Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-08-24
ORIGIN OF BRIDGE.
Great Whist Game is Said to Have
Come From Russia.

From the Saturday Review.
The real origin of bridge is somewhat
shrouded in mystery. The game is said to
have originated in Russia, but there is not
satisfactory proof. of this statement. 1t
was first known under the title of ''blritch,
or Russian whist" and this, no doubt, gave
rise to the idea that 1t was of Russian orr
gin, although, as a matter of fact, the
word "biritch" is not to be found in any
Russian dictionary. The game. as we play
1t, is far more likely to have been of Levan-
tine origin. 1t was certainly played. very
much in its present FORM some forty years
ego. in eastern Europe, notably in Constan-
tinople and in Greece, and II there were
any necessity to assign to it a definite ma
tionality we should not hesitate to award
the honor to Greece.
The prevalent idea that bridge was I'M
known in England up to the time of its
introduction at the Portland Club in 1894
Is an entirely mistaken one. 1t was quite
unknown in clubland. but there is indisput-
able evidence of its having been known and
regularly played in private circles for
many years prior to that date.
1t is stated in the supplement to the
ninth edition Of the Encyclopedia Britain
MICA that the game of bridge was first in
troduced into England in the year 1880, but
no information is given as to who furnished
this statement. or as to what authority, II
any, there is for 1t.
We have received a letter from an En-
g!ish gentleman of Greek extraction, now a
resident in London, in which we are as
sured that the writer can remember the
game Of bridge, very much in it's present
form, being regularly played among a
colony of Greeks settled in Manchester. of
whom his own father was one, as far back
as the seventies of the last century. The
only important point Of difference between
the game as 1t is played now was that the
value of no trumps was 10 points per trick
instead Of II. and that the four aces In one
hand counted so above the line instead Of
100. as at present. Also. the lead of
heart, in answer to a double of no trumps
by the leaders partner, which is commonly
supposed to have originated in America,
was the general custom. The short suit
convention had not then been heard of.
That was probably purely English con-
vention in later days.
In the year 1885 a small pamphlet was
printed In London. entitled "Biritch, or
Russian Whist" There is said to be only
one copy of this pamphlet in existence and
that Is in the library of the British Mu-
scum. 1t gives a very attenuated descrip-
ton of the game, with the method Of scor-
ing and a few laws as to declaring, passing
the declaration etc: but again we are
without available information as to who
framed these laws, or by whose authority
they were published. AS the game is there
described. the most valuable declaration,
corresponding to our present call of no
trumps," was "biritch, or playing without
trumps and the value of the call was again
10 points per trick instead Of II. and also
four aces In one hand counted 80, not 100
The winners of the rubber added 40 points
to their score. instead Of 100 points, as in
our present game, and this extra score was
called consolation"
There can be no doubt that the score for
no trumps ought to be 10 points per trick
and not II, as that is following the regular
upward sequence of the suit declarations,
2, 4, 6, 8, 10 and also, If the value of the
tricks at no trumps is to be II points. why
should the honor score for aces not be also
~ points instead of 10? When or why, or
how or by whom the change was made is
quite unknown. When the game was first
introduced at the Portland Club we were
certainly told that the value Of no trumps
was II points per trick, and the error, If
error It was. must somehow have crept in
accidentally.