Appendix Two:
The Game of Picket (Piquet)
Principal Games on Cards
Before you begin the Game of Picket, you must throw out of the pack the Deuces, Trays, Fours, and Fives, and play with the rest of the Cards, which are in number Thirty and Six.
The Usual set is an Hundred, not but that you may make it more or less; the last card deals and the worst is the dealer’s.
The Cards are all valued according to the number of Spots they bear, the Ace only excepted, which wins all other Cards, and goes for Eleven.
The Dealer Shuffles, and the others cuts, delivering what Number pleaseth at a time, for the he exceed not four nor deal under two, leaving twelve on the Table between them.
He that is the Elder, having Looked over his cards, and finding never a Court—Card among them, says I have a blank, and I intend to discard such a number of Cards, and that you may see mine, discard you as many as intend; this done, the eldest shows his Cards and reckons ten for the Blank, then taking up his Cards again he discards those which he judgeth most fit: here Note, he is always bound to that number which he first propounded. This being done, he takes in as many from the Stock as he laid out; and if it should chance to fall out that the other hath a Blank too, the youngers Blank shall bar the former and hinder his Picy and Repicy, though the Eldest hands Blank consists of the biggest Cards.
It is no small advantage to the Eldest to have the benefit of Discarding, because he may take in eight of the twelve in the Stock, discarding as many of his own for them, not but that if he find it more advantageous he may take in a less number; after this the Antagonist may take in what he thinks fit, acquitting his hand of the like number. Her note that let the Game be never so good, the Gamesters are both obliged to discard one Card at least. After the discarding you must consider the Ruff, that is how much you can make of one suit; the eldest first, and if the youngest makes no more the Ruff is good, and sets up one for every Ten he can produce; as for example, for thirty reckon Three, for forty Four, and so onward; withal take notice you are to count as many for thirty five as for forty, and as much for forty five as for fifty, and so of the rest; but from thirty five to thirty nine yu muast count nom more than for thirty five, and so from thirty to thirty four count no more than for thirty; and this Rule is to be observed in all other higher numbers.
Ad for sequences and their value after the Ruff is played, the Elder acquaints you with his Sequences (if he have them) and they are Tierces, Quarts, Quints, Sixiesms, Septiesms, Huictuefsms abd Neufiesms, as thus; Six, Seven, and Eight, Nine, Ten, and Knave; Queen, King, and Ace; which last is called a Tierce Major, because it is the highest. A quart is a Sequence of four cards, a Quint of five, a Sixism of Six, et cetera. These Sequences take their Denomination from the highest Card in the sequence. It is a Tierce Major, aor a Tierce of an Ace when there is Queen when there is neither King, nor Ace, and so you come to the lowest Tierce, which is a Tierce of an Eight. You must reckon for every Tierce three, for Quart four, but for Quint fifteen, for a Quart four, but for a Quint fifteen, for a Sixism Sixteen, and so upward; now for whatever you can make of all you must add to your Blank, and count the whole together.
Here not that the biggest Tierce, Quart, or other Sequence, although there be but one of them, makes all the others less Sequences useless unto him be they never so many, and he that hath the biggest Sequences by virtue there of reckons all his less Sequences, though his Adversaries Sequences be greater, and other wise would have drowned them.
Further observe, that a Quart drowns a Tierce, and a Quint a Quart, and so of the rest, so that he who hath a Sixiefsm may reckon on his Tierces, Quarts, or Qunits, though the other may happen to have Tierce, Quart, et cetera of higher value than the others are that hath the Sixiesm; trace the fame Method in all the other like Sequences.
After you have manifested your Sequences, you come to reckon your three Aces, three Kings, three Queens, three Knaves, or three Tens, as for Nines, Eights, Sevens, and Sixes, they have no place int this Account, for every Ternary you count Three, and they are in value as it is in Sequences. Aces the highest the Knaves, and last of all the Tens. The Higher drowns the lover here, as in Sequences.
He that have three Aces may reckon three Queens, Knaves, or Tens, if he have them, though the other have three Kings; and this is done by reason of his higher Ternary. Now he that have four Aces, four Kings, four Queens, Four Knaves, or four Tens, for each reckons fourteen, which is the reason they are called Quatorzes.
You must show your Point, Quint, or Quart before you Play, or else the other may reckon his, tho Inferior, upon showing em.
Now they begin to Play the Cards, the Elder begins and the Younger follows in Suit as at Whisk, and for every Ace, King, Queen, Knave, or Ten, he reckons one.
