Counters. Each player is provided with ten counters, and points are marked by placing these counters in the pool. The player who first loses his ten counters also loses the game. If stakes are played for, counters of a different colour must be provided, and the player losing the game must pay as many counters to each of the others as they have points still in front of them. One player is usually the banker, and sells and redeems all money counters. The others are redistributed at the end of each game.
Players. Any number from four to seven may play; but the two black Sevens must be deleted if there are more than four players. When seven play, the dealer takes no cards. All the preliminaries of seats, cards and deal are settled as at Hearts.
Dealing. The entire pack is distributed, the dealer giving each player in rotation two or three cards in each round. No trump is turned. All irregularities in the deal are governed by the same laws as at Hearts; but a misdeal does not lose the deal under any circumstances. The same dealer must deal again.
Objects of the Game. The object in Slobberhannes is to avoid taking either the first or the last trick, or any trick containing the Queen of clubs. The player who wins any of these loses one point, and if he wins all three of them, he loses an extra point, or four altogether. The penalty for a revoke is also the loss of a point.
Method of Playing. The eldest hand begins by leading any card he pleases, and the others must follow suit if they can. The highest card played, if of the suit led, wins the trick, and the winner takes it in and leads for the next trick. The player winning the first trick must pay for it immediately, to avoid disputes. The tricks which are neither the first nor the last have no value, unless they contain the club Queen, which must be paid for as soon as it is taken in.
There is a good deal of play in manœuvring to get rid of cards which might win the last trick, or which would take in the club Queen. The Ace and King of clubs are of course dangerous cards, and unless the player holding them has small cards enough to make him safe in that suit, he should be on the alert for opportunities to discard.
POLIGNAC. QUATRE-VALETS, OR FOUR JACKS.
Cards and Players. When Polignac is played by four persons, a Piquet pack is used, and eight cards are dealt to each player, 3-2-3 at a time. When five play, the two black Sevens are deleted, and six cards are given to each player. When six play, each receives five cards. When seven play, the dealer takes no cards. In France, the cards usually rank as in Écarté; K Q J A 10 9 8 7; but in England and America it is more usual to preserve the order in Piquet, A K Q J 10 9 8 7. There is no trump suit. All the preliminaries are settled as at Hearts or Slobberhannes.
Counters. Each player is provided with ten or twenty counters, as may be agreed upon, and the player first losing his counters loses the game, and pays to each of the others any stake that may have been previously agreed upon, usually a counter for each point they have still to go when he is decavé.
Objects of the Game. The object of the game is to avoid winning any trick containing a Jack, and especially the Jack of spades, which is called Polignac. The moment any player wins a trick containing a Jack, he pays one counter into the pool. If he takes in Polignac, he pays two counters. The eldest hand begins by leading any card he pleases, and the others must follow suit if they can. The highest card played, if of the suit led, wins the trick, and the winner leads for the next trick. If a player has none of the suit led he may discard anything he pleases.