Read The Penguin Book of Card Games: Everything You Need to Know to Play Over 250 Games Online
Authors: David Parlett
plain suit A suit other than trumps.
plain-trick games Games in which win or loss is determined by the
number of tricks taken, regardless of their content (as opposed to
point-trick games).
point (1) The smal est unit of value, score or reckoning. In various
games distinctions may be drawn between card-points, which are
scoring values at ached to certain cards; score-points, which are
points credited to a player’s account; and game points, which
might loosely be described as ‘bundles’ of score-points and may
be af ected by other bonuses. (2) The total face value of al cards
held of any one suit (Piquet).
point-trick games Trick-games in which win or loss is determined
not by the number of tricks taken but by the total value of
counters contained in them (as opposed to plain-trick games).
Sometimes cal ed ‘complex trick’ games.
pool See pot.
pot A sum of money or equivalent, to which everyone contributes
pot A sum of money or equivalent, to which everyone contributes
initial y or throughout play, and which is eventual y awarded (in
whole or part) to the winner.
prial (pair royal) Three cards of the same rank; a triplet.
rank (1) the denomination of a card as opposed to its suit. (2) The
relative trick-taking power of a card, e.g. ‘Ace ranks above King’.
rearhand In three-hand games, the player with least priority, or
youngest. (This wil be the dealer if there are only three at the
table.)
renege To fail to fol ow suit to the card led, but legal y, exercising a
privilege granted by the rules of the game.
renounce Strictly, to play a card of any dif erent suit from that led,
hence the same as renege if done legal y, or revoke if not.
Loosely, to play a non-trump when unable to fol ow suit, thereby
renouncing al hope of winning the trick.
revoke To fail to fol ow suit to the card led, though able and
required to, thereby incurring a penalty.
rif le A method of shuf ling. The pack is divided into two halves
which are placed corner to corner, lifted, and al owed to fal
rapidly together so that they interleave.
round A period or phase of play in which everyone has had the
same number of opportunities to deal, bid, play to a trick, etc.
round game One playable by an indefinite number of players,
typical y from three to seven.
rubber A match consisting (typical y) of three games, and therefore
won by the first side to win two.
ruf (1) To play a trump to a plain-suit lead. (2) Old term for a
flush.
run Same as a sequence.
sans prendre A bid to play with the hand as dealt, without benefit
of exchanging, thereby increasing the dif iculty and scoring value
of the game. sequence A scoring combination consisting of three
or more cards in numerical
sequence or ranking order. shuf le To randomize the order of cards
sequence or ranking order. shuf le To randomize the order of cards
in the pack. See also rif le. singleton A card which is the only one
of its suit in a given hand. skat German term for two undealt
cards forming a talon or widow. slam Grand slam: winning every
trick. Smal slam: winning every trick bar one. soft score Score
kept in writing or on a scoring device, as opposed to cash or
counters (hard score).
solo (1) A contract played with the hand as dealt, without
exchanging any cards. (2) A contract played alone against the
combined ef orts of al the other players.
soloist One who plays a solo.
spread A hand of cards spread face up; same as ouvert.
squeeze In trick-taking games, a situation in which a player is
forced to weaken himself in either of two suits but has no way of
deciding which to play from.
stock Cards which are not dealt initial y but may be drawn from or
dealt out later in the play.
stops Cards which terminate a sequence, in games of the Stops
family (Newmarket, Pope Joan, etc.); or those which are not
dealt initial y and whose absence from play prevents the
completion of sequences.
straddle An obligatory stake made, before any cards are dealt, by
the second player around, the first having put up an ante.
straight In Poker, a five-card sequence.
suit A series of cards distinguished by the presence of a common
graphic symbol throughout; or, the symbol (suitmark) itself.
talon The undealt portion of the pack; same as stock. (French,
meaning (1) heel, (2) the residue of a loaf when one or more
slices have been cut from it.)
team Two or more playing as one; a partnership.
tourné(e) A bid or contract to turn the top card of the stock and
entrump whatever suit it belongs to.
trey The Three of any suit.
trick A round of cards consisting of one played by each player.
trick A round of cards consisting of one played by each player.
trump (from triumph) (1) A superior suit, any card of which wil
beat any card of a plain suit. (2) To play a trump to a plain-suit
lead; to ruf .
