The Killing Table: An African-American Icon

Bid Whist is not only a very exciting, fun, and therapeutic card game, but a very important part of black history as well. It's survival rests solely with the passing by word of mouth from generation to generation of African Americans. The history of this game is rather mystical, due primarily to it not being the subject of the printed record until the 1930's. Its origin dates back to the days of slavery when, despite being oppressed, the slaves found time to laugh and have fun in the form of a card game they created and called Bid Whist. It is a combination of whist, bridge, and spades, except that it is extremely loud, loads of fun, never boring, and is played strictly for bragging rights. Boasting, selling wolf tickets, trash talking, and verbal intimidation are as much a part of the psyche as the game itself, sometimes even more so. These activities serve as pre-game appetizers by creating suspense and whetting the competitive juices of the participants. The atmosphere during a Bid Whist game is electric and spectators resemble the crowds at a Las Vegas dice table.

The Killing Table is designed to provide the reader with all the knowledge he needs to reach his full potential in playing the game of bid whist. It will wrap up that endless search for information and accelerate the readers' ability to become a well-rounded and dominant player. This guide is written with the average player in mind, but its thoroughness will benefit the experienced player as well. All instructional material is companioned with very simple and easy-to-understand examples. This book is unique in that its content reaches beyond the basic fundamentals of the game. Coverage includes the history, bidding techniques, philosophy of the game, organizing card hands, pre-bidding thought processes, etiquette, and trash talking, to mention but a few. The language exudes the fun and excitement so prevalent in the enjoyment of playing bid whist; however, this does not in any way diminish the validity or seriousness of the information herein contained. The confessions are all true stories and should provide some rather fun reading as well.

Unfortunately, the majority of mainstream America has not been introduced to this fantastic game. Most people outside the African American culture have little or no knowledge of how to play bid whist; those who have, however, have become addicted to the fun and excitement it provides. One of the aims of this book is to introduce this game to the entire population of mainstream America.

Friends, relatives, and competitors have urged, begged, pleaded, and even stalked this author for years to make his bid whist skills a matter of the printed record. Now that he is a senior citizen and a very accomplished player, he considers it an honor and a privilege to make an attempt. This book is the product of over six years of careful analysis and thought.

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