The LAWS of QUADRILLE.

85

the Affiftance of a King, has no Share in
this Distinction.

XXXVI. If one of the two Winners
has been paid for Matadores, the other
may likewife rightfully claim Payment,
notwithstanding they have not been de-
manded.

XXXVII. Matadores are only paid when
they are in the Hands of the Ombre, or of
the King his Ally, whether all in one Hand,
or separately in both.

XXXVIII. He, who plays Sans-prendre,
is obliged to name his Trump, notwith-
standing he has a sure Game in his Hand.

XXXIX. The Game, the Stake, the Re-
wards, and the Beetes have no fixed Time
fet for their Payment, but they may be
demanded several Deals after.

XL. You cannot recover the Miſtakes,
which may have been made in reckoning
the Value of Beetes, after the Deal, where-
in they were drawn, is over.

XLI. He, or they, who play and make
all the Tricks, are to be payed what has
been agreed upon for the Vole.

XLII. The Vole does not draw the
Beefles, which were not played for.

XLIII. He, who undertakes the Vole,
and does not make it, muſt pay as much
as he would have received, had he won
it.

XLIV. The

86 The COMPLEAT GAMESTER. Part I.

XLIV. The *Vole* is undertaken when, after having made fix Tricks, whether you play *Sans-prendre*, or with the Affiſtance of a King, the Card is played down for the ſeventh Trick.

XLV. When the *Vole* is once undertaken there is no going back.

XLVI. He, who ſpeaks in the Game to encourage his *Friend* to undertake the *Vole*, cannot pretend to it.

XLVII. He, who ſays any Thing to induce him to defiſt from undertaking it, muſt be *Beefted*.

XLVIII. It is not permitted to give Notice to your *Friend* that you have made fix Tricks.

XLIX. Thoſe, who defend the *Stakes*, muſt not comuſate their Game to each other, tho' the *Vole* is undertaken, nor muſt any one ſpeak the leaſt Word that concerns the Game.

L. He, who is *forced* to play with *Spadille*, cannot have any Pretenſions to the *Vole*.

LI. The *Vole* cannot be undertaken 'till the auxiliary King has appeared.

LII. You may, in caſe the auxiliary King does not appear, continue playing 'till the very laſt Card, without incurring the Penalty of thoſe, who miſs making the *Vole*.

LIII. Thoſe

The LAWS of QUADRILLE.

87

LIII. Thoſe, who make the Vole, if the auxiliary King has not appeared, 'till the laſt Trick, muſt not be payed it, even tho' the Queen of that Suit has made a Trick.

LIV. Thoſe, who, having undertaken the Vole, miffes making it, are nevertheless to take up the Stakes, Beefſes, &c. that were played for, and to be payed the Game, Rewards, Matadores, if they had them, and Sans-prendre, if ſo played.

LV. Thoſe who admit the Contre into the Game of Quadrille, muſt permit him, who offers to play ſo, before any other, who offers only to play Sans-prendre, even the Eldeſt Hand.

LVI. He, who playing Sans-prendre, undertakes the Vole, and miffes making it, muſt pay to each of his Opponents the Due for the Vole; nor is he to be payed either the Sans-prendre or Matadores, if he had them, nor even the Rewards, nor the Game; neither does he draw the Stakes; but he is not to be Beefſed, except he loses the Game, in which Case, he muſt pay to each Player, besides the Forfeit of miffing the Vole, what he was to have had for winning the Game, and be Beefſed for as much as was played for.

LVII. He, who plays, and does not make three Tricks, is to be Beefſed alone, and

88 The COMPLEAT GAMESTER. Part I.

and must likewise pay alone all that is to be payed; and if he makes no Trick at all, he must, besides That, pay to his two Adversaries the Vole, but not to his Friend, left the Allurement of that Gain might intice the Friend, when he sees the Game desperate, or past Recovery, to play against him, whom he ought to defend.

LVIII. When you play the Game called au Roy rendre, or, the King surrendered, he to whom his King is surrendered, must, to win, make fix Tricks alone. As to all the rest, he wins or loses by himself.

LIX. Whoever refuses to play out the Number of Tours agreed upon at first, ought to pay all the Losings, and the Cards.

LX. But in Cafe his Absence is absolutely required upon any important Occasion; the Party may be put off till another Opportunity, taking a Memorial of the Condition in which the Game was left.

PICQUET.

TAKE a Pack of Cards, and throw
out all the Duces, Trays, Fours,
Fives, and Sixes. You are to play with
he reft, which will amount to thirty-two.

Or, you may buy Packs of *Picquet*-Cards
at the Card-Makers, which contain no
more than what are used.

After you have fettled what you play for,
you are to agree how much ſhall make Up;
for this is in the Choice of the Gameſters:
The common way of playing it, is a Hun-
dred Up; and this ſeems to be the beſt
Game, becauſe a Re-Picque generally wins
the Game.

The next thing you are to to do, is,
to Cut who is to Deal ; for you muſt ob-
ſerve, that at this Game the Dealer has a
great Difadvantage. He who ſhews the
loweſt Card in cutting, is the Dealer.

A Man may cut as many, or as few
Cards as he pleafes, provided it is no more
than one ; but one Card is no Cut.

And if by Accident it ſhould happen,
that in Cutting, ſome of the Cards ſhould
drop out of your Hand, and ſome remain
(which often falls out thro' haſte) you
muſt take no Notice of the Cards that fall,
but the Cut muſt be decided by that Card

which

90 The COMPLEAT GAMESTER. Part I.
which remains in your Hand with the
reft.

In reckoning up your Point, every Card
is reckoned for as much as it bears ; as
Ten for Ten, Nine for Nine, and so down
to the Seven, which is the lowest. Ob-
serve, that, an Ace is always reckoned for
Eleven.

You must observe also, that all Court-
Cards are reckoned for Ten.

And when you come to play the Cards,
their Value is in the same Degree; as, the
Ace wins the King, the King the Queen,
and the Queen the Knave, the Knave the
Ten, and so down.

When the Deal is decided, the Dealer
is to shuffle the Cards, and offer them to
the other to be cut.

If in Cutting he should scatter, or any ways
displace the Cards, they are to be shuffled
and cut again.

If the Person who does not deal has a
mind to shuffle the Cards, he may; but
the Dealer is to give them the last Shuffle.

The Dealer may distribute the Cards, by
4, by 3, or by 2 at a time, as he pleases,
till he has dealt 12 a-piece; but he must
always go thro' the Deal to the end, with
the same Number as he begins.

But because this changeable Way of
dealing sometimes may give Offence, the

Cards

PICQUET.

91

Cards are generally dealt at this Game by 2 and 2; and it seems best so.

When the Dealer has done, he is to lay the Stock just in the middle; when they come to examine their Game, if one of them should find that he has not one Court-Card in his Hand, he is to declare that he has *Carte-blanche*: Then he is to tell how many Cards he will lay out, and desire the other to discard, that he may show him his Game.

When the other has discarded, he who has *Carte-blanche*, is to show his Game up on the Table, that the other may be satisfied it is so; then he is to reckon ten for his *Carte-blanche*, and to discard, in order to play his Game: But he must lay out the same Number of Cards he declared.

The *Carte-blanche* is the first thing recognized, and therefore prevents a *Picque* and *Re-Picque*.

When each has his Number of Cards, that is 12, there remains 8, which (as we said before) are to be laid in the middle; then he, who is to play first, may take 5, which is a great Advantage, and leave but 3 to the Dealer.

But he is not obliged to take 5, for that is to be at his Choice, or according to the Disposition of his Game; he may take in but 2, 3, or 4, observing to discard just the same Number.

92 The COMPLEAT GAMESTER. Part I.

When he takes lefts than five, he may
see the rest of them, and lay them again
upon the Stock.

Then the other may take all that is left,
or what Number of them he pleases, ob-
ferving to discard as many; he may also
look on the Cards he leaves, and the other
may likewise see them, if he declares first
what Card he will lead.

But take notice, that he is obliged to
lead the Card he names.

And if by mistake, or otherwife, he
should promise to lead a Card of a Suit which
he had not in his Hand, he is obliged to play
what Card the other shall appoint him.

Observe that both the Dealer and he
that leads, are obliged to discard at least
one, let their Games be ever so good.

After both have discarded and taken in,
the eldeft Hand is to examine what Suit he
has most Cards of; then he is to reckon
how many Points he has in that Suit, and
ask the other if so many are good: If the
other cannot reckon as many in that, or
any other Suit, he tells one for every ten.
An Example will make this plain.

If the Eldeft Hand has Ace, King, Queen,
and Knave of any Suit, he asks, *Are 4* \*good?\*
(We told you before that an Ace
was counted for 11, and every Court-Card
for 10.) If the other cannot reckon up as
many,

PICQUET.

93

many, he is to tell 4 for them; so if he had 50, he is to tell 5, if 60, 6, and so on.

But suppose 35 in either Hand should be good, he who has them is to rec-
kon as much as for 40, that is to say, 4;
and the fame for any Number betwixt 35,
and 40; but for any Number lefs than 5
nothing is reckoned: As for 41, 42, 43,
or 44, you reckon but 4; so that by this
you see there is as much reckoned for 35, as
for 40, viz. 4: The Rule is the fame in all
Numbers betwixt 50, 60, &c.

He who reckons most in this manner,
is said to win the Point; when the Point
is over, each is to examine what Cards
he has in his Hauds of the same Suit, which
are Sequents: These are called, either Tierces,
Quartes, Quintes, Sixiemes, Septiemes, or
Huitiemes, according to their Number and
Value.

These Words may found a little like
Conjuring, to Persons who do not under-
stand them; but they are only the French
Terms, which we make use of, because
English will not exprefs the same thing in
one Word.

First, a *Tierce* is when three Cards fol-
low one another in Degrees of Value as
Ace, King, Queen; and are worth 3 :
If you add a Knave to these, it is called

a

94 The COMPLEAT GAMESTER. Part I.
a Quart, and is worth 4; add a 10, and
it is called a Quint; a 9, and it is cal-
led a Sexieme; a 7, and it is called a Sep-
tieme; an 8, and it is called a Huitieme.

The Word Tierce is from Trois, three;
Quart, from Quatre, four; Quint, or
Quinze, fifteen: Tho' by a Corruption
of Pronunciation we call it Kent, and the
Word Sixieme, is the fixteenth; Septieme,
from Sept, seven; Huitieme, from Huit,
eight.

Every Tierce is not worth three Points,
the Quart four, the Quintes fifteen, the
Sixieme is worth fixteen, the Septieme seven-
teen; the Huitieme eighteen; so that the
Signification of the Terms instruct you
what these things are worth, when you
have them in your Hand.

You must observe, that these Sequents
of Cards must be of the same Suit, o-
therwise they are of no Value.

These Tierces, Quarts, Quintes, &c. are
distinguished in Dignity by the Cards they
begin from ; as for Example, Ace,
King, and Queen, are called Tierce-
Major: King, Queen, and Knave, are
called Tierce to a King; so Knave, Ten
and Nine, are called Tierce to a Knave; so
every Quart, Quint, or Sixieme, that
begins from an Ace, is called Quart,
Quint, or Sixieme-Major: When they be-
gin

PICQUET.

95

gin from another Card, they are named
from that Card.

Observe, that he who has the best *Tierce*, *Quart*, *Quint*, &c. being that which takes its Descent from the best Card, though he has but one, and the other has many inferior, the best shall set all the others aside, and render them of no Value.

So if one Person has a *Tierce*, or *Quart-Major*, and two or three inferior ones, the *Tierce-Major* shall make all the Small ones good.

For Example, if one has *Tierce-Major*, and a *Tierce of a Knave*, and another to a Ten in his Hand, and the other has a *Tierce to a Queen*; he who has the *Tierce-Major* shall reckon not only That, but the two Small ones also, and the *Tierce to a Queen* in the other Hand is worth nothing.

So a *Quart* in one Hand sets aside a *Tierce* in another; and so of the rest, the Highest renders the Lowest good for nothing; and he who has a *Sixieme* in his Hand that is good, may reckon *Tierces*, or *Quarts*; and if the other has a *Quint* at the same time, it is set aside.

And so it is of *Septiemes*, *Huitiemes*, &c. when you have one of These good in your Hand, it gives a Value to all the rest.

When these are told, you are to examine
how many Aces, Kings, Queens, Knaves,

or

96 The COMPLEAT GAMESTER. Part I.
or Tens, you have in your Hand; but no
Number lefs than Three of any of theſe are
good for any thing, but Three of any of
theſe are worth Three: As for the Nines,
Eights, and Sevens, you are allowed no-
thing for them.

Obferve, that the Cards are in the fame
Degree of Value here, is in every other
Part of the Game; that is to ſay, the Aces
are beſt, then the Kings, Queens, and
Knaves, and laſt of all the Tens.

If one has in his Hand 3 Aces, 3 Knaves,
and 3 Tens, and the other 3 Kings; he
who has the Aces, ſhall tell all his Threes,
and the Kings are good for nothing. Thus,
among Cards, as well as Men, The Great
overcomes the Small.

He who has 4 Aces, 4 Kings, 4 Queens,
4 Knaves, or 4 Tens, reckons 14, for
them: And this is called a Quatorze, that
is, provided they are good.

Four Aces muſt be always good, the reſt
are good but as it happens; 4 Tens muſt
be good, if the other has not 4 of any
thing else.

If there are 4 Knaves, or Tens, in one
Hand, 3 Aces, or Kings, &c. are not to
be told in another Hand.

Thus when you have reckoned all your
Game that is to be told in Hand; he, whoſe
Right is to play firſt, begins to play down:

And

PICQUET

97

And every Card he plays down, above the Degree of a 9, he tells 1 for: but for a 9, and to downwards, he can reckon nothing; then the highest Card of a Suit always wins the Trick.

If two Cards of different Suits are played, that which leads wins the Trick, tho' the first was but a 7, and the last an Ace.

It is not the Person that wins the Trick who always reckons for it, and in some Cases both reckon 1, for the fame Trick; I shall explain this Matter.

