It will be observed that the two Queens are opposite each other, and that each Queen stands upon a square of the same colour as herself. For irregularities in setting up the men, see the Laws of Chess.

The players are designated by the colour of the men with which they play, Black or White, and White always has the first move. In a series of games each player alternately takes the white men with the first move. It is usual to draw for the first game, one player concealing in each hand a pawn of a different colour, and offering the choice of hands to his adversary. Whichever colour the chosen hand contains is the one the chooser must take for the first game.

The duplicate pieces of each colour are distinguished by their position with regard to the King or Queen; those on the King’s side being called the King’s Bishop, the King’s Knight, and the King’s Rook. Those on the Queen’s side are the Queen’s Bishop, Queen’s Knight, and Queen’s Rook. The pawns are designated by the pieces in front of which they stand; King’s Pawn; Queen’s Knight’s Pawn, etc.

The comparative value of the pieces changes a little in the course of play, the Rooks especially not being so valuable early in the game. Authorities differ a little as to the exact value of the pieces, but if we take the Pawn as a unit, the fighting value of the others will be about as follows:—

A Knight is worth	3½	Pawns.
A Bishop is worth	5¼	Pawns.
A Rook is worth	9½	Pawns.
A Queen is worth	15	Pawns.
A King is worth	4½	Pawns.

THE MOVES. Each piece has a movement peculiar to itself, and, with the exception of the Pawns, any piece can capture and remove from the board any opposing piece which it finds in its line of movement. The captured piece is not jumped over, but the capturing piece simply occupies the square on which the captured piece stood. The movement of each piece should be studied separately.

? The Pawns move straight forward, one square at a time, except on the first move, when they have the privilege of moving either one or two squares, at the option of the player. In capturing, the Pawn does not take the piece directly in its path, but the one diagonally in front of it on either side. Such a capture of course takes the Pawn from the file it originally occupied, and it must then continue to advance in a straight line on its new file. In Diagram No. 2, the white Pawns could not capture either of the black Bishops or Rooks, but the Pawn on the left could take either of the black Knights:—

After a Pawn has crossed the middle line of the board into the adversary’s territory, it is called a passed Pawn. If an adverse Pawn attempts to pass this Pawn by availing itself of the privilege of moving two squares the first time, that would not prevent the passed Pawn from capturing it en passant. In the position shown in Diagram No. 3, for instance, if the black Queen’s Pawn were to advance two squares, the white Pawn could capture it en passant, lifting it from the board, and taking the position that the black Pawn would have occupied if it had moved only one square the first time; that is, the first black square in front of the Queen. A Pawn can be taken en passant only by another pawn, never by any other piece.

? The Rook can be moved any number of squares at a time, forward or backward, but only in vertical or horizontal lines, never diagonally. The Rook’s movement is of course limited by pieces obstructing its path, for it cannot jump over anything. At the beginning of the game, for instance, the Rook cannot move at all.

? The Bishop can be moved any number of squares at a time, forward or backward, but only in diagonal lines, never horizontally or vertically. For this reason the Bishop never leaves the squares of the same colour as that on which it originally stood. A Bishop is often spoken of as a white Bishop or a black Bishop, which does not mean that it is one of White’s Bishops, or one of Black’s; but that it stands upon a white or black square. Like the Rook, the Bishop cannot jump over other pieces, and cannot be moved at all until one or other of the two Pawns diagonally in front of it have opened the way.

? The Queen combines the movements of the Rook and Bishop, and can be moved horizontally, vertically, or diagonally, any number of squares at a time, provided that the path is clear. Like the Rook and Bishop, she cannot move at all until some of the adjoining pieces have made a way for her.

? The King has the same movement as the Queen, but is limited to one square at a time. The King is not allowed to move to a square which would expose him to capture by adverse pieces, for reasons which will presently be explained.

? The Knight has a very peculiar movement, which is L shaped, and necessitates his changing the colour of the square he stands on, every time he moves. The simplest way for the beginner to learn the Knight’s move is to observe that he must go two squares, neither more nor less, in a vertical or a horizontal direction, and must then change the colour of the square he stands on by going one square either to the right or left, which will complete the L shaped movement. Diagram No. 4 will show that when the Knight is away from the side of the board, he may go to any one of eight different squares; but when he is in a corner he can go to two only. For that reason Knights are much more powerful when placed near the centre of the board.

The peculiarity of the Knight’s move is that it is not retarded by other pieces, because the Knight can jump over them, a privilege which is not given to any other piece on the board. In Diagram No. 5, for instance, the Knights have been legitimately moved, but no other piece could be moved until the Pawns had made way for it.

There are one or two peculiar movements which are allowed only under certain conditions. One of these is Castling. If there are no pieces between the King and the Rook, and neither piece has been moved, the King may be moved two squares toward the Rook, and at the same time the Rook may be brought round to the other side of the King. The movement must be made with both hands, each manipulating a piece. In the position shown in Diagram No. 6, for instance, the King could castle on either side, with the King’s Rook, or with the Queen’s Rook:—

If an adverse piece commands the square that would be passed over by the King in castling, the move is not allowed; because a King must not move into check, nor cross a square that is checked by an adverse piece nor castle out of check.

In Diagram No. 7 the position that would result from castling with the Queen’s Rook is shown by the black men.

Queening Pawns. If a passed Pawn succeeds in reaching the last or eighth square on any file, the player to whom the Pawn belongs may call it anything he chooses, from a Queen to a Knight. If the piece he chooses has already been captured, it must be replaced on the board, and on the square occupied by the Pawn, which is then removed. If not, some other piece must be put upon the board as a marker; a Rook upside down, or a Pawn with a ring on it, may represent a second Queen.

OBJECT OF THE GAME. If all the pieces could be captured, the object of the game might be to clear the board of the adversary’s men, as in Checkers; but the peculiarity of Chess is that one piece, the King, cannot be captured, and the object is to get the adverse King in such a position that he could not escape capture if he were a capturable piece. When that is accomplished the King is said to be mated, and the player who first succeeds in giving mate to the adversary’s King wins the game, regardless of the number or value of the pieces either side may have on the board at the time the mate is accomplished.

When an adverse piece is moved so that it could capture the King on the next move, due notice must be given to the threatened King by announcing “Check,” and the player must immediately move his King out of check, interpose a piece or a Pawn, or capture the piece that gives the check. If he cannot do one of these three things he is mated, and loses the game. A very simple example of a mate is given in Diagram No. 8.

The white Rook has just been moved down to the edge of the board, giving “check.” As the black King can move only one square at a time, he cannot get out of check by moving, because the only squares to which he could go would still leave him in check from the Rook. Neither the Knight nor the Bishop can interpose to shut out the Rook’s attack; neither of those pieces can capture the Rook; and the Pawns cannot move backward; so the black King is mated, and White wins the game.

A mate may take place in the middle of the board, as shown in Diagram No. 9.

If the black Queen moves diagonally four squares, placing herself in front of the white King, and on the same horizontal file as the black Rook, it will be check-mate, because the white King cannot get out of one check into another by taking the Queen, which is protected by the Rook. For the same reason he cannot move, as the only squares open to him would leave him in check from the Queen, or move him into check from the black King.

Stalemate. If the King is not in check, but cannot move without going into check, and there is no other piece for the player to move, it is called a stale-mate, and the game is drawn. In Diagram No. 10, for instance,

the black King cannot move without going into check from the Pawn or the King; none of the black Pawns can move, and Black cannot move the Rook without putting his own King in check, (from the Bishop,) which is not allowed.

Perpetual Check. If a piece gives check to the adverse King, and the King moves away, the check may be repeated, and the King must move again, or interpose a piece, or capture the checking piece. If the position is such that no matter how often the King moves or is covered he cannot get out of check, and no matter how much the opposing pieces move they cannot check-mate him, the game is drawn by perpetual check. Diagram No. 11 is an illustration of such a position.

The only way out of the check is to interpose the Queen, whereupon the white Queen will move diagonally to the edge of the board and check again, forcing the black Queen back where she came from, and drawing the game by perpetual check. If the black Queen moves away from the King, she will be captured, and White will give check-mate at the same time.

NOTATION. The various moves which take place in the course of a game are recorded by a system of chess notation, the number of the move being given first, and then the pieces moved and the direction of their movement. The names of the pieces themselves are used to distinguish the various files of squares running vertically from the piece itself to the opposite side of the board, and the seven squares in front of each piece are numbered from 2 to 8. No matter how much the pieces may be moved, the various vertical files still retain the name of the pieces which stood at the bottom of them when the men were first set up. In chess notation, only the initials of the pieces are used, K standing for King, and Kt for Knight. Although the files bear the same names, the numbers count from the side on which the men are placed, so that each square has a double name, depending on the colour of the man placed upon it.

In Diagram No. 12, for instance, both the Pawns that have been moved would be spoken of as on K 4. The Knight that has been moved is on K B 3, because it is a white Knight. If it was a black Knight it would be on K B 6, reckoning from the black side of the board for the black pieces. In order to test your understanding of this system of notation, which is very important in following published games or problems, take the board and men, white side next you, and set up the following position, remembering that when no number is given, the piece stands upon the square originally occupied by the piece which gives its name to the file:—

Black men;—King on Q R’s; Queen on Q Kt’s; Pawns on Q R 2, and Q Kt, 3; Rook on Q R 3.

White men;—King on Q Kt 5; Queen on Q B 6.

Now look at Diagram No 11, and see if you have it right.

In addition to the notation of position, there is that of action. If a dash is placed between the initials of the piece and the definition of the square, it shows first the piece moved, and then the square to which it is moved. In Diagram No 11, for instance, Black’s only move to cover the check would be given: Q-Q Kt 2; and White’s continuation would be given; Q-K 8.

The first of these might be abbreviated by saying, Q-Kt 2, because there is only one Kt 2 to which the Queen could be moved.

The moves of the white pieces are always given first, either in the left hand of two vertical columns, which are headed “White,” and “Black” respectively; or above a line which divides the white move from the black, the latter form being used in text-books, the former in newspapers. The moves in Diagram No. 11 would be as follows, supposing the white Queen to arrive from K8 in the first place:—

	White.	Black.
1.	Q-B 6, ch	Q-Kt 2
2.	Q-K 8, ch	Q-Kt’s

Or this;

When the abbreviation “ch.” is placed after a move, it means “check.” If it is a mate, or a drawn game, or the player resigns, the word follows the move. When the King castles with the King’s Rook, which is the shorter move for the Rook, it is indicated by the sign O-O. When the King is castled with the Queen’s Rook, which is the longer move for the Rook, the sign O-O-O is used.

A cross, x, placed after the piece moved shows that it captured something, and the letters following the cross do not give the square to which the piece is moved, but show the piece that is captured. K B x Q P, for instance, would mean that the adversary’s Queen’s Pawn was to be taken from the board, and the King’s Bishop was to occupy the square upon which the captured Queen’s Pawn had stood.

Beginners usually have some difficulty in following the moves of the Knights, because it frequently happens that the same square can be reached by either of them. The Bishops cannot be confused in this way, because they never change the colour of the square they stand upon. In some sets of chessmen the Knights are distinguished by putting a small crown on the King’s Knight, but this is never done in the regulation Staunton model. The beginner will find it very convenient, when following out the play of published games, to screw off the bottom of one white and one black Knight, and to exchange the bases. The white King’s Knight will then have a black base, and the black King’s Knight will have a white base, and they can be easily identified at any period of the game.

GERMAN NOTATION. Many of our standard chess books, and some of the best edited chess columns, are in German, and the student should be familiar with the German notation, which is much simpler than the English.

The white men are always considered as the side nearer the player; the vertical columns are designated from left to right by the letters a b c d e f g h; and the horizontal rows by the numbers 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8, beginning at the bottom, or white side. The pieces are designated by one capital letter only, as follows:—

• K for KÖnig, or King.
• D for Dame, or Queen.
• T for Thurm, or Rook.
• L for LÄufer, or Bishop.
• S for Springer, or Knight.

The Pawn is called a Bauer, but when it is moved no initial is given, simply the square it comes from. In Diagram No. 12, for instance, the English notation for the first two moves made by white would be:—P-K 4, and K Kt-B 3, or, Kt-K B 3. The German notation would be:—e 2-e 4; and S g 1-f 3. The move of the Knight, it will be observed, gives the initial of the piece and the square upon which it stands, and then the square to which it is moved. A capture is indicated by the letter “n” taking the place of the dash. If the white Knight took the black King’s Pawn in Diagram No. 12, for instance, the move would be recorded: S f 3 n e 5, that is, the Springer at f 3 “nimmt” whatever it found at e 5. A check is indicated by a plus sign, +, following the move. In Diagram No. 11, for instance, the last move of the white Queen would be: D e 8-c 6 +; and Black’s reply would be: D b 8-b 7.

THE OPENINGS. Time and experience have shown that it is best for each player to adopt certain conventional openings, in order to develop his pieces. White always has the advantage, usually believed to be equal to 55%, counting drawn games as one half. This is because White can usually take more risks in offering a gambit than Black can in accepting it, and the best judges say that they would rather give a Knight and take the white pieces, than give Pawn-and-move and take the black. Gambit is a term used in Italian wrestling, and means that the adversary is given an apparent advantage at the start, in order more successfully to trip him up later on.

