Part 1
Transcriber’s Note: In this text version, the illustrations from the original book (which may be found in the HTML version) have been reproduced where possible, using the Unicode characters for playing cards, dice, draughts etc. For best experience you should ensure that you have a font installed which supports these characters.
FOSTER’S COMPLETE HOYLE
AN ENCYCLOPEDIA OF GAMES
Revised and Enlarged to October, 1914
INCLUDING ALL INDOOR GAMES PLAYED TO-DAY. WITH SUGGESTIONS FOR GOOD PLAY, ILLUSTRATIVE HANDS AND ALL OFFICIAL LAWS TO DATE
BY R.F. FOSTER
_Author of “Royal Auction Bridge with Nullos,” “Cooncan,” and many other books on card games_
ILLUSTRATED WITH NUMEROUS DIAGRAMS AND ENGRAVINGS
NEW YORK FREDERICK A. STOKES COMPANY PUBLISHERS
Copyright, 1914, by FREDERICK A. STOKES COMPANY
Copyright, 1909, by FREDERICK A. STOKES COMPANY
Copyright, 1897, by FREDERICK A. STOKES COMPANY
_All Rights Reserved_
FASC _October, 1914_
PUBLISHERS’ NOTE.
_=This book is entirely original.=_ It is the work of a single author, who has made the subject of games a life-long study, who keeps in touch with all new games, and with changes in old games. He has written the description of each game expressly for this book.
The treatment is systematic and uniform. The description of each game begins with the apparatus and the players, and then follows the natural course of play, step by step, until the end. Each part of the game is described in a separate paragraph, and every paragraph is preceded by catch-words in heavy-faced type, so that the entire work is in the nature of a dictionary, in which any part of any game can be found immediately.
All technical terms are accompanied by a full definition of their meaning, and are printed in full-face type.
All disputed points have been settled in an entirely original manner. Instead of taking any one person as an authority, the history of each game has been traced from its source to its present condition, and its rules have been carefully compared with those of other members of the same family. The times and the reasons for the various changes have been ascertained, and the rules given are not only in strict accord with the true spirit of the game, but are based upon common sense and equity. When official laws for any game exist they are given in full.
The list of technical terms is the most complete ever published.
CONTENTS.
page
A list of terms, 674
Ace in the Pot, _dice_, 617
All Fours Family, 324 All Fives, 329 Auction Pitch, 330 Blind All Fours, 325 California Jack, 330 Cinch, 334 Commercial Pitch, 330 Dom Pedro, 334 Double Pedro, 334 High Five, 334 Old Sledge, 325 Pedro, 333 Pedro Sancho, 333 Sell-out, 330 Seven-up, 325 Shasta Sam, 330 Smudge, 333 Snoozer, 334
Ambigu, 259
American Billiard Laws, 627
American Laws of Bridge, 48
American Pyramid Pool, 631
American Skat, 434
Auction Binocle, 407
Auction Bridge, xxv Cards Played in Error, xxxi Declarer’s Play, 22 Discarding, 21 Ducking, 25 Dummy, xxx Eleven Rule, 13 Encouraging Discards, 22 Exposed Cards, xxxi Finessing, 24 Fourth-hand Play, 21 Illustrative Auction Hands, 27 Irregularities in Declaring, xxix Irregularities in the Deal, xxvii Leading High Cards, 6 Leading Out of Turn, xxxi Leading Second Round, 9 Leading Short Suits, 8 Leading Small Cards, 9 Leading Trumps, 11 Making the Trump, xxvii No-trump Leads, 11 Nullo, 26 Scoring, 26 Suggestions for Bidding, 26 Suggestions for the Play, 26 Opening Leads, 5 Penalties, 1 Playing against Dummy, 14 Playing to the Score, 21 Pone’s Lead, 11 Rank of the Bids, xxviii Returning Suits, 14 Revoke, xxx Scoring, xxxii Second-hand Play, 17 Selecting the Suit to Lead, 6 Suggestions for Good Play, 3 Third-hand Play, 12, 19
