Evening star., 1896-01-28
WHIST PLAYERS. DISPUTE,
Systems Involved In the Capital
Hamilton Club Match.

Systems Involved in the Capital
Hamilton Club Match.
The recent matches of the Capital b.
Clubs whist team with the Hamilton and
Baltimore teams have been of intense in
terest to local whist players, not so much
because of the fact that local pride was
aroused. as because two systems of play
were brought into opposition. The local
team has long been known as an exponent
of unconventional play, and it's continued
success would seem to demonstrate that
the principles which commonly guide whist
players are unsound and would go long
way toward revolutionizing modern whist
methods AS the Philadelphia Evening
Telegraph remarks referring to the theory
which governed the play of the Washing
ton team: If this theory is sound all the
developments of modern whist are based
on an erroneous premise
In critical review of the leads in the
recent match with the Philadelphia team
it is pointed out that the play of the two
teams differed markedly in their leads. and
that to the leads of the Washington team
is largely due its success. In one hand
the was led from ace 8, Z, 6, 5, ., and
other plays of a similar character were
frequently observed.
These, of course, were all made on the
theory that there are two adversaries and
but one partner, therefore, to give informa-
ton, is Instantaneous
for instance, noidlng ace, KING, JACK,
and Of clubs, the Capitals did not lead
the club, it being trump, but having a
single heart, the queen, led that. When
the Hamiltons played the same hand they
led the trump.
AT another time the Capitals held seven
clubs and only one heart, and led the heart
The Harniltons, in their turn, led the club.
(. AT another time when the Capitals held
five .trumps and one diamond, they led the
diamond. The Hamiltons led the trump.
And so it went through the match, which
the Capitals ultimately won.
Whist players argue that if the playing of
the Capitals is sound then the modern
theory of whist is all wrong, and this Is
the great question that is arousing discus
sion wherever two disciples of Pole, Caven-
dish and Trist meet and talk of the match.
1t would seem that the match with the
HamiltonS did not settle the superiority OF
the two systems, for the Baltimores, play
ing conventionally, defeated the Capitals.
The Telegraph pays this high compliment
to the Washington players:
"The members of the home team proved
themselves keen, clever whist players, and
deserve the most hearty congratulations for
their victory. They played hard and well
from first to last, never showing the least
nervousness or undue anxiety"
1t goes on to say, however: 1.-The game,
however, involves more than merely a
question of which club scores one more
into marked prominence the complete diff
ference in system of the two teams. On
that subject, of course, no one game is
conclusive evidence.
1t has been claimed that luck has been
removed from whist by playing the dupli-
cate method but the Philadelphia boys
don't think SO. The Telegraph says:
Luck is also prominent factor in all
duplicate whist matches. The Hamilton
players are of opinion that they never saw
it run so continuously and pointedly in one
direction. OF course, that is simply the
opinion of the Hamilton players, and must
simply be taken as such. The presence or
absence of luck can never be proved. Ger
tain it is, however, that Capital won on
illnesses of ace, Jack, king, ten, etc, and
that many deals that worked badly for the
visitors hinged on questions of judgment
arising when the situations were so close
as to be almost an even chance which play
was the wiser to select"