turn-up A card turned up at start of play to determine the trump
suit.
undertrick A trick less than the number bid or contracted.
upcard A card lying face up on the table, or the faced top card of
the waste-pile at Rummy, Patience, etc.
void Having no card of a given suit.
vole The winning of every trick; same as slam.
vulnerable (Bridge) Describes a side which, having won one game
towards the rubber, is subject to increased scores or penalties.
waste-pile A pile of discards, usual y face up, as at Rummy,
Patience, etc.
widow A hand of cards dealt face down to the table at start of play
and not belonging to any particular player. One or more players
may subsequently exchange one or more cards with it.
wild card One that may be used to represent any other card,
sometimes with certain restrictions. Typical y the Joker in
Rummy games, Deuces in Poker.
younger, –est The player last in turn to bid or play at the start of a
game (usual y, in practice, the dealer).
Index of games
45 (Twenty-Five), 107
500 Rum, 529
Abstrac, 607
Acey-Deucey (Yablon), 600
à la Découverte (Belote Marseil aise), 313
Alkort, 348
Al Fives, 177
Al Fours, 176
Al iance, 65
Almonte Euchre, 99
Alsós (Kaláber), 308
Aluet e, 131
American Five Hundred, 103
American Sheepshead, 231
American Solo (Six-Bid), 242
American Whist, 21
Anarchy, 635
Arlington, 531
Army and Navy Pinochle, 302
Arsehole, 455
Ashush (Basra), 416
Asshole (Arsehole), 455
Asszorti, 76
Auction Cinch, 185
Auction Cribbage, 428
Auction Cribbage, 428
Auction Euchre, 98
Auction Forty-Fives, 109
Auction Hearts, 139
Auction Manil e, I, 190
Auction Manil e, I , 191
Auction Manil e, I I, 191
Auction Pinochle (see Pinochle) Auction Piquet, 165
Auction Pitch (Pitch), 178
Auction Sixty-Six, 263
Auction Solo, 51
Augenramsch, 156
Authors, 398
Avinas, 238
Baccara, 597
Baccarat (Baccara), 597
Bambara (Primiera), 583
Barbu, 142
Bartok, 449
Basebal , 564
Basic Rummy (Rummy), 490
Basra, 416
Bassadewitz, 157
Bassarovitz (Bassadewitz), 157
Basset, 604
Bastard, 395, 580
Bat le, 392
Bavarian Tarock, 244
Beast (Bête), 110
Beat Your Neighbour, 574
Beat Your Neighbour Out of Doors, 392
Bedsprings, 566
Beggar-My-Neighbour (Beat Your
Neighbour Out of Doors), 392
Neighbour Out of Doors), 392
Bela (Klaberjass), 305
Belgian Whist, 49
Belote, 310
Belote Bridgée, 314
Belote Coinchée (Coinche), 314
Belote Contrée (Coinche), 314
Belote Marseil aise, 313
Best, Flush, and Thirty-One, 587
Best Flush, 574
Bester Bube (‘Best Boy’), 105
Bête, 110
Between the Sheets (Yablon), 600
Bezique, 287
Fildinski (Polish Bezique), 291
Multi-pack variants, 291
Single, 293
Bid Euchre, 97
Bid Whist, 25
Binage (Single Bezique), 293
Binocle, 303
Binokel, 303
Bisca, 253
Bismarck, 37
Black Jack (Switch), 448
Blackjack, 594
Black Lady (Hearts), 135
Black Maria, 139
‘Black Maria’ (Mustamaija), 473
Blackout (Oh Hel !), 85
Bleeding Hearts (Bugami), 624
Blind Cinch, 186
Block Rummy, 492
Bloodystump (Egyptian Ratscrew), 393
Boathouse Rum, 492
Boathouse Rum, 492
Bog (Poque), 589
Bohemian Schneider, 254
