Trump Indicators and The Game of Bridge

Whats Trump? explors the world of Trump Indicators, their history and their unique addition to the game of bridge. Joan Schepps, a resident of Holyoke, and Silver Life Master bridge player, is the foremost collector of trump indicators in the United States. A selection of 250 trump indicators and bridge memorabilia will be on display. The exhibit highlights the history of bridge in Holyoke. This unique exhibit features something not only for collectors and bridge players, but Holyoke natives and game lovers as well.

The Game of Bridge 

The most popular card game in history is known as "contract bridge." Like all games, it went through many stages of development. Hundreds of years ago, there was a game called whist, which originated in England. Whist had many variations, and some are mentioned as early as 1529 in Shakespeare's Anthony and Cleopatra.

Whist was at first a game of the lower classes, but early in the 18th century, it became very popular in fashionable circles of England. All whist-family games had commonalities: four always play, two against two as partners; a full 52 card pack is dealt out so that each player holds 13 cards; the object is to win tricks consisting of one card played by each player. In Whist, the trump was selected by the turn of the 52nd card. A trump indicator or marker was used on the table to remind the players of the trump suit.

Out of this game developed the game of bridge during the late 18th century. In bridge, the dealer had the privilege of naming the trump. The next development was auction bridge, in which all players were permitted to bid for the privilege of naming the trump. This game first appeared in England about 1904. Next came contract bridge, which was invented in 1927. In this game, to score a game or slam the contracting side must bid for game or slam. Today, practically none of the earlier form of bridge are played - only contract bridge. 

Trump Indicators 

Trump Indicators were used in the game of Whist and in early forms of Bridge. They were placed on the table as a reminder of the trump suit. In Whist, trump was decided by the cut of the cards. Because there was no bidding in Whist, it was easy to forget the trump suit. Many Trump Indicators are double-faced so the trump suit shows on both sides. A lesser-known function of some Trump Indicators is that they were sometimes used to designate the next dealer. 

Trump Indicators come in the form of dogs, cats, birds, pigs, monkeys, ballerinas, policemen, witches, flappers, golfers, soccer players, devils, windmills, castles, cartoon characters, cubes and everything else. The variety is endless. The pieces are small, whimsical, and colorful and they all move. What they all have in common is that somewhere, each displays the symbols of the four suits of playing cards: spades, hearts, diamonds, clubs and sometimes No Trump and each has a moveable part that indicates trump.

  

These devices date from the late 1800s to the early 1930s. The earlier ones have only four suits as No Trump did not exist in Whist, but only came into being in early versions of Bridge around the turn of the century. Other ways to date Trump Indicators include the material from which they were made: celluloid or bakelite, or the style of design: Victorian, Art Deco, Folk Art, or by the popular characters portrayed at the time, such as Jiggs, W.C. Fields, or Betty Boop. It is always difficult to exactly date Trump Indicators, except for English sterling ones which bear a mark.



Bridge in Holyoke

For years, Holyoke was a mecca of bridge players, with the excellent mental challenge evolving from the game of whist. In the period of 1920 to 1930, nightly bridge games were hosted by such organizations as the Elks, the Knights of Columbus and the Masonic Temple. Nationally recognized figures in the bridge world flocked to Holyoke where 60-70 tables filled the ballrooms at the Hotel Holyoke. Local Holyoke names interested in bridge include Jacob Ogan, Phyllis Feldman, Eric Schmidt, Elisabeth Skinner, Dottie Chase, Helen Eastwood, Kay Daly, Bernice Kalicka, Selma Lesnow, Sally Whitcomb, and William (Bill) Skinner III. 

The Holyoke Bridge Club

In 1975, Mrs. Elihu Schepps and Mr. Murray Conrad founded the local Holyoke club. First, the club met at St. Paul's Church until they outgrew the facilities there. Their second location was above what is now the Brooks Pharmacy. The next move was to what was the former Alger Funeral Home, but the location did not allow for enough parking and several members resigned. Finally, they played bridge at the American Legion Post 438 building in Chicopee. After those four temporary locations, a permanent home was found in the Carriage House at Wistariahurst Museum in 1993, the ancestral home of both Elisabeth Skinner, of South Hadley, and her brother Bill Skinner, both avid bridge players. The Holyoke Bridge Club met every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday at the Wistariahurst Carriage House.

There was a Centennial Bridge Game held on October 20, 1973 to honor Holyoke's past Bridge history and players. All bridge players were welcomed, with trophies and master points awarded to the winners. There was also an open game for novices.