Each player plays each deal twice, the second time playing a hand previously played by an adversary. Instead of turning the trump, a single suit may be declared trumps for the game. On the overplay, the cards may be gathered into tricks instead of playing them as required by law (Law VIII, Sec. 1). In case of the discovery of an irregularity in the hands, there must always be a new deal.
MNEMONIC DUPLICATE FOR MORE THAN ONE TABLE.
Except a contest played in comparison with a progressive match, the replaying of the cards by the same players—“up and back,” as it is sometimes called—is the only possible method of approximating to Duplicate Whist for one table; but where eight or more players participate, this form of the game is extremely undesirable, from the element of memory entering into the replay and destroying the integrity of the game and its value as a test of Whist skill. It has been well described as “a mongrel game—partly Whist and partly Dummy, but lacking in the best features of each.”
In the early days of Duplicate Whist, Mnemonic Duplicate was, to some extent, played even when several tables of players were participating. It still survives in a few circles, chiefly where Duplicate Whist has never been tried. It can be played under any of the Duplicate Whist schedules by playing them through twice—the second time with the North and South hands given to the East and West players, and vice versa. As each deal is played twice by each pair, double the time is required to play the same number of deals, as at Duplicate Whist. Allowance must be made for this in fixing the number of deals to be played.
The Snow System of movement, where practicable, is preferable. Where the Howell pair system of movement is used, the scores do not require “equating”, as they are equalised on the replay. Under other systems, only the North and South scores need be kept, as the comparison can be made quite as readily as by direct comparison of these scores.
DUMMY.
There are three forms of Dummy: The English game, for three players; the French game, for three or four: and the game now generally known as Bridge, or Bridge Whist. Dummy is not recognized in any form by the American Whist League, and there are no American Laws governing it. We shall describe each variety of the game in its turn; beginning with the English.
Cards. ENGLISH DUMMY, is played with a full pack of fifty-two cards, ranking as at whist both for cutting and playing. Two packs are generally used.
Markers are necessary, and are of the same patterns as those used in whist.
Players. According to the English usage, Dummy is played by three persons, and the table is complete with that number.