CALABRASELLA: A fast but simple three-player game with a pack from which the eights, nines, and tens are removed, leaving forty cards ranking 3, 2, A, K, Q, J, 7, 6, 5, 3, all suits plain; never any trump. The aim is to take tricks containing counter cards, aces being valued at 3 points; the 3, 2, K, Q, J at 1 each; and last trick 3 points—a total of 35. Each player is dealt twelve cards, and four go in a face-down widow. Player at dealer’s left can “stand,” meaning he will take on the other two; or he can “pass,” putting the choice on the next player. If all three pass, the hand is abandoned and the deal moves along.
The player who stands must discard one to four cards from his hand, laying them face down. He then turns up the widow and selects cards from it to replace his discards. The player at his left leads any card to the first trick, and the others must follow suit if they can. High card of the suit led wins the trick, and the winner leads to the next, with the discards and remaining widow cards going to the player who takes the last trick.
Counters are added at the end of play, and the single player scores plus or minus according to the difference between his count and that of the combined opponents. Example: Taking 25, he would lose 10, giving him 
15. He would then collect that amount in points or chips from each opponent, making 30 in all. Conversely, if he takes only 14 and loses 21, he would be 
7, and each would collect that amount from him. To take all counters doubles the score to 70; to lose all is 70. In playing for points, game is usually 100.
CALABRELLA: An old Italian game like Cassino, this page.
CALCULATION: A type of Solitaire, this page.
CALIFORNIA JACK: A development of Pitch, usually limited to two players, in which the entire pack is used in each deal. The pack is cut and the bottom card of the upper half is shown to designate the trump suit. The pack is then shuffled, six cards are dealt singly to each player, and the pack is squared and turned face up on the table. The opponent leads any card, and the dealer either follows suit or trumps; or if out of suit, he may either trump or play a side suit.
The winner of the first trick draws the card showing on the face-up pack and adds it to his hand; the other player takes the next face-up card. The winner then leads to the next trick, and play continues thus until the entire pack has been drawn and all cards played from each player’s hand. Each goes through the cards he took and scores 1 point each for high (ace of trump), low (two of trump), jack (of trump), and game, the highest total of counter cards in which each ten
10; each ace4; each king3; each queen2; each jack1.
The original opponent then deals, and deal is alternated until one player reaches 7 points (or 10 points, if so agreed) and becomes the winner. If both go out in the same hand, points are scored in the order high, low, jack, game. With three or four players, the deal rotates to the left, and each player is on his own. With three players, a three-spot is removed from the pack; with four, the full pack is used.
Note: Some go by the rule that when a player is out of a suit he must trump if he can; others, that if he can follow suit, he must do so. Any such options should be specified beforehand.
Additional points can be included, as described under All Fives (this page) and any of the pedro games (this page) can be played like California Jack. See also Shasta Sam (this page).
CALIFORNIA LOO: Another name for California Jack. See this page.
CALIFORNIA LOWBALL: A game played according to the accepted rules for Lowball in the poker clubs of California. See this page.
CALL-ACE EUCHRE: A special form of Euchre with temporary partners. See this page.
CALL RUMMY: See this page.
CANADIAN STUD: A variant of Five-Card Stud Poker. See this page.
CANASTA: A highly elaborated development of Rummy originated in South America, with further elaborations to be described under individual heads. Primarily a four-handed game, with players seated opposite operating as partners, canasta requires two standard fifty-two-card packs, each with two jokers in addition, for a total of 108 cards. Suits are disregarded, the cards being considered in terms of their rank or denomination, with jokers and deuces wild.
In play, the following values are given to individual cards: jokers, each 50 points; deuces, each 20; aces, each 20; K, Q, J, 10, 9, 8, each 10; 7, 6, 5, 4, each 5 points. Red and black threes are special cards, both in purpose and in values.
The Deal: Eleven cards are dealt singly to each player, beginning at dealer’s left. The bulk of the pack is placed in the center of the table, and the top card is turned up beside it, to represent el pozo or the “pot.” The first player draws a card from the top of the pack and adds it to his hand, or, as play develops, he may, under specified conditions, pick up the pot instead. Either way, he completes his turn by discarding a single card from his hand, placing it face up on the pot as a new upcard. The next player takes a similar turn, and so on, in continuous rotation.
During each turn, however, a player may lay down sets of cards of the same denomination, scoring whatever points they represent. These are commonly termed “melds” as in rummy. The cards are melded face up, and there must be at least three in a set, with one wild card allowable (as 8–8–2 instead of 8–8–8). Two wild cards are permissible in a set of four (as K–K–2–2), and three in a set of five or more (as joker–7–7–2–2 or joker–joker–Q–Q–Q–2). But no more than three wild cards are allowable.
New cards can be added to existing melds during later turns, and a player melding a set of seven or more cards is credited with a natural canasta, if the cards are all alike (as 9–9–9–9–9–9–9), for a bonus of 500 points; while a mixed canasta, containing wild cards (as joker–J–J–J–J–J–J–2), scores 300 points. These bonuses are in addition to the point count of the individual cards; hence a natural canasta such as 10–10–10–10–10–10–10 would score 70500570. The addition of another ten would make it 80500580. However, if instead a player added a joker and a deuce, forming joker–10–10–10–10–10–10–10–2, he would reduce the status of the natural canasta to that of a mixed canasta, scoring 705020300440. This is allowable and sometimes even advisable, as play will prove, one reason being that any number of wild cards can be added to a canasta, which means “basket” and is therefore flexible.
Partners can add to each other’s melds but not to those of the opposing team. For convenience, all melds of a team may be placed in front of one partner. The cards of a canasta are squared up, with a red card put on top to signify a natural and a black on top for a mixed. When a player melds or discards his last card, he “goes out,” ending the play and scoring special bonus points for his team. But a team must first meld a canasta before a member is permitted to go out. This means that a player may often need more than his original eleven-card quota. To gain that, he must take the upcard because the entire pot, consisting of all discards, comes with it. The more the better, as more cards mean more melds and therefore a larger score, which is the great aim in canasta.
However, at the start of the hand, the pot is “frozen” against each team, which means that the upcard cannot be taken until one member of the partnership has made an opening meld of 50 points or more. If, as part of such an opening meld, he can match the upcard with two or more of the same rank, as Q–Q with a Q, he can take the frozen pot then and there. But no wild card can be used in such a match while the pot is still frozen (as joker–Q with a Q).
Some examples of possible hands will clarify this:
(a) Player holds: 2 K K K Q 10 9 8 8 7 6. Upcard: 7. He can meld 2 K K K for 2010101050. Or even K K K (30) along with 2–8–8 (40) for a total of 70, so that he or his partner could take the pot later. But he cannot meld K K K (30) along with 2–7–7 (30) because the upcard can only be matched by a natural pair (as 7–7).
(b) Player holds: 2 A K K Q 10 9 8 7 7 6. Upcard: 7. Here he can make it with 2–K–K (40) and 7–7–7 (15) as 401555, meeting minimum, and the 7–7–7 is a natural.
(c) Player holds: A A K K J J 9 9 8 8 7. Upcard: A. Match A–A with A, for 20202060 and a natural as well.
(d) Player holds: A A K K 8 6 6 6 6 6 6. Upcard: 6. Matching sixes with upcard would produce a canasta but won’t do for opening, as it only adds to 35. (Bonus points cannot be counted.)
Upon successfully matching an upcard and thus taking the pot, a player may immediately continue melding cards he finds in it before making his customary discard, which starts a new pot. As long as it stays unfrozen, either partner can take the pot by matching its upcard with two naturals (as when it was frozen), or by matching the upcard with a card of the same rank and a wild card (as using K–2 to match a K); or by simply adding the upcard to a meld already made (as picking up a 9 and placing it with an existing meld of Joker–9–9 or 9–9–9). It is also allowable to add such an upcard to an already closed canasta (as placing a Q with a melded joker–2–2–Q–Q–Q–Q).
However, as play continues, it is often advisable to freeze the pot again, particularly when it contains some much needed cards that a member of the opposing team might acquire by taking the pot himself. The pot can be refrozen by simply discarding a wild card, such as a joker or preferably a deuce, as a player may need the joker for himself. Once the pot is refrozen, the rule again applies that it can be taken only by matching the upcard with a natural pair, though the count does not matter. (Example: Placing 8–8 from the hand with an upcard 8 will suffice. No need to meld 50 points or more.)
When some player does that, he acquires a pozo premiado, or “prize pot,” so termed because of the wild card that it contains. As a team’s melds increase, it is often wise to end the play before the opponents can meld heavily; and, to do that, one member of the team must “go out” by disposing of the last card in his hand either by a meld or as a discard. All hands are then shown and are scored as follows:
Each side adds its bonus scores for canastas (300 for mixed; 500 for natural) along with other bonus scores, which include 100 points for going out. Sometimes a player can go out “concealed” by melding his entire hand at once, without making any previous meld. In that case, his team scores double for going out; namely, 200. Following that, points are counted for melded cards, as already listed, these being added to each team’s score. Unmelded cards are then counted and their points subtracted from the score.
Special bonus points are scored for red threes, which as already stated have a special purpose. They do not figure in the play at all. If a player is dealt a red three, he lays it face up in front of him and draws another card from the pack as a replacement for his hand. Similarly, if he draws a red three during play, he lays it face up and draws another card. When scores are added, a team receives 100 for each red three; and if it holds all four, its bonus (400) is doubled, making 800. However, if a team is unable to make a meld during play, the count for red threes is subtracted from its score instead of being added to it.
Black threes form part of the regular hand and are valued at 5 points each but cannot be melded except by a player who is going out; and even then, he must put down three or four of them for a count of a mere 15 or 20, as it is not permissible to meld a wild card with them. So if a player is left with a black three in his hand, it counts 5 points against him. However, black threes are useful, because if a player discards one, which is allowable, it becomes the upcard; and the next player —an opponent—cannot match it and thereby acquire the pot. That is, the black three serves as a temporary “stopper” giving the player’s partner a chance to take the pot after the in-between opponent has his turn.
After each team’s total is entered on the score sheet, the deal moves to the left. The packs are shuffled and dealt as already specified, and play proceeds accordingly but with this proviso: If a team’s score has reached 1500 or higher, its requirement for an opening meld is advanced to 90 points. Once a score reaches 3000, the opening requirement becomes 120 points. This makes it harder for a team once it begins to pile up a score, thus favoring the underdog. Also, if a team’s score falls below 0, as it may at the conclusion of the opening hand, it is allowed to play the next hand with an opening requirement of only 15 points, instead of the usual 50.
Game is 5000 points or more. When one team attains that goal, the smaller score is subtracted from the larger to establish the winning margin. For convenience, scores are usually figured to the nearest hundred; thus if Team A should total 5175 and Team B 2830 they would be rated as A, 52 and B, 28, so that 52–2824 would establish A’s margin as 24, with settlements being made accordingly.
The following special rules are important:
During the deal, if the original upcard is a wild card (joker or deuce), a red three, or a black three, another card must be turned up and placed upon it. If the new upcard is also one of those types, still another must be turned up and placed upon it; and so on, until a playable card (A down to 4) is turned as upcard.
With a wild card or a red three in the pot, its very presence there keeps the pot frozen, even after a team has met the minimum requirement of 50, 90, or 120, as the case may be. The minimum must still be met; but in meeting it, or during a later turn either by the player or his partner, it is necessary to meld a natural pair (as 9–9) with an upcard of the same rank (9) to take the pot. Even then, if a red three is in the frozen pot, the player taking it must remember to place it in front of him face up and draw another card to replace it.
During play, reasonable information may be asked or given, as asking or reminding a partner as to the minimum required for an initial meld; reminding him to lay down his red threes and draw other cards instead; or asking how many cards another player holds or how many cards are still in the undrawn pack. Such courtesies help the game generally and can be limited or expanded as agreed upon. However, there is one phase of information that is covered by a set rule, namely:
When ready to go out by melding all his cards, a player can ask his partner, “Can I go out?” either before or after drawing from the pack. His partner, after due consideration, must answer yes or no, and the player must act accordingly. A player does not have to ask this question, but if he does so after starting to meld, or indicating that he might take the pot instead, his opponents can decide whether or not he is to go out on that turn.
