Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-11-22
AMONG THE WHIST PLAYERS

The important events the past week in
| whist circles are Of a character to arouse
| the greatest interest in whist players. The
meeting at Albany will no doubt be of the
| greatest benefit to the game. as nearly
| every club in the state was represented,
| and the desire to advance the best means
| to bring the players closer together caused
| everything to come OF with perfect una
| nimity. Minneapolis. too. is arousing all the
| northwestern clubs by the offer of q hand
| some trophy. Massachusetts has trophies
to be competed for every day In the week,
! and with such incentives no wonder the
| character Of whist is of the highest order
| Philadelphia. Wilmington. Baltimore and
| Washington, whist centers should get
| closer together. After the organization of
| the Atlantic League 1t was thought that
| there would be continual practice matches
| between the clubs OF these cities
Inc women minister's are more interested
| than the men. and already ARRANGEMENTS
| are being perfected to play a match game
| eisnt q side four ladies and four gentle
men. Washington and Baltimore. The local
| interest in whist Is everything that could
De desired, as private matches are being
played all over the city every night, but il
| Is not organized play, and is not as con-
aucawe 10 good play as would be If the
S.iHuiuS OF trophy was at stake 1t is
| the competitive play that brings out the
care ana attention to the game that is
needed. The playing together constantly
that enables players to familiartze them
selves with one another's play. is ali es-
| sentiai to strong play. Baltimore has al
! Ieaoy commenced to pick out the teams
.nat must play together constantly. This
Is what made the Hamilton team SO for
midable, their ten years practice
| The C. Ri. c. is having some interesting
play. the handicap prize has caused MANY
| entries and the secret of the handicap
makes one play his best at all times as he
does not know his nearest competitor
! Inc situation In the New Jersey and At
| lantic match at present Is that the ATTAIN
| uc mas found hand in which their strong
est pair only scored three tricks and were
| the cards placed on the table exposed IL
| would be impossible to take less than six
TICKS, without a revoke. The score is
wrong. showing that the certified score of
| Two players at the same table must be
nnal. or confusion would follow every
| match. The magnanimity with which the
Auantics met the New Jerseys ought to con-
| vince them that there was all the elegance
| OF rehned craftsmanship in readily con-
| sentlng to draw before investigating any
other boards to see IL there were any err
! rors In the Atlantics' favor Atlantic Is
| perfectly willing to stand on the business
| OF the position taken by the officers of the
association.
The Andrews trophy will be the object of
contest between the Camden team and
| Mrs. Newbold's team, who were successful
| at Philadelphia recently
| Inc competed call for trumps has al
| ways been considered mandatory unon the
| partner to lead them, but there is such a
| wide latitude assumed by some PLAYERS
| VINO signal on every occasion, when the
uunip slrength does not warrant the call,
| Indt players are more timd in responding
| mere are only two cases where ii is jus-
| unable 10 disregard the command. The
nrst rs when you have greater trump
| strength than your partner, and have not
| advertised because of your weakness IN
the other suits. The second is when you
| are void of the suit your partner wishes
10 prinS IN. For example. hearts being
| trumps upon diamonds being led he dis
cards a spade, you. holding no clubs know
| your partner is playing for the club suit
and you can best aid him by trumping that
| suit, and can make a better game by re-
| training from the trump lead. A play out
| OF the ordinary depends altogether upon the
| character of player you are against and
whom you have for partner. and the exi-
| gency arising in which you are justified in
| departing from the regular play. Waller of
| Chicago, knowing he must put his partner
| In the lead. to exhaust the last trump
leads away from an established suit of
| hearts, headed by the ace. king and queen
The play gained four tricks. his partner
having jack and one small heart.
By the supporting card opening you often
put your partner in a difficult position to
| read your holding in that suit but this is
| not nearly as reprehensible opening false
in the initial lead of trumps. was done
for the Hamilton trophy at the seventh
| congress on deal thrty-five. This was in
| the finals, when Chicago faced Philadel-
| phia.
| Did the hand justify the play? No If
! you wanted to invite a trump lead open the
| ten of diamonds. You reserve the two
black aces to capture large cards of your
| opponents suits. 1t was very poor whist
| with the ace four. two of spades, ace
| nine eight, seven, four of clubs ten. nine
| six of diamonds, and the nine. four of
hearts. seven of hearts being turned, to
open with the four Of hearts. 1t outshort-
| suits short-suitism. without half the intel
| ligence. This is the trump suit you are
tampering with. the last suit you should
| deceive your partner as to your holding
| Chicago Times Herald puts the trump card
| in south's hand by mistake
| These hands are selected specimens Of
| good play by the strongest players in the
| league, and should be able to stand the
| test Of criticism. They are not supposed
| to be played by men with brain fag
| and should not be heralded over the coun-
| try monumental errors. for we
judged by the standard of good whist
There are thousands of good whist players
| who have never attended a whist congress
| and are unattached to any clubs belonging
| to the league. and many of them play
whist equal to many Of our championship
| players.
| What would 1.-The Whist Queen or The
| Duchess or many of our whist teachers
| think If they were encouraged to teach
such openings were INDUCED in by both
Philadelphia and Chicago players on
board 35?
| Here is specimen Of long suit conserva-
| tism played by one Of the Baltimore team
that went to Toledo and helped bring the
| A. w. L. trophy back: Holding five clubs
| to the seven, six, five. three, two, he opens
the hand with the three Of clubs; w. deals;
| three Of spades trumps. N. to lead.
| At trick seven N. can read his partner
| with all trumps and clubs. There being
|
| tricks, regardless of the position of trumps
| he puts a force on S. by tie lead of a los
| ing heart This same player on deal nifty
| five In the New Jersey and Baltimore
| match, holding the thirteenth heart. and
| all the players refusing diamonds. leads
| the nine of diamonds. which Eagles cap
| lures with the jack of diamonds. pal
| pable revoke. which is still undiscovered
| by any of the Baltimore players. thereby
| losing the match by a revoke that escaped
| without a penalty.
| Table No. 2.
| North leads. West deals Trump. spades.
L Sail