With the advent of television, computers and other modern means of using up spare time in the home without being bored out of your skull; the humble pack of cards seems to have lost favour with the general public.

In days gone by, with only the "wireless" as domestic entertainment and relatively expensive board games, the humble pack of cards was a cheap and interesting alternative for using up leisure time.

Games were devised that lasted anything from just a few minutes, to many hours. Not only in the home, but in pubs and clubs, the game of cards was a welcome alternative to just sitting and talking. In fact, let it be said, that anyone who tried talking during a game of cards was immediately "hushed up" as the idle chatter interrupted the player's train of thoughts. On journeys by "charabanc" (coach) or train, the use of a pack of cards made the journey seem shorter. Gone was the need to gaze out of the window in abject boredom as a game of cards was much more interesting. Such was the popularity of cards, that many a group of travellers made a point of planning their journeys and using the "slow" train, just so that a game of cards could be exploited to the full.

Sea cruises would invariably include a series of Whist Drives, Bridge or Canasta competitions, as an alternative to the traditional shipboard deck games. Let it be hinted at and whispered along the gangways and passageways, that some card schools were usually for the financial benefit of the organiser and not the players, or punters as they became to be known. Most cabin stewards would know if and where a "real" game of cards was available for those who were only too keen to lose some money.

Investing in a pack of cards, for less than the price of 10 cigarettes, would ensure a means of entertainment for many, many months. A pack of cards, being small enough to slip unobtrusively into a pocket or handbag, could be used by anything from one to eight people for a game of cards and could be used just about anywhere. In fact, a record published in the 60's suggests and goes on to establish, that the humble pack of cards could also be used as a bible or an almanac.

In short, a pack of cards is probably the most versatile piece of games equipment ever devised by man, with a set of Dice coming a close second. The card's simplicity in design and versatility in use, has, for untold millions of people for hundreds of years, provided a means of entertainment, amusement and the acquiring and disposing of wealth. The old proverb, "A fool and his money are soon parted" could easily be re-written to read, "A card player and his money are soon parted." People and property have often changed hands on the simple turn of a card.

However, playing cards should be for fun and the thrill of not just winning, but winning fairly and against the odds. In playing cards, a player pits his wits, skill, experience and memory against the opposition, together with a certain amount of bluff.

Most people will have heard of or know how to play games like Bridge, Pontoon, Brag, Solo and Rummy, which are splendid games in their own right, but are not the objective of this book. Those games have been well written about and publicised by "experts" and those details are better left to people far more qualified than me.

This book is written in an attempt to re-kindle the interest in card games, by introducing some of the lesser known games which are just as exciting and interesting, yet need not be played quite as seriously and some which seem to be a closely guarded secret.

The detailed games in this book have afforded me, my colleagues, ship mates and work mates, endless hours of pleasure and entertainment, at negligible cost.

As it is highly unlikely that an alien from another world will read this book, it will not be necessary to explain what a pack of cards is, as surely, everybody will know what cards are. In the event that there are some poor souls somewhere who have never seen or even heard of a pack of cards, I can only assume that they have found some other way to occupy their leisure time or to win or lose their "Shekels" and they should stick to that way.

Finally, to simplify matters, a players is referred to as "he." There is no reason why the fairer sex shouldn't play at cards. In fact some of the greatest experts are ladies.

James Buckley.