SHORT WHI ST

T' I S PROGRES W I S R E, S, AND LA S;

WI TH OB SE RV ATI ONS

MA! E AN! ONE A WH I ST

M AJOR A

FOURTEENTH E D IT N IO .

TO wmc n ARE A D DDE ,

P R E C E P T S F O R T ! R O S .

B! MRS.

B ehold f ki in m v our n gs , aj esty re ered , Wlth h oary whisk ers and a forky b eard f fair wh h an d s sustain fl w And our queens , ose a o er , The exp ressiv e emblem o f their softer p ower k v in b cci c t t b Four na es gar s su n t , a rus y and , t i lb t in i Cap s on he r heads , and ha er s the r hands - c l t s i i m And party o oured roop s , a h n ng tra ,

w f h c mb t he v lv l i . PE Dra ort to o at on e et p a n PO .

L O N D O N !

L NGM N BR W G E E N L NG ANS R BE RT O M O S. O A , O N, R , , 1 8 58 LOND ON

PRI T B P TTI SW AND 0 N ED ! S O OODE 0 . E - TR UAR N W S EET SQ E . PRE FACE

H E ! SE COND E D TI ON TO T I .

TH E fl attering reception of this little trea

tise (as evin ced by a s econ d edition being

re u r d w h n two hort m on h has in . q i e it i s t s) m f duced the E ditor to revise it ost care ully .

At the suggestion of some of the best players

at the first clubs he has added several laws

of the ame n ow ob er ed but wh h are g s v , ic

either om itted or n ot clearly expressed in

the old autho H o e in ord r ha th rity, yl , e t t e M AJ OR m ay be a stan dard an d complete re f eren ce at the Whist table ; also some pecu

liarities of Short Whist a u ar re n , p rtic l ly specti g

fin essin ha w u f h i h n g, t t ill be se ul to t ose W s i g

to ex in a fa o u e amu em n an d to cel v rit s e t,

A 2 PREFA CE .

r om e e ud e as to modes f a ove c pr j ic s o pl y.

’ ’ ’ he h of Brookes s Wh e an d G aham s T W ist , it s, r clubs is n o m ore like coun try play than

’ Phillidor s gam e of chess was like that of

M rs. Grun d remark therefore n du n y ; s, , i ci g young players to refle ct will be of so me

er as the ma be a ured hat k in s vice , y y ss t s ill n oth n n ot e en in a am e at a d can be i g, v g c r s,

u red h h n n acq i Wit out t i ki g about it . C NTE TS O N .

P age ORD ER of the D ay

P ece f r T Mr o b s . 1 0 r pts yros, y

I n ca i 0 0 0 vo t o n 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 O O O O O O O O Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q O Q Q Q Q Q

H s c fac m e e i tori al t, oreov r, tru 2 2

S t c mm s a e es ade hor o on , and grav qu tion by sp s 2 3

H o w the L n e an d the S s came o gs w nt out, hort in 2 5

’ The Maj or s maiden speech

Law as a d w the e s , l id o n by b st

D iscussions discussed

H o w to take ca o f e f e w No 1 re yours l , b gin ith . .

P ec a es o f S Whlst uli riti hort .

Lo w Whist n o t high

H o w h t e M aj or co ntrived to stand sitting

Un de a r pl y .

Tenace and CONTENTS .

’ E m e —As u a fu o f e A s an d xa pl s su l, ll gr at

A stroke at Whist equal t o a move at chess

The Maj or makes his bo w

Connubial

Laws of Piquet

0 O RDER OF TH E D A! .

WHEREAS it has been suggested that the Maj or

- — was but an indifferent drill sergeant that is to — say, an impatient one seeing that he put

arms into the hands o f his numerous recruits

b f f f e ore they were per ect in their acings, or c w his ould march ell ; in other words, that treatise on the tactics o f Short Whist was — adapted to old hands only ; it was therefore thought advisable by his representatives here

sixth above (on a edition being requisite) , to send him respectfully an intimation to this effect

to below, by the new penny post which is pene

trate every where ; an d making due apologies for

v o f in ading the quiet the Elysian fields , our

postman waited his answer .

m b n He s iled landly, on Openi g the packet ; r E D 8 ORD ER o TH A! . seemed to call up his ancient reminiscences ;

if looked around upon the verdant fields, as he thought their green almost equal to that of the h cloth he loved . We have had high aut ority,

no less than that o f a Pope for the ruling

— - passion being strong in death ; a p ost man surely ought to be good testimony for its being

f as strong a ter it.

An d he declares that our venerable M aj or

rubbed his hands on finding he was still quoted

’

i . and remembered n St. J ames s Street

” Sixth edition ! cried he : my M axims for Beginners don ’ t begin at the beginning ll

’ ro di i o us I I — p g Well, I ll go and consult my

”

f M rs . riend . Battle

ff f the M oo O glided the ghost o ajor, and s n — fo und the worthy sister shade happily 1 n calm — humour takin g a cup o f Lethean tea with her

f h r — who worthy at e ; Charles Lamb , by the by,

laced it with a little brandy . OR D ER OF THE D A ! .

M A . . aj or , said she, most welcome

M rs M k n low . said the ajor, ma i g a

I u o u o in bow, come to cons lt y about s me

telligen c e I hav e just received concerning my

” little book on Short Whist .

’ r ! ! M s . B . Short I ve no patience with Short

! u n o spoilt the game amo g ye, like every thing — else above Hurry ! hurry ! do we not almost

hear the rumbling of those abomin able railroads — over head ! Bah ! I hate a fuss : I never was

in a hurry.

- a or A. w . M j Except, perhaps, on a ashing day

M rs B . a t was . Perh ps ; but hat all owing to — the detestable steam z I hate it in any shape ; f it spoilt even our trips to Gravesend . Instead o

havin g four or fi ve hours in a smack for our

money, are we not now obliged to get there — in two ! But I forget that we have no con

cern in all this now ; so let us hear what yo u

have to say lo TE E GAME o r WHIS T .

’ e ar M g A. I am here informed that I ought to

the have begun at beginning ; that is to say, that my little work does not at all instruct those who f have no previous knowledge o the game .

’ r M s . B . TO be sure I v e told you so fifty

. M P re f r times There, aj or, there are my cepts o

Tyros (taking a soiled paper out o f a huge

: if pocket) you may have them printed, you like,

n ot wo at any press rked by steam .

MRS T LE ‘ . BA T S PRE CE PTS F R T! R S O O .

TH E left- hand adversary should alwav s shuffle

f t f . the cards be ore the dealer, wi hout ail

Never play with cards that have any mark, or that are unequally soiled .

Never play for or bet more money than you

n at if . can conve iently pay the moment, a loser

Su osm f f who is pp g every thing per ectly air, he THE GAME O F WHIS T :

agitated about the stake must play to evident

: disadvantage once begin to chalk up, and M there is no end to it. oreover, all those

the gentlemen, whose cabs roll upon aces,

’ f if I OU s u r would soon walk on oot, , co nte s, and

credit were abolished .

fo r Playing a rubber amusement is one thing, gambling another : the first is a wholesome specific against ennui, the latter is poison .

fl a However tri ing the stake, always play ,

o f strict game, and adhere rigidly to the laws it ; to do which, it is necessary to be thoroughly acquainted with them .

’ M - a or A. j With due submission , Ma am, this is not exactly the beginning .

M rs . B . M Not a bad one, nevertheless , ajor I any body can put the beginning first. choose

s to have it in the middle ; o go on . THE GAME OF WHIST .

GAM OF VVH I ST THE E .

f who THIS game is played by our persons , cut

the cards for partners . The two highest are

Th who t against the two lowest . e person cu s the lowest is entitled to the deal . In cutting, the ace is lowest.

Each person has a right to shuffle the cards before the deal ; but it is usual fo r the eldest

f . hand only, and the dealer a ter

The deal is made by hav mg the pack cut by

the right- hand adversary ; and the dealer dis

b e tributing the cards one at a time, to each,

- ginning with the left hand adversary, till he

comes to the last card, which he turns up , being

the trump , and leaves it on the table till the

first trick is played . f NO intimations Of any kind durin g the play o

the cards between the partners are to be admitted. THE GAME OF WHIST .

The mistake o f one party is the game of the

w adversary, except in a revoke, hen the partner

may inquire if he has any o f the suit in his

hand . The tricks belonging to each party should be

turned an d collected by those who win the first trick in every hand

o f p The ace, king, queen , and knave trum s ,

are called honours ; and when either of the partners have three separately , or between them,

w m i they count two points to ards the ga e, and n

f u f u case they have our hono rs, they count o r points .

Five points are the game .

TER M S USE D IN TH E GAME .

’ F in essz n w g , is hen a card is led and you have

o f the best and third that suit, you put the third

h of ad best on t at lead, and run the risk your TH E GAME OF WHIS T .

v ersar of if y having the second best it, which he

ai . has not, you g n a trick

F o rcin g , means the obliging your partner or

v u ad ersary to tr mp a suit .

Lon trum s w g p , means one or more hen the

rest are out.

L r oose Ca d . , means a card in hand o f no

h value, and the properest to t row away.

i v P o n ts . Fi e make the game ; as many as are

gained by tricks and honours, so many points are set up to the score o f the game .

See- a w S . , is when each partner trumps a suit

Sco re of s et , is the number points , which are up in the following manner :

Slam , is when either party wins every trick.

