not to hurry him, or express any uneasiness at his delay. You should not sing, nor whistle, nor look at your watch, nor take up a book to read, nor make a tapping with your feet on the floor, or with your fingers upon the table, nor do anything that may distract his attention; for all these things displease, and they do not show your skill in playing, but your craftiness or your rudeness. 5. You ought not to endeavour to amuse and deceive your adversary, by pretending to have made bad moves, and saying that you have now lost the game, in order to make him secure and careless, and inattentive to your schemes. This is fraud and deceit, not skill in the game. 6. You must not, when you have gained a victory, use any triumphing or insulting expression, nor show too much of the pleasure you feel; but endeavour to console your adversary, and make him less dissatisfied with himself, by every kind and civil expression that may be used with truth, such as, You understand the game better than I, but you were a little inattentive;' or,' You had the best of the game, but something happened to divert your thoughts, and that turned it in my favour.' 6 7. If you are a spectator while others play, observe the most perfect silence; for if you give advice you offend both parties-him against whom you give it, because it may cause the loss of his game; him in whose favour you give it, because, though it be good, and he follows it, he loses the pleasure he might have had if you had permitted him to think until that had occurred to himself. Even after a move or moves, you must not, by replacing the pieces, show how they might have been placed better; for that displeases, and may occasion disputes or doubts about their true situation. All talking to the players lessens or diverts their attention, and is therefore unpleasing. Nor should you give the least hint to either party by any kind of noise or motion; if you do, you are unworthy to be a spectator. Should you have a mind to exercise or show your judgment, do it in playing your own game, when you have an opportunity, not in criticising, or meddling with, or counselling the play of others. Lastly, if the game is not to be played rigorously according to the rules as afore-mentioned, then moderate your desire of victory over your adversary, and be pleased with one over yourself. Snatch not eagerly at every advantage offered by his unskilfulness or inattention; but point out to him kindly that by such a move he places or leaves a piece exposed and unsupported; that by another he will put his king in a dangerous situation, &c. By this generous civility (so opposite to the unfairness before forbidden) you may, indeed, happen to lose the game to your opponent, but you will win what is better, his esteem, his respect, and his affection, together with the silent approbation and good-will of impartial spectators. When a vanquished player is guilty of an untruth to cover his disgrace, as, 'I have not played so long '— his method of opening the game confused me'—the men were of an unusual size,' &c. all such apologies must lower him in a wise person's eyes, both as a man and as a chess-player; and who will not suspect that he who endeavours to shelter himself under such untruths in trifling matters, is no very sturdy moralist in affairs of greater consequence, where his fame and honour are at stake? A man of proper pride would scorn to account for being beaten by one of these excuses, even were it true; because they all at the moment have the appearance of being untrue. To this may be added a few cautions' of a different but equally important nature from a recent number of the Quarterly Review: '- 'Chess not until the business of the day is fairly done, and you feel that you have earned your amusement. Chess not in mixed society, when it is likely that your antagonist and yourself will be missed from the circle by either hostess or company. Chess not with persons much older than yourself, when you feel sure that you can beat them, but not sure that they will relish it. Chess not with your wife, unless you can give her odds, and then take care rather to overmatch yourself. Play not into the "small hours," lest the duties of the next day should suffer from scanty rest or late rising. Do not commend your adversary's play when you have won, or abuse your own when you have lost. You are assuming in the first case, and detracting in the last. Lastly, Idolise not chess. To hear some people talk, one might think there was "nothing else remarkable beneath the visiting moon." Chess is not a standard for measuring the abilities of your acquaintance-nor an epitome of all the sciences-nor a panacea for all human ills-nor a subject for daily toil and nightly meditation. It is simply a recreation, and only to be used and regarded as such. The less selfish you are in its pursuit-the clearer head-the more patience the better temper you bring to the practice of it, the better will you illustrate the merits of chess as the most intellectual of games, and establish your own character as a philosopher even in sport.' DRAUGHTS. Draughts is a game with a chequered board and men, of much less antiquity than chess, and is perhaps to be considered a degenerate descendant of that noble sport. In France it is called les dames, from having been a favourite game with ladies; and in Scotland this signification is preserved in the term dam-brod, the name universally applied by the common people to the draught-board. Draughts is played on a chess-board, or a