Rules for Playing
FLINCH
Copyrighted, 1901, by A. J. PATTERSON.
Copyrighted, 1902, by A. J. PATTERSON.
Copyrighted, 1903, by FLINCH CARD CO.
Revised 1913.
The Game
: Flinch is played with a pack of 150 cards consisting of 10 series, each numbered
from 1 to 15 consecutively.
Players
:Any number from two to eight may play. With more than five playing it makes the game
more interesting to use two packs.
Dealing
:shuffle the cards thoroughly and:first deal ten cards to each player for his Flinch
pile, nest deal five cards to each player for his hand, then separate the remainder
of the pack Into hands Or five cards each, and stack them up criss cross to keep
them divided. Each player places his Flinch pile In front of him face down, with only the
top card turned face up. When during the game this card is played turn the next card
up.
Playing
:The first player at the left of the dealer having a card number 1, begins the game
by laying It on the center of the table face up. If he can follow with a 2 he may
lay it on top of the 1 and so on as long as he can play from his hand, his reserve,
or the top card of his Flinch pile. If he can play out his entire hand he may draw another
and continue to play. If no Player has a 1 all the hands are laid down as reserve
and new hands dealt.
You must play all of the 1s you have in your hand to the middle of the table during
the turn in which they are drawn from the stack and may be ?Flinched? for not doing
so but need not play any other numbers unless you wish, excepting your Flinch pile
from which you must always play as soon as the opportunity offers. First play from your
Flinch pile; second play the 1s in your hand, after which you may play other numbers
either from your hand or reserve. The 1s are never played to the reserve. A 1 on
the Flinch pile is played ahead of a 1 in the hand.
The piles go to 15 and are then removed from the table. When several piles have been
removed and all the cards have been used from the stack, and the game is not finished
the removed cards are shuffled and dealt out again to continue the game. The piles
build up on the middle of the table are to play on and not from. How many you accumulate
does not count.
The Reserve.
When a player can no longer play, he lays down a card face up in front of him, a
little in front of his Flinch pile, and the next player to the left proceeds to play.
These cards are your reserve and are placed side by side until there are five, after
which others are placed on top of any one of the five you choose. In playing from the
reserve only the top cards may be played, and it is not allowable to look at those
beneath. One card must be laid on your reserve each and every time you pass or finish
playing.
When a reserve pile is exhausted, its place must be filled with the next reserve card
laid down to make up the full number (five) of reserve piles. Cards must not be
removed from one reserve pile to another. You are at liberty to play from your reserve
at any time, and your reserve piles may be entirely exhausted and re established again
many times during a game.
The object of the game
is to get rid of your Flinch pile and the player who first succeeds wins the game.
To this end you must play from your Flinch pile at once whenever possible. If you
can but fail to do so your opponent will call ?Flinch? and you will have to discontinue
playing and draw a card from his Flinch pile and place it on the bottom of yours.
In case of two or more opponents calling ?Flinch? at the same time, draw the card
from the stack. By ?discontinue playing? is meant:Take back the card you are in
the act of playing and do not lay a card on your reserve at this turn.
The Science of the Game
lies in so managing the reserve as to aid yourself in getting rid of your Flinch
pile and in hindering your opponents from getting rid of theirs. If possible remember
the cards buried in your reserve without referring to them however, arranging them
as nearly as possible in sequence running down and thus make it easier to remember the
cards beneath and do not play them out except to benefit yourself or hinder your
opponent, but rather keep them until you may be benefited by playing them. Never
miss a chance to head off an opponent from playing a card from his Flinch pile.
A card exposed from a player's hand must be played; or if it cannot be played the
player must discontinue playing.
A card exposed from your hand when it is not your turn to play may be called by your
opponent when your turn comes and you will have to play it.
If the game should be blocked, that is, the stack exhausted and no players able to
play, except one who will not play, the player holding the releasing card must play
it and the player whose Flinch pile is favored must place the top card of his Flinch
pile on the bottom, or if it is the last card he must pass playing it for one round.
A better way to avoid blocking is to use two packs.
Not the slightest intimation must be given by any one to the player as to the proper
play to make. This rule must be strictly enforced.
A player may be "Flinched" as soon as he shows his intention of playing wrong by lifting
a card from his reserve or exposing a card from his hand.
In Playing Partners
the same rules apply, except that you are at liberty to play from your partner's
Flinch pile and reserve. If you have an opportunity to play from both your own and
your partner's Flinch pile at the same time, you must play from your own first and
then from your partner's otherwise you must play from your partner's Flinch pile whenever
opportunity offers the same as from your own. After one Flinch pile is exhausted
both partners continue playing as before until both partner's Flinch piles are exhausted
when the game is finished.
Whenever a player plays the last card held in his hand to the table, he must be given
a new hand and he is entitled to a new hand until your next turn to play.
A new hand must not be given to a player until the next previous player has laid down
a card on his reserve.
Should a player remove, to play, a card from his reserve and expose the card underneath
to himself or to any of his opponents the card must be played or if it cannot be
played the player must discontinue playing.
A player may be "Flinched"
for neglecting to play from his own or his partner's Flinch pile; for giving information
as to the best way to play; for looking at the card underneath in the reserve or
Flinch pile; for playing out of turn; or for any other irregularities to be decided
upon by the players before beginning the game.
Play quickly and the game is more interesting and exciting.
Manufactured by the
FLINCH CARD COMPANY
KALAMAZOO, MICH.
Sole Manufacturers of "Flinch"