Εικόνες σελίδας
PDF
Ηλεκτρ. έκδοση
[merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small]

all his men played round into the table containing the |
aces, removing them from point to point agreeable to
the throws of the dice.

B

W

The Backgammon Table.

In throwing, the number upon each die turned up may be reckoned by itself, or collectively, with the number on the other die. Thus, if quatre be thrown by one die and size by the other, a man can be advanced four points and another six points, or one man can be advanced ten points, always providing that a point is open to suit this movement to it. No point can be moved to, if covered by two men belonging to the adversary. If covered by only one man, which is called a blot, then that man can be hit, and be removed from the point, and placed on the bar between the tables, his place being taken by the man who has won it.

The removal of a man to the bars throws a player considerably behind in the game, because the man must remain out of the play till the dice turn up a number corresponding to one open point on the adversary's table. Being fortunate to get an open point by this means, the man must be entered and wrought round from thence, as in the case of others in the set to which he belongs. The frequent occurrence of this hitting of a blot gives an adversary a great advantage, and allows him to win the gammon.

There are two kinds of victory-winning the hit and winning the gammon. The party who has played all his men round into his own table, and by fortunate throws of the dice has borne or played the men off the points first, wins the hit.

The gammon may be explained as follows:-When you have got all your men round to your own table, covering every point, and your adversary has a man out, then you are enabled to bear or lift your men away. If you can bear all away, so as to clear your table before the adversary gets his man placed by a throw on your table, you win the gammon. If the adversary has been able to bear one before you have borne all your men, it reduces the victory to a hit.

Two hits are reckoned equal to one gammon in playing matches. To win two games out of three is called winning the rub, as at whist.

Hoyle's Directions for Bearing Men.

If a player has taken up two of the adversary's men, and happens to have two, three, or more points made in his own tables, he should spread his men, that he either may take a new point in his tables, or be ready to hit the man which the adversary may happen to enter. If he finds, upon the adversary's entering, that the game is upon a par, or that the advantage is on his own side, he should take the adversary's man up whenever he can, it being 25 to 11 that he is not hit: except when he is playing for a single hit only; then,

if playing the throw otherwise gives him a better chance for it, he ought to do it.

It being 5 to 1 against his being hit with double dice, he should never be deterred from taking up any one man of the adversary's.

If he has taken up one of the adversary's men, and should happen to have five points in his own tables, and forced to leave a blot out of his tables, he should endeavour to leave it upon doublets preferable to any other chance, because in that case the odds are 35 to 1 that he is not hit; whereas it is only 17 to 1 but he is hit upon any other chance.

When the adversary is very forward, a player should never move a man from his own quatre, trois, or deuce points, thinking to bear that man from the point where he put it, as nothing but high doublets can give him any chance for the hit. Instead of playing an ace or a deuce from any of those points, he should play them from his own size or highest points; so that throwing two fives or two fours, his size and cinque points being eased, would be a considerable advantage to him; whereas, had they been loaded, he must have been obliged to play otherwise.

It is the interest of the adversary to take up the player as soon as he enters. The blot should be left upon the adversary's lowest point; that is to say, upon his deuce point rather than upon his trois point; or upon his trois point rather than upon his quatre point; or upon his quatre point preferable to his cinque point, for a reason before mentioned; all the men the adversary plays upon his trois or his deuce points are deemed lost, being greatly out of play; so that those men not having it in their power to make his cinque point, and his game being crowded in one place and open in another, the adversary must be greatly annoyed by the player.

If the player has two of the adversary's men in his tables, he has a better chance for a hit than if he had more, provided his game is forwarder than that of his antagonist; for if he had three or more of the adversary's men in his tables, he would stand a worse chance to be hit.

When a player is running to save the gammon, if he should have two men upon his ace point, and several men abroad, although he should lose one point or two in putting his men into his tables, it is his interest to leave a man upon the adversary's ace point, because it will prevent his adversary from bearing his men to the greatest advantage, and at the same time the player will have a chance of the adversary's making a blot, which he may chance to hit. However, if a player finds, upon a throw, that he has a probability of saving his gammon, he should never wait for a blot, as the odds are greatly against his hitting it, but should embrace that opportunity.

[graphic]

BILLIARDS.

