Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1890-03-05
GREAT HANDS AT CARDS.
Thirteen Trumps at Whist and Yet Only
Single Trick.


Single Trick.
Cards have played peculiar freaks on
many occasions, says the Philadelphia
Record, and the story of the remarkable
whist hands held at a table In the Ham,
ilton club, recently, when each player
held full suit, would seem incredible
were it not tor the well-known reputa-
ton and standing of the four gentlemen.
The cards had been thoroughly shuffied,
but thirteen diamonds went to the deal
er, and each OF the other players held
thirteen cards of one suit. Although
the stories of great hands seem almost
impossible Of belief. 1t must always be
remembered that the possibilities Tor
great surprises are absolutely lnnu-
merable, as a computation OF the chang
es which can be developed will readily
show Card stories, like fish stories,
are very prolific, but there are many
wonderful experiences of players that
are we'll authenticated.
In connection with whist a funny Incl
dent happened about year ago, to a
well-known gentleman in this city who
is worshipper of Hoyle. He delights
in telling his friends that on one particu-
lar occasion he held the thirteen trumps
and yet only took one trick. His op-
ponent to his left led deuce, his part
ner played the ace, and, when it came
to his turn, he promptly trumped. His
partner, disguised at such play, threw
his hand out of the window and ended
the game.
Poker is perhaps the game where
complications and possibilities turn up
n ost frequently, and stories of pheno-
menal hands are without number. Ina
club in this city, a short time ago, a series
OF surprising hands developed in most
startling manner. All the gentlemen
are well known and the story is absolute
ly true. A doctor opened a jackpot with
a pair Of queens, the player to his right,
with pat king full, raised; the next
man, with three skies. raised again; the
fourth player saw the raises and so did
the doctor, who was dealing. The two
big hands, however, kept on raising and
the two victims, as they thought, staid
in from absolute necessity. On the
draw the doctor drew to his pair and
cot two more queens and an ace. He
He had thrown king away, so that he
could not have four kings or four aces
against him. When the betting began
dollars flew into the pot, and everybody
the full hand got tired, the four skies
gave up. and the betting was left to the
dealer and the fourth man, who had
drawn the one card. At last from sheer
WEAKNESS the dealer said: ooh, won't
rob you any more. have four queens"
st the same time reaching for the pot
''Wait bit," said the quiet player, II
have straight hush," and he laid down
the two, three, TOUR, five. and six of
spades. These were four big hands, in
deed.
Roland Reed, the popular actor. is al
so the hero OF many wonderful poker
stories. He is fond of telling how on
one occasion on a railway train, with
Jour playing, he won several hundred
dollars with four aces against four Jacks
and pat flush. On another occasion
at Boston, with Charlie Reed, Fred
Hawley, and Allen Dale in the game,
there were three pat Pushes to sweeten
the pot before the draw, and quiet in
dlvldual in the corner, who had staid
in out of sheer desperation with pair
of deuces eventually corraled the wealth
by drawing two more.
The late John T. Raymond, who was
an enthusiast in all games of chance,
was playing in a small town In
the far West about ten years
ago, when poker was a craze. He
whiled away the afternoon by having a
small game Of unlimited with a gambler
who was noted for his skill aud pluck.
After playing without incident for hours
John suddenly struck four aces and his
opponent four kings. After stalking all
he was worth Raymond excused himself
to his friend, rushed across to the bank,
and showing his hand to the cashier,
who was also great poker player, said
eXcitedly. "How much shall l stake ?''
Here, take $20000," said the cashier
(who is doubtless now in Canada).
John did go, rushed back, and soon
afterward divided $4,000 winnings with
his friend.
After such monster hands as those a.
return to lower level will perhaps be
refreshing. Blufing is considered an
art in poker, and has won many thous-
ands of dollars. In 1861 Cornelius Van
derbilt sat down to game Of "treeze-
OUT with well-known gambler, who
had only $500. After few hands Van
derbillt raised the pot $1,000. "You
can not do ii" said the gambler, ner-
vously. 81 only have $500" "Well,
$500 | go you," replied the millionaire.
81 see you," said the gambler. Wander
bid tad pair of deuces and his oppo-
nent a pair Of trays.
And last, but certainly not least, in a
well-knoWn gambling house in Twenty
seventh street, New York, two hands
are nailed over the mantels. They are
the six, seven, eight, nine and ten of
diamonds, ard the same in spades.
These two hands came together and
caused the division of small fortune
between the holders.