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 Book • 
 
 PRESENTl 
 
 !t- 
 

 

THE ART 
 
 OF 
 
 PRACTICAL WHIST 
 
 BEIXG 
 
 A SERIES OF LETTERS DESCRIPTIVE OF EVERY PART 
 
 OF THE GAME, AND THE BEST METHOD OF 
 
 BECOMING A SKILFUL PLAYER 
 
 K/ 
 
 Col. Av W. DRAYSON, R.A., F.R.A.S. 
 
 •* 
 
 33eMratrfr, b$ ^txmission, 
 
 TO 
 
 HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS 
 THE DUKE OF CONN AUGHT, 
 
 E.G., &c. &c. 
 
 NEW YORK 
 
 GEORGE ROUTLEDGE AND SONS 
 
 416 broome street 
 
 London : Broadway, Ludgate 
 
 1879 
 

 
PEEFACE. 
 
 It is not unusual to offer an apology for writing 
 a book, more especially when the subject treated 
 on is one which has already been ably written 
 about by other authors. I however offer no 
 apology, because the interest which is deservedly 
 taken in Whist is so great, and so widely spread, 
 that it is difficult to write too much on this game, 
 for anything either new or old (if put into a novel 
 form) must have its attractions. 
 
 There are at the present time many valuable 
 works on Whist, amongst which the most able are 
 probably : 
 
 The Laws of Short Whist ; 
 
 Cavendish on Whist ; 
 
 The Theory of Whist ; 
 
 The Correct Card, etc. 
 
iv Preface. 
 
 In spite of these and other books on the same 
 subject being available and often read by would- 
 be whist players, yet the number of good whist 
 players is limited, the number of very bad players 
 is legion. The causes which prevent men from 
 becoming good players are simple, and I believe 
 the defect is easily remedied. And it is mainly 
 to correct those errors which indicate the bad 
 player, that the following letters are written. 
 
 March, 1879. 
 
CONTENTS 
 
 LETTER I. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 LAWS OF SHORT WHIST 1 
 
 LETTER IT. 
 
 HOW TO LEARN WHIST . . . . .45 
 
 LETTER III. 
 
 WATCHING THE GAME 52 
 
 LETTER IV. 
 
 WHIST MEMORY. —THE LEAD 59 
 
 LETTER V. 
 the lead — continued 76 
 
 LETTER VI. 
 
 return leads 82 
 
vi Contents. 
 
 LETTER VIL 
 
 PAGE 
 
 PLAY SECOND HAND 90 
 
 LETTER VIII. 
 
 PLAY THIRD HANP 95 
 
 LETTER IX. 
 PLAY FOURTH HAND 99 
 
 LETTER X. 
 
 TRUMPS, THEIR USE AND ABUSE . . . .110 
 
 LETTER XI. 
 
 ASKING FOR TRUMPS. — THE ECHO . . . .119 
 
 LETTER XII. 
 
 FINESSING ... ' 128 
 
 LETTER XIII. 
 
 false cards. — the discard. — underplay. —play 
 
 of 12th and 13th card 133 
 
 LETTER XIV. 
 RULES AND REASON.— COUPS 148 
 
Contents. vii 
 
 LETTER XV. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 YOUR PARTNER 163 
 
 LETTER XVI. 
 
 WHAT TO LEARN 172 
 
 LETTER XVII. 
 
 THE PLAY OP A GAME OP WHIST . . . .174 
 
 LETTER XVIII. 
 
 CASES RELATIVE TO THE LAWS OF WHIST . . 187 
 
INDEX TO LAWS. 
 
 Calling- for now cards 
 Cards liable to be called 
 played in error 
 
 detached 
 
 exposed 
 
 marked 
 
 trump 
 
 Claim for offences 
 Catting . 
 
 Deal .... 
 
 , mis . 
 
 , new ..... 
 
 Detached card .... 
 Dummy ..... 
 
 Entry 
 
 Exposed card .... 
 
 Formation of table 
 
 Highest card, when it can be called 
 
 Honours scoring .... 
 
 Lead, when it can be called 
 Revoke ... ... 
 
 Shuffling ..... 
 
 "Win or not win trick 
 
 Page 43 
 
 RULE 
 
 83 
 56 
 
 60 
 56 
 90 
 52 
 87 
 13 
 33 
 44 
 87 
 60 
 
 21 
 
 50 
 16 
 70 
 
 CASE 
 
 1 £ 7 
 
 11 
 2 
 
 25 
 
 13 
 
 22 
 26 
 
 6 & 7 10 & 11 
 60 
 
 71 4 & 8 
 26 
 68 21 
 
THE 
 
 ART OF PRACTICAL WHIST. 
 
 LETTER I. 
 
 THE LAWS OF SHORT WHIST. 
 
 Before venturing to join a game of whist you 
 should study well the rules. You can cross- 
 examine yourself as regards your knowledge of 
 these rules, and if you do not play whist regularly, 
 it is as well to refresh your memory occasionally 
 by looking over the laws, and also by imagining 
 cases which may occur, and then referring to 
 those laws which bear upon them. 
 
 The laws of whist, like all other laws, are for 
 the purpose of maintaining order. They should 
 be rigidly carried out, and when an offence has 
 been committed, the penalty should be exacted. 
 
 There is no proceeding more likely to cause 
 disputes, than that of letting off an offender who 
 commits an error for which a penalty has been 
 provided by the laws. Immediately the adver- 
 
2 The Art of Practical IV hist. 
 
 Banes commit perhaps a greater error, and a pen- 
 alty is enacted, it is considered a hard case — and 
 it is often urged that "We did not claim a penalty 
 from you, so it's hard for you now to punish us : " 
 such proceedings are childish, and to play whist 
 the laws must he firmly and impartially enacted. 
 It is the most certain method to avoid disputes, 
 for it does away with air partiality, and even 
 though the game may be played for mere amuse- 
 
 CT O tit 
 
 ment without any stakes depending thereon, yet to 
 play it otherwise than strictly is a great mistake. 
 
 If whist were a mere pastime it never would 
 have occupied the position, or the attention of in- 
 telligent men that it now does. AYhist, although 
 a pastime and tending to increase social inter- 
 course, is vet something more. It brings into ac- 
 tion faculties of memory, observation, judgment, 
 patience, and knowledge of character, all of which 
 are necessary as means of success in the world ; 
 thus whist, like some branches of mathemat: 
 although not practically useful in everyday life, 
 yet calls into action those mental qualities which 
 every observing and reasoning person ought top 
 sess. It also has the advantage of being a game that 
 can be played up t< > an advanced period of life, when 
 more active pursuits cannot be carried on, or when 
 the sight and the muscles have lost their power. 
 
The Rub be i' and Scoring. 
 
 To learn then the laws of the game is essential, 
 and to know the exact penalty that ought to be 
 claimed is of course the same thins as knowing 
 the laws. To dispute about a penalty that ought 
 fairly to be claimed, is an indication of an igno- 
 rant and litigious disputant, and to avoid such a 
 position you must thoroughly know the laws. 
 
 The following are the Laws of Whist in the 
 Club Code, and published in Laws of Short 
 Whist, Cavendish on Whist, etc. 
 
 The notes are by the Author. 
 
 The Rubber. 
 
 1. The rubber is the best of three games. If the 
 
 first two games be won by the same players, 
 the third game is not played. 
 
 Scoring. 
 
 2. A game consists of five points. Each trick 
 
 above six counts one point. 
 
 3. Honours, that is ace, king, queen and knave of 
 
 trumps are thus reckoned. 
 
 If a player and his partner either separately or 
 conjointly hold : 
 
4 The Art of Practical IV hist. 
 
 I. The four honours, they score four 
 
 points. 
 II. Any three honours, they score two 
 
 points. 
 III. Only two honours, they do not 
 score. 
 
 4. Those players who at the commencement of 
 
 the deal are at the score of four, cannot 
 score honours. 
 
 5. The penalty for a revoke takes precedence of 
 
 all other scores. Tricks count next, honours 
 last. 
 G. Honours, unless claimed before the trump card 
 of the following deal is turned up, cannot 
 be scored. 
 
 Note. — The trum/p card must he turned up and 
 quitted, to deprive the claimants of their right to 
 score honours. 
 
 7. To score honours is not sufficient ; they must 
 
 be called at the end of the hand ; if so 
 called, they may be scored at any time dur- 
 ing the game. 
 
 8. The winners gain 
 
 I. A treble, or game of three points, 
 when their adversaries have not 
 scored. 
 
Scaring. 5 
 
 II. A double, or game of two points, 
 when their adversaries have scored 
 less than three. 
 III. A single, or game of one point, 
 when their adversaries have scored 
 three or four. 
 
 9. The winners of the rubber gain two points, 
 
 commonly called the rubber points, in ad- 
 dition to the value of their games. 
 
 10. Should the rubber have consisted of three 
 
 games, the value of the loser's game is de- 
 ducted from the gross number of points 
 gained by their opponents. 
 
 11. If an erroneous score be proved, such mistake 
 
 can be corrected prior to the conclusion of 
 the game in which it occurred, and such 
 game is not concluded until the trump card 
 of the following deal has been turned up. 
 
 12. If an erroneous score affecting the amount of 
 
 the rubber be proved, such mistake can be 
 rectified at any time during the rubber. 
 
 Notes on Scoring. 
 
 It is essential that the score should be carefully 
 kept in two ways : — 
 
 First, that the tricks should be taken up and 
 packed neatly, so that your partner should at a 
 
6 The Art of Practical Whist. 
 
 glance perceive how many tricks have been won. 
 He can then know, at once, how many tricks are 
 required to save or win the game. The slovenly 
 manner in which tricks are sometimes packed, is 
 a fruitful cause of error and dispute. 
 
 Secondly, — If you use counters for scoring, 
 those counters which indicate the trebles, singles, 
 &c, should be of a different shape or colour from 
 those which note the score of the game. Each 
 player who scores his points should score to his 
 right hand. Thus A. and B.'s score will never 
 be mistaken for their opponents' score. These 
 apparently trifling matters should be attended to, 
 and they soon become systematic, and prevent 
 any possibility of a dispute. 
 
 Cutting. 
 
 13. The ace is the lowest card. 
 
 14. In all cases everyone must cut from the same 
 
 pack. 
 
 15. Should a player expose more than one card, 
 
 he must cut again. 
 
 Formation of the Table. 
 
 16. If there are more than four candidates the 
 
 players are selected by cutting ; those first in 
 
Formation of Table. 7 
 
 the room having the preference. The four 
 who cut the lowest cards play first, and 
 again cut to decide on partners : the two 
 lowest play against the two highest ; the 
 lowest is the dealer, who has choice of 
 cards and seats, and having once made his 
 selection must abide by it. 
 17. Wlien there are more than six candidates 
 those who cut the two next lowest cards be- 
 long to the table, which is complete with 
 six players. On the retirement of one of 
 these six players the candidate who cut the 
 next lowest card has a prior right to any 
 after-comer to enter the table. 
 
 Xote ox Formation of Table. — Legally a 
 table is complete with sis players, but as a matter 
 of courtesy, and when there appears a probability 
 of one player having to sit out during a long 
 iiiiig. the three outsiders by agreement cut to 
 decide which two play the second rubber. T7<>: 
 julayer who remains out tlien enters mi the third 
 rubber, and the two who played the first hut not 
 the second rubber cut to decide who plays the 
 third rubber. Thus Urn only eider on each fresh 
 rubber, and add % an opport unity of 
 
 playing. 
 
8 The Art of Practical Whist. 
 
 Cutting Cards of Equal Value. 
 
 18. Two players cutting cards of equal value, 
 
 unless such cards are the two highest, cut 
 again ; should they be the two lowest, a 
 fresh cut is necessary to decide which of the 
 two deals. 
 
 19. Three players cutting cards of equal value cut 
 
 again. Should the fourth (or remaining) 
 card be the highest, the two lowest of the 
 new cut are partners, the lower of these two 
 the dealer ; should the fourth card be the 
 lowest, the two highest are partners, the 
 original lowest the dealer. 
 
 Xote. — As an illustration of the above, we will 
 suppose the cuts to he ace and three sevens. The 
 three sevens cut again, and the cards drawn are 
 two, four, and king. The ace and two arepart- 
 ners, and the ace deeds. Again, three sevens are 
 drawn and a ten* the three sevens draw again, 
 and the cards drawn are two, four, and king. 
 The king and ten are partners, and the two deals 
 and has choice of cards and scats. 
 
 Although the term "cut" is used, it is usual to 
 spread the jpaek out upon the table* and each player 
 draws a card, that pack being used front which no 
 
Cutting Out and Roster. 
 
 card has previously been drawn to decide any 
 other selection or question. 
 
 Cutting Out. 
 
 20. At the end. of a rubber, should admission be 
 claimed by any one or two candidates, he 
 who has, or they who have, played a greater 
 number of consecutive rubbers than the 
 others is or are out ; but when all have 
 played the same number, they must cut to 
 decide upon the out-goers ; the highest are 
 out. 
 
 Xote. — In most cases, but particularly when the 
 tal)le consists of five players, it is as ivell to write 
 on paper the roster, so that it can le at once de- 
 cided who is out : — 
 
 A. 
 B. 
 
 a 
 
 K 
 
 are the players, and A. B. C. I), play first. The 
 next player to come in is E., and the first player 
 out decided by drawing toe will suptpose is B* A. 
 C. and D. next draw, and A. is out, then C. and 
 
io The Art of Practical Whist. 
 
 D. draw, and C. is out / the roster would then he 
 as follows : 
 
 K 
 
 B. 
 
 A. 
 
 a 
 &. 
 
 D. goes out after the rubber into tvhich he has 
 gained entrance by drawing with C. E B., A. 
 and C.play a rubber, then E. goes out, then B., and 
 so on. When a long evening's play occurs, this roster 
 prevents any dispute as to whose turn it is to go out, 
 and tohen no record is kept of the rubbers, it is 
 often a fruitful cause of disputes to decide %ohose 
 turn it is to quit the tahle. Every precaution ought to 
 be used to prevent any cause for discussion at whist. 
 
 Entry and Re-Entry. 
 
 21. A candidate wishing to enter a table must 
 
 declare such intention prior to any of the 
 players having cut a card, either for the 
 purpose of commencing a fresh rubber, or 
 of cutting out. 
 
 22. In the formation of fresh tables, those candi- 
 
 dates who have neither belonged to nor 
 played at any other table have the prior 
 
Shuffling. II 
 
 right of entry ; the others decide their right 
 of entry by cutting. 
 
 23. Any one quitting a table prior to the conclu- 
 
 sion of a rubber, may, with consent of the 
 other three players, appoint a substitute in 
 his absence during that rubber. 
 
 24. A player cutting into one table, whilst belong- 
 
 ing to another, loses his right of re-entry 
 into that latter, and takes his chance of 
 cutting in, as if he were a fresh candidate. 
 
 25. If any one break up a table, the remaining 
 
 players have the prior right to him of entry 
 into any other, and should there not be 
 sufficient vacancies at such other table to 
 admit all those candidates, they settle their 
 precedence by cutting. 
 
 Shuffling. 
 
 26. The pack must neither be shuffled below the 
 
 table, nor so that the face of any card be 
 seen. 
 
 27. The pack must not be shuffled during the 
 
 play of the hand. 
 
 28. A pack, having been played with, must 
 
 neither be shuffled, by dealing it into pack- 
 ets, nor across the table. 
 
12 The Art of Practical Whist. 
 
 29. Each player has a right to shuffle, once only, 
 
 except as provided by Rule 32, prior to a 
 deal, after a false cut, or when a new deal 
 has occurred. 
 
 30. The dealer's partner must collect the cards for 
 
 the ensuing deal, and has the first right to 
 shuffle that pack. 
 
 31. Each player, after shuffling, must place the 
 
 cards, properly collected and face clown- 
 wards, to the left of the player about to deal. 
 
 32. The dealer has always the right to shuffle 
 
 last ; but should a card or cards be seen 
 during his shuffling, or whilst giving the pack 
 to be cut, he may be compelled to re-shuffle. 
 
 Notes on Shuffling. 
 
 When a new pack of cards is used, and the 
 cover torn off, the ace of spades will usually be 
 found at the bottom of the pack^ and the cards 
 will be found arranged alternately red and black. 
 Many players not having observed this fact, at- 
 tempt to shuffle a new pack by dealing them in 
 threes or fives — quite unaware that by so doing, 
 they scarcely alter the first arrangement. In order 
 to demonstrate this fact, we will refer to the cards 
 as R. for red, B. for black, and deal them into three 
 
Shuffling. 13 
 
 packs ; commencing on the left we should place a 
 red card, in the middle a black ; to the right a 
 red ; then on the first red we should place a 
 black card, on the second card we should place a 
 * red, on the third card a black, and so on. On 
 taking up the three packets, we should find that 
 the cards had not been altered, that the whole 
 pack was arranged alternately reel and black, and 
 if cut and dealt for whist, one player and his 
 partner would hold nearly all the black cards, 
 whilst the adversaries held nearly all the red 
 cards. To deal out the pack into five packets 
 produces similar results. To deal them in four 
 packets, causes the black and red cards to be sorted 
 into four lots, two of red, two of black, and is a 
 better arrangement. But probably the best and 
 quickest method of disarranging the pack is to 
 place the top card in the right hand, the second 
 card below this top card, the third card above the 
 top card, and so go on through the whole pack, 
 the black cards will then be nearly all massed to- 
 gether, and the red cards similarly massed, and 
 a little free shuffling will then prevent the long 
 suits that are so often held in the first hands of 
 the first deal with new cards. "We used the term 
 " nearly" above, for the reason that in a new pack 
 the cards are not wholly arranged black and red, 
 
14 The Art of Practical Whist. 
 
 each thirteenth card usually breaking this order. 
 To deal out the pack therefore in three or live 
 packets is merely a waste of time, as it does not 
 alter their order. The cards should be shuffled 
 during the deal of the other pack, so as to be in 
 readiness to be cut immediately the previous 
 hand is played out. Some players have a bad 
 habit of shuffling the cards for one or two minutes 
 after the previous hand is played out, and thus 
 waste much time unnecessarily. 
 
 The Deal. 
 
 33. Each player deals in his turn, the right of 
 
 dealing goes to the left. 
 
 34. The player on the dealer's right cuts the pack, 
 
 and in dividing it must not leave fewer than 
 four cards in either packet, if in cutting, or 
 in replacing one of the two packets on the 
 other, a card be exposed, or if there be any 
 confusion of the cards, or a doubt as to the 
 exact place in which the pack was divided, 
 there must be a fresh cut. 
 
 35. When a player whose duty it is to cut has 
 
 once separated the pack, he cannot alter his 
 intention ; he can neither re-shuffle nor re- 
 cut the cards. 
 
The Deal and New Deal. 15 
 
 36. "When the pack is cut, should the dealer 
 
 shuffle the cards, he loses his deal. 
 
 Note o^ - the Deal. — Some players take tip the 
 cards sideways when they are cut, and thus expose 
 the bottom or trump card before they commence 
 their deed. This exposes them to a disadvantage. 
 The adversary v:ho sees this card may by Law 3i 
 claim afresh cut, or, if a card be turned up dur- 
 ing the deal, he may claim a fresh deed or decline 
 to do so, and his decision might possibly be guided 
 according as the trump card is or is not a high 
 card. If the pack when cut be united with one 
 hand only and the pack be lifted horizontally, the 
 bottom card cannot well be exposed. 
 
 A New Deal. 
 
 37. There must be a new deal by the same 
 
 dealer : 
 
 I. If during a deal or during the play 
 of a hand the pack be proved in- 
 correct or imperfect. 
 II. If any card, excepting the last, be 
 faced in the pack. 
 
 38. If whilst dealing a card be exposed by the 
 
 dealer or his partner, should neither of the 
 
1 6 The Art of Practical Whist. 
 
 adversaries have touched the cards, the 
 latter can claim a new deal; a card exposed 
 by either adversary gives that claim to the 
 dealer, provided that his partner has not 
 touched a card ; if a new deal does not 
 take place, the exposed card cannot be 
 called. 
 
 39. If during dealing a player touch any of his 
 
 cards, the adversaries may do the same, 
 without losing their privilege of claiming a 
 new deal, should chance give them such 
 option. 
 
 40. If in dealing one of the last cards be exposed, 
 
 and the dealer turn up the trump before 
 there is reasonable time for his adversaries 
 to decide as to a fresh deal, they do not 
 thereby lose their privilege. 
 
 41. If a player, whilst dealing, look at the trump 
 
 card, his adversaries have a light to see it, 
 and may exact a new deal. 
 
 42. If a player take into the hand dealt to him 
 
 a card belonging to the other pack, the 
 adversaries, on discovery of the error, may 
 decide whether they will have a fresh deal 
 or not. 
 
A Misdeal. ij 
 
 A Misdeal. 
 
 43. A misdeal loses the deal. 
 4:4:. It is a misdeal — 
 
 I. Unless the cards are dealt into four 
 packets, one at a time in regular 
 rotation, beginning with the player 
 to the dealer's left. 
 II. Should the dealer place the last card 
 (i.e., the trump), face downwards, 
 on his own, or any other pack. 
 
 III. Should the trump card not come in 
 
 its regular order to the dealer ; 
 but he does not lose his deal if 
 the pack be proved imperfect. 
 
 IV. Should a player have fourteen cards, 
 
 and either of the other three less 
 than thirteen. 
 t V. Should the dealer, under an impres- 
 
 sion that he has made a mistake, 
 either count the cards on the table 
 or the remainder of the pack. 
 VI. Should the dealer deal two cards at 
 once, or two cards to the same 
 hand, and then deal a third ; but 
 if prior to dealing that third card 
 
 the dealer can, bv altering the 
 2 
 
1 8. The Art of Practical Whist. 
 
 position of one card only, rectify 
 such error, he may do so, except 
 as provided by the second para- 
 graph of this law. 
 VII. Should the dealer omit to have the 
 pack cut to him, and the adver- 
 saries discover the error prior to 
 the trump card being turned up, 
 and before looking at their cards, 
 but not after having done so. 
 
 45. A misdeal does not lose the deal if, during the 
 
 dealing, either of the adversaries touch the* 
 cards prior to the dealer's partner having 
 done so, but should the latter have first 
 interfered with the cards, notwithstanding 
 either or both of the adversaries have subse- 
 quently clone the same, the deal is lost. 
 
 46. Should three players have their right number 
 
 of cards, the fourth have less than thirteen, 
 and not discover such deficiency until he has 
 played any of his cards, the deal stands 
 good ; should he have played, he is as an- 
 swerable for any revoke he may have made, 
 as if the missing card or cards had been in 
 his hand ; he may search the other pack for 
 it or them. 
 
 47. If a pack, during or after a rubber, be proved 
 
Misdeal and Trump Card. 19 
 
 incorrect or imperfect, such proof does not 
 alter any past score, game or rubber ; that 
 hand in which the imperfection was detected 
 is null and void ; the dealer deals again. 
 
 48. Any one dealing out of turn, or with the ad- 
 
 versary's cards, may be stopped before the 
 trump card is turned up, after which the 
 game must proceed as if no mistake had 
 been made. 
 
 49. A player can neither shuffle, cut, or deal for 
 
 his partner, without the permission of his 
 opponents. 
 
 50. If the adversaries interrupt a dealer whilst 
 
 dealing, either by questioning the score or 
 asserting that it is not his deal, and fail to 
 establish such claim, should a misdeal occur, 
 he may deal again. 
 
 51. Should a player take his partner's deal, and 
 
 misdeal, the latter is liable to the usual 
 penalty, and the adversary next in rotation 
 to the player who ought to have dealt then 
 plays. 
 
 The Trump Card. 
 
 52. The dealer, when it is his turn to play to the 
 
 first trick, should take the trump card into 
 
20 The Art of Practical Whist. 
 
 his hand ; if left on the table after the first 
 trick be turned and quitted, it is liable to be 
 called ; his partner may at any time remind 
 him of the liability. 
 
 53. After the dealer has taken the trump card into 
 
 his hand it cannot be asked for ; a player 
 naming it at any time during the play of 
 that hand, is liable to have his highest or 
 lowest trump called. 
 
 54. If the dealer take the trump card into his 
 
 hand before it is his turn to play, he may 
 be desired to lay it on the table ; should he 
 show a wrong card, this card may be called, 
 as also a second, a third, &c, until the 
 trump card be produced. 
 
 55. If the dealer declare himself unable to recol- 
 
 lect the trump card, his highest or lowest 
 trump may be called at any time during that 
 hand, and, unless it cause him to revoke, 
 must be played ; the call may be repeated, 
 but not changed, i.e.,, from highest to low- 
 est, or vice versa, until such card is played. 
 
 JVotes on Trump Card. 
 
 The trump card, if left on the table after the 
 first trick is turned and quitted, may be called, but 
 it is not usual to do so. Consequently there is a 
 
Cards Liable to be Called. 21 
 
 rule made, and yet the penalty is not usually en- 
 acted. Leaving tlie trump card on the table after 
 the first trick is turned and quitted may cause con- 
 fusion, as it may be mistaken for a lead. It is 
 careless at least to leave it exposed, and should 
 never be so left. Each player should impress on 
 his memory what the trump card is, as during 
 the play of the hand much may depend on this 
 knowledge. To ask, as some players do, during the 
 play of the hand, " What are trumps ? " indicates 
 first, carelessness as regards the 'whole plan of the 
 play of their hand, and also that they have forgot- 
 ten, if they ever noticed, what the trump card was. 
 
 Cards liable to be Called. 
 
 56. All exposed cards are liable to be called, and 
 must be left on the table ; but a card is not 
 an exposed card when dropped on the floor, 
 or elsewhere below the table. 
 The following are exposed cards : — 
 
 I. Two or more cards played at once. 
 II. Any card dropped with its face up- 
 wards, or in any way exposed on 
 or above the table, even though 
 snatched up so quickly that no one 
 can name it. 
 
22 The Art of Practical Whist. 
 
 57. If any one play to an imperfect trick the best 
 
 card on the table, or lead one which is a 
 winning card as against his adversaries, and 
 then lead again, or play several such win- 
 ning cards, one after the other, without 
 waiting for his partner to play, if he can, 
 the first or any other of those tricks, and 
 the other cards thus improperly played are 
 exposed cards. 
 
 58. If a player, or players, under the impression 
 
 that the game is lost, or won, or for other 
 reasons, throw his or their cards on the 
 table face upwards, such cards are exposed, 
 and liable to be called, each player's by the 
 adversary ; but should one player alone retain 
 his hand, he cannot be forced to abandon 
 it. 
 50. If all four players throw their cards on the table 
 face upwards, the hands are abandoned ; and 
 no one can again take up their cards. Should 
 this general exhibition show that the game 
 might have been saved, or won, neither 
 claim can be entertained, unless a revoke be 
 established. The revoking players are then 
 liable to the following penalties ; they can- 
 not, under any circumstances, win the game 
 by the result of that hand, and the adver- 
 
Lead Out of Turn. 23 
 
 saries may add three to their score, or de- 
 duct three from that of the revoking players. 
 
 60. A card detached from the rest of the hand so 
 
 as to be named is liable to be called ; but 
 should the adversary name a wrong card, he 
 is liable to have a suit called when he or his 
 partner have the lead. 
 
 61. If a player, who has rendered himself liable to 
 
 have the highest or lowest of a suit called, 
 fail to play as desired, or if when called on 
 to lead one suit, lead another, having in his 
 hand one or more cards of that suit de- 
 manded, he incurs the penalty of a revoke. 
 
 62. If any player lead out of turn, his adversaries 
 
 may either call the card erroneously led, or 
 may call a suit from him or his partner 
 when it is the next turn of either of them 
 to lead. 
 
 63. If any player lead out of turn, and the other 
 
 three have followed ' him, the trick is com- 
 plete, and the error is rectified ; but if only 
 the second, or the second and third, have 
 played to the false lead, their cards, on dis- 
 covery of the mistake, are taken back ; there 
 is no penalty against any one, excepting the 
 original offender, whose card may be called, 
 or he, or his partner, when either of them 
 
24 The Art of Practical Whist. 
 
 has next the lead, may be compelled to play 
 any suit demanded by the adversaries, 
 
 64. In no case can a player be compelled to play 
 
 a card which would oblige him to revoke. 
 
 65. The call of a card may be repeated until such 
 
 card has been played. 
 
 66. If a player called on to lead a suit have none 
 
 of it, the penalty is paid. 
 
 Notes on Cards liable to be Called. 
 
 However carefully laws and rules may be framed, 
 there always will remain certain cases either not 
 legislated for, or which the laws scarcely seem to 
 have anticipated. The laws relative to cards liable 
 to be called is an example of such a case. The 
 rule is very clear as regards two or more cards 
 played at once, but it is not clear when a card or 
 cards are exposed in any way on or above the table. 
 The question of lowered hands was ably dealt with 
 in the " Field " some years ago, but recent decisions 
 in whist in the same paper appear to point to the 
 fact that if a player lower his hand so that every 
 card in it can be seen by his partner, and conse- 
 quently by the adversaries, still his cards so exposed 
 above the table cannot be called. A remarkable 
 case once occurred in my experience which points 
 to this rule being defective or not clear. Four 
 
Notes on Cards Liable to be Called. 25 
 
 players, A. X. B. Y. 3 were seated in the following 
 
 order. 
 
 X. 
 
 A. B. 
 
 Y. 
 
 Two cards remained in each hand, X. and Y. 
 must win both tricks to win the game. A. holds 
 two small clubs, X. holds a small diamond and 
 the ace of hearts (trumps), B. holds two small 
 hearts (trumps), Y. holds king of clubs, and queen 
 of hearts. 
 
 A. leads a small club. X. has now to consider 
 the following : has Y. two trumps or one trump, 
 has Y. the best club, has Y. the queen of trumps. 
 If X. does not put his ace on the club, X. and Y. 
 lose the game. "Whilst X. is hesitating, Y. lowers 
 his two cards, and savs " it cannot matter what 
 you play." X. then trumps with the ace, and X. 
 and Y. win the game. 
 
 A. and B. claim that there should be a penalty 
 for this lowering of the hand ; they say that by 
 this lowering an adyantage was gained, and in 
 fact the game was won by the adyantage thus ob- 
 tained. Y., who meant nothing unfair, is willing 
 to abide by any rule that can be shown to bear on 
 the case. But no rule efficient to meet the case 
 does bear on the occurrence. 
 
26 The Art of Practical Whist. 
 
 It may be urged that you should not play with 
 a person who acts in this way ; but it might with 
 equal reason be urged that you should not play 
 with a careless player, who reyokes or leads out of 
 turn, and such remarks do not meet the case. 
 There ought to be a penalty for such an offence ; and 
 as calling Y.'s cards, even if legal, could inflict no 
 loss, the only remedy appears to be to call on X. 
 to win or not to win the trick ; and such, I venture to 
 suggest, is a law which might be added to the Club 
 Code, and would render the rules more efficient. 
 
 Any card exposed on or above the table seems 
 actually to meet the case : but the articles on 
 lowered hands, to which I have referred, seems to 
 giye an opinion adverse to this. The question, 
 however, is one- requiring more clear and definite 
 legislation. 
 
 I have seen disputes relative to exposed cards 
 among even old players in colonies and country 
 places, where a speedy reference to an authority 
 is not possible, and I will therefore refer to these. 
 
 Two cards were played at once, viz., a king and 
 a two of the same suit. The adversaries called 
 the two, and on the next trick called the king. 
 The offending player objected to the call of the 
 king, as he urged that there were two penalties 
 being claimed for one offence. Of course his ob- 
 
Cases of Cards Liable to be Called, 2 J 
 
 jection was unsound ; each card could be called, 
 as is mentioned in a note on this rule in Cavendish 
 on AY hist. 
 
