The games may be roughly divided into two classes; those in which the result is entirely dependent on chance, and cannot be changed by the player after the cards have been shuffled and cut; and those which present opportunities for judgment and skill, the choice of several ways to the same end being offered to the player at various stages of the game. The first class is of course the simplest, but the least satisfactory, as it is nothing more than a game of chance. Of the many hundreds of patience games, it is possible to give only a few of the best known. _=TAKE TEN.=_ Shuffle and cut the cards, and deal out thirteen face upward in two rows of five each, and one row of three. Any two cards, the pip value of which equals 10, may be withdrawn from the tableau, and others dealt from the top of the pack in their places. Only two cards may be used to form a 10. The K Q J 10 of each suit must be lifted together, none of these cards being touched until all four of the same suit are on the table together. When no cards can be lifted, the game is lost. The object in most patience games is to arrange the cards in sequences.
Brother Ebenezer Ebenezer is sent out of the room, and the remainder choose one of themselves. Two children act in concert, it being understood that the last person speaking when Ebenezer goes out of the room is the person to be chosen. The medium left in the room causes the others to think of this person without letting them know that they are not choosing of their own free will. The medium then says, Brother Ebenezer, come in, and asks him in succession, Was it William, or Jane, &c., mentioning several names before saying the right one, Ebenezer saying No! to all until the one is mentioned who last spoke.--Bitterne, Hants (Mrs. Byford). Bubble-hole A child s game, undescribed.--Halliwell s _Dictionary_. Bubble-justice The name of a game probably the same as Nine Holes.
--Derbyshire and Worcestershire (Mrs. Harley). IV. Green gravel, green gravel, The grass is so green, Such beautiful flowers As never were seen. O Annie [or any name], O Annie, Your sweetheart is dead! He has sent you a letter To turn back your head. --Earls Heaton, Yorkshire (H. Hardy). V. Green gravel, green gravel, The grass is so green, The fairest young damsels As ever were seen. O ----, O ----, your true love is dead; He sent you a letter To turn round your head.
The players are two, and may be boys or girls, or a boy and a girl. The stakes may be pins, buttons, marbles, or anything for which children gamble. One player puts a number, one, two, three or more, of the articles to be gambled for into the hollow of the closed hand, and says, Hairry my bossie; the other answers, Knock im down, upon which he puts his closed hands down with a blow on his knees, and continues to strike them upwards and downwards on the knee, so as to give the opponent in play an idea of the number of objects concealed by the sound given forth. He then says, How many blows? and gets the reply, As many s goes. A guess is then made. If the guess is correct the guesser gets the objects. If the guess is incorrect the guesser has to make up the difference between the number guessed and the real number. The players play alternately. This game was played for the most part at Christmas.--Keith (Rev.
=_ Instead of passing the turn-up trump on the first round, any player who thinks it would be to his advantage to have the turn-up remain the trump, may order the dealer to take it up. In doing so he says: “_=I order it=_,” if he is an adversary; or: “_=I assist=_,” if he is the dealer’s partner. In either case the player making the trump may announce a lone hand at the same time. His side must make at least three tricks, whether he plays alone or not, or it is a euchre, and the adversaries will count two points. In case an adversary of the dealer plays alone, he must distinctly announce it when he orders up the trump. The usual expression is: “_=I order it alone=_.” His partner then lays his cards face downward on the table and takes no further part in the play of that hand. If he exposes any card of the abandoned hand, the adversaries can call upon him to take up the hand and play it, leaving the exposed card on the table as liable to be called. This of course prevents the lone hand. If the dealer’s partner wishes to play alone, instead of assisting, he says: “_=I play this alone=_,” and the dealer lays down his cards, leaving the trump on the pack.
