Edmond Hoyle
Encyclopedia
Edmond Hoyle was a writer best known for his works on the rules and play of card game
s. The phrase "according to Hoyle" came into the language as a reflection of his generally-perceived authority on the subject; since that time, use of the phrase has expanded into general use in situations in which a speaker wishes to indicate an appeal to a putative authority.
Little is known about Hoyle's life; he is primarily known through his books. Much of what is written about him is untrue or exaggerated. The suggestion that he trained at the bar seems unfounded.
By 1741, Hoyle began to tutor members of high society
at the game of whist
, selling his students a copy of his manuscript notes.
Hoyle expanded the manuscript and published A Short Treatise on the Game of Whist in 1742, selling it for the high price of one guinea.
When the book quickly sold out, rather than publish a new edition, Hoyle sold the rights to Whist to bookseller Francis Cogan for 100 guineas, an enormous sum for a small pamphlet.
Before Cogan was able to publish a second edition, two printers pirated the work, giving the author as "A Gentleman" rather than Hoyle. The printers disguised their identities by publishing under false names, one as Webster, the other as Webb.
Cogan published second
and third editions of Whist and two months later, obtained an injunction against the pirates which he announced in a
fourth edition (all 1743).
To distinguish the genuine editions from the piracies, Cogan paid Hoyle tuppence
per copy to autograph the genuine works. Ironically, the piracies were profitable to Hoyle, though a disaster for Cogan who was forced to lower the price of the book to match the pirates and to pay for Hoyle's signature.
Cogan published other works by Hoyle:
A Short Treatise on the Game of Backgammon
(1743),
the curious
An Artificial Memory for Whist, (1744)
and Short Treatises on the games of
Piquet
, which include a section on Chess
(1744),
and Quadrille
(1744).
Cogan became bankrupt in 1745 and sold the Hoyle copyright to Thomas Osborne, who published Hoyle with much more success.
In 1748, Osborne stopped publishing the individual treatises, but instead sold a collected edition under the title Mr. Hoyle's Treatises of Whist, Quadrille, Piquet, Chess and Back-Gammon.
The Whist treatise was described as the "eighth" edition.
The "fourteenth" edition (1765) was the last published during Hoyle's lifetime.
"Fifteenth"
and "sixteenth"
editions appeared after his death with the autograph reproduced by woodblock print.
Hoyle wrote a treatise on the game of brag
(1751),
a book on probability theory
(1754),
and one on chess
(1761).
The books were frequently reprinted in Ireland
, something that was permitted under the Statute of Anne
. One edition was printed in Edinburgh
.
Hoyle's writing was translated into many continental languages; first Portuguese (1753), then German (1754), French (1761), Italian (1768), Russian (1769) and Dutch (1790).
Over time Hoyle's work pushed off the market Charles Cotton
's aging The Compleat Gamester, which had been considered the "standard" English-language
reference work on the playing of games – especially gambling
games – since its publication in 1674.
The laws of whist published in A Short Treatise on the Game of Whist were regarded as authoritative until 1864, after which time it was superseded by the new rules written by John Loraine Baldwin and adopted by the Arlington
and Portland clubs.
Many modern card game rule books contain the word "Hoyle" in the title, but the moniker does not mean that the works are derivative of Hoyle's. Because of his contributions to gaming, he was a charter inductee into the Poker Hall of Fame
in 1979 – even though he died before poker
was invented.
Card game
A card game is any game using playing cards as the primary device with which the game is played, be they traditional or game-specific. Countless card games exist, including families of related games...
s. The phrase "according to Hoyle" came into the language as a reflection of his generally-perceived authority on the subject; since that time, use of the phrase has expanded into general use in situations in which a speaker wishes to indicate an appeal to a putative authority.
Little is known about Hoyle's life; he is primarily known through his books. Much of what is written about him is untrue or exaggerated. The suggestion that he trained at the bar seems unfounded.
By 1741, Hoyle began to tutor members of high society
Upper class
In social science, the "upper class" is the group of people at the top of a social hierarchy. Members of an upper class may have great power over the allocation of resources and governmental policy in their area.- Historical meaning :...
at the game of whist
Whist
Whist is a classic English trick-taking card game which was played widely in the 18th and 19th centuries. It derives from the 16th century game of Trump or Ruff, via Ruff and Honours...
, selling his students a copy of his manuscript notes.
Hoyle expanded the manuscript and published A Short Treatise on the Game of Whist in 1742, selling it for the high price of one guinea.
When the book quickly sold out, rather than publish a new edition, Hoyle sold the rights to Whist to bookseller Francis Cogan for 100 guineas, an enormous sum for a small pamphlet.
Before Cogan was able to publish a second edition, two printers pirated the work, giving the author as "A Gentleman" rather than Hoyle. The printers disguised their identities by publishing under false names, one as Webster, the other as Webb.
Cogan published second
and third editions of Whist and two months later, obtained an injunction against the pirates which he announced in a
fourth edition (all 1743).
