full details of the calculations can be found in the ninth volume of
the “_Westminster Papers_.” As in the case of the player, the weakest
trumps have been taken for the examples, and the weakest holdings in
plain suits. If the dealer has better plain suits, or stronger trumps,
he has of course so much more in his favour if he refuses. The first
column of figures gives the number of times in 65,780 that there will
be no proposal, so that the dealer has no choice but to play. The other
columns give the number of times the dealer or the player will win if
the player proposes and the dealer refuses.
The first suit given in each instance is the trump.
NO DEALER PLAYER
PROPOSAL. WINS. WINS.
22 [Illustration: 🃗 🃘 🃙 🃇 🂧] 6,034 36,974 22,772
23 [Illustration: 🂷 🂸 🂡 🂨 🂧] 9,826 38,469 17,485
24 [Illustration: 🂧 🂨 🂾 🂷 🃗] 8,736 41,699 15,345
25 [Illustration: 🃇 🃈 🃝 🃗 🂷] 9,256 40,524 16,000
26 [Illustration: 🃗 🃘 🃇 🃈 🂭] 10,336 37,484 17,960
27 [Illustration: 🂷 🂸 🃘 🃙 🃋] 9,776 37,439 18,565
28 [Illustration: 🂧 🂨 🂹 🂺 🃚] 9,776 36,909 19,095
29 [Illustration: 🃇 🃈 🃗 🃁 🃈] 9,776 36,733 19,271
In giving cards, some judgment of human nature is necessary. Some
players habitually propose on strong hands, and it is best to give to
such pretty freely.
_=DISCARDING.=_ The general principle of discarding is to keep trumps
and Kings, and let everything else go. If you hold the trump King you
may discard freely in order to strengthen your hand for a possible
vole. If you have proposed once, and hold the King, and feel pretty
sure of the point, you may propose again on the chance of getting
strength enough to make the vole.
When only two cards can be discarded, it is a safe rule to stand on the
hand; either to play without proposing, or to refuse cards; unless you
hold the King.
There are no authoritative laws for Écarté, and the various French
and English codes do not agree. The code adopted by the English clubs
is not in accord with the best usage, and fails to provide for many
contingencies. All that is essential in the laws will be found embodied
in the foregoing description of the game.
_=TEXT BOOKS.=_ The best works on the subject of Écarté are usually to
be found in conjunction with other games. The student will find the
following useful:--
The Westminster Papers, Vols. IV to XI, inclusive.
Bohn’s Handbook of Games; any edition.
Écarté and Euchre, by Berkeley, 1890.
Cavendish on Écarté, 1886.
Jeux de Cartes, (Fr.), by Jean Boussac.
Règles de Tous les Jeux, (Fr.), M. Dreyfous, Edit.
Académie des Jeux, (Fr.), by Van Tenac.
Académie des Jeux, (Fr.), by Richard.
Short Whist, by Major A. (Écarté Laws in appendix.)
POOL ÉCARTÉ.
Pool Écarté is played by three persons, each of whom contributes an
agreed sum, which is called a _=stake=_, to form a pool. They then
cut to decide which shall play the first game, the lowest écarté card
going out. The players then cut for the first deal, choice of seats and
cards, etc., exactly as in the ordinary game.
The winner of the first game retains his seat; the loser pays into the
pool another stake, equal to the first, and retires in favour of the
third player, who is called the _=rentrant=_. The rentrant takes the
loser’s seat and cards, and cuts with the successful player for the
first deal. The loser of the second game adds another stake to the
pool, and retires in favour of the waiting player.
The pool is won by any player winning two games in succession. If the
winner of the first game won the second also, he would take the pool,
which would then contain five stakes; the three originally deposited,
and the two added by the losers of the two games. A new pool would
then be formed by each of the three depositing another stake, and all
cutting to decide which should sit out for the first game.
In some places only the two players actually engaged contribute to
the pool, the loser retiring without paying anything further, and the
rentrant contributing his stake when he takes the loser’s place.
The outsider is not allowed to advise either player during the first
game, nor to call attention to the score; but on the second game he is
allowed to advise the player who has taken his seat and cards. This
is on the principle that he has no right to choose sides on the first
game; but that after that he has an interest in preventing his former
adversary from winning the second game, so as to preserve the pool
until he can play for it again himself.
