  There is no knowing exactly when card-playing first made its appearance, or who introduced it. Long before Whist, Cribbage, or Piquet was heard of the natives of India and China amused themselves for many a long hour in card-playing. Though probably they did not restrict themselves to any particular rule or method, still, the enjoyment they derived from the game was, doubtless, quite equal to any that we have now. The old tale, that has so often been repeated, that Whist was invented purposely to entertain, during his moments of sanity, an English sovereign who had lost his reason, may or may not be true. All we really know is, that for more than two hundred years our grandmothers and grandfathers have spent many a happy hour at the card-table, sipping their toddy and playing their rubbers in really good earnest. As far as we are concerned, the toddy sipping may be with safety dispensed with, but not the earnestness; for with cards, almost more than any other amusement, it is utterly useless to play in a half-hearted sort of manner. Everything, for the time, must be forgotten but the game, and into that the whole energy must be thrown. As all good players know, triflers are to be dreaded far more than inexperienced players. The latter, by practice, strict attention, the exercise of judgment, observation, and memory may soon become skilful players, while the former will never willingly be chosen as partners by good Whist players. It is said that good old Sir Roger de Coverley sent a messenger round every Christmas time with a pack of cards to all the cottagers on his estate, and if accompanied, as no doubt they were, with something useful and substantial, nothing could have been much more acceptable. LONG WHIST.Among all card games Whist is unequalled, and although no more than four players can join in one game, a whole roomful of people may easily play at the same time by simply dividing themselves into so many quartettes, a pack of cards being provided for each set of players. For Long Whist four players are required, and a complete pack of fifty-two cards. The first step is for each player to draw a card from the pack, the two highest and the two lowest being partners, each player taking his seat opposite his partner. The cards are then shuffled by the "elder hand," who is the player to the left of the dealer, the post of dealer being allotted to the drawer of the lowest card; after which they are cut by the "younger hand," who is the player to the right of the dealer. Beginning with his left-hand neighbour, the whole pack is then dealt out to the players one by one, faces downward, until the last one is arrived at, which, though the property of the dealer, is turned up, displaying the trump suit. If dealt properly, every player will hold in his hand thirteen cards, which he is now at liberty to look at and arrange in order, the owner of each hand being in honour bound not to look at any cards but his own. The object of the game is for each player to either make himself, or assist his partner in making, as many tricks as possible, so that they together may gain ten points, that number being game in Long Whist. The player to the left of the dealer first leads a card which his left hand opponent follows with a card of the same suit; the next player does the same, Should any one not be able to follow suit, he may either play a card from another suit, or give one of the trump suit, and may possibly, by adopting the latter method, secure the trick for himself and his partner from the hands of their adversaries. The winner of the trick is entitled to the next lead, the others following him as they did the former leader, and thus the game goes on until the full thirteen tricks are made. The points gained by each side are then noted down, either on a cribbage board or entrusted to the memory of the players, after which another shuffling takes place, and the cards are again distributed, the game thus proceeding until one of the couples has obtained ten tricks, when the game is won. Another way of scoring points, and one which greatly facilitates business, is that of counting the honours. The four court cards of the trump suit are called honours, and should any one be fortunate enough to have these four cards dealt to him in one hand, or if he and his partner have the cards between them, they can score four to their game. Three honours count for two; but should the honours be equally distributed—that is, should one set of partners have only two court cards between them—the other two cards of the same kind must necessarily be in the hands of their opponents, in which case the honours are said to be divided, and neither side reaps any advantage from them. Each set of partners must win six tricks, constituting "a book," before they may score any to the game. It is possible, therefore, for a couple of players to gain ten or eleven points during one round, though such luck very rarely occurs. It is a much more common occurrence for five or six deals to be made before the winning of a game. Although in playing Whist the beginner need know nothing more than the ordinary rules of the game to enable him to take a part, nothing but practice will make him a skilful player. It is only by experience he will learn how necessary it is for him to rigidly adhere to the rules of the game. Whist, like Chess, must be played properly, or not at all. It is, therefore, important that all who wish to be good Whist players should at once make themselves thoroughly acquainted with the rules of the game, and also learn what mistakes to avoid. The following are technical terms used in Whist:— Ace.—Highest in play, lowest in cutting. Blue Peter.—A signal for trumps allowable in modern play. This term is used when a high card is unnecessarily played in place of one of lower denomination—as a ten for a seven, a five for a deuce, &c. Bumper.—Two games won in succession before adversaries have won one; that is a rubber of full points. Five at Short Whist, ten at Long. Cut.—Lifting the cards when the uppermost portion (not fewer than three), is placed below the rest. The pack is then ready for the dealer. Cutting in.—Deciding the deal by each player taking up not fewer than three cards, and the two highest and two lowest become partners. In case of ties, the cards must be cut again. Cutting out.—In case of other person or persons wishing to play, the cut is adopted as before, when the highest (or lowest, as may be agreed on), stands out of the game, and does not play. Call, The.—The privilege of the player at eight points asking his partner if he holds an honour. "Have you one?" The partners having eight points are said to have the call. When each side stands at eight, the first player has the privilege. No player can call until it is his turn to play. Deal.—The proper distribution of the cards from left to right, face downwards. Deal, Fresh.—A fresh or new deal, rendered necessary by any violation of the laws, or by any accident to the cards or players. Double.—Ten points scored at Long Whist before adversaries have obtained five; or in Short Whist, five before three. Elder Hand.—The player to the left of the dealer. Faced Card.—A card improperly shown in process of dealing. It is in the power of adversaries, in such cases, to demand a new deal. Finessing.—A term used when a player endeavours to conceal his strength, as when having the best and third best (ace and queen) he plays the latter, and risks his adversary holding the second best (the king). If he succeed in winning with his queen, he gains a clear trick, because if his adversary throws away on the queen, the ace is certain of making a trick. The term finessing may be literally explained by saying a player chances an inferior card to win a trick with while he holds the king card in his hand. Forcing.—This term is employed when the player obliges his adversary or partner to play his trump or pass the trick. As, for instance, when the player holds the last two cards in a suit and plays one of them. Hand.—The thirteen cards dealt to each player. Honours.—Ace, king, queen, and knave of trumps, reckoned in the order here given. Jack.—The knave of any suit. King Card.—The highest unplayed card in any suit; the leading or winning card. Lead, The.—The first player's card, or the card next played by the winner of the last trick. Long Trumps.—The last trump card in hand, one or more, when the rest are all played. It is important to retain a trump in an otherwise weak hand. Loose Card.—A card of no value, which may be thrown away on any trick won by your partner or adversary. Longs.—Long Whist, as opposed to Short. Lurch.—The players who make the double points are said to have lurched their adversaries. Love.—No points to score. Nothing. Marking the game.—Marking the score apparent with coins, &c., or with a whist-marker. Mis-deal.—A mis-deal is made by giving a card too many or too few to any player, in which case the deal passes to the next hand. Nine Holes.—The side when the score, at a fresh deal, stands at 9, must win, if at all, by points only; the honours do not count. No Game.—A game at which the players make no score. Opposition.—Side against side. Points.—The score obtained by tricks and honours. The wagering or winning periods of the game. Quarte.—Four cards in sequence. Quarte Major.—A sequence of ace, king, queen, and knave. Quint.—Five successive cards in a suit; a sequence of five—as king, queen, knave, ten, and nine. Rags.—Cards of no value, as the small numbers. Renounce.—Possessing no card of the suit led, and playing another which is not a trump. Revoke.—Playing a card different from the suit led, though the player can follow suit. The penalty for the error, whether made purposely or by accident, is the forfeiture of three tricks. When a Revoke is made the penalty should invariably be enforced. Rubber.—The best of three games, that is, two out of three. Ruffing.—Another term for trumping a suit other than trumps. Sequence.—Cards following in their natural order—as ace, king, queen; two, three, four, &c. There may, therefore, be a sequence of four, five, six, and so on. Single.—Scoring at Long Whist ten tricks before your adversaries have scored five. See-Saw.—When each partner trumps a suit. For instance, A holds no diamonds, and B no hearts. When A plays hearts, B trumps and returns a diamond, which A trumps and returns a heart, and so on. Score.—The points gained in a game or rubber. Slam.—Winning every trick in a round. Shorts.—Short Whist as opposed to Long. Tenace.—Holding the best and third best of any suit led when last player. Holding tenace; as king and ten of clubs. When your adversary leads that suit, you win two tricks perforce. (Tenace minor means the second and fourth best of any suit). Treble.—Scoring five (at Short Whist) before your adversaries have marked one. Tierce.—A sequence of three cards in any suit. Tierce Major.—Ace, king, and queen of any suit held in one hand. Trick.—The four cards played, including the lead. Trump.—The last card in the deal; the turn-up. Trumps.—Cards of the same suit as the turn-up. Ties.—Cards of like denomination—as two kings, queens, &c. Cards of the same number of pips. Trumping Suit.—Playing a trump to any other suit led. Underplay.—Playing to mislead your adversaries; as by leading a small card though you hold the king card of the suit. Younger Hand.—The player to the right of the dealer. The following rules have frequently proved very valuable to beginners; we think, therefore, our own young readers who are at all ambitious to excel in Whist may as well have the benefit of them. BOB SHORT'S RULES. FOR FIRST HAND, OR LEAD. 1.—Lead from your strong suit, and be cautious how you change suits, and keep a commanding card to bring it in again. 2.—Lead through the strong suit and up to the weak, but not in trumps, unless very strong in them. 3.—Lead the highest of a sequence; but if you have a quart or quint to a king, lead the lowest. 4.—Lead through an honour, particularly if the game be much against you. 5.—Lead your best trump if the adversaries be eight, and you have no honour, but not if you have four trumps, unless you have a sequence. 6.—Lead a trump if you have four or five or a strong hand, but not if weak. 7.—Having ace, king, and two or three small cards, lead ace and king if weak in trumps, but a small one if strong in them. 8.—If you have the last trump, with some winning cards, and one losing card only, lead the losing card. 9.—Return your partner's lead, not the adversaries', and if you have only three originally, play the best; but you need not return it immediately when you win with the king, queen, or knave, and have only small ones, or when you hold a good sequence, have a strong suit, or have five trumps. 10.—Do not lead from ace queen or ace knave. 11.—Do not lead an ace unless you have a king. 12.—Do not lead a thirteenth card, unless trumps be out. 13.—Do not trump a thirteenth card, unless you be last player or want the lead. 14.—Keep a small card to return your partner's lead. 15.—Be cautious in trumping a card when strong in trumps, particularly if you have a strong suit. 16.—Having only a few small trumps, make them when you can. 17.—If your partner refuses to trump a suit of which he knows you have not the best, lead your best trump. 18.—When you hold all the remaining trumps, play one, and then try to put the lead in your partner's hand. 19.—Remember how many of each suit are out, and what is the best card left in each hand. 20.—Never force your partner if you are weak in trumps, unless you have a renounce or want the odd trick. 21.—When playing for the odd trick, be cautious of trumping out, especially if your partner be likely to trump a suit; make all the tricks you can early, and avoid finessing. 22.—If you take a trick and have a sequence, win with the lowest. FOR SECOND HAND. 23.—With king, queen, and small cards, play a small one when not strong in trumps; but if weak, play the king. With ace, king, queen, or knave only, and a small card, play the small one. FOR THIRD HAND. 24.—With ace and queen, play Her Majesty, and if she wins return the ace. In all other cases the third hand should play his best card when his partner has led a low one. It is a safe rule for third hand to play his highest. FOR ALL THE PLAYERS. 25.—Fail not, when in your power, to make the odd trick. 26.—Attend to the game, and play accordingly. 27.—Hold the turn-up card as long as possible, and so keep your adversaries from a knowledge of your strength. 28.—Retain a high trump as long as you can. 29.—When in doubt, win the trick. 30.—Play the game fairly, keep your temper, and don't talk. Supplied with the above directions, none of our young friends need hesitate to become one of four players at the whist-table, where, no doubt, they will soon distinguish themselves by their skill and dexterity. This, however, will not be the case unless they resolve either to play well or not to play at all; and to do this, they must bear in mind that not only is it necessary to have a thorough knowledge of all the leading rules and principles of the game, but the little details, which are learnt only by degrees, must also receive due attention. For instance, success greatly depends upon knowing when to return a partner's lead, how to secure the odd trick, and also how to finish the game. A very common occurrence is for a well-played game to be spoilt by the last two or three tricks being played badly; and the ending of the game is almost more important than the beginning. An inexperienced player, elated, perhaps, by a little seeming success, which, no doubt, has really been attributable to the good playing of his partner, has often been known to spoil the end of a game by his bad playing. Very slow calculating players are by no means regarded in the light of acquisitions at a card-table; still, as compared with rash, thoughtless players, they are very much the safer partners. Most of the long established laws of Whist, which must be thoroughly mastered and committed to memory by all learners, in order that they may be carried into practice continually, are as follows:— LAWS OF LONG WHIST. THE RUBBER. 1.—The rubber is the best of three games. If the first two games are won by the same players the third game is not played. 2.—A game consists of ten points (five in Short Whist). Each trick above six counts one point. 3.—Honours, i.e., ace, king, queen, and knave of trumps, are thus reckoned:— If a player and his partner, either separately or conjointly, hold— 1st. The four honours, they score four points. 2nd. Three of the honours, they score two points. 