Ninety years ago the game of Commerce was recognised as being played in two distinct ways, the new and the old mode, so that it may justly be termed one of the oldest round games now practised. Although it is not so popular as some of the others treated of in this volume, it will be found to be a good game; exciting, entertaining, and well deserving of more extended popularity than it has lately enjoyed.

Commerce is usually played with the full pack of fifty-two cards, but if the number of players does not exceed seven the smaller pack of thirty-two may be used, the game being available for any number of players within the range of the pack, say seven with the thirty-two cards, and twelve with the fifty-two.

The cards count in the usual way, except that in reckoning the number of pips upon them, which is sometimes necessary in the course of play, the ace counts for eleven, and the court cards for ten each. There is no particular suit or trumps recognised in the game, the object of the players being to secure special combinations of the cards, technically termed (a) Tricon, (b) Sequence, (c) Flush, (d) Pair, (e) Point, which range in value in the order given. The holder of the best combination in each [71] round is the winner, and he takes the pool or whatever other stake may have been decided upon.

The five combinations just mentioned consist of the following:—

(a) Tricon.—Three cards of the same denominations as, for example, three aces, three fives, three knaves, etc.

(b) Sequence.—Three following cards of the same suit, as, for instance, ace, two, three; ten, knave, queen; queen, king, ace, etc. Although the ace may be used at either end to form a sequence, it must not be so used between a king and a two. King, ace, two, is not, therefore, permissible as a sequence.

(c) Flush.—Three cards of the same suit, irrespective of value.

(d) Pair.—Two cards of the same denomination, the third one being different.

(e) Point.—The total number of pips on the three cards, ace reckoning for eleven, and either of the court cards for ten.

In case of a tie between two or more of the players in any round, the following rules are observed:—

(a) With Tricons, the highest wins, aces being first in this respect; then kings, queens, etc., down to twos.

(b) With Sequences, the highest wins; the ace, king, queen sequence reckoning as the best, and the three, two, ace sequence as the lowest.

(c) With Flushes, the one making the best “point”—­as already described—­wins.

(d) With Pairs, the highest wins. Iftwo players are alike, then the holder of the highest third card has the preference.

(e) With Point a tie is very rare; but if equality does [72] occur, then the holder of the first highest card different from the opponent’s wins.

The deal is an advantage, and on that account it is best, when a finish is desired, to conclude the game just before the first dealer’s turn comes round again, as then all the players will have had an equal number of deals. Should it be found necessary, however, to conclude before the original dealer’s turn, play may be discontinued after the completion of any deal, although such a course is somewhat unfair to the intervening players.

There is only one stake recognised in the game, so that it is simply necessary to decide what shall be regarded as the value of a counter, or what coin shall constitute the limit.

The amount of the stake having been settled, the dealer is decided upon in the same manner as described in connection with the game of “Nap” (see page 9). Each of the players then pays the amount of the stake into the pool, the dealer also contributing on account of his deal, so that he has to pay double.

The pack having been shuffled by the dealer, and cut by the player on his right-hand side, three cards are distributed to each player, face downwards and unexposed. The cards may be dealt either singly or all three at a time, at the option of the dealer. The players having looked at their cards, the dealer first addresses the one on his left-hand side, and asks if he will trade; and he must either do so or stand on the cards dealt him.

If he decides to stand on the cards he has received, he turns his hand face upwards on the table, and all the other players do the same, when the holder of the best hand takes the amount in the pool, and also receives the amount of a stake from the dealer, who is thus penalised for the [73] advantage that accrues to him from selling cards to those who wish to trade for ready money, the amount he receives on that account becoming his own property, subject to the payment mentioned. Should the player who declares to stand be beaten by any of the others, he has to pay an additional stake to the holders of the better hands.

If the player decides to trade, he may either do so for “ready money” or by “barter.” Iffor ready money, he continues operations with the dealer; if by barter, with the next player in order round the table, who, in turn, must exchange a card, unless he has a hand sufficiently strong to stand upon, in which case he at once declares it.

