1.--Each player has a right to shuffle both his own and his adversary's
pack. The dealer has the right to shuffle last.
{54}
2.--The pack must not be shuffled below the table, nor in such a manner as
to expose the faces of the cards, nor during the play of the hand.
3.--A cut must consist of at least two cards, and at least two must be left
in the lower packet.
4.--A player exposing more than one card when cutting for deal must cut
again.
5.--The player who cuts the highest Ecarte card deals, and has choice of
cards and seats. The choice determines both seats and cards during the
play.
6.--The cut for deal holds good even if the pack be incorrect.
7.--If in cutting to the dealer a card be exposed, there must be a fresh
cut.
8.--The dealer must give five cards to his adversary and five to himself,
by two at a time to each, and then by three at a time to each, or _vice
versa_. The dealer, having selected the order in which he will distribute
the cards, must not change it during that game; nor may he change it at the
commencement of any subsequent game, unless he inform the non-dealer before
the pack is cut.
9.--If the dealer give more or less than five cards to his adversary or to
himself, or do not adhere to the order of distribution first selected, and
the error be discovered before the trump card is turned, the non-dealer,
before he looks at his hand, may require the dealer to rectify the error,
or may claim a fresh deal.
10.--The hands having been dealt, the dealer must turn up for trumps the
top card of those remaining.
11.--If the dealer turn up more than one card, the non-dealer, before he
looks at his hand, may {55} choose which of the exposed cards shall be the
trump, or may claim a fresh deal. Should the non-dealer have looked at his
hand, there must be a fresh deal.
12.--If, before the trump card is turned up, a faced card be discovered in
the pack, there must be a fresh deal.
13.--If the dealer expose any of his own cards the deal stands good. If he
expose any of his adversary's cards, the non-dealer, before he looks at his
hand, may claim a fresh deal.
14.--If a player deal out of his turn, or with his adversary's pack, and
the error be discovered before the trump card is turned up, the deal is
void. After the trump card is turned up, it is too late to rectify the
error, and if the adversary's pack has been dealt with, the packs remain
changed.
15.--If, after the trump card is turned up, and before proposing, or, if
there is no proposal, before playing, it be discovered that the non-dealer
has more than five cards, he may claim a fresh deal. Should the non-dealer
not claim a fresh deal, he discards the superfluous cards, and the dealer
is not entitled to see them.
16.--If, after the trump card is turned up, and before proposing, or, if
there is no proposal, before playing, it be discovered that the non-dealer
has less than five cards, he may have his hand completed from the stock, or
may claim a fresh deal.
17.--If, after the trump card is turned up, and before the dealer accepts
or refuses, or, if there is no proposal, before he plays, it be discovered
that he has dealt himself more than five cards, the non-dealer may claim a
fresh deal. Should he not claim {56} a fresh deal, he draws the superfluous
cards from the dealer's hand. Should the dealer have taken up his hand, the
non-dealer is entitled to look at the cards he draws.
18.--If, after the trump card is turned up, and before the dealer accepts
or refuses, or, if there is no proposal, before he plays, it be discovered
that the dealer has less than five cards, the non-dealer may permit the
dealer to complete his hand from the stock, or may claim a fresh deal.
19.--If a fresh deal be not claimed when the wrong number of cards are
dealt, the dealer cannot mark the king turned up.
20.--If the non-dealer play without taking cards, and it be then discovered
that he has more or less than five cards, there must be a fresh deal.
21.--If the dealer play without taking cards, and it be then discovered
that he has more or less than five cards, his adversary may claim a fresh
deal.
22.--If a king be turned up, the dealer is entitled to mark it at any time
before the trump card of the next deal is turned up.
23.--If either player hold the king of trumps, he must announce it before
playing his first card, or he loses the right to mark it. It is not
sufficient to mark the king held in hand without announcing it.
24.--If the king be the card first led, it may be announced at any time
prior to its being played to. If the king be the card first played by the
dealer, he may announce it at any time before he plays again.
25.--If a player, not holding the king, announce it, and fail to declare
his error before he has played a card, the adversary may correct the score,
and has {57} the option of requiring the hands to be played over again,
notwithstanding that he may have abandoned his hand. If the offender win
the point he marks nothing; if he win the vole he marks only one; if he win
the point when his adversary has played without proposing, or has refused
the first proposal, he marks only one. But if the adversary himself hold
the king, there is no penalty.
