Enquire Within Upon Everything Part 13

ix. If a player give a check without crying "check," the adversary need not take notice of the check. But if two moves only are made before the discovery of the mistake, the pieces may be replaced, and the game properly played.

x. If a player say check without actually attacking the King, and his adversary move his King or take the piece, the latter may elect either to let the move stand or have the pieces replaced and another move made.

xi. If, at the end of a game, the players remain, one with a superior to an inferior force, or even if they have equal forces, the defending player may call upon his adversary to mate in fifty moves on each side, or draw the game.

[If one player persist in giving perpetual check, or repeating the same move, his opponent may count the moves for the draw; in which case touching a piece if reckoned a move.]

xii. Stalemate, or perpetual check is a drawn game.

xiii. Directly a p.a.w.n reaches its eighth square it must be exchanged for a piece.

[It is usual to change the p.a.w.n for a Queen, but it may be replaced by a Rook, Bishop, or Knight, without reference to the pieces already on the board. In practice it would be changed for a Queen or a Knight, seeing that the Queen's moves include those of the Rook and Bishop. Thus you may have two or more Queens, three or more Rooks, Bishops, or Knights on the board at the end of the game.]

xiv. Should any dispute arise, the question must be submitted to a bystander, whose decision is to be considered final.

For information as to the best modes of play, the Openings and Endings of Games, &c., read 'The Book of Chess', by G.H. Selkirk, published by Messrs. Houlston and Sons.

72. Draughts, Rules of the Game.

The accepted laws for regulating the game are as follows:

i. The board is to be so placed as to have the white or black double corners at the right hand of the player.

ii. The first move is taken by chance or agreement, and in all the subsequent games of the same sitting, the first move is taken alternately. Black generally moves first.

iii. Any action which prevents your adversary from having a full view of the board is not allowed, and if persisted in, loses the game to the offending player.

iv. The man touched must be moved, but the men may be properly adjusted during any part of the game. After they are so placed, if either player, when it is his turn to play, touch a man, he must move it. If a man be so moved as to be visible on the angle separating the squares, the player so touching the man must move it to the square indicated.

[By this it is meant that a player may not move first to one square and then to another. Once moved on to a square, the man must remain there.]

v. It is optional with the player either to allow his opponent to stand the huff, or to compel him to take the offered piece.

["Standing the huff" is when a player refuses to take an offered piece, but either intentionally or accidentally makes another move.

His adversary then removes the man that should have taken the piece, and makes his own move--huff and move, as it is called.]

vi. Ten minutes is the longest time allowed to consider a move, which if not made within that time, forfeits the game.

vii. It is compulsory upon the player to take all the pieces he can legally take by the same series of moves. On making a King, however, the latter remains on his square till a move has been made on the other side.

viii. All disputes are to be decided by the majority of the bystanders present, or by an umpire.

ix. No player may leave the room without the consent of his adversary, or he forfeits the game.

x. A false move must be remedied as soon as it is discovered, or the maker of such move loses the game.

xi. When only a small number of men remain toward the end of the game, the possessor of the lesser number may call on his opponent to win in at least fifty moves, or declare the game drawn. With two Kings to one, the game must be won in at most twenty moves on each side.

xii. The player who refuses to abide by the rules loses the game. In the losing game a player must take all the men he can by his move.

73. Whist.

(Upon the principle of Hoyle's games.)

Great silence and attention should be observed by the players. Four persons cut for partners; the two highest are against the two lowest. The partners sit opposite to each other, and he who cuts the lowest card is ent.i.tled to the deal. The ace is the lowest in cutting.

i. Shuffling---Each person has a right to shuffle the cards before the deal; but it is usual for the elder hand only; and the dealer after.

ii. Cutting.--The pack is then cut by the right hand adversary; and the dealer distributes the cards, one by one, to each of the players, beginning with the player on his left, until he comes to the last card, which he turns up for trump, and leaves on the table till the first trick be played.

iii. First Play.--The elder hand, the player on the left of the dealer, plays first. The winner of the trick plays again; and so on, till all the cards are played out.

iv. Mistakes.--No intimations, or signs are permitted between the partners. The mistake of one party is the profit of the adversary.

v. Collecting Tricks.--The tricks belonging to each player should be turned and collected by one of the partners only. All above six tricks reckon towards game.

vi. Honours.--The ace, king, queen, and knave of trumps are called honours; and when either of the partners hold three separately, or between them, they count two points towards the game; and in case they have four honours, they count four points.

vii. Game.--_Long Whist game consists of ten points, Short Whist of five points._

74. Terms used in Whist.

i. _Finessing,_ is the attempt to gain an advantage; thus:--If you have the best and third best card of the suit led you put on the third best, and run the risk of your adversary having the second best; if he has it not, which is two to one against him, you are then certain of gaining a trick.

ii. _Forcing_, is playing the suit of which your partner or adversary has not any, and which in order to win he must trump.

iii. _Long Trump,_ the one or more trumps in your hand when all the rest are out.

iv. _Loose Card,_ a card of no value, and the most proper to throw away.

v. _Points,_--Ten make the game; as many as are gained by tricks or honours, so many points are set up to the score of the game.

vi. _Quarte_, four successive cards in suit.

vii. _Quarte Major_, a sequence of ace, king, queen, and knave.

viii. _Quinte_, five successive cards in suit.

ix. _Quinte Major,_ is a sequence of ace, king, queen, knave, and ten.

x. _See-saw,_ is when each partner trumps a suit, and when they play those suits to each other for that purpose.

xi. _Score_, is the number of points set up. The following is a good method of scoring with coins or counters: