LIBRARY OF CONGRESS,

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UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,

THE

AMERICAN HOYLE;

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ENTLEMAFS HAND-BOOK OF GAMES:

CONTAINING

- ALL THE GAMES PLAYED IN THE UNITED STATES,

WITH

RULES. DESCRIPTIONS. AND TECHNIC ALTTTE.S. ADAPTED TO THE AMERICAN METHODS OF PLAY IN

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$lluslrateb foitlj numerous Jliagrams anb dntgrabings.

TO WHICH IS APPENDED

AN ELABORATE TREATISE ON THE DOCTRINE OF CHANCES

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EIGHTH EDITION.

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CAKEPULLY REVISED WITH NUMEROUS CORRECTIONS AND ADDITIONS.

STEW YORK:

1)ICK & FITZGERALD, PUBLISHERS.

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Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1S64,

By DICK & FITZGEEALD,

In the Clerk’s Office of the District Court of the United States for tho Southern District of New York.

PUBLISHERS’

PREFACE.

The fact that no complete work on the popular games ol this country has ever been published, together with the constantly in¬ creasing demand for such a work, induced the publication of the present volume. In it will be found all the Games common or fash¬ ionable with the American people, besides some which, though popular in particular localities, have not yet achieved a national reputation.

Hitherto our market has been supplied exclusively with reprints of Seymour, Hoyle, Bohn, and other English works, which do not at the present time meet the requirements of the American public, being in a great measure treatises upon Games either obsolete here, or adapted to the European rather than the American methods of playing. We need scarcely say, that many of our most popular Games are peculiarly American, while those of foreign origin have become so changed by American modifications, as to make the Euro¬ pean rules and descriptions quite as likely to mislead as to instruct.

The task of collecting materials for the present work was confided to a gentleman of literary ability, having a thorough knowledge of Games, and possessing considerable reputation as a successful ama¬ teur player. Having a large circle of skilful amateur and profes¬ sional friends, the editor availed himself of their valuable counsel upon all doubtful points ; and it has been his aim to simplify all the descriptions, technicalities, rules, and illustrations, and adapt them to the American style of playing.

The French game of Besique, which has recently become so popular in this country, is given with the several variations in vogue with our players.

The article on Euchre is from the pen of an accomplished player, and a prominent member of one of our best clubs. The extended

V

publishers’ preface.

space given to this favorite American game is deemed essential to the settlement of many disputed points which have from time to time arisen.

The treatise on the various games of Billiards and Pool was compiled by permission of Mr. Michael Phelan, a gentleman whose pre-eminence in the Billiard world is universally acknowledged, and whose books are law wherever the American game is played.

Boston, Division Loo, Yingt-un, All-Fours, Pitch, Sixty- Six, Forty-Five, Keno, Props, Monte, Dominoes, American Roulette, Russian Backgammon, the different varieties of Poker, etc., are by the editor and other distinguished professional and amateur players.

The game of Faro has been prepared with great care, and is now for the first time correctly published in any book of Games. The Faro of Hoyle, as presented in the English editions, and in all American reprints, is a game long since obsolete, and will scarcely be recognized as the Faro of to-day. The same may be said of many of the games mentioned above.

Whist, Ecarte, Cribbage, Piquet, Quadrille, Lansquenet, Reversis, French Roulette, Rouge et Noir, The Doctrine OF Chances, and many of the minor card games, have been com piled chiefly from Bohn’s Hand-Book of Games, The Modernized Hoyle, Matthews, and other of the best authorities.

Chess, Draughts, and Backgammon are all condensed from elaborate treatises by the most celebrated authorities. To insure the utmost attainable accuracy, all the games and problems have been carefully played upon the board since the present work was stereo typed, and numerous typographical errors which occurred in the original text of the works quoted have been corrected.

It has been the intention of the publishers of this work to make it the standard authority for all American Games. With this view, they have neglected no available research to render it as perfect and complete as possible, and think they may safely commend it to the American people as a reliable and trustworthy arbiter of all questions arising within its scope.

PREFACE TO THE FIFTH EDITION.

A book claiming the position of arbiter on all points involved in the playing of games of chance and games of skill, must necessarily be revised and amplified from time to time, in order to keep pace with the changes in the rules governing these recre¬ ations, and to present the additions made by native and foreign ingenuity to their number.

The design of the publishers of this work is, to render it a Standard Authority on all games played in this country. It has been so considered hitherto, and each of the four editions already issued has enhanced its reputation as a work au courant with the age, and as a comprehensive and trustworthy book of reference.

A fifth edition is now imperatively required. New games have been invented, and material alterations have been made in several of the old ones. All these novelties and changes are faithfully reflected in the present edition. Great care has been exercised in the labor of revision, and it is believed that every inaccuracy which had crept into former issues has been corrected, and every phrase of doubtful import made clear. The best players at the New York Clubs have recently adopted certain rules in several games, which vary somewhat from the original laws, and these improvements or innovations — whichever they may be — are given in full in the present work.

Among the many important changes introduced in the present edition of this work, attention is called to the follow¬ ing more prominent improvements on former editions.

The entirely obsolete game of Peversis, gives place to the beautiful game of Boston do Fontainebleau, now deservedly gaining in popularity and favor. This and French Euchre, Domino Euchre, Domino Poker, Bingo, and a variety of Dice games appear for the first time in this work.

The games of Draw and Straight Poker, and All-Fours, as

v

VI

PREFACE.

well as the Laws of Euchre and Cassino have been entirely re-written.

Instead of the Laws of Whist which have heretofore ap¬ peared, are substituted these now adopted by the leading London clubs, prepared in 1867, by a committee ot the best players, of which Hon. James Clay, M. P., was chairman.

The Laws of the American Four-Ball Game, and of the Three-Ball Game of Billiards, together with the Games of Fifteen Ball, and Pin Pool, as recently revised by Mr. Michael Phelan, the great Billiard authority, have been copied from the ninth edition of “The Game of Billiards,’’ by the kind permission of Messrs. Phelan & Collender.

There are also very numerous minor additions and correc¬ tions, combining to meet all the modifications of the games up to the present time.

The article headed “ Decisions on Disputed Points,” which appeared in former editions, has been omitted in this, as the same matter is embraced in the several emendations already enumerated.

The publishers, in introducing the various modifications of standard games which occur in the following pages, must not be understood as indorsing them as legitimate ; but as they exist and are extensively played in different parts of the country, it is proper that the rules which, by the common consent of the players, have been adopted for their government, should be placed on record. Disputes arise in illegitimate as well in other pastimes, and unless the oral laws which control such pastimes are put in print, how can the “vexed questions” be intelligently decided? It will be found, however, that the line is distinctly drawn between the standard games and their modifications, and that all new rules which clash with the law paramount prescribed by usage are designated as innovations.

It has been urged by a very high authority — a gentleman famil¬ iar with all American games, and who has been chosen umpire in many disputes relating thereto on account of his great experi-

PREFACE.

vii

ence in such matters — that in every species of card game the deal should be given, as in whist, to the player cutting the lowest card, the ace in all cases being considered the zero of the pack. There can be little doubt that the adoption of this comprehensive suggestion, in the form of a universal rule, would be wise and judicious; but inasmuch as it has not yet been authoritatively adopted, it is not deemed advisable to lay it down as an axiom in the present volume. The publishers have nothing to do with the making of law ; their duty to the public being simply to record the law, as sanctioned by general custom.

The scope and purpose of the work, as briefly, explained in the foregoing remarks, will, it is believed, be approved by the whole public. It is intended alike for the proficient and the beginner — the expert, who has all games at his fingers’ ends, and the tyro, whose fingers’ ends are comparatively unfamiliar with any of them. Games, even when played solely for amusement, and to while away a few leisure hours (and this is their true and most wholesome use), should always be played correctly. Altercations, however, not unfrequently mar the pleasure of such encounters, and points of “ card law ” are often argued with as much acrimony in cases where not a penny is at stake as if thousands depended on the issue. Sometimes the contestants appeal to the weekly press, and agree to be governed by the dictum of the “Corre¬ spondents’ ” column. It is no disparagement to the newspapers (for editors cannot be expected to know every thing) to say that their dictum is frequently wrong, and thus is present error exalted and made a precedent for the sanctioning of error in futuro. It is manifest, therefore, that a reliable authority, competent to decide every vexata qucestio of the kind that may arise, is a social necessity. The present work claims to be such an authority.

Nor is it merely in its reliability as a book of reference that the value of the work consists. By studying and following its rules and suggestions, the tvro of to-day may within a reasonable length of time, and with a fair amount of practice, become a formidable antagonist at any of the games included in its repertoire.

New York, April, 1868.

CONTENTS

4

PAGE.

Whist . 7

Euchre . 57

Cribbage . 86

Ecarte . T13

Piquet . 123

Bezique . 137

All-Fours . .. . 145

Pitch, or Blind All-Fours . 150

Commercial Pitch, or Auction All-Fours . 150

Loo . 152

Brag . ICO

Poker, or Bluff . 172

Boston . 185

Boston de Fontainebleau . 193

French Euchre . 197

Domino Euchre . 198

Domino Poker . 199

Bingo . 200

Lansquenet . 201

Faro . 202

Vingt-un . 212

Cassino . 217

Catch the Ten . 222

Five and Ten, or Spoilt Five . 224

Forty-Five . 226

Commit . 229

Put . 229

Speculation . 231

Matrimony . 232

Connections . 233

Pope Joan . 233

Commerce . 235

Lottery . 236

Sift Smoke . 237

Snip-Snap-Snorem . 237

Keno . „ . * . 238

Chess . 239

Draughts . 315

Backgammon . 370

Dominoes . 394

5

6

CONTENTS,

Billiards .

Bagatelle . .

Rouge et Noir .

French Roulette .

American Roulette .

E. O .

Monte .

Spots .

French Whist .

Sixty-Six .

Quadrille .

Blind Hookey .

Quince .

Thirty-One .

All-Fives .

French Fours .

Dice .

American Blind Hookey..

Rounce, Cards .

Props .

Sweat, or Chucker Luck. Thirteen and the Odd. . . .

Obsolete Card Games .

The Doctrine of Chances Decisions on Wagers .

PAGE. .. 398 .. 441 .. 446 .. 456 .. 4G0 .. 461 .. 462 .. 463 .. 463 .. 404 .. 467 .. 480 .. 481 .. 483 .. 482 .. 482 .. 477 .. 484 .. 484 .. 486 .. 486 .. 487 .. 487 .. 492 .. 510

THE AMERICAN HOYLE

WHIST.

Of all card games, Whist is perhaps the most interesting ; and certainly, if such a term can be used in regard to any thing in which mere chance is an element, the most scientific. As to its absolute origin, it is not necessary for us to inquire whether the game be a simple improvement on the “ Ruff and Honors” spoken of by Seymour, or the “ Slam,” “Whisk,” or “Swabbers” with which our forefathers beguiled their evenings in the pre¬ entertainment ages, which, from the absence of gas, may well be considered dark. Nor is it of much consequence to us whether this particular game of cards was familiar to the Greeks, Romans, Franks, Saxons, or Danes, or whether it was known in England in the days of good Queen Bess. Sufficient for our purpose that it is a good game, and that it has vastly improved since the days when Swift and Congreve played rubbers, and when the game enjoyed the honor of being mentioned in the polished lines of Pope and Thomson. “Whist,” says Captain Crawley, “is the king of all card games. Unlike most others, it presents great scope for the exercise of judgment, memory, skill, and good temper. In variety it yields to none, and in scientific calculation it is superior to any It is not a game determinable by chance alone, for a single error or miscalculation is sufficient to overthrow the apparently most certain triumph. It is an amazing trier of patience, and only he (or she) who can absolutely conquer its difficulties can hope to become a good player. It is necessary to have a ‘ calculating head’ in order to excel, for reflection and memory are the two great qualities at

3

WHIST.

Whist. Four good players know, almost to a certainty, where every card is placed after the first or second round ; and two ama¬ teurs against two players stand very little more chance than they would if their cards were laid face upwards on the table.” Whist is to be played in silence, for it is not a conversation game. And a propos of the name, here is an anecdote which, whether it be true or not, is worthy of preservation : — The Lords of the three Kingdoms (France, Spain, and Germany), after declaiming all day on affairs of State, found it necessary to rest their tongues at night ; so they invented a mute game, and called it Whist !

Among the chief writers on Whist since Hoyle, we may mention the names of Deschappelles, Major A. (whose Short Whist is a standard authority), Eidrali Trebor (Robert Iiardie spelled back¬ wards), J. W. Carleton (the editor of Bohn's Hand-book of (Janies ), Mr. Watson, Coelebs, and Captain Crawley. The gentleman who writes under this nom de plume has produced the latest, and perliap? the best work on the game, and to him we are indebted for many valu able hints and maxims.

It must be understood that Hoyle, in all his treatises, presumes that his readers possessed a certain preliminary knowledge of the several games, and that, therefore, a mere reproduction of his Whist would be but of small value to amateurs. In the following pages, we assume that our readers have no such previous knowledge, and we therefore begin at the beginning.

THE GAME. \

Long Whist is played by four persons, with a complete pack of cards, fifty-two in number. The four players divide themselves into two parties, each player sitting opposite his partner. This division is usually accomplished by what is called cutting the cards , the two highest and the two lowest being partners ; or the partner¬ ship may be settled by each player drawing a card from the pack spread out on the table, or in any other way that may be decided on. The holder of the lowest card is the dealer. But previous to their being dealt, the cards are “ made” — that is, shuffled — by tho elder hand, and “ cut” by the younger hand. The undermost card in the pack, after it has been shuffled and cut, is the “ trump.’- These and other terms used in the game we shall presently explain

THE GAME.

9

The whole pack is now dealt out, card by card, the dealer begin¬ ning with the player on his left, the elder hand. The last card — the trump — is then turned face upwards on the table, where it remains till the first trick is won, and turned. The deal completed, each player takes up his allotted thirteen, and arranges them in his hand accord¬ ing to the several suits — the Hearts, Clubs, Spades, and Diamonds by themselves, in their regular order. The elder hand now leads or plays a card. His left-hand adversary follows, then his partner, and last of all his right-hand adversary. Each player must “ follow suit,” if he can, and the highest card of the suit led wins the “ trick or if either player cannot follow suit, he either passes the suit — that is, plays some card of another suit — or trumps; that is, plays a card of the same suit or denomination as the turned-up card. Thus, we will suppose the first player leads a Nine of Spades, the second follows with a Ten, the third, who perhaps holds two high cards, plays a Queen, and the last a Two or Three. The trick would then belong to the third player, who won it with his Queen. The winner of the trick then leads off a card, and the others follow as before, and so on till the thirteen tricks are played. A second deal then takes place, as before, and so the game proceeds till one or the other side has obtained ten tricks, which is game.

The order and value of the Cards in Whist is as follows : — Ace is highest in play and lowest in cutting. Then follow King, Queen, Knave, Ten, Nine, Eight, Seven, Six, Five, Four, Three, Two, the lowest.

But there are other ways of scoring points besides tricks. The four court cards of the trump suit are called honors ; and the hold¬ ers of four, score four towards the game ; the holders of three, score two ; but if each player or each set of partners hold two , then honors are said to be divided, and no points are added to the game on either side. Thus, A. and C. (partners) have between them the Ace, Knave, and Queen. At the end of the deal or round, they say and score two by honors ; or, B. and D. hold Ace and King only, while A. and C. have Queen and Knave in their hands ; then the honors are divided.

All tricks above six score to the game. All honors above two score in the way explained — two paints for three honors, four points for four honors.

There being thirteen tricks which must be made in each round or deal, it follows that seven points may be gained, which, with the 1*

10

WHIST.

four honors, would finish the game in a single deal. This stroke of good fortune is, however, seldom attained. It is much rnoro likely that four or five deals be made before the game is won. An already explained, ten points is game in Long Whist.

In Short Whist, which is the ordinary game cut in half, jive points Avin. But if either side get up to nine points, then the hold mg of honors is of no advantage. In the language of the Whist- table, at nine points honors do not count. But at eight points, the player who holds tAvo honors in his hand has Avhat is called the privilege of the call. That is, he may ask his partner if he has an honor — “Can you one?” or “Have you an honor?” If the partner asked does hold the requisite Court card, the honors may be shoAvn, the points scored, and the game ended. But the inquiry must not be made by the player holding the tAvo honors till it is his turn to play , nor must the holder of a single honor inquire of his partner if he has two.

Nor does the holding of four honors entitle the partners to sIioav them at any stage of the game except at eight points. To put the matter epigrammatically, at six or seven points , tricks count before honors ; at eight points , honors count before tricks.