NAPOLEON, OR NAP.
This is one of the simplest, and at the same time most popular of the
euchre family. Few games have become so widely known in such a short
time, or have had such a vogue among all classes of society. So far as
the mere winning and losing goes, the result depends largely upon luck,
and skill is of small importance. Except in a long series of games the
average player has little to fear from the most expert.
_=CARDS.=_ Napoleon is played with a full pack of fifty-two cards,
which rank A K Q J 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2; the ace being highest in play;
but ranking below the deuce in cutting.
_=COUNTERS.=_ As each deal is a complete game in itself it must be
settled for in counters, to which some value is usually attached. One
player is selected for the banker, and before play begins each of the
others purchases from him a certain number of counters, usually fifty.
When any player’s supply is exhausted, he can purchase more, either
from the banker or from another player.
In many places counters are not used, and the value of the game is
designated by the coins that take their place. In “penny nap,” English
coppers are used in settling; sixpences in “sixpenny nap,” and so on.
In America, nickel and quarter nap are the usual forms.
_=PLAYERS.=_ Any number from two to six can play; but four is the best
game. If five or six play it is usual for the dealer to give himself no
cards.
_=CUTTING.=_ The players draw from an outspread pack to form the
table, and for choice of seats. A lower cut gives preference over all
higher; the lowest cut has the first choice of seats, and deals the
first hand. Ties cut again, but the new cut decides nothing but the tie.
In some places the players take their seats at random, and a card is
then dealt to each face upward; the lowest card or the first Jack
taking the deal.
_=DEALING.=_ Any player has a right to shuffle the cards, the dealer
last. They are then presented to the pone to be cut, and at least four
cards must be left in each packet. Beginning at his left, the dealer
gives each _player_ in rotation two cards on the first round, and three
on the next; or three on the first and two on the next. No trump is
turned. In some places the cards are distributed one at a time until
each player has five; but the plan is not popular, as the hands run
better and the bidding is livelier when the cards are dealt in twos and
threes. The deal passes to the left, each player dealing in turn.
_=MISDEALING.=_ A misdeal does not lose the deal in Napoleon, because
the deal is a disadvantage. For this reason, if any player begins to
deal out of turn, he must finish, and the deal stands good. If any card
is found faced in the pack, or is exposed by the dealer; or if too many
or too few cards are given to any player; or if the dealer does not
give the same number of cards to each player in the same round; or if
he fails to have the pack cut, it is a misdeal, and the misdealer must
deal again with the same pack.
_=BIDDING.=_ Beginning on the dealer’s left, each player in turn bids
for the privilege of naming the trump suit, stating the number of
tricks he proposes to win, playing single-handed against the three
other players, and leading a trump for the first trick. In bidding,
the trump suit is not named, only the number of tricks. If a player
proposes to win all five tricks he bids _=nap=_, which is the highest
bid possible, and precludes any further bidding, except in some of the
variations which will be described later on. If a player will not make
a bid, he says “_=I pass=_,” A bid having been made, any following
player must either increase it or pass. If all pass until it comes to
the dealer, he is bound to bid at least one trick, and either play or
pay. The hands are never abandoned except in case of a misdeal.
In some places a _=misère=_ bid is allowed, which outranks a bid of
three tricks, and is beaten by one of four. There is no trump suit in
misère, but the bidder, if successful, must lead for the first trick.
Any bid once made can neither be amended nor recalled, and there is no
second bid.
_=METHOD OF PLAYING.=_ The player bidding the highest number of tricks
has the first lead, and the first card he plays must be one of the
trump suit. The players must follow suit if able, but need not win the
trick unless they choose to do so. The highest card played of the suit
led wins the trick, and trumps win all other suits. The winner of the
trick leads again for the next trick, and so on, until all five tricks
have been played. After the first trick any suit may be led.
The bidder gathers all tricks he wins, stacking them so that they may
be readily counted by any player at the table. One of the other side
should gather all tricks won by the adversaries of the bidder. A trick
once turned and quitted cannot again be seen. In some places they have
a very bad habit of gathering tricks with the cards face up, turning
down one card only. This always results in numerous misdeals, on
account of cards being continually found faced in the pack.