To distinguish the genuine editions from the piracies, Cogan paid Hoyle tuppence
Tuppence
Tuppence may refer to:* Two pence in pre-decimal British coinage. Or, the specific coins:** Two pence ** Two pence...
per copy to autograph the genuine works. Ironically, the piracies were profitable to Hoyle, though a disaster for Cogan who was forced to lower the price of the book to match the pirates and to pay for Hoyle's signature.
Cogan published other works by Hoyle:
A Short Treatise on the Game of Backgammon
Backgammon
Backgammon is one of the oldest board games for two players. The playing pieces are moved according to the roll of dice, and players win by removing all of their pieces from the board. There are many variants of backgammon, most of which share common traits...
(1743),
the curious
An Artificial Memory for Whist, (1744)
and Short Treatises on the games of
Piquet
Piquet
Piquet is an early 16th-century trick-taking card game for two players.- History :Piquet has long been regarded as one of the all-time great card games still being played. It was first mentioned on a written reference dating to 1535, in Gargantua and Pantagruel by Rabelais...
, which include a section on Chess
Chess
Chess is a two-player board game played on a chessboard, a square-checkered board with 64 squares arranged in an eight-by-eight grid. It is one of the world's most popular games, played by millions of people worldwide at home, in clubs, online, by correspondence, and in tournaments.Each player...
(1744),
and Quadrille
Quadrille (card game)
Quadrille is a Spanish trick-taking card game directly ancestral to Boston and chief progenitor of Solo whist. It was perfected in early 18th century France as a four-handed version of the Spanish card game Ombre, which was superseded as a fashionable game in about 1726, although it still remained...
(1744).
Cogan became bankrupt in 1745 and sold the Hoyle copyright to Thomas Osborne, who published Hoyle with much more success.
In 1748, Osborne stopped publishing the individual treatises, but instead sold a collected edition under the title Mr. Hoyle's Treatises of Whist, Quadrille, Piquet, Chess and Back-Gammon.
The Whist treatise was described as the "eighth" edition.
The "fourteenth" edition (1765) was the last published during Hoyle's lifetime.
"Fifteenth"
and "sixteenth"
editions appeared after his death with the autograph reproduced by woodblock print.
Hoyle wrote a treatise on the game of brag
Three card brag
Three card brag is a 16th century British card game, and the British national representative of the vying or "bluffing" family of gambling games...
(1751),
a book on probability theory
Probability
Probability is ordinarily used to describe an attitude of mind towards some proposition of whose truth we arenot certain. The proposition of interest is usually of the form "Will a specific event occur?" The attitude of mind is of the form "How certain are we that the event will occur?" The...
(1754),
and one on chess
Chess
Chess is a two-player board game played on a chessboard, a square-checkered board with 64 squares arranged in an eight-by-eight grid. It is one of the world's most popular games, played by millions of people worldwide at home, in clubs, online, by correspondence, and in tournaments.Each player...
(1761).
The books were frequently reprinted in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, something that was permitted under the Statute of Anne
Statute of Anne
The Statute of Anne was the first copyright law in the Kingdom of Great Britain , enacted in 1709 and entering into force on 10 April 1710...
. One edition was printed in Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
.
Hoyle's writing was translated into many continental languages; first Portuguese (1753), then German (1754), French (1761), Italian (1768), Russian (1769) and Dutch (1790).
Over time Hoyle's work pushed off the market Charles Cotton
Charles Cotton
Charles Cotton was an English poet and writer, best known for translating the work of Michel de Montaigne from the French, for his contributions to The Compleat Angler, and for the highly influential The Compleat Gamester which has been attributed to him.-Early life:He was born at Beresford Hall...
's aging The Compleat Gamester, which had been considered the "standard" English-language
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
reference work on the playing of games – especially gambling
Gambling
Gambling is the wagering of money or something of material value on an event with an uncertain outcome with the primary intent of winning additional money and/or material goods...
games – since its publication in 1674.
The laws of whist published in A Short Treatise on the Game of Whist were regarded as authoritative until 1864, after which time it was superseded by the new rules written by John Loraine Baldwin and adopted by the Arlington
Arlington Club
The Arlington Club is a private social club organized in 1867 by 35 business and banking leaders of Portland in the U.S. state of Oregon. First called the Social Club and later re-named the Arlington Club, it offered its all-male members, most of whom were relatively wealthy and powerful, an...
and Portland clubs.
Many modern card game rule books contain the word "Hoyle" in the title, but the moniker does not mean that the works are derivative of Hoyle's. Because of his contributions to gaming, he was a charter inductee into the Poker Hall of Fame
Poker Hall of Fame
The Poker Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional poker playing in the United States. Founded and located in Las Vegas, Nevada, it was created in 1979 by Benny Binion, the owner of the Horseshoe Casino, to preserve the names and legacies of the world's greatest poker players and to serve...
in 1979 – even though he died before poker
Poker
Poker is a family of card games that share betting rules and usually hand rankings. Poker games differ in how the cards are dealt, how hands may be formed, whether the high or low hand wins the pot in a showdown , limits on bet sizes, and how many rounds of betting are allowed.In most modern poker...
was invented.