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Draw Poker govern it It differs from the latter game in the following particulars only:

I. The winner of the pool has the deal.

II. Each player antes before the cards are cut for the deal. III. Any player may pass with the privilege of coming in again, provided no player preceding him has made a bet.

IV. No player is permitted to discard, or draw any cards. V. When all the players pass, the eldest hand deals, and each player deposits another ante in the pool, thus making what is termed a "double-header." When a misdeal occurs the rule is the same.

WHISKEY POKER.

Each player contributes one chip to make a pool, and the same rules govern as at Draw Poker, save that the strongest hand you can get is a straight flush. Five cards are dealt to each player, one at a time, and an extra hand is dealt on the table, which is called the "widow." The eldest hand then examines his cards, and if, in his judgment, his hand is sufficiently strong, he passes. The next player then has the priilege of the widow, and, supposing him to take it, he then ays his discarded hand (that which he relinquishes for the

widow) face up in the centre of the table, and the next player to the left selects from it that card which suits him best in filling his hand, and so on all around the board, each player discarding one card and picking up another, until some one is satisfied, which he signifies by knocking upon the table. When this occurs, all the players around to the satisfied party have the privilege of one more draw, when the hands we shown, and the strongest wins. If any player knocks beture the widow is taken, the widow is then turned face up, and each player from him who knocks has but one more draw. Should no one take the widow, but all pass to the dealer, he then turns the widow, and all parties have the right to draw until some one is satisfied.

STUD POKER

is in all essential particulars like the other Poker games, and is subject to the same laws and mode of betting, passing, etc.

MISTIGRIS

is a variety of a game of Draw Poker, sometimes called FiftyThree Deck Poker. Mistigris is a name given to the blank card accompanying every pack; the player holding it can call it any card not already in his hand.

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ORDER OF THE MEN ON THE BOARD.

HESS is one of the
known games of skill.
are advanced as to its origin.

most ancient of Various theories One account states that the wife of Ravan, King of Ceylon, devised it in order to amuse her royal spouse with an image of war while his metropolis was closely besieged by Rama.

We will now proceed to give the necessary directions for playing the game.

The game is played on a board divided into sixty-four squares, colored alternately black and white. It is the same as that used at draughts. Eight pieces of different denomina

A

Knight.

Rook

Pawn

Every player, therefore, is provided with one king, one queen, two bishops, two knights, and two rooks, besides the eight pawns. They are placed, at the beginning of each game, in the order shown at the head of this article.

In placing the board, care must be taken that a white corner square be at the right hand of each player. It should also be observed that the queen must be placed upon a square of her own color.

THE PIECES: THEIR POWERS AND MODE OF ACTION.

The king can move in any direction-forward, backward, sideways, or diagonally, provided always, of course, that he does not move into check. The king possesses one great prerogative-that of never being taken; but, by way of counterbalancing the advantage of this exemption, he is restrained from exposing himself to check. He can move only one square at a time, except when he castles, which he may do once during each game. He may then move two squares. He cannot castle when in check, nor after he has once moved, nor with a rook that has been moved, nor if any of the squares over which he has to move be commanded by an adverse piece.

The queen can move either horizontally or diagonally. She

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combines the powers of the bishop and the rock. She can, at one move, pass along the whole length of the board, or, if moving diagonally, from corner to corner. Although she can move and take in the same manner as a bishop or as a rook, she must make the whole of one move in one direction, and cannot combine in one move the powers of these two pieces : in other words, she cannot move round a corner at one step.

The rook (sometimes called the castle) may pass along the entire length of the board at one move. It may move back. wards, or forwards, or sideways-but always horizontally, never diagonally.

The bishop can move only in a diagonal direction, but can go any number of squares, from one to eight, or as far as the space be open. The bishop can never change the color of his square. Thus, the white king's bishop being on a white square at the beginning, remains so throughout the game. This is a necessary consequence of his move being purely diagonal.

