Slason Thompson The laws and etiquette of cinch 
 
 
 Preface Pg 1 
 Cinch, as it is now played, is by far the 
 most entertaining and scientific of all the 
 offsprings of the game of Seven-up. Tak- 
 ing its proper place amongst club card 
 games but a short time ago, it has become 
 more popular than all others, and to the 
 end that uniformity of plaj^ may generally 
 exist, the following rules have been com- 
 piled and submitted to the best known 
 Cinch players, and accepted and endorsed 
 by them as properly governing all points 
 that have arisen in the game or that may at 
 any time become a matter of controversy. 
 
 
 
 THE LAWS OF CINCH Pg 2 
 Cinch is played with a pack of fifty- 
 
 two cards, and two, three or four persons 
 can play at one time. 
   
 The game consists of forty-two points 
 
 and the player or players first scoring that 
 number win the game. 
   
 TWO AND THREE HANDED. 
   
 The pla}'ers cut for deal, the lowest 
 
 card having the deal, the Ace being the 
 lowest card in cutting. The player entitled 
 to the deal shall, after the cards have been 
 properly shuffled and cut, give nine cards 
 to each player, three at a time, and in 
 regular rotation to the left. No trump is 
 turned. 
   
   
   
 6 THE LAWS OF CINCH. 
   
 The pack must be shuffled above the 
 
 table and so that the face of no card can 
 be seen. 
   
 Each player has a right to shufifle, 
 
 once only. The dealer has always the 
 right to shuffle last. Should any card be 
 seen during his shuffling or whilst giving 
 the pack to be cut, he can be compelled to 
 re-shuffle, 
   
 Each player deals in his turn; the 
 
 right of dealing goes to the left. 
   
 The player on the dealer's right is 
 
 compelled to cut, and in so doing must 
 not leave fewer than four cards in either 
 packet. If in cutting or in replacing the 
 packets one upon the other a card be 
 exposed, or if there be any doubt as to the 
 exact place in which the pack was divided, 
 there shall be a fresh cut. 
   
 If the dealer deals without having 
 
 the cards properly cut, or if a card is faced 
 in the pack, or if the dealer in any way 
   
   
   
 THE LAWS OF CINCH. 7 
   
 expose any of his adversary's cards, or if 
 he give to any player too few or too many 
 cards, there must be a fresh deal. If the 
 dealer expose any of his own cards, the 
 deal stands good. 
   
 
 
 
 THE LAWS OF CINCH Pg 3 
 A dealer does not lose his deal Vv'hen 
 
 a misdeal occurs. 
   
 If at any time during the deal or 
 
 play of the hand the pack be proved to be 
 incorrect or imperfect, a new deal shall be 
 made and no points scored; or if any card 
 be faced in the pack, there must be a new 
 deal; or should a dealer omit to have the 
 pack cut to him, and the adversary dis- 
 cover the error prior to the last three cards 
 being dealt, and before looking at their 
 cards, a new deal can be claimed by them. 
   
 If during the play of a hand it is 
 
 discovered that any player, other than the 
 dealer, has too many or too few cards, it 
 shall constitute a misdeal. Should the 
 dealer's hand be found imperfect, he shall 
   
   
   
 b THE LAWS OF CINCH. 
   
 be called upon to discard all beyond what 
 he is entitled to, or draw from the discard 
 pile enough cards to complete his hand, 
 but he can not take up any trumps from 
 the discard to make his hand good. 
   
 If before the deal is completed or a 
 
 card led by the buyer of the trump privilege 
 it is discovered that the cards are being 
 dealt out of turn, it shall constitute a mis- 
 deal, and the player whose turn it is to 
 deal shall re-shufifle the cards and deal; 
 but if the deal has been completed and a 
 card led and quitted by the player naming 
 the trump, the party dealing shall have 
 established his right to the deal and the 
 game shall continue, and the player to the 
 left of the dealer shall take the next deal. 
   
 The following are the points that 
 
 can be scored and are given in their regular 
 order of precedence: 
   
 High. — The highest trump out. The 
 holder scores 1 point. 
   
