NAPOLEON

NAPOLEON, usually called Nap, is one of the simplest of all card games. It is entirely a game for betting.

NUMBER OF PLAYERS

Any number up to six may play, each playing for himself.

CARDS

The full pack of 52 cards is used, cards ranking from Ace (high) to 2 (low). Each player is dealt five cards.

THE PLAY

Beginning with the player on the left of the dealer, every player in turn must either pass or declare to win a specified number of tricks in the ascending order: Two, Three, Four and Nap (a declaration to win all five tricks).

The player who has contracted to win most poker tricks leads to the first trick and the card that he leads determines the trump suit. Play follows the usual routine of trick taking games: a player must follow if he can, otherwise he may discard or trump, and the player who wins a trick leads to the next.

Stakes are paid only on the number of tricks contracted for. Those won above, or lost below, the number contracted for are ignored. The usual method of settlement is by means of a level money transaction:

Payment is made to, and received from, all players at the table.

Nap(oleon) is such an elementary game that in some circles interest is added to it by introducing a number of extraordinary declarations :

Misery is a declaration to lose every trick. It ranks between the declaration of Three and Four, and though normally it is played without a trump suit, some play it with a trump suit, determined as in the parent poker game by the opening lead. It pays and wins three units.

Wellingtonis a declaration to win all five tricks at double stakes. It cannot be declared, however, except over a declaration of Nap.

Blücher is a declaration to win all five tricks at triple stakes. It cannot be declared, however, except over a declaration of Wellington.

Peep nap sanctions the player who has declared Nap (or Wellington or Blucher if these declarations are permitted ) to exchange the top card of the pack for a card in his own hand.

Purchase nap sanctions each player before declaring to exchange any number of cards in his hand for fresh cards, by paying into a pool one unit for every card exchanged. The pool is carried forward from deal to deal and taken by the first player to win Nap(or Wellington or Blucher if these declarations are permitted).

SEVEN CARD NAPOLEON

In this variation seven cards are dealt to each player, and a poker player cannot contract to win fewer than three tricks. There is no Wellington and no Blucher. Misery is optional and, if permitted, ranks between Nap and Six.

Apart from these amendments, the game is played in the same way as the parent game.
 Settlement is made as follows:

Payment is made to, and received from, all players at the table.