When a trick has been turned and quitted, it must not again be seen until after the hand has been played. A violation of this law subjects the offender’s side to the same penalty as in case of a lead out of turn. In _=Boston=_, _=Cayenne=_, and _=Solo Whist=_, it is still the custom to permit looking at the last trick, except in Misères. The penalty in a misère game is the same as for a lead out of turn. 38. If a player is lawfully called upon to play the highest or lowest of a suit, or to trump or not to trump a trick, or to lead a suit, and unnecessarily fails to comply, he is liable to the same penalty as if he had revoked. 39. In all cases where a penalty has been incurred, the offender must await the decision of the adversaries. If either of them, with or without his partner’s consent, demands a penalty to which they are entitled, such decision is final. If the wrong adversary demands a penalty, or a wrong penalty is demanded, none can be enforced.
_=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. [Illustration: _=First Position.=_ Black to move and win. WHITE. +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ | | | | | | ⛀ | | | +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ | | | ⛂ | | | | | | +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ | | | | | | ⛂ | | | +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ | | | | | | | | | +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ | | | | | | | | | +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ | | | | | | | | | +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ | | ⛁ | | | | | | | +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ | | | | | | | | | +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ BLACK.
These stars are usually of three colours; red, green, and gold. The head table is provided with a bell, and each table is supplied with one pack of cards only. It is usual to sort out the thirty-two cards used in play, and the four small cards for markers, before the arrival of the guests. _=Drawing for Positions.=_ Two packs of differently coloured cards are used, and from the two black suits in each a sequence of cards is sorted out, equal in length to the number of tables in play. For instance: If there are sixteen ladies and sixteen gentlemen, or thirty-two players in all, they will fill eight tables, and all the clubs and spades from the ace to the eight inclusive should be sorted out. These are then thoroughly shuffled and presented, face down, to the players to draw from. The ladies take only the red-back cards, and the gentlemen only the blue. The number of pips on the card drawn indicates the number of the table at which the player is to sit, and those drawing cards of the same suit are partners for the first game. _=Playing.
_=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.
Addy (_Sheffield Glossary_) under the name of Hop-score says it is a game in which certain squares are drawn or _scored_ on the ground. The piece of stone which is pushed with the foot is called the scotch. Elworthy (_West Somerset Words_) says a piece of tile is kicked over lines and into squares marked on the ground. It is called Hickety-Hackety, also Huckety. Cope (_Hampshire Glossary_) says it is played in Hants. Moor (_Suffolk Words and Phrases_) describes this game under the name of Scotch-hob, by hopping and kicking a bit of tile from bed to bed of a diagram which he gives (fig. 5, here printed). Brockett (_North Country Words_) calls it Beds. Barnes (_Dorset Glossary_) only says hopping over a parallelogram of scotches or chalk-lines on the ground. F.
He then called out the name of some favourite girl, who was led up to him; there was another kiss. The girl then took the seat, and so on (county of Down). The same game is called Frimsey-framsey in parts of the county of Antrim.--Patterson s _Antrim and Down Glossary_. Compare Cushion Dance. Frog-lope Name for Leap-frog. --Addy s _Sheffield Glossary_. Frog in the Middle One child is seated on the ground with his legs under him; the other players form a ring round. They then pull or buffet the centre child or Frog, who tries to catch one of them without rising from the floor. The child who is caught takes the place of the centre child.
This girl then sings the third verse. None in the ring are supposed to be able to answer, and the name of the chosen boy is then said aloud by the girl who asked the question. If the name is satisfactory the ring sing the fourth verse, and the two players then retire and walk round a little. If the name given is not satisfactory the ring sing the fifth verse, and another child must be chosen. When the two again stand in the centre the boys sing the sixth verse. The girls answer with the seventh. Then all the ring sing the next verses, imitating washing clothes, wringing, ironing, baking bread, washing hands, combing hair, &c., suiting their actions to the words of the verses sung. The boy who was chosen then presents a ring, usually a blade of grass wrapped round her finger, to the girl. The ring then sing the ninth, tenth, eleventh, and twelfth verses.
He who begins has the advantage, as he can contrive to get his mark in the middle.--Moor s _Suffolk Words_. The same game as Nought and Crosses, which see. Kittlie-cout A game mentioned but not described by a writer in _Blackwood s Magazine_, August 1821, as played in Edinburgh. He mentions that the terms hot and cold are used in the game. The game of Hide and Seek. --Jamieson. Knapsack One boy takes another by the feet, one foot over each shoulder, with his head downwards and his face to his back, and sets off running as fast as he can. He runs hither and thither till one or other of the two gets tired.--Keith (Rev.
--Halliwell s _Dictionary_. This is a boys game, and is called Buffet the Bear. It may be taken part in by any number. One boy--the Bear--goes down on all fours, and lowers his head towards his breast as much as possible. Into his hand is placed one end of a piece of cord, and another boy, called the Keeper, takes hold of the other end in one hand, while he has in the other his cap. The other boys stand round, some with their caps in hand, and others with their neckties or pocket-handkerchiefs, and on a given signal they rush on the Bear and pelt him, trying specially to buffet him about the ears and face, whilst the Keeper does his best to protect his charge. If he happens to strike a boy, that boy becomes the Bear, and the former Bear becomes the Keeper, and so on the game goes.--Keith, Banffshire (Rev. W. Gregor).
