[Illustration: 7 8 9 10 4 5 6 2 3 1 ] _=The Pins=_ are spotted as shown in the margin, the centres 12 inches apart, and those of the back row 3 inches from the edge of the pit. The regulation pins are 15 inches high, 2¼ diam. at the base, 15 inches circumference 4½ from the bottom, and 5¼ at the neck. _=The Balls=_ must not exceed 27 inches in circumference in any direction, but smaller balls may be used. _=Frames.=_ Each player rolls ten frames or innings, in each of which he is supposed to have three balls, although as a matter of fact he rolls two only. In match games, two alleys are used, and the players roll one inning on each alternately. _=A Strike=_ is made when all ten pins are knocked down with the first ball of the innings, and it is scored on the blackboard with a cross, the number of pins made with the three balls being filled in afterward. _=A Spare=_ is made when all ten pins are knocked down with the two balls of one inning, and it is marked with a diagonal stroke. If the player fails to get either a strike or a spare, it is a _=Break=_, marked with a horizontal line, under which is written the actual number of pins down.
The hand may be such that it is evidently impossible to avoid taking some hearts. The player must then decide whether he will play to give each of the others hearts, or will take them all himself. If he succeeds in either object he has a chance to win back his money in the ensuing Jack. In deciding on his chances to get clear without taking a single heart, the player must first consider the advisability of beginning with a heart, or with a plain suit. If hearts, he should know the probability of the heart he leads not winning the trick; if a plain suit, he should know the probability of the suit going round one or more times without hearts being discarded on it, especially if he intends to lead high cards. These chances must then be balanced one against the other and the more favourable selected. _=LEADING HEARTS ORIGINALLY.=_ When your hearts are so small as to be absolutely safe, such as the 7 5 3 2, it might be supposed that the best play would be to lead them at once, in order to get a large number of hearts out of your way. But with such cards it is usually much better play, unless you have a very dangerous hand in plain suits, to reserve these small hearts until you have a more definite idea, from the fall of the cards, to whom you are giving them. Such cards are particularly useful for getting rid of the lead at dangerous stages in the end-game.
Baddin The game of Hockey in Cheshire.--Holland s _Glossary_. Badger the Bear A rough game, sometimes seen in the country. The boy who personates the Bear performs his part on his hands and knees, and is prevented from getting away by a string. It is the part of another boy, his Keeper, to defend him from the attacks of the others.--Halliwell s _Dictionary_. This is a boys game, and is called Buffet the Bear. It may be taken part in by any number. One boy--the Bear--goes down on all fours, and lowers his head towards his breast as much as possible. Into his hand is placed one end of a piece of cord, and another boy, called the Keeper, takes hold of the other end in one hand, while he has in the other his cap.
_=DRAW BRIDGE.=_ This is double Dummy; but instead of laying Dummy’s cards face up on the table, each player is provided with a holder in which he places his partner’s cards in such a manner that his adversary cannot see them. As it comes to Dummy’s turn to play to each trick, a card is drawn from the holder. All four hands are responsible for revokes. _=KING’S BRIDGE.=_ This is sometimes called _=Four Hand Bridge=_, each player being for himself. The movements of the players are the same as those described in Pivot Bridge, one player sitting still all the time, while each of the others in turn becomes his partner for four deals. The dealer declares. If he passes, the player sitting opposite him must make it according to the mechanical rules given in Bridge for Three. There is no doubling.
If a piece of turf can be procured so much the better. One boy lays his chestnut upon the turf, and the other strikes at it with his chestnut; and they go on striking alternately till one chestnut splits the other. The chestnut which remains unhurt is then conqueror of one. A new chestnut is substituted for the broken one, and the game goes on. Whichever chestnut now proves victorious becomes conqueror of two, and so on, the victorious chestnut adding to its score all the previous winnings. The chestnuts are often artificially hardened by placing them up the chimney or carrying them in a warm pocket; and a chestnut which has become conqueror of a considerable number acquires a value in schoolboys eyes; and I have frequently known them to be sold, or exchanged for other toys (Holland s _Cheshire Glossary_). The game is more usually played by one boy striking his opponent s nut with his own, both boys standing and holding the string in their hands. It is considered bad play to strike the opponent s _string_. The nut only should be touched. Three tries are usually allowed.
Pone, the player on the dealer’s right, who cuts the cards. Ponte, F., one who plays against the banker. Post Mortems, discussions as to what might have been at Whist, sometimes called, “If you hads.” Pot, strictly speaking, the amount to be played for when a pool has exceeded a certain limit, especially in Spoil Five and Boston. Premier en Cartes, F., the first to play. Private Conventions, any system of giving information by the play which could not be understood by a partner unless explained to him. Probabilities, the odds in favour of any event. Progression, a martingale which increases a bet a certain amount every time it is lost, and decreases it every time it is won.
