Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-06-18
TALKING WHIST.
Prof. Foster Mt the Capital Bi. Club
Arranging . Tournament.

Prof. Foster at the Capital Bi. Club
Arranging q Tournament.
The whist community was given a royal
treat last week by the coming to this city
Of Prof. r. F. Foster. the whist author
and authority, to deliver two lectures be-
fore the Capital Bicycle Club The first
lecture was given Friday evening in the par
lors Of the club before upward Of hun
dred ladies and gentlemen. lovers Of the de-
lightful game. Prof. Foster handles this
difficult subject In a n asterly way. as BELTS
the lifelong student Of the game. He spoke
last evening much as he would to an audi
ence of mere beginners. but rapidly led his
hearers into the refinements Of play. and
before the evening was over he had them
10 diligently considering the system of
American leads. He illustrated his theories
and points by means OF q board, wherein
he displayed the various combinations.
Prof Foster introduced the subject by re-
ferring to the policy that has recently
come in vogue of abiding to the modern
game" as though whist were develop
ment of very recent years. that is, whist as
played by the students and genuine lovers
Of the game. He gave an experience of his
In the library Of the British Museum, where
he searched among all the literature that
could possibly be found, and demonstrated
to his own satisfaction that the game of
whist of hundred and fifty years ago con-
tained all the thought-germs that have
lately been so well developed, that uniform
players have developed the game into "a
science. He said that the only modern
thing in whist is the popularity Of the pre-
arrangements between partners. But he
spoke humorously of the sure fate of the
deviser of signals, which are almost GER
tain to be blocked In time by counter sys-
TENS thought up by his opponents as soon
as he has begun to play his own signals
You may rest assured" he said. that as
soon as you study Up something new some
bircr hot
Hang your science! Give me the aces and
the kings! Thus crIeth the man who re-
viles text books. and denounces the modern
arrange ment of the game. He mistakes the
important fact, declared Prof. Foster, that
text be oks and rules of the game today rep
resent the accumulated experience of over a
century of the worlds best players of the
game. Unless you study out the math-
ematiCal possibilities" he said you are
simply gamblers. That player is the best
winner who plays for the best probabi
ties" Men who do not realize this axiom
do not know that they are laying odds
against themselves whenever they violat e
one Of the known principles of textbook
whist The entire science of modern whist
Is based upon a very simple axiom: Put
yourself in his place" This rule operates
erS from the lead the probabilities of the
leaders hand. People have run crazy
| about signaling, and beginners are very apt
to overrate the force and power of the
lowed to go beyond few simple rules, for
as surely as they are devised will better
systems be constructed TO block new COM
binationS.
The lecture was heard with the most in
tense interest by the audience. Most of the
time, of course, was taken up by an ex-
plans ton of the possible combinations in
the leads and rapid review of the cardinal
principles of the regulation plays This
lecture will be repeated at the same place
tonight, when a different audience will
gather to hear it, The whist committee of
the Capital Club were careful to distribute
tickets TO these entertainments, so that
the audience could be divided about evenly
between the two evenings, and so that the
cards. which have been at high premium
throughout the week, might rea ch the true
whist circles of Washington.
After the lecture Mr.. Charles r. Dodge,
the president of the club announced that
there would be a duplicate whist tourna-
ment for pairs next Friday evening at the
club house. open to all auditors of these
lectures Ladies are to be gladly welcomed
There VIII be TO entrance fees and no
prizes, and the efforts will be mainly to
give an enjoyable evening of scientific
whist The pairs must hand their names
in 10 the whist committee of the club by
Thursday next, and all PLAYERS must be
ready to report for play at 7:45 Friday
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