The San Francisco call., 1896-03-22

| 'SGIptNlSt 5
tAll mmunica tions concerning whist, an
swers to problems, etc., should be addressed
whist Editor" CALL, City.l
When you sit down at table to play a
game of whist you enter into copartner-
ship with the player that sits opposite
you; your partnership consists in combin-
ing the Is cards that are dealt you with
his 13. and playing the 26 as though they
were all in one hand, against your adverse
ries' 26. In every deal of whist this must
be done, and the Whist Column will try and
show you how to do it.
1t is as foolish to sit down at whist
table and attempt to play the game without
any knowledge of it as it would be to sit
down at piano with sheet of music In
front of you and attempt to play without
knowlnga note.
How few realize this fact. To become a
whist-player you must do just the same as
you would do if you wanted to acquire any
drawing, or the languages; you must study.
We have heard lawyers and doctors say
with laugh II have played whist for
years and never looked into whist book. +"
How perfectly ridiculous it would sound
to say in the hearing of these gentlemen,
81 have practiced medicine and law for
years and never looked into book on the
subject" A bird can fly without wings
just as easy as one can play whist without
knowing the II G. of the pame
The study of whist is different from al
most any other. From the minute you
commence to apply yourself the interest
starts, and increases all the time, and to
the student it is real enjoyment. Let
US, for example, shuttle pack of cards
and turn up trump and start in to play.
The opening of the game, ''the original
lead" is the spark that sets the machinery
in motion, and the battle begins. Mark
well this fact: there is only one original
lead made every deal, and, strange to say,
the first card that is played is generally
mistake, and is caused by not knowing the
first letters of the whist alphabet.
There is no combination or possible COM
bination of cards that the opening player
can hold, but there is at least one that he
should lead that will enable his partner TO
get great insight into: his hand. We will
give you an illustration: You all know
that deuce of q plain suit is the most
worthless card a person can hold. Wewill
select this one for him to lead And now
listen to its story:
This little two spot says, "Partner, I
have not suit of five cards in my hand.
I do not hold the ace and king, or ace
queen jack. or king queen, or king jack
ten, or queen jack ten of this suit;
neither have / got five trumps. l hold at
most but four oArds in it, with possibly the
ace, or king. or queen, or jack, or ten t
the top. One thing is certain it is the best
suit have got and you must not expect
ance of my hand--the other nine cards
are probably divided in the other three
suits, with three cards EACH"
This and much more is said. Now,
when such a valueless card can say so
much what will other cards say? To edu-
Gated whist.players every one of the fifty
two cards played each deal speaks with in
telligence, and what it says is impressed
upon the mind through the eyes with as
much confidence as though spoken by
word of mouth
The opening lead of each deal should be
absolutely " conventional" The hand
should be opened in accordance with all
recognized whist principles, in every case,
from your strongest and best suit If YOU
have one, and you should select the proper
card to lead from that suit. What IS
meant by your strongest and best suit" is
suit comprise of four or more cards at
least. Now it sometimes occurs that the
four-card suit held by the leader is four
very small cards of no value, or four very
small trumps. In such case the leader
has the option of leading from these four
cards or from three-card suit; both of
these leads are conventional there is
no such thing as forced lead'' in the
opening lead of a deal. A few hours study
IS all that Is required to get this much
knowledge of the game. We will say here
there is no'law to compel a person to play
his cards correctly if he wishes to do other
wise: he is his own free agent; if he wants
to lead singleton he has right to do so.
The essence of all good, whist play is to
be able to read your partners hand and
he yours, and this will enable you to
make every trick possible in each deal.
Always speak truthfully by the card you
play; don't deceive your partner in whist
any more than you would in business. If
YOU follow these lines you will have no
trouble to reach the goal.
WHISTLES.
The San Francisco team that won the
Rideout trophy from the Oakland Whist
Club-last weeks play in Oakland-de-
serve great deal of their success to the
brilliant play of the only lady member OF
the team, Mrs. ]. G. Curtis.
Mrs. Helen Hawkins of Hollister will no
doubt head team of ladies to play soon
for the Rideout trophy.
The Oriental Hotel of Manhattan Beach
has been secured for the Sixth American
Whist League Congress to open June %.
1t is to be hoped one team at least from
the combined San Francisco whist clubs
will be sent East to compete for honors at
the next congress.
Saturday evening last the Trist Dupli-
cate Whist Club gave one of their social
events. Their new rooms were tastefully
decorated and filled with the fair sex.
After whist play refreshments were served.
Mr.. and Mrs. f. III. Atwater of the Peta-
luna Whist Club were recently elected as
sociate members of the American Whist
League.
A new duplicate whist club has been.
formed in Sacramento, with Charles E.
Burnham at its head.
The Deschapelles Whist Club of Ia
coma carried off the honors in winning
the trophy in the North Pacific Whist
Association that just closed its third an
nu4l meeting at Seattle. John G.. Sutton
-. er<l.