The score is usually marked on a triangular board, open in the centre, or the ordinary cribbage-board may be furnished (see illustration) with a supplementary arm, turning on a pivot, and duly provided with holes, to keep the score of a third player.
Four-handed Cribbage.
Where four persons engage in the game, two play as partners against the other two, each pair sitting facing each other. Partners and deal are cut for, as at Whist, the two lowest playing against the two highest, and the lowest dealing. Five cards are dealt to each player, and each puts out one for the crib, which belongs, as in the two-handed game, to the dealer. The player to the dealer's left has the lead, and each of the others play to it in rotation. No consultation is allowed during the play, but partner may assist partner in counting his hand or crib. One partner scores for both. The cards are played right out, as in the six-card game.
The score is usually twice up and down the board, i.e. 121 points.
ÉCARTÉ.
The game of Écarté is played with what is known as the Piquet pack of thirty-two cards. The relative value of the cards is the same as at Whist, with one exception, viz. that the king is the highest card, the ace ranking between the knave and the ten. Thus the knave can take the ace, but the ace can take the ten.
Trumps, as at Whist, are the most powerful cards. A seven of trumps can take the king of another suit.
LAWS OF ÉCARTÉ.
The laws of Écarté, as accepted by the principal clubs in London and elsewhere, are as follows. We here quote them as given in "Cavendish on Écarté,"[21] a standard authority on the subject. Any reader who desires to become a skilful player cannot do better than procure and study this work.
The Club Code laws are—
1.—Each player has a right to shuffle both his own and his adversary's pack. The dealer has the right to shuffle last.
2.—The pack must not be shuffled below the table, nor in such a manner as to expose the faces of the cards, nor during the play of the hand.
3.—A cut must consist of at least two cards, and at least two must be left in the lower packet.
4.—A player exposing more than one card when cutting for deal must cut again.
5.—The player who cuts the highest Écarté card deals, and has choice of cards and seats. The choice determines both seats and cards during the play.
6.—The cut for deal holds good even if the pack be incorrect.
7.—If in cutting to the dealer a card be exposed, there must be a fresh cut.
8.—The dealer must give five cards to his adversary and five to himself, by two at a time to each, and then by three at a time to each, or vice versâ. The dealer, having selected the order in which he will distribute the cards, must not change it during that game; nor may he change it at the commencement of any subsequent game, unless he inform the non-dealer before the pack is cut.
9.—If the dealer give more or less than five cards to his adversary or to himself, or do not adhere to the order of distribution first selected, and the error be discovered before the trump card is turned, the non-dealer, before he looks at his hand, may require the dealer to rectify the error, or may claim a fresh deal.
10.—The hands having been dealt, the dealer must turn up for trumps the top card of those remaining.
11.—If the dealer turn up more than one card, the non-dealer, before he looks at his hand, may choose which of the exposed cards shall be the trump, or may claim a fresh deal. Should the non-dealer have looked at his hand, there must be a fresh deal.
12.—If, before the trump card is turned up, a faced card be discovered in the pack, there must be a fresh deal.
13.—If the dealer expose any of his own cards the deal stands good. If he expose any of his adversary's cards, the non-dealer, before he looks at his hand, may claim a fresh deal.
14.—If a player deal out of his turn, or with his adversary's pack, and the error be discovered before the trump card is turned up, the deal is void. After the trump card is turned up, it is too late to rectify the error, and if the adversary's pack has been dealt with, the packs remain changed.
15.—If, after the trump card is turned up, and before proposing, or, if there is no proposal, before playing, it be discovered that the non-dealer has more than five cards, he may claim a fresh deal. Should the non-dealer not claim a fresh deal, he discards the superfluous cards, and the dealer is not entitled to see them.
16.—If, after the trump card is turned up, and before proposing, or, if there is no proposal, before playing, it be discovered that the non-dealer has less than five cards, he may have his hand completed from the stock, or may claim a fresh deal.
17.—If, after the trump card is turned up, and before the dealer accepts or refuses, or, if there is no proposal, before he plays, it be discovered that he has dealt himself more than five cards, the non-dealer may claim a fresh deal. Should he not claim a fresh deal, he draws the superfluous cards from the dealer's hand. Should the dealer have taken up his hand, the non-dealer is entitled to look at the cards he draws.
18.—If, after the trump card is turned up, and before the dealer accepts or refuses, or, if there is no proposal, before he plays, it be discovered that the dealer has less than five cards, the non-dealer may permit the dealer to complete his hand from the stock, or may claim a fresh deal.
19.—If a fresh deal be not claimed when the wrong number of cards are dealt, the dealer cannot mark the king turned up.
20.—If the non-dealer play without taking cards, and it be then discovered that he has more or less than five cards, there must be a fresh deal.
21.—If the dealer play without taking cards, and it be then discovered that he has more or less than five cards, his adversary may claim a fresh deal.
22.—If a king be turned up, the dealer is entitled to mark it at any time before the trump card of the next deal is turned up.
23.—If either player hold the king of trumps, he must announce it before playing his first card, or he loses the right to mark it. It is not sufficient to mark the king held in hand without announcing it.
24.—If the king be the card first led, it may be announced at any time prior to its being played to. If the king be the card first played by the dealer, he may announce it at any time before he plays again.
25.—If a player, not holding the king, announce it, and fail to declare his error before he has played a card, the adversary may correct the score, and has the option of requiring the hands to be played over again, notwithstanding that he may have abandoned his hand. If the offender win the point he marks nothing; if he win the vole he marks only one; if he win the point when his adversary has played without proposing, or has refused the first proposal, he marks only one. But if the adversary himself hold the king, there is no penalty.