board chequered precisely in the same manner, with thirtytwo white, and thirty-two black squares. The board, however, is placed before the players differently; in chess there must be a white square in the right-hand corner, but in draughts the right-hand corner must be black (that is, supposing you to play on the white squares). The following is a representation of a draught-board, numbered for the sake of illustration and placed as it should be in playing: The game is played by two persons, who sit opposite to each other. Each party has a set of twelve men, the colour of the two being different for the sake of distinction. The men are generally round and flat pieces of wood; one set white, and another black; those of the neatest kind are turned out of boxwood and ebony. The men may be placed either on the white or black squares, but the whole must be put on one colour only. It is customary in England to place all upon the white, and to have, as above, a black square on the right. In Scotland the black are played upon, when there is consequently a white square to the right. We go upon the supposition that the play is on the white squares, and have numbered them in the above figure accordingly. The movements in draughts are very simple: a man can move only one square at a time, and diagonally, never straight forward or sideways. If an enemy's man stand in the way, no move can take place, unless there be a vacant square beyond into which the piece can be lifted. In this case the man leaped over is taken; he is removed from the board. The grand object of the game, then, is to clear the board of the enemy's men, or to hem them in so that they cannot move; and whichever party does so first gains the victory. As no piece can move more than one step diagonally at a time, there can be no taking till the two antagonists come to close quarters; and the pushing them cautiously into each other's neighbourhood is the principal art in the game. It is not considered fair for any bystander to advise what motions should be taken, or for a player to wait longer than five minutes between each move. The draught player, therefore, must on all occasions act with much more promptitude and decision than in the case of chess. In short, draughts is a very ticklish game. A single false step may lead to irretrievable ruin; and it is only after long experience in figuring in the mind what would be the result of particular movements that proficiency is attained. BACKGAMMON. When the men on either side have cleared their way by taking, or found an open path to the opposite side of the board, they become invested with a new power of movement: by reaching the first row of squares on the opposite side, the piece is entitled to be crowned, which is done by placing a man on the top of it. Thus crowned, the man may move backwards, but always diagonally, and one square at a time, as before. This power of moving and taking either forwards or back-players bringing their men back from their antagonist's wards, renders it of consequence to get men crowned; and if two or three on each side gain this honour, the game becomes more interesting, and may speedily be determined. Immediately after crowning, great art is shown in blocking up one or more of your adversary's men, by the aid of which to accomplish a series of decisive moves. For instance, supposing you have detained your adversary's piece at 4, while he has others situated on 25 and 26-and supposing you have pieces on 12 and 19, with a crowned man at 14, you may, by giving him your 12 and 19, exchange two pieces for three, which is commonly equivalent to winning the game. Again, supposing you have pieces on 13, 22, 30, and a crowned one on 26, and your adversary a piece on 5, with others scattered in the direction of 16, 8, 7, you may, by successively pushing before him your pieces on 13 and 22, gain a formidable exchange. In beginning to play, much depends on having the first move; and the rule is, that in playing several games each party takes the first move alternately. If a player touch one of his men, he must play it. If a player omit to take a man when it is in his power to do so, his adversary can huff or blow him- that is, either take the man, or insist upon his own man being taken. The practice is at once to lift the man which ought to have taken yours. We present the following as an example of playing a game, in which white loses. The letters N, C, F, T, at the head of the columns, signify Number, Colour, From, To: Backgammon is the modern name of a game of considerable antiquity in England, where it was formerly known by the appellation of the tables." The words back-gammon have been ascribed to the Welsh tongue, in which they are said to signify little battle; but Strutt, with greater plausibility, traces the term to the Saxon 'bac and gamen-that is, back-game; so denominated because the performance consists in the two tables into their own; or because the pieces are sometimes taken up and obliged to go back—that is, reenter at the table they came from.' Whatever be the etymology of the term, the game has been long established in the country; and, as a fireside amusement of a decorous and exciting nature, is a favourite among clergymen, squires, farmers, and retired professional persons. Backgammon is played with an apparatus consisting of a board or tables, men or pieces, dice, and diceboxes. The introduction of dice into the game, and their constant use in determining moves, makes backgammon essentially a game of