3rd. Two honours only, they do not score. (In Short Whist honours do not count.) 4.—Those players who at the commencement of a deal are at the score of nine cannot score honours. 5.—The penalty for a revoke takes precedence of all other scores; tricks score next; honours last. 6.—Honours, unless claimed before the trump card of the following deal is turned up, cannot be scored. 7.—To score honours is not sufficient: they must be called at the end of the hand; if so called, they may be scored at any time during the game. 8.—If an erroneous score be proved, such mistake can be corrected prior to the conclusion of the game in which it occurred, and such game is not concluded until the trump card of the following deal has been turned up. 9.—If an erroneous score, affecting the amount of the rubber, be proved, such mistake can be rectified at any time during the rubber. 10.—In cutting, the ace is the lowest card. 11.—In all cases every one must cut from the same pack. 12.—Should a player expose more than one card, he must cut again. 13.—In cutting for partners, two players cutting cards of equal value, unless such cards are the two highest, cut again; should they be the two lowest, a fresh cut is necessary to decide who shall deal. 14.—Three players cutting cards of equal value cut again. SHUFFLING. 1.—The pack must be shuffled above the table, but not so that the cards can be seen. 2.—The pack must not be shuffled during the play of the hand. 3.—The dealer's partner must collect the cards for the ensuing deal, and has the first right to shuffle that pack. 4.—Each player, after shuffling, must place the cards, properly collected and face downwards, to the left of the player about to deal. 5.—The dealer has always the right to shuffle last; but should a card or cards be seen during his shuffling or any other time, he must re-shuffle. 6.—Each player deals in his turn; the right of dealing goes to the left. 7.—The player on the dealer's right cuts the pack, and in dividing it must not leave fewer than four cards in either packet; if, in cutting, a single card be exposed, or if there be any confusion of the cards, there must be a fresh cut. 8.—When a player whose duty it is to cut has once separated the pack, he must neither re-shuffle nor re-cut the cards. 9.—After the pack is cut, should the dealer shuffle the cards he loses his deal. 10.—If any card, except the last, be faced in the pack, or if the pack prove to be imperfect, there must be a new deal. 11.—A misdeal loses the deal. 12.—The trump card must be left on the table until the first trick has been won. 13:—A revoker must give three tricks to his opponent. 14.—When a revoke has been made the opponents may search all the tricks. 15.—A revoke cannot be claimed after the cards have been cut for the next deal. 16.—Bystanders should be silent. The following general principles will be found to be of very great value:— FIRST HAND. 1.—Lead from your strongest suit. 2.—Lead the highest of a head sequence. 3.—Lead the highest of a numerically weak suit. 4.—Try to avoid changing suits. 5.—In the second round of a suit return the lowest of a four suit, the highest of a three suit. SECOND HAND. 6.—The second hand player in the first round of a suit should generally play the lowest card, and also win with the lowest of a sequence. 7.—If you do not head a trick you should throw away with your lowest card. 8.—Young players often make the mistake of imagining that it does not signify which card they play when they hold only small cards or cards in sequence. 9.—They have still to learn that a reason ought to exist for the playing of every card on the table, and that the winning of a single trick is not all that ought to be taken into consideration; the information afforded to one's partner must also be thought of. THIRD HAND. 10.—Play your highest card third hand. Presuming that your partner, who may lead a small card, plays from his strong suit, meaning to get the winning cards of it out of his way, you therefore play your highest, remembering that you play the lowest of a sequence. 11.—When your partner leads a high card, however, the case is different. You must not put ace on your partner's king, thus parting with ace and king in one trick. 12.—If you think that your partner has led from a weak suit, you may then finesse king, knave, &c., or pass his card altogether, so as not to give up the entire command of the suit; but if you are not sure whether his card is intended to signify strength or weakness, do not finesse. FOURTH HAND. 13.—Less skill is required by the fourth player than any of the others; all he has to do is to try to beat the three cards on the table before him, and thus win the trick, unless, of course, it has already been taken by his partner, who has either played the highest card or trumped. In that case the player should play a low one of the same suit, or if he cannot do that he should discard. When not able to follow suit, you should discard from your weakest suit; indeed, the fact of your discarding originally from any suit is an intimation to your partner that you are weak in that particular suit. Natural discards may be distinguished from such as are forced by taking into consideration the aspect of the game at the time of the discard. If the person discarding has been playing a strong game, or leading trumps, you may be sure that the discard was from a weak suit; while, on the other hand, any one discarding who has not shown strength most likely does it to conceal weakness. The best use that can be made of trumps is a matter that is by no means learnt all at once. The advantage generally acknowledged to be the greatest in the possession of a hand strong in trumps is to draw the adversaries' trumps for the bringing in of your own or your partner's long suit. At the same time, should you be weak in every suit but trumps, you have no alternative but either always leading trumps or leading from a weak suit. As a general rule, it is only right to lead trumps when strong in them, therefore your partner's lead of trumps should be returned immediately. Still, a player, however strong in trumps, should not use them recklessly, but remembering that they are meant to disarm the opponents, should employ them as much as possible for that purpose. Such advice, we ought to remark, is only serviceable among sound players; should you have an inexperienced partner, the best thing to be done is to make as many tricks as you can, and not attempt to play scientifically. When you have played all your trumps, do not choose a suit from which your partner threw away when he was not able to follow your trump lead. Of course he is weak in that suit. If he has thrown away more than one suit, play the suit from which he last threw away. Leading a high card, then a low one from the same suit, indicates weakness, or it may indicate a wish to have trumps led. Trumping second hand at an early stage of the game also indicates weakness. When you and your partner have all the trumps between you, if you wish to throw the lead into his hand play a small one. There are some instances when it is polite to win your adversaries' leads with the highest of a sequence, if you can do it without deceiving your partner; by so doing you make your opponents wonder what has become of the lower honours. Holding ace, ten, and a small one, your partner leading the nine of the suit, pass it; for if he holds an honour you make two tricks, counting your ace for a certain trick. With king, queen, or queen and knave, and another play one of the high cards in all cases when you are second hand. With an average remainder of trumps and good cards, having one certain loser, throw it away at your first opportunity; it may enable your partner to make his second best of the suit. When your partner does not trump a winning card you may be quite sure that he means you to play trumps. Should the queen come from your right in a lead with ace or king, ten or another, pass it; this gives you a ten ace; if your partner have either ace or king, you make three tricks in the suit. Some players, however, think it best to cover the queen. It is bad policy to lead up to queen or knave, the contrary with respect to the ace or king; the same may be said with reference to leading through those several cards. If your partner leads trumps and you have four high trumps, endeavour to make sure of three rounds in that suit; should his lead, however, be a nine, pass it; you will then have the lead after the third round. When the lead comes from your right hand opponent, play your queen, should you hold ace, queen, and ten. Independently of Whist being one of the best in-door games that have ever been introduced, it is certainly the finest exercise of memory that, in this form, we could have. Beginners frequently are quite discouraged by their repeated failures, which arise from no other cause than simply the forgetfulness of the player. No one, however, need be disheartened; a knowledge of the game will create in the player such a love for it that he will be anxious to cultivate any deficiency he may have as regards his memory in order that he may become a proficient Whist player, and thus his character as a whole will, no doubt, be benefited by the exercise, because in Whist one great maxim is that no allowances should be made for forgetfulness. Not beginners only, who have had no confidence in their memory, but many long-established players, have been known, in sorting their cards after the deal, to arrange them in such perfect order that a sharp-sighted adversary with very little difficulty can take a glance at the whole hand. Even Hoyle, in a plan laid out by him as a kind of aid to the memory, recommends that the trumps should be placed to the left of all the other suits, the best or strongest suit next, and the weakest last on the right hand. Instead of that, most people find by experience that the best plan is to take up the cards just as they happen to fall, and hold them in the hand without sorting. A little practice will soon enable the player to select the right card without any previous arrangement. And now, after giving all these rules and instructions with regard to Whist playing, we must not omit to add a few words as to the spirit in which the game should be played. Voltaire says that "in war we ought to do that which the enemy most dreads." So we should also in Whist, remembering, however, that we are trying to conquer, not our enemies, but our friends; therefore, if we win we have cause for congratulating ourselves, if we lose let us be quite as ready to congratulate our opponents. There is, perhaps, no game where the temper may be more tried than in Whist. Knowing this, it would perhaps be better for the irritable and peevish in disposition to keep altogether aloof from the game, simply because they would not only be a source of annoyance to others, but they would derive no pleasure themselves from the pursuit. Patience and forbearance must be exercised. In spite of all that has been said against the practice of card-playing, we none of us can tell how much good has resulted from it. Not only good temper, but many other virtues, may be cultivated at the whist table. Honour and integrity must be maintained; for though cheating and underhand playing have in some cases for a time been successful, they are methods that never, in the long run, have been adopted with satisfaction. Idleness is a quality that must be wholly dispensed with. A player needs to be always on the alert; without casting any sly glances at the cards held in the hands of the others, he may, by his own observation and diligence, know exactly the strength or weakness of each player. "My son," once said a keen, shrewd business man, "don't attempt to play cards unless you have four eyes;" and certainly the player who cannot with his mind's eye see what cards the other players have, as well as those in his own hand, will never be much more than an indifferent player. No silly trifling conversation should be carried on during the game. To play well, nothing should be allowed to divert the interest from the subject in hand. Indeed, we cannot conclude better than quote what Charles Lamb says in one of his Essays about the famous Mrs. Battle, although, at the same time, we should scarcely advise any of our readers to estimate either Whist or any other game quite so seriously as she did. MRS. BATTLE'S OPINION ON WHIST. "A clear fire, a clean hearth, and the rigour of the game." This was the celebrated wish of old Sarah Battle (now with God), who, next to her devotions, loved a good game of Whist. She was none of your lukewarm gamesters, your half-and-half players, who have no objection to take a hand if you want one to make up a rubber; who affirm that they have no pleasure in winning; that they like to win one game and lose another; that they can while away an hour very agreeably at a card-table, but are indifferent whether they play or not; and will desire an adversary who has slipped a wrong card to take it up and play another. These insufferable triflers are the curse of a table. One of these flies will spoil a whole pot. Of such, it may be said that they do not play at cards, but only play at playing at them. Sarah Battle was none of that breed. She detested them from her heart and soul, and would not, save upon a striking emergency, willingly seat herself at the same table with them. She loved a thorough-paced partner, a determined enemy. She took and gave no concessions. She hated favours. She never made a revoke nor ever passed it over in her adversary without exacting the utmost forfeiture. She fought a good fight, cut and thrust. She held not her good sword (her cards) like a dancer. She sate bolt upright, and neither showed you her cards nor desired to see yours. All people have their blind side, their superstitions; and I have heard her declare under the rose that hearts were her favourite suit. I never in my life (and I knew Sarah Battle many of the last years of it) saw her take out her snuff-box when it was her turn to play, or snuff a candle in the middle of the game, or ring for a servant till it was fairly over. She never introduced or connived at miscellaneous conversation during its process. As she emphatically observed, cards were cards; and if I ever saw unmingled distaste in her fine last-century countenance, it was at the airs of a young gentleman of a literary turn who had been with difficulty persuaded to take a hand, and who, in his excess of candour, declared that he thought there was no harm in unbending the mind now and then, after serious studies, in recreations of that kind! She could not bear to have her noble occupation, to which she wound up her faculties, considered in that light. It was her business, her duty: the thing she came into the world to do—and she did it. She unbent her mind afterwards over a book. Quadrille, she told me, was her first love, but Whist was the soldier game—that was her word. It was a long meal; not like quadrille, a feast of snatches. One or two rubbers might co-extend in duration with the evening. A grave simplicity was what she chiefly admired in her favourite game; there was nothing silly in it, like the nob at cribbage—nothing superfluous. She even wished that Whist were more simple than it is, and saw no reason for the deciding of the trump by the turn of the card. Why not one suit always trumps? In square games (she meant Whist), all that is possible to be allowed in card playing is accomplished. No inducement could ever prevail upon her to play for nothing. She could not conceive a game wanting the spritely infusion of chance, the handsome excuses of good fortune. Man is a gaming animal, and his passion can scarcely be more safely expended than upon a game at cards, with only a few shillings for the stake. It is needless to say that Sarah Battle's dislike to play Whist for nothing is not by any means generally shared by Whist players. Those who cannot play the game for its own sake and for the interest which they take in it had better not play it at all. SHORT WHIST.This is unmistakably nothing more or less than ordinary Whist cut in half; therefore it is almost unnecessary to say much about it, because the principles of the game are just the same as those which have been given at length for the playing of Long Whist. It is said that it was first introduced at Bath by Lord Peterborough, who, fearing Honours are never called, but are always counted, except at the point of four. The chief advantage of Short Whist lies in the fact that the trumps may be made special instruments of power. Carleton says:—"Trumps should be your rifle company; use them liberally in your manoeuvres; have copious reference to them in finessing, to enable you to maintain a long suit." Should you be weak in trumps, ruff a doubtful card at all times; with a command in them, be very chary of that policy. Let your great principle always be to keep the control of your adversaries' suit and leave that of your partner free. If you see the probable good effect of forcing, decide which of your adversaries you will assail, but do not attempt them both at once. Let it be the stronger, if possible. When you force both hands opposed to you, one throws away his useless cards; while the chance is the other makes trumps that under other circumstances would have been sacrificed. And the great authority Deschapelles, in speaking of Short Whist, remarks, "When we consider the social feeling it engenders, the pleasure and vivacity it promotes, and the advantages it offers to the less skilful player, we cannot help acknowledging that Short Whist is a decided improvement upon the old game." DUMBY, OR THREE-HANDED WHIST. This is exactly the same as Long Whist, excepting that there are three players instead of four, and one of the players undertaking the responsibility of two hands. Dumby's hand is exposed on the table, open to the view of the three players. On the whole, the player having Dumby for partner has somewhat the best of it. DOUBLE DUMBY, OR TWO-HANDED WHIST. This is when only two persons play. Two hands may either be exposed on the table, and made use of as if there were four players, or they may be entirely rejected. In the latter case the single hands held by the players must be managed as skilfully as possible. In all these little variations upon the real game of Whist each honour counts as one point. PIQUET.At one time Piquet was one of the most fashionable of our card games, though latterly, perhaps owing to its being rather difficult to learn, it has not been quite so popular. It is played by two persons with thirty-two cards, all the twos, threes, fours, fives, and sixes being dispensed with; the remaining cards possessing the same value as at Whist. In each game the number of points is 101. Before describing the game it will be most advisable to give the meaning of the technical terms employed. Talon or Stock.