IMPERIAL, OR PIQUET WITH A TRUMP.
Impérial differs from Piquet in some minor details, although the leading principle is the same. There are no discards; sequences of court cards are the only ones that count; tierces are worthless; and a trump suit is added.
The cards rank K Q J A 10 9 8 7; the K Q J A and 7 of trumps are called honours, and in all sequences the four highest cards in the suit are the only ones that count.
Counters. Each player is supplied with six white and four red counters, which are passed from left to right as the points accrue. Each red is worth six white, and when all six white counters have been passed over, they must be returned, and a red one passed over in their place. When all the counters, four red and six white, have been passed over, the game is won.
Dealing. Twelve cards are given to each player, two or three at a time, and the twenty-fifth is turned up for the trump. If this is an honour, the dealer marks one white counter for it. There are no discards.
Impérials. Certain combinations of cards are known as impérials, and the player marks one red counter for each of them. The best impérial is carte blanche, which is sometimes marked as a double impérial, and worth two reds. A sequence of K Q J A in any suit is an impérial. An impérial de retourne may be formed in the dealer’s hand if the turn-up trump completes his sequence or makes four of a kind. An impérial tombée, or de rencontre, is made when the player who holds the King and Queen of trumps catches the Jack and Ace from his adversary. Four Kings, Queens, Jacks, Aces, or Sevens in one hand is an impérial; but the Eights, Nines and Tens have no value.
Declaring. The elder hand announces his point, as in Piquet, and arrives at its value in the same way, reckoning the Ace for 11, etc. The dealer replies, “Good,” or “Not good,” as the case may be; but there are no equalities. If the point is a tie, the elder hand counts it. The point is worth a white counter. The impérials are then called, each being worth one red counter. The sequences are called first, that in trumps being “good” of course; then the fours are called, the best being four Kings, and the lowest four Aces. In plain-suit sequences there are no “equals,” the elder hand counting ties as an offset to the advantages of the deal.
Playing. The elder hand leads a card, and the dealer then declares and marks any impérials he may have that are good; after which he plays a card. No impérials can be claimed or scored after the holder has played a card. The second player in each trick must win the trick if he can, either with a higher card or with a trump. For each honour in trumps in the tricks won the player marks a white counter at the end of the hand. The winner of the odd trick scores as many white counters as he has tricks in excess of his adversary. If either player makes capot, (all twelve tricks,) he scores two red counters.
Scoring. When one player reaches six white counters and changes them for a red, his adversary must take down any white counters he may have scored. For instance: The pone has 2 reds and 4 whites up; the dealer has 1 red and 5 whites. The pone scores two whites, reaching six, and advancing his score to 3 reds, which are sometimes called impérials. The dealer must take down his white counters, losing that count altogether, and leaving himself 1 red. The only exception to this is that at the beginning of the hand if both have impérials combinations in hand, neither side takes down its white counters.
In Counting out the following order of precedence must be observed: The turn-up trump, (if it is an honour). The Point. Impérial in hand, sequences first. Impérial de retourne. Impérial tombée. Honours in tricks. Odd tricks.