If he is unable to go out after asking and receiving permission, the player’s team is penalized 100 points. Conversely, if he receives a negative reply and then proceeds to go out, his opponents can demand that he revise his meld so that he can take one or more cards back into his hand; and his team is penalized 100 points.
Other penalties include failure to show and lay down a red three after the player has taken his first turn. This costs his team 500 points, provided he is still holding the card when play ends and hands are shown. Usually, a player notices the offending red three during one of his turns and announces it as if he had just drawn it.
Making an opening meld short of the required count can be rectified if the player is able to meld enough extra cards to meet the minimum. Or he can take back the insufficient meld, and 10 points will be added to his team’s opening requirement for that hand. But if increasing an insufficient meld to the required count means taking back some of the cards already melded, his team is penalized 100 points.
If a player starts to take the pot illegally, either by an improper meld or by playing out of turn, he can be stopped without penalty; but once he has added the discard pile to his hand, opponents can demand that he lay his hand face up so that they can restore his hand and replace the discards as far as possible. His team is penalized 100 points, but he can draw from the pack and resume his proper play.
If a player starts to meld his entire hand in order to go out, before his team has made its required canasta, his team is penalized 100 points and he must take back one or more cards. Similarly, any illegal meld, notably one containing too many wild cards (as 8–2–2 in a set of three, or adding a fourth wild card to a set), must be taken back into the hand, with a 100-point penalty. This would apply to any miscalled meld, such as counting a jack as a third king. However:
If any such illegal meld is not noticed until the next player has started his turn, there is no penalty. An opening meld with a short count stands as valid, because it was condoned. So does a meld containing too many wild cards, but in that case, any wild cards are checked for future reference and are subtracted from the team’s score in the final reckoning, as if they had remained in the hand where they properly belonged. Minor mistakes, when noted later, are simply rectified by having the player take back the cards involved.
There is no point penalty for lesser infractions, such as a player drawing more than one card from the pack. He must either show and replace such extras on the pack, giving the next players the right to draw in turn or shuffle before making a draw; or if he has already put the cards in his hand, he keeps it as is but passes the draw on his next turn or turns. Any card shown inadvertently or as part of a wrong meld is classed as a “penalty card” and must be placed face up on the table, where it still belongs to his hand. He can meld one or more penalty cards during each successive turn, but if unable to meld them all at once, he must finish a turn by discarding a penalty card, instead of a card from his hand. At the end of play any penalty card that has not been melded goes back into the player’s hand and is therefore subtracted from his score.
Canasta can be played with varied numbers of players, with the following rules pertaining to the different games:
Two-handed Canasta: Excellent because of its simplicity. Each player is dealt fifteen cards to make up for the lack of a partner to help establish an opening meld, but the usual minimum requirements apply. To increase the scoring potential, a player must meld two canastas before going out. To simplify the game further, practically all penalties are eliminated, as there is no partner who might gain valued information through a player’s mistake, intentional or otherwise. To increase scoring further, an optional rule may be introduced; that of having each player draw two cards from the face-down pack but discard only one from his hand, so that his quota automatically grows larger even when he does not take the pot. Scoring is the same as in the four-handed game.
Three-handed Canasta: In simple form, this is very similar to the four-handed game, but instead of having a partner, each player is on his own. Each player is dealt either eleven or thirteen cards, but the latter is preferable. As another option, either one canasta or two may be required to go out. In a popular variant styled “cutthroat canasta,” the first player who takes the pot must play a lone hand against the other two, who act as partners during that deal; or if no one takes the pot, a player who goes out is regarded as a lone hand.
Either way, the lone player scores what he makes, while each of his opponents is credited with the full amount that they scored as a temporary team, with this exception: A red three shown by a player counts only for or against his own score, depending on whether or not he and his temporary partner went out. If nobody takes the discard pile, each player scores individually; and in any case, if nobody goes out, play is concluded by the player who draws the last card. Game is 7500 points.
Note: In as much as partners may change in successive hands, their scores may vary where amounts required for an opening meld are concerned. Hence, each must be governed by his own individual score.
Six-handed Canasta: This is similar to the four-handed game, but with special provisions for the accommodation of the two additional players. The six form two partnerships, each formed of three players seated alternately; and a third pack—containing fifty-two cards and two jokers—is added to the double pack ordinarily used, making a total of 162 cards, including six jokers.
Each player is dealt thirteen cards and play proceeds as usual, but continues on beyond the 5000 mark. When the score reaches 7000, an initial meld of 150 is required; and game itself is set at 10,000. In each hand a team must meld two canastas to go out. Red threes are valued at 100 each, up to five, which are worth 1000, while a team scores 1200 for all six.
This game can be played like three-handed canasta, with three teams composed of partners seated opposite each other.
Special Penalties in Canasta: Since high scoring is a great feature in all forms of canasta, infractions of the rules, intentional or otherwise, are apt to work to a player’s advantage and therefore should be offset by corresponding penalties. All can be modified by agreement, and any enforcement should be immediate, as they are nullified if play is allowed to go on.
If a player draws too many cards, the only penalty is to wait for other turns to discard without a draw. If he picks up too many, he can replace the extras but must show them to other players if he saw them himself. In partnership play, if he lets cards in his hand be seen, he can be required to lay them face up and discard them after each ensuing draw, as the preview might be turned to profit by his partner.
A card drawn out of turn must be given to the player who should have drawn it. His partner must keep it, but an opponent can keep it or bury it in the pack, drawing another instead. If he puts it in his own hand before the mistake is noted, he must keep it there and make a discard when his turn comes to draw. In that case, he is penalized 100 points.
There is no penalty for a mistake in an opening meld if the offender is able to add to it and complete it. If he takes back his cards without melding, 10 points are added to his team’s requirement for an opening meld; while if he uses other cards for the opening meld, he is penalized 100 points.
This applies to similar mistakes in melds. If a player uses too many wild cards or lays down wrong cards, he can add others from his hand to alter or expand the meld and complete the discard; but if forced to retract and take back cards already shown, the player—or his team—is penalized the customary 100 points. If he picks up the discard pile and adds it to his hand after an illegal meld, or out of turn, he must replace it as it was, showing his own hand if opponents demand it. Again, the customary penalty is 100 points.
When a player asks his partner, “Can I go out?” and receives “Yes” as a reply, he must meld out his entire hand or take a 100-point penalty. If he starts to meld out before putting the question or receiving an answer, or after the reply is “No,” the same 100-point penalty can be invoked. Also, if he tries to go out before his team has formed a canasta—or two canastas or whatever else may be required—the 100-point penalty is in order.
Wild-Card Canasta (this page) allows the formation of canastas composed entirely of wild cards—jokers and deuces—which led to the development of the following games:
Three-Pack Canasta: As wild-card canasta gained in vogue, it became apparent that the more cards in the pack the greater the melding opportunities. Since players were already familiar with the triple pack of 162 cards used in the six-handed game, the obvious course was to adapt it to four-handed play. Instead of dealing eleven cards to each player, fifteen became the rule; and other measures were added to speed the game.
One device is to note the value of the upcard and deal that many cards face down from the top of the pack—from 3 to 13, with a jack counting 11, a queen 12, a king 13; while an ace, deuce, or joker counts 20. The upcard is placed upon them, and the first player to pick up the discard pile gets the face-down group with it. This is used in a popular variant termed Italian Canasta, which includes these rules:
A canasta of wild cards scores a bonus of 2000; if deuces only, 3000, but only for the team that goes out. The other team is credited only with the points represented by its melded cards; and, to make things still harder, once a team begins a wild-card meld, it must complete its seven-card canasta before using deuces in any other meld. To go out, a team must meld two standard canastas—either mixed or natural—gaining a bonus of 300 points.
The discard pile is always frozen, and game is 12,000 points, with opening melds as follows: from 0 to 1500, 50 points; to 3000, 90 points; to 5000, 120 points; to 7500, 160 points; to 10,000, 180 points; above that, 200 points. Sometimes a bonus of 1000 points is given for holding five canastas; with 2000 points if all are natural. Red threes score 100 points each, doubling to 200 if a team holds four or more.
Four-Pack Canasta: In the continued effort to increase the scope and scoring of canasta, the size of the pack is obviously a helpful factor, so from the triple pack, used in the games just described, the addition of a fourth pack became a logical and almost inevitable step. Along with utilizing a 216-card pack, including eight jokers, the new forms of wild-card canasta that developed also borrowed two features from the related game of Mexicana, a canasta-offshoot described under its own head.
Those two features are a special bonus in the form of extra cards for melding the first canasta; and special scores for melding a canasta composed of sevens. With the quadruple pack, those opportunities are expanded, along with others, resulting in many minor variations, all following a general pattern. A typical four-player version runs:
The partners, seated opposite, are each dealt fifteen cards in the usual rotation. Play proceeds as in standard canasta, but with each drawing two cards and discarding only one. A canasta is limited to seven cards; and the first player to meld a canasta of any type draws eleven cards from the top of the pack and adds them to his hand after the completion of his turn.
Only two wild cards are allowed in a mixed canasta, which scores the usual 300 points, while a natural canasta scores 500, except for canastas composed of sevens; in their case, a mixed canasta counts 1000; a natural of sevens, 1500. A wild canasta scores 2000. In a lesser meld, a seven counts 5 points, but if a player is caught with any sevens in his hand, they count 200 points against his team.
A natural pair is needed to take the discard pile, which is always frozen in this game. A seven may be discarded, like any other card, but the discard pile cannot be taken when a seven is showing there. A team needs three canastas to go out; and one of those must be either wild or composed of sevens.
Game is usually 15,000 points, with opening meld requirements running: from 0 to 3000, 50 points; to 6000, 90 points; to 10,000, 120 points; above that, 150 points.
The game as just described can be played by six persons, with alternate players forming two teams of three players each. In this case, only thirteen cards are dealt to each player, instead of fifteen, but otherwise the same rules apply. However:
Among the numerous variants of four-pack canasta, the following are both applicable and appropriate in the six-player game: Instead of an eleven-card bonus for melding the first canasta, a player receives only seven; and any of the other players receive the same bonus for melding a canasta. But in that case, a meld of a mixed canasta of sevens is not allowed; it must be a natural. This makes it riskier to hold a seven, and thereby adds to the action.
Game is boosted to 20,000 points, with opening melds as follows: from 0 to 5000, 50 points; to 10,000, 90 points; to 15,000, 120 points; above that, 150 points.
Red threes score 100 points each for the team that holds them, with a score of 2000 for all eight, which happens very rarely. If a team fails to make a canasta of sevens, or a wild-card canasta—and that can happen fairly often!—it loses 100 points for each red three it holds. So red threes may be more of a liability than an asset.
Summary of Canasta: From the original game, so many others have developed that it is difficult to classify them in detail, because they have so much in common, with one blending into another. Those just given in this section on canasta include:
Four-handed canasta, two-handed, three-handed, six-handed, wild-card canasta, three-pack canasta, Italian canasta, four-pack canasta, in the order listed.
Other related games and their developments will be found under the following heads:
Brazilian Canasta, this page, Bolivia, this page, Chile (or Chilean Canasta), this page, Hollywood Canasta, this page, Mexicana, this page, Quinella, this page, Samba, this page, Tampa, this page, Uruguay (or Uruguayan Canasta), this page, and Cuban Canasta, this page.
CANCELLATION HEARTS: An elaboration of Hearts, this page, with seven to ten individual players using two standard fifty-two-card packs that are dealt out equally. Any leftovers form a widow that goes to the player taking the first trick, as in Omnibus Hearts, and any other features of that game can be included as agreed upon. If two players top a trick with the same card, as 
A, and A, the two cancel out and the trick goes to the next highest, as K. If all cancel out, or there is no high card of the suit led, the trick is laid aside like a widow and goes to the winner of the next. Also called Draw Hearts.
