Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-07-22
SOME NEW WHIST RULES,

Which Placed Their Author in q Sad Plight.
The interest aroused in whist shows itself
quite plainly in various ways. The recent
tournament, says the Brooklyn Eagle, stirred
up the game in all the clubs, and in many of
them discussions frequently occurred about
different points. The advocates OF the latest
modern methods have to defend their theories
continually against the assaults Of the
unbelievers, the latter stoutly maintaining that
whist 10 not an exact science and cannot be
demonstrated like a mathematical proposition.
Some 60 even further and claim that the regu-
lar and persistent violation of all the customary
maxims is the best possible method from a trick,
taking standpoint. They base this opinion On
their belief that the modern player realizes that
every card played conveys u meaning, and this
meaning il the basis Of reasoning on which he
builds up his structure of play. Now il the basis
can be made false and misleading the inductions
must be necessarily wrong and the whole
structure will collapse. From argument to
demonstration is but a step. 1t was recently
stated that demonstrations have been fatal to
theories, and although it has been theoretically
proved that balloons could not rise, steamships
could not travel through the water and the tele-
graph could not convey messages by electricity,
vet in spite Of the theoretical proof all these
things had been practically demonstrated to be
possible and are now matters of everyday &C.
currence. So it would be in whist The play
ers who talked % glibly about the proper card
to lead. the necessity Of informing one part
ner of the contents Of ones hand and the estab-
lishment Of the long suit, &C., had theoretically
proved their case. Their arguments were log
ical and unanswerable. In theory their system
was perfection. But in practice it was a fail
ure. When two Of the theorists encountered
opponents who scorned their methods and
played in defiance Of them the theorists usually
INDUCED in painful reflections as to the mode
and manner Of their defeat, while the natural,
common-sense players walked OF with the lau-
rels of victory on their brows.
Go-As-YoU-PLEAsE SYSTEM
we!lknown and distinguished member of
the Lincoln club is one of the advocates of the
go-as-you-please system. His continued sue
cess had made him confident that he could
practically demonstrate the efficiency of the old
method Cor OF the no method against the new.
He organized . team recently and began system
attic practice with the view OF demolishng his
rivals That bis rules might be thoroughly un-
derstood he reduced them to writing and in
sisted upon their strict observance. The
Eagle has been favored with q COPY and which
is hereby given to it's whist readers. and these
rules will be perused with interest and will
doubtless work q revolution in the game and
an adherence to them will render all the books
on whist Unnecessary. They will surprise the
authorities. and il carefully followed will like
wise without doubt surprise their advocates.
In fact, this method Of play is constant sue
cession Of surprises. They are as follows:
IMPORTANT WHIST RULES FOR ADVANCED PLAY
Text and moral-"NuIla vestigia retrorsum,"
1--WE hold these truths to be self evident"
1. With two trumps, say 10 and 8, always
lead them. playing the lowest first.
z III strong frupopa lead from your shcrf
plain suits This will deceive your adversary
and may enable you to ruff.
8. In returning your partners suit play the
highest OF four unless you hold the master
card. Hold this as long as possible. thus pre-
pairing yourself to surprise your opponent, like
wise your partner.
L. Keep the command Of your partners suit
and get rid Of that Of your adversaries. Some
authorities hold to the opposite theory, but
have personally demonstrated quite recently
the fallacy of the latter.
b. BE sure to force your partner II you are
weak in trumps. Don't return his trump, lead
IL you have two plain suits OF six each headed
by the ace. Lead the ace. after which your
partner can ruff with his trumps.
9. Should you hold twelve trumps with the
seven against you, force ii out Of the way BY
leading the six. II you hold this hand twice in
the same evening, vary the play by leading the
single plain suit card. provided il be OF medium
size.
Z. II you have either the q. 10 in plain
suits and the quart major in trumps, lead the
singleton. You will surely be able TO capture
the trick on the return Of the suit.
8. In revokirg be very careful in holding the
renounced card till the last round of the hand
Memory fades with time.
9. Trumping your partners ace on the first
round. even with low card. is doubtful play
With the team prepared and the rules for am
munItion, the Lincoln men went out on a trial
trip early this week after the style OF the vesu-
vius. The encounter was u terrific one. and in
stead of the projectiles hitting the targets the
pneumatic rules blew the bottom out OF the
boat. or course all hands went into the water
together, and those who manned the guns
were annihilated. The whist coroners who
gathered at the inquest agreed that the rules
were all right, but that the fellows who
used them had made fist Of il and were alone
responsible for their own undoing.