26.--If a player propose, he cannot retract; nor can he alter the number of
cards asked for.[22]
27.--The dealer, having accepted or refused, cannot retract. The dealer, if
required, must inform his adversary how many cards he has taken.
28.--Each player, before taking cards, must put his discard face downward
on the table, apart from the stock, and from his adversary's discard. Cards
once discarded must not be looked at.
29.--If the non-dealer take more cards than he has discarded, and mix any
of them with his hand, the dealer may claim a fresh deal. If the dealer
elect to play the hand, he draws the superfluous cards from the
non-dealer's hand. Should the non-dealer have taken up any of the cards
given him, the dealer is entitled to look at the cards he draws.
30.--If the non-dealer asks for less cards than he has discarded, the
dealer counts as tricks all cards which cannot be played to.
31.--If the dealer give his adversary more cards than he has asked for, the
non-dealer may claim a fresh deal. If the non-dealer elect to play the
hand, {58} he discards the superfluous cards, and the dealer is not
entitled to see them.
32.--If the dealer give his adversary less cards than he has asked for, the
non-dealer may claim a fresh deal. If the non-dealer elect to play the
hand, he has it completed from the stock.
33.--If the dealer give himself more cards than he has discarded, and mix
any of them with his hand, the non-dealer may claim a fresh deal. If the
non-dealer elect to play the hand, he draws the superfluous cards from the
dealer's hand. Should the dealer have taken up any of the cards he has
given himself, the non-dealer is entitled to look at the cards he draws.
34.--If the dealer give himself less cards than he has discarded, he may,
before playing, complete his hand from the stock. If the dealer play with
less than five cards, the non-dealer counts as tricks all cards which
cannot be played to.
35.--If a faced card be found in the stock after discarding, both players
have a right to see it. The faced card must be thrown aside, and the next
card given instead.
36.--If, in giving cards, any of the non-dealer's are exposed, he has the
option of taking them; should the non-dealer refuse them, they must be
thrown aside and the next cards given instead. If the dealer expose any of
his own cards, he must take them.
37.--If, after giving the cards, the dealer turn up a card in error, as
though it were the trump card, he cannot refuse another discard. If another
be demanded, the non-dealer has the option of taking the exposed card. {59}
38.--If the dealer accept when there are not sufficient cards left in the
stock to enable the players to exchange as many cards as they wish, the
non-dealer is entitled to exchange as many as he asked for, or, if there
are not enough, as many as there are left, and the dealer must play his
hand; the dealer is at liberty to accept, conditionally, on there being
cards enough in the stock.
39.--A card led in turn cannot be taken up again. A card played to a lead
may be taken up again to save a revoke or to correct the error of not
winning a trick when able, and then only prior to another card being led.
40.--If a card be led out of turn, it may be taken up again, prior to its
being played to; after it has been played to, the error cannot be
rectified.
41.--If the leader name one suit and play another, the adversary may play
to the card led, or may require the leader to play the suit named. If the
leader have none of the suit named, the card led cannot be withdrawn.
42.--If a player abandon his hand when he has not made a trick, his
adversary is entitled to mark the vole. If a player abandon his hand after
he has made one or two tricks, his adversary is entitled to mark the point.
But if a player throw down his cards, claiming to score, the hand is not
abandoned, and there is no penalty.
43.--If a player renounce when he holds a card of the suit led, or if a
player fail to win the trick when able, his adversary has the option of
requiring the hands to be played again, notwithstanding that he may have
abandoned his hand. If the offender win the point he marks nothing; if he
win the vole, {60} he marks only one; if he win the point when his
adversary has played without proposing, or has refused the first proposal,
he marks only one. Should the card played in error be taken up again prior
to another card being led (as provided by Law 39), there is no penalty.
44.--A player may call for new cards at his own expense, at any time before
the pack is cut for the next deal. He must call for two new packs, of which
the dealer has choice.
45.--If a pack be discovered to be incorrect, redundant, or imperfect, the
deal in which the discovery is made is void; all preceding deals stand
good.
46.--The game is five up. By agreement, the game may count a treble if the
adversary has not scored; a double if he has scored one or two; a single if
he has scored three or four.
