Part 22
_=ANNOUNCEMENTS.=_ The proposals rank in the order following, beginning with the lowest. The French terms are given in _=italics=_:--
Five tricks; or eight with a partner, in petite. _=Simple in petite=_.
Five tricks; or eight with a partner, in belle. _=Simple in belle=_.
Six tricks solo, in any suit. _=Petite independence=_.
Little misère. _=Petite misère=_.
Eight tricks solo in any suit. _=Grand independence=_.
Grand misère. _=Grand misère=_, or _=misère sans ecart=_.
Misère with four aces. _=Misère des quatre as=_.
Nine tricks in any suit. _=Neuf=_.
Nine tricks in petite. _=Neuf en petite=_.
Nine tricks in belle. _=Neuf en belle=_.
Little spread. _=Petite misère sur table=_.
Grand spread. _=Grand misère sur table=_.
_=METHOD OF BIDDING.=_ The player to the right of the dealer has the first say. If he proposes to take a partner as in Solo Whist, he says, “Je demande,” at the same time placing one of his cards face downward on the table. This card must not be shown or named, but must be of the suit which he proposes to make the trump. He is not allowed to announce the suit, so that any player accepting him as a partner does so in ignorance as to whether he will play in belle or in petite. If the demand is accepted, the proposer and his partner make no change in their positions at the table, but must make eight tricks, just as in Solo Whist.
If a player cannot propose, he says: “Je passe,” and each of the others in turn from right to left have the opportunity to make a proposal. When any player proposes, any player in turn after him may accept, although such a one may have already passed. If the fourth player proposes, the three others having passed, and no one will accept him he is bound to play solo against three such weak adversaries, and must make five tricks, either in belle or in petite. He is not allowed to play in a plain suit if he has made a simple “demand.”
The only solo bids allowed are those for six, eight, or nine tricks, which outrank one another. A player cannot bid seven to over-call six; he must go to eight; and a player cannot _=bid=_ five tricks without a partner, although, as we have just seen, he may be forced to _=play=_ in that manner.
When six, eight, or nine tricks are bid, the suits outrank one another for equal numbers of tricks; but as the suit called need not be the bidder’s true intention, nor the same as the card laid on the table, the proposer must be careful that his play will be as good as his bid. For instance: He intends nine tricks in spades, but proposes eight in diamonds. He cannot bid nine in diamonds, for that would be a better bid than he intends to play; but the ruse may succeed in inducing a player not to bid against him, hoping diamonds is the true suit. It is a common artifice to bid the true suit, because few will believe it to be such.
If clubs are belle, and diamonds petite, and a player who “demands” is over-called by a demand in belle, or a call of six tricks, the first caller cannot advance his bid to six tricks except in the suit which he has already laid on the table; but he may accept the player over-calling him, instead of bidding against him. After a player has once accepted or passed, he cannot bid misère.
If no one makes a proposition of any kind, the hands are thrown up; the next dealer contributes to the pool, and a fresh hand is dealt.
_=METHOD OF PLAYING.=_ As in Boston, the eldest hand has the first lead, and the others must follow suit if they can, except in the misère des quatre as. When this is played, the bidder may renounce at pleasure for the first ten tricks.
_=GATHERING TRICKS.=_ When a partnership is formed, each gathers the tricks he takes. If the partnership loses, the one who has not his complement of tricks must pay the adversaries and double the pool. If the demander has not five, and the acceptor has three, the demander pays. If the proposer has five, and the acceptor has not three, the acceptor pays; but they both win if they have eight tricks between them, no matter in what proportion. If neither has taken his proper share, they must both pay. When they are successful, they divide the pool.
_=SLAMS.=_ If a player has demanded, and not been accepted, and has been forced to play alone for five tricks, but wins eight, it is called a slam. But as he did not wish to play alone, his only payment, besides the pool, is 24 counters from each player if he played in petite; 48 if in belle; double those amounts if the deal was one of the last eight in the game.