VI. How many miles to Barney Bridge? Three score and ten. Will I be there by candle-light? Yes, if your legs are long. A curtsey to you, another to you, If you please will you let the king s horses go through? Yes, but take care of your hindmost man. --Belfast (W. H. Patterson). VII. How many miles to Gandigo? Eighty-eight almost, or quite. Can I [we] get there by candle-light? Yes, if your legs are long and light.
In minor games, questions are continually arising which could be easily settled if the players were familiar with a few general principles which are common to the laws of all games, and which might be considered as the basis of a general code of card laws. The most important of these principles are as follows:-- _=Players.=_ It is generally taken for granted that those first in the room have the preference, but if more than the necessary number assemble, the selection must be made by cutting. A second cut will then be required to decide the partnerships, if any, and the positions at the table, the latter being important only in games in which the deal, or some given position at the table, is an advantage or the reverse. The usual method of cutting is to spread the cards face downward on the table, each player drawing one. In some games the cards are thrown round by one of the players. _=Shuffling, Cutting and Dealing.=_ In all games in which the cards are shuffled at all, each player has the right to shuffle, the dealer last. In English speaking countries the cards are always cut by the player on the dealer’s right, who is called the “pone.” In cutting to the dealer in any game there must be as many cards left in each packet as will form a trick; or, if the game is not one of tricks, as many cards as there will be in any player’s hand; four, for instance, at Whist, and five at Poker.
Here comes the lady of the land, With sons and daughters in her hand; Pray, do you want a servant to-day? What can she do? She can brew, she can bake, She can make a wedding cake Fit for you or any lady in the land. Pray leave her. I leave my daughter safe and sound, And in her pocket a thousand pound, And on her finger a gay ring, And I hope to find her so again. --_Somerset and Dorset Notes and Queries_, i. 133. II. There camed a lady from other land, With all her children in her hand-- Please, do you want a sarvant, marm? Leave her. I leaves my daughter zafe and zound, And in her pocket a thousan pound, And on her finger a goulden ring, And in her busum a silver pin. I hopes when I return, To see her here with you. Don t e let her ramble; don t e let her trot; Don t e let her car the mustard pot.
This is the more general way of playing the game. In those versions where the reply, Very well, ladies, occurs, this is sung by the line of children just before they sing, We ve come to see Jenny Jones. Sometimes, as in the Berrington and Chirbury game, two lines of children facing each other advance and retire, singing the verses. They then carry Jenny Jones to a corner, lay her down, stand in a circle round, and sing to her the last verse. In the Hants versions sent by Miss Mendham, six or eight children carry Jenny stretched out and flat, lay her down, cover her over, and then sing the last lines. The rest of the children follow them. In the Irish (Belfast) version the game is played in the same way; the funeral is arranged, when Jenny suddenly comes to life again (W. H. Patterson). In the Southampton version, after the carrying of Jenny by her head and feet to the grave, and the other children following and standing round, Jenny Jones rises up and pursues the children.
If the player forces the bottle off the table or into a pocket, the bottle must be spotted on its proper spot in the centre of the table, the player loses his shot and forfeits one point, and the next player plays. A player who makes more than 31 points is burst, and must start his string anew; all that he makes in excess of 31 points count on his new string, and the next player plays. BILLIARD TEXT BOOKS. _=American Game=_:-- Modern Billiards, Brunswick-Balke-Collender Co. Billiard Laws, ” ” ” ” Manuel du Biliard, by Vignaux. Garnier’s Practice Shots. _=English Game=_:-- Billiards Simplified, Burroughs and Watts. Billiards, by W. Cook. Billiards, by Joseph Bennet.
Bystanders should make no remark, neither should they by word or gesture give any intimation of the state of the game until concluded and scored, nor should they walk round the table to look at the different hands. No one should look over the hand of a player against whom he is betting. DUMMY. Is played by three players. One hand, called Dummy’s, lies exposed on the table. The laws are the same as those of Whist, with the following exceptions: I. Dummy deals at the commencement of each rubber. II. Dummy is not liable to the penalty for a revoke, as his adversaries see his cards; should he revoke, and the error not be discovered until the trick is turned and quitted, it stands good. III.