This sport may be said to combine the principles of bowls, golf, and some other games in which objects are impelled from the hand. Whether the game was invented in France or England is not clearly ascertained; but as it is mentioned by Shakspeare, it is at least as old in this country as the sixteenth century. In the present day, it is pursued in every civilised country, but principally by the higher or leisurely classes of society. In France, it is much more common than in England, where its character has suffered materially by the game having been made the subject of large gambling speculations. It is unfortunate that such should be the case, for no game is to be considered so purely scientific: it is dynamics, or certain laws of motion, put into practical operation; the hits or concussions of the balls exhibiting some of the finest examples of divergent forces.

Billiards is played with a table, certain kinds of rods, and balls. The table varies in size, that in most common use being from eight to twelve feet long, and from four and a half to six feet in width. Whatever be its dimensions, it requires to be perfectly level and smooth.

It is ordinarily made of small pieces of wood joined together, so as to avoid warping, and these being brought to a dead level by planing, the surface is covered with fine green cloth. All round is a ledge two to three inches high, and stuffed as a cushion. The table is furnished with six pockets, one at each of the four corners, and one on each side at the middle. The mouths of these pockets or purses are level with the surface, so as to allow the balls to glide easily into them.

The balls are of ivory, about an inch and a half in diameter. Two are white, and one is red. One of the white is distinguished by a spot. There are usually two players; he who owns the plain ball is called Plain, and he who owns the spotted ball is termed Spot. The red ball belongs to neither, but is aimed at by both. The rods or bills used by the players are of two kinds, and different lengths, to suit different players. The ordinary kind of rod is called a cue. It is long and smooth, with one end thick and heavy, and the other more slender. The other kind of rod is termed a mace; it has a club-like extremity, and is much less frequently used. Almost all players employ cues of the length which suits them.

In playing, the left hand is rested with the palm undermost on the table. The palm is hollowed, and the thumb close to the forefinger is raised up to form a bridge or rest for the cue. The hand is to be at the distance of about six inches from the ball. The cue is lightly held in the right hand, the thick end uppermost, the blow being struck with the small extremity. Thus held, in a free but firm manner, and resting on the channel between the forefinger and thumb, the cue is given a sharp run forward so as to hit the ball in the required direction, and with that exact degree of force which will make it perform the desired feat. To prevent slipping, the point of the cue is generally chalked. The table is laid out as follows for play :-At the distance of about a foot from one end, in the centre of the table, is a small dot or mark in the cloth, on which the red ball is placed. At a similar distance from the other, which we shall call the upper end of the table, a line is made across by a chalked string; and in the middle of this line there is a mark on which the white ball of a player is to be struck from.

The leading principle in the sport is for a player to impel his white ball against the red ball, and drive them into a pocket or pockets; or to perform a still greater feat of striking the red ball, the adversary's ball, and his own ball, into pockets. It must be understood that nothing is gained by a player striking his own ball direct into a pocket; any body could do that, and there would be no science in it. The merit consists in impelling balls against each other, at such an exact angle that one or both may be pocketed; and the skill displayed in this is often very surprising.

In setting out in a game, the first stroke or lead is determined by lot. This is called stringing for the lead. Each player hits his ball from the string or line, and he who causes it to rebound from the bottom cushion and come back nearest to the upper cushion, has the lead and the choice of the balls.

The first player begins by striking his ball from the string against the red ball, as already mentioned; and if he pockets the balls, he scores a certain number and begins again. So long as he pockets, the adversary does not get a stroke. If the player miss, the adversary takes his turn. Both now play alternately, hitting the balls where they chance to lie; but when one pockets, he starts afresh by striking from the string.

A person in attendance scores or keeps reckoning of the play. He does this by means of two indices moving round a figured circle, and when one is gained, he turns the index accordingly. Technically, he is told to score one for Plain or one for Spot.

Hitherto we have spoken of billiards as one game, but it is necessary to explain that at least twelve dif ferent games may be played. We shall notice the two following as those in common use.

Winning and Losing Game

This is played by two persons, and twenty-one points are the game. The following are Hoyle's regulations for playing it :

1. The game commences, as usual, with stringing for the lead, as well as the choice of balls. The ball in stringing to be placed within the circle, and the striker must stand within the corners of the table. The ball which rebounds from the bottom cushion,

and comes nearest to the cushion within the baulk, takes the

lead, and has the choice of balls.

2. If the adversary to the first person who has strung for the lead should cause his ball to touch the other, he loses the lead thereby.