   
   
 THE LAWS OF CINCH. 9 
   
 Low. — The lowest trump out. The win- 
 ner of the trick containing it scores 1 point. 
   
 
 
 
 THE LAWS OF CINCH Pg 4 
 Jack. — The knave of trumps. The win- 
 ner of the trick containing it scores 1 
 point. 
   
 Game. — The ten-spot of trumps. The 
 Avinner of the trick containing it scores 1 
 point. 
   
 Pedro. — The five-spot of trumps. The 
 winner of the trick containing it scores 5 
 points. 
   
 Cinch. — The five-spot of the opposing 
 suit (same color as the trump). The win- 
 ner of the trick containing it scores 5 
 points. 
   
 Low can be taken by any trump. 
   
 Jack can be taken with any higher 
 trump. 
   
 Game can be taken with any higher 
 trump. 
   
 Pedro can be taken with any higher 
 trump. 
   
   
   
 10 THE LAWS OF CINCH. 
   
 Cinch can be taken with any trump 
 higher than the four-spot. 
   
 Thus 14 points can be made in a single 
 deal. 
   
 The loser of a game has the option 
 
 of the first deal in the next game. 
   
 After the cards have been dealt, as 
 
 per rule No. 3, the eldest hand (the player 
 to the left of the dealer) proceeds to bid 
 for the privilege of naming the trump; 
 each player in turn has the right to make 
 one bid and no more. 
   
 The bidding proceeds in rotation, be- 
 
 ginning with the eldest hand. The dealer 
 has the right to the last say and may either 
 sell to the highest bidder or decline to sell, 
 in which latter case he is forced to raise 
 the bid and names the trump himself. 
   
 
 
 
 THE LAWS OF CINCH Pg 5 
 A player whose bid has been ac- 
 
 cepted commences the play, and, after 
 naming the trump, discards from his hand 
 to the center of the table, faces up, three 
   
   
   
 THE LAWS OF CINCH. 11 
   
 or more cards as he may elect, the other 
 players having the same privilege, the 
 dealer discarding last. The dealer is then 
 called upon by the different players who 
 have discarded more than three cards to 
 help them to as many cards as thej^ have 
 discarded in excess of three, or enough to 
 complete a hand of six cards, that being 
 the number that each player must hold 
 when the play commences. The cards are 
 helped in the order of the deal, the eldest 
 hand (the one first to the left of the dealer) 
 being helped first. 
   
 The deal being now completed, the 
 
 player naming the trump must lead, but 
 a trump lead is not compulsory. Each 
 player, beginning with the player to the 
 left of the leader, plays a card to the lead, 
 and when all the players have played, that 
 constitutes a trick. The player taking the 
 trick shall then lead for the next trick. 
   
 Each player must follow suit if he 
 
   
   
   
 12 THE LAWS OF CINCH. 
   
 can, unless he choose to trump. If he has 
 no card of the suit led, he is not compelled 
 to trump, but may play a card of any suit 
 he chooses. The highest card of the suit 
 led, unless trumped, wins the trick, and 
 the winner of the trick has the next lead. 
   
 The playing proceeds in this way 
 
 until all the cards held by each player 
 have been played. After the hands are all 
 played, the points are properly scored and 
 a new deal commences. This continues 
 until forty-two points have been scored by 
 some player or side. 
   
 The player buying the privilege of 
 
 naming the trump is entitled to score all 
 the points he may make; but if he fail to 
 make as many points as the amount bid 
 by him, he must be set back just the 
 number of points bid — he cannot score 
 anything he may have made during the 
 play of that hand.   
 
 
 
 THE LAWS OF CINCH Pg 6 
 The amount bid by a player for the 
 
   
   
   
 THE LAWS OF CINCH. 13 
   
 privilege of naming the trump is not scored 
 by any of the other players, but is simply 
 held against the bidder as a set-back pen- 
 alty in the case of a failure to win the 
 number of points he elects to by his bid. 
   
 If no bid is made by the other play- 
 
 ers, the dealer is forced to bid one and 
 name the trump. 
   
