[Illustration: Pope Joan Board.]
This was formerly a very favourite round game, but of late years is rarely
met with. It is played with a pack of fifty-two cards, from which the eight
of diamonds (for a reason which will presently appear) has been removed,
and with a special board, consisting of a circular tray revolving round a
centre pillar, and divided into eight compartments, as shown in the
illustration, respectively marked {138} Pope (the nine of diamonds),
Matrimony, Intrigue, Ace, King, Queen, Knave and Game. "Matrimony"
signifies the combination in the same hand of king and queen of the trump
suit; "Intrigue" that of knave and queen. Each player is provided with
three or four dozen counters bearing an agreed value. There is a
preliminary deal round with faced cards, and the player to whom the first
knave falls becomes first dealer, and has the privilege of "dressing" the
board, _i.e._ of paying from his own store, and distributing between the
various divisions fifteen counters, as under: Six to Pope, two to
Matrimony, two to Intrigue, and one each to Ace, King, Queen, Knave and
Game.[40]
The cards, having been shuffled and cut, are dealt round one by one, but
with an extra hand, this last towards the centre of the table, facing the
dealer. The last card of the pack is turned up to decide the trump suit.
Should the turn-up be Pope (nine of diamonds), or an ace, king, queen or
knave, the dealer is entitled to all the counters in the corresponding
compartment of the board.
The player to the left of the dealer leads any card he pleases, at the same
time naming it. We will suppose that such card is the three of diamonds.
The player who chances to hold the four thereupon plays and names it; then
the persons holding the five, six and seven play them in like manner. In
any other suit it would be possible to continue with the eight, but the
eight of diamonds, as we have stated, is removed from the pack. This makes
the {139} seven what is called a "stop," _i.e._ the run of that particular
lead can be continued no further, and the player of the seven is entitled
to lead again. But besides the permanent removal of the eight of diamonds,
it will be remembered that a certain number of cards were dealt as an extra
hand. We will suppose that such cards were the two, five and nine of
spades, the six and ten of hearts, the knave of diamonds, and the king of
clubs. These being withdrawn from circulation make the cards immediately
preceding them (viz., the ace, four and eight of spades, the five and nine
of hearts, the ten of diamonds, and the queen of clubs) "stops" also.[41]
As play proceeds other cards also will become "stops," by reason of the
cards next following them having been already played. Thus, in the case
supposed, of the three of diamonds being led, the two of diamonds
thenceforth becomes a stop, and the holder should note the fact for his
subsequent guidance. All kings are necessarily stops, as being the highest
cards of their respective suits.
Whenever, in course of play, the ace, king, queen or knave of the trump
suit appears, the holder is entitled to the counters in the corresponding
compartment of the board. Should knave and queen, or queen and king of
trumps fall from _the same hand_, the holder is entitled to the proceeds of
Intrigue or Matrimony, as the case may be. Any one playing "Pope" is
entitled to all the counters in the {140} corresponding division. Unless
actually played, the above cards have no value, save that the holding of
Pope (unplayed) exempts the possessor from paying for any surplus cards as
hereinafter mentioned.
The game proceeds as above described until some one of the players is
"out," _i.e._ has got rid of all his cards. By so doing he becomes entitled
to all the counters in the "Game" compartment of the board, and to receive
in addition from each of the other players one counter for each card such
player may have left in hand, save that the holder of Pope is exempt from
payment. If Pope is played, the exemption ceases.
The skill of the player will be shown in his keenness to note, on the one
hand, which of the cards are or become "stops," and on the other, what
cards cannot be led to, and which, therefore, it is expedient to get rid of
as soon as possible. At the outset, the only _known_ cards which cannot be
led to are the four aces, Pope (the removal of the eight of diamonds being
purposely designed to place the nine in that position), and the card next
higher than the turn-up (the next lower being a "stop"). But the list
increases as the game goes on. If the nine of hearts is declared to be a
stop by reason of the ten being in the surplus hand, it is clear that the
knave cannot be led to, and must itself be led in order to get rid of it.
Sequences are valuable, inasmuch as they enable the player to get rid of
two, three or more cards simultaneously. Nearly, but not quite, as useful
are alternate sequences, as seven, nine, knave. The lowest should, of
course, be led. Whether the card proves to be a "stop" or not, the leader
can still {141} continue the sequence, subject to the contingency of some
other player going "out" with one of the intermediate cards. A sequence or
alternate sequence terminating with king forms a very strong lead. Next to
these, and to known stops, the lower of two pretty close cards of the same
suit (as three and six, three and seven, or four and eight) should be led;
especially if the higher is known or believed to be a "stop." After these
the lowest card of the longest suit, especially if an ace.
"Pope," as we have seen, can only be played when the holder has the lead;
and it is usually well, therefore, to play it at the first opportunity,
first, however, playing out any known stops.
The unclaimed counters in each compartment are left to accumulate. In the
case of Matrimony and Intrigue, a whole evening may occasionally pass
without the necessary combinations of cards being played from the same
hand, and these compartments therefore frequently become very rich. The
counters in "Pope," or one or more of the Ace, King, Queen and Knave
compartments may in like manner be unclaimed during several rounds. The
best method of disposing of any such unclaimed counters at the close of the
game is to deal a final round face upwards (without the surplus hand); the
holders of Pope, and of the ace, king, queen and knave of the diamond suit
(which in this case is regarded as the trump suit) being entitled to the
counters in the corresponding compartments. The holder of the queen takes,
in addition, half the amount in Matrimony and in Intrigue, the remaining
halves going to the holders of the king and knave respectively.
* * * * *
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