Card games were a popular way to pass time in the 1920's especially when the stakes were high... Check out how to play some of the more popular card games from this era, then try your hand at one in the activity car right here on board the Roarin' Rails Train.
Snap!
The Players2, 3, 4, 5+
The Pack
The standard 52-card pack is used.
Object of the Game
The goal is to win all of the cards
The Deal
Deal out all cards face down, one at a time, beginning to the dealer’s left. It does not matter if some players have more cards than others. Each player puts their cards in a pile, face down in front of them.
The Play
The player on the dealer’s left turns over the top card of his pile and puts it face up starting a pile of cards next to their face down cards. The next player to the left does the same and so on around the table.
When someone turns up a card that matches a card already face up on another player’s pile, the first person to notice the two matched cards calls out “Snap!” and wins both piles. This player adds the cards to the bottom of their face-down pile.
When two players shout “Snap!” at the same time, the two piles are combined and placed in the center of the table face up. These cards form a “Snap Pot.” Play continues where it left off with the player to the left of the last player who turned over a card. If a player spots a card that matches the card on top of the Snap Pot, they shout “Snap Pot!” and win all of those cards. During the game, if a player runs out of cards in their face-down pile, the cards in the face up pile are turned down and the player continues to play.
Old Maid
The Players2, 3, 4, 5+
The Pack
The standard 52-card pack is used, however, one of the four queens is removed, leaving a total of 51 cards.
Object of the Game
The goal is to form and discard pairs of cards, and not to be left with the odd card (a queen) at the end.
The Deal
Any player shuffles the pack and deals them around, one at a time to each player, until all the cards have been handed out. Players do not need to have an equal number of cards.
The Play
Each player removes all pairs from his hand face down. If a player has three-of-a-kind, they remove only two of those three cards. The dealer then offers their hand, spread out face down, to the player on the left, who draws one card from it. This player discards any pair that may have been formed by the drawn card. The player then offers their own hand to the player on their left. Play proceeds in this way until all cards have been paired except one - the odd queen, which cannot be paired - and the player who has that card is the Old Maid!
Hearts
The Players3, 4, 5+
The Pack
The standard 52-card pack is used.
Object of the Game
To be the player with the lowest score at the end of the game. When one player hits the agreed-upon score or higher, the game ends; and the player with the lowest score wins.
Card Values/scoring
At the end of each hand, players count the number of hearts they have taken as well as the queen of spades, if applicable. Hearts count as one point each and the queen counts 13 points.
Each heart - 1 point
The Q - 13 points
The aggregate total of all scores for each hand must be a multiple of 26.
The game is usually played to 100 points (some play to 50).
When a player takes all 13 hearts and the queen of spades in one hand, instead of losing 26 points, that player scores zero and each of his opponents score an additional 26 points.
The Deal
Deal the cards one at a time, face down, clockwise. In a four-player game, each is dealt 13 cards; in a three-player game, the 2 of diamonds should be removed, and each player gets 17 cards; in a five-player game, the 2 of clubs should be removed so that each player will get 10 cards.
The Play
The player holding the 2 of clubs after the pass makes the opening lead. If the 2 has been removed for the three handed game, then the 3 of clubs is led.
Each player must follow suit if possible. If a player is void of the suit led, a card of any other suit may be discarded. However, if a player has no clubs when the first trick is led, a heart or the queen of spades cannot be discarded. The highest card of the suit led wins a trick and the winner of that trick leads next. There is no trump suit.
The winner of the trick collects it and places it face down. Hearts may not be led until a heart or the queen of spades has been discarded. The queen does not have to be discarded at the first opportunity.
The queen can be led at any time.
Gin Rummy
The Players2
The Pack
Gin Rummy is played with a 52 card deck, the wild cards (jokers) are not used. It is best to use two decks, so that while one player deals the cards, the opponent can shuffle the other deck.
Rank of Cards
The order of the cards, from highest to lowest, is: king (K), queen (Q), jack (J), ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, deuce and ace.