3. When a player holds the ball in stringing or leading, his lead is forfeited.

4. If a ball is followed by either mace or cue beyond the middle hole, it is no lead; the adversary, of course, may force him to renew his lead.

5. After every losing hazard, the ball is to be replaced within the nails or spots, and within the ring.

6. The place for the red ball is on the lowest of the two spots at the bottom of the table.

7. The red ball being holed or forced over the table, is placed immediately on the lowest of the two spots; the present player is, besides, compelled to see it thus replaced, else he cannot score

any points while it is off the spot; the stroke, of course, is foul. 8. When the player misses his adversary's ball, he loses one; but should he at the same time pocket his own ball, he then loses three besides the lead.

9. The adversary's ball, and the red ball also, being struck by a player. 10. When the striker, after making a hazard or carambole, ac cidently forces his own or either of the other balls over the table, he loses all the advantages he has gained besides the lead.

11. When a ball is accidentally forced over the table, the striker loses the lead.

two; this is called a carom or carambole.
12. To strike your adversary's ball and the red one too, you score

13. To hole the adversary's or the white ball, you seere tra To hole the red ball you score three.

14. When the striker holes his own ball off his adversary's, he scores two points; but if he holes his ball off the red, he scores three. But if he holes both the red and his adversary's talls,

he scores five. If the player holes the red and his own bail, he

scores six.

15. If the striker holes his own and his antagonist's ball, he scores four.

16. When the striker plays at the white ball, and should hole the red after that, and his own ball besides, he scores five-two for holing the white and three for the red.

17. When the striker playing on the red ball first, should pocket his own as well as his adversary's ball, he scores five points; thre for holing off the red, and two for holing his own. red, he scores seven points; namely, two for holing off the white, 18. If the player holes his adversary's ball, his own, and the two for the adversary's holing, and three for holing the red ball.

19. Should the striker hole his own ball off the red, and he points thus: three for holing himself off the red, three for the the red and his adversary's too at the same stroke, he scores eight red itself, and two for holing his adversary.

***All the above games, commencing with the thirteenth, are scored without the caramboles; the following are those in which

the caramboles occur :

20. When a carambole is made, and the adversary's hall pocketed, four are scored; namely, two for the carambele, two for the white.

21. If the striker pockets the red ball after making a carambule, he scores five; two for the carambole, and three for the red

22. If the striker should hole both his adversary's and the red ball, after having caramboled, he scores seven; two for the carambole, two for the white, and three for the red ball.

23. When a carambole is made by striking the white ball fret, and the striker's ball should be holed by the same stroke, four points are gained.

24. When the striker makes a carambole by striking the red ball first, and should hole his own ball at the same time, begins five points; three for the red losing hazard, and two for the con rambole.

abole, and hole your own and adversary's ball hire hazani. 25. If in playing at the white ball first you should make a time, you score six points; namely, two for each white hazar and two for the carambole.

26. The striker wins seven points when he caramboles off the red ball, and holes his own and his adversary's ball; and for the carom, two for the white, and three for the red band

27. When the player caramboles by playing first at the white and should also hole his own and the red, he scores seven paints; namely, two for the carom, two for the white losing hasard, 1 three for the red winning hazard.

28. When the player caramboles by hitting the red ball and also holes his own and the red, he scores eight; namely, for the carom, three for the red winning hazard, and the i

the red losing hazard.

29. Should a player carambole on the white ball first, and then hole his own ball and his opponent's, and the red ball besides, he then scores nine; thus, two for the carom, two for each white, and three for the red hazard.

30. If a carambole is done by striking the red ball first, and at the same stroke the player holes his own ball, the red ball, and his adversary's too, he gains ten points, upon the principle of the preceding rule.

31. When your adversary's ball is off the table, and the other two balls are upon the line or inside of the stringing nails at the leading end of the table, it is named being within the baulk. The player, therefore, striking from the ring, must make his ball rebound from the opposite cushion, so as to hit one of the balls within the baulk; if he misses, he loses a point.

32. Now and then it occurs that after the red ball has been forced over the table or holed, one of the white balls has so taken up the place of the red ball, that it cannot be replaced in its proper situation without touching it. In such, the marker holds the red ball in his hand, while the player strikes at his opponent's ball. 33. And directly after the stroke, replaces it on the proper spot, in order that it may not prevent a carambole from being made. 34. When the striker plays a wrong ball, it is reckoned a foul stroke.

