To lose every trick, no trump suit, the single player’s cards being exposed on the table, but not liable to be called; _=Grand Spread=_. To win _=Eleven Tricks=_. To win _=Twelve Tricks=_. To win 13 tricks; _=Slam=_. To win 13 tricks, the single player’s cards exposed face up on the table, but not liable to be called; _=Spread Slam=_. The object of the bidder, if successful in securing the privilege of playing, is to win or lose the proposed number of tricks, against the combined efforts of his adversaries. Having once made a bid, he must play it unless he is over-called. _=METHOD OF BIDDING.=_ The eldest hand has the first say, and after examining his hand, and deciding on the bid most appropriate to it, if any, he makes his announcement. If his proposal is to win a certain number of tricks with a certain suit for trumps, he must name the suit, saying, “Eight Spades,” or “Seven Diamonds,” as the case may be.
--Dekker s _Works_, iv. 434. Jamieson calls this a game generally played by young people in a corn-yard. Hence called _barla-bracks about the stacks_, S. B. (_i. e._, in the North of Scotland). One stack is fixed on as the _dule_ or goal; and one person is appointed to catch the rest of the company, who run out from the _dule_. He does not leave it till they are all out of sight.
(H. Hardy). I. Mary s gone a-milking, Mother, mother, Mary s gone a-milking, Gentle sweet mother o mine. Take your pails and go after her, Daughter, daughter, Take your pails and go after her, Gentle sweet daughter o mine. Buy me a pair of new milking pails, Mother, mother, Buy me a pair of new milking pails, Gentle sweet mother o mine. Where s the money to come from, Daughter, daughter, Where s the money to come from, Gentle sweet daughter o mine? Sell my father s feather bed, Mother, mother, Sell my father s feather bed, Gentle sweet mother o mine. What s your father to sleep on, Daughter, daughter, What s your father to sleep on, Gentle sweet daughter o mine? Put him in the truckle bed, Mother, mother, Put him in the truckle bed, Gentle sweet mother o mine. What are the children to sleep on, Daughter, daughter, What are the children to sleep on, Gentle sweet daughter o mine? Put them in the pig-sty, Mother, mother, Put them in the pig-sty, Gentle sweet mother o mine. What are the pigs to lie in, Daughter, daughter, What are the pigs to lie in, Gentle sweet daughter o mine? Put them in the washing-tubs, Mother, mother, Put them in the washing-tubs, Gentle sweet mother o mine.
Many players put all the flushes in the vertical columns, and build the pairs, triplets and fours from right to left. Straights are uncertain quantities unless they are flush also and are seldom played for. Each card has a double value, and it may help to make up two hands of high scoring power, if well placed. The highest possible point value for a tableau would probably be five hands of four of a kind and five straight flushes, four of which would be royal, like this: [Illustration: 🂱 🃑 🃁 🂡 🃉 🂾 🃞 🃎 🂮 🃈 🂽 🃝 🃍 🂭 🃇 🂻 🃛 🃋 🂫 🃆 🂺 🃚 🃊 🂪 🃅 ] The odds against the cards coming from the stock in such order as to make a tableau like this possible would be enormous, but there are many sets of twenty-five cards that can be rearranged so as to make a much higher count than that actually arrived at in the solitaire. The player’s skill consists in anticipating the possibilities that certain cards will be drawn and in so arranging his table that if the hoped for card comes out, the most advantageous place will be found open for it. _=TWO OR MORE PLAYERS.=_ Any number can play this game, the only limitation being the number of packs available and space enough on the table for each one to lay out his own tableau. One player is selected as the “caller” and he shuffles his pack and presents it to be cut. In the meantime each of the others sorts his individual pack into sequence and suit, so as to be able to pick out any named card without unnecessary delay. _=METHOD OF PLAYING.
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The following was the value of the buttons:-- (1.) The plain metal 3 or 4-holed flat button, called a Sinkie, say, value 1 point. (2.) The same kind of button, with letters or inscription on the rim, valued at 2 points. (3.) The small metal shank button, called a Shankie, without any inscription, valued at 3 points; if with inscription, at 4 points; the large sizes and corresponding description were valued relatively 4 and 5 points. (4.) The small Shankies, with a crest (livery waistcoat buttons), 6 points, and the large corresponding, 7 points. (5.) The small Shankies, with coat of arms, value 8 points, and the large corresponding, 9 points.