Auction Cinch, 340
Auction Euchre, 279
Auction Hearts, 354
Auction Pitch, 330
Authors, 500
Baccara, 521 Baccara Chemin de Fer, 526
Backgammon, 590 Opening Throws, 595 English Game, 598 American Game, 599 The Laws, 601 Russian Backgammon, 602
Banking Games, 516
Bank-shot Billiards, 626
Base-ball with dice, 617
Baulk-line Billiards, 625
Bergen Game, _dominoes_, 609
Bézique Family, 374 Bézique, 375 Chinese Bézique, 394 Chouette Bézique, 394 Penchant, 384 Rubicon Bézique, 386 Cinq-Cents, 383 Four-handed, 382 Polish Bézique, 382 Three-handed, 382
Bid Euchre, 287
Bid Whist, 687
Bierspiel, 319
Billiards and Pool, 620 American Game, 624 Amer. Pyramid Pool, 631 Baulk-line Billiards, 625 Black Pool, 642 Books on Billiards, 650 Bottle Pool, 649 Chicago Pool, 633 Colour-ball Pool, 639 Continuous Pool, 632 Cow-boy Pool, 634 Cushion Caroms, 626 English Billiards, 643 English Pool, 639 English Pyramid Pool, 632 English Billiard Laws, 644 Fifteen-ball Pool, 629 Forty-one Pool, 633 High-low-jack Game, 633 Laws of Billiards, American, 627 Little Corporal, 648 Pin Pool, 647 Shell Out Pool, 632 Snooker Pool, 636 Spanish Game of Billiards, 649
Binochle, 395 Melds, 398 Auction Binochle, 407 Gaigel, 406 Three-handed, 405 Four-handed, 407
Black Jack or Lady, 356
Black Pool, English, 642
Blind All Fours, 325
Blind Cinch, 340
Blind Euchre, 278
Blind Hookey, 527
Block Game, _dominoes_, 606
Bluff, _poker_, 245
Boodle, 507
Books on Billiards, 650
Boston, 165 Payments, 171 French Boston, 179 Russian Boston, 183
Boston de Fontainebleau, 174
Bottle Pool, 649
Bouillotte, 254
Bowling Alley Laws, 662
Brag, _poker_, 250
Brelan, 254
Bridge, xxv, 28
Bridge Laws, 41
Bridge Tactics, 28 Doubling, 32 Illustrative Hand, 34 Making the Trump, 28, 31 Opening Leads, 33 Text Books, 59
Bridge, Varieties of, 35 Auction Bridge, xxv Bridge for Three, 36 Bridge for Two, 36 Double Dummy Bridge, 39 Draw Bridge, 40 Duplicate Auction, 35 Duplicate Bridge, 38 King’s Bridge, 40 Misery Bridge, 37 Pivot Bridge, 37 Progressive Bridge, 38 Reversi Bridge, 40 Short Bridge, 40 Six-hand Bridge, 39 Three-hand Auction, 35
Calabrasella, 489
California Jack, 330
Call-ace Euchre, 287
Canfield, 693
Cartomancie, 513
Cassino, 478 Spade Cassino, 485 21 Point Cassino, 484 Royal Cassino, 485 Draw Cassino, 485
Catch the Ten, 159
Cayenne, 138
Centennial, _dice_, 618
Chance, and its Laws, 651 Concurrent Events, 654 Conflicting Events, 654 Dice Probabilities, 655 Distribution of Suits, 656 Distribution of Trumps, 656 Doubling up Bets, 657 Luck, 651 Martingales, 657 Maturity of the Chances, 652 Playing Progression, 658 Poker Probabilities, 655 Successive Event, 652 Whist Probabilities, 656
Checkers, 577 The Openings, 580 The Four Positions, 582 Theory of the Move, 584 Illustrative Games, 586 Devil and Tailors, 587 Checker Laws, 588 Losing Game, 587 Polish Draughts, 587
Chemin de fer, 526
Chess, 546 The Openings, 557 The Endings, 567 Games at Odds, 565 Knights’ Tour, 570 American Laws, 571
Chicago Pool, 633
Chinese Bézique, 394
Chinese Fan Tan, 528
Chinese Whist, 184
Chouette Bézique, 394
Chuck Luck, 540
Cinch, 334 Auction Cinch, 340 Blind Cinch, 340 Progressive Cinch, 340 Sixty-three, 340 Widow Cinch, 341 Illustrative Hands, 342 Cinch Laws, 344 Razzle-Dazzle, 340
Cinq-Cents, 383
Colour-ball Pool, 639
Commerce, 252
Commercial Pitch, 330
Commit, 503
Compass Whist, 113
Continuous Pool, 632
Conquian, 486
Cow-boy Pool, 634
Cushion Carroms, 626
