The Decline and Fall of Whist

This 1884 work by John Petch Hewby, informs the readers about the state of the Whist in the late 1800s and describes what led to the fall of this once popular game. It aims to express the opinions of a majority of civilized Whist-players.

Contents include:

Introductory

Wooden Arrangement, No. 1— The Signal and the Echo

Wooden Arrangement, No. 2— Tampering with the Discard

The Modern Game

Wooden Arrangement, No. 3— Original Lead of the Longest Suit

Wooden Arrangement, No. 4— The Lead of the Penultimate and its Congeners

Some Pillars of the Modern Edifice—

Pillar No. 1—The Philosophy of Whist

Pillar No. 2—Illustrative Whist Hands

Pillar No. 3—Developments, Generalizations, and Extensions of Principle

Whittling at the Small End of Nothing

A Whist Player's Wail

Arithmetic Applied to Whist by a Small Boy