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BOSTON

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Originally appearing in Volume V04, Page 297 of the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica.
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BOSTON , a See also:

game of See also:cards invented during the last See also:quarter of the 18th See also:century. It is said to have originated in Boston, See also:Massachusetts, during the See also:siege by the See also:British. It seems to have been invented by the See also:officers of the See also:French See also:fleet which See also:lay for a See also:time off the See also:town of See also:Marblehead, and the name of the two small islands in Marblehead See also:harbour which have, from the See also:period of the See also:American Revolution, been called See also:Great and Little Misery, correspond with expressions used in the game. See also:William Tudor, in his Letters on the Eastern States, published in 1821, states somewhat differently that " A game of cards was invented in See also:Versailles and called in See also:honour of the town, Boston; the points of the game are allusive, `great See also:independence," little independence," great misery," little misery,' &c. It is composed partly of See also:whist and partly of See also:quadrille, though partaking mostly of the former." The game enjoyed an extraordinary See also:vogue in high French society, where it was the See also:fashion at that time to admire all things American. " The ladies . . . filled my pockets with bon-bons, and . . . called me `le See also:petit Bostonien.' It was indeed by the name of Bostonian that all Americans were known in See also:France then. The See also:war having broken out in Boston and the first great See also:battle fought in its neighbourhood, gave to that name universal celebrity. A game invented at that time, played with cards, was called ` Boston,' and is to this See also:day (1830) exceedingly fashionable at See also:Paris by that appellation " (Recollections of See also:Samuel Breck, See also:Philadelphia, 1877). There was a tradition that Dr See also:Franklin was fond of the game and even that he had a See also:hand in its invention. At the See also:middle of the 19th century it was still popular in See also:Europe, and to a less degree in See also:America, but its favour has steadily declined since then.

The rules of Boston recognized in See also:

English-speaking countries differ somewhat from those in vogue in France. According to the former, two packs of 52 cards are used, which See also:rank as in whist, both for cutting and dealing. Four players take See also:part, and there are usually no partners. Counters are used, generally of three See also:colours and values, and each hand is settled for as soon as finished. The entire first See also:pack is dealt out by fours and See also:fives, and the second pack is cut for the See also:trump, the suit of the card turned being " first preference," the other suit of the same See also:colour " second preference " or " colour," while the two remaining suits are " See also:plain suits." The eldest hand then announces that he will make a certain number of tricks provided he may name the trump, or lose a certain number without trumps. The different bids are called by various names, but the usual ones are as follows :—To win five tricks, " Boston." (To win) " six tricks." (To win) " seven tricks." To lose twelve tricks, after discarding one card that is not shown, " little misere." (To win) " eight tricks." (To win) " nine tricks." To lose every See also:trick, " See also:grand misere." (To win) " ten tricks." (To win) " eleven tricks.' To lose twelve tricks, after discarding one card that is not shown, the remaining twelve cards being exposed on the table but not liable to be called, " little spread." (To win) " twelve tricks." To lose every trick with exposed cards, " grand spread." To win thirteen tricks, " grand slam." If a player does not care to bid he may pass, and the next player bids. Succeeding players may overcall," i.e. overbid, previous bidders. Players passing may thereafter bid only " miseres." If a player bids seven but makes ten he is paid for the three extra tricks, but on a See also:lower See also:scale than if he had bid ten. If no bid should be made, a " misere partout" (See also:general poverty) is often played, the trump being turned down and each player striving to take as few tricks as possible. Payments are made by each loser according to the value of the winner's bid and the overtricks he has scored. There are See also:regular tables of payments. In America over-tricks are not usually paid for.

In French Boston the See also:

knave of diamonds arbitrarily wins over all other cards, even trumps. The names of the different bids remind one of the period of the American Revolution, including " Independence," " Philadelphia," " Souveraine," " See also:Concordia," &c. Other See also:variations of the game are Boston de See also:Fontainebleau and See also:Russian Boston.

End of Article: BOSTON

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BOSTON, THOMAS (1676-1732)

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