BRAG  , a very old

game of cards, probably evolved from the ancient Spanish primero, played by five or six, or more players . It is the ancestor of poker . A full pack is used, the cards ranking as at whist, with certain exceptions . There are no trumps . Each player receives three cards and puts up three stakes . The last round is dealt face upwards: the holder of the highest card irrespective of suits wins the first stake from all the players . In the case of equality the elder hand wins, but the ace of diamonds is always a winning card . For the second stake the players: brag or bet against each other, if they hold either a pair, or a pair-royal (three cards of the same rank) . Pairs and pairs-royal take precedence according to the value of the cards composing them, but any pair-royal beats any pair . The knave of clubs may be counted as any card, e.g. two twos and the knave of clubs rank as a pair-royal in twos; two aces and the knave as a pair-. royal in aces . Sometimes the knave of diamonds is allowed; the same privilege, but is inferior to the club knave; e.g. two threes and the club would beat the other two threes and the diamond . Players who accept another's brag must cover his. bet and offer another .

The third stake is won by the player whose cards make 31 or are nearest to 31 by their pips, aces and

court counting ten; but the ace may by arrangement count as i or Ir . Players may draw from the stock, losing if they over-draw . If one player wins all three stakes, he may receive the value of another stake, or of two or three stakes, all round, as arranged . The deal passes as at whist . Each player should have the same number of deals before the game is abandoned .