B6zique (also called besi and lesigue) appears to have been founded on these; it is, in fact, brisque played with a double pack, and with certain modifications rendered neces
sary by the introduction of additional cards.
In playing bdzique, two packs of cards from which the twos, threes, fours, fives, and sixes have been rejected, are shuffled to gether and used as one. The packs should have backs similarly coloured or ornamented.
The players cut for deal, and the highest bezique card deals. The cards rank as follows : Ace, ten, king, queen, knave, nine, eight, seven.
The non-dealer cuts the pack to the dealer, who reunites the separated packets, and deals three cards to his adversary, three to himself, then two to each, and again three to each. The top card of those remaining (called the stock] is turned up for trumps. The stock is placed face downwards between the players, and slightly spread. The players then take up the cards dealt to them, and the non-dealer plays any card out of his hand, and the dealer plays a card to it from his hand, the two cards thus played constituting a trick. There is no restriction as to the card to be played; the second player need not follow suit, nor win the trick. If he wins the trick by playing a higher card of the suit led, or a trump, the lead falls to him. In case of ties the leader wins. Whoever wins the trick leads to the next ; but before playing again each player takes a card from the stock, and adds it to his hand, the winner of the trick taking the top card of those face downwards, and his adversary the next card. This alternate playing and drawing a card each continues until the stock (including the trump card or card exchanged for it, which is taken up last) is exhausted. The tricks remain face upwards on the table, but must not be searched during the play of the hand.
The objects of the play are 1. To promote in the hand various combinations of cards, which when declared entitle the holder to certain scores; 2. To win aces and tens; 3. To win the so-called last trick.
A declaration can only be made by the winner of a trick imme diately after he has won it, and before he draws from the stock. It is effected by placing the declared cards (one of which at least must not have been declared before) face upwards on the table. Declared cards are left face up on the table ; but they still form part of the hand, and can be led or played just as though they had not been declared. A player is not bound to declare, although he may win a trick and hold scoring cards. A card led or played cannot be declared. More than one declaration may be made to one trick, provided no card of one combination forms part of another that is declared with it. Thus four knaves and a marriage (see table of scores) may be declared at the same time ; but a player cannot de clare king and queen of spades and knave of diamonds together to score marriage and bezique with those three cards. He must first declare one combination, say bezique ; and when he wins another trick he can score marriage by declaring the king. A declaration cannot be made of cards that have already all been declared. Thus, if four knaves (one being a bezique knave) and four queens (one be ing a bezique queen) have been declared, the knave and queen already declared cannot be declared again as bezique. To score all the combinations with these cards, after the knaves are declared and another trick won, bezique must next be made, after which, on winning another trick, the three queens can be added, and four queens scored. Again, if a sequence in trumps is declared, marriage of the king and queen on the table cannot afterwards take place. To score both, the marriage should be declared first, and after win ning another trick the remaining sequence cards should be added. Lastly, a_card once declared can only be used again in declaring in combinations of a different class. For example : the bezique queen can be declared in bezique, marriage, and four queens ; but bavin" once been declared in single bezique, she cannot form part of another single bezique ; having been married once, she cannot be married again ; and having taken part in one set of four queens, she cannot take part in another.
The seven of trumps may be either declared or exchanged for the turn-up after winning a trick, and before drawinf When ex changed, the turn-up is taken into the player s hand, and the seven put in its place. The second seven is, of course, declared, as it would be absurd to exchange one seven for another. A seven when declared is not left on the table, but is simply shown.