35. When the player is about to strike at or play with the wrong ball, none in the room can with propriety discover it to him, his partner excepted, if they are playing a double match. 3. When the player, after making a carom or a hazard, should, either with his hand, cue, or mace, move either of the balls remaining on the table, the stroke is foul.

37. If the striker should play with the wrong ball, and this erroneous play should not be discovered by his opponent, the marker is obliged to score, and he is a winner of all the points he has gained by the stroke.

38. None can move or touch a ball without permission of the adversary.

39. Sometimes a ball happens to be changed in the course of the game, and it cannot be ascertained by which player; in that case, the balls must be used as they then are, and the game so played out.

40. It is a foul stroke when the striker, in the act of playing, should happen to touch his ball twice.

41. Sometimes the player accidentally touches or moves his ball, without intending to strike. In that case he loses no point, but his ball may be replaced as it originally stood.

42. When a striker's adversary or spectator impedes the player's stroke by accident or design, he has a right to renew his stroke. 43. Should a player, in the act of striking, hit his ball, and cause his cue or his mace to go over it or past it, he forfeits a point.

44. No striker can play upon a running ball; such stroke is foul. 45. An accidental stroke is to be considered good if attended with the proper effect, though, by missing the cue, &c., it is not intended as such.

46. Should a striker, in attempting to play, not hit his ball at all, it is no stroke, and he is to try again.

47. Should the striker or his adversary, in the act of playing, move by accident or design the opponent's white or red ball from the place it occupied on the table, the stroke is foul.

48. When the striker's ball and either of the other balls are so close as to touch each other, and in striking at the former, either of the latter is moved from its place, the stroke is foul.

49. Whoever stops a running ball in any way loses the lead, if the opponent does not like the situation of the ball he has to play

at next time.

50. It may happen that a striker, after having made a carambole or a hazard, interrupts, by accident, the course of his own ball; in this case he scores nothing, as the stroke is foul.

51. Should a player impede the course of his own ball, after having made a miss, and it is running towards the hole, and it is so thought also by the marker, he loses three points.

52. To stop, retain, or impede the adversary in the act of striking, is deemed foul.

3. Should a player in any way interrupt, stop, or drive his adversary's ball out of its course when running towards a pocket, be forfeits three points.

54. Even blowing upon a ball whilst running makes a stroke foul; and should the striker's ball be making its way towards a hole, and he blow upon it, he loses two points by such act.

55. If a mace or cue is thrown upon the table during a stroke, it is baulking the striker, and the stroke is considered foul. 56. No play is deemed correct when both feet are off the ground. 57. If the table is struck when a ball is running, the stroke is deemed foul.

58. A player leaving a game unfinished loses that game. 8. Some tables are so uneven that they give way toward the pockets. In case a ball should go to the brink of a hole, and after there resting for a few seconds, should drop into it, such tells for nothing; and the ball must be again placed on the brink before the adversary strikes again; and should it fall into the hole again the moment the striker has played his ball, so as to frustrate the intended success of his stroke, the striker's and his opponent's balls must be placed as they were originally, and the strokes played over again.

When a player's mace or cue should touch both balls in the act of striking, the stroke is foul; and if noticed by his opponent, nothing is gained on the points made by the stroke; and the opponent may, if he pleases, part the balls also.

61. Those who agree to play with the cue must do so during the whole of the match; but if no conditions of this sort have been made, the player may change as he pleases. No player can, without permission of the adversary, break his agreement.

62. If a foul stroke is made, the adversary may either part the balls and play from the ring, or, if the balls should be favourably placed for himself, permit the striker to score the points he had gained, which the marker is bound to do in all cases where the balls are not broken.

63. All agreements are specially binding. For instance, those who agree to play with the cue point and point, cannot use the butt without permission; but they may use the long cue: and the same with those who agree to play with the butt only.

64. A striker wins, and the marker is obliged to score all the points he gains, by unfair strokes, if the adversary neglects to detect them.

65. He who offers to part the balls, and the adversary agreeing to the same, the offerer loses the lead by such proposal.

66. None (unless they belong to a four match) have a right to comment on a stroke, whether fair or foul, until asked; and in the above case, none but the player and his partner can ask it.

