STAKES

For the reason already mentioned the stakes should be so arranged that the amount in the pool can always be divided by three.  Thus, supposing that three counters, or coins, are fixed as the amount for the deal, and six for a loo, there cannot possibly be any surplus after the division among the winners of the three tricks, no matter how many may have paid in.  If, however, the pool consists of such an amount as to render equal division impossible, the division is made as nearly equal as can be, and the winners of the first and second tricks have the preference.

It is not necessary that the loo should be twice the amount of the deal, indeed any sum may be fixed for either the one or the other, and it is not unusual when the deal is settled at 1½d. for the loo to be 6d., or when the one is 6d. for the other to be 2s. 6d., and so on.  Another method is to make the stake for a loo unlimited, and yet another to make it somewhat of a combination, unlimited up to a certain amount (see Variations), but the more general course is to have a definite price fixed (a) for the deal, (b) for an ordinary loo, and (c) for a single loo, which latter is generally half the amount of the full loo.

Before commencing play in the game, it is desirable to settle whether Club Law (see Variations) is to be enforced, and whether any alteration is to be made in the law compelling the holder of two or more trumps to lead the highest on the original lead.  The modification of this rule is two or more trumps lead one.

DEALING

The deal is settled in the same way as already described in connection with Nap, and the cards having been shuffled and cut, the single is dealt.  In other rounds the dealer must distribute the cards to the players one card at a time, in regular order from left to right, and must deal to the spare hand, or miss immediately after dealing his own card each time.  With some players deviation is permitted, the dealer being allowed to distribute the cards in any order he likes, and either singly or three at a time; or the miss is left until last, when the three cards for the spare hand are dealt at once.  These departures are not desirable, and we strongly recommend the enforcement of the rule compelling the regular distribution of cards, as herein set out.

In the event of a misdeal, an irregular distribution of the cards, or the exposure of a card during the dealing, the dealer is looed (the amount of the loo in this), and most other cases of penalty prior to the commencement of the playing of the cards being the same as settled for a single loo (and he immediately places the amount in the pool).  The whole pack is collected, re-shuffled, and dealt again by the same player, and the game proceeds.

Any player interfering with the cards during the deal is looed, but the cards are not re-dealt, unless they have been mixed, or a card has been exposed.