his partner has played thereto, the adversary last to play to the trick
may require the offender’s partner to play his highest or lowest of the
suit led, and, if he has none of that suit, to trump or not to trump
the trick.
SEC 2. A player has the right to remind his partner that it is his
privilege to enforce a penalty and also to inform him of the penalty he
can enforce.
SEC. 3. A player has the right to prevent his partner from committing
any irregularity, and for that purpose, may ask his partner whether or
not he has a card of a suit to which he has renounced on a trick which
has not been turned and quitted.
SEC. 4. If either of the adversaries, whether with or without his
partner’s consent, demands a penalty to which they are entitled, such
decision is final; if the wrong adversary demands a penalty or a wrong
penalty is demanded, or either adversary waives a penalty, none can be
enforced except in case of a revoke.
SEC. 5. If a player is lawfully called upon to play the highest or
lowest of a suit, to trump or not to trump a trick, to lead a suit or
to win a trick, and unnecessarily fails to comply, he is liable to the
same penalty as if he had revoked.
SEC. 6. If any one leads or plays a card, and then, before his partner
has played to the trick, leads one or more other cards, or plays
two or more cards together, all of which are better than any of his
adversaries hold of the suit, his partner may be called upon by either
adversary to win the first or any subsequent trick to which any of said
cards are played, and the remaining cards so played are liable to be
called.
For the Rules of Etiquette of Duplicate Whist, see page 85.
SINGLE TABLE, OR MNEMONIC DUPLICATE.
The laws of Duplicate Whist govern where applicable, except as follows:
Each player plays each deal twice, the second time playing a hand
previously played by an adversary. Instead of turning the trump, a
single suit may be declared trumps for the game. On the overplay, the
cards may be gathered into tricks instead of playing them as required
by law (Law VIII, Sec. 1). In case of the discovery of an irregularity
in the hands, there must always be a new deal.
MNEMONIC DUPLICATE FOR MORE THAN ONE TABLE.
Except a contest played in comparison with a progressive match, the
replaying of the cards by the same players--“up and back,” as it
is sometimes called--is the only possible method of approximating
to Duplicate Whist for one table; but where eight or more players
participate, this form of the game is extremely undesirable, from the
element of memory entering into the replay and destroying the integrity
of the game and its value as a test of Whist skill. It has been well
described as “a mongrel game--partly Whist and partly Dummy, but
lacking in the best features of each.”
In the early days of Duplicate Whist, Mnemonic Duplicate was, to some
extent, played even when several tables of players were participating.
It still survives in a few circles, chiefly where Duplicate Whist has
never been tried. It can be played under any of the Duplicate Whist
schedules by playing them through twice--the second time with the North
and South hands given to the East and West players, and vice versa. As
each deal is played twice by each pair, double the time is required to
play the same number of deals, as at Duplicate Whist. Allowance must be
made for this in fixing the number of deals to be played.
The Snow System of movement, where practicable, is preferable. Where
the Howell pair system of movement is used, the scores do not require
“equating”, as they are equalised on the replay. Under other systems,
only the North and South scores need be kept, as the comparison can be
made quite as readily as by direct comparison of these scores.
DUMMY.
There are three forms of Dummy: The English game, for three players;
the French game, for three or four: and the game now generally known
as Bridge, or Bridge Whist. Dummy is not recognized in any form by the
American Whist League, and there are no American Laws governing it. We
shall describe each variety of the game in its turn; beginning with the
English.
_=Cards.=_ _=ENGLISH DUMMY=_, is played with a full pack of fifty-two
cards, ranking as at whist both for cutting and playing. Two packs are
generally used.
_=Markers=_ are necessary, and are of the same patterns as those used
in whist.
_=Players.=_ According to the English usage, Dummy is played by three
persons, and the table is complete with that number.
