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Page 5 of 5 There are several innovations and different methods of play which may be introduced into the game of Napoleon, but any divergence from the plain game should be carefully settled by the company before the play is commenced. Failing a proper understanding on this point, the rules applicable to the simple game must be adhered to. POOL OR KITTY When a pool is agreed to, payment is made by each dealer according to the value of the stake of the game, but it is more convenient for all of the players to pay in when it is the original dealer's turn to play. The Kitty thus formed becomes the property of the caller who makes Nap, and he takes it in addition to the double stakes he receives from each player, as already mentioned. When it is found desirable to conclude the game before a Nap has been secured, the amount of the kitty is to be equally divided between the players, or it may be drawn for, in which case a card is distributed to each player by the regular dealer, who has the cards properly shuffled and cut for the purpose, when the holder of the lowest card (ace here reckoning as highest) takes the pool. MISERY OR MISÉRE This is the most common variation, and is the antithesis of Napoleon, inasmuch as the caller must not make a single trick. The caller leads off in the ordinary way (the suit led being trumps), as usual, unless it is agreed, as is sometimes done, that there shall be no trumps in this variation. The caller of misére must always follow suit, if he can, but is not obliged to trump if he has none of the suit led. He must, however, play the cards so as to avoid taking a trick. Should he be compelled to win one of the tricks, or should his original lead remain unheaded by any of the other players, then he fails in his declaration, and has to pay, but if he avoids making a trick, the other players have to pay him. The usual stake for misery, either for winner or loser, is three; but any player declaring he can make three tricks takes precedence, and plays accordingly. BUYING CARDS After the cards have been distributed, but before any declaration has been made, the dealer asks each player in turn, beginning with the player on his left, whether he wishes to buy a card or cards. The player wishing to purchase must first throw away the cards he desires to eject, face downwards, and must place in the pool the value of one trick for each card he desires to receive from the dealer. The card or cards must be taken from the top of the pack, and handed unexposed to the player. SPARE HAND An extra hand is dealt, which each player in turn has the option of adding to his own hand, selecting from the ten cards thus held five with which to play, but he must then stand for Nap, and, if there is a pool or kitty, he must put therein the value of two tricks if he fails to score, in addition to paying each of the players the ordinary stake on losing five tricks. DOUBLE HEADER If each player passes, then the stakes for the next deal are doubled, and remain so until the person declaring has won. In cases where this variation is decided upon, it is usual to agree that the lowest call be three, so that the double header occurs at frequent intervals. WELLINGTON If a player calls Napoleon, and another player on his left considers he can also make five tricks, he may call Wellington, in which case the stakes are doubled, the caller winning 20 or losing 10. As this rule, however, is regarded with disfavour by some, in consequence of its raising the limit of a loss on any particular hand from 10 to 20, it is sometimes played differently. The player who calls Wellington does not receive more than he would have done for Napoleon, but pays double, i.e., 10. BLUCHER This is called in the same manner, that is to say over the player calling Wellington, and then the stakes are trebled, the caller winning 30 or losing 15. In the modification of this variety, as referred to in connection with Wellington, the caller would still only receive 10 for winning, but would pay 15 to each player if he lost. This may appear a severe penalty, but it must be remembered that both Wellington and Blücher are declarations outside the ordinary limit of the game, and it is not possible for the first caller to claim them, even though he may have the first five cards of a suit, and therefore be certain of winning everything. He calls Napoleon as the limit allowed by the game, and it is therefore unfair that he should lose the advantages of his good hand. Another variety of this game is to allow the caller of Napoleon the opportunity of altering his call to Wellington or Blücher if challenged by any of the others to do so. If he thinks he can scare he stands for the higher call; if not, then the player who challenges him does so. The settlement of these extended calls should be particularly agreed upon before commencing play, or disagreement is all but inevitable, as the player who insists on the forced increase of the limit is certainly in the wrong, unless arrangement has previously been made. THIRTY-TWO CARD PACKS If Piquet or Bézique cards are used, i.e., packs with the 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 of each suit omitted (leaving but 32 cards in the set) the ordinary rules are observed. When playing with this smaller pack the hands will apparently be of far greater value than usual. This arises from the fact that all the lower cards of each suit are omitted, and after a few deals it will be found very difficult to make even a small number of tricks with hands which, if a full pack of cards was in use, would be exceptionally good. There being but thirty-two cards to deal with, the number of players must not exceed three, or perhaps four. SIX- OR SEVEN-CARD NAP In this variation six or seven cards are dealt to each player, who, before making his call, has to throw away (face downwards and unexposed) one or two, as the case may be, of his cards, so as to leave the number in his hand five, when the game is played on the regular lines. NINE-CARD NAP This may be described as the last innovation in the game. It is conducted on exactly similar lines to the five card method, except that nine cards are held by each player, none being discarded as in the last mentioned variation, but it has not yet become popular, and in view of the fact that even with only three players more than half the pack is in use, its scope is far more limited than any other variety. In this variation the person calling Nap would have to make all nine tricks, a most difficult and very unfrequent occurrence. It will be found to be a pleasing variety for two players who are of about equal skill at the ordinary game, its possibilities being so different from that method, but we doubt its ever being made as popular as the five card game. See Also:
Nap or Napoleon
Nap Tatics
Stakes, Dealing and Calling
Playing the Hands
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