Vingt-un, or twenty-one, is another game we find described in books published at the commencement of the present century. Its name would seem to imply that it is of French origin; but in reference to this, as well as in regard to the date of its introduction into the country, we have no definite details. The manner of playing it at the present time is very little different from that practised at the earlier date mentioned, although modifications have been introduced in some minor points, and the tendency is to make yet further departures from the methods adopted in years goneby.

The game is well suited for a large number of players, and may also be engaged in by smaller parties; its practice, with even only two competing, being both interesting and exciting. Itis purely a game of chance, and little or no skill is required in playing it, although a little judgment may often prove of advantage to the player who exercisesit.

Vingt-un is played with an ordinary pack of fifty-two cards, which count in accordance with the number of pips on each, the ace reckoning as either one or eleven, at the option of the player, and each of the court cards counting ten. Nodistinction is made during any part of the game in the various suits, each of the four sorts being of equal value in counting the points.

A player may retire after the completion of any hand, [60] and the game itself may be concluded at the same period, although it is desirable to arrive at some understanding, previous to the commencement of play, as to the method to be adopted in closing it, as, from the fact of the deal being an advantage, it is unfair to conclude until each of those engaged has had a turn, or equal number of turns, as dealer. This is assuming that the deal goes round in rotation, which is the arrangement now generally adopted, in lieu of the old-fashioned method of transferring the privilege to the player throwing the dealer out by the declaration of a “natural” Vingt-un, as explained later on. Itmust be understood, however, that with several players engaged it may take a considerable time for the deal to pass round, unless it be further agreed that each player shall hold the deal for a limited period, another modification, and one possessing many advantages over the old system, which was, in reality, a mere question of chance, and often resulted in the privilege of dealing being very unevenly divided among those engaged in play.

As already mentioned, the deal is an advantage, and the earliest consideration should be to decide who is first to enjoy the privilege, and for how long. Bythe old system one player retained the deal until put out by one of the others receiving a natural Vingt-un, that is, an ace (counting as 11) and a 10, or court card (counting as 10), and, as a consequence, the deal often remained for a considerable period with the same person, to the disadvantage of all the others engaged in the game; and even when a change was made, it was not in any definite order, but by mere chance, governed by the fall of the cards.

Modern innovations in the method of playing the game have tended to remove these objections,—­firstly, by arranging that the deal shall pass in regular order from left to right; [61] and secondly, by placing a limit on the number of rounds to be dealt by each player in turn. Although the latter of these changes is not yet generally adopted, the former is almost universal; and we shall now proceed to explain the game on that basis, ignoring the second point, for the time being, as, although its adoption may make matters more equal, it has, perhaps, the disadvantage of depriving the game of one of its main elements of chance, and, in the opinion of many, thereby robs it of much of its attractiveness.

The limits of the stakes are first determined, and then the dealer is decided upon. The minimum is usually one coin or counter, and the maximum whatever may be agreed upon. The maximum is understood to mean the highest amount that may be staked by a player on his card, and not the maximum that may be lost or won over any hand, for, by the rules of the game, the dealer is allowed to double the stakes, even if a player has staked the maximum. Ifafter that any one secures a Vingt-un, i.e twenty-one points, that again doubles the stakes, and thus it is quite possible for a player to win or lose four times the amount of the maximum over one hand.

The object of the players is to secure from their cards—­the pips on which count as already mentioned—­twenty-one points, or as near that number as possible; hence the title. During the progress of the game the dealer pays those players who secure better hands than his own, and receives from all who over-draw, or whose points are lower or equal to his, the only exception being in the case of a tie with a natural Vingt-un, when neither the holder nor the dealer pays anything to the other, the tie in such a case [62] simply nullifying matters between the two. Ifthe dealer over-draws, he only pays to those who are standing in, and does not return anything to those players who have paid him on their over-drawing; and herein lies the main advantage of the deal, for, as will be found in practice, the majority of hands are decided by over-drawing, which must necessarily be to the benefit of the dealer.

The dealer having been decided upon, takes the pack of cards and shuffles them, after which he has the pack cut by the player on his right-hand side, and then proceeds to distribute one card, face downwards and unexposed, to each player, dealing in regular order from left to right.

