FAN-TAN: One of the best of all “stops” games, with three to eight players, using a fifty-two-card pack with K high and A low. Cards are dealt singly, clockwise, until the pack runs out. Player at dealer’s left then lays a seven face up on the table if he has one. If not, he puts a chip in a mutual pool or pot. The next player lays down a seven or adds to the first player’s starter (if any) either upward with an eight or downward with a six. (Example: First player sets 
7; the next puts 6 to the left or 8 to the right.) If unable to do so, he chips into the pot. Others continue, 5 down to A, and 9 up to K; the same with other suits. The first player to “go out” by thus disposing of his entire hand wins the pot, plus one chip per card for any cards left in opposing hands, paid by the individual players holding them.
FARM or FARMER: Similar to Blackjack, this page, using a pack from which eights and sixes are removed, except for the 
6. Ace counts 1 and other cards according to their spots (up to 10) with face cards (J, Q, K) as 10 each. Players put one chip each into a pool called the “farm,” and the dealer, or “farmer,” serving as the banker, gives each a card face down. Each player then calls for a face-down card, which he notes, and calls for more if he wants them, his aim being to hit a count of 16, though he can stop short of that total. Hands are finally shown, and whoever hits 16 with the 6 wins the pot and the deal as well. Without the 6, whoever hits 16 with the least cards wins, beginning at the dealer’s left. If nobody hits 16, the deal stays with the farmer, but the farm or pot remains intact. The player nearest 16, but under, receives a chip from each of the others. Any player going over 16 must pay the farmer a chip per point.
FARO: An old-time gambling-casino game, using a fifty-two-card pack that is dealt by drawing cards face up from a special open-framed box. Only values count in faro, and these are represented on a painted layout, as follows:
Players put chips on the layout, designating cards which they think will win or lose; in the latter case, the chip is “coppered” by placing a penny or special disk on it. Dealer discards the card showing on the pack (called the soda), then draws the next card and lays it beside the box as a “loser,” while the next card showing is a “winner.” This is termed a “turn,” and the dealer collects or pays off the bets accordingly. New bets are made, the two cards are discarded, and the dealer proceeds with another turn.
A player may bet on two or more cards by placing chips between them, or setting chips on a corner of a card to designate a group of three. Bets are paid off proportionately, but if two of the cards appear in the same turn, it is a standoff. However, if two cards of identical value show up in the same turn (as 
8 and 8), it is known as a “split,” and the dealer collects half of a bet on that value.
When the box holds only four cards, players bet on the next pair and also try to “call the turn” by betting on the order in which the final three cards will appear. The final card, termed the “hock,” is discarded, like the soda, after being shown.
For a simplified form of faro, see Stuss, this page.
FASCINATION: A form of Solitaire, this page.
FELSOS: Similar to Alsos, but with Queen highest instead of Jack. See Klaberjass, this page.
FIERY CROSS: Poker. See this page.
FIFTEEN: An Americanized—or Anglicized—term for Quinze. See this page.
FIND THE LADY: A term for Three-Card Monte (this page).
FIREHOUSE PINOCHLE: A form of Partnership Pinochle. See Pinochle, this page.
FISH: Short for Go Fish, this page.
FIVE AND DIME: A form of seven-card stud. See this page.
FIVE AND TEN: Another name for Forty-five. See this page.
FIVE CARDS or FIVE FINGERS: An old form of Spoil Five, with jack of trump ranking below ace. See this page.
FIVE-CARD STUD and variants. Poker. See this page and this page.
FIVE HUNDRED: Early in the twentieth century, this game was specially designed and introduced to meet the needs of a playing public, and it gained a deserved popularity that it has retained ever since, although other games may have grown to greater proportions.
The Pack: The thirty-two-card euchre pack, plus a joker, making thirty-three cards in all, with additional cards according to the number of players, as will be specified.
Number of Players: Three to six, with odd numbers playing on their own; even numbers playing as partners. Hence the three-handed game will be described first, as it constitutes the basic form that the others follow with slight modifications.
