Boys, boys, come out to play, The moon doth shine as bright as day; Come with a whoop, come with a call, Come with a goodwill or don t come at all; Lose your supper and lose your sleep, So come to your playmates in the street. --_Useful Transactions in Philosophy_, p. 44. This rhyme is repeated when it is decided to begin any game, as a general call to the players. The above writer says it occurs in a very ancient MS., but does not give any reference to it. Halliwell quotes the four first lines, the first line reading Boys and girls, instead of Boys, boys, from a curious ballad written about the year 1720, formerly in the possession of Mr. Crofton Croker (_Nursery Rhymes_). Chambers also gives this rhyme (_Popular Rhymes_, p. 152).
47. When the player of the two hands (hereinafter termed “the declarer”) wins at least as many tricks as he declared, he scores the full value of the tricks won (see Law 3).[10] 47_a_. When the declarer fails to win as many tricks as he declares, neither he nor his adversaries score anything toward the game, but his adversaries score in their honour column 50 points for each under-trick (_i.e._, each trick short of the number declared). 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.
The eldest hand leads any card he pleases, and the others must not only follow suit, but must head the trick if they can. This does not necessarily mean that they shall play the best card they hold of the suit led, but that they shall play a better one than any already played. The cards are left in front of the players. If all follow suit the winner of the trick leads any card he pleases for the next trick. If all follow suit to that again, the winner leads for the next, and if all follow suit again, that ends it, and the winners of the several tricks divide the pool. All those who have not won a trick are _=looed=_, and must contribute three red counters each for the next pool, which, added to the three to be deposited by the next dealer, will make the ensuing pool a double. But if in any trick any player is unable to follow suit, as soon as the trick is complete the dealer turns up the top card on the remainder of the pack, and the suit to which it belongs is the trump. If any trump has been played, the highest trump wins the trick. In any case, the winner of the trick must lead a trump for the next trick if he has one. When all three tricks have been played, the winner of each is entitled to one-third of the contents of the pool.
At least four cards must be left in each packet. If a card is exposed in cutting, the pack must be reshuffled, and cut again. If the dealer reshuffles the pack after it has been properly cut, he loses his deal. _=10.=_ Beginning on his left, the dealer must give to each player in rotation _=two=_ cards on the first round, and _=three=_ on the second; or three to each on the first round, and two on the second. Five cards having been given to each player in this manner, the next card is turned up for the trump. The deal passes to the left. _=11.=_ There must be a new deal by the same dealer if any card but the trump is found faced in the pack, or if the pack is proved incorrect or imperfect; but any previous scores made with the imperfect pack stand good. _=12.
60). Buff 1st player, thumping the floor with a stick: Knock, knock! 2nd ditto: Who s there? 1st: Buff. 2nd: What says Buff? 1st: Buff says Buff to all his men, And I say Buff to you again! 2nd: Methinks Buff smiles? 1st: Buff neither laughs nor smiles, But looks in your face With a comical grace, And delivers the staff to you again (handing it over). --Shropshire (Burne s _Shropshire Folk-lore_, p. 526). Same verses as in Shropshire, except the last, which runs as follows:-- Buff neither laughs nor smiles, But strokes his face With a very good grace, And delivers his staff to you. --Cheltenham (Miss E. Mendham). Same verses as in Shropshire, except the last, which runs as follows:-- Buff neither laughs nor smiles, But strokes his face for want of grace, And sticks his staff in the right place. --London (J.
[7] The pack is not incorrect when a missing card or cards are found in the other pack, among the quitted tricks, below the table, or in any other place which makes it possible that such card or cards were part of the pack during the deal. 40. Should three players have their proper number of cards, the fourth, less, the missing card or cards, if found, belong to him, and he, unless dummy, is answerable for any established revoke or revokes he may have made just as if the missing card or cards had been continuously in his hand. When a card is missing, any player may search the other pack, the quitted tricks, or elsewhere for it. If before, during or at the conclusion of play, one player hold more than the proper number of cards, and another less, the deal is void. 41. A player may not cut, shuffle, or deal for his partner if either adversary object. THE DECLARATION. 42. The dealer, having examined his hand, must declare to win at least one odd trick,[8] either with a specified suit, or at no trump.
_=Subsequent Bids.=_ Any suit bid on the second round but not on the first, shows length without the tops. When a winning suit is taken out by the partner, a losing suit bid on the second round shows tops in it. Any suit rebid on the second round, without waiting for the partner’s assistance, shows six or seven sure tricks in hand. Never bid a hand twice, unless its strength is greater than indicated by the first bid. Having bid a club on ace king alone, that is the end of it. If you have an outside ace, which the club bid did not show, you can assist your partner once on that trick, but no more. Having assisted your partner’s suit bid with three tricks, do not bid again unless you have a fourth trick in hand, but if he rebids his suit without waiting for you, you may assist on one trick, especially a high honour in trumps. Do not double unless you have a certainty and are not afraid of a shift. Do not give up a fair chance for going game yourself just to double an adversary, unless you are sure of 200 in penalties at least, and do not give up the rubber game for less than 300.