WHIST.
CARDS. Whist is played with a full pack of fifty-two cards, ranking A K Q J 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2; the Ace being the highest in play, but ranking below the deuce in cutting. Two packs are generally used, the one being shuffled while the other is dealt.
MARKERS are necessary to keep the score. The most common are red and white circular counters; the white being used for the points in each game, and the red for the games themselves, or for rubber points. It is better to have two sets, of different colours, each set consisting of four circular and three oblong counters, the latter being used for the rubber points, or for games.
PLAYERS. Whist is played by four persons. When there are more than four candidates for play, five or six may form a “table.” If more than six offer for play, the selection of the table is made by cutting.
The table being formed, the four persons who shall play the first rubber are determined by cutting, and they again cut for partners, and the choice of seats and cards.
CUTTING. The methods of cutting are the same as those described in connection with Bridge, and ties are decided in the same manner.
PLAYERS’ POSITIONS. The four players at a whist table are usually distinguished by the letters A, B, Y, Z; the first two letters of the alphabet being partners against the last two, and their positions at the table being indicated as follows:—
Z is always the dealer; A the original leader, or first hand; Y the second hand; B the third hand; and Z the fourth hand. After the first trick, some other player may become the leader; the one on his left being the second hand; his partner the third hand, and the player on his right the fourth hand. B is the pone.
DEALING. The cards having been properly shuffled, the dealer presents them to the pone to be cut. The American laws require that after separating the pack, the pone shall place the cut part, which he lifts off, nearer the dealer. Beginning at his left, the dealer distributes the cards one at a time in rotation, until the pack is exhausted. The last card is turned face up on the table, and the suit to which it belongs is the trump for that hand.
When two packs are used, one is shuffled by the dealer’s partner while the other is dealt, and the shuffled pack is placed on the left of the player whose turn it will be to deal next. Each player deals in turn until the conclusion of the game or rubber.
IRREGULARITIES IN THE DEAL. The following rules regarding the deal should be strictly observed:—
If any card is found faced in the pack, the dealer must deal again. Should the dealer turn over any card but the trump, while dealing, the adversaries may, if they please, demand a new deal. A player dealing out of turn may be stopped before the trump card is turned; but after that, the deal must stand, afterwards passing to the left in regular order. On the completion of the deal, each player should take up and count his cards to see that he has thirteen; if not, it is a misdeal, and unless the pack is found to be imperfect, the deal passes to the player on the misdealer’s left. The dealer loses the deal:—if he neglects to have the pack cut; if he deals a card incorrectly, and fails to remedy the error before dealing another; if he counts the cards on the table, or those remaining in the pack; if he looks at the trump card before the deal is complete; or if he places the trump card face down, on his own or on any other player’s cards.
STAKES. When stakes are played for, it should be distinctly understood at the beginning whether the unit is for a game, for a rubber, for rubber points, or for tricks. The English game is invariably played for so much a rubber point; sometimes with an extra stake upon the rubber itself. In America, it is usual to play for so much a game; but in some cases the tricks are the unit, deducting the loser’s score from seven, or playing the last hand out and then deducting the loser’s score. A very popular method is to play for a triple stake: so much a trick, playing each hand out; so much a game; and so much a rubber. These three stakes are usually in the proportion of 10, 25, and 50. In clubs it is customary to have a uniform stake for whist, and to fix a limit for all betting on the game beyond the “club stake.” Good usage demands that those at the table should have the refusal of any bet made by a player, before it is offered to an outsider.
METHOD OF PLAYING. The player on the dealer’s left begins by leading any card he chooses, and the others must all follow suit if they can. Failure to follow suit when able is called revoking; the penalty for which, under the American laws, is the loss of two tricks; under the English laws, three tricks or points. Any player having none of the suit led may either trump it or throw away a card of another suit, which is called discarding. When it is the dealer’s turn to play to the first trick, he should take the trump card into his hand. After it has been taken up it must not be named, and any player naming it is subject to a penalty, (see Laws;) but a player may ask what the trump suit is. If all follow suit, the highest card played wins the trick; trumps win against all other suits, and a higher trump wins a lower. The winner of the trick may lead any card he pleases for the next trick, and so on until all thirteen tricks have been played.
Cards Played in Error, or dropped face upward on the table, or two or more played at once, are called exposed cards, and must be left on the table. They can be called by the adversaries; but the fact of their being exposed does not prevent their being played when the opportunity offers. Some persons imagine that the adversaries can prevent an exposed card from being played; but such is not the case.
Leading out of Turn. Should a player lead out of turn, the adversaries may call a suit from the player in error, or from his partner, when it is next the turn of either of them to lead. American laws require the call to be made by the player on the right of the one from whom the suit is called. The English laws give the adversaries the option of calling the card played in error an exposed card. If all have played to the trick before discovering the error, it cannot be rectified; but if all have not played, those who have followed the false lead must take back their cards, which are not, however, liable to be called.
Revoking Players cannot win the game that hand, no matter what they score; but they may play the hand out, and score all points they make to within one point of game.
Any player may ask the others to draw cards in any trick, provided he does so before they are touched for the purpose of gathering them. In answer to this demand, each player should indicate which of the cards on the table he played.
In the English game, any player may look at the last trick turned and quitted; in the American he may not.
Taking Tricks. As the tricks are taken, they should be neatly laid one upon the other in such a manner that any player at the table can count them at a glance. There are several methods of stacking tricks; the first shown being probably the best.
When six have been taken by one side they are usually gathered together to form a book; any subsequently taken being laid apart, as they are the only ones that count. It is customary for the partner of the player winning the first trick on each side to gather the tricks for that deal. In some places it is the custom for the partner of the winner of each trick to gather it, so that at the end of the hand each player has tricks in front of him. Although this method saves time, the practice is not to be recommended, as it hinders the players in counting the tricks already gained by each side.
Immediately upon the completion of the play of a hand, the score should be claimed and marked. Any discussion of the play should be postponed until this has been attended to. The adversaries must detect and claim revokes before the cards are cut for the following deal.
The laws of whist should be carefully studied.
OBJECT OF THE GAME. The object of all whist play is to take tricks, of which there are thirteen in each hand or deal. The first six tricks taken by one side are called a book, and do not count; but each trick above that number counts one point towards game. The seventh trick is called the odd; and two or more over the book are called two, three, etc., by cards. At the conclusion of each hand, the side that has won any tricks in excess of the book, scores them; the opponents counting nothing. As soon as either side has scored the number of points previously agreed upon as a game, which must be 5, 7, or 10, the cards are again shuffled and spread for the choice of partners, etc., unless it has been agreed to play a rubber.
SCORING. There are several methods of scoring at whist. The English game is 5 points, rubbers being always played. Besides the points scored for tricks, honours are counted; the games have a different value, according to the score of the adversaries; and the side winning the rubber adds two points to its score.
In scoring, the revoke penalty counts first, tricks next, and honours last.
The Revoke. Should the adversaries detect and claim a revoke before the cards are cut for the following deal, they have the option of three penalties: 1st. To take three tricks from the revoking player, adding them to their own. 2nd. To deduct three points from his game score. 3rd. To add three points to their own game score. The penalty cannot be divided. A revoke may be corrected by the player making it before the trick in which it occurs has been turned and quitted. The card played in error must be left face up on the table, and must be played when demanded by the adversaries, unless it can be got rid of previously, in the course of play. In America, the revoke penalty is two tricks.
The Honours are the four highest trumps, A, K, Q, and J; and after tricks have been scored, partners who held three honours between them are entitled to count two points towards game; four honours counting four points. If each side has two honours, neither can count them. It is not enough to score them; after the last card has been played, they must be claimed by word of mouth. If they are not claimed before the trump is turned for the following deal, they cannot be scored. Partners who, at the beginning of a deal, are at the score of four, cannot count honours; they must get the odd trick to win the game. Should one side be out by tricks, and the other by honours, the tricks win the game, the honours counting nothing.
Rubber Points. At the conclusion of each game, the rubber points are scored, either with the oblong counters, or on the small keys of the whist-marker. If the winners of a game are five points to their adversaries’ nothing, they win a treble, and count three rubber points. If the adversaries have scored, but have one or two points only, the winners mark two points, for a double. If the adversaries have reached three or four, the winners mark one, for a single. The rubber points having been marked, all other scores are turned down. The side winning the rubber adds two points to its score for so doing. The value of the rubber is determined by deducting from the score of the winners any rubber points that may have been made by their adversaries. The smallest rubber possible to win is one point; the winners having scored two singles and the rubber, equal to four; from which they have to deduct a triple made by their adversaries. The largest rubber possible is eight points, called a bumper, the winners having scored two triples and the rubber, to their adversaries’ nothing.
It is sometimes important to observe the order of precedence in scoring. For instance: if, at the beginning of a hand, A-B have three points to Y-Z’s nothing, and A-B make two by honours, Y-Z winning three by cards, Y-Z mark first; so that A-B win only a single, instead of a treble. On the contrary, should A-B make two by cards, Y-Z claiming four by honours, A-B win a treble; as their tricks put them out before it is Y-Z’s turn to count.
In America, where rubbers are played without counting honours, it is not usual to reckon rubber points; but simply to add some agreed value to the score of those winning the odd game.
