A NEW OR IMPROVED GAME OF SKILL, AND APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED THEREIN
Year: 1883

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Edmund Edwards at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 10th May 1883. Communicated to him
from abroad by Eugéne Stevens, of St: Josse-ten-Noode, Brussels, in the
Kingdom of Belgium
EDMUND EDWARDS, of the firm of Edwards and Co:-, Patent Agents and
Engineers, of 40, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex « A NEW OR IMPROVED GAME OF SKILL, AND APPARATUS TO BE
EMPLOYED THEREIN" [communicated to him from abroad by Eugéne Stevens, of
St: Josse-ten-Noode, Brussels, in the Kingdom of Belgium]
This invention relates to a novel game of skill to be played by two players upon a
board or table of the kind hereinafter described with counters or pieces similar to
those used in the game of draughts.
The novel game which forms the subject of this invention possesses the following
characteristics. First; the pieces are off the board at the commencement of the
game and are gradually introduced. Second, the board is marked with com.
binations of lines forming squares, rectangles, triangles, angles, and bars, and the
pieces are placed either upon the angles or at the extremities of the bars. Third,
instead of removing froin the board any piece which is in check or taken, the
player may remove any of the other pieces, with certain exceptions as hereinafter
described.
The objects of the players are, to make "épervier," to make a point, or to make
a bar; and for this purpose certain squares, triangles, or rectangles, on the board
are designed for making "épervier," certain points for making points, and certain
lines for making bars. Making "épervier" consists in placing three pieces upon
three determined points of one of the sides of a square, rectangle, or triangle,
without the adversary being able to prevent it.. Making a point consists in placing
a piece at one of the ends of a bar or at a point agreed upon. Making a bar
consists in placing a certain number of pieces upon a number of points fixed
beforehand upon the bars.
The board or table upon which the game is to be played is marked with an
outer square, an inner parallel square, two parallel straight lines between the
squares, two squares arranged diagonally inside the outer square and outside the

page_text: inner square respectively, and any convenient number of triangles formed upon
the sides of the diagonal squares.
Épervier is made by placing three pieces upon the ends and centre of either side
of the outer or inner square.
A point is made by placing a piece upon an extremity of either of the parallel
straight lines; and a bar is made by placing five pieces upon the centre, ends, and
two intermediate points of either of the parallel straight lines.
The players sit opposite to each other and play alternately, and each has twelve
pieces which he plays upon the board one by one, introducing them from a point
at the centre of the side of the outer square in front of him, and moving each
piece over two spaces or two angles at once until the whole of the pieces are in
play, after which they move over one space only at a time. When a player
succeeds in making épervier in the way already described he has the right of
taking one of his adversary's pieces, and as the épervier may be opened and reclosed
by displacing one of the pieces which form it, the player may take a piece each
time it is remade or closed.
When a point is made the successful player receives one eighth or one fourth
of the stakes (if any) as may have been agreed, and also takes one of his adversary's
pieces.
All the four points may be made, by good play. When a bar is made in the
manner already described, the player also takes one of his adversary's pieces, and
one eighth of the stakes the first time the bar is made, if it has been so agreed.
A bar, like épervier may be broken and remade.
In any case the piece which is taken from an adversary must not form one of a
closed épervier nor of a complete bar, but must be a free piece; that is to say one
which has served to make a point and which does not belong to a complete bar, or
to an épervier.
If a player has the only piece which he can play blocked he loses his turn, and
the player who has only two pieces left loses the game.
At the beginning of the game before all the pieces are on the table, one of those
already there may be advanced two spaces if necessary to allow the entry of those
still out of the game. No combination is scored until the whole of the pieces are
on the table, so that a piece established upon a point must be moved and
replaced before the point can be scored.
The form of the figures upon the board or table may be varied so long as they
For
allow the players to make épervier, points, or bars, in the way described.
instance, the outer square may be arranged diagonally, and may have within it
other squares parallel or at an angle with it, and rectangles outside its own sides,
bars and points being made upon lines arranged within the squares.