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DUPLICATE WHIST.

Duplicate whist is not a distinct game, but is simply the name given to that manner of playing whist in which a number of hands are played over again with the same cards, but by different persons.

CARDS. The cards have the same rank as at whist; they are dealt in the same manner, and the same rules apply to all irregularities in the deal, except that a misdealer must deal again. The objects of the game are the same, and so are all the suggestions for good play. The only differences that require attention are the positions of the players, the manner of counting the tricks, and the methods of keeping and comparing the scores.

THEORY. It may briefly be stated that duplicate proceeds upon the principle that if two partners have made a certain number of tricks with certain cards, under certain conditions with respect to the lead, distribution of the other cards in the adversaries’ hands, etc., the only way to decide whether or not two other players could have done better, or cannot do so well, is to let them try it, by giving them the same cards, under exactly similar conditions.

This comparison may be carried out in various ways; but in every instance it depends entirely upon the number and arrangement of the players engaged. The most common forms are: club against club; team against team; pair against pair; or man against man. The reason for the arrangement of the players will be better understood if we first describe the method.

METHOD OF PLAYING. There is no cutting for partners, and choice of seats and cards as at whist, because the players take their places and deal according to a pre-arranged schedule.

The player to the left of the dealer begins by placing the card he leads face up on the table, and in front of him. The second player follows by placing his card in front of him in the same manner; and so the third, and so the fourth. The four cards are then turned face down, and the dealer takes up the trump. The partners winning the trick place their cards lengthwise, pointing towards each other; the adversaries place theirs across. At the end of the hand, the number of tricks taken by each side can be seen by glancing at any player’s cards. If there is any discrepancy, a comparison of the turned cards will show in which trick it occurs, and the cards can be readily faced and examined.

N & S 6; E & W 7. East has made a mistake in turning the fifth trick.

COUNTERS. In some places 13 counters are placed on the table, the winner of each trick taking down one. This system often leads to disputes, as there can be no check upon it, and there is nothing to show in which trick the error occurred.

COUNTING TRICKS. At the end of each hand, the players sitting North and South score the total number of tricks they have taken; instead of the number in excess of a book. Their adversaries, sitting East and West, do the same. Each player then slightly shuffles his 13 cards; so as to conceal the order in which they were played, and the four separate hands of 13 cards each are then left on the table, face down; the trump being turned at the dealer’s place.

TRAYS. When any apparatus is used for holding the cards, such as trays, boxes, or envelopes, each player puts his 13 cards in the compartment provided for them. Each tray has a mark upon it, usually an arrow, showing which end of the tray should point toward a given direction, usually the North. The pocket into which the dealer’s cards go is marked “dealer,” and it is usual to provide a trump slip for each tray. When the hand is first dealt, the trump is recorded on this slip, which travels round the room with the tray. After the dealer has turned up the designated trump, he places the trump slip in the tray, face down. When the play of the hand is finished and the cards replaced in the tray, the dealer puts his trump slip on the top of his cards. The four hands can then be conveniently carried or handed to any other table to be overplayed.

Various Apparatus for Duplicate.

SCORING. There should be two score-cards at each table. The various methods of putting down and comparing the scores can best be described in connection with the variety of competition to which they belong. It is a common practice to note the trump card on the score sheets.

POSITION OF THE PLAYERS. The four players at each table are distinguished by the letters N S E W; North and South being partners against East and West. West should always be the dealer in the first hand, North having the original lead. In all published illustrative hands, North is the leader, unless otherwise specified.

The deal passes in rotation to the left, and the number of hands played should always be some multiple of four, so that each player may have the original lead an equal number of times. 24 hands at each table is the usual number, and is the rule at all League tournaments. The partners and adversaries should be changed after each eight hands. Three changes in 24 hands will bring each member of a set of four into partnership with every other member for an equal number of hands.

If two teams of four on a side, A B C D, and W X Y Z, play against each other, the arrangement in a League tournament would be as follows:—that A B C D should represent the players of the visiting club, or challengers, and W X Y Z the home club, or holders; and that the positions of the players should be changed after every four hands. It is usual to play 24 hands in the afternoon, and 24 more at night.