 The buyer of the trump privilege 
 
 is entitled to add to his score all points 
 that may be found in the discard pile 
 after the play of the hand, as it is fair to 
 presume the error in discard was made by 
 the adversaries. 
   
 If any player, under the impression 
 
 that the game is either won, or lost, or 
 for any other reason, throws his cards on 
 the table, face upwards, such cards are ex- 
 posed and can be called by the opposing 
 player or players. 
   
 Should any player drav/ a card from 
 
 his hand with the intention of playing 
   
   
   
 14 THE LAWS OF CINCH. 
   
 same, and in any way expose it, that card 
 must be played unless by so doing a revoke 
 will be made, in which case the card so 
 drawn and exposed will be subject to call 
 at any time, 
   
 Any one during the play of a trick, 
 
 or after the cards are played, and before, 
 but not after, they are touched for the pur- 
 pose of gathering them together, may de- 
 mand that the cards be placed before their 
 respective players. 
   
 If a bystander make any remark 
 
 which calls the attention of a player or 
 players to an oversight affecting the score, 
 he can be called upon to pay all bets or 
 stakes on that game. 
   
 
 
 
 THE LAWS OF CINCH Pg 7 
 A bystander, by agreement of the 
 
 players, may decide any question. 
   
 Any player may demand to see the 
 
 last trick turned and no more. 
   
 If a player make a revoke, he is 
 
 debarred from scoring any points he may 
   
   
   
 THE LAWS OF CINCH. 15 
   
 have made in the play of that hand, and 
 all points contained in the tricks taken by 
 him shall be scored by the buyer of the 
 trump; if the bidder revoke, he shall be set 
 back the number of points bid by him. 
   
 A revoke is established as soon as 
 
 the trick in which it occurs is turned and 
 quitted, or a card has been led for the next 
 trick. 
   
 The question of "how many cards 
 
 did you draw," addressed to any of the 
 players after a card has been played, is 
 irregular, and if asked should not be an- 
 swered. 
   
 FOUR-HANDED, 
   
 In four-handed Cinch, the players 
 
 usually decide who shall be partners by 
 cutting the cards, the two highest playing 
 against the two lowest. Two players cut- 
 ting cards of equal value, unless such cards 
 are the two highest, cut again. Should 
 the}^ be the two lowest, a fresh cut is ne- 
   
   
   
 16 THE LAWS OF CINCH. 
   
 cessary to decide which of the two deals. 
   
 The partners sit opposite each other, 
 
 the same as at Whist. In cutting for part- 
 ners, the Ace is the lowest card and the 
 player cutting the lowest card shall deal. 
   
 In a four-handed game (partners) 
 
 the dealer discards all of his cards that 
 are not trumps and selects what cards he 
 desires from all of the pack that remains 
 after the other players have been helped. 
 
 
 
 THE LAWS OF CINCH Pg 8 
 Should there be more trumps in the un- 
 dealt cards than the dealer requires to make 
 good his hand, he selects what cards he 
 wants and lays the remaining cards in the 
 discard pile, faces up. If there should not 
 be enough cards remaining after the other 
 players have been helped to complete his 
 hand, he shall draw cards from the discard 
 of his own hand. 
   
 The discarding, etc., in a four- 
 
 handed game, is governed by rule No. 17, 
 with this exception — the dealer discards 
   
   
   
 THE LAWS OF CINCH. 17 
   
 first. This is done that the dealer may 
 show the strength of his hand to his part- 
 ner, who can then use proper judgment in 
 discarding from his hand, declining to call 
 for any cards if he thinks that by so doing 
 his partner's hand will be strengthened. 
   
 If any player lead out of turn, his 
 
 adversary may either call the card so led, 
 or may call on him or his partner to lead 
 any suit when it is next the turn of either 
 to lead. But if any player leads out of 
 turn and the other players have followed 
 him and played, the trick is complete and 
 the error cannot be rectified. 
   
