Enquire Within Upon Everything Part 15

[Calling a card is the insisting of its being played when the suit comes round, or when it may be played.]

x. If a player trump by mistake, he may recall his card, and play to the suit, if the card be not covered; but he may be compelled to play the highest or lowest of the suit led, and to play the exposed trump when it is called by his adversaries.

xi. If, before a trick be turned, a player discover that he has not followed suit, he may recall his card; but the card played in error can be called when the suit is played.

xii. Before a trick is turned, the player who made it may see the preceding trick.

[Only _one_ trick is to be shown; not more, as is sometimes erroneously believed.]

xiii. Before he plays, a player may require his partner to "draw his card," or he may have each card in the trick claimed before the trick be turned.

xiv. When a player does not follow suit his partner is allowed to ask him whether he has any card of the suit led.

xv. The penalty for a revoke--either by wrongfully trumping the suit led, or by playing a card of another suit--is the loss of three tricks; but no revoke can be claimed till the cards are abandoned, and the trick turned.

[Revokes forfeit three tricks from the hand or score: or opponents may add three to their score; partner may ask and correct a trick if not turned; the revoking side cannot score out in that deal.]

xvi. No revoke can be claimed after the tricks are gathered up, or after the cards are cut for the next deal.

[The wilful mixing up of the cards in such case loses the game.]

xvii. The proof of a revoke lies with the claimants, who may examine each trick on the completion of the round.

xviii. If a revoke occur on both sides, there must be a new deal.

xix. Honours cannot be counted unless they are claimed previous to the next deal.

[No omission to score honours can be rectified after the cards are packed; but an overscore, if proved, must be deducted.]

xx. Honours can only be called at eight points (in Long Whist), and at nine they do not count.

[In some Clubs, eight, with the deal, cannot call against nine.]

77. Short Whist

is the above game cut in half. Honours are not _called_ at any part of the game; but, as in Long Whist, they are counted by their holders and scored--except at the score of four. All the maxims and Rules belonging to the parent game apply to Short Whist.

78. Points at Short Whist.

The Game consists of Five Points. One for a Single--5 to 3 or 4; Two for a Double--5 to 1 or 2; Three for a Triple--5 to love. A Rubber--two Games successively won, or the two best Games out of three--counts for Two Points. Thus, if the first Game be won by 5 to 4, the Points are 1 to love; the second Game won by the opposite side by 5 to 1, the Points are then 1 to 2; the third Game won by the side which won the first, by 5 to love. The Points are then 6 to 2--a balance of 4. This is arrived at thus: the Single in the first Game, 1; the Triple in the third Game, 3; the Rubber (two Games of three), 2; together, 6. From this deduct 2, for the Double gained by the opponents in the second Game, which leaves 4, as above. Short Whist is usually played for points--say, a s.h.i.+lling, or a penny, for each point; two for the Game, and two for the Rubber.

[NONE ARE SO GOOD AS THEY SHOULD BE.]

79. Advice to all Players.

i. Count, and arrange your cards into suits; but do not always place your trumps in one particular part of your hand, or your opponents will discover how many you have.

ii. Attend to the game, and play as though your hand consisted of twenty-six instead of thirteen cards.

iii. In the second round of a suit, win the trick when you can, and lead out for your partner's high cards as soon as possible.

iv. Touch only the card you intend to play.

v. Retain a high trump as long as you can, to bring back your strong suit.

vi. With a weak hand, always try to secure the seventh or odd trick to save the game.

vii. Attend to the score, and play as if the whole fortune of the game depended on yourself.

viii. Remember the number of trumps out at every stage of the game.

Note, also, the fall of every court-card in the other suits, so that you are never in doubt as to the card that will win the trick.

ix. Hold the turn-up as long as you can, as by that means you keep your adversaries from knowing your strength in trumps.

x. Do not force your partner unnecessarily, as by that means you sometimes become his adversary instead of his friend.

xi. When in doubt, play a trump. Play the game in its integrity, and recollect that Whist is full of inferences as well as facts.

80. Cribbage.

The game of Cribbage differs from all other games by its immense variety of chances. It is played with the full pack of cards, often by four persons, but it is a better game for two. There are also different modes of playing--with five, six, or eight cards; but the best games use those with five or six cards.

[NIGHT IS NOT DARK TO THE GOOD.]

81. Terms Used in Cribbage.

i. _Crib._--The crib is composed of the cards thrown out by each player, and the dealer is ent.i.tled to score whatever points are made by them.

ii. _Pairs_ are two similar cards, as two aces or two kings. Whether in hand or play they reckon for two points.

iii. _Pairs-Royal_ are three similar cards, and reckon for six points, whether in hand or play.

iv. _Double Pairs-Royal_ are four similar cards and reckon for twelve points, whether in hand or play. The points gained by pairs, pairs-royal, and double pairs-royal, in playing, are thus effected:--Your adversary having played a seven and you another, const.i.tutes a pair, and ent.i.tles you to score two points; your antagonist then playing a third seven, makes a pair-royal, and he marks six; and your playing a fourth is a double pair-royal, and ent.i.tles you to twelve points.

v. _Fifteens_.--Every fifteen reckons for two points, whether in hand or play. In hand they are formed either by two cards--as a five and any tenth card, a six and a nine, a seven and an eight, or by three cards, as a two, a five, and an eight, two sixes and a three.

If in play, such cards as together make fifteen are played, the player whose card completes that number, scores two points.

vi. _Sequences_ are three or four more successive cards, and reckon for an equal number of points, either in hand or play. In playing a sequence, it is of no consequence which card is thrown down first; as thus:--your adversary playing an ace, you a five, he a three, you a two, then he a four--he counts five for the sequence.