THREE-HANDED FIVE HUNDRED: Here, the suits of the thirty-three-card pack range in value from aces down to sevens, with the exception of the trump suit, which is headed by the joker, or best bower, followed by the jack, or right bower, then the other jack of the same color, as left bower, and after that the remaining trumps from ace on down.
Thus, with spades as trumps, the suits would run:
| Trumps: joker, |
 J, J, A, K, Q, 10, 9, 8, 7 |
| Other suits: |
A, K, Q, 10, 9, 8, 7
A, K, Q, J, 10, 9, 8, 7
A, K, Q, J, 10, 9, 8, 7 |
In no-trump, a player may lead the joker, declaring it the highest card in any suit he names; otherwise, it rates as a trump suit of its own and can be used to trump an opponent’s lead, provided its holder is out of the suit led.
The Deal: Ten cards are dealt to each player, usually a round of three cards each, then three cards as a “widow,” followed by a round of three each, then a round of four each, all cards face down. Other modes of dealing are allowable.
Bidding: Beginning at the dealer’s left, players bid the number of tricks they will attempt to take, with a specified trump suit or no-trump. Any player may “pass” if he chooses; otherwise bids are raised or “jumped” according to the following schedule:
Originally, each player was allowed only one bid, but later, auction bidding came into vogue and is preferable, as it encourages higher bidding, which is a main aim of the game. In auction, a player may pass, then bid or rebid, until those following him have passed in succession; then his bid stands.
The highest bidder takes up the widow without showing its cards, which he adds to his hand. He then discards three unwanted or least desirable cards from his hand, also face down.
Note: If all players pass, the hand is void and the deal moves on to the player on the left.
The Play: The successful bidder leads to the first trick, and the others follow suit if possible. If out of suit, a player can discard from another suit, or he may trump a lead from an ordinary suit. The highest card of the suit led wins the trick unless trumped, in which case the trump wins unless overtrumped. In no-trump, the joker (as mentioned earlier) can be used as a trump when its holder is out of suit, or he can lead it as the highest card of any suit he declares.
Scoring the Hand: At the conclusion of the hand, the bidder counts his tricks, and if he took the required number or more, he is credited with the amount of his bid. Thus, if he should bid seven spades and make it, he would gain 140 points, regardless of whether he took eight or nine tricks, instead of only seven. So there is no credit for taking extra tricks, with this exception: If the bidder takes all ten tricks, he scores 250, provided his bid was lower than that amount.
If the bidder fails to take the required number of tricks, the amount of his bid is deducted from his score, sometimes putting him in the minus column (below zero). In any case, an opponent scores 10 points for each trick that he takes. Usually, they act as temporary partners to prevent the bidder from making his bid; but, with that accomplished, each opponent naturally takes whatever tricks he can for himself.
Making Game: As the name “five hundred” implies, 500 points constitutes game, and the first player to reach or exceed that total is the winner, scores being added or subtracted after each deal. If the bidder and another player reach 500 in the same hand, the bidder wins the game; with two nonbidders, the one who reached 500 first becomes the winner.
By previous agreement, if a losing bid puts the bidder’s score more than 500 “in the hole,” that is, below 
500, the game ends and the player with the highest score is declared the winner. Though optional, this rule is really a must in some circles, where opponents continually make wild, impossible bids to prevent a sound bidder from reaching 500. The losing limit may be set at 1000 if preferred.
Bidding Nullo: Also optional but generally accepted is the “nullo” rule, whereby a bidder undertakes to lose every trick. Nullo counts 250, hence such a bid outranks eight spades (240) but falls just below eight clubs (260). If a nullo bidder holds the joker or draws it in the widow, he must naturally discard it; otherwise it would be a sure trick against him. If a bidder loses at nullo, 250 points are deducted from his score and the opponents are credited with 10 points apiece for each trick taken by the bidder. Whether the nullo bidder wins or loses, tricks taken by his opponents do not count.
