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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.
While the author of this work does not believe it possible to compile a
work that shall be universally accepted as the authority on all games,
as a dictionary would be on spelling, he deems it at least possible to
select what seems the most common usage, or the best rule, preserving
the true spirit of the game, and to describe it accurately and bring
the whole up to date.
THE WHIST FAMILY.
The most popular card games of the present day undoubtedly belong to
the whist family, which embraces all those played with a full pack of
fifty-two cards, ranking from the ace to the deuce, one suit being
trumps, and the score being counted by tricks and honours, or by tricks
alone.
The oldest and most important of the group is whist itself. The game
appears to be of English origin, its immediate parent being “ruff and
honours.” This was an old English game in which twelve cards only were
dealt to each player, the uppermost of the remaining four being turned
up for the trump suit. Whoever held the ace of trumps could “ruff”
or take in these four cards, discarding in their place any four he
chose. As the game developed into whisk, or whist, this ruffing feature
disappeared. There was no stock, the four deuces being discarded from
the pack instead. Twelve cards were dealt to each player, and the last
was turned up for the trump.
About 1680 a variation of the game known as “swabbers” came into vogue.
The swabbers were the heart ace, club jack, and the ace and deuce of
trumps. The players to whom these cards were dealt were entitled to a
certain share of the stakes or payments, independent of the play for
tricks and honours. This variety of the game did not long remain in
favor, but gave way to make room for one of the most important changes,
the restoration of the deuces to the pack, which introduced the feature
of the odd trick. This took place early in the last century, and seems
to have so much improved the game that attention was soon drawn to its
possibilities for scientific treatment.
About this time whist was taken up by a set of gentlemen who met at the
Crown Coffee House in Bedford Row, London; chief among whom was Sir
Jacob de Bouverie, Viscount Folkestone. After considerable experiment
and practice this little whist school laid down the principles of the
game as being: “to play from the strong suit; to study the partner’s
hand; never to force partner unnecessarily, and to attend to the
score.” It is generally believed that Edmond Hoyle was familiar with
the proceedings of this set, and on their experiences based his
celebrated “Short Treatise on the Game of Whist,” which was entered at
Stationers’ Hall in London Nov. 17, 1742.
The only works previous to Hoyle touching upon whist were the “Compleat
Gamester” of Cotton, which first appeared in 1674, and the “Court
Gamester,” of Richard Seymour, 1719. One of Hoyle’s great points was
his calculation of the probabilities at various stages of the rubber.
This seems to have been looked upon as most important in guiding
persons in their play, for we find that Abraham de Moivre, a famous
mathematician, used to frequent the coffee houses, and for a small fee
give decisions on questions of the odds at whist.
Bath seems to have been the great rallying-point for the whist-players
of the last century; but the passion for the game soon spread all over
Europe. In 1767 Benjamin Franklin went to Paris, and it is generally
believed that he introduced the American variety of the game known
as Boston, which became the rage in Paris some time after the war of
independence.
So popular did whist become in Italy that we find the boxes at the
opera in Florence provided with card tables in 1790. The music of the
opera was considered of value chiefly as, “increasing the joy of good
fortune, and soothing the affliction of bad.”
A code of laws was drawn up about 1760 by the frequenters of White’s
and Saunders’ in London. These seem to have remained the standard until
“Cælebs” published, in 1851, the code in use at the Portland Club. In
1863 John Loraine Baldwin got together a committee at the Arlington,
now the Turf Club, and they drew up the code which is still in use all
over the world for English whist. In the United States, laws better
suited to the American style of play were drawn up by the American
Whist League in 1891, and after several revisions were finally adopted,
in 1893, as the official code for League clubs.
The literature of whist saw its palmiest days at the beginning of this
century. 7,000 copies of Bob Short’s “Short Rules for Whist” were sold
in less than a year. Mathews’, or Matthews’, “Advice to the Young
Whist-Player,” went through eighteen editions between 1804 and 1828.
After these writers came Admiral Burney, who published his “Treatise”
in 1821; Major A. [Charles Barwell Coles,] gave us his “Short Whist”
in 1835. Deschapelles published his “Traité du Whiste” in 1839, but
it gave little but discussions on the laws. “Whist, its History and
Practice” by Amateur, appeared in 1843. General de Vautré’s “Génie du
Whiste,” in 1847. “Cælebs” [Edward Augustus Carlyon] wrote his “Laws
and Practice” in 1851. Then in rapid succession came “Cavendish” in
1863, James Clay in 1864, Pole and “Cam” in 1865. Campbell-Walker’s
“Correct Card” in 1876; Drayson’s “Art of Practical Whist,” with its
new theories of trumps; Fisher Ames, “Modern Whist,” in 1879; “Whist,
or Bumblepuppy?” by “Pembridge” [John Petch Hewby], in 1880; G.W.P.
