=_ 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.
It fires a wooden cylinder about an inch long, and has a screw adjustment for elevation and depression. It is an altogether elegant weapon. It was with one of these guns that the beginning of our war game was made. It was at Sandgate--in England. [Illustration: Showing a country prepared for the war game] [Illustration: Showing countries prepared for the war game] The present writer had been lunching with a friend--let me veil his identity under the initials J. K. J.--in a room littered with the irrepressible debris of a small boy s pleasures. On a table near our own stood four or five soldiers and one of these guns. Mr J.
If the error is not discovered until the hand is partly played out, the deal is void, and the misdealer deals again. A misdeal does not lose the deal under any circumstances, but it is usual to exact a penalty of ten points for a misdeal. _=OBJECTS OF THE GAME.=_ The object of each player is to obtain the privilege of attempting to accomplish a certain task, which is known as his “game,” and which he must be able to carry through successfully against the combined efforts of the two other players. The more difficult the task undertaken, the greater the number of points scored for it, and the player who will undertake the game which is of the greatest value of those offered must be allowed the privilege of trying it. In order to determine which player this is, they may all bid for the privilege by naming a certain number of points, usually well within the actual value of the game they intend to play. If a bidder meets with opposition, he gradually approaches the true value of his game, and the player whose game is worth the most will of course be able to bid the greatest number of points, and must be selected as the player, the two others being his adversaries. _=Games.=_ These games are divided into two principal classes, those in which the player undertakes to win, and those in which he tries to lose. When he plays to lose, it is to lose every trick, there being no trump suit, and the cards in each suit ranking A K Q J 10 9 8 7.
There are two things which the beginner should master before sitting down to the table for actual play: the hands on which it is right to stand, or play without proposing, and those with which it is right to refuse, or play without giving cards. These are called stand hands, or _=jeux de règle=_, and the player should be able to recognize them on sight. In the following paragraphs the words _=dealer=_ and _=player=_ will be used to distinguish the adversaries at Écarté. The principle underlying the jeux de règle is the probable distribution of the cards in the trump suit, and the fact that the odds are always against the dealer’s holding two or more. There are thirty-two cards in the Écarté pack, of which eight are trumps, and one of these is always turned up. The turn-up and the player’s hand give us six cards which are known, and leave twenty-six unknown. Of these unknown cards the dealer holds five, and he may get these five in 65,780 different ways. The theory of the jeux de règle is that there are only a certain number of those ways which will give him two or more trumps. If the player holds one trump, the odds against the dealer’s holding two or more are 44,574 to 21,206; or a little more than 2 to 1. If the player holds two trumps, the odds against the dealer’s holding two or more are 50,274 to 15,506; or more than 3 to 1.
Another stands beside him repeating the rhyme, whilst the others come one by one and lay their hands upon his back, or jump upon it. When he has sent them all to different places he turns round and calls, Hickety, bickety! till they have all rushed back to the place, the last in returning being obliged to take his place, when the game goes on as before. Chambers adds, The craw s nest is close beside the eye-bandaged boy, and is therefore an envied position. Newell, _Games_, p. 165, refers to this game. See Hot Cockles. Hickety-hackety The game of Hop-scotch, played with a piece of tile, which has to be kicked by the player with the foot on which he hops over lines into various squares marked on the ground.--Somersetshire (Elworthy s _Dialect_). See Hop-scotch. Hick, Step, and Jump The game of Hop, step, and jump.
=_ Should a player announce four of a kind, having only three; as, for instance, laying down three Kings and a Jack, and declaring four Kings, his adversary can compel him not only to take down the score erroneously marked, but to lead or play one of the three Kings. A player may be called upon to lead or play cards from any other erroneous declarations in the same manner; but if the player has the right card or cards in his hand, he is permitted to amend his error, provided he has not drawn a card from the stock in the meantime. _=SCORING.=_ It is better to score all points as soon as they are made. The game is usually 1000 points. Some players do not count the brisques until the last trick has been played, but the practice is not to be recommended. Scores erroneously marked must be taken down, and the adversary may add the points to his own score. _=Suggestions for Good Play=_ will be found in Binocle. FOUR-HANDED BÉZIQUE. In this variation, four persons may play; each for himself or two against two, partners sitting opposite each other.
2--Battle of Hook s Farm. A Near View of the Blue Army] [Illustration: Fig. 3--Battle of Hook s Farm. Position of both Armies after first move.] (3) The subsequent moves after the putting down are timed. The length of time given for each move is determined by the size of the forces engaged. About a minute should be allowed for moving 30 men and a minute for each gun. Thus for a force of 110 men and 3 guns, moved by one player, seven minutes is an ample allowance. As the battle progresses and the men are killed off, the allowance is reduced as the players may agree. The player about to move stands at attention a yard behind his back line until the timekeeper says Go.