—The eight remaining cards after twelve are dealt to each person. Repique is when one of the players counts thirty points in hand before his adversary has or can count one; when, instead of reckoning thirty, he reckons ninety, and counts above ninety as many points as he would above thirty. Pique is when the elder hand counts thirty in hand and play before the adversary counts one, in which case, instead of thirty, the hand reckons for sixty, to which are added as many points as may be reckoned above thirty. Capot.—When either party makes every trick, which counts for forty points. Cards.—The majority of the tricks, reckoned for ten points. Carte Blanche.—Not having a pictured card in hand, reckoned for ten points, and takes precedence of everything else. Quatorze.—The four aces, kings, queens, knaves, or tens. Each quatorze reckons for fourteen points. Threes of Aces, &c., down to tens, reckon for three points. Point.—The greatest number of pips on cards of the same suit, reckoned thus: The ace for eleven, the court cards for ten, nines for nine, &c., and count for as many points as cards. Tierce.—Three successive cards of the same suit, reckoned for three points. There are six kinds of tierces, viz., ace, king, queen, called a tierce major, down to nine, eight, seven, a tierce minor. Quart.—Four successive cards of the same suit, reckoned for four points. There are five kinds of quarts: ace, king, queen, knave, called quart major, down to ten, nine, eight, seven, a quart minor. Quint.—Five successive cards of the same suit, reckoned for fifteen points. There are four kinds of quints: ace, king, queen, knave, ten, called quint major, down to knave, ten, nine, eight, seven, a quint minor. SixiÈme.—Six successive cards of the same suit, reckoned for sixteen points. There are three kinds of sixiÈmes: ace, king, queen, knave, ten, nine, a sixiÈme major, down to queen, knave, ten, nine, eight, seven, a sixiÈme minor. SeptiÈme.—Seven successive cards of a suit, reckoned for seventeen points. There are two kinds, viz., from the ace to the eight inclusive, a septiÈme major, and from the king to the seven inclusive, a septiÈme minor. HuitiÈme.—Eight successive cards of the same suit, reckoned for eighteen points. The first thing, however, to be noticed is Have either of the players carte-blanche? Should the eldest hand have it, he must tell the dealer to discount for it, and show his cards. Should the younger hand have it, he must wait until the elder has discarded, then show his hand also. The player who has carte blanche not only counts ten towards the pique, or repique, but prevents his opponent having either. The dealer has the option of discarding or not as he feels inclined, but should he do so he must take in first any that may be left by the elder hand, and after that his own three which are at the bottom of the stock. The cards that may be left he can look at; but in that case the elder hand may do the same. It is wiser, therefore, in some instances for the dealer not to look at the cards he leaves, because it will be more to his advantage that the cards should not be seen by his opponent. If the dealer should happen to mix up with his own discard any of the cards left by him, the elder hand can claim to see all, as soon as he has intimated what suit he means to lead. If, however, the elder hand should not lead the suit he named, the dealer can insist upon his leading any suit he pleases. In the game of Piquet the value of the cards depends to a very great extent upon the various combinations that are made. The learner must, therefore, become thoroughly acquainted with these combinations, otherwise he might make the mistake in discarding of simply throwing out such cards as were of the least numerical value, which really would be a loss to him. There are no trumps in Piquet, therefore each trick is won by the highest card of the suit that is led. In laying out try to secure a quatorze. Should neither player have four aces, quatorze kings annul queens, and, by the same rule, in the adversary's hand queens annul knaves. If you have four aces, you may reckon also any inferior quatorze, The player who has the greatest number of cards in a suit has the point; but when both players have an equal number of cards in the same or different suits, the point is then won by the player who has the greatest number of pips, counting the ace as eleven and the court cards as ten each. The point being chosen, the eldest hand announces what it is, asking at the same time if it is good; if his adversary has more he replies "it is not good," if he has just as many he answers "it is equal," but if he has not so many he answers "it is good." The player who has the best counts as many for it as he has cards which compose it, and whoever has the point counts it first, be he elder or younger hand, points being equal; or the two players having equal tierces, quints, quarts, &c., neither can count. The points, tierces, quarts, quints, &c., must be shown on the table, that their value may be reckoned; quatorzes, threes of aces, and kings need not be shown. In reckoning after the carte-blanche comes the point, next the sequences, and then the quatorzes, or threes of aces, kings, &c. The cards are then played, each card, excepting a nine or an inferior one, counting one. The elder hand having played the first card, the dealer before answering the card must count his own game, point, sequence, quatorze, or carte-blanche, if he has it, and, after reckoning them altogether, he takes the first trick if he can with the same suit; if he cannot do so his opponent has the trick. When the tricks are equal they do not count. The winner of the last trick counts two. The three chances in Piquet are the repique, pique, and capot, the whole of which are sometimes made in one deal. The capot is won by the player who wins all tricks adding ten instead of forty to his score. A pique is gained as follows:—Supposing the elder hand to have a quint to an ace, which being a quint-major is as good as a point, it is therefore good also as a sequence, and counts twenty; suppose also that he should have three aces, which must be good, because he has a quint-major, that is, one of each of the cards that constitute a quatorze, that makes him twenty-three. In playing the cards, then, his quint-major and the two additional aces must also count one each, making in all thirty, upon which the player, instead of saying in his play "twenty-nine, thirty," says "twenty-nine, sixty." Now for the repique. Supposing the elder hand to have the same point, good as above, and four aces as well, instead of three, he counts in his hand, without playing a card, first, five for his point, fifteen for his quint-major, and fourteen for his four aces—that is to say, thirty-four in hand, which is ninety-four in fact, the game in one hand. EUCHRE.This is the most popular game in the United States, and can be played by two, three, or four players. Like Whist, Euchre does not depend upon chance only; great skill is required to play the game well. It is played with a Piquet pack, that is, a pack of thirty-two cards, all cards below seven, excepting the ace, being taken out. The value of the cards is the same as in Whist, except that the knave of trumps and the other knave of the same colour take precedence over the remainder of the trumps. The knave of Supposing spades to be trumps, then the cards rank in the following order:—Knave of spades, knave of clubs, ace, king, queen of spades, &c. If clubs were trumps then the knave of that suit would be highest card, and knave of spades the next. The knaves rank as in Whist when neither right nor left bowers. EUCHRE FOR TWO PLAYERS. The cards are dealt as follows:—First deal two to each, then three to each. The eleventh card is then turned up, and to whatever suit it belongs that suit is trumps. Five points constitute the game. If a player win three tricks, they count for one point; if he win four tricks, they also count for one point; but if he win all five tricks, they count two points. The eleventh card being turned up, the first player begins the game by looking at his hand to ascertain if, in his own estimation, it is sufficiently strong to score—that is, to make three, four, or five tricks. Should he be able to do so, he will say, "I order it up;" that is, that the dealer is to take up the turn-up card in his hand, and put out any card he likes. If, on the contrary, he thinks he cannot score, he says, "I pass." If the first player orders the turn-up card up, the game begins at once by his playing a card and the dealer following suit. Should the dealer not be able to follow suit, he must either throw away or trump, as in Whist. The winner of the trick then leads, and so the game goes on until the ten cards are played. If either the dealer or the other player order the card up and fail to get three or more tricks, he is euchred—that is, his adversary scores two. Suppose the first player passes, not, in his own estimation, being strong enough to make three tricks, the dealer can, if he likes, take the card and put one of his own out, but if he fails to score he is euchred. If they both pass, the first player may change the trump, and the dealer is compelled to play. If, however, the former does not score he is euchred. If he passes for the second time the dealer can alter it, the same penalty being enforced should he not score. If they both pass for the second time, the round is over, and the first player begins to deal. If trumps are led, and you only have left bower, you must play it, as it is considered a trump. THREE-HANDED EUCHRE. Fifteen cards are dealt in this game, but the rules are exactly the same as in two-handed euchre. There are, however, a few differences in the tactics. If one player has scored four points, and the other two players two each, it is allowable for the two latter to help each other to prevent the player with the four tricks from winning. FOUR-HANDED EUCHRE. In this game the players go two and two, being partners, the same as in Whist. The game is won when the combined tricks taken by a player and his partner amount to five. If all pass in the first round, the first player is allowed to alter trumps; if he does not care to do so, the second, then the third, and lastly the fourth. If one should fail to score, having ordered up the card, he and his partner are euchred, and their opponents count two. Should one player be exceedingly strong, he can say, "I play a lone hand," whereupon his partner throws up his hand, and the lone hand plays against the other two. If the single player gets all five tricks he counts three, if three or four tricks, he counts only one, and if two, or less, he is euchred. There is yet another variation to this game, and one that generally meets with approval. A blank card is taken and on it is written "Joker." This card always counts highest in the pack whatever suit may happen to be trumps. If "Joker" should be the turn-up card, the dealer has the privilege of naming any suit he likes for trumps. VINGT-UN.Of all round card games, there is not one more deservedly popular than the one so well known as Vingt-Un (i.e., Twenty-one). Although much of the success attending it depends upon chance, the exercise of no small amount of care and judgment is required by the players, in consequence of which the real interest of the game is greatly intensified. Six, eight, or, indeed, as many persons as like may join in it. A whole pack of cards is required, and the value attached to them is the same as in Cribbage. Tens and court cards count as ten each. The ace may either be valued as one or as eleven, to suit the convenience of the holder, and the rest of the cards as usual. The cards are shuffled and cut as in Whist, and to each player a certain number of counters is given. The dealer then gives one card, face downwards, all round, including himself. The players, looking at the cards, each place in front of them a stake, consisting of one or more counters, the amount of each depending entirely upon the choice of the players. Beginning at the elder hand a second card is then distributed to each. Before proceeding further the dealer may, if so inclined, "challenge the board," receiving or paying from all whose hands are less or more than his own, up to twenty. Should he not feel justified in taking such a step, he puts the question, "Do you stand?" to each player in turn, the winners in the game being the players who simply make twenty-one, neither more nor less. The answers to this question should not be given without due consideration. The players who feel that they may with safety take one card, or even two or three cards, to enable them to make up the necessary number, receive any number they ask for from the dealer, while those whose number already is so close upon twenty-one that they think it safer to stand, say so. It sometimes happens that one of the two cards given in the first instance to a player is an ace, and the other a ten, or a court card. This being the case, the owner of them has reason to congratulate himself on his good fortune, because the two cards combined make what is called a natural, and unless the dealer also has exactly twenty-one, he must pay double stakes to the possessor of the natural, who, by reason of its having fallen to him, becomes the next dealer. When the dealer himself, however, is equally fortunate in having a natural he receives double stakes from all the players and single from the ties. All players having either declined the offer of additional cards, or having received as many as they wish, the dealer turns up his two cards, and either stands with them as they are, or takes what cards he likes from the stock on the table. If he should take too many he pays all the standing players the amount of the stakes they made, and to Supposing any player's first and second cards should be alike, he may divide them and place a stake on both, regarding each as a separate hand, and draw cards accordingly, to make two twenty-ones instead of one. At the beginning of a game a player is at liberty to sell his deal if he should please to do so. When it happens that the dealer on taking his second card supplies himself with a natural, the round is considered at an end, and he is entitled at once to double stakes from all the players, before supplying