_DESCRIPTION OF THE GAME_.
Ninety years ago the game of Commerce was recognised as being played in
two distinct ways, the new and the old mode, so that it may justly be
termed one of the oldest round games now practised. Although it is not
so popular as some of the others treated of in this volume, it will be
found to be a good game; exciting, entertaining, and well deserving of
more extended popularity than it has lately enjoyed.
Commerce is usually played with the full pack of fifty-two cards, but if
the number of players does not exceed seven the smaller pack of thirty-two
may be used, the game being available for any number of players within the
range of the pack, say seven with the thirty-two cards, and twelve with
the fifty-two.
The cards count in the usual way, except that in reckoning the number
of pips upon them, which is sometimes necessary in the course of play,
the ace counts for eleven, and the court cards for ten each. There is no
particular suit or trumps recognised in the game, the object of the players
being to secure special combinations of the cards, technically termed
(_a_) Tricon, (_b_) Sequence, (_c_) Flush, (_d_) Pair, (_e_) Point, which
range in value in the order given. The holder of the best combination in
each [71] round is the winner, and he takes the pool or whatever other
stake may have been decided upon.