=_ The score for tricks and for honours must be kept separate, usually above and below the line, as at bridge. All trick points, which are the only ones that count toward game, are placed below the line; the honour points above. For winning a game, 1,000 points are added in the honour column. The side that first wins two games of 500 points each adds 2,000 rubber points in the honour column. _=Slams.=_ If a little slam, 12 tricks, is made, but has not been bid, it is worth 1,000 points in honours. If a little slam, “six tricks,” has been bid and is made, it is worth 5,000 more for bidding it, or 6,000 altogether. If a grand slam, 13 tricks, is made but not bid, it is worth 2,000 honour points. If a little slam is bid and a grand slam made, it is worth 7,000 altogether. If a grand slam is bid and made, it is worth 12,000 altogether.
He considers it to be an old English song which has been fitted for a ring game by the addition of a verse. See Lady on Yonder Hill. Lady on Yonder Hill I. Yonder stands a lovely lady, Whom she be I do not know; I ll go court her for my beauty, Whether she say me yea or nay. Madam, to thee I humbly bow and bend. Sir, I take thee not to be my friend. Oh, if the good fairy doesn t come I shall die. --Derbyshire (_Folk-lore Journal_, i. 387). II.
As High, Jack, and Game are always counted by the player holding those points at the end of the play, there can be no question about them: but serious disputes sometimes arise as to who played Low. The best method of avoiding this is for each player, as the game proceeds, to announce and claim the lowest trump which has so far appeared, and instead of giving it to the current trick, to leave it turned face up in front of him if it is of no counting value. For instance: Four are playing, and a round of trumps comes out, the six being the lowest. The player holding it announces: “Six for Low,” and keeps the card face up in front of him until some smaller trump appears. It often happens that a player holds a 7 or 8, and having no idea that it will be Low, takes no notice of it. At the end of the hand it is found that both the 7 and 8 are out, the 7 being Low, and the holders of those two cards get into an argument as to which card each of them held. _=SCORING.=_ The last card played, the various points for High, Low, Jack, (if in play), and the Game are claimed, and the player or side holding them puts a counter in the pool for each. The side first getting rid of its seven counters wins the game. If both sides make points enough to win the game on the same deal, High goes out first, then Low, then Jack, and then Game.
This is a marching game for very little children, who follow each other in a row. (_b_) Halliwell gives the first two lines only (_Nursery Rhymes_, No. dxv., p. 101), and there is apparently no other record of this game. It is probably ancient, and formerly of some significance. It refers to days of bows and arrows, and the allusion to the killing of the wren may have reference to the Manx and Irish custom of hunting that bird. All in the Well A juvenile game in Newcastle and the neighbourhood. A circle is made, about eight inches in diameter, termed the well, in the centre of which is placed a wooden peg four inches long, with a button balanced on the top. Those desirous of playing give buttons, marbles, or anything else, according to agreement, for the privilege of throwing a short stick, with which they are furnished, at the peg.
Barker. NOTTINGHAMSHIRE Miss Peacock. Long Eaton Miss Youngman. Nottingham Miss Winfield, Miss Peacock. Ordsall Miss Matthews. OXFORDSHIRE Aubrey s _Remains_, ed. 1880. Oxford Miss Fowler. Summertown _Midland Garner_, vol. ii.
The first eleven form the table, and the privilege of being the banker is sold to the highest bidder; that is, to the one that will put up the most money to be played for. The remaining ten persons draw for choice of seats at the table, the first choice being for the seat immediately on the right of the banker, then for the first seat on his left. Five players are arranged on each side of the banker in this manner, right and left alternately, according to the order of their choice. Sometimes an assistant or croupier is seated opposite the banker, to watch the bets, gather and shuffle the cards, etc. A waste basket is placed in the centre of the table for the reception of cards that have been used in play. If no one bids for the bank, it must be offered to the first on the list of players; if he declines, the next, and so on. The amount bid for the bank is placed on the table, and none of it can be withdrawn, all winnings being added to it. If no bid is made, the banker may place on the table any amount he thinks proper, and that amount, or what remains of it after each coup, is the betting limit. When the banker loses all he has, the bank is sold to the next highest bidder, or offered to the next player on the list. If the banker wishes at any time to retire, the person taking his place should begin with an amount equal to that then in the bank.