Craps, _dice_, 614
Cribbage, 442 Five-card Cribbage, 460 Six-card Cribbage, 444 Seven-card Cribbage, 462 Solitaire Cribbage, 700 Three-hand Cribbage, 461 Four-hand Cribbage, 461
Cut-throat Euchre, 277
Dice Games, 611 Ace in the Pot, 617 Base-Ball, 616 Centennial, 618 Chuck-Luck, 540 Crap Shooting, 614 Going to Boston, 617 Help Your Neighbour, 619 Law of Chances, 613 Multiplication, 618 Passe Dix, 619 Poker Dice, 615 Probabilities, 655 Raffles, 613 Round the Spot, 618 Sweat, 540 Ten Pins, 616 Throwing Dice, 612 Under and Over Seven, 543 Vingt-et-un, 618
Discard Hearts, 356
Distribution of Suits, Whist, 657
Distribution of Trumps, Whist, 657
Division Loo, 319
Doctrine of Chances, 651
Domino Hearts, 357
Dominoes, 605 All Fives, 609 All Threes, 610 Bergen Game, 609 Block Game, 606 Draw Game, 608 Domino Pool, 609 Matadore, 608 Muggins, 609 Sebastopol, 609
Dom Pedro, 334
Double Dummy Bridge, 39
Double Dummy Whist, 130
Double Pedro, 334
Doubling-up Bets, 657
Draughts, 577
Draw Bridge, 47
Draw Cassino, 485
Draw Game, _dominoes_, 608
Draw Poker, 208
Drive Whist, 687
Dummy, 127
Duplicate Bridge, 45
Duplicate Whist, 100 Apparatus Necessary, 102 Club against Club, 103 Compass Whist, 113 Foster’s Pair System, 115 Gilman’s Team System, 109 Howell Pair System, 114 Individual against Individual, 114 Laws of Duplicate Whist, 119 Married Couples System, 118 Memory Duplicate, 110 Pair against Pair, 110 Safford’s Systems, 116 Team against Team, 105
Dutch Bank, 527
Earl of Coventry, 502
Ecarté, 293 Jeu de règle, 299 Pool Ecarté, 306
Enflé, 370
English Billiards, 643
English Billiard Laws, 644
English Following Pool, 639
English Pyramid Pool, 632
English Whist Laws, 196
Euchre Family of Games, 263
Euchre, 264 Auction Euchre, 279 Bid Euchre, or 500, 287 Blind Euchre, 278 Call-ace Euchre, 287 Cut-Throat, 277 Five-handed, 286 French Euchre, 279 Jambone, 283 Jamboree, 283 Laps, 283 Laws of Euchre, 288 Military Euchre, 281 Penalty Euchre, 279 Progressive Euchre, 280 Railroad Euchre, 282 Set-Back Euchre, 278 Seven-handed Euchre, 284 Slams, 283
Fan Tan, 528
Fan Tan with Cards, 509
Farmer, or Ferme, 520
Faro, 529
Favourite Whist, 99
Fifteen-ball Pool, 629
Five-card Cribbage, 460
Five-card Loo, 323
Five-handed Euchre, 286
Five Hundred, 287
Five and Ten, 316
Five or Nine, 509
Flat Poker, 229
Following Pool, 639
Fortune Telling, 513
Forty-five, 316
Forty-one Pool, 633
Four-ball Billiards, 626
Four-handed Cribbage, 461
” ” Bézique, 382
” ” Binocle, 407
” ” Sixty-six, 413
Four Jacks, 369
Freeze-out, _poker_, 228
French Boston, 179
French Carrom Game, 624
French Dummy, 133
French Euchre, 279
French Games:-- Ambigu, 259 Baccara, 521 Bouillotte, 254 Cinq-Cents, 383 Ferme, 520 Humbug Whist, 132 Impérial, 476 Macao, 520 Mort, 133 Nain Jaune, 505 Rouge et Noir, 534 Roulette, 536 Trente et Quarante, 534 Vingt-et-un, 517
Frog, 441
Gaigel, 406
General Laws, Card Games, 671
German Games:-- Binocle, 395 Kreutz Mariage, 413 Schwellen, 370 Sixty-six, 408 Skat, 415 Solo, 493
Go-bang, 604
Going to Boston, _dice_, 617
Halma, 604
Hazard, _dice_, 540, 614
Hearts:--, 349 Auction Hearts, 354 Black Jack, 356 Black Lady, 356 Discard Hearts, 356 Domino Hearts, 357 Heartsette, 357 Howell’s Hearts, 352 Illustrative Hands, 366 Joker Hearts, 355 Laws of Hearts, 371 Progressive Hearts, 356 Spot Hearts, 355 Sweepstake Hearts, 352 Three-handed Hearts, 354 Two-handed, 354
Heart Solo, 498
Heartsette, 357
Help Your Neighbour, _dice_, 619
High Five, 334
High-low-jack, 325
” ” ” Pool, 633
Howell Pairs, Whist, 114
Howell’s Hearts, 352
Humbug Whist, 132
I Doubt It, 695