 If any one, prior to his partner play- 
 
 ing, should call attention to the trick — 
 either by saying it is his or by naming his 
 card, or, without being asked to, should 
 draw it towards him — the adversaries may 
 require that opponent's partner to play the 
 highest or lowest of the suit then led, or to 
 win or lose the trick. 
   
   
   
 18 THE LAWS OF CINCH. 
   
 If during the bidding for the trump 
 
 privilege any player should name the suit 
 he is bidding on before the dealer has 
 accepted his bid, or if he should in any 
 other way give any information as to the 
 suit he intends naming for trump, in case 
 his bid should be accepted, the dealer may 
 call for a new deal, if he so desires, and 
 in such an event shall not lose his deal.   
 
 
 
 THE LAWS OF CINCH Pg 9 
 If during the discarding from a 
 
 hand, or during the drawing of cards, or if 
 at any time during the play of a hand a 
 player should in any waj'^ expose a trump 
 held by him, the opposing players may 
 either claim a new deal or exact the pen- 
 alty incurred by exposing a card. (See 
 Rule 26.) It is not expected that a new 
 deal should be demanded for the uninten- 
 tional exposure of a minor trump card, or 
 one that could possibly have no bearing on 
 the result of the play of the hand. The 
 privilege of claiming a new deal should 
   
   
   
 THE LAWS OF CINCH. 19 
   
 only be taken advantage of when it is ap- 
 parent that the card exposed would convey 
 such information to the player's partner that 
 would or could in any way affect his play. 
   
   
   
 RAZZLE-DAZZLE CINCH. 
   
   
   
 This game was the outcome of the lei- 
 sure moments of some of our representa- 
 tives in Washington, and has the great 
 merit of being very amusing, and can be 
 played by four, five, or six people, making 
 a very entertaining parlor game. 
   
 The rules governing it are the same in 
 the abstract as those governing regular 
 Cinch, with the following differences: 
 When five or six play the game, but six 
 cards are originally dealt. Each player 
 acts independently of all the other players 
 in bidding for the trump privilege, as 
 ther^^are no partners, in the proper accep- 
 tation of the term. After the trump is 
 named, the cards all discarded and the 
 hands all helped, as far as the undealt 
 cards will permit, the buyer of the trump 
   
   
   
 THE LxVWS OF CINCH. 21 
   
 calls upon a certain card to be his partner, 
 and the party holding that card becomes 
 his partner for that hand only, and all the 
 other players combine against the two, and 
 all points made by the buyer and his call 
 are credited to their respective scores, aS 
 in the regular game, and the points made 
 by the opposing parties are similarly scored, 
 each player being credited with the full 
 number of points made by their side. 
   
 
 
 
 THE LAWS OF CINCH Pg 10 
 Should the buyer and his call fail to 
 make the amount bid, they are each set 
 back the number of points bid for the 
 trump privilege. 
   
 When the play of one deal has been 
 completed and the points scored, another 
 deal commences by the party whose legiti- 
 mate turn it is to deal, and the bid4ing 
 goes on as before, and the buyer again 
 calls for any card he may elect to, after 
 his discard has been made and his hand 
 completed. 
   
   
   
 32 THE LAWS OF CINCH. 
   
 If the buyer of the trump privilege feels 
 that his hand is strong enough to make 
 the amount bid by him, and he prefers to 
 play without a partner, the calling and 
 joining forces with any other player is not 
 compulsory, but it is seldom that one hand 
 can make a successful stand against three 
 or four other hands. 
   
 This play is continued until some one of 
 the party has scored the required 42. 
   
 If the game should be for a stake, and 
 more than one player should score the 42 
 simultaneously, the stake should be di- 
 vided amongst the successful hands. 
   
 GENERAL. 
   
 Little can be said in regard to the value 
 of cards or the method of play in a two- 
 handed game, as an average of fully one- 
 half the pack will remain undealt, and 
 the points in play being always uncer- 
 tain, many hands are purely speculative, 
   
   
   
 THE LAWS OF CINCH. 33 
   
 and the non-bidder can often, by declining 
 to draw any cards, defeat his adversary 
 who bid more than the real value of his 
 hand, relying upon catching points in his 
 opponent's hand.  
 