26.—If a player propose, he cannot retract; nor can he alter the number of cards asked for.[22]
27.—The dealer, having accepted or refused, cannot retract. The dealer, if required, must inform his adversary how many cards he has taken.
28.—Each player, before taking cards, must put his discard face downward on the table, apart from the stock, and from his adversary's discard. Cards once discarded must not be looked at.
29.—If the non-dealer take more cards than he has discarded, and mix any of them with his hand, the dealer may claim a fresh deal. If the dealer elect to play the hand, he draws the superfluous cards from the non-dealer's hand. Should the non-dealer have taken up any of the cards given him, the dealer is entitled to look at the cards he draws.
30.—If the non-dealer asks for less cards than he has discarded, the dealer counts as tricks all cards which cannot be played to.
31.—If the dealer give his adversary more cards than he has asked for, the non-dealer may claim a fresh deal. If the non-dealer elect to play the hand, he discards the superfluous cards, and the dealer is not entitled to see them.
32.—If the dealer give his adversary less cards than he has asked for, the non-dealer may claim a fresh deal. If the non-dealer elect to play the hand, he has it completed from the stock.
33.—If the dealer give himself more cards than he has discarded, and mix any of them with his hand, the non-dealer may claim a fresh deal. If the non-dealer elect to play the hand, he draws the superfluous cards from the dealer's hand. Should the dealer have taken up any of the cards he has given himself, the non-dealer is entitled to look at the cards he draws.
34.—If the dealer give himself less cards than he has discarded, he may, before playing, complete his hand from the stock. If the dealer play with less than five cards, the non-dealer counts as tricks all cards which cannot be played to.
35.—If a faced card be found in the stock after discarding, both players have a right to see it. The faced card must be thrown aside, and the next card given instead.
36.—If, in giving cards, any of the non-dealer's are exposed, he has the option of taking them; should the non-dealer refuse them, they must be thrown aside and the next cards given instead. If the dealer expose any of his own cards, he must take them.
37.—If, after giving the cards, the dealer turn up a card in error, as though it were the trump card, he cannot refuse another discard. If another be demanded, the non-dealer has the option of taking the exposed card.
38.—If the dealer accept when there are not sufficient cards left in the stock to enable the players to exchange as many cards as they wish, the non-dealer is entitled to exchange as many as he asked for, or, if there are not enough, as many as there are left, and the dealer must play his hand; the dealer is at liberty to accept, conditionally, on there being cards enough in the stock.
39.—A card led in turn cannot be taken up again. A card played to a lead may be taken up again to save a revoke or to correct the error of not winning a trick when able, and then only prior to another card being led.
40.—If a card be led out of turn, it may be taken up again, prior to its being played to; after it has been played to, the error cannot be rectified.
41.—If the leader name one suit and play another, the adversary may play to the card led, or may require the leader to play the suit named. If the leader have none of the suit named, the card led cannot be withdrawn.
42.—If a player abandon his hand when he has not made a trick, his adversary is entitled to mark the vole. If a player abandon his hand after he has made one or two tricks, his adversary is entitled to mark the point. But if a player throw down his cards, claiming to score, the hand is not abandoned, and there is no penalty.
43.—If a player renounce when he holds a card of the suit led, or if a player fail to win the trick when able, his adversary has the option of requiring the hands to be played again, notwithstanding that he may have abandoned his hand. If the offender win the point he marks nothing; if he win the vole, he marks only one; if he win the point when his adversary has played without proposing, or has refused the first proposal, he marks only one. Should the card played in error be taken up again prior to another card being led (as provided by Law 39), there is no penalty.
44.—A player may call for new cards at his own expense, at any time before the pack is cut for the next deal. He must call for two new packs, of which the dealer has choice.
45.—If a pack be discovered to be incorrect, redundant, or imperfect, the deal in which the discovery is made is void; all preceding deals stand good.
46.—The game is five up. By agreement, the game may count a treble if the adversary has not scored; a double if he has scored one or two; a single if he has scored three or four.
47.—A player turning up a king, or holding the king of trumps in his hand, is entitled to mark one.
48.—A player winning the point is entitled to mark one; a player winning the vole is entitled to mark two.
49.—If the non-dealer play without proposing, and fail to win the point, his adversary is entitled to mark two. If the dealer refuse the first proposal, and fail to win the point, the non-dealer is entitled to mark two. These scores apply only to the first proposal or refusal in a hand, and only to the point, the score for the vole being unaffected.
50.—If a player omit to mark his score, he may rectify the omission at any time before the trump card of the next deal is turned up.
51.—An admitted overscore can be taken down at any time during the game.[23]
The following French terms are commonly used at Écarté:
Àtout. Trump.—Couper. To cut.—Donner. To deal.—Écart. The cards thrown aside.—Forcer. To play a superior on an inferior card.—La Vole. All five tricks made by either player.—Le Point. Three out of the five made by either player. Proposer. Asking for fresh cards.—Rénoncer. Not to answer the suit led.
We will now suppose, by way of illustration, that A and Y play a game of Écarté.
Two packs of different colour or pattern, say a red and a white pack, are used. From these packs the cards from two to six are extracted. A and Y cut for deal; A cuts the knave, Y the ace. A therefore deals, as knave is in this game higher than ace.
The cards having been shuffled, A gives the pack to Y to be cut. A then deals three cards to his adversary, three to himself, then two to his adversary and two to himself, and turns up the king of spades. "I mark the king," says A (see Law 22).