Where single games are played, whether 5, 7, or 10 points, some persons consider the game as finished when the agreed number of points is reached. Others play the last hand out, and count all the tricks made; so that if two partners were at the score of 6 in a 7-point game, and made five by cards, they would win a game of 11 points. When this is done, it is usual to deduct the score of the losers from the total, and to call the remainder the value of the game. In the American Whist League, the rule is to stop at seven points, and to determine the value of the game by deducting the loser’s score from seven.
When long sittings occur without change of partners or adversaries, it is a common practice to count the tricks continuously, and on the conclusion of the play, to deduct the lower score from the higher, the winners being credited with the difference.
CUTTING OUT. If rubbers are played, there is no change of partners, or of rotation in the deal, until one side has won two games, which ends the rubber. If the first two games are won by the same partners, the third is not played. If more than four players belong to the table, those who have just played cut to decide which shall give place to those waiting; those cutting the highest cards going out. If six belong to the table, there will be no further cutting out; as those who are out for one rubber re-enter for the next, taking the places of those who have played two consecutive rubbers. If five belong to the table, the three who remained in for the second rubber must cut to allow the fifth player to re-enter. At the end of the third rubber, the two cut that have not yet been out; and at the end of the fourth rubber, the one who has played every rubber goes out without cutting. After this, it is usual to spread the cards, and to form the table anew. In all the foregoing instances, partners and deal must be cut for, after the cut has decided which are to play.
MARKING. There are various methods of using the counters. At the beginning of the game they may be placed at the left hand, and transferred to the right as the points accrue. Another method is to stack the four circular counters one upon the other at the beginning of the game, and to count a point by placing one of them beside the others; two points by placing another upon the first; three points by placing a third beyond these two, and four points by placing them all in line.
Nothing. One. Two. Three. Four.
In the seven point game, the score is continued by placing one counter above, and to the right or left of the other three, to indicate five points; and above and between them to indicate six.
Five. Or this. Six.
When counters are not used, one of the standard forms of whist-marker is employed, the most legible and convenient being the “Foster Whist Marker,” in which the counting keys are always level with the surface and can be seen equally well from any position at the table.
The Foster Whist Marker.
The four large keys on one side are used to count single points, the single large key on the opposite side being reckoned as five. The three small keys are used for counting rubber points, or games.
In ten point games, the scoring to four points is the same; but beyond four, a single counter placed below two or more others, is reckoned as three; and above two or more others, as five.
Five. Six. Seven. Eight. Nine.
When proper markers are not obtainable, many persons cut eight slits in a visiting card, and turn up the points.
Visiting-Card Marker.
Whatever the apparatus employed, it should be such that every player at the table can distinctly see the state of the score without drawing attention to it.
METHODS OF CHEATING. Whist offers very few opportunities to the card-sharper. When honours are counted, he may be able to keep one on the bottom of the pack until the completion of the deal by making the pass after the cards have been cut. A greek who possessed sufficient skill to do this without detection would be very foolish to waste his talents at the whist table; for, however large the stakes, the percentage in his favour would be very small.
When whist is played with only one pack, a very skillful shuffler may gather the cards without disturbing the tricks, and, by giving them a single intricate shuffle, then drawing the middle of the pack from between the ends and giving another single intricate shuffle, he may occasionally succeed in dealing himself and his partner a very strong hand in trumps, no matter how the cards are cut, so that they are not shuffled again. A hand dealt in this manner is framed on the walls of the Columbus, Ohio, Whist Club; eleven trumps having been dealt to the partner, and the twelfth turned up. In this case the shuffling dexterity was the result of fifteen years’ practice, and was employed simply for amusement, the dealer never betting on any game, and making no concealment of his methods.
SUGGESTIONS FOR GOOD PLAY. Although whist is a game of very simple construction, the immense variety of combinations which it affords renders it very complicated in actual practice; there being probably no game in which there is so much diversity of opinion as to the best play, even with the same cards, and under similar conditions. It has been repeatedly remarked that in all the published hands at whist which have been played in duplicate, or even four times over, with the same cards, no two have been alike.
It would be useless to formulate rules intended to cover every case that might arise, because the conditions are frequently too complicated to allow the average human intellect to select the exact rule which would apply. All that can be done to assist the beginner is to state certain general principles which are well recognised as fundamental, and to leave the rest to experience and practice at the whist table.
GENERAL PRINCIPLES. Nothing obstructs the progress of the beginner so much as his attempts to cover all the ground at once. The more ambitious he is, the greater his necessity for keeping in view the maxim; “One thing at a time: all things in succession.” One must master the scales before he can produce the perfect melody.
The novice should first thoroughly understand the object, and the fundamental principle of the game.
The Object is to win tricks. Not to give information, or to count the hands, or to remember every card played; but simply and only to win tricks.
The Principle is to secure for certain cards a trick-taking value which does not naturally belong to them; either by getting higher cards out of the way of lower, or by placing the holder of intermediate cards at a disadvantage with regard to the lead.
If any person will take the trouble to deal out four hands, and after turning them face up on the table, count how many tricks each side will probably take with its high cards and trumps, he will find that the total will hardly ever be exactly thirteen tricks. Let us suppose the following to be one of the hands so dealt; Z turning up the ♡6 for trumps:—
On looking over this hand it would appear that A could only make one trick in Clubs, of which the second round would be trumped. His partner can count on five tricks: the two best and the fourth trumps; the ♢A, and the ♠K; a total of six tricks. On counting the adversaries’ probable tricks, Y should make one of his three trumps, and the ♠A. Diamonds will not go round twice without being trumped, so we cannot count on his ♢K. We cannot see any sure tricks for Z. Where are the five other tricks necessary to bring our total up to thirteen? They must be there, for there are thirteen tricks taken in every hand played.
If we play over the hand, we shall find that A-B may make six, seven, nine, or ten tricks, according to their good management, and the good or bad play of their adversaries. In Foster’s Whist Tactics, Illustrative Hand No. 13, may be found the various ideas of sixteen of the best players in the American Whist League with regard to the proper management of this hand. They played it in four different ways, and with very different results in the score.
This must show that the accidental distribution of the Aces, Kings, and trumps is not everything in whist, and that there must be ways and means of securing tricks which do not appear on the surface.
There are four ways of taking tricks at whist:
1st. By playing high cards, the suit of which the others must follow. This A does, in the example, on the first round of the Club suit.
2nd. By playing low cards, after the higher ones have been exhausted, and the adverse trumps are out of the way. This Y will do with his Diamonds, or A with his Clubs, according to circumstances.
3rd. By trumping winning cards played by the adversaries. This Y will do if Clubs are led a second time, or A will do if Diamonds are led twice.
4th. By being able to take tricks with cards which are not the best of the suit, the player who holds better cards having already played smaller. This B will do with the ♡10 if A leads trumps, and Y does not play either Q or J. If B leads trumps he will lose this advantage.
These four methods of winning tricks suggest four systems of play, which are those in common use by experts at the present day:
1st. Playing high cards to the best advantage, so as to secure the best results from such combinations as may be held. This is the basis of all systems of leading.
2nd. Leading from the longest suit, in order that higher cards may be forced out of the way of smaller ones, leaving the smaller ones “established,” or good for tricks after the adverse trumps are exhausted. This is called the long-suit game.
3rd. Trumping good cards played by the adversaries. This is called ruffing. When two partners each trump a different suit, it is called a cross-ruff, or saw.
4th. Taking advantage of the tenace possibilities of the hand by placing the lead with a certain player; or by avoiding the necessity of leading away from tenace suits. For example: A player holds A Q 10 of a suit, his right hand adversary holding K J 9. These are known as the major and minor tenaces. Whichever leads makes only one trick; but if the holder of the major tenace can get the suit led twice, he makes all. This is called the short-suit game, or finesse and tenace. Its resources may be added to by finessing against certain cards. For example: Holding A Q 3 of a suit led by the partner, to play Q is a finesse against fourth hand having the King.
Each of these systems has its advantages, and almost every hand will offer opportunities for practice in all of them.
The most important thing to impress on the beginner is that whist cannot be played by machinery. Some authorities would have us believe that certain theories alone are sound; that certain systems of play alone are good; and that if one will persevere in following certain precepts, in such matters as leading, management of trumps, etc., that the result will be more than average success at the whist table.
Nothing can be further from the truth. As in all other matters largely controlled by chance, there is no system, as a system, which will win at whist. One cannot succeed by slavish adherence to either the long or the short-suit game; by the invariable giving of information, or the continual playing of false cards. The true elements of success in whist lie in the happy combination of all the resources of long and short suits, of finesse and tenace, of candour and deception, continually adjusted to varying circumstances, so as to result in the adversaries’ losing tricks.
HOW TO STUDY WHIST. Any person, anxious to become an expert whist player, may attain to considerable proficiency in a short time, if he will content himself with mastering the following general principles one at a time; putting each into practice at the whist table before proceeding to the next.
The science of modern whist may be divided into two parts: 1st. Tactics; or the purely conventional rules for leading, second and third hand play, returning partner’s suits, etc., all of which may be learnt from books, or gathered from more experienced players. 2nd. Strategy; or the advantageous use of the information given by the conventional plays. This is largely dependent on personal ability to judge the situation correctly, and to select the methods of play best adapted to it.