 Another case occurred in which two cards were 
 exposed. The first card was called, and when it 
 was the offending player's turn to lead, his second 
 exposed card was called. This, he urged, was 
 enacting two penalties, as it called an exposed card 
 and a lead also. This objection is likewise un- 
 sound. The card exposed can be called at any 
 time, no matter whether as a lead or not. 
 
 A. led the king of hearts out of turn, when it 
 was B., A.'s partner's turn to lead. B. is called 
 on to lead a spade, and A. takes the king of 
 hearts into his hand. The adversaries object to 
 this, and say that all exposed cards must be left 
 on the table face upwards ; that although the 
 king of hearts cannot be called, still it must be 
 left on the table, face upwards, as it is an exposed 
 card. This argument is unsound ; immediately a 
 suit is called, the exposed card is released from 
 being a legally exposed card, and therefore may 
 be taken up by its owner. 
 
 A. leads the king of hearts when it is the 
 adversary's lead, X., one of the adversaries, pushes 
 the king of hearts on one side, and savs " we will 
 call that card presently.'' X. leads, and the trick 
 
28 The Art of Practical Whist. 
 
 is won by B., A.'s partner. Y. then says to B., 
 "now lead a spade." A. and B. object, and urge 
 that X. has already stated that he will call the 
 king of hearts, and neither he nor his partner can 
 change the penalty that one of them has chosen 
 to elect. 
 
 A. and B. are undoubtedly correct. 
 
 If X. had said " we may possibly call that card," 
 the call of a suit afterwards would have been legal. 
 Any such remark as " we will do this or that," is 
 binding. 
 
 There are a certain class of players who we may 
 term " slack players," who do and say things at 
 whist that are illegal in spirit, though no penalty 
 has been laid down for such acts. One very 
 common example is the following. 
 
 A small card is led, second player holds king, 
 queen and a small card of the suit, and plays his 
 queen, third player plays a small card, fourth 
 player hesitates, and then says, " that is yours, I 
 think, partner ? " 
 
 This remark can mean only that fourth player 
 holds the ace, if fourth player follow suit. The 
 remark is irregular, and it should be quietly 
 pointed out to the offender that it is so. The 
 fourth paragraph of Etiquette in Whist un- 
 doubtedly bears on this proceeding. 
 
Cards Played in Error 29 
 
 Cards Played in Error, or not Played to 
 
 a Trick. 
 
 67. If the third hand play before the second, the 
 
 fourth hand may play before his partner. 
 
 68. Should the third hand not have played, and 
 
 the fourth play before his partner, the latter 
 may be called on to win or not to win the 
 trick. 
 
 69. If any one omit playing to a former trick, and 
 
 such error be not discovered until he has 
 played to the next, the adversaries may 
 claim a new deal. Should they decide that 
 the deal stand good, the surplus card at the 
 end of the hand is considered to have been 
 played to the imperfect trick, but does not 
 constitute a revoke. 
 
 70. If any one play two cards to the same trick, or 
 
 mix his trump or other card with a trick 
 to which it does not properly belong, and the 
 mistake be not discovered- until the hand is 
 played out, he is .answerable for all conse- 
 quent revokes he may have made. If during 
 the play of the hand the error be detected, 
 the tricks may be counted face downwards, 
 in order to ascertain whether there be among 
 them a card too many. Should this be the 
 
"O The Art of Practical Whist, 
 
 o 
 
 case, they may be searched and the card 
 restored. The player is, however, liable for 
 all revokes he may have meanwhile made. 
 
 Notes on Cards Played in Erroi% &e. 
 
 Rule 69 requires to be carefully impressed on 
 the memory; many players mistake or forget this 
 penalty. 
 
 Rule 70 shows the necessity of carefully pack- 
 ing each trick as mentioned in Notes on Scoring, 
 otherwise it would be difficult, if not impossible, 
 to discover the card played in error. 
 
 The Revoke 
 
 71. Is when a player, holding one or more cards 
 
 of the suit led, plays a card of a different 
 suit. 
 
 72. The penalty for a revoke : — 
 
 I. Is at the option of the adversaries, 
 who, at the end of the hand, may 
 either take, three tricks from the 
 revoking player, or deduct three 
 points from his score, or add three 
 to their own score ; 
 II. Can be claimed for as many revokes 
 as occur during the hand ; 
 
The Revoke. 31 
 
 III. Is applicable only to the score of the 
 
 game in which it occurs ; 
 IY. Cannot be divided, i.e. 3 a player can- 
 not add one or two to his own 
 score and deduct one or two from 
 the revoking player ; 
 V. Takes precedence of every other 
 score, e.g., the claimants two — their 
 opponents nothing — the former 
 add three to their score, and there- 
 by win a treble game, even should 
 the latter have made thirteen 
 tricks and held four honours. 
 T3. A revoke is established, if the trick in which 
 it occur be turned and quitted, i.e., the 
 hand removed from that trick after it has 
 been turned face downwards on the table — 
 or if either the revoking player or his part- 
 ner, whether in his turn or otherwise, lead 
 or play to the following trick. 
 7-±. A player may ask his partner whether he has 
 not a card of the suit which he has re- 
 nounced ; should the question be asked before 
 the trick is turned and quitted, subsequent 
 turning and quitting does not establish the 
 revoke, and the error may be corrected, 
 imless the question be answered in the nega- 
 
32 The Art of Practical Whist. 
 
 five, or unless the revoking player or his 
 partner have led or played to the following 
 trick. 
 
 75. At the end of the hand the claimants of a 
 
 revoke may search all the tricks. 
 
 76. If a player discover his mistake in time to 
 
 save a revoke, his adversaries, whenever 
 they think fit, may call the card thus played 
 in error, or may require him to play his 
 highest or lowest card to that trick in which 
 he has, renounced ; — any player or players 
 who have plaved after him may withdraw 
 their cards and substitute others : the cards 
 withdrawn are not liable to be called. 
 
 77. If a revoke be claimed, and the accused player 
 
 or his partner mix his cards before they have 
 been sufficiently examined bv the adversaries, 
 the revoke is established. The mixing of the 
 cards only renders the proof of a revoke 
 difficult, but does not prevent the claim, and 
 possible establishment, of the penalty. 
 
 78. A revoke cannot be claimed after the cards 
 
 have been cut for the following deal. 
 
 79. The revoking player and his partner may, 
 
 under all circumstances, require the hand 
 in which the revoke had been detected to 
 be played out. 
 
Notes on ike Revoke. 33 
 
 SO. If a revoke occur, be claimed and proved, 
 bets on the odd trick, or on amount of score, 
 must be decided by the actual state of the 
 latter after the penalty is paid. 
 
 81. Should the pla t yerson both sides subject them- 
 
 selves to the penalty of one or more revokes, 
 neither can win the Mine ; each is mmished 
 at the discretion of his adversary. 
 
 82. In whatever way the penalty be enforced, 
 
 under no circumstances can a player win a 
 game by the result of the hand during which 
 he has revoked ; he cannot score more than 
 four. 
 
 Notes on the Revoke. 
 
 There are three penalties for a revoke when 
 the revoking players have scored three or four by 
 previous hands. There are only two penalties 
 when the score of the revoking partners is at love, 
 one, or two. 
 
 The penalty for the revoke takes precedence of 
 every other score ; consequently, if the revoking 
 partners have no score already marked up, 
 amounting to three or four, their adversaries have 
 no option other than to take three tricks from the 
 revolving partners and add them to their own, or 
 to add three to their own score. 
 
1 
 
 4 77^ ^4^/ 0/" Practical Whist. 
 
 I have known many players who, unacquainted 
 with this law, have acted illegally in their penalty. 
 Example : — Score, love all ; A. and B. score two 
 by honours and two by cards. X. and Y. are the 
 better players, and fancy that the more distant the 
 goal the better is their chance. If they enact as 
 penalty three tricks from the revolvers, the game 
 would stand — 
 
 A. B. 2, 
 
 X. Y. I. 
 
 If X. and Y. added three to their score, the game 
 would stand — 
 
 A. B. 4, 
 
 X. Y. 3. 
 
 As the recognized odds in the first case would be 
 less in favour of A. B. than in the second, the first 
 would be the better penalty ; but X. Y. claimed 
 and were allowed by the revoking players to take 
 three away from their score of two by cards, two 
 by honours, when the game stood — 
 
 A. B. I, 
 X. Y. love. 
 
 With reference to the penalty for a revoke, I 
 was witness of the following : — 
 
 A. B. scored two bv cards and two bv honours, 
 
Notes o?i the Revoke. 35 
 
 and were at love. X. and Y. were at love, but in 
 this hand A. revoked. 
 
 " Xow what will you do ? " asked A. 
 
 X. and Y. consulted, and then X. said, "Mark 
 jour two by cards and two by honours." 
 
 A. and B. marked four. 
 
 " Now," said X., " I will take three from your 
 score and reduce vou'to one." 
 
 " You have lost your right to any penalty," now 
 urged A. " The penalty for a revoke takes prece- 
 dence of every other score, and so when you tell 
 us to score four you have lost your right to a 
 penalty." 
 
 The law as it now stands is undoubtedly in 
 accordance with A.'s argument. The penalty for 
 the revoke must be claimed and paid first, before 
 aiiY other score is registered. If then the re- 
 voldng partners be allowed and directed to score, 
 their adversaries have lost their right to any 
 claim. 
 
 That such was the intention of the original 
 f ramers of this law I do not think is probable, 
 but the reading of the law as it now stands is 
 certainly in accord with A.'s argument. Thus, if 
 A. B. revoke, hold four by honours, and gain three 
 by cards, no penalty can prevent their being four, 
 provided the adversaries are at love. I have seen 
 
36 The Art of Practical Whist. 
 
 so many mistakes made in connection with this 
 penalty that particular attention is called to it. 
 
 Calling for New Cards. 
 
 83. Any player (on paying for them) before, but 
 not after the pack be cut for the deal, may 
 call for fresh cards. He must call for two 
 new packs, of which the dealer takes his 
 choice. 
 
 General Rules. 
 
 84. Where a player and his partner have an 
 
 option of exacting from their adversaries 
 one of two penalties, they should agree who 
 is to make the election, but must not consult 
 with one another which of the two penalties 
 it is advisable to exact ; if they do so con- 
 sult, they lose their right ; and if either of 
 them, with or without the consent of his 
 partner, demand a penalty to which he is 
 entitled, such decision is final. This rule 
 does not apply in exacting the penalties for 
 a revoke, partners have then a right to consult. 
 
 85. Any one during the play of a trick, or after 
 
 the four cards are played, and before, but not 
 
General Rides. $j 
 
 after, they are touched for the purpose of 
 gathering them together, may demand that 
 the cards be placed before their respective 
 players. 
 
 86. If any one, prior to his partner playing, 
 
 should call attention to the trick, either by 
 saying that it is his, or by naming his card, 
 or, without being required so to do, by 
 drawing it towards him, the adversaries may 
 require that opponent's partner to play the 
 highest or lowest of the suit they led, or to 
 win or lose the trick. 
 
 87. In all cases where a penalty has been incurred, 
 
 the offender is bound to give reasonable 
 time for the decision of his adversaries. 
 
 88. If a bvstander make anv remark which calls 
 
 the attention of a player or players to an 
 oversight affecting; the score, he is liable to 
 be called on, by the players only, to pay the 
 stakes and all bets on that game or rubber. 
 
 89. A bystander, by agreement among the players, 
 
 may decide any question. 
 
 90. A card or cards torn or marked must be either 
 
 replaced by agreement, or new cards called 
 at the expense of the table. 
 
 91. Any player may demand to see the last trick 
 
 turned, and no more. Under no circum- 
 
38 The Art of Practical Whist. 
 
 stances can more than eight cards be seen 
 during the play of the hand, viz. : the four 
 cards on the table, which have not been 
 turned and quitted, and the last trick 
 turned. 
 
 Notes on General Rules. 
 
 When an offence against the laws has been com- 
 mitted, it is usual for one of the adversaries to say 
 to his partner, " Will you enact the penalty, or 
 shall IV This gives to one player the option of 
 enacting the penalty or leaving it to his partner to 
 do so. The most common case of such an option 
 occurring, is when there has been a lead out of turn. 
 The adversaries then have the option of calling 
 either the card erroneously played, or of calling a 
 lead. Which is the more favourable penalty to 
 enact is then the question. If a player who is 
 fourth hand when the penalty is to be enacted hold 
 ace and queen of a suit when the king is in hand, or 
 hold king and one other card of a suit when the ace 
 is in hand, it would be a great advantage for him to 
 be led up to. Consequently, although the question 
 " Will you enact the penalty, or shall I," has been 
 asked, it is better that the enaction of the penalty 
 should be left to the player who will be fourth hand 
 when the penalty is enacted. If, however, the 
 
Notes on General Rules. 39 
 
 player who lias led out of turn be last player, it 
 may be advantageous to lead up to him and call 
 his exposed card. Thus it is often an important 
 question as to toho should enact the penalty, and 
 this option should be left to the player whose po- 
 sition is as stated above, and not, as is often the 
 case, assigned by the player who considers himself 
 inferior to his partner, who may be considered 
 the better player of the two. 
 
 The longer I play whist the more I regret that 
 Rule 91 exists, and that it is at all possible to see 
 the cards of a trick turned and quitted. Some 
 players have a habit of waiting till the last trick is 
 turned and quitted and then either look at it them- 
 selves or ask that it be shown them. This does 
 not occur once or twice during an evening's play, 
 but is almost perpetually taking place. More 
 especially does it happen when a player has led the 
 king of a suit and follows with the ace, and his 
 partner drops the three or four. A careless player 
 will then ask to look at the last trick, and if he 
 find a two in it, he hesitates and reflects and 
 probably dashes out a trump, imagining that his 
 partner has asked for trumps, by playing first an 
 unnecessarily high card. 
 
 I once heard one of the best whist-players I ever 
 met remark, that he could consider no man any- 
 
40 The Art of Practical Whist. 
 
 thing but a second-rate player who (unless his 
 attention was diverted from the game) ever asked 
 more than once during a rubber to look at the last 
 trick, and he added, a first-class player scarcely ever 
 asks to see the last trick. A player who is wasting 
 his time in looking at or pulling about his own 
 cards during the play of a hand, necessarily fails to 
 see who plays certain cards. In the vain hope of 
 obtaining such intelligence, the player looks at the 
 last trick and commences a condition of mental 
 confusion which continues during the whole hand. 
 To avoid such a habit or such a result, never take 
 your eyes oft* the table whilst each player is- play- 
 ing his cards ; observe each card and draw your 
 conclusions at once on its fall. You will then 
 never need ask to look at the last trick, and will 
 have adopted one of the most essential proceed- 
 ings to make yourself a whist-player. 
 
 The same remarks apply to the player who is 
 sorting his cards, or is otherwise occupied during 
 the play of the hand, and who is perpetually asking 
 the players to place their cards. It is only when 
 two or three cards are played so quickly as to 
 render it difficult to decide who has played particu- 
 lar cards that this demand is necessary. Such 
 persons forget that they by their want of attention 
 are calling upon three players to do that which is a 
 
Etiquette of Whist, 41 
 
 trouble and annoyance, and is by no means neces- 
 sary if common attention is given to the game. 
 Some persons, however, habitually call upon the 
 players to place their cards, and then ask to look 
 at the last trick, and often add to these two 
 unpardonable offences a third, by asking "Now 
 what are trumps ? " Such men are annoying and 
 offensive whist-players, and can have no proper 
 feeling as regards their duties to their neighbours. 
 Never get into these habits ; but, if you possess 
 them, break yourself of them at once. 
 
 Etiquette of Whist. 
 
 The following rules belong to the established 
 
 etiquette of whist. They are not called law.-, 
 as it is difficult — in some cases impossible — to 
 apply any penalty to their infraction, and the 
 only remedy is to cease to play with players who 
 habitually disregard them. 
 
 Two packs of cards are invariably used at club- : 
 if possible this should be adhered to. 
 
 Any one having the lead and several winning 
 cards to play, should not draw a second card out 
 of his hand until his partner has played to the 
 first trick, such act being a distinct intimation 
 that the former has played a winning card. 
 
42 The Art of Practical Whist. 
 
 ISTo intimation whatever, by word or gesture, 
 should be given by a player as to the state of his 
 hand, or of the game. 
 
 A player who desires the cards to be placed, or 
 who demands to see the last trick, should do it 
 for his own information only, and not in order to 
 invite the attention of his partner. 
 
 ]STo player should object to refer to a bystander 
 who professes himself uninterested in the game, 
 and able to decide any disputed question of facts, 
 as to who played any particular card, whether 
 honours were claimed, though not scored, or vice 
 versa, &c, &c. It is unfair to revoke purposely. 
 Having made a revoke, a player is not justified 
 in making a second in order to conceal the first. 
 
 Until the players have made such bets as they 
 wish, bets should not be made with bystanders. 
 
 Bystanders should make no remarks, neither 
 should they by word or gesture give any intima- 
 tion of the state of the game until concluded and 
 scored, nor should they walk round the table to 
 look at the different hands. 
 
 ]S r o one should look over the hand of a player 
 against whom he is betting. 
 
Dummy. 4 
 
 -5 
 
 Dummy 
 
 Is played by three players. 
 
 One hand called dummy's lies exposed^on the 
 table. 
 
 The laws are the same as those of whist, with 
 the following exceptions : — 
 
 I. Dummy deals at the commencement 
 of each rubber. 
 II. Dummy is not liable to the penalty for 
 a revoke, as his adversaries see his 
 cards : should he revoke and the er- 
 ror not be discovered until the trick 
 is turned and quitted, it stands good. 
 III. Dummy being blind and deaf, his 
 partner is not liable to any penalty 
 for an error, whence he can gain 
 no advantage. Thus he may ex- 
 pose some, or all of his cards, or 
 may declare he has the game or 
 trick, &c, without incurring any 
 penalty : if however, he lead from 
 dummy's hand when he should 
 lead from his own, or vice versa, 
 a suit may be called from the 
 hand which ought to have led. 
 
44 The Art of Practical Whist. 
 
 Double Dummy 
 
 Is played by two players, each having a dummy, 
 or exposed hand, for his partner. The laws of 
 the game do not differ from dummy whist, except 
 in the following law : there is no misdeal, as the 
 deal is a disadvantage. 
 
 ENQUIRY. 
 
 I have played whist for some years, but never 
 with any first-class players. I never read a book 
 on whist in my life, but think I play a fair game ; 
 yet I am such a bad card-holder that I nearly 
 always lose ; so I am thinking of giving up the 
 game. What do you recommend me to do ? 
 
 Answered by Letter Iso. 2. 
 
LETTER II. 
 
 HOW TO LEARN WHIST. 
 
 Ix order to obtain even mediocrity in whist, it is 
 necessary to read some of the books that have been 
 written on the subject, and it is better to read them 
 all. There is no more certain method of discovering 
 a conceited man than to play whist with him. He 
 will indicate his weak points in many ways, and one 
 that is very common is to announce that he never 
 read a book on whist in his life. This statement is 
 usually made by men who like their own play very 
 much, and fancy that although they are not quite 
 first-class players they are very near being so. 
 
 AYhen a player has committed a series of puerile 
 mistakes during a rubber, everv one of which is 
 
 CD ~ xJ 
 
 referred to as bad play in whist books, and then 
 announces with an air of triumph, that he never 
 read a book on whist in his life, it is rather disap- 
 pointing for his partner to inform him, that his 
 style of play clearly indicates that he has not read. 
 Considering that the later books written on 
 
46 The Art of Practical Whist. 
 
 wliist may be said to contain the experience of 
 nearly one hundred years of whist-playing, (for 
 each writer writes up to his own time, and builds 
 on that which has occurred before him,) it is 
 merely asserting, that one man's experience of 
 whist during probably a few years' play, fits him 
 to play as well as if he had played all over the 
 world during a hundred years. 
 
 Many persons who blunder through a game of 
 whist, will excuse their mistakes by saying, " They 
 only play whist for amusement." 
 
 Let us now apply the same argument to another 
 case. Suppose a lady of mature years sat clown at 
 a piano and banged the notes at random, without 
 any idea of time or harmony, or even of tune. It 
 would indicate a singular type of mind, if, when it 
 was suggested that there would be a more pleasant 
 noise if the lady learned her notes, she replied, " Oh 
 I only play the piano for amusement." Yet ex- 
 actly similar remarks are made by men of mature 
 years, who play probably three or four nights per 
 week at whist, and who have played a sort of 
 whist for years. 
 
 Just picture to yourself the ridiculous condition 
 of such a man's mind, and if yours is at all like 
 it, at once practise a little humility, and exercise 
 a little common sense, and read whist if you intend 
 
Necessity for Reading. 47 
 
 to play it, and avoid the pity which you scarcely 
 deserve when yon lose a rubber, and your own and 
 your partner's money by ignorance, due to a 
 superfluity of conceit. 
 
 It is often too an indication of laziness, when a 
 man plays whist frequently and yet does not read, 
 or know the rules which long years of whist- 
 playing have proved to be the best, and the loss to 
 himself is considerable. I here wish to point out to 
 you that there is no game less of a gambling game 
 than is whist. It is a sort of three per cent, consols 
 investment, if played for points only, as it ought to 
 be played without bets. But I will demonstrate 
 what is the value that you place upon your time, 
 when you state that you have no time to read 
 about whist. If you never have read about whist, 
 von cannot avoid being a very inferior player, 
 unless you have played during several years with 
 the very best players. Assuming then that you 
 have no time to read, you must be an inferior' 
 player ; and that you play whist one evening per 
 week, or fifty evenings per year. That you play 
 only shilling points with no bets, the rubber being 
 limited to eight points. We will suppose that 
 although you have never read about whist, you vet 
 play so well that you only lose one rubber during 
 the evening by bad play, (a very favourable view 
 
48 The Art of Practical Whist. 
 
 of your case) ; that you lose six points when 
 you ought to have won six points, making a 
 difference of twelve shillings each night, and 
 thirty pounds a year. 
 
 Is ow suppose some generous minded person were 
 to say, " Here is a book of about two hundred pages 
 I want you to read. It is rather amusing than 
 otherwise, you had better read it in instalments, say 
 one hour a day, so as to think over and digest what 
 you read. In one month, if you read only every 
 other day, you will know the book well." 
 
 Suppose to this request you replied, " I have not 
 time ; " you would in reality be saving, " My time 
 is worth thirty pounds a month, at the rate of one 
 hour every other day." 
 
 But in addition to the pecuniary value to be 
 derived from reading about whist, there is another 
 reason for doing so. Whist is a social game. You 
 enter into partnership with one partner for a certain 
 business. If you are a good partner, every one is 
 glad to sit opposite to you, and you work in har- 
 mony with this partner. If you are bad as a partner, 
 you are voted a nuisance ; you irritate your tem- 
 porary friend ; and you must be dull indeed if you 
 do not perceive the look of disgust which few can 
 conceal when the cards drawn show that you fall to 
 the lot of the man, indicating his displeasure, and 
 
Good and Bad Cards. 49 
 
 the cheerful look that emanates from those who 
 have escaped having you for their vis-d-vis. 
 
 Such indications must surely be humiliating to 
 a man who is so self-sufficient as to boast that he 
 never reads about whist. 
 
 You say that you are such a bad card-holder that 
 vou nearlv always lose. Few remarks are more 
 amusing; than this of vours. That vou lose is a fact 
 about which there is no question, and you assert 
 that vou do so because vou are a bad card-holder. 
 Now there is nothing more certain than that every 
 man during, we will say 1,000 rubbers, holds nearly 
 the same number of court cards, and the same 
 number of trumps. It is quite possible, and often 
 happens, that cards run against you for days and 
 perhaps weeks, and you hold during that period far 
 below the average of winning cards ; but as sure as 
 summer follows winter, vou will find that after a 
 time vou will hold above the average of cards, and 
 in a long series you will as nearly as possible have 
 held the average onlv. On three occasions in my 
 whist experience I lost above 500 points between 
 January and March : but before the end of the 
 year, I was a winner of 450 points. 
 
 Early in one year I once lost 35 rubbers in suc- 
 cession ; before June of the same vear 1 won IS 
 
 rubbers in succession, then lost two rubbers, and 
 4 
 
50 The Art of Practical Whist. 
 
 the next day won 10 rubbers in succession. Those 
 players who were witnesses of this last-named 
 result, exclaimed that they had never seen such a 
 card-holder — but they forgot I was only making up 
 my average, and they did not remember the loss 
 of 35 rubbers in succession. 
 
 To claim to be a bad card-holder is ridiculous. 
 I have often heard the claim made, and 1 never 
 failed, on looking over the play of the claimant, 
 to discover that when he held inferior cards he lost 
 more than he ought to have lost, and when he 
 held good cards he did not win as much as he ought-. 
 
 To lose one or even two tricks in each hand is 
 by no means an unusual performance on the part 
 of a player who has never read a book on whist, if 
 you consider that there are probably five or six 
 hands for each rubber. Such play, with hands of 
 equal value all round, will lose eight instead of 
 winning eight points ; and such, I have no doubt, 
 is the explanation of your opinion that you are a 
 bad card-holder. It is the true explanation of 
 every other similar case that I have watched, and 
 I am indisposed to admit miracles in whist, as an 
 explanation of facts, for which I have always found 
 another and a natural solution. 
 
 When you ask what I recommend you to do, I 
 answer, read and think about whist. Don't do as 
 
Common Sense at Whist. 51 
 
 many do : take up thirteen cards and just play 
 them anyhow, without system, order, or reason. 
 Whist is a simple game ; it should in almost every 
 case be played clearly and simply ; and the usual 
 fault of bad players is, that they play whist ap- 
 parently with an absence of common sense, and 
 commit acts which, in any business habits of life, 
 would cause them to be considered little better 
 than imbeciles. In my next letter I will describe 
 what I believe the essential preliminary steps to 
 becoming a whist-player. 
 
LETTER III. 
 
 WATCHIXG THE GAME. 
 
 To arrive at the rank of a good player, certain 
 systematic proceedings are necessary, and to which 
 I will now call your attention. By carefully attend- 
 ing to these, you will avoid one of the most dan- 
 gerous and annoying proceedings of certain players 
 who would otherwise be good, and will not com- 
 mit as they do, what I will term u clerical errors." 
 
 By clerical errors, I mean such palpable mis- 
 takes as leading out of turn, mistaking the trump 
 suit, playing a club to a spade suit when you hold 
 a spade, or a diamond to a heart suit when you 
 hold a heart. Thinking your partner discarded a 
 spade, when he in reality discarded a diamond, 
 and the adversaries discarded a spade, and conse- 
 quently playing to favour the adversaries, instead 
 of selecting to favour your partner. These and 
 similar mistakes, usually arise from causes which 
 I will now explain, and endeavour to point out 
 how to avoid. 
 
Watch the Cards as they fall. 53 
 
 Immediatelv the cards are drawn, to decide who 
 are partners and who deals, remember whether 
 you are first, second, third or fourth player, when 
 the deal is completed. As soon as the cards are 
 dealt, observe carefully the trump card, and note 
 how it may aid you in finessing, or otherwise, 
 by comparing its value with the trumps in your 
 own hand. For example, suppose the knave is 
 turned up to your right, and you hold queen, ten 
 and a small card in trumps ; your qiteen and ten 
 are equally good, as long as the lead comes through 
 you. To play the queen, then third in hand, 
 instead of the ten, would be an act of stupidity, 
 unless the knave was played second in hand. 
 Again, suppose the knave turned up to your right, 
 and you hold ten, eight, seven of trumps. To lead 
 the ten, in the hopes of strengthening your partner, 
 would be weak play, for your partner must head 
 your ten to prevent the knave from winning, and 
 he would do the same to a small card, and your 
 ten would be a useful card held up. 
 
 Sort your cards quickly and systematically, 
 arranging the suits alternately red and black, and 
 the cards of each suit in the order of their relative 
 value. 
 
 It is said that if you always place your trumps 
 in one position in your hand, certain opponents 
 
54 The Art of Practical Whist. 
 
 will note as you sort your cards, how many trumps 
 you hold. I do not consider this argument is of 
 value. If an opponent watches you sort your 
 cards for this purpose, you must be very dull if you 
 don't perceive it, and if you do find he does so, you 
 can very soon mislead him by going through the 
 motions of holding many trumps, when you have 
 only a few, or vice versa. It is a terrible error to 
 mistake the trump suit, and if trumps are always 
 sorted into one position, such an error is not likely. 
 It is a very bad habit to be occupied in any way 
 when the sorting of hands is going on. You 
 should practise sorting your hand quickly, so as to 
 be ready for the lead, and to have formed some 
 estimate of the value of vour hand before the first 
 card is led. By forming an estimate of your hand, 
 I mean, that you should note how many tricks you 
 are almost certain to win ; how many tricks you 
 may probably win ; then having noted the score of 
 your adversaries, and your own score, you know 
 whether you can save the game in your own hand. 
 If yon cannot do so, you must remember how many 
 tricks you require from your partner to save the 
 game between you. If you are certain that you 
 can save the game, you may then run some risk to 
 win it ; but you must be most cautious, as the 
 state of the score alters the style of the play. 
 
Play to Score, 55 
 
 When the adversaries are four to your love, 
 you must play quite a different game from that 
 which you would play at love all. Again, if you 
 are four and the adversaries love, it would be 
 absurd to play a game which might win you three 
 or even two by cards, but might lose you the 
 
 Now all these important questions should pass 
 and be weighed in your mind before a card is 
 played, and if you are sorting your cards when 
 these questions should be considered, you at once 
 start at a disadvantage. 
 
 Immediately a card is led, either by your partner 
 or an adversary, you should, from what you know of 
 the cards in your own hand, form conclusions as to 
 what this card means. For example, suppose you 
 hold (w r ith other cards) the ace, ten, five and two 
 of hearts, and that your left-hand adversary is the 
 original leader. Suppose he lead the six of hearts, a 
 rapid glance at your own hand indicates that there 
 are two cards — viz., the four and three — lower 
 than the card of the original leader, and these cards 
 are in one or other of the three hands. To the six 
 your partner plays the eight, third player plays 
 king, you win with ace. From the instant a card 
 is led you should never take your eyes off the table, 
 but as each card falls, draw conclusions as to where 
 
56 The Art of Practical Whist. 
 
 the other cards are located. A lead of the six by 
 the original leader would indicate — 
 
 First, that it was the lowest of four cards of the 
 suit. 
 
 Second, that it was the lowest but one of a five 
 suit. 
 
 Which of these two conditions really exists it is 
 impossible at present to decide. 
 
 When jour partner plays the eight, it indicates 
 that if he hold either the four or three or seven he 
 is asking for trumps (as he has played an unne- 
 cessarily high card, as will be fully explained in a 
 future letter). When third hand plays the king, 
 it shows he has not the queen. Is ow where are 
 the three, four, and seven ? — for on their position 
 depends 3^0111* knowledge of the game. 
 
 We will suppose that having won the first trick 
 with the ace, you return the two of hearts. Second 
 hand (that is the original leader) plays the seven, 
 your partner wins with queen, and fourth hand 
 plays the three. 
 
 From comparing these cards with those which 
 fell previously, you can now form a very fair esti- 
 mate of the suit of hearts, and of the hands held 
 by one adversary at least. The original leader led 
 six, then second round played seven. He does not 
 then hold live of the suit unless he is a weak 
 
Drazv Conclusions. 57 
 
 player, otherwise in the second round he would 
 play the four or three, showing his partner that he 
 had led originally the lowest but one, or what is 
 termed the "penultimate," which when led indi- 
 cates live in the suit. The play of the queen by 
 your partner shows that he does not hold the 
 knave, and the play of the three by your right- 
 hand adversary shows he is not asking for trumps, 
 as it is the lowest card he could play. 
 
