| 3 | | 4 4 | | 1 1 | | 2 | Vivant. | | Vivant. | | Vivant. | +---------+ +---------+ +---------+ 2 3 4 ] It will be seen that each player, immediately after being Vivant, sits out, or takes Mort’s place, for the next game. _=DEALING.=_ It is usual for Vivant to deal the first hand for himself, as the disadvantage of exposing fourteen cards is more than compensated for in compelling the adversary to open the game by leading up to an unknown hand. If Vivant deals the first hand for Mort, he must present the pack to the player on dummy’s right to be cut, and deal the cards from right to left, turning up the trump at Mort’s place. If he deals for himself, he presents the pack to the pone to be cut, and proceeds as in whist. When two packs are used, the French laws require that if the deal is for Mort, the Right shall gather and shuffle the still pack; and that if Vivant deals for himself, the pone shall gather and shuffle. I have found this to be awkward, because the player who is gathering and shuffling the cards of one pack is called upon to cut the other.
IRISH LOO. In this variation, no widow is dealt, and there is no distinction between simple and double pools. A trump is always turned up, and the dealer asks each in turn, beginning on his left, whether or not he will play, taking up the cards of those who decline to stand. He then announces his own decision, and proceeds to ask those who have declared to play whether or not they wish to exchange any of the cards originally dealt them. The usual question is simply: “How many?” and the player names the number of cards he wishes to exchange, if any; at the same time discarding others in their places. The number first asked for cannot be amended or recalled. The trump is laid aside, and the cards called for are dealt from the remainder of the pack, without further shuffling. In all other respects, the game is Three-card Loo. FIVE-CARD LOO. This is Irish Loo with some additional variations.