CONVENTIONAL PLAYS. These may be divided into two parts: those used by the partners who attack, either with their strong suits, or by leading out trumps; and those employed by their adversaries, who are defending themselves against such suits, or wishing to prevent their trumps being drawn. We shall first consider the conventionalities used in attack.
Leading. The player with the original lead should have a double object in view; to secure the best results for his own hand, and to indicate to his partner where he is in need of assistance.
The first matter for his consideration will be whether to begin with a trump or with a plain suit. There are two principal uses for trumps. The most attractive to the beginner is that of ruffing the adversaries’ winning cards; and the most important to the expert is leading trumps to prevent this. No matter how strong or well established a plain suit may be, it is of uncertain value as long as the adversaries have any trumps with which to stop it. A suit is established when you can probably take every trick in it. If a player with a good established suit is sufficiently strong to make it probable that he can, with his partner’s assistance, exhaust the adverse trumps, he should do so by leading trumps. If they are probably stronger than he, he must force them, by leading the established suit which they will be compelled to trump, weakening their hands and gradually reducing their trump strength until it is possible to exhaust what remains by leading. It being to the advantage of the player with a good suit to exhaust the trumps, it must be desirable to his adversaries to keep theirs, if possible, for the purpose of ruffing this good suit.
Trumps are also useful as cards of re-entry, when a player has an established suit, but has not the lead; their most important use, however, is in defending or stopping established suits.
Rules for Leading Trumps. With five or more trumps, the beginner should always begin by leading them, regardless of the rest of his hand. With three or less he should never lead them, unless he has very strong cards in all the plain suits. With four trumps exactly, he should lead them if he has an established suit and a card of re-entry in another suit. A card of re-entry in plain suits is one which is pretty sure to win a trick, such as an Ace, or a guarded King. The following are examples of hands from which trumps should be led originally by a beginner;—
Hearts are trumps in every case.
| ♡ J 8 6 4 2; | ♣ K 3 2; | ♢ 10 9 2; | ♠ 7 5. |
| ♡ Q 10 2; | ♣ A K 5; | ♢ K Q 10 9; | ♠ A Q 3. |
| ♡ K J 8 3; | ♣ A K Q 10 7 3; | ♢ 3; | ♠ A 7. |
The following are examples of hands from which trumps should not be led:—
| ♡ A K Q; | ♣ J 8 7 5 3; | ♢ Q 4; | ♠ K 4 2. |
| ♡ Q J 10 2; | ♣ 5 2; | ♢ A K Q 2; | ♠ 6 4 3. |
| ♡ A Q 5 4; | ♣ K Q J 6 3; | ♢ A 9 2; | ♠ K. |
If at any later stage of the hand, a player finds himself with an established suit and a card of re-entry, he should lead trumps if he has four. For instance: The player with the last example should lead trumps if the first round of Clubs either forced the Ace out of his way, or found it with his partner.
Rules for Leading Plain Suits. It is safest for the beginner to select his longest suit for the original lead; unless he has a four-card suit which is much stronger. Length and high cards, the two elements of strength, are often very nearly balanced. In the following examples the player should begin with the longest suit:—
| ♡ A 4 3; | ♣ J 10 9 8 3; | ♢ A K Q; | ♠ K 2. |
| ♡ K 10 8 3; | ♣ 4 2; | ♢ K Q 10 8 2; | ♠ A Q. |
In the following the four-card suit should be selected:—
| ♡ J 3; | ♣ 6 5 4 3 2; | ♢ J 10 5 3; | ♠ Q 8. |
| ♡ Q 4 2; | ♣ 7; | ♢ 10 6 4 3 2; | ♠ A K Q 10. |
The principle which should guide in the selection of a plain suit for the original lead is, that if there are a number of small cards in one suit, and a few high cards in another, by leading the long suit first, the higher cards in it are forced out of the way, and the high cards in the shorter suit will then bring the holder of the established small cards into the lead again. But if the high cards of the short suit are first led, the long suit of small cards is dead.
Having determined whether to lead the trump or the plain suit, the next point is to select the proper card of the suit to lead. At first the beginner need not trouble himself about making any distinction between trumps and plain suits; that will come later.
Rules for Leading High Cards. Having a strong suit, but without cards of re-entry or trump strength to support it, the best policy is to make tricks while you can. With such a suit as A K Q 2, no one need be told not to begin with the deuce. Whenever a player holds two or more of the best cards of a suit he should play one of them. If he holds both second and third best, playing one of them will force the best out of his way, leaving him with the commanding card.
The cards which are recognised by whist players as high, are the A K Q J 10, and if we separate the various combinations from which a player should lead each of them, a study of the groups so formed will greatly facilitate our recollection of them.
In the first group are those containing two or more of the best cards. In this and all following notation, the exact size of any card below a Ten is immaterial.
So far as trick-taking is concerned, it is of no importance which of the winning cards is first led; but for the past hundred years it has been the custom for good whist players to lead the King from all these combinations, in order that the partner may be informed, by its winning, that the leader holds the Ace also.
In the second group are those containing both the second and third best, but not the best.
The King is the proper lead from these combinations. If it wins, the partner should have the Ace; if it loses, partner should know the leader holds at least the Queen.
Both these groups, which contain all the King leads, may be easily remembered by observing that the King is always led if accompanied by the Ace or Queen, or both. Beginners should follow this rule for leading the King, regardless of the number of small cards in the suit, unless they hold the sequence of K Q J, and at least two other cards.
From this combination the Jack is the usual lead, in order to invite partner to put on the Ace, if he has it, and get out of the way, thus establishing the suit in the leader’s hand. This is the only high-card combination from which the Jack is led.
There is only one combination from which the Queen is led, regardless of the number of the small cards.
This may be remembered by observing that there is no higher card in the suit than the one led, and that it contains a sequence of three cards, Q J 10. This lead is an indication to the partner that the leader holds neither Ace nor King.
There is only one combination from which the Ten is led, regardless of the number of small cards.
The Ten led is an indication to partner that both Ace and Queen are against the leader.
Combinations from which the Ace is led contain at least five cards in suit, or both Queen and Jack.
This lead is an indication to partner that the leader has not the King, and that the suit is either long, or contains three honours.
Rules for Leading Low Cards. If the suit selected for the lead contains none of the combinations from which a high card should be led, it is customary with good players to begin with the 4th-best, counting from the top of the suit. This is called the card of uniformity; because it indicates to the partner that there are remaining in the leader’s hand exactly three cards higher than the one led. From any of the following combinations the proper lead would be the Four:—
Rules for Leading Short Suits. It will sometimes happen that the only four-card suit in the leader’s hand will be trumps, which it is not desirable to lead. In such cases, if there is no high-card combination in any of the short suits, it is usual to lead the highest card, unless it is an Ace or King. Many good players will not lead the Queen from a three card suit, unless it is accompanied by the Jack. All such leads are called forced, and are intended to assist the partner, by playing cards which may strengthen him, although of no use to the leader. The best card should be led from any such combinations as the following:—
All these rules for leading apply equally to any position at the table when a player opens his own suit for the first time.
Rules for Leading Second Round. On the second round of any suit, the player holding the best card should play it; or having several equally the best, one of them. If he is Fourth Hand, he may be able to win the trick more cheaply.
If the original leader has several cards, equally the best, such as A Q J remaining after having led the King, he should continue with the lowest card that will win the trick. This should be an indication to his partner that the card led is as good as the best, and that therefore the leader must have the intermediate cards.
Following King, which has been led from these combinations:—
Leading the Jack on the second round would show both Ace and Queen remaining. Leading Queen would show Ace, but not the Jack. Leading Ace would show that the leader had not the Queen.
In combinations which do not contain the best card, the lead may be varied in some cases to show the number remaining in the leader’s hand, or to indicate cards not shown by the first lead.
Following King, which has been led from these combinations:—
Leading the Ten on the second round would show both Queen and Jack remaining. Leading the Jack would show the Queen; but not the ten.
Following the Jack, led from this combination:—
Leading King on the second round would show five cards in the suit originally. Leading the Queen would show more than five.
Following the Queen, led from this combination:—
Leading Jack on the second round shows the suit to have originally contained only four cards; the Ten would show more than four.
Following the Ace, led from these combinations:—
Leading the Queen shows the suit was short. Leading the Jack shows that it contained at least five cards.
When a player holds both the second and third-best of a suit on the second round, he should always play one of them, whether he is First, Second, or Third Hand. This protects him, by forcing the command of the suit, if it does not win the trick. Having led the Ten from K J 10 x, if the Ace or Queen wins the first trick, the K should be next led. Having led the Four from Q J 6 4 2, if Ace or King falls to the first trick, the Queen should be led. If the Jack, Queen, and Ace fall to the first trick, a player holding both Ten and Nine should lead the Ten.
After leading high cards from some combinations, and winning the trick, they may no longer contain either the best or the second and third best. Such are the following:—
The rule in all such cases is to follow with the card of uniformity, the original fourth-best.