Ten ace v , is ha ing the first and third best

n th cards, and bei g last player, you catch e adversary when that suit is played . M E THE GA OF WHIST .

is a sequence of any three cards suit:

ua r t of f Q , is a sequence our ;

uin t of . Q , five

AN NG U E E TC . SHORT ST DI R L S,

1 f . Lead rom your strong suit, and be cautious

ow h you change suits, and keep a commanding

card to bring it in again .

2 . Lead through the strong suit of your ad v ersaries , and up to the weak .

3. Lead the highest of a sequence but if you

a u h ve a terce, q art, or quint to a king, lead the lowest .

4 . if Lead through an honour, particularly the game is much against you .

5. t if the Lead your best rump, adversaries

if are three, and you have no honour ; but not TH E M E I GA OF WH ST .

f t you have our rumps, unless you have a se

u n ce q e .

6 . if v f Lead a trump you ha e our or five, or a if strong hand ; but not weak .

7 . l Having ace, king, and two or three smal

a if c rds, lead king and ace, weak in trumps but if a small one strong in them .

8 . I f you have the last trump, with some w r inning cards, and one losing ca d only, lead the losing card .

’

9 . ad Return your partner s lead, not the

’ v ersar s if ou hr orl i n all y ; and y have only t ee g y , play the best ; but you need not return it im di me ately when you win with a king, queen, or

knave, and have only small ones or when you

ui hold a good sequence, have a strong s t, or

t have five rumps . f 1 0 . . Do not lead rom ace, queen, or ace, knave

1 av 1 . Do not lead an ace unless you h e a

G THE AME OF WHIST .

2 0. Never force your partner if you are weak

t in rumps, unless you have a renounce, or want

f s the odd trick only, or the fi th trick to ave a

game .

2 1 . for t When playing the odd rick, be cau

of if tious trumping out, especially your partner is likely to trump a suit ; and make all the

fin in ess . tricks you can early, and avoid g

2 2 I f . you take a trick, and have a sequence,

’ win t it with the lowest, to your par ner s lead,

th ’ with e highest to your adversaries .

SE COND HAND .

2 3. e Having ace, king, and small on s, play a

if but if small one, strong in trumps, the king

n e weak ; and having ace, king, quee , or knav only, with a small one, play the small one .

R THI D HAND .

2 an d 4 . the Having ace queen, play queen, 1 TH E GAME OF WHIST . 9

if and it wins, return the ace, and in all other if a cases play the best, your partner leads small one .

2 5. Neglect not to make the odd trick, or the

’

fifth trick . , when in your power

2 . A e 6 ttend to the score, and play the gam accordingly.

2 7 . Do not part with the card turned up till the last.

W u win . 2 8 . hen in do bt, the trick

— it b 2 9 . Never scold only others a bad player, and teaches nobody.

M rs . . M aj or A. took B at her word ; sent the identical paper to us, which, as a curious relic f d rom the other worl , will no doubt be sought after by collectors o f autographs ; and when we

i f m have done pr nting ro it, may be had at the f low price o 50 guineas .

T W I T SH OR H S .

S e HORT Whist started up, and overthr w the

s -fiv e ancient Long Dyna ty, about twenty years a o s a g yet, strange to y , no historian has hitherto

h recorded t e event . Ought not this most mo m entous of all revolutions to have its causes and effects investigated ! — to have its mighty influences upon the fortunes of mankind traced

! ! ea. C 011 M to their source ome then , use !

of of in the shape the Queen Trumps , and im f part to my eeble hand a nd pen all the strength and e can finesse thy w lcome presence give . SHORT WHIST .

This revolution ( compared to which those of

1 78 9 and Of 1 8 30 were mere things of a day) was occasioned by a worthy Welsh baronet preferring

F first- his lobster for supper hot . our rate Whist

f ad players consequently, our great men

’ urned f of C Broo kes s j o rom the House ommons to ,

and proposed a rubber while the cook was busy .

” The t . lobster must be , said the baronet A ” rubber may last an hour, said and

o a f e the l bster cold gain , or spoiled, be ore we hav

”

d. finishe It is too long, said a third . Let — out af h C nem. us it shorter, said ourt arried

con . n f nd Dow they sat, and ou it very lively

f r to win or lose so much quicker . Besides u

n ishin at was g convers ion at supper, the thing

new they were legislators, and had a fine

opportunity to exercise their calling . Let us

imagine these four sages to represent the four

suits. W SH ORT HIST .

SPA D ES ( diggi ng in to the bowels of the lob s ter) . Five shall be game without reckoning honours ; thus leaving less to chance an d more to skill .

ff CLUBS . Then you will never get indi erent players to play, and knock up the game alto ther .

DIAMON D S . Three should save lurch ; and without calling, the honours may be then scored ; but not at four .

HEARTS . I have finished the lobster ; let us try a - gain, upon the last named principle, with which

o . I am seri usly inclined to coincide , and settle it

ALL. A greed .

an d So they settled to it, went home in hack

- d ney coaches by aylight, satisfied with having f per ormed this arduous duty .

’ da Next y St . James s Street was in commotion ;

n f a the Lo gs and the Shorts ormed e ch a party,

n and v iole t wa s the contention between them . SHORT WHIST .

All h b f the gamblers were S orts ; and, y dint o that

eloquence which invariably flows in streams o f

persuasion when any thing is to be got, suc

c eeded in bringing over many middling players,

to think it a good thing to have more frequent

of ma be opportunities losing, or, y , winning . The

regular old stagers made an obstinate stand ;

the - they were Longs to back bone . What

they) overthrow the venerable institutions handed

w f f do n by our ore athers, which we are bound to

transmit unsullied to posterity ! What is to be

come of all those calculations of the odds that we have got by rote, and which by prescription are

an integral part of the game ! H ow can we become suddenly habituated to this n ew-fangled f m rapidity ! it is change, but not re or never

in will we consent to so great, so dangerous, an e n ovation . They were soon, however, outvot d ; those whose chariots roll upon the four aces ” !

Provoked H usband .

2 6 R SHO T WHIST .

of losing their heads, like many their great pro

‘ tot es yp , were installed as lawgivers upon the

: t fl occasion hey amed a code, which has been

observed to this day . Their constituents were ,

’ sa strange to y , all satisfied ; and St . James s

echoed to the cry of Long live Shorts !

As f requently happens, however, in another f place, where laws are manu acture d upon such fl comparatively tri ing matters as trade, taxation,

f - h li e and death, poor laws, and the c urch (all

which we must allow to be of very secon dary

e of consid ration to the noble game Whist) , the

of House aces , kings , queens, and knaves made a

botch committed a very glaring and obvious f error, which ought to be amended in a uture bill

and, as my strength and constitution have been completely renovated by means which I will im part to the gentle reader before I have done with him an d for , as I mean to live and stand the next

W of a hist Parliament, I hereby give notice SHORT WHIST . 2 7

motion to alter and amend the clause which allows

f two our by honours and by honours to be scored .

I have already gone so far as to have a speech

for made the occasion ; and intend, as is cus

to mar M r I y, to give . . , the actor, a guinea a

lesson, to teach me how to speak it . Here it is

U u nacc stomed as I am to public speaking,

and feelin g my inability to do justice to the

of the mighty interests illustrious persons,

whose presence fills every heart with gladness, I must regret that no abler advocate has taken

their cause in hand . Inadequate as are my

powers to assign to them all the merit they

are f entitled to, I am ree to confess that a

of the game Whist in halves, and thereby

doubled the pleasure and profit of their pains ‘ SHORT WHIST .

m f w- u taking and ost deserving ello s bjects ,

sa f when, I y, they boldly cut away the hal that

fl n h was super uous , whe they wit admirable

! arithmetic made what used to be ten, five,

ought they not to have cut the whole , ought

they not to have cut the honours in halves ! also By omitting this, they have done their

’ ! o . H ea r ! hear it n ot w rk by halves ( ) Is sense,

is r is it not justice, it not eason, that, the game

! of being halved, all parts it should have been

a d halved, n three honours reckoned one point, four honours reckoned two points Thus would

the aristocratic portion of this useful game be

t — not kep within due bounds, would , by possess

ing (as at present) an undue and unpopular f power and preponderance , excite those eelings

which must ultimately be injurious even to

! d u themselves ; and which they will, no o bt ,

I their WEll- with known liberality, now willingly

concede . SHORT WHIST .

I must, add, however, that whatever is given

f of up, they will yield rom a sense right, not

n givi g way to idle clamour, which they despise,

as it is well known they are thorough game .

f for I there ore conclude, by moving, first, an authentic return of what is scored at Whist in

the best societies, distinguishing between what

tricks honours — n is scored by and what by , a d,

ofliciall f when these are y be ore the House , l second y, that a committee be appointed to search into the laws of this important game

to t if generally, and repor great benefit to the

f an public may not arise rom y, and what, alter

” tion s a them . SHORT WHIST .

F W AS Now A! E LAWS O SHORT HIST PL D .

1 The omt . game is five up one p scored saves a triple game ; thr ee points scored saves a double game . The rubber is reckoned two

points, making eight in the whole .

