In America, Reichs-Skat is no longer played; the value of some of the games is changed, and all the bidding is by Zahlen-reizen. In all the text-books on Skat which we have examined, this fact has been entirely overlooked. SKAT. The etymology of the word Skat, sometimes spelt Scat, is a matter of doubt, but the most plausible explanation is that it is a corruption of one of the terms in the parent game of Taroc; “scart,” from “scarto,” what is left; or “scartare,” to discard or reject. “Matadore” is another word from the game of Taroc, still retained in Skat. Others attribute the word to “Skatt,” the Old-German or Anglo-Saxon for money; the modern German, “Schatz,” a treasure, referring to the forms of the game in which good counting cards are laid aside in the skat for the count at the end of the hand. This derivation would account for both spellings of the word, with a “k” and with a “c.” The student is advised to make himself familiar with the German terms in the following description, as they are in common use wherever skat is played. Many American players who use the English language in bidding by figures, still adhere to the German names for the suits and positions at the table. _=CARDS.
Each pair keeps its own score card, on which is put down the number of the tray, the number of the pair played against, which is always the number of the table at which they started; one of the pairs remaining there being No. 3 N & S, the other moving away, being No. 3 E & W. Each pair adds up its score card at the end, and puts down the total number of tricks they have won. The names of the players having been previously written on the blackboard, their scores are put down opposite their names, each side, N & S and E & W, is then added up in order to find the average, and all scores above average are plus, while all below average are minus. The following is an example of the averaging of a game in which five tables took part, playing 30 deals:-- N & S E & W a 201 -6 f 189 +6 b 204 -3 g 186 +3 c 211 +4 h 179 -4 d 207 = j 183 = e 212 +5 k 178 -5 --------------- --------------- 5 |1035 5 |915 +---- +--- Aver. 207, N & S. Aver. 183, E & W. The _=e=_ and _=f=_ pairs make the best scores N & S and E & W respectively; the _=f=_ pair, having won the greatest number of tricks above the average of the hands, would be the winners.
_=Trick 6.=_ _=B=_ is not sure whether _=Y=_ has a Diamond or a Club left, and discards the winning card. _=Trick 7.=_ _=Z=_ plays Queen to shut out the Ten, if with _=A=_. _=A=_ knows each player has two trumps left, and that as the turn-up is still with _=Z=_, _=B=_ must have J or K; for if he held only 7 and 6 he would have trumped in to make cards. _=Trick 8.=_ _=A=_ leads trumps. If _=Y=_ does not play the Ten, and _=B=_ has not the Jack, _=B=_ must make four cards and the King by passing. If _=B=_ has the Jack, he must catch the Ten, no matter how _=Y=_ and _=Z=_ play. * * * * * _=FRENCH WHIST=_ is the name given to a variety of Scotch Whist in which the Ten of Diamonds counts ten to those winning it, whether it is a trump or not.
If a partner is required, he is selected by the player asking for a certain ace, but the holder of the ace remains unknown until the ace falls, although from the first he must assist the player who has asked for it. If a player asks for an ace while holding it himself, he of course plays without a partner, unknown to the others however, until he plays the ace asked for. _=Bidding.=_ The players bid against one another for the privilege of naming the trump suit, eldest hand having the first say. When no one will bid any higher, the player who has made the best offer names the game he wishes to play, with or without a partner. _=Games.=_ The rank of the various games, the amounts bid on them, and the payments made for them, are as follows:-- Simple in suit, 2; in colour, 4. Forcée or Solo in suit, 4; in colour, 8. Tout in Suit, 16; in colour, 32. _=Simple Game=_ is to play for five tricks with a partner holding a designated ace.
When one sequence _is_ stopped in this manner, the last player has the right to begin another with any card he pleases. The object of the game is twofold; to get rid of all the cards before any other player does so, and to get rid of the cards which appear on the layout. If the duplicate of any of those cards can be played, the holder of the card at once takes all the money staked upon it; but if he fails to get rid of it before some player wins the game by getting rid of all his cards, the player who is found with one of the layout cards in his hand at the end must double the amount staked on that card, to which the next dealer will add the usual contribution. The player who first gets rid of all his cards collects from the other players a counter for every card they hold. These cards must be exposed face up on the table, so that all may see who has to double the various pools. If any of the layout cards are in the stock, the pool simply remains, without doubling. There are a great many variations of Pope Joan. Sometimes a layout very similar to that in Matrimony is used, Pope taking the place of Pair, and Game that of Best. A trump is turned by the dealer, and Matrimony is King and Queen of trumps, Intrigue Queen and Jack of trumps, Confederacy, King and Jack of trumps. The player holding these cards will of course be able to play both of them if he can play one in a sequence, and will take the pool for the combination.
