draughts, and is easily manufactured as follows: Take a sheet of
stiff white cardboard, such as is sold for mounting water-colour
drawings, &c., draw on it 3 oblong squares (Fig. 107) one within the
other; the outside square, say 18 in. by 14 in., the second 14 in. by
10 in., and the third 10 in. by 6 in. Unite the 3 squares by drawing
4 opposite lines from the centre square to the outside square, so
as to make 4 passages, enabling the players to move their men from
one square to the other. Fig. 107 shows the board, with a game in
progress.
In this game the black men are supposed to be winning. At the right
hand black has a double mill, and a single mill at the top; white
has a double mill also, but is afraid to open it, as black would
instantly seize his man.
The lines forming each square should be ½ in. wide. The board can be
made in a few minutes with the help of a flat rule with the inches
marked on it. “Mill” is played by 2 people, each of whom has nine
men; draught men will do. Having chosen who is to commence, begin by
placing a man on any part of the board, either at the corner of a
square or in the centre, of on one of the 4 lines. _The men must not
be placed in the intermediate spaces._ Each line holds a mill, which
consists of 3 men in a row, and the object of each player is to make
a mill, and to prevent his adversary from making one. When a mill is
made call out “mill,” and remove one of your opponent’s men, provided
it does not form one of a mill, which cannot be broken as long as
it remains closed; try, if possible, to get a double mill, that is,
5 men so placed that by moving one man either forwards or backwards
you make a mill each time. If you can get 3 men on 3 corners of one
square--which, if your opponent is a good player, he will prevent
your doing--you are certain at all events of one mill, if not of a
double one. When all the men are on the board you can move a man in
any direction on the lines and up or down the cross lines into the
other squares, but you must not cross the squares in any other way
but by the passages; each passage will hold a mill. A move is from
the corner of either square, on the line, to the centre, or back
again, so on all round the squares if necessary--i.e. supposing you
have only 3 men left, the rest having fallen to your opponent’s
skill, and these 3 are in different parts of the board, you must move
them till you have succeeded in joining them into a mill. When you
have one or more mills, open either by moving a man forward (taking
care that your opponent has not a mill ready to be closed, as he will
then take your man and break your mill), and when you close it again
remove one of your adversary’s men not forming part of a mill. When
a mill is open it is of course in danger. The most amusing part of
the game is when each has arrived at his last mill and is trying to
destroy his opponent’s. The board may also be made of 2 very thin
pieces of wood, joined by 2 hinges in the centre, so as to fold it up
when not in use, painted white or black, and the squares and passages
painted gold or scarlet.
[Illustration: 107. Mill. 108. Pachîsî.]
_Pachîsî._--This is a variety of the game of draughts as played by
the natives of India, as good as, if not superior to, the English
game. The freedom of moving in any direction, and the fact that it
is not obligatory to accept a force, make the game one entirely
of tactics, and are productive of many phases before the game is
finished. The rules are few and simple. The name Pachîsî is derived
from the Oriental expression for “25”--the number of posts in the
square (Fig. 108): _a_ are places for the men when off the board.
Pachîsî is played with a board as in Fig. 108, and 16 pieces on
each side. The centre line of posts is left vacant. A piece may be
moved in any direction along any line (and this includes advancing,
retiring, and a lateral or diagonal move), but no farther than one
post. Captures are made as in draughts, and are not limited in
number, i.e. each piece has the power of a crowned piece in ordinary
draughts. It is not obligatory to capture an adverse piece when it
is possible to do so. The game is won precisely as in draughts, by
capturing all the adverse pieces, or by the adversary being unable to
move.
_Poker._--Poker is a round game at cards, much played in America, but
scarcely known in this country. Recently it has found favour here.
The deal is determined by throwing a card to each player, the lowest
having the first deal, and the deal afterwards proceeding to the
left, as at whist. A pack of 52 cards is used. It is better not to
play with more than 6 players.
The dealer, beginning with the person at his left, throws round 5
cards to each player, giving one card at a time. The dealer shuffles
and makes up the pack himself, or it may be done by the player at his
left, and the player at his right must cut.
To begin the pool, the player next to the dealer on his left must
put up money, which is called an “ante,” and then in succession each
player, passing round to the left, must, after looking at his hand,
determine if he goes in or not; and each person deciding to play for
the pool must put in twice the amount of the ante. Those who decline
to play throw up their cards face downwards on the table, and for
convenience in front of the next dealer.
