casino

Casino is also a card game. It's not the one of the worst because it at least involves some mathematics..
Rules are as follows:

You try to collect points. The one who collects first 16 points, wins.

Following cards and combinations make points:

• 2 points for Ten of Diamonds
• 1 point for Two of Spades
• 1 point for each Ace
• 2 points for the player who has most Spades
• 1 point for the player who has most cards
• 1 point for each house

If two or more players have equal number of cards (and their number is the highest) no one gets the point and the player who has most cards on the next round will get cumulated points (i.e. 2pts).
The same applies for Spades too.

First, four cards are dealt for each player and four cards are dealt on the table. Players try to collect cards from the table summing up the values of table cards. Eg. if there are 2, 6, 6 and 12 on the table and a player has 12 in the hand she can pick 6, 6 and 12 (6+6=12). Multiple picks can be done. However, you cannot use more than one hand card for picking up cards.
If a player cannot pick any cards she has to put one card on the table.

If a player manages to empty the table she gets a house. This rule doesn't apply if any player has already more than ten points. Nor does it apply if there isn't any more cards in the deck on the round.
If all players have a house they have to be turned down i.e. reseted.

The special values of cards:
on table / in hand

• Ten of Diamonds: 10 / 16
• Two of Spades: 2 / 15
• Ace: 1 / 14

When players run out of cards new four cards are dealt. When there are no more cards on the deck the points are calculated and if no one has yet 16 points totally, a new round is played.

Casino history

The term "casino" comes from the Italian word for house, casa. The diminutive form casino was used to describe a small house, like a cottage. Later on, the same word was applied to houses in the countryside used for entertainment, including gambling. These country houses were visited by Venetian nobles in early 18th century, who wanted some pastime out of control of the church. As such it was used in the English language from 18th century, and by 1851 the meaning had changed to "gambling establishment", which is how we use it today.

In the 18th century there were also health resorts all over Europe, and it was popular among those who could afford it to spend some time at one of these. One of the popular ones were Spa in Belgium. This resort south east of Liège added a gambling house called Redoute to its program in 1763. Gambling houses did of course exists elsewhere at this time, but Redoute is usually regarded as the first casino. During the French Revolution, Redoute was forced to close until Napoleon Bonaparte re-opened it in 1806. 

During the time it was closed, the centre of the gambling business had moved to Germany and places like Aachen, Baden-Baden and Wiesbaden, all health resorts. The Germans built large complexes in the style of classicism, with theatres and concert halls. People now game to the health resorts for gambling as much as for improving their health. 

In 1849 all German casinos were forced shut by politicians. The only one still allowed was the one in Bad Homburg, where the owner managed to reconstruct its business to a private club. This only worked until 1872 when it was forbidden to act as a bank in gambling, and this was the case until 1933. 

In France casinos had started appearing in the early 19th century as well, along the Atlantic coast. Dieppe, Biarritz, Trouville and Deauville all had famous casinos, where not only the French but also the English nobles liked to gamble. This was also when bathing became popular, so older health resorts in the inland, had a hard time competing with the trendy new places along the coast. 

In 1856 the famous casino of Monte Carlo opened and it followed a German tradition of being federally owned, bringing a lot of money to the state. During La belle époque Monte Carlo and its casino became famous all over the world, with all the world coming there; actors, royalty, authors and musicians. This casino still serves as a model for the new casinos that open every year around the world.  

In 1931, six people were give concession to start a casino in Las Vegas, and after World War II the first casino in the US opened; The Fabulous Flamingo. It lay on the main street of Las Vegas, The Strip, and was soon followed by many others. Organized crime played an important part in the early days of casinos in Las Vegas. When Las Vegas was founded in 1911 it had 800 inhabitants. Today it's the fastest growing city in the United States, with over 1.4 million inhabitants. Atlantic City in New Jersey opened a casino in 1978 and in 1987 it was decided that native Indians could open casinos on their reservations. One third of all reservations now have a casino or more. 

Today, there are hundreds of casinos all over the world, usually following the Monte Carlo model with the state bringing home the money of the tourists.

Source: nationalecyklopedien

Ca*si"no (?), n.; pl. E. Casinos (#), It. Casini (#). [It. casino, dim. of casa house, fr. L. casa cottage. Cf. Cassing.]

1.

A small country house.

2.

A building or room used for meetings, or public amusements, for dancing, gaming, etc.

3.

A game at cards. See Cassino.

 

© Webster 1913.