tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-75236339953601773032024-02-19T08:31:45.198-08:00Royal Games Guild of EaldormereTodd Fischerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14736826198784750383noreply@blogger.comBlogger53125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7523633995360177303.post-14473807276133708762014-06-30T08:07:00.002-07:002014-06-30T08:07:29.711-07:00Roman Games<div class="MsoNormal">
Roman Games</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
by Signora Giata Maddalena Alberti</div>
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<br /></div>
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<st1:place w:st="on"><b>Rota</b></st1:place><b><o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAxubvIOLrwUugMb_K3rKkhfZgqziz-DlQGJ02yeS9xs5NOLqYm-QQ7EJdP82IAa9ShNwqmWF8MFqZZJyHw_K2yCN4-iq8_r7iNsdYVxMmSp4XOcuI729sBl6QDWErxBMJEFvRuA3cosgc/s1600/rota-game.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAxubvIOLrwUugMb_K3rKkhfZgqziz-DlQGJ02yeS9xs5NOLqYm-QQ7EJdP82IAa9ShNwqmWF8MFqZZJyHw_K2yCN4-iq8_r7iNsdYVxMmSp4XOcuI729sBl6QDWErxBMJEFvRuA3cosgc/s1600/rota-game.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.praetorian.com/challenges/rota/img/rota-game.jpg">Image source.</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
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<st1:place w:st="on">Rota</st1:place>, means “Wheel” and is
the Roman equivalent of Tic-Tac-Toe, though the name they called it has been lost.
Like most medieval games, the rules have been reconstructed based on similar
games.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Rules of play, as researched by Guillaume de Pyrenees (mka
Sam Wallace) in his Synopsis of Morris Games class.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Each player gets 3 game pieces.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Players take turns putting their game pieces on any line in
the circle including the middle.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Once they've put all 3 pieces on the board, they can move
their pieces from line to line, but only to one that's next to the line that
they're on.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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The player who gets three in a row first wins.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The players will need to decide before hand if three in a
row around the edge of the circle counts or if the three in the row must cross
through the center.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>Lucky Sixes<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9C2Aepv5UgC9vQl5B0WHUOei-WsPrkgO3yZ6q2QuCaFERwWTxx1nreAcotAiUVlTlojJohtSLD-xlG0uCWT1HxezYASPqk3lZ5LUeKgv8orvmLRykr-xhkWLZE4Ij-M62Jgsh06CTgAhs/s1600/lucky+sixes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9C2Aepv5UgC9vQl5B0WHUOei-WsPrkgO3yZ6q2QuCaFERwWTxx1nreAcotAiUVlTlojJohtSLD-xlG0uCWT1HxezYASPqk3lZ5LUeKgv8orvmLRykr-xhkWLZE4Ij-M62Jgsh06CTgAhs/s1600/lucky+sixes.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE7JLYk4sok2dtNqZ19BfPwF8fzDbNgDm7gy_iTqeTy8D6G9nW01Ez2NW_IVEC2mcLAY6RGkJAM2bu058WmQ4QlA8D0dnsdp2sWjYmWp7bK196yTVuq2Gs8n1Nde2oi0sjAuXxTKY1n-A/s1600/Lucky+Sixes.jpg">Image source.</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
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Felix Sex is Latin for “Lucky Sixes” and is probably a
derivative of the earlier Duodecim Scripta and a precursor to Tabula and,
later, Nard. The rules for this game are reconstructed, as there are no
surviving references to it other than circumstantial. It was played by the
Romans and by the people who remained after the fall of the <st1:place w:st="on">Western
Empire</st1:place> (e.g. in Anglo-Saxon Britain).<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Each player starts with 15 pieces o the board. Three dice are tossed for
movement. The pieces move rst up the center
line of letters (or spaces), and then over to the player’s left. Finally they
would travel to the opposite side of letters and then off the board.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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The object is to get all one’s pieces across the board to
the final square. If you landed on a square that had an opponent’s piece
already on it, that piece would return to (their) square one. If two or more
opponent’s pieces were already on the square, then it could not be occupied.
Presumably you would be forced to fall short, or rearrange the moves of your
own pieces. Each die is counted separately for movement, and all three must be
used if possible.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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No pieces may move beyond the first ‘word’ until all pieces
had entered the board. Likewise, no pieces could exit the board until all
pieces had landed on the last word.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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As researched by Guillaume de Pyrenees in his Synopsis of
Intro to Medieval Board Games class.</div>
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<b>Five in a Row<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi16Kqu8vrH9RpqRl0W5wLk6sxu_gQf_uApWs1iH8vhXAMWn3GpKY7548hTSvxbhQfcKwg0Mj7qUV9ArIKvbcnyUKITP7x9ERC6n1YKqkWJAvQM-kbZjpJAeUQz6v2-UQ7wsLQlI13kBkOs/s1600/five_in_a_row.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi16Kqu8vrH9RpqRl0W5wLk6sxu_gQf_uApWs1iH8vhXAMWn3GpKY7548hTSvxbhQfcKwg0Mj7qUV9ArIKvbcnyUKITP7x9ERC6n1YKqkWJAvQM-kbZjpJAeUQz6v2-UQ7wsLQlI13kBkOs/s1600/five_in_a_row.jpg" height="320" width="247" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://fleurtyherald.files.wordpress.com/2013/08/five_in_a_row.jpg">Image source.</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
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Calculi, or “Five in a Row” is a Roman game played on the
same board as Latrunculi. Each player has 33 pieces, in opposite colors.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The traditional rules of Calculi, or "Five in a
Row," are as follows:<o:p></o:p></div>
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1. Black plays first.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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2. First person to
line up five stones in a row orthogonally (straight across or straight up and
down) or diagonally wins.<o:p></o:p></div>
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3. It is illegal to
make a "double open-ended three" unless one is forced to do so.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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4. If the board
becomes filled, the game is a draw. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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A double open-ended three, or three in a row simultaneously
in two directions, is banned because it is too easy to win, and occurs
frequently. This rule makes for a much more interesting game, and leads to the
strategy in which one tries to make a double "three and a four,"
which is like a double open-ended three, except that one line is made of four
in a row.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br />
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As researched by Wally J. Kowalski from Able One Education
Network</div>
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<br /></div>
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[Source: <a href="http://fleurtyherald.wordpress.com/2013/10/01/giadas-research-papers-and-class-handouts/">Fleurty Herald</a>]</div>
Todd H. C. Fischerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17443803516688636635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7523633995360177303.post-48121330202274389872014-06-30T07:56:00.001-07:002014-06-30T07:56:30.440-07:00Gaming and the Italian Salone<div class="MsoNormal">
Gaming and the Italian Salone<o:p></o:p></div>
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By Signora Giada Maddalena Alberti <o:p></o:p></div>
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A salon is a gathering of people under the roof of an
inspiring host, held partly to amuse one another and partly to refine taste and
increase the knowledge of the participants through conversation. These
gatherings often consciously followed Horace's definition of the aims of
poetry, "either to please or to educate" ("aut delectare aut
prodesse est"). The word salon is the French adaption of the Italian word
salone, from sala (a reception room found in the renaissance palazzo). <o:p></o:p></div>
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The salon was an Italian invention of the 1500s. In
cinquecento <st1:country-region w:st="on">Italy</st1:country-region>,
scintillating circles formed in prominent smaller courts, often galvanized by
the presence of a beautiful and educated patroness such as Isabella d'Este or
Elisabetta Gonzaga. <st1:country-region w:st="on">Italy</st1:country-region>
had an early tradition of the “salone”; the courtesan Tullia d'Aragona held a
salon in the 1500s, and Giovanna Dandolo became known as a patron and gatherer
of artists as wife of Pasqual Malipiero, the doge in <st1:city w:st="on">Venice</st1:city> in from 1457 to 1462. These gatherings
proved to be the model for later salons in <st1:country-region w:st="on">Italy</st1:country-region>
and the salon movement which flourished in <st1:country-region w:st="on">France</st1:country-region> throughout the 1600s and
1700s. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>Games Fit For a
Medici Princess <o:p></o:p></b></div>
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Isabella de’ Medici, the daughter of Cosimo de Medici, was a
beautiful, intellectual, and accomplished renaissance princess in <st1:city w:st="on">Florence</st1:city>. Under the
protection of her father, Isabella was able to live a life of parties, loves,
and intellectual pursuits, while managing to delay her move to her husband's
home in <st1:city w:st="on">Rome</st1:city>
for over a decade. She was the hostess of a glittering circle of her Florentine
contemporaries. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Beautiful and liberated, she not only matched the
intellectual accomplishments of her male cohorts, but sought amorous parity
also, engaging in an adulterous affair with her husband's cousin. It was this
affair - and her very success as First Lady of Florence - that led to her death
at the hands of her husband at the age of just thirty-four in 1576. She left
behind a remarkable story, and as her legacy a son who became the best of the
Orsini Dukes, immortalized by Shakespeare as Duke Orsino in "Twelfth
Night". It is documented that in her salone, conversations, refreshments,
and pastimes could be had for hours that bled into days. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Plausibly, games fashionable in <st1:country-region w:st="on">Italy</st1:country-region> in the 1500s would have been
played in a salone like that of Isabella de Medici. Some of the more popular
games, some with Italian origins (*) are: <o:p></o:p></div>
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Sicilian Chess* - Board game, 1557 (CA#71 p7) <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Blind Dice* - Dice game, 1500s (KWHb p145) <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Italian Draughts* - Board game,1500s (<st1:city w:st="on">Murray</st1:city>
4.3.3, <st1:city w:st="on">Bell</st1:city>
p73) <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Six-Men’s Morris Board game, obsolete by 1600 (<st1:city w:st="on">Murray</st1:city> 3.3.20, <st1:city w:st="on">Bell</st1:city>
p92) <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Basset - Card game, 1400s (Parlett p8/53/58/ 64/ 77 and
CA#71 p15) <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Cuckoo - Card game, 1400s (Parlett p31, CA#71 p18) <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>Games Italians Played
<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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These instructions are taken largely from Master Damiano
Elie Bellini’s “Gaming Italian Style” class handout. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Grazie mille to him for allowing me to share his information
and sources. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>Sicilian Chess<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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This version dates to 1557 and is a variant of medieval
chess very similar to the modern game. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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In the Sicilian game the pieces, save the queen, move as in
modern chess. There is no castling move of the rook and king, and no two-square
opening pawn moves. A pawn reaching the opposite side of the board can be
promoted to the capital piece that started in the square the pawn reached. A
pawn reaching the king or queen’s square would be promoted to bishop. The queen
is restricted to move four squares diagonally or one square orthogonal.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>Blind Dice<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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This is a 16th century Italian gambling game. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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The game uses six cubed dice, each having a number from one
to six on one side with the other five sides blank. The total of all six dice
is twenty-one. The game is played by one player at a time taking on the house. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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They player puts up a stake, then rolls the dice, and the
payoffs are as follows: <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Number Rolled Payoff <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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0 Player
loses stake to the house <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
1 – 8 Player
keeps the stake <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
9 – 10 House
pays an amount equal to the stake <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
11 – 12 Pays
twice the stake <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
13 Pays
three times the stake <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
14 Pays
four times the stake <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
15 Pays
five times the stake <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
16 Pays
ten times the stake <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
17 Pays
fifteen times the stake <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
18 Pays
twenty times the stake <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
19 Pays
twenty-five times the stake <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
20 Pays
fifty times the stake <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
21 Pays
ninety times the stake <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>Italian Draughts<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Draughts was played in <st1:country-region w:st="on">France</st1:country-region>,
<st1:place w:st="on">England</st1:place>,
and the Spanish Marches before 1500. The first mention of this checker-like
game being played in <st1:country-region w:st="on">Italy</st1:country-region>
dates from 1527. Elsewhere in Europe it was played later than 1550, which
confirms an eastward spread from <st1:country-region w:st="on">France</st1:country-region>. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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In the Italian version the board (8x8) is placed so that the
double black corner is on the player’s left instead of right. Each player has
twelve pieces set up on the black squares of the first three rows in front of
him. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The pieces move only on the black squares and black has the
first move. The pieces move diagonally forwards one square at a time and may
not move backwards. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The object of the game is to capture or immobilize your
opponent’s twelve pieces. A capture is made by a piece (man) jumping over an
enemy piece and landing on a vacant square immediately beyond. If the capturing
piece can continue to leap over the other enemy pieces they are also captured
and removed from the board. When a piece finally comes to rest the move is finished.
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If an uncrowned piece reaches the opponents back line it
becomes a king. Crowning ends a move. After crowning a king can move diagonally
backwards and forwards one square at a time, and captures by a standard jump.
There may be several kings on the board at a time. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In Italian Draughts, a number of rules apply to captures: <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A player had to take when possible or lose the game. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A man (piece) could not take a king <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If he had a choice of capture he was forced to take the
greater number; if this number were equal (each option containing a king) when
there are two or more options, then he must capture wherever the king occurs
first. This rule was known in <st1:country-region w:st="on">Italy</st1:country-region>
as ‘il piu col piu’ (‘the greater to the greater’). <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Six-Men’s Morris<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Morris, also known as Mill, Mills, and Merrills, was popular
in <st1:country-region w:st="on">Italy</st1:country-region>, <st1:country-region w:st="on">France</st1:country-region>, and <st1:place w:st="on">England</st1:place> during the middle ages but
was obsolete by 1600.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Each player has six pieces and they are entered (placed)
alternately, one at a time; each player trying to form a row along one of the
sides of either square. If a player succeeds in this he is allowed to remove
any one of his opponent’s pieces. When all of the pieces have been played the
game continues by alternate moves of a piece along a line to an adjacent empty
point. When a player is reduced to two men, the game is over.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In Shakespeare's 16th century work A Midsummer Night's
Dream, Titania laments that it is no longer played: "The nine men's morris
is filled up with mud" (A Midsummer Night's Dream, Act II, Scene I). <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Basset<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
From the Italian bassetta, a card game also known as
barbacole, considered one of the most polite pastimes. It was intended for
persons of the highest rank because of the great losses or gains that might be
accrued by the players. This game financially endangered some of the great
French houses and was banned by the King of France. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Basset is a banking game, with a significant advantage for
the house. It is purely a game of chance. One player is the banker. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The banker has a full deck of cards, well shuffled. Each
punter, or player, has the 13 cards of a single suit of a similar deck in front
of him, or perhaps a board with marks for the 13 denominations. Punters put
bets on their boards before play begins. Once all bets are placed, the banker
turns up a single card from his deck (made up of multiple decks of cards**) and
wins all bets placed on the denomination shown (suit is ignored). After the
first card is turned up the banker turns up cards from his deck in pairs,
putting them on two piles alternately, until all bets are resolved or the deck
is exhausted. Denominations that match a card turned up on the first pile lose
their bets to the banker; denominations that match a card turned up on the
second pile win. The banker must pay equal to any winning bets. As with the
first card turned up, the banker wins any bets that remain on the last card
turned. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
On any winning bet the punter may decline his winnings and
let the bet ride in the hope of further winnings. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If the same denomination shows up again on the winning pile,
the banker must pay seven times the bet; if the bet is let ride again and wins,
the banker pays 15 times; if it is let ride and shows up a fourth time on the winning
pile the banker must pay 30 times the bet. Finally, if it shows up four times
in one deal, the punter lets it ride into the next hand, and the same card
shows up winners a fifth time, the banker must pay 60 times the bet. The
decision to let a bet ride is marked by bending up a corner of the card it lies
on each time (this is destructive of cards, so it is suggested that you use
some other way to mark a riding bet). <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Once a payment is declined by a punter (leaving a bet to
ride) the punter cannot change his mind until the card shows up again on the
winning pile, when he again has the choice of taking his winnings or letting it
ride.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
** One deck of cards is sufficient for 2 to 3 players, each
additional deck allows up to four more players. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Cuckoo<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Also known as ranter-go-round, gnav, killekort, chase the
ace, and hexencarteis. Cuckoo was first mentioned in <st1:city w:st="on">Cornwall</st1:city> in the early fifteenth century. By
the end of that century it had spread throughout Europe and become a favorite
in <st1:place w:st="on">Scandinavia</st1:place>. From there is spread to the
Baltics, <st1:country-region w:st="on">Russia</st1:country-region>, and
northern <st1:country-region w:st="on">Germany</st1:country-region>.