There are a great many chess openings, all of which have been analysed as far as the tenth move, including every possible variation on the way. The student who wishes to study them in detail should procure Freeborough’s “Chess Openings,” or Cook’s “Synopsis.” In these works, if either side has an advantage before the tenth move, it is indicated by a plus sign; if the position is equal, it is so marked.

In studying openings, the student should be careful always to play with the winning side next him; that is, never study how to play a losing game. If the variation ends with a plus sign, showing a win for the white, play it over with the white men next you. In selecting openings for general use in play, if it is one for the white men, take those openings that have the greatest number of variations ending in favour of white. The Ruy Lopez is a very good opening for beginners, and the Evans’ Gambit may be studied later. The French Defence and the Petroff are good openings for Black.

The theory of opening is to mobilise your forces for the attack in the fewest possible moves. Lasker thinks six moves should be enough for this purpose, and he recommends that only the King’s and Queen’s Pawns should be moved, after which each piece should be placed at once upon the square from which it can operate to the best advantage. He thinks the Knights should be first brought out, and posted at B 3, and then the K’s B, somewhere along his own diagonal. The great mistake made by beginners is that they rush off to the attack and try to capture some of the adverse pieces before they have properly prepared themselves for re-inforcement or retreat. It should never be forgotten that the game is not won by capturing the adversary’s pieces, but by check-mating his King.

Take the board and pieces, arrange them with the white men next you, and play over the following simple little game. Remember that the figures above the line are for the white men; those below for the black.

The third move made by Black accomplishes nothing, and is simply a waste of time. He should have continued by bringing his Knights into play. His fourth move is also a mistake; he should develop the Knights before the Bishops.

On his fifth move, Black jumps at the chance to win White’s Queen, but this is not of the slightest benefit to him, because the object of the game is not to win the Queen, but to mate the King. At the seventh move the beginner will see that the black King cannot move out of check, neither can he move into check by taking the Bishop. He has no piece that can capture the Knight that gives the check, and nothing can be interposed, so he is mated, and White wins.

Here is another simple little game. Take the black pieces this time, but make the white men move first, of course.

You don’t take the King’s Pawn; it is much more important to develop your pieces rapidly.

White’s sixth move is bad, and you immediately take advantage of it. If he takes your Knight with his Pawn, you will take his K B P with your Bishop, and say “Check.” If he takes the Bishop you win his Queen. If he moves his King you check again with your other Bishop, which will force him to take your black Bishop, and lose his Queen.

If the beginner will examine the position, he will find that there is no way of escape for the King, and Black wins.

Openings are usually divided into five principal classes: Those in which the first piece developed is the King’s Knight; those in which the King’s Bishop is the first piece brought into play; those in which a Gambit is offered on the second move, usually a sacrificed Pawn; those which are called Close openings, securing a good defensive game for the black pieces; and those which are Irregular.

In the following outline of fifty of the openings, only the first four moves are given, and usually only one variation is selected, the object being more to give the student an idea of the development than to exhaust the subject. The arrangement is alphabetical, that being more convenient in a book of reference. For the continuations the student is recommended to study “Freeborough,” or the “Handbuch des Schachspiels.”

Allgaier Gambit:—

Boden-Kieseritzky Gambit:—

Berlin Defence:—

Blackmar Gambit:—

Calabrese Counter Gambit:—

Centre Gambit:—

Centre Counter Gambit:—

Classical Defence, to K. B. opening:—

Cunningham Gambit:—

Cochrane Gambit:—

Danish Gambit:—

English Opening:—

Evans’ Gambit:—

Evans’ Gambit Declined:—

Fianchetto Opening:—

Fianchetto Defence:—

Four Knights:—

French Defence:—

From Gambit:—

Giuoco Piano:—

Greco-Counter Gambit:—

Hamppe-Allgaier Gambit:—

Hungarian Defence:—

Irregular Openings:—

Jerome Gambit:—

Kieseritzky Gambit:—

King’s Bishop’s Gambit:—

King’s Bishop’s Pawn Game:—

King’s Knight Opening. Irregular Defences:—

King’s Gambit:—

King’s Gambit Declined:—

Max Lange’s Attack:—

Muzio Gambit:—

Petroff’s Counter Attack:—

Philidor’s Defence:—

Pierce Gambit:—

Queen’s Pawn Counter Gambit:—

Queen’s Gambit:—

Queen’s Pawn Game:—

Ruy Lopez:—

Salvio Gambit:—

Scotch Game:—

Sicilian Defence:—

Staunton’s Opening:—

Steinitz Gambit:—

Three Knights’ Game:—

Two Knights’ Defence:—

Vienna Opening:—

Zukertort’s Opening:—

GAMES AT ODDS. Between unequal players it is a common practice for the stronger to give the weaker some advantage. Very few are able to give a Queen, or even a Rook, but a Knight is quite common, and one who can concede a Knight to the weakest players in a club is usually spoken of as, “a Knight player.” The most common odds between nearly equal players is Pawn and Move; and with a player not strong enough to give a Knight, Pawn and Two Moves. The Pawn removed in each instance is Black’s K B P, and the Knight is usually the Q Kt. Here are a few examples of the openings in games at odds:—

Pawn and Move:—

Pawn and Two Moves:—

Odds of Queen’s Knight:—

Odds of King’s Knight:—

In order to give the student an idea of the value and popularity of the various openings, the following table of the results of 1500 games may be useful. It is from the chess columns of the New York Sun:—

OPENINGS	FIRST PLAYER.			TOTAL PLAYED.	PER CENT. WON BY FIRST PLAYER.	PER CENT. TOTAL GAMES PLAYED.
	WON.	LOST.	DREW.
Ruy Lopez	145	103	58	306	57	20
Queen’s Pawn(a)	97	63	39	199	48	13
French Defence	84	48	39	171	60	11
Vienna	47	34	15	96	57	6
Sicilian Defence	40	29	10	79	57	5
King’s Gambit	36	32	11	79	52	5
Giuoco Piano	36	32	10	78	52	5
Evans	34	20	12	66	61	4
Irregular	29	31	14	74	49	5
Scotch	22	26	9	57	47	4
Zukertort	23	17	11	51	56	3
TwoKnightsDefence	16	20	10	46	46	3
Staunton’s	19	15	5	39	55	3
Fianchetto	13	14	2	29	48	2
Petroff Defence	15	9	3	27	61	2
Centre Gambit(b)	11	11	4	26	50	2
Philidor Defence	8	9	3	20	47	1
Miscellaneous	22	29	6	57	44	4
Total	697	542	261	1500

The first player won 55.2 per cent. of games played, counting drawn games as one-half.(a). Includes Queen’s Gambits and Queen’s Gambits declined.(b). Includes Centre and Counter Centre Gambits.

THE MIDDLE GAME. After a little experience with openings, the player will usually select one or two which he feels that he can handle better than others, and will make a specialty of them. Having mastered a number of variations, and learned the object of them in forming his pieces for attack or defence, he will naturally be led to the study of the middle game. In this there are a few general principles which should be steadily kept in view. For attack, the player should secure command of a wide range of the board; but for defence he should concentrate his forces as much as possible. He should be careful not to get his pieces in one another’s way, and not to leave pieces where they can be attacked and driven back by inferior pieces, because that entails a loss of valuable time. A player should never exchange a man in active service for one that is doing nothing. If several lines of play are open, the one offering the most numerous good continuations should be selected. When a player is not ready for attack, he should develop his pieces, and remember that the more of them he can get to bear on the enemy’s King, the better. Supporting pieces should be placed where they are not easily attacked, because good players attack the supports first, so as to isolate the advance guard. Beginners are usually in too great a hurry to give check; the best players do not check until they are ready to follow it up with a mate, or a winning position, or can gain time in developing their pieces.

END GAMES. There are certain positions in which apparently equal games are not necessarily drawn, and there are others in which a player with a decided advantage cannot win, within the fifty moves which are allowed him, unless he knows exactly how to proceed. If a player is not well up in endings he may lose many a game which could be won if he only knew how to win it. The following games may be abandoned as drawn:—

• King and Bishop against a King.
• King and Knight against a King.
• King and two Knights against a King.
• King and Queen against two Rooks.
• King and Queen against King and two Bishops.
• King and Rook against King, Rook and Pawn.
• King and Rook against King and Bishop.
• King and Rook against King and Knight.
• King and Rook against King, Rook and Bishop.

The following games can be won:—

• King and Queen, or King and Rook, against a King.
• King and Queen against King and Rook.
• King and Queen against King and Bishop.
• King and Queen against King and Knight.
• King and Queen against King and Pawn.
• King and two Rooks against King and Rook.
• King and two Bishops against a King.
• King Bishop and Knight against a King.

In order to master all these endings, the student should take up Staunton’s Handbook, or the Lehrbuch des Schachspiels, in which they are given very fully. For the beginner only one or two of the most common and important are necessary.

K and Q, or K and R, against K. All that is necessary is to drive the King to the edge of the board, which may be done by holding him below a certain parallel with the Q or R, and then getting your own King in front of him; a check will then drive him one line further back, and when he arrives at the edge of the board, and can no longer go back, he is mated.

K and Q against K and R. Freeborough has devoted an entire volume to this ending, which may be very much prolonged by a skilful player. The object is to drive the King to the edge of the board, and then to get the Rook in such a position that it must be sacrificed to save the mate, or that the mate can be accomplished with the Rook on the board. The player with the Queen must be on his guard against stale-mate in this ending.

K and Q against K and B, K and Kt, or K and P. This is easy enough for the Queen if the player is careful to avoid stale-mate.

K and two R’s against K and R. This can be won easily by forcing an exchange of Rooks.

K and two B’s against K. In this position the King must be ruled off into a corner by getting the Bishops together, protected by their King. Start with the men in the following position:—

Black K on his own square. White King on K B 6; white Bishops on K B 4 and K B 5. White to move and win. The mate can be accomplished in six moves, as follows:—

K, B and Kt against K. This is one of the most difficult endings for a beginner, but is very instructive, and should be carefully studied. Set up the men as follows:—

Black King on K R sq. White King on K B 6, white Bishop on K B 5, and white Knight on K Kt 5; White to move and win. The object is to drive the King into a corner of the board which is commanded by the Bishop, as he cannot otherwise be mated.

If, at the fourth move, the black King does not go back to the Bishop’s square, but goes on to the Queen’s square, hoping to cut across to the other black corner of the board, the continuation will be as follows, beginning at White’s fifth move:—

PAWN ENDINGS. There are a great number of these, many being complicated by the addition of Pawns to other pieces. The following example, which is a position that often occurs, should be understood by the beginner:—

Put the black King on K B square; the white King on K B 6, and a white Pawn on K 6. If it is Black’s move, White can win easily; but if it is White’s move it is impossible to win, because whether he checks or not the black King gets in front of the Pawn and either wins it or secures a stale-mate.

Put the Pawn behind the King, on K B 5, and White wins, no matter which moves first, for if Black moves he allows the white King to advance to the seventh file, which will queen the Pawn. If White moves first, and the black King keeps opposite him, the Pawn advances. If Black goes in the other direction, the white King goes to the seventh file and wins by queening the Pawn.

If the white King and Pawn are both moved one square further back, the King on K B 5, and the Pawn on K B 4. the win will depend on the move. If it is White’s move he can win by advancing the King; but if it is Black’s move he can draw by keeping his King always opposite the white King. If the Pawn advances, he will get in front of it, and if the King is afterward advanced, he will get in front of it; winning the Pawn or securing a stale-mate.

THE KNIGHT’S TOUR. Owing to the peculiarity of the Knight’s move, many persons have amused themselves in trying to cover the entire chess board with a Knight, touching the same square once only, and returning to the starting-point again. There are several ways of doing this, one of the simplest being the following:—

TEXT BOOKS. Among the very large number of works on Chess there is abundant room for choice, but the following works are considered standard authorities on the game:—

• Freeborough’s Chess Openings, 1896.
• Cook’s Synopsis.
• Minor Tactics of Chess, by Young and Howell.
• Modern Chess Instructor, by W. Steinitz.
• Common Sense in Chess, by E. Lasker.
• Walker’s Treatise on Chess, 1841.
• Handbuch des Schachspiels.
• Lehrbuch des Schachspiels, by J. Dufresne.
• Teoria e Practica del Giuoco degli Schacchi.
• British Chess Magazine.
• Chess Player’s Chronicle.
• Chess Monthly.
• Westminster Papers, 1868 to 1879.

Of these works, “Minor Tactics” will be found most useful to the beginner, as it simplifies the openings by grouping them, and concentrates the attention on the essential points of chess strategy.

CODE OF CHESS LAWS.
ADOPTED BY THE FIFTH AMERICAN CHESS CONGRESS.

