The odds against such a thing are 1023 to 1, and the more he wins the more probable it is that he will lose the next game. This is what gamblers call the _=maturity of the chances=_, and it is one of the greatest fallacies ever entertained by intelligent men. Curiously enough, the men who believe that luck must change in some circumstances, also believe in betting on it to continue in others. When they are _=in the vein=_ they will “follow their luck” in perfect confidence that it will continue. The same men will not bet on another man’s luck, even if he is “in the vein,” because “the maturity of the chances” tells them that it cannot last! GAMES. ODDS. One 1 to 1 Two 3 to 1 Three 7 to 1 Four 15 to 1 Five 31 to 1 Six 63 to 1 Seven 127 to 1 Eight 255 to 1 Nine 511 to 1 Ten 1023 to 1 If Smith and his adversary had started with an agreement to play ten games, the odds against either of them winning any number in succession would be found by taking the first game as an even chance, expressed by unity, or 1. The odds against the same player winning the second game also would be twice 1 plus 1, or 3 to 1; and the odds against his winning three games in succession would be twice 3 plus 1, or 7 to 1, and so on, according to the figures shown in the margin. GAMES. 1st 2nd 1 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 That this is so may easily be demonstrated by putting down on a sheet of paper the total number of events that may happen if any agreed number of games are played, expressing wins by a stroke, and losses by a cipher.
238, 239, is the same as the Shropshire version. Halliwell (_Nursery Rhymes_, cclxxxii.) gives a slight variant. It is also given by Mr. Addy in his _Sheffield Glossary_, the words being the same except the last two lines, which run-- But shows his face with a comely grace, And leaves his staff at the very next place. Buk-hid This seems to be an old name for some game, probably Blindman s Buff, Sw. Blind-bock, q. bock and hufwud head (having the head resembling a goat). The sense, however, would agree better with Bo-peep or Hide and Seek. --Jamieson.
VIII. Here we go lubin loo, Here we go lubin li, Here we go lubin loo, Upon a Christmas night. --Epworth, Doncaster (C. C. Bell). IX. Here we go looby loo, Here we go looby li, Here we go looby loo, All on a New-Year s night. --Nottingham (Miss Winfield). X. Here we come looby, looby, Here we come looby light, Here we come looby, looby, All on a Saturday night.
=_ There is some difference of opinion as to the proper value for the nullo, but the general verdict seems to be to put it just below the no-trumper at 10 a trick, no honours. Two no-trumps will outbid two nullos. If the adversaries of a nullo revoke, the declarer can give them three of his tricks, or take 100 in honours as penalty. If he revokes, they take 100 penalty as usual. _=SUGGESTIONS FOR BIDDING.=_ The dealer should never bid a nullo originally, as it gives his partner no information as to the distribution of the suits. When any player has one long suit good for either no trumps or nullos, such as A K Q 6 4 2, he should “shout,” bidding a trick more than necessary. Singletons and missing suits are valuable parts of a nullo hand, as they afford opportunities for discards. It is always dangerous to bid a nullo without the deuce of the longest suit. If the dealer bids a spade, his partner may safely bid one nullo, because the contract is seldom or never obtained for less than two or three, but he should not persist in the nullo if his partner does not assist it.
FROG. This is a very popular game in Mexico, and seems to be an elementary form of Skat, which it resembles in many ways. Even the name may be a corruption of the simple game in Skat, which is called “frage.” The chief differences are that there are four cards added to the pack for frog, and that the players win or lose according to the number of points they get above or below 61, instead of computing the value of the game by matadores. _=Players.=_ Three, four, or five can play; but only three are active in each deal. If four play, the dealer takes no cards. If five play, he gives cards to the two on his left and one on his right. _=Cards.=_ There are thirty-six cards in the pack, which rank: A 10 K Q J 9 8 7 6.
In some places only the two players actually engaged contribute to the pool, the loser retiring without paying anything further, and the rentrant contributing his stake when he takes the loser’s place. The outsider is not allowed to advise either player during the first game, nor to call attention to the score; but on the second game he is allowed to advise the player who has taken his seat and cards. This is on the principle that he has no right to choose sides on the first game; but that after that he has an interest in preventing his former adversary from winning the second game, so as to preserve the pool until he can play for it again himself. NAPOLEON, OR NAP. This is one of the simplest, and at the same time most popular of the euchre family. Few games have become so widely known in such a short time, or have had such a vogue among all classes of society. So far as the mere winning and losing goes, the result depends largely upon luck, and skill is of small importance. Except in a long series of games the average player has little to fear from the most expert. _=CARDS.=_ Napoleon is played with a full pack of fifty-two cards, which rank A K Q J 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2; the ace being highest in play; but ranking below the deuce in cutting.
2). If he does so, a small stone is put into the cap of the boy struck. If he misses, a stone is put into his own cap. If the boy who is to pitch the ball into the cap misses, a stone is put into his own cap, and he makes another trial. The game goes on till six stones are put into one cap. The boy in whose cap are the six stones has to place his hand against a wall, when he receives a certain number of blows with the ball thrown with force by one of the players. The blows go by the name of buns. The game may go on in the same way till each player gets his buns. --Nairn (Rev. W.
Only the buyer would have been a dummy for Rose and Smythe, using money Smythe had lifted off the tables. The whole TK business was just a smoke screen to keep matters confused, I concluded. How come they dared send for a TK like you? Why weren t they scared you d catch them, just like you did? It took a little more than TK, I reminded her. TK is just a power, one more ability in life. It doesn t make you God. Once in a while it gives you a little more vigorish than the other guy has, that s all. And sometimes it s not enough. But you had enough vigorish to catch them, she pointed out. In a way, I said. I told them TK wasn t enough--that it would take precognition.
If he is known to be a player who draws at 5, it is useless for the banker to stand at 5, unless he thinks he can beat the player on the other side of the table, and there is more money on that side. If the player demanding a card has been given a 10, the banker should stand, even at 3 or 4. If he has been given an ace, the banker should stand at 4; if a 2 or 3, the banker should stand at 5; if the player is given a 4, the banker should draw, even if he has 5. If a player has drawn a 5, 6 or 7, the banker should draw, even if he has 5 or 6. If the player draws an 8 or 9, the banker should stand at 4 or 5, sometimes even with 3. It must be remembered that the banker should have a sharp eye to the relative amounts staked on each side of the table, which will often decide which player he should try to beat. For example: The banker has 5, and the player on his right has drawn a 10, the one on his left a 7. The banker has an excellent chance to win all the bets on the right, and should have a certainty of standing off with them, and unless those on the left very much exceeded them, the banker would be very foolish to risk losing everything by drawing to 5, simply to beat the player on his left. _=BACCARA CHEMIN DE FER.=_ In this variation, each player in turn on the left becomes the banker, taking the deal as soon as the first banker loses a coup.