[Pettes], in 1881; Proctor’s “How to Play Whist,” in 1885; and the
“Handbook of Whist,” by “Major Tenace,” 1885. Then began the long list
of American authors (Pettes has already been mentioned): “Foster’s
Whist Manual,” by R.F. Foster, appeared in 1890; “Practical Guide
to Whist,” by Fisher Ames, in 1891; Hamilton’s “Modern Scientific
Whist,” in 1894, and in the same year, Coffin’s “Gist of Whist,”
and “Foster’s Whist Strategy.” In 1895, Milton C. Work’s “Whist of
To-day,” and “Foster’s Whist Tactics,” giving the play in the first
match by correspondence; and in 1896, Val Starnes’ “Short-suit Whist,”
and Howell’s “Whist Openings.” In 1897, Mitchell’s “Duplicate Whist.”
In 1898, Foster’s “Common Sense in Whist,” and in 1900, Fisher Ames’
“Standard Whist.” Since then whist literature has given place to bridge.
In periodical literature we find whist taken up in the pages of the
“Sporting Magazine” in 1793. The London “Field” has had a card column
since December 6, 1862. Proctor’s work first appeared in “Knowledge.”
The “Westminster Papers” devoted a great deal of space to whist games
and “jottings” every month for eleven years, beginning in April, 1868.
“Whist,” a monthly journal devoted exclusively to the game, began
publication in Milwaukee in 1891; but gave it up when bridge supplanted
whist in popular favor.
Whist rapidly became a “newspaper game.” The New York Sunday Sun
devoted two columns every Sunday to the discussion and illustration
of moot points in whist tactics, and the analysis of hands played in
important matches. In a series of articles begun February 23, 1896,
this paper gave to the world the first systematic statement of the
theory and practice of the short suit game. In 1898 there were at least
forty whist columns published in the United States. Two magazines
devoted to whist and bridge are now published, one in Boston and the
other in New York.
While the parent game has been pursuing this prosperous course, many
variations have been introduced. One of the most radical changes in
the game itself has been cutting down the points from ten to five,
which occurred about 1810. Mathews mentions it in 1813 as having
occurred since the publication of his first edition in 1804, and
Lord Peterborough, the unlucky gambler, for whose benefit the change
was introduced, died in 1814. Another great change took place in
America, where they played for the tricks alone, the honours not being
counted at all. Turning the trump from the still pack was first tried
by a Welsh baronet, and is mentioned by Southey in his “Letters of
Espriella.” This custom was revived for a time by the Milwaukee Whist
Club, and is still sometimes seen in Europe under the name of “Prussian
Whist.”
Altogether we can trace nineteen games which are clearly derived from
whist. Duplicate, Drive, and Progressive whist are simply changes
in the arrangement of the players and in the methods of scoring.
Prussian whist introduces the cutting of the trump from the still
pack. Dummy and Double-dummy are simply whist with a limited number
of players, necessitating the exposure of one or more hands upon
the table. The French game of Mort is dummy with a better system of
scoring introduced. Favourite Whist simply changes the value of the
tricks in scoring, according to the trump suit. Cayenne and Bridge
introduce the first changes of importance. In Cayenne, the dealer and
his partner have the privilege of changing the trump from the suit
turned up; in Bridge they name the trump suit without any turn-up, and
play the hands as at dummy. In Boston, and Boston de Fontainebleau, in
addition to making the trump suit instead of turning it up, further
departures are introduced by naming the number of tricks to be played
for, allowing the player to take all or none without any trump suit,
and by ‘spreading’ certain hands, without allowing the adversaries to
call the exposed cards. French and Russian Boston are simply varieties
of Boston. Solo Whist is an attempt to simplify Boston by reducing the
number of proposals and the complications of payments, and eliminating
the feature of ‘spreads.’ Scotch Whist introduces a special object in
addition to winning tricks--catching the ten of trumps; that card and
the honours having particular values attached to them. This variety of
whist may be played by any number of persons from two to eight; and its
peculiarity is that when a small number play, each has several distinct
hands, which must be played in regular order, as if held by different
players. Humbug Whist is a variety of double-dummy, in which the
players may exchange their hands for those dealt to the dummies, and
the dealer may sometimes make the trump to suit himself. German Whist
is played by two persons, and introduces the element of replenishing
the hand after each trick by drawing cards from the remainder of the
pack until the stock is exhausted. Chinese Whist is double-dummy for
two, three, or four persons, only half of each player’s cards being
exposed, the others being turned up as the exposed cards are got rid of
in the course of play.
