Except a contest played in comparison with a progressive match, the replaying of the cards by the same players--“up and back,” as it is sometimes called--is the only possible method of approximating to Duplicate Whist for one table; but where eight or more players participate, this form of the game is extremely undesirable, from the element of memory entering into the replay and destroying the integrity of the game and its value as a test of Whist skill. It has been well described as “a mongrel game--partly Whist and partly Dummy, but lacking in the best features of each.” In the early days of Duplicate Whist, Mnemonic Duplicate was, to some extent, played even when several tables of players were participating. It still survives in a few circles, chiefly where Duplicate Whist has never been tried. It can be played under any of the Duplicate Whist schedules by playing them through twice--the second time with the North and South hands given to the East and West players, and vice versa. As each deal is played twice by each pair, double the time is required to play the same number of deals, as at Duplicate Whist. Allowance must be made for this in fixing the number of deals to be played. The Snow System of movement, where practicable, is preferable. Where the Howell pair system of movement is used, the scores do not require “equating”, as they are equalised on the replay. Under other systems, only the North and South scores need be kept, as the comparison can be made quite as readily as by direct comparison of these scores.
=_ Any player may ask the others to indicate the cards played by them to the current trick. _=40.=_ A player calling attention in any manner to the trick or to the score, may be called upon to play his highest or lowest of the suit led; or to trump or not to trump the trick during the play of which the remark was made. ÉCARTÉ. Écarté is usually described as a very simple game, but unfortunately the rules governing it are very complicated, and as no authoritative code of law exists, disputes about trifling irregularities are very common. In the following directions the author has selected what appears to be the best French usage. The code of laws adopted by some of the English clubs is unfortunately very defective, and in many respects quite out of touch with the true spirit of the French game. The English are very fond of penalties; the French try to establish the status quo. _=CARDS.=_ Écarté is played with a pack of thirty-two cards, which rank, K Q J A 10 9 8 7.
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.
If you are not located in the United States, you will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this eBook. Title: The Game of Rat and Dragon Author: Paul Myron Anthony Linebarger Release date: August 5, 2009 [eBook #29614] Language: English Credits: Produced by Sankar Viswanathan, Adam Buchbinder, and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net *** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE GAME OF RAT AND DRAGON *** Produced by Sankar Viswanathan, Adam Buchbinder, and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net Transcriber s Note: This etext was produced from Galaxy Science Fiction, October 1955. Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed. The Game of Rat and Dragon By CORDWAINER SMITH _Only partners could fight this deadliest of wars--and the one way to dissolve the partnership was to be personally dissolved!_ Illustrated by HUNTER * * * * * THE TABLE [Illustration] Pinlighting is a hell of a way to earn a living.
=_ In addition to the case-keeper, score sheets are provided on which the players may keep a record of what cards win and lose on each turn. These tabs are printed in vertical columns, about five deals to a sheet. A dot indicates the soda card; a dash, hoc. All winners are marked with a down stroke, and all losers with a cypher. The diagram in the margin will give a very good idea of a faro tab for a complete deal. The Queen was soda, the Five split out, and the Eight was in hoc. A | 0 0 1 0 2 | 0 1 1 1 3 | 0 0 1 1 4 | 1 0 0 0 5 | 0 0 X 6 | 1 1 1 1 7 | 0 1 1 0 8 | 1 1 0 - 9 | 0 1 0 1 10 | 0 0 0 0 J | 1 1 1 0 Q | . 0 1 0 K | 1 0 1 1 _=Systems.=_ On the manner in which the cards will go, a great many systems of play are based. There are sixteen different ways for a card to “play,” which are simply the permutations of the stroke and the cypher arranged in rows of four at a time.
In leading trumps from combinations containing a winning sequence, such as the following:-- [Illustration: 🂱 🂾 🂽 🂻 🂷 | 🃁 🃎 🃍 🃄 🃃 ] many players begin with the lowest of the winning cards, continuing with the next above it. _=Speculative Trump Leads.=_ The whist player will often find himself with a single good suit, a card of re-entry, and few trumps. Certain conditions of the score may prompt him to make a speculative trump lead from such a hand. If his trumps are high, such as A K x, he may safely begin by leading them; but if they are weak, and he is depending largely on his partner’s possible strength, he should show his suit first by leading it once. _=Over-trumping=_ is generally regarded as bad policy when a player has a good suit, and sufficient trump strength to justify him in hoping to do something with it. The refusal to over-trump, unless the trump played is a high one, should be regarded by the partner as a call. It is sometimes necessary to over-trump partner in order to get the lead. For instance: A player holds the two best trumps, and all winning cards of a plain suit, while the player on his right has a losing trump. In such a position the player with the two best trumps should trump any winning card his partner leads, or over trump him if he trumps, so as to prevent the adversary from making that losing trump.
