In some companies it is usual for all who turn up a knave to put a fish in the pool. The game may also be varied, as is fre- quently done, by dealing a spare hand, which must not be looked at till all the rest have been shown; and if it contains the best trump, the pool remains for the next deal, in addition to the usual contri- bution of every player. BRIDGE, how to Play.— The game is in some respects like ordinary Whist with one hand exposed j none who have ever thus played with a dummy need fear to sit down and join in the new pas- time. Bridge is played by four persons, who cut for partners and deal as at Whist. Two packs of cards are used, one for each pair of partners. These are shuffled, cut and dealt in the ordinary way, except only that the last card must not be turned face upwards. “ A,” the dealer, having looked at his haad, either declares a trump suit, saying “ are trumps," or that there are “ No trumps," or declines to make any decision, saying “ 1 leave it to partner.” In this case It devolves upon ** B" (opposite) to name a trumnsuit, or to declare “No trumps," I as he may prefer, It being now obligatory upon him to do one thing or the other. If the declaration be “ No trumps," the cards of each suit will win on their own merits; there is no possibility of trumping, so that cards not of the suit being led at the mo- ment can only be thrown away. A declara- tion having been made, “C" the leader, has the first option of doubling the value of the stakes. Should his opinion of his cards be so good that he desires to do this, he says, “ I double,” or he says to “ D” oppo- site, “Shall I play?" In the latter case, the option of doubling is transferred to ‘ D’ who either says “ 1 double," or " Yes, please,” according as he may decide. Theoretically, there Is no limit to the number of times the stakes may be re- doubled, io practice, a limit is often agreed upon prior to play. When “ Shall I play ?" has been answered in the affirmative, “C" leads a card from his hand, then “A” places all his 13 cards face upwards on the table, and the rest of the deal is played as at Whist with a single Dummy. “ A " takes no further part in the play of that deal, the exposed cards are all to be played by “ B," who has to work them in to the best advantage with the 13 cards dealt to him on his sideof the table. Nor may “A" suggest the play of any card, should he attempt to do so, by partially drawing the card, touching it, or otherwise, “ D"or,‘C’ may order the card indicated either to be played or not to be played, as they may prefer. “ A" may not interfere except to stop “ B” from leading out of the wrong hand; and if “ B" renounces in his own hand to a suit led, “ A” is at liberty to in- quire whether “ B” is void of the suit. The object of the question, as at Whist, is to save “ B” from revoking by inadvertence. The revoke is incomplete until “ B" has confirmed the renounce, even though the trick under inquiry has been turned and quitted. The penalty for a revoke being severe, inquiry should be made to the dealer, if not, the partner is as much to blame, in case of error, as the offender. The 13 tricks having been played and gathered, the next step is the marking up of the score. The value of a point has first to be settled. Halfpenny points are nearly equivalent to shilling points at Whist.

AI-modernized reading of the original text

In some companies it is usual for all who turn up a knave to put a fish in the pool. The game may also be varied, as is frequently done, by dealing a spare hand, which must not be looked at till all the rest have been shown; and if it contains the best trump, the pool remains for the next deal, in addition to the usual contribution of every player. BRIDGE, how to Play.— The game is in some respects like ordinary Whist with one hand exposed j none who have ever thus played with a dummy need fear to sit down and join in the new pastime. Bridge is played by four persons, who cut for partners and deal as at Whist. Two packs of cards are used, one for each pair of partners. These are shuffled, cut and dealt in the ordinary way, except only that the last card must not be turned face upwards. “ A,” the dealer, having looked at his haad, either declares a trump suit, saying “ are trumps," or that there are “ No trumps," or declines to make any decision, saying “ 1 leave it to partner.” In this case It devolves upon ** B" (opposite) to name a trumnsuit, or to declare “No trumps," I as he may prefer, It being now obligatory upon him to do one thing or the other. If the declaration be “ No trumps," the cards of each suit will win on their own merits; there is no possibility of trumping, so that cards not of the suit being led at the moment can only be thrown away. A declaration having been made, “C" the leader, has the first option of doubling the value of the stakes. Should his opinion of his cards be so good that he desires to do this, he says, “ I double,” or he says to “ D” opposite, “Shall I play?" In the latter case, the option of doubling is transferred to ‘ D’ who either says “ 1 double," or " Yes, please,” according as he may decide. Theoretically, there Is no limit to the number of times the stakes may be redoubled, io practice, a limit is often agreed upon prior to play. When “ Shall I play ?" has been answered in the affirmative, “C" leads a card from his hand, then “A” places all his 13 cards face upwards on the table, and the rest of the deal is played as at Whist with a single Dummy. “ A " takes no further part in the play of that deal, the exposed cards are all to be played by “ B," who has to work them in to the best advantage with the 13 cards dealt to him on his sideof the table. Nor may “A" suggest the play of any card, should he attempt to do so, by partially drawing the card, touching it, or otherwise, “ D"or,‘C’ may order the card indicated either to be played or not to be played, as they may prefer. “ A" may not interfere except to stop “ B” from leading out of the wrong hand; and if “ B" renounces in his own hand to a suit led, “ A” is at liberty to inquire whether “ B” is void of the suit. The object of the question, as at Whist, is to save “ B” from revoking by inadvertence. The revoke is incomplete until “ B" has confirmed the renounce, even though the trick under inquiry has been turned and quitted. The penalty for a revoke being severe, inquiry should be made to the dealer, if not, the partner is as much to blame, in case of error, as the offender. The 13 tricks having been played and gathered, the next step is the marking up of the score. The value of a point has first to be settled. Halfpenny points are nearly equivalent to shilling points at Whist.

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