Four circular counters for each side, preferably of different colours, are employed, or the ordinary whist markers may be used. At the end of each game, the score of the points won or lost by each player must be transferred to a score-sheet, kept for that purpose. _=PLAYERS.=_ Mort is played by three persons; but the table is usually composed of four. If there are more than four candidates, the methods described in connection with whist are adopted for deciding which four shall play the first tournée. The table being formed, the cards are again shuffled and spread to cut for partners and deal. _=TIES=_ are decided in the same manner as at whist. _=CUTTING.=_ If there are three players, the one cutting the lowest card takes dummy for the first game; he also has the choice of seats and cards, and may deal the first hand for himself or for Mort, as he pleases; but having once made his choice, he must abide by it. The player cutting the intermediate card takes dummy for the second game; and the player cutting the highest card takes it for the third game; each in turn having the choice of seats and cards.
She busies herself with a pretended mop, peel, &c., after the manner of old-fashioned bakers, making much ado in the valley between the rows of children. The oven soon gets demolished, and the last child vanquished becomes Mother Mop the next time.--Bitterne, Hants (Mrs. Byford). It seems probable that the inner rows of children should kneel or stoop down in order that Mother Mop should have as much trouble as possible with her oven. The game may have lost some of its details in other directions, as there is no apparent reason why the oven is demolished or broken down. See Jack, Jack, the Bread s a-burning. Mother, Mother, the Pot Boils over A number of girls choose one of their number to represent a witch, and another to be a mother. The Witch stands near the corner of a wall, so that she can peep round.
If he succeeds in his undertaking, he wins the pool, and is also paid a certain number of counters by each of his adversaries. If he fails, he must double the pool, and pay each of his adversaries. The table of payments will be given later. _=ANNOUNCEMENTS.=_ The proposals rank in the order following, beginning with the lowest. The French terms are given in _=italics=_:-- Five tricks; or eight with a partner, in petite. _=Simple in petite=_. Five tricks; or eight with a partner, in belle. _=Simple in belle=_. Six tricks solo, in any suit.
It is therefore evident that any hand which is certain to win three tricks if the dealer has not two trumps, has odds of two to one in its favour, and all such hands are called jeux de règle. The natural inference from this is that such hands should always be played without proposing, unless they contain the King of trumps. The exception in case of holding the King is made because there is no danger of the dealer’s getting the King, no matter how many cards he draws, and if the player’s cards are not strong enough to make it probable that he can win the vole, it is better for him to ask for cards, in hope of improving his chances. If he is refused, he stands an excellent chance to make two points by winning the odd trick. While it is the rule for the player to stand when the odds are two to one in his favour for making the odd trick, and to ask for cards when the odds are less, there are exceptions. The chances of improving by taking in cards must not be forgotten, and it must be remembered that the player who proposes runs no risk of penalty. He has also the advantage of scoring two for the vole if he can get cards enough to win every trick, whereas the dealer gets no more for the vole than for the odd trick if the player does not propose. Some beginners have a bad habit of asking for cards if they are pretty certain of the point. Unless they hold the King this is not wise, for the player cannot discard more than one or two cards, but the dealer may take five, and then stands a fair chance of getting the King, which would not only count a point for him, but would effectually stop the vole for which the player was drawing cards. The most obvious example of a jeux de règle is one trump, a winning sequence of three cards in one suit, and a small card in another.
When the pins are arranged, the rotation of the players is determined in like manner as in Fifteen-Ball Pool, after which each player receives from the marker a little numbered ball which is placed in the player’s cup on the pool board, and the number of which is not known to any of his opponents. The object of the player is to knock down as many pins as will count exactly thirty-one when the number on the small ball held by him is added to their aggregate; thus, if the small ball is No. 9, the player will have to gain twenty-two points on the pins before calling game, and whoever first gets exactly thirty-one points in this manner wins the pool. A white ball is spotted five inches from the lower end of the table, on a line drawn down the centre; and the red ball placed upon its own spot at the foot of the table. Player No. 1 must play with the remaining white ball from any point within the string-line at the head of the table at either the red or white ball, or place his own on the string spot. Player No. 2 may play with any ball on the table--red or white. After the first stroke has been played, the players, in their order, may play with or at any ball upon the board. Unless the player has played on some ball upon the board before knocking down a pin, the stroke under all circumstances goes for nothing, and the pin or pins must be replaced and the player’s ball put upon the white-ball spot at the foot of the table or if that be occupied, on the nearest unoccupied spot thereto.
If the declaration be doubled, the adversaries score 100 points; if redoubled, 200 points for each under-trick. 48. The loss on the dealer’s original declaration of “one spade” is limited to 100 points, whether doubled or not, unless redoubled. Honours are scored as held. 49. If a player make a declaration (other than passing) out of turn, either adversary may demand a new deal, or may allow such declaration to stand, in which case the bidding shall continue as if the declaration had been in turn. If a player pass out of turn, the order of the bidding is not affected, _i.e._, it is still the turn of the player to the left of the last declarer. The player who has passed out of turn may re-enter the bidding in his proper turn if the declaration he has passed be overbid or doubled.
Abwerfen, G., to discard. À cheval, across the line; betting on both sides at once. Adversary, (G., Feind). In Mort or Bridge, those who play against the Dummy and his partner. Affranchir, F., to establish a suit. Age, the eldest hand; sometimes erroneously spelt Edge. Albany Lead, a lead in Whist, to show four trumps and three of each plain suit.
If a player wishes to reach two cards widely separated, such as the deuce and Seven, and has not money enough to bet on both; he can ask the dealer for a _=marker=_, which is a flat oblong piece of ivory. This is placed on the card to be played with the same money, and the dealer may either trust his memory for the bet, or place another marker on it. After the dealer has waved his hand preparatory to pushing the top card from the box, no bet can be made or changed. After the turn is made, the dealer first picks up all the bets he wins, and then pays all he loses, after which he waits for the players to rearrange their bets for the next turn. Between each turn a player may make any change he pleases. A lookout sits on the right of the dealer to see that he pays and takes correctly, and to watch that no bets are changed, or coppers slipped off, during the turn. _=Splits.=_ If two cards of the same denomination win and lose on the same turn, it is a split, and the dealer takes half the bets on the split card, no matter whether it is bet to win or lose. Splits should come about three times in two deals if the cards are honestly dealt. _=Keeping Cases.