They cut for partners and for the deal; the player cutting the lowest
card takes dummy for the first rubber; the one cutting the next lowest
takes dummy for the second rubber; and the one cutting the highest
takes it for the last rubber. It is considered obligatory to play three
rubbers, in order that each may have whatever advantage or disadvantage
may be supposed to attach to the dummy. The three rubbers so played are
called a Tournée. It is sometimes agreed that one player shall take
dummy continuously, on condition that he concedes to his adversaries
one point in each rubber. When this is done, the largest rubber that
the dummy’s partner can win is one of seven; and he may win nothing;
whereas his adversaries may win a rubber of nine, and must win at least
two. This concession of a point is not made, as many imagine, because
it is an advantage to have the (dummy) partner’s hand exposed; but
because it is an advantage to have the player’s hand concealed. He
knows the collective contents of the adversaries’ hands; each of them
knows only the contents of dummy’s hand and his own.
_=Cutting.=_ The player cutting the lowest card has the choice of
seats and cards; but he must deal the first hand for his dummy; not
for himself. The methods of spreading, cutting, deciding ties, etc.,
described in connection with whist, are those employed in dummy.
_=Position of the Players.=_ The players are distinguished, as at
whist, by the two first and last letters of the alphabet, and their
positions at the table are indicated in the same manner. There is no
mark to distinguish the dummy hand; a defect which is remedied in the
French system.
_=Dealing.=_ At the beginning of a rubber, dummy’s partner presents the
pack to his _=left-hand=_ adversary to be cut, and deals from right to
left, beginning with the player on his right, and turning up the last
card for dummy’s trump. When two packs are used, there is no rule as to
which player shall collect and shuffle the still pack. On this point
the French rules are very explicit.
The general rules with regard to irregularities in the deal are the
same as at whist.
The cards having been dealt, it is usual for dummy’s partner to take up
and sort the dummy first. There are several ways of laying out dummy’s
hand; the most common being to run the suits down in rows, with the
turn-up across and to the right of the other trumps, if any.
[Illustration:
🂡 🃊 🃞 🂽
🂪 🃉 🃝 🂺
🂥 🃄 🃖 🂸
🃃 Trump.
METHOD OF SPREADING DUMMY’S CARDS.
]
_=Stakes.=_ The remarks made on this subject in connection with whist
apply equally to dummy. Dummy’s partner must pay to, or receive from
each adversary the amount agreed.
_=Method of Playing.=_ The general method of playing is identical with
that of whist, with the following exceptions:--
When it is dummy’s turn to play, his partner selects the card.
_=The Revoke.=_ For this dummy is not liable to any penalty, as his
adversaries can see his cards. Even should the revoke be occasioned
by dummy’s cards being disarranged, or one of them covered up, the
adversaries should be as able to detect the error as the partner.
Should dummy’s hand revoke, it cannot be remedied after the trick in
which it occurs has been turned and quitted; and the game must proceed
as if no revoke had occurred. All the penalties for a revoke may be
enforced against dummy’s partner, should he renounce in error, and
not correct it in time. There being no American laws for dummy, the
English penalty of three tricks or three points may be enforced, and
the revoking player cannot win the game that hand.
_=Cards Played in Error.=_ Dummy’s partner is not liable to any penalty
for cards dropped face upwards on the table, or two or more played at
once, because it is obvious that Dummy cannot gain any advantage from
such exposed cards.
_=Leading out of Turn.=_ Should either dummy or his partner lead out
of turn, the adversaries may call a suit from the one that should have
led. It should be noticed that if it was not the turn of either to
lead, there is no penalty; for neither can have gained any advantage
from knowing what suit the other wished to lead, or from the exposed
card. Should all have played to the erroneous lead, the error cannot be
corrected, and no penalty remains.
The methods of _=Taking Tricks=_; _=Scoring=_; _=Claiming and Counting
Honours=_; _=Marking Rubber Points=_, etc., are the same as in whist,
and the counters are used in the same manner.
_=Cutting Out.=_ As already observed, there is no change of partners,
or of the rotation of the deal, until the completion of a rubber;
but at the beginning of each rubber, dummy must deal the first hand.
Should one side win the first two games in any rubber, the third is not
played. At the end of the tournée, should any player wish to retire,
and another offer to take his place, the cards must be shuffled and cut
as at the beginning; a player’s position in one tournée giving him no
rights in the next. There is nothing in the English game to recognize
that there may be more than three candidates for dummy; as it is
supposed that if four were present, they would prefer playing whist.
