This difficult trick is done in the following manner. It is customary, before beginning to play, for each person to cut for the deal.
The Greek, in mixing the cards, with a rapid glance, seeks for an ace, which he passes under the pack, and putting in practice the principles which I have pointed out in the first chapter, part 5, [figure 9], he makes the bridge.
"Let us see," exclaims he, putting the pack on the table, "who shall deal?"
He cuts first himself, at the bridge where the ace (the highest card in cutting at piquet) is placed, and as it does not often happen that his opponent cuts another ace—"You shall deal," says he, "we will make the game one hundred and fifty points."
The first hand is not of much importance; the Greek leaves to chance the distribution of the cards. He well knows that his adversary will not gain the game in one hand; he, therefore, only thinks of making himself master of the cards before mentioned.
Twelve cards are dealt to him by his adversary, and five others are in reserve for him in the "talon."
It is most probable that, out of these seventeen cards, he will find some of the number mentioned in the preceding list.
He must, at all hazards, prevent those cards getting into his opponent's hands, and must keep them near him for the following hand.
Consequently, he discards the weakest cards in his hand, and makes a little heap of them on his right hand, on which he places successively, and without concealment, all the aces, kings, and spades, he can get from his adversary.
We will imagine that, by the time the hand is played, he has only been able to obtain six of the cards he wants.