This is a family version of Poker. Each player puts in the pool an agreed amount by way of ante. Five cards are then dealt to each player, with an extra hand, known as "the widow." The elder hand may either play his own hand, pass, or take the widow. If he adopts either of the former alternatives, the next player has a similar option, and so on till some one elects to "take the widow." He takes the spare hand, and lays his own on the table face upwards. The next in order is entitled to take in either of the exposed cards, discarding in its place one of his own, which is added to the remaining four on the table. The next player has a like choice, and so on round and round, till some player is content with his hand, which he signifies by a knock on the table. Each of the other players may still make one more exchange, after which the cards are exposed, and the best hand takes the pool.
Should any player knock before the widow is taken, the five cards are turned up, and each player (other than the one who knocked) has one draw from them. Should the round of the table have
been made without any one taking the widow, the five cards are turned up, and the players draw from them in rotation until some one expresses himself content.
There is in this case no "raising" or betting on the hands, the stakes consisting solely of the amount originally placed in the pool.
Mistigris.
This is a variation which may be introduced into any version of Poker. Mistigris is the "blank" card usually sold with a pack to show its pattern. This is shuffled with the rest, and the fortunate player to whom it falls is entitled to "make" it represent any suit and value he pleases. Thus if he has three sevens and mistigris, mistigris will represent the missing seven, and make him "fours." In conjunction with two pairs, it makes the hand a "full." If the player has four hearts and mistigris, he can claim a flush; and should his four hearts be in sequence, he is considered to hold a straight flush, the mystic mistigris representing the particular card required to complete it.
The Tiger.
The Tiger consists of the lowest "straight" that can be made, and reckons as one degree better than an ordinary straight. It is a recent innovation, and is wisely ignored by the majority of players.