The code succinctly states laws which fix penalties for an offence. To offend against etiquette is far more serious than to offend against a law; for in the latter case the offender is subject to the prescribed penalties; in the former his adversaries are without redress. 1. Declarations should be made in a simple manner, thus: “one heart,” “one no trump,” “pass,” “double”; they should be made orally and not by gesture. 2. Aside from his legitimate declaration, a player should not show by word or gesture the nature of his hand, or his pleasure or displeasure at a play, bid, or double. 3. If a player demand that the cards be placed, he should do so for his own information and not to call his partner’s attention to any card or play. 4. An opponent of the declarer should not lead until the preceding trick has been turned and quitted; nor, after having led a winning card, should he draw another from his hand before his partner has played to the current trick.
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It is impossible to take back the cards and replay them, because no one would have a right to judge how much a person’s play was altered by his knowledge of the cards in the other hands. If a player, having already won a trick, renders himself liable to any penalty, as for exposing a card, leading or following suit out of turn, or abandoning his hand, he is looed for three red counters, payable to the next pool, and the payment for the tricks he has won must be left in the pool in white counters. IRISH LOO. In this variation, no widow is dealt, and there is no distinction between simple and double pools. A trump is always turned up, and the dealer asks each in turn, beginning on his left, whether or not he will play, taking up the cards of those who decline to stand. He then announces his own decision, and proceeds to ask those who have declared to play whether or not they wish to exchange any of the cards originally dealt them. The usual question is simply: “How many?” and the player names the number of cards he wishes to exchange, if any; at the same time discarding others in their places. The number first asked for cannot be amended or recalled. The trump is laid aside, and the cards called for are dealt from the remainder of the pack, without further shuffling. In all other respects, the game is Three-card Loo.
387) also describes this game. Hunt the Staigie A boys game. One is chosen to be the Staigie (little stallion). The other players scatter themselves over the playground. The Staigie locks his fingers into each other. He then repeats the words-- Hunt the Staigie, Huntie, untie, staige, Ailleman, ailleman, aigie, and rushes off with his hands locked, and tries to touch one of the players. He must not unlock his hands till he has caught one. When he has captured one, the two join hands and hunt for another. When another is caught, he joins the two. This goes on till all are hunted down.
|Your grass is so |The grass is so green.|The grass is so green.| | |green. | | | | 7.|The fairest damsel | -- | -- | | |ever seen. | | | | 8.| -- |The fairest young lady| -- | | | |ever seen. | | | 9.| -- | -- |All pretty maids are | | | | |plain to be seen. | |10.
=_ This is simply a movement of the players, very popular in social games, which requires that the four originally seated at a table shall remain at that table until the game is ended, and shall not cut for partners after the first rubber, but change in regular order. The usual way is for the first dealer to sit still all the time, the three other players moving round her in a circle at the end of each rubber. This will compel the player on her left to pass behind her and take the seat on her right. At the end of three rubbers, each will have had each of the others for a partner. When there are a number of tables in play, it will be necessary to have a prize for each, giving the first choice to the player who has the highest score in the room. When this method is adopted, it is not necessary to deduct the lower score from the higher at the end of each rubber, so that each player can keep what she gets, the comparative result being the same if the players remain at the same table. This method is open to the objection that if two strong players are opposed to weak ones all the time, it is a great advantage. It is also liable to abuse, if four players agree to double everything, so that some one at the table shall be high score. _=PROGRESSIVE BRIDGE.=_ This is simply a movement of the players from table to table, much as described under the heading of _=compass whist=_.
Hardy). One child represents an old woman, and the other players carry on the dialogue with her. At the end of the dialogue the children are chased by the old woman. See Mother, Mother, may I go out to Play, Witch. Letting the Buck out This game was played seventy years ago. A ring being formed, the Buck inside has to break out, and reach his home, crying Home! before he can be caught and surrounded. Afterwards these words were sung-- Circle: Who comes here? Buck: Poor Johnny Lingo. Circle: Don t steal none of my black sheep, Johnny Lingo, For if you do I shall put you in the pinder pin-fold. --Stixwold, Lines. (Miss M.
