order in which we have given them. If one player says, “I propose,” and
another calls “Solo,” the solo call shuts out the proposal, even though
it has been accepted by a second player. The call of a misère would
in turn shut out a solo; abundance would take precedence of misère;
and abundance in trumps would be a better call than simple abundance.
The slam of course outranks all other bids. This making of a better
proposition than one already made is known as “_=Over-calling=_.”
A player who has made a call of any kind, or has accepted a proposal,
may amend his proposition to a better one, only in case he is
over-called; or a player who can not get a partner to accept him may
amend his call to solo. For instance: A player may have a hand which
he feels sure is good for 8 tricks, perhaps 9. To be safe, he calls
solo, and hopes to make three or four over-tricks. If he is outbid by
some player over-calling him with a misère, he may be tempted to amend
his call to abundance.
No call is good until every player who has not already passed does so,
by saying distinctly, “I pass.”
_=STAKES.=_ The losses and gains of the players are in proportion to
the difficulties of the tasks they set themselves.
The most popular method of settling is to pay or take red counters for
the various calls, and white counters for the tricks under or over the
exact number proposed. If the callers succeed in their undertakings,
their adversaries pay them; if they fail, they pay their adversaries. A
red counter is worth five white ones.
Proposal and Acceptance wins or loses 1 red counter.
Solo wins or loses 2 red counters.
Misère, or Nullo, wins or loses 3 red counters.
Abundance, of any kind, wins or loses 4 red counters.
Open Misère, or Spread, wins or loses 6 red counters.
Declared Abundance, or Slam, wins or loses 8 red counters.
Each Over or Under-trick wins or loses 1 white counter.
In Proposal and Acceptance, each of the partners pays one of his
adversaries. In all cases in which a single player is opposed to the
three others, he wins or loses the amount shown in the foregoing table
with each of them individually; so that a single player calling a solo
would win or lose 6 red counters. If he lost it, making only four
tricks, he would also have to pay to each of his three adversaries a
white counter. If he won it, making seven tricks, each of them would
have to pay him two red and two white counters.
Misères, Spreads, and Slams pay no odd tricks. The moment a Misère
player takes a trick, or a Slam player loses one, the hands are
abandoned, and the stakes paid.
The usual value attached to the counters in America is 25 cents for the
red, and 5 cents for the white. In England the proportion is sixpence
and a penny.
_=POOL SOLO.=_ When players wish to enhance the gambling attractions
of the game, a pool is introduced. For this purpose a receptacle is
placed upon the table, in which each player puts a red counter at the
beginning of the game. Any person playing alone against the three
others, wins this pool if he is successful; if he fails, he must double
the amount it contains, besides paying each of his adversaries in
the regular way. In some places it is the custom for each player to
contribute a red counter when he deals. The proposals and acceptances
do not touch the pool.
_=METHOD OF PLAYING.=_ If a proposal is accepted, and no one over-calls
it, the proposer and acceptor are partners; but make no change in their
positions at the table. The eldest hand, sitting to the left of the
dealer, begins by leading any card he pleases, and the play proceeds
exactly as at Whist, the tricks being so stacked that they may be
readily counted at any time.
If a single player has called solo, misère, or abundance, the eldest
hand still has the original lead, and there is no change in the
positions of the players. The position of the lead is often a serious
consideration with a player calling a solo or a misère.
In all calls except misères and slams, the hands must be played out, in
order to give each side an opportunity to make all the over-tricks they
can. The moment a misère player takes a trick, or a slam player loses
one, the hands are thrown up, and the stakes paid.
When a spread is called, the trump is taken up, and the eldest hand
leads. As soon as all have played to the first trick, the caller
spreads his remaining twelve cards face upward on the table, so that
each of his adversaries may see them; but they have no control of
the order in which they shall be played. The adversaries play their
hands in the usual manner, with no further guidance than that possible
by inference from the play and the exposed hand. The caller plays
according to his best judgment.
When a slam is called, the player proposing it has the original lead;
but that does not alter the position of the deal for the next hand.
