All Fours
Setup to a three player game
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| Origin | England |
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| Alternative names | High-Low-Jack, Old Sledge, Seven Up |
| Type | Trick-taking |
| Players | 2 or more |
| Skills required | Memory, Attention |
| Cards | 52 cards |
| Deck | Anglo-American |
| Play | Clockwise or counter clockwise (Trinidad and Tobago) |
| Card rank (highest to lowest) | A K Q J 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 |
| Playing time | 15 minutes approximately |
| Random chance | Moderate |
| Related games | |
| Auction Pitch, Pedro, Phat | |
All Fours, also known as High-Low-Jack or Seven Up, is an English tavern trick-taking card game that was popular as a gambling game until the end of the 19th century. It is the eponymous and earliest recorded game in a family that flourished most in 19th century North America, notable other members being Auction Pitch, Pedro and Cinch, which competed against Poker and Euchre. Nowadays the original game is especially popular in Trinidad and Tobago, but a simpler variant has also survived in parts of England. Martinique is also accredited with the creation of all fours by coming up with the popular 'Two in Tobago ' rule.
Each player is dealt six cards. In trick play, players are allowed to trump instead of following suit. The title refers to the possibility of winning four game points by being dealt both the highest and the lowest trump in play, capturing the Jack of trumps and winning the greatest number of card-points.
Two or more players play individually or in equal-sized teams, seated alternatingly. Default play rotation is clockwise in most areas. Players cut for first deal. Cards rank as in Whist and have certain numerical card-point values as shown in the table. In each deal up to 4 scoring points are distributed among the parties. The game is won by the party that first reaches the previously specified target score over several deals.
The dealer shuffles and the pone (player sitting before the dealer in game rotation) cuts. The dealer hands out 6 cards to each player in batches of 3. Trump is determined by the suit of the first card played in trick-play. Eldest hand leads to the first trick, and the winner of each trick leads to the next. Standard trick-play rules are in effect with the exception that a player who can follow suit to a plain suit lead is nevertheless allowed to play a trump.
At the end of the round scoring points are awarded as described in the table. The Jack point is not awarded if no player held the Jack of trumps. The Game point is only awarded if one party has won more card-points in tricks than any other. The scoring points accrue strictly in the order given in the table, preventing ties in case more than one team reaches the target score at the end of the deal.
The pub game played nowadays in northern England under the name All Fours is a four-player partnership version of Pitch, played with 4 hands of cards. The lead card in each hand becomes trumps and all game points are counted after each hand has been played. If the game is tied, a further 2 hands, a 'pitch apiece' are played until a winner is decided. The point for Low is awarded to the eventual owner.
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Wikipedia