shuffle the cards, but if two packs are used this is not necessary.
The dealer must shuffle the pack and present it to his adversary to be
cut. At least two cards must be left in each packet, and the upper part
of the pack must be placed nearer the dealer. Five cards are given to
each player, and the eleventh is turned up for the trump. The cards
are distributed two and three at a time, or three and then two, and in
whichever manner the dealer begins he must continue during the game. If
he intends to change his manner of dealing in the following game, he
must so advise his adversary when presenting the cards to be cut.
_=MISDEALING.=_ A player dealing out of turn, or with the wrong cards,
may be stopped before the trump is turned. But if the trump has been
turned, and neither player has discarded or played to the first trick,
the pack must be set aside, with the cards as dealt, and the trump
turned, to be used for the ensuing deal. The other pack is then taken
up and dealt by the player whose proper turn it was to deal. If a
discard has been made, or a trick played to, the deal stands good, and
the packs, if changed, must so remain.
There must be a new deal if any card but the eleventh is found faced in
the pack. If the dealer exposes any of his own cards, the deal stands
good. If he exposes any of his adversary’s cards, the non-dealer may
claim a fresh deal, provided he has not seen any of his cards.
It is a misdeal if the dealer gives too many or too few cards to his
adversary or to himself. If the hands have not been seen, and the pone
discovers that he has received more than five cards, he has the choice
to discard the superfluous cards at hazard, or to claim a misdeal,
which loses the deal. If the pone has received less than the proper
number, he may supply the deficiency from the remainder of the pack,
without changing the trump card, or he may claim a misdeal. If the
dealer has given himself too many or too few cards, the pone may claim
a misdeal, or he may draw the superfluous cards from the dealer’s hand,
face downward, or allow him to supply the deficiency from the remainder
of the pack, without changing the trump.
If the cards have been seen, the pone, having an incorrect number, may
supply or discard to correct the error, or he may claim a misdeal. If
he discards, he must show the cards to the dealer. If the dealer has
an incorrect number, the pone may draw from his hand, face downward,
looking at the cards he has drawn, (as the dealer has seen them,) or
allow him to supply the deficiency, or claim a misdeal.
When any irregularity is remedied in this manner, the trump card
remains unchanged.
If the dealer turns up more than one card for the trump, his adversary
has a right to select which card shall be the trump, or he may claim a
new deal by the same dealer, provided he has not seen his hand. If he
has seen his hand, he must either claim a misdeal, or the eleventh card
must be the trump, the other exposed card being set aside.
If the pack is found to be imperfect, all scores previously made with
it stand good.
_=TURNING THE KING.=_ If the King is turned up, the dealer marks one
point for it immediately. If a wrong number of cards has been dealt,
and a King is turned, it cannot be scored, because it was not the
eleventh card.
_=PROPOSING AND REFUSING.=_ The cards dealt, the pone examines his
hand, and if he thinks it strong enough to win three or more tricks,
he stands; that is, plays without proposing, and says to the dealer:
“_=I play=_.” If he thinks he can improve his chances by drawing
cards, allowing the dealer the same privilege of course, he says: “_=I
propose=_;” or simply: “_=Cards=_.” In reply the dealer may either
accept the proposal by asking: “_=How many?=_” or he may refuse,
by saying: “_=Play=_.” If he gives cards, he may also take cards
himself, after having helped his adversary. If he refuses, he must
win at least three tricks or lose two points; and if the pone plays
without proposing, he must make three tricks, or lose two points. The
hands on which a player should stand, and those on which the dealer
should refuse are known as _=jeux de règle=_, and will be found in the
suggestions for good play.
A proposal, acceptance, or refusal once made cannot be changed or taken
back, and the number of cards asked for cannot be corrected.
_=DISCARDING.=_ If the pone proposes, and the dealer asks: “How many?”
the elder hand discards any number of cards from one to five, placing
them on his right. These discards, once quitted, must not again be
looked at. A player looking at his own or his adversary’s discards
can be called upon to play with his cards exposed face upward on the
table, but not liable to be called. The number of cards discarded must
be distinctly announced, and the trump is then laid aside, and the
cards given from the top of the pack, without further shuffling. It
is considered imperative that the player who has proposed should take
at least one card, even if he proposed with five trumps in his hand.
