The dealer wins nine tricks.
NOTES ON ILLUSTRATIVE HAND NO. 3
Trick 1.—A opens his fourth best heart, as his hand is strong, and he wishes his partner to return that suit.
The Dealer.—As the longest suit in the two hands is diamonds, the dealer takes the first trick with the A of hearts, so that he may be able, if necessary, to put the dummy hand in the lead; also so that the adversaries may not know the cards he holds in the heart suit.
Trick 2.—A refuses to part with the commanding card of the diamond suit.
Trick 3.—The dealer takes the lead in the dummy hand in order to establish his diamond suit.
Trick 4.—As the dealer has now no diamonds, it is useless to hold up any longer.
Trick 6.—If A leads either clubs or spades he must lose a trick; his best play is to continue with the heart suit.
ILLUSTRATIVE HAND NO. 3
Making a Re-entry Card for Dummy's Long Suit.
The score is 24 to 0 against the dealer on the rubber game. The dealer, Z, makes it no-trump and A leads for the first trick.
The dealer wins ten tricks.
NOTES ON ILLUSTRATIVE HAND NO. 4
Trick 2.—As the adversaries must take one trick in the spade suit, the dealer allows them to win the first trick, in order to take the third round with the A, the A being the only re-entry card in the dummy.
Trick 3.—A continues with his long suit. The dealer, hoping that the A of diamonds is in B's hand, refuses to give up the commanding card.
Trick 5.—The dealer, so that the suit will not be blocked, leads the K of spades.
Trick 6.—The diamond discard loses a trick.
Trick 9.—The dealer, holding the A of clubs for re-entry, now clears the diamond suit.
ILLUSTRATIVE HAND NO. 4
Saving a Re-entry Card for the Dummy's Long Suit.
The score is love-all, rubber game. The dealer, Z, makes it no-trump, and A leads for the first trick.
The dealer wins ten tricks.
Notes on Illustrative Hand No. 5
Trick 1.—A opens his longest suit with the fourth best card.
Trick 2.—B returns his partner's lead.
Trick 3.—A continues with his suit in order to establish it, as he holds the K of diamonds and the Q of clubs for re-entry.
Trick 4.—The dealer has the choice of three suits, the spades, clubs, and diamonds being of equal length. If he leads a spade he takes away the re-entry card for the dummy's club suit. If he takes the lead in the dummy and attempts to catch the K of diamonds by leading the Q up to the A, he gives A an opportunity of making his two hearts and of saving the game. In order to win three by-cards and the game, he must prevent A from getting the lead; he therefore leads the club and allows B to win the trick.
Trick 5.—The dealer must play the A of diamonds; for if the clubs fall evenly the rest of the tricks are his.
ILLUSTRATIVE HAND NO. 5
Keeping the Hand Holding an Established Suit from Getting into the Lead.
The score is 24 to 0 against the dealer, Z, who makes it no-trump. A leads for the first trick.
The dealer wins ten tricks.
Notes on Illustrative Hand No. 6
Trick 1.—A leads from his only four-card suit. The dealer plays the ace second in hand in order to trump his losing diamond.
Trick 2.—The dealer false-cards so that the adversaries will not know that he holds the queen.
Trick 3.—As A led the deuce of diamonds, showing but four cards in the suit, the dealer knows that B has one more diamond. He therefore, before leading trumps, allows dummy to trump a losing card.
Tricks 4, 5, and 6.—The dealer now proceeds to lead trumps, and, as he has no strength in clubs in his own hand, he throws away clubs from the dummy hand.
Trick 7.—Holding but six spades in the two hands, the dealer tries to force discards of spades.
Trick 8.—Forcing another discard with the best diamond.
Tricks 9, 10, and 11.—The spades fall, leaving dummy with the best spade and the ace of clubs as re-entry.
ILLUSTRATIVE HAND NO. 6
Allowing the Weaker of the Two Hands to "Ruff" before Leading Trumps.
The score is love-all. The dealer, Z, makes it hearts, having four honours in one hand. A leads to the first trick.
The dealer makes a grand slam.
Notes on Illustrative Hand No. 7
Trick 1.—The scheme which the dealer must adopt for the play of the two hands is to exhaust trumps and to establish the club suit. Holding the A, Q, and J of diamonds, in order to catch the K, the lead must come from the dummy; and so that he may lead up to his tenace in trumps, the dealer trumps the Q of hearts.
