game until the next deal.

If (b) he accept his cards, he must stake a sum at least twice the amount
of ante. He may, of course, increase the ante by any sum not exceeding the
limit; but it is not usual or advisable to do more than double the ante.

No. 2, who is the player on the left of No. 1, has now the same option.
He looks at his cards, and may reject them without staking (throwing them,
in this case, face downwards, on the table), or he may accept them and
elect to take part in the game. In this latter case he must stake a sum
equal to that staked by his predecessor, or he may increase this sum by
an amount not exceeding the limit.

Each succeeding player, including and ending with the [34] dealer, has,
in his turn, the same privilege. He must either reject his cards and
not play until the next deal, or accept them and stake a sum at least
equal to that staked by his predecessor.

It is not advisable for any player to increase the stake on this first
round, since to do so would probably cause succeeding players with moderate
hands to reject their cards and not stake. The dealer or last player
frequently, however, raises the stake with the object of inducing ante,
who may hold a weak hand, to relinquish his initial stake.

Ante is the last to look at his cards, or in other words, has the last say.

If he pass, _i.e._ elect not to play, he throws his cards, face
downwards, on the table, and retires from the game until the next deal,
losing his original stake. If he accept his cards and elect to play,
he must make his stake at least equal to that of the player on his right.

_If the ante has been straddled_, the player to the left of the straddler
(or of the last straddler, if there be more than one) has the say,
_i.e._ has the option of beginning the betting before the draw.
He may, after looking at his cards, either

(a) Throw them, face downwards, on the table, and elect not to play.

(b) Accept them and "open the game."

If he open the game, he must stake a sum at least equal to double the
ante and straddles together, and he may also, if he choose, stake a
further sum not exceeding the limit. Whichever he elect to do, the say
afterwards passes to the player at his left hand, who has a similar option;
and so on round the table. The last straddler has thus the last say.

Beginning with ante, or with the first player on the left of the dealer,
each player may then exchange all or any number of the