Part 20
The players first take up hands Nos. 1 and 2; a card is led from No. 1, the dealer follows suit from No. 2, or trumps, or discards, and the play continues until these two hands are exhausted. The second set are then taken up and played in the same manner; the player who won the last trick in one set having the first lead in the next. Finally, the third set are played in the same manner; all the cards taken by each side being gathered into one pile by the player who has won them. The trump card must remain on the table until the dealer takes up the last hand. When three play, the set of hands first dealt must be first played, and then the second set taken up.
The rules for cards played in error, leading out of turn, etc., are the same as at Whist.
_=OBJECTS OF THE GAME.=_ The side first scoring 41 points wins the game; and the chief object is to secure tricks containing cards to which a certain value is attached. These all belong to the trump suit, and are the following:--
The Jack of trumps counts 11 The Ace of trumps counts 4 The King of trumps counts 3 The Queen of trumps counts 2 The Ten of trumps counts 10
The other trumps, and the plain suit-cards, have no counting value.
The Jack of trumps, being the best, must be taken in by the player to whom it is dealt; but any court card in trumps will win the Ten, so that one of the principal objects in Scotch Whist is to _=catch the ten=_.
At the end of each hand the players count the number of cards they have taken in tricks, and they are entitled to score one point for each above the number originally dealt to them. For instance: If four play, nine cards were originally dealt to each, so each pair of partners held eighteen. If at the end of the hand they have taken in eight tricks, or thirty-two cards, they score 14 points toward game, in addition to any score they may have made by winning honours in trumps, or catching the Ten. If five play, beginning with seven cards each, and at the end of the hand one player has taken in fifteen, and another ten; they score 8 and 3 respectively, for cards.
_=SCORING.=_ At the end of each hand, each player or side should claim all honours won, and cards taken in. One player should keep the score, and announce it distinctly, in order that it may be known how many points each player or side requires to win the game.
In the case of ties, the Ten counts out first; then cards; then A K Q of trumps in their order, and the Jack last. A revoke, if detected and claimed before the cards are cut for the next deal, immediately ends the game.
_=METHODS OF CHEATING.=_ When only one pack is used, the greek can often succeed in dealing himself the Jack of trumps, and usually loses no time in marking the Ten, so that he can at least distinguish the player to whom it is dealt. A player should be carefully watched who keeps his eyes on the pack while shuffling, or who rivets his attention on the backs of the cards as he deals. Two packs should be used in all round games of cards.
_=SUGGESTIONS FOR GOOD PLAY.=_ The chief counting elements that are affected by the play being the trump Ten and the cards, it is usual to devote particular attention to winning them. With J A of trumps, or A K, it is best to lead two rounds immediately; but with a tenace, such as J K, or A Q it is better to place the lead on your left if possible. The high cards in the plain suits are capable of being very skilfully managed in this matter of placing the lead. It sometimes happens that a player with the Ten may be fourth hand on a suit of which he has none; or he may catch the Ten with a small honour if it is used in trumping in. The partnership games offer many fine opportunities for playing the Ten into the partner’s hand, especially when it is probable that he has the best trump, or a better trump than the player on the left.
In calculating the probabilities of saving the Ten by trumping in, it must be remembered that the greater the number of players, the less chance there is that a suit will go round more than once, because there are only nine cards of each suit in play.
Many players, in their anxiety to catch the Ten, overlook the possibilities of their hands in making cards, the count for which often runs into high figures.
Close attention should be paid to the score. For instance: A wants 4 points to win; B wants 10; and C wants 16. If A can see his way to win the game by cards or small honours, he should take the first opportunity of giving C the Ten; or allowing him to make it in preference to B. As the Ten counts first, cards and honours next, B may be shut out, even if he has the Jack.