1st.	2nd.	3rd.	4th.	5th.	6th.
	A			A			A			A			A			A
W		X	Y		Z	W		Y	X		Z	X		Y	W		Z
	B			B			C			C			D			D
	Y			W			X			W			W			X
C		D	C		D	B		D	B		D	B		C	B		C
	Z			X			Z			Y			Z			Y

If more than four players are engaged on each side, this arrangement must be repeated with every additional four; the tables being always in sets of two each, but in such cases, and in fact in anything but League matches, it is usual to play only the 1st, 3rd and 5th sets.

CLUB AGAINST CLUB. The smaller club should put into the field as many multiples of four as it can; the larger club presenting an equal number to play against them. The opposing sides are then so arranged that half the members of each club sit North and South, the other half East and West. If we distinguish the clubs by the marks O and X, and suppose 16 to be engaged on each side, they would be arranged at 8 tables, thus:—

1st set	2nd set	3rd set	4th set
	O			O			O			O
X	1	X	X	3	X	X	5	X	X	7	X
	O			O			O			O
	X			X			X			X
O	2	O	O	4	O	O	6	O	O	8	O
	X			X			X			X

If apparatus is used, the players may sit still for four hands, putting the trays aside, and then exchanging them for the four trays played at the other table in their set. If not, the cards are left on the table, as already described, and the fours change places; those at table No. 1 going to table No. 2, while those at No. 2 go to No. 1, the other sets changing in the same manner. This brings them into this position:—


	X			X			X			X
O	1	O	O	3	O	O	5	O	O	7	O
	X			X			X			X
	O			O			O			O
X	2	X	X	4	X	X	6	X	X	8	X
	O			O			O			O

The two O’s that have just played the N & S hands at table No. 1, proceed to play at table No. 2, the N & S hands which have just been played by two X’s; while the two O’s that played the E & W hands at table No. 2, overplay at table No. 1, the E & W hands just held by the two X’s.

It is now evident that the four O’s have held between them all the 52 cards dealt at each table; for the first pair have held all the N & S hands dealt at both tables, and the second pair have held all the E & W hands. The same is true of the four X players; and if there is any difference in the number of tricks taken by the opposing fours, it is supposed to be due to a difference in skill, other matters having been equalised as far as the limitations of the game will permit.

The overplay finished, the cards are gathered, shuffled, cut, and dealt afresh, East now having the original lead. It must be remembered that the deal can never be lost, and that no matter what happens, the player whose proper turn it is to deal must do so.

NUMBERING HANDS. The hands simultaneously played are scored under the same number, but distinguished by the number of the table at which they are first dealt. Each pair of partners in a team play two No. 1 hands, in one of which they are N & S; in the other E & W.

SCORING. The result of the hand is entered upon the score sheets, which the opposing players at each table should then compare, and turn them face down, leaving them on the table when they change places.

Let us suppose the N & S partners of the O team to make 7 tricks at table No. 1; the E & W partners of the X team making 6. Each pair enters on its own score-card the number it makes. The E & W partners of the O team now come to table No. 1, and play the 26 cards which the other members of their team did not hold. They are not permitted to look at the score-card until the hand has been overplayed. Then they enter the result, which should be 6 tricks. If the total of the tricks taken by the same team on the N & S and the E & W hands is not 13, it must be a loss or a gain. At the end of the 24 hands, the result of the match can be immediately ascertained by laying side by side the score cards of the East and West hands played at the same table. The North and South scores are not compared, because the laws say they may be incorrect, but the East and West must be, officially, right.

We give on the two preceding pages an illustration of the full score of a match. The check marks in the 6th column show that the N & S players compared the score with the E & W before turning down their cards. The figures in the 2nd column are the gains on the various hands. The figures in the 7th column show which of the four players whose names appear at the top of the score-card were partners for that series of hands. The result shows that the O team had a majority of one trick at table No. 1, while the X team had a majority of three tricks at table No. 2, leaving them the winners of the match by two tricks.

If sixteen players were engaged, it would be necessary to institute a similar comparison between each set of tables, and there would be sixteen score-cards to compare, two at a time, instead of four.