Definitions of Terms Used. Whenever the word “Umpire” is used herein, it stands for any Committee having charge of Matches or Tournaments, with power to determine questions of chess-law and rules; or for any duly appointed Referee, or Umpire; for the bystanders, when properly appealed to; or for any person, present or absent, to whom may be referred any disputed questions; or for any other authority whomsoever having power to determine such questions.

When the word “move” is used it is understood to mean a legal move or a move to be legally made according to these laws.

When the word “man” or “men” is used, it is understood that it embraces both Pieces and Pawns.

The Chess-Board and Men. The Chess-board must be placed with a white square at the right-hand corner.

If the Chess-board be wrongly placed, it cannot be changed during the game in progress after a move shall have been made by each player, provided the men were correctly placed upon the board at the beginning, i.e., the Queens upon their own colours.

A deficiency in number, or a misplacement of the men, at the beginning of the game, when discovered, annuls the game.

The field of the Standard Chess-board shall be twenty-two inches square.

The Standard Chess-men shall be of the improved Staunton Club size and pattern.

First Move and Colour. The right of first move must be determined by lot.

The player having the first move must always play with the white men.

The right of move shall alternate, whether the game be won, lost or drawn.

The game is legally begun when each player shall have made his first move.

Whenever a game shall be annulled, the party having the move in that game shall have it in the next game. An annulled game must be considered, in every respect, the same as if it had never been begun.

Concessions. The concession of an indulgence by one player does not give him the right of a similar, or other, indulgence from his opponent.

Errors. If, during the course of the game, it be discovered that any error or illegality has been committed, the moves must be retraced and the necessary correction made, without penalty. If the moves cannot be correctly retraced, the game must be annulled.

If a man be dropped from the board and moves made during its absence, such moves must be retraced and the man restored. If this cannot be done, to the satisfaction of the Umpire, the game must be annulled.

Castling. The King can be Castled only:

When neither the King nor the Castling Rook has been moved, and

When the King is not in check, and

When all the squares between the King and Rook are unoccupied, and

When no hostile man attacks the square on which the King is to be placed, or the square he crosses.

In Castling, the King must be first moved.

The penalty of moving the King prohibits Castling.

En Passant. Taking the Pawn “en passant,” when the only possible move, is compulsory.

Queening the Pawn. A pawn reaching the eighth square must be at once exchanged for any piece (except the King) that the player of the Pawn may elect.

Check. A player falsely announcing “check,” must retract the move upon which the announcement was based and make some other move, or the move made must stand at the option of the opponent.

No penalty can be enforced for any offence committed against these rules in consequence of a false announcement of “check,” nor in consequence of the omission of such announcement, when legal “check” be given.

“J’adoube.” “J’adoube,” “I adjust,” or words to that effect, cannot protect a player from any of the penalties imposed by these laws, unless the man or men touched, obviously need adjustment, and unless such notification be distinctly uttered before the man, or men, be touched, and only the player whose turn it is to move is allowed so to adjust.

The hand having once quitted the man, but for an instant, the move must stand.

Men overturned or displaced accidentally may be replaced by either player, without notice.

A wilful displacement, or overturning of any of the men, forfeits the game.

Penalties. Penalties can be enforced only at the time an offence is committed, and before any move is made thereafter.

A player touching one of his men, when it is his turn to play, must move it. If it cannot be moved he must move his King. If the King cannot move, no penalty can be enforced.

For playing two moves in succession, the adversary may elect which move shall stand.

For touching an adversary’s man, when it cannot be captured, the offender must move his King. If the King cannot move, no other penalty can be enforced. But if the man touched can be legally taken, it must be captured.

For playing a man to a square to which it cannot be legally moved, the adversary, at his option, may require him to move the man legally, or to move the King.

For illegally capturing an adversary’s man, the offender must move his King, or legally capture the man, as his opponent may elect.

For attempting to Castle illegally, the player doing so must move either the King or Rook, as his adversary may dictate.

For touching more than one of the player’s own men, he must move either man that his opponent may name.

For touching more than one of the adversary’s men, the offender must capture the one named by his opponent, or if either cannot be captured, he may be required to move the King or capture the man which can be taken, at the adversary’s option; or, if neither can be captured, then the King must be moved.

A player moving into check may be required, by the opposing player, either to move the King elsewhere, or replace the King and make some other move—but such other move shall not be selected by the player imposing the penalty.

For discovering check on his own King, the player must either legally move the man touched, or move the King at his adversary’s option. In case neither move can be made, there shall be no penalty.

While in check, for touching or moving a man which does not cover the check, the player may be required to cover with another piece, or move the King, as the opposing player may elect.

Touching the Squares. While the hand remains upon a man, it may be moved to any square that it commands, except such squares as may have been touched by it during the deliberation on the move; but if all the squares which it commands have been so touched, then the man must be played to such of the squares as the adversary may elect.

Counting Fifty Moves. If, at any period during a game, either player persist in repeating a particular check, or series of checks, or persist in repeating any particular line of play which does not advance the game; or if “a game-ending” be of doubtful character as to its being a win or a draw, or if a win be possible, but the skill to force the game questionable, then either player may demand judgment of the Umpire as to its being a proper game to be determined as drawn at the end of fifty additional moves, on each side; or the question: “Is, or is not the game a draw?” may be, by mutual consent of the players, submitted to the Umpire at any time. The decision of the Umpire, in either case, to be final.

And whenever fifty moves are demanded and accorded, the party demanding it may, when the fifty moves have been made, claim the right to go on with the game, and thereupon the other party may claim the fifty move rule, at the end of which, unless mate be effected, the game shall be decided a draw.

Stale-Mate. A stale-mate is a drawn game.

Time Limit. The penalty for exceeding the time limit is the forfeiture of the game.

It shall be the duty of each player, as soon as his move be made, to stop his own register of time and start that of his opponent, whether the time be taken by clocks, sand-glasses, or otherwise. No complaint respecting an adversary’s time can be considered, unless this rule be strictly complied with. But nothing herein is intended to affect the penalty for exceeding the time limit as registered.

Abandoning the Game. If either player abandon the game by quitting the table in anger, or in any otherwise offensive manner; or by momentarily resigning the game; or refuses to abide by the decision of the Umpire, the game must be scored against him.

If a player absent himself from the table, or manifestly ceases to consider his game, when it is his turn to move, the time so consumed shall, in every case, be registered against him.

Disturbance. Any player wilfully disturbing his adversary shall be admonished; and if such disturbance be repeated, the game shall be declared lost by the player so offending, provided the player disturbed then appeals to the Umpire.

The Umpire. It is the duty of the Umpire to determine all questions submitted to him according to these laws, when they apply, and according to his best judgment when they do not apply.

No deviation from these laws can be permitted by an Umpire, even by mutual or general consent of the players, after a match or tournament shall have been commenced.

The decision of the Umpire is final, and binds both and all the players.

RULES FOR PLAYING THE GAME AT ODDS.

I. In games where one player gives the odds of a piece, or “the exchange,” or allows his opponent to count drawn games as won, or agrees to check-mate with a particular man, or on a particular square, he has the right to choose the men, and to move first, unless an arrangement to the contrary is agreed to between the combatants.

II. When the odds of Pawn and one move, or Pawn and more than one move are given, the Pawn given must be the King’s Bishop’s Pawn when not otherwise previously agreed on.

III. When a player gives the odds of his King’s or Queen’s Rook, he must not Castle (or more properly speaking leap his King) on the side from which the Rook is removed, unless before commencing the game or match he stipulates to have the privilege of so doing.

IV. When a player undertakes to give check-mate with one of his Pawns, or with a particular Pawn, the said Pawn must not be converted into a piece.

V. When a player accepts the odds of two or more moves, he must not play any man beyond the fourth square, i.e., he must not cross the middle line of the board, before his adversary makes his first move. Such several moves are to be collectively considered as the first move of the player accepting the odds.

VI. In the odds of check-mating on a particular square it must be the square occupied by the King mated, not by the man giving the mate.

VII. The player who undertakes to win in a particular manner, and either draws the game, or wins in some other manner, must be adjudged to be the loser.

In all other respects, the play in games at odds must be governed by the regulations before laid down.

RULES FOR PLAYING CORRESPONDENCE AND CONSULTATION GAMES.

I. In playing a game by correspondence or in consultation, the two parties shall always agree beforehand in writing or otherwise as to the persons who are to take part in the contest, as to the time and mode of transmitting the moves, as to the penalties to be inflicted for any breach of the contract, and as to the umpire or referee.

II. In games of this description each party is bound by the move dispatched; and in this connection the word move refers to what is intelligibly written, or delivered viva voce.

In any game the announcement of a move which does not include the actual transfer of a man from one square to another, shall be considered as a move not intelligibly described within the meaning of this section.

III. Each party must be bound by the move communicated in writing, or by word of mouth, to the adversary whether or not it be made on the adversary’s board. If the move so communicated should prove to be different from that actually made on the party’s own board, the latter must be altered to accord with the former.

IV. If either party be detected in moving the men when it is not their turn to play, or in moving more than one man (except in castling) when it is their turn to play, they shall forfeit the game, unless they can show that the man was moved for the purpose of adjusting or replacing it.

V. If either party has, accidentally or otherwise, removed a man from the board, which has not been captured in the course of the game, and made certain moves under the impression that such man was no longer in play, the moves must stand, but the man may be replaced whenever the error is discovered.

VI. If either party permit a bystander to take part in the contest, that party shall forfeit the game.

The foregoing laws differ very slightly from those of the British Chess Association, and it is to be hoped that an international code will be agreed upon before a second edition of this work is issued.

CHECKERS, OR DRAUGHTS.

The Board. 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:—

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. These are placed in a hat and when the players face each other, a slip is drawn. If it is 11-15, 22-18, the game must be opened with those moves. When these players start the second game, the one who was second player on the first game begins with 11-15, and his opponent must play 22-18. The same opening is never again used by the same pair, the object being to diversify the play and drive contestants out of their favourite ruts.

The Players are designated by the colour of the men with which they play, White or Black, and Black always has the first move. In a series of games each player in turn takes the black men and the move. It is usual to draw for the first game, one player concealing in each hand a man of different colour, and offering the choice of hands to his adversary. Whichever colour the chosen hand contains the chooser must take for the first game.

The Moves. The men never leave the colour of the squares on which they are originally set up, so that they always move diagonally. At the beginning of the game the men move only one square at a time, and always forward, and can be placed only on squares which are unoccupied. If an adverse piece stands upon a square to which a man might be moved, and there is a vacant square beyond, the man must jump over the adverse piece to the unoccupied square, at the same time removing from the board the piece so jumped over. In the position shown in Diagram No. 1, for instance, it being White’s turn to move, he must jump over the black man, removing it from the board. Black will then have a choice of two jumps, over one man or over two, and will of course select the jump toward the right of the board first, and then over the second man, removing both from the board. A man may jump over and capture several men at one move, provided there are vacant squares between them, and beyond the last man.

Huffing. If a player who can capture a piece neglects to do so, his adversary has the choice of three things:—To compel the player to take back his move and capture the piece; to huff (remove from the board,) the man that should have captured the piece; or to let the move stand, and go on with his own move. A huff does not constitute a move; the piece is simply removed from the board as a penalty, but the penalty must be enforced before the player exacting it makes his own move.

Kings. When a man arrives at any of the four squares on the edge of the board farthest from the side on which he started, he becomes a King, and is crowned by putting another man of the same colour on the top of him. In diagrams, kings are distinguished by putting a ring round the single man. ? ?. Kings can move either backward or forward, but only one square at a time. If a man arrives at the king-row by capturing an adverse piece, that ends the move, and the newly made king cannot move again, even to capture another piece, until his adversary has moved. [See notes to Diagram No. 7.]

The Object of the Game is to confine your adversary’s pieces so that he cannot move any of them; or to capture all of them, so that he has none to move. You may succeed in confining the whole twelve of your adversary’s men, without capturing any of them, as in Diagram No. 2; or such as are left on the board after a certain number have been captured, as in Diagram No. 3.

Diagram No. 2 is the ending of our Illustrative Game No. 7.

In No. 3, White gives away a man, bottling up the three black men, and then catches the other black man. In both these examples it will then be Black’s move, and as he cannot move, White wins.

Notation. The various moves which take place in the course of a game are recorded by giving each square on the board a number, and putting down the number of the square the man is moved from, and the one it is moved to. Only those squares upon which the men stand are numbered, and the black men are always supposed to be originally placed upon the lower numbers, from 1 to 12; the white men being placed upon the squares numbered from 21 to 32. Diagrams Nos. 4 and 5 show the method of numbering the board, and the men placed in position.

In checker notation the number of the move is never given, as it is in Chess. The moves of the black men are distinguished from those of the white men by being hyphenated, but there are no marks to show when pieces are captured. Letters or figures in the margins are used to refer to possible variations in the play.

Openings. There are a number of standard openings in Checkers which are formed by the preliminary moves on each side. These openings are known by various fanciful names, dear to all checker-players. In the following list they are arranged in alphabetical order for convenience in reference.

