| Holding— | Card led. | Play, second hand. |
|---|---|---|
| Ace, king, queen | small | queen |
| Ace, king, knave | small | king |
| Ace, king, and others | small | king |
| Ace, queen, ten, &c. | small | queen |
| Ace, queen, ten, &c. | knave | ace |
| In trumps | small | ten |
| Ace, queen, and small | small | small |
| Ace, knave, ten, &c. | small | small |
| In trumps | small | ten |
| Ace and small | small | small |
| King, queen, knave, &c. | small | knave |
| King, queen, &c. | small | queen |
| Queen, knave, ten, &c. | small | ten |
| Queen, knave, and small | small | knave |
| Ace and small | queen | ace |
| King and others small | queen | small |
| King and one other | small | small |
| Queen and one other | small | small |
| Queen and one other | knave or ten | queen |
When a card is led by the original leader, the second player ought at once to draw conclusions as to the other cards in the leader's hand. For example, original leader plays the two of clubs, spades being trumps. The first conclusion is, that the two is the lowest of a four suit. If it were a five suit, the lowest card would not have been led. It may be a three suit; if so, the leader probably holds four trumps, but considers he is not strong enough to lead these. If he held a four suit, not trumps, he would have commenced with the lowest of this four suit.
Judging from the lead, as to the value of the suit from which the original lead has been made, is the result first of observation, then of reason.
In order to be able to derive all the advantages from observing the first card led, a player should practise sorting his cards rapidly, so as to have these ready before a card is led. Some players sort each suit separately, and thus "go over" their cards four times, and take more than twice as long to arrange their cards as would be required if the four suits were sorted simultaneously. In consequence of this delay, they are looking at the cards in their hand when they ought to be looking at those on the table; they are so much occupied with the sorting of their cards whilst the game is being played, that they cannot observe and draw conclusions from the cards which fall from each player's hand.
What to play Third Hand.
The play of the third hand is much more simple than is that of the second. The third hand should play his best card, save under one or other of the three following conditions, viz.:—
1. That the second hand plays a card higher than any card held by the third hand; the lowest card is then played.
2. If a sequence be held, such as king, queen, knave; queen, knave; ace, king; &c., then play the lowest or lower card of the sequence.