Three or four persons may play at this game. If the former number, ten cards each are to be given; but if the latter, only eight are dealt, which bear the same value as at whist, except that diamonds are always trumps. The connexions are formed as follows:

i. By the two black aces.

ii. The ace of spades and king of hearts.

iii. The ace of clubs and king of hearts.

107. For the First Connexion,

2s. are drawn from the pool; for the second, 1s.; for the third, and by the winner of the majority in tricks, 6d. each is taken. These sums are supposing gold staked: when only silver is pooled, then pence are drawn. A trump played in any round where there is a connexion wins the trick, otherwise it is gained by the player of the first card of connexions; and, after a connexion, any following player may trump without incurring a revoke: and also, whatever suit may be led, the person holding a card of connexion is at liberty to play the same; but the others must, if possible, follow suit, unless one of them can answer the connexion, which should be done in preference. No money can be drawn till the hands are finished; then the possessors of the connexions are to take first, according to precedence, and those having the majority of tricks take last.

108. Matrimony.

This game is played with an entire pack of cards, by any number of persons from five to fourteen. It consists of five chances, usually marked on a board, or sheet of paper, as follows:

Best.

The Ace of Diamonds turned up.

-------------------- Confederacy.

INTRIGUE; OR

Matrimony.

King and Knave.

QUEEN AND KNAVE.

King and Queen.

-------------------- Pairs.

The Highest.

Matrimony is generally played with counters, and the dealer puts what he pleases on each or any chance, the other players depositing each the same quant.i.ty, less one--that is, when the dealer stakes twelve, the rest of the company lay down eleven each. After this, two cards are dealt round to every one, beginning on the left; then to each person one other card, which is turned up, and he who so happens to get the ace of diamonds sweeps all. If it be not turned up, then each player shows his hand; and any of them having matrimony, intrigue, &c., takes the counters on that point; and when two or more people happen to have a similar combination, the oldest hand has the preference; and, should any chance not be gained, it stands over to the next deal.--_Observe_: The ace of diamonds turned up takes the whole pool, but when in hand ranks only as any other ace; and if not turned up, nor any ace in hand, then the king, or next superior card, wins the chance styled best.

[IGNORANCE MAKES PROUD.]

109. Pope Joan.

A game somewhat similar to Matrimony. It is played by any number, with an ordinary pack of cards, and a marking or pool board, to be had of most fancy stationers. The eight of diamonds must first be taken from the pack. After settling the deal, shuffling, &c., the dealer dresses the board. This he does by putting the counters into its several compartments--one counter or other stake to Ace, one each to King, Queen, Knave, and Game; two to Matrimony, two to Intrigue, and six to the nine of diamonds, styled the Pope. This dressing is, in some companies, at the individual expense of the dealer, though, the players usually contribute two stakes each towards the pool. The cards are then dealt round equally to every player, one turned up for trump, and about six or eight left in the stock to form stops. For example, if the ten of spades be turned up, the nine becomes a stop. The four kings, and the seven of diamonds, are always fixed stops, and the dealer is the only person permitted, in the course of the game, to refer occasionally to the stock for information what other cards are stops in their respective deals. If either ace, king, queen, or knave happen to be the turned-up-trump, the dealer may take whatever is deposited on that head; but when Pope be turned up, the dealer is ent.i.tled both to that and the game, besides a stake for every card dealt to each player. Unless the game be determined by Pope being turned up, the eldest hand begins by playing out as many cards as possible; first the stops, then Pope, if he have it, and afterwards the lowest card of his longest suit--particularly an ace, for that never can be led through. The other players follow, when they can, in sequence of the same suit, till a stop occurs. The player having the stop becomes eldest hand, and leads accordingly; and so on, until some player parts with all his cards, by which he wins the pool (game), and becomes ent.i.tled besides to a stake for every card not played by the others, except from any one holding Pope, which excuses him from paying. If Pope has been played, then the player having held it is not excused. King and Queen form what is called matrimony; queen and knave, when in the same hand, make intrigue; but neither these nor ace, king, queen, knave, or pope, ent.i.tle the holder to the stakes deposited thereon, unless played out; and no claim can be allowed after the board be dressed for the succeeding deal. In all such cases the stakes remain for future determination. Pope Joan needs only a little attention to recollect what stops have been made in the course of the play. For instance, if a player begin by laying down the eight of clubs, then the seven in another hand forms a stop, whenever that suit be led from any lower card; or the holder, when eldest, may safely lay it down, in order to clear his hand.

[KNOWLEDGE TALKS LOWLY]

110. Ca.s.sino.

The game of ca.s.sino is played with an entire pack of cards, generally by four persons, but sometimes by three, and often by two.