If the Person who leads, plays a tenth Card, he reckons 1, for it as soon as he plays it down; if the other plays another Card that is higher, he wins it, and also reckons one; thus they both reckon for the fame Trick.

If the Leader plays an 8, or 7, he reckons nothing, and if the Follower should win it with a 9, he reckons nothing; for, as I said before, no Card under a 10 can count at this Game: Nevertheless that Trick serves towards winning of the Cards.

But observe, that the Follower, that is, he who plays last, never reckons for his Card unless he wins the Trick.

And observe too, that there is one Exception to a Rule I laid down before, which

F

is,

98 The COMPLEAT GAMESTER. Part I.
is, that he who wins the last Trick rec-
kons 1 for it, tho' it be won with a 9,
8, or 7; if it be won with a 10, or up-
wards, he reckons 2 for it.

When the Cards are played out, each is
to count his Tricks; and he that has most,
is to reckon 10 for winning the Cards:
If they have Tricks alike, neither is to rec-
kon any thing.

When the Deal is finished, each is to
mark up, what he got by the Deal; and so
at the End of every Deal, till the Game is
finished.

When the Game is at an End, you are
to cut again for the Deal, if you play on;
and so every Game you play.

Sometimes it is agreed to play a certain
Number of Games, and to deal alternative-
ly to the End of those Games. As for Ex-
ample, viz. When it happens that both Par-
ties are within a few Points of being up,
the *Carte-blanche* is the first thing that rec-
kons.

If there be no *Carte-blanche*, the Point
is the first thing.

The second thing is the Sequents, as *Tier-
ces, Quarts, Quints, &c.* The next to those
to be rekoned, are the Threes, or *Quatorzes*;
as 3 Aces, or 4 Knaves, or Tens, Queens,
or Kings.

As

## PICQUET.

99

As for Instance, if both Parties should be 95 of the Game, and one has in his Hand 45, or 50, for Point; which we will suppose to be good: and the other a Quint, or a Quatorze of Aces, he who has the Point wins the Game; because, as I said before, it is to be reckoned first; and the rest have the same Preference according to their Ranks, as is already shewn.

If one be 99 of the Game, before he plays down the first Card; he plays it up, if it be a tenth Card, tho' he loses the Trick.

If the Parties are 99 each when they are to play down, the Leader must win the Game, if he plays a tenth Card; because he tells as soon as he plays down, the other cannot till after the Trick is won.

## Of the REPICQUE.

HE who without playing down, (that is, in Carte-blanche, Points, Quints, Quatorzes, &c.) can reckon up 30 in Hand, when the other has reckoned nothing, reckovs 90 for them; and this is called a Repicque.

If he can make up above 30 in Hand, he reckons as much above 90; as if he has

F 2

32,

100 The COMPLEAT GAMESTER. Part I.
32, 33, or 34; he reckons 92, 93, 94,
and so on.

Of the PICQUE.

HE who can make up 30, part in Hand,
and part by Play, before the other
has told any thing, reckons them for 60;
and this is called a *Picque*.

It must be observed here, that when he
makes his 30, if he should by Mistake,
omit saying 60, and reckon only 30, and
so go on with 31, 32, and then playing
the Cards out so, he should afterwards re-
collect his Error, and reckon 30 more for
the *Picque*; he is not to lose the Benefit
of his *Picque*.

But, if he has marked up his Game;
and the Cards are cut, and distributing for
tl. Deal following, it is too late to recall,
and his Game must stand as it is marked.

!! Of the CAPOT.

HE who wins all the Tricks, instead of
reckoning 10, which is his Right for
winning the Cards, reckons 40, and this
is called a *Capot*.
I should

PICQUET.

I 0 R

I should have observed before, that when-
ever the Points, the Tierces, Quartes, or
Quints, are equal in both Hands, neither
is to reckon any thing for them; tho' at
other Games an Advantage in this Case is
given to the first in Play, or the eldest
Hand.

Accidents which happen at this GAME,
and the Penalties which attend it.

FIRST, if the Dealer by Mistake, or
otherwise, should give a Card too
many, or too few, it is at the Election of
the Eldest Hand, either to play the Game,
or make him deal again.

If the Eldest, having 13 Cards dealt
him, resolves to play (you must observe,
there can be but 7 Cards in the Stock, if
the Dealer has his 12) in this Case he
must lay out 5 Cards, and take in but 4.

If he plays when he has but 11 Cards
dealt, he must lay out a Card less than what
he takes in.

And the Dealer is to do the same, if 11
or 13 Cards fall into his Hand; but it is
only in the Choice of the Eldest to play,
or make him deal again.

F 3

IF.

102 The COMPLEAT GAMESTER. Part I.

If one should have 15, or but 9 Cards dealt him, which may happen when the Dealer does not think of what he is doing; in this Case the Cards must be dealt again, and neither have Power to hinder it.

He that has a Carte-blanche, Point, Quints, or Quatorzes, in his Hand, and plays down a Card before he remembers to name it, loses the Benefit thereof; and so he does of every thing that is to be told in Hand, if he does not name them before he plays down.

If one Party names his Point, and the other allows it to be good; if he does not remember to shew it before he plays down a Card, it is good for nothing to him, and he must not reckon it.

So it he should name Tierces, Quarts, or Quints, and not shew them before he plays down, he loses the Advantage of rec-
koning them.

On the other Hand, when this happens,
the Dealer shall tell his Points, Tierces, Quarts,
or Quints, &c. tho' they are not so good
as the others.

But he must likewise shew them before
he plays down to the Leader's Card, other-
wife he loses the Right of reckoning them,
as well as the other.

He that has Threes, or Quatorzes of Aces,
Kings, Queens, Knaves, or Tens, is not
obliged to shew them. If

PICQUET.

103

If one should count a *Three*, or *Quatorze*,
which he has not in his Hand, tho' he laid
it out by Mistake, or otherwife; if the o-
ther finds it out at any time before the Cards
are cut for the next Deal, he cuts him off
from all he reckoned, and he is to count
nothing that he got by that Deal.

If the eldest should count 3 Aces when
he laid out 1 of them, and the other
3 Kings, or any thing else; he shall count
his 3 Kings, tho' he does not discover the o-
ther's false Reckoning till the End of the Deal.

Observe, that tho' he who reckons false,
can count nothing by the Deal; yet what
he has in his Hand may hinder the other,
and save a Picque, or a Repicque.

As for Example, he who counts 3 Aces
false, and has a *Quint-Major* in his Hand;
tho' he cannot count for it, yet it cuts the
other off from counting any inferior *Quint*,
*Quart*, or *Tierce*.

He that takes in a Card more than he
lays out, incurs the fame Penalty, and counts
nothing.

But he that takes in a Card less than he
lays out, may count his Game.

He that has a Card less than his Num-
ber, must play Card for Card with the o-
ther, as long as his Cards last.

When one has 12 Cards, and the other
but 10; if he who has the 12 Cards, should

F 4

win

104 The COMPLEAT GAMESTER. Part I.
win 10 Tricks successtively, then he has
2 Cards left in his Hand, which we will
suppose to be the King of Spades, and
any small Card of another Suit; the Other
has but 1 Card, which we will suppose
to be the Ace of Spades: If the first plays
his small Card, the other must play the
Ace of Spades to it. Thus he suffers a
Capot for want of another Card; and this
seems just, because it was his own Fault
that he wanted a Card.

When a Card is once played out of
Hand, it cannot be taken up again, unless
it be in the Cafe of a Renounce; if then, by
mistake, one should throw down a Card of
a different Suit when he has one of the
fame in his Hand, he may take it up again,
and play down the other.

If the Leader should play a King, and
the other having the Ace of the fame Suit
in his Hand, should in surprize play a small
Card of the fame sort, he cannot recall it,
but must be content to lose the Trick.

If one Person has 3 Aces in his Hand,
and by Negligence should count 3 Kings
instead of his Aces, he counts nothing that
Deal.

Provided, he does not recollect his Mistake before he plays down his first Card; if he does, in all the aforementioned Cafes he faves the Penalty.

If

PICQUET.

105

If when the Deal is half played out, one of the Parties expecting to win no more Tricks, should throw up the Cards, and mix them with the reft; if he repents after, and would take his Cards up again, he is not allowed: But if they are not mixed with the reft, he may take them up again, and play out the Deal.

When the Cards are played out, except 2 or 3 on one Side, and one supposing the other's Cards to be better than his own, should throw them down; but finding himself mistaken, he takes his Cards up again after, he shall be obliged to play which of the 3 Cards the other directs him.

It is not allowed in any case to discard twice: As for Example:

He who takes in first, lays out 4 Cards; therefore he is to take in but 4: If by the outside, or any other Means, he should know the 5th to be a good Card, and offer to lay out another in order to take it in, the other must not allow him to do it.

And the Rule is the same in respect of the Dealer : If he does not take all the Cards that are left him, after he has once discarded, and taken in, he can discard no more, tho' he has not looked on the Cards he takes in.

Nor is it allowed before discarding, to look to examine the Cards you are to take in, even on the outside, left they should be known by their Backs.

F 5

He:

106 The COMPLEAT GAMESTER. Part I.

He that takes in first, should always tell how many he leaves, if he does not take in all his 5; that the other may discard accordingly.

He that takes in a Card too many, and perceives it before he looks on them, may turn it back again.

Unlefs he mixes them with the rest of his Game; in which case he loses the whole Profit of that Deal, and reckons nothing as is observed before.

If any one takes the Cards to deal when it is not his Turn, and should deal them all out; and if the other has examined his Cards, provided he that dealt by Miftake has not looked on his Cards also; he may throw them up to be dealt by the other.

If the Person who is to speak first, should shew a Point, or a Tierce, Quart, or Quint, &c. or a Three, or Quatorze of any thing, which the other two should allow to be good; if, after this, he should find he was miftaken, and that he has a Better of that fort than the Eldeft shewed, he may count it afterwards : And he suffers nothing by this Miftake, provided there be not a Card played down.

The Carte-blanche, as we told you before, is always first told, and must be shewed upon the Table, whether in the Hand of the Dealer, or of the other.

He

PICQUET.

107

He that has nothing in his Hand but the
Carte blanche, faves 'a Picque or a Repicque.

If you should have in your Hand 3 Aces,
3 Kings, 3 Queens, 3 Knaves, or 3 Tens,
and in discarding lay out 1 or either of
these, you are to count but 3: Then the
other may ask you which Ace, which
King, &c. you laid out, and you are ob-
liged to tell him; and if he requires it,
you must shew him which you laid out.

If it should happen that the Pack should
be false, (as sometimes there may be 2
Cards of a fort) when it is found out, that
Deal goes for nothing; but if you have
played several Deals before, with the same
Pack, they are all good.

If the Pack should be found false, the very
first Deal you play you must adjust the Pack,
and begin again; but you are not to cut again
for Deal, for the first Cutting stands good.

Every Gamester is to lay his Difcard near
himself, which he has the Liberty of look-
ing on as often as he pleases.

He that cuts the Cards is not to look at the
bottom; if he should, forgetting what he was
about, they must be shuffled and cut again.

When the Cards are cut neatly, that is,
without scattering or displacing, and nei-
ther have seen the Bottom; if the Dealer
by some outward Mark should know it to
be a bad Card for him, and should desire

F 6

the

108 The COMPLEAT GAMESTER. Part I.
the other to cut again, he ought not to
confent; and the Cafe is the fame if he
that cuts should happen to know it to be
a good Card for the Dealer: For the Cards
are never to be cut twice, but in the Cafes
before mentioned.

Whoever is found taking a Card in, that
he had laid out before, loles the Game.

When, by Mistake, one has taken a
Card in, more than he had laid out, and to a-
void the Penalty, which is, of reckoning
nothing that Deal, he should attempt fe-
cretly to lay it out again, he is to lose the
Game.

This Game is always played with Lur-
ches, unless it be first agreed on to the
contrary; that is, when the Loser cannot
make up 50, before the other wins the
Game, he is to pay him double.

If they play for a Guinea a Game, he that
is lurched loses Two.

Of the POOL.

THE Pool is another way of playing
Picquet, only invented for Society;
it is in every respect played the same way
with the other Game; but it is a Con-
trivance to bring in a Third. As for Ex-
ample: Three

PICQUET.

109

Three Persons are to cut, he who cuts the highest Card, stands out the first Game, for it is held an Advantage to be out first. Then the others are to cut for Deal, as is before directed; if they play for Guineas, they are to lay down a Guinea a-piece, which makes 3 Guineas: Then he who loses the first Game lays down a Guinea more, and goes out, and he who stood out before, fits down. If the first Game after beats him also, he sweeps the Board, which is called winning the Pool: And the Loser must lay another Guinea to it.

But if he who won the first Game, loses the second, he pays his Guinea, and makes room for the other: Thus it goes round sometimes, till the Pool amounts to a great Sum.

You must observe, the *Pool* is never won, till one Person gets two Games successfully.

Every Person that loses a Game, lays down a Guinea to the *Pool*.

When any Person is lurched at this Play, he lays down one Guinea to the *Pool*, and pays another to him who lurched him.

This is all that can be said upon Picquet; the Directions are ample enough to instruct any Person in the Game. As to the Art of Playing well, in order to win, which confits chiefly in playing the Cards, I think it cannot be demonstrated any way by Direction. It is a Science which must be acquired

II0 The COMPLEAT GAMESTER. Part I.
quired by Practice, or by obferving Thofe
who are very expert in it.

The FRAUDS of PICQUET.

PICQUET is now become so common,
that even the meaneft People have
been infructed, and let into all the Tricks,
and Secrets of it, in order to render them
compleat Shapers. This Game is liable to
great Impofition.

Breef-Cards may be ufed here for Cutting,
as they are at Whisk. Of These there are
two forts; One longer, than the reft. And
the Advantage gained by them, is as the Ad-
verfary manages it, by Cutting the longer,
or broader, as beſt ſerves his Purpofe, or im-
poſing upon the Dealer when it is his Turn,
to Cut thofe which make moſt againſt
them.