W. S. Sykes). VII. O what has this poor prisoner done, Poor prisoner done, poor prisoner done? O what has this poor prisoner done, So early in the morning? She stole my watch and lost my key, Lost my key, lost my key, She stole my watch and lost my key, So early in the morning. How many pounds to set her free, Set her free, set her free? How many pounds to set her free, So early in the morning? Five hundred pounds to set her free, Set her free, set her free, Five hundred pounds to set her free, So early in the morning. Five hundred pounds we have not got, Have not got, have not got, Five hundred pounds we have not got, So early in the morning. So off to prison she must go, She must go, she must go, So off to prison she must go, So early in the morning. If she go then I ll go too, I ll go too, I ll go too, If she go then I ll go too, So early in the morning. So round the meadows we must go, We must go, we must go, So round the meadows we must go, So early in the morning.
With a strong hand, it is best to bet its full value at once, on the chance that the bet may be taken for a bluff, and called. _=Other Positions.=_ As the positions go round the table from the first bettor to the age, they become more desirable, and little need be said of them beyond the consideration of the average strength necessary for a player to _=go in=_ on. _=GOING IN.=_ There is a great difference of opinion as to the minimum value of a hand which should justify a player in drawing cards if he can do so for the usual ante. In close games many players make it a rule not to go in on less than tens, while in more liberal circles the players will draw to any pair. In determining which course to follow, the individual must be guided by his observation and judgment. Suppose five play, and A observes that B and C constantly draw to small pairs, while D and E never come in on less than tens. If A has the age, B, D, and E having anted, A may be sure that there are at least two good hands against him, and will guide himself accordingly. But if B and C are the only players in, A may safely draw to a small pair.
The word “Baccara” is supposed to mean “nothing,” or “zero,” and is applied to the hands in which the total pip value of the cards ends with a cypher. There are two forms of the game in common use; Baccara a deux tableaux, and Baccara chemin de fer. The first will be first described. _=Players.=_ Baccara may be played by any number of persons from three to eleven. Those first in the room have the preference, and should immediately inscribe their names. The first eleven form the table, and the privilege of being the banker is sold to the highest bidder; that is, to the one that will put up the most money to be played for. The remaining ten persons draw for choice of seats at the table, the first choice being for the seat immediately on the right of the banker, then for the first seat on his left. Five players are arranged on each side of the banker in this manner, right and left alternately, according to the order of their choice. Sometimes an assistant or croupier is seated opposite the banker, to watch the bets, gather and shuffle the cards, etc.
These melds are divided into three classes: _a_, Marriages and Sequences; _b_, Binocles; and _c_, Fours. Only one combination can be announced at a time, and it must be melded immediately after the player holding it has won a trick, and before he draws his card from the stock. If he draws without announcing, even if he has not seen the card drawn, he cannot meld anything until he wins another trick. The melds and their values are as follows:-- CLASS A. King and Queen of any plain suit, _=Marriage=_, 20 King and Queen of Trumps, _=Royal Marriage=_, 40 The five highest trumps, _=Sequence=_, 150 CLASS B. Spade Queen and diamond Jack, _=Binocle=_, 40 Two spade Queens and diamond Jacks, _=Double Binocle=_, 80 King and Queen of spades, and diamond Jack, _=Grand Binocle=_, 80 CLASS C. Four Aces of different suits, 100 Four Kings of different suits, 80 Four Queens of different suits, 60 Four Jacks of different suits, 40 Eight Aces, 200 Eight Kings, 160 Eight Queens, 120 Eight Jacks, 80 The third meld in class B is not often played in America. The count for it is the same, 80 points, whether the marriage in spades is the trump suit or not. It will be observed that the court cards in class C must be of different suits in Binocle, whereas, in Bézique, any four court cards may be declared. The following rules govern all classes of declarations:-- The player making the declaration must have won the previous trick, and must meld before drawing his card from the stock.
