The special function of the Jack is that playing it allows the player to take all the cards on the table, but it does not allow him to score for a tablanette.

Obviously therefore, a jack is an excellent card to hold, because playing it compels the opponent to play a lone card to the table and when there is only one card on the table the player whose turn it is to play is in a good position to score a tablanette.

The players play in rotation until they have exhausted their six cards. The dealer then deals another six cards to each, and so on until the pack is exhausted.

When the last batch of six cards has been played, any cards left on the table are taken by the player who last took a card from the table.

The players examine the cards they have taken, and score one point for the ♣ 2 and for every Ace, King, Queen, Jack and 10 (except the ♦ 10 which scores two points). Finally, if a player has taken 27 or more cards he scores three points.

The deal passes in rotation, and the game is won by the player who first scores a total of 251 points.

There is more skill in the game than may be apparent at first sight. If , for example, there is only an 8 on the table and the player holds the cards shown at the top of the page, his best play is the ♥ 4, because no one card has a value of 12 and the opponent, therefore, cannot score a tablanette.

As at all card games it is very important to keep in mind the poker playing cards that have been played. The opponent has scored a tablanette and the player holds:

He has to play a card to the table, and the natural is to play the ♥ 3, because this will give the opponent a minimum score if he can again announce ‘Tablanette’. But if no 3s have been played, but a 10 has, then it is better to play one of the 10s, because the chances are against the opponent holding the remaining 10, and there is a possibility that he holds one of the remaining three 3s.

TABLANETTE FOR THREE PLAYERS

Should three wish to play, the poker game is played in the same way as the parent game, except that the players are dealt four cards (instead of six) at a time.