All such games should be limited to a certain number of tournées, at the conclusion of which fresh candidates should be allowed to cut into the table. Technical Terms. G. stands for German; F. for French. Abnehmen or Abheben, G., to cut. Abwerfen, G., to discard. À cheval, across the line; betting on both sides at once.
If the side bidding 6 had made 6 only, it would score nothing, while their adversaries would mark the 8 they made. The only good result of the 6 bid in this case is to prevent the adversaries from scoring for a failure; for if 7 had been bid, and only 6 made, the adversaries would have scored the 7 bid in addition to the 8 they made, or 15 in all. This system, while better than the old way, because it never sets players back, still allows one side to sweat out; because if the bidder does not make 14, the adversaries must count something every deal. _=Five or six players=_, each for himself, may play what is called _=Auction Cinch=_, or _=Razzle-dazzle=_. Only six cards are dealt to each player, three on the first round and three on the second. Then the privilege of naming the trump suit is bid for as usual. After the trump is named, superfluous cards are thrown out, and others drawn in their place, restoring the hands to six cards each. The successful bidder then calls upon the holder of any given card to be his partner. The person holding the card named cannot refuse, and says: “I play with you.” The partnership thus formed plays against the combined forces of the other players, but without changing seats.
In this form of the game the points bid count to no one, and anyone can bid up to four, no matter what the scores are. No one can claim the privilege of pitching the trump for as many as bid, as each in turn must bid higher or pass. _=Playing.=_ The successful bidder has the first lead, and whatever card he plays, whether by mistake or not, is the trump suit for that deal. After that, the winner of the trick may lead any suit he pleases. A player must follow suit in trumps if he is able to do so; but in a plain suit he may trump if he chooses, although holding a card of the suit led. If he does not trump, he must follow suit if he can. If he has none of the suit led, he may trump or discard as he pleases. The highest card played of the suit led wins the trick, and trumps win all other suits. _=Scoring.
The players then cut it into several packets, none less than four cards, all of which remain on the table face down. Some player then pushes one of the packets toward the dealer, and bets are then made on the others. Any player, except the dealer, can bet what he pleases on any packet. After all the bets are made all the packets, including the dealer’s, are turned face up, exposing the bottom card of each. Any packet disclosing a card lower than the dealer’s loses all bets placed upon it. Any packet showing a card better than the dealer’s wins from him. The dealer takes all ties. The deal then passes to the next player on the left. Sometimes only three packets are cut, one of which is pushed to the dealer. This game is a great favourite with card-sharpers, especially on ocean steamers.
Mr. Halliwell, in recording the _Nursery Rhymes_, Nos. cccxliii. and cccxliv., as quoted above, says, They are fragments of a game called The Lady of the Land, a complete version of which has not fallen in my way. Mr. Udal s versions from Dorsetshire are not only called The Lady of the Land, but are fuller than all the other versions, though probably these are not complete. Mr. Newell (_Games_, pp. 56-58) gives some versions of this game.
, four cards of the same denomination. Bringing in a Suit, making tricks in a plain suit after the adverse trumps are exhausted. Brûler, F., to burn a card. Bûche, F., cards that count for nothing, such as the tens and court cards in Baccara; equivalent to the G. Ladons, or Fehlkarten. Bucking the Tiger, playing against the bank at Faro. Bumblepuppy, playing Whist in ignorance or defiance of conventionality. Bumper, a rubber of eight points at English Whist.
[Illustration: 🃆 🂧 🂸 🂩 🂹] No. 4. [Illustration: 🃖 🂷 🃗 🃈 🃘] No. 1 contains a fifteen in addition to the three runs of three and the pair royal, and is therefore worth 17 altogether. Nos. 2 and 3 each contain three fifteens; but No. 2 is worth 21 points on account of the three runs of three and the pair royal, while No. 3 is worth only 16; a double run of four and a single pair. No. 4 contains four fifteens in addition to the four runs of three and two single pairs, and is therefore worth 24 points.