Each player, in turn, looks at his card, and stakes on it whatever amount he chooses—­which he usually does by placing coins or counters in front of him. Indeciding on the amount of his stake, a player is guided by the chance he considers the card gives him of ultimately making twenty-one, or a near approach thereto. When it comes round to the dealer’s turn, he also looks at his card, but does not stake anything upon it; he may, however, if he considers his card a good one, double the stakes of the other players, which he does by calling “double.” Inthat case the individual players add the “double” to their stake, and the amounts being thus settled all round, the dealer gives a second card to each player, in the same order as the first, and also unexposed. The dealer then looks at his own two cards, and if he should have received a natural Vingt-un, he at once declares it; throws the two cards, face upwards, on the table, and collects the stakes from the other players, the amount in this case being double from each, as the result of the Vingt-un; so that, if the dealer had previously doubled, as he probably would have done when he found his first card was an ace or a 10 (or court card), [63] he would collect four times the amount staked by each o the players on their original card. The only exception to this is in the case of a player who, like the dealer, has received a natural Vingt-un—­in that case neither pays to the other, as previously mentioned.

If either of the players other than the dealer should receive a natural Vingt-un, he should at once declare it, and claim double the amount of his stake, or of the double, if that was called, from the dealer, who is thereupon deprived of his privilege of dealing, the right of continuing the deal passing to the player on his left-hand side.—­It is often agreed that a natural shall not throw out the dealer, and in some cases the holder of a natural receives a stake from each of the other players. (See Variations in regard to the two points.)

If the dealer has not secured a natural Vingt-un, he turns to the player on his left, and, if that player desires it, he gives him—­face upwards, and from off the top of the remainder of the pack—­a third, fourth, or fifth card; in fact, as many more as may be required by the player, until he considers it safe to stand, or has over-drawn, i.e., got beyond the 21 points. For instance, suppose a player receives at first a 4, and then a 9, making 13; he asks for a third card, and may receive a 7, making his total 20, on which he would stand. Had his third card been a 9, it would have been an over-draw, and the player would have had to pay the dealer the amount he staked, or the double, if the dealer had doubled. Atthe same time he would throw up his cards, or hand them to the player on the dealer’s right, who is termed the pone, and whose duty it is to collect the cards as they are played and keep them in readiness for the dealer when he requires a further supply. Aplayer when throwing up his cards must not expose the two first dealt [64] to him, neither may the pone or either of the other players look at them.

Having settled with the player on his left, the dealer goes to the next in order, and treats him in a similar manner, and so on, until he has gone the round of the table. Hethen turns up his own two cards in front of him, and in view of the company, and decides, as the others have done, as to whether he will stand on the two he has, or take a further card or cards. Ifhe decides to stand on the two he already has, he calls on those players who have not over-drawn to declare their hands, and each in turn does so, the dealer receiving the stakes when his points are higher or are equal to those of the other players, and paying when his points are lower than theirs. Ifhe elects to take a third card, he deals it from the top of the pack; and if the third card does not satisfy him, he may take more; when satisfied, he challenges the others, as just explained. If,however, he over-draws, he pays to all who are standing, but not to those who have previously over-drawn and thrownup.

If the dealer should succeed in securing such cards (other than an ace and 10) as to make exactly 21 points—­a “drawn” Vingt-un—­he receives double stakes from each of the players, excepting those who have also drawn a Vingt-un, who only pay the amount staked; and those who have previously over-drawn and thrown up, who do not have to pay anything further. Ifa player has a drawn Vingt-un and the dealer has not, or the dealer has over-drawn, then the dealer has to pay the holder of the Vingt-un double the amount of his stake, or of the double if that has been called.

Should any of the players receive for the first cards two of the same denomination,—­for instance, two aces, two twos, two kings, two queens, etc.,—­he has the option of staking a [65] separate amount on each of them, but it is not compulsory that he should do so. Ifhe decides to divide his pair, he puts on the second card a separate stake, the amount of which need not be similar to that of his original one, and then asks the dealer for two other cards with which to complete the two hands he then possesses. Ifeither of these later cards should be of the same denomination as the first two, the player may also stand independently on that card, in which case he would, of course, have three hands, with a separate stake on each. The same opportunity would occur if he received all four of the kind—­he could then play on four independent hands. This division of cards is equally available for the dealer, or all or any of the other players, so that two or more may have duplicate hands in the same round, provided they receive similar cards at the outset, for it is only when the original pairs occur in the first two cards that it is permissible to divide them; that is to say, if the third card received by any player matches either of those already in the hand, no division is allowable.

At this game the pack of cards is not re-united after each round; the dealer works with the one pack until he gets to the last card, and the pone collects the used cards as they are disposed of by the players. When the dealer comes to the last card of the pack, he does not deal it or otherwise use it as he has done with the others, but hands it, unexposed, to the pone, who adds it to those already in his care, shuffles them, and hands them to the dealer, who proceeds with the game as before.

The same procedure is repeated until one of the players secures a natural Vingt-un, which, unless the dealer also holds a natural that hand, puts the dealer out, and the deal passes, either to the next player, or to the holder of the natural, as may have been decided upon. Itis, however, [66] best to adopt the former system, for the reason already given, and in that case it is often considered desirable to have a pool, which is secured by the player declaring the natural. (See Variations.)

