HT Games
Popular Games:
* "Seven Up" or "Sevens": This game is mentioned in various historical accounts, and is likely a forerunner to modern card games like Spades or Hearts. The goal was to get rid of all your cards before anyone else by playing them in sequence.
* "All Fours": Another popular game with a long history, All Fours likely involved combinations of tricks, counting points, and sometimes betting.
* "Cribbage": This game dates back to the 1600s and could have been played by pirates, although there's less historical evidence.
* "Poker": While poker is a relatively recent invention, its popularity among seafarers makes it a likely possibility, even if it wasn't played in its modern form.
Other Possibilities:
* "Twenty-One": A precursor to Blackjack, this game could have been played with simple rules and minimal equipment.
* "Old Maid": A simple game of matching pairs, Old Maid could have been played for entertainment on long voyages.
* "Dice Games": While not technically card games, dice games like "Craps" and "Hazard" were popular forms of gambling on ships.
It's important to remember:
* There are no confirmed records of specific games played by pirates.
* The games mentioned above were common in the 17th and 18th centuries, so it's plausible that pirates played them.
* Pirates likely adapted rules and created variations of existing games based on their needs and preferences.
Beyond Games:
* Pirates also played games of skill and chance like "Knucklebones" (using animal bones).
* They would often gamble on other activities like shipboard games, competitions, or even fights.
Ultimately, the card games pirates played remain a mystery, but exploring their historical context and common games of the time gives us a glimpse into their leisure activities and how they spent their downtime.