I ſhall next mention ſome things relating
to Picquet, which are equally applicable
to all other Games at Cards, viz. Marked
Cards.

It cannot be denied, that to know the
Aces, Kings, Queens and Knaves, is the
principal Part of this Game; and all other
Games at Cards, eſpecially, ſince by this
means, any Card you deſire may be ſecured
at Pleaſure.

First.

PICQUET.

III

First then, I shall show how I have known
Cards marked.

I. Aces with one Spot, at the opposite Corners, thus

A

II. Kings with Two Spots, thus

K

III. Queens with one Spot, transferred, thus

Q

IV. Knaves with Two Spots thus

K

The next Difficulty will be to mark the
Cards in such a Manner, that They may
not be discovered by your Adversary, and
at the same time appear plain to your Self,
which is to be thus effected.

Make a fine pointed Pen, and take some
clear Spring-Water, and make your Dots
upon the glazed Cards at the Corners according
to the Directions above, and they
will pass if they are well done; you may
Colour your Water with Indian-Ink to
make the Marks more or less conspicuous,
as you will best judge by your Eye.

Thirty-

II2 The COMPLEAT GAMESTER. Part I.

*Thirty-two Cards* are the Number made use of at *Picquet*, so that just half of them will be *known* to you; and in *Dealing* you may have an opportunity to give your self those you *like* best; and if you cannot conveniently *change* the *Pack* according to your Desire, you will commonly *know* what you are to *take in*, which is a demondstrative Advantage to win any one's Money.

All we shall add, is, Mr. Wycherley's witty *Simile* on this GAME, viz.

In COURTS, as at PICQUET, a shuffling King, Does the Top Cards, oft to the Bottom bring; And in Courts too, as at Picquet, we've seen Good Cards discarded, and worse taken in.

BASSET

BASSET.

THIS is reckoned one of the moft Po-
lite Games on the Cards; and only
fit for Persons of the Firft-Rank to play
at; by reafon of ſuch great Loffes, or
Advantages, as may poffibly fall on one
Side or other.

It is, in its Manner, pretty much like
*The Royal-Oak-Lottery*; and as *That*, by
the *Lottery-Man's* having 5 Chances, in
the 32 Figures, muſt certainly ſtrip all Ad-
venturers in a long Run, ſo the *Dealer*,
who keeps the *Bank*, at *BASSET*, hav-
ing the ſole Diſpoſal of the firſt and laſt
Card, and other confiderable Privileges in
*Dealing* the *Cards*, has (without doubt)
a greater Proſpect of gaining than thofe
who Play: This was a Truth ſo acknow-
ledged in *France*, that the *King* made a
public Edict, that the Privilege of a Tal-
liere, or one who keeps the *Bank* at *Baffet*,
ſhould only be allowed to Principal-Cadets,
or Noblemen's Sons, ſuppoſing, that who-
ever kept the *Bank*, muſt in a very ſhort time
acquire a confiderable Eſtate.

But all other Persons, for fear of ruining
private Families, were, *There*, confined Po-
litically

114 The COMPLEAT GAMESTER. Part I.
litically to a Twelve-penny Bank; tho'
Here, they have the Liberty offtaking what
they pleafe.

*An Explanation of the TERMS of BAS-
SET, viz.*

1. THE *Talliere*, is the *Bank-Keeper*; who lays down a Sum of Money before all that Play, to anſwer every winning Card which ſhall appear in his course of Dealing.

2. The *Croupiere* is one who is affiftant to the *Talliere*, and ſtands by to ſuperviſe the loſing Cards; that when there are a confiderable Company at Play he may not loſe by overſeeing any thing which might turn to his Profit.

3. The *Punter* is every Gameſter, who plays.

4. The *Faffe*, is the firſt Card that is turned up by the *Talliere*, belonging to the whole Pack, by which he gains half the Value of the Money that is laid upon every Card of that Sort by the *Punters*.

5. The *Couch* is the firſt Stake that e-
very Punter lays upon each Card, every
one who plays having a Book of 13 Cards
before him, upon which he may lay his
Money,

BASSET.

115

Money, more or less, according to his
Fancy.

6. The *Paroli* is explained thus, who-
ever won the *Couch*, and having a mind to go
on to get a *Sept-et-le-va*, you crook the
Corner of your Card, letting your Money
lie, without being paid the value of it by
the *Talliere*.

7. The *Masse* is when those who have won the *Couch*, and will venture more Money upon the *fame* Card, who know, or ought to know, the great Advantages the *Talliere* has, and therefore should be subtle enough to make the best of his own Game.

8. The *Pay* is when the *Punter* has won the *Couch*, and being fearful to make the *Paroli*, leaves off; for by going the *Pay*, if the Card turns up wrong, he loses nothing, having won the *Couch* before; but if by this Adventure, Fortune favours him, he wins double the Money that he staked.

9. The *Alpieu* is much the fame as the *Paroli*, and, like that Term, is used when a *Couch* is won by turning up, or crooking the corner of the winning Card.

10. *Sept-et-le-va* is the first great Chance
that shows the Advantages of the Game,
viz. If the *Punter* has won the *Couch*, and
then makes a *Paroli* by crooking the Cor-
ner of his Card, as is said before, and go-
ing

116 The COMPLEAT GAMESTER. Part I.
ing on to a second Chance, his winning
Card turns up again, it comes to Sept-et-le-
va, which is seven times as much as he
laid upon his Card.

II. *Quinze-et-le-va*, is attending the Punter's Humour, who perhaps is resolved to follow his Fancy, and still lay his Money upon the *fame* Card, which is done by crooking the third Corner of his Card, which coming up by the dealing of the *Talliere*, makes him win fifteen times as much Money as he staked.

12. *Trent-et-le-va* is marked by the lucky Punter, by crooking or bending the End of the fourth Corner of his Card, which coming up, makes him win 33 times as much Money as he staked.

13. *Soiffant-et-le-va* is the highest Chance that can happen in the Game, for it pays 67 times as much Money as is staked, and is seldom won but by some Punter, who resolves to push the Extream of his good Fortune to the Height: It cannot be won but by the *Talliere's* dealing the Cards over again, which, if his winning Cards turn up, pays him with such a prodigious Advantage.

And, as it hath been often seen at the
Royal-Oak Lottery, a Figure come up, that
by some Guineas laid on it in full, by the
winning 28 times as much, has broke the

Oak,

BASSET.

117

Oak, so by the Courage and extraordinary
Luck of a pushing Punter at this Game,
fome great Stake with Soiffant-et-le-va may
turn up, and by that means break the Bank-
Keeper.

But this very rarely happens; the *Talliere*,
like the *Lottery-Man* being a great deal
more likely to break the Gamefters than
they Him.

## The ORDER of the GAME.

The Players fit round a Table, the *Talliere* in the midft of them with the Bank of Gold before him, and the *Punters* each having a Book of 13 Cards, laying down 1, 2, 3, or more, as they pleafe; with Money upon them, as Stakes; then he takes the Pack All together in his Hand and turns them up, the bottom Card appear-ing, is called the *Faffe*, and pays him half the Value of the Stakes laid down by the *Punters* upon any Card, of that Sort.

## The MANNER of PLAY.

After the *Faffe* is turned up, and the *Talliere* and *Croupiere*, have looked round the Cards on the Table, and taken half the Advantage of the Money laid on them, he proceeds in his Deal, and the next Card appear-

118 The COMPLEAT GAMESTER. Part I.

appearing, whether King, Queen, Ace, or whatever it be, wins for the *Punter*, who may receive, if he has laid Money on such a Sort of Card, the Value: or, making *Paroli*, go on to a *Sept-et-le-va*. The Card after that wins for the *Talliere*, who takes Money from each *Punter*'s Card of that Sort and brings it to his Bank.

The *Talliere*, if the winning Card be a King, and the next, appearing after it, be a Ten, *says* (shewing the Cards that appear to all the *Punters* round) *King wins, Ten loses*; paying the Money to such Cards as are of the winning Sort, and taking the Money to fupply his Bank from thofe who lofe; this done, he goes on with the Deal; as, *Ace wins, Five loles; Knave wins, Seven loles*; and so every other Card alternately winning, and *lofing*, till all the Pack be dealt but the laft Card.

The *laft* Card turned up is an Advantage to the *Talliere*, becaufe by the Rule of the Game, which was contriv'd for his Benefit, tho' it be turned up, and the *Punter* may happen to have staked upon one of the *fame* Sort, yet it is allowed as one of his Dues in Relation to his Office, and he does not pay any thing.

The bold *Punter*, who is Lucky and adventurous, and can push on his *Couch* with a confiderable Stake to *Sept-et-le-va*, *Quinze-et-le-va*,

BASSET

119

et-le-va, Trent-et-le-va, &c. must in a wonderful manner multiply his Couch, or first Stake; but this is so seldom done, considering the Frequency of the Punter's Losses in Comparison to the Bank's Profit; that a Person of the least Discernment, may easily perceive how very advantageous this Game is, in Favour of the Talliere.

The Liberty that is used by our English pushing Adventurers at this Game makes it of quite another Kind than it is in France; for they are compelled by the King's Authority, only to play at a twelve Penny Bank, where the Losses, or Gains, cannot bring Resolution in a Family: But our Punters in England have the Liberty to take whatever they please, from one Guinea, to one 100 or higher, upon a Card, as is often seen at Court. When, the Couch being alpied, or parli'd, to Sept-et-le-va, Quinze-et-le-va, Trent-et-le-va, &c. is extreamly to the Punter's Profit, who by the Advantage of the Multiplication must raise his Couch, or Stake (if he be so courageous to make it valuable) to a very extraordinary Sum: And if he be so befriended by Fortune to bring it to Soiffant-et-le-va, he is very likely to break the Bank, by gaining a Sum so bulky, that, it is probable, the Talliere is not able to pay.

[But

120 The COMPLEAT GAMESTER. Part I.

But this so rarely happens, that it is
only a Decoy for the Punter to urge him
to venture his Stake boldly: The Talliere's
certain Advantage, for all this specious De-
monstration of the Punter's Probability of
winning, being plainly obvious and unan-
flicable, as shall farther appear.

Suppose Ten, or any other Card wins
for the Punter, if another Ten comes up
just after, in the winning Card's Place, it
does not win for him, but for the Bank;
but if it comes up three or four Cards after
that, it wins for the Punter: If Ace, or any
other Card wins at first, and afterwards
comes up again in the next winning Card's
Place, it does not go, but is said to retire;
till the next Opportunity, because by the
Rule of the Game it must go for the Bank
before the Punter.

But then in Return of this, and art-
fully to gain the Esteem of all the young
Adventurers who are apt to set their Money
briskly, if the Card happens to come in
the next losing Place, it does not lose,
because it has not gone for the Punter, but
also retires without paying the Bank, having
won a Couch, which the Talliere faves, and
should have paid.

To conclude, this Game, like the Royal-
Oak Lottery, is of so bewitching a Nature,
by reason of several specious Multiplications
and

BASSET.

123

Upon drawing them through my Hand
from top to bottom, they come
into this Form, viz.

<table><thead><tr><th>Cards laid thus *</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>* Knave</td></tr><tr><td>* 8</td></tr><tr><td>Knave</td></tr><tr><td>4</td></tr><tr><td>Knave</td></tr><tr><td>Knave</td></tr><tr><td>4</td></tr><tr><td>3</td></tr><tr><td>4</td></tr><tr><td>4</td></tr><tr><td>8</td></tr><tr><td>8</td></tr></tbody></table>

<table><tbody><tr><td>8</td></tr><tr><td>Knave</td></tr><tr><td>8</td></tr><tr><td>8</td></tr><tr><td>4</td></tr><tr><td>Knave</td></tr><tr><td>4</td></tr><tr><td>4</td></tr><tr><td>8</td></tr><tr><td>Knave</td></tr><tr><td>4</td></tr><tr><td>Knave</td></tr></tbody></table>

Now shuffle and part every Card over and under, and they are involved according to your Intentions.

Knave, Knave, 4, Knave, 8, 8, Knave, 8, 4, 4, 8, 4
Inverted thus,

Knave
Knave

4
Knave
8

8, and so on, as in the Table.

This may be performed without a second Operation, which, I hope, is a sufficient Proof that Numbers may be changed into many Forms, and from as few or as many Causes as you think proper; but remember this, That it requires pliant Fingers as much as the Harpsicord, without which you will never perform finely. From these and other preceding Rules that I have observed to you, I think really, without troubling you any farther, you may draw all Consequences to be wished or expected in a Pack of Cards.

You are to consider, that the Banker commonly Shuffles and Cuts at Basset; and in order to prove what I have often said, viz: That a Pack of Cards may be changed into any Form whatsoever, and

G x

that

124 The COMPLEAT GAMESTER. Part I.

that even by a School boy when the Principles are
fer down, I will give the following Example.

Suppose a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h to be certain.
Cards beſt known to yourſelf, it cannot be thought,
a difficult Task to join a to e, b to f, c to g, and
d to h, and farther to continue to 52 in the fame
Order.

This was allowed a fair Way to Shuffle, and
from the Conſequence of this Rule you may vary
ten Thousand different Ways and more: I ſhall in-
ſtance the Changes that are in 3 Figures only to
prove the Variety in a Pack of Cards, viz.:

1 2 3
3 2 1
2 3 1
2 1 3
3 1 2
1 3 2

Six Changes.

Now if theſe Eight Letters (which I ſuppofe
Cards) were drawn through your Hand from top to
bottom, as praeſed at Faro, then the Letters are
changed to

a b
b g
c f
d e

This praeſed 3 or 4 times, you will readily
come acquainted with the Manner, and be capable
of changing Numbers to come into their appointed
Places; but I ſhall inſ instanty open your Eyes, and
deffroy the Charm; Shuffle the Cards well and take
care they are not changed upon you, then bid De-
fiance to the Dealer.

