As a general rule, refuse if only two cards can be discarded. A king or a trump should not be discarded in the first instance.

With three trumps, refuse, unless the king of trumps is one of the three, when there is a great chance that the cards taken in may enable the vole to be won.

With only one trump and one king, no matter what the other suits may be, if not having a card higher than a ten, accept. But with one trump, two queens guarded, or a king and queen guarded, refuse. Although in many cases, where it is the rule to play, it is two to one in favour of the player winning the point, it must not be imagined that he will always win. He may win twice out of three times, but it is possible for the adversary to hold exceptionally good cards, and to win the point against the _jeu de regle_.

For example, A holds queen, ace, and seven of hearts (trumps), king of spades, king of diamonds, and, of course, plays without proposing. Y holds king, knave, nine, and eight of hearts, and nine of clubs, and must win the point; but for A to propose would have been wrong, his hand being strong enough to win four times out of five.

When a player proposes, and is refused, he may form an estimate of the suit or suits out of trumps in which his adversary it likely to be strong.

Suppose {67} A, the non-dealer, hold queen, knave of spades, ace of hearts, seven of clubs, and knave of diamonds (trumps). The probabilities are that Y is strong in hearts and clubs, or holds two trumps. The queen of spades in this case should, of course, be led; and, if it win, should be followed by the knave.

The condition of the score ought to be considered before proposing or playing without proposing. If the adversary be at the score of three, it is dangerous to play without proposing, unless the hand be very strong. If the adversary be at four, it is better not to propose if the non-dealer's hand be fairly strong, unless the king be held, as there is a chance of the dealer drawing the king, and at once scoring game.

The high cards which have been discarded should be remembered, because lower cards are then of greater value; thus, if the knave and ace of hearts have been discarded, and the king and ten are drawn, there can be only one card, viz., the queen of hearts, which is better than the ten, and in this suit the ten is equivalent to the knave held originally.

Inexperienced players, as a rule, are too apt to propose, and to continue proposing till the pack is exhausted. As there are eight trumps in the pack, a player gains no advantage if he hold four of these, when his adversary also holds four. His hand _looks_ better than if he held only two, but whilst he has furnished himself with trumps, his adversary has done likewise.

In order to play ecarte well, take a pack of cards, and deal out the hands against an imaginary or dummy adversary; remember those hands under the heading _Jeux de regle_, and then note how the hand can be best played to secure the point.

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EUCHRE.

Euchre may be played either as a two-, three- or four-handed game, the latter being the most popular form. For greater facility of explanation, however, we will commence with the two-handed game.

Euchre is played with the "piquet" pack of thirty-two cards, consisting of the ace, king, queen, knave, ten, nine, eight and seven of each suit. The above is their rank in play, subject to the qualification that the knave of the trump suit for the time being is known as the "Right Bower," and takes temporary precedence of all other cards. The knave of _the opposite suit of same colour_ (_e.g._ of diamonds when hearts, or of spades when clubs are trumps) is known as the "Left Bower," and ranks next in value. The Left Bower is considered for the time being to belong to the trump suit, so that if this card is led, the trump suit, and not its own, must be played to it.[24]

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TWO-HANDED EUCHRE.

The players having cut for deal, five cards are dealt (by twos and then threes, or _vice versa_, at the pleasure of the dealer) to each player. The eleventh card is turned up by way of trump. If the non-dealer thinks his hand good enough, with the suit of the turn-up card as trumps, to make three tricks, he says, referring to that card, "I order it up." This fixes that suit as trumps. The dealer discards the worst card of his own hand, placing it face downwards under the pack, and the turn-up card is thenceforth considered to form part of his hand. He does not, however, actually take it into his hand until the first trick has been played.

If the non-dealer does not consider his hand good for three tricks, or is of opinion that he would be likely to gain by a change of the trump suit, he says, "I pa.s.s," and the dealer examines his own cards from the same point of view. If he thinks his hand is good enough with the subsisting trump suit to make three tricks, he says, "I take it up," and proceeds to place, as before, one card under the pack. If he does not think his hand safe for three, he says, "I turn it down," and places the turn-up card below the rest of the pack. This annuls the trump suit, and the non-dealer has now the option of saying what suit shall be trumps. He considers what will best suit his hand, and says, "Make it hearts" (or otherwise, as the case may be), accordingly.