There is one exception to the power of a natural Vingt-un to put the dealer out—­namely, when it occurs in the first hand of the deal; then the dealer disregards it, except that he has to pay to the holder as for a drawn Vingt-un, and proceeds with his deal until a second natural occurs.

We will now amplify, as far as is necessary, the points already touched upon, and introduce the Variations recognised in connection with the game.

The first dealer is settled by one of the company distributing the cards in the same manner as explained in connection with “Nap” (see page 9), except that in the case of Vingt-un the player to whom the first ace is dealt becomes the dealer. Heproceeds with the game as explained on page61.

If, in preparing the pack for the dealer, any confusion occurs, or any card or cards are exposed, the whole pack must be re-shuffled and cut again. Iftwo cards are dealt to one player, the error may be rectified if discovered before a third card is dealt; but if a third card has been dealt, then the player receiving the surplus card must look at his hand, and reject which of the two he chooses. Ifthe dealer gives himself two cards at one time, and the mistake is not discovered until another card has been dealt, then the pone must take one of the cards, at random, and add it to the used portion of the pack.

A card exposed in dealing may be kept or rejected at the [67] option of the player; but if the dealer exposes one of his own cards, he must retainit.

The whole of the hands having been dealt—that is, two cards given to each player, and also to cases of divided pairs, the drawing of further cards commences. The dealer begins with the player on his left-hand side, and he, if he does not require any more cards, says “content.” Ifhe does require more, he says “yes,” or, “a card,” when the dealer delivers one from the top of the undealt portion of the pack, placing it face upwards on the table in front of the player. Ifanother card or cards is needed, it must be given in like manner, until the player is content or has over-drawn. The dealer must settle with one player before he attends to the next, and similarly, when a player is standing on divided pairs, he must settle with one hand before attending to the other.

If the dealer gives a player two cards while the process of drawing is going on, the player may keep either or both of them; but if he rejects one, he must be regarded as content, and cannot draw another card. The one rejected is added to the stock in the hands of the pone. Ifthe dealer in drawing gives himself two cards, he must keep them both, and suffer the consequences of an over-draw if then his points exceed21.

If the dealer distributes the draw cards out of order, the player or players missed may either be supplied at any time from the top of the pack, or they may throw up their cards.

If a player draws separately on his two cards, when they do not pair, he has to pay the dealer on each hand, and forfeits any amount he may have won. [68]

In any of these cases of irregularity, the offender pays a penalty to the pool, if there be one.

A pool may be formed for any purpose that may be decided upon, and may be made up according to arrangement. For this purpose, it may be agreed (a) that each player contribute a coin or counter to the pool at the commencement of each deal; (b) that whenever the dealer over-draws, he pay a penalty to the pool; (c) that whenever the dealer receives on ties, he pay a proportion to the pool, say one-fourth or one-third of his receipts. Other methods of increasing the pool will present themselves in actual play, those here inserted being intended as specimens of what may be done, or to form a basis on which to work.

In the game we have described we have adopted the principle that the declaration of a natural Vingt-un throws the dealer out; but another method is to limit the deal to a certain number of hands, or to allow the dealer to go through the pack twice, or to have two packs of cards shuffled together, and go through them once. Inthese cases the dealer is allowed to draw from the used pack as many cards as may be necessary to complete a round started upon with his limited supply, and the cards are prepared by the pone for the purpose, being all collected, shuffled, and cut before they are used by the dealer.

Should a player object to take his turn at dealing, or desire to part with it for other reason, he is at liberty to sell the right to any other player; and in view of the fact that [69] the deal is an advantage, a purchaser will generally be found. The buyer has to deal the cards, but does not change his seat. Hehas to commence each time with the player on the left-hand side of the proper dealer, and when the buyer loses his turn, the deal reverts to the player who would have had the next turn had there been no sale. The buyer takes his turn with the others in the ordinary course.

It is sometimes agreed that the holder of a natural Vingt-un, providing the dealer has not also received a natural, shall be entitled to an amount equal to, or double that of his own stake from each of the other players, unless there be other Vingt-uns, the holders of which are exempted from payment. This is the old fashioned method of playing the game, and in many quarters the rule had been abolished, because, as the deal formerly passed to the holder of the natural Vingt-un, who threw the dealer out, that was considered sufficient reward for holding the two cards. Now, however, that the deal merely passes to the next in order, it is desirable that some further reward should follow from the best possible hand, and the payment of a stake or a double from each player appears to be the fairest method, especially as the declaration of a natural brings the deal nearer to all. The same result may be achieved by agreeing that the contents of a pool, for which provision has already been made, shall go to the player declaring the natural. [70]

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