Part 42

_=AUCTION HEARTS.=_ The cards having been cut and dealt, the player to the left of the dealer, whom we shall call A, examines his hand, and determines which suit he would prefer to play to get clear of. Let us suppose his hand to consist of the ♡ A K 8; ♣ J 6 5 4 3 2; ♢ K 4; and the ♠ 7 3. If the suit remains hearts, he is almost certain to take in a number; but if it is changed to clubs, he is almost as certain of getting clear. The hand is not absolutely safe, as hearts might be led two or three times before the clubs in the other hands were exhausted by the original leader, whose game would be to lead small clubs. As the pool will contain thirteen counters to a certainty, he can afford to bid in proportion to his chances of winning it for the privilege of making clubs the suit to be avoided, instead of hearts.

It might be assumed, if the odds were 10 to 1 that the player would get clear if the suit were clubs, that therefore he could afford to bid ten times the amount of the pool, or 130, for his chance. Theoretically this is correct, but if he should lose one such pool, he would have to win ten others to get back his bid alone, to say nothing of the amounts he would lose by paying his share in pools won by others. Let us suppose him to win his share, one-fourth of all the pools. While he is winning the ten pools necessary to repair his single loss, he has to stand his share of the losses in the thirty others, which would average about 128 counters. This must show us that even if a player has a 10 to 1 chance in his favour, he must calculate not only on losing that chance once in eleven times, but must make provision for the amounts he will lose in other pools. Experience shows that a bid of 25 would be about the amount a good player would make on such a hand as we are considering, if the pool were not a Jack, and he had first say.

The next player, Y, now examines his hand. Let us suppose that he finds ♡ 6 4 3; ♣ A K 10; ♢ 8 7 5 3; ♠ 6 5 4. If the first bidder is offering on clubs, it is evident that he will lead them, as the successful bidder has the original lead in Auction Hearts; and it is equally evident that if he does so, a player with A K 10 will have to pay for most of the pool. If any of the other suits is the one bid on, B has as good a chance for the pool as any one, at least to divide it. With two men still to bid, a good player would probably make himself safe by shutting out A’s bid, probably offering 26.

Let us suppose B then to examine his hand, finding ♡ J 10; ♣ Q 9 8 7; ♢ A 10 9; ♠ 10 9 8 2. Being unsafe in everything, he passes, and practically submits to his fate, his only hope being that the pool will result in a Jack. Z then examines his hand, finding ♡ Q 9 7 5 2; ♣ none; ♢ Q J 6 2; ♠ A K Q J. He sees at once that on spades he would lose everything, and on diamonds he would have a very poor chance. On clubs the result would depend on how often spades were led. In hearts, he has a very good hand, especially as he has a missing suit to discard in. As he is the last bidder he can make sure of the choice for 27, which he bids, and pays into the pool. The result of the play is given in Illustrative Hand No. 4. (As the cards happen to lie, had A been the successful bidder and made it clubs, Z would have won the pool.)

ILLUSTRATIVE HANDS.

_=No. 1.=_ Sweepstake Hearts. | T| _=No. 2.=_ Sweepstake Hearts. A leads for first trick. | R| A leads for first trick. | I| ------+-------+-------+-------+ C+-------+------+------+-------- A Y B Z | K| A Y B Z ------+-------+-------+-------+--+-------+------+------+-------- 10♠ | Q♠ | 8♠ | _K♠_ | 1| _♣A_ | ♣K | ♣10 | ♣Q ♣J | _♣A_ | ♣4 | ♣K | 2| ♣5 | ♣2 | ♣9 | _♣J_ 6♢ | _A♢_ | J♢ | Q♢ | 3| 10♢ | J♢ | 9♢ | _A♢_ 5♢ | _K♢_ | 10♢ | 9♢ | 4| Q♢ | 8♢ | _K♢_ | 4♢ 4♢ | 3♢ | 2♢ | _8♢_ | 5| 2♠ | J♠ | _A♠_ | 9♠ ♣9 | ♣7 | ♣3 | _♣Q_ | 6| Q♠ | 10♠ | _K♠_ | 8♠ ♣6 | ♣5 | ♣2 | _♣10_ | 7| ♡A | _7♢_ | 3♢ | ♡Q 3♠ | 6♠ | 4♠ | _J♠_ | 8| _♡10_ | ♡4 | ♡3 | ♡5 2♠ | 5♠ | ♡K | 9♠ | 9| ♣4 | ♡K | ♣6 | _♣7_ _♡A_ | ♡Q | ♡10 | ♡5 |10| ♡9 | _7♠_ | ♡J | 5♠ ♡7 | _♡J_ | ♡9 | 7♠ |11| ♡7 | ♡2 | ♣8 | _♡8_ ♡6 | _♡8_ | ♡4 | ♣8 |12| ♡6 | _6♠_ | 6♢ | 4♠ A♠ | ♡2 | _♡3_ | 7♢ |13| ♣3 | _5♢_ | 2♢ | 3♠ ------+-------+-------+-------+--+-------+------+------+-------- A 4 Y 6 B 2 Z 1 A 4 Y 5 B 0 Z 4 Making it a Jack. B wins the Pool.

