Auction Pitch is played with a pack of fifty-two cards, which rank as at Whist, and by any number of persons, from four to eight. The deal is determined by cutting; the player cutting the highest card deals. Ace is high. After the deal has been determined, and the cards have been shuffled and cut by the player to the right of the dealer, the dealer delivers sir cards to each player, three at a time, in rotation, beginning with the player to his left. No trump is turned. After the first band has been played, the deal passes in rotation to the left. After the cards have been dealt, the eldest hand (the player to the left of the dealer) proceeds to sell the privilege of pitching the trump. Each player in turn has the right to make one bid, but no more. The bidding proceeds in rotation, beginning with the player to the left of the eldest hand. The eldest hand has the last say, and may either sell to the highest bidder, or decline to sell, and pitch the trump himself. If the seller decline to entertain the highest bid, and pitch the trump himself, he is entitled, if successful, to score all the points he may make; but if he fail to make as many points as the highest number offered, he must be set back just that number of points, and he cannot score anything he may have made during the play of that hand.

A player whose bid has been accepted may score not only the number of points he bid, if he make them, but also any points he may make in excess thereof. If a player buy the privilege of pitching the trump and fail to make or save the necessary number of points, he must be set back the number of points he bid, and he cannot score anything he may have made during the play of that hand. The seller, when he accepts a bid, scores the points at once, and before a card is led. If no bid is made, the seller must pitch the trump himself. The game is ten points. All points a player may make are deducted from his score. All points a player may be set back are added to his score. The player whose score is first reduced to nothing wins the game. The points rank and are scored in the following order of precedence: 1. High (the highest trump out). 2. Low (the lowest trump out). 3. Jack (the Knave of trumps). 4. Game. Low scores for the player who originally held it. Jock may be taken with any superior trump, and scores for the player who makes or saves it. In the event of a tie in counting game, that point is not. scored by either party. The game is usually scored on a slate in the following manner: Two crosses are made thus, X X. Each cross represents five points. When a player makes one point, he rubs out the centre of the cross thus, --, and when he makes another point he rubs out one of the remaining portions of the cross, and so on until all are wiped out. If a player is set back, the additional points are marked in a similar manner.

PLAYING THE HAND After it has been determined who is to pitch the trump, the player having that privilege must lead a card of the suit he makes trump. Each player, beginning with the player to the left of the Ieader~ plays a card to the lead. When all the players have played to the lead, that constitutes a trick. The highest card of the suit led wins the trick, and the winner of the trick has the next lead. After the first trick it is not compulsory to lead a trump, and a player may lead a card of any suit he chooses. Each player must follow suit if he can, unless he choose to trump~ If he has no card of the suit led, he is not compelled to trumps but may play a card of any suit he chooses.
The playing proceeds in this way until all the cards held by each of the players are played out. After the hand is played the scores are made, and a new deal ensues; this is continued until some player wins the game. If a player snake a revoke he is debarred from scoring any point he may have made in the play of the band; and in addition, the revoking player must be set back the highest number of points that was bid (in the hand) for the privilege of pitching the trump. Any loss an innocent player may have sustained by reason of the revoke, if claimed, must be rectified and made good, provided the same can be dearly demonstrated by subsequent examination of the tricks. In all other particulars this game is goverened by the laws of All-Fours.

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