=_ Checkers is played upon a board which is not more than sixteen, nor less than fourteen inches square, and is divided into sixty-four smaller squares of equal size. These squares are of different colours, alternately light and dark, and the board must be so placed that each player shall have a light square at his right on the side nearer him. _=The Men.=_ Each player is provided with twelve men, which are circular in form, one inch in diameter, and three eighths thick. The men on one side are red or black; those on the other white or yellow. The men must be placed on the _=black=_ squares. _=Diagrams.=_ For convenience in illustrating games and problems the men are always shown as placed on the white squares, type made in that manner being more easily read. The following diagram will show the proper arrangement of the men at the beginning of the game, if the white squares are supposed to be black ones:-- [Illustration: +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ | | ⛀ | | ⛀ | | ⛀ | | ⛀ | +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ | ⛀ | | ⛀ | | ⛀ | | ⛀ | | +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ | | ⛀ | | ⛀ | | ⛀ | | ⛀ | +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ | | | | | | | | | +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ | | | | | | | | | +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ | ⛂ | | ⛂ | | ⛂ | | ⛂ | | +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ | | ⛂ | | ⛂ | | ⛂ | | ⛂ | +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ | ⛂ | | ⛂ | | ⛂ | | ⛂ | | +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ ] _=Two Move Restriction.=_ It has lately become the custom in important tournaments to write an opening and second move, such as 10-14, 22-17 on a slip of paper; 10-14, 24-19 on another, and so on for all possible openings.
The dealer then draws or stands, and both show their cards. The one nearest to 15 wins; but if the result is a tie, or if both have overdrawn, the stakes are doubled, and another hand is dealt, the deal passing from player to player in rotation. BACCARA. This very popular variation of Vingt-et-un originated in the south of France, and came into vogue during the latter part of the reign of Louis Philippe. It is neither a recreation nor an intellectual exercise, but simply a means for the rapid exchange of money, well suited to persons of impatient temperament. The word “Baccara” is supposed to mean “nothing,” or “zero,” and is applied to the hands in which the total pip value of the cards ends with a cypher. There are two forms of the game in common use; Baccara a deux tableaux, and Baccara chemin de fer. The first will be first described. _=Players.=_ Baccara may be played by any number of persons from three to eleven.
=_ Although not absolutely necessary, counters are much more convenient than money. The most common are red, white, and blue circular chips, which should “stack up” accurately, so that equal numbers may be measured without counting them. The red are usually worth five whites, and the blue worth five reds, or twenty-five whites. At the beginning of the game one player should act as banker, and be responsible for all counters at the table. It is usual for each player to purchase, at the beginning of the game, the equivalent of 100 white counters in white, red, and blue. _=PLAYERS.=_ Poker may be played by any number of persons from two to seven. When there are more than seven candidates for play, two tables should be formed, unless the majority vote against it. In some localities it is the custom for the dealer to take no cards when there are eight players, which is thought to make a better game than two tables of only four players each. When the sixty-card pack is used, eight players may take cards.
_=The Game=_ is generally known as _=the gambler’s point=_, because it is the only point that must be played for in every hand, and its management requires more skill than all the others put together. The cards that count for Game are the four honours and the Ten of each suit. Every ace counts 4; every King 3; every Queen 2; every Jack 1; and every Ten 10. After the last card has been played, each player turns over the tricks he has won, and counts up the pip value of the court cards and Tens that he has won. Whoever has the highest number counts the point for Game. For instance: Two are playing. The elder hand has taken in an ace, two Kings and a Jack, which are collectively worth 11. The dealer has taken in a Queen and a Ten, which are worth 12; so the dealer marks the point for Game. If both players have the same number, or if there is no Game out, which rarely happens, the non-dealer scores Game. If three play, and Game is a tie between the two non-dealers, neither scores.
| | . | | . | | +-.-+---+-.-+---+-.-+---+-.-+---+ | . | | . | | . | | .
