NAPOLEON, a round game of cards. Any number may play; about four or five makes the best game. When six play the dealer deals himself no hand, but pays or receives the same as the other players. A pack of fifty-two cards is required. The players cut for deal; the lowest deals. The cards rank as at whilst; and the deal goes afterwards in rotation to the left, as it whist. The cards are shuffled, and cut to the dealer, who deals each player five cards by one at a time, as at whist. The deal being completed, the player to the dealer’s left looks at his hand, and declares how many tricks he will play for (called "standing"). Some players make it compulsory for the eldest hand to declare one trick at least; but if this rule is not in force the eldest hand may decline to play, when he says "I pass." It the eldest hand passes, the next player to the left has a similar option of standing or passing, and so on all round. As soon as any one stands, the next player after him must either pass or stand for more tricks than the one before him, and so on all round. If all pass, the hand is not played, and the player to the dealer’s left deals. Some players compel the dealer to play for at least one trick. The stand-hand plays against all the others. He has the first lead, and the first card he leads makes the trump suit. Each player plays one card at a time in rotation, as at whist, except that the played cards remain face upwards on the table in front of the persons playing them. the cards played one by each player constitute a ‘trick." The players must follow suit if able. If unable to follow suit a player may play any card he pleases. No one is obliged to head the trick nor to trump. If the stand-hand succeeds in making at least the numbers of tricks he stood for he wins; if not he loses. If he wins he receives from each of the other players the amount previously agreed on for each trick stood for; if he loses he similarly pays all the others. If any one declares "Nap," i.e., that he will play for all five tricks, no subsequent player can stand. The hand is played as before. If the player declaring Nap wins he receives double stakes all round; if the loses he only pays single stakes all round.





Rules of Play. – There is no misdeal, and consequently no penalty for errors kin dealing. If a card is exposed kin dealing, or the cards are wrongly dealt, there must be a fresh deal, even if the hand has been partly played. Any one, except the stand-hand, playing out of turn, or exposing a card after the deal is completed, or playing with the wrong number of cards, has to pay a fine of the value of three tricks to the stand-hand, in addition to what he may lose if the hand is played out; and if the stand-hand loses the offender receives nothing. If the stand-hand plays with the wrong number of cards, and wins, he receives nothing, and there is a fresh deal. If a player, not the stand-hand, revokes he has to pay the value of five tricks to the stand-hand, in addition to what he may lose on the hand. The cards are played over again from the point at which the revoke was made, and if the stand-hand loses the revoker receives nothing. If the stand-hand revokes he loses what he declared to play for. A player is entitled to be informed how many tricks were stood for, and how many tricks the stand-hand has made.