rubicon

1. (card games) Especially in bezique and piquet: a score which, if not achieved by a losing player, increases the player's penalty.Examples: "The game is called a double, and you score 200 instead of 100 when your adversary does not get 100, which, in technical language, is called crossing the Rubicon."; "If you are a good way ahead, and particularly in the last hand but one, if you have a chance of winning a Rubicon, you should make a safe discard, with the view of dividing or winning the cards, in order to keep your adversary back. On the other hand, if the score is much against you, and you are under a Rubicon, you are justified in making a bold discard."; "Brisques are not counted except to determine whether or not there is a rubicon, explained below."

1. (transitive, card games) Especially in bezique and piquet: to defeat a player who has not achieved the rubicon.Examples: "A curious score was made in a game of piquet with one of the ladies. [...] In the fifth hand she made a piquet and capot, scoring 121 to 0, and in the sixth hand, being the minor, she made a repiquet, taking all but the last trick, counting 111 to 3, totalling 270, and rubiconing her opponent at 99, with a win of 469 points."; "Fleming initiated me into the mysteries of Bézique, and at once set about rubiconing me, [...]"; "Ten points are received for the last trick but brisques are only counted if they make a difference as to who is the winner or if a player is rubiconed [...]."transitive