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A. D. CLUB.

KC 16371

HARVARD
UNIVERSITY
LIBRARY
MAR 17 1955

50*63

Entered according to Act of Congress in the year 1868,

By DICK & FITZGERALD, -

In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States, for the Southern District of New York.

PAYNE BROTHERS, Electrotypers and Stereotypers, 26 Spruce St.

PREFACE.

THE following treatise is published for the best possible reason that can be given for the issue of any work, viz.: to meet a popular necessity.

Hitherto the "American Hoyle" has been the sole standard authority for games of skill and chance, as played in this country, all other Hoyles brought out on this side of the Atlantic being merely reprints of English editions, and containing very meagre allusion to the great variations from the old rules which have been adopted and sanctioned here; and entirely ignoring some of our very best American games.

The marked success of that work, and its recognition as a National umpire in all matters connected with games and pastimes, suggested the publication of a smaller, yet thoroughly complete, vade mecum on the same plan, the cheapness of which should place it within the reach of those to whom the price of the larger book might be a serious objection. The result of that idea is the "Modern Pocket Hoyle." It is a compact, convenient and portable standard work, prepared with infinite labor and care. The rules, examples and descriptions which it embodies are couched in clear and simple language, and technicalities are as much as possible avoided, and, where used, explained. Over seventy games have been written by the Editor from entirely new professional data, and without reference to any other works on the subject; some fifty of the games were introduced to the public for the first time by the Editor in the later editions of the "American Hoyle," and all the others have been so thoroughly revised as to give them, in a great degree, the stamp of originality.

The laws laid down for the different games are intended to cover all disputed points, and are those adopted by the common consent of our best players. In order to make their meaning and intent unmistakablo

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