_=REVOKES.=_ A revoke is a serious matter in Solo Whist. The penalty
for it is the loss of three tricks, and the revoking players must pay
the _=red=_ counters involved in the call whether they win or lose;
but they may play the hand out to save over-tricks. For instance: A
proposer and acceptor make 11 tricks; their adversaries having claimed
a revoke. After deducting the revoke penalty, 3 tricks, the callers
still have 8 tricks left, enough to make good the call. They each lose
a red counter; but no white ones, having saved their over-tricks.
Had they taken only 8 tricks altogether, the penalty for the revoke
would have left them only 5, and they would each have had to pay one
red and three whites. If either adversary of the callers revokes, the
individual player in fault must pay for all the consequences of the
error. If the player in fault can show that the callers would have won
in spite of the revoke, his partners must pay their share; but the
revoking player must settle for the three tricks lost by the revoke.
For instance: Z calls solo; A revokes; Z makes 6 tricks, which it can
be shown he must have done in spite of the revoke. A, Y, and B each
pay Z 1 red and 1 white counter, and then A pays Z 9 white counters in
addition for the tricks taken as revoke penalty.
If the single player revokes, either on solo or abundance, he loses
the red counters involved, and must pay whatever white counters are due
after three of his tricks have been added to those of the adversaries
as penalty for the revoke. For instance: A calls solo, and revokes, but
wins 6 tricks in all. He pays two red counters to each adversary. They
then take three of his tricks, leaving him three only, and demand two
white counters each, for the two under-tricks. If a player revokes who
has called a misère or a slam, he immediately loses the stakes. If a
revoke is made by any adversary of a player who has called misère or
slam, the player in fault must individually pay all the stakes.
_=CARDS PLAYED IN ERROR.=_ In the simple proposal and acceptance, the
rules with regard to cards played in error, or led out of turn, are
the same as at Whist. In the case of a single player against three
adversaries, the caller is not liable to any penalty for cards played
in error, or led out of turn; but his adversaries are subject to the
usual whist penalties for all such irregularities, such as having the
cards laid on the table as exposed, or a suit called, or the highest or
lowest of a suit led demanded from an adversary who has followed suit
out of turn.
For the better protection of the single player, who is much more liable
to be injured by irregularities than partners would be, he is allowed
to prevent the use of an exposed trump for ruffing, and to demand or
_=to prevent=_ the play of any exposed card in plain suits. If a suit
is led of which an adversary has an exposed card on the table the
single player may call upon him to play his highest or lowest of that
suit.
If any adversary of a misère player leads out of turn, or exposes a
card, or plays before his proper turn in any trick, the caller may
immediately claim the stakes, and the individual player in fault must
pay for himself, and for his partners.
_=METHODS OF CHEATING.=_ While the practice of dealing three cards at a
time gives a little more opportunity to the greek than would occur if
they were dealt as at Whist, there is little to be feared if two packs
are used, unless two greeks are in partnership. When such partners sit
next each other, there is more or less danger, if only one pack is
used, that one may shuffle so that the other may cut understandingly;
or that a good shuffler may run up six cards for a dealer that is not
embarrassed by the cards being cut. A shrewd greek can often help a
silent partner who is playing under the disguise of a single caller,
especially in misère. Persons who play in the many public cafés of
Europe should be especially careful to avoid this style of partnership,
where it is very common.
_=SUGGESTIONS FOR GOOD PLAY.=_ Apart from the general principles common
to all forms of Whist, such as the play of high or low cards, trumps
or plain suits, etc., there are several points peculiar to Solo Whist
which require attention.
_=Proposing.=_ It is better to propose on two or three sure tricks,
with strong probabilities of several more, than on a certainty of four
only. For instance: The two highest trumps and two suits containing
Aces, with no other trick probable, is not such a good hand for a
proposal as one containing four average trumps, with one plain suit
of K Q J x x, and another of K Q x x. It is not improbable that the
latter may be good for seven or eight tricks. Nothing but experience
will teach a player what combinations of cards are “probably” good for
tricks; but K x x, or Q J 10 x or K Q, may be counted on.