_=LAWS.=_ There are no special laws for Scotch Whist. The whist laws are usually enforced for all such irregularities as exposed cards, leading out of turn, etc. The most important matter is the revoke, and it should be clearly understood before play begins whether the revoke penalty is to be paid by the individual in fault, or by the side to which he belongs. Some players think there should be some regulation for penalties in such cases as that of a player taking up the wrong hand, when two or more are dealt to each player; but as no advantage can be gained by the exchange, it is hard to see what right the adversary would have to impose a penalty.
ILLUSTRATIVE SCOTCH WHIST HAND.
We give a simple example hand, as an illustration of the manner of playing with four persons; two being partners against the other two.
_Z deals and turns heart 8_
+-------+-------+-------+-------+ | A Y B Z | +-------+-------+-------+-------+ 1 | Q♢ | _K♢_ | 8♢ | 9♢ | 2 | _♣A_ | ♣K | ♣J | ♣8 | 3 | ♣7 | _♣9_ | ♣6 | 6♠ | 4 | 8♠ | J♠ | K♠ | _A♠_ | 5 | J♢ | 9♠ | A♢ | _Q♠_ | 6 | 7♢ | _10♠_ | ♣Q | 7♠ | 7 | _♡A_ | 10♢ | 6♢ | ♡Q | 8 | ♡9 | ♡6 | _♡K_ | ♡7 | 9 | ♣10 | ♡10 | _♡J_ | ♡8 | +-------+-------+-------+-------+
_A-B win 30 by honours._
_Y-Z win 2 by cards._
_=Trick 1.=_ _=Y=_ plays King second hand, hoping it will be taken by the Ace, so that he may become third or fourth player, and perhaps save his Ten. _=B=_, with the minor tenace in trumps, plays to avoid the lead as long as possible.
_=Trick 2.=_ _=Y=_ gets rid of another winning card; _=B=_ keeping a small card to avoid the lead.
_=Trick 3.=_ _=A=_ returns the Club, reading _=B=_ for the Q or no more. _=B=_ still avoids the lead, and _=Z=_ is marked as not having the trump Ten, or he would have saved it.
_=Trick 4.=_ _=Z=_ plays to win what cards he can.
_=Trick 5.=_ _=B=_ throws ♢A to avoid the lead, knowing _=Y=_ has the trump Ten; for _=A=_ would have made it on the second round of Spades. _=A=_ also marks it with _=Y=_, as _=B=_ does not save it.
_=Trick 6.=_ _=B=_ is not sure whether _=Y=_ has a Diamond or a Club left, and discards the winning card.
_=Trick 7.=_ _=Z=_ plays Queen to shut out the Ten, if with _=A=_. _=A=_ knows each player has two trumps left, and that as the turn-up is still with _=Z=_, _=B=_ must have J or K; for if he held only 7 and 6 he would have trumped in to make cards.
_=Trick 8.=_ _=A=_ leads trumps. If _=Y=_ does not play the Ten, and _=B=_ has not the Jack, _=B=_ must make four cards and the King by passing. If _=B=_ has the Jack, he must catch the Ten, no matter how _=Y=_ and _=Z=_ play.
* * * * *
_=FRENCH WHIST=_ is the name given to a variety of Scotch Whist in which the Ten of Diamonds counts ten to those winning it, whether it is a trump or not.
BOSTON.
_=CARDS.=_ Boston is played with two packs of fifty-two cards each, which rank as at Whist, both for cutting and playing.
_=MARKERS=_ are not used in Boston, every hand being immediately settled for in counters. These are usually of three colours; white, red, and blue; representing cents, dimes, and dollars respectively. At the beginning of the game each player should be provided with an equal number, the general proportion being 20 white, 18 red, and 8 blue for each. Some one player should be selected to act as the banker, selling and redeeming all counters.
_=STAKES.=_ The stakes in Boston depend upon the value of the counters. One cent for a white counter is considered a pretty stiff game; because it is quite possible for a single player to win or lose a thousand white counters on one hand, and the payments very seldom fall short of fifty.