 You now rapidly draw your inferences. Orig- 
 inal leader led from four of a suit, and these four 
 were almost certainly six, seven, nine and knave. 
 If your partner, after winning with the queen of 
 hearts, does not lead a trump, you may fairly con- 
 clude that the four of hearts is not in his hand, 
 and that his first card, the eight, was not an " ask 
 for trumps." You can now place the nine and 
 knave of hearts to your left and the four to vour 
 right, and you can when you like, force your part- 
 ner, if vou consider it advisable to do so. For as 
 eight hearts are out, and as you hold two, two are 
 to your left and one to vour right, the thirteen are 
 accounted for, and your partner cannot hold 
 another heart. If now one trick more would save 
 the game, you can save it when you obtain the 
 lead by forcing your partner. 
 
 This will serve as an example of the system you 
 
5 8 The Art of Practical Whist. 
 
 should adopt, of observing the fall of the cards and 
 drawing your conclusions at once. If you commit 
 the error of gazing at your own cards, as if you 
 were studying the countenances of the kings and 
 queens, instead of watching the fall of the cards, 
 you will probably be compelled to say " place your 
 cards," and you at once start at a disadvantage. 
 
 ENQUIRY. 
 
 I have read Letter Three, and I note the points 
 to which you call attention ; but I find it very diffi- 
 cult, as I have a bad memory, to remember the 
 cards that are out. Can you suggest any method 
 for improving my memory, as regards whist. If 
 I could do so, I should play much better. Also I 
 am not quite clear why men should play whist so 
 that you can know bv the cards tliev play what 
 
 ft C L 1. C 
 
 they hold in their hands. It seems to me they 
 may deceive you, and then all your calculations 
 are upset. 
 
LETTER IV. 
 
 WHIST MEMORY.— THE LEAD. 
 
 Many persons make the same mistake that yon 
 seem to have clone, and appear to consider that a 
 very good memory is necessary in order to play 
 
 whist well. "Memory " is a word often used and 
 
 t/ 
 
 but little understood. "What yon consider Memory 
 is nothing; more as regards whist than careful 
 observation, and I think I can make this clear to 
 
 von. 
 
 j 
 
 If von were asked how manv steps there were 
 from the ground floor to an upstairs room, to which 
 yon ascended daily, yon might possibly assert that 
 von could not remember. The fact would be that 
 von had never observed or counted. Count these 
 steps, and ten minutes afterwards even, you could 
 state the number without anv exertion of memory. 
 
 Suppose you entered a dining room, and were 
 asked after you had been there five minutes, how 
 many chairs there were in the room, or how many 
 pictures, you could not state how many as an act of 
 memory ; but if you had observed and counted, 
 
60 The Art of Practical Whist. 
 
 you could at once state. You may remember the 
 account given in, I think, the " Life of Houclin the 
 Conjuror," how he passed a shop window, ob- 
 served the contents and then wrote them down, 
 and thus discovered how many things he had failed 
 to observe. By thus repeating his observations, 
 he found he improved immensely, and could soon 
 tell by a glance as much, as he had at first been 
 able to discern by a long look. 
 
 So is it at whist. If you are fiddling about your 
 cards, and sorting them when you ought to be 
 looking at the table, you fail to observe the cards 
 that fall from each player's hand, and you conse- 
 quently cannot recall what these particular cards 
 really are, and no amount of looking at the last 
 trick will do anything more than imperfectly aid, 
 and very often puzzle you as regards who played 
 particular cards. I^ote carefully each card as it 
 falls, and draw your conclusions from these cards 
 as regards the state of the hand of each player, and 
 you will soon find what you call your memory is a 
 far more accurate register than what you imagine 
 it is. 
 
 You will find how essential it is, that your atten- 
 tion is not taken off during the play of the hand. 
 If anything takes your attention off the table, you 
 cannot observe as you ought, and then conse- 
 
Make your Cai'ds intelligible. 61 
 
 quently you forget what cards are out, and cannot 
 form a just conclusion as to where other cards not 
 played are most likely to be situated. 
 
 Your second remark is one which calls for 
 special notice, and I would impress on you the 
 importance of what follows : — 
 
 You say " Why should men play whist so that 
 you can know by the cards they play what they hold 
 in their hands," &c. On this depends the beauty 
 and principle of the game. In whist it is a combi- 
 nation of your own and your partner's hand, against 
 those of your two adversaries. If you and your part- 
 ner by a certain system of play, can make each other 
 understand what cards you each hold, whilst your 
 two adyersaries conceal from each other, or mislead 
 each other as to what is in their hands, then you 
 and your partner are playing what is called twenty- 
 six cards, instead of thirteen, and you are pulling 
 together instead of in different directions, and your 
 combination, with equal cards to those held by your 
 adyersaries, will to a certainty defeat their disor- 
 ganization. If, therefore, you have a partner who 
 is intelligent, who observes the cards that fall from 
 each hand, you should pla}^ so as to inform him of 
 the contents of your hand, although you also inform 
 
 «/ ' O %J 
 
 intelligent adversaries, and you gain an advantage 
 by so doing. If you have a partner who plays so 
 
62 The Art of Practical Whist. 
 
 obscurely as to conceal from you what lie has in his 
 hand, you have no alternative but to play your own 
 hand selfishly, and thus you labour under the dis- 
 advantage of having three adversaries, and must 
 lose if the cards are at all equally divided. 
 
 For example : Suppose you hold ace, two, and 
 three of trumps ; your partner turns up the 
 queen, and holds king and queen only. Your 
 right hand adversary leads a trump, you play the 
 two, third hand plays the nine, and your partner 
 plays queen. You conclude from this that your 
 partner does not hold the ten, knave, or king. If 
 he had held either ten or knave, he would not 
 have won with the queen. If he had held the 
 king, he would have played it to let you know he 
 held both king and queen, for you already know 
 he holds the queen, as it was turned up. On 
 trumps being played again by your right hand 
 adversary, you play your ace second hand, and 
 your partner's king falls to it, and the whole 
 command of the trumps is now against you, and 
 a trick has been lost. 
 
 This is a most palpable example of what I wish 
 to impress on you — viz., that to play a strong game 
 you must play so as to make your own hand as 
 clear as possible to your partner. If either adver- 
 sary play so as to deceive you, he must also play 
 
Learn the Simple Rules, 63 
 
 so as to deceive his partner ; consequently he plays 
 on a system which in the long run must lose. 
 
 Iii order, therefore, to play on the most winning 
 system, there are certain cards in a suit which you 
 should lead when it is your original lead — that is, 
 when your right hand adversary has dealt and you 
 commence with a lead. There are certain cards 
 to play second in hand, third in hand, and when 
 last player. Which cards to lead and which to 
 play under the above conditions are carefully laid 
 down in every book on whist, and these must, be 
 learnt and remembered. There is no difficulty in 
 remembering them, and it is just as easy to play 
 the correct as the incorrect card. 
 
 Learning, then, what to lead, what to play 
 second and third in hand, is the mere A JB C, or 
 mechanical part of whist ; consequently the com- 
 mencement of a game is easy and presents but 
 slight variations. As each card falls the play be- 
 comes more difficult, and greater skill is required ; 
 so that a good player who has read the book may 
 pla} r half the hand as well as a skilful player ; but 
 when the last half of the cards have to be played, 
 the unobservant or stupid player loses generally 
 one and often two tricks. 
 
 When, then, you have learnt what to lead, 
 what card to play second and third in hand, do 
 
64 The Art of Practical Whist. 
 
 not run away with the idea that you know any- 
 tiling of whist, — you haye yet to learn the art of 
 the o-anie. But before you can be anything but a 
 very bad player, you must learn what to lead when 
 you are original leader. I will, therefore, now give 
 you a list of the conventional leads, when you 
 have certain cards in your hand. Each of these 
 leads has a reason for being adopted, and this 
 conventional system is the result of the accumu- 
 lated experience of the best whist-players during 
 probably the past hundred years. Do not, then, 
 imagine that your own personal experience is in 
 any way to be compared with that which has 
 caused the various leads given below to be 
 adopted. These leads must be learned ; so that 
 you never need be in doubt about an original lead. 
 
 AVlien vou have learned what to lead, you will 
 not act like some players who, when it is their 
 lead, wait some minutes, and then mutter that 
 thev don't know what to lead. 
 
 The original lead is an easy thing, for vou 
 should in nearly every case lead from your longest 
 suit : which card of this longest suit to lead, in 
 order both to protect yourself and to inform your 
 partner, and save his wasting an unnecessarily 
 high card, will now be explained. 
 
The Lead. 65 
 
 The Lead. 
 
 Whex you have sorted your hand, you can at 
 once tell which is your longest suit. You must 
 have at least one suit, containing four cards.. 
 Probably you may have one suit with five or even 
 six cards : this is called your strongest suit. If 
 you hold two suits each containing four cards, the 
 relative value of these cards determines which is 
 the stronger suit. Thus with queen, ten, seven, 
 and two of spades, king, queen, eight, and two of 
 hearts, the hearts is the stronger suit. 
 
 Before you commence your lead you should note 
 the score, and see whether from vour own hand 
 you are certain to save the game. If you hold 
 only three trumps, with one honour, and have 
 but two tolerably sure tricks, you will require at 
 least two tricks from your partner to be safe, as 
 regards the game, as you may hope to make one 
 of your doubtful cards. But the first question 
 you should ask yourself is, " Can I venture to 
 play a forward game ( or can I only play a back 
 or safe game \ J As this is one of the most im- 
 portant problems in the art of whist, I suggest 
 that you take a pack of cards and give yourself 
 the following cards — ace, queen, knave, and two 
 of diamonds (trumps), king and three of spades, 
 
66 The Art of Practical Whist. 
 
 ace, king, queen, five, and three of clubs, the 
 seven and four of hearts. The score is three all. 
 Any thoughtful player would at once see that 
 the two by honours in his own hand gave him game, 
 provided he could prevent the adversaries from 
 scoring two by cards. There is no object in thd* 
 holder of this hand winning the odd trick, or even 
 two by cards. If the adversaries win the odd 
 trick, it is no use to them. So the sole object of 
 the player who holds this hand, should be to save 
 losing two by cards, and not to attempt winning 
 the odd trick. Consequently he should play a 
 back, or saving game, and not a forward, or win- 
 ning game. In reality, strong as this hand looks, 
 there are only two certain tricks in it — viz., ace, 
 queen, knave of trumps — two of which must make, 
 for the clubs may be trumped first round, and 
 the king of spades may be taken by the ace. To 
 consider, then, the lead under these circumstances, 
 is most important. If the game were love all, the 
 correct lead would be king of clubs, then if it won 
 the first trick, the saving of the game is a certainty, 
 and you may try to win it, and your best chance 
 would be, to lead ace, then queen of trumps. You 
 have thus shown your partner your strong suit in 
 clubs, and your strength in trumps, and asked him 
 to help you play that style of game. If this game 
 
Example of Bad Play. 67 
 
 fail in consequence of the forward play, and of 
 your partner's bad cards, you still do not lose the 
 game, and there was more than a fair chance of 
 your winning it. If, however, the score is three 
 all, you lose the game under the same conditions. 
 
 Having 011 one occasion seen this identical hand 
 played by a thoughtless player who lost two by 
 cards in consequence of playing for too much, I 
 will give the results of the two methods of playing 
 it:— 
 
 First, the wrong way, at the score of three all. 
 The holder of this hand I will call A., his partner 
 B. His left-hand adversary X., his rioht-hand 
 adversary Y. 
 
 A. led king of clubs, which won, he then led ace 
 of trumps, and followed with queen, both of which 
 made tricks. Concluding that his partner held 
 king of trumps, he led the small trump. Both X. 
 and B. failed, and A. was now trapped, as Y. won 
 the trump, and led his king of trumps catching A/s 
 knave. Y. now led king of hearts, which won, 
 then queen of spades, on which A. played king and 
 X. ace, thus X. and Y. had won four tricks. X. led 
 nine of hearts, B. played small heart, Y. won with, 
 knave, led ace of hearts, then knave of spades and 
 thirteenth trump, and won game. X. and Y. could 
 win 110 other trick, as B. held ten of spades. Xow 
 
68 The Art of Practical Whist. 
 
 I will give the hands as they were located. A.'s 
 hand is already given, B. held two small trumps, 
 the four and three ; three small hearts, two, three, 
 four, with queen ; four spades, four, five, six, ten ; 
 and three small clubs, two, four, seven. X. held 
 ace, queen, knave and seven of spades ; nine and 
 five diamonds ; ten, nine, eight, six hearts ; ten, 
 eight, six clubs. 
 
 Y. held king, ten, eight, seven, six diamonds ; 
 ace, king, knave hearts ; knave and nine of clubs ; 
 nine, eight, two spades. If now A. had led king, 
 then queen, then ace of clubs, Y. would have 
 trumped the ace of clubs, and led a trump after he 
 had led his king of hearts, for his reasoning would 
 probably have been as follows. Unless my partner 
 hold an honour, the adversaries are tAvo by honours 
 and game. If my partner hold even the knave, I 
 shall make probably two tricks in trumps, and 
 clear them all out ; and make a greater certainty 
 of three tricks in hearts. On leading a small 
 trump, A. played a false card, the queen, for 
 reasons that you will see explained under the head 
 of false cards, and he won this trick, and leads the 
 five of clubs, which X. trumps with his nine, and 
 leads a small heart. Y. finesses knave, and wins 
 this trick, and concluding that his partner holds 
 knave of trumps, he leads the eight of trumps, on 
 
The Lead from Five. 69 
 
 which A. plays knave and wins, then ace of trumps, 
 which leaves Y. with king of trumps only. 
 
 A. has now won the following tricks : king and 
 queen of clubs, queen, knave, ace of trumps, 
 making five tricks. A. then plays his remaining 
 club, and forces out the king of trumps, and A.'s 
 two of trumps must win. Consequently, A. and 
 B. win six tricks and game ; for if X. and Y. win 
 the odd trick, it is no use to them. Consequently, 
 by back play, A. and B. win the game, instead of 
 X. and Y. doing so. 
 
 ISTow I wish you particularly to study these hands, 
 because although the first or original lead would be 
 the same no matter what the score was, yet your 
 second lead would be different, because in one case 
 you have to guard against one event only, viz., to 
 prevent the adversaries gaining two by cards. If 
 vou were love all, vou have no fear of losing* the 
 game, with such a hand as that I have given as held 
 by A., and so you may venture to try and win it. 
 
 The first or original lead, therefore, should in 
 almost every case be from your numerically strong 
 suit, and the card to lead of this suit will now be 
 referred to. 
 
 With five of a suit, lead the lowest but one, un- 
 less this suit be headed — 
 
 By ace, when lead the ace. 
 
/O The Art of Practical Whist. 
 
 By ace, king ; in which case lead the king. 
 
 By king, queen ; in which case lead the king. 
 
 By queen, knave, ten ; in which case lead the 
 queen, unless under one particular circumstance 
 which I will refer to at the end of this letter. 
 
 By queen, knave ; lead the queen, if you hold 
 six — the smallest but one, if you hold only five. 
 
 By ace, queen, knave and two others ; lead ace, 
 then knave. 
 
 By knave, ten, and small cards ; lead the lowest 
 but one. 
 
 [These leads have exceptions when certain cards 
 are turned up in trumps, these exceptions will be 
 given in a future letter.] 
 
 By king, knave, ten ; lead the ten. 
 
 By king, knave, ten, nine and others ; the nine 
 
 By king, queen, knave ; lead the knave. 
 
 Isow the object of leading a different card when 
 vou have five of a suit, from what you would when 
 you hold three or Tour, should be quite clear to 
 you. 
 
 If in your own hand you hold five of a suit, there 
 are eight cards of the suit in the other three hands, 
 and one of these three must have no more than two 
 cards in the suit. Unless, therefore, you can extract 
 the trumps, you cannot expect to make more than 
 one trick in the suit, if you hold king, queen and 
 
Leads Continued. ji 
 
 three others. If you led a small card of the suit, 
 the first trick might be won by the adversaries with 
 the knave, the second by the ace, and you might 
 not win a single trick in that suit. If you lead 
 king, from king, queen, the king either wins the 
 first trick, or is taken by the ace. If taken by the 
 ace, the queen is the best card left in of that suit. 
 
 In some of the other cases named the lead of a 
 particular card is for one of two objects, and some- 
 times for a combination of both. It is either that 
 you lead a high card to prevent the adversaries 
 winning a trick with a low card, as in the case of 
 ten from king, ten, knave ; ace then knave from 
 ace, queen, knave and two others, to show five 
 with queen, — thus to inform your partner as to 
 the number of cards held by you in the suit you 
 have led from, as in the case of leading the lowest 
 but one when you hold five in the^suit, not headed 
 by the cards named above. 
 
 For example, if }^ou lead the knave of a suit and 
 it wins, and you then lead the king, your partner 
 knows you led originally from king, queen, knave 
 and two others. If you led king originally and on 
 this winning led the queen, he w T oulci know that 
 you had led from king, queen, knave and one other, 
 or from king, queen, knave only. 
 
72 The Art of Practical Whist. 
 
 The Lead from Five or more Trumps. 
 
 The lead from five or more trumps differs from 
 the lead in other suits, because trumps must win 
 on their merits, whereas with other suits, an ace or 
 king may be trumped if held up too long. Also 
 unless you have dealt yourself, you see the trump 
 card in addition to those you yourself hold, and 
 thus have some knowledge of the influence of this 
 card on your own hand. Taking a palpable case, 
 suppose your partner turned up ace of trumps, 
 and you held king, queen and three others, you 
 would not lead the king, as it might fall to the 
 ace ; you would of course lead a small card. Again, 
 if you held ace, king, and three other trumps, you 
 know your ace, king, must win. So you play a 
 small trump to give your partner two chances ; 
 first, that he holds the knave, whilst the queen is 
 held by his right-hand adversary. Secondly, that 
 he hold the queen single, or with one other trump 
 only. 
 
 Again, suppose you held ace, queen, ten and two 
 other trumps, and the knave is turned up to your 
 right, you would lead the queen ; because, even if 
 the queen be taken by the fourth hand, you hold 
 ace and ten over him, and must win both, so that 
 probably his knave never wins. If you led ace, 
 
Lead from Trumps. 73 
 
 then queen, or any other card in trumps, both 
 king and knave must make. 
 
 If you hold the king, queen, and three others in 
 trumps, you lead a small one, for you may fairly 
 give your partner credit for some card which may 
 extract either the knave or ace, and your next lead 
 of kino; will take out the ace, and vou remain in 
 command of trumps. If you led the king, you 
 might catch your partner's knave or ten, if not the 
 ace ; for as a rule you may conclude that if you 
 hold a long suit your partner is probably short in 
 this suit. 
 
 Think over these leads, and you will see the 
 reasons for them, and thus vou will understand the 
 principle on which leads should be adopted ; thus 
 a lead will not be a matter for memory, but for 
 common sense, and you will not act stupidly with 
 regard to them. For example, ten of trumps is 
 turned up to your right, and you hold queen, 
 knave, nine, four and three. Which card would 
 you lead ? You ought at once to see it must be 
 the queen. 
 
 I mentioned that with queen, knave, ten, and 
 two others of a suit, it was sometimes better not to 
 lead the queen. The exception is, when you 
 require but one trick from your partner to win or 
 save the game, and this one trick can be made only 
 
74 The Art of Practical Whist. 
 
 in this one suit which is not the trump suit, and 
 by your partner. If your partner did not know 
 that you required but one trick from him, he 
 would not put his ace on your queen, and the 
 fourth player if he held the king would win this 
 trick, and probably your partner's ace might be 
 trumped. If both ace and king are against you, 
 it is no matter which card you play, but if you 
 played the ten your partner would win with ace, 
 and win or save you the game. 
 
 This is a special case, in which you play so as to 
 have the chances in your favour, and though these 
 are slight, yet if you always play in such a manner 
 as to have the chances slightly in your favour you 
 must win, whereas if you play so as to have them 
 always against you, you must lose. 
 
 TVTien you hold ace, king, and live other trumps, 
 you lead the king, then ace ; for as there are only 
 six trumps in the other hands, you may bring them 
 all down with your ace, king, — and you are 
 tolerably sure to do so with a third round. 
 
 Here then are the principal leads from a suit of 
 five or more ; if you have any remarks to make I 
 will reply to them previous to giving the leads 
 from a suit of four- or three. 
 
What to do. 75 
 
 EXQUIRY. 
 
 From the principle yon have laid down for 
 leads, I conclude that — 
 
 1st. With ace, king, queen, and one other, not 
 trumps, I should lead king, then queen. 
 Should I follow with ace, or lead from a 
 fresh suit ? 
 
 2nd. Suppose also I hold ten, nine, six, five, two 
 of trumps, hearts, and ten, nine, six," five, 
 two, of diamonds, two small clubs, and one 
 small spade, what ought I to lead ? 
 
 3rd. Also with knave, ten, eight, seven, six, which 
 card should be led in a suit not trumps, and 
 why ? 
 
 4th. With ace, king, queen of trumps, and a small 
 trump, ace, king, queen, and three other 
 cards in a suit ; should I lead the trumps 
 first, or the king of the long suit ? 
 
 5th. With king, queen, knave, and three others, 
 and ace, king, queen, and one other trump, 
 no other card above a six, what should I 
 lead? 
 
LETTEE V. 
 
 THE LEAD CONTINUED.— ANSWER TO 
 ENQUIRIES. 
 
 However thoroughly you may know the rules 
 of leads, or which card to play second and third 
 in hand, yet you can never by book knowledge do 
 away with the necessity for judgment under almost 
 every condition of the game, the lead, &c. This 
 is what makes whist the fascinating study that it 
 proves to be, and gives to the intelligent player an 
 advantage over the mere book student. The game 
 of an intelligent whist-player differs more from the 
 mechanical game of the mere book-player than 
 does the pianoforte performance of a skilled 
 musician from the music ground out by a hand 
 organ. I make these remarks on account of 
 Question One in your last enquiry. 
 
 You say with ace, king, queen, and one other, I 
 
 should lead king, then queen, and you ask, should 
 I follow with ace ? 
 
 Whether you should follow with ace depends on 
 
What to Lead. yy 
 
 several conditions. "What cards have fallen from 
 the various hands ? How many trumps are in ? 
 Has your partner shown weakness in this suit by 
 a discard ? Have you reason to think that one 
 adversary, weak in trumps, is likely to trump 
 the ace ? Have you any other suit to lead, which, 
 if you lead from, is not likely to damage your 
 partner, &c, &c. ? These considerations must 
 guide you, and not the bare fact of whether you 
 should lead out the ace after having won with the 
 king and queen. 
 
 With regard to Enquiry Two. 
 
 If the game was love all, I should lead the 
 five of diamonds. You cannot afford to expose 
 your partner to the risk of playing a game 
 under the impression that you have a strong 
 hand, as he would conclude you had, supposing 
 you commenced with the trump lead. If you 
 find your partner has ja strong suit or hand, you 
 can ask for trumps, and thus show him, that 
 although you were not strong enough to start 
 with a lead of trumps, yet a trump lead is now 
 advisable. 
 
 It has been recommended by some writers on 
 whist that you should always lead a trump if you 
 hold five ; with this recommendation I cannot agree. 
 If you hold six, it would almost always be right to 
 
78 The Art of Practical Whist. 
 
 lead one, but with five it is a more doubtful pro- 
 ceeding. 
 
 Third. "With the suit you name, the card to 
 lead would be the knave. You may possibly 
 bring down queen, king, and ace, in the first 
 round, and will then hold the best and third best 
 card of the suit. If you led the seven, and your 
 partner held no higher card, possibly the nine 
 might win the first trick, and the ace and king 
 would then be held up against you, and you 
 might not win' a trick in this suit. 
 
 Fourth. With ace, king, queen, and a small 
 trump, and a six suit headed by ace, king, queen, 
 you should commence with queen, king, ace of 
 trumps. There are only nine other trumps in against 
 you, all these may come down to your three rounds 
 of trumps. Should one adversary hold four trumps, 
 you extract three of these, and then force the 
 remaining trump out with your long suit. You 
 can again obtain the lead with your remaining 
 trump, and continue your long suit, and so make 
 four tricks in trumps, and five in your long suit. 
 If the trumps out of your own hand were divided 
 as follows, five in one adversary's hand, and two in 
 each of the other hands, it might have been better 
 to have forced this hand before you led a trump, 
 if you could be sure of doing so ; but such a divi- 
 
Theory versus Practice. Jg 
 
 sion as four trumps in your own hand, and five 
 in one adversary's is unusual, and you must not 
 play a hand on the assumption that something 
 unusual prevails, — if you do, you will lose. I once 
 knew a whist-player who played a most scientific 
 game, but always lost ; because the game he 
 played was based on an assumption that some- 
 thing unusual prevailed. When he lost the game 
 he would say, " I played perfectly correctly if the 
 cards had been placed as I thought they were. I 
 thought when you led the two of diamonds you 
 must hold ace or king — and had nothing in 
 spades, and so I played as I did." His error was 
 in imagining that for which there were no grounds, 
 and always playing a game suited to the unusual 
 rather than to the usual one of the cards. 
 
 Fifth. The queen of trumps, then king of 
 trumps, then knave of the six suit, this tells 
 your partner plainly that you hold ace of trumps 
 and a powerftd suit. Your partner will naturally 
 conclude that your strong suit is the suit from 
 which you have led the knave, and as this lead is 
 either from a long sequence headed by a knave, 
 or king, queen, knave, and at least two others, he 
 will know by the cards in his own hand which of 
 these two it really is, and the whole plan of this 
 hand will be clear to him. He ought to perceive 
 
8o The Art of Practical Whist. 
 
 that you want the suit cleared of which you have 
 led the knave, and that you hold the ace of trumps 
 in order to gain the lead. In such a hand as this 
 you will discover the stupid from the intelligent 
 player, when your partner holds ace and two 
 others of your long suit. If you lead the knave 
 he may pass this, and allow your knave to make. 
 When you follow with your king, a good player 
 would take vour kino- with his ace, and return you 
 a trump. A stupid player would allow your king- 
 to make, and would hold up the ace, so that if 
 you did succeed in getting out another trump 
 or two your partners ace would take the lead 
 out of your hand, and prevent you from mak- 
 ing vour two or three remaining cards in this 
 suit. 
 
 Now there are some players who have played 
 whist for probably twenty years, who never rise 
 to even this simple style of play. They will 
 say, U I did not like to take vour king with mv 
 ace, because your king must win unless trumped 
 by the adversaries. Consequently such a partner 
 will spoil your plans, and he is one who probably 
 announces every now and then, that he must 
 give up whist, as he holds such bad cards that 
 he always loses. If, instead of thus excusing 
 himself, he were to say, 6t I play my cards with 
 
Fa Cse Th eo r ies. 8 1 
 
 such a want of intelligence that I always lose," he 
 would be stating a fact, instead of bringing forward 
 a theory relative to his being a singular phe- 
 nomenon as regards the cards dealt to him. 
 
 With four in a suit lead the lowest, unless 
 headed by ace king or king queen, in which case 
 lead king. With three lead the lowest, unless 
 headed by two high cards, such as queen knave, 
 knave ten, ifcc, when lead the highest, or with 
 
 knave and two others, when lead the knave. 
 6 
 
LETTEE VI. 
 
 RETURN LEADS. 
 
 Return or second leads differ from original 
 leads, and for many reasons. When it is your 
 original lead, the position of the other cards are 
 entirely unknown to you ; as soon as you see 
 other cards on the table, or have seen another lead, 
 you can begin to speculate on the form of game 
 to be adopted, from noting the card led by your 
 partner or your adversary. 
 
 Assuming, then, first, that your partner has led, 
 say a small heart, and you win this trick. The 
 question is, what card or suit to return him \ 
 The great object of play at whist being to inform 
 your partner of the state of your own hand, it is 
 not customary to at once return to him this suit, 
 unless under the following circumstances. First, 
 that you hold the best card of this suit, when it is 
 desirable to play it out, in order to prevent the 
 chance of blocking your partner's strong suit. 
 Second, that you are very weak in all other suits, 
 and consider it undesirable to open a fresh suit. 
 
The Retttru Lead, 83 
 
 Third, that von hold only two of the suit, and 
 
 J %J L J 
 
 having won the first trick in it, you return to your 
 partner your only remaining card when you wish 
 to have the option of trumping the third round. 
 
 Under these circumstances it is better to lead to 
 your partner the correct card of your own strong 
 suit ; you may thus assume that your partner, by 
 his original lead, has informed you which is his 
 strong suit, whilst you by your return lead give 
 him similar information. 
 
 "When you return your partner's lead, be careful 
 that you return him the highest of two remaining 
 cards, the lowest of three remaining cards. This is 
 one of the most important elementary rules at whist, 
 as it shows your partner whether you held origi- 
 nally three or four of the suit. Thus, with king, 
 ten, four in a suit, if you win with the king you 
 return the ten. If, however, you hold king, ten, 
 four, and two, if you win with the king you ought 
 
 y * m CD t, iD 
 
 to return the two. The fall of your card in the 
 third round informs your partner at once whether 
 you held three or four in this suit. This informa- 
 tion is more essential in trumps than it is in other, 
 suits. If you mislead your partner, and tell him 
 by your play that you hold only three trumps when 
 yon hold four, he may probably draw your re- 
 maining trump, and thus lose a trick. 
 
84 The Art of Practical Whist. 
 
 I consider that this return of the proper card is 
 the first and most important step to correct whist- 
 playing ; and the partner who neglects it deserves 
 no other designation than that of a very bad 
 player. 
 
 There is one important consideration which 
 should guide you as regards returning your 
 partner's lead, and this is I consider another of 
 the most essential elements to success in whist, 
 viz. : to avoid leading up to a strong suit held by 
 that plaver who is on your right. 
 
 Suppose your partner lead a suit, of which you 
 hold knave and two small cards, and that third in 
 hand you win with the knave. To return this suit 
 would be imprudent, for the fact of your knave 
 winning shows the strength to be held either by 
 your partner or your right-hand adversary. If you 
 lead this suit again, you must place your partner 
 at a disadvantage, as the right-hand adversary can 
 win or save a good card. By waiting you may 
 foi'ce the lead into this adversary's hand, and 
 oblige him eventually to lead this suit up to your 
 partner. To lead through the strong and up to 
 the weak is one of the first principles of success in 
 whist, as you may soon prove by playing a game 
 of Double Dummy with yourself, and exposing 
 all the cards. 
 
The Lead from Six Cards. 85 
 
 The great advantage of having the original lead 
 is, that you can develop the game in any direction 
 you may select. You may commence with a 
 trump or a long suit, or strong cards, as you may 
 consider prudent. You may also inform your 
 partner fairly how many cards you hold in a suit, 
 and thus enable him to count your hand. As 
 some of these methods of conveying information 
 to your partner are not generally played, I will 
 now call your attention to them. 
 