All these varieties have been entirely supplanted and overshadowed by
bridge. When they play whist at all, the English think there is nothing
better than the original whist, counting honours, and playing to the
score. The Americans think Duplicate superior to all other forms,
especially when two tables are engaged, and four players are opposed
by four others for a specified number of deals. We are inclined to
agree with Clay that the French game of Mort is “charming and highly
scientific.” He says English dummy is a “very slow game.”
Whether it is because the game has been found ‘slow,’ or because its
more attractive forms are little known, it is certainly true that
writers on whist pay little or no attention to dummy. The English
authors mention it only in connection with laws and decisions. No
American text-book makes any allusion to the game, and there is no
reference to it in the American Whist League’s code of laws.
In the first edition of this work, written in 1895, the author ventured
to prophesy that the day was not far distant when dummy would supersede
all other varieties of whist among the most expert players; either
in the form of the charming Mort or the fascinating Bridge. Very
few persons who have played either of these games sufficiently to
appreciate their beauties care to return to the platitudes of straight
whist.
At that time, bridge was unknown in America except to the members of
The Whist Club of New York and their friends. In the short space of ten
years it has become the card game of the world; but in spite of its
present popularity it has its defects, and it would not be surprising
to see its place usurped by another game, not a member of the whist
family, which has been steadily gaining ground among those who have the
intellectual capacity for card games of the highest class, and that is
skat.
The first text-book on bridge was a little leaflet printed in England
in 1886, which gave the rules for “Biritch, or Russian Whist.” “Boax”
came out with a little “Pocket Guide” in 1894, followed by “The Laws
of Bridge” in 1895. The Whist Club of N.Y. published the American laws
of bridge in 1897, and “Badsworth” came out with the English laws in
1898. In the following year, 1899, Archibald Dunn, Jr., gave us “Bridge
and How to Play It,” and John Doe published “Bridge Conventions,” A.G.
Hulme-Beaman’s “Bridge for Beginners” appearing in the same year.
In 1900, “Foster’s Bridge Manual” appeared in America, reprinted in
England under the title of “Foster on Bridge.”
In the years following, text-books on bridge came from the press by
the dozen, the most notable authors being Dalton and “Hellespont” in
1901; Elwell and Robertson in 1902; Street and Lister in 1903. Many of
the writers already mentioned published later and more complete works,
embodying the results of time and experience. Foster’s Self-playing
Bridge Cards were brought out in 1903. Elwell’s “Advanced Bridge”
appeared in 1904 and Foster’s “Complete Bridge” in 1905.
While bridge has never been such a popular “newspaper game” as whist
was in America, it has been much more so in England. Articles on
bridge, for beginners chiefly, were published in 1905 and 1906 by the
San Francisco Call, Pittsburgh Post Despatch, Cincinnati Commercial
Tribune, Chicago Journal, St. Paul Despatch, Milwaukee Journal,
Baltimore American, Houston Post, Indianapolis Star, and the N.Y.
Globe. These were all edited by R.F. Foster.
Bridge Tournaments, offering prizes for the best play of certain hands
were run by the N.Y. Evening Telegram, the N.Y. Globe, the N.Y. Evening
Mail, and the Chicago Journal. A number of the weekly magazines offer
similar competitions in England, but as a rule the problems in that
country are of very poor quality.
About 1910 it became the fashion not to play spades, it being
considered a waste of time to play a hand for such a small amount as
2 points a trick, so the dealer was allowed to score 2 for the odd
and 4 for honours, regardless of how the cards were distributed, the
hand being abandoned. The objection to this practice was that many
hands were worth much more than 2 points, and in some cases the spade
make would have gone game at the score. This led to the practice of
playing “royal spades,” which were played at 10 and then at 9 a trick,
sometimes with a penalty of 20 if the declarer failed to make the odd.
Shortly after this, later in 1910, there developed a decided rebellion
against the dealer’s monopoly of the make, and in order to allow any
player at the table who held good cards to get the benefit of them,
whether he was the dealer or not, bidding for the privilege of making
the trump came into vogue. This was the starting point of auction, its
chief difference from the older game being that only the side that
made the highest bid for the declaration could score toward game. The
full number of tricks bid had to be made, and if they were not made,
the adversaries scored in the honour column for penalties, the penalty
being always the same, regardless of the trump suit.
The great disparity in the values of the suits as then played
practically confined the bidding to the hearts and royal spades. This
soon brought about another change, which was to raise the values of all
the suits except spades and to cut down the no-trumper. This was done
in 1912, and made it possible for any suit to go game on the hand. All
the well known writers on whist and bridge came out with text-books on
auction, and the newspapers took up the subject in weekly articles.