them with any additional cards. On looking at the second card dealt, a player should announce the fact directly when he has a natural, and be paid for it at once, before the dealer has taken his own second card. Sometimes a dealer takes advantage of his right to insist upon all the players doubling their stakes, and especially does he assert his claim to take this step when his first card is an ace or a tenth card, or when he considers the stakes offered are not as high as they should be. Another privilege belonging to the dealer is what is termed the brulet, which consists of the top and bottom cards of the pack, after it has been cut and shuffled. Before beginning to deal, the dealer may take these two cards, and should they united constitute a natural, every player must pay him double stakes. The cards are then recut and the proper deal is made. On the other hand, he is not compelled to stand by the brulet; when he has supplied every one with the cards they require, he may add as many as he chooses to his own pair. SPECULATION.In playing the famous game of Speculation a full pack of fifty-two cards is used, the value of each card being the same as at Whist. Either counters or halfpennies may serve for stakes, an equal number of which must be allotted to all, the pool being provided by contributions from each player. After cutting for deal the owner of the lowest card deals out three cards to each player, one at a time, face downwards, and no one must on any account look at what has been given him. The top card of the remaining pack is then to be the trump, and this card the dealer may either keep himself or sell to the highest bidder, making it thus an object of speculation. The player on the left of the possessor of the winning card then turns up his top card, and if it happen not to be a trump the next player turns up, and so on, until a higher trump than the first make its appearance, when the new comer takes the place of its predecessor, and, if not retained by its owner, is awarded to the highest bidder. If the card be not a trump, but only an ordinary one, it may be beaten by the highest card that makes its appearance of the same suit or by a trump. At the close of every round the pool is won by the player who holds the highest card of the trump suit. Should the ace of trumps be turned up, the hand is, of course, at an end, the owner of it being the winner. The game is well named, for the buying and selling business is frequently carried on to a very considerable extent. Sometimes the players will sell their Although the above method is the most common way of playing, slight variations are frequently made. For instance, an extra hand is dealt by many players and placed in the middle of the table for pool; at the end of the round this hand is examined, and if a better card is found in it than that belonging to the winner, the pool is left undisturbed, and added to the next new pool, making it, of course, double in value. Another variation is, that any player who may turn up a knave or a five of any suit excepting trumps shall pay one counter to the pool. In order to play well at Speculation great judgment must be used, and also the memory must be in full exercise, but when once thoroughly understood and appreciated there is no game superior to it for a Christmas gathering, and almost any number of players may join in it. NAPOLEON.This game, though comparatively new, is exceedingly interesting, and one that hitherto has always proved to be very popular as a lively and stirring round game. Like Speculation, it is played with a full pack of fifty-two cards, and as the shuffling of them is of great importance, it is advisable to be supplied with two packs, as at Whist. The pool is started by contributions from each player, the dealer giving double value. Five cards are then distributed to each player and held in the hand; as at Whist, it being necessary for the owner of them to ascertain whether they are good or otherwise. The player to the left of the dealer then declares how many tricks he will guarantee to take, or whether he would prefer to be passed once, owing to the weakness of his hand. He may promise to take one, two, three, or four tricks; but unless he should declare Nap, which means that he is able to take all five tricks, the next player is questioned, and so on, until Nap has ultimately been proclaimed by some one. Should no player declare Nap, the one declaring to take the highest number of tricks leads off. The stand player, as he is called, then plays against every one else; he leads the game, and his first card decides what suit shall be trumps. All the other players try to prevent him from making the tricks which he declared to take, because, if he should fail, the payments will have to be made from him to them. Should he succeed, however, they pay him; and in the event of his making Nap, he receives double stakes from every one of the company. A player revoking is Napoleoned, which means that he must pay five tricks to the stand hand, and the cards are played over again. CRIBBAGE.This game is played with an ordinary Whist pack, and it is won by the player who first scores sixty-one points. These points are marked on what is called a cribbage-board. The board may be placed either across or lengthways between the players. A player must begin to score from the end where his sixty-first point is, and Supposing his first score to be four, he places a peg in the fourth hole; then if his next score be three, he marks it off from the position of the first peg, and sticks the second peg in the third hole farther on. Cribbage Board. If his next score be eight, say, he counts from the second peg eight holes, and there sticks the peg, and so on. By this method confusion is avoided, and the players are able to check one another's scores. Generally, the pegs of the different players vary in colour, but this is not necessary, though one player must never touch his opponent's half of the board. The court cards and tens rank equally, and the other cards according to their number of pips. Aces are counted lowest. The Game. The cards having been shuffled, the non-dealer cuts, but does not place the undermost half on the uppermost, as in Whist, but leaves the pack divided into two parts on the table. From the undermost part the dealer then deals five cards each, beginning with his adversary. The remaining cards are placed on the other heap, and the pack remains undisturbed until the crib cards are put out. In the first hand of a new game, the non-dealer counts three at starting, as a sort of set-off against the possession of crib by the dealer. Both players then look at their hands and throw out two cards, the dealer throwing out first, and the cards being face downwards. The non-dealer then again cuts the cards, but the number cut must be more than two, after which the dealer takes the top card of the heap left on the table, the non-dealer replaces the cards he cut, and the dealer puts the top card, which is thrown face upwards on the whole. The two cards thrown out by each player and the turn-up card form the crib, which belongs to the dealer. If a knave be the turn-up, the dealer counts "two for his heels." The turn-up card is reckoned in making up the score of either player, as well as of the crib. The non-dealer then begins by playing a card, the value of which he calls out. Suppose the dealer to have in his hand a queen, knave, and five, and the non-dealer a seven, eight, and queen, and that the turn-up is four; then the non-dealer plays his queen, and cries "ten;" the dealer plays his queen, and cries "twenty," scoring two for a pair, because a court card counts ten. The first player then puts down his knave and cries "thirty." As his is the nearest attained to thirty-one, and the dealer has no ace, he cries "Go," and the first player scores one hole. Each player's hand is then counted up, the elder one scoring four—two for each fifteen; and the dealer two for his fifteen, made up by a seven and eight. If the knave in either hand be the same suit as the turn-up, the holder of the card scores "one for his nob." The crib is added up by the dealer, and the game goes on. If in trying to get near thirty-one in the beginning a player can make fifteen, he counts two. If a player gets exactly thirty-one he counts two. The hands are counted up as follows:—
If a player has in his hand, say, six, seven, and eight, and the turn-up is eight, he will count that two separate sequences, and score three for each. The non-dealer always counts up first. This counting up is called the "show," and the first show is very important at the end of the game, as a player may just get sixty-one points and win. The dealer may also have sixty-one, but as his show has not been the first it does not count. Should the dealer misdeal, and not discover the mistake before either of the hands is taken up, his opponent counts two, and a fresh deal must be made. If, during the deal the non-dealer expose any one of his cards to view, the dealer has the option of dealing again, without, however, looking at his own cards. If the dealer deal more than five cards, his adversary counts two, and a new deal takes place, the same penalty being enforced if he give less than five cards. THREE-HANDED CRIBBAGE. The theory of Three-handed Cribbage is the same as that in Cribbage, which we have already described. It is played, as its name indicates, by three people instead of by two. The board must be triangular in shape, containing three sets of holes of sixty each and the additional game hole. Each player has to fight for himself alone, and has, therefore, two antagonists to combat with instead of one, as in the ordinary game. Five cards are dealt to each player, after which an extra card is laid down to form the commencement of the crib. To this card each player adds one of his own, the result being that the sixteen cards are equally divided among the three players and the crib. The player who first succeeds in reaching the sixty-first hole is the winner of the game, and is entitled to double the stakes which are apportioned to him by his two less fortunate companions. FOUR-HANDED CRIBBAGE. In this variety of the game four persons play in partnerships of two each, as at Whist. Sixty-one constitute the game, still it is very usual to go twice round the board, the number of game in that case being 121. Before beginning to play two of the four players are chosen to have the management of the score, and between them the board is placed, because upon them only devolves the duty of moving the pegs. The other two players may not even assist in counting. After cutting and dealing five cards to each player, the dealer places the remainder of the pack on his left hand. One card is then given by each person to form the crib, which, when complete, belongs to the dealer. In contributing to the crib, the choice of the card given depends upon whether the crib belongs to the player and his partner or to their opponents. Fives are the best cards to give to one's own crib, therefore they should never be given to the antagonists. Aces and kings should be avoided; low cards are the best for the purpose. The play then begins until all the sixteen cards are played out. Fifteens, sequences, pairs, &c., are reckoned in the usual way. Should either player be unable to come in under thirty-one, he declares it to be a "go," and the play belongs to his left-hand neighbour. No small cards must be kept up which would come in under a penalty. Great care is required in playing this game of Four-handed Cribbage, as the learner will soon discover. In leading, threes and fours are the best cards to select. Five is a bad lead, as also are ones and nines. The second player must be careful as to pairing, also he must try to avoid playing too closely on: though in some cases by doing so the adversary is tempted to form the sequence. He will learn in time to discriminate when it is wise to play on. If he can make fifteen it is generally better play than pairing the card led. The object of the third player should be to make the number below twenty-one, in order to help his partner to gain the end hole for the "go" or the two for thirty-one. The fourth man who in the first round is the last player will do wisely to hold aces or low cards for the purpose, especially when it is necessary to score a few holes in play, or when the only chance of securing game is to play out. The hand being played out the different amounts are pegged, crib included, the one who led off scoring first. As a rule the amount of points from each hand is seven, and four or five from the crib. RANTER GO ROUND.No game that we can mention surpasses the popular one of Ranter Go Round for real interest and excitement. It is said to have been first played in Cornwall, but to us it signifies very little whether it originated at Land's End or at John o' Groat's; the matter of the greatest interest is that it is a first-rate game for a winter evening. First of all, each player is provided with three counters, or lives, as they are called, and the object of the game consists in trying to see which player will succeed in keeping his lives the longest. An ordinary pack of fifty-two cards is then shuffled, and dealt out one by one to each player. The players look at their cards, and the one on the left of the dealer, if he thinks his card is too low, has the option of changing with his left-hand neighbour, who again may change with his left-hand neighbour, and so on till the dealer gets the low card, and as he has no one with whom he can exchange he is allowed to take for it the top card of the pack. The players then turn their cards face upwards on the table, and the possessor of the lowest card, aces being counted lowest, has to forfeit one of his lives. The game thus goes on until all the players are out but one, who is declared the winner. If a player's card be demanded by his right-hand neighbour, whose card is higher than the one he gave in exchange, he stands, or, in other words, refuses to change with his left-hand neighbour, knowing that he is safe for that round, because at any rate one card lower than his own is out. If two players have cards of the same value, and these cards are lowest, the player who turned his up last has to lose a life. Players begin turning up their cards from the one on the left of the dealer No player may exchange more than once. Sometimes a rule is enforced that when a player demands to exchange with his left-hand neighbour, and gets a card with one, two, or three pips given him for his own, the player with whom he exchanged, if he has got a higher card for his one, two, or three, cries out the value of the card he exchanged, so that the other players may know its worth. The rule is not one that has ever become very popular, because it tends very much to deteriorate from the uncertainty of the game, a feature in all card-playing that possesses a greater charm than perhaps any other. The vicissitudes of fortune in Ranter Go Round are wonderful. For instance, a player may have kept his three lives till all but one are out, and then lose them in three successive rounds, while a player who has only had one life for a long time will win the game. As each life is lost a counter of the player belonging to it is placed in the pool, and as the lives decrease in number they increase in value. ÉCARTÉ.The game of ÉcartÉ is a real French game; it originated first in Paris, and at one time was one of the most fashionable games in that city. It has been devoted so extensively by some players to gambling purposes, that its reputation has unmistakably suffered thereby, and any one professing to have a preference for ÉcartÉ was, at one time, suspected immediately of not being a very desirable associate. It would have been a matter of regret if, because of any unfortunate association connected with the game, we should have been deprived of the benefit of it, for it is second to none in its power of affording amusement. It is easy to learn, and yet it is a scientific, clever game, and one that we can well imagine would be selected as a favourite among all other card games by proficient card-players. It is played by two persons with a pack of thirty-two cards, all the twos, threes, fours, fives, and sixes being thrown out in preparing the pack. The technical terms used are supplied both in English and French, and considering the game to be so essentially French in its nature we subjoin the latter list. Abattre.—To lower the cards and show them. Atout.—Trump. Avoir le main.—The act of dealing. Battre.—To shuffle the cards before dealing.