 You have already seen how by leading ace, then 
 knave, from ace, queen, knave, and two others, you 
 can give information to your partner that you hold 
 five cards in the suit ; also if you lead a penulti- 
 mate, you also inform him that you hold five in 
 the suit. With the exception of some few players 
 to whom I have had the good fortune to sit oppo- 
 site in a rubber, and who have been satisfied that 
 the system was sound, I have not generally met 
 players who could inform me by their leads that 
 thev held six in a suit. Such information, how- 
 ever, is easily conveyed to an observant partner. 
 The plan I have adopted is as follows : — ■ 
 
 With five of a suit, not headed by winning cards, 
 or by any which require exceptional leads, I lead 
 the penultimate. With a six suit, not headed by 
 winning cards, I lead the lowest but two, when 
 
86 The Art of Practical Whist. 
 
 such a card cannot be taken as the highest of a 
 three suit. In the second round of the suit, I 
 play the lowest card, having the intermediate card 
 in my hand. An observant partner will note the 
 absence of this intermediate card from the two 
 rounds of the suit, and will place it and four 
 others in my hand. The following is an example 
 of this system : — 
 
 Hold queen, nine, seven, four, three, two of hearts. 
 I lead the four, second hand plays five, partner plays 
 ten, fourth hand wins with knave and returns king. 
 On this I play the two, and my partner immediately 
 places five hearts at least in my hand. ]\Iv left 
 adversary plays eight, and my partner trumps. 
 The three of hearts must now be either in my hand 
 or in that of my right adversarv. If it is in mv 
 hand, my partner knows I led from six hearts ; if 
 it is on my right, that I led from five. Either by 
 another lead or a discard I show my partner my 
 three of hearts. Pie can then count three more 
 hearts in my hand, and consequently knows one 
 card more than he could know had I played him 
 the penultimate only. AVhenever, then, you hold 
 a six suit, the three lowest cards in which are six, 
 four, three, or six, three, two, or four, three, two, 
 or five, four, three, &a, you can indicate six in the 
 suit by leading the third card from the lowest, just 
 
The Lead from Six Cards. 87 
 
 as you indicate five by leading the penultimate. 
 Again in a lead from a suit of six headed by ace. 
 If you lead ace, then smallest, your partner credits 
 you with five in the suit. If you lead ace, then 
 smallest but one, he may credit you with six origin- 
 ally in the suit. I have found this system very 
 effective in such a case as the following. I hold 
 ace, knave, five, four, three, two of hearts. My 
 partner holds four trumps, and the king, queen, and 
 small heart. I lead ace of hearts, second hand 
 plays six, partner seven, third hand eight. I then 
 lead three of hearts, my left adversary plays ten, 
 partner queen, and fourth player nine. Neither 
 adversary has asked for trumps, consequently the 
 two of hearts must be in my hand, and three other 
 hearts besides. My partner leads trumps, and 
 takes the first opportunity of getting rid of his king 
 of hearts, so as not to block my suit. Had he be- 
 lieved I held five hearts only, he might have re- 
 tained his king over the knave, which he might 
 have believed against him. The advantage is not 
 only that you reveal an additional card to your 
 partner, telling him you have six instead of five, 
 but you may enable him, with a suit of six, to clear 
 your suit by a discard. Headed by ace, queen, 
 knave, I still play ace, then knave, as this play 
 must clear your suit, and you cannot then reveal 
 
88 The Art of Practical Whist. 
 
 more than five in the suit. The opportunity may 
 occur, however, many times during a rubber; and 
 I have experienced its practical value very often. 
 One of the best players I ever met once remarked 
 to me that he considered the echo to the call, 
 the penultimate lead, and showing six in a suit, 
 were the great advantages which a skilled player 
 possessed over a moderate player. Even average 
 observation will enable men to play other parts of 
 the game, but care and watchfulness are needed for 
 the above three systems. 
 
 The lead of ace, king, queen, knave, is another 
 important lead. If you lead king, then queen, you 
 show ace in your hand, but not knave. If von lead 
 king, then knave, you indicate queen and ace, for 
 you would not start in this way either from three 
 or four in the suit if two were small cards. In 
 trumps you may lead knave, then queen, this u up 
 hill " lead being indicative of four honours. With 
 ace, queen, knave, ten, if you lead ace, then ten, 
 it would indicate four, when your knave fell. 
 With ace, queen, knave, ten, and a small card, ace, 
 then knave, indicates five in the suit. The power 
 of thus indicating the number of cards in vour 
 suit by the lead and fall of subsequent cards, is a 
 point well worth your study. 
 
 When you have won a trick in a suit from which 
 
Return Lead. 89 
 
 you have discarded, you return the card, according 
 to the number in your hand, not the number you 
 originally held. Thus if you had ruffed once, and 
 held ace, eight, four, and two, and you had ruffed 
 with the two, return the eight if you w r in with ace. 
 
LETTER VII. 
 
 WHAT TO PLAY SECOND HAND. 
 
 It is a much more simple problem to decide 
 what card to play second hand, than it is to know 
 .what card to lead. 
 
 As a general rule the lowest card is the card to 
 play second hand. 
 
 The principal exceptions are these : — 
 
 If you hold three cards in the suit led, headed 
 by two moderately high cards, such as queen, 
 knave, and the three, or knave, ten, and a small 
 card, or king, queen, and small cards, play the 
 knave with queen, knave, the ten with knave, ten, 
 and the queen with queen, king. If you hold 
 four cards, such as queen, knave, and two small 
 cards, or knave, ten, and two small cards, play the 
 lowest card. But with king, queen, and others, 
 play queen. 
 
 Cover a high card as a rule ; that is if the nine is 
 led and you hold ten put the ten on the nine, or 
 if the ten be led and you hold the queen put the 
 
Play Second Hand. 91 
 
 queen on. The lead from king, knave, ten, is a 
 favourite lead, and if you do not cover the ten, it 
 will draw your partner's ace if he hold it, and the 
 adversaries remain in command of this suit. 
 
 With ace, queen, ten, the queen should be 
 played second hand, except in trumps, if a low 
 card be played. 
 
 If you hold the ace of a suit and the knave is 
 led, the ace should be played on the knave. If 
 your partner hold the king, it is better that he 
 should hold this king over queen to his right. If 
 he hold the queen, it is better he should have the 
 king to his right, 
 
 With five or more of a suit headed by the ace, 
 it is better to put the ace on second in hand. 
 With king, queen, and five of a suit, the queen 
 should be played second hand. 
 
 The reason for such play is evident ; with king, 
 queen, and three others of a suit, it is impossible 
 that three rounds can take place without this suit 
 failing in some hand. The ace may be to your 
 right, the knave to your left, so that if you played 
 a small card second in hand, the knave would win 
 the first round, the ace the second, and you might 
 never make a trick in this suit. 
 
 With ace, queen, knave, play knave. 
 
 With ace, king, knave, play king. 
 
92 The Art of Practical Whist. 
 
 "With ace, king, and others, play king. 
 
 With ace, knave, ten, and others, play lowest. 
 
 In the second round of a suit you may often 
 play a valuable protecting card to your partner, 
 which wins a trick and saves your partner's hand. 
 For example, suppose you hold ten, three, and 
 two of a suit, led by your right-hand adversary. 
 On first round play your two. Queen is played 
 third hand, and your partner wins with king. On 
 this suit being led a second time by your right- 
 hand adversary, play your ten. You know knave 
 is not held by your left-hand adversary, but he 
 may hold the nine, which, if your partner hold 
 only ace and small ones, will draw the ace, and 
 leave the original leader with knave. Your ten 
 can be of no value if held up, as it must fall to 
 ace or knave in the third round. 
 
 With king and one small card, or with queen 
 and one small card, it is best to play the small 
 card unless to cover a high card led. 
 
 Second Play in. Trumps. 
 
 The second play in trumps differs from the 
 second play in plain suits, because trumps must 
 win on their merits. So with king, queen, and 
 two or more others, the queen is not usually played 
 
Play Second Hand. 93 
 
 second hand, unless a card is turned up which 
 necessarily points to sucli play. For example, if 
 ace were turned up to your right, and you hold 
 king, queen, and one other trump, you must play 
 your queen, otherwise you may only make one 
 trick in trumps. By playing your queen you 
 secure two tricks. 
 
 . As a rule both in trumps and in other suits you 
 must consider the cards in your hand of this suit 
 and cover or not accordingly ; for example, you hold 
 king, knave, eight, and seven, and the ten is led, 
 you cover witli the knave ; or with queen, knave, 
 eight, and six, you would cover the seven with 
 the eight. You must reason out these cases, as to 
 give all the examples would occupy too much space. 
 It may often be of the greatest consequence to 
 ascertain whether your partner holds an honour, 
 as this may decide the question whether you may 
 or may not play for game ; so with ace, king, and 
 two small trumps, it may be desirable to play a 
 small card on the knave, — the queen must be held 
 by either your partner or left-hand adversary, and 
 as your ace and king must make, it may be desir- 
 able to pass this up. If the knave win, then your 
 king ought to be played to the next trump led. 
 "When your partner has shown that he can trump 
 a suit, and wishes to do so, you should if possible 
 
94 The Art of Practical Whist, 
 
 stop the lead of trumps if you hold the winning 
 card, so as to give jour partner the opportunity 
 of making a small trump. 
 
 It is often advisable when second player to hold 
 up the best card on the second round, this in 
 trumps is more advisable than it is in plain suits. 
 For example, right-hand adversary leads a small 
 trump, you hold queen, three, and two of trumps, 
 second hand plays the two, third hand the king, 
 your partner the ace. Your right-hand adver- 
 sary on gaining the lead, leads another small 
 trump. !Now you know that your queen of 
 trumps must win, so you pass this trick to give 
 your partner a chance, and play your three on it. 
 Even if third player hold knave, he may not like 
 to play it, as he supposes the queen is to his left. 
 He may probably finesse, and your partner may 
 make the ten, whilst you still hold the command- 
 ing card. In plain suits this style of play must 
 be practised with great caution. You must al- 
 ways bear in mind that the third round of a suit 
 is very likely to be trumped, and if you do not 
 win second hand, you may probably fail to make 
 the best card ; but in trumps this is not the case, 
 you must make the best trump at any time. 
 
LETTEE Till. 
 
 WHAT CARD TO PLAY THIRD IN HAND. 
 
 The play of the third hand is simple. You 
 should play the highest card in your hand as third 
 player, unless you finesse or hold a sequence, when 
 you play the lowest card of this sequence, pro- 
 vided you have not a higher card than those com- 
 prising the sequence. 
 
 First as to the finesse. This I will divide into 
 two parts, viz., the finesse speculative and the 
 arbitrary finesse. * The first yon may or mav not 
 attempt, the second you must adopt. Simple as 
 are the principles connected with these finesses 
 mistakes are of most constant occurrence, so it is 
 worthwhile to thoroughly understand this depart- 
 ment of whist, and so to think it out as to make 
 the subject clear to yourself. . 
 
 The finesse speculative is this. You hold the 
 best and the third best card in a suit— sav ace and 
 queen — your partner leads this suit, and third in 
 hand you finesse your queen. It is almost 
 
96 The Art of Practical Whist. 
 
 always better to finesse the queen with ace, queen, 
 unless you urgently require the lead, or require 
 only one trick to win or save the game, or hold 
 only two cards — ace, queen — and know one trump 
 remains in the adversaries' hands. The principles 
 of this finesse are that you play against an even 
 chance that the kino; of the suit is to your right, 
 and that your partner, from leading the suit, will 
 probably himself hold knave or king. 
 
 This finesse speculative may be carried further 
 in trumps than in plain suits, on account of the 
 intrinsic value of trumps. But to adopt the finesse 
 speculative too much is dangerous play. With 
 king, knave, and a small card, it is not considered 
 prudent to finesse the knave, unless your partner 
 by other leads has shown weakness in this suit ; so 
 that you may consider one principle of the finesse 
 speculative to be — finesse in a suit in which your 
 partner must be weak ; do not finesse in a suit in 
 which your partner must be strong. Before fines- 
 sing you should quickly impress on your memory 
 what card or cards you are finessing against, and 
 what will be the result in case your finesse fails. 
 For example, you hold ace, knave, ten, and two of 
 spades. Your partner leads the nine, second 
 player plays three. The king and queen are now 
 against yon, and from the lead of nine, it is prob- 
 
Fin esse Spec it lative. 97 
 
 able neither of these are in your partner's hand. 
 
 You now pass the nine, and if this is taken by the 
 king, fourth hand, youmay conclude that you hold 
 ace, knave over queen to your right ; consequently 
 unless you lead ace, yon must make ace and knave, 
 unless either is trumped. 
 
 When a finesse speculative is successful, you 
 should wait for another lead from your partner 
 and not return at once, unless you hold the best 
 card only, and not the remaining third best card. 
 For example, with ace, queen, knave, if your 
 knave wins third in hand you should wait for your 
 partner to lead this suit again, when your queen 
 will make even if the king is in the hand of the 
 right-hand adversary. 
 
 The arbitrary finesse is the following. You hold 
 queen, ten, and three of spades, you lead the three, 
 partner wins with king and returns to you a small 
 spade. You know that the ace is now to your left, 
 but you do not know where the knave is. It ma)' be 
 to your right ; your queen if played will be taken 
 by the ace. If both ace and knave be to your left, 
 both will win. If, however, the knave be to your 
 right, your ten will draw the ace, and your queen 
 remains the best card. Consequently, you are 
 bound t<> play the ten. Also, if you hold king, ten, 
 and a small card, and having led a small card, 
 
98 The Art of Practical Whist. 
 
 your partner wins with queen, and returns the suit, 
 you must finesse the ten for the same reasons. It 
 can be no disadvantage making this finesse, and it 
 may be an advantage, so it is arbitrary oft you to 
 make it. 
 
 The finesse in trumps must be guided by — 
 
 1st, the necessity for taking out two rounds, or 
 otherwise. 
 
 2nd, by the card turned up. 
 
 If a double ruff were threatened, and your 
 partner led you trumps, it might be advisable to 
 put in ace with ace, queen, and return a small 
 trump so as to secure two rounds. If the king 
 were turned up to your left it would be absurd to 
 put in queen third in hand with ace, queen. To 
 finesse against an adversary on your right, who has 
 shown that he is either very weak or has none 
 of the suit, is absurd. This is called finessing 
 against your partner, and is bad play. Also to 
 finesse queen with ace, queen, is wrong when you 
 require only one trick to win or save the game. 
 
LETTER IX. 
 
 PLAY FOURTH IN HAND. 
 
 It is the duty of the fourth hand to win the 
 trick if he can, and with the lowest available card, 
 unless this trick be his partners, or unless he wishes 
 for good reasons to leave or place the lead in the 
 hand of that player whose trick it may happen to 
 be. Except, therefore, in very exceptional cases, 
 it is not advisable to refuse to win the trick when 
 fourth player. The exceptions to winning fourth 
 in hand will be fully explained under the head of 
 Throwing the Lead, 
 
 Considerations relative to play as leader, second, 
 
 and third player. 
 
 If you will commit to memory and reason on 
 the principles of play under the above conditions, 
 you have learnt the alphabet of whist but nothing 
 more. Do not run away with the erroneous idea 
 that, because you know the book-rules of leads, &c, 
 
ioo The Art of Practical Whist. 
 
 and probably cany in your head a synopsis of 
 these, that you can play whist. The art of whist 
 has yet to be acquired, and although you may 
 acquire a thorough knowledge of how and when 
 to throw the lead, what to discard and when to dis- 
 regard rule, there is still a large field of study 
 connected with the art of the game which has yet 
 to be considered. The first subject, however, to 
 which I will call attention, on the supposition 
 that you are now well acquainted with all that 
 has already been written in these pages, is that 
 contained in the following. 
 
 On throwing the lead into a particular hand. 
 
 From your knowledge of what has already been 
 written, you will perceive what an advantage you 
 would gain if you could be led up to as fourth 
 player when you hold ace and queen, or king 
 singly guarded, or any combination of cards similar 
 to these. In the first example you must make 
 both ace and queen, in the second you must make 
 the king, unless of course either is trumped. 
 
 As I before remarked, skilled play comes in to- 
 wards the end of a hand, whilst a mere memory of 
 rules will guide you at the commencement. As 
 an example of the most simple kind, I will suppose 
 
Placing the Lead. 101 
 
 you hold seven of hearts trumps, the ace, queen of 
 spades, ace and queen of clubs. You require three 
 tricks to win or save the game. You know the 
 ten of trumps is held by your left-hand adversary, 
 the diamonds have all been played, the king and 
 three other spades are in some hands, you do not 
 know where, the king, and other clubs are also in ; 
 no other trumps are in. Now, what card should 
 you lead ? I will suppose your left-hand adversary 
 holds the king of clubs, and also the king, and other 
 spades. Consider the position of these cards well, 
 and you will see that you must make three tricks if 
 you lead your twelfth trump, and throw the lead to 
 your left. You must then be led up to in either 
 spades or clubs ; if in spades you make ace and 
 queen, if in clubs you make also ace and queen. 
 Play the cards in any other way and you will 
 probably make one trick less, unless your right- 
 hand adversary lead a spade. This simple case is 
 well worth your study, as it involves a principle. 
 I will give you another example. You hold 
 three cards in your hand — viz., ace, knave, and two 
 of trumps, the king, queen, ten, nine, and two 
 other trumps are in against you. Two tricks are 
 required to win the gar^e. Your left-hand adver- 
 sary leads king of trumps, your partner and right- 
 hand adversary follow suit with low cards. If 
 
102 The Art of Practical Whist. 
 
 now you take the king with your ace, you must 
 lead either your knave or your two. The knave 
 will be taken by the queen, and your two by the 
 ten or nine. If you allow the kino; to win, and 
 thus throw the lead to your left, your aee, knave 
 are led up to, and you must win with both. 
 
 Again, suppose king is turned up to your left, 
 and your partner has shown by previous play 
 that he holds ace, knave. Three cards, trumps, 
 are in each hand. You hold queen, four, and three. 
 Left-hand adversary leads small trump, your part- 
 ner plavs ten, rio-lit-liand adversary plavs six. The 
 trick is now your partner's. If you allow your 
 partner to win this trick, he must lead up to king, 
 guarded, and king wins. If, however, you take 
 your partner's ten with your queen, you take the 
 lead, and lead through the king up to ace, knave, 
 when the king does not make. 
 
 Another example. You hold ace, ten, and a small 
 trump, knave is turned up to your right, your 
 partner leads queen of trumps, right-hand adver- 
 sary puts on king of trumps, he holding king, 
 knave, nine. If you put your ace on king, you 
 lead up to knave, nine, and lose both your other 
 tricks. If to the king you play your small trump, 
 vou must make ace and ten. 
 
 m 
 
 Now the principles pointed out above hold good 
 
Holding back Ace. 103 
 
 in all parts of the game, but more especially when 
 onlv six or seven cards remain in each hand. And 
 if you were to ask me what I considered the most 
 important item connected with the art of whist, 
 I should reply, knowing when and where to throw 
 the lead. 
 
 There are some players, who when they hold 
 ace, knave, and a small card in a suit, will not 
 cover a king led by their left-hand adversary, as 
 they hope the suit will be again led up to them, 
 when they will secure both ace and knave. In 
 plain suits such play is dangerous, and the advan- 
 tages questionable %ohen this occurs early in the 
 game. In the first place you mislead your partner, 
 and if he hold only one of the suit he will ruff the 
 next round. In the second place the adversary 
 may change the suit, and you may be led through ; 
 or if trumps be thus led, the king may be a single 
 card of the suit. Consequently you must weigh 
 well the risk you incur by such play, and compare 
 this with the probable advantages. 
 
 Such play, however, sometimes in desperate 
 cases may be adopted, and I once won a remark- 
 able rubber by similar play, and against two good 
 players. I dealt and turned up two of diamonds, 
 and held ace, ten and three besides. Ace, king, 
 queen, ten and two small hearts, one small club, 
 
104 The Art of Practical Whist. 
 
 two small spades. The score was game and game, 
 three all. 
 
 ]\Iy left-hand adversary led the king of trumps, 
 on this 1 played my two ; he followed with queen 
 of trumps, on this I played my three. He held 
 knave and eight besides, and concluding his part- 
 ner must hold the ace, he led his small trump. 
 My partner failed to follow suit, and I won this 
 trick with my ten, led my ace, drew the knave, 
 and made six tricks- in hearts. On examining 
 the cards it was found that the adversaries held 
 four honours in clubs and four honours in spades, 
 the highest card in my partners hand being a 
 nine ; thus I won two by cards against two by 
 honours. 
 
 The play of the original leader was faulty, as he 
 was playing for too much. He should have played 
 solely to prevent me from making two by cards, 
 and this by any other system of play he could have 
 accomplished. That, however, to which I wish to 
 call your attention is, that it was a desperate case, 
 and any other play on my part would have lost 
 the game. It was essential that the lead should be 
 hi ray hand when the last trump was drawn, and 
 as it was most improbable that either adversary 
 would lead a heart, this play alone could win the 
 game. 
 
The " Cotip" 10 
 
 o 
 
 What has been termed tlie grand cowp is nothing 
 more than jjlaclng the lead at a particular stage of 
 the game. For example, you hold ace, queen and 
 a small trump spades, the losing diamond of which 
 your partner holds the best card, and adversaries 
 each hold a diamond. The king of trumps is to 
 your right, and is guarded. Your partner plays 
 ace of hearts, second player plays small heart. 
 You have now the option of throwing away the 
 diamond, or of trumping the ace of hearts. A 
 careless or unskilled player would of course throw 
 away his diamond. His partner would then prob- 
 ably play his best diamond, which you would be 
 compelled to trump, and would have to lead ace 
 or queen up to king guarded, when of course your 
 adversaries win one trick. If, however, you had 
 trumped your partner's ace of hearts, and had led 
 him the diamond, he would have had the lead 
 when onlv two cards remained in, and he would 
 have been compelled to lead a trump through the 
 king up to your ace and queen, when of course the 
 adversaries do not make a trick. The grand coup 
 therefore, is merely a variety of the principle of 
 placing or throwing the lead into a particular hand 
 at a particular time. 
 
 It often happens during the play of a hand that 
 you know the third round of a suit will be won by 
 
106 The Art of Practical Whist. 
 
 the adversaries, you have at the same time no 
 strong suit that it is advisable to lead. Instead, 
 therefore, of opening a fresh and weak suit, it is 
 far better to place the lead in the adversaries' 
 hands, especially if you can place this lead in the 
 hand of your right-hand adversary, and oblige 
 him to lead up to your partner. 
 
 The combinations connected with throwing the 
 lead are almost endless, and afford ample oppor- 
 tunities to the skilful player. It may occur by 
 refusing to trump over an adversary, as in the 
 following example. You hold ace, six of spades, 
 trumps and knave of diamonds. Left-hand adver- 
 sary holds five and three of spades and two of 
 hearts, partner holds seven and four of hearts and 
 two of diamonds. Right-hand adversary holds 
 king, ten of spades and five of clubs. Left-hand 
 adversary leads two of hearts ; your partner puts 
 his four on this ; right-hand adversary trumps 
 with ten. If now you over trump with ace you 
 make no other trick, if you throw away your 
 knave of diamonds you make both ace and six of 
 trumps. 
 
 Again, suppose you hold ace, queen of trumps, 
 spades, king and two of hearts, and the king of 
 trumps is turned up to your right. Ace of hearts 
 is led by your left or right hand adversary. On 
 
Taking the Lead. 107 
 
 this card you throw your king to prevent having 
 the lead in the second round, and being compelled 
 to lead up to king of trumps guarded. If your 
 partner hold queen of hearts, you win a trick by 
 throwing your king. If the adversaries hold the 
 queen, you don't lose a trick by such play, as the 
 lead must come to you from right to left. If, 
 therefore, you play so that you may win, and 
 cannot lose by a particular card being played, you 
 will in the end be a winner. 
 
 You should then bear in mind that on the posi- 
 tion of the lead at the end of the game depends 
 at least one trick, and you should watch your 
 partner's play to note when and where he is de- 
 sirous of retaining or of getting rid of the leads. 
 As an example of such a case, the following will 
 serve. 
 
 I hold ace, queen of spades, trumps, ace and 
 knave of hearts. King and knave of trumps and 
 two small hearts are held by my right-hand adver- 
 sary, and are the only trumps in besides my two. 
 My partner holds king, queen and two small hearts, 
 and leads the king. On the king I play my ace 
 and return the knave. It is now for my partner to 
 win or lose a trick. If he allow my knave of 
 hearts to win, he obliges me to lead up to king, 
 knave of trumps, when the king must win. If he 
 
io8 The Art of Practical Whist. 
 
 take my knave with his queen, lie leads through 
 king, knave and we win every trick. 
 
 You may probably ask, what is there to guide 
 } t ou to such results ? I reply, that if you have 
 observed the fall of the cards you ought to know, 
 or to be tolerably certain as to the position of the 
 four remaining trumps. If I take your king with 
 my ace, I must have some reason for doing so. 
 You must know that with four trumps remaining 
 in, your queen of hearts cannot make a trick, in- 
 dependent of my knave ; you should, therefore, 
 give up all idea of winning with the queen, unless 
 you play it on any knave and concentrate all your 
 thoughts on the best position for the lead after 
 this trick is won. Such reasoning, combined with 
 the value you ought to give for my reasons for 
 playing my ace, should show you at once my ob- 
 ject and you ought to play accordingly. 
 
 The feebleness of some old whist-players in 
 cases similar to this is such as to cause them to 
 lose a trick almost every other hand. 
 
 You will now probably agree with me that the 
 art of placing the lead is one of the most important 
 in whist. It comes in towards the end of the game 
 when mere book players not gifted with much 
 intelligence break down. The cases that occur are 
 numerous, and when it is borne in mind that these 
 
Placing the Lead. 109 
 
 problems (unlike those at chess in which a 
 quarter of an hour's thought may be given) must 
 be thought out and acted on instantly, it is evident 
 that great observation, practice and intelligence 
 are required to make a first-class player in this 
 particular branch of the game. 
 
LETTER X. 
 
 TRUMPS, THEIR USE AND ABUSE. 
 
 I have much to say on the use and abuse of 
 trumps ; first, because they may be called the 
 artillery of your hand, as they carry everything 
 before them ; secondly, because long experience has 
 compelled me to differ slightly from former writers 
 on whist as regards the practical application of 
 trumps. It has been stated that the first use of 
 trumps is to extract your adversaries' trumps in 
 order that you may briny in your own or your part- 
 ners long suit. This application of trumps must 
 be good for one side only, viz., that side which 
 possesses long suits. This side wishes to extract 
 the trumps. Then it follows that the other two 
 partners cannot wish trumps to be drawn. If 
 trumps are not drawn, the long suits will be ruffed. 
 So whilst that side holding the long suits wishes 
 trumps to be drawn, the other side do not and can- 
 not wish it ; for it is impossible in a battle that 
 what is advantageous for one side, is also advan- 
 
The Use of Trumps. 1 1 1 
 
 tageous for the other. If it is possible to extract 
 all the trumps, the remaining cards win on their 
 merits. If, however, you and your partners have 
 the minority in winning cards and long suits, it 
 follows that getting trumps out is the game favour- 
 able to vour adversaries. The adversaries when 
 possessing long suits wish to extract trumps to 
 prevent you or your partner from ruffing these. 
 It therefore follows, that if you or your partner do 
 ruff, you are doing the very thing which your 
 adversaries would, if they could, prevent. 
 
 Whilst, therefore, it is true that one great use of 
 trumps is to extract trumps from the adversaries, 
 and thus to make your own or your partner's long 
 suit, yet you must be careful that in this endeavour 
 you do not play the adversary's game, and whilst 
 you are extracting his trumps, your own are also 
 extracted, and you have by your own act disarmed 
 yourself and your partner, and left the adversaries 
 in command of the trump suit ; that is, with the 
 remaining trump and a long suit to bring in. An 
 error of this kind usually arises from playing a 
 forward instead of a back game, and endeavouring to 
 make a large score when you ought to have played 
 to save the adversaries from making a large score. 
 In such a case instead of attempting to get out 
 trumps in order to establish your own long suit, 
 
H2 The Art of Practical Whist. 
 
 you should have been contented to make one or two 
 tricks in your long suit and one or two tricks in 
 trumps by ruffing your adversaries' winning cards. 
 To attempt to extract trumps and to establish a 
 long suit when you are not strong enough to do so, 
 is a most fatal error. 
 
 If then you are not strong enough to extract 
 trumps and establish your own strong suit, it 
 follows as almost certain that the adversaries are 
 strong enough to extract your trumps and establish 
 their strong suit ; consequently the best use you can 
 put your trumps to is to win tricks with them by 
 ruffing the adversaries' winning; cards if von are 
 given a chance of doing so. This fact being estab- 
 lished, I now come to a principle which has been 
 laid down by former writers on whist, but which 
 seems to have been practically misapplied by many 
 orthodox players. I refer to the heading, " Do not 
 force your pariner, if you are weak in frumps" 
 
 Following this direction many players will never 
 force their partner if they are weak in trumps, and 
 thus many a trick and many a rubber is lost. If I 
 were to enumerate the number of rubbers I have 
 seen lost by one player weak in trumps refusing to 
 force his partner, I should count them by thousands. 
 I have therefore often remarked to such partners, 
 when they have urged that they could not force me 
 
Abase of Trumps. 113 
 
 as they were weak in trumps, " Say, you would not 
 allow me to make a trick in trumps, because you 
 were weak in them." 
 
 Under the heading quoted above, former writers 
 have carefullv pointed out when vou may force 
 your partner although you are yourself weak ; viz., 
 when he has shown a desire to be forced, or weak- 
 ness in trumps : when you have a cross ruff : when 
 strength in trumps has been declared against you, 
 and when one trick will win or save the game. To 
 refuse to force your partner merely because you are 
 yourself weak. I consider a most dangerous game. 
 You, in the first place, refuse to allow your partner 
 to win a trick by trumping. That is, you throw 
 away a trick for some object, and what is this 
 object I If it be merely to inform your partner 
 and adversaries that von are weak, the information 
 is dearly purchased. If it be because you fear to 
 reduce your partner*.- strength in trumps, you must 
 have assumed that he is very strong in trumps : 
 strong enough, if not forced, to extract the adver- 
 saries' trumps and establish a long suit. Then 
 comes the enquiry, what right have you to assume 
 such strength in your partner's hand \ If he has 
 neither asked for trumps nor has discarded a card 
 which may he the cmmnencement of an ask for 
 trumps, you by refusing to give him the option of 
 
H4 The Art of Practical Whist. 
 
 a ruff, practically say, " I will not give you the 
 chance of making a small trump, because I am weak 
 in them." Immediately the adversaries gain the 
 lead they extract all your and your partner's trumps, 
 and make the card or cards which your partner 
 might otherwise have ruffed. Do not run away 
 with the idea that to refuse to force your partner 
 because you are weak in trumps is a safe game. It 
 is a dangerous game, because you. are refusing to 
 make a certain trick on the speculation that you 
 may probably win more by so doing ; if your specu- 
 lation is incorrect, you lose bv your reticence. 
 
 If you have any doubt about this question, deal 
 out the cards for a few hands of Double Dummy, 
 and note in how many instances you would lose a 
 o'ame which you might have saved had you forced 
 your partner. 
 
 As a simple example of such a hand, take the 
 following. You hold : knave, five and three of 
 spades, (trumps) ; ace, queen, knave, five and two 
 of hearts ; ace and two of clubs : king, four and 
 three of diamonds. Score, love all. 
 
 It is your lead, and you commence with the ace 
 of hearts, to which your partner plays the tw<>. 
 You follow with the knave, on which second player 
 plays king, your partner drops ton, and third player 
 
 -mall heart. Your partner, therefore, has not 
 
Jhbuse of Trumps, 115 
 
 asked for trumps, and he probably holds no more 
 hearts. Left-hand adversary leads a small club, 
 partner plays another small club, third hand plays 
 knave, you win with ace, and return ten of clubs, 
 which your partner wins with king. 
 
 Your partner will now fairly conclude that you 
 have no more clubs, but he is weak in trumps, 
 holding three only, the highest, the ten ; so he leads 
 a diamond, as he considers he is bound not to force 
 you, because he is weak in trumps. Your king of 
 diamonds plaved third in hand is taken bv the ace. 
 Adversaries then make ace, king, queen of trumps, 
 queen, knave of diamonds, queen of clubs, and 
 thirteenth trump — nine tricks ; that is, three by 
 cards, two by honours, a treble. 
 