When all who wish to play have gone in, the person putting up the
ante can either give up all interest in the pool, thus forfeiting the
ante which has been put up, or else can play like the others who have
gone in, by “making good,” that is, putting up in addition to the
ante as much more as will make him equal in stake to the rest.
If a number of players have gone in, it is best generally for the
ante-man to make good and go in, even with a poor hand, because
half his stake is already up, and he can therefore stay in for half
as much as the others have had to put up, which is a percentage in
favour of his taking the risk. This of course does not apply if any
one has “raised,” that is, more than doubled the ante, before it
comes around to the starting point.
Any one at the time of going in must put up as much as double the
ante, and may put up as much more as he pleases, by way of “raising”
the ante; in which case, every other player must put up as much as
will make his stake equal to such increase, or else abandon what he
has already put in.
Each player as he makes good, and equals the others who are in before
him, can thus increase the ante if he chooses, compelling the others
still to come up to that increase, or to abandon their share in the
pool.
All “going in,” or “raising” of the pool, as well as all betting
afterwards, must be in regular order, going round by the left; no one
going in, making good, increasing the ante, or betting, except in
turn. When all are in equally who intend to play, each player in turn
will have the privilege of drawing; that is, of throwing away any
number of his 5 cards, and drawing as many others, to try to better
his hand. The cards thus thrown up must be placed face downwards on
the table, and, for convenience, in front of or near the next dealer.
The dealer, passing around to the left, will ask each player in turn
how many cards he will have, and deal him the number asked for, from
the top of the pack, without their being seen. The dealer if he has
gone in to play for the pool will, in like manner, help himself last.
The players must throw away their discarded cards before taking up,
or looking at those they draw.
In the game every player is for himself and against all others, and
to that end will not let any of his cards be seen, nor betray the
value of his hand by drawing or playing out of his turn, or by change
of countenance or any other sign. It is a great object to mystify
your adversaries up to the “call” when hands have to be shown. To
this end it is permitted to chaff or talk nonsense with a view of
misleading your adversaries as to the value of your hand, but this
must be without unreasonably delaying the game.
When the drawing is all complete, the betting goes around in order,
like the drawing, to the left. The ante man is the first to bet,
unless he has declined to play, and in that case the first to bet is
the player nearest to the dealer on his left. But the player entitled
to bet first may withhold his bet until the others have bet round to
him, which is called “holding the age,” and this, being an advantage,
should, as a general rule, be practised. Each better in turn must
put into the pool a sum equal at least to the first bet made; but
each may in turn increase the bet or raise it as it comes to him; in
which case the bets, proceeding around in order, must be made by each
player in his turn equal to the highest amount put in by any one,
or else, failing to do that, the party who fails must go out of the
play, forfeiting his interest in the pool.
When a player puts in only as much as has been put in by each player
who has preceded him, that is called “seeing” the bet. When a player
puts in that much, and raises it, that is called seeing the bet and
“going better.”
When the bet goes around to the last better or player who remains in,
if he does not wish to see and go better, he simply sees and “calls,”
and then all playing must show their hands, and the highest hand wins
the pool. When any one declines to see the bet, or the increase of
bet which has been made, he “lays down” his hand, that is, throws it
up with the cards, face downwards, on the table. If all the other
players throw down their hands, the one who remains in to the last
wins, and takes the pool without showing his hand.
To “bluff” is to take the risk of betting high enough on a poor hand
or a worthless one to make all the other players lay down their hands
without seeing or calling you.
When a hand is complete, so that the holder of it can play without
drawing to better it, that is called a “pat” hand. A bold player will
sometimes decline to draw any cards, and pretend to have a pat hand,
and play it as such, when he has none.
A skilful player will watch and observe what each player draws, the
expression of the face, the circumstances and manner of betting, and
judge, or try to judge, of the nature of each hand opposed to him
accordingly.
No one is bound to answer the question, how many cards he drew,
except the dealer; and the dealer is not bound to tell after the
betting has begun.
Drawing.--If the player determines to draw to a pair, he draws 3
cards.
If he draws to 2 pairs, he draws one card. If he holds 3 to begin
with, he draws 2 cards, in order to have the best chance of making a
full, inasmuch as, in playing, pairs are apt to run together. But,
to deceive his adversaries and make them think he has nothing better
than 2 pairs, a sharp player will often draw but one card to his 3’s.