chance, and therefore brings two players of unequal talents nearer a level than other diversions in which skill is the sole or predominant element. The backgammon board consists of two parts or tables, generally united by a hinge in the middle, by which they can be shut up as a box. Each table possesses twelve points, six at each end. These points are coloured white and black alternately; but this variation of colour has no reference to the game, and is only done to make the points more easily counted. The game is played by two parties, and with 30 pieces or men; each party has 15 men, one set of 15 being black, and the other white. In beginning the game, the men are placed on certain points on the tables, as shown in the following figure. The game is played with two dice and two dice-boxes. The dice are common to both; but each party uses his own dice-box, and the throws are alternate. Each die is a perfect cube, marked on its sides with dots from 1 to 6. The 1 is called ace, the two deuce, the three tre or trois, the four quatre, the five cinque, and the six size. At every throw the two dice are employed; consequently a person may throw from two up to twelve —that is, two aces up to two sizes. If a player throw doublets, or both dice of one number, double the number of dots is reckoned; thus by a throw of two aces the player does not count two, but four. These numbers thrown or accidentally turned up by the dice, bear a reference to the points on the tables. In order to understand this connection between the dice and the men, the learner must observe how the men are placed on the points, and the rules by which their shifting from one to another is governed. The tables are here spread out as if two partners were seated, and about to begin to play. The party owning the white men is seated at W, and the party owning the black men at B. We shall call one party White, and another Black. White counts round from the ace point of Black, and Black counts round from the ace point of White. These ace points are respectively seen to have two men upon them in opposite corners of the same table. The grand object of the game is for each party to get all his men played round into the table containing the | if playing the throw otherwise gives him a better chance aces, removing them from point to point agreeable to for it, he ought to do it. the throws of the dice. W B The Backgammon Table. In throwing, the number upon each die turned up may be reckoned by itself, or collectively, with the number on the other die. Thus if quatre be thrown by one die, and size by the other, a man can be advanced four points, and another six points; or one man can be advanced ten points, always providing that a point is open to suit this movement to it. No point can be moved to if covered by two men belonging to the adversary. If covered by only one man, which is called a blot, then that man can be hit, and be removed from the point, and placed on the bar between the tables, his place being taken by the man who has won it. The removal of a man to the bars throws a player considerably behind in the game, because the man must remain out of the play till the dice turn up a number corresponding to one open point on the adversary's table. Being fortunate to get an open point by this means, the man must be entered and wrought round from thence, as in the case of others in the set to which he belongs. The frequent occurrence of this hitting of a blot gives an adversary a great advantage, and allows him to win the gammon. There are two kinds of victory-winning the hit, and winning the gammon. The party who has played all his men round into his own table, and by fortunate throws of the dice has borne or played the men off the point first, wins the hit. The gammon may be explained as follows:-When you have got all your men round to your own table, covering every point, and your adversary has a man out, then you are enabled to bear or lift your men away. If you can bear all away, so as to clear your table before the adversary gets his man placed by a throw on your table, you win the gammon. If the adversary has been able to bear one before you have borne all your men, it reduces the victory to a hit. Two hits are reckoned equal to one gammon in playing matches. To win two games out of three is called winning the rub, as at whist. Hoyle's Directions for Bearing Men. If a player has taken up two of the adversary's men, and happens to have two, three, or more points made in his own tables, he should spread his men, that he either may take a new point in his tables, or be ready to hit the man which the adversary may happen to enter. If he finds, upon the adversary's entering, that the game is upon a par, or that the advantage is on his own side, he should take the adversary's man up whenever he can, it being 25 to 11 that he is not hit: except when he is playing for a single hit only; then, It being 5 to 1 against his being hit with double dice, he should never be deterred from taking up any one man of the adversary's. If he has taken up one of the adversary's men, and should happen to have five points in his own tables, and forced to leave a blot out of his tables, he should endeavour to leave it upon doublets preferable to any other chance, because in that case the odds are 35 to 1 that he is not hit; whereas it is only 17 to 1 that he is hit upon any other chance. When the adversary is very forward, a player should never move a man from his own quatre, trois, or deuce points, thinking to bear that man from the point where he put it, as nothing but high doublets can give him any chance for the hit. Instead of playing an ace or a deuce from any of those points, he should play them from his own size or highest points; so that throwing two fives or two fours, his size and cinque points being eased, would be a considerable advantage to him; whereas, had they been loaded, he must have been obliged to play otherwise. It is the interest of the adversary to take up the player as soon as he enters. The blot should be left upon the adversary's lowest point-that is to say, upon his deuce point rather than upon his trois point; or upon his trois point rather than upon his quatre point; or upon his quatre point preferable to his cinque pointfor a reason before-mentioned: all the men the adversary plays upon his trois or his deuce points are deemed lost, being greatly out of play; so that those men not having it in their power to make his cinque point, and his game being crowded in one place, and open in another, the adversary must be greatly annoyed by the player. If the player has two of the adversary's men in his tables, he has a better chance for a hit than if he had more, provided his game is forwarder than that of his antagonist; for if he had three or more of the adversary's men in his tables, he would stand a worse chance to be hit. When a player is running to save the gammon, if he should have two men upon his ace point, and several men abroad, although he should lose one point or two in putting his men into his tables, it is his interest to leave a man upon the adversary's ace point, because it will prevent his adversary from bearing his men to the greatest advantage, and at the same time the player will have a chance of the adversary's making a blot, which he may chance to hit. However, if a player finds, upon a throw, that he has a probability of saving his gammon, he should never wait for a blot, as the odds are greatly against his hitting it, but should embrace that opportunity. BILLIARDS. This sport may be said to combine the principles of bowls, golf, and some other games in which objects are impelled from the hand. Whether the game was invented in France or England is not clearly ascertained; but as it is mentioned by Shakspeare, it is at least as old in this country as the sixteenth century. In the present day, it is pursued in every civilised country, but principally by the higher or leisurely classes of society. In France it is much more common than in England, where its character has suffered materially by the game having been made the subject of large gambling speculations. It is unfortunate that such should be the case, for no game is to be considered so purely scientific: it is dynamics, or certain laws of motion, put into practical operation; the hits or concussions of the balls exhibiting some of the finest examples of divergent forces. Billiards is played with a table, certain kinds of rods, and balls. The table varies in size; that in most common use being from eight to twelve feet long, and from four and a-half to six feet in width. Whatever be its dimensions, it requires to be perfectly level and smooth. It is ordinarily made of small pieces of wood joined together, so as to avoid warping, and these being brought to a dead level by planing, the surface is covered with fine green cloth. All round is a ledge two to three inches high, and stuffed as a cushion. The table is furnished with six pockets, one at each of the four corners, and one on each side at the middle. The mouths of these pockets or purses are level with the surface, so as to allow the balls to glide easily into them. The balls are of ivory, about an inch and a-half in diameter. Two are white, and one is red. One of the white is distinguished by a spot. There are usually two players; he who owns the plain ball is called Plain, and he who owns the spotted ball is termed Spot. The red ball belongs to neither, but is aimed at by both. The rods or bills used by the players are of two Winning and Losing Game. This is played by two persons, and twenty-one points are the game. The following are Hoyle's regulations for playing it : 1. The game commences, as usual, with stringing for the lead, as well as the choice of balls. The ball in stringing to be placed within the circle, and the striker must stand within the corners of the table. The ball which rebounds from the bottom cushion, and comes nearest to the cushion within the baulk, takes the lead, and has the choice of balls. 2. If the adversary to the first person who has strung for the lead should cause his ball to touch the other, he loses the lead thereby. is 3. When a player holds the ball in stringing or leading, his lead forfeited. 