The only text-book on this game introduces a great many technical terms which have no meaning to the ordinary card-player, and which have therefore been omitted from this description.
Suggestions for Good Play will be found in Binocle.
RUBICON BÉZIQUE.
Rubicon Bézique bears the same relation to the ordinary game that Railroad Euchre does to Euchre proper. In fact the game might well be called Railroad Bézique, for its chief peculiarity is the rapid accumulation of large scores. The game seems to have originated in France, but is now very popular wherever Bézique is played.
CARDS. Rubicon Bézique is played with four piquet packs of thirty-two cards each; all below the Sevens being deleted from an ordinary pack. The four packs, which should be of the same pattern and colour, are shuffled together and used as one. The cards rank: A 10 K Q J 9 8 7, the ace being the highest, both in cutting and in play.
MARKERS. The game may be kept on a bézique marker, a pull-up cribbage board, or with counters. Markers must be made to score at least 5000 points. When a cribbage board is used, it is usual to count the outside row of pegs as 10 each, the inner row as 100 each, and the game pegs in the centre as 1000 each. If counters are used, there must be for each player; four white, to mark 10’s; one red to mark 50; nine blue to mark 100’s; and four coppers to mark 1000 each. These counters are moved from left to right of the player as the points accrue. In whatever manner the count is kept, it should be distinctly visible to both persons, as playing to the score is very important.
STAKES. Rubicon Bézique is played for so much a hundred points, and in settling up, all fractions of a hundred are disregarded, unless they are necessary to decide the game. Ten cents a hundred is the usual stake; sixpence in England. Games are seldom worth less than one or two thousand points.
PLAYERS. Rubicon Bézique is played by two persons, one of whom is known as the dealer, and the other as the pone. They cut for seats and deal, the player cutting the higher card having first choice, and electing whether or not to deal himself. In cutting, the cards rank as in play, the ace being the highest. If a player exposes more than one card, he must cut again.
DEALING. The cards are thoroughly shuffled, and presented to the pone to be cut. At least five cards must be left in each packet. The dealer then distributes the cards three at a time, first to his adversary and then to himself, for three rounds, so that each player receives nine cards. No trump is turned; but the first marriage declared and scored is the trump suit for that deal. The undealt portion of the pack, called the stock or talon, is slightly spread between the two players, and a little to the left of the dealer. If in spreading the stock any card is found to be exposed, there must be a new deal by the same dealer.
Misdealing. A misdeal does not lose the deal, but in some cases a new deal is at the option of the pone. If the dealer exposes a card belonging to his adversary or to the stock, the pone may demand a new deal; but if either player exposes any of his own cards, the deal stands good. If too many cards are given to either player, and the error is discovered before the dealer plays to the first trick, there must be a new deal. If either player has too few cards, the pone may demand a new deal, or may allow the dealer to supply the deficiency from the top of the stock. If any card is found exposed in the pack, there must be a new deal. If any card faced in the stock is not discovered until the first trick has been played to by the dealer, the exposed card must be turned face down, without disturbing its position. If the pack is found to be imperfect, the deal in which it is discovered is void; but all previous scores or cuts made with that pack stand good.