The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-01-01
INTELLECTUAL CARD GAME
scientific Whist" Has Many Enthusi-
astle DeyOtess in Indianapolis.
How "the club" Was First ORGANIZED and Has
since flOsri.hsd-Plsying Night Changed
Standing Of Nemkers

The game of whist like that o fchess. has
interested and fascinated q humber OF peo-
pie IN this city for q number of years There
has been \ whist club here for fourteen
years Although the chess organization
antedates that OF whist. its lovers are.
perhaps. fewer IN number than those OF the
latter. While this game does not require
such natural faculties of its players.
before they can be counted among the
best at the board its exsctions are jealous.
and its devotees are. IL possible. even more
attached TO II az a pleasant pastime. Good
Judgment. o thorough knowledge Of the
game and eternal vigilance are the price of
o good whist. player. Then 1t does not ex-
haust the mental faculties so much as the
chess-board. and 10 found correspondingly
more wholesome. There Is q soeiabiiity
about whist which wins often where the
hand loses In the game of chess the cob
webs Of silence are always spinning. About
fourteen years ago the first whist club was
organized in this city. The club possessed
no special apartment or club-r Dom. but met
at the different residences of Its members.
among whom were w. A. Ketcbam. John
A. Cleland. c. &. Foster. j. NJ. Johnston,
the Ninton brothers and George Is. Yandes.
The laws governing this club were not
written. but were often discussed at a late
hour. while many points went unsettled
forever. Asa social feature. the game was
nonrIshed aud sustained until 1886. when
tie club that was originally called the
"Cavendish Club changed that appella-
ton to tho indianapolis hist Club. under
which colors IL has sailed up TO the present
time. Under the new regime many
additional members were taken In.
aud Nha AInl .FAAlN .AA Ah " NhA
National League association. and its play
governed By the laws of the same. The
Natioual League is a body composed of
about fifty local organizations, working OF
playing in tonch. with mutual benefits as
the object. The first national session of
the league attended by mem 3ers of the In
~dianapolis club was held in Milwaukee.
From this city went +. NJ. Heron, DR.. A.
w. Anderson. George Catterson. Hervey
Bates, f.. X. Lewis aud DR.. Comipgor. One
year later. being last July. a sec
ond session was held in New York
city. attended by Messrs. Z. w.
Anderson, George Catterson and George
Woods. There being only three members
present from indianapolis. no competition
was made by the local club members, as
four competitors from each club were re-
CURED for entrance TO the national ioust.
During the last few years interest III the
game has grown until tho membership
numbers nearly thirty. The club meets on
Friday night of each week In the club-room
ut the Bates House. The membership at
present includes A. T.. Metcalf. +. VI. Her
ron. f.. w. Anderson. w. e. Wright. DR.. j..
A. Comingor, l.. 81. Ogle. Albert Rabb, w.
G. Vsjen, Joseph Healing. V. q. Clifford.
George W.. Woods. l.. ID. Waterman, DIR. A..
J; L: Haugh. 5. =. Sweet, Hervey Bates.
ii. NJ. Bronson. DIR. L. X. Lewis. ;. +.
Knight. Ed Porter. George Porter. w. q.
Wood. George Catterson. Il. NJ: Seeds. Geo.
Lilly, ). N. Cham Ders. j. X. Rodgers.
Charles Brockwood, Charles Moores.
Charles Walcotta and w. l.. TAYLOR. The
club has for some time been considering
the proposition OF playing duplicate whist.
A number who have never played 1t are
conservative. but those who have dupli-
Gated . play with ilattering results are
found willing and anxious to take this
step forward in the game. Duplicate
whist is simply this: The card sredealt and
best Judgment. The points are counted
and the hands are preserved and passed TO
the players ut the next table and played
over again, until one set of hands make
the round of the club. The ones scoring
the largest number of points are the ones
TO whom the honOrs 40. The mistakes of
the others are thereby brought to light
and the players craft improved. Duplicate
whist precludes the element OF luck
and reduces everything 20 the scientific.
There 10 no game OF cards, il seems,
where science has so much to say in the
awards. nor any game OF cards where sheer
luck does not prove moro disastrous to- the
best players. At last Friday nights meet
ing of tho club the score for the year was
concluded.
The statement for November showed the
following ranking of such members as at
tend regularly enough TO obtain rank: