How far is it to Babylon? Three score miles and ten. Can I get there by candle-light? Yes, there and back again. --Sporle, Norfolk (Miss Matthews). XVIII. How many miles to Babylon? Three score and ten. Can you get there by candle-light? O yes, and back again. --Hanbury, Staffordshire (Miss E. Hollis). XIX. Open the gates as wide as high, And let King George and I go by; It is so dark I cannot see To thread my grandmother s needle.
. The trevit is, in fact, the trap itself, and the trevit-stick the stick with which the trap is struck. The tribbit-stick is elsewhere called primstick, gelstick, buckstick, trippit, and trevit. Atkinson says that spell is O.N., spill meaning a play or game, and the probability is that the game is a lineal descendant from the Ball-play of the Old Danes, or Northmen, and Icelanders. Spell and knor is a corruption of spell a knor, the play at ball. Nurspel is simply ball-play, therefore which name, taken in connection with the fact that the game is elsewhere called Spell and Knor, and not Knor and Spell, is significant. There is one day in the year, Shrove Tuesday, when the play is customarily practised, though not quite exclusively.--Atkinson s _Cleveland Glossary_.
It will be observed that these rules are quite different from the French rules, which have been given in connection with the ordinary game of Bézique. In France, it is always the custom to establish the _status quo_, if possible, and to assume that the error was quite unintentional. In England, all laws are based on the assumption that your adversary is a rogue, and the penalties are absurdly severe, but we have no authority to change them. _=Irregularities in Drawing.=_ If a player has forgotten to take his card from the talon, and has played to the next trick, the English laws compel him to play the remainder of the hand with eight cards; the French laws give his adversary the option of calling the deal void, or allowing the player in error to draw two cards from the stock next time. If a player draws two cards from the stock, instead of one, he must show the second one to his adversary if he has seen it himself. If it was his adversary’s card, he must show his own card also. If he has not seen it, he may put it back without penalty. If he draws out of turn, he must restore the card improperly drawn, and if it belongs to his adversary, the player in error must show his own card. If both players draw the wrong cards, there is no remedy.
If any of the piles occupied by the descending sequences are exhausted, new cards may be placed there at any time the player thinks fit. Such new piles may be started from the pack, from the deadwood, or from any other pile. KLONDIKE. This game is sometimes mistakenly called “Canfield”, but that is a distinct game, described elsewhere, in which there are separate piles for stock and foundations. Shuffle the full pack of fifty-two cards, cut and turn up the top card. Lay six more cards in a row to the right of the first card, but all face down. Upon the second card of this row place another card face up, and then cards face down on the remaining five of the top row. On the third pile from the left, place another card face up, and then four more face down to the right. Continue this until you have seven cards face up, which will give you twenty-eight cards in your layout. Take out any aces showing, and place them in a row by themselves for “foundations.
_=1. Formation of Table.=_ A poker table is complete with seven players. If eight play the dealer must take no cards, or a sixty-card pack must be used. If there are more than seven candidates for play, two tables must be formed unless the majority decide against it. _=2. Cutting.=_ The players who shall form the table, and their positions at the beginning of the game may be decided by drawing from an outspread pack, or by throwing round a card to each candidate, face up. If there are eight or more candidates, the tables shall divide evenly if the number is even, those cutting the highest cards playing together. If the number is odd, the smaller table shall be formed by those cutting the highest cards.
Each pair keeps its own score card, on which is put down the number of the tray, the number of the pair played against, which is always the number of the table at which they started; one of the pairs remaining there being No. 3 N & S, the other moving away, being No. 3 E & W. Each pair adds up its score card at the end, and puts down the total number of tricks they have won. The names of the players having been previously written on the blackboard, their scores are put down opposite their names, each side, N & S and E & W, is then added up in order to find the average, and all scores above average are plus, while all below average are minus. The following is an example of the averaging of a game in which five tables took part, playing 30 deals:-- N & S E & W a 201 -6 f 189 +6 b 204 -3 g 186 +3 c 211 +4 h 179 -4 d 207 = j 183 = e 212 +5 k 178 -5 --------------- --------------- 5 |1035 5 |915 +---- +--- Aver. 207, N & S. Aver. 183, E & W. The _=e=_ and _=f=_ pairs make the best scores N & S and E & W respectively; the _=f=_ pair, having won the greatest number of tricks above the average of the hands, would be the winners.
, are the same as in whist, and the counters are used in the same manner. _=Cutting Out.=_ As already observed, there is no change of partners, or of the rotation of the deal, until the completion of a rubber; but at the beginning of each rubber, dummy must deal the first hand. Should one side win the first two games in any rubber, the third is not played. At the end of the tournée, should any player wish to retire, and another offer to take his place, the cards must be shuffled and cut as at the beginning; a player’s position in one tournée giving him no rights in the next. There is nothing in the English game to recognize that there may be more than three candidates for dummy; as it is supposed that if four were present, they would prefer playing whist. _=Suggestions for Good Play.=_ As these are equally proper to any form of dummy, we shall postpone their consideration until we have described the other varieties of the game; French dummy, and Bridge; giving them all at the end of the chapter on “Bridge.” DOUBLE DUMMY. _=CARDS.
--_Notes and Queries_, 4th series, xii. 479. III. Give me a pin to stick in my chin (? cushion) To carry a lady to London; London Bridge is broken down And I must let my lady down. --Northall s _English Folk Rhymes_, p. 353. (_b_) In this game two children cross hands, grasping each other s wrists and their own as well: they thus form a seat on which a child can sit and be carried about. At the same time they sing the verse. Carrying the Queen a Letter The King and Queen have a throne formed by placing two chairs a little apart, with a shawl spread from chair to chair. A messenger is sent into the room with a letter to the Queen, who reads it, and joins the King in a courteous entreaty that the bearer of the missive will place himself between them.
87. In all cases where a penalty has been incurred, the offender is bound to give reasonable time for the decision of his adversaries. 88. If a bystander make any remark which calls the attention of a player or players to an oversight affecting the score, he is liable to be called on, by the players only, to pay the stakes and all bets on that game or rubber. 89. A bystander, by agreement among the players, may decide any question. 90. A card or cards torn or marked must be either replaced by agreement, or new cards called at the expense of the table. 91. Any player may demand to see the last trick turned, and no more.
It is simply English Pyramids, but instead of making the player with the lowest score at the end pay for the table, each player equally shares the expense, and the balls are pocketed for so much apiece. If the amount of the shell-out was a shilling, and there were six players, any person pocketing a ball would receive a shilling from each of the others, and would play again. A losing hazard or a miss would compel the striker to pay a shilling to each of the others, instead of putting a ball back on the table. The last ball pays double. HIGH-LOW-JACK-GAME. This game is played with a set of balls the same as used in Fifteen-Ball Pool. Any number of persons may play, the order of play being determined by the rolling of the small numbered balls. The fifteen-ball is High; the one-ball is Low; the nine-ball is Jack; and the highest aggregate is Game. Seven points generally constitute a game. In cases where players have one and two to go to finish game, the first balls holed count out first, be they High, Low, or Jack.
=_ In the end game there are several variations which are made possible by the fact that the cards on your right are exposed. With A J x, Dummy having Q x x, the small card should be led. With Q x, and an odd card, Dummy having K x x of the first suit; it is better to play the odd card; but if for any reason this should not be done, lead the Q, hoping to find A 10 with your partner. The state of the score must be a constant guide in all end games. For instance: You hold Q 10 x, Dummy having J 9 x. If you want only one trick, play the Queen; but if you want two, play the small card. _=SECOND HAND PLAY.=_ The easiest position to play as second hand, is, of course, with the Dummy on your left, because Dummy’s cards will show what is best to be done. If a small card is led, you having King, put it on if Dummy has not the Ace; unless you want partner to get the lead. If Dummy has only two cards of the suit, neither of them the Ace, always play your King.
All these hands are improperly placed in the scale of poker values, as will be seen by comparing the odds against them. In any games to which these eccentric hands are admitted, the rank of all the combinations would be as follows, if poker principles were followed throughout:-- DENOMINATION. ODDS AGAINST. One pair 1¼ to 1 Two pairs 20 to 1 Three of a kind 46 to 1 Sequence or straight 254 to 1 Skip or Dutch straight 423 to 1 Flush 508 to 1 Tiger [Big or Little Dog] 636 to 1 Full hand 693 to 1 Round-the-corner straight 848 to 1 Blaze 3008 to 1 Four of a kind 4164 to 1 Straight flush 72192 to 1 Royal Flush [Ace high] 649739 to 1 When the true rank of these eccentric hands is not allowed, local custom must decide what they will beat. _=JOKER POKER=_, or _=MISTIGRIS=_. It is not uncommon to leave the joker, or blank card, in the pack. The player to whom this card is dealt may call it anything he pleases. If he has a pair of aces, and the joker, he may call them three aces. If he has four clubs, and the joker, he may call it a flush; or he may make the joker fill out a straight. If he has four of a kind, and the joker, he can beat a royal flush by calling his hand five of a kind.
After the first few throws the player should take a general survey of the board, in order to see whether he is ahead or behind, or if he has any advantage of position. He must then decide whether he will play a _=backward=_ or a _=forward=_ game. A glance at the relative positions of the men will usually show if one side is much more advanced than the other, without going into any minute calculations as to how many points nearer home one side _may_ be. If, at the beginning of the game, one player makes two or three large throws in succession, while his adversary gets small throws only, the latter will have little chance of winning the game simply by running for home, whereas the former’s best chance will be to follow up his early advantage and get home as fast as possible. The only hope for the man who is behind is that he can pick up some of his opponent’s men, setting them back, and in order to do this he must keep behind his adversary, so as to meet as many of his men as possible. This enables us to formulate the great principle of the American game, which is that when a player is ahead he should go ahead as fast as he can; and when he is behind, he should stay behind as long as he can. In the first place he is playing a forward, and in the second place a backward game. _=The Forward Game.=_ The great point in this game, after having obtained the advantage of several good throws in the opening, is to get home as rapidly as possible without unnecessarily exposing your men by leaving blots. Do not take up your adversary’s men if you can help it, because by so doing you place obstacles in your own path, and assist him by allowing him to stay behind, which is just his game.
_=B=_ having made his point, _=C=_ deals, and it is then to the interest of _=B=_ to let _=C=_ make his point. Suppose _=C=_ makes a march, 3 points, which puts him on a level with _=A=_. On _=A’s=_ deal it is _=C’s=_ game to euchre him, but _=B=_ must let _=A=_ make his point; so that instead of being opposed by both _=B=_ and _=C=_, as he was a moment ago, _=A=_ finds a friend in _=B=_, and the two who were helping each other to beat _=A=_, are now cutting each other’s throats. On _=B’s=_ deal, _=A=_ does not want to euchre him, for although that would win the game for both _=A=_ and _=C=_, _=A=_, who now has 4 points up, does not wish to divide the pool with _=C=_ while he has such a good chance to win it all himself. Suppose _=B=_ makes his point. _=A=_ will do all he can to euchre _=C=_, but _=B=_ will oppose the scheme, because his only chance for the game is that _=A=_ will not be able to take up the trump on his own deal, and that _=B=_ will make a march. SET-BACK EUCHRE. This is simply a reversal of the ordinary method of scoring, the players starting with a certain number of points, usually ten, and deducting what they make on each deal. The peculiarity which gives the game its name is that if a player is euchred he is _=set back=_ two points, his adversaries counting nothing. The revoke penalty is settled in the same way.
6. If any one leads or plays a card, and then, before his partner has played to the trick, leads one or more other cards, or plays two or more cards together, all of which are better than any of his adversaries hold of the suit, his partner may be called upon by either adversary to win the first or any subsequent trick to which any of said cards are played, and the remaining cards so played are liable to be called. For the Rules of Etiquette of Duplicate Whist, see page 85. SINGLE TABLE, OR MNEMONIC DUPLICATE. The laws of Duplicate Whist govern where applicable, except as follows: Each player plays each deal twice, the second time playing a hand previously played by an adversary. Instead of turning the trump, a single suit may be declared trumps for the game. On the overplay, the cards may be gathered into tricks instead of playing them as required by law (Law VIII, Sec. 1). In case of the discovery of an irregularity in the hands, there must always be a new deal. MNEMONIC DUPLICATE FOR MORE THAN ONE TABLE.
|maid. |daughters come. | | 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.
The Spot Stroke, by Joseph Bennet. CHANCE AND PROBABILITY. In calculating the probability of any event, the difficulty is not, as many persons imagine, in the process, but in the statement of the proposition, and the great trouble with many of those who dispute on questions of chance is that they are unable to think clearly. The chance is either for or against the event; the probability is always for it. The chances are expressed by the fraction of this probability, the denominator being the total number of events possible, and the numerator the number of events favourable. For instance: The probability of throwing an ace with one cast of a single die is expressed by the fraction ⅙; because six different numbers may be thrown, and they are all equally probable, but only one of them would be an ace. Odds are found by deducting the favourable events from the total, or the numerator from the denominator. In the example, the odds against throwing an ace are therefore 5 to 1. The greater the odds against any event the more _=improbable=_ it is said to be, and the more _=hazardous=_ it is to risk anything upon it. When an event happens which is very improbable, the person to whom it happens is considered _=lucky=_, and the greater the improbability, the greater his luck.
In _=Leading=_, it is best to begin with the point, unless you know that you are leading up to tenace, or to high cards that will bring in a long adverse suit. The piquet player soon learns the importance of tenace and fourchette, and can sometimes see how things must be managed for five or six tricks ahead, so as to secure the odd trick. Tenace is the best and third-best of any suit, such as A Q, while a fourchette is any two cards within one of each other, such as K J, or Q 10, and the lead from such combinations should always be avoided. If you have the odd trick in hand, make it at once, before you risk anything else, because the only difference between the odd trick and eleven tricks is the count for each card led in the tricks. _=The Dealer.=_ The first thing to guard against is a long run of winning leads from the elder hand, which might make the odd trick, or even capot. As there are no trumps it is very important for the dealer to keep guarded Kings and twice-guarded Queens. The principal thing for the dealer to remember is that if he cannot stop a long suit in the elder hand, he will have to provide in advance for a certain number of discards, and these must be so planned that guards will be preserved in the other suits. He should also get his hand into such condition that when he does get into the lead, he will not have to lead away from tenaces or guarded Kings. Careful attention to his adversary’s declarations, and a comparison of his own hand with his discards will usually guide the dealer to a correct conclusion as to what to keep and what to throw away in playing to tricks.
Many tenace positions cannot be taken advantage of because the player must win the trick if he can. For instance: Several discards have been made, and each player suspects the other holds three trumps, with three tricks to play. The Queen is led, and the adversary holds K A 7. If he could pass this trick, he must lie tenace; but as he has to win it with the King, he gives tenace to his adversary, who evidently has J and another. When the dealer is four, the player may stand on much weaker hands. It is usually best to lead from guarded suits, in preference to single cards. Lead the best of a suit if you have it. If the third trick is the first you win, and you have a trump and another card, lead the trump; but if you have won two tricks, lead the plain suit. _=THE DEALER.=_ When the player asks for cards, the dealer knows that his adversary probably does not hold a jeux de règle.
