The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1901-01-20

Do you play whist. gentle reader? YOU
answer. with confidence, that YOU do.
But are you quite sure" Everybody plays
at whist, more or less. but only an elect
Few. comparatively speaking, play whist
The distinction is by no means one with
out q difference. The dement's of the
game, IN English-Spe;,bin:5 countries are
common knowledge. Everybody knows
that Hhst is played by four players. two
against two; that each player has thirteen
cards: that the last card dealt decides
The trump suit: that each player must
follow suit If he can; that it is desirable,
In a general way, TO return partners
lead, and undesirable 10 trump his trick
1t is also understood that hand con-
tanning plenty OF aces and kings IS a
good hand: that an ace led, if not trump
cd. is bound 10 win But here, or here
nbouts, the exact knowledge Of TOO many
people comes to an end
Now there are TWO ways of playing
whist the first b. the light of nature.
the second based on the experience of
many generations OF skilled players, and
the two are widely opposed The I'M
taught player fights. like Hal o the
WynG. for his own hand Secure III his
knowledge that an ace unless trumped-
is 4 winning card, he proceeds, when he
gets the lead. II play out all his aces,
then his kings, and after winning pos
sibly three or four tricks, says serenely
confident that he has done his duty,
NOV, partner, I'll leave the rest to you.
Ii the latter happens to hold the next hest
cards. not very much harm is done, but
in any. other case the leader has done his
best to destroy his partners chance of
making tricks in the suits in question.
Such a person, when gently demonstrated
With. viii cColly reply. We'll. anyhow.
iEe best card can only win enc trick.
True enough, but the skill OF the real
wfst-player is shown by his making sec
ond and third best cards win tricks also,
and this can only be done by each playing
for his partners hand as well as his own
To take the simplest possible illustration.
4 deader) las ace. ten, and Two small
cards Of a given suit, while c. his part
ier. has king single. If a leads the ace,
The king falls TO it. The two best cards
of The suit have been expended over a
single trick. and il is likely enough that
the rwo next tricks VII! fail to the 1dver
saries. II. however, y leads, as by the
rules OF sound play he is bound TO do,
his smallest card. C's king wins the first
trick, AS ace remaining still available to
win 4 second. But, says the tyro.
''how is a 10 know that c holds the
king" lie does not need TO know. c rlsy
Or may not hold the king. but in either
case AS lead enables him to make the
best use of any high card he may hold. as
1t must either win the trick. or draw n
card still higher from the opponents. and
thereby clear the way for AS long suit.
Incidentally, too. the card he plays gives
A some Information. to be anlplided later
on, as TO his strength IN that particular
fuit
Now this last is a very important point.
Any one car. see that Il two partners each
knew Shat cards the other held. HEY
would play At an immense advantage.
This advantage is Just what 1t i the
object OF modern scientific waist 10
obtain. To This end sundry rules of play
have been devised hr following, which,
and drawing uae necessary iaferences
from their observance. a pair OF skilled
players are enabled. after the first few
rounds 10 do ali but read the contents
OF eaca others hands. and make very fair
guess at those o. their adve-saries. Such
pitch Of perfection is not TO be reached
without much practice. as well as study,
but itis not so difficult OF attainment as
Il would seem, and the hints given in the
present paper vii at any rate cradle an
inteiiagerr. reader 10 make a. considerable
approach TO 1t.
THE LEAD.
Lead from your strongest suit. This IS
rnae-honored maxim. and still prevails.
But there are two kinds OF strength. a
suit Is strong II the cards It comprises
ne high Ia value, as ace, king, knave.