-+---+-.-+---+-.-+---+-.-+ ] 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.
_=PLAYERS.=_ Binocle is played by two persons, one of whom is known as the _=dealer=_, and the other as the _=pone=_. They cut for the choice of seats and deal, and the player cutting the higher card may deal or not, as he pleases. It is usual for the player having the choice to make his adversary deal. A player exposing more than one card must cut again. _=DEALING.=_ After the cards are thoroughly shuffled, they are presented to the pone to be cut. At least five cards must be left in each packet. The dealer then distributes the cards four at a time for three rounds, giving to his adversary first, and then to himself. The twenty-fifth card is turned up for the trump.
Stock, cards left after the deal is complete, but which are to be used in the following play. Stool Pigeon, a hustler. Straight Whist, playing a hand and immediately shuffling the cards for another deal, as distinguished from Duplicate. Strength in Trumps, enough to justify a player in passing a doubtful trick; usually four or five at least. Strengthening Cards, those which are of no practical trick-taking value to the leader, but which may be useful to the partner; usually restricted to Q J 10 9. String Bets, those that take all the odd or all the even cards to play one way, win or lose, at Faro. Strippers, cards trimmed so that certain ones may be pulled out of the pack at will. Strohman, G., the dummy at Whist or Bridge. Strong Suits, those in which a number of tricks can be made after the adverse trumps are out of the way.
Suppose the steamboat would go too fast, daughter, daughter? Then take a rope and hang yourself, mother, mother. --South Shields (Miss Blair, aged 9). (_b_) One child stands apart and personates the Mother. The other children form a line, holding hands and facing the Mother. They advance and retire singing the first, third, and alternate verses, while the Mother, in response, sings the second and alternate verses. While the last verse is being sung the children all run off; the Mother runs after them, catches them, and beats them. Either the first or last caught becomes Mother in next game. In the Shropshire game the Mother should carry a stick. In the Norfolk version the Mother sits on a form or bank, the other children advancing and retiring as they sing. After the last verse is sung the children try to seat themselves on the form or bank where the Mother has been sitting.
Fairies are said to have power over the inmates of a house when the threshold and kitchen utensils are left dirty and uncared for. Thus on the theories accompanying the ancient house ritual, this extraordinary game assumes a rational aspect, and it is not too much to suggest that this explanation is the correct one. In the game of Witch practically the same incidents occur, and nearly the same dialogue, but the significant elements of pot-boiling and fire-protection do not appear in that game. It is not certain whether we have two independent games, or whether The Witch is this game, the incidents of pot-boiling and the fire-protection having been lost in its transmission to more modern notions. Although so closely allied, these games are not one at the present day, and are therefore treated separately. Newell (_Games_, p. 218) gives some versions of Witch which show a connection between that game and this. See Keeling the Pot, Witch. Mount the Tin One child throws a tin (any kind of tin will do) to some distance, and then walks towards it without looking round. The other children, in the meantime, hide somewhere near.
It is a common artifice for the proposer and acceptor, after they have exhausted the adversaries’ trumps, each to show a strong suit by leading it once, and then to lead the highest card of a weaker suit; thus offering each other chances for successful finesse. If a partner sitting on the right leads a suit, there should be no finesse; and in general, finessing should be avoided until the declaration is assured. It may then be used to secure probable over-tricks. _=Adversaries’ Play.=_ The players opposed to the call are always designated as the adversaries. Players opposed to a proposer and acceptor should make no finesses that they are not certain will win more tricks if successful than they will lose if they fail. If the adversaries sit together, and are the last to play on any trick, the third hand should not trust anything to his partner that he can attend to himself, unless he is very anxious to be the last player on the next trick. When the adversaries sit opposite each other, their play will differ very little from that in Whist, except that they will make no efforts to establish long suits, and will not lead small cards from combinations containing an Ace. Every trick possible should be made sure of at once, before the calling players get any chance to discard. Weak suits should be protected, as they are in Whist when opposed to strong hands.
