In the long-suit game the original leader is always assuming that his partner may have something or other, and playing on that supposition. The short-suit player indicates the system of play best adapted to his own hand, without the slightest regard to the possibilities of his partner. It is the duty of the partner to indicate his hand in turn, and to shape the policy of the play on the combined indications of the two. This does not mean that the player shall always lead a short suit, but that he should combine the best features of both systems, without slavish adherence to either. This idea has been brought to perfection in practice by the famous American Whist Club of Boston, and under the able leadership of its captain, Harry H. Ward, it has demonstrated that he can take any kind of a team and beat any of the old style long-suit players, no matter how skilful they may be. The following is a brief outline of the American game, as given by Captain Ward in _Whist_ for May, 1906:-- _=Five-trump Hands.=_ With five trumps, and the suits split, 3, 3, 2, we always open a trump, unless we have a tenace over the turn-up card. From five trumps and a five-card plain suit, we open the suit if it is one that will require some help to establish; otherwise the trump. From five trumps with a four-card plain suit, we open the trump with hands of moderate strength; otherwise the plain suit.
MATRIMONY. Any number of persons may play, and a full pack of fifty-two cards is used. Each player should be provided with an equal number of counters, to which a trifling value may be attached. A strip of paper is placed in the centre of the table, marked as follows:-- +------------+-----------+--------------+-------+-------+ | Matrimony. | Intrigue. | Confederacy. | Pair. | Best. | +------------+-----------+--------------+-------+-------+ Any King and Queen is _=Matrimony=_; any Queen and Jack is _=Intrigue=_; any King and Jack is _=Confederacy=_; any two cards of the same denomination form a _=Pair=_, and the diamond ace is always _=Best=_. The players draw, and the lowest card deals: ace is low.