his fifteen men into his own table, and to bear them? Ans. He may undertake to do it in 75 throws. It is odds in A's favour that he throws an ace in twice; and also that he throws a six in two more throws; when these events happen, A has a probability of not wanting above two or three throws before he has got all his fifteen men into his own tables; therefore, by a former rule laid down to bring your men home, and also for bearing them, you may be able to find out the probability of the number of throws required. See pages 218 and 223. Note-B stands still, and does not play. 5. Where A and B shall play fast as usual, and yet the hit may last for many hours. Suppose B to have borne thirteen men, and that A has taken up the two remaining men. And also that A has fifteen men in B's table, viz. three upon his six, three upon his cinque, three upon his quatre, three upon his trois, two upon his deuce, and one upon his ace-point. Let A bring his fifteen men home, by always securing six close points, till B has entered his two men, and brought them upon any certain point; as soon as B has done that, A must open an ace, deuce, or trois, or all three; which effected, B hits one of them, and A, taking care to have two or three men in B's table, is ready to hit that man; and also, he being assured of taking up the other man, has it in his power to prolong the hit to almost any length, provided he takes care not to open such points as two fours, two fives, or two sixes, but always to open the ace, deuce, or trois-points for B to hit. 6. Back-Game.-Suppose A to have two men upon his own six-point, three men upon his usual point in his outer table, two men upon the point where his five men are generally placed in his adversary's outer table, five men upon his adversary's ace, and three upon his adversary's quatrepoint; and B to have two men upon his own six-point, likewise three upon his usual point in his outer table, two upon the point where his five are commonly placed in his adversary's outer table, five upon his adversary's ace, and three men upon his adversary's trois-point. Who has the fairest chance to win the hit ? Ans. A has; because he is to play either an ace or a deuce from his adversary's ace-point, in order to make both those points as occasion offers; and having the quatre-point in his adversary's tables, he may more easily bring those men away, and will also have a resting-place by the conveniency of that point, which at all times in the game will give him an opportunity of running for the hit, or staying, if he think proper. Whereas B cannot so readily come from the trois-point in his adversary's tables. 7. Suppose A and B place their men in the following manner for a hit:-A to have three men upon his own six-point, three upon his usual point in his outer table, and nine men upon his adversary's ace, deuce, and trois-points, three upon each; and suppose B's men to be placed in the same order and manner. The result is, that the best player ought to win the hit; and the dice are to be thrown for, the situation being perfectly equal in A's and B's game. If A throw first, let him endeavour to gain his adversary's cinquepoint; when that is effected, let him lay as many blots as possible, to tempt B to hit him; for every time that B hits will be in A's favour, because it puts B backward; and let A take up none of B's men for the same reason. A should always endeavour to have three men upon his adversary's ace and deuce-points; because when B makes a blot, these points will remain secure, and by recourse had to a former case (No. 5, p. 230), when A has borne five, six, or more men, yet A may secure six close points out of his table, in order to prevent B from getting his man home: and by recourse had to the calculations, he may easily find out (in case he makes up his table) who has the better of the hit; and if he find that B is the forwardest, he must then endeavour to lay such blots as may give him a chance for taking up another man, in case B should happen to have a blot at home. N.B.-Those who play the foregoing game well may be ranked in the first class. 8. A has borne thirteen men, and has two men to bear upon his deuce-point; B has thirteen men in his own tables, with two men to enter. B is to throw, and to name the throws both for himself and A, but not to hit a blot of either side. What throw is B to name for both parties, in order to save his gammon? Ans. B calls for himself two aces, which enter his two men upon A's ace-point. B also calls two aces for A, and consequently A cannot either bear a man, or play one: then B calls for two sixes for himself, and carries one man home upon the six point in his own table, and the other he places upon his adversary's bar-point: B also calls sixace for A, so that A has one man left to bear, and then B calls for himself either two sixes, two fives, or two fours, any of which bear a man, in case he has men in his table upon those points. 9. Suppose that both yours and your adversary's tables are made up. Also that you have one man to carry home, but that he has two men on your bar-point to carry home, which lie in wait to catch your man, and that if you pass him you are to win the hit: suppose also that you have it in your choice to run the risk of being hit by seven or by eight, both of which are chances upon double dice. Which of these chances is it best for you to venture? Ans. That of seven, for the following reasons; first, because the chances of being hit by seven or eight are equal. Secondly, if he does not hit seven, you will then have in your favour 23 chances to 13, that by your next throw you either hit or pass beyond him. Thirdly, in case your second throw should happen to be under seven, and that therefore you cannot hit him, yet you may play that cast at home, and consequently, leave the blot upon double dice, whereas, if, on the contrary, you had left the blot upon eight, you would have made a bad choice. First, because the chances of being hit by seven or by eight, are only equal. Secondly, because, if you should escape being hit by eight, yet you would then have but 17 chances in your favour against 19, for either hitting or passing beyond him by your next throw. Thirdly, in case your second throw should happen to be six-ace, which is short of him, you would then be obliged to play the man that is out of your table, not being able to play the six at home, and consequently to leave a blot to be hit by a single (or flat) die, which event, upon supposition that you play for eighteen shillings a game, would entitle him to eleven shillings of the whole stake depending. THE LAWS OF BACKGAMMON. 1. If you take a man or men from any point, that man or men must be played. 2. You are not understood to have played any man, till it is placed upon a point, and quitted. 3. If you play with fourteen men only, there is no penalty attending it, because with a lesser number you play to a disadvantage, by not having the additional man to make up your tables. 4. If you bear any number of men before you have entered a man taken up, and which, consequently, you were obliged to enter, such men, so borne, must be entered again in your adversary's tables, as well as the man taken up. 5. If you have mistaken your throw, and played it, and your adversary have thrown, it is not in your or his choice to alter it, unless both parties agree. BOSTON. THIS game very much resembles Whist, and is somewhat like Quadrille. The players put eight fish each into a pool, and the dealer four extra. The cards are distributed as at Whist, except that the last is not to be turned up. During every deal, the player opposite the dealer should shuffle a pack to be cut by his right-hand neighbour, and turn up a card for the first preference; the suit of the same colour, whether red or black, is styled the second preference, and the other two are common suits. The player who misses deal does not lose his turn; but as a punishment is to put four more fish into the pool. When the eldest-hand thinks he can get five or more tricks, he is to say boston; if otherwise, he says pass, unless he plays misère; that is, so as to lose every trick; petite misère is to put out a card, |