Gladiators would make use of twenty-four particularly marked stones to represent the four matches, which were clubs, spades, hearts, and also diamonds. The stones were etched with icons such as an eagle, a wolf, a pet dog, and also a lion. Beyond of the stones were numbers which showed the value of each card. Gladiators would then draw the stones from a bag, and also make use of a flat board to outline their hands. The game was played much like modern-day Black Jack, with each player trying to get as near twenty-one as possible without discussing. The game was additionally typically played for money, which was a terrific motivation for gladiators to refine their skills.