If you were to check the knuckles of every sixth year you met in Perthshire, Scotland, and you didn't see a bruise or a scar they're incredibly lucky, because on the surface of every serious card playing sixth year there will always be a blemish of some description. Also look at every pack of cards in their posession and there'll be a strange red stain on the edges of the cards. Whatever you're imagining it is, you're probably right.

A word of warning, although it is the aim of every sixth year to make their opponent cry and bleed, this isn't altogether advisable. Scabby Queen¹ is vicious game.

The Rules:

• Take out 1 or 3 of the Queens from the pack (tradition says to leave the Queen of Hearts)
• Deal the whole pack to 3 or more players
• Take out all the pairs you have leaving single cards only
• Pick one card from the person on your right going round the group putting down pairs as you obtain them, and once you've gotten rid of all your cards you're out. The person left holding the Scabby Queen is thus the loser.

Penalty of Losing

• Shuffle the pack (leaving the queen out for the next game)
• The loser cuts the deck.

The Colour:

The Number:

The number on the card represents the number of times the loser will be hit, face cards are equal to 11 hits and an Ace is equal to 12.

• Clench fist and put arm out straight
• The first person out goes first and gets the most hits

Division:

• Watch losers face show pain
• Clean off anything from Cards

Best method of cheating:

See the cards of the person you're picking from whilst they're picking their card. Don't look at the queen if it's in your possession and push it higher than others as occasionally you'll find an incredibly naïve person is playing who'll pick the obvious card.