How s poor Jenny jo, Jenny jo, Jenny jo? He s fallen downstairs and broken his neck. Oh, very good, very good, very good. How s poor Jenny jo, Jenny jo, Jenny jo? He s dead. Oh, very good, very good, very good. --Annaverna, Louth, Ireland (Miss R. Stephen). (_b_) Two children stand apart; one, who personates the Mother, stands still and holds out her skirts with both hands; the other personates Jenny Jones, and kneels or stoops down in a crouching position behind her companion s outstretched skirts. The other players form a line by joining hands. They sing the first, third, and every alternate verse, advancing and retiring in line while doing so. The Mother sings the answers to their questions, standing still and hiding Jenny Jones all the time from view.
Leading the Jack shows that it contained at least five cards. When a player holds both the second and third-best of a suit on the second round, he should always play one of them, whether he is First, Second, or Third Hand. This protects him, by forcing the command of the suit, if it does not win the trick. Having led the Ten from K J 10 x, if the Ace or Queen wins the first trick, the K should be next led. Having led the Four from Q J 6 4 2, if Ace or King falls to the first trick, the Queen should be led. If the Jack, Queen, and Ace fall to the first trick, a player holding both Ten and Nine should lead the Ten. After leading high cards from some combinations, and winning the trick, they may no longer contain either the best or the second and third best. Such are the following:-- [Illustration: 🂡 🂭 🂧 🂤 🂢 | 🂾 🂽 🂺 🂴 🃁 🃋 🃉 🃄 🃃 | 🂮 🂭 🂧 🂤 🃑 🃙 🃘 🃔 🃓 | 🃎 🃋 🃊 🃄 ] The rule in all such cases is to follow with the card of uniformity, the original fourth-best. If the combinations are those from which the fourth-best had been led originally, and the leader has neither the best, nor both second and third best to go on with, he should continue with the lowest card in his hand, unless he had six or more in suit; in which case he may go on with the remaining fourth-best. _=AVOID CHANGING SUITS.
(Clock strikes one.) We ve come to see poor Jenny Jones, poor Jenny Jones, poor Jenny Jones, We ve come to see poor Jenny Jones, how is she to-day? Poor Jenny is starching, starching, starching, Poor Jenny is starching, you can t see her to-day. When can we see her? At two o clock. (Clock strikes two.) We ve come to see poor Jenny Jones, poor Jenny Jones, poor Jenny Jones, We ve come to see poor Jenny Jones, how is she to-day? Poor Jenny is folding, folding, folding, Poor Jenny is folding, you can t see her to-day. When can we see her? At three o clock. (Clock strikes three.) We ve come to see poor Jenny Jones, poor Jenny Jones, poor Jenny Jones, We ve come to see poor Jenny Jones, how is she to-day? Poor Jenny is ironing, ironing, ironing, Poor Jenny is ironing, you can t see her to-day. When can we see her? At four o clock. (Clock strikes four.
Each player should be provided with an equal number of counters, to which a trifling value may be attached. A strip of paper is placed in the centre of the table, marked as follows:-- +------------+-----------+--------------+-------+-------+ | Matrimony. | Intrigue. | Confederacy. | Pair. | Best. | +------------+-----------+--------------+-------+-------+ Any King and Queen is _=Matrimony=_; any Queen and Jack is _=Intrigue=_; any King and Jack is _=Confederacy=_; any two cards of the same denomination form a _=Pair=_, and the diamond ace is always _=Best=_. The players draw, and the lowest card deals: ace is low. The dealer then takes any number of counters he chooses, and distributes them as he pleases on the various divisions of the layout. Each player then takes a number of counters one less than the dealer’s, and distributes them according to his fancy.
[Illustration: PULL-UP GAME COUNTER.] _=PLAYERS.=_ Any number from two to six can play; but the regular game is for four persons, two of whom are partners against the other two. The player on the dealer’s left is the _=eldest hand=_; on the dealer’s right is the _=pone=_. _=CUTTING.=_ The players draw from an outspread pack for partners, seats, and deal. The two lowest play against the two highest; the highest cut has the choice of seats and cards, and deals the first hand. Partners sit opposite each other. _=DEALING.=_ Each player has the right to shuffle the pack, the dealer last.
