For the game of Pope, or Pope Joan, a special board, or a pool with eight compartments, is required, or the divisions may be marked on a sheet of paper or card. The game is available for any number of players, and an ordinary pack of fifty-two cards is used, the eight of diamonds being taken out, so as to form what is termed a stop, that is, a break in the sequence of the cards, which are here reckoned in regular order from ace to king, the four suits being kept distinct throughout the play. The seven of diamonds thus becomes a stop, and the king of each Suit is also a stop, there being no “following” card in either case. The turn-up or trump card, as will be further explained later on, forms another stop, and thus there are six regular known stops at the commencement of each game, with a number of unknown ones caused by the cards in the spare hand which forms part of the game.

The object of the players is to dispose of their cards as rapidly as possible, under certain conditions, and the player who first succeeds in clearing his hand wins the stake set apart for game, as well as a contribution from the other players for each of the cards remaining in their hands. The holders of certain other cards secure the stakes contributed for them if they play them out during the progress of the hands. [81]

The earliest matter for consideration is to determine who shall be the first dealer, and that is settled in the same way as at “Nap” (see page 9). The players then contribute between them fifteen (or more) counters or coins to form a pool, the dealer giving double the amount paid by the other players. The counters or coins are then distributed so as to dress the eight divisions of the board, which are named as follows:—­ Pope Joan (the nine of diamonds), Matrimony (king and queen of trumps), Intrigue (queen and knave of trumps), Ace, King, Queen, Knave (of trumps), and Game, which latter is secured by the player who first succeeds in disposing of all the cards dealt him. Six of the counters are placed for Pope Joan, two each for Matrimony and Intrigue, one each for Ace, King, Queen, and Knave, and the remainder for Game. To save the trouble and time of collecting the stakes from the several players for each round, it is often agreed that the dealer for the time being shall dress the board, in which case it is necessary that the game should be finished just before the original dealer’s turn comes round again, else the payments to the pool will not have been equitably divided.

The stakes being completed, the pack, from which the eight of diamonds has been removed, is shuffled and cut. The dealer then proceeds to distribute the cards, one at a time, as equally among the players as possible, dealing a spare hand, which is left unexposed on the table, for the purpose of forming further stops, and turning up the last card for trump. Ifany odd cards remain after dealing round to the players, it is best to add the surplus to the spare hand. For instance, with five players there will be eight cards for each hand, one to turn up, and two remaining; these two should be added to the spare hand. With eight players there will be five each, and five remaining; so [82] that the spare hand will be increased to ten, but that will only cause a greater number of stops, which will not prove any disadvantage with so many players engaged.

Should the trump card prove to be the nine of diamonds—­Pope Joan,—­the dealer takes the amount staked for that card, and, in addition, receives from each player a stake for every card dealt. Ifthere are but few players engaged in the game, it is best to agree that the payment for Pope Joan shall be limited to either four or six counters or coins, and it may be best to do so, no matter what number of players are engaged. Ifthe card turned up for trump be either Ace, King, Queen or Knave, the dealer takes whatever stake is deposited on the hoard in the corresponding division, and the game proceeds, as is also the case if any lower card is turnedup.

During the progress of the game, the holder of Pope Joan, Matrimony, Intrigue, or Ace, King, Queen, or Knave of trumps can, if he has the opportunity, play those cards, in which event he takes the amount of the stake on the corresponding part of the board, and, in the case of Pope Joan, he receives a stake from every player for each card remaining in hand. Neither of these combinations or cards wins anything, however, if not played out during the progress of the game, and they can only be declared in the ordinary course of play. For this reason Pope Joan or ace of trumps should be led on the first opportunity, as neither of them can be played up to, each following a stop. When any or all of the special cards are not played out, the stake on their particular division of the board is left for the next deal, so that it may happen that either of the compartments except Game, which is won every deal, may be considerably increased before it is secured by one of the players. For this reason it is desirable to study the state [83] of the board, so as to see if the stake on any particular card in hand is sufficient to warrant its being played at an early stage, even though lower cards of the same suit are in hand, which would, in the ordinary course, be cleared off first.

It is sometimes agreed that when Intrigue or Matrimony is played by different hands, the amount staked on those chances shall be divided between the two-players concerned, and in each case the player of knave, queen, or king takes the stake on those chances in addition.

