Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1885-02-19
NORTHERN TRIBUNE.
THURSDAY. FEBRUARY 10. 1885.
Whist.
BY RICHARD A. PROCTOR.
From the New York Tribune.

For more than three years / have con
Quoted the whist column in knowledge
under the name Five of Clubs" That
column has been held to have done use
ful wOik in helping to spread the OrthO-
dOx doctrines OF whist, and to oppose the
hsterodOx practice OF game which is
called whist, but has NO real claim to be
regarded in any sense scientific game.
| write on whist in America under my
own name, for there are few here who
suppose that because a man devOtes the
chief part of his time to one subject he
cannot have taken special interest in
any other. Whist has long been a favor
lite relaxation with the students Of sci
ence. Properly played it is truly sci
entific game; yet it is better as a relax
alton than the other great scientific
game, chess, because the custOms which
rule the play do not allow Of prolonged
atady. A single move at chess may
weary the brain more than mathemat-
zeal problem; but whist player cannot,
IL he would, give more than few mo-
ments' thought TO the play of a card,
and if he is really a whist player he
would not if he seuld. Skill at whist
differs from skill at chess much as the
skill of the feneer differs from the skill
of the billiard player: one must be quick
in applying science ia one game, while
In the other time may he taken for con-
sidering how ones science should be APP
piled. For this reason, though | love
chess even better than whist, | seldom
play chess (psrhars | encounter two
players year, while when | hays the
chance play chess daily. recommend
it as specially suitable for relaxation.
But thea it should be whist, not the 9th
or game, to which has been applied the
ingenious name of Bdmblepuppy. If for
no other reason, then for this, should
sound whist be learned and played III
SAVES time. You can get all the relaxa-
tion you need out OF three or four rub
bers of real whist; but you may play the
other game for whole evening and get
very little amusement from it. DR.. Paget
has pointsd out with great truth that in
the exercise of skill there is relaxation
for the tired mind; now whist properly
PLAYED requires skill, and is consequent
ly full of interest; the game commonly
called whist requires no skill at all, and
as remenber It QOr it was the game |
learned as whist and played as whist for
years. it possesses no more interest than
Beggar my Neighb0r.
In passing ! May give an illustration
of the Supplying effects OF the duller
sort of whist play, even at the best Lon
don clubs. At the Portland Club the
| following incident, which seems utterly
incredible, really took place: Five
rounds had been played. two of them
trumps; both of these trump tricks, had
fallen to one pair of partners. he other
three to their opponents; the player who
had taken up the trump tricks pat down
the eight cards left in his hand, to take
pinch of snuff, after which he mad
verdantly took up the eight trumps in
stead Of his own cards. The four play
ers went on as though nothing had hap
psned, though all fonr hoHors were in
cluded among the eight trumps thus
played twice over. Assuming for mo-
msnl that the player who had thus taken
up eight trumps including the four hon
ors, knew what he had done, what are
we to think OF three whist players who
failed to note the fall Of the four hOnOrs
the second time? Manifestly they were
simply tired out by waste whist. They
caRnot possibly have found any enjoy
ment in the game which they played SO
earelessly.
The first doctrine l would inculeate
then as to whist is this: Play whisy Of
ten, daily If you can, but waste no time
over 1t; play it in such way that it in
terssts by calling forth the exercise OF
skill. little OF such whist goes long
way In relaxing the mind nnd giving
pleasure to the player. have wiped the
cObwsbs out OF my mind after six or sew
en- hours of application at difficult geo
metrical work by ar hours good whist
That means a saving OF time for work
and an 0iling Of the mental machinery
by which the next work will be done
with less fric ion. But have also sal
Down seeking rest from whist, and be
cause the play was not whist at all
have risen unrefreshed after two OF
three hours Of meaningless play, or play
at cross purposes.
Whist IL so easily learned, however
that there is no excuse for the prevalent
bad play. In my own case, after years
at the other game, which l played fol
want Of knowing better, learned to pla,
the real game in few weeks. OF coarse
nothing but steady practice for much
player: but no amount Of practice at
Bumblspuppy will turn the player of tina
game into whist player.
Let us turn now to the principles and
practice of real whist. The worst fault
charactsrizing the play Of nine out OF
ten Of those who imagine they play wills
Is the habit Of playing only the thirteen
cards originally held. The skilfal play
or Of his own hand is of all partners :
says the greatest whist player the worlt
has known-ths most detsstable. Des
shapelle's words are strong, but they ar,
we'll deserved. Il believe some of thes,
brilliantly bad players would rather
lose two tricks II they had made all thu
tricks of their side, than win tive il thei
partner had taken the lions share.) Nov
to play your partners cards az well Al
your own, YOU must know what thOs
cards are. To do this you must watcl