Suppose A says two hearts, Y doubles, B redoubles, and Z says two royals. The doubling is all knocked out, and if A were to go three hearts and get the contract, hearts would be worth only 8 a trick in the scoring unless Y doubled all over again. A double reopens the bidding, just the same as any other declaration, allowing the player’s partner, or the player himself in his turn, to take himself out of the double by bidding something else. _=IRREGULARITIES IN DECLARING.=_ If any player declares out of turn, either in bidding a suit or in doubling, either opponent may demand a new deal, or may allow the declaration so made to stand, in which case the next player to the left must bid, just as if the declaration had been in turn. If a player pass out of turn there is no penalty, and the player whose turn it was must declare himself. The player who has passed out of his proper turn may re-enter the bidding if the declaration he passed has been over-called or doubled. If a player makes an insufficient or impossible declaration, either adversary may call attention to it. Suppose the last bid is three royals, and the next player says four clubs. This is not enough, as three royals is worth 27 and four clubs only 24.
When a player is safe at home, he should play off; that is, take no chances of scoring himself that might give his adversary a chance to make a still better score. This is usually found in the method of playing sequences. A player who avoids playing cards that might lead up to a run is said to play off. If he invites the run, hoping to make it longer himself, he is said to play on. When a player is behind, it is better for him to play on, and to seize every chance to score, especially with sequences. As it is considered an advantage to be ahead on the first deal, most players prefer a forward game on the opening hand. _=Playing Off.=_ In this it is best to play cards on which it is unlikely that your adversary can score. Lead Aces, Twos and Threes, which cannot be made into fifteens. Do not pair his cards unless you have a card which will make you a double pair royal, (without passing 31,) if he should make a pair royal on you.
=_ Should the striker’s ball stop on the place from which a ball has been taken up, the ball which has been removed must remain in hand until the spot is unoccupied, when it is to be replaced. _=23.=_ Should the striker’s ball miss the ball played at, no person except the striker is allowed to stop the ball till it has ceased running or struck another ball. _=24.=_ Should the striker have his next player’s ball removed, and his own ball stop on the spot it occupied, the next player must give a miss from baulk, for which miss he does not lose a life. _=25.=_ When a ball has been taken up, and any other than the next player’s ball stop on the spot it occupied, the ball so taken up must remain in hand till it can be replaced. But if it be the turn of the ball in hand to play before the one occupying its proper place, the latter must be taken up till there be room to replace it. _=26.=_ If the corner of the cushion should prevent the striker from playing in a direct line, he can have any ball removed for the purpose of playing at the object-ball from a cushion.
Gobs. Green Grass. Green Gravel. Green Grow the Leaves (1). Green Grow the Leaves (2). Gully. HAIRRY my Bossie. Half-Hammer. Han -and-Hail. Hand in and Hand out.
=_ One player selects any two dominoes, face down, and pushes them toward his adversary, who chooses one. Both are then turned up, and whichever gets the lighter domino has the first set. _=3.=_ Each player draws a domino, face down, and the one getting the lower double sets first. If neither draws a double the lighter domino sets. The dominoes are then shuffled again by both players, and each draws the number of pieces required by the game they are about to play. The dominoes remaining on the table are left face down, and form the _=stock=_ or _=bone-yard=_. Each player should sort his dominoes into suits, and either leave them standing on their edges on the table with their faces toward him, or hold them in his hand. Few persons can hold more than six dominoes in this way, so the seventh is left upon the table, or is the first one set. [Illustration] _=Matching.
Good-bye, Nellie, good-bye! --Belfast (W. H. Patterson). VI. Here comes an old woman from Baby-land, With six poor children by the hand. One can brew, one can bake, And one can make a lily-white cake; One can knit, one can spin, And one can make a bed for a king. Please will you take one in? [choose out one] Now poor ---- she is gone Without a farthing in her hand, Nothing but a gay gold ring. Good-bye! Good-bye! Good-bye, mother, good-bye! --Isle of Man (A. W. Moore) VII.