47.--A player turning up a king, or holding the king of trumps in his hand,
is entitled to mark one.
48.--A player winning the point is entitled to mark one; a player winning
the vole is entitled to mark two.
49.--If the non-dealer play without proposing, and fail to win the point,
his adversary is entitled to mark two. If the dealer refuse the first
proposal, and fail to win the point, the non-dealer is entitled to mark
two. These scores apply only to the first proposal or refusal in a hand,
and only to the point, the score for the vole being unaffected.
50.--If a player omit to mark his score, he may rectify the omission at any
time before the trump card of the next deal is turned up. {61}
51.--An admitted overscore can be taken down at any time during the
game.[23]
The following French terms are commonly used at Ecarte:
ATOUT. Trump.--COUPER. To cut.--DONNER. To deal.--ECART. The cards
thrown aside.--FORCER. To play a superior on an inferior card.--LA
VOLE. All five tricks made by either player.--LE POINT. Three out of
the five made by either player. PROPOSER. Asking for fresh
cards.--RENONCER. Not to answer the suit led.
We will now suppose, by way of illustration, that A and Y play a game of
Ecarte.
Two packs of different colour or pattern, say a red and a white pack, are
used. From these packs the cards from two to six are extracted. A and Y cut
for deal; A cuts the knave, Y the ace. A therefore deals, as knave is in
this game higher than ace.
The cards having been shuffled, A gives the pack to Y to be cut. A then
deals three cards to his adversary, three to himself, then two to his
adversary and two to himself, and turns up the king of spades. "I mark the
king," says A (see Law 22).
A does not look at his cards, but waits to see what his adversary will do.
Y looks at his hand, and says, "I propose." A looks at his hand, and finds
in it queen, knave, ace of spades, the ace of diamonds, and the eight of
hearts. A has the trick now to a {62} certainty, and cannot lose it by
accepting, the low heart being the weak point in his hand. The hand of Y
was ten of spades, king of hearts, ten and seven of diamonds, and nine of
clubs. Y takes three cards; A takes two. Y takes in the king of diamonds,
the seven of spades, and the seven of hearts; A takes in the nine and eight
of spades, and must win the vole.
Y now deals, and turns the nine of clubs as trumps. A looks at his hand,
and finds in it the king and ace of diamonds, the eight and seven of
hearts, and the ten of spades. A proposes. Y looks at his hand, and finds
king, queen, knave of spades, eight and seven of clubs. "Play," says Y, and
he wins the vole. Score: Y = 2; A = 3.
With such a hand as Y held, to accept the proposal would have been wrong,
the chances being in his favour.
A now deals, and turns knave of diamonds. Y looks at his cards, and finds
they consist of queen, ten of diamonds, ten and eight of clubs, and eight
of hearts. He elects to play without proposing. A's hand consists of knave
of clubs, ace, knave, ten of hearts, and eight of diamonds. Y may now win
or lose the point, according to the cards he leads.
If he led queen, then ten of diamonds, he would lose the point. If he led
ten of clubs, he would win the point. The reader should place the cards and
play out these hands.
We will suppose that Y played correctly and won the point; the game stands
at 3 all.
It is now Y's turn to deal. We will suppose that he does so, and wins the
point; the game is then, Y = 4; A = 3. {63}
A now deals, and turns the nine of diamonds. Y's hand consists of queen,
knave of diamonds, king, queen, ace of spades. Y elects to play. A looks at
his hands, and finds in it the king, ace of diamonds, the ace of hearts,
the king of clubs, and the eight of spades.
Y must win the game if he play correctly; but, being anxious to win more
tricks than are necessary, he loses it by reckless play. Y leads king of
spades, on which A plays eight of spades, _without marking the king_. A
does this because Y, having played without proposing, will lose two if he
lose the point. To mark the king will be useless, if Y win the point; hence
A conceals from Y the fact of his holding the king. Y plays incautiously,
and leads as his second lead queen of diamonds; A wins with king of
diamonds, and leads king of clubs, which Y trumps, and leads queen of
spades, which A trumps, and leads ace of hearts, which wins the game.
If Y had followed his first lead with queen of spades, he must have won the
game; but, imagining that A could not hold the king because he did not mark
it, he played feebly, and lost the game.
This example will give some idea of the play of a hand, and of the
different results which follow the correct and incorrect play of even five
cards.