traordinary self-command, the risk of catching it
is too great.

Neither voice, manner, nor features should give the [46] slightest clue
to your hand. One or other will do so at first inevitably, and all will
need a constant effort to control. The perfect Poker player sits like
an automaton, and his face is a mask.

Study your opponents, their features and manner, in success and failure.
To an accurate observer they will generally betray themselves.
An American authority says, "the study of my adversaries is,
of more value than the study of my cards."

Bluffing is at best a very dangerous game, seldom worth the risk, and it
involves, even for its occasional success, a very just estimate of your
opponents. Remember that you cannot bluff even a tyro out of "fours."

If you do bluff, bluff when you are winning, and have established a fear
of your hands in the minds of your opponents.

To bluff when losing is insanity.

In actual play there are few maxims which hold good for all cases.
All depends on what is termed luck, and nearly every Poker player
recognises luck, whatever that may be, as an important factor in the
game--one they often allow to override calculable chances. Some players
seem to have almost persistent good luck, and win with comparatively
poor hands. Others are just as unlucky, losing with high cards.

With a pair, if you decide to play, discard the remaining three cards.
You have then three chances of triplets.

With triplets discard one, your chance of getting fours is remote, and you
leave your opponents in doubt as to whether you are not trying for a flush.

With triplets you may generally risk _seeing_ your opponent.

Never try for the completing card of a sequence. If, for instance,
you have 3, 4, 6, 7 and king, do not play--[47] discarding the king on
the chance of receiving a 5. Throw up your hand. With a sequence you
may generally wait till your opponents think fit to see you.

With fours, discard the odd card, in order to mislead your opponents.
This hand, or anything better, so seldom comes to a player, that he is
justified in staking as much as possible upon it.

Be content to pass sometimes with the better hand. The best players do so,
since it costs less than the habit of calling.

Neither borrow nor lend a penny at the table.

_RULES OF THE GAME_.

_The Deal_.

1. The cards shall be the ordinary pack of fifty-two cards.

2. The players, after being seated, shall