Couper.—To cut. Defaulter.—To refuse a suit. Donner.—To deal. Écart.—The cards thrown aside. Être À la devine.—To be embarrassed which suit to keep. Faire.—To deal. Faire un main.—To make a trick. Forcer.—To play a superior card on an inferior. La Belle.—The highest card of any suit. La Vole.—To make all the tricks. Le Point.—One score of the five which compose the game. LevÉe.—One trick made whilst playing. Je propose.—Asking fresh hands, or part of fresh hands. Refaire.—To recommence distributing the cards. Renoncer.—Not to answer the suited. Retourner.—When the cards are dealt, to turn up the first of the talon. Sous-forcer.—To play a card inferior to what remains of some suit in hand. Talon.—What remains of the pack after there has been distributed to each player what he requires. The game consists of five points, unless differently arranged. The king instead of the ace is the highest card. After the king follow the queen and knave, next comes the ace, then ten, nine, eight, and seven. After the dealer has shuffled the cards his opponent cuts them. The latter also can claim to shuffle if so inclined, but should he do so the dealer may re-shuffle. The dealer then gives three cards to his opponent and takes three himself, after which he gives two to his opponent and takes two himself, turning up the eleventh, which is also the trump, card on the pack. Sometimes the two cards are dealt first, and afterwards the three; but this is a trifling matter, to be decided by the wish of the dealer. Should the turn-up, or trump, happen to be a king of any suit, the dealer makes one point to himself and cries "I mark king." The point is lost, however, unless the king be declared at once, before the first trick has been played. Still there is one case in which it would be bad policy to declare the king, even though you hold it. Supposing that you mark three, and that your adversary does not allow you to discard, or that, being himself the elder hand, he should play without proposing; in either case, if he does not make the point, he loses two, which gives you the game, a result you will have a greater chance of obtaining by masking your hand; in other words, by not announcing that you hold the king. The markers used are generally a two and a three from the discarded suits. On examining the cards after the deal the non-dealer, if not satisfied with his hand, exclaims, "Je propose," which is equivalent to saying that he wishes to exchange one or more of his cards with some of those in the remainder of the pack. The dealer, if inclined to accept the proposition, signifies it by saying, "How many?" upon which both he and the non-dealer each change what cards they like, exclaiming, as they throw away the original cards, "J'Écarte." Should the dealer decline the offer, and refuse to have any cards exchanged, his opponent scores double for any points he may make, except in the case of marking king. Sometimes when both players agree to change their cards, discarding may be continued, as long as any cards remain in the stock, or until one of the players shall declare that he is satisfied, when both must immediately cease discarding. The game consists of five points, each trick being won by the highest card of the suit led. Three tricks must be made in order to score one point; five tricks to score two points. It is possible for a player to score five points in one round, thus: First, by marking king; then if he should propose, and be refused, and afterwards make two points, these two points he may double on account of being refused, securing by this means the five points. Therefore in some cases it is advisable, even with a good hand, to propose, for the simple reason that, should the dealer refuse, you score two points for three tricks, and four for five tricks, although you may only wish to change a single card in order to hazard the dealer's refusal, or to make the vole if the proposal be accepted. The important business of discarding being concluded, the non-dealer leads off the game by playing any card he likes, his adversary playing a higher card, if he can, of the same suit, thus taking the trick. Should he have no higher card, he may take the trick with a trump, or pass it, as he feels inclined. The holder of the king of trumps scores one point; but it is the rule that before it is played it shall be declared by the owner, who must say, as he puts it on the table, "I have the king." Needless to say, no one announces the possession of the king until the first card has been played. The elder hand may announce after he has played, so that in its strictness the above rule applies only to the opponent; still, should the elder hand's king be covered by the card of his adversary, before he has declared, he cannot that time score the king. As in other games, the trump always wins the trick. The winner of one trick also leads on for the next, and thus the playing proceeds until all five tricks are won. LOO.This is a splendid round game, in which almost any number of players may take part, though, perhaps, to play the game well with real comfort, the number should not exceed eight or nine. No great skill is required by the players, indeed success depends so much upon chance, that perhaps the fact of this being so accounts for all the fun and excitement that are usually extracted from the game. There are two kinds of Loo, viz., Limited and Unlimited. The former being the most popular, it shall receive our first attention. LIMITED LOO. This is played with a full pack of fifty-two cards, of which the ace is highest, then king, queen, knave, &c., as in Whist. The person to whom the deal falls must place three counters into the pool. The other players each put in a certain number of counters agreed upon, a number that should properly be divisible by three. The cards having been shuffled and cut, the dealer proceeds to give three cards to each player, one at a time, beginning with the player on his left. In addition to this, he also deals an extra hand, which is called a dumby, or miss, and is placed in the middle of the table. After this the card next turned up is the trump. Before looking at his own cards, the dealer asks each player, beginning at the elder hand, and going round to the left, what he intends to do in that round—play his own hand, take the dumby, or throw up his hand. Should the elder hand decline dumby, the next player has the choice, and so on; but whoever takes it must play it; no one may retract after having declared his intention. When all have declared their intentions (dealer included), the elder hand of the players left who have not thrown up their hands plays his highest trump, or, if he have no trumps, his highest card, each succeeding player heading the trick. The winner of the trick leads next by playing his highest trump, and in this way the game goes on until all the three tricks are taken. The pool is then divided into three equal parts, and a part given to the winner of each trick; therefore, any player that should have taken three tricks would be entitled to the whole pool. Those who are unfortunate enough to take no trick at all are looed, and their share is deposited by the dealer towards the next pool. When only two players stand, the last before the dealer is bound to play either his own hand or dumby, and the game is re-commenced. Sometimes no trump is turned up; the elder hand then plays his highest card, the next follows suit, if he can, and so on. If all have not been able to follow suit, the dealer turns up the top card of what is left of the pack, and the highest card of that suit which has been played wins the trick. If all players have followed suit, the dealer waits for an opportunity, when all have not followed suit, to turn up the trump card. When no trumps have been played, the highest card of the suit led wins the trick. UNLIMITED LOO. The method adopted in playing Unlimited Loo is much the same as that already described above, excepting that the pool is not divided among the players. Still, a player must take all three tricks to win the pool. Therefore, when the tricks are won, should they have been taken by one person, the pool is his; but if the tricks are divided, the pool is left untouched, and is added on to the Thus the game goes on, until some one winning three tricks takes the pool. The next hand then becomes Bold Stand, and is dealt and played as first described. The technical terms used in Loo which must be understood are as follows:— Bold Stand.—To have a bold stand is a method of playing the game in which it is a rule that whenever there is only the deal to be played for every person is obliged to stand in order to make a loo for the next hand. As often as this happens it is a bold stand. Dumby.—The spare hand, which must be dealt in the regular order of the other hands, either first or last but one, and not according to the dealer's whim. Force.—The same as Bold Stand. Heading the Trick.—Playing a better card of the suit led, or not having any of the suit, trumping it. Loo.—The Loo is the sum put up by any one that is looed, and is either limited or unlimited; when unlimited, a person is looed for the whole amount of the pool; if limited, he is looed for no more than a certain sum, previously agreed upon, generally the price of the deal; but he is never looed for more than the pool. Looed.—A person playing is looed when he does not take a trick or when he breaks any laws of the game. Miss.—The same as Dumby. Mis-deal is when the dealer gives any of the party more or less than three cards, or deals too many or too few hands, or deals out of regular order, or shows a card in dealing. Paying for the deal.—At each new deal the dealer puts into the pool three counters, and this is called the price of the deal. Pool.—The pool consists of the counters which are paid for the deals and of the sums forfeited by those who were looed the preceding hand. Revoke.—When a person who can follow suit does not do so. CASSINO.In order to understand the simple but highly amusing game of Cassino it is absolutely necessary that a thorough knowledge of the technical terms used should be first acquired. We will, therefore, give a list of them before describing the method of playing the game. Great Cassino.—The ten of diamonds reckons for two points. Little Cassino.—The two of spades for one point. The Cards.—When you have a greater number than your adversary, three points. The Spades.—When you have the majority of the suit, one point. The Aces.—Each of which reckons for one point. The Sweep.—Matching all the cards on the board. Building up.—Suppose the dealer's four cards in hand to be a seven, ten, and two aces; his adversary plays a six—the dealer puts an ace upon it, and says, "Seven," with a view of taking them with his seven; the non-dealer throws a two upon them, and says, "Nine," hoping to take them with a nine then in his hand; the dealer again puts upon the heap his other ace, and cries "Ten," when, if his adversary has ten, he plays some other card, and the dealer takes them all with his ten. It will be observed that a player in announcing the denomination of a build always employs the singular number. Thus—"Nine" or "Ten," not "Nines" or "Tens." This is called Building up. Build from the Table.—Employing cards on the table to continue a build. Call.—Suppose a player to have in his hand two or more cards of the same denomination, and one or more cards of the same denomination remain upon the board, he may play one of them on the table, at the same time calling the denomination, and his opponent is thereby debarred from taking it with a card of any other denomination. In calling the denomination, the plural is always used. Thus—"Fours," not "Four." This is termed calling. Build.—A card already built up. False Build.—A build made without any card in hand to redeem it. Combine.—To play a card which will take two or more cards of a different denomination whose aggregate number of pips or spots exactly equals those of the card played. Thus: a ten will take a seven, two, and ace, the combined spots on those cards being precisely ten. Last Cards.—Those cards remaining on the board after the last trick is taken, all of which go to the winner of the last trick. Eldest Hand.—The player sitting at the left hand of the dealer, so called because he is the first to play. Mis-deal.—An error in giving out the cards, the penalty for which is the forfeiture of the game and all depending upon it. LAWS OF CASSINO. 1. The pack must consist of fifty-two cards. 2. The dealer deals four cards, one after another, to each player, beginning at the elder hand, after which he deals four cards into the centre of the table, face upwards. He then gives each player four more cards, putting no more, however, into the centre of the table. 3. In case of a mis-deal, the dealer forfeits his deal. 4. Any number up to twelve may play, though four is the preferable number. The game consists of eleven points, and the player who first attains this number wins the game. The score is counted in the following manner:—
The player who takes the last trick wins the game. The following is the method of playing:— Four cards are dealt to each player, and four more are turned face upwards in the middle of the table. The elder hand then looks at his cards to see if he can build, combine, or match any of his own cards with those turned up on the table. He may have a seven and three, a five and five, a nine and one, or these combinations may be on the table. Royal cards can only be matched by one of their own kind. If the elder hand can do nothing, he throws down a card on the table, face upwards, with the other four. The second player then tries what he can do; though it must not be forgotten that such cards as are taken must be kept by themselves and not played with again. Thus the game goes on until all the cards are finished, when the dealer gives four cards more to each player, but none in the centre. In case of a clear board, should the player next to the person who has made the clear board not have any cards to take, he must throw one down. At the end of the game, the cards that each player has taken are counted up, and the points made accordingly. After the last trick has been taken there are sure to be some cards left on the board, and these go to the winner of the last trick. It should always be the object of the player to secure as many spades as possible. For instance—if he has a nine of hearts and a king of spades in his hand, and there is a nine and a king on the board, he should take the king in preference to the nine, as it will secure him a spade. It is well, however, to get as many cards as possible. Supposing a player to have in his hand a nine and a king, and there is a six and three and king on the board, he would do wisely to take the six and three, as, that will help to a majority in cards. PUT.In one respect the game we are about to describe differs from any other card game, and that is in the order in which the cards rank. Three is the best card, then two, and next the ace, king, and all the rest in succession; four, of course, being the lowest. Dr. Johnson, in a letter he wrote to his friend Boswell, says:— "I play at Put, sir, as I indulge in other amusements commonly pursued in society, rather that I may study the real tempers and dispositions of mankind than from any overweening love of personal gain, or any violent desire to take advantage of the ignorance or weakness of my adversaries; for I hold it an indisputable truth that the characters of men and women are more fully and completely discerned at the card-table than in the Senate, the fashionable assembly, or the privacies of domestic life." Put is played with a full pack of fifty-two cards, and generally by two persons, though frequently three and often four people join in it. The object of the game is to score five points, the player who succeeds first in doing this being winner. After cutting for deal, the player who had the lowest card gives three cards, one at a time, to both or all players, beginning at the non-dealer. When this is done, if the non-dealer throws up his hand he loses a point; if he plays, and the dealer does not lay down another card to it, he gains one point; but if the dealer either win the same, pass it, or put down one of equal value, making what is termed a tie, the non-dealer is still at liberty to put (or play), and his adversary only scores one point. Such being the state of things, should both players agree to go on, the one who gains all the three tricks, or two out of the three, scores five points, which make game. If both players get a trick, and the third is a tie, neither player scores. Four-handed Put differs from two-handed in one point—that is, two of the players give each his best card to his partner, who lays out one of his. The game is played as in Two-handed Put. MATRIMONY.The simple, amusing game of Matrimony is one that always keeps up its popularity as a pleasant round game. Any number of players may join in it from five upwards, but the greatest success generally attends it when there are many players rather than few. The five chances of which the game consists have to be marked on a board or a sheet of paper. The lowest card cut has the deal. The first business is to determine what stakes shall be made. For this purpose counters are mostly used, after which the dealer places on each or any chance the sum he intends to venture. The other players then all do the same, though their stakes must all be one counter at least less than the dealer's. If the dealer, therefore, should stake nine, they may not place more than eight counters on the chance. Having arrived so far in the proceedings, the dealer, beginning with the player on his left, gives two cards, face downwards, to each player; then, beginning again on his left, he gives a third card to each player, face upwards. If the ace of diamonds, which is the best card, be turned up, the possessor of it gains a clear board; but if the same card be merely held in the hand, its value is no clockwise from top: BEST. The ace of diamonds turned up.; MATRIMONY. King and Queen.; PAIRS. The highest.; CONFEDERACY. King and Knave. All hands are now turned up, the holders of intrigue, matrimony, &c., taking the stakes placed on these points. When two or more players happen to hold similar cards, as king and queen, king and knave, &c., the stake is gained by the elder hand, but if any chance be not won, it is left over until the next deal; and on any unclaimed point the stakes may, if thought desirable, be increased. The chances rank, it must be understood, as follows:— Ace of diamonds (best). King and queen (matrimony). King and knave (confederacy). And any pair (the highest). ALL FOURS.The name by which this game is known was, no doubt, given to it because of the four chances, or points, of which it consists—namely, High, which is the name given to the best trump; Low, the smallest trump in the round; Jack, the name of the trump suit; and Game. The game may be played by either two or four players, but the same rules apply to each. It would, perhaps, be as well first of all to describe the technical terms used in All Fours, as the game cannot be understood without a knowledge of them. High.—The highest trump out; the holder scores one point. Low.—The lowest trump out; the original holder of it also scores one point, even if it be taken by his adversary. Jack.—The knave of trumps; the holder scores one point, unless it be won by his adversary, in which case the winner scores the point. Game.—The greatest number that, in the tricks gained, can be shown by either party; reckoning for
