November 1, 1886.] 



♦ KNOWLEDGE ♦ 



23 



and my partner want, let us say, the odd trick to make the game, 

 therefore the enemy want it also to save the game (or riee (V?'S«). 

 We are cautious as to leading trumps first round, lest we should fail 

 to bring in our length and lose the chance of making a trick or two 

 by ruffing. But after a round or two we find that by leading trumps 

 we can deprive the eiieiiiij of the cliance of making a trick or two by 

 rutEng. Therefore we must lead trumps to foil them in regard to 

 the odd trick, which is the same as saying that in such a case a 

 trump lead is indicated as tlie best way to secure the odd trick. 

 Mr. Davies tries to teach all about the lead in six short pages. This 

 may be done by anyone who possesses some faculty for systematising, 

 and can write succinctly and clearly. How systematic Mr. Davies 

 is and how clear his style may he inferred from a single example. 

 " You should lead," he says, " with Queen, Knave, and one small one, 

 or four small ones, or the ten — the Queen, for the chance of hem- 

 ming in the King." Of course, a whist-player knows what this 

 means, but certainly the learner, for whom Mr. Davies has been 

 kindly repeating the A B C of the game, will not make mucli of the 

 rule or of the reason assigned for it ; nor will the whist-player agree 

 with Mr. Davies on either point. The lead of Queen from Queen, 

 Knave, ten [and another, or others, usually] is simply adopted in 

 order to establish the suit and make the best use of its strength. 

 The lead of Queen from Queen, Knave, four small ones, is not sound 

 whist ; the fourth best card is now the accepted lead, except among 

 those who object to the play of any but the lowest card in such 

 cases. The lead of Queen from Queen, Knave, and a small one may 

 serve to hem the King, as, indeed, may the other two leads of the 

 Queen, but the object is to support jiartner, if he shall turn out to 

 have strength in this short suit of fours, without giving up all com- 

 mand over it if it turns out to be the enemy's ; for if King or Ace 

 captures your Queen, you remain with second best guarded. In 

 dealing with play second hand Mr. Davies ignores all recent 

 inquiries into the advisability of covering an honour when weak in the 

 suit. Passing on to play third hand, lead from weakness, discarding 

 ruffing, &c., we find nothing new in Mr. Davies' teachings ; but 

 under the head " Call for Trumps " we find something very original 

 indeed — " You may call for trumps by leading an Ace, then the 

 King, and then a small one, or by winning the Ace and leading the 

 King." We have heard of such nonsensical dodges at subm-ban 

 clubs ; and at Mr. Davies' Union Club, Birmingham, they may be 

 excused. Indeed, by inviting Mr. Davies to publish his remarkable 

 contribution to whist literature, the club convey the idea that such 

 nonsense suits them. But this is emphatically not whist. We need 

 quote only one more sample of Jlr. Davies' style. He says, "When 

 strong in trumps endeavour to establish your own long suit ; when 

 weak, your partner's." Suppose you have no good suit in the former 

 case, and that he has none in the latter, how then ? The fact is, 

 Mr. Davies has not digested such whist experience (chielly borrowed) 

 as he has obtained. With such a style as his he would do well, even 

 where he understands a subject, to leave literature alone. 



<B\\x Cf)f66 Column. 



By " Mephisto." 



DRAWN GAMES. 



XLY a draw 1 This is a customary expression when 

 honours have been equally divided between two 

 players. The emphasis is put on the word only, 

 whilst " draw " is usually pronounced with a melan- 

 choly attempt to convey an idea of the uneventful 

 VAv*» # ^Ai course of the game. It must not be supposed, 

 iHnl'Jr4MM however, that this expression of disappointment is 



always justified ; for to draw a game requires often 



a great ik-al of exactitude, a thorough knowledge of end-games, 

 and a considerable display of ingenuity and skill. A drawn game 

 is also frequently brought about by the sound defence of the second 

 player in the opening of the game. In tournaments, where draws 

 count half, many first prizes have been lost through not being 

 satisfied with an humble draw, and even in matches, where such 

 games do not count, draws, especially when a player is losing, 

 exercise a certain moral influence and slightly revive the drooping 

 spirits. Steinitz is reported to have said, " When I drew my game at 

 St. Louis, I found that all was not lost yet, and my hopes were 

 revived ; " at that time his score was 1 to 4. 



There are different categories of drawn games. First we have 

 the simple endings of King against King and Pawn, or King and 

 Pawns against King and Pawns, which depend upon niceties 

 of play by which the opposition is always maintained. Bishop 



against Rook is drawn, with the exception of certain unfavour- 

 able positions. The easiest way to draw is to keep the King 

 near the corner of the same colour as the B, when the K is on 

 Kt sq tlie B will always be able to interpose on Bsq or Kt2. 

 Knight against Rook is far more difficult to play. In order to draw 

 the Kt must not separate itself from his K, as otherwise the hostile 

 R will cut it off with the help of the K. No endings have Ciiused 

 more disappointments than King, Rook, and B or Kt against King 

 and Rook : these ought to be drawn, but must be played with the 

 utmost care, especially R against R and B. The end-games of Q 

 against R and P are most useful ; if, fur instance. Black K on QR2, 

 P on Q113 and R on QKtl against White, K on QIU and Q on any 

 square, say K sq. Black will draw ; but if the RP is either on R2 or 

 Rl, Black would lose. The KtP and R and the BP and R would always 

 draw against a Queen on any square provided the K is cut ofl", and 

 that there sliould be no necessity for the R to place himself behind 

 his P. The P will also draw on Q2 and K2, care being taken to 

 keep the R on K3 or P>3 accordingly, and the K behind the P ; but 

 if the P is either on Q3, Q4, or K3, K-4, White would win by being 

 able to attack the K from behind, and thus force him away from 

 his P. Draws of this kind are too numerous to be mentioned here. 

 A very frequent draw occurs through Bishops being of opposite 

 colour.-', when, in a great many cases, a Pawn more makes no 

 difference. 



Next we have draws by perpetual checks. Supposing K on 

 KKt sq, and P's on B2, Kt2, and R3, and other pieces, then check, 

 by the IJlack Q on QB8 and KB.5, is a draw which occuis too often 

 where it could be avoided. In other positions a considerable 

 amount of ingenuity will be exercised to obtain a draw by sacri- 

 ficing a piece in order to gain a perpetual check. AU this should be 

 well known in order either to guard oneself against such draws, or 

 to obtain them as a release from a hopeless game, as in the follow- 

 ing example : — 





WHrni. 



White will draw by I. R to R3 (ch), K x R. 2. Q to Kt3 (ch), Kt x Q. 

 3. Kt to B4 (ch), K to R5. 4. Kt to Kt6 (ch) and draws by per- 

 petual check. 



Another very interesting draw is obtained by getting into a 

 stalemate position. I cannot think of anything so gratifying to a 

 player, and so trjing to the temper of an opponent, than a stale- 

 mate. Some players look upon such a performance with a particular 

 satisfaction, and maliciously enjoy the opponent's disappointment. 

 In the following stalemate example we have also the perpetual 

 check idea : — 



WaiTB. 



