AUCTION PITCH, a card game (a variation of All Fours, q. v.) for from four to seven players. A complete pack is used. All the players cut for deal, the highest winning. Ace is the highest card, deuce the lowest. The dealer shuffles, and his opponent at the right cuts. The deal passes to the left. The cards are dealt in rotation, three at a time, to the players, beginning at the dealer's left. Six cards are dealt to each player. If an exposed card or a wrong number be dealt to a player there must be a new deal. The choice of trump is auctioned. Each player has one chance to bid. The player at the dealer's left has the first chance ; he may pass or bid from one to four. Each succeeding player must pass or exceed the preceding bid ; in addition, the dealer may refuse to sell for four, by bidding four. The winner of the auction pitches the trump by leading a card; the suit of the card led becomes trump. If no bid is offered, the player at the dealer's left pitches the trump, without the obligation to fulfil any contract. The winner of one trick leads for the next. Each player who is able must follow suit or trump. A player unable to follow lead to a plain (non-trump) suit may discard or trump. A revoke penalizes the offender the amount bid. Other players score what they make. In addition, the pitcher cannot be penalized for failure to fulfil contract when another player revokes.
The highest card of the suit led or the highest trump played wins the trick. One point is scored by the player dealt the highest trump out ; one point is scored by the player dealt the lowest trump out. The player of a trump may ask if it is high or low. Jack (Knave) counts one point for the player winning the trick containing the Jack of trumps. Cards count one point for the player scoring most, each 1 o scoring 1 o, each Ace 4, each King 3, each Queen 2, and each Jack found in the tricks won by him scoring I. The claimant of cards turns his tricks face up, so that all may count his score. A tie for cards is won by the non-pitcher of trumps; a tie between two other players cannot be scored. Should two players be able to score game, the pitcher has prece dence ; between two non-pitchers able to score game precedence is given ; first, to the holder of high, second to low, third to Jack, last to cards. If the pitcher of trumps fails to fulfil his contract, the amount of his bid is deducted from his score. A minus score puts him "in the hole," his shortage being indicated by a circle about his score. Game is 7 or Io points, as agreed. (E. V. S.)