PIQUET, a game at cards, probably a development of ronfa, a game mentioned by Berni in 1526. The Spanish name of the game was cientos (centurn, a hundred). Piquet was played in England under the name of cent, probably as early as 1550.
The dealer deals 12 cards to his adversary and 12 to himself, two at a time, or three at a time. He then places the eight un dealt cards, called the "stock," face downwards on the table, the top five being for the elder hand (non-dealer) to take from first in exchange for his own. The players now look at their hands, and carte blanche (see later) having been declared, if there is one, put out (without showing them) such cards as they deem advisable in order to improve their hands, and take in an equiv alent number from the stock. Each player must discard at least one card. If the elder hand discards less than the five he is en titled to, he must state how many he leaves. He is entitled to look at the cards he leaves, replacing them face downwards on the top of the stock. The younger hand then makes the exchange from the remainder of the stock. If the elder hand leaves any of the top five, the younger may exchange as many as remain in the stock, discarding an equal number. If the younger hand leaves any cards, he announces the Lumber left. He may look at the cards he leaves. If he looks at them he must show them to the elder hand, after the elder has named the suit he will lead first, or has led a card.
If the younger hand elects not to look at the cards left the elder cannot see them. The younger hand must make his election before he plays to the card first led, or, if so required, after the dealer has named the suit he will first lead. Each player may examine his own discard at any time during the hand; but he must keep it separate from his other cards.
The elder hand next declares what he has in his hand.
The "point" must be called first or the right to call it is lost. It is scored by the player who announces the suit of greatest strength, valued thus: ace 11 ; court cards, 1 o each; other cards, the number of pips on each. Thus if the elder hand's best suit is ace, king, knave, nine, eight, he calls "five cards." If the younger hand has no suit of five cards, he says "good." The elder hand then says "in spades," or whatever the suit may be, or shows his point face upwards. If the younger hand has a suit of more than five cards, he says "not good." If the younger hand has also five cards, he says "equal" or "what do they make?" when the elder calls "forty-eight" (or "making eight," short for forty-eight).
The younger must not inquire what the point makes unless he has an equal number of cards. If the younger hand's five cards make less than 48 he says "good"; if exactly forty-eight, he says "equal"; if more than forty-eight he says "not good." The player whose point is good reckons one for each card of it; if the points are equal neither player scores for point.
"Sequences" are usually called next, the elder hand stating what his best sequence is, and the younger saying, "good," "equal," or "not good," as in the case of the point. Any three or more con secutive cards of the same suit held in hand constitute a sequence. The order of the cards is as follows: ace (highest), king, queen, knave, ten, nine, eight, seven (lowest). A sequence of three cards is called a "tierce"; of four, a "quart"; of five, a "quint"; of six, a "sixieme"; of seven, a "septieme"; of eight, a "huitieme." A tierce of ace, king, queen is called a "tierce major"; a tierce of king, queen, knave is called a "tierce to a king" (and so on for other intermediate sequences according to the card which heads them) ; a tierce of nine, eight, seven is called a "tierce minor." Sequences of four or more cards follow the same nomenclature; e.g. ace, king, queen, knave is a quart major; knave, ten, nine, eight, is a quart to a knave ; and so on. A sequence of a greater number of cards is good against a sequence of a smaller number; thus, a quart minor is good against a tierce major. As between sequences, containing the same number of cards, the one headed by the highest card is good ; thus, a quart to a queen is good against a quart to a knave. Only identical sequences can be equal. The player whose sequence is good reckons one for each card of it, and ten in addition for quints or higher sequences. Thus a tierce counts three ; a quart, four ; a quint fifteen ; a sixieme, six teen; and so on. If the elder hand's sequence is good, he names the suit, or shows it face upwards. If the highest sequence (or the sequence first called) is good, all lower sequences can be reckoned, notwithstanding that the adversary has a sequence of interme diate value. For example, A has a quart to a queen (good) and a tierce minor. He calls and reckons seven, notwithstanding that B has a quart to a knave. B's quart counts nothing. If the high est sequence is equal, neither player scores anything for sequence.