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THE GAME OF COMMERCE.

Or this there are two distinct methods of playing, the new and the old mode. The new way is played by any number of persons, from three to twelve, with a complete pack of fifty two cards, bearing the same import as at whist, only the ace is reckoned as eleven. Every player has a certain quantity of counters, on which a fixed value is put, and each, at every fresh deal, lays down one for the stake. Sometimes the game is continued until, or finished when, one of the players has lost all the counters given at the commencement; but, in order to prevent it from being spun out to an unpleasant length, or concluded too soon, it is often customary to fix the duration to a determinate number of tours, or times, that the whole party shall deal once each completely round.

After determining the deal, the dealer, styled also the banker, shuffles the pack, which is to be cut by the lefthand player; then three cards, either all together, or one by one, at the dealer's pleasure, are given to each person, beginning on the right hand, but none are to be turned up. If the pack prove false, or the deal wrong, or should there be a faced card, then there must be a fresh deal.

At this game are three parts; 1st, that which takes place of all others, called the tricon, or three cards of the same denomination, similar to pair-royal at cribbage: 2dly, the next in rank is the sequence, or three following cards of the same suit, like tierce at piquet; and lastly, the point, being the greatest number of pips on two or three cards of a suit in any one hand; of all which parts the highest disannuls the lower.

After the cards have been dealt round, the banker inquires, Who will trade? which the players, beginning with the eldest hand, usually and separately answer, by saying, For ready money, or, I barter. Trading for

money is giving a card and a counter to the banker, who places the card under the stock, or remainder of the pack, styled the bank, and returns in lieu thereof another card from the top. The counter is profit to the banker, who, consequently, trades with the stock free from expense. Barter is exchanging a card without pay with the next right-hand player, which must not be refused, and so on the party trade alternately, till one of them obtains the object aimed at, and thereby stops the commerce; then all show their hands, and the highest tricon, sequence, or point, wins the pool. The player who first gains the wished for tricon, &c. should show the same immediately, without waiting till the others begin a fresh round: and if any one choose to stand on the hand dealt, and shows it without trading, none of the junior players can trade that deal; and if the eldest hand stands, then, of course, no person can trade.

The banker always ranks as eldest hand, in case of neither tricon nor sequence, when the game is decided by the point. Whenever the banker does not gain the pool then he is to pay a counter to that player who obtains the same; and if the banker possesses tricon, sequence, or point, and does not win the pool, because another player has a better hand, in respect to the point, then he is to give a counter to every player.

Commerce, the old way, is played by several persons together, every one depositing a certain sum in the pool, and receiving three fish, or counters, each, on which a value is fixed; as. suppose sixpences are pooled, the counters then are rated one penny or three halfpence each, so as to leave a sum for that player who gains the final sweep. After determining the deal, three cards, by one at a time, beginning on the left hand, are given to every player, and as many turned up on the board.

This game is gained, as at the other, by pairs royal, sequences, or flushes and should the three cards turned up be such as the dealer approves of, he may, previous to looking at the haud dealt to himself, take those so turned up in lieu of his own; but then he must abide by the same, and cannot afterward exchange any during that deal.

All the players, beginning with the eldest hand, may, in rotation, change any card or cards in their possession

for such as lie turned up on the table, striving thereby to make pairs-royal, sequences, or flushes, and so on round again, till all nave refused to change, or are satisfied; but every person once standing cannot change again that deal. Finally, the hands are all shown, and the possessor of the highest pair royal, &c or the eldest hand, if there be more than one of the same value, takes the sum agreed upon out of the pool, and the person having the worst hand, puts one fish, or counter, therein. called Going up. The player whose three are first gone off, has the liberty of purchasing one more, called Buying a horse, for a sum as agreed, usually onethird of the original stake, to be put into the pool. Af

ter that, every plaver, whose fish are all gone, sits by till the game be concluded, which finishes by the person who continues the longest on the board, thereby gaining the pool, or final sweep.

THE GAME OF PAM-LO0.

THE game of Pam-loo may be played by four, five, six, or seven persons. Five or six is the best number. If there be less than five, a loo will seldom happen, and if more than six, the pack will frequently be insufficient. A complete pack is used, and the cards rank the same as in Whist, except the knave of clubs, which is called Pam.

Explanation of Terms.

Pam, is the knave of clubs, and ranks above every other card in the pack. It is subject to no laws, but may be played on any suit, at any time, even though you have in your band the suit which is led. When led, it always commands trumps, but when trumps are led, you are not obliged to play it, even if you have no trump. If you hold pam, you cannot be looed. If pam is turned for the trump card, clubs are trumps.

Pool. The pool consists of the fish or counters, which are paid for the deals, and of the sums forfeited by those who were looed the preceding hand..

Flush is five cards, all of one suit.

Pam flush is four flush cards and pam.
Blaze is five face or court cards.

Pam blaze is four blaze cards and pam.

The person holding the best flush or blaze outwins all the money in the pool; and each other person that stood is looed, unless he has either pam, a flush, or a blaze. They rank in the following order: 1st, a pamflush, or pam-blaze;-2d, a flush of trumps;-3d, any other flush ;-4th, a blaze;-and if there be two or more equal flushes or blazes out, the eldest is the best.

Loo. The loo is the sum put up by any one that is looed, and is either limited or unlimited-when unli mited, a person is loued for the whole amount of the

pool;-if limited, he is looed for no more than a certain sum, previously agreed upon, generally about five times the deal; but he is never looed for more than the pool.

Pam be civil is said by any one holding the ace and king of trumps, when he leads or plays either of them; in which case, as it is impossible that he should be looed, the person holding pam will not play it on either of them. If the ace has been played, in a previous trick, a person holding the king and queen has the same privilege. The person, however, that holds right to play it in the above case if he pleases; but it would, generally, be very bad play.

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To play for the good, or for the good of the loo, is to play in such a manner as to loo as many as possible, without any regard to making tricks. This should always be done when you are safe; and for this purpose, you ought generally to lead a trump.

To be safe. is when you have won a trick, or are sure of winning one.

Winner's lift is said, to prevent the last player from wasting a good card, by taking a trick from one who is already safe or it is said by one who has already taken a trick, when he leads or plays a card which is the second best in. in order to prevent the person who may hold the best card, from playing it on that trick; as by reserving this best card, some other person may be looed.

A revoke is when a person, who has suit, does not play it.

A sure card is one, that is sure of taking a trick. A must. To have a must, is a method of playing the game, in which it is a rule, that whenever there is only the deal to be played for, every person is obliged to stand in order to make a loo for the next hand. As often as this happens, it is a must.

Description of the Game.

The game of Pam-loo is played with the assistance of counters. One of the party, who is called the cashier, delivers to each player a certain number of fish or counters, which the cashier is obliged, at the end of the game, to redeem, at the same value at which they were

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