_=Suggestions for Good Play.=_ As these are equally proper to any form
of dummy, we shall postpone their consideration until we have described
the other varieties of the game; French dummy, and Bridge; giving them
all at the end of the chapter on “Bridge.”
DOUBLE DUMMY.
_=CARDS.=_ Double Dummy is played with a full pack of fifty-two cards,
ranking as at whist both for cutting and playing. Two packs are
generally used.
_=MARKERS=_ are necessary, and are of the same description as those
used in whist.
_=PLAYERS.=_ According to the English usage, double dummy is played by
two persons, and the table is complete with that number.
_=CUTTING.=_ The players cut for the deal; the player cutting the
lowest card deals for his dummy first, and has the choice of sitting
to the right or left of his opponent. It is usual to select the seat
on the right of the living player, because it is possible that one may
forget whether or not certain cards have been played, and under such
circumstances it is better to lead up to an exposed hand than to one
whose contents you are not sure of.
The methods of spreading, cutting, deciding ties, etc., are the same as
those employed at whist.
_=POSITION OF THE PLAYERS.=_ It is not usually considered necessary to
distinguish the players further than to indicate which hand had the
original lead. For this purpose the whist notation is used, A being the
leader, and Z the dealer.
[Illustration:
Y
+---+
ORIGINAL LEADER, A| |B
+---+
Z
]
_=DEALING.=_ When two packs are used, the still pack should be shuffled
by the non-dealer, and placed on the left of the player or dummy whose
turn it will be to deal next.
The general rules with regard to irregularities in the deal are the
same as in whist.
The cards being dealt, it is usual to sort the dummy hands first,
running the suits down in rows, with the turn-up trump across, and to
the right of the others.
_=STAKES.=_ The remarks already made on this subject in connection with
whist and dummy, apply equally to double dummy, except that there is
no double payment; but each player wins from or loses to his living
adversary the unit agreed upon.
_=METHOD OF PLAYING.=_ This so closely resembles dummy as to need no
further description. Neither dummy can revoke, and there are no such
things as exposed cards, or cards played in error. It is very common
for one player to claim that he will win a certain number of tricks,
and for his adversary to admit it, and allow him to score them, without
playing the hand out.
_=LEADING OUT OF TURN.=_ Should either of the dummies or the players
lead out of turn, the adversary may call a suit from the one that ought
to have led; but if it was the turn of neither, there is no penalty. If
all four have played to the trick, the error cannot be corrected, and
no penalty remains.
The methods of _=Taking Tricks=_; _=Scoring=_; _=Claiming and Counting
Honours=_; _=Marking Rubber Points=_, etc., are the same as in whist,
and the counters are used in the same manner.
_=RUBBERS.=_ If the first two games are won by the same player and
his dummy, the third is not played. Tournées are not played, and the
completion of the rubber breaks up the table.
_=CUTTING IN.=_ The table being complete with two, at the end of a
rubber a new table must be formed.
_=SUGGESTIONS FOR GOOD PLAY.=_ The player should first carefully
examine the exposed hands, and by comparing them with his own, suit by
suit, should fix in his mind the cards held by his living adversary.
This takes time, and in many places it is the custom to expose the
four hands upon the table. Players who have better memories than their
opponents object to this, for the same reason that they prefer sitting
on the right of the living player. It is not at all uncommon for a
player to forget that certain cards have been played, to his very
serious loss.
The hands once fixed in the mind, some time should be given to a
careful consideration of the best course to pursue; after which the
play should proceed pretty rapidly until the last few tricks, when
another problem may present itself.
There is nothing in the game beyond the skilful use of the tenace
position, discarding, and establishing cross-ruffs. Analysis is the
mental power chiefly engaged. There are no such things as inferences,
false cards, finesse, underplay, speculative trump leads, or judgment
of human nature. The practice of the game is totally different from any
other form of whist, and much more closely resembles chess.
The laws of Dummy will be found at the end of the English Whist Laws.
HUMBUG WHIST.
This is a variation on double dummy, in which two players sit opposite
each other. The deal and seats are cut for in the usual manner; four
hands of thirteen cards each are dealt, and the last card is turned for
trump.
