The (almost really) Complete Works of Lewis Carroll

The Editor kindly allows me a little additional space, this month, in order to ask a favour of the diligent band of Knot-untiers, and of any others of her readers who take an interest in such trifles as Puzzles and Games.

I have been about two years inventing (or trying to invent) a new game, constantly altering the rules as experience suggested, until it has scarcely one of its original features left. It seems now to work fairly well, but my ambition is to make it a thoroughly good game, and I shall be deeply obliged to any reader of the Monthly Packet who will try it, and will send suggestions of improvement to be introduced into the game or the wording of the rules. The original idea of it was taken from the child’s game of ‘Musical Chairs.’

I append the Rules of

Lanrick

A Game for Two Players

1. The game is played on a chess-board, each Player having five men.

2. To begin the game, one Player sets all the men on border-squares.

3. The other then selects a square set of nine squares, called a ‘rendenzvous,’ which must not include any of his own men, and lays a mark on its centre square.

4. Both then try to get their men into this rendenzvous. Each may move as many squares as he has men, or any less number, either with one man or dividing the move among several men: each man may be moved in any direction, but must, during any one turn, keep to one line of squares, whether it be straight or slanting.

5. He who did not select the rendenzvous plays first. He may, instead of moving his own men, move the rendenzvous-mark one square, in any direction, thus changing the position of the whole rendenzvous, provided he does not move it to a border-square or so as to make the rendenzvous include any of his own men; and this he may do every turn so long as he has not moved any of his own men. When the mark is thus moved one square, any men who have got into the rendenzvous must also be moved one square, so as to take the same places in the new rendenzvous as they had in the one they are leaving. But whenever this would bring two men upon the same square, the mark must not be moved in that direction. This privilege, of moving the rendenzvous-mark, is not allowed to the Player who laid it down.

6. When a Player has all his men in the rendenzvous, he takes off the board one of those who are not in, called ‘wanderers,’ and moves to border-squares, in any direction, keeping each such man to one line of squares, all wanderers not already on border-squares. All other men, on both sides, keep their places, and are played from them for the next rendenzvous. The other Player then selects a new rendenzvous, as in Rule 3, and the game proceeds as before, until one Player has no men left.

Notices to Correspondents. Acknowledgements

Mr. Lewis Carroll acknowledges, with many thanks, several kind communications on the subject of ‘Lanrick,’ which will be of great service to him in revising the rules.

Remarks (March)

P.S.—I return my sincere thanks to the many correspontents who have kindly sent suggestions on the subject of ‘Lanrick,’ which will be of great service in revising the language of the Rules, though I do not at present see that any change is needed in their substance. I add a few notes in explanation of the difficulties that have been found in interpreting them.

Line 1. ‘chess-board’ or draughts-board.

L. 2. ‘men’ or counters.

L. 7. ‘lays a mark on its centre square.’ This mark is not supposed to fill the square; a man may be played upon it.

L. 10. ‘each man.’ i. e. each for himself, independently of the moves of the others.

L. 12. Men in the rendenzvous are still free to move. Men may not be moved over other men.

L. 16. ‘it’ i. e. the mark.

L. 19. ‘any’ i. e. all.

L. 20. ‘must also be moved one square.’ This is not to be deducted from their next move.

L. 26. ‘one of those who are not in’ whether on the border or not.

L. 26. ‘and moves.’ The nominative is ‘he,’ the player who has won the rendenzvous.

L. 30. ‘The other Player’ i. e. the one who did not win the rendenzvous.

Two difficulties I will give in the words of the writers:—

‘The Player who both places the men and has the first move may always win.’

‘When the game comes near the end, it seems impossible to avoid its being won by the player who has the last turn to choose the rendenzvous.’

How one would like to see a game between these two, one placing the men and having first move, the other choosing the last rendenzvous!

One most startling suggestion has reached me. N. E. T. proposes to diversify the game ‘by changing the 5 men into the King, Queen, Bishop, Knight, and Castle of Chess, each with his own moves, and by allowing only one man to move at once. By this means,’ he (or she) adds, ‘each man becomes a distinct individual.’ The effect on me would be, I believe, a sensation of having become two ‘distinct individuals,’ if not more; but I speak diffidently, not having had the courage to try this bewildering medley of games. Nightmare would be nothing to it.

Remarks (June)

With regard to ‘Lanrick,’ E. V. W. asks:—

‘May men, when in the rendenzvous, move out?’ Ans. ‘Yes.’

‘Can a man be moved twice in one turn, so long as he keeps to the same line of squares, straight or slanting?’ Ans. ‘The only objection is the diffidently of remembering what line he is on. The safest rule, to avoid disputes, seems to be to touch each man once only in a turn.’

‘Can a player fix a rendenzvous which includes one of his adversary’s men?’ Ans. ‘Yes.’

Charles Clarke sends a most interesting letter of suggestions about ‘Lanrick,’ for which I am much obliged. He asks:—

‘Can the winner of a rendenzvous take off the board any wanderer, whether on a border-square or not?’ Ans. ‘Yes.’

‘In moving to the border wanderers not on border-squares, can he take any direction?’ Ans. ‘Yes.’

C. C. also points out that he who sets the men may secure the first rendenzvous by massing the adversary’s men to command the centre. He forgets apparently that the adversary’s proper game, in this case, is to fix the rendenzvous in the most distant corner, and not attempt to play into it, but simply mass his men in the opposite corner, thus securing the second rendenzvous.

He also asks what must be done if neither side will move his last man into the rendenzvous. This, I think, ought to be a drawn game.