The Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1895-1897, 1896-04-09
FOR LOVERS OF WHIST
Diedrich Discusses Old Time
Principles of Play.
TWO GREAT MASTERS OF FINEssE.
The Teachings OF Dcschappelcs and Clay.
Whiss Strategy Undlnturbed by Conven-
tions = Tho Strength and Beauty of
Whist"-Six Forms of Finesso.

tions-''rhe Strength and Beauty of
Whise'-six Forms OF Finesso.
AS &c. W. p" in his "whist Universal
remarks, "ths rules for lead and follow
have changed, but the law of flnesso, tho
strength and beauty Of whist, has never
changed, will never change"
1t is accordingly to tho old masters of
whist, especially to those originals, Dos
ohappeles the Frenchman and Clay the
Englishman, that We must return, as
geometrician does to Euclid, for the abso
Lutte results Of pure reasoning, und!sturbed
by convention.
Desohappeles played for position, often
foregoing the trick and throwing the lead,
that thereby no could control the gamo in
the end. Bystanders thought him an Gin
spired mailman" simply because, as is tho
case with most critics of genius, they could
not follow the subtle though certain logic
OF his arriving mt the desired results. Es-
pecially was ho strong In tho 1nesse, tho
six modes of which arc thus practically
formulated from his play.
l. t1nesso In partners suit. The regu-
lar flnesso upon lead of low by partner
Example, tho play of queen from ace and
queen when king appears to lie at tho
right, or when chances are even that either
opponent holds 1t.
2. Forced flnesse In your own suit.
Tho finesse in your own suit when returned
by your partner to n certain master card
III fourth hand on your left. Example,
the play OF tho ton from queen and ton,
when King was drawn In previous round,
and ace lies to your left, and chances arc
even that jack is to left or right.
D. Finesse in right opponents suit
This Is tho fnesso ut second hand when
the third hand opponent has already played
his best card Of tho suit now led him again
by his partner. Example, second hand
originally had king, queen and ten of suit
led. He played tho queen, which was
taken by nco third hand On the second
lead from tho original leader, second hand
plays ten, hncssing over probable jack at
the right.
4. tlncsse in left opponents suit. This
is simply the reserve OF the master card in
second hand, when tho lead is through
him up to probably exhausted strength in
third hand. Example, h leads low through
king and jack in S up w, who had pre-
viously opened tho suit with the ACC. 5
Illnesses with tho jack upon the equal
chance that the queen is with f and tho
added probability that n holds no moro OF
the suit and can trump queen anyway if IL
is played by W.
tho finesse where you make the partner
take the trick, maybe of his own suit, that
you may hold command. Example, of
king and jack you play the jack that left
opponent may play queen and so draw de-
clared ace from your partner, leaving you
with king and command.
q. Fincsse on general strength. This is
the flnosso when sure tricks are held in
other suits, and even in tho ono led, and
Is played that whatever strength may be
10 your loft shall be exhausted and your
partner given what is possibly his only OPP
portunity to make his cards count. Elk
annie, with command in other suits, and
with king, jack and several others of the
suit led on tho second round, with aco
already played, you play tho jack that
even if the left hand opponent holds tho
queen it may be played and not held back
to regain command when trumps IRE ex-
hausted there also being chance that
your partner has the winning card, or,
failing that, can utilize d low trump.
DIEDRICU.
Knickerbockcr Whist Club, New York.