Impérial, 476
Irish Loo, 323
Jack Pots, _poker_, 223
Jambone, _euchre_, 283
Jamboree, _euchre_, 283
Jass, 696 Two-hand Jass, 697
Jeu de Règle, _écarté_, 299
Jink Game, _spoil five_, 315
Joker Hearts, 355
Keno, or Lotto, 539
King’s Bridge, 40
Klondike, 512
Kreutz Mariage, 413
Lansquenet, 543
Laps, _euchre_, 283
Law of Chances, 651
Laws of all Games, 671
Laws, Official Codes for:-- Backgammon, 601 Billiards, American, 627 Billiards, English, 644 Bowling, or Ten Pins, 662 Bridge, 41 Chess, 571 Checkers, 588 Cinch, 344 Euchre, 288 Hearts, 371 Poker, 238 Skat, 435 Ten Pins, or Bowling, 662 Whist, American, 186 Whist, Duplicate, 119 Whist, English, 196
Laws of Probabilities, 651
Lift Smoke, 502
Little Corporal, 648
Loo, or Division Loo, 319 Five-card Loo, 323 Irish Loo, 323
Losing Game, _draughts_, 587
Lotto, 539
Luck, 651
Macao, 520
Man-of-war Billiards, 644
Martingales, 657
Matadore, _dominoes_, 608
Matrimony, 504
Maturity of the Chances, 652
Memory Duplicate, 110
Military Euchre, 281
Misery Bridge, 37
Mistigris, _poker_, 216
Monte Bank, 542
Monte Carlo Betting Limit, 658
Morelles, 604
Mort, 133
Muggins, _dominoes_, 609
Multiplication, _dice_, 618
My Bird Sings, 253
My Ship Sails, 253
Nain Jaune, 505
Napoleon, 307
National Games:--, 414 America, Cassino, 478 England, Cribbage, 442 Germany, Skat, 415 France, Piquet, 463 Italy, Calabrasella, 489 Mexico, Conquian, 486
Newmarket, 507
Nine Men’s Morris, 604
Norwegian Whist, 688
Odd Games, 497
Old Maid, 501
Old Sledge, 325
Patience Games, 510
Patience Poker, 698
Pedro, 333
Peep Nap, 312
Penalty Euchre, 279
Penchant, 384
Pinochle, 395
Pin Pool, 632
Piquet, 463 Piquet Normand, 473 Piquet Voleur, 473 Piquet a Ecrire, 474 Rubicon Piquet, 475
Pitch, 325
Pivot Bridge, 37
Playing Progression, 658
Pochen, 508
Poker Family of Games, 207
Poker, 207 Bluff, 245 Bluffing, 237 Cheating, 229 Draw Poker, 208 Eccentric Hands, 215 Flat Poker, 229 Freeze Out, 228 Going In, 232 Good Play, 231 How to Win, 236 Jack Pots, 223 Joker Poker, 216 Mistigris, 216 Odds against Hands, 216 Patience Poker, 698 Poker Gin, 692 Poker Rum, 691 Poker Laws, 238 Probabilities, 217, 233, 655 Progressive Poker, 248 Rank of Hands, 213 Schnautz, 248 Show-down Poker, 229 Straight Poker, 245 Stud Poker, 246 Table Stakes, 227 Text-books, 262 Thirty-one, 248 Whiskey Poker, 247
Poker Dice, 615
Polignac, 369
Polish Bézique, 382
Polish Draughts, 587
Pool Games:-- Amer. Pyramid Pool, 631 Black Pool, English, 642 Bottle Pool, 649 Chicago Pool, 633 Colour-ball Pool, 639 Continuous Pool, 632 Cow-boy Pool, 634 English Pyramid Pool, 632 Eng. Following Pool, 639 Fifteen-ball Pool, 629 Following Pool, 639 Forty-one Pool, 633 High-low-jack Pool, 633 Little Corporal, 648 Pin Pool, 647 Shell Out, 632 Spanish Pool, 649
Pool with Dominoes, 609
Pool Ecarté, 306
Pope Joan, 505
Preference, 496
Probabilities, 651
Progressive Bridge, 38
Progressive Cinch, 340
Progressive Euchre, 280
Progressive Hearts, 356
Progressive Poker, 248
Progressive Whist, 119
Prussian Whist, 98
Purchase Nap, 311
Pyramid Pool, 631
Quatre Valets, 369
Quinze, 521
Raffles, _dice_, 613
Railroad Euchre, 282
Rams, 317
Ranter Go Round, 508
Razzle-Dazzle, 340
Reversi, 603
Reversi Bridge, 40
Rondeau, 541
Rouge et Noir, 534
Roulette, 536
Rounce, 319
Round the Spot, _dice_, 618
Royal Cassino, 485
Rubicon Bézique, 386
Rubicon Piquet, 475
Rum, 689 Double-pack Rum, 692 Single-pack Rum, 689 Poker Gin, 692 Poker Rum, 691
Russian Backgammon, 602
Russian Boston, 183
Sancho Pedro, 333
Saratoga, 507
Scat, see Skat, 415
Schnautz, 248
Schwellen, 370
Scotch Whist, 159