_=THE POOL.=_ In addition to the counters won and lost on each hand, it is usual for the players to make up a pool at the beginning of the game by each of them depositing one red counter in a small tray provided for the purpose. This pool may be increased from time to time by penalties; such as one red counter for a misdeal; four for a revoke, or for not having the proper number of cards, etc. The whole amount in the pool may be won or lost by the players, according to their success or failure in certain undertakings, which will presently be described. When empty, the pool is replenished by contributions from each player, as at first.
The pool proper is usually limited to 25 red counters. When it exceeds that amount, the 25 are set aside, and the surplus used to start a fresh pool. Any player winning a pool is entitled to 25 red counters at the most. It will often happen that several such pools will accumulate, and each must be played for in its turn. At the end of the game any counters remaining in the pool or pools must be divided among the players.
_=PLAYERS.=_ Boston is played by four persons. If more than four candidates offer for play, five or six may form a table; if there are more than six, the selection of the table must be made by cutting, as at Whist.
_=CUTTING.=_ The four persons who shall play the first game are determined by cutting, and they again cut for the deal, with the choice of seats and cards. The player drawing the lowest card deals, and chooses his seat; the next lower card sits on his left, and so on, until all are seated. Twelve deals is a game, at the end of which the players cut to decide which shall go out, as at Whist.
It is usual to count the deals by opening the blade of a pocket-knife, which is placed on the table by the player on the dealer’s right. When it comes to his turn to deal, he partly opens one blade. When he deals again he opens it entirely, and the third time he closes it; that being the third round, and the last deal of the game.
_=POSITION OF THE PLAYERS.=_ The four players at Boston are distinguished by the letters A Y B Z.
Z is the dealer, and A is known as the _=eldest hand=_. There are no partnerships in Boston, except that of three players combined against the fourth, who is always spoken of as _=the caller=_. The players having once taken their seats are not allowed to change them without the consent of all the others at the table.
_=DEALING.=_ At the beginning of the game the two packs are thoroughly shuffled; after which they must not again be shuffled during the progress of the game. If a hand is dealt and not played, each player must sort his cards into suits and sequences before they are gathered and dealt again.
At the beginning of each deal, one pack is presented to the players to be cut; each having the privilege of cutting once, the dealer last. Beginning on his left, the dealer gives four cards to each player, then four more, and finally five; no trump being turned.
The general rules with regard to irregularities in the deal are the same as at Whist, except that a misdeal does not lose the deal. The misdealer must deal again with the same pack, after the players have sorted their cards into suits. It is a misdeal if the dealer fails to present the pack to the other players to cut, or neglects to cut it himself. Should the dealer expose any of his own cards in dealing, that does not invalidate the deal. The deal passes in regular rotation to the left, each pack being used alternately.
_=MAKING THE TRUMP.=_ The deal being complete, the player opposite the dealer cuts the still pack, and the player on his right turns up the top card for the trump. The suit to which this card belongs is called _=First Preference=_, and the suit of the same colour is called _=Second Preference=_, or _=Colour=_. The two remaining suits are known as _=Plain Suits=_ for that deal.
The cards having been dealt, and the trump turned, each player carefully sorts and counts his cards, to see that he has the correct number, thirteen. A player having more or less than his right proportion should at once claim a misdeal; for if he plays with a defective hand he cannot win anything that deal, but must stand his proportion of all losses incurred, besides paying a forfeit of four red counters to the pool.
_=OBJECTS OF THE GAME.=_ In Boston, each player has an opportunity to announce that he is willing to undertake to win a certain number of tricks, if allowed the privilege of naming the trump suit; or to lose a certain number, there being no trumps. In either case, he proposes to play single-handed against the three other players. The player proposing the undertaking which is most difficult of accomplishment is said to _=over-call=_ the others, and must be allowed to try. If he is successful, he wins the pool, and is paid a certain number of counters by each of his adversaries. If he fails, he must double the amount in the pool, and pay to each of the other players a certain number of counters.
