It is usual to count the deals by opening the blade of a pocket-knife, which is placed on the table by the player on the dealer’s right. When it comes to his turn to deal, he partly opens one blade. When he deals again he opens it entirely, and the third time he closes it; that being the third round, and the last deal of the game.
Fourth Deal. Eighth Deal.
POSITION OF THE PLAYERS. The four players at Boston are distinguished by the letters A Y B Z.
Z is the dealer, and A is known as the eldest hand. There are no partnerships in Boston, except that of three players combined against the fourth, who is always spoken of as the caller. The players having once taken their seats are not allowed to change them without the consent of all the others at the table.
DEALING. At the beginning of the game the two packs are thoroughly shuffled; after which they must not again be shuffled during the progress of the game. If a hand is dealt and not played, each player must sort his cards into suits and sequences before they are gathered and dealt again.
At the beginning of each deal, one pack is presented to the players to be cut; each having the privilege of cutting once, the dealer last. Beginning on his left, the dealer gives four cards to each player, then four more, and finally five; no trump being turned.
The general rules with regard to irregularities in the deal are the same as at Whist, except that a misdeal does not lose the deal. The misdealer must deal again with the same pack, after the players have sorted their cards into suits. It is a misdeal if the dealer fails to present the pack to the other players to cut, or neglects to cut it himself. Should the dealer expose any of his own cards in dealing, that does not invalidate the deal. The deal passes in regular rotation to the left, each pack being used alternately.
MAKING THE TRUMP. The deal being complete, the player opposite the dealer cuts the still pack, and the player on his right turns up the top card for the trump. The suit to which this card belongs is called First Preference, and the suit of the same colour is called Second Preference, or Colour. The two remaining suits are known as Plain Suits for that deal.