A person prohibited from playing an exposed trump is not liable to any penalty if it causes him to revoke. A revoke is established when the trick in which it occurs has been turned and quitted; or when either the revoking player or his partner, whether in his right turn or otherwise, has led or played to the following trick. If a revoke is claimed and proved, the revoking side cannot score any points that deal; but they may play the hand out to prevent the adversaries from making points. If an adversary of the bidder revokes, the bidder’s side scores whatever points it makes that deal, regardless of the number bid. A player may ask his partner whether or not he has a card of the suit in which he renounces and does not trump, and the player may correct his error if the question is asked before the trick is turned and quitted. But if he answers in the negative, there is no remedy. _=Drawing Cards.=_ Any player may ask the others to indicate the cards played by them to the current trick; but he must confine himself to the expression: “Draw cards.” _=Irregular Remarks.=_ A player calling attention in any manner to the trick or to the score, may be called upon to play his highest or lowest of the suit led; or to trump or not to trump the trick during the play of which the remark is made.
Each player is provided at starting with a certain number of counters, usually fifty. The head table is supplied with a box of counters differing in colour from any of those used by the players, and also with a bell. The choice of seats, deal, etc., is decided at each table exactly as at Draw Poker. One deal is made at each table, ordinary Draw Poker is played, and when the pool is decided at the head table the bell is struck. This is the signal for the winner of the pool at each of the other tables to move up to the table next above. At the head table, the chips are counted, and the player with the smallest number in his possession goes down to the booby table, unless he was one of the players in the call. Should the player with the smallest number of chips be the winner of the pool, or one of those who called the winner, he retains his seat, and the player with the smallest number of counters who was not in the call goes to the booby table. This arrangement effectually prevents players at the head table from waiting for big hands. In case of ties, the players cut to decide which shall go down, the lowest cut remaining.
{ 1846. Hexham Miss J. Barker. NOTTINGHAMSHIRE Miss Peacock. Long Eaton Miss Youngman. Nottingham Miss Winfield, Miss Peacock. Ordsall Miss Matthews. OXFORDSHIRE Aubrey s _Remains_, ed. 1880. Oxford Miss Fowler.
14. He says, The bandy was made of very tough wood, or shod with metal, or with the point of the horn or the hoof of some animal. The ball is a knob or gnarl from the trunk of a tree, carefully formed into a globular shape. The adverse parties strive to beat it with their bandies through one or other of the goals. Bandy Cad or Gad A game played with a nurr and crooked stick, also called Shinty, and much the same as the Hockey of the South of England. Cad is the same as cat in the game of Tip-cat; it simply means a cut piece of wood.--Nodal and Milner s _Lancashire Glossary_. Bandy-hoshoe A game at ball common in Norfolk, and played in a similar manner to Bandy (Halliwell s _Dictionary_). Toone (_Etymological Dictionary_) says it is also played in Suffolk, and in West Sussex is called Hawky. Bandy-wicket The game of Cricket, played with a bandy instead of a bat (Halliwell s _Dictionary_).
By following these tactics it is quite possible for you to take almost every trick in the plain suits, and yet to win the pool by rapidly exhausting the hearts. If you lead the ♡ 4, the only chance for it to win is that one player has no hearts, and that the 2 and 3 are divided. The odds against this combination of circumstances will vary with the number of hearts you hold with the 4, but may be generally stated on the average as about 50 to 1. It is usually considered a safer lead than a high card of a plain suit, even if you have only three of the suit. If your only heart is the 5, and you propose to lead it, the chances that the 2, 3, and 4 are not each in separate hands are about 19 in 25, or 19 to 6 against it, which is about 3 to 1. If you lead the 5, the odds against your winning the trick decrease as the number of hearts you hold with the 5 increases. If you have four hearts, the 5 being the lowest, the odds against its winning the trick, if you lead it, are about 29 to 11. If you have eight hearts, the 5 being the lowest, it is about an even chance. If your only heart is the 6, it is about an even chance that it will win the trick; but the odds against you increase rapidly with the number of additional hearts that you hold. If you propose to lead the 7, the chances that it will win the trick are 2 to 1 under the most favourable circumstances, which are when it is your only heart.