If two partners make a slam, thirteen tricks, they take the pool, and receive from each adversary 24 counters if they played in petite; 48 if in belle; double if in one of the last eight hands in the game.
_=EXPOSED CARDS.=_ The laws governing these are almost identical with those in Boston, with the additional rule that a player allowing a card to fall upon the table face up before play begins, can be forced to play independence in that suit.
_=REVOKES.=_ The individual player who is detected in a revoke must double the pool, and pay both adversaries.
_=PAYMENTS.=_ Payments are made according to the table. The player holding diamond Jack receives two counters from each of the other players in a simple; four in a double; except in misères, in which the card has no value.
Misères are paid for according to the trump turned in the deal in which they are played. If a heart is turned, and little misère is played, the payment is 64 counters to or from each player. If a spade was turned, the payment would be 16 only.
Three honours between partners count as three: four as four. Being all in one hand does not increase their value.
+-----+-----+-----+-----+ The Bid. | ♠ | ♣ | ♢ | ♡ | ------------------------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+ Five tricks alone, or partners’ 8 | 4 | 8 | 12 | 16 | Three honours | 3 | 6 | 9 | 12 | Four honours | 4 | 8 | 12 | 16 | Each extra trick | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | ------------------------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+ Six tricks, or petite independence | 6 | 12 | 18 | 24 | Three honours | 4 | 8 | 12 | 16 | Four honours | 6 | 12 | 18 | 24 | Each extra trick | 2 | 4 | 6 | 8 | ------------------------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+ Eight tricks, or grand independence | 8 | 16 | 24 | 32 | Three honours | 6 | 12 | 18 | 24 | Four honours | 8 | 16 | 24 | 32 | Each extra trick | 4 | 8 | 12 | 16 | ------------------------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+ Petite misère | 16 | 32 | 48 | 64 | Grand misère | 32 | 64 | 96 | 128 | Misère de quatre as | 32 | 64 | 96 | 128 | Misère sur table | 64 | 128 | 192 | 256 | Slam à deux (partners) | 50 | 100 | 150 | 200 | Slam seul (alone) | 100 | 200 | 300 | 400 | Slam sur table | 200 | 400 | 600 | 800 | ------------------------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+
RUSSIAN BOSTON.
This is a variation of Boston de Fontainbleau. A player holding carte blanche declares it before playing, and receives ten counters from each of the other players. Carte blanche is the same thing as chicane in Bridge, no trump in the hand. But in Bridge the player is penalized for announcing it until after the hand is played.
The order of the suits is the same as in American Boston de Fontainbleau: diamonds, hearts, clubs, and spades.
When a player bids six, seven, or eight tricks, he is supposed to be still willing to take a partner, unless he specifies solo. When a partner accepts him, the combination must make four tricks more than the original proposal.
Four honours are paid for as four over-tricks; three honours as two over-tricks.
Piccolissimo is played, and comes between the bids of seven and eight tricks.
GERMAN WHIST.
_=CARDS.=_ German Whist is played with a full pack of fifty-two cards, which rank as at Whist, both for cutting and playing.
_=PLAYERS.=_ Two persons play. They cut for the first deal, and the choice of seats.
_=DEALING.=_ The dealer presents the pack to his adversary to be cut, and then gives thirteen cards to each player, one at a time, turning up the twenty-seventh card for the trump, and laying it on the talon, or remainder of the pack.
_=PLAYING.=_ The non-dealer begins by leading any card he pleases, and his adversary must follow suit if he can. The winner of the first trick takes the trump card into his hand, and his adversary takes the card immediately under it, but without showing or naming it. Each player thus restores the number of cards in his hand to thirteen. The card which is now on the top of the talon is turned up, and the winner of the next trick must take it, his adversary taking the one under it, as before, and turning up the next. In this manner it will be seen that the winner of each trick must always get a card which is known to his adversary, while the loser of the trick gets one which remains unknown.