At nine points honors do not count. It must be understood, how¬ ever, that in order to count honors at eight points , they must be shown before the first trick is turned, or they cannot be claimed till the round is completed. Thus it might happen that the partners at eight points, holding the honors between them, and neglecting to show them, would be beaten, even though the other side wanted three or four tricks for the game.

A Single Game is Avon by the side which first obtains the ten points by a majority of one, two, three, or four points.

A Double Game is made Avhen one side obtains ten points before the other has scored five.

A Lurch or Triplet is won by the obtainment of ten points to nothing on the other side.

A Rubber is two games won out of three.

The Points of a Rubber are reckoned thus wise : — For the single game, one point ; for the double, two points ; and for the rub, two

points. Thus it is possible to obtain six points in one rubber _

namely, tAvo doubles and the rub.

The above explanations refer, of course, to games that are played for money stakes, but the more usual plan now a-days is to play

TECHNICAL TERMS.

i i

Whist for n small stake on each game, without regard to what are called the points of the game.

A Lurch or Triplet is in some companies reckoned for three points. Generally, however, a lurch is only counted as a double game where triplets are counted ; it is possible, therefore, for the winners to obtain eight points.

A Slam is when the whole thirteen tricks are won in a single hand. It is ordinarily reckoned equal to a full rubber of six points. All these matters are, of course, subject to the practice of, or pre¬ vious agreement among, the players. If nothing be stated at the commencement of the play, then it would be understood that the stakes played for were determined by each single game.

The game is usually marked on the table by coins or counters, or by the holes in a Cribbage-board. Many pretty little contrivances have been invented as Whist-markers ; but if coins be used, the fol¬ lowing is the simplest way of arranging them in order to denote the score :

1 2	3	4 5	6	7 8	9
					0
o oo	ooo	O 0 o	O	OOO 0 0	O
oo o	OOO	o o o	o
Or thus —	a plan in	which the unit above stands for three , or	below
for Jive :
4	5	6 7	8	9	9
0000	O OO	° OO OOO o	OOO o	0000 or o	O 0 O

But we have not yet quite got over the alphabet of the game. It is absolutely necessary that the tyro should make himself fully acquainted with the following —

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

12

WHIST.

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 Long Whist, Eight at Short.

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 honor — “ Have you one ?” The part¬ ners having eight points are said to have the call. When each side stands at eight, the first player has the privilege. As explained in a previous page, no player can call till it is his turn to play.

Veal. — The proper distribution of the cards, from left to right, face downwards.

Deal , miss. — A misdeal is made by giving a card too many or too few to either player ; in which case the deal passes to the next hand. ( See Laws.)

Deal , fresh. — A fresh or new deal, rendered necessary by any vio¬ lation 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 endeavors to conceal his strength, as when, having the best and third best (as 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

TECHNICAL TERMS.

13

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 ad versary 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.

Honors. — 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 point are said to have lurched their adversaries.

Love. — No points to score. Nothing.

Marking the Game. — Making the score apparent, with coins, &c.. as before explained.

No Game. — A game at which the players make no score.

Opposition. — Side against side.

Points. — The score obtained by tricks and honors. The wagering or winning periods of the game.

Quarte. — Four cards in sequence.

Qicarte 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.

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. (See Laws.)

Rubber. — The best two of three games.

n

WHIST.

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.

Terce. — A sequence of three cards in any suit.

Terce Major. — Ace, King, and Queen of any suit held in one hand.

Tricks. — 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, Sec.

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 are given in most of the treatises on Whist as standing rules for young players. They are of course liable to variation according to the exigencies of the game, as will be seen on perusal of the succeeding pages. Mr. Carleton quotes them without alteration from Watson, who probably got them from some cne else. They are known as

BOB SHORT’S RULES

BOB SHORT’S RULES.

15

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 honor, particularly if the game be much against you.

5. Lead your best trump, if the adversaries be eight, and you have no honor ; 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 lend 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, par¬ ticularly 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 know^s 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.

WHIST.

] 0

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, re¬ turn 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 PLATERS.

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 and keep your temper.

THE LAWS OF WHIST.

Now, it must never be forgotten that in no important particular has the game of Whist been altered since the days of Hoyle. What modern editors have done, has been to render plain the instructions of that excellent authority, and to give in few words what he gave in many.

Well, then, having got so far — having conquered the alphabet of

LAWS AND REGULATIONS.

17

"Whist — we come now to consider the laws by which, in ail com¬ panies, the game is governed. "We shall endeavor to make very plain and easy what is necessary to be remembered by all players, giving the rules jmre et simple , and adding such explanatory remarks as may seem needful in separate paragraphs within brackets.

THE LAWS OF WHIST.

THE RUBBER.

1 . The rubber is the best of three games. If the first two games be won by the same players, the third game is not played.

SCORING.

2. A game consists of ten points. Each trick, above six, counts one point.

3. Honors, i. e., Ace, King, Queen, and Knave of trumps, are thus reckoned :

If a player and his partner, either separately or. conjointly, hold—

I. The four honors, they score four points.

II. Any three honors, they score two points.

III. Only two honors, they do not score.

4. Those players who, at the commencement of a deal, are at the score of nine, cannot score honors.

5. The penalty for a revoke takes precedence of all other scores. Tricks score next. Honors last.

6. Honors, unless claimed before the trump card of the following deal is turned up, cannot be scored.

7. To score honors 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.

18

WHIST.

CUTTING.

10. 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. If there are more than four candidates, the players are se¬ lected by cutting ; those first in the room having the preference. The four who cut the lowest cards play first, and again cut to de¬ cide on partners ; the two lowest play against the two highest ; the lowest is the dealer, who has choice of cards and seats, and having once made his selection, must abide by it.

14. When there are more than six candidates, those who cut the two next lowest cards belong to the table, which is complete with six players ; on the retirement of one of those six players, the can¬ didate who cut the next lowest card has a prior right to any after- comer to enter the table.

Ip. 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 which of those two deals.

16. Three players, cutting cards of equal value, cut again ; should the fourth (or remaining) card be the highest, the two low¬ est of the new cut are partners, the lower of those two the dealer ; should the fourth card be the lowest, the two highest are partners, the original lowest the dealer.

[Example.— Three aces and a two are cut. The three aces cut again ; the two is the original high, and plays with the highest. Suppose at the second cut two more twos and a king are drawn ; the king plays with the original two, and the other pair of twos cut again for deal. Now suppose the second cut to consist of an ace and two knaves ; the two knaves cut again, and the highest plays with the two.]

17. At the end of a rubber, should admission be claimed by any one, or by two candidates, he who has, or they who have, played a greater number of consecutive rubbers than the others, is, or are, out ; but when all have played the same number, they must cut to decide upon the out-goers ; the highest are out.

SHUFFLING.

18. The pack must neither be shuffled below the table nor so that the face of any card be seen.

[It is a common error to suppose that the cards may not be shuffled by dealing them out on the table. The law imposes no restriction as to the mode of shuffling.]

LAWS AND REGULATIONS.

19

19. The pack must not be shuffled during the play of the hand.

20. Each player has a right to shuffle once only, except as pro¬ vided by Rule 22, prior to a deal, after a false cut, or when a new deal has occurred.

[It is unusual to be over-fastidious, the preparation of the dealer’s pack being ordi¬ narily entrusted to his left-hand adversary, and the alternate pack to the dealer’s partner. No one is obliged to shuffle : nor can any one reclaim the privilege after relinquishment of his due turn.]

21. Each player after shuffling must place the cards properly collected and face downwards, to the left of the player about to deal.

22. The dealer has always the right to shuffle last ; but should a card or cards be seen during his shuffling, or whilst giving the pack to be cut, he may be compelled to re-shuffle.

THE DEAL.

23. Each player deals in his turn ; the right of dealing goes to the left.

24. The player on the dealer’s right cuts the pack, and, in divid¬ ing it, must not leave fewer than four cards in either packet ; if in cutting, or in replacing one of the two packets on the other, a card be exposed, or if there be any confusion of the cards, or a doubt as to the exact place in which the pack was divided, there must be a fresh cut.

25. When a player, whose duty it is to cut, has once separated the pack, he cannot alter his intention ; he can neither re-shuffle nor re-cut his cards.

26. When the pack is cut with the dealer’s consent, should the dealer shuffle the cards, he loses his deal.

[The dealer’s consent is implied by his presenting the pack to be cut. It is import¬ ant to note the distinction between a misdeal , which forfeits the deal to the adver¬ saries, and a new deal , when the same dealer deals again.]

A NEW DEAL.

27. There must be a new deal —

I. If during a deal, or during the play of a hand, the pack be proved incorrect or imperfect.

II. If any card, excepting the last, be faced in the pack.

28. If, whilst dealing, a card be exposed by the dealer or his

20

WHIST.

partner, should neither of the adversaries have touched the cards, the latter can claim a new deal ; a card exposed by either adver¬ sary gives that claim to the dealer, provided that his partner has not touched a card ; if a new deal does not take place, the exposed card cannot be called.

29. If, during dealing, a player touch any of his cards, the ad¬ versaries may do the same, without losing their privilege of claim¬ ing a new deal, should chance give them such option.

30. If, in dealing, one of the last cards be exposed, and the dealer turn up the trump before there is reasonable time for his adversaries to decide as to a fresh deal, they do not thereby lose their privilege.

31. If a player, whilst dealing, look at the trump card, his ad¬ versaries have a right to see it, and may exact a new deal.

32. If a player take into the hand dealt to him a card belonging to the other pack, the adversaries, on discovery of the error, may decide whether they will have a fresh deal or not.

A MISDEAL.

33. A misdeal loses the deal.

34. It is a misdeal —

I. Unless the cards are dealt into four packets, one at a time in regular rotation, beginning with the player to the dealer’s left.

II. Should the dealer place the last ( i . e., the trump) card, face downwards, on his own or any other pack.

III. Should the trump card not come in its regular order to the dealer ; but he does not lose his deal if the pack be proved imper¬ fect.

IY. Should a player have fourteen cards, and either of the other players less than thirteen.

Y. Should the dealer, under the impression that he has made a mistake, either count the cards on the table or the remainder of the pack.

YI. Should the dealer deal two cards at once, or two cards to the same hand, and then deal a third ; but if, prior to dealing that third card, the dealer can, by altering the position of one card only, rectify such error, he may do so, except as provided by the second paragraph of this law.

YII. Should the dealer omit to have the pack cut to him, and

LAWS AND REGULATIONS.

21

the adversaries discover the error prior to the trump card being turned up, and before looking at their cards, but not after having done so.

35. A misdeal does not lose the deal if, during the dealing, either of the adversaries touch the cards prior to the dealer's partner having done so ; but should the latter have first interfered with the cards, notwithstanding either or both the adversaries have sub¬ sequently done the same, the deal is lost.

36. Should three players have their right number of cards, the fourth have less than thirteen, and not discover such deficiency until he has played any of his cards, the deal stands good ; should he have played, he is answerable for any revoke he may have made as if the missing card or cards had been in his hand ; he may search the other pack for it or them.

37. If a pack, during or after a rubber, be proved incorrect or imperfect, such proof does not alter any past score, game, or rub¬ ber ; that hand in which the imperfection was detected is null and void ; the dealer deals again.

38. Any one dealing out of turn, or with the adversary’s cards, may be stopped before the trump card is turned up ; after which the game must proceed as if no mistake had been made.

39. A player can neither shuffle, cut, nor d^al for his partner without the permission of his opponents.

40. If the adversaries interrupt a dealer whilst dealing, either by questioning the score or asserting that it is not his deal, and fail to establish such claim, should a misdeal occur, he may deal again.

41. Should a player take his partner’s deal and misdeal, the lat¬ ter is liable to the usual penalty, and the adversary next in rota¬ tion to the player who ought to have dealt then deals.

THE TRUMP CARD.

42. The dealer, when it is his turn to play to the first trick, should take the trump card into his hand ; if left on the table after the first trick be turned and quitted, it is liable to be called ; his partner may at any time remind him of the liability.

[It is commonly supposed that the dealer may not take up the trump card till after

he has played. The strict law is as above ; the object of it is that the dealer

should not have two cards on the table at the same time.]

22

WHIST.

43. After the dealer has taken the trump card into his hand, it cannot be asked for ; a player naming it at any time during the play of that hand is liable to have his highest or lowest trump called.

[Any player may be told what the trump suit is.]

44. If the dealer take the trump card into his hand before it is his turn to play, he may be desired to lay it on the table ; should he show a wrong card, this card may be called, as also a second, a third, &c., until the trump card be produced.

45. If the dealer declare himself unable to recollect the trump card, his highest or lowest trump may be called at any time dur¬ ing that hand, and, unless it cause him to revoke, must be played ; the call may be repeated, but not changed, i. e., from highest to lowest, or vice versa , until such card is played.

[If the dealer forgets which was the trump card, the club custom is to make him expose one card after another till he shows the right one. In the opinion of the writer, “ Cavendish,” this penalty is too severe, and could rarely be enforced in private circles without giving rise to ill feeling.]

CARDS LIABLE TO BE CALLED.

46. All exposed cards are liable to be called, and must be left on the table ; but a card is not an exposed card when dropped on the floor or elsewhere below the table.

The following are exposed cards : —

I. Two or more cards played at once.

II. Any card dropped with its face upwards, or in any way ex¬ posed on or above the table, even though snatched up so quickly that no one can name it.

47. If any one play to an imperfect trick the best card on the ta¬ ble, or lead one which is a winning card as against his adversaries, and then lead again, or play several such winning cards one after the other, without waiting for his partner to play, the latter may be called on to win, if he can, the first or any other of those tricks, and the other cards thus improperly played are exposed cards.

[Vide note to law 58.]

48. If a player, or players, under the impression that the game is lost or won, or for other reasons, throw his or their cards on the table face upwards, such cards are exposed, and liable to be called,

LAWS AND REGULATIONS.

23

each player’s by the adversary ; but should one player alone re¬ tain his hand he cannot be forced to abandon it.

49. If all four players throw their cards on the table face up¬ wards, the hands are abandoned, and no one can again take up his cards. Should this general exhibition show that the game might have been saved or won, neither claim can be entertained unless a revoke be established. The revoking players are then liable to the following penalties : they cannot under any circumstances win the game by the result of that hand, and the adversaries may add three to their score, or deduct three from that of the revoking players.

50. A card detached from the rest of the hand so as to be named, is liable to be called ; but should the adversary name a wrong card, he is liaVe to have a suit called when he or his partner has the lead.

[In private circles, the penalty for separating cards is sometimes not enforced. In the writer’s opinion, the strict game should always be played. Owing to confusing between exposed and separated cards, it is a common error to suppose that exposed cards must be named. Another common error is, that a player may be prevented from playing an exposed card ; whereas, if an exposed card is got rid of in course of play, no penalty remains. If more than one card is exposed at one time, the adversaries may choose which of the exposed cards they will first call, and so on with the others. It is a common error to suppose that when two cards are ex¬ posed in leading, or in playing to a trick, only one of them can be called.]

51. If a player, who has rendered himself liable to have the highest or lowest of a suit called, fail to play as desired, or if when called on to lead one suit he lead another, having in his hand one or more cards of that suit demanded, he incurs the penalty of a revoke.

52. If any player lead out of turn, his adversaries may either call the card erroneously led, or may call a suit from him or his partner when it is next the turn of either of them to lead.

53. If any player lead out of turn, and the other three have fol¬ lowed him, the trick is complete and the error cannot be rectified ; but if only the second, or the second and third, have played to the false lead, their cards, on discovery of the mistake, are taken back : there is no penalty against any one, excepting the original offender, whose card may be called, or he or his partner, when either of them has next the lead, may be compelled to play any suit demanded by the adversaries.

24

WHIST.

54. In no case can a player be compelled to play a card which would oblige him to revoke.

55. The call of a card may be repeated until such card has been played.

56. If a player called on to lead a suit have none of it,’ the pen¬ alty is paid.

CARDS PLAYED IN ERROR, OR NOT PLAYED TO A TRICK.

57. If the third hand play before the second, the fourth hand may play before his partner.

58. Should the third hand not have played, and the fourth play before his partner, the latter may be called on to win, or not to win, the trick.

[If in the case mentioned (Law 58), the second player has none of the suit led, he may, of course, be required to trump or hot to trump the trick. — Vide law 47.]

59. If any one omit playing to a former trick, and such error be not discovered until he has played to the next, the adversaries may claim a new deal ; should they decide that the deal stand good, the surplus card at the end of the hand is considered to have been played to the imperfect trick, but does not constitute a revoke therein.

60. If any one play two cards to the same trick, or mix his trump or other card with a trick to which it does not properly belong, and the mistake be not discovered until the hand is played out, he is answerable for all consequent revokes he may have made. If, during the play of the hand, the error be detected, the tricks may be counted face downwards, in order to ascertain whether there be among them a card too many ; should this be the case, they may be searched, and the card restored ; the player is, how¬ ever, liable for all revokes which he may have meanwhile made.