The hands are usually abandoned when the bidder succeeds in his
undertaking, or shows cards which are good for his bid against any
play. If it is impossible for him to succeed, as when he bids four and
the adversaries have won two tricks, the hands are thrown up, because
nothing is paid for under or over-tricks. Players should show the
remainder of their hands to the board, as evidence that no revoke has
been made.
_=IRREGULARITIES IN HANDS.=_ If a player, before he makes a bid or
passes, discovers that he holds too many or too few cards, he must
immediately claim a misdeal. If he has either made a bid or passed, the
deal stands good, and the hand must be played out. If the bidder has
his right number of cards and succeeds, he must be paid. If he fails,
he neither wins nor loses; because he is playing against a foul hand.
If the bidder has more than his right number of cards he must pay if he
loses; but wins nothing if he succeeds. If he has less than his right
number of cards, he is simply supposed to have lost the trick for which
he has no card to play.
_=PLAYING OUT OF TURN.=_ If any adversary of the bidder leads or plays
out of turn, he forfeits three counters to the bidder, independently of
the result of the hand, and receives nothing if the bid is defeated.
If the bidder leads out of turn, the card must be taken back, unless
all have followed the erroneous lead, in which case the trick is good.
There is no penalty if he plays out of turn.
_=REVOKES.=_ When a revoke is detected and claimed, the hands are
immediately abandoned, and the individual player in fault must pay all
the counters depending on the result. If he is the bidder, he pays each
adversary; if he is opposed to the bidder, he pays for himself and for
each of his partners. In England it is the rule to take back the cards
and play the hand over again, as at Écarté, the revoking player paying
all the stakes according to the result. This is often very unfair to
the bidder, and leads to endless disputes as to who held certain cards
which have been gathered into tricks. Sometimes the difference between
a seven and an eight in a certain player’s hand will change the entire
result.
_=PAYMENTS.=_ If the bidder succeeds in winning the specified number of
tricks, each adversary pays him a counter for every trick bid. If he
bid three tricks, they pay him three counters each; four counters each
for four tricks bid; and the value of three tricks for a misère. If he
fails to win the specified number of tricks, he pays each adversary;
three counters if he bid three tricks, or a misère; four if he bid
four. Any player bidding nap, and succeeding in winning all five
tricks, receives ten counters from each adversary; but if he fails, he
pays only five to each.
When penny nap is played, the settlement being in coin, it is usual to
make naps win a shilling or lose sixpence, in order to avoid handling
so much copper.
_=SUGGESTIONS FOR GOOD PLAY.=_ In calculating his chances for success
in winning a certain number of tricks, the player will often have to
take into consideration the probability of certain cards being out
against him. This will vary according to the number of players engaged.
For instance: If four are playing, and the bidder holds K Q of a plain
suit, the odds against the ace of that suit being out against him are
about 2 to 1. As it would be impossible for any person to remember all
the jeux de règle for three tricks at Napoleon, each must learn from
experience the trick-taking value of certain hands. Trump strength is,
of course, the great factor, and the bidder should count on finding at
least two trumps in one hand against him. Nap should never be bid on a
hand which is not pretty sure of winning two rounds of trumps, with all
other cards but one winners. One trick may always be risked in a nap
hand, such as A Q of trumps, or a King, or even a Queen or Jack in a
plain suit; the odds against the adversaries having a better card being
slightly increased by the odds against their knowing enough to keep it
for the last trick.
If the bid is for three tricks only, tenaces, or guarded minor honours
in plain suits should be preserved. After the first trick it will
sometimes be advantageous for the player to get rid of any losing card
he may have in plain suits. It is seldom right to continue the trumps
if the bidder held only two originally, unless he has winning cards in
two plain suits, in which case it may be better to lead even a losing
trump to prevent a possibility of adverse trumps making separately.
In playing against the bidder, leave no trick to your partners that you
can win yourself, unless a small card is led, and you have the ace. In
opening fresh suits do not lead guarded honours, but prefer aces or
singletons. If the caller needs only one more trick, it is usually best
to lead a trump. If you have three trumps, including the major tenace,
pass the first trick if a small trump is led; or if you remain with
the tenace after the first trick, be careful to avoid the lead.