 Under such circumstances, your partner will 
 probably say, " Of course I could not force you in 
 clubs, as I was so weak in trumps," whereas he 
 should have seen that by your original lead you 
 had yourself shown no strength in trumps, so to 
 make a trick in trumps was all you could hope to 
 do. Also to lead from a suit of diamonds, in 
 which he had no court card, was rash in the 
 extreme. Yet such is the almost certain play of 
 the individual who is fettered by the idea that he 
 cannot force his partner if weak in trumps. Had 
 he led a club, vou would have ruffed this, vou then 
 
ii 6 The Art of Practical Whist. 
 
 lead him a heart which lie ruffs, and von have 
 
 made live tricks and saved the game. Each has 
 forced the other though weak in trumps. 
 
 It is impossible to overrate the advantages of 
 saving a game which might have been lost. It so 
 often happens that when one side is at the score of 
 four, this side will hold great cards, and may score 
 two by honours, and obtain three bv cards, most of 
 which is wasted strength. If they had won the 
 first game, they would then have gained a bumper, 
 whereas they are only one game to the good, so 
 that it cannot be too strongly impressed upon you 
 that when you see it is impossible to win the game, 
 and only probable that you may make a score, you 
 should concentrate your attention on saving the 
 game. I would therefore, after carefully weighing 
 all the arguments that have been urged by former 
 writers, and comparing these with the results of my 
 own experience in whist, be disposed to reverse 
 the directions connected with forcing, and say, 
 Unless you?* partner has shown great strength in 
 trumps, a wish to get them drawn, or has refused 
 to ruff a doubtful card, (jive him the opt inn of 
 making a small trumj), unless you have some good 
 reason for not doing so, other titan a weak suit of 
 trumps in your own hand. 
 
 Many players have asked me, how they can 
 
 1 t, . / I- 
 
When to "Force!' 117 
 
 possibly tell at the commencement of a hand, 
 whether they should, or should not, force me when 
 they are weak in trumps. 
 
 I have always given the following as that which 
 should guide them. Suppose you hold ace, king, 
 and three other hearts, two small trumps, and no 
 other winning cards. You lead king; of hearts ; on 
 this 1 play the four. You then lead ace of hearts ; 
 on this I throw the two of spades. My discard of 
 the two of spades shows I am not asking for 
 trumps ; therefore, I do not hold five trumps, nor 
 four trumps, and two honours ; it therefore follows 
 that there are at least seven trumps in the adver- 
 saries' hands, if not eight, and as I have bv mv 
 discard shown no desire that trumps should be led, 
 you would be right to force me. If to your ace of 
 hearts I had discarded the six, seven, or eight of 
 spades, you would have reason to doubt the ex- 
 pediency of forcing me ; for either of these cards 
 might be the commencement of an ask, and you 
 would be right to change the suit and wait for 
 further information before you forced me. If, how- 
 ever, you found that even my discard of the six 
 was not an ask, you should not hesitate to give me 
 the option of ruffing. I can refuse to ruff if I 
 choose, and at a very trifling expense — viz., dis- 
 carding a worthless card — but to refuse to give 
 
1 1 8 The Art of Practical Whist. 
 
 me a chance of making a small trump, merely 
 because you are yourself weak in trumps, is, I am 
 convinced, most feeble play, based on a miscon- 
 ception as regards the purpose and play of a hand. 
 To do so implies that your partner is strong enough 
 to extract trumps, and to make his or your long 
 suit, when there is not the slightest evidence that 
 should induce you to come to such a conclusion. 
 
LETTER XL 
 
 ASKING FOR TRUMPS, AXD THE ECHO. 
 
 J 
 
 Durixg many years there lias been a system 
 arranged,termed " asking for trumps," " the signal," 
 and ;; tlie blue Peter," which indicates that you are 
 strong in trumps, and that you hold either five 
 trumps, or four trumps and two honours, and that 
 it is most advantageous to your hand, that vour 
 partner lead you trumps at the first opportunity. 
 This "ask" is indicated by your playing an un- 
 necessarily high card, that is, on a trick won by 
 ace, third in hand, you as fourth player throw the 
 six, and next round play the two, or as second 
 player, play the four, and then next round, drop 
 the two or three. Thus asking for trumps means 
 playing a totally unnecessarily high card, when by 
 subsequent play you show you could have played 
 a lower card. You must be careful to distinguish 
 between a totally unnecessarily high card, and a 
 card played to cover another card, or to protect 
 your partner. If you hold knave, ten and two of 
 a suit, as second player, you play your ten, on next 
 
120 The Art of Practical Whist. 
 
 round you would play your two, if this trick was 
 won by a card higher than your knave. Your 
 partner must not assume from the fall of the two, 
 that you have asked for trumps, you have simply 
 played the proper card. If you wished to ask for 
 trumps, with this hand you should play your knave 
 on the first card led. But your partner cannot tell 
 until the third round of the suit, whether you 
 have, or have not asked for trumps under the 
 above conditions. Thus the play of the second 
 hand, must be watched carefullv to note whether 
 the card played, is, or is not, a protecting card, and 
 not an " ask." With fourth player, there is less 
 chance of mistake, for if the trick be already won, 
 and he throws a five or any other higher card, and 
 next round plays the two or three, it must be an 
 ask. If the card led by the original leader be a 
 high card, such as king or ace, then the play of 
 second player is not liable to be misunderstood. 
 No player can ask for trumps by his lead. 
 
 Third player may win with king, when he holds 
 queen, or with ace, when he holds king, and so 
 indicate his signal. 
 
 It may often happen that a player with a strong 
 hand of trumps wishes them to be led to him for 
 two reasons. First, that by the card his partner 
 leads him he may ascertain, or estimate his 
 
The Ask for Trumps. 121 
 
 partner's strength ; second, because the card turned 
 to his right may enable him to safely finesse. 
 Tims with ace, queen, knave, and one other trump 
 and king turned up to the right, it is advantageous 
 that trumps should be led to this hand through 
 the king, whereas if this hand led trumps, the king 
 must make, unless ace be led and the king is un- 
 guarded. Thus if one partner ask for trumps, the 
 other partner should lead him the highest, if he hold 
 three, and the lowest if he hold four trumps, unless 
 this partner hold the ace, when he should lead 
 ace, then lowest of the three remaining. 
 
 Those players who note carefully the fall of 
 every card will scarcely ever fail to see the call, 
 whether made by their partner or adversaries. 
 Bad players sometimes excuse themselves, when 
 thev have omitted to notice the fall of the cards, 
 by saying they were not looking out for it. Such 
 a remark is a confession to the effect that the fall 
 of the cards is not noticed, except probably the 
 fall of aces, kings, and queens. 
 
 To attempt to play whist when you omit to 
 notice the call for trumps is to play at an immense 
 disadvantage. Nearly every moderate player now 
 understands the call for trumps, so that if one 
 player out of the four does not do so, he is over- 
 matched by those who do. 
 
122 The Art of Practical Whist. 
 
 There are certain conditions of a game when 
 one player, judging from the cards in his hand, 
 may see after a few rounds that the only way of 
 saving the game is to obtain a trump lead from 
 his partner. Under such circumstances he would 
 be justified in asking for trumps, although he may 
 not possess the strength indicated as that justify- 
 ing an original call. You should therefore note 
 the cards carefully that are played throughout the 
 hand, for your partner may not have called early 
 in the game, but may do so after half the cards 
 have been played. 
 
 There are some players who not being very 
 strong in trumps will never lead them unless their 
 partner has asked ; such players are of course ob- 
 tuse, and do not know the principles of the game. 
 There are some cases where nothing but a trump 
 lead can save the game, and should, therefore, be 
 adopted, even though the leader is very weak and 
 his partner has not asked. 
 
 It is rarely wrong to ask for trumps if you hold 
 five with two honours ; but there are exceptions 
 to this, some of which are the following : — 
 
 That you hold ace, queen, and three others, and 
 the king is turned up to your left, and you have 
 no winning cards out of trumps. 
 
 That you are at the score of four, hold ace, 
 
The Echo, 123 
 
 king, and three small tramps, single cards in two 
 suits, and no winning cards in the third. 
 
 That vour partner has shown he is likely to 
 ruff a suit, in which von cannot win a trick. 
 Under the above condition von may force your 
 partner and then lead trumps, if yon consider it 
 desirable. 
 
 "When you see that bv the fall of the cards you 
 
 %) ii tj 
 
 and your partner have a double ruff. 
 
 These and other similar conditions would render 
 it doubtful whether an ask for trumps at the 
 commencement of the game was desirable. If, 
 however, during the play of the hand you discover 
 your partner is strong in any suit, you may at 
 once signal. 
 
 If possible, never ask for trumps with a ten, 
 knave, or queen ; your partner may consider you 
 hold no more in the suit, and will perhaps try to 
 force you. 
 
 The Echo. 
 
 As a sequel to the " ask for trumps " another 
 system of play has been for some time adopted, 
 by which, if your partner ask for trumps, you 
 can inform him whether you hold four, or more or 
 less than four trumps ; that is, either to " ask " in 
 trumps when they are led, or ask in some other 
 
124 The Art of Practical Whist. 
 
 suit after your partner lias asked. This echo is 
 a most powerful aid, as it is almost certain to 
 enable you to win an extra trick. The following 
 may serve as an example. 
 
 Your partner holds ace, king, queen, and ten of 
 trumps; you hold nine, five, three, and two. 
 Your partner has asked for trumps, and im- 
 mediately after leads the queen. On this you 
 play your three. He then leads king ; on this 
 you play your two. He then knows you hold 
 four trumps. He then leads ace, on which you 
 play your five, and knave falls from one adversary. 
 Your partner now holds best trump, and could 
 draw the remaining trump if it were in the ad- 
 versary's hand ; but you by the echo have told 
 him it is in your hand, so he will not draw it, 
 and you probably make it by ruffing a losing card. 
 Had you not echoed, your partner would draw 
 this trump, as he would conclude it was held by 
 the adversaries. 
 
 Those players who do not play the echo must 
 play at a disadvantage against those who do play it. 
 
 It may sometimes occur that when in the first 
 lead you have decided to ask for trumps, the fall of 
 the cards shows that a trump lead is not desirable. 
 For example : king of hearts is led by your right- 
 hand adversary. You hold five trumps witli ace ; 
 
How to " Ask." 125 
 
 knave, and four small hearts, and no winning 
 cards ; you, however, commence an ask in trumps. 
 To the king of hearts your partner plays the 
 knave ; original leader follows with ace. You now 
 know that your partner can hold only queen of 
 hearts, and may hold no more ; so the whole heart 
 suit is against you, and your partner's trumps can 
 be well employed in winning tricks on hearts ; 
 also the adversaries will probably lead trumps up 
 to or through you. Instead, therefore, of com- 
 pleting your ask, you throw a higher card than the 
 one you played originally, and thus conceal your 
 original intention. 
 
 To be able to do so, you must never ask with 
 too high a card — that is, if you hold nine, seven, 
 three, and two, commence the ask with the three, 
 not with the seven or nine. To ask with the nine 
 or seven when you hold the three or two is an insult 
 to your partner's intelligence ; it really means that 
 you consider your partner's powers of observation 
 so feeble that he might omit to notice the play of 
 the three and two, so you play a very high card to 
 attract his attention. Such play might prevent 
 you from concealing your commenced ask, if you 
 found reason to change your form of game. 
 
 In connection with the " ask for trumps " and 
 the "echo" the question arises as to when it may 
 
126 The Art of Practical Whist. 
 
 be desirable to conceal your strength, instead of 
 declaring it. It may happen that, although it 
 may suit you to have trumps led, you would pre- 
 fer that the adversaries led them, rather than 
 that the lead came from your partner. At the 
 risk, then, of misleading your partner as to your 
 strength it may be advisable sometimes to lead a 
 single card when you hold six or more trumps. 
 "When you ruff this suit in the second round, the 
 adversaries, mistaking your strength for weakness, 
 may probably play your game by leading trumps ; 
 whereas, had you asked for trumps, you would 
 probably never have obtained a trump lead from 
 your adversaries. 
 
 TThen the adversaries lead trumps, it is also 
 advisable that you conceal from them the fact of 
 your holding four trumps, and so, as the term 
 implies, it is an echo to your partner's call or lead 
 only. 
 
 Many very good players are of opinion that the 
 conventional ask for trumps has to a great extent 
 interfered with the high art of whist. They argue 
 that formerly, when the ask was not adopted, a 
 fine player would almost instinctively know when a 
 trump was desirable, and would act accordingly. 
 Now, say these objectors, the matter is made so 
 plain by the ask that any common observer sees 
 
The Echo. 127 
 
 it. There may be some reasons for these objections ; 
 but whether or not the objections are sound, yet the 
 system is played, and unless you also adopt it you 
 will play to disadvantage with those who practise 
 it. It may be urged, however, that some players 
 do very often omit to notice the call, and so a 
 certain amount of observation is necessary in order 1 
 never to omit noticing* the call, when either your 
 partner or adversaries give it. 
 
 If you hold five trumps, you may echo with the 
 lowest but two, if this card be a low one, and then 
 play your lowest to next round ; your partner, 
 missing the intermediate card, places five in your 
 hand. (See The Lead.) 
 
LETTER XTI. 
 
 FINESSING. 
 
 I have already called vour attention to the 
 finesse arbitrary, which means that under the 
 conditions there named von must plav the lower 
 card of the two highest. Another finesse, which 
 might be termed the common-sense finesse, is 
 when von have discovered that the highest card 
 but one in a snit has been played third in hand 
 bv vonr left-hand adversary and von hold the 
 best and third best card in the snit. For example : 
 a small heart is led bv vonr right-hand adversary- 
 Yon hold ace, knave, and a small heart. As 
 second player yon play your small heart ; third 
 hand wins with king, and returns a small club,- 
 which is won by your right-hand adversary, who 
 again leads a heart. On this heart as second 
 player yon play vonr knave, because the play of 
 king third hand by your left adversary ought to 
 indicate that he does not hold the queen, so your 
 knave ought to win. The queen ought to be in 
 
Finesse Specitlative. 129 
 
 the hand of your right adversary or in your 
 partner's hand. In either case it is right to play 
 your knave. It is possible that the left adversary 
 has played a false card and may hold the queen, 
 but vou must not assume that false cards are 
 played as a first assumption ; you must play 
 according to the usual play of a hand. 
 
 Again. Suppose you hold ace, ten, and a small 
 heart, this suit led by your right-hand adversary ; 
 you play small heart second hand, third hand 
 plays queen, and your partner wins with king. 
 You on next round finesse the ten, for the same 
 reasons that you would finesse the knave in the 
 former example. Variations of this common- 
 sense finesse will occur frequently during the 
 play of a hand. 
 
 The speculative finesse is one where the chances 
 of success or failure are about equal. Suppose you 
 hold king, knave, and two small trumps (spades), 
 you lead your small spade ; partner wins with ace, 
 and returns the six ; second player plays seven ; 
 your king must now make. If the queen is to 
 your left and guarded, the queen must make ; if, 
 however, it is to your right and guarded, it will 
 not make if you finesse your knave. It is there- 
 fore advantageous to finesse your knave in trumps, 
 
 unless the fall of the first card from the left 
 9 
 
130 The Art of Practical Whist. 
 
 adversary induces you to conclude that you may 
 catch his queen, if he hold it, with your king. 
 In plain suits this finesse is dangerous, especially 
 with four originally in the suit, as you may lose 
 your knave to the queen, and your king may be 
 ruffed. If all the trumps are out, then the finesse 
 is not dangerous. 
 
 It is useless to finesse when the adversary to 
 your right has shown weakness. For example : 
 you hold ace, queen, and a small heart, and lead 
 the small heart, which your partner wins with 
 knave and returns. To play the queen would be 
 wrong, as the hand to your left must hold king, 
 or the king is in your partner's hand. Remember 
 that the finesse means finessing against a card 
 which may be in the hand of vour rip\ht adver- 
 sary. If the card you are finessing against can- 
 not be there, the finesse is useless and dangerous. 
 
 The finesse should be only practised when the 
 chances of its success are in your favour, or when 
 a desperate game must be played. To finesse 
 when only one trick is required to win or save 
 the game is wrong. Make the winning or saving 
 the game a certainty. To finesse when only two 
 cards remain in, in each hand, and you know a 
 trump is against you or is in your partner's hand, 
 is also absurd ; vet I have seen endless tricks 
 
Danger of Finessing. 131 
 
 lost by such play. For example : you hold the 
 thirteenth trump and one diamond ; your partner 
 holds ace, queen of diamonds. You lead him the 
 diamond, and from habit he finesses the queen, 
 which is taken by the king, and his ace falls to 
 your trump. Such play is due to carelessness and 
 a want of observation, yet is of extremely common 
 occurrence. 
 
 It is always well to consider what will be the 
 results of the success or failure of a finesse. Sup- 
 pose you have won the odd trick, and hold two 
 by honours, and have a king, knave in your hand 
 of a suit of which the ace has been played, the 
 queen of this suit is against you. If to the right, 
 and you finesse your knave, you win the game ; 
 if to your left, you lose the knave, and may not 
 make your king ; but the probable gain is worth 
 the risk. Whether you are three or four does not 
 much matter, but whether you are game or four 
 is of considerable importance. If, however, you 
 required only one trick to win or save the game, 
 you should not finesse the knave. 
 
 As a general rule you may finesse in trumps 
 more than in plain suits ; also you may finesse in 
 the adversaries' suit, but not in your partner's. 
 
 There is one case where a finesse should be 
 adopted, for the purpose of throwing the lead. 
 
132 The Art of Practical Whist. 
 
 For example : you hold queen, six, five, four, and 
 two of hearts ; you lead the four, second hand 
 plays nine, partner plays king, and fourth player 
 plays three. Partner returns eight of hearts, and 
 second player plays a club. You may now fairly 
 conclude that your partner holds no more hearts ; 
 consequently the ace, knave, ten are on your left. 
 If you play your queen third hand, ace wins it, 
 and the knave, ten also win. If vou finesse and 
 pass up the eight, fourth player wins with ten, 
 but he dare not lead out his ace, as he leaves 
 your queen the best card, and if this suit be 
 trumps, you will probably make your queen, and 
 must do so if the only cards in are the ace and 
 knave to your left, and two other cards in each 
 hand, for the lead must come from the left round 
 to your queen guarded. 
 
LETTER XIII. 
 
 FALSE CARDS.— THE DISCARD.— UNDERPLAY.— 
 
 PLAY OF THE TWELFTH AXD 
 
 THIRTEENTH CARD. 
 
 The majority of book and orthodox players, 
 have the greatest objection to play false cards. To 
 play a false card, when no object can be gained by 
 it, is detrimental to the art and success of the joint 
 play of your own and your partner's hand. There 
 are, however, numberless instances where you may 
 play a false card which cannot injure your partner, 
 and if it mislead him, it will be no harm, whilst it 
 will mislead the adversaries, and may probably 
 give you an advantage. Again, a false card played 
 may not be a false card as regards your partner, 
 and cannot mislead him, but it maybe a false card 
 for the adversaries. As an example, I will suppose 
 you hold ace, king, nine and two of trumps, and 
 the knave is led by your left adversary ; partner 
 does not cover with queen, third player plays small 
 card, and you have to win with ace or king. You 
 may now fairly assume that the queen is to your 
 right, and the ten to your left. If you play the 
 
134 The Art of Practical Whist. 
 
 king, one adversary, at least, knows the ace is in 
 your hand. If you win with ace, it would indicate 
 that you did not hold the king. On the original 
 leader regaining his lead, he might probably lead 
 ten of trumps ; third player, fancying the king was 
 to his right, might play queen, hoping thus to 
 obtain a third round of trumps. If he passed up 
 the ten, you might either win with ace, or let the 
 ten make, so as to hold ace, nine over queen. I 
 do not give this as an example of good play, but 
 merely to show how such a false card could not 
 well be detrimental, and might be advantageous. 
 To make an adversary change his suit, especially 
 when he leads up to you, a false card is often well 
 played. For example, you hold ace, queen of a 
 suit, queen, knave, nine of another suit, say spades, 
 your left adversary leads king of spades, second 
 player plays two, third player seven, and you play 
 nine. The same leader leads ace of spades, second 
 player plays three, third player ten. You now 
 know the player on your right holds no more 
 spades, and will trump next round, and lead 
 through your ace, queen suit. You would do well 
 to play the queen instead of your knave to his ten, 
 and thus let it appear as if the knave were in the 
 right adversary's hand, whilst you held no more in 
 the suit. Probably the leader, instead of con- 
 
The Discard, 135 
 
 tinning the spade lead, might lead up to your ace, 
 queen suit. The play of the false card, can do no 
 harm. 
 
 Playing false cards should be avoided until you 
 become a skilled player, when your experience 
 will show you when and where it may be done to 
 advantage. The examples given above are simple 
 cases, which are, perhaps, worth reflecting on, as 
 a preface to future and more difficult cases. 
 
 The Discard. 
 
 When you possess no cards of the suit led, you 
 either trump, or you discard some card of another 
 suit. By this discard you should give your part- 
 ner certain information : — 
 
 1. If trumps have not been led by either side, 
 
 you should if you do not trump, discard 
 from the weakest suit in your hand, and 
 consequently throw away your most 
 worthless card. You must not forget, 
 that in your discard you can ask for 
 trumps, by discarding first a high, then 
 a low card. 
 
 2. If your partner has led trumps, you also, 
 
 when you discard, throw from your 
 weakest suit. 
 
136 The Art of Practical Whist. 
 
 3. When your adversaries have led trumps, 
 3^011 discard from your strongest suit, 
 throwing of course the smallest card of 
 this suit, 
 
 These general rules must, of course, be tempered 
 with reason, and you must not throw away from 
 a suit such a card as may protect other cards in 
 your hand. For example, with king, three and two 
 in one suit, six, five, four and two in another, it 
 would not be safe to discard from the king suit, as 
 you might be led through this second suit when 
 second player, when if ace, queen were to your 
 left, you would lose your king. 
 
 It is always dangerous to throw away a single 
 card of one unled suit when you hold no trumps, 
 as the first lead of this suit exposes your weakness, 
 and allows your right-hand adversary to finesse 
 against you to any amount when the suit is again 
 led. It is also dangerous to throw away the only 
 remaining card of a suit in which your partner has 
 shown strength, as it prevents you from again 
 giving him his suit when you recover the lead. 
 At the end of a hand, it is essential to be most 
 careful about the discard, so as not to retain a high 
 card which cannot win, and throw a low card 
 which may win. For example, you hold two 
 
The Discard. 137 
 
 cards, tlie ace of hearts, and seven of diamonds. 
 Right-hand adversary has trumped hearts, and has 
 the lead, and leads the thirteenth trump. To 
 retain the ace of hearts is, of course, useless, and if 
 another diamond is in lower than the seven, you 
 may win this. This case may appear too palpable 
 to need mention, but in practice such an error is 
 not unusually made by moderate players. 
 
 The greatest watchfulness is required to enable 
 you to throw away the highest card of a suit, in 
 which your partner holds the remaining winning 
 cards. For example, your partner led ace, then 
 knave of clubs. On his knave you did not play 
 vour kino;, and the knave wins. You then know 
 that your partner led from ace, queen, knave and 
 two others, so there is only one more club in the 
 adversaries' hands. Your partner then leads ace, 
 king and a small trump, three rounds of trumps, 
 leaving one in your partner's hand, and one the 
 highest in the adversaries'. In the third round 
 of trumps you failed, and threw a small card, re- 
 taining the king of clubs. The adversaries draw 
 your partner's last trump, and lead a heart, which 
 your partner wins with ace, and returns a club. 
 This club you must take with your king, and you 
 and your partner lose every other trick. Now had 
 you discarded your king of clubs, your partner 
 
138 The Art of Practical Whist. 
 
 would have made two additional tricks with his 
 three clubs, — the fact of your not getting rid of 
 your king costing you two tricks. 
 
 When the adversaries have led trumps, you 
 should discard as a rule from your strongest suit. 
 But it may happen that such a discard may ruin 
 your hand. When, then, you do not discard under 
 these circumstances from your strongest suit, a 
 second discard from the same suit should indicate 
 that this suit is weak. This second discard might 
 be termed the negative, as the first discard says 
 " this is my strong suit," a second discard from 
 the same suit negatives the first. 
 
 Towards the end of a hand, and with a long- 
 suit and one or two trumps in against you, it is 
 useless to discard all your other suits, and retain 
 this one suit, you cannot make all this suit, and the 
 fact of your not being able to give your partner a 
 lead by giving him another suit, may cost you one 
 f or two tricks. Such a case I have often noticed, 
 and the following is an example. You hold king, 
 queen, knave and two of spades, the ace of which is 
 out, and the seven of hearts ; two more trumps are 
 in some hands, one probably in that of your partner, 
 and this trump may be the best. Your partner 
 holds a heart, probably the best. Left-hand adver- 
 sary plays best club, partner and third player follow 
 
Underplay. 139 
 
 suit, you must discard either a spade or your seven 
 'of hearts. Suppose you discard a spade, adver- 
 saries lead a spade, you win with knave and lead 
 the heart, which your partner wins, draws the re- 
 maining trump and leads you another spade. The 
 cards being located as follows : Left adversary, 
 one club, one heart, three spades. Partner, one 
 club, one trump, two- spades, one heart. Right 
 adversary, one trump, one spade, three clubs. If 
 you had discarded Your heart, right-hand adver- 
 sary must make his trump on your spade. 
 
 Many other similar examples might be given of 
 the bad results which follow throwing awav the 
 whole of a suit, and retaining only one long suit 
 in your hand, when there are trumps against you. 
 
 Underplay. 
 
 What is termed underplay, may often be suc- 
 cessfully practised against even the best players, 
 and consists in the following system of play. 
 
 Suppose you hold ace, queen and a small card 
 in hearts. Your left-hand adversary leads the two 
 of hearts, your partner plays six, third player plays 
 knave, and you win with queen. You now may 
 fairly conclude that neither king, nor ten is in the 
 hand of your right adversary. Your partner may 
 
140 The Art of Practical Whist. 
 
 hold one or both of these, but he may hold the ten, 
 and left adversary the king. If you play out your 
 ace, the king must make next round. If, however, 
 you play your small heart, left-hand adversary, 
 believing the ace to be to his left, will probably 
 not play his king second in hand. Then if part- 
 ner hold the ten it makes, and your ace still is 
 held over the king. This is termed underplay. 
 
 There is danger in this style of play, for second 
 player may suspect you of an attempt to underplay 
 him, and may play his best card, and as you can 
 only underplay when you are leading up to weak- 
 ness, the third round may be ruffed by your right- 
 hand adversary, and your ace may never make. 
 You run a risk to make an additional trick, and 
 you should carefully estimate whether the amount 
 of risk is great or small compared to the probable 
 gain. If you decide on underplaying in any suit, 
 it is more prudent to wait before you do so, and 
 not return at once this suit. The lead may come 
 again from the original leader, and your partner, 
 if a good player, would then play his ten, second 
 in hand, and so obtain the same results as though 
 you had underplayed, and with less risk. It is of 
 course safer to underplay in trumps than in plain 
 suits, as your trumps cannot be ruffed. 
 
 When used with discretion, underplay often 
 
Play of Twelfth and Thirteenth Card. 141 
 
 wins a trick, and if practised occasionally, a player 
 may suspect you of underplay when you have not 
 attempted it, and may run his best card and lose 
 it, in consequence, as it is a very difficult question 
 to decide whether or not an attempt is being 
 made to underplay you. 
 
 The Play or the Twelfth ajstd Thirteenth 
 
 Card. 
 
 It would not be giving too common a case, to 
 state that every other hand at least you have the 
 opportunity of playing a twelfth or thirteenth card; 
 whether, or when, to do so, becomes the important 
 question. I will first deal with the twelfth card. 
 
 Suppose three rounds of a suit have taken place, 
 in which suit vou originally held four. That in 
 the third round your partner failed, and you know 
 the other remaining card of this suit is to your 
 right. The plav now may be divided into two 
 cases, first, when the card in your hand is the 
 better of the two, secondly, when it is the lower. 
 If vou lead this card it will win a trick, when it is 
 the better card, if the left adversary does not ruff 
 it. If he ruff it, your partner may, if he can, ruff 
 over him, and have no fear of being himself ruffed 
 over, as fourth player holds a card of the suit. 
 
142 The Art of Practical Whist. 
 
 Influenced by this fact, many players will at once 
 lead the twelfth card, thereby imagining they gain 
 a trick, but before doing so, another probability 
 ought to be considered. The second player may be 
 weak in trumps, or may hold, say ace, king and the 
 two. To ruff with the two would be useless, to 
 ruff with the ace or king too expensive ; he there- 
 fore may discard some card which will enable him 
 to safely ruff another suit, when this suit is led. 
 
 As an example of the preceding, take the fol- 
 lowing. You hold ace, queen and two small 
 spades, and the best heart, the twelfth, the thir- 
 teenth heart being in the hand of your right 
 adversary. Your partner holds three spades, queen 
 and one club (trumps). Left adversary holds two 
 small spades, ace, king and two of clubs (trumps). 
 Ivight adversary holds four spades, and thirteenth 
 heart. Your partner leads a small spade, you 
 finesse queen and win, you then lead twelfth 
 heart, left adversary throws his spade, and you 
 win this trick, making two. You then play ace 
 of spades, which left adversary ruffs with tw r o of 
 trumps and wins, and plays his ace, king of 
 ti'umps, making three tricks to your two. 
 
 Now take the correct and more safe play. After 
 you have won with the queen of spades play out 
 your ace, you make both tricks, then play your 
 
Twelfth and Thirteenth Card, 143 
 
 twelfth heart. If second player trump with any- 
 thing, your partner's queen must make a third 
 trick, and you win three tricks to the adversaries 
 two, with the same cards as those by which you 
 only won two tricks. 
 
 Before then you play a twelfth card, whether it 
 be the best, or not the best, note whether vou 
 hold any winning cards which you can make be- 
 fore leading the twelfth card, and which a discard 
 from the adversary might prevent your making, 
 Numberless tricks are lost by neglecting this pre- 
 caution, and some players never appear to notice 
 how thev have lost a trick, as thev continue for 
 years committing the same error. 
 
 When the twelfth card which you have an 
 opportunity of playing is the lower of the two 
 remaining, or if the thirteenth card be located 
 in the hand of your left adversary, all the pre- 
 ceding arguments have extra force ; and the 
 play of the twelfth card is dangerous, unless you 
 want to give your partner the chance of making 
 a trump, which chance might not otherwise 
 occur. 
 
 The play of a thirteenth card has all the 
 
 ^advantages which attend the play of a twelfth 
 card, and does not possess many of the advantages. 
 The play of a thirteenth card has three special 
 
144 The Art of Practical Whist. 
 
 objects, any one of which may be the intention 
 of the leader, as regards his partner. It may 
 mean, that the leader wishes his partner to play 
 on it his best trump. For instance, your partner 
 has turned up ace of trumps, and you have reason 
 to believe it to be his only remaining trump. 
 You hold the king of trumps only. If the adver- 
 saries obtain the lead thev bring; clown vour kino; 
 and your partner's ace together, by a lead of 
 trumps. If, however, you lead a thirteenth card, 
 it follows, that if your partner put his ace on this, 
 the ace and king make separately. Many vari- 
 ations of this form will be evident to vou, such 
 as you holding queen, kna«ve, only, and your part- 
 ner the king, so that the most usual meaning of 
 playing a thirteenth card, especially towards the 
 end of the hand, is to ask your partner for his 
 best trump on this thirteenth card. 
 
