In leading trumps from combinations containing a winning sequence, such as the following:—
many players begin with the lowest of the winning cards, continuing with the next above it.
Speculative Trump Leads. The whist player will often find himself with a single good suit, a card of re-entry, and few trumps. Certain conditions of the score may prompt him to make a speculative trump lead from such a hand. If his trumps are high, such as A K x, he may safely begin by leading them; but if they are weak, and he is depending largely on his partner’s possible strength, he should show his suit first by leading it once.
Over-trumping is generally regarded as bad policy when a player has a good suit, and sufficient trump strength to justify him in hoping to do something with it. The refusal to over-trump, unless the trump played is a high one, should be regarded by the partner as a call.
It is sometimes necessary to over-trump partner in order to get the lead. For instance: A player holds the two best trumps, and all winning cards of a plain suit, while the player on his right has a losing trump. In such a position the player with the two best trumps should trump any winning card his partner leads, or over trump him if he trumps, so as to prevent the adversary from making that losing trump.
Under-trumping, or the Grand Coup, is playing a low trump on a trick that partner has already trumped with a higher, in order to avoid the lead. For instance: A player holds major tenace in trumps with a small one, and knows that the minor tenace is on his right. Four cards remain in each hand. The player on the left leads; Second Hand trumps; Third Hand follows suit. If the Fourth Hand keeps his three trumps, he must win the next trick, and lose the advantage of his tenace.
A player will sometimes have the best card in two suits, and a small trump, and will know that the two best trumps and an unknown card are on his right. If the missing suit is led, and the player on the right trumps, his unknown card must be one of the two other suits, and the player with the command of them should keep both, and throw away his small trump. The discards on the next trick may enable him to determine the suit of the losing card on his right.
The Last Trump. If two players have an equal number of trumps, each of them having an established suit, it will be the object of both to remain with the last trump, which must bring in the suit. The tactics of each will be to win the third round of trumps; and then, if the best trump is against him, to force it out with the established suit, coming into the lead again with the last trump. So often is it important to win the third round of trumps that few good players will win the second round, unless they can win the third also. With an established suit, a card of re-entry, and four trumps King high, a player should lead trumps; but if his partner wins the first round and returns a small trump, the King should not be put on, no matter what Second Hand plays, unless the card next below the King is fourchette. Some of the most brilliant endings in whist are skirmishes for the possession of the last trump; the player who is at a disadvantage often persistently refuses the fatal force, hoping the leader will be compelled to change his suit, or will lose the lead.
Drawing the Losing Trump. It is usually best to draw losing trumps from the adversaries, unless a player can foresee that he may want the best to stop a strong adverse suit.