67. When disputes arise between the players, the marker alone decides, and there is no appeal from his decision. But, it may occur, he might have been inattentive to the stroke; in that case, he is to collect the sense of the disinterested part of the company; namely, those who have no bets on the stroke, and their decision is to be final.

The White Game.

Two players are engaged as above, and the striking is alternate. The general principle is, that you win if you pocket the red ball or your adversary's ball, but invariably lose if by any means you hole your own ball. The number of points in the game is twelve. The following are Hoyle's regulations :

1. In beginning, string for the lead, and the choice of balls, if you please.

2. When a person strings for the lead, he must stand within the limits of the corner of the table, and also must not place his ball beyond the stringing nails or spots; and he who brings his ball nearest the cushion wins the lead.

3. If after the first person has strung for the lead, and his adversary who follows him should make his ball touch the other, he

loses the lead.

4. Should the player hole his own ball either in stringing or leading, he loses the lead.

5. Should the leader follow his ball with either mace or ene past the middle hole, it is no lead; and if his adversary chooses, he may make him lead again.

6. The striker who plays at the lead must stand with both his feet within the limits of the corner of the table, and must not place his ball beyond the stringing nails or spots; and his adversary (only) is bound to see that he stands and plays fair, else the striker wins all the points he made by that stroke.

7. When a hazard has been lost in either of the corner holes, the leader is obliged (if his adversary requires it) to lead from the end of the table where the hazard was lost; but if the hazard was lost in either of the middle holes, it is at the leader's option to lead from either end of the table he pleases.

8. If the striker misses his adversary's ball, he loses one point; and if, by the said stroke, his ball should go into a hole, over the table, or on a cushion, he loses three points; namely, one for missing the ball, and two for holing it, &c., and he loses the

lead.

9. If the striker holes his adversary's ball, or forces it over the table, or on a cushion, he loses two points.

10. If the striker holes his own ball, or forces it over the table, or on a cushion, he loses two points.

11. If the striker holes both balls, or forces them over the table, or on a cushion, he loses two points.

12. No one has a right to take up his ball without permission from his adversary.

13. If the striker, by accident, should touch or move his own ball, not intending to make a stroke, it is deemed as an accident; and his adversary, if he requires it, may put the ball back in the place where it stood.

14. If the striker forces his adversary's ball over the table, and his adversary should chance to stop it, so as to make it come on the table again, the striker nevertheless wins two points.

15. When the striker forces his own ball over the table, and his adversary should chance to stop it, so as to make it come on the table again, the striker loses nothing by the stroke, and he hath the lead; because his adversary ought not to stand in the way,

or near the table.

16. If the striker misses the ball, and forces it over the table, and it should be stopped by his adversary, as before mentioned, he loses one point, and has the lead if he chooses.

17. If the striker, in playing from a cushion or otherwise, by touching the ball, makes his mace or cue go over or past it, he loses one point; and if his adversary requires it, he may put the ball back, and may make him pass the ball.

18. If the striker, in attempting to make a stroke, doth not touch his ball, it is no stroke; and he must try again to make a stroke.

19. If, when the balls are near each other, and the striker by

P

accident should make his ball touch the other ball, it is nevertheless a stroke, though not intended as such.

20. If the striker who plays the stroke should make his adversary's ball go so near the brink of a hole as to be judged to stand still, and afterwards should fall into it, the striker wins nothing; and the ball must be put on the same brink where it stood, for his adversary to play from the next stroke.

N.B.-There is no occasion for challenging the ball if it stops, as some imagine.

21. If the striker's ball should stand on the brink or edge of a hole, and if, in playing it off, he should make the ball go in, he loses three points.

22. If a ball should stand on the brink or on the edge of a hole, and it should fall into the hole before or when the striker has delivered his ball from his mace or cue, so as to have no chance for his stroke, in that case the striker and his adversary's balls must be placed in the same position, or as near as possible thereto, and the striker must play again.

23. The striker is obliged to pass his adversary's ball, more especially if he misses the ball on purpose; and his adversary may, if he chooses, oblige him to place the ball where it stood, and play until he has passed.