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The knight has a power of moving which is quite peculiar, and rather difficult to explain. He moves two squares at once in a direction partly diagonal and partly straight. changes the color of his squares at every move. The knight is the only piece that possesses what is styled the "vaulting motion." He is not precluded from going to a square between which and his own other pieces intervene. Thus, instead of moving your king's pawn two, as your first move, you might, if good play permitted it, move out either of your knights right over the row of pawns in front. This power is possessed by the knight alone, all the other pieces being obliged to wait until there is an opening in front of them before they can emerge.

The pawn moves in a straight line towards the adverse party. It cannot move out of its file except in capturing one of the opposing pawns or pieces, when it steps one square in a diagonal or slanting direction, and occupies the square of the captured piece. It can only be moved one square at a time, excepting in the first move, when the player has the option of advancing it two squares. The pawn is the only piece which cannot retreat, and which does not take in the direction in which it moves. For full explanations relative to "queening the pawn," and taking a pawn en passant, see instructions on those points.

ABBREVIATIONS.

The abbreviations which are invariably used in chess publications are the following: K. for king, Q. for queen, B. for bishop, Kt. for knight, R. for rook, P. for pawn, Sq. for square, and Ch. for check. The pieces on one side of the

board are distinguished from those on the other in the follow ing manner: Those on the same side as the king are named after him, as K.'s B. (king's bishop), K.'s Kt. (king's knight), K.'s R. (king's rook); while those on the same side as the queen are named Q.'s B. (queen's bishop), Q.'s Kt. (queen's knight), Q.'s R. (queen's rook). The pawns are distinguished in like manner. The pawn occupying the square in front of the K's B. is called K.'s B.'s P; that in front of the K.'s Kt. is called K.'s Kt.'s P.; that in front of the Q.'s R. the Q.'s R.'s P., etc.

Q.R.2. Q.Kt.2. Q.B.2.

Q.R.sq.Q.Kt.sql QB.sq. Q.8q.

'8'8' | '8'7'Я '8''Я K.B.sq. K.Kt sq K.R.sq.

CHESS NOTATION FROM EACH END OF THE BOARD.

Suppose the white queen's bishop moves one square, it is then said to stand on its second, which is the black queen's bishop's seventh. The white king's eighth is the black king's first, and vice versa all through the pieces.

TECHNICAL TERMS USED IN THE GAME. The Move.-Whichever player opens the game by making the first move is said to have "the move."

Check.-When your king is attacked by any piece, he is said to be "in check," and it is your opponent's duty to give you warning of such an event by crying "Check," when he makes the move. You must then put your king out of check by moving him, by taking the checking piece, or by interposing one of your own men between the checking piece and your king, thus "covering" check, as it is termed.

Checkmate is the term used when the king is in inextricable check, i.e., when none of the above means avail to place him beyond the range of the attacking pieces. When a checkmate is obtained, the game is at an end, that being the sole object. Discovered Check is when the player moves a pawn or piece from before another piece, thereby opening or "discovering" check e.g., the black rook may be on a line with the oppos ing king, the only intervening piece being a black pawn. The removal of this pawn "discovers check."

Double Check is when check is discovered as above the king being also attacked by the piece moved.

Perpetual Check is when the king of one of the players can be checked almost at every move, and when he has little else

to do but move out of check. When the game has reached this stage, the weaker player may demand that checkmate shall be given in a certain number of moves, in default of which it may be declared a drawn game. (See Rule 8.) Drawn Game.-A drawn game may arise from several

Causes:

1. As above.

2. Stalemate. (See "Stalemate.")

3. Equal play. "Between very good players," remarks Phillidor, "it sometimes happens that the equipoise in force and position is constantly sustained in the opening, in the intermediate stages, and in the last result; when either all the exchangeable pieces have been mutually taken, or the remaining forces are equal-as a queen against a queen, a rook against a rook, with no advantage in position, or the pawns are mutually blocked up."

4. Absence of mating power, i.., when neither player possesses the force requisite to obtain a checkmate. (See "Mating Power.")

