Omaha daily bee., 1908-06-21

be a prize for every eighth player taking
part In the big tournament.
The keynote OF the popularity Of skat,
the secret OF its ever growing success as "a
game. is It's variety. In this respect II stands
out in strong contrast TO the only other
really scientific games Of cards, whist and
bridge. In whist there Is nothing to play
fer but the tricks. and there is nothing to
do but to turn the trump and see how many
tricks you can get out Of your thirteen
cards.
In bridge there is nothing to play for but
the points: there is no other test Of skill
but the number Of points won, and it does
not matter whether you get them through
your own skill or whether they are given
70 you. The only practical difference be-
tween whist and bridge is that in the one
you turn UP the trump at random; in the
other the dealer picks it out. also often
at random.
In one game the tricks arc always the
same value. a point each; in the other their
value varies according to the color Of the
cards hat happen to be dealt you. In
either game there is only one prize posi-
bic, for the greatest number Of points.
How different in skat, in which there are
seven principal prizes, which are repeated
W htCItdslilk NdluCS uIlNll the supply Is
exhausted. The prizes in skat are for
separate and distinct achievements, so that
a player who cannot accomplish one thing
may yet be able to reach the goal in some
Of the other lines of ~endeavor.
Bases for the Awards.
In the big tournament which is to be de-
cided tomorrow night the chief prize is
for the greatest number Of sound declara-
/ tfopa. IN tba r,atfar nF e,1,,fEpg fh, ,avaa
to be played. 1t does not matter what the
game is worth. the question is. was it the
right game to play?
Unlike bridge. in which q shockingly bad
declaration may be saved by the partner
having phenomenal cards, the skat player
has to depend entirely upon himself. He
has no partner to hold him up il his makes
are unsound, and the punishment for bad
Judgment or rashness is swift and sure.
The second prize is for the player who
with the most points on his own game
taking no account Of the points given
him by his adversaries through their bad
play or bad judgment. If this test could
be introduced in bridge some Of the results
would probably be surprising, but it cannot
The skat player who wins this prize car
point to it with the pride of a self-made
man. Every point that goes to swell the
grand total must have been made by his
own exertions, on his own declarations.
The third prize, one of the most inter
esting in the game, goes to the man WHIT
can win a game against the greatest mum.
Der of obstacles. These obstacles in ska
are called matadores and they consist o.
the highest trumps.
Every trump which is higher than any
the player holds is a matadore and there ar,
always eleven trumps and seven cards n
each Of the plain suits. Players have beef
known to win games with nine of the high
est trumps in the pack against them.
OF course, II is a chance, but 1t is the
same sort of chance that a man take
when he begins his struggle with the worlt
with nothing in his pocket, but the proven
bal shilling. The man who wins his gam,
against the greatest odds is always a herr
at a skat congress.
Then come prizes for the biggest winning
at any table, taking points won from tn
adversaries and points given by the adver
saries together, prizes for tournees with
out matadores, prizes for the biggest loser
and so on for every possible variety o