Take the case of three dice: As three numbers out of six must come up, it might be supposed that it was an even thing that one would be an ace. But the possible throws with three dice are 6 × 6 × 6 = 216; and those that do not contain an ace are 5 × 5 × 5 = 125; so that the odds against getting an ace in one throw with three dice, or three throws with one die, are 125/216, or 125 to 91 against it. To find the probability of getting a given total on the faces of two or three dice we must find the number of ways that the desired number can come. In the 36 possible throws with two dice there are 6 which will show a total of seven pips. The probability of throwing seven is therefore 6/36, or 5 to 1 against it. A complete list of the combinations with two dice were given in connection with Craps. _=Poker.=_ In calculating the probability of certain conflicting events, both of which cannot occur, but either of which would be favourable, we must make the denominator of our fraction equal in both cases, which will, of course, necessitate a proportionate change in our numerator. Suppose a poker player has three of a kind, and intends to draw one card only, the odds against his getting a full hand are 1/16; against getting four of a kind, 1/48. To find the total probability of improvement, we must make the first fraction proportionate to the last, which we can do by multiplying it by 3.
=_ Counters of any kind are not used in Skat, as the score is kept on a writing pad, which should be ruled into vertical columns for the number of players engaged. _=PLAYERS.=_ Skat is played by three persons. If there are four at the table the dealer takes no cards, but shares the fortunes of those who are opposed to the single player, winning and losing on each hand whatever they win and lose. If there are five or six at the table, the dealer gives cards to the two on his left, and the one next him on the right. Those holding no cards share the fortunes of the two who are opposed to the single player. After the table is formed, no one can join the game without the consent of all those already in, and then only after a _=round=_; that is, after each player at the table has had an equal number of deals. Should any player cut into a table during the progress of a game, he must take his seat at the right of the player who dealt the first hand. When six persons offer for play, it is much better to form two tables, but some persons object to playing continuously, and like the rest given to the dealer when more than three play. There are always three active players in Skat.
Open Misère, or Spread, wins or loses 6 red counters. Declared Abundance, or Slam, wins or loses 8 red counters. Each Over or Under-trick wins or loses 1 white counter. In Proposal and Acceptance, each of the partners pays one of his adversaries. In all cases in which a single player is opposed to the three others, he wins or loses the amount shown in the foregoing table with each of them individually; so that a single player calling a solo would win or lose 6 red counters. If he lost it, making only four tricks, he would also have to pay to each of his three adversaries a white counter. If he won it, making seven tricks, each of them would have to pay him two red and two white counters. Misères, Spreads, and Slams pay no odd tricks. The moment a Misère player takes a trick, or a Slam player loses one, the hands are abandoned, and the stakes paid. The usual value attached to the counters in America is 25 cents for the red, and 5 cents for the white.
_=SUGGESTIONS FOR GOOD PLAY.=_ The chief points for the beginner are good discarding, and taking advantage of tenace positions in the play, so as to secure the count for cards, which is often important. _=Elder Hand.=_ In discarding, the pone should consider what there may be against him. If it is unlikely that he will lose a pic or repic, he should try for the _=point=_, which very often carries with it the sequence. It must be remembered that there are only eight cards in each suit, and by comparing those that you hold with those that your adversary may hold it is comparatively easy, in the majority of hands, to estimate the possible scores against you. Next to the point, the most important thing is the score for _=cards=_. The point will save pic and repic, but the cards will make the greatest difference in the score in the long run. Sequences are always valuable, especially those that are Ace high in the elder hand, because they enable him to win a succession of tricks in play. The elder hand should risk a good deal if he has a fair chance to make a pic or repic, which will often settle the game.
