as any other to call a blaze card. In the second place, a flush is generally composed of low cards. And in the last place, a flush contains only one suit; and, therefore, if you miss of a flush, you have barely the chance of taking a trick in that one suit only; but a blaze is generally composed of high cards in each suit, and, therefore, in running for a blaze, if you should not ob tain it, you have nevertheless a great chance of getting safe on one of your four blaze cards.

OF STANDING YOUR HAND.

General Remarks.

The game of Pam-loo differs from other games generally played at cards, in one material point; which is, that any person, after examining his hand, may play it or not as he pleases. If he throws up, he neither wins nor loses; if he plays, he must calculate either to win or to lose. From this peculiarity in the game, a coolness and command of temper is of the utmost importance. It is of less consequence to know how to play the cards well, than it is to know when to stand, and when to throw up.

You cannot be too often reminded to be cautious of standing on a doubtful or indifferent hand. There is very little dependence to be placed on the cards which you may call in and you had better throw up too often than run imprudent risks. It is in this that the great art of winning consists. A person of a warm and impetuous temper seldom wins. let him know the rules of the game ever so well. If he has been fortunate in standing on a bad hand, he is too confident of future success;--if he has been unfortunate, he runs greater risks, with the foolish hope that his luck will turn; or he becomes petulant, and stands on a worthless hand, merely from illhumour. Both extremes should be avoided with the utmost caution. A person who has the command of his temper, and is governed solely by judgment and prudence; who is not too much elated by good fortune, nor too much depressed by bad, possesses a great advantage. He must have an uncommon run of bad luck, if he does not come off winner, even in the company of much better players.

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No invariable rules can be given when to stand, or when to throw up. Reference must always be had to the state of the loo. For example, if the loo be limited to twenty fish, and there are five times that amount in the pool, a person will then stand, when he would not if there were only twenty fish in the pool; because he 13 sure of losing no more than twenty, and he has the chance of winning a hundred; and if he takes only one trick, he wins as much as he risks.

In order to know when to stand or not, it is very ne cessary to keep the run of the cards; and he who does it, possesses an important advantage over those who

do not.

Of keeping the Run of the Cards.

In this game, so little time is taken in playing a hand, and the deal goes so briskly round, that the cards are seldom shuffled so as materially to alter the situation they were in when packed. A person, therefore, who observes how they were played; what tricks one person took, and of what cards those tricks consisted; in what manner they were collected, and in what orde they were packed together; what suit was trumps, and whether many were out or not: whether they were al played together, or much scattered; what particular cards were played on or near the high trumps; whether one person took all the tricks at trumps or not, and how those tricks were packed: on what cards pam was played and lasty, in what manner the cards were shuffled and cut:-if possessing this knowledge, the same suit should be trumps the next deal, he can tell with tolerable accuracy from the trump card, what cards lie at or near the top of the pack. From the same observations, he will be able to form a correct judgment by the cards in his own hand, respecting the cards which others hold; and in like manner, from the cards which he calls in, he may calculate what cards others have called. From this information he will not only be governed in standing and calling, but will know in what manner to play his hand.

OF STANDING 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 doknow, from the trump card, whether he may expect a Wagood or a bad call, and stand or throw up accordingly.

The following rules are variable by so many different tircumstances, that a good player will perceive the im propriety of being always governed by them. They vill, however, if attended to, be of service to the inexand erienced stranger.

at 1. Having pain and one trump, run for trumps.

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

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

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

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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, stand, 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 him, 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 dis card 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 pam 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 flush 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