It is also mentioned in the early play of _Apollo Shroving_, 1627, p. 49. See Chucks, Fivestones. Cherry Odds A game of Pitch and Toss played with cherry-stones (Elworthy s _West Somerset Words_). Boys always speak of the stones as ods. Cherry-pit Cherry-pit is a play wherein they pitch cherry-stones into a little hole. It is noticed in the _Pleasant Grove of New Fancies_, 1657, and in Herrick s _Hesperides_. Nares (_Glossary_) mentions it as still practised with leaden counters called Dumps, or with money. Chicamy Chicamy, chickamy, chimey O, Down to the pond to wash their feet; Bring them back to have some meat, Chickamy, chickamy, chimey O. --Crockham Hill, Kent (Miss Chase).
9. The value of honours, slam, or little slam, is not affected by doubling or redoubling. 10. At the conclusion of a rubber the trick and honour scores of each side are added and 250 additional points added to the score of the winners of the rubber. The size of the rubber is the difference between the completed scores. If the score of the losers of the rubber exceed that of the winners, the losers win the amount of the excess. 11. When a rubber is started with the agreement that the play shall terminate (_i.e._, no new deal shall commence) at a specified time, and the rubber is unfinished at that hour, the score is made up as it stands, 125 being added to the score of the winners of a game.
In the Shipley version, Miss Busk says: The children form themselves into two lines, while two or three, representing the robbers, swagger along between them. When the robbers sing the last verse they should have attained the end of the lines [of children], as during the parley they were safe; having pronounced the defiance they run away. The children in the lines rush after them, and should catch them and put them in prison. (_c_) The analysis of this game is easy. The Deptford, Belfast, and Wolstanton versions are clearly enough dramatic representations of the capture of a robber, and probably the game dates from the period of the prevalence of highway robbery. The Wolstanton version shows us that the game is breaking up from its earlier form, while the Norfolk and Shropshire versions show a fresh development into the mere game for children, apart from its original significance. The action of the game confirms this view. The Norfolk action seems to be the most nearly perfect in its dramatic significance, and the Shropshire action comes next. The action of the other games seems to have been grafted on to the superior form of Oranges and Lemons. It is probable that this fact has preserved the words more completely than in the other cases, where the force of the robber action would become less and less as actual experience of robbers and robbery died out.
|turn my head. | |24.| -- | -- | -- | |25.| -- | -- | -- | |26.| -- | -- |Mother, is it true? | | | | |What shall I do? | |27.| -- | -- | -- | |28.| -- | -- | -- | |29.| -- | -- | -- | |30.| -- | -- | -- | |31.| -- | -- | -- | |32.
The Bros, it should be stated, occupied the high ground of the parish. They were nicknamed Paddy Bros, from a tradition that they were descendants from Irish people who settled on the hills in days long gone by. The Blaenaus occupied the lowlands, and, it may be presumed, were pure-bred Brythons. The more devout of the Bros and Blaenaus joined in the service at the parish church on Christmas morning. At any rate, the match did not begin until about mid-day, when the service was finished. Then the whole of the Bros and Blaenaus, rich and poor, male and female, assembled on the turnpike road which divided the highlands from the lowlands. The ball having been redeemed from the Crydd, it was thrown high in the air by a strong man, and when it fell Bros and Blaenaus scrambled for its possession, and a quarter of an hour frequently elapsed before the ball was got out from among the struggling heap of human beings. Then if the Bros, by hook or by crook, could succeed in taking the ball up the mountain to their hamlet of Rhyddlan they won the day; while the Blaenaus were successful if they got the ball to their end of the parish at New Court. The whole parish was the field of operations, and sometimes it would be dark before either party scored a victory. In the meantime many kicks would be given and taken, so that on the following day some of the competitors would be unable to walk, and sometimes a kick on the shins would lead the two men concerned to abandon the game until they had decided which was the better pugilist.