4. If a ball is followed by either mace or cue beyond the middle hole, it is no lead; the adversary of course may force him to renew his lead. kinds, and different lengths, to suit different players. the nails or spots, and within the ring. 5. After every losing hazard, the ball is to be replaced within The ordinary kind of rod is called a cue. In playing, the left hand is rested with the palm undermost on the table. The palm is hollowed, and the thumb, close to the forefinger, is raised up to form a bridge or rest for the cue. The hand is to be at the distance of about six inches from the ball. The cue is lightly held in the right hand, the thick end uppermost, the blow being struck with the small extremity. Thus held, in a free but firm manner, and resting on the channel between the forefinger and thumb, the cue is given a sharp run forward, so as to hit the ball in the required direction, and with that exact degree of force which will make it perform the desired feat. To prevent slipping, the point of the cue is generally chalked. The table is laid out as follows for play:-At the distance of about a foot from one end, in the centre of the table, is a small dot or mark in the cloth, on which the red ball is placed. At a similar distance from the other, which we shall call the upper end of the table, a line is made across by a chalked string; and in the middle of this line there is a mark on which the white ball of a player is to be struck from. The leading principle in the sport is for a player to impel his white ball against the red ball, and drive them into a pocket or pockets; or to perform a still greater feat of striking the red ball, the adversary's ball, and his own ball, into pockets. It must be understood that nothing is gained by a player striking his own ball direct into a pocket; anybody could do that, and there would be no science in it. The merit consists in impelling balls against each other, at such an exact angle that one or both may be pocketed; and the skill displayed in this is often very surprising. In setting out in a game, the first stroke or lead is determined by lot. This is called stringing for the lead. Each player hits his ball from the string or line, and he who causes it to rebound from the bottom cushion and come back nearest to the upper cushion, has the lead and the choice of the balls. The first player begins by striking his ball from the string against the red ball, as already mentioned; and if he pockets the balls, he scores a certain number, and begins again. So long as he pockets, the adversary does not get a stroke. If the player miss, the adversary takes his turn. Both now play alternately, hitting the balls where they chance to lie; but when one pockets, he starts afresh by striking from the string. A person in attendance scores or keeps reckoning of the play. He does this by means of two indices moving round a figured circle, and when one is gained, he turns the index accordingly. Technically, he is told to score one for Plain or one for Spot. Hitherto we have spoken of billiards as one game, but it is necessary to explain that at least twelve different games may be played. We shall notice the two following as those in common use: 6. The place for the red ball is on the lowest of the two spots at the bottom of the table. 7. The red ball being holed, or forced over the table, is placed immediately on the lowest of the two spots; the present player is, besides, compelled to see it thus replaced, else he cannot score any points while it is off the spot; the stroke of course is foul. 8. When the player misses his adversary's ball, he loses one; but should he at the same time pocket his own ball, he then loses three besides the lead. 9. The adversary's ball, and the red ball also, being struck by a player. accidentally forces his own or either of the other balls over the table, he loses all the advantages he has gained besides the lead. 11. When a ball is accidentally forced over the table, the striker 10. When the striker, after making a hazard or carambole, loses the lead. two; this is called a carom or carambole. 13. To hole the adversary's or the white ball, you score two. To hole the red ball you score three. 14. When the striker holes his own ball off his adversary's, he scores two points; but if he holes his ball off the red, he scores he scores five. If the player holes the red and his own ball, he scores six. three. But if he holes both the red and his adversary's balls, 15. If the striker holes his own and his antagonist's ball, he scores four. 16. When the striker plays at the white ball, and should hole the red after that, and his own ball besides, he scores five-two for holing the white, and three for the red. 17. When the striker, playing on the red ball first, should pocket his own as well as his adversary's ball, he scores five points; three for holing off the red, and two for holing his own. 19. Should the striker hole his own ball off the red, and hole the red and his adversary's too at the same stroke, he scores eight itself, and two for holing his adversary. points thus: three for holing himself off the red, three for the red *** All the above games, commencing with the thirteenth, are scored without the caramboles; the following are those in which the caramboles occur: 20. When a carambole is made, and the adversary's ball is pocketed, four are scored; namely, two for the caran:bole, and two for the white. 21. If the striker pockets the red ball after making a carambole, he scores five; two for the carambole, and three for the red. 23. When a carambole is made by striking the white ball first, and the striker's ball should be holed by the same stroke, four points are gained. 24. When the striker makes a carambole by striking the red ball first, and should hole his own ball at the same time, he gains five points; three for the red losing hazard, and two for the carambole. carambole, and hole your own and adversary's ball at the same 25. If in playing at the white ball first, you should make a time, you score six points; namely, two for each white hazard, and two for the carambole. 26. The striker wins seven points when he caramboles off the red ball, and holes his own and his adversary's ball; namely, two for the carom, two for the white, and three for the red hazard. 