The Sums of Money loſt in France, at this Game,
were ſo confiderable, that the Princes of the Blood
were in Danger of being undone; and after many
Persons of Diftinction were ruined, the Court of
France thought fit to forbid Baffet, as we have, a-
bove, obſerved. Then Faro was Invented and Both
were ſoon introduced into England, and after 3 or 4
Years play here, it impovertifhed ſo many Fa-
milies,

milies,

BASSET.

125

milies, that the legislative Power took it into their Consideration to issue out Orders, which have suppressed all common Gaming-Houses whatsoever.

## The Royal Game of CHESS.

I. I SHOULD first Inform my Pupil, that this Game repquires Conduct and Attention, and even good Reasoning; so that I believe it is a just Remark, that, *A Fool never played it well*.

II. It has one thing peculiar to it, which is, that the Incidents and Turns are so many, and so various, that it will be found both delightful and entertaining, even where People play for nohing; which can hardly be said of any other Game.

III. The Theatre upon which this Game is acted, is a chequered Board, half Black, and half White, painted like a Draught-Board, which may serve for this Use upon Occasion.

IV. The Game is performed by two little Armies drawn-up, in Order of Battle, opposite to each other; each Army is commanded by a King, and several great Officers, tho' when you come to examine them close, This King is no more than a Piece of Stick, or Ivory, as are all under his Command.

V. The Officers (including the King) conduct of Eight principal Persons, who are fized

G 3

accord-

126 The COMPLEAT GAMESTER. Part II.
according to their Dignity, and have their
particular Titles and Qualities.

VI. The common fort confits of Eight
Pioneers, one stands before every Officer; these
are called Pawns, and are but low of Stature.

VII. The King is the first, and whenever
he is Lost, the Battle is at an End.

VIII. The Queen is next in Degree, who
bears her Royal Husband Company in the
War; she does not only animate him with
her beautiful Aspect, but likewise defend
him when in Danger, and attack his Enemies.

IX. The two Rooks are next in Degree to
the Queen.

X. The two *Knights* are next to them, who
do great service generally in the beginning
of an Action, and are very furious for some
time; but towards the End they are not so
serviceable.

XI. There are two *Bishops* likewise (for the
Army must not be without *Chaplains*) which
are of most service towards the End of an
Action: Perhaps the Reader may think it is
to assist the dying Men, but we shall give
him to understand presently, that they have
something else to do.

XII. These in French are called *les Fous*,
that is, the *Fools*; but who it was that first
translated that Word for *Bishops* I cannot tell.

XIII. The next are the *Pawns*; who,
who' they are no other than common Soldiers,
yet when they are well commanded, they
frequently perform great Actions.

XIV. The

Of CHESS.

127

XIV. The Method of Drawing up this little Army; is as follows: The Eight principal Figures are to be placed in the lowest Rank of the Board, next to the Gamester, in this manner; First, the King upon the fourth Spot from the Corner, which is White; his Queen is to be placed upon the Black Spot on his Right-hand; the two Bishops are to stand one next the King, the other next the Queen; the Knights upon the sides of the Bishops; and the two Rooks, one in each Corner. The Pawns are placed just in the Rank before them, to serve as their Rampart: Thus the Poor are only made use of to defend the Great.

XV. The Other Army must be drawn up on the opposite End of the Board in the same manner; and left they should not be distinguished when they come to be mixed, one Army is always cloathed in Black, the other in White.

XVI. The King is very grave and solemn in his Pace, so that it may be said, he moves with a great deal of Majesty; his March is slow, and he only moves from one Chequer to another; forward in a Line, or sideways in a Line, or backward in Line.

XVII. If he meets with any Scout of the Enemy's in his way, he may take him Prisoner, and Place himself where he stood; and when it is his turn to move again, he may go backwards, sideways, or retire.

G. 4

XVIII. You

128 The COMPLEAT GAMESTER. Part I.

XVIII. You must observe, that the Gamesters must move by Turns, as they do at Draughts.

XIX. Some maintain, that the King may at his first Motion go over three Chequers at once, either forwards or sideways, or take an indirect Jump, as the Knight does, which shall be explained hereafter: but the Game is scarce ever played so, for these quick Motions do not seem confident with the Statelinefs of a King. The most he can do, as it is now played, is to pass over one Chequer the first Motion; but after that, he can only move from Chequer to Chequer, in the manner before described.

XX. The Queen, according to the Statelinefs of her Sex, may pass from one end of the Board to the other at one Movement, either in a Line forward, or in a Line sideways, provided the Passage be clear; and if any of the Enemy stand in her way, she may take him Prisoner, and stand in his place. By this you may see the Queen is her Royal Confort's best Defence, and is generally most forward to attack the Enemy.

XXI. The Bishop has a Motion hard to be described upon Paper; it is neither directly forward, nor altogether sideways, but betwixt both; it is an oblique Movement, he may either move from Chequer to Chequer, or run along a whole Row, according as he sees his Advantage to snap an Enemy.

XXII, One

Of CHESS.

129

XXII. One *Bishop* stands upon a black Chequer, and the other upon a White; he who stands upon the Black, moves upon a black Row, and never touches the White; he that stands upon White, never touches Black.

XXIII. The *Knight* has but one way of moving, which is a very odd one; so he jumps from Black to White, and from White to Black: In this Motion he jumps over 1 Chequer, not directly forward, but moves in the form of a Demicircle; and if one of the Enemy should stand next to him he can (to show his Agility) jump over his Head.

XXIV. An *Officer*, or a *Pawn* of the Enemy's, may stand next to a *Knight* or a *Bishop*, without danger for these being confined to one way of moving, can hurt nothing but what lies directly in that way.

XXV. The *Knight* (as is before observed) is of great use in the beginning of the Battle; for very often he makes a Passage through the Enemy's Army, and forces his way up to the *King*, whom he attacks, and to whom he gives *Cheque-Mate*; but at the latter end of an Action, he has not the same opportunities of exercising his Valour: Therefore the best Play is to employ him at first.

XXVI. Giving the *King* *Cheque-Mate*, is putting him in Danger; for it must be observed, that whenever the King's Person is in danger of being taken by the Enemy, out of Respect to *Royal Majesty*, notice must be given him by saying *Cheque*, that so he may either retire, or cover himself with some of his

130 The COMPLEAT GAMESTER. Part I.
his Men; for when he is taken, his Army
is loft, and there is an end of the Game.

XXVII. If those who put the Enemy's King into this Danger, should omit saying Cheque; they cannot take him.

XXVIII. The Motion of the Rooks is in a direct Line every way; they can neither cross the Chequers, as the Bishops do, nor hop like the Knights: They may either move from Chequer to Chequer, or else as far as the Paflage is clear. If any of the Enemy stands in their way, to interrupt their March, they may take him Prisoner, and stand in his Place, as all the others must when they take a Prisoner, till the next Movement. They are placed one at one Corner, and the other at another Corner of the lowest Row, in the same Rank with other Commanders. Thus they defend the Flanks of the Army, and guard the Quarters of the King and his Officers; but they are seldom put upon Action till after several Skirmishes and Repulses: They generally do more Service than any, except the Queen.

XXIX. The eight Pawns are placed in the Rank before the Commanders, one before each Officer. At their first Movement they may, if it be thought necessary, pass over two Cheques reckoning That they come from, for one; after that, they can only move from Chequer to Chequer in a direct Line forwards: But if one of the Enemy should stand next to one of 'em in an oblique manner, they may take him. And if with the hazard

Of CHESS.

131

zard of his Life, any of them should make
his way up to the first Rank of the Enemy,
he is immediately preferred, and made an
Officer; and the King may prefer him to the
Post of any Officer he has loft. If the
Queen herself had been taken Prisoner, the
must be exchanged for this Pawn.

XXX. As to the Method of playing your
Men at Chefs, it is impossible to give any Di-
rections; for That depends upon Fancy, or
a Man's particular Design at Play: And the
Occurrences that happen, and the various Dif-
position of the Enemy, will often force
you to change your Measures.

XXXI. The great Error of those who
are not very perfect in this Game, is, That
they are apt to play too Open at the be-
ginning of the Game, as if they apprehend-
ed no Danger while the Enemy's Army is
at a Distance: But they should remember,
that The Queen, a Bishop, and a Rook, can
take a Prisoner from one end of the Board to
the other, if he lies uncovered.

XXXII. After some Movements, you
will find it impossible to proceed without
exposing your Men or Officers; therefore
your good Players will give up an Inferior
Officer, to take a Superior one, from the
Enemy. For Example, you should play
your Knight just in the Jaws of a Rook,
provided you had placed another Officer
in Ambuscade to surprize him.

XXXIII The

132 The COMPLEAT GAMESTER. Part I.

XXXIII. The best Players always endeavour to get behind the Enemy, in order to attack the King, and give Cheque-Mate; that so by this means they may either Take him, or Block him up, and so win the Game.

XXXIV. There are two Ways of Chequering the King: The First is, a Simple Chequer, when the King can either retire out of Danger, or cover himself with an Inferior Man, or take that Man who Cheques him.

XXXV. The Second is, when the King is so Befieged and Over-powered, that he can neither move, nor defend himself, nor cover himself with another: This is called Cheque-Mate, in which Case, the Game is loft.

XXXVI. This is all that can be said towards teaching the Game of Chefs; and you may perceive, it requires Reafon and good Conduct. It is a just Remark, That whoever is a good Chefs Player, cannot but make a good General of an Army, wherein there is room for an infinite Number of fine Stratagems and Turns. It is very different from most other Games, which are tiresome and fatiguing, unless the Lucre of what you play for draws your Attention.

The Game of Chefs is an Entertainment for Men of Sense, who without running the hazard of those unhappy Events, which sometimes attend high Play, may find an agreeable Amusement, without Charge or Danger.

FINIS.

(i)

THE
Compleat Gamefter.

PART II.
WHIST, *

(Vulgarly called WHISK.)

THIS is a very ancient Game among us; and is said to be the Foundation of all the English Games upon the Cards.

Very few Persons play correctly at it; though there are many Pretenders, who are the easiest to be made, and generally are made, the greatest Bubbles.

Confiderable Sums of Money are played away at this Game; which has put Sharpers upon Inventions to deceive and cheat unwary Players, as will be shewed in the Sequel.

Formerly it was usual to deal 4 Cards together; but it is demonstrable there is no

* The Original Denomination of this Game, is Whist: O, The Silent Game at Cards.

B

Safety

2 The COMPLEAT GAMESTER. Part II.
Safety in that Method; but now the Cards
are dealt round 1 and 1 at a Time, as the
securest a best Way.

In playing your Cards you must have Re-
course altogether to your own Judgment;
and tho' you have but mean Cards in your
Hand, yet you may (by observing the Courfe
of the Cards) play them so fuitable to thofe
in your Partner's Hand, that he may either
trump them, or play the beft of that Suit on
the Board.

You ought to have a strict Eye on what
Cards are played out, that you may know
by that Means either what to play, if you
lead, or how to trump securely and advan-
tagiously. Renouncing, or not following
Suit when you have it in your Hand, is very
foul Play; and he that doth it, ought to for-
feit 1, or the Game upon a Game, and he
that lofeth Dealing, lofeth 1, or a Trick,
as you make it.

At Ruff and Honours, by some called
Slam, you have in the Pack all the Duces,
and the Reafon is, because 4 Persons playing,
having dealt 12 a-piece, there are 4 left for
the Stock, the uppermost whereof is turned
up, and that is Trumps. He who hath the
Ace of Trumps Ruffs, that is, he takes in
thofe 4 Cards, and lays out 4; the 4 Ho-
nours are the Ace, King, Queen, and Knave;
he who hath 3 Honours in his Hand, his

Partner

WHIST: Or, WHISK.

3

Partner not having the fourth, fets up 8 by
Cards, that is, 2 Tricks ; if he hath all 4,
then 16, that is, 4 Tricks. It is all one, if
the two Partners make them 3, or 4 between
them, as if one had them. If the Honours
are equally divided among the Gamesters of
each Side, then they fay Honours are fplit.
If either Side are at 8 Groats, he hath the
Benefit of calling, Can ye? If he hath 2
Honours in his Hand, and if the other an-
fwers 1, the Game is up, which is 10 in all ;
but if he hath more than 2 he fhews them,
which is the fame Thing ; but if he forgets
to call, after playing a Trick, he lofeth the
Advantage of calling for that Deal.

All Cards are of Value as they are fu-
perior one to another, as a 10 wins a 9, if
not Trumps; fo a Queen a Knave, in like
Manner; but the leaft Trump will win the
higheft Card of any other Card: Where,
note, the Ace is the higheft.

Some play at two-handed, or three-hand-
ed Whift. If three-handed, always two strive
to fupprefis and keep down the riling Man.
They deal to each 12 a-piece, and the
Trump is the bottom Card. The Manner
of crafty playing, the Number of the Game
10, Honours and Dignity of other Cards are
all alike; and he that wins moft Tricks is
moft forward to win the Set.

B 2

He

4 The COMPLEAT GAMESTER. Part II.

He that can by Craft overlook his Adversary's Game, hath a great Advantage; for by that Means he may partly know what to play securely; or if he can have some petty Glimpse of his Pattner's Hand. There is a Way by making some Sign by the Fingers, to discover to their Partners what Honours they have, or by the Wink of one Eye, it signifies 1 Honour, flutting both Eyes 2; placing 3 Fingers, or 4 on the Table, 3 or 4 Honours. For which Reafons all nice Gamesters play behind Curtains.

Dealing the Cards out by 1 and 1 round, to each Person, is the best Method of putting it out of the Dealer's Power to impose on you. But we shall demonstrate, that, deal the Cards which Way you will, a Confederacy of two Sharpers will beat any two Persons in the World, though ever so good Players, that are not of the Gang, or in the Secret; and *Three Poll One* is as safe and secure, as if the Money was in their Pockets. All which will appear presently. The first necessary Instrucitions to be observed at Whisk, as Principals of the Secret, which may be likewise transferred to most other Games at Cards, are

* Breef Cards
* Corner-bend,
* Middle-bend ( or Kingston-Bridge. )

Of

WHIST: Or, WHISK. 5

Of *Breef Cards* there are two Sorts: One is a Card longer than the reft; the other, is a Card broader than the reft.