There should be no penalty for a player’s having exposed a card unless he can derive some benefit from the exposure, such as from his partner’s having seen it. If there is no partner, there should be no penalty, because the player injures himself only. All exposed cards must be left on the table, and may be called upon by the adversaries to be led or played. The same principles apply to _=Leading out of Turn=_. If the player in error has no partner, or his partner is a dummy, and the lead is taken back, no harm is done except to the player himself, and there should be no penalty. If the adversaries fail to observe that the lead was irregular, they are equally at fault with the player, who must be assumed to have erred unintentionally. In games in which a lead out of turn conveys information to a partner, the usual penalty is to call a suit. If a player is led into error through a previous error on the part of an adversary, he should not suffer any penalty for it, but may take back his card. This is particularly true of following suit to erroneous leads, or playing after a revoke which is afterward amended. _=Irregularities in the Hands.
Hardy). [Music] --London (A. B. Gomme). I. Isabella, Isabella, Isabella, Farewell! Last night when we parted I left you broken-hearted, And on a green mountain, There stands a young man. Could you love him? Could you love him? Could you love him? Farewell! Choose one, love, Choose one, love, Choose one, love, Farewell! Take a walk, love, Take a walk, love, Take a walk, love, Farewell! In the ring, love, In the ring, love, In the ring, love, Farewell! Put the ring on, Put the ring on, Put the ring on, Farewell! Go to church, love, Go to church, love, Go to church, love, Farewell! Take a kiss, love, Take a kiss, love, Take a kiss, love, Farewell! Shake hands, love, Shake hands, love, Shake hands, love, Farewell! --Enborne, Newbury (M. Kimber). II. Isabella, Isabella, Isabella, Farewell! Last night when I departed I left her broken-hearted; Upon the steep mountain There stands a young man.
Some persons play with the full pack, but it spoils the game; as it is then possible to win on a sequence of a single suit. There are no trumps, and the cards have no value as to rank, a sequence of 6 7 J being no better than one of 2 3 4. The Ace is not in sequence with the King. _=Counters.=_ Each player should be supplied with at least ten counters, which may be used in settling at the end of each deal. _=Players.=_ Conquian is played by two persons, one of whom is known as the dealer, and the other as the pone. If there are three at the table, the dealer takes no cards, and has no part in the game for that hand. _=Cutting.=_ Seats and deal are cut for, the lowest cut having the choice, and dealing the first hand.
Sheffield Mr. S. O. Addy, Miss Lucy Garnett. Wakefield Miss Fowler. SCOTLAND. Chambers _Popular Rhymes_, ed. 1870. Mactaggart s _Gallovidian Encyclopædia_, ed. 1871.
This was the moment. It was a generalized sort of lift, the kind of thing that qualifies a TK for the Thirty-third degree. I heaved at the thousand-dollar bills I had had marked in the morning, without the faintest idea of where they were. The tray lurched in the waiter s hand, throwing glasses to the floor. Most of them shattered when they struck the real wood planks, splashing whisky and mix on our legs. I looked across the table and grinned at Fowler Smythe. His scowl had an awful lot of forehead to work on. What the devil! I could read his lips say over the racket. But Barney, the stick-man who d felt my Blackout, caught on a lot quicker. I was about to freeze him with a clamp on his thyroid.
SUGGESTIONS FOR GOOD PLAY. A good player, after sorting his hand, carefully estimates its possibilities. 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.
He shan t bite you--he shan t bite you--he shan t bite you, &c., &c.--he _shall_ bite you all over. --Dorsetshire (_Folk-lore Journal_, vii. 213). VII. I sent a letter to my love, I carried water in my glove, And by the way I dropped it. I did so! I did so! I had a little dog that said Bow! wow! I had a little cat that said Meow! meow! Shan t bite you--shan t bite you-- Shall bite you. --Cornwall (_Folk-lore Journal_, v. 52).
| | 7.| -- | -- |Come and dance with | | | | |me. | | 8.|[See below.] | -- | -- | | 9.|Give your hand to me. |Give your hand to me. |Take one, take the | | | | |fairest you can see. | | 10.| -- | -- |Pretty [ ] come to | | | | |me.