It is, allegedly, the oldest card game for which directions were printed in the
Russian language. It was also quite popular in southern <st1:country-region w:st="on">Italy</st1:country-region> and the
western Mediterranean islands. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It is a game for any number of players. Cards rank king=high
to ace=low without regard to suit. A stake is determined at the start. The
players are all dealt one card each. After the deal, each player, starting from
the dealers left, may stand or demand to swap cards with the player to his
left. A player may only refuse to swap if he is holding a king, which must then
be shown. This continues until it returns to the dealer, who may replace his
card with one drawn at random from the pack, if he wishes. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The cards are then revealed and the player holding the
lowest ranked card must then pay the predetermined stake to the pot. If two or
more players tie for the lowest rank, they must each contribute to the pot.
After a player has lost a predetermined number of hands, usually three, he is
out of the game. Play continues until there is only one player left in, who
then wins the pot. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>References:<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<st1:place w:st="on">Bell</st1:place>,
R.C. Board and Table Games from Many Civilizations, Vols. 1 & 2. <st1:city w:st="on">Dover</st1:city> Publications. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Complete Anachronist #4. Indoor Games, or How to While Away
a Siege. SCA, Inc. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Known World Handbook (Third Edition). SCA, Inc. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<st1:city w:st="on">Murray</st1:city>,
H.J.R. A History of Board-Games Other Than Chess. Hacker Art Books, Inc. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Partlett, David. A History of Card Games. <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Oxford</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">University</st1:placetype></st1:place>
Press.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
[Source: <a href="https://sites.google.com/site/giada1499/research-papers-and-class-handouts">Fleurty Herald</a>] <o:p></o:p></div>
Todd H. C. Fischerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17443803516688636635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7523633995360177303.post-11449706439912567292014-06-30T07:47:00.000-07:002014-06-30T07:47:12.808-07:00Game of the Goose (Giocho dell'Oca)<div class="MsoNormal">
Game of the Goose (Giocho dell'Oca)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
by Signora Giata Maddalena Alberti</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As researched by Signora Giata Alberti
~fleurtyherald@gmail.com <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZRIW1vsBtS0xxVwbLLU5bgIEOkGNozwX3MESe9qPd1kA9HIPvFfTNV20MMn-KGp0Lk0gZkwi9R-4VR7prAaEERuiOvS4ejCPja8stM9zFOcEcC1nTT6YV_d-2qNLrdlxndiHxmHijtfdj/s1600/goose.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZRIW1vsBtS0xxVwbLLU5bgIEOkGNozwX3MESe9qPd1kA9HIPvFfTNV20MMn-KGp0Lk0gZkwi9R-4VR7prAaEERuiOvS4ejCPja8stM9zFOcEcC1nTT6YV_d-2qNLrdlxndiHxmHijtfdj/s1600/goose.jpg" height="303" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://italophiles.com/images/goose.jpg">Image source.</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Players take turns
rolling two dice and moving their pawn around the board by the sum of their
roll. The board has all the same special spaces that Goose games throughout its
history have included: <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
• The Bridge on space 6 that advances the player to space
12. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
• An <st1:place w:st="on">Inn</st1:place> on space 19 where
the traveler tarries for one turn. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
• The Well on space 31, where the visitor loses 2 turns. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
• The Maze of space 42, wherein the traveler loses the way
and returns to space 30. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
• The Dungeon on space 52, where the prisoner remains until
another arrives and the two trade places. An additional means of escape is to
roll a 9 and go to one of the fields with dice. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
• Space 58, where a cooked goose appears in place of the
traditional Grim Reaper, sends the player back to start.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Additional rules:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A lucky throw of 9 at the beginning of the spiral path
advances a player to one of the fields with geese (6+3 goes to space 26, 4+5
goes to space 53). <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Landing on any of the pretty geese doubles a player's move.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
To win, a roll must land you exactly on 63. The surplus is
counted by moving backwards from 63.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2_30pQrthQv5jjIVfqX63obarQdROPcIGR0csTqMnI5ORmQIvAsLaSAQ4Ygw1mRiHPFgqFJy8X4Ne05NmwoNL9ybrA2JZBvqm9-J_3mJa3n2V3HX1Cg7MvbMc3Ro-sd9aw90q7VVObb02/s1600/goose2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2_30pQrthQv5jjIVfqX63obarQdROPcIGR0csTqMnI5ORmQIvAsLaSAQ4Ygw1mRiHPFgqFJy8X4Ne05NmwoNL9ybrA2JZBvqm9-J_3mJa3n2V3HX1Cg7MvbMc3Ro-sd9aw90q7VVObb02/s1600/goose2.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://fleurtyherald.files.wordpress.com/2013/07/1580-il-novo-gioco-de-loca-milano.jpg">Image source</a>.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="text-align: start;">[Source: <a href="https://sites.google.com/site/giada1499/research-papers-and-class-handouts">Fleurty Herald</a>]</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Todd H. C. Fischerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17443803516688636635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7523633995360177303.post-39674919226623940002014-06-30T07:36:00.000-07:002014-06-30T07:38:47.120-07:00Bassetta<div class="MsoNormal">
Bassetta</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
by Signora Giata Maddalena Alberti</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
From the Italian bassetta, a card game also known as
barbacole, considered one of the most polite pastimes of the quattrocento to
seicento. It was intended for persons of the highest rank because of the great
losses or gains that might be accrued by the players. This game financially
endangered some of the great French houses and was banned by the King of
France. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizedtHyAqmOPCr0MhRaCOoW3MYLhEXsg_OCb6bquRlwhfLs2XyYcKKy7G7UrDfyzoBNrj1vtETkdv8ALDFiOdy7V4ZukRPPA7f0HW4xn3pkt_SYh1_7YUcMXa_zxXmgjAkePMv80EuihrA/s1600/bassetta-sheet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizedtHyAqmOPCr0MhRaCOoW3MYLhEXsg_OCb6bquRlwhfLs2XyYcKKy7G7UrDfyzoBNrj1vtETkdv8ALDFiOdy7V4ZukRPPA7f0HW4xn3pkt_SYh1_7YUcMXa_zxXmgjAkePMv80EuihrA/s1600/bassetta-sheet.jpg" height="320" width="247" /></a></div>
Basset is a banking game, with a significant advantage for
the house. It is purely a game of chance.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
One player is the banker. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The banker has a full deck of cards, well shuffled. Each
punter, or player, has the 13 cards of a single suit of a similar deck in front
of him, or perhaps a board with marks for the 13 denominations. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Punters put bets on their boards before play begins. Once
all bets are placed, the banker turns up a single card from his deck (made up
of multiple decks of cards**) and wins all bets placed on the denomination
shown (suit is ignored). After the first card is turned up the banker turns up
cards from his deck in pairs, putting them on two piles alternately, until all
bets are resolved or the deck is exhausted. Denominations that match a card
turned up on the first pile lose their bets to the banker; denominations that
match a card turned up on the second pile win. The banker must pay equal to any
winning bets. As with the first card turned up, the banker wins any bets that
remain on the last card turned. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
On any winning bet the punter may decline his winnings and
let the bet ride in the hope of further winnings. If the same denomination
shows up again on the winning pile, the banker must pay seven times the bet; if
the bet is let ride again and wins, the banker pays 15 times; if it is let ride
and shows up a fourth time on the winning pile the banker must pay 30 times the
bet. Finally, if it shows up four times in one deal, the punter lets it ride
into the next hand, and the same card shows up winners a fifth time, the banker
must pay 60 times the bet. The decision to let a bet ride is marked by bending
up a corner of the card it lies on each time (this is destructive of cards, so
it is suggested that you use some other way to mark a riding bet). <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Once a payment is declined by a punter (leaving a bet to
ride) the punter cannot change his mind until the card shows up again on the
winning pile, when he again has the choice of taking his winnings or letting it
ride. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
** One deck of cards is sufficient for 2 to 3 players, each
additional deck allows up to four more players. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
SOURCES <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Complete Anachronist #4. Indoor Games, or How to While Away
a Siege. SCA, Inc. <o:p></o:p></div>
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Partlett, David. A History of Card Games. <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Oxford</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">University</st1:placetype></st1:place>
Press. </span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p>[Source: <a href="https://sites.google.com/site/giada1499/research-papers-and-class-handouts">Fleurty Herald</a>]</o:p></div>
Todd H. C. Fischerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17443803516688636635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7523633995360177303.post-50603106134421361122014-06-30T07:32:00.000-07:002014-06-30T07:32:05.188-07:00Games (in Italy)<header class="entry-header" style="background-color: #f2e2c1; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><h1 class="entry-title" style="color: #191919; display: inline; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; font-size: 34px; font-weight: 400;">
Games</h1>
</header><header class="entry-header" style="background-color: #f2e2c1; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><h1 class="entry-title" style="color: #191919; display: inline; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; font-size: 34px; font-weight: 400;">
<br /></h1>
</header><div class="entry-content" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: #f2e2c1; color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 26px;">
<strong>Cards</strong> appeared in Spain and Italy about 1370, but they probably came from Egypt. They began to spread throughout Europe and came into England around 1460. By the time of Elizabeth’s reign, gambling was a common sport. Cards were not played only by the upper class. Many of the lower classes had access to playing cards. The card suits tended to change over time. The first Italian and Spanish decks had the same suits: Swords, Batons/ Clubs, Cups, and Coins. The suits often changed from country to country. England probably followed the Latin version, initially using cards imported from Spain but later relying on more convenient supplies from France.<br />
<br />
In Orleans, France (1408) an inventory of the Duke and Duchess of Orleans lists “ung jeu de quartes sarrasines and unes quartes de Lombardie” (one pack of Saracen cards and one cards of Lombard, Dummet 42). During the Elizabethan era in England cards were block printed, unwaxed, bore a single image in the center of card, and had blank backs. The English used the French system of suits (clubs, diamonds, hearts, spades) while German and Swiss cards favored shields, acorns, flowers, and bells. Italian cards featured the latin suits of coins, cups, batons, and swords.<br />
<br />
Two of the most popular games in Italy, where <i>tarocchi</i> (tarot or tarock) or <i>trionfi</i> (trump) decks were used, were<i> scartino</i> and <i>imperiali</i>. These decks had 78 cards; four suits numbered one through ten, a page, a knight, a queen, and a king, twenty-one tarots which acted as trumps, and a fool which acted as an ‘excuse’ or a special trump. The tarot deck was not originally used for divination, but for a trick-taking game that is one of the oldest card games known. The numbers on the trumps are the only thing that matter, the images have no effect on the game itself and as such could be altered at the engravers choice (Ortalli 24).<br />
Most of the decks that have survived use the French Suit: Spades, Hearts, Clubs, and Diamonds. Yet even before Elizabeth I had begun to reign, the number of cards had been standardized to 52 cards per deck. Interestingly, the lowest court subject in England was called the “knave.” The lowest court card was therefore called the knave until later when the term “Jack” became more common.<br />
<br />
SOURCES<br /><em>Archaeologia</em> by Daines Barrington, 1787<br /><em>The Game of Tarot</em> by Michael Dummett, 1980<br /><em>The Prince and Playing Cards:The Este Family</em> by Gherardo Ortalli, 1996<br />
<br />
<div>
<strong>Game of Ruff</strong> (Italy, 1522) -<br />
<br />
<div>
Needs: standard deck of cards, four players. Aim: to score nine points. Players agree on a stake. Deal 12 cards to each player and turn up remaining top card on deck to determine trump suit. The player with the Ace of the trump suit declares “I have the honour”, and scores a point for each of the four honour cards they hold (Ace, King, Queen, Jack). The player to the left of the dealer leads and all players follow suit. Aces high or trumps takes the suit. If they cannot follow suit, they may play any card. The winner of the trick leads. The players gain one point for every trick taken. If there is no winner, another stake is required and another hand played.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
<a href="http://fleurtyherald.files.wordpress.com/2013/08/52-playing-cards-ca1475-burgundian-metmuseum-heilbrunn-timeline.jpg" sl-processed="1" style="color: #5e191a; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="52 playing cards ca1475 Burgundian metmuseum heilbrunn timeline" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-539" height="186" src="http://fleurtyherald.files.wordpress.com/2013/08/52-playing-cards-ca1475-burgundian-metmuseum-heilbrunn-timeline.jpg?w=300&h=186" style="border: none; height: auto; max-width: 100%;" width="300" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<strong>Draughts</strong> (Checkers, Europe, 1300s) -<br />
<br />
<div>
In draughts the object of the game is to capture your opponent’s game pieces by making diagonal jumps over them. The game is a descendant of the Egyptian game of <i>alquerque</i>, which was played on a five-by-five-point board with twelve interlocking “L” shaped pieces. The game was played at court and in the taverns of England by all classes. The Earl of Leicester had a set made with pieces of crystal and silver and a board bearing his family’s heraldic crest. This game was also known as <i>jeu force</i> in France, for a game where a player must take and opponent’s piece whenever possible (as does <i>alquerque</i>).<br />
<br />
<div>
<div class="wp-caption alignnone" id="attachment_80" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); max-width: 95.9000015258789%; padding: 0.8em; text-align: center; width: 310px;">
<a href="http://fleurtyherald.files.wordpress.com/2013/01/chess-game-girolamo-da-cremona-1480.jpg" sl-processed="1" style="color: #5e191a; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="Chess" class="size-medium wp-image-80" height="215" src="http://fleurtyherald.files.wordpress.com/2013/01/chess-game-girolamo-da-cremona-1480.jpg?w=300&h=215" style="border: none; height: auto; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%;" width="300" /></a><div class="wp-caption-text" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: subpixel-antialiased; color: #666666; font-size: 13px; margin: 0.5em;">
Chess</div>
</div>
<div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Draughts (per Master Damiano Bellini) “was played in France, England, and the Spanish Marches before 1500. In the Italian version, the 8×8 board is placed so that the double black corner is on the player’s left instead of right. Each player has twelve pieces set up on the black squares of the first three rows in front of him. The pieces move only on the black squares and black has the first move. The pieces move diagonally forwards one square at a time and may not move backwards.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
The object of the game is to capture or immobilize your opponent’s twelve pieces. A capture is made by a piece (man) jumping over an enemy piece and landing on a vacant square immediately beyond. If the capturing piece can continue to leap over the other enemy pieces they are also captured and removed from the board. When a piece finally comes to rest the move is finished.<br />
<br />
If an uncrowned piece reaches the opponents back line it becomes a king. Crowning ends a move. After crowning a king can move diagonally backwards and forwards one square at a time, and captures by a standard jump. There may be several kings on the board at a time.<br />
<br />
In <strong>Italian Draughts</strong>, a number of rules apply to captures (Bell 73):<br />
<div>
<ul>
<li>A player had to take when possible or lose the game</li>
<li>A man (piece) could not take a king</li>
<li>If he had a choice of capture he was forced to take the greater number</li>
<li>If he had a choice of capture he was forced to take the greater number</li>
<li>If this number were equal (each option containing a king) when there are two or more options, then he must capture wherever the king occurs first. This rule was known in Italy as ‘il piu col piu’ (‘the greater to the greater’)</li>
</ul>
</div>
SOURCES<br />
<em>Sports and Games of the Renaissance</em> (2004) by Andrew Leibs.<br />
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<a href="http://fleurtyherald.files.wordpress.com/2013/01/palazzoborromeo-milan-fresco.jpg" sl-processed="1" style="color: #5e191a; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="PalazzoBorromeo-Milan-Fresco" class="size-medium wp-image-82 aligncenter" height="241" src="http://fleurtyherald.files.wordpress.com/2013/01/palazzoborromeo-milan-fresco.jpg?w=300&h=241" style="border: none; clear: both; display: block; height: auto; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 100%;" width="300" /></a></div>