It is advisable sometimes to keep an ace or other high card as an
“outsider,” with a small pair, and draw but one card--thus taking
the chance of matching the high cards and so getting a good 2 pairs,
or something better possibly--while at the same time others may be
deceived into believing that the player is drawing to 3’s.
When drawing to cards of the same suit to try to make a flush, or to
cards of successive denominations to try to make a sequence, as many
more cards are to be taken as will be needed to fill out the flush or
the sequence. But it is seldom advisable to venture in to draw for
either a flush or a sequence when more than one card is required to
complete the hand.
When a player holds 4’s in his original hand it is as good as it can
be, and yet it is best to throw away the outside card and draw one,
because others may then think he is only drawing to 2 pairs, or for
a flush or a sequence, and will not suspect the great value of the
hand. When one is in (as he ought seldom to be) without even so much
as a pair, his choice must be either to discard 4 cards, or 3 cards,
and draw to the highest, or 2 highest in the hand, or throw away the
whole hand and draw 5, or look content and serious, stand pat, and
bet high!
The player determining to try this last alternative on a worthless
hand had generally better begin by raising when he goes in, or else
nobody will be likely to believe in his pretended strong hand.
Relative Value of Hands in their Order, beginning with the Best.--1.
A Sequence Flush: Which is a sequence of 5 cards, and all of the same
suit.
2. Fours: Which is 4 out of the 5 cards, of the same denomination.
3. A Full: Which is a hand consisting of 3 cards of the same
denomination, and 2 of likewise equal denomination.
4. A Flush: Which is all 5 cards of the same suit.
5. A Sequence: Which is all 5 cards not of the same suit, but all in
sequence. (In computing the value of a sequence an ace counts either
as the highest or lowest card, that is, below a deuce or above a
king.)
6. Threes: Which is 3 cards of the same denomination, but the other 2
of different denominations from each other.
7. Two Pairs.
8. One Pair.
9. Highest Card: When a hand has neither of the above, the count is
by the cards of highest value or denomination. [Ace is highest.]
When parties opposed, each holds a pair, the highest pair wins, and
the same when each party holds 3’s or 4’s.
When each party holds 2 pairs, the highest pair determines the
relative value of the hands.
When each party holds a sequence, the hand commencing with the
highest card in sequence wins; so also when two or more parties hold
flushes against each other.
That full counts highest of which the 3 cards of the same
denomination are highest. The 2 cards of the same denomination help
only to constitute the full, but do not add to the value of the hand.
When hands are equal so far that each party holds a pair or 2 pairs
of exactly the same value, then the next highest card or cards in
each hand must be compared with the next highest card or cards in the
other hand to determine which wins.
In case of the highest hands (which very seldom occurs) being exactly
equal, the pool is divided.
The main elements of success in the game are: (1) good luck, (2) good
cards, (3) plenty of cheek, and (4) good temper. (_The Field._)
Vint, or Siberian Whist.--This game is at present much played and is
very popular in Russia, and comprises some very interesting features.
The scoring appears complicated, but is not really so, and may be
easily learnt in one evening’s play.
It is similar to whist, with the difference that there are many more
combinations, and the rewards and penalties are greater. The object
is to make the number of tricks you declare, with a certain suit for
trumps, or without trumps, according to the declaration; but should a
less number of tricks be obtained, then a penalty of a certain number
of points is scored to the opponents, according to the number of
tricks short of the number declared. The side that reaches 400 first
scores game, but the hands are played out and scores and penalties
marked as usual. The laws of whist apply to revoke and general rules.
Cut for partners and deal as in whist, the last card not to be turned
up.
Value of Suits.--Spades, as seen below, are the lowest in value, and
“without trumps” the highest.
“Spades” 4
“Clubs” 6
“Diamonds” 8
“Hearts” 10
“Without Trumps” 12
“Two Spades” 14
“Two Clubs” 16
“Two Diamonds” 18
“Two Hearts” 20
“Two without Trumps” 22
“Three Spades” 24
“Three Clubs” 26
“Three Diamonds” 28
“Three Hearts” 30
“Three without” 32
Declaring.--The dealer commences with one declaration, then the
player on left hand, and so on; each declaration must be of a higher
value than the previous one. Any number of declarations may be made
by any player, but after each declaration all the other players have
the right to declare in their turn, but no declaration can be made
after all the 4 players have consecutively said “Pass.” A player
not wishing to declare says “Pass.” Should, at the commencement,
no declaration be made by the dealer, and all the players in their
turn say “Pass,” the cards are thrown up, and the deal passes on
as usual. This is called a “Bird,” and 300 points are noted, to be
added to the score of points of the winners of the rubber. Several
“Birds” may occur during a rubber, and are noted thus ⩋ = 300 points.