ALMA.	AYRSHIRE LASSIE.	BRISTOL.	CENTRE.	CROSS.	DEFIANCE.	DENNY.
11-15	11-15	11-16	11-15	11-15	11-15	10-14
23 19	24 20	24 20	23 19	23 18	23 19
8-11	8-11	16-19	8-11		9-14
22 17			22 17		27 23
3- 8			15-18
DYKE.	DOUBLE CORNER.	DUNDEE.	EDINBURG.	FIFE.	GLASGOW.	KELSO.
11-15	9-14	12-16	9-13	11-15	11-15	10-15
22 17				23 19	23 19
15-19				9-14	8-11
				22 17	22 17
				5- 9	11-16
LAIRD AND LADY.	MAID OF THE MILL.	OLD 14TH.	PAISLEY.	SECOND DOUBLE CORNER.	SINGLE CORNER.	SOUTER.
11-15	11-15	11-15	11-16	11-15	11-15	11-15
23 19	22 17	23 19	24 19	24 19	22 18	23 19
8-11	8-11	8-11				9-14
22 17	17 13	22 17				22 17
9-13	15-18	4- 8				6- 9
SWITCHER.	WHILTER.	WILL O’ THE WISP.	WHITE DYKE.	IRREGULAR OPENINGS.
11-15	11-15	11-15	11-15	11-15	11-15	10-15
21 17	23 19	23 19	22 17	22 17	23 19	22 18
	9-14	9-13	8-11	8-11	8-11	15-22
	22 17		17 14	25 22	22 17	25 18
	7-11

The Middle Game. The best way for the student to learn the manner in which the various openings are followed up, is to play over illustrative games, and in doing so he should be careful always to play with the winning side next him. In selecting openings, take those that show the greatest number of wins for the side you propose to play. In all checker books there are marks at the foot of the column to show which side has an advantage, if any exists, at the end of each variation. The Alma, for instance, shows a great many more winning variations for the black men than for the white, and is consequently one of the best openings for Black.

Any person who plays correctly can always be sure of avoiding defeat; that is, no one can beat him if he makes no slips, and the worst he can get is a draw. It is a common error to suppose that the first move is an advantage. [See Illustrative Game No. 7.]

The strategy of the game consists in so deploying your men that alluring openings are left for your adversary. These openings are always pitfalls of the most dangerous character, and whenever you think a good player has made a mistake and left you a chance, you should examine the position with great care, or you will probably walk into a trap. The first of the example games given in this work is a case in point. White’s move, 27 24, is apparently the best possible, yet it immediately and hopelessly loses the game. Sometimes these traps are set very early in the opening, and sometimes after the pieces have been pretty well developed.

There are many cases in which a good player may take advantage of the weakness of an adversary by making moves which are really losing moves, and which would lead to immediate defeat if he were opposed by an expert. But if he feels that his adversary is not skilful enough to take advantage of these losing moves, a winning position may sometimes be rapidly obtained by departing from the regular development of the opening.

The beginner should be satisfied with learning only one or two forms of the openings, committing to memory as many variations as possible. When he meets with a line of play that beats him, he should study out the variation in his text books, and see at what point he made the losing move. To be perfect in any one opening a person must know at least five hundred variations by heart; but if he finds himself caught in a variation which he does not remember, or has never learned, he should trust to good judgment rather than to defective memory.

The End Game usually resolves itself into one of four well-known positions. These four positions are those in which there is a win for one side or the other owing to the peculiar position occupied by the opposing forces, although they may be numerically equal. Every checker player must know these four positions thoroughly, or he may abandon many a game as drawn which he could win, and may lose many a game which he could draw. These four positions are here given as they are usually found in the books, but the player must be able to recognize at once any position which resembles them, or can be made to lead up to them. The student will find many games marked as “won” in which he cannot see any winning position unless he is familiar with the four endings. The expert strives to exchange his men so as to bring about one of these positions, after which he knows he has a won game, although his less skilful adversary may be unconscious of his advantage.

The first position is one of the most common endings on the checker board, and should be very thoroughly understood. The letters in the margin refer to the variations. There are a great many minor variations, for which the student must be referred to Janvier’s Anderson, page 265.

• First Position.
• 27-32
• 8 11
• 32-27
• 11 7
• 27-23
• 7 10
• 22-26
• A 10 6
• 26-31
• 6 9
• 31-26
• 9 6
• 26-22
• 6 10
• 23-18
• 10 6
• 18-14
• 6 1
• 22-18
• 1 6
• 18-15
• 6 1
• 15-10
• 1 5
• 10- 6
• 5 1
• 14-13
• 1 5
• 6- 1
• 5 9
• 1- 5
• 9 13
• 10-14
• 13 9
• 14-18
• 9 6
• 18-15
• 30 25
• 15-18
• 6 10
• 5- 1
• 25 21
• 1- 5
• 10 6
• 18-15
• 21 17
• 5- 1
• 6 9
• 15-18
• 17 13
• 18-15
• 9 14
• 1- 5
• 14 17
• 15-10
• 17 22
• 10-14
• 22 25
• 5- 1
• 25 22
• 1- 6
• 22 25
• 6-10
• 25 22
• 10-15
• 22 25
• 15-18
• 25 21
• B wins
• Var A.
• 30 25
• 23-18
• 10 6
• 18-14
• 6 1
• 26-30
• 25 21
• 30-25
• 1 5
• 25-22
• 5 1
• 22-18
• 1 5
• 18-15
• 5 1
• 15-10
• 1 5
• 10- 6
• 5 1
• 14-10
• 1 5
• 6- 1
• 5 9
• 10-15
• B 9 5
• 15-18
• 5 9
• 1- 5
• 9 6
• 18-15
• 21 17
• 5- 1
• 6 9
• 15-18
• 9 5
• 18-22
• 17 14
• 1- 6
• 5 1
• 6- 2
• 1 5
• 22-17
• 14 9
• B wins
• Var B.
• 9 14
• 1- 5
• 21 17
• 5- 1
• 17 13
• 1- 5
• 14 17
• 15-10
• B wins
• Second Position.
• 1- 5
• 8 11
• 5- 9
• 11 15
• 9-14
• 15 11
• 14-18
• 11 16
• 18-15
• 16 20
• 15-11
• 20 24
• 3- 7
• 24 19
• 7-10
• 19 23
• 10-15
• 23 27
• 15-19
• 27 32
• 19-24
• 32 28
• 24-27
• 28 32
• 27-31
• 32 28
• 31-27
• 28 32
• 27-23
• 32 28
• 23-18
• 28 24
• 18-14
• 24 19
• 6-10
• 19 23
• 10-15
• 23 27
• 15-19
• 27 32
• 19-24
• 32 28
• 24-27
• 28 24
• 27-32
• 24 28
• 32-27
• 28 32
• 27-24
• 32 28
• 24-19
• 28 32
• 19-15
• 32 28
• 15-10
• 28 24
• 10- 6
• 24 19
• 14-10
• 19 24
• 10-15
• 24 28
• 15-19
• 28 32
• 19-24
• 32 28
• 11-16
• 28 19
• 16-23
• 12 8
• 23-18
• 8 4
• 18-14
• 4 8
• 6- 1
• 8 11
• 14- 9
• 13 6
• 1-10
• 11 16
• 10-15
• 16 20
• 15-19
• B wins
• Third Position.
• White to move
• 18 15
• A 6- 1
• 14 9
• 24-28
• 23 19
• 1- 5
• 9 6
• B 28-32
• 19 24
• 5- 1
• 24 19
• W wins
• Var A.
• 24-28
• 23 27
• 6- 1
• 14 10
• 28-32
• 27 24
• 1- 5
• 10 6
• W wins
• Var B.
• 5- 1
• 6 10
• W wins
• Black to move
• 6- 1
• 18 15
• C 1- 6
• 14 10
• 6- 9
• 23 19
• 24-27
• 15 18
• D 27-32
• 19 24
• 9- 5
• 10 14
• 32-28
• 24 27
• W wins
• Var C.
• 1- 5
• 14 10
• 24-28
• 23 19
• 28-32
• 15 18
• 32-27
• 10 6
• 27-32
• 19 23
• 5- 1
• 6 9
• W wins
• Var D.
• 9- 5
• 10 6
• 27-32
• 19 23
• 5- 1
• 6 9
• 32-28
• 23 27
• W wins
• Fourth Position.
• Black to play
• 28-24
• 32 28
• 24-20
• 28 32
• 22-18
• 31 27
• 23-19
• 27 31
• 19-24
• 32 27
• 24-28
• 27 32
• 18-22
• 31 27
• 22-26
• 30 23
• 28-24
• B wins
• White to play
• 31 27
• 23-19
• 27 31
• 19-24
• 32 27
• 24-20
• 27 32
• 22-18
• 31 27
• 28-24
• 27 31
• 18-23
• 31 26
• Drawn

Traps. The beginner should be on his guard against being caught, “two for one,” especially in such positions as those shown in Diagrams Nos. 6 and 7.

In No. 6, White will play 19 16, forcing you to jump, and will then play 27 23, forcing you to jump again. In No. 7, White will play 30 26, making your man a King. He will then play 32 28, and wait for your newly made King to jump. This will give him three of your men, and he will catch the other before it gets to the king row.

Another common form of trap is to get a player into such a position in the end game, when he has only one or two men, that he cannot get to the king row without being caught; sometimes because he is driven to the side of the board by the man following him, and sometimes because the man meeting him can head him off. The adversary can do this only when he has “the move.”

Theory of the Move. When the position is such that you will be able to force your adversary into a situation from which he cannot escape without sacrificing a piece or losing the game, you are said to have the move; and if he does not change it by capturing one of your men he must lose the game. As the move is often of the greatest importance in the end game, every checker-player should understand its theory, so that he may know when it is necessary to make an exchange of men in order to secure the move, and when he should avoid an exchange which would lose it. The move is only important when the number of men on each side is equal.

In order to calculate the move, the board is supposed to be divided into two systems of squares, sixteen in each. The first system is formed by the four vertical rows running from your own side of the board, as shown by the dotted lines in Diagram No. 8. The second system runs from your adversary’s side of the board, as shown in Diagram No. 9.

In order to ascertain if you have the move when it is your turn to play, add together all the men, both black and white, in one of the systems, taking no notice of those in the other system, and if the number is odd, you have the move. In Diagram No. 10, for instance, if you have the black men, and it is your turn to play, you will find three men on your own system, and therefore you have the move, and must win by playing 10-15. When White moves, there will again be an odd number of men on your system, and you will still have the move, and he must sacrifice both his men.

In Diagram No. 11, if you count up the men on either your own or your adversary’s system, you will find that the number is even, and as you have not the move you should force an exchange immediately, which will give it to you, and win the game.

Every single exchange of man for man changes the move when only one of the capturing pieces remains on the board, and the following rule is given for ascertaining how proposed exchanges in complicated positions will affect the move:—The capturing pieces of both black and white in both systems must first be added together, and if the number agrees—in the matter of being odd or even—with that of the number of captured pieces in each system, the move will not be changed; but if one number so found is odd, and the other is even, the move will be changed.

ILLUSTRATIVE GAMES.

The asterisk shows the losing move.

Play with Black Men.			Play with White Men.
1	2	3	4	5	6	7
11-15	11-15	10-15	11-15	11-15	11-15	10-15
22 18	23 19	22 18	24 20	22 18	23 19	23 18
15-22	8-11	15-22	8-11	15-22	8-11	12-16
25 18	22 17	25 18	28 24	25 18	26 23	21 17
8-11	3- 8	6-10	4- 8	8-11	4- 8	16-19
29 25	*17 14	29 25	23 19	29 25	30 26	17 14
4- 8	9-18	10-15	* 9-13	4- 8	* 9-13	9-13
24 20	21 17	*25 22	20 16	24 20	19 16	24 20
10-15	18-22	15-19	11-20	10-15	12-19	8-12
25 22	25 18	23 16	22 17	25 22	23 16	25 21
12-16	15-22	12-19	13-22	* 9-13	11-20	12-16
*27 24	26 23	24 15	25 4	20 16	22 17	21 17
15-19	5- 9	9-14	W wins.	12-19	13-22	4- 8
24 15	17 13	18 9		23 16	25 4	29 25
16-19	11-15	11-25		11-20	W wins.	6- 9
23 16	23 18	B wins.		18 4		27 24
9-14	1- 5			W wins.		1- 6
18 9	18 11					32 27
11-25	7-23					6-10
28 24	27 18					27 23
5-14	9-14					8-12
24 19	18 9					25 21
6-10	5-14					2- 6
B wins.	B wins.					31 27
						3- 8
						30 25
						W wins.

LOSING GAME. In this variety of Draughts, the object is to give away all your men before your adversary can give away his, or to block yourself so that you cannot move. The secret of success in Losing Game is to get your men on such squares that they cannot be made to jump to the king row. These squares will be the row next you on your own side of the board, and every second row from that, horizontally. Get your men on those squares as soon as possible, and do not be in too great a hurry to capture your adversary’s men.

