The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-07-11
AROUND THE WHIST TABLE
INTERESTING, IF NOT IMPORTANT,
CRITICIS8TS FROM "CATENDISH.n

Tho whist Interests Of the country have been
centred at Putin Bay during tho past week,
and every one has been waiting for news Of tho
results OF the annual congress-.
None OF the important contests was finished
when this column went to press, and a detailed
account Of tho tournament cannot be given until
next Sunday. The entries were not as numerous
a. last year, except In tho open events, which
wore very we'll patronized, tho short contests.
which arc known as progressive" being quito
popular with those who were not In the star
class. Ladies' were largely In evidence In all the
open events. as THE suN prophesied they would
be, and they distinguished themselves on many
occasions.
In his opening address to the m dele.
eatos President Barney confined himself to two
matters-ono OF them his hopes for tho final re-
port from tho much-talkcd-of Committee on
System of Play, and the other n suggestion that
tho league clubs take some steps to carry out
the suggestion made in THE sun a few weeks
ago. which was to the effect that the results of
the various experiments being tried by thou
sands in tho whist clubs Of this country should
be collected. analysed. and communicated to
other clubs. 80 that all might have tho benefit Of
tho experiments made by each.
AN ENGLISH OPINION.
"Cavendish' is out with an opinion Of the
respective merits of the American departures
ktttt heNO eSSh Aha vi tho " bhh
monious and perfect game" which he describes
In his twenty.irst edition of tho Laws and
Principles Of Whist" or course. everything
which was not submitted to him for approval
before publication is Of questionable value, but
his criticism Of our methods. coming at the time
Of the annual congress for testing such things,
10 interesting II not instructive.
Some of the things he condemns have long
since been dead issues in this country, such as
the lead NJ q from, A n IN q and A IN q which
was suggested by G.. W. p. who wished to
restrict the 0 lead to X ] 10 o. or X 8 and
others. II any one plays the G. w. P. game
now. no Is n curiosity.
"Cavendish does not approve Of the single
card call for trumps, which is the discard Of any
card higher than a seven. He thinks such a sig
nal should be treated merely as a suggestion to
lead trumps, not as q ommand
He does not fancy the four signal. but admits
that somo very strong players use 1t. and appar-
entity to advantage. He seems to think it gives
too much Information to the adversaries, forget
ting that his own theory Of whist Is based en-
tirely on tho assumption that ut is unlikely
that q player will be at a disadvantage in the
long run because he imparts too much informa-
tien whist Developments" p. q.
All systems Of showing less than four trumps
he considers bad, because they expose the weak
ness Of tho players hand to his adversaries. He
also condemns the call through an honor turned,
not because there is nothing gained in tho long
run by fishing for the honor to the neglect Of
everything else, but because of the irregularity
in the opening lead which the system requires.
In the matter Of discards "Cavendish" does
not approve of American methods at all, and is
very tenacious Of the discard from strength on
,"u"aee "u imp .e ' M. u Il
players on the defensive are weak. He does not
face the ouestion of the folly NJ keeninp aufts in
which rs tn there srei is obs ul ,uS ,V mo- ua nssttos s sucs an an
Q six and deuce; neither does he refer to tho dis.
edvnn,apcs of showing strong adversaries ~.
w IL
suit which they should carefully avoid leading
mp to q certain player. The common. sense
~ eatu
Goes not mention; IN faet' he seems to know lit
Manv nIavers xiii srilo A. his on;nion ., tho
many p,r!otS SUN Nv n,S opinion ol n
rotary OF iormey DISCARD "hich ne BUSINESSES IN
tina. a very short trial will prove its ineficieney.
"Cavcndish' Is evidently not aware that Nc
Cay and Smith. who hold the Minneapolis
uopn'. VIM" iopissehts IN palr championship
OF the world use this discard. and think 1t one
''.n ea ssso aas, points ot IN In the,r game.
w u H,uno.e sp"oe 10 mas'eu on Inc
question or leading fourth or fifth best after ace,
sense game has settled that oucs,icn lonu ago hv
leading the ace when ii player is running"
and tho small card, not tho fourth best, when he
Is playing the invitation game,
He objects to the socHiled Hamilton lead of
the 10 from j 10. NOT because il ia not n Tood
thing in red Icinp tho unccrtainty NJ his own
absurd queen leads. but because il nocessitatns
leading a small card from X ! 10 and others
Common. sense PLAYERS are moi trouhled with
hair splitting difficulties of that kind. They
have no confusion in the queen leads. and don't
touGl a suit headed by * J IL they can helm IL.
When "Cavcndish" comes TO sneak OF short
suffers he 5etrays his Ignorance Of The theory
ana; practice OF conmon.sensc whist He de-.
SERIES il AZ 1.-The practice of leading short suits
in preference to long ones" Then he goes on TO
say that the object Is 10 make small trims and
to ESTABLISH cross.rufs. This Is y totally errone.
ons description OF The game advocated by THE
SJN. Short suits are moi led ain ureIrrcncc In
long ones" but as a warning to partner that The
long suit Is worthless Us an opening lead. even
with rsnsonablc nssistanrc from him, The ION Of
nothing Is not a Play for \ run at ali, but is a
card on warning and supnort. Does any onc for
moment imagine that when snch PLAYERS os
those on the champion II milton team open inc
ton OF nothing thai their idea ia simnIy m vet nm
a crossruf Il
'.Cayendish :" snys the nlan pursucd nv sbort.
- l'E' ''NNS y hfioh -