A leading principle is to "make points" whenever you fairly can, especially
in or close to your home table. A second general principle is to avoid the
leaving of "blots," particularly where they are likely to be "hit" by the
adversary.[66] This latter principle is, however, subject to many
qualifications. The advantages of spreading your men, in readiness to make
points, may more than counterbalance the risk, and in certain critical
conditions of the game it is sometimes even desirable to be "hit," inasmuch
as it enables you to make a fresh start from your adversary's home table,
and so get the opportunity in turn of taking _him_ up.
At the opening of a game the men on both sides are in a uniform position,
and it is, consequently, possible to lay down specific rules as to the best
method of playing any given throw. We will go _seriatim_ through all the
possible throws. In some instances alternative methods will be given,
according as the player aims merely at securing a hit, and is content,
therefore, to play for safety, or elects to {278} play a more risky game
upon the chance of securing a gammon. This case often arises where the
player has already lost the first hit of a rubber, in which case, if he
loses the next game, he has lost the rubber also; but if he can secure a
gammon (reckoning as a double game), he becomes the winner of the rubber.
ACES.--(The best possible throw at starting.) Play two men on your "bar"
point, and two on your cinque point.[67]
DEUCE ACE.--For a hit, play the deuce from the five men in your adversary's
outer-table, and the ace from the ace point in his inner table. For a
gammon, play the ace from the six to the ace point in your own table.
DEUCES.--For a hit, play two from the six to the quatre point in your own
table, and the other two from the ace to the trois point in your opponent's
inner table. For a gammon, play the second pair from the five men in his
outer table.
TROIS ACE.--Make your cinque point.
TROIS DEUCE.--The approved play is to carry two men from the five in your
adversary's outer table to the quatre and cinque points in your own outer
table. This, of course, makes two blots. To avoid this, some, for a hit,
play one man from the same {279} point to the _deuce_ point in the
above-mentioned table, but the bolder play is to be preferred.
DOUBLE TROIS.--There are three ways of playing this throw. Some players
make the bar point. The more usual play is, for a hit, to play two to the
cinque point in the player's own, and the other two to the quatre point in
the adversary's table. For a gammon, play the last two from the six to the
trois point in your own table.
QUATRE ACE.--Play the quatre from the five men in your opponent's outer
table, and the ace from his ace point. (Timid players, fearing to leave two
blots, sometimes play the whole throw from the first-mentioned point, but
the plan is not to be recommended.)
QUATRE DEUCE.--Make your quatre point.
QUATRE TROIS.--Play two men from the five in your adversary's outer table.
DOUBLE QUATRE.--Play two men from the ace to the cinque point in the
adversary's inner table, and two from the five in his outer table. For a
gammon, play two men only, from the point last mentioned to the cinque
point in your own table.
CINQUE ACE.--Play the cinque from the five men in your adversary's outer
table, and the ace from the ace point in his inner table. For a gammon,
play the ace from the six to the cinque point in your own table.
CINQUE DEUCE.--Play both men from the five in your adversary's outer table.
CINQUE TROIS.--Make your trois point.
CINQUE QUATRE.--Move one man from your adversary's ace point to the trois
point in his outer table. {280}
DOUBLE CINQUE.--Carry two men from the five in the adversary's outer table,
and make your trois point.
SIX ACE.--Make your bar point.
SIX DEUCE.--Move a man from the five in your adversary's outer table to the
cinque point in your own table.
SIX TROIS, SIX QUATRE, SIX CINQUE.--Carry one man from your adversary's ace
point as far as the throw will permit.
SIXES.--Place two men on your adversary's bar point, and two on your own.
Of the above throws (at the outset of the game), double aces are reckoned
the best, and double sixes next best. Double trois comes third, followed by
trois ace and six ace. Doublets, if playable, are good, as covering greater
distance.
Any throw in which the higher of the two numbers is _two in advance of the
other_ (as cinque trois, trois ace) is also good, as enabling you to make a
point in your table.[68]
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