Bezique
Bezique is a two-player trick-taking card game that combines elements of melding and scoring through specific combinations of cards, typically played with a 64-card deck formed by removing the 2s through 6s from two standard 52-card decks.[1] The objective is to accumulate 1,000 points by forming melds such as marriages (king and queen of the same suit), sequences, four-of-a-kind, and the unique bezique (queen of spades and jack of diamonds), while also earning points for capturing aces and tens in tricks, known as brisques.[2] The game proceeds in phases: an initial melding period where players draw from a central stock and declare combinations, followed by a trick-taking phase where the trump suit is determined by the top card of the stock, and the winner of each trick leads the next.[1] Originating in France in the mid-19th century, Bezique quickly gained popularity in European high society, particularly in Paris casinos by the 1840s.[3] The term "bezique" derives from the French "bézigue," an earlier form of which appeared as "besi" or "besit," though its exact etymology remains uncertain.[3] By the 1860s, the game had spread to England, where it was introduced by figures like Dr. Pole, leading to the production of specialized boxed sets and markers by manufacturers such as Josh Reynolds & Son, who registered the materials in 1869.[4] Bezique's appeal lay in its strategic depth, blending chance with skillful melding and trick play, and it became a favorite among notable figures, including Winston Churchill, and the Russian imperial family, who played it during family gatherings and even in captivity in 1918.[5] Variants like Polish Bezique and Rubicon Bezique emerged in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, often using double decks and additional scoring rules, as documented in sets produced by companies like Thomas De La Rue & Co. around 1901–1910.[6] Though its popularity waned after the early 20th century with the rise of other card games, Bezique remains a historical curiosity for its role in Victorian and Edwardian pastimes.[4]History
Origins and Early Development
Bezique, known originally as Bésigue in French, emerged in France during the early 19th century as a melding and trick-taking card game for two players.[7] It evolved from earlier games like Piquet, part of the broader "marriage" group of card games where pairing royalty was a core mechanic.[2] The initial rules of Bésigue utilized a 32-card deck, consisting of the 7s through aces in each suit, a standard format in French card games of the period. Basic melds centered on "marriages," pairs of a king and queen of the same suit, which players declared for points while building toward trick victories.[7] Bésigue distinguished itself by integrating meld scoring with "brisque" bonuses for capturing aces and tens in tricks, adding a layer of tactical depth. The bezique combination of the queen of spades and jack of diamonds, scoring 40 points, formed a key part of the game's early development in the mid-19th century and became its hallmark.[7] [3] These elements positioned Bésigue within French gaming culture and set the stage for its spread beyond France.Popularity and Cultural Impact
Bezique was introduced to Britain in the 1860s from France, specifically by Dr. Pole in 1861, where it had already gained traction as a sophisticated two-player card game, and quickly became a staple in Victorian social circles.[8] By the late 1860s, it had spread widely among the upper and middle classes, often played in parlors as an elegant alternative to simpler card games like whist.[9] The game's appeal lay in its blend of melding and trick-taking elements, fostering strategic depth suitable for refined leisure activities during evening gatherings. At its peak in the late 19th century, bezique enjoyed immense popularity in Britain, symbolizing cultured entertainment for elites and prompting the commercial production of specialized equipment. Manufacturers like Josh Reynolds & Son began registering bezique sets, including dedicated scoring markers and boxed decks, as early as 1869 to meet demand.[4] These items, often featuring ornate designs in wood, ivory, or metal, underscored the game's status as a fashionable pursuit, with custom tables and counters becoming common household fixtures in affluent homes.[8] The game's cultural footprint extended to notable figures, including Napoleon, Winston Churchill, and the Russian imperial family, who played it during gatherings and even in captivity in 1918. It also appeared in literature as a marker of social sophistication; for instance, in Émile Zola's 1880 novel Nana, characters propose a round of bezique while awaiting a companion, evoking the casual yet genteel pastimes of 19th-century Parisian society.[10] [5] However, bezique's prominence waned in the early 20th century as faster-paced games like bridge and poker captured broader interest, particularly among younger players seeking more dynamic competition.[7] Despite this shift, it persisted in niche enthusiast groups, maintaining a dedicated following into the modern era through clubs and private play.[7]Equipment and Setup
Deck Composition and Materials
The standard deck for Bezique consists of 64 cards formed by combining two complete 32-card piquet decks. Each 32-card deck includes the ranks 7 through ace (specifically 7, 8, 9, jack, queen, king, 10, and ace) in the four traditional French suits of hearts, diamonds, clubs, and spades. These decks are created by stripping the ranks 2 through 6 from standard 52-card French-suited playing card decks, resulting in eight cards per suit per deck and duplicates across the two decks for 32 unique card faces, each appearing twice, for a total of 64 cards.[11][12] Although a unified 64-card Bezique deck exists in some productions, using two separate 32-card decks is conventional, as it allows for easier management during shuffling and dealing in the two-player format. Bezique cards are produced from conventional playing card materials, such as flexible paper stock or plastic-coated cardstock, to withstand repeated handling and shuffling.[13][14] In addition to the deck, players require score sheets or a dedicated Bezique scoring board to record points from melds and other accumulations, with optional point counters or markers serving as aids for tracking progress without constant notation.[12]Player Requirements and Preparation
