A Descriptive Bibliography of Edmond Hoyle

Copyright © 2014-26 by David Levy

(page updated 2026-01-30)


Games.3.R.1

Mr. Hoyle's Games, printed for Thomas Osborne et al, Edinburgh reprint of third edition, 1792.

games.3.r.1.jpg Title: MR. HOYLE'S | GAMES | OF | [3 lines to left of double rule] WHIST, | QUADRILLE, | PIQUET, | [3 lines to right of double rule] CHESS, | and | BACK-GAMMON, | COMPLETE. | In which are contained, | THE METHOD OF PLAYING AND BETTING | AT THOSE GAMES, UPON EQUAL OR | ADVANTAGEOUS TERMS. | INCLUDING | THE LAWS OF THE SEVERAL GAMES | To which is now firſt added, | TWO NEW CASES AT WHIST, | never before printed. | ALSO, | THE NEW LAWS OF THE GAME AT WHIST, | as played at White's and Saunder's Chocolate Houſes. | LONDON: | PRINTED FOR THOMAS OSBORNE, IN GRAY'S INN; STAN-|LEY CROWDER, AT THE LOOKING-GLASS; AND | RICHARD BALDWIN, AT THE ROSE, | IN PATER-NOSTER-ROW. | {Price Three Shillings, neatly bound.}
Collation: 18o: A–S6 [$½ signed]; 108 leaves, pp. [i–iii] iv–x [xi–xii], [1] 2–4 [5] 6–84 [85–87] 88–111 [112–115] 116–146 [147] 148–161 [162–165] 166–204
Section Title Whist [double rule] | A | SHORT TREATISE | ON THE | GAME OF WHIST; | CONTAINING, | THE NEW LAWS OF THE GAME | OF WHIST, | As played at White's and Saunders's Chocolate-|Houſes. | [reverse oxford rule]
Section Title Quadrille [oxford rule] | A | SHORT TREATISE | ON THE | GAME OF QUADRILLE; | SHEWING | The Odds of Winning or Loſing moſt Games | that are commonly Played, either by Calling a | King, or by Playing Sans Prendre. | TO WHICH ARE ADDED, | THE LAWS OF THE GAME. | [reverse oxford rule]
Section Title Piquet and Chess [oxford rule] | A | SHORT TREATISE | ON THE | GAME OF PIQUET; | DIRECTING, | With moral Certainty, how to diſcard any Hand | to Advantage, by ſhowing the Chances of tak-|ing in any one, two, three, four, or five certain | Cards. | Computations for thoſe who Bet their Money | at the Game. | ALSO, | THE LAWS OF THE GAME. | TO WHICH ARE ADDED, | SOME RULES AND OBSERVATIONS FOR PLAY-|ING WELL AT CHESS. | [reverse oxford rule]
Section Title Backgammon [double rule] | A | SHORT TREATISE | ON THE GAME OF | BACK-GAMMON. | CONTAINING, | [12 lines to left of double rule] A Table of the thirty-ſix | Chances, with directions | how to find out the Odds | of being hit, upon ſingle, | or double Dice. | Rules whereby a Beginner | may, with due attention | to them, attain playing | it well. | The ſeveral Stages for car-|rying your Men home, | in order to loſe no Point. | [12 lines to right of double rule] How to find out who is | forwardeſt to win a Hit. | Caſes ſtated for Back-|Games, with directions | how to play for one. | Caſes ſtated, how to know | when you may have the | better of ſaving a Gam-|mon by running, | Variety of Caſes of Curio-|ſity and Inſtruction. | The Laws of the Game. | [double rule]
Contents: Signature (Page) Reference Contents Signature (Page) Reference Running Titles
A1r (i) title
A1v (ii) ‘ADVERTISEMENT. | [...]’
A2r–A5v (iii–x) ‘[oxford rule] | CONTENTS. | [...]’ A2v–A5v (iv–x) ‘CONTENTS.’
A6r (xi) section title whist
A6v (xii) blank
B1r–H6v (1–84) ‘[double rule] | A SHORT TREATISE | ON THE GAME OF | WHIST. | [...]’ B1v–H6v (2–84) ‘WHIST.’
I1r (85) section title Quadrille
I1v (86) blank
I2r–L2r (87–111) ‘[double rule] | A SHORT TREATISE | ON THE GAME OF | QUADRILLE. | [...]’ I2v–L2r (88–111) ‘QUADRILLE.’
L2v (112) blank
L3r (113) section title Piquet and Chess
L3v (114) blank
L4r–O1v (115–146) ‘[oxford rule] | A SHORT TREATISE | ON THE GAME OF | PIQUET. | [...]’ L4v–O1v (116–146) ‘PIQUET.’
O2r–P3r (147–161) ‘[double rule] | SOME | RULES AND OBSERVATIONS | FOR PLAYING WELL AT CHESS. | [...]’ O2v–P3r (148–161) ‘CHESS.’
on O6v (156) ‘CHESS’
P3v (162) blank
P4r (163) section title Backgammon
P4v (164) blank
P5r–S5v (165–202) ‘[double rule] | A SHORT TREATISE | ON THE GAME OF | BACK-GAMMON. | [...]’ P5v–S5v (166–202) ‘BACK-GAMMON.’
S6r–S6v (203–204) ‘TWO NEW CASES AT WHIST, | Added ſince this Book was printed off. | [...] | [colophon]’ S6v (204) ‘WHIST’
Press Figures: R4r(i):1
Printer: Mundell & Son (colophon)
Price: 3s. (title)
References: ESTC T88036, Jessel 805, Marshall s7 no.9 p142 (1890-02-22), Rather 46, Rather 50
Colophon: ‘[two lines to left of brace] Printed by Mundell & Son, | Royal Bank Cloſe, Edinburgh’
Copies Seen: E [AB.1.79.111]; L [7919.d.9] (ECCO); O [Jessel f.560]; NvLN [GV1241.H69 1765?]; OCl [789.87H F61L3]; PPL [Iu Hoyl Game 1765]; Levy [1686]; Levy [1753]
Other Copies: Eu [E.B. .7954 Hoy]; MdAN [GV1241.H6 1761]; AuVSL [793 H85 (1762-70)]
Notes: The text of the book is the same as Games.3 (1760) and lacks the additions found in Games.4 (1763). Noting the text, Julian Marshall writes "This, then, was not a piracy, but an edition printed, by arrangement with the proprietors, for Scotch circulation" and fixes the date between 1760 and 1763. (NQ 7.IX.142, February 22, 1890). Similarly, Jessel and Rather date the book 1762. However the earliest dated Mundell and Son imprint is 1789, and the earliest at the Royal Bank Close is 1792. My conclusion is that that the book was a late reprint of Hoyle and I am using a date of 1792 based on the printer's location. It is odd that Mundell chose the text of the superseded Games.3, but perhaps felt that later updates might be protected by copyright. It is also odd that Mundell used the original Osborne imprint on the title page.

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