University of Virginia Library

BRIDGE WHIST

"BRIDGE whist," or "Bridge," as it is often called by the younger generation, is rapidly replacing whist as the favorite card game of good society, and "bridge" parties are much en vogue for both afternoon and evening entertainments. In order to become

an expert "bridge" player one must, of course, spend many months and even years in a study of the game, but any gentleman or lady of average intelligence can, I believe, pick up the fundamentals of "bridge" in a short while.

Let us suppose, for example, that you, as a "young man about town," are invited to play "bridge" on the evening of Friday, November seventeenth, at the home of Mrs. Franklin Gregory. Now, although you may have played the game only once or twice in your life, it would never do to admit the fact, for in good society one is supposed to play "bridge" just as one is supposed to hate newspaper publicity, and on the evening of Friday, November seventeenth, you should present yourself in suitable attire at Mrs. Gregory's home.

There you will find fifteen or twenty other guests, and after a few minutes of light social banter a bell will ring and the players will take their places. At your table will be Mrs. F. Jamison Dollings (your partner) and Mr. and

Mrs. Theodore Watts. Mrs. Dollings (Sept. 6, 1880) is considered one of the most expert "bridge" players in the city, while Mr. Watts has one of the largest retail clothing stores in the central part of the State. Mrs. Watts was one of the Van Cortlandt girls (the plain one).

As you are probably (next to Mr. and Mrs. Watts) the worst "bridge" player in the room it should be your duty to make up for this deficiency by keeping the other three players conversationally stimulated, for nothing so enlivens a game of "bridge" as a young man or woman with a pleasing personality and a gift for "small talk." Thus, at the very beginning, after you have finished dealing the cards, you should fill in what seems to you an embarrassing pause by telling one of your cleverest stories, at the conclusion of which Mrs. Dollings will remark, "We are waiting for your bid, Mr. S—."

The etiquette of "bidding," as far as you are concerned, should resolve itself into a consistent effort on your part to become "dummy"

for each and every game. The minute your partner (Mrs. Dollings) bids anything, it should be your duty as a gentleman to see that she gets it, no matter what the cost.

Thus, on the first hand, you "pass." Mr. Watts then says, "Wait a minute, till I get these cards fixed"; to which Mrs. Watts replies, "Theodore, for Heaven's sake, how long do you want?" Mr. Watts then says, "Which is higher—clubs or hearts?" to which Mrs. Watts replies, "Clubs." Mrs. Dollings then says, "I beg your pardon, but hearts have always been considered higher than clubs." Mrs. Watts says, "Oh, yes, of course," and gives Mr. Watts a mean look. Mr. Watts then says, "I bid—let's see—I bid two spades—no, two diamonds." Mrs. Dollings quickly says, "Two lilies," Mr. Watts says, "What's a lily?" to which Mrs. Watts replies, "Theodore!" and then bids "Two spades," at which Mrs. Dollings says, "I beg your pardon, but I have just bid two spades." Mr. Watts then chuckles, and Mrs. Watts says (but not to Mr. Watts), "I beg your pardon." Mrs.

Watts then bids "Three spades," at which you quickly say, "Four spades."

This bid is not "raised." Mrs. Dollings then says to you, "I am counting on your spades to help me out," at which you look at the only spade in your hand (the three) and answer, "Ha! Ha! Ha!" There is then a wait of four minutes, at the end of which Mrs. Dollings wearily says, "It is your first lead, is it not, Mrs. Watts?" Mrs. Watts then blushes, says, "Oh, I beg your pardon!" and leads the four of hearts. You then lay down your "dummy" hand. Before Mrs. Dollings has had time to discover just what you have done to her, you should rise quickly and say, "Excuse me, but I want to use the telephone a minute." You should then go into the next room and wait ten or fifteen minutes. When you return Mrs. Dollings will have disappeared, Mrs. Watts will be looking fixedly at Mr. Watts, and Mr. Watts will be saying, "Well, it's a silly game, anyway."

You and Mr. and Mrs. Watts can then have

a nice game of twenty-five cent limit stud poker for the rest of the evening, and it would certainly be considered a thoughtful and gracious "gesture" if, during the next two or three weeks, you should call occasionally at the hospital to see how Mrs. Dollings is "getting on," or you might even send some flowers or a nice potted plant.