POLISH DRAUGHTS. Although intended for a special board of 100 squares this game can be played on a common checker board. It differs from ordinary draughts in two particulars:

Although the men can move only forward, they can take backward, and Kings can go any distance at one move.

If in taking a piece, a man arrives at the king row, that does not end the move if he can capture another piece by jumping backward out of the king row again. As this brings him away from the king row before the move is complete, he will not be a king until he can get to the king row at the end of a move.

Kings can go any number of squares in a straight line, and can capture any piece which is on the diagonal, not protected by another piece behind it. Kings can also go on for any number of squares beyond the captured piece, and then turn a corner to capture another piece. In Diagram No. 12, for instance, the black King could capture all six of the white men by going over the first one only, and then turning to the left, and continuing to turn to the left after every capture, as shown by the squares with the numbers on them, which indicate his five successive turning-points.

DEVIL AMONG THE TAILORS. This is hardly a variation of the game of Draughts, although it is played on a checker board. Four white men, the tailors, are placed upon 29 30 31 and 32; and one black man, the devil, on 1. The men can move only one square at a time, diagonally; the white men forward only, the black man forward or backward. There is no jumping or capturing, and the object of the tailors is to pin the devil in, so that he cannot move. If the black man can reach the free country behind the white men, he wins the game.

The game is a certainty for the white men if properly played. At the end of four moves they should be lined up on squares 25, 26, 27, 28 and whichever end the devil attacks, the tailors should move in from the other end.

There are two critical positions.

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.

CHECKER LAWS.

1. The Standard board must be of light and dark squares, not less than fourteen inches nor more than fifteen inches across said squares.

2. The board shall be so placed that the bottom corner square, on the left hand, shall be black.

3. The Standard men, technically described as White and Black, must be light and dark (say white and red, or yellow and black), turned, and round, not less than one inch, nor more than 1? inches in diameter.

4. The men shall be placed on the black squares.

5. The black men shall invariably be placed upon the real or supposed first twelve squares of the board; the white upon the last twelve squares.

6. Each player shall play alternately with the white and black men, and lots shall be cast for the colour only once, viz., at the beginning of the play—the winner to have his choice of taking black or white.

7. The first play must invariably be made by the person having the black men.

8. At the end of five minutes [if the play has not been previously made], “Time” must be called by the person appointed for that purpose, in a distinct manner; and if the play is not completed in another minute, the game shall be adjudged lost through improper delay.

9. When there is only one way of taking one or more pieces, time shall be called at the end of one minute, and if the play is not completed in another minute, the game shall be adjudged lost through improper delay.

10. Either player is entitled, on giving intimation, to arrange his own or his opponent’s pieces properly on the squares. After the first move has been made, however, if either player touch or arrange any piece without giving intimation to his opponent, he shall be cautioned for the first offence, and shall forfeit the game for any subsequent act of the kind.

11. After the pieces have been arranged, if the person whose turn it is to play touch one, he must either play it or forfeit the game. When the piece is not playable, he forfeits according to the preceding law.

12. If any part of a playable piece is moved over an angle of the square on which it is stationed, the move must be completed in that direction.

13. A capturing play, as well as an ordinary one, is completed whenever the hand has been withdrawn from the piece played, although one or more pieces should have been taken.

14. The Huff or Blow is to remove from the board, before one plays his own piece, any one of the adverse pieces that might or ought to have taken but the Huff or Blow never constitutes a play.

15. The player has the power to huff, compel the capture, or let the piece remain on the board, as he thinks proper.

16. When a man first reaches any of the squares on the opposite extreme line of the board, it becomes a King, and can be moved backward or forward as the limits of the board permit, though not in the same play. The adversary must crown the new King, by placing a captured man on the top of it, before he makes his own move.

17. A player making a false or improper move forfeits the game to his opponent.

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.

22. A player committing a breach of any of these laws must submit to the penalty, which his opponent is equally bound to exact.

23. Any spectator giving warning, either by sign, sound, or remark, on any of the games, whether played or pending, shall be expelled from the room.

24. Should any dispute occur, not satisfactorily determined by the preceding laws, a written statement of facts must be sent to a disinterested arbiter having a knowledge of the game, whose decision shall be final.

TEXT BOOKS.

• Spayth’s Checkers for Beginners.
• Game of Draughts, John Robertson.
• Janvier’s Anderson.
• Bowen’s Bristol.
• Bowen’s Cross.
• Bowen’s Fife.
• E.T. Baker’s Alma.
• Scattergood’s Game of Draughts.
• Lyman’s Selected Problems.
• Backgammon and Draughts, by Berkeley.
• Anderson’s Checkers.
• Dunne’s Draught Proxis.
• Kear’s Sturges.

BACKGAMMON. OR TRIC-TRAC.

Backgammon is played by two persons, each of whom is provided with fifteen men, two dice, and a dice-box. The men on each side are of different colours, black and white, and the players are distinguished by the colour of the men with which they play. The board is divided into two tables, inner and outer, and at the beginning of the game the men may be set up in either of the positions shown in the diagram.

It will be observed that the black men on any point have exactly the same number of white men standing opposite them. In one table there are only two upon one point, and in the other there are only three upon one point. The table with the two men is always the inner table while the one with three is always the outer table. This distinction is important, and may be remembered by observing that the number of letters in the words in and out are two and three respectively.

In setting up the men the inner table is always placed toward the light, whether it be a window or the gas. Each player must always have the majority of his men, five and three, on the side nearer him; and the minority, five and two, on the side farther from him. The side of the inner table which is nearer the player will always be his home table. In all the illustrations in this work you are supposed to be playing with the black side next you, and with your inner or home table on your left hand.

The raised portion or hinge of the board, which divides the inner from the outer tables, is known as the bar, and the points, or flÈches, in each player’s home table are numbered from 1 to 6, reckoning from the outer edge toward the bar. These six points are spoken of as the Ace, Deuce, Trey, Four, Five and Six points respectively, and they correspond to the six faces on a single die. The points in the outer tables have no numbers, but the one next the bar on each side is called the bar point. In giving the moves of the men in a game, the names of the six points in the home tables are disregarded, and each player, Black and White, numbers the board from 1 to 24, starting from the square on which he has only two men. The notation for the black moves would be as shown in the margin; that for white being exactly opposite, of course.

The men on each side are always moved in the direction of their notation numbers. In all the following illustrations the black men move round the board from right to left, like the hands of a clock, while the white men go in the opposite direction; so that the two opposing forces are continually meeting and passing, like the people in the street.

The Object of the Game is for each player to move his men from point to point in order to get them all into his home table. It does not matter what part of the home table they reach, so that they get across the bar. The men are moved according to the throws of the dice, each player in turn having a throw and a move. After the men on either side are all home, they are taken off the board according to the throws of the dice, and the player who is the first to get all his men off the board in this manner wins the game.

If each player has taken off some of his men, the player getting all his off first wins a hit, which counts as a single game. If one player gets off all his men before his adversary has thrown off a single man, it is a gammon, and counts as a double game. If the loser has not only taken off none of his men, but has one or more men left on the side of the board farther from him when his adversary throws off his last man, it is a backgammon, and counts as a triple game. In America, gammons and backgammons are seldom played, every game being simply a hit. This spoils some of the fine points of the game, and entirely alters the tactics of the players, as will be seen when we come to the suggestions for good play.

The Dice. Although it is usual for each player to be provided with two dice, some players insist on the same pair being used by each player alternately; the claim being that luck will then run more evenly. At the beginning of the game each player makes a cast, either with one die or with two, as may be agreed, and the higher throw has the first play. In some clubs the player making the higher throw is allowed the option of playing the first cast, or of throwing again; but the general practice is to insist that the first cast is simply for the privilege of playing first, and that the dice must be cast again for the first move.

After each throw the dice must fall within the borders of the table on the caster’s right, and each die must rest fairly and squarely on one of its faces. If it is cocked against a man, the edge of the board, or the other die, or if it jumps over the edge of the table in which it is thrown, both dice must be taken up and cast again. The caster must announce his throw as soon as made.

The Moves. As the men on each side are moved round the board in opposite directions to reach their respective homes, they are of course obliged to meet and pass a number of the adversary’s men, and they must pick their way among them by going to points which are unoccupied by the enemy; for if there are two or more of the enemy in possession of any point, that point is said to be covered, and must be jumped over. If only one adverse man occupies a point, it is called a blot, and the man may be captured, as will presently be explained.

The numbers that appear on the upper faces of the two dice, when they are thrown, are the number of points that each of any two men, or that any one man may be moved at a time. If a player throws four-deuce, for instance, he may either move one man four points and another two; or he may move a single man four points and two points, or two points and four points. He cannot lump the throw and call it six points, because if the fourth point from where the man stood was covered by two or more of the enemy, the four could not be played with that man. If the second point from where the man stood was also covered, he could not be moved at all, although the sixth point from where he stood might be unoccupied. If Black’s first throw is five-deuce, for instance, he cannot move one of the two men on his adversary’s ace point for the five, because the fifth point thence is covered. Neither could he move one of them two and then five, because the seventh point is covered also.

If a player throws doublets, that is, the same number on each die, he plays the throw twice over. If a player throws double fours, for instance, he can either move one man four points four times; or one man four points once, and another man four points three times; or two men four points twice; or two men four points each, and then two other men four points, always provided that the points moved to at the end of each four are not covered by the enemy.

If there is only one of the adversary’s men on any point which can be reached by a throw of the dice, the blot may be hit, a man being moved to that point, and the adverse man taken from the board and placed upon the bar. In the diagram in the margin, for instance, it is White’s play, and he has thrown six-four. Black has left a blot on White’s four-point, and the single white man in the outer table can reach this with the six throw, taking up the black man, and placing it upon the bar. White now has a blot on his four point, which he should cover by playing in a man four points from the outer table, it being better to leave a blot there than at home.

When a player has a man that has been hit, and placed upon the bar by the adversary, he must re-enter that man before he moves any others. He may choose for the purpose either of the numbers on the next throw of the dice, and must place his man on the point in the adversary’s home table which agrees with the number selected. Suppose that in the foregoing example, Black’s next throw is five-deuce. He cannot enter the man on the five-point, because it is covered by the enemy: so he must enter upon the deuce point, which is not covered, and must move some other man five points for the throw upon the other die. If both the five and deuce points were covered, Black could not enter on either of them, and as he cannot play until the man on the bar is entered, the throw would be lost, and he would have to wait until his adversary threw and moved in his turn. If two men are upon the bar, both must be entered before any man can be moved. A man may enter and hit a blot at the same time.

If a player could get his men round the board without any of them being hit, seventy-seven points on the dice thrown would bring them all home; but as every man hit has to start all over again from his adversary’s home table, it may take a great many throws to get all the men home. For this reason it is obvious that each player should leave as few blots as possible, in order to save his men from being hit; and at the same time he should strive to cover as many points as possible, in order to prevent his adversary from moving round the board freely. It is still more important to cover points in the home table, so that when an adverse man is hit he will have fewer points upon which to enter. It is, of course, unnecessary to say that one can always enter or play on points covered by his own men.

Throwing Off. When either player has succeeded in getting all his men home, he removes them from the board two or four at a time, according to the throws of the dice, provided he has men on the points in his home table corresponding to the numbers thrown. If not, he must move his men up toward the ace point. Doublets may take off four men if there are so many on the point. If there are no men on a number thrown, and the number is so high that the man farthest from the ace point cannot be moved up, that man may be taken off. In the diagram in the margin, for instance, Black has all his men home, and is ready to throw them off. If he threw six-deuce, having no men on either point he would have to move up the deuce; but the farthest man from the ace point cannot be moved up six, so he can throw that man off. This must result in leaving a blot, no matter which man is played up the two Points, and White may hit this blot on his next throw. Should he do so, Black would have to throw an ace to re-enter, as all the other points in White’s home table are covered, or “made up.” Black could not throw off another man until the one hit had not only been re-entered, but had made the circuit of the board and got home again.

A player is not obliged to throw off a man if he prefers to move, but he must do one or the other. In the foregoing diagram, for instance, if Black threw three-ace, he would be very foolish to take off two men, leaving a blot on his three point. He should move the ace from his four to his three point, and then take off the three, leaving no blots.

SUGGESTIONS FOR GOOD PLAY. Always see that the men are properly set up. It would be a great help to many persons if the manufacturers of backgammon boards would print upon them a small diagram of the correct position of the men.

The first thing for the beginner to learn is the proper manner of playing the opening throws, and this should be practised with a board and men. In some cases there are several ways to play the same throw; double fours, for instance, it is said cannot be played wrong. All possible throws of the dice, from double six to double ace, and the various ways of playing them, are shown in the diagrams. Black men only are moved, and those with white centres have been brought from the points marked with a small cross x.

The best throws are those which cover the most points, take possession of your own or your adversary’s five point, make up your own bar point, or make up points in your home table.

Double aces are the best, because they make up two of the most important points at once. A first-class player will sometimes give an adversary the odds of a first throw of double aces. Double sixes is the next best, and five-ace is considered one of the worst.

