CARD GAMES

SPECULATION

Speculation is a game at which any number of persons may play.  The stakes are made with counters or nuts, and the value of the stakes is settled by the company.  The highest trump in each deal wins the pool.

When the dealer has been chosen, he puts, say, six counters in the pool and every other player puts four; three cards are given to each person, though they must be dealt one at a time; another card is then turned up, and called the trump card.  The cards must be left upon the table, but the player on the left-hand side of the dealer turns up his top card so that all may see it.  If it is a trump card, that is to say, if it is of the same suit as the card the dealer turned up, the owner may either keep his card or sell it, and the other players bid for it in turn.  Of course, the owner sells it for the highest price he can get.

The next player then turns up his card, keeps it or sells it, and so the game goes on until all the cards have been shown and disposed of, and then the player who holds the highest trump either in his own hand or among the cards he has bought, takes the pool, and there is another deal.

Should none of the other players have a trump card in his hand, and the turn-up card not having been purchased by another player, the dealer takes the pool.

If any one look at his cards out of turn, he can be made to turn all three up, so that the whole company can see them.

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ALL FOURS

This game takes its name from the four chances or points of which it consists, namely, “High,” “Low,” “Jack,” and “Game.”  It may be played by two or four players, but the same rules apply to each.

The four points, which have been already mentioned, count as follows:  “High,” the highest trump out; the holder scores one point.  “Low,” the lowest trump out; the original holder of it scores one point even if it is taken by his adversary.  “Jack,” the knave of trumps; the holder scores one point, unless it be won by his adversary, in which case the winner scores one.  “Game,” the greatest number of tricks gained by either party; reckoning for each Ace four toward game, each King three toward game, each Queen two toward game, each Jack one toward game, each Ten ten toward game.

The other cards do not count toward game; thus it may happen that a deal may be played without either party having any to score for “Game.”

When the players hold equal numbers, the dealer does not score.

[Plate 4]

Begging is when the player next the dealer does not like his cards and says, “I beg,” in which case the dealer must either let him score one, saying, “Take one,” or give three more cards from the pack to all the players and then turn up the next card for trumps; if the trump turned up is the same suit as the last, the dealer must give another three cards until a different suit turns up trumps.  In playing this game the ace is the highest card and the deuce (the two) is the lowest.