Four Pairs. These should be arranged at two tables, changing adversaries after every 8 hands. The third set will exhaust the combinations, and it will then be found that each pair has played and overplayed an equal number of hands against every other pair.
| 1st set | 2nd set | 3rd set | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| b | c | d | |||||||||
| a | a | a | a | a | a | ||||||
| b | c | d | |||||||||
| Hands:— | 1 to 8 | 9 to 16 | 17 to 24 | ||||||||
| d | b | c | |||||||||
| c | c | d | d | b | b | ||||||
| d | b | c | |||||||||
Four hands are dealt at each table in each set, and then exchanged. The trump card is turned for every original deal.
Scoring. Each pair carries its own score-card with it from table to table, until the 24 hands have been played. The 7th column is used to designate the pair played against. The pairs at the second table should begin scoring with hands Nos. 5, 13 and 21 respectively; as they will presently receive from the first table the series beginning 1, 9 and 17 respectively. Eight hands complete a match, and the result must be tabulated in the same manner as for teams of four, ties being decided by the majority of tricks won. We give an example.
The a pair wins the tie with d, being 6 tricks plus.
Six Pairs. This is a very awkward number to handle, and should be avoided if possible. The whole could be played at three tables simultaneously; but such a course would necessitate their changing places ten times, following a very complicated schedule in so doing. The simplest way to handle six pairs is to arrange them at three tables, two of which are constantly in play, the third only half the time. This is the first position:—
| b | d | f | ||||||
| a | 1 | a | c | 2 | c | e | 3 | e |
| b | d | f |
Tables 1 and 2 deal and play two hands each, and then exchange trays with each other. At table 3, two hands are dealt and played, both being left in the trays.