New-York tribune., 1885-02-08
WHIST
nv RICHARD A. PROCTOR.

whist column in hR0tCtcdJe unoer 'no mann
of Clubs" That column has been neio W "a
done useful work in helping to spreao ,he Jo o,.D
doctrines of whist, and to oppose the heterouoA
,,uso,ioos 90 game which is called whist, but mas
no real claim to be regarded as in any sense
scientific game. write whist in America uiiuoi
NV, ovv, name for there are few here who suppose
that because n man devotes the chief part Oh i's
time to one subject he cannot have taken speo'"i
interest in any other. Whist mas lohe peoh
fayorite relaxation with the students Oh sc'on0e
Properlv playcd it is truly scientific game YET 10
is better as relaxation than the other giea'
scientific game, chess. because the customs Wh''i
rule the play do not allow of prolonged study ~
single move at chess may weary the Draih nio'o
than q mathematical problem; but whistp'"So
cannot if he would, give more than iew hoinsn''
thought to the play of card, and II ne u rc"iiS
whist player he would not IL he could. Skiil u.
Whist differs from skill at chess much as the skill
of the fencer differs from the skill of the billiard
player: ono must he quick in applying sciences III
one game while in the other time may be taken io'
considering how ones science should be appieu'
For this reason though l love chess even De'tef
than whist, l seldom play chess (perlaps en-
counter two players a year While wheh nav 'no
chance l play whist daily. l recommend " a.
specially suitable for relaxation. But theh IL
should be whist, not the other game, to which mas
been applied the ingenious name OF BuinDIepuppS,
If for no other reason then for this, shonid SCUM"
whist be learned and played-it saves time. 10"
can get all the relaxation you need ont OF three VI
four rubbers of real whist; but you may play me
other game for a,whole evening and get very little
omusemont from IL. Dr. Paget has pointed ont with
great truth that in the exercise Of skill thero 10
relaxation for the tired mind now whist properly
n,aved reou,es skill, and ~ consequently full Oh
interest the game commonly called whist requires
M skill at all and as remember 1t lfor II was the
game I learned as whist and played rs whist Tor
orS, u nosse,ses no rore interest than Bcggar my
Neighbor.
In passlng. may give an illustration of the stupe-
fvino effects of the duler sort of whist play, even
at the best London clubs. At the Po:tlHnd CluD
the following incident, which seems utterly IN
credible. really took place: Five rounds had been
PLAYED, two of them trumps; both these trump
tricks had fallen to rair of partners the other
three to their opponcnts the player who had taken
M the two trump tricks put down the eight cards
left in his hand TO take a pinch of snun after
which he inadvertently took up the eight trumps
instead of his own cards. The four players went on
as If nothing had happened Though all four honors
were included among tho hight trumps thus played
twice over. Assuming for a moment that the
PLAYER who had thus taken up eight trumps includ-
ing the four honors. knew what he had done, what
are we 10 think of three whist players who failed to
note tho fall of the four honors n scrond time
Manifestly they were simply tired ,out by waste
whist. They cannot possibly have found any en-
joyment in tho game which thoy played 50 care
lcssy.
The first doctrine | would inculcate then A. 10
whist Is this: Play whist often, daily II you can'
but waste no time over IL play II IN sneh way
that it interests by calling forth the exercise OF
hat n
relaxing The mind and giving pleasure to the player.
haye-wipcd the cobwcbs out Of my mind after SIX
or seven hours of application at d!mcult scometrcal
work by an hours good whist. That means
saving of time for work anj olling of the mental
machinery 10y which the next work will bc done
with less friction. But have also sat dow;AIeek-
ing rest from whist. and because the play was not
whist at all have risen unrcfreshed after two or
three hours Of meaningless play, or play at cross
purposes.
Whist Is so easily learned. however. that thcre is
no excuse for the prevalent bad play. La my own
case. after years OF the other game, which played
for want of knowing better. learned 20 play the
real game in "A few weeks. OF course nothing but
steady practice for n much longer time than his
will make a good PLAYER; but 10 amount of practice
at Rumblcpuppy will turn tbs player OF that game
INTO whist PLAYER
real whist The worst fault charactcrlling the play
of nine ont of ten of those who imagine they play
whist is tho habit of playing only the thirteen
cards originally held. The sklliu player Of MS own
hand is of all partners-says the greatest whist
player the world has known-the most det"silblc,;
Deschapcess words are strong, but they are wcll
deserved. Il believe some of these brilliantly bad
PLAYERS would rather lose two by tricks II they had
made all tho tricks of their side, than VIII two "
their partner had taken the lions sharci. Now 10
play your partners cards as vol ~ your own, you
must know what thOfe cards are. 20 DO this you
must watch his play aud he must plgy according 10
the established prime pies of the game IL follows,
since YOU are his partner, that Won must also play
according TO the established principles. But players
of tins type often boast that they know ruies OF
play, and apart from such bonsting. every one who
has ever played with them knows that their play
dcties all rule. Others claim 10 know the principles
of play but are guilty all the of whist enOImi
ties Of the deepest dyeand they can never see how
their false play Affects the result. To give an eN-
ample in passing. IL rs "A wellknown rule at whist
uhat is well-known to playersl that II after one
round OF n suit led by your partner you have more
than two left Won return the lowest bat the highest
if you have two only my partner IN such case
returns the lowest. and Immediately place men-
tallyl two more of the suit in his hand infer that
and after extracting trumps | lead the suit with
confidence but 10 appears my partner knew nothing
about that little rule belonging 10 the A of the
Qame) he had only two cards OF the suit, and ono
of the opponents has IA card more than had counted
on NV suit IN IN fact not established at all when
lead II / find the enemy with the command. they
bring in their long suit aud make three or four by
cards where perhaps the odd trick would have been
ours but for this pitfaIl dlgRcd by friend. In
another paper 1 hope you will let me give an
ample of simple, straightforward whist. with notes
on the play.
MR.. YATES'S MEDITATONS