The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1897-09-04
POKER is POPULAR.
Boston's Upper Circles Are Intent
on the Fascinating Game.


introduced.
Very few people outside certain cir
cles Of the Back Bay have any concep-
ton of the extent to which poker play
ing il carried in that section. Fhe
whole locality is divided into 'sets."
and it is customary for each one to hold
a session at his or her house nearly
every night in the week.
The usual hour for beginning play is
eight o'clock, and it is customary for
the ladies to dress for the occasion,
while the gentlemen not infrequentiy
al ray themselves in full evening cos
tune. The standard limit is ten cents,
one reason for making it SO small being
that the conscientious shall not feel
that they are gambling. Generally
there are three hours of play, after
which the hostess asks her guests to
light repast, consisting of sardincs,
crackers, cheese and sweetmeats. Bot
tied beer is the favorite beverage, but
there are instances on record where
something stronger has been indulged
in. A great many society people of
both sexes drink rum punch. lemcnade
dashed with whisky and plain gin. The
usual time devoted to refreshments is
IS minutes. as all are anxious to get at
the cards again.
1t frequently happens that seven and
eight players are present at sitting.
and when everybody "stays" the cards
fall short, which necessitates gather
ing up the dead wood" and filling out
the hands from it. There is we'll
grounded superstition that these dis
cards have been robbed of everything of
value and that to draw from them is
equivalent to throwing the chips into
a red hot stove. To in a measure meet
these exigencies II and IL spot cards
have been added, making the pack con-
sist of so cards instead of SO.
Another innovation is the ring
doodle" A ringdoodle is declared when
a hand has been called and fOurs are
shown. Then follows Il round of jack
pots, the holder of the winning hand
starting them. Blue chips are put up
to correspond with the number of play
ers. OF course, round of jack pots
would be equivalent to a ringdoodle,
but it comes easier to some players to
pay ON the installment plan. Then a
regular round of jacks is declared
when full hand is shown. Two are
never allowed to play in the modern
game. no matter how good their hands
may be. A jack pot always follows.
There are also buck jacks and jacks on
the slightest provocation. 1t has now
become the custom to make discount
of one red chip for every jack pot.
When the time has crept on toward
midnight the keeper of the kitty an
nounces that round of consolation
jacks will be played. The chips are di-
vided into q number of piles CORES
ponding with the number Of players,
and the extras are placed in the center
of the table with the individual contri-
buttons.
There are few sets audacious enough
to play 2O-cent limit, but it has not
yet transpired how they figure out
safety from the charge Of gambling.
When society plays poker there is al
ways a big supply of cards on hand.
If luck runs badly for player a new
pack is demanded, but it is rarely for
tune changes her plans.
Another characteristic Of society
poker is to be found in the limited mem
ory exhibited by the players. All the
winners are unanimously declared to
b. the lucliest persons alive that they
never lose, while at the four or five pre-
,ious sittings they have come out be-
hind every time. There can be no sys-
tenn in society poker, owing to the
small limit; it is virtually showdown,
and to those who are luckiest in draw
ing cards go the winnings. One of the
mysteries of an experienced poker play
er is how women can keep the run of
their cards and ut the same time carry
OF lively conversation about Mrs. So
snd-So's last baby, the coming changes
in balloon sleeves, tid-bits of scandal,
ETC.. but they do it, and the cases are
rare where the liveliest talker misses
coming into jack pot or sweetening.-
Boston Herald.