2095. Second Hand

1. Having ace, king, and small ones, play a small card, if strong in tramps, but the king if weak in them; for, otherwise, your ace or king might be trumped, in the latter case, and no hazards should be run with few trumps but in critical cases.

2. Having ace, queen, and small cards, play a small one, for, upon the return of that suit, you will, probably, make two tricks.

3. Having ace, knave, and small sards, play a small one, for, upon the return of that suit, you will, perhaps, make two tricks.

4. Having ace, ten, or nine, with small cards, play a small one, for, by this method, you have a chance of making two tricks in the suit.

5. Having king, queen, ten and small cards, play the queen; for, by playing the ten upon the return of the suit, you will probably, make two tricks in it.

6. Having king, queen, and small cards, play a small card if strong in trumps, but the queen if weak in them; for strength in trumps warrants playing a backward game, and it is always advantageous to keep back your adversary's suit.

7. If you hold a sequence to your highest card in the suit, play the lowest of it, for, by this means, your partner will be informed of your strength.

8. Having queen, knave, and small ones, play the knave, because you will, probably, secure a trick.

9. Having queen, ten, and small ones, play a small one, for you partner has an equal chance to win.

10. Having either ace, king, queen, or knave, with small cards, play a small one, for your partner has an equal chance to win the trick.

11. Having either ace, king, queen, or knave, with one small card only, play the small one, for, otherwise, your adversary will finesse upon you.

12. If a queen be led, and you hold the king, put that on, for if your partner hold the ace, you do no harm; and, if the king be taken the adversaries have played two honours to one.

14. If a king be led, and you hold ace, knave, and small ones, play the ace, for it cannot do the adversay a greater injury.

2096. Third Hand

1. Having ace and king, play the ace and return the king, because you should not keep the command of your partner's strong suit.

2. Having ace and queen, play the ace, and return the queen; for, although it may prove better in some cases to put on the queen, yet, in general, your partner is best supported by this method.

3. Having ace and knave, play the ace and return the knave, in order to strengthen your partner's hand.

4. Having king and knave, play the king; and, if it win, return the knave, for the reason in No. 3.

5. Always play the best when your partner plays a small card, as it best supports your partner.

(5. If you hold the ace and one small card only, and your partner lead the king, put on the ace, and return the small one; for, otherwise, your ace will be an obstruction to his suit.

7. If you hold the king and one small card only, and your partner lead the ace, if the trumps be out, play the king: for, by putting on the king there will be no obstruction to the suit.