If the combinations are those from which the fourth-best had been led originally, and the leader has neither the best, nor both second and third best to go on with, he should continue with the lowest card in his hand, unless he had six or more in suit; in which case he may go on with the remaining fourth-best.
AVOID CHANGING SUITS. A player having once begun with a suit, either for the purpose of establishing it, or of taking tricks in it, should not change it until he is forced to do so. Running off to untried suits is one of the beginner’s worst faults. There are five good reasons for changing suits, and unless one of them can be applied, the suit should be continued:
1st. In order to lead trumps to defend it.
2nd. In order to avoid forcing partner.
3rd. In order to avoid forcing both adversaries.
4th. Because it is hopeless, and there is some chance in another.
5th. To prevent a cross ruff, by leading trumps.
Simple Inferences from the fall of the cards usually supply the best guide in the matter of changing suits.
If the Jack is led from K Q J x x, and wins the trick, partner may be credited with the Ace; and if the original leader has four trumps, and a card of re-entry, he should quit his established suit, and lead trumps to defend it.
If the King and Ace have been led from A K x x, partner dropping the Queen on the second round, the suit should be changed, unless the original leader is strong enough to risk weakening his partner by forcing him to trump the third round. Four trumps are generally considered to be sufficiently strong to justify a force in this position. Some players will force, even with a weak hand, if the two cards played by the partner are small, and he has not availed himself of an artifice known as calling for trumps, which we shall consider presently.
If the King and Ten have been led from K Q J 10, and on the second round one adversary has dropped the Eight, the other the Nine; the suit should be changed, as partner must have the Ace, and neither of the adversaries have any more. To lead such a suit again is called forcing both adversaries; as it allows one to make a small trump and the other to get rid of a losing card.
If the Four has been led from J 8 6 4, and the adversaries have won the first trick with the Nine or Ten, A K Q must be against the leader and his partner, and the suit should be abandoned as hopeless, unless it is feasible to force the partner.
If at any time there is a strong indication that the adversaries will have a cross-ruff, it is usually best to stop leading plain suits, and attempt to get out the trumps.
THE LEADER’S PARTNER, or the Third Hand, has several conventional plays to remember; the most important of which are the following:
When Partner Leads High Cards, the Third Hand has usually little to do but to play his lowest of the suit. The exceptions are:
If he holds A J alone, on a King led, the Ace should be played.
If he holds A Q alone on a Ten led, the Ace should be played. With A Q x, the Ten should be passed. With Ace and small cards, the Ace should be played on the Ten. With Queen and small cards the Ten should be passed. When Third Hand plays Queen on a Ten led, it should be a certainty that he has no more of the suit.
If he holds A K and only one small card, the King should be played on a Queen led.
If he holds Ace and only one small card, the Ace should be played on the Jack led. If Third Hand has four trumps and a card of re-entry, the Ace should be played on Jack led, regardless of number, in older to lead trumps at once, to defend the suit.
When Partner Leads Low Cards, the Third Hand should do his best to secure the trick. If he has several cards of equal trick-taking value, such as A K Q, or K Q J, he should win the trick as cheaply as possible. The only finesse permitted to the Third Hand in his partner’s suit, is the play of the Queen, when he holds A Q and others; the odds being against Fourth Hand having the King.
Foster’s Eleven Rule. By deducting from eleven the number of pips on any low card led, the Third Hand may ascertain how far his partner’s suit is from being established. For instance: if the card led is the Seven, Second Hand playing the Eight, and Third Hand holding A J 6 3, from which he plays Ace, Fourth Hand playing the Five; the only card against the leader must be the King or Queen; he cannot have both, or he would have led one. If the Second Hand has not the missing card, he has no more of the suit. The number of inferences which may be made in this manner by observant players is astonishing. A great many examples and exercises in them are given in Foster’s Whist Manual.
Third Hand having None of the Suit, should trump anything but an Ace or a King on the first round. On the second round, if there is only one card against the leader, his partner should pass with four trumps, and allow the suit to be established. For instance: If the leads have been Ace, then Jack, Third Hand holding only one of the suit; he should pass if the Second Hand does not play King.
Third Hand on Strengthening Cards. Unless Third Hand has both Ace and King of the suit, he should pass any forced or strengthening lead which is not covered by the Second Hand. This obliges the Fourth Hand to open another suit, or to continue at a disadvantage.
Third Hand winning first round has the choice of four lines of play:
1st. To lead trumps, if he is strong enough.
2nd. To return the best card of his partner’s suit if he has it. This is imperative before opening any other suit but trumps.
3rd. To lead his own suit, if he can do anything with it. It is considered better play for the Third Hand to return the original leader’s suit than to open a long weak suit of his own such as one headed by a single honour.
4th. To return his partner’s suit even with a losing card, in preference to changing.
When the original lead is a trump, it should be returned in every case, either immediately, or as soon as the player can obtain the lead.
The same reasons for changing suits as those given for the original leader will apply to the Third Hand.
RULES FOR RETURNING PARTNER’S SUITS. When the original leader’s suit is returned by his partner, either immediately or upon his regaining the lead, it is usual to show, if possible, how many cards remain in the Third Hand, so that by adding them to his own, the leader may estimate the number held by his adversaries. This consideration is secondary to the return of the best, or one of the second and third best; but in the absence of such cards, the Third Hand should always return the higher of only two remaining, and the lowest of three or more, regardless of their value.
In addition to the foregoing conventionalities, which are proper to the leader of a suit and his partner, there are two usages which apply equally to any player at the table. These are discarding and forcing.
Discarding. When a player cannot follow suit, and does not wish to trump, his safest play is to discard whatever seems of least use to him. It is not considered good play to unguard a King or to leave an Ace alone; but this may be done if the partner is leading trumps, and there is a good established suit to keep. Beginners should be careful to preserve cards of re-entry, even if they have to discard from their good suit in order to do so.
When the adversaries have shown strength in trumps, or are leading them, there is little use in keeping a long suit together. It is much better to keep guard on the suits in which they are probably strong, letting your own and your partner’s go.
A player having full command of a suit, may show it to his partner by discarding the best card of it. Discarding the second-best is an indication that the player has not the best; and in general, the discard of any small card shows weakness in that suit.
Forcing. We have already observed that a player who is weak himself should not force his partner. An exception may be made in cases where he has shown weakness, or has had a chance to lead trumps and has not done so. On the contrary, an adversary should not be forced unless he has shown strength, or the player forcing him is weak. The hope of a player with a good suit is to defend it by leading and exhausting the trumps. His adversary tries to keep his trumps in order to stop that suit; at the same time forcing the strong hand, by leading cards which he must trump, hoping that such a force may so weaken him that he will be unable to continue the trump lead.
It is usually very difficult to convince the beginner that the weaker he is himself, the more reason he has for forcing the adversaries to trump his good cards. He is constantly falling into the error of changing from a good suit, which the adversaries cannot stop without trumping, to a weak suit, which allows them to get into the lead without any waste of trump strength. If an adversary refuses to trump a suit, it is imperative to keep on with it until he does; for it is always good play to force an adversary to do what he does not wish to do.
Any person may convince himself of the soundness of this theory of forcing, by giving himself the six highest cards in any suit, three small cards in the others, and four trumps; giving another player the four best trumps, and nine of the highest cards in two suits. If the first player forces the second with his good suit, and continues every time he gets the lead, he must win six tricks; if he does not, the second player makes a slam.
A deliberate force from a partner should always be accepted, if he is a good player.
We may now turn our attention to the conventionalities used by players who are opposed to the establishment of suits in the hands of the leader and his partner. These are divided between the Second and the Fourth Hand, the former being the more important. Generally speaking, they are the tactics of defence.
SECOND HAND PLAY. The player who is second to play on any trick is called the Second Hand. It is his duty to protect himself and his partner, as far as possible, in the adversaries’ strong suits. The chief point for the beginner to observe in Second Hand play, is the difference between the circumstances requiring him to play high cards, and those in which he should play low ones.
High Cards Led. When a card higher than a Ten is led on the first round of a suit, the Second Hand has usually nothing to do but to play his lowest card, and make what inference he can as to the probable distribution of the suit. But if he holds the Ace, or cards in sequence with it, such A K, he should cover any card higher than a Ten. If he holds K Q he should cover a J, 10, or 9 led; but it is useless for him to cover an honour with a single honour, unless it is the Ace.
Low Cards Led. High cards are played by the Second Hand when he has any combination from which he would have led a high one if he had opened the suit. The fact that a player on his right has already laid a small card of the suit on the table should not prevent the Second Hand from making the best use of any combinations he may hold. The only difference between leading from such combinations, and playing them Second Hand, is that in the latter case no attempt is made to indicate to the partner the exact nature of the combination held. The general rule is to win the trick as cheaply as possible, by playing the lowest of the high cards which form the combination from which a high card would be led. Such are the following:—
The beginner must be careful with these:—
The combination which makes the first of these a high-card lead is the A K, and the King must be played Second Hand. The Jack has nothing to do with it. In the second, the Ten does not form any part of the combination, and the Queen is the card to play Second Hand. Some players will not play a high card second hand with K Q x x unless weak in trumps.
An exception is generally made with these combinations, from which the proper lead is the Ace.