TEAM AGAINST TEAM. The methods just described for a match of club against club are identical with those which are used in a contest between two teams of four; the only difference being that of proportion. In the latter case there will be only one set, of two tables, and only four score-cards to compare.

The change of partners should be exhaustive in team matches; which will require six sets.

TEAMS AGAINST TEAMS. When several quartette teams compete with one another, Howell’s system of arrangement will be found the best. There are two methods; for odd and for even numbers of teams.

Odd Numbers of Teams. This is the simplest form of contest. Let us suppose five teams to offer for play, which we shall distinguish by the letters, a, b, c, d, e, arranging each at its own table thus:—

The names of the N & S and the E & W members of each team should first be entered on the score-cards; then all the N & S players move to the next table East; those at table 5 going to table 1; and each table dealing and playing four hands, afterwards putting them away in trays.

9 to 12	13 to 16	17 to 20
	e			a			b			c			d
a	1	a	b	2	b	c	3	c	d	4	d	e	5	e
	e			a			b			c			d

The peculiarity of this system is in the movement of the trays; those at the middle table always going to the extreme West of the line, the others moving up as many tables at a time as may be necessary to follow them. In this instance the trays at table 3 go to 1, all others moving up two tables. At the same time the N & S players all move one table further East, bringing about this position:—

Hands:—	13 to 16	17 to 20	1 to 4	5 to 8
2nd set.	d			e			a			b			c
		a	1	a	b	2	b	c	3	c	d	4	d	e	5	e
			d			e			a			b			c

This movement of the trays and players is continued for two more sets, which completes the round:—

Hands:—	17 to 20	1 to 4	5 to 8	9 to 12	13 to 16
3rd set.		c			d			e			a			b
			a	1	a	b	2	b	c	3	c	d	4	d	e	5	e
				c			d			e			a			b

4th set.		b			c			d			e			a
			a	1	a	b	2	b	c	3	c	d	4	d	e	5	e
				b			c			d			e			a
Hands:—	5 to 8	9 to 12	13 to 16	17 to 20	1 to 4

If we now take any two of the teams engaged, a and d for instance, we shall find that the E & W a and the N & S d pairs of those teams have played hands 9 to 12 at table 1, in the 2nd set; and that N & S a and E & W d pairs have overplayed the same hands at table 4, in the 3rd set; so that we have really been carrying out a number of matches simultaneously, between five teams of four players each.

If there are 5, 7, 9 or 11 tables in play, the movement of the trays must be 2, 3, 4 or 5 tables at a time; but the movement of the players remains the same; one table at a time, in the direction opposite to the trays.

Gilman’s System. Another method, recommended by Charles F. Gilman, of Boston, which prevents any possibility of players giving hints to their friends as they pass the trays, is to have each team play at its own table first, so as to get an individual score. The E & W players then move to the next table but one, in either direction, going from 11 to 9; from 9 to 7, etc., the N & S players sitting still. This movement is continued until the E & W players have gone twice round. The trays move in the same direction as the players, but only one table at a time; going from 11 to 10, 9 to 8, etc. This brings about the same result as the Howell’s system.

Even Numbers of Teams. The present method of arranging even numbers of teams is also Gilman’s; but it requires considerable care in the movement of the trays, because half of them lie idle during each round, which is the same as skipping a table in other methods.

Suppose we have ten tables, arranged in two rows thus, with a team of four players at each:

1	2	3	4	5
6	7	8	9	10

Taking 30 deals as the number to be played, we place trays No. 1, 2, 3, to be played and overplayed by tables 1 and 6, which are opposite each other in the rows. Trays 4, 5, 6, we lay aside. Trays 7, 8, 9, are to be played and overplayed by tables 2 and 7; while 10, 11, 12, are laid aside, and so on until we get to tables 5 and 10, which play and overplay trays 25, 26, 27. The easiest way to manage this is to give tray No. 2 to table 6, while tray 1 is at table 1, and then to let table 1 take tray 2, while table 6 plays tray 3. Then table 1 will get tray 3, while table 6 overplays tray 1. This will make all the trays come in numerical order to table 1, and will act as a check.

The play of the first round, three deals, finished, the E & W players all move one table, 2 going to 1, 3 to 2, etc. The umpire now brings into play the trays that were idle, giving trays 4, 5, 6, to tables 1 and 6; trays 10, 11, 12, to tables 2 and 7, and so on down the line, all the trays that were used in the first round lying idle.

Again the players move, and now table 1 gets the 7, 8, 9, set of trays to overplay with table 6, and so on; so that all the sets move up a table after each intervening round, and table 1 will get all the trays from 1 to 30 in order.

SCORING. In both the foregoing systems, each pair should have its own score-card, and should mark the name of the team it plays against for each series of four hands. These score-cards are more for private reference than anything else in tournaments; because there is always a professional scorer, for whose use small slips are filled out and collected from the tables at the end of each round. The winner is the team that wins the most matches; not the one that gains the most tricks. In case of ties, the number of tricks won must decide. If the number of tricks taken by each side is a tie in any match, the score is marked zero, and each team counts half a match won. We give an illustration of the final score in a match between five teams. The c and d teams are tied for a second place in the number of matches; but the c team takes third place, because it has lost one more trick than the d team. The b and c teams score a half match; so do the c and e teams.

PAIR AGAINST PAIR. This is the most interesting form of competition, especially for domestic parties, as the arrangement of the players will allow of great latitude in the number engaged, table after table being added as long as players offer to fill them.

Two Pairs. When only four players are engaged at a single table, the game is called Memory Duplicate; which is forbidden in all first-class clubs. The players retain their seats until they have played an agreed number of hands, which are laid aside one by one in trays. No trump is turned in Memory Duplicate; one suit being declared trumps for the entire sitting.

Instead of the players changing positions for the overplay, the trays are reversed. If the indicators pointed N & S on the original deals, they must lie E & W for the overplay.

Original Position of Trays. Position for Overplay.

Scoring. The E & W hands only are scored, the card being laid aside after the original play is completed, and a new card used for the overplay. The difference in the totals of these two sets of score-cards will show which pair gained the most tricks.

Four Pairs. These should be arranged at two tables, changing adversaries after every 8 hands. The third set will exhaust the combinations, and it will then be found that each pair has played and overplayed an equal number of hands against every other pair.

	1st set	2nd set	3rd set
				b			c			d
			a		a	a		a	a		a
				b			c			d
Hands:—	1 to 8	9 to 16	17 to 24
				d			b			c
			c		c	d		d	b		b
				d			b			c

Four hands are dealt at each table in each set, and then exchanged. The trump card is turned for every original deal.

Scoring. Each pair carries its own score-card with it from table to table, until the 24 hands have been played. The 7th column is used to designate the pair played against. The pairs at the second table should begin scoring with hands Nos. 5, 13 and 21 respectively; as they will presently receive from the first table the series beginning 1, 9 and 17 respectively. Eight hands complete a match, and the result must be tabulated in the same manner as for teams of four, ties being decided by the majority of tricks won. We give an example.

The a pair wins the tie with d, being 6 tricks plus.

Six Pairs. This is a very awkward number to handle, and should be avoided if possible. The whole could be played at three tables simultaneously; but such a course would necessitate their changing places ten times, following a very complicated schedule in so doing. The simplest way to handle six pairs is to arrange them at three tables, two of which are constantly in play, the third only half the time. This is the first position:—

	b			d			f
a	1	a	c	2	c	e	3	e
	b			d			f

Tables 1 and 2 deal and play two hands each, and then exchange trays with each other. At table 3, two hands are dealt and played, both being left in the trays.

The players at tables 1 and 2 then change adversaries; dealing, playing and exchanging two fresh hands. The players at the third table remain idle, or look on.

Hands 5 and 6 played and exchanged.	None.
	c			d			f
a	1	a	b	2	b	e	3	e
	c			d			f

The b and c pairs now give way to e and f:—

Hands 7 and 8 played and exchanged.	3 and 4.
	e			d			b
a	1	a	f	2	f	c	3	c
	e			d			b

While tables 1 and 2 are playing two fresh hands, the trays containing hands Nos. 3 and 4 which were left at table 3 are overplayed by the b and c pairs, which makes a match between them and the e and f pairs.