 
 
 THE LAWS OF CINCH Pg 11 
 These pretty points of 
 play, however, are more intuitive than 
 aught else, and no rules could ever be 
 formulated to cover them. 
   
 In a game of three hands, the object of 
 each player remains the same as in a two 
 or four-handed game — to make points for 
 his own score; but if he finds he is not 
 able to succeed in that, his next endeavor 
 should be to do all in his power to set back 
 the buying player, who is striving to se- 
 cure sufficient points to make his bid good. 
 In doing this, however, proper attention 
 should be paid to the state of the score and 
 the play regulated accordingly. Thus it 
 is good policy and equitable play, when a 
 player holds points which he finds he can- 
 not make, to play them if possible into the 
   
   
   
 24 THE LAWS OF CINCH. 
   
 hands of the player whose score is lowest, 
 even should the lowest score belong to the 
 bidder. 
   
 All good card players are aware of the 
 importance of affording information as to 
 the unplayed cards they hold, and in the 
 game of Cinch this can be done not only 
 by your play but by your bid; the rules 
 governing such bids and plays must be 
 largely conventional, and subject to modifi- 
 cations, when necessary. Thus, if you are 
 the age hand in a game of partners, if you 
 should hold one or more five-spots and lit- 
 tle other strength, a bid of five would con- 
 vey to your partner that you had a five- 
 spot, and he could strengthen his bid if he 
 could know what color your five- spot was, 
 which he can often do. A single Ace, with 
 little or no support, in the hands of the age 
 player, always warrants a bid of six, and 
 your partner can often know just what suit 
 your Ace is from. On an Ace and King of 
   
   
   
 THE LAWS OF CINCH. 25 
   
 a suit, with any support at all, seven can 
 be safely bid by the first bidder. 
   
 
 
 
 THE LAWS OF CINCH Pg 12 
 The second player, in bidding, is not 
 called upon to recognize the legitimate 
 value of the cards he holds, as his partner 
 is the dealer, and having all the remaining 
 cards to draw from, has at least one point 
 the advantage of the other players. 
   
 The third player should raise the bid of 
 the second player, if his cards warrant it, 
 and in most cases bid the full value of 
 his hand and force the dealer to give the 
 largest possible bid if he wishes to name 
 the trump. 
   
 The dealer can afford to risk more on his 
 hand than any other player, and the state 
 of the score and his partner's bid should 
 govern his offer. 
   
 As before stated, these rules are purely 
 conventional, and a good player will soon 
 learn just when to force the fighting. 
   
 Proper attention should at all times be 
   
   
   
 116 THE LAWS OF CINCH. 
   
 paid to the score when bidding, for, if well 
 ahead of your adversaries, you can afford 
 to speculate a little on your partner's hand, 
 unless you should be within three or four 
 points of the goal, when conservative play 
 is both judicious and advisable. When 
 both scores are within six or seven points 
 of the required number, always bear in 
 mind that the five-spot of trumps counts 
 before the Cinch, as you can often force 
 the play you want by losing the Cinch to 
 your opponents. 
   
 It is a difficult matter to make any 
 analysis of leads or hands in the game of 
 Cinch. The play of a hand depends a 
 great deal upon the amount bid, the num- 
 ber of trumps held by you and the strength 
 developed in the other hands by the dis- 
 cards. 
   
 
 
 
 THE LAWS OF CINCH Pg 13 
 As buyer of trump, with Ace and one 
 inferior trump, and your partner showing 
 numerical strength by his draw, lead Ace 
   
   
   
 THE LAWS OF CINCH. 27 
   
 at once to relieve your partner of an}^ 
 5-spot he may hold; with Ace and King 
 alone, if no 5-spot falls upon your Ace 
 lead, it is frequently good play to hold 
 your King and lead an off-suit; with Ace 
 and King and one inferior trump, or 
 Ace and two inferior trumps, the same 
 policy is advisable. With four strong 
 leads and no 5-spot, you can afford to be 
 aggressive; at the same time, if your first 
 lead be with an Ace and your partner plays 
 no 5-spot upon it, and he showed two or 
 more trumps from his discard, it is good 
 play to lead an off-suit, letting your partner 
 utilize his trumps by heading the trick in 
 the 3rd play, thus strengthening your own 
 hand; when this course of play is adopted, 
 your partner should lead you an off-suit in 
 return, and your adversaries will soon give 
 evidence of being in trouble. 
   