Many will not play Ace Second Hand in any case, and will play the Queen with the first combination only when they are weak in trumps. The reason for this exception is the importance of retaining command of the adverse suit as long as possible.
On the Second Round, the Second Hand should follow the usual rule for playing the best of the suit if he holds it; or one of the second and third best, if he holds them. He should also be careful to estimate, by the eleven rule, how many cards are out against the leader, which will sometimes guide him to a good finesse. For instance: first player leads Ace, then Eight. If the Second Hand holds K J 9 2, instead of playing the best card to the second round, which would be King, he should finesse the Nine.
With Short Suits. When Second Hand holds such short-suit combinations as:—
and a small card is led, his proper play is one of the high cards, because he cannot save both of them.
On Strengthening Cards Led. This is a difficult point for the beginner, and his best plan is to follow the rules already given for covering cards higher than the Ten. One of the most common errors is to cover a Jack led with a Queen, when holding A Q and others. The Ace should be put on invariably. To play the Queen in such a position is called finessing against yourself.
Singly Guarded Honours. Many players put on the King Second Hand, if they hold only one small card with it, and a small card is led. This will win the trick as often as it will lose it; but it betrays the hand to the adversary, and enables him to finesse deeply if the suit is returned. It may be done in order to get the lead, and in trumps the practice is very common, and generally right. With Queen and only one small card, it can be demonstrated that it is useless to play the Queen Second Hand, except as an experiment, or to get the lead in desperate cases.
With any combination weaker than J 10 x, it is useless to attempt to win the trick Second Hand, and only makes it difficult for the partner to place the cards correctly.
The Fourchette. When the Second Hand has cards immediately above and below the one led, he should cover. The beginner may have some difficulty in recognising the fact that he holds fourchette if the suit has been round once or twice, and the intermediate cards have been played. Such cards as a Queen and a Seven may be fourchette over a Nine, if Jack, Ten and Eight have been played.
Second Hand Having None of the suit led, on either first or second round, must decide whether or not to trump it. If the card led is the best of the suit, he should certainly do so; but if it is not, and there is any uncertainty as to who will win the trick, it is usual for the Second Hand to pass when he has four trumps. With five trumps, there should be some good reason for keeping the trumps together, as a player with so many can usually afford to trump. If he does not trump, his play comes under the rules for discarding.
FOURTH-HAND PLAY. The Fourth Hand is the last player in any trick. He is the partner of the Second Hand, but has not so many opportunities for the exercise of judgment, his duties being simply to win tricks if he can, and as cheaply as possible. If he cannot win the trick, he should play his lowest card.
A bad habit of Fourth-Hand players is holding up the tenace A J when a King or Queen is led originally. This is called the Bath Coup, and the suit must go round three times for it to succeed in making two tricks. The holder of the tenace should equally make two tricks by playing the Ace at once, provided he does not lead the suit back.
The Turn-up Trump. When trumps are led by the adversaries, it is a common practice to play the turn-up as soon as possible, unless it is a valuable card. On the contrary, it is usual to keep it as long as possible when the partner leads trumps.
Changing Suits. If the Second or Fourth Hand wins the first or second round of the adversaries’ suit, it is seldom right to return it, as that would probably be playing their game. The player should open his own suit, as if he were the original leader. If he is strong enough to lead trumps under ordinary circumstances, he may be deterred from so doing if the adversaries have declared a strong suit against him. The same consideration may prevent his leading trumps in the hope of making a suit of his own, as the adversaries might reap the benefit by bringing in their suit instead. On the contrary, when the Second or Fourth Hand holds command of the adverse suit, they may often risk a trump lead which would otherwise be injudicious. Having once started a suit, it should not be changed, except for one of the reasons already given for the guidance of the First Hand.
When the Adversaries Lead Trumps, and the Second Hand has a chance either to establish a suit against them or to force his partner, he should stop the trump lead if he can. If his partner has led trumps, the Second Hand should generally play his winning cards on his right hand opponent’s plain-suit leads, to stop them; and continue the trumps.
These are about all the conventionalities necessary for the beginner. After at least a year’s practice with them, he will either discover that he has no aptitude for the game, or will be ready to go into further details. A beginner who attempts to handle the weapons of the expert simply plays with edged tools, which will probably cut no one but himself and his partner.
THE SIGNAL GAME. Having become thoroughly familiar with the elementary conventionalities of the game, so that they can be used without the slightest hesitation at the whist table, the player may proceed to acquaint himself with the details of what is commonly known as the Signal Game, which comprises all the various methods of signalling up hands between partners, according to certain arbitrary and pre-arranged systems of play. Many players object to these methods as unfair; but they are now too deeply rooted to yield to protest; and the best thing for a player to do is to familiarise himself with his adversaries’ weapons.
The Trump Signal. A player anxious to have trumps led, but who has no immediate prospect of the lead, may call on his partner to lead trumps at the first opportunity, by playing any two cards of a suit led, the higher before the lower. Let us suppose him to hold five good trumps, with the Six and Two of a suit of which his partner leads King, then Jack. By playing first the Six, and then the Two, he calls upon his partner to quit the suit, and lead a trump.
Among some players, the lead of a strengthening card when an honour is turned, is a call for trumps to be led through that honour at the first opportunity, but it is not good play.
Passing a certain winning card is regarded by most players as an imperative call for trumps.
The discard of any card higher than a Seven is known as a single-card-call. Even if it was not so intended, it is assumed that a trump lead cannot injure a player with nothing smaller than a Nine in his hand.
Answering Trump Signals. In response to partner’s call, a player should lead the best trump if he holds it; one of the second and third best if he holds them; the highest of three or less; the lowest of four; and the fourth-best of more than four. Holding any of the regular high-card combinations in trumps, he should lead them in the regular way in answer to a call.
After a Force. If the player is forced before he can answer the call, he may indicate the number of trumps originally held by playing them in this manner:—
With 3 or less; trumping with the lowest; leading the highest.
With 4 exactly; trumping with the 3rd-best; leading the highest.
With 5 or more; trumping with the 3rd-best; leading the 4th-best.
These methods of taking the force must not be carried to extremes. For instance: A player holding K J 10 2, would hardly be justified in trumping with the 10 to show number. Some experts, holding the best trump with at least four others, will not lead it; preferring to show number first, by leading the fourth-best. Others, holding four, lead the lowest after trumping with the third-best.
The Echo in Trumps. When the partner leads high trumps, the Third Hand should echo with four or more, by signalling in the trump suit. The universal form of the echo is to play first the third-best, then the fourth-best. When a player has called, and his partner leads, it is unnecessary for the caller to echo. Players seldom echo on adverse trump leads, even with five trumps.
The Four-Signal. There are several ways of showing four or more trumps without asking partner to lead them. Among some players the original lead of a strengthening card is an evidence of four trumps, and is called an Albany Lead. A player holding three cards of any plain suit, such as the 3, 4, 5, may show the number of his trumps by playing these small cards as follows:—
| No of trumps. | 1st trick. | 2nd trick. | 3rd trick. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 or less | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| 4 exactly | 4 | 5 | 3 |
| 5 ” | 4 | 3 | 5 |
| 6 ” | 5 | 3 | 4 |
| 7 or more | 5 | 4 | 3 |
The second of these is the four-signal; the last three are trump signals. They are used only in following suit.
The four-signal is sometimes used in the trump suit as a Sub-echo, to show three trumps exactly.
Apart from signalling, trump strength may often be inferred, especially from player’s passing doubtful tricks, forcing their partners, etc.
Trump Suit Leads. When trumps are not led for the purpose of exhausting them immediately, but simply as the longest suit, the fourth-best may be led from the following:—
If the Ten accompanies the King and Queen, in the third combination, it is best to adhere to the usual lead of the King.
In leading trumps from combinations containing a winning sequence, such as the following:—
many players begin with the lowest of the winning cards, continuing with the next above it.
Speculative Trump Leads. The whist player will often find himself with a single good suit, a card of re-entry, and few trumps. Certain conditions of the score may prompt him to make a speculative trump lead from such a hand. If his trumps are high, such as A K x, he may safely begin by leading them; but if they are weak, and he is depending largely on his partner’s possible strength, he should show his suit first by leading it once.
Over-trumping is generally regarded as bad policy when a player has a good suit, and sufficient trump strength to justify him in hoping to do something with it. The refusal to over-trump, unless the trump played is a high one, should be regarded by the partner as a call.
It is sometimes necessary to over-trump partner in order to get the lead. For instance: A player holds the two best trumps, and all winning cards of a plain suit, while the player on his right has a losing trump. In such a position the player with the two best trumps should trump any winning card his partner leads, or over trump him if he trumps, so as to prevent the adversary from making that losing trump.
Under-trumping, or the Grand Coup, is playing a low trump on a trick that partner has already trumped with a higher, in order to avoid the lead. For instance: A player holds major tenace in trumps with a small one, and knows that the minor tenace is on his right. Four cards remain in each hand. The player on the left leads; Second Hand trumps; Third Hand follows suit. If the Fourth Hand keeps his three trumps, he must win the next trick, and lose the advantage of his tenace.