Each player examines the hand dealt to him, without touching those to
his right or left. If he is content with his hand, he announces it, if
not, he may exchange it for the one on his right. In case of exchange,
the discarded hand is placed on the table face down; and the other
taken up and played. If a player retains the hand originally dealt him,
he must not look at the others. If the dealer exchanges, he loses the
turn-up card, but the trump suit remains the same. Each player deals
for himself in turn, there being no deal for the dead hands. Whist laws
govern the deal and its errors.
_=METHOD OF PLAYING.=_ The dealer’s adversary has the first lead; the
other must follow suit if he can, and the highest card of the suit led
wins the trick. Trumps win all other suits.
_=SCORING.=_ Each trick above six counts one point towards game. Of
the four honours, A K Q J of trumps, if each player holds two, neither
can count. But if one player has only one honour, or none, the other
counts 2 points for two honours, if he holds them; 3 points for three;
and 4 points for four. The honours count towards game as in whist. The
penalty for a revoke is three tricks, and it takes precedence of other
scores; tricks count next, honours last. Five points is game.
_=SUGGESTIONS FOR GOOD PLAY.=_ It is considered best for a player not
finding four reasonably sure tricks in his hand to exchange; for there
is a certain advantage to be gained by knowing thirteen cards which
cannot be in the adversary’s hand. Before changing, the player should
fix in his memory the exact cards of each suit in the hand which he
is about to discard. By combining his knowledge of them with his own
cards, he may often be able to direct his play to advantage. Beyond
this there is little skill in the game.
A variation is sometimes made by the dealer announcing a trump suit
after he has examined his hand, instead of turning up the last card.
His adversary then has the right either to play his hand, or to
exchange it for the one on his right; but the dealer must play the hand
dealt to him.
THIRTEEN AND THE ODD.
This is Humbug Whist without the discard. The dealer gives thirteen
cards to his adversary and to himself, one at a time, and turns up
the next for the trump. The trump card belongs to neither player. The
winner of the odd trick scores a point. Five points is game.
MORT. WHIST À TROIS; OR FRENCH DUMMY.
_=MORT=_ means simply the dead hand; and is the equivalent of the
English word Dummy; the partner being known as _=Vivant=_, or the
living hand. In these words the English usually sound the _=t=_, as
they do in such words as _=piquet=_, and _=valet=_.
_=CARDS.=_ Mort is played with a full pack of fifty-two cards, ranking
as at whist for cutting and playing. Two packs are generally used.
_=MARKERS=_ are necessary to count the game points only. Four circular
counters for each side, preferably of different colours, are employed,
or the ordinary whist markers may be used. At the end of each game, the
score of the points won or lost by each player must be transferred to a
score-sheet, kept for that purpose.
_=PLAYERS.=_ Mort is played by three persons; but the table is usually
composed of four. If there are more than four candidates, the methods
described in connection with whist are adopted for deciding which four
shall play the first tournée.
The table being formed, the cards are again shuffled and spread to cut
for partners and deal.
_=TIES=_ are decided in the same manner as at whist.
_=CUTTING.=_ If there are three players, the one cutting the lowest
card takes dummy for the first game; he also has the choice of seats
and cards, and may deal the first hand for himself or for Mort, as he
pleases; but having once made his choice, he must abide by it. The
player cutting the intermediate card takes dummy for the second game;
and the player cutting the highest card takes it for the third game;
each in turn having the choice of seats and cards. These three games
finish the rubber or tournée, each having once had the advantage or
disadvantage of playing with Mort. It is obligatory to finish the
tournée, no player being allowed to withdraw and substitute another
without the consent of the other players. In Mort it is very unusual
for one person to take dummy continuously.
If there are four players, the one cutting the highest card of the four
sits out, and takes no part in the first game. It is customary for him
to take Mort’s seat, and to make himself useful in sorting dummy’s
cards for him. He plays in the three following games, taking Mort in
the fourth, or last. Four games complete the tournée for four players.
_=POSITION OF THE PLAYERS.=_ The players or hands are distinguished by
the letters, M, V, L, and R; which stand respectively for Mort, Vivant,
Left, and Right. The Mort is the dead hand, which is turned face up on
the table. The Vivant is his partner, who sits opposite him, and plays
his cards for him. The Left and Right are the adversaries who sit on
the left and right of _=Mort=_.
