1660 - BOOK - The royal game of the ombre. 1660

The Royal Game of the Ombre is a rare 1660 rulebook published in London documenting Ombre (l'Hombre), a fashionable three-player trick-taking card game of Spanish origin that swept European high society following the 1660 restoration of the English monarchy. 

Core Facts and Play Style

Name Origin: Derived from the Spanish word hombre ("man"), representing the highest bidder or lone player who challenges the other participants. 

The Deck: Played with a 40-card pack created by removing the 8s, 9s, and 10s from a standard 52-card deck. 

The Deal: Each of the three players receives nine cards, leaving 13 cards remaining in the stock. 

Bidding & Trumps: There is no turned-up trump card; the active player (the Ombre) declares the trump suit based on the strength of their hand. 

Objective: The lone player must win at least five of the nine tricks played to succeed, or face penalties (such as codille).