The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-01-02
l-p win ten trioke.

12.......... Q......... K......... b.....-.... 8
13.......... 5.......... 3.......... 7.....-.... 8
Alb win ten tricks.
Tho problem for the editor to whom this dia-
gram was sent was to figure out the suits Of
the various cards played, so that the heart eight
would DO In Zs hand and Alb would get
exactly ten tricks.
At the first glance this may seem impossible,
but 1t is not, for there are several ways of ar
irving at the solution of such q problem. Ono is
to write out the figures as they appear on tho
diagram, and then to cover each with a card Of
the denomination given, regardless Of suit.
afterward moving them about in order to get
tho tricks to resemble the actual play of q hand.
Another way is to consider the positions of the
different cards of the same size, which must
belong to the different suits, to see IL they
do not suggest certain changes In the lead.
or distin guish between plain suits and trumps,
Tho second trick. for instance, must be a plain
suit. unless b has no trumps. because he plays
an eight. which Is the same size as the turn-up
trump in Zs hand. Another way Is to a~nnlyze
the tricks individually. with a view to finding
which player had the lead, and therefore must
have won The preceding trick. II the ace. king.
queen fall on one trick, for instance, it is very
improbable that the ace was the card led.
Other peculiarities will readily strike tho at.
tention. In several tricks there are two or moro
cards OF the {, same med denomination 9 In trick six
skies, and in trick eleven there are three mines.
When the proper solution is found 1t will rep
resent the play OF q hand which illustrates q
very useful principle in whist tactics. There
are no false cards. no revokes. no Irregularities
and irregular leads are not used. and the play
throughout 10 perfectly straightforward and
to study the distribution Of cards OF the same
d damon y aSsIs are tn Two ta assa si ltMo ,G HIps tricks lwo for s;, in
two f0ura twO treyg and tV0 deuces
1t is hardly necessary to say that solvers are
not expected to hit upon the exact suits actu-
transposed It win make no difference. This
tom tony viii not t'S be pubbli a 8 Until Rr jan. 81 sn and sps ali
the names of those sending correct solutions
be- obliged IL soivers. would state the. amount Of
time taken IN arriving at the solution: and
suits on the foregoing diagram. which should
be cut out and mailed to this office.
CONVENTIONS AND
In the present discussion of the subject of pri-
b:r of persons, who should know better, speaking
Of the system of leading from high.card combi-
prove that rotary discard;s., calls through hon.
ors turned, trump-showing leads. and so forth,
, Are perfectly feet y., l1e sitnn,;u1 as as e., = part gans Of whist list
mitted fact that it is perfectly fair for a player
t. lead 2 king with VI the distinct Int impression on
holds ace or queen with Tito follow an ace with a
queen. knowing his partner will infer the jack,
The. defenders of private conventions claim
that these leads are made for tho especial pur-
SSsii ii an'e Of theS le ead f from A.. s9u J t snd one no 'e oS
two others. It has been repeatedly pointed out
that such hn a claim is putting the cart before the
show the ace or queen. but to make tricks in the
suit. The partner does not infer the ace or
queen because, the king Is led to inform him,
foolish to lead a king unless it was accompanied
mot stop leading q plain suit and go to trumps
just to show his partner that the suit has be-
II the partner infers that the suit is estab.
lished. or was In danger of being ruffed, he does
that would prompt a player to stop leading it
and play trumps.
whist that to lead a small card was a losing
game. Further experience proved that to lead
afraid to return the suit. not knowing tho orig.
led isdi tir rsau even ma" Il i Il WAS HsHt trumped. It in was asI pretty Mfs
sure that the original leader held the ace.
Simply inspH T playing nS the game in, such uIh a man:
ner that the partner would be induced
10 10. 40 q m %ea' mi tas Leader eran Maeti Is t him ca SO
Of sm leading dnea the , Eoa.r from m,l < 2 : IAN and at At least snn two two
tended to show at least i've cards in the suit.
Nothing T. more, absurd. The lead was never
ers found that when the king was LED from
the suit was frequently 3 Blocked. As they knew
e i III aiaT band Cd they sss 1 I'd - n 'sas s''if (, e Rpss ct ,p a!%
ence that 2 jack lod must be from
3 g. sni Il s Of nSs n ar u mHF' and h1 sasth,ns By Da X
Conventional. It would be-, equally natural to
infer that 4 the king was led end the leader
SsIas Blocked; Mons e these play, are e %ay
cards In the manner that his experience has
taught him will produce the best results, and
under which such plays are made. That is al.
But WREN we come to such leads as q Jack fol,
ssGRs s Bounds al q sfS eo sH sfS% nts: WI Witch ch' are ws'n ar,
rsnGsS for Win ths express tRe o pnSPRSstGi Of s 4 j. ln and
others, the queen follows the ace to force out
the king, and leave the original leaderin com
mand Of the suit. Tho same principle Is fol-
become. the second and third best of the suit,
the higher card being always the one led; When
lisa convention. and unintclligible to tho part
nor without, previous explanation. because 10
q pi %Sf' The ilaet CUSTOM ISL %ou " 'foIIoSin HI the he ace SesDy With
the jack has never been adopted by tho best
M wing Mas pI psrtien Ind tn severe ,sas h IN his ho eritiei Sa' Of
1t, and expressed his surprise that American
experts could not see the folly of II;
signed to convey information according to, a
prearranged code of signals. whether they DO
number-showing leads. American leads: trump.
ventional, but Legitimate. because they re-
quire q previous understanding with the, part
ner as to their meaning, and are not based upon
whether he knows the game or not, which Is the
theory underlying the old leads and the true
four men together that can play whist. pure and
simple. we'll enough to pull together as a team.
drawn to play together in a compass match they
must go of in a corner and exchange private
each other as to their pet conventionalitiesf
Why cannot four good men from a club get on O
train and go to Albany and play q match with
to system -Four men agree TO make, up q
team, and four others propose to play them o