Experience will teach the player that when he holds three or four kings and queens in his hand, he will gain more by keeping them back until he can declare them all at once than by declaring them singly, because the declaration of two or three marriages at the same time score much more in comparison than if declared singly.
With regard to tricks, the player should make every effort possible to secure the knave trick, which scores twenty, and the ace trick and the five trick, which score fifteen each. The person entitled to score the tricks is the one who plays the last or fifth card of the same value; by doing so he gains five. It is only possible to make a king or queen trick when an assembly of one of them has been declared; the others then being played in the same way as the cards lower in value, the trick scores fifty. When four or more persons play at Zetema they must arrange themselves in couples, as at Whist, and sit opposite to each other, one of each couple undertaking to mark the scores, the other turning and collecting the tricks; but when only two or three play every one scores for himself.
When not more than four are playing, the dealer distributes six cards to each player, placing all the cards that remain face downwards on the table. Every one then carefully examines the cards given him, to ascertain what course it would be wise for him to adopt. A study of the rules will enable him to decide which declaration he will most likely be able to make. As in Bézique, every player should always have six cards in his hand. After playing one, therefore, he must take up a card from the over cards on the table to make up his number. This must be done, however, at once, immediately after he has played a card, otherwise he cannot claim it, and must suffer the consequence, which, doubtless, will be that he cannot in that hand score either a sequence or a flush. In attempting to form sequences it is advisable, as in Bézique, to retain, if possible, such cards as would help to make another sequence. The card drawn sometimes happens to be of the same value as one of those held in the hand; in that case one of them may be made to contribute towards an additional sequence.
The player of the fifth card who completes a trick when four cards have already been played cries "Zetema" as he turns the trick, and scores for it. Thus the game goes on until all the over cards have been gradually withdrawn, the taking of the last of these being the signal for the best part of the game to begin. The playing of the last six cards and the making of the rest of the marriages and tricks form usually the most exciting part of the whole affair.
The player most of all to be envied is the drawer of the last card on the table; for this reason, that as every one else must play their card first, he has the opportunity of retaining command of an imperial marriage or of any other good trick until the end of the game.
Although the declaration of two or three marriages is highly advantageous, still there is no danger in playing one of the cards of a marriage in one round, and declaring the marriage in the next round, rather than play them both at once. When there are more than four players, five cards instead of six must be given to each by the dealer, the flushes and sequences being, of course, smaller in comparison. Before attempting to play, a thorough knowledge of the rules must be acquired, and also great care and prudence must be exercised throughout the whole game, in order to ensure success.
FRENCH VINGT-UN, OR ALBERT SMITH.
This lively and amusing game is a variation of the ordinary game of Vingt-un, and is well worthy of the popularity it has gained among most lovers of card games. For a round game it is especially suitable, not only because any number of players may join in it, but for the reason that even while playing it is not necessary for the attention of the players to be so entirely absorbed in the game as to be unable to manifest any interest in anything else that may be going on in the room. It is perhaps longer than most ordinary card games, and should not therefore be entered upon by players who have not plenty of time at their disposal.
In making the necessary preparations for it, a good supply of counters must be provided, and a very excellent plan sometimes adopted is to limit the number staked to three, the dealer having the privilege at any time to double the stakes, should he be so inclined.