XII

CRIBBAGE PATIENCE (WITH ONE WHIST PACK)

THIS is a game analogous to the very popular "Poker Patience."

Sixteen cards are dealt, one at a time, from the pack, keeping the pack face downwards, and only looking at the cards one by one as they are dealt. Each card, as it is turned up from the pack, must be placed face upwards on the table; and after the first card has been so laid down, every card must be placed next to one that is already on the table — that is, it must be contiguous to it either horizontally or vertically; or it must be laid corner to corner, diagonally adjacent. Proceed thus until you have laid out four rows of four cards, for cling an oblong of four cards to the side.

When the four rows are complete the next card from the pack is taken for the "turn-up card," and the score for the whole "lay-out" is then reckoned up according to the rules of six-card cribbage. Each row is counted from left to right, and each column from top to bottom, combining the turn-up card in every case. Remember that a flush (cards of the same unit) counts as 4 in a row or in a column; or as 5 if the turn-up happens to be of the same suit. A knave turned up does not score anything "for his heels"; but a knave, in the lay-out, of the same suit as the turn-up card scores "one for his nob" in its proper row, and also in its proper column.

Like Poker Patience, this game is excellently adapted for competitive play, each contestant having his own pack of cards.

It is a curious puzzle to ascertain the highest score that can possibly be made. The inventor of the game thought that 170 was the maximum, but Mr. W. F. Quine has shown how to score 172, as follows:

The first and second rows score 8 for four fifteens, 12 for four runs of three, and 4 for two pairs. The third row scores 8 for the four fifteens which take in the 10 of clubs, 8 for the four fifteens made up of fives only, and 12 for six pairs., The fourth row scores 8 for four fifteens, 12 for six pairs, and 1 for his nob. The first column scores 8 for four fifteens, 6 for two runs of three, 4 for the flush, and 2 for the pair; and so on.