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<strong>Maw</strong> was developed in 16<sup>th</sup> Century Ireland and was a favorite in the British Isles. The object of maw is to win three tricks or prevent other players from doing so. It can be played with anywhere from 2 to 10 players. A pot is decided and the winner gets the pot. If there is no winner, a second hand is played and the first to win three tricks gets the pot. Each player is dealt give cards from a 52-card deck. The top card of the remaining cards is flipped up to determine the trump. Regardless of suit, the trump cards rank; five, jack, ace of hearts, ace of trump, king queen. If the trump suit is red the remaining cards rank from 10 down to 2, and vice-versa if the trump suit it black. Non-trump cards of the same color rank the same as trump cards. The person to the left of the dealer leads, playing one card. The other players must follow suit or play a trump. If a player can do neither, she may play any card. A player can hold the five and jack of the trump or the ace of hearts if they choose, but lesser trumps must be played if the player can not follow suit.</div>
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<strong>Bingo’s Origins in Italy</strong></div>
Most agree that Bingo was first played in an Italian lottery called “Lo Giuoco del Lotto D’Italia”. The game appears on record around 1530 in the late Renaissance Italy. It is said to have developed from a game known as “Lotto” which in Italian means “destiny or fate”. It was first played in a period during a corrupt election that needed a fresh way to select a leader. Numbers were chosen randomly and the person who had that specific number would then be the new leader purely by fate.<br />
Bingo then moved to France where it became known as “Le Lotto”. Bingo is still today played in France every Saturday in a similar fashion as we play nowadays. It is played with playing cards, tokens, and numbers called aloud.<br />
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<strong>Scartino</strong><br />A card game called Scartino, the favorite of the Este family, is one of which we hear much from a brief period around 1500: there are over a dozen references to it between 1492 and 1517. We have no idea how Scartino was played, although it appears to have demanded a special type of pack; for instance, Lodovico il Moro wrote in 1496 to Cardinal Ippolito d’Este complaining that the latter had not sent him the <em>carte de scartino </em>that he had promised, and there are other references to orders for packs of Scartino cards. The game seems to have originated from Ferrara: it was a favourite game both of Beatrice d’Este, wife of Lodovico il Moro, Duke of Milan, and of Isabella d’Este, wife of Francesco Gonzaga, Marquis of Mantua. Isabella also loved to use her impresa, or device, embroidered on her robes and painted on the playing cards. The name Scartino is presumably connected with the verb <em>scartare</em>, ‘to discard’, and games are often named after their most characteristic or novel feature. It is therefore a possibility that this was a trick-taking game in which a new practice was introduced, namely that the dealer took some extra cards and discarded a corresponding number. If so, it could be that it was from Scartino that this practice was taken over into Tarocco games, in which it had been previously unknown, and that Scartino, after its short-lived popularity, died out, having made a lasting contribution to card play. This, of course, is the merest guess: Scartino may not have been a trick-taking game at all, but, say, one in which the winner was the player who first contrived to get rid of all his cards after the fashion of a stops game.<br />
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Many wonder if it was appropriate for women to play cards. We know the Isabella and her sister-in-law Elisaetta were known to sit in the afternoon and “together they sang French songs and read the latest romances, or played scartino, their favourite game at cards, in the pleasant rooms which Francesco had prepared for his bride on the first floor of the Castello, near the Sala degh Sposi. Together they rode and walked in the park and boated on the crystal waters of the lake, or took excursions to the neighbouring villas of Porto and Marmirolo.”<br />
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A letter of August 1493 quoted by Malaguzzi-Valeri and by Luzio and Renier appears to imply that Scartino was a three-handed game. The earliest reference is from 1492; one is from 1509, one from 1517, and all the rest from the 1490′s. Several concern the obtaining or ordering of packs of Scartino cards (para de carte da scartino or para de scartini), which appear all to have come from Ferrara; what was special about these cards there is no way of telling. It is just conceivable that Scartino was itself a particular type of Tarot game, and that these were therefore Tarot packs of a special type; but, unless they were very special, it does not seem very likely that Lodovico Sforza should have been having to obtain Tarot packs from elsewhere. Most of the references are about games of Scartino being played.<br />
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We learn from Isabella d’Este’s brother-in-law letter to the Marquis in 1503 that playing cards was her regular pastime: “Yesterday I went with this illustrious Madonna and Signor Federico to the school of Messer Franceso, whose scholars recited a fine comedy exceedingly well. It was a very pretty sight, and pleased us all highly. Afterwards we drove as usual to take the air in the town, and returned to the Castello about five o’clock; and Madonna (Isabella) sat down to cards to spend the evening after her usual custom, and played till after eight. Then she rose from the table and told me that she would not come to supper as she felt pains, and went to her room, and we sat down to table, and I supped in the Castello. And before we had finished, the said Madonna gave birth to a little girl, and although we greatly desired a boy, yet we must be content with what is given us.”</div>
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SOURCES<br />
Cartwright, Julia. <em>Marchioness of Mantua</em><br />F. Malaguzzi-Valeri, <em>La carte di Locovico il Moro</em>, vol. 1, Milan, 1913, p. 575;<br />A. Venturi, <em>‘Relazioni artistiche tra le corti di Milano e Ferrara nel secolo XV’</em>, Archivio Storico Lombardo, anno XII (pp. 255-280), 1885, p. 254;<br />A. Luzio and R. Renier, <em>Mantova e Urbino, Turin and Rome</em>, 1893, pp. 63-5, especially fn. 3, p. 63;<br />A. Luzio and R. Renier, <em>‘Delle relazioni di Isabella d’Este Gonzaga con Lodivico e Beatrice Sforza’</em>, Archivio Storico Lombardo, anno XVII (pp. 74-119, 346-99, 619-74), 1890, p. 368, fn. 1, and pp. 379-80;<br />A Luzio <em>I precettori d’Esabella d’Este</em>, p. 22;<br />G. Bertoni, <em>‘Tarocchi versificati’ in Poesie, leggende, costumanze del medioevo</em>, Modena 1917, p. 219;<br /><em>Diario Ferrarese of 1499 </em>in Muratori, Rerum Italicarum Scriptores, vol. 24, p. 376.<br />
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<strong>Playing Cards</strong><br />
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Master P W of Cologne’s pack of <a href="http://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O129387/the-nine-of-hares-print-master-p-w/" sl-processed="1" style="color: #5e191a; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">seventy-two rounded playing cards </a>is generally believed to be his last work in the medium of engraving. This card, the 9 of hares, is 6.3 cm in diameter and was made circa 1500 in Koln, Germany. It comes from a pack of seventy-two round playing cards and is unique in having five suits, rather than the customary four: roses, columbines, carnations, parrots and hares. The images on the cards depict plants and animals based on the study of nature, rather than of model books as previous engravers of cards had done (VAM).<br />
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<a href="http://fleurtyherald.files.wordpress.com/2013/01/card-nine-of-hares-german-1500-by-jw-of-cologne.jpg" sl-processed="1" style="color: #5e191a; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="The 9 of Hares" class="size-medium wp-image-791" height="300" src="http://fleurtyherald.files.wordpress.com/2013/01/card-nine-of-hares-german-1500-by-jw-of-cologne.jpg?w=300&h=300" style="border: none; height: auto; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%;" width="300" /></a><div class="wp-caption-text" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: subpixel-antialiased; color: #666666; font-size: 13px; margin: 0.5em;">
The 9 of Hares</div>
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An early use of the woodblock for printing was for making playing cards. Surviving examples of printed cards date to as early as about 1420. This sheet is thought to have been made by an artist called F. Durand in Rouen or Lyons in the first half of the 16th century. It has not yet been cut, showing the way in which cards were made for economy, printed many to a sheet and cut at a later stage. The high quality of detail and careful application of hand-colouring suggests that this pack was intended for a well-off client. It is an uncut sheet of playing cards, containing eight subjects, four Kings and four Queens bearing titles of legendary and historical personages (VAM).<br />
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<a href="http://fleurtyherald.files.wordpress.com/2013/01/woodcut-print-1500s-franch-by-durand-f-vam.jpg" sl-processed="1" style="color: #5e191a; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="French Woodcut From 1500s" class="size-medium wp-image-792" height="300" src="http://fleurtyherald.files.wordpress.com/2013/01/woodcut-print-1500s-franch-by-durand-f-vam.jpg?w=300&h=300" style="border: none; height: auto; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%;" width="300" /></a><div class="wp-caption-text" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: subpixel-antialiased; color: #666666; font-size: 13px; margin: 0.5em;">
French Woodcut From 1500s</div>
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SOURCES<br />Victoria and Albert Museum</div>
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[Source: <a href="http://fleurtyherald.wordpress.com/gioci/">La Bella Donna</a>]</div>
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Todd H. C. Fischerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17443803516688636635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7523633995360177303.post-39906089248241473722014-06-30T07:28:00.000-07:002014-06-30T07:28:05.708-07:00Italian Renaissance Games – Gioci<header class="entry-header" style="background-color: #f2e2c1; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><h1 class="entry-title" style="color: #191919; display: inline; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; font-size: 34px; font-weight: 400;">
Italian Renaissance Games – Gioci</h1>
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<a class="entry-date" href="http://fleurtyherald.wordpress.com/2013/03/26/italian-renaissance-games-gioci/" sl-processed="1" style="background: rgb(162, 142, 103); border-bottom-left-radius: 50%; border-bottom-right-radius: 50%; border-top-left-radius: 50%; border-top-right-radius: 50%; color: #f7f3ee; display: block; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-style: italic; height: 64px; left: -100px; line-height: 44px; position: absolute; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; top: 0px; width: 64px;" title="March 26 2013"><time datetime="2013-03-26T10:45:54+00:00">Mar<span style="display: block; font-size: 22px; line-height: 0; margin-top: -6px;">26</span></time></a><span class="entry-byline">by <span class="author vcard"><a class="url fn n" href="http://fleurtyherald.wordpress.com/author/fleurtyherald/" sl-processed="1" style="color: #888888; text-decoration: none;" title="View all posts by Fleur-de-Gigi">Fleur-de-Gigi</a></span></span></div>
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<strong>Biribissi</strong><br />
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Many table games were played in the Renaissance home, often after dinner. Men and women, both old and young, enjoyed these forms of sociable play together. They ranged from traditional games – such as backgammon and chess – to new types, which often involved gambling. This was prohibited or regulated by the authorities because of the large sums of money involved.<br />
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A popular, though illegal, game played in the home was a type of lottery known as biribissi. Thanks to the invention of printing in the fifteenth century, games such as this were easily disseminated in cheap versions printed on paper. This example has 63 squares corresponding to the same number of tickets below, which are ready to be cut up. The players bet a sum of money on a figure in the hope that it would be drawn.<br />
<a href="http://www.vam.ac.uk/vastatic/microsites/1487_renaissance/biribissi.html" sl-processed="1" style="color: #5e191a; text-decoration: none;">Play the Biribissi game.</a><br />
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<strong>Games Women Played</strong><br />
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‘Girls today … take up dice, cards and other masculine amusements’<br />Desiderius Erasmus, <em>Colloquies</em>, 1529</blockquote>
This complaint comes from one of the speakers in Erasmus’s dialogue on ‘Knucklebones, or the game of tali’. He would have easily recognised the sheet of playing cards, printed from a wooden block, with the knave (or jack) of hearts and the knave of diamonds repeated alternately. The figure of the ‘knave’ originally meant ‘a son’ and had no negative connotations at the time. It was only later that it came to mean a rogue. The sheet dates to the late 15th century and shows two of the four suit signs that had been adopted by French card-makers by this date, the same spades, hearts, clubs and diamonds that are in use today. The cards are marked with the initials G.S.C. and G. Cartier, which suggest that the artist was Giles Savouré (also known as ‘Cartier’ or ‘Cardmaker’ in French), who worked in Lyons from about 1480 to 1506. This survival of the artist’s name is very unusual as playing cards were ephemeral objects that became bent and dirty through use and were eventually thrown away.<br />
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When card games arrived in Europe in the early 14th century, they were at first the preserve of the well-to-do because the cards were hand-painted and subsequently expensive. However, the advent of woodblock printing led to a system of relatively cheap mass production, in which cards could be printed in sheets from a single wood block.<br />
As a result, card playing became exceedingly popular with both men and women and at all social levels – so much so that a Paris decree in 1397 forbade people to play at ‘tennis, bowls, dice, cards or ninepins on working days’, while Henry VII of England (reigned 1485–1509) forbade servants and apprentices from playing at cards except at Christmas. Preachers, theologians and moralisers all railed against their use. In Bologna in 1423 the Franciscan friar, and later saint, Bernardino da Siena preached so successfully against gaming that the people threw thousands of cards onto a great bonfire in the public square.<br />
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<a href="http://fleurtyherald.files.wordpress.com/2013/02/woodblock-1490_gilles_savoure_playing_cards-from_lyon.jpg" sl-processed="1" style="color: #5e191a; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="Part of an uncut sheet of playing cards by Gilles Savoure. Lyon, 1490." class="size-medium wp-image-284 " height="300" src="http://fleurtyherald.files.wordpress.com/2013/02/woodblock-1490_gilles_savoure_playing_cards-from_lyon.jpg?w=200&h=300" style="border: none; height: auto; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%;" width="200" /></a><div class="wp-caption-text" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: subpixel-antialiased; color: #666666; font-size: 13px; margin: 0.5em;">
Part of an uncut sheet of playing cards by Gilles Savoure. Lyon, 1490.</div>
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Despite these strictures, gambling was still a widespread pastime. Furthermore, playing for fun, rather than for money, was not condemned, so cards themselves did not attract censure. Indeed, when the 15th-century artist Antonio Cicognara painted a set of tarot cards (used for gaming rather than divination) and presented them to Cardinal Sforza, the Bishop of Pavia and Novara, the cardinal evidently felt no moral qualms in asking the artist to make similar packs for his sisters, who were nuns in the Augustinian convent in Cremona.<br />
Women were often avid card players. Parisina Malatesta, the young Duchess of Ferrara, ordered an expensive hand-painted pack for herself in 1423, and a year later sent off for two cheaper packs for her little twin daughters, Lucia and Ginevra. That women often gambled with money is also clear. Mary Tudor (1516–58), daughter of Henry VIII of England, and later Mary I of England, ran up substantial debts due to her constant card playing, while the pious archduchess Johanna of Austria seems to have enjoyed better luck in the popular French card game of piquet.<br />
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Via: <a href="http://www.vam.ac.uk/page/r/renaissance/" sl-processed="1" style="color: #5e191a; text-decoration: none;">V&A Museum UK</a><br />
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[Source: <a href="http://fleurtyherald.wordpress.com/2013/03/26/italian-renaissance-games-gioci/">La Bella Donna</a>]</div>
Todd H. C. Fischerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17443803516688636635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7523633995360177303.post-14159595877880720652014-06-30T07:20:00.001-07:002014-06-30T07:20:50.292-07:00Scartino<header class="entry-header" style="background-color: #f2e2c1; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><h1 class="entry-title" style="color: #191919; display: inline; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; font-size: 34px; font-weight: 400;">
Scartino</h1>
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<a class="entry-date" href="http://fleurtyherald.wordpress.com/2014/05/20/scartino/" sl-processed="1" style="background: rgb(162, 142, 103); border-bottom-left-radius: 50%; border-bottom-right-radius: 50%; border-top-left-radius: 50%; border-top-right-radius: 50%; color: #f7f3ee; display: block; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-style: italic; height: 64px; left: -100px; line-height: 44px; position: absolute; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; top: 0px; width: 64px;" title="May 20 2014"><time datetime="2014-05-20T11:15:26+00:00">May<span style="display: block; font-size: 22px; line-height: 0; margin-top: -6px;">20</span></time></a><span class="entry-byline">by <span class="author vcard"><a class="url fn n" href="http://fleurtyherald.wordpress.com/author/fleurtyherald/" sl-processed="1" style="color: #888888; text-decoration: none;" title="View all posts by Fleur-de-Gigi">Fleur-de-Gigi</a></span></span></div>
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A card game called <strong>Scartino</strong>, the favorite of the Este family, is one of which we hear much from a brief period around 1500: there are over a dozen references to it between 1492 and 1517. We have no idea how Scartino was played, although it appears to have demanded a special type of deck; for instance, Lodovico il Moro wrote in 1496 to Cardinal Ippolito d’Este complaining that the latter had not sent him the <em>carte de scartino </em>that he had promised, and there are other references to orders for packs of “Scartino cards”.<br />