THE REVOKE

61. Is when a player, holding one or more cards of the suit led, plays a card of a different suit.

62. The penalty for a revoke—

I. Is at the option of the adversaries, who at the end of the hand may either take three tricks from the revoking player, or deduct three points from his score, or add three to their own score ;

LAWS AND REGULATIONS.

25

II. Can be claimed for as many revokes as occur during the hand.

III. Is applicable only to the score of the game in which it oc¬ curs.

IV. Cannot be divided ; i. c., a player cannot add one or two to his own score and deduct one or two from the revoking player.

V. Takes precedence of every other score.

63. A revoke is established if the trick in which it occur bo turned and quitted, i. e., the hand removed from that trick after it has been turned face downwards on the table, or if either the re¬ voking player or his partner, whether in his right turn or other¬ wise, lead or play to the following trick.

64. A player may ask his partner whether he has not a card of the suit which he has renounced ; should the question be asked before the trick is turned and quitted, subsequent turning and quitting does not establish the revoke, and the error may be cor¬ rected, unless the question be answered in the negative, or unless the revoking player or his partner have led or played to the fol¬ lowing trick.

65. At the end of the hand, the claimants of a revoke may search all the tricks.

66. If a player discover his mistake in time to save a revoke, the adversaries, whenever they think fit, may call the card thus played in error, or may require him to play his highest or lowest card to that trick in which he has renounced ; any player or play¬ ers who have played after him may withdraw their cards and sub¬ stitute others : the cards withdrawn are not liable to be called.

67. If a revoke be claimed, and the accused player or his part¬ ner mix the cards before they have been sufficiently examined by the adversaries, the revoke is established. The mixing of the cards only renders the proof of a revoke difficult, but does not prevent the claim and possible establishment of the penalty.

68. A revoke cannot be claimed after the cards have been cut for the following deal.

69. The revoking player and his partner may, under all circum¬ stances, require the hand in which the revoke has been detected to be played out.

70. If a revoke occur, be claimed and proved, bets on the odd trick or on amount of score, must be decided by the actual state of the latter, after the penalty is paid.

2

26

WHIST.

71. Should the players on both sides subject themselves to the penalty of one or more revokes, neither can win the game ; each is punished at the discretion of his adversary.

72. In whatever way the penalty be enforced, under no circum¬ stances can a player win the game by the result of the hand dur¬ ing which he has revoked ; he cannot score more than nine.

[See Law 51.]

CALLING HONORS.

73. If anyone calls after having played; or reminds his partner of calling, after the deal is completed ; the adversaries may claim a fresh deal.

74. If any one calls without having two honors ; or without being at the score of eight ; or shall answer the call without hav¬ ing an honor ; the adversaries may consult as to a fresh deal, re¬ claiming their hands if thrown down.

GENERAL RULES.

75. Where a player and his partner have an option of exacting from their adversaries one of two penalties, they should agree who is to make the election, but must not consult with one another which of the two penalties it is advisable to exact ; if they do so consult, they lose their right ; and if either of them, with or with¬ out consent of his partner, demand a penalty to which he is enti¬ tled, such decision is final.

[This rule does not apply in exacting the penalties for a revoke ; partners have then a right to consult.]

76. Any one during the play of a trick, or after the four cards are played, and before — but not after — they are touched for the purpose of gathering them together, may demand that the cards be placed before their respective players.

77. If any one, prior to his partner playing, should call atten¬ tion to the trick, — either by saying that it is his, or by naming his card, or, without being required so to do, by drawing it towards him, — the adversaries may require that opponent’s partner to play the highest or lowest of the suit then led, or to win or lose the tcick.

iThe only Intimations allowed, are those specified in the laws. There is no direct penalty for other intimations, owing to the difliculty, if not impossibility, of de¬ fining what an intimation is. Thus, though it is very improper for any one to indicate the nature of his hand by any gesture, there is no direct penalty for so doing. The indirect penalty for intimations is, that the person who persists in making them will soon find no one to play with him.]

THE LEAD.

27

78. In all cases where a penalty has been incurred, the offender is bound to give reasonable time for the decision of his adversaries.

79. Any player may demand to see the last trick turned, and no more. Under no circumstances can more than eight cards be seen during the play of the hand, viz. : the four cards on the table which have not been turned and quitted, and the last trick turned.

80. Any player (on paying for them), before, but not after, the pack be cut for the deal, may call for fresh cards. He must call for two new packs, of which the dealer takes his choice.

81. A bystander, by agreement among the players, may decide any question.

82. A card or cards torn or marked must either be replaced by agreement, or new cards called at the expense of the table.

[These latter are all club laws, and therefore not applicable to a social rubber.]

MAXIMS ADOPTED BY ALL THE BEST WKITEKS ON

THE GAME.

THE LEAD — FIRST HAND.

Begin with the suit of which you have the greatest number ; for when trumps are out, you will probably make tricks in it.

If you hold equal numbers in different suits, begin with the strong¬ est ; it is the least liable to injure your partnei

Sequences are always eligible leads ; they support your partner’s hand without injuring your own.

Lead from King or Queen, rather than from a single Ace ; foi since your opponents will lead from contrary suits, your Ace will bf powerful against them.

Lead from King rather than Queen, and from Queen rather than Knave; for the stronger the suit, the less is your partner en¬ dangered.

Do not lead from Ace Queen, or Ace Knave, till you are obliged ; for if that suit be led by your opponents, you have a good chance of making two tricks in it.

In sequences to a Queen, Knave, or Ten, begin with the highest, and so distress your left-hand adversary.

With Ace, King, and Knave, lead the King ; if strong in trumps, you may wait the return of this suit, and finesse the Knave.

With Ace, Queen, and one small card, lead the small one ; by this lead, your partner has a chance of making the Knave.

28

WHIST.

With Ace, King, and two or three small cards, play Ace and King if weak, but a small card if strong in trumps ; when strong in trumps, you may give your partner the chance of making the first trick.

With King, Queen, and one small card, play the small one ; for your partner has an equal chance to win, and there is little fear of your making King or Queen.

With King, Queen, and two or three small cards, lead a small card if strong, and the King if weak in trumps ; strength in trumps entitles you to play a backward game, and give your partner a chance of winning the first trick. But if weak in trumps, lead tho King and Queen, to secure a trick in that suit.

With Ace, with four small cards, and no other good suit, play a small one if strong in trumps, and the Ace if weak ; strength in trumps may enable you to make one or two of the small cards, although your partner cannot support your lead.

With King, Knave, and Ten, lead the Ten ; if your partner has the Ace, you may probably make three tricks, whether he pass the Ten or not.

With King, Queen, and Ten, lead the King; for if it fail, by putting on the Ten, upon the return of the suit from your partner, you may make two tricks.

With Queen, Knave, and Nine, lead the Queen ; upon the return of that suit from your partner, by putting on the Nine, you may make the Knave.

SECOND HAND.

With Ace, King, and small ones, play a small card if strong in trumps, but the King if weak. Otherwise your Ace or King mighf be trumped in the latter case. Except in critical cases, no hazard should be run with few trumps.

With Ace, Queen, and small cards, play a small one ; upon the return of that suit you may make two tricks.

With Ace, Knave, and small cards, play a small one ; upon the return of that suit you may make two tricks.

With Ten or Nine, with small cards, play a small one. By this plan, you may make two tricks in the suit.

With King, Queen, Ten, and small cards, play the Queen. By playing the Ten on the return of the suit, you stand a good chance of making two tricks.

THE LEAD.

29

With King, Queen, and small cards, play a small card il sirong in trumps, but the Queen if weak in them ; for strength in trumps warrants a backward game. It is advantageous to keep back your adversaries’ suit.

With a sequence to your highest card in the suit, play the low¬ est of it, for by this means your partner is informed of your strength.

With Queen, Knave, and small ones, play the Knave, because you will probably secure a trick.

With Queen, Ten, and small ones, play a small one, for your partner has an equal chance to win.

With either Ace, King, Queen, or Knave, with small cards, play a small one ; your partner has an equal chance to win the trick.

With either Ace, King, Queen, or Knave, with one small card only, play the small one, for otherwise your adversary will finesse upon you.

If a Queen of trumps be led, and you hold the King, put that on ; if your partner hold the Ace, you do no harm ; and if the King be taken, the adversaries have played two honors to one.

If a Knave of trumps be led, and you hold the Queen, put it on ? for, at the worst, you bring down two honors for one.

If a King be led, and you hold Ace, Knave, and small ones, plav the Ace, which can only make one trick.

THIRD HAND.

The third hand plays high.

With Ace and King, play the Ace and immediately return the King. It is not necessary that you should keep the command of your partner’s hand.

With Ace and Queen, play the Ace and return the Queen. By this means you make a certain trick, though it is sometimes policy to play the Queen. Your partner is, however, best supported by the old-fashioned method.

With Ace and Knave, play the Ace and return the Knave, in order to strengthen your partner’s hand.

With King and Knave, play the King ; and if it win, return the Knave.

Play the best when your partner leads a small card, as it best supports him.

so

WHIST.

If you hold Ace and one small card only, and your partner lead the King, put on the Ace, and return the small one ; for, otherwise, your Ace may be an obstruction to his suit.

If you hold King and only one small card, and your partner lead the Ace, when the trumps be out play the King; for, by putting on the King, there will be no obstruction to the suit.

FOURTH HAND.

If a King be led, and you hold Ace, Knave, and a small card, play the small one ; for, supposing the Queen to follow, you will probably make both Ace and Knave.

When the third hand is weak in his partner’s lead, you may often return that suit to great advantage ; but this rule must not be ap¬ plied to trumps, unless you are very strong indeed.

Never neglect to secure the trick if there is any doubt about the game.

If you hold the thirteenth trump, retain it to make a trick when your partner fails in his lead.

If you stand in the nine holes, make all the tricks you can ; but at the same time be careful. Watch the game narrowly, and look well to your partner’s lead.

LEADING TRUMPS.

Lead trumps from a strong hand, but never from a weak one ; by which means you will secure your good cards from being trumped.

Never trump out-with a bad hand, although you hold five small trumps; for, since your cards are bad, you only bring out your adversaries’ good ones.

If you hold Ace, King, Knave, and three small trumps, play Ace and King ; for the probability of the Queen falling is in your favor.

If you hold Ace, King, Knave, and one or two small trumps, p^y the King, and wait the return from your partner to put on the Knave. By this plan you may win the Queen. But if you have particular reasons to exhaust trumps, play two rounds, and then your strong suit.

If you hold Ace, King, and two or three small trumps, lead a small one, with a view to let your partner win the first trick ; but if

THE LEAD.

31

you have good reason for getting out trumps, play three rounds, or play Ace and King, and then your strong suit.

If your adversaries are eight, and you hold no honor, throw off your best trump ; for if your partner has not two honors you lose the game. But if he should happen to hold two honors — as he probably would — you have a strong commanding game.

Holding Ace, Queen, Knave, and small trumps, play the Knave ; by this means, the King only can make against you.

Holding Ace, Queen, Ten, and one or two small trumps, lead a small one ; this will give your partner a chance to win the first trick, and keep the command in your own hand.

Holding King, Queen, Ten, and small trumps, lead the King ; for if the King be lost, upon the return of trumps you may finesse the Ten.

Holding King, Knave, Ten, and small ones, lead the Knave; it will prevent the adversaries from making a small trump.

Holding Queen, Knave, Nine, and small trumps, lead the Queen , if your partner hold the Ace, you have a chance of making the whole suit.

Holding Queen, Knave, and two or three small trumps, lead the Queen.

Holding Knave, Ten, Eight, and small trumps, lead the Knave : on the return of trumps you may finesse the Eight.

Holding Knave, Ten, and three small trumps, lead the Knave ; this will most distress your adversaries, unless two honors are held on your right hand, the odds against which are about three to one.

Holding only small trumps, play the highest ; by which means you support your partner.

Holding a sequence, begin with the highest ; thus your partner is instructed how to play his hand, and cannot be injured.

If any honor be turned up on your left, and the game much against you, lead a trump as soon as you can. You may thus probably retrieve an almost lost game.

In all other cases it is dangerous to lead through an honor with¬ out you are strong in trumps, or have an otherwise good hand All the advantage of leading through an honor lies in your partner finessing. 4

If the Queen be turned up on your right, and you hold Ace, King, and small ones, lead the King. Upon the return of trumps finesse, unless the Queen falls. Otherwise the Queen will make a trick.

32

WHIST.

With the Knave turned up on your right, and you hold King Queen, and Ten, the best play is to lead the Queen. Upon the re¬ turn of trumps play the Ten. By this style of play you make the Ten.

If the Knave turns up on your right, and you hold King, Queen, and small ones, it is best to lead the King. If that comes home, you can play a small one, for the chance of your partner possessing the Ace.

If Knave turn up on your right, and you have King, Queen, and Ten, with two small cards, lead a small one. Upon the return of trumps play the Ten. The chances are in favor of your partner holding an honor, and thus you make a trick.

If an honor be turned up on your left, and you hold only one hon¬ or with a small trump, play out the honor and then the small one. This will greatly strengthen your partner’s hand, and cannot injure your own.

If an honor be turned up on the left, and you hold a sequence, lead the highest; it will prevent the last hand from injuring your partner.

If a Queen be turned up on the left, and you hold Ace, King, and a small one, lead the small trump ; you have a chance for winning the Queen.

If a Queen be turned up on your left, and you hold Knave with small ones, lead the Knave ; for the Knave can be of no service, sinco the Queen is on your left.

If an honor be turned up by your partner, and you are strong in trumps, lead a small one ; but if weak in them, lead the best you have. By this means the weakest hand supports the strongest.

If an Ace be turned up on the right, and you hold King, Queen, and Knave, lead the Knave : it is a secure lead.

If an Ace be turned up on the right, and you hold King, Queen, and Ten, lead the King ; and upon the return of trumps play the Ten. By this means you show strength to your partner, and prob¬ ably make two tricks.

If a King be turned up on the right, and you hold Queen, Knave, and Nine, lead the Knave, and upon the return of trumps, play the Nine; it may prevent the Ten from making. %

If a King be turned up on your right, and you hold Knave, Ten, and Nine, lead the Nine ; upon the return of trumps play the Tei* This will disclose your strength in trumps to your partner

RETURNING TARTNER’s LEAD.

66

If a Queen be turned up on the right, and you have Ace, King and Knave, lead the King. Upon the return of trumps play the IvnaA e. which makes a certain trick.

HOW TO PLAY WHEN YOU TURN UP AN HONOR.

If you turn up an Ace, and hold only one small trump with it, if either adversary lead the King, put on the Ace.

But if you turn up an Ace, and hold two or three small trumps with it, and either adversary lead the King, put on a small one ; for if you play the Ace, you give up the command in trumps.

If you turn up a King, and hold only one small trump with it, and your right-hand adversary lead a trump, play a small one.

If you turn up a King, and hold two or three small trumps with it, if your right-hand adversary lead a trump, play a small one.

If you turn up a Queen or Knave, and hold, besides, only small trumps, if your right-liand adversary lead a trump, put on a small one.

If you hold a sequence to the honor turned up, play it last.

HOW TO PLAY FOR THE ODD TRICK.

Never trump out if you can avoid it, for you can hardly be sure of the other three hands.

If your partner, by hoisting the Blue Peter, or by any other allowable intimation, shows that he has means of trumping any suit, be cautious how you trump out. Force your partner, if strong in trumps, and so make all the tricks you can.

Make tricks early in the game, and be cautious in finessing.

With a single card of any suit, and only two or three small trumps, lead the single card.

RETURNING PARTNER’S LEAD.

In the following cases it is best to return your partner's lead directly :

When you win with the Ace, and can return an honor ; for then it will greatly strengthen his hand.

When he leads a trump ; in which case return the best remaining in your hand, unless you hold four. An exception to this arises if the lead is through an honor.

2*

34

WHIST.

When your partner has trumped out ; for then it is evident he wants to make his strong suit.

When you have no good card in any other suit ; for then you are entirely dependent on your partner.

In the. following instances it is proper that you should NOT return your partner's lead immediately :

When you win with the King, Queen, or Knave, and have only small cards remaining. The return of a small card will more dis¬ tress than strengthen your partner’s hand.

When you hold a good sequence ; for then you may make tricks, and not injure his hand.

When you have a strong suit. Leading from a strong suit is a direction to your partner, and cannot injure him.

When you have a good hand ; for in this case yotl have a right to consult your own hand, and not your partner’s.

When you hold five trumps ; for then you are warranted to play trumps if you think.it right.