2 . f Honours are not scored at the point o four . f 3. or two In cutting partners, the highest and

the the two lowest play together ; lowest deals, and has the choice of cards and seats ; the ace

in is lowest . Should a second out be requisite consequence of two cards of equal value being

an d lowest o f f n ot cut, the the original our be one of those who cut a second time, that original wi lowest has the deal and choice, not thstanding

d t two lower car smay be cut subsequen ly .

When three c a r ds o e ua l v a lue a r e c ut the f q , dea la n d cho ice belo n to the o ur th i the lowest g f , f 1. SHORT WHIST . 3

the secon d cut the our th be the hi hest before ; if f g , he is the p a r tn er of the highest af ter the secon d

ut a n d the lowest ha s the dea l. c ,

er ffl 4 . Every play has a right to shu e the cards but the dealer ha s the op tion of shuffl ing last no one can alter the pack in any way after the cards are cut .

5 A f f . less number than our cards taken rom f f the top, or le t at the bottom, is not a air cut,

out they must be replaced, and the cards again .

6 . Should any card be exposed, or seen in

reshufiled an d out cutting, the cards must be again .

7 . The dealer is not allowed to touch the cards

the t f on able, in order to recti y any error, or sup

in posed error, dealing and cannot take back a f card rom more than one parcel ; that is to say, if he drops two cards by mistake, and has con

tin ued beyond the hand on which the extra card

f . ell, it is a misdeal SHORT WHIST .

f 8 . I the dealer turns up a card by his own f t the t it aul , adverse par y, on naming , may call a new deal before the trump is turned ; but if

he f any card except the last aced, it is a new

deal of course .

9 . I f of , however, either the adverse party

of touch the cards during the operation dealing, they cannot hall a fresh deal under any circum

of mi stances, and in case a sdeal the dealer is

entitled to deal again .

1 0 An of . y one dealing out turn may be stop ped before the thump card is turned if not dis f covered until a terwards, the deal goes on m rotation; and where tw o packs of cards are used (as is now the custom) the packs as changed

must so continue .

1 1 . Should any player have but twelve cards,

and the others their proper number, the deal

stands ; and he who has the twelve cards (sup posing the pack to have been originally perfect)

H RT 34 S O WHIST .

f card, or require each to lay his card be ore him,

F th which comes to the same thing . ormerly e demand for a particular card must be made f be ore playing ; but, according to the authority of f was o my old riend Matthews, it settled ther — wise and very properly.

I f of 1 5. one the players omit playing to a r trick, and remain with a card mo e than the rest, the adversaries have the option of calling a n ew deal . f 1 . I f o 6 the third player play be ore the sec nd, the fourth or last player may play before his partner ; if the fourth player play before the se

his cond ( partner) , the second may be compelled

f n to win, or be prevented rom win ing the trick .

1 Aft f 7 . er our cards are played, no error in

l ln of p ay g out turn can be rectified . M 1 8 . istakes in scoring tricks may be rectified at im any t e during the game, whether called or

— if ca lled not also honours, proved to have been SH RT O WHIST .

i f the of in t me ; namely, be ore trump card the l next dea is turned up .

1 9 . I f out of any person lead his turn, the adversar ies have the option either to call the card

i ! so played, at any t me, or to call at the time any suit they choose from the partner who ought to have played .

2 0. I f has won any one, supposing he a trick, f lead again be ore his partner has played to it,

t m the adversaries may oblige the par ner to w it . 2 1 . A card to be called must have been sepa f — rated rom the rest and named . Should he

who calls a card name a wrong one, he may have his best or worst card of any suit called during

the deal . This applies to a card or cards not

actually shown on the table : but a ny c a rd or

ca rds f a lling on the ta ble with their f a c es up

wa rds or tha t a r e shown in a n o e , y way s tha t th

a rtn er mi ht b ossibilit see them must be p g y p y ,

le t on the ta ble ex osed so r e uir ed f p if q . SHORT WHIST .

2 2 . An d expose card, or a suit, must be called before the party plays but he may be desired to l u i . stop, and the adversaries may cons t as to call ng

A if a 2 3. card is liable to be called n med, or even hinted by any player to be in his hand .

2 4 I f . a player trumps a suit by mistake, and the adversary plays a small card in consequence, the small card may be taken back (without be ing liable to be called), and the trick won with a higher card

2 5. Cards thrown down must remain upon the

table, and may be called by the adversaries.

I f h e win 2 6. a person declares can the e gam , or win so many tricks , or speaks in such a way as to inform his partner that he has either a good or a bad hand, he may be compelled to lay his c ards upon the table to be called .

2 An at 7. y one is entitled to ask any time

l ” é what suit is trumps ! but n t to be informed

was the which trump card .) SHORT WHIST .

A 2 8 . player is entitled at any time to see the

last trick turned, but never to see more than eight cards .

2 9 . There are three ways of exacting a penalty for hi t a revoke, w ch akes place of every other score - three tricks may be taken from the party revoking ; or three points from their score ; or

’ three added to their adversaries score . An d

i wa wh chever y the penalty may be taken, the revoking party must remain at four n otwith standing sufficien t might have been left to make

! them game .

0 A 3 . revoke is not established before the

There is frequently j udgm ent required 1 11 s electing the lt v k I f the v k t b p ena y for a re o e . re o ing p ar y e four

v dd t to o wn s as it s v s d b lo e, a hree your core, a e a ou le

an d ts at t to : b e at t game, p u you hree four if he hree, t ak t w his s d s I n t ki w e hem a ay from core ; an o on . a ng a ay his t k s t v t k h ric , recollec you may safely lea e him o rec on o m s as ust at it is n to t our he m remain four, o ly calcula e h w o the s s w t the t is t k . core ill remain, af er p enal y a en S ORT 38 H WHIST .

r i party evoking or his partner has played aga n ,

n uitted or the trick has bee turned and q , by every finger being removed from it ; but the adversaries may call for the highest or lowest of

‘ or the suit at the time, the card shown at any f period o the deal. I f 31 . a revoke be claimed, the adversaries f f for if or eit as a revoke, they mix the tricks before it is settled.

2 d f 3 . No revoke can be claime a ter the cards are cut for the next deal .

- 33. or Whoever shall, by word gesture, show

’ his approval or disapproval of his partner s mode of durin the ha nd play g , or make any remark, or ask any question, not specially allowed by the

of f f Laws Whist, shall or eit one point, either to

’ be added to the adversaries score, or deducted f own rom his , at their option .

34 I f . the dealer looks at the bottom card, he loses his deal . SHORT WHIST .

35. Whoever loses his temper, and scolds,

c ut v . should be , and ne er come again T here are two, or perhaps three, clubs in d London, where it is rule , that whoever scores f f honours without having had them, or eits the number scored : this is a rule that ought to become general .

Having given the laws above, with which every

u let one who plays o ght to be acquainted, us pro ceed to lay down some of the principles of the game ; premising, that no written instructions can

- . C make a fine Whist player ommon attention,

ff of ff of however, to the e ects di erent leads, and if the ordinary combinations, looked into, with

ca r ds be or e ou the f y , will enable any one to cut

if u f ! in req ested, and to de end his money .

' The to old discussion, whether Short Whist is

a t of the dvan age the good or middling player,

be s seems to settled, like many other , by both

h . M t t e retaining their own opinion a thews, most SHORT WHIST . gentleman - like and best Whist - player of the O l Long school, in his Short bservations pub ished upon the new game, as he calls it, has expressed his Opinion that it was in favour of the middlings ; but to my certain knowledge he lived to change f ff it, and to see how requently indi erent p lay pre vented saving a game ; for it is in playing bad cards to advantage that superior skill is most f A mani est . nother discussion, as to whether this game was to be played in a different manner from

! ou the old, still exists . will constantly hear dog matists u say, It is dangero s to finesse at Short

”

. The Whist good player knows that a finesse,

be a ro os i to be a finesse, must made p p , wh ch

kn owled e uickn ess nothing but g and q can teach . — The point in dispute may be thus settled z How

would good players play at fiv e - all in the old

game ! They would play to make five to Win the

or- c or game, ree points to score eight f the

advantage of calling : this is precisely the new

SHORT WHIST .

of i to card, wh ch you know your adversaries

‘ a r have the best, le d the losing . card, as you best chance of making your king is for the adversaries to lead that suit .

’ 3. The good player plays his partner s hand

his - and own, or twenty six cards the bad player

o n his w thirteen only. Play a losing card rather

w f t i if than lead a eak resh sui as it s probable, the — adversaries lead that suit, your partner may

w of screw out a trick ith even the third best it, by becoming last playe

The 4 . original lead will often effect the loss or f o . saving the game With a bad hand, lead that

’ suitwhic h is least likely to 1 nJ ure your p artner s

. u hand It is clear that, nless he holds an honour,

n d f a can make at least our tricks, the game is m gone ; as you can ake, perhaps, at most one ; f f f Do not, there ore, lead rom our or five small cards rather lead out a king from king and two

u v others . Q eens and kna es are strengthening SHORT WHIST .

M diff cards . any players er as to leading single cards when weak in trumps . It appears to me

f f own o tener to de eat than to gain its obj ect as,

of s unless your partner holds the ace the uit, or the n ki g with the ace on his right, you inevitably sacrifice the king or a good card : you moreover run the risk of being defeated by your own w partner ; as he, with other strong suits, ill give you credit for strength instead of weakn ess in

i . th s, and lead trumps

t t It must, however, be admitted, hat here is more probability your partner will have a good

t of finesse, or some s rength in the suits, which

t of c you have only one or two, than in hose whi h

The of th you have five small ones . knowledge e following odds will help to guide the lead i . It is tw o to one that your partner does not

a d hold a cert in car .

