Games Books

PREFACE. “What the child imitates,” says Froebel, “he begins to understand. Let him represent the flying of birds and he enters partially into the life of birds. Let him imitate the rapid motion of fishes in the water and his sympathy with fishes is quickened. Let him reproduce the activities of farmer, miller and baker, and his eyes open to the meaning of their work. In one word let him reflect... more...

CHAPTER I First Principles: Endings, Middle-Game and Openings The first thing a student should do, is to familiarise himself with the power of the pieces. This can best be done by learning how to accomplish quickly some of the simple mates. 1. SOME SIMPLE MATES Example 1.—The ending Rook and King against King. The principle is to drive the opposing King to the last line on any side of the board. In... more...

In issuing this volume of my Mathematical Puzzles, of which some have appeared in periodicals and others are given here for the first time, I must acknowledge the encouragement that I have received from many unknown correspondents, at home and abroad, who have expressed a desire to have the problems in a collected form, with some of the solutions given at greater length than is possible in magazines... more...

I. RULES OF THE GAME A GAME of chess is played by two opponents on a square board consisting of sixty-four White and Black squares arranged alternately. The forces on each side comprise sixteen units, namely a King, a Queen, two Rooks, two Bishops, two Knights, and eight Pawns. All units move according to different laws, and the difference in their mobility is the criterion of their relative value and... more...

GAMES FOR HALLOW-E'EN Hallow-e'en or Hallow-Even is the last night of October, being the eve or vigil of All-Hallow's or All Saint's Day, and no holiday in all the year is so informal or so marked by fun both for grown-ups as well as children as this one. On this night there should be nothing but laughter, fun and mystery. It is the night when Fairies dance, Ghosts, Witches, Devils... more...

To the readers of the present generation much of this book will, doubtless, seem incredible. Still it is a book of facts—a section of our social history, which is, I think, worth writing, and deserving of meditation. Forty or fifty years ago—that is, within the memory of many a living man—gambling was 'the rage' in England, especially in the metropolis. Streets now meaningless and... more...

PAPER BUILDING CARDS Make your building cards of ordinary writing-paper. You may have as many cards as you like, though twelve are all that are used to make the things shown in our photographs.Fig.1—Cut an oblong out like this.Fig.2—This is the building card.For each card cut an oblong of paper five inches long and two and a half inches wide. This is a very good size, but you can make them a little... more...

INTRODUCTION Readers of The Mill on the Floss will remember that whenever Mr. Tulliver found himself confronted by any little difficulty he was accustomed to make the trite remark, "It's a puzzling world." There can be no denying the fact that we are surrounded on every hand by posers, some of which the intellect of man has mastered, and many of which may be said to be impossible of... more...

CHAPTER I BRIGHT-WITS ARRIVES IN PARRABANG, WHERE HE MEETS THE BEAUTIFUL AZALIA AND BEGINS HIS EXTRAORDINARY TASKS Long ago, before geographies were invented, so that it were useless to seek for the kingdom on any modern map, there lived a wise King who had but one son, of whom he was exceeding fond. Under the guidance of learned teachers the young prince had read the Koran according to the seven... more...

GOING SHOPPING A lively game of "talk and touch." The company is seated in a circle, and one who understands the game commences by saying to his neighbor at the right: "I have been shopping." "What did you buy?" is the required response. "A dress," "a book," "some flowers," "a pencil"—whatever the first speaker wishes, provided always that he... more...