A declaration of “Spades” or other suit, or “Without trumps,” means
that 7 or more tricks will be made with declared suit trumps; “2
Spades” or other suit, 8 tricks will be made; “3 of a suit, or
without trumps,” 9 tricks, and so on.
Scoring--Is noted at the end of each hand, every trick counting thus,
with a declaration of “Spades,” AB., 7 tricks = 28; CD., 6 tricks =
24. A declaration of, say “3 Diamonds,” then AB. 9 tricks = 252; and
CD., 4 tricks = 112; or if AB. make 10 tricks = 280; and CD. 3 = 84.
Big Schlem, 1000; little ditto, 500; rubber, 1000; game, 500. Bird
300 each, scored to winners of rubber.
Honours, &c.--The 10 counts as an honour; 1 or 2 honours do not
count; 3 honours, score according to value of suit thus: 3 honours
spades score 120 (a zero always being added); 4 = 160; 5 = 200.
3 honours in, say hearts = 300; 4, 400; 5, 500. 3 aces count 150;
4, 200; 1 or 2 do not count. A game being played “without trumps,”
honours do not count; but aces score, for 3, 300, 4, 400. The honours
and aces may be in the 2 partners’ hands, as at whist.
Penalties.--Should the number of tricks declared not be made, the
penalty is reckoned thus: For a declaration of, say “Spades,” other
suit, or “without trumps,” 400 points for every trick under the
number declared; a declaration of “Two” of any suit, 800 points;
for “Three,” 1200 points for every trick, and so on. Thus, if the
declaration was “Five” of a suit, or “without trumps,” and only 9
tricks were made, or 2 short, the penalty would be 4000 to be scored
to the opponents. Penalties, honours, aces, &c., are scored above the
line, and do not count towards game, but are scored as points. The
total number of points scored by the losers during the game, and also
the rubber, must be deducted from the winners’ score, the balance, if
any, credited to the winners; or it may happen that the winners of a
rubber may lose in points. Should the game be for stakes, so much per
point should be calculated.
Illustrative “Vint” Hand.
A.’s Hand. C.’s Hand.
Ace, 10, 7 ♠ | King, Qn, 5, 4 ♠
10, 5 ♥ | Ace, Kg, Kv, 7, 4 ♥
King, 7 ♣ | 5, 3 ♣
Ace, Kg, Q, 8, 7, 2 ♦ | 9, 5 ♦
B.’s Hand. D.’s Hand.
9, 3, 2 ♠ | Knave, 8, 6 ♠
3, 2 ♥ | Queen, 9, 8, 6 ♥
Ace, Knv, 9, 6, 2 ♣ | Queen, 10, 8, 4 ♣
Knave, 6, 3 ♦ | 10, 4 ♦
A. and B. are partners. A. is the dealer, and begins declaring
A.--“Diamonds.”
C.--“Hearts.”
B.--“Two clubs.”
D.--“Two hearts.”
A.--“Three spades.”
C.--“Pass.”
B.--“Three diamonds.”
D.--“Pass.”
A.--“Four clubs.”
C.--“Pass.”
B.--“Pass.”
D.--“Pass.”
A.--“Four diamonds.”
C.--“Pass.”
B.--“Pass.”
D.--“Pass.”
A.--“Pass.”
A. and B. have to make 10 tricks, with diamonds as trumps. C. leads.
+-----------+
| B |
| |
| C D |
| |
| A |
+-----------+
A. and B. make 10 tricks, scored thus:
CD. AB. 3 aces 150
4 honours 320
------------ --------------------
114 380
The above hand is only given to show how the declaring may be made.
(_The Field._)
SUPPLEMENTARY LITERATURE.
Mrs. Orrinsmith: ‘The Drawing-room; its decorations and furniture.’
London, 1878. 2_s._ 6_d._
Henry J. Dakin: ‘The Stage in the Drawing-room; or the Theatre at
Home. Practical Hints on Amateur Acting for Amateur Actors.’ London,
1883. 1_s._
Capt. Crawley: ‘The Handy Book of Games for Gentlemen. Billiards,
Bagatelle, Backgammon, Chess, Draughts, Whist, Loo, Cribbage, Écarté,
Picquet, All Fours, Quadrille, Pope Joan, Matrimony, Vingt-un,
Quinze, Put, Speculation, &c.’ London, 1876. 5_s._
Cavendish’s ‘Pocket Guides to Backgammon, Chess, Draughts, &c.’