Although to many the game now seemed perfect, there were those that
felt the helplessness of weak hands to offer any defence in the bidding
against a run of no-trumpers or hearts and royals. To remedy this,
F.C. Thwaites of the Milwaukee Whist Club suggested the introduction
of the nullo. This was a bid to lose tricks, at no trump only, and its
value was to be minus 10, that is, it was to be outranked only by a
no-trumper to win. At first, this bid was largely used simply as an
additional game-going declaration, and was strongly objected to by many
leading players. But as its true place as a defensive bid became better
understood it soon came into favour. In the nullo there are no honours,
and the declarer scores the tricks over the book made by his opponents,
which he forces them to take. Many interesting card problems have been
built upon the nullo.
Toward the end of 1913 still another change seems to have suggested
itself to some of the English players who were familiar with the
Russian game of vint, and that is to play auction just as it is played
up to the point of the lead to the first trick, but that no dummy is
exposed, the four players holding up their cards and following suit
just as they would at whist. Whether or not this game will ever become
as popular as the combination of dealer and dummy, it is difficult to
say, but appearances are against it.
There seems to be a growing tendency in America to adopt the English
rule of cutting out the spade suit at 2 a trick, and making it always
a royal spade, worth 9. The dealer is allowed to pass without making a
bid, the lowest call being one club. If all pass, the deal goes to the
left.
BRIDGE.
There are two principal varieties of this game; straight bridge, in
which the dealer or his partner must make the trump, their opponents
having nothing to say about it except to double the value of the
tricks. The dealer’s partner is always the dummy, and either side may
score toward game by making the odd trick or more. Auction bridge, in
which the privilege of making the trump is bid for, the highest bidder
playing the hand with his partner as dummy, regardless of the position
of the deal, and his side being the only one that can score toward
game, the adversaries scoring nothing but penalties in the honour
column if they defeat the contract.
As this is the more popular form of bridge at the present time, it will
be given first. Since the adoption of the higher value for the spade
suit under the name of royal spades, and the change in the value of the
suits, the game gradually came to be known as royal auction, but as
that change is now universal, the name has slipped back to its original
title.
AUCTION BRIDGE, OR AUCTION.
_=CARDS.=_ Auction is played with a full pack of fifty-two cards,
ranking A K Q J 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2, the Ace being the highest in play,
but ranking below the deuce in cutting. Two packs should be used, the
one being shuffled while the other is dealt.
_=MARKERS=_ suitable for scoring the various points made at Bridge have
not yet been invented. Some persons use the bézique marker; but it is
not a success. The score is usually kept on a sheet of paper, and it
should be put down by each side, for purposes of verification.
_=PLAYERS.=_ Auction is played by four persons, and the table is
complete with that number. When there are more than four candidates for
play, the selection of the four is made by cutting. These cut again for
partners, and the choice of seats and cards.
_=CUTTING.=_ The usual method of cutting for partners, etc., at
auction, is to shuffle the cards thoroughly, and “spread” them face
downwards on the table; each candidate drawing a card, and turning it
face upwards in front of him. The four cutting the lowest cards playing
the first game, or rubber.
[Illustration: SPREADING THE PACK.]
The four having been selected, the cards are again shuffled and spread,
and partners are cut for; the two lowest pairing against the two
highest; the lowest of the four is the dealer, and has the choice of
cards and seats.
_=TIES.=_ As between cards of equal value in cutting, the heart is the
lowest, diamonds next, then clubs and then spades.
_=POSITION OF THE PLAYERS.=_ The four players at the bridge table are
indicated by letters; A and B are partners against Y and Z; Z always
represents the dealer, who always makes the first bid, A being the
second bidder, Y the third and B the fourth.
[Illustration:
+-----+
| Y |
|A B|
| Z |
+-----+
]
_=DEALING.=_ The cards having been properly shuffled the dealer, Z,
presents them to the pone, B, to be cut. At least four cards must be
left in each packet. Beginning at his left, the dealer distributes the
cards one at a time in rotation until the pack is exhausted. When two
packs are used, the dealer’s partner shuffles one while the other is
dealt, and the deal passes in regular rotation to the left until the
rubber is finished.
_=IRREGULARITIES IN THE DEAL.=_ If any card is found faced in the pack,
or if the pack is incorrect or imperfect, the dealer must deal again.