Take the chair. Chair s gone to be mended. I suppose I must come myself? The Mother here wrings her hands out of the water in the washing-tub and comes in. She looks about and misses Monday. Where s Monday? Oh, please, Mother, please, I couldn t help it; but some one came to beg a light for her pipe, and when I went for it she took Monday off. Why, that s the witch! The Mother pretends to beat the eldest daughter, tells her to be more careful another time, and to be sure and not let the pot boil over. The eldest daughter cries, and promises to be more careful, and the Mother goes again to the wash-tub. The same thing occurs again. The Witch comes and asks-- Please, will you lend me your tinder-box? My fire s out. Yes, certainly, if you ll bring it back directly.
=_ At the conclusion of each game, the rubber points are scored, either with the oblong counters, or on the small keys of the whist-marker. If the winners of a game are five points to their adversaries’ nothing, they win a _=treble=_, and count three rubber points. If the adversaries have scored, but have one or two points only, the winners mark two points, for a _=double=_. If the adversaries have reached three or four, the winners mark one, for a _=single=_. The rubber points having been marked, all other scores are turned down. The side winning the rubber adds two points to its score for so doing. The value of the rubber is determined by deducting from the score of the winners any rubber points that may have been made by their adversaries. The smallest rubber possible to win is one point; the winners having scored two singles and the rubber, equal to four; from which they have to deduct a triple made by their adversaries. The largest rubber possible is eight points, called a _=bumper=_, the winners having scored two triples and the rubber, to their adversaries’ nothing. It is sometimes important to observe the order of precedence in scoring.
Cat s Cradle. Cat-gallows. Cat i the Hole. Cat after Mouse. Catchers. Chacke-Blyndman. Chance Bone. Change Seats. Checkstone. Cherry Odds.
4. Before a trick is turned and quitted any player may require any of the other players to show the face of the card played to that trick. SEC. 5. If a player names a card of a trick which has been turned and quitted or turns or raises any such card so that any portion of its face can be seen by himself or his partner he is liable to the same penalty as if he had led out of turn. LAW VII.--CARDS LIABLE TO BE CALLED. SEC. 1. The following cards are liable to be called: (a) Every card so placed upon the table as to expose any of the printing on its face, except such cards as these laws specifically provide, shall not be so liable.
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. BILLIARDS. _=THE TABLE.=_ The standard American billiard table for championship games is ten feet by five; but that in common use is nine by four and a half.
After the trump is named, superfluous cards are thrown out, and others drawn in their place, restoring the hands to six cards each. The successful bidder then calls upon the holder of any given card to be his partner. The person holding the card named cannot refuse, and says: “I play with you.” The partnership thus formed plays against the combined forces of the other players, but without changing seats. The maker of the trump leads first, any card he pleases. For instance: A B C D E are playing. C bids 8 and names clubs. After the draw he finds he holds A J 10 5 2 of trumps. He calls for the club King as his partner, and leads his Pedro at once for the King to take it in. He is then certain to catch the other Pedro, or to save three of the four points for High, Low, Jack, and the Game.
=_ From any combination of cards, if you have not the best, or both the second and third-best, in your hand for the second round, lead your original fourth-best. From all the following, the proper lead on the second round would be the fourth-best, in each case the four of the suit: [Illustration: 🂡 🂭 🂧 🂤 🂢 | 🂾 🂽 🂸 🂴 🃁 🃋 🃉 🃄 🃃 | 🂮 🂭 🂧 🂤 🃑 🃙 🃘 🃔 🃓 | 🃎 🃋 🃊 🃄 ] _=Leading Trumps.=_ A trump lead is sometimes adopted when all the plain suits are bad ones to lead away from, such as A Q, or A J, or K J in each and no length. If a player holds high cards which are not in sequence, such as the major tenace, ace and queen, it is very probable that the declarer holds the king. By refusing to lead such suits, and waiting for them to come up to the tenace, the declarer’s high card may be caught and a valuable trick saved. When a good player opens his hand with a trump, right up to the declaration, his partner should lead his best supporting cards boldly up to dummy’s weak suits. _=The Pone’s Leads.=_ When the pone gets into the lead, if he does not return his partner’s suit, he should open his own suits according to the rules already given for all the high-card combinations. If he has no high-card combination, it is usually better for him to lead some card that will beat Dummy than to lead his fourth-best. Suppose he wishes to lead a diamond, in which he holds Q 10 8 4 3; Dummy having the 9 and 6 only.
