Hand (card game)

“ Skill in the game consists in remembering the line following the one read and rapidly finding the card on which it is written. Especially must each one watch his own and pick it up before it is seized by another. If an opponent is nimble he snatches the card from the careless player, giving several from his own hand, and the one who is first able to match and discard all of his cards wins the game. The players usually range themselves on opposite lines and play against each other. ”

“ Should no player have either a court card or a ten, the elder hand scores the point for game. In the case of two players having equal points towards game, the elder hand of the two scores. If only one trump should be out, it counts both high and low to the player who first has it. The science of the game consists, as may easily be seen, in first winning the knave; second, making the tens; and third, in taking the adversary's best cards. ”

“ If able to do so, he throws the pair out into the middle of the table; but if he cannot do so, he places it among his own, and, following the example of the dealer, offers his own cards in the same way to his left-hand neighbour, that he also may take any card he likes. Thus the game goes on until all the cards are paired, excepting, of course, one card, which is the companion to the banished queen. The unfortunate individual in whose hand the solitary card is left is surely destined to be either an old maid or a bachelor. ”

“ The cards are then reshuffled, and each player draws at random the number of cards required for the particular form of the game, usually seven. The cards left behind are called the stock. To play a card is known technically as to pose. The leader poses first, generally playing his highest domino, since at the end the player loses according to the number of pips in the cards he has left in his hand. ”

“ The dealer distributes three cards to each player, by one at a time; whoever cuts the lowest card has the deal, and five points make the game, except when both parties say, "
I put
"—for then the score is at an end, and the contest is determined in favour of the player who may win two tricks out of three. When it happens that each player has won a trick, and the third is a tie—that is, covered by a card of equal value—the whole goes for nothing, and the game must begin anew.
102. Two-Handed Put
The eldest hand plays a card ”

“ Five cards of a suit, or four with pam, make a flush which sweeps the board, and yields only to a superior flush, or the elder hand. When the ace of trumps is led, it is usual to say, "Pam be civil;" the holder of which last-mentioned card must then let the ace pass. Any player with five cards of a suit (a flush) looes all the players who stand in the game. The rules in this game are the same as in Three Card Loo.
101. Put
The game of Put is played with an entire pack of cards, generally by two, but sometimes by four persons. ”

“ It goes without saying that leading a suit the weak adverse hand can trump, and upon which the strong hand can discard, is carrying out a custom most commendable at Christmas, but which at the card-table does not arouse the enthusiasm of the partner.
A player should be most careful not to indicate by some mannerism that his hand is trickless. By pulling a card before it is his turn to play, by apparent lack of interest, or by allowing himself to be wrapped in gloom, he may give the Declarer as much information as if he spread his hand on the table. ”

“ There are card players, or ‘card sharps,’ as they are called, who can shuffle cards so adroitly as to ‘put up a hand’ right before your eyes, and you not know it. Even a ‘bungler’ can shuffle so as to give himself a ‘pair,’ or at least to have knowledge of what cards are left on the top or bottom of the pack, which knowledge he can make useful in many ways. For instance, after the deal, he finds in looking at his hand that he has a pair that match the card he knows is on the bottom of the pack. ”

“ Spread the cards a little, and fling them into the air, clutching at them with the right hand as they descend, and at the same moment bring the chosen card to the tips of the fingers. The effect to the spectators will be as if you actually caught it among the falling cards.
This feat also may be performed without the aid of a long card, and without the necessity of forcing a card. In this case, as in the pocket-picking trick, you make the pass as soon as the card is returned to the pack, in order to bring it to the top, and palm it; then offer the pack to be shuffled. ”

“ Give the pack to some person to hold. The cards should be face upwards, so that the chosen card will be undermost, with the thumb of the holder above and the fingers below the pack. The fingers should extend under the pack for about an inch, but the thumb above not more than half an inch. Request the person to nip the cards tightly, and as he does so give them a smart downward rap with your forefinger, which will knock all the cards out of his hand with the exception of the lowest card, which will be retained by the greater friction of the fingers, and will remain staring him in the face. ”

“ When the talon is exhausted, the combinations that have been made are taken into the owner's hand, and the last eight cards belonging to both players are disposed of the same way as in Whist, the second player following suit, and heading the trick, if he can possibly do so, either by trumping or playing a higher card. ”

“ A player having the lead and another winning card to play, should not draw the second card out of his hand till his partner has played to the first trick, such act being a distinct intimation that the former has played a winning card. ”

“ In its primary form, the trick is only an illustration of the well-known fact that the hand can move quicker than the eye can follow. It is performed with three cards—a court card and two plain cards. The operator holds them, face downwards, one between the second finger and thumb of the left hand, and the other two (of which the court card is one) one between the first finger and thumb, and the other between the second finger and thumb of the right hand, the latter being the outermost. ”