A player will sometimes have the best card in two suits, and a small trump, and will know that the two best trumps and an unknown card are on his right. If the missing suit is led, and the player on the right trumps, his unknown card must be one of the two other suits, and the player with the command of them should keep both, and throw away his small trump. The discards on the next trick may enable him to determine the suit of the losing card on his right.
The Last Trump. If two players have an equal number of trumps, each of them having an established suit, it will be the object of both to remain with the last trump, which must bring in the suit. The tactics of each will be to win the third round of trumps; and then, if the best trump is against him, to force it out with the established suit, coming into the lead again with the last trump. So often is it important to win the third round of trumps that few good players will win the second round, unless they can win the third also. With an established suit, a card of re-entry, and four trumps King high, a player should lead trumps; but if his partner wins the first round and returns a small trump, the King should not be put on, no matter what Second Hand plays, unless the card next below the King is fourchette. Some of the most brilliant endings in whist are skirmishes for the possession of the last trump; the player who is at a disadvantage often persistently refuses the fatal force, hoping the leader will be compelled to change his suit, or will lose the lead.
Drawing the Losing Trump. It is usually best to draw losing trumps from the adversaries, unless a player can foresee that he may want the best to stop a strong adverse suit.
A Thirteenth Card, played by the partner, is usually considered an invitation to put on the best trump. The Second Hand should not trump a thirteenth card unless he is weak in trumps.
AMERICAN LEADS. Advanced players, who have had so much practice that they can infer the probable position of the cards without devoting their entire attention to it, have adopted a new system of leading from the four combinations following, in order to show the number of small cards in the suit:—
From these the King is never led if there are more than four cards in the suit. Having more than four, the lowest of the sequence of high cards is led. From the first this would be the Jack; from the second the Queen; from the third the Ace, (because the King is barred;) and from the fourth the Queen. The Ten is not ranked among the high cards in American Leads.
On the second round, with the first two combinations, the difference between a suit of five or one of six cards may be indicated by following with the Ace if five were held originally; the King, if more than five. Seven cards may be shown with the first combination, by leading the Queen on the second round.
The chief difference these leads make in the play of the Third Hand is that he should not trump any court card led, even if weak in trumps. The misunderstanding as to the meaning of the first lead, especially if it is a Queen, often occasions confusion and loss; but this is claimed to be offset by the value of the information given. Some lead 10 from Q J 10; 4th-best from K J 10.
To the adversaries these leads are often of value, as they are frequently enabled to place the cards very accurately from the information given by the lead itself, regardless of the fall of the cards from the other hands. For instance: Second Hand holds A J of a suit in which King is led; Third Hand plays the Four; Fourth Hand plays the Nine. The leader remains with Q 3 2; Third Hand still has 8 7 6 5; and if he has also the 10, Fourth Hand has no more. Again: The leader shows a suit of six; Second Hand holding two only. If the suit is led a third time it is a doubtful trick, and with four trumps the Second Hand should pass. If the leader shows the exact number of the suit originally led, and then changes to a four-card suit, the adversaries know at least nine of his cards.
So obvious is this that it is an almost invariable rule for a player, on quitting his suit, to conceal the length of the second suit led by leading the highest card of a short suit.
If it were allowable to exercise some judgment in using these leads, they might not be open to so many objections; but they are worse than useless unless the partner can depend on their being uniformly adopted.
The Minneapolis Lead. This is another variation in the leads, which is confined to one combination; that of Ace and any four other cards, not including the King. With strength in trumps the fourth-best is led instead of the Ace, the theory being that the Ace is more likely to be valuable on the second or third round of such a suit than on the first, and that the trump strength justifies the finesse of the original lead. With weak trumps the Ace is led. Some players extend this principle to the Second Hand, and play Ace on a small card led, when holding A x x x x with weak trumps. This is open to the objection that it gives up command of the adverse suit too early in the hand; but it saves many a trick.
The Plain-suit Echo. This is another device for giving information as to number. When the original leader begins with a high card, the Third Hand should play his third-best if he holds four or more; and on the second round his second best, always retaining his fourth-best and any below it. The value of this echo is much disputed, and the adversaries can usually render it ineffective by holding up small cards; a practice very much in vogue with advanced players.
Low’s Signal. This is the latest system of indicating to the leader the number of cards in his suit held by the Third Hand. With four or more of the suit, the third-best is played to the lead of a high card, or when no attempt is made to win the trick. In retaining the suit, the second-best is led if three or more remain, and on the third round, or in a discard, the highest is played, always retaining the fourth-best and those below it. For instance: With the 8 7 5 2 of a suit which partner leads, the 5 is played to the first round. If the suit is returned, the 7 is played; and next time the 8. Holding only three originally, the lowest is played to the first round, and the higher of two returned, in the usual way. The chief value of this signal is that the return of the lowest of a suit shows absolutely no more, instead of leaving the original leader in doubt as to whether it is the only one, or the lowest of three remaining. It is also a great exposer of false cards.
Discard Signalling is another method of indicating plain suits. When a player is known to have no trumps, and therefore cannot be calling for them, he may use the trump signal in any plain suit which he wishes led to him. As a general rule, a player should not use this signal unless he has a certain trick in the suit in which he signals. Some players use what is called the reverse discard; a signal in one suit meaning weakness in it, and an invitation to lead another. This avoids the necessity for using the good suit for signalling purposes.
Unblocking. When the original leader shows a suit of five cards, and the Third Hand has four exactly, the latter should keep his lowest card, not for the purpose of echoing, but in order to retain a small card which will not block the holder of the longer suit. If the Third Hand has three cards of the suit led, and among them a card which may block his partner, he should give it up on the second round. For instance: Holding K 4 3, and partner showing a five-card suit by leading Ace then Jack, Third Hand should give up the King on the second round. Again: Holding Q 9 3, partner leading Ace then Eight; Second Hand playing King second round, Third Hand should give up the Queen. Again: Holding K Q, partner leading the 8 originally, won by Fourth Hand with Ace; the King should be discarded or otherwise got rid of at the first opportunity.
Short-suit Leads. Many players will not lead a long weak suit unless they have sufficient strength to justify them in hoping to establish, defend, and bring it in, with reasonable support from the partner. With a long suit, headed by a single honour, weak trumps, and no cards of re-entry, they prefer selecting a strengthening card for the original lead, hoping it may be of some assistance to partner by affording a successful finesse. It is claimed that it is better for a person, especially with a strong hand, to play with the knowledge that his partner is weak, than under the impression that he may be strong. Such an opening lead should warn the Third Hand to finesse deeply, to hold any tenaces he may have, and to let nothing pass him which might be too much for his weak partner to attend to. This is a very difficult game to play well, and is seldom resorted to except by the most expert.
Deschapelles Coups. It often happens that after the adverse trumps are exhausted, a player will find himself with the lead, but unable to give his partner a card of his established suit. In such cases the best course is to sacrifice the King or Queen of any suit of which he has not the Ace, in the hope that it may force the best of the suit, and leave partner with a card of re-entry. For instance: The leader has established the Club suit; his partner has exhausted the trumps, Hearts; and having no Clubs, leads the King of Spades from K x x x. If the holder of the Club suit has Spade Queen, and the King forces the Ace, the Club suit will be brought in. If he has not the Queen, the Clubs are probably hopeless. The coup risks a trick to gain several.
Players should be careful not to fall into this trap in the end-game; and it is generally right to hold up the Ace if the circumstances are at all suspicious.
Tenace Positions. Many expert players will not lead away from a suit in which they hold tenace. Having two suits, one containing a tenace, and the other without it, they will select the latter, although it may be much weaker. It is noteworthy that players who disregard the value of holding a tenace in the opening lead, are well aware of its importance toward the end of the hand. When one player holds tenace over another, the end game often becomes a struggle to place the lead; and players frequently refuse to win tricks in order to avoid leading away from tenaces, or to compel another player to lead up to them.
Underplay is often resorted to by the Fourth Hand in suits in which the Third Hand has shown weakness. For instance: A small card is led; Third Hand playing the Ten, and Fourth Hand holding A Q J x. It is a common artifice to win with the Queen, and return the small card. When the original leader is underplayed in his own suit, he should invariably put up his best card.
Finessing. The expert may finesse much more freely than the beginner. Having led from such a suit as K J x x and partner having won with Ace and returned a small card, the Jack may be finessed with strong trumps. If the adversaries lead trumps, and the Ace wins the first round, a player holding the King second hand on the return, may finesse by holding it up, trusting his partner for the trick.
In all cases that mark the best of the suit against a player, and on his left, he may finesse against the third best being there also. For instance: A player leads from K 10 x x x. Third Hand plays Queen and returns a small card. The Ten should be finessed, regardless of trump strength, as the Ace must be on the left, and the finesse is against the Jack being there also. Many varieties of this finesse occur.
Placing the Lead. This is usually a feature of the end-game A player may have an established suit, his adversary being the only person with any small cards of it. If the lead can be placed in the hand of this adversary, he must eventually lead the losing cards.
A player begins with a weak suit of four cards, on the first round of which it is evident that his partner has no more, the adversaries having all the high cards. The suit is not played again, and for the last six tricks the original leader finds himself with three cards of it, and the Q x x of another suit. If the adversaries play King and Ace of the latter suit, the Queen should be given up, trusting partner for the Jack, for the Queen will force the holder of the three losing cards into the lead. It is sometimes necessary to throw away an Ace in order to avoid the lead at critical stages of the end-game.
