrary, should A-B make two by cards, Y-Z claiming four by honours, A-B win a treble; as their tricks put them out before it is Y-Z’s turn to count.

In America, where rubbers are played without counting honours, it is not usual to reckon rubber points; but simply to add some agreed value to the score of those winning the odd game.

Where single games are played, whether 5, 7, or 10 points, some persons consider the game as finished when the agreed number of points is reached. Others play the last hand out, and count all the tricks made; so that if two partners were at the score of 6 in a 7-point game, and made five by cards, they would win a game of 11 points. When this is done, it is usual to deduct the score of the losers from the total, and to call the remainder the value of the game. In the American Whist League, the rule is to stop at seven points, and to determine the value of the game by deducting the loser’s score from seven.

When long sittings occur without change of partners or adversaries, it is a common practice to count the tricks continuously, and on the conclusion of the play, to deduct the lower score from the higher, the winners being credited with the difference.

_=CUTTING OUT.=_ If rubbers are played, there is no change of partners, or of rotation in the deal, until one side has won two games, which ends the rubber. If the first two games are won by the same partners, the third is not played. If more than four players belong to the table, those who have just played cut to decide which shall give place to those waiting; those cutting the highest cards going out. If six belong to the table, there will be no further cutting out; as those who are out for one rubber re-enter for the next, taking the places of those who have played two consecutive rubbers. If five belong to the table, the three who remained in for the second rubber must cut to allow the fifth player to re-enter. At the end of the third rubber, the two cut that have not yet been out; and at the end of the fourth rubber, the one who has played every rubber goes out without cutting. After this, it is usual to spread the cards, and to form the table anew. In all the foregoing instances, partners and deal must be cut for, after the cut has decided which are to play.

_=MARKING.=_ There are various methods of using the counters. At the beginning of the game they may be placed at the left hand, and transferred to the right as the points accrue. Another method is to stack the four circular counters one upon the other at the beginning of the game, and to count a point by placing one of them beside the others; two points by placing another upon the first; three points by placing a third beyond these two, and four points by placing them all in line.

In the seven point game, the score is continued by placing one counter above, and to the right or left of the other three, to indicate five points; and above and between them to indicate six.

When counters are not used, one of the standard forms of whist-marker is employed, the most legible and convenient being the “Foster Whist Marker,” in which the counting keys are always level with the surface and can be seen equally well from any position at the table.

The four large keys on one side are used to count single points, the single large key on the opposite side being reckoned as five. The three small keys are used for counting rubber points, or games.

In ten point games, the scoring to four points is the same; but beyond four, a single counter placed _=below=_ two or more others, is reckoned as three; and _=above=_ two or more others, as five.

When proper markers are not obtainable, many persons cut eight slits in a visiting card, and turn up the points.

Whatever the apparatus employed, it should be such that every player at the table can distinctly see the state of the score without drawing attention to it.

_=METHODS OF CHEATING.=_ Whist offers very few opportunities to the card-sharper. When honours are counted, he may be able to keep one on the bottom of the pack until the completion of the deal by _=making the pass=_ after the cards have been cut. A _=greek=_ who possessed sufficient skill to do this without detection would be very foolish to waste his talents at the whist table; for, however large the stakes, the percentage in his favour would be very small.

When whist is played with only one pack, a very skillful shuffler may gather the cards without disturbing the tricks, and, by giving them a single _=intricate=_ shuffle, then drawing the middle of the pack from between the ends and giving another single intricate shuffle, he may occasionally succeed in dealing himself and his partner a very strong hand in trumps, no matter how the cards are cut, so that they are not shuffled again. A hand dealt in this manner is framed on the walls of the Columbus, Ohio, Whist Club; eleven trumps having been dealt to the partner, and the twelfth turned up. In this case the shuffling dexterity was the result of fifteen years’ practice, and was employed simply for amusement, the dealer never betting on any game, and making no concealment of his methods.

_=SUGGESTIONS FOR GOOD PLAY.=_ Although whist is a game of very simple construction, the immense variety of combinations which it affords renders it very complicated in actual practice; there being probably no game in which there is so much diversity of opinion as to the best play, even with the same cards, and under similar conditions. It has been repeatedly remarked that in all the published hands at whist which have been played in duplicate, or even four times over, with the same cards, no two have been alike.

It would be useless to formulate rules intended to cover every case that might arise, because the conditions are frequently too complicated to allow the average human intellect to select the exact rule which would apply. All that can be done to assist the beginner is to state certain general principles which are well recognised as fundamental, and to leave the rest to experience and practice at the whist table.

_=GENERAL PRINCIPLES.=_ Nothing obstructs the progress of the beginner so much as his attempts to cover all the ground at once. The more ambitious he is, the greater his necessity for keeping in view the maxim; “One thing at a time: all things in succession.” One must master the scales before he can produce the perfect melody.

The novice should first thoroughly understand the object, and the fundamental principle of the game.

_=The Object=_ is to win tricks. Not to give information, or to count the hands, or to remember every card played; but simply and only to win tricks.

_=The Principle=_ is to secure for certain cards a trick-taking value which does not naturally belong to them; either by getting higher cards out of the way of lower, or by placing the holder of intermediate cards at a disadvantage with regard to the lead.

