♦ K.NOWL.EDGE 



Hearts— 10, 5, 3. 

 Clubs— 6. 

 Diamonds — Q, 7. 



that Spades are trnmps, though that was obrious from my com- 

 ments ; but it has been onr constant rule to indicate the trnmp suit 

 by the use of italics, and the Spades were thus marked, clearly 

 enough for all the Whist readers of Knowledge, as trumps.) 



Singularly enough this problem which seems so difficult, yields at 

 once when dealt with — not as a pnzzle but — as a position in actual 

 play. Following correct Whist principles the solution of the problem 

 is Bimply the play which a good double-dummy player in A's posi- 

 tion would certainly follow. I was nearly a quarter of an hour 

 working unsuccessfully at this problem as a puzzle ; but so soon 

 as I tried the experiment, which I have occasionally found suc- 

 cessful with Mr. Lewis's masterly double-dummy problems — of 

 playing according to the best perception of the position, I solved 

 the problem at the first attempt, — (first on that line, bien 

 entcndu). 



Observe : A has five certain tricks from the two trumps, the Ace, 

 King of Hearts and the Ace of Diamonds ; he may get a sixth trick 

 either in Hearts if Z can be made to discard a Heart, or if Z can 

 be led through in hearts after first trick in that suit, or in Clubs if 

 Y can be made to discard a club, or in Diamonds if both Y and 

 Z can be made to discard their last Diamond after one round 

 trumped by B. To keep open these chances, A-B must retain the 

 power of leading through Z in Hearts after one trick has been 

 taken in the suit, and this lead must be with B's small heart or A 

 can never make his tenace over Z except on sufference ; while also, 

 obviously, the longer A B keep back the lead from their two card 

 plain suits the better chance there will be of forcing discards from 

 I'-Z in these suits. Clearly then the most promising play for the 

 first trick is as follows : — 



H9 



HKn 



H3 



No Whist player of any experience would hesitate for a moment 

 about the play of the Heart Knave, seeing that B'b retention of the 

 card would obviously leave Z free, when B eventually led the Knave, 

 to play his lowest ; when, if A captured the Knave, the third trick in 

 Hearts would go to Z ; while if A failed to capture it, B would have 

 no Heart to lead and must lead a losing Club. Nor can we doubt 

 that it is best for Y to play the Heart Nine. On one possible line 

 it is true Y-Z might get a trick through 1' playing the Queen ; but 

 only by A-B playing incorrectly. 



One of his five certain tricks has now been taken by A. Of 

 course he must not now go on with Hearts. Equally obvious is it 

 that he must not lead his Club ; for that is a card necessarily 

 valueless in /I 'a hand, and it may become a matter of importance 

 to be able to discard this absolutely valueless Club to B's lead of a 

 trump. Everything in such cases depends on holding open as long 

 as possible the lines of play available. 



Therefore the second lead must be the Diamond Ten, to which 

 Y and Z each drop their smallest Diamond, which B trumps with 

 the Six. 



It is now B's turn to lead. He clearly must not lead the Club 

 Aco here, for the same reason that A should not lead Club at the 

 preceding trick. Equally clear is it that he must not lend a Heart ; 

 for A would be forced to play his Ace Z retaining his Ton, and 

 securing one trick for Y-Z whatever A might lead. 



Therefore the third lead must be B's long trnmp. Clearly Z 

 can lose nothing by discarding his single Club; A can lose nothing 

 by discarding his. But what shall Y discard ? If he discards 

 his Heart Queen, ^'s tenace over Z is made safe, B simply leads 

 his Club Ace, making the fourth trick, and then a small Heart, .-1 

 making the two remaining tricks in Hearts. If V discards a 

 Club, B makes the fourth and fifth tricks with his Club Ace and 

 Three, the sixth going to ^'s Heart Ace. It remains only for Y to 

 discard his Diamond Knave. 



A-B have now made three tricks; but even yet Y-Z seema to 



them, 



e command c 



r all three plai: 



Second and third best Hearts with 

 Second and third best Cluba, 

 Best Diamond, 

 moreover the second and third best Clubs a 

 third and fifth best Hearts in one hand. I 

 game in their hands, and their play is no 

 obviously must not lead a Heart. 



The fourth lead must be B's Club Ace. 

 Heart or his Diamond Queen. If he diaca 

 his Diamond Nine, and B leading the small 

 make the remaining tricks. If Z discards 

 discards his Heart Six, and on B leading 

 tricks fall to A's Heart Ace and Diamont 

 ■ ith Club Eight. 



They have between 

 the fifth best, 



e in one hand, and the 

 jr all this A-B have the 

 V quite simple, since B 



Z must either discard a 

 ■ds a Heart, A discards 

 Heart A'a Ace and Six 

 his Diamond Queen, A 

 i Heart the remaining 

 id Nine. 1' of course 



The fuU solutic 



,s follow! 



A. 

 l.H K 



2. D 10 



3. CIO 



4. H6 



5. HA 



6. D9 



5. H 6 



Y. 



HQ 

 C Kn 



C 3 



The student will find it a useful exercise to study out why it is 

 that though Club Ace, and Spade 7 are both winning cards, it 

 makes all the difference between winning and losing whether Bat 

 the third trick leads one or the other. The reason will be found 

 to be that if B leads the Club Ace first, A at the fourth round 

 has to decide on his discard before knowing Fs play: but if the 

 Ace leads the fourth round A knows already what must be Ts 



play. 



ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. 



F. H. Lewis.— Many thanks. The words in parentheses would 

 have been better omitted. I was dealing, however, at the outset 

 with a purely imaginary case. I was thinking of an exposure by 

 accident, to third player onlij, — as for instance of early in the 

 game fourth player had held his cards so carelessly that third could 

 not help seeing the Ace. 



J. OsBOEN.— There is no misprint in the Double Dummy problem 

 given in Clay. Don't give it up : but if you must you will find the 

 solution in " How to Play Whist " (Longmans). 



An In-different Wukst Pl.^yer, Constant Reader, P. C. B., 

 J. R. L., EMf, L. K., ScATTEEBRALN, and others. Solution and 

 explanation of delay now given. 



Solutions of Double Dummy problem by Peteekin, S. Jones, 

 MAKLBORouGn, K.J., and Two 'of Cubs all correct; all others 

 Tong. The six tricks cannot be made if B does not play the 

 d Z play properly. Nor if B 



round — that I 

 ads Club Ace third round. 

 J. L. P.— Not very wonderful that I missed a problem in the 



Field for January 31, considering that between December 1S84 and 

 March 1885 I was on a lecture tour which carried me from the 

 extreme north-east point of the United States, through New Tort, 

 Washington, and the Southern States, to Texas. The Field does 

 not reach one in many of the places I then visited. 



W. J. Wallace.— The difference between the frontispiece of 

 " How to Play Whist " and the description of the problem in the 

 body of the book is absolutely without importance — the cards 

 interchanged between 1' and B being of equal value so far as trick- 

 making is concerned. 



Home Whist, a short and simple introduction to the game of 

 Whist, with nil the latest developments, including the American 

 Leads, and the Echo in Plain suits, by " Five of Clubs " (Richard 

 A. Proctor), is now in type and will shortly be published by Messrs. 

 Longmans. It is illustrated by eight games showing the play of 

 four sets of hands, first in the old-fashioned style of Home Whist 

 and secondly according to true Whist principles. These will 8?rve 

 ai an introduction to the forty games illustrating " How to Play 

 Whist," by the same author (Longmans). 