13. +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ | | | | | | | | | +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ | | | | | | | | | +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ | | | | | | | | | +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ | | | | | ⛂ | | | | +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ | | | | | | | | | +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ | | | ⛀ | | ⛀ | | ⛀ | | +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ | | | | ⛀ | | | | | +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ | | | | | | | | | +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ ] [Illustration: No. 14. +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ | | | | | | | | | +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ | | | | | | | | | +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ | | | | | | | | | +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ | | | | | | | | | +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ | | | | ⛂ | | ⛀ | | | +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ | | | | | ⛀ | | | | +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ | | ⛀ | | ⛀ | | | | | +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ | | | | | | | | | +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ ] In Diagram No. 13, if White moves 24 19 he loses, because Black goes to 11, and as the tailors advance to head him off, he goes back to 15 and 18, and then gets round by going to 14. White’s proper play is 22 18, after which 26 22 will reform his line. In Diagram No. 14, if White moves 26 22, or 19 15, he loses immediately. In the first case Black will run to 15 and 11, and either get round or double back to 18. In the second case Black will get round by way of 7, or get through.
=_ It is a foul to place marks of any kind upon the cloth or cushions as a guide to play; also foul to practise the banking shot for the lead-off upon the plea of testing the balls. _=13.=_ It is a foul against the non-striker, and the striker cannot make a count on the ensuing shot, if a ball in play is lifted from the table, except it be unavoidable in those cases in which it is provided that, because of foul or irregular strokes, the balls shall be transposed or replaced. _=14.=_ In order to restrict deliberate playing for safety, it shall be optional with the non-striker, if his opponent makes a miss in each one of three successive innings, to accept the third miss or to reject it and force his antagonist to hit at least one object-ball; and for this purpose that antagonist’s ball shall be replaced by the referee. Should two balls be hit by this stroke, there shall be no count. FIFTEEN-BALL POOL. The most successful pool player is not the one who can make difficult winning hazards with the greatest accuracy, but he who thoroughly understands playing for position. If he is familiar with the principles of the force, the follow, the draw, and the side stroke, he should invariably be able to leave himself in a good position for each succeeding shot; but unless he plans for position in advance, he can never hope to be more than an average player. To attain to proficiency in this there is no better training than playing so many balls or “no count.
|Please may we have a |Come all ye fair |Come all ye pretty | | |pretty lass. |maids. |maids. | | 7.|To come and play with |And walk along with |Come and with us play.| | |us. |us. | | | 8.| -- | -- | -- | | 9.| -- | -- | -- | | 10.
) | | |24.| -- | -- | -- | |25.| -- |She showed her ring |Married to-day so kiss| | | |and bells did ring. |one another. | |26.| -- | -- | -- | |27.| -- | -- | -- | |28.|[Wallflowers verses | -- | -- | | |follow.] | | | |29.| -- | -- |Poor widow left alone,| | | | |and choose the fairest| | | | |daughter.
=_ Carte blanche must be announced and shown before a discard is made. Each player having discarded and drawn, the elder hand proceeds to announce any counting combinations he holds, which he must declare in regular order, beginning with the point. In announcing the point, the suit is not mentioned, only its value. The sequences are defined by the number of cards and the highest; “sixième to the King,” for instance. The fours and trios are defined in the same way; “four Kings,” or “three Jacks.” To each of these declarations, as they are made in regular order, the dealer must reply: “_=Good=_,” “_=Equal=_,” or, “_=Not good=_.” If the point is admitted to be good, the holder scores it; not by putting it down on the score sheet, but simply by beginning his count with the number of points it is worth. If the point is equal, neither player scores it, and secondary points have no value under any circumstances. If the point declared by the elder hand is not good, it is not necessary for the dealer to say how much better his point is; that will come later. To each of the other declarations replies are made in the same manner, except that fours and trios cannot be “equal.