A does not look at his cards, but waits to see what his adversary will do. Y looks at his hand, and says, "I propose." A looks at his hand, and finds in it queen, knave, ace of spades, the ace of diamonds, and the eight of hearts. A has the trick now to a certainty, and cannot lose it by accepting, the low heart being the weak point in his hand. The hand of Y was ten of spades, king of hearts, ten and seven of diamonds, and nine of clubs. Y takes three cards; A takes two. Y takes in the king of diamonds, the seven of spades, and the seven of hearts; A takes in the nine and eight of spades, and must win the vole.
Y now deals, and turns the nine of clubs as trumps. A looks at his hand, and finds in it the king and ace of diamonds, the eight and seven of hearts, and the ten of spades. A proposes. Y looks at his hand, and finds king, queen, knave of spades, eight and seven of clubs. "Play," says Y, and he wins the vole. Score: Y = 2; A = 3.
With such a hand as Y held, to accept the proposal would have been wrong, the chances being in his favour.
A now deals, and turns knave of diamonds. Y looks at his cards, and finds they consist of queen, ten of diamonds, ten and eight of clubs, and eight of hearts. He elects to play without proposing. A's hand consists of knave of clubs, ace, knave, ten of hearts, and eight of diamonds. Y may now win or lose the point, according to the cards he leads.
If he led queen, then ten of diamonds, he would lose the point. If he led ten of clubs, he would win the point. The reader should place the cards and play out these hands.
We will suppose that Y played correctly and won the point; the game stands at 3 all.
It is now Y's turn to deal. We will suppose that he does so, and wins the point; the game is then, Y = 4; A = 3.
A now deals, and turns the nine of diamonds. Y's hand consists of queen, knave of diamonds, king, queen, ace of spades. Y elects to play. A looks at his hands, and finds in it the king, ace of diamonds, the ace of hearts, the king of clubs, and the eight of spades.
Y must win the game if he play correctly; but, being anxious to win more tricks than are necessary, he loses it by reckless play. Y leads king of spades, on which A plays eight of spades, without marking the king. A does this because Y, having played without proposing, will lose two if he lose the point. To mark the king will be useless, if Y win the point; hence A conceals from Y the fact of his holding the king. Y plays incautiously, and leads as his second lead queen of diamonds; A wins with king of diamonds, and leads king of clubs, which Y trumps, and leads queen of spades, which A trumps, and leads ace of hearts, which wins the game.
If Y had followed his first lead with queen of spades, he must have won the game; but, imagining that A could not hold the king because he did not mark it, he played feebly, and lost the game.
This example will give some idea of the play of a hand, and of the different results which follow the correct and incorrect play of even five cards.
Jeux de Règle.
Great stress is laid by scientific Écarté-players on what are termed Jeux de règle, that is, hands which ought to be played without "proposing" or "accepting." When the cards held by a player are so good that he cannot fail to win three tricks unless his adversary hold two trumps, it is the rule to play without proposing. It is easy, by an examination of the five cards, to at once perceive how the trick must be won, unless the adversary hold two trumps. Here are a few examples:
King, queen, knave of spades, eight of hearts (trumps), eight of diamonds. Lead king of spades; if not trumped, follow with queen, etc.
With three trumps, play without proposing. Likewise with two trumps, if the other cards belong to one suit, or with two cards of one suit, one of which is the king or queen.
Play if holding only one trump, provided the other cards are four of one suit, one being a king, or three cards of one suit, one being a king or queen, and the fifth card being a king or queen.
Play with no trump if three queens are held, or four court cards.
When playing these hands (and they apply mainly to the leader) it is important to remember the disadvantage that follows leading from a suit of two when one is a high, the other a much lower card, and the advantage of leading from a suit of two when these are in sequence.
Take the following hands as examples:
A holds queen of clubs, queen of diamonds, queen and eight of hearts, and eight of spades, the ten of spades being turned up as trump.
Y holds king and nine of hearts, nine and seven of diamonds, and nine of spades.
If A lead the queen of hearts, he must lose the point, no matter how Y plays. If, however, he lead either of his single queens, he may win the point, if Y, after winning the queen of clubs, lead the king of hearts.
Again, A holds queen, ten, of spades; knave, ten, of hearts; ten of diamonds; diamonds being trumps.
Y holds knave, seven, of spades; seven of hearts; and knave, eight, of diamonds.
If A lead the queen of spades, he loses the trick. If he lead knave and then ten of hearts, he wins the trick.
From these examples it will be evident that cards in sequence, or single cards, are better as leads than one high card, and then a small one of a two-card suit. Also it is desirable that the adversary should be the leader when the third lead occurs.
What is called being "put to a card," is, if possible, to be avoided. The following will serve as an example:
A holds king, knave, ten, of hearts; queen of diamonds, and knave of spades (nine of clubs turned up). A proposes, and is refused. He may now conclude that Y has two trumps at least.
A leads king of hearts, which wins; then knave, which wins. If Y holds ace of hearts, A must lose the point. If, however, Y hold either a diamond lower than the queen, or a spade lower than the knave, A may win, if he keep the right card; if, however, A play a third heart, and this is trumped, and Y play, say, queen of trumps, A must discard either his queen of diamonds or his knave of spades, and he has no guide as to which to discard. Instead, therefore, of playing the third heart he should lead either the diamond or the spade, and thus avoid being "put to a card."
The dealer has the option of refusing or accepting; before doing either, he should not only consider well the cards in his hand, but the state of the score.
It is not unusual for a player who may hold the trick for certainty to propose in the hopes of being refused, in order that he may, by winning the trick, score two. If this occurred at the score of three, the results would be fatal.
