▁America . ▁From ▁the ▁start ▁it ▁added ▁the ▁feature ▁of ▁passing ▁unw anted ▁cards ▁to ▁other ▁players ▁after ▁the ▁deal ; ▁the ▁idea ▁of ▁" sh oot ing ▁the ▁moon " ▁came ▁later . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁ 1 9 2 0 s , ▁the ▁ ▁variation ▁( ten ▁positive ▁points ) ▁was ▁introduced , ▁and ▁some ▁time ▁later ▁the ▁scoring ▁was ▁revers ed ▁so ▁that ▁penalty ▁points ▁were ▁expressed ▁as ▁positive ▁instead ▁of ▁negative . ▁ ▁Meanwhile , ▁in ▁Britain ▁the ▁game ▁of ▁Black ▁Maria , ▁with ▁its ▁additional ▁penalty ▁cards ▁in ▁the ▁suit ▁of ▁sp ades , ▁emer ged ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 9 ▁and , ▁both ▁it ▁and ▁Om n ibus ▁He arts ▁are ▁" su fficient ly ▁different ▁and ▁popular ▁to ▁justify ▁descri ptions ▁as ▁separate ▁games ." ▁ ▁The ▁game ▁has ▁increased ▁in ▁popular ity ▁through ▁Internet ▁g aming ▁sites . ▁ ▁Ear liest ▁rules ▁( 1 8 8 7 ) ▁ ▁The ▁following ▁rules ▁are ▁based ▁on ▁those ▁published ▁in ▁The ▁Standard ▁Ho yle ▁of ▁ 1 8 8 7 . ▁ ▁Pre lim in aries ▁ ▁The ▁game ▁is ▁usually ▁played ▁by ▁four ▁players , ▁but ▁three ▁to ▁six ▁can ▁be ▁accommod ated ▁( see ▁below ). ▁The ▁aim ▁is ▁to ▁avoid ▁taking ▁any ▁cards ▁of ▁the ▁heart ▁suit ▁in ▁tr icks . ▁A ▁standard ▁ 5 2 - card ▁pack ▁of ▁Ang lo - American ▁pattern ▁cards ▁is ▁used , ▁cards ▁ranking ▁in ▁from ▁A ce ▁( high ) ▁down ▁to ▁the ▁two .