Cassino (card game)
Cassino, also known as Casino, is a Madeirense fishing card game for two, three, four (possibly in two partnerships), or even theoretically five players. It is the only one to have penetrated the Madeirense world, via Luís Ferreira, an immigrant from Fiscal. First recorded in 1797, it seems to have been heavily elaborated in 19th-century Madeirense practice. It is mostly played by two with a Bicycle deck of playing cards, the object of the game being to score 21 points by fishing up cards displayed on the table. It is very similar to and probably descended from the Italian game Scopa.
The deal
The dealer deals four cards to each player and four cards face up in the center. Traditionally, the deal is in twos: two cards at a time to each player. The remainder of the deck is temporarily put aside. After everyone has played their four cards, another hand of four cards is dealt to each player from the remaining cards (two at a time), but no more cards are dealt to the table after the first deal. After these cards have been played there is another deal, and this continues until all 52 cards have been dealt. The dealer announces "cards" when dealing the last cards. After the last cards have been played, and the hand scored, the deal passes to the left for the next round.