The pone helped, the dealer then announces how many cards he takes,
placing his discards on his left. The dealer, if asked, must inform his
adversary how many cards he took, provided the question is put before
he plays a card.
After receiving his cards, the pone may either stand or propose again,
and the dealer may either give or refuse; but such subsequent stands
or refusals do not carry with them any penalty for failure to make
three tricks. Should these repeated discards exhaust the pack, so that
there are not enough cards left to supply the number asked for, the
players must take back a sufficient number from their discards. If the
dealer has accepted a proposal, and finds there are no cards left for
himself, that is his own fault; he should have counted the pack before
accepting. The trump card cannot be taken into the hand under any
circumstances.
_=MISDEALING AFTER DISCARDING.=_ If the dealer gives the pone more or
less cards than he asks for, he loses the point and the right to mark
the King, unless it was turned up.
If the dealer gives himself more cards than he wants, he loses the
point and the right to mark the King, unless he turned it up. If he
gives himself less cards than he wants, he may make the deficiency
good without penalty; but if he does not discover the error until he
has played a card, all tricks for which he has no card to play must be
considered as won by his adversary.
If the pone asks for more cards than he wants, the dealer can play the
hand or not, as he pleases. If he plays, he may draw the superfluous
card or cards given to the pone, and look at them if the pone has seen
them. If the dealer decides not to play, he marks the point. In either
case the pone cannot mark the King, even if he holds it.
If the pone asks for less cards than he wants, he must play the hand as
it is, and can mark the King if he holds it; but all tricks for which
he has no card to play must be considered as won by his adversary.
If a player plays without discarding, or discards for the purpose of
exchanging, without advising his adversary of the fact that he has too
many or too few cards, he loses two points, and the right of marking
the King, even if turned up.
If either player, after discarding and drawing, plays with more than
five cards, he loses the point and the privilege of marking the King.
Should the dealer forget himself in dealing for the discard, and turn
up another trump, he cannot refuse his adversary another discard, if he
demands it, and the exposed card must be put aside with the discards.
If any cards are found faced in the pack when dealing for the discard,
the deal stands good if they will fall to the dealer. But if the
exposed card will go to the pone, he has the option of taking it, or
claiming a fresh deal by the same dealer.
During all the discards the trump card remains the same.
_=MARKING THE KING.=_ The discards settled, the first and most
important thing before play begins is to mark the King. If the King
is turned up, the dealer marks one point for it immediately. If the
pone holds it, he must _=announce=_ and mark it before he plays a card.
If he leads the King for the first trick, he must still announce it
by saying distinctly: “I mark the King;” and unless this announcement
is made before the King touches the table, it cannot be marked. So
important is this rule that in some European Casinos it is found
printed on the card tables. Having properly announced the King, it may
be actually marked with the counters at any time before the trump is
turned for the following game.
If the dealer holds the King he must announce it before his adversary
leads for the first trick. It is in order that there may be no
surprises in this respect that the elder hand is required to say
distinctly: “I play,” before he leads a card. The dealer must then
reply: “I mark the King,” if he has it; if not, he should say: “Play.”
A player is not compelled to announce or mark the King if he does not
choose to do so.
If a player announces and marks the King when he does not hold it,
his adversary can take down the point erroneously marked, and mark
one himself, for penalty. This does not prevent him from marking an
additional point for the King if he holds it himself. For instance: The
pone announces King, and marks it, at the same time leading a card. Not
having notified the dealer that he was about to play, the dealer cannot
be deprived of his right to mark the King himself, if he holds it. The
dealer marks the King, marks another point for penalty, and takes down
the pone’s point, erroneously marked. If the player announcing the
King without holding it, discovers his error before a card is played,
he simply amends the score and apologizes, and there is no penalty. If
any cards have been played after an erroneous announcement of the King,
such cards can be taken back by the adversary of the player in error,
and the hand played over again.
_=METHOD OF PLAYING.=_ The elder hand begins by leading any card he
pleases, at the same time announcing the suit; “hearts;” “spades;” or
whatever it may be. This announcement must be continued at every trick.
If a player announces one suit and leads another, his adversary may
demand that he take back the card played, and lead the suit announced.
