LONDON
On a large, oblong slate draw with a slate pencil a diagram, as follows: Horizontal lines every two inches across the narrow part of the slate. Pieces of paper are blown over the diagram toward the top of the slate; or beans or pieces of chalk may be substituted for the paper. One of these is called a "chipper." If you use beans, snap them over the diagram with the fingers. Where the "chipper" stops, draw a mark to represent a small round "o." This depicts a man's head. The "chipper," having been returned to the starting point, is again snapped over the diagram. This continues until the player has marked a head in each of the spaces; or should his chipper land a second time in a space in which he has already marked such a head, he makes a larger round "O" under the head, to represent the body of a man. The third time it lands in this place he makes a downward stroke for a leg, and the fourth time, one for a second leg, which completes the man. Should three complete men be so drawn in one space, the player, without shooting again, draws what are called "arms," that is, a horizontal line from the figure across the space to the outside limit. This occupies the space completely and keeps the other players out of it. He continues to play until his "chipper" lands on a line. If this goes beyond the diagram, the player is "out." Each player takes a turn. He can start, or complete men, in any space not occupied with three armed men, even though the former player may have started men in the space or have completed two of them. A player can build only on his own men. The one drawing the largest number of spaces with three armed men is the winner.
CHESS
Chess is a game which can only be played by two persons at the same time. The requisites are a board consisting of 64 squares of alternate black and white, and 32 pieces of wood, ivory, bone or other composition, which are technically known as "men." The board is so placed between the players that a white square is on the extreme right of each. The "men" are called black and white, there being an equal number of each. One player takes the white and another the black. Each division of 16 is composed of a king (the capture of which is the issue of the game), a queen, 2 rooks or castles, 2 bishops, 2 knights, and 8 pawns. In commencing the game, the rooks are placed on the corner squares, next to them on each side a knight, next to the knights on each side a bishop, and then the king and queen. If white, the queen is placed on the remaining white square, if black, on the remaining black square, and thus both queens face each other. It is the same with the kings. The 8 pawns are placed on each side on the squares immediately in front of the pieces.
The player has the privilege of moving his king into any vacant square adjacent to one he is occupying, provided it is not already taken by a piece belonging to his opponent, but he can go no farther. The queen can be moved in any direction up, down, backwards, forwards, as long as there is no piece to block her. The same can be done with the rook or castle, except that it cannot be moved diagonally—The bishop can only be moved diagonally, in a backward or forward direction. The move of the knight is a combination of the rook's shortest move, followed by the bishop's shortest move. It is not hindered by intervening pawns or pieces. The pawn can only be moved one square at a time, and that in a forward direction. Another pawn in front of it stops its progress. A pawn has the power of capturing an opposite pawn in either of the adjacent squares in advance and diagonally to the right or left of it when it moves into the square of the one captured. The king is never captured. When a piece or pawn attacks him he is said to be in check and the opposite player cries out "Check"! The attacked king is freed from check by moving him to an adjacent square not occupied by a piece or pawn of the opposite side, or else by opposing some piece to defend him from the check. If the player cannot resort to either of these tactics to save his king he is "checkmated" and loses the game.
CHAPTER XIII
OUTDOOR GAMES FOR ADULTS
LAWN TENNIS—POLO—HOCKEY—GOLF—ARCHERY—RING TOSS—LAWN BOWLS
LAWN TENNIS
A lawn tennis court is a plot of level ground about 26 yards by 9 yards, divided into sections. A net standing 3 1/2 feet high is drawn across the middle and attached to two posts outside the court on each side about three feet. The players stand on opposite sides of the net; the one who first delivers the ball is called the server and the other the striker-out. At the end of each game they reverse places. The server wins a stroke if the striker out "volley" the service, that is, he strike the ball before it touches the ground; or if the ball is returned by the striker-out, so that it drops outside his opponent's court, the latter wins the stroke.