As a general rule, refuse if only two cards can be discarded. A king or a trump should not be discarded in the first instance.
With three trumps, refuse, unless the king of trumps is one of the three, when there is a great chance that the cards taken in may enable the vole to be won.
With only one trump and one king, no matter what the other suits may be, if not having a card higher than a ten, accept. But with one trump, two queens guarded, or a king and queen guarded, refuse. Although in many cases, where it is the rule to play, it is two to one in favour of the player winning the point, it must not be imagined that he will always win. He may win twice out of three times, but it is possible for the adversary to hold exceptionally good cards, and to win the point against the jeu de règle. For example, A holds queen, ace, and seven of hearts (trumps), king of spades, king of diamonds, and, of course, plays without proposing. Y holds king, knave, nine, and eight of hearts, and nine of clubs, and must win the point; but for A to propose would have been wrong, his hand being strong enough to win four times out of five.
When a player proposes, and is refused, he may form an estimate of the suit or suits out of trumps in which his adversary it likely to be strong. Suppose A, the non-dealer, hold queen, knave of spades, ace of hearts, seven of clubs, and knave of diamonds (trumps). The probabilities are that Y is strong in hearts and clubs, or holds two trumps. The queen of spades in this case should, of course, be led; and, if it win, should be followed by the knave.
The condition of the score ought to be considered before proposing or playing without proposing. If the adversary be at the score of three, it is dangerous to play without proposing, unless the hand be very strong. If the adversary be at four, it is better not to propose if the non-dealer's hand be fairly strong, unless the king be held, as there is a chance of the dealer drawing the king, and at once scoring game.
The high cards which have been discarded should be remembered, because lower cards are then of greater value; thus, if the knave and ace of hearts have been discarded, and the king and ten are drawn, there can be only one card, viz., the queen of hearts, which is better than the ten, and in this suit the ten is equivalent to the knave held originally.
Inexperienced players, as a rule, are too apt to propose, and to continue proposing till the pack is exhausted. As there are eight trumps in the pack, a player gains no advantage if he hold four of these, when his adversary also holds four. His hand looks better than if he held only two, but whilst he has furnished himself with trumps, his adversary has done likewise.
In order to play Écarté well, take a pack of cards, and deal out the hands against an imaginary or dummy adversary; remember those hands under the heading Jeux de règle, and then note how the hand can be best played to secure the point.
EUCHRE.
Euchre may be played either as a two-, three- or four-handed game, the latter being the most popular form. For greater facility of explanation, however, we will commence with the two-handed game.
Euchre is played with the "piquet" pack of thirty-two cards, consisting of the ace, king, queen, knave, ten, nine, eight and seven of each suit. The above is their rank in play, subject to the qualification that the knave of the trump suit for the time being is known as the "Right Bower," and takes temporary precedence of all other cards. The knave of the opposite suit of same colour (e.g. of diamonds when hearts, or of spades when clubs are trumps) is known as the "Left Bower," and ranks next in value. The Left Bower is considered for the time being to belong to the trump suit, so that if this card is led, the trump suit, and not its own, must be played to it.[24]
Two-handed Euchre.
The players having cut for deal, five cards are dealt (by twos and then threes, or vice versâ, at the pleasure of the dealer) to each player. The eleventh card is turned up by way of trump. If the non-dealer thinks his hand good enough, with the suit of the turn-up card as trumps, to make three tricks, he says, referring to that card, "I order it up." This fixes that suit as trumps. The dealer discards the worst card of his own hand, placing it face downwards under the pack, and the turn-up card is thenceforth considered to form part of his hand. He does not, however, actually take it into his hand until the first trick has been played.
If the non-dealer does not consider his hand good for three tricks, or is of opinion that he would be likely to gain by a change of the trump suit, he says, "I pass," and the dealer examines his own cards from the same point of view. If he thinks his hand is good enough with the subsisting trump suit to make three tricks, he says, "I take it up," and proceeds to place, as before, one card under the pack. If he does not think his hand safe for three, he says, "I turn it down," and places the turn-up card below the rest of the pack. This annuls the trump suit, and the non-dealer has now the option of saying what suit shall be trumps. He considers what will best suit his hand, and says, "Make it hearts" (or otherwise, as the case may be), accordingly.
If he decides to "make it" of the same colour as the previous turn-up card (e.g. spades in place of clubs, or hearts in place of diamonds), he is said to "make it next." If otherwise, to "cross the suit."
If, even with the privilege of making the trump what he pleases, he doubts his ability to win three tricks, he again "passes," and the dealer "makes it" what best suits him. If he too has such a bad hand that he thinks it safer to "pass" again, the cards are thrown up, and the deal passes.
The trump suit having been "made" by the one or the other player, the non-dealer leads a card, and the dealer plays to it, the two cards constituting a "trick." The second player must follow suit if he can, subject to the qualification that (as already stated) if the Left Bower be led, a trump must be played to it. The higher card wins, trumps overriding plain suits; and the winner of the trick leads to the next.
The player who has "ordered up," "taken up" (save in obedience to order), or "made" the trump, thereby tacitly undertakes to win at least three tricks. If he makes less than this number, he is "euchred," and his opponent scores "two." If he makes three tricks he wins "the point," and scores one. Four tricks are no better than three, but if he make all five he wins a "march," which scores two. The non-challenging player is not under any obligation to win, but scores if his adversary fail to do so.
Five points constitute "Game."
Four-handed Euchre.
