Loo (or, as formerly it was sometimes called, Lue) is a very lively and
popular round game, justly described as one of the best and yet one of the
simplest known. Indeed, until the introduction of "Nap," it was the most
fashionable of its class in this country. The date of its origin is not
on record, but that some amount of antiquity can be claimed for it may be
inferred from the fact that a description of the game appears in works
published at the beginning of the present century, when the method of
playing it was virtually the same as is recognised at the present day,
except that then the five-card variation was the most popular,
whereas now the three-card game is in vogue.
Loo is usually played with an ordinary pack of fifty-two cards, but in
some variations the thirty-two card pack is used. The number of players
who can take part in it is practically unlimited within the range of the
pack played with. A writer of thirty years since justly remarks that
the game is good for any number up to a dozen, although the best game
is played with five, or not more than seven persons. Five players
are sometimes regarded as the limit, and if more than that number
desire to take part, relief is sought by the dealer standing out of
the play, neither paying nor receiving on the tricks of that hand.
This arrangement, however, is one that can be decided at the option
of the company playing.
[17]
As is the case with Nap, a very short time is necessary for completing
the hands in the game, and a finish may be made at any moment, either
by an equal division of the amount in the pool among the players, or by
releasing those who failed to win a trick in the previous deal from the
penalty which usually attaches to such a result, and which is known as
a "loo." In this case all "stand" on the last round, and there is no
"miss." It is usual, however, to play on until what is known as a "single"
occurs, _i.e._, when each of the players who declared to stand has
secured a trick, and, as a consequence, no one has been looed. If,
however, a finish is desired before a single occurs, it is best to
arrange it so as to fall immediately before the original dealer's turn
to deal comes round again, as, in that case, all the players will have
paid for an equal number of deals.
A player may withdraw from the game at any time when it is his turn
to deal. In that case he pays for his deal (as explained later on),
and also for his loo, if he was looed the previous hand, but he does not
deal any cards to himself, or take any part in the play of that round.
_DESCRIPTION_.
Three-card Loo being the most popular at the present day, we shall devote
ourselves more particularly to that game, leaving the five-card variety to
be considered later on, under the heading of Variations. The object of
each player is to win one, two, or all of the three tricks into which each
deal is divided, and in doing so he is opposed by all the other players
who have elected to stand, and who, in turn, try to secure the tricks for
themselves.
The stakes are first decided on--usually three counters [18] or coins for
the deal, and six for a loo. It is desirable that the amount in the pool
should be divisible by three, so as to allow of its equal apportionment
among the winners of the three tricks. The first dealer is then chosen,
and he, having paid to the pool the agreed amount for his deal, proceeds
to distribute the cards for what is termed a single, a term denoting that
merely the dealer's stake is to be played for.
The pack having been duly shuffled and cut, the dealer turns the top card
face upwards in the middle of the table, and then distributes one card,
similarly exposed, to each player. If either of the players receives a
higher card of the same suit as the one turned up, he wins the amount in
the pool. If two or more receive superior cards, the higher takes the
stake. The others are looed, each having to contribute the agreed amount
of a loo to the pool, for the next deal. It is usually agreed that the
penalty for a loo on the single shall be half the amount of the ordinary
loo, or the same amount as for a deal. If neither player receives a
higher card of the same suit as that turned up all are looed, and the
amount in the pool remains, being included in the stakes for the next
deal. The amount of the loos having been placed in the pool, as also the
sum agreed upon to be contributed by the next dealer, the cards are
re-gathered, shuffled, and cut, and the second deal is proceeded with.
Three cards are distributed to each player, and a spare hand, or miss,
as it is generally called,¹ is left in the middle of the table.
The top [19] card of the undealt portion of the pack is next turned up,
to decide which of the suits shall be trump, and then each of the players
--commencing with the one on the left hand side of the dealer--in turn
looks at his cards, and decides whether he will stand, whether he will take
the miss, or whether he will throw up his cards for that deal, unless the
rule for "Club Law" shall have been previously decided upon, when all the
players have to stand, and the miss is withdrawn--see page 26. If he
decides to stand, the player retains the three cards originally dealt him,
and says, "I play"; if he elects to throw up his cards, he places them,
unexposed, on the top of the undealt portion of the pack, and takes no
share in the remainder of that hand, neither paying nor receiving in
connection with the play; while if he determines to take the miss, his
original cards are added to the undealt portion of the pack, as before, and
he takes up the spare hand. In this latter case he is compelled to stand,
that is, it is not optional with him to throw up the miss, when once he has
elected to take it.