24. If the striker plays both balls from his mace or cue, so that they touch at the same time, it is deemed a foul stroke; and if it is discovered by his adversary, and a dispute should arise thereon, he has an undoubted right to appeal to the disinterested company then present; and if determined by the majority of the disinterested company, and the marker, if needful, to be a foul stroke, then it is at his adversary's option (if not holed) either to play at the ball or take the lead. But if, by the above mentioned stroke, his adversary doth not discover it to be a foul stroke, then the striker may reckon all the points he made by the said stroke, and the marker is obliged to mark them.

25. No person hath a right to discover to the player whether the stroke is fair or foul, until it is asked.

26. If by a foul stroke the striker should hole his adversary's ball, he loses the lead.

27. If by a foul stroke the striker holes his own or both balls, or forces his own or both balls over the table, or on a cushion, he loses two points.

28. If the striker plays on a ball when it is running or moving,

it is deemed as a foul stroke.

29. If the striker plays with both feet off the ground, without the permission of his adversary, it is deemed a foul stroke. 30. If the striker plays with a wrong ball he loses the lead, if his adversary requires it.

31. If the ball should be changed in a hazard or on a game, and it is not known by which party, the hazard must be played out

by each party with their different balls, and then changed.

32. If the striker plays with his adversary's ball, and holes or forces the ball he played at over the table, &c., it is deemed a foul stroke.

33. If the striker plays with his adversary's ball, and holes or forces the ball he played with over the table, &c., he loses two

points; and if he missed the ball, three points.

34. If the striker plays with his adversary's ball, and misses it,

he loses one point; and if his adversary discovers that he hath played with the wrong ball, he may part the balls, and take the lead if he pleases.

35. In all the before-mentioned cases of the striker's playing with the wrong ball (if discovered), his adversary must play with the ball the striker played at throughout the hazard, or part the balls and take the lead.

36. Whoever stops a ball when running with hand, stick, or

otherwise, loses the lead, if his adversary does not like the ball he has to play at the next stroke.

37. Whoever retains his adversary's stick when playing, it is

deemed foul.

38. If the striker stops or puts his own ball out of its course

when running towards either of the holes, and if adjudged by the marker and the disinterested company then present to be going into a pocket, if he missed the ball he loses one point, and, if going 39. If the striker stops or puts his adversary's ball out of the

into a hole by the same stroke, three points.

course when running towards or into a hole, or puts his adversary's ball into a hole, it is deemed a foul stroke.

N.B.-If the adversary doth the same as in the foregoing rules, he subjected to the same penalties as the striker.

e is ille vite shakes the table when the ball is running makes it

a foul stroke.

41. He who throws his stick upon the table, so as apparently to

be of any detriment to his adversary, makes it a foul stroke.

loses two points.

43. He who leaves the game before it is finished, and will not

every ball within his reach with the point thereof; and if he agrees to play with the butt of the cue, he has no right to play with the point thereof, without permission from his adversary. 48. When the parties agree to play point and point of the car, neither of them has a right to use a butt during the game or match, without permission, &c., but they have a right to play with the point of a long cue over a mace, &c.

49. When the parties agree to play all point with the same cut, they have no right to use any other during the game or match. 50. Whoever proposes to part the balls, and his adversary agrees to it, the proposer thereof loses the lead.

51. Two missings do not make a hazard, unless it is previously agreed on to the contrary.

52. In all cases, the betters are to abide by the players on the determination of the hazard, or on the game; and the betters have a right to demand their money when their game is over, to prevent disputes.

53. Every person ought to be very attentive, and listen for the stroke, before he opens the door of a billiard-room.

54. The striker has a right to command his adversary not to stand facing him, nor near him, so as to annoy or molest him in

the stroke.

55. Each party is to attend to his own game, and not to ask if his adversary's ball be close?-if he touches his ball?-if he can go round the ball?-nor any question of the like tendency; nar is any one to be set right, if going to play with the wrong ball. 56. When four persons play, the game is fifteen in number, and each party has a right to consult with and direct his partner in any thing respecting the game, &c., and the party who makes two missings before a hazard is made, is out, and it is his partner's turn to play; but if, after the two missings have been made by the party, his adversary should hole a ball, so as to make a hazard, the stroke following the said two missings have been made, yet the party who did not make the two missings is to play, as he cannot be supposed to be out who has not made a stroke.

BAGATELLE.