If he has none of the announced suit, the adversary may call a suit. If
the adversary is satisfied with the card led, but improperly announced,
he may demand that it remain as played.
_=RENOUNCING.=_ When a card is led the adversary must not only follow
suit, but must win the trick if he can. If he can neither follow suit
nor trump, he may discard any card he pleases. Should a player not
follow suit, or should he decline to win the trick, when able to do so,
it is a renounce, and if he makes the odd trick he counts nothing; if
he makes all five tricks, he counts one point only, instead of two.
Should he trump the trick when he can follow suit, he is subject to the
same penalty. There is no such thing as a _=revoke=_ in Ecarté. When
it is discovered that a player has not followed suit when able, or has
lost a trick that he could have won, the cards are taken back, and the
hand played over again, with the foregoing penalty for the renounce.
The highest card played, if of the suit led, wins the trick, and trumps
win all other suits.
_=Leading Out of Turn.=_ Should a player lead out of turn, he may take
back the card without penalty. If the adversary has played to the
erroneous lead, the trick stands good.
_=Gathering Tricks.=_ The tricks must be turned down as taken in, and
any player looking at a trick once turned and quitted may be called
upon to play with the remainder of his hand exposed, but not liable to
be called.
_=Abandoned Hands.=_ If, after taking one or more tricks, a player
throws his cards upon the table, he loses the point; if he has not
taken a trick, he loses two points. But if the cards are thrown down
claiming the point or the game, and the claim is good, there is no
penalty. If the cards are abandoned with the admission that the
adversary wins the point or the game, and the adversary cannot win more
than is admitted, there is no penalty.
_=SCORING.=_ A game consists of five points, which are made by tricks,
by penalties, and by marking the King. A player winning three tricks
out of the five possible, counts one point toward game; winning all
five tricks, which is called _=the vole=_, counts two points. The
player holding or turning up the King of trumps may mark one point for
it, but he is not compelled to do so.
If the pone plays without proposing, and makes three or four tricks, he
counts one point; if he makes the vole he counts two points; but if he
fails to make three tricks the dealer counts two.
If the dealer refuses the first proposal, he must make three tricks to
count one point; if he makes the vole he counts two points; but if he
fails to win three tricks the player who was refused counts two points.
If the dealer accepts the first proposal, and gives cards, subsequent
proposals and refusals do not affect the score; the winner of the odd
trick scoring one point, and the winner of the vole two points.
In no case can a player make more than two points in one hand by
tricks. If the dealer refuses the first proposal, and the pone makes
the vole, it counts two points only. If the pone should play without
proposing, and the dealer should mark the King and win the vole, it
would count him only three points altogether.
The player first reaching five points wins the game. If a player has
four scored, and turns the King, that wins the game, provided the King
was the eleventh card. Rubbers are seldom played.
_=CHEATING.=_ The methods of cheating at Écarté would fill a volume.
There are many tricks which, while not exactly fraudulent, are
certainly questionable. For instance: A player asks the gallery whether
or not he should stand, and finally concludes to propose, fully
intending all the time to draw five cards. Another will handle his
counters as if about to mark the King; will then affect to hesitate,
and finally re-adjust them, and ask for cards, probably taking four
or five, having absolutely nothing in his hand. The pone will ask the
dealer how many points he has marked, knowing perfectly well that the
number is three. On being so informed, he concludes to ask for cards,
as if he were not quite strong enough to risk the game by standing;
when as a matter of fact he wants five cards, and is afraid of the vole
being made against him.
There are many simple little tricks practiced by the would-be sharper,
such as watching how many cards a player habitually cuts, and then
getting the four Kings close together in such a position in the pack
that one of them is almost certain to be turned. Telegraphic signals
between persons on opposite sides of the gallery who are nevertheless
in partnership, are often translated into advice to the player, to
his great benefit. Besides these, all the machinery of marked cards,
reflectors, shifted cuts, wedges, strippers, and false shuffles are at
the command of the philosopher, who can always handle a small pack of
cards with greater freedom, and to whom the fashion of dealing in twos
and threes is always welcome. The honest card-player has not one chance
in a thousand against the professional at Écarté.