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The game seems to have originated in Ferrara. It was a favourite game both of Beatrice d’Este, wife of Lodovico il Moro, Duke of Milan, and of Isabella d’Este, wife of Francesco Gonzaga, Marquis of Mantua. Isabella loved to have her <em>impresa</em>, or device, embroidered on her robes and painted on her playing cards, which is why she had her decks commissioned by notable artists. The name Scartino is presumably connected with the verb <em>scartare</em>, ‘to discard’, and games are often named after their most characteristic or novel feature. It is therefore a possibility that this was a trick-taking game in which a new practice was introduced, namely that the dealer took some extra cards and discarded a corresponding number. If so, it could be that it was from Scartino that this practice was taken over into Tarocco games, in which it had been previously unknown, and that Scartino, after its short-lived popularity, died out, having made a lasting contribution to card play.<br />
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This, of course, is the merest guess (according to Dummet). Scartino may not have been a trick-taking game at all, but, say, one in which the winner was the player who first contrived to get rid of all his cards after the fashion of a stops game.<br />
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We learn from Isabella’s brother-in-law’s letter to the Marquis in 1503 that attending the theatre and playing cards was her regular pastime: “Yesterday I went with this illustrious Madonna and Signor Federico to the school of Messer Franceso, whose scholars recited a fine comedy exceedingly well. It was a very pretty sight, and pleased us all highly. Afterwards we drove as usual to take the air in the town, and returned to the Castello about five o’clock; and Madonna (Isabella) sat down to cards to spend the evening after her usual custom, and played till after eight. Then she rose from the table and … went to her room…”<br />
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So, since playing cards was a custom of noble ladies such as Isabella, I certainly want to add a few appropriate card games to my repertoire. I think learning Scartino would be meraviglioso!<br />
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<span style="text-decoration: underline;">Modern rules for an Italian card game called <a href="http://www.regoledelgioco.com/giochi-di-carte/scartino/" sl-processed="1" style="color: #5e191a; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Scartino </a>are</span>:<br />
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<span class="UFICommentBody">Players: The game is played one on one or two against two in pairs.</span><br />
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Deck: To play you need a deck of Napoli (Naples) style cards.<br />
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Rules: At the beginning of the game the dealer deals three cards to each player. The deck is then placed at the center of the table and the first player’s turn begins to discard the top card. Takes who threw the highest card is the stake of that number. For example, if Player A discards a three of hearts while B throws a five of clubs, B will take the cards because it was the highest card between the two.<br />
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The only exception is the five card that takes any card except a five-pole belonging to the highest.<br />
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Finally there are the figures, said scartini, which are used to discard a card pulled from Rival Gaming. For example, if A discards a six card, and B an eight card, these two cards are excluded as in the discard pile and the points are given to B.<br />
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Winner: The first player to reach 112 points.<br />
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Scoring:<br />
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The order of the cards by points is as follows:<br />
<br />5 (The card with which you can take everything and that is worth 5 points)<br />7 (Normal card with the value of 7 points)<br />6 (<span class="UFICommentBody">Normal card</span> with the value of 6 points)<br />4 (<span class="UFICommentBody">Normal card</span> with the value of 4 points)<br />3 (<span class="UFICommentBody">Normal card</span> with the value of 3 points)<br />2 (<span class="UFICommentBody">Normal card</span> with the value of 2 points)<br />1 (<span class="UFICommentBody">Normal card</span> with the value of 1 point)<br />10/9/8 (Scartini! These cards are valid points, but they can “discard other cards”)<br />
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The four marks (suits) of the Neapolitan (Naples style) cards are called poles and they are:<br />Coins – Denari<br />Swords – Spade<br />Sticks – Bastione<br />Cups – Copa<br />
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Purpose: The aim of the game is to reach 112 points before your opponent.<br />
<a href="https://fleurtyherald.files.wordpress.com/2014/05/visconti-tarocchi.jpg" sl-processed="1" style="color: #5e191a; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="visconti tarocchi" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-836" src="https://fleurtyherald.files.wordpress.com/2014/05/visconti-tarocchi.jpg?w=245&h=300" style="border: none; height: auto; margin-bottom: 0.5em; max-width: 100%;" /></a><br />
Where can you buy cards? <a href="http://historicgames.com/RPcards.html" sl-processed="1" style="color: #5e191a; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">MacGregor Historic Games</a> for a reproduction 15th Century Visconti Tarrochi deck!!<br />
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From their site: “<span style="color: black;">Believed to be the earliest, and most complete surviving tarot deck. It was commissioned by the Visconti family who were the Dukes of Milan in the 1450′s. The face cards and Major Arcana on this beautiful decks have gold foil backgrounds.</span><br />
Contrary to popular belief, tarot cards were used for games long before they were used for fortune telling. They were the ancestors to modern trump, or trick-taking games.<br />
We also include our booklet with a short history of Tarot cards, and six of the earliest surviving Tarot games.”<br />
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SOURCES:<br />
The Book of Tarot by Dummet<br />
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Website – <a href="http://www.regoledelgioco.com/" rel="nofollow" sl-processed="1" style="color: #5e191a; text-decoration: none;">http://www.regoledelgioco.com</a> (for Scartino rules, translation double-checked as a courtesy by Paco Smith)<br />
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[Source: <a href="http://fleurtyherald.wordpress.com/2014/05/20/scartino/">La Bella Donna</a>]</div>
Todd H. C. Fischerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17443803516688636635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7523633995360177303.post-37945028342340186212014-06-17T09:03:00.001-07:002014-06-17T09:03:23.047-07:00Primero<h2>
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Primero: A Renaissance Cardgame</center>
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Copyright 1994 by <a href="http://math.bu.edu/INDIVIDUAL/jeffs/index.html">Jeff A. Suzuki</a></center>
</h5>
Primero is Renaissance cardgame that has many similarities to modern day poker. The following is my <a href="http://math.bu.edu/INDIVIDUAL/jeffs/primero.html#redact">redaction</a>, based on the description given by <a href="http://math.bu.edu/INDIVIDUAL/jeffs/mathematicians.html#cardano">Giralamo Cardano</a> in his "On Games of Chance", included in Oystein Ore's<i>Cardano: The Gambling Scholar</i>. As with poker, there are probably thousands of <a href="http://math.bu.edu/INDIVIDUAL/jeffs/primero.html#variant">variants</a>; this represents one.<br />
<br />
<h3>
<b>The Deck</b></h3>
<span style="background-color: white;">Primero can be played with a regular deck of 52 cards, with the 8s, 9s, and 10s removed. The remaining cards all have certain point values (regardless of suit):</span><br />
<ul>
<li>Face cards count 10</li>
<li>2 through 5 count 10 + their value; thus a 4 counts as 14</li>
<li>Aces count as 16</li>
<li>6s and 7s count as three times their value: thus a 7 counts as 21</li>
</ul>
<br />
<br />
<h3>
<b>The Deal</b></h3>
<span style="background-color: white;">Four cards are dealt, face down, to each player in the standard manner. (Cardano's description implies the cards are actually dealt two at a time, which, given the lack of laminated cards during the 15th century, seems to be a matter of convenience!)</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<h3>
<b>The Play</b></h3>
<span style="background-color: white;">Starting with the player to the dealer's left, each player has three options: </span><a href="http://math.bu.edu/INDIVIDUAL/jeffs/primero.html#bid">bid</a><span style="background-color: white;">, </span><a href="http://math.bu.edu/INDIVIDUAL/jeffs/primero.html#stake">stake</a><span style="background-color: white;">, or </span><a href="http://math.bu.edu/INDIVIDUAL/jeffs/primero.html#pass">pass</a><span style="background-color: white;">.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span>
<br />
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="bid"><b>Bidding</b></a><br />
<b><br /></b>In order to bid, the previous bid must be <a href="http://math.bu.edu/INDIVIDUAL/jeffs/primero.html#stake">staked</a>. Then the bid is announced. It consists of three things: the point total, hand type, and bid amount. The hand type must be higher than the previously bid hand type or, if it is the same, the point total must be higher.<br />
<br />
The hand types are, in order of increasing rank:<br />
<ul>
<li><b>Numerus</b>: two or three cards of the same suit</li>
<li><b>Primero</b>: one card of each suit</li>
<li><b>Maximus</b>: the Ace, Six, and Seven of one suit</li>
<li><b>Fluxus</b>: all four cards of the same suit</li>
<li><b>Chorus</b>: four of a kind</li>
</ul>
<span style="background-color: white;">Note that even though all face cards are worth the same, you must have four of the same type of face card to form a chorus. (See </span><a href="http://math.bu.edu/INDIVIDUAL/jeffs/primero.html#variant">variants</a><span style="background-color: white;">, below)</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span>
<br />
For example, if a player had a 2 of clubs, 3 of diamonds, 4 of spades, and King of clubs, he would have a primero (one of each suit) and his point total would be 12 + 13 + 14 + 10 = 49; thus he could bid "primero 49". Any player after him who bid would have to beat a primero 49, either by naming a higher rank (e.g., Maximus) or a higher point total (e.g., "Primero 59"). If he wanted to bid 5 scudi, his bid in full would be "Primero 59 at 5 scudi".<br />
<br />
Note that the point totals include only the total of the cards that make up the hand. For example, a numerus point total could be as low as 20. (If you've seen the earlier editions, this was not specifically pointed out)<br />
Players may deliberately understate their point total or their hand type. For the above, the player can bid no higher than a primero 49, but could claim to have a numerus 49, or a primero 40.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="stake"><b>Staking</b></a><br />
<b><br /></b>Staking, or "covering" a previous bid involves putting money down. No other action is necessary or required. Unlike poker, you have only to cover the last bid, not all the bids since you last staked. Thus if the players are Alberto, Bernardo, Cinthio, and Domenico, and Bernardo bids "numerus 40 at 10 scudi", then Cinthio covers and bids "numerus 50 at 5 scudi", Domenico (if he wanted to bid or stake) would have to throw in only 5 scudi, not 15.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="pass"><b>Passing</b></a><br />
<b><br /></b>The major difference between primero and poker is that a player may pass without having to put money down. However, the player <i>must</i> discard one or two cards from his hand, and then draw the same number from the deck. As all the hands but numerus and maximus require four specific cards, this usually destroys the hand that you hold. Note also that you cannot "fold" out of a primero hand (like you can in poker).<br />
<br />
<b>Forced Staking</b><br />
<b><br /></b>If no one bids, the hand ends and the player with the highest hand type wins; if two players have the same hand type, the higher point total wins the pot. (If no one bids, the pot is likely to have nothing in it!)<br />
<br />
If someone does bid, this bid must be covered. If someone else <a href="http://math.bu.edu/INDIVIDUAL/jeffs/primero.html#stake">stakes</a>, the bid is considered covered.<br />
<br />
However, if play returns to the last person who bid without being covered, the last person to pass <i>must</i> stake; this is called a "forced stake" (my term). The sequence of play is: pass, draw one or two cards, then stake. (The forced stake is one of the reasons why you are warned against playing primero with those who have much more money than you, for obvious reasons)<br />
<br />
The last player to bid must then prove to the player who was forced to stake that he has at least what he claimed. Note that in all cases but numerus and maximus, this involves showing the player all four cards. After this, the player who was forced to stake may make a bid without naming hand type or point total. This bid does not have to be covered (but all players who <a href="http://math.bu.edu/INDIVIDUAL/jeffs/primero.html#pass">pass</a> must then draw as usual). If play returns to the player who was forced to stake without any additional bids, the hand ends as above.<br />
<br />
<h3>
<b>Sample Hand</b></h3>
<span style="background-color: white;">Alberto, Bernardo, Cinthio, and Domenico are playing primero. Alberto deals; two cards are dealt; Alberto gets a 2 diamonds (2d) and a 5 hearts (5h); Bernardo gets a Queen of clubs (Qc) and the ace of hearts (Ah); Cinthio has the 4 of spades (4s) and the 7 of spades (7s); Domenico receives the jack of diamond (Jd) and the king of hearts (Kh). No one wants to bid, so the remaining cards are handed out. Now the players hands are:</span><br />
<ul>
<li>Alberto: 2d, 5h, 7c, 6c</li>
<li>Bernardo: Qc, Ah, As, 7h</li>
<li>Cinthio: 4s, 7s, Qd, 6h</li>
<li>Domenico:Kh, Jd, 2c, 5s</li>
</ul>
<br />
Since Alberto dealt, it is Bernardo's turn. He passes, so he must discard one or two cards and draw the same number. He discards the ace of hearts and draws the 4 of diamonds, giving him a primero.<br />
<br />
Cinthio also passes; he discards the 4 of spades and draws the 3 of diamonds. This gives him a numerus, which is practically worthless.<br />
<br />
Domenico already has a primero (one of each suit). As his point total is 47, he can bid up to a primero 47. Understating his bid, he announces a numerus 30. He bids 5 scudi, and keeps his cards.<br />
Now it's Alberto's turn. He passes and does not have to put in money. Hoping for a maximus, he discards the 2d and 5h, and draws Ac and Js.<br />
<br />
Bernardo has a primero, so he stakes (throwing in 5 scudi) and bids. His hand total is 61, so he bids numerus 32 and 10 scudi.<br />
<br />
Cinthio passes, throwing out the Qd and getting a 6s. A good card, but it still leaves him with a numerus.<br />
Domenico realizes his point total is nearly the lowest possible one for a primero (which he suspects Bernardo has, even though he only bid a numerus), so he discards his two face cards (worth only 10 points apiece), and draws Qh and 3h.<br />
Alberto, though his point total is very high (65) is also pretty sure that Bernardo has more than a numerus. Thus he discards his Ad and Js hoping to get the maximus which would save him...and gets a Ks and 2h instead.<br />
<br />
Since no one has covered the bid that Bernardo made (10 scudi), Alberto must cover it. He throws in 10 scudi; Bernardo shows him that he actually has a primero 61. Alberto smiles convincingly and throws in 10 more scudi.<br />
<br />
Now Bernardo is in a quandry. He can throw in 10 scudi and keep his hand. Or he can pass, draw one or two cards (probably destroying his hand) and not throw in 10 scudi. He throws in 10 scudi.<br />
<br />
Cinthio passes, throwing out the 6s, and drawing 5d. He still has a numerus.<br />
<br />
Domenico also passes, throwing out his Qh and drawing the 6d.<br />
<br />
Since play has returned to Alberto and no one has bid, the hand ends. Only Bernardo and Domenico have anything higher than a numerus. Since both of them have primero (Bernardo with a Qc As 7h 4d and Domenico with a 5s 2c 3h 6d), the point totals are compared. Bernardo's point total is 10 + 16 + 21 + 14, or 61; Domenico's point total is 15 + 12 + 13 + 18, or 58. Bernardo wins the hand.<br />
<br />
Note that if someone had bid after Alberto's forced bid, play would continue normally. For example, suppose Bernardo cackled maniacally, threw down 10 scudi and said "Primero 40!". Then play would continue normally; if no one felt they could beat Bernardo's primero 40, poor Alberto would have to cover the bid <i>again</i>.<br />
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="variant"></a><br />
<h3>
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="variant">Variants</a></h3>
<span style="background-color: white;">There is circumstantial evidence for certain variants. In no particular order:</span><br />
<ul>
<li>As I mention <a href="http://math.bu.edu/INDIVIDUAL/jeffs/primero.html#redact">below</a>, the "winner take all" endgame is mine entirely. Cardano spends a great deal of time discussing how the pot <i>should</i> be divided which, to my mind, says that in general the pot was divided according to a different scheme. Based on Cardano's description, I suggest the following division of the pot for those to whom the game is not sufficiently complex mathematically:<ul>
<li>The person with the highest hand wins half the pot. This is consistent with Cardano's description of the game.</li>
<li>The person with the next highest hand wins half the remainder.</li>
<li>The remainder stays in the pot as an ante for the next hand.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>I strongly suspect that a bid of numerus was not actually permitted. (The circumstantial evidence being that the game is called <i>primero</i>, which is neither the highest nor the lowest hand). If you do not allow any bid lower than a primero, the resulting play is something similar to the "jacks or better" version of poker.</li>
<li>Cardano is unclear as to whether the forced bid player was the only person who got to look at the other player's hand; it seems reasonable to give them some advantage over the other players.</li>
<li>Another possible variant addresses the problem of no money in the pot: everyone must ante. Cardano mentions this is how some people play the game, though does not indicate that it is a universal practice.</li>
<li>Cardano <i>specifically</i> mentions that, even though all face cards count as 10 points, you cannot form a chorus using different face cards. While I suspect it would totally upset the game balance by allowing non-identical face cards to form a chorus, there may be some compromise possible. Anyone who wants to playtest such a game is welcome to try, and <a href="mailto:jeffs@math.bu.edu">email me</a> with their results and/or suggestions.</li>