1 1 . It is nearly five to four that your partner holds one card out of any two . n ot iii . It is nearly three to one that he does

hold two cards out of any three

ne iv . It is about five to two that he holds o f card out o three .

he not v . It is about three to two that does f hold two cards out o four .

f on vi . It is about our to one that he holds e f card out of any our . 5 S . uppose you to be leader, with knave, ten,

! tw o of nine, three, and clubs, five small trumps,

one small diamond, and two small spades, lead

of the nine clubs, as it is five to two in your f avour that your partner holds an honour, you

of r s have the best chance clearing you uit ; as,

be it remembered, in clearing a suit, it is almost as necessary to take the command from your part

f . I f hi ner as rom your adversaries , in t s case,

- l your partner has no honour, the nine wil draw on e two nl : hi , and o y remain against you by t s

od of 1 st n of meth play you have, , the adva tage SH ORT WHIST . making your partner last player in y our two w 2 di of a eak suits ; y, the best chance saw, as

t your par ner may probably trump clubs, and you di 3dl if trump amonds y , the adversary returns

b f k f clu s, rom disli ing to open a resh suit, you

(having five trumps) may establish your suit . U w pon the same principle, ith a king, knave,

of and ten a suit, lead the ten . Th 6 . e f are f I is sa est leads rom sequences . t usual to lead the highest ; but it is also usual t o

f om i lead the knave r king, queen , knave ; wh ch is done with a V lew of getting the ace out of your

’ d if of partner s han , he has it, or stealing a trick if ft The the ace should lie on your le . same I f is applicable to all circumstances . you wish your partner to put on his best, lead the low

of if est a sequence ; you wish him to finesse,

’ lead the highest . To your partner s lead put on the lowest of a sequence and return the highest ;

’ to your adversaries lead put on the highest. SHORT WHIST .

‘ 7 . ten the With king, queen , , in all suits, lead

if e f king ; but it passes, do not th re ore conclude

’ I n f the ace to be your partner s hand, as it is o ten

. ! ou e w kept up can chang your lead, and ait for r of w the the eturn the suit, hen you will have

finesse of the ten at a critical point .

of w . 8 ! With king, queen, five a suit, al ays the

f d 1 11 king ; with our in trumps, lea the lowest ;

h the other suits the king, unless you ave only

: in c remaining trumps that ase, you may lead the lowest .

two . W 9 ith king, knave, and or more small A i f o . cards, lead the l west void lead ng rom king,

and . I f f knave, one small one orced to do so,

an d if the strength in that suit clearly is with

your partner, lead the king and knave .

1 0. With queen, knave, nine, and others, lead.

the . queen ; queen, knave, and one other, the

n h the queen ; quee , knave, with two ot ers, h lowest queen with t ree small ones, the lowest . SHORT WHIST .

Th f 1 1 . e o r w trump card cou se, ill occasion

f ul some deviation rom these r es . Leading the ten thr ough knave or queen gives your partner

of n I f the choice a fi esse . you have ace or king ,

ni e ten, n , and others, lead the ten, through an if honour the knave or queen be put on, you

a fin esse ur f of have yo sel , on the return the suit,

n with the ine .

1 2 . With ace, king, knave, six trumps, play out

the ace and king ; with ace, king, knave, five

f for trumps, it is sa er to play the king, and wait the finesse, unless you have in other respects a

decidedly commanding hand . In other suits,

n w without great stre gth in trumps, or ith the

of for hope establishing the suit, do not wait the

. t k tw o finesse Wi h ace, ing, and or three small

: win trumps, lead a small one as the knave may

t ’ b in your par ner s hand, the game is not to e

won unless he hold an honour, and keeping

back the ace and king of trumps makes yo T W SHOR HIST .

s trong should, however, three rounds of trumps

i ff be requ site to hinder a cross ru p lay,the king,

the ace, and then a small one .

1 3. With ace, king, five, lead the king in all

suits, not trumps, unless the remaining trumps

are with you and if three tricks in the suit are

necessary, then lead a small one .

1 4 . With ace, queen, knave, and others, in all

suits, the ace ace, queen, ten, and two others in

tr um s p , a small one ; but in other suits the ace, unless strong in trumps . It is so common to

fin d middling players who will n ev er lead from h ace, queen, that it is necessary ere to observe that many games are lost by this habit . . It is

f to f o ten better lead rom ace, queen, than to open a weak suit .

1 5. t an d Wi h ace, knave, three small ones, lead f the lowest in trumps in other suits the ace un -

! less strong enough in trumps to have a hope of

t establishing the sui .

W SHORT HIST .

PE CUL E IARITI S OF SHORT WHIST .

The leader is usually supposed to have the advantage in playing for the odd trick it de

of pends, however, entirely upon the nature his

: as hand in most cases the dealer, last player,

i in e has the advantage, in th s as every oth r score .

There is a possibility of making eleven points

r f upon the ca ds, namely, seven by tricks and our by honours : as it is never requisite to make more

h five Sho r t Whist t an at , a trick or two may be f o ten passed with advantage, in order to make

of sure the game consequently,

1 . f With five trumps, and a good suit, re use tobe f e of orc d, which intimates the strength your hand

to your partner, and perhaps will enable you to

of make three tricks instead one . No good player SHORT WHIST .

for u will play more than the game, nless indeed to

show off to the gallery : opportunities of making

brilliant strokes, and astonishing the natives,

so occur seldom, that it requires some forbearance

refram f w to rom attempting them, to your o n disadvantage .

- 2 . Under play is also more frequently allowable

t o at Short Whist ; that is say, keeping up a best

a card, and permitting the dversaries to make a

u trick or two, either in trumps or in a long s it, in order to secure the rest yourself.

3. M l idd ing players must, however, be cautious of attempting to run before they c an walk they

h of must recollect, on the one hand, t at the ace

can trumps played out make but one trick, and draw three other cards ; kept back, it may protect

. O h a small one n the other and, that there are thirteen cards to a suit only, consequently they

f sa must judge rom the number, y five or six , in

’ a their own h nds , and the adversaries play ( as SHORT WHIST .

a f the le ding rom sequences or not) , whether suit is divided so as to make it probable that the cards

f of desired will all to the ace . The state the

e as certa in c scor is the surest guide, a odd tri k is

f l ki infinitely pre erab e to ma ng two by any risk, n whe the two are not wanted .

4 . fin essin Deep g in trumps, or in a good suit

stron in trum s a f ff when g p , has l o o en grea e ec s t t , t

ten two t thus , suppose you have ace , , _ o her hearts

an d v ten ( trumps) , king, knave , or e en king , or ac e lu knave, or ace ten , with three other c bs

u sho ld your partner lead clubs, finesse the knave,

ten as has f m a d or ( he , perhaps, led ro a single c r )

f - your le t hand adversary, supposing you to be weak in the suit, will probably return it ; your partner then trumps; or if your partner has two

ou on o clubs, y either gain the lead, the sec nd r the id of the ace ! ound with ace, or get r , and

a h k . est blis your ing, to a certainty This method

tends to mitigate the danger of leading from a S H ORT WHIST . 53

single card, when weak in trumps, as, supposing trumps to be immediately led, you are still strong in the suit the adversaries mutually conceive they have .

- 5. The game is against the above named eleven cards , as there may be two by honours ,

- and three by cards made by the adversaries ; still the finesse recommended is the most probable method to make the five tricks requisite to save the game ; for if your partner has a very bad

an d if the of hand, king your only good suit is

’ at m : lost, you are then the opponents ercy on

d a the other han , should your p rtner hold one d honour, and some strengthening car s , queens or

in l knaves , the other suits, you having a so a king f guarded, or an ace among your remaining our

fiv e - cards, may, by establishing your card suit,

lus orte ra ison make the odd trick p f , having ace, queen, two other trumps, and ace, queen ,

in an d of a n e, another a suit led by your p rtner, SHORT WHIST.

ut n ine a sa p on the , which induces the dver ry

either to lead trumps or to return the suit .

a f 6 . Strength in trumps can lone justi y deep

‘ fin essing in other suits ; but as at Short Whist

scarcely a hand is played in which the game may

not either be saved or won, there is (contrary to

! c 0 O O O the received opln lon ) more scope for fin essmg j udiciously than in the old game ,

M A! IM S F OR BEGINNERS .

Recollect that maxims can only be laid down m f g enerally ; that it is necessary to alter and odi y

them according to the many changes which arise,

an d ade t dif and sometimes to desert them, p a

The n feren t mode of play altogether . disti ction

tha between a good player and afi ne player is, t

n the former knows the different leads and commo

as an d , so fin e sses, plays his cards correctly W' SHORT HIST . never to deceive his partner : he observes the rules and maxims generally ; the fine player sees at a glance when it is necessary to disregard all

an d maxims, , by adapting his play to circum s an ff if f l tances, make e ort, which, success u , may save or win the game . Thousands sit down to play

millfon f r Whist, and s o pounds a e made to change hands yearly by its powers of transfer ; n ine per

of h sons out ten, however, would lock t eir doors if they sat down to study the principles of the game (which cannot be done effectually without

f f the cards be ore them) , rom a dread of being

as if caught, they were ashamed of being seen to learn what they are n ot ashamed of being seen to practise : this gives professors a decided a a dv ntage . We learn to ride, to shoot, to play

‘ b . f illiards, to ence, to box ; we study the elements of f r other amusements, chess o instance ; why should we then expect to find a royal road to the acquirement of Whist ! SHORT WHIST .

