Part 21

Ace is lowest. A full pack of cards is shuffled and cut, after which the dealer gives one card to his adversary and takes one himself.

Should the elder hand not approve of the card with which he has been favoured, he can demand from the dealer as many additional cards as he imagines will enable him to make fifteen.

The aim of both players is to be first in making fifteen; therefore, as in Vingt-un, they must be careful, in taking extra cards, not to overdraw. Should both players overdraw, the game is considered a drawn one, and the stakes already made are doubled for another attempt.

Although this simple and amusing little game is intended for two players only, there is no reason why a large number should not join in it if so inclined.

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POPE JOAN.

This really delightful game may be enjoyed by almost any number of players, though it must be remembered that, in addition to the usual pack of cards required for all other card games, a round board must be provided, such as are sold specially for that purpose.

These boards, as will be seen (_see_ figure), are divided into eight compartments, each of which is meant to hold the counters belonging to certain cards or combinations.

The names of these divisions are _king, "pope"_ (which is the nine of diamonds), _knave, game, queen, matrimony_ (which is signified by the king and queen of trumps), _ace_, and _intrigue_ (the latter represented by the queen and the knave of trumps held in the same hand).

The first important business requiring attention is the dressing of the board; and the fifteen counters necessary for this performance are either supplied by the dealer alone or are contributed by the company, according to arrangement. Six are given to pope, two to matrimony, two to intrigue, and one each to ace, king, queen, knave, and game. The eight of diamonds being taken from the pack of cards, the rest are dealt out equally to all the players, face downwards, the last card deciding for trumps.

[Illustration: Pope Joan Board.]

Should either ace, king, queen, or knave happen to be turned up, the dealer has the privilege of appropriating the counters that have been allotted to their compartments for himself, and if pope be turned up, the advantage gained by him is still greater. He takes both it and _game_, and also can claim a stake for every card dealt to each player.

In addition to the shares allotted to each player, an extra hand is placed in the middle of the table, to form what is called the stops, and no one but the dealer has the privilege of looking at them. The four kings, which are the last of their suit, and the seven of diamonds, which precedes the eight of diamonds that has been withdrawn, are always fixed stops, the ace counting only as one in the game.

The players have two objects in view--one of which is, to be the first to play out all their cards; and the other, to play those cards that will entitle them to receive the counters with which the board is supplied.

The dealer's left-hand player begins by playing any card he likes, choosing one, if possible, that is one of a sequence, so that he may have the opportunity of ridding himself of, perhaps, several cards at once. Any other player having the next higher card in sequence plays it, then another, until either a king, a seven of diamonds, or some other stop card is played. The person playing a stop always leads next.

At any time during the game, should an ace, king, queen, knave of trumps, pope, matrimony, or intrigue be played, the owner of any of these cards is entitled to receive all the counters in the corresponding compartments of the board. The player who first announces himself to be without cards is the winner of the game, receiving, therefore, all the stakes in that compartment of the board, and also from the rest of the players a counter for each card they may still have in hand. Among these unplayed cards, however, should one of them be pope, the holder of it is excused from paying.

Although in the same hand king and queen make matrimony, and queen and knave intrigue, neither they nor any other good cards entitle the holders of them to the stakes deposited in their particular compartments unless played out; and it must also be remembered that all claims for payment are useless that are not made before the board has been re-dressed for the next deal. Still, in cases where unclaimed stakes are left on from one round to another it is quite a common thing to terminate the game by dealing round the cards, face upwards, and giving to the holders of the various cards or combinations the pools corresponding to them, thus making a clear board.

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SPINADO.

The game of Pope Joan, although one of the most interesting of games, is not practicable at all times, simply on account of the necessity always existing for the presence of a board. To such players as are fond of the game, but do not possess a board, the game of Spinado will serve admirably as a substitute.

From a full pack of fifty-two cards all the twos are first extracted, and also the eight of diamonds. As in Pope Joan, the object aimed at by the players is to be first out. The lucky person who thus distinguishes himself is presented with a pool, and also with a counter from every player for every unplayed card they still hold in their hand.

