FRENCH BOSTON.

CARDS. French Boston is played with a full pack of fifty-two cards, which rank as at Whist, both for cutting and playing; except that the diamond Jack is always the best trump unless diamonds are turned up, in which case the heart Jack becomes the best trump, and the diamond Jack ranks next below the diamond Queen.

COUNTERS are used as in Boston, their value being a matter of agreement before play begins.

THE POOL is made up by the dealer’s contributing ten counters for the first eight rounds, and twenty for the last two. It is increased from time to time by penalties, and is won or lost by the players, just as in Boston. There is no limit to the pool. If any player objects to dividing it at the end of the game, it must be played for until some player wins it.

PLAYERS. The number of players, their arrangement at the table, etc., is precisely the same as at Boston.

CUTTING. Instead of cutting for the first deal, any one of the players takes a pack of cards, and gives thirteen to each player in succession, face up. The player to whom he gives the diamond Jack deals the first hand, and has the choice of seats and cards. The others sit as they please.

DEALING. The cards are shuffled before every deal. The player on the left of the dealer cuts, and cards are given first to the player on the dealer’s right, dealing from right to left. The cards may be dealt one at a time, or three at a time, or four at a time, always dealing the last round singly, and turning up the last card. A misdeal loses the deal. Other irregularities are governed by the same laws as in Boston.

The deal passes to the right, and the next dealer is indicated by the position of the tray containing the pool, which the dealer always passes to the player on his right, after putting in his ten or twenty counters.

Forty deals is a game; the first thirty-two of which are called “simples,” and the last eight “doubles.” In the doubles, all stakes and contributions to the pool are doubled. If anything remains in the pool at the end, it is divided equally, unless a player demands that it shall be played for until won. Such extra deals are simples.

RANK OF THE SUITS. The suit turned on the first deal is called “belle” for that game. The suit turned on each succeeding deal is called “petite.” If belle turns up again, there is no petite for that deal. The suits are not first and second preference, as in Boston, but are used only to determine the value of the payments, and to settle which suits partners must name for trumps. The rank of the suits is permanent, as in Boston de Fontainbleau, but the order is, hearts, diamonds, clubs, and spades; hearts being highest. In France, the suits rank in this order in Boston de Fontainbleau, but in America diamonds outrank hearts.

OBJECTS OF THE GAME. Each player in turn has an opportunity to announce that he is willing to undertake to win a certain number of tricks, if allowed the privilege of naming the trump suit; or to lose a certain number, there being no trump suit. If he proposes to play alone, he may select any suit for trumps; but if he takes a partner the trump suit must be belle or petite. The announcements outrank each other in certain order, and the player making the highest must be allowed to play. If he succeeds in his undertaking, he wins the pool, and is also paid a certain number of counters by each of his adversaries. If he fails, he must double the pool, and pay each of his adversaries. The table of payments will be given later.

ANNOUNCEMENTS. The proposals rank in the order following, beginning with the lowest. The French terms are given in italics:—

Five tricks; or eight with a partner, in petite. Simple in petite.

Five tricks; or eight with a partner, in belle. Simple in belle.

Six tricks solo, in any suit. Petite independence.

Little misère. Petite misère.

Eight tricks solo in any suit. Grand independence.

Grand misère. Grand misère, or misère sans ecart.

Misère with four aces. Misère des quatre as.

Nine tricks in any suit. Neuf.

Nine tricks in petite. Neuf en petite.

Nine tricks in belle. Neuf en belle.

Little spread. Petite misère sur table.

Grand spread. Grand misère sur table.

METHOD OF BIDDING. The player to the right of the dealer has the first say. If he proposes to take a partner as in Solo Whist, he says, “Je demande,” at the same time placing one of his cards face downward on the table. This card must not be shown or named, but must be of the suit which he proposes to make the trump. He is not allowed to announce the suit, so that any player accepting him as a partner does so in ignorance as to whether he will play in belle or in petite. If the demand is accepted, the proposer and his partner make no change in their positions at the table, but must make eight tricks, just as in Solo Whist.

