The evening times., 1896-01-10
Rare Advice Offered by an Expert
at the Game. .
fgtFtA7bt =
APPEALS TO ALL AMERICANS
There should he an Ea rnest Attempt
ut Scientific and Logical Play at
the Very Outset-In Leading, Lead
From Your Longest Suit-what u
Novice Should DO.'.

/
The same foreigners who insist upon
accepting Buffalo Bill and Barnum as
typical Amer leans have racterized
poker, with its essential elements of
nerve" and bluff" as our national card
game.
| Poker, however, stands in the same Iela.
ton to the intellectual game of whist that
! the scout and the, sbo wman do 10 such
! men as Emerson and Edison, types of our
philosophers and inventors.
/ The game of whist is one of free con-
ditions, and therefore appeals TO the i'll
| dependent American spirit. II is straight
cards. There is, therefore, a simplicity OF
laws which leaves the way open for u
| free and scientific development OF play
dependent entirely upon tie principles of
| induction.
| Every convention which Is adopted has
accordingly. q logical basis, and is intro.
| duced for the purpose of guidance in play
rather than as an obstruction placed there
! in order to call forth skill in surrounding il.
The American spirit which delights in
beating time in the race track by every
device, pneumatic tires, perfect track,
and tandem settlers OF the pace. rather than
the steeplechase, the "Hindern iss Rem
men, OF the foreigners, reveals itself In the
development OF the game of whist by its
helpful conventions known as the Amer
! lean leads"
OBSTACLES IN THE GAME.
The German games OF pennchle and
skat. where skill in play is conditioned
upon the obstacles in the game arising from
| the coinplexity of arbitrary rules. cuiti-
vate at best only the qualities OF shrewd-
ness and adrotness. which are too near TO
| trickery to be OF either intellectual or
ethical advantage 10 the, player.
Whist can be played In this manner but
the individualistic game. the playing for
ones own hand, instead OF for partners
also. the leads OF singfc,ons, or so-called
"sneaks," and false cards. in order to
mystify the opponents, are denominations
to the lovers OF the game and desolation to
the mental habit OF the player.
Neither the routine game of leading out
all the high cards in the hand, known as
! domestic whist" nor the cunning game Of
misiuformation known as humble puppy"
should be permitted for a moment, even un-
der the plea of the persons ipdulgng therein
that ''they play only for slnuscment.'
There should be an earnest attempt at
scientific-that is, logical-play from the
very start. The novice shOald never make
a play for which he does not understand
the reason. He should enter into the study
or the game with the right spirit, and then
all will be plain sailing for him.
In the first place he should bear in mind
that. while he is a novice, he should never
misinform bis partner Let him forego
seemingly sure opportunities 10 make tricks
until the practice of giving right informa-
ton upon every opportunity has grown TO
be second nature with him. After all the
taking of tricks Is not the immediate point
OF each play. This is rather the utilization
OF each card to its best advantage. The
tricks will take care of themselves sooner
or later.
DUTY OF A PLAYER.
There is q conservation of energy in
whist as well as i'll every other realm OF
science. The voluntary sacrifice OF
moderately high card TO draw higher
cards from the opponents. when the play
OF the commanding one would certainly have
taken the trick, leaving, however, the
control OF the suit with the opponents, is a
duty which will be certainly rewarded. 1t
is the act OF Arnold wmkelried, gathering
enemy as he could grasp, and SO leading the
way to ultimate victory.
As to the general rule for giving Informal
ton to your partner, it is agreed that it is
best to inform as to numerical strength
rather than control of suits. Therefore,
in leading lead from your longest suit,
even though this is one OF four cards headed
by a. five spot and a suit Of three is in
fl,, IA nf a M
Another general rule for the novice to
follow is persistence in the course of play
adopted by his side. This is imperative
when the course has been originated by the !
partner. This rule is really a corollary of |
that regarding the giving OF information.
1t is impossible to deviate from course I
OF play thus laid down by the partner |
without misinforming him. Accordingly |
return the lead of trumps. For similar rea- 1
sons continue with old suits, even though |
the lead of them has proved disastrous, |
rather than by the lead of new ones of which |
you have no informa ton rush into greater |
disaster.
In general, therefore, the novice should |
cultivate the admirable qualities of verac- |
ity, self-sacrifice, consistency, courage and |
persstency. To this end his physical man.
crate. The hand should be carefully ar
by suits, alternating in colors, and
the cards of each arranged according to
numerical value. Even the most evident
play should not be made too hastily.
The logical habit should be cultivated by |
arriving at a Judgment upon every play.
When there is choice of two plays equally |
appealing to the Judgment. play one with
out hesitation or thought of possibility OF
after regret. Never take chance into con-
which is based, upon supersti-
ton. The problem of chances is scientific |
one, and fully provided for in the rules Of |
whist play. hrr
A MODERN SCIENCE.
Remember that whist is a modern SCI
ence, and the textbooks upon it, like those
upon phyics aud astronomy, should be OF
very late date. Pay no attention to old
rnles in rhyme, to old phrases,
like ''se pding boy to the mill' and when
In doubt trump" They may or may not
be correct advice. Prove all things by
vance in play by your own experience, for,
after all, despite the caution of authorities,
it is only by our experience that we acquire
the knowledge which lasts.
Every player is bound, sooner or later,
owing to what Poe called the spirit or
the perverse'' in human nature, to commit
such a mistake as the lead OF singleton.
The loss OF two or three tricks thereby
will be the most efficient and lasting lesson
noySihIp Accordinply tho novjcp should