THREE-CARD LOO

This relative of strategy euchre, whose real name is lanterloo or Lanterley, and is sometimes called Limited Loo, was at one time the most popular of all social games of cards in Europe. Today it has given way to several other games.

Requirements

1. Three to 17 players, but the best is with five to eight.
2. A standard 52-card deck.
3. Cards rank from ace (high), king, queen, jack, ten down to two (low).

Beginning of the Game. The selection of the dealer, seating positions, changing seats, shuffle, and cut are as provided under the General Rules for Card Games, chapter 1.
The Deal. After the cards are shuffled and cut, the dealer puts three chips in the pot and deals three cards to each player, in rotation left to right, one at a time. No trump is turned when there are only three chips or counters in the pot, which is called a simple pool or pot. This deal is called bold stand, since everyone must play the hand dealt him.
Players at the dealer’s left leads any card he pleases. Other players in turn must follow suit to a lead and try to win it if they can. The cards are not gathered into tricks, but are left face up before each play poker player . If everyone can follow suit, the winner of the trick leads for the next, and so on. But if one or more players are unable to follow suit to any trick, the dealer turns up the top card of the stock for a trump before play to the next trick. If any trump has been played, the highest trump wins the tricks. When a trump is turned, the winner of a trick must lead a trump to the next trick if able to.
For each trick a player wins, he takes one-third of the pot. A player who takes no tricks is looed and must put up three chips for the next pot. The dealer of the next round adds his three chips, and the pot, now containing more than three chips, is known as a double pool or pot.
When the double pot is played, the dealer deals as before, but also deals a hand just before his own for a widow. Then he turns up a trump. Beginning with the player at the dealer’s left, each player in turn has the choice of standing on the cards dealt him, exchanging his hand for the widow if it has not been taken up, or passing. If he passes, he drops out of the deal. But remember that any player standing or exchanging will be looed, unless he wins a poker trick . If all pass but the player to the right of the dealer, he must play the hand, take the widow, or give up the pool to the dealer.
If all but one player pass, and if he has no exchange for the widow, the dealer must stand or defend with the widow. If he takes any tricks, his winnings are left in the pool. If he is looed, he does not pay. If the one player standing has taken the widow, the pool is his, unless the dealer will play against him on his own account.
All having declared, the active player to the left of the dealer must lead a trump I he has one, and he must lead the top of two or more. The winner of the trick must lead a trump if he has one. Each player in turn must follow suit, and must overtrump if they are able to, but need not undertrump. The winners of the three tricks divide the pool proportionately. All who are looed put up three chips each for the next pool. If no one is looed, the next will be a simple pot.

Additional Rules

Misdeal. If a dealer deals a wrong number of cards or hands, he loses the deal, forfeits three chips to the pool, and the next pool is a double.
Revokes. If a player revokes, by failing to follow suit, or to head a trick, or to lead a trump when required, the pot is divided equally among the rest who hold cards; and the offender antes up six chips for the next pot.

Unlimited Loo

This is the same as Three-Card Loo except that every online poker player who is looed must double the amount in the current pot, as a foundation for the next pot.
Loo with Flushes

In this variation, which is played like Three-Card Loo except that if any player in a double pot holds three trumps, either dealt to him or found in the widow, he waits until all the players (including dealer) have declared or passed. He then shows his flush in trumps, and takes the pot without playing for it all who have not passed pay three chips to the pot. If two players hold trump flushes, the one on the left of the dealer wins the pot, regardless of the rank of the cards but the other flush is not looed.

Pam-Loo

This game is played like Three-Card Loo except that the jack of clubs (known as Pam) is the highest trump, regardless of the suit that is trump. When the ace of trumps is led, however, Pam must not be played unless its holder has no other trump.

Irish Loo

This draw poker variation is played like Three-Card Loo except for the following:

1. There is no difference between single and double pots in that no extra hand is dealt and the trump card is always turned up before the opening lead.
2. If a player who stands or stays in the game whishes to exchange any card, the dealer gives him replacements from the top of the stock.

Five-Card Loo

This variant is played like Three-Card Loo except for the following:

1. Each player receives a hand of five cards.
2. The dealer antes five chips into the pot.
3. A flush of five trumps wins the pot without playing.

Everyone at the table, whether playing the hand or not, is looed if he does not take a trick, and must contributes five chips to the next pot. Forfeits for poker irregularities are in multiples of five, so that the pot can be distributed equally for the five tricks won.