The (almost really) Complete Works of Lewis Carroll

(A New Game of Cards for Two or More Players)

Section I. (For Two Players)

I.

Cut for precedence. Highest is “first-hand;” lowest “dealer.” Dealer gives 6 cards to each, one by one, beginning with first-hand, and turns up the 13th, which is called the “Lead.” It is convenient that the same player should be dealer for the whole of each game.

II.

First-hand then plays a card; then the other player, and so on, until 6 cards have been played, when the trick is complete, and he who can make, (out of the 3 cards he has played, with or without the Lead) the best “Line,” wins it.

N.B. The cards in the figure are numbered in the order of playing.

III.

A “Line” consists of 2, or all 3, of the cards put down by either player, with or without the Lead. In making a Line, it does not matter in what order the 3 cards have been put down. Lines rank as follows:

N.B. In this Class a Line of 4 cards beats a similar Line of 3. The Lead must not be reckoned in the middle of a Sequence.

N.B. In making a Sequence, the Ace may be reckoned either with King, Queen, or with Two, Three.

IV.

If both have made Lines of the same kind, he whose Line contains the best card wins the trick; and if neither has made a Line, he who has played the best card wins it. Cards rank as follows:

N.B. If no Hearts have been played, and the highest cards on each side are equal, (e. g. if each have played an Ace,) they rank in the order Diamonds, Clubs, Spades.

V.

The winner of a trick chooses, as Lead for the next trick, any one of the cards on the table, except the old Lead; he then takes the rest, turning them face upwards, if he be first-hand, but if not, face downwards; and he becomes first-hand for the next trick.

VI.

The dealer then gives cards to each, one by one, beginning with first-hand, until each hand is made up again to 6 cards.

VII.

At any time during a trick, after the first card of it has been played, and before either has played 3 cards, he whose turn it is to play may “resign” instead; in which case no more cards are played in that trick, and the other player wins it and proceeds as in Rule V. But when either has played 3 cards, the other must not resign.

VIII.

When the pack is exhausted neither player may resign. The winner of the last trick clears the board. Each then reckons up the cards he has won, which count as follows:

(so that a Court-Heart, if face upwards, counts 4 altogether.) The winner scores the difference between his own and the loser’s marks, the loser scoring nothing. Game is 20 or 50.

Section II. (For Three or More Players.)

The same rules apply, with the following necessary changes. The Lead is placed in the middle; first-hand then plays a card; then the player on his left-hand, and so on all round, each putting down his 3 cards in a row from the Lead towards himself. He who makes the best Line wins the trick, and is first-hand for the next trick. At any time during a trick, after the first card of it has been played, and before any one has played 3 cards, he whose turn it is to play may “resign” instead; in which case he loses his chance of winning that trick, and the other players go on without him. But when any one has played 3 cards, no other player may resign. In the case where all players but one “resign,” he who is left to the last wins the trick. At the end of each game all the players but the lowest score the difference between their own marks and those of the lowest, the lowest scoring nothing. Game is 50.