When the talon is exhausted, the thirteen cards in each hand should be known to both players if they have been observant, and the end game becomes a problem in double dummy.
_=STAKES.=_ The game is usually played for so much a point, the player having won the majority of the tricks receiving the difference between the number of his tricks and those of his adversary. Each game is complete in one hand.
In many respects the game resembles single-handed Hearts, except that in Hearts none of the cards drawn are shown.
CHINESE WHIST.
_=CARDS.=_ Chinese Whist is played with a full pack of fifty-two cards, which rank as at Whist, both for cutting and playing.
_=MARKERS.=_ Ordinary whist markers are used for scoring the points.
_=PLAYERS.=_ Two, three or four persons can play Chinese Whist. When three play, the spade deuce is thrown out of the pack. Partners and deal are cut for from an outspread pack, as at Whist.
_=POSITION OF THE PLAYERS.=_ When four play, the partners sit opposite each other. When three play, the one cutting the lowest card chooses his seat, and dictates the positions of the two other players.
_=DEALING.=_ When four play, the pack is shuffled and cut as at Whist. The dealer then gives six cards to each player, one at a time, beginning on his left. These six cards are then spread face down on the table in front of the players to whom they have been dealt, but without being looked at. Six more are then dealt to each, one at a time, and these are turned face up, and sorted into suits. They are then laid face up on the top of the six cards which are lying on the table face down, so as to cover them. The last four cards are then dealt, one to each player. These last are retained in the hand, and must not be shown or named; they are usually called the “_=down cards=_.”
_=MAKING THE TRUMP.=_ After examining the cards exposed on the table, and the down card in his own hand, the dealer has the privilege of naming any suit he pleases for trumps. No consultation with partner is allowed.
_=METHOD OF PLAYING.=_ The player to the left of the dealer begins by leading any one of his exposed cards, and the others must follow suit if they can; either with one of their exposed cards, or with their down cards. A player having none of the suit led may either discard or trump. The highest card played of the suit led wins the trick, and trumps win all other suits. The side winning the trick takes it in and arranges it just as at Whist. Before leading for the next trick all cards which have been uncovered are turned face up. If any person has played his down card he will have no card to turn up, none having been uncovered. The cards cannot under any circumstances be shifted from their original positions. If a player has five cards face up, covering five cards face down, he cannot shift one of the exposed cards to the empty sixth place, and uncover another card. All covering cards must be got rid of in the course of play.
_=PENALTIES=_ for revokes, cards led out of turn, etc., are the same as at Whist.
_=OBJECTS OF THE GAME.=_ As in Whist, the object is to win tricks, all above six counting one point toward game. Five, seven, or ten points may be made the game, at the option of the players, but ten is the usual number. Honours are not counted except by agreement.
_=STAKES.=_ It is usual to play for so much a point or a game. If points are played, the loser’s score must be deducted from the winner’s, and the difference is the value of the game won.
_=WHEN THREE PLAY=_, eight cards are dealt to each person, and arranged face down; then eight more, arranged face up, and then one to each for down cards. There are no partnerships; each plays for himself against the others.
_=WHEN TWO PLAY=_, twelve cards are dealt to each player, and arranged face down; then twelve more, arranged face up, and then two down cards to each. It is usual to deal all the cards two at a time.
_=SUGGESTIONS FOR GOOD PLAY.=_ Chinese Whist very closely resembles Dummy, and the chief element of success is the skilful use of tenace. Memory also plays an important part, it being especially necessary to remember what cards are still unplayed in each suit. While the down cards are held a player cannot be sure of taking a trick by leading a card higher than any his adversary has exposed, because one of the down cards may be better. If a player is short of trumps, but has as many and better than those of his adversary, it is often good play to lead and draw the weaker trumps before the adversary turns up higher ones to protect them. For instance: one player may have 10 8, and his adversary the 9 alone. If the 10 is led the 9 will probably be caught, unless one of the adverse down cards is better. If the 10 is not led the adversary may turn up an honour, and will then have major tenace over the 10 and 8.