CANFIELD: A name frequently applied to the highly popular form of solitaire called Klondike, described under that head. See this page.
CANS: A nickname for Quinze. See this page.
CARD DOMINOES: Another name for Fan-Tan, this page, in which cards are “built” in domino fashion.
CAROUSEL: Primarily a two-person game combining older forms of Rummy with modern Gin along with its own distinctive features, using a fifty-three-card pack, valued in descending order K, Q, J, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, A, with the joker as a wild card. Each player is dealt a hand of ten cards, and his purpose is to meld them in sets of three or four of the same value (as Q–Q–Q or 6–6–6–6) or in sequences of three or more of the same suit (as 
J 10 9 8 7) exactly as in rummy.
The opponent begins by drawing one card from the top of the pack and making whatever melds he can or wants to make. If he does not meld, he must draw a second card; failing to meld then, he must draw a third, with his turn ending then, whether or not he melds. There is no discard. The dealer now draws a card and follows the same procedure, but he can lay off one or more cards on any melded by the opponent, that counting as a meld; otherwise, he must draw twice if necessary. It is then the opponent’s turn again and play continues thus, with all melds being open to each.
A player can borrow an extra card from a meld and use it toward forming another. For example, if Q–Q–Q–Q has been melded, he could take the Q and add it to the J 10 from his hand to form a sequence of Q J 10, but he could not do that if only Q–Q–Q had been melded. With an existing meld of 
9 8 7 6, he could take either the 9 for a meld of 9–9–9 or the 6 for 6–6–6, but he could not take the 8 or 7. However with 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 already melded, he could take the 7 toward 7–7–7, because he would leave 10 9 8 and 4 6 5 4, each a three-card sequence in its own right.
The joker, being wild, can be used as part of any meld, as 7 6 joker, with the joker representing the 5; but once given that value it cannot be changed, as from 5 to 8. However, if a player holds or draws the actual card thus represented—in this case the 5—he can exchange it for the joker, which must be used as part of another meld and cannot be taken up into the player’s hand.
Any rearrangement of melded cards is allowable whenever a player makes a meld; and the joker can figure in such switches. For example, assume that the board shows K 
K joker, with the joker named as K; and two sequences, as 8 7 6 and 3 2 A. A player holding the K and the 4 could meld the K, forming K–K–K–K; then remove the joker (no longer needed as the K) and call it the 5, so the joker and 4 could be inserted between the two heart sequences to form 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 A, with the joker as 5.
As in gin, face cards count 10 each, others according to numerical value, with each ace 1. When a player’s count is down to 5 or less, following a first or second draw, he can knock, ending the play. Hands are shown and low hand credited with the difference between its count and high. If the knocker is tied or beaten for low, the other player scores a bonus of 10 points. If the knocker goes “gin” by melding all his cards, he scores a bonus of 25. If a player is caught with the joker in his hand, it adds 25 points to his count. The deal moves to the opponent and continues alternately until one player wins game with 150 points, scoring a bonus of 100, with each player getting 25 for each deal he won. Winner of the game scores double if he shuts out or “skunks” his rival.
This game can be played by three to five players with a double pack of 106 cards. No duplicates can be used in the same combination.
CASSINO: A simple but unique game, in which the strategy may vary greatly in the course of a single deal, cassino demands skill as well as wits. Most of all, the pack must be thoroughly shuffled between deals to prevent the recurrence of certain card combinations on which the game hinges.
The pack: The standard fifty-two cards, which are valued numerically, as ace1, two2, and so on up to ten10. This applies to playing, not to scoring, which is treated separately. Face cards (J, Q, K) have no numerical value.
Number of Players: Two, three, or four, each on his own; or four, with players seated opposite acting as partners.
The Deal: Four cards are dealt singly to each player, all face down; but another four cards are dealt in a face-up row in the center of the table, preferably just before the dealer deals each card to himself. The pack is temporarily laid aside, face down, for further use. Thus, in the two-handed game (which is simplest to describe), the opponent and the dealer would each be holding a hand of four cards, with a layout of four face-up cards between them.
The Play: The opponent tries to take up a card (or combination of cards) from the layout, by matching its value with a card in his hand. Example: He could take up the 7 from the board with the 7 from his hand, turning both cards face down in front of him; or if the 4 and 3 were showing in the layout, he could count them as “seven” and take up both with the 7.
When more than one choice is available, a player may take up all with a single card. Thus, if the 7, 4, 3, 7 composed the original layout, the opponent could place the 4 and 3 on the 7, declaring them as “Sevens,” and add the 7 to the pile, repeating “Sevens,” then take up the lot with the 7 from his hand.
Instead of merely combining values, a player may build on a layout card (or cards) with the intent of taking up the pile on a future play, provided he holds a card that can fulfill that purpose. Example: Layout shows 3, 2, 8, K. The player holds 4, 9, A, J. He can combine 3 and 2 on the board, calling it “Five” and immediately adding the 4 from his hand, saying “—and four makes nine.”
In this case, on the player’s next turn, instead of taking up his build ( 3, 2, 4) with the 9, he could make another build by placing the A from his hand on the 8 on the board, saying “Nine,” then dropping one build on the other and declaring “Nines,” to be taken up on the next turn.
In building, a player runs a calculated risk, as his adversary may take up the build if he has a suitable card. Assuming that the opponent begins the hand by building a nine as described, the dealer could take up the build with the 9. Or, if the dealer happened to hold the A and the 10, he could add the A to the opponent’s build of nine ( 3, 2, 4) and raise the build to “Ten,” taking it on his next turn with the 10.
However, once two combinations have been “doubled up” —as with “Sevens” or “Nines” as described—they cannot be built higher. This even applies when cards of a single value are involved. Suppose that the opponent holds 3 and 3, while the 3 is showing in the layout. He places the 3 on the 3, announcing “Threes,” which he intends to take up with the 3. The dealer happens to hold the A and 7, so he would like to count the two “Threes” as “Six,” add “One” (the A), making seven, and take up the build on his next turn with the 7. But he can’t, as the 3 and 3 have been declared “Threes” and can be taken up only by a card of that value.
If a player has made a build that stands until his next turn, he must either take up the build, add to it, or take up some other card or combination. If he has made no build, or cannot take up any cards, or does not care to do so, he simply plays a card directly from his hand face up on the table, where it becomes part of the layout. This is called “trailing” and happens frequently during a cassino hand, generally because a player has no other choice. It brings up another point regarding building; namely, that the value of a build can be increased only by adding a card from a player’s hand, without using any odd card from the layout.
The following example not only illustrates that point, but shows exactly how a two-handed game of cassino might proceed, immediately following the original deal:
Play proceeds: Opponent builds A on 2, calling it “Three.” He intends to build A on 2 on his next turn, putting the two builds together and terming it “Threes,” but he doesn’t get that far because:
Dealer increases the “Three” build to “Seven.” He would like to put the 4 from the layout on the opponent’s build ( A and 2), add the 7, and call it “Sevens.” But that is not allowable, as the additional card must come from the dealer’s hand. However, he holds the 4, so he adds that to the build, announcing “Seven.”
Opponent takes immediate advantage of that, as the single “Seven,” like the “Three,” is unprotected. Opponent would like to add the A to the 2 and put them on the build, saying “—and three makes ten.” But he can’t use the 2 as part of the addition, because it comes from the layout. So instead, he retains the A and puts the 3 on the build, saying, “Ten.”
Dealer now must trail, having no possible build and nothing he can take up. He lays down the 7 for two good reasons: First, he can take it up with the 7 on his next turn; while if he should lay down the 8, the opponent would simply combine it with the 2, terming it another “Ten” and place the combination with the build, taking both with the ten spot ( 10), which he must be holding in order to build.
Opponent takes advantage of that, too. He combines the A from his hand with the 2 and 7 in the layout, calls it “Ten,” and puts it with the existing build, announcing “Tens.”
Dealer is forced to trail with either 7 or 8.
Opponent takes double build with 10.
Dealer trails with his remaining card.
At this point, the opponent has taken up eight cards; the dealer, none. The layout now consists of the following cards:
4 7 8 Q
Taking the pack, the dealer now deals four cards each to the opponent and himself, but no more are added to the layout. Play continues until that round of four is exhausted; then another round of four each is dealt; and so on, until no cards remain. In the final round, whoever takes up the last trick also takes up any cards remaining in the layout.
Face cards, having no numerical value, are taken up only by those of their own denomination: king takes up king; queen takes up queen; jack takes up jack. However, if there are two (or even three) jacks in the layout, one jack can take them all. If a king is in the layout and a player holds two kings, he can put one king on the other and announce “Kings,” taking them later with the third king—unless his adversary holds the fourth king and takes them up ahead of him! In that case, he must trail later with his frustrated king.
Quite often, a player clears the board by taking any or all cards remaining in the layout. This is termed a “sweep,” and the opposing player is thereby forced to “trail” on his next play, as there is nothing left for him to “take up” or make a “build.”
At the end of the hand, each player goes through the cards that he has taken and points are scored as follows:
| Cards: For the most cards taken | 3 points |
| Spades: For the most spades taken | 1 point |
| Big Cassino: For taking the 10 |
2 points |
| Little Cassino: For taking the 2 |
1 point |
| Aces: Each counting 1 point | 4 points |
| Total points in each deal | 11 |
| Sweeps: Each counts an additional | 1 point |
(Since “sweeps” often depend on sheer luck, they may be disregarded if it is so agreed.)
In two-handed cassino, the hands are totaled up, and if there is a tie in “cards,” neither player scores the 3 points under that head. The pack is shuffled and the original opponent becomes the dealer, continuing this until one reaches 21 points, which represents game.
In three-handed cassino, if two players tie for the greatest number of “cards,” neither scores, which is a good break for the third player, who gets by with a lesser number. The same applies to a tie in “spades,” with nobody scoring the single point. The deal moves to the player on the left, who deals, in clockwise order, four cards to each player and four to the original layout. Game is 21 points.
In four-handed cassino, with players on their own, the same rules apply. The only difference in the play is that building becomes more dangerous than in the two-handed game, because there are more players in between. However:
In partnership cassino, with four players, A and C vs. B and D, the players seated opposite pool the cards that they take up, so it is often possible for one player to take up his partner’s build and later trail with cards that will prove helpful toward another build with the same total. But the individual rule still applies, that a player must hold a card totaling whatever amount he builds. In partnership play, the teams may occasionally tie for “cards” as in two-handed cassino.
In case two players or two teams both go over 21, there are various ways of deciding the winner, so one should be agreed upon before the start of play. The simplest method is to declare the player with the highest score to be the winner, as 24 to 22. In case of a tie (as 23 to 23) another hand is played; and still more, if need be. This is helpful to a third player, who stays in the game and sometimes may win.
Another system is for a player to declare “out” when he thinks he is over 21. Play stops, a count is made, and if the player is right, he wins; if wrong, he loses. If no one declares out in a close game, points are counted in the order: cards, spades, big cassino, little cassino, A, A, A, A, sweeps. The first player to reach 21 wins.
Some groups prefer to set a higher total for game, such as 49, which is very good in three-handed play, where one unlucky hand may put a player out of the running, if game is only 21. Others treat each deal, with its complete set of rounds, as a single game, sometimes setting a total number to be played in order to determine the winner.
See descriptions under: Draw Cassino, this page, Royal Cassino, this page, Royal Spade Cassino, this page, Spade Cassino, this page, and Spades Royal, this page.
CATCH THE TEN: A popular name for Scotch Whist. See this page.
CAYENNE or CAYENNE WHIST: A now obsolete development of Whist in which the final card is turned up, not to determine trump, but to fix the values of the suits for that deal. The dealer may then name a trump suit, or no-trump; or he can “bridge” that privilege over the heads of his opponents to his partner. Hence cayenne is historically important as it anticipated the modern game of Bridge by (a) fixing suit values (b) establishing no-trump (c) passing the bid to the partner, from which the modern game bridge gained its name. But it also included nullo, a later feature of Bridge Whist, which in its turn enjoyed popularity and became appropriately obsolete.
