Hand XXII
Returned lead, and refusing a force.
The Play
Remark (Trick 2).—B has the five of spades, and Y the king. A, therefore, does not continue the trump, but leaves the small spade in his partner’s hand.
Remark (Trick 9).—A knows B has two more clubs (see Tricks 7 and 8, and p. 106). A, therefore, desires to leave the lead with Y, that he may go on with another club, and so clear B’s suit.
Remark (Trick 11).—A leads his smallest heart, as he does not want to tempt B to finesse (see p. 142). B has ace, queen of hearts (see his hand below), but he does not finesse, as the ace of hearts, last club, and A’s trump make every trick.
AB win four by cards.
The Hands
(A’s hand is given above.)
| Y’s Hand. | B’s Hand. | Z’s Hand. | |||
| Kg, 8, 3 | ♠ | Qn, 7, 5 | ♠ | Knv, 6 | ♠ |
| 8, 5, 4 | ♥ | Ace, Qn | ♥ | Kg, Knv, 9, 7, 2 | ♥ |
| Ace, Kg, Qn | ♣ | 10, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2 | ♣ | Knv, 8, 7 | ♣ |
| Knv, 9, 6, 3 | ♦ | Kg, 10 | ♦ | 5, 4, 2 | ♦ |
Y should play queen of clubs at Trick 7, and ace of clubs at Trick 9, when A will not have sufficient materials for his coup, as he will be uncertain as to the position of the best club. Y gives his adversary too much information by playing book (see p. 113). When the adversaries have command of trumps, it is often advisable, towards the end of a hand, to play so as not to enable them to count the cards.