5. Unskillful use of a sufficiently strong force. If one player is superior in force to his adversary, and possesses the requisite mating power, the game may still be drawn by the unskillful use of that superiority, If he cannot effect a checkmate in fifty moves it may be declared a drawn game.

Stalemate describes that state of the game when one of the players has nothing left but his king, which is so placed that, although not in check, he cannot move without going into check.

Castling is a double operation, accomplished by moving the king and one of the rooks at the same time. When the re moval of the bishop and the knight on the one side, or of the bishop, knight, and queen on the other, has cleared the inter vening squares, the king may castle with either of his rooks. If it should be done on the king's side of the board, the king is to be placed on the knight's square, and the rook on the bishop's, if in the queen's section, the king must be moved to the bishop's square, and the rook to the queen's. In other words, the king, in either case, must move two squares, and the rook be placed on the opposite side of him to that on which he stood before.

En Prise.-A piece is said to be en prise when under

attack.

En Passant (in passing).—If your adversary has advanced one of his pawns to the fifth square, and you move one of your pawns in either of the adjoining files two squares, he is entitled to take your pawn, en passant, as though you had only moved it one square. This peculiar mode of capture can only be effected by pawns.

Ranks and Files.-The lines of squares running from left to right are known as ranks, and those perpendicular to them, running from one player to the other, are called files.

Passed and Isolated Pawns.-A pawn is said to be "passed " when it is so far advanced that no pawn of the adversary's can oppose it. An isolated pawn is one that stands alone and unsupported.

Double Pawn.-Two pawns on the same file.

"Jadoube" (signifying I adjust or I arrange) is the expression generally used when a player touches a piece to

arrange it without the intention of making a move. Perhaps it not absolutely necessary that he should say "Jadoube,” but he must at any rate use an equivalent expression.

To Interpose. This term explains itself. If your king of one of your pieces is attacked, and you move another of your pieces between the attacking piece and the piece attacked, either for the purpose of covering check, or as a means of protection, or with any other object, you are said to "inter pose."

Winning the Exchange.-You arc said "to win the exchange" when you gain a rook for a bishop, a bishop for a knight, or, in short, whenever you gain a superior piece by giving an inferior.

Queening a Pawn.—You are said to “queen a pawn” when you advance it to the eighth square on the file. You may then claim a queen or any other piece in exchange for it. Formerly the rule was, that you might substitute for it any piece you had previously lost, but according to the modern game three or more rooks, or bishops, or knights may be obtained in this way,

Gambit. This term, which is derived from the Italian, describes an opening in which a pawn is purposely sacrificed at an early stage of the game, in order subsequently to gain an advantage, Several gambits are distinguished by the names of their inventors, such as the Cochrane gambit, the Muzio gambit, the Salvio gambit, etc.; there are also the bishop's gambit, the queen's gambit, etc., etc.

Mating Power.-The force requisite to bring about a checkmate. a king and queen against king and two bishops, king and two knights, king and bishop and knight, or against king and rook, can effect checkmate, King and two bishops can uate against king and bishop, or king and knight. King with two bishops and knight can mate against king and rook. King with rook and bishop can mate against rook and king. King can always draw against king and bishop, or king and knight. King and rook against either a king and bishop, or king and knight, makes a drawn game, etc.

LAWS OF THE GAME.

The following laws are in force in all the principal clubs in this country:

I. If a player touch one of his men, unless for the purpose of adjusting it, when he must say "J'adoube" (see Law 4), or it being his turn to move, he must move the piece he has so touched.

[Walker gives the following remarks on this law: "When you touch a piece with the bona fide intention of playing it, the saying Jadoube will not exonerate you from completing the move. A chess-player's meaning cannot be misunderstood on the point, and were it otherwise you might hold a man in your hand for five minutes, and then saying 'Jadoube,' replace it, and move elsewhere."]

2. If the men are not placed properly at the beginning of the game, , and this is discovered before four moves have been made on each side, the game must be recommenced. If the mistake should not be found out till after four moves have been made, the game must be proceeded with.