The long Sort are such as 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9; the broad Sort are such as Aces, Kings, Queens and Knaves. The Ufe and Advantage of each are as follows.

EXAMPLE.

When you cut the Cards to your Adversary, cut them long, or, end-ways, and he will have a 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 or 9 at Bottom. When your Adversary cuts the Cards to you, put them broad-side to him, and he will naturally cut (without ever suspecting what you do) Ace, King, Queen or Knave, &c. which is sufficient Advantage to secure any Game. It is a fine Manner, especially in the old Bett, that the Dealer does not score 2 that Deal, since shuffling is of no Signification here. And in cafe you cannot get Cards of proper Sizes ready made to mix with others, you may have them with a Razor or Pen-knife from the Threes to the Nines each Side, and from the Aces to the Knaves each End; then put them up in the fame Cafe or Cover, and if they are done as they ought to be, they will pats upon any Body. As *Whisk* is a Tavern Game, the Sharpers generally take care to put about the Bottle

B 3

before

WHIST: Or, WHISK. 7

When A or B are to deal, they observe
(the preceding Deal) to take up the Tricks
thus:

1. A bad Card.

2. A good Card.

3. Abad Card.

4. A good Card.

[Meaning the best and worst
that fall in that Lift.]

When C or D deals, they must be taken
up thus:

1. A good Card.

2. A bad Card.

3. A good Card.

4. Abad Card.

By this Rule it is very plain, that the best
Cards fell to A and B every Deal. How
is it possible therefore, that C and D should
ever win a Game without Permission. But
it would be deemed ill Policy, and contrary
to the true Interest of A and B, to act thus
every Deal: I will therefore suppose it is
practiced just when they please, according as
Bets happen in Company; though the Rule
with Gamesters, in low Life, is at the first
fetting out to flupify you with Wine and
the Lofs of your Money, that you may
never come to a perfect Understanding of
what you are doing. It may be truly said,
that many an honest Gentleman has been

B 4.

kept

8 The COMPLEAT GAMESTER. Part II.
kept a Month in such a Condition by the
Management and Contrivance of a Set of
Sharpers.

Now you may imagine it not in the Power
of A and B to caufe the Tricks to be taken
up after the Manner aforefaid; but there
is nothing so easy or so frequently pracſted,
especially at Three Poll One; for in playing
the Cards, the Confederates will not only take
Care of their own Tricks, but alſo of yours;
for the Cards may be ſo played and ſhoved
together in ſuch a Manner, as will even
caufe you to take them right yourſelf; and
if a Trick ſhould lie untowardly upon the
Table, A or B will pay you the Compli-
ment of taking it up for you, and ſay, Sir,
that's yours.

This Operation will the more readily be
apprehended by ſeeing it pracſted half a
ſcore Times; when once you are aware of it,
it will otherwife (I may ſafely ſay) pafs up-
on any Perſon that has not been let into the
Secret. This being allowed, the next Point
and Difficulty, is to Shuffle and Cut.

I ſay, that either A or B are ſuch curious
Workmen, and can make a ſham Shuffle
with a Pack of Cards ſo artfully, that you
would believe they were ſplitting them,
when at the fameTime they will not diſplace
a ſingle Card from its Order.

Now

WHIST: Or, WHISK. 9

Now to cut the Cards, a Bend is prepared
for you to cut to, the Middle is beft; and
it is Odds but you unwarily Cutt to it; if
not, *Slip* is the Word: But if you have no
Opportunity to do that neither, then deal
away at all Hazards, it is but an equal Bett
that they come in your Favour; if right,
proceed; if otherwife, mifs a Card in its
Course, and it brings the Cards according
to your firft Design; it is but giving two at
laft where you miffed; and if that cannot
be conveniently done, you only lose the
Deal, and there is an End of it.

But when A or B are to cut, they make
it all safe; for then they make the Corner-
bend, which any one, that knows, may Cut
to; a hundred Times together.

PIPING at WHISK.

By Piping I mean, when one of the Com-
pany that does not play (which frequently
happens) fits down in a convenient Place to
smoke a Pipe, and so look on, pretending to
amuse himself that Way. Now the dif-
posing of his Fingers on the Pipe, whilst
smoking, discovers the principal Cards that
are in the Person's Hand he overlooks;
which was always esteemed a sufficient Ad-
vantage to win a Game by another Way,
viz. Indeed, signifies Diamonds; Truly,

B 5

Hearts;

IO The COMPLEAT GAMESTER. Part II.
Hearts; Upon my Word, Clubs; I assure
you, Spades: But as soon as these Methods
become known, new ones are invented; and
it is most certain, that two Persons may dif-
cover to each other what Sort of Cards they
have in Hand, and which ought to be first
played, many different Ways, without speaking
a Word. Talking is not allowed at Whist;
the very Word implies, Hold your Tongue.

ALLFOURS.

THIS Game is very much played in
Kent, from which County it derives its
Original; and tho' it be but a Vulgar Game,
great Sums have been lost at it.

It has its Denomination from 4 Cards,
called the *Highest*, *Lowest*, *Jack*, and *Game*,
which is the Set as some play it; but you
may make from 7 to 15, or more, if you
pleafe; but commonly 11 is up.

But Two Persons play at a Time; and they
must cut for Dealing; the highest Card deals;
who delivers to his Adversary 3 Cards twice,
and to himself 3 in'like Manner; and having
6 a-piece, he turns up a Card which is
Trump; if Jack (which is any Knave) it is
1 to the Dealer.

If he, to whom the Cards were dealt, after
looking them over, like them not, he hath
the

ALL FOURS.

II

the Liberty of begging 1: If the Dealer refuse to give 1, then he deals 3 a-piece more; but if he then turns up a Card of the fame Suit, he deals on, till he turns up a Card of another Suit.

Here note, that an Ace is 4, a King is 3, a Queen is 2, a Knave 1, and a Ten is 10.

Now you must play your Cards; not any Method is to be prescribed; it must be according to the Cards you have in your Hand, managed by your Judgment to the best Advantage.

Having played your Cards, if you are Highest and Lowest of what is Trumps, you reckon 2, if you are only Highest but 1, and the like of Jack and Game. Sometimes you are Highest, Lowest, Jack, and Game; and then you must reckon 4. The Game is he that tells most after the Cards are played; and therefore a Ten is a very significant Card; which crafty Gamesters know so well, that they will frequently take out of a Pack of Cards 2 Tens, and hide them contrary to the Knowledge of the other; which is a great Advantage to this foul Player, if he play of the fame Suit as these Tens, he hath absconded; for it must of Necessity secure him from losing the Game.

He who wins Jack, wins 1 also: And furthermore observe, that for Advantage revoking

12 The COMPLEAT GAMESTER. Part II.
voking is allowable, if you have Trumps in
your Hand to trump it.

Some make 31 up at this Game : Then if
the Dealer turns up an Ace it is 4, a King 3,
a Queen 2, and a Knave 1, a Ten still con-
tinuing the best Card.

CRIBBIDGE.

THIS is likewife a Game only played
between two Persons. Sixty and one,
is the Number up.

Here too the Dealer has an Advantage ;
and, upon cutting, he who has the leaft
Card deals.

The Cards are dealt out 1 by 1; the
Number 5 a-piece; the Remainder of the
Pack (the whole being used) are laid down
on the Table.

Each Party plays according to his Dif-
cretion, this being a Game of Judgment.

He that deals, makes out the best Cards
he can for his Crib; and the other the worst:
The Crib confifts of 4 Cards, two a-piece,
which they lay out upon the Table; and
then they turn up a Card from the Pack,
and each of them may make use of that
Card; and when they have played out their
5 Cards, and set up with Counters their
Games,

CRIBBIDGE.

13.

Games, the Crib is the other's the next Deal;
and so they take it by Turns.

The Value of the Cards is thus: Any 15
upon the Cards is 2, whether 9 and 6, 10
and 5, King and 5, 7 and 8, &c.

A Pair is 2, a Pair-Royal 6; a double
Pair-Royal 12; Sequences of 3, is 3; Sequences
of 4, is 4; Sequences of 5, is 5; &c. and so a
Flush of 3, is 3; a Flush of 4, is 4, &c. Knave-
Noddy, is 1 in Hand, and 2 to the Dealer;
that is, if you have a Knave of that Suit
which is turned up, it is Knave-Noddy. A
Pair of Aces, Kings, Queens, Knaves, Tens,
&c. is 2, Three Aces, Kings, Queens, &c. is
a Pair-Royal; a double Pair-Royal is 4
Aces, 4 Kings, 4 Queens, &c. and is 12
Games to him who hath them.

Having looked on your Cards, you count
your Game after this Manner: Suppose you
have in your Hand a 9 and 2 Sixes; after you
have laid out 2 Cards for the Crib, which
makes you 6 Games, because there is 2 Fif-
teens and a Pair, by adding your 9 to the
2 Sixes, and if a 6 chance to be turned up,
then you have 12 Games in your Hand; for
that you must not take the turned up Card
into your Hand, yet you may make what
Use you can of it in counting; so that the 3
Sixes makes you 6, being a Pair-Royal, and
the 9 added to every 6, makes 3 Fifteens,
and 6 more added to the Former, makes 12,
which

14 The COMPLEAT GAMESTER. Part II,
which you must set by with Counters, or
otherwife, your Opponent may know what
you are, though you may not see his Cards, nor
he yours: If you think he plays foul by
reckoning too much, you may count them
after the Hand is played.

Thus when you have set up your 12,
your Opposite, it may be, hath 4, 5, and 6,
in his Hand, that is 2, because of Sequences
of Three; then it is 2 more, because it is 4, 5,
and 6; again, taking in the counting 6 that
is turned up, that is in all 4, then there is 15
and 15; for 4 and 5 is 9, and 6 is 15; and
then with the 6 turned up, it is 15 more,
which makes 8 Games. This he likewise sets
up, keeping his Cards undiscovered. Ob-
serve, he, who does not deal, sets up 3 in
Lieu thereof, and plays first: Suppose it is a
6; if you have a 9 play it, that makes 15;
for which set up 2; the next may play a 4,
which makes 19, you a 6, which is 25, and
he a 5, that is 30; you being not able to
come in, having a 6 in your Hand, he sets
up 1, (for it is 31 you aim at in playing
the Cards,) because he is most, and 2 for Se-
quences, 4, 5, and 6, which were his 4, after
the 15, your 5 and his 6, and that doth not
hindert them from being Sequences, though the
6 was played between the 4 and the 5; but
if an Ace, 9, King, Queen, or the like, had
been played between, they had been no Se-
quences;

CRIBBIDGE. 15

quences; so the 2 for the Sequences, and the
1 for 30 being most (as at One and Thirty)
makes him 3, which he must set up to the
rest of his Game; and in this playing of the
Cards, you may make Pairs, Sequents, Flushes,
Fifteens, Pair-Royal, and double Pair-Royal,
if you can, tho' that is rarely seen.

Laftly, you look upon your Crib, that is,
the 2 Cards a-piece laid out at first, which is
the Dealer's; if he finds no Games in them,
nor Help by the Card that was turned up,
which he takes into his Hand, then he is
bilked, and sometimes it so happens that he is
both bilked in Hand and Crib. Thus they
play and deal by Turns till the Game of 61
is up.

Note, if you get the Game before your
Adversary is 45, you must then say, I have
lurched you; and that is a double Game, for
whatever you played, whether a letter, or a
greater Sum.

PUT.

PUT is the ordinary Rooking-Game of every Place; and seems, by the few Cards that are dealt, to have no Difficulty in the Play; but there is great Craft and Cunning in it.

If

16 The COMPLEAT GAMESTER. Part II.

If you play at either two, or three-handed *Put*, the best *Put-Card* deals. Having shuffled the Cards, the Adversary cuts them; then the Dealer deals 1 to his Antagonist, and another to himself, till they have 3 a-piece: 5 up, or a *Put* is commonly the Game. The Eldest, if he hath a good Game, and thinks it better than his Adversary's, *Puts* to him; if the other will not, or dare not *see* him, he then wins 1; but if he will *see* him, they play it out, and he who wins 2 Tricks, or all 3, wins the whole Set; but if each win a Trick, and Third tied, neither win, because it is Trick and Tye.

Sometimes they play without *Putting*; and then the Winner is he that wins most Tricks. In playing keep up your Cards very close; for the least Discovery of any one of them, is a great Advantage to him who fees it.

This Game confifts very much in *daring*; for a mettled Gamefter will *Put* boldly upon very bad Cards sometimes, as upon a 5, 7, and a 9; the other thinking there are good Cards in his Adversary's Hand, having very indifferent ones in his own, dares not *see* him; and so by going to Stock, lofeth 1. He who once hath the Confidence to *Put* on bad Cards, cannot recall his *Putting*, by which Means he frequently pays for his Bravado.

The

PUT.

17

The best Put-Cards are, first, the Tray,
next the Duce, then the Ace; the rest follow
in Preeminence, as King, Queen, Knave,
Ten, and so onwards, to the Four, which is
the meanest Card at Put.

The Cheats at Put are done after this
Manner:

For Cutting, to be sure of a good Put-
Card, they use the Bent, the Slick, and
the Breef-Cards, as we have already ob-
ferved in PICQUET.

LUE.

THIS Game may be played several
Ways; but we shall infest on the usual
Method only.

You lift for Dealing; and the best Card car-
ries it: As many may play as the Cards will
permit; to whom must be dealt 5 a-piece,
and then turn up Trump. Now if three,
four, five, or six Persons play, they may lay
out the Threes, Fours, Fives, Sixes, and
Sevens, to the Intent they may not be quick-
ly lued; but if they would have the Lue
come fast about, then play with the whole
Pack.

Having dealt, set up 5, either with Chalk,
or Counters; and then proceed in your Game.