London, 1878. 6_d._ each.
_THE BEDROOM._
=The Room.=--Some of the conditions affecting bedrooms have been
already discussed on p. 101. It is not necessary to say anything
about the special ventilation of bedrooms, for the same principles
apply to them as to other rooms; but, in passing, it will be well to
mention that there should be a floor space of at least 42 ft. to each
person, and at least 500 cub. ft. of air space--more if possible; 12
ft. is quite high enough for ordinary rooms; all space above this
is wasted, so far as health is concerned. There should be as little
in the way of carpeting, bed and window curtains, as is consistent
with comfort. Light metal bedsteads are the best. The floor is best
stained and polished. Avoid crowding with heavy furniture as much as
possible. If the bed is out of the way of direct draught, it is a
good plan in summer to let down the top sash of the window a little
way. Sleep will be more refreshing and sounder than if the window had
been closed all night.
Edis would have the whole floor of the room stained and varnished,
or painted, and strips of carpet, matting, or rugs thrown down
only where required; these can be taken up and shaken every day
without trouble, and the evil of fixed carpets is thus avoided. If,
however, a carpet must be laid down, let it on no account go under
the bed or within 2 ft. of the walls; the spaces under the bed or
wall furniture would rarely be swept, and under heavy wardrobes and
chests of drawers there would be a gradual accumulation of dirt and
dust, until such time as the annual general turn-out and cleansing
takes place. At least, leave the floor uncarpeted underneath a bed,
so that the boards can be swept daily and scoured weekly. But if the
room is close carpeted, a tightly-stretched piece of holland should
be pinned down under the bed to receive the flue, which is certain
to accumulate; the holland cloth can be taken away and replaced as
frequently as occasion requires.
For the walls, Edis suggests a dark matting dado as a base, and the
remainder of the wall to be distempered of some grateful soft tint,
with graceful pattern border and frieze stencilled on, and here and
there panels formed in the decoration, with enclosing lines of bright
and well-selected colours, wherein might be enframed looking glasses,
and here and there watercolours or photographs, as forming part of
the decoration of the room, but not standing out of it in any too
prominent manner. All this kind of work can be treated simply, and
at little cost, and the distemper work can be rubbed over with bread
crumbs, or brushed down, and so easily cleaned.
The general woodwork of the doors, windows, and skirtings should be
painted in some plain colour to harmonise or contrast with the wall
decoration, and the whole varnished; woodwork finished in this way
can be easily washed or cleaned, and the extra expense of varnishing
will be saved in a few years. Now that good painted tiles can be
obtained at small expense, they may be used in washing stands with
good effect, or the wall above might be lined entirely with them to a
height of 2-3 ft.
With regard to warming bedrooms. It surely requires but very little
common sense to see that it must be thoroughly bad for people to
spend their evenings in warm comfortable rooms, with the thermometer
at 60° F., and then to take their departure for chilly bedrooms,
along cold passages, and to undress in a temperature of 30°-35° F.
Even the strongest constitution must suffer more or less by such a
proceeding. The favourite argument against warm bedrooms is that
it is weakening. Sleeping in badly ventilated, _hot_ rooms, may
be weakening; but sleeping in a temperature of 50°-60° F. cannot
possibly be so. If it were, then healthy sleep in the summer
would be impossible. It is, of course, essential that the heating
apparatus--be it a stove, a fire-place, hot-water pipes, hot-air
ducts, or gas-stoves--should not consume the oxygen from the room
without at the same time provision being made for the admission
of fresh air from without. This fresh air from without need not,
however, come into the room in a cold state. It may be first warmed
by passing near to the fire or heating apparatus. Providing the above
precautions be taken, there is no fear of warm rooms being injurious
to health. Some grates suited to bedrooms have been described on pp.
61-71, especially the “Eagle”; but all grates possess objections for
a bedroom, and probably the very best warming medium would be a soda
acetate stove, as spoken of on p. 82.
As to flowers in a bedroom, it seems pretty safe to assume that the
mischief of a dozen or two is theoretical rather than practical, and
that those who like flowers in their bedroom may indulge their fancy
quite safely. But it should be borne in mind that certain plants may
throw off much larger quantities of carbonic acid gas than others;
and some emit unpleasant odours. In any case, where flowers are grown
in bedrooms, there should be very free ventilation.