Sebastopol, _dominoes_, 609
Sell Out, 330
Set-back Euchre, 278
Seven-handed Euchre, 284
Seven-card Cribbage, 462
Seven-up, 325
Shasta Sam, 330
Shell-out Pool, 632
Shooting Craps, 614
Short Bridge, 47
Show-down Poker, 229
Shuffle Board, 619
Six-card Cribbage, 444
Six-hand Bridge, 39
Sixty-four Card Binocle, 375
Sixty-three, _cinch_, 340
Sixty-six, 408 Four-handed, 413 Kreutz Mariage, 413 Three-handed, 413
Skat, 415, 434 Game Values, 421 Scoring, 427 Illustrative Hands, 432 Skat Laws, 435
Slams, _euchre_, 283
Slobberhannes, 368
Smudge, 333
Snip-snap-snorem, 502
Snooker Pool, 649
Snoozer, 334
Solitaires, 510, 693, 698, 700
Solo, 498 Three-handed Solo, 499
Solo Whist, 144
Spade Cassino, 485
Spanish Monte, 542
Spanish Pool, 649
Speculation, 501
Spin, 507
Spoil Five, 312
Spot Hearts, 355
Stops, 507
Straight Poker, 245
Stud Poker, 246
Sweat, _dice_, 540
Sweepstake Hearts, 352
Table Games, 544
Table Stakes, _poker_, 227
Technical Terms, 674
Telling Fortunes, 513
Ten Pins, or Bowling, 660 American Ten Pins, 662 Battle Game, 665 Cocked Hat, 664 Cocked Hat & Feather, 665 “Don’ts” for Players, 669 Duck Pin Game, 669 Five Back, 668 Four Back, 667 Head Pin; four back, 666 Head Pin Out, 667 Kinsley Candle Pin, 669 Newport Game, 668 Nine Up and Nine Down, 666
Ten Pins with Dice, 616
Three-card Monte, 542
Thirty-one, _poker_, 248
Three-cushion Carroms, 626
Three-handed Auction, 35
” ” Bézique, 382
” ” Bridge, 36
” ” Cribbage, 461
” ” Hearts, 354
” ” Binocle, 405
” ” Sixty-six, 413
Throwing Dice, 612
Trente et Quarante, 534
Tric-trac, 590
Twenty-one Point Cassino, 484
Two-handed Bridge, 36
” ” Hearts, 354
Under and over Seven, 543
Varieties of Bridge, 42
Vingt-et-un, 517
Vingt-et-un with Dice, 518
Vint, 493
Whiskey Poker, 247
Whist Family of Games, xvii
Whist, 60 American Laws, 186 Auction Bridge, xxv Bridge, xxv, 28 Bid Whist, 687 Cayenne Whist, 138 Chinese Whist, 184 Double Dummy, 130 Dummy, 127 Dummy Laws, 206 Drive Whist, 687 Duplicate Whist, 100 English Laws, 196 Favourite Whist, 99 French Whist, 164 German Whist, 183 Humbug Whist, 131 Memory Duplicate, 110 Mort, 133 Norwegian Whist, 688 Probabilities, 656 Progressive Whist, 119 Prussian Whist, 98 Scotch Whist, 159 Solo Whist, 144 Text Books, 99 Thirteen and the Odd, 132 Whist Family Laws, 186
Whist Tactics, 70 Albany Lead, 86 American Game, 94 American Laws, 186 American Leads, 88 Conventional Plays, 70 Deschapelles Coups, 91 Discarding, 80 Discard Signals, 90 Echo in Plain Suits, 90 Echo in Trumps, 86 Eleven Rule, 79 False Cards, 92 Finessing, 92 Forcing, 80 Four-signal, 86 Fourth-hand Play, 84 General Directions, 60 General Principles, 68 High-card Leads, 72 How to Study, 70 Illustrative Hands, 97 Inferences, 93 Inviting a Ruff, 88 Leader’s Partner, 78 Leading Plain Suits, 72 Leading Short Suits, 91 Leading Trumps, 71 Low Card Leads, 74 Low’s Signal, 90 Methods of Cheating, 67 Method of Playing, 61 Minneapolis Lead, 89 Partner’s Duties, 78 Placing the Lead, 92 Plain-suit Echo, 90 Playing to the Score, 92 Returning Partner’s Suits, 80 Scoring, 64 Second-hand Play, 81 Short-suit Game, 91-94 Short-suit Leads, 74-61 Signal Game, 85 Stacking Tricks, 63 Suggestions for Good Play, 67 Tenace Positions, 91 Third Hand Play, 78 Trump Signals, 85 Unblocking, 90 Underplay, 91 Using the Markers, 66 Works on Whist, 99
Widow Binocle, 408
Widow Cinch, 341
Yerlash, _see_ Vint, 493
INTRODUCTION.