Discards should indicate weakness, unless you can show command of such
a suit as A K, or K Q, by discarding the best of it. This will direct
your partners to let that suit go, and keep the others. It is usually
better to keep a guarded King than a single ace. The player on the
right of the bidder should get into the lead if possible, especially if
he holds one or two winning cards. These will either give his partners
discards, or allow them to over-trump the bidder.
In playing misères, it is better to begin with a singleton, or the
lowest of a safe suit. An ace or King two or three times guarded is
very safe for a misère, as it is very improbable that any player will
be able to lead the suit more than twice; and if the bidder’s missing
suit is led, the high card can be got rid of at once.
In playing against a misère, discards are important, and the first
should be from the shortest suit, and always the highest card of it. A
suit in which the bidder is long should be continued, in order to give
partners discards. More money is lost at Napoleon by playing imperfect
misères than in any other way.
_=Variations.=_ The foregoing description applies to the regular
four-handed game; but there are several variations in common use.
Better bids than “nap” are sometimes allowed, on the understanding
that the bidder will pay double or treble stakes if he fails, but will
receive only the usual amount if successful. For instance: One player
bids _=Nap=_, and another holds what he considers a certainty for
five tricks. In order not to lose such an opportunity the latter bids
_=Wellington=_, which binds him to pay ten counters to each player if
he fails. Another may outbid this again by bidding _=Blucher=_, which
binds him to pay twenty to each if he loses, but to receive only ten
if he wins. In England, the bidder, if successful, receives double or
treble stakes for a Wellington or a Blucher, which is simply another
way of allowing any person with a nap hand to increase the stakes at
pleasure, for a player with a certain five tricks would of course bid a
Blucher at once, trebling his gains and shutting off all competition at
the same time. This variation is not to be recommended, and benefits no
one but the gambler.
_=Pools.=_ Napoleon is sometimes played with a pool, each player
contributing a certain amount, usually two counters, on the first deal.
Each dealer in turn adds two more; revokes pay five, and leads out of
turn three. The player who first succeeds in winning five tricks on a
nap bid takes the pool, and a fresh one is formed. If a player bids nap
and fails, he is usually called upon to double the amount then in the
pool, besides paying his adversaries.
_=Purchase Nap=_; sometimes called _=Écarté Nap=_, is a variation of
the pool game. After the cards are dealt, and before any bids are
made, each player in turn, beginning on the dealer’s left, may discard
as many cards as he pleases, the dealer giving him others in their
place. For each card so exchanged, the player pays one counter to the
pool. Only one round of exchanges is allowed, and bids are then in
order. A player having once refused to buy, or having named the number
of cards he wishes to exchange, cannot amend his decision. Any player
winning five tricks on a nap bid takes the entire pool. This is a very
good game, and increases both the bids and the play against them.
_=Widows.=_ Another variation is to deal five cards in the centre of
the table, face downward, the dealer giving the cards to the widow just
before helping himself in each round. Any player in his proper turn to
bid may take the widow, and from the total of ten cards so obtained
select five on which he must bid nap, discarding the others face
downward.
_=Peep Nap.=_ In this variety of the pool game one card only is dealt
to the widow, usually on the first round. Each player in turn, before
bidding or passing, has the privilege of taking a private peep at this
down card, on paying one counter to the pool. The card is left on the
table until the highest bidder is known, and he then takes it into his
hand, whether he has paid to peep at it or not. He must then discard
to reduce his hand to five cards. If a player bids nap it usually pays
those following him to have a peep at the down card in case the bidder
should retain it in his hand.
SPOIL FIVE.
Spoil Five is one of the oldest of card games, and is generally
conceded to be the national game of Ireland. It is derived from the
still older game of Maw, which was the favourite recreation of James
the First. The connecting link seems to have been a game called Five
Fingers, which is described in the “_Compleat Gamester_,” first
published in 1674. The Five Fingers was the five of trumps, and also
the best, the ace of hearts coming next. In Spoil Five, the Jack of
trumps comes between these two.
_=CARDS.=_ Spoil Five is played with a full pack of fifty-two cards.
The rank of the cards varies according to the colour of the suit, and
the trump suit undergoes still further changes, the heart ace being
always the third best trump. In the plain suits, the K Q J retain
their usual order, the King being the best. The rank of the spot
cards, including the aces of diamonds, clubs, and spades, is generally
expressed by the phrase: _=Highest in red; lowest in black=_. That is
to say, if several cards of a suit, not including a King, Queen or
Jack, are played to a trick, the highest card will win if the suit
is red; and the lowest if the suit is black. This will give us the
following order for the plain suits, beginning with the highest card in
each:--
No change. | Highest in red.