Again the pairs at the first two tables change adversaries; dealing, playing and exchanging two more hands; the third table remaining idle.

Hands 9 and 10 played and exchanged.	None.
	f			d			b
a	1	a	e	2	e	c	3	c
	f			d			b

The pairs a and d now give way to b and c, and the b c e f pairs play two hands and exchange them; then change adversaries for two more hands; a and d remaining idle all the time. All the pairs have now been matched but a and d, and they take seats E & W at two tables, the N & S positions being filled up by any of the other players in the match.

	any			any
a	1	a	d	2	d
	any			any

No notice is taken of the scores made by the N & S hands in the last set; as it is simply a match between the a and d pairs.

Scoring. Each pair against each is considered a match, and the winner of the most matches wins, tricks deciding ties.

Compass Whist. When we come to handle large numbers, the changes of position become too complicated, and the simplest plan is to arrange them at as many tables as they will fill, and to place on each table an equal number of trays. At the Knickerbocker Whist Club, New York, which is still famous for its compass games, they play a minimum of 24 trays, or get as near that number as possible. If there are 14 tables, they play two deals at each. If there are only 10 tables, they play 30 trays.

All the N & S players sit still, and at the end of each round, two or three deals as the case may be, all the E & W players move up one table, 2 going to 1, 3 to 2, etc. Each pair keeps its own score card, on which is put down the number of the tray, the number of the pair played against, which is always the number of the table at which they started; one of the pairs remaining there being No. 3 N & S, the other moving away, being No. 3 E & W.

Each pair adds up its score card at the end, and puts down the total number of tricks they have won. The names of the players having been previously written on the blackboard, their scores are put down opposite their names, each side, N & S and E & W, is then added up in order to find the average, and all scores above average are plus, while all below average are minus.

The following is an example of the averaging of a game in which five tables took part, playing 30 deals:—

N & S	E & W
a	201	-6	f	189	+6
b	204	-3	g	186	+3
c	211	+4	h	179	-4
d	207	=	j	183	=
e	212	+5	k	178	-5
5	1035		5	915
Aver.	207,	N & S.	Aver.	183,	E & W.

The e and f pairs make the best scores N & S and E & W respectively; the f pair, having won the greatest number of tricks above the average of the hands, would be the winners.

Howell Pair System. A very popular system of managing pairs in club games, and also in the national tournaments for the Minneapolis trophy, is called the Howell Pairs. Indicator cards are placed on the tables, which show each player the number of the table and the position at that table to which he should move next. Sometimes he will sit N, sometimes S, and sometimes E or W, but he always finds his partner opposite him, and at the end of the game he will have had every other pair in the game for an adversary once, and will have played all the hands dealt.

A different set of indicator cards is required for every different number of tables in the game. They are the invention of the late E.C. Howell of Washington, D.C., and have been arranged for any number of pairs from four to thirty-four.

INDIVIDUALS. When four play memory duplicate, one of the four, usually S, retains his seat and keeps the score, the others changing places right and left alternately, each playing with S as a partner for 8 hands. These changes successively bring about the three following positions:—

9 to 12
	c			b			a
a		b	a		c	c		b
	S			S			S

For the overplay, the trays are reversed, the hands originally dealt N & S being placed E & W; but the players continue to change right and left alternately. This brings the same partners together, but on different sides of the table.

9 to 12
	c			b			a
b		a	c		a	c		b
	S			S			S

Scoring. The names of the four players should be written at the head of each score-card, and as there is no trump turned in memory duplicate, the third and seventh columns can both be used for the numbers of the players that are partners, and the sixth column for the N & S gains.

When the match is finished, a tabulation of the tricks lost or won by each player will readily show which is the winner. In the illustration which we give, No. 3 finishes plus 6; No. 4 plus 2; No. 1 minus 4; and No. 2 minus 4.

Foster's Complete Hoyle: An Encyclopedia of Games

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