The Edge
The play in Basset resulted in, basically, a lottery. A player might occasionally win, but the big winner was the dealer (banker). The dealer had a number of privileges under the rules, including having the sole disposal of the first and last card; this gave him or her a significant edge. This was a truth so acknowledged in France that the king ordered, by public edict, that the privilege of a tallière (banker) should be allowed only to the chief cadets (sons of noblemen). His assumption was that whoever kept the bank must, in a very short time, acquire a considerable fortune.
Read more about this topic: Basset (card Game)
Famous quotes containing the word edge:
“They will tell me I talk about things I have never experienced but only dreamed—to which I might reply: it is a lovely thing to dream such dreams! And besides, our dreams are much more our experiences than we believe—we must relearn about dreams! If I have dreamed thousands of times about flying—would you not believe that when I am awake I also possess feelings and needs giving me an edge on most people—and...”
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