Loo

Loo, a round game at cards, formerly called lanterloo. About five players make the best game. Each puts down a stake to form a pool; the dealer stakes double. Three cards are dealt to each player as at whist, and an extra hand, called miss. The top card of the stock is then turned up for trumps. Each player in rotation looks at his hand, and declares whether he will play, resign, or take miss. If he takes miss he must play it. The declared players play one card each in rotation, the cards thus played forming a trick. The highest whist card wins, or if trumped, the highest trump. The winner of a trick leads to the next. The cards played remain face upwards before the players. If the leader holds ace of trumps (or king when ace is turned up), he must lead it; if he has two trumps, he must lead one. He is not obliged to lead the highest, unless (a) it is the ace (or king, ace being turned); or (b) there are only two declared players. Subsequent players must follow suit, and must head the trick if able. If not able to follow suit, and holding a trump, they must head the trick by trumping. The winner of the first trick must lead a trump if able. In other respects the play is as at whist. The winners of the tricks divide the pool, one-third for each trick. If only one declares to play, the dealer plays miss for the pool; tricks won by miss remaining in to augment the next pool. If only the dealer declares to play, he takes the pool. If each declared player wins a trick it is a single, and a fresh pool is staked as before, the deal passing to the left of the previous dealer. If any declared player fails to win a trick, he is looted the amount in the pool; the player who now deals puts in a single stake, no one else contributing. It is advisable to fix a limit beyond which a player cannot be looted. If there is more in the pool, the player is only looted up to the limit. There are no recognised laws of loo. The Blenheim Club, for many years the best authority on loo, issued laws for the use of the members. These laws are republished in Round Games at Cards (De La Rue & Co.).