If he wins three or four tricks only, he counts one; if he fails to win three tricks, his adversaries count two. _=3.=_ _=The Rubber=_ is the best of three games. If the first two are won by the same players, the third game is not played. The winners gain a _=triple=_, or three points, if their adversaries have not scored; a _=double=_, or two points, if their adversaries are less than three scored; a _=single=_, or one point, if their adversaries have scored three or four. The winners of the rubber add two points to the value of their games, and deduct the points made by the losers, if any; the remainder being the value of the rubber. _=4.=_ _=FORMING THE TABLE.=_ A Euchre table is complete with six players. If more than four assemble, they cut for the preference, the four lowest playing the first rubber.
For instance: At the end of the hand A has scored 1200, and B has only 700. B is rubiconed, and his 700 points are added to A’s 1200, together with 1300 more for a rubicon game and brisques; giving A a grand total of 3200 points to nothing. Had B reached 1000, he would have saved his rubicon, and A would have scored the difference only, or 200 points, plus 500 for the game; 700 altogether. _=Brisques.=_ The aces and Tens of each suit are of no value unless it is necessary to count them to decide a tie, or to save a rubicon. They are never scored during the play of the hand. _=Declarations.=_ The combinations which may be announced and scored during the play of the hand are divided into three classes: A, Marriages and Sequences; B, Béziques; and C, Fours. Only one combination can be scored at a time, and it must be announced and laid on the table immediately after the player holding it has won a trick, and before he draws his card from the talon. If he draws without announcing, it is equivalent to saying he has no declaration to make.
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ENGLISH PYRAMID POOL. This differs from the American game in several points. There are no “call shots,” the player being entitled to every ball he pockets, whether he played for it or not. All balls in hand must be played from a D, 21 to 23 inches in diameter. There is no rule about driving two balls to the cushion on the opening shot. When all the red balls but one are pocketed, the red and white balls are used as cue balls alternately. If there are only two players, and only two balls on the table, the red and white, if either player makes a miss or goes in the pocket himself, that ends the game; but if there are more than two players another red ball is spotted, as in the American game. The baulk line is no protection, a player in hand being allowed to play on any ball on the table, even if it is behind the D. SHELL OUT. This game should not be confounded with Black Pool.
If all pass, the dealer must bid twenty. As soon as the trump is named, every player at the table makes his own melds, which will be good if he wins a trick. The rules for play are the same as in the ordinary three and four hand. If four play as partners, two against two, the eldest hand always leads for the first trick, no matter who the successful bidder may be. The bidder always has the first count at the end of the hand, and it is usual to play this game so many deals, instead of so many points. At the end of six deals, for instance, the highest score is the winner. Sometimes this game is played with a widow, three cards when three play, four when four play. Each player is allowed three bids, and the successful bidder turns the widow face up, so that all may see what it contained. He then takes the widow into his hand and discards what he pleases, face down, to reduce his hand to the same number of cards as the other players. The trump is not named until after this discard.
After a time we find a variation introduced in which any number from two to six could play, each for himself, and the player first winning two tricks out of the five marked the point. Later still we find the ace ranking above the King, thus becoming the best trump. If the ace was turned up, the dealer had the privilege of robbing it, or the holder of the ace of trumps could rob the turn-up, discarding any card he pleased, just as in Spoil Five. But in Triomphe the dealer turned up another card, and if that was of the trump suit the holder of the ace could rob that also, and so on until he turned a card of a different suit. This did not alter the trump, but merely stopped the robbing process. Whether or not Triomphe borrowed this feature from Spoil Five or Maw, it is now impossible to say. Whatever its origin, Euchre has always been the most respectable member of the family, and the game of all others that has best served the card-playing interest in social life. Spoil Five probably comes next in point of respectability; but Écarté has often fallen into evil hands, and the very name is in some places regarded as synonymous for gambling. The same is true of Napoleon, but in less degree. Euchre, unlike the other members of the family, is not essentially a gambling game, but belongs rather to the intellectual group of card games; a position which we hope it may long maintain.