_=ANNOUNCEMENTS.=_ The bids rank in the following order, beginning with the lowest. The full-faced type shows the words used by the players in calling their bids:--
To win five tricks; _=Boston=_.
To win _=Six Tricks=_.
To win _=Seven Tricks=_.
To lose twelve tricks, after having discarded a card which is not to be shown; _=Little Misère=_.
To win _=Eight Tricks=_.
To win _=Nine Tricks=_.
To lose every trick; _=Grand Misère=_.
To win _=Ten Tricks=_.
To win _=Eleven Tricks=_.
To lose twelve tricks, after having discarded a card which is not to be shown; the single player’s remaining twelve cards being exposed face up on the table, but not liable to be called; _=Little Spread=_.
To win _=Twelve Tricks=_.
To lose every trick; the single player’s cards exposed on the table, but not liable to be called; _=Grand Spread=_.
To win Thirteen Tricks; _=Grand Slam=_.
The object of the proposing player, if successful in his bid, is to win or lose the proposed number of tricks; while that of his three adversaries is to combine to prevent him from so doing. There are no honours, and the only factor in the count is the number of tricks taken. The highest card played of the suit led wins the trick; and trumps, if any, win against all other suits.
_=METHOD OF BIDDING.=_ The eldest hand has the first say, and after examining his cards, and estimating the number of tricks he can probably take, making the trump to suit his hand, he bids accordingly. It is not necessary for him to state which suit he wishes to make the trump; but only the number of tricks he proposes to win. If he has no proposal to make, he says distinctly; “_=I pass=_,” and the other players in turn have an opportunity to bid. If any player makes a bid, such as six tricks, and any other player thinks he can make the same number of tricks with a trump of the same colour as the turn-up, that is, Second Preference, he over-calls the first bidder by saying “_=I keep=_;” or he may repeat the number bid, saying “_=Six here=_.” This is simply bidding to win the number of tricks _=in colour=_. The original caller may hold his bid, or a third player may overbid both, by saying; “_=I keep over you=_,” or “_=Six here=_.” This means that he will undertake to win the number of tricks already bid, with the _=turn-up=_ suit for trumps. In order to over-call such a bid as this, any other player would have to announce a greater number of tricks. For instance; Z deals, and turns a heart. A calls six tricks, intending to name hearts trumps; but not saying so. B passes; Y says “I Keep.” This announces to the table that Y will play with a red trump, and A knows he is bidding on diamonds. Z passes, and A says; “I keep over you.” B then bids seven tricks, and if A will not risk seven tricks in hearts, B will be the successful bidder. If A should bid seven tricks by keeping over B, the latter must know that it is useless for him to bid again unless he can make more tricks in diamonds than A can in hearts; for A’s bid, being in first preference, will always outrank B’s for the same number of tricks.
A player once having passed cannot come into the bidding again, except to call one of the misères. In the example just given, either Y or Z, after having twice passed, might have outbid the seven tricks by calling a little misère. Such a bid can, of course, be entertained only when it outranks any bid already made.
A player is not compelled to bid the full value of his hand; but it is to his interest to go as near to it as he can with safety; because, as we shall see presently, the more he bids the more he is paid. For instance: If he can make ten tricks, but bids seven only, he will be paid for the three over-tricks, if he makes them; but the payment for seven bid and ten taken, is only 22 counters; while the payment for ten bid and ten taken is 42. As he receives from each adversary, a player who underbid his hand in this manner would lose 60 counters by his timidity.
It sometimes happens that no one will make a proposal of any sort. It is very unusual to pass the deal. The trump is generally turned down, and a _=Grand=_ is played, without any trump suit. This is sometimes called a _=Misère Partout=_, or “all-round poverty”; and the object of each player is to take as few tricks as possible.