Where four players take part, two play in partnership against the other two, partners facing each other, as at Whist. Five cards having been dealt to each, and the twenty-first turned up by way of trump, the elder hand (i.e. the player to the left of the dealer) declares whether he will "order up" the trump card or "pass." In the latter event, the option passes to the dealer's partner; but he expresses it in a somewhat different manner, inasmuch as he is dealing with a friend instead of an enemy. If he thinks his hand good for two or more tricks he says, "I assist." This is considered a call to his partner (the dealer) to take up the trump, which he does accordingly, he himself having no choice in the matter. If the second player passes, the option rests with the third player, who "orders it up" or passes, as his hand may warrant. In the latter case the dealer decides for himself whether to take it up or turn it down. If the trump has either been ordered up or taken up voluntarily by the dealer, the play proceeds as in the two-handed game. If, on the other hand, the dealer "turns it down," the players, beginning with the elder hand, are invited in succession to "make it" what they please; the challenging party in either case being bound, in conjunction with his partner, to make three tricks, under penalty of being euchred.
A player with an unusually strong hand may elect to "go alone." In such case his partner turns his cards face downward on the table, and leaves the "lone hand," as he is termed, to play the game singly against the two opponents.
If a player "going alone" is lucky enough to win all five tricks, he scores four (instead of three) for the "march"; but if he make three or four tricks only, he scores one for the point in the ordinary manner.
Three-handed Euchre
Here each plays for his own hand. The value of the march and point are the same as in the two-handed or four-handed game, but if the challenging player is euchred, each of his adversaries scores two points. If this should carry them both "out," the elder hand is the winner. To avoid this, which is hardly a satisfactory termination for the younger hand, another method of scoring is sometimes adopted, the points for the euchre being deducted from the score of the euchred player, who is "set back" accordingly. Should he have made no points towards game, he is considered to owe the points for the euchre; so that a player, standing at love when euchred, has seven points to make before he can win.
Marking the Score.
The method of scoring at Euchre is somewhat peculiar. The score is usually kept by means of spare playing cards, a three and a four (of any suit) being used by each side. The "three" face upwards, with the "four" turned down upon it, indicates one (however many pips may chance to be exposed). The "four" face upwards, with the "three" turned down upon it, indicates two. The face of the "three" being uppermost counts three; and the face of the "four" being uppermost counts four.
Another method of keeping the score is by means of a cross × chalked at the outset of the game on the table beside each player. "One" is scored by rubbing out the centre of the cross, leaving the four arms still standing, and these in turn are rubbed out, one for each point which the player becomes entitled to score.
The hints for play which follow are borrowed, with slight modification, from the American Hoyle. They refer more especially to the four-handed game.
HINTS FOR PLAY.
Passing and Ordering Up.
No prudent player will order up the trump unless his hand is sufficiently strong to render his chances of success beyond reasonable doubt. There are cases, however, when there would be no imprudence in ordering up upon a light hand. For instance, supposing the game to stand four and four, and the elder or third hand to hold an ordinarily good show of cards in the trump suit as turned up, with nothing better in any other suit, then it would be proper to order up, for, should the trump be turned down, your chance of success would be lost. If you are euchred, it does but give the game to those who would win it anyhow in some other suit.
If the player is elder 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 suit corresponding in colour, it is his best 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. Having in such case the first opportunity of making the trump, he could "go alone," with every probability of making the hand and scoring four.
Elder hand holding the Right Bower, ace or king, and another small trump and a card of the same colour as the trump suit, should pass; for if his adversaries adopt the trump, he will, in all probability euchre them; and if they reject it, he can make the trump next in suit, and the chances of scoring the point are in his favour.
As a general rule, the elder hand should not order up the trump unless he has good commanding cards, say Right Bower, king and ten of trumps, with an ace of a different suit, or Left Bower, king and two small 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 will have the advantage of first call to make a new trump.
Assisting.
Two court cards usually form a good "assisting" hand, but where the game is very close it is advisable to assist, even upon a lighter hand. If, for instance, the game stands four and four, the first hand will naturally order up if the suit turned is the best in his hand. The fact of his having passed is, therefore, an evidence of weakness.
When, as dealer, and assisted by your partner, you hold a card next in denomination to the card turned up (whether higher or lower), play it as opportunity offers. If, for instance, you turn up the ace, and hold either the Left Bower or king, when a chance occurs 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, play the highest card of the sequence; this will inform your partner that you hold the remainder of the sequence, and enable him to shape his play accordingly.
As a general rule, always assist when you can win two tricks.
Taking up the Trump.
What constitutes sufficient strength to take up the trump is a matter of considerable importance to the player. The object being to make a point, there must, of course, be a reasonable probability of securing three tricks, but the decision should, to a certain extent, depend upon the position of the game. If the dealer should be three or four towards game, while the opponents are one or two, the trump might be turned down, and the chances of winning the game still be not materially reduced; but if the position should be reversed the dealer would be warranted in attempting the hazard upon a light hand, as the prospects of defeat would be no greater than by adopting the opposite alternative. It is generally accepted as sound that three trumps, backed by an ace of another suit, are sufficient to attempt a point. If the game stands four all, it is better to take up the trump on a small hand than to leave it for the adversaries to make. With the game three all, it is necessary to be very cautious in adopting the trump with a weak hand, because a euchre puts the opponents out.
Making the Trump.
Should the dealer turn 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 make it next in suit, or the same colour as the trump turned. The reason for this is evident. If the trump turned should be a diamond, and the dealer refuse to take it up, it is a fair inference that neither of the bowers is 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 the dealer turning down the trump 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 colour. For reverse reasons, the partner of the dealer would "cross the suit," and make it clubs or spades; for, his partner having 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 suits.
