In Pride & Prejudice, Elizabeth declines a game during a party because the players appear to be playing deeper than she feels she can afford. These counters came in a variety of colors such as green, red, black, and ivory. However, at serious game parties hosted by an enthusiast, people played more serious games such as Faro, Quadrille (the game–not the dance), and Loo (with limits) which required chips or counters. Players kept score on paper rather than playing with money or chips. Private gatherings didn’t have a dealer and were generally lower-stakes games. Piquet, a two-player game, was one of the trickier games to play, so it was mostly played by the semi-pro players. According to “The Hand-Book of Games,” three-card Brag was the third most-played card game in Great Britain. Popular games among guests and friends in homes included Whist, Cribbage, Lottery (a card game), Brag, and Piquet. Many period novels, including Jane Austen’s, refer to characters playing and betting on card games almost as frequently as they danced, went for walks, and rode horses. Gentlemen and ladies alike enjoyed games of chance, although ladies mostly played in private homes rather than clubs. During the Regency and Georgian Eras, gambling was a not only a socially acceptable pastime among the upper classes, it was wildly popular.
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