(_a_) _Tricon_.--Three cards of the same denominations as, for example,
three aces, three fives, three knaves, etc.
(_b_) _Sequence_.--Three following cards of the same suit, as, for
instance, ace, two, three; ten, knave, queen; queen, king, ace, etc.
Although the ace may be used at either end to form a sequence, it must not
be so used between a king and a two. King, ace, two, is not, therefore,
permissible as a sequence.
(_c_) _Flush_.--Three cards of the same suit, irrespective of value.
(_d_) _Pair_.--Two cards of the same denomination, the third one being
different.
(_e_) _Point_.--The total number of pips on the three cards, ace reckoning
for eleven, and either of the court cards for ten.
In case of a tie between two or more of the players in any round,
the following rules are observed:--
(_a_) With Tricons, the highest wins, aces being first in this respect;
then kings, queens, etc., down to twos.
(_b_) With Sequences, the highest wins; the ace, king, queen sequence
reckoning as the best, and the three, two, ace sequence as the lowest.
(_c_) With Flushes, the one making the best "point"--as already described
--wins.
(_d_) With Pairs, the highest wins. If two players are alike, then the
holder of the highest third card has the preference.
(_e_) With Point a tie is very rare; but if equality does [72] occur, then
the holder of the first highest card different from the opponent's wins.
The deal is an advantage, and on that account it is best, when a finish
is desired, to conclude the game just before the first dealer's turn
comes round again, as then all the players will have had an equal number
of deals. Should it be found necessary, however, to conclude before the
original dealer's turn, play may be discontinued after the completion of
any deal, although such a course is somewhat unfair to the intervening
players.
There is only one stake recognised in the game, so that it is simply
necessary to decide what shall be regarded as the value of a counter,
or what coin shall constitute the limit.
The amount of the stake having been settled, the dealer is decided upon
in the same manner as described in connection with the game of "Nap"
(see page 9). Each of the players then pays the amount of the stake
into the pool, the dealer also contributing on account of his deal,
so that he has to pay double.
The pack having been shuffled by the dealer, and cut by the player on his
right-hand side, three cards are distributed to each player, face downwards
and unexposed. The cards may be dealt either singly or all three at a
time, at the option of the dealer. The players having looked at their
cards, the dealer first addresses the one on his left-hand side, and asks
if he will trade; and he must either do so or stand on the cards dealt him.
If he decides to stand on the cards he has received, he turns his hand
face upwards on the table, and all the other players do the same, when
the holder of the best hand takes the amount in the pool, and also receives
the amount of a stake from the dealer, who is thus penalised for the [73]
advantage that accrues to him from selling cards to those who wish to trade
for ready money, the amount he receives on that account becoming his own
property, subject to the payment mentioned. Should the player who declares
to stand be beaten by any of the others, he has to pay an additional stake
to the holders of the better hands.
If the player decides to trade, he may either do so for "ready money" or
by "barter." If for ready money, he continues operations with the dealer;
if by barter, with the next player in order round the table, who, in turn,
must exchange a card, unless he has a hand sufficiently strong to stand
upon, in which case he at once declares it.
If the player trades for ready money, he throws out a card from his hand,
pays a stake to the dealer, and receives the top card from the pack; his
rejected card being placed at the bottom of the pack without being exposed.
If the player decides to barter, he turns to the player on his left-hand
side and offers a card, which must be exchanged for one of those in the
next player's hand, unless that player considers his cards sufficiently
strong to stand upon, in which case the winner is decided by the method
just described.
If the player has traded, either for ready money or barter, and has secured
a hand strong enough, he at once stands, and exposes his cards; if not,
the dealer passes or to the next player, and acts in a similar manner,
going round and round the table until one of the players decides to stand,
when the hands are exposed and the round settled.
A player may only purchase or exchange one card at each turn; he must
not do both, but he is compelled to do the one or the other, unless he
decides to stand. When once a player agrees to stand, the commerce on
that round ceases, and all the hands must be exposed.
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_THE OLD GAME_.
The older mode of playing the game of Commerce differs materially from
the description given above, and as it does not present such chances,
but is of a more limited character, it is not so interesting, nor does
it afford so much scope for speculation and excitement.
The deal is decided and the cards are distributed in the same way as in the
more modern game, but here an additional hand, of three cards, is dealt,
and placed face upwards in the middle of the table. There is no trading
with the dealer or any of the players, the operations of commerce being
confined to the three cards exposed on the table. The player to the
left of the dealer has the first turn, and he must either stand, pass,
or exchange a card. In the latter case he takes one of those lying face
upwards on the table, adds it to his hand, and places one of his own cards,
face upwards, in place of the one removed. If the player passes, he says,
"I pass," and is then debarred from afterwards exchanging any of his cards
during that hand; while if he decides to stand, the next player decides
what he will do, and so on round the table, until two of the players are
satisfied with their hands, or all have declared to pass. If two of the
players stand then each of the other players may make one more exchange
(if they have not previously passed), and then the whole of the hands are
exposed, just as described in connection with the modern game. There is
no pool in this variation, the winner receiving instead the amount of the
stake from each of the other players. In case of absolute equality between
the two best hands, which may be regarded as an almost impossible event,
then each of the winners receives a stake from all the other players.
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_POOL COMMERCE_.
This is a variation of the old method of conducting the game, and is played
on somewhat similar lines, except that a pool is made up, by each player
paying in an equal sum, for which he receives three counters. Play then
proceeds in the manner just described as the old game. The winner of
the hand, instead of receiving a stake from each of the players, takes a
previously arranged sum from the pool, while the player who has the worst
hand puts one counter into the pool. The game continues until all but one
of the players have exhausted their three counters, when the player who
remains with the last counter or counters takes the amount left in the
pool. As soon as a player has exhausted his counters he has to stand
out of the game, and no cards are dealt to him, so that the adoption of
this variation makes the game very tedious for those who are first out,
as they may have to wait a considerable time before the stock of the
other players is exhausted.
The player who is first out has the option of buying one counter from
the pool, which is termed "buying a horse." He has to pay for the same
into the pool such sum as may be agreed upon--usually one-third or one-half
the amount of the original stake.
_LIMITED COMMERCE_.
It may be agreed that only the Tricon, Sequence, Flush, and Point shall be
recognised in the game, or even Tricon, Sequence, and Point only; but the
greater the number of combinations permissible the greater the enjoyment
to be derived from the game, so that limitations of this character have
little to recommend them.
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_PENALTIES FOR THE DEALER_.
It is sometimes agreed that when the dealer holds a Tricon, Sequence,
Flush, or Pair, and his hand is beaten by either of the others, he has
to pay the amount of a stake to each player, or only to those who have
better hands than his. The former course will be found to be a severe
tax on the dealer, and is not to be recommended. The dealer only has
the same chances as the others, and such a penalty seems unjust.
_EXTENDED COMMERCE_.
This is only applicable to the modern mode of playing the game, which in
this variation is extended until all the players are satisfied, that is,
they may keep on trading, either for ready money or by barter, until they
all receive cards sufficiently good to stand upon. The great objection
to this variation is that it makes the game wearisome for those players
who are soon enabled to stand, as they have to wait while the others are
being satisfied.
_CONTINUOUS DEALING_.
Another method of playing the modern game is to allow the same dealer to
remain in until one of the players secures a Tricon, Sequence, or Flush,
when the deal passes to the next player, on the left-hand side. This
variation is based on the same principle as governs the game of Vingt-un.
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