BOUILLOTTE

bouillotte, a french game of cards, very popular during the revolution, and again for some years from 1830. five, four or three persons may play; a piquet pack is used, from which, in case five play, the sevens, when four the knaves, and when three the queens also, are omitted. counters or chips, as in poker, are used. before the deal each player "antes" one counter, after which each, the "age" passing, may "raise" the pot; those not "seeing the raise" being obliged to drop out. three cards are dealt to each player, and a thirteenth, called the _retourne_, when four play, turned up. each player must then bet, call, raise or drop out. when a call is made the hands are shown and the best hand wins. the hands rank as follows: _brelan carre_, four of a kind, one being the _retourne_; _simple brelan_, three of a kind, ace being high; _brelan favori_, three of a kind, one being the _retourne_. when no player holds a _brelan_ the hand holding the greatest number of pips wins, ace counting 11, and court cards 10.