Wit and reason is an historical English card game for two players that "seems easy at first to the learner, but in his practice and observation he will find it otherwise."

[3] Parlett says that the game "results, like Noughts & Crosses, in a foregone conclusion.

"[4] The game is played with a standard 52-card pack of English pattern, French-suited cards.

The following rules are based on Johnson's edition:[1] One player has all the red cards; the adversary has all the black.

Players then alternate playing a card to the table, announcing the cumulative total.