possible; first the stops, then Pope if he has it, and afterwards the lowest card of his longest suit, particularly an ace, for that never can be led through; the other players are to follow when they can, in sequence of the same suit, till a stop occurs, and the party having the said stop, thereby becomes eldest hand, and is to lead accordingly, and so on, until some person parts with all his cards, by which he wins the pool (game,) and becomes entitled besides to a stake for every card not played by the others, except from any one holding pope, which excuses him from paying; but if pope has been played, then the party having held it is not excused. King and queen form what is denominated matrimony, queen and knave make intrigue, when in the same hand; but neither they, nor ace, king, king, queen, knave, or pope, entitle the holder to the stakes deposited thereon, unless played out, and no claim can be allowed after the board is dressed for the succeeding deal; but in all such cases the stakes are to remain for future determination.

This game only requires a little attention to recollect what stops have been made in the course of the same; as for instance, if a player begins by laying down the eight of clubs, then the seven in another hand forms a stop, whenever that suit is led from any lower card, or the holder when eldest may safely lay it down in order to clear his hand.

THE GAME OF BRAG.

D formerly, is played with a whole pack of BRAG, a game not near so much in vogue as cards, and rather variously conducted by different parties, but the following is given as one of the most scientific methods. As many persons as the cards, leaving a few for stock, will supply, may play at a time, all of whom are to lay down three stakes a piece, one for the best whist card turned up in the deal; the second for the best braghand, and the third for the eldest-hand obtaining 31, or the next number under that. The dealer is to give three cards at once to every gamester, turning up all round, the last card belonging to each player, and the best card reckoning from ace downwards amongst those so turned up, wins the first stake; if two or more superior cards of a sort are turned up, the eldest hand always of course has the preference, except in case of the ace of diamonds, which at this part of the game takes place of every other.

The second stake is won by the person pos sessing the best brag-hand, or often rather by the boldest bragger, who sometimes only pretends to hold good cards, such as pairs, flushes, sequences if flushes, and so on, similar to cribbage, excepting fifteens. In this state of the game there are usually two favourite cards: viz. the knave of clubs and the nine of diamonds, which are reckoned with any others to form pairs-royal or pairs; that is the two aforementioned favourites combined together with one, or either of them with two aces, kings, &c. are stiled a pair-royal of such cards, or singly, either of the favourites with

another card ranks as a pair: only natural pairsroyal are to precede artificial ones, as three aces, kings, &c. take place before a pair-royal, formed by assistance of the, two favourites, though a natural pair does not supersede an artificial one made by help of a favourite, into which situa tion only the knave of clubs is admitted by some companies. The principal sport of the game is occasioned by any player bragging that he holds a better hand than the rest of the party, which is declared by saying I brag, and staking a sum of money; if no other answers by a similar or larger deposit, then the bragger wins the second stake; but if any one replies, either by putting down the same, or a greater sum, in the manner above stated, and the first bragger declines the contest, the answerer then takes both the money put down and the second stake; though if the first bragger goes on, he says Again, and ventures another sum, whether similar to that laid down by the opponent or not is of no consequence, provided only that it is not smaller; and if the other so replies in like manner again, the parties continue betting, each laying down a sum not less than that last ventured by his adversary, till either one of them frightened gives up the contest, by which the player holding out longest gains all the money wagered, including the second stake; or either party lays down a stake, saying, Let me see you, or I'll see it, in which case both the hands are to be shewn, and the strongest wins. When more than one person wishes to answer the first bragger, the eldest has the preference. The third stake is obtained by the eldest player, who may hold either from the cards dealt, or obtain by drawing in addition from the

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stock, 31, or the highest number under that; each ace, king, queen, and knave being calculated as 10, and the rest according to their pips; any one drawing above 31 loses of course.

The player who is so fortunate as to gain all the three stakes in one deal, is, strictly speaking, entitled to three more from each of his antago nists, though in some companies this is declined as savouring too much of gambling.

THE GAME OF DOMINO

IS played by two or four persons with twentyeight pieces of oblong ivory, plain at the back, but on the face divided by a black line in the middle, and indented with spots from one to a double-six, which pieces are a double-blank; aceblank; double-ace; deuce-blank; deuce-ace; double-deuce; trois-blank; trois-ace; trois-deuce; double-trois; four-blank; four-ace; four-deuce; four-trois; double-four; five-blank; five-ace; five-deuce; five-trois; five-four; double-five; sixblank; six-ace; six-deuce; six-trois; six-four; six-five; and double-six. Sometimes a double set is played with, of which double-twelve is the highest.

At the commencement of the game, the cards (as they are called) are shuffled with their faces on the table. Each person draws one, and if four play, those who choose the two highest are partners against those who take the two lowest: drawing the latter also serves to determine who is to lay down the first piece, which is reckoned a great advantage. Afterwards each player takes seven pieces at random. The eldest hand having

laid down one, the next must pair him at either end of the piece he may choose, according to the number of pips, or being a blank in the compartment of the piece, but whenever any one cannot match the part not paired either of the card last put down or of that unpaired at the other end of the row, then he says Go; and the next is at liberty to play. Thus they play alternately either until one party has wholly discarded, and thereby wins the game, or till the game is blocked; that is, when neither party can play by matching the pieces where unpaired at either end, then they win who have the smallest number of pips on the pieces remaining in their possession. It is to the advantage of every player to dispossess himself as early as possible of the heavy pieces, such as double-sixes, fives, fours, &c.

Sometimes when two persons play, they take each only seven pieces, and agree to play or draw; i. e. when one cannot come in, or pair with the pieces on the board at the end unmatched, he then is to draw from the fourteen pieces in stock till he find one to suit.

This game requires strict attention, and nothing but practice will make perfect.

THE GAME OF LOTO.

FOR this game, which may be played by an unlimited number of persons, boxes containing 100 counters; 14 fishes, every one reckoned as ten counters; 12 contracts, valued at ten fish a piece; a pack of 24 very large cards, with fifteen different numbers marked on each, and in