Another King will make him game; but if he has to depend on his sequences to put him out, he will have to get three more cards. Suppose he draws a card that will fit one of his sequences; it is to his advantage to pass it; but upon laying it on the table his adversary may take it up and force him with it, by placing it at the end of his sequence, at the same time saying: “Discard.” In the same manner a player holding one of the cards of his adversary’s show-down sequence or triplet may force after using a card, by placing his discard on his adversary’s sequence, instead of laying it on the table. If it is laid on the table, the adversary may pass it at once, by turning it down, and it is then too late to compel him to use it. Suppose you think your adversary holds two cards of an unplayed sequence, and has a triplet on the table. If you can use one of those sequence cards in his hand to advantage, and can force him by giving him the fourth card of his triplet, which is of no use to you, you should do so; but you must remember that you cannot force except after using a card yourself, because you are not allowed to discard under any other circumstances. If a player looks at any of the cards that have been passed and turned down, his adversary may take up and examine the remainder of the stock, but without disturbing the position of the cards therein, and without showing them. If a player looks at any of the cards in the stock except the one he draws, his adversary may look at all of them. If a player draws out of turn, his adversary simply claims the card. _=Showing.
_=18.=_ When taking, if either player removes one of his own pieces, _=he=_ cannot replace it; but his _=opponent=_ can either play or insist on the man being replaced. _=19.=_ A Draw is when neither of the players can force a Win. When one of the sides appears stronger than the other, the stronger is required to complete the Win, or to show a decided advantage over his opponent within forty of his own moves--to be counted from the point at which _=notice=_ was given,--failing which, the game must be abandoned at Drawn. _=20.=_ Anything which may annoy or distract the attention of the player is strictly forbidden; such as making signs or sounds, pointing or hovering over the board, unnecessarily delaying to move a piece touched, or smoking. Any _=principal=_ so acting, after having been warned of the consequence and requested to desist, shall forfeit the game. _=21.=_ While a game is pending, neither player is permitted to leave the room without giving a sufficient reason, or receiving the other’s consent or company.
_=Blind and Straddle.=_ Before the distribution of the cards, the dealer puts up a blind, usually five counters, which the player on his right has the privilege of straddling. If he straddles, he may be straddled again, and so on. In Bouillotte the straddle practically buys from the dealer the privileges of the age. If it goes round until the dealer buys it back himself, the straddling must then be stopped. _=Dealing.=_ As in all French games, the cards are cut by the player on the dealer’s left, and are dealt from right to left. Three cards are given to each player, one at a time, face down, and the thirteenth is then turned face up on the pack. This card is called the _=retourne=_. _=Misdeals.
” Any player naming a new suit may announce to play alone at the same time. The side that makes the new trump must make at least three tricks, or it will be euchred, and the adversaries will count two points. If a player names the suit that has just been turned down, he loses his right to make the trump; and if he corrects himself, and names another suit, he debars not only himself but his partner from making the trump. One player having named a new trump suit in his proper turn, his decision is binding on all the others; but should a player name a suit out of his proper turn, both he and his partner are debarred from making that suit the trump. If no one will name a new trump, the deal is void, and passes to the next player on the dealer’s left. _=ORDERING UP THE TRUMP.=_ Instead of passing the turn-up trump on the first round, any player who thinks it would be to his advantage to have the turn-up remain the trump, may order the dealer to take it up. In doing so he says: “_=I order it=_,” if he is an adversary; or: “_=I assist=_,” if he is the dealer’s partner. In either case the player making the trump may announce a lone hand at the same time. His side must make at least three tricks, whether he plays alone or not, or it is a euchre, and the adversaries will count two points.
In many respects the game resembles single-handed Hearts, except that in Hearts none of the cards drawn are shown. CHINESE WHIST. _=CARDS.=_ Chinese Whist is played with a full pack of fifty-two cards, which rank as at Whist, both for cutting and playing. _=MARKERS.=_ Ordinary whist markers are used for scoring the points. _=PLAYERS.=_ Two, three or four persons can play Chinese Whist. When three play, the spade deuce is thrown out of the pack. Partners and deal are cut for from an outspread pack, as at Whist.
I should have known what was coming, but I missed it. He slapped me hard across the face, saving his knuckles, but not doing my jaw a whole lot of good. I would have fallen clean over, but the bouncers were still tight on my elbows. Wait! I tried to say, but he cuffed me with the other hand, harder, if that were possible. This is the moment when you have to stop and think. A Blackout is quite effective--it s hard to hit what you can t see. And there s something mighty unnerving about being stricken suddenly blind. Oh, face it, I suppose the real reason I felt for the arteries supplying blood to his retinas was that so few TK s can do it. I clamped down tight, and his lights went out. He cried out in fright, and both hands came groping up in front of him, his fingers trembling.
Seven. Eight. Nine.] When proper markers are not obtainable, many persons cut eight slits in a visiting card, and turn up the points. [Illustration: Visiting-Card Marker.] Whatever the apparatus employed, it should be such that every player at the table can distinctly see the state of the score without drawing attention to it. _=METHODS OF CHEATING.=_ Whist offers very few opportunities to the card-sharper. When honours are counted, he may be able to keep one on the bottom of the pack until the completion of the deal by _=making the pass=_ after the cards have been cut. A _=greek=_ who possessed sufficient skill to do this without detection would be very foolish to waste his talents at the whist table; for, however large the stakes, the percentage in his favour would be very small.
The surgeon dropped my hand. You re the best, Wally Bupp, he said. He s too good a friend of mine to call me Lefty and remind me that I m a cripple. It was Maragon who did that. I hadn t noticed him, but somebody gave me the grip, and I looked around. He was back against the wall, short, gray and square. I gave his ear lobe a TK tug in return, harder, perhaps, than was necessary, and nodded for him to follow both of us to my office. We ll have to talk about it, Lefty, he said, as he closed the door against the smell of iodoform. No, we don t, I said. I don t care who is losing how much money at Peno Rose s Sky Hi Club.
54. Any declaration may be doubled and redoubled once, but not more; a player may not double his partner’s declaration nor redouble his partner’s double, but he may redouble a declaration of his partner which has been doubled by an adversary. The penalty for redoubling more than once is 100 points in the adverse honour score or a new deal; for doubling a partner’s declaration, or redoubling a partner’s double it is 50 points in the adverse honour score. Either adversary may demand any penalty enforceable under this law. 55. Doubling or redoubling reopens the bidding. When a declaration has been doubled or redoubled, any one of the three succeeding players, including the player whose declaration has been doubled, may, in his proper turn, make a further declaration of higher value. 56. When a player whose declaration has been doubled wins the declared number of tricks, he scores a bonus of 50 points in his honour score, and a further 50 points for each additional trick. When he or his partner has redoubled, he scores 100 points for making the contract and an additional 100 for each extra trick.
If a sequence has been declared, the player cannot take from it the King and Queen, and score for the marriage; neither can he add a new Queen to the King already used in the sequence, because the higher combination was scored first. The same rule applies to lower and higher béziques. But if the lower combination is first shown and scored--the marriage--the A 10 J may be added afterward, on winning another trick, and the sequence scored. This rule does not apply to cards belonging to combinations in different classes. A Queen used in class A may be used over again in both B and C classes. _=Re-forming Combinations.=_ The chief peculiarity in Rubicon Bézique is that combinations which have been laid on the table and scored may be broken up, re-formed, and scored again indefinitely. For instance: A player has declared royal sequence, and scored 250 points for it. He may play away the Ace, breaking up the sequence, and upon winning the trick lay down another Ace, re-forming the sequence, and scoring 250 points again. He might repeat the same process with the Ten, King, Queen and Jack, and in six successive tricks he would score this royal sequence six times, making 1500 points out of it.
