The art of practical whist

Front matter

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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 .

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

RULE

83 56

50 16 70

CASE

1 £ 7

11 2

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 crossexamine 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 penalty 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 intelligent men that it now does. AYhist, although a pastime and tending to increase social intercourse, is vet something more. It brings into action 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 ignorant 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 during 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 addition to the value of their games.

10. Should the rubber have consisted of three

games, the value of the loser's game is deducted from the gross number of points gained by their opponents.

11. If an erroneous score be proved, such mistake

can be corrected prior to the conclusion of the game in which it occurred, and such game is not concluded until the trump card of the following deal has been turned up.

12. If an erroneous score affecting the amount of

the rubber be proved, such mistake can be rectified at any time during the rubber.

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 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 belong 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.

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 arepartners, 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 decided 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.

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 packets, nor across the table.

29. Each player has a right to shuffle, once only,

except as provided by Rule 32, prior to a deal, after a false cut, or when a new 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 clownwards, 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, attempt 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 together, 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, 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 recut 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 during 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 incorrect or imperfect.

II. If any card, excepting the last, be faced in the pack.

38. If whilst dealing a card be exposed by the

dealer or his partner, should neither of the adversaries have touched the cards, the latter can claim a new deal; a card exposed by either adversary gives that claim to the dealer, provided that his partner has not touched a card ; if a new deal does not take place, the exposed card cannot be called.

39. If during dealing a player touch any of his

cards, the adversaries may do the same, without losing their privilege of claiming a new deal, should chance give them such option.

40. If in dealing one of the last cards be 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 position of one card only, rectify such error, he may do so, except as provided by the second paragraph of this law.

VII. Should the dealer omit to have the pack cut to him, and the adversaries discover the error prior to the trump card being turned up, and before looking at their cards, but not after having done so.

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 subsequently 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 answerable 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 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 lowest, 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 enacted. Leaving tlie trump card on the table after the first trick is turned and quitted may cause confusion, 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 forgotten, 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 upwards, or in any way exposed on or above the table, even though snatched up so quickly that no one can name it.

57. If any one play to an imperfect trick the best

card on the table, or lead one which is a winning card as against his adversaries, and then lead again, or play several such winning cards, one after the other, without waiting for his partner to play, 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 cannot, 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 deduct three from that of the revoking players.

60. A card detached from the rest of the hand so

as to be named is liable to be called ; but should the 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 demanded, he incurs the penalty of a revoke.

62. If any player lead out of turn, his adversaries

may either call the card erroneously led, or may call a suit from him or his partner when it is 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 complete, and the error is rectified ; but if only the second, or the second and third, have played to the false lead, their cards, on discovery of the mistake, are taken back ; 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 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 consequently 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 obtained. 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.