The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-02-07

IL WIN tWclNc tFAckN, q gam q rOnr.
Trick @. leads through AS discard. but Y
dare not fnesse the jack while the best trump
and the whole spade suit are against him.
,r ur,ss and n; II i n nSs . s spnds 10 81 RETURN sGr'' To 4. 81 Z
will trump the second round and lead a club.
Having no spades. II does not matter which
PAIR PLAYING.
There has lately been a very general express
sion of opinion to the effect that the practice OF
playing with different %partners Is not cond ucive
to good whist, although II may have its advan-
taRes Ms q social factor. In all clubs where
straight whist is stlll played. the usual form Of
cutting for partners Is gone through with. and
there would probably be n strong objection to
any two persons playing together oil the time.
In the large compass matches II will be found
that some pairs are continually together. while
somo players never have the same partner twice
The advocates Of changing partners say II Is a
great educator. while those who favor pair play
unlesr he knows every turn aud corner in the
partners game. IL has been suggested that In
%tinction should be made in clubs where large
compass matches are played. and the scores OF
those who play as pairs should be kept separate
from those VINO play n individuals. Others
claim that while there IL so much luck In dupli-
cate. II does not matter how the scores are kept.
ard that the best players will come out near the
top at the end. provided they do not get bad
partners too often.
There are two very strong objections to the
present methods OF playing duplicate whist, es-
pecially In clubs. The first Is that tho division
OF ,hs PLAYERS Is entirely a matter ct chance,
and South and the other half East and West
Those occupying the same po!ntsof the compass
never play against one another, and II the strong
PLAYERS are scented In one direction more than nm
other. II keeps down the scores OF those who
system is used only ole night IN the week. tho
favorite method being for tho pairs TO select
their adversaries for the evening and 70 cit still
and below the average o: the hands ms the test
Of skin. The objection 10. this is that 1t Is Inn
possible to get ali the tables evenly contested.
and when n strong pair are opposed to weak ad-
versaricS for an sntire evening. 1t gives them an
undue advantage in the scure,
Mr.. \. q. Stafford OF Washington. after sew
eral years xperinentinH. Las devised a system
OF pair PLAYING hat ovs5eonss III. objections
take any positions they please at the start, and.
after all are seated. hands them score cards des-
the positions thew are successfully to occupy at
other tables. The number of hands played Is
some multiple OF that number. II eight pairs
offered for play, seven. fourteen. twenty-one.
or iwen'yce',Ibh n hands land :. wo ,ha Se q a match ca ,So
players, BY, following on, the presrranEed
schedule Of changes In position II will be fonnd
that every pair is brought to play against every
other pair In the room for an equal number of
hand. and A. the same time to everyday tho
occupying the same points OF the compass at
Sanord's system has been tried ia several
clubs. bnt the objection to 1t is the complication
In the comparison OF the scores at the end. IL
were correctly put down and added up. it would
be a perfect System: but rs It. Is, II IL a night
mare IL there Is an error In the scores. II some
genius will take hold OF Safford's arrangement
for the players, and will make = simple system
Of scoring TO ft L, We shall have what has never
yet been obtainable At duplicate whist-a thor
ough comparison OF the players.
Another objection to the present method Of
playing duplicate Is the manner Of keeping the
scores. which are entered on n card which Is
carried from table TO table by the various pairs.
sure that each side has put down the right num-
her Of tricks. many persons steal n glance at the
possibilities OF hands already played by their
ndversaries. hut which they have still to meet.
smith and Jones plny, hands two snd three
ready played hands four and five. IN one Of
which Jones notices that twelve tricks were
made. When he comes to play that hand he
finds he holds two aces. neither OF which he
should lead. but with his knowledge OF the pos
at once. and Is at least one trick ahead. with
eleven to play. Both In clubs and In domestic
games there Is n great noen OF some manner OF
masking tho score Of all hands but the one
actually being played.
ORR PROBLEMS.
Tho problem published Jan. 81 Is a whist
curiosity. NJ IL admits of solution no matter
which suit y leads first. Although n great
many answers were sent In. and most OF them
saw that y might lead any suit for the first
trick. no one got the authors s%0lutiOn. which
but Is still interesting. y leads tho trump. 5
discRrding the ace Of diamonds. y then leads
diamond king. and = di.cHrdS his club ace!
Whatever w has discarded on the first trick.
he has made some secondary cards good In Ms
hand. or has established IS spades.
Here II nm interesting problem. Hearts
trumps; y to lead. and with $ for II partner
to take every trick.