The Laws of Ecarte

In the 19th century, Écarté was all the rage. The name is French for 'discarded' as the two player game focuses on each playing working to get rid of undesirable cards, and negotiating with the dealer for a set of potentially better cards. The game requires a lot of quick thinking, shuffling, bluffing and luck. It is somewhat similar to Euchre, which was popular in the United States. Although the game can be played with a simple card deck, the rules can become large and cumbersome, or minimal, depending on the players' preference. This work offers a look at various rules and styles of playing Écarté.