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OF SANDING AND CALLING.

Elder Hand.

There is some advantage in being elder hand, because he has the first call, and is on that account more likely than the rest to obtain trumps; he will therefore stand with fewer or lower trumps, than would be prudent in the second or third hand. If he have kept the run of the cards, he has particularly the advantage; as he will know, from the trump card, whether he may expect a good or a bad call, and stand or throw up accordingly.

The following rules are variable by so many different circumstances, that a good player will perceive the impropriety of being always governed by them. They will, however, if attended to, be of service to the inexperienced stranger.

1. Having pam and one trump, run for trumps.

2. Having pam and three blaze cards, run for a blaze.

3. Having pam and three flush cards which are not -trumps, run for trumps.

4. Having ace or king, or queen of trumps, and no other trump, stand, and run for trumps.

5. Having only one trump, and that lower than the queen, throw up.

6. Having two low trumps, stand, and run for trumps. 7. Having four flush cards, not trumps, and your other card not a high trump, throw up.

8. Having four blaze cards, star d, and run for a blaze.

9. Never stand, unless you can calculate on a flush, or blaze, or a safe hand of trumps.

14. Many of the above rules are founded on the presumption, that one or more cards at the top of the pack being next to the trump card, are trumps; and consequently that that the elder hand cannot calculate on any other suit.

Second, third, and fourth Hands.

Though the second, third, and fourth hands do not enjoy some of the advantages which we have observed are possessed by the first, or elder hand, yet they have

one advantage from which the elder hand is excluded, that of better ascertaining how many are likely to stand. And in this, the third hand has the advantage of the second, the fourth of the third, &c. This knowledge is of considerable importance; for when few stand, you may venture on a much weaker hand than otherwise.

If you are the last, (before the dealer,) and all before you have thrown up, stand, even if you call five cards; unless you are sure that the dealer will obtain a flush or blaze, or has all the high trumps. As a general rule, never throw up to the dealer. When there are only two that play their hands, it is rare that either of them is looed, except it be by a flush or blaze. Besides, when few stand, there being but a few out, the pack must be rich, and you are almost certain of a good call. 1. Having pam and one low trump, discard the trump, and call four cards.

2. Having pam and three blaze cards, run for a blaze. 3. Having pam and three flush cards, run for a flush. 4. Having ace or king of trumps, and no other trump, stand, and run for trumps.

5. Having only one trump, and that lower than the king, throw up.

6. Having queen, or knave, and one other trump, stand, and run for trumps.

7. Having two low trumps,, throw up,

8. Having three low trumps, stand, and run for

trumps.

9. Having four flush cards, not trumps, and your other card not a high trump, throw up,

10. Having four blaze cards, stand, and run for a blaze.

11. Never stand unless you can calculate on a flush, or blaze, or a safe hand of trumps.

12. Some of the above rules differ from those given for the elder hand, because the second or third hand is not more likely to call trumps than any other suit.

Dealer.

The dealer has the privilege of dealing himself six cards (one of which, at least, is always a trump) and that of calling six others; and he knows precisely how

many at the board will stand. If many stand before bin, and he has not a good hand, he will throw up; but if only one or two stand before him, he will venture on a very poor hand, even though he is obliged to call six cards.

1. Having five or six blaze or flush cards, call one for pam.

2. Having four blaze or flush cards, stand, and run for a blaze or flush, unless the two which you must discard are high trumps, in which case run for trumps.

3. Having only three flush or blaze cards, not trumps, do not run for a flush or a blaze; nor stand, unless you have other cards to stand on.

4. Having two high trumps, and four flush cards, run for trumps.

5. Having one high trump, even if it be the ace, and four flush cards, run for a flush.

6. Having one high trump, and three blaze cards, run for a blaze.

7. Having only one or two low trumps, call six cards. 8. Having three low trumps, run for trumps.

9. Having pam and two low trumps, run for trumps. 10. Having pain and one low trump, discard the trump, and call five cards.

