The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1897-05-23
How Whist knowledge Must Be


We are frequently asked, Chow can ever
learn to play whist?' How can l imp prove
my game?" ETC., etc. There are several other
stereotyped questions that one frequently
hears in whist C. ubs similar to the above.
We could fill volumes in trying TO answer
them. 1t is hard nut TO crack When you
come TO sift it all down. yon will find there is
only one way or one road to travel to get to
the goal of mediocre not TO say first-class
whist player. If you do not want to travel
this particular road, do not start out, for you
will never get there. If we should ask Judge
Slack how one could become a lawyer, or ask
DR.. McNutt how one could become physician,
or ask General A. w. Drayson how a man
could become an astronomer, they would all
no doubt give US the same answer. They
would advise us to begin at the beginning and
be a thorough student, and that we must
study hard.
In other words, it means that you must get
certain amount OF knowledge from an ex-
perierced teacher or from the textbooks 1t
may be foolish for us to say that some will ask
if there are any textbooks written on the
subject of whist. AS the question VIII be
asked we will anticipate 1t by saying there
are six or seven hundred different books on
the game. Don't let this scare the reader to
death; it is not necessary to buy but one of
them, at q total expense of six bits to a dollar.
ming, learn the A of the game.
First come the proper leads and follows
from every combination of cards possible to
hold; then second and third hand play; then
come the discard; fnessing; the call for
trumps the echo and subecho of the call;
learn how TO show number in partners suit;
how to unlock. When you have acquired
this much knowledge of the game, then and
not until then should you sit down at a whist
10 rrI,n 4l.,ff
comes select for your partner some ole who
knows fully as much If not more than your
self In hunting around for partner. if you
find those that will tell you they "are good
whist players" they "know all about the
game" drop them IKE hot potato. or in other
words don't take sucn person for partner.
They are no good as a rule and know nothing
of the game. Find one that is satisfied in say
ing he ''plays at it," or one that says he is a
student When you do find such one freeze
to him. Then climb up the hill together
From the time you start in to play never for
get you are not playing alone you have
formed a copartnership -and always try at
least to combine your hand with your part
ner's. Play the two hands as one, If possible
your twenty-six CARDS against your adver
saries' twenty-six.
The greatest player and writer of his day,
the woTld-renowned Deschapelles, says "a mu-
tual understanding between partners forms
the very spirit of the game and the basis OF
all improvement" This can only be done by
adopt ng the same identical line or system of
play from A to 2 and sticking to it. Your
original lead OF ace. king, queen, Jack, ten,
nine. or any card down to the. deuce, should
not have a dual meaning-it should always
mean the same thing. II you willfuly
deceive your partner once confidence is
shaken; the second time you do SO confidence
is lost And whist confidence is just as sacred
as any other kind-always speak the truth by
the card you play. When you are second in
hand' player you should conform in 80 cases
out Of 100 10 what the textbooks tell you TO
do. If you studied law or medicine the time
would naturally come when you tould be
admitted to practice. Then discsAd youf