<li>Also, in my version, you are only allowed to understate your hand total. A different version might allow you to overstate it. However, this would make the game as written unplayable, since the rule of bidding higher than the previous bid would quickly become unplayable (e.g., "I bid chorus 84!" which is the highest possible bid: four 7's.) If you want to play this way, the easiest "fix" is to require that each succeeding bid be <i>lower</i>than the preceding ones, no bid to actually be below the amount held in your hand.</li>
<li>An additional possibility: Cardano is not explicit, but there is reason to believe that the highest bidder sets the hand type, and all others attempt to match that hand type with the highest point total. See <a href="http://math.bu.edu/INDIVIDUAL/jeffs/primero.html#var2">below</a>.</li>
</ul>
<br />
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="redact"></a><br />
<h3>
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="redact">How This Redaction Came About</a></h3>
<span style="background-color: white;">The English translation of </span><i>Liber de Ludo Aleae</i><span style="background-color: white;">, done by Sydney Henry Gould, appears as an appendix to Ore's </span><i>Cardano: The Gambling Scholar</i><span style="background-color: white;">. When I first saw it, and read Ore's (brief) discussion of primero in the body of the book, it occurred to me that it might be possible to turn Cardano's brief description of the game into a set of playable rules. The the page numbers refer to the Dover edition.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span>
<br />
p. 206 to 207 discusses the deck, card values, and hand types, which are exactly as in the rules above.<br />
p. 207, bottom: Cardano writes "Also chorus can always be concealed for primero and for fluxus when another has announced it". I have interpreted this as the rule of understating bids.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="var2">However</a>, there is another possible interpretation. The previous sentence says "It is not permissible to count diverse bids as more than the greatest of these". On page 206, Cardano writes:<br />
<blockquote>
"Now there are two kinds of primero. In one, the greater number wins, and this number is different according to the nature of the hands.."</blockquote>
<span style="background-color: white;">(The other type is where the lesser number wins --- a type of lo-ball poker --- though this is "very little in use".) This and some other isolated quotes suggest that one player announces a hand type, and everyone tries to build that hand type. If you do </span><i>not</i><span style="background-color: white;"> have that hand type, you lose, regardless of whether what you hold in your hand is a higher hand type. For example, if the bid is primero, and you have a fluxus --- you lose the hand! As I'm writing this, it occurs to me that this would make for a </span><i>much</i><span style="background-color: white;"> more interesting game; it also has the effect of upping the ante of the pot, as players bid to keep the hand from ending. It also has a nice sort of symmetry: a maximus </span><i>is</i><span style="background-color: white;"> a numerus, and a chorus </span><i>is</i><span style="background-color: white;"> a primero.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span>
<br />
p. 208-209: Cardano discusses dividing the pot. I have eliminated this rule and substituted "winner take all", in the interests of ease of play. Also, Cardano is not very clear on who gets which part of the pot.<br />
p. 212 (Cardano spends a few pages discussing cheating): This is the origin of the stake-or-draw rule. Cardano's exact statement is:<br />
<blockquote>
"He who, not having announced his primero or fluxus, shall have increased the deposit, except when purposely changing cards, loses his deposit; but if he has not increased it, he is compelled at the will of the others to change his cards..."</blockquote>
<span style="background-color: white;">This sentence is fairly confusing. It seems to relate to the pot splitting mentioned earlier. If one uses a "winner take all" scheme, then (it seems reasonable to me) to interpret the last statement as saying that if one does not increase the pot, one must change cards.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span>
<br />
p. 213 discusses the forced stake. Also, the necessity of exchanging one or two cards if one does not stake is explicitly written out.<br />
<br />
Some things that are my invention:<br />
<ul>
<li>The necessity of increasing hand type or point total is mine alone. However, it seems to make sense: if Alberto bids a primero 57, Bernardo has no reason to bother announcing a numerus or a lower primero. (On the other hand, if you use the "bidder sets hand type" rule, above, then it is not necessary to increase the bid type or point total.)</li>
<li>Also, the necessity of covering a bid before raising. I admit it: this comes directly out of poker. However, I claim play balance: it prevents someone from getting into a hand with a ludicrously low bid (e.g., Bernardo bids primero 50 and 40 scudi; Cinthio says primero 51 and 2 scudi, and thus for only 2 scudi, has a chance of winning 50).</li>
<li>Finally, the revealing of the hand to the forced stake player. At several points Cardano mentions the necessity of a player revealing his hand to prove he either has or does not have a certain type of hand, but the conditions are somewhat vague. I have chosen to allow the forced stake player a look at the hand, mainly to provide some compensation for the forced staking. However, there are some points where Cardano's description seems to match a poker game of the "baseball" type, where a player's hand is revealed card by card; I have not been able to figure out the rules for this.</li>
</ul>
<div>
[Source: <a href="http://math.bu.edu/INDIVIDUAL/jeffs/primero.html">Primero - A Renaissance Card Game</a>]</div>
Todd H. C. Fischerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17443803516688636635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7523633995360177303.post-16476093709463501432014-06-17T09:00:00.000-07:002014-06-17T09:00:16.313-07:00Piquet<a href="http://onlinecasinospotlight.com/web/play-piquet-be">Belorussian translation</a><br />
<br />
The game of <b>Piquet</b> or Cent , the game's English name in period, has been played since at least the end of the 15th century. It is mentioned in literary and scholarly works as diverse as Rabelais's <i>Gargantua et Pantagruel</i>(1534) and Girolamo Cardano's <i>Liber de Ludo Aleae</i> (Book on Games of Chance, 1564), a treatise on probability theory. One of the earliest instruction manuals for a card game was <i>Le Royal Ieu du Piquet Plaisant et recreatif</i>, The Royal and Delightfull Game of Piquet.<br />
<br />
<h1>
To Play Piquet</h1>
Piquet is a game for two players, using 36 cards (sixes through Aces). The dealer is called the <b>younger</b> ; the other player is called the <b>elder</b>. Each hand of piquet is divided into five parts:<br />
<ul>
<li>Blanks and discards,</li>
<li>ruffs,</li>
<li>sequences,</li>
<li>sets, and</li>
<li>tricks.</li>
</ul>
The parts are played in that order. Scores are counted in each part of the hand; the first player to score 100 points is the winner. This may take several hands. I recommend using either a score sheet or a cribbage board to keep score.<br />
<br />
The players cut for the deal of each hand, and the holder of the low card is the dealer. Each player is dealt 12 cards in increments of 2 to 4 cards. The remaining stock of 12 cards is placed between the players.<br />
<br />
<h2>
Playing the five parts of Piquet</h2>
<dl>
<dt><b>Blanks and discards:</b></dt>
<dd>Each player may discard up to 8 cards, and draw as many from the stock. The elder discards and draws first, followed by the younger. Both players must discard and draw at least one card.A hand with no face cards is called a <b>blank</b>. If the elder has a blank, she may declare the blank and the number of cards she is going to discard. After declaring, she shows her hand to the other player. The younger discards and draws her new cards if she does not have a blank. Then the elder discards, draws and receives 10 points. However, if the younger also has a blank, she declares and shows it. No points are awarded, and play continues as though neither had a blank. The younger may not declare a blank independently.<br />
</dd>
<dt><b>Ruffs:</b></dt>
<dd>A ruff is the total number of points in a suit. Aces count 11 points, face cards count 10 points, and number cards count their number. The elder declares the number of points in her largest ruff. If the younger has an equal or higher ruff, she declares her points, too. If the ruffs are equal, then neither player scores. If not, the high ruff receives points for all cards in the hand. 1 point is scored for each 10 points in the hand. 1 to 4 points are rounded down, and 5 to 9 points are rounded up. The loser may ask to see the winning ruff.</dd>
<dt><b>Sequences:</b></dt>
<dd>A sequence is a group of three or more consecutive cards in a suit. The elder declares the number of cards in her longest sequence. If the younger has an equal or higher sequence, she declares it. If the sequence sizes are equal, both declare the largest card in the sequence. If both sequences are of equal length with the same high card, then neither player scores. Otherwise, either the longest sequence, or the sequence containing the largest card receives points for all sequences in the hand. Sets of three and four score 3 and 4 points, respectively. Sets of five and up score 10 points plus the number of cards in the sequence. The loser may ask to see the winning sequence.</dd>
<dt><b>Sets:</b></dt>
<dd>A set is three or more tens, Jacks, Queens, Kings or Aces. The elder declares the number of cards in her largest set. If the younger has an equal or higher set, she declares it. If the set sizes are equal, the set card is declared. The largest set, or, if both have sets of equal size, the set with the highest card receives points for all sets in the hand. Sets of three score 13 points, and sets of four score 14 points. The loser may ask to see the winning set.</dd>
<dt><b>Tricks:</b></dt>
<dd>Tricks are played like no-trump tricks in bridge. For the first trick, the elder leads a card, and the younger tries to play another, higher card in the same trick. The highest card in the "lead" suit wins the trick. The winner of the trick leads for the next trick, and so on until all cards are played. Tricks are scored both during and after play. Players receive 1 point for leading a ten or larger, 1 point for winning a trick, 2 points for winning the last trick with a ten or higher, or 1 point for winning the last trick with a nine or lower. After all tricks are played, each player counts the number of tricks they have won. A player with seven through eleven tricks receives 10 points; a player with all twelve tricks (known as a capet) receives 60 points.</dd></dl>
<h3>
Repique and Pique</h3>
Players may also score points for preventing the other player from scoring during a hand. A player gets a pique if she reaches 30 points during the tricks, and the other player has no points. A pique is worth 30 points.<br />
<br />
A player gets a repique if she reaches 30 points during the first four parts of the hand, and the other player has no points. A repique is worth 60 points. Players must declare that they have a pique or repique, or else they do not receive any points for them.<br />
<br />
<address>
Gretchen Miller (Margaret MacDuibhshithe)/ grm+@andrew.cmu.edu</address>
<h4>
Bibliography</h4>
Parlett, David; <i>The Oxford Guide to Card Games</i> Oxford University Press, 1990. ISBN 0-19-214165-1<br />
<i>Games and Gamesters of the Restoration</i>, Editor: J. Issacs. Mayflower Press, 1930.<br />
<i>The Compleat Gamester</i>, by Charles Cotton, 1674<br />
<br />
[Source: <a href="http://www.cs.cmu.edu/afs/andrew.cmu.edu/org/Medieval/www/src/contributed/grm/games/piquet.html">The Royal and Delightful Game of Piquet</a>]Todd H. C. Fischerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17443803516688636635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7523633995360177303.post-67225835992643125782014-06-17T08:57:00.002-07:002014-06-17T08:57:26.052-07:00Ruff and Honors<h3>
Ruff and Honors</h3>
This game was first mentioned in 1522 by Bernadine of Sienna in a sermon as "ye Tryumphe." It was actually two slightly different games. In Ruff, 52 cards are used, with 12 cards being dealt to each player. The top card of the remaining four is turned over to determine the trump suit. In Honors, 48 cards are used. All of the twos are discarded. The final card dealt to the dealer is turned over to determine trump.<br />
<br />
The two games are played in a similar fashion. Play proceeds until nine points are scored by a team. Four players play the game. After the cards are dealt and trump is determined, the player with the ace of trump declares "I have the honor" and then asks her/his partner "Have ye?" If the team has three of the four honor cards (ace, king, queen, jack) they score one point. If they have all four they score 2 points.<br />
<br />
Play begins with the person to the dealers left. The player leads a card and all other players follow suit if possible. A player who cannot follow suit may play any card. The trick is won by the highest played card (trump or highest played in suit lead).<br />
<br />
The winner of each trick leads the next. Scoring for tricks taken is one point for every trick taken over six tricks. At least two hands must be played to win the game since the most points that may be scored in a single hand are 8.<br />
<br />
If you are interested in a source for Elizabethan era playing cards contact <a href="mailto:william.wilson@nau.edu">me</a>.<br />
<br />
[Source: <a href="http://jan.ucc.nau.edu/~wew/Tattershall-tb/cards.html">Elizabethan Card Games</a>]<br /> Todd H. C. Fischerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17443803516688636635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7523633995360177303.post-89457650729939886262014-06-17T08:55:00.001-07:002014-06-17T08:55:17.307-07:00Bone-ace<h3>
Bone-ace</h3>
This game was first mentioned in "The World of Wordes" by Florio in 1611. Like One & Thirty it is an ancestor to Blackjack. Up to 8 players may play. The dealer deals three cards to each player. The first two cards are face down and the third face up. It must be noted that the cards are dealt three at a time and not one to each player in order to make three. The play is made in two parts.<br />
<br />
Part One - The Bone: The player with the highest face up card wins the bone. The bone is one coin or the previously agreed upon wager for the bone paid by each other player. In the case of a tie the player with the elder hand wins. Aces are high and the Ace of Diamonds or Bone Ace wins all.<br />
<br />
Part Two: The player with the hand closest to 31 without going over wins. Aces are eleven points, face cards 10 and the other cards have their face value.<br />
<br />
If you are interested in a source for Elizabethan era playing cards contact <a href="mailto:william.wilson@nau.edu">me</a>.<br />
<br />
[Source: <a href="http://jan.ucc.nau.edu/~wew/Tattershall-tb/cards.html">Elizabethan Card Games</a>]Todd H. C. Fischerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17443803516688636635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7523633995360177303.post-60916371188878941752014-06-17T08:52:00.000-07:002014-06-17T08:52:25.802-07:00One & Thirty<h3>
One & Thirty</h3>
this card game dates back to at least 1440. During that year Bernadine of Sienne mentioned the game in an anti-gaming sermon. This is one of a number of games dating from the 15th to the 17th Centuries that are ancestors to modern Blackjack. The game was popular in both Spain and Ireland.<br />
<br />
The game is for two or more players. Each player is dealt three cards, face down. The dealer starts the deal to the player on his left. Starting with the eldest hand (the player to the left of the dealer), a card may be discarded face up by each player. It is replaced by the top card on the deck or the previous card on the discard pile. The player that comes closest to 31 with three cards in the same suit is the winner. Play continues by discarding one card at a time until a player knocks twice on the table. After the knock the players get one last discard. The hands are then shown and the hand closest to 31 wins. A player who hits 31 exactly wins automatically and does not have to wait for the knock or make a knock. Ties are redealt.<br />
Scoring is as follows: aces are 11, face cards are 10 and the rest are their face value. A three of a kind (different suits) is worth 30 & 1/2 points.<br />
<br />
If you are interested in a source for Elizabethan era playing cards contact <a href="mailto:william.wilson@nau.edu">me</a>.<br />
<br />
[Source: <a href="http://jan.ucc.nau.edu/~wew/Tattershall-tb/cards.html">Elizabethan Card Games</a>]Todd H. C. Fischerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17443803516688636635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7523633995360177303.post-72738344990626808492014-06-17T08:50:00.002-07:002014-06-17T08:53:08.508-07:00Maw<h3>
Maw</h3>
This card game is reported to be Gaelic in origin. Supposedly it was a favorite of James VI of Scotland. The earliest record of the game comes from Ireland in 1551. The earliest rules are from Scotland, 1576.<br />
<br />
Two to ten players may enter the game. All players bet an even amount to enter. The object of the game is to win either three or five tricks or to prevent another player from doing so. The winner of three tricks wins the pot. If there is no winner, another bet is wagered and added to the pot before the next hand. If a player wins the first three tricks they automatically win the pot. If they play to the forth trick they must win the rest of the tricks to win the pot. In this case normally the players must put in extra money. If the player does not take the final two tricks they are penalized. Normally by matching the pot.<br />
<br />
To start play, each player is dealt five cards from a normal 52 card deck. The top card of the remaining is turned up to determine trump. The cards in the trump suit rank five, then jack, then ace of hearts regardless of the trump suit. Then ace of trump (if not hearts), king and queen. Now, depending on the color of the trump suit the remaining cards will be ranked different. For red they are ranked 10 down to 2 and for black they are ranked 2 to 10. Non trump cards are similarly ranked.<br />
<br />
Play commences with the person to the dealers left. This person plays a card and all the other players take turns playing a card of the same suit if they have it. If they do not have the suit they may play a trump. If no trump then any card. They need not play the 5 & jack of trump or the ace of hearts if they do not desire. Lesser trump must be played if the player is void in a suit.<br />
<br />
At times the rules will change slightly. All changed rules must be stated by the dealer before dealing and betting commences.<br />
<br />
If you are interested in a source for Elizabethan era playing cards contact <a href="mailto:william.wilson@nau.edu">me</a>.<br />