If any person will take the trouble to deal out four hands, and after turning them face up on the table, count how many tricks each side will probably take with its high cards and trumps, he will find that the total will hardly ever be exactly thirteen tricks. Let us suppose the following to be one of the hands so dealt; Z turning up the ♡6 for trumps:--

♡Q J 8
♣6
♢K J 6 5 3
♠A 9 8 6
♡4 3 2 +-------+ ♡A K 10 5
♣A K Q 8 7 4 3 | Y | ♣J 9
♢7 |A B| ♢A 8 4
♠Q 7 | Z | ♠K 5 4 2
+-------+
♡9 7 6
♣10 5 2
♢Q 10 9 2
♠J 10 3
]

On looking over this hand it would appear that A could only make one trick in Clubs, of which the second round would be trumped. His partner can count on five tricks: the two best and the fourth trumps; the ♢A, and the ♠K; a total of six tricks. On counting the adversaries’ probable tricks, Y should make one of his three trumps, and the ♠A. Diamonds will not go round twice without being trumped, so we cannot count on his ♢K. We cannot see any sure tricks for Z. Where are the five other tricks necessary to bring our total up to thirteen? They must be there, for there are thirteen tricks taken in every hand played.

If we play over the hand, we shall find that A-B may make six, seven, nine, or ten tricks, according to their good management, and the good or bad play of their adversaries. In _=Foster’s Whist Tactics=_, Illustrative Hand No. 13, may be found the various ideas of sixteen of the best players in the American Whist League with regard to the proper management of this hand. They played it in four different ways, and with very different results in the score.

This must show that the accidental distribution of the Aces, Kings, and trumps is not everything in whist, and that there must be ways and means of securing tricks which do not appear on the surface.

There are four ways of taking tricks at whist:

1st. By playing high cards, the suit of which the others must follow. This A does, in the example, on the first round of the Club suit.

2nd. By playing low cards, after the higher ones have been exhausted, and the adverse trumps are out of the way. This Y will do with his Diamonds, or A with his Clubs, according to circumstances.

3rd. By trumping winning cards played by the adversaries. This Y will do if Clubs are led a second time, or A will do if Diamonds are led twice.

4th. By being able to take tricks with cards which are not the best of the suit, the player who holds better cards having already played smaller. This B will do with the ♡10 if A leads trumps, and Y does not play either Q or J. If B leads trumps he will lose this advantage.

These four methods of winning tricks suggest four systems of play, which are those in common use by experts at the present day:

1st. Playing high cards to the best advantage, so as to secure the best results from such combinations as may be held. This is the basis of all _=systems of leading=_.

2nd. Leading from the longest suit, in order that higher cards may be forced out of the way of smaller ones, leaving the smaller ones “established,” or good for tricks after the adverse trumps are exhausted. This is called the _=long-suit game=_.

3rd. Trumping good cards played by the adversaries. This is called _=ruffing=_. When two partners each trump a different suit, it is called a _=cross-ruff=_, or _=saw=_.

4th. Taking advantage of the _=tenace=_ possibilities of the hand by 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.

🂡 🂮 🂭 🂫 | 🂱 🂾 🂻 🂷
🃁 🃎 🃍 🃆 | 🃑 🃞 🃔 🃓
]

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.

🂮 🂭 🂫 🂪 | 🂾 🂽 🂺 🂸
🃎 🃍 🃋 🃄 | 🃞 🃝 🃗 🃖
]

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.

🂮 🂭 🂫 🂪 🂤 | 🃎 🃍 🃋 🃄 🃃
]

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.

🂭 🂫 🂪 🂦 🂥
]

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.

🂾 🂻 🂺 🂵
]

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.

🂱 🂷 🂶 🂴 🂲 | 🃑 🃝 🃛 🃖
]

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:--

🃞 🃛 🃘 🃔 🃓 | 🃑 🃝 🃚 🃔
🂽 🂻 🂶 🂴 🂲 | 🂱 🂻 🂺 🂴
]

🂫 🂪 🂩 🂤 🂢 | 🂮 🂨 🂧 🂤
🃊 🃉 🃈 🃄 🃃 | 🃍 🃆 🃅 🃄
]

_=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:--

🃝 🃛 🃖 | 🃊 🃉 🃄
🃋 🃊 🃅 | 🃙 🃘 🃔
🂫 🂥 🂣 | 🂷 🂶 🂴
]

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:--

🂡 🂮 🂭 🂫 | 🂱 🂾 🂻 🂷
🃁 🃎 🃍 🃆 | 🃑 🃞 🃔 🃓
]

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:--

🃎 🃍 🃋 🃊 | 🃞 🃝 🃛 🃖
]

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:--

🂾 🂽 🂻 🂷 🂶
]

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:--

🃍 🃋 🃊 🃄 🃃
]

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:--

🃑 🃝 🃛 🃖 | 🂡 🂭 🂫 🂦 🂥
]

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:--

🂡 🂭 🂧 🂤 🂢 | 🂾 🂽 🂺 🂴
🃁 🃋 🃉 🃄 🃃 | 🂮 🂭 🂧 🂤
🃑 🃙 🃘 🃔 🃓 | 🃎 🃋 🃊 🃄
]

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.

_=High Cards Led.=_ When a card higher than a Ten is led on the first 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:--

🂡 🂮 🂭 🂫 | 🂾 🂽 🂻 🂸
🂱 🂾 🂽 🂳 | 🃞 🃝 🃘 🃔
🃑 🃞 🃕 🃒 | 🃎 🃋 🃊 🃅
🃁 🃍 🃋 🃂 | 🂭 🂫 🂪 🂣
]

The beginner must be careful with these:--

🂡 🂮 🂫 🂢 | 🃎 🃍 🃊 🃆
]

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.

🃑 🃝 🃘 🃔 🃓 | 🂡 🂩 🂨 🂧 🂤
]

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:--

🂽 🂻 🂷 | 🂻 🂺 🂵
]

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.