The end game always offers some interesting problems for solution by the expert in tenace position, and in placing the lead.
WHIST FAMILY LAWS.
While the code of laws drawn up by the American Whist League, and finally approved and adopted at the Third Congress, [in Chicago, June 20th to 24th, 1893,] refers exclusively to the parent game of Whist, its general provisions equally apply to all members of the whist family of games. The author believes it will save much repetition and confusion to interlineate the exceptions which are necessary in order to cover the special features of such important variations as Boston, Cayenne, and Solo Whist. Where no exceptions are made, the law applies equally to these games and to Whist. The unnumbered paragraphs show the inserted laws.
It is a common practice for the framers of laws to insert rules which are simply descriptive of the manner of play. The author believes in adhering to the proper definition of a law, which is a rule carrying with it some penalty for its infraction, or defining the rights of individual players. Such a statement as that the Dummy player may not overlook his adversary’s hand is not a law, because there is no penalty if he does so.
The author is not responsible for the peculiar grammar employed in both the American and English Laws.
THE GAME.
1. A game consists of seven points, each trick above six counting one. The value of the game is determined by deducting the losers’ score from seven.
In _=Boston=_, the game is finished in twelve deals.
In _=Cayenne=_, a game consists of ten points, each trick above six counting towards game according to the table of values. Honours and Slams also count towards game. Every hand must be played out, and all points made in excess of the ten required to win the game are counted on the next game; so that it is possible to win two or three games in one hand. In Nullo, every trick over the book is counted by the adversaries. Players cannot count out by honours alone; they must win the odd trick or stop at the score of nine. If one side goes out by cards, the other cannot score honours. The rubber is won by the side that first wins four games of ten points each. The value of the rubber is determined by adding 8 points to the winners’ score for tricks, honours, and slams, and then deducting the score of the losers.
In _=Solo Whist=_, the game is complete in one deal, and the value of it is determined by the player’s success or failure in his undertaking, and must be settled for at the end of the hand, according to the table of payments.
FORMING THE TABLE.
2. Those first in the room have the preference. If, by reason of two or more arriving at the same time, more than four assemble, the preference among the last comers is determined by cutting, a lower cut giving the preference over all cutting higher. A complete table consists of six; the four having the preference play. Partners are determined by cutting; the highest two play against the lowest two; the lowest deals and has the choice of seats and cards.
In _=Boston=_ and in _=Solo Whist=_, a table is complete with four players. In cutting for positions at the table, the lowest has the choice of seats and cards, and the two highest sit opposite each other.
3. If two players cut intermediate cards of equal value, they cut again; the lower of the new cut plays with the original lowest.
4. If three players cut cards of equal value, they cut again. If the fourth has cut the highest card, the two lowest of the new cut are partners, and the lowest deals. If the fourth has cut the lowest card, he deals, and the two highest of the new cut are partners.
5. At the end of a game, if there are more than four belonging to the table, a sufficient number of the players retire to admit those awaiting their turn to play. In determining which players remain in, those who have played a less number of consecutive games have the preference over all who have played a greater number; between two or more who have played an equal number, the preference is determined by cutting, a lower cut giving the preference over all cutting higher.
In _=Boston=_, _=Cayenne=_, and _=Solo Whist=_, at the end of a game a new table must be formed, those already in having no preference over fresh candidates.
6. To entitle one to enter a table, he must declare his intention to do so before any one of the players has cut for the purpose of commencing a new game or of cutting out.
In _=Boston=_, _=Cayenne=_, and _=Solo Whist=_, this rule does not apply.
CUTTING.
7. In cutting, the ace is the lowest card. All must cut from the same pack. If a player exposes more than one card, he must cut again. Drawing cards from the outspread pack may be resorted to in place of cutting.
SHUFFLING.
