These two all-important principles have already been mentioned as causing differences in the play. The commonest form in which the former is presented to us is this: at the score of Love-all five tricks save the game against two by honours. It is often right, therefore, when two by honours have been declared against you, to go for the fifth trick by leading off a winning card, or by putting one on second or third hand.
To explain further what is meant by playing to the score, put yourself in this situation. Four trumps remain in, the adversaries have two winning trumps, it being uncertain whether they are in one hand or divided; you have the two losing trumps, two forcing cards, and the lead; you can only play correctly by referring to the score. Thus, if the adversary is at four, and you have won five, or even six tricks, your game would be to secure two tricks by forcing; for if you play a trump and the two against you are in the same hand, you lose the game. But suppose you are at the point of two, and the adversaries are not at four, and you have won six tricks, your game would be to risk the trump; for if you bring down the othertrumps you win the game; but by playing to force you make certain of scoring only four. By applying this mode of reasoning you will often be directed as to a finesse late in a hand. (Further illustrations of playing to the score occur in the hands.)
For simple examples of drawing inferences at the time of the fall of the cards take the following:—1. You lead a small card from ace, knave, &c.; your partner wins with the queen; you shouldimmediately(i.e., before another card is led) infer that the king cannot be with your right-hand adversary. Hence, on the return of the suit, you would not finesse the knave. 2. You are second player, and a suit is led in which you have king, ten, and one small one. You play the small one. The third hand plays the queen, which is won with the ace. You shouldat onceinfer that the third hand cannot have the knave, and that you may safely finesse the ten next round.
You will greatly assist your memory by systematically recording inferences in the above manner. In addition to this you should apply your knowledge of the principles to noting important points, not attempting too much at first. Begin by counting the trumps as they fall, and notice, at all events, the honours, and remember the turn-up card. By degrees you will find yourself able to recollect the ten and nine, and then the smaller trumps. Next attend to the suit led originally by each player, and watch in the second round whether the lead was from strength or weakness. Try also to remember the fall of the cards in your own strong suit, that you may know when itis established. Beyond this, experience will enable you to judge what to retain and what to reject in each hand; so that, with practice, you will acquire what may be termedwhist memorywhich will enable you, without any great effort, to recollect the principal features of every hand.
The fall of the cards may, one time or another, modify nearly every rule of play. A player who simply follows rule, and fails to grasp the situations in which rule should be departed from, is a mere machine without intelligence. General principles only apply to the general case; to apply them to particular cases, observation, inference, and judgment are essential. Thus, in the Analysis of Leads, it appears that the card which should be led in trumps often differs from the card which should be led in plain suits. The reason is given at p.119. But it will be clear to any one who reads between the lines, that plain suits should be led like trumps, if all the remaining trumps are in the leader's or his partner's hands; or, if all the trumps are out, and the leader or his partner has certain cards of re-entry in other suits.
As another example, take the case of returned leads. A leads a small card; the second hand plays a small card; B (third hand) puts on the eight; the fourth hand wins with the queen. When B gets the lead he returns the knave. It is evident that B must have the ten and the nine. Here two principles appear to conflict. One rule is, with four originally return the smallest; the other rule is convey information to your partner. When a player has thus to choose betweentwo rules, he must use his intelligence, in order to decide under which rule his greater advantage lies. In the example given, the return of the knave cannot deceive partner as to the number of cards held in the suit; if he takes the trouble to think, he will at once perceive that the rule as to returned leads has been departed from, in order to convey information.
The three following Examples further illustrate cases where playing to the board is involved.
A 9♣, 4♣, 3♣, 2♣Y A♣, Qn♣, Knv♣, 5♣B 8♠, Kg♣, 8♣, 7♣Z 9♠, 7♠, 6♣,9♦
A 9♣, 4♣, 3♣, 2♣Y A♣, Qn♣, Knv♣, 5♣B 8♠, Kg♣, 8♣, 7♣Z 9♠, 7♠, 6♣,9♦
A 9♣, 4♣, 3♣, 2♣Y A♣, Qn♣, Knv♣, 5♣B 8♠, Kg♣, 8♣, 7♣Z 9♠, 7♠, 6♣,9♦
Score: AB, three; YZ, four. Spades trumps.
AB have six tricks and have played two by honours.It is known from the fall of the cards that A has no trump; also that Z has the long diamond. A to lead.
The Play and Remarks.—A leads a small club. Y puts on the ace second hand. In order to save (and win) the game, Y and his partner must win every trick (see statement of score and of fall of the cards). Y sees that to do this Z must have two of the three remaining trumps. This being so, Z can have but one club, and Y therefore puts on the ace of clubs second hand.
For other illustrationsseeHands VIII and XV.
A Qn♠, 8♠,2♥Y 7♠,7♥,10♦B 9♠,Knv♦,7♦Z Knv♠, 10♠, 3♠
A Qn♠, 8♠,2♥Y 7♠,7♥,10♦B 9♠,Knv♦,7♦Z Knv♠, 10♠, 3♠
A Qn♠, 8♠,2♥Y 7♠,7♥,10♦B 9♠,Knv♦,7♦Z Knv♠, 10♠, 3♠
Score: AB want two tricks to save the game. Hearts trumps. A to lead.
A knows Y to have the best heart; also B to have the best diamond and weak spades.
The Play and Remarks.—A leads the queen of spades, and then the losing trump. A takes the only chance of winning two tricks. To accomplish this Y must hold one spade and one diamond, as will appear by placing the unknown cards in any other way. A therefore plays on the assumption that Y holds a spade and a diamond in addition to the trump which is declared in his hand.
For another illustration of leading a losing trump to place the leadseeHand XXXV.
It is the duty of a player to make the game as easy to his partner as he can. The play often depends on the sort of partner. For example:—you lead the ten from king, queen, knave, ten, only, or from king, knave, ten, &c. Suppose the lead to be from the former combination, and that your ten forces the ace from the fourth hand. You obtain the lead again. The proper lead now is the queen. (SeeAnalysis of Leads, p.67). But, with an indifferent partner, the better lead is the king, as he may not have drawn the correct inference from the first lead, and knowing the queen is not the best, he may trump it.
However good your partner may be, you should not put him into unnecessary difficulties. For example:—
B Knv♣,Knv♦,10♦,4♦Z 6♠, 7♣,5♦,2♦A Qn♠, 10♠,Knv♥,7♥Y Knv♠, 3♠,Kg♥,9♥
B Knv♣,Knv♦,10♦,4♦Z 6♠, 7♣,5♦,2♦A Qn♠, 10♠,Knv♥,7♥Y Knv♠, 3♠,Kg♥,9♥
B Knv♣,Knv♦,10♦,4♦Z 6♠, 7♣,5♦,2♦A Qn♠, 10♠,Knv♥,7♥Y Knv♠, 3♠,Kg♥,9♥
Spades trumps. Y can count two hearts, and queen, ten of spades in A's hand, and a small spade in Z's hand. A to lead.
The Play and Remarks.—A leads the seven of hearts. Y should put on the king, though certain of being able to win with the nine. For, if Y wins with the nine, he compels Z to play a coup, viz., to trump the best heart, in order to get the lead through the queen, ten of spades; but, if Y wins with the king and leads the losing heart, it requires no ingenuity on Z's part to trump it.