The game which goes by the above name is a variation of ordinary Vingt-Un.
The differences are as follow.
The deal lasts during eight rounds, each played in a different way, as
under:
1.--As ordinary Vingt-Un.
2.--(Known as _Imaginary Tens_.) Each player stakes before receiving his
card. Whatever the value of such card, _ten points are added to it_, and
{164} the holder then decides, according to the total thereby made, whether
to draw or otherwise. The holder of an ace is considered to have a
"natural," the holder of a tenth card to have "twenty," and so on.
3.--(Known as _Blind Vingt-Un_.) Each player, having made his stake,
receives two cards, but is not entitled to look at them. He may, if he
pleases, draw one or more cards, but does so at haphazard.
4.--(Known as _Sympathy and Antipathy_) Each player, having made his stake,
is called upon to elect for Sympathy or Antipathy. Having made his
election, two cards are dealt to him. If they are of the same colour,
Sympathy is the winner; if of different colours, Antipathy; and the player
receives or pays as he has chosen correctly or otherwise.
5.--_Rouge et Noir._ The player, having made his stake, declares for black
or red, at his option. The dealer gives him a card. If it is of the colour
named, the player wins; if otherwise, he loses. (In some circles the dealer
gives _three_ cards to the punter, two out of three deciding the winning
colour).
6.--_Self and Company._ The stakes having been made, the dealer deals two
cards, face upwards, one for himself, and one for the company. If they are
alike, he wins. If not, he continues to deal, turning up the cards one by
one, face upwards, before him, until a card appears which pairs one or the
other of the two first exposed. If the card for "self" is first paired, the
dealer wins; if that for "company," he loses.
7.--_Differences._ Two cards are dealt, face upwards, to each player, and
two to the dealer, who pays all hands which are higher, and receives from
{165} all which are lower than his own, at an agreed rate for each unit of
difference. Ties cancel. An ace in this case counts as "one" only.
8.--_The Clock._ The full pack having been duly shuffled and cut, the
dealer begins to deal the cards, face upwards, saying, as he deals the
first, "One," as he deals the second, "Two," and so on up to king. If at
any point the card turned up accords with the number named, _e.g._ if the
fourth card is a four, or the tenth card a ten, he wins an agreed stake
from each of the company. If he reaches thirteen without any card having
responded to the call, he pays a like amount to each player.
* * * * *
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