Rensselaer Republican, Volume 17, Number 34, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 April 1885 — Real Whist. [ARTICLE]

Real Whist.

The worst fault characterizing the play of nine out of ten of those who imagine they play whist, is the habit of playing only the thirteen cards originally held. The skillful player of his own hand is of all partners—says the greatest whist player the world has known the most detestable. Deschapeile’s words are strong, but they are well-deserved. (I believe some of the brilliantly badplayers would rather lose two by tricks if they had made all the tricks of their side, than win two if their partner had taken the lion’s share.) Now «to play your partner’s cards as well as your own, youmust know what those cards are. To do this you must watch his play and he must play according to the established principles. But players of this type ’ often boast that they know no rules of play, and apart from sueh boasting, every one who has ever played with them knows that their play defies all. rule. Others claim to know the principles of play, but are guilty all the same of whist enormities of the deepest dye—and they can never see how their false play affects the result. To give an example in passing. It is a well-known rule at whist (that is well-known to players) that if after one round of a suit led by your partner you have more than two left you return the lowest, but the highest "if you have two only; my partner in such a case returns the lowest, and I immediately place (mentally) two more of the suit in his hand; 1 infer that he and I between us have the command of the suit, and after extracting trumps I lead the suit with confidence; but it appears my partner knew nothing about that little rule (belonging to the ABCof the game); he had only two cards of the suit, and one of our opponents has Heard more than I had counted on." My suit is in fact not established at all; when I lead ft I find the enemy with the command, they bring in their long suit and make three or fonr by cards, where perhaps the odd trick would have been ours but for this pitfall digged by a friend.— Prof. R. A. Proctor.