The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1882-07-29
Matching,

DOOGDldCk on Une street. lney are SUrdU-
gers, but one of them holds up penny.
The other mods with look of intelli--
gence, fumbles moment in his pock-
ct, and then the pair retire to the near
est doorway. In a few seconds they
emerge-one with a sight of victory upon
his face, the other with countenance ex-
pressing melancholy or philosophic res
ignation. A bank President meets a
railroad Director or great property
holder at the Union League Club. Con-
versation lags. The Bank President
produces from his vest pocket gold
double eagle. and without word laysit
upon his knee, covering it with the palm
of his hand. The railroad Director or
corporation lawyer brings forth another
double-eagle, and solemnly lays it
upon his knee. Then the gold pieces
are simultaneously uncovered, and one
of the two solid citizens pocket both,
while the other whistles.
This is matching. 1t is very simple.
The transaction may be repeated as
many times as desired. 1t may be car
ried on in coppers, or in nickels, or in
eagles or double eagles. 1t may be car
ried on in coppers representing 800
each, or in times, with the understand
ing that every dime means a check for
81 200. Quarters and half-dollarS are
the popular stake with the great major
ity of Watchers. Quite a considerable
sum may be made orlost during the day
by assiduous attention to quarters.
Matching is not only the simplest, but
the most dangerous form of gambling
1t is said that there are gamblers SO
cloved and yet so eager that they finally
settle down on the simple cut of the
cards as quicker and less roundabout
way of winning and losing than any of
the games. What is the use of observ-
ing all the ceremonies of faro or rou-
!ette, or of going through the complicated
forms of draw poker and baccarat, when
the same end can be obtained by a sim
pie turn of the wrist deciding the even
chance of higher or lower than the cut
of an opponent? Precisely the same
end can be attained by taking the even
chance of matching or failing to match
the head or tail presented by the oppo-
nent's coin. There is no commission to
be paid in any form to any bank or
game proprietor, and there is absolutely
no chance for successful cheating. These
considerations, together with the fasci-
mating rapidity with which losses or
gains may accumulate, have given the
game vogue which is as sudden as it
is immense.
The triangular match is performed by
three persons. AS three coins are laid
down, it is obvious that the result must
be either three heads or three tails, in
which case another trial is had or two
heads and one tail, or two tails and one
head. Here the stakes go to the exhibitor
of the odd coin. In the quadrlateral
match, where four parties are concerned,
the number of the possible combinations
is increased. There may be four heads,
four tails, two tails and two heads, three
tails and one head, or three heads and
one tail, Only in case of one of the
two last named combinations is the af-
fair consummated. Here. also, the odd
coin takes the stakes.
Now, if a head-or-tails, gambler were
to confine himself exclusively to bouts
with single opponent, it is evident that
the more he gambled the nearer even he
would come out. Theoretically, the
nearer he approximates to infinity in the
number of his trials, the nearer will the
total of his heads equal the total of his
tails. If he should match industriously
ten hours a day every day except Sun
days and holidays for forty years, he
would find that he had neither won nor
lost much. In million trials he would
probably turn up heads almost exactly
Hva ht,n 1,nI +ho,,,orI 4:
should always match with two opponents
he would find after a million trials that
he had won almost exactly three hundred
and thirty-three thousand three hundred
and thirty-three times, and lost almost
exactly 666, 666 times; but as every
winning would be for double the amount
of every losing his totals of loss and gain
would just balance each other. Ii he
confined his ventures to quadrilateral
matching, he would win 100000 times
and lose 100000 times, every winning
being thrice every loss. An inveterate
hatcher, therefore, might match all his
life without being either in or out of
pocket, provided he matched always in
coin of the same denomination and with
the same number of opponents at every
trial.
1t is a curious fact that although by
all theory, heads and tails should show
about equally in the long run, the ex-
pevence of almost everybody who keeps
account is that heads turn up rather
oftener. Here is the record of some
actual experiments:
In 1000 trials beads were shown 541
In lltlD trials fails
In 10000 trials heads were shown. ....... BOO
In $4,000 trials tails were shown. ..... 479.
Total. ;....,.............. 10000
In l,00O trials heads were shown. 5lf
In l,OoO trials tails were shown. ........ 4Si
-, a. 1000
In 10000 trials heads were shown 5,077
In lO,OO0 trials tails were shown. ,.. 4,9.3
Excess of heads in q, 900 trials. $e
This means, not that heads turned IN
$50 times oftener than tails, but $50
times oftener than they would be ex.
pected to turn up in $4,000 trials, the
theoretical chances between heads and
tails being even. 1t shows that, so far
as this series of experiments is CON
cerned, the chances in favor of heads at
each trial amounted to about one and
half in the hundred.
Gambling of every sort is to be avoid
ed, but if men mist gamble tbiS /, +Lo