27. When the player caramboles by playing first at the white, and should also hole his own and the red, he scores seven points; namely, two for the carom, two for the white losing hazard, and three for the red winning hazard. and also holes his own and the red, he scores eight; namely, two for the carom, three for the red winning hazard, and three for the red losing hazard. 28. When the player caramboles by hitting the red ball first, 29. Should a player carambole on the white ball first, and then hole his own ball and his opponent's, and the red ball besides, he then scores nine; thus two for the carom, two for each white, and three for the red hazard. 30. If a carambole is done by striking the red ball first, and at the same stroke the player holds his own ball, the red ball, and his adversary's too, he gains ten points, upon the principle of the preceding rule. 肇 31. When your adversary's ball is off the table, and the other two balls are upon the line or inside of the stringing nails at the leading end of the table, it is named being within the baulk. The player, therefore, striking from the ring, must make his ball rebound from the opposite cushion, so as to hit one of the balls within the baulk; if he misses, he loses a point. 32. Now and then it occurs that after the red ball has been forced over the table or holed, one of the white balls has so taken up the place of the red ball, that it cannot be replaced in its proper situation without touching it In such, the marker holds the red ball in his hand, while the player strikes at his opponent's ball. 33. And directly after the stroke, replaces it on the proper spot, in order that it may not prevent a carambole from being made. 34. When the striker plays a wrong ball, it is reckoned a foul stroke. 35. When the player is about to strike at or play with the wrong ball, none in the room can with propriety discover it to him, his partner excepted, if they are playing a double match. 36. When the player, after making a carom or a hazard, should, either with his hand, cue, or mace, move either of the balls remaining on the table, the stroke is foul. 37. If the striker should play with the wrong ball, and this erroneous play should not be discovered by his opponent, the marker is obliged to score, and he is a winner of all the points he has gained by the stroke. 38. None can move or touch a ball without permission of the adversary. 39. Sometimes a ball happens to be changed in the course of the game, and it cannot be ascertained by which player; in that case the balls must be used as they then are, and the game so played out. 40. It is a foul stroke when the striker, in the act of playing, should happen to touch his ball twice. 41. Sometimes the player accidentally touches or moves his ball, without intending to strike. In that case he loses no point, but his ball may be replaced as it originally stood. 42. When a striker's adversary or spectator impedes the player's stroke by accident or design, he has a right to renew his stroke. 43. Should a player, in the act of striking, hit his ball, and cause his cue or his mace to go over it or past it, he forfeits a point. 44. No striker can play upon a running ball; such stroke is foul. 45. An accidental stroke is to be considered good if attended with the proper effect, though, by missing the cue, &c. it is not intended as such. 46. Should a striker, in attempting to play, not hit his ball at all, it is no stroke, and he is to try again. 47. Should the striker or his adversary, in the act of playing, move by accident or design the opponent's white or red ball from the place it occupied on the table, the stroke is foul. 48. When the striker's ball and either of the other balls are so close as to touch each other, and in striking at the former, either of the latter is moved from its place, the stroke is foul. 49. Whoever stops a running ball in any way loses the lead, if the opponent does not like the situation of the ball he has to play at next time. 50. It may happen that a striker, after having made a carambole or a hazard, interrupts, by accident, the course of his own ball; in this case he scores nothing, as the stroke is foul. 51. Should a player impede the course of his own ball, after having made a miss, and it is running towards the hole, and it is so thought also by the marker, he loses three points. 52. To stop, retain, or impede the adversary in the act of striking, is deemed foul. 53. Should a player in any way interrupt, stop, or drive his adversary's ball out of its course when running towards a pocket, he forfeits three points. 54. Even blowing upon a ball whilst running makes a stroke foul; and should the striker's ball be making its way towards a hole, and he blow upon it, he loses two points by such act. 55. If a mace or cue is thrown upon the table during a stroke, it is baulking the striker, and the stroke is considered foul. 56. No play is deemed correct when both feet are off the ground. 57. If the table is struck when a ball is running, the stroke is deemed foul. 58. A player leaving a game unfinished loses that game. 59. Some tables are so uneven that they give way toward the pockets. In case a ball should go to the brink of a hole, and after there resting for a few seconds, should drop into it, such tells for nothing; and the ball must be again placed on the brink before the adversary strikes again; and should it fall into the hole again the moment the striker has played his ball, so as to frustrate the intended success of his stroke, the striker's and his opponent's balls must be placed as they were originally, and the strokes played over again. 60. When a player's mace or cue should touch both balls in the act of striking, the stroke is foul; and if noticed by his opponent, nothing is gained on the points made by the stroke; and the opponent may, if he pleases, part the balls also. 61. Those who agree to play with the cue must do so during the whole of the match; but if no conditions of this sort have been made, the player may change as he pleases. No player can, without permission of the adversary, break his agreement. 62. If a foul stroke is made, the adversary may either part the balls and play from the ring, or, if the balls should be favourably placed for himself, permit the striker to score the points he had gained, which the marker is bound to do in all cases where the balls are not broken. 63. All agreements are specially binding. For instance, those who agree to play with the cue point and poirt, cannot use the butt without permission; but they may use the long cue: and the same with those who agree to play with the butt only. 64. A striker wins, and the marker is obliged to score all tho points he gains, by unfair strokes, if the adversary neglects to detect them. 65. He who offers to part the balls, and the adversary agreeing to the same, the offerer loses the lead by such proposal. 66. None (unless they belong to a four match) have a right to comment on a stroke, whether fair or foul, until asked; and in the above case, none but the player and his partner can ask it. 67. When disputes arise between the players, the marker alone decides, and there is no appeal from his decision. But it may occur he might have been inattentive to the stroke; in that case he is to collect the sense of the disinterested part of the company; namely, those who have no bets on the stroke, and their decision is to be final. The White Game. is alternate. The general principle is, that you win if Two players are engaged as above, and the striking you pocket the red ball or your adversary's ball, but invariably lose if by any means you hole your own ball. The number of points in the game is twelve. The following are Hoyle's regulations : 1. In beginning, string for the lead, and the choice of balls, if you please. 2. When a person strings for the lead, he must stand within the limits of the corner of the table, and also must not place his ball beyond the stringing nails or spots; and he who brings his ball nearest the cushion wins the lead. 3. If after the first person has strung for the lead, and his adversary who follows him should make his ball touch the other, he loses the lead. 4. Should the player hole his own ball, either in stringing or leading, he loses the lead. 5. Should the leader follow his ball with either mace or cue past the middle hole, it is no lead; and if his adversary chooses, he may make him lead again. 6. The striker who plays at the lead must stand with both his feet within the limits of the corner of the table, and must not place his ball beyond the stringing nails or spots; and his adversary (only) is bound to see that he stands and plays fair, else the striker wins all the points he made by that stroke. 7. When a hazard has been lost in either of the corner holes, the leader is obliged (if his adversary requires it) to lead from the end of the table where the hazard was lost; but if the hazard was lost in either of the middle holes, it is at the leader's option to lead from either end of the table he pleases. 8. If the striker misses his adversary's ball, he loses one point; and if, by the said stroke, his ball should go into a hole, over the table, or on a cushion, he loses three points; namely, one for missing the ball, and two for holing it, &c.; and he loses the lead. 9. If the striker holes his adversary's ball, or forces it over the table, or on a cushion, he loses two points. 10. If the striker holes his own ball, or forces it over the table, or on a cushion, he loses two points. 11. If the striker holes both balls, or forces them over the table, or on a cushion, he loses two points. 12. No one has a right to take up his ball without permission from his adversary. 13. If the striker, by accident, should touch or move his own ball, not intending to make a stroke, it is deemed as an accident; and his adversary, if he requires it, may put the ball back in the place where it stood. 14. If the striker forces his adversary's ball over the table, and his adversary should chance to stop it, so as to make it come on the table again, the striker nevertheless wins two points. 15. When the striker forces his own ball over the table, and his adversary should chance to stop it, so as to make it come on the table again, the striker loses nothing by the stroke, and he hath the lead; because his adversary ought not to stand in the way, or near the table. 16. If the striker misses the ball, and forces it over the table, and it should be stopped by his adversary, as before mentioned, he loses one point, and has the lead, if he chooses. 17. If the striker, in playing from a cushion or otherwise, by touching the ball, makes his mace or cue go over or past it, he loses one point; and if his adversary requires it, he may put the ball back, and may make him pass the ball. 18. If the striker, in attempting to make a stroke, doth not touch his ball, it is no stroke; and he must try again to make a stroke. 19. If, when the balls are near each other, and the striker by |