Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1892-04-06
A japanese Fa.hionabIe Game of

Cards.
from the London Timesl
The last number of the Transactions of
the Asiatic Society of Japan contains an
interesting paper by Major-General Pal
mer, R. E, describing Japanese game of
cards, which is said to be "the universal
rage" in Japan. 1t is called hama awase-
i. e., "pairing or matching of flowers ~
and, after having been confined for nearly
two centuries to the lower orders. who
played it in secret, it has now come to ex-
ercise an extraordinary fascination in all
classes of society, and General Palmer ex-
presses the conviction that it is entitled to
high place among games of cards.
1t is played with forty-eight cards, COM
posed of twelve suits of four cards each.
These suits are named and decorated after
the several kinds of flowers, etc., usually
associated by the Japanese with the months
of the year-such as Cpine Jsnuary), plum
(February), cherry CMsrch), maple (Octo-
berl, willow (November) There are GER
tain recognized colors and styles but out
side these the artist is free to decorate the
cards to his fancy, as by deer under tree,
birds in the branches, flying wild geese
and the like. The highest cards in the
pack are the four "brilliants," which are
the commanding cards of the january.
March, August and December suits. Al
ter these comes the commanding card of
the November suit, which is equal TO q
brilliant (twenty points, for counting up
the cards in hand at the end OF a round.
but is only worth one point at any other
time. Next come the commanding cards
nf tha nafniurr -
ond cards of the August and November
suits, making nine cards in all, each har-
ing value of ten points. These are fol-
lowed by ten cards, composed of the sec
ond cards of the suits for the frst seven
and the ninth and tenth months. and
count for I've points each. The remain
ing twenty-four cards are valued at only
one point each. As many az seven per
sons can play, but of these only three can
go into play at any one deal, and each
player plays his own game.
The dealer shuffies and the sitter on his
right cuts, the deal going round from right
to left; four consecutive cards are given
to each person, and the next three are
turned up on the table; then three more
are dealt to each player, and three are
again turned up-thus exhausting, with
six sitters, the whole pack. Each player
in turn has to declare whether he will play
or pay forfeit, the latter being calculated
on an elaborate system, which General
Palmer explains. The object in playing is
to use some card in the players hand to
pair with one on the table, and the game
goes on until the whole of the cards in the
pack are paired and captured The sys-
tenn of counting also seems highly compli-
Gated, and General Palmer's tables and
calculations show that he is quite correct
in describing the game as "bristling with
difficulties" He says, however, that 1t
embodies the features of all frst-clsss
games of cards, and demands long train
ing, good memory, good Judgment. skill
in calculating chances and great readiness
in counting. The element of chance en-
ters into it about to the same extent as in
the best western games. Those familiar
with poker say that the Japanese game
surpasses it as one of chance and skill
combined