The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-06-16
PINOCHLE WITH A WIDOW
LIFE ADDED TO THE GAME BY AN
IDEA TAKEN FROM SKAT.

skiIl-The Latest Thing in PinOchle.
Probably few games nave had so rapid a
growth in popularity az American pinochle.
This is partly because American players
have changed the game sufficiently to brig
IL up to modern standards, and partly
because the game Is in itself peculiarly q
tractive to what might be called the short
stop class in cards, those who are not quite
up to the exactions Of bridge and skat.
As first played, two hand, pinochle was
almost entirely a game OF nance. The
luck OF turning up q trump that fitted the
hand, the luck OF drawing good cards from
the stock, and the luck of getting melds
down in time were the distinguishing
features OF IL. There was practically no
play worthy Of the name until the stock
was exhausted, and even then its i'm
portance was nothing as compared to the
luck OF what had gone before.
When they got TO playing three and four
hand, either as individuals or in partner
ship, there was the same proportionate
element OF holding trumps and melds, with
title chance Of offsetting it by any skill in
the play OF the cards. Avery good player
might get an extra trick or win the last
trick instead Of the one before il, but that
was about all.
1t was to remedy these defects that
auction pinochle was introduced. Some
thing was wanted TO overcome the luck
Of the deal in favoring one hand at the
expense OF the others, and this bidding
element, which has been recognized as an
essential element in all popular card games
except bridge, was just the thing.
While bidding added life to the game
and did away with the accident OF the
turned trump. it still had the disadvantage
Of favoring the player who was lucky
enough to have good cards dealt to him,
no matter what the suit was. There was
nothing 10 bid upon but what the hand
contained, because any addition TO it's
value in melds was impossible. 80 that
there was NJ element Of speculation based
on the calculation OF probabilities which
would give any player with a better knowl-
edge OF such things the advantage over
another who was less we'll informed.
II you held a trump sequence in any suit
and three other aces, no one could possibly
bid against you. and the play was yours
TO a certainty. The others knew that there
was no chance to make any more'out Of their
hands than there was in them, and the
Tnelub COulu DS COuIlttN Np W a lHNNlg
before a card was laid down. What little
skill there might be in the play made very
little difference in the final result, 1t was
all in the meld.
This want OF the speculative element
was easily recognized as a defect in the
game. 1t was too much like showdown
poker. The remedy was suggested by
the skat players. 1t is a peculiar thing
that there is in the game of skat every
virtue known TO the card player, and that
while many ideas have been borrowed
from skat TO improve other games no one
has been able to suggest any addition to
skat itself.
The idea which the pinochle PLAYERS bor-
rowed was the skat or widow. With three
or four unknown cards to he added to the
players hand visions of all kinds Of good
things arise in the mind OF the bidder. and
he is no longer restrained by the knowledge
that what he sees in his hand is all there is
10 it.. A little daring speculation may be
rewarded by finding something that will
turn a hand which is worth about forty
points into one worth 400,
That is why they are playing pinochle
with a widow now. The bidder no longer
staring him in the face that what he has to
meld is all that can possibly go down on
the slate. 1t is as different from the old
game Of bluff as draw poker. The posi-
bilities Of widows have always been allur-
ing, and in auction pinoChle the temptation
TO investigate is irresistible.
Suppose the player hu!dE Abe ace. king,
Jack, ten Of spades, three 1t.Nr queens, the
jack Of diamonds and two aces and tens.
Az it stands the hand is worth nothing.
There is not a meld in il, and in auction
pinochle he could not bid more than fifty
or sixty on il. all to he made in the play.
But when there is a widow in the easel
Suppose he finds the queen OF spades among
those three cards; his hand is worth 200 in
melds alone. Suppose there was another
In melds and about $50 in play!
With such possibilities in n widow that
lie within easy reach OF your hand who could
resist the temptation to propose? And
when some other fellow bids against you
sTwo-hfty,' "Two-sixty," ~'Two-eighty,'
what do you care? You have forgotten
by this time that the charms of the widow
exist only in your imagination.
If you find that queen of spades, you
game Is worth 400 at least i'll meld and
play, Nothing venture, nothing win, you
say to yourself. and after you have bid
a50 and the other fellow has given
up the chase, you get the play. and
Perhaps you don't find the queen Of
spades after all, but you nave enjoyed the
pleasures OF the chase while you were in il.
Many persons nave had similar experiences
with widows.
There are several WAYS Of playing bid
pinoohle with "A widow, depending not only
ipon the number Of players at the table
bat also upon their preiudices with regard
TO certain values which attach TO the cards
and the melds.
The general method is to Use a forty-eight
card pack. which consists Of two packs
of tweu.y-four cares each, shufled together ,
and used as one. In this pack the lowest
nard is the nine Of each suit. In the trump
suit this card il called the dix. :
When four play. the dealer takes no ,
cards; another idea " hich is borrowed .
from skat. Ho gives fifteen cards TO each ,
~ the others. three at q time, laying of !
three for tho widow. These three must I
be either the fret or the last cards
dealt. and IL ls usual to lay them of after
first round.
Sometimes four play "a partners. two
against two. In that Gaze the sixty-four
oard pack is used, the lowest gard being
hs seven of each suit. Fifteen cards are
dealt 10 zach ofsthe four players. three at a
time as before. four cards being left in the
widow after the fret round. |
For the benefit OF those who are not IA
miliar with pinochle II may be explained
briefly that the rank Of the cards is A. 10.