Trick 2.—As the finesse succeeds the dealer must place the lead in dummy so that he may again lead through the K of diamonds.
Trick 3.—The dealer holds too many clubs, so must use the A of spades to get the lead in dummy, even though it clears the spade suit for the adversaries.
Tricks 4 and 5.—The trumps fall evenly, leaving the dealer with the last trump.
Trick 6.—The K of clubs, being guarded, must make.
ILLUSTRATIVE HAND NO. 7
Trumping Your Own Trick to get the Lead into the Right Hand.
The score is 18 to 0 in favour of the dealer, Z, who has a game in and makes it diamonds, having four honours.
The dealer makes a little slam.
Notes on Illustrative Hand No. 8
Trick 1.—By playing the king of spades second in hand, the dealer hopes to win two tricks in that suit.
Trick 2.—As the adversaries must make one trick in the club suit, Z tries to place the lead in A's hand so that the queen of spades may be led up to.
The eight of clubs is a clever play. If the king were led, A would know positively that Z held the ace.
Trick 3.—The leader has but little information to guide him in his next play. He does not dare to lead the hearts, as it may establish that suit against him; the lead of the queen of clubs is tempting; but judging from the development of the hand the ace of spades is probably his best play.
ILLUSTRATIVE HAND NO. 8
Throwing the Lead and Refusing to take First Trick in Long Suit.
The score is 22 to 0 against the dealer, Z, who makes it no-trump. A leads for the first trick.
The dealer wins eleven tricks.
Notes on Illustrative Hand No. 9
Trick 1.—The correct second in hand play of this combination is the queen, hoping to win two tricks in the suit. Z, in order to win three by-cards and the rubber, must take a finesse in spades; and so not only refuses to play the queen second in hand, but will not take the trick fourth in hand. His object is to wait until B's last heart has been played.
Trick 2.—If B starts the diamond suit, the dealer cannot make more than the odd trick; but the situation looks as if A holds both ace and king of hearts.
Trick 3.—A, having a possible re-entry card, must establish his suit.
Trick 4.—Z leads the club suit in order to force discards, and arranges the lead so that his tenace in spades may be led up to.
Trick 9.—Z cannot afford to let A get the lead.
ILLUSTRATIVE HAND NO. 9
Refusing to Win Either the First or the Second Round of the Adversaries' Suit.
It is the rubber game. Score 24 to 0 against the dealer. Z, the dealer, makes it no-trump, and A leads for the first trick.
The dealer wins ten tricks.
Notes on Illustrative Hand No. 10
Trick 1.—As A may have both king and queen of diamonds, Z passes the first trick, hoping to win with his ten.
Trick 2.—Many players would lead the club suit because of dummy's weakness; but in the original play of this hand B led the queen of hearts.
Trick 3.—Z starts the spade suit and finds the queen is guarded in A's hand.
Trick 4.—In order to prevent the queen of spades from winning, Z must get the lead in his own hand. If he takes the finesse in clubs and it loses, the adversaries must make the entire heart suit. The finesse can win onlyonetrick, and it might lose five or six tricks.
Trick 5—To catch the queen of spades is now easy.
Trick 7—- A clever play to get the lead and to play through the king of diamonds.
ILLUSTRATIVE HAND NO. 10
Leading Through.
The score is love-all. The dealer, Z, passes the make. Y declares no-trump. A leads for the first trick.
The dealer makes a little slam.
Notes on Illustrative Hand No. 11
Trick 1.—A leads from his long suit, and Z wins the trick with the singleton ace.
Trick 2.—The dealer, having eight clubs and eight spades in the two hands, has now a choice of suits. The king of spadesmustmake against him while he has a finesse in the club suit. If he leads the clubs first he is compelled to guess in which hand to take the finesse; he therefore leads the spade, hoping by establishing that suit to force discards and find out where the two queens are.
Trick 3.—B might make it more difficult for A by not playing the king of spades.
Tricks 5, 6, 7, and 8.—A's two discards of clubs show that the queen is not in his hand, while B's heart discard indicates that he does not hold the queen of hearts. The queen of hearts is also marked in A's hand by the fact that he is discarding his winning diamonds and protecting hearts.
ILLUSTRATIVE HAND NO. 11
Choice of Suits.—Watching the Adversaries' Discards.
The score is love-all. The dealer, Z, makes it no-trump, and A leads for the first trick.