The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-06-26
AROUND TIE WHIST TABLE.
THE sUN'S B THOUSAND HANDS
AND THEIR ANlLTSIS.
ne Canadian whist CsnErsss 70 Fellow
the American ConEreEp - Proposed In
trFnntlonnl s1atehss-Systsma Mt Boston.

a"~
tSrnationAl neutrality-suspicious. mt Boaton.
On Sunday next THE sUS will publish tho
hrst Of the articles giving tho results OF tho
analysis OF the 10000 hands. One Of the great.
est difficulties In connection with these hands
has been TO determine upon a proper system
Of classification, by which the hands might no
arranged for future reference. The scheme
finally settled upon Ia to tako the longest plain
cult as an ind OK, because II is upon tho manage.
ment Of the plain suits that tho most impor.
ltant points In whist strategy are based. The
nrst general classification has been to sort out
the hands according to the longest plain suit in
each, beginning with eight cards or more, and
going down to suits Of two cardr only. This
gives us seven principal divisions to begin with.
Each OF these groups Is then further class fed
by separating tho stronger suits from the
weaker of equal length, beginning with suits
headed by quart majors, and gradually getting
down 10 those with no cards above a nine. A
still further classification is arrived at by grad.
ing the hands in each group according 10 the
accompanying strength in other plain suits and
in the trumps. In order to simplify the latter
any hand containing four trumps has been
taken as the standard VI trump strength. and
all trumps over four have been clnssed rs cards
of %re'cntry, so that n hand containing one suit of
i've cards, ace of another suit, and four trumps
would be placed in the same category, so far as
ticAkt WhS COllsBTnOu, us u SUIT IL NV dIt
accompanied by five trumps, but without re-.
entry in another plain suit. This is based on
the wcllknown principle that n fifth trump IL
always considered eqrRi to n rc'cntry card for
an established suit.
This arrangement refers, OF course, only to
the hand OF the original leader. and II has been
found necessary TO classify tho various COM
b!nations Of cards and trumps held by the second
and third hand by means of card indexes, which
rnfnH tn Ia, ,,,,hn ~ ,hn lnul Il, ,l;,I, tl,ua
combinations are to he found. by this system
of classification 1t will be possible to turn at
once to nil the hands in the 10, 600 which con
tain any particular combination of high cards,
or which show any given combinations OF plain
suits or trumps, or of plain suits, re entry, and
trumps. In case Of such disputes as tho best
opening from suits headed by X, J, 10, for in
stance, or the risk attending tho lead OF n queen
from queen AMI one other. all the hands in
which those combinations occur can be picked
out and a~nnlyzcd. In this part Of the work THE
Sun proposes to ask for volunteers who will
play over the hands, or get them played in their
clubs, SO as to get the greatest possible variety
of results from which an average may be OBJ
tanned. II the readers of THE Sun have any
suggestions to make with regard TO points which
It would be interesting TO observe in classified
ton or indexing, THE Sun would be very glad
to hear from them.
THE CANADIAN CONGRESS.
Immediately following the eighth congress
of rhc American Whist League in Boston,
which will bp brought TO u close on Saturday,
July l6, the third congress Of the Canadian
Whist League will be held in II Toronto. begin
ming on Thursday. July II, aud ending on Sat-
urday, July 81. The games will all be played
in the rooms of the Toronto Athletic Club, and
the general plan will be very similar TO that OF
the American meetings. There will DO four
principal contests. az follows:
/. Canadian championship for teams of four.
.. Canadian championship for club rAirs.
3. Canadian championship for mixed pairs.
l.. Anglo American championship, which is
to be between members Of thcCanodian and the
American Whist Leagues.
A strong effort is being made by some OF the
officers Of the American Whist League to get
players TO visit Toronto and try conclusions
with the Canadians, with n view to starting a
series of matches between the two countries,
and it is TO be hoped that something Of the kind
will be brought about before long. II the Cana
diaus would take the initiative by sending some
OF their good players to Boston in the first place,
IT would probably do more than anything else
10 induce the Americans to pay a return visit.
SYSTEMS At BOSTON.
The coming congress at Boston will probably
go down to history as the first decisive strug-
RC oob"Soh "a 'N"6 "N
the new.fanElcd common-sense players. because
:, Ill, -. ~ g., In ,,hioh ,bsro yyiu hnya hosn
IL VIII U 'he II III me w " eIn
any strong representation or hcretics In the
championship events. Teams from New York.
D-..hIun ~, 1or,or poo,op provid.ncs md
nroohish' No" 'etee'' Hos'o" ""u
various other parts Of the country will DO out
In force 10 try their luck with various forms
..eartt,o" 80 .,uodieod, ooros rost ~
OF HeAipe All" ho"inon knno9' h'osU Vi
winch are more or less emphatic denials OF the
lCnr.,uiL theory of whist.
Tho S1,rpriSn nf thn tournament will DrOhnbly
inc suFpFlsc Vi ~ tournament VIM ploouo'y
be the position Of the American Whist Club OF
Roston whose team has been the great boast
=, 81 ,onr .ri,ora ~ ,ho nost
ana standby Oh inc ions Su't'FS. tut II pus.
three years Capt. Bouv6 has always brought
his men ont among the first flight at the annual
nn"o,ina. ~ thn league and bns won more tha an
meetings OF INC league anu nus "oh 'lolo Ih"i
his share of the A. w. L. trophy matches. to
saw nothing OF his victories in his own New
EDo,and As,oci0Iion md all nv stickinp fa,tb.
England Assoclatioh' anu III ny sticAinE i"ith-
S,II, o., tba GOOD old ha ~ I'd unnna Tn anita