[For a full examination of the working of the Plain-Suit Echo, and for Illustrative Hands, the advanced player is referred to "Whist Developments," by "Cavendish." London: Thos. De La Rue and Co.]
APPENDIX C.
ON THE ORIGINAL LEAD OF KING.
The Analysis of Leads, undertaken in order to ascertain the cases in which the third hand should unblock his partner's suit, showed that king led originally conveys less information to partner than the lead of any other high card. It is the only case in which the lead of a high card is made without at least five in suit, or without the accompaniment of at least two other high cards.
Hence the student was told[48] that when a king is led originally, he must not attempt to unblock the suit on the first round; and this recommendation is quite sound.
It seemed strange that when ace, queen, knave, or ten is led originally, the third hand, with four exactly in suit, should retain his lowest card for two rounds; but that, when king is led, he should abandon these tactics. The conclusion forced on the Author was, that king should never be led originally, when the leader desires to invite his partner to unblock.
The cases where the leader desires his partner to unblock, are those in which the original lead is from more than four cards, the third hand at the same time holding four of the suit exactly, as explained in Appendix B, p. [287].
Therefore, the argument on the previous pages being admitted, king should never be led originally from a suit of more than four cards; and it almost follows that king should always be led from a suit of four cards exactly, which contains an ace, king, or a king, queen combination.