Playing Whist at a regular and moderate stake f cannot airly be termed gaming ; many have ,

v f ne ertheless, injured their ortunes by it, parti c ularl f y at their outset in li e, by playing high — stakes too soon by attempting to practise before

i i of acqu r ng a competent knowledge the theory .

As l of ia a re axation, games skill are a happy v en tion if f w ; like all other things, ollo ed to excess ,

i i 1 s they are pern c ous . So necessary, however,

fre occupation to mankind, that more toil is

quently submitted to for amusement than is un

H it dergon e in business . ow many will s at

. f- n Whist all night, playing shilling or hal crow

is f points ; it a ascinating and interesting game,

ut I f f m f b , as can testi y ro wo ul experience, nothing is more prejudicial to health than these long s ittings . I attribute shattered nerves an d general debility to the morning club and the

e v ening rubber : I was obliged to discontinue the

an d f f amusement ; , a ter consulting hal the medical

SHO RT WHIST .

n of situatio the cards according to calculation,

subject, however, to any changes that may be

e of af indicated in the cours play ; ter which, keep

your eye on the board instead of poring over your

own hand : without strict attention to the fall of

e the cards, no maxims, or even practice, can mak

- a tolerable Whist player .

Pondering over the cards, and drawing out first

a t one and then nother, is a grea disadvantage to v the player, and ery tiresome both to his partner

and opponent .

Be cautious not to deceive your partner in his

’ our own leads islikel or y , or when he y to have — the lead a concealed game often succeeds in

the suits of your adversaries ; but this should not be attempted before having made considerable

an d if f proficiency, , too requently resorted to,

w ill destroy its own effect .

At mm of the co encement a game, a good hand

e l if adver is ntitled to play a bo d game ; or, the SHORT WHIST .

saries the a are considerably advanced in score, middling hand should be so played as to strengthen the partners, as it is evident the game must be lost, if f he is weak also ; lead, there ore, boldly, kings,

f of h queens, knaves, rom three a suit, or the hig est trump you have ; if the scores are equal, (two or

for n three all, insta ce, ) play more cautiously .

Be as careful of what you throw away as of what you lead ; it is frequently of consequence to put down even a tray with a deuce in your hand .

! our partner leads a four ; your right-hand

a if adversary plays five ; you put down a tray, it ought to be certa in that you have no more of the suit ; but if the deuce make its appearance

f it all a terwards , will destroy confidence in your

w for s oon . play, and you ill be justly set down a p

These minor qualifications of Whist-playing are attainable by every body ; and when once the

f f is great advantage o this kind o correctness seen , S H ORT WHIST .

h t e worst player will practise it as constantly as

the best ; common attention being all that is

requisite .

W of ith two cards only a suit, leading the

, f highest and playing the lowest a terwards, shows

e your partner that you hav no more , and that

h for ff you ave led a ru .

Do not lead trumps merely because anhonour f is turned up on your le t, or be deterred from it if on your right hand ; either is proper if circum

n to sta ces require trumps be led .

Fin essm is al u g gener ly advantageo s in trumps,

h ’ or in the ot er suits when strong in trumps, as

tending to promote the desirable object of esta blishin m g the long tru p and the long suit .

.Nec er n if trump an uncertai card strong, or omit

so if e if to do w ak in trumps, even yo u know

the of ’ best the suit to be in your partner s hand.

The m advantages are aking a useless trump, inti

a of d mating the st te your hand to your partner, an SHORT WHIST . of keeping the command (perhaps of the adv er

’ ’ in saries only suit) your partner s hand . ! eep the

’ command of your adversaries suit as long as you

of u possibly can, but never that yo r partner .

Do not trump a thirteenth card second hand if

if ak strong, but always we in trumps .

A f a lways orce the strong h nd, seldom the

: of weak never both , otherwise you give one the adversaries an Opportunity to make his small trumps while the other throws away his losing cards : the extent of this error is seldom com f prehended by unskil ul players, who, seeing the

ff of f good e ect judicious orces, misapply them to their own disadvantage .

The effect of a force may be exemplified by the following extreme case

‘ A has six minor trumps and a septieme major in another suit with the lead ; B , his adversary,

seixieme has a major in trumps, a quart major,

of : if A an d a tierce major the other suits , rely W SHORT HIST .

Six ing upon his trumps, lead a trump (and many

say with Six trumps always lead one) he loses

ever trich if f y , on the contrary, he orces B once, he inevitably gains the odd trick ; the same prin

ciple operates through every combination of the

fifty o cards : a conviction of it is one of the

first necessary steps towards an insight in to the

game ; and although so great an effect may be d sel om produced, there is scarcely a rubber played wherein the soundness of the principle of f orcing is not experimentally proved. W hen with a very strong suit you lead trumps, a hoping your partner may comm nd them, Show your suit first : if a strength in trumps is in

e t your own hand, play th m withou showing your suit .

With the ace an d three other trumps it is d if seldom right to win the first and second lea ,

thefn made in by the adversaries, unless your partner ruffs a suit. SHORT WHIS T.

if With strength in trumps , more particularly

ruffin - having a long suit, avoid g your right hand

’ a a adversary s le ds . This maxim is less pr ctised ,

n a but more ecessary, th n almost any other, and may be exemplified as follows

of The cards being nearly equal , the object the good Whist - player is to establish a long suit m to keep the long tru p to bring it in, and to frustrate the same plan of his adversaries . With an honour (or even the ten ) , and three other

m . trumps, you may by good anagement succeed

D O not overtrump ! your right - hand adversary early, but throw away a losing card ; one trump being thus gone strengthen s your hand ; an d

has your partner, as last player, that advantage in

had whatever suit is led . Whereas , you over

d v trumpe , you would ha e given up the whole

chance of the game to secure one trick : but this ,

i s like all rules , not without exceptions namely,

if your left -hand adversary has shown a great 64 W SHORT HIST .

s uperiority in trumps, then make whatever tricks I f you can . your partner (a good player) means

f of Obviously to orce you, which you may judge by his playing a winning or losing card of the

: if f n ot suit to be trumped the ormer, he may

f ou if the intend to orce y latter, you may give him credit for strength in trumps to protect

. for your long suit In Short, it is bad to play a

or e great game with a weak hand, a weak gam

of with a strong hand, when the state the scores requires the reverse .

I f circumstances make two leads in trumps

t requisi e, play the ace, let your other trumps be what they may . It is an old dogma not to force your partner

f how unless strong in trumps yoursel ; there are,

ever, many exceptions to this rule .

w be f I f your partner leads with a vie to orced, or from a Single card.

66 SHORT WHIST .

e a h ing a we k trump destroys the ten ce in t em,

’ and often sacrifices your partner s trumps ; the

‘ u ef ulterior object in other s its must, ther ore, be the guide .

an fu When adversary re ses to trump, and throws away a small card, it indicates that his hand consists of a strong suit in trumps ; one

e : if w strong, and anoth r weaker suit he thro s

. he s away a high card, it shows that has two suit

i f o . I n only, one which is trumps these cases

v r f a oid leading t umps, or his suit, orce him, and give your partner an Opportunity to trump an d - f over trump . It is a common ault with bad

players to lead trumps the moment an adversary . f ff re uses to ru , which is playing his game, and f is likely to give away many tricks, which orcing him l wou d have s aved .

i I f - a ad- strong in trumps, and the right h nd v ersar ed of y l a s a suit which you have ace, king, and two ut the ace others, you may either p on , R SHO T WHI ST .

and f continue the same suit, in order to orce your partner, or put on a small one, in the hope

’ ’ of y our partn er s winn ing the first trick in the

i w if su t . This is not allo able weak in trumps .

I f ’ ! you win your partner s lead with the queen,

n it is ot judicious to return it except in trumps . f It is bad to lead rom three cards, unless in

s e. o l equenc When obliged t do so, particular y if you have reason to think your partner strong in the suit, lead the highest, though it be the king or queen .

t ' The first objec is to save the game, the se

z cond, to win it ; and ha ardous play is justifiable, with reasonable prospect of obtaining either of I f these ends . neither is in question, play to

o the sc res ; that is to say, do not give up the

of of for certainty an odd trick, or scoring three

f n the chance o making t wo or four. A equal

t if finesse may be risked, hat will ( it succeeds)

s prevent the adversaries from these score . S H ORT WH IST .

’ I t is essential to return your partner s lead in

of trumps ; you may, however, judge the propriety of d if the oing so, according to your own hand,

s ten trump he led i an equivocal card, a nine or a

for ( instance) , which are led with propriety, b f f oth rom strong and rom weak suits , the nine

fi'om f may be led a quint to a king, or rom king,

n . t knave , ten, ine It is also led when i is the best of one or two others . h f i Wit our trumps only, do not lead them unt l

h r your strong suit is established, as t at numbe is not sufficient to bring in a suit of which you have not the command : the same position of cards will demonstrate the advantage of leading

f of for a small card rom ace , king, five a suit ; without the long trump you will be foiled in the sui for e led r if t which you hav t umps, either ad v rsar e f is e y have the que n, guarded o it . It

e in good play, how ver. with a tierce maj or trumps, SHORT WHIST 69 to lead trumps twice before you lead your suit

r to clea it .

