The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1885-11-21
THE WHIST-TABLE.
Different Ways of Counting in Whist
English and American Games.

Different Ways of Counting in WHIST
English and American Games.
A few weeks ago a correspondent
asked; ''How many correct ways are
there of counting in whist?' The
answer is: Two" There is the
English game and the American game.
In the former, called short whist five
points constitute the game and honors
are counted; in the latter, which people
in this country are endeavOring to call
standard whist, seven points make
the game and hOnOrs are not reckoned.
The rules for the former game do not
at all apply to the latter, but in genenl
Cavendish's laws are adapted to each.
For in both games Cavendish is he
authority on 1.-THE order of leads" hut
many of his detailed rules are of no Use
to us, who neither count honors nor
gamble. Most of the clubs in tlis
country. especially in the East, hare
adopted the American game, probably
because in the English game there's
lively betting, and as consequence in
cc~Sant conversation. To the best
players among us these traits are
highly dsagreeable. We play the
game on its merits; Englishmen play
for the excitement of betting Ac-
cording to Cayendish, when a change
was made in England from the ten
point game to that of five points 1.-THE
. new game was found to be so lively,
and money changed hands with such
increased rapidity, that these gentle
men and their friends. all of them
members of the leading clubs of the day,
confined to play it, DR.. Pole, although
admitting good players generally like
to play for stakes high enough to de-
fine well the interest taken in the
game yet is quick to add that 'the
/ idea of gain, which is the essential fea-
ture of gambling, enters as little into
the mind Of whist as of a chess player. "
The latter statement, however, is too
vap'd. The first and second quotations
are plainly contradictory.
We do not care to define the interest
of the game with money stakes. We
play the game for the game itself
Like chess, it is confined to the interest
which our minds take in it. In doing
away with honors it takes away the op-
portunitv of winning by quick chance.
Then, too, by making the game to con
sist of seven points instead of five,
every trick has to be taken by one side
if Il whole game is played in one hand.
With these changes we require less
than q quarter of the rules that our
brethren across the water use, and we
get along, from the nature of the game,
with far less disputes than they have to
settle. In fact, more than a third of
their rules have been enacted to punish
and prevent fraud.
There are two or three other WAYS of
counting practiced to limited extent
both in this country and in England.
One is the ten-point game in which
honOr5 are counted. This is used very
little. especially with us. Another is
the fiyc-point game, without honors,
which resembles greatly the English
game. 1t is played in America some.
but is a poor game. A third game is
that in which a party plays for a GER
tain length of time or a definite number
of hands. These last three mentioned
are not strictly correct, being in use in
none of the first class clubs. Single
and double dummy whist are PLAYED
with cards exposed, and is used little,
except in problems. -BoSt0n Globe