[Illustration] (_c_) This sport is found among the illuminations of an old missal formerly in the possession of John Ives, cited by Strutt in his _Manners and Customs_. The two illustrations are facsimiles from drawings in one of the Bodleian MSS., and they indicate the complete covering of the head, and also the fact that the game was played by adults. Gay says concerning it-- As once I play d at _blindman s-buff_, it hap t, _About my eyes the towel thick was wrapt._ _I miss d the swains, and seiz d on Blouzelind._ And another reference is quoted by Brand (ii. 398)-- Sometyme the one would goe, sometyme the other, Sometymes all thre at once, and sometyme neither; Thus they with him play at boyes blynde-man-bluffe. --_The Newe Metamorphosis_, 1600, MS. Other names for this game are Belly Mantie, Billy Blind, Blind Bucky Davy, Blind Harie, Blind Hob, Blind Nerry Mopsey, Blind Palmie, Blind Sim, Buck Hid, Chacke Blynd Man, Hoodle-cum-blind, Hoodman Blind, Hooper s Hide, Jockie Blind Man. (_d_) There is some reason for believing that this game can be traced up to very ancient rites connected with prehistoric worship.
The leader goes on with the Ace, denying the Queen, and the third hand plays the deuce. If the Queen is not in the Dummy, the declarer must have it. In any case, the leader knows that if he goes on, his partner, the third hand, can trump that suit. With three cards, the lowest falling to the first round, followed by a higher card, will show the leader that the third hand still has another of that suit. It is not necessary to play down and out with an honour, because the leader can read the situation without it. Suppose third hand holds the J 5. He plays the 5 to the first round, because one of his two cards is an honour. The leader goes on with the Ace, and the Jack falls. Now the third hand must have the Queen or no more, and no matter which it is he can win the third round, with the Queen or with a trump. _=Against No-Trumpers.
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.
As the name implies, 500 points is game. PENCHANT. Penchant is a complicated form of Cinq-cents and Bézique, played with a single pack of thirty-two cards, which rank as at Piquet; A K Q J 10 9 8 7, the ace being highest both in cutting and in play. _=Cutting.=_ The higher cut has the choice of seats, and the lower cut deals the first hand. _=Dealing.=_ After the cards have been cut by the pone the dealer gives one card to his adversary, then one to the stock, and then one to himself, all face down. Two more are then given to the stock, one to the pone, two to the stock again, and one to the dealer. This is continued, giving two cards to the stock between the ones given to each player, until the last round, when only one card is dealt to the stock. This will result in each player receiving six cards, and twenty being left in the centre of the table for the talon.
Chucks A game with marbles played by girls (Mactaggart s _Gallovidian Encyclopædia_). A writer in _Blackwood s Magazine_, August 1821, p. 36, says Chucks is played with a bowl and chucks--a species of shells (_Buccinum lapillus_) found on the sea-shore [ bowl here probably means a marble]. Brockett (_North Country Words_) says this game is played by girls with five sea-shells called chucks, and sometimes with pebbles, called chuckie-stanes. Jamieson says a number of pebbles are spread on a flat stone; one of them is tossed up, and a certain number must be gathered and the falling one caught by the same hand. See Checkstones, Fivestones. Church and Mice A game played in Fifeshire; said to be the same with the Sow in the Kirk. --Jamieson. Click Two Homes opposite each other are selected, and a boy either volunteers to go Click, or the last one in a race between the Homes does so. The others then proceed to one of the Homes, and the boy takes up his position between them.
Such an opening lead should warn the Third Hand to finesse deeply, to hold any tenaces he may have, and to let nothing pass him which might be too much for his weak partner to attend to. This is a very difficult game to play well, and is seldom resorted to except by the most expert. _=Deschapelles Coups.=_ It often happens that after the adverse trumps are exhausted, a player will find himself with the lead, but unable to give his partner a card of his established suit. In such cases the best course is to sacrifice the King or Queen of any suit of which he has not the Ace, in the hope that it may force the best of the suit, and leave partner with a card of re-entry. For instance: The leader has established the Club suit; his partner has exhausted the trumps, Hearts; and having no Clubs, leads the King of Spades from K x x x. If the holder of the Club suit has Spade Queen, and the King forces the Ace, the Club suit will be brought in. If he has not the Queen, the Clubs are probably hopeless. The _=coup=_ risks a trick to gain several. Players should be careful not to fall into this trap in the end-game; and it is generally right to hold up the Ace if the circumstances are at all suspicious.
It is usually bad play to finesse when there are nine cards of the suit between the two hands, dealer’s and Dummy’s, because there is a good chance that the card you wish to finesse against may fall. When it will be necessary to take two finesses in the same suit, the lead must come twice from the weaker hand. Suppose the dealer holds A Q J and others. If the first finesse of the Jack wins, he should put Dummy in again, so as to take a second finesse of the Queen. Suppose the dealer holds A J 10, and finesses the ten the first time. If it falls to the Queen, he should get Dummy in again, so as to take the second finesse with the Jack. The idea is to take advantage of the fact that the odds are against both King and Queen being in one hand. If they are both on the right, one of them will be played on the small card led from Dummy, and then the dealer can win it with the Ace and force out the other high card with his Jack, which will have become one of the second and third-best of the suit. _=Re-entry Cards.=_ After a suit has been _=cleared=_, or established, it will be necessary to get into the lead with it.