Comet (card game)

Comet is a very old, French

Early sources state that the name manille was given on a whim whereas the name "comet" probably came from the resemblance of the runs of cards played during the game to the long trail of light behind a comet.^[2]

Comet may well have been played in royal circles in Britain as early as the 17th century, shortly after its renaming. In response to a question about the origin of the nickname of the 9 of Diamonds as the curse of Scotland, a correspondent of The Gentleman's Magazine in 1786, states that:

when the Duke of York (a little before his succession to the crown) came to Scotland, he and his suite introduced a new game, there called 'comet,' where the ninth of diamonds is an important card. The Scots who were to learn the game felt it to their cost; and from that circumstance the ninth of diamonds was nicknamed the 'curse of Scotland'."

— The Gentleman's Magazine (1786) Part II, p. 538.^[3]

This appears to refer to James II, formerly the Duke of York, who ascended the throne in 1685.^[4] From 1812 onwards there are references to a very similar game called red nines being played in well-to-do circles in England which may descend from classic comet.^[5]

In 1752, a new variant appeared which, to distinguish it, was called "le nouveau Jeu de la Cométe" ("the new game of Comet"), the original game being referred to as l'Ancienne Cométe ("old comet").^[6]

In the mid-19th century, the American variant called commit emerged, the rules of which have also changed slightly over time.^[7][8][9]

Comet appears to have died out in France in the early 20th century, while its rules continue to be published in English sources to the present.^[a]

Old comet or manille

The earliest known rules for the original game were described in the 1718 edition of Académie Universelle des Jeux, and still give manille as the primary name with Commette or Comete as an alternative.^[2] When the new variant was introduced later, this earlier version was referred to as l'Ancienne Cométe or "old comet".^[6]

The game is intended for two to five players, but it was considered "too boring" with just two players. The aim is to be first to empty one's hand by playing cards out in ascending order up to a King.^[2] Suits are irrelevant.^[b]

Preliminaries

A

Players start with 10

First hand leads any card, but it makes sense to choose a low card of the longest ascending

The player with manille may play it in place of any other card and is paid one fiche by each opponent on doing so. The bonus is forfeited if it is not claimed before the next card is played.[2]

Winning and scoring

The game ends as soon as one player becomes the first to shed all their hand cards. That player becomes the winner and collects one jeton for every point still held in the opponents' hands.

A player left with the manille in hand when the game ends, pays a fiche (or alternatively four jetons) to each opponent plus nine jetons to the winner for the value of the card. Likewise, players left with kings at the end pay 10 to the winner for each king still held.[2]

It may be agreed that the losers will pay one jeton per card left in their hands regardless of their value.^[2]

New comet

The "new" game of comet that appeared in 1752 required two packs of cards from which the eight aces were removed. The packs were then reorganised, with all the red cards in one pack and all the black ones in the other. The ♦9 was put in the black pack and the ♣9 in the red pack; they were the "comets". Otherwise suits were irrelevant as before. The packs were used alternately.^[10]

The aim was the same: on one's turn to play cards in ascending sequence and be first to empty one's hand. It could be played by two or three players, or four in two teams of two. Eighteen cards were dealt to each player, in threes, leaving 12 in the talon. First hand could demand a redeal if their hand was poor.^[10]

First hand led any card and play was as before. However, a player with four cards of one rank could play them all at once. Similarly a player with three nines, with or without the comet, or with two or three kings, could play them at the same time.^[10]

If a player went out by playing the comet as a nine, the bonus and game were paid quadruple. Otherwise ending with the comet was worth double. A player left with the comet in hand when the winner went out, also paid double. A jeton was worth ten points "as in Piquet".^[10]

New comet also recognised for the first time the achievement of "making an opera" i.e. where first hand went out immediately before anyone else played a card. This doubled the game or quadrupled it if the comet was the last to be played. If the comet was played last as a nine, the game was worth x 16 and the points in hand were multiplied by 8.^[10]

A

Eldest leads any card and continues to play cards on top of one another in ascending sequence, announcing each card as it is played until unable to continue, whereupon eldest announces "without" plus the name of the next higher card. For example, a player with a run of 7, 8, 9 says "7, 8, 9 without 10". Turn then passes to the left and the next player may continue the sequence with e.g. "10, jack, without queen" or says "pass" if unable to continue, whereupon the next in turn has the same options. Kings are stops as usual and a player who plays a king may start a new sequence with any card. If a player calls "without..." and the rest pass, that player may start a new sequence.^[8]

A player with four cards of the same rank or with 3 nines, with or without the Comet, may play them all at once. The Comet is wild as usual; it counts as any designated rank and is a stop i.e. the player playing it may begin a new sequence.^[8]

Scoring

During play, a player playing the comet earns two chips from each opponent. This value increases by two every time the comet is dealt, in succession, to the dead hand. As soon as it is dealt to any player, it reverts to a value of two.^[8]

The first player to go out by shedding all hand cards has won and earns one chip per card point for all cards left in the opponents' hands, the courts being worth 10 and pips their face value. A player with the comet in hand pays double for every card held including the comet. If a player went out by playing the comet last, the game is worth double, or quadruple if it was played as a natural nine.^[8]

Opera: If eldest goes out immediately, the game may be valued at double for opera, although this works best with two players, in which case if the dealer can also make an opera, the game is drawn.^[8]

Variants

Two-hand comet

Sometimes modern Comet is described primarily as a two-hand game in which each player receives 18 cards from the red or black pack. Arnold (2011) describes a version in which the use of a

The variant for three to five players is as per modern Comet above, but three players are dealt 12 cards each; four are dealt 10 each and five are dealt 9 each. Play is clockwise. If all pass, the last player to play a card begins a new sequence. Games may be a whole number of rounds and players should keep both plus and minus scores.[9]

Six to eight-hand comet

Variants for playing with up to eight players exist, with one such rule set suggesting that two additional seven or eight cards are removed for games with seven players, and three additional seven or eight cards are removed for games with six or eight players.^[11]

Commit

Commit is an old American variant of comet, the name simply being a corruption of the latter, but its rules have changed over time. The earliest account occurs in an 1857 American Hoyle and it continues to feature in compendia today.^[7]

Commit (1857)

Hoyle's Games record a single-pack version for any number of players in which the 8♦ is removed and the whole pack dealt out, including a "spare hand" for the purpose of making stops. Players play cards in sequence and the aim is to be first out. The ♦ is wild and may be played in lieu of any other card to prevent a stop. The 7♦ and all kings are stops and the same player may start a new sequence.^[d] Otherwise whenever a stop occurs, if no-one can continue it, the player who played the last card may start again. When an ace or king is played, the player receives a counter from each opponent. The first to go out wins and receives a counter for every card still held in the opponents' hands with the exception of the 9♦ which exempts the player from paying.^[7]

Commit (1991)

The 1991 Hoyle gives separate rules for games that it calls comet and commit. In comet a double pack is used and play is very much like modern comet. However, in commit only one pack is used. Players ante a stake to a

In Arnold (2011), the following changes to Hoyle (1991) apply:[9]

• Cards: three players: 15 cards; four: 12; five: 10; six: 8; and seven: 7.
• Suits: Cards are played in suit sequence.
• Comet:

When the comet is played, its player has first option to continue the original sequence or with a ♦10.

Once the comet is played, players cease playing in clockwise order; instead the player holding the next card in suit sequence plays it.

Footnotes

References