9. When a small number of men only remain in the game, the player having the minority of pieces, may call upon his opponent to win in fifty moves, or declare the game drawn. With two Kings opposed to one, the game is declared drawn, unless it be won in, at most, twenty

moves.

[This, again, is a rule for expert players. With amateurs it is not well to act upon it with severity. With two men against one, however, it is always easy for the player with the superior number to drive his opponent into the double corner; and, when he is there, to win the game in, at most, eight moves.]

10. All disputes are to be decided by the majority of the persons present.

11. A false move must be remedied, or the game is lost.

12. The player who refuses to abide by the rules, loses the game.

A FEW HINTS TO PLAYERS.

It is judicious to keep your men towards the centre of the board, in the form of a pyramid. Be careful to back up your advanced men so as not to leave a chance of your opponent taking two for one. A man on a side square is deprived of half his offensive power.

Be careful to look well over the board before making your move; but let not your caution descend to timidity. Resolve the consequences of every move before making it.

Never touch a man without moving it,

T

Avoid the inelegant act of pointing with your finger across the board. Determine on your rnove, and make it without hesitation.

Avoid conversation that is likely to be annoying or confusing to your adversary. If f you prove the conqueror, endeavour to act the part of a noble one, and triumph not over a fallen enemy. Even when often defeated, let your loss act rather as a spur to increased care, watchfulness, and practice, than as a provocative of ill-blood.

He who abandons the game, loses it.
Keep your temper.

A correspondent writes:-"In playing with some friends of mine, I have often met with cases of cowardly play; by which I mean their giving man for man, when they have more men than myself. Please state whether you consider it cowardly or not, and if there is a rule against so doing. It requires little science to play in that manner; and if it is lawful to play so, I think it spoils the game; but kindly enlighten me a little on this point."-It is not cowardly to give man for man when you are a piece a-head; but it is considered the high game not to do so. There is no rule against the practice of "manning;" and if there were, it could not be carried out, because in some situations it is almost impossible to win when you have advantage of a piece without reducing your adversary to a single man. Then you drive him into the double corner and beat him in the regular number of moves.

General rules for manning cannot well be given, seeing that each game necessarily differs in many

important respects. The young player will do well, however, to remember that it is better to keep his men in the middle of the board than to play them to the side squares, when half their power is lost. The advice of Sturges, whose work is the foundation of all that has been written on the game since the beginning of the present century, may be safely followed. He says:"When you have once gained an advantage in the number of pieces, increase the proportion by exchanges; but in forcing them, take care not to damage your position. Accustom yourself to play slowly at first, and, if a beginner, play with those who agree to allow an unconditional time for the consideration of a difficult position. Never touch a man without moving it, and do not permit the loss of a few games to ruffle your temper, but rather let continued defeat act as an incentive to greater efforts both of study and practice. When one player is decidedly stronger than another, he should give odds, to make the game equally interesting to both. There must be a great disparity indeed if he can give a man, but it is very common to give one man in a rubber of three games, the superior player engaging to play one game with 11 men instead of 12. Another description of odds consists in giving the drawn games; that is, the superior allows the weaker player to reckon as won, all games he draws. Never play with a better player without offering to take such odds as he may choose to give. If, on the other hand, you find yourself superior to your adversary, that you feel no interest in playing-offer him odds, and should he refuse, cease playing with him unless he will play for a stake; the losing which, for a few

games in succession, will soon bring him to his senses. Follow the rules of the game rigorously, and compel your antagonist to do the same; without which, Draughts are mere child's play. If you wish to improve, play with better players, in preference to such as you can beat; and take every opportunity of looking on when fine players are engaged. Never touch the squares of the board with your finger, as some do, from the supposition that it assists their powers of calculation; and accustom yourself to play your move off when you have once made up your mind."

STANDING THE HUFF.

With many players, some uncertainty appears to exist on the subject of "Standing the Huff." There should be no misunderstanding on this point, as it is of importance that the player offering the piece should be allowed all the advantages arising from his skill and ingenuity.

The following, from the valuable treatise of Sturges, as revised by Walker in 1835, and admitted by all good players, sets the matter in a very clear light.

"In the case of standing the huff, it is optional on the part of the adversary, to take the capturing piece, whether man or King, or to compel you to take the piece or pieces of his, which you omitted by the huff. The necessity of this law is evident, when the young player is shown that it is not unusual to sacrifice two or three men in succession, for the power of making some decisive 'coup.' Were this law different, the players might take the first man so offered, and on the second's being placed ' en prise,' might refuse to

capture, and thus, by quietly standing the huff, spoil the beauty of the game, which consists in brilliant results arising from scientific calculation. It should be observed, however, that on the principle of 'touch and move,' the option ceases the moment the huffing party has so far made his election as to touch the piece he is entitled to remove.-After a player entitled to huff has moved without taking his adversary, he cannot remedy the omission, unless his adversary should still neglect to take or to change the position of the piece concerned, and so leave the opportunity. It does not matter how long a piece has remained en prise;' it may at any time either be huffed or the adversary be compelled to take it. When several pieces are taken at one move, they must not be removed from the board until the capturing piece has arrived at its destination; the opposite course may lead to disputes, especially in Polish draughts.-The act of huffing is not reckoned as a move; 'a huff and a move' go together."

Thus it will be seen that the adversary must take the piece offered, if the player insists on his so doing. The usual plan is to offer the piece and say, " Take that," after which the huff is not allowed among players of reputation.

WINNING WITH THREE KINGS TO TWO.

It has often been a question with players, whether, towards the end of a game, when one player was left with a man more than his opponent, it was altogether honourable to give man for man. Now, as there is nothing contrary to rule in this practice, so, I think, there can be nothing in it