If he decides to "make it" _of the same colour_ as the previous turn-up card (_e.g._ spades in place of clubs, or hearts in place of diamonds), he is said {70} to "make it next." If otherwise, to "cross the suit."

If, even with the privilege of making the trump what he pleases, he doubts his ability to win three tricks, he again "pa.s.ses," and the dealer "makes it" what best suits him. If he too has such a bad hand that he thinks it safer to "pa.s.s" again, the cards are thrown up, and the deal pa.s.ses.

The trump suit having been "made" by the one or the other player, the non-dealer leads a card, and the dealer plays to it, the two cards const.i.tuting a "trick." The second player must follow suit if he can, subject to the qualification that (as already stated) if the Left Bower be led, a trump must be played to it. The higher card wins, trumps overriding plain suits; and the winner of the trick leads to the next.

The player who has "ordered up," "taken up" (save in obedience to order), or "made" the trump, thereby tacitly undertakes to win at least three tricks. If he makes less than this number, he is "euchred," and his opponent scores "two." If he makes three tricks he wins "the point," and scores one. Four tricks are no better than three, but if he make all five he wins a "march," which scores two. The non-challenging player is not under any obligation to win, but scores if his adversary fail to do so.

Five points const.i.tute "Game."

FOUR-HANDED EUCHRE.

Where four players take part, two play in partnership against the other two, partners facing each other, as at Whist. Five cards having been dealt to {71} each, and the twenty-first turned up by way of trump, the elder hand (_i.e._ the player to the left of the dealer) declares whether he will "order up" the trump card or "pa.s.s." In the latter event, the option pa.s.ses to the dealer's partner; but he expresses it in a somewhat different manner, inasmuch as he is dealing with a friend instead of an enemy. If he thinks his hand good for two or more tricks he says, "I a.s.sist." This is considered a call to his partner (the dealer) to take up the trump, which he does accordingly, he himself having no choice in the matter. If the second player pa.s.ses, the option rests with the third player, who "orders it up" or pa.s.ses, as his hand may warrant. In the latter case the dealer decides for himself whether to take it up or turn it down. If the trump has either been ordered up or taken up voluntarily by the dealer, the play proceeds as in the two-handed game. If, on the other hand, the dealer "turns it down," the players, beginning with the elder hand, are invited in succession to "make it" what they please; the challenging party in either case being bound, in conjunction with his partner, to make three tricks, under penalty of being euchred.

A player with an unusually strong hand may elect to "go alone." In such case his partner turns his cards face downward on the table, and leaves the "lone hand," as he is termed, to play the game singly against the two opponents.

If a player "going alone" is lucky enough to win all five tricks, he scores _four_ (instead of three) for the "march"; but if he make three or four tricks only, he scores one for the point in the ordinary manner. {72}

THREE-HANDED EUCHRE

Here each plays for his own hand. The value of the march and point are the same as in the two-handed or four-handed game, but if the challenging player is euchred, each of his adversaries scores two points. If this should carry them both "out," the elder hand is the winner. To avoid this, which is hardly a satisfactory termination for the younger hand, another method of scoring is sometimes adopted, the points for the euchre being _deducted_ from the score of the euchred player, who is "set back"

accordingly. Should he have made no points towards game, he is considered to owe the points for the euchre; so that a player, standing at love when euchred, has seven points to make before he can win.

MARKING THE SCORE.

The method of scoring at Euchre is somewhat peculiar. The score is usually kept by means of spare playing cards, a three and a four (of any suit) being used by each side. The "three" face upwards, with the "four" turned down upon it, indicates _one_ (however many pips may chance to be exposed).

The "four" face upwards, with the "three" turned down upon it, indicates _two_. The face of the "three" being uppermost counts _three_; and the face of the "four" being uppermost counts _four_.

Another method of keeping the score is by means of a cross chalked at the outset of the game on the table beside each player. "One" is scored by rubbing out the centre of the cross, leaving the four {73} arms still standing, and these in turn are rubbed out, one for each point which the player becomes ent.i.tled to score.

The hints for play which follow are borrowed, with slight modification, from the American Hoyle. They refer more especially to the four-handed game.