3. Where the players are even, they must draw lots for the first move, after which they take the first move alternately. When a player gives odds, he has the option of making the first move, and the choice of men in every game.

[In giving odds, should it be agreed upon to give a pawn, it is customary to take the K. B. P. If a piece is to be given, it may be taken from either the king's or queen's side.]

4. If a player should accidentally or otherwise move or touch one of his men without saying "J'adoube," his adversary may compel him to move either the man he has touched or his king, provided the latter is not in check. 5. When a player gives check, and fails to give notice by crying "Check," his adversary need not, unless he think proper, place his king out of check, nor cover. [If it is discovered that the king is in check, and has been so for several moves past, the players must move the men back to the point at which they stood when check was given. If they cannot agree as to when check was first given, the player who is in check must retract his last move, and defend his king.] 6. The player who effects checkmate wins the game.

7. Stalemate constitutes a draw game.

8. So long as you retain your hold of a piece you may move it where you will.

9. Should you move one of your adversary's men instead of your own, he may compel you to take the piece you have touched, should it be en prise, or to replace it and move your king, provided, of course, that you can do so without placing him in check.

ro. Should you capture a man with one that cannot legally take it, your adversary may compel you either to take such piece (should it be en prise) with one that can legally take it, or to move the piece touched; provided that by so doing you do not discover check, in which case you may be directed to move your king.

11. Should you move out of your turn, your adversary may compel you either to retract the move, or leave the piece where you placed it, as he may think most advan tageous.

12. If you touch the king and rook, intending to castle, and

have quitted hold of the one piece, you must complete the act of castling. If you retain your hold of both, your adversary may compel you to move either of them. 13. The game must be declared to be drawn should you fail to give checkmate in fifty moves, when you have

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HINTS FOR COMMENCING THE GAME,

To open the game well, some of the pawns should be played out first. The royal pawns, particularly, should be advanced to their fourth square; it is not often safe to advance them farther. The bishop's pawn should also be played out early in the game; but it is not always well to advance the rook's and knight's pawns too hastily, as these afford an excellent protection to your king in case you should castle. Phillidor describes pawn-playing as the "the soul of chess." When they are not too far advanced, and are so placed as to be mu tually supporting, they present a strong barrier to the advance of your adversary, and prevent him from taking up a commanding position. If you play your pieces out too early, and advance too far, your adversary may oblige you to bring them back again by advancing his pawns upon them, and you thus lose time.

Do not commence your attack until you are well prepared. A weak attack often results in disaster. If your attack is likely to prove successful, do not be diverted from it by any bait which your adversary may purposely put in your way. Pause, lest you fall into a snare.

Beware of giving check uselessly-i. e., unless you have in view the obtaining of some advantage. A useless check is a move lost, which may, particularly between good players, decide the game.

It is generally injudicious to make an exchange when your position is good, or when, by so doing, you bring one of your adversary's pieces into good play. Never make an exchange without considering the consequences. When your game is crowded and ill arranged and your position inferior, it is advantageous to exchange. Sometimes also, when you are much superior in force, it is worth your while to make an equal exchange.

The operation of castling often relieves a crowded game. A lost opportunity of casting, or castling at the wrong time, is a disadvantage which may be turned to account by your ad

versary.

Never put your queen before your king in such a way that your adversary may bring forward a bishop or rook and attack her, and the king through her. In such a case, unless you can interpose another piece, you will inevitably lose your queen.

It is good play to "double" your rooks-i, e., to make them mutually supporting. Don't bring your rooks into active pla too soon. They can generally operate most effectively et distance, and they are therefore of most value toward the end of a game, when the board is comparatively clear.

From time to time take a review of the game. Although an incurably tedious player is a general nuisance, it is meng folly to play without knowing the reason why." To take an occasional review of the game gets you into a systematis habit. When near the close, take notice of the position of your adversary's pawns, and if you find that you can queen before him, make all haste to do so; if not, attack his pawns so as to prevent him from queening. If your adversary pos sesses a decided advantage, look out for a means of drawing the game.

Do not stick to one opening, but learn as many as you can.

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