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Third Hand.

19. When third hand, endeavour to win with your highest, or, if it be in sequence, the lowest of the sequence. You should finesse Queen, Ace, but not Knave, King, for, if your partner holds the Ace, as a suit goes round usually twice (seldom thrice), you might incur loss by missing one of the first two rounds, or, if the suit is trump, you might miss leading another round. You may, however, finesse a card led—especially in trumps-which you would not play if in your own hand: say the Ten holding the Knave, with King or Ace. Of a plain suit, if the Knave is led do not cover with the King unless you hold the Ace also; if the King is led, with Ace, Knave only or the Ten is led, with Ace, Queen only, you should win with the Ace to get rid of the command and lead the other. The Ace you should not put on your partner's Queen, but should put

on your partner's Ten always, and on his Knave except when you hold at least two others, as then you can get rid of the command if the lead is from Knave, Queen, King, and two others. If Nine be led, with Ace, Knave, and others, as it must be from weakness, pass it to secure the lead after the second round; but with King, Knave, and others, as the lead may be from Ace, Queen, Nine, you should play the Knave.

In the second round, when third hand, if you know the master-card is on your left, you should finesse to any depth, or even not head the trick, unless your partner may have the next best. Thus, when your partner, having won third hand with Queen, returns a small one, your King, if played, must fall to the Ace, but, if held up, will be saved should the Ace be unguarded.

Lead from Weakness.

20. When obliged to lead from a weak suit, lead the highest; but if you have no clue that your partner has strength in it, lead a little one from Ace, King, or Queen, and two small

ones.

From two cards, even if high ones in sequence, you should not lead unless you believe them to be your partner's suit, or have only weak suits, and are prevented from leading trumps by the score.

A single card or Singleton is only justifiable as an original lead when you have great strength in trumps, such as King, Knave, and three others, and are debarred by the score from leading them, and have no other good suit, or when strength in your only good suit has been shown by an adversary, or when it clearly must be your partner's suit.

Return Lead.

21. Return your partner's lead at once, unless you have a really strong suit to lead from, or there is a good reason to the contrary. Return your partner's suit with the mastercard; but if you do not hold it, return the lowest if you held four, the highest if you held fewer (whether he may derive support from it or not), so that he may count your cards in the suit.

22. If third hand win with the Queen, his best, it is better the suit should be continued by him than by his partner, so that the latter may finesse Ten, King, or, if he holds the Ace, avoid the risk of its being ruffed fourth hand. The return, however, should be delayed if there be a good suit to lead, as on continuance by another your right adversary may fear to hold up the Ace, and your partner may make the King, though unsupported, in the third round.

If third hand win holding no honour, his partner and second hand must have two honours each-in a plain suit Ace, Queen, against King, Knave, or reversely. But this is no reason why the lead should not be returned, as your right adversary can always finesse, and in trumps your partner may be strong enough to draw all but one, and remain with three others and the lead.

If Ace be turned up on your right and you win third hand, you should return the lead; unless your partner may have led from weakness, and you held King, Queen, or have

finessed King, Knave.

If there be turned up on your right the King you should finesse Ace, Knave, Ten, and not return; if the Queen, you should finesse Ten, Knave, with King or Ace, and should you win, supposing your partner has led from strength, return a small one, or, if without one, your highest.

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