Gentleman hath been reduced to 5s, and yet hath won the Battle at laft.

For a Gamefter, who would win without hazarding much of his Money, Dice that will run very feldom otherwise but 6, 5, 4, are very neceffary. If thofe Inftruments are not to be had, a Taper-Box will not be amifs; that as the Dice are thrown in, may stick by the Way, and fo thrown to Advantage. I have been told of one of thefe Sharpers, who caufed a Box to be made, not as they are ufually fcrewed within, but smooth ; and procured it to be fo well painted and shadowed within, that it looked like a fcrew'd Box : Now, this Box was but half boared wide at the Top, and narrow at the Bottom, that the Dice, as aforefaid, might stick, and the Box being fmooth, would come out without tumbling. With this Box he went and played at Inn and Inn, by virtue whereof, and his Art of taking up and throwing his Dice into the Box, he got the first Night 1000l. and the next Night 200 l. a Year (with a Coach and Six Horfes) and enjoys the Estate to this Day, with great Improvements; and never would handle a Die fince, well knowing how many worthy Families it hath ruined.

2:

II. Of PASSAGE.

ASSAGE is a Game at Dice to be

PA at

played but by Two Persons; and it

is performed with 3 Dice. The Cafter throws continually, till he hath thrown Dou blets under 10, and then he is out, and loseth; or Doublets above 10, and then he palleth, and wins.. High Runners are most requifite for this Game, fuch as will really run any other Chance, than 4, 5, or 6; by which Means, if the Cafter throws Doublets, he can scarcely throw out. There is the fame Advantage of the fmooth taper Box, aforefaid, in this Game, as at Inn and Inn, with the like Benefit of the Dice, whether by palming, topping, furring, or knapping.

TH

HIS Game is moft properly denomi nated; for it makes a Man, or undoes him, in the twinkling of an Eye; either a Man, or a Mouse.

It is played but with Two Dice; 20 Perfons may be engaged, or as many as will.

There are two Things herein, chiefly to be obferved, viz. The Main and Chance: The Chance is the Cafter's, and the Main the Setter's. There can be no Main thrown above

9, nor under 5: So that 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9, are all the Mains which are flung at Hazard; Chances and Nicks, are from 4 to 10: Thus 4 is a Chance to 9, 5 to 8, 6 to 7, 7 to 6, 8 to 5, and 9 and 10 a Chance to 5, 6, 7, and 8: In fhort, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and ro, are Chances to any Main, if any of these nick it not: Now, Nicks are either when the Chance is the fame with the Main, as 5 and 5, 6 and 6, 7 and 7, and fo on; or 6 and 12, 7 and 11, 8 and 12; where note, that 12 is out to 9, 7, and 5; and 11 is out to 9, 8, 6, and 5: Ames-Ace, and Duce-Ace, are out to all Mains whatever.

That I may the better illuftrate this Game, it will not be amifs, to give one Example, for your better Information: 7 is the Main; the Cafter throws 5, and that is his Chance and fo hath 5 to 7: If the Cafter throws his own Chance, he wins all the Money set him; but if he throws 7, which was the Main, he must pay as much Money as is on the Table: If again, 7 be the Main, and the Cafter throws II, that is a Nick, and fweeps away all the Money on the Table; but if he throws a Chance, he muft wait which will come first. Lastly, if 7 be the Main, and the Cafter throws Ames-Ace, Duce-Ace, or 12, he is out; but if he throw from 4 to 10, he hath a Chance, tho' they are accounted the worst Chances on the Dice, as 7 is reputed the best

and

and eafieft Main to be flung: Thus it is in 8 or 6, if either of them be the Main, and the Cafter throws either 4, 5, 7, 9, or 10, this is his Chance, which if he throws first, he wins, otherwise lofeth; if he throw 12 to 8, or 6 to the fame Caft with the Main, he wins; but if Ames-Ace, or Duce-Ace to all, he lofeth; or if 12, when the Main is either 5 or 9. Here nothing nicks 5 but nothing 9 but 9: 4 and 5 to 7 is the worst Chance, because 4 (nicknamed by the Shar pers, Little Dick Fisher) and 5 have but two Chances, Trey-Ace and two Duces, or TreyDuce and Quatre-Ace. Whereas, 7 hath three Chances, Cinque Duce, Sice-Ace, and Quatre-Trey; in like Condition is 9 and 10, having but two Chances, Sice-Trey, Cinque and Quatre, or Sice-Quatre, and two Cinques.

5, nor

Now, 6 and 8, one would think, fhould admit of no Difference in Advantage with 7; but if you will rightly confider the Cafe, you will find a great Advantage in 7, over 6 and 8. How can that be? you will fay. Hath not, 6, 7, and 8, eight equal Chances? For Example: In Sice, Quatre-Duce, CinqueAce, and two Treys; in 8, fix Duces, Cinque-Trey, and two Quatres: And hath not 7 three, as aforefaid? It is confeffed. But, pray confider the Disadvantage in the Doublets, two Treys, and two Quatres, and will find that Sice-Duce is fooner thrown,

you

than

than two Quatres; and fo confequently Cinque-Ace, or Quatre-Duce, fooner than two Treys.

...I faw an old Rook once take up a young Fellow in a Tavern upon this very Bet: The Bargain was made, that the Rook should have 7 always, and the young Gentleman 6, and throw continually. To Play they went, the Rook won the first Day 10. and the next Day the like Sum, and fo for fix Days together, winning in all 60%. Notwithstanding the Gentleman, I am confident, had fair Dice, and threw them always himself. And farther, to confirm what I alledged before, not only this Gamester, but many more have told me, that they defired no greater Advantage than this Bet, of 7 to 6. But it is the Opinion of moft, that at the first Throw the Cafter hath the worst of it.

Hazard is certainly the moft bewitching Game that is played on the Dice; for when a Man begins to play, he knows not when to leave off, and having once accustomed himfelf to it, he hardly ever after minds any Thing else.

So much for Games without the Tables.