<br />
[Source: <a href="http://jan.ucc.nau.edu/~wew/Tattershall-tb/cards.html">Elizabethan Card Games</a>]Todd H. C. Fischerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17443803516688636635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7523633995360177303.post-20003256635177204552014-06-17T08:47:00.002-07:002014-06-17T08:47:50.727-07:00Tablero de JesusDisclaimer. This was not actually a period game, though many people think it was. It's history however is a complete fabrication. <a href="http://gamesguildofealdormere.blogspot.com/2011/09/is-tablero-period-and-should-we-care.html">See the following article for details.</a><br />
<br />
Originally a gambling game, turning this into a drinking game is very straightforward: one just replaces the coins with shot glasses.<br />
<br />
Description follows:<br />
<br />
This game is played with two dice, a seven by seven checkerboard and a fifteen coin stake supplied by each player. It was very popular in Spain and in the Spanish possessions in the Low Countries during the first half of the XVth century. It was banned by the Pope in 1458, the ban enduring until the early XXth century!<br />
<h2>
SET UP</h2>
Each player rolls a die. Reroll ties. The low roller places five coins on either of rows 1 or 7, no more than one per column. The high roller places two coins likewise. The low roller plays first.<br />
<h3>
A game of Tablero de Jesus in progress</h3>
<pre>+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| X | | | | | | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | | | | X | | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | | | | | | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | X | X | X | | | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | | | | | | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | | | | | | X |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
| | | | | | X | |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
</pre>
<h2>
GAME PLAY</h2>
Having thrown the dice, the player loses them to his opponent on a throw of 7, 11 or 12. On any other throw, he must move two coins, one per die -- the same coin may not be moved twice. Each coin moves within the same column, never diagonally or across. The player moves each coin either away from or towards his side, by the number of rows indicated by the dice. A coin may not be moved back and forth on one die. If the player is unable to use both dice, he moves neither coin and loses the dice to his opponent.<br />
After having moved the coins, if there are two or more lined up in a contiguous row (other than rows 1 or 7), the player may take them from the board. In that case, his opponent replenishes the vacated columns from his own stake and then takes the dice. If the opponent has an insufficient stake, the game is over.<br />
When receiving the dice, they must be thrown at least once.<br />
<br />
If a row of seven coins is created, the moving player may announce a "run". The opponent must then stake two coins on the run. The running player throws the dice. On a 7, 11 or 12, he loses the run and his opponent collects all nine coins. Otherwise, the running player collects the two coin stake and has the option of keeping on running. This keeps on until the runner stumbles, the opponent is unable to stake two coins, or the running player decides to take the seven coins.<br />
<h2>
WINNER</h2>
The winner is the player with the most coins when the game is over.<br />
<h2>
TURNING TABLERO INTO TOBLARO</h2>
The coins are replaced with shotglasses, or more exactly their contents. When coins are "captured", the winner simply gets to drink their contents, the loser refilling them from his bottle.<br />
<br />
[Source: <a href="http://www.gamecabinet.com/rules/Tablero.html">The Game Cabinet</a>]Todd H. C. Fischerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17443803516688636635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7523633995360177303.post-74339633578754865142014-06-17T08:44:00.002-07:002014-06-17T08:44:26.378-07:00Senet<h1>
The Game of Senet</h1>
Article by <a href="http://www.gamecabinet.com/biography/CatherineSoubeyrand.html">Catherine Soubeyrand</a>.<br />
<br />
Senet is an Egyptian race game and may be the ancestor of our modern backgammon. We know of this game through ancient Egyption boards that have survived to this day. More than 40 have been discovered, some in very good condition with pawns, sticks or knucklebones still intact. The oldest known representation of Senet is in a painting from the tomb of Hesy (Third Dynasty circa 2686-2613 BCE).<br />
<br />
The game board is composed of 30 squares: 3 rows of 10 squares each. If we number each square, the board can be represented like this:<br />
<br />
<pre> 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11
21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30
</pre>
<pre>
</pre>
The path of the pawns probably followed a reversed S across the board.<br />
<br />
Squares 26 to 30 have symbols on them. We will represent them in order by X, O, III, II and I. It seems that the square with an X, carrying the sign <i>nfr</i>, was beneficial, whereas the one with an O, associated with water, had a negative meaning. Square 15, also called the "square of Rebirth," might have been the starting square.<br />
<br />
Other elements found with the gameboards were pawns. The Hesy painting shows a game with seven pawns for each player. Then, some time after 1600 - 1500 BCE, the players were represented with seven or five pawns. Some games have even been found with ten pawns per player.<br />
<br />
The movement of pawns was probably decided by the throw of four, two-sided sticks (as depicted in the Hesy painting) or, later, knucklebones might have been used to determine the moves.<br />
<br />
What was the function of Senet? A game or something more? In his book, Lhôte notices that the first pictures show two human players whereas later the human player is depicted alone with an invisible opponent. It appears that Senet began as a simple game and later acquired a symbolic, ritual function.<br />
Of course, the original rules of Senet are not known. No record of the rules on papyrus or tomb wall has ever been discovered. It is very difficult to reconstruct the game through the pieces and the tomb images.<br />
<br />
<h2>
Kendall's Rules</h2>
A summary of Timothy Kendall's work on the reconstruction of the rules of Senet is given in the book by Lhôte.<br />
<ol>
<li>At the beginning of the game the seven pawns per player alternate along the 14 first squares. The starting square is counted as the 15th. In the oldest games this square featured an ankh, a "life" symbol. The pawns move according to the throw of four sticks or, later, one or two knucklebones. When using the sticks the points seemed to have been counted from 1 to 5: 1 point for each side without a mark and 5 points if the four marked sides were present together.</li>
<li>When a pawn reached a square already occupied by an opponent pawn, they have to exchange their positions.</li>
<li>The special squares have the following effects on play:<br />
<ul>
<li>15 : House of Rebirth, starting square and the return square for the pawns reaching square number 27.</li>
<li>26 : House of Happiness, a mandatory square for all the pawns.</li>
<li>27: House of Water, a square that can be reached by the pawns located on squares 28 to 30 which moved back when their throws did not allow them to exit the board. They have to restart from square 15.</li>
<li>28 : House of the Three Truths, a pawn may only leave when a 3 is thrown.</li>
<li>29 : House of the Re-Atoum, a pawn may only leave when a 2 is thrown.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The winner is the first to move all of their pawns off the board.</li>
</ol>
<h2>
Bell's Rules</h2>
Another version of the rules was proposed by RC Bell.<br />
Each player has 10 pawns. Four two-sided sticks (one side painted) are thrown to determine movement.<br />
<ul>
<li>When only one painted side is visible : 1 point.</li>
<li>With two : 2 points.</li>
<li>With three : 3 points.</li>
<li>With four : 4 points.</li>
<li>With none : 5 points.</li>
</ul>
<ol>
<li>At the beginning of the game there are no pawns on the board.</li>
<li>Each player in turn throws the sticks, and puts his pawns on the board on the squares with the symbols I, II, III, X, O according to the number of points thrown. Only one pawn may be present on each square. So if a pawn is already present the turn is lost.</li>
<li>A player may either move one pawn or add a new pawn to the board, if possible, with each throw. The pawns located on the marked squares are in shelters.</li>
<li>Pawns may not be stacked. When a pawn arrives on a square already occupied by an opponent pawn, the opponent is removed and must restart from the beginning. This rule does not apply for the marked squares which are shelters.</li>
<li>The first pawn to reach square number 1 earns a bonus of five points and it fixes the goal of the game: that player's other pawns have to reach odd squares whereas the opponent must reach the even squares. The game ends when the pawns of the two players are alternately placed on the first and second rows.</li>
<li>When a pawn has reached its last square, it cannot be attacked.</li>
<li>The first player to have put all his pawns on his own squares wins the game and earns 10 points. He also gets one point for each move his opponent makes while placing all of his remaining pawns.</li>
</ol>
<h2>
Bibliography</h2>
R.C.Bell, <i>The Boardgame Book</i>, 1979 Marshall Cavendish Ltd, London<br />
Kendall Timothy, <i>Passing Through the Netherworld : The Meaning and Play of Senet, an Ancient Egyptian Funerary Game</i>, 1978 Belmont, The Kirk Game Compagny<br />
Lhôte Jean Marie, <i>Histoire des jeux de société</i>, 1994 Flammarion<br />
Pusch E.B, <i>Das Senet Brettspiel im Alten Agypten</i>, 1979 Berlin<br />
<br />
[Source: <a href="http://www.gamecabinet.com/history/Senet.html">The Game Cabinet</a>]Todd H. C. Fischerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17443803516688636635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7523633995360177303.post-35767956531477275192014-06-17T08:41:00.001-07:002014-06-17T08:41:18.473-07:00Ur<h1>
The Royal Game of Ur</h1>
Article by <a href="http://www.gamecabinet.com/biography/CatherineSoubeyrand.html">Catherine Soubeyrand</a>.<br />
<br />
This time we leave Egypt to move East and reach the region of Mesopotamia. The Royal Game of Ur gets its name from two boardgames which were found in tombs by Sir Leonard Wooley, who was carrying out excavations in the ancient city of Ur in the 1920s.<br />
<br />
The two boards date from before 2600 BCE. Each of the game boards is composed of a set of twelve squares and a set of six cases linked by a bridge of two cases. One of the two boardgames is famous and is exhibited in the collections of the British Museum in London. It is sumptuously decorated with shells carved with lapis lazuli and limestone. The squares are all covered with geometrical designs. The picture below tries to give you an idea of the beauty of this game board. Notice the five squares with a rosette.<br />
The second game board is decorated with sheets of shell carved with images of animals and fighting beasts.<br />
Sets of pawns were also found: seven white pawns with five black dots on each and seven black pawns with five white dots. Also two sets of three pyramid-like dice.<br />
<br />
Another game board was found more recently in the tomb of the Queen Shub-ad, located about one thousand kilometers from Ur. The design is simpler with only threes square decorated with a rosette.<br />
<br />
<center>
</center>
<br />
A cuneiform tablet of Babylonian origin that describes this game has recently been discovered by Irving Finkel, curator at the British Museum. The tablet dates from 177-176 BCE but it describes the main elements concerning the course of the game. Interestingly enough, at that time people used knucklebones instead of pyramidal dice.<br />
<br />
"The tablet shows the number and the names of the pawns, one of the dice (two knucklebones: one of sheep, one of ox), and a few details concerning the throws. It appears clearly that each of the five pawns owned by the players were different from one another and that a special throw was required to place each pawn at the beginning of the game. Among the twenty squares on the game board, five are generally decorated with a rosette and it seems that those squares are important in the course of the game. The tablet shows that those squares brought good luck, to place a pawn on them gave an advantage. If a pawn did not stop on a rosette, a penalty had to be paid. The scribe has described the fate of each pawn in a poetical way, the wins and the losses corresponding to the same efforts required to win enough food, drink and love." [1]<br />
<br />
A description of the movement of the pawns is unfortunately missing. The back of the tablet [3] shows four by three squares with zodiac signs and messages of good and bad luck. Mr. Finkel supposes that this was a simple game and a way to foresee the future and the fate of the players.<br />
<br />
All of these give very interesting hints but not enough solid information to actually play the game. So I base my description here on the rules given in "Le monde des Jeux" [2], which are based on two older rule sets proposed by R.C. Bell ("Board and Table Games", OUP 1969) and Frederic V. Grundveld in "Games of the World".<br />
<h2>
Rules of the Game</h2>
Each player has seven pawns, and three pyramidal dice each with two red and two white vertices. This is a race game. The goal is to introduce the seven pawns, to move them along your designated path, and to be the first to have all the pawns out of the game, similar to backgammon. The start square for each player, the path followed by each player, and the five special, rosette squares are shown in the drawing below. The exit square is the one between the two rosettes.<br />
<br />
<center>
<img border="0" src="http://www.gamecabinet.com/images/others/UrBoard.gif" /></center>
Movement points are determined by the roll of the dice as follows:<br />
<ul>
<li>three red vertices yields 5 points and the right to take another turn</li>
<li>three white vertices yields 4 points and the right to take another turn</li>
<li>two white vertices yields no points and the turn passes to your opponent</li>
<li>one white vertex gives 1 point and the turn passes to your opponent</li>
</ul>
<ol>
<li>Draw lots to determine the first player.</li>
<li>The board is empty at the beginning. Pawns may be introduced on your first square by rolling a 4 or 5.</li>
<li>Any pawns already on the board may advanced one square along your path for each movement point thrown.</li>
<li>Except when they are on the refuges (see point five of the rules) or have entered the central line, pawns may be attacked by opposing pawns moving in the same direction. If a pawn lands on a square already occupied by an opposing pawn, the opposing pawn is removed from the board and has to restart the game from its start square.</li>
<li>A player may have as many pawns on the board as they wish. Each square, except for the rosette squares and the leaving (last) square, may be occupied by one and only one pawn.</li>
<li>The rosette squares and the last square are refuges: several pawns of different colors may be present without any danger.</li>
<li>Each pawn must reach the last square from which it can leave the board on a throw of 4 or a 5.</li>
<li>The winner is the first player who moves all of their pawns off of the board via the exit square.</li>
</ol>
<h2>
Bibliography</h2>
<ol>
<li>Lhéte Jean Marie, <i>"Histoire des jeux de société"</i>, 1994 Flammarion</li>
<li>Jack Botermans, Tony Burrett, Peter Van Delft, Carla Van Splunteren, <i>"Le monde des Jeux"</i>, 1987 Cté Nlle des Editions du Chêne</li>
<li>Finkel Irving : <i>"La tablette des régles du jeu royal d'Ur"</i>, Jouer dans l'Antiquité, cat. exp., Marseille, musée d'Archéologie méditerranéenne, 1991.</li>
</ol>
<div>
[Source: <a href="http://www.gamecabinet.com/history/Ur.html">The Game Cabinet</a>]</div>
Todd H. C. Fischerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17443803516688636635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7523633995360177303.post-18300975528757315342014-06-17T08:37:00.002-07:002014-06-17T08:37:38.762-07:00Game of the Goose<div align="left" style="line-height: 24px;">
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<b><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 1pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial;">Rules of Play for</span><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="color: black;"> </span><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial;">the</span><span style="color: #fc1414;"></span></span></span></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: #fc1414; font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;">Royal Game of the Goose</span></b></div>
