Napoleon (card game)

the European trick taking game

Napoleon or Nap is a straightforward trick taking game in which players receive five cards each and whoever bids the highest number of tricks chooses trumps and tries to win at least that number of tricks. It is often described as a simplified version of Euchre, although David Parlett believes it is more like "an elaboration of Rams". meaning to take five of anything. It may be less popular now than it was, but it is still played in some parts of southern England and in Strathclyde. Despite its title and allusions, it is not recorded before the last third of the nineteenth century, and may have been first named after Napoleon III.

Rules for Napoleon, "a very spirited and interesting game", were first published in England in 1876. Another, shorter, rule set appeared in 1882 when it was described as "comparatively new" but "exceedingly interesting" and a "lively and stirring round game". However, an 1884 treatise claims that while Napoleon is "neither new nor unknown", its "popularity stands unrivalled" being played by "tens of thousands and yet remaining unchronicled". The 1885 American Hoyle claims that it is a French modification of Euchre. Hoffmann, in a very extensive account in 1889, introduces a number of variations, including the higher bid of "Wellington" and the bid of "Misery" to lose all tricks which ranks between three tricks and four tricks. That same year it is described in the French Revue Britannique as "very popular on both sides of the Atlantic". By 1897, Napoleon had become the national card game of England, Foster telling us that "few games have become so widely known in such a short time, or have had such a vogue among all classes of society". By 1982, this "English member of the Ecarté family" was widely played in pubs although, as Pennycook points out, this was technically illegal if played for money and the publican had not applied for a licence. For a long time Nap was Britain's national five card game and, although it has declined in popularity, it is still played in parts of southern England and in Strathclyde, Scotland.

The old game of Napoleon consists simply of five cards dealt out singly with the various players bidding in their turn how many tricks they think they can make. Eldest hand, the player to the dealer's left, has the privilege of bidding first, and then every other player in clockwise order may bid up to the limit, Napoleon, which is a bid to take all five tricks. Whoever bids highest plays alone against the rest and leads to the first trick, the card led determining the trump for that hand. The remaining players then play to the trick in turn and the winner of the trick leads to the next. The cards are not gathered or packed together, but left face upwards on the table in front of their owners, except for the winning card, which must be kept turned face down on the table. Players must follow suit; otherwise may play any card.

After the shuffle, the pack is cut by the player at the dealer's right. The cut must leave at least four cards in each packet.

Each player receives five cards, dealt in a round of three at a time, followed by a round of two at a time.

The highest bidder makes the opening lead, and the suit of this lead becomes trump. The hands are played out in tricks with clockwise rotation. A player must follow the suit led if able. If unable to follow, any card may be played. A trick is won by the highest trump in it; if no trump is played, the highest card of the suit led wins. The winner of the trick leads to the next trick.

Napoleon is usually played for stakes. An equal number of chips is distributed to every player. It is also possible to play for money (as in "Penny Nap", where each trick is worth one penny) A bidder who makes his or her bid, collects from each other player. It matters not if more tricks were taken than announced; the winner is only paid for the number of tricks announced. A bidder who fails to achieve the tricks bid, loses and pays every other player for the number of tricks announced before play. Less than 5: in the event of a win, the bidder wins 1 stake from each opponent for each trick announced; if the bidder loses, the bidder pays 1 stake per trick announced to each player. Nap: Bidder wins 10 from every player, or loses 5 to every player. Thus, playing Nap against 4 players, the bidder would win 40 chips (10 from every player), or lose 20 chips (the bidder pays 5 to every player).

Failure to follow suit to the lead when able is called a revoke. A revoking bidder must pay all opponents as though the game has been lost. A revoking player must pay the bidder the full amount the bidder would have collected had he or she won. In the last case, the other opponents pay nothing. In every case, play is abandoned and settlement is made at once.

Misère: Bidder wins 3 from every player. Wellington: Bidder wins 10 from every player. Blücher: Bidder wins 10 from every player.

Misère: Bidder pays 3 to every player. Wellington: Bidder pays 10 to every player. Blücher: The stakes are double what they are in Wellington. Bidder pays 20 to every player. Sir Garnet: The stakes are the same as on the ordinary Nap call. Ecarté Nap: At the same stakes it will be found to be more expensive than the latter game, but a great deal more interesting. Seven card Nap: Players losing nap, misery, six, or seven pay half stakes.