The large and inconvenient size of billiard-tables has led to the introduction of bagatelle-tables-bagatelle being the French word for any thing trifling. A bagatelle-table is usually about five feet long and eighteen inches broad; it is lined with cloth, and a game is performed on it with balls and a cue or mace. The balls are small ivory spheres, and the sport very much consists in striking one or more into holes at one end of the board. To perform this and other fests, some skill and experience are required, and the sport is far from unamusing in a cheerful parlour circle. Of late years, bagatelle-tables have become very commen in the houses of the middle classes of society; they possess the recommendation of being purchaseable st a small expense.

GAMES WITH CARDS.

Playing cards are small oblong pieces of pasteboard, on which divers figures are impressed in two principal colours, red and black. Fifty-two cards form a pack, or complete set for playing any game. The pack co sists of four suites or kinds of cards, thirteen in each, distinguishable by their respective marks. The suit are hearts, diamonds, clubs, and spades. Hearts and diamonds are red; clubs and spades are black. The thirteen in each suite consist of ten cards, distinguish. able by spots, from one to ten; and three cards, or narily called court cards, from being impressed with certain figures having a semblance of court costume one of these is the king, another the queen, and a third the knave or jack.

of

has been Dominica Of the origin of playing cards, and the significativa controversy among antiquaries. The general opg has been that cards were invented about the year 1392 And if his own ball was running towards or near the hole, he the time he was afflicted with a mental depression or 42. He who blows on the ball when running makes it foul. for the purpose of amusing Charles VI. of France, at derangement. But it has been ascertained that 1387, John I., king of Castile, issued an edict forbid 44. Any person may change his mace or cue in playing, unless ding the playing of cards in his dominions agreement have been made, neither party has a right to object cards, it is extremely probable that playing-cards ven 45. When two persons are at play, and no particular terms of this, as well as from some of the names given to the to either mace or cue being played within the said game. the to the known in Europe as early as about the middle of the player hath no right to use a cue, nor has the cue player any right on the cards were made by stamps, and afterwards

play it out, loses the game.

otherwise previously agreed on.

and from

to use a mace during the game or match, without permission filled up by the hand; but soon after the invection 1

from his adversary.

47. When a person agrees to play with the cue, he must play engraving on blocks, the devices were produced by maki

554

and sufficiently finished, so that the impressions did not require any assistance from the pencil.

The names-hearts, diamonds, spades, and clubswhich the English give to the cards, appear to be in a great measure a corruption of the original Spanish and French appellations, or a misapplication of terms to the original symbols. We find the following account given of the design and names of the cards in the work of an anonymous writer :

"The inventor proposed, by the figures of the four suites, or colours, as the French call them, to represent the four states or classes of men in the kingdom.

By the Caesars (hearts) are meant the gens de chœur, choir men, or ecclesiastics; and therefore the Spaniards, who certainly received the use of cards from the French, have copas, or chalices, instead of hearts.

The nobility or prime military part of the kingdom are represented by the ends or points of lances or pikes, and our ignorance of the meaning or resemblance of the figure induced us to call them spades. The Spaniards have espades (swords) in lieu of pikes, which is of similar import.

By diamonds are designed the order of citizens, merchants, and tradesmen, carreur (square stone tiles or the like). The Spaniards have a coin, dineros, which answers to it; and the Dutch call the French word carreux, stieneen, stones and diamonds, from the form. Treste, the trefoil leaf, or clover grass (corruptly called clubs), alludes to the husbandmen and peasants. How this suite came to be called clubs is not explained, unless, borrowing the game from the Spaniards, who have bossos (staves or clubs) instead of the trefoil, we gave the Spanish signification to the French figure. The history of the four kings, which the French in drollery sometimes call the cards, is David, Alexander, Casar, and Charles (which names were then, and still are, on the French cards). These respectable names represent the four celebrated monarchies of the Jews, Greeks, Romans, and Franks, under Charlemagne.

By the queens are intended Argine, Esther, Judith, and Pallas (names retained in the French cards), typical of birth, piety, fortitude, and wisdom, the qualifications residing in each person. Argine is an anagram for regina (queen by descent).

[ocr errors]

should be covered with cloth, to permit an easy lifting of the cards. Before commencing the game, a pack of cards is laid on the table, the faces undermost. The parties then cut for partners; that is, they leave it to chance to determine who shall be partners. This is done by each person lifting or cutting a portion of the cards from the heap or pack, and the two who have the highest cards play together.

