“They are always on the look out for it, and they spend more time and trouble about the signal than about all the rest of the play.”—Westminster Papers.
[36] Even in board schools forcing the strong hand is a part of the ordinary curriculum.
“Always force the strong.”—Mathews.
There used to be some difficulty in ascertaining which was the strong trump hand, but the signal has done away with that.
[37] “Many times this kind of signal comes after the player has had the lead, and when nothing of importance, speaking from our own knowledge, has taken place to justify a signal. We are very careless about leading trumps when our partner has had the chance and did not lead them.”
“It is a sign of weak play if you first lead out your winning cards, and then lead trumps; it shows ignorance of the principles of the game. If it was advisable to lead trumps at all, it should be done before you led out your winning cards.”—Westminster Papers.
These are noble sentiments! how any sane human being can imagine he has the right to tell me to destroy my hand and do for him—after he has drawn his own teeth—what he was afraid—before that operation—to do for himself, I have never been able to understand.
[38] “When it is evident the winning cards are betwixt you and your adversaries, play an obscure game; but as clear a one as possible if your partner has a good hand.”—Mathews.
[39] The defence is quite as singular as the attack; for instance, if you should be taken to task for any alleged criminality arising from defective vision; instead of making either of the obvious answers that it never took place at all, or that you regret it escaped your notice and will endeavour to keep a better look out in future, the ordinary plea in extenuation is “the noise in the room,” also “because your cards are so bad,” is often assigned as a satisfactory reason.
[40] Even a few days of this discipline at the beginning of Lent would be better than nothing.