Pray tell me what his name shall be? [_or_] Pray, whom will you send to take me away? We ll send Mr. ---- to take you away. The children form a ring around one of the party, who sits in the middle, and says the two first lines. Then those in the circle dance round her, singing the next four lines. This is repeated three times, with the refrain, On a cold, &c., after which the dancing and singing cease, and the child is asked, Sugar, sweet, or vinegar, sour? Her answer is always taken in a contrary sense, and sung, as before, three times, whilst the children circle round. The one in the middle then rises to her feet. The boy (or girl) named advances and kisses her, they change places, and the game begins again.--Cornwall (_Folk-lore Journal_, v. 56-57).
_=At No-trump.=_ The declarer’s first care in a no-trumper must be to select the suit that he will play for. Four simple rules cover this choice:-- 1. Always lead from the weak hand to the strong if the suit is not already established. 2. Play for the suit in which you have the greatest number of cards between the two hands, because it will probably yield the greatest number of tricks. 3. If two suits are equal in number, play for the one in which you have the greatest number of cards massed in one hand. That is, if you have two suits of eight cards each, select the one that has six of those cards in one hand, in preference to the suit with four in each hand. 4.
Why, mother, why, mother, I won t stay long. Make three pretty curtseys and off you run. --Northants (Rev. W. D. Sweeting). (_b_) One girl is chosen to act as Mother, the rest of the players pretend to be her children, and stand in front of her, not in a line, but in a group. One of them, very frequently all the children ask her the first question, and the Mother answers. When she gives permission for the children to go out they all curtsey three times, and run off and pretend to play. They then return, and the rest of the dialogue is said, the Mother asking the questions and the children replying.
North Kelsey, Stixwould, } Winterton } East Kirkby Miss K. Maughan. Metheringham Mr. C. C. Bell. MIDDLESEX Miss Collyer. Hanwell Mrs. G. L.
If no bid is made, the player to the left of the dealer leads. Either partner may take in the tricks won by his side, keeping them separate, so that they may be easily counted. _=SCORING.=_ The game is 50 points. Each trick over the first six counts four in grands, but in some places only two in nullos. This must be agreed upon before play. Tricks over the book count for the bidder’s side in grands, but against him in nullos. If the bidder and his partner fail to get the odd trick in a grand, his opponents count double for each trick they win over the book, but in nullos there is no double value. _=PENALTIES.=_ In case of a revoke, the side in fault gives three tricks to its opponents in grands, or receives three if it is a nullo.
He must be able to assume the lead himself in order so to change the course of the play as to better suit his game. Let us suppose that he has a dangerous hand in plain suits, but is safe in hearts, and decides that his best chance is to lead hearts at every opportunity; or that he has a certain safe suit which it is manifestly to his advantage to have led as often as possible. The other players, being the ones who are to suffer from this line of play, will of course prevent it if possible; and in order to carry out the plan in spite of their opposition, it will be necessary for the individual player to gain the lead a certain number of times, and so force his game upon them. Again, a player may know that he can load a certain adversary if he can get in and lead a certain suit or card; or he may know that by giving one player the lead, that player can load another. In such cases commanding cards must be held or retained, in order to give the player a certain control of the lead. When a player is attempting to take all thirteen hearts, the control of the lead, especially in the end game, is very important; because the design of each of the other players will be to get the lead into some other hand, in the hope that they may load the player having it, and so at least divide the pool. _=THE DISCARD.=_ One of the most important elements in heart play is the discard. The beginner is too apt to discard hearts at every opportunity; but a little experience will teach him that even a 3 in a plain suit may be a better card to part with. The most important thing in discarding is to reduce the odds against your winning the pool.
What colour are they? Red, white, and grey. Then turn about, and twist about, and catch whom you may. --Cornwall (_Folk-lore Journal_, v. 57, 58). IV. Antony Blindman kens ta me Sen I bought butter and cheese o thee? I ga tha my pot, I ga tha my pan, I ga tha a I hed but a rap ho penny I gave a poor oald man. --Cumberland (Dickinson s _Glossary_). (_b_) In the Deptford version one of the players is blindfolded. The one who blindfolds ascertains that the player cannot see by putting the first question. When the players are satisfied that the blindfolding is complete, the dialogue follows, and the blind man is turned round three times.