The other cards do not count towards game; thus it may happen that a deal may be played without either party having any to score for game, by reason of holding neither court cards nor tens. When the players hold equal numbers (ties), the elder hand (the non-dealer) scores the point for game. Begging is when the elder hand, disliking his cards, uses his privilege, and says "I beg," in which case the dealer must either suffer his adversary to score one point, saying "Take one," or give each three more cards from the pack, and then turn up the next card for trumps; if, however, the trump turned up be of the same suit as the first, the dealer must go on giving each three cards more, and turning up the next until a change of suit for trump takes place. Eldest Hand.—This term signifies the player immediately to the left of the dealer. The following is the method adopted for playing the game:— The ace is the highest card, and deuce is the lowest. After having cut and shuffled a pack of fifty-two cards in the ordinary way, the dealer gives six to each player. If there be but two players, he turns up the thirteenth card; but if four players, he turns up the twenty-fifth card, the suit to which the turn-up belongs being trumps. Should the turn-up be a knave, the dealer scores one point. The elder hand then looks at his cards, and either holds it for play or begs, that is to say, that he must be allowed by the dealer to either score one point, or that all the players should have three more cards given to them, and that a new trump should be turned up. When the latter plan is adopted, should the turn-up be of the same suit as the last, the dealer must go on giving three more cards until a change of trumps takes place. The elder hand having decided on his hand, plays a card from any suit he likes, but must not beg more than once, unless a special agreement has been made that he should do so. The dealer to this plays another card, which, if higher, wins the trick, the winner of it thus becoming the next leader, and so on throughout the six tricks. According to the modern method of playing, the trick need not be headed by one of the same suit; the highest card played wins it. When the six tricks are played, the points are taken for High, Low, Jack, or Game. Jack counts one to the player who possesses it at the count-up, and not to the player who owned it originally. High and low each count one, the players to whom they were dealt deriving the benefit of them. The deal is taken in turns. Should no player have either a court card or a ten, the elder hand scores the point for game. In the case of two players having equal points towards game, the elder hand of the two scores. If only one trump should be out, it counts both high and low to the player who first has it. The science of the game consists, as may easily be seen, in first winning the knave; second, making the tens; and third, in taking the adversary's best cards. BLIND ALL FOURS. This game is not often played by more than two persons. Six cards are given to each player, the trump card being the first that is played by the non-dealer. The points are generally nine or seven, and there is no begging. Among some players a rule exists that the sixes and sevens should be rejected, and that the pips on all the cards should be counted for game. ALL FIVES. This is a game that requires no small amount of skill to play it well, but when once understood proves to be well worthy of the attention and admiration bestowed upon it. Instead of nine or eleven points being played for, as in All Fours, sixty-one points constitute the game, the marking of which is generally done on a cribbage-board. The very first card played by the non-dealer is the trump card. Any one playing the ace of trumps marks four points to himself; for king he marks three; for queen, two; for knave, one; for the five of trumps, five; and for the ten of trumps, ten. When the knave, ten, or five are taken by superior cards, the points belonging to them are scored by the winner. In counting for game, the five of trumps is reckoned as five; all the other aces, kings, queens, knaves, and tens are counted the same as in All Fours. POKER.The game of Poker is better known in the United States than in England. Like many other games, it is so closely associated with betting that its reputation has consequently suffered in no slight degree. There are several varieties of the game, known as Stud Poker, Straight Poker, Whiskey Poker, Twenty-deck Poker, and Draw Poker; but as the last is the game best known, it will, perhaps, be advisable to describe it first. DRAW POKER. A full pack of fifty-two cards are required, and any number of persons may play, though some players think it better that the number should not exceed six or seven. Before dealing, each player is provided with a certain number of counters, which in America are styled chips. The dealer then places a stake in front of him. A single chip usually constitutes this stake, and is called the ante. Having concluded this preliminary part of the business, five cards are dealt to each player. As in Loo, all look at their hands, and declare in turn what they will do. The choice of three things is given them: They can throw up their hand, and go out of the game for that deal; keep their cards as they are; or they may change as many of their own cards as they like for the same number from the remainder of the pack on the table. In case any one should choose the latter alternative, no one must look at the rejected cards. When the dealer's turn comes to make his choice, if he determine to play, he is bound to add an equal amount to what he had previously staked. This is called making good the ante; by so doing the dealer places himself on an equal footing with the other players. Should he rather than raise his stake prefer to go out, the next player is requested to raise; but should he, like the dealer, also prefer to go out rather than raise, the next player is asked, and so on, until some player expresses himself willing to raise. This being the case, the next player has three alternatives: he must either go better, which means stake some larger amount; see the raise, which signifies staking an equal amount; or he must go out. The choice of these three alternatives is given to each player, until after full opportunity has been afforded to all of deciding, no one has gone better, but each of those remaining in has elected to see the raise, the stakes consequently remaining equal. The person who now is requested to show his hand is the player seated next to him who last saw the raise, though if such player should not have a good hand to show, he may, if he likes, go out without showing his cards. Perhaps to a greater extent in Poker than in any other card game, the great aim of a good player is to conceal his system of playing; therefore, although a player going out relinquishes all hold upon his stakes, he would rather do that than show an inferior hand. Many of the technical terms used in Poker being peculiar to the game, a knowledge of them will be found necessary to the learner. Age.—Same as eldest hand. Ante.—The stake deposited in the pool by the dealer at the beginning of the game. At Straight Poker each player puts up an Ante. Blind.—This name is given to the bet made by the eldest hand before the cards are cut to be dealt. The eldest hand alone has the privilege of starting the Blind, though the player to the left of him may, if he likes, double it, and again, the next player, still to the left, may straddle it, which means double it again. Any player refusing to straddle thus prevents any one else doing so afterwards. Bluffing Off.—When a player with a weak hand bets so high that he makes his opponents believe he has a very strong hand, and they are deterred from seeing him or going better. Brag.—To bet for the pool. Call.—To call a show of hands is for the player whose say is last to deposit in the pool the same amount bet by any preceding player, and demand that the hands be shown. Chips.—Another name for counters. Draw.—To discard one or more cards, and receive a corresponding number from the dealer. Flush.—Five cards of the same suit, not necessarily in order. Fours.—Four cards of the same denomination, as four threes or four fives. Full.—Three cards of the same denomination and a single pair. Going Better.—When any player makes a bet, the next player to the left may raise him or run over his bet, which means that he may deposit more in the pool than his adversary has done. Pair.—Two cards of the same denomination, as two queens. A Straight.—Five cards in numerical sequence, though not of the same suit. Triplets.—Three cards of the same denomination, as three aces. Although the ace is the highest card in this game for sequence purposes, it may be counted as next to the two or next to the king, as may best suit the player. The player, however, is not on this account entitled to use the ace as a connecting link between the king and the two, so as to form a sequence between them. STRAIGHT POKER. Straight Poker, or Bluff, as it is often called, is played according to the same rules as Draw Poker, though there are one or two particulars in which it differs from that game. Not only the dealer, but also every player, "antes" before the cards are cut for deal. The winner of the pool has the deal. Any player may pass, and come in again if he chooses to do so, provided that in the meantime no other player has raised. No one is allowed to discard or draw any cards. In case of mis-deal, or when all the players pass, the eldest hand deals, and a fresh ante is added to the pool by each player making what is called a double header. To prevent confusion, and to save trouble also, it is sometimes arranged that, instead of each player depositing a fresh ante every time before the cards are cut, one of the players shall take it by turns to chip for all. When this is done, the best way is to pass round the table, by way of memorandum, a buck. This name is given to any small article which may WHISKEY POKER. Plenty of fun may be extracted from this highly amusing game. To make the pool is the matter that requires the first consideration, and to do this each player contributes one counter or chip. After this, the game is regulated very much by the same rules as those laid down for Draw Poker, the only exception being that the strongest hand gets the straight flush. Five cards, one at a time, are given to each player, besides which an additional hand, called the widow, is dealt, and laid in the middle of the table. All the players now look at their hands, and if not satisfied with them, they each in succession have an opportunity of making a little change in them, according to the following explanation. Should it so happen that the eldest hand, after examining his cards, expresses himself satisfied with them, the next player may, if so inclined, put down his own cards on the table, and take up the widow instead. When he has done so, the other players in turn may select any card they please from the discarded hand in exchange for one of their own, until some one declares himself satisfied by knocking on the table. Even after this, however, the rest of the players are allowed one more chance of drawing before showing the hands. The strongest hand wins the game. In case all should declare themselves satisfied without taking the widow, the dealer turns his hand upwards, and every one may draw a card from it. SNIP-SNAP-SNORUM.The point aimed at in this game by each player is to be the first to get rid of his cards, as the one who is first out is the winner, and can claim from all the other players the same number of counters as they have cards left in their hands. We cannot recommend to young people fond of noise and excitement a game more likely to suit them; it is easily learnt, although at the same time the learner will soon perceive that a certain amount of thought and judgment must be exercised in order to play to the best advantage. Any number may play, from six or seven upwards. First of all, a whole pack of fifty-two cards is dealt out to the players, the first of whom, after the hands have been examined, begins by putting down any card he likes, at the same time calling out Snip. Any one holding the next higher card of the same suit now places it upon the first card, and cries Snap; while the person possessing the higher card still calls out, as he plays it, Snorum. The person holding the next card cries Hi-cockalorum; and should a higher card still be out, the possessor plays it, and cries Jig. The last word signifies a stop; therefore no one afterwards can continue the sequence. The ace counts as one (the lowest card); therefore kings are stops. The player who first succeeds in getting out receives in some instances not When pools exist, by way of enlarging them it will be found advisable to institute fines, the excitement of the game being, of course, heightened by the winner of a sequence coming in for a good large reward. As it is desirable that the player should keep the lead as long as possible in his own hand, he will find that in order to do so he must not play his cards at random, but must use discretion and forethought. Cards that cannot be led to, such as aces, or cards immediately following those that have been played, should be brought out early; while kings and all stops should be withheld as valuable until there is the chance of disposing of two or three of them together. The above is the most common method of playing this game, though another very amusing way is the following:— Every one places before him five counters, which are considered as stock. The aim of every one then is to play a card of equal value with that of the next player, which is called snipping. A third player, having a card of like value, snaps; and a fourth player, being equally fortunate, snorums. By way of illustration, we will imagine the elder hand to have played a queen. The second player also plays a queen, in consequence of which the first player is snipped, and has to place a counter in the pool. The third player then also plays a queen, when his predecessor (the second player) is snapped, and must put two counters into the pool; then if the fourth player also has a queen, the third player is snorumed, and pays three counters. As each player becomes bankrupt by having had to pay all his counters, he must go out of the game, the pool falling to the lot of the player whose stock holds out the longest. Every one must snip or snap if he possibly can do so, though no one must play out of turn. Sometimes the cards are dealt three or four times before the game is decided. COMMERCE.This game is well named, for it is carried on throughout simply by a series of exchanges and business transactions. A full pack of cards is used, which are all dealt one by one to the players. The ace counts as eleven, tens and court cards for ten each, and the rest of the cards according to the number of their pips. Before dealing, a pool is formed, by each player contributing to it an equal stake. The eldest hand then begins by exchanging a card with his left-hand neighbour, who again changes with his left-hand neighbour, and so on until some one, finding that he has a hand consisting entirely of one suit, cries out "My ship sails," and thereupon takes to himself the contents of the pool. The object aimed at by all the