A peculiar arrangement exists with regard to the pool. It is divided into three divisions, one of which is intended for the player who is first out, one for the player of matrimony (which is king and queen of diamonds), and one for intrigue (king and knave of diamonds).

In order to form this combination of pools each player gives three counters to each pool (making nine counters in all), excepting the dealer, who is called upon to contribute two dozen counters. Six of these go to the first out pool, the same number to intrigue, and twelve to matrimony.

The card honoured by being called _Spin_ is the ace of diamonds, and may either be played alone or with any other card. A card played with it thus becomes a stop, and the possessor of it is entitled to take the next lead.

As in Pope Joan, an extra hand is placed by the dealer in the middle of the table to make the stops, and no one must refer to them but the dealer. After dealing and forming the pools, the game begins, all vieing with each other who can first get rid of their cards.

The player of spin can demand, before any other card is played, the payment of three counters from every player; the player of the king of diamonds two counters from each player; and the players of matrimony and intrigue receive each the pools that have been specially prepared for them.

The simple holding of these combinations does not entitle any one to receive the pool; the cards must be _played_, and payments should all be made at once as soon as they become due. If at the end of the game it is discovered that any one still holds in his hand the spin card, he must pay to every one double for each of his unplayed cards.

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OLD MAID.

From a full pack of fifty-two cards take out one queen. Shuffle well the remainder, and deal them, face downwards, equally to all the players until the pack is exhausted.

All must then arrange their cards in a fan-shape, to be held in the hand, and the honour of every one is depended upon not to look at any cards but his own, because the strictest secrecy must be maintained.

The dealer begins by offering his cards to his left-hand neighbour to extract from it any card he likes. The drawer then, looking at the card he has taken, tries to match it with one of those in his hand. If able to do so, he throws the pair out into the middle of the table; but if he cannot do so, he places it among his own, and, following the example of the dealer, offers his own cards in the same way to his left-hand neighbour, that he also may take any card he likes. Thus the game goes on until all the cards are paired, excepting, of course, one card, which is the companion to the banished queen. The unfortunate individual in whose hand the solitary card is left is surely destined to be either an old maid or a bachelor. The trial may, of course, be repeated as many times as agreeable to the company.

Cards specially made for this game are sometimes used instead of Whist cards, and by some players are much preferred. These real Old Maid's cards are composed of white thin cardboard, an inch wide and from three to four inches long, with the end intended for the top of the card made to form a point.

Upon every card at the pointed end a number is written in very legible characters. A couple of cards must be 1, another couple 2, another couple 3, and so on, until as many couples as it is thought will be required have been figured. On a last single card the words _The Old Maid_ must be distinctly written, and before beginning to play the whole must be well shuffled.

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SPADE AND GARDENER.

Most young people who have had any experience at all of cards and card playing are well acquainted with the amusing (though, perhaps, not highly intellectual) game of _Happy Families_.

Special cards, called "Happy Families," can be bought, containing family groups of four; but where such cards have not been provided, the game may be played with quite as much success with a pack of ordinary Whist cards. Indeed, it is more than probable that in the first instance the principles of the game made their appearance originally with cards of this description.

The court cards, aces, and tens of an ordinary Whist pack are selected, and to each king a name is given. Spade the Gardener for one of their Majesties will do as well as any other; still, if any better name suggests itself to the mind of any one, there is no reason why such should not be adopted in preference. Supposing, however, this name to be the one chosen, we should have the king of spades for Spade the Gardener, the queen for his wife, the knave for his son, the ace for his servant, and the ten of spades for his dog, thus forming a complete family group. Three other comic names may easily be imagined for the other three suits, after which the business proceedings must be commenced.

The dealer gives the cards out all round, one after another, face downwards, until the whole pack is exhausted, and the aim of each player must be to win from his friends the whole of the twenty cards.

Supposing the name of "Shah of Persia" to have been given to the king of diamonds, "The Afghan King" to the king of clubs, and "Good Jack Faithful" to the king of hearts; the elder hand then begins by asking from any one of the players he may choose to select a card which he imagines they may have. He himself may have in his own hand three members of one family; if so, he must try to get the other two members, and succeeding in doing so, he must throw the whole family on the table, and devote his energies to the acquisition of the other families. The task, however, devolving upon each player of collecting the different members of the four families is by no means an easy one.

