The Saint Paul globe., 1900-03-18


London now has forsook its allegiance
to whist to worship at the new shrine. A
few Americans-in New York. in Phila-
delphia and in Boston-are playing it. If
you want to be strictly up to date you
must learn it at once
1t has been generally received with
scoffing by whist experts But these same
experts who at first decry the game are
soon interested in 1t. Their interest then
changes to infatuatlon. and the infatua-
ton leads them finally TO abandon their
time-honored fayortte entirely and take
up the new game.
| It's beauty lies In the fact that it may
be lightly played at first. but 1t commands
such q wealth of scientific interest that
1t soon is played as intently as any game
Is played by the cleVerest card expert
It's possibilities are seemingly unlimited
and it Is bound to enjoy a great future,
the Philadelphia Times says.
Bridge is played with a full pack of fif-
ty-two cards, from which the four play
ers who form the table cut for partners
and deal. The:'two cutting the lowest
cards are partners. ace being. low, and
the lower Of these two is the dealer and
has the choice Of seats and cards. The
cards are dealt one at "a time until each
has thirteen. but no trump is turned The
dealers partner shufies the, still pack
and places it. on his right hand, ready for
the next deal. There are no misdeaIs In
bridge, and, no matter what the irregu-
larity may be. the same dealer must. deal
again. The dealer picks up his thirteen
cards and examines them with view to
selecting the trump which best suits his
hand for that deal OF course ise makes
it for the best interests of rs own hand
and score, but he must never forget that
he has partner, who may help him out
in his weak spots.
In making the trump the most impor-
tant consideration. for the dealer is the
state Of the score. In bridge the game
is thirty points, and the best 81 three
games Is the rubber. These thirty points
must be made by counting the value of
the tricks over six taken by either side.
The first six tricks taken In by either
side are called a book. and all over six
are spoken Of as one. two or three ''by
cards." as the case may be. These odd
tricks have a different value, according
to the suit which is trump. their greatest
value being when the dealers side de-
clares to play without any trump suit.
The scale of value is as follows:
No trump; each trick above six counts
twelve points; hearts strumps, each above
six counts eight points; diamonds trumps,
each above six counts six points; clubs
trumps, each above six counts four
points; spades trumps, each above six
counts. two points.
From this it VIII lbss seen that 1t is i'm
possible to win the game in one hand with
a black suit for the trump, and for that
reason the dealer will seldom or never
make it a black suit unless his score Is
so advanced. that he Is sure he can win
the game on his own hand. If he can
not safely makes4t no trump. or name a
red suit, he should pass the make to his
partner. This is. usdally done by simply
saying 'I pass ft.tiskT The dealer is not
allowed to give any hint of his reasons
for passing it, or. to call attention to the
| score. or give any hint as to his hand
The partner, with the knowledge that the
| dealer cannot safely make it no trump
For red, must use his judgment as to
4 whether to risk q ne-trumper or a red
| suit himself If hees cannot do this, he
]. should make, it spades unless he is I'M
usually strong in clubs, because a spade
make saa sort of touchdown for safety,
and prevents the adversaries from MAX
| ing a great score against him If they have
! the strong hands.
No one but the Dealers partner can
Itname the trump IL the dealer passes it.
! The trump suit named. the eldest hand
has the privilege, If he thinks he Is strong
enough with his partners probable as
sistance to make the odd trick against
the trump declaration. to go over; that
| is double the value of the odd tricks.
i- Nff IL, n a.
not infrequently in other suits, as it some
times happens that the suit named by the
dealer for trumps is massed In one hand
! against him. When the eldest hand goes
over. 1t does not change the trump suit
nothing will do that but it doubles the
! figures given in the foregoing table.
making each odd trick in spades worth
| four instead of two, and so on. The
maker of the trump then has the privilege
| Of going back that is, doubling this value
a second time. making the value Of a
| trick In spades eight. If the maker Of
| the trump does not wish to go back his
partner may do So but If neither OF them
goes back they say. Enough and the
eldest hand leads. Should either the
maker Of the trump or his partner go
back and the adversary who first went
| over decline to go over a third time,
| again doubling, his partner may take 1t
up, but if both decline to continue the
doubling that ends it.,
If the eldest hand does not wish to
double himself, he must astertain his
partners wishes fnE the matter before he
! leads, by asking. 'Shall l play?' That
| Is, ''Do you want to go over, partner, or
! shall we go ahead and play?" II the
| partner doubles, the maker of the trump,
| or his partner, can. go back, as before,
+, and so on, until one side or the other
says Enough" If player declares a
| trump when 1t is not his turn to make
| it, the adversaries may demand a fresh
deal, and If the eldest hand leads with
| out asking his partner that prevents
any going over. II an adversary goes
over out OF his proper turn, the maker
of the trump may let the go-over stand or
not. as he pleases.
The trump suit named and the value
of the tricks settled in this manner, the
| eldest hand leads any card he pleases.
and after this card is on the table the
! dealers partner lays his thirteen cards
| face upward on the table, arranged in
suits, with the trumps to his right. and
the dealer then proceeds to play the hand
as at dummy, his partner taking no part
in the game and not being allowed to
make any remaI KS or correct any mis-
takes, with the single exception OF ask
| ing the dealer IL he has none of a suit in
| which he renouncesg No matter what re-
vokes or errors may be made by the ad-
versaries, the dealers partner must not
say word, nor touch card.
After the play OF the hand Is finished.
the trick score issputs down In the left
hand column. which counts toward game,
and then the score for honors is put down
| in another roi1IyY1t, NlrIsHa hOn0rS N brfdCo