If the player trades for ready money, he throws out a card from his hand, pays a stake to the dealer, and receives the top card from the pack; his rejected card being placed at the bottom of the pack without being exposed.

If the player decides to barter, he turns to the player on his left-hand side and offers a card, which must be exchanged for one of those in the next player’s hand, unless that player considers his cards sufficiently strong to stand upon, in which case the winner is decided by the method just described.

If the player has traded, either for ready money or barter, and has secured a hand strong enough, he at once stands, and exposes his cards; if not, the dealer passes or to the next player, and acts in a similar manner, going round and round the table until one of the players decides to stand, when the hands are exposed and the round settled.

A player may only purchase or exchange one card at each turn; he must not do both, but he is compelled to do the one or the other, unless he decides to stand. When once a player agrees to stand, the commerce on that round ceases, and all the hands must be exposed. [74]

The older mode of playing the game of Commerce differs materially from the description given above, and as it does not present such chances, but is of a more limited character, it is not so interesting, nor does it afford so much scope for speculation and excitement.

The deal is decided and the cards are distributed in the same way as in the more modern game, but here an additional hand, of three cards, is dealt, and placed face upwards in the middle of the table. There is no trading with the dealer or any of the players, the operations of commerce being confined to the three cards exposed on the table. The player to the left of the dealer has the first turn, and he must either stand, pass, or exchange a card. Inthe latter case he takes one of those lying face upwards on the table, adds it to his hand, and places one of his own cards, face upwards, in place of the one removed. Ifthe player passes, he says, “Ipass,” and is then debarred from afterwards exchanging any of his cards during that hand; while if he decides to stand, the next player decides what he will do, and so on round the table, until two of the players are satisfied with their hands, or all have declared to pass. Iftwo of the players stand then each of the other players may make one more exchange (if they have not previously passed), and then the whole of the hands are exposed, just as described in connection with the modern game. There is no pool in this variation, the winner receiving instead the amount of the stake from each of the other players. Incase of absolute equality between the two best hands, which may be regarded as an almost impossible event, then each of the winners receives a stake from all the other players. [75]

This is a variation of the old method of conducting the game, and is played on somewhat similar lines, except that a pool is made up, by each player paying in an equal sum, for which he receives three counters. Play then proceeds in the manner just described as the old game. The winner of the hand, instead of receiving a stake from each of the players, takes a previously arranged sum from the pool, while the player who has the worst hand puts one counter into the pool. The game continues until all but one of the players have exhausted their three counters, when the player who remains with the last counter or counters takes the amount left in the pool. Assoon as a player has exhausted his counters he has to stand out of the game, and no cards are dealt to him, so that the adoption of this variation makes the game very tedious for those who are first out, as they may have to wait a considerable time before the stock of the other players is exhausted.

The player who is first out has the option of buying one counter from the pool, which is termed “buying a horse.” Hehas to pay for the same into the pool such sum as may be agreed upon—­usually one-third or one-half the amount of the original stake.

It may be agreed that only the Tricon, Sequence, Flush, and Point shall be recognised in the game, or even Tricon, Sequence, and Point only; but the greater the number of combinations permissible the greater the enjoyment to be derived from the game, so that limitations of this character have little to recommend them. [76]

It is sometimes agreed that when the dealer holds a Tricon, Sequence, Flush, or Pair, and his hand is beaten by either of the others, he has to pay the amount of a stake to each player, or only to those who have better hands than his. The former course will be found to be a severe tax on the dealer, and is not to be recommended. The dealer only has the same chances as the others, and such a penalty seems unjust.

This is only applicable to the modern mode of playing the game, which in this variation is extended until all the players are satisfied, that is, they may keep on trading, either for ready money or by barter, until they all receive cards sufficiently good to stand upon. The great objection to this variation is that it makes the game wearisome for those players who are soon enabled to stand, as they have to wait while the others are being satisfied.

Another method of playing the modern game is to allow the same dealer to remain in until one of the players secures a Tricon, Sequence, or Flush, when the deal passes to the next player, on the left-hand side. This variation is based on the same principle as governs the game of Vingt-un. [77]

---