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.
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 [pg 65]
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.
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.
Beggar My Neighbor
The cards are dealt equally to the players. The first player puts down
a card, face upward, upon the table. If it be a common card, that is, a
two, or three, or anything but a picture card or an ace, his neighbors
put down in turn their cards until a court card (that is, a picture
card or an ace) turns up.
If at last an ace be played, the neighbor of the one who plays it must
pay him four cards; if a king three cards, if a queen two, and if a
jack one. The one who played the court card also takes all the cards
that have been played, and puts them under his own pack. If, however,
in playing for a court card, one of the players puts down another court
card, then his neighbor must pay him, and he takes the whole pack
instead of the previous player. Sometimes it happens that a second
player in paying puts down a court card, and the third player in paying
him puts down another, and so on, until perhaps the fourth or fifth
player actually gets the cards in the end.
I Suspect You
This game may be played by any number of persons. As soon as the cards
have been dealt and the players have examined their hands, the one on
the left of the dealer plays the lowest card he has (the ace counting
lowest). He must place the card face downward on the table, at the same
time calling out what it is. The next player also puts down a card,
face downward, and calls the next number; for instance, if No. 1 puts
down a card and says "One," No. 2 says "Two," No. 3 "Three," and so on.
It is not necessary for the card laid down to be actually the one
called out. The fun of the game is to put down the wrong card without,
any one suspecting you. Naturally, it is not often that the cards run
straight on, as no one may play out of turn, and if one player thinks
another has put down the wrong card, he says, "I suspect you." The
player must then show his card, and if it should not be the one he
said, he must take all the cards laid down and add them to his pack;
if, however, the card happens to be the right one, then the accuser
must take the cards. The player who first succeeds in getting rid of
his cards wins the game.
Old Maid
From a pack of cards take out one queen, shuffle the cards and deal
them, face downward, equally among all the players. The cards should
then be taken, the pairs sorted out and thrown upon the table. By
"pairs" is meant two kings, or two fives, and so on. When all the pairs
have been sorted out, the dealer offers the remainder of his cards to
his felt-hand neighbor, who draws any card he chooses to select, though
he is only allowed to see the backs of them. The player who has drawn
then looks at the cards to see if he can pair it with one he holds in
his hand; if he can, he throws out the pair; if not, he must place it
with his other cards. It is now his turn to offer his cards to his
neighbor, and so the game goes on until all the cards are paired,
except, of course, the odd card which is the companion to the banished
queen. The holder of this card is "the old maid."
Pope Joan
This amusing game is for any number of players, and is played with a
wooden board which is divided into compartments or pools, and can be
bought cheaply at any toy shop for a small sum. Failing a board, use a
sheet of paper marked out in squares.
Before dealing, the eight of diamonds is taken out of the pack, and the
deal is settled by cutting the cards, and whoever turns up the first
jack is dealer.
The dealer then shuffles the cards and his left-hand neighbor cuts
them. The dealer must next "dress the board," that is, he must put
counters into the pools, which are all marked differently. This is the
way to dress the board: One counter to each ace, king, queen, jack, and
game, two to matrimony (king and queen), two to intrigue (queen and
jack), and six to the nine of diamonds, which is the Pope. On a proper
board you will see these marked on it.
The cards are now dealt round to the players, with the exception of one
card, which is turned up for trumps, and six or eight, which are put
aside to form the stops; the four kings and the seven of diamonds are
also always stops.
If either ace, king, queen, or jack happen to be turned up for trumps,
the dealer may take whatever is in the compartment with that mark; but
when Pope is turned up for trumps, the dealer takes all the counters in
Pope's compartment as well as those in the "game" compartment, besides
a counter for every card dealt to each player, which must, of course,
be paid by the players. There is then a fresh deal.
It is very seldom, however, that Pope does turn up for trumps; when it
does not happen, the player next to the dealer begins to play, trying
to get rid of as many cards as possible. First he leads cards which he
knows will be stops, then Pope, if he has it, and afterward the lowest
card in his suit, particularly an ace, for that can never be led up to.
The other players follow when they can; for instance, if the leader
plays the two of diamonds, whoever holds the three plays it, some one
follows with the four, and so on until a stop occurs; whoever plays the
card which makes a stop becomes leader and can play what he chooses.
This goes on until some person has parted with all his cards, by which
he wins the counters in the "game" compartment and receives from the
players a counter for every card they hold. Should any one hold the
Pope he is excused from paying, unless he happens to have played it.
Whoever plays any of the cards which have pools or compartments takes
the counters in that pool. If any of these cards are not played, the
counters remain over for the next game.
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.
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.If
the next player should chance to have another six, he plays it and says
"Snap," and the one who is snapped must pay in his turn, but the fine
is increased to two counters. Should the fourth player have the fourth
six, he plays it, and says, "Snorum," and the third player must now
pay; his fine is three counters to the pool. No person may play out of
his turn, and every one must "snip" when it is in his power. When any
one has paid the whole of his five counters to the pool he retires from
the game; the pool becomes the property of the one whose counters last
the longest.
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 kids. 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 all the kids can see them.
Texas Holdem Poker
Texas hold'em is one of the easiest forms of poker to learn to play.
Learning to master Texas holdem poker is another matter entirely, but
that challenge is part of what makes Texas hold'em so appealing. The
first thing you need to know to play Texas hold'em is the play of the
hand, that is, how each hand plays out. Complete learning instructions Texas
Holdem Poker and Texas
Hold'em
Party Supplies.
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