CEDARHURST: A name for Oklahoma Gin, this page.
CENT: An old form of the French game of Piquet, in which a hundred (cent) points established the winner. See this page.
CHASE THE ACE: A modern name for a variant of Ranter-Go-Round. See this page.
CHECK PINOCHLE: Under Pinochle. See this page.
CHEMIN-DE-FER: A popular development of Baccarat, this page, suited to social as well as casino play. Three to six packs are used, cards valued from ace, 1, up to 9, with tens and face cards 0, but the banker deals only to the player who makes the largest bet, with others betting along with the opponent, up to the limit of the bank. Two cards are dealt face down to opponent and banker, with a “natural” 9 (as 63) winning over a “natural” 8 (as 810), which wins over anything else. As in baccarat, when cards add to more than 10, only the last figure is used. Thus, 810188. If there are no naturals, each can take or refuse an extra face-up card, and the total closest to 9 wins. As an example, 672155, would beat 789244, the first figures being dropped. With ties, bets are off. As in old-style baccarat, a player may announce “Banco” and monopolize the betting for himself. In social play, the banker keeps on dealing until he loses, when the deal moves in rotation.
In both baccarat and chemin-de-fer, the banker has the advantage of being the last to “stand” or “draw” a card for himself. Chemin-de-fer is faster, as there is only one opponent and therefore no “line bets.” The pack is dealt straight through, passing along to the new banker without shuffling, until only a few cards remain, when a shuffle is in order.
Gambling casinos provide their own dealer in baccarat, but the deal moves along in chemin-de-fer. There is a set rule that a player must take a third card if no higher than 4, can do as he pleases with 5, and must stand on 6 or 7, in justice to those who are betting along with him, unless he “goes banco,” which puts him on his own. In gambling casinos, the dealer as well as the players must conform to house rules that apply to such totals.
CHICAGO: A popular name formerly applied to Michigan. It now refers chiefly to the modern game of Four-Deal Bridge, this page, which was first introduced in Chicago. Also, a form of Seven-Card Stud Poker, this page, in which the player holding the highest spade splits the pot with the highest hand.
CHILE or CHILEAN CANASTA: Three-pack Canasta (168 cards) including sequence melds, which are scored as in Samba; or with wild-card melds allowed instead, a wild-card canasta scoring 2000 bonus points. See Canasta, this page.
CHINESE BEZIQUE: A popular name for Six-Pack Bezique. See this page.
CHINESE BRIDGE: A variation of Double Dummy Bridge. See this page.
CHINESE FAN-TAN: A large rectangular card is placed on a table, with its corners numbered:
| 3 | 2 | |
| 4 | 1 |
Players put chips on the corners or along the edges as they prefer. A dealer, acting as banker, cuts a batch of cards from a pack and counts them off by fours. Any left over determine the winning number, as 1, 2, or 3; with an exact count signifying 4. A winning corner bet receives three chips. An edge bet collects one if the winning number is on an adjacent corner, as 1–2, 2–3, 3–4, 4–1. This is a direct adaptation of the original Chinese game in which a handful of beans is used instead of a pack of cards.
CHINESE WHIST: An old but intriguing form of Whist, this page, in which each player is dealt a row of six face-down cards, then six face-up cards upon them, and finally an odd card as his hand. Dealer names trump and player at his left leads any upcard. Others must follow suit if possible with an upcard, or the card held in hand. All downcards are turned up as soon as uncovered, thus becoming upcards. Winner of each trick leads to the next, with play and scoring as in whist. This can be played three-handed, with eight downcards and eight upcards, each player on his own and an odd card for his hand. A player must take one trick more than his opponents combined in order to score. In the two-handed game, each player is dealt twelve downcards covered by twelve upcards, with two cards for his hand.
CHOUETTE or RUBICON BEZIQUE: A mode of play in Rubicon Bezique, this page (or Six-Pack, this page and Eight-Pack Bezique, this page), involving a group of players. All cut cards and the highest becomes banker, with the next high as his opponent, others waiting their turn, as third high and so on. The banker has the choice of deal, and if he wins he collects from all the others and continues as banker. If he loses, he pays all and his opponent becomes banker, while the next player in line becomes the new opponent. As loser, the original banker goes to the bottom of the list.
CIENTOS: A Spanish antecedent of Piquet. See this page.
CINCH: Known also as “double pedro” and “high five”—both very appropriate terms, by the way—this game is actually an elaboration of Auction Pitch (this page), including features of Pedro, with additional features that characterize it as a game in its own right. It is a four-player game, with two teams of partners seated opposite, using a fifty-two-card pack, with cards ranking from ace down to two, but with a special feature, namely, that the trump suit includes the five of the other suit of the same color, which ranks just below the five of trump.
As an example, with hearts as trump, the suits would be valued as follows:
Nine cards are dealt three at a time to each player, making thirty-six in all, and the remaining sixteen cards are laid aside. Beginning at the dealer’s left, players make single bids for the privilege of naming the trump suit. Bids can run as high as fourteen, which is the greatest number of points that a team can take during play, according to the following schedule, which pertains strictly to trump cards:
High, the ace, 1; low, the deuce, 1; jack, 1; game, the ten, 1; right pedro, the five, 5; left pedro, the five of the same color, 5.
The highest bidder names the trump of his choice, and each player in turn discards at least three cards, to reduce his hand to a playing quota of six. He can discard as many more as he wants, provided they are not trumps, and then draw enough cards from the pack to bring his hand up to the required six. All discards are made face up; and after the dealer discards, he is allowed to look through the remainder of the pack and take whatever cards he wants, instead of merely drawing from the top, this privilege being termed “robbing the pack.”
High bidder leads to the first trick, and other players can either follow suit or trump the trick. Highest card of suit led wins the trick, unless trumped, when highest trump wins. If a player is unable to follow suit, he can play from another suit instead of trumping. If a player should violate such rules by revoking, play continues, but his team cannot score and an opposing bid is automatically regarded as made.
At the end of play, each team counts its points according to the schedule already given. If any are still in the pack, they go to the bidding team’s score. The simplest way of scoring is to deduct the lower score from the higher and credit the winning team with the difference. Example: Team A bids 8 and makes 10 points, with team B making only 4. Team A scores 10–46. However, if a team falls short of its bid, it scores nothing, and the opposing team scores the amount bid plus its own points. Thus if Team A bids 8 but takes only 7 points, with Team B taking the other 7, Team B would score 8715 for that hand. Game is usually set at 51 points.
Though primarily a four-player partnership game, cinch can be played by two to six players, each on his own; but with five or six, only six cards are dealt to each and they frequently prefer a form of the game called:
Auction Cinch, Auction High Five, or Razzle Dazzle: Six cards each are dealt to five or six players, who bid entirely on their own, proceeding as usual until ready to play. Then the high bidder calls upon the player holding some specific card (often the ace of trump) to be his partner for that hand only. No one knows who the secret partner is until he reveals himself by playing the card named.
Blind Cinch: A four-player game, with each being dealt a nine-card hand plus a packet of four cards, which is kept face down. The highest bidder adds his packet to his hand before naming trump, then, after naming it, he discards seven of his thirteen cards, reducing his hand to six. Other players then pick up their packets and do the same. Play follows as in regular cinch.
Widow Cinch: A six-player game, with those seated opposite acting as partners, thus forming three teams of two players each. The deal consists of eight cards to each player, the remaining four cards being laid aside as a face-down widow, which goes to the high bidder, who then names trump and discards six cards, reducing his hand to the usual six. Other players do the same by discarding two cards each and play proceeds as in cinch.
Sixty-three: A game similar to cinch, but with additional trump points as follows: king, 25; three, 15; nine, 9. This makes a total of 63, hence the name of the game. Players can outbid one another as often as they want, until all pass but one, with 63 the highest possible bid. Playing and scoring follow the usual pattern but with 150 points as game.
CINCINNATI and CINCINNATI LIZ: Wild forms of Poker. See this page.
CINQ-CENT: A form of Bezique, this page, with a pack of thirty-two cards, ranking A, 10, K, Q, J, 9, 8, 7, one of each value in all four suits. Melds are counted as in bezique, but in addition, a player scores 120 for a sequence in an ordinary suit. A meld of Q and J is the usual 40, but is called binage instead of bezique. A pinochle count is used; ace, 11; ten, 10; king, 4; queen, 3; jack, 2, with 10 for taking last trick, 120 points in all. Game is 500 points.
CITADEL: A variant of Beleaguered Castle. See this page.
CLABBER, or CLOB, CLOBBER, CLOBBERYASH, CLUBBY: Names for the game now call Klaberjass. See this page.
CLOSED POKER: See this page.
COLD HANDS or COLD-HAND POKER: See this page.
COLD HANDS WITH DRAW: See this page.
COMET or COMMIT: A game of the “stops” type introduced when Halley’s comet appeared in 1759. It is played with a standard pack from which the 8 is removed, leaving fifty-one cards. From three to eight players are dealt hands of equal numbers, but at least three cards are left over and laid aside face down. Cards are rated in ascending value, A, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, J, Q, K, according to suits. Player at dealer’s left places any card from his hand face up on the table (as 5) and continues to add more (as 6, 7, etc.) to represent the tail of a comet, until he is stopped, say at 10, because he lacks the next in sequence, in this case the J. Whoever holds that card plays it and continues on from there until he too is stopped.
Upon reaching a king, however, a player can begin another sequence, representing a new comet’s tail. If play is completely blocked because a needed card is among the extras, whoever made the last play can begin a new sequence. The 9 can either be used to start a sequence as itself or can be played as a “wild card” without disturbing the order of a sequence. Example: A player could play the 9 following the 4, but then he or another player would have to follow with the 5 or begin a new tail.
Before play starts, all contribute equally to a pool or pot, which goes to the player who first disposes of all his cards. Whoever plays the 9 collects two chips from everyone else, but must pay them two chips each if caught with the 9 at the finish. As a general rule, anyone playing a king collects one chip from each, but must pay one each for any king left in his hand. As an option, a player beginning a sequence with an ace collects one chip from each, but with no penalty if left with an ace.
COMMERCE: An old English progenitor of poker. Up to a dozen players put an equal number of chips in a pool or pot. The dealer gives each three cards singly, and, beginning at his left, each may “trade” by giving a card to the dealer, who places it face down beneath the pack and deals the player another instead, receiving one chip from the player for this service. Or, the player may “barter” with the player on his left, giving him a face-down card and receiving one in exchange, no payment being involved.
This continues indefinitely around the table, each player trying to form a combination in the following order: Tricon, three of the same value, these ranking A, K, Q, J, 10 down to 2. Sequence (later called Sequence Flush), with three cards of one suit in descending order, ace high (as A, K, Q) or low (as 3, 2, A). Point: The lowest total of spots on three cards of the same suit: Ace counting 11, face cards (king, queen, jack, 10 each). (Example: J, 7, 2107219, beats A, 6, 5116522.)
Later, these values were introduced: Flush, just below sequence, any three cards of one suit (as J, 7, 3), and Pair, two cards of the same value (as J, J) rating just below that. This reduced Point to the status of only two cards of one suit, with the highest total of spots being winner (as A, K111021, beating 9, 817). This makes a much better game.
In all cases, however, play ends when a player decides to stand on what he has. When his turn comes to trade or barter or even accept the barter offered by the player just ahead of him, he knocks on the table instead. Then all hands must be shown and the highest takes the pot. The dealer, having collected from the traders, must pay the others one chip each unless he is the winner, provided he holds a pair or better.
COMMERCIAL PITCH: Another name for Sellout. See this page.
CONCENTRATION: A memory game in which a fifty-two-card pack is dealt face down in half a dozen rows of eight or nine cards each. A player turns up any pair of cards, and if they match in color and value (as 8 and 8, or Q Q), he removes them and tries to turn up another matching pair. When he fails, he turns the two cards face down and another player makes a try. This continues with from two to six players, who make mental note of any cards turned down. Thus if Player A should turn down the 8 and the K, Player B might later turn up either the 8 or the K and immediately be able to match it, provided he remembers where its mate happens to be. The player pairing the most cards wins the game. As a variant, the game is easier if dependent on values only, as any two aces being accepted as a pair regardless of color, and so on. Half-sized playing cards can be used to accommodate the layout in less space.