When, in fine, you can insure two or three tricks, play them, and then return the lead. With a leading hand it is well to play your own game.

THE FINISH.

The most important part of a game at Whist is the Finish — the last two or three tricks. Be careful how you play, or you may make a bad ending to a good beginning.

Loose Cards. — If you hold three winning cards and a loose one, play the latter, and trust to your partner.

Loose Trump and Tenace. — Holding these, play the loose trump.

King and the Lead . — If you hold a King and a loose card, the best plan is to play the last, so that your partner may lead up to your King.

Long Trumps. — If you hold three, it is best to lead the smallest; by this means you give your partner a chance of making tricks, and still hold a commanding card in your own hand. It is not well to play out the King card.

Third Hand with King , SfC. — “Supposing,” says Coelebs, “ten tricks being made, you remain with King, Ton, and another. If sec-

THE FINISH.

35

ond hand plays an honor, cover it ; otherwise finesse the Ten for a certain trick. It you want two tricks play your King.”

Running a Card. — The same authority says — “With such cards as Knave, Nine, Eight against Ten guarded, by ‘running’ the Eight you make every trick.”

CASES IN POINT.

The following cases are given by Hoyle :

I.

If A. and C. are partners against B. and D., and eight trumps have been played out, and A. has four trumps remaining, B. having the best trump and is to lead, should B. play his trumps or not? No; because as he would leave three trumps in A.’s hand, if A.’s partner has any capital suit to make, by B.’s keeping the trump in his hand he can prevent his making that suit.

II.

A. and C. are partners against B. and D. ; twelve trumps are play¬ ed out, and seven cards only remain in each hand, of which A. has the last trump, and likewise the Ace, King, and four small cards of a suit; question, whether A. should play the Ace and King of that suit or a small one? A. should play a small card of that suit, as it is an equal bet his partner has a better card in that suit than the last player, and, in this case, if four cards of the suit happen to be in either of the adversaries’ hands, by this manner of playing he will be enabled to make five tricks in that suit. Should neither of the adversaries have more than three cards in that suit, it is an equal bet that he wins six tricks in it.

III.

Supposing three hands of cards, containing three cards in each hand, let A. name the trumps, and let B. choose which hand he pleases — A. having the choice of either the other two hands, will win two tricks. Clubs are trumps : first hand, Ace, King, and Six of Hearts ; second hand, Queen and Ten of Hearts, with Ten of Trumps; third hand, Nine of Hearts, with Two and Three of Trumps. The first hand wins of the second, the second wins of the third, and the third wins of the first.

36

WHIST.

IV.

THE ADVANTAGE BY A SEE-SAW.

Suppose A. and B. partners, and that A. has a quart-major in Clubs, they being trumps, another quart-major in Hearts, another quart-major in Diamonds, and the Ace of Spades; and let us suppose the adversaries, C. and D.,to have the following cards, viz., C. has four Trumps, eight Hearts, and one Spade; D. has five Trumps and eight Diamonds: C. being to lead, plays a Heart, D. trumps it; D. plays a Diamond, C. trumps it; and thus pursuing the saw, each partner trumps a quart-major of A.’s, and C. being to play at the ninth trick, plays a Spade, which D. trumps : Thus C. and D. have won the first nine tricks, and leave A. with his quart-major in Trumps only.

The foregoing case shows, that whenever you gain the advantage of establishing a saw, it is your interest to embrace it.

STRENGTH IN TRUMPS.

The following hands are given by Hoyle to demonstrate what is known as being strong in trumps : —

Ace, King, and three small trumps.

King, Queen, and three small trumps.

Queen, Ten, and three small trumps.

Queen and four small trumps.

Knave and four small trumps.

Five trumps without .an honor must win two tricks if led.

FORCING YOUR PARTNER.

You are justified in forcing your partner if you hold —

Ace and three small trumps.

King and three small trumps.

Queen and three small trumps.

Knave and four small trumps.

Five trumps.

CASE TO DEMONSTRATE THE DANGER OF FORCING YOUR PARTNEtv.

Suppose A. and B. partners, and that A. has a quint-major in trumps, with a quint-major and three small cards of another suit,

INDICATIONS AND INFERENCES.

37

and that A. has the lead s, and let us suppose the adversaries, C. and D., to have only five trumps in either hand ; in this case, A. having the lead, wins every trick.

INDICATIONS AND INFERENCES.

The following are given by Mr. Carleton as allowable indications between partners, or hints from your adversaries’ play : —

Should the Ace fall from the second hand in the first round of a suit, it is fair to conclude that he is either very strong in it, or has only the one card.

Should there be a renounce in which a court card is thrown away, it indicates that the holder of it has a high sequence in the suit, or perhaps no other, or wishes a trump played.

When you have played all your trumps, avoid playing a suit from which your partner threw away, when he could no longer fol¬ low your trump lead. He is weak in that suit. If he has thrown away more than one suit, play that from which he threw away last.

When a suit is ruffed, and he who wins plays the Ace of trumps and then stops, be sure that is the last of his trumps.

Should you hold the next best of a sequence that has been led, you may suspect the lead was from a single card, and with a view to a ruff.

When there is no call at the point of eight, and you do not hold an honor yourself, the chances are your partner has two. You may model your game by that presumption.

With Ace, King, win with the King ; if leader, begin with the King ; and if it be trumped, or you think right to change the suit, your partner will guess where the Ace is.

The call at eight is a hint to your partner to play trumps.

When the last player wins with a high card, and then leads a lower one of the same suit, with which he might equally have taken the trick, it is assumed that he has the intermediate cards.

Leading a small card for your partner’s Ace shows that you have the King.

To these may be added the Bluo Peter, as described in a former page.

38

WHIST.

HOYLE’S GRAMMAR OF WHIST.

How should sequences of trumps be played ? — Begin with the highest.

When sequences are not in trumps, how should they be played 1 — If you hold five, begin with the lowest ; if less than five, begin with the highest.

Why are sequences preferable to frequent changes of suits ? — Because they form safe leads, and gain the tenace in other suits.

When should partners make tricks early ? — When they are weak in trumps.

When may you allow your opponents to make tricks early in the round ? — When you are strong in trumps.

When is it proper to play from an Ace-suit ? — When you hold three Aces, neither of which is a trump.

When any good card is turned up on your right, how should you play ? — If an Ace be turned up, and you hold King and a small card, play the small one. If King be turned up, and you hold Ace and small ones, play a small one. If a Ten be turned up, and you hold King, Knave, Nine, and others, begin with the Knave, in order to prevent the Ten from making a trick, and then finesse with the Nine.

How do you know when your partner has no more of the suit played ? — By his playing his high card instead of a loose one. Thus, suppose you hold King, Queen, and Ten, and your partner answers with Knave, you may be certain that is the only card he possesses of the suit.

When ought you to over-trump your adversary, and when not ? — If you are strong in trumps, you may throw away a loose trump ;but if weak, over-trump at all risks.

If your right-hand adversary lead a suit in which you have Ace, King, and Queen, with which card are you to take the trick ? — With the Queen, as then the same suit may be led again by your opponent, under the idea that his partner holds the high cards.

Why should you play from King-suit rather than from Queen- suit, though you may possess a like number of each — Because, it is two to one that the Ace does not lie in your adversary’s hands, and it is five to four that if you play from Queen you lose her.

When you possess the four best cards of any suit, why do you

EXAMPLES FROM HOYLE.

39

play your best ? — To inform your partner as to the state of your hand.

The Queen turned up on your right, and you hold Aco Ten, and one trump ; or King, Ten, and one trump, if right-hand opponent plays the Knave, what should you do ? — Pass the trick. You cannot lose by so doing, as your Ace must make, and you may gain a trick.

When can you finesse in other suits with impunity ? — When you are strong in trumps.

EXAMPLES FROM HOYLE

In order to fully conquer the difficulties of Whist and achieve success, it is necessary, indeed, to persevere to the end. “ Never despair” is an excellent motto for a whist-player. Having carried the student safely over the pons asinorum , let us now take a leaf or two direct from Hoyle. Hitherto it has been our endeavor to im¬ prove upon the instructions of our great authority by carefully com¬ paring his maxims with those of later writers, and embodying with them the results of modem card-table experience. In this chapter we shall give the ipsissirna verba of Edmond Hoyle from the last and best of the authorized editions of his treatise on Whist, believing that a careful perusal of the following examples cannot but prove of considerable use to all who would become thoroughly familiar with the game.

PARTICULAR GAMES, AND THE MANNER IN WHICH THEY ARE TO

BE PLAYED AFTER A LEARNER HAS MADE SOME PROGRESS IN

THE GAME.

I.

“ Suppose you are elder hand, and that your game consists of King, Queen, and Knave of one suit ; Ace, King, Queen, and two small cards of another suit ; King and Queen of the third suit, and three small trumps ; Query , how is this hand to be played ? You are to begin with the Ace of your best suit (or a trump), which in¬ forms your partner that you have the command of that suit ; but you are not to proceed with the King of the same suit, but you must play a trump next ; and if you find your partner has no strength to sup¬ port you in trumps, and that ycur adversary plays to your weak suit —

40

WHIST.

viz., the King and Queen only — in that case play the King of the suit which belongs to the best suit ; and if you observe a probability of either of your adversaries being likely to trump that suit, pro¬ ceed then and play the King of the suit of which you have the King, Queen and Knave. If it should so happen that your adver saries do not play to your weakest suit, in that case, though ap parently your partner can give you no assistance in trumps, pursue your scheme of trumping out as often as the lead comes into your hand ; by which means, supposing your partner to have but two trumps, and that your adversaries have four each, by three rounds of trumps, there remain only two trumps against you.”

II.

ELDER HAND.

*• Suppose you have Ace, King, Queen, and one small trump, with a sequence from the King of five in another suit, with four other cards of no value. Begin with the Queen of trumps, and pur¬ sue the lead with the Ace, which demonstrates to your partner that you have the King ; and as it would be bad play to pursue trumps the third round till you have first gained the command of your great suit, by stopping thus, it likewise informs your partner that you have the King and one trump only remaining ; because if you had Ace, King, Queen, and two trumps more, and trumps went round twice, you could receive no damage by playing the King the third round. When you lead sequence, begin with the lowest ; be¬ cause, if your partner has the Ace, he plays it, which makes room for your suit. And since you have let your partner into the state of your game, as soon as he has the lead, if he has a trump or two remaining, he will play trumps to you with a moral certainty that your King clears your adversaries’ hands of all their trumps.”

hi.

SECOND PLAYER.

“ Suppose you have Ace, King, and two small trumps, with a quint-major of another suit, in the third suit you have three small cards, and in the fourth suit one. Your adversary on your right hand begins with playing the Ace of your weak suit, and then pro¬ ceeds to play the King. In that case do not trump it, but throw

EXAMPLES FROM HOYLE.

4]

iwuy a losing card, and if he proceeds to play the Queen, throw away another losing card, and do the like the fourth time, in hopes your partner may trump it, who will in that case play a trump, or will play to your strong suit. If trumps are played, go on with them two rounds, and then proceed to play your strong suit ; by which means, if there happens to be four trumps in one of your adversary’s hands, and two in the other, which is nearly the case, your partner being entitled to have three trumps out of the nine, consequently there remain only six trumps between the adversaries ; your strong suit forces their best trumps, and you have a proba¬ bility of making the odd trick in your own hand only ; whereas, if you had trumped one of your adversaries’ best cards, you had so weak¬ ened your hand as probably not to make more than five tricks with¬ out your partner’s help.”

IV.

Suppose you have Ace, Queen, and three small trumps, Ace, Queen, Ten, and Nine of another suit, with two small cards of each of the other suits ; your partner leads to your Ace, Queen, Ten and Nine ; and as this game requires rather to deceive adversaries than to inform your partner, put up the Nine, which naturally leads the adversary to play trumps, if he wins that card. As soon as trumps are played to you, return them upon your adversary, keeping the command in your own hand. If your adversary who led trumps to you puts up a trump which your partner cannot win, if he has no good suit of his own to play, he will return your partner’s lead, imagining that suit lies between his partner and yours. If this finesse of yours should succeed, you will be a great gainer by it, but scarcely possible to be a loser.”

PARTICULAR GAMES BOTH TO ENDEAVOR TO DECEIVE AND DISTRESS YOUR ADVERSARIES, AND TO DEMONSTRATE YOUR GAME TO YOUR PARTNER.

I.

“ Suppose I play the Ace of a suit of which I have Ace, King, and three small ones; the last player does not choose to trump it, having none of tho suit; if I am not strong enough in trumps I must not play out the King, but keep the command of that suit in my hand

42

WHIST.

by playing of a small one, which I must do m order to weaken his game.”

II.

“ If a suit is led, of which I have none, and a moral certainty that my partner has not the best of that suit, in order to deceive the ad¬ versary I throw away my strong suit; but to clear up doubts to my partner when he has the lead I throw away my weak suit. This method of play will generally succeed, unless you play with very good players, and even with them you will oftener gain than lose by this method of play.”

PARTICULAR GAMES TO BE PLAYED, BY WHICH YOU RUN THE RISK OF LOSING ONE TRICK ONLY TO GAIN THREE.

I.

•* Suppose Clubs to be trumps, a Heart is played by your adver¬ sary ; your partner having none of that suit, throws away a Spade ; you are then to judge hisliand is composed of trumps and Diamonds ; and suppose you win that trick, and being too weak in trumps, you dare not force him ; and suppose you shall have King, Knave, and one small Diamond; and further, suppose your partner to have Queen and Five Diamonds ; in that case, by throwing out your King in your first lead, and your Knave in your second, your partner and you may win five tricks in that suit ; whereas, if you had led a small Diamond, and your partner’s Queen having been won with the Ace, the King and Knave remaining in your hand, obstructs his suit ; and though he may have the long trump, yet, by playing a small Diamond, and his long trump having been forced out of his hand, you lose by this method of play three tricks in that deal.”

II.

“ Suppose in the like case of the former, you should have Queen, Ten, and one small card in your partner’s strong suit ; which is to be discovered by the former example ; and suppose your partner to have Knave and five small cards in his strong suit ; you having the lead are to play your Queen, and when you play again you are to play your Ten ; and suppose him to have the long trump, by this method he makes foui tricks in that suit; but should you play a

EXAMPLES FROM HOYLE.

43

small one in that suit, his Knave being gone, and the Queen remain¬ ing in your hand in the second round of playing that suit, and the iong trump being forced out of his hand, the Queen remaining m your hand obstructs the suit, by which method of play you loss three tricks in that deal.”

m.

** In the former examples you have been supposed to have had the lead, and by that means have had an opportunity of throwing out the best cards in your hand of your partner’s strong suit, in order to make room for the whole suit; we will now suppose your partner is to lead, and in the course of play it appears to you that your partner has one great suit ; suppose Ace, King, and four small ones, and that you have Queen, Ten, Nine, and a very small one of that suit ; when your partner plays the Ace, you are to play the Nine ; when he plays the King, you are to play the Ten ; by which means you see, in the third round, you make your Queen, and having a small one remaining, you do not obstruct your partner’s great suit ; whereas, if you had kept your Queen and Ten, and the Knave have fallen from the adversaries, you would have lost two tricks in that deal.”

IV.

Suppose in the course of play, as in the former case, you find your partner to have one great suit, and that you have King, Ten, and a small one of that suit ; your partner leads the Ace, in that case play your Ten, and in the second your King ; this method is to prevent a possibility of obstructing your partner’s great suit.”

Y.

“ Suppose your partner has Ace, King, and four small cards in his great suit, and that you have Queen, Ten, and a small card in that suit ; when he plays his Ace, do you play your Ten, and when he plays his King, do you play your Queen ; by which method of play you only risk one trick to get four.”

44

WHIST.

SOME DIRECTIONS FOR PUTTING UP AT SECOND HAND KING* QUEEN, KNAYE, OR TEN OF ANY SUIT, ETC.

I.

“ Suppose you have the King and one small card of any suitT and that your right-hand adversary plays that suit ; if he is a good player do not put up the King, unless you want the lead, because a good player seldom leads from a suit of which he has the Ace, but keeps it in his hand (after the trumps are played out) to bring in his strong suit.”

H.

“ Suppose you have a Queen and one small card of any suit, and that your right-hand adversary leads that suit, do not put on your Queen, because, suppose the adversary has led from the Ace and Knave, in that case, upon the return of that suit, your adversary finesses the Knave, which is generally good play, especially if his partner lias played the King ; you thereby make your Queen : but by putting on the Queen, it shows your adversary that you have no strength in that suit, and consequently puts him upon finessing upon your partner throughout that whole suit.”

III.