He

18 The COMPLEAT GAMESTER. Part II.

He who is eldest Hand hath the Privilege of passing by the Benefit thereof, that is, he hath the Advantage of hearing what every one will say, and, at last, may play, or not play, according as he finds his Game good or bad. If the eldest says he passes, the rest may choose whether they will play, or no.

Trumps, as at Whift, are the best Cards; all others in like Manner take their precedence from the highest to the lowest.

You must not Revoke; if you do, you pay all on the Table. If you play, and are lued, (that is, win not one Trick,) you must lay down to the Stock so much for your 5 Cards, as you played upon every one of them.

Every Deal, rub off a Score; and for every Trick you win, set up a Score by you, till the first Scores are out, to remember you how many Tricks you have won in the several Deals of the Game.

All the Chalks for the Game being rubbed out, tell your own Scores, and for so many Scores or Tricks which you have won, so much as they were valued at in the Game, so much you must take from the Stock: Thus must every one do according to the Number of Tricks he hath won.

Observe, That he who hath 5 Cards of a Suit in his Hand, lues all the Gamesters then

LUE.

19

then playing, be they ever so many, and
sweeps the Board; if there be two lues,
he who is Eldeft Hand hath the Advantage.

As there is Fraud in all Games, so in this,
for Example, If one of the Gamesters have
4 of a Suit and he wants a fifth, he may
for that fifth make an Exchange out of his
own Pocket, if he be skilled in the clean-
ly Art of Conveyance; if that fail, some
make use of a Friend, who never fails to
do him that kind Office. There are other
Frauds to be performed, which we shall
omit; since it is not our Busines to teach
you how to Cheat, but so to play as not to
be Cheated.

B R A G.

A
T this Game, the whole Pack is
dealt round the Table to all who
are delirous to share in the Gain and Di-
version. As many play at it as the Cards
will hold out to supply; he dealing 3
a-piece to each of the Gamesters at one
Time, turning up the last Card all round,
belonging to every one present.

Each Gamefter is to put down 3 Stakes,
one for each Card, as much, or as little as
the Humours of the Company will consent
to;

20 The COMPLEAT GAMESTER. Part II.
to; whether 3 Guineas, 3 Crowns, 3 Shill-
lings, 3 Sixpences, or what other Stakes,
according to their Qualities and Purposes,
is thought convenient: And this being
done, the Manner of playing the Game,
is as follows:

The best Card turned up in the Dealing
round, in its Degree, beginning from Ace,
King, Queen, Knave, and so downwards,
thro' all the Cards of the Players, wins
the first Stake; and the Person who has
the Luck to have it dealt him, is to de-
mand it from the rest; who pay it accord-
ingly, unless the Ace of Diamonds be turn-
ed up amongst them; which if shewn, by a
Superior Authority in the Game, is to be
preferred, and wins the Stake. And ob-
serve, that tho' the Eldest Hand, who has
an Ace, carries it from the rest by a kind of
Descent, yet the Ace of Diamonds, by the
aforeaid Authority, even in the Youngest
Hand, which is the last Card that is dealt,
wins the Stake from any other turned up
before.

The next principal Matter, and the
main Thing by which the second Stake is
to be won, is called the Brag, which, by
the Ingenuity of its Man segment, gives the
Game its Denomination. The Nature of
it is, that you are to endeavour to impose
upon the Judgment of the rest who play,
and

B R A G.

21

and particularly on the Person who chiefly
offers to oppose you, by boating of Cards
in your Hand, whether Pairs - Royal,
Pairs, or others, that are better than his
or hers who plays against you: The best
Cards you can have really to brag of, are
a Pair-Royal of Aces, the next of Kings,
Queens, &c. A Pair-Royal of any Sort
winning from any Pair of the best Sort,
as a Pair of any Sort wins of any other
Cards that are not Pairs.

But here you are to observe, that the
witty ordering of this Brag, is the most
pleasant Part of the Game; for those who
by fashioning their Looks and Gestures,
can give a proper Air to their Actions,
as will so deceive an unskilful Antagonist,
that sometimes a Pair of Fives, Trays, or
Duces, in such a Hand, with the Advan-
tage of his composed Countenance, and
subtle Manner of over-awing the other,
shall out-brag a much greater Pair-Royal,
and win the Stakes with great Applause
and Laughter on his Side from the whole
Company.

The Knave of Clubs is here, as principal
a Favourite, as at LUE, and makes a Pair
with any other Card in Hand, or with any
other two Cards a Pair-Royal, and is often
in this Game very necessary, to advance the
Credit of the Brag, to him who has the
Assurance

22 The COMPLEAT GAMESTER. Part II.

Affurance of impoſing upon the Company;
and by ſuch convenient Confidence, the
Advantage of winning the ſecond Stake.

The third Stake is won by the Perſon
who firſt makes up the Cards in his Hand
31, each 'Ace, King, Queen, Knave, &c.
going for 10, and drawing from the Pack,
as is uſual in that Game: Or, inſtead of
the 31, if his Fortune will not oblige
him, the neareſt to it may win, he having
the Privilege to draw, or not to draw, as
he pleafes, according as he finds it con-
venient, by the Cards that are in his Hand;
for if he draws out, he loſes his third
Stake.

Some very nice Players at this Game,
make the Nine of Diamonds a ſecond Fa-
vourite Card, with the Knave of Clubs,
to make a Pair-Royal of Aces; ſo that
thoſe two joined with one natural Ace,
ſhall win from any Pair-Royal of Kings,
Queens, Knaves, or any other Cards, but
a Pair-Royal of natural Aces.

The Perſon who is ſo lucky to win all
the 3 Stakes, is to be rewarded by the
whole Company of Gameſters round the
Table, with 3 Stakes more, if they play
the Strictneſs of the Game; which neceſ-
farily makes the Winnings and Loſings
amount to a confiderable Sum of Money.
But very often our Modern Gameſters wave
this

B R A G.

this Particular, and out of a decent Regard to their Pockets, content themselves with the Satisfaction of the Pleasure of the Brag, rather than trust to the uncommon good Fortune of winning the 3 Stakes, from the rest of the disappointed Company.

The Deal is to go round from Person to Person; and by the different Management of the Brag, you may find very great Difference, some doing it so awkwardly, with so little Cunning, and so ill an Addrefs, that the Defects or Value of their Game will presently be discovered, whilst others with a more artful Affurance, and by their subtle Management, will wittily banter and impose upon their Adverfaries, and seldom fail of their designed Profit.

It is not fair for any of the Gamesters, that fit near him who makes the Brag, to peep into his Hand, or by any mute Sign or Token to give the Opposer any Knowledge of the Cards that he has in his Hand; because it may chance that the Oppositions, natural to this Game, may draw on a considerable Sum of Money to be staked down, each of the two who are concerned, valuing his own Cards, and lessening those of his Antagonist, as he thinks he has Reafon,

A very

24. The COMPLEAT GAMESTER. Part II.

A very notable Damage, occasioned by
one Person's peeping into another's Hand,
I once chanced to be a Spectator of.

Some Gentlemen and Ladies were playing
at this Game, when one of the Gamesters,
who seemed to be very skilful at the Game
in 'general, but more particularly so, at
the subtle Management of the *Brag*, and
by his artful Method and cunning Manner
of Behaviour, had induced his Competitor
to believe that he resolved to *out-brag* him
upon very low and insignificant Cards;
but it was the Gentleman's good Luck at
that Juncture, to have in his Hand far
otherwife than he imagined, having been
dealt 2 natural *Aces*, and the *Knave* of
*Clubs*, which, joined with the other 2, made
the greatest *Pair-Royal* that could then
possibly be dealt, and consequently proper
to win also the greatest Stake that could
be laid; he kept his Countenance demure,
and with a Gesture neither overjoyed nor
desponding, made a *Brag* of Half a Crown;
the other who had in his Hand a *Pair-
Royal of Kings*, and, as afterwards was
discovered, had, thro' the Imprudence of
the Dealer, usually seen an *Ace* or two
given about to other Gamesters, thinking
himself also as secure as possible, answers
with a Crown; his Antagonist then fets
Half a Guinea, and the Opponent, immediately

## BRAG.

25

ately a whole one, and vying with each other, till the fame amounted to Ten Pounds, when as ill Fate, for one of them, would have it, a too curious *Impertinent*, of the Female Kind, who fat next to him that had the *Aces*, having a furious Itch upon her to know whether his repeated *Brag* was upon a sure Foundation, or not, could not forbear covertly peeping into his Hand, and at the View was so surprized, that on a sudden he, by a violent Shriek, gave the Gamester, with the *Pair-Royal of Kings*, Warning of his unavoidable Lofs, giving him Reafon to ceafe the *Brag*, and thereby lofe the Game.

## GLEEK.

DUGES and *Trays* must be cast out as uslefs in this Game; then lifting for the Deal, the least Card deals. It is played but by Three Perfons only.

The Dealer delivers the Cards by 4, till every one hath 12, and the rest are laid on the Table for the Stock, being in Number 8; whereof 7 are bought, and the *Ace* is turned up; the turned up Card is the Dealer's; and if it be *Tiddy* turned up, is 4 a-piece from each to the Dealer.

C

The

The Ace is called *Tib*, the Knave *Tom*, the 4 of Trumps *Tiddy*; *Tib*, the Ace, is 15 in Hand, and 18 in Play, because it wins a Trick; *Tom* the Knave, is 9, and *Tiddy* is 4, the fifth *Towser*, and sixth *Tumbler*; which, if in Hand, *Towser* is 5, and *Tumbler* 6, and so double if turned up; and the King and Queen of Trumps is 3.

The Eldeft Hand bids for the Stock, in
Hopes of bettering his Game, tho' fome-
times it makes it worſe: The firſt Penny
you bid is 12, 13, and ſo on; if at 16,
they ſay, *take it*, and none will venture more
for it: He is bound to *take it*, that is, *taking*
in 7 Cards, and *putting out* 7 in their Stead,
and muſt pay beſides 8 to one, and 8 to the
other of the Gameſters for buying: If any
odd Money be given, as 15, 17, or the
like, the Eldeſt Hand uſually claims it, or
elſe it is given to the Box; but if he have
*Murnival*, *Gleek*, or *Tiddy* in his Hand, after
he hath taken in the Stock, he bates for
them all, and ſo poffibly may gain by it, if
he have a good Hand, and pay for his buy-
ing 2.

Obſerve, if Tib be turned up, it is 15 to
the Dealer, in reckoning after Play; but he
muſt not make uſe of it, in Play, being the
Trump-Card; for then it would make him
18, because it wins a Trick, which is 3
more.

Next

GLEEK.

27

Next you speak for the *Ruff*; and he who hath most of a Suit in his Hand wins it, unlefs some of the Gamefters have 4 Aces, and then he gains the *Ruff*, tho' you have ever so many of a Suit in your Hand. If any wins a *Ruff* and forgets to shew it before a Card is played, he loses it; and he who shews any for a *Ruff* after, shall have it.

The firft, or Eldeft fays, *I will vie the*
Ruff; the next fays, *I will see it*, and the
third, *I will see it and revie it:* *I will see*
*your Revie, fays the firft, becaufe he hath as*
*many in his Hand as another; the Middle*
*probably fays, *I will not meddle with it;**
*then they shew their Cards, and he who hath*
*most of a Suit, wins a Stake, according to*
*the Game of him that holds out longeſt, and*
*4 of the other, who faid he would *fee it, but*-
*after refufed to meddle with it; but if any of*
*the 3 Gameſters declare that they have not*
*any Thing to ſay, as to the *Ruff*, he pays*
*but a Stake; and if the Eldeſt and Second*
*Hand pafs the *Ruff*, the Youngeſt hath*
*Power to double it, and then it is to be*
*played for the next Deal; and if any forgets*
*to call for the double *Ruff*, it is to be for the*
*next Deal after that.*

Sometimes one of the Gameſters, having all
of a Suit in his Hand, bids high for the
Ruff, and the other having 4 Aces, is refolved
to bid higher, so that it sometimes amounts

C.

to

28 The COMPLEAT GAMESTER. Part II.
to 16 and more; then I will see it, and revie,
faith one; I will see it, and revie, faith
another; that is 8 to the Winner, and all
above is but 2 at a Time, as it may be, they
will say, I will see it, and revie it again,
and I will see that and revie it again, faith
another, for which Seeing and Revieing they
reckon but 2 after it is once come to 8; but
he who has the 4 Aces carries it clearly,
as aforesaid.

Buying or Bidding for the Ruff, is when
you are in Likelihood to go in for Murni-
val, Gleek, or Increase of Trumps, that so
if you have bad Cards, you may save your
Buyings and your Cards too; whereas other-
wife you may lose all.

If you call for either Murnival or Gleek,
and have laid them out in the Stock, if you
are detected, you forfeit double what you
receive.

Sometimes out of Policy, or a Vapour,
they will vie, when they have not above 30
in their Hands, and the rest may have 40 or
50, and being afraid to see it, the first many
Times wins out of a meer Bravado; and this
is good Play, though he acquaint you with it
hereafter.

A Murnival of Aces is 8, of Kings 6, of
Queens 4, and a Murnival of Knaves 2 a-
piece.

A Gleek

G L E E K. 29

A *Gleek* of Aces is 4, of Kings 3, of Queens 2, and of Knaves 1 a-piece, from the other 2 Gamesters.

A *Murnival*, is either all the Aces, the 4 Kings, Queens, or Knaves ; and a *Gleek* is 5 of any of the aforefaid.

Obferve, 22 are your Cards; if you win nothing but the Cards that were dealt you, you lofe 10; if you have neither *Tib, Tom, Tiddy, King, Queen, Murnival*, nor *Gleek*, you lofe because you count as many Cards as you had in Tricks, which must be few, by Reason of the Badneſs of your Hand; if you have *Tib, Tom, King, Queen of Trumps* in your Hand, you have 30 by *Honours*, that is 8 above your own Cards, besides the Cards you win by them in Play. If you have *Tom* only, which is 9, and the *King of Trumps*, which is 3, then you reckon from 12, 13, 14, 15, till you come to 22, and then every Card wins so many Half-pence, Pence, &c. as you played for; if you are under 22, you loſe as many.