As for the value of the cards, the figure cards are worth 10 points and the other cards are worth the value indicated by their pips.
Object of the Game
Each player uses their hand to form combinations of three or more cards, to get more than the 100 points required to win the game before their opponent does so when played over several hands.
The Deal
The deck is spread out on the table and each player takes a card. The player who draws the highest card chooses where to sit and deals out ten cards to each player, one by one, leaving the deck with the remaining cards in the center of the table. The top card of the stock deck is placed face up next to it to start the discard pile. In the following games, the player who wins the previous game becomes the dealer.
The Play
The player who did not deal the cards starts the game, with the option to pick up the upturned card next to the stock deck, meaning that one of their cards must be discarded. If the said card is of no interest, the player passes without discarding. The opponent may, in turn, take that card and discard another, and if they are not interested, they pass without discarding. Then the first player can now take the top card off the stock deck, discarding another. The game continues, with each player in turn being able to take the top card off the stock deck or the discard pile, then discarding a card, but which may not be the same card that they just picked up from the discard pile.
The game consists of players grouping the 10 cards in their hand to make minimum combinations of three cards of the same rank or runs of the same suit. The ace can be combined with the deuce but not with the king (K). A player can fold when their hand contains only unmatched cards worth a total value of no more than 10 points, making a Knock. As soon as a player discards their last card, they show all of their cards, announcing the number of points that are left without combining. It is not compulsory to Knock, a player can prolong the game in order to improve their hand. The best hand is to make Gin, consisting of placing down the ten cards combined.
In either case, when a player folds, exposing all of their cards, the opponent does the same, having the opportunity to get rid of those cards that were left unmatched and being able to combine cards with those exposed by the player who Knocked or announced Gin.
When a player announces Gin they win the partial game, whereas if a player Knocks, either that player or the opposing player can win it. The player wins if the value of their unmatched cards is less than the value of the opponent’s unmatched cards and the opponent wins if the value of their unmatched cards is equal to or less than that of the one that Knocked.
The cards of the opponent to the one who announced Gin or Knocked are valued after having discarded the cards that they have not combined and that link with combinations of the hand laid down by the one declared Gin or Knock.
How to Keep Score
A game ends when sufficient partial games have been played to allow one player to get 100 or more points.
The player who makes Gin, scores 20 points plus the value of the opponent’s unmatched cards. If the player who Knocks wins the game, they score the difference in the value of their unmatched cards with those of their opponent, while if the opponent wins, they score 10 points plus the difference in the value of the unmatched cards between both players. If there is no difference, the 10 point bonus remains.
Once the game has finished, the players note down the following bonuses: 100 points for winning a game, 20 points for each partial game won and 100 points for winning all the rounds of a game without the opponent having won any.
Whist
The Players4
The Pack
The standard 52-card pack is used. As in many bridge games, two packs of cards of contrasting back design are recommended. While one pack is being dealt, the other can be shuffled for the next deal.
Rank of Cards
A (high), K, Q, J, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2. (In drawing for partners and deal, however, ace is low.)
The Deal
The dealer gives each player one card at a time, face down, beginning with the player on his left, until they come to the last card. The last card is the trump card.
The Trump Card
The dealer places the last card of the pack face up on the table, and every card of its suit becomes a trump. When it is the dealer's turn to play to the first trick, they pick up the trump card and it becomes part of the dealer's hand.
Object of the Game
Each of the partnerships tries to score points by taking any trick in excess of six. The partnership with the most points at the end of play wins the game.
The Play
The turn to play is in clockwise rotation. The player on the dealer's left leads first and may play any card. Each player in turn plays a card, following suit if possible. If you cannot follow suit, a player may play any card. Four cards played (including the card led) constitute a trick.
A trick is won by the person who played the highest trump. Any trick not containing a trump is won by the person who played the highest card of the suit led. The winner of each trick leads next.
How to Keep Score
Each odd trick (a trick in excess of six) counts one point for the side winning it.