 Another meaning of a thirteenth card may be 
 to throw the lead into the adversaries' hands, and 
 make one of these lead up to you or to your 
 partner. It is for the non-leader's partner to 
 judge which of these two meanings of the lead of 
 a thirteenth card was intended, and he ought to 
 judge from the cards in his own hand, and from 
 those which he may reasonably suppose are in 
 those of his partner or adversary. I have lost 
 
The Thirteenth Card. 145 
 
 many games and rubbers by mistakes on the part 
 of my partner as regards the meaning of a thir- 
 teenth card, but never lost a worse rubber than 
 by the following, which will serve as an example 
 of the use of a thirteenth card. 
 
 I held two small trumps, and a thirteenth card ; 
 my partner had turned up the queen. I had 
 reason to believe that strength in trumps was to 
 my right. I and my partner must win two tricks 
 to win the game and rubber ; if we did not win 
 two tricks, Ave lost the rubber. If my partner 
 held ace and king and queen of trumps, we were 
 game ; if he held king, queen, ten, we were game, 
 unless ace, knave were to his left, or ace to his 
 right and knave to his left ; if he held ace, queen, 
 we must win, if the lead were to come from his 
 left whilst he held ace, queen. I led him, there- 
 fore, the thirteenth card, which second player did 
 not trump. My partner held ace, queen of trumps, 
 and a low card of another suit. He now had 
 game in his hands, had he thrown his low card ; 
 but being a mere book player his only idea was 
 that I wanted his best trump, so he ruffed with 
 his ace, led his queen, which was taken by the 
 king, and we lost the game, as the adversaries 
 held the remaining best trump. Instead of ad- 
 mitting his error, and saying he had omitted to 
 10 
 
146 The Art of Practical Whist. 
 
 notice the score, and also to see that he must 
 make his ace, queen if he passed this thirteenth, 
 he defended himself, as many such players often 
 do, by stating that he concluded I must hold the 
 king, and therefore wanted his best trump. 
 
 It therefore requires some judgment to decide 
 whether the play of the best trump is what is 
 meant, and even if it be meant, it does not follow 
 that another treatment of the case may not be 
 better. 
 
 The third intention of playing a thirteenth card 
 is rarely justifiable ; it is sometimes played be- 
 cause the leader considers he cannot play any 
 other card to advantage. To play a thirteenth 
 card under these circumstances may, and most 
 probably will, mislead your partner ; and if he 
 does not ruff very high, it gives an easily acquired 
 trick to the last player. 
 
 Hence the play of both twelfth and thirteenth 
 cards requires considerable judgment ; injudicious* 
 play of either may lose a trick ; whereas, if well 
 played and at the proper time, they may be made 
 of great use. 
 
 At the end of a hand it is dangerous to play a 
 thirteenth card, as it admits one of the adversaries 
 to discard and often to prevent your making a 
 second or third round in a suit, as, for example : 
 
The Thirteenth Card. 147 
 
 you hold queen and one heart and a thirteenth 
 diamond ; partner holds king and one heart and 
 thirteenth spade ; each adversary holds two small 
 hearts and one trump. If you lead your thirteenth 
 diamond, you win but one trick ; lead your heart, 
 and if your partner lead another heart instead of 
 the thirteenth spade, you win two tricks. 
 
LETTER XIV. 
 
 RULES AND REASON. 
 
 In the preceding pages you have been given the 
 rules for the lead, second play, &c, and the rules of 
 play as regards many other portions of the game. 
 These rules, especially as regards leads, apply to 
 the first or original lead. After one round of the 
 cards has been played, you necessarily know more 
 about the game than you could know from seeing 
 your own cards only. You can form some idea 
 whether your partner is strong or weak in a suit, 
 whether he is commencing an ask for trumps, 
 whether he is likely to ruff, &c, &c. So that after 
 one or two rounds and two tricks have been won, 
 you must necessarily allow the results of the infor- 
 mation you have gained to guide you in the play 
 of your cards — that is, you must play by reason 
 and not by rule. In former years men did not 
 read much about whist ; they played a certain 
 game, which by experience they fancied was a 
 good one, but their own experience was their 
 
Reason not Rides. 149 
 
 instructor. When such excellent books as those 
 produced by J. C. and Cavendish were available, 
 young whist-players read and studied these, and 
 shortly were able from reading alone to play a bet- 
 ter game than men could play who had ten years' 
 personal experience, but who had never read. 
 
 One result, however, of a large class of whist- 
 players being thus trained by reading and not 
 having an extended experience is, that one often 
 now meets men who play a game of rule and not 
 of reason ; they rigidly adhere to the rules laid 
 down as general principles, and cannot perceive 
 when to follow these rules must cause the loss of 
 a game. They seem to forget that the object of 
 whist is to win the greatest number of tricks 
 possible to be won with certain cards, consequently 
 thev will often lose a trick or even two, rather 
 than play in a manner which they consider is not 
 according to rule. Such players must lose in the 
 long run, unless their adversaries are even less 
 skilful. 
 
 1 have already referred to one of these rules, 
 and I trust you will have seen what is meant by 
 the written rule. It does not mean never force 
 your partner if weak in trumps yourself ; but it 
 means if you see a good chance of making more 
 tricks by not forcing your partner than you could 
 
150 The Art of Practical Whist. 
 
 make by forcing him, then refrain from the force ; 
 but you should always remember that it does not 
 follow your partner must take a force, even though 
 you offer it him. He may conclude, and erro- 
 neously, that you are strong in trumps, but he 
 would not conclude so unless he were considerably 
 impressed with the importance of the advice, " do 
 not force your partner if weak in trumps." Many 
 players, influenced by this recommendation, will 
 frequently throw away a game in consequence of 
 their fertile imaginations. 
 
 You may hold one honour and two trumps, 
 and you find the chances of saving the game very 
 remote unless you force your partner. He holds 
 probably four small trumps. You force him and 
 he makes a trick, and immediately jumps at the 
 conclusion that you must be strong in trumps ; so, 
 having ruffed, he leads you a trump and loses every 
 other trick. Some players actually treat a force 
 from their partner as equivalent to an ask for 
 trumps ; as they assume that he would never force 
 them unless very strong. 
 
 Some players again, bearing in mind that it 
 is sometimes advisable to force a strong hand of 
 trumps, will continue leading a suit for an adver- 
 sary to trump, even when he holds the only 
 remaining trumps, probably three or four. At 
 
Erroneous Ideas. i ^ i 
 
 the end of the hand they frequently congratulate 
 their partner on the manner in which they 
 '•worked out those trumps." 
 
 Whatother use could they imagine these trim 
 could be put to, than to win tricks by ruffing \ 
 Thev ignore the value of the lead which they keep 
 placing in the adversary's hand, and seem entirely 
 to be engrossed by giving the adversary every 
 opportunity of winning tricks. Such play is un- 
 reasonable. 
 
 k * When strong in trumps do not ruff a doubtful 
 card 3 is another piece of advice which some 
 players seem entirely to misunderstand. With 
 four trumps and no honour, such a suit cannot be 
 called strong. Yet many players will not only 
 refuse to ruff a doubtful card, but will not trump 
 a card the best of which is almost to a certainty 
 indicated against them. Thev seem to consider 
 that refusing to trump and thus informing their 
 partner that they hold four trumps, is information 
 worth a trick ; so they give the adversaries a trick 
 in order to convev this information, an act which 
 appears to indicate that they consider the main 
 object of whist is not to win tricks, but to convey 
 information. 
 
 With four small trumps and no suit to bring in, 
 and with no indication from your partner that he 
 
152 The Art of Practical Whist. 
 
 wants trumps out, you cannot expect to make more 
 than one of your trumps, and you may very likely 
 not make that unless you ruff. Consequently 
 reason must guide you as regards the expediency 
 of ruffing with four trumps, and not rule. 
 
 A game is very often lost by a partner who 
 blindly plays by rule, and will immediately return 
 your lead of trumps when he is excessively weak ; 
 because many players, when it suits their hand, 
 say, if I lead trumps I want them back. Although 
 it should be no excuse for leading trumps because 
 an honour is turned to your left, yet you may often 
 be disposed so to lead to obtain other information. 
 For example, I hold ace, queen, four and two of 
 spades, trumps, king turned to my left. Ace, king 
 and two other hearts, queen, knave, eight of 
 diamonds, queen, and three of clubs — score love 
 all. 
 
 Now it is most essential that I know whether 
 my partner holds knave of trumps ; if he does, I 
 have a fair chance of winning the game, as we 
 are two by honours. 
 
 My partner leads a small diamond, which I win 
 with knave, and lead a small trump. Partner 
 wins with knave, and returns the two. I am 
 now in doubt as regards my partner's strength in 
 trumps. lie has returned the two up to the king. 
 
Blindly Following Rules. 153 
 
 His two should most likely, therefore, be the lowest 
 of three remaining. I win with ace, and I may 
 now conclude that king alone remains in the left- 
 hand player's hand and two more in my partner's. 
 First, I will assume that I do so conclude and 
 play my hand accordingly. I then consider it 
 useless to draw my partner's trump and one of my 
 own in order to extract the king, wdiich must win ; 
 so I lead king, then ace of hearts — both go round. 
 A third heart is won by fourth hand with queen, 
 and I note that second hand asked for trumps in 
 hearts, and that my partner failed in hearts. 
 Right-hand adversary leads a trump, on which I 
 play small trump, ten wins this to my left, king is 
 led and takes my queen. I have now won the 
 following tricks : queen of diamonds, partner, 
 knave of spades, ace of trumps, ace, king of hearts 
 — five tricks. Left adversary now leads king of 
 clubs, then ace of clubs catching my queen. Then 
 knave of clubs, then knave of hearts. The adver- 
 saries have won : queen of hearts, king, ten of 
 trumps, ace, king, and knave of spades. The ace 
 of diamonds is held by my right-hand adversary, 
 and wins. Thus the adversaries have won : two 
 tricks in trumps, three in spades, two in hearts, and 
 one in diamonds — eight, and have gained two by 
 cards against two by honours. 
 
154 The Art of Practical Whist. 
 
 If I had continued with a third round of trumps, 
 and my left adversary had finessed his ten, the 
 results would have been almost identical ; except, 
 perhaps, if hearts had been led up to me, when I 
 should have taken the queen. But the knave 
 must have won ; probably my queen of diamonds 
 also might have Avon. 
 
 My partner's hand was as follows : knave and 
 two of spades, king, nine, seven, six, and two of 
 diamonds, nine, eight, six, and four of clubs, the 
 seven and six of hearts. When I had won with 
 my queen of diamonds, he might fairly be said not 
 to have a winning card in his hand, as his king 
 of diamonds must be won by the ace or ruffed. 
 
 "With such a hand, I maintain he was not hound 
 by rule to return my trump. By my lead, if I 
 lead a trump, I play a forward game ; and if my 
 partner returns me a trump up to the king, it 
 plainly says I can support this game. But he 
 held no single card to support me except his king 
 of diamonds. Had my partner returned me a 
 diamond I should have at once concluded that, in 
 spite of two by honours, we could not win the 
 game, so I must try for the odd trick only. 
 
 The play that would naturally follow under 
 these circumstances would almost certainly be as 
 follows. Instead of returning my trump, my part- 
 
Returning Lead of Trumps. 155 
 
 ner leads another diamond. Second player plays 
 ace and wins ; and having a four suit of hearts, 
 leads a small heart. I win with king, return ace, 
 then small heart, which partner trumps, and leads 
 king of diamonds, which right adversary trumps. 
 His partner, under the preceding conditions, would 
 not ask for trumps, so the spade would probably 
 be led. On the third round I make a trump, and 
 play a heart ; when the lead will most probably 
 come up to me, and I make the ace, queen of 
 trumps. By this play, my partner makes two 
 trumps ; and I make at least two, and probably 
 three. I make ace, king of hearts, and one 
 diamond, and so secure the trick at least. And 
 the game stands : three to love, instead of two all. 
 
 Some players might urge that not to return the 
 trump was selfish play, as it was playing one 
 hand instead of two ; but the play was really the 
 reverse of this. It told me that, although my 
 hand might be good, yet my partner was so feeble 
 that he dared not lead back trumps to the king 
 against him. Xot to lead back trumps was rea- 
 sonable under the conditions; to have returned 
 trumps would have been playing blindly to rule. 
 
 What are termed " Coups " are often cases 
 where to follow rule ensures vour losing the game. 
 You must reason on the special case before you, 
 
156 The Art of Practical Whist. 
 
 and your reasoning and acting thereon must be 
 instantaneous. It often may happen that von 
 have to place yourself in imagination in the 
 position of an adversary, and consider what play 
 would be most likely to mislead you ; and then, 
 when nothing but a false card can save or win 
 you the game, this card must be played. I w r ill 
 therefore now make a few remarks on — 
 
 " Coups." 
 
 There is a certain similarity in many games 
 which at first sight appear to have no likeness 
 to each other. In billiards there are some players 
 who can make some one stroke very successfully, 
 and they are always trying for this ; for example, 
 screwing in off the spot is a favourite stroke with 
 some players, and they pride themselves on it, 
 whilst the}' play the actual game badly. So with 
 some whist-players : they are always playing for 
 some "coup," and when this succeeds they are 
 delighted ; but, in playing for it, they will probably 
 lose two or three tricks or a game, and too often 
 it fails to come off. Thus the player who plays 
 the game steadily and safely wins more than he 
 who plays the game indifferentl} 7 but sometimes 
 makes a good " coup." Hence, although there are 
 
" Coups, 157 
 
 special cases where nothing but a special system 
 of play can succeed, yet to be always on the 
 look-out for these is not advisable, when such 
 watchfulness causes you to sacrifice the play of 
 the hand. 
 
 It sometimes happens that you cannot possibly 
 win or save the game, unless one particular card 
 is in your partners hand. You must then play as 
 if you are certain that it is there, and this requires 
 of course reason, and no rule can bear upon so 
 many varied cases. As an example, I give the 
 following, which occurred to a brother officer, and 
 which succeeded. 
 
 He held ace, king, knave, and two of hearts — four 
 cards only. His partner had by the lead shown 
 that he held the two remaining clubs. Hearts 
 had not been led or thrown, and spades (trumps) 
 were all out. Consequently his partner held two 
 hearts, two clubs. Saving the game meant in 
 this case winning it, and to win it he must win 
 everv trick. As there were thirteen hearts in, 
 two only in his partner's hand, it followed that 
 one adversary must hold four ; consequently the 
 two of hearts must be taken, and the game must 
 be lost if the lead could not be given to his 
 partner. His left-hand adversary led a small 
 heart, his partner played seven of hearts, third 
 
158 The Art of Practical Whist. 
 
 hand played ten. If now he had won with knave, 
 then led ace and king of hearts, he must lose the 
 last trick, viz., his two of hearts. If his partner 
 held queen of hearts, the queen must be left single 
 in his partners hand ; so it was no matter whether 
 he won with ace, king, or knave. If his partner 
 held nine he must play it second round, as he 
 held no other card ; so a false card could not 
 injure his partner. He therefore won the ten 
 with his ace and led the two of hearts. Second 
 player held queen and two other hearts, but fancy- 
 ing king must be to his left and not seeing his dan- 
 ger he played a small heart, third hand won with 
 nine of hearts, and made his two remaining clubs 
 and won the game. If he had won with his 
 knave, probably second hand might have sus- 
 pected a false card when the two was returned ; 
 but ace being played might indicate that the third 
 player held king, knave, ten, and had finessed the 
 ten. The " coup " is a good one to be worked 
 out at a moment's notice. 
 
 Another rather good " coup ' : was the fol- 
 lowing, which also occurred. Ace, queen of 
 diamonds, and three remaining trumps were in 
 one hand — the holder of these cards I will term A. 
 The king and nine other diamonds were in. It 
 was A.'s lead, and he must win every trick to 
 
" Coups!' 159 
 
 save and win the rubber. A. could win four tricks 
 to a certainty, but the king of diamonds ought 
 to win. The adversaries did not know all the 
 trumps were in one hand, and it w r as A.'s lead. 
 If he led his three trumps, then the ace of dia- 
 monds, the king must make wherever it was. If 
 the king were to his right and guarded, it must 
 win. There was one chance, viz., that the king 
 was to his left, and that, if the queen were led 
 before the ace, second player not knowing where 
 the ace was and wanting only one trick, might 
 not cover. A. therefore led queen of diamonds, 
 and second player did not cover. Consequently A. 
 won his five tricks and rubber. The chances were 
 certainly against such a result ; but, as A. argued : 
 If his partner held the king, it was no matter ; if 
 right-hand adversary held it, the game must be 
 lost. So he took the only chance in his favour, 
 and this chance came up favourably. 
 
 Now reason alone could guide a player to such 
 play as this — no rule is applicable. It is a case 
 where you know the position of cards which the 
 adversaries do not know, and you play on the 
 chance that they may play certain cards under 
 these peculiar circumstances. 
 
 Both these are instances of a style of play that 
 might be adopted at practical whist. If all the 
 
160 The Art of Practical Whist. 
 
 cards are seen and their position known, sueli a 
 result could not occur. Therefore it is not a 
 problem to be worked out by mechanical rule, 
 but they are cases requiring intelligence, and a 
 quick calculation not only of where it is possible 
 certain cards may be located, but what certain 
 players may do under the peculiar circumstances. 
 
 The advantages then to be derived at whist are 
 fronr a judicious combination of rule and reason. 
 Rule enables you to judge what cards your part- 
 ner holds, and reason applies to the best method 
 of using these. 
 
 I once won a very neat game by the following 
 amusing combination. I held four small trumps 
 (spades), ace, king, and two small hearts, three 
 small clubs, king, and one diamond. The king of 
 spades was turned up to my left : my partner led 
 knave of hearts, and queen covered it second hand. 
 Knowing my partner to be a careful player, I at once 
 concluded he had led me the highest of three cards, 
 and as this was his original lead, he must hold a four 
 suit which could only be trumps, and he did not like 
 to lead up to king. I won the heart with my king, 
 and led my small trump ; partner won with knave, 
 and led me a small heart ; I won this with ace, and 
 led him another trump ; my second lead of trumps 
 showed him I held four. lie won this trick with 
 
The Lead from Ace Queen. 161 
 
 the queen, led the ace and caught the king. I 
 knew now that he held the other trump. He 
 then led ten of hearts, after which I remained 
 with the thirteenth, we had now won three tricks 
 in trumps and three in hearts. He then led a 
 small diamond, I played king third hand, and it 
 was won by ace — fourth hand, who led queen, 
 then knave. I ruffed the knave and led my 
 thirteenth heart which won, and my partner's 
 last trump won, making three by cards, two by 
 honours. The cards held by myself and partner 
 were, ace, queen, knave, and five other trumps ; 
 ace, king, knave of hearts and ten ; king of dia- 
 monds ; that is, seven court cards out of sixteen. 
 The adversaries held four honours in spades, three 
 honours in diamonds, and one honour in hearts 
 and trumps. The point here to which I wish to 
 draw attention is, that if your partner in his 
 original lead shows you that he leads from a three 
 suit only, you may fairly conclude that he holds 
 four trumps, but considers it advisable not to lead 
 them. Some players will persistently avoid lead- 
 ing from an ace, queen suit. I do not consider 
 that the advantages to be gained by waiting to 
 finesse your ace queen compensate for the incor- 
 rect information you give your partner as to the 
 
 numerical strength in your hand. 
 11 
 
1 62 The Art of Practical Whist. 
 
 Rule applies strongly to original leads, and the 
 play of the first half of a hand, after this reason 
 comes in, and the nearer the end of the hand the 
 more does rule become useless and reason takes 
 its place. Hence there are very many players 
 who are good for the first half of the hand, but 
 are feeble in the extreme towards the end. 
 
 As a coup for your amusement, I give the fol- 
 lowing. — Give the adversaries four by honours in 
 every suit ; give yourself and partner any of the 
 other cards you choose, and win five by cards 
 against them, you to have the lead. It is of 
 course a double dummy game. 
 
 Finally, I suggest that you should never consider 
 it impossible that a game can be lost unless you 
 hold ace, king, queen of trumps, and the adver- 
 saries are at love, so save the game when you can. 
 I once lost five by cards when I held ace, king, 
 and four small trumps, king and one diamond, 
 king and one spade, and three small clubs ; it was 
 my lead and I led a small trump. Arrange the 
 cards in the various hands so as to see how this 
 happened, and could not be prevented after I had 
 led. My partner held one trump only. 
 
LETTER XY. 
 
 YOUR PARTNER. 
 
 Whist is a game of partnership. You and your 
 partner play against two other partners. It is twen- 
 ty-six cards against twenty-six when the partners 
 play to mutually assist one another. It is thirteen 
 cards against twenty-six when each partner plays 
 for his own hand. To play a strong game it is 
 essential that you assist your partner and your 
 partner aids you. To play against three adver- 
 saries, one of whom is your partner, is not an 
 uncommon event, and although it has been stated 
 that the advantage which a good player has over a 
 bad player is only about five per cent., yet this five 
 per cent, occurs in every hand, and if there are 
 seven deals to a rubber, the advantage is multi- 
 plied to thirty-five per cent. It follows, therefore, 
 that you must do your best to help your partner 
 and he should do his best to aid you. In order 
 that you make the most out of your partner you 
 must form an accurate estimate of his whist 
 
164 The Art of Practical Whist. 
 
 capacity. When you are afflicted with a partner 
 , unacquainted with the rules and incompetent as a 
 reasoner, yon must not play a high-class game, you 
 must make matters as simple to him as possible, 
 you must expect him to thwart all your great and 
 promising schemes, and usually to play the adver- 
 saries' game instead of yours. To attempt any thing 
 great with him is simple ruin ; it would be like a 
 line rider mounted on an awkward hack, riding to 
 hounds as if he were on a trained hunter ; at the 
 first timber leap you come a cropper. So you 
 must not attempt a game beyond your partner's 
 course. You must deny yourself many promising 
 results which would certainly be obtained had you 
 a good player opposite to you, and must play a 
 cramped game, and consider yourself fortunate if 
 you lose onlv one trick each hand. 
 
 It is useless to attempt to teach a bad player 
 how to play whist by lectures given during the 
 deals ; to remind him of his glaring errors only 
 fuddles his brain the more, for if he is so dense 
 that he cannot perceive his mistakes and has 
 played whist many years, it is expecting too much 
 to hope that a five minutes' lecture will cure him 
 of his faults. Besides, looking at it from a selfish 
 point of view, a bad player, by the rule of chances, 
 onolit to be twice your adversary for once he is 
 
Your Partner. 165 
 
 your partner, and although he may lose you 
 several tricks when he is your partner, he will also 
 give you twice as many tricks when he is twice your 
 adversary ; it is most essential, therefore, that you 
 discover as quickly as possible the capacity of your 
 partner, so as not to attempt a game beyond his 
 powers ; if you venture any advice to him let it be 
 to advise him to win every trick he can. And 
 probably the sooner he gets all his winning cards 
 out of his hand the sooner will his power to damage 
 you be gone. 
 
 With such a player it is useless to lead him a 
 strengthening card. If he hold the ace and ten 
 and another of a suit, and you lead him the queen 
 or knave, he will put his ace on, as he will tell you 
 had he not done so the king might make — that the 
 king must make second lead he seems to ignore. 
 If von return him the correct card when you hold 
 two or three you merelv inform the adversaries 
 and fail to obtain any results from your partner. 
 False cards do not mislead him, for he fails to 
 notice them, consequently you play with such a 
 partner in much the same manner as you would 
 with a dummy, you make your own hand as un- 
 intelligible to the adversaries as it is to your 
 partner, and you muddle on as best you can. 
 That a partner should lose you five tricks in one 
 
1 66 The Art of Practical Whist. 
 
 hand seems difficult, yet not long since I was 
 favoured with a partner who succeeded in accom- 
 plishing this feat as follows : I held six hearts head- 
 ed by ace, king, queen, ace, and three small spades 
 (trumps), two small clubs, one small diamond. 
 
 It was my lead, and I led king of hearts in 
 order that my partner should not labour under any 
 misunderstanding as regards my suit. Fourth 
 hand played knave of hearts to my king ; I then 
 led a small trump ; partner Avon with queen and 
 returned me a small trump. I won with ace and 
 led a third round of trumps — second hand failed 
 and partner won with king ; I now concluded I 
 should win the game as my partner by returning 
 the small trump told me he held four originally. 
 My partner having won with king of trumps led 
 knave of diamonds, which second player won with 
 queen, and he then led the twelfth trump which 
 was the best and drew mine, and made live tricks 
 in diamonds ; my partner held two more hearts, 
 and had originally only three trumps. Had he 
 returned me the king then a small trump I should 
 have held the lead after the third round of trumps, 
 and could have forced the remaining trump held 
 by the adversaries, with my hearts. So I must 
 have made four more tricks in hearts and my last 
 trump, If again he had led me a heart, similar 
 
y 
 
 Estimating Your Partner. 167 
 
 success would have followed. I thus lost five 
 tricks by two errors of the most puerile description. 
 My partner of course had a reason for his play ; 
 he did not like to lead a heart, as he thought it 
 would be trumped ! My partner had played Ca?*ds 
 for certainly thirty years. When you consider 
 that the return of an incorrect card, and the lead 
 afterwards of an unwarrantable card, may cost 
 you five tricks, you will perceive the amount of 
 damage that a bad partner may entail on you. 
 
 To ascertain quickly the capacity of your partner 
 is most important ; you may often discover this by 
 looking over his hand before you join the rubber 
 and noting how he selects cards for particular 
 purposes. A partner who is careful to return the 
 lowest of three and the highest of two remaining 
 cards, who notes the call for trumps, and will echo 
 to your lead, can be made something of. When, 
 however, you find a partner is studying the faces 
 of the cards in his hand, and does not look at 
 the table whilst the cards are being played, and 
 consequently is always asking to look at the last 
 trick, you may be sure that sooner or later he will 
 get you into trouble, and you must not expect 
 much from him, and dare not consequently attempt 
 a very refined game. Many old whist-players get 
 into a system of playing which is often eccentric 
 
1 68 The Art of Practical Whist. 
 
 and unsound, but on which these individuals pride 
 themselves. I once knew a player who always, 
 whenever it was his lead, led trumps no matter 
 what his hand might be, and he was convinced 
 it was the right thing to do. He was constantly 
 a .loser at the end of the year, but this result he 
 attributed to his bad luck. 
 
 When you know your partner to possess these 
 eccentric idiosyncrasies, you must of course play a 
 different game from that you would attempt with a 
 reasonable partner. Xext to discovering the 
 capacity of your partner is the importance of dis- 
 covering the powers of your adversaries. Having 
 formed an estimate of these, you may trade on 
 this estimate, and often with favourable results. 
 If you find your adversary is a mere book player 
 you can fairly calculate what card he will play 
 under certain circumstances, and can lead or 
 finesse accordingly. I once won a game which will 
 serve as an example of such play, which is, how- 
 ever, applicable only under such exceptional condi- 
 tions. I held king, queen, knave, and two of spades 
 (trumps), ace, king, and three hearts, two clubs 
 (small), and two diamonds (small). My partner led a 
 small heart, ten fell second hand. Knowing my part- 
 ner to play by rule, -I estimated that he held four 
 hearts, and that a ruff would be made by second hand 
 
An Amusing Game. 169 
 
 on another round. The ace of spades was turned up 
 to my left ; I decided to lead trumps,but the question 
 was which card to lead. I wanted two rounds of 
 trumps. Knowing how carefully my left adversary 
 followed rule, I was aware that if I led the king or 
 knave he would hi the orthodox manner cover with 
 ace. I therefore led the queen, hoping that he 
 would follow the rule and pass it ; he did so, and 
 the queen of course won. Having found this. I 
 led the small trump as I now believed he would 
 credit my partner with king. This also came off, 
 as he played his ace on the small trump, and my 
 partner dropped ten. He now believed my 
 original lead was from queen, knave, and another, 
 and that the king only was on his left, as he held 
 two more trumps and a long and strong; suit in 
 diamonds, he believed another round of trumps 
 would bring down king and knave together, and 
 leave him with the thirteenth trump. He there- 
 fore led a third round and found that my partner 
 held no more, his partner held another, and I won 
 the trick with knave, and drew his other trump 
 with king. A small heart from me was won by 
 my partner with queen ; he returned another heart, 
 and we won five tricks in hearts, three in trumps, 
 and one in clubs, and won game. Had I led king 
 of trumps my left adversary would have taken this 
 
170 The Art of Practical Whist. 
 
 with ace, would have shown his partner his strong 
 suit in diamonds, would then have forced his partner 
 with a heart, regained the lead in his diamonds, 
 forced his partner again in hearts, and would thus 
 have won five if not six tricks, as he could have 
 forced me with his diamonds. This was a game 
 played entirely against rule as regards lead, "but it 
 was specially adapted to the style of play which I 
 knew the left adversary was likely to adopt. 
 
 You may probably remark that this example of 
 play is in direct opposition to the rules which I 
 have already advised to be carried out. It is. not 
 so opposed. The rules given are those that under 
 ordinary circumstances should be adopted, and 
 which have been found the best, to enable you to 
 win the greatest number of tricks, for you must 
 not lose sight of the fact that the golden rule for 
 whist is to win the greatest number of tricks that 
 are possible to be won with the cards held by your- 
 self and your partner. If by using your intelli- 
 gence you perceive that if you follow these rules 
 you will lose, then another and a higher rule comes 
 in, viz. to play so as to win. It is this which gives 
 the great charm to whist as a study, no amount of 
 knowledge of rule or system can enable you to do 
 away with thought, and the reasoning required for 
 ever recurring cases. So that you must be ever 
 
Enquiry. 171 
 
 mentally on the alert to watch for these, and take 
 the advantage which offers with strategic skill. 
 The study then of the capacity and peculiarities of 
 your partner and adversaries ought to be as much 
 a part of the art of whist as is the study of the 
 cards in your hands ; the latter are the weapons 
 with which you fight ; the former are the .enemy 
 and the ally against or with whom you do battle. 
 
 ENQUIRY. 
 
 The rules you have given for the lead, finesse, 
 throwing the lead, &e., take a long time to learn, 
 but a longer to put in practice during what I 
 may call the excitement of play ; what then amidst 
 all these rules, laws, advice, &c, would you recom- 
 mend as the most important items to be impressed 
 on the mind of a beginner ? I f ancv that there are 
 certain parts of the game, such as throwing the 
 lead, which can only be practised after long expe- 
 rience at whist. Still it is advisable to do as little 
 damage to your partner as possible, when you are 
 only a moderate player — and I want to know how 
 I am to advance from a bad to a moderate player 'i 
 
LETTER, XYI. 
 
 WHAT TO LEARN. 
 
 I consider it most necessary that yon should 
 learn " the lead ; " unless yon do so yon commence 
 under a great difficulty. The correct lead ought 
 to be learned in one or two hours. Deal yourself 
 thirteen cards and elect one suit as trumps, then 
 think what card to lead and examine the rules to 
 see if you are right. As second player remember 
 to split knave, ten, and small card — queen, knave, 
 and small card, king, queen, and small card, that 
 is, play the lower of the two high cards. "When 
 you win a trick the first round of a suit, return the 
 higher of two remaining, the lowest of three re- 
 maining. If your partner lead a suit which you 
 win third in hand, lead him the correct card of 
 your strongest suit at once. Return at once your 
 partner's lead in trumps unless under most peculiar 
 circumstances, such as those given in a former 
 letter (No. XIV.). Watch the fall of the cards, so 
 that you do not miss your partner's ask. Echo, if 
 
Simple Rules. 173 
 
 you hold four trumps, to your partner's lead or 
 call. Hold up your cards so as not to expose your 
 hand. Never touch a card till you have decided 
 which card to play. 
 
 Follow these directions and you have the f ounda- 
 tion of whist-playing. Make yourself so thoroughly 
 acquainted with these rules that you never need 
 occupy your mind with them, and you will then 
 keep your head clear for the more complicated 
 parts of the game. If you have to keep your 
 attention occupied as to what to lead, or play 
 second hand, &c, it is impossible to help gettin 
 muddled about other portions of the game. 
 