Every time a card is asked for, the player who makes the demand, in doing so, gives to the company a certain amount of information respecting his own hand, because he may not lawfully ask for the Shah of Persia's dog unless he should already possess either the Shah himself or some other member of the family. If the card asked for be given him, he may ask for another card from either the same person who acceded to his request or from any one else; but as soon as he is refused, his privilege passes on to the person who was unable to give him what he asked for, and who may possibly request the return of the very cards he has been called upon to relinquish. Thus the game goes on until one of the players is left without cards, who retires as out. The rest of the players proceed in the same way until another is out, then another, and so on, until at last two players only are left to end the struggle.

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HAPPY FAMILIES.

Although, without doubt, the well-known game of Happy Families is nothing but a variation of Spade the Gardener, the rules of the game are not quite the same. In some respects, perhaps, the game of Happy Families may be the better game of the two, for the reason that, in consequence of there being many more cards belonging to it, a great many more players can take part in it. In one of the ordinary Happy Family packs there are eleven families, though, instead of each family containing five members, as in Spade the Gardener, there are usually only four in Happy Families, namely, father, mother, son, and daughter.

A pool is first formed by every player giving a certain number of counters, and the cards are dealt round one by one, face downwards.

On looking at their cards, the player to the left of the dealer begins by asking any one in the company to give him a certain card, which he needs, perhaps, to complete a family or to help to do so, because the object of each player in this game is to secure for himself as many tricks as possible.

If the card he asks for be given him, he may go on asking from the same person or from any one else; but should he be refused, it is the turn of the person who refused to ask.

It is a rule that no one shall ask for a card unless he be already supplied with one card, at any rate, of the same suit, and every one also is bound to produce the card asked for if he can do so.

When the different members of the families are gathered together and united, the player who has taken the greatest number of tricks wins the pool.

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BÉZIQUE.

Before describing the game of Bézique, which, under the name of Penuchle, is greatly in favour among the Germans, it will perhaps be advisable to give a list of the technical terms employed in it.

_Single Bézique_.--The queen of spades and knave of diamonds, which count 40.

_Double Bézique_.--Two queens of spades and two knaves of diamonds, which count 500.

_Brisques_.--The aces and tens in the tricks taken count 10 each.

_Common Marriage_.--The king and queen of any suit but trumps, which count 20.

_Bézique Pack_.--The same as the Euchre, Piquet, or Écarté pack, composed of thirty-two cards, all under the sevens, except the aces, being discarded.

_Quint Major_.--Same as sequence.

_Royal Marriage_.--The king and queen of trumps, which count 40.

_Sequence_.--Ace, king, queen, knave, and ten of trumps, which count 250.

_Stock_.-The number of packs of cards corresponding with the number of players, shuffled together, and ready to be dealt.

_Talon_.--The cards remaining after the dealer has distributed eight to each player.

_Declaration_.--Showing and scoring any combinations, such as those mentioned above.

Four aces count 100

Four kings " 80

Four queens " 60

Four knaves " 40

Seven of trumps, when turned or played, counts 10.

Exchanging or playing the seven of trumps counts 10.

The last trick counts 10.

This game is most commonly played by two persons with two packs of cards; but there must be a pack for every person playing, so that if four play four packs must be used, from which, as has been said, all cards under seven have been taken out excepting aces. After shuffling and cutting, the dealer gives three cards to his adversary and three to himself, then he gives two, then three again, until both players are supplied with eight cards each. The remainder of the pack, which is called the talon, are left on the table, and the top card of it is turned up for the trump. Should the turn-up happen to be a seven, the dealer is thereby entitled to score ten to himself. After a trick has been made, the holder of a seven of trumps can, if so inclined, exchange it for the trump card, and for the exchange he scores ten.

The value of the cards in making the tricks is as follows: _ace_ (which takes all other cards), ten, king, queen, knave, nine, eight, seven. Trumps are of no special value until the last eight tricks are in the hands of both players.