8. Before every deal, the cards must be shuffled. When two packs are used, the dealer’s partner must collect and shuffle the cards for the ensuing deal and place them at his right hand. In all cases the dealer may shuffle last.
In _=Boston=_ and in _=Cayenne=_, two packs must be used; and in Boston there must be no shuffling of either pack after the first deal.
9. A pack must not be shuffled during the play of a hand, nor so as to expose the face of any card.
CUTTING TO THE DEALER.
10. The dealer must present the pack to his right hand adversary to be cut; the adversary must take a portion from the top of the pack and place it toward the dealer; at least four cards must be left in each packet; the dealer must reunite the packets by placing the one not removed in cutting upon the other.
11. If, in cutting or reuniting the separate packets, a card is exposed, the pack must be reshuffled by the dealer, and cut again; if there is any confusion of the cards, or doubt as to the place where the pack was separated, there must be a new cut.
In _=Boston=_, the pack must be cut again; but not shuffled.
12. If the dealer reshuffles the pack after it has been properly cut, he loses his deal.
In _=Boston=_, _=Cayenne=_, and _=Solo Whist=_, the misdealer must deal again.
DEALING.
13. When the pack has been properly cut and reunited, the dealer must distribute the cards, one at a time, to each player in regular rotation, beginning at his left. The last, which is the trump card, must be turned up before the dealer. At the end of the hand, or when the deal is lost, the deal passes to the player next to the dealer on his left, and so on to each in turn.
In _=Solo Whist=_, the cards are distributed three at a time until only four remain in the pack. These are dealt one at a time, and the last turned up for trump.
In _=Boston=_ and in _=Cayenne=_, the cards are dealt four at a time for two rounds, and then five at a time. No trump is turned. After the cards have been dealt the player opposite the dealer presents the still pack to be cut by the player on the dealer’s left, and the top card of the portion left on the table is turned up.
In _=Boston=_, _=Cayenne=_, or _=Solo Whist=_, the deal is never lost. The same dealer deals again with the same pack.
14. There must be a new deal by the same dealer:--
I. If any card except the last is faced in the pack.
II. If, during the deal or during the play of the hand, the pack is proved incorrect or imperfect; but any prior score made with that pack shall stand.
15. If, during the deal, a card is exposed, the side not in fault may demand a new deal, provided neither of that side has touched a card. If a new deal does not take place, the exposed card is not liable to be called.
16. Any one dealing out of turn, or with his adversaries’ pack, may be stopped before the trump card is turned, after which the deal is valid, and the packs, if changed, so remain.
In _=Boston=_ and _=Cayenne=_, the dealer must be stopped before the last card is dealt.
MISDEALING.
17. It is a misdeal:--
I. If the dealer omits to have the pack cut, and his adversaries discover the error before the trump card is turned, and before looking at any of their cards.
II. If he deals a card incorrectly, and fails to correct the error before dealing another.
III. If he counts the cards on the table or in the remainder of the pack.
IV. If, having a perfect pack, he does not deal to each player the proper number of cards, and the error is discovered before all have played to the first trick.
V. If he looks at the trump card before the deal is completed.
VI. If he places the trump card face downward upon his own or any other player’s cards.
A misdeal loses the deal, unless, during the deal, either of the adversaries touches a card or in any other manner interrupts the dealer.
In _=Boston=_, _=Cayenne=_, and _=Solo Whist=_, the misdealer deals again with the same cards. In Boston he forfeits a red counter to the pool for his error.
THE TRUMP CARD.
18. The dealer must leave the trump card face upward on the table until it is his turn to play to the first trick; if it is left on the table until after the second trick has been turned and quitted, it is liable to be called. After it has been lawfully taken up, it must not be named, and any player naming it is liable to have his highest or his lowest trump called by either adversary. A player may, however, ask what the trump suit is.
This law does not apply to Boston, or Cayenne.
In _=Boston=_ and in _=Cayenne=_, no trump is turned, but a card is cut from the still pack to determine the rank of the suits. See Law 13.