Brag and Pairs. — To vary the above game, the dealer sometimes de- posits two separate stakes, one of which is for natural pairs, and the company may brag on either stake they please, or on both. Thus if one of the players has a pair or pair-royal of good cards, such as aces, down to tens or eights, he may answer one or both of the dealer’s stakes, according to the chance of suc- cess afforded by the cards he holds ; and can, if he holds a pair, “sight” those who are bragging on the same end with himself, as described above. Those who put their stakes on the brag-end proceed exactly as at Single Brag. Three Stake Brag. — Three stakes are deposited by the dealer, who gives two cards to each player, and then turns up a third all round. The best whist card turned up takes the first stake, the leading hand having the preference if two equal cards are turned, except in the case of the ace of diamonds, which is always the best at this stage of the game. The second stake is the brag-stake, and is determined at a Single Brag, each reckoning his tumed-up card along with the other two. The third is gained by the player who holds, or obtains by drawing from the undealt cards, 31, or the highest num- ber under that, the ace reckoning for ix, the pictured cards for 10 each, and the rest according to their pips. The leading hand has the preference in case of equality, and any one drawing above 31, loses. The three stakes may be all gained by one person, iu which case he is entitled, in some companies, to three more from each play ; this is usually set aside. GASSINO. — 52 cards are used in this game, which is generally played by four persons. The partners and deal are determined in the same manner as at whist. Eleven pioints constitute the game, and are calculated thus : — CARDS 96 CARDS Great Cassino, or ten of diamonds, reckons for two points. Little Cassino, two of spades, reckons for one point. The Cards, is having a greater share of the pack than your adversary, and reckons for three points. The Spades is having the majority of that suit, and reckons for one. The Aces, each of which reckons for one point, four points. Lurched, is when your adversary has won the game, before you have gained six points. Mode of Playing. — The deal is made by giving each player one card, and turning up one on the board, and thus alternately until each player has four cards, and four on the board. When each has played his four cards, four more are dealt round, but none turned up ; and so on till the pack is finished. The cards being dealt thus, examine your cards in hand and those on the board, to see if you can pair them, or combine a number of pips from the cards on the table, equal to the card you lay down ; if so, you take them up, and place them before you with their faces downwards. If you can neither pair nor match any of the cards on the table, you must put down one. When by playing a card you can match all on the board, that is, sup- pose there were eight or ten cards which would make three or four distinct tens, and you play a ten, you take them all up, and thus clearing the board, are entitled to add one point to your score.

AI-modernized reading of the original text

Brag and Pairs. — To vary the above game, the dealer sometimes deposits two separate stakes, one of which is for natural pairs, and the company may brag on either stake they please, or on both. Thus if one of the players has a pair or pair-royal of good cards, such as aces, down to tens or eights, he may answer one or both of the dealer’s stakes, according to the chance of success afforded by the cards he holds ; and can, if he holds a pair, “sight” those who are bragging on the same end with himself, as described above. Those who put their stakes on the brag-end proceed exactly as at Single Brag. Three Stake Brag. — Three stakes are deposited by the dealer, who gives two cards to each player, and then turns up a third all round. The best whist card turned up takes the first stake, the leading hand having the preference if two equal cards are turned, except in the case of the ace of diamonds, which is always the best at this stage of the game. The second stake is the brag-stake, and is determined at a Single Brag, each reckoning his tumed-up card along with the other two. The third is gained by the player who holds, or obtains by drawing from the undealt cards, 31, or the highest number under that, the ace reckoning for ix, the pictured cards for 10 each, and the rest according to their pips. The leading hand has the preference in case of equality, and any one drawing above 31, loses. The three stakes may be all gained by one person, iu which case he is entitled, in some companies, to three more from each play ; this is usually set aside. GASSINO. — 52 cards are used in this game, which is generally played by four persons. The partners and deal are determined in the same manner as at whist. Eleven pioints constitute the game, and are calculated thus : — Great Cassino, or ten of diamonds, reckons for two points. Little Cassino, two of spades, reckons for one point. The Cards, is having a greater share of the pack than your adversary, and reckons for three points. The Spades is having the majority of that suit, and reckons for one. The Aces, each of which reckons for one point, four points. Lurched, is when your adversary has won the game, before you have gained six points. Mode of Playing. — The deal is made by giving each player one card, and turning up one on the board, and thus alternately until each player has four cards, and four on the board. When each has played his four cards, four more are dealt round, but none turned up ; and so on till the pack is finished. The cards being dealt thus, examine your cards in hand and those on the board, to see if you can pair them, or combine a number of pips from the cards on the table, equal to the card you lay down ; if so, you take them up, and place them before you with their faces downwards. If you can neither pair nor match any of the cards on the table, you must put down one. When by playing a card you can match all on the board, that is, suppose there were eight or ten cards which would make three or four distinct tens, and you play a ten, you take them all up, and thus clearing the board, are entitled to add one point to your score.

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