The word “Hoyle” has gradually come to stand as an abbreviation for an “Encyclopedia of Indoor Games.” The common expression, “played according to Hoyle,” usually means “correctly played,” or “played according to the standard authorities.” The original Edmund Hoyle wrote on very few games, but his work was the first attempt to put together the rules for the most popular indoor games in one volume. Although Hoyle died more than a hundred years ago, his work has been constantly added to as new games came into vogue, which has led many to believe that he is the authority for games that he never heard of, such as pinochle and poker.
Persons who have never given the subject much attention may be surprised to learn how little authority there is for the rules governing the majority of our popular games. If we except the table games, such as chess, checkers, billiards, backgammon and ten pins, and such card games as whist, bridge, auction, and skat, all of which are regulated by well-defined codes of laws, agreed upon by associations of prominent clubs, to govern championship contests, etc., we have very few games left which are not played in different ways in various localities.
This is undoubtedly because such games are learnt at the card table and not from books. A person who is shown a new game cannot remember all its details, some of which may not have been explained to him even. If he tries to teach it to others while his knowledge is in this imperfect state, he will naturally invent rules of his own to cover the points he has forgotten, or has never learnt, usually borrowing ideas from games with which he is more familiar.
The pupils of such a teacher pass on to others the game thus imperfectly learnt, and in a short time we have a number of corruptions creeping in, and the astonishing part of it is the insistence with which some persons will maintain that they alone have the right idea of the rules, just because so-and-so showed them the game, or because they and their immediate friends have “always played it that way.”
This does not alter the fact that the fundamental principles of every game are known and can be readily found if one knows where to look for them. The author is in possession of several hundred works in various languages--English, French, German and Italian--on nothing but indoor games, comprising probably everything ever printed on the subject that is worth preserving.
By tracing the history of a game and its development through the various books in which it is described, the game will always be found to belong to some distinct family, which has certain well-defined traits which must be preserved, no matter how much they may be altered in minor details. All games follow certain general principles, and the surest mark of error in the local rules of any game is inconsistency.
Pinochle is a striking example of this. In many places the players will not allow the same cards to be counted twice in the trump sequence, so as to meld 190; but they will count them twice in four kings and queens. They insist on the rule of at least one fresh card from the hand for each additional meld in one case, but totally disregard it in another, as when they meld 240 for the round trip, instead of only 220.
These local errors have crept into many of the Hoyles now upon the market, the works having probably been compiled from the individual knowledge of the author, limited by his experience in a certain locality. Many of these works devote much space to a certain game, which is evidently the compiler’s pet, and which is accurately described; while other and equally important games are full of errors and omissions, betraying a lamentable want of care in consulting the literature of the subject.