ALL FOURS.
The name by which this game is known was, no doubt, given to it because of the four chances, or points, of which it consists—namely, High, which is the name given to the best trump; Low, the smallest trump in the round; Jack, the name of the trump suit; and Game.
The game may be played by either two or four players, but the same rules apply to each.
It would, perhaps, be as well first of all to describe the technical terms used in All Fours, as the game cannot be understood without a knowledge of them.
High.—The highest trump out; the holder scores one point.
Low.—The lowest trump out; the original holder of it also scores one point, even if it be taken by his adversary.
Jack.—The knave of trumps; the holder scores one point, unless it be won by his adversary, in which case the winner scores the point.
Game.—The greatest number that, in the tricks gained, can be shown by either party; reckoning for
| Each | ace four towards game. | |
| „ | king three | „ |
| „ | queen two | „ |
| „ | knave one | „ |
| „ | ten ten | „ |
The other cards do not count towards game; thus it may happen that a deal may be played without either party having any to score for game, by reason of holding neither court cards nor tens.
When the players hold equal numbers (ties), the elder hand (the non-dealer) scores the point for game.
Begging is when the elder hand, disliking his cards, uses his privilege, and says "I beg," in which case the dealer must either suffer his adversary to score one point, saying "Take one," or give each three more cards from the pack, and then turn up the next card for trumps; if, however, the trump turned up be of the same suit as the first, the dealer must go on giving each three cards more, and turning up the next until a change of suit for trump takes place.
Eldest Hand.—This term signifies the player immediately to the left of the dealer.
The following is the method adopted for playing the game:—
The ace is the highest card, and deuce is the lowest.
After having cut and shuffled a pack of fifty-two cards in the ordinary way, the dealer gives six to each player. If there be but two players, he turns up the thirteenth card; but if four players, he turns up the twenty-fifth card, the suit to which the turn-up belongs being trumps. Should the turn-up be a knave, the dealer scores one point.
The elder hand then looks at his cards, and either holds it for play or begs, that is to say, that he must be allowed by the dealer to either score one point, or that all the players should have three more cards given to them, and that a new trump should be turned up.
When the latter plan is adopted, should the turn-up be of the same suit as the last, the dealer must go on giving three more cards until a change of trumps takes place.
The elder hand having decided on his hand, plays a card from any suit he likes, but must not beg more than once, unless a special agreement has been made that he should do so.
The dealer to this plays another card, which, if higher, wins the trick, the winner of it thus becoming the next leader, and so on throughout the six tricks. According to the modern method of playing, the trick need not be headed by one of the same suit; the highest card played wins it.
When the six tricks are played, the points are taken for High, Low, Jack, or Game. Jack counts one to the player who possesses it at the count-up, and not to the player who owned it originally. High and low each count one, the players to whom they were dealt deriving the benefit of them. The deal is taken in turns.
Should no player have either a court card or a ten, the elder hand scores the point for game. In the case of two players having equal points towards game, the elder hand of the two scores. If only one trump should be out, it counts both high and low to the player who first has it. The science of the game consists, as may easily be seen, in first winning the knave; second, making the tens; and third, in taking the adversary's best cards.
BLIND ALL FOURS.
This game is not often played by more than two persons. Six cards are given to each player, the trump card being the first that is played by the non-dealer. The points are generally nine or seven, and there is no begging.
Among some players a rule exists that the sixes and sevens should be rejected, and that the pips on all the cards should be counted for game.
ALL FIVES.
This is a game that requires no small amount of skill to play it well, but when once understood proves to be well worthy of the attention and admiration bestowed upon it.
Instead of nine or eleven points being played for, as in All Fours, sixty-one points constitute the game, the marking of which is generally done on a cribbage-board. The very first card played by the non-dealer is the trump card.
Any one playing the ace of trumps marks four points to himself; for king he marks three; for queen, two; for knave, one; for the five of trumps, five; and for the ten of trumps, ten. When the knave, ten, or five are taken by superior cards, the points belonging to them are scored by the winner.
In counting for game, the five of trumps is reckoned as five; all the other aces, kings, queens, knaves, and tens are counted the same as in All Fours.