Another favourite system is colours. The player takes some definite card, such as the soda, or the first winner or loser, as his starter, and whatever the colour of the third card of each denomination, that is, the card that makes it a case, he plays it to win or lose, according to the system of colours he is playing. Many players reverse on the last turn.
When a player bets one card to lose and another to win, and loses both bets on the same turn, he is whipsawed.
The Last Turn. If three different cards are left in for the last turn, the players can call the turn, naming the order in which they think the cards will be found. Suppose the three cards left in the box are the 9 8 2, these may come in six different ways:—
| 9 8 2 | 9 2 8 | 8 9 2 | 8 2 9 | 2 9 8 | 2 8 9 |
The odds against any one of these ways are 5 to 1; but the dealer pays 4 for 1 only. In calling the turn, the bet is strung from the selected loser to the selected winner. If the third card intervenes, the bet is strung away from it, to show that it goes round the layout to the other card.
If there are two cards of the same denomination in the last turn, it is called a cat-hop; and as it can come only three ways, the dealer pays 2 for 1. Suppose the cards are 8 8 5, they can come:—
| 8 8 5 | 8 5 8 | 5 8 8 |
If three cards of the same denomination are left, the call is by the colour, and is paid 2 for 1. Suppose two black and one red card are left. These may come:—
| B B R | B R B | R B B |
The bets are placed on the dealer’s right for red first; on his left for black and red, and in front of him for two blacks.