Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1900-09-02
WHIST.
THE WHIST TABLE-UNBLOCkIN
FOR PARTNER - HOW IT
SHOULD BE DONE - DAN
GER TO BE AVOIDED.

An opportunity for great loss or gain
presents itself in what is termed "un-
blocking which means getting rid of
the high card or cards of the partners
suit, because retaining them would pre-
vent the partner from making the low
er cards of that suit, he holding great
er numerical strength. The most
common form of unlocking is when a
player holding four or more cards of
his partners salt, and not attempting
to win the trick, retains the lowest
card he holds of the suit, playing the
one above the first round and the one
about that on the second Many play
ers do not hesitate to assert that it is
useless to make this play uniformly
because they cannot see that the part
ner is always benefited by it. So far
as the actual trick winning is con-
cerned, that is perfectly true, but the
information given to the leader when
his partner shows four or more cards
in his suit is in many cases of the
greatest possible advantage. Naturally
to desire the fullest benefit from the
play the drop of the cards must be
NdICuCu Wei ClOSSiy, OLuCl W lSG tllC
fact that the partner has retained the
lowest card of the suit will be unob-
served.
A danger to be guarded against in
drawing differences in regard TO TN
blocking is that the enemy by false
carding on the low cards, may lake
it difficult to detect the TACT that the
partner is unlocking, but usually
close attention will reveal the true sit
uation. If after every one has played
to the second round OF the suit, low
card is missing, lower than :ha one
that the partner played to the first
round, the chances are that he holds
the low card and one or two besides.
A great advantage of the play is that
in many cases the leader can tell after
the second round that all the remain
ing cards OF the suit are held by him
self and his partner, as the continu-
alton of the s,rit would almost inyar-
iably result in loss. The knowledge
thus obtained is of the greatest pos
sible advantage in preventing one part
ner from making a small trump, the
other from discarding. li7il3 Ii" bI'A1
Another important matter In con-
nection with unlocking is the mega
tive side Of the play. The Information
given by the partner when he plays
the lowest card possible on the first
round, telling that he has one, or at
most two of the suit left, is frequently
of the greatest assistance to the hand.
A player should in unlocking, be
careful never to hesitate nor to show
the slightest indecision. A hand was
noted In one of last winters matches,
when the leader opened the queen of
spades from the king, queen, and three
small cards This partner hesitateed
and at last played the nine The leader
inferred that a call" had been started.
AS the only possible holding to make it
an unblocking play would be jack, ten,
min and one or small, fourth hand won
with the ace, and led a suit which the
original leader Won he Immediately
opening trumps. In consequence sew
eral tricks were lost, and his partner
asked for an explanation of the trump
lead. AT the end of the match the rea-
son given was that he was doubtful
whether or not he should lubbock, as
the queen had been led by one who was
always pronounced long-suiter. There
should have been no doubt whatever in
his mind. On the other hand, the player
who drew his inference from a manner
ism may be justly censured for trans
erosion in the etiquette of the game,
which cannot be too severely frowned
upon.
An instance was noted in a trophy
match, where third hand holding nine,
five, tray, deuce, played the five on the
queen led, strictly starting a call and
unlocking at the same time One of
the opponents criticised the play as abb
surd, as he could not block his partner
from such a holding Now this was
perfectly true SO far as being in the
partners way was concerned, but the
unblocker played on team that be-
heved in uniformity in system 1t
CHANGED that the queen was a short
lead, the leaders suit having been
opened on his right. and the queen was
led as the only card likely to prove of
assistance to the partner. The trick
was held by the enemy, and the suit
led twice by him. The fact that the
trey fell on the second round, and the
deuce on the third. enabled the leader
Of the queen to read that his partner
was unlocked and calling on the sup
position that the queen was led from
five instead of from two.
On trumping the third round the call
was not responded to, as it was un-
doubtedly made on a misconception as
to the nature of the queen lead
Beginners should be warned against
the danger Of attempting to unlock.
After they have learned the main
points of the game, 1t is we'll enough
to accustom themselves 20 retaining
the lowest card Of the partners suit
when the hold four and an honor IS
led, so that when they become skilful
players, they Val find themselves trav-
cling in the right direction. The other
more Intricate forms of unblocking as
employed by expert players should be
severly let alone by the average player,
as even the best players often lose
tricks by being too venturesomre in
this direction.
Since the game of living whist was
given, under the direction of Mr. j.
Eberhard Faber, at Princess Bay, last
June, numerous inquiries have been
made as to just how it was managed.
Mr.. Faber departed from all former
presidents by having lands actually