CARDS, Bezique. — This game can be played by either two, three, or four players. For each player a pack of thirty-two cards is required. Bezique cards comprise the ace, ten, king, queen, knave, nine, eight, and seven of each suit The twos, threes, fours, fives, and sixes being omitted from a full pack of fifty-two cards. In Bezique the ace is the highest, then the ten, king, queen, knave, nine, eight, seven. The Deal. — The players cut for deal, the holder of the highest card dealing. Two-handed Bezique. — The dealer being determined, he shuffles the two packs well together, dealing eight cards to each player, viz. three to his opponent, then three to himself, then two to each, and lastly three to each. He then turns up the seventeenth card, which becomes the tramp, and is placed on the side of the remainder of the packs on the table. Should the tum-up card be a seven, the dealer scores ten. If too few cards be dealt, the number must be made up from the pack, or the non-dealer (if he has not looked at his cards) may claim a new deal. If a card be exposed in dealing the non-dealer may claim a new deal. A trump card takes any cards of ano- ther suit. Playing. — The non-dealer leads a card. The dealer plays to it, but is not obliged to follow suit, nor win the trick. Should he, however, desire to win the trick, it must be done with a higher card of the same suit, or with a tramp card If two cards of equal value are played the first wins. The great object of the game is to win aces and tens, and to form in the hand a. combination of cards which, when declared, scores a certain number of points ( See Declaring). The tricks, therefore, are of no value, except for the aces and tens they may contain, or to give the player an opportunity of making a declaration. After the trick is taken, the winner takes a card from the top of the pack, then his opponent. Eight cards will thus be held by each player, the winner leads next, and alternately playing a card and drawing a card con- tinues till all the pack is distributed, in- cluding the trump card, which falls to the loser of the trick last played. If a player plays without drawing, he forfeits ten, andmtist draw two cards next time. If a player draws out of bis turn, and his opponent does not follow, he for- feits ten. If the player discovers that his oppo- nent holds more than eight cards while he has only eight himself, he adds ico to his score, but should both have more than the proper number, there is no penalty, but each must play twice before drawing. If a player draws two cards instead of one, his opponent may have them both turned face upwards, and choose which he will take. Declaring. — Immediately after taking a trick, and then only , the winner has the privilege of making a declaration, but he must do so and score it before drawing a fresh card. Only one declar- ation can be made at a time. A declaration is made by placing on the table any combination of cards, face upwards, as follows : Bezique Combinations. — "Bezique” — Queen of spades ami knave of diamonds. "Double Bezique" — Two queens oi spades and two kiMytrs of diamonds. a CARDS 93 CARDS All four cards must be seen on the table together. “Sequence” — Ace, ten, king, queen, and knave of trumps. " Royal Marriage ”■ — King and queen of trumps. “ Marriage " — King and queen of any suit, except trumps.

AI-modernized reading of the original text

CARDS, Bezique. — This game can be played by either two, three, or four players. For each player a pack of thirty-two cards is required. Bezique cards comprise the ace, ten, king, queen, knave, nine, eight, and seven of each suit The twos, threes, fours, fives, and sixes being omitted from a full pack of fifty-two cards. In Bezique the ace is the highest, then the ten, king, queen, knave, nine, eight, seven. The Deal. — The players cut for deal, the holder of the highest card dealing. Two-handed Bezique. — The dealer being determined, he shuffles the two packs well together, dealing eight cards to each player, viz. three to his opponent, then three to himself, then two to each, and lastly three to each. He then turns up the seventeenth card, which becomes the tramp, and is placed on the side of the remainder of the packs on the table. Should the tum-up card be a seven, the dealer scores ten. If too few cards be dealt, the number must be made up from the pack, or the non-dealer (if he has not looked at his cards) may claim a new deal. If a card be exposed in dealing the non-dealer may claim a new deal. A trump card takes any cards of another suit. Playing. — The non-dealer leads a card. The dealer plays to it, but is not obliged to follow suit, nor win the trick. Should he, however, desire to win the trick, it must be done with a higher card of the same suit, or with a tramp card If two cards of equal value are played the first wins. The great object of the game is to win aces and tens, and to form in the hand a. combination of cards which, when declared, scores a certain number of points ( See Declaring). The tricks, therefore, are of no value, except for the aces and tens they may contain, or to give the player an opportunity of making a declaration. After the trick is taken, the winner takes a card from the top of the pack, then his opponent. Eight cards will thus be held by each player, the winner leads next, and alternately playing a card and drawing a card continues till all the pack is distributed, including the trump card, which falls to the loser of the trick last played. If a player plays without drawing, he forfeits ten, and must draw two cards next time. If a player draws out of bis turn, and his opponent does not follow, he forfeits ten. If the player discovers that his opponent holds more than eight cards while he has only eight himself, he adds 100 to his score, but should both have more than the proper number, there is no penalty, but each must play twice before drawing. If a player draws two cards instead of one, his opponent may have them both turned face upwards, and choose which he will take. Declaring. — Immediately after taking a trick, and then only , the winner has the privilege of making a declaration, but he must do so and score it before drawing a fresh card. Only one declaration can be made at a time. A declaration is made by placing on the table any combination of cards, face upwards, as follows : Bezique Combinations. — "Bezique” — Queen of spades ami knave of diamonds. "Double Bezique" — Two queens of spades and two knaves of diamonds. a CARDS 93 CARDS All four cards must be seen on the table together. “Sequence” — Ace, ten, king, queen, and knave of trumps. " Royal Marriage ”■ — King and queen of trumps. “ Marriage " — King and queen of any suit, except trumps.

Consult me