Three of these throws require special mention, all of which would be very bad openings in the American game, for reasons which will presently be explained. These throws are five-ace, four-ace, and deuce-ace, when played as follows:—

These are all unfortunate opening throws, five-ace being especially bad, and the English players think the best, perhaps because the boldest, way to play them is to leave one or two blots, one of which, however, lays the foundation for possession of your five-point on the next throw, always a great advantage if you can secure it. If neither of the blots are hit, the Englishman pushes forward in the hope of gammoning his adversary, and so winning a double game. In America, where gammons count no more than hits, nothing is to be gained by taking such chances, and the foregoing methods of playing these three throws would therefore be considered very bad.

The English Game. When the players count double and triple games, it is not an uncommon thing to play for the gammon, especially against inferior adversaries, or when one gets a decided advantage at the start. The first thing is to secure your own or your adversary’s five point, or both, and if you succeed in that you should play a very forward game, and endeavour to gammon your opponent. After the five-points, secure your bar point, so as to prevent your opponent from “running” with double sixes. Some players think the bar point better than the five point, but it must be remembered that points in the home table are usually better than any outside. If you get the five and bar points made up, try for the four point, and after that you may take some risks to get your men home, and do not take up your opponent’s men if you are ahead of him, because they may give you trouble when they re-enter in your home table.

The American Game. When a gammon or backgammon counts you nothing more if you win it, and costs you nothing more if you lose it, the tactics of the game are entirely changed. It is folly to take any risks for the sake of a gammon, and any plays which leave unnecessary blots are very bad; for which reason the three throws shown in the foregoing diagram would be absurd in the American game. On the other hand, you may risk being gammoned, or even backgammoned, if it is the only way to save the game. An Englishman cannot take this risk, for he might lose a triple game in attempting to save a single.

Secure the five point in your own and your adversary’s home table as soon as possible, and then the bar and four points. 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. Get past all his men if possible, especially if he has moved his two men out of your home table.

The Backward Game. Exactly the opposite tactics are of course the best for the player who is behind. He should keep two or three men in his adversary’s home table, preferably on the ace and deuce points, in the hope of catching some of the enemy, and setting them back. The result of these tactics, if successful, will be to offset the advantage of the adversary’s high throws early in the game, because every man captured not only has to start his journey over again, but is liable to be picked up a second or third time. As it is to the advantage of the forward player to avoid picking up men, the one who is behind can leave blots with great freedom, and may even spread his men so that some of them must be taken up. This intense back game is peculiarly American, for in the English game such tactics would usually result in a gammon, and often in a backgammon, and the player dare not risk so much just to save a hit. In the back game it is very important to spread the men freely, so that they may act as catchers.

In the position shown in the margin, for instance, White has already thrown off three of his men, but one has been caught and set back. It is impossible for Black to win unless he can catch this man again, or capture one or two of those in White’s home table, keeping White from throwing off any more men until Black gets home.

Suppose that in this position Black threw double threes. His play would be to separate all his men in the outer table, so that no matter what White might throw he could hardly escape being caught. The black men might be placed on the points marked with small crosses, and then if the white man cannot be caught and set back long enough for Black to get home, the game cannot be saved. If Black succeeds in picking up this man, he should then complete his home table as rapidly as possible, still keeping his outside men spread, and not disturbing the two men on White’s trey point until necessary.

Throwing Off. Always throw off every man possible; never move up instead of throwing off, unless there are some adverse men in your home table. If you make a throw which will not take off a man, do not move two men, but move up and take off one man if possible.

Chances. Some players profess to attach great importance to the chances of the dice, but such matters are of little practical value except in a general way. It may be interesting to know that the odds were thirty-five to one against a certain throw, but that knowledge does not prevent your adversary from winning the game.

It should always be remembered that it is more difficult for your adversary to hit a man that is very close to him or very far from him, than one that is about half way. The odds against being hit by a given number, either on one or on both dice, are given in the margin. The throws given in the second column cannot be made without counting both dice, and a player is therefore safer when it takes “double dice” to hit him.

Single Die.		Double Dice.
25 to 11 ag’st	1	30 to 6 ag’st	7
24 to 12 ag’st	2	30 to 6 ag’st	8
22 to 14 ag’st	3	31 to 5 ag’st	9
21 to 15 ag’st	4	33 to 3 ag’st	10
21 to 15 ag’st	5	34 to 2 ag’st	11
19 to 17 ag’st	6	35 to 1 ag’st	12

LAWS.

1. If the men are wrongly set up, the mistake may be remedied if the player in error has not moved a man, otherwise they must stand as set up.

2. If a player begins with less than the proper number of men, the error cannot be rectified after the player has made a throw for his move.

3. The players must each cast a single die for the privilege of first move, the higher winning. Ties throw again.

4. By mutual consent it may be agreed to let the higher throw play the points on his own and his adversary’s die for the first move; otherwise he must throw again with two dice.

5. Each player must throw the dice into the table on his right hand, and if either die jumps into the other table, or off the board, both dice must be taken up and thrown again.

6. To constitute a fair throw, each die must rest flat upon the board, and if either die is “cocked” against the other, or against the edge of the board or of a man, both dice must be taken up and thrown again.

7. If the caster interferes with the dice in any way, or touches them after they have left the box, and before they come absolutely to rest and the throw is called by the caster, the adversary may place face upward on the die or dice so interfered with, any number he chooses, and the caster must play it as if thrown.

8. Before playing, the throw must be announced by the caster, and if the throw is played as called it stands good, unless an error in the call is discovered before the dice have been touched for the purpose of putting them in the box again.

9. If a player moves a man a wrong number of points, the throw being correctly called, the adversary must demand that the error be rectified before he throws himself, or the erroneous move stands good.

10. If a man wrongly moved can be moved correctly, the player in error is obliged to move that man. If he cannot be moved correctly, the other man that was moved correctly on the same throw must be moved on the number of points on the second die, if possible. If the second man cannot be so moved onward, the player is at liberty to move any man he pleases.

11. Any man touched, except for the purpose of adjusting it, must be moved if the piece is playable. A player about to adjust a man must give due notice by saying, “J’adoube.” A man having been properly played to a certain point and quitted, must remain there.

12. The numbers on both dice must be played if possible. If there are two ways to play, one of which will employ the numbers on both dice, the other only one of them, the former must be played. If either, but only one, of the two numbers thrown can be played, the larger of the two must be selected.

13. If a player throws off men before all his men are at home, the men so thrown off must be placed on the bar, and re-entered in the adversary’s home table, just as if they had been captured in the course of play. The same penalty attaches to throwing off men while one is on the bar.

RUSSIAN BACKGAMMON.

In this variety of the game, no men are placed upon the board at starting, but each player enters his men by throws of the dice, and both players enter upon the same table, so that all the men on both sides move round the board in the same direction, and both players have the same home table, which is always the one opposite the entering table.

After having entered two men on the first throw, the player is at liberty either to continue entering his men with any subsequent throws, or to play the men already entered. In moving or in entering a player may capture any blots left by his adversary; but he cannot enter upon a point covered by two or more of the adversary’s men. If a player cannot enter a fresh man with the throw made, he must play a man if he can. When a man is captured, he must be re-entered before any other man can be moved.

Except on the first throw of the game, doublets give the player a great advantage. He can not only play the upper faces of the dice twice over, as in the ordinary game, but the faces opposite them also, and can then throw again before his adversary. Should he again throw doublets, he would play both faces of the dice, and throw again, and so on. As the opposite face is always the complement of seven, it is not necessary to turn the dice over to see what it is. A player throwing double four knows that he has four fours and four threes to play and will then get another throw. The upper faces of the dice must be played first, and if all four cannot be played the opposites and the second throw are lost. If the upper faces can be played, but not all the opposites, the second throw is lost.

If the first throw of the game made by either player is a doublet, it is played as in the ordinary game, without playing the opposite faces or getting a second throw.

The chief tactics of the game are in getting your men together in advance of your adversary, and covering as many consecutive points as possible, so that he cannot pass you except singly, and then only at the risk of being hit. After getting home, the men should be piled on the ace and deuce points unless there is very little time to waste in securing position.

TEXT BOOKS.

• Backgammon, by Kenny Meadows, 1844.
• Backgammon and Draughts, by Berkeley.
• Pocket Guide to Backgammon, by “Cavendish.”
• Bohn’s Handbook of Games.

REVERSI.

This game requires a special board of sixty-four squares. Two players are each provided with thirty-two men which are red on one side and black on the other. The first player sets a man on any of the four squares in the middle of the board, and then his opponent places another man in the same four squares, each player having his own colour uppermost.

After the first move on each side, the object of each player is so to set his men that they shall be next to an opposing man, but with one of his own men in a direct line on the other side, horizontally, vertically, or diagonally, no matter how far off the man in line may be.

When a player succeeds in doing this, he reverses the colour of all the intervening men, turning them to his own side. A man placed at an angle may turn more than one line at a time. As soon as the board is filled, each man counts up his colour, and the one that has the majority wins the game.

HALMA.

This is played on a board with 256 squares, each player having nineteen men of distinguishing colours. At the start the men are placed in an enclosure at the corner of the board, called a “yard.” The object of the player is to get his men out of his own yard and into his adversary’s.

The men move one square at a time, like a king at chess, unless a man gets to the square adjoining that occupied by another man with a space beyond it. Whether the adjoining man is his own or his adversary’s, the player can hop over it into the vacant space beyond, and he can make as many hops as there are men and spaces. This being so, a player will try to make “ladders” with his own men, placing them in a line diagonally, with a space between each, and will then hop his men over them all. As soon as he gets all his men into his adversary’s yard the game is ended. Special directions always come with the apparatus.

GO-BANG.

This is played on a board of 361 squares. Each player has his own coloured counters, and they draw for the first move. Each places a man in turn, and the first to get five men in a row, horizontally, vertically, or diagonally, wins the game.

MORELLES, OR NINE MEN’S MORRIS.

This game, sometimes called The Mill, is played on a board ruled off into compartments, as follows:

Each player has nine men, of distinguishable colours. They draw for first move, and each in turn places a man on any one of the corners or intersections of the lines. As soon as either player gets three men in line, he can remove from the board any one of his adversaries’ pieces that he pleases, provided the piece is not one of three that are already in a line. If there are no other men on the board, he can remove one of a line.

After entering all nine of his men, the player can shift them about, one at a time, but no man can be moved farther than to the adjoining corner or intersection, and that must be vacant. As soon as a new line is formed in this way, an adverse man can be lifted. It is possible for one man to move back and forth in such a manner as to continually form and reform a line of three. When one player has only three men left, he can jump any of them to any vacant space on the board, no matter how far off. As soon as either player is reduced to two men, the game is over and he has lost.

DOMINOES.

Although properly a game for two persons, Dominoes is sometimes played by four, two being partners against the other two. There are also some round games in which any number from three to six may play, each for himself.

The Sets. A set of dominoes is a number of pieces of bone, usually about 1½ inches by ¾, and ? thick. These bones have upon their faces the permutations of the numbers from six to blank, taken two at a time. Some sets begin at double nine, and others at double twelve; but the standard set is double six, and is composed of twenty-eight pieces.

The Suits. All the dominoes with the same number upon either end belong to the same suit; the seven bones with a 4 forming the 4 suit; those with a 6 the 6 suit, and so on. The number of pips in each suit may be easily remembered by observing that the ace suit has the same number of pips as the pieces in the set, 28; and that each suit above the ace has seven pips more than the number of pieces in the set, while the blank suit has seven pips less, so that each suit progresses in regular order, seven pips at a time, as shown in the margin.

Shuffling and Cutting. Dominoes are provided with a small brass pin in the centre of the face, which enables one to spin them round, push them about on the table, and so to shuffle them thoroughly. There are three methods of determining who shall have the first play, or set, as it is called: 1. The player having the higher double; or, failing any double in either hand, the heavier domino, that is, one with a greater number of pips on its face than any held by his adversary. 2. One player selects any two dominoes, face down, and pushes them toward his adversary, who chooses one. Both are then turned up, and whichever gets the lighter domino has the first set. 3. Each player draws a domino, face down, and the one getting the lower double sets first. If neither draws a double the lighter domino sets.

The dominoes are then shuffled again by both players, and each draws the number of pieces required by the game they are about to play. The dominoes remaining on the table are left face down, and form the stock or bone-yard. Each player should sort his dominoes into suits, and either leave them standing on their edges on the table with their faces toward him, or hold them in his hand. Few persons can hold more than six dominoes in this way, so the seventh is left upon the table, or is the first one set.

Matching. All games of dominoes are based upon the principle of matching, or following suit; which requires that each domino played shall belong to the same suit as one of the exposed ends of the line of dominoes already played, and exposed upon the table. In playing a domino, it must be so placed that the end of it shall match and adjoin the exposed end of the line; a six being played to a six, a four to a four, and so on. Each domino, as played, is laid face upward on the table, the ends abutting, and doublets being laid across, or at right angles to the line.

The principal games are divided into two classes; those in which the object is to block a player, so that he cannot follow suit, and those in which the object is to make the ends of the line some multiple of five or three. The Block Game will be described first.

