Value of the Hands. There are seven combinations of value in Ambigu, which rank in the following order, beginning with the lowest:—
The Point. The total number of pips on two or more cards of the same suit. A single card does not count for the point. Three cards of one suit are a better point than two cards, even if there are more pips on the two cards. If no higher combination than a point is shown, the player with the winning point receives one counter from each of the other players at the table, besides winning the pool, and everything in it. In case of ties, the player having two cards in sequence wins. For instance: an 8 and a 7 will beat a 10 and a 5. If this does not decide it, the elder hand wins.
The Prime. Four cards of different suits, sometimes called a Dutch flush, is a better hand than the point. If a prime is the best combination shown, the holder wins the pool, and receives two counters from each of the other players. If the pips in the prime aggregate more than thirty, it is called Grand Prime, and the holder receives three counters from each of the other players, instead of two. If two or more primes are shown, the one with the highest number of pips wins. If this is still a tie, the elder hand wins.
A Sequence is a bobtail straight flush; that is, three of the four cards are in sequence, such as the 2, 3 and 4 of spades, with an odd card, such as a 9. This is a better combination than a prime, and the holder receives three counters from each player. In case of ties, the highest sequence wins. If the sequence flush is one of four cards, it is a doublet.
A Tricon, or three of a kind, is better than a straight, and entitles the holder to four counters from each of the other players. Pairs have no value.
A Flush is four cards of the same suit, not necessarily in sequence, and is better than a tricon. The holder is paid five counters by each of the other players, in addition to winning the pool.
Doublets. Any hand containing a double combination will beat any single combination. For instance: A player holds three of a kind, and the fourth card in his hand is of a different suit from any of his triplet. His hand is a double combination, prime and tricon, and will beat a flush. A sequence of four cards of the same suit is a double combination, and will beat anything but a fredon. When doublets are shown, the holder is paid for both combinations, six for tricon and prime, or eight for sequence and flush, as the case may be.
A Fredon, or four of a kind, is the best possible hand, and the holder is paid ten or eleven counters by each of the other players, according to the pip value of his cards. He is paid eight counters for fredon, and two for the prime, if it is smaller than 8’s; but he claims grand prime if he has four 9’s, or four 10’S, and gets eleven counters.
In case of ties which cannot be decided by the pip values, the elder hand wins.
Even if a player has lost his entire stake in the pool, he must pay the various combinations shown, and it is usual to reserve about ten counters for this purpose.