2097. Fourth Hand

I. If a king be led, and you hold ace, knave, and a small card, play the small one; for, supposing the queen to follow, you probably make both ace and knave.

2. When the third hand is weak in his partner's lead, you may often return that suit to great advantage; but this rule must not be applied to trumps, unless you are very strong indeed.

2098. Cases In Which You Should Return Your Partner's Lead Immediately

1. When you win with the ace and can return an honour, for that will greatly strengthen his hand.

2. When he leads a trump, in which case, return the best remaining in your hand, (unless you held four originally), except the lead be through an honour.

3. When your partner has trumped out; for then it is evident he wants to make his great suit.

4. When, you have no good card in any other suit; for then you entirely depend on your own partner.

2099. Cases In Which You Should Not Return Your Partner's Lead Immediately

1. If you win with the king, queen, or knave, and have only small cards left; for the return of a small card will more distress than strengthen your partner.

2. If you hold a good sequence; for then you may show a strong suit, and not injure his hand.

3. If you have a strong suit; because leading from a strong suit directs your partner, and cannot injure him.

4. If you have a good hand; for in this case you ought to consult you* own hand.

5. If you hold five trumps; for then you are warranted to play trumps, if you think it right.

2100. Leading Trumps

1. Lead trumps from a strong hand, but never from a weak one, by which means you will secure your good cards from being trumped.

2. Trump not out with a bad hand, although you hold five small trumps; for, since your cards are bad, it is only trumping for the adversaries' good ones.

3. Having ace, king, knave, and three small trumps, play ace and king; for the probability of the queen's falling is in your favour.

4. Having ace, king, knave, and one or two small trumps, play the king, and wait the return from your partner to put on the knave, in order to win the queen; but if you particularly wish the trumps out, play two rounds, and then your strong suit.

5. Having ace, king, and two or three small trumps, lead a small one; this is to let your partner win the first trick; but, if you have good reason for getting out the trumps, play three rounds, or play ace and king, and then proceed with your strong suit.

6. If your adversaries be eight, and you do do not hold an honour, throw off your best trump, for, if your partner has not two honours, you have lost the game; and, if he holds two honours, it is most advantageous to lead a trump.

7. Having ace, queen, knave, and small trumps, play the knave; for, by this means, the king only can make against you.

8. Having ace, queen, ten, and one or two small trumps, lead a small one, for it will give your partner a chance to win the trick, and keep the command in your own hand.

9. Having king, queen, ten, and small trumps, lead the king; for if the king be lost, upon the return of trumps, you may finesse the ten.

10. Having king, knave, ten, and small ones, lead the knave, because it will prevent the adversaries from making a small trump.

11. Having queen, knave, nine, and small trumps, lead the queen; for, if your partner hold the ace, you have a good chance of making the whole suit.

12. Having queen, knave, and two or three small trumps, lead the queen, for the reason in No. 11.

13. Having knave, ten, eight, and small trumps, lead the knave; for, on the return of trumps, you probably, may finesse the eight to advantage.

14. Having knave, ten, eight, and three small trumps, lead the knave, because it will most distress your adversaries, unless two honours are held on your right hand; the odds against which are about three to one.

15. Having only small trumps, play the highest; by which you will support your partner all you can.

16. Having a sequence, begin with the highest; by this means, your partner is best instructed how to play his hand, and cannot possibly be injured.

17. If any honour be turned up on your left, and the game much against you, lead a trump the first opportunity; for, your game being desperately bad, this method is the most likely to retrieve it.

13. In all other cases it is dangerous leading through an honour, unless you be strong in trumps, or have a good hand; because all the advantage of trumping through an honour lies in your partner's finessing.

19. Supposing it hereafter proper to lead trumps, when an honour is turned up on your left, you, holding only one honour with a small trump, play the honour and next the small one; because It will greatly strengthen your partner's hand, and cannot hurt your own.

20. If an honour be turned up on the left, and you hold a sequence, lead the highest of it, because it will prevent the last hand from injuring your partner.

21. If a queen be turned up on the left, and you hold ace, king, and a small one, lead the small trump, because you will have a chance of getting the queen.

22. If a queen be turned up on the left, and you hold a knave, with small ones, lead the knave; for the knave cannot be of service, as the queen is on your left.

23. If an honour be turned up by your partner, and you strong in trumps, lead a small one; but if weak in them, lead the best you have; by this play the weakest hand will support the strongest.

24. If an ace be turned up on the right, you holding king, queen, and knave, lead the knave; a secure lead.

25. If an ace be turned up on the right, and you hold king, queen, and ten, lead the king, and upon the return of trumps play the ten; for, by this means, you show a great strength to your partner, and will, probably make two tricks in them.

26. If a king be turned up on the right, and you hold queen, knave, and nine, lead knave, and, upon the return of trumps, play the nine, because it may prevent the ten from making.

27. If a king be turned up on your right, and you hold knave, ten and nine, lead the nine, and, upon the return of trumps play the ten; because this method will best disclose your strength in trumps.

28. If a queen be turned up on the right, and you hold ace, king, and knave, lead the king, and, upon the return of trumps, play the knave, because you are then certain to make the knave.

29. If a queen be turned up on the right, and you hold ace, king, and small ones, lead the king; and upon the return of trumps, you may finesse, unless the queen falls, for otherwise the queen will make a trick.

30. If a knave be turned up on the right, and you hold king, queen, and ten, lead the queen, and, upon the return of trumps, play the ten; for, by this means, you will make the ten.

81. If a knave be turned upon the right, and you hold king, queen, and small ones, lead the king: and if that come home, play a small one, for it is probable your partner holds the ace.

32. If a knave be turned up on the right, and you hold king and ten or queen and ten, with two small cards, lead a small one; and, upon the return of trumps play the ten, for it is five to four that your partner holds one honour.