CONQUIAN: A Mexican predecessor of Rummy, with two players using a forty-card pack ranking in descending order: K, Q, J, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, A. Each is dealt a hand of ten cards, and his aim is to meld or lay down three or four cards of the same value (as J–J–J or 6–6–6–6) and sequences of three or more in one suit (as 5 4 3). Opponent begins by turning up top card of the undealt pack and melding whatever he can from his hand, using the turned-up card if it is suitable. In that case, following his meld, he discards an odd card from his hand, laying it face up beside the pack to start a discard pile. Otherwise, he must use the turned-up card to start the discard pile, as he cannot take it into his hand (as in rummy).
In his turn, the dealer may use the top card of the discard pile toward a meld if possible; otherwise, he must turn up the top card of the pack and proceed as the opponent did. Alternate play continues until one player has melded his entire hand, plus an extra card, making eleven in all. Thus sometimes, with ten cards already melded, a player must continue to turn up cards or wait for a discard that can be added to his existing meld. Besides “laying off” on his own meld, a player may “borrow” from one toward another, if both are kept valid. Example: Having melded K Q J 7, he could put the K with two other kings, for K–K–K. Or having melded 3–3–3–3 and 6 5 4, he could take the 3 from the “set” and attach it to the “run” in order to add 2 A for a sequence of 6 5 4 3 2 A. At any time one player may insist that the other use a turned-up card toward a meld that he has already made, as that may hinder his further play.
Each hand is regarded as a separate game, and if the pack is exhausted before either player melds out, the next game counts double. The deal changes after each hand or game.
CONSOLATION: A name given to the final hand or “game” in Five in One. See this page.
CONTINENTAL RUMMY: A multiple type of Rummy, using two packs (each with one or two jokers) for up to six players; three such packs for up to nine; four such packs for up to twelve. Cards rank A, K, Q, J, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, A, the ace being both high and low. Each player is dealt fifteen cards (preferably by threes). Play follows the standard rummy pattern, this page, but with these provisos:
No sets (as K–K–K) can be melded; only sequences of three or more cards in the same suit (as 9 8 7). The entire hand must be melded at once to go out; and it must be composed exactly of five sequences of three cards each; three of four cards and one of three; or one five, one four, and two threes. A joker is wild, representing any card a player may require. Winner collects 1 point from every other player, plus 2 points for each joker that he holds.
With deuces wild as well as jokers, the cards rank A, K, Q, J, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, A and the winner collects 1 point for each deuce he holds. Various bonus counts may be included, as 10 points for going out without a wild card and 15 points for going out with all cards in one suit.
CONTRACT BRIDGE: By far the most popular of modern card games, contract bridge is a high-powered extension of Auction Bridge, the leader of its day. The games follow the same bidding procedure, but contract is more exacting because of its advanced mode of scoring. In play, both follow the rules of Whist, see this page. The standard fifty-two-card pack is used, with each suit ranking A, K, Q, J, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2 in descending order.
There are four players, commonly called South, North, East, and West because of their positions at the table. Those seated opposite play as partners against the other pair (E and W vs. N and S). The entire pack is dealt singly in clockwise order, giving each player thirteen cards. While only a single pack is used in playing each hand, convention requires a second pack, which is shuffled by the dealer’s partner and laid at the partner’s right, in readiness for the next dealer. In each deal, the dealer has the pack cut by the player on his right.
The bidding begins with the dealer, who may either “pass” or specify how many tricks he will contract to take, with his partner’s aid, either with a certain suit as trump, or in no-trump. The lowest bid is “one,” meaning that the team must take one trick over a “book” of six, making seven tricks in all; and the bids run in ascending order: clubs, diamonds, hearts, spades, and no-trump. A bid of two clubs is higher than one no-trump; three clubs is higher than two no-trump; and so upward, with the highest bid of all seven no-trump.
The bidding is started by the dealer and proceeds in clockwise rotation. If all pass, the hands are turned in and the deal moves to the left. If a bid is made, a succeeding player may raise it (as from one heart to two hearts), bid higher (as two NT over two diamonds), or “pass,” but with the privilege of re-entering the bidding, unless three players pass in succession, in which case the last actual bid stands.
A player may “double” a bid made by the opposing team, which enables the bidder to score double in trick points, plus an extra bonus count, if he makes his bid. But if the bidder should fail, the team that doubled scores an additional bonus. A double has the status of a regular bid; hence the next player can either “pass” or “overcall” it with a higher bid. Instead, he can also “redouble,” which again doubles the trick points and also increases the bonus points for one team or the other. Naturally, a player can only double a bid made by an opponent; never his partner’s bid. Similarly, he can only redouble an opposing double.
When the bidding ends, the player who made the final bid becomes the “declarer,” unless his partner originally named the suit (or no-trump). In that case, the partner becomes the declarer. It is the declarer who plays the hands for the bidding team.
Example: S bids one spade; N bids one NT; S bids two diamonds; N bids three hearts. If the bidding stops there, North becomes declarer with a contract of three hearts. But if North had bid three spades, South would be declarer at three spades, since he initiated the suit. However, if South should continue the bidding to three NT, North would become declarer at three no-trump, since he was the first to name no-trump.
When bidding is completed, the play starts with the opponent on the declarer’s left, who leads any card. Immediately, the declarer’s partner lays his hand face up on the table, arranging it in suits from ace down, so that the declarer can play it as a “dummy” hand while playing his own hand in the usual fashion. Play proceeds to the left, or clockwise, exactly as in the parent game of whist; namely: Players must follow suit if they can; otherwise, they may trump or discard from a side suit. The highest card of the suit led wins the trick unless trumped, when the highest trump wins. The winner of each trick leads to the next until all thirteen have been taken.
In bridge, tricks are scored in ascending value, according to which suit is trump, or whether the declarer is playing no-trump. In clubs () or diamonds () each trick bid and won over six counts 20 points. Thus, with a bid of one diamond, the declarer would have to take seven or more tricks to score 20; with a bid of two clubs, eight or more tricks to score 40; and so on.
With hearts () or spades () each trick bid and won over six counts 30 points; thus with a bid of three hearts or three spades, the declarer would have to take nine or more tricks to score 90; and so on upward. With no-trump (NT) a bid of “one” scores 40 points, with 30 points for each additional trick bid and won, so that a bid of one NT (seven tricks) would count 40 if successful; two NT, 70 points; three NT, 100. All these count double if the bid is “doubled,” four times if “redoubled.”
The first team to score 100 trick points wins “game” and the teams start again at 0, until one team has won two games, which constitute a “rubber.” It is possible to win game with a bid of “five” in a “minor suit” ( or ), since 20×5100; or with a bid of “four” in a “major suit” ( or ), since 30×4120; or with a bid of “three” in no-trump, as 40 3030100. With lesser bids, a team must win at least two hands to make game. When a team has won one game, it becomes “vulnerable.”
In bridge, a special scoring pad is used, with a separate column for each team and a horizontal line across the center. All trick points are entered “below the line” and all bonus points are entered “above the line,” according to the scoring table shown. It will be noted that bonus scores increase when a team is “vulnerable,” a factor that has an important bearing on the bidding, as the risk becomes proportionately greater.
After a team wins a game, a single line is drawn beneath the score; and after a team wins a rubber, a double line is drawn beneath. Each column is then added and the lower total is placed beneath the higher and subtracted, to ascertain the winning team’s margin of victory. Here is an example of a rubber that required five hands for its completion:
Bidding and play represented by the above score ran thus:
In hand “A” the first team, “We,” bid three hearts and took 10 tricks, scoring 90 below the line for making contract; and 30 above for the “overtrick,” or extra trick.
In “B,” the other team, “They,” bid three NT but took only 8 tricks, so “We” scored 50 above the line for one undertrick.
In “C,” “They” bid four NT and took 11 tricks, scoring 130 below the line for making contract, and 30 above for the overtrick.
In “D,” “They” bid four spades and made it by taking exactly 10 tricks, scoring 120 below the line.
Score “E” represents a 700-point bonus above the line, since “They” won the rubber by winning two games (in Hands “C” and “D”), while “We” won none.
A bid of “six,” if successful, is termed a “small slam,” and the bidding team scores a special bonus above the line for taking the required twelve tricks. A successful bid of “seven,” in which all thirteen tricks are taken, is a “grand slam,” with a still higher bonus.
The only score that has nothing to do with taking tricks is the “honor score,” a carry-over from whist, in which either team, regardless of which declared trump, is credited with bonus points for holding four or five “trump honors” (A, K, Q, J, 10) in one hand; or all four aces in one hand, if the final bid is no-trump.
All these are listed in the scoring table below.
Evaluating and Bidding the Hand: In order for two partners to bid their hands effectively, they must follow a set system, and the most popular is the “point count,” which was originally applied to no-trump hands and later developed to include suit bids. This consists of evaluating the high cards as follows: ace, 4; king, 3; queen, 2; jack, 1. These alone are used in no-trump bids. With trumps, each card over four in a trump suit counts 1 point; each over three in a side suit counts 1 point.
Instead of noting such “long suits,” this can be calculated on a basis of “short suits.” A suit with only two cards, termed a “doubleton,” counts 1 point; a suit with only one card, known as a “singleton,” counts 2 points; total lack of any suit, called a “void” or “blank suit,” counts 3 points. It comes out the same either way, and these are termed “distributional points” to distinguish them from “high-card points.”
SCORING TABLE FOR CONTRACT BRIDGE
After making contract, declarer’s team scores below the line:
| For each odd trick over six | Ordinary Contract | When Doubled | When Redoubled |
| Clubs or diamonds |
20 | 40 | 80 |
| Hearts or spades |
30 | 60 | 120 |
| No-trump: first trick | 40 | 80 | 160 |
| Additional tricks: | 30 | 60 | 120 |
Declarer’s team scores bonus points above the line:
When declarer’s team fails to make contract, opponents score above the line:
Game consists of 100 points or more.
Winner of two games wins rubber:
For honors held by one player, either team scores above the line:
To open with a suit bid, one of the following potential trump suits is needed: A four-card suit with 3 or preferably 4 high-card points; a five-card suit with at least 1 high-card point; or any six-card suit or longer. Such a hand, however, must contain a total of 12 or 13 points to warrant a bid of “one”; with 14 points a bid of “one” is a must in order for a player to alert his partner to the hand’s potential strength. With two “biddable suits” it is usually preferable to bid the longer one; while with two of equal length, the one with the higher scoring value is preferable. Either way, there may be a chance to bid the other suit later.
To open with a trump bid of “two,” a player should have 22 points with a seven-card suit, or two good five-card suits; 23 points with a good six-card suit; and 25 points with only one good five-card suit. This is a “demand bid,” requiring the partner to keep the bidding open until game level is reached.
A trump opening bid of “three” or “four” denotes a “freak” hand containing a long, fairly strong suit of at least seven cards, but with a low point count, especially in high cards. This is termed a “shutout” bid, as it prevents the opposing team from bidding and is therefore worth the risk. For example:
K J 10 9 8 5 3 2 5 K 10 9 9
Although this hand has only 7 high-card points (K–J–K) and a total point count of 11 (due to extra spades as trump), it should take six or seven tricks in spades and one in diamonds. Hence it is worth a bid of three spades or four spades, as normal support from the partner will clinch the contract; and at worst the declarer can go down only one or two tricks.
In opening with a suit bid of “one,” which is the most frequent procedure, a player should check his hand for “quick tricks,” which include the following combinations in individual suits (“X” standing for any small card): A–K–Q2½; A–K 2; A–Q1½; A–J–101½; K–Q–J1½; A1; K–Q1; K–J–101; K–X½; Q–J–X½;. A 12-point hand usually needs two and one half quick tricks to open; while a 13-point hand and even a 14-point hand should show two quick tricks, no longer rating as a “must” bid if it bogs down in that department. For example:
K K 8 7 3 2 Q 8 6 4 3 Q J
Even with 14 points (11 high-card, 3 distributional) this is inadequate for an opening bid, as it has only one half quick tricks in hearts.
