Quadrille, s. A game at cards.
The game of quadrille is played by four persons, with forty cards; the four tens, nines, and eights, are discarded from the pack; the deal is made by distributing the cards to each player, three at a time, for two rounds, and once four to each, beginning with the right-hand player, who is the elder hand.
The stakes, consisting of several equal billets or contracts, comprising the counters and fish, are distributed among the players, who agree upon the value thereof, and upon the number of tours, which are usually ten. After the trump is named, the right-hand player leads, and should the ombre, either alone or with a friend, win all the tricks, he gains the vole, or, if six tricks, the game; but if he get only five tricks he loses by remise, and if only four, by codill. The game, consolation, matadores, bastos, and other payments, are variously regulated, according as the game is won or lost. The holder of either or both of the red aces, is entitled to a fish for each.
SOME SHORT RULES FOR LEARNERS.
1. When you are the ombre, and your friend leads from a mat, play your best trump, and then lead the next best the first opportunity.
2. If you possess all the trumps, keep leading them, except you have other certain winning cards.
3. If all the mats should not be revealed by the time you have won six tricks, do not risk playing for the vole.
4. When you are the friend called, and hold only a mat, lead it, but if only a mat, guarded by a small trump, lead the small one; though when the ombre is last player, lead the best trump you have.
5. Punto in red, or king of trumps in black, are good cards to lead when they are your best, and should either of them succeed, then play a small trump.
6. When the ombre leads to discover the friend, if you hold king, queen, and knave, put on the knave.