That the Information Afforded May Be of More Use to the Opponents Than to the Leader’s Partner
No doubt it may. But, under other whist conditions, experience tells us that it is advantageous, in the long run, to convey information of strength, notwithstanding its publication to the whole table. It is in the highest degree improbable that a player will be at a disadvantage by imparting too much information.
It should be borne in mind that American Leads, in their integrity, assume not merely an original lead, but the original lead of the hand,—the very first lead of all. When a player obtains the lead, for the first time, after one or more tricks have been played, he may open his strong suit in the same way as though he were the original leader. On the other hand, he may deem it advisable to open a weak suit; or to lead through a strong one, or up to a weak one; or, if great strength in trumps has been declared against him, may wish to conceal the fact that his best suit is only a very long one of small cards (see Hand IX, Tricks 6 and 7); or, if late in the hand, he may conclude that the time for precise exhibition of strength is past and gone (see Hand XIII, Tricks 8 and 9, and Hand XXIV, Tricks 5 and 6). These, however, are matters of judgment, for which no hard and fast rule can be laid down.
[For demonstrations of the working of American Leads, and for Illustrative Hands, see “Whist Developments,” by “Cavendish.” London: Thos. De La Rue and Co.]