20. During the game, look over the dominos which have been played, sc that you may calculate what numbers are likely to be soon run out, and what numbers your opponent is likely to be short of.

21. Do not push the game to a block if you hold a heavy hand, but play out your heaviest first, and keep both ends open.

22. Use your judgment freely. It is not always the best policy to adhere too strictly to the rules laid down in books. In fact, a wily player will oftentimes find it expedient to play a speculative, eccentric game, apparently quite at variance with the ordinary "laws."

23. Keep perfectiy quiet, attentively watch your opponent's moves, and prevent him, if you can, from obtaining an insight into your play. 24. Last (though not least), don't lose your temper.

All Fives.

This game stands next in popularity to the preceding one. The same number of dominos are taken, or as many as may be agreed upon, and in many points it is similar. The object of the game is to contrive so to play that the aggregate number of pips on the dominos at both ends shall number 5, 10, 15, or 20. If the number 5, the player who makes the point counts one; if 10, two; if 15, three; if 20, four.

Suppose that

In order to make our meaning clearer, we give an illustration. at one end there is %, and at the other a five. The next player then plays to the single five, and scores two, because the aggregate number of pips on the dominos at both ends is ten. If the opponent should follow up by playing the g to the, he of course scores three.

To give another illustration. Suppose at one end is §, and the next player places at the other end, he scores four for making twenty.

If the game becomes blocked, he who holds the least number of pips counts

one.

The custom as to what number shall be "up" is different in different parts of the country. In some places it is ten; in others, fifteen; in others again, twenty. The number ought to be agreed upon at the commencement of the game. In our opinion, it adds to the interest of the game to select the lower numbers.

Sometimes the game is so played that he who makes five counts five; ten is made to count ten, and so on; but in that case not fewer than 50, and not more than 100 points should constitute the game.

As we have shown, the material point in which this game differs from the previous one is, that you count the fives, from which circumstance it derives its

name.

The next best thing to making fives yourself is to prevent your adversary from doing so; and when you do give him the opportunity of making a point, it should only be in order that you may make two or three points yourself.

When your adversary fails to avail himself of a good chance, you may preme that he does not hold such and such dominos, and from that and like indications, which you must carefully store up in your memory, you will be able to form a tolerably accurate estimate of his hand. You should never omit to turn these indications to good account.

There is only one domino in the whole pack which can be led without the next player being able to make a point from it—namely. Always lead that, if possible.

If you must play one of two dominos, either of which you fear your adver. sary will turn to his account, of course you must play that by which you think you will be likely to lose the least.

It is good practice occasionally to take a survey of the game as far as it has gone, not only in order to refresh your memory as to what has been played, but also that you may form an opinion, if possible, of what your opponent's "little game" is. If there are good grounds for coming to the conclusion that he holds heavy numbers while you hold light ones, block up the game as speedily as you can, and proceed to count. To understand your opponent's hand is a most important matter, and we do not think we have insisted on it too much. Good players will tell you that they have won many games by watching closely the opponent's moves, and drawing therefrom inferences respecting the dominos he holds in his hand. We need not add, the greatest caution must be used in forming these inferences.

The Drawing Game.

The same number of dominos are used, and the lead is drawn for in the ame manner in this as in the previously described games.

The difference is, that when a player cannot go, he must draw a domino from a pack. If he cannot then go, he must draw another, and so on until he is able to continue the game.

He who plays out first, or in case the game becomes blocked, he who holds the smallest number of pips, wins.

The French have a different way of playing this game. The player who holds the highest double, or, in the event of there being no double, the highest domino, has the pose or lead. The second player, should he be unable to go, may draw all the remaining dominos except two, which must remain untaken. If he leave more than two, the first player, should he require them in order to continue the game, may appropriate the surplus, still leaving two on the table. If a player cannot go, it is compulsory that he draw till he gets hold of a domino that will enable him to continue the game.

Each player may take the pose alternately, or the winner in the first instance may retain it, as agreed upon.

The French method of counting is also different. When a player has played out, he counts the pips in his opponent's hand, and scores them to his owr

account. In case the game should become blocked, the player holding the fewest pips scores the number of pips in his adversary's hand to his own account, each pip counting one. A game consists of from 20 to 100 points, according to agreement.

With respect to the English method of playing this game, the general instructions and maxims given on the other games apply equally to this. But a few words must be added with regard to the French play. He who has the highest double is compelled to play first, and cannot draw any more dominos until it is his turn to play again, but his opponent may draw all but two, which two must remain untaken during the game. But the second player should not

draw more than half the dominos, unless really compelled by the badness of his hand, as by this means it will leave a chance of his opponent having as many to draw. A good player at times might be justified in taking all but two, for, by the calculation and judgment obtained by having them, he might be enabled to play them all before his opponent could play his five or six dominos, as the case may be. Should the second player hold a good hand, comprising dominos of every denomination, he should not draw until compelled. If he should happen to draw high doubles, he ought to continue to draw until he holds several of that number.

