Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1900-12-22

and How IL Is pIayed--A Sample
Game.
Checker football, new game Of skill
which has become popular among the
authors personal friends, is presented
to the student public in the hope that
II may find favor on account of its in
trinsic merit and because of its sugges-
tons Of the glorious football field, says
the Cincinnati Commercial Tribune.
Its resemblance to that game, like the
resemblance of chess TO military move
ments, is Of general character, slay-
ish imitation being impossible.
The outfit required is simply chess
or checker board, with II colored
checkermen for each player. A single
disk Is called a runner, and a pile of
two disks is styled back. If the two
disks are of the same color, 1t is a full
back. If of opposite colors, it is a half
back and belongs to the player whose
disk is on top.
Each player begins the game with
four full backs and four runners. Two
full backs are stationed on the center
most squares of the transverse row
nearest home and the others directly in
front on the two centermost squares of
the second row. The runners are placed
in a wider line In front of the full
backs on the four centermost squares
of the third row.
No piece is ever removed from the
field but the object of the game is to
advance your runners toward your goal
row your opponents home row, at the
same time hindering his advance. No
piece can jump over man which
stands in its way.
The movements of the pieces are
made as follows:
l. Runners move one square at
time and always forward-either d.
rectly forward or obliquely.
2. When one runner Is less advanced
than any other runner of the same col
or, it may If the player choose move
two squares instead of one This is
called ''punting."
3. Full and half backs move in any
direction-forward, backward, side
ways or obIiquely to front or rear
They stop always on the nearest
square of the same color with the one
previously occupied, thus moving one
square at time when travelling OBJ
liquely, in other directions two squares
at a time, no more. no less.
Following are the cross plays
l. Besides the above moves the own
er of full or half back may play it by
taking off its upper component disk
(the lower disk remaining In place and
becoming a runner) and putting 1t on
top of any runner which may stand in
the same open row directly to right or
left.
2. Between a full back and a runner
of the same color such a cross play Is
termed toss" Between a full back
and an opponents runner 1t is a ''tac-
kle." Between half back and run
nef belonging to the same player it is
tumble" Between half back and OPP
posing runner it is "countertoss." All
forms of cross play are occasionally adj
vantageous, but should be used with
caution.
Z. No runner except when puntlng
can move on TO a square where it will
expose itself to the possibility of being
tackled. Hence your full backs are of
the greatest possible use in blocking
your opponents advance. Both kinds
of backs also act as interference" to
shield the advance Of your own run
ners.
Rules on scoring are ms follows:
1. To win the game you must first
procure touchdown" by getting one
of your runners into the goal row and
then kick the goal' by moving one of
your backs any distance along any
straight line and setting it three stories
high upon the said runner. Interven-
ing men are In this case no impedi-
ment. Goal kicking here, as elsewhere,
is a mldair performance.
2. The decisiveness of your victory
depends on the position of your oppo-
nent's men at the close. If he could
kick a goal at the very next move
your score is 10, II he has touch
hOn a. vi AhN bOdA VI bdb liO baNh obaS ~
kick the goal Immediately, it Is 20. If
he has no touchdown, but could secure
one at the next move, 1t is so. Ii his
most advanced runner is a single step
from the goal now but incapable of
immediate advance, 1t is 40. Likewise
the score is so or GO IL his foremost
runner is two steps from the goal row
anI N ~. & n fbrao efn,Nc
In the following sample game
equals runner, p punt, t full back.
half back. Is toss, tx tackle. FIN tumble.
I'd touchdown, Fl goal. The squares
are numbered like houses in city
blocks, IL to IS from left to right In
whites home row, p to IS in the sec
ond row, and so on.
White. Black. White. Black
l. S8-42 63-5o Is. 5s-6S 1887
go a. A