_=No. 1. 2nd Trick.=_ Z sees that with such a hand escape is impossible. As his chief danger is in being loaded with hearts at the end, he clears his hand as rapidly as possible. _=9th Trick.=_ The ♠A being held up, it looks as if A were safe in that suit with A 5 2. If Z now leads the ♡ 5, and A gets into the lead, returning the spade, Z must take every other trick. _=10th Trick.=_ If Z now leads ♠ 7, he loads A; but if his ♡ 5 should win the next trick he will take all the rest of the hearts, Y and B dividing the pool. If he leads the ♡ 5 first he cannot get more than four hearts, and the other players will inevitably make a Jack of it. _=11th Trick.=_ Y sees that if he underplays the 7 led, B will win the pool, as he has nothing but hearts, A having only one more. He keeps A out of the lead by winning two rounds, so as to be sure of loading B, making it a Jack. The ending is very well played.

_=No. 2.=_ A has an even chance to escape, and it is better for him to be third or fourth player in hearts than to lead them. _=3rd Trick.=_ B sees from the fall of the clubs that Y has no more, and that A is safe in them and will lead them again; so he holds up ♢ K to keep A out of the lead. _=7th Trick.=_ As A’s hand can now be counted to contain either the 7 4 3 of clubs and four dangerous hearts, or the 4 3 of clubs and five hearts, B’s game is clearly to lead diamonds, in order to load Y and Z. His only dangerous card, the ♡ J, will go on the next round of spades, which must be led again in the next two or three tricks.

_=No. 3.=_ Howell’s Settling. | T | _=No. 4.=_ Auction Hearts. Z dealt, and A leads for | R | A, the successful first trick. | I | bidder, names Hearts. --------------------------------+ C +-------------------------------- A Y B Z | K | A Y B Z --------+-------+-------+-------+---+-------+-------+-------+-------- 10♢ | J♢ | 9♢ | _K♢_ | 1| ♡5 | ♡8 | ♡6 | _♡J_ 7♢ | 6♢ | 8♢ | _Q♢_ | 2| Q♢ | 4♢ | 8♢ | _A♢_ ♣4 | ♣9 | ♣J | _♣A_ | 3| J♢ | _K♢_ | 7♢ | 10♢ ♣2 | ♣8 | ♣5 | _♣K_ | 4| _A♠_ | 7♠ | 6♠ | 10♠ J♠ | 8♠ | K♠ | _A♠_ | 5| ♡7 | _♡A_ | ♡4 | ♡10 5♠ | 7♠ | _Q♠_ | 10♠ | 6| _K♠_ | 3♠ | 5♠ | 9♠ 4♠ | _6♠_ | 3♠ | 2♠ | 7| ♡Q | _♡K_ | ♡3 | ♣9 ♡5 | ♡3 | _♡8_ | ♡4 | 8| ♡9 | ♣J | ♣10 | _♣Q_ _♡A_ | ♡J | ♡7 | 5♢ | 9| _Q♠_ | ♣6 | 4♠ | 8♠ ♡9 | ♡2 | _♡K_ | ♣Q | 10| _J♠_ | ♣5 | ♣A | 2♠ A♢ | _♡10_ | ♡6 | 9♠ | 11| 6♢ | ♣4 | 5♢ | _9♢_ 4♢ | ♣3 | ♡Q | _♣10_ | 12| 2♢ | ♣3 | _♣K_ | ♣8 2♢ | _♣7_ | 3♢ | ♣6 | 13| ♡2 | ♣2 | _3♢_ | ♣7 --------+-------+-------+-------+---+-------+-------+-------+-------- A 3 Y 2 B 7 Z 1 A 0 Y 7 B 1 Z 5

Z wins 9; Y 5; A 1; B loses 15. A wins the pool.