 8 
 
LETTEE XVII. 
 
 THE PLAY OF A GAME OF WHIST. 
 
 You will find in the latter part of Cavendish, in 
 the Field occasionally, and in the Westminster 
 Papers what are termed u illustrated hands," that 
 is, the whole fifty-two cards arranged in the four 
 hands, and the play given by which a certain 
 number of tricks were won, on one side or the 
 other. To arrange the cards as given, and to 
 work out the hands, is an excellent method to 
 discover and to impress on the memory, what may 
 be done with the cards. You must, however, 
 bear in mind that this is theoretical and not 
 practical whist. That when the cards are all 
 exposed, the problem is all clear. In practical 
 whist, however, there comes in the element of 
 individuality, the personal error, as we may term 
 it, of each player — the probability of an adversary 
 making a mistake, of his not making a finesse 
 which might come off, and of his making one 
 which does not come off, of his beino? misled bv a 
 
Problems at Whist. 175 
 
 false card, of his inability to discover the cards in 
 his partner's hand when he commences the game 
 and leads. From these and similar causes a multi- 
 tude of games are just missed being won at whist, 
 which would certainly be won were all the cards 
 exposed to view. Also many' games are lost at 
 whist which would not be lost if you saw all the 
 cards and had been playing double dummy. It 
 consequently follows that practical whist is a very 
 different game from what we may term theoreti- 
 cal whist. As an amusing example of this I 
 recommend you to arrange the cards in the man- 
 ner given below. It is a case which once occurred 
 to me at double dummy. You will then perceive 
 that if any player had played at whist as it is 
 necessary to play in the following case, he w r ould 
 probably have been accused of trying to lose the 
 game. I call my own hand A., my dummy's 
 hand D. Left adversary's hand X. Right ad- 
 versary's hand Y. Hearts trumps. 
 
 A.'s. — 10, 6, 4 hearts. Ace spades. Ace, king, 
 
 queen clubs, 10, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3 diamonds. 
 X.'s. — Ace, king, queen, knave hearts. King, 
 
 10, 7, 4 spades. 10, 7, 4 clubs. King, 
 
 2 of diamonds. 
 D.'s. — 5, 3, 2 hearts. 9, 8, 5, 3, 2 spades. 
 
 Ace, queen, knave, 9, 8 diamonds. 
 
176 The Art of Practical Whist. 
 
 Y.'s. — 9, 8, 7 hearts. Queen, knave, 6 spades. 
 
 Knave, 9, 8, 6, 5, 3, 2 clubs. 
 It was A.'s lead, the score was A. D. 4, X. 
 
 Y. love. 
 
 You will perceive that X. Y. were four by 
 honours, so the odd trick won the game. 
 
 At a first glance it appeared that A. D. could 
 win only four tricks, viz., three in clubs, one in 
 spades. A little closer examination, however, 
 showed that A. could win the odd trick. Xow you 
 arrange the cards. Take only half a minute to 
 consider, and then with A. and D.'s cards win the 
 trick. You will then perceive that this hand must 
 be played in a very different way from that in 
 which it would be played at practical whist. It 
 requires but little thought to see how the odd trick 
 must be won by A. and D. But it is not too much 
 to say that no amount of thought or experience 
 could enable A. and D. to win the odd trick had 
 they been playing whist against X. and Y. as 
 partners, and consequently unacquainted with the 
 position of the cards in the various hands. Con- 
 sequently I do not place very much value on the 
 capacity which enables a man to work out double 
 dummy problems without fail, when I consider the 
 application of this capacity for whist. The two 
 
False Cards. lyy 
 
 cases are entirely different, and bring into play 
 entirely different mental powers. A problem at 
 dummy requires quiet calculation, whist-playing 
 requires a quick calculation of probabilities from 
 the evidence before you, and an acute perception 
 as to whether this evidence is genuine or false. If 
 an adversary has played a false card, the evidence 
 on which you have to estimate probabilities is 
 false, so you must also judge whether or not the 
 adversary has played you a false card. A mere 
 plodding mathematical intellect will solve a prob- 
 lem of double dummy. It requires something more 
 subtle in the mind to enable a man to play whist. 
 False cards, which are so much condemned bv 
 the orthodox player, cannot be played at double 
 dummy, as no deception can take place. At whist, 
 however, they may, and often do produce singular 
 results ; and although I must caution you never to 
 play a false card until you have advanced beyond 
 the condition of a moderate player, yet when you 
 become more skilled a false card often wins or 
 saves the game when nothing else could do so. 
 Some time ago I won a game by false cards being 
 played, which is an amusing instance. I required 
 three tricks to save and win the game. Diamonds 
 were trumps. I hoped to obtain a ruff from my 
 
 partner in clubs, and I held queen, knave, and 
 12 
 
178 The Art of Practical Whist. 
 
 nine of diamonds. Ace turned to my right. 
 Towards the end of the hand, right hand adversary 
 led king of trumps. On this I played my queen. 
 He then led a spade, which left adversary won, 
 and then returned a trump. Right hand adver- 
 sary finessed ten ; and I won with knave and led 
 a club ; to my surprise my partner won this, and 
 led the eight of trumps. Eight hand adversary 
 held ace and four of trumps, and he now con- 
 cluded that my partner held seven of trumps be- 
 hind the eight, that his partner held the nine, and 
 that I held no more. If he put his ace on the 
 eight, his partner's nine would fall, and the seven 
 would remain the best trump in, so he played his 
 four. My nine won, and we won the game. At 
 double dummy we must have lost. 
 
 At the commencement of a hand you may per- 
 ceive that if your partner is moderately strong, you 
 can ensure game, or at least a large score. Suppose 
 you hold king, ten, five, two of diamonds, trumps ; 
 ace, queen, four of spades ; king, eight, two of 
 clubs ; queen, knave, eight of hearts. Score love 
 all. This is a good hand. Two honours in your 
 partner's hand, would give you a fair chance of 
 game. You lead the two of diamonds, second hand 
 plays ten, partner plays eight, fourth player three. 
 From the fall of these cards you perceive that two 
 
The Play of a Hand. 179 
 
 by honours are against yon, you therefore cannot 
 win the game. The object, therefore, should be to 
 try and save it. Taking a possibly unfavourable 
 view of your hand, you find only one tolerably 
 certain trick in it, viz., ace of spades. Your 
 partner may hold the nine of trumps, but it is two 
 to one against his doing so. If he does not hold 
 it, there are in the adversaries' hands six more 
 trumps, which may be divided between them three 
 and three or four and two. 
 
 Suppose left adversary, after winning with ten of 
 trumps, leads a small heart, third player plays ten, 
 and you win with knave. If you play another 
 trump you almost to a certainty throw the lead 
 into the hands of your left adversary, which may 
 be good play as you are again led up to, and this 
 suits your hand. But it would be very doubtful 
 whether another trump should be led merely for 
 the purpose of getting out the adversary's trumps, 
 as you would then leave your king singly guarded, 
 and your object now should be to make king of 
 trumps, ace, queen of spades, and king of clubs, by 
 which means you save the game out of your own- 
 hand if your partner win only one trick. If your 
 partner can win two tricks so much the better. 
 But your main object in the game now should be 
 to throw the lead into the hand of your left adver- 
 
180 The Art of Practical Whist. 
 
 sary, and not to consider the object to be to draw 
 trumps. The difference between the two systems 
 of play you will perceive is distinct. You change 
 your game from the attack to the defence. Dis- 
 arming your antagonists when at the same time you 
 disarm yourself is not always sound play. If, for 
 example, you hold a small trump, and each adver- 
 sary holds a better trump, it is very tempting to 
 lead this trump and bring down the adversaries' 
 two together. But if the only chance you have of 
 making another trick is to ruff with your losing 
 trump, it would be a mistake to lead it, even 
 though it took out the adversaries' trumps. Many 
 a game is saved in this way, and many players fail 
 to notice how it is saved. Suppose you require one 
 trick to save a game, and you see your only chance 
 is to make a ruff. You succeed in this, and vour 
 adversaries make their trumps separately on tricks 
 which neither you nor your partner could win. 
 The adversaries will often congratulate themselves 
 on this result, and will imagine that they could not 
 do better than make their trumps separately. 
 
 Although it is rarely advisable to commence a 
 game by leading a single card and thus playing for 
 a ruff, yet there is no rule without an exception, 
 and in desperate cases it might be tried. When 
 however, you come accidentally as it were on a ruff 
 
Giving Your Partner the Lead. 181 
 
 and succeed with a weak hand of trumps in mak- 
 ing a trump, the great object is to give your part- 
 ner the lead in order to obtain from him another 
 ruff. To do so requires some consideration as re- 
 gards the previous leads, but you will understand 
 what I mean by the following example. 
 
 Suppose you led a small club, your partner third 
 in hand wins with ace and returns you a spade, 
 which you ruff. To attempt to give your partner 
 the lead by leading him another club is useless, for 
 as he won with ace, he cannot hold either king or 
 queen, so another club must give the adversaries 
 a lead, and your trumps will be immediately 
 drawn. You must try the suit that you have not 
 led. Say for example diamonds are trumps ; your 
 partner won with ace of clubs, so you must try him 
 again with a heart. He may obtain the lead in 
 the heart, he cannot obtain it in the club. TThen 
 weak in trumps and weak in playing cards, the 
 only possible chance of a score is a double ruff, and 
 this you may often obtain when you find an origi- 
 nal lead from an adversary of a suit in which you 
 hold five, and your partner shows strength in 
 another suit in which you hold only one or two. 
 Giving your partner the chance of a discard is 
 often a means of obtaining a double ruff. For 
 example, right adversary leads king of clubs, you 
 
1 82 The Art of Practical Whist. 
 
 hold four clubs, with the ten, your partner plays 
 eight of clubs, and king wins. Right adversary 
 now leads a small spade in which suit you hold ace 
 king, queen and one other. You may now fairly 
 conclude that original leader led from ace king, 
 knave of clubs, and is waiting for the finesse, your 
 partner is either asking for trumps, or holds only 
 the queen, nine of clubs, or no more. You play 
 your queen of spades and partners two falls, lead 
 ace of spades and partners ten falls. You then 
 lead king of spades, and partner throws nine of 
 clubs. You then lead him a club and he ruffs, 
 having got rid of his remaining club. 
 
 When you or your partner has obtained a 
 ruff in a suit and the game is in danger, you 
 should alter the play of ace king when you lead. 
 Suppose you hold no winning card in any suit^ but 
 possess the losing trump of the two remaining in ; 
 the winning trump being in the adversaries' hands. 
 You require one trick to save the game, and you 
 hold no club. Your partner leads you the king of 
 clubs. If he has led from king queen, and the ace 
 is against you, the ace would win this trick, your 
 trump might be drawn, and the adversaries might 
 lead a long suit and win the game. Under such 
 circumstances you would be justified in trumping 
 the king. If, however your partner had led you 
 
An Example. 183 
 
 the ace with ace king, yon of course would not 
 have trumped the ace. It is therefore usually 
 better to play ace then king, instead of king then 
 ace, when you or your partner have ruffed a suit, 
 to prevent your partner trumping a card which is 
 equivalent to the best card in the suit. 
 
 In the play of a hand you must draw your con- 
 clusions as to where particular cards are located 
 from the best evidence presented to you. But 
 be very careful, that you do not allow T a fanciful 
 imagination to take the place of fair induction. 
 I have lost many a game in consequence of this 
 imagination of my partner. The following is a 
 case that occurred : — My partner held knave, 
 seven of clubs, a small spade, the lower of two 
 remaining, a small diamond and a small trump 
 (hearts), the lower of two remaining. I held ace 
 queen, two of clubs and two small diamonds. My 
 right adversary led four of clubs. I played the 
 two, fourth hand played the five, and partner won 
 with seven. After a little hesitation my partner 
 led the small spade ; second hand won with high- 
 er spade ; I discarded a diamond, and fourth 
 player discarded six of clubs. Right adversary 
 then led king of diamonds. His partner took this 
 with ace, drew my partner's trump, and made 
 the remaining tricks with diamonds. 
 
184 The Art of Practical Whist. 
 
 " Why did you not lead the club up to the 
 weak hand ? " I inquired. 
 
 " Because I thought you must have the other 
 spade," was my partner's reply. 
 
 u Why should you think so 1 " 
 
 " Well, I don't know why, but I fancied you 
 must have it." 
 
 That is, my partner's fertile imagination, based 
 on no evidence, lost a trick. 
 
 This is a very common phase of the bad player ; 
 instead of leading cards up to a weak hand, and 
 thus giving his partner every opportunity of fines- 
 sing, he will imagine some card must he in his 
 hand, when there is no evidence to indicate its 
 presence, and then will play in such a manner 
 that if it is not there, he must give the adver- 
 saries a great advantage. 
 
 Your attention in the early part of the play of 
 a hand should be given to discover where certain 
 cards are situated which have not been played, for 
 the advantage gained by good over bad players is 
 usually in the last four or five cards. 
 
 You must bear in mind that to play out an ace 
 or any other winning card of a suit does not give 
 you all the advantages to be derived from this 
 card. Your ace, if led, will be played to by the 
 adversaries with the lowest cards in their hand. 
 
Play for Game. 185 
 
 If, however, you remain fourth player and your 
 ace is led up to, you not only win with it, but you 
 usually capture and destroy the best card in that 
 suit, and held by your right adversary. 
 
 If there is any other lead available, I usually 
 object to lead king, from king queen and another. 
 There are two hands against you to one for you, 
 in which the ace may be situated. If you lead the 
 king and the ace is against you in either adver- 
 sary's hand, you make the queen only. If the 
 ace is to your right, you probably make both king 
 and queen if you don't lead either. 
 
 You must at all times play your hand with a 
 view to save or win the game, or to make a score. 
 So that the play of the hand varies according to 
 your own or the adversaries' score. 
 
 If, again, you are certain by one system of play 
 to reach four, but by another to reach game, or if 
 the play fail, to reach only three, play for game 
 or three, unless the chances of success are very 
 much against you. 
 
 You must expect, if you play at whist much, to 
 sometimes win, sometimes lose ; to hold cards far 
 above the average some days, and far below the 
 average at others. Some players are so consti- 
 tuted, that they chuckle and exult when they hold 
 four by honours, as though these honours were 
 
1 86 The Art of Practical Whist. 
 
 some proof of their own skill or power. When, 
 however, these same persons have a run of luck 
 against them, they look the picture of misery, and 
 not uncommonly become unnecessarily fault-find- 
 ing. Avoid these manifestations of weakness. 
 Whist is a philosophical game, and should be 
 played calmly, and without any demonstration. 
 
 Another bad habit, which is not unfrequent 
 among some players, is to play their cards, 
 whether winning or losing, in very different ways. 
 A winning card is banged on the table, whilst a 
 losing card is quietly dropped out. Play all cards 
 quietly, and in the same manner. 
 
 Some men are so weak, that their countenances 
 mirror their hands, and you can tell by an adver- 
 sary or a partner's look, whether or not his hand 
 is good. It is needless to tell you, such a demon- 
 stration gives an adversary a great advantage. 
 
LETTER XVIII 
 
 THE LAWS OF WHIST. 
 
 It rarely happens that many rubbers of wliist 
 are played, especially by inexperienced players, 
 without a question or dispute arising as regards 
 the penalty which may or can be claimed for 
 certain offences. These disputes may usually be 
 classed under three heads, yiz.: — 
 
 1st. Those which arise from a want of knowl- 
 edge of the rule which distinctly bears 
 on the case. 
 
 2nd. From the facts that occurred being ob- 
 scure, and it being difficult to decide on 
 the actual occurrences. 
 
 3rd. From there being apparently no rule 
 which distinctly bears on the special 
 case under dispute. 
 
 The most numerous are those coming under the 
 head of class 1. I haye, therefore, in the index, 
 (Rules) giyen the page and the number of the 
 
1 88 The Art of Practical Whist. 
 
 rule applying to the most common questions ; and 
 I will liere mention what I have found the most 
 numerous class of disputes. 
 
 In all the following cases X. and Y. are part- 
 ners against A. and B. 
 
 Case I. 
 
 Two cards played at once, the upper card seen, 
 the lower card concealed, can both be called. 
 
 Hide. — Both can be called ; the rule distinctly 
 says, any card exposed on or above the 
 table, even though snatched up so quickly 
 as not to be named, is an exposed card, 
 and liable to be called. 
 
 Case II. 
 
 A player A. draws a card from his hand, and 
 separates it so completely, that he holds it nearly 
 a foot from the cards in his hand. One adversary 
 X. sees it to be a court card ; the player then 
 replaces the card in his hand, and is about to play 
 another card, when the adversary X. says, " I call 
 your king." The card happened to be the queen. 
 A. replies, " I have not the king." " I mean the 
 queen," says X., which A. does hold. A. objects 
 to this guessing, and refuses to play any but the 
 small card. 
 
Enacting a Penalty, 189 
 
 Rule, — A.'s position is sound ; X. could not 
 name the card, but having knave in his 
 own hand, it followed that either king or 
 queen must be the card partly exposed 
 by A. X. guessed, and his guess was 
 wrong, so that A. not only is not bound 
 to play the queen, after the king had 
 been called, but X., from naming a 
 wrong card, has rendered himself or his 
 partner liable to have a suit called, wdien 
 it is next the turn of either to lead. 
 
 Such a dispute as the above could 
 only occur with feeble players. A man 
 who allows his hand to work before his 
 head, is always blundering. To pull out 
 a card before you have decided to play 
 it, is one of the most silly acts you can 
 commit at whist. 
 
 Case III. 
 
 X. and Y., partners against A. and B. — X. 
 leads out of turn, wdien it is Y.'s turn to lead. 
 
 A. says " I will leave the penalty to you, partner."" 
 
 B. replies, " Xo I would rather you enacted it." 
 X. claims that A. and B. have lost their right to 
 enact a penalty, as they have consulted. 
 
 Hale, — Rule 84 says that the partners may 
 
190 The Art of Practical Whist. 
 
 agree as to who is to enact the penalty, 
 and what is agreeing but discussing 
 which is to enact it. They cannot lose 
 their right to enact a penalty, but X. 
 and Y. may claim that as A. decided 
 that B. should enact it, B. must do so. 
 The usual remark is, " "Will you enact 
 the penalty, partner, or shall I.? ' 
 
 Case IV. 
 
 X. Y., partners against A. B. — A. leads nine of 
 hearts, X. trumps with ten of clubs, having the 
 ace in his hand the turn-up trump. B. plays 
 small heart, and Y. says, " They are both ours," 
 and puts king of trumps on his partner's ten, and 
 throws ace of hearts on the table ; A. and B. 
 claim a revoke, Y. says there were only two cards 
 in ; his partner held ace of trumps, and when he 
 said " Thev are both ours,-' he intended to throw 
 down his two cards. 
 
 Ride. — Whatever Y. intended to do, he actu- 
 ally played a trump to the heart, and 
 then led a heart, and so revoked. The 
 most frequent revoke is when only two 
 cards remain in, and the players play in 
 a hurry. 
 
Calling a Lead. 191 
 
 Case V. 
 
 X. Y., partners, against A. B. — X. leads five of 
 
 spades when it is A.'s lead. A. leads small spade, 
 
 on which X. plays the five. B. wins this trick 
 
 and the two next. Y. wins the fourth trick, and 
 
 he is then called on by A. to lead a heart. He 
 
 objects, for two reasons: 1st, that X. has got rid 
 
 of his exposed card ; and 2iidly, that as three 
 
 tricks have been won, it is too late to call a lead. 
 
 Rule, — Y.'s objection is ridiculous. Getting 
 
 rid of his exposed card does not prevent 
 
 the other penalty for his offence being 
 
 enacted, viz., calling a suit when it is 
 
 the turn for him or his partner to lead. 
 
 After the offence has been committed, 
 
 A. could not call on X. and Y. to lead a 
 
 suit until it was their turn to lead. 
 
 Case YI. 
 
 A. leads when it is B. his partner s turn to do 
 so. X., an adversary, calls for a club from Be 
 B. immediately leads a heart, and it is discovered 
 that B. held a club. X. claims a revoke (rule 61). 
 B. states he did not hear X. call for a heart. A. 
 says he did not hear a heart called. Y. says he 
 did hear a heart called. 
 
192 The Art of Practical Whist. 
 
 Rule. — This is coming very close +0 a question 
 of facts. Each witness may be con- 
 sidered prejudiced, but as Y. was further 
 from X. than either A. or B., it ought 
 to follow that if he heard the call, A. 
 and B. ought to. It is unreasonable to 
 assume that A. and B. were deaf, and 
 Y. gifted with acute hearing. Although 
 two witnesses did not hear, their evidence 
 is negative evidence, whereas Y.'s evi- 
 dence is positive. The dispute is an 
 unpleasant one, and should be guarded 
 against by speaking loud enough to pre- 
 vent any mistake. 
 
 Case VII. 
 
 X. holds the three best hearts in his hand, 
 and one trump diamonds. Y. holds the remain- 
 ing trump, the best ; and three losing spades. 
 X. savs "The four tricks are mine, the three best 
 hearts and the remaining trump." A. and B. 
 claim to call these cards and call the trump, by 
 which they would win three out of the four tricks. 
 X. objects, as he says he should have played the 
 three best hearts and then the trump. 
 
 liule. — X.'s objection is unsound, and A. and 
 B.'s claim just. X. assumes that his 
 
Claiming Revoke. 193 
 
 partner could not make a mistake. He 
 assumes that if he led a heart, it would 
 be impossible that his partner would 
 trump it. There is nothing impossible 
 in such a proceeding. By naming his 
 cards as the best, he cautions his part- 
 ner not to make a mistake, and so the 
 penalty claimed is sound whist law. 
 
 Case VIII. 
 
 X. and Y. win three tricks. X. then shows four 
 by honours, and claims game. A. and B. throw 
 down their cards. Then X. and Y. throw theirs 
 down — and it is seen that X. had revoked. A. 
 and B. claim the revoke, as the cards had not 
 been cut for the next deal. X. and Y. say, " As 
 the cards were thrown down by A. and B. it is too 
 late." 
 
 Hale. — Rule 59 applies. X. and Y. are 
 liable to the penalty for a revoke. 
 
 Case IX. 
 
 A. and B. win a certain number of tricks, 
 pack them up, and show three by cards. They 
 suppose they have won three by cards. They 
 claim three by cards and score them. X., who 
 is gathering the tricks for his partner, does not 
 
 l 
 
 >_> 
 
194 The Art of Practical Whist. 
 
 object to the score. Y., however, is lighting a 
 cigar during this scoring and until the two packets 
 of tricks are mixed. He then says, "What are 
 you scoring ? " 
 
 " Three bv cards," remarks A. 
 " Only two by cards," says Y. 
 Y. then takes the pack, and laying it out in 
 fours, says, " You cannot show me how you won 
 three by cards." As some of the cards are mixed, 
 A. and B. state they are not called upon to prove 
 how they won three by cards. They claim that 
 their score is correct, and that Y. has no right to 
 question the score at this late period. 
 
 Rule. — Y.'s claim is frivolous and vexatious. 
 The time to object was when the adver- 
 saries were scoring three by cards, and 
 before the two packets were mixed. To 
 dispute a score after the proof of that 
 score is very difficult — is unjust. It 
 ought to be made when its proof or dis- 
 proof exists. 
 
 Case X. 
 
 A. and B. win two by cards and hold two by 
 honours. During the next deal they discuss the play 
 of the hand, and before the trump card is turned, 
 
Claiming Honours. 195 
 
 A. says to B., " Score four." X. turns up the trump 
 card, and then says, " "What are you scoring ? " 
 " Two by cards and two by honours," replies A. 
 u You never called your honours," remarks X. 
 " And scoring them is not sufficient." 
 
 Rule. — Case 2 in " Cavendish " applies to this 
 case. How could A. and B. be four, 
 unless they intimated that the extra two 
 above their tricks were honours. X. 
 should have questioned the score before 
 he turned the trump card, if he were 
 really in doubt as to how the score 
 was made up. To wait until he has 
 turned up the trump card indicates a 
 desire to entrap the adversaries on a 
 mere technicality. 
 
 Case XL 
 
 A. and B. win the trick and hold two by honours ; 
 they score the trick, and X. goes on with the deal. - 
 Just as X. is about to turn up the trump card, A. i 
 says, " Stop ; are we not two by honours? " Be-l 
 fore it is agreed that A. and B. were two by hon- 
 ours, X. turns up and quits the trump card, and 
 claims that it is too late to score honours. 
 
 Rule. — Immediately a question as to A. and 
 B. holding honours was raised, X. should 
 
196 The Art of Practical Whist. 
 
 have waited to turn up the trump card 
 till the question was settled. But A. 
 requested X. to stop, which X. did not 
 comply with. The fact of his hurrying 
 on with the deal, during the discussion 
 about honours, does not prevent honours 
 from being counted, as A. had claimed 
 them before the deal was completed. 
 
 Case XII. 
 
 A. and B. hold two by honours, but make no 
 mention of them until X. has turned up the trump 
 card, so as to be seen by each player. The card is 
 held in his hand, but is not quitted when A. and 
 B. say " Two by honours." X. says, " Too late, 
 the trump card is turned." (See Rule VI.) 
 
 Rule. — This case occurred at the Halifax 
 Club. Upon referring to the Field it 
 was decided that the trump card must 
 be turned and quitted to render the 
 claim for honours invalid. Rule VI., 
 therefore, appears misleading, as it there- 
 in says, honours, -unless claimed before 
 the trump card of the following deal is 
 turned tip, cannot be scored. 
 
 The above decision, however, is un- 
 doubtedly just, and for the following 
 
A Misdeal and Honours. 197 
 
 reasons. Suppose the trump card hap- 
 pened to be face upwards ; it would 
 then be turned and seen as soon as the 
 fifty-first card was dealt or removed from 
 above it. And under this condition the 
 adversaries of the dealer would be too 
 late to score honours. Again, the exact 
 instant when the trump card is turned 
 enough to be exposed, may be a question 
 of dispute, but the fact of its being 
 turned and quitted is not open to 
 dispute. 
 
 Case XIII. 
 
 A. and B. hold two by honours, and win three 
 by cards. A., who collected the tricks, mis- 
 counted them, and said, "We have just missed 
 the game. We are four." A. scored four, and cut 
 for X. to deal. X. commenced his deal, and mis- 
 dealt. The cards were then cut for B. to deal. 
 After the cards were cut, X. remarks, " What do 
 vou score ? " 
 
 A. replies, " Two by cards, two by honours." 
 
 "You were three by cards," says X., "but you 
 never named or called your honours." 
 
 " Then I will call them now and score game," 
 replied A. 
 
198 The Art of Practical Whist. 
 
 " You cannot score honours now, as I have 
 
 dealt," replied X. 
 
 " You have not dealt, you misdealt," replied A., 
 
 " and I claim to score my honours." 
 
 Rule. — This case occurred at the Club at 
 Simla, in 1877. As an outsider the case 
 was referred to me. I gave it as my opin- 
 ion that a misdeal was no deal, and did 
 not invalidate the scoring of honours. 
 The case was much discussed and was 
 referred home. The decision, however, 
 of the home authorities was not' as de- 
 cisive as it should or might have been. 
 The reason why a misdeal should not 
 be considered as a deal, when honours 
 are to be counted, is the rapidity with 
 which a misdeal may be made. Suppose 
 A. and E. held honours, but have not 
 named them wlien the cards are cut for 
 the next deal. They see there is plenty 
 of time to call and score them before 
 the trump card is turned and quitted ; 
 but X., the dealer, deals the first two cards 
 to his left adversary, and the third card 
 to his partner, and thus completes a mis- 
 deal with the first three cards, and if a 
 misdeal were to count as a deal, then A. 
 
Detached Card. 199 
 
 and B., would in consequence of X. 5 s fault 
 and act be deprived of their right to 
 score honours — a result which cannot 
 be just, and cannot therefore be law. 
 Hence I think it always ought to be de- 
 cided that a misdeal does not prevent 
 honours from being claimed. 
 
 Case XIV. 
 
 A. draws a card from his hand and almost 
 touches the table with it, but suddenly changes 
 his intention of playing it, and replaces it among 
 his other cards. 
 
 X. says, " That is an exposed card, you must 
 leave it on the table." 
 
 A. says, " Xame it." 
 
 X. replies, " It is not necessary to name it. 
 Rule 56 says, any card in any way exposed on or 
 above the table, even though snatched up so 
 quickly that no one can name it, is an exposed 
 card, liable to be called, and your card was ex 
 posed above the table, and though I cannot name 
 it, I know it to be a court card." 
 
 A. claims that unless named the card cannot 
 be called. 
 
 Rule. — Rules 56 and 60 refer to this case, 
 A card detached from the other cards 
 
200 The Art of Practical Whist. 
 
 but not quitted, is a detached card only. 
 If it can be named, it becomes an ex- 
 posed card, and liable to be called. 
 There is no penalty for a detached card ; 
 but to detach a card when you have not 
 decided to play it, gives the Bdversaries 
 a chance of naming this card, and con- 
 verting it into an exposed card, with all 
 its penalties. 
 
 Case XV. 
 
 A. played a club to a spade and held a spade. 
 His partner asked him if he did not hold a spade. 
 " Spade led," replied A., " oh, yes, I have a spade." 
 " Play your lowest spade," said X. Whereupon 
 A. played the three. "Is that your lowest," re- 
 marked A.'s partner. " jNo ; I have the two," 
 replied A. He then wished to take up the three 
 and play the two ; but X. argued that, by rule 61, 
 A. was liable to a penalty for a revoke by playing 
 his three, and his two was liable to be called as 
 he had named it. What is the law in this 
 case ? 
 
 Rule.- -The bearing of law 61 has been much 
 discussed, and an able letter from Caven- 
 dish in the Fldd, in IS 77, argues the 
 case very fairly and justly. Rule 6i 
 
Is it a Revoke. 201 
 
 says, in no case can a player be com- 
 pelled to play a card which would oblige 
 him to revoke. If A. were not allowed 
 to correct his mistake by playing his two 
 and leaving his three an exposed card, 
 just as he would be allowed to do if he 
 had played a diamond to a heart when 
 he held a heart, he would be compelled 
 to play a card which would oblige him 
 to revoke. Again, rule 73 says, the " re- 
 voke is established when the trick in 
 which it occurs is turned and quitted.-' 
 In case 15, X. claims that the revoke is 
 established immediately A. plays the 
 three when he holds the two, the act of 
 playing being the establishment of the 
 revoke, instead of the turning and quit- 
 ting of the trick. Taking the bearing 
 of rules 64 and 73, it appears that X. 
 cannot be supported by the laws as fairly 
 interpreted. Again, it is a principle in 
 whist law, that the penalty should bear 
 some proportion to the offence ; that the 
 penalty for a revoke should be claimed 
 for playing a three instead of a two 
 without power of correcting this error, 
 appears giving a very severe punishment 
 
202 The Art of Practical Whist. 
 
 for a very light offence, and is not just 
 according, to whist law. 
 
 Case XVI. 
 
 A. in dealing turns up a card face upwards, he 
 turns it face downwards so quickly that neither 
 X. nor Y. knows what the card was. They ask 
 A. what the card was which was exposed, and in 
 his partner's pack. A. asserts he is not compelled 
 to name it. 
 
 Rale. — A.'s proceeding is an attempt at un- 
 fairness. He must have seen the card, 
 and thus knows one card in his partner's 
 hand, and yet he refuses to give the 
 information obtained by his own clumsy 
 dealing to his adversaries. A. is not 
 warranted in concealing from the adver- 
 saries the value of the exposed card, and 
 thus not giving the adversaries the option 
 of a fresh deal. 
 
 Case XVII. 
 
