REVERSES.

Otago Witness, Issue 1834, 14 January 1887, Page 29

REVERSES.

Game for Two.

The appliances are : (1) A draughtboard, every square of which is occupied as the end of the game, and (2), 64 counters (or men)— always called counters— black (or red) on one side and white on the other. These should be light and not too large, but withal sufficiently thick, so that they can ' be taken up easily, reversed, and put quietly down again, all by the forefinger and thumb. Gun wads (12 bore) painted, of course, a dark colour on one side, serve well as counters. Now for

THK GAME.

The colours having been settled, by the lady, lots are drawn as usual for choice to begin. As a beginning, and in order that friendly foes may have the necessary touch, four counters, two by each player, are placed on the board, on the four central squares. It is immaterial whether the two of the same colour are next one another diagonally or not; in either case the relative position of each of these four counters* to the other three is, of course* the same.

The players then play alternately till all the squares on the board are occupied, using a fresh counter each time, with the blaok or- white side upward, bb the case may. be. ,The counters are not moved about from square to square, nor captured and taken away. A counter once placed on, a square remains there till the end of the game, subject only to the ruleß of reversing. You cannot play unless there it an opening to "reverse," and you are bound to ♦•reverse" if there is an opening to do so. .You reverse thus : It being your turn to , play, you "must put your counter on any unoccupied, square you prefer next to an adverse- counter, , or next several adverse counters in the! same line ; immediately beyond which—on the farther flank of which, so to speak — is another counter of your colour which has been, previously placed there. Having done this you reverse — i.e., tarn over black side to white, or vice versa, the adverse intermediate counter, or counters, lying between your two counters in question — viz., the one being played and the one on the farther flank. It must be clearly understood that the counter being played, the adverse, intermediate counter, or counters, as well &'s the player's counter on the farther flank, must all be in the same continuous line— i.e., with no vacant square in it, nor are you confined to one line. Under the conditions prescribed you can (and must) reverse the adverse counters on all the lines — whether diagonal or parallel to a side of the board-rwhich radiate from, the. square upon which you are playing. If, whe'n>it is. your turn to play, there should be no opening for you to reverse, your adversary plays • until there is an opening ; after which the play is j alternate as before. If neither player, has an opening to reverse, the game is drawn. -. , The winner is he who at the end of the game has, of the 64 .counters on , 'the. board; the greater number of his colour. You may win by two only, or be shamefully beaten. , Now and then there is a tie. The play, of course, consists, in> manoeuvring to " reverse' 1 your adversary and to avoid being reversed by him. Not much need-be, said about what to try for and what to avoid during the play. It is good to, concentrate yqur> { colours, and good to get securely^, posted , along, outside squares, and best all to .get a tjorner; once get a plant there, t and, you have which must do a thriving business. ; ; The three squares, next a corner should, gener«rfy speaking, be shunned, , ,>',.>* <-■-

1 l Lo ! the long, slender spears, how they quiver and flash, . . Wheie the clouds s?nd their cavalry down ; Rank and file by the million the rain lancet dash ' Over mountain and river and town ; Thick the batle-drops fall— bat they drip nofc In blood; The trophy of war is the green fresh bud ; 0, the rain, the plentiful rain 1 The pastures lie baked, and the fnrrow Is bare, 1 The wells they yawn empty and dry ; But a rushing of water is bean) in the air, A nd a rainbow leapt out in the »ky ; Hark I the heavy drops 'pelting 'the ajcamore ltavefl, Bow they wash the wide pavement, and sweep from the eaves. O, the rain, the plentiful rain t See, the weaver throws wide his one swinging pane, The kind drops dance in on the floor ; And his wife brings her flowerpots to drink the. sweet rain On tho steps of her half-open door j ' Smiles their poor crippled l<d on his Hospital bed, At the tune on the sky-light, far of his head, O, the rain, the plentiful rain ! And away, far from men, where high mountains tower, The little green mosses rejoice ; And the bu<l-headed heather noda to the shower. And the bill-torrents lift up their voice ; An 1 the pools in the hollow mimic the fight • Of the rain, oa their thousand points dart tip in light. O, the rain, the beautiful rain 1 And deep in the firwood below, near the plain, A single thrush pipes full and sweet; ' How days of clear shining will come after rain, , Waving meadow* and thick growing wheat ; So the voice of hops sings at the heart of our fears, Of the harvest, that springs from a great nation's " tears. O, the rain, the plentiful rain t ,

TEE SUMMER, RAIN. ,