The San Francisco call., 1896-07-26
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least The sixth congress viii long be remem-
bered by those that were there, and the absent
ones were not entirely forgotten.
The whist editor of THE CALL received the
following letters from some of those who could
not attend, which were read at the congress.
LETTER FROM SIR WILLIAM POLE.
SrANHoPE PLACE. HYDE PARK W.,
LONDON, q June, 1896.
My Dear Sir: am much obliged by your
kind letter of May 81. i have said, in my an
swer TO Mr. Weems' hattering Invitation, how
much appreciate the courtesy OF the league,
and may add, to you, that the extension of
that body to the Pacific Ocean by the Western
Association, of which you are the founder and
president. eniarges my feeling OF gratitude
and brotherhood in q corresponding degree. I
only wish could express this personally at
the opening session.
l need hardly add how glad 1 shall be to
make your personal acqqaintsnce ii it should
suit you to come over to England, bat you will
find no such whist enthusiasm here as you are
accustomed to in your own country. Yours
very faithfully, WILLIAM POLE.
LETTER FROM MAJ.-GEN. A. W. DRAYsON.
IL June, 80, 20 Ashburton Road,l
Southsea, England. (
Ny Dear Sir: l received yours of 21st of
May only yesterday as have been fourteen
days in the New Forest for perfect quiet.
/ should, indeed, have much enjoyed to be
present at the congress at Brooklyn. I shall
be present in thought and shall read with
great interest all that is written about it.
Your articles in The CALL, which you have
kindly sent me, are clear and able. / am glad
you found something OF value in my ..Whist
Laws" etc So few Englishmen seem able to
reason out a case, or even to remember the
simple laws, that believe the book will be
useful
My two suggestions, 'change your suit" and
the reverse discard" are no doubt powerful
weapons, in spite OF the fact that the oppor-
unity for their employment seldo m occurs.
Please express to the "Whistersn nv COM
pliments and also my thanks for their very
kind invitation, and believe me, very sin
eerely yours, A w. DRAYsoN.
LETTER FROM ARTHUR RUSSELL.
ROYAL COURTS OF JUSTICE,
LONDON 81 May, 1896
Dear Sir: Ny father, the Lord Chief Justice
of England tells me TO write and thank YOU
for your most kind invitation TO the Whist
Congress, but to say that he much regrets it
will be quite impossible for him to avail him
self oft. He bids me say that he wishes all
possible success to the congress. / am, dear
sir, yours faithfully, ARTHUR RUSSELL.
No doubt many of our readers would like to
know what was done at the congress for the
good of whist. We intend in the next few
weeks to give all the information possible.
We would be glad to receive communications
on the subject on any points that we might
overlook.
PLAYING Two-HANDED WHIST.
Two-handed whist is being played at some
clubs and private parties, and variation has
been introduced which makes it resemble
more than ever the regular four-handed game
and has infused new interest in it. The game
is played by dealing TO each of the two players
one-half OF the cards, one at a time, as in the
regular game. The cards are then placed on
the table in piles OF two, so that each player
has thirteen piles
The top card of each pile is turned ND at the
beginning of the game. This leaves thirteen
cards in each hand exposed Play begins with
the non-dealer, who plays one of his exposed
cards, and as soon as the trick is taken he
turns up the card that was beneath it. In this
way all the cards are finally exposed and
played.
AS two cards make trick, there are natu.
rally twenty-six tricks in all, thirteenof which
it takes to make q book, after scoring which
every trick counts one point Thus, while il
is possible to make thirteen points in one deal.
it is also possible to have no count whatever
and in actual play it often happens neither
player makes point in a deal
WHISTLES.
To our Problem published June % VIC have
received quite number of answers. none OF
which are entirely satisfactory. We should
like to have our whist readers try again, es-
peciaIly Mrs. N. c. Pratt Of Eureka, Cal, whose