_=No. 3.=_ A begins with the intermediate cards of his safe suit. _=8th Trick.=_ Y is afraid to lead away from his club tenace, because it might be at once led back to him. _=9th Trick.=_ Z seizes this opportunity to get rid of the very dangerous ♢5. If A does not play the ♡A now, it is quite possible that he will take every trick, except one in diamonds. _=10th Trick.=_ If A leads the ♢2, and hearts are led again, he must take all the remaining hearts. By taking three at once he can escape the rest. B sees that if he passes this trick A will at once lead the ♢2, and he will take all the remaining hearts; so he takes these three and throws the lead to Y, who has no chance to injure him. _11th Trick._ Z keeps two clubs, hoping that if Y gets in and leads clubs, B may discard a diamond instead of a heart, in which case Z would get clear.

_=No. 4.=_ A, with his dangerous suit of spades, clears up the hearts at once. _=6th Trick.=_ The second round of spades betrays A’s dangerous suit to the other players. _=7th Trick.=_ A must risk the King and 3 being divided, for if they are in one hand nothing will save him. Z keeps ♢9 and ♣Q in order to be sure of getting a lead, as he is the only player who can load A by putting him in on spades at the end making him take in his own hearts. _=8th Trick.=_ B cannot risk playing the high clubs while there is any chance for him to win the pool. He can count A to be safe in diamonds, with two hearts and two spades. _=10th Trick.=_ A clears his hand of the very dangerous spade before leading his tenace in diamonds. _=12th Trick.=_ A will not give up the heart until he is sure that B has not the ♣7.

* * * * *

_=Text Books.=_ There are at present only two text-books on the game; _Foster on Hearts_, and _Hearts and Heartsette_.

SLOBBERHANNES.

_=Cards.=_ Slobberhannes is played with a Euchre pack, thirty-two cards, all below the Seven being deleted. The cards rank: A K Q J 10 9 8 7, the ace being the highest both in cutting and in play. There is no trump suit.

_=Counters.=_ Each player is provided with ten counters, and points are marked by placing these counters in the pool. The player who first loses his ten counters also loses the game. If stakes are played for, counters of a different colour must be provided, and the player losing the game must pay as many counters to each of the others as they have points still in front of them. One player is usually the banker, and sells and redeems all money counters. The others are redistributed at the end of each game.

_=Players.=_ Any number from four to seven may play; but the two black Sevens must be deleted if there are more than four players. When seven play, the dealer takes no cards. All the preliminaries of seats, cards and deal are settled as at Hearts.

_=Dealing.=_ The entire pack is distributed, the dealer giving each player in rotation two or three cards in each round. No trump is turned. All irregularities in the deal are governed by the same laws as at Hearts; but a misdeal does not lose the deal under any circumstances. The same dealer must deal again.

_=Objects of the Game.=_ The object in Slobberhannes is to avoid taking either the first or the last trick, or any trick containing the Queen of clubs. The player who wins any of these loses one point, and if he wins all three of them, he loses an extra point, or four altogether. The penalty for a revoke is also the loss of a point.

_=Method of Playing.=_ The eldest hand begins by leading any card he pleases, and the others must follow suit if they can. The highest card played, if of the suit led, wins the trick, and the winner takes it in and leads for the next trick. The player winning the first trick must pay for it immediately, to avoid disputes. The tricks which are neither the first nor the last have no value, unless they contain the club Queen, which must be paid for as soon as it is taken in.

There is a good deal of play in manœuvring to get rid of cards which might win the last trick, or which would take in the club Queen. The Ace and King of clubs are of course dangerous cards, and unless the player holding them has small cards enough to make him safe in that suit, he should be on the alert for opportunities to discard.

POLIGNAC. QUATRE-VALETS, OR FOUR JACKS.

_=Cards and Players.=_ When Polignac is played by four persons, a Piquet pack is used, and eight cards are dealt to each player, 3-2-3 at a time. When five play, the two black Sevens are deleted, and six cards are given to each player. When six play, each receives five cards. When seven play, the dealer takes no cards. In France, the cards usually rank as in Écarté; K Q J A 10 9 8 7; but in England and America it is more usual to preserve the order in Piquet, A K Q J 10 9 8 7. There is no trump suit. All the preliminaries are settled as at Hearts or Slobberhannes.

