be understood that ace, king, queen, is the only certain
combination with which to secure three tricks, but these cards, again,
are seldom met with in a hand, and speculation is once more the principal
matter for consideration. Ace, knave, and ten of a suit is generally
good for three tricks, as the only possibility against such a combination
is that one of the other players holds king or queen of the same suit,
with a smaller trump to throw away when the ace is led. Three tricks are,
however, often called on much lower cards than ace, knave, ten, especially
when the other cards in the hand are of one suit, or are sufficiently high
to admit of the possibility of one of them securing a trick. The same line
of reasoning holds good in regard to a declaration of two tricks, the only
certainty in that case being ace and king.

It must not be considered, after these comments on the game, that there is
any great difficulty to surmount in acquiring [7] a knowledge of Napoleon.
As we said at the commencement of our remarks no great skill is essential,
but considerable care is necessary to secure anything like success at the
game, the chief factor in which is so-called luck. It is impossible to
make tricks, or even declare an intention to try for them, unless one
receives a certain number of high cards. One may even go further, and
say that luck goes far beyond the actual cards dealt to each player, for
the best of hands often fail, and poor cards frequently achieve success;
whilst it happens, in numerous cases, that the playing of the cards
demonstrates that really weak hands would have secured success if the
holder had had the pluck, or impudence, we may term it, to declare more
than the value of the cards seemed to justify. On the other hand it
is often astonishing to find the number of high cards of a given suit
included among the fifteen, twenty, or twenty-five in the hands of the
players engaged in the game.

Taking all matters into consideration, it must be regarded as virtually
impossible to give any precise rules for deciding the number of tricks
to declare, and it is equally difficult to lay down any definite plan for
playing the cards to the tricks. We can only generalize for the information
of our readers, who must decide for themselves whether they will play an
adventurous game, with its greater risks, and greater possibilities of
success; or whether they will adopt a quieter and less speculative course,
stand