False Cards. It requires more than ordinary skill to judge when a false card will do less harm to the partner than to the adversaries. There are some occasions for false-card play about which there is little question. Having a sequence in the adverse suit, the Second or Fourth Hand may win with the highest card, especially if the intention is to lead trumps. Holding K Q only, Second Hand may play the King, especially in trumps. Holding A K x, the Fourth Hand should play Ace on a Queen led by an American leader. With such a suit as K J 10 x, after trumps have been exhausted, the Ten is not a safe lead; Jack or fourth-best is better. Holding up the small cards of adverse suits is a common stratagem; and it is legitimate to use any system of false-carding in trumps if it will prevent the adversaries who have led them from counting them accurately.
Playing to the Score. The play must often be varied on account of the state of the score, either to save or win the game in the hand. If the adversaries appear to be very strong, and likely to go out on the deal, all conventionalities should be disregarded until the game is saved; finesses should be refused, and winning cards played Second Hand on the first round. If the adversaries are exhausting the trumps, it will often be judicious for a player to make what winning cards he has, regardless of all rules for leading, especially if they are sufficient to save the game.
It often happens that the same cards must be played in different ways according to the state of the score, and the number of tricks in front of the player. A simple example will best explain this. Hearts are trumps; you hold two small ones, two better being out against you, but whether in one hand or not you cannot tell. You have also two winning Spades, one smaller being still out. The game is seven-point whist. The importance of playing to the score will be evident if you consider your play in each of the following instances, your score being given first:
- Score 6 to 6; you have 5 tricks in front of you.
- Score 6 to 6; you have 4 tricks in front of you.
- Score 6 to 5; you have 4 tricks in front of you.
- Score 5 to 4; you have 5 tricks in front of you.
INFERENCES. The great strength of the expert lies in his ability to draw correct inferences from the fall of the cards, and to adapt his play to the circumstances.
Inferences from the various systems of leads and returns are too obvious to require further notice; but attention may be called to some that are often overlooked, even by advanced players:
If a suit led is won by Third Hand with King or Ace; and the original leader wins the second round with King or Ace, the adversaries must have the Queen.
If the Third Hand plays Ace first round, he has neither King nor Queen. If he plays Queen on a Ten led, he has no more. If he plays Ace on a King led, he has the Jack alone, or no more.
If the Second Hand plays King first round on a small card led, he has Ace also, or no more. If he plays Ace under the same conditions, he has no more. [See Minneapolis Lead.]
If a suit is led, and neither Third nor Fourth Hand has a card in it above a Nine, the original leader must have A Q 10, and the second player K J. When neither Third nor Fourth Hand holds a card above the Ten, the major and minor tenaces are divided between the leader and the Second Hand. If it can be inferred that the leader held five cards in the suit originally, he holds the minor tenace.
When a player, not an American leader, begins with a Jack and wins the trick, the adversaries may conclude that his partner had two small cards with the Ace, and had not four trumps and another winning card.
When a good player changes his suit, he knows that it will not go round again, or that the command is against him. This is often a valuable hint to the adversaries. When he quits his original suit and leads trumps, without his partner having called, the adversaries may conclude that the suit has been established.
When a player puts Ace on his partner’s Jack led, and does not lead trumps, the adversaries may count on him for only one small card of the suit led.
When an adversary finesses freely, he may be credited with some strength in trumps.
When a player changes his suit, the adversaries should note carefully the fall of the cards in the new suit. As already observed, the leader almost invariably opens the new suit with the best he has. Suppose a player to lead two winning cards in one suit, and then the Eight of another, which the Second Hand wins with the Ten; The four honours in the second suit must be between the Second and Fourth Hands.
Having won the first or second round of the adverse suit, and having no good suit of his own, the Second or Fourth Hand may be able to infer a good suit with his partner, by the play. For instance: A player opens Clubs, showing five, his partner wins second round, and opens the Diamond suit with the Jack, on which Second Hand plays Ace, his partner dropping the 9. Having now the lead, and no good suit, it is evident that the play should be continued on the assumption that partner is all Spades and trumps.
THE AMERICAN GAME. Since the revolt against the invariable opening from the longest suit, which was the style of game advocated by the old school of Pole and “Cavendish,” many systems have been tried out by the various clubs that meet at our national tournaments. E.C. Howell was the first to attempt to set the short-suit game in order, but his methods have long since been superseded by more elastic tactics.
The fundamental principle of the short-suit game, as first explained to the world by the New York Sun, is to use the original or opening lead to indicate the general character of the hand rather than any details of the individual suit. In the long-suit game the original leader is always assuming that his partner may have something or other, and playing on that supposition. The short-suit player indicates the system of play best adapted to his own hand, without the slightest regard to the possibilities of his partner. It is the duty of the partner to indicate his hand in turn, and to shape the policy of the play on the combined indications of the two.
This does not mean that the player shall always lead a short suit, but that he should combine the best features of both systems, without slavish adherence to either. This idea has been brought to perfection in practice by the famous American Whist Club of Boston, and under the able leadership of its captain, Harry H. Ward, it has demonstrated that he can take any kind of a team and beat any of the old style long-suit players, no matter how skilful they may be. The following is a brief outline of the American game, as given by Captain Ward in Whist for May, 1906:—
Five-trump Hands. With five trumps, and the suits split, 3, 3, 2, we always open a trump, unless we have a tenace over the turn-up card. From five trumps and a five-card plain suit, we open the suit if it is one that will require some help to establish; otherwise the trump. From five trumps with a four-card plain suit, we open the trump with hands of moderate strength; otherwise the plain suit.
Four-trump Hands. From four-trump hands we invariably open a suit of five cards or more, but prefer to avoid a four-card suit headed by a single honor. These are the suits in which the best chance for a single trick usually occurs when the suit is led by some one else. For example: Hearts trumps:—
| ♡ 8 7 6 3 | ♣ 9 8 | ♢ K 8 3 2 | ♠ K 4 2 |
The best opening from such a hand is the club nine.
When forced to open single-honor suits, the lead of the lowest card shows an honor as good as the Queen, while the lead of an intermediate card denies such an honor, as in the following examples: hearts trumps:—
| ♡ 10 8 3 2 | ♣ K 6 | ♢ Q 7 6 4 | ♠ Q 5 4 |
From this we should lead the four of diamonds; but holding
| ♡ 10 8 3 2 | ♣ K 6 | ♢ J 8 7 4 | ♠ Q 5 4 |
we should lead the seven of diamonds.
From hands containing four trumps and three three-card suits, we use our own judgment, sometimes leading the trump, and sometimes a plain suit. We prefer the plain suit if it is a desirable one to open, such as hearts trumps:—
| ♡ K 8 3 2 | ♣ J 10 4 | ♢ A 10 3 | ♠ 8 4 3 |
From this we would open the Jack of clubs; but from
| ♡ K 8 3 2 | ♣ J 3 2 | ♢ A 10 3 | ♠ Q 6 3 |
we should lead the deuce of trumps. If in this hand the club suit were Q J 3, the Queen of clubs would be the best opening.
It may seem paradoxical that a weaker hand should call for a trump lead; but the opening is not an attack. It is a move to await developments.
Three-trump Hands. From hands containing three trumps or less, our opening leads vary from the ordinary player’s game more than in any other particular. We always open a long suit from three-trump hands if the suit is a good one, such as A K and others, K Q and others, or even Q J and others. But without such strength in the long suit, we let it severely alone, and develop the hand with a short-suit or “gambit” opening.
With three trumps and a five-card suit containing two honors not in sequence, we still open the long suit if we have a sure re-entry in another suit. This, for example, hearts trumps:—
| ♡ K 6 2 | ♣ 8 6 2 | ♢ A Q 6 4 3 | ♠ A 10 |
The trey of diamonds is the best opening. If there were no re-entry, such as only 10 2 of spades instead of A 10, we should open the 10 of spades.
Although we open a great many short suits, we avoid weak three-card suits except in rare instances.
While our system, like all others, entails losses at times, it seems to avoid many of the pitfalls that confront the player who always opens his long suit, regardless of the possibilities of ever bringing it in. In many instances we find he places himself in the worst possible position for any chance to make even one trick in the suit he opens.
We admit that if a team adopts straight American leads, it is much easier for them to count the partner’s hand accurately; but it seems to me that this advantage is more than overcome by the fact that in our openings we have a clear idea as to the general character of the partner’s hand while there is still time to take advantage of the knowledge. In the long-suit game this element is entirely wanting.
IN CONCLUSION. The first-class whist-player is usually developed gradually. If he possess the faculty of paying close attention to the game while he is playing, nothing should prevent his rapid progress. At first he may care little or nothing for “book” whist, but after some experience with book players, he is rather in danger of running to the other extreme, and putting more book into his game than it will carry. Having passed that stage, his next step is usually to invent some system of his own, and to experiment with every hand he plays. By degrees he finds that all special systems of play have some serious defects which over-balance their advantages, and this discovery gradually brings him back to first principles. If he gets so far safely, his game for all future time will probably be sound, common-sense whist, without any American leads, plain-suit echoes, or four-signals, and free from any attempts to take fourteen tricks with thirteen cards.