The value of the cards is as follows:-As already stated, there are four suites, each suite consisting of thirteen cards, ten being common, and three being court cards. The card in each suite which has but one mark is called the ace; and this ace is the highest in value in all cases except in cutting for partners, when it is the lowest. The next highest is the king, the next the queen, the next the knave; then the ten, nine, eight, and so on down to the two, or deuce, which is the lowest. In playing whist, one suite is of higher value than any of the other three; but which suite shall possess this temporary distinction depends on chance in dealing out the cards; the last card dealt out is turned up, and the suite to which it belongs is called trumps; trumps, then, is the suite of the highest value. In the course of a game, the trump suite may of course vary at every deal.

*

The cutting of the pack, as above mentioned, determines who are to be partners, and at the same time determines who is to deal. The rule is, that he who had the lowest card in cutting is the dealer. This person shuffles the cards; that is, mixes them in any way he thinks proper, always keeping the backs towards him. Having done this, his adversary is entitled to shuffle the cards also; indeed, each person has a right to shuffle them, but this is seldom done. Being duly shuffled, the pack is laid on the table (always backs uppermost) before the youngest hand, or the person sitting to the right hand of the dealer; and he cuts it, by lifting off a portion and laying it down. The dealer now puts the lower portion on the top of the portion laid off, and is prepared for dealing.

Dealing must be neatly performed; the dealer holding the pack in his left hand, lifts off the top cards with his right, and distributes them, one to each, all round. He begins with the person on his left, who is called the elder hand, then the person opposite, then the youngest hand, and then himself. He thus goes thirteen rounds, the last card which he holds in his hand falling to his own share. This last card he turns up, and it deter mines the suite to be trumps. The dealer, therefore, has at least always one trump in his hand, but this advantage is supposed to be neutralised by the adverOthers fancy that the knights themselves were de-saries having a knowledge of one of his cards. The signed by those cards, because Hogier and Lahire, two names on the French cards, were famous knights at the time cards were supposed to be invented."

By the knaves were designed the servants to knights (for knave originally meant only servant; and in an old translation of the Bible, St Paul is called the knave of Christ); but French pages and valets, now indis criminately used by various orders of persons, were formerly only allowed to persons of quality; esquires (escuiers), shield or armour bearers.

With the entire pack of fifty-two cards, or with only a portion of it, there have been innumerable games, and there are so still; to notice the whole of these, however, would occupy too much of our space, and we propose to confine our explanations to what are considered respectable and harmlessly amusing games.

WHIST.

All games at cards, in our opinion, are insignificant in comparison with whist, which is believed to take its name from an old exclamation to keep silence; it must, at least, be conducted noiselessly, and with extreme attention. The whole structure of the game is ingenious, and a result of just calculation. Its rules have all been carefully studied, and there seems to be a sufficient reason why each has been instituted. The game is a happy blending of skill and chance; skill being the most important element, and chance only accessary, in order to impart a due relish or piquancy to the sport, and deprive highly-skilled players of being always certain of the victory.

trump card lies on the table exposed till the first trick is played. Any exposure of a card in dealing, by real or pretended accident, is strictly provided against. The following are Hoyle's

Rules for Dealing.

If a card is turned up in dealing, the adverse party may call a new deal if they think proper; but if either of them has been the cause of turning up such card, then the dealer has the option. If a card is faced in the deal, there must be a fresh deal, unless it happens to be the last card.

It is the duty of every person who plays to see that he has thir

teen cards. If any one happens to have only twelve, and does not find it out till several tricks are played, and that the rest who played with the twelve cards is to be punished for each rehave their right number, the deal stands good, and the person voke, provided he has made any. But if any of the rest of the players should happen to have fourteen cards, in that case the deal is lost.

The dealer should leave his trump card upon the table till it is
his turn to play; and after he has mixed it with his other cards,
no one has a right to demand what card was turned up, but may

ask what suite is trumps: in consequence of this law, the dealer
cannot name a wrong card, which otherwise he might have done.
they are dealing out: when this is the case, the dealer, if he
None of the players may take up or look at their cards while
should happen to miss deal, has a right to deal again, unless it
arises from his partner's fault; and if a card is turned up in

The term trump is believed to be a corruption of triumph,

Whist is played by four persons, two forming a party or side. The four sit at a square table, one on each side, partners being opposite to each other. The table meaning the triumphant card.

« ΠροηγούμενηΣυνέχεια »