Having shuffled and cut a pack of cards, the dealer gives six to each player.  If there be two playing, he turns up the thirteenth card for trumps; if four are playing, he turns up the twenty-fifth.  Should the turn-up be a jack, the dealer scores one point.  The player next the dealer looks at his hand and either holds it or “begs,” as explained.

The game then begins by the player next the dealer leading a card, the others following suit, the highest card taking the trick, and so on until the six tricks have been won.  When the six tricks are played, the points are taken for High, Low, Jack, and Game.

Should no player have either a court card or a ten, the player next to the dealer scores the point for the game.  If only one trump should be out, it counts both High and Low to the player who first has it.  The first great thing in this game is to try and win the jack; next you must try and make the tens; and you must also try and win the tricks.

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SNAP

The pack of cards is dealt round, face downward, and each player packs his cards together, without looking at them, and then places them in front of him.

The first player then turns up the top card of his pack, the next does the same, and so on in turn; but, as soon as a player turns up a card corresponding in number to the one already lying, uncovered, on the table, one of the two to whom the cards belong cries, “Snap.”

Whichever succeeds in saying it first takes, not only the snap card of the other player, but all the cards he has already turned up, and also those he has himself turned up.  The cards he wins must be placed at the bottom of his own pack.

The one who succeeds in winning all the cards wins the game.  It is necessary to be very attentive and very quick if you want to be successful at this game.

There is a game very similar to the above called “Animal Snap.”  Each player takes the name of an animal, and instead of crying “Snap,” he must cry the name of the animal chosen by the player who turned up the last card.  For instance, suppose a five be turned up and a player who has chosen the name of “Tiger” turn up another five, instead of crying “Snap,” “Tiger” would be called if “Tiger” did not succeed in crying the other player’s name first.

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SNIP, SNAP, SNORUM

This is a first-rate game and very exciting.  Any number of players may take part in it, and the whole of the fifty-two cards are dealt out.

Each player has five counters, and there is a pool in the middle, which is empty at the commencement of the game.

The first player plays a card—­say it is a six—­then the one next to him looks through his cards, and if he has another six he puts it down and says, “Snip”; the first player must then pay a counter into the pool.