_=SUGGESTIONS FOR GOOD PLAY.=_ The French claim that any person
may become an expert at a game like Piquet, simply by dint of long
practice; but that the master of Écarté must be a born card-player, as
no game requires in such degree the exercise of individual intelligence
and finesse. While this may be true, there are many points about the
game which may be learned by the novice, and which will greatly improve
his play.
There are two things which the beginner should master before sitting
down to the table for actual play: the hands on which it is right to
stand, or play without proposing, and those with which it is right to
refuse, or play without giving cards. These are called stand hands, or
_=jeux de règle=_, and the player should be able to recognize them on
sight.
In the following paragraphs the words _=dealer=_ and _=player=_ will be
used to distinguish the adversaries at Écarté.
The principle underlying the jeux de règle is the probable distribution
of the cards in the trump suit, and the fact that the odds are always
against the dealer’s holding two or more. There are thirty-two cards in
the Écarté pack, of which eight are trumps, and one of these is always
turned up. The turn-up and the player’s hand give us six cards which
are known, and leave twenty-six unknown. Of these unknown cards the
dealer holds five, and he may get these five in 65,780 different ways.
The theory of the jeux de règle is that there are only a certain number
of those ways which will give him two or more trumps. If the player
holds one trump, the odds against the dealer’s holding two or more are
44,574 to 21,206; or a little more than 2 to 1. If the player holds two
trumps, the odds against the dealer’s holding two or more are 50,274
to 15,506; or more than 3 to 1. It is therefore evident that any hand
which is certain to win three tricks if the dealer has not two trumps,
has odds of two to one in its favour, and all such hands are called
jeux de règle. The natural inference from this is that such hands
should always be played without proposing, unless they contain the King
of trumps.
The exception in case of holding the King is made because there is
no danger of the dealer’s getting the King, no matter how many cards
he draws, and if the player’s cards are not strong enough to make it
probable that he can win the vole, it is better for him to ask for
cards, in hope of improving his chances. If he is refused, he stands an
excellent chance to make two points by winning the odd trick.
While it is the rule for the player to stand when the odds are two
to one in his favour for making the odd trick, and to ask for cards
when the odds are less, there are exceptions. The chances of improving
by taking in cards must not be forgotten, and it must be remembered
that the player who proposes runs no risk of penalty. He has also the
advantage of scoring two for the vole if he can get cards enough to
win every trick, whereas the dealer gets no more for the vole than for
the odd trick if the player does not propose. Some beginners have a
bad habit of asking for cards if they are pretty certain of the point.
Unless they hold the King this is not wise, for the player cannot
discard more than one or two cards, but the dealer may take five, and
then stands a fair chance of getting the King, which would not only
count a point for him, but would effectually stop the vole for which
the player was drawing cards.
The most obvious example of a jeux de règle is one trump, a winning
sequence of three cards in one suit, and a small card in another. For
instance: Hearts trumps--
1 [Illustration: 🂷 🃛 🃝 🃞 🂧] 44,724 to 21,056.
If the dealer does not hold two trumps, it is impossible to prevent the
player from winning the point with these cards; because he need only
lead his winning sequence until it is trumped, and then trump himself
in again. With this hand the player will win 44,724 times out of 65,780.
There are about twenty hands which are generally known as jeux de
règle, and every écarté player should be familiar with them. In the
following examples the weakest hands are given, and the trumps are
always the smallest possible. If the player has more strength in plain
suits than is shown in these examples, or higher trumps, there is so
much more reason for him to stand. But if he has not the strength
indicated in plain suits, he should propose, even if his trumps are
higher, because it must be remembered that strong trumps do not
compensate for weakness in plain suits. The reason for this is that
from stand hands trumps should never be led unless there are three of
them; they are to be kept for ruffing, and when you have to ruff it
does not matter whether you use a seven or a Queen. The King of trumps
is of course led; but a player does not stand on a hand containing the
King.
The first suit given is always the trump, and the next suit is always
the one that should be led, beginning with the best card of it if there
is more than one. The figures on the right show the number of hands
in which the player or the dealer will win out of the 65,780 possible
distributions of the twenty-six unknown cards. These calculations are
taken, by permission of Mr. Charles Mossop, from the eighth volume
of the “_Westminster Papers_,” in which all the variations and their
results are given in full.
PLAYER WINS. DEALER WINS.