If a player cannot propose, he says: “Je passe,” and each of the others in turn from right to left have the opportunity to make a proposal. When any player proposes, any player in turn after him may accept, although such a one may have already passed. If the fourth player proposes, the three others having passed, and no one will accept him he is bound to play solo against three such weak adversaries, and must make five tricks, either in belle or in petite. He is not allowed to play in a plain suit if he has made a simple “demand.”

The only solo bids allowed are those for six, eight, or nine tricks, which outrank one another. A player cannot bid seven to over-call six; he must go to eight; and a player cannot bid five tricks without a partner, although, as we have just seen, he may be forced to play in that manner.

When six, eight, or nine tricks are bid, the suits outrank one another for equal numbers of tricks; but as the suit called need not be the bidder’s true intention, nor the same as the card laid on the table, the proposer must be careful that his play will be as good as his bid. For instance: He intends nine tricks in spades, but proposes eight in diamonds. He cannot bid nine in diamonds, for that would be a better bid than he intends to play; but the ruse may succeed in inducing a player not to bid against him, hoping diamonds is the true suit. It is a common artifice to bid the true suit, because few will believe it to be such.

If clubs are belle, and diamonds petite, and a player who “demands” is over-called by a demand in belle, or a call of six tricks, the first caller cannot advance his bid to six tricks except in the suit which he has already laid on the table; but he may accept the player over-calling him, instead of bidding against him. After a player has once accepted or passed, he cannot bid misère.

If no one makes a proposition of any kind, the hands are thrown up; the next dealer contributes to the pool, and a fresh hand is dealt.

METHOD OF PLAYING. As in Boston, the eldest hand has the first lead, and the others must follow suit if they can, except in the misère des quatre as. When this is played, the bidder may renounce at pleasure for the first ten tricks.

GATHERING TRICKS. When a partnership is formed, each gathers the tricks he takes. If the partnership loses, the one who has not his complement of tricks must pay the adversaries and double the pool. If the demander has not five, and the acceptor has three, the demander pays. If the proposer has five, and the acceptor has not three, the acceptor pays; but they both win if they have eight tricks between them, no matter in what proportion. If neither has taken his proper share, they must both pay. When they are successful, they divide the pool.

SLAMS. If a player has demanded, and not been accepted, and has been forced to play alone for five tricks, but wins eight, it is called a slam. But as he did not wish to play alone, his only payment, besides the pool, is 24 counters from each player if he played in petite; 48 if in belle; double those amounts if the deal was one of the last eight in the game.

If two partners make a slam, thirteen tricks, they take the pool, and receive from each adversary 24 counters if they played in petite; 48 if in belle; double if in one of the last eight hands in the game.

EXPOSED CARDS. The laws governing these are almost identical with those in Boston, with the additional rule that a player allowing a card to fall upon the table face up before play begins, can be forced to play independence in that suit.

REVOKES. The individual player who is detected in a revoke must double the pool, and pay both adversaries.

PAYMENTS. Payments are made according to the table. The player holding diamond Jack receives two counters from each of the other players in a simple; four in a double; except in misères, in which the card has no value.

Misères are paid for according to the trump turned in the deal in which they are played. If a heart is turned, and little misère is played, the payment is 64 counters to or from each player. If a spade was turned, the payment would be 16 only.

Three honours between partners count as three: four as four. Being all in one hand does not increase their value.

The Bid.♠♣♢♡
Five tricks alone, or partners’ 8481216
Three honours36912
Four honours481216
Each extra trick1234
Six tricks, or petite independence6121824
Three honours481216
Four honours6121824
Each extra trick2468
Eight tricks, or grand independence8162432
Three honours6121824
Four honours8162432
Each extra trick481216
Petite misère16324864
Grand misère326496128
Misère de quatre as326496128
Misère sur table64128192256
Slam à deux (partners)50100150200
Slam seul (alone)100200300400
Slam sur table200400600800