_=METHOD OF PLAYING.=_ No matter who is the successful bidder, the eldest hand always leads for the first trick, and the others must follow suit if they can, the play proceeding exactly as at Whist. The tricks should be carefully stacked, so that they can be readily counted by any player without calling attention to them. The laws provide a severe penalty for drawing attention to the score in this manner. Suppose a player has called eight tricks. An adversary hesitates in his play, and another reaches over and counts the tricks in front of the caller, finding he has seven. This is tantamount to saying to the player who hesitates: “If you don’t win that trick, the call succeed.” In such a case, the single player may at once demand the play of the highest or lowest of the suit; or that the adversaries trump or refrain from trumping the trick.
In all calls except misères and slams, the hands should be played out, in order to allow the players to make what over-tricks they can; but the moment a misère player takes a trick, or a slam player loses one, the hands are thrown up, and the stakes paid. It is usual to show the cards to the board, in order to satisfy each player that no revoke has occurred.
When Little Misère is called, each player discards one card, which must not be shown, and the hand is then played out with the remaining twelve cards.
When Spreads are called, the caller’s cards must be placed face upwards on the table before a card is played. If it is a Little Spread, the discard of each player must remain unknown. The adversaries have no control of the manner of playing the exposed cards, which cannot be called, and may be played in any manner suited to the judgment of the single player, provided he follows suit when able.
_=REVOKES.=_ If a player opposed to the caller revokes, but discovers his mistake in time to save himself, he may be called upon by the single player for his highest or lowest of the suit led; or the card played in error may be claimed as an exposed card. If the highest or lowest of the suit is called, the card played in error is taken up.
If the caller revokes, and discovers his mistake in time, he is not liable to any penalty, unless an adversary has played to the next trick. In that case the revoking card must be left on the table, and is liable to be called. When the single player revokes, he loses the call in any case, and at least one trick besides. He must also double the pool, and add to it a revoke forfeit of four red counters. For instance: A bids eight tricks, and his adversaries detect and claim a revoke. As he is supposed to have lost his bid, and one trick more, he may be said to have bid eight, and taken only seven; losing 23 white counters to each of his adversaries, doubling the pool, and then paying a forfeit of four red counters. In some places the forfeit is omitted, and in others it takes the place of doubling the pool. It is not usual to play the hand out after a revoke is claimed and proved.
If an adversary of the single player revokes, he and his partners must each pay the caller just as if he had been successful, and must also pay him for three over-tricks as forfeit, provided his bid was not more than nine tricks; for the bid and the over-tricks together must not exceed thirteen tricks. In addition to this, the individual player in fault must pay four red counters as forfeit to the pool. In some places he is made to double the pool; but this is manifestly unfair, as he could not win the amount in the pool in any case, and therefore should not lose it.
In a Misère Partout, the revoking player pays five red counters to each adversary, and deposits a forfeit of four red counters in the pool. The hands are immediately thrown up if the revoke is claimed and proved.
_=CARDS PLAYED IN ERROR.=_ The single player is not liable to any penalty for cards played in error, or led out of turn, except those taken back to save a revoke; but his adversaries are liable to the usual whist penalties for all such irregularities. The single player can forbid the use of an exposed trump for ruffing, and can demand or prevent the play of an exposed card in plain suits, provided he does not ask the adversary to revoke. If a suit is led of which an adversary has an exposed card on the table, the single player may call upon him to play his highest or lowest of that suit.
If a player has announced Little Misère, and one of the adversaries leads before the others have discarded, the caller may immediately claim the pool and stakes. If any adversary of a misère player leads out of turn, or exposes a card, or plays before his proper turn in any trick, the bidder may at once claim the pool and stakes. In all such cases it is usual for the individual in fault to pay a forfeit of four red counters toward the next pool.
In Misère Partout, there is no penalty for cards played in error, or led out of turn.
_=PAYMENTS.=_ If the caller succeeds in winning the proposed number of tricks, he is paid by each of his adversaries according to the value of his bid, and the number of over-tricks he wins, if any. The various payments are shown in this table:--