Fear
The
game of Fear is a card game, from the family of pool games,
which require a relatively large number of players, only
one of whom will win the stakes of all the others. As a result, losses
are generally minor while a single player wins a relatively
substantial sum. It is one of the simplest convivial games there is.
1.
Number of players and deck of cards
The
game of Fear is played by five to twelve players, more or less, with a
complete deck of 52 cards.
2.
The stake
At
the start of the game, each player receives a quantity of chips,
called the stake, determined by how long one wants
the game to last. The larger the stake, the longer the game will last. One
might, for example, take 2 chips per player. Beyond six players it is
preferable to take only a single chip per player.
The
game is played until only a single player still possesses
at least one chip.
3.
Preparation, the fear card
A
player takes the cards, shuffles them, and after having them cut
by the player to his left, spreads them, face down, on the table
in thirteen columns of four cards. He then names a card that will be « the
fear », by its rank and suit. For example, he will announce « jack
of spades ».
4.
Play of the game, the pool
The
player seated to the right of the dealer begins. He turns over at
random a card from the cards spread on the table and, if this card is not the
fear, the player to his right does the same, and so on,
always moving counterclockwise.
If
a player uncovers the fear, he must put one of his chips
into a basket or directly on the table – this chip together with those
that will subsequently be added to it forms the pool – and name another card
which will be the new fear. Play then resumes with the player placed to
his right, who in turn turns over a card. The game continues in this way until
only a single player remains in possession of at least one chip. That player
wins the game and takes the pool.
A
single hand may not be enough to determine a winner, in which case
another must be played. To do this, the player who turned over the
last card of the previous hand gathers all the cards, shuffles them,
and after having them cut by the player to his
left, spreads them on the table, face down, as for the
first hand. Play resumes with the player placed to his right. As
many hands are played as is necessary to determine
a winner of the pool.
Players
who have no more chips can no longer turn over cards until
the end of the game.
The
game ends immediately as soon as only one player holds
one or more chips.
Reference
Pierre
M. Huvier des Fontenelles, Les Soirées amusantes ou entretien sur les
jeux à gages ou d'autres, Veuve Duchesne et fils, Paris, 1790, 2e éd.
Page information
Published
online on September 28, 2010
Proofread on October 16, 2021
Author : Philippe
LALANNE
Le Salon des jeux - Académie des jeux oubliés