_=SLAMS.=_ If a player has demanded, and not been accepted, and has been forced to play alone for five tricks, but wins eight, it is called a slam. But as he did not wish to play alone, his only payment, besides the pool, is 24 counters from each player if he played in petite; 48 if in belle; double those amounts if the deal was one of the last eight in the game. If two partners make a slam, thirteen tricks, they take the pool, and receive from each adversary 24 counters if they played in petite; 48 if in belle; double if in one of the last eight hands in the game. _=EXPOSED CARDS.=_ The laws governing these are almost identical with those in Boston, with the additional rule that a player allowing a card to fall upon the table face up before play begins, can be forced to play independence in that suit. _=REVOKES.=_ The individual player who is detected in a revoke must double the pool, and pay both adversaries. _=PAYMENTS.=_ Payments are made according to the table.
, a daring ornament of her sex. I vanish. I vanish, but I will return. Here, then, is the story of the battle of Hook s Farm. The affair of Hook s Farm was one of those brisk little things that did so much to build up my early reputation. I did remarkably well, though perhaps it is not my function to say so. The enemy was slightly stronger, both in cavalry and infantry, than myself [Footnote: A slight but pardonable error on the part of the gallant gentleman. The forces were exactly equal.]; he had the choice of position, and opened the ball. Nevertheless I routed him.
The student will find many games marked as “won” in which he cannot see any winning position unless he is familiar with the four endings. The expert strives to exchange his men so as to bring about one of these positions, after which he knows he has a won game, although his less skilful adversary may be unconscious of his advantage. [Illustration: _=First Position.=_ Black to move and win. WHITE. +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ | | | | | | ⛀ | | | +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ | | | ⛂ | | | | | | +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ | | | | | | ⛂ | | | +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ | | | | | | | | | +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ | | | | | | | | | +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ | | | | | | | | | +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ | | ⛁ | | | | | | | +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ | | | | | | | | | +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ BLACK. ] [Illustration: _=Second Position.=_ Black to move and win. WHITE. +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ | | | | | | | | | +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ | | | | | | | | | +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ | | | | | | | | | +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ | | | | | | | | | +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ | | | | | | | | ⛀ | +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ | ⛀ | | | | | | | | +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ | | ⛁ | | | | ⛂ | | | +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ | | | ⛂ | | | | ⛃ | | +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ BLACK.
_=MAKING THE TRUMP.=_ When the trump is turned down, the general rule is for the eldest hand to make it next. The exceptions are when he has nothing in the next suit, but has at least two certain tricks in the cross suit, and a probable trick in a plain suit. It is safer to make it next with a weak hand than to cross it on moderate strength, for the presumption is that neither the dealer nor his partner had a bower in the turn-down suit, and therefore have none in the next suit. Such being the case, it is very likely that one or both may be strong in the cross suits, and it is not considered good policy to cross the suit unless so strong in it as to be reasonably certain of three tricks. Some players invariably make it next, regardless of their hands, unless they can play alone in the cross suit. Such a habit exposes them to the common artifice of the dealer’s turning it down for a euchre. A dealer holding a bower and three cards of the next suit, will often turn it down, and trust to the eldest hand making it next, which will give the dealer four trumps instead of two. The eldest hand should be on his guard against this when the dealer’s side has 3 scored. The dealer’s partner, on the other hand, should cross the suit almost as invariably as the eldest hand should make it next; for if his partner cannot take up the trump, and the eldest hand cannot make it next, their hands must be weak, and if it is passed to the pone, he will probably turn out to have a lone hand.
A guess is then made. If the guess is correct the guesser gets the objects. If the guess is incorrect the guesser has to make up the difference between the number guessed and the real number. The players play alternately. This game was played for the most part at Christmas.--Keith (Rev. W. Gregor). (_b_) Hairry = rob, Bossie = a wooden bowl, commonly used for making the leaven in baking oat-cakes, and for making brose. This is a very general game amongst schoolboys.