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 elder hand or the dealer's partner.
The Bridge.
If one side has scored four, and the other side only one, such position is known as the "bridge," and the following rule should be observed:
To make the theory perfectly plain, we will suppose A and B to be playing against C and D, the former having scored four, and the latter but one. C having dealt, B 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 C or D playing alone; for if they should by good fortune happen to succeed, the score of four would give them the game. If B were to order up the trump, the most that could be done by the adversaries would be to get the euchre, and, that giving but a score of two, the new deal, with its percentage, would in all probability give A and B enough to make their remaining point and go out. If, however, B has enough to prevent a lone hand, he should pass, and await the result. The Right Bower, or the Left Bower guarded, is sufficient to block a lone hand.
The elder hand is the only one who should order up at the bridge, for if he passes, his partner may rest assured that he holds cards sufficient to prevent the adversaries making a lone hand. If, however, the elder hand passes, and his partner is tolerably strong in trumps, the latter may then order up the trump to make a point and go out; for, by the eldest hand passing, his partner is informed that he holds one or more commanding trumps, and may therefore safely play for the point and game.
The elder hand should always order up at the bridge when not sure of a trick; the weaker his hand, the greater the necessity for doing so.
Playing Alone.
If 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.[25] In order to avail yourself of the privilege of playing alone, it is necessary to declare your intention of so doing distinctly, and in plain terms thus, "I play alone"; if you fail to do this, and the adverse side makes a lead, you forfeit all claim to the privilege. You must also make the announcement in good time; if you neglect to do so, and the adverse side make a lead, or if you yourself lead before declaring your intention of playing alone, you lose the right, and your opponents may compel you to play with your partner.
In playing a lone hand, it is a great advantage to have the lead. The next best thing is to have the last play on the first trick. The elder hand or the dealer may, therefore, venture to play alone on a weaker hand than either of the other players.
When your opponent is playing alone, and trumps a suit led by yourself or your partner, take every opportunity to throw away cards of that suit upon his subsequent leads.
When, opposing a lone hand, you find that your partner throws away high cards of any particular suit, you may be sure that he holds high cards in some other suit; you should, therefore, retain to the last your highest card of the suit he throws in preference to any other card, short of an ace.
Discarding.
When the dealer takes up the trumps 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 that the ten of hearts has been turned up, and the dealer holds the king and Right Bower, with the ace and nine of clubs, and king of diamonds. The proper card to reject would be the king of diamonds. There would be no absolute certainty of its taking a trick, for the ace might be held by the opponents; whereas, retaining the ace and nine of clubs, the whole suit of clubs might be exhausted by the ace, and then the nine might be good. If the trump were one of the red suits, and the dealer held three trumps, seven of spades and seven of hearts, it would be better for him to discard the spade than the heart; for, as the dealer's strength is in the red suit, the probabilities are that the other side will be correspondingly weak, and the heart would therefore 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 you have one only, for then you may have an opportunity to trump.
Leading.
Where the dealer has been assisted, it is a common practice to lead through the assisting hand, and frequently results favourably; for in the event of the dealer having but the one trump turned, a single lead of trumps exhausts his strength, and places him at the mercy of a strong plain suit. It is not, however, always advisable to lead a trump; for, if the elder hand hold a tenace, his duty is to manœuvre so as to secure two tricks; but this is an exceptional case. The proper lead must be determined by the quality of the hand, and the purpose to be accomplished. The elder hand, holding two aces and a king, with two small trumps, would, of course, lead trump through the assisting hand; for the only hope of securing a euchre would be dependent upon the success of the non-trump suits, and they can only be made available after trumps have been exhausted.
Where the dealer takes up the trump voluntarily, the elder hand is, of course, upon the defensive, and to lead a trump under such circumstances would be disastrous.
Should your partner have turned up the Right Bower, lead a small trump as soon as you can; 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 best trump you hold.
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, cards of other suits should be used.
When opposed to a lone hand, always lead the best card you have of another suit, so that the possibility of your partner's retaining a card of the same suit with yourself may be averted. If the card you lead is of an opposite colour from the trump, so much the better; for if a red card should be trump, and an opponent plays alone, the chances are against his holding five red cards. Besides, if the lone player 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 the opposing player by trumping.
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 your partner may hold commanding cards in your weak suits, and you thus 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 trick with it.
When playing to make a lone hand, always lead your commanding trump cards first, reserving your small trumps and other suit for the closing leads. When you have exhausted your commanding trumps, having secured two tricks, and retaining in your hand a small trump and two cards of another suit, lead the highest of the non-trump suit to make the third trick, then your trump. For instance, suppose that hearts are trumps, and you hold the Right and Left Bowers and ten of trumps, and ace and nine of spades; lead your bowers, then the ace of spades, following with the ten of trumps and nine of spades. The reason for playing thus is obvious. You may not exhaust your adversaries' trumps by the first two leads, and if either of them chanced to retain a trump-card superior to your ten, by leading the latter you would, in all probability, be euchred on a lone hand.
Holding three small trumps and good plain cards, and desiring to euchre your opponents, lead a trump, for when trumps are exhausted you may possibly make your commanding plain suit cards.
When you make the trump next in suit, always lead a trump, 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 plain-suit cards.
When you hold two trumps, two plain cards of the same suit, and a single plain card of another suit, lead one of the two plain cards, for you may win a trick by trumping the suit of which you hold none, and then, by leading your second plain 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 plain 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 possess 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 lead would draw his remaining trump, and, in all probability, prove fatal to his plans.
