SCOTCH WHIST, OR CATCH THE TEN.
CARDS. Scotch Whist is played with a pack of 36 cards, which rank in plain suits, A K Q J 10 9 8 7 6; the Ace being highest both in play and in cutting. In the trump suit the Jack is the best card, the order being, J A K Q 10 9 8 7 6.
MARKERS. There are no suitable counters for Scotch Whist, and the score is usually kept on a sheet of paper.
PLAYERS. Any number from two to eight may play. When there are five or seven players, the spade 6 must be removed from the pack. In some places this is not done; the thirty-fifth card being turned up for the trump, the thirty-sixth shown to the table, and then laid aside.
CUTTING. Whatever the number of persons offering for play, the table is formed by cutting from the outspread pack for partners, seats, and deal.
When two play, the one cutting the lowest card has the choice of seats and cards, (if there are two packs).
When three play, the lowest deals, and chooses his seat and cards. The next lowest has the next choice of seats.
When four play, partners are cut for; the two lowest pairing against the two highest; the lowest of the four is the dealer, and has the choice of seats and cards.
When five play, each for himself, the lowest cut deals, and has the first choice of seats and cards. The next lowest has the next choice of seats, and so on.
When six play, they cut for partners, the two lowest pairing together; the two highest together; and the two intermediates together. The player cutting the lowest card of the six has the choice of seats and cards, and deals the first hand. If the six play, three on a side, the three lowest play against the three highest; the lowest cut of the six taking the deal, and choice of seats and cards.
When seven play, each for himself, the lowest deals, and has the choice of seats and cards; the others choosing their seats in the order of their cuts.
When eight play, they may form two sets of four each, or four sets of two each. In either case the partnerships are decided by cutting, and the lowest cut of the eight has the deal, with choice of seats and cards.
TIES are decided in the manner already described in connection with Whist.
POSITION OF THE PLAYERS. Two players sit opposite each other. Three, five or seven sit according to their choice. Four sit as at Whist, the partners facing each other. Six, playing in two partnerships, sit alternately, so that no two partners shall be next each other. Six, playing in three partnerships of two each, sit so that two adversaries shall be between each pair of partners. Eight, playing in two sets of four each, or as four pairs of partners, arrange themselves alternately. If we distinguish the partners by the letters A, B, C, D, the diagram will show the arrangement of the tables.
The player to the left of the dealer is the original leader.
DEALING. The method of dealing varies with the number of players engaged. When only one pack is used, any player may shuffle, the dealer last. The pack must be presented to the pone to be cut, and the entire pack is then dealt out, one card at a time.
When two play, the dealer gives each six cards, one at a time. These two hands are kept separate, and two more are dealt in the same manner, and then a third two, the last card being turned up for the trump. When the deal is complete, there will be six hands on the table, three belonging to each player.
When three play, the cards are dealt in much the same manner; two separate hands of six cards being given to each player.
When four, five, six, seven, or eight play, the cards are dealt in rotation from left to right until the pack is exhausted, the last card being turned up for the trump. When five or seven play, either the spade 6 must be thrown out of the pack, or the thirty-sixth card must be shown, after the dealer has turned the thirty-fifth for the trump. When eight play, all four sixes are deleted.
The deal passes to the left, each player dealing in turn until the game is finished.
The general rules with regard to irregularities in the deal are the same as at Whist.
STAKES. When stakes are played for, they are for so much a game. Rubbers are not played. It is usual to form a pool, each player depositing the stake agreed upon, and the winner taking all. In partnership games, each losing player pays the successful adversary who sits to his right. If three pairs were engaged, and A-A won, C and B would each pay the A sitting next him. Before play begins, it should be understood who pays for revokes; the side or the player.
METHOD OF PLAYING. The player on the dealer’s left begins by leading any card he chooses, and the others must all follow suit if they can. Failure to follow suit when able is a revoke, the penalty for which, if detected and claimed by the adversaries, is the immediate loss of the game. When there are more than two players or two sets of partners, the revoking player or side must pay the two or more adversaries as if each had won the game. In some places the individual is made to pay, not the side. This should be understood before play begins. If seven are playing, and one is detected in a revoke, his loss is equal to six games. Any player having none of the suit led may either trump or discard. The dealer should take up the trump card when it is his turn to play to his first trick; after which it must not be named, although a player may be informed what the trump suit is. If all follow suit, the highest card played of the suit led wins the trick, trumps win all other suits. The winner of the trick may lead any card he chooses for the next; and so on, until all the cards have been played.
It is not necessary to keep the tricks separate, as at Whist; but one player should gather for his side.
When two or three play, the hands must be played in the order in which they were dealt. For instance: If these are the hands:—
The players first take up hands Nos. 1 and 2; a card is led from No. 1, the dealer follows suit from No. 2, or trumps, or discards, and the play continues until these two hands are exhausted. The second set are then taken up and played in the same manner; the player who won the last trick in one set having the first lead in the next. Finally, the third set are played in the same manner; all the cards taken by each side being gathered into one pile by the player who has won them. The trump card must remain on the table until the dealer takes up the last hand. When three play, the set of hands first dealt must be first played, and then the second set taken up.
The rules for cards played in error, leading out of turn, etc., are the same as at Whist.
OBJECTS OF THE GAME. The side first scoring 41 points wins the game; and the chief object is to secure tricks containing cards to which a certain value is attached. These all belong to the trump suit, and are the following:—
| The Jack of trumps counts | 11 |
| The Ace of trumps counts | 4 |
| The King of trumps counts | 3 |
| The Queen of trumps counts | 2 |
| The Ten of trumps counts | 10 |
The other trumps, and the plain suit-cards, have no counting value.
The Jack of trumps, being the best, must be taken in by the player to whom it is dealt; but any court card in trumps will win the Ten, so that one of the principal objects in Scotch Whist is to catch the ten.
At the end of each hand the players count the number of cards they have taken in tricks, and they are entitled to score one point for each above the number originally dealt to them. For instance: If four play, nine cards were originally dealt to each, so each pair of partners held eighteen. If at the end of the hand they have taken in eight tricks, or thirty-two cards, they score 14 points toward game, in addition to any score they may have made by winning honours in trumps, or catching the Ten. If five play, beginning with seven cards each, and at the end of the hand one player has taken in fifteen, and another ten; they score 8 and 3 respectively, for cards.
SCORING. At the end of each hand, each player or side should claim all honours won, and cards taken in. One player should keep the score, and announce it distinctly, in order that it may be known how many points each player or side requires to win the game.
In the case of ties, the Ten counts out first; then cards; then A K Q of trumps in their order, and the Jack last. A revoke, if detected and claimed before the cards are cut for the next deal, immediately ends the game.
METHODS OF CHEATING. When only one pack is used, the greek can often succeed in dealing himself the Jack of trumps, and usually loses no time in marking the Ten, so that he can at least distinguish the player to whom it is dealt. A player should be carefully watched who keeps his eyes on the pack while shuffling, or who rivets his attention on the backs of the cards as he deals. Two packs should be used in all round games of cards.
SUGGESTIONS FOR GOOD PLAY. The chief counting elements that are affected by the play being the trump Ten and the cards, it is usual to devote particular attention to winning them. With J A of trumps, or A K, it is best to lead two rounds immediately; but with a tenace, such as J K, or A Q it is better to place the lead on your left if possible. The high cards in the plain suits are capable of being very skilfully managed in this matter of placing the lead. It sometimes happens that a player with the Ten may be fourth hand on a suit of which he has none; or he may catch the Ten with a small honour if it is used in trumping in. The partnership games offer many fine opportunities for playing the Ten into the partner’s hand, especially when it is probable that he has the best trump, or a better trump than the player on the left.
In calculating the probabilities of saving the Ten by trumping in, it must be remembered that the greater the number of players, the less chance there is that a suit will go round more than once, because there are only nine cards of each suit in play.
Many players, in their anxiety to catch the Ten, overlook the possibilities of their hands in making cards, the count for which often runs into high figures.
Close attention should be paid to the score. For instance: A wants 4 points to win; B wants 10; and C wants 16. If A can see his way to win the game by cards or small honours, he should take the first opportunity of giving C the Ten; or allowing him to make it in preference to B. As the Ten counts first, cards and honours next, B may be shut out, even if he has the Jack.
LAWS. There are no special laws for Scotch Whist. The whist laws are usually enforced for all such irregularities as exposed cards, leading out of turn, etc. The most important matter is the revoke, and it should be clearly understood before play begins whether the revoke penalty is to be paid by the individual in fault, or by the side to which he belongs. Some players think there should be some regulation for penalties in such cases as that of a player taking up the wrong hand, when two or more are dealt to each player; but as no advantage can be gained by the exchange, it is hard to see what right the adversary would have to impose a penalty.
ILLUSTRATIVE SCOTCH WHIST HAND.
We give a simple example hand, as an illustration of the manner of playing with four persons; two being partners against the other two.
Z deals and turns heart 8
| A | Y | B | Z | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Q♢ | K♢ | 8♢ | 9♢ |
| 2 | ♣A | ♣K | ♣J | ♣8 |
| 3 | ♣7 | ♣9 | ♣6 | 6♠ |
| 4 | 8♠ | J♠ | K♠ | A♠ |
| 5 | J♢ | 9♠ | A♢ | Q♠ |
| 6 | 7♢ | 10♠ | ♣Q | 7♠ |
| 7 | ♡A | 10♢ | 6♢ | ♡Q |
| 8 | ♡9 | ♡6 | ♡K | ♡7 |
| 9 | ♣10 | ♡10 | ♡J | ♡8 |
A-B win 30 by honours.
Y-Z win 2 by cards.
Trick 1. Y plays King second hand, hoping it will be taken by the Ace, so that he may become third or fourth player, and perhaps save his Ten. B, with the minor tenace in trumps, plays to avoid the lead as long as possible.
Trick 2. Y gets rid of another winning card; B keeping a small card to avoid the lead.
Trick 3. A returns the Club, reading B for the Q or no more. B still avoids the lead, and Z is marked as not having the trump Ten, or he would have saved it.
Trick 4. Z plays to win what cards he can.
Trick 5. B throws ♢A to avoid the lead, knowing Y has the trump Ten; for A would have made it on the second round of Spades. A also marks it with Y, as B does not save it.
Trick 6. B is not sure whether Y has a Diamond or a Club left, and discards the winning card.
Trick 7. Z plays Queen to shut out the Ten, if with A. A knows each player has two trumps left, and that as the turn-up is still with Z, B must have J or K; for if he held only 7 and 6 he would have trumped in to make cards.
Trick 8. A leads trumps. If Y does not play the Ten, and B has not the Jack, B must make four cards and the King by passing. If B has the Jack, he must catch the Ten, no matter how Y and Z play.
FRENCH WHIST is the name given to a variety of Scotch Whist in which the Ten of Diamonds counts ten to those winning it, whether it is a trump or not.