=_ The Vorhand always holds the play, and the Mittelhand always makes the first bid, or passes, the Hinterhand saying nothing until the propositions made by the Mittelhand have been finally refused or passed by the Vorhand. The usual formula is for the Vorhand to say, “How many?” or, “I am Vorhand,” thereupon the Mittelhand bids or passes. If Vorhand has as good a game as offered him he says, “Yes,” and Mittelhand must bid higher or pass. If Vorhand has not as good a game he may either pass, or bluff the bidder into going higher by saying, “Yes.” As soon as one passes, the other turns to the Hinterhand, who must either make a higher bid than the last, or pass. The survivor of the first two must either say, “Yes,” to the offers made by Hinterhand, or pass. The final survivor then announces his game. It is usual for the last one to pass to signify that he is done by pushing the skat cards toward the survivor, indicating that they are his, and that he is the player. If a player is offered a game equal to his own he may still say, “Yes;” but if he is offered a better game, and still says, “Yes,” he runs the risk of being compelled to play. The old German way of bidding, adopted at the Skat Congresses in Altenburg, Leipzig and Dresden, was to bid in suits; a bid of club Solo outranking one of spade Solo, no matter what it was worth.
Poor Jenny Jones is ironing, you can t see her. We ve come to see poor Jenny Jones. Poor Jenny Jones is dead, you can t see her. What shall we follow, in red, blue, or black? Red s for the soldier, blue for the sailor, Black for the dead. --Enborne School, Berks (Miss M. Kimber). XIV. Come to see Miss Jenny Jones, Miss Jenny Jones, Miss Jenny Jones; Come to see Miss Jenny Jones, And how is she to-day? Miss Jenny Jones is washing, washing, washing, Miss Jenny Jones is washing, You can t see her to-day. Farewell, ladies, ladies, ladies, and gentlemen too. [Miss Jenny Jones is drying, starching, ironing, ill, worse, dying, and dead in turn.
The best trump is often held up for three rounds to coax a player to go on in this manner. _=IRREGULARITIES IN THE HANDS.=_ If, during the play of a hand, it is discovered that any one holds too many or too few cards, that hand is foul, and must be abandoned, the holder forfeiting all right to the pool for that deal. Those who have their right number of cards finish the play without the foul hand, but any tricks already won by the holder of the foul hand remain his property. _=IRREGULARITIES IN PLAY.=_ If any player robs when he does not hold the ace; leads or plays out of turn; reneges to the lead of a higher trump; renounces in the trump suit; revokes in a plain suit; or exposes a card after any player has won two tricks, he loses all his right and interest in the current pool, which he cannot win, either on that or any subsequent deal, but to which he must continue to contribute when it comes to his turn to deal. After the pool has been won, and a fresh one formed, the penalty is removed. _=SUGGESTIONS FOR GOOD PLAY.=_ Observation, quickness, and good judgment of character are the essentials for success at Spoil Five, the last being probably the most important. The peculiar order of the cards; the privilege of renouncing when holding a card of the suit led; and the right of passing inferior trump leads, are very confusing to the beginner; but with practice the routine and strategy of the game soon become familiar.
If you want only one trick, play the Queen; but if you want two, play the small card. _=SECOND HAND PLAY.=_ The easiest position to play as second hand, is, of course, with the Dummy on your left, because Dummy’s cards will show what is best to be done. If a small card is led, you having King, put it on if Dummy has not the Ace; unless you want partner to get the lead. If Dummy has only two cards of the suit, neither of them the Ace, always play your King. When the declarer leads a suit it is often important to count how many he and your partner can possibly hold. For instance: You have four, K x x x; Dummy has four, A J 10 x, and declarer leads the Queen. It is useless to play your King; for either the Queen is a singleton, and the declarer cannot continue the suit, which will compel Dummy to lead it to you eventually; or, the third round will be trumped, perhaps by your partner. If you have only two small cards with the King, put it on the Queen. You cannot save it, but you may establish your partner’s 9.
2 and the other in No. 3. Step into No. 4. Hop, having one foot in No. 5 and the other in No. 6. Jump round. Go back as you came. Then with stone on shoe, walk through the figure, kick it up and catch at the close.
Two packs are generally used alternately. _=Counters=_ or chips are used, as in Poker, instead of money. Any player may be the banker. _=Players.=_ Three, four, or five persons may play; but four is the proper number, and all descriptions of the game suppose it to be four-handed. _=Cutting.=_ To decide the positions of the players, a sequence of cards is sorted out, equal in number with the number of players. These cards are then shuffled, face downward, and each player draws one. The highest of the sequence has the choice of positions, and so on down until all are seated. The player who draws the King deals the first hand.