Dictionary.net

A game of cards introduced from France into England and America. It is played by any number of players, or rather bettors, and a banker. The latter opens the play by dealing two cards to each bettor, and two to himself, and covering the stakes of each individual with an equal sum. The cards are then examined, and those belonging to the bettors which when added score nine points, or nearest that number, take their own stake and the banker's. Should he, however, be nearest the winning number of points, he takes all the stakes on the table; in any case he takes the stakes of the players who have not scored so near the winning points as himself. Various other numbers, as 19, 29, 18, 28, etc., give certain advantages in the game. Court cards count as ten points, the others according to the number of pips.