_=Counters.=_ Each player is provided with ten or twenty counters, as may be agreed upon, and the player first losing his counters loses the game, and pays to each of the others any stake that may have been previously agreed upon, usually a counter for each point they have still to go when he is decavé.

_=Objects of the Game.=_ The object of the game is to avoid winning any trick containing a Jack, and especially the Jack of spades, which is called _=Polignac=_. The moment any player wins a trick containing a Jack, he pays one counter into the pool. If he takes in Polignac, he pays two counters. The eldest hand begins by leading any card he pleases, and the others must follow suit if they can. The highest card played, if of the suit led, wins the trick, and the winner leads for the next trick. If a player has none of the suit led he may discard anything he pleases.

The game is sometimes varied by adding a _=general=_, or _=capot=_. Any player who thinks he can win all the tricks announces capot before the first card is led. If he is successful he loses nothing; but each of the others must pay five counters into the pool, one for each Jack, and one extra for Polignac. If the capot player fails to win every trick, each player pays for whatever jacks he has taken in.

ENFLÉ, OR SCHWELLEN.

When Enflé is played by four persons, the Piquet pack of thirty-two cards is used. If there are more than four players, sufficient cards are added to give eight to each person. The rank of the cards and all other preliminaries are the same as at Hearts. There is no trump suit.

The cards are dealt 3-2-3 at a time. The eldest hand leads any card he pleases, and the others must follow suit if they can. If all follow suit, the highest card played wins the trick, which is turned face down, and the cards in it are dead. The winner leads for the next trick, and so on. But if any player is unable to follow suit, he is not allowed to discard, but must immediately gather up the cards already played, and take them into his own hand with the cards originally dealt to him. The players following the one who renounces to the suit led do not play to the trick at all; but wait for him to lead for the next trick. Should any player fail to follow suit on the next trick, or on any subsequent trick, he gathers the cards already played, takes them into his hand and leads for the next trick. The play is continued in this manner until some player gets rid of all his cards, and so wins the game.

Enflé is usually played for a pool, to which each player contributes an equal amount before play begins. The game requires considerable skill and memory to play it well, it being very important to remember the cards taken in hand by certain players, and those which are in the tricks turned down.

THE LAWS OF HEARTS.

1. Formation of table. Those first in the room have the preference. If more than the necessary number assemble, the choice shall be determined by cutting, those cutting the lowest cards having the right to play. Six persons is the largest number that can play at one table. The player cutting the lowest card has the deal.

2. In cutting, the Ace is low. Players cutting cards of equal value, cut again. All must cut from the same pack, and any person exposing more than one card must cut again. Drawing cards from an outspread pack is equivalent to cutting.

3. A complete Heart pack consists of fifty-two cards, which rank in the following order:--A K Q J 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2, the Ace being highest in play. In Three-Handed Hearts, the spade deuce is thrown out. In Five-Handed, both the black deuces are laid aside. In Six-Handed, all four deuces are discarded. In Joker Hearts the heart deuce is replaced by the Joker.

4. When two packs are used, the player next but one on the dealer’s left must collect and shuffle the cards for the next deal, placing them on his right. The dealer has the privilege of shuffling last.

5. The dealer must present the pack to his right-hand adversary to be cut. Not less than four cards shall constitute a cut.

6. In case of any confusion or exposure of the cards in cutting, or in reuniting them after cutting, the pack must be shuffled and cut again.

7. If the dealer reshuffles the cards after they have been properly cut, or looks at the bottom card, he loses his deal.

8. After the cards have been cut, the dealer must distribute them one at a time to each player in rotation, beginning at his left, and continuing until the pack is exhausted; or in Two-Handed Hearts, until each player has thirteen.

9. The deal passes to the left.

10. There must be a new deal by the same dealer if the pack is proved to be incorrect, either during the deal or during the play of a hand; or if any card is faced in the pack, or is found to be so marked or mutilated that it can be named. In the last case a new pack must be used.

11. If a card is exposed during the deal, the player to whom it is dealt may demand a new deal, provided he has not touched any of his cards. If the deal stands, the exposed card cannot be called.

12. Any one dealing out of turn may be stopped before the last card is dealt. After that the deal must stand, and the packs, if changed, must so remain.

