A New and Improved Game.
Year: 1890

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A New and Improved Game.
I MASCIE TAYLOR of Besselsleigh House, Cheltenham in the County of Gloucester,
Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement :-
.
A new and improved game played with counters or similar instruments of wood,
bone, ivory or other material, on a board or more conveniently on a piece of cloth
laid on or attached to a flat surface, and on the board or cloth are marked two distinct
and separate square courts-In the centre of each court is a large square surrounded
by a number of smaller squares in which are marked figures, letters or words indicating
certain numerical values-The two courts are divided by a certain space, varying in
size according to the dimensions of the courts, and equidistant between the courts,
stretching the whole width of the same, I have an obstacle, by preference a lattice or
trellis work frame or a net so that the squares in either court are visible to the
players.
The object of this game is the delivery, in the manner hereinafter described, of
a counter by a player into a square, in his adversary's court, indicating the highest
numerical value.
Two or more persons can play at this game, which is commenced by a player
placing one of the counters on the back line of his court and flipping it over the
obstacle by means of his pressing its edge with another counter-The opponent
then, with a similar view and in a like manner, returns the same counter over the
obstacle from the spot where it pitched and thus the players proceed until the end
of the game.
Whenever a player fails to deliver the counter over the obstacle in the aforesaid
manner his opponent scores and the counter must be placed on the back line of
the opponent's court, and he (the opponent) then delivers the counter over the
obstacle in the prescribed manner, and if a player should pitch a counter out of
court or into the space between the obstacle and the court the same rules must
be observed as in the case of a player failing to deliver the counter over the
obstacle.
If a player should at any time during the game pitch the counter into the
large square of his adversary's court he loses all the score he has hitherto made,
and if he should pitch the counter into certain of the small squares, containing a
suitable denoting mark, of his adversary's court, he loses half the score he has hitherto
made.
The courts are marked in such a manner that the squares indicating the highest
numerical values are adjoining or near to the square or squares into which if a player
pitches a counter he loses the whole or one half, as the case may be, of his previous
score, thereby making the above described game one requiring the utmost skill and
precision.
The total score constituting a game is determined on by the players at the com-
mencement of the game as in billiards.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1 The e
1

page_text: of any shape or size containing squares or other designs in which appear figures,
letters, words or devices, of any kind, indicating certain numerical values, for the
purposes of playing the above described game.