This system of scoring will show at once whose turn it is to deal, if the total number of amounts under which no line is drawn are counted up. For instance: Three persons play; A dealt the first hand. In the first three columns are shown the amounts won and lost in the three rounds, while the last three columns show the manner in which these losses and gains were entered on the score sheet:-- | Points won and lost. | | Score Card. | | 1st Round.| 2nd Round.| 3rd Round.| | A | B | C | +-----------+-----------+-----------+ +----+----+----+ | A won 33 | A lost 16 | C lost 36 | | +33| +40| +55| | C won 55 | B won 40 | B won 48 | | +17| +88| +67| | C won 12 | A lost 24 | C lost 12 | | -7| | +31| | | | | +----+ +----+ | | | | | | | +19| At the end of the second round a line was drawn under A’s account, which then contained three items; and after the first game in the third round a line was drawn under C’s account. If we suppose the game to be stopped at this point, the scores would be balanced as follows: We take the three scores and bring them down on one line. We draw a line under them, and proceed as follows: First we take A, who has lost 7 to B, and from whom B has also won 88.
=_ The various moves which take place in the course of a game are recorded by giving each square on the board a number, and putting down the number of the square the man is moved from, and the one it is moved to. Only those squares upon which the men stand are numbered, and the black men are always supposed to be originally placed upon the lower numbers, from 1 to 12; the white men being placed upon the squares numbered from 21 to 32. Diagrams Nos. 4 and 5 show the method of numbering the board, and the men placed in position. [Illustration: No. 4. +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ | | 1 | | 2 | | 3 | | 4 | +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ | 5 | | 6 | | 7 | | 8 | | +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ | | 9 | |10 | |11 | |12 | +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ |13 | |14 | |15 | |16 | | +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ | |17 | |18 | |19 | |20 | +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ |21 | |22 | |23 | |24 | | +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ | |25 | |26 | |27 | |28 | +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ |29 | |30 | |31 | |32 | | +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ ] [Illustration: No. 5. +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ | | ⛂ | | ⛂ | | ⛂ | | ⛂ | +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ | ⛂ | | ⛂ | | ⛂ | | ⛂ | | +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ | | ⛂ | | ⛂ | | ⛂ | | ⛂ | +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ | | | | | | | | | +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ | | | | | | | | | +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ | ⛀ | | ⛀ | | ⛀ | | ⛀ | | +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ | | ⛀ | | ⛀ | | ⛀ | | ⛀ | +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ | ⛀ | | ⛀ | | ⛀ | | ⛀ | | +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ ] In checker notation the number of the move is never given, as it is in Chess. The moves of the black men are distinguished from those of the white men by being hyphenated, but there are no marks to show when pieces are captured.
Five, for example, play on each side. A square is chalked out on a footpath by the side of a road, which is called the Den; five of the boys remain by the side of the Den, one of whom is called the Tenter; the Tenter has charge of the Den, and he must always stand with one foot in the Den and the other upon the road; the remaining five boys go out to field, it being agreed beforehand that they shall only be allowed to run within a prescribed area, or in certain roads or streets (fig. 1). As soon as the boys who have gone out to field have reached a certain distance--there is no limit prescribed--they shout Relievo, and upon this signal the four boys standing by the side of the Den pursue them, leaving the Tenter in charge of the Den (fig. 2). When a boy is caught he is taken to the Den, where he is obliged to remain, unless the Tenter puts both his feet into the Den, or takes out the one foot which he ought always to keep in the Den. If the Tenter is thus caught tripping, the prisoner can escape from the Den. If during the progress of the game one of the boys out at field runs through the Den shouting Relievo without being caught by the Tenter, the prisoner is allowed to escape, and join his comrades at field. If one of the boys out at field is tired, and comes to stand by the side of the Den, he is not allowed to put his foot into the Den. If he does so the prisoner calls out, There are two Tenters, and escapes if he can (fig.
II. Here we go round the rules of contrary, When I say Hold fast! let go, and when I say Let go! hold fast. --London (A. B. Gomme). (_b_) A ring is formed by each child holding one end of a handkerchief. One child stands in the centre and acts as leader. The ring moves round slowly. The leader says the words as above while the ring is moving round, and then suddenly calls out whichever he chooses of the two sayings. If he says Hold fast! every one must immediately let go the corner of the handkerchief he holds.
There is no difference between the act of striking and the act of aiming. 5. The “baulk” is no protection. 6. The striker must pocket a red ball before playing upon a pool ball; otherwise the stroke is foul, and after pocketing a red ball he must play upon a pool ball, an order of play that must be observed throughout each break so long as a red ball remains upon the table. 7. After pocketing a red ball the striker is at liberty to select the pool ball upon which he will play, but when there is no longer a red ball on the table, the pool balls must be played at and taken in their order of value from lowest to highest, save that the player pocketing the last red ball shall be allowed to select the first pool ball upon which he plays, which, if pocketed, shall be respotted and the pool balls played at in their order of value. 8. When playing on a pool ball the striker, if asked the question by a player taking part in the game, shall “declare” the ball selected. 9.