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<a href="http://www.recoveredscience.com/Gooscanvas2.jpg" style="background-color: ivory;"><img align="left" alt="Gooscanvas2.jpg (10215 bytes)" border="3" height="111" src="http://www.recoveredscience.com/Gooscanvas2_small1.jpg" width="100" /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></a><div align="left" style="line-height: 24px; margin-top: 8px;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;">Start right in to play and </span><span style="color: red; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;">have fun </span><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;">with these games.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;">You'll find that the race on both sides of the gameboard is much more challenging than in backgammon because these games, especially the Labyrinth game, have added a series of obstacles and shortcuts.<br /><br />And you'll find the creative strategies of taking not just one counter but a whole team through to be an enjoyable adventure on either side of the board.<br /></span><span style="color: #fc1414; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;"><b>Number of Goose players</b></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;">: Two or more</span><span style="color: #fc1414; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;"><b>Goose Equipment</b></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;"> : Gameboard, 2 dice, and<br />1 counter per player in the traditional version<br />(Compare the team version below.)<br /> </span><span style="color: #fc1414; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;"><b>To start</b></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;"> : Each player chooses a distinct color of playing piece. Each player rolls the two dice, and the highest roll determines who plays first. Turns move clockwise.<br /><br />The gameboard pattern is a spiral of 63 fields, from the outside to the inside. Many fields have special hazards or benefits for players who land on them. The object of the game is to travel along the spiral from field 1 to field 63, and the first player who successfully lands exactly on field 63 is the winner.<br /><br />On each turn, a player rolls the two dice and advances the counter along the spiral by as many fields as the sum of the two dice. The player must deal with any situation on the space landed on, be they hazards or benefits. The special bonus and hazard fields are described on the next page.<br /><br />Start with all players' counters in the space outside of field 1. Take turns rolling the dice and moving. It is not necessary to roll any particular number to enter a counter onto the fields.<br /><br />Two playing pieces may not occupy the same field at the same time. Whenever you land on an occupied field, that player's counter goes back to the space you came from, and you get the vacated space. (In brief, you trade places.)<br /><br />Whenever you land on a field with a goose, you double your move. That is, you advance again the sum of the dice you just rolled. If that puts you on yet another goose, advance again, until you no longer land on a goose. (You may land in a trap yet, after all this wild-goose chasing.)<br /><br />You must arrive on field 63 by an exact count of the dice. If you overthrow the required number, you must step forward into 63 and then move backwards the surplus number of points. If this lands you on a goose, continue moving backwards the same count again.<br /><br />You may use the number of either of your two dice to reach field 63. If you reach it with an exact count, it is not necessary to use the number on the second die. If neither of the two dice has the exact number you need to reach 63, you must use their sum for your back track.<br /><br />The spacing of the goose fields is such that a roll of 9 on a first turn would send a player directly home, so a special provision is made for a roll of 9 on the first turn: If the roll is a 6 and 3, move directly to field 26; if the roll is a 4 and 5, advance all the way to 53. This rule applies only to a player's very first roll of the game. Rolling doubles does not count extra and has no special benefit.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;">The Special Fields:<br /><span style="color: #fc1414;"><b>6 The Bridge --</b></span> If you land on 6, advance immediately to field 12.<br /><span style="color: #fc1414;"><b>19 The Inn --</b></span> The good food and drink makes you sleepy, and you lose I turn. (Exception: if another player lands at the Inn within the same turn, you change places and you go back to the space that player just came from.)<br /><span style="color: #fc1414;"><b>31 The Well --</b></span> If you fall in the Well, lose 2 turns—unless another player landing there releases you sooner, sending you back to the field that player just arrived from.<br /><span style="color: #fc1414;"><b>42 The Maze --</b></span> You get lost and go back to field 30.<br /><span style="color: #fc1414;"><b>52 The Prison --</b></span> If you land in prison, you stay there until another player landing there relieves you and you go back to that player's last field.<br /><span style="color: #fc1414;"><b>58 Death -- </b></span>Your goose is cooked. Go back to the beginning and start all over.<br /><br />One of the attractions of the Game of the Goose was its potential as a gambling game. Players would ante 4 tokens at the beginning of the game and pay one token at each of the 6 special fields. If a player landed on another player's field, both paid one token and changed places. The winner took the pot.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"><b><span style="letter-spacing: 1px;">Rules for the<br /><span style="color: #fc1414;">Team Variation of the Goose Game</span></span></b></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;"><br /><br />Number of players: Two or more<br />Equipment: Gameboard, 2 dice, 4 counters per player for up to four players, or <br />2 counters per player for five or more players.<br /><br />Start and play as for the traditional game, <span style="color: #fc1414;"><b>with these exceptions </b></span><b>:</b> When you roll the two dice, you may use each of the two numbers separately. You can use one number for one of your counters and the other number for another of your counters. A little strategy will let you keep your counters out of the major pitfalls.<br /><br />When one of your counters lands in the Prison, only that counter is stuck. You are free to move the others. However, when trapped at the Inn or the Well, you lose those turns and cannot move any of your counters for the duration. This is a lively race, so stay alert.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;"><br />You may reach field 63 with an exact count on either die. When one of your counters reaches field 63 by an exact count, bear it off the board. The first player to bear off all four counters wins. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.recoveredscience.com/labyrinthriddle.htm"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;">Continue</span></a><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> to read about the Riddle of the Labyrinth, or <span style="color: black;">buy the</span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span><span style="color: red; font-family: Times New Roman;">Game of the Goose and of the Labyrinth</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman;">at </span></span><u><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.gamepuzzles.com/histfun.htm#GL">www.gamepuzzles.com</a></span></u></div>
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<u><br /></u></div>
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<span style="background-color: wheat; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small; line-height: normal; text-align: -webkit-center;">©1982 to 2014 H. Peter Aleff. All rights reserved.</span></div>
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[Source: <a href="http://www.recoveredscience.com/gooserules.htm">Recovered Science</a>]</div>
Todd H. C. Fischerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17443803516688636635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7523633995360177303.post-67830491741656712872014-06-17T08:32:00.002-07:002014-06-17T08:32:49.941-07:00Dogs and Jackals<h1>
Dogs and Jackals</h1>
Article by <a href="http://www.gamecabinet.com/biography/CatherineSoubeyrand.html">Catherine Soubeyrand</a>.<br />
<br />
We continue our trip on the shores of history but remain in Egypt.<br />
This time let me introduce you to a game whose name and rules have also been forgotten among the mists of the past. It is known as the game of "Dogs and Jackals." We know of it by way of a famous boardgame found in an Egyptian tomb. It belongs to a family of games named "game of the thirty points" or "game of the fifty eight holes".<br />
<span style="background-color: #f8fde5;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: #f8fde5;">Many gameboards or pieces of gameboards have been discovered in Egypt but also in Palestine, Mesopotamia and Assyria. A very nice boardgame has been found in the tomb of Reny-Seneb, XII dynasty, about 1800 BC. This beautiful game in ebony and ivory, has the shape of a small piece of furniture. The gameboard is a rectangular (15x10cm) wooden box, put on four animal legs. The top in ivory is carved with a palm tree and fifty eight holes.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f8fde5;"><br /></span>
<br />
<br />
<center>
<i><b>Schematic drawing of the gameboard.</b></i><br /><img border="3" src="http://www.gamecabinet.com/images/others/DogsAndJackals.jpg" /></center>
<br />
<span style="background-color: #f8fde5;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: #f8fde5;">In the drawer within the box, ten pawns were found. They look like short sticks, five carved with a dog head and five with a jackal head. The pawns were placed in the holes of the gameboard, they certainly describe a trail that the pawns have to follow. Holes showings marks (15), circles, or inlays might have played a special role in the course of the game. Were the lines between 10 and 24, or 20 and 22 some shortcuts ?</span><br />
<br />
<h2>
Rules as Proposed by R.C.Bell</h2>
<span style="background-color: #f8fde5;">The game is for two players. Five dogs are given to one and five jackals to the other. You will need three pieces of money to use to determine movement. The goal is to reach the five points (25 to 29) on your side of the board and win the dates.</span><br />
<br />
For the moves the conventions are:<br />
<ul>
<li>one head = one</li>
<li>two heads = two</li>
<li>three heads = three</li>
<li>three tails = five and a free move</li>
</ul>
<h3>
The Play</h3>
<ol>
<li>Both players agree on a stake.</li>
<li>The right side of the board belongs to the dogs and the left to the jackals.</li>
<li>The brown circle above the palm tree is the starting point. The pawns move then on the side of the gameboard trying to reach the top of the tree (25 to 29).</li>
<li>Exact throws are required to reach the final positions. The order in which it is done has no importance.</li>
<li>The two players throw the three coins in turn. A five is required to introduce a new pawn on the starting point. Then the pieces are thrown again to move the pawn.</li>
<li>The first pawn to reach a hole with an horizontal mark (15 on dog side) wins the stake.</li>
<li>Only one pawn may be put on a hole. If no move is possible the throw is lost for this player.</li>
<li>If a pawn reaches a hole linked to an other hole by a path (10-24, 20-22), it follows the line which acts like a ladder to the victory.</li>
<li>A player must move his pawns when he can do so. If he can move no pawns, his or her opponent is allowed to add his throw to his or her own .</li>
<li>The first player having put his five pawns in the five holes (25 to 29) wins the game.</li>
</ol>
<b>Bibliography :</b><br />R.C.Bell, <i>The Boardgame Book</i>, 1979 Marshall Cavendish Ltd, London<br />
<br />
[Source: <a href="http://www.gamecabinet.com/history/DogsAndJackals.html">The Game Cabinet</a>]Todd H. C. Fischerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17443803516688636635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7523633995360177303.post-6445435079744361642014-06-17T08:30:00.000-07:002014-06-17T08:30:06.634-07:00Kingibats<h1>
Kingibats</h1>
<em>Seen cited in a childrens book as an actual Dark Age game but not sure what the evidence is. Regardless, the simplicity of the game makes it a plausible Dark Age invention and it's good parrying practice for combatants.</em><br />
<hr />
When making centre boss shields, keep the approx. 8-inch diameter circle of wood which you cut out. Put a handle on the back that you can hold comfortably and use the bat to parry with. Make a ball by wrapping a stone in many strips of cloth or leather (a tennis ball works just as well and is safer if childen are joining in or you are playing near parked cars). Each player holds a bat apart from the one designated thrower. The thrower tries to get people out by<br />
<ul>
<li>Hitting any part of their body with the ball</li>
<li>Catching the ball (before it bounces) when a player has hit it with a bat</li>
</ul>
Players protect themselves by either dodging or parrying the ball with the bat. The thrower cannot move when he/she has hold of the ball. When a player is out, he/she drops their bat and joins the thrower in attacking the rest of the players. Throwers can pass the ball between them. At the end of the game, the winner (i.e. the last person left holding a bat) is rewarded by becoming the thrower in the next game.<br />
If more people want to play than you have bats for, the excess just play by dodging the ball and then pick up a bat when one is dropped by a person being out. Bats can be painted in group shield colours to personalise them.<br />
<br />
[Source: <a href="http://www.42nd-dimension.com/NFPS/nfps_kingibats.html">Kingibats</a>]Todd H. C. Fischerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17443803516688636635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7523633995360177303.post-57110985636224034472014-06-17T08:24:00.002-07:002014-06-17T08:24:48.473-07:00Gameball<center>
<h1>
Game of the Month: Football</h1>
<h2>
by Dagonell the Juggler</h2>
</center>
Surprise! Football <u>is</u> period, although our ancestors would probably have sneered at all the rules and regulations we've added to our game. Medieval football was called "Gameball", `game' being the Old English word for fight or battle. The rules were much simpler ... there weren't any! First team to get the ball into their opposing team's goal, wins.<br />
<br />
The ancient Greeks and Romans played "Harpastum", a game which combines elements of Soccer, Rugby and American Football. The Romans imported this game into England during the time of Julius Caesar; however it wasn't until the Middle Ages that the game really caught on.<br />
The sides were seldom equal. There were no limits to the number of players. Women as well as men played. In a friendly pickup game among knights on a campaign, the goals were probably only a few dozen yards apart. In regular games between neighboring villages, with everything the phrase `traditional rivals' implies, it was not unusual for the goals to be hundreds of yards or even one or two miles apart.<br />
<br />
<table><tbody>
<tr><td><img src="http://www-cs.canisius.edu/~salley/Images/Games/elizabethan.football.gif" /></td><td>The ball was a pig's bladder, at first stuffed with dried peas and later inflated with air. We still refer to a football as a "pigskin" even today, when modern footballs are made from cowhide. From <u>Sports and Pastimes</u> by Strutt, originally published in the early 1700's. "The ball, which is commonly made of a blown bladder and cased in leather, is delivered in the midst of the ground, and the object of each party is to drive it through the goal of their antagonists, which being achieved, the game is won." The illustration is a woodcut from Strutt's book showing a football being inflated.<br />
A neutral person would throw the ball into the air as high as possible between the two teams and then run for dear life as the teams converged. There was no penalty for roughing the ref. The ball could be carried, kicked, passed or thrown, whatever got it closer to the goal.<br />
<br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The medieval version of the Superbowl took place on Shrove Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday. Entire towns participated and some games literally lasted for several days. The tradition continued off and on from the twelfth through the nineteenth centuries.<br />
As you may have realized, the potential for for mayhem was enormous. Documented instances of crippling injuries, including several fatalities, abound. A papal dispensation was issued in 1321 to a player who accidentally killed an opponent. Kings Edward II, Edward III, Richard II, Henry V, Henry VI, Lord Oliver Cromwell, and Queen Elizabeth I, all prohibited the game due to the number of injuries it caused and because it took time away from archery practice. The laws were ignored.<br />
In the mid-fifteenth century, a variation called "Kicking Camp" developed. The ball could ONLY be kicked, not carried or thrown. This game later developed into European football, called Soccer. The game of American Football evolved from the original game of "Gameball" which continued to be played right up to the Renaissance.<br />
<center>
<h3>
<u>Bibliography</u></h3>
</center>
<a href="http://wwwwbs.cs.tu-berlin.de/user/tiny/fhistory.html" target="_top">Football History</a> -- http://wwwwbs.cs.tu-berlin.de/user/tiny/fhistory.html<br />
<a href="http://www.the-english-football-archive.com/football_history.htm" target="_top">The History of English Football</a> -- http://www.the-english-football-archive.com/football_history.htm<br />
<a href="http://www.nenyl.org.uk/history_of_football.html" target="_top">The History of Football</a> -- http://www.nenyl.org.uk/history_of_football.html<br />
Reeves, Compton <u>Pleasures and Pastimes of Medieval England</u> (England; Alan Sutton Pub.;1995; ISBN 0-7509-0089-X; 228pgs) Barnes and Noble recently bought the printing rights for this previously out-of-print book.<br />
<br />
[Source: <a href="http://www-cs.canisius.edu/~salley/SCA/Games/football.html">Dagonell's Game of the Month - Football</a>]Todd H. C. Fischerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17443803516688636635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7523633995360177303.post-4872238575776892952014-06-17T06:31:00.000-07:002014-06-17T06:31:03.744-07:00BowlesBowles was an ancient game, dating back at least to the time of the Romans. Its modern day descendants include bocce ball and lawn bowling. The rules below are taken from the <a href="http://www.bocce.org/rules.html#N. Basic Rules">Collegium Cosmicum ad Buxeas</a> website.<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Object </b><br />
The object of the game of bocce is for one team to get as many of their balls
closer to the pallina than the opposing team's closest ball.<br />
<br /><b>
Play </b><br />
The toss of a coin determines which team will start. The starting team chooses
which color (or pattern) ball they will play with. The first team member throws
the pallina and then rolls his/her first ball as close to the pallina as
possible. It is now up to the opposing team to roll a ball closer to the
pallina than the starting team.<br />
<br />
If the opposing team uses all four balls and fails to get closer to pallina
than the starting ball, the starting team rolls each of their remaining balls,
trying to place them closer than the opponent's closest ball.<br />
<br />
However, if the opposing team succeeds in placing one of their balls closer to
the pallina, the starting team must then roll again to attempt to get closer or
"better the point". Each team continues to roll until it beats the
point of the opposite team.<br />
<br />
While the object is to get close to the pallina, it is permissible for a player
to roll his/her ball as to knock an opponent's ball away from the pallina.
Likewise, a player may knock or move the pallina toward his/her own team's
balls. The pallina is playable anywhere on the playing surface.<br />
<br /><b>
Scoring </b><br />
When all balls have been played, this concludes the frame and ONE team is
awarded one point for each of its balls which is closer to the pallina the the
closest opposing team's ball. Thus, a team may score up to four points per
frame. If the closest ball of each team is equal in distance from the pallina,
NO points are awarded. The team that scores in a frame starts the next frame by
throwing out the pallina and playing their first ball. Play continues until a
team wins by reaching a score of sixteen points. </div>
Todd H. C. Fischerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17443803516688636635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7523633995360177303.post-63258126365650986502014-06-12T11:03:00.000-07:002014-06-12T11:03:41.135-07:00Asalto<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://gamescrafters.berkeley.edu/games/asalto.xml">XML</a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>History<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Asalto or Assault is a variation of the popular Fox games,
where one player is a fox and the other is a geese or sheep. The game has its
origins in <st1:country-region w:st="on">Spain</st1:country-region> and <st1:country-region w:st="on">England</st1:country-region> as well as <st1:country-region w:st="on">France</st1:country-region>, where it is known as
Assaut.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>The Board<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The board is similar to the Fox and Geese board, except that
the nine points are designated as fortresses, and are separate from each other.