There should be some intelligible system of proposing, so that the
players may understand each other. The eldest hand should not propose
except on strong trumps, and this should be a warning to other players
not to accept him on trump strength alone.
Four trumps with two or three honours may be called strong; or five
trumps, even without an honour. Five trumps with two or more honours is
great strength.
Any player other than the eldest hand should propose on general
strength and the player accepting him should do so on trump strength.
Some such distinction should be clearly understood, in order that there
may be no such contretemps as two players proposing and accepting on
trumps alone and finding themselves without a trick in the plain suits
after the trumps are drawn.
If the eldest hand is strong in trumps, but has not four sure tricks,
he should pass, which will give him an excellent opportunity to accept
a player proposing on general strength in the plain suits. If the
proposal should be accepted before it comes to his turn, the eldest
hand should be in a good position to defeat it.
If any player, other than the eldest hand, has sufficient trump
strength to justify a proposal, he will usually find that he can risk
a solo; or by passing, defeat any proposal and acceptance that may be
made.
_=Accepting.=_ A proposal by the eldest hand should not be accepted
by a player with only one strong suit. The probability of tricks in
several suits is better than a certainty in one suit; but if one strong
suit is accompanied by a card of re-entry, or by four trumps, it should
prove very strong, particularly in partnership with the eldest hand.
When the partners will sit next each other, proposals may be accepted
on slightly weaker hands than would be considered safe otherwise.
_=Playing Proposals and Acceptances.=_ If the eldest hand has proposed,
and his partner sits next him on the left, the commanding trumps
should be first led, in order to secure as many rounds as possible. If
the eldest hand has no high-card combination in trumps, it is sometimes
better to lead a small card from a weak suit, hoping to put the partner
in. If successful, the partner will first show his suit, and then lead
trumps through the adversaries. If the acceptor sits on the right of
the proposing eldest hand, trumps should be led immediately, and the
highest of them first, no matter what they are. The Q or J at the head
of five trumps may be of great use to a partner with an honour. When
the eldest hand has proposed, and his partner sits opposite him, trumps
should be led at once, and all combinations played as at Whist.
The foregoing principles equally apply when the eldest hand has
accepted a proposal, if the player can be depended on to have proposed
on general strength.
When partners sit opposite each other, the general principles of
leading, establishing, defending, and bringing in suits, are the same
as at Whist, and the usual trump signals and echoes are made use of.
The game is practically Whist, with the additional knowledge that both
proposer and acceptor have strong hands.
When partners sit next each other, there are many opportunities for
leading strengthening cards through the adversaries, especially in the
partner’s known or inferred strong suit.
_=Finesse.=_ If neither proposer nor acceptor is the eldest hand, they
should make no finesses; but get into the lead as soon as possible,
and exhaust the trumps. The greatest danger of defeat for a proposal
and acceptance is that the adversaries, with the original lead, may
establish a cross-ruff, or get six tricks with their winning cards
before the calling players get a lead.
It is a common artifice for the proposer and acceptor, after they
have exhausted the adversaries’ trumps, each to show a strong suit by
leading it once, and then to lead the highest card of a weaker suit;
thus offering each other chances for successful finesse.
If a partner sitting on the right leads a suit, there should be
no finesse; and in general, finessing should be avoided until the
declaration is assured. It may then be used to secure probable
over-tricks.
_=Adversaries’ Play.=_ The players opposed to the call are always
designated as the adversaries.
Players opposed to a proposer and acceptor should make no finesses that
they are not certain will win more tricks if successful than they will
lose if they fail. If the adversaries sit together, and are the last
to play on any trick, the third hand should not trust anything to his
partner that he can attend to himself, unless he is very anxious to be
the last player on the next trick.
When the adversaries sit opposite each other, their play will
differ very little from that in Whist, except that they will make no
efforts to establish long suits, and will not lead small cards from
combinations containing an Ace. Every trick possible should be made
sure of at once, before the calling players get any chance to discard.
Weak suits should be protected, as they are in Whist when opposed to
strong hands.
If an adversary has the first lead, it is usually best for him to make
what winning cards he has at once, unless he is pretty sure that the
proposal will be defeated.
