The holder of the five of trumps, the knave of trumps, or the ace of hearts, enjoys the privilege of not being obliged to play them when a trump is led; but this privilege (which is called reneging) only holds when the trump led is a lower one. For instance, if the knave be led, the holder of the ace of hearts is obliged to play it.

VARIATIONS.

A very good game may be played by allowing the cards to retain their ordinary sequence. As this avoids confusion, it is more suitable for family play.

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_TWO TRICKS WIN_.

If five or more players are taking part in the game, it may be found desirable that the winner of two tricks shall take the pool, or partnerships can be formed; otherwise a long continuation of spoils may occur.

_FIVING_.

This variation is sometimes played when two persons, or two sets of partners are engaged in the game. It consists in allowing the non-dealer, providing he is not satisfied with his cards, to ask the dealer to "five"

it, when, if the dealer agrees, the trump card is removed, and the next card is turned up for trump. If that proves to be of the same suit as the original turn-up, the next is taken, and so on until a change occurs.

The right to five can only be exercised once each hand.

_JINKING_.

A variation is sometimes made by the introduction of "jinking." The winner of all five tricks receives from each player his original stake in addition to the amount in the pool; if, however, any player who has won three tricks goes on playing, thinking he can jink, and fails to do so, he loses the pool which he would otherwise have won for his three tricks.

_TWENTY-FIVE AND FORTY-FIVE_.

Instead of the game being finished in one hand, it may continue until one player makes twenty-five, or forty-five. In this case there are no spoils, and every trick scores five to the winner. Any player "jinking," _i.e._, winning the five tricks, wins the game.

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LOTO.

There are many varieties of Loto, with pictures, flowers, letters, etc., instead of numbers, which are known as Picture Loto, Botanical Loto, Spelling Loto, Geographical Loto, Historical Loto, and so on.

These are mostly games for children, and are played in exactly the same way as numbered Loto.

This game in England is usually regarded as an amus.e.m.e.nt for young children; but it is one capable of affording amus.e.m.e.nt to grown-up people, as may be seen by the interest shown in "Keno" by the Americans.

"Keno," or American Loto, is played in various places of public resort, by adults, for considerable stakes, and is esteemed capital practice in reading numbers rapidly and correctly.

The requisite paraphernalia for this game--which may be played by any number of persons, not exceeding twenty-four--are boxes containing 100 counters; 14 fishes, each of which is reckoned as 10 counters; 12 contracts, valued at 10 fish or 100 counters apiece; a pack of 24 very large cards with fifteen different numbers marked on each, and a bag containing 90 k.n.o.bs or discs, numbered from 1 to 90.

#==========================# #5 11 33 50 76 # #--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--# # 1722 43 65 89# #--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--# #2 2855 56 74 # #==========================# Fig. 1.

In addition, a board with ten cavities cut therein for the purpose of placing the k.n.o.bs as drawn, is required.

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A Loto card, on which are inscribed, in the manner shown in the diagram, numbers ranging from 1 to 90--five numbers on each line, is represented in fig 1. The units are arranged in the first column, the tens in the second, the twenties in the third, and so on.

The number of these cards supplied in a Loto box varies, but the general number is twenty-four, although sometimes there are only eighteen.

With twenty-four cards, each number appears in four different cards.

There are several different methods of playing this game, of which we will give the two princ.i.p.al ones. The first method makes it a game of chance and skill, or rather quickness in reading figures; and the second, purely a game of luck.

_First Method_.--Before commencing the game, a dealer has to be chosen, and his duties consist of shuffling the cards and dealing to each player one or more cards. The dealer is unable to join in the game, and is obliged to stand out.

Each player should stake a certain sum, which should be reserved for the winner; and a certain number of counters of no value, but merely to be used for covering the numbers as called, should be placed in the pool.

Sometimes each player contributes a certain number of counters to the pool, then each saves out of his stake the number of counters he has on his card or cards; and the winner obtains the money for his fifteen counters on his card, and receives in addition all the pool which remains.

In order to render the game still more interesting, the contributions to the pool should be so arranged that it is capable of being divided into four parts. Then a fourth part of the pool is won by the player who first succeeds in covering one horizontal row; another fourth part of the [110]

pool is won by the player who first succeeds in covering two horizontal rows, and the remaining half is reserved for the winner who first covers the whole of his card.

The dealer then, having deposited the 90 k.n.o.bs in a bag, draws them forth rapidly, one by one, and calls out the number which appears or the k.n.o.b in a clear tone.

The player, having the corresponding number on his cards or cards, who first answers to the number called, covers the number on the card or cards with one of the counters in the pool, which should be so placed on the table as to be available for the use of all the players.

The player who first succeeds in covering all the numbers on his card or cards wins the game.

_The Second Method_.--Every player should draw two cards, and deposit a stake previously agreed upon; and if the party is not too numerous, then any may take four or six cards, laying down a double or treble stake accordingly; and when the players are more than twelve, then some are only to have one card, paying half a stake, and likewise should the players not take all the cards among them, the remainder of the pack is to be laid aside until some other persons join the set. From the cards not taken, players may exchange one or more of those drawn, or they may change with one another; similar exchanges, if the company consent, may also be made previous to each drawing, and likewise prior to replenishing the pool.

Cards may be thrown up, or additional ones drawn from those put by; stakes being paid proportionably.

The stakes are to be put together in a pool, placed in the middle of the table, and also on the table there should be a quant.i.ty of counters sufficient for the number of cards taken; upon the counters a value is to be fixed adequate to the stakes first deposited, from the whole of which a sum [111] must be reserved, enough to pay, at the conclusion of the game, all the counters laid upon the table.

Then, after counting the 90 k.n.o.bs, so as to be certain they are right, the eldest hand shall first shake them well together in the bag, and afterwards draw out ten successively, not only declaring the number of each as drawn, but also placing the same conspicuously on the board.

As soon as a number is declared, each player having that number on one or more of his cards, is to take up counters, sufficient to lay one upon that number every time it occurs, and so on until the ten k.n.o.bs are drawn.

When only part of the pack is taken, and a number drawn happens not to be upon any player's card, then the players may put away that k.n.o.b till some person takes a card on which it is printed.

When ten k.n.o.bs are drawn out, every player examining the cards separately, and having only one counter upon any horizontal line, wins for that no more than the said counter, which is styled gaining by _abstract;_ where two counters are on the same horizontal line of a separate card, the player gains an _ambo_, and becomes ent.i.tled to five counters besides the two; when three are upon the same line, the player obtains a _terne_, and is to receive 25 additional counters; if four are on the same line, that is called a _quaterne_ winning 100 counters additional; when five occur on the same line, that makes a _quinterne_, gaining 250 additional counters, and the player is ent.i.tled to payment out of the pool for all the above-mentioned acquisitions previous to another drawing. Instead of giving counters, payment for the same may at once be made from the stock in the pool.

The k.n.o.bs are then to be returned, and the bag given to the next player in rotation, who is to shake the same, and draw, etc., as before stated.

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Whenever the pool is exhausted, the players must contribute again, according to the number of cards taken; and when it is resolved to finish the game, they agree among themselves to have only a fixed number of drawings more.