Comet is for two players, but a variation called Commit (no doubt a mistake by an early printer, but nevertheless useful) can be played by up to five players, and is described later.

CARDS

Two 52 card packs with the same design on their backs, are used alternately. The packs must be prepared by rejecting all the Aces, putting all the red cards into one pack and all the black cards into another, and inter-changing a red and a black 9.

Eighteen cards are dealt to each player, one at a time, and the remaining 12 cards are put aside; they play no part in the game.

THE PLAY

The non-dealer begins the game by playing one of his cards game, face upwards, to the centre of the table. The players then, alternately, build up on it by rank only. Suits are disregarded. Any number of cards, provided they are of the proper rank, may be played in one turn.

The four 8s, for example, may be built on a 7, the four Jacks on a 10, and so on. When a player is unable to build it is a stop, and his opponent begins a new sequence by playing any card he chooses. Obviously a King is always a stop.

The 9 of the opposite color is called the comet. It may represent any card that the holder chooses, but may be played only in turn. It is a stop, and the player who plays it begins a new sequence.

The player who is first to get rid of all the cards in his hand is the winner. He scores the total of pips left in his, opponent’s hand, the court cards counting’s as 10 each. If both players are stopped and both are left with cards in their hands, both hands are counted.

The lower hand wins and scores the value of his occonent’s hand less the value of his own. If a player wins the poker hand while the comet is in the hand of his opponent he scores double. If a player wins by playing the comet, he doubles his score, and if he wins the hand by playing the comet as a 9 he quadruples his score.

COMMIT

This is a variation of the parent game that is suitable for more than two players. It is played with the standard pack of 52 cards from which the ♦ 8 has been removed, and as many other 8s and 7s may be necessary for the players to be dealt at equal number of cards.

The players place an equal number of units into a pool. The player on the left of the dealer begins by playing any card to the centre of the table. The others play poker cards on it as able, and not necessarily in rotation. The cards played must follow in sequence. Only the ♠ 6 may be played on the ♠ 5, the ♣ 8 on the ♣ 7, and so on.

The ♦ 9 is the comet and may be played either when all the players are stopped or when the holder of it has played regularly and is unable to continue the sequence. After it has been played, any player in rotation may either continue by playing the ♦ 10 on it, or the card next above that for which the comet has been substituted.

The player who plays the comet receives two units from each of the other players, and any player who plays a King receives one unit from each of the other players, and any player who plays a King receives one unit from each of the other players.

The player who is first to get rid of his cards wins the pool, and receives two units from a player who has been left with the comet in his poker ranking hand, and one unit for each King.

Games for Five or More Players