It is very seldom right for the adversaries to lead trumps. Some
exceptions will naturally present themselves, such as an eldest hand
leading to his partner’s turned-up King. In the middle or end game, it
may be advantageous to bring down the caller’s trumps together, or to
draw two for one.
If an adversary finds himself with a pretty strong hand, he should
utterly disregard his partner, and play as false as he can; for if the
callers have eight probable tricks between them, it is impossible for
the fourth player to have anything, unless there has been some mistake
in the call.
_=In General.=_ There are one or two exceptions to the methods of
playing sequences at Whist, dependent on the position of the players
holding them. For instance: If first or second hand holds any sequence
of high cards, he should play the highest if his partner sits next him
on the left, and the adversaries are to play after him; otherwise the
partner might think the higher cards of the sequence were against the
leader. If a caller should hold K Q x second hand, and play the Q as at
Whist, his partner following him, and holding Ace, would have to play
it, thinking the King might be beyond.
_=SOLO.=_ In speaking of the players in a solo, misère, or abundance,
it is usual to distinguish those opposed to the single player by
calling them respectively, Left, Right, and Opposite.
[Illustration:
Opposite
+--------+
| |
Left| |Right
| |
+--------+
The Caller
]
This arrangement does not affect the use of the letters A Y B Z,
and the terms first, second, third, and fourth hand; indicating the
position of the deal, and of the lead.
_=Calling.=_ Those solos are easiest which are declared by the eldest
hand, or by the dealer; the hardest being those called by second hand.
The safest solos are those called on trump strength; but average
trumps and winning cards in the plain suits are more advantageous if
the caller is not eldest hand. To call a solo on plain suits alone,
with only one or two trumps, is extremely dangerous; and a solo called
on a single suit must have at least five or six good trumps in order to
succeed.
_=PLAYING.=_ When a call has been made entirely upon trump strength, it
is much better to make tricks by ruffing, than by leading trumps. There
is little use for a solo player to hold a tenace in trumps, hoping it
will be led to him. If he has good suits, he should make sure of two
rounds of trumps by leading the Ace.
When the solo player is depending on the plain suits for tricks, and
has one long suit, he should make what winning cards he has in the
other plain suits in preference to leading trumps, for his only danger
is that his long suit will be led often enough to give his adversaries
discards in the other suits.
If a proposal was made before the solo was called, it is better for the
solo player to sit on the left of the player that proposed.
The caller should never play single honours second hand, unless he has
only one small card of the suit, or the honour is the Ace.
With A Q x, second or third hand, the Q must be finessed if the caller
has counted on both A and Q for tricks. If he can probably win without
the finesse, he should play Ace. If he has tricks enough to win without
either A or Q, he should play neither of them.
A solo player should be very sure of his call before finessing for
over-tricks.
_=Adversaries’ Play.=_ The player to the left of the caller should
not lead trumps; but if the solo player has had a lead, and has not
led trumps himself, the player on his right should take the first
opportunity to lead them through him.
The player to the left of the caller should not lead from suits headed
only by the King; nor from those containing major or minor tenaces. The
best leads are from suits headed by Q J or 10, even if short.
With such high-card combinations as can be used to force the command
in one round, such as K Q, or K Q J, the regular whist leads should be
used. With suits headed by winning sequences, held by the player on
the left, it is often right to lead them once, in order to show them,
and then to lead a weaker suit to get rid of the lead. It is sometimes
better to play winning sequences as long as it seems probable that the
caller can follow suit.
Many persons use the Albany lead to indicate a wish for trumps to be
led through the caller. In response to such a signal the best trump
should be led, whatever it is.
When the adversary who leads in any trick is not on the left of the
solo player, the caller will, of course, not be the last player, as at
least one adversary must play after him. In such cases it is best to
lead the longest suits.
_=MISÈRE.=_ The great difficulty in Misère is not in playing it; but in
judging what hands justify such an undertaking.