THE BLOCK GAME. Each player draws seven dominoes, and the one whose turn it is to set lays down any domino he pleases. If a good player, he will select one of his longest suit, especially if he has three or more, and his object will be to get the line back to his suit as often as possible. If a player had to set with the hand of dominoes shown in the foregoing diagram, he would select the 5-0, because he has four of the 5 suit, and three of the 0 suit. This would compel his adversary to play some domino having upon it a 5 or a 0. Let us suppose this adversary to hold the following dominoes: 6-6, 6-3, 6-1, 6-0, 5-1, 5-0. He would of course play the 6-0, in order to bring the line round to his long suit of 6’s. As this would close the blank end of the line, the first player, whom we shall call A, would have to play on the 5 end, as he has no 6. In order to get the line back to his second longest suit, the blanks, he would play the 5-2, hoping to play 2-0 next time. His adversary, B, would play on this end if he could, but being unable to do so, he gets rid of his heaviest domino, playing the double six. A plays 2-0, and B should now bring in his suit of aces by playing 6-1, which would win the game; but for the sake of illustration we shall suppose that he foolishly plays 6-4. A plays his double four, and the dominoes on the table present the following appearance:—

B, having neither 4 nor 0 on any of his remaining dominoes, says: “Go,” which signifies that he is blocked, and cannot play. A can now play at either end, and with either of two dominoes; but it would be bad policy to play the 4-5, because his adversary might be able to play to the 5; but it is a certainty that he cannot play to either 0 or 4. If A plays the 4-5, B gets rid of all his dominoes before A can play again. If A plays the 4-0 on the blank end, he will have to play again with his 4-5; but if he plays it on the 4 end he blocks himself.

Whether to block the game or not depends on the probable comparative value of the dominoes held by A and B. If A blocks the game by making both ends blank, both players show their remaining dominoes, and the one with the greater number of pips loses as many points as he has pips in excess of the other player. In order to judge whether to block or play, it should be remembered that as there are 147 pips in the entire set, the average value of each domino will be 5¼. If A blocks the game, he will have 17 pips left in his hand, which is above the average value of two dominoes; but his adversary will have four dominoes to count, and it is probable that they will be worth about 21 points. The fact that the seven dominoes already played are 13 pips above the average will reduce the probable value of B’s dominoes to about 20. On the other hand, A knows that B has no blanks, which would slightly increase the weight of B’s dominoes.

If A blocks the game, as he should do with the odds in his favour, he will win 7 points, the difference between his 17 and B’s 24. If he does not block, he must follow the 4-0 with the 5-4. This will bring in B’s ace suit, bringing him back to his long suit of 6’s. When the 5-1 was played, A would have to say, “go,” and B would continue with 1-1, 1-6, 6-3, claiming domino, all his pieces being exhausted. Although A can now play, it is too late, for when one player makes domino he counts all the pips remaining in his adversary’s hand; in this case, 8 points for B.

Had B played properly, by putting down 6-1, instead of 6-4, A would have been compelled to play his 4-0, and B would have made both ends 6’s, A saying, “go.” By then playing his double ace, B would have made certain of domino next time by playing the 6-3, for even if A could play to the 3, he could not shut B out of the ace, and B’s 5-1 would make, him domino, winning 17 points.

The Block Game is sometimes played 50 or 100 points up, and at the end the winner takes the stakes, if any, or settles at so much a point for the difference between the scores.

In the Four-handed Block Game the players cut for partners, the two lowest playing against the two highest, and the lowest cut having the first set. Each player draws four bones, and the play goes round from right to left. When any player is blocked, and says “go,” the one on his left must play or say “go,” also. The game is at an end when one player gets rid of all his dominoes, or all four players are blocked. The pips remaining in the hands of the partners are then reckoned, and the side having the lower number wins the difference.

Another variation is for each to play for himself, but instead of playing only one domino at a time in each round, a player may go on as long as he can follow suit to either end of the line.

DRAW GAME. In this variation of the Block Game, each player has the option of drawing any number of dominoes from the bone-yard except the last two, which must always remain in stock. He may draw while he is still able to play, or not until he is blocked; but when he is blocked he is compelled to draw until he obtains a domino that can be played, or has drawn all but the last two in the bone-yard.

MATADORE GAME. This is another variety of the Block Game. Each player takes seven bones, and the highest double or the heaviest domino sets. The object is not to follow suit to the ends, but to play a number which will make the end and the number played to it equal seven. If the end is a 3, a 4 must be played; a 2 must be played to a 5, and an ace to a 6. Four dominoes in the set are trumps, or Matadores. These are the double blank, and the three dominoes that have seven on their faces; 6-1, 5-2, and 4-3. Any of these trumps may be played at any time on either of the ends, in order to prevent a block; but the following player, if he does not play a trump also, must play the complement of seven to whichever end of the matadore is left exposed. Doublets are not placed crosswise, and count only for the suit to which they belong; a double three cannot be played to an ace, because it counts as three only. The trumps are usually placed at right angles to the line. The game is decided and settled for as in the ordinary Block Game.

SEBASTOPOL. In this variety of the Block Game, four persons play. Each takes seven bones, and the double six sets. Nothing but sixes can be played until both sides and both ends of the first set have been played to. When these five dominoes have been set, any of the four ends may be played to. Each player in turn must play or say, “go.” The game is decided and settled for as in the ordinary Block Game.

BERGEN GAME. Two persons play, each of whom draws six bones. The highest double sets, and scores two points for the double header. Two points are scored by the player making both ends of the line the same. If there is a doublet at one end, and one of the same suit at the other, it is a triple header, and counts three. Fifteen points is game. In addition to the headers, domino counts one. If both players are blocked, the bones are shown, and the one having the smallest number of pips and no doublet counts one toward game. If he holds a doublet, his adversary scores one; but if both hold doublets, the lower number of pips wins the point.

DOMINO POOL. Any number from three to six can play, and a pool is made up. They draw for the first set, and after shuffling again, each player takes such an equal number of bones as will leave at least eight in the stock. The leader plays anything he pleases for the first set, and each following player must follow suit if he can, to one end or the other. If a person cannot play, he says “go,” and the player on his left plays or passes also. When one makes domino he wins the pool. If all are blocked, the smallest number of pips left in hand wins; ties divide.

MUGGINS, OR ALL FIVES. This is a game for two, three, or four players. The object is to make the two ends of the line some multiple of five, and for every five so made the player scores five points toward game, which is usually 100 up. If only one point is scored for each five, 20 or 21 may be game. Each player draws seven bones, and the highest double sets, each person afterward playing in turn. If double five is the first set it counts 10. The 5-0 played to this would count 10 for the second player, because one end of the line being 10 and the other 0, the total value of the two ends is still 10. Double blank played to this would count 10 more. If 5-6 is now played on one end, and 0-4 on the other, the count will be 10 again, as shown on the diagram. The figures show the order in which the dominoes were played.

The highest possible score is 20 points, made with the 4-4 and 6-6, at different ends. If either player makes a multiple of five without noticing or claiming it, his adversary says, “muggins,” and scores it himself. If a player makes an erroneous score, it must be taken down, and his adversary marks it as penalty.

When a player cannot follow suit, he must draw from the bone-yard until he gets a domino that can be played; but the last two in the stock must never be drawn. When one player gets rid of all his bones, he calls domino, and scores the nearest multiple of five that is found in the dominoes remaining in his adversary’s hand. Remainders of 3 or 4 count as 5; those of 1 or 2 as nothing; so that 12 pips would count as 10; but 13 would count as 15. The players usually settle at the end of the game for the difference between their scores.

Muggins is sometimes varied by playing from both ends of the first doublet set, as well as from the sides. It is not necessary to play on the ends of the first set until one cannot play on the line; but any of the four points may be played to at any time. The end of the first doublet does not count in making multiples of five, but the ends of any dominoes played to it must be counted. If only one end of the first doublet has been played to, there will be three ends to count to make multiples of five; and if both ends of the first doublet have been played to, there will be four ends. Every count must take in all the ends that are in play. The highest count possible is 35; all four lines open, with the 6-6, 4-4, 5-5, and 0-5 at the ends.

ALL THREES. Muggins is sometimes played by making the object to get multiples of three at the ends, instead of multiples of five. Otherwise the game is the same as All Fives.

There are several card games with dominoes, but they are little used, and hardly worth description in a work of this kind.

DICE.

Dice are probably the oldest gambling instruments in the world. Chatto thinks that man acquired the passion for gambling as soon as he could distinguish odd from even, or a short straw from a shorter. Simple gambling instruments were probably very early articles of manufacture, and Chatto says that it is not unlikely that after a simple dinner of mutton some enterprising gamester may have taken the small bones from between the shank and the foot, and after burning spots in them to distinguish one from the other, put them into a cow’s horn and shaken them up, afterward rolling them upon the ground. From some such beginning Astragali was developed, a game which Dr. Thomas Hyde thinks was known at the time of the Deluge. Later on, other instruments were used in connection with dice, and so the earliest forms of Backgammon were developed.

Dice are still the favourite implements for deciding any matters of pure chance, such as raffling off a horse or a gold watch; but the rules governing such lotteries are but imperfectly understood by people in general. There are also a number of smaller matters, such as the payment for refreshments or cigars, which are settled by thousands of persons every day, simply by throwing dice. The various methods of throwing, and the rules governing all such games are as follows:—

THE DICE. Although dice may be of any size, the standard pattern are half an inch square, of ivory or bone, with black spots one tenth of an inch in diameter. The opposite sides of the die always equal seven, and if the die is placed upon the table with the ace uppermost and the deuce nearest you, the four will be on the left and the three on the right. The positions of the three and four are sometimes reversed to enable sharpers to distinguish fair dice from those which have been doctored.

At the beginning of any dice game, it is quite unnecessary to examine the dice to be used, because they are always fair. Crooked dice are rung in during the game, and the player should make it a point to examine the dice frequently if he has any suspicions. First see that each die has all six figures upon it, for some dice are dispatchers, made with double numbers, so as to secure higher throws than the natural average. Double fives are great favourites with backgammon sharps. The next thing is to place the dice together in pairs, to be sure that they are exactly the same height each way. If dice are not square they can be made to roll over and over on the same faces. The faces should then be tested to see that they are not convex, even in the slightest degree. Shaped dice are usually flat on the ace and six faces, especially in crap shooting. Each die should be held between the thumb and forefinger at its longest diameter, to see if it has any tendency to swing on a pivot, for if it does it is loaded. Even if the dice are transparent, it is no guarantee that they are not loaded in the spots. Loaded ivory dice soon get discoloured, and the presence of any darkness in the corners is usually a sign of the presence of mercury. It is a mistake to suppose that loaded dice will always throw high or low; all they will do is to beat averages. Finally, the dice should be tested with a magnet, as they are sometimes made to work in connection with a battery concealed under the table.

DICE BOXES. Although the dice may be perfectly fair, the box may be “crooked.” A fair box may be of leather, perfectly smooth inside, or it may be of bone, ivory or wood, with the interior “screwed” or grooved. If the upper edge of the inside presents a sloping flat surface, slightly roughened with sand paper, it will be just as well to refuse to allow such a box to be used, as your adversary is probably an expert at securing, which is a method of holding one of the dice securely against this upper edge while the others are shaken and rattled about in the usual manner. A person who is securing dice can be detected by the manner in which he holds the box, keeping his fingers, instead of his palm, over the mouth. When he turns the box face downward on the table, he will still have his fingers under it, and will withdraw them in regular order, the second and third fingers being first separated.

THROWING DICE. There are three methods of throwing dice: The first is to shake them in the box with the palm over the top, and then to shift the hold to the sides, completely exposing the mouth. The box is then turned mouth downward on the table, leaving all the dice completely covered. The box must be lifted by the person who is recording the throws, in a raffle, for instance, after the spectators have had time to assure themselves that all the dice are covered. If the caster has his fingers over the mouth of the box when he turns it over, or lifts the box himself, the throw is foul.

The second method is known as rolling, or the long gallery, and is generally used in poker dice and such games. After the box has been shaken, the caster holds it by the side, and gives it a twist and a push, which causes the dice to pour out, and roll along the table.

The third method is called shooting, and is always employed in craps. No box is used, the dice being held in the hand and rolled along the table or the ground. The crap shooter is obliged to shake the dice in his hand to show that he is not holding them with certain faces together, which is a common way of preventing or getting certain throws, especially with shaped dice.

Whichever method is employed, each die must lie flat upon one of its own faces after the throw, neither resting upon nor cocked against any other die or any obstruction upon the table or the ground. If any of the dice are cocked, all of them must be taken up and thrown again.

RAFFLING.

In a raffle for prizes of any kind, each player has three throws with three dice. The rules already given for throwing dice from a box must be followed, the scorer placing the dice in the box before each throw, and lifting the box after it. The total of the three throws is recorded opposite the name of each player, and the highest throw wins. The odds against throwing a certain number or higher are shown in the margin.

