_Ecarté_ is played by two persons with a pack of thirty-two cards, as at piquet. It is customary to have two packs, and of different colours for the sake of distinction. The pack to be first dealt with is placed on the right hand of the dealer, and the other at his left. Though only two persons can play at the same time, it is not unusual to admit one or more into the game, the winner or loser, as may be agreed, resigning his seat to the next in rotation, and this is called _playing a fool_. The game consists of five points, unless it be otherwise agreed upon by the players. OF CUTTING FOR THE DEAL. 1. He who cuts the highest card is entitled to the deal. In most games the lowest card takes the deal, but it is the reverse at ecarté, the deal being considered an advantage on account of the king, of which we shall speak hereafter. 2. He who does not show the card he cuts, is considered as having cut the lowest in the pack. 3. He who shows two cards in cutting is considered as having cut the lowest of the two. 4. The cut for the deal is good, even with a defective pack. 5. In playing a rubber, the deal goes on regularly as at all other games. 6. The order of the cards is as follows: king, queen, knave, ace, ten, nine, eight, seven. OF THE DEAL, THE MISDEAL, AND THE TURN UP CARD. 1. The person who gains the deal shuffles the cards, presents them to his adversary to cut, and then deals ten cards, five to his adversary and five to himself. He distributes them by three and two, or two and three, at his option, beginning with his adversary, turns up the eleventh card as the trump, and places the remainder of the pack or stock, as it is called, at his right hand. 2. The order of dealing observed at the beginning of the game must be continued as long as the game lasts. For instance, if the dealer began with three and two, he cannot change and give two and three; and _vice versâ_. 3. If there be one or more faced cards in the pack, and it be discovered before either hand has been seen, the deal is void, unless it be the eleventh card, which, being the one that is to be turned up, can effect no alteration in the game. 4. If it be not discovered till after the discard has been put out, and the faced card or cards come to the dealer, the deal is good, and the faced card or cards must form a part of his hand. If, on the contrary, a faced card come to the elder hand, he may, at his option, consider the deal good, or call a new deal; for this reason, that the fault being committed by the dealer, the elder hand ought not to suffer for it.