Various Options: Ordinarily, if all players pass, the hand is dead, the cards are gathered, then shuffled and dealt by the next player to the left. If preferred, an unbid hand can automatically be played as no-trump, with each player scoring 10 points for each trick he takes. The widow is simply laid aside, face up or face down, as preferred. In some circles, it is customary to turn the widow face up, letting everyone see it before the successful bidder takes it into his hand, though he does not have to show his discard.
FOUR-HANDED FIVE HUNDRED: Very similar to the three-handed game but with a forty-three-card pack that includes the sixes, fives, and red fours in descending value. Thus with hearts as trumps, the suits would run:
| Trumps: joker, J, J, A, K, Q, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4 |
| Trumps: A, K, Q, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4 |
| Trumps: A, K, Q, J, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5 |
| Trumps: A, K, Q, J, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5 |
(Black fours can be used instead of red fours if preferred.)
All tricks taken by either partner count toward the team’s score, in which the same rules apply as in three-handed, except that there are only two columns, A and B vs. C and D.
Note: Often a player can switch his partner’s bid to the suit of the same color (as to or vice versa), indicating that he has a long run that will benefit from any bowers held by his partner. This intriguing feature is augmented when unrestricted auction is allowed, as it enables the original bidder to raise either suit to a still higher level.
FIVE-HANDED FIVE HUNDRED: This game utilizes the full pack of fifty-three cards (joker included) with ten cards dealt to each player, along with the usual three-card widow. The hands rank as in the other versions, with the trump suit headed by the joker and the right and left bowers. Each player is on his own, but bids are made with the understanding that the highest bidder can call upon another player to serve as his partner during the play of that particular hand.
By one system, the bidder can choose any partner he pleases; and he usually does this on a basis of the bids. Example: A player winning the bid at seven hearts is apt to choose a partner who bid seven diamonds, as they may have bowers in common.
To encourage high bidding, a player bidding eight or more may be allowed to choose two partners instead of only one. This is an optional rule, based on the fact that play will prove more difficult.
Another system is for the successful bidder to call upon the player holding a specific card to act as his partner pro tem. (The “call” is invariably for the joker unless the bidder holds it himself.) The player holding the “called card” shows it and play proceeds.
Here, another option may be introduced, that of playing “blind” without the temporary partner declaring his identity until he plays the card the bidder called for. This, however, is apt to overstress the element of luck.
Scoring the hand: Each temporary partner scores the amount of the bid if successful, or is set back that amount. Opponents score 10 points for tricks taken individually. As an option: Winning or losing hands may be scored as half the amount of the standard bid.
SIX-HANDED FIVE HUNDRED: This may be played in two ways: (a) With three teams, each formed by two partners seated opposite, in which case it follows the rules of three-handed five hundred, each team scoring as an independent player; or (b) With two teams of three partners seated alternately, which is played like four-handed five hundred. In either case, a sixty-three-card pack is used, containing specially manufactured cards of the following denominations: 13, 12, 11; 13, 12, 11; 12, 11; 12, 11. These rank just below the face cards but above the ten.
FIVE HUNDRED RUMMY: See Rummy, this page.
FIVE IN ONE: As the name implies, this consists of five games in one. Dealer starts with a round of Plus or Minus, this page, and at the finish, the hands are left face up. Hands are then rated as in Cold-Hand Poker, this page, and the winner collects a chip from each of the other players. Hands are left face up, but discards are shuffled back into the pack and a deal of Bango, this page, follows. Extra cards are shuffled into the pack for a deal of Put and Take, this page. Entire pack is shuffled and dealer plays a final hand called a “consolation,” counting from one to ten and turning a card face up on each count. If he hits a number as he names it, he collects a chip from each player. Also known as Garbage or Variety.
FIVE OR NINE: A form of Fan-Tan, this page, in which the starting player lays down a five or a nine (instead of a seven) to start a two-way sequence. Whichever he plays (five or nine) must be used to start the three other suits during that deal.
FLIP: Another name for Mexican Stud. See this page.
FLIP STUD: Poker. See this page.
FLOWER GARDEN: A form of Solitaire. See this page.
FOOTBALL: A specially wild form of Poker (similar to Baseball). See this page.
