There are two forms of this game. In the simpler any number of persons may play, and three dice are used. Each player throws in turn, the three dice representing his three strikes. Nothing but aces count, but each of them is a run; and as long as a player makes runs he goes on throwing. When each player has had nine innings the game is ended, and the highest score wins.
The more complicated form of the game is to have a rough diagram of a base-ball diamond. The players take sides, and each is provided with three markers of different colours, such as red and white poker chips. Only one die is used, and it is thrown from a box. The captains of the teams throw for the first time at the bat, the higher throw winning the choice. Each player in turn of the side at the bat has one throw, and a marker is placed on the base he reaches. Ace, deuce, and trey count for first, second, and third bases respectively; four is a home run. When a five or six is thrown, the result depends on the number of men on bases, but the striker is always out. If there are no men on bases, or if all the bases are full, the player is out if he throws five or six. If there is only one man on the bases and a five is thrown, the striker is caught out, and the man on the base is also caught. If six is thrown, only the striker is caught out, and the man holds his base. If there are two men on bases, they must be in one of three positions: on first and second; on first and third; or on second and third. In any position, only the striker is out on six thrown. In the last position, if five is thrown, the striker only is out, as the men cannot run. If there are men on first and second, and five is thrown, the striker is out, and the man on second is caught trying to steal third; while the man on first holds his base. If five is thrown when there are men on first and third, the striker is out, and the man on third is safe, but the man on first is caught trying to steal second.
When bases are thrown, they are safe hits, and all the men on bases are advanced as many as the man at the bat throws. As soon as three men on each side have struck or been caught out by throwing five or six, the side is out, and all men left on bases count for nothing. As long as three men are not out, the side continues to send its men to the bat in regular order.
GOING TO BOSTON.
This game is known in the colonies as Yankee Grab, or Newmarket. Each player has three throws with three dice, and the highest die in each throw is laid aside. If two are equally high, only one is retained. The others are returned to the box and thrown again. The higher of these two is retained, and the third die is thrown again. The final total of the three dice is the player’s score, and the highest wins. In the colonies the ace counts as seven. The game is usually played for a pool.
ACE IN THE POT.
Any number can play, and two dice are used. The game is for a pool, which is won by the final possessor of a single counter. At the beginning each player has two counters, and each in turn throws the two dice. If he throws an ace he pushes one of his counters into the pot; two aces gets rid of both. If he throws a six on either die, he passes a counter to his left-hand neighbour, who will have the next throw. Two sixes passes both counters if the caster still has so many. The players throw in turn until all the counters but one have been placed in the pot. If a player has no counters, the throw passes him to the next player on his left who has counters in front of him. The last counter of all cannot be put in the pot by throwing an ace; but it must be passed along to the left when a six is thrown. The player with the last counter in front of him must throw both dice three times in succession, and if he succeeds in avoiding a six, he keeps the counter and wins the pool. If he throws a six, the player who gets the counter must throw three times, and so on, until some one throws three times without getting a six. Instead of a pool, it is sometimes agreed that the final holder of the last counter shall pay for the refreshments.
MULTIPLICATION.
Any number can play, and three dice are used. Each player throws in turn, and the highest die is left on the table; if two are equally high, only one remains. The two other dice are thrown again, and the higher left. The sum of these two is then added together, and the third die is thrown as a multiplier, the result of the multiplication being the player’s score.