Having lost the first two tricks and secured the third, if you hold a trump and a plain card, play the former, for, in this position 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 plain card, trusting to your partner to trump it; in the latter case you should also lead the plain card, unless your trump is superior to your partner's, and your plain card is an ace or a king, in which case you should play a trump, and trust to the plain card to win the fifth trick.
The reason for this play is manifest. If your opponents hold a better trump than you do, it is impossible to prevent their 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 plain card.
This position frequently occurs in the game, and we recommend it to the attention of the novice.
Concluding Hints.
Never lose sight of the state of the game. When the score is four all, adopt or make a 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 may risk trying to make it alone upon a weaker hand than if the score were more favourable to you.
When you are elder hand, and the score stands four for you, and one for your opponents, do not fail to order up the trump, to prevent either of them from going alone. Of course, you need not do this if you hold the Right Bower, or the Left Bower guarded.
When playing second, do not ruff a small card the first time round, but leave it to your partner. Throw away any single card lower than an ace, so that you may afterwards ruff the suit you throw away.
When your partner assists, and you hold a card next higher than the turn-up card, ruff with it when an opportunity occurs.
When third player, ruff with high or medium trumps, so as to force the high trumps of the dealer.
When your partner leads the ace of a plain suit, and you have none, do not trump it; but if you have a single card, throw it away upon it.
When second hand, if compelled to follow suit, head the trick if possible.
When you cannot follow suit or trump, throw away your weakest card.
Progressive Euchre.
This is a version of the game suitable for mixed gatherings. The party play in fours, each pair of partners consisting of a lady and a gentleman. The first table is known as the "head table," and the last as the "booby" table, those between being "second," "third," and so on. The head table is furnished with a bell, and the host provides a supply of cardboard or paper stars in three colours, say gold, red, and green.
Two packs of cards of different patterns are taken, and a sequence from ace upwards, equal to the number of tables, is selected from the club and spade suits of each. These are shuffled, face downwards. The ladies draw from the one pack, the gentlemen from the other. The lady and gentleman whose cards correspond play together, and the number of pips gives the table at which they are to play.
The bell being struck, play begins, and continues till one pair of partners at the head table has made five points, when the bell is again sounded. All play then ceases, but the scores already made stand, and decide the result of the games.
The winners at the head table each receive a gold star, and keep their seats for the next game. The losers are transferred to the booby table, and the winners at the second table take their places; being in turn replaced by the winners at the third table, and so on. The losers at all but the head table keep their places, but exchange partners with the newcomers at the table. The winners at the inferior tables receive each a red star, and the losers at the booby table a green star.
At the close of play the lady and gentleman having the largest number of stars of a given class each receive a "prize." In the event of a tie for a gold star prize, the number of red stars held by each player decides. If this again is a tie, the competitor with the fewest green stars is the winner.
In the case of ties in points at any table when the bell is sounded, the holders of the most tricks toward the next hand are the winners.[26]
LOO.
Loo is played in divers fashions, but there are two leading varieties, known as "three-card" and "five-card" Loo respectively. There is no limit in either case to the number of players, but six or seven make the better game.
Three-card Loo.
The full pack of fifty-two cards is used, the cards ranking as at Whist. The dealer, having been selected,[27] places an agreed number of counters (either three or some multiple of three) in the pool. Three cards are dealt, one by one, to each player, also an extra hand, known as "miss." The card next following is turned up, and fixes the trump suit. The dealer then asks each player, beginning with the elder hand, whether he will play or "take miss." The player looks at his cards. If he holds a good hand, he will elect to play; if otherwise, he has the option of either "taking miss," i.e. taking the extra hand in place of his own, or of "passing," i.e. throwing up his hand altogether for that round. If miss be declined, the same offer is made to the next in rotation; but so soon as miss is taken, the remaining players have only two alternatives—viz. either to play the cards they hold, or to pass. A player who has taken miss is bound to play. The cards he has discarded, as also those of any players who pass, are thrown face downwards in the middle of the table, and no one has a right to look at them.
Should one player take miss, and all the rest throw up their cards, he is entitled to the pool. Should only one player have declared to play, and not have taken miss, the dealer may play either his own cards or take miss on his own account, but if he does not care to do either, he is bound to take miss and play for the pool, i.e. the proceeds of any tricks he may make remain in the pool, to abide the result of the next round. In the event of all save the dealer "passing," the dealer is entitled to the pool.
The elder hand (as among those who have declared to play) now leads a card. If he has two trumps he is bound to lead one of them. If he holds the ace of trumps he is bound to lead it, or if an ace be turned up, and he holds the king of the same suit, he is bound to lead the latter. If only two persons have declared to play, and the holder holds two or more trumps, he must lead the highest, unless his highest trumps are in sequence or of equal value,[28] when he may lead either of them. (With more than three declared players the last rule does not apply.)
The other players play in rotation to the card led, subject also to certain fixed rules, viz. each player must follow suit, if possible, and he must "head the trick," i.e. play a higher card to it, if able to do so. If unable to follow suit, he is bound to trump, or if the trick be already trumped, to over-trump, if practicable.
The winner of each trick leads to the next. He is under the same obligations as the original leader, and is further bound to lead a trump, if he has one. This latter obligation is briefly stated as "trump after trick."