“ It is a good trick to spring upon a company casually if you have practiced it beforehand. A playing card is balanced on the tip of the forefinger and a penny placed on top immediately over the finger end, as shown in the sketch. With the right hand forefinger and thumb strike the edge of the card sharply. If done properly the card will flyaway, leaving the penny poised on the finger end. ”

“ With very few exceptions a player should stand on two trumps, however small, but the first player should have a tolerably high card, in addition to two small trumps, other wise the hand is a risky one. ”

“ As the number of cards in the three hands is twenty-one and six are open on the table, the undealt cards also number twenty-one; and as every player matches or throws down a card in his hand and opens one of the pile, the last card of the last player is played when the last of the pile is turned up. ”

“ Each plays, and, after one card all round is played, its place is supplied by a new deal of one card to each. Every card of the trump-suit takes any card of the other suits. Each player takes as many counting-cards as he can, and, at the end of the game, he who counts the most wins,—the account being made according to the value of the cards, as stated above. ”

“ The mere motion of taking the pack into the hand will give sufficient opportunity to return the palmed card into the pack. The possessor of a large hand with long fingers may in this way, if necessary, palm a whole pack of cards, and so enable him to increase very considerably his repertoire of card tricks.
TO MAKE THE PASS.
No one should attempt conjuring tricks with cards until he has thoroughly mastered this sleight; it requires a good deal of practice to perform it neatly and without risk of detection. ”

“ If there be two or more pairs, pairs being the best hand, the hand containing the pair highest in value shall be the best hand; and if two hands contain equally high pairs, the hand containing the highest card which is not tied by an equally high card in the other hand shall be the better hand. ”

“ At the same time you replace the counted cards, and hand the pack to spectator, with the request that he counts down to the number previously stated. This, of course, has the effect of bringing the known top card into position at his number, so that it is quite an easy matter to follow on with any trick in which the sleight-of-hand force is necessary. This seems very simple, but try the effect; even our advanced friends will find it extremely useful. ”

“ When the tableau is complete, four cards will remain, which are to be placed aside, as a reserve. You then examine the tableau and endeavor to pair the cards, taking only those of the lowest row, until their removal releases those above. When no more can be paired, you have recourse to those of the reserve, taking them up one by one. If the first cannot be paired, put it aside, taking the next, but the card or cards so put aside can be paired afterwards if the opportunity of doing so arises. If all the cards cannot be paired, the game has failed. ”

“ FOR SECOND HAND.
23.—With king, queen, and small cards, play a small one when not strong in trumps; but if weak, play the king. With ace, king, queen, or knave only, and a small card, play the small one.
FOR THIRD HAND.
24.—With ace and queen, play Her Majesty, and if she wins return the ace. In all other cases the third hand should play his best card when his partner has led a low one. It is a safe rule for third hand to play his highest.
FOR ALL THE PLAYERS.
25.—Fail not, when in your power, to make the odd trick. ”

“ The cards must be arranged in sets, as soon as they have been picked up off the table. If a player has only two cards of one set, he must hand an isolated card to the player on his right, who takes it, if it is of any service to him, and, in his turn, hands one of the cards in his hand to his neighbour on the right. ”

“ Whenever a new pack of cards is introduced for use, and the first deal shows an unusual number of good hands, or even at any time during the game, whenever an unusual number of good hands are out at the same time, or two unusually large hands are out against each other, it is well not to bet all one has on his hand, though he holds four aces ”

“ You push the pack forward in your left hand, allowing the bottom card to project about an inch toward you, and proceed to draw out the cards above it with your right hand, one at a time, until the fourteenth is reached, when you push the bottom card forward and produce it as the fifteenth. ”

“ In this case the performer secretly takes an ordinary card, say the knave of spades, and tears off one corner, which he carefully preserves. The card thus mutilated he places in a card-box, or other similar piece of apparatus. Pack in hand, he advances to the company, and “forces” the knave of spades, having, meanwhile, the little corner piece of the concealed card hidden between the second and third fingers of his right hand. The card having been drawn, he requests the drawer to tear it up, and place the pieces on a plate, which he hands him for that purpose. ”

“ Holding ace, ten, and a small one, your partner leading the nine of the suit, pass it; for if he holds an honour you make two tricks, counting your ace for a certain trick.
With king, queen, or queen and knave, and another play one of the high cards in all cases when you are second hand. With an average remainder of trumps and good cards, having one certain loser, throw it away at your first opportunity; it may enable your partner to make his second best of the suit. When your partner does not trump a winning card you may be quite sure that he means you to play trumps. ”