For an opening bid in no-trump, a hand should contain suits distributed in one of the following ratios, which are known as “balanced” hands: 4–3–3–3, 4–4–3–2, 5–3–3–2. A point count of 16, 17, or 18, all in high cards, is needed for “one no-trump,” and the bidder should have a stopper in each of three suits. A “stopper” is a card that sooner or later can take an opposing lead in its particular suit, thus enabling the bidder to gain the lead. Aces are stoppers in their own right, but kings, queens, and jacks require one, two, and three cards respectively to qualify. Example:
K J 8 J 9 8 4 A K Q Q 10 2
The above hand, with 4–3–3–3 distribution, has a point count of 16, with a stopper in every suit, automatically calling for an opening bid of “one no-trump.” As already specified, stoppers in three suits would be enough, but with 4–4–3–2 or 5–3–3–2 distribution, the two-card suit must have a stopper, or the hand would be too risky. As examples:
| (a) A K 9 |
K 8 |
A Q 7 2 |
8 5 4 2 |
| (b) 8 6 |
A K 7 |
K J 9 5 3 |
A Q 9 |
In (a) the count of 16 is good for “one no-trump” because the short suit () has a stopper in a guarded king and three suits (, , ) are protected. But in (b) the higher count of 17 is offset by the lack of stoppers in the short suit (). The correct bid for this hand would be “one diamond.”
Balanced hands with 19, 20, or 21 high-card points call for an opening suit bid of “one” rather than a “no-trump” bid, even though three or four suits have stoppers. This enables a bidder to size up the situation from his partner’s response or opposing overcalls, so he can continue the bidding accordingly. With a balanced hand containing 22, 23, or 24 high-card points, the proper bid is “two no-trump,” provided all suits have stoppers. With 25, 26, or 27 points in that same type of hand, the bid should be “three no-trump.”
Responses to Opening Bids: Since a suit bid of “one” is the commonest of all openers, a partner’s response to such a bid deserves prime consideration. Such responses are of three types:
(a) Raising the bid in the same suit.
(b) Making a higher bid in a new suit.
(c) Making a bid in no-trump.
Each of these depends upon the type of hand held by the partner, whose response should adhere to the following patterns:
(a) If the responder has three cards of the original bidder’s trump suit, headed by a jack or better, he can bid “two” in the same suit, if his hand contains 7 to 10 points. He can also raise to “two” on the strength of four small trumps (all below jack) if he has the required count. For a singleton, he can add 1 extra point; for a void, 2 extra points, toward his over-all count.
Example: 9 8 7 5 K 10 9 8 7 5 4 6 9
With an original bid of “one spade,” this hand would normally add to 7 points, 3 for the K and four extra cards in hearts. But as a responding bid, the singleton would be worth 1 point more and a singleton 1 point, making a total of 9 points for a bid of two spades. Good judgment must be used, however, for if the hand just shown contained the K instead of the K as a singleton, it might be worthless in play, although the count added up to the same total.
With a hand that contains four of the original bidder’s trump and adds up to 11 or 12 points, it is usually wise to switch to another suit, then come back to the original trump (if possible or advisable) on a later bid. However, such a hand that totals 13 to 16 points by the stepped-up count is worth a “jump raise” to “three” in the original bidder’s trump, namely spades:
Example: K 8 7 5 9 Q 7 3 2 K Q 8 6
High-card points total 10, plus 3 distributional points—1 for an extra ; 1 for an extra ; and 1 extra for the singleton ( 9). That makes 13, good for a response of three spades. Again, judgment is a factor; with a strong hand, a responder can always add an extra point to reach the needed bracket. Simply be cautious with doubtful hands, particularly those of the “balanced” type, as their lack of singletons or voids is a handicap when raising a trump bid.
When a responder has a hand containing five or more of the original bidder’s trumps, with a singleton or void, and less than 10 high-card points, he should make a “shutout” raise to “four” of the original trump. The logic of this is simple: Since the original bidder has at least four trumps and the responder five, they must have nine or more trumps between them, with the responder’s singleton offering the original bidder good trumping opportunities from the dummy hand. In bridge, as in whist, “trumping” is commonly termed “ruffing.”
With “four” in a major suit ( or ) there is a chance for game; while with a minor suit ( or ) the original bidder can go “five” with a strong hand, hoping for the same result. Either way, the partners can’t go down too badly, so it is worth the risk to shut out the opponents from a possible strong bid of their own.
(b) With an opening bid of “one,” a partner who lacks support in the suit named can switch to a new suit in which he holds four or more cards and a total of 6 to 10 points, provided he can keep it at the “one” level. This type of bid, known as the “one over one” is always possible following an opener of one club; while an opening bid of “one” in either minor suit ( or ) can always be overcalled by “one” in a major suit ( or ).
With a count of 11 to 17, a responder can still bid “one” under such circumstances, but when that is impossible, he can go to “two” in his own suit: Thus, an opening bid of one heart would require a response of two clubs or two diamonds; while a one spade opening would mean a bid of “two” in any other suit. This is known as a “two over one.” Either type—the “one over one” or “two over one”—is a “forcing bid,” which calls upon the original bidder to keep the bidding open.
With a count of 18 or more, a responder can “jump” an opening bid of “one” to “three” in another suit, thus “forcing” the bidding to game level. Therefore, he should either be very strong in his new suit or have good support for the original bidder’s trump, in order to switch back to it if need be. Often, such bidding leads to a potential slam.
(c) With a “balanced hand” containing 6 to 10 high-card points, the usual response to an opening suit bid of “one” is one NT. This is not a “forcing bid,” as it is often easy to wangle the one trick needed over “book,” so it does not matter if the original bidder and both opponents pass. However, with a balanced hand having 13 to 15 high-card points, a response of two NT is in order; while a balanced hand with 16 to 18 high-card points, three NT is proper. In each case, however, the responder must have a “stopper” in every suit except the suit named by his partner, the opening bidder. A two NT response is “forcing” to game; but three NT is good for game, so the original bidder can let it ride unless he sees prospects for a slam.
An opening suit bid of “two” is a demand to keep the bidding open until game is reached. Hence with less than 7 high-card points, a partner should respond with two NT as the cheapest way to show that he has a negative hand, which may prove worthless. With 7 or more high-card points and one quick trick, a positive response is in order. That would mean “three” in the opening bidder’s suit or a lower-ranking suit; or “two” in a higher-ranking suit. With a balanced hand of 8 or 9 points and anything more than one quick trick, the response should be three NT, which represents a positive bid.
An opening bid of “one no-trump” specifies a balanced hand with 16 to 18 high-card points, as already stated. A partner who also has a balanced hand should respond as follows: With 8 or 9 high-card points, two NT. With 10 to 14 such points, three NT. With 15 or 16 points, four NT. With 17 or 18, a jump to six NT is justified. With 21 high-card points, the response can be seven NT.
With an unbalanced hand containing less than 8 points, the responder may pass or bid “two” in a five-card suit, to show where his strength lies. With 10 or more points, the response should be “three” in a biddable suit—particularly a major—forcing to game. This is termed a “takeout bid,” telling the opener that the responder has the points needed for three NT but wants to show strength in a specific suit.
With an opening bid of “two no-trump,” a responder holding a balanced hand can raise the bid to three NT with only 4 high-card points; or jump to four NT with 9 such points. With 11 points, the bid can jump to six NT; with 13 points, to seven NT. If the responder holds an unbalanced hand, he can go to “three” in a five-card suit if the hand has more than 5 points. With a six-card suit, particularly a major suit ( or ), a response of “three” should be sure-fire.
An opening bid of “three no-trump” is a game contract, so the responder should bid higher only if he sees chances for a slam. He knows that his partner, the opening bidder, has at least 25 points, which leaves only 15 for the rest. So if the responder holds 5 or 6 of those high-card points, he may as well let the “three” ride. But with 7 points, he can raise to four NT; with 8 points to six NT; with 12 points, to seven NT. Any long suit of five or more cards, with 5 points in high cards, is worth a takeout bid of “four” in that suit.
With a shutout bid of “three” (or “four”) in a suit, the best response is to pass, as the bidder is depending upon the responder to have some strength to aid his freakish hand. However, if the responder’s hand is good for three and one half quick tricks, or has four or more cards in the bidder’s trump suit, a raise may be in order in the suit named.
Rebidding the Hand: After an opening bidder gains some clue to his partner’s hand from the latter’s response, he can rebid if their combined point count promises 26 or more, which normally should produce game during play. Hence, with an opening bid of “one” in a suit, the procedure is:
With opening bid of “one.” Response “two” in same suit: If opening bidder has 12 to 15 points, he should generally pass, since responder has only 6 to 10 points. However, if the opener has six or more cards in that suit, he can raise the bid to “three.”
If opening bidder holds 16 to 18 points, he can rebid “three” in the original suit; or, with a balanced hand with 16 high-card points, he can change to two NT. Or, he can make a bid in a new suit if it has the required count. With 19 to 21 points, he can jump to game in his original suit, or bid a new suit.
Opening bid of “one.” Response “three” in same suit: If opening bidder holds 12 to 15 points, he can count on his partner’s 13 to 16 to produce the total of 26 for game. Hence he can raise that suit to “four” or switch to three NT with a balanced hand of the 4–3–3–3 or 4–4–3–2 type. If the original bid is in a minor suit, one club or one diamond, the original bidder can “show” a strong major suit by bidding three hearts or three spades, and letting the responder take it from there. If opening bidder holds 16 to 21 points, he should try for a slam.
Opening bid of “one” in a suit. Response “one” in no-trump: If the opening bidder has 12 to 15 points, he can rebid “two” in that suit or another, unless he holds a balanced hand. In that case, it is better to let the response of one NT stand. With 16 to 18 points, the same rule holds, but a response of two NT is allowable if the count is in high cards. With 19 to 21 points, a bid of “three” or “four” can be made in a strong suit. A bid of three NT should also be considered.
Opening bid of “one” in a suit. Response “two” in no-trump: Here, the original bidder knows that his partner must have a balanced hand with 13 to 15 high-card points and that all suits are stopped, which definitely forces the bidding to game. Hence:
If the opening bidder holds 12 to 15 points, he can rebid three NT with a balanced hand, unless it is a 5–3–3–2 distribution with a five-card major suit, which should be bid instead. With an unbalanced hand, the rebid should be in a suit. With 16 to 18 points, the original bidder should consider slam prospects; with 19 to 21 points, he should definitely go for a slam.
Opening bid of “one” in a suit. Response “one” in another suit: This is the familiar “one over one,” indicating that the responder has a point count of 6 to 18 in the new suit; hence the original bidder has a variety of choices. If his own count is 12 to 15, he can rebid his original suit if it has six or more cards. Or, he can treat the new suit as an original bid and respond by raising it if he has the proper support. Otherwise, he can show a new suit by bidding “one,” or “two” if necessary. Finally, he can bid one NT to keep the bidding going for that round, though one NT is good in its own right with a balanced hand.
With 16 to 18 points, the original bidder can jump to “three” in his own suit or jump the responder’s suit to “four” if he holds four cards in that suit; otherwise, the regular procedure holds. With 19 to 21 points, he can jump either his own suit or his partner’s suit to game; or rebid two NT with a balanced hand, or even three NT if he is very strong in the suits that neither he nor his partner bid.
Opening bid of “one” in a suit. Response “two” in another suit: This applies to “two over one” in a lesser suit than the original bid, as two diamonds over one spade. Since it indicates that the responder has more than 10 points in the new suit, hence the original bidder can rebid more strenuously than with the “one over one.” If his own count is 12 to 15 points, he should at least rebid his original suit. But instead, he can show a new biddable suit at the two level; or, with balanced distribution and blockers in one or both of the unbid suits, he can rebid two NT. Or he can raise his partner’s bid, with proper trump support.