Play in the game is commenced by the elder hand, that is, the player on the left-hand side of the dealer, leading a card, to which the other players have to follow on in the same suit and in sequence, passing where they are unable to follow, until a stop occurs, when the competitor who plays the stop has the next lead. The played cards are turned over, face downwards on the table, after each stop. It must be remembered that the object of the players is to dispose of their cards as soon as possible, and on that account the known stops should be played out at the first opportunity, or led up to as early as possible.

To better explain the method of play, we will take an imaginary hand. Wewill suppose there are five players, and that the one on the dealer’s left-hand side receives

5 and 7 of diamonds, 4 and knave of hearts, knave and king of spades, ace and queen of clubs.

The turn-up card proves to be the 7 of hearts. The player thus knows he has two stops among his eight cards, viz., the of diamonds and king of spades; but in each case he has lower cards of the same suit, and he must therefore consider how best to clear them off. The king of spades being a stop, and the player having the knave and king of that suit, [84] he cannot do wrong in leading the knave, as, if the queen is played he follows on with the king, and if by chance the queen should be in the spare hand, he still gets rid of the king, having to follow on, after his knave having proved a stop. The same argument holds good in the case of the diamonds, of which he first leads the five and clears the suit. The ace of clubs must next be played, as unless he leads that himself there is no possibility of his being able to play it, as no card can lead up to an ace. Hetherefore plays the club ace for his fifth card, the two and three follow on from different hands, and then a stop occurs, so that it is assumed the four is in the spare hand, and thus the three is a stop. The player of the three has, among his other cards, the queen and king of hearts, plays them (taking the stake on Matrimony, as hearts are trumps), and follows on with the seven of spades, of which he also holds the ten, which, as knave, queen, and king have been played, he knows to be a stop. By playing off queen and king of hearts, this player made the knave of hearts in the first hand a stop. Later on the game leads up to the queen of clubs, which also proves to be a stop, the king being in the spare hand, and the original leader is left with the lead with only two cards in hand, of which one is known to be a stop. Hetherefore first plays this knave of hearts, following on with his four, clearing his hand and winning the game. Hetakes the stake on Game from the board, and receives one counter from the other players for each card remaining in their hand, the only exception in such cases being in favour of the holder of Pope Joan, who is exempt if he has not played that card, but who has to pay as the rest if he has playedit. [85]

The most popular variation from the foregoing game is for the winner, i.e. the one who first plays out his cards, to only take the stake for Game from the board, the players paying to the pool the penalty for their unplayed card or cards, and distributing them on whichever chance they prefer, except that all the eight must be covered. In such a case the regular dressing of the board by the players at the commencement of each deal as previously described is omitted, the dealer alone paying a single stake, which he may also place where he chooses.

The board or pool may be made with five divisions only, in which case Pope Joan, Matrimony, Intrigue, Ace, and Game are retained, King, Queen, and Knave being omitted. In other respects the game is conducted on the ordinary lines, except that twelve coins or counters are sufficient to dress the board.

In this variation, when Pope Joan is turned up the dealer at once wins the game, and takes the stake standing to Game on the board, in addition to that on Pope and the payment from each of the players already referred to. This is by no means a desirable innovation, and simply causes extra trouble for dealing, etc., with little or no recompense.

In lieu of the spare hand being dealt, with the object of making extra stops, it may be arranged that a definite [86] number of cards be taken from the pack, either from the top or the bottom, for the purpose, or the remainder, after dealing the cards round as far as possible equally among the players, may be so set apart. The best way, however, is to deal a spare hand with the others, as then the number of stops bears an equitable proportion to the number of players engaged in the game.

Among amateurs and inexperienced players it is sometimes agreed that the dealer shall look at the spare hand, so as to see what cards are stops; but after a few rounds have been played, the absurdity of this rule will be manifest. Itgives so much advantage to the dealer, who can play cards which he alone knows to be stops, that in such a case he ought to stand out, no cards being dealt him that round. Itis an altogether objectionable variation, and not at all a necessary one.

Pope Joan is sometimes allowed to be played at any time in lieu of a stop, thus: suppose a player has Pope and (say) knave of spades. In the course of the game the nine of spades is played, and proves to be a stop. The holder of Pope may play it in lieu of the ten of spades, and then continue with his knave of that suit, first taking his winnings on Pope. [87]