13. It is a misdeal: If the dealer omits to have the pack cut, and the error is discovered before the last card is dealt; or if he deals a card incorrectly, and fails to remedy it before dealing another; or if he counts the cards on the table, or those remaining in the pack; or if it is discovered before all have played to the first trick that any player has not his proper number of cards, the pack being perfect.

14. A misdeal loses the deal unless one of the other players has touched his cards, or in any way interrupted the dealer.

15. If, after the first trick is played to, any two players are found to have more or less than their correct number of cards, the pack being perfect, the one having less shall draw from the hand of the one having more, and each shall pay a forfeit of five counters into the pool.

16. If a player omits to play to any trick, and plays to the following one, he shall not be allowed to correct the error; but shall be compelled to take in the last trick, with whatever hearts it may contain.

17. Should a player be found during or at the end of a hand to be a card short, all the others having the right number, and all having played to the first trick, he shall be compelled to take in the last trick.

18. If a player leads or plays two cards to a trick, he must indicate the one intended, and leave the other face up on the table. Any card exposed, except in the proper course of play, or any card named by the player holding it, must be left face up on the table.

19. A player must lead or play any exposed card when called upon to do so by any other player, provided he can do so without revoking. He cannot be prevented from playing an exposed card, and if he can so get rid of it, no penalty remains.

20. If a player leads out of turn, a suit may be called from him when it is next his proper turn to lead. This penalty can be enforced only by the player on his right. If he has none of the suit called, or if all have played to the false lead, no penalty can be enforced. If all have not played to the false lead, the cards can be taken back, and are not exposed cards.

21. If the third hand plays before the second, the fourth hand may demand that the card be taken back, and may call upon the third hand to play the highest card he has of the suit; or may call upon him not to discard hearts. If the fourth plays before the third, the second player may demand the penalty.

22. The first player to any trick having led, the others must follow suit if they can. Should a player revoke, and discover the error before the trick in which it occurs has been turned and quitted, he may amend his play, and the card played in error becomes an exposed card. Any who have played after him may withdraw their cards and substitute others, the cards first played not being exposed.

23. If the revoke is discovered during the play of the hand, the hand must be played out, and at the end the revoking player must pay all losses in that hand. Should the revoking player win the pool himself, he must pay to the pool thirteen counters and leave them for a Jack. Should he divide it, he must pay the other winner six counters, and leave up seven for a Jack.

24. Should two or more players revoke in the same hand, each must pay the entire losses in the hand, as if he were alone in error; so that if two should revoke, and a third win the pool, he would receive twenty-six counters, instead of thirteen. In Auction Hearts the revoking player must pay the amount of the bid in addition.

25. The claimant of a revoke may search all the tricks at the end of a hand. The revoke is established if the accused player mixes the cards before the claimants have time to examine them.

26. A revoke must be claimed before the tricks have been mixed, preparatory to shuffling for the next deal.

27. If a player is lawfully called upon to lead a certain suit, or to play the highest of it, and unnecessarily fails to comply, he is liable to the penalties for a revoke.

28. Any trick once turned and quitted must not again be seen until the hand is played. Any player violating this rule is subject to the same penalties as for a lead out of turn.

29. In settling at the end of the hand, the player having taken no hearts, [each of the others having taken at least one,] wins the pool. Two players having taken none, the other two having each at least one, divide it, the odd counter remaining until the next pool. Three players having taken none, the thirteen counters remain in the pool, forming a Jack, which can be won only by one player taking no hearts, each of the others having taken at least one. During the time the Jack is played for, and until it is won, each player must add to the pool by paying for the hearts he takes in each hand.

30. In Auction Hearts, the player to the left of the dealer has the first bid, the dealer the last, and there is no second bid.

THE BÉZIQUE FAMILY.

This family includes three of our most popular games; Bézique itself, Binocle, and Sixty-Six. These are all comparatively modern games, but are descended from very old stock, the best known of the ancestors being Marriage, Matrimony, and Cinq-Cents. The etymology of the word Bézique is very much disputed. Some claim that it is from the Spanish basa, afterwards basico, a little kiss; referring to the union of the spade Queen and the diamond Jack, and the various marriages in the game. This was afterwards Basique, transformed by the French to Bésique, and by the English to Bézique. One English writer thinks the word is from bésaigne, the double-headed axe.