Omaha daily bee., 1908-07-05

against a large number Of matadores Is
that II a man finds things going against
him in the first thirty deals or so he shall
not lose all interest in the game. When h.
sees that he mas no chance for a prize for
games or point, he will not begin 20 chuck
things, but will sit tight and watch for a
hand on which he might possibly win o
solo against six CT a tourneo against the
same number.
Now that assumption that he will chuck
things II he does not win everything from
the start on is gratuitous. He does not
do 1t in the ordinary game, why should he
in a tournament? Every point the player
throws away needlessly he has to pay for
three times over. Why is it not to his in
terest to play as close to his chest as he
can so as to keep down his losses in a
tournament, just as It is at the club?
But on the assumption that a player
will lose interest If he does not score well
from the start, the managers of these tour
naments offer prizes for the play of a
single hand; a solo played against six or
more matadores. The idea is that he will
play alone quietly and wait for such a
hand to come up in the natural course of
events.
IF this was what he did It might be
very nice; but instead of waiting, patiently
for a chance to display his ability to pull
himself out of a small hole by winning
a solo against six Of more matadores, he
starts in to dig these holes for himself.
He creates difficulties, just for the sake
OF getting one of those prizes, that he
would never dream OF facing even In an
ordinary game. Every time he picks up
a hand without a Jack in 1t he pitches
upon the suit in which he holds the poorest
cards and bids II right up to the top notch
as a solo against so many, no matter how
great the odds against winning it.
Eject on other Players.
This may be very amusing for the
player who wants to try these freak hands
and is willing to stand the expense of re-
peated failure, but It completely spoils the
game for the others at the table, none of
whom can get 4 legitimate play on legitl-
mate hands simply because one man is bid
ding wildly without regard to what he may
lose on the chance that he may pull off a
prize by sklnning through a freak solo
against eight. or something of that kind.
Having sat at a table with a man who
did that sort Of thing for two hours. any
one can testify to the disturbing effect it
has on the game. 1t is true that the seeker
after solos will lose a lot Of points, but
that does not put tho other players any
closer to the first prize, because they can
not get any chance to play the games that
they have in their hands.
These solo against six players will try
II every time they find themselves without
a jack. II they have not more than three
aces, and the fourth suit Is no better than
a king. That they must try a great many
Of them is EVIDENT from the large number
of them that come off. At the last con-
gress there were five solos won without any
trump higher than a nine, and five more
without nothing higher than a queen, while
ten had a king at the top.
I'm addition to the solos there were nine
teen tournees won against six or more
matadores. Some persons might take this
as an indication of skill on the part Of the
players; but a moments reflection must
show that all these tournees must have
been bid on without a jack in the hand,
and certainly not more than three aces.
THE games won must be a very small
percentage OF the games attempted. What
is 20 be thought OF a system that will get
a player into the habit of turning on such
hands as these? He is worse than the
bridge player who goes no trumps on two
kings and a guarded jack. and has just
about as much chance OF success.
1.-THE players who are constantly risking
these tournees and solos against matadors
are simply gambling on the chance of pull
ing off a prize for a freak hand, and they
are nothing but a nuisance and a hindrance
to the others at the table, who are helpless
to prevent him from spelling their chances
for any of the other prizes"
May he Changed.
So strong was the sentiment against this
particular series Of prizes this year that II
is hardly likely it will be offered neNt
year at Milwaukee or at any of the big
tournaments which will be held I'm the
meantime. In fact the sense of the ma.
jority of the best players seemed to be
that there should be only one set of prizes
for the most points, without regard TO the
manner OF winning them.
Take IL altogether, the big tournament
the biggest thing of the kind New Yorl
ever saw, was a success. The home talent
players registered from New York City
I carried off most of the prizes. including
the first and second.
Brooklyn came next with seventeen wins
ten of which went TO a single club. Chi
cago's ninety-four delegates won thirteer
prizes. Philadelphia's 800 won eleven
Hoboken and Staten Island captured sever
each, Milwaukee and Buffalo four. all IN
others being scattering.
II Is worthy OF remark that almost all tn
New York prizes were for points. The!
/ did not seem 70 be strong on the sol
against, and only one New York playe
5 took a prize for that style OF game.