players is one of three things: to make what is called a tricon (three cards alike), or a sequence (three cards following each other of the same suit), or a point (which is the smallest number of pips on three cards of the same suit). The winner of the pool is the player who has the highest tricon; but should no tricon be displayed, the highest sequence has it; or in case of a failure also in sequence-making, then the player who has the best point takes the pool. In case of ties, the banker or dealer is regarded as the eldest hand, but should he hold a lower tricon or sequence than either of the others, he loses the game, and forfeits a counter to each player higher than himself. SIFT SMOKE.A complete pack of cards is required for this game, the value of which is the same as at Whist. The tricks gained are really of no intrinsic value, though every one must either follow suit or play a trump. The pack is first divided into two equal parts, one portion of which is placed on the table, while the others are dealt to the players, the last card turned up being the trump. As each trick is gained the winner of it takes a card from the half pack lying on the table; he who can hold out the longest winning a stake that shall have been agreed upon at the commencement of the game. LOTTERY.This well-known game is generally acknowledged to be one of the most amusing that have ever been invented. Any number may play, and a full pack of cards is required: indeed, it is not at all an unusual occurrence for two or three packs to be mixed together when the company is more than ordinarily large. Counters are given in equal numbers to every player, each of whom contributes something towards a pool. The cards, containing one, two, or three packs, as the case may be, are then divided into two equal parts. The person on the left of the dealer takes one of these parcels, and out of it any one may draw three cards, which are to be the prizes, and are placed face downwards on the table. The cards in the other parcel are then sold by the dealer for a certain fixed price, perhaps a counter for each card, all payments being placed in different proportions on the prizes. Any cards that are left after all have been supplied are sold to any one wishing to purchase them. The players who have been fortunate enough to purchase cards corresponding with the prizes win the prizes, and also all the stakes that have been placed upon them. Another way of playing after the counters have been distributed is for one pack of cards to be used as tickets and the other as lots or prizes. Two players then take in their hands the two packs of cards, which must be shuffled, and each one cut by the left-hand neighbour. One of them then deals a card, face downwards, to each player, and these are called the lots. On each lot the players all place as many counters as they like, after which a card to every one is given from the other pack, and these second cards are called tickets. Supplies thus being concluded, each player must examine his cards to ascertain whether the ticket he possesses corresponds with any of the lots. Any one who finds such to be the case may appropriate the lot or prize that is marked on that card. At the close of the round any lots that may be left undrawn are carried on QUINCE.In some parts of the Continent this game of Quince is very highly esteemed, much more so than in England. The method adopted in playing it is very similar to that of Vingt-un, though in Quince only two persons can play, while in Vingt-un any number of players can join. Ace is lowest. A full pack of cards is shuffled and cut, after which the dealer gives one card to his adversary and takes one himself. Should the elder hand not approve of the card with which he has been favoured, he can demand from the dealer as many additional cards as he imagines will enable him to make fifteen. The aim of both players is to be first in making fifteen; therefore, as in Vingt-un, they must be careful, in taking extra cards, not to overdraw. Should both players overdraw, the game is considered a drawn one, and the stakes already made are doubled for another attempt. Although this simple and amusing little game is intended for two players only, there is no reason why a large number should not join in it if so inclined. POPE JOAN.This really delightful game may be enjoyed by almost any number of players, though it must be remembered that, in addition to the usual pack of cards required for all other card games, a round board must be provided, such as are sold specially for that purpose. These boards, as will be seen (see figure), are divided into eight compartments, each of which is meant to hold the counters belonging to certain cards or combinations. The names of these divisions are king, "pope" (which is the nine of diamonds), knave, game, queen, matrimony (which is signified by the king and queen of trumps), ace, and intrigue (the latter represented by the queen and the knave of trumps held in the same hand). The first important business requiring attention is the dressing of the board; and the fifteen counters necessary for this performance are either supplied by the dealer alone or are contributed by the company, according to arrangement. Six are given to pope, two to matrimony, two to intrigue, and circular board with the words game, intrigue, and matrimony on it Pope Joan Board. Should either ace, king, queen, or knave happen to be turned up, the dealer has the privilege of appropriating the counters that have been allotted to their compartments for himself, and if pope be turned up, the advantage gained by him is still greater. He takes both it and game, and also can claim a stake for every card dealt to each player. In addition to the shares allotted to each player, an extra hand is placed in the middle of the table, to form what is called the stops, and no one but the dealer has the privilege of looking at them. The four kings, which are the last of their suit, and the seven of diamonds, which precedes the eight of diamonds that has been withdrawn, are always fixed stops, the ace counting only as one in the game. The players have two objects in view—one of which is, to be the first to play out all their cards; and the other, to play those cards that will entitle them to receive the counters with which the board is supplied. The dealer's left-hand player begins by playing any card he likes, choosing one, if possible, that is one of a sequence, so that he may have the opportunity of ridding himself of, perhaps, several cards at once. Any other player having the next higher card in sequence plays it, then another, until either a king, a seven of diamonds, or some other stop card is played. The person playing a stop always leads next. At any time during the game, should an ace, king, queen, knave of trumps, pope, matrimony, or intrigue be played, the owner of any of these cards is entitled to receive all the counters in the corresponding compartments of the board. The player who first announces himself to be without cards is the winner of the game, receiving, therefore, all the stakes in that compartment of the board, and also from the rest of the players a counter for each card they may still have in hand. Among these unplayed cards, however, should one of them be pope, the holder of it is excused from paying. Although in the same hand king and queen make matrimony, and queen and knave intrigue, neither they nor any other good cards entitle the holders of them to the stakes deposited in their particular compartments unless played out; and it must also be remembered that all claims for payment are useless that are not made before the board has been re-dressed for the next deal. Still, in cases where unclaimed stakes are left on from one round to another it is quite a common thing to terminate the game by dealing round the cards, face upwards, and giving to the holders of the various cards or combinations the pools corresponding to them, thus making a clear board. SPINADO.The game of Pope Joan, although one of the most interesting of games, is not practicable at all times, simply on account of the necessity always existing for the presence of a board. To such players as are fond of the game, but do not possess a board, the game of Spinado will serve admirably as a substitute. From a full pack of fifty-two cards all the twos are first extracted, and also the eight of diamonds. As in Pope Joan, the object aimed at by the players is to be first out. The lucky person who thus distinguishes himself is presented with a pool, and also with a counter from every player for every unplayed card they still hold in their hand. A peculiar arrangement exists with regard to the pool. It is divided into In order to form this combination of pools each player gives three counters to each pool (making nine counters in all), excepting the dealer, who is called upon to contribute two dozen counters. Six of these go to the first out pool, the same number to intrigue, and twelve to matrimony. The card honoured by being called Spin is the ace of diamonds, and may either be played alone or with any other card. A card played with it thus becomes a stop, and the possessor of it is entitled to take the next lead. As in Pope Joan, an extra hand is placed by the dealer in the middle of the table to make the stops, and no one must refer to them but the dealer. After dealing and forming the pools, the game begins, all vieing with each other who can first get rid of their cards. The player of spin can demand, before any other card is played, the payment of three counters from every player; the player of the king of diamonds two counters from each player; and the players of matrimony and intrigue receive each the pools that have been specially prepared for them. The simple holding of these combinations does not entitle any one to receive the pool; the cards must be played, and payments should all be made at once as soon as they become due. If at the end of the game it is discovered that any one still holds in his hand the spin card, he must pay to every one double for each of his unplayed cards. OLD MAID.From a full pack of fifty-two cards take out one queen. Shuffle well the remainder, and deal them, face downwards, equally to all the players until the pack is exhausted. All must then arrange their cards in a fan-shape, to be held in the hand, and the honour of every one is depended upon not to look at any cards but his own, because the strictest secrecy must be maintained. The dealer begins by offering his cards to his left-hand neighbour to extract from it any card he likes. The drawer then, looking at the card he has taken, tries to match it with one of those in his hand. If able to do so, he throws the pair out into the middle of the table; but if he cannot do so, he places it among his own, and, following the example of the dealer, offers his own cards in the same way to his left-hand neighbour, that he also may take any card he likes. Thus the game goes on until all the cards are paired, excepting, of course, one card, which is the companion to the banished queen. The unfortunate individual in whose hand the solitary card is left is surely destined to be either an old maid or a bachelor. The trial may, of course, be repeated as many times as agreeable to the company. Cards specially made for this game are sometimes used instead of Whist cards, and by some players are much preferred. These real Old Maid's cards are composed of white thin cardboard, an inch wide and from three to four inches long, with the end intended for the top of the card made to form a point. Upon every card at the pointed end a number is written in very legible characters. A couple of cards must be 1, another couple 2, another couple 3, and so on, until as many couples as it is thought will be required have been figured. On a last single card the words The Old Maid must be distinctly written, and before beginning to play the whole must be well shuffled. SPADE AND GARDENER.Most young people who have had any experience at all of cards and card playing are well acquainted with the amusing (though, perhaps, not highly intellectual) game of Happy Families. Special cards, called "Happy Families," can be bought, containing family groups of four; but where such cards have not been provided, the game may be played with quite as much success with a pack of ordinary Whist cards. Indeed, it is more than probable that in the first instance the principles of the game made their appearance originally with cards of this description. The court cards, aces, and tens of an ordinary Whist pack are selected, and to each king a name is given. Spade the Gardener for one of their Majesties will do as well as any other; still, if any better name suggests itself to the mind of any one, there is no reason why such should not be adopted in preference. Supposing, however, this name to be the one chosen, we should have the king of spades for Spade the Gardener, the queen for his wife, the knave for his son, the ace for his servant, and the ten of spades for his dog, thus forming a complete family group. Three other comic names may easily be imagined for the other three suits, after which the business proceedings must be commenced. The dealer gives the cards out all round, one after another, face downwards, until the whole pack is exhausted, and the aim of each player must be to win from his friends the whole of the twenty cards. Supposing the name of "Shah of Persia" to have been given to the king of diamonds, "The Afghan King" to the king of clubs, and "Good Jack Faithful" to the king of hearts; the elder hand then begins by asking from any one of the players he may choose to select a card which he imagines they may have. He himself may have in his own hand three members of one family; if so, he must try to get the other two members, and succeeding in doing so, he must throw the whole family on the table, and devote his energies to the acquisition of the other families. The task, however, devolving upon each player of collecting the different members of the four families is by no means an easy one. Every time a card is asked for, the player who makes the demand, in doing so, gives to the company a certain amount of information respecting his own hand, because he may not lawfully ask for the Shah of Persia's dog unless he should already possess either the Shah himself or some other member of the family. If the card asked for be given him, he may ask for another card from either the same person who acceded to his request or from any one else; but as soon as he is refused, his privilege passes on to the person who was unable to give him what he asked for, and who may possibly request the return of the very cards he has been called upon to relinquish. Thus the game goes on until one of the players is left without cards, who retires as out. The rest of the players proceed in the same way until another is out, then another, and so on, until at last two players only are left to end the struggle. HAPPY FAMILIES.Although, without doubt, the well-known game of Happy Families is nothing but a variation of Spade the Gardener, the rules of the game are not quite the same. In some respects, perhaps, the game of Happy Families may be the better game of the two, for the reason that, in consequence of there being many more cards belonging to it, a great many more players can take part in it. In one of the ordinary Happy Family packs there are eleven families, though, instead of A pool is first formed by every player giving a certain number of counters, and the cards are dealt round one by one, face downwards. On looking at their cards, the player to the left of the dealer begins by asking any one in the company to give him a certain card, which he needs, perhaps, to complete a family or to help to do so, because the object of each player in this game is to secure for himself as many tricks as possible. If the card he asks for be given him, he may go on asking from the same person or from any one else; but should he be refused, it is the turn of the person who refused to ask. It is a rule that no one shall ask for a card unless he be already supplied with one card, at any rate, of the same suit, and every one also is bound to produce the card asked for if he can do so. When the different members of the families are gathered together and united, the player who has taken the greatest number of tricks wins the pool. BÉZIQUE.Before describing the game of BÉzique, which, under the name of Penuchle, is greatly in favour among the Germans, it will perhaps be advisable to give a list of the technical terms employed in it. Single BÉzique.—The queen of spades and knave of diamonds, which count 40. Double BÉzique.—Two queens of spades and two knaves of diamonds, which count 500. Brisques.—The aces and tens in the tricks taken count 10 each. Common Marriage.—The king and queen of any suit but trumps, which count 20. BÉzique Pack.—The same as the Euchre, Piquet, or ÉcartÉ pack, composed of thirty-two cards, all under the sevens, except the aces, being discarded. Quint Major.—Same as sequence. Royal Marriage.—The king and queen of trumps, which count 40. Sequence.—Ace, king, queen, knave, and ten of trumps, which count 250. Stock.-The number of packs of cards corresponding with the number of players, shuffled together, and ready to be dealt. Talon.—The cards remaining after the dealer has distributed eight to each player. Declaration.—Showing and scoring any combinations, such as those mentioned above.
