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A Practical Treatise on All the Most Popular Games, with Their Different Variations, and Hints for Their Practice.
PAGE NAP ... 3 LOO ... 16 POKER ... 31 VINGT-UN ... 59 COMMERCE ... 70 SPECULATION ... 77 POPE JOAN ... 80 SPIN ... 87 NEWMARKET ... 89 SNIP-SNAP-SNORUM ... 90 JIG ... 95 CASSINO ... 97 MY BIRD SINGS ... 101 SPOIL FIVE ... 103 LOTO ... 108
The game of Napoleon, or as it is more generally and popularly called "Nap," was introduced into this country from the United States, it is believed, about 1865, although it is recorded that the game had previously been played for high stakes at some of the more notorious gambling clubs.
It is named after the great Napoleon, as the principal player in the game becomes, for the time being, an Ishmaelite, whose "hand" is against every man's, and every man's against his, as was the case with the "Grand Adventurer" in 1804-15 (_see_ Variations)--whence we have the terms Wellington, Blücher, etc.
It is an admirable game for three, four, or five persons, and is also available for two and six, though four is the ideal number, and it is played with an ordinary pack of fifty-two cards. (For Nap with thirty-two card pack, _see_ page 14). With six persons taking part in the game the dealer stands out of the play, not dealing any cards to himself, though he receives and pays for the tricks like the others, and the same system is sometimes adopted when there are five players; as, if all the players took active part in the game, it would become most difficult to make the tricks, because more cards would be in use.
The popularity of the game is no doubt owing to the short time necessary for playing the hands, and to the fact [4] that it can be terminated at any moment, for no game or deal need exceed two or three minutes, except when a pool or "kitty" is introduced (_see_ Variations). In this case provision has to be made for the distribution of the amount of the kitty.
While care in playing is necessary, no great amount of skill is required to render the game diverting as an amusement, while it also affords ample scope for the exercise of speculation and the other elements of excitement.