 A., whose turn it is to lead, leads the ace and 
 two of clubs, both cards falling together on the 
 table. X. calls the two of clubs as the lead, and 
 requests the ace be left as an exposed card on the 
 table. X. wins the two of clubs with his queen, 
 
Unjust Claim. 203 
 
 plays a thirteenth heart, and calls the ace of clubs 
 on it. Can X. enact these penalties ? 
 
 Hide. — Certainly. Both the ace and two are 
 exposed cards ; either can be called for the 
 lead, and the other called at any time. X. 
 is acting strictly by rule in what he does. 
 
 Case XVIII. 
 
 A. leads, B., his partner, plays before X. the 
 second player, and Y. also plays before X. A 
 says to X., " Don't win the trick, your partner has 
 played before yon." By rule 68, Y. was justified 
 in playing before X., because B. had played 
 before X. Is there no penalty that can be inflicted 
 on A. for attempting to enact a penalty to which 
 he is not entitled ? 
 
 There is no other penalty for attempting to 
 claim that to which you are not entitled, 
 other than the ridicule which a man 
 naturally deserves who shows his ignor- 
 ance of the laws of a game that he has 
 probably played for years. 
 
 Case XIX. 
 
 Inquiry : I have been witness during the past 
 two months as a bystander to the following cases 
 at whist, and it appears to me, that further 
 
204 The Art of Practical Whist. 
 
 legislation is required as to this particular point. 
 A. and B. were partners, A. dealt, and his deal 
 was so slovenly that he took up one of his partner's 
 cards with his own ; he thus held fourteen cards, 
 his partner twelve. The adversaries having each 
 thirteen, had no means of knowing the state of the 
 adversaries' hands. A. won the first trick, he then 
 played ace king, of a plain suit, and laid down the 
 four honours in trumps and claimed game. He 
 and his partner, as well as the adversaries, threw 
 their cards on the table, when thev were all 
 mixed, and the adversaries never had a chance 
 of discovering the defects in A. and B.'s hands. 
 On the second occasion four other players were 
 playing when a similar occurrence took place, 
 with the exception, that A. and B. (A. being 
 the dealer who took up one of his partners cards) 
 held no winning cards, whilst X. and Y. held two 
 by honours, and won three bv cards. But towards 
 the end of the hand, A. announced that he had 
 four cards in his hand, and his partner only two, 
 so, by Rule 44, it was a misdeal, and X. and Y. 
 can score nothing. So that A.'s carelessness pre- 
 vented X. and Y. scoring game. Is there no 
 penalty for such an offence ? 
 
 Rule. — As the laws at present stand, X. and 
 Y. in the first case might have requested 
 
Four te e7i Cards. 205 
 
 A. and B. to lay their remaining cards 
 on the table, when, by counting, they 
 would have discovered that one must 
 have held fourteen, the other onlv twelve 
 cards, consequently A. and B. were not 
 entitled to score anvthing. In the 
 second case there was no remedv. It 
 was a hard case that X. and Y., by a 
 fault of A., should not be allowed to 
 score their game. Still such is the law 
 at present. I cannot but think that 
 additional legislation on this point might 
 be made, and probably in the following 
 manner. The dealer is responsible that 
 he deals thirteen cards to each player. 
 Each player must be responsible that he 
 hold no more and no less than thirteen. 
 If two partners hold twenty-six cards be- 
 tween them, one holding more, the other 
 less than thirteen, whilst the adversaries 
 hold thirteen each, no score made by 
 the partners holding the unequal number 
 of cards can be counted in that hand, 
 Avhereas any score made by the partners 
 holding thirteen each can be counted. 
 Such a law would at once meet the case. 
 The three cards in last part of the hand, 
 
206 The Ari of Practical Whist. 
 
 viz., three in say A.'s hand and one in B.'s 
 being played so that the last card in A.'s 
 hand is allotted to B., but does not render 
 him liable to a revoke. There might 
 thus result a heavy penalty for playing 
 with fourteen cards in one hand and 
 twelve in the partner's hand. The 
 question is, I think, worth considering. 
 
 Case XX. 
 
 A. revokes, X. at end of hand, says, "I will 
 take three tricks from A.'s packet and add them 
 to my own." 
 
 " You can't do that," remarks A., " it is making 
 a double penalty. I will bet five pounds you 
 cannot." 
 
 X. makes no remark but leaves the room, and 
 brings in " Cavendish on Whist," and shows A. 
 rule 72, by which X.'s claim is correct. X. then 
 says, " That is five pounds you owe me." 
 
 " You never took the bet," remarks A. " You 
 said nothing, and therefore it is no bet." X. 
 claims it as a bet. 
 
 Hide. — Although the dispute is relative to a 
 whist law, the question is one more 
 nearly connected with the laws of betting. 
 A. offered a bet of five pounds, X. said 
 
Unsatisfactory Proceedings. 207 
 
 nothing, neither did the other players, 
 neither probably did a dozen bystanders. 
 Each player and bystander might there- 
 fore claim five pounds. This is unfor- 
 tunately a by no means uncommon 
 proceeding with some persons, the bet 
 is loosely made, and after the point is 
 decided, a claim is made or disputed. 
 To have made this bet binding on A., X., 
 before leaving the room should have 
 said, " I feel certain I am right in my 
 claim, and I accept your bet if you are 
 equally certain," an assent from A. would 
 then have made it a bet. To leave the 
 room without speaking, and to look at 
 the law in the book, gives a slight 
 suspicion that it was a case of " If I'm 
 right I win five pounds, if wrong it's no 
 bet." 
 On one occasion I was witness of a somewhat sim- 
 ilar proceeding. A player, A., dropped two cards, 
 X. claimed them as exposed cards. A. positively 
 asserted that X. could call one only as he intended 
 to lead the other. X. as proof of his being right 
 said, " I will bet you a thousand pounds to one I can 
 call both." " I will take that bet," remarked A. The 
 law was referred to, and X. was shown to be correct. 
 
208 The Art of Practical Whist. 
 
 " A pound I win," remarked X. " Xonsense," 
 replied A., " you were .certain of the law, it was 
 only a joke and no bet." If X. had been wrong, 
 it might be interesting to know if A. would have 
 considered it a joke. 
 
 Case XXI. 
 
 A. holds ace, king, and two small trumps, turns 
 up the ace, and when it is his lead leads the king. 
 Y., his right hand adversary, without waiting for 
 X. or B. to play, plays the two of another suit. A. 
 says to X., " Play your highest trump." X. as- 
 serts the demand is illegal, that no rule obliges 
 him to play his highest under these conditions. 
 AVhat is the rule ? 
 
 Rule 68 says that X. could be called on to 
 win or not to win the trick ; it does not 
 say he can be called on to play his highest. 
 The penalty in this case differs from the 
 penalty for the offence named in Rule $6, 
 where a piayer may be called on to win 
 or refrain from winning, or to play the 
 highest or lowest of the suit led. Con- 
 sequently there appears to be no penalty 
 for this offence. Yet the act of Y. gives 
 X. an advantage ; he knows Y. holds no 
 trump, consequently he might play to 
 
Penalty at Dummy. 209 
 
 advantage a card which he would not 
 think of doing had he been unaware of 
 the fact revealed by his partner. It may 
 admit of question whether the same 
 penalty ought not to exist in Rule 68 as 
 exists in Rule 86. 
 
 Case XXII. 
 
 A. is playing with a dummy against X. and Y. 
 It is X.'s lead, but A. leads the three of hearts 
 (trumps), X. makes no remark, but leads the six of 
 hearts, Dummy plays seven, Y. plays eight, and 
 calls the three of hearts. A. takes up the three of 
 hearts and wins the trick with the nine of hearts, 
 and shows the rule to X. and Y., that he is not 
 liable to a penalty for exposing his card. Y. then 
 says we will have a lead then from you, lead a 
 club. A. objects, and says, having elected to call 
 the three of hearts, you cannot now change and 
 call a uit. What is the law ? 
 
 Rule. — The call of the three of hearts was 
 illegal. There is no such penalty for A. 
 as exposing a card. There is no law by 
 which A. could be called on for a suit 
 when it is his lead, as the rule for 
 Dummy says — " If, however, he lead 
 from Dummy's hand when he should lead 
 
210 The Art of Practical Whist. 
 
 from his own, vice versa, a suit may be 
 called from the hand which ought to have 
 led." But it says nothing about a penalty 
 for Dummy or Dummy's partner leading 
 when it is the adversary's lead, although 
 it seems reasonable that some penalty 
 ought to be instituted. 
 
 Case XXIII. 
 
 The players hold four cards each, A. and B. 
 have won only one trick. It is Y.'s lead, and X. 
 says, now you cannot win another trick. A. offers 
 to bet he can win another trick, which bet X. 
 accepts. Y. leads ace of hearts, which A. wins 
 with the two of trumps, and X. then shows the 
 three remaining trumps, and on looking into A.'s 
 hand it is found he revoked when he trumped the 
 heart. Does A. win his bet ? 
 
 Hide. — A.'s act is very much like the act of a 
 sharper. A. and B. having gained only 
 two tricks three tricks cannot be taken 
 from them, otherwise A. might have been 
 caught in his own snare. X.'s bet re- 
 ferred undoubtedly to winning every trick 
 by fair means, not by foul, and amongst 
 honest players the bet would be given in 
 favour of X. 
 
Exposed Trump Card, 211 
 
 Case XXIV. 
 
 It is B.'s lead, at the commencement of a hand. 
 A. says, "It is no matter what you play, I have 
 game in my hand." X. then requests A. to lay 
 down his hand, which A. refuses, as he asserts the 
 demand is illegal. What is the rule ? 
 
 Rule. — There is no penalty for saying I have 
 game in my hand, the remark is against 
 etiquette, and it rarely saves time to make 
 such a remark, a little patience would 
 soon have revealed the fact to the adver- 
 saries, who would then probably have 
 thrown up their cards. 
 
 Case XXV. 
 
 A. deals and turns up queen of spades, and al- 
 lows this trump card to remain on the table after 
 the second trick is turned and quitted. X. leads 
 ace of spades at the third trick, and calls the 
 queen of spades on the trick. A. says, "Well, 
 I will play it, but it's sharp practice." An opinion 
 is requested. 
 
 The whole question indicates the tyro, and shows 
 that the disputants were very young. 
 
 Rale 52 says, that the trump card is liable to 
 be called if left on the table after the first 
 
212 The Art of Practical Whist. 
 
 trick is turned and quitted. A. left it 
 till after the second trick was turned and 
 quitted. Does A. consider that if trumps 
 had not been led he might have left his 
 queen exposed till the eighth or ninth 
 trick had been won ? It is certainly not 
 usual to call the trump card if left after 
 the first trick is turned, but the rule posi- 
 tively states it may be called when so 
 left. After the second trick it deserves 
 to be called, even in order to cure A. of 
 such slack habits. Leaving the trump 
 card exposed indicates negligence. The 
 remark about sharp practice indicates a 
 bad temper, and both are amongst the 
 worst faults of a whist player. 
 
 Case XXVI. 
 
 A. B. and X. T. enter a club card room and 
 draw for partners. A. deals, and during the deal 
 C. enters the room ; he says I thought I should 
 have been in time to cut. He then walks out of 
 the room. In two hands A. and B. win a bumper. 
 C. is not in the room, so A. says what are we to 
 do. 
 
 " Cut again for partners, I suppose," said X. 
 
 They draw, and A and X. are now partners. 
 
Exposed Card. 213 
 
 They take their seats and A. commences dealing, 
 when C. again enters the room, and remarks that 
 he has been cut out of the rubber, and that it was 
 a hard case. An opinion is requested. 
 
 Rule, — A. B. X. Y. were not bound to go in 
 search of C. He left the room without 
 any directions to the players. If he run 
 the risk of staying away long enough for 
 the rubber to be won, he ought to have 
 asked one of the players to draw a card 
 for him for the next rubber, and also 
 asked that he might be sent for, the 
 whole dispute is due to C.'s negligence 
 and the four players cannot be accused of 
 making a hard case for him, as he never 
 even intimated that he would play in the 
 next rubber. 
 
 Case XXYIL 
 
 A. drops a card face upwards on the table. 
 When it is A.'s turn to play the adversaries call 
 on him to lead this card. Is not this calling a 
 lead, which is a penalty that cannot be exacted 
 for an exposed card. 
 
 Rule — It is calling the exposed card, which 
 card can be called at any time ; that it 
 can be called when it is A.'s lead is not 
 
214 The Art of Practical Whist. 
 
 the same thing as calling a lead. When 
 a player has rendered himself liable to 
 have a lead called you can call any suit. 
 In this case you only call an exposed card. 
 
 Case XXVIII. 
 
 A. plays with dummy against X. and Y. It is 
 dummy's lead, but A. leads ace of clubs. X. stops 
 A. and reminds him it is dummy's lead. A. with- 
 out haste plays from dummy's hand the king of 
 clubs. X. calls A.'s ace on the king, and finding 
 he cannot exact this penalty calls a suit from 
 dummy. What is the law ? 
 
 Rule. — X. is too late, the time to call a lead 
 was when dummy led the king of clubs, 
 that is, X. can call a lead from the hand 
 which ought to have led, but not after 
 he has allowed this hand to lead. 
 
 Case XXIX. 
 
 A. says, " You need not play ; look at my hand." 
 He lowers his hand, but does not quit it, and 
 shows four honours in trumps and an ace, king, 
 queen suit. X. and Y. claim to call his cards, X. 
 holding no card of the suit in which A. had ace, 
 king, queen. Can they do so. 
 
 Rule. — There is no penalty for lowering the 
 
Dummy. 215 
 
 hand so that even your partner sees it, 
 though such a proceeding is most irregu- 
 lar and in many cases may give your 
 partner a great advantage. There appear 
 some grounds for instituting additional 
 legislation as regards lowered hands, 
 some cases at present appearing very 
 unsatisfactory. 
 
 Case XXX. 
 
 ■ 
 
 A card from dummy's hand is dropped on the 
 floor, its absence not noticed till half of the hand 
 is played. What is the penalty. 
 
 Rule.— The card is restored to dummy's hand. 
 No penalty for revoke. 
 
 Case XXXI. 
 
 Dummy omits to play to a trick. Is there any 
 penalty. 
 
 Hide, — The same penalty as at whist. Rule 69. 
 
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 half calf, extra, per set, 42 00 
 
 Cloth, per volume, * 2 5 
 
 In the following list the volumes are grouped together in the different 
 series in which they are published. Each group is arranged in the order 
 in which it should be read. 
 
 MONTE CRISTO. MEMOIRS OF A PHYSICIAN. 
 
 THE QUEEN'S NECKLACE. 
 
 THE THREE MUSKETEERS. TAKING T HE BASTILE. 
 
 TWENTY YEARS AFTER. TRE COUNTESS DE CHARNY. 
 THE VICOMTE DE BRAGE- 
 
 LONNE. Vol. I. MARGUERITE DE VALOIS. 
 
 THE VICOMTE DE BRAGE- CHICOT THE JESTER. 
 
 LONNE. Vol. II. THE F oRTY-FIVE GUARDS- 
 
 THE CONSPIRATORS. 
 
 THE REGENT'S DAUGHTER. 
 
 MEN. 
 
 George Routledge & Sons will send any of the above volumes by mail, postage 
 paid, to any part of the United States, on receipt cf the price. 
 
CHARLES LEVER'S NOVELS. 
 
 "There is no dulness in Mr. Levels dashing, darings rapid books. . . . 
 Who can take a standing leap like the author of Harry Lorrequer ? Who 
 can ivitch the world with such noble horsemanship ? He has the true spring of 
 Irish humor and Irish shrewdness in him. Mickey Free is as merry and 
 honest a rogue as ever happy fancy invented ; and all the secondary bits of life 
 and character in the home-country are admirable." — Blackwood's Magazine. 
 
 " Pre-eminent for his mirth-moving powers, for his acute sense of the ridic- 
 ulous, for the breadth of his humor, and for his power of dramatic writings 
 which renders his boldest conceptions with the happiest facility" — London 
 Athenaeum. 
 
 LEVER'S NOVELS. 
 
 THE "HARRY LORREQUER" EDITION. 
 
 A New Edition, printed from new plates, in a large, clear type, on 
 fine paper. Each volume containing six page illustrations from designs 
 by Cruikshank, Browne, and other artists. 
 
 26 volumes, i2mo, cloth (in boxes), per set, .... $32 50 
 
 half calf, per set, . . . . . . 78 00 
 
 Cloth, per volume, . 1 25 
 
 HARRY LORREQUER. FORTUNES OF GLENCORE. 
 
 CHARLES O'MALLEY. LORD KILGOBBIN, 
 
 TOM BURKE OF OURS. LUTTRELL OF ARRAN. 
 
 DODD FAMILY ABROAD. SIR JASPER CAREW. 
 
 DAVENPORT DUNN. MAURICE TIERNAY. 
 
 THE DALTONS. A DAY'S RIDE. 
 
 JACK HINTON. ONE OF THEM. 
 
 THE KNIGHT OF GWYNNE. BRAMLEIGHS OF BISHOP'S FOLLY.. 
 
 CON CREGAN. SIR BROOKE FOSSBROOKE. 
 
 ARTHUR O'LEARY. THAT BOY OF NORCOTT'S. 
 
 ROLAND CASHEL. BARRINGTON. 
 
 MARTINS OF CRO' MARTIN. TONY BUTLER. 
 
 THE O'DONOGHUE. HORACE TEMPLETON. 
 
 George Routledge & Sons will send any of the above volumes by mail, postage 
 Paid, to any part of tlie United States, on receipt of the price. 
 
MACDONALD'S NOVELS. 
 
 M The books are of their own kind. One cannot read them without being 
 stimulated to something nobler and purer, for they may honestly be called 
 both. They are a mine of original and quaint similitudes, and their deep 
 
 perceptions of human nature are certainly remarkable On the 
 
 whole, Mr. George Mac Donald is a power already, and will soon be a greater 
 one. . . . Let it stand to his credit that, in an age of loose literature, he 
 is, like Scott, and Dickens, and Thackeray, pure-minded. He writes better 
 English {because more imaginative and loftier) than Charles Reade, or any 
 of that ilk. And while Wilkie Collins outdoes him in plot, he outdoes IVilkie 
 Collins and the rest of the plotters in delicacy and sweetness of touch. Should 
 George MacDonald rise hereafter above this present point, high and good as it 
 is, he will merit and receive distinguished praise. And, as a man hardly at 
 the entrance of middle life, there is no reason why this sheuld not be. His 
 hand has not lost its cunning* and his eye is still undimmed." — Scribner's 
 Monthly. 
 
 GEORGE MACDONALD'S NOVELS. 
 
 ANNALS OF A QUIET NEIGHBORHOOD. 
 Crown 8vo, cloth, $i 75. 
 
 ' "ft is as full of music as was Prosperous Island ; rich in strains that take 
 the ear captive and linger long upon it." — Saturday Review. 
 
 u 'Whoever reads the story once will read it many times ; it shows an almost 
 supernatural insight into the workings of the htiman heart." — Pall Mall 
 Gazette. 
 
 THE SEABOARD PARISH. 
 
 A Sequel to "Annals of a Quiet Neighborhood." 
 
 Crown 8vo, cloth, $1 75. 
 
 "A story of the very highest order, full of deep and healthy truth, told in 
 the most genial way ; a story to be read thoughtfully, slowly, lovingly." — Bir- 
 mingham Daily Post. 
 
 THOMAS WINGFOLD, CURATE. 
 Crown 8vo, cloth, $1 75. 
 " There is no literature better than this. 1 ''— Illustrated Times. 
 "Uses his captivating pen for the dissemination of some of the richest 
 truths of the Christian system." — Christian News. 
 
 George Routledge & Sons will send any of the above volumes hy mail, postage 
 paid, to any part of the United States, on receipt of the price. 
 
- 
 
 MARRYAT'S NOVELS. 
 
 " His stories of the sea are unquestionably the first in their peculiar line." — 
 Dublin University Magazine. 
 
 " The novels of Captain Marry at are the best of nautical romances." — H. T. 
 
 TUCKERMAN. 
 
 " Captain Marryat's productions are happy in more senses than one ; he employs 
 neither the effort nor the prolixity of Cooper ; his conception of character is so 
 facile and felicitoiis that his Personages immediately become our i7itimate acquaint- 
 ance, and astonish us by their faithful resemblance to whole classes of beings simi- 
 larly situated. Captain Marry af s humor is genuine; it flows naturally, and 
 insensibly communicates to the reader the gayety the author himself seems animated 
 7uith." — Westminster Review. 
 
 CAPTAIN MARRYAT'S NOVELS. 
 
 NEW ILLUSTRATED EDITION. 
 
 Printed from large, clear type, on fine paper. Each volume containing 
 six or more full-page illustrations. 
 
 24 volumes, i2mo, cloth (in boxes), per set, 
 
 — half calf, extra, per set, . 
 
 Cloth, per volume, ..... 
 
 $30 00 
 
 72 00 
 
 1 25 
 
 THE KING'S OWN. 
 
 FRANK MILDMAY. 
 
 PERCIVAL KEENE. 
 
 THE PHANTOM SHIP. 
 
 THE DOG FIEND. 
 
 JACOB FAITHFUL. 
 
 THE POACHER 
 
 THE PACHA OF MANY TALES. 
 
 JAPHET IN SEARCH OF A 
 
 FATHER. 
 RATTLIN THE REEFER. 
 MIDSHIPMAN EASY. 
 PETER SIMPLE. 
 
 NEWTON FOSTER. 
 
 VALERIE. 
 
 OLLA PODRIDA. 
 
 MONSIEUR VIOLET. 
 
 THE PIRATE AND THREE 
 
 CUTTERS. 
 CHILDREN of the NEW FOREST. 
 SETTLERS IN CANADA. 
 POOR JACK. 
 THE PRIVATEERSMAN. 
 THE MISSION. 
 THE LITTLE SAVAGE. 
 MASTERMAN READY. 
 
 George Routledge & Sons will send any of the above volumes by mail, postage 
 Paid, to any part of the United States, on receipt of the price. 
 
FIELDING'S AND SMOLLETT'S NOVELS. 
 
 " Smollett and Fielding were so eminently successful as novelists, that no 
 other English author of that class has a right to be mentioned in the sajne 
 breath. We readily grant to Smollett an equal rank with his great rival, 
 Fielding,— while we place both far above any of their successors in the same 
 line of fictitious composition. Perhaps no books ever written excited such 
 peals of inextinguishable laughter as those of Smollett."— Sm Walter Scott. 
 
 " Fielding is the first of the British novelists. His na?ne is immortal as a 
 painter of natural manners. In his powers of strong and natural humor, 
 and forcible yet natural exhibition of character, the father of the English 
 novel has not yet been approached even by his most successful followers. He is, 
 indeed, as Byron terms him—' The prose Homer of human nature? "—Sir 
 Walter Scott. 
 
 FIELDING'S AND SMOLLETT'S NOVELS. 
 
 ILLUSTRATED EDITION. 
 
 Each volume containing eight full-page illustrations by celebrated 
 artists. 
 
 6 volumes, i2mo, cloth (in boxes), per set, $7 5° 
 
 Cloth, per volume, 
 
 i 25 
 
 FIELDING. SMOLLETT. 
 
 TOM JONES. RODERICK RANDOM. 
 
 JOSEPH ANDREWS. PEREGRINE PICKLE. 
 
 AMELIA. HUMPHREY CLINKER. 
 
 George Routledge &; Sons will send a?iy of the above volumes by mail, postage 
 paid, to any part of the United States, on receipt of the price. 
 
BEACONSFIELD'S NOVELS. 
 
 11 Full of charming effects of style and fine delineations. The descriptions of 
 Oriental life are only to be compared with those of Anastasius or Ed'then." — 
 Edinburgh Review. 
 
 "In whatever point of view we examine these works, they command unmixed 
 admiration. Admirable as novels of real life, as pictures of English society, as 
 expositions of political parties and principles, as a gallery of living portraits. The 
 recommendation of such novels to our readers would be a work of supererogation." 
 — Court Journal. 
 
 " These volumes abound with passages not surpassed for their beauty in our 
 literature. Delicacy and sweetness are mitigled with impressive eloqitence and 
 energetic truth. The magic of the style simply consists in the emotions of the 
 writer. He is a thinker who makes others think ; and these volumes will be re- 
 perused at intervals with the delight of novelty." — London Monthly Review. 
 
 EARL BEACONSFIELD'S NOVELS. 
 
 STANDARD EDITION. 
 
 Printed from large, clear type, on fine paper. 
 
 10 volumes, i2mo, cloth (in box), per set, 
 
 ■ half calf, extra, per set, 
 
 Cloth, per volume, ..... 
 
 $12 50 
 
 30 00 
 
 1 25 
 
 i 
 
 LOTHAIR. 
 CONINGSBY. 
 SYBIL. 
 TANCRED. 
 ALROY. 
 
 IXION IN HEAVEN. 
 INFERNAL MARRIAGE. 
 j^POPANILLA. 
 
 VIVIAN GREY. 
 
 VENETIA. 
 
 HENRIETTA TEMPLE. 
 { CONTARINI FLEMING. 
 (THE RISE OF ISKANDER. 
 ( THE YOUNG DUKE. 
 "( COUNT ALARCOS. 
 
 George Routledge & Sons will send any of the above volumes by mail, postage 
 paid, to any part of the United States, on receipt of the price. 
 
THE ENGLISH NOVELISTS. 
 
 Printed in a convenient, portable size, strongly bound in cloth or half 
 
 roxburghe, each set in a neat paper box. The Editions 
 
 advertised on this page are sold in sets only. 
 
 AINSWORTH (WILLIAM H.). 17 volumes, i6mo, cloth $1200 
 
 Windsor Castle. Guy Fawkes. Crichton. 
 
 Ovingdean Grange. Spendthrift. Auriol. 
 
 Lancashire Witches. Old St. Paul's. St. James's. 
 
 Tower of London. Mervyn Clitheroe. Jack Sheppard. 
 
 Flitch of Bacon. Star Chamber. James II. 
 
 Miser's Daughter. Rookwood. 
 
 AUSTEN (JANE). 5 volumes, i6mo, cloth 4 00 
 
 Pride and Prejudice. Mansfield Park. Northanger Abbey. ) 
 
 Sense and Sensibility. Emma. Persuasion. ) 
 
 BRONTE (CHARLOTTE and ANNE). 7 volumes, i6mo, cloth 8 75 
 
 Jane Eyre. Villette. Wuthering Heights. 
 
 Professor. Wildfell Hall. Life of Charlotte Bronte. 
 
 Shirley. 
 
 CARLETON (WILLIAM). 5 volumes, i6mo, cloth 3 75 
 
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 The Tithe-Proctor. The Emigrants. Xeal Malone. ) 
 
 CHAMIER (CAPTAIN). 4 volumes, i 2 mo, cloth 500 
 
 Ben Brace. Jack Adams Life of a Sailor. 
 
 Tom Bowling. 
 
 COCKTON (HENRY). 3 volumes, i6mo, half roxburghe 3 75 
 
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 illustrations) 16 00 
 
 Pickwick Papers. Oliver Twist. > Christmas Stories. 
 
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 Our Mutual Friend. Barnaby Rudge. Great Expectations. ) 
 
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THE ENGLISH NOVELISTS. 
 
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 advertised on this page are sold in sets only. 
 
 EDGEWORTH (MARIA). 4 volumes, i6mo, cloth $300 
 
 Manoeuvring. Ennui. Vivian. 
 
 Madame de Fleury. Emilie de Coulanges. Almeria. 
 
 The Dun. Absentee. 
 
 EDGEWORTH (MARIA). Illustrated Edition. 10 volumes, i6mo, cloth.. 1500 
 
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 Popular Tales. Irish Bulls. Harrington. 
 
 Belinda. Fashionable Life. Helen. 
 
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 The Inheritance. Marriage. Destiny. 
 
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 The Feathered Arrow. 
 
 GRANT (JAMES). 35 volumes, i6mo, cloth 43 75 
 
 The Romance of War. Mary of Lorraine. The Girl he Married. 
 
 The Aid-de-Camp. The Captain of the Guard. Lady Wedderburn's 
 
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 Philip Rollo. Letty Hyde's Lovers. Shall I Win Her ? 
 
 Arthur Blane. Second to None. Fairer than a Fairy. 
 
 The Highlanders of Glen The Constable of France. Secret Dispatch. 
 
 Ora. The Phantom Regiment. Jack Manly. 
 
 Frank Hilton. The King's Own Borderers. Dick Rodney. 
 
 The Yellow Frigate. The Cavaliers of Fortune. Rob Roy. 
 
 Harry Ogilvie. The White Cockade. Under the Red Dragon. 
 
 Legends of the Black Watch. First Love and Last Love. The Queen's Cadet. 
 Bothwell. 
 
 GRIFFIN (GERALD). 3 volumes, i6mo, cloth 225 
 
 The Munster Festivals. The Rivals. The Collegians. 
 
 L 
 
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THE ENGLISH NOVELISTS. 
 
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 "GUY LIVINGSTONE "-- Novels by the Author of. 8 volumes, 121110, half 
 
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 Jack Brag. 
 
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THE ENGLISH NOVELISTS. 
 
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 He Knew He was Right. The Bertrams. Rachel Ray. 
 
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 The Kelly's and the O'Kel- Phineas Finn. Lady Anna. 
 
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 Tales of all Countries Miss Mackenzie. The Vicar of Bullhamp- 
 
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 Granpere. 
 
 VERNE (JULES). 12 volumes, i6mo, cloth 9 60 
 
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 the Earth. Sea. Part I. A Voyage Round the 
 
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ROUTLEDGE'8 STANDARD NOVELS. 
 
 EACH VOLUME ILLUSTRATED. 
 
 In the following list, the publishers have selected the representative 
 works of the greatest masters of fiction, and have issued them in a special 
 style, nicely and clearly printed, with six page-illustrations in each vol- 
 ume. i2mo, cloth, per volume, $1.25. 
 
 HANDY ANDY. By Samuel Lover. 
 
 u This boy Handy will be the death of us. What is the police about, to 
 allow the uttering of a publication that has already brought us to the brink of 
 apoplexy fifty times ?" — Sporting Review. 
 
 CHARLES O'MALLEY. By Charles Lever. 
 
 " Mr. Lever is not only exceedingly popular with readers at large, but his 
 exuberant jollity has achieved a great triumph in overcoming the gravity even 
 of the sternest of the rigid tribe of reviewers." — Allibone^s Dictionary of 
 A uthors. 
 
 MONTE CRISTO. By Alexandre Dumas. 
 
 " * Monte Cristo' is Dumas' best production, and the work that will convey 
 his name to the remembrance of future generations as a writer." 
 
 VALENTINE VOX. By Henry Cockton. 
 
 11 It abounds in droll scenes, which will keep the most melancholy reader in 
 a side-aching fit of laughter as long as he has the book in hii hands." — London 
 Times. 
 
 TOM JONES. By Henry Fielding. 
 
 "As a picture of manners, the novel of ' Tom Jones ' is indeed exquisite ; as 
 a work of construction, quite a wonder. The by-play of wisdom, the power of 
 observation, the multiplied felicitous turns of thought, the varied character of 
 the great comic epic, keep the reader in a perpetual admiration and curiosity." 
 — Thackeray. 
 
 FRANK FAIRLEGH. By Frank B. Smedley. 
 
 U A most entertaining story. We are deligfited with its characters and inci- 
 dents, and charmed with its pleasing glimpses of English life and scenery." 
 
 THE WANDERING JEW. By Eugene Sue. 
 THE MYSTERIES OF PARIS. By Eugene Sue. 
 
 These two great classics of French fiction now occupy an enduring and 
 prominent place in the field of imaginative literature. 
 
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I 
 

 
 
 
 
 
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