¹ The spare hand is not always called the "miss." Some players
designate it the "cat"; the term possibly originating from its
un-certainty; hence the expression, often used in connection
with the spare hand--"Let us hope she will not scratch us."
The player on the dealer's left having determined which course he will
pursue, the one on his left has to decide, and so on, until the dealer is
reached; he may, in like manner, stand, throw up, or take miss, provided
the spare hand has not already been appropriated. If none of the players
take the miss it is added to the pack, but in that case it must not be
exposed, or looked at by any of the players.
Should it happen that each of the players in front of the dealer has
thrown up his own cards, and neither has taken the miss, then the dealer
is entitled to the amount in the pool, no matter what his cards are.
Should it happen that only one player has declared to stand on his own
hand, [20] then the dealer, if he cannot stand on his own cards, may take
the miss. If he does not care to do either he must play the miss for the
benefit of the pool, against the single player who declared to play on his
own cards, and anything he may then win with the miss is left in the pool
for the next deal. Should it happen that all the players in front of the
dealer have thrown up their cards, and one has taken the miss, then the
dealer may stand, or not, as he chooses; but if he also throws up his
cards, then the holder of miss, being the only standing hand, takes the
whole amount of the pool. These contingencies are seldom, if ever, met
with in actual play, but being possible it is necessary to fix laws to
govern them.
The players who have decided to stand, either on their own cards, or on
the miss, then proceed to play the tricks, the one nearest the dealer's
left having to lead. It is, however, sometimes agreed that the holder
of miss for the time being shall lead, but this is hardly a desirable
departure from the more regular course of leaving the lead to the elder
hand, and we cannot recommend its adoption. If the leader holds the
ace of trumps he must lead it, and similarly, if the ace is turned up,
and he holds the king, he must start off with that card. If he has two or
three trumps (of any denomination) he must lead the highest. "Two or more
trumps, lead _one_," is the rule of some players, but unless this matter
is specially decided upon before the commencement of play the rule to lead
the _highest_ of two or three must govern the point. In all other cases
the leader may start off with whichever card he chooses.
The play proceeds from left to right, and each player, in turn, has to
follow suit if he can; as it is his desire to secure the trick for himself
he will play as high as possible [21] if he has the power to head the
trick. If he cannot follow suit he must play a trump if he has one,
provided his trump is higher than any previously played to the trick,
but it is not compulsory to trump a suit when it is not possible to head
the trick by doing so. Failing the ability to head the trick, he may
discard as he chooses. It is compulsory, however, for each player,
in turn, to head the trick if he is able to do so, and herein lies one
of the greatest differences between Loo and Nap, for in the latter game,
as we have shown, it is optional with a player whether he will head the
trick, or pass it. The trick is won by the player who plays the highest
of the suit led, or, if trumped, the highest trump. As winner, he has
the privilege of leading for the next trick, which is conducted on
similar lines to the first. This applies also to the third trick, the
only stipulations being that if the player who won the first trick has a
trump he must lead it, and if he be left with two trumps he must play the
higher of the two as the lead for the second trick. The three tricks
having been disposed of the amount in the pool is divided equitably
among the winners, while those who stood--either on their own hand or on
miss,--and did not succeed in winning a trick are looed. If all who stood
succeeded in making one or more tricks, so that neither of the players was
looed, it becomes a single again, and the cards are dealt as already
described for that round (see p. 18).
A player infringing any of the rules, or playing in an irregular manner,
is looed, and the amount of his winnings, if any, is left in the pool.
The hands must, however, be replayed in proper order, and if then the
tricks are secured by different players, that must be considered
the result of the hand, and the losers by the proper play are looed,
even though by the first and erroneous method they secured one [22]
or more of the tricks. Briefly, no player can he looed, or secure any
part of the pool through the irregularity of either of the other players.
In any case the player who transgressed the law does not win anything.
If his cards secure one or all of the tricks the amount of his winnings is
left in the pool for the next deal, and he is looed. This does not apply
to penalties for looking at the hands, or declaring out of turn, or making
a misdeal. In those cases the offending player pays the penalty into the
pool for the current deal, and stands an equal chance with the others in
fighting for the tricks. The cards as played are left in front of the
players, not being turned or otherwise interfered with until the
completion of the three tricks, when, as already described,
they are gathered up for the next round.
We will now proceed to consider the various points of the game not touched
upon in the description already given.