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Table of Bezique Scores. Seven of trumps,[1] a turned up, dealer marks Seven of trumps, declared or excnanged, player marks... . Marriage (king and queen of any suit) declared .... Royal marriage (king and queen of trumps) declared.!! . 10 10 20 40 B-lziqut[2] (queen of spades and knave of diamonds) de clared 40 Double bczique[3] (all the four bezique cards) declared 500 Four aces (any four, whether duplicates or not), declared 100 Four kings (any four) declared 80 Four queens (any four) declared 60 Four knaves (any four) declared 40 Sequence (ace, ten, king, queen, knave of trumps) de clared 250 Aces and tens,[4] in tricks, the winner for each one marks 10 Last trick,[5] the winner marks 10
The winner of the last trick can declare anything in his hand (subject to the limitations with regard to declaring already ex plained). After this all declarations cease. The winner of the last trick takes the last card of the stock, and the loser the turn up card (or seven exchanged for it). All cards on the table, that have been declared and not played, are taken up by their owners. The last eight tricks are then played, but the rules of play alter. The winner of the last trick leads. The second player must follow suit if able, and must win the trick if able, and if not able to follow suit, he must win the trick if he can by trumping. The winner of the trick leads to the next. The tricks are only valuable for th* aces and tens they may contain. If a player revokes in the last eight tricks, or does not win the card led, if able, the last eight tricks belong to his adversary.
When a deal is over, the non-dealer in the previous hand deals, and so on alternately until the game is won by one of the players reaching 1000. All the scores are reckoned by tens, but there is no reason why they should not be reckoned by units, the game in that case being 100 up. The score may be kept by means of a bezique board and pegs, or by a numbered dial and hand, or by counters.
Penalties.—If the dealer gives too few cards the number must be completed from the stock, or the non-doaler, not having looked at his cards, may have a fresh detl.
If the dealer gives his adversary too many cards the player who has too many must not draw until his number is reduced to seven.
If the dealer gives himself too many cards the non-dealer may draw the surplus cards and add them to the stock, unless the dealer has looked at his band, when he is liable to the penalty for playing v. ith nine cards (infra).
A card exposed in dealing gives the adversary the option of a fresh deal.
If a player draws out of his turn, and the adversary discovers the error before he draws, he may add 20 to his score, or deduct 20 from his adversary s.
If the winner of a trick when drawing lifts two cards, the adver sary may have them exposed, and take his choice. If the loser of a trick lifts two cards, the adversary may look at the one improperly lifted, and at the next draw that card and the next are turned face up, and the player not in fault has his choice of them.
If a player plays with seven cards his adversary may add 20 to his own score, or deduct 20 from the offender s. The player with a card short must take two cards at his next draw.
If at any time during the play of the hand one player is found to Lold nine cards, the other having but eight, the adversary of the player with nine cards may add 200 to his own score, or deduct 200 from the offender s. The player with nine cards must play to the next trick without drawing.
There is no penalty at two handed bezique for exposing a card from the hand, or for leading out of turn. At three or four handed bezique, a card exposed or led out of turn must remain on the table, and nothing can be subsequently declared in combination with it.
- ↑ Some players do not turn up a card for trumps, but make the trump suit depend on the first marriage declared. The turning up rJ.e is the best.
- ↑ When clubs or hearts are trumps, the bt-zique cards are queen of spades and knave of diamonds. When spades or diamonds are trumps, the bezique cards are queen of clubs and knave of hearts. Some players object to this alteration, but it is a great improvement to the gani
- ↑ If single bezique is declared first, and then the two other bezique cards added, 500 is scored in addition to the 40 already scored ; but if all four are declared together only 500 can be scored, and not 540.
- ↑ The winner of a trick containing two aces or two tens, or one of each, of course marks 20. The best plan is to score aces and tens im mediately they are won ; but some players only score them at the end of the hand. When this mode is adopted, the winner of a trick con taining an ace or ten takes the tricks on the table and turns them face downwards in front of himself, and after the hand is over looks through liis packet to ascertain the number of aces and tens it contains. When scoring in this way it occasionally happens that both players can score out, in which case precedence is given to the winner of the so-called last trick.
- ↑ The so-called last trick is the last before the stock is exhausted. When two cards of the stock, viz., the tramp and another card, remain on the table, the player winning tlie trick is said to win the last trick, notwithstanding that there are still eight tricks to be played.