“ In the former examples you have been informed, when it is thought proper to put up the King or Queen at second hand ; you are likewise to observe, in case you have the Knave or Ten of any suit, with a small card of the same suit, it is generally bad play to put up either of them at second hand, because it is five to two that the third hand has either Ace, King, or Queen of the suit led ; it therefore follows, that as the odds against you are five to two, and though you should succeed sometimes by this method of play, yet in the main you must be a loser, because it demonstrates to your adversaries that you are weak in that suit, and consequently they finesse upon your partner throughout that whole suit.”

IV.

“ Suppose you have Ace, King, and three small cards of a suit; your right-hand adversary leads that suit; upon which you play

EXAMPLES FROM HOYLE.

46

your Ace, and your partner plays the Knave. In case you are strong in trumps, you are to return a small one in that suit, in order to let your partner trump it. And this consequence attends such play, viz., you keep the command of that suit in your own hand, and at the same time it gives your partner an intimation that you are strong in trumps ; and therefore he may play his game accordingly, either in attempting to establish a saw, or by trumping out to you, if he has either strength in trumps or the command of the other suits.”

SOME DIRECTIONS HOW TO PLAY WHEN AN ACE, KING, OR QUEEN ARE TURNED UP ON YOUR RIGHT HAND, ETC.

I.

“ Suppose the Ace is turned up on your right hand, and that you have the Ten and Nine of trumps only, with Ace, King, and Queen of another suit, and eight cards of no value, quere , how must this game be played ? Begin with the Ace of the suit of which you have the Ace, King, and Queen, which is an information to your partner that you have the command of that suit ; then play your Ten of trumps, because it is five to two that your partner has King, Queen, or Knave of trumps ; and though it is about seven to two that your partner has not two honors, yet, should he chance to have them, and they prove to be the King and Knave, in that case, as your partner will pass your Ten of trumps, and as it is thirteen to twelve against the last player for holding the Queen of trumps, upon supposition your partner has it not, in that case, when your partner has the lead, he plays to your strong suit, and upon your having the lead, you are to play the Nine of trumps, which puts it in your partner’s power to be almost certain of winning the Queen if he lies behind it.

“ The foregoing case shows, that turning up of an Ace against you may be made less beneficial to your adversaries, provided you play by this rule.”

n.

“ If the King or Queen are turned up on your right hand, the like method of play may be made use of ; but you are always to distinguish the difference of your partner’s capacity, because a

4G

WHIST.

good player will make a proper use of such play, but a bad one seldom, if ever.”

m.

“ Suppose the adversary on your right hand leads the King of trumps, and that you should have the Ace and four small trumps, with a good suit ; in this case it is your interest to pass the King • and though he should have King, Queen, and Knave of trumps, with one more, if he is a moderate player, he will play the small one ; im¬ agining that his partner has the Ace ; when he plays the small one, you are to pass it, because it is an equal wager that your partner has a better trump than the last player ; if so, and that he happens to be a tolerable player, he will judge you have a good reason for this method of play, and consequently, if he has a third trump re¬ maining he will play it; if not, he will play his best suit.”

THE TEN OR NINE BEING TURNED UP ON YOUR RIGHT HAND, ETC.

I.

•' Suppose the Ten is turned up on your right hand, and that you should have King, Knave, Nine, and two small trumps,' with eight other cards of no value, and that it is proper for you to lead trumps, in that case begin with the Knave, in order to prevent the Ten from making of a trick ; and though it is but about five to four that your partner holds an honor, yet if that should fail, by finessing your Nine on the return of trumps from your partner, you have the Ten in your power.”

II.

“ The Nine being turned up on your right hand, and that you should bave Knave, Ten, Eight, and two small trumps, by leading the Knave it answers the like purpose of the former case.

III.

“You are to make a wide difference between a lead of choice and a forced lead of your partner’s; because, in the first case he is sup¬ posed to lead from his best suit, and finding you deficient in that suit, and not being strong enough in trumps, and not daring to force you, he then plays his next best suit ; by which alternation of play, it is next to a demonstration that he is weak in trumps. But should be persevere, by playing of his first lead, if he is a good player, you

EXAMPLES FROM HOYLE.

47

are to judge him strong in trumps, and it is a direction for you to play your game accordingly."

IY.

“ There is nothing more pernicious at the game of Whist than to change suits often, because in every new suit you run the risk of giv¬ ing your adversary the tenace ; and therefore, though you lead from a suit of which you have the Queen, Ten, and three small ones, and your partner puts up the Nine only, in that case, if you should hap¬ pen to be weak in trumps, and that you have no tolerable suit to lead from, it is your best play to pursue the lead of that suit by play¬ ing your Queen, which leaves it in your partner’s option whether he will trump it or not, in case he has no more of that suit ; but in your second lead, in case you should happen to have the Queen or Knave of any other suit, with one card only of the same suit, it would bo better play to lead from your Queen or Knave of either of these suits, it being five to two that your partner has one honor at least in either of those suits.”

V.

“ If you have Ace, King, and one small card of any suit, with four trumps ; if your right hand adversary leads that suit, pass it, because it is an equal wager that your partner has a better card in that suit than the third hand ; if so, you gain a trick by it : if otherwise, as you have four trumps, you need not fear to lose by it, because, when trumps are played, you may be supposed to have the long trump.”

CAUTION NOT TO PART WITH THE COMMAND OF YOUR ADVERSARIES’ GREAT SUIT, ETC.

I.

“ In case you are weak in tramps, and that it does not appear that your partner is very strong in them, be very cautious how you part with the command of your adversaries’ great suit. For sup¬ pose your adversary plays a suit of which you have King, Queen, and one small card only, the adversary leads the Ace, and upon playing the same suit, you play your Queen, which makes it almost certain to youi partner that you have the King ; and suppose your partner refuses to that suit, do not play the King, because, if the

48

W HIST.

leader of that suit or his partner hare the long trump, you risk tho losing of three tricks to get one.”

II.

“ Suppose your partner has ten cards remaining in his hand, and that it appears to you that they consist of trumps and one suit only ; and suppose you should have King, Ten, and one small caid of his strong suit, with Queen and two small trumps ; in this case, you are to judge he has five cards of each suit, and therefore you ought to play out the King of his strong suit ; and if you win that trick, your next play is to throw out the Queen of trumps ; if that likewise comes home, proceed to play trumps. This method of play may be made use of at any score of the game, except at 4 and 9.”

THE TRUMP TURNED UP TO BE REMEMBERED.

“ It is so necessary that the trump turned up should be known and remembered, both by the dealer and his partner, that we think it proper to observe, that the dealer should always so place that card as to be certain of having recourse to it. For suppose it to be only a Five, and that the dealer has two more — viz., the Six and Nine — if his partner trumps out with Ace and King, he ought to play his Six and Nine ; because, let us suppose your partner to have Ace, King, and four small trumps, in this case, by your partner’s knowing you have the Five remaining, you may win nany tricks.”

TWO TRUMPS.

The following Case happens frequently : —

“ That you have two trumps remaining when your adversaries have only one, and it appears to you that your partner has one great suit ; in this case always play a trump, though you have the worst ; be¬ cause, by removing the trump out of your adversaries’ hands, theie can be no obstruction to your partner’s great suit.”

FIVE TRUMPS.

“ Suppose you have five trumps, and six small cards of any suit, and you are to lead ; the best play is to lead from the suit of which

CALCULATIONS FOR BETTING.

49

you have six, because, as you are deficient in two suits, your adver-j saries will probably trump out, which is playing your own game’ for you; whereas, had you begun with playing trumps, they would, force you, and consequently destroy your game.”

CALCULATIONS FOR BETTING.

Among modern players, heavy betting at cards has nearly gone out. Whist is now generally played for a simple stake — so much per game — so much per rubber ; but as no treatise on the game can be considered complete without a table of chances, we give the calcula¬ tions of Hoyle, as improved by modern practice.

AT LONG WHIST —

It is about five to four that your partner holds one card out of any two.

Five to two that he holds one card out of any three.

Two to one that he does not hold a certain named card.

Three to one that he does not hold two out of three named cards in a suit.

Three to two that he does not hold two cards out of any four named.

Five to one that your partner holds one winning card.

Four to one that he holds two.

Three to one that he holds three.

Three to two that he holds four.

Four to six that he holds five.

BETTING THE ODDS.

The odds on the rubber is five to two in favor of the dealers gener¬ ally.

With the first game secured, the odds on the rubber, with the deal are —

1 to love about 7 to 2

2 - -4-1

3 — __9 — 2

4 — _ 5 — 1

At any part of the game, except at the points of eight and nine 3

50

WHIST.

the odds are in proportion to the nnmber of points required to make the ten required. Thus, if A. wants four and B. six of the game, the odds are six to four in favor of A. If A. wants three and B. five, the odds are seven to five on A. winning the game.

At the commencement of the game it is about -zl0- per cent, in favor of the dealer.

The odds against the dealer counting two for honors (that is, three honors in hand) are about nearly four to one.

Against the dealer and his partner holding the four honors, the odds are at least six to one. Against the non-dealers holding the four honors, the odds are about twenty to one, because it is only fifty- two to sixteen, or a little more than nine to one that an honor is turned up.

Against honors being divided, the odds are about three to two against either side, though the dealers have certainly the best chaneo

The following, calculated strictly, are the

ODDS ON THE GAME WITH THE DEAL.

1 love is 11	to	10	4	to	3	is 7	to	6
2 love — 5	—	4	5	_	3	— 7	_	5
3 love — 3	—	2	6	—	3	— 7	_	4
4 love — 7	—	4	7	_	3	— 7	_	3
5 love — 2	—	1	8	_	3	— 7	_	2
6 love — 5	—	2	9	_	3	— 3	_	1
7 love — 7	—	2
8 love — 5	_	1
9 love — 9	—	2	5 6	to	4 4	is 6 — 6	to	5 4
1 to 1 is 9	to	8	7 o	—	4 I	_ o	—	1
2_1_9	_	7	b	—	4	— 3	—	1
3—1 — 9	_	6	9	—	4	— 5	—	o
4—1 — 9		5
5-1 — 9	—	4	6	to	5	is 5	to	4
6—1 — 3	—	1	7	_	5	- — 5	_	3
7—1—9	—	2	8	_	5	— 5	_	2
8—1 — 4	—	1	9	—	5	— 2	—	[
3 to 2 is 8	to	7
4—2—4		3	7	to	6	is 4	to	3
5—2 — 8		5	8	—	6	— 2	—	1
6—2 — 2	_	1	9	—	6	— 7	—	4
7—2—8	—	3
8—2—4	—	1	8	to	7	is 3	to	2
9—2 — 7	—	2	9	—	7	— 12	—	8

ODDS ON THE GAME.

51

Honors counting at eight points and not at nine, the odds are slightly in favor of the players at eight. It is usual for the players at eight points, with the deal, to bet six to five on the game. It is about an even bet, if honors are not claimed at eight points, that the dealers win. As a disinterested piece of advice, however, let us add — Don't bet at all.

AT SHORT WHIST.

The following are the generally accepted odds ; but it must dc remembered that, in respect of betting, the chances in Short Whist do not greatly differ from those of the old and, as we think, much superior game : —

ON THE GAME WITH THE DEAL.

At starting, the odds are about 11 to 10, or perhaps 21 to 20, in favor of the dealers. With an honor turned up, the odds are nearly

a point greater in	favor of the dealers.
1 to love is about	10	to 8
2	—	5	— 3
3	—	3	— 1
4	—	4	— 1
2	to 1 is about	5	to 4
3	— 2 —	2	— 1
3	— 3	11	— 10
4	— 3 —	9	— 7

ON THE RUBBER WITH THE DEAL.

1 to love is about 7 to 4

2 — 2 — 1

3 — 9 — 2

4 — 5 — 1

The following are given as mere matters of curiosity

52

WHIST.

It is 50 to 1 against the dealer holding 7 trumps, neither more nor less.

15 to 1 against his holding 6 trumps.

8 to 1 against his holding exactly five.

3 to 2 against his holding exactly 4.

5 to 2 in favor of his holding 3 or more trumps.

11 to 2 in favor of his holding 2 or more trumps.

30 to 1 against his holding only the one trump turned up.

AGAINST ANY NON-DEALER HOLDING ANY SPECIFIED NUMBER OP

TRUMPS.

100 to 1 against his holding exactly 7.

30	to	1	“ “ 6.
15	to	1	“ •* 5.
5	to	1	“ “ 4.
3	to	2	“ “ 3.
5	to	2 in	favor of his holding 2 or more.

50 to 1 in favor of his holding 1 trump or more.

Against the dealer holding 13 trumps, it is calculated to be 158. 753,389,899 to 1.

Against his holding 12 trumps, 338,493,367 to 1.

Against his holding 11 trumps, 3,000,000 to 1.

Against his holding 10 trumps, 77,000 to 1.

Against his holding 9 trumps, 3500 to ] .

Against his holding 8 trumps, 320 to 1.

Against his holding 7 trumps, 50 to 1.

These figures are, however, of but small practical utility in Whist from the simple fact that now-a-days such odds are seldom or never offered or taken. Whist is not a game to gamble at.

L’ENVOY.

•

The reader who has accompanied me thus far will at least acknowl¬ edge that there is more in a game at Whist than appears at first sight. In the Clubs it is played scientifically ; and with regular players two packs of cards are always brought in, kept on the table, and played with alternately each deal. This saves some trouble and time, as, while the one pack is being gathered by the younger hand, the elder hand “ makes” the other. This plan likewise prevents a wide-awake player from placing” cards in shuffling, and so obtaining a slight

GENERAL ADVICE.

53

advantage by knowing whereabout in the pack certain cards are likely to be.

The reader must not, however, imagine that he is a Whist-player because he has read this or any other treatise on the game. An ounce of practice is worth a pound of theory ; and all that books can do is to teach the theory and principles of the game. Any lady or gentleman can become a good player with a little care and attention. The good player will read the rules and maxims with attention, and profit by them ; but only the real lover and master of the game will be able to tell when he may depart from both with safety. There is all the difference in the world between slavishly following written instructions and adapting them to particular circumstances. As in life, so in Whist — you must use your own educated judgment if you would succeed. Practice makes perfect ; and there is no royal road to Whist any more than there is to learning.

My readers will allow me, I am sure, to warn them that Whist is an amusement, not a labor ; and that it is best played at the table. The amateur should never play a card without a reason for it ; a bad reason is better than playing at random without any reason at all. Coolness, memory, and good temper are the three great secrets of success at Whist. Play the game well, and be cautious how you finesse. Take care of your trumps, and do not throw them away un¬ necessarily. It is good play, if you hold four leading cards in a suit, to exhaust that suit before you play another ; as then, when trumps are out, you make a trick by leading the thirteenth card. It is judicious to force the strong hand, bad to force the weak one. Never throw away a trick without good reason, and avoid ruffing your right-hand adversary’s lead, if you can without danger. Es¬ tablish your long suit, if possible ; and do not over-trump your right hand opponent without you see absolute necessity. The first object is to win the game, the second to save it ; therefore, nothing venture nothing have. Always return your partner’s lead in trumps ; hav¬ ing regard, however, always to your own hand. Endeavor to retain the turn-up and a commanding card as long as you can. Inform your partner of your strength in trumps by the allowable intimations — such as throwing a best card to a partner’s winning card, playing the highest of a sequence when fourth player, and so on. Try to stop a long suit of your adversaries by playing a trump, without fear of being over-trumped. Look carefully at your hand to avoid ma¬ king a revoke ; and watch your opponents’ play, in order to detect

54

WHIST.

one. It is quite fair to deceive your adversaries by underplay, and the use of the Blue Peter is acknowledged in all companies, though it was quite unknown to Hoyle. Endeavor to thoroughly compre¬ hend the principle of tenace, as this is a most valuable adjunct at Whist. Look well after the score, and play out your long suit as soon as you can. The playing of a single card is generally success¬ ful, as, if it makes a trick, you can then trump when your partner returns the lead, and perhaps establish a see-saw.

Patient study and long practice are as necessary to make a good Whist-player as to make a good mathematician. But courtesy and willingness to acknowledge and forgive errors are no small recom¬ mendations : therefore, to lady and gentleman players I may say Omnibus Placeto.

SHOBT WHIST, DUMBY, DOUBLE DUMBY, &c.

SHORT WHIST.

Short Whist is played in the same manner as the old game, but its chief merit consists in dispatch, being often decided in two hands.

The laws and penalties are the same as those of the regular game of Whist, with the following exceptions :

1. Five points constitute the game ; hence the name— Short Whist.

2. Honors are never called, but always counted, except at the point of four, which corresponds with the point of nine in the old game ; and, in like manner, tricks take precedence of honors.