I f w the you remain ith best trump, and one of r i the adversaries has the othe s, do not play t out, as it may stop a long suit of the other ad v ersar an d r his n y, p event getting the lead agai

I f h ri h t bot adversa es ave trumps, and your par n er for none, it is generally right to take two one .

I f f of there Should be our trumps remaining,

hi the c w ch you have two, se ond best and a small

hi v one, and a suit is led in w ch you will be o er

ff w e ru ed, trump ith your b st, and lead a Small

On for f e , the purpose o taking the best chance of own of f th making your trump, and alling e

if u ’ two others together in yo r adversaries hands .

I f u strong in tr mps, and having the command

’ of Of ing card the adversaries suit, which you

find your partner has none, lead Small ones to fOrce him an d the , keep commanding card back .

I f your partner leads the ace and queen of a SHORT WHIST .

of i Suit, which you have k ng and two others ,

o win his queen, in order that you may not st p his suit .

n - wi Whe your right hand adversary ns, and ’ l returns his partner s lead, particu arly in trumps, if you have the best and a small one, play the

m f - ll s all one, as your le t hand adversary wi pro

ak bably finesse, and allow your partner to m e the third best .

Be careful to Show your partne r that y ou command in trumps he will then keep his own

e n of di ad strong suit ntire, i stead guar ng the

’

! versaries suit, as he ought to do when the strength in trumps is with them .

If t your partner lead a rump, and you have ace, knave, and another, you should be guided

of Of s by the object getting two rounds trump ,

th whether to put on the ace, or to finesse e I f knave . he leads the ten, it should certainly SHORT WHIST . 7 1

be passed, unless at a point when the risking i u one tr ck wo ld be dangerous .

The lead from ace nine is safer than from ace ten , as the tenace is more probable in the latter,

h the w en suit is led by the adversary.

’ Thr owing a best card to a partner s winning card indicates that the best cards of that suit are behind ; throwing a second- best card indi

of cates having no more the suit . It is always right to inform your partner if

are if f you strong in trumps ; to do this, ourth

! of player win with the highest a sequence, and lead the lowest .

I f strong in trumps do not ruff the second-best o f a suit led by your partner, as it opens his

r suit ; rather th ow away a losing card, except when you have a saw .

I f re ten cards are played, and one suit only m t ains, should your par ner lead, and you have

a king, ten, and another, you can m ke one trick SHORT WH I STa

—I f an on to a certainty. Thus honour is put

— c it w by the right hand adversary, over ith the

if the . a king ; not, put on ten W nting two

tricks, you Should put on the king .

w fre I f the fourth player ins a trick, it is quently better to return that suit than to open a

f . resh one, in which he is weak

of ui w With ace, knave, and another a s t, hen

ou can s f the king is led, y pa s it, requently to great advantage .

of the e With ace, queen a suit, should knav

ri ht ut n r be led on your g , p on the ace i va iably,

as the king cannot be behind you .

of u - r n With only three a s it, put an honou upo

f e l an honour, with our or mor not, un ess you

have the ten . i x With king and one mo e, it is sometimes good

it sometlmes s play to put on , and not a previou

to ts determination, however, which do preven

a . u s hesitation, that betr ys the hand In tr mp

SHORT WHIST .

h it, although the finesse is against t ree cards ;

for if your partner has an honour you make two if tricks ; not, you can make no more than the

! of ace by any mode play . v With king, queen , or queen, kna e, and only

of of one other card the suit, always play one the

honours second hand .

Wi ni Having the remaining trumps, some n ng

cards, and one losing card, play that first, as m your partner may thereby ake the second best, if which he could not do kept till the last .

When your partner refuses to trump a win a ning card, le d trumps as soon as you can, and

s the be t trump in your hand, having two or

nl thr ee o y .

h the r W en queen is led on your right, (p esum m f g it to be rom the usual queen, knave, nine, )

o r ll and you have ace, king, ten, and a sma one,

by passing the queen you have the tenace and SHORT WHIST .

should your partner hold either ace or king, must

make three tricks in the suit .

e When your partner has evid ntly a weak hand, by playing an o bscure game tricks are frequently

t made . When your par ner has a good hand,

. play as clear a , game as possible

It is, although contrary to usual practice,

equally advantageous to lead up to, as through

so an ace turned up not much so up to a king ,

and disadvantageous up to queen or knave .

u Having ace, king, and two more trumps, ins re three rounds if your partner leads them ori

in all if g y ; but he leads a nine, or an equivocal

of card, in consequence supposing you strong,

pass it ; by which you will have the lead after

h t f t e hird round o trumps .

of - With ace, queen, ten the right hand lead,

put on the queen , as you still keep the tenace .

When the left - hand adversary refuses to

t f f a of rump a winning card, rom e r being over T! SHORT WHIS . t d a if ou rumpe , and throws away a losing c rd, y

of ui have the best the s t he discards, play it f m be ore you lead the other suit aga . The com

’ man ding card of the adversaries Suit is as

V aluable as a trump when the trumps are out .

I f - his the right hand adversary leads, and

r r partne putting on the knave or queen, you

w n fi ht partner ins with the king, whe the g

ll Of on hand leads a sma card that suit again, put the ten if you have it ; as it is probable you

’ will keep the ace in your partner s hand by doing so .

I f ad weak in trumps, keep guards on your

’ v ersaries ui if t n a f m s ts ; s ro g, throw way ro

’ : f r them in all cases, discard rom your pa tner s strong suits .

S u f - a ho ld the le t hand adversary lead king, —

and stop, to Show he wishes to finesse the knave, if l you have queen and another, it is c ear his

finesse must succeed; By playing a small on e H WH S ORT IST .

f fr yoursel , when you get the lead, you will e quently deter him from making his intended

finesse .

F e a he orc your p rtner, when Shows a weak m ga e .

It is indispensable to stop a long suit by

the w putting on best trump, hen Single, at once,

in order to prevent throwing away losing cards, if ffe B that long suit be su red to continue . ad players have an aversion to do this ; they also

o f f put it n when having others, merely rom ear of - uff T the being over r ed. his is contrary ex

to it . treme , and judgment is requisite avoid

; t When your partner has Shown a strong sui ,

if and has a renounce in another suit, you have a

of single card his strong suit, play it before you force him ; as it is the way either to establish a

saw , which is usually advantageous, or it induces

to if the second player put on the ace he has it,

h b ’ and t ere y clear your partner s suit . nd l Having ace, knave, ten, a a smal card of a

u - h a n s it led by the right and dversary, put o the

i in tr um s in other suits ten, f p if , a small one

u f beca se rom king, queen, and two trumps, a f small one ought to be led ; rom other suits, the

: the if king consequently, in latter case, the king is not led, it must be over you, and playing your t e f n o . O can be no use n the contrary, it gives away a strong game in the suit .

a With losing trump, and ace, queen, or any

other tenace, when only three cards remain , play

u t the losing trump, in order to have yo r enace led to .

It is f requen tly necessary to deceive the ad

’ v ersar r w y, and to th o down a high card, to in duce him to change his lead ; but this must be

t n f done without hesita io , and not too requently,

There is a great distinction to be made be

n f whi twee original and orced leads, ch beginners

f r do not su ficiently consider. When a partne SHORT WHIST . 79 changes his lead on account of some fall of the

o rced lea d if cards, this f is to be treated as it were

’ a the dversaries or your own lead, and the tenace

c if n r and commanding ard kept in it, possible ; o

’

i b . is . t to e returned like an original lead There is nothing more necessary to be

un der - la thoroughly comprehended than p y , as it is a constant and successful manoeuvre practised by the experi enced against the inexperienced players . It consists in keeping back the best n card, and playing a low one, particularly whe

’ returning the left - hand adversary s leads : it is then done with a view to your partner making the if w third best he has it, hile you still retain

To f —S the commanding card . exempli y uppose

f to the ourth player have ace, king, and small

’ of his ft - if ones, le hand adversary s lead ; he wins

W1 th the a ce , and returns a small one, his part

a the t ner will m ke hird best, unless the second

hi and third are both against m. It is evident 8 0 SH RT O WHIST .

f if f the rom this, you lead rom king, and your

right -hand adversary after winning with the

u t ten or knave ret rn your lead, hat the best

chance to make your king is to put it on . f Remaining with the first, third, and ourth cards

of of ft- a suit, which you suppose the le hand i adversary to have the second guarded, by play ng

the lowest it is usually passed, and you make

every trick . I f d you have the secon , third, and other cards, a for s, example, king, knave, and others, against

remamm lea d ace, queen, and one other only g, the kin if the g as queen is single, you draw the

t ace at the same ime, and make every other trick this is a stroke seldom comprehended by mid dlin l g p ayers .

U - nder play , as described, is seldom resorted

w ! to ith advantage, except in trumps, or when

! strong in them, in the other suits .

The trump card should be kept as long as

O SH RT WHIST .

h i has the first and t ird trumps, and the k ng and the six of clubs . The ace of clubs being led by

A the A , king should be put down to it by B .

if B in ev it will then probably lead trumps ; so, ably makes three tricks by keeping the king of clubs he cannot possibly make more than two .