2 [Illustration: 🃗 🃘 🂷 🂸 🂹] 47,768 18,012
3 [Illustration: 🂷 🂸 🂮 🂧 🃇] 46,039 19,741
4 [Illustration: 🂧 🂨 🃇 🃗 🃞] 43,764 22,016
5 [Illustration: 🃇 🃈 🃘 🃗 🂾] 45,374 20,406
6 [Illustration: 🃗 🃘 🃈 🃉 🂭] 44,169 21,611
7 [Illustration: 🂷 🂸 🃙 🃚 🃋] 43,478 22,302
8 [Illustration: 🂧 🂨 🂺 🂱 🃑] 44,243 21,537
9 [Illustration: 🃇 🃈 🂡 🂫 🂸] 44,766 21,014
10 [Illustration: 🃗 🃘 🂾 🂫 🃇] 44,459 21,321
11 [Illustration: 🂷 🂸 🂮 🃁 🃙] 44,034 21,746
12 [Illustration: 🂧 🂨 🃎 🃚 🂺] 43,434 22,346
13 [Illustration: 🃇 🃈 🂨 🂽 🃞] 44,766 21,014
14 [Illustration: 🃗 🃘 🃁 🂭 🂻] 46,779 19,001
15 [Illustration: 🂷 🂸 🃛 🃋 🂫] 45,929 19,851
The player should always stand on a hand containing three trumps, not
including the King, and should lead the trump:--
16 [Illustration: 🂷 🂸 🂹 🂧 🃇] 42,014 to 23,766
An example of a hand containing only one trump has already been given,
and some hands are jeux de règle which contain no trumps. The strongest
of these is the King of each plain suit, and any queen. Lead the K Q
suit:--
17 [Illustration: 🃞 🃗 🂾 🂭 🂮] 48,042 to 17,738
The odds in favour of this hand are greater than in any other jeux de
règle. Another which is recommended by Bohn is this, the odds in favour
of which have not been calculated; the player to begin with the guarded
King:--
18 [Illustration: 🃞 🃗 🃍 🃇 🂮]
Another is any four court cards, not all Jacks; unless one is the trump
Jack guarded. From the example the Queen should be led:--
19 [Illustration: 🂫 🂧 🂻 🃛 🃝]
There are two hands which are usually played with only one trump, from
both of which the best card of the long suit is led:--
20 [Illustration: 🂷 🂧 🂨 🂨 🂮]
21 [Illustration: 🃗 🃇 🃈 🃍 🂮]
_=THE LEADER.=_ There are a great many more opportunities to make the
vole than most players are aware of; especially with jeux de règle.
Where the vole is improbable or impossible, tenace is very important,
and all tenace positions should be made the most of. In No. 5, for
instance, if the clubs were the Queen and ace, it would be better to
begin with the heart King, instead of leading away from the minor
tenace in clubs. Observe the lead in No. 4. Many tenace positions
cannot be taken advantage of because the player must win the trick if
he can. For instance: Several discards have been made, and each player
suspects the other holds three trumps, with three tricks to play. The
Queen is led, and the adversary holds K A 7. If he could pass this
trick, he must lie tenace; but as he has to win it with the King, he
gives tenace to his adversary, who evidently has J and another.
When the dealer is four, the player may stand on much weaker hands.
It is usually best to lead from guarded suits, in preference to single
cards. Lead the best of a suit if you have it. If the third trick is
the first you win, and you have a trump and another card, lead the
trump; but if you have won two tricks, lead the plain suit.
_=THE DEALER.=_ When the player asks for cards, the dealer knows that
his adversary probably does not hold a jeux de règle. The dealer must
not be too sure of this, however, for proposals are sometimes made on
very strong hands in order to try for the vole, or to make two points
on the refusal. The dealer should assume that he is opposed by the best
play until he finds the contrary to be the case, and it is safest to
play on the assumption that a player who proposes has not a jeux de
règle.
For all practical purposes it may be said that the dealer can refuse
to give cards with hands a trifle less strong than those on which the
player would stand. The general rule is for the dealer to give cards
unless he is guarded in three suits; or has a trump, and is safe in two
suits; or has two trumps, and is safe in one suit. If the dealer has
only one suit guarded, and one trump, he must take into account the
risk of being forced, and having to lead away from his guarded suit.