3. Points of the game , eight of which may be gained in one game, viz., a single, a double, or a triple — reckoned thus : —

I. A triple, or game of three points, when their adversaries have not scored.

II. A double, or game of two points, when their adversaries have scored less than three.

III. A single, or game of one point, when their adversaries have scored three, or four.

4. The winners of the rubber gain two points (commonly called the rubber points), in addition to the value of their games.

5. If the rubber consists of three games, the value of the losers’ game is deducted from the gross number of points gained by the winners.

[Thus two triples and the rubber make eight points— a rubber of eight. When either of the parties mark a double and a single, it is a rubber of five, viz., a single, a double, and the rubber; the rubber always counting two points.]

SHORT WHIST.

55

A rubber is the best of three, or two out of the three games, and may be a rubber of 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, or 8. Each party counting one, and then either gaining a single, is two for the rubber, and one for the single— a rubber of three ; each gaining a double, and afterward either gaining a double — a rubber of four ; each party first gaining a single or double, and then either party a triple — a rubber of j five, and so on. Even eleven points may be scored on the cards, thus : four honors and seven tricks ; but al¬ though the game may be up by honors, if a bet is on the trick, the tricks must be played for. Never lose a trick to save the game, when a bye bet is on the trick ; in other cases it is prudent to do so.

PLAYING THE GAME.

The best mode is to avoid finessing, which, if not successful, will in all probability be the means of losing the game. Playing a straightfor¬ ward game is preferable, making the most of the cards, without calcula¬ ting chances, as at the old game. Never lose a trick in the hope of mak¬ ing two afterwards. Leave nothing to chance, but boldly make tricks as long as the cards in hand will allow. It is equally advantageous to lead up to, as through, an Ace turned up ; not so to a King, Queen, or Knave.

The odd trick, in general, is in favor of the leader ; but in this, as in every other score, the dealer, as last player, has a decided advantage.

A trick or two may occasionally with advantage be given away to make sure of the game : this is termed underplay, and of course is never practiced when there are bets on every odd trick ; nevertheless, it is in most cases a successful manoeuvre, and consists in keeping back the best card and playing a small one, thus : the fourth hand having Ace, King, and low cards, if his left-hand adversary leads, he wins the Ace and re¬ turns a small one ; his partner wins the third-best card, unless the second and third are both against him. If you lead from King, and your right-hand adversary win with Ten or Knave, and return your lead, then your chance to make your King is to put him in ; but this play is seldom resorted to except in trumps, or in other suits when strong in trumps.

Tenace and Finesse should be well understood at this game. Tenace consists in having the cards in such & position as to gain the most tricks, and may be of any denomination, as Ace-Queen against King- Knave, or Seven-Five against Six-Four. Tenace is kept with less difficulty against the right-hand adversary than against the left; to maintain it against the latter requires great skill.

Finesse consists in the gaining of that position, and may be successful with low cards as well as with high (the honors being played out), but should never be resorted to in situations where losing the tenace may

56

WHIST.

lose the game also. The state of the score is the sole criterion by which to judge of the propriety or impropriety of a finesse.

The first object is to win the game ; if this be not attainable, the second object should be to save it ; therefore inform your partner how you stand in trumps, thus : if fourth player, win with the highest of a sequence, and lead the lowest. Playing a best card to your partner’s winning card shows that the strongest of that suit are behind. "Win the adversary’s lead with the highest of a sequence ; this keeps them in the dark as to where the others are. Be as careful of what cards you throw away, as of those that you lead. Never lead a card without a reason; it is better even to have a bad reason than none.

The odds differ very materially ; it is full six to five in favor of the dealer in Short, while it is only twenty-one to twenty in Long Whist.

DUMBY, OR THREE-HANDED WHIST.

This game is precisely the same as Long Whist, only that one player takes two hands, one of which he holds in the usual manner, and the other he spreads open on the table. The rules are the same.

Another Game is played by three persons, in which two Nines and Fours, and one of the Fives is cast out from the pack, and each player plays on his own account.

A third way of playing Three-handed Whist is to reject the fourth band altogether, and allow it to remain unseen on the table. Each player then takes the miss, or unseen hand, in exchange for his own, if he thinks fit. Each player stands on his cards, and the best hand must win. There is, however, room for finesse, and the player who sees two hands — the miss, and that first dealt to him — has an unde niable advantage.

TWO-HANDED WHIST.

This game is either played as Double Dumby, by exposing two hands and playing as with four players, or by rejecting two hands, and each player making the best he can of his own hand. In these games each honor counts as one point in the game. There is but small room for skill in any of the imperfect Whist-games, and the player who is acquainted with the real old-fashioned game need not be told how to play his cards at Dumby or French Humbug. At best, these games are inferior to Cribbage, Ecarte, All-Fours, or any of the regular two-handed games.

EUCHRE.

57

EUCHRE.

The game of Euchre is played with thirty-two cards ; all below the denomination of seven-spot being rejected. Four persons con¬ stitute the complement for the game, and partners are determined by dealing and turning up one card to each ; those receiving the two lowest cards, and vice versa, being associated together.

The value of the cards in Euchre is the same as in Whist, All- Fours, and other games, excepting that the Knave of the suit cor¬ responding with the trump is called the Right Bower, and is the highest card of the hand ; and the other Knave of the same color is called the Left Bower, and is the card of second importance. For example : if Hearts should be turned trump, the Knave of Hearts is the highest card, the Knave of Diamonds second in value, and the Ace, King, Queen, &c., of Hearts, then come in their regular order, as at Whist. When the Knaves are of the opposite color from the trump card, they rank no higher than at Whist.

The players usually cut for deal, and he who cuts the lowest card is entitled to the deal, and that is accomplished by giving the eld¬ est hand, or first person to the left of the dealer, two cards, and so on all around, and then dealing an additional three cards to each player, in the same order. Regularity should be observed in deal¬ ing, and no party should be allowed to receive from the dealer, in any round, more than the number of cards given to the eldest hand. For instance, if the dealer begins by giving the left-hand player two cards, he cannot be allowed to vary, so as to give an¬ other three, and then two again, but must continue as he began. The proper manner of dealing is as we pointed out at the outset, and should be rigidly observed.

The advantage which accrues to the dealer is manifest. From the manner in which cards are played in all games, those of a cor¬ responding suit will necessarily fall together, and therefore the dealer enhances his prospects thirty-three and one-third per cent, for an additional trump by dealing three cards last round, for then he has the three immediately preceding the trump, when if he had begun the deal with three cards, he would end by having only the two cards preceding the trump.

After five cards have been dealt to each player, in the order as

58

EUCHRE.

above, the dealer turns up the top card on the pack or talon, •which is called the trump. After the first hand, the deal passes to each player, in rotation.

The game consists of five points — the parties getting that num¬ ber first being winners — and the points are indicated by the num¬ ber of tricks taken by the players. If all the tricks are taken by one side it constitutes what is technically termed a march , and en¬ titles the fortunate parties to a count of two ; and it is necessary to take three tricks in order to count one, or “ make a point” as it is called. Taking four tricks counts no more than three.

When the trump is turned, the first person to the left of the dealer looks at his cards, for the purpose of determining what he intends to do, whether to “ pass ” or “ order the trump up ; ” and this, to a certain extent, will depend upon the strength of his hand. If he holds cards of sufficient value to secure three tricks, he will say, “ I order it up,” and the dealer is then obliged to take the card turned up, and discard one from his hand ; and the card thus taken up becomes the trump. If the eldest hand has not enough strength to order it up, he will say “ I pass,” and then the partner of the dealer has to determine whether he will “ pass ” or “ assist.” If he has enough, with the help of the card his partner has turned, to make three tricks, he will say, “ I assist,” and the card is taken up as before. If he passes, then it goes to the third hand, who proceeds exactly as the eldest hand. Should all the players pass, it becomes the dealer’s privilege to announce what he will do, and if he thinks he can take three tricks, he says, “I take it up,” and immediately discards his weakest card, placing it under the remainder of the pack, and instead of the card thus rejected he takes that turned up, which remains the trump. It is not con¬ sidered en regie for the dealer to remove the trump card until after the first trick has been taken, unless he needs it to play. It is let lay, that every one may see what the trump is. We may as well state here that it is always the dealer’s privilege to discard any one card in his hand, and take up the trump card ; and this holds good whether he is assisted by his partner, is ordered up by his adver¬ saries, or takes it up himself. This gives the parties having the deal an advantage about equal to one trick. Should the dealer not be confident of winning three tricks, he says, “ I turn it down,” and at the same time places the turn-up card face down on the

TECHNICAL TERMS.

59

pack. Should all the players decline to play at the suit turned up, and the dealer turn it down, the eldest hand is then entitled to make trump what he chooses (excepting the suit already turned down.) If the eldest hand is not strong enough in any suit, and does not wish to make the trump, he can pass again, and so it will go in rotation, each one having an opportunity to make the trump in his regular turn, to the dealer. If all the players, including the dealer, decline the making of the trump, the deal is forfeited to the eldest hand. The eldest hand, after the dealer has discarded, opens the game, and leads any card he chooses. The person playing the highest card takes the trick, and he in his turn is obliged to lead. In this manner the game proceeds, until the five cards in each hand are exhausted. Players are required, under penalty of the loss of two points, to follow suit. If, however, they cannot, why then they may throw away a small card or trump at their pleas¬ ure.

The trey and quatre are used in marking game. The face of the trey being up, and the face of the quatre down on it, counts one , whether one, two or three pips are exposed ; the face of the quatre being up, and the trey over it, face down, counts two , whether one, two, three, or four of the pips are shown ; the face of the trey up¬ permost counts three ; and the face of the quatre uppermost counts four. The deuce and trey are now rarely used as counters, being more liable to mistakes.

It may be laid down as one of the general rules of Euchre, that wnatever is undertaken by a player must be accomplished, in order to make the point. For instance, if I adopt, or order up tke trump, and fail in securing three tricks, it is called being “ Euchred,” and entitles the opponents to a count of two ; or if I make the trump after the original one has been turned down, and do not secure three tricks, I am also “ Euchred,” and it counts as before. There¬ fore it will be perceived, that in order to properly play- the game one should have, in addition to the ordinary rules, a thorough knowledge of the theory of chances as they apply to this game, and exercise it judiciously.

TECHNICAL TEEMS USED IN EUCHEE.

Adopting. — Synonyrne — ‘ ‘ Taking it up.” This is the privilege of the dealer, after the others have passed, to discard an inferior card,

60

EUCHRE.

and use instead the trump card turned up. The words used are, “ I take it up.”

Alone. — Playing without the assistance of your partner, when you have a hand which it is probable would take five tricks. The words are, “ I play alone,” or “ Alone,” or “ Cards away,” or “ I try it.”

Assist. — If, when your partner deals, and the eldest hand passes, you know by your hand alone, or by comparing it with the deck- head, that you can make three tricks, you may say to him, “ I assist.” This is equivalent to ordering up the trump into his hand, for he thereupon discards his poorest card, and the trump card is his to play when he needs it.

Bower. — The Jack or Knave of the trump suit, and of the suit of the same color.

Bridge. — This is where one side has scored four, and the other one or two. When your opponents have one or two and you have four, if you are eldest hand, unless you have one trick certainly in your hand — that is, the right bower, or the left bower guarded — you will order it up whether you have a trump or not, to prevent them going alone, and making four tricks.

Gall. — The right to demand an adversary to play an exposed card.

Coat-Cards. — The Bower, King and Queen, from the fact that they are coated, or dressed.

Court-Cards. — The same as coat-cards.

Cross the Suit. — To make a trump of a different color from the card turned up by the dealer.

Cut. — To separate the shuffled pack into two parts, a right pos¬ sessed by the right-hand opponent.

Beal. — To distribute the cards to which each player is entitled. You give each player five cards, in two rounds, commencing with your left-hand opponent. You begin by first dealing two cards to each, and then three, or vice verca.

Discard. — Putting a card out of the dealer’s hand, face down, under the pack, when he “ takes it up ” in lieu of the trump card on the deck.

Butch It. — To make a trump of the color that is turned down.

Eldest Hand. — The left-hand adversary of the dealer, so called because he is the first to play.

TECHNICAL TERMS.

61

Euchre. — The failure of that side which makes, orders up, or takes up a trump, to take three tricks ; this failure scoring two points to their adversaries.

Face- Card. — The coat-cards.

Finesse. — This is where a player holding the best and third best trump, plays the latter first, taking the risk that his opponents do not hold the second best trump, or that his partner does. In either case he wins the two tricks.

Force. — To lead a suit of which your opponents hold none, thus obliging them to trump or lose the trick.

Oo Alone. — Synonymous with “ play alone.”

Hand. — The five cards dealt to each player.

Intimation. — Any thing passing from one partner to another, by which the latter knows how to play.

Lay-Card. — Any card other than trump.

Lay-Suit. — Any suit not a trump.

Left Bower. — The Knave of the same color as the trump suit.

Left Bower Guarded. — The Left Bower protected by another trump.

Lone Hand. — A hand so strong in trumps alone, or in trumps, guarded by high cards of a lay suit, that it will probably win five tricks if its holder plays alone.

Lone Player. — The one playing without his partner.

Love Game. — Scoring five points to your adversary’s none.

Making the Trump. — Naming a new suit for trump, after the dealer has turned the trump card down.

March. — Where all the tricks are made by one side.

Next in Suit. — The same as Dutch It.

Numerical Cards. — Those neither ace nor face.

Ordering Up. — Requiring the dealer and his partner to play the trump as it has been turned.

Partner. — The one joined with you in playing against your adversary. The penalty of the miscondnct of one partner falls on both.

Pass. — To decline to play at the trump turned up.

Pass Again. — To decline the privilege of making a new trump, after the first has been turned down.

Play Alone. — To play a hand without one’s partner.

Point. — One of the five required for the game.

62

EUCHRE.

Bank. — The relative power of the cards, commencing and going down, in trumps, as follows : Bight Bower, Left Bower, Ace, King, Queen, Ten, Nine, Eight, Seven ; but in the Lay Suits the Jacks take place between the Queens and Tens.

Responsible. — The party who order up a trump, assist, make a trump, or take it up.

Revoke. — Playing a card of a different suit from that demanded. This is sometimes vulgarly called renig.

Right Bower. — The Jack of trumps.

Right Bower Followed. — The Bight Bower with another trump behind.

Round. — The four cards in a trick.

Rubber. — The best two of three games.

Ruffing. — Another term for trumping a suit other than trumps.

Score. — The points gained in a game or rubber.

Sequence. — The numerical succession of cards of the same color.

Shuffie. — To mix the cards before dealing.

Side- Cards. — Lay cards.

Slam. — Love-game, vulgarly called “ a skunk.”

Taking it TJp. — Indorsing the trump by the dealer, and discarding another card for it, after the rest have passed.

Talon. — The cards remaining in the pack after a deal.

Tenace. — Where the last player holds in his hand the highest and third best of the cards out.

Throw Away. — To play a worthless card on a trick, when you cannot follow suit, and do not desire to trump ; as, for instance, where it is your partner’s.

Throwing Up. — Tossing one’s cards on the table.

Trump. — The suit. turned up, or made the commanding suit.

Trump Card. — The card which is turned up by the dealer after the hands have been dealt around.

Turn Down. — The trump card which is turned face downward on the talon by the dealer, after all have passed.

Underplaying. — Following suit and winning with a low card, when you have one in your hand superior to your adversary’s.

THE LAWS OF EUCHRE.

63

THE LAWS OF EUCHRE.

SCORING.

1. A game consists of five points. If the side who adopt, make, or order up a trump, take —

1. Five tricks, they score two points.

II. Three tricks, they score one point.

III. Four tricks count no more than three.

IY. If they fail to take three tricks they are euchred, and the opposing party score two points.

2. When a player who plays alone takes —

I. Five tricks, he scores four points.

II. Three tricks, he scores one point.

III. If he fail to take three tricks he is euchred, and the oppos¬ ing party score two points.

[The author of an excellent treatise on the game (The Law and Practice of the Game of Euchre. Ey a Professor.) argues that the party who is euchred when playing alone, counts his opjjonents four points. We cannot, however, see the justice of such a claim. It seems clear enough to us why the two who play against a lone hand should score but two for a euchre. They only make a euchre — three tricks— while, to score four, the single player must get all five. If he takes three, he scores but one ; if they take three, they score two. This is the established odds of the game. It might be reasonable to let them score four, if they take all the tricks ; but this will never occur.]

3. The penalty for a revoke takes precedence of all other scores.

4. An error in count can be rectified at any time before the next deal is completed.

SHUFFLING AND CUTTING.

5. At the outset of the game each player cuts for the deal, and the lowest cut deals. If there be a tie, the parties tied cut again. The players cutting the two highest cards play against those cut ting the two lowest.

