Omaha daily bee., 1908-06-07

nHII hi - AghAA ~
two DAYS. In anticipation OF the event the
visiting players are discussing the ques-
,,on-Wbat advantage will the New York
plavers derive from their having put a
value upon certain games to which une
PLAYERS from other parts OF the country
are not accustomed?
The games which are in dispute between
New York and the rest of the country are
the grands. in which Jacks are the onfy
trumns The difference between the two
schools and the compromise which has peen
suggested between them are shown IN the
following table:
Turn. Gucki. Solo. openn;
Skat league. u 10 nona
New York;. " 70 %.
Compromise 80. u 10
New York at some time in its past history
adopted these values for the grands' anp
did not change them when the skat league
issued its schedule. Now hat the new
York players have decided to make these
enhanced values the rule at the coming
tournament It is declared that they VIII
have a decided advantage because they
pIav more Rrands than any other class OF
PLAYERS. and that the first prize viii surely
20 TO a New Yorker because OF this ad-
vantage. II is therefore important that
every player should understand clearly just
what this supposed advantage consists IN
The North American Skat league, which
was organized ten years ago decided on
the unit value Of grands. putting upon
them a value which would keep the game
from becoming a gamble. These league
values have been universally adopted ex-
cent in New York. They have even been
adonted by the Skat league in Germany.
For years past all the 'Hoyies' pub
ushed have given the league values as a
matter OF course. There are now some
fifteen or twenty text books on skat, all of
which quote the league values and base
their instructions upon them. All the score
pads on the market give the same values.
Many skat teachers base their lessons upon
hands counted according to the league
standards.
When II was proposed to bring the elev-
enth skat congress to New York, the re-
firing board OF officers did not for a mo-
ment suppose that any change would be
made in the values of the games as estab-
lished by the league; but when the New
York officers met to decide the details Tor
the congress they found that the local
players. who would be largely in the ma
jority at the tournament, demanded the
values to which they were accustomed.
The inconvenience of the visiting players
accustomed to the league scale does not
seem to have been seriously considered.
but there is this to say about It., that the
western players cannot make the mistake
Of overriding their hands and losing
games in consequence.
As matters row stand II is too late TO
make any change in the game values for
the tournament. although 1t is almost a
certainty that Immediately after the con-
gress the east and west will compromise
upon a new scale of values. in which the
other parts of the game by progressing in
regular order, four points at a time. If
the skat league in Germany can be brought
TO agree to the change, there will be har-
money orce more.
But the chief point OF interest at the
present moment is. what advantage. II any,
will the New York players derive from the
adoption OF their own values for the
grands. which are usually spoken OF as the
enhanced values.
1t 10 rather difficult to select any similar
coalition from another game which would
serve to Illustrate the point at issue. Per.
haps the nearest to 1t would be to suppose
that III a billiard match 1t was agreed thai
every shot made with the aid of a cushion
should count two points. direct caromi
counting one only. The natural result
OF such a system of counting would be thai
the players would be continually tempted
to take chances for the sake of the extra
point. even il the straight carom were q
certainty.
But to continue the Illustration. suppos
that there were two prizes In this billiard
tournament. one for the player making tn,
most points. allowing two for all cushion
shots. and another for the player making
aAt- -A.
cushion or straight. 1t is evident that tn,
billiard player that took the sure shots, al
though they counted only one, would b.
much more likely to win the prize for shot
than the player who was continually fishing
Tor the double count.
This Is precisely the position with regar,
to the grands that will be played in tn
skat tournament. The principal prize
1900 in gold. presented by the staat
zeitung. is not for the player who make
the most points, but for the one tina win
the most games. That is. for the playe
who makes the most shots regardless o
their value. because a game won count
as a game won. whether It is a diamonI
tourLee without one or a grand solo witt
four.
II is therefore obvious that the enhance
values of the grands will be no indueemen
10 play them for the sake Of winning tn
principal prize. On the contrary, thes
higher values are likely to prove a snsr
for the New York players, leading then
- risk games as grands which would hav
been safer as solos. The only possible ad
vantage that a player can have who /
willing TO risk the grand. is that he ca
oubbid the more conservative player. an
40 set the game. But what will that prof
hin II he cannot win It after he ha
got it,
II is undoubtedly true that the introduC
ton Of the guckser grand has put a pre-
MUM on luck and has led many player
into the bad habit of gambling on whs