 If your partner has four or more trumps 
 it is a great help to his hand to have the 
   
   
   
 38 THE LAWS OF CINCH. 
   
 trumps forced, and you should lead him 
 your best card. If the buyer of a trump 
 finds that either of his adversaries have a 
 greater number of trumps than he has, 
 he should try to equalize the hands, after 
 his first lead, by leading an off-suit through 
 or up to the longest hand — provided he 
 knows his partner to have two or more 
 trumps — otherwise he might just as well 
 force the opposing hands by always lead- 
 ing his best card. 
   
 A 5-spot is an element of weakness in 
 your hand, unless well guarded, as your 
 play is often cramped by trying to protect 
 With both Cinch and Pedro in your 
 
 hand and two other trumps, it is often good 
 play to lead your Cinch at the start, as it 
 will draw one or more leading cards and 
 thus strengthen both your own and ji'our 
 partner's hands; with both Cinch and Pedro 
 in your hand and highest trump lead, or 
 played by your partner, play your Cinch, as 
   
   
   
 THE LAWS OF CINCH. 29 
   
 the play of the Pedro on your partner's 
 lead should be accepted as evidence that 
 the Cinch is not in your hand. 
   
 
 
 
 THE LAWS OF CINCH Pg 14 
 When second player, with one or both 5- 
 spots in your hand and inferior trump or 
 off-suit led by first player, play your Cinch 
 or Pedro and trust the trick to your part- 
 ner. 
   
 After a few games a good player can 
 become en rapport with his partner's method 
 of play, and govern himself accordingly. 
   
 In support of the lead of an off-suit, after 
 the lead of an Ace or as the first lead, take 
 the following hand: 
   
 " CLUES trumps; deal anywhere." 
   
 A — Ace, King, Queen Clubs and three 
 cards of other suits. 
   
 Y — 10, 8, 6, 5, 3 Clubs and Cinch. 
   
 B — Knave, 9, 7 Clubs and three cards of 
 any other suit. 
   
 Z — 4, 2 Clubs and four cards of any other 
 suit. 
   
   
   
 30 THE LAWS OF CINCH. 
   
 If A leads his trumps successively, A and 
 B can make but 3 points; if A leads trumps 
 twice and then leads an off-suit, A and B 
 can make but 4 points. If, however, A 
 leads trumps and then an off-suit, B's hand 
 being properly played, A and B make 9 
 points, and if A's first lead is an off-suit, .14 
 points will be made by them. 
   
 In like manner, suppose 
 "CLUBS trumps; deal anywhere." 
   
 A — Ace, 7, 6, 4 Clubs and two other 
 cards of any kind. 
   
 Y — King, Queen, Knave, 10, 5 Clubs and 
 Cinch. 
   
 B — 9, 3 Clubs and four other cards of 
 any other suit. 
   
 Z — 8, 2 Clubs and four other cards; 
 or, 
   
 A — King, Queen, 6, 3 Clubs and any other 
 two cards.   
 
 
 
 THE LAWS OF CINCH Pg 15 
 Y — Ace, Knave, 10, 9, 5 Clubs and Cinch. 
   
 B — 8, 4 Clubs and four other cards. 
   
   
   
 THE LAWS OF CINCH. 31 
   
 Z — 7, 2 Clubs and any other four cards. 
   
 If A has bought the trump for 6 or 7, 
 his only possible hope to make his bid 
 would be by leading an off-suit as first 
 lead. If Z held one of the o-spots and Y 
 one less trump, the result would be the 
 same; or if Z one 5-spot and three trumps, 
 or two 5 and two other trum.ps, the play 
 would be the same — so that where the buy- 
 ing side has but six trumps against their 
 opponent's seven, an off-suit lead is at all 
 times the safest. 
   