It is not always the player holding the greatest number who gets out first, because as he has some of almost every denomination, his adversary will keep playing to him, and the odds are that he (the adversary) will be able to play out first. Still, in many games, the one holding the largest number of dominos possesses this advantage, that he has the power to keep both ends open to himself but closed to his opponent, and he may thus run out.

In order to be able to play out first with the largest number (supposing that only two dominos remain untaken), you should by all means, and in the first place, endeavor to ascertain what those two are. You may arrive at this in two ways. Suppose you hold so many of a particular number that with those already played they make six out of the seven of that denomination, you must by all means keep playing them.

As an illustration, we will suppose you hold in your hand four threes, and that two other threes have already been played. Now, if you play your threes, and he not being able to play them, because blocked, it is quite clear that one of the dominos on the table is a three. Then, if those you hold in your hand are-,,, and, and you find among the dominos played and, it is, of course, quite safe to conclude that the domino which is left is the .

The second plan is this. If during the course of the game you have given your opponent opportunities of playing a certain double which you do not your self hold, you may be certain that is one of the left dominos.

A little experiment, in order to test the nature of your adversary's hand, so 2s, however, not materially to injure your own, would often be found more expedient than groping all the while, as it were, in the dark.

By carefully looking over your own hand, you may judge pretty correctly at so whether your adversary's is light or heavy.

It is only by taking into account all these and other nice points that a player can possibly be successful.

Having formed an idea of your opponent's hand, you should make it an ob ject to "run out," or play so that he may be blocked, or that he may be obliged to leave both ends open for you to play out.

Having given some instructions to the player who holds the larger number of dominos, we must now proceed to give a few hints to the lesser hand.

If, holding the lesser hand, you can contrive to play a few moves at first without being blocked, you ought to be pretty sure of winning; because, by that time, your hand will have become so disproportionately small that your opponent will have some difficulty in preventing you from playing out without blocking himself. This, therefore, must be one of your main objects.

If the game goes pretty equal, bring out your strong suits. Wherever you are short of a particular suit, if you find that many of that number have already been played, you need not fear that your adversary will be able to block you in regard to it, for you will, of course, infer that they are as scarce in his hand as in your own. Endeavor to bring these rules to bear, reserving to your discretion as to whether you should in anywise depart from them, or use such modifications as the contingencies of the moment require.

The Matadore Game.

This is a foreign game, and each player takes only three dominos. You can only play when your domino, added to the one previously played, would make seven. Those dominos which themselves make that number are termed matadores," and may be played at any time, regardless of the numbers played to. The double blank is also a matadore. The matadores, therefore, are four

in number, viz., f, 4, 4, 8.

The highest domino leads, and if the next player cannot go, he must draw from the heap until he can. He must cease, however, to draw when there are only two dominos left. He who plays out first wins, and if the game is blocked, he who holds the least number of pips counts those held by his opponent, and scores them to his own game. The number of points constituting the game is subject to agreement: it varies from 20 to 100.

MAXIMS FOR PLAYING THE MATADORE GAME.-This game differs widely from any of the other varieties of dominos. The element of chance is more largely introduced. The player who happens to obtain more matadores than the other is almost certain of winning, provided the parties be pretty evenly balanced in skill and experience.

The blanks are very valuable at this game-the double blank being the most valuable of all the matadores. It is impossible to make a seven against a blank, so that if you hold blanks you may easily block the game and count.

When you have the worst of the game, and indeed at other times as well, guard against your adversary's blanks, and prevent him from making them, which you may do by playing only those dominos which fit with the blanks already down.

Never play a blank at the pose unless you have a matadore or a corresponding

blank.

Keep back your double blank till your opponent makes it blanks all; you can then force him to play a matadore, or compel him draw till he obtains one. It is better to have a mixed hand.

Backgammon.

The game of Backgammon is allowed on all hands to be the most ingenious and elegant game next to chess. The word is Welch, and signifies littlebattle. The origin and antiquity of the game has been accordingly ascribed to the Cambro Britons, although it is claimed also by the French and Spaniards.

This game is played with dice by two persons, on a table divided into two parts, upon which there are twenty-four black and white spaces, called points.

Each player has fifteen men, black and white to distinguish them. If you play into the left-hand table, two of your men are placed upon the ace point in your adversary's inner table; five upon the sixth point in his outer table; three upon the cinque point in your own outer table; and five upon the sixth poirt in your own inner table, and the adversary's men are to be placed so as to cor respond with yours in a directly opposite position. The object of the game is to bring the men round to your own "home," or inner table; consequently, all throws of the dice that tend to this, and impede your adversary in executing the same design on his part, are in your favor. The first most advantageous throw is aces, as it blocks the sixth point in your outer table, and secures the cinque point in your inner table, so that your adversary's two men upon