--Mactaggart s _Gallovidian Encyclopædia_. He also refers to a game called Robin-a-Ree, much like Preest Cat, only in passing the burnt stick round the ring the following rhyme is said-- Robin-a-Ree, ye ll no dee wi me, Tho I birl ye roun three times and three; O Robin-a-Ree, O Robin-a-Ree, O dinna let Robin-a-Reerie dee. Robin-a-Ree occurs in an old song.--Mactaggart s _Gallovidian Encyclopædia_. In Cornwall it is known as Robin s a-light, and is played around the fire. A piece of stick is set on fire and whirled around rapidly in the hand of the first player, who says, Robin s a-light, and if he go out I will saddle your back. It is then passed to the next, who says the same thing, and so on. The person who lets the spark die out has to pay a forfeit.--Scilly (Courtney s West _Cornwall Glossary_). A rhyme at Lostwithiel is known as follows-- Jack s alive, and likely to live; If he die in my hand a pawn (forfeit) I ll give.
Forty-One Pool is played with a regular Fifteen-Ball Pool set of balls, the object of play being to pocket a sufficient number of the pool balls which added to the private small ball shall score exactly 41. CHICAGO POOL. This game is played with the numbered pool balls from 1 to 15 and a white cue-ball, as in Fifteen-Ball Pool, the object being to play upon and pocket the balls in their numerical order. The table is laid out for the game by placing the one ball against the end cushion at the first right-hand diamond sight at the foot of the table, the two-ball is placed at the centre diamond sight on same cushion; the remaining thirteen balls are placed in the order of their numbers at the succeeding diamond sights. The three sights on the end rail at head of the table are not occupied by any ball. The opening stroke _must_ be to strike the _one_-ball. If that ball is holed it is placed to the credit of the player, and he continues his hand until he fails to score, but in continuing he must play each time upon the ball bearing the lowest number on the table. After playing upon that ball, however, should any other be pocketed by the same stroke, irrespective of its number, it shall be placed to the player’s credit so pocketing it. If the line of aim at the ball required to be hit is covered by another ball, the player may resort to a bank play or massé, etc., but should he fail to hit the required ball he forfeits three, receiving a scratch.
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.
VI. Drawing a bucket of water For my lady s daughter; Put it in a chestnut tree, And let it stay an hour. One of you rush, two may rush, Please, old woman, creep under the bush; The bush is too high, the bush is too low, Please, old woman, creep under the bush. --Hampshire (Miss Mendham). VII. Draw a pail of water For a lady s daughter; Give a silver pin for a golden ring-- Oh pray, young lady, pop under. --Northants (Rev. W. D. Sweeting).
Now you re married I wish you joy, Father and mother you must obey; Love one another like sister and brother, And pray, young couple, come kiss one another. --Colchester (Miss G. M. Frances). III. Here stands a lady on a mountain, Who she is I do not know; All she wants is gold and silver, All she wants is a nice young man. Choose you east, and choose you west, Choose you the one as you love best. Now Sally s got married we wish her good joy, First a girl and then a boy; Twelve months a ter a son and da ter, Pray young couple, kiss together. --Berrington (_Shropshire Folk-lore_, pp. 509, 510).
Another rhyme for this amusement is-- A basket, a basket, a bonny penny basket, A penny to you, and a penny to me, Turn about the basket. --Chambers s _Popular Rhymes_; p. 123. See Basket. Jib-Job-Jeremiah An undescribed Suffolk game.--Moor s _Suffolk Words_, p. 238. Jiddy-cum-jiddy A northern name for See Saw. Jingle-the-bonnet A game in which two or more put a halfpenny each, or any piece of coin, into a cap or bonnet. After jingling or shaking them together, they are thrown on the ground; and he who has most heads when it is his turn to jingle, gains the stakes which were put into the bonnet.
The Ante.=_ After the cards are dealt, each player in turn, beginning with the one to the left of the age, or to the left of the last straddler, if any, must either abandon his hand or put into the pool twice the amount of the blind, or of the last straddle. When it comes to the turn of the age, and the straddlers, if any, they must either abandon their hands, or make the amount they have in the pool equal to twice the amount of the blind, or of the last straddle, if any. _=19. Raising the Ante.=_ Each player, when it is his turn to come in, may add to the amount of the ante any sum within the betting limit. This will compel any player coming in after him to equal the total of the ante and the raise, or to abandon his hand; and it will also give such following player the privilege of raising again by any further amount within the betting limit. Should any player decline to equal the amount put up by any previous player, he must abandon his hand, together with all his interest in that pool. Any player who has been raised in this manner may raise again in his turn; and not until each player holding cards has anted an equal amount will the game proceed. _=20.