Bezique is traditionally designed for two players, who sit opposite each other at a table to facilitate clear visibility of the central stock pile and personal play areas.[7] This seating arrangement ensures balanced interaction during trick-taking and melding phases.[15] The game can be adapted for three or four players with modifications to the deck size and dealing, such as using a 96-card deck for three players or forming partnerships for four.[15] For larger groups, further variants like six-player versions exist, often requiring additional decks and adjusted scoring.[11] Preparation begins by forming the 64-card deck from two 32-card piquet decks (aces through sevens in all four suits), which is thoroughly shuffled by the dealer and then cut by the non-dealer to determine the order.[7][15] No trump suit is declared during this pre-dealing phase, allowing flexibility in play until established later.[7] The table must include designated spaces: a central area for the face-down stock pile formed after dealing, personal zones in front of each player for laying out melded combinations face-up, and side areas for discards, which are placed face-down to maintain game flow.[15][16] These arrangements support the announcement and verification of melds while keeping the play area organized.[7]Basic Rules and Objective
Game Objective and Winning Conditions
The objective of Bezique is for one of the two players to be the first to accumulate 1000 points or more over the course of multiple hands, thereby winning the game.[11] Points are primarily earned through two mechanisms: declaring melds, such as marriages, sequences, or beziques formed from specific card combinations in hand after winning a trick, and capturing brisques—aces and tens taken in tricks, each worth 10 points—along with a 10-point bonus for winning the last trick of the hand.[11] This dual focus on strategic melding and selective trick-taking distinguishes Bezique as a blend of set-collection and trick-taking gameplay, requiring players to balance immediate scoring opportunities with long-term hand management. The game proceeds in a series of hands, with scores accumulating across them until the target is met; each hand uses a 64-card double deck (aces through sevens in two standard packs), dealt alternately to form hands of eight cards each, leaving a stock for drawing.[11] After the stock is depleted, play continues with the remaining cards in a "close" phase, where no new melds can be declared, emphasizing trick-taking for brisques and the final bonus.[11] A complete game may thus involve several hands, allowing for progressive scoring buildup without resetting totals between rounds. In the event both players reach or exceed 1000 points during the same hand, the player with the higher total score is declared the winner.[17] If the scores are tied at the target, the winning total is raised to 1500 points and play continues until one player reaches it.[17] This resolution ensures a decisive outcome while maintaining the game's emphasis on cumulative achievement.Card Rankings and Basic Values
In Bezique, the cards rank from highest to lowest as ace, ten, king, queen, jack, nine, eight, and seven within each suit, with this order applying uniformly across all suits for determining trick winners.[11][18] The game uses a 64-card deck formed by combining two standard 32-card piquet decks (aces through sevens in each suit), and there is no established trump suit at the outset, though the turned-up card from the stock designates the trump suit for the hand, allowing any trump to beat a non-trump card of the led suit.[11][18] The highest card of the suit led wins the trick if no trumps are played; if trumps are played, the highest trump wins, and players must follow suit if possible, though in the initial drawing phase, following suit is not strictly enforced in some rule sets to facilitate melding.[11][18] The basic point values for cards captured in tricks are limited to "brisques," where aces and tens each score 10 points when won in a trick, regardless of suit, while all other cards—kings, queens, jacks, nines, eights, and sevens—score zero points for trick-taking purposes.[11][18] These brisque points are tallied at the end of the hand and added to a player's score, providing a modest incentive for capturing high-value cards beyond their role in melds.[11] Kings, queens, jacks, nines, eights, and sevens, despite lacking trick points, contribute significantly to scoring through combinations like marriages or sequences, though such meld values are separate from basic trick scoring.[11][18] All suits are equal in intrinsic value, with the leader able to play any card and the follower required to match the suit if holding it, or otherwise play any card (including a trump to overtake).[11][18]Scoring System
Melds and Combination Points
In Bezique, melds are specific combinations of cards declared by players to score points, formed using cards from the hand and previously melded cards on the table. These combinations emphasize sets of equal ranks or particular pairs and sequences, with points awarded immediately upon declaration. The total meld score for a hand is the sum of all valid combinations declared throughout the play, without allowing duplicate scoring for the same meld type using the identical cards.[11] The primary melds and their values are as follows:| Meld Type | Description | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Four Aces | Any four aces (from the double deck) | 100 |
| Four Kings | Any four kings | 80 |
| Four Queens | Any four queens | 60 |
| Four Jacks | Any four jacks | 40 |
| Trump Marriage | King and queen of the trump suit | 40 |
| Common Marriage | King and queen of the same non-trump suit | 20 |
| Bezique | Queen of spades and jack of diamonds | 40 |
| Double Bezique | Both queens of spades and both jacks of diamonds | 500 |
| Trump Sequence | Ace, 10, king, queen, jack of the trump suit | 250 |