A n of i B has ki g, queen, ten a su t, ace, knave, A if B and another . , leading the king, wins it i with the ace he makes but one trick, by giv ng

i an d in he the k ng thus preserv g the tenace,

makes two .

’ of t orced Having ace, knave, ten, a par ner s f

of hi i lead, or the last cards, play the ten t s w ll ,

a the ui prob bly, gain two tricks upon s t being

returned . Tenace is more easily kept against the right

hand than against the left -hand adversary ; the f latter, in act, requires great Skill .

The state of the scores is the sole criteri on

by which to decide upon the propriety or im SHORT WHIST .

i t of of for propr e y a finesse, or giving one trick

of i two the the chance mak ng , by preserving tenace ; at the score of three against one point it

! is highly proper to run some risk to make two by cardsin orderto win the game ; as the loss of

so of the odd trick, by doing, would be little mo S A ment . uppose, then, , with six tricks turned and

r f his v iz . three ca ds le t in hand, a losing trump, an d tenace of another suit likely to be trumped

of ul by one the adversaries, sho d play the losing if trump as the trumps are not divided, and his f tenace success ul, he cannot make two tricks .

At of two - A f the score love, has our cards

f viz . thi le t, two losing trumps and two rteenth

t t cards, wi h six ricks turned, there being two

t him superior rumps against . He is to lead a trump for the chance of two trumps being di

’ v ided if he . m akes t tricks an d the , as, so, hree fi game ; at any other score he should s ecure the

f th odd trick by orcing e adversary. SHORT WHIST .

f The ollowing stroke at Whist (which, co n siderin g that cards are unseen, and their positions

u only pres med, equals a masterly move at chess, ) is recorded as showing what first - rate play can

-e - was f . A w six tricks do, , the score our all , ith turn ed r of u , emained with ten, seven tr mps and two f - hearts, and led a heart. B , the le t hand

n d of and adversary, had knave a eight trumps

’ A s e two l . 0 two clubs , partn r,had sma l trumps h and . t e two hearts D, last player, had the di king and a small trump, a club and a amond .

was i D, seeing it necessary to win every tr ck,

i and that there was no chance of doing so unless his partner had either the two best trumps or

’ f A s of a success ul finesse in them, trumped lead

a he rts with the best trump, the king returned the small one, and thereby won a most critical game .

In order to establish a long suit with four

- s r . A trump only, unde play is requisite has ace, SHORT WHIST . 8 5

f u six an our tr mps, tierce maj or, hearts, king and

other club, and one good diamond ; he should

if w u lead a trump, and his partner ins and ret rns

A his e it, keep up the ace . When or partn r get

l of m h the ead again, they course play tru p, whic

t n n e leaves him wi h the lead and trump, not if however, the best, they were unequally divided .

f but His strong suit orces out this best trump, is

: A again established by his small one had , on

r w e the contra y, put on the ace, he ould have be n f orced, and his strong suit rendered unavailable.

With a similar hand, having ace, king, and two

if r small trumps, the adve saries lead trumps give,

t ' them the first trick, al hough last player : nothing but five or six trumps in on e hand can thus

ui prevent the long s t being established .

if With ace, queen, and two small trumps, the

on f win knave is led the le t, do not it, upon the

rin m le same p p .

w of if Every one ith ace, king, knave a suit, 8 6 SH ORT Wm sr

on the the queen is turned , right, will lead the

k the a ing, and wait ; same principle att ches to

of . I f f the whole the cards , there ore, you have

ace r , queen, ten, and the knave is tu ned up, lead

the queen . f Having six trumps originally, it o ten happens

f r f that you have three or ou trumps le t, and that

i s if the best is with your adversar e ; so, play one,

’ as that best trump may stop you rpartner s or your

r be suit ; besides, either you or you partner

a in come last player, and gain the ten ce any

s other s uit that is led. This also demon trates

m i ut that it is i pol tic to play o the best trump, when several others are against you .

I f A remains with the best trump (the kn ave) and one small trump, and nothing but losing:

- cards, his partner B having the second best

‘ u r tr mp, the ten and winning cards, with one , othe

! ’ the A f e trump in adversaries hands, , when orc d,

! should trump with the knave, and lead the small WH SHORT IST .

one, in order to give his partner the lead to

make his winning cards .

ff of ni There is much di erence opi on, even

e of among good play rs, as to the advantage lead

in of and the gsingle cards ; the state the scores,

of w u chance inning or saving the game, o ght

to all a be the guide in this as in other le ds. f Having be ore remarked upon this point, it is

n nl w ecessary o y to add here, that ith the ten

or of ace, probability it in other suits, it is then

l u better to ead the single card, altho gh weak in

The player who can recollect the cards played

w h . F ew it exactness has a decided advantage ,

T who however, do so . hose cannot arrive at

f to such per ection must, in order play Whist at

u all, remember, at least, the tr mps, and the best cards of his own suits : in order to accomplish

of this, every one should contrive a system Whist

for to mnemonics themselves, as most likely 8 8 SHORT WHIST .

an become habitual, or learn one suggested by

r m d othe . Some reco men sorting the hands in

a particular manner, and altering the position of the cards as the suits are played ; this method f a n o alls at pinch, namely, when you have

of u f are more a s it le t, and consequently called upon to trump or not .

The greatest assistance to memory is the habit of counting your hand by suits as you take it

h can t up . W en at a loss you hen revert to

of the original number dealt to you each suit,

and thereby at least make out the number of

rounds .

The s h two terms, tenace and fines e, althoug

at ll universally used Whist, are not so genera y

understood ; a definition of them is therefore

T s necessary . enace is having the card in a

position to gain the most tricks ; and finesse is

— the art of attaining that position . — Both are thus exemplified A leads the ten

' SHORT WHIST.

lingn ess and some skill are shown ; and both in

o r is t wn and country, to make up the rubbe , w ell known to be a qualification .

W hi - an d ishing all W st players good cards,

bo I a ve all, good humour, here make my bow to

— is a the critics and beg, as it not unusu l with

them, and in order fully to appreciate this pro f w ound treatise, that they ill first observe the

e f the - an d littl allegory acing title page, then regard only O U A CO V A O C NN BI L N ERS TI N.

The M a or writin and M rs . kn i tin j g , t g .

’ M a or um in u . T I S is j (J p g p ) done, my work ' made m f finished ; I have y end with a lourish . C I ongratulate me, my dear

M rs . A W m f for . ell, so I do, and ysel too ;

a e . H ow the now you will talk little, p rhaps is weather ! my dear ! h M or. I f but aj you talk about not ing that,

’ m off C m dear ! I to the lub, y g

’ a b r . e M s A. Isn t that the way convers tion gins Hang those nasty Clubs 1 tiresome retreats

” of -whi m hong , as Lady Julia calls the I wish

they were all burnt, my dear !

r u h f M aj o . To b rn all the clubs would set al

th n s a ! e diamo d crying, my de r ’ C V CONNUBIAL ON ERSATION .

M r . A s . M a jor, you want to provoke me

w ’ you kno well enough I don t mean them clubs .

the C - I mean ocoa tree, where you staid till five t m dear l an d his orning, my what has diamonds to do with it !

M a or . m ! are the e j They, y dear bright yes that would weep the loss of places ewhere hus bands are daily deposited out of the way.

M rs . A. Psha l No such thing ! ! ou know I

’ can t understand your j ea de mots and Lady

o Julia told you the other day, that Doctor J hn

m un son said, a man who ade a p

a l x ra her. M j or . Would be a bad e wog p

M rs . A u . He was no s ch thing ; he wrote

t m the Dic ionary ; and, oreover, was a pious,

man a a d learned , that never touched c r , my dear !

f r all M r . w x o . o to a aj He stuck his club like ,

h d a ! t at, my e r

M r . w s A. m 1 Well, thank v stars, kno no CONNUBIAL C ONV E RS A TI ON.

M ! e o u thing about him but, ajor, my dear hav y

[

said any thing in your book about my game , Loo

r Loo ! M aj o . Pooh What can be written about

h I - a n t at ! But stop, my dear sudde thought

strikes me : I am really obliged to you it would make my little work more useful to give the laws of Piquet .

’ n d C t so l A assino is gentee , my

is a d That r ther low, my ear I — And of Ecarté and Backgammon

my p en here goes I ’ll Then I go and call on Lady Julia,

A ide Tiresome brute ( s ) an d exit. OF LAWS PIQUET.

1 I n cu for e th t l the ace tting d al e lowes dea s ,

2 The r . elde hand must lay out at least one card. f h 3. I t e elder hand take on e of his advers a

’ ries cards, he loses the game .

I f i 4 . the elder hand turn up a card belong ng to e he r i the young r hand, is to eckon noth ng that

H h l 5. e w o p ays with thirteen c ards reckons nothing . I f d 6 . thirteen cards are ealt to either player, the elder hand has the choice of a fresh deal or

but if not ; he stands the deal, he must leave

! three cards in the stock. M ore than thirteen cards dealt to either must be dealt over again . LAWS OF PIQUET .

If e he s 7 . eith r reckon What he has not, cores nothing .

I f e the a 8 . either onc touch stock, he c nnot alter his discard

I f f e the t om 9 . any card be aced, xcept bo t

n e . card, there must be a w deal

f u u d at 1 0. I a card be t rned p in ealing , it is the option of the elder to have a new deal .

f r f d e 1 1 . I the younge hand take in our car s , h oses tbc ame b f l g , unless a card has een le t by the elder .

