Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-12-21
WHIST AS 1T Is PLAYED.
The Game is Growing More Scientific
Each Season.

The Game is Growing More Scientific
Each Season.
From Harper's Bazaar.
Before scientific whist was in vogue as II
Is at present it was claimed that the differ
erce between good and bad players only
amounted to about or per cent, while to-
day duplicate whist shows the difference to
amount to fully % per cent
The reason for this lies in the fact that
good players understand the science of the
game so much better than formerly that al
though the cards run just as they did In the
old days-so much more can be made out of
poor hand, and this, together with the
improved system of American leads gives
the advanced player an advantage over the
old-fashioned one which can hardly be
measured.
The present widespread interest in the
game is shown by the large number of whist
classes held every winter in all the chief
cities, the best teachers having every avail
able hour filled with engagements.
One meets at these classes women of all
ages intent on studying the science with the
utmost seriousness, and one sweet old lady
gave as her sole reason for wishing to gain
an intelligent idea of the game a desire not
to be a trial to a good partner when it fell to
her lot TO play, as it often did in her own
home and the homes of her children-a most
unselfish and laudable motive for there are
few greater Affections of the minor sort
than poor and Indifferent partner at cards.
Paid to Play.
Another woman explained her presence at
whist class by saying that she was pre-
pairing for old age, in obedience to Talley-
rand's suggestion, and though his often
quoted saying was doubtless intended to
apply to men, that a preparation for old
age is matter to which women should also
give their attention surely needs no proof.
With eyes that are not strong for reading,
and no taste for knitting, cards are a real
boon to the elderly woman forced to give up
the active pleasures and duties of life.
A pathetic figure was suggested by an adj
VertlSement which appeared in a Boston
paper several years ago, which shows that
harmless pleasure may be carried to
governed by principle. The advertisement
read something like this: "Wanted-By
three old ladies, young lady to make
fourth hand at whist on Sunday evenings;
less played the unscientific game which the
late Mr.. Proctor characterized by the be-
lifting name of "bumblepuppy."
Many people claim that they can never
learn to play good whist because of de-
fective memory; but this faculty of the mind
has been placed fourth in the list of quail
first requisite is concentration-the mind
must religfously Danish thought of every
thing but the matter in hand. Second is OBJ
servation-the fall of the cards must be
Aotcu al each is Inc
ability to draw differences from the cards
as they are played. Fourth comes the eff
fort to remember these differences, and,
lastly, the judgment to act upon them and
the skill to make the most of the situation.
American Leads Adopted.
Indeed, one clever teacher claims that
whist is nothing in the world but common
sense applied to cards, and the person pos
sessed of good share of 1t, IL reasonably
endowed with other mental qualities, will in
time play a good game
An analysis of the rules proves the truth
of this assertion, for all of the so-called
American leads have been adopted only be-
cause repeated experiments have shown
them to be wise and sensible. And still the
study of the science goes on, and every year
new and improved rules are advanced and
adopted by lovers of the game.
A pupil in one of the last winters classes
struggling to commit her leads and meeting
with difficulty, as almost every one does at
first, laughingly declared one day that "she
wished Cavendisn would die" afterward ex-
planning that as long as he lived new rules
would be formulated, and there was enough
to do to remember those already in the
books" But. as some one has said, there
is no easy way to learn to play whist; 1t is
not possible to go across lott" but one must
tramp the old turnpike road-study and
practice"
And the end is well worth the trouble for
the skillful whist player is always in de-
mand, and the pleasure which he gives to
others is generally proportionate to his own
enthusiasm for and enjoyment of that best
of games"