HINTS FOR PLAY.

Pa.s.sING AND ORDERING UP.

No prudent player will order up the trump unless his hand is sufficiently strong to render his chances of success beyond reasonable doubt. There are cases, however, when there would be no imprudence in ordering up upon a light hand. For instance, supposing the game to stand four and four, and the elder or third hand to hold an ordinarily good show of cards in the trump suit as turned up, with nothing better in any other suit, then it would be proper to order up, for, should the trump be turned down, your chance of success would be lost. If you are euchred, it does but give the game to those who would win it anyhow in some other suit.

If the player is elder hand, and a suit should be turned in which he receives both bowers and another large trump, and he has also two cards of the suit corresponding in colour, it is his best policy to pa.s.s; for the obvious reason that if the dealer's partner should a.s.sist, he would be enabled to euchre the opposing side, and, if the trump were turned down, his hand would be just as good in the next suit. Having in such case the first opportunity of making the trump, he could "go alone," with every probability of making the hand and scoring four. {74}

Elder hand holding the Right Bower, ace or king, and another small trump and a card of the same colour as the trump suit, should pa.s.s; for if his adversaries adopt the trump, he will, in all probability euchre them; and if they reject it, he can make the trump next in suit, and the chances of scoring the point are in his favour.

As a general rule, the elder hand should not order up the trump unless he has good commanding cards, say Right Bower, king and ten of trumps, with an ace of a different suit, or Left Bower, king and two small trumps. The player at the right of the dealer should hold a very strong hand to order up the trump, because his partner has evinced weakness by pa.s.sing; and if the opposing side turn down the trump, his partner will have the advantage of first call to make a new trump.

a.s.sISTING.

Two court cards usually form a good "a.s.sisting" hand, but where the game is very close it is advisable to a.s.sist, even upon a lighter hand. If, for instance, the game stands four and four, the first hand will naturally order up if the suit turned is the best in his hand. The fact of his having pa.s.sed is, therefore, an evidence of weakness.

When, as dealer, and a.s.sisted by your partner, you hold a card next in denomination to the card turned up (whether higher or lower), play it as opportunity offers. If, for instance, you turn up the ace, and hold either the Left Bower or king, when a chance occurs play the Bower or king, and thus inform your partner that you have the ace remaining. The same policy should be adopted when your partner a.s.sists {75} and you have a sequence of three trumps, the trump card being the smallest of the three. In such a situation, play the highest card of the sequence; this will inform your partner that you hold the remainder of the sequence, and enable him to shape his play accordingly.

As a general rule, always a.s.sist when you can win two tricks.

TAKING UP THE TRUMP.

What const.i.tutes sufficient strength to take up the trump is a matter of considerable importance to the player. The object being to make a point, there must, of course, be a reasonable probability of securing three tricks, but the decision should, to a certain extent, depend upon the position of the game. If the dealer should be three or four towards game, while the opponents are one or two, the trump might be turned down, and the chances of winning the game still be not materially reduced; but if the position should be reversed the dealer would be warranted in attempting the hazard upon a light hand, as the prospects of defeat would be no greater than by adopting the opposite alternative. It is generally accepted as sound that three trumps, backed by an ace of another suit, are sufficient to attempt a point. If the game stands four all, it is better to take up the trump on a small hand than to leave it for the adversaries to make.

With the game three all, it is necessary to be very cautious in adopting the trump with a weak hand, because a euchre puts the opponents out. {76}

MAKING THE TRUMP.

Should the dealer turn the trump down, the eldest hand has the privilege of making it what he pleases, and the rule to be generally followed is, if possible, to make it next in suit, or the same colour as the trump turned.

The reason for this is evident. If the trump turned should be a diamond, and the dealer refuse to take it up, it is a fair inference that neither of the bowers is in the hands of your opponents; for if the dealer's partner had held one of them, he would in all probability have a.s.sisted; and the fact of the dealer turning down the trump also raises the presumption that he had neither of them. Then, in the absence of either bower, an otherwise weak hand could make the point in the same colour. For reverse reasons, the partner of the dealer would "cross the suit," and make it clubs or spades; for, his partner having evidenced weakness in the red suits, by turning a red card down, it would be but fair to presume that his strength was in the black suits.