The Jack and the Knave

Auction Pitch evolved from All Fours, an English pub game that dates back to the 17th century. It is the first game that used the term "jack," which is now the name used for the third-ranking face card in a standard 52-card pack. Previously, this card was known as the "knave." As the popularity of All Fours spread, the special role of the jack in scoring usurped the term knave. Today, the term knave has been relegated to an alternate name for jack.