If any card is found faced in the pack, or is exposed in any manner;
or if more than thirteen cards are dealt to any player, or if the last
card does not come in its regular order to the dealer, or if the pack
has not been cut, there must be a new deal. Attention must be called to
a deal out of turn, or with the wrong cards, before the last card is
dealt, or the deal stands.
There are no misdeals in auction. That is to say, whatever happens the
same dealer deals again. Minor irregularities will be found provided
for in the laws.
The cards being dealt, each player sorts his hand to see that he has
the correct number, thirteen; and the player or players keeping the
score should announce it at the beginning of each hand.
_=STAKES.=_ In auction, the stake is a unit, so much a point. The
number of points won or lost on the rubber may be only two or three,
or they may run into the hundreds. The average value of a rubber at
auction is about 400 points. Any much larger figure shows bad bidding.
In straight bridge the average is about 180. In settling at the end of
the rubber, it is usual for each losing player to pay his right-hand
adversary.
_=MAKING THE TRUMP.=_ In auction, the dealer begins by naming any
one of the four suits, or no trumps, for any number of tricks he
pleases. Each player in turn to the left then has the privilege of
passing, bidding higher, or doubling. When three players pass a bid,
it is the highest made and is known as the _=Winning Declaration=_ or
_=Contract=_.
In order to understand the principles that govern the players in
their declarations, one should be thoroughly familiar with the values
attached to the tricks when certain suits are trumps. The first six
tricks taken by the side that has made the winning declaration do not
count. This is the “book,” but all over the book count toward making
good on the contract, according to the following table:
When Spades are trumps, each trick counts 2 points.
” Clubs ” ” ” ” ” 6 ”
” Diamonds ” ” ” ” ” 7 ”
” Hearts ” ” ” ” ” 8 ”
” Royal Spades ” ” ” ” ” 9 ”
” there are no trumps, ” ” ” 10 ”
The game is 30 points, which must be made by tricks alone, so that
three over the book, called three “by cards,” will go game from love
at no trump, or four by cards at hearts or royals. These are called
the _=Major=_ or _=Winning Suits=_. As it takes five by cards to go
game in clubs or diamonds, and on account of the difficulty of such an
undertaking, these are called the _=Minor=_ or _=Losing Suits=_. An
original bid of one spade can be made only by the dealer, and it simply
means, “I pass.” That is, the dealer has nothing to declare on the
first round of the bidding. [See note at foot of page 58.]
_=RANK OF THE BIDS.=_ In order to over-call a previous bid, whether
of the partner or the opponent, the bidder must undertake to win the
same number of tricks in a suit of higher value, or a greater number of
tricks having the same aggregate value as the preceding bid. Players
should restrict themselves to the same form of expression throughout,
and all bids, even passing, must be made orally and not by gesture.
Let us suppose this to be the bidding: The dealer, Z, begins with
“One spade,” second player, A, says, “I pass,” or simply, “No.”
Third bidder, Y, says, “One club,” fourth player, B, “No trump.” The
dealer, starting on the second round, says, “Two clubs,” supporting
his partner’s declaration. Next player, A, who passed the first time,
says, “Two royals.” Both Y and B pass, but the dealer, Z, says, “Three
clubs.” Observe that while three clubs is worth no more than two
royals, 18, the club bid offers to win more tricks than the royals and
therefore ranks as a higher bid. A doubles three clubs. Y passes and B
says, “Two no trumps.” As will be explained presently, doubling does
not affect the value of the declaration in bidding, so two no trumps,
worth 20, over-calls three clubs. Z, A and Y all pass, so two no trumps
becomes the winning declaration and B is the declarer, A being the
dummy, with Z to lead for the first trick.
In this example, had the bid been left at three clubs, doubled or not,
that would have been the winning declaration, and the partner who first
named that suit, Y, would be the declarer, Z being the dummy, although
Z actually made the highest bid. It is only when the two players that
have both named the winning suit are not partners that the higher
bidder becomes the declarer.
_=DOUBLING.=_ No player may double his partner, but he may redouble
an opponent who has doubled. All doubling must be strictly in turn,
like any other bid. Doubling does not affect the value of the bids,
but simply doubles the value of the tricks or penalties when they are
scored at the end of the hand. Suppose A bids two royals and Y doubles.
B can take A out with three clubs, because, so far as the bidding goes,
two royals are still worth only 18.
Any over-call annuls the double, or redouble. Suppose A says two
hearts, Y doubles, B redoubles, and Z says two royals. The doubling is
all knocked out, and if A were to go three hearts and get the contract,
hearts would be worth only 8 a trick in the scoring unless Y doubled
all over again. A double reopens the bidding, just the same as any
other declaration, allowing the player’s partner, or the player himself
in his turn, to take himself out of the double by bidding something
else.