11. Having pam and one high trump, run for trumps.

General Remarks on Calling.

If but few persons stand, as has been before observed, you may safely calculate that few trumps were dealt out, and consequently the calls will probably be rich in trumps. If, on the contrary, an unusual number stand, it is equally certain that nearly all the trumps are out, and the calls will consequently be poor.

If you stand, and know before you have called, that any one has a flush or blaze, do not run for trumps, in preference to any other suit; but endeavour to get a Alush or blaze, as the only thing (except pam) that can save you. If you have three flush or blaze cards, it may be well to run for a flush; but if you have not, it will be best to call five cards (or six if you are dealer :) as you not only may possibly call a flush or blaze, but have also a chance of obtaining pam.

If you are dealer, be careful, when it comes to your

own turn to call, to mix the trump card with your other cards before you assort your hand, or make your discard; for sometimes, when you run for a flush or blaze, it will be necessary to throw away your trump card ;but in such a case, you should be careful to let no one know it.

If you are not dealer, and the dealer should leave his trump card on the table till he has made his call, observe whether hat card be included in his discard or not. If it is, you may be sure that he runs either for a blaze, or for a flush, in a suit that is not trumps; and if he do not obtain a flush or blaze, it is almost certain that he bas a weak hand.

Of discarding the Dealer's sixth Card.

1. If you have one or more trumps, and have a single card of any other suit, discard that single card, unless it be an ace. Because when that suit is led, you will probably get safe by transposing it.

2. If you have no trump, discard the lowest card, in that suit of which you have the most. Because, as you cannot trump, you must endeavour to keep a card in every other suit, that you may have as many chances as possible of getting safe. You will seldom have more than one chance of saving yourself on the same suit.

3. If, however, you have two or three high trumps, and are sure of getting safe, it will be as well not to discard a good card, though it be a single card of any suit. Because, as your high trumps will give you the lead, when all the trumps are out, the high cards of other suits will then be nearly as good in your hand as trumps.

4. Never show the card that you throw out, nor let any one know to what suit it belongs. Because, the conclusion would be, that it was the only card you had of that suit; the elder hand would, of course, avoid leading from that suit ;--whereas it is for your interest that he should lead from it, as you would he almost certain, from being last player, of taking the trick by trump ing it.

Of knowing the state of your Adversaries' Hands.

In order to play with judgment, it is necessary to have some idea of the state of each person's hand. This is

o be obtained, partly from the run of the cards, but principally from observing what number of cards each person calls in: Some assistance may be derived from the following observations.

1. If you have been able to keep the run of the cards with tolerable accuracy, you may calculate from your own call, what are the cards which others have called in.

2. If any person call for only one card, he probably had four flush or blaze cards (generally the latter) and it is three to one that they are not trumps; so that if he does not get a blaze or flush, you may safely calcu late that he has not more than one trump: it is three to one that he has none.

3. If any one call for two, he probably had three low trumps; and it is three to two that he did not obtain another trump.

4. If any person call for three, it is beyond a doubt that he had two trumps, one of which, at least, is a good one; and it is an equal chance that he called in another trump.

5. If any one call four, he had probably either pam, ace, or king; and it is about six to five that he called in another trump.

6. The dealer will always stand on a poorer hand than any other person.

From these calculations you may be able to play in such a manner, as to get safe on a weak hand; and you may, from the same knowledge, frequently loo one or two persons more than you otherwise would.

Of playing your Cards.

In playing your cards, there are three objects which you should always have in view. The first, and principal one, is to get safe. Consequently, if you have not pam, or some other sure card in your hand, you must, in the first place, endeavour to win a trick. The second and next important object, after being safe, is to loo as many persons as you possibly can. even though you lose several tricks by it. This is called playing for the good of the loo, and is invariably practised by generous and honourable players. The third and last is, when all are safe, or when there is no chance of looing any one, to win as many of the remaining tricks as possible.

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