Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1899-03-12

The Coming Women's Whist Congress Drastic
Sarcasm-Make a Note of This Lead from a
Single Trump-When Should It Occur IA
Swing Of Three and a Nice Point Of Play.
THE COMING WOMEN'S WHIST
CONGRESS.

SOAd1ANd NOA1LAN . Wills
CONGRESS.
There are 60 women's clubs scattered
over the United States that are mem
bers of the Women's Whist League. The
membership of each club runs from
16 10 100, and the grand total is 2,51S.
The second congress of the W. w. L..
meets in Washington, d. c., April 25,
26. q and % next. There are to be
contests for a number of magnificent
prizes, such as the Washington Trophy,
Philadelphia Cup, Toledo and Brooklyn
Trophies, ETC., etc. The championship
for the year for club teams of four,
club teams of two, open fours, open
pairs, ETC., etc. will be decided at this
be in store for the contestants. Alas.
what a pity that some of Wheeling's
| fair and excellent players are not
among the contestants.
DRASTIC SARCASM.
He was noted for his remarks after
a deal had been played. These were
not always of a complimentary nature.
The newcomer drew him as a partner
in straight whist. His friends gave
him ample warning. They played for
an hour with scarcely any converse
ton. Speaking of the game after
wards, the amateur said that his part
ner had conducted himself in a very
amaiable amer 1t was only to-
wards the close that anything like crit
icism was heard. This was caused by
his making a misdeal. On that occa-
sion the expert quietly asked, Cant
you even deal.-Toledo Blade.
MAKE A NOTE OF THIS.
1T is less mischievous generally to
lead a certain losing card than to
open a fresh suit in which you are
very weak. How many minister's in
this vicinity can plead mot guilty" to
the above? If guilty then turn over a
new leaf. How very often does ones
partner, for instance, lead his king
then ace from four, the others being
small, then hesitate as he observes a
high card, say 10 or 8, fall in the sec
ond round from one of the opponents;
then because a rough is imminent
leads from his weakest suit. His
partner holding king loses it to fourth
hand, whereas, if it had been led up to
it would have made.
LEAD FROM A SINGLE TRUMP.
The Register has been asked by a
correspondent when will a hand JUS
tify a lead from only one trump"
The book rule says never to open a
hand originally by the lead of a single
ton trump unless one has command of
all the other suits. Certainly an excel
lent rule, but honored much more in its
breach than in its practice. Perhaps
there is not a whistler in Wheeling who
has not, to his sorrow, violated the
above rule. True once in a long while,
when ones partner is anxious for a
trump lead, instantly, it is a "howling
success" but much oftener it is q
bowling failure, to the intense disgust
of partner and discomforture of the
leader. Many practiCed players will
lead a single trump on the opening of
a hand holding command Of two of the
plain suits. In such cases the play is
not so reprehensible; and yet it has it's
faults, for if one has a discerning part
| ner who sees that you are in command
of even one suit, and he has strength
in trumps he signals you to lead them.
If on the other hand the adversaries
are strong in trumps, which is oftener
the case when the leader is weak in
them, they will lead the trumps and
your strong suit. or suits will make
any way-that is as far as they can
make. An ideal hand to open a lead
with a sigle trump would be: Ace,
king, queen of diamonds; ace, king of
hearts, and ace, king. queen, jack, 8,
4, 2 of clubs. If partner is strong
enough in trumps todraw the remaining
trumps from opponents, then the leader
could discard the poor cars and make
all his master cards. If partner was
also weak in trumps no harm could
come of the lead. A singleton trump
lead should say to the partner, Get
out all the trumps for me, and | will
do The rest" If the partner a depend
on the reliability of the information
that the single trump carries, he will
unhesitatingly sacrifice his own hand
to his partners. But a player should
beware how he makes a misleading
opening of this kind, for as surely as
loss results therefrom, as surely will
the partner the next time refuse to be
led into what before proved an expen-
sive experiment.
Commenting on this subject an au-