Seven of trumps, when turned or played, counts 10. Exchanging or playing the seven of trumps counts 10. The last trick counts 10. This game is most commonly played by two persons with two packs of cards; but there must be a pack for every person playing, so that if four play four packs must be used, from which, as has been said, all cards under seven have been taken out excepting aces. After shuffling and cutting, the dealer gives three cards to his adversary and three to himself, then he gives two, then three again, until both players are supplied with eight cards each. The remainder of the pack, which is called the talon, are left on the table, and the top card of it is turned up for the trump. Should the turn-up happen to be a seven, the dealer is thereby entitled to score ten to himself. After a trick has been made, the holder of a seven of trumps can, if so inclined, exchange it for the trump card, and for the exchange he scores ten. The value of the cards in making the tricks is as follows: ace (which takes all other cards), ten, king, queen, knave, nine, eight, seven. Trumps are of no special value until the last eight tricks are in the hands of both players. The player who wins the first trick takes the top card from the talon, thus completing his original number of eight. The person also who has lost the trick does the same; and so on, until all the cards in the talon are exhausted. As in other card games, the winner of a trick is entitled to the next lead. When cards of the same value are played at the same round, the first that was turned up wins the trick, unless, of course, it should be trumped or beaten by a card higher in value. When a player wishes to declare, he must do so immediately after taking a trick, and before supplying himself with a new card from the talon; and such cards as form a combination, after being declared, should be placed on the table, face upwards; being of the same value as if in the hand, they may be played away as they are needed. When the talon is exhausted, the combinations that have been made are taken into the owner's hand, and the last eight cards belonging to both players are disposed of the same way as in Whist, the second player following suit, and heading the trick, if he can possibly do so, either by trumping or playing a higher card. After BÉzique has been declared, the cards forming that combination cannot be employed to form any other. It is wise, therefore, to keep back the queen and knave to help to form other combinations before declaring BÉzique, especially when diamonds or spades happen to be trumps. In that case the queen may assist in making a royal marriage, a sequence, or one of four queens, while the knave may help to form a sequence or one of four knaves, both being also used afterwards in the declaration of BÉzique. All kings and queens are better kept in hand until they can be married; consequently, should the player be uncertain whether to throw away an ace or a king, if practicable, let it be the former. Although four aces count more than four kings, the declaration of four aces is not an easy matter to accomplish, while it is very probable that an opportunity may arise for marrying a king, when the pair may be thrown into the adversary's tricks. The aces and tens of trumps are better reserved for the last eight tricks, and a player should try to get the lead by taking the trick previous to exhausting the talon. The adversary will thus be obliged to part with his aces and tens by playing them on the cards that are led. The leader, if strong in trumps, may thus secure all the tricks, and may also earn the privilege of making the last declaration. BÉZIQUE WITHOUT A TRUMP. This is very much like the ordinary game, the difference being that the trump card is decided, not by the last turned up after the deal, but by the first marriage that is declared. The seven of trumps also does not count ten points. The BÉziques, four kings, four queens, &c., are counted the same as in BÉzique when the trump is turned, and can be declared before the trump is determined. It is the same with the other cards which constitute combinations; their value is the same as in the proper game of BÉzique. SNAP.The game of Snap may either be played with the ordinary Whist cards or with special cards prepared for the purpose, though perhaps when the former Since the first introduction of Snap, the original figures have been varied and improved upon in many ways, though the rules for playing the game continue the same. Among the later additions, the Floral Snap (if not quite so laughable as some of its predecessors) is at any rate as interesting and artistic. Each pack consists of about fifty cards, on four, five, or six of which are represented the same object. A similar number of cards depict another object, a similar number again another object, and so on with the whole pack. Thus on four cards may be a rose, on other four a yellow lily, on other four a geranium, on four more a pansy, and on the rest of the cards other flowers. The whole pack is dealt round, face downwards, to any number of players, who must each place his own cards before him without looking at them. The first player begins by turning up the top card of the pile, the next does the same, and so on, but as soon as any one turns up a card resembling one that has already been exposed, he calls Snap, at the same time winning all the cards that happen to have been turned up by the owner of the card resembling his own. If, however, the owner of the card is fortunate enough to call Snap first, the tables are turned, the first Snapper becoming possessor of the other's cards. The utmost vigilance is required to play the game at all successfully; every one must be on the strict look-out in order to let no opportunity pass that would entitle him to call Snap, because, as will very soon be discovered, those who do not call Snap frequently will very soon be out, and will only be able to sit by as spectators of the merriment. The quickest of players will, however, in course of time be obliged to retire from the scene of action; one by one they will find themselves destitute of cards, until at last the contest remains to be fought out by two players only. At this crisis the excitement has generally reached its highest pitch, and the fortunate one of these two players left with the cards in his hand is the winner of the game. ZETEMA.In some points Zetema resembles both Cribbage and BÉzique; still, in reality, as will be found after a little experience by the player, it is like neither; and, although it may not in the estimation of most card-players be exactly superior to those games, it is quite as interesting and as exciting. Proper sets of Zetema cards may be bought of any ordinary card dealer, though in the absence of them Whist cards may be made to answer the purpose instead. The advantage of being supplied with the former, however, lies in the fact that with them is appended a Table of Scores like the following, a knowledge of which is indispensable to the player:— TABLE OF SCORES.
TRICKS.
Penalties for playing out of turn or accidentally exposing a card during play:— 1st.—The card must be left exposed on the table until the player's turn comes round, when it must be played. 2nd.—The player cannot draw, under any circumstances, at that time from the pack to complete his hand, but must continue one card short. 3rd.—If the exposed card be a winning card, the score is lost. 4th.—If not a winning card, it will follow the usual course. On opening a pack of Zetema cards, it will be seen that they are composed of a full pack of Whist cards, with the addition of a double set of one of the suits. When ordinary cards are used, it is immaterial which suit is chosen to be duplicated; all that is necessary is that before beginning to play the double suit should be declared. Each trick, therefore, consists of five cards instead of four, and as some of these tricks are much more valuable than others, the aim of every player should be to secure the highest tricks. The combination known as an assembly, and which is mentioned in the score, is simply a trick not yet played, but still held in hand. Five cards of equal value do not often fall to the lot of any one, therefore this combination does not often occur; and in most cases it is, perhaps, wise for players to be satisfied with something less. Still, when a player holds in his hand two or three kings or two or three queens, he is quite justified in making an attempt to secure the five, in order that he may lay claim to the highest score; because, as will be seen from the list, an assembly, either of five kings or of five queens, counts 100. When all the six cards in hand are of the same suit, the owner of them can lay claim to a score of thirty, though this combination is not a very common one, because flushes of the duplicated suits do not count. The most likely time to secure a flush is when not many of the same suit have been already played. The sequence combination is generally the best paying of all, especially when Therefore, if one, two, three, four, five, six; four, five, six, seven, eight, nine; or nine, ten, knave, queen, king, ace, be possessed by any one, the owner of such cards may score thirty. Sequence cards must, of course, follow in rotation, but they need not be of the same suit; and after counting a sequence, and also after counting a flush, four of the same cards may be employed in making another sequence or flush. In Two-handed Zetema, four, or even five, sequences are often counted in the playing of one game. A common marriage, which scores ten, is secured to any one who plays a king and queen of the same suit. The imperial marriage consists of the second king and queen of the duplicate suit. The playing of the first king and queen of this suit constitutes nothing more than a common marriage. Experience will teach the player that when he holds three or four kings and queens in his hand, he will gain more by keeping them back until he can declare them all at once than by declaring them singly, because the declaration of two or three marriages at the same time score much more in comparison than if declared singly. With regard to tricks, the player should make every effort possible to secure the knave trick, which scores twenty, and the ace trick and the five trick, which score fifteen each. The person entitled to score the tricks is the one who plays the last or fifth card of the same value; by doing so he gains five. It is only possible to make a king or queen trick when an assembly of one of them has been declared; the others then being played in the same way as the cards lower in value, the trick scores fifty. When four or more persons play at Zetema they must arrange themselves in couples, as at Whist, and sit opposite to each other, one of each couple undertaking to mark the scores, the other turning and collecting the tricks; but when only two or three play every one scores for himself. When not more than four are playing, the dealer distributes six cards to each player, placing all the cards that remain face downwards on the table. Every one then carefully examines the cards given him, to ascertain what course it would be wise for him to adopt. A study of the rules will enable him to decide which declaration he will most likely be able to make. As in BÉzique, every player should always have six cards in his hand. After playing one, therefore, he must take up a card from the over cards on the table to make up his number. This must be done, however, at once, immediately after he has played a card, otherwise he cannot claim it, and must suffer the consequence, which, doubtless, will be that he cannot in that hand score either a sequence or a flush. In attempting to form sequences it is advisable, as in BÉzique, to retain, if possible, such cards as would help to make another sequence. The card drawn sometimes happens to be of the same value as one of those held in the hand; in that case one of them may be made to contribute towards an additional sequence. The player of the fifth card who completes a trick when four cards have already been played cries "Zetema" as he turns the trick, and scores for it. Thus the game goes on until all the over cards have been gradually withdrawn, the taking of the last of these being the signal for the best part of the game to begin. The playing of the last six cards and the making of the rest of the marriages and tricks form usually the most exciting part of the whole affair. The player most of all to be envied is the drawer of the last card on the table; for this reason, that as every one else must play their card first, he has the opportunity of retaining command of an imperial marriage or of any other good trick until the end of the game. Although the declaration of two or three marriages is highly advantageous, still there is no danger in playing one of the cards of a marriage in one round, FRENCH VINGT-UN, OR ALBERT SMITH.This lively and amusing game is a variation of the ordinary game of Vingt-un, and is well worthy of the popularity it has gained among most lovers of card games. For a round game it is especially suitable, not only because any number of players may join in it, but for the reason that even while playing it is not necessary for the attention of the players to be so entirely absorbed in the game as to be unable to manifest any interest in anything else that may be going on in the room. It is perhaps longer than most ordinary card games, and should not therefore be entered upon by players who have not plenty of time at their disposal. In making the necessary preparations for it, a good supply of counters must be provided, and a very excellent plan sometimes adopted is to limit the number staked to three, the dealer having the privilege at any time to double the stakes, should he be so inclined. The eight rounds of which the game consists are all played differently; the first one resembles the Ordinary Vingt-un. The second round is called Imaginary Tens, and also resembles Vingt-un, excepting that each player, whatever cards have been dealt to him, counts them as ten more than they really are. As in Vingt-un, one card is given to each player, and before receiving it he must make his stake. To this card the imaginary ten is added, and then the players either take more cards or stand, in order as near as possible to make twenty-one. Third round, or Blind Vingt-un, comes next, in which each player, after making his stake, has two cards dealt to him. On these two cards he may either stand or draw more, but whatever decision he makes, it must be arrived at without looking at his cards. In the fourth round, which is known as Sympathy or Antipathy, every one makes his stake, and then announces upon which of the two he will stake, Sympathy or Antipathy, the former being expressed by two cards of the same colour, the latter by two cards different in colour. He then receives from the dealer two cards, which, if corresponding with his choice, makes him winner of the stake; if the contrary, he must pay the dealer. Fifth round, or Rouge et Noir, closely resembles the preceding round, excepting that, instead of two cards, one card only is given to each player, whose stake has reference to nothing more than the colour of the card. In some circles three cards instead of one are dealt. When this plan is adopted the colour is decided by two out of three. In the sixth round, called Self and Company, two cards are put down by the dealer, one of which he names self, and the other company. A stake consisting of a certain number of counters is then placed upon the table by each player, and if the two cards that have been dealt prove to be pairs the dealer wins, but if otherwise he must go on dealing until a card is turned up that pairs with either self or company, the card thus paired being the winner; the dealer receiving or paying, as the case may be. In the seventh round, or Pips, as it is called, there is no staking whatever. The dealer simply gives two cards all round, including himself. He then compares his own with those of each of the company, and every one whose cards are less in value than the dealer's As may be imagined, these eight rounds cannot be played in a very short space of time. When they are completed the deal is transferred to the left of the last dealer, who begins again with the first round. BEGGAR MY NEIGHBOUR.This game, although requiring no amount of intellectual power, has been, and no doubt still will be, a source of great amusement. The cards are dealt, face downwards, equally to as many as wish to join in the game. The first player begins by putting down the first card. If it be a one, two, three, or anything but a court card, he continues putting down one after another, until at last he turns up a court card. If this turn-up be a king, his neighbour must pay to him three cards, if a queen two cards, and if a knave one card. When the payment is made, the first player takes up the whole of the cards that have been laid down, and puts them underneath those in his hand. If, however, among the cards that were paid to the first player the second player should have played a court card, he receives payment in the same way from the third player; and if when the third player is playing he puts down a court card, he receives payment from the fourth player, and so on, the cards being taken up each time by the person who receives his due in ordinary cards. CATCH THE TEN.In this game, which in many circles is known as Scottish Whist, the aim of every player is to catch the ten of trumps, or to prevent its falling into the hands of an opponent. Two, three, four, five, or six persons may play, the arrangement of the party depending, of course, upon the number of the players engaged. A party, consisting of four, divide into couples as at Whist. When there are two, three, or five players, each plays upon his own account. When six play, A, C, and E are against B, D, and F, or A, and D, B, and E, C, and F in three partnerships; the partners sitting opposite to each other with an adversary between each two. Out of a full pack of cards, the twos, threes, fours, and fives are thrown out, and, if necessary, for an equal division of the cards, one or more of the sixes. With the exception of the trump suit the cards value the same as at Whist, and the method of playing is also the same. Trumps count as follows: The knave, which is the best, reckons eleven; the ten for ten; ace, four; king, three; and queen, two. The trump suit is reckoned, not as in Whist, by the CHEAT.This lively round game may be joined in by any number of players, who must, first of all, have dealt to them equally a pack of fifty-two cards. As soon as all have examined their hands, the player on the left of the dealer begins by playing the lowest card he has, face downwards (ace counting lowest), at the same time calling out what it is. The next player puts down a card, face downwards, and calls the next number; thus, should the first player play a one, the second player, whatever his card may be, must call out two. As it is not necessary for the card laid down to correspond with the number called, the fun of the game consists in putting down the wrong card. Any one of the company is at liberty, however, to challenge a player to show the card last played, immediately after it has been put down, by calling out Cheat. In this case the player must show his card, and if it should not be what he said it was, he must take all the cards laid down. As the player who first finishes his cards wins the game it is greatly to his disadvantage to have a new number added to his original stock. The player who is cheated recommences the next call. TRUTH.For this capital round game two packs of cards must be provided, one of which is handed, complete, to a member of the party who consents to lead the game, and which he must place by his side, face downwards, the other being dealt to the company, card by card, until it is exhausted. The leader then begins by putting any question he likes to the players, the answer to which is obtained by the following method:—When he asks his question, he at the same time turns up the top card of the undealt pack. Whatever this card may be the leader calls for the counterpart to it from one of the players, the one who exhibits it being the one to reply to the question. Ridiculous personal questions are sure to create more fun than anything else. For instance, should the leader ask, "Who is the vainest person in the room?" and, at the same time turn up the queen of hearts, the player unfortunate enough to possess the similar card in the other pack is the ill-fated individual who then proclaims his vanity. As a slight compensation, however, for his ill-luck, he is entitled to put the next question, which may, of course, be as unmerciful as the one asked concerning himself. As each question and answer card are produced they are laid aside; and thus the game proceeds until both packs are finished. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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