Catch the Ten is a unique card game, also known as Scots Whist or Scotch Whist, which was first recorded as being played in Scotland during the 18th century. Today, not many people know about this game, but it was extremely well-known in early 19th Century Scotland, particularly in Edinburgh. In this article, we’ll explore how this card game works and why it never caught on in other parts of the world.
How Does Catch the Ten Work
Catch the Ten is a trick-taking card game, which means that each hand is played within a finite number of rounds, known as tricks. Unlike other card games, it’s not played with a full deck of 52 cards. Before the game starts, all the twos, threes, fours and fives are removed from the deck. If there are five people playing, sixes should also be removed.
Typically, games take place between 4-6 players, and at the beginning, the cards are shuffled with each player dealt cards face down. By the end of the deal, every player should have the same number of cards. If the game is played between four people, each player will have nine cards. If you’re playing with five players, everyone will have seven cards each, and if you’re playing with six players, each will have six cards.
Once all the cards are dealt, the dealer will take the last dealt card and show it to everyone. The suit of this card will be the trump suit, which means that this suit will beat any other card played during the round.
The objective of the game is to win tricks and capture valuable cards. The player to the left of the dealer starts the game off by playing their first card. Players then take turns to place cards, attempting to win the trick by placing a higher-ranking card. The winning player will then lead the next trick.
The first player to reach 41 points is declared the winner of the game. Points are awarded based on the cards won in tricks:
- Jack: 11 points
- Tens: 10 points
- Ace: 4 points
- King: 3 points
- Queen: 2 points
- Remainder: 0 points
Why Didn’t Catch the Ten Catch on in the UK?
While the game is sometimes known as Scots Whist, it’s believed to have actually originated in Germany rather than Scotland. A card game known as Catching Tens was recorded in Austria and Bavaria during the mid-19th century, and similar games were popular in Germany.
However, the game of Catch the Ten was first recorded in 1779 in Scotland. In 1830, a book on card game rules described Catch the Ten as a “favourite game in Edinburgh and other parts of Scotland”. The book also pointed out that the game wasn’t really well-known in other parts of the UK, however.
It’s not fully clear why the game didn’t become as popular in the UK. However, one of the likely reasons is that there were other, more popular card games available at the time. Many people in the UK enjoyed playing traditional games like Whist and Cribbage, which meant that they were less interested in learning new games.
In addition, the fact that Catch the Ten may have been associated with Scottish identity and culture could have prevented it from catching on. It may have only been popular in certain social circles and, as a result, wouldn’t have appealed to people in other parts of the UK.
Could Catch the Ten be Revived?
While card games may not be played in the same way as they were in the 19th century, they remain very popular even today. Today, players have more variety than ever when it comes to card games. The internet offers a huge number of different games, including solitaire and poker.
Real money casinos also allow UK players to enjoy classic table casino games such as blackjack and baccarat. Karamba’s presence in the UK market means it has a great opportunity to increase the popularity of games like Catch the Ten, which could potentially become a hit if marketed to UK players.
A digital version of Catch the Ten could be very interesting, with the multiplayer aspect helping it stand out from other card games and creating an exciting experience.
