The San Francisco call., 1897-07-18
New Laws of Duplicate Whist.


In the final session of the seventh whist con-
gress, held at Putin Bay, the most important
matter of the meeting was the report OF P. ].
Tormey, chairman OF the committee OF re-
vision of the laws governing the game OF
whist The following is the complete code as
it now stands and was adopted by the unani-
nous vote of the seventh congress of the
American Whist League:
To The President ard Delegates Of the american
Whist Ledgue-LADIEs AND GENTLEMEN: The
committee laws begs leave to submit the follow
ing report:
During the past year very many changes in the
code have been submitted TO and considered by
your committee, but after careful deliberaton the
committee is unanimously in favor of leaving
wholly unchanged the present code. which is the
work of masters and which has been in existence
for four years, giving upon the whole, entire satis
faction 1inkering and tampering with such a
code is to be deprecated, and we believe that no
change should ever be made in 1t unless it should
be vitally important. This is not the case at pres
ent, nor is it ely ever to be. Respect for good
code grows and increases time passes, and the
various provisions become i'm oedded in the minds
of the whist play els of the world.
Duplicate whist, however, requires some special
provisions and hence this league promulgated
code for its government at the Chicago con gress
in 1893. AT the fourth congress in Philadelphia
in 1894 the present code was enacted and has
stood without change since.
Your committee pro poses certain changes in the
laws of duplicate whist hereafter stated, and it
believes that whist-piayers generally will apply to
straight whist such of the special laws of dupli-
cate applicable, and thus the alleged de-
fects and deficiencies OF the present will be
obvated.
THE LAWS OF DUPLICATE WHIST. AS ADOPTED BY
THE SEVENTH AMERICAN WHIST CON
GRESs. 1897
Duplicate whist Is governed by the laws of
whis except in far as they modif by the
following special laws:
THE GAME AND THE SCORE.
(d) game or match consists of any agreed
number of deals, each of which is played once
only by each player
The contesting teams must be of the same num-
ber, but may each consist of any agreed numbe
of pairs alf of which, or as near thereto pos
sible, sit north and SOUTH the other half east and
west.
Every trick taken is scored, and the match is
determined by comparison of the aggregate
scores by the competing teams. In case the
teams consist OF an odd mum Der OF pairs. each
team. in making up such aggregate, adds, as
though by it, the average score of all the pairs
seated in the positions opposite to its odd pair
Each ,ide shall keep its score, and it is the
duty of the players at each table TO compare the
scores there made and see that they correspond
In match between two teams the team which
wins majority of all the tricks scores the match
as won by that number Of tricks which 1t has
taken in excess of one-haf the total
In a match between more than two teams each
team wins or loses the case may be, by the
number of tricks which its aggregate score ex-
ceeds or falls short of the average score Of all the
competing teams
In taking averages fractions are disregarded
and the nearest whole number taken, one-half
counting as a whole, unless it is necessary to take
the fraction into account to avoid tie, In winch
case the match is scored as won by ''the fraction
of trick"
FORMING THE TABLE
(b) Tables may be formed by cutting or by
agreement
Intwo-table duplicate, If the tables are formed
by cutting, the four having the preference play at
one table and the next four at the other The
highest two at one table are partners with the
lowest two at the other. The highest two at each