The game of Napoleon, or as it is more generally and popularly called “Nap,” was introduced into this country from the United States, it is believed, about 1865, although it is recorded that the game had previously been played for high stakes at some of the more notorious gambling clubs. It is named after the great Napoleon, as the principal player in the game becomes, for the time being, an Ishmaelite, whose “hand” is against every man’s, and every man’s against his, as was the case with the “G

Loo (or, as formerly it was sometimes called, Lue) is a very lively and popular round game, justly described as one of the best and yet one of the simplest known.  Indeed, until the introduction of “Nap,” it was the most fashionable of its class in this country.  The date of its origin is not on record, but that some amount of antiquity can be claimed for it may be inferred from the fact that a description of the game appears in works published at the beginning of the present century, when the m

The game of Poker is played with an ordinary pack of fifty-two cards. The number of players is limited only by the number of cards, but in practice it is found better to limit each table to five, or at most six, players. The cards have the same values as at Whist, i . e . ace is the highest in each suit; then follow king, queen, knave, ten, etc ., down to two. In “sequences,” however, the ace is the lowest card, and the king the highest. The suit of hearts, ceteris paribus , takes precedence of

Vingt-un, or twenty-one, is another game we find described in books published at the commencement of the present century.  Its name would seem to imply that it is of French origin; but in reference to this, as well as in regard to the date of its introduction into the country, we have no definite details.  The manner of playing it at the present time is very little different from that practised at the earlier date mentioned, although modifications have been introduced in some minor points, and t

Ninety years ago the game of Commerce was recognised as being played in two distinct ways, the new and the old mode, so that it may justly be termed one of the oldest round games now practised.  Although it is not so popular as some of the others treated of in this volume, it will be found to be a good game; exciting, entertaining, and well deserving of more extended popularity than it has lately enjoyed. Commerce is usually played with the full pack of fifty-two cards, but if the number of play

This is a round game which for very many years has been one of the most popular of its class.  It requires little skill in its conduct, being essentially a game of chance.  The players do not look at their hands, and therefore cannot in any way influence their possibilities of success with the three cards dealt them.  The only element of skill associated is in connection with the speculations which form part of the play, and which may be carried on by each of the players during its progress. The

For the game of Pope, or Pope Joan, a special board, or a pool with eight compartments, is required, or the divisions may be marked on a sheet of paper or card.  The game is available for any number of players, and an ordinary pack of fifty-two cards is used, the eight of diamonds being taken out, so as to form what is termed a stop, that is, a break in the sequence of the cards, which are here reckoned in regular order from ace to king, the four suits being kept distinct throughout the play.  T

Spin may be regarded somewhat as a variation or offshoot of Pope Joan, which game it very much resembles.  The dealer will therefore do well to refer to the description given of that game, on pages 81 to 87, for further and more extended details. At Spin the two of hearts is taken out of the pack, in addition to the eight of diamonds, but in distributing the cards no spare hand is dealt, so that there are always six regular stops in the game.  In addition, the ace of diamonds, which is called Sp

This is another variation of Pope Joan, or Spin, and is played on similar lines.  The seven of each suit is taken out to form stops, and four cards are turned up in the middle of the table.  These must be the four principal cards, viz ., ace, king, queen, and knave, but of different suits, so that each of the four are represented in the pool; say, for example, knave of diamonds, queen of hearts, king of clubs, and ace of spades may be turned up. The several players pay a coin or counter to form

There are two distinct methods of playing this game, so unlike as to lead to the conclusion that at some time or other two separate games must have been confused by being called under the same name, and have since been so associated with each other.  There is hardly one point in common between the two methods in vogue; and while one is entirely different from anything yet described in the present volume, the other is, to a great extent, played on the lines of Pope Joan, Spin, and Newmarket, and

We have already mentioned that our reason for adopting the above title is to distinguish this method of playing the game of Snip-Snap-Snorum from the one just described, and it will be evident to those who study the two systems that we are quite justified in introducing a distinctive name for the one we are now about to deal with, which, as we have said, has little or nothing—­beyond former title and use of similar terms—­in common with the other. The first dealer having been settled, and the pa

This game, which is of considerable antiquity, is available for two, three, four, or more persons, but is usually played by four, when two of the players act as partners against the other two.  It is, however, equally available for four players acting independently, in which case each scores his individual points, whereas in the partnership game, as with only two players, the lesser number of points is taken from the greater, and the difference only is scored by the winner.  With three players i

This game may be played by any number of persons up to thirteen, if a full pack of cards be used; or by any number up to eight with the smaller pack of thirty-two cards.  A pool is formed by each player contributing a counter or coin, the dealer paying one extra.  Four cards are then dealt to each player, and all have the right to look at their hands. The object of the players is to secure a flush, four cards of one suit; or four cards of different suits; and when either of these combinations is

Spoil-Five may be played by any number of persons not exceeding ten; the best game, however, is when four or live take part, as then about half the cards are in play.  In this game the cards run in different order to the ordinary course, vary in the two colours, and further, change in the trump suit, as follows: 1. In Hearts and Diamonds, when not trumps .—King, queen, knave, 10, 9, down to ace (the ace of hearts is always a trump card, and never counts as a heart). 2. In Clubs and Spades, when

There are many varieties of Loto, with pictures, flowers, letters, etc ., instead of numbers, which are known as Picture Loto, Botanical Loto, Spelling Loto, Geographical Loto, Historical Loto, and so on. These are mostly games for children, and are played in exactly the same way as numbered Loto. This game in England is usually regarded as an amusement for young children; but it is one capable of affording amusement to grown-up people, as may be seen by the interest shown in “Keno” by the Ameri