Bolivia, 523
Bondtolva, 266
Bondtolva for 3-4
players, 266
Booby, 16
Boodle (Michigan), 440
Boston, 52
de Fontainebleau, 52
Bouil ot e, 586
Bourre, 115
Brag, 577
Bastard, 580
Five-Card, 579
Nine-Card, 579
Seven-Card, 579
Three-Card, 578
Three-Stake, 580
Brandle, 113
Braus (Brus), 341
Brazilian Canasta, 525
Brelan, 587
Bridge, 1
Booby, 16
Brint, 13
Chicago, 12
Contract, 1
Cut-throat, 15
Double Dummy, 17
Draw and Discard, 17
Honeymoon, 17
Memory, 18
Nul o, 13
Nul o, 13
Pirate, 14
Reverse, 13
Rubber, 3
Single Dummy, 17
Three-handed, 15
Towie, 16
Two-handed, 17
Brint, 13
Brisca, 254
Briscan, 265
Briscola (Brisca), 251
Briscola Chiamata, 252
Briscolone, 253
Brisque (Briscan), 265
British Oh Hel !, 86
Brus, 341
Brusquembil e, 253
Buddha’s Fol y, 574
Bugami, 624
Bul shit (Cheat), 482
Bum Game (Arsehole), 455
Bura, 255
Bust (Oh Hel !), 85
Butcher Boy, 574
Butifarra, 192
Buy Rummy, 510
Calabresel a (Terziglio), 199
California Jack, 177
Cal abra, 418
Cal -Ace Euchre, 98
Cal Rummy, 492
Caloochie (Kaluki), 505
Calypso, 39
Calypso, 39
Canadian Stud, 563
Canasta, 517
Bolivia, 525
Brazilian, 525
Chilean, 525
Cuban, 526
del Uruguay, 524
for five, 523
for six, 524
for three, 523
for two, 523
Hol ywood, 526
Italian, 526
Mexicana, 527
Quinel a, 527
Samba, 524
Tampa, 527
Uruguay, 527
Wild-card (Cuban Canasta), 526
Yucatan, 527
Cancel ation Hearts, 161
Card Dominoes (Domino), 445
Carioca, 509
Carousel, 514
Cassino, 401
Diamond, 404
Draw, 405
Royal, 405
Royal Spade, 405
Spade, 405
Cat and Mouse (Spite and Malice), 540
Catch-the-Ten, 247
Caterpil ar, 609
Cayenne, 22
Cayenne, 22
Cego, 381
Cego for three, 388
Cent (Piquet), 159
Chal enge, 470
Chase the Ace, 482
Cheat, 482
Check Pinochle, 300
Chemin de Fer (Baccara), 597
Chemmy (Baccara), 597
Chicago, 12
Chicago (Flop Poker), 565
Chilean Canasta, 525
Chin-Chón, 501
Chinese Poker, 600
Chinese Ten, 419
Chinese Whist, 24, 38
Chouet e (Piquet), 168
Chouine, 264
Cıcera, 413
Cinch, 183
Cincinnati, 566
Cincinnati Rummy (One-meld
Rummy), 492
Cinq Cents (Klaberjass), 305
Cinq Cents (Single Bezique), 293
Cirul a, 414
Climbing games, 437
Clob (Klaberjass), 305
Clobiosh (Klaberjass), 305
Coinche, 314
Col usion, 625
Comet, 441
Commerce, 395
Commit (Comet), 441
Commit (Comet), 441
Compartment Ful , 533
Concerto, 629
Conjugal Patience, 549
Conquian, 504
Continental Rummy, 534
Contract Pinochle, 301
Contract Piquet, 166
Contract Rummy, 506
Contract Whist, 26
Coon Can (Conquian), 504
Costly Colours, 430
Coteccio, 157
Counterbluf , 610
Counterpique (Contract Piquet), 166
Court Short (Caterpil ar), 609
Crapet e (Russian Bank), 543
Crazy Eights, 446
Cribbage, 423
Auction, 428
Eight-card, 427
Five-card, 427
Four-hand, 428
Losing, 428
Seven-card, 427
Six-card, 423
Three-hand, 428
Cribbage Patience, 428
Cribbage Squares, 553
Crossover, 566
Cross Purposes, 621
Cuban Canasta, 526
Cucumber, 127
Cut-throat Bridge, 15
Czech Rummy, 509
Da Bai Fen (‘Competing for a
Hundred’), 205
Dealer’s Choice, 139
Delphi, 454
Dictated Strategy, 552
Dictation, 551