_=Calling.=_ As a general proposition it may be stated that misère
should not be called with a long suit not containing the deuce. But
the longer the suit the less the danger there is for a player who is
determined to risk it; because the deuce is more likely to be found
alone in some adversary’s hand. Short suits may be risked, even with no
card smaller than a 5 or 6, and it is of course a great advantage to
have a suit altogether missing.
_=Leading.=_ The lead is a disadvantage to the caller, because he must
begin with a small card, and the adversaries can play their highest.
The only satisfaction to the caller is that he can usually locate the
high cards of the suit under such circumstances. For instance: Suppose
he originally leads a 4; second hand playing the 9; third hand the Ace;
and fourth hand the 10. The third hand is marked with whatever cards of
the sequence K Q J are not in the caller’s hand.
Many players fall into the error of leading the highest card of a
losing sequence, such as a 6 from 6 5 4 3. This accomplishes nothing,
and only discloses to the adversaries the fact that the caller is safe
in that suit. The three is the better lead.
_=Following Suit.=_ The caller should usually play a card as little
inferior as he can to the highest already on the trick. When he has
cards of equal value, such as the 5 and 2, the 3 and 4 being already
on the table, he should play the lower card of the fourchette; for
although it may be said that the fourth player must take the trick,
there is no certainty that he will follow suit.
When second hand, if there is a choice between two cards, such as the 6
and 2, an intermediate card having been led, it is often a nice point
to decide whether or not to risk covering and keeping the deuce. If the
deuce is played, it must be remembered that the adversaries will follow
with their highest cards, leaving two cards out against the caller,
both smaller than the 6.
_=Discarding.=_ The misère player should never discard from his long
suits. The high cards of short suits, and single intermediate cards,
such as 5’s and 6’s, should be got rid of at every opportunity.
_=Adversaries of the Misère.=_ In playing against a misère the chief
difficulty is to prevent the caller from discarding, and to place the
lead with the player who can probably do him the most harm.
It is an axiom with solo-whist players that every misère can be
defeated, if the weak spot in it can be found; because if the misère
was absolutely safe, it would be played as a spread, which would pay
the caller twice as much. This is not true, however, for it often
happens that the cards are so distributed in the other hands that the
call cannot be defeated, however risky it may have been.
The weak point in a misère is usually a short suit with one high card
in it; or a suit of intermediate length, without the deuce.
As it is probable that the caller is short in suits in which the
adversaries are long, and long in those in which they are short, he is
less likely to get a discard if they lead their shortest suits first.
If the misère player has over-called a proposal or a solo, he is likely
to be short in the trump suit, or at least safe in it. It is not good
play to lead a single Ace; but a King may be very effective; for if
no one plays the Ace on it, that card may be absolutely marked in the
caller’s hand. In such a case the adversary with the greatest number of
that suit should keep it for the attack. If this player can get into
the lead, he is not only sure of preventing the caller from discarding,
but of allowing the other adversaries to discard to advantage.
With an honour and one small card, a player on the left should lead the
small card first; if on the right, the honour should be led first. A
long suit containing the deuce should be avoided as long as possible.
The caller’s cards may sometimes be inferred if there has been a
previous call on the hand. For instance: A misère may be a forced call;
that is, the player first called a proposal, and not being accepted,
was forced to amend his call, choosing misère in preference to solo.
This would indicate a long weak suit of trumps. If the dealer calls
misère, the turn-up trump should be carefully noted.
It is useless to persevere in suits in which the caller is evidently
safe. If he plays a very low card to a trick in which there is already
a high card, that suit should be stopped.
_=Discarding.=_ An adversary should get rid of some one suit, if
possible; for when that suit is afterwards led he will have free choice
of his discards in the other suits. Short suits should be discarded in
preference to high cards in long suits, unless the cards in the short
suit are very low. Discards give great information to the adversaries
if the rule is followed to discard the highest of a suit; because
all cards higher than those discarded must be between the two other
adversaries and the caller, and each adversary is thus furnished with
a guide. It is useless to discard a suit of which the caller is void;
and it is best to keep discarding from one suit until it is exhausted,
or only the deuce remains. The trump signal is frequently used in
discarding to indicate that the signaller wishes to get into the lead.