Round Games with Cards Part 5

_B_ bets one s.h.i.+lling and sixpence, _i.e._ raises _C_ a s.h.i.+lling.

He makes his stake equal to _C's_ and _A's_, and has exercised his right to increase it by a sum not exceeding the limit.

_C_, whose turn it now is again, adds two s.h.i.+llings to his stake, raising _B_ a s.h.i.+lling.

_A_ will not stake more, so relinquishes the game and his stake, placing his cards face downwards on the table.

_B_ adds one s.h.i.+lling to his stake, making it equal to _C's_, and _C_ is therefore compelled to show his hand. It happens to be better than _B's_, so _C_ claims _B's_ stake (two s.h.i.+llings and sixpence) and the pool (five s.h.i.+llings and sixpence); and the game is over.

_VALUE OF THE_ "_HANDS_."

The "hands" at Poker are as follows, in order of value:--

No. 1. _Sequence Flush_, or _Straight Flush_.--A sequence of five cards of the same suit. In sequences the ace is the lowest card, and therefore ace to five is the lowest possible sequence. Nine to king is the highest possible sequence, and if a "flush," _i.e._ all the cards of the same suit, is the best possible hand in Poker.

No. 2. _Fours_, or _Four of a kind_.--Four cards of equal value, and one other card of no value. Four aces take precedence, then four kings, etc.

No. 3. _Full Hand_.--Three cards of equal value, and two [39] cards of equal value (for instance, three queens and two aces). The relative values of two or more "full hands" are fixed by the threes they contain, the highest three taking precedence, without regard to the value of the other two cards. Thus, a "full hand" consisting of three tens and two fours, is better than a "full hand" consisting of three nines and two kings.

No. 4. _Flush_.--Five cards of one suit. The relative values of two or more "flush" hands depend upon the value of the cards they comprise, --the highest card taking precedence.

No. 5. _Sequence_, or _Straight_.--A sequence in value of cards, not being all of one suit. Nine to king is the highest sequence, and wins, of course, against any lower sequence.

No. 6. _Triplets_, or _Threes_.--Three cards of the same value, and two other cards which are of no value. Three aces are highest, then three kings, three queens, etc.

No. 7. _Two Pairs_.--Two sets of two cards each, of equal value (_i.e._ 2 knaves and 2 fours for instance), and one card of no value. The relative values of two or more "two pair" hands is decided by the highest pair. If two hands have equally high pairs, the value is decided by the second pair.

No. 8. _A Pair_.--Two cards of equal value, and three of no value.

Two aces are the highest pair.

If, when the cards are exposed after a game, no player holds any of the foregoing "hands," the player whose hand contains the card highest in value wins the stakes. If two or more players hold cards equally high in value, the player who holds the next highest card wins.

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_THE JACK-POT_.

If all the players reject their cards, declining to play, ante's stake remains in the pool; and the deal pa.s.ses to him. Before he deals, however, he and every other player must put into the pool a sum equal to the ante.

The next hand is called a Jack-pot, and the game cannot be opened by any player unless he has at least a pair of knaves in his hand. Any better hand ent.i.tles him to open the game of course, but he must have at least two knaves. If there be no players in a Jack-pot, the stakes still remain in the pool, every player again puts in a sum equal to the ante, and the deal pa.s.ses on as before. In this second Jack-pot, however, two queens is the lowest hand with which the game may be opened. If there are again no players, the pool is again replenished, and the next game cannot be opened with anything less than two kings; then the Jack-pot comes down to two knaves again, and continues the same series of minimum hands--2 knaves, 2 queens, 2 kings--until the game is opened by a player holding the requisite or a better hand. A Jack-pot having been opened, the winner takes the acc.u.mulated pool, and the succeeding game reverts to the ordinary conditions, _i.e._ may be opened by any player in his turn and without reference to his hand. If a player open a Jack-pot, and all the other players pa.s.s, he must, before he can claim the pool, show, by laying his cards face upwards on the table, that he really does possess the minimum hand necessary to open the game with. If he have the minimum hand, or better, he takes the pool; but if he have not, the next game is a Jack-pot, just as if the previous game had not been opened, and the player who opened the game improperly must pay a sum double that of the ante into the pool as a penalty.

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_MODIFICATIONS_.

Modifications of the game have been from time to time introduced, but few have any claim to permanence or popularity. The best known in this country are the Blaze and the Joker.

_The Blaze_ is an additional hand which consists of five court cards.

It takes precedence of two pairs, but is beaten by triplets.

The relative values of two or more blaze hands are fixed by the highest card, a hand containing ace or aces being best.

_The Joker_ is an additional card, sometimes included in the pack, and to which any value may be given by the player holding it. If for instance, a player hold king, queen, knave, and ten of hearts, and the joker, he may call the joker ace of hearts, and so claim a sequence flush.

The joker is a higher card, moreover, than the actual card whose name it takes, _i.e._ a joker which is called the king of spades is better than the real king of spades.

_TECHNICAL TERMS_.

For convenience of reference we annex explanations of the few technical terms used in Poker.

_Age_.--The eldest hand, _i.e._ the player to the left of the dealer.

Generally called the ante-man or "ante."

_Ante_.--The first stake in the game. It must be made before the cards have been dealt, by the player on the left of the dealer.

It is the only compulsory stake, and for this reason the amount is fixed, and is generally small. It must not exceed one half the limit.

The player to the left of the dealer is identified with his stake, and is familiarly called ante.

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_Bluff_.--To stake an unwarrantable sum on a weak hand for the purpose of inducing the other players to relinquish their stakes rather than continue betting. To pretend to have a good hand.

_Blaze_.--A hand consisting of five court cards (see p. 41).

_Chips_.--Counters. An American term, little used by English players.

_To chip_ means to stake chips, to bet.

_Call_.--To call the preceding player is to stake an amount equal to his stake (see p. 37).

_Discard_.--To throw away cards so as to receive others in exchange for them (see p. 35).

_Draw_.--To receive cards from the dealer in exchange for an equal number discarded.

_Eldest Hand_.--The player to the left of the dealer. See _Ante_.

_Foul Hand_.--A hand containing more or less than five cards.

Such hand must be relinquished, and the owner must retire from that game, losing any sum he may have staked.