ZETEMA.
In some points Zetema resembles both Cribbage and Bézique; still, in reality, as will be found after a little experience by the player, it is like neither; and, although it may not in the estimation of most card-players be exactly superior to those games, it is quite as interesting and as exciting.
Proper sets of Zetema cards may be bought of any ordinary card dealer, though in the absence of them Whist cards may be made to answer the purpose instead.
The advantage of being supplied with the former, however, lies in the fact that with them is appended a Table of Scores like the following, a knowledge of which is indispensable to the player:—
TABLE OF SCORES.
| Assemblies. | Points. | ||
| For an assembly of the | five | Kings | 100 |
| „ | „ | Queens | 100 |
| „ | „ | Knaves | 90 |
| „ | „ | Aces | 80 |
| „ | „ | Fives | 80 |
| „ | „ | Any others | 60 |
| MARRIAGES. | Points. |
| Declaration of marriage | 10 |
| Declaration of imperial marriage, that is, the second marriage of The duplicated suit, after the other has been declared | 20 |
| Declaration of two marriages at one declaration | 30 |
| Declaration of two marriages at one declaration, of which one is the imperial marriage | 40 |
| Declaration of the two marriages of the duplicated, but at one declaration | 50 |
| Declaration of three marriages at one declaration | 60 |
| Declaration of three marriages at one declaration, of which one is the imperial marriage | 70 |
| Declaration of three marriages, of which two are of the duplicated suit, at one declaration | 80 |
| Declaration of four marriages at one declaration | 100 |
| Declaration of four marriages at one declaration, of which one is the imperial marriage | 110 |
| Declaration of four marriages, of which two are of the duplicate suit, at one declaration | 120 |
| Declaration of the five marriages at one declaration | 150 |
| Declaration of a flush, or of all the cards in hand being of one suit, which must not be the duplicate suit | 30 |
| Declaration of a sequence, or when all the cards in hand follow each other in order of value or number | 30 |
TRICKS.
| King or queen trick (when made) | 50 |
| Knave trick do. | 20 |
| Ace trick do. | 15 |
| Five trick do. | 15 |
| All other tricks do. | 5 |
Penalties for playing out of turn or accidentally exposing a card during play:—
1st.—The card must be left exposed on the table until the player's turn comes round, when it must be played.
2nd.—The player cannot draw, under any circumstances, at that time from the pack to complete his hand, but must continue one card short.
3rd.—If the exposed card be a winning card, the score is lost.
4th.—If not a winning card, it will follow the usual course.
On opening a pack of Zetema cards, it will be seen that they are composed of a full pack of Whist cards, with the addition of a double set of one of the suits. When ordinary cards are used, it is immaterial which suit is chosen to be duplicated; all that is necessary is that before beginning to play the double suit should be declared.
Each trick, therefore, consists of five cards instead of four, and as some of these tricks are much more valuable than others, the aim of every player should be to secure the highest tricks. The combination known as an assembly, and which is mentioned in the score, is simply a trick not yet played, but still held in hand.
Five cards of equal value do not often fall to the lot of any one, therefore this combination does not often occur; and in most cases it is, perhaps, wise for players to be satisfied with something less. Still, when a player holds in his hand two or three kings or two or three queens, he is quite justified in making an attempt to secure the five, in order that he may lay claim to the highest score; because, as will be seen from the list, an assembly, either of five kings or of five queens, counts 100.
When all the six cards in hand are of the same suit, the owner of them can lay claim to a score of thirty, though this combination is not a very common one, because flushes of the duplicated suits do not count. The most likely time to secure a flush is when not many of the same suit have been already played.
The sequence combination is generally the best paying of all, especially when the number of players is only small. The ace may be counted either as one or as best card, whichever will be most advantageous to the player.
Therefore, if one, two, three, four, five, six; four, five, six, seven, eight, nine; or nine, ten, knave, queen, king, ace, be possessed by any one, the owner of such cards may score thirty. Sequence cards must, of course, follow in rotation, but they need not be of the same suit; and after counting a sequence, and also after counting a flush, four of the same cards may be employed in making another sequence or flush.
In Two-handed Zetema, four, or even five, sequences are often counted in the playing of one game. A common marriage, which scores ten, is secured to any one who plays a king and queen of the same suit. The imperial marriage consists of the second king and queen of the duplicate suit. The playing of the first king and queen of this suit constitutes nothing more than a common marriage.
Experience will teach the player that when he holds three or four kings and queens in his hand, he will gain more by keeping them back until he can declare them all at once than by declaring them singly, because the declaration of two or three marriages at the same time score much more in comparison than if declared singly.
With regard to tricks, the player should make every effort possible to secure the knave trick, which scores twenty, and the ace trick and the five trick, which score fifteen each. The person entitled to score the tricks is the one who plays the last or fifth card of the same value; by doing so he gains five. It is only possible to make a king or queen trick when an assembly of one of them has been declared; the others then being played in the same way as the cards lower in value, the trick scores fifty. When four or more persons play at Zetema they must arrange themselves in couples, as at Whist, and sit opposite to each other, one of each couple undertaking to mark the scores, the other turning and collecting the tricks; but when only two or three play every one scores for himself.
When not more than four are playing, the dealer distributes six cards to each player, placing all the cards that remain face downwards on the table. Every one then carefully examines the cards given him, to ascertain what course it would be wise for him to adopt. A study of the rules will enable him to decide which declaration he will most likely be able to make. As in Bézique, every player should always have six cards in his hand. After playing one, therefore, he must take up a card from the over cards on the table to make up his number. This must be done, however, at once, immediately after he has played a card, otherwise he cannot claim it, and must suffer the consequence, which, doubtless, will be that he cannot in that hand score either a sequence or a flush. In attempting to form sequences it is advisable, as in Bézique, to retain, if possible, such cards as would help to make another sequence. The card drawn sometimes happens to be of the same value as one of those held in the hand; in that case one of them may be made to contribute towards an additional sequence.
The player of the fifth card who completes a trick when four cards have already been played cries "Zetema" as he turns the trick, and scores for it. Thus the game goes on until all the over cards have been gradually withdrawn, the taking of the last of these being the signal for the best part of the game to begin. The playing of the last six cards and the making of the rest of the marriages and tricks form usually the most exciting part of the whole affair.
The player most of all to be envied is the drawer of the last card on the table; for this reason, that as every one else must play their card first, he has the opportunity of retaining command of an imperial marriage or of any other good trick until the end of the game.
Although the declaration of two or three marriages is highly advantageous, still there is no danger in playing one of the cards of a marriage in one round, and declaring the marriage in the next round, rather than play them both at once. When there are more than four players, five cards instead of six must be given to each by the dealer, the flushes and sequences being, of course, smaller in comparison. Before attempting to play, a thorough knowledge of the rules must be acquired, and also great care and prudence must be exercised throughout the whole game, in order to ensure success.