If B’s brisques did not prove sufficient to save the rubicon, A would count them all. Suppose that in the foregoing case B had taken in only eleven brisques, leaving his total 990. As this does not save the rubicon the game is reckoned as if the brisques had not been counted at all, and A wins 1800, plus B’s 800, plus 1300 for rubicon and brisques; 3900 altogether. If the player who is rubiconed has scored less than 100 points, the winner takes 100 for bonus, in addition to the 1300 for rubicon and brisques. When a series of games is played between the same individuals, it is usual to keep the net results on a sheet of paper, setting down the hundreds only, and to settle at the end of the sitting. _=Suggestions for Good Play=_ will be found in Binocle. * * * * * _=CHINESE BÉZIQUE=_ is Rubicon Bézique with six packs of cards shuffled together and used as one. The counts run into enormous figures, and 6000 is not an uncommon score for the winner. In _=CHOUETTE BÉZIQUE=_, one of several players agrees to take all bets, and has the choice of deal and seats without cutting. His adversaries may consult together in playing against him.
The marriage formula or chorus is then sung, the two kiss, and the one who was first in the centre joins the ring, the second one choosing another in her turn. Played by both boys and girls. See Sally Water, Silly Old Man. Here we go around, around [Music] Our shoes are made of leather, Our stockings are made of silk, Our pinafores are made of calico, As white as any milk. Here we go around, around, around, And we shall touch the ground. --Barnes and London Streets (A. B. Gomme). A ring is formed by the children joining hands. They walk round singing the first four lines.
(_b_) In the Lancashire version, one child represents the Miller. The rest of the children stand round in a circle, with the Miller in the centre. All dance round and sing the verses. When it comes to the spelling part of the rhyme, the Miller points at one child, who must call out the right letter. If the child fails to do this she becomes Miller. In the Shropshire version, a ring is formed with one player in the middle. They dance round and sing the verses. When it comes to the spelling part, the girl in the middle cries B, and signals to another, who says I, the next to her N, the third G, the fourth O! his name was Bobby Bingo! Whoever makes a mistake takes the place of the girl in the middle. In the Liphook version, at the fourth line the children stand still and repeat a letter each in turn as quickly as they can, clapping their hands, and at the last line they turn right round, join hands, and begin again. In the Tean version, the one in the centre points, standing still, to some in the ring to say the letters B.
If the player who knocks is mistaken, and cannot count out, he loses, no matter what his adversary may have. If neither knocks, and at the end of the hand both players are found to have points enough to put them out, neither wins the game, which must be continued for 100 points more; that is, as 500 points is the usual game, it must be made 600 in such a case. Should both reach 600 without knocking, it must be continued to 700. If neither knocks, and only one has enough points to go out he wins the game on its merits. As the name implies, 500 points is game. PENCHANT. Penchant is a complicated form of Cinq-cents and Bézique, played with a single pack of thirty-two cards, which rank as at Piquet; A K Q J 10 9 8 7, the ace being highest both in cutting and in play. _=Cutting.=_ The higher cut has the choice of seats, and the lower cut deals the first hand. _=Dealing.
Stottie ba , hinnie ba, tell to me How mony bairns am I to hae? Ane to live, and ane to dee, And ane to sit on the nurse s knee! --Chambers _Pop. Rhymes of Scotland_, p. 115. II. Toss-a-ball, toss-a-ball, tell me true, How many years I ve got to go through! --Burne s _Shropshire Folk-lore_, p. 530. (_b_) Children throw a ball in the air, repeating the rhyme, and divine the length of their lives by the number of times they can catch it again. In some places this game is played with a cowslip ball, thence called a tissy-ball. (_c_) I have heard other rhymes added to this, to determine whether the players shall marry or not, the future husband s calling, dress to be worn, method of going to church, &c. (A.