_STAKES_.
For the reason already mentioned the stakes should be so arranged that the
amount in the pool can always be divided by three. Thus, supposing that
three counters, or coins, are fixed as the amount for the deal, and six
for a loo, there cannot possibly be any surplus after the division among
the winners of the three tricks, no matter how many may have paid in.
If, however, the pool consists of such an amount as to render equal
division impossible, the division is made as nearly equal as can be,
and the winners of the first and second tricks have the preference.
It is not necessary that the loo should be twice the amount of the deal,
indeed any sum may be fixed for either the one or the other, and it is not
unusual when the [23] deal is settled at 1½_d_. for the loo to be 6_d_.,
or when the one is 6_d_. for the other to be 2_s_. 6_d_., and so on.
Another method is to make the stake for a loo unlimited, and yet another
to make it somewhat of a combination, unlimited up to a certain amount
(_see_ Variations), but the more general course is to have a definite price
fixed (_a_) for the deal, (_b_) for an ordinary loo, and (_c_) for a single
loo, which latter is generally half the amount of the full loo.
Before commencing play in the game, it is desirable to settle
whether Club Law (_see_ Variations) is to be enforced, and whether
any alteration is to be made in the law compelling the holder of
two or more trumps to lead the _highest_ on the original lead.
The modification of this rule is "two or more trumps lead _one_."
_DEALING_.
The deal is settled in the same way as already described in connection
with Nap, and the cards having been shuffled and cut, the single is dealt,
as described on page 18. In other rounds the dealer must distribute the
cards to the players one card at a time, in regular order from left to
right, and must deal to the spare hand, or miss immediately after dealing
his own card each time. With some players deviation is permitted,
the dealer being allowed to distribute the cards in any order he likes,
and either singly or three at a time; or the miss is left until last,
when the three cards for the spare hand are dealt at once. These
departures are not desirable, and we strongly recommend the enforcement of
the rule compelling the regular distribution of cards, as herein set out.
In the event of a misdeal, an irregular distribution of the cards, or the
exposure of a card during the dealing, the dealer is looed--the amount
of the loo in this, and most [24] other cases of penalty prior to the
commencement of the playing of the cards being the same as settled for a
single loo--and he immediately places the amount in the pool. The whole
pack is collected, re-shuffled, and dealt again by the same player, and
the game proceeds.
Any player interfering with the cards during the deal is looed, but the
cards are not re-dealt, unless they have been mixed, or a card has been
exposed.
_DECLARING_.
The cards having been dealt, and the trump card turned up, the player on
the left of the dealer has the right to look at his cards, and declares his
intention to stand, throw up, or take miss. He having decided, the player
on his left does the same, and so on all round. Any player looking at his
cards before it is his turn to do so, or declaring out of turn, or looking
at the miss without taking it, or looking at either of the thrown up cards,
or at any part of the undealt portion of the pack, is looed a single, and
pays the penalty into the pool at once, but he is not debarred by any of
these irregularities--except when he looks at either of the opponent's
hands--from taking part in the play of that deal. If he looks at the cards
of any other player he is looed the full loo, and must throw up his own
cards, unexposed, unless he has already declared to stand, or has taken the
miss, in which case he has to play to the tricks, having first paid his loo
into the pool; in the event of his cards securing either of the tricks the
amount won is left in the pool for the next deal.
No player may make a second declaration, or alter one once made, and a
player who decides to stand, or who takes the miss, must play his cards
with the others interested in [25] the stakes; he not being permitted to
stand out, lest his doing so should affect the others' play.
_PLAYING THE HANDS_.
The players having decided whether they will stand or not, the leader
plays his card. If he holds ace, or with ace turned up holds king,
and fails to lead it, he is looed; similarly, with two or more trumps if
he fails to lead the highest he is looed. Any player neglecting to follow
the suit led, when he is able to do so; or omitting to trump a suit,
when by so doing he can head the trick, is likewise looed; as also is any
one playing out of turn, or exposing or mentioning the value of his own,
or opponent's unplayed cards, or of either of those in the miss, or among
the undealt portion of the pack.
If the winner of the first trick remains with a trump, and fails to lead
it; or having two trumps left fails to lead the highest, he is looed.
In all these cases the penalty is the amount of a full loo, and it is
added to the pool for the _next_ deal. The cards must he replayed in
proper order, and if the player who transgressed wins either of the tricks
his winnings must be left in the pool for the next deal.