 If 3^our partner holds a 5-spot, your Ace 
 is always sure of G points, whether led or 
 not, and his first play conveys information 
 on that score — if, for instance, on your off- 
 suit lead your partner declines to head the 
 trick, the inference is that he has no trump 
 high enough, or has both -"i-spots in his 
 hand, and you can govern your play 
 accordingly; if on the other hand he heads 
 the trick, the inference is certain that he 
   
   
   
 32 THE LAWS OF CINCH. 
   
 has not both the 5-spots in his hand, or is 
 all trumps, and in many cases his return 
 lead will convey to you the desired infor- 
 mation, whether he has any 5 or not. 
   
 With the amount bid safe in hand, it is 
 often the best play to be aggressive and 
 lead trumps; but with 7 or more bid and 
 but three trumps or less, it can be safely 
 assumed that in nearly all cases the off- 
 suit lead is the wisest plan of action. Of 
 course, with a partner that does not under- 
 stand the game, no rules for proper play 
 can be laid down, but you must play your 
 own hand as the emergency demands. 
   
 
 
 
 THE LAWS OF CINCH Pg 16 
 Away back in the early part of the sev- 
 enteenth century, when Whist was in its 
 infancy, a short treatise on the rules and 
 laws of the game was published anony- 
 mously, and when Edmond Floyle ac- 
 knowledged the authorship he became 
 famous the world over, and though he has 
 been dead over a hundred years, and the 
   
   
   
 THE LAWS OF CINCH. 33 
   
 original treatise lost in the revised and 
 unabridged works of modern authorities, 
 he is still referred to by a large majority 
 of people as the present standard author- 
 ity on not only cards but all games, and 
 "according to Hoyle" has become one of 
 the necessarj^ phrases of the times. A 
 closer study of the different leading games 
 of cards has resulted in extensive and 
 exhaustive analytical works, and the best 
 soon becomes the acknowledged authority. 
   
 ETIQUETTE. 
   
 In laying down any rules on the etiquette 
 of Cinch, we cannot do better than to fol- 
 low the etiquette of Whist as laid down 
 by Cavendish, and as the future of Cinch 
 will develop it as a co-equal of Whist, 
 there is no reason why as much respect 
 should not be paid to all its surroundings. 
 Cavendish says: The following rules be- 
 long to the established Etiquette of Whist. 
   
   
   
 34 THE LAWS OF CINCH. 
   
 They are not called laws, as it is difficult 
 — in some cases impossible — to apply any 
 penalty to their infraction, and the only 
 remedy is to cease to play with partners 
 who habitually disregard them: 
   
 Any one having the lead and several 
 winning cards to play, should not draw a 
 second card out of his hand until his part- 
 ner has played to the first trick, such act 
 being a distinct intimation that the former 
 has played a winning card. 
   
 No intimation whatever, by word or gest- 
 ure, should be given by a player as to the 
 state of his hand, or of the game. 
   
 
 
 
 THE LAWS OF CINCH Pg 17 
 A player who desires the cards to be 
 placed, or who demands to see the last 
 trick, should do it for his own information 
 only, and not in order to invite the atten- 
 tion of his partner. 
   
 No player should object to refer to a by- 
 stander who professes himself uninterested 
 in the game, and able to decide any dis- 
   
   
   
 THE LAWS OF CINCH. 35 
   
 puted question of facts; as to who played 
 any particular card, etc., etc. 
   
 It is unfair to revoke purposel)''; having 
 made a revoke, a player is not justified in 
 making a second in order to conceal the 
 first. 
   
 Until the players have made such bets 
 as they wish, bets should not be made with 
 bystanders. 
   
 Bystanders should make no remark, 
 neither should they by word or gesture 
 give any intimation of the state of the 
 game until concluded and scored, nor 
 should they walk around the table to 
 look at the different hands. 
   
 No one should look over the shoulder of 
 a player against whom he is betting. 
   
 
 
 Publication Date: January 29th 2015 https://www.bookrix.com/-mk496e398f1e345