The game of Tourne-Case

Tourne-Case

« Tourne-Case » is part of the long list of the games supposed to be played by Gargantua (16th century French author Rabelais book) as well as the game of « Dames Rabattues ». The here after rules of this little tables game, are those one can find in a book published in Paris by Charpentier for the first time in the year 1699. They had been reprinted in the numerous editions of the « Académie des Jeux » games rules book, until the very beginning of the 19th century without any modification.

Equipment :

· A backgammon board.

· 3 light colour checkers and 3 dark ones.

· 2 dice (the players use the same dice).

· 2 dice cups.

Starting position :

Each player start the game with his 3 checkers outside the board, as shown on the following diagram :

WHITE

   +-1--2--3--4--5--6----7--8--9-10-11-12-+

 w | |  |  |  |  |  | || |  |  |  |  |  | |

 w | |  |  |  |  |  | || |  |  |  |  |  | |

 w | |  |  |  |  |  | || |  |  |  |  |  | |

   | |  |  |  |  |  | || |  |  |  |  |  | |

   |                  ||                  |

   |                  ||                  |

   |                  ||                  |

   | |  |  |  |  |  | || |  |  |  |  |  | |

 B | |  |  |  |  |  | || |  |  |  |  |  | |

 B | |  |  |  |  |  | || |  |  |  |  |  | |

 B | |  |  |  |  |  | || |  |  |  |  |  | |

   +-1--2--3--4--5--6----7--8--9-10-11-12-+

BLACK

· The dotted lines symbolised the points (arrows).

Circulation of the checkers :

· Each player use only his side board.

· The checkers enter the first table (1 to 6 points) and move to the far end 12th point named the "Coin de repos" (Resting corner).

Goal of the game :

· To be the first player stacking his 3 checkers on the 12th point.

First roll :

To know which player will be the first to roll the dice :

· each player throw one die,

· the player who obtains the higher pips number takes the two dice and rolls them for the first roll of the game.

Validity of the dice roll :

· One can use the same rule than the Backgammon one. (if at least one die lands out of the board or on a checker, you have to roll again the two dice).

General rules :

· On a simple roll (the two dice show different values) only the lowest value die his played. The highest value one is never used. (see the reason why)

· On a double roll (the two dice show the same value) only one die has to be played.

· The 1 to 11 points cannot be occupied by more than 1 checker.

· The 12th point can be loaded with the 3 checkers.

· Overtaking his own chechers is not allowed.

· When a checker lands on a point and the same opponent point his occupied by 1 checker, this opponent checker must be removed from the board and will have to reenter the board. A checker on the 12th point cannot be removed from the board. This is the reason why the 12th point is named "Resting corner).

· A checker can land on the 12th point only if his owner player has got the exact number of die pips to reach this 12th point. (remember that only the lowest value die is used).

· If on a roll you cannot legally move any checker, you must pass your turn.

· When it's your turn to play, after rolling the dice if you touch one of your checkers you must play it (if it's legally possible).

Examples :

White obtains « 4 and 3 » for the first roll of the game : he enters one checker moving it to his third point as shown on the following diagram, and he doesn't play the second die :

WHITE

   +-1--2--3--4--5--6----7--8--9-10-11-12-+

 W | |  |  W  |  |  | || |  |  |  |  |  | |

 W | |  |  |  |  |  | || |  |  |  |  |  | |

   | |  |  |  |  |  | || |  |  |  |  |  | |

   | |  |  |  |  |  | || |  |  |  |  |  | |

   |                  ||                  |

   |                  ||                  |

   |                  ||                  |

   | |  |  |  |  |  | || |  |  |  |  |  | |

 B | |  |  |  |  |  | || |  |  |  |  |  | |

 B | |  |  |  |  |  | || |  |  |  |  |  | |

 B | |  |  |  |  |  | || |  |  |  |  |  | |

   +-1--2--3--4--5--6----7--8--9-10-11-12-+

BLACK

Black rolls, now, double Ace : he enters one checker on his first point, and he doesn't play the second Ace.

WHITE

   +-1--2--3--4--5--6----7--8--9-10-11-12-+

 W | |  |  W  |  |  | || |  |  |  |  |  | |

 W | |  |  |  |  |  | || |  |  |  |  |  | |

   | |  |  |  |  |  | || |  |  |  |  |  | |

   | |  |  |  |  |  | || |  |  |  |  |  | |

   |                  ||                  |

   |                  ||                  |

   |                  ||                  |

   | |  |  |  |  |  | || |  |  |  |  |  | |

   | |  |  |  |  |  | || |  |  |  |  |  | |

 B | |  |  |  |  |  | || |  |  |  |  |  | |

 B | B  |  |  |  |  | || |  |  |  |  |  | |

   +-1--2--3--4--5--6----7--8--9-10-11-12-+

BLACK

White rolls « 5 and Ace » : he chooses to enter a second checker on his first point in such a way he removes the black checker on the opposite first point, as shown on the following diagram. (remark : instead of this move, it was possible for White to move his first checker to his 4th point).

WHITE

   +-1--2--3--4--5--6----7--8--9-10-11-12-+

 W | W  |  W  |  |  | || |  |  |  |  |  | |

   | |  |  |  |  |  | || |  |  |  |  |  | |

   | |  |  |  |  |  | || |  |  |  |  |  | |

   | |  |  |  |  |  | || |  |  |  |  |  | |

   |                  ||                  |

   |                  ||                  |

   |                  ||                  |

   | |  |  |  |  |  | || |  |  |  |  |  | |

 B | |  |  |  |  |  | || |  |  |  |  |  | |

 B | |  |  |  |  |  | || |  |  |  |  |  | |

 B | |  |  |  |  |  | || |  |  |  |  |  | |

   +-1--2--3--4--5--6----7--8--9-10-11-12-+

BLACