<; 
 
 h 
 
 /t* 
 
POLE ON WHIST. 
 
 OPINIONS OF THE PRESS. 
 
 *• Never hare we seen a more attractive little book on the great Ea\> 
 ject of whist than the volume now before us. . . . With only a verj 
 moderate liking for what is really the best game of cards still in vogue, 
 the reader easily gains an amount of very interesting information, con- 
 veyed in a pleasantly colloquial manner, that is like the remarks of a 
 skilful friend at your elbow during the progress of a trial game. It wiL 
 open up the science of the game to those who have previously played 
 hap-hazard, or have failed to appreciate the science that may be in 
 eluded even in a domestic amusement. 1 ' — Illustrated Times. 
 
 14 A very interesting and useful essay on the theory of the game. The 
 author prides himself, and we think with justice, on being the first to 
 draw from a single principle the whole theory of the game. There is 
 nothing throughout his argument in which we do not concur, and we 
 strongly advise all whist players to read it with attention. We cannot 
 do better than recommend this little treatise." — Daily News. 
 
 •'This little work is a praiseworthy attempt to make whist simpler 
 and easier by showing that the rules of the best modern play are not 
 mere arbitrary conventions, but depend on certain definite logical prin- 
 ciples, easily understood and as easily remembered. The author states 
 that the system here laid down, although it corresponds accurately with 
 the best club play, is yet specially adapted for domestic circles, and in 
 particular for teaching the game to the young, who. when they learn in 
 this way, find it easy and attractive. We can vouch for the truth of 
 this statement, and cordially recommend Dr. Pole's little work to all! 
 families who encourage and practise this noble game." — Graphic. 
 
 44 We have but little reason for dilating at any length on the nature or 
 excellences of the work; but we can truly say that we have re-read it, 
 not only with pleasure, but we hope with profit. We gladly recommend 
 this new edition of Dr. POLE'S work to our readers, but few of whom, 
 lio matter how well they play the game, we feel convinced will regret 
 having studied it, whilst the majority will return to it again and again 
 for counsel and advice." — ERA. 
 
 *** Sold by all booksellers, and sent by mail, postage free, on receipt 
 of price, $1.00, by 
 
 G. W. CARLETON & CO., Publishers* 
 
 Madison Square. New York. 
 
THE THEORY 
 
 MODEM SCIENTIFIC GAME 
 
 "WHIST. 
 
 BY 
 
 WILLIAM POLE/F.B.S. 
 
 MUS. DOC. OXON. 
 
 From the Last London Edition, 
 
 TO WHICH IS ADDED 
 
 THE LAWS AND RULES OF WHIST, 
 
 FKOM 
 
 "THE POKTLJLXI) CLUB" CODE. 
 
 •r- 
 
 NEW YORK: 
 
 Copyright, 1879, by 
 
 G. TV. Carleton &* Co., Publishers. 
 
 LONDON : LONGMAN & CO. 
 
 M.DCCC.LXXIX. 
 
 *^*f 
 
 
 PREFACE TO THE TENTH EDITION. 
 
 The increasing demand for this little work warrants 
 the belief that the attempt made therein to elevate the 
 character of Whist, and to facilitate its practice in the 
 best form, has not been without success. 
 
 It is matter of notoriety that a sound knowledge of the 
 principles of the modern scientific game is much more 
 frequently met with, both among club players and in pri- 
 vate society, than it was ten or twelve years ago. This 
 result is undoubtedly owing to the rise of a new class of 
 Whist literature, explaining the game in a more logical 
 and systematic way ; and the recent extended discussion 
 of the subject in some of our best critical periodicals is 
 sufficient to show that it has acquired an interest, in a 
 literary and philosophical point of view, which it never 
 had before. 
 
 It is sometimes said that the systematic study of the 
 game, so strongly insisted on in this work, tends to make 
 it a matter of routine, and to discourage the freedom of 
 individual skill. This is a great mistrJke. It is indeed 
 essential that the foundation of all good play should be 
 systematic knowledge ; but it is not pretended that the 
 rules are to be considered as inflexible. In the latter por- 
 tion of Chapter IV. many cases are mentioned in which 
 strict play should be departed from ; and in the present 
 edition it has been thought desiry.ole to enlarge at some 
 length (in Appendix B) on one of the most important of 
 these cases — namely, playing with a bad partner. 
 
 This condition, although of such frequent occurrence, has 
 been but little noticed hitherto in Whist books, and it is 
 hoped that the remarks now offered will show what an 
 important influence it may exercise on the practice of the 
 game. 
 
 W. P. 
 
 Atken^um Cltjb. 
 
 ; rman 
 March 6 1934 
 
PEEFACE. 
 
 It is believed that the manner herein adopted of treat- 
 ing the Theory of the game of Whist is, in a great 
 measure, new. Some of the later works published on 
 Whist have been more explanatory than the early ones, 
 but still they have consisted at best of merely practical 
 rules, without reference to their theoretical basis ; and 
 the Author is not aware that the attempt to trace the 
 whole practice of the modern scientific game back to one 
 grand fundamental principle, namely, that of the combi- 
 nation of the hands of the two players, has ever befora 
 been made. It has often indeed been said that each 
 player must endeavor to play his partner's cards as well 
 as his own ; but this has usually been only given as an 
 incidental maxim of practice ; it has not been treated as 
 the main principle of action from which the whole play 
 springs. 
 
 The nearest approach to this attempt the Editor haa 
 met with is in a little French book, entitled " Genie du 
 Whist, meconnu jusqu'a present. Par le General B. de 
 Vautre. Paris: 4 2 edition, 1847. " This author makes 
 the true genius of Whist consist in what he propounds as 
 the novel principle of the combination of the two hands ; 
 or, as he expresses it, "Tauteur enseigne la maniere de. 
 jouer avec vingt-six cartes, selon son expression, et non 
 pas avec treize, comme tout le monde." But as he waa 
 
VI PKEFACE. 
 
 ignorant of the long-suit system of play, as a necessary 
 means of carrying the combination principle into practice, 
 he was obliged to form an imperfect system of his own, 
 and therefore his explanations do not correspond with out 
 modern game. 
 
 The Author's experience leads him to believe that an 
 exposition of the fundamental Theory of Whist will not 
 only be satisfactory to accomplished players, by making 
 clearer to them the principles they already act upon, but 
 will be found of still greater advantage for teaching the 
 game in the ordinary domestic circle. 
 
 The young people of a family, especially, are often re- 
 pelled from Whist by thinking it dull and difficult. 
 Nothing can be more erroneous than such an idea: if 
 learnt on proper principles it soon becomes an attractive 
 amusement, as well as an admirable mental exercise, and 
 to attain moderate proficiency in it is much easier than 
 is usually supposed. 
 
 But there are many players of more experience who 
 take real pleasure in a domestic rubber, but who are 
 still much in the dark as to the true merits of the game ; 
 and it is desirable to impress on this large class how 
 greatly the interest of their recreation would be increased 
 if they would, by a little study of the principles of Whist, 
 learn to play it in a more rational and systematic manner^ 
 
 The practical rules and directions here deduced strictly 
 from the Theory, are identical with those sanctioned by 
 the best modern authorities, and adopted by the best 
 modern players. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER. PAGl 
 
 L — Introduction 9 
 
 II. — Explanation of Technical Terms usee 
 
 in the Modern Scientific Game . . 19 
 
 in. — Theory of the Game . . . . .28 
 
 IT. — Development of the Theory . . .39 
 
 Its Influence on the Management of Trumps 39 
 
 Management of Plain Suits. — Long Suit Lead 47 
 
 Return of the Lead 50 
 
 Further Remarks on the Lead . . ,55 
 Other Applications of Theory . . .58 
 Communication between the Partners . . 60 
 On the Degree of Strictness with which Sys- 
 tematic Play should be adhered to • .62 
 V. — Rules and Directions fob Play . . 67 
 
 The Lead 68 
 
 Second Hand 72 
 
 Third Hand 74 
 
 Fourth Hand 76 
 
 Management of Trumps . • • .77 
 
 General Directions 81 
 
 VX— Conclusion 85 
 
V1U CONTENTS. 
 
 APPE1STDIX A. 
 
 PAOl 
 
 Examples of Hands . . . e .95 
 
 Example L 96 
 
 Example II. ....".. 98 
 
 Example IIL ...... 100 
 
 Example IV. 102 
 
 Example V. 104 
 
 APPENDIX B. 
 
 On Modifications of the Rules, depending on 
 the Style of Play of your Partner . . 106 
 
 APPE1STDIX C. 
 
 Rhyming Rules, Mnemonic Maxims, and Pocket 
 Precepts ... .... 127 
 
 The Laws and Rules op Whist. Printed, ver- 
 batim, from " The Portland Club " Code . .129 
 
CHAPTER I. 
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 Whist is, without question, the best of all our 
 domestic games. The only other one which could 
 lay claim to such a distinction is Chess ; but this 
 has the disadvantage of containing no element of 
 chance in its composition — which renders it too 
 severe a mental labor, and disqualifies it from 
 being considered a game, in the proper sense of the 
 word. "Whist, on the contrary, while it is equal 
 to chess in its demands on the intellect and skill of 
 the player, involves so much chance as to give 
 relief to the mental energies, and thus to promote, 
 as every good game should, the amusement and 
 relaxation of those engaged. 
 
 The high intellectual character of Whist becomes 
 evident, if we consider the powers of the mind 
 which its intelligent study and practice may call 
 into action. To investigate thoroughly its funda- 
 mental principles, we must bring to bear upon it, 
 as we shall by and by have occasion to explain, 
 i Basoning of a high order. But, independently of 
 the theory, the practice also involves considerable 
 mental attainments. The observation must be 
 keen, the memory active ; a considerable power of 
 1* 
 
10 1HEOBY OF WHIST. 
 
 drawing inferences, and of tracing appearances tt 
 fcheir causes, must be brought into use; and we 
 must exercise boldness, caution, prudence, fore- 
 sight, care against deception, promptness of de- 
 cision, soundness of judgment, fertility of resource, 
 ingenuity of contrivance, and such a general course 
 of thought and action as must, if it is to be suc- 
 cessful, be dictated by competent and well-trained 
 mental powers. 
 
 Then "Whist has peculiar moral and social rela- 
 tions. It has been called, by those who do not 
 understand it, an unsocial game ; but nothing can 
 be more untrue. It is a perfect microcosm — a 
 complete miniature society in itself. Each player 
 has one friend, to whom he is bound by the 
 strongest ties of mutual interest and sympathy; 
 but he has twice the number of enemies, against 
 whose machinations he is obliged to keep perpetual 
 guard. He must give strict adherence to the 
 established laws and the conventional courtesies of 
 his social circle ; he is called on for candid and 
 ingenuous behavior ; he must exercise moderation 
 in prosperity, patience in adversity, hope in doubt- 
 ful fortune, humility when in error, forbearance 
 to the faults of his friends, self-sacrifice for his 
 allies, equanimity under the success of his adversa- 
 ries, and general good-temper throughout all Ids 
 
INTRODUCTION. 11 
 
 fransactions. His best efforts will sometimes fail, 
 and fortune will favor his inferiors; but sound 
 principles will triumph in the end. Is there noth- 
 ing in all this analogous to the social conditions of 
 ordinary life ? 
 
 As an amusement, Whist stands equally high. 
 Consider its immense variety. A hand will last 
 only a few minutes ; we may have a hundred of 
 them in an evening ; and yet, throughout a player's 
 whole life, no two similar ones will ever occur ! 
 Each one will present some novel feature, offering 
 special interest of the most diversified kind. Some- 
 times the interest lies in your own cards, some- 
 times in your partner's, sometimes in those of 
 your adversaries. Sometimes you have almost 
 nothing to do, sometimes everything turns on your 
 play. The mixture of the unknown with the known 
 gives unbounded scope for amusing speculation; 
 the admirable combination of volition and chance 
 affords a still wider field for observant interest : 
 indeed, some philosophical players make the rubber 
 a fertile field for the study of human character, for 
 the disclosure of which it is proverbially favorable. 
 
 The only objection brought against Whist is 
 that, being played for money, it may promote gam- 
 bling. Apart from the consideration that it is 
 very unfitted for gambling purposes, the objection 
 
12 THEORY OF WHIST. 
 
 is untrue in fact. Good players, generally, like to 
 play for stakes high enough to define well the 
 interest taken in the game ; but the idea of gain s 
 which is the essential feature of gambling, enters 
 as little into the mind of a Whist as of a Chess 
 player. "We have sometimes heard of what are 
 called " professional " players, who play with this 
 object ; but, we believe, they are generally given a 
 wide berth in good society. 
 
 Whist has always been a favorite pursuit of 
 great men. The most philosophical novelist of 
 modern times uses it to illustrate his profound 
 speculations; and we have heard an eminent 
 scholar and writer declare he considers it a revela- 
 tion to mankind ! But we have the vox populi 
 also in its favor ; for does not the proverb repre- 
 sent the clever successful man as "playing his 
 cards well " ? 
 
 Considering the great popularity of Whist in 
 this country, and the extent to which it is played 
 id all classes of society, it is really astonisldng to 
 find how few people take the pains to play it well. 
 It has been remarked, by writers on the subject, 
 that; good players are very seldom to be met with, 
 fine ones scarcely ever. And yet, how amply it 
 repays a little trouble devoted to its acquisition ! 
 
 How, then, is this strange deficiency to be ao 
 
INTRODLCTlOtf. 13 
 
 counted for ? Simply because people do not gener 
 ally admit that Whist, like other branches of 
 knowledge, requires study. It is commonly sup- 
 posed that, after acquiring the simple construction 
 of the game, practice alone will suffice to make a 
 good player. This is a great mistake, as experience 
 abundantly shows. "We continually meet with 
 persons who have played Whist all their lives ; and 
 yet who, though they may bring to bear on their 
 play great observation, memory, and tact, play on 
 so entirely different a system to that sanctioned and 
 practised by real experts in the game, as scarcely 
 to be fit to sit at the same table with them. 
 
 We have already alluded to the wonderful variety 
 to be found in the game of Whist ; and we may 
 now add that this variety is manifested, not only 
 in the distribution of the cards — which is the 
 work of chance — but also in the playing of them, 
 which depends on the human will. It is with this 
 latter element that we have now more especially to do. 
 
 Although the construction of the game is so sim- 
 ple that it might be defined in a few words, and 
 learnt by a child in a few minutes, yet such is the 
 amazing scope it gives for individuality of play, 
 that the same deal, or even the same hand of cards, 
 might be played in an immense number of different 
 ways, according to what the player's notions of 
 
14 THEORY OF WHIST. 
 
 good and bad play might be. And this variety in 
 volves modes of treatment so different in theii 
 character and principles, as really to merit the name 
 of distinct games. Thus we often hear it said, " Such 
 a man plays a game quite different from mine ; n 
 and we find " the old-fashioned game," u the mod- 
 ern game," " the domestic game," " the club game," 
 Ci the scientific game," and so on, all spoken of as ii 
 they were separate things, agreeing only in the pri- 
 mary features which distinguish Whist from other 
 games at cards. 
 
 Now it is a very natural inquiry, whether, among 
 so many various modes and systems, differing so 
 widely from each other, there is any one in partic- 
 ular which may be identified and defined as superior 
 to the others, and which consequently ought to be 
 preferred for study ? If so, what is this system ? 
 What is the theory on which it is based ? And on 
 what grounds does its superiority rest ? 
 
 It is the object of the present essay to endeavor 
 to answer these questions. 
 
 In the first place, is there any particular mode 
 of playing Whist, which is so distinct from and so 
 superior to all others, as to merit being distin- 
 guished as the best game ? It is very common to 
 hear this denied, particularly by inferior players, 
 who will argue that opinions vary, that they thinlr 
 
INTRODUCTION. 15 
 
 their own system as good as other people's, and so on. 
 If by this they mean (as some of them do) that 
 they consider the game as chiefly one of chance, and 
 that their amusement is as much promoted by one 
 made of playing as another, we have nothing to say to 
 them, except to suggest that Ct Beggar my neighbor '' 
 or " Pope Joan " would be games better adapted to 
 their capacities. But there are others more worthy 
 of attention, who object to all rules and systems 
 whatever, declaring that the play ought to be de- 
 termined by the player's judgment and will alone ; 
 and the objection is usually backed by the asser- 
 tion, that play on any fixed system is often unsuc- 
 cessful, which is, of course, only the necessary 
 consequence of the large entrance of chance into the 
 game. Self-taught players are extremely confused 
 in their notions on this point. "When they see good 
 play fail to win, they will point out, with amusing 
 ex post facto discrimination, how much more fortu- 
 nate some other course would have been. But 
 when good play does succeed, and especially when 
 some clever master-stroke may have annihilated 
 for them a hand of good cards, they will complain 
 u how cross the cards run," as if the whole were en- 
 tirely due to accident ! 
 
 The fact is, that, like almost everything else that 
 may be done in different ways, there is a best way 
 
16 THEORY OF WHI8T, 
 
 of playing Whist ; and, although a very -wide lati- 
 tude may always be left for individual judgment 
 and skill, yet the existence of a system of play, pre- 
 ferable to all others, is sufficiently proved by its 
 acknowledgment by all the best writers and the 
 best players, and by a tolerably near agreement, 
 among all these authorities, as to what this system is. 
 
 The immortal Hoyle appears to have been the 
 first to perceive, a century and a quarter ago, that 
 Whist was capable of being reduced to a scientific 
 and logical system, of high intellectual merit ; and 
 although his descriptions are somewhat obscure (as 
 might naturally be expected in the first efforts to 
 describe a complicated new discovery), yet careful 
 and persevering examination enables us to trace 
 clearly in them the general nature of the system he 
 founded. This has been adopted in its general 
 form by all succeeding writers and players of emi- 
 nence ; and, as might be expected, the constantly 
 progressive experience of so long a period, and the 
 attention devoted to the game by many powerful 
 minds, have gradually developed the system into a 
 more complete and perfect form, and have added to 
 it modern improvements of much interest and value, 
 tending still further to raise the intellectual charac- 
 ter of the game. 
 
 It is this general system, therefore, which is laid 
 
INTRODUCTION. 17 
 
 down by almost all writers of any authority, and 
 practised by almost all players whose example isr 
 worth following; and we need no farther proof 
 that, as far as our knowledge at present extends, it 
 is the best that ingenuity and skill have been able 
 to devise.* It is worthy the appellation of a scien 
 tific system, on account of the elevated reasoning it 
 involves ; and, on this account, combined with the 
 fact that some of its features are of late invention, 
 we shall designate it as "The Modern Scientific 
 Game." 
 
 This system, as we have already said, essentially 
 requires to be learnt and studied. It has been the 
 result of long combined experience, and careful and 
 intricate deduction, and it is scarcely possible for 
 any one individual to arrive at the knowledge of it 
 by his own practice, however extended, or his own 
 judgment, however shrewd ; and he must therefore 
 be content to be taught it, as studerts in other 
 scientific branches of knowledge are. 
 
 There has hitherto, however, been a great defect 
 in the manner of teaching thir, system. It has been 
 
 * From actual trials, extending over a long period, the 
 Author has seen reason to infer that the systematic com- 
 bined game, explained in this treatise, gives an advantage, 
 in tie long run, over unsystematic separate play, of about 
 half a point in each rubber. 
 
18 THEORY OF WHIST. 
 
 the invariable custom to lay down practical rulu 
 and directions for play, sometimes in their nake J 
 simplicity, and sometimes accompanied with more 
 or less argument or explanation (as done to a cer- 
 tain extent originally by Hoyle and Mathews), but 
 always leaving the student to extract for himself, 
 from this mass of detail, the general principles on 
 which these rules were based. Just as if a student 
 of chemistry were put into a working druggist's 
 shpp, and expected to acquire all his knowledge of 
 the science, by inference, from the operations he 
 was taught to carry on there. 
 
 In other words, no attempt has ever been made 
 to work out or to explain the fundamental theory 
 of the game / and, believing that the thorough un- 
 derstanding of this is the best possible preparation 
 for using the rules aright, and for acquiring an in- 
 telligent style of play, we propose to state this 
 theory somewhat fully, and to show how it becomes 
 developed in the shape of practical rules. 
 
 But, before entering on this, it will be advisable 
 to explain the meaning of some of the principal 
 technical terms we shall have to employ. 
 
CHAPTER II. 
 
 EXPLANATION OF TECHNICAL TERMS USED IN THB 
 MODERN SCIENTIFIC GAME. 
 
 JBring in. See Establish. 
 
 Command. — You are said to have the command 
 of a suit when you hold the best cards in it. If 
 you have sufficient of them to be able to draw all 
 those in the other hands (as would probably be the 
 case if you had ace, king, queen, and two others), 
 the command is complete / if not, it may be only 
 partial or temporary. Commanding cards are the 
 cards which give you the command. 
 
 Conventional signals are certain modes of play 
 designed purposely, by common consent, for the 
 object of conveying information to your partner. 
 The principle was sanctioned by Hoyle, and several 
 of them are established and legalized in the mod 
 ern scientific game ; as, for example, the signal for 
 trumps ; the return of the highest from a short 
 suit ; playing the lowest of a sequence ; discarding 
 the highest of a suit of which you have full com 
 mand, and so on. 
 
 Discwd.— -±:L.e card you throw away when you 
 have none of the suit led, and do not trump it. In 
 the modern game, your first discard should be from 
 n short or weak suit. 
 
2C THEORY OF WHIST. 
 
 Establish. — A suit is said to be established when 
 you hold the complete command of it. This may 
 sometimes happen to be the case originally, but it 
 is more common to obtain it in the course of the 
 play by " clearing " away the cards that obstructed 
 you, so as to remain with the best in your hand. 
 It is highly desirable to establish your long suit as 
 soon as you can, for which purpose not only your 
 adversaries' hands, but also your partner's, must be 
 cleared from the obstructing cards. 
 
 When your suit is once established, if the adver- 
 saries' trumps are out, and you can get the lead, it 
 is obvious you may make a trick with every card 
 of it you hold ; and this is called bringing it in. 
 
 The establishment and bringing in of long suits 
 form the great distinguishing features of the mod- 
 ern scientific game. 
 
 False card is a card played contrary to the estab- 
 lished rules or conventions of the game, and which 
 therefore is calculated to deceive your partner as 
 to the state of your hand ; as, for example, follow- 
 ing suit with the highest or middle card of a 
 sequence, or throwing away other than your lowest 
 card. The play of false cards without very good rea- 
 son is characteristic only of hopelessly bad players. 
 
 Finessing is an attempt, by the third player, to 
 make a lower card answer the purpose of a highei 
 
TECHNICAL TEEMS. 21 
 
 (which it is usually his duty to play) under the hope 
 that an intermediate card may not lie to his left 
 hand. Thus, having ace and queen of your partner's 
 lead, you finesse the queen, hoping the fourth player 
 may not hold the king. Or, if your partner leads a 
 knave, and you hold the king, you may finesse or 
 pass the knave, i.e., play a small card to it, under 
 the hope that it may force the ace. The word is 
 sometimes applied to cases where it is certain the 
 inferior card will answer the purpose intended ; as, 
 for example, where the left hand has already shown 
 weakness. But this is clearly a misuse of the term, 
 for unless there is a risk of the card being beaten, 
 it is only ordinary play, and can involve no finessing 
 — properly so called. 
 
 You are said to finesse against the intermediate 
 card, and sometimes also against the person who 
 holds it ; but, as by the nature of the case it should 
 be unknown where the card lies, the latter meaning 
 is apt to create confusion. The person against 
 whom you act is more correctly the fourth player. 
 
 Forcing means obliging your partner or your 
 adversary to trump a trick, by leading a suit o^ 
 which they have none. 
 
 Guarded second, or second-best guarded, is the 
 combination of the second-best card for the time 
 being, with a small one to guard it against being 
 
22 THEORY OF WHIST. 
 
 taken by the best ; as, for example, king and a small 
 one originally, or knave and a small one when the 
 ace and queen have been played. 
 
 This combination is an important one, having an 
 advantage analogous to that of the tenace ; namely, 
 that if the suit is led by your left-hand adversary, 
 you are certain (bar trumping) to make your sec- 
 ond-best card. 
 
 Honors are the ace, king, queen, and knave of 
 trumps ; the term, however, is often applied to the 
 same cards in plain suits. The ten and nine are 
 sometimes called semi-honors. 
 
 Leading through, or up to. — The person who 
 leads is said to lead through his-fe/fc hand adversary, 
 and up to his right hand one, such being the direc- 
 tion in which the play runs. 
 
 Long cards are cards remaining in one hand 
 when all the rest of that suit have been played. 
 
 Long suit. — One of which you hold more than 
 three cards. See Strength. 
 
 Loose card means a card in hand of no value, and 
 consequently the fittest to throw away. 
 
 Make. — To make a card means simply to win a 
 trick with it. 
 
 Master card, or best card, means the highest card 
 in at the time. Thus, if the ace and king were out, 
 the master card would be the queen. This is some- 
 
TECHNICAL TEEMS. 23 
 
 times also called the " king card," a name likely t« 
 cause confusion. 
 
 Opening, — Term borrowed from chess, to denote 
 the system on which you commence or open your 
 game when you get your first lead. 
 
 Plain suits are the three suits not trumps. 
 
 Re-entry. — A card of re-entry is one that will, 
 by winning a trick, bring you the lead at an ad- 
 vanced period of the hand. 
 
 Renounce. — When a player has none of the suit 
 led he is said to renounce that suit. 
 
 Hevoke. — If he fails to follow suit when he has any 
 of the suit, he revokes , and incurs a serious penalty. 
 
 Huffing is another word for trumping a suit of 
 which you have none. 
 
 Score. — The counting or marking of the progress 
 of the game. Attention to the score, which is very 
 necessary in playing, refers not only to the progress, 
 but also to the prospects of the game, as evidenced by 
 the tricks made and honors held in the current hand. 
 
 Seesaw, or saw, is when each of two partners 
 ruffs a different suit, so that they may lead alter- 
 nately into each other's hands. 
 
 Sequence. — Any number of cards in consecutive 
 order, as king, queen, and knave. The ace, queen, 
 and ten would form a sequence if the king and 
 knave were out. 
 
24 THEOBl OP WHIST. 
 
 A tierce is a sequence of three cards ; a quart of 
 four ; and a quint of five. 
 
 A head sequence is one standing at the head 
 of the suit in jour hand, even though it may not 
 contain the best card. A subordinate sequence is 
 one standing lower down, and it is an intermediate 
 sequence if you hold cards both higher and lower. 
 
 Short Suit. — One of which you hold originally 
 not more than three cards. See Strength. 
 
 Signal for Trumps. — Throwing away, unneces- 
 sarily and contrary to ordinary play, a high card 
 before a low one, is called the signal for trumps, or 
 asking for trumps ; being a command to your part- 
 ner to lead trumps the first opportunity — a command 
 which, in the modern scientific game, he is bound 
 to obey, whatever his own hand may be. 
 
 Singleton. — A French name for one card only of 
 a suit. 
 
 Strength, Strong Suit, Strong Sand. — These are 
 terms which it is highly essential to ha\ e clearly 
 defined, as their interpretation lies at the root of 
 the theory of the modern scientific game. 
 
 The cards of any suit contained in your hand 
 may vary in two different ways : as regards num- 
 ber, and as regards rank. 
 
 As regards number of cards — as tnere are thir- 
 teen cards to divide among four persons, it is deal 
 
TECHNICAL TEEMS. 25 
 
 that three cards or less will be under the average, 
 while four cards or more will be over the average 
 due to each person. 
 
 Again, as to rank, the middle card of a suit is 
 the eight; any cards you hold above this may be 
 considered high cards ; any below, low cards. 
 
 Now, it has been the habit to use the terms 
 strength and weakness, as applied indiscriminately 
 to either number or rank — a practice which, 
 though no doubt it may be defended analogically, 
 is yet calculated to cause great confusion in the 
 mind of the student, inasmuch as the two things 
 must be very differently regarded in any scientific 
 system of play. If, for example, a strong suit has 
 been spoken of, it might mean either one in which 
 you possess a large number of cards (as, say, the 
 two, three, four, five, six, and seven), or in which 
 you hold only a few very high ones, as, say, ace, 
 king, and queen; the former being numerical 
 strength; the latter strength of rank. 
 
 This twofold meaning has, however, become so 
 firmly implanted in Whist nomenclature that it 
 would be useless to attempt to eradicate it. All 
 we can do is to endeavor to get a little more per- 
 spicuity by using as much as possible the term 
 long suit to indicate strength in numbers, leaving 
 the word strong to apply chiefly to high ca^ds. 
 2 
 
26 THEORY OF WHIST. 
 
 Thus any suit of which you hold four or mor* 
 will be called a long suit, being longer than the 
 average. Any suit of three or less will be called a 
 short suit, being shorter than the average. 
 
 When we speak of a strong suit, we shall gen 
 erally refer to one containing cards of a higher 
 than average rank, and of a weak suit the contrary. 
 
 A long suit will naturally have a greater chance 
 of containing high cards than a short one, and this 
 is probably the reason why the confusion of terms 
 has arisen. 
 
 A strong hand is difficult to define, further than 
 as one likely to make many tricks : a weak one the 
 contrary. The terms are often misused when parts 
 of the hand only are referred to ; as, for example, 
 when you are advised to "lead up to the weak 
 hand," which merely refers to a hand weak in the 
 particular suit you lead. 
 
 Strengthening play is getting rid of high cards 
 in any suit, the effect of which is to give an im- 
 proved value to the lower cards of that suit still 
 remaining in, and so to strengthen the hand that 
 holds them. Strengthening play is most beneficial 
 to the hand that is longest in the suit. 
 
 Tenace. — A tenace, in modern Whist,* is under- 
 
 * The older writers, as Hoyle and Mathews, use thil 
 tword as referring rather to the position than the cards : 
 but the meaning in the text is the more modem one, 
 
TECHNICAL TEEMS. 27 
 
 stood to mean the combination, in the same hand, 
 of the best and third best card for the time being 
 of any suit; as for example, the ace and queen 
 originally, or the king and ten when the ace and 
 knave have been played. 
 
 The advantage of this combination is that, if 
 you are fourth player in the suit, you will cer- 
 tainly (bar trumping) make two tricks in it ; and 
 it is therefore much to your interest that the suit 
 should be led by your left-hand adversary. 
 
 The word has nothing to do with ten and ace/ 
 it probably comes from the Latin tenax, the policy 
 being to hold back the suit containing the tenace 
 rather than to lead it. 
 
 A minor tenace is the combination of the second 
 and fourth best cards. 
 
 Underplay usually signifies keeping back best 
 cards, and playing subordinate ones instead. This 
 is sometimes advantageous in trumps, or in plain 
 suits when strong in trumps, or when trumps are 
 out; but it requires care and judgment to avoid 
 evil consequences from deceiving your partner, 
 and from having your best cards subsequentlj 
 ruffed. 
 
 Weakness, Weak Suit. See Strength. 
 
CHAPTER III. 
 
 THEORY OF THE GAME. 
 
 The basis of the theory of the modern scientific 
 game of Whist lies in the relations existing be- 
 tween the players. 
 
 It is a fundamental feature of the construction 
 of the game, that the four players are intended to. 
 act, not singly and independently, but in a double 
 combination, two of them being partners against a 
 partnership of the other two. And it is the full 
 recognition of this fact, carried out into all the 
 ramifications of the play, which characterizes the 
 scientific game, and gives it its superiority over all 
 others. 
 
 Yet, obvious as this fact is, it is astonishing how 
 imperfectly it is appreciated among players gen- 
 erally. Some ignore the partnership altogether, 
 except in the mere division of the stakes, neither 
 caring to help their partners or be helped by them, 
 but playing as if each had to fight his battle alone. 
 Others will go farther, giving some degree of con- 
 sideration to the partner, but still always making 
 their own hand the chief object ; and among this lat- 
 ter class are often found players of much skill and 
 judgment, and who pass for great adepts in the game. 
 
THEORY OF WHIST. 29 
 
 The scientific theory, however, goes much farther 
 It carries out the community of interests to the 
 fullest extent possible. It forbids the player to 
 consider his own hand apart from that of his part- 
 ner, but commands him to treat both in strict con- 
 junction, teaching him, in fact, to play the two 
 hinds combined ', as if they were one. For this ob- 
 ject the two players enter into a system of legalized 
 correspondence established for the purpose, by 
 which each becomes informed to the fullest extent 
 possible of the contents of his partner's hand, and 
 endeavors to play in such manner as is best for the 
 combination. The advantage of this combined 
 principle is almost self-evident ; for suppose it car- 
 ried to an extreme by each partner seeing the other's 
 cards : no one could doubt the resulting advantage ; 
 and the modern system is as near an approach to 
 this as the rules of the game will permit. There 
 are, however, two objections sometimes brought 
 against it which deserve brief notice. 
 
 First, it is said that you might often play youi 
 own hand to more advantage by treating it in youi 
 own way, and that the combined principle may lead 
 you to sacrifice it. But this objection is merely 
 founded on a misapprehension as to how the prin- 
 ciple is applied ; for a study of the resulting system 
 will show that it is calculated fully to realize anj 
 
30 THEOEY OF WHIST. 
 
 advantages your own hand may possess, while the 
 cases in which sacrifice is required are only those 
 in which the joint interest is indubitably promoted 
 thereby. Then, secondly, it is objected that all in- 
 dications given to your partner may also be seen 
 by the opponents and turned against you ; and it 
 is sometimes argued that by enlightening in this way 
 two enemies and only one friend you establish a 
 balance to your disadvantage. But this involves a 
 confusion in reasoning; for, if the opponents are 
 equally good players, they will adopt the same sys- 
 tem, and the positions must be equal ; and if they 
 are not good players, they will be incapable ot 
 profiting by the indications you give, and the whole 
 advantage will rest with you. Besides, even good 
 players seldom pay so much heed to their opponents' 
 as to their partner's indications, the attention being 
 always most prominently directed to the partner's 
 play. It would be more logical to put the argu- 
 ment in another form, and to say that, if you play 
 obscurely, you are in constant danger of getting 
 obstruction instead of help from your partner, 
 which would give you three opponents to fight sin- 
 gle-handed.* 
 
 * One of our best modern players calls it a " golden 
 maxim for Whist," that u it is of more importance to in- 
 form your partner than to deceive your adversary," and 
 adds that "the best Whist player is he who play* the 
 game in the simplest and most intelligible way." 
 
THEORY OF WHIST. 31 
 
 The fact is, however, that the general adoption of 
 the principle should by no means supersede the ex 
 ercise of judgment in its application. We shall 
 hereafter point out that the individual qualifica- 
 tions of the various players should have an import- 
 ant influence on the mode of play ; and a practised 
 player will soon learn to discriminate cases where 
 it may be more proper to withhold information 
 than to give it. Such cases are of constant oc- 
 currence, but they do not affect the general advan- 
 tage of the combined principle, which is sufficiently 
 established by the fact that it is the result of long 
 experience, is practised by the best players, and is 
 recommended by the first authorities on the game. 
 
 Now, in order that the two hands may be man- 
 aged conjointly to the best advantage, it is requisite 
 that each partner should adopt the same general 
 system of treating his hand. For it is clear that if 
 one player prefer one system, and the other a dif- 
 ferent one, such cross purposes must render any 
 combination impracticable. It is necessary, there 
 fore, here to explain somewhat fully what the dif- 
 ferent systems are, on which a hand may be treated, 
 and to show which of them is considered the pref 
 erabie one for adoption. 
 
 Th^ object of play is (f course to make tricks, 
 
32 THEOEY OF WHIST 
 
 and tricks may be made in four different waysj 
 viz.: 
 
 1. By the natural predominance of master cards, 
 as aeos and kings. This forms the leading idea of 
 beginners, whose notions of trick-making do not 
 usually extend beyond the high cards they have 
 happened to receive. But a little more knowledge 
 and experience soon show that this must be made 
 subordinate to more advanced considerations. 
 
 2. Tricks may be also made by taking advantage 
 of the position of the cards, so as to evade the 
 higher ones, and make smaller ones win: as, foi 
 example, in finessing, and in leading up to a weak 
 suit. This method is one which, although always 
 kept well in view by good players, is yet only of 
 accidental occurrence, and therefore does not enter 
 into our present discussion of the general systems 
 of treating the hand. 
 
 3. Another mode of trick-making is by trumping; 
 a system almost as fascinating to beginners as the 
 realization of master cards ; but the correction of 
 this predilection requires much deeper study. 
 
 4. The fourth method of making tricks is by es- 
 tablishing and bringing in a long suit, every card 
 of which will then make a trick, whatever be its 
 value. This method, though the most scicntiSe, is 
 
THEORY OF WHIST. 33 
 
 the least obvious, and therefore is the least practised 
 by young players. 
 
 Now, the first, third, and fourth methods of mak- 
 ing tricks may be said to constitute different sys~ 
 terns, according to either of which a player may view 
 his hand and regulate his play. An example will 
 make this quite clear. 
 
 Suppose the elder hand, having the first lead, re- 
 ceives the following cards : . 
 
 Hearts (Trumps) Q. 9, 6, 3. 
 Spades . . .Kg. Kn. 8, 4, 3, 2. 
 Diamonds . . A. Kg. 
 Clubs . . . . Q. 
 
 He may adopt either of the three above-named 
 views in regard to his hand, and the choice he makes 
 will at once influence his Jirst lead. 
 
 If badly taught, he will probably adopt the first 
 system, and lead out at once his ace and king of 
 diamonds. 
 
 Or, if he peculiarly affect the trumping system, he 
 will lead out the queen of clubs, in hopes of ruffing 
 the suit when it is led again. 
 
 But, if he is a more advanced player, he will, at 
 any rate for his first lead, adopt the fourth method ; 
 he will lead the smallest of his long suit of spades, 
 knowing that if he can ultimately establish it and 
 bring it in^ he must make several tricks in it. 
 2* 
 
84 THEORY OF WHIST. 
 
 The importance of a correct choice between the 
 three systems consists principally in the fact alluded 
 to above, that it directly influences the first lead, 01 
 what we may call (in analogy with chess) the open 
 ing of the game. For on the combined principle of 
 action, the first lead is by far the most important 
 one in the whole hand, inasmuch as it is the first 
 and most prominent intimation given to your part- 
 ner as to the cards you hold. He will, if he is a 
 good player, observe with great attention the card 
 you lead} and will at once draw inferences from it 
 that may perhaps influence the whole of his plans. 
 And hence, the nature of the opening you adopt is 
 of the greatest consequence to your joint welfare. 
 And it is clear that, however your play may vary 
 in the after-part of the hand, you must, as a general 
 principle, adopt always the same opening, or it will 
 be impossible for your partner to draw any infer- 
 ences from it at all. 
 
 Let us, therefore, consider how the choice be- 
 tween the tnree systems of play is determined. 
 
 "We may dismiss the first, or master-card system, 
 very briefly. It is evidently not good a b once to 
 lead out master cards of a suit of which you hold 
 only a few ; for the reason that you can probably 
 make them whenever any ou? else leads it, and that 
 
THEORY OF WHIST. 35 
 
 fchey will then serve as " cards of re-entry," to pro* 
 cure yon additional leads at a future period of the 
 hand, which then become peculiarly valuable, ow* 
 ing to the increased information you have obtained. 
 Hence, the master-card system, though often oi 
 great use, must not be the one by which the open* 
 ing of the game is determined. 
 
 Between the two other systems, however, the 
 choice is not so clear. It is by no means easy to 
 prove which of them, if pursued systematically, 
 would in the long run be the most advantageous as 
 regards the single hand / to demonstrate this would 
 require the study of almost infinite combinations ol 
 chances. But there is a conclusive argument in 
 favor of the fourth or long-suit system; namely, 
 that, treated as a form of opening, it is the only one 
 which adapts itself favorably and conveniently to 
 the combination of the hands. 
 
 The difficulties in the combined use of the trump- 
 ing system would be very great. In the first place, 
 it would not often happen that your hand contained 
 a suit of one card only : you might have none of a 
 Buit, when you could not lead it ; your minimum 
 might be two, when the policy would be doubtful ; 
 or three, when it would be useless. Hence there 
 would be no uniformity in your opening ; it would 
 be always equivocal, and would consequently giv* 
 
36 THEOEY OF WHIST. 
 
 your partner no information. Then, after leading 
 a single card you could not yourself persevere in 
 your system, or do anything more to further it ; as 
 your next lead must be on some other ground — a 
 complexity which would effectually prevent favor- 
 able combined action. And, thirdly, your plan 
 would be so easily overthrown by the adversaries 5 
 leading trumps, which, if they knew your system, 
 a very moderate strength would justify them in do- 
 ing, to your utter discomfiture. 
 
 The long-suit opening is free from all these ob- 
 jections. It is uniformly practicable, as every hand 
 must contain at least one suit of four cards ; you 
 can persevere in your design every time you get the 
 lead, whether your partner can help you or not; 
 your indications to your partner are positive and 
 unmistakable; and the adversaries are almost 
 powerless to offer you any direct obstruction— 
 their only resource being to bring forward counter- 
 plans of their own. 
 
 It is sometimes alleged against the long-suit open- 
 ing, that in many cases it cannot be followed to ita 
 aonclusion, from the strength of trumps being 
 against you, or from untoward fall of the cards, 
 But even in this case it is still the safest, as, though 
 it may not succeed for yourself, it is the way least 
 likely to help your adversary, and indeed it fur 
 
THEORY OF WHIST. 37 
 
 nishes you always with, the best means of obstructing 
 him, by forcing his hand. And it must be recol 
 lected that its adoption as an opening does not bind 
 you always implicitly to follow it up, or in the 
 least prevent you from making tricks, in the after- 
 part of the hand, by any of the other modes, if you 
 should find it to your interest to do so. Any 
 master-cards you possess will take care of them- 
 selves ; and if you are short of a suit, and wish to 
 trump it, you have only to wait till it is led by 
 some one else, and you attain your object without 
 misleading your partner. 
 
 Thus the long-suit system has not only peculiar 
 benefits of its own, but it permits full advantage 
 being taken of the other systems also, and, used as 
 an opening, is in all cases the safest play. To this 
 we may add that it has characterized the scientific 
 game ever since it was invented ; it has stood the 
 test of long experience ; and is universally adopted 
 by the best authorities we have. At the same 
 time, by the more recondite and scientific character 
 of the play it admits of, it is preferred by all 
 eminent players, as calling into operation the high- 
 est intellectual and reasoning powers, and thereby 
 greatly ennobling the game. 
 
 Accepting, therefore, this system as the prefer* 
 ble one, we are now able to enunciate the funda 
 
38 THEORY OP WHIST. 
 
 mental theory of the modern scientific game, whicX 
 is — 
 
 That the hands of the two partners shall not bs 
 played singly and independently, but shall be com- 
 bined, and treated as one. And that, in order to 
 carry out most effectually this principle ofcombina* 
 tion, each partner shall adopt the long-suit system 
 as the general basis of his play. 
 
CHAPTER IV. 
 
 DEVELOPMENT OF THE THEOKY. 
 
 We now proceed to explain how this theory if 
 developed into a practical shape ; and this we must 
 divide off under several heads. The most import- 
 ant is 
 
 Its Influence on the Management of Trumps. 
 
 The treatment of trumps is a great puzzle to ill- 
 taught players, who generally use them in the wild- 
 est and most unskilful way. To play them in 
 detail to the best advantage always requires much 
 judgment, even in the most educated; but the 
 general principles of their management are easily 
 and clearly determined by our theory, as we shall 
 endeavor to show. 
 
 Trumps may be used for three distinct purposes, 
 namely : 
 
 1. To play as ordinary or plain suits. This use, 
 however, ignores their higher or special value, and 
 ought therefore to be made quite subordinate to the 
 other two. 
 
 2. To make tricks by trumping. 
 
 3. To aid in making your own or your partner's 
 long suits or high cards. 
 
 The theory we have enunciated points clearly to 
 
#0 THEOEY OF WHIST. 
 
 the third use of tnimps as the highest and most 
 scientific, and accordingly this application of them 
 is always the most prominent in the scientific game. 
 It is obvious that the chief obstacle to making long 
 suits is their being trumped by the adversary ; and 
 that therefore the advantage will be with that 
 party who, having predominant strength in trumps, 
 can succeed in drawing those of the adversaries. 
 
 For this reason, whenever you h&vejive trumps, 
 whatever they are, or whatever the other compon- 
 ents of your hand, you should lead them y for the 
 probability is that three, or at most four, rounds 
 will exhaust those of the adversaries, and you will 
 still have one or two left to bring in your own or 
 your partner's long suits, and to stop those of the 
 enemy. And notice, that it is numerical strength 
 of trumps that is most important for this purpose, 
 so that you must not be deterred from leading 
 them, even if all five should be small ones ; for in 
 this case probably your partner will hold honors, 
 and even if the honors are all against you, you will 
 probably soon bring down two together. 
 
 And, further, you must recollect that it is no 
 argument against leading trumps from five, that 
 you have no long suit, and that your hand is other- 
 wise weak ; for it is the essence of the combined 
 principle that you work for your partner as well as 
 
DEVELOPMENT 41 
 
 yourself, and the probability is that if you are 
 weak, he is strong, and will have long suits or good 
 cards to bring in. And if, unfortunately, it should 
 happen that you are both weak, any other plaj 
 would be probably still worse for you. 
 
 The lead of trumps is considered so important to 
 the science of the modern game that, for many 
 years back, a conventional signal has been intro- 
 duced, by which, when a player wants them to be 
 led, and cannot get the lead himself, he may inti- 
 mate the fact to his partner, and call upon him to 
 lead them. This signal consists simply in throwing 
 away, unnecessarily, a higher card before a lower. 
 Thus, suppose king and ace of ^ome suit are led 
 consecutively, and your two lowest cards are the 
 seven and the three, the usual play is to throw 
 away first the three and next the seven. But if 
 you reverse this order, playing first the seven and 
 then the three, this is a command to your partner 
 to lead trumps immediately. It is called the sig- 
 nal for trumps, or asking for trumps; it is ex- 
 plained in all modern works, and it is become a rec- 
 ognized arrangement in all the best Whist circles. 
 
 It will also be evident that, as the success of the 
 long-suit system depends so much on the early ex- 
 traction of trumps by the hand strong in them, it 
 is your imperative duty to return trumps immedi 
 
42 THEORY OF WHIST* 
 
 ately if your partner leads them, or to lead then 
 the first opportunity if he signals for them. You 
 must not consider your own cards ; for if you agree 
 to play the correct game, you are bound to do what 
 is best for the combined hands, and your partner, 
 having the power of conferring so great a mutual 
 benefit, must not be thwarted in his design. It is 
 the understood etiquette for the strong hand in 
 trumps always to take precedence, and a partner 
 who refuses to conform to the rule should be " sent 
 to Coventry " by all good players. It is an old Joe 
 Miller in Whist circles, that there are only two 
 reasons that can justify you in not returning trumps 
 to your partner's lead ; i.e., first, sudden illness ; 
 secondly, having none. There is, however, one 
 case in which you have an option, and that is 
 where your partner, in desperation, leads trumps 
 from weakness j in hopes you are strong; if, there- 
 fore, you are also weak, you can return them or 
 not as you think best for the game. 
 
 The foregoing remarks apply to the case of great 
 numerical strength in trumps, one hand being sup- 
 posed to hold five. It remains to be considered 
 how trumps should be treated when you hold a less 
 number. 
 
 With four trumps you are still numerically 
 strong, but you have not, as in the former case, 
 
DEVELOPMENT. 43 
 
 such overpowering strength as warrants yon in 
 leading trumps at all hazards. Possibly one of the 
 adversaries may also hold four, or even five, in 
 which cases you might be unintentionally playing 
 his game. 
 
 Hence, with four trumps considerable discretion 
 is required, their lead being only warranted by tole- 
 rable strength, either of yourself or your partner, 
 in other suits, in which case, even if long trumps 
 remain in against you, you may manage to force 
 them out and afterwards bring in your good cards. 
 But if you have to lead before you can ascertain 
 what your partner's hand consists of, and if you 
 have a good plain suit, it is generally best to lead 
 that first. 
 
 With a short suit of trumps, i.e., with less than 
 four, it is very seldom right to lead them, at the 
 commencement of the hand, for the obvious reason 
 that if the adversaries happen to be strong, you are 
 playing their game. It can only be warranted by 
 very strong cards in all other suits, by which you 
 may, perhaps, be able effectively to force a strong 
 adverse trump hand. 
 
 Many uneducated players will lead a high trump 
 from weakness, in order, as they say, to strengthen 
 their partner ; but this is founded on imperfect rea 
 soiling. The effect of leading high or strengthening 
 
44 THEORY OF WHIST. 
 
 cards is to benefit the hand that is longest in thf 
 suit; and if you know this to be your partner's 
 case, the play is right. Bufc to do it in uncertainty 
 is wrong, since it is two to one that the longest 
 hand is not with your partner, but with one of the 
 adversaries, and therefore the chances are that you 
 favor the opponents' game. 
 
 Many unscientific players will also lead trump3, 
 simply because their long suit is trumped, or is 
 likely to be so. This also is a mistake ; for, as 
 before, if the adversaries are strongest in trumps, 
 you are only playing their game. 
 
 The proper use to make of trumps when you are 
 numerically weak in them, is to use them, if possi- 
 ble, for ruffing. You cannot, for want of strength, 
 put them to their highest use, and you must, there- 
 fore, fall back upon their lower application. 
 
 Several corollaries arise out of the foregoing 
 principles of the scientific management of trumps ; 
 for example : 
 
 It will often happen that, being second player, 
 and having none of the suit led, you may be at a 
 loss to know whether to trump a doubtful trick or 
 to leave it for your partner. This difficulty is ai 
 once solved by the foregoing theory. If you are 
 weak in trumps, holding, say, not more than three, 
 trump without hesitation, as your trumps are of n« 
 
DEVELOPMENT. 4& 
 
 other use, and they may probably .save a command 
 ing card of your partner's, which in the adversaries' 
 suit will be very valuable. But, if you have a long 
 suit of trumps, holding four or more, pass the trick, 
 as they are too valuable to risk wasting. It 'may 
 even be sometimes advisable, in the latter case, to 
 refuse a trick which is certainly against you, as 
 your trumps will ultimately make, and you may 
 perhaps discard advantageously. This rule is addi- 
 tionally useful as an indication to your partner. If 
 he sees you trump freely second-hand, he will know 
 you are weak ; if you abstain, he will infer you are 
 strong, and his knowledge of either fact may be of 
 great value to you both. In the latter case also 
 your discard will give him very useful information. 
 The greatest mischief that can be done to a strong 
 trump hand is to force it to ruff, so depriving it of 
 its preponderating strength. This must be borne 
 in mind if you see your partner renounce a suit, 
 when you must, if you know him to be strong in 
 trumps, carefully avoid forcing him. If you have 
 had no indication of his hand, you must form, as 
 well as you can, a judgment by your own; if you 
 are weak, he may probably be strong : and hence 
 the rule that you must not force your partner when 
 you are weak in trumps yourself until you art 
 Baiiafied that your doing so will not barm him. 
 
46 THEORY OF WHIST, 
 
 These principles also teach you how best to 
 oppose a strong adverse trump hand, and to seek to 
 diminish the advantages it gives over you. In 
 this case you have first carefully to avoid leading 
 rumps, which is the adversaries' game; and, sec- 
 ondly,. you must force the adverse strong hand to 
 L.iff whenever you can. By this means, if perse- 
 vered in, you may perhaps succeed in neutralizing 
 the opposing strength, and so in making your own 
 good or long cards, although the chances are gener- 
 ally against you. At any rate, you can endeavor 
 to make use of /our trumps for rufhng before they 
 are drawn. 
 
 Many players, whbxi weak in trumps, will lead 
 through an honor turned up, without any other mo- 
 tive than to give their partner a supposed trifling 
 advantage in making a trick with them. This is a 
 delusion, and is moreover entirely at variance with 
 the principles of the modern game, inasmuch as it 
 debases the trumps to their lowest use. But its 
 worst fault is that it entirely misleads your partner, 
 who, if he plays properly, will imagine you to be 
 strong, and by returning them probably destroy 
 your joint game. 
 
 Again, if you have great numerical strength in 
 fcrumps you should never hesitate to lead them up 
 to an honor. It is true your partner, toeing obliged 
 
DEVELOPMENT. 47 
 
 to play his best, may possibly lose a high card, but 
 this will be rather to your advantage than other- 
 wise, as it will strengthen your hand and give you 
 earlier the entire command. If you abstain from 
 leading them, your partner may imagine the 
 strength to be against him, and will play accor 
 dingly, and thus the immense advantage of you 
 strong trumps may be lost. 
 
 Such are the chief practical principles in regard 
 to trumps, deducible from the scientific modern 
 theory, It will be seen they are a powerul engine 
 for the advantageous working of plain suits, and 
 that they require to be played with great care. In 
 fact, the way in which a player manages his trumps 
 will always form the surest index of the extent of 
 his knowledge of the game. 
 
 Management of Plain Suits. — Long Suit Lead. 
 
 We now go on to show the general application 
 of the scientific theory to the play of suits not 
 trumps, or, as they are called, plain suits. 
 
 Supposing you have first lead, not being very 
 Strong in trumps, but having a long suit in your 
 hand. Adhering to the established mode of " open- 
 ing," yor*. lead from your long suit, thereby at once 
 informing your partner what is the chief compo- 
 nent of your baud. He will recollect this, and a* 
 
48 THEOEY OF WHIST 
 
 it is his duty to return your lead hereafter, and 
 your interest to persevere in your suit, you will 
 have the opportunity of " making " any good cards 
 in it which the joint hands may contain, and you 
 may probably after three rounds be left with one 
 or two long cards of it in your own hand. These 
 long cards will then become very valuable ; if the 
 trumps can be extracted from the adverse hands, 
 and you can get the lead, either by a trump or a 
 card of re-entry, they will make certain tricks : if 
 any trumps remain against you, the long cards may 
 be made powerful weapons of offence by forcing 
 them out ; so that in either case the system of play 
 will be advantageous for you. 
 
 Next comes the question, What card should you 
 lead from your long suit ? To answer this fully 
 would involve more detail than we purpose to go 
 into here, but there are some prominent considera- 
 tions that will serve as guides for general practice. 
 
 As an abstract principle, it is not good to part 
 vrith your high cards at first, as it is very desirable 
 to retain the complete command of the suit at a later 
 period. Suppose, for instance, you hold ace, king, 
 and three small ones : the most advantageous lead 
 (if it were not for a consideration we shall enter 
 into by and by) would be a small one ; for on th« 
 second round you would have the complete com* 
 
DEVELOPMENT. 49 
 
 mand with your ace and king, being able probably 
 thereby to draw all the others and pursue your 
 suit to the end. When you have such command, 
 your suit is said to be established, and it is evi- 
 dently advantageous for you to get this effected as 
 early as you possibly can. This principle would, 
 therefore, dictate that your first lead should gen- 
 erally be the lowest of your suit. 
 
 But there is a circumstance which considerably 
 modifies the application of this principle in prac- 
 tice — that is, the risk of the suit being ruffed by 
 the adversaries ; on which account it is advisable 
 to depart in some measure from it for the sake of 
 making your winning cards early. Thus in the 
 above hand of ace, king, and three small ones, if 
 you were to begin with the smallest, reserving your 
 two high cards for the second and third rounds, 
 you would probably have one of them trumped ; 
 for which reason it is good policy to play them out 
 first, at the risk of delaying the establishment of 
 your suit. 
 
 The first-named principle will, however, always 
 apply for leading trumps, and also for plain suits 
 when trumps are out, as the motive for the depar- 
 ture from it then no longer exists. 
 
 There is also another kind of exception from be< 
 ginning with the lowest, but which direstly tends 
 3 
 
50 THEORY OF WHIST, 
 
 to promote the early establishment of your suit} 
 namely, when you have a high sequence, such as Q. 
 Kn. 10, at the head of your hand. In this case 
 your endeavor should be to force out the highei 
 cards, for which purpose you lead the highest 01 
 your sequence, say the queen, which will be almost 
 sure to force out either the ace or king ; if the 
 other is also against you, you may, on another 
 round, bring it out with the knave, leaving you 
 then with the best card and probably with the en- 
 tire command. 
 
 Directions how these principles may be applied 
 in leading from particular combinations of cards, 
 are usually given in the detailed rules of play. 
 
 Return of the Lead. 
 
 Hitherto we have only spoken of your own pro- 
 ceedings in leading. But it is now desirable to con- 
 sider your partner's duty, i.e., how he is expected 
 to help you in regard to the play of your long suit. 
 It is not enough that he simply return your lead ; 
 *ue efficiency of his aid will much depend on what 
 cwrds he plays. 
 
 The key to this lies in the fact that, as you hold 
 more than the average number of cards in the suit, 
 he will probably hold less ; i.e., if it is a long suit 
 with you, it will be a short one with him. If you, 
 
DEVELOPMENT. 51 
 
 for example, hold five, the chances are n.uch against 
 his holding more than three. And it follows from 
 this, that the best thing he can do for the joint ben- 
 efit is to play his cards rather with reference to your 
 hand than his own, i.e., to give you the more im- 
 portant part of the play in reference to the suit in 
 question. 
 
 And there are two principles deducible at once 
 from our theoiy, which will serve for his guidance 
 in this particular. 
 
 The first is, that he must get rid of the command 
 of your suit ; for we have already stated it to be 
 eminently desirable you should get this early into 
 your own hand, in order to establish your suit as 
 soon as possible. Thus, whenever he finds he holds 
 the best card in it, he must play it out, in order to 
 get it out of your way. 
 
 And then, secondly, he must adopt, in this suit, 
 what is called strengthening play. The meaning of 
 this term is often misunderstood, but it is exceed- 
 ingly simple. Whenever a high card is played, its 
 withdrawal promotes (in military parlance) all the 
 lower cards of that suit still existing in the various 
 hands, i.e., it raises each of them a step in rank ; 
 what was formerly the third best becoming now the 
 second best, and so on. And as it is evident that 
 the longest hand will be the most likelv to benefi 1 
 
62 THEORY OF WHI8T. 
 
 by this proceeding, this hand is said to be strength* 
 tried thereby, so that, when your partner plays out 
 bigh cards of your long suit, even though he may 
 not make tricks with them, their withdrawal will 
 strengthen, and thereby benefit you. This is an im- 
 portant reason for the well-known rule to play higlv* 
 est third hand / you having led from your long suit, 
 your partner plays the highest he has, not only to 
 liis best towards getting the trick, but also, if he 
 loses it, to strengthen your hand by getting high 
 cards out of your way. This last object is entirely 
 lost sight of by those silly people who feel mortified 
 at " having their high cards taken," as well as by 
 those, not much less silly, who, when strong in 
 trumps, object to "lead up to an honor." 
 
 For this reason also your partner must not jinesst 
 in your long suit, except with ace and queen the 
 first time round, which, provided he gets rid of the 
 ace soon afterwards, is considered allowable. 
 
 The principle of strengthening play must also 
 guide your partner in returning your lead ; for if he 
 is short in the suit (i.e., if he held not more than 
 three cards originally), it will be very advantageous 
 to you that he should return the highest he has left, 
 and not the lowest ; he may thus either save a high 
 card of yours, or may afford you a good finesse, 01 
 at all events he will strengthen your hand, and aid 
 
DEVELOPMENT. 53 
 
 you in establishing your suit. Thus if your partaei 
 originally held king, knave, and a small one, and 
 has played out his king to your first lead, wheu he 
 returns the suit he must lead the knave, and no "• the 
 small one. 
 
 This duty of returning the highest of a weak suit 
 is so imperative, that it has now, by universal con- 
 sent of the best players, become a conventional tule, 
 by adhering to which your partner may show von 
 the state of his hand. If, for example, he had origin- 
 ally ace, five, and four of your lead, after winning 
 with the ace he must return the Jive and not the 
 four. It matters nothing to him, but it may be all 
 important to you, and violation of the rule may losd 
 the game. 
 
 It is of course possible that your partner may hold 
 originally more than three of your suit. In this case 
 he is, like you, numerically strong, and this should 
 justify him in so far considering his own hand as to 
 depart from the before-mentioned rule, and to re- 
 turn his loivest. But in any case, if he happens afte* 
 the first round of your long suit still to hold the 
 best or master-card in it, he should play it out at 
 once, to get it out of your way, and to prevent your 
 imagining it is against you. 
 
 It is by no means necessary that your partner 
 should return your lead immediately (except is 
 
54 THEORY OF WHIST. 
 
 trumps, trfrich he is bound to return instanter) , oi 
 the contrary, it is highly desirable that the first lead 
 he gets he should lead his own long suit, so as to put 
 you as early as possible in possession of information 
 as to his hand, in return for that he has obtained 
 from you. This will guide you to another lead 
 when your own suit is stopped, and will promote 
 your joint action. 
 
 After you and your partner have both led your 
 long suits, you will probably have a choice whether 
 to go on with your own suit or with his. This will 
 often be determined by the fall of the cards. If, 
 for example, you win his lead cheaply, you should 
 not return it, as you would be leading through the 
 weak hand, which is contrary to principle, and the 
 lead will come more properly from him. If, on the 
 other hand, your partner has shown himself very 
 weak in your suit, and you are also not very strong, 
 of course it would be disadvantageous to go on with 
 that, and you may probably do better to return your 
 partner's. If your right-hand adversary has shown 
 himself weak in your suit, pursue it by all means, 
 us your partner ought not to return it for you. 
 
 The foregoing explanations will show the nature 
 of the mutual duties which the modern or combined 
 game enjoins between yourself and your partner; 
 for we need hardly add, that all we have said as to 
 
DEVELOPMENT. 55 
 
 his duties to you, as aiding you in your suit, equally 
 defines your duties in aiding him. This mutuality 
 cannot be too strongly insisted on ; the want of a 
 proper perception of it is the great fault of manj 
 otherwise good self-taught players, and it is the 
 hardest lesson they have to learn. There are num* 
 bers of people who can play their own hands excel- 
 lently, but who have no idea either of getting help 
 from, or of affording help to, their partners, and 
 who must therefore lose all the benefit derivable 
 from the combined game.* 
 
 Further Remarks on the Lead. 
 
 We have hitherto assumed that you lead from 
 the longest suit you hold, which is the safe general 
 rule ; but cases often occur which involve some dif- 
 ficulty of choice. For example, suppose you have 
 five small cards, in one plain suit, and four with 
 honors in another. The theory by no means im- 
 peratively calls on you to lead the former ; for it 
 must be borne in mind that the rank of the cards 
 always deserves consideration, and your leading the 
 four suit (which is still a long suit) would be per- 
 fectly justifiable. 
 
 * One of our best modern players characterizes playing 
 for your own hand alone as ' ' the worst fault ho knowi 
 Id a Whist player." 
 
56 THEORY OF WHIST. 
 
 Similarly a question might arise between foui 
 small cards and three good ones ; but here the case 
 is different, for three cards constitute a short suit, 
 to lead which unnecessarily would be a violation of 
 the theory. 
 
 Such, however, is the infinite variety of Whist, 
 that provision must be made for leading under all 
 sorts of circumstances, and from short suits among 
 others. For example, you may have originally no 
 long suit except trumps,, which you do not feel jus- 
 tified in leading ; . or your own long suit may be 
 trumped, and your partner may not yet have given 
 you any indication what to lead for him. Leads 
 from short suits, being contrary to principle, are 
 called unnatural or forced leads; it is necessary to 
 be prepared for them, and the following hints may 
 be of use : 
 
 It is good to lead up to the weak adversary, or 
 through the strong one. Therefore you may pretty 
 safely lead a suit in which your right-hand adver- 
 sary has shown himself weak, or your left-hand ad- 
 versary strong. (Indication of strength is given 
 by the lead, of weakness by the play of the third 
 and fourth hand, and by the discard.) Remember, 
 however, that, as a general rule, returning your ad- 
 versary's lead is to be avoided. 
 
 When you are obliged to lead from a short suit, 
 
DEVELOPMENT. 57 
 
 the general rule is to play out the highest card yon 
 have, to inform your partner. If you have any rea* 
 son to know that he is long in the suit, the rule 
 admits of no exception ; but if you are doubtful 
 on this point, it may be taken with some reserve. 
 If, for example, you have an honor with two small 
 ones, you may lead the smallest, so as to try and save 
 the honor, in case of the strength lying against you. 
 
 "When you lead in this way an unnatural or forced 
 lead, your partner ought generally to know it by the 
 card you play, and ought not to return it, unless he 
 happens to be strong in that suit himself, when he 
 may treat it as a lead of his own. 
 
 If it is injudicious to lead from three cards, it 
 may easily be inferred how much more erroneous it 
 is for your first lead to be from two or one, such 
 being, as we have already explained, contrary to 
 the essential principles of the modern scientific 
 game. It is quite possible that in certain cases 
 such a lead may seem to suit your own hand ; bn fe 
 by adopting it you give up altogether the principle 
 of the combined game : you make up your mind 
 wilfully to mislead your partner, and run a great 
 risk of sacrificing his hand. For a glance at the 
 foregoing rules will amply show how essentially, if 
 he is a well-taught player, his mode of play will 
 depend on the first card he sees fall from you, and 
 3* 
 
58 THEORY OF WHIST. 
 
 the inferences he draws therefrom as to the state of 
 your hand. 
 
 There is an old rule that you should not lead 
 fi'oni a tenace, and this is no doubt good as regards 
 a short suit ; but if your tenace suit is your long* 
 est, th<3 advantage of opening your game correctly 
 is so great as to outweigh the other consideration. 
 When you happen to be left with a tenace towards 
 the end of the hand, the case is different, as you 
 should generally hold it carefully back, and try to 
 get it led up to. 
 
 Other Applications of Theory. 
 
 The long-suit system will furnish you with a good 
 principle of guidance in the matter of discardirg \ 
 which should always be done from short or weak 
 suits, not from long ones. The cards of the for- 
 mer are of little use ; those of the latter may be 
 very valuable even to the smallest you have. The 
 discard, practised on this principle, furnishes a very 
 important means of conveying information to your 
 partner as to the state of your hand. For example : 
 Suppose hearts are trumps, and that one of the ad- 
 versaries has shown strength in spades ; you lead a 
 winning club, to which your partner discards a dia- 
 mond ; it is almost certain, if everybody plays prop- 
 erly, that he must be very strong in trumps, and 
 
DEVELOPMENT. 59 
 
 you may play accordingly. The restrictions to b« 
 observed in discarding on this principle are, not to 
 unnecessarily unguard good cards, and to keep a card 
 of your partner's suit to return his lead. 
 
 A word or two is necessary as to your course in 
 regard to your adversaries / for it must be recol- 
 lected you have not only to play your own and 
 your partner's game, but you have also to defend it 
 against hostile attacks, and to be able to attack the 
 enemy in turn. 
 
 The principles dictated by the theory of tho 
 game in this respect are very clear, the golden rule 
 being to do to them what you would not that they 
 should do unto you. For example : if you find a 
 strong hand of trumps declared against you, you 
 must force that hand to ruff, as the best means of 
 destroying its strength, while you must take the 
 earliest opportunity of making your own weak 
 trumps by ruffing before they are drawn, and of en- 
 abling your partner to do the same if he is weak 
 also. You must generally be chary of returning 
 the adversaries' leads, or of doing anything to aid 
 in establishing their suits, of which you should 
 avoid parting with the command — just the reverse 
 of the principle you adopt with your partner. Any- 
 thing, in fact, which the principle of the game rec- 
 ommends in regard to your partner, you must 
 
60 THEORY OF WHIST. 
 
 avoid with your adversaries; and, on the othel 
 hand, you may adopt, towards them, any kind of 
 play which would do your partner harm. 
 
 Communication between the Partners. 
 
 We have already stated that the theory of the 
 scientific or combined game essentially contemplates 
 the interchange of communication between the part- 
 ners to the fullest legal extent, as to the state and 
 contents of each other's hands; and as the giving, 
 obtaining, and making use of such information forma 
 one of the chief characteristics of good play, a few 
 additional words on the point may be useful here 
 
 In the first place, the system of play itself fur 
 nishes a large source of information ; for by follow- 
 ing carefully the established principles, and by avoid- 
 ing wild and irregular play, you will certainly put 
 your partner in possession of the most material 
 facts as to your hand, while by carefully observing 
 his play you will become possessed of similar infor- 
 mation as to his hand in return, A glance through 
 the foregoing remarks will show this quite clearly. 
 
 But, independently of this, you must adopt every 
 further means in your power of giving him infor 
 mation, and there are many ways in which this may 
 be done. "We have already mentioned some con- 
 ventional signals which, by common consent, have 
 
DEVELOPMENT 61 
 
 Decome legalized and adopted for the purpose, suet 
 as the signal for trumps, and returning the highest 
 from a short suit ; and there are one or two others 
 which may be remarked on. 
 
 The mode of playing sequences furnishes one of 
 these. Suppose, being third player, you hold king 
 and queen ; it is clearly immaterial, as regards the 
 immediate effect, which of these two cards you 
 play ; but, since you have the choice, advantage is 
 taken of the fact to enable you to give your part- 
 ner information, the rule being that you always 
 play the lowest of the sequence ; so that your part- 
 ner, understanding this convention, will at once ac- 
 quire the knowledge that you have not the knave, 
 but may have the king. If you played the king, 
 he would erroneously infer you had not the queen, 
 and this error might cause him to do your joint 
 game much injury. This rule of playing the lowest 
 of a sequence applies whenever you are second, 
 third, or fourth player ; but when you lead differ- 
 ent considerations come in, which require, in many 
 cases, the highest of the sequence to be played. 
 This is, however, perfectly well understood, and 
 causes no confusion. 
 
 There are also several other lesser means of con- 
 veying information, such as by retaining the turn* 
 up card a 3 long as you can, and bv particular modes 
 
62 THEORY OF WHI8T\ 
 
 of play in particular oases ; as, for example, if yon 
 found yourself at a certain period of the game with 
 the best and second best cards of trumps, or of a 
 plain suit when trumps were out, you would lead the 
 second best, to show your partner you held the best 
 also ; or, m. discarding from a suit of which you 
 have full command, it is a convention to throw away 
 the highest, which your partner must know you 
 would not do without good reason. Other devices 
 of this kind will often suggest themselves in the 
 course of play. 
 
 And this consideration should also guide you to 
 be extremely careful against doing anything whipb 
 may mislead your partner, particularly in the man- 
 agement of your small cards ; for example, it would 
 be inexcusable unnecessarily to throw away a three 
 or a four if you held a two. Deceiving your part- 
 ner is a crime which ought to be held in the great- 
 est abhorrence by a Whist player. It is ranked by 
 one of our greatest Whist authorities with want of 
 veracity in common affairs. " In no other position 
 in life," says he, " would you tell me that which ia 
 untrue ; and why should you do it here ? " 
 
 On the Degree of Strictness with which Systematic, 
 Play should be adhered to. 
 
 It does not follow that because the modern scien- 
 tific game involves a general system of play, thif 
 
DEVELOPMENT. 63 
 
 system is to be rigidly and slavishly adhered to ; 
 without judgment or discrimination. On the con 
 trary, one of the characteristics of a fine player is 
 his ability and tact in finding out when and to what 
 extent he may modify or depart from the ordinary 
 rules. It is impossible to teach this, and it is 
 scarcely advisable that the learner should trouble 
 himself much about it ; for it is far preferable to 
 show even too strict an adherence to principle, than 
 to depart from it wildly and unskilfully. When 
 the systematic theory and practice of the scientific 
 game have been fully mastered, practice and obser- 
 vation will soon point out, to the intelligent stu- 
 dent, the modes in which he may advantageously 
 modify his play. 
 
 The principal cause which justifies what one may 
 call exceptional or irregular play, is the state of the 
 score, which in Short Whist continually requires 
 the most careful attention. The necessity for 
 gaining a certain definite number of tricks, in order 
 to win or to save the game, under peculiar circum- 
 stances of the hands, often gives rise to special 
 problems, out of the usual category, and for which 
 the ordinary system must be entirely thrown aside. 
 If, for example, you score four, and have six tricks 
 already, it is absurd to trouble yourself atjout any 
 
64 THEORY OF WHIST. 
 
 scientific mode of play, if by any possible means^ 
 ever so irregular and exceptional, you can ensure 
 one trick more. And so if, at love-all, two honors 
 are declared against you, and you have four tricks 
 up, any kind of play will be right that will get you 
 the fiftn trick to save the game. Again, suppose 
 the adversaries are four, and you, with the lead, 
 have a bad hand. The best play is, in defiance of 
 all system, to lead out your best trump ; for, if 
 your partner has not a very good hand, the game 
 is lost ; and if he has, that is the best thing to 
 do. 
 
 Towards the end of the hand, rules may be often 
 advantageously laid aside and false cards played, for 
 then the great scheme of play cannot be affected by 
 them: it has been settled and carried out long 
 before. 
 
 There is another justification for departure from 
 strict systematic play : that is, the consideration of 
 the personal capabilities of your partner or your 
 adversaries, and their degree of knowledge of the 
 game. It is an essence' of the scientific game, con 
 sequent on its mutual and combined character, that 
 both partners must understand it, and must play 
 on the same general principles, otherwise the mutu- 
 ality cannot consistently be carried out. And a 
 
DEVELOPMENT. 65 
 
 question arises from this, which often puzzles stu 
 dents; i.e., What should you do when you have a 
 partner who does not understand, and consequently 
 does not play, the scientific game ? 
 
 This question is difficult to answer, as so much 
 depends on the extent of his capabilities. It is, 
 however, certain that you must considerably mod- 
 ify your play, as all the features which depend on 
 your partner's appreciation of the combined game 
 would be thrown away. It would be folly, for ex- 
 ample, to give the signal for trumps or any other 
 conventional sign if it was not likely to be under- 
 stood. And the case would be worse if one or 
 both of the adversaries happened to be observant 
 players ; for, in such case, the more information you 
 gave as to your hand, the more facility you would 
 afford for your own defeat. 
 
 It is impossible to give rules for. such cases: 
 sometimes it might be politic to play for your own 
 hand only ; at others you might partially help your 
 partner (if you could understand his play) though 
 he might not help you ; at other times you might 
 most profitably devote your attention to thwarting 
 your adversaries. All would be a matter of judg- 
 ment at the time. 
 
 The only thing to be said is, that principles of 
 Dlay which depend essentially on a joint action of 
 
66 THEOEY OF WHIST. 
 
 the two partners, must not inflexibly be carried Jut 
 when one of their most fundamental conditions is 
 wanting; and that, consequently, what would be 
 very bqj play if you had a good partner, may be 
 perfectly good when you hanre a bad oae. 
 
CHAPTER V. 
 
 BULES iND DIRECTIONS FOB PLAT, 
 
 The foregoing remarks illustrate what we havt 
 called the Theory of the Scientific or Modern 
 Game. The way in which this theory is usually 
 brought into practical application is by means of 
 Rules or Directions for Play ; indeed, the ordinary 
 plan in teaching Whist, either personally or by 
 books, is to give these rules only, either ignoring 
 the theory altogether, or only allowing it to be 
 inferred by the student as well as he can. 
 
 Many collections of rules, carried out in con- 
 siderable detail, will be found in the best modern 
 works on Whist ; but it will be useful to give here 
 a short summary of the principal ones, arranged in 
 a convenient form for reference. 
 
 It must be explained that among such rules are 
 included many which have no direct reference to 
 the theory of the game, but are matters of detail, 
 providing for what we may call the accidents of play 
 
68 THEORY OF WHIST. 
 
 SUMMARY OP RULES AND DIRECTIONS FOR PLAY. 
 
 The principles on which most of these rules 
 m are based will be found in the foregoing theoret- 
 ical considerations. Some further explanations, 
 together with notes of exceptions and other 
 useful remarks, are appended in small type. 
 
 The Lead. 
 
 Let your first or principal lead be from your 
 best long suit. 
 
 If you have two suits, each of more than three 
 cards, you may prefer the one which is strongest 
 in high cards ; but always avoid, if possible, an 
 original lead from a suit of less than four. 
 
 Holding in this suit ace and king, lead king first, 
 
 then ace. 
 
 This is preferable to beginning with the ace, 
 as it may sometimes convey useful information. 
 No good partner would trump your king led. 
 
 If you hold ace, king, queen, lead king first, 
 then queen, for the same reason. 
 
 Holding king and queen, lead king. 
 
 And, if it wins, a small one, as the ace ought 
 to be with your partner. 
 
PRACTICAL RULES. 69 
 
 Holding king, queen, knave, ten, lead the low- 
 est of the sequence, to induce your partner tG 
 put on the ace, if he has it, and leave you with 
 the command. 
 
 Holding ace, queen, knave, lead ace, then queen. 
 
 So as to obtain the command with the knave. 
 If your partner holds the king, he ought to put 
 it on the queen (if he can trust your leading from 
 a long suit), so as not to obstruct your establish- 
 ment of the suit. 
 
 Holding ace and four others (not including king, 
 to queen with knave), lead ace, then a small one. 
 
 To prevent the chance of your ace being 
 trumped second round. 
 
 Holding queen, knave, ten, or knave, ten, nine, at 
 the head of your suit, lead the highest. 
 
 It is an old and well-known rule to c ' lead the 
 highest of a sequence." But like many other 
 rules, when the reason of it is not comprehended, 
 it is often totally misunderstood and misapplied. 
 The object of doing this is to prevent your part- 
 ner from putting on the next highest, if he has 
 it ; but there are many cases where you ought to 
 desire him to put it on, and where, consequently, 
 the lowest ought to be played — as, for example, 
 when you hold a quart to a king, as before direo 
 
70 THEORY OF WHIST. 
 
 ted. In a general way the rule shoud ajjplj 
 only to a Mgli sequence heading the suit in youi 
 own hand, and not to low or subordinate sequen- 
 ces, to lead the highest of which would only de- 
 ceive your partner without doing you any good 
 See an example in the note to the following rule, 
 and also remarks on the trump lead. 
 
 In other cases lead the lowest card of your suit, 
 
 If you hold king, knave, ten, nine, and a small 
 one, lead the nine ; if king, knave, ten, and oth- 
 ers, the ten. These are exceptional combinations. 
 
 If trumps are out before you open your suit, you 
 Bhould lead differently, keeping back your high 
 
 cards. 
 
 See the rules for trump leads, which apply in 
 a great measure to this case also. 
 
 Lead your own long suit, if you have one, before 
 you return your partner's. 
 
 Unless you happen to hold the master-card in 
 your partner's suit, which you should part with 
 as early as you can, to get it out of your partner's 
 way, and prevent his imagining it is against him. 
 
 In returning your partner's lead, if you held not 
 more than three cards of the suit originally , always 
 return the highest you have left. 
 
PRACTICAL RULES. 71 
 
 To strengthen his hand, and as a conventional 
 signal. If you originally held four, return tha 
 lowest, unless you have the master-card, which 
 play out at once, as before directed. Also, if 
 you happen to have discarded one of the four, 
 play as if you had held only three. 
 
 It is good to lead a suit in which your right-hand 
 adversary is weak, or your left-hand strong. 
 
 I.e., lead up to the weak suit, or tJirough the 
 strong one. On this principle avoid, if possible, 
 returning your partner's suit, if you have won 
 his lead cheaply. 
 
 (Indication of strength is given by the lead— 
 of weakness by the play of third and fourth hand, 
 and by the discard. ) 
 
 if obliged to lead from a suit of less than four 
 cards, the general rule is to lead the highest. 
 
 To inform your partner. If you have any rea- 
 son to know he is long in the suit, the rule ad- 
 mits of no exception ; but if you are doubtful on 
 this point, it may be taken with some reserve. 
 For example, if you hold an honor and two 
 small cards in a suit respecting which no indica- 
 tion has yet been given, to lead the honor might 
 not only throw away a chance of making it, but 
 strengthen one of your adversaries. 
 
72 THEOEY OF WHIST. 
 
 Avoid leading a suit which one adversary ruff^ 
 and the other discards to. 
 
 Unless you are sure of forcing the strong 
 trump hand. 
 
 Towards the end of the hand it may often win 
 you an extra trick to avoid leading from a tenace 
 or a " guarded second," and to try and induce your 
 left-hand adversary to lead that suit for you. 
 
 This is one of the points in which fine play ii 
 best shown. 
 
 Second Hand. 
 
 The general rule for the second hand is to play 
 you? lowest. 
 
 For your partner has a good chance of win- 
 ning the trick ; and the strength being on your 
 right, it is good to reserve your high cards (par- 
 ticularly tenaces, such as ace and queen) for the 
 return of the lead, when you will become fourth 
 player. 
 
 With one honor and one small card the best 
 flayers adhere to this rule. 
 
PBACTTCAL KtTLES. 73 
 
 The following are some of the most u^ual excep- 
 tions to this rule : 
 
 Holding Ace and King, put on King. 
 
 " King and Queen, " Queen. 
 
 11 Ace, Queen, Knave, " Knave. 
 44 Ace, Queen, Ten, " Queen. 
 
 Also, if you have two high cards in sequence (as 
 queen and knave, or knave and ten), with only 
 one other ; or if you have three high cards in 
 sequence with any number, it is generally consid- 
 ered right to play the lowest of .he sequence second 
 hand. 
 
 To help your partner in ease of the third hand 
 being weak. There is, however, some danger of 
 this being mistaken for the signal for trumps, 
 and your partner must be on his guard. 
 
 The second round of a suit, it is generally right 
 
 to win the trick, second hand, if you hold the best 
 
 Bard. 
 
 Great strength in trumps, however, which 
 always warrants a backward game, may some- 
 times justify you in leaving it to your partner, 
 particularly as you thereby keep the command 
 of the adversary's suit. 
 4 
 
74 THEORY OF WHIST. 
 
 If an honor is led, you should generally put a 
 higher honor upon it. 
 
 But if you are strong in the suit, you may hus* 
 band your strength and play a small one. 
 
 Do not trump a doubtful trick second hand if 
 strong in trumps : if weak, trump fearlessly. 
 
 Third Sand. 
 
 The general rule for the third hand is to play 
 the highest you have. 
 
 In order not only to do your best to win the 
 trick, but to strengthen your partner's long suit, 
 by getting the high cards out of his way. 
 
 If you have a head sequence, remember to play 
 the lowest of it. 
 
 This rule is subject, however, to the peculiar at- 
 tribute of the third hand as regards finessing. 
 
 To know how to finesse properly, requires great 
 judgment and experience, but there are a few 
 useful rules of general application : 
 
 a. The first-time round of a suit, if you hold 
 »ce and queen, you always play the queen. 
 
 b. With this exception, it is wrong in principle 
 
PRACTICAL EULE8. 75 
 
 to finesse in yonr partner's long suit, as he want! 
 the high cards out of his way. If yon see thai 
 he leads from weakness, or if he leads you 
 strengthening cards in your own long suit, you 
 may finesse more freely. 
 
 c. It is dangerous to finesse the second-time 
 round of a suit, as the chances are it will be 
 trumped the third time. 
 
 d. If, however, you are strong in trumps, you 
 may finesse much more freely, as your trumps 
 may enable you to bring your high cards in. 
 
 e. With minor tenace it is generally proper to 
 finesse the second round, as the best card must 
 probably be to your left ; and if the third best ia 
 there also, both your cards must be lost in any 
 
 /. It is of no use to finesse, if the previous play 
 has shown that the intermediate card, against 
 which you finesse, does not lie to your right; 
 for in that case it must be either with your part- 
 ner or your left-hand adversary, in either of 
 which cases finessing is obviously useless. 
 
 g. The advisableness or not of finessing in 
 certain cases late in the hand is often determined 
 by the fall of the cards or the state of the score ; 
 e.g. , when you particularly want one trick to win 
 or save the game, or if, from what you know of 
 your partner's or opponents' cards, you see you 
 can only get one, it would be wrong to finessi 
 for the chance of gaining two. 
 
76 THEORY OF WHIST. 
 
 Be careful to watch the fall of the cards from 
 your left-hand neighbor, in order that, if he proves 
 weak in a suit, you may avoid wasting high cards 
 when small ones would suffice to win the trick over 
 him. This is very necessary, as your partner is 
 often likely to lead up to the weak hand. 
 
 Fourth Hand. 
 
 In this you have in most cases little to do but 
 to win the trick as cheaply as you can. 
 
 And recollect if you do win it cheaply, it may 
 afford you a good hint for a good lead when you 
 are in want of one. 
 
 Cases sometimes arise, however, towards the 
 
 close of the hand, where it is advisable not to win 
 
 the trick. 
 
 As, for example, when by not doing so you can 
 force your left-hand adversary to lead up to your 
 tenace, or guarded second. 
 
 There are also cases in which it is advisable to 
 win a trick already your partner's. 
 
 As, for example, to get high obstructing cards 
 out of his way, or to enable you to lead up to a 
 
PRACTICAL RULES. 77 
 
 weak hand, or otherwise to alter the position ol 
 the lead. 
 
 Management of Trumps. 
 
 If you have five or more trumps always lead 
 them, or signal to your partner to do so.* 
 
 As explained in the foregoing theoretical re- 
 marks. 
 
 A trump lead from four may be warranted by 
 strength, either of your own hand or your partner a 
 in other suits, but always requires judgment and 
 
 care. 
 
 But if you have a long suit to bring in, it is 
 generally best, with four trumps, to lead the 
 plain suit first. 
 
 A trump lead from three or less is seldom wise, 
 being only justifiable by great strength in all other 
 suits, or by special necessity, such as stopping a 
 cross ruff, etc. 
 
 * Good players are sometimes more cautious in asking 
 for trumps than in leading them. The rule given by one 
 of the best modern authorities is, not to ask for trumpa 
 unless you hold four with two honors, or five with one 
 honor, tog-ether with good cards in one of the hands. It 
 is simpler, however, for learners to adhere to the rule, 
 always to lead or ask for trumps when they hold five. 
 
78 THEOBY OF WHIST. 
 
 Yon must not lead trumps simply because yom 
 long suit is trumped, for, if your adversaries ar« 
 strong in them, you will only be playing theii 
 game. 
 
 The proper card to lead from your own strong 
 
 suit of trumps varies a little from that of common 
 
 suits. 
 
 For the latter is influenced by the chance of 
 being ruffed, from which the trump suit is free. 
 
 For this reason, unless you have commanding 
 strength enough to disarm the adversaries at 
 once, you play a more backward game, generally 
 leading your lowest, to give the chance of the 
 first trick to your partner. 
 
 It is also often very advantageous to reserve a 
 high trump to give you the lead the third time 
 round, as in case of adverse strength of trumps 
 remaining against you, it may enable you to 
 force it with much advantage. 
 
 If you have ace, king, queen, or any other com- 
 manding sequence, lead the lowest of them first, 
 and then the next lowest, and so on to inform 
 your partner. 
 
 If you have ace, king, knave of trumps, it is 
 good to lead the king and then stop, waiting for 
 the return of the lead in order to finesse the 
 knave. 
 
 If your partner asks for trumps, you are bound 
 
PBACT1CAL BULES. 79 
 
 to lead them, and if he leads them you are bound 
 to return them, the first opportunity. 
 
 Remembering- in either case, if you had not 
 more than three, to play your 7iig7iest, in order to 
 strengthen his hand. 
 
 In inferring that your partner has asked for 
 trumps, recollect that there are cases in which 
 he may have necessa/rily played the higher card 
 first ; in the trump signal it must be played un* 
 
 Never lead through an honor turned up, unless 
 you otherwise want trumps led. On the other hand, 
 do not hesitate to lead up to an honor, if you are 
 strong in them. 
 
 As explained in Chap. IV. 
 
 You may finesse in trumps much more deeply 
 than in plain suits, 
 
 As master-cards must ultimately make. 
 
 Ruff freely when weak in trumps, but not when 
 
 Btrong. 
 
 See directions for the Second Hand. 
 
 It may often be advisable when strong in trumps 
 even to refuse to trump a trick which is certainly 
 against you, as your trumps will ultimately make 
 
80 THEORY OF WHIST. 
 
 and you may perhaps discard advantageously 
 If you see your partner do this, he will probably 
 want trumps led, and you must carefully avoid 
 forcing him. 
 
 Do not force your partner if weak in trumps 
 yourself.* 
 
 At least, not until you have ascertained it will 
 do him no injury ; for your weakness renders it 
 probable he may be strong, when forcing may be 
 the worst injury you could do. 
 
 On the other hand, force a strong trump hand of 
 the adversary whenever you can. 
 
 Whenever you are not strong enough to lead 
 trumps, you are weak enough to force your ad- 
 versary. 
 
 If, when you or your partner are leading trumps, 
 one adversary renounces, you should not generally 
 continue the suit. 
 
 As you would be expending two for one drawn, 
 Your proper game is then to try and make your 
 and your partner's trumps separately. 
 
 * One of the best modern play ers defines " fourtrumpa 
 with one honor" as sufficient strength to warrant your 
 forcing your partner. 
 
PRACTICAL RULES. 81 
 
 It may, however, often be advisable, even nn 
 der this disadvantage, totally to disarm the 
 adversary, if you or your partner have cards o* 
 suits to bring 1 in. In this case, the renouncing 
 hand should be led up to, rather than through. 
 
 Similarly, if your partner renounces trumps, it ia 
 generally advisable to go on. 
 
 As you draw two trumps by expending one. 
 
 If you are dealer, retain the turn-up card as long 
 as vou can. 
 
 To inform your partner ; if not, recollect it, 
 and notice when it falls. When, however, the 
 adversaries are drawing trumps, it may sometimes 
 be advisable to part with it unnecessarily, in 
 order to make them believe you have no more. 
 
 General Directions. 
 
 Sort your cards carefully, both according to suit 
 and rank, and count the number of each suit. 
 
 This will greatly assist the memory. 
 
 If not leading, always play the lowest of a se- 
 quence. 
 
 This is one of the modern conventional rules by 
 which information is conveyed to your partner as 
 to the contents of your hand, and ic you have an 
 4* 
 
82 THEORY OF WHIST 
 
 observant and educated partner it must be care- 
 fully adhered to. 
 
 Get rid of the commanding cards of your part- 
 ner's long suit as soon as possible. Retain those of 
 the adversaries' suits as long as you conveniently 
 
 can. 
 
 As explained in Chap. IV, 
 
 Discard generally from short or weak suits, not 
 from long or strong ones. 
 
 For the cards of the former are of very little 
 use, while those of the latter may be very valua- 
 ble. Besides, your first discard is generally a 
 very important source of information to youx 
 partner. 
 
 It is, however, sometimes worth while to break 
 the rule for the sake of retaining a guard to an 
 honor or second-best card, particularly in your 
 adversaries' suits. 
 
 When you have the entire command of any suit 
 it is a conventional signal for you to discard (when 
 the opportunity arises) the best card, in order to 
 inform your partner. 
 
 Thus, having ace, king, queen, and knave of a 
 suit not led, you would discard the ace ; for it 
 must be obvious that you would not do this un- 
 less you had others equally gocd behmd. 
 
PEACTTCAL BULES. 83 
 
 Discarding the second best generally intimates you 
 have no more of that suit. 
 
 You throw it away because it is not likely ta 
 make. 
 
 Be careful in the management of your small cards. 
 
 In order not to mislead your partner. Do not 
 throw away carelessly a three or four if you hold 
 a two. 
 
 When your partner first renounces a suit, call 
 his attention to the fact. 
 
 As it may save a revoke. 
 
 Keep constantly in mind the desirableness of 
 
 affording information to your partner,- of obtaining 
 
 information as to his hand, and of playing the hands 
 
 jointly. 
 
 This being the essence of the modern game. 
 
 Pay attention to the state of the score, which 
 ought often to influence your play. 
 
 Eemember that the third trick saves the game 
 when honors are equal ; that the fifth saves it 
 against two by honors, and the seventh against 
 four by honors. Note also that the odd trick is 
 twice as valuable as any other, as it makes a 
 difference of two to the score. Notice further, 
 when you are near winning the game, how manj 
 tricks are wanting for that purpose. 
 
64 THEORY OF WHIST. 
 
 in all these cases it may be expedient to mod 
 ify the usual play for the sake of getting the 
 tricks you want in preference to speculating for 
 more ; for when you particularly require one 
 trick, it would be folly to risk it (by finessing, 
 for example) in order to have the chance of gain- 
 ing two. 
 
 The state of the score may sometimes influence 
 your whole plan. For example, if the adversa- 
 ries are four, and you have a bad hand, you 
 should lead your best trump, as explained in 
 Chap. IV. 
 
 Consider also the effect of the lead. 
 
 It is often desirable to depart from the usual 
 modes of play for the sake of gaining the lead, 
 or of giving it to your partner. 
 
 And it is also sometimes worth while even to 
 throw away a trick in order to give the lead to 
 one of your adversaries; as, for example, to 
 make them lead up to a tenace or guarded 
 second. 
 
 These two latter rules afford the principal 
 opportunities fox fine play. 
 
 Do not be discouraged when sound play fails of 
 success, which must often occur. 
 
CHAPTER VL 
 
 CONCLUSION. 
 
 We have now expounded the theory of the 
 modern scientific game, and shown the mode of 
 carrying it out in practice. Any one who has 
 sufficiently mastered the principles here laid down 
 to apply them fluently in his play, may be called a 
 sound player, and will possess by far the most im- 
 portant qualification for proficiency in the game. 
 He will have immense advantages over those who 
 do not play on system : for he will know what he 
 is about, which they never do ; and his game will 
 be intelligible to a good partner, whom he will be 
 in no danger of thwarting, as is so often done by 
 untaught players. Every good player knows too 
 well the annoyance of having a partner who, 
 through want of appreciation of what a good game 
 means, will persist in obstructing and opposing his 
 play, often to their mutual discomfiture. 
 
 And, it is worthy of remark how much a system 
 
86 THEOEY OF WHIST. 
 
 atio commencement facilitates the study of the 
 game. Everybody knows how difficult it is to 
 learn Whist in the ordinary unsystematic way. 
 the pupil is led blindly through a course of hetero- 
 geneous rules, of the foundation of which he knows 
 nothing, and which, therefore, have no meaning to 
 him beyond mere empirical dicta. He must 
 grope about for a long time in the dark, and can 
 only enlighten himself by a gradual intuition of 
 what the rules mean. 
 
 But when the mode of play is shown to be a 
 system, easily explained and as easily compre- 
 hended, it is astonishing in how different a light 
 the game appears. Its acquisition, instead of being 
 laborious and repulsive, becomes easy and pleasant ; 
 the student, instead of being frightened at the diffi- 
 culties, finds them vanish before him; and even 
 those who, having formerly practised without 
 method, take the trouble of learning the system, 
 suddenly see the light break in upon them, and 
 soon find themselves repaid a hundred-fold in the 
 increased enjoyment and satisfaction the game will 
 afford them. 
 
 It is one of the groat advantages of the modern 
 scientific game, and of this systematic mode of 
 
CONCLUSION. 87 
 
 teaching it, that it renders Whist attractive to the 
 young. It was formerly almost exclusively prac- 
 tised by those somewhat advanced in life, whc 
 alone were supposed to have acquired sufficient 
 experience and judgment to play it well. But now 
 that the results of experience have been reduced to 
 a systematic form, capable of being presented at 
 once to the mind, and sparing the years of practice 
 formerly necessary for their induction, we find the 
 game taken up as an attractive occupation by young 
 men of high intellectual character, some of whom 
 rank as the finest players. And it is also duo to the 
 other sex to say, that the introduction of the sys- 
 tematic form has been found to take from the game 
 the stigma of being a only fit for old maids," and to 
 render it now as attractive to our daughters and 
 sisters as it used to be to our aunts and grand- 
 mothers. 
 
 But, great as is the step gained by systematic or 
 sound play, something more is necessary to make 
 a good player ; for here other qualifications enter 
 into requisition, such as observation, memory, infer 
 ence, and judgment. We must devote a few worda 
 ' v these. 
 
88 THEORY OF WHIST. 
 
 If you aspire to become a good player, you must 
 observe carefully. Look constantly at the board, 
 watch every card as it falls, and notice particularly 
 every honor. When you are practised in this, 
 extend your special notice to the tens and nines, 
 which, from their importance and the different ap- 
 pearance they have from the lower cards, it has 
 been found convenient to call semi-honors. Also 
 let every original lead and renounce, or other sign 
 of strength or weakness shown by each hand, im- 
 press itself upon your mind as it occurs. 
 
 A good player must also exercise some effort of 
 memory to recollect the fall of the cards, and the 
 indications given of the state of the hands. But 
 the importance of this is vastly overrated by un- 
 taught players. We often hear such expressions 
 as — "Mr. So-and-so is a first-rate player, for he 
 can recollect every card out ; " or, " I shall never 
 play well — I have no memory." These are entirely 
 delusions. Memory is of infinitely less importance 
 than correct play. The best memory in the world 
 will help a player very little if he does not under- 
 stand and practise the principles of the game ; if 
 he does, a very moderate mnemonical power will 
 
CONCLUSION. 89 
 
 suffice for every practical purpose. Let no one 
 therefore despair on this ground. We will give a 
 few hints, by following which the necessary power 
 may soon be acquired. 
 
 In the first place avoid all artificial systems, 
 such as placing the trumps in a particular place 
 (which is perfectly childish), or any other contri- 
 vance of the kind, further than by carefully arrang- 
 ing and counting your cards at the beginning of 
 the hand. Trust to the natural memory only, 
 which will soon answer your demands upon it. 
 
 Then, do not attempt to recollect too much at 
 once — go by degrees. It is totally unnecessary to 
 recollect every card ; not one player in a hundred 
 thousand could do that, or would desire to do it. 
 The theory of the game shows us that there are 
 some things much more important to attend to 
 than others, and we should commence by directing 
 the memory to these. For example : 
 
 First. Always count the trumps; notice the 
 honors as they fall ; and remember the trump card. 
 
 Secondly. Direct your attention to your own 
 most important suit, and try to recollect the fall of 
 the honors in it. As soon as you can do this well, 
 trv also to remember the semi-honors. 
 
90 THEORY OF WHIST. 
 
 Thirdly. Extend this to your partner's suit alscx 
 
 Go as much further as you like ; but if you 
 
 can do these, you will have done much to qualify 
 
 yourself, as far as memory goes, for being a good 
 
 player. 
 
 Then a good player will draw inferences, from 
 what he sees, as to where certain cards do or do 
 uot lie, and generally as to the state of the various 
 hands. Few players have any idea to what an 
 extent this may be carried by attentive and 
 thoughtful observation. There is not a single card 
 played from which information of some kind may 
 not be inferred : in fact, as a great player expresses 
 it, "Whist is a language, and every card played is 
 an intelligible sentence." The insight good players 
 get into their fellow-players' hands appears to the 
 unpractised almost like second-sight. Great skill 
 in this can of course only be attained by great prac- 
 tice and great attention, combined with some special 
 talent; but every industrious and careful player 
 may do much in the way of inference, and when he 
 has mastered the principles of the game, he ought 
 to give the subject his best study. 
 
 The following are some examples of the way 
 
CONCLUSION. 
 
 91 
 
 in which inferences may be drawn from carda 
 played : 
 
 Lead. 
 
 (In the 
 lead.) 
 
 Plat. 
 flayer's own first 
 
 Any plain suit. 
 
 Ring, 
 
 Ace followed by queen. 
 Ace, followed by a small one. 
 Queen (plain suits). 
 
 (In returning his Partner's 
 lead.) 
 
 Does not lead out the mas- 
 ter-card- 
 
 Any card, afterwards drop- 
 ping a lower one. 
 
 Any card, afterwards drop- 
 ping a higher one. 
 
 (Generally ) 
 
 Forces his partner. 
 
 Refrains from doing so. 
 
 Inference. 
 
 N.B. When there is an al- 
 ternative, your own hand^ 
 or the fall of the other 
 cards, will often determine 
 it. No account is here 
 taken of the signal for 
 trumps, which will some- 
 times modify the inference 
 to be drawn. 
 
 Is the best in his hand ; he 
 holds four or more of it ; 
 and has not five trumps. 
 
 Holds also either queen 01 
 ace. 
 
 Holds knave also. 
 
 Had originally five or more. 
 
 Holds also knave and 10 « 
 but not ace or king. 
 
 Does not hold it. 
 Has no more. 
 Has more. 
 
 Is strong in trumps. 
 Is weak in them. 
 
92 
 
 THEORY OF WHIST. 
 
 Second Player. 
 
 Play. 
 King (to small one led). 
 Queen (ditto). 
 
 Knave (dittoj. 
 
 Any smaller card. 
 Trumps a doubtful trick. 
 
 Does not trump it. 
 
 Infer encf- 
 Holds ace also, or no more. 
 Holds king also, or ace and 
 
 ten, or no more. 
 Holds also queen and king, 
 
 or queen and ace, or 
 
 queen and one other only, 
 
 or no more. 
 Has none lower. 
 Has not more than three 
 
 trumps. 
 Has more than three. 
 
 Third Player. 
 
 Aoe. 
 
 Holds neither king noi 
 queen. 
 
 Fourtli Player. 
 
 Cannot win the trick. 
 
 Wins it with any card. 
 
 Has no card higher than 
 the one against him. 
 
 Has no card between this 
 and the one against him. 
 
 Second, Third, or Fourth Player. 
 
 Any card. 
 
 Refuses to trump a trick 
 ' certainly against him. 
 4ny discard, generally. 
 
 Has not the one next below 
 
 it. 
 Probably is strong in trumps 
 
 and wants them led. 
 Is weak in that suit. 
 
CONCLUSION. 93 
 
 Play. Inference. 
 
 Discards the best of any Has the next best and the 
 
 suit. full command. 
 
 Discards the second best. Has no more. 
 
 Plays unnecessarily a Signal for trumps. 
 
 higher card before a 
 
 lower. 
 
 When it is considered that several of these op- 
 portunities for inference will occur in every trick, 
 it will cease to be a matter of wonder what a clear 
 insight skilled and observant players will, after a 
 few tricks, obtain into each other's hands. 
 
 And, lastly, a good player must apply the resulta 
 of his observation, memory, and inference with 
 judgment in his play. This cannot be taught : it 
 must depend entirely on the individual talent or 
 good sense of the player, and the use he makes of 
 his experience in the game. This will vary im- 
 mensely in different individuals, and the scope for 
 individual judgment in play is one of the finest 
 features of the game. 
 
 It sometimes happens that a person who has qual- 
 ified himself to be called a good player is further 
 specially gifted by nature with the power to make 
 master-strokes of genius and skill, which will then 
 
94 THEORY OF WHIST. 
 
 constitute him &fine player, the highest grade tc 
 which it is possible to attain. 
 
 The student must, however, be careful not to 
 aim at this too early ; remembering always that be> 
 fore becoming a fine player he must learn to be a 
 sound one, and that the only way to do this is to 
 be sought in a perfect systematic knowledge of the 
 principles of the game. 
 
APPENDIX A. 
 
 EXAMPLES OF HANDS. 
 
 The following are a few simple hands played 
 through. They are not intended to exemplify skill, 
 for, as in almost all hands, the play might admit 
 of modification according to the capabilities of the 
 several players; — they have merely the object of 
 illustrating the routine practice of some of the more 
 common and important points in the modern game ; 
 — such as the signal for trumps, forcing, the return 
 of a suit, discarding, and so on. 
 
 A and O are partners against B and D ; the at- 
 tention being chiefly directed to the play of the two 
 former. The reader is supposed to play the elder 
 hand A. The winner of each trick is marked with 
 an asterisk. 
 
96 
 
 THEORY OF WHIST. 
 
 EXAMPLE I. 
 
 The object }f this example is to illustrate the 
 making of a long plain suit, by the aid of your 
 partner's long suit of trumps ; the trump lead being 
 called for by signal. 
 
 Hearts. Kg. 8, 6, 4, 2. 
 Spades. 6, 2. 
 Diamonds. 9, 6, 3, 2. 
 Clubs. A. 7. 
 
 Hearts. A. Q. Kn. 
 
 Spades. 8, 7, 5. 
 
 Diamonds. A. 10. 
 
 Clubs. Q. Kn. 10, 
 5,3. 
 
 Hearts Trumps. 
 B D 
 
 (Dealer) 
 9 turned up. 
 
 A 
 
 Hearts. 9, 5, 3. 
 
 Spades. Q. Kn. 
 
 Diamonds. Kg 
 Q. Kn. 8, 7. 
 
 Clubs. 9, 4, 2. 
 
 Hearts. 10, 7. 
 
 Spades. A. Kg. 10, 9, 4, 3. 
 
 Diamonds. 5, 4. 
 
 Clubs. Kg. 8, 6. 
 
EXAMPLES. 
 
 97 
 
 Trick. Play. 
 I. *A King of Sp. 
 Bo 
 O 6 
 
 Remark. — Having five trumps, 
 O signals to have them led. A not 
 Reemg the 2 fall, will know that 
 some one is asking for trumps, and 
 will therefore carefully watch the 
 next round. 
 
 D Knave ,, 
 
 Trick. Plav. 
 
 V. B Q. of CL 
 
 *C A. „ 
 
 D2 „ 
 
 A 6 „ 
 
 VI. C 4 of H. 
 
 A 4 of Di. 
 
 H. *A Ace of Sp. 
 B 7 
 
 *B A. of H. 
 
 C2 
 
 Remark. — Trump signal com- 
 pleted. 
 
 D Q „ 
 
 VII B Kn. of CI. 
 7 „ 
 D4 „ 
 *A Kg. „ 
 
 III. A 10 of H. 
 
 
 Remark. — In obedience to trump 
 ff'gnal. 
 
 B Kn. „ 
 
 *C Kg. „ 
 
 D3 „ 
 
 VIII. *A 10 of Sp. 
 
 Remark. — A has now brouglit in 
 his long suit, and pursues it to the 
 end. C discards his diamonds. It 
 is immaterial what the adversaries 
 play. 
 
 IV. O 2 of H. 
 D5 „ 
 
 A 7 „ 
 *B Q. „ 
 
 IX. *A 9 „ 
 
 X. *A 4 „ 
 
 XI. *A 3 „ 
 
 XII. *C 6 of H. 
 
 XIII. *C 8 ,, 
 
 The result is that A and O win a treble b\ eards 
 against two by honors, and other considerable ad- 
 verse strength. 
 
98 
 
 THEORY OF WHIST. 
 
 EXAMPLE II. 
 
 In t_iis the elder hand (A) has the same long suit 
 as before, but the strength in trumps is now given 
 to the adversaries. The example .is intended to il- 
 lustrate how a long suit, though it may not be 
 brought in, may be made useful in forcing the 
 strong adverse trump hand. 
 
 Hearts. Q. Kn. 5. 
 Spades. 6. 
 
 Diamonds. A. 8, 7, 3. 
 Clubs. A. Q. Kn. 7, 2. 
 
 Hearts. A. 9, 8. 
 Spades. 8,7,5,2. 
 Diamonds. 9, 6, 2. 
 Clubs. 10, 4, 3. 
 
 C 
 
 Hearts Trumps. 
 B D 
 
 (Dealer) 
 King turned up. 
 
 A 
 
 Hearts. Kg. 10, 6, 
 4,2. 
 
 Spades. Q. Kn. 
 
 Diamonds. Kg. Q 
 Kn. 10. 
 
 Clubs. 9, 5. 
 
 Hearts. 7, 3. 
 
 Spades. A. Kg. 10, 9, 4, 3. 
 
 Diamonds. 5, 4. 
 
 Slubs. Kg. 8, 6. 
 
EXAMPLES. 
 
 99 
 
 Trick. Play. 
 
 1. *A King of Sp. 
 B2 
 C 6 
 
 D Q. 
 
 Remark. — Commencement of sig- 
 nal for trumps. 
 
 II *A A. of Sp. 
 
 Remark. — Better to go on with, 
 spades at the risk of being trumped 
 than to open a new weak suit. 
 B5 „ 
 C 3 of Di. 
 D Kn. of Sp. 
 Remark. — Signal completed. 
 
 III. A 10 of Sp. 
 
 Remark. — To force the adverse 
 hand which has, by asking for 
 trumps, declared itself strong in 
 them. 
 
 B7 „ 
 
 C 7 of Di, 
 
 *D 2 of H. 
 
 IV. 
 
 D 4 of H. 
 A3,, 
 'B A. „ 
 C5 ,. 
 
 V. 
 
 B 9 of H. 
 C Kn.,, 
 *» Kg.,, 
 A 7 „ 
 
 VI. 
 
 D 6 of H. 
 A 4 of Di 
 B 8 of H. 
 *C Q. „ 
 
 Trick. Play. 
 
 VIL *0 A. of CL 
 
 ?2 » 
 
 A 6 „ 
 
 B3 „ 
 
 viii. o q. of a 
 
 *A Kg. „ 
 
 Remark.— To get rid of the com- 
 mand. 
 
 B4 „ 
 
 IX. A 9 of Sp. 
 
 Remark. — Repeating the form 
 to extract the last trump. 
 B 8 " 
 C 8 of Di. 
 *D 10 of H. 
 
 X. 
 
 D 10 of Di. 
 A 5 „ 
 
 * 3 „ 
 *C A „ 
 
 XI. *C Kn. of CI. 
 
 Remark. — The adverse trumps 
 being now all forced out, O, having 
 gained the lead by a card of re- 
 entry, brings in his cluba, antf 
 makes them all. 
 
 XII. *C 7 „ 
 XIII. *C 2 „ 
 
 A and O gain 3 by cards. 
 
IOC 
 
 THEORY OF WHIST. 
 
 EXAMPLE III. 
 
 The object of this is to illustrate the value of the 
 discard, as a means of communicating information. 
 
 Hearts. A. 9, 7, 6. 
 Spades. 6, 2. 
 
 Diamonds. Q. Kn. 10, 9, 4. 
 Clubs. 8, 3. 
 
 Hearts. Q. 8, 5. 
 Spades. Kn. 10, 4. 
 Diamonds. A. 3. 
 Clubs. A. Q. 9, 7, 
 
 C 
 
 Hearts Trumps. 
 B D 
 
 (Dealer) 
 
 10 turned up. 
 A 
 
 Hearts. Kn. 10, 3. 
 
 Spades. 9, 8, 7. 
 
 Diamonds. 8, 7 
 6, 2. 
 
 Clubs. Kn. 10, 4 
 
 Hearts. Kg. 4, 2. 
 Spades. A. Kg. Q. 5, 3. 
 Diamonds. Kg. 5. 
 Clubs. Kg. 6, 5. 
 
EXAMPLES. 
 
 101 
 
 Trick. Play. 
 
 I. *A Kg. of Sp. 
 B4 „ 
 
 D7 
 
 II. 
 
 *A Q. 
 
 of Sp. 
 
 
 B 10 
 
 
 C 6 
 
 > • 
 
 
 D 8 
 
 j» 
 
 Trick. Play. 
 
 VI. B 2 of CI. 
 C Q. of Di. 
 
 Remark. — This second discard 
 completes the full information as to 
 B's hand. In the first place, having 
 passed a doubtful trick, he has more 
 than three trumps, and, as we navo 
 seen, he has not five, he must hava 
 four with three diamonds. Second- 
 ly, his discarding the best diamond 
 shows he has perfect command of 
 the suit remaining behind. 
 
 D 10 of CI. 
 *A Kg. „ 
 
 III. *A A. of Sp. 
 B Kn. „ 
 C 3 of CI. 
 
 Remark. — This discard at once 
 gives great insight into C's hand. 
 He discards from hisweak suit, and 
 therefore he ought to be strong in 
 trumps and diamonds. But he has 
 not 5 trumps or he would have sig- 
 nalled for them, and hence, in all 
 probability, he has at least 4 or 5 
 diamonds. 
 
 D 9 of Sp. 
 
 VII. *A Kg. of H. 
 
 Remark. — Strengthening trump 
 lead, justified by the knowledge 
 gained in the last trick. 
 
 B5 „ 
 6 „ 
 
 r>3 „ 
 
 IV. A Kg 
 
 of Di. 
 
 Remark. — The 
 
 spade lead being 
 
 now unadvisable, 
 
 A is justified in 
 
 acting on the information gained by 
 
 his partner's discard, and leads a 
 
 strengthening diamond. 
 
 *B A. 
 
 
 C 4 
 
 
 D 2 
 
 >> 
 
 V. *B A. 
 
 of CL 
 
 C 8 
 
 9) 
 
 D 4 
 
 
 A5 
 
 J» 
 
 VIII. 
 
 A 4 of H. 
 
 
 B 8 „ 
 
 
 *c 
 
 A. „ 
 
 
 D 
 
 10 „ 
 
 IX. 
 
 C 7 of H. 
 
 
 D 
 
 Kn. „ 
 
 
 A 
 
 2 „ 
 
 
 *B 
 
 Q. ,, 
 
 X. 
 
 B 
 
 Q. of CI. 
 
 
 *C 
 
 9 of H. 
 
 Remark. — 
 
 Uses the last tru&ip to 
 
 bring in 
 
 his diamonds. 
 
 
 D 
 
 Kn. of CI 
 
 
 A 6 
 
 XI. *C 9 of Di 
 XII. *C 10 „ 
 XIII. *C Kn. „ 
 
 A and C win 4 by cards. 
 
102 
 
 THEORY OF WHIST. 
 
 EXAMPLE IV, 
 
 The object of this is to illustrate the advantage 
 of returning the proper card of your partner's lead, 
 us a means of conveying information. 
 
 
 Hearts. A. 9, 3, 2. 
 
 
 Spades. A. Q. 6, 2. 
 
 
 Diamonds. Kg. 5, 4 
 
 
 Clubs. 6, 3. 
 
 
 C 
 
 Hearts. 8, 5, 4. 
 
 Hearts Trumps. 
 
 Spades. Kn. 5. 
 
 B D 
 
 Diamonds A. Q. 
 Kn. 8, 3. 
 
 (Dealer) 
 
 Clubs. A. Kg. 4, 
 
 6 turned up. 
 
 
 A 
 
 Hearts. Kn. 6. 
 
 Spades. 10, 9, 8, 7 
 
 Diamonds. 9, 6. 
 
 Clubs. Q. 10, 9 
 5,2. 
 
 Hearts. Kg. Q. 10, 7 
 Spades. Kg. 4, 3. 
 Diamonds. 10, 7, 2. 
 Clubs. Kn. 8, 7. 
 
EXAMPLES. 
 
 103 
 
 Trick. Play. 
 
 I. A 7 of H. 
 
 Remark. — In this hand every 
 plain suit is so bad to lead that the 
 trump lead with such strength is 
 quite justifiable. 
 
 B4 „ 
 *C A. „ 
 
 D6 „ 
 
 II C 2 of H. 
 
 Remark. — From this card return- 
 ed, O must either have four or no 
 more. 
 
 DKn„ 
 
 *A Q. „ 
 
 B 5 „ 
 
 III. *A 10 of H. 
 
 Remark. — It is justifiable to take 
 out another round of trumps, though 
 two may fall for one : partly to see 
 how they lie, and partly to get a 
 discard from some one as a guide 
 for the next lead. Leading the 10 
 instead of the King is an additional 
 assurance to your partner that you 
 have still one left. 
 
 B8 „ 
 C3 „ 
 
 Remark. — This card shows that 
 O, having returned his lowest in 
 the last trick, had four at first, and 
 has consequently now one remain- 
 ing, which therefore you are care- 
 ful not to draw, as the game will 
 depend on the two being made 
 separately. 
 
 D 6 of Di. 
 
 Trick, Play. 
 
 IV. A 10 of Di. 
 
 Remark. — For want of a better 
 lead, you lead up to the suit thai 
 has been declared weak. 
 
 BKn. „ 
 *C Kg. „ 
 
 r> 9 „ 
 
 O 2 of Sp. 
 D7 „ 
 *A Kg. „ 
 B5 „ 
 
 VI. A 4 of Sp. 
 Remark. — See remark, next trick. 
 BKn.,, 
 *C Q. „ 
 
 D8 „ 
 
 vn. *c a. of sp. 
 
 D9 „ 
 A3 „ 
 
 Remark.— This shows that you 
 (A) having returned your highest, 
 had not more than three spades 
 originally, and consequently have 
 no more left. Your partner (O) 
 therefore, observing this, sees that 
 by leading the losing spade, he will 
 enable you to make your trump 
 separately from his, which will win 
 the game. 
 
 B 4 of CI. 
 
 VIII. C 6 of Sp. 
 D 10 „ 
 
 *A Kg. of H. 
 Remark. — You trump without 
 hesitation, knowing your partner to 
 hold the other trump. 
 B 3 of Di. 
 
 C makes the last trump, and A and C make 3 bj 
 cards and 2 by honors, winning a treble. 
 
104 
 
 THEORY OF WHIST. 
 
 EXAMPLE V. 
 
 This example is given to show how singularly, 
 under extreme circumstances, the bringing in of a 
 long suit may annihilate the most magnificent cards. 
 The hand is a very remarkable Whist curiosity : A 
 and C hold all the honors in every plain suit, and 
 two honors in trumps, and yet do not make a single 
 trick ! 
 
 Spades. Q. Kn. 
 
 Diamonds. Kn. 10, 9, 8, 7, 6. 
 
 Clubs. 10, 9, 8, 7, 6. 
 
 Hearts. A. Q. 10, 
 8. 
 
 Bpades. 10, 9, 8, 
 7, 6, 5, 4, 5, 2. 
 
 Hearts trumps. 
 B D 
 
 (Dealer) 
 
 2 turned up. 
 A 
 
 Hearts. 6, 5, 4, 
 3, 2. 
 
 Diamonds. 5 ; 4, 
 3,2. 
 
 Clubs. 5, 4, i 2. 
 
 Hearts. Kg. Kn. 9, 7. 
 Spades. A. Kg. 
 Diamonds. A. Kg. Q. 
 Clubs. A. Kg. Q. Kn. 
 
EXAMPLE. 
 
 105 
 
 Trick. Play. 
 
 Trick. 
 
 Play. 
 
 
 I A 7 of H. 
 
 IV. 
 
 B 3 of Sp. 
 
 
 Kemarks. — There can be no 
 
 
 *D 5 of H. 
 
 
 doubt about this being the proper 
 lead. 
 
 
 *B 8 „ 
 
 
 A A. of Sp. 
 
 
 C 6 of CI. 
 
 
 D 2 of H. 
 
 
 v. 
 
 D 6 of H. 
 
 
 II B 2 of Sp. 
 
 
 A Kn „ 
 
 
 C Kn. „ 
 
 
 *B Q. „ 
 
 
 *D 3 of H. 
 
 
 C 8 of CI. 
 
 
 A Kg. of Sp. 
 
 
 YI. 
 
 *B A. of H. 
 
 
 III. D 4 of H. 
 
 
 Remarks. — The propriety of this 
 
 
 A Kg. „ 
 
 
 lead is often questioned ; but it is de- 
 
 
 fended by the impolicy of leading 
 either of the extremely weak plain 
 suits, and by the lead of trumps be- 
 
 
 ing up to a renouncing hand, and 
 
 
 therefore the most favorable pos- 
 
 VII. 
 
 *B 10 of Sp 
 
 
 sible. Also, by giving B the lead • 
 
 VIII. 
 
 *B 9 „ 
 
 
 again, it enables him to continue 
 
 IX 
 
 *B 8 „ 
 
 
 the spade, for D to make his small 
 
 
 trumps upon. 
 
 X. 
 
 *B 7 „ 
 
 
 A 9 „ 
 
 XI. 
 
 *B G „ 
 
 
 *B 10 „ 
 
 XII. 
 
 *B 5 „ 
 
 
 C 7 of CL 
 
 XIII. 
 
 *B 4 „ 
 
 
 B and D win every trick, 
 5* 
 
APPENDIX B. 
 
 ON MODIFICATIONS OF THE RULES, DEPENDING 
 ON THE STYLE OF PLAY OF YOUR PARTNER. 
 
 It has been the principal object of this work to 
 show that the modern scientific game of Whist im 
 plies a combination of the hands of the two part- 
 ners ; and it is of course essential to this combina- 
 tion, that each of the two partners must concur in 
 adopting such a mode of play as will efficiently 
 carry it out. Is is not necessary that each should 
 be equally skilful, or should bring an equal amount 
 of judgment to bear, but it is essential that each 
 should understand the game in the same way; 
 should be guided by the same main principles, and 
 should adopt the same system in the general treat- 
 ment of his hand. 
 
 Now, unfortunately, it happens that among the im- 
 mense numbers of persons who play Whist, or who 
 pretend to play it, only a small minority at present 
 
— - ON MODIFICATIONS OF THE RULES. 107 
 
 do understand or follow the system of the combined 
 game. Hence it continually happens, as every ex- 
 perienced Whist-players knows, that you may sit 
 down opposite a partner whose ideas of the game 
 so little agree with your own, that any attempts 
 you may make to bring about a combination of the 
 hands are abortive. 
 
 It becomes an interesting question, therefore, what 
 is the best course for you to follow under such cir- 
 cumstances ? How far will it be prudent to adhere 
 to the usual system ? and in what particulars should 
 it be departed from ? It is impossible to give any 
 complete answer to these questions ; there may be 
 such infinite variety in your partner's style of play, 
 that no prescribed plan would meet all cases. You 
 may find almost infinite gradations — from the mere 
 blunderer, ignorant of any kind of principle or rule, 
 to the clever, shrewd, observant player of the old 
 school, who will make the most skilful efforts to 
 win the game, but will still refuse to adopt the 
 proper means to show you his hand, or to under- 
 stand and act on the indications you may give him 
 of yours. 
 
 The following extract from an article on c Modern 
 Whist,' in the c Quarterly Review' for January 1871, 
 contains the only attempt we know of to classify 
 Whist-placers according to their mode of play : — 
 
108 THEORY OF WHIST. 
 
 EXTRACT. 
 
 " It would be vain to attempt to descrit e all the 
 infinite varieties of bad play ; but it may be useful 
 to give a few of its most salient characteristics, and 
 this we may do by dividing whist-players into four 
 classes, with, however, the proviso that such a clas- 
 sification must be only approximate, and far from 
 exhaustive in the lower grades. 
 
 Beginning with the worst, the fourth class appear to 
 have derived their ideas of playing from certain ora, 
 traditions, which, though widely spread, and doubt- 
 less of great antiquity, it is difficult to trace to any 
 definite origin. Probably they may be the handing- 
 down of the rudest practice in the infancy of the 
 game. "We have, as a matter of curiosity, paid 
 some attention to the habits of this class, and the 
 following may be taken as a summary of their chief 
 rules, which, we believe, now appear in print for the 
 first time : — 
 
 ' If you have an ace and king of any plain suit, 
 lead them out at once. If not, lead from the best 
 card you hold, in the hope of making it some time • 
 or lead a single card for ruffing. 
 
 6 But if fortunately your partner has led before 
 you, you have only to return his lead, and need not 
 take the trouble of scheming a lead of your own* 
 
ON MODIFICATIONS OF THE RULES. 109 
 
 ' Never lead trumps, even if led first by your part- 
 ner ; It is wasting them, as they might make tricks 
 by trumping. 
 
 c In all other cases do the best you can.' 
 
 The only idea of skill possessed by these players, 
 is in recollecting the high cards that are out, and in 
 discovering when the partner is likely to be short 
 of a suit, that they may force him to trump ; they 
 are quite indifferent as to the play of sequences and 
 small cards, and w r onder at anybody attaching im- 
 portance to such trifles. This class forms the great 
 mass of domestic players ; they are generally very 
 fond of the game, and practise it a great deal ; but 
 their improvement is almost hopeless, as it is so hard 
 to get them to take the first step, i.e. to unlearn 
 everything they already know. 
 
 The third class are more deserving of respect. 
 They have probably belonged originally to the fourth 
 class, but by reading Hoyle or Matthews, or some 
 of the old books, aided by careful attention, practice, 
 and natural ability, they have risen much above it, 
 and have acquired, in domestic circles, the reputa- 
 tion of being superior players They are very ob- 
 servant, recollect and calculate well, draw shrewd 
 inferences as to how the cards lie, and generally are 
 adepts in all the accidental features of good play. 
 Their management of trumps is diametrically op 
 
110 THEOEY OF WHIST. 
 
 posed to that of the fourth class, as they have a great 
 penchant for leading them, a course almost always 
 advantageous for them with inferior adversaries. 
 
 But skilful as these players are, they commit, as 
 Deschapelles says, * one long and continual fault 
 which they do not see ;' they are i forts joueurs qui 
 sont de detestables partenaires.' They do not play 
 upon system; they will not conform to the conven- 
 tional language of the game ; and hence they lose 
 the great advantage of the combination of their own 
 with their partner's hands. They, indeed, usually 
 object to system altogether, arguing that the play 
 should be dictated by their own judgment. A play- 
 er of this class wdll often lead from short suits, or 
 will lead trumps when weak, or abstain from lead- 
 ing them when strong, or will even refuse to return 
 his partner's lead in them ; or, in fact, will adopt 
 any other mode of playing for his own hand alone : 
 1 the worst fault,' says Mr. Clay, c which I know in 
 a whist player.' 
 
 If players of this class knew how easily they might 
 step into the rank of first-class adepts, by simply 
 adopting the orthodox system, they might be induced 
 to devote a few hours to its acquisition ; but the 
 great obstacle to their improvement is the pride they 
 take in their own skill, which they object to make 
 subservient to a set of rules, and, perhaps, in some 
 
<M MODIFICATIONS OF THE RULES. Ill 
 
 instances, to the will of a partner inferior to them- 
 selves. 
 
 The second class are those who play according tc 
 correct system, but who, from want either of prac- 
 tice or of talent, do not shine in individual skill. 
 This is generally the case with the young who are 
 properly taught, and their number is happily increas- 
 ing every day. Two such players would unques- 
 tionably win over two much superior adversaries of 
 the third class ; and they make such admirable part- 
 ners, that a fine player, working with one of them, 
 would, of himself, realize almost the full advantage 
 of the combination of the hands. This class aro 
 eminently hopeful ; they are already entitled to the 
 name of good, sound players, and if they have only 
 moderate abilities, they must continually improve. 
 
 The first, or highest class, are those who, to the 
 soundness and system of the second class, add the 
 personal skill of the third. They then become fine 
 players, and, although there may be among them 
 many grades of excellence, they may, as a class, be 
 said to have arrived at the summit of the scale." 
 
 In the face of the immense variety of the style of 
 play one may meet with, the only general advice 
 that can be given is, as soon as it becomes apparent 
 
112 THEORY OF WHIST. 
 
 tliat your partner does not understand your owe 
 system, observe his play carefully, and endeavor 
 to discover what his peculiarities are ; and if you 
 find he has any fixed habits at all, you may in most 
 cases adapt your own play to them, and so turn 
 them to your joint advantage. If he cannot, or 
 will not, fall in with your system, you must adopt 
 his, and so endeavor still, in defiance of him, to 
 make some sort of a combination, and avoid the 
 cross purposes which are so beneficial to the adver 
 sary. 
 
 Although, however, the varieties of play which 
 you may meet with from ill-educated, obstinate, or 
 impracticable partners are so wide, and require, to 
 make the best of them, such a special study of their 
 individual characteristics, yet it is possible to adopt 
 certain precautionary measures in your own Jjlay, 
 which will be of pretty general applicability. These 
 deserve some careful investigation, and to enable us 
 to study them conveniently, it is sufficient to assume 
 the sole condition, in regard to your partner's play, 
 that in playing his hand he does not adopt the reo 
 ognized modern combined system, which it has been 
 the object of this work to explain. 
 
 If we examine carefully the various principles 
 and rules which have been based on this system, 
 we shall find in how many cases the rules them 
 
ON MODIFICATIONS OF THE RULES. 113 
 
 fail, when the mutuality ', on which they rest, 
 ceases to exist. The fundamental theoretical prin- 
 ciple of the modern game, explained in Chap. III., 
 is, That the hands of the two partners shall not be 
 played singly and independently ', but shall be com- 
 bined and treated as me. 
 
 Now, by the assumed condition of your partner's 
 play, the two hands cannot be combined and treated 
 as one, for he does not enter into the required com- 
 bination. And as, therefore, the fundamental ele- 
 ment of the combination fails, the rules must be re- 
 examined under another aspect, namely, that of their 
 bearing on your own hand. If the use of a particu- 
 lar rule of play is either to give information to your 
 partner, on which he is to act, or to support him in 
 some scheme of combination originated by him, 
 then such a rule must be abandoned or modified, as 
 useless to your side, and only giving the opponents 
 arms against you. But if, on the other hand, we 
 find a certain rule beneficial per se, without refer- 
 ence to the combination, it may be retained. 
 
 And in this case, another element may be admitted 
 into consideration which has been carefully excluded 
 under the combined system, namely, that of playing 
 so as to deceive the adversaries. In the combined 
 game, any unnecessary departures from recognized 
 play, or any ' false cards,' are imperatively forbidden 
 
114 THEORY OF WHIST. 
 
 on the ground that deceiving your partner does more 
 evil than deceiving your adversaries does good. But, 
 manifestly, if your partner fails to draw the proper 
 inferences, false play will not deceive him, and there- 
 fore, so far from being forbidden, it is to be re- 
 commended for its misleading effect on observant 
 opponents. 
 
 We may now go somewhat in detail through the 
 various rules for play, keeping these conditions in 
 mind. And the first thing to consider is how they 
 affect the general system of treating the hand. 
 
 General System of Treating the Sand. 
 
 In Chapter III. it is stated that, in order that 
 the two hands may be managed conjointly to the 
 best advantage, it is requisite that each partner 
 should adopt the same general system of treating his 
 hand. And after discussing fully the various sys- 
 tems that may be adopted, the conclusion is arrived 
 at that the preferable one for this purpose is the 
 long suit system y which determines that the open- 
 ing of the game shall be by a long suit lead. 
 
 But it is manifest that if the combination of the 
 hands is not to be carried out, the reason above 
 given for the adoption of any particular system 
 fails. Your partner will not adopt it, neither wil' 
 
ON MODIFICATIONS OF THE RULES. 115 
 
 he draw the proper inference from its adoption by 
 you. Hence — which is the important thing — you 
 are relieved from any restraint as to the opening of 
 your game, and may make your first lead what- 
 ever you may deem most consistent with the inter 
 ests of your own hand. 
 
 The long suit lead has many advantages per se, 
 independently of the information it conveys. If 
 you can establish the suit, you may possibly bring 
 it in, without your partner's aid, and if not, its 
 cards may often be useful for forcing your adver 
 saries. Moreover, it is always a good defensive 
 lead, as it avoids the danger of contributing to the 
 establishment of any long suit of theirs. For these 
 reasons, having a good long suit in your hand, it is 
 generally the safest plan to lead from ifc, even 
 though the most important motive for doing so is 
 gone. 
 
 But, under the circumstances we are now con 
 sidering, the rule no longer becomes imperative 
 You may lead a single card, or from a suit of two, 
 or three, with perfect freedom, if it suits you. It 
 is impossible to give rules for such cases ; the player 
 must exercise his judgment on them as they arise. 
 
116 THEORY OF WHIST. 
 
 Plain Suit Leads. 
 
 Supposing that you decide to adopt the long suit 
 lead, the next question is, what card of the suit you 
 shall play first ; and in this particular the fact of 
 having an unsystematic partner considerably modi 
 fies the ordinary rules. 
 
 From ace and king, the ordinary lead is king first 3 
 to inform your partner. With a bad partner this is 
 useless, and, as he might trump the king if he has 
 not one of the suit, it is better to begin with the ace. 
 
 From king and queen, the king is still the best 
 lead, to prevent you partner from putting on the 
 ace, or to force it out from the adversaries. 
 
 From queen, knave, and ten, still lead the queen, 
 for analogous reasons. 
 
 From ace, queen, knave, the usual lead, ace fol- 
 lowed by queen, can hardly be improved upon ; 
 possibly, however, to follow the ace with the knave 
 might deceive the adversaries as to the position of 
 the queen, and might be useful in inducing your 
 partner to put on the king, but it would not be so 
 certain to force it out if on your left hand. 
 
 From king, queen, knave, ten, or king, knave, ten. 
 the ten may be adhered to, as the best way of 
 making your partner get rid of the commanding 
 cards, 
 
ON MODIFICATIONS OF 1HE RULES. 117 
 
 From ace and four others, the usual lead, of th« 
 ace first, enables a good partner to count your hand : 
 — with a bad one you may begin with a small one, 
 as the best chance of making two tricks in the suit. 
 
 In the other cases, where, with a good partner, 
 you lead the smallest card you have, with a bad one 
 you should prefer an intermediate one, as it is of 
 little consequence to you, or your partner, and may 
 puzzle the adversaries. If you have an intermedi 
 ate sequence, it is good to lead one of the cards 
 forming it : thus with king, ten, nine, eight, and 
 three, lead the nine ; which may prevent a small 
 card from winning., 
 
 Leading from a Short Suit. 
 
 If in the ordinary game you lead from a short and 
 weak suit (say, for example, ten and two small ones, 
 or knave and a small one), you lead the highest, to 
 inform your partner. But when this motive fails,, 
 the practice would only convey information to be 
 used against you ; and you may lead the lowest or 
 an intermediate card, to mystify your adversaries, 
 and prevent their drawing any correct inference 
 from your play. 
 
118 THEORY OF WHIST. 
 
 Leading Trumps from Five. 
 
 This is almost always advantageous in the com- 
 bined game, because with such great numerical 
 strength you may generally disarm the opponents, 
 and bring in your own or your partner's long suits 
 or high cards. 
 
 But to do this you must have your partner's co- 
 operation ; and this, with an uneducated player, you 
 probably will not obtain. He may not understand 
 the long suit system; or he may consider your 
 trump lead a mistake, and refuse to return it, or 3 
 still worse, he may force you, and so spoil youi 
 plan. 
 
 In this state of things, the question whether you 
 should lead the trump requires much consideration, 
 and is not easily solved. 
 
 If yours is not the first lead of the hand, 
 probably the previous tricks may give you some 
 clue as to how the cards lie. In the absence of such 
 clue, probably the best guide is to consider the prob 
 able advantages of the trump lead as regards youi 
 own hand. If your other cards are good, the trump 
 lead will, most likely, be the best thing, and you 
 must defend yourself against any antagonistic pro- 
 ceedings of your partner as best you can. If, on the 
 contrary, you have only a poor hand, you may do 
 
ON MODIFICATIONS OF THE RULES. 119 
 
 better by ruffing, in which case your opponents may 
 lead trumps themselves. It is one of the cases in 
 which your own judgment at the time must direct 
 you. 
 
 What Card to lead from a Strong Suit of Trumps. 
 
 In the proper game you generally lead the lowest, 
 unless you have three honors ; your partner has a 
 good chance of winning the first trick, and you may 
 depend on his returning the suit the first opportu- 
 nity. With a bad partner the case is not so clear, 
 as he may not approve the trump lead, and may 
 prefer to keep his trumps for ruffing. 
 
 Hence, if it is very important to you to get 
 trumps out, and you hold ace and others, it is better 
 for you to make sure of two rounds without your 
 partner's aid. This, however, should only be done 
 under a pressing emergency, as it is so very desir- 
 able to keep up the command. In the majority of 
 cases, adhere to the usual rule, and if your partner 
 does not return the suit, get the lead yourself 
 again as early as you can, and complete the extrac- 
 tion. 
 
 Returning your Partner's Trump Lead. 
 
 This you are bound to do when playing with a 
 good partner, for reasons fulJy stated in Chap. IV 
 
120 THEORY OF WHIST. 
 
 But you are not bound to return the trump leaa 
 of an uneducated or unsystematic player, as you 
 have no confidence that his lead is dictated by the 
 proper motives. Wild and unjustifiable trump leads 
 are the most common characteristic of bad players, 
 just as cautious trump leads are of good ones. When, 
 therefore, playing with one of the former class, he 
 leads a trump, it would be folly for you to return 
 it, unless either it suits your own hand, or you can 
 infer by the fall of the cards that he has stumbled 
 upon a correct mode of play. 
 
 Returning your Partner's Lead in Plain Suits. 
 
 This you may generally do, as he may have some 
 motive or other which it will be as well for you to 
 fall in with. He may not, probably will not, lead 
 his longest suit ; he may lead either from a high 
 card, in hopes of making it, or from a single card, in 
 hopes of ruffing. In either case you may humor 
 him, and let him do what he can towards trick-mak- 
 ing in his own way, provided it does not interfere 
 with any more advantageous scheme of your own. 
 
 What Card to return to your Partners Lead. 
 
 The rule of returning the higher, if you have onlj 
 two left, must on no account be followed wi th a bad 
 
ON MODIFICATIONS OF THE KULES. 121 
 
 partner. Its object is to aid your partner in estab- 
 lishing his long suit; to get rid of the command ; to 
 give him a good opportunity of finessing ; and to in- 
 form him how many cards of the suit you hold. 
 But every one of these advantages is thrown away 
 on an unsystematic player, and you may be only 
 wasting good cards, and affording information to 
 the adversary. 
 
 Forcing your Partner. 
 
 In the correct game you must not force your part* 
 ner if there is a probability that he is strong in 
 trumps ; but this rule does not apply when you are 
 playing with an unsystematic partner. He may 
 probably wish to use his trumps for ruffing, and you 
 must humor him rather than thwart him. Hence, 
 if he fails in a suit, do not be deterred (as you would 
 be in the correct game) from forcing him, by the 
 mere fact of your being weak in trumps yourself: 
 since to abstain will do you no good, and will rather 
 benefit the adversaries. 
 
 Calling for Trumps. 
 
 This of course is useless with an unsystematic 
 
 partner; it will only convey information to your 
 
 disadvantage. Considering, however, the impres* 
 6 
 
122 THEORY OF WHIST. 
 
 sion to be produced on the adversaries, it is possible 
 sometimes so to deceive them as to induce them to 
 lead trumps. For example, if one of them leads the 
 king of a suit, you having queen and a little one, 
 your queen must fall the second round, and by 
 throwing it away on the first round you may often 
 induce the leader to stop his suit and substitute a 
 trump lead, particularly if he is a player of the old 
 school. Further, you may often advantageously make 
 a feigned call (for example, when you have one or 
 two little trumps and want to ruff), w 7 ith the view 
 of preventing the adversaries from leading trumps, 
 which they, being strong, might otherwise do. 
 
 Second Player. 
 
 With ace, king, you may put on the ace. With 
 king, queen, the king. With ace, queen, knave, 
 the queen. With queen, knave, ten, the queen or 
 knave. With king, knave, ten, the knave. With 
 queen, knave, and one other, the queen. All these 
 effect the desired objects without betraying your 
 hand. 
 
 In other cases the ordinary conventional rule of 
 playing the lowest should not be followed, if you can 
 play an intermediate card without detriment to your 
 own hand. If you hold only two cards, it may 
 often be good to play the higher, unless it is an ace, 
 
OE MODIFICATIONS OF THE KULES. ] 23 
 
 which it is advisable to hold up over the leader, 
 This style of play will effectually mystify youi 
 adversaries, and do neither you nor your partner 
 harm. 
 
 Trumping a Doubtful Trick. 
 
 The usual rule is to trump if weak in trumps, but 
 not if strong, which gives useful indications to your 
 partner. The rule may be generally adhered to, as 
 it is also the best play for your own hand ; but cases 
 may arise where you may wish to follow a contrary 
 course, and in these you may get rid of the usual 
 fear of deceiving your partner. It may even be de- 
 sirable sometimes to adopt the reverse of the usual 
 play, for the purpose of expressly deceiving the ad- 
 versaries, and leading them to do something advan- 
 tageous to you. 
 
 Third Player. Finessing. 
 
 Being third player you are still bound to do your 
 best to win the trick, by generally playing your 
 highest ; but you have, with a bad partner, much 
 more liberty as regards finessing. 
 
 In the proper combined game you are forbidden 
 to finesse to your partner's original lead, except 
 with ace, queen. With a partner who does not 
 lead, on principle, from his longest suit, this re* 
 
124 THEORY OF WHIST. 
 
 striction does not apply, and you may often finessa 
 with advantage ; with king, knave, and a small one, 
 for example, the knave is a very good card to play 
 third hand. 
 
 Fourth Player. 
 
 The usual rule is, if you cannot win the trick, 
 throw away the smallest card you have. With an 
 unobservant partner this is of no use ; consequent- 
 ly, to deceive the adversaries, throw away a higher 
 one. 
 
 You may also often puzzle them by winning your 
 partner's trick unnecessarily, if the card you win it 
 with is not likely to be otherwise useful. 
 
 Sequences, Second, Third, or Fourth Hand. 
 
 With a good partner it is imperative to play the 
 lowest card of a sequence, as one of the most fre- 
 quent and most useful modes of giving him infor- 
 mation. When, however, the partner is unobserv- 
 ant, the rule should be systematically violated, as 
 one of the best means of mystifying the adversaries. 
 Play sometimes the highest, sometimes a middle 
 card, and the lowest occasionally, so as to prevent 
 them from forming any idea what rule you are like- 
 ly to follow. 
 
ON MODIFICATIONS OF THE EULES. 125 
 
 Discarding. 
 
 In the proper game you discard from a weak or 
 short suit, which gives a good partner a positive in- 
 dication in what direction your strength lies. The 
 rule is considered so essential by good players that 
 they will even unguard a king or a queen for the 
 sake of adhering to it. 
 
 With a bad partner this is of course useless, and 
 you must study your own hand alone. If the cards 
 of the weak suit are worthless, it may often still be 
 advantageous to preserve your long suit ; but on no 
 account should you risk losing a good card, which 
 might be of much use in the play of the hand. It 
 may even be advantageous sometimes to throw away 
 from your long suit, particularly if it contains a 
 tenace, with the object of deceiving the adversaries, 
 and getting it led up to. 
 
 These remarks, though necessarily incomplete 
 and indefinite, will give some idea of the manner in 
 which the play of a hand should be modified by the 
 fact of having a bad partner ; and probably their 
 chief value should be in leading the student to avoid 
 a blind and unreasoning adoption of fixed rules, but 
 n**her to cultivate a constant habit of reasoning as 
 
126 THEORY OF WDIST. 
 
 He plays, and of considering less the rules themselvea 
 than the principles they are founded on. If tha 
 player can always bear in mind the reason why, in 
 the ordinary game, he ought to do a certain thing, 
 he will have but little difficulty in appreciating the 
 cases, as they arise, when this reason fails, and 
 when, consequently, the established rule no longer 
 applies. 
 
 Such cases must constantly occur in playing with 
 an unsystematic partner ; and the ability promptly 
 and skilfully to deal with them, is one of the great 
 characteristics of a fine player. And although it is 
 very customary for those who know and appreciate 
 the correct game to dislike sitting opposite to inca- 
 pable, uneducated, or obstinate partners, and to 
 consider themselves somewhat in the light of mar- 
 tyrs when they are obliged to do so, yet there can 
 be no doubt that, from the opportunities such cases 
 afford for variety of practice, they may, by careful 
 observation and earnest study, be made conducive, 
 in no mean d3gree, to improvement in the game. 
 
BHYMING RULES, MNEMONIC MAX- 
 IMS, AND POCKET PRECEPTS. 
 
 BEING SHORT MEMORANDA OF IMPORTANT POINTS TO BE KEPT XA 
 
 MIND BY THOSE "WHO WOULD PRACTISE THE MODERN 
 
 SCIENTIFIC GAME OF WHIST. 
 
 If you the modern game of Whist would know, 
 From this great principle its precepts flow : 
 Treat your own hand as to your partner's joined, 
 And play, not one alone, but both combined. 
 
 Your first lead makes your partner understand 
 What is the chief component of your hand ; 
 And hence there is necessity the strongest 
 That your first lead be from your suit thaVs longest. 
 
 In this, with ace and Icing, lead king, then ace; 
 With king and queen, king also has first place ; 
 With ace, queen, knave, lead ace and then the queen I 
 With ace, four small ones, ace should first be seen ; 
 With queen, knave, ten, you let the queen precede; 
 In other cases, you the lowest lead. 
 
 Ere you return your friend's, your own suit play; 
 But trumps you must return without delay. 
 
 When you retTirn your partner's lead, take pains 
 To lead him back the best your hand contains, 
 If you received not more than three at first ; 
 If you had more, you may return the worst. 
 
128 THEORY OF WHIST. 
 
 But if you hold the master card., you're bound 
 In most cases to play it second round. 
 
 Whene'er you want a lead, 'tis seldom wrong 
 To lead up to the weak, or through the strong. 
 
 Ii second hand, your lowest should be played, 
 Unless you mean " trump signal" to be made; 
 Or if you've king and queen, or ace and Icing, 
 Then one of these will be the proper thing. 
 
 Mind well the rnles for trumps, you'll often need them: 
 When you hold five, 'tis always right to lea§ 
 
 THEM; 
 Or if the lead won't come in time to you, 
 Then signal to your partner so to do. 
 
 Watch also for your partner's trump request, 
 To which, with less than four, play out your best 
 
 To lead through Konors turned up is bad play, 
 Unless you want ^he trump suit cleared away. 
 
 When, second h-^uid, a doubtful trick you see, 
 Don't trump it if you hold more trumps than three; 
 But having three or less, trump fearlessly. 
 
 WTien weak in trumps yourself, don't force your friend \ 
 But always f oroe the adverse strong trump hand. 
 
 For sequences, stern custom has decreed 
 The mcest you must play, if you don't lead. 
 
 When you discard, weak suits you ought to choose, 
 For strong on<*s are too valuable to lose. 
 
THE LAWS OF WHIST. 
 
 VERBATIM FROM THE PORTLAND CLUB 
 CODE. 
 
 
 THE RUBBER. 
 
 1. The rubber is the best of three games. If the first 
 two games be won by the same players, the third game 
 is not played. 
 
 SCORLNG. 
 
 2. A game consists of five points. Each trick, above 
 six, counts one point. 
 
 3. Honours, i. e., Ace, King, Queen, and Knave of 
 trumps, are thus reckoned: 
 
 If a player and his partner, either separately or con- 
 jointly, hold — 
 
 I. The four honours, they score four points. 
 II. Any three honours, they score two points. 
 III. Only two honours, they do not score. 
 
 4. Those players, who, at the commencement of a 
 deal, are at the score of four, cannot score honours. 
 
 5. The penalty for a revoke * takes precedence of all 
 other scores. Tricks score next. Honours last. 
 
 6. Honours, unless claimed before the trump card of 
 the following deal is turned up, cannot be scored. 
 
 * Vide Law 72. 
 
130 THE LAWS OF WHIST- 
 
 • 7. To score honours is not sufficient ; they must be 
 called at the end of the hand ; if so called, they may 
 be scored at any time during the game. 
 
 8. The winners gain — 
 
 I. A treble, or game of three points, when their 
 adversaries have not scored. 
 II. A double, or game of two points, when their 
 adversaries have scored less than three. 
 III. A single, or game of one point, when their 
 adversaries have scored three, or four. 
 
 9. The winners of the rubber gain two points (com- 
 monly called the rubber points), in addition to the 
 value of their games. 
 
 10. Should the rubber have consisted of three games, 
 the value of the losers' game is deducted from the gross 
 number of points gained by their opponents. 
 
 11. If an erroneous score be proved, such mistake 
 can be corrected prior to the conclusion of the game in 
 which it occurred, and such game is not concluded 
 until the trump card of the following deal has been 
 turned up. 
 
 12. If an erroneous score, affecting the amount of the 
 rubber,* be proved, such mistake can be rectified at 
 any time during the rubber. 
 
 CUTTING. 
 
 13. The ace is the lowest card. 
 
 14. In all cases, every one must cut from the same 
 pack. 
 
 15. Should a player expose more than one card, he 
 must cut again. 
 
 * e. g. If a single is scored by mistake for a double or 
 treble, or vice versd. 
 
THE LAWS OF WHIST. 131 
 
 FORMATION OF TABLE. 
 
 16. If there are more than four candidates, the play- 
 ers are selected by cutting : those first in the room hav- 
 ing the preference. The four who cut the lowest cards 
 play first, and again cut to decide on partners ; the two 
 lowest play against the two highest ; the lowest is the 
 dealer, who has choice of cards and seats, and, having 
 once made his selection, must abide by it. 
 
 17. When there are more than six candidates, those 
 who cut the two next lowest cards belong to the table, 
 which is complete with six players ; on the retirement 
 of one of those six players, the candidate who cut the 
 next lowest card has a prior right to any af tercomer to 
 enter the table. 
 
 CUTTING CARDS OF EQUAL VALUE. 
 
 18. Two players cutting cards of equal value,* unless 
 such cards are the two highest, cut again ; should they 
 be the two lowest, a fresh cut i3 necessary to decide 
 which of those two deals. 
 
 19. Three players cutting cards of equal value cut 
 again ; should the fourth (or remaining) card be the 
 highest, the two lowest of the new cut are partners, the 
 lower of those two the dealer ; should the fourth card 
 be the lowest, the two highest are partners, the original 
 lowest the dealer. 
 
 CUTTING OUT. 
 
 20. At the end of a rubber, should admission be 
 claimed by any one, or by two candidates, he who has, 
 or they who have, played a greater number of consecu- 
 
 * In cutting for partners. 
 
132 THE LAWS OF WHIST. 
 
 tive rubbers than the others is, or are, out; but when 
 all have played the same number, they must cut to de- 
 cide upon the out-goers ; the highest are out. 
 
 ENTRY AND RE-ENTRY. 
 
 21. A candidate wishing to enter a table must de- 
 clare such intention prior to any of the players having 
 cut a card, either for the purpose of commencing a 
 fresh rubber, or of cutting out. 
 
 22. In the formation of fresh tables, those candidates 
 who have neither belonged to nor played at any other 
 table have the prior right of entry ; the others decide 
 their right of admission by cutting. 
 
 23. Any one quitting a table prior to the conclusion 
 of a rubber, may, with consent of the other three play- 
 ers, appoint a substitute in his absence during that 
 rubber. 
 
 24. A player cutting into one table, whilst belonging 
 to another, loses his right * of re-entry into that latter, 
 and takes his chance of cutting in, as if he were a fresh 
 candidate, f 
 
 25. If any one break up a table, the remaining play- 
 ers have the prior right to him of entry into any other, 
 and should there not be sufficient vacancies at such 
 other table to admit all those candidates, they settle 
 their precedence by cutting. 
 
 SHUFFLING. 
 
 26. The pack must neither be shuffled below the 
 table nor so that the face of any card be seen. 
 
 * i. e., his prior right. 
 
 f And last in the room (vide Law 16). 
 
THE LAWS OF WHIST. 133 
 
 27. The pack must not be shuffled during the play 
 of the hand. 
 
 28. A pack, having been played with, must neither be 
 shuffled, by dealing it into packets, nor across the table. 
 
 29. Each player has a right to shuffle, once only, 
 except as provided by Rule 32, prior to a deal, after 
 a false cut,* or when a new dealf has occurred. 
 
 80. The dealer's partner must collect the cards for the 
 ensuing deal, and has the first right to shuffle that pack. 
 
 31. Each player, after shuffling, must place the 
 cards, properly collected and face downwards, to the 
 left of the player about to deal. 
 
 32. The dealer has always the right to shuffle 
 last ; but. should a card or cards be seen during 
 his shuffling or whilst giving the pack to be cut, 
 he may be compelled to re-shuffle. 
 
 THE DEAL. 
 
 33. Each player deals in his turn ; the right of 
 dealing goes to the left. 
 
 34. The player on the dealer's right cuts the pack, 
 and in dividing it, must not leave fewer than four 
 cards in either packet; if in cutting, or in replacing 
 one of the two packets on the other, a card be 
 exposed,^ or if there be any confusion of the cards, 
 or a doubt as to the exact place in which the pack 
 was divided, there must be a fresh cut. 
 
 35. When a player, whose duty it is to cut, has once 
 
 * Vide Law 34. f Yide La ™" 37 - 
 
 X After the two packets have been re-uuited, Law 38 
 comes into operation. 
 
134 THE LAWS OF WHIST. 
 
 I 
 
 separated the pack, lie cannot alter his intention ; he 
 
 can neither re-shuffle nor re- cut the cards, 
 
 36. When the pack is cut, should the dealer shuffle 
 +he cards, he loses his deal. 
 
 A NEW DEAL. 
 
 37. There must be a new deal* — 
 
 I. If, during a deal, or during the play of a hand f 
 the pack be proved incorrect or imperfect. 
 II. If any card, excepting the last, be faced in the 
 pack. 
 
 38. If, whilst dealing, a card be exposed by the 
 dealer or his partner, should neither of the adversaries 
 have touched the cards, the latter can claim a new 
 deal ; a card exposed by either adversary gives that 
 claim to the dealer, provided that his partner has not 
 touched a card ; if a new deal does not take place, the 
 exposed card cannot be called. 
 
 39. If, during dealing, a player touch any of his 
 cards, the adversaries may do the same, without losing 
 their privilege of claiming a new deal, should chance 
 give them such option. 
 
 40. If, in dealing, one of the last cards be expesed, 
 and the dealer turn up the trump before there is reason- 
 able time for his adversaries to decide as to a fresh 
 deal, they do not thereby lose their privilege. 
 
 41. If a player, whilst dealing, look at the trump 
 card, his adversaries have a right to see it, and ma^ 
 exact a new deal. 
 
 * i. e. , the same dealer must deal again. Vide also 
 Laws 47 and 50. 
 
THE LAWS OF WHIST. 135 
 
 42. If a player take into the hand dealt to him a 
 card belonging to the other pack, the adversaries, on dis- 
 covery of the error, may decide whether they will have 
 a fresh deal or not. 
 
 A MISDEAL. 
 
 43. A misdeal loses the deal.* 
 
 44. It is a misdealf — 
 
 I. Unless the cards are dealt into four packets, 
 one at a time in regular rotation, beginning 
 with the player to the dealer's left. 
 II. Should the dealer place the last (i. e., the 
 trump) card, face downwards on his own, 
 or any other pack. 
 
 III. Should the trump card not come in its regular 
 
 order to the dealer ; but he does not lose 
 his deal if the pack be proved imperfect. 
 
 IV. Should a player have fourteen:): cards, and 
 
 either of the other three less than thirteen. § 
 V. Should the dealer, under an impression that he 
 has made a mistake, either count the cards 
 on the table, or the remainder of the pack. 
 
 VI. Should the dealer deal two cards at once, or 
 
 two cards to the same hand, and then deal 
 a third; but if, prior to dealing that third 
 card, the dealer can, by altering the position 
 of one card only, rectify such error, he may 
 do so, except as provided by the second 
 paragraph of this Law. 
 
 VII. Should the dealer omit to have the pack cud 
 
 to him, and the adversaries discover the 
 error, prior to the trump card being turned 
 up, and before looking at their cards, but 
 not after having done so. 
 
 * Except as provided in Laws 45 and 50. 
 
 f Vide also Law 36. 
 
 X Or more. 
 
 § The pack being perfect. Vide Law 47. 
 
136 THE LAWS OF WHIST. 
 
 45. A misdeal does not lose the deal if, during the 
 dealing, either of the adversaries touch the cards prior 
 to the dealer's partner having done so, but should the 
 latter have first interfered with the cards, notwith- 
 standing either or both of the adversaries have sub- 
 sequently done the same, the deal is lost. 
 
 46. Should three players have their right number of 
 cards — the fourth have less than thirteen, and not 
 discover such deficiency until he has played any of 
 his cards,* the deal stands good ; should he have 
 played, he is as answerable for any revoke he may 
 have made as if the missing card, or cards, had been in 
 his hand ; f he may search the other pack for it, or them. 
 
 47. If a pack, during or after a rubber, be proved 
 incorrect or imperfect, such proof does not alter any 
 past score, game, or rubber ; that hand in which the 
 imperfection w T as detected is null and void ; the dealer 
 deals again. 
 
 48. Any one dealing out of turn, or with the adver- 
 sary's cards, may be stopped before the trump card is 
 turned up, after which the game must proceed as if no 
 mistake had been made. 
 
 49. A player can neither shuffle, cut, nor deal for his 
 partner, without the permission of his opponents. 
 
 50. If the adversaries interrupt a dealer whilst deal- 
 ing, either by questioning the score or asserting that it 
 is not his deal, and fail to establish such claim, should 
 a misdeal occur, he may deal again. 
 
 51. Should a player take his partner's deal, and mis- 
 deal, the latter is liable to the usual penalty, and the 
 
 * i. e. , until after he has p ayed to the first trick, 
 f Vide also Law 70, and Law 44, paragraph iv. 
 
THE LAWS OF WHIST. 161 
 
 adversary next in rotation to the player who ought t<? 
 have dealt then deals. 
 
 THE TRUMP CARD. 
 
 \52. The dealer, when it is his turn to play to the first 
 trick, should take the trump card into his hand; ii 
 left on the table after the first trick be turned and 
 quitted, it is liable to be called ; * his partner may at 
 any time remind him of the liability. 
 
 53. After the dealer has taken the trump card into 
 his hand, it cannot be asked for ;f a player naming it 
 at any time during the play of that hand is liable to 
 have his highest or lowest trump called. J 
 
 54. If the dealer take the trump card into his hand 
 before it is his turn to play, he may be desired to lay 
 it on the table ; should he show a wrong card, this 
 card may be called, as also a second, a third, &c, 
 until the trump card be produced. 
 
 55. If the dealer declare himself unable to recollect 
 the trump card, his highest or lowest trump may be 
 called at any time during that hand, and, unless it 
 cause him to revoke, must be played ; the call may be 
 repeated, but not changed, i. e., from highest to lowest, 
 or vice versa, until such card is played. 
 
 CARDS LIABLE TO BE CALLED. 
 
 53. All exposed cards are liable to be called, and 
 must be left § on the table ; but a card is not an ex- 
 
 * It is not usual to call the trump card if left on the table, 
 f Any one may inquire what the trump suit is, at any 
 time. 
 
 X In the manner described in Law 55. 
 § Face upwards. 
 
138 THE LAWS OF WHIST. 
 
 posed card when dropped on the floor, or elsewhere 
 below the table. 
 
 The following are exposed * cards:— 
 
 I. Two or more cards played at once.f 
 II. Any card dropped with its face upwards, or in 
 any way exposed on or above the table, even 
 though snatched up so quickly that no one 
 can name it. 
 
 57. If any one play to an imperfect trick the best 
 card on the table, J or lead one which is a winning card 
 as against his adversaries, and then lead again, § or play 
 several such winning cards, one after the other, without 
 waiting for his partner to play, the latter may be called 
 on to win, if he can, the first or any other of those 
 tricks, and the other cards thus improperly played are 
 exposed cards. 
 
 58. If a player, or players, under the impression that 
 the game is lost — or won — or for other reasons — throw 
 his or their cards on the table face upwards, such cards 
 are exposed, and liable to be called, each player's by 
 the adversary ; but should one player alone retain his 
 hand, he cannot be forced to abandon it. 
 
 59. If all four players throw their cards on the table 
 face upwards, the hands are abandoned ; and no one 
 can again take up his cards. Should this general exhi- 
 
 * Detached cards (i. e., cards taken out of the hand but 
 not dropped) are not liable to be called unless named ; 
 vide Law 60. It is important to distinguish between ex- 
 posed and detached cards. 
 
 f If two or more cards are played at once, the adversa- 
 ries have a right to call which they please to the trick in 
 course of play, and afterwards to call the others. 
 
 \ And then lead without waiting for his partner to play. 
 
 § Without waiting for his partner to play. 
 
THE LAWS OF WHIST. 139 
 
 bition show that the game might have been saved, or 
 won, neither claim can be entertained, unless a revoke 
 be established. The revoking players are then liable to 
 the following penalties : they cannot under any circum- 
 stances win the game by the result of that hand, and 
 the adversaries may add three to their score, or deduct 
 three from that of the revoking players. 
 
 60. A card detached from the rest of the hand so as 
 to be named is liable to be called ; but should the ad- 
 versary name a wrong card, he is liable to have a suit 
 called when he or his partner have the lead.* 
 
 61. If a player, who has rendered himself liable to 
 have the highest or lowest of a suit called, fail to play 
 as desired, or if when called on to lead one suit, lead 
 another, having in his hand one or more cards of that 
 suit demanded, he incurs the penalty of a revoke. 
 
 62. If any player lead out of turn, his adversaries 
 may either call the card erroneously led — or may call 
 a suit from him or his partner when it is next the turn 
 of either of them f to lead. 
 
 63. If any player lead out of turn, and the other 
 three have followed him, the trick is complete, and the 
 error cannot be rectified; but if only the second, or the 
 second and third, have played to the false lead, their 
 cards, on discovery of the mistake, are taken back; 
 
 * i. e., the first time that side obtains the lead. 
 
 f i. e. , the penalty of calling a suit must be exacted from 
 whichever of them next first obtains the lead. It follows 
 that if the player who leads out of turn is the partner of 
 the person who ought to have led, and a suit is called, it 
 must be called at once from the right leader. If he is al- 
 lowed to play as he pleases, the only penalty that remains 
 is to call the card erroneously led. 
 
140 THE LAWS OF WHIST. 
 
 there is no penalty against any one, excepting the origi- 
 nal offender, whose card may be called — or he, or his 
 partner, when either of them * has next the lead, may 
 be compelled to play any suit demanded by the adver- 
 saries. 
 
 64. In no case can a player be compelled to play a 
 card which would oblige him to revoke. 
 
 65. The call of a card may be repeated f until such 
 card has been played. 
 
 66. If a player called on to lead a suit have none of 
 it, the penalty is paid. 
 
 CARDS PLAYED IN ERROR, OR NOT PLAYED TO A 
 TRICK. 
 
 67. If the third hand play before the second, the 
 fourth hand may play before his partner. 
 
 68. Should the third hand not have played, and the 
 fourth play before his partner, the latter may be called 
 on to win, or not to win the trick. 
 
 69. If any one omit playing to a former trick, and 
 such error be not discovered until he has played to the 
 next, the adversaries may claim a new deal ; should 
 they decide that the deal stand good, the surplus card 
 at the end of the hand is considered to have been 
 played to the imperfect trick, but does not constitute a 
 revoke therein. 
 
 70. If any one play two cards to the same trick, or 
 mix his trump, or other card, with a trick to which it 
 does not properly belong, and the mistake be not dis- 
 covered until the hand is played out, he is answerable 
 
 * i. e. , whichever of them next first has the lead, 
 f At every trick. 
 
THE LAWS OF WHIST. 141 
 
 for all consequent revokes he may have made.* If, 
 during the play of the hand, the error be detected, the 
 tricks may be counted face downwards, in order to 
 ascertain whether there be among them a card too 
 many : should this be the case they may be searched, 
 and the card restored ; the player is, however, liable 
 for all revokes which he may have meanwhile made. 
 
 THE REVOKE. 
 
 71. Is when a player, holding one or more cards of 
 the suit led, plays a card of a different suit.f 
 
 72. The penalty for a revoke : — 
 
 I. Is at the option of the adversaries, who, at the 
 end of the hand, may either take three tricks 
 from the revoking player :f — or deduct three 
 points from his score — or add three to their 
 own score ; 
 II. Can be claimed for as many revokes as occur 
 during the hand ; 
 
 III. Is applicable only to the score of the game in 
 
 which it occurs ; 
 
 IV. Cannot be divided, i. e., a player cannot add 
 
 one or two to his own score and deduct one 
 or two from the revoking player ; 
 V. Takes precedence of every other score, e. g., — 
 The claimants two — their opponents nothing 
 — the former add three to their score — and 
 thereby win a treble game, even should the 
 latter have made thirteen tricks, and held 
 four honours. 
 
 73. A revoke is established, if the trick in which it 
 occur be turned and quitted, i. e., the hand removed 
 from that trick after it has been turned face downwards 
 on the table — or if either the revoking player or his 
 
 * Vide also Law 46. f Vide also Law 61. 
 
 % And add them to their own. 
 
142 THE LAWS OF WHIST. 
 
 partner, whether in his right turn or otherwise, lead or 
 play to the following trick. 
 
 74. A player may ask his partner whether he has 
 not a card of the suit which he has renounced ; should 
 the question be asked before the trick is turned and 
 quitted, subsequent turning and quitting does not 
 establish the revoke, and the error may be corrected, 
 unless the question be answered in the negative, or 
 unless the revoking player or his partner have led or 
 played to the following trick. 
 
 75. At the end of the hand, the claimants of a revoke 
 may search all the tricks.* 
 
 76. If a player discover his mistake in time to save 
 a revoke, the adversaries, whenever they think fit, may 
 call the card thus played in error, or may require him 
 to play his highest or lowest card to that trick in 
 which he has renounced; — any player or players who 
 have played after him may withdraw their cards and 
 substitute others: the cards withdrawn are not liable 
 to be called. 
 
 77. If a revoke be claimed, and the accused player 
 or his partner mix the cards before they have been 
 sufficiently examined by the adversaries, the revoke is 
 established. The mixing of the cards only renders 
 the proof of a revoke difficult, but does not prevent the 
 claim, and possible establishment, of the penalty. 
 
 78. A revoke cannot be claimed after the cards have 
 been cut for the following deal. 
 
 79. The revoking player and his partner may, un- 
 der all circumstances, require the hand in which the 
 revoke has been detected to be played out. 
 
 * Vide Law 77. 
 
THE LAWS OF WHIST. 143 
 
 80. If a revoke occur, be claimed and proved, beta 
 on the odd trick, or on amount of score, must be de- 
 cided by the actual state of the latter, after the penalty 
 is paid. 
 
 81. Should the players on both sides subject them- 
 selves to the penalty of one or more revokes, neither 
 can win the game ; each is punished at the discretion 
 of his adversary.* 
 
 82. In whatever way the penalty be enforced, under 
 no circumstances can a player win the game by the re- 
 sult of the hand during which he has revoked ; he can- 
 not score more than four. (Vide Rule 61.) 
 
 CALLING FOR NEW CARDS. 
 
 83. Any player (on paying for them) before, but not 
 after, the pack be cut for the deal, may call for fresh 
 cards. He must call for two new packs, of which the 
 dealer takes his choice. 
 
 GENERAL RULES. 
 
 84. Where a player and his partner have an option of 
 exacting from their adversaries one of two penalties, 
 they should agree who is to make the election, but 
 must not consult with one another which of the two 
 penalties it is advisable to exact ; if they do so consult 
 they lose their right ; f and if either of them, with or 
 without consent of his partner, demand a penalty to 
 which he is entitled, such decision is final. 
 
 This rule does not apply in exacting the penalties for a 
 revoke ; partners have then a right to consult. 
 
 * In the manner prescribed in Law 72. 
 f To demand any penalty. 
 
} i4 THE LAWS OF WHIST. 
 
 85. Any one during the play of a trick, or after the 
 four cards are played, and before, but not after, they 
 are touched for the purpose of gathering them together, 
 may demand that the cards be placed before their re 
 spective players. 
 
 86. If any one, prior to his partner playing, should 
 call attention to the trick— either by saying that it is 
 his, or by naming his card, or, without being required 
 so to do, by drawing it towards him — the adversaries 
 may require that opponent's partner to play the highest 
 or lowest of the suit then led, or to win or lose * the 
 trick. 
 
 87. In all cases where a penalty has been incurred, 
 the offender is bound to give reasonable time for the 
 decision of his adversaries. 
 
 88. If a bystander make any remark which calls the 
 attention of a player or players to an oversight affect- 
 ing the score, he is liable to be called on, by the play- 
 ers only, to pay the stakes and all bets on that game or 
 rubber. 
 
 89. A bystander, by agreement among the players, 
 may decide any question. 
 
 90. A card or cards torn or marked must be either 
 replaced by agreement, or new cards called at the ex- 
 pense of the table. 
 
 91. Any player may demand to see the last trick 
 turned, and no more. Under no circumstances can 
 more than eight cards be seen during the play of the 
 hand, viz. : the four cards on the table which have 
 not been turned and quitted, and the last trick 
 turned. 
 
 * i. e. , refrain from winning. 
 

LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 
 
 10 020 237 579 
 
 ■^V''-^.i'-V:v.<^>,.-':.-;.