Here note, that before the Cards are dealt, it is requisite to demand, whether the Gamesters will play at *Tiddy*, or leave it out, it being a Card that is apt to be forgotten; and know that it is looked upon as very foul Play to call for a *Gleek of Kings, Aces, Queens, or Knaves*, when the Person hath but 2 in Hand. If you discard wrong, i. e. lay out but

C 3

30 The COMPLEAT GAMESTER. Part II.
but 5 or 6 Cards, if you call for any *Gleek*
or *Murnival*, you lose them all, if it be found
out that you discard. Let this suffice for
this noble and delightful Game or Re-
creation.

FRENCH-RUFF.

AT this Game you must cut for Deal;
moft, or leaft, carries it, according
to the Agreement of the Gamesters.

Two Persons may play 4 or 6 on a Side:
Dealing to each 5 Cards a-piece; either 2
or 3 at a Time, according to Pleasure,
and he who deals turns up Trump: The
King is the highest Card at Trumps, the
Queen is next, the Knave next, and next
the Ace, and all other Cards follow in
Preheminency, according to the Number of
the Pips; but all small Trumps win the
highest of any other Suit.

Having turned up Trumps, he who hath
the *Ace* must take the *Ace* turned up, and
all other Trumps which immediately follow
it, if so agreed among the Gamesters, laying
out so many Cards as he took up in Lieu
thereof.

After this they play. To win 2 Tricks
fignifies nothing, to win 3 or 4 wins but 1,
but to win 5 is the winning of 5.

If

FRENCH RUFF. 31

If you play at Forfat, (which is, the Ri-
gour of the Play,) he who deals wrong lofeth
1 and his Deal. You are bound to follow
Suit, and if you renounce, you lofe the whole
Game, if you so make it, otherwife but 1 or
2, according to Agreement.

He who plays a Card that is trumped by
the Follower, if the next Player hath none
of the former Suit, he muſt trump it again,
tho' he hath not a Trump in his Hand that
can win the former Trump, and ſo it muſt
pafs to the laſt Player.

All the Players round are bound to win
the higheſt Trump played if they can. Here
note, he who playeth before his Turn, loſeth
1, unleſs it be the laſt Card of all.

FIVE-CARDS.

THIS is an Irish Game, and is much
played in that Kingdom for confider-
able Sums of Money. There is little Ana-
logy between this and All-Fours.

But 2 Persons can play at it, and there
are dealt 5 Cards a-piece. The leaſt of the
Black, and the moſt of the Red wins. The
Ace of Diamonds is the worſt of the whole
Pack, unleſs it prove to be Trump.

C 4

The

32 The COMPLEAT GAMESTER. Part II.

The 5 Fingers (alias 5 of Trumps) is the best Card in the Pack; the Ace of Hearts is next to that, and the next is the Ace of Trumps; then the Knave and the rest of the Cards are best, according to their Value in Pips, or as they are Trumps.

Before you play, ask, whether he will five it, if he speaks affirmatively, turn up the next Card of the Pack under that first turned up, and that must be Trumps; if not play it out: He who wins most Cards, wins 5, but he that wins all, wins 10.

Observe, that the Ace of Hearts wins the Ace of Trumps, and the Five-Fingers not only wins the Ace of Trumps, but also all other Cards whatever.

## Coftly COLOURS.

THIS Game is likewife to be played at only by Two Persons, of which the Eldeft is to play first, as in other Games. You must deal off 3 a-piece, and turn up the next Card following; the Eldeft is to take his Choice whether he will Mogg (that is, change a Card, or no;) and whosoever refuſeth, is to give the other 1 Chalk or Hole, of which generally 61 makes the Game. Then must the Eldeft play, and the

Coftly COLOURS. 33

the other, if he can, muſt make it up 15; for which he ſhall fet up as many Holes, or Chalks, as there are Cards on the Table; ſo likewife for 25; and alſo as many Cards as are played to make up 30, no more or leſs, ſo many Chalks may be ſet up who played laſt, to make up 31; and if 31 be not made, then he who played laſt, and is neareſt 31 without making out, muſt ſet up 1, which is called, fetting up 1 for the latter.

This being done, the Eldeſt muſt ſhew how many Chalks he hath in his Hand to fet up, and after him the Youngeſt, which they muſt reckon in this Manner, taking Notice both of the Colour and Number of the Pips upon the Card turned up, of thofe in their Hands, ſtill reckoning as many for all the 15 and 25, as there go Cards to make the Number; and if you have it by Chance in your Hand, and with the Card turned up, 31, then you muſt ſet up 4 for that. You muſt alſo ſet up, if you have them in your Hands, or can make them ſo in the Card turned up, as followeth, 2 for a Pair, be they either Coat-Cards, or others; 2 for a Knave, and if a Knave of the fame Colour and Suit of the Card turned up, then you muſt ſet up 4; and ſo for a Duce 4, if it be of the fame Colour turned up: If you have 2 of them,

C 5

Sort,

34 The COMPLEAT GAMESTER. Part II.
Sort, either Threes, Fours, Fives, Sixes,
or Coat-Cards, you must set up 9, and
this is called a *Pair-Royal*: Now if they
are all either Hearts, Diamonds, or the
like, then you must set up 6 for *Coftly-Co-
lours*. If you have 3 of a Colour, you can
reckon but 2 for Colours.

Whofoever dealt, if he turned up either
Duce or Knave, he must set up 4 for it;
as for Example, imagine you had dealt
your Adversary 3 Cards, viz. the 5 of
Hearts, 4 of Hearts, and 8 of Hearts;
to your self the Duce of Hearts, 7 of
Clubs, and 9 of Hearts. Lastly, you turn
up a Card, which is the Knave of Hearts,
for which you must set up 4; then because
he will not ask you to change 1, he gives
you 1, which you must set up, and then he
plays; fuppose it be his 5 of Hearts, you
then play your 7 of Clubs, which makes
10, then he plays his 8 of Hearts, which
makes 20; then you play your 9 of Hearts,
which makes 29; and because he cannot
come in with his 5 of Hearts, you must
play your Duce of Hearts, which makes
you 31. For your 5 you must set up 5, then
he must set up what he hath in his Hand,
which you will find to be but 6, for he has
not any Thing in his Hand, but *Coftly-Co-
lours*. Then must you set up your Games,
which are, first, 2 for your 9 of Clubs, and 9
of

Coſtly COLOURS. 35

of Hearts, which make 15, then that 15, and the Knave turned up, makes 25, for which fet up 3; then for your Duce of Hearts, which is the right, fet up 4, and 3 for Colours, becaufe you have 3 of a Sort in your Hand, with that turned up; now these, with the 5 you got in playing for 31, makes you, this Deal, with the Knave turned up, and the Cards in your Hand, just 20. Many other Examples might be given, but that is needles since this one is sufficient to direct you in all others. Thus much for Coſtly-COLOURS.

BONNE-ACE.

THIS Game you may look on as trivial, and very inconfiderable; and so it is, by Reason of the little Variety therein contained. But becaufe Persons of Quality have played at it for their Diverſion, we will briefly deſcribe it, and the rather, becaufe it is a licking Game for Money.

Seven or eight Persons (or as many as the Cards will permit) play at one Time. In the lifting, the leaſt Card deals, which is a great Difadvantage; for that makes the Dealer Youngerthand.

The

36 The COMPLEAT GAMESTER. Part II.

The Dealer deals out 2 to the first Hand, and turns up the *third*, and so goes on to the next, *third, fourth, fifth, &c*. He who hath the Highest Card carries the *Bonne*, that is, half of the Stake, the other remaining for the Game; now if there be 3 Kings, 3 Queens, 3 Tens, &c. turned up, the Lowest Hand wins it. The Ace of Diamonds is *Bonne-Ace*, and wins all other Cards whatever. Thus much for the *Bonne*; afterwards the nearest to 31 wins the Game, and he who turns up, or draws to 31, wins immediately.

WIT and REASON.

THIS Game seems very easy at first to the Learner, but in his Practice and Observation he will find it otherwise. It is a Game something like 31, and is thus played.

Two playing together, the *one* hath all the *red* Cards, and the *other* the *black* : Then they turn up Crofs - Pile, who shall lead ; for the Leader hath a great Advantage over the other, as will be demonstrated.

You are not to play a 10 first; for if you do, you certainly lose; for 31 being the

WIT and REASON. 37

the Game, he who first comes to it wins; now should the Leader play a 10, the Follower will play another 10, that makes 20; let the Leader then play any Thing next, the Follower will be sure to make it up 31.

He who hath the Lead, if he play a 9, may certainly win the Game, if he look about him; ever remembring to get first to 20, without spending 2 of one Sort, as 2 Duces, 2 Trays, 2 Quaters, &c. otherwife you will lose : As for Example, you play a 9 first, your Adversary plays a Duce, that makes 11, you play a 9 again, and that makes 20; thus you have played, but both Nines, wherefore your Antagonist plays a Duce; now you can play on no Card but he wins; for if you play an 8 (for you cannot come in with your 10) and you have not a 9, then he hath an Ace for 31; so if you play a 7, which makes 29, he hath a Duce remaining to make up 31, and so you may observe in the rest of the Cards.

Take this for a general Rule, that you have a very great Advantage in fetching out, by Play, any 2 of a Number, as aforesaid; as 2 Fives, 2 Sixes, 2 Sevens, &c. wherefore you must not play rashly, but with the Consideration arithmetically grounded, to make up a certain Game of 31.

To

38 The COMPLEAT GAMESTER. Part II.
To conclude, he who hath the Art of playing well at 31, that is, by naming such a Number, at first, and prosecuting it by such Addition of others, that his Adversary cannot think of any Number, but what shall be his Game; I say such a Man is fitted to play at this Game called WIT and REASON.

The ART of MEMORY.

THIS is rather a Sport, than a Game.
Money may be won at it, but it
is most commonly the Way to act the
Drunkard. It is the best when many play
at it; for with few it is no Sport at all:
For Example; As many Persons as do play,
so many Cards trebled must be thrown
down on the Table, with their Faces up-
wards; which every one must take Notice
of, and endeavour to regifter them in his
Memory. Then the Dealer must take them
all up, and shuffling them, after cutting,
Deals to every one 3 a-piece.

The first, it may be, calls for a King,
which must be laid on the Table, with his
Face downwards by him who hath it in
his Hand; the next, it may be, calls for a
10 of Spades, which must be laid down in
like

40 The COMPLEAT GAMESTER. Part II.
hath it, demands 3 a-piece of every Player.
The Knave of Clubs is called Knave-Knocker,
and he that has it, challengeth 2 a-piece.
If Women play among Men, it is cuftomary
for Knave.Knocker to kifs Queen NAZA A-
RENE.

Laftly, he who lays down a King, the laft
Card that is played challengeth 1, and be-
gins again ; and he who hath firft played
away his Cards, demands as many Counters
as there are Cards in the Hands of the reft.

PENEECH.

HAVING dealt 7 Cards a-piece, turn
up a Card, and that is Trumps. The
Ace and Coat-Cards of Trumps are thus rec-
koned. The Ace is 5, the King 4, the Queen
3, and the Knave 2.

Having played, he who wins the firft
Trick, turns up another Card, and that is
Trumps; and so every Trick produceth a
fresh Trump, till all the 7 be played. Now
if it so happen, that what is turned up
proves an Ace, or Coat-Card, it is a great
Advantage to him who won the laft Trick ;
for if it be an Ace turned up, then he reckons
5, if a King 4, if a Queen 3, as aforefaid.

After

PENEECH.

41

After all the 7 Cards are played, (which at first are dealt 1 by 1,) he who won the last Trick turns up a Card, and if it prove *Ace*, *King*, *Queen*, or, *Knave*, he reckons for it accordingly as aforefaid.

If the 7 of *Diamonds* be turned up, that is *Peneech*, and is reckoned 14 turned up, but it is but 7 in Hand, and not that neither, unless *Diamonds* are Trumps: If it be Trump, it is the highest Card, and wins all others; if it be not Trump, it wins all *Diamonds*.

Lastly, having played out all the 14 Cards betwixt you, count how many Cards you have more than your own 7 at first dealt you, and for every Card reckon 1, and so you must reckon on with the Value of your *Coat-Card* Trumps, with *Peneech* turned up, or in Hand, till you come to 61, which is the Game.

Note, if you have neither *Ace* nor *Face*, you may throw up your Game and deal again.

POST and PAIR.

POST and PAIR is a Game very much played in the West of England.

This Game depends much upon *daring*; so that some may win very considerably, who

42 The COMPLEAT GAMESTER. Part II.
who have the Boldnefs to venture much upon
the *Vie*, tho' their Cards are very indifferent.

You muſt firſt ſtake at Poſt, next at Pair;
after this, deal 2 Cards a-piece, then ſtake at
the Seat, and next, deal the third Card about.
The Eldeſt Hand may pafs and come in
again, if any of the Gameſters *Vie* it; if not,
the Dealer may play it out, or double it.

The *Ace* of Trumps, is the beſt Card of all,
and ſo on of the reſt in Order. At Poſt the
beſt Cards are 21, viz. 2 Tens and an *Ace*,
but a *Pair-Royal* wins all, both Poſt, *Pair*,
and *Seat*. Obſerve, that he who hath the
beſt *Pair*, or the beſt Poſt, is the Winner. A
*Pair* is, a *Pair* of any two, as 2 *Kings*. 2
*Queens*, &c. A *Pair-Royal* is of 3, as 3
*Kings*, 3 *Queens*, &c. The *Vie*, is what
you pleafe to venture upon the Goodneſs of
your own Hand: or if it be bad, and you
imagine your Adverſary's is ſo likewife, then
bid *high* couragiouſly, by which Means you
daunt your Antagoniſt, and ſo bring him to
Submiſſion

If the Gameſters keep in till all have
done, and by Conſent ſhew their Cards, the
beſt Cards carry the Game. Now, accord-
ing to Agreement, thoſe who keep in till
laſt, may divide the Stakes, or ſhew the beſt
Card for it.