111. Terms used in Ca.s.sino.

i. _Great Ca.s.sino_, the ten of diamonds, which reckons for two points.

ii. _Little Ca.s.sino_, the two of spades, which reckons for one point.

iii. _The Cards_ is when you have a greater share than your adversary, and reckons for three points.

iv. _The Spades_ is when you have the majority of that suit, and reckons for one point.

v. _The Aces_: each of which reckons for one point.

vi. _Lurched_ is when your adversary has won the game before you have gained six points.

In some deals at this game it may so happen that neither party win anything, as the points are not set up according to the tricks, &c., obtained, but the smaller number is constantly subtracted from the larger, both in cards and points; and if they both prove equal, the game commences again, and the deal goes on in rotation. When three persons play at this game, the two lowest add their points together, and subtract from the highest; but when their two numbers together either amount to or exceed the highest, then neither party scores.

112. Laws of Ca.s.sino.

i. The deal and partners are determined by cutting, as at whist, and the dealer gives four cards, one at a time, to each player, and either regularly as he deals, or by one, two, three, or four at a time, lays four more, face upwards, upon the board, and, after the first cards are played, four others are dealt to each person, until the pack be concluded; but it is only in the first deal that any cards are to be turned up.

ii. The deal is not lost when a card is faced by the dealer, unless in the first round, before any of the four cards are turned up upon the table; but if a card happen to be faced in the pack, before any of the said four be turned up, then the deal begins again.

iii. Any person playing with less than four cards must abide by the loss; and should a card be found under the table, the player whose number is deficient takes the same.

iv. Each person plays one card at a time, with which he may not only take at once every card of the same denomination upon the table, but likewise all that will combine therewith; as, for instance, a ten takes not only every ten, but also nine and ace, eight and deuce, seven and three, six and four, or two fives; and if he clear the board before the conclusion of the game, he is to score a point; and whenever any player cannot pair or combine, then he is to put down a card.

v. The tricks are not to be counted before all the cards are played; nor may any trick but that last won be looked at, as every mistake must be challenged immediately.

vi. After all the pack is dealt out, the player who obtains the last trick sweeps all the cards then remaining unmatched upon the table and wins the game.

113. Vingt-un.

Description of the Game.--The game of _Vingt-un_, or twenty-one, may be played by two or more persons; and, as the deal is advantageous, and often continues long with the same person, it is usual to determine it at the commencement by turning up the first ace, or knave.

114. Method of Playing Vingt-un.

The cards must all be dealt out in succession, unless a natural Vingt-un occur, and in the meantime the pone, or youngest hand, should collect those that have been played, and shuffle them together, ready for the dealer, against the period when he shall have distributed the whole pack. The dealer first gives two cards, one at a time, to each player, including himself; then he asks each player in rotation, beginning with the eldest hand on the left, whether he stands or chooses another card. If he need another card, it must be given from off the top of the pack, and afterwards another, or more, if desired, till the points of the additional card or cards, added to those dealt, exceed or make twenty-one exactly, or such a number less than twenty-one as the player thinks fit to stand upon. When the points on the player's cards exceed twenty-one, he throws the cards on the table, face downwards, and pays the stake. The dealer is, in turn, ent.i.tled to draw additional cards; and, on taking a Vingt-un, receives double stakes from all who stand the game, except such other players, likewise having twenty-one, between whom it is thereby a drawn game.

When any adversary has a Vingt-un, and the dealer not, then the opponent so having twenty-one, wins double stakes from him. In other cases, except a natural Vingt-un happen, the dealer pays single stakes to all whose numbers under twenty-one are higher than his own, and receives from those who have lower numbers; but nothing is paid or received by such players as have similar numbers to the dealer. When the dealer draws more than twenty-one, he pays to all who have not thrown up. In some companies ties pays the dealer.

[IGNORANCE TALKS LOUD.]

115. Natural Vingt-un.

Twenty-one, when dealt in a player's first two cards, is styled a _Natural_. It should be declared at once, and ent.i.tles the holder to double stakes from the dealer, and to the deal, except it be agreed to pa.s.s the deal round. If the dealer turns up a natural he takes double stakes from all the players and retains the deal. If there be more than one natural, all after the first receive single stakes only. Aces count either eleven or one; court cards, ten; the rest according to their points.

116. The Odds of natural Vingt-un

depend upon the average number of cards likely to come under or exceed twenty-one; for example, if those in hand make fourteen exactly, it is seven to six that the one next drawn does not make the number of points above twenty-one; but if the points be fifteen, it is seven to six against that hand; yet it would not, therefore, always be prudent to stand at fifteen, for as the ace may be calculated both ways, it is rather above an even bet that the adversary's first two cards amount to more than fourteen. A natural Vingt-un may be expected once in seven coups when two, and twice in seven when four, people play, and so on, according to the number of players.