A Card once Play’d must not be recall’d, unless he have a Card of the same Suit in his hand, if the elder Hand plays an Ace, King Queen, or Ten, for every such Card he is to reckon one, which he adds to the number of his Game before, and if the other be able to Play upon it a higher Card of the same Suit, he wins the Trick, and reckons one for his Card as well as the other. Whoforever wins the last Trick the last Trick reckons two for it, if he win it with a Ten, but if with any Card under, he reckons but one, then they tell their Cards, and he that hath the most is to reckon Ten for them.
After this each person sets up his Game with Counters, and if the Set be not up, deal again; now a Set is won after this manner, admit that each Party is so forward in his Game that he wants but four or five to be up, if it so happens that any of the two have a blank, he wins the Set, because the Blanks are always first reckoned; but if no Blanks, then comes the Ruff, next your Sequences, then your Aces, Kings, Queens, Knaves, and Tens, next what Cards are reckoned in play, and last of all the Cards you have Won. If any of the Gamesters can reckon, either in Blanks, Ruffs, Sequences, Aces, et cetera up to thirty in his own hand without playing a Card, and before the other can reckon any thing, instead of thirty he shall reckon any thing, instead of thirty he shall reckon ninety, and as many as he reckons, after above his thirty, Adding them to his ninety; this is known by the name of a Repicy.
Moreover he that can make in like manner, what by Blank, Ruff, Sequences, et cetera up to the said number, before the other hath play’d a Card, or reckoned any thing, instead of their thirty he reckons sixty, and this is called Picy. Here, note, that if you can but remember to call for your Picy, or Repicy before you deal again, you shall lose neither of them, otherwise you must.
He that wins more than his own cards reckons ten, but he that wins all the Cards reckons Forty, and this is called a Capet.
The Rules belonging to this Game are these: If the Dealer give more Cards than are due, whether through mistake or otherwise, it lieth in the choice of the elder hand whether he shall deal again or no, or whether it shall be played out.
He that forges to reckon his Blank, Ruff, Sequences, Aces. Kings and the like; and hath begun to play his Cards cannot recall them. So it is with him that showeth not his Ruff before he play his first Card, losing absolutely all the advantage thereof.
He that misreckons anything, and he play’d one of his Cards, and his Adversary finds at the beginning, middle, or end of the Game, that he had not what he reckoned, for his punishment he shall be debarred from reckoning anything he really hath, and his Adversary shall reckon all hath, yet the other shall make all he can in play. He that takes in more Cards than he discardeth is liable to the same Penalty.
He that throw up his Cards imagining he hath lost the Game, mingling them with other Cards on the Table though afterward he perceive his mistake, yet he is not allowed to take up his Cards and play them out.
No man is permitted to discard twice in one dealing.
He that hath a Blank, his Blank shall hinder the other Picy and Recipy, although he hath nothing to show but his Blank.
He that have Four Aces, Kings, Queens, et cetera dealt him and after he hath discarded one of the four reckons the other three, and the other say to him it is good; he is bound to tell the other, if he ask him what Ace, King, Queen, et cetera he wants.
If after the cards are cleanly cut, either of the Gamesters know the upper Card by the backside. Notwithstanding this the Cards must not be shuffled again. In like manner, if the Dealer perceive the other hath cut himself an Ace, and would therefore shuffle again, this not permitted; and if a Card be found faced, it shall be nor argument to deal again, but must deal on; but if two be found faced then may he shuffle again.
Lastly, Whosover is found changing or taking back again any of his Cards, he shall lose the Game, and be accounted a Foul Player.
To conclude with a small but pleasant addition, it is not amiss to insert an Ingenious Song of Mr. D’Urfeys, Famous at Court on this Subject.
Within an Abor of delight,
As Sweet as Bowers Elizian
Where Famous Sidney us’d to write
I Lately had vison:
Methought beneath a Golden State,
The turns of chance obeying;
Six of the Worlds most noted great,
At Piquet were a playing.
The first Two were the Brave Eugene
With Vendosme battle Waging
The next a Nymph that to be Queen,
He Monsieur was Engaging;
The Fleur de Lis Old Maintenon
With Fancified Careo
And next above the Scarlet Don,
Queen Ann with Gallick Nero
The Game between the Martial Braves
Was held in different caftes;
The French—man got Quatorze of Knaves,
But Prince Eugene Four Aces;
And tho’ the tothers elsest hand
Gave hopes to make a jest on’t
Yet now the Point who soonest gain’d
Could only get the best on’t
From them I turn’d mine Eyes to see
The Church—man and the Lady,
And found her pleas’d to high degree,
Her fortune had been steady,
The Saints that cram’d the Spanish purse
She hop’d would soon oblige her,
For he had been a little Terse
When she produced Quint—Major.
And now between the King and Queen
An Empire was depending;
Within whose mighty games were seen
The Art of State contending;
The Mounsieur had Three Kings to win’t
And was o’ev Europe roaming
But her full Point Quatorze and Quint
Won all and left him foaming.