It is 8 to 1 against improving _=triplets=_ by drawing two cards; 14½ to 1 against a full hand, and 23 to 1 against four of a kind. It is 12 to 1 against improving if one card is drawn; 16 to 1 against the full, and 46 to 1 against four of a kind. It is 11 to 1 against making a straight out of a sequence of four cards which is open in the middle, or at one end only. It is 5 to 1 against making a straight out of a sequence of four which is open at both ends. [Illustration: 🂻 🃚 🂨 🂧 | 🂹 🃘 🂧 🃆 IN-BETWEEN STRAIGHT. OPEN-END STRAIGHT. ] It is 4½ to 1 against filling a four-card flush. It is 23 to 1 against filling a three-card flush. It is 95 to 1 against filling a two-card flush. It is 3 to 1 against improving a four-card straight flush which is open at both ends.
It is probable that the term is the same with Billy Blynde, said to be the name of a familiar spirit or good genius somewhat similar to the brownie.--Jamieson. See Blind Man s Buff. Bend-leather A boys phrase for a slide on a pond when the ice is thin and bends. There is a game on the ice called playing at Bend-leather. Whilst the boys are sliding they say Bend-leather, bend-leather, puff, puff, puff. --Addy s _Sheffield Glossary_. Betsy Bungay [Music] Hi, Betsy Bungay, all day on Sunday; You re the lock and I m the key, All day on Monday. --Kent (J. P.
_=Fattening.=_ The Germans call this Wimmeln, or “swarming” the points together in one trick. It is always advisable to get rid of Tens in this way, or Aces of suits in which you hold both Ace and Ten; but it is bad play to fatten with the Ace of a suit of which you have not the Ten, unless the trick wins the game from the player, or saves a very probable schneider. The following _=Illustrative Hands=_ will give the student a very good idea of the manner in which the various forms of the game are played, showing the difference in the play of a Tourné, Solo, and Grand. _=A TOURNÉ.=_ A, Vorhand, has refused ten with the following cards, Hinterhand having passed without a bid:-- [Illustration: 🃛 🂻 🂺 🂾 🃑 🃞 🃁 🃇 🂪 🂩 ] A concludes to play a Tourné, and turns the heart ♡ Q, finding the ♢ King in the Skat. He lays out the ♠ 10 and ♠ 9 in the Skat, and expects to make 12 points; a heart Tourné, with one Matadore. The play is given in the margin. A is the player, and is also Vorhand, with the lead for the first trick. Hearts are trumps.
=_ Calabrasella is played by three persons, two of whom are partners against the third in each hand. If four play, the dealer takes no cards, but shares the fortunes of those who are opposed to the single player, just as in Skat. The players on the right and left of the dealer are known as the pone and the eldest hand respectively. _=Cutting.=_ The players cut for seats and deal, the lowest card having the first choice and dealing the first hand. A player exposing more than one card must cut again. _=Stakes.=_ The game is played for so much a point. The largest winning or loss for the single player is 140, but such an amount is almost impossible, and the average payments are 10 or 20. _=Dealing.
The score for 31 is two holes; and for the go, one hole. Great importance is attached to the score for the go at five-card Cribbage, because so little is made in play that every point counts. _=The Crib.=_ This is the most important thing in the five-card game, and it is much more important to baulk your adversary’s crib than to preserve your own hand. The best baulking cards are a King with a 10, 9, 8, 7, 6 or A. Never lay out a Jack, nor two cards which form a five, nor any pair, nor any two close cards. In laying out for your own crib, Fives, Sevens and Eights are the best. Any pair, any two cards that make five or fifteen, and any close cards are also good. Keep pairs royal and runs in your hand, and do not forget that a flush of three counts in the hand; but the starter must agree to make a flush in the crib. _=Playing Off and On.
The counters have a money value, and three are given to each player. Three cards are dealt, face down, and one at a time. There is no widow. The eldest hand may then exchange one card with the player on his left, who must give his card before seeing the one he is to receive. The exchange goes round to the left. The moment any player finds himself with a flush, three cards of the same suit, regardless of their value, whether dealt to him, or made by exchange, he says: “My Ship Sails;” and all exchange is stopped, and the hands are shown. Should there be more than one flush, the pips win, counting ace for 11, and other court-cards for 10 each. If no player has secured a flush after two rounds of exchanges, the hands are shown, and the highest number of pips in the two-card flushes wins the pool. The elder hand wins ties. BOUILLOTTE, OR BRELAN.