_=LEADING.=_ The general principle of leading is to make tricks while you can. It is useless to save up tenaces in plain suits, because there are only five tricks to play, two of which are certain to fall to the trumps, and it is very improbable that any player will lead up to you a small card of a plain suit that will go round twice. It is seldom right to lead small cards of a plain suit. There is a better chance to make a trick with the King by leading it than by keeping it guarded. In the trump suit, tenaces are very strong, and should be preserved, especially if the tenace is over the turn-up trump. There is a familiar example of the importance of tenace when only two play, in which one person holds the major tenace in trumps, hearts, and must win three tricks, no matter which player leads. The cards in one hand are:-- [Illustration: 🂻 🂱 🂺 🂡 🂮 ] and those in the other hand are;-- [Illustration: 🃋 🂾 🂽 🂹 🃑 ] If the player with the major tenace has to lead first, all he has to do is to force his adversary with the plain suit, spades. Whatever the adversary leads, the player with the major tenace simply wins it, and forces again. If the player with the four trumps has the first lead, it does not matter what card he plays; the player with the major tenace wins it, and forces with the plain suit.
[Illustration: Pone +-------+ | B | Dummy |Y Z| Declarer | A | +-------+ Leader ] _=Selecting the Suit to Lead.=_ If your partner has declared a suit, lead the best card you hold of it, regardless of number, unless you have an ace-king suit of your own, in which case lead the king first and have a look at dummy. If partner has not declared anything, lead your own suit. With high cards not in sequence, such as ace-queen, king-jack, or even queen-ten, in every suit but trumps, lead the trump. There is a great difference between playing against a trump declaration and against no-trumpers; because in the first case the leader is opposed to unusual trump strength and his object must be to make what he can of his winning cards, before the declarer gets into the lead and discards his weak suits, so as to be ready to trump them. But in the second case, there being no trumps, the leader’s object should be to get a suit established against the dealer, if he can, and the longer the suit is, the better. The dealer’s strength in a no-trumper is usually scattered, and he may often be found with a weak or missing suit, which is generally the suit in which the eldest hand or his partner is long. We shall first consider the leads against trump declarations, because they are more common and are also the more useful. If a player makes a trump-hand lead against a no-trump declaration, he will not do nearly so much harm as if he make a no-trump-hand lead against a trump declaration. For that reason, if a player cannot master both systems of leading, it is better for him to learn the leads against trumps than those against no-trumps.
If two suits are equal in number, play for the one in which you have the greatest number of cards massed in one hand. That is, if you have two suits of eight cards each, select the one that has six of those cards in one hand, in preference to the suit with four in each hand. 4. Everything else being equal, play for the suit which is shown in the Dummy, so as to conceal from the adversaries as long as possible the strength in your own hand. A suit is said to be _=established=_ when you can win every remaining trick in it, no matter who leads it. As it is very important that the hand which is longer in the suit should be able to lead it without interruption when it is established, good players make it a rule always to _=play the high cards from the shorter hand=_ first, so as to get out of the way. With Q 10 and three others in one hand, K J and one other in the other hand, the play is the K and J from the short hand, keeping the Q 10 in the long hand. If there is any choice, that suit should be selected which contains the longest sequence, or the sequence with the fewest breaks. It should be noticed that the sequence need not be in one hand; for it is almost as valuable if divided, and it is especially advantageous to have the higher cards concealed in the declarer’s hand. Its continuity is the chief point.
Please will you take one in? [choose out one] Now poor ---- she is gone Without a farthing in her hand, Nothing but a gay gold ring. Good-bye! Good-bye! Good-bye, mother, good-bye! --Isle of Man (A. W. Moore) VII. Here comes a poor widow from Sandalam, With all her children at her hand; The one can bake, the other can brew, The other can make a lily-white shoe; Another can sit by the fire and spin, So pray take one of my daughters in. The fairest one that I can see Is pretty [Mary] come to me. And now poor [Mary] she is gone Without a guinea in her hand, And not so much as a farthing. Good-bye! Good-bye, my love, good-bye! --Forest of Dean, Gloucester (Miss Matthews). VIII. Here comes an old woman from Cumberland, With seven poor children in her hand; One can sing, the other can sew; One can sit up in the corner and cry, Alleluia! Choose the fairest you can see.