The hand having been played out, the pool is divided, in the proportion of one-third to each trick. Suppose, for instance, that five persons have played; that one of them has taken two, and another one trick. The first takes two-thirds, and the second one-third. The remaining three players are "looed," i.e. mulcted in the same amount as was originally placed in the pool, and these "loos," as they are called, with alike contribution from the new dealer, form the pool for the next hand. It may, however, happen that only three players declare to play, and that each of them takes one trick. In such case no one is looed, and the only fund to form the pool for the next round is the contribution of the dealer. The next hand in such case is known as a "single," and it is a usual, though not invariable, rule, to make it what is called a "must," meaning that every one, whatever his cards, is bound to play. This necessarily produces as many loos (less three) as there are players, and consequently a full pool for the next hand. In the case of a "must" there is no miss.
In circles where the interest of a game is gauged by the amount of money that changes hands, the payment for a loo is sometimes made equal to the amount which may chance to be in the pool for the time being. Playing upon this principle, the amount of a loo tends constantly to increase, until the occurrence of a single (i.e. three players only declaring to play, and each taking one trick) brings it back to its normal proportions. Loo in this shape is known as "unlimited." Under such an arrangement pence grow to pounds with startling rapidity, so much so, indeed, that no prudent player will ever sit down to the game in this form, and even among the most reckless it is customary to fix a maximum beyond which no further advance shall be permitted.
Five-card Loo.
In this case five cards are dealt to each player, the card next following being turned up by way of trump. There are, therefore, five tricks to be contended for, and the contributions to the pool are made divisible by five accordingly. There is, in this case, no miss, but each player (beginning with elder hand) may discard as many cards as he pleases, the dealer replacing them with a like number from the remainder of the pack. It is at the option of each player either to play or to pass, but having once drawn cards he is bound to play. The discarded cards are thrown face downwards in the centre of the table.
There is in this case a variation, in the fact that the knave of clubs, known as Pam, is made a sort of paramount trump, taking precedence even of the ace of the trump suit. The rules as to leading, following suit, and heading the trick, are the same as at the three-card game. If, however, the ace of trumps be led, and the holder pronounces the formula "Pam, be civil," the holder of the latter card is bound to pass the trick, if he can do so without a revoke.
Special value is in this game given to a flush, i.e. five cards of the same suit, or (which are regarded as equivalent) four cards of the same suit and Pam. The holder of such hand at once turns up his cards, and "looes the board," i.e., wins every trick as of right, without playing his hand, even though stronger individual cards were in the hands of other players. No one is in this case allowed to throw up his cards, and all save the holder of the flush are looed. Should more than one player hold a flush, a flush in trumps has priority over one in a plain suit. As between two flushes in trumps, or two in plain suits, that consisting of the better cards wins.[29] The holder of the losing flush, or of Pam, if in the hand of one of the losers, is exempt from payment. In other respects the game resembles three-card loo.
Some players at either game maintain what is termed "club law," meaning that whenever a club is turned up by way of trump, every one is bound to play. In such case there is no miss or drawing of cards.
THE LAWS OF LOO.
These may be briefly stated as follows:
1.—Each player has a right to shuffle at the commencement of a deal, the dealer shuffling last. The cards shall then be cut by the player to the right of the dealer. To constitute a valid cut, there shall be at least four cards in each portion of the pack.
2.—The cards shall be dealt one at a time to each player [with one card extra in each round for miss].[30] This having been done, the card next following on the pack shall be turned up as trump. If a card be found faced in the dealt portions of the pack, the cards shall be reshuffled and recut, and there shall be a fresh deal by the same dealer.
3.—If the dealer—
(1) Deals without having the pack cut; or again shuffles after the pack has been duly cut;
(2) Exposes a card in dealing; deals too many or too few cards to any player;
(3) Misses a hand or deals a hand or part of a hand additional;
(4) Or otherwise commits any irregularity in dealing, it is a misdeal, and the dealer forfeits a single to the pool. The cards are again shuffled and cut, and there is a fresh deal by the same dealer.
4.—Players shall declare whether they play or pass in strict rotation, beginning with the elder hand.
5.—Any player declaring before his turn, or looking at his cards before it is his turn to declare, forfeits a single to the pool.
6.—Any player looking at miss before he has declared to take it, or exposing a card or cards of another player, forfeits a single to the pool, and must retire from the game for that round.
7.—The dealer, taking miss against one player only, must declare before doing so, whether he play for himself or the pool. In the latter case he cannot be looed; but the proceeds of any trick he may make are left in the pool, to abide the result of the next hand.
8.—If no one declares to play, the dealer is entitled to the pool.
9.—A player having the lead, and holding the ace of trumps (or king, ace being turned up), is bound to lead it.
10.—A player having the lead, and holding two trumps, is bound to lead one of them.
11.—A player having the lead, and holding two trumps, other than in sequence or of equal value, is bound (when there are two players only), to lead the highest.
12.—Every player is bound to follow suit if able to do so.
13.—Every player is bound to head the trick if able to do so.
14.—Every player winning a trick, and still holding one or more trumps, is bound to lead a trump.
Any player committing any infractions of Laws 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, or 14, must leave in the pool any tricks he may make, and forfeit to the pool four times the amount of a single.
15.—If a player, having declared to play—
(1) Exposes a card before it is his turn to play, or
(2) Plays a card out of turn, or
(3) Plays a card before all have declared, or
(4) Exposes a card while playing, so as to be named by any other declared player,
He shall be compelled to throw up his cards, and to forfeit a single to the pool.
16.—In the case of a revoke, it is in the option of any player, other than the offender, to require that the cards be taken up and the hand played again.
17.—All penalties of a single shall be deemed to belong to the existing pool; all higher penalties and proceeds of tricks left by way of penalty in the pool to the pool next following.