IT IS ABOUT			AGAINST THROWING
Even			32 or more
9	to	7	33 ”
11	to	6	34 ”
28	to	11	35 ”
3	to	1	36 ”
5	to	1	37 ”
7	to	1	38 ”
10	to	1	39 ”
16	to	1	40 ”
24	to	1	41 ”
39	to	1	42 ”
66	to	1	43 ”
116	to	1	44 ”
215	to	1	45 ”
422	to	1	46 ”
886	to	1	47 ”
2016	to	1	48 ”
5032	to	1	49 ”
14093	to	1	50 ”
45809	to	1	51 ”
183229	to	1	52 ”
1007768	to	1	53 ”
10077695	to	1	54

Suppose the prize in a raffle is a horse which would be worth a hundred dollars to you. The highest throw so far is 42, and there are only twenty more chances to be thrown. It is 2 to 1 that 42 is not beaten or equalled because it is 39 to 1 that 42 is not thrown, and there are only 20 more chances to throw it. If 45 had been thrown, and there were still 21 chances to be thrown, you would be safe in paying liberally for the 45 chance. The great mistake that people make in buying or selling chances on throws already made in raffles is in thinking that because a certain number has not been thrown, that therefore it is likely to be. If there are 116 chances, they argue that 44 or better should be thrown, because that number or higher should come once in 116 times. This is quite right at the beginning of the raffle, but it is not right to assume that because 100 of the 116 chances have been thrown without reaching 44, that the odds are only 15 to 1 that 44 will not be thrown in the remaining 16 chances. The odds are still 116 to 1 against 44, just as they were before the raffle began. If you are going back to take into account the previous throws of the dice, you should know the 100 throws that were made with those dice before the raffle began.

CRAP SHOOTING.

This game is a simple form of Hazard, and when played “on the square,” is one of the fairest of all games, the percentage in favour of either side being very small. It is rapidly replacing Faro as the gambling game of America.

Any number of persons may play, and any one may be the caster for the first throw. Two dice are used. The players bet a certain amount of money, and the caster covers it, or as much of it as he can. If the caster does not take all the bets offered, players may back him against the other players. The bets made, the caster shoots. If the total of the two dice on the first throw is seven or eleven, it is called a nick, or natural, and the caster immediately wins the stakes. If the first throw is two, three or twelve, it is a crap, and the caster immediately loses. If the caster throws any number, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10, that number is his point, and he must continue throwing until he throws the same number again, in which case he wins; or throws a seven, in which case he loses.

Two dice may come up in thirty-six different ways, each of which will produce one or more of eleven possible throws, running from 2 to 12. The most common throw is seven, because there are six ways that the two dice may come that will make seven; 6-1, 5-2, 4-3, 3-4, 2-5 and 1-6. The most uncommon are two and twelve, because there is only one way for each of them to come; double aces or double sixes. The numbers of different ways in which each throw may come are as follows:—

7	may come	6 different ways.
6 or 8	may come	5 different ways.
5 or 9	may come	4 different ways.
4 or 10	may come	3 different ways.
3 or 11	may come	2 different ways.
2 or 12	can come	1 way only.

When the caster makes his first throw, he has 8 chances out of 36 to get 7 or 11, which will win for him; and 4 chances out of 36 to throw 2, 3 or 12, which will lose for him. It does not follow from this that the odds are 2 to 1 in favour of the caster, because there are only 12 throws out of the 36 possible that will bring any “action” on the bets; so that the odds are 2 to 1 that the first throw will not settle the bets either way. After the first throw, the caster’s chances vary according to his point. If his point was six, he would have 5 chances out of 36 to throw it again, while the players would have 6 chances out of 36 to get a seven. If the player’s point is four or ten, the odds will be 6 to 3 against him; because there are only three ways to get his point, while there are six ways to get a seven.

If the caster wins he shoots again, but when he loses he passes the dice to the next player in turn.

The old game of Hazard was a very complicated affair compared to modern craps, an intimate knowledge of odds and probabilities being requisite for success. The game was generally against the caster, and certain throws were barred when a certain number was the point. Those interested in the subject will find it exhaustively treated in George Lowbut’s “Game of Hazard Investigated.”

POKER DICE.

If ordinary dice are used, the aces rank above the sixes, the deuces being the lowest. Any number of persons may play, and five dice are used. Each in turn takes the box and has three throws, the first being made with all five dice. After the first throw the caster may lay aside any of the five dice he chooses, putting the others back in the box for a second throw. The same process of selection is allowed for the third throw, any or all five of the dice being available for the last throw. The second and third throws have the same effect as the draw at Poker, except that the dice player may draw twice if he wishes to, and may put back all or any of the dice that he kept on the first or second throws, or he may stand pat on any throw.

The object of the game is to secure pairs, triplets, full hands, and four or five of a kind. Straights do not count in Poker Dice. Suppose the player’s first throw to be a pair of sixes. He places them on one side, and picks up the three other dice, throwing them over again. If the second throw produced another six, it would be placed with the first pair, making a triplet, and the two remaining dice would be thrown again. Whatever they produced would be the final value of his hand. The player is not obliged to throw again, if he is satisfied with his first or second throw; neither is he obliged to leave any pairs or triplets. A player getting two small pairs on the first throw may put either or both of them back in the box again if he chooses.

In throwing for drinks or cigars, it is usual to throw horse and horse; that is, if several persons are in the game the highest man on each round goes out, ties shake it off immediately, one hand each. After it gets down to two men, they shake for the best two out of three hands, and if each wins a hand they are horse and horse, and throw a third to decide it. The last person to throw on each round follows his lead, throwing the first hand on the next round.

TEN PINS WITH DICE.

Any number can play, and the score sheet is ruled off for ten frames, just as in ten pins. Only two dice are used, and they are rolled from a box. Sixes count nothing, and are “off the alley.” Each player has three balls or rolls, and he can leave either one or both dice at the end of any throw. If he leaves one he picks up the other and throws it again, but he must abide by the figures appearing on the two dice at the end of his third throw. Suppose he throws double fives on his first throw; that is a strike, and is so scored, and the total pips appearing on the two dice at the end of his second throw on the next frame will count on the strike. Suppose he rolls five-deuce the first time. He leaves the five and rolls the other die again, getting another five. That is a spare, and the total pips on his first throw on the next frame will count on the spare. If he does not get a spare, it is a break, and the total pips on his two dice at the end of his third throw are scored.

It is usual to take up anything but fives on the first throw, on the chance of getting a spare. If a spare is not thrown on the second throw, most players leave anything as good as threes, and always leave fours; but ace and treys are always thrown again.

BASE BALL WITH DICE.

There are two forms of this game. In the simpler any number of persons may play, and three dice are used. Each player throws in turn, the three dice representing his three strikes. Nothing but aces count, but each of them is a run; and as long as a player makes runs he goes on throwing. When each player has had nine innings the game is ended, and the highest score wins.

The more complicated form of the game is to have a rough diagram of a base-ball diamond. The players take sides, and each is provided with three markers of different colours, such as red and white poker chips. Only one die is used, and it is thrown from a box. The captains of the teams throw for the first time at the bat, the higher throw winning the choice. Each player in turn of the side at the bat has one throw, and a marker is placed on the base he reaches. Ace, deuce, and trey count for first, second, and third bases respectively; four is a home run. When a five or six is thrown, the result depends on the number of men on bases, but the striker is always out. If there are no men on bases, or if all the bases are full, the player is out if he throws five or six. If there is only one man on the bases and a five is thrown, the striker is caught out, and the man on the base is also caught. If six is thrown, only the striker is caught out, and the man holds his base. If there are two men on bases, they must be in one of three positions: on first and second; on first and third; or on second and third. In any position, only the striker is out on six thrown. In the last position, if five is thrown, the striker only is out, as the men cannot run. If there are men on first and second, and five is thrown, the striker is out, and the man on second is caught trying to steal third; while the man on first holds his base. If five is thrown when there are men on first and third, the striker is out, and the man on third is safe, but the man on first is caught trying to steal second.

When bases are thrown, they are safe hits, and all the men on bases are advanced as many as the man at the bat throws. As soon as three men on each side have struck or been caught out by throwing five or six, the side is out, and all men left on bases count for nothing. As long as three men are not out, the side continues to send its men to the bat in regular order.

GOING TO BOSTON.

This game is known in the colonies as Yankee Grab, or Newmarket. Each player has three throws with three dice, and the highest die in each throw is laid aside. If two are equally high, only one is retained. The others are returned to the box and thrown again. The higher of these two is retained, and the third die is thrown again. The final total of the three dice is the player’s score, and the highest wins. In the colonies the ace counts as seven. The game is usually played for a pool.

ACE IN THE POT.

Any number can play, and two dice are used. The game is for a pool, which is won by the final possessor of a single counter. At the beginning each player has two counters, and each in turn throws the two dice. If he throws an ace he pushes one of his counters into the pot; two aces gets rid of both. If he throws a six on either die, he passes a counter to his left-hand neighbour, who will have the next throw. Two sixes passes both counters if the caster still has so many. The players throw in turn until all the counters but one have been placed in the pot. If a player has no counters, the throw passes him to the next player on his left who has counters in front of him. The last counter of all cannot be put in the pot by throwing an ace; but it must be passed along to the left when a six is thrown. The player with the last counter in front of him must throw both dice three times in succession, and if he succeeds in avoiding a six, he keeps the counter and wins the pool. If he throws a six, the player who gets the counter must throw three times, and so on, until some one throws three times without getting a six. Instead of a pool, it is sometimes agreed that the final holder of the last counter shall pay for the refreshments.

MULTIPLICATION.

Any number can play, and three dice are used. Each player throws in turn, and the highest die is left on the table; if two are equally high, only one remains. The two other dice are thrown again, and the higher left. The sum of these two is then added together, and the third die is thrown as a multiplier, the result of the multiplication being the player’s score.

ROUND THE SPOT.

Any number can play, and three dice are used. Nothing counts but the spots that surround a centre one; so that ace, deuce, four, and six count as blanks. The trey counts as 2, and the five as 4. Each player has three throws with the three dice, and the highest total wins.

VINGT-ET-UN.

Any number of persons can play, making up a pool for the winner. A single die is used, and each player in turn throws as often as he pleases. The object is to get as near twenty-one as possible without passing it, and it is usually considered best to stand at 18, but to throw again at 17. If a player goes beyond 21, he is out of it. The one getting nearest 21 takes the pool; ties divide it.

CENTENNIAL.

Two persons or sides play with three dice. The object of the game is to secure pips on the dice, or multiples of pips, which will make the figures from 1 to 12 in numerical order, and afterward the numbers from 12 to 1 again. The first side to accomplish this wins the game. There must be an ace in the first throw or nothing counts; that obtained, any following numbers may be made singly, or by adding two or more together. Suppose the first throw is 4, 2, 1. The 1 and 2 will make 1, 2 and 3. Then the 4, 1, 2 will make 4, 5, 6 and 7. Each side continues to throw until it fails to score, when the box must be passed to the adversary. If a combination is overlooked by one side, the other may count it if it continues the sequence on their side.

HELP YOUR NEIGHBOUR.

Six persons play, with three dice, and five points is Game. Each player has a number, from 1 to 6, and is provided with five counters, and the first to get rid of them wins. Each player in rotation has one throw, and no matter what he throws, the player whose number appears on the upper face of any die thrown counts one point toward game. If No. 2 should throw a four and two sixes, for instance, he would count nothing himself, but No. 4 would count 1, and No. 6 would count 2 points toward game.

PASSE DIX.

Any player can be the banker for the first round, and he holds his position as long as he wins. When he loses, he passes the box to the player on his left hand. He has three dice, which he throws in one cast, after the players have made their bets. If he gets ten or more, he wins. If he gets less than ten, he loses. His advantage lies in winning when he gets ten exactly; because that gives him nine throws that win for him out of the sixteen possible with three dice.

SHUFFLE BOARD.

Shuffle Board is played on a table 30 feet long and 20 inches wide, with a gutter running all round it. The board is sprinkled with very fine sand. Four weights are used by each side, marked A and B to distinguish them. These weights are of iron or brass, 2½ inches in diameter, and ½ inch thick. Five inches from each end of the board and parallel with it is the deuce line.

The object of the game is to push the weights from one end of the board to the other, each side playing one weight alternately until all four weights on each side are played. All pieces over the deuce line count 2, but if a piece hangs over the end of the board it is a ship, and counts 3. If there are no ships or deuces, the weight lying nearest to the deuce line counts one point. Only one ship or deuce can be counted in each round, so that only one side can score. The ship that overhangs the most, or the deuce nearest the edge, counts. Twenty-one points is game. The sides play from each end alternately.

On ship board, the pieces are wooden disks, six inches in diameter, marked with oughts and crosses. These are pushed along the deck with long sticks that have enlarged and flattened ends to fit the pieces. The object is to get each piece to settle fairly and squarely within the borders of some one of a number of spaces which are chalked out on a diagram about 10 feet by 6, which is about 30 feet from the player. These spaces are numbered from 1 to 10, and some of them are marked “minus.” Each side has four shots with four separate pieces. Fifty points is game.

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