means, put forth as absolutely accurate in their estimate; but merely as offering a fair average of the chances which may serve to guide those who speculate on a rubber at whist, and rather to add to its interest, than with a view to gain ɔr gambling.

ODDS IN THE POINTS SCORED.

Having the deal is one point in twenty in your favour at long whist, and 6 to 5 in the short game. Having won the first game at long or short is 3 to 1 in your favour. At long whist whatever points you are over your adversaries, if the eighth, make the calculation as from ten downwards. Thus, when you are at seven, and they have scored two, the odds are 8 to 3 on your side: if you are five to their three, they are 7 to 5 on you. At nine love, however, the odds are only to 2, for then you are "in the well," as the phrase goes, you

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have forfeited the right to score honours. At short whist, with the first game one, and four points before your adversaries have scored, it is 5 to 1 you win the rubber.

DUMBY, OR THREE-HANDED WHIST.

This game is played exactly in the same manner as fournanded Whist, with the exception that one of the hands, that called Dumby, lies exposed and spread on the table throughout the game, and is played by the partner to whom it is allotted, in conjunction with his own.

Three persons draw from the pack in the usual manner, and he who draws the lowest card takes Dumby as his partner, and the deal, with the choice of cards and seat.

When the rubber is over, it becomes the turn of the party who had cut the next lowest card to take Dumby, with all its privileges, choosing another seat or keeping his own.

When the second rubber is finished, the third player takes the Dumby, and this is called having a round at Dumby.

In distributing the cards, the hand of Dumby is dealt as usual, and then the partner arranges them as he pleases, with the faces upwards. Dumby has his deal in turn.

The advantage which the partner of Dumby is supposed to derive from playing a hand which he can see, and therefore adapt to his own, is generally supposed to be about one point in ten in the long game, and five to four in the short, in the rubber; and sometimes a point is given by Dumby's partner on each rubber.

Deschapelles says, "Among players of moderate pretensions, the defender has a trifle the best of it; among good players, it is equal; and among first-rate players, the assailants have the best by a trifle."

The same authority says, that "In playing this game, decisive strokes are in favour of the defence (i. e. Dumby) in the first rounds, after which the advantage gradually leans to the assailants." He therefore recommends that the defender should act with energy in the commencement, having little or nothing to hope when the play assumes its regular course On the other side, it behoves the assailants to watch with

patience till they see clearly the best course open for their adoption.

It will be self-evident to a whist player, that the adversary who sits on the left of Dumby should always lead or play up to what he sees to be the weak suits, and that he who sits on the right should lead or play through the strong ones.

The laws and regulations are, with two or three exceptions, and these not quite agreed, the same as those of the parent game. The principle of three-handed whist, as regards the acts and liabilities of Dumby, is a spirit of mutual responsibility, and this should influence the game in all its bearings. Dumby may fairly be exempted from fines which arise from errors committed in sight of, and therefore it may be said with the acquiescence of, both parties. A new deal, in most cases, is as much as the adversaries should have a right to claim against Dumby.

If Dumby's partner lead out of turn, the adversaries may either insist upon the card led, or call a suit from either hand. By special exception, Dumby cannot make a revoke; the oversight may be remedied by a new deal.

As regards the other players, more particularly as respects acts not dependant on Duml 7, there seems no reason why they should be allowed any exemptions.

DOUBLE DUMBY,

Is when two persons only play, each having his partner's cards laid faced upon the table.

Each player and the two Dumbies take the deal in turn, and are liable to all the laws previously stated.

Although cards will "beat their makers," the game of Double Dumby is more in favour of the best player than any other at whist. It undoubtedly is very instructive to the novice, and has been recommended by high authorities as the best mode of studying the game.

Dumby is rarely played, excepting in default of a fourth to make up the battle, and then the dead hand is usually taken by the three players turn about. The French name for this game is La Mori.

SHORT WHIST: ITS SYSTEM AND SCIENCE.

About thirty years or more ago*, this refinement upon the popular game of whist became current, and among the more exclusive circles soon took the lead of its predecessor.

We anticipate the time," observes Deschapelles, “in which this modification will get so much the upper hand of the original game as entirely to supersede it, and cause its articles of law to be referred to only as ancient and forgotten archives. To this usurpation we have no objections to offer, both games possess powerful attractions; and the pleasure of re-adopting the slam and honours would be much diminished by the loss of that excitement which short whist promotes. When we consider the sociable feeling it engenders, the pleasure and vivacity it promotes, and the advantages it offers to the less skilful player, we cannot help acknowledging that short whist is a decided improvement, because, however it may lose in theory, it is infinitely superior to the other game in practice. Some persons, perhaps, imagine that there is a vast difference between the rules of the two games. This is not true; they are positively the same. To divide the game into two parts does not divest it of any of its essential qualities; it is still treble, double, or single, and is quite as amusing as before. The call' is not admitted, but what does that signify? It was at best but a trifling gratification, and its absence will soon be forgotten. The call was, indeed, a matter of insignificance, and certainly did not deserve the consideration bestowed upon it in the articles. And, besides, it was a privilege of such small importance that we cannot, in any point of view, regret its abrogation. But what shall we say of the slam? This is, indeed, a real loss. The slam is wanting to the completion of the game, without it whist is imperfect, and in this particular is inferior to many other games, even écarté has its vôle. . . . But as the mischief is done, all we have to do is to console ourselves for our loss, and bear it with equanimity. The slam did not count

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* See anecdote of its introduction, page 147.

for the game: players have been known to avoid winning the game, and thus betray their partners, because their bets made it more advantageous. Rubbers have been sometimes prolonged to a tedious length by means of repeated slams,' thus fatiguing both the betters and players. Players have been known to diminish their stakes by three-fourths, from the remembrance that the slam involved them in a greater loss than they were inclined to incur; or, fearing their own want of skill, have declined playing, from an opinion that the slam gave an unfair advantage to the experienced player."

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One thing is beyond a doubt, that the delay caused by the slam is a constant disadvantage to the game. Without it the superior force of the enemy is frequently discovered after two or three cards are out, and the game, consequently, thrown up. Sometimes eight or ten hands are thrown up, by which proceeding much time is gained. This frequently occurs, especially at short whist, when the game is so soon decided that it may be given up at any point. The admission of the slam was directly opposed to these advantages, and the delays and tediousness which it caused, are, by no means compensated by any equivalent. Short whist, however, though somewhat shorn of its proportions, is still a very interesting game. But we must refrain from further comment. . . . If we were to enter into the intricacies and minor points, there would be no end of the subject. We might write whole chapters on the little slam,' or the five honours,' of those tricks and honours which may be paid for, and on that load of silly inventions which have obtained a reputation merely because they are foreign importations, but which, in reality, are as devoid of merit as they are innumerable."*

The laws of this game are, as already said, in principle identical with those of long whist. It differs from it in the score, inasmuch as the game is five up in lieu of ten, one point saves a triple game; three points a double. The rubber reckons two points, making eight points altogether. Honours do not count at four, neither can they be "called " at any period of the game. Its rules of practice, according to the most generally adopted system among modern players of authority, vary, in some respects, from the laws of Hoyle and his followers. These differences I proceed to specify, with

The great French authority seems here at issue with himself as regards the value of the slam we ive it as he writes.-ED.