FORTY-FIVE: The modern form of Spoil Five, this page, played without the “spoil,” scoring points for tricks instead. While it can be played by three to five players, each on his own, it is preferable with four, those opposite being partners; or six, with two teams of three each. Individually, each trick counts 5 points, and the first player to reach 45 wins the game; but in the standard partnership play other modes are used: (a) Each trick counts 5 points, but the lower total is subtracted from the higher; so for taking three tricks, a team scores 15–10
5; for taking four tricks, 20–515; for taking five tricks, 25–025. (b) A team taking the odd trick scores 5 points; for taking all tricks, 10 points. Either way (a) or (b), game is still 45.
In “auction forty-five,” each trick counts 5 points, and the team holding the highest trump scores 5 more, making a total of 30. Players bid by fives for the privilege of naming trump, but the dealer, who bids last, can “hold” the bid and take it at the level named by the previous player, though others can rebid higher, with the dealer again holding if he wants. Both teams score what they take in tricks, but a bid of 30 counts 60 if made. A team failing to make a bid has the amount of the bid subtracted from its score. Game is 120, and a team with 100 points or more must bid 20 or higher. This game is very popular in the Canadian Maritime Provinces.
FORTY THIEVES: Another name for Lucas. See Solitaire, this page.
FOUR-CARD POKER: Played with hands of four cards, combinations ranking four of a kind, four-card straight flush, four flush, four straight, three of a kind, two pair, pair, high card. See this page.
FOUR-DEAL BRIDGE: Known also as Chicago, this is played like Contract Bridge but with special scoring rules that speed the action. Four deals constitute a “rubber,” and if all players pass during a deal, the cards are dealt again by the same dealer until a hand is finally bid. Teams bid, play, and score as in contract, but vulnerability follows a set procedure; namely:
First Deal: Neither team vulnerable.
Second Deal: Only the dealer’s team vulnerable.
Third Deal: Only the dealer’s team vulnerable.
Fourth Deal: Both teams vulnerable.
As special premiums, a team that completes a game of 100 trick points or over is credited with 300 points if not vulnerable; and with 500 points if vulnerable. A part score made during one deal carries into the next, as in the usual form of rubber bridge; but once a team makes game, any part scores are eliminated. A team making a part score on the fourth and final deal receives a bonus of 100 points if its score falls short of game. Any part score already made by the opposing team is thereby disregarded.
FOUR-FLUSH POKER: Two forms of Dealer’s Choice: Four-Flush Opener and Four-Flush Stud. See this page.
FOUR FORTY-FOUR and FOUR FORTY-TWO: Similar types of wild Poker, this page.
FOUR JACKS: Americanized term for Polignac, this page.
FRAGE: See Frog, this page.
FREAK HANDS: Poker. See this page.
FREE WHEELING: Poker. See this page.
FREEZEOUT: A game from which a player must drop when he has lost his original quota of chips. Chiefly Poker, this page.
FRENCH BOSTON: An obsolete variant of Boston, with the J the top trump in any suit but its own, when the J becomes top trump and the J ranks below the Q. See Whist, this page.
FRENCH EUCHRE: A name sometimes applied to Euchre with an auction. See Auction Euchre, this page.
FRENCH RUFF: An old term for Triomphe, or Triumph, an early trump game. See this page.
FRENCH WHIST: A variant of Scotch Whist with the 10 counting 10 points when taken, even though another suit is trump. See Scotch Whist, this page.
FROG: A variant of Solo, this page, with only three bids. In-the lowest bid, “frog” (from German “Frage,” question), the bidder turns up the widow, takes its cards into his hand, and discards three face down. Play follows the pattern of solo, with hearts trump, bidder winning a chip for each point over 60. “Chico” is a higher bid played without the widow, with bidder naming any trump except hearts and gaining two chips per point (as in a bid of solo). In the highest bid, “grand,” played without the widow, hearts are trump (as in a bid of “heart solo”) at 3 points per chip. If opponents score over 60, bidder must pay each one, two, or three chips per point, according to his bid.
