The Penguin Book of Card Games: Everything You Need to Know to Play Over 250 Games (145 page)

add any remainder to the lat er. Eldest leads from any suit, but must

lead the

Newmarket. West dealt. No one bought the spare hand, though

South, holding too many low cards and an imbalance of black and

red suits, would have benefited by it. The lowest diamond was led

by West and fol owed by North, who played 4 when the 4 failed

to appear. The play continued: 4-Q, 5-Q, 5, A-3, A-4, ‘No red’,

9-10, Q, 6,S 2 and East is out. Deposing three Kings in one deal

is quite rare.

lowest he holds of it. The starter of a new sequence need not

change colour, but in some circles must at least change suit.

Whoever plays a card matching one in the layout by rank and suit

wins everything staked on it, but the layout card is not removed

from the table. Whoever plays their last card ends the current deal

and wins one chip from each opponent for each card left in hand.

Michigan (Boodle, Stops)

The equivalent American game plays like the original version of

Newmarket, except that Ace counts high (23456789TJQKA). Before

Newmarket, except that Ace counts high (23456789TJQKA). Before

play the dealer may exchange his hand for the dead hand if he

wishes, sight unseen, or may auction this privilege to the highest

bidder. The staking layout may be elaborated with additional cards

or combinations, such as Jack-Queen of the same suit. In this case

whoever plays both cards wins that stake.

Pink Nines

A pub game in line of descent from Comet. Everyone stakes an

equal amount. Deal four random cardsface

downtoadeadhandanddistribute the restevenly, anysurplusalso being

dead. Cards rank 23456789TJQKA. Eldest starts by playing his

lowest card and as many more as he can in ascending sequence on

it, regardless of suit. When he is stuck, the next in turn takes over

and continues the sequence. Both 9 and 9 are wild and may be

played as any card. If you can play, you must. When no one can go,

the first who was blocked starts a new sequence. Aces are stops, and

whoever plays one starts a new sequence. A new sequence must be

based on one’s lowest card, but, given two or more equal y low

cards, the choice is free. First out wins the pool.

Comet (Commit)

Ancestor of Pink Nines, named upon the appearance of Hal ey’s

comet in 1758. Strip out 8 and enough Eights and Sevens to divide

the cards equal y. A single pool is formed, which goes to the first

player to go out. Play cards in ascending suit-sequence. The 9, or

Comet, must be played either when the game is blocked or when

its holder, having played regularly, cannot otherwise continue the

sequence. The player on his left may fol ow it with T or the card

in sequence with the one before it, this privilege passing round, if

he cannot, until somebody can. Whoever plays the comet wins 2

chips from each opponent, and each King played wins 1. First out

wins the pool, plus 2 from each opponent and 1 extra for each King