(b) Accept them, and so "open the game."

If (a) he reject his cards, he throws them, face downwards, on the table, and is out of the game until the next deal.

If (b) he accept his cards, he must stake a sum at least twice the amount of ante. He may, of course, increase the ante by any sum not exceeding the limit; but it is not usual or advisable to do more than double the ante.

No. 2, who is the player on the left of No. 1, has now the same option.

He looks at his cards, and may reject them without staking (throwing them, in this case, face downwards, on the table), or he may accept them and elect to take part in the game. In this latter case he must stake a sum equal to that staked by his predecessor, or he may increase this sum by an amount not exceeding the limit.

Each succeeding player, including and ending with the [34] dealer, has, in his turn, the same privilege. He must either reject his cards and not play until the next deal, or accept them and stake a sum at least equal to that staked by his predecessor.

It is not advisable for any player to increase the stake on this first round, since to do so would probably cause succeeding players with moderate hands to reject their cards and not stake. The dealer or last player frequently, however, raises the stake with the object of inducing ante, who may hold a weak hand, to relinquish his initial stake.

Ante is the last to look at his cards, or in other words, has the last say.

If he pa.s.s, _i.e._ elect not to play, he throws his cards, face downwards, on the table, and retires from the game until the next deal, losing his original stake. If he accept his cards and elect to play, he must make his stake at least equal to that of the player on his right.

_If the ante has been straddled_, the player to the left of the straddler (or of the last straddler, if there be more than one) has the say, _i.e._ has the option of beginning the betting before the draw.

He may, after looking at his cards, either

(a) Throw them, face downwards, on the table, and elect not to play.

(b) Accept them and "open the game."

If he open the game, he must stake a sum at least equal to double the ante and straddles together, and he may also, if he choose, stake a further sum not exceeding the limit. Whichever he elect to do, the say afterwards pa.s.ses to the player at his left hand, who has a similar option; and so on round the table. The last straddler has thus the last say.

Beginning with ante, or with the first player on the left of the dealer, each player may then exchange all or any number of the cards he holds for others from the remainder [35] of the pack. He must first throw on the table, face downwards, the number of cards he wishes to exchange (this is called "discarding"), and the dealer then gives him an equal number from the top of the pack. Before exchanging any of his cards, however, each player must make his stake equal to that of ante, or of the last player.

It is not compulsory for a player to exchange all or any of his cards; but he must exercise or relinquish the privilege of doing so when his turn comes, once for all; and he cannot afterwards modify his choice, nor take back any card or cards he may have discarded.

Whether he exchange any of his cards, or whether he retains the hand first dealt out to him, each player must make his stake equal to that of ante, or of the last player, so that when all players have been supplied with, or refused, new cards, the stakes are all equal, and are all placed in the pool.

To give a practical ill.u.s.tration of this process, let us suppose that there are five players taking part in the game, that the ante is fixed at threepence, and the limit at a shilling. The players cut for deal, and the deal falls to _A_.

(No. 1) C / D (No. 2) ( ) (Ante) B ____/ E (No. 3) A (Dealer)

_B_ then is ante, _C_ No. 1, etc.

_B_ (ante) stakes threepence.

[36]

_C_, who has the right to straddle the ante does not do so, so no other player may.

_A_ then deals five rounds of one card each to each player, beginning with _B_, and then puts the remainder of the pack on the table.

_C_ (No. 1) then looks at his cards, elects to play, and stakes sixpence (double ante's stake).

_D_ (No. 2) looks at his cards, rejects them, throwing them face downwards on the table, and retiring from the game until the next deal.

_E_ (No. 3) looks at his cards, elects to play, and stakes sixpence.

_A_ (dealer) looks at his cards, elects to play, and stakes one shilling and sixpence (he must stake sixpence, but he raises the stakes by the maximum amount allowed).

_B_ (ante) looks at his cards, elects to play, and stakes one shilling and threepence, making his stake equal to _A's_. _B_ then discards two of his cards, places them face downwards on the table, and receives from _A_ two in their place.

_C_ (No. 1) adds a shilling to his stake, making it equal to _A's_ and _B's_, and throws down all his cards, receiving five new ones in their place.

_E_ (No. 3), rather than increase his stake to one shilling and sixpence, relinquishes his hand, throwing down his cards, and losing the sixpence he has already staked.

_A_ (dealer), who has already staked one shilling and sixpence, throws down one card and takes another in its place from the top of the pack.

There are now three players, _A_, _B_, and _C_, each of whom has staked one shilling and sixpence on his hand, and there is a sum of five shillings, including _E's_ first stake in the pool.

No. 1 then begins play by betting a sum not exceeding [37] the limit.

He may, if he choose, "stand," decline to bet until the next round, or he may throw his cards face downwards on the table and retire from the game, losing the money he has already staked. The turn then pa.s.ses to No. 2.

Let us suppose, in the first place, that he does bet.

The next player on his left must then--

(_a_) Make his stake equal to that of No. 1, in which case he is said to "call" No. 1, and he has the right to see No. 1's hand when the game is over, or--

(_b_) Make his stake greater than that of No. 1 by a sum not exceeding the limit, in which case he is said to "raise" No. 1; or--

(_c_) Resign the game, place his cards face downwards on the table, and lose the sum he has already staked.

Each player in succession has a similar choice. He must--

(_a_) Call the preceding player; or

(_b_) Raise the preceding player; or

(_c_) Resign his stake and the game.

If No. 1 had "stood," _i.e._ not bet when it was first his turn to play, he would have to do so when the turn came round to him again, or else relinquish his cards and his stake.

When all the stakes are equal, each player throws his cards face upwards on the table, and the player with the best hand takes the pool and all the stakes.

It will be seen thus that there is no play of the cards in Poker, as in most other card games. The best hand exposed wins the game and takes the stakes; and the play of the game consists in estimating the probable value of the opponents' hands as compared with the player's own hand.

[38]

To resume our ill.u.s.tration (page 36).

_C_ begins play by betting sixpence.

_A_ also bets sixpence, making his stake equal to _C's_, and by doing so is said to call _C_.