Addy in his _Sheffield Glossary_, the words being the same except the last two lines, which run-- But shows his face with a comely grace, And leaves his staff at the very next place. Buk-hid This seems to be an old name for some game, probably Blindman s Buff, Sw. Blind-bock, q. bock and hufwud head (having the head resembling a goat). The sense, however, would agree better with Bo-peep or Hide and Seek. --Jamieson. Bull in the Park One child places himself in the centre of a circle of others. He then asks each of the circle in turn, Where s the key of the park? and is answered by every one, except the last, Ask the next-door neighbour. The last one answers, Get out the way you came in. The centre one then makes a dash at the hands of some of the circle, and continues to do so until he breaks through, when all the others chase him.
=_ 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. _=27.=_ When three players, each with one life, remain in a pool, and the striker make a miss, the other two divide without a stroke. _=28.=_ Neither of the last two players can star, but if they are left with an equal number of lives each they may divide the pool; the striker, however, is entitled to his stroke before the division.
V. Every card named by the player holding it. In _=Boston=_ and _=Solo Whist=_ there are no penalties for cards exposed by the single player, because he has no partner to take advantage of the information. 21. All cards liable to be called must be placed and left face upwards on the table. A player must lead or play them when called, provided he can do so without revoking. The call may be repeated at each trick until the card is played. A player cannot be prevented from leading or playing a card liable to be called; if he can get rid of it in the course of play, no penalty remains. In _=Boston=_ and in _=Solo Whist=_, if the exposed card is a trump, the owner may be called upon by his adversary not to use it for ruffing. If the suit of the exposed card is led, whether trump or not, the adversary may demand that the card be played or not played; or that the highest or lowest of the suit be played.
W. (Miss E. Smith). The Staffordshire version of the words is sung in Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire (Miss Matthews), West Cornwall (_Folk-lore Journal_, v. 58), Earls Heaton, Yorkshire (H. Hardy), Hexham, Northumberland (Miss Barker), Leicester (Miss Ellis). Miss Peacock says, A version is known in Lincolnshire. Tunes have also been sent from Tean, North Staffs. (Miss Keary), and Epworth, Doncaster (Mr. C.
_=CARDS.=_ Boston is played with two packs of fifty-two cards each, which rank as at Whist, both for cutting and playing. _=MARKERS=_ are not used in Boston, every hand being immediately settled for in counters. These are usually of three colours; white, red, and blue; representing cents, dimes, and dollars respectively. At the beginning of the game each player should be provided with an equal number, the general proportion being 20 white, 18 red, and 8 blue for each. Some one player should be selected to act as the banker, selling and redeeming all counters. _=STAKES.=_ The stakes in Boston depend upon the value of the counters. One cent for a white counter is considered a pretty stiff game; because it is quite possible for a single player to win or lose a thousand white counters on one hand, and the payments very seldom fall short of fifty. _=THE POOL.
| Redhill, Surrey. | +---+----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | 1.|Green gravel. |Green gravel. |Green gravel. | | 2.| -- | -- | -- | | 3.| -- | -- | -- | | 4.| -- | -- | -- | | 5.| -- | -- | -- | | 6.
The following are Brunswick-Balke-Collender Co.’s rules: The WHITE BALL is spotted. RED BALL plays upon WHITE. YELLOW ” RED. GREEN ” YELLOW. BROWN ” GREEN. BLUE ” BROWN. PINK ” BLUE. SPOT-WHITE ” PINK. SPOT-RED ” SPOT-WHITE.
=_ In Cayenne the stake is a unit, so much a point. The largest number of points possible to win on a rubber is 24, and the smallest, 1. The result of the rubber may be a tie, which we consider a defect in any game. In settling at the end of the rubber it is usual for the losers to pay their right-hand adversaries. _=MAKING THE TRUMP.=_ The trump suit must be named by the dealer or his partner, after they have examined their cards. The dealer has the first say, and he may either select cayenne or any of the other suits; or he may announce _=grand=_, playing for the tricks without any trump suit; or he may call _=nullo=_, playing to take as few tricks as possible, without a trump suit. If the dealer makes the choice, his partner must abide by it; but if he has not a hand to justify him in deciding, he should leave the selection to his partner, who must decide one way or the other. The considerations which should guide players in their choice are the scoring possibilities of their hands, in tricks and in honours. As in Whist, the first six tricks taken by one side do not count; but each trick above that number counts one, two, etc.