The player who wins the first trick takes the top card from the talon, thus completing his original number of eight. The person also who has lost the trick does the same; and so on, until all the cards in the talon are exhausted. As in other card games, the winner of a trick is entitled to the next lead.

When cards of the same value are played at the same round, the first that was turned up wins the trick, unless, of course, it should be trumped or beaten by a card higher in value. When a player wishes to _declare_, he must do so immediately after taking a trick, and before supplying himself with a new card from the talon; and such cards as form a combination, after being declared, should be placed on the table, face upwards; being of the same value as if in the hand, they may be played away as they are needed. When the talon is exhausted, the combinations that have been made are taken into the owner's hand, and the last eight cards belonging to both players are disposed of the same way as in Whist, the second player following suit, and heading the trick, if he can possibly do so, either by trumping or playing a higher card. After Bézique has been declared, the cards forming that combination cannot be employed to form any other. It is wise, therefore, to keep back the queen and knave to help to form other combinations before declaring Bézique, especially when diamonds or spades happen to be trumps. In that case the queen may assist in making a royal marriage, a sequence, or one of four queens, while the knave may help to form a sequence or one of four knaves, both being also used afterwards in the declaration of Bézique. All kings and queens are better kept in hand until they can be married; consequently, should the player be uncertain whether to throw away an ace or a king, if practicable, let it be the former. Although four aces count more than four kings, the declaration of four aces is not an easy matter to accomplish, while it is very probable that an opportunity may arise for marrying a king, when the pair may be thrown into the adversary's tricks. The aces and tens of trumps are better reserved for the last eight tricks, and a player should try to get the lead by taking the trick previous to exhausting the talon. The adversary will thus be obliged to part with his aces and tens by playing them on the cards that are led. The leader, if strong in trumps, may thus secure all the tricks, and may also earn the privilege of making the last declaration.

BÉZIQUE WITHOUT A TRUMP.

This is very much like the ordinary game, the difference being that the trump card is decided, not by the last turned up after the deal, but by the first marriage that is declared. The seven of trumps also does not count ten points.

The Béziques, four kings, four queens, &c., are counted the same as in Bézique when the trump is turned, and can be declared before the trump is determined. It is the same with the other cards which constitute combinations; their value is the same as in the proper game of Bézique.

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SNAP.

The game of Snap may either be played with the ordinary Whist cards or with special cards prepared for the purpose, though perhaps when the former are used it is for the simple reason that there are no real Snap cards at hand. The latter are certainly less bewildering and more interesting.

Since the first introduction of Snap, the original figures have been varied and improved upon in many ways, though the rules for playing the game continue the same. Among the later additions, the Floral Snap (if not quite so laughable as some of its predecessors) is at any rate as interesting and artistic.

Each pack consists of about fifty cards, on four, five, or six of which are represented the same object. A similar number of cards depict another object, a similar number again another object, and so on with the whole pack. Thus on four cards may be a rose, on other four a yellow lily, on other four a geranium, on four more a pansy, and on the rest of the cards other flowers.

The whole pack is dealt round, face downwards, to any number of players, who must each place his own cards before him without looking at them. The first player begins by turning up the top card of the pile, the next does the same, and so on, but as soon as any one turns up a card resembling one that has already been exposed, he calls _Snap_, at the same time winning all the cards that happen to have been turned up by the owner of the card resembling his own. If, however, the owner of the card is fortunate enough to call Snap first, the tables are turned, the first _Snapper_ becoming possessor of the other's cards.

The utmost vigilance is required to play the game at all successfully; every one must be on the strict look-out in order to let no opportunity pass that would entitle him to call Snap, because, as will very soon be discovered, those who do not call Snap frequently will very soon be _out_, and will only be able to sit by as spectators of the merriment. The quickest of players will, however, in course of time be obliged to retire from the scene of action; one by one they will find themselves destitute of cards, until at last the contest remains to be fought out by two players only.

At this crisis the excitement has generally reached its highest pitch, and the fortunate one of these two players left with the cards in his hand is the winner of the game.

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ZETEMA.