2 . I f n 1 the elder, Showi g point and a quart,

l he n ot e Should reckon the point on y, is entitl d f to reckon the quart a ter he has played. f 1 8 . Although the elder should orget to reckon

has w t what he sho ed, the younger canno reckon

' of any thing even equal value ,

t of all 1 4 . Carte blanche akes precedence

s o u an d score , c nseq ently saves piques repiques , W F LA S O PIQUET .

and goes towards piqueing or repiqueing the

adversary .

1 5. a of i e In c se hav ng cart blanche , the elder

u for bids the yo nger to discard carte blanche ,

an d n f u then counts his ha d, ace pwards, one

card after the other ; the younger asks the elder

if hi he has discarded, which done, he shows s

blanche in the same way.

f r . 1 6 . Two cards at least must be cut o deal

1 . I f f omits showin 7 the elder, a ter calling, g

n his his point, the younger may Show and recko

point .

i l 1 8 . No penalty attends play ng with e even

cards ; he who plays with more than twelve

reckons nothing .

1 9 . Should the elder put the cards he takes in

with his discard, they must remain , and he play

i W th seven cards only.

2 0. I f a it the younger leave card, and mix

w b f i the d i ith his discard e ore show ng it, el er s

98 OF E LAWS PI QU T .

f his own can s be ore looking at cards , insi t upon his adversary dealing .

An f f 2 6 . imper ect pack o cards does not ren

der the preceding deals void .

2 7 . The player who omits to show his carte

an d t o al blanche , points , or sequences, c l his

z f . quator e, cannot reckon them a ter he has played

2 8 . t When the elder leaves cards, he mus f speci y the number .

n be at has 2 9 . A y card is deemed to played th

l . touched the board, un ess it causes a revoke

I f l an 8 0. either name one suit, and p ay

h t. ot er, the adversary may call a sui N LAWS OF CAS SI O .

N d f e i es CASSI O is playe by our persons, som t m f by three, and more requently by two. The

of av the . points consist eleven , and six s es lurch

The points are Great Cassmo (ten of diamonds)

Little Cassino (two of spades) f The our aces, one point each

Majority of spades

Majority of cards

One point is also reckoned for swe eping the

f h f h . board, be ore t e end o t e deal

It sometimes happens that neither party scores

f as a ter a deal, the smaller number of points is constantly subtracted from the larger ; and if

and both prove equal , the game recommences , LAWS OF CASSINO .

the deal goes on in rotation . When three per

t wo f sons play, the having the ewest points add

fi om them together, and subtract the highest ;

i m of but when the r nu ber points, added together,

a or exceed mount to the highest, neither party

scores . m 1 . The deal and partners are deter ined by

f cutting, as at Whist ; our cards are dealt to

e f each player, by one at a tim ; and our more

o are turned up n the board , either regularly by

r f . one at a time , or by two, th ee, or our at once l f After the first cards are p ayed, our more are

of the dealt to each player, until the end pack but none are turned up on the board after the

2 . The deal is recommenced when a card is

f be f d faced by the dealer, or one is ound to ace

f an of in the pack during the first round, be ore y

‘ u the four cards are turn ed p on the board, but not afterwards .

LAWS OF ECARTE.

A RTS s o EC , although played by two per ns only,

t w a who can in erest a hole comp ny ; bet, and

a enter, and pl y in turn ; moreover, the bettors

ma have a right to advise the players , but they y f no t own ollow the advice or , according to their

: o nd j udgment the game consists f five points, a

is played with thirty-two cards ; the order of

w ace &c . hich is king, queen, knave, , i 1 . the t e ls In cutt ng, highes card d a ; if two

are s in the cards hown cutting, lowest is the

card cut.

2 . Five cards are dealt to each ; by three and

two , or two and three at a time, at the optio n of

the dealer ; but the order with which he com

men ces must be observed throughout a whole

m . The ga e eleventh card is the trump.

3. An f c y card aced in the pack, ex ept the F RTS 1 LAWS O SC A . 03

e th if f leven , voids the deal, discovered be ore either hand has been seen if n ot discovered

f d f s until a ter discar ing, and the aced card or card fall to the dealer,those cards must form part of his hand ; if they fall to the elder hand it is at f his option to call a resh deal or not .

4 . I f u o f the dealer t rn up one his own cards ,

’ the o if of deal is g od ; one his adversary s , it is

t f a his option to have a resh deal or not.

5. When it is discovered before the trump card is seen that a player has dealt out of his

t turn, the adversary mus deal : when not dis

f but f covered until a terwards, be ore discarding

i and playing, that pack must rema n j ust as it is for t he the subsequent deal, and game proceed by the right dealer dealing With the other pack .

! 6 . Should a misdeal b e discovered before

d either party has seen his hand, the car s must be restored to the order in which they would have fallen had no misdeal been made ; the same if the ‘ 1 04 WS LA OF éC A n Tri.

a f i elder h nd, a ter taking in, perce ve that the dealer

has him f r not given as many cards as he asked o .

. I f ft a 7 a er the hands are seen by both p rties ,

f the and, a ter taking in , dealer have a deficiency,

it is at the Option of the elder to allow it to be f f supplied rom the stock, or to have a resh deal

if l the dealer have a card too many, the e der may f either draw one rom his hand by chance, or f have a resh deal, at his choice

8 . I f n the elder have a deficiency, it is optio al with him to supply it from the stock if he have h too many , he may eit er discard the surplus him

f or the 1 t f sel , claim deal , unless arose rom his

for a for own error ; instance, having sked more or less than he discarded : in that case the elder

of on e is punished by the loss point, and is not allowed to reckon the king .

9 . He who either discards , or plays with more

a o f than five c rds, loses a point and the right ma rking the king .

1 L WS r ELA RTE 06 A o . marks two points for the odd trick ; the elder

s b n in the same manner lo es two points, y playi g w i i ithout proposing ; W nn ng the vole , or every

’ t two rick, is marked points.

1 5. I f af a the l f for! , ter giving c rds, dea er, rom

etfuln ess u as he n g , turn p a card trump, can ot f if re use a second discard demanded .

1 6 . I f the elder hand declare a suit he must if play it ; however he play any other, and the

a c ov ered must younger pl ys to it, the card once

so th f remain e same in playing Out o turn .

1 . w an d b 7 No revoke is allo ed, a trick must e

won if a superior card is held ; there is no under

play or surprise ; the cards are to be taken up

an d h again , e who has revoked or underplayed

on e n counts point less tha he would have scored .

1 8 ; I t a player throws up and mixes his cards

with others, the adversary scores two points .

1 9 . He who quits the game before it is finished

ut an b - ma loses ; b y y stander, having betted, y LAWS OF ECART E. play it out for the benefit of himself and the company .

of be 2 0. When a pack cards is discovered to

f i l but re de ect ve, the actual dea is void, the p ceding on es stand good . h f 2 1 . The players ave usually the privilege o a m i f - cc ept g bets n pre erence to the by standers . L AWS OF CRIB BAGE .

C RI BBA GE has been reckoned useful to in struct young people in calculation they had , however,

r O s much bette have recourse to ther mean , and

- w not be initiated in card playing, hich must at

f least inter ere with more innocent amusement,

f r if it does not give an early taste o play .

T t o his game is played either by w , three, or f our persons , with five, six, or sometimes eight cards .

T - n a here are Sixty one points, or holes, upo cribbage board, which make the game .

l . 1 . The party cutting the lowest card dea s

h 2 . T e dealer may discover his own cards but

’ if an of he Show y his adversary s, the adversary is entitled to mark two points ; also to call a

I f t 3. too many cards are dealt to either par y,

LA WS OF C RI B B AGE .

six- a b dealt one by one . In card cribb ge , y three

- in f . at a time and eight card, our at a time

-d t of 8 . The non ealer, at the commencemen

t five- r he game, in card cribbage, scores th ee

three b r last points, called taking f , but this is b not the case in six and eight card cri bage.

F r or e 9 . lushes a e reckoned when three mor c ards of a suit are played successively the player

f of f o the third card scores three ; the ourth, four ; and so on .

n n laid 1 0. Sequences in play eed ot be down in order ; it is sufficient if the cards on the table f e : for e six t orm a sequ nce instanc , suppose a o fi f be rst played, then a our, then a three, and

f u l e of a terwards a de ce, it wil mak a sequence

be w three should a five then played, it ill be a

sequence of five ; and if an ace or seven suc

c eed of six if the five, it will be a sequence ; but

f b ard the ourth should be a ten , or any other

l . not in the sequence, it is then tota ly prevented A OF A ! AMM O L WS B C G N.

1 . I F f a man , or men, be taken rom a point,

t man tha , or men, must be played .

2 A . man is not finally played until it is placed

an d upon a point, quitted .

3. There is no penalty for playing with less

of f than the regular number fi teen men . I f 4 . you hear any number o f men before en

a h as b e k n tering man that e n ta e up, the Whole,

t u so borne together, with the man aken p, must

’ re - be entered in the adversary s tables .

5. I f a throw has been mistaken, and erro n eousl y play ed , it cannot be rectified after the a dversary has thrown .

FINIS . LOND ON

PRI NT B ! SP TTI SW AND CO ED O OODE . NE W- TR T AR S EE SQU E .