Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-12-07
AMONG THEWHISTERS'
Progress Of the Contests for the A.
W. L. Trophy,
MUCH CRITICISED $EcqsD-HlHD PLAY
interesting Notes Of the Local
Gibbs,
HOW A MATCH WAS LOST


The western clubs and Buffalo. owing to
the approach of the second week of Janu-
airy (when the club holding the A. W. L.
trophy will have to surrender it to the
western elubs) failed to put in an appearance
at Philadelphia Saturday, and the Pennsyl-
vania club, which is the next In line, faced
the champions, whose team work has ena-
bled them to defeat every club with which
they have played this season. The Phila-
delphias won, although Billstien and Steel
man put up brilliant whist, and the cham
pioEseat no stage of the game thought they
had walkover. The play began at pm
and at the end of the first half the Phila-
delphias were Ave tricks ahead The final
score was: Philadelphia, %; Pennsylvania,
g.
Their rotary discard with bridge-v whist
notifications, Is another weapon in the
hands of skilled artisans who hew close to
the line. The Phiadelphias, with such per-
feet understanding, cannot go amiss in any
play they deem it prudent to adopt. They
are back where they never should have
strayed from-the queen lead at the head
of a sequence, as the king on the left, your
partner holding the ace, seldom escapes,
and many tricks are garnered that would
otherwise have escaped. The reason for
their adoption of the queen lead Is that the
use made of the ten as supporting card
lead is liable to cause confusion.
Coming Matches.
Next Saturday Walbrooksr of Baltimore
will face the champions of Philadelphia,
and will give them harder game than
they have encountered this season. The
Walbrooks are in great form, as Is demon
strated every Wednesday night, they hay
ing beaten the strong Baltimore aggrega-
tons four OF five times. With few more
ohn,n hi
game hard to beat.
Warren A. Hawley. chairman of the At
lantic Whist Association, has issued the
following program for the annual meeting
on December 10 and H.
Philadelphia Whist Club, 104 Juniper
street, Friday, pm. Progressive contest
for fours. Players may enter together,
whether members of the same club or not
Entries close at 1880 pm, December 10.
Saturday, IL a.m-Business meeting at
the Continental Hotel. parlor c.
Saturday. p.m.-Par championship of
association. Any number from the same
club can enter as pairs.
Saturday. 6:3O pm.-Dinner in the ad-
joining room. III
Baltimore. Washington, Wilmington Scran-
ton, and Easton, Pa, viii send strong dele
cations. -
Ace Played second Hand.
Considerable comment has been made in
| the whist columns of the newspapers
| throughout the country on the second
| hand play of Cincinnati man in the re-
| cent match with the Philadelphia. The
| Cincinnati player held SAGE Jack, ., 8, 4,
CAGE King Jack 6, 3. II 8, 4, and the ten
| of diamonds. The trump was diamonds. He
| played the ace of spades second hand.
| The play OF the Cincinnati player has
| been very severely critised. Holding ten
| black cards, he has right to recognize an
| sffih of Cor 1S and r,
safely credit his partner with much
trump strength as his left-hand adversary.
| presuming the original leader has opened
| his longest and strongest suit. If he does
| not take a spade trick now, when will he
| have another chance? Add to this the ad-
| vantage of being in the lead early, and
| with the king and ace of clubs, you give
your partner the privilege Of directing
| your line of play. His terrace is only
| vice ten-ace, and as there are only three
| spades to be accounted for the suit cannot
| live two rounds 1t is nearly the same play
| YOU make second in hand when your part
| ner makes a discard in suit of which
you have ace. He declares weakness and
you are bound to protect him. The five
spades being placed with the leader, your
| partner must be weak in spades, and you
| are justified in playing the ace with the
| array of clubs. which gives you the oppor-
| tunity to get the keynote of the game.
The Press commenting on the play, says
Cincinnati certainly played very well after
| the first trick. but it was the ace play sec
oIlu MANU- cH thal tTlck tndt IndOe the rest
possible. sadder play than this is hard
to imagine. E, with short trumps and
long suit, gives up not only his only re-
| entry, but also terrace in his adversary's
| long suit to insure a trick which he stands
| a chance Of winning in any event. 1t was
| probably the worst play made during the
| match and that it should make five-trick
| gain possible is of the most peculiar
happenings in the history Of the game of
| whist"
| Admitting that his partner had an equal
chance to win the trick. Els holdings in the
| black suits announced hand out of the
ordinary, and he was justified in trying
to get into the game. His long suit is
less unless his partner gets out the trumps
| trumpet on the second round, and he has
no re-entry. Had his partner been able to
win the first trick in spades. he would have
| opened trumps, and he could have shown
| his club suit by the discard of a heart.
| Your partner may be weak in trumps, and
prefers your playing spades to give him
| the chance to over-trump his right-hand
| adversary. Another good reason: He was
| playing against a team second to none in
| the whist arena, and he was right playing
a little out of the regulation play.
| Chat Of the Local Clubs.
The Capital Bi. Clubs Wednesdays have
been devoted to team work of tours, and it
| was hoped that they would be in evidence
| at the Atlantics annual meet next fI.uay
| and Saturday. There is nothing definite
settled as yet. Their Saturday night hand
leap was attended with much interest and
| Pechin was the winner, like winning sec
| ond prize. The score was very close be-
| tween some of the pairs
| NORTH AND SOUTH EAST AND WEST
| Kerr and Barrick. :. IA like and Stevens . 148
| Writ and Lewis. 1877 Pechn and johnson. 142
| Bishop and Sevttte.. 1871 Spauldng and Clark 1877
| Selden and Willard 1875 HOeke and Young . l36
McCOmb and Henry. 1855 Cooper and Pelouze 1876
BrittOn and William Hills and Quicken
| son. .:.......... 134 bush. ...........:. 1876
| Low and Mattingly.. l82 Moore and Howard 125
Average 136. Average. 1876.
| Result of second handicap tournament of
| c. Bi. C.-Pechin 1914: like, % 81: Writ
1923; Barrick. 1891. The score of the four
| highest only is given. D.
The Washington g. q and Whist Club
has game Of Whit every afternoon. and
| knight, Finn. DR.. Lee and Harvey make it
| interesting for all comers
The c. A. c. will probably send four or
| six plaYerS to Ph{lafieInhia This will sziuo