and win as many times the amount of the stake as the grouping is contained in 34, omitting all fractions; so that a bet on any four designated consecutive numbers would win eight times the amount of the stake, provided any one of those numbers came out.

It has already been stated that the spaces occupied by the thirtysix numbers are all either black or red; and, as the numbers are equally divided between the colors, eighteen to each, a stake on either color is a single bet. The Zeros are painted green; and if a Zero turns up, all bets on either color are lost to the players.

Out of the thirty-eight chances, the bank has 18 of losing and 20 of winning, or two additional chances of winning, which is equivalent to full 54 per cent. in favor of the bank in all cases even where a bet is placed upon either of the Zeros.

In this latter case, a bet on either Zero is paid 35 for 1, the same as on any single number.

Here the bank has 37 chances out of 38 of winning, and only I of losing, or two more chances in its favor than the payment warrants, and yielding the same 54 per cent.

The following are the odds against the player in the various chances his bet may involve :

The odds against a bet on the first or last eighteen numbers are 10 to 9, the same as on Odd or Even, or Red or Black.

When, however, the numbers are all filled up, as the bank only pays the winner thirty-five times his stake, it clears three; thus, supposing thirty-eight dollars to be staked, and that the ball is thrown twice in a minute, the gain of the bank, without incurring the slightest risk, would be six dollars per minute, or three hundred and sixty per hour. Although, in whatever way you play, the chances are always in favor of the bank, still its risk varies in ratio to the number of chances which are not filled up, for instance, if only ten numbers were filled up, and the ball were to enter one of them, the bank would, in that case, lose thirty-four, and only win eight; whereas, when all the numbers are filled up, it wins three, without risking a cent.

As stated in the foregoing article, this game is falling into disuse, although, perhaps, keepers of the game preferred a twenty-eight

to a thirty-six table, because its percentage against the player is muc stronger. In French or Thirty-six Roulette, the single o and oo are sometimes bars; but in a Twenty-eight, the single o, double oo, and eagle are never bars; but when the ball falls into either of them, the banker sweeps everything upon the table, except what may happen to be bet upon either one of them, when he pays twenty-seven for one, which is the amount paid for all sums bet upon any single figure.

The odd figures are painted black, and the even red, and as they are equal in number, all bets made upon black or red are paid even, i. e., dollar for dollar. All bets made at the foot of a column are paid three for one: other divisions are marked off upon the cloth, embracing a certain number of figures, for which eight for one is paid and for all bets placed upon any single figure, or upon the single o, double oo, or eagle, twenty-seven for one are paid.

The money bet must be placed upon the figure or place selected before the ball moves, or has ceased to roll.

E. O.

AN E. O. table is circular in form, but of no exact dimensions, though in general about four feet in diameter. The extreme circumference is a kind of counter, or dépot, for the stakes, marked all round with the letters E and O; on which each adventurer places money according to his inclination. The interior part of the table consists, first, of a kind of gallery, or rolling-place, for the ball, which, with the outward parts above, called dépot, or counter, is stationary or fixed. The most interior part moves upon an axis, or pivot, and is turned about with handles, whilst the ball is set in motion round the gallery. This part is generally divided into forty niches, or interstices, twenty of which are marked with the letter E, and the other twenty with the letter O. The lodging of the ball in any of the niches distinguished by those letters, determines the wager. The proprietors of the tables have two bar-holes, and are obliged to take all bets offered, either for E or O; but if the ball falls into either of the bar-holes, they win all the bets upon the opposite letter, and do not pay to that in which it falls; an advantage in the proportion of 2 to 40, or 5 per cent. in their favor.

PROPS.

THE origin of this game is uncertain, but it is played exclusively in New England, more particularly in Boston, where gaming-houses are exclusively devoted to it. It is not a banking, but a percentage game, the keeper of the table taking a certain percentage from all sums played for. In one of the most popular Prop rooms in Boston, the average percentage was said to be ten dollars an hour. The game is played with four sea-shells, about an inch in length, the convex part of the shell

being cut off, and the cavity filled with red sealing-wax, thus making it flat on either side.

The players gather around a long table prepared for the purpose, and which is usually covered with green baize, when one of them takes the props, places his money upon the table, and cries, "Set to me!" "Ten dollars that I throw a nick "-which means that he will throw an even number, that is, two or four of either side up-if odd, he loses. The parties around the table take as much of the proposed bet as they see proper, or one may take it all, when the props are thrown, and if he wins he may continue to throw until he loses by throwing an odd number, or an "out" as the technical is, when the shells are passed to the next man, who proceeds as before.

KENO.

KENO, as played in this country, is simply the game of Loto, and in some communities, is quite popular. It is played as follows:

There are 90 ivory knobs or balls, about the size of a boy's marble, numbered from 1 to 90, and a board with cavities cut therein, to place the balls as drawn. Upon each card are three lines of figures, each line having five numbers, thus, 3, 16, 34, 52, 90. These lines are formed by the different combinations of five numbers from 1 to 90. At the beginning of the game each player buys a card, at a price mutually agreed upon, this money constituting the pool to be played for. The ball are then carefully examined, and put into an urn, as here represented.

The balls being throughly mixed by several revolutions of the urn, the valve at the bottom lis opened, and a single ball drops out, and its number announced by the conductor of the game. The player who happens to have the number upon his card, immediately places a button upon it. Again, the urn is revolved and a second number proclaimed, which is noted in the same manner, by a button, as the first; and thus the numbers are continued to be drawn, until one of the players cries, "Keno!" which means that the five numbers upon one of his lines have been drawn. The card is then submitted for inspection, and, if correct, the fortunate player receives the a pool, minus the percentage taken by the keeper of the game.

The balls are then returned to the urn, and the play goes on as before, with the same cards, or others, at the option of the player.

CHESS.

THE game of Chess is played by two persons, on a board containing sixty-four squares, alternately colored black and white, or red and white. Each player has eight pieces and eight pawns, one set usually white, and the other black or red. The pieces on each side are-King, Queen, two Rooks, two Bishops, two Knights, with eight soldiers, called Pawns, one belonging to each piece. On commencing the game, the board should be set with a white square at the right-hand corner.

The lines of squares running upwards are termed files, those from left to right are called ranks or lines, while those running obliquely are known as diagonals. As to the disposition on the board, perhaps a single dia gram will be more instructive than any number of words. following diagram, therefore, we have the

In the

CHESS-BOARD, WITH THE PIECES PLACED IN THEIR PROPER ORDER

A knowledge of the moves peculiar to these several men is so difficult to describe in writing, and so comparatively easy to acquire over the chess-board from any competent person, that the learner is strongly recommended to avail himself of the latter means when practicable: for the use, however, of those who have no chess-playing acquaintance at