There is more reason for this when we consider how easy the notion of clock-winding would creep in after the old veneration for the sacred alder tree had ceased to exist. [Illustration] See Bulliheisle, Wind up the Bush Faggot, Wind up the Watch. Ezzeka Old Ezzeka did one day stand Upon a barrel top; The bung flew out, and all at once It went off with a pop. --Dronfield (S. O. Addy). This game is usually played in a house or schoolroom, by boys and girls. A boy or girl is chosen who is considered to be able to stand a joke. He sits on a chair. A stool is put behind, upon which a boy called Ezzeka stands.
When either player knows, by adding his mental count to his score for melds and dix, that he has made points enough to win the game, he stops the play by knocking on the table. He then turns over his tricks and counts his cards, to show his adversary that he has won the game. Even if both have enough to go out, the player wins who knocks first, provided his count is correct. If the player who knocks is mistaken, and cannot count out, he loses the game, no matter what his adversary’s score may be. If neither knocks, and at the end of the hand both players are found to have points enough to put them out, neither wins the game. If the game is 1000 points, it must be continued to 1250. Should both reach that point without knocking, it must be continued to 1500. If neither knocks, and only one has enough points to put him out, he wins the game on its merits. _=SCORING.=_ The game is usually 1000 points.
Off to prison you must go, You must go, you must go, Off to prison you must go, My fair lady. --Hurstmonceux, Sussex (Miss Chase). V. Over London Bridge we go, Over London Bridge we go, Over London Bridge we go, Gay ladies, gay! London Bridge is broken down, London Bridge is broken down, London Bridge is broken down, Gay ladies, gay! Build it up with lime and sand, Build it up with lime and sand, Build it up with lime and sand, Gay ladies, gay! [Then follow verses sung in the same manner and with the same refrain, beginning with--] Lime and sand will wash away. Build it up with penny loaves. Penny loaves ll get stole away. O, what has my poor prisoner done? Robbed a house and killed a man. What will you have to set her free? Fourteen pounds and a wedding gown. Stamp your foot and let her go! --Clun (Burne s _Shropshire Folk-lore_, pp. 518-19).
--Forby s _Vocabulary of East Anglia_. Block, Haimmer (Hammer), and Nail This is a boys game, and requires seven players. One boy, the Block, goes down on all fours; another, the Nail, does the same behind the Block, with his head close to his _a posteriori_ part. A third boy, the Hammer, lies down on his back behind the two. Of the remaining four boys one stations himself at each leg and one at each arm of the Hammer, and he is thus lifted. He is swung backwards and forwards three times in this position by the four, who keep repeating Once, twice, thrice. When the word Thrice is repeated, the _a posteriori_ part of the Hammer is knocked against the same part of the Nail. Any number of knocks may be given, according to the humour of the players.--Keith (Rev. W.
Several boys take a stone each, and a place pretty near the Duckstone is chosen for home. One of the boys puts his stone on the Duckstone, and he is called the Tenter. He has to guard the home and catch the other boys if he can. Each boy in turn throws his stone at the stone on the Duck-table and immediately runs home. The Tenter tries to catch him before he can touch the wall or post or whatever is chosen for the home. If the Tenter can catch him he becomes Tenter, and puts his stone on the Duckstone, and the original Tenter takes his turn in throwing. One rule of the game is that the Tenter s stone must always be on the Duck-table when he is trying to catch a boy, so if it is knocked off it must be replaced before he can try to catch the boy running home. The chance of getting home is increased for the boy who knocks it off.--North-West Lincolnshire (Rev. ---- Roberts and Miss Peacock).