Pit (game)

Pit is a fast-paced card game for three to eight players, designed to simulate open outcry bidding for commodities. The game was developed for Parker Brothers and first sold in 1904. This popular version of the game was developed by Edgar Cayce,[1] who would also become famous for his psychic predictions.[2]

The inspiration was the US Corn Exchange and it was likely based on the very successful game Gavitt's Stock Exchange, invented in 1903 by Harry E. Gavitt of Topeka, Kansas (and reprinted in 2004 in an authentic "heirloom" edition by Out of the Box Publishing). Versions of the game have been marketed under the names Billionaire, Business, Cambio, Deluxe Pit, Quick 7, and Zaster.[2]

Contents

Contents

Each deck consists of 74 cards with nine cards each of eight different commodities. The specific commodities have varied over the various editions of the game, but those used in most modern editions are Barley, Corn, Coffee, Oranges, Oats, Soybeans, Sugar and Wheat. The classic version has flax, hay, oats, rye, corn, barley, and wheat. Two special cards are also included, the Bull and the Bear.

Versions of the game starting in the 1970s contained a bell used to start trading. The first player to hold all nine cards of a commodity would ring the bell.[2]

The Bull and the Bear

The Bull card is considered wild and can be used to complete any set. If the player has the full nine cards as well as the Bull, the player earns double the score for that round. A player cannot win if they hold the Bear, and at the end of each round, the player holding the Bear and any losing player holding the Bull each lose 20 points.

The game ends when either a set number of rounds have been played, or when a player reaches a certain agreed upon point total.

Variations

The original edition contained only seven commodities.

Commodity Value
Wheat 100
Barley 85
Corn 75
Rye 70
Oats 60
Hay 50
Flax 40

Newer versions include seven or eight commodities, replacing Flax, Hay and Rye with Oranges, Coffee, Sugar and Soybeans.

Commodity Value
Wheat 100
Barley 85
Coffee 80
Corn 75
Sugar 65
Oats 60
Soybeans 55
Oranges 50

The 100th anniversary edition released in 2004 included a reproduction of the original edition as well as a brand new edition that featured 8 "modernized" commodities.

Commodity Value
Cocoa 100
Platinum 85
Gold 80
Cattle 75
Oil 65
Rice 60
Silver 55
Gas 50

Phrases often used during play

Chasing the bear 
When one attempts to follow the progress of the bear after trading it away by watching the following trades.
Going for a hay ride 
When one attempts to pick up all of a commodity that one has little of, because one has traded enough of it back and forth that one has an idea where it is all located.
Slip him/her the bull/bear 
When one trades away the bull/bear, usually just before the game ends.
The granary 
A player's hand.
Getting flaxed 
Inadvertently acquiring an abundance of flax, the commodity with the lowest value.
Flaxing out 
Cornering the market on flax.
Bear trap 
Receipt of the Bear just preceding the ring of the bell to signify the game's end; doubly nasty if receipt of the Bear was part of the final trade that facilitated the winning hand.

References

  1. ^ Bro, Harmon (1997). A Seer out of Season. New York: St. Martin's. p. 305. ISBN 0312959885.  citing article "The Pit: Copies of Game Invented by Bowling Green Man Received Here". Bowling Green Times Journal. 1904. 
  2. ^ a b c History of Pit at boardgamegeek.com. Accessed August 2007