Obſerve, where the Cards fall in ſeveral
Hands of the fame Sort, as a *Pair*, or *Pair-Royal*,

POST and PAIR. 43

Royal, and so forth, the Eldeft Hand car-
ries it.

BANKAFALET,

A French GAME.

A T this, the Cards muft be cut into
as many Heaps as there are Players,
or more, if you pleafe, and every Man lays
as much Money on his own Card as he
thinks fit, or on the fupernumerary Heaps.
So many as the Dealer's Card is inferior to,
fo many he pays; so many as his Card is fu-
perior to, so many he wins from.

The beſt Card is the *Ace* of *Diamonds*, the
next to that, the *Ace* of *Hearts* ; thirdly, the
*Ace* of *Clubs* ; and laſtly, the *Ace* of *Spades*,
and so the reſt of theſe Suits in order, accord-
ing to their Degree. The Knack lies in ſe-
curing an *Ace*, or any other good ſure win-
ning Card ; and if you mark the Cards be-
forehand, so as to know them by the Back-
fide, you may then make your Advan-
tage.

La

( 45 )

SOME
DIVERTING AMUSEMENTS
UPON THE
CARDS.

I. To find out among several Cards one, that another has thought of.

HAVING taken out of the Pack,
a certain Number of Cards, and
laid them on the Table, before
the Person who is to fix his Thought upon
some particular Card, placing them in a
regular Order, beginning with the Lower-
most, and ranging the one above another,
with their Figures and Points upwards,
and counting them readily, that you may
find out the Number, which for Example,
we shall suppose to be twelve Cards; bid
him keep in Mind the Number that ex-
presses the Order of the Card he has thought
of,

46

Diverting Amusements

of, namely, one, if he has thought of the first, two, if he has thought of the second, three, if he has thought of the third, &c. Then lay the Cards one above another, upon the rest of the Pack, first, that which was shewn first upon the Table, and that last which was last shewn. Then ask the Number of the Card thought of, which we shall here fuppofe to be four, that is, the fourth Card in Order of laying down, is the Card thought of. Lay your Cards with their Faces up on the Table, one after another, beginning with the uppermost, which you are to reckon four, the Number of the Card thought of; so the second, next to it, will be five, and the third under that, fix, and so on, till you come to twelve, the Number of the Cards you first pitched upon to shew the Person; and you will find the Card which the Number twelve falls to, to be the Card thought of.

II. Several Parcels of Cards being prepo-
fed or shewn to as many different Persons, to
the End that each Person may think upon
one, and keep it in his Mind; how to gues's
the respective Card which each Person has
thought of.

Let us fuppoſe there are three Perſons in
Company, and three Cards ſhewn to the
first

upon the CARDS.

47

first Person, that he may think upon one of them, and these three Cards laid aside by themselves; then three other Cards held before the second Person, for the same End, and likewise laid apart; and at last three different Cards again to the third Person, to the same End, and likewise laid apart. This done, turn up the first three Cards, laying them in three Stations; upon these three, lay the next three other Cards that were shewn to the second Person; and above these, again the three last Cards: Thus you have your Cards in three Parcels, each of which confifts of three Cards. Then ask each Person in what Parcel is the Card he thought of; after which it will be easy to distinguish; for the first Person's Card will be the first of his Heap; and in like Manner the second's will be the second in his; and the third Person's Card will be the third in his.

### III.
Several Cards being sorted into three equal Heaps, how to guess the Card that any one thinks of

It is evident that the Number of Cards must be divisible by three, since the three Parcels are equal. Suppose then there are 56 Cards, by Consequence there are 12 in each Parcel; as in what Parcel is the Card thought upon; then put all the Heaps together, so as

48

Diverting Amusements

as to put that which contained the Card
thought upon between the other two; then
deal the 36 Cards again into three equal
Hands, observing that Order of the first Card
to the first, the second to the second, the third
to the third, the fourth to the first again, and
so round, dealing 1 Card at a Time, till the
Cards are dealt off. Then ask again, in
what Heap is the Card thought upon, and
after laying together the Cards, so as to put
that which contained the Card between the
other two, deal off again, as you did before,
into three equal Parcels. This done, ask
once more, what Parcel the Card is in, and
you will easily distinguish which is it; for it
lies in the Middle of the Heap to which it
belongs, that is, in this Example is the
sixth Card; or if you will, to cover the Arti-
fice the better, you may lay them all to-
gether, as before, and the Card will be in the
Middle of the whole, that is, the eighteenth.

IV. To guess the Number of a Card drawn
out of a Picquet-Stock, confiding of 32 Cards.

After any Person has drawn what Card he
pleases, you may know how many Points are
in the Card thus drawn, by reckoning every
Knave two, Queen three, and King four, and
the rest according to the Number of their
Points; then looking upon the rest of the
Cards,

upon the CARDS.

Cards, one after another, add the Points of the first Card to the Points of the second, and the Sum to the Points of the third, and so on, till you come to the last Card; taking Care all along to throw out 10, when the Number exceeds it; upon which Account you see it is needles to reckon up the Tens, since they are to be thrown out; only you must always add 4 to the last Sum, in order to have another Sum, which being subtracted from 10, if it be les, or from 20, if it be more, the Remainder will be the Number of the Card drawn; so that if 2 remain, it is a Knave, if 3 a Queen, if 4 a King, and so on.

V. To guess the Number of the Points, or Drops, of Two Cards drawn out of a Pack.

Whoever draws 2 Cards out of the Pack bid them add to each of the Cards drawn, as many other Cards as his Number is under 25, which is a Moiety of the Pack, wanting 1, fixing upon each faced Card what Number he pleases; if the first Card be 10, add to it 15 Cards; and if the second Card laid be 7, add to it 18 Cards; so that in this Example, there will remain but 17 Cards in the Pack, the whole Number taken out amounting to 35; then taking the Remainder of the Pack into your Hands, and

D

finding

50

Diverting Amusements.

finding they are but 17, conclude that 17
is the *Point-Number* of all the *Points* of
the 2 Cards drawn.

To cover the *Artifice*, you need not
touch the Cards, but order the *Drawer* to
*subtract* the *Number* of the *Points* of each
of the 2 drawn Cards from 26, which is a
Moiety of the *Pack*, and direct him to
add together the 2 *Remainders*, and acquaint you with the Sum, that you may
*subtract* it from 52 the *Number* of the
whole *Pack*, the *Remainder* of that being
what is enquired after.

For *Example*, Suppose a 10 and a 7 are
the Cards drawn, take 10 from 26, and
there will remain 16; and if you take 7
from 26 the Remainder is 19. The Addition of the two *Remainders* 16 and 19, amount to the Sum of 35, which *subtract-ed* from 52, leaves 17, for the *Number* of the *Points* of the Two drawn CARDS,

THE

( 51 )

THE
Compleat Gamefter.

PART III.

GAMES *within the* TABLES.

I. *The Famous Game of VERQUERE.*

THIS Game is originally, said to be
of Dutch Extraction, and one of
the most noted Diversions among the
Hollanders. The Manner of playing it is
thus, viz.

All the Table-Men are placed on the
Ace-Point, where you set the two Men at
Back-Gammon ; and as at that Game, bring
them round into your own Tables, but with
different Circumstances ; for you are not
allowed to make a Point in either of your
Tables, next your Adversary, the farther
Ace-Point excepted, for there you may do

D 2

it

52 The COMPLEAT GAMESTER.

it as your Discretion does best direct you; but you may take as many Points in your own Tables as you think good, to advantage your Game, and by so doing, to hinder your Adversary from approaching you, or by the Luckiness of his Throw to get the better of it.

In the next Place, you are to observe, that this Game is commonly played. *double* and *single*; the *double* is called JOHN, which is a particular Advantage your Adversary gets over you, if his Luck in throwing be extraordinary: but you can never be JOHN'D, except you have more Men than you can enter upon. *fix Points*, that is to say, 7 Men, which is 1 more than your Points will bear; and in such a Case you must yield the *Double*, and consequently your Game is in danger to be lost.

Note, that though you always *point* as your Caft affords you Convenience, and to the best Advantage of your Game, yet you cannot enter two Men upon any *Point*, and in that Particular this Game is more remarkable than any other played upon the Tables.

You play *Doublets*, and at last bear away all your Men, as at *Back-Gammon*, and the Art is in managing your Throws to make your Game proper; for this, whilst your Adversary, by ill Throwing, or indifferent

The Game of VERQUERE.

indifferent Management, lags behind, is
very convenient for you to be skilled at.
NOTE also, that when you have more Men
to enter, than you have opened Points to
receive them, you are to let your Adver-
sary throw; which I have seen for a confi-
derable Space of Time; until by playing
his Men forward (contriving as much as
possible he can, to gain the Preeminence,
and put back your Game) he makes Room
for you by a Vacancy; else, perhaps, the
Nature of this Diversion is such, that the
Game may hold out a long Time, there
being no Possibility of going on, till you
have the Privilege, by his opening the Paf-
sage for you on the Tables, to enter your
remaining Men.

Note too, that if you hit any of your
Adversary's Men, by a fortunate Craft of
your Dice, and that he has the favourable
Fortune, presently after to hit you again :
In such a Case, which, indeed, is not very
common, if there be not Room for you
to enter in his Tables, nor for him to per-
fect the Advantage of his Throw to enter
in yours. It is the Nature of this Game,
that you must lose it double, you being the
first to throw. This, and the rest of the
Accidents of Verquere, are like most other
Games, to be understood, and avoided, by
Experience in Play.

C 3

II. The

54 The COMPLEAT GAMESTER. Part III.

II. The Noble and Courtly Game called
GRAND TRICK-TRACK,

IS a French Diversion; and most commonly used by Persons of the first Quality.

It is thus played: The Table-Men are to be placed on the Side of the Tables. Next, it is also to be observed, that besides the Table-Men, with which you play, there are 3 other Pieces to be used, called Markers, whether Half Crowns, or Halfpence, or any other Coin: These are to mark the Throw of your Dice, on the Points of the Tables which are advantageous to you: For Example, If in your first Tables you make single Toots, in 3 Crafts, or Throws, you mark with one Marker 4.

There are 12 Holes on the Sides of your Tables, with Pegs in them, for the Use of this Game. Note then, that 12 Marks gained on the Points of your Tables, make an Hole, and 12 Holes make up the Game, if you agree to it; else lets, or more: If you fill up your Points, for every single Throw on the Dice, you make 4, and for Doublets 6; and may hold your Game as long as you think convenient,

GRAND TRICK-TRACK. 55

nient, that is, play on without breaking up
your own, and your Adversary's, if you
believe you shall get no Advantage by be-
ginning again.

If you hold with your double Men in
your Tables, before you can make a Point,
and your Adversary cannot fill his Ta-
bles, you are obliged with your Man to
pafs over into his Tables, tho' it be
commonly a Disadvantage; but if he
throws so well, as to fill up, then it alters
the Matter, and you cannot pafs. Note,
that when you have marked 12 with your
Marker, which, as I said before, makes up
one Hole, you may go off, break up your
Tables, and begin again, provided you
have the Dice; or else you cannot.

If in playing this Game, you touch a
Man rashly, as intending to play it, and
think to change it for another, you are
obliged to play it as you before in-
tended.

Note, As to those Men that are obliged
to pafs over into the Adversary's Tables,
if he hits them, he marks thus :

For every single Throw 4; for Doub-
lets 6; and if at any Time, by your
good Fortune in throwing, you can mark
over and above 12, you must then mark
a Hole, or else 2, if you go double, and
the Overplus remaining is called to the Good,

D. 4.

pro-

56. The COMPLEAT GAMESTER. Part III.
provided you do not break your Game: You
cannot go off, nor break your Tables by
your Adversary's Throws. And note, that
if you chance to make more or less than
is right, it is in his Power to take the Ad-
vantake, put you back, or oblige you to
mark full. This is what is most confide-
rable in your first Tables.

Now, as to your Adversary's *second*
*Tables*: For every Man you hit of his
with a fingle Die, you mark but 2; and
for Doublets 4; though in his *first* Tables,
4 for each fingle Die, and 6 for Doub-
lets.

If you chance to hit a Blot or two in
your Adversary's Tables, and cannot pass,
by reason of his Man standing in your
Way, and hindering you, it is allowable
for him to take the Advantage of mark-
ing by your own Throws in both Tables,
as before mentioned.

The Ace-Point of both Corners in the
*second Tables*, cannot be divided here, nor
fill the Corners, as at other Games; though
in Lieu of that Convenience, if the Dice
favour, for each fingle Caft, you mark 4;
and for Doublets 6.

Then as that Part of the Game, called
*Gens des Retour*, or the *Back-Game*, which
is the latter Part: Next, bearing off your
Men, as it is used at *Back-Gammon*, you
play

GRAND TRICK-TRACK. 57

play your Men as fast as you can, into his Tables, endeavouring to fill up the Points, as at the Fore-Game; which being done, you bear off your Men; only there is one Distinction between this and Back-Gam-mon (noted before) that as Doublets thrown at the last Caft gives considerable Advantage to the Gamefter there, it is here of no Value, nor gives any Addition to the Throw.

Note, that if at any Time you break up your Tables, and disorder your Men, except by gaining 12 Points, you can mark a Hole, it is in your Adversary's Power to oblige you to hold your Game on still, and to play all the Table-Men you have so touched and disordered to his own Advantage.

Note also, that we distinguish the Single from the Double, in this Manner: If your Adversary, by his ill Fortune in throwing, has no Points on his Tables marked, altho' your Throw is single, yet still you may mark a double Point; but if otherwise, he has such good Luck by the Dice, to have any Point to mark, then he comes double; which you are to take off again, if you can hit him.

These are all the Passages that are considerable in this Game; which the play,

D 5.