Special attention must be called to the use of the term _=adversaries=_
in any description of Mort. It is used exclusively to designate the
two partners opposed to the Mort and Vivant. In all other cases where
opposition is implied, the term _=opponents=_ must be used.
When necessary to distinguish the dealer from the first, second, or
third hand, it is usual to add the letters employed for that purpose in
whist; placing them inside the diagram of the table, thus:--
[Illustration:
V
+---------+
| z |
L | b a | R
| y |
+---------+
M
]
This diagram shows that Vivant dealt, and that the adversary on the
Right of Mort had the original lead.
_=With Three Players.=_ Vivant having selected his seat and cards,
the adversaries may select their seats. It is usual for the strongest
adversary to sit Right.
_=With Four Players=_, we can best describe the arrangement by
numbering them 1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively, the lowest number, 1,
having cut the lowest card, and the others having the right to play
Vivant in their numerical order. The initial arrangement would be as
follows:--
[Illustration:
4 4
+---------+ +---------+
| Mort. | | Mort. |
2 | | 3 or this:-- 3 | | 2
| Vivant. | | Vivant. |
+---------+ +---------+
1 1
]
For the three succeeding games the arrangement would be:--
[Illustration:
1 2 3
+---------+ +---------+ +---------+
| Mort. | | Mort. | | Mort. |
3 | | 4 4 | | 1 1 | | 2
| Vivant. | | Vivant. | | Vivant. |
+---------+ +---------+ +---------+
2 3 4
]
It will be seen that each player, immediately after being Vivant, sits
out, or takes Mort’s place, for the next game.
_=DEALING.=_ It is usual for Vivant to deal the first hand for
himself, as the disadvantage of exposing fourteen cards is more than
compensated for in compelling the adversary to open the game by leading
up to an unknown hand. If Vivant deals the first hand for Mort, he must
present the pack to the player on dummy’s right to be cut, and deal
the cards from right to left, turning up the trump at Mort’s place. If
he deals for himself, he presents the pack to the pone to be cut, and
proceeds as in whist.
When two packs are used, the French laws require that if the deal is
for Mort, the Right shall gather and shuffle the still pack; and that
if Vivant deals for himself, the pone shall gather and shuffle. I have
found this to be awkward, because the player who is gathering and
shuffling the cards of one pack is called upon to cut the other. For
this reason I recommend that whichever adversary is the pone for the
deal in hands should allow his partner to gather and shuffle the still
pack. When either adversary deals, his partner will, of course, gather
and shuffle the still pack.
The general rules with regard to irregularities in the deal are the
same as at whist, with the following exceptions:--
A misdeal does not lose the deal unless the opponents so elect; they
may prefer a new deal by the same dealer. The reason for this is that
the deal is a disadvantage, especially for Mort.
If Vivant or Mort offers the pack to one adversary to cut, and
then deals as if the other had cut, it is a misdeal; and it is not
admissible to shift the packets in order to remedy matters.
It might be imagined that a card exposed in dealing, if dealt to Mort,
would make no difference, as all his cards will presently be exposed.
But the laws give the opponents of the dealer the option of either
allowing the deal to stand, or having a new deal, or calling it a
misdeal.
According to the French laws, if there is any discussion in progress
with regard to the previous hand or play, the dealer may lay aside the
trump card, face down, until the discussion is finished. If this law
prevailed in America, I think the trump would very seldom be turned
immediately.
_=STAKES.=_ In Mort the stake is a unit, so much a point. It may assist
players in regulating the value of the stake to remember that six is
the smallest number of points that can be won or lost on a single game,
and that thirty-seven is probably the highest, although fifty, or even
a hundred is not impossible. The average is about twelve. The same
customs as at whist prevail with regard to outside betting.
The Vivant must pay or receive double, as he has to settle with each
adversary. If four play, the one sitting out has nothing to do with the
stakes; but he may make outside wagers on the result of the game.
_=THE METHOD OF PLAYING=_ is practically the same as at whist, with the
following exceptions:--
When it is the turn of Mort to play, Vivant selects the card for him.