With 16 to 18 points, he could rebid the same as with the “one over one,” and the same applies with 19 to 21 points.
Opening bid: One no-trump. Response “two” in no-trump: This shows that the original bidder has 16, 17, or 18 high-card points, while his partner, as responder, has 8 or 9, so the combined total runs from 24 to 27 points. The original bidder should pass with only 16, raise to three NT with 17 or 18, provided he has all suits stopped.
Opening bid: One no-trump. Response “two” in a suit: The original bidder should pass with only 16 or 17 points, but with 18 points and strength in the responder’s suit, he can bid “three” in that suit.
Rebidding by the Responder: After the original bidder has made a rebid that is forcing to game, his partner must comply with whatever rebid he can, to keep the bidding open. Otherwise, he should estimate the original bidder’s count, add his own according to a potential bid, and figure how close they can go toward game, at 26 points, or slam at 33 points. A good working rule is to make one rebid on the strength of a 6-point hand; two on 11 or 12 points; and go for game with 13 and slam with 18.
Defensive Bidding: The Overcall: Since any opening bid, other than the “shutout” type, shows a hand with a higher-than-average point count, an opposing bidder is often on the defensive and must act accordingly. To overcall the initial bid, he usually needs a strong trump holding rather than a high point count; in fact, his very lack of points may mean that his partner has a high count, making it all the more important that he should furnish some key to his own holding.
Opinions vary in regard to overcalls, but generally speaking, it is safe to overcall at the “one” level with a count of 8 points or more, provided the hand has at least five trumps including two of the four top cards and is good for four tricks in play (or five, if vulnerable). For example:
8 7 Q J 10 8 7 8 3 A 10 96
Assuming that the opening bid was 1 , this hand, with a count of 9 points in hearts, would warrant an overcall of one heart, since it has five trumps headed by the Q–J and its “playing tricks” can be calculated thus: If the opponents win two heart tricks with the A and K, the Q, J, 10 become sure tricks, along with the A. Since clubs are a four-card suit, the 10 is high enough to be a likely winner, bringing the total of playing tricks to the required five.
Had the opening bid been one spade, an overcall of two hearts would have been needed; and for that, a count of 12 points is usual, with five or six playing tricks. The hand just cited would fall short of that, but if strengthened at spots, it would qualify, as follows:
8 K Q 10 8 7 2 8 3 A 10 9 8
This just makes a point count of 12. In trumps, the opponents will win the A and possibly the J, but this hand will take four, along with the A and probably the 10, for six in all. The possibility of capturing the J, and the trumping prospects afforded by the singleton in the opener’s suit () are both helpful factors that should be taken into account when making an overcall.
For a three-level overcall, a point count of 15 is in order, with a six-card trump suit—or longer!—and six or seven playing tricks. In all cases, this factor is important: Since overcalls are primarily defensive, the opposing team is always apt to bid higher. Hence a great purpose of an overcall is to inform your partner what suit to lead in case an opponent becomes the declarer. That is why an overcaller needs at least two high cards in the suit he bids, as a lead to anything less could prove futile.
A no-trump overcall following a suit bid is practically the same as an opening bid in no-trump, with one NT requiring a balanced hand with 16, 17, or 18 high-card points and stoppers in three suits. In this case, however, one of those must be the suit named by the opening bidder. Higher no-trump overcalls follow the opening pattern.
A takeout double, or informatory double, is used as an overcall with a hand that has a normal opening point count (13 points or better) tut with strength in all three suits except the one named by the opening bidder. Thus a 4–404–1 distribution is often an ideal setup, as:
10 A 10 9 7 K Q 9 3 Q J 8 4
Assuming that the opening bid was one spade, this hand, with 14 points, counting 2 for the singleton spade, meets requirements for an opening bid in hearts, diamonds, or clubs, but is not worth an overcall in any. So the overcaller doubles the one spade bid, thereby enabling his partner to bid his best or longest suit, no matter how weak it may be. A distribution of 5–4–4–0 is good for a “takeout double” (the void being in the opening bidder’s suit) provided the usual requirements are met. So is a 5–4–3–1 or a 5–3–3–2; but opinions vary with a 4–4–3–2 hand.
To be recognized as a takeout, a double must be made before the doubler’s partner has already made a bid. It should also represent the doubler’s own first bid. Only a bid of “one” or a “two” in a suit should be doubled; and a no-trump bid, never. Otherwise it becomes a “business double,” with no takeout needed, as the doubler’s intent is to “set” the opponents for a substantial loss.
A cross between a takeout and a business double is allowable in overcalling an opening shutout bid of three or four in a suit. The overcaller needs a strong hand of about 18 points, which in itself is an indication that the opening bidder holds a low-point freak. The partner of the overcaller can make a takeout bid or let the double stand, usually preferring the latter if the opening bid was “four.”
An overcall in the suit named in an opponent’s opening “one” bid shows that the overcaller has a really strong hand, with either the ace of that suit or a blank in the suit. This is definitely a “forcing bid” for the coming round. This is known as a “cue bid.”
Responses to Overcalls: An overcall is similar to an opening bid, in as much as the player making it is the initial bidder for his team. But since the overcall is figured chiefly on playing tricks, the responder must check his own prospects in that department before raising the overcaller’s trump bid. Knowing that the overcaller has five or more trumps, the responder can add real help with two trumps headed by a queen or better, or with three small trumps. Generally, the hand also needs sufficient side strength to produce a count of 8 points or better.
It is better to pass than to bid another suit unless the responder has a suit holding that is worth an overcall in its own right, or his hand comes close to the requirement of an opening bid. If the responder has two stoppers in the opponent’s suit, he can switch to no-trump with a high-card count of 11 points or more, though some cautious bidders are apt to hesitate at anything much short of a standard no-trump opening.
Following a takeout double, unless there is an intervening bid, the doubler’s partner must respond at the lowest available level, even with a poor hand. In that case, the doubler can pass when his turn comes, unless: having 16 high-card points, he should raise the responder’s “one” bid to the “two” level; with 18, to “three”; with 20, to “four.” However, if the responder holds a good five-card trump suit and a point count of more than 10, he should make his bid at the next higher level, to let the doubler know the situation. After such a jump response, the doubler should raise the bid and aim for game.
Opposing Bidding Following an Overcall: If an opening bid is overcalled by the next player, the opener’s partner may pass or make a “free bid” in the opener’s suit or one of his own, provided he has a somewhat stronger hand with 2 or 3 more points than required for the usual response to an opening bid. However, if the opening bid is doubled, the opener’s partner may make a free bid on the usual holding, while with a stronger hand, he can redouble, giving the opener a chance to rebid.
Either way, this puts the doubler’s partner in what amounts to a free bid situation of his own, enabling him to pass or bid accordingly, knowing that his partner will be able to rebid.
Note: The “takeout double” and “redouble” fall in the category of accepted bidding conventions that are used by experienced partners to acquaint each other with special holdings or situations not recognizable through ordinary bidding. Conventions are allowable if confined to those that are generally recognized as standard, or if they are announced and described beforehand, with due acceptance by all concerned. Some are used only by experts and are therefore beyond the range of bridge as ordinarily played.
THREE-HANDED BRIDGE: Known also as “cutthroat bridge,” this is a game for three players, but a fourth hand is dealt and placed aside face down, while the players bid, each on his own. The successful bidder, or declarer, then turns up the odd hand, placing it between the two other players, who act as his opponents during the play that follows, with the odd hand serving as dummy for the declarer exactly as in Contract Bridge, though scoring can be the same as in Auction Bridge, this page, if preferred.
The declarer scores in the usual manner when he makes his contract, just as though he represented a team. If he is defeated, however, each of his opponents scores the full amount for setting him. Similarly, if the opponents hold honors, each scores for them in full. In contract scoring, each player can be individually vulnerable or not vulnerable, as the case may demand. The first player to win two games scores 500 points for rubber; this is increased to 700 points if neither of the other players has scored. In auction, the premium is 250.
CONTRACT PINOCHLE: A form of Partnership Pinochle, this page.
CONTRACT RUMMY: A popular form of rummy, with three or four players using a double pack of 104 cards, usually with two or preferably four jokers added as wild cards. With five to eight players, a triple pack of 156 cards is used, usually with three or preferably six wild jokers added. In both versions, each player is on his own. Cards rank in descending order, as in standard rummy, except that the ace is both high and low, terminating each end of the sequence: A, K, Q, J, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, A. Each ace is valued at 15 points; face cards (K, Q, J), 10 each; others according to their spots. Jokers, when included, are valued at 15 each.
The game consists of seven separate deals, each with its own “contract” involving special melding rules. Each player is dealt ten cards during the first four deals; twelve cards during the last three. After each player has been served, the next card is turned up to start a discard pile. Here, as in standard rummy, the first player on the dealer’s left has the choice of taking the face-up card or a card from the top of the pack, but:
If the player does not want the card from the discard pile, he must wait and give the next player a chance to take it. The next player, if he does so, must also take the top card of the pack, adding both to his hand as extras, retaining them for later play in proper turn. If he does not want the card from the discard pile, the privilege of taking it—plus a card from the top of the pack—is given to the next player; and so on.
After a player has exerted this privilege, or all have refused it, the original player continues his turn by drawing the top card from the pack. He adds it to his hand and proceeds as in regular rummy, melding if he can and wants to do so, then discarding an odd card face up on the discard pile. Melds, as in the standard game, are of two types: “sets,” composed of at least three cards of the same value, as 9–9–9; and “sequences,” formed by three or more cards of the same suit, in descending order, as 8 7 6. He may also “lay off” cards from his hand by adding to a set or continuing a sequence from either end.
However, as already mentioned, in this game, a player’s melds must meet the “contract” requirements of a given deal, as follows:
First Deal: A player must meld two separate sets of only three cards each (as K–K–K, 5–45–5).
Second Deal: A player must meld one set of only three cards, and one sequence of only three cards (as 9–9–9 and 5 4 3).
Third Deal: A player must meld two separate sequences of only three cards each (as J 10 9 and 4 3 2. J 10 9 8 7 6 is not allowable, as it forms a six-card sequence; but J 10 9 7 6 5 qualifies because of the gap).
Fourth Deal: A player must meld three separate sets of three cards each (as Q–Q–Q, 10–10–10, 2–2–2).
All the above are ten-card deals, with Deals 1 to 3 requiring the layoff of four cards for a player to clear his hand and “go rummy.” In Deal 4, it is only necessary to lay off one card. Those that follow are twelve-card deals, with further contract provisions:
Fifth Deal: A player must meld two sets and one sequence, all of three cards each (as Q–Q–Q, 8–8–8, and 7 6 5).
Sixth Deal: A player must meld one set and two separate sequences, each of three cards (as 4–4–4 and A K Q, J 10 9).
Seventh Deal: A player must meld three separate sequences, each of four cards, as A K Q J; 8 7 6 5; 6 5 4 3.
Three cards must therefore be laid off in Deals 5 and 6, while in Deal 7, the entire hand must be melded, with no layoffs, in order to go rummy. But it should be specially noted that in cases where a player picks up two extra cards, as described earlier, he will be forced to lay off two extras during one of his turns because he overloaded his hand.
In each deal, after a player goes rummy, each player must show whatever cards he still has in his hand, add up the values, and mark the total toward his score. At the finish of the seventh deal, all totals are added and the player with the lowest score wins. If chips are used, he collects from each of the other players according to the difference between his score and theirs.
A joker, being wild, can be used as part of a meld. Thus joker–8–8 would represent 8–8–8; while in the sequence 7 joker 5 the joker would stand for the six of hearts. A player can also lay off a joker on any meld, naming it as a card that would ordinarily be placed there. Finally, after a player has completed his contract meld for a given deal, he has this privilege: If he holds an actual card represented by a melded joker, he can exchange it for the joker, which can then be laid off elsewhere. As a special rule, now in general use, such an exchange can be made only when the joker is part of a melded sequence (as 6 joker 4 3 2) and not when it has been melded with a set of the same value (as joker–10–10).
