BACK-GAMMON, the name of a popular and interesting game, played by two persons, with a box and dice, upon a table divided into two parts, upon which there arc 12 black and 12 white points. Each adversary has 15 men, black and white, to distinguish them, which are arranged thus : Supposing you play into the right-hand table, two, upon the ace-point in your adversary's table, five upon the six-point in the opposite table, three upon the cinque point in the i hithermost table, and five on the six-point in your own table : the grand object is to bring the men round into your own table ; all throws. that contri bute towards it, and prevent your adversary doing the same, are advantageous, and vice versa. The first best throw upon the dice is esteemed aces, as it stops the six-point in the outer table, and secures the cinque in your own, in consequence of which your adversary's two men upon your ace-point cannot get out witfi either ciuttre, cinque, or six. The first throw, therefore, is an advantage frequently asked and given between players that -areinot equally skilful.
In the follow ing article we shall present our readers with an abstra,... of Hoyle's Treatise on Back-ga 7727120 11.
It is necessary for a learner to know how many points he has the chance of throwing upon the two dice, one throw with another.
There are 36 cb_ances upon two dice.
‘291 divided by 36, sheWis, that one throw with an other you may expect S upon two dice.
The chances upon two dice are as follow : To explain farther how to use the table of 36 chances, to find the odds of being hit upon any cer tain or flat die. This second example shews how to discover by that the odds of being hit upon a 6.
To find out by this table what are the odds of be ing' hit upon a certain, or fiat die, (the- ace for ex ample,) look in the table, where it is thus * marked.
hence it appears, that it is 25 to 11 against hit ting an ace, upon a certain, or flat die. The same tnethod may be taken with any other flat die, as with the ace.
What are the odds of entering a ?non upon 1, 2, 3, or .5 points? 1. If you play three up, your principal object in the -first place, is, either to secure your own or your adversary's cinque point ; when that is effected you may play a bold game, and endeavour to gammon the adversary.
2. The next best point (after you have gained your cinque-point) is to make your har-point, therLby pre venting your adversary from running away with 2 sixes.
3. After you have proceeded thus far, prefer ma king the quatre-point in your own tables, rather than the quatre•point out of them.
4. Having gained these points, you have a good chance to gammon your adversary, if he is very much advanced : For, suppose his tables are broken at home, it will then he your interest to open your bar-point to oblige him to come out of your tables with a six ; and having your men spread, you not.
only may catch that man which your adversary brings out of your tables, but will also have a proba bility of taking up the man left in your tables, (upon the supposition that he had two men there.) And if he should have a blot at home, it will then be your interest not to make up your tables ; because, if he should enter upon a blot, which you are to make for the purpose, you will have a probability of getting a third man ; which, if accomplished, will give you at least four to one of the gammon ; whereas, ilF you have only two of his men up, the chance is, that you do not gammon him.
5. if you play for a hit only, one or two of your adversary's men taken up makes it surer than a great er number, provided your tables are made up.
6. Directions how to carry your men home.—When you carry your men home, in order to lose no point, you are to carry the most distant man to your ad versary's bar-point, that being the first stage you are to place it on ; the next stage is 6 points farther, viz. in the place where your adversary's five men are first placed out of his tables ; the next stage is upon the sixth point in your tables. This method is to be pursued till your men are brought home, except 2, when, by losing a point, you may often save your gammon, by putting it in the power of 2 fives or 2 fours to save it.