The board is crossed shaped and contains 33 holes connected by straight and
diagonal lines. Nine of the holes located in one of the cross's arms are the
fortress.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>The Pieces<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
There are 24 pieces of one color, which will be foot
soldiers and 2 pieces of another color, which are officers or sharpshooters.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Rules<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
To move: Officers may move in any direction, one space at a
time along the lines. Foot soldiers can only move forward, diagonally or
sideways. They cannot move backwards. While they cannot jump the officers, they
must try to trap them in the battlefield or the fortress to win. Capturing: An
officer can capture by jumping over the solider if the next available space is
vacant.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>To win</b>: The foot
soldiers win by either occupying every point of the fortress or by trapping the
soldiers inside the fortress or on the battlefield. The officers, on the other
hand, try to capture the soldiers on the battlefield or the fortress. In order
to win they must capture at least 15 soldiers.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The board is initially arranged so that the top nine holes
in one arm of the cross contains the two officers or sharp shooters. They may
be arranged anywhere within their fortress. The 24 soldiers are placed outside
the fortress. The sharp shooter or officers go first in this game. They are
allowed to move in any direction along the lines one space at a time. They can
capture by jumping over the soldier into a vacant space. Soldiers are allowed
to jump and capture as many times as they can on their turn as long as they are
able to land in a vacant space after each capture. Play then alternates to the
soldier, who are only allowed to move forward and diagonally. On their move,
soldiers should attempt to trap officers inside the fortress or battlefield.
They are not allowed to jump. A variation of game involves huffled where the
officer is removed from the board if he does not capture a soldier when he is
able to do so.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Variants<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Huffled: An officer is removed from the game if he does not
capture a soldier if the move is available.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Diagonals: Variations of the game can be played without the
diagonals.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Movement: Alter the rules so that the officers are not
allowed to move backwards.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Number Of Officers: Change the number of officers from two
to three in the fortress.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Alternate Names<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<st1:country-region w:st="on">Spain</st1:country-region> And
<st1:country-region w:st="on">England</st1:country-region>:
Asalto</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<st1:country-region w:st="on">France</st1:country-region>:
Assaut</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<st1:country-region w:st="on">England</st1:country-region>:
Officers And Men</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<st1:country-region w:st="on">Germany</st1:country-region>:
Festungsspiel, Belagerungs-spiel</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<st1:country-region w:st="on">Denmark</st1:country-region>:
Belerjringspel</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<st1:country-region w:st="on">Sweden</st1:country-region>:
Belagringsspel, Fastningsspel</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<st1:country-region w:st="on">Iceland</st1:country-region>:
Beleiringsspil</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>References<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<st1:city w:st="on">Murray</st1:city>,
H.J.R. A History of Board Games Other Than Chess.New York: <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Oxford</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">University</st1:placetype></st1:place>
Press, 1951, p. 104-105.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Provenzo, Asterie Baker and Eugene F. Provenzo Jr. Favorite
Board Games You Can Make. <st1:state w:st="on">New York</st1:state>: <st1:city w:st="on">Dover</st1:city>, 1981, p. 174-175.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Gamescrafters<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Robert Liao (C Author)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Michael Chen (C Author)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Eudean Sun (Tcl Author)</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Todd H. C. Fischerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17443803516688636635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7523633995360177303.post-89196732657111232332014-06-12T10:59:00.001-07:002014-06-12T10:59:37.011-07:00Monk and Water<div class="MsoNormal">
a traditional game from <st1:country-region w:st="on">Tibet</st1:country-region></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1pA26INNvsh65iswg_6BOzJesi0QzRaWpCwFj46DR9JaaZKyYs7VSifRCCTN7SJmE3sACmCZB1usuHf2VRplua_TUDYzzZnbhWhJ1hsdKJi2pcGREmdYspIbzy2t4tdmXmilfXwvnfwOI/s1600/monkboard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1pA26INNvsh65iswg_6BOzJesi0QzRaWpCwFj46DR9JaaZKyYs7VSifRCCTN7SJmE3sACmCZB1usuHf2VRplua_TUDYzzZnbhWhJ1hsdKJi2pcGREmdYspIbzy2t4tdmXmilfXwvnfwOI/s1600/monkboard.jpg" height="320" width="226" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This is the traditional Tibetan game 'Shui yen ho-shang'
("Water drowns the Monk"). One side plays the Monk (red stone) and
the other side plays Water (blue stones). Stones move by shifting along a
marked line to an adjacent empty position. The objective of Water is to drive
the Monk back inside the cloister, which is the rhomb at the top, and close the
entrance with a blue stone, in which case he wins. The Monk wins if he captures
enough Water stones so they can't drive him back (when only five blue stones
remain), or to reach the apex of the cloister without the entrance being closed
by a blue stone. The Monk captures through intervention, stepping in
between two Water stones that are directly across from each other, diagonally
or orthogonally, capturing them both. This is called "carry water".
Capture is not mandatory. The Water side cannot capture. The blue stones begin.<br />
<br />
It is necessary to sacrifice as many as eight blue stones, but Water should be
able to win anyway. In order to prevent the Monk from reaching the apex without
the entrance being closed, a blue stone must be placed beside the entrance if
the Monk is at the entrance. One must encroach upon the Monk while accepting
that stones are lost. He must not be allowed to get behind the lines, when it's
not easy to drive him towards the cloister. Interestingly, this game diagram
has been found inscribed in Preah Khan, a Cambodian Angkor temple from medieval
times.<br />
<br />
<b>Discussion<br />
</b><br />
In below reference it is said that the Monk wins if he captures all the enemy
stones, but this is not possible as they are fifteen by number and the Monk can
only capture an even number of stones. The apex rule, taken from the close
relative <a href="http://mlwi.magix.net/public/chinese_r.htm">Chinese
Rebels</a>, allows him to sometimes win fast. But as it is not possible to hunt
down all stones, a rule is introduced by which Water loses if only five stones
remain. The cloister enclosement rule, taken from Sixteen (Chinese) Rebels
(Murray), is a necessary introduction while it's not possible for Water to win
by filling the cloister with stones with the Monk at the top position. This is
practically impossible to achieve (tested).<br />
<br />
<b>Reference<br />
</b><br />
Jen Nai-Ch'iang (1946). Folklore Studies V. 1946: 'Die Fandse. Ein Beitrag
zur Volkskunde von Kham', s.169 + illustration 1, p.190. </div>
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<br /></div>
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You can download my free Monk and Water program <a href="http://mlwi.magix.net/public/Monk_and_Water.zip">here</a>, but you must
own the software <a href="http://www.zillions-of-games.com/">Zillions of
Games</a> to be able to run it (I recommend the download version). </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
© M. Winther, 2010 May </div>
Todd H. C. Fischerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17443803516688636635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7523633995360177303.post-33515837808041303802014-06-12T10:55:00.000-07:002014-06-12T10:55:00.558-07:00MING MANG<div class="MsoNormal">
Traditional</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Ming Mang is a two player game played on a 17x17 square
board, with the following setup:</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtBS7J8dHj5dSY44LYaQpKviRJ1zi6H1F3Dy15dTAC6TjckwDC9YCfKw4wcEWdHwb1lT-hUAOXUzLqzxA-Nw6diY4G-ENijw5YwvMeSjV540kSN6Vs67Hf4VHKIkg8V9OQ-Ykz276We62T/s1600/ming+mang.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtBS7J8dHj5dSY44LYaQpKviRJ1zi6H1F3Dy15dTAC6TjckwDC9YCfKw4wcEWdHwb1lT-hUAOXUzLqzxA-Nw6diY4G-ENijw5YwvMeSjV540kSN6Vs67Hf4VHKIkg8V9OQ-Ykz276We62T/s1600/ming+mang.jpg" height="318" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
MOVE - A player chooses a stone and slides it along an
orthogonal line by a number of empty cells (just like the chess rook movement).</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
CAPTURE - A stone or set of stones are captured if they
are trapped between two enemy stones along a straight row or column (i.e.,
custodian capture). </div>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal">Any
captured stone is removed and replaced by stones of the other color.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">A
stone may move between two opponent stones on a straight line without
being captured.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Stones
on the corner cannot be captured.</li>
</ul>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
GOAL - A player wins when he stalemates the opponent.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Ming Mang is played on <st1:country-region w:st="on">Tibet</st1:country-region>. There is some questions
about the term, Ming Mang can also means board games in general, or even
another variant of Go, <a href="http://www.di.fc.ul.pt/~jpn/gv/tibet-go.htm">Tibet Go</a>. If you have
more info about this, please contact <a href="mailto:jpn@di.fc.ul.pt">me</a>.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>An example<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM_HR9u74EqDzlTB5Mit52jEtiC0t2dHWO_3IbBOkg-gntwA1LFroVp0PdcPxV44yAxNiZ1fj6zayA4Hb3bzIxgbXwLoiKKb_1mzQ2tfP9jsFyeXZJycY7dANsM_FUHBJRuEivV-G64y3w/s1600/ming+mang+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM_HR9u74EqDzlTB5Mit52jEtiC0t2dHWO_3IbBOkg-gntwA1LFroVp0PdcPxV44yAxNiZ1fj6zayA4Hb3bzIxgbXwLoiKKb_1mzQ2tfP9jsFyeXZJycY7dANsM_FUHBJRuEivV-G64y3w/s1600/ming+mang+1.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If it's White's turn, he can capture two black stones by
sliding to cell [1]. However, if it's Black's turn, he may safely slide to cell
[1], avoiding the dangerous White move.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Ming Mang is easily scaled to any square board. A faster
game can be played with an Othello 8x8 board and material. Check a modern <a href="http://www.di.fc.ul.pt/~jpn/gv/modmingmang.htm">variant</a> of this
game, made by Schmittberger. He notices a flaw on this game rules, since it's
easy to create impregnable little structures where a player cannot be
stalemated, check the next example! </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Avoiding stalemates, and avoiding it!</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_8ufs4OBLzaAC-Lkd6YL6v0ztSZgnqt-i0C1qB1zznapf4xg_NVL8cT6NevYIsq7X3u5H30NIss_l1jlhcHgxRxZHdnZqO4M8ua0zRxfZYQ2m5C9lr9WbMsMeVolRAScrOqd3M1rAdP5K/s1600/ming+mang+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_8ufs4OBLzaAC-Lkd6YL6v0ztSZgnqt-i0C1qB1zznapf4xg_NVL8cT6NevYIsq7X3u5H30NIss_l1jlhcHgxRxZHdnZqO4M8ua0zRxfZYQ2m5C9lr9WbMsMeVolRAScrOqd3M1rAdP5K/s1600/ming+mang+2.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The black structure is impregnable, the corner stone just
slides along both cells [1] and White cannot do a thing about it!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
One way to solve this, is to include a push rule, like in<a href="http://www.di.fc.ul.pt/~jpn/gv/abalone.htm">Abalone</a>. If so, White
would move stone f4 to cell [2] and then push left to eliminate the structure.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p>[Source: <a href="http://www.di.fc.ul.pt/~jpn/gv/mingmang.htm">Games of Soldiers</a>]</o:p></div>
Todd H. C. Fischerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17443803516688636635noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7523633995360177303.post-87782784347297067762014-06-12T10:46:00.000-07:002014-06-12T10:46:16.564-07:00Wari Rules<div class="MsoNormal">
by <a href="http://www.johnpratt.com/jpp.html">John P.
Pratt</a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Mon 14 Sep 2009</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://www.johnpratt.com/items/mancala/index.html">Basic
rules for all variations</a>.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Perhaps the most played game in <st1:place w:st="on">Africa</st1:place>
is Wari, also known as Oware, Awari, Awale, Ouri, and a host of other names
(and I cannot determine if Trysse is another version or another name). It is
played on the same board as the Mancala games, but with very different rules.
The general method of picking all the stones out of one pit and sowing them one
at a time counterclockwise was already covered in the page of <a href="http://www.johnpratt.com/items/mancala/index.html">Basic rules for all
variations</a>. Here are the specific other rules for Wari.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
1. The game usually begins with four seeds in each pit. More
can cause the game to drag on too long.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
2. When the seeds are sown, the capture pit is not included.
Figure 1 shows the board before the Lower Player plays his Pit 3. Figure 2
shows the board after that move. Pit 3 had 8 seeds, and they were placed in
Pits 2 and 1 of the Lower Player, and all of the pits of the Upper Player. The
capture pit was not included in the sowing. If there are enough seeds in a pit
to go all the way around the board, then no seed is dropped in the original pit
that is being played. In other words, the pit being played always remains empty
after a move.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip-Hh12MISE8IcscRyUtWuYpTJDcJnIRvZtW1gzfGgzjYfXAyxEJeZ64Bp2UHmTsnVw7ryoq1lU2mO7fgzh49BSfBjgSZr4FokVklaoN5U4aspFt01KKxvALlDOcOB2Q81qMPZqGHesyCi/s1600/wari_before.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip-Hh12MISE8IcscRyUtWuYpTJDcJnIRvZtW1gzfGgzjYfXAyxEJeZ64Bp2UHmTsnVw7ryoq1lU2mO7fgzh49BSfBjgSZr4FokVklaoN5U4aspFt01KKxvALlDOcOB2Q81qMPZqGHesyCi/s1600/wari_before.jpg" height="197" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="background-color: #ffffcc; font-size: medium;">Fig. 1. Board before moving Pit 3.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
3. A capture is made when the last seed sown lands in an
opponent's pit that contained exactly one or two seeds before the move was
made. In other words,after the move is made, it has two or three seeds. In
that case, all seeds are removed from that last pit and place in the player's
capture pit.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqJanYw1Y5lpt8lPC7-qjMTyRuaUhblES4Nwg67_09NqAzKktHef2b93j_DkEwNUHisK3lQF1qR-H-szpPYArbyJH9qrHNWdbnj7fmFaiXxpJEIn3JeSsrVcprd3FAgWrLaG46KYQQaFwO/s1600/wari_during.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqJanYw1Y5lpt8lPC7-qjMTyRuaUhblES4Nwg67_09NqAzKktHef2b93j_DkEwNUHisK3lQF1qR-H-szpPYArbyJH9qrHNWdbnj7fmFaiXxpJEIn3JeSsrVcprd3FAgWrLaG46KYQQaFwO/s1600/wari_during.jpg" height="193" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="background-color: #ffffcc; font-size: medium;">Fig. 2. After the move, but before removing captured seeds.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
4. When a capture is made, captures are simultaneously made
in all opponent pits in a row counting back from the final pit, which also
contain two or three stones after the move. To be captured, the pits must all
contain that number with no exceptions.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvjZZQvtXJKHKdynOSwcaoGfg_Xc1oQbQko0BJ8SW9VgQYeetiVJ6v1JPy-U4CpTUSIvoyRXiYaMUtVSFWh0RPBt0UsnxNmfpxK-ft8MhhVpVYHfG5oqViGlzHrrmSeJS5zgZQBm3ej7i8/s1600/wari_after.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvjZZQvtXJKHKdynOSwcaoGfg_Xc1oQbQko0BJ8SW9VgQYeetiVJ6v1JPy-U4CpTUSIvoyRXiYaMUtVSFWh0RPBt0UsnxNmfpxK-ft8MhhVpVYHfG5oqViGlzHrrmSeJS5zgZQBm3ej7i8/s1600/wari_after.jpg" height="188" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="background-color: #ffffcc; font-size: medium;">Fig. 3. After captured stones removed.</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
For example, in the example being considered, the final seed
was sown into the Upper Player's Pit 1. After the move, it had 2 or 3
seeds (2 to be exact), so it is captured. But Pit 2, and Pit 3 also have 2 or 3
seeds after the move, and they are all in a row, next to Pit 1, so
they are also captured. Pit 5 also ends up with 3 seeds, but it is not
consecutive with the others, that is, Pit 4 with 4 seeds is in between, so Pit
5 is not captured. Figure 3 shows the result after the captured seeds are
placed in the Lower Player's capture pit.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
5. A player who begins his turn when his opponent has no
seeds to play should make a move to pass seeds to his opponent if possible. If
that is not possible, then the player with stones remaining captures all of
those stones for himself. In this game, one wants to have his opponent to run
out of seeds first, but he needs to arrange his so that he cannot pass any to
the other side.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The opponent can be left with no seeds to play by capturing
all of his last seeds with the move. In other words, a player is not required
to pass his opponent seeds if he can capture all of the opponent's seeds with
his move. In that case, the player with seeds remaining, captures all of his
own seeds also.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
There is a penalty for failing to pass your opponent seeds
if possible when the opponent will have none to play with on his next move. If
it was possible to pass him some, and a different move was made so that he
still has none, then the opponent with no seeds captures all of the remaining
seeds of the player who failed to pass him some.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
6. If at the end of the game the situation arises that the
players are simply passing the stones to each other in an endless loop, then
the players can agree to end the game. In that case, the seeds still on the
board are not counted by either player.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Todd H. C. Fischerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17443803516688636635noreply@blogger.com0