♡ K Q J | 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2
♢ K Q J | 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 A
|
| Lowest in black.
♣ K Q J | A 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
♠ K Q J | A 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
In the trump suit the same order of cards is retained, except that four
cards are always the best trumps. These are the Five, Jack, and ace of
the suit itself, and the ace of hearts, the latter being always the
third best. This gives us the rank of the cards as follows, when the
suit is trump:--
No change. | Highest in red.
♡ 5 J ♡ A K Q | 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2
♢ 5 J ♡ A ♢ A K Q | 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2
|
| Lowest in black.
♣ 5 J ♡ A ♣ A K Q | 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
♠ 5 J ♡ A ♠ A K Q | 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
_=COUNTERS.=_ Spoil Five is played with a pool, for which counters
are necessary. One player should act as banker, and the others should
purchase from him, each beginning with 20 counters. Coins may take the
place of counters, shillings being the usual points.
_=PLAYERS.=_ Any number from 2 to 10 may play; but 5 or 6 is the usual
game.
_=CUTTING.=_ This is unknown at Spoil Five. The players take their
seats at random, and one of them deals a card face up to each in
succession. The first Jack takes the first deal. Some note should be
made of the player who gets the first deal, as the rules require that
when the game is brought to an end the last deal shall be made by the
player on the right of the first dealer.
_=THE POOL.=_ Before play begins each player deposits one counter in
the pool, and to this amount each successive dealer adds a counter
until the pool is won, when all contribute equally to form a new one.
In some places it is the practice for each successive dealer to put up
for all the players, whether the pool is won or not. This simply makes
larger pools.
_=DEALING.=_ Any player has the right to shuffle the pack, the dealer
last. The cards are then presented to the pone to be cut, and as many
cards as there are players must be left in each packet. Beginning on
his left, the dealer gives five cards to each player; two on the first
round and three on the next, or three and then two. After all are
helped, the next card is turned up on the remainder of the pack, and
the suit to which it belongs is the trump for that deal.
_=MISDEALING.=_ If there is any irregularity in the deal which is not
the dealer’s fault, such as any card except the trump found faced in
the pack, or the pack found imperfect, the same person deals again. But
if the dealer neglects to have the pack cut, or deals too many or too
few cards to any player, or exposes a card in dealing, or does not give
the same number of cards to each player on the same round, or counts
the cards on the table or those remaining in the pack, it is a misdeal,
and the deal passes to the next player on the misdealer’s left. In
some places the misdealer is allowed to deal again if he forfeits two
counters to the pool.
_=ROBBING THE TRUMP CARD.=_ If the trump card is an ace, the dealer may
discard any card he pleases in exchange for it. He may take up the ace
when he plays to the first trick, or may leave it on the pack until got
rid of in the course of play. When an ace is turned, the eldest hand,
before leading, should call upon the dealer to discard if he has not
already done so. If the dealer does not want the trump, he answers: “I
play these.”
If the trump card is not an ace, any player at the table holding the
ace of trumps is bound to announce the fact when it comes to his turn
to play to the first trick. The usual plan is for him to pass a card to
the dealer face downward, and in return the dealer will give him the
turn-up trump. If the holder of the ace does not want the turn-up, he
must tell the dealer to turn the trump down, which shows that he could
rob, but does not wish to. If the holder of the ace of trumps plays
without announcing it, he not only loses his right to rob, but his ace
of trumps becomes of less value than any other trump for that deal, and
even if it is the ace of hearts he loses the privileges attached to
that card.
_=METHOD OF PLAYING.=_ The eldest hand begins by leading any card he
pleases. It is not necessary to follow suit except in trumps; but if
a player does not follow suit when he is able to do so, he must trump
the trick, or it is a revoke. If he cannot follow suit, he may trump
or discard at his pleasure. The highest card played of the suit led
wins the trick, and trumps win all other suits. The winner of the first
trick leads any card he pleases for the next, and so on, until all five
tricks have been played. Each player gathers his own tricks, as there
are no partnerships.