he is, like you, numerically strong, and this should justify him in so far considering his own hand as to depart from the before-mentioned rule, and to return his lowest. But in any case, if he happens after the first round of your long suit still to hold the best or master card in it, he should play it out at once, to get it out of your way, and to prevent your imagining it is against you.

.

It is by no means necessary that your partner should return your lead immediately (except in trumps, which he is bound to return instanter); on the contrary, it is highly desirable that the first lead he gets he should lead his own long suit, so as to put you as early as possible in possession of information as to his hand, in return for that he has obtained from you. This will guide you to another lead when your own suit is stopped, and will promote your joint action.

After you and your partner have both led your long suits, you will probably have a choice whether to go on with your own suit or with his. This will often be determined by the fall of the cards. If, for example, you win his lead cheaply, you should not return it, as you would be leading through the weak hand, which is contrary to principle, and the lead will come more properly from him. If, on the other hand, your partner has shown himself very weak in your suit, and you are also not very strong, of course

it would be disadvantageous to go on with that, and you may probably do better to return your partner's. If your right-hand adversary has shown himself weak in your suit, pursue it by all means, as your partner ought not to return it for you.

The foregoing explanations will show the nature of the mutual duties which the modern or combined game enjoins between yourself and your partner; for we need hardly add, that all we have said as to his duties to you, as aiding you in your suit, equally defines your duties in aiding him. This mutuality cannot be too strongly insisted on; the want of a proper perception of it is the great fault of many otherwise good self-taught players, and it is the hardest lesson they have to learn. There are numbers of people who can play their own hands excellently, but who have no idea either of getting help from, or of affording help to their partners, and who must therefore lose all the benefit derivable from the combined game.*

Further Remarks on the Lead.

We have hitherto assumed that you lead from the longest suit you hold, which is the safe general rule; but cases often occur which involve some difficulty of choice. For example, suppose you have five small

* One of our best modern players characterizes playing for your own hand alone as the worst fault he knows in a Whist player.'

cards, in one plain suit, and four with honors in another. The theory by no means imperatively calls on you to lead the former; for it must be borne in mind that the rank of the cards always deserves consideration, and your leading the four suit (which is still a long suit) would be perfectly justifiable.

Similarly a question might arise between four small cards and three good ones; but here the case is different, for three cards constitute a short suit, to lead which unnecessarily would be a violation of the theory.

Such, however, is the infinite variety of Whist, that provision must be made for leading under all sorts of circumstances, and from short suits among others. For example, you may have originally no long suit except trumps, which you do not feel justified in leading; or your own long suit may be trumped, and your partner may not yet have given you any indication what to lead for him. Leads from short - suits, being contrary to principle, are called unnatural or forced leads; it is necessary to be prepared for them, and the following hints may be of

use :

It is good to lead up to the weak adversary, or through the strong one. Therefore you may pretty safely lead a suit in which your right-hand adversary has shown himself weak, or your left-hand adversary strong. (Indication of strength is given by the lead,

of weakness by the play of the third and fourth hand, and by the discard). Remember, however, that, as a general rule, returning your adversary's lead is to be avoided.

When you are obliged to lead from a short suit, the general rule is to play out the highest card you have, to inform your partner. If you have any reason to know that he is long in the suit, the rule admits of no exception; but if you are doubtful on this point, it may be taken with some reserve. If, for example, you have an honor with two small ones, you may lead the smallest, so as to try and save the honor, in case of the strength lying against you.

When you lead in this way an unnatural or forced lead, your partner ought generally to know it by the card you play, and ought not to return it, unless he happens to be strong in that suit himself, when he may treat it as a lead of his own.

If it is injudicious to lead from three cards, it may easily be inferred how much more erroneous it is for your first lead to be from two or one, such being, as we have already explained, contrary to the essential principles of the modern scientific game. It is quite possible that in certain cases such a lead may seem to suit your own hand; but by adopting it you give up altogether the principle of the combined game: you make up your mind wilfully to mislead your partner, and run a great risk of sacrificing his hand.

For a glance at the foregoing rules will amply show how essentially, if he is a well-taught player, his mode of play will depend on the first card he sees fall from you, and the inferences he draws therefrom as to the state of your hand.

There is an old rule that you should not lead from a tenace, and this is no doubt good as regards a short suit; but if your tenace suit is your longest, the advantage of opening your game correctly is so great as to outweigh the other consideration. When you

happen to be left with a tenace towards the end of the hand, the case is different, as you should generally hold it carefully back, and try to get it led up to.

Other Applications of Theory.

The long-suit system will furnish you with a good principle of guidance in the matter of discarding, which should always be done from short or weak suits, not from long ones. The cards of the former are of little use; those of the latter may be very valuable even to the smallest you have. The discard, practised on this principle, furnishes a very important means of conveying information to your partner as to the state of your hand. For example: suppose hearts are trumps, and that one of the adversaries has shown strength in spades; you lead a winning club, to which your partner discards a diamond; it is almost certain, if everybody plays properly, that