The game of Cassino is played by two persons, with a pack of
fifty-two cards.
DEALING
The players cut for deal. Lowest deals. At the outset of the game,
the dealer gives four cards to each player, and lays out four other
cards face upwards upon the table. The cards are dealt two or four
at a time; the eldest hand first, the laid-out cards next, the dealer
last.
After the cards are all played, four more cards are similarly dealt
to each player, but none laid out; and this is repeated until all the
cards have been dealt. (See Rule 4.)
PLAYING
After the deal is completed the eldest hand plays first.
The primary object in Cassino is to capture as many cards as
possible, and this is done in four different ways; Pairing,
Combining, Building, and Calling. A description of each of these
will cover all the possible varieties of play that can take place.
It must first be understood that one card must be played from the
hand every time that it is the player's turn to play; and further,
that only one card can be played at each turn.
If a card is played, and it cannot be used for pairing, or to take a
combination, or to form a build or call it, it must remain on the
table.
Pairing.--This consists in capturing one or more cards by means of
a similar card played from the hand. Thus, a King (or a Seven) for
instance, held in the hand will take all the Kings (or Sevens) that
are upon the table. The card played and all the cards it captures
becoming the property of the player.
Combining.--A player, when it is his turn to play, may group
together two or more cards that are upon the table. Thus, a Two
and a Six on the table may be combined to form an eight; or an
Ace, Three, and Five will form a nine. Two or more combinations
may be made at the same time, provided each combination
produces a similar numerical result. Thus: Suppose there are on
the table an Ace, Two, Four, Five, and Six; the Four and five will
combine to make a nine; and the Ace, Two, and Six will form
another nine. They are all then captured by a Nine played from the
hand.