6. In cutting, the Ace is lowest, and the other cards rank as at Whist.

7. Should a player expose more than one card, he must cut- again.

8. The cards may be shuffled by any player who demands that privilege, but the dealer has always the right to shuffle last.

64

EUCHRE.

9. The cards must be cut by the right-hand opponent before they are dealt.

10. A cut must not be less than four cards removed from the top, nor must it be made so as to leave less than four cards at the bot¬ tom ; and the pack must be put on the table for the cut.

DEALING AND DISCARDING.

11. After the first deal, the right of dealing goes to the left.

12. In dealing, five cards must be distributed to each player by the dealer, who may begin by giving first two, and then, three cards to each, or vice versa ; but whichever course is adopted by him must be strictly adhered to until the deal is completed : he must not begin by dealing two to one, three to the next, and so on. When this rule is violated the adverse side may claim a new deal, provided that they have neither of them seen their own hands.

13. A misdeal forfeits the deal, and the following are misdeals : —

I. A card too many or too few given to either player.

II. Dealing the cards when the pack has not been properly cut ; the claim for a misdeal in this case must be made prior to the trump card being turned, and before the adversaries look at their cards.

14. Whenever a misdeal is attributable to any interruption by the adversaries, the deal will not be forfeited. Hence, if an adver¬ sary touch his cards during the deal, and the dealer’s partner has not done so, no misdeal can be claimed.

[Case. — A, haying misdealt, claimed exemption, on the ground of his opponent hav¬ ing interrupted him, by questioning his title. Decision.— Claim allowed.]

15. If, whilst dealing, a card be exposed by the dealer or part¬ ner, should neither of the adversaries have touched their cards, the latter may claim a new deal, but the deal is not lost.

16. If, during the deal, the dealer’s partner touch any of his cards, the adversaries may do the same without losing their privi¬ lege of claiming a new deal should chance give them that option.

17. If an opponent displays a card dealt, the dealer may make a new deal, unless he or his partner have examined their own cards.

18. If a deal is made out of turn, it is good, provided it be not discovered before the dealer has discarded, and the eldest hand has led.

TIIE LAWS OF EUCHRE.

65

19. If a card is faced in dealing, unless it be the trump card, a new deal may be demanded, but the right to deal is not lost.

20. If the pack is discovered to be defective, by reason of having more or less than thirty-two cards, the deal is void ; but all the points before made are good.

21. The dealer, unless he turn down the trump, must discard one card from his hand and take up the trump card.

22. The discard is not complete until the dealer has placed the card under the pack* and if the eldest hand makes a lead before the discard is complete, he cannot take back the card thus led, but must let it remain. The dealer, however, may change the card he intended to discard and substitute another, or he may play alone notwithstanding a card has been lead. After the dealer has quitted the discarded card, he cannot take it in hand again under any circumstances.

23. After the discard has been made, the dealer must let the trump card remain upon the talon until it is necessary to play it on a trick. After the trump card has been taken in hand, no player has a right to demand its denomination, but he may ask for the trump suit and the dealer must inform him.

24. Should a player play with more than five cards, or the dealer forget to discard and omit to declare the fact before three tricks have been turned, the party so offending is debarred from count¬ ing any points made in that deal, and the deal is lost. Under the above circumstances, should the adverse side win, they may score all the points they make.

OF PLAYING OUT OF TURN, AND EXPOSED CARDS.

25. All exposed cards may be called, and the offending party compelled to lead or play the exposed card or cards when he can legally do so, but in no case can a card be called if a revoke is thereby caused. See Law 39. The following are exposed cards : —

I. Two or more cards played at once.

II. Should a player indicate that he holds a certain card in his hand.

III. Any card dropped with its face upwards.

IV. All cards exposed, .whether by accident or otherwise, so that an opponent can distinguish and name them.

26. If any player lead out of turn, his adversaries may demand

66

EUCHRE.

of him to withdraw his card, and the lead may be compelled from the right player, and the card improperly led be treated as an exposed card, and called at any time during that deal ; provided no revoke is thereby caused.

27. If any player lead out of turn and the mislead is followed by the other three, the trick is completed and stands good ; but if only the second, or the second and third, have played to the false lead, their cards, on discovery of their mistake, are taken back, and there is no penalty against any one except the original offender, whose card may be called.

28. If any player play out of turn, his opponents may compel him to withdraw his card, and the card improperly played may be treated as an exposed card, and called at any time during that deal, provided no revoke is thereby caused.

29. If any player trump a card in error, and thereby induce an opponent to play otherwise than he would have done, the latter may take up his card without penalty, and may call upon the offender to play the trump at any period of the hand.

30. If two cards be played, or if the player play twice to the same trick, his opponent can elect which of the two shall remain and belong to the trick. Provided, however, that no revoke be caused.

[But if the trick should happen to be turned -with five cards in it, adversaries may claim a fresh deal.]

31. If a player supposing that he can take every trick, or for any other reason, throw down his cards upon the table with their faces exposed, the adverse side may call each and all of the cards so exposed, as they may deem most advantageous to their game, and the delinquent party must play the exposed cards accordingly.

[Case. — In four-handed Euchre, if the dealer, playing alone, throws his hand upon the table, having the two bowers, ace, king and nine of trumps, can his left-hand adversary call for the nine of trumps upon his own lead of the queen 1 and must the dealer play the called card 1 Decision— In this special case the dealer would not bo compelled to play the nine. At Whist, by exposing his card or cards a player gives knowledge to his partner ; and hence the rule that such may be called for, and must be played. In the case submitted to us, the dealer played alone, consequently M had no partner to whom he could convey information. His hand was invincible. If one of his opponents had had all the other trumps, it would not have availed to stop the march. Hence, the dealer was not bound to play the nine on the queen. The stringent rule of Whist cannot be extended to Euchre in a case where the reason for

THE LAVS OF EUCHRE.

67

the rule is wanting. Under other circumstances, it' a player shows a card, it can be called.]

THE REVOKE.

32. When a revoke occurs, the adverse party are entitled to add two points to their score.

33. If a suit is led, and any one of the players, having a card of the same suit, shall play another suit to it — that constitutes a revoke. But if the error be discovered before the trick is quitted, or before the party having so played a wrong suit or his part¬ ner, shall play again, the penalty only amounts to the cards being treated as exposed, and being liable to be called.

34. When the player, who has made a revoke, corrects his error, his partner, if he has played, cannot change his card played ; but the adversary may withdraw his card, and play another if he elects to do so.

35. When a revoke is claimed against adversaries, if they mix their cards, or throw them up, the revoke is taken for granted and they lose the two points.

36. No party can claim a revoke after cutting for a new deal.

37. A revoke on both sides forfeits to neither ; but a new deal must bo had.

38. If a point has been made by a revoke, it must be taken from the score of the offender.

39. A party refusing to play an exposed card on call, forfeits two to his opponents, as in a revoke.

MAKING THE TRUMP, AND PLAYING ALONE.

40. Any player making a trump cannot change the suit after having once named it ; and if he should by error name the suit previously turned down, he forfeits his right to make the trump, and such privilege must pass to the next eldest player.

41. A player may only play alone when he adopts, orders up, or makes a trump ; or when his partner assists, orders up, or makes a trump. He cannot, however, play alone with a trump he has passed, or with a trump, the making of which he has passed : nor can he play alone after a lead has been made by himself, or by his opponents. See Laws 22 and 45.

42. A player cannot play alone when he or his partner is ordered

68

EUCHRE.

up "by an opponent, or when the opposite side adopts or makes the trump. Only those can play alone who have legally taken the responsibility of the trump and may be euchred ; therefore, when one player legally elects to play alone, neither of his opponents may play alone against him.

{For Example.— A and B are partners against C and D ; A deals ; C orders it np, and thus prevents A and B playing alone ; but either C or D may play alone, pro¬ vided the latter claims the privilege before C plays a card. Suppose C passes, and B assists or orders it up ; neither C nor D can play alone, but B or A may, provided either claims the privilege before C plays, and C must not play until A has discarded. Suppose C and B both pass, D may now order up and play alone, but neither of the others can. Suppose C, B, and D pass, and A takes it up — of course he can play it alone, but neither of the others can. Suppose A passes, i. c., turns it down, and C makes the trump ; the case stands then precisely as it would have stood had he ordered up the trump first turned ; and so, if C passes a second time, and B makes the trump, the case stands as it would have stood had B ordered up the turned card. If, however, C and B both pass, and D makes the trump, he may play alone, but neither of the others can. And, in like manner, if C, B, and D pass, A may make the trump, and he play alone, subject to the provision already named — that the privilege is claimed before a card is played.]

43. When a player having the right to play alone, elects to do so, his partner cannot supersede him and play alone instead.

[In declaring to go alone when it is his turn to settle the game and confirm, or make the trump, as the case may be, the partner binds the adversaries, and consequently binds himself and his partner. It is not a question between partner and partner, but between the partner and the opposing players. The partner, by confirming the trump and declaring to play alone, has settled the game and cut off the opponent's right, who is third man. It follows that, as he has been allowed to do this, his action must at the same time have cut off the right of his own partner to change the game. It would be a change for him to substitute himself for the player who has declared to play alone. Whenever this declaration is made by a player who has the “ say,” it creates an obligation on the other side to play against a lone hand, and one on his part to play the lone hand. This obligation his partner cannot be permitted to break.]

44. When a player announces that he will play alone, his part¬ ner must place his cards upon the table face downwards, and should the latter expose the face of any of his cards, either by accident or design, his opponents may compel him to play or not to play with his partner, at their option.

45. A player who goes alone, must announce his intention in a clear and audible way and tone, so that no doubt can be enter¬ tained of his design. If he expresses his purpose in a vague and ambiguous manner, so that it is not clearly understood by his adversaries, and he or they make a lead, he forfeits his privi¬ lege, and must play with his partner. See Law 22.

OX ADOPTING, OR TAKING DP THE TRUMP.

60

INTIMATIONS BETWEEN PARTNERS.

46. If a player indicates his hand by words or gestures to his partner, directs him how to play, even by telling him to follow the rules of the game, or in any way acts unfairly, the adversary scores one point.

47. If a player, when they are at a bridge, calls the attention of his partner to the fact, so that the latter orders up, the latter forfeits the right to order up, and either of the opponents may play alone, if they choose so to do.

[“ What are trumps ! ” “ Draw your card.” “ Can you not follow suit ? ” “I think there is a revoke ? ” The above remarks, or those analogous, are the only ones allowed to be used, and they only by the person whose turn it is to play.]

48. No player has a right to see any trick but the last.

OX ADOPTING, OR TAKING UP THE TRUMP.

As to what constitutes a sufficient force of cards to take the trump up, is a matter of considerable importance to the player. The purpose being to make a point, of course there must be a reasonable probability of securing three tricks, and this probabil¬ ity should be made, to a certain extent, dependent upon the posi¬ tion of the game. If the dealer should be three or four on the score, while the opponents are one or two, the deal might be passed by turning the trump down, and still the chances of gain¬ ing the game be not materially reduced ; but if the position should be reversed, why then the dealer would be warranted in attempt¬ ing the hazard upon a light hand, as the prospects of defeat with the deal in his favor would be no greater than the percentage of the same against him. Of course, any player would know that his success would be beyond peradventure, if holding both Bowers and the Ace ; but the moment you attempt to point out what any thing less would avail, you depart from the scope of argument, predicated upon substantial bases, to the unsubstantial realms of hypotheses. Any thing less than both Bowers and the Ace might be Euchered, and the plodding player who exhausted his time in the search of absolute certainty might be beaten a hundred times

70

EUCHRE.

by the cards which he had rejected. It is generally accepted as “ sound doctrine,” that three trumps — two of them being Court Cards, backed by a Lay Ace — is sufficient to attempt a point. The player must note the state of the game, and act accordingly. If the game stand four and four, it is better for you to take up the trump on a small hand than to leave it for your adversaries to make. Suppose the game is three and three, you should be very careful of adopting the trump on a weak hand, because a Euchre puts your opponents out.

ON PASSING AND ORDERING ITP.

No prudent player will “order” the trump unless he holds enough to render his chances of success beyond reasonable doubt. There are times and positions of the game when, however, there would be no imprudence in ordering up upon a light hand ; for instance, supposing the game to stand four and four, the dealer turns the trump, and either the eldest or third hand has an ordi¬ nary good show of cards, with nothing better of another suit, there it would be proper to “order up,” for, should the trump be turned down, your chances of success would be lost, and in case you are Euchred, it would but give the game to those who would win it anyhow at another suit.

If the position of the player is eldest hand, and a suit should be turned, in which he receives both Bowers and another large trump, and he has also two cards of the corresponding suit in color, it would clearly be his policy to pass, for the obvious reason, that if the dealer’s partner should assist, he would be enabled to Euchre the opposing side, and, if the trump were turned down, his hand would be just as good in the next suit ; and having the first op¬ portunity of making the trump, he could go it alone, with every probability of making the hand and scoring four.

Should the eldest hand hold the right Bower, Ace, or King, and another small trump, and a card of the same color as the trump suit, it would be good play to pass ; for if your adversaries adopt the trump, you will, in all probability, Euchre them ; and if they reject it, you can make the trump next in suit, and the chances of scoring a point are in your favor.

When you are four, and hold commanding trumps sufficient to

ON ASSISTING.

71

make a sure point, order up, particularly if you are eldest hand, for then you will take your opponent’s deal.

As a general rule the eldest hand should not order up the trump unless he has good commanding cards, say, Eight Bower, Kang and Ten of trumps, with a Lay Ace of a different color, or Left Bower, King, and two numerical trumps. The player at the right of the dealer should hold a very strong hand to order up the trump, because his partner has evinced weakness by passing, and if the opposing side turn down the trump, his partner has the first say to make a new trump.

ON MAKING THE TRUMP.

In case the dealer turns the trump down, the eldest hand has the privilege of making it what he pleases, and the rule to be generally followed is, if possible, to Dutch it, i. e., to make it next in suit, or the same color of the trump turned. The reason for this is very evident. If Diamonds should be the trump turned, and the dealer refuse to take it up, it would be a reasonable supposition that neither of the Bowers were in the hands of your opponents ; for if the dealer’s partner had held one of them, he would in all probability, have assisted ; and the fact of its being turned down by the dealer also, raises the presumption that he had neither of them. Then, in the absence of either Bower, an otherwise weak hand could make the point in the same color. For reverse reasons, the part¬ ner of the dealer would cross the suit, and make it Clubs or Spades ; as his partner had evidenced weakness in the red suits, by turning a red card down, it would be but fair to presume that his strength was in the black.

Be careful how you make the trump when your adversaries have scored three points, and as a general rule, do not make or order up a trump unless you are eldest hand, or the dealer’s partner.

ON ASSISTING.

“ Assisting ” is where your partner is the dealer, and, with the help of the card he has turned trump, you deem your hand suffi¬ cient to take three tricks. In other words, suppose the Ace of Hearts to be turned, and you hold the Left Bower and King : you say to your partner, “ I assist,” and then he is obliged to take up

72

EUCHRE.

the Ace turned, and discard, the same as though he had taken it up voluntarily. Two Court Cards is considered a good assisting hand ; but where the game is very close, of course it is advisable to assist, even upon a lighter hand ; for if the game stands four and four, the first hand will “ order up,” if the card turned is the best in his hand, and therefore the fact of his passing would be an evidence of weakness.

"When assisted by your partner, and you hold a card next in denomination to the card turned up (whether higher or lower), play it as opportunity offers. For instance, if you turn up the Ace, and hold either the Left Bower or King, when a chance oc¬ curs play the Bower or King, and thus inform your partner that you have the Ace remaining. The same policy should be adopted when your partner assists and you have a sequence of three trumps, the trump card being the smallest of the three, in such a situation invariably play the highest card of the sequence, this will inform your partner that you hold the balance of the sequence, and with this knowledge he can shape his play to suit circumstances. Sup¬ posing the King is turned up and you hold the Queen and Ten spot, when an occasion presents itself, play the Queen, and if your partner is au fait at the game he will know you have the Ten spot in your hand.

As a general rule, always assist when you can take two tricks. ON THE LONE HAND.

There is still another privilege allowed the holder of a good hand, and that is to play it alone. If from the fulness of your hand thete is a reasonable probability that you can secure all the tricks, you play it alone, or without the assistance of your partner, and if successful you are entitled to a score of four points.

In order to avail yourself of the privilege of going alone, it is necessary that you should assume the responsibility of the trump ; that is, you must adopt, order up, or make the trump ; or your partner must assist, order up, or make the trump ; but you cannot play alone with a trump you have passed, or with a trump, the making of which you have passed. Having complied with the above requirements, there is no abridgment to the right to play alone, except when the attempt has been anticipated by your adversary ordering up the trump, which a prudent player will

THE BRIDGE.