When a whist-player reaches that point, he is probably as near the first class as the natural limitations of his mental abilities will ever permit him to go.
THE LAWS will be found at the end of the Whist Family of Games.
ILLUSTRATIVE WHIST HANDS.
A and B are partners against Y and Z. A is always the original leader, and Z is the dealer. The underlined card wins the trick, and the card under it is the next one led.
| No. 1. Long Suits; ♡5 turned. | TRICK | No. 3. Short Suits; ♡Q turned. | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | Y | B | Z | A | Y | B | Z | |
| ♣K | ♣5 | ♣7 | ♣3 | 1 | Q♢ | K♢ | A♢ | 2♢ |
| ♡10 | ♡J | ♡Q | ♡5 | 2 | 2♠ | A♠ | J♠ | 5♠ |
| ♣Q | ♣J | ♣2 | ♣10 | 3 | 4♢ | 10♢ | 3♢ | J♢ |
| ♡7 | ♡3 | ♡9 | ♡8 | 4 | ♡2 | ♡5 | ♡3 | ♡ Q |
| J♠ | 9♠ | 2♠ | 5♠ | 5 | ♡6 | ♡A | ♡4 | ♡ J |
| ♣A | ♡4 | ♡6 | 5♢ | 6 | ♣8 | ♣2 | ♣3 | ♣ K |
| 4♠ | ♡K | A♠ | 6♠ | 7 | ♡7 | 8♢ | 5♢ | 7♢ |
| J♢ | 7♢ | 2♢ | K♢ | 8 | ♡K | 4♠ | 6♢ | ♡ 9 |
| ♡2 | 3♢ | 4♢ | A♢ | 9 | K♠ | 7♠ | 6♠ | 8♠ |
| ♣9 | 6♢ | 3♠ | 8♢ | 10 | Q♠ | ♣4 | ♣5 | 10♠ |
| ♣8 | 9♢ | 7♠ | 8♠ | 11 | 9♠ | ♣Q | ♣6 | ♡10 |
| ♣6 | 10♢ | K♠ | 10♠ | 12 | ♡8 | 9♢ | ♣7 | ♣ J |
| ♣4 | Q♢ | ♡A | Q♠ | 13 | 3♠ | ♣A | ♣10 | ♣ 9 |
| No. 2. American Game; ♡8 turned. | TRICK | No. 3. Play to score; ♡J turned. | ||||||
| A | Y | B | Z | A | Y | B | Z | |
| 6♢ | J♢ | A♢ | 9♢ | 1 | K♠ | 4♠ | 3♠ | A♠ |
| ♡3 | 3♢ | 2♢ | 10♢ | 2 | ♡3 | ♡9 | ♡Q | ♡2 |
| ♣9 | ♣K | ♣A | ♣3 | 3 | 2♠ | 7♠ | 5♠ | ♡4 |
| ♡6 | 4♢ | 5♢ | ♣4 | 4 | ♣2 | ♣K | ♣6 | ♣3 |
| ♣Q | ♣8 | ♣2 | ♣7 | 5 | ♡5 | ♡7 | ♡8 | ♡J |
| ♣6 | ♡4 | ♡9 | ♣10 | 6 | ♡10 | ♣5 | ♡K | ♡A |
| ♡10 | 7♢ | 8♢ | ♣J | 7 | ♣8 | ♣J | 3♢ | ♣4 |
| ♣5 | ♡K | ♡A | 7♠ | 8 | 5♢ | J♢ | A♢ | 2♢ |
| 4♠ | Q♢ | ♡Q | ♡5 | 9 | 10♠ | 9♠ | 8♠ | ♡6 |
| 2♠ | 5♠ | ♡J | ♡7 | 10 | ♣Q | ♣7 | 4♢ | ♣A |
| A♠ | 6♠ | Q♠ | K♠ | 11 | Q♠ | J♠ | 6♠ | ♣10 |
| J♠ | 9♠ | 3♠ | 10♠ | 12 | 10♢ | 7♢ | 6♢ | ♣9 |
| 8♠ | K♢ | ♡2 | ♡8 | 13 | Q♢ | 8♢ | 9♢ | K♢ |
No. 1. This is a fine example of the Long-suit Game. The leader begins with one of the high cards of his long suit. Missing the 2, he knows some one is signalling for trumps, and as it is very unlikely that the adversaries would signal while he was in the lead, he assumes it is his partner, and leads his best trump. His partner does not return the trump, because he holds major tenace over the king, which must be in Y’s hand. At trick 5 B still holds major tenace in trumps, and leads a small card of his long suit to try to get A into the lead again. If A leads trumps again, his only possible card of re-entry for his club suit is gone. At trick 7, if B draws Y’s king, he kills A’s card of re-entry at the same time.
No. 2. This is an excellent example of the American Game. A has a three-trump hand, but his long suit is not headed by two honors in sequence, and the Queen of clubs cannot be considered as a re-entry, so A makes the gambit opening of the singleton diamond. His partner, having nothing in plain suits, immediately returns the diamond. A now leads an intermediate club, and B forces him again. At trick 6, A avoids changing suits. If the long spade suit is opened, and Z returns the diamond 10, A-B will make four tricks less on this hand.
No. 3. This example of the Short-suit Game is from Val Starnes’ Short-Suit Whist. This is sometimes called the Gambit opening. The leader, having no reason to lead trumps, even with five, and not having three honours in his long suit, prefers the gambit opening of the singly guarded queen. Y holds what is called a potential or imperfect fourchette, and covers, in order to make A-B play two honours to get one trick. B also makes a gambit opening by returning a supporting spade. Three tricks are gained by the two leads of the supporting cards, and five would have been made but for Y’s covering on the first trick.
No. 4. This is an example of Playing to the Score. The game is English Whist, 5 points, counting honours. The first lead of trumps shows Z that honours are divided, and that he must make 11 tricks to win the game. At trick 3, he must trump; to discard clubs would be inconsistent with refusing to trump in order to bring them in. At trick 4, if Y cannot win a trick in clubs and give Z a finesse in trumps, Z cannot win the game. At trick 7, both black queens are against Z, and he must take the best chance to win if the diamond ace is also against him. The adversaries cannot place the club ace, and so Z underplays in clubs as his only chance for the game.
PRUSSIAN WHIST. This is the ordinary 5, 7 or 10 point whist, with or without honours, except that instead of turning up the last card for trump, the player to the left of the dealer cuts a trump from the still pack, which is shuffled and presented to him by the dealer’s partner.
FAVOURITE WHIST. This is the regular 5, 7 or 10 point whist, with or without honours, except that whichever suit is cut for the trump on the first deal of the rubber is called the favourite. Whenever the suit turns up for trump, after the first deal, tricks and honours count double towards game. There must be a new favourite at the beginning of each rubber, unless the same suit happens to be cut again.
A variation is to attach a progressive value to the four suits; tricks being worth 1 point when Spades are trumps; when Clubs 2; when Diamonds 3; and when Hearts 4. Honours do not count, and the game is 10 points, made by tricks alone. The hands are played out; the winners score all tricks taken, and the winners of the rubber add 10 points for bonus. The value of the rubber is the difference between the scores of the winners and that of the losers. For instance: If the rubber is in A-B’s favour with the score shown in the margin A-B win a rubber of 8 points.
| 1st game; | 10 | to | 6 |
| 2nd game; | 4 | to | 16 |
| 3rd game; | 14 | to | 8 |
| Rubber; | 10 | ||
| Totals | 38 | to | 30 |
This is a good game for superstitious people, who believe that certain trump suits are favourable to them.
TEXT-BOOKS.
The following list of works on whist, alphabetically arranged, contains the principal standard text-books on the game. Those marked * are especially for the beginner. Those marked x are chiefly devoted to the Short-suit game.
- Art of Practical Whist, by Major Gen. Drayson.
- * Foster’s Whist Manual, by R.F. Foster.
- * Foster’s Whist Tactics, by R.F. Foster.
- x Foster’s Common Sense in Whist, by R.F. Foster.
- * Foster’s Self-Playing Cards, by R.F. Foster.
- x Foster’s Duplicate Whist, by R.F. Foster.
- Foster’s American Leads, by R.F. Foster.
- * Foster’s Whist at a Glance, by R.F. Foster.
- * Gist of Whist, by C.E. Coffin.
- x Howell’s Whist Openings, by E.C. Howell.
- Laws and Principles of Whist, by “Cavendish.”
- Modern Scientific Whist, by C.D.P. Hamilton.
- Philosophy of Whist, by Dr. W. Pole.
- * Practical Guide to Whist, by Fisher Ames.
- x Short-Suit Whist, by Val. W. Starnes.
- * Short Whist, by James Clay.
- * Theory of Whist, by Dr. W. Pole.
- * Whist, or Bumblepuppy, by “Pembridge.”
- Whist Developments, by “Cavendish.”
- * Whist of To-day, by Milton C. Work.
- * Whist à Trois, by Ch. Lahure. [Dummy.]
- x Whist, and its Masters, by R.F. Foster.
- * Whist, A monthly journal; pub. Milwaukee, Wis., U.S.A.