The joker can also be moved from one end of a melded sequence to the other, in order to aid a layoff. As an example, suppose that 9 8 7 joker has been melded A player holds Q J and 6. In the meld, the joker represents 6, so he moves it to the other end, forming joker 9 8 7, with the joker representing 10. This enables him to lay off the Q J at the upper end and the 6 at the lower end, for a final meld of Q J joker 9 8 7 6.
In early forms of contract rummy, the deuces served as the wild cards and are still often used as such, in addition to the wild jokers. Other values may be designated as “wild” either instead of deuces or in addition to them. As a usual rule, only jokers are exchangeable; other wild cards, not. But all wild cards are movable, from the top of a sequence to the bottom, or vice versa. These points should be decided by agreement prior to play.
As a general rule, a player must complete his contract meld before he is allowed to lay off any odd cards from his hand. Also, it is often specified that he make his entire meld all at once, reserving any layoffs for a later turn. Even in games where single melds are allowed, the “all at once” rule is usually applied in the seventh deal, giving losing players a last chance to turn the tide.
In contrast to these restrictive measures, a special rule may be introduced allowing players to make additional melds—either as new sets or new sequences—beyond those required in the contract for any deal. That rule, when used, adds action to the game by encouraging players to draw from the discard pile out of turn, as the two extra cards thus acquired are doubly disposable through melds as well as layoffs.
The reason for so many options is that several games of earlier origin are actually included under the general head of “contract rummy”; namely: Hollywood rummy, joker rummy, king rummy, Liverpool rummy, progressive rummy, seven-deal rummy, Shanghai rummy, and Zioncheck. All have their own variations, mostly interchangeable, so that in the course of evolution the names have become practically synonymous, with earlier differences now being disregarded.
One truly “progressive” rule that has been gaining in popularity concerns the number of cards required for each contract, with the total being increased card by card in each successive deal, so the contracts run: first deal, six cards; second deal, seven; third deal, eight; fourth deal, nine; fifth deal, ten; sixth deal, eleven; seventh deal, twelve. This is managed by simply increasing the requirement for a contract sequence from three cards to four. Check this against the contract requirements listed earlier and it will be apparent how neatly they conform.
CONTRACT WHIST: Contract Bridge without a dummy. See this page.
COON CAN: The Americanized form of Conquian, this page, played with a forty-card pack ranking 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, A. Also known as Double Rum.
COQUETTE: Another name for Betrothal Solitaire, this page.
CRAPETTE: Another name for Russian Bank, this page.
CRAZY ACES: The same as Crazy Eights, but using aces instead. See Eights, this page.
CRAZY EIGHTS: A game of the “stops” type, with eights wild. See Eights, this page.
CRAZY JACKS: Like Crazy Eights, but with jacks as wild cards.
CRIBBAGE: One of the most popular of two-handed card games, played with a fifty-two-card pack, ranking in descending value: K, Q, J, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, A. Each card counts according to its spots, with K, Q, and J counting 10 each. These cards, like the 10 itself, are termed “tenth cards,” but each retains its individual status.
Six cards are dealt to each player; and after looking at his hand, each discards two cards face down, reducing his hand to four. The discards are put together, forming an extra hand known as the “crib,” which is laid aside for later reference. The pack is then cut by the opponent and the dealer turns up the top card of the lower half, which is termed the “starter.” This card does not figure in the actual play, but it is used toward scoring certain points. Such scoring, in cribbage, is termed “pegging” because players customarily use a special board with four rows of thirty holes, two rows for each player, with “game holes” at the ends. Pegs are inserted in these holes as play proceeds.
If the starter is a jack, termed “His Heels,” the dealer pegs 2 points; otherwise, there is no score. The opponent opens play by laying a card face up on his side of the board and announcing its count, as “Three” for the 3. The dealer does the same on his side, adding the count of his card, making “Eleven” for the 8. This continues alternately until the account approaches 31. A player is not allowed to exceed that total, so if his remaining cards are too high to play, he says, “Go!” giving his adversary the opportunity of playing whatever cards he can toward reaching 31. Whether or not the adversary is able to play, he pegs 1 point for “Go,” and if he can play a card or cards that bring the total to exactly 31, he pegs 1 point more.
The cribbage board. One player uses the two rows at the left; the other, the two rows at the right. Each player pegs along his entire outside row away from him, and back along the inside row toward himself. After going out and back twice, he places the peg in the hole at the near end of the inner row to mark the final point of 121. For a 61-point game, a player goes out and back once.
The extra holes in the center section of the board are for keeping count of games won, each player using a row of ten holes. If one player is “lurched” (that is, his opponent has attained game before he, the player mentioned, has passed the halfway mark), the winner moves a peg two holes ahead in his game row.
The cards so far played are turned face down and play reverts to the other player, who starts a new series beginning with 0 and aiming for 31. If one player uses all his cards, the other simply plays his out, pegging 1 point for playing the last card, with 1 point more if it brings the total to exactly 31. In all cases where a player hits exactly 31, he pegs 2 points regardless of whether “Go” or “Last Card” is involved.
Such are the simple mechanics of the play; now for the complexities that make cribbage such an intriguing game. During the play, either player pegs points by completing certain combinations that are scored as follows:
A Pair of the same value (as Q Q) 2 points
Pairs Royal or Threes (as 9 9 9) 6 points
(Actually three pairs: 9 9; 9 9; 9 9.)
Double Pairs Royal or Fours (as 5 5 5 5) 12 points
(Actually 5 5; 5 5; 5 5; 5 5; 5 5; 5 5.)
Sequence of three cards (as 8 7 9 or 3 2 A) 3 points
Any additional sequence card (as 5 2 43) 1 point
(The addition of the three forms a sequence worth 4 points.)
Fifteen: Bringing the count to 15 (as 3 2 K) 2 points
Note that suits have no significance where sequences and fifteens are concerned. Nor do sequences have to be in exact order, providing that no other card intervenes.
As a sample hand, consider the following:
Opponent: Q 5 4 A Dealer: 7 6 5 5
Opponent plays Q, announcing “Ten.” Dealer plays 5, declaring, “Fifteen and two.” The “Fifteen” refers to the count; the “two” to the points the dealer pegs. Opponent plays 5, declaring, “Twenty and a pair,” pegging 2 for the pair. Dealer plays 5, declaring, “Twenty-five and three,” pegging 6 for three fives. Opponent plays 4, saying, “Twenty-nine.” Dealer, with 7 and 6, cannot play without going over 31, so he says, “Go.” Opponent plays A, saying, “Thirty,” and pegs 1 for the Go.
The board then stands:
Opponent: Q 5 4 A
Dealer: 5 5
Cards are turned down and play reverts to the dealer, who plays both 7 and 6 (in either order) as the opponent is out of cards. This makes a new count of 13 and the dealer pegs 1 point for playing the last card.
Up to here, the opponent has pegged 3 (21) and the dealer has pegged 9 (261), but there is more to score. The hands, which were kept separate, are turned face up and each is scored individually for its combinations: the opponent’s first, then the dealer’s. In addition, the “starter” serves as an extra card in each player’s hand. Following that, the “crib” is turned up and its combinations are pegged as a bonus for the dealer, the starter again serving as a fifth card.
In addition to the scoring combinations so far listed, there are these:
| His Nobs, the jack of same suit as starter | 1 point. |
| Flush, formed by four cards of one suit in hand | 4 points. |
| Flush, with starter of same suit, either in hand or crib, 1 point extra, namely | 5 points. |
Assuming that the 3 was turned up as follows, the hands would stand as follows:
Opponent: ( 3) Q 5 4 A
Two fifteens (Q–5; Q–4–A) for 4 points. Three-card sequence (5 4 3) for 3 points. Total of hand: 7 points.
Dealer: ( 3) 7 6 5 5
Two fifteens: (3–7–5; 3–7–5) for 4 points. Double sequence (7–6–5–5) consisting of two runs (7–6–5; 7–6–5) and a pair (5–5) for 8 points. Total of hand: 12 points.
Now suppose that the opponent had unfortunately discarded the K and the 8, while the dealer discarded or “laid away” the A and 2. When turned up, these would show:
Crib:( 3) K 8 2 A
One fifteen (3–10–2) for 2 points. Three-card sequence (3–2–A) for 3 points. Flush with starter (all ) for 5 points. Total of crib: 10 points.
Totals: Opponent: In play, 3. In hand 7. 3710.
Dealer: In play, 9. In hand. 12. In Crib, 9. 9121031.
Cribbage is a game with many intricacies and fine points that can be learned only through experience, and then usually through encountering and observing skilled players. However, rudimentary factors of play should be noted from the outset. Pairs, pairs royal (threes), and double pairs royal (fours) must appear in immediate succession, as 6, 6, 6, which would be pegged first as a pair (6–6) and then as a pair royal (6–6–6). If another card should intervene, as 6, 6, 3, 6, only the pair could be pegged. If the 6 should be played next, making 6, 6, 3, 6, 6, the cards would merely represent two pairs, pegged at 2 points each; but if they appeared in the order 6, 6, 6, 6, 3, it would be pegged as a pair (6–6), then as a pair royal (6–6–6), and finally as a double pair royal (6–6–6–6).
While sequences can follow a similarly progressive pattern, they can be gathered climactically, with startling results. For example, take cards played in the following order:
8, 7, 6, 5, 4
That would be pegged as 8–7–6 for 3 points; as 8–7–6–5 for 4 points; as 8–7–6–5–4 for 5 points. But suppose it ran:
5, 4, 7, 8, 6
There would be no pegging anywhere along the line until the fifth card laid a sequence (5–4–7–8–68–7–6–5–4) squarely in the pegger’s lap. He would peg 5 from what had been a 0 until then.
To win a game in cribbage, a player must peg either 61 points, which is once around the board, or 121 points, which is twice around, according to previous agreement. In modern six-card cribbage, the form that has been described, 121 points is the customary game and is therefore understood unless otherwise stipulated. If the opponent goes out after showing his hand, he wins, regardless of what the dealer may have in his own hand or the crib. If the winner goes out before the loser reaches the halfway mark, the loser is “lurched” and the winner is paid double, or credited for two games.
As with most two-handed games, each deal alternates between the opponent and the original dealer until the game is completed.
Partnership Cribbage is a four-handed game between teams of two players (seated opposite) for 121 points. Each is dealt five cards and each puts one in the crib. When one player is told to “Go!” the privilege is passed along until completed. Scores made by each team are pegged as 1.
Three-handed Cribbage follows the two-handed pattern, but each player is dealt five cards instead of six and contributes one to the crib, which is dealt an extra card to bring its quota up to four. Each is on his own and both “Go” and the deal moves to the left.
Five-Card Cribbage is the early form from which the modern version was derived, and it is seldom played today. Each of the two players lays away two cards, playing with a hand of three. When shown, the hands have four, counting the starter, but the crib contains the usual five. Game is customarily 61 points.
Certain penalties are essential in cribbage:
A player who falsely announces “Go” must correct the mistake before the next card is played; otherwise the opposing player, once aware of it, may demand that any cards involved be rejected from play and peg 2 points for himself. Similarly, a player’s failure to play available cards after his adversary declares “Go” is subject to the same penalty under the same conditions.
If a player overpegs his hand, he must correct the mistake before he plays his next card, or if at the end of the deal, before the starter is turned up for the next deal. Otherwise, the opposing player may demand the correction and peg two points for himself.
CRISSCROSS: An extension of Cincinnati. See this page.
CROSS OVER: Another name for Crisscross. See above.
CROSS WIDOW: A variant of Crisscross. See above.
CUBAN CANASTA: Wild-card Canasta with special bonus melds. See Wild Card Canasta, this page.
CUCKOO: Another name for Ranter-Go-Round. See this page.
CUTTHROAT BRIDGE: See Three-handed Bridge, this page.
CUTTHROAT EUCHRE: A three-handed game described under Euchre, this page.