73

always do in certain positions of the game (See “ The Bridge.”) Should your partner announce that he will play alone, you cannot supersede him and play alone yourself, but must place your cards upon the table face downwards, no matter how strong your hand may be. You must also bear in mind, that in order to avail your¬ self of the privilege of playing alone, it is necessary to declare your intention of doing so distinctly, and in plain terms, thus : “ I play alone ; ” if you fail to do this, and the adverse side make a lead, you forfeit all claim to the privilege. You must also be careful and make the announcement in good season ; if you neglect to do so, and the adverse side make a lead, or if you lead yourself be¬ fore declairing your intention of playing alone, you lose the right, and your opponents may compel you to play with your partner.

Some players have an absurd notion that one side may play alone against the other, and in case of the failure of the original player to take three tricks, that the adverse side may score four points. This is, however, directly opposed to the axiom in Euchre, that only those can play alone who take the responsibility of the trump, and incur the chance of being Euchred.

In playing a lone hand, it is always a great advantage to have the lead. The next advantage is, to have the last play on the first trick, therefore the eldest hand and the dealer may assume the responsibility of playing alone on a weaker hand than either of the other players.

When your opponent is playing alone, and trumps a suit you or your partner leads, be sure and throw away all cards of that suit upon his subsequent leads, provided you do not have to follow suit.

When opposing a lone hand, and your partner throws away high cards of any particular suit, you may be sure that he holds good cards in some other suit ; you should therefore retain to the last the highest card you hold of the suit he throws away (if you have one) in preference to any other card, unless it be an Ace of some suit. (See “ The Lead,” page 75.)

THE BRIDGE.

If one side has scored four, and the other one, such position is called a “ bridge,” and the following rule should be observed :

4

74

DISCARDING.

To make the theory perfectly plain, we will suppose A and B tG be playing against 0 and D, the former being four in the game and the latter but one. 0 having dealt, B first looks at his hand, and finds he has but one or two small trumps; in other words, a light hand. At this stage of the game, it would be his policy to “ order up ” the trump, and submit to being “Euchred,” in order to remove the possibility of 0 or D playing it alone ; for if they should, by good fortune, happen to succeed, the score of four would give them the game ; when, if it were ordered up, the most that could be done would be to get the Euchre, and that giving but a score of two, the next deal, with its percentage, would in all probability give A and B enough to make their remaining point and go out. If, however, B should have enough to prevent a lone hand, he can pass as usual, and await the result. The Right Bower or the Left Bower guarded is sufficient to block a lone hand.

The eldest hand is the only one who should order up at the bridge, for if he passes, his partner may rest assured that he holds com¬ manding cards sufficient to prevent the adversaries making a lone hand. If, however, the eldest hand passes, and his partner is toler¬ ably strong in trumps, the latter may then order up the trump to make a point and go out, for by the passing of the eldest hand his partner is informed that he holds one or more commanding trumps, and may therefore safely play for the point and game.

The eldest hand should always order up at the bridge when not sure of a trick: the weaker his hand, the greater the necessity ‘nr doing so.

DISCARDING.

When the dealer takes the trump up before the play begins, it is his duty to “discard” or reject a card from his hand, in lieu of the one taken up. We will suppose the Ten of Hearts to be turned, and the dealer holds the King and Right Bower, with the Ace and Nine spot of Clubs and King of Diamonds : the proper card to reject would be the King of Diamonds, for there would be no absolute certainty of its taking a trick. The Ace might be held by the opponents, and by retaining the Ace and Nine spot of Clubs, the whole suit of Clubs might be exhausted by the Ace, and then the Nine spot might be good ; or, if the trump should be one of the red suits, and the dealer held three trumps and a Seven of Spades and Seven of Hearts, it

EUCHRE.

75

would be better to discard the Spade, for, as the dealer’s strength was in the red suit, the probabilities would be that the other side would be correspondingly weak, and therefore the Heart would be better than the Spade. Where you have two of one suit and one of another to discard from, always discard the suit in which yon have one card, for then you may have an opportunity to U ruff.”

THE LEAD.

We have seen that the game is opened by the eldest hand leading, and much depends upon this feature of the game.

Where a dealer has been assisted, it is a common practice to lead through the assisting hand, and frequently results favorably ; for, in the event of the dealer having but the trump turned, a single lead of trump, exhausts his strength, and places him at the mercy of a strong suit of lay cards. It is not, however, always advisable to “ swing ” a trump, for if the eldest hand holds a tenace, his duty is to manoeuvre so as to secure two tricks; but this is only an excep* tional case. The proper method of determining the nature of the lead is indicated by the quality of the hand and the purpose to be accomplished. The eldest hand, holding two Aces and a King, with two small trumps, of course would lead trump through assisting hand, for the reason that the only hope of securing a “ Euchre ” would be dependent upon the success of the lay suits, and they only can be made available after the trumps have been exhausted.

Where the dealer takes the trump voluntarily, the eldest hand is of course upon the defensive, and to lead trump under such circum¬ stances would be disastrous.

Should your partner have the Right Bower turned, lead a small trump ; by so doing, you will be sure to weaken your adversary’s hand.

When your partner makes the trump, or orders it up, lead him the lest trump you hold. Do this in any case.

When you hold the commanding cards, they should be led, to make the march ; but if you are only strong enough to secure your point, side cards should be used ; put the lowest on your partner’s lead, if it be a commanding card ; the highest on your adversary’s.

When opposed to alone hand, always lead the best card you have of a lay suit, so that the possibility of your partner’s retaining a card of the same suit with yourself may be averted ; particularly if it is a card of opposite color from the trump, for, it a red card should

76 THE LEAD.

be trump, and an opponent played it alone, there would be more probability of his not having five red cards than of his holding that number, and the further chance, that if he did hold five red cards, it would, in like proportion, reduce the probability of your partner having one of the same suit, and give him an opportunity to weaken your opponent’s hand by trumping it.

The exception to the above rule is, when you hold two or three cards of a suit, including Ace and King, and two small cards in other suits ; in this case your best play would be to lead one of the latter and save your strong suit, for the reason that .your partner may hold commanding cards in your weak suits, and thus you give him a chance to make a trick with them ; and if this does not occur, you have ' your own strong suit as a reserve, and may secure a triok with it.

When playing to make a lone hand, always lead your commanding trump cards first, reserving your numerical trumps and lay suit for the closing leads. When you have exhausted your commanding trumps, having secured two tricks, and retain in your hand a nu¬ merical trump and two cards of a lay suit, lead the highest of the lay suit to make the third trick, then your trump. For instance, suppose Hearts an trumps, and you hold the Eight and Left Bowers and Ten of trumpj, and Ace and Nine of Spades ; lead your Bowers, then the Ace of Spades, following with the Ten of trumps and your lay Nine. The reason for playing thus is obvious. You may not exhaust your adversaries’ trumps by the first two leads, and if either of them were to retain a trump card superior to your Ten, by lead¬ ing the latter you would, in all probability, suffer the mortification of being Euchered on a lone hand. For example — we will suppose one of your opponents holds the Queen, Seven, and Eight of trumps, with a small Diamond and Club, or two of either suit : he would play the two small trumps on your Bowers, and if you led the Ten of trumps, he would capture it with his Queen, and lead you a suit you could not take. Your chance of escape from such a dilemma would be very small. On the other hand, if, on your third lead, yon were to lead the lay Ace, you would force your adversary to play his remaining trump, and allow you to win the point.

When you hold three small trumps and good lay cards, and desire to Euchre your opponents, lead a trump, for when trumps are ex¬ hausted you may possibly make your commanding lay cards win.

When you make the trump next in suit, always lead a trump.

EUCHRE.

77

unless you hold the tenace of Right Bower and Ace, and even then it would be good policy to lead the Bower, if you hold strong lay cards.

When you hold two trumps, two lay cards of the same suit, and a single lay card, lead one of the two lay cards, for you may win a trick by trumping the suit of which you hold none, and then, by leading your second lay card, you may force your opponents to trump, and thus weaken them. With such a hand it would not be good play to lead the single lay card, for you might have the good fortune to throw it away on your partner’s trick, and ruff the same suit when led by your opponents.

When your partner has made or adopted the trump, it is bad play to win the lead, unless you are the fortunate possessor of a hand sufficiently strong to play for a march.

If your partner assist you, and has played a trump, and you have won a trick and the lead, do not lead him a trump unless you hold commanding cards, and are pretty certain of making the odd trick or a march, for your partner may have assisted on two trumps only, in which case such a lead would draw his remaining trump, and, in all probability, prove fatal to his most cherished plans.

When you have lost the first two tricks, and secured the third, if you hold a trump and a lay card, play the former, for, in this posi¬ tion of the game, it is your only chance to make or save a Euchre. There are only two exceptions to this rule, viz. : when you have assisted your partner, or when he has adopted the trump and still retains the trump card in his hand. In the former instance, you should lead the lay card, trusting to your partner to trump it ; in the latter case, you should also lead the lay card, unless your trump is superior to your partner’s, and your lay card is an Ace or a King, in which case you should play trump, and trust to the lay card to win the fifth trick. The reason for this play is very manifest : if your opponents hold a better trump than you, it is impossible to prevent them winning the odd trick, and, therefore, the Euchre or point; but if they hold a smaller trump, your lead exhausts it, and you may win the last trick with your lay card. This position frequently occurs in the game, and we recommend it to the attention of the novice.

78

ON TRUMPING — CONCLUDING HINTS.

ON TRUMPING.

In the game of Euchre, nothing is more important than the judi¬ cious employment of trumps, and the successful issue of the game is, perhaps, more dependent upon a thorough knowledge of their power and use, than all the other points of the game combined. In the course of this article we have already had much to say about trumps, particularly in that portion which treats of the lead, but if our readers will permit, we propose to briefly notice one subject which has remained untouched — that of trumping, or ruffing, as it is tech¬ nically termed ; and if our ideas on the subject will prove of any service to the tyro in the game, we shall have accomplished all we designed, both by this and other portions of the present article.

If your partner adopts or makes the trump, and you hold the Right or Left Bower alone, ruff with it as soon as you get the oppor¬ tunity.

When playing second, be careful how you ruff* a card of a small denomination the first time round, for it is an even chance that your partner will take the trick if you let it pass. When such a chance presents itself, throw away any single card lower than an ace, so that you may ruff the suit you throw away when it is led.

When your partner assists, and you hold a card next higher to the turn-up card, ruff with it when an opportunity occurs, for by so doing you convey valuable information to your partner.

When you are in the position of third player, ruff wffth high or medium trumps. This line of play forces the high trumps of the dealer, as at the game of Whist, and thereby you weaken your adversaries.

When your partner leads a lay ace, and you have none of that suit, do not trump it ; but if you have a single card, throw it away upon it.

CONCLUDING HINTS.

Never lose sight of the state of the game. When you are four and four, adopt or make the trump upon a weak hand.

When the game stands three to three, hesitate before you adopt or make a trump upon a weak hand, for a Euchre will put your adversaries out.

When you are one and your opponents have scored four, you can

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80

TWO-HANDED EUCHRE.

TWO-HANDED EUCHRE.

In this, as in the four-handed game, the deal being made, the non-dealer may pass or order up ; should he pass, the dealer, at his option, may pass, or discard and take up the trump, when the game begins by the lead of the non-dealer; but should the dealer think his hand not strong enough to risk a play, he too will pass, when his adversary may pass again, or make a trump (which, as a general rule, should be next in suit) ; if he pass a second time, the dealer has the right to make a trump or again pass, in which case the cards are to be bunched, and the deal passed to the original non -dealer.

If the dealer takes up the trump and plays the hand, he must win three tricks to. make a point ; or should he take the five tricks, he makes a “march,” which entitles him to score two points. Should he fail to make three tricks, he is Euchred and his adver¬ sary counts two points. The same rules apply to the party ordering up, or making the trump.

In passing, or ordering up, much will depend upon the state of the game, and what the player desires to accomplish ; he may pass upon a good hand, when he has reason to believe that by so doing he will Euchre his adversary, should he play the hand. In this case, too, he should have good reason to suppose that his adversary will take up the trump, or else have cards to make the trump himself.

The player, remembering that he has but a single hand to contend against, may play, or even order up, if he has a reasonable hope of making three tricks.

Lead your strongest trumps first, until you have won two tricks, and then, having a trump left, lead some other card, so that, if your adversary takes it, you may have a chance to trump the card he leads, and thus make your point. Having won two tricks, and your adversary being without a trump, play for a march , by leading trumps, or your highest cards.

The deal is considered equal to a point, therefore never pass the deal unless to save a Euchre.

Having discarded, you have no right to take the card back and discard another, even though you have made a mistake. Your opponent must profit by your mistakes, as well as by your bad play, or weak hand.

EUCHRE.

81

THREE-HANDED EUCHRE.

This game, as its name indicates, is played by three persons, and as each one plays for himself, and is therefore opposed by two adver¬ saries, the game requires closer attention, and the exercise of more judgment than any of the other Euchre games.

In two-handed Euchre, the player may stand upon a slight hand, but not so in this game ; to stand or order up he must have a good hand, inasmuch as he has two hands combined against him, and should he be Euchred, both adversaries count two.

Another important feature of the game is, that the play varies according to the stage of the game ; for example — at the beginning of the game, each player strives to make all he can for himself; at the first play the dealer makes a march , and counts three ; the next dealer makes one point, and the third dealer one ; the first dealer again deals and turns down the trump, No. 2 passes and No. 3 makes the trump and a point ; the game now stands thus : —

Dealer No. 1 . 3 points.

“ 2 . 1 point.

“ 3 . 2 points.

No. 2 now has the deal, and should he be Euchred, No. 1 wins the game ; therefore, while No. 1 plays to win the game by a Euchre, No. 3 plays to let the dealer make a point, which would make the game stand thus : —

No. 1 . 3 points.

“ 2 . 2 points.

“ 3 . 2 points.

The deal is now with No. 3, and he will play to make a march and go out; No. 1 will oppose and if possible Euchre No. 3, which would of course put him out. It is, however, evidently the policy of No. 2 to prevent the Euchre, and allow No. 3 to gain a point, that each may have another chance to win the game. No. 1 and No. 3 are now both three and No. 1 deals, but not having a strong hand and fearing a Euchre, he turns down the trump. No. 2 mak.es the trump, and a point, his adversaries playing to prevent him making a march. Each player is now three, and No. 2 deals ; but as all are anxious to win the game without dividing the honor or profit,

82

SET BACK EUCHRE.

the dealer is permitted to make a point, hut not a march, if his cp • ponents can prevent it.

No. 3 next strives to win by a march, but, as in the last case, his adversaries play to prevent him making more than one point : and the same strife occurs when No. 1 deals.

Now, as each player is four, the game must terminate with th next deal, so that the dealer must either make his point or be Euchred, in which case both his adversaries win, and therefore on the last deal, both non-dealers play the strength of their combined game against the common enemy, and thus beat him, if they can. The dealer, however, has a remedy against a defeat, which is in this : if, upon examining his hand, he believes he cannot make a point, he can pass, and thus throw the deal elsewhere, thus having one more chance to win, and the same policy may be pursued by each player, until the game is played out. In some coteries the player who achieves a march is only permitted to score two points, and this was formerly the general practice ; but the rule now adopted by all the Club-Houses admits of a score of three points for a march at three-handed Euchre ; and where no proviso is made to the con¬ trary previous to beginning the game, a march must score three points.

SET-BACK EUCHBE.

This game may be played by two or more persons, and is gov¬ erned by the same rules as ordinary Euchre, except in the matter of counting, as hereinafter explained. It is quite amusing and exciting, especially when played for money.

Suppose four persons sit down to play, and agree that the pool shall be one dollar : each one contributes twenty-five cents. At the beginning of the game, each player is five, and now the struggle commences to wipe out these scores, and thus win the game. Each player plays for himself, and all are combined against him who orders up or plays the hand. Should any one not win a single trick, he has one point added to his score, and whoever is euchred is obliged to put another quarter into the pool, and has two points added to his score.

The player who thinks he cannot take a trick, has the right to throw up his hand, and thus save himself from being set bach. The player who is the first to reduce his score to nothing, wins the game and the pool.

The above is the game of Set-Back Euchre pure and simple,

EUCHRE.

83

but various modifications are frequently introduced. The following are the most popular of these : —

After a trump is made, ordered up, or taken up, should any player deem himself possessed of a sufficient force of trumps to make a march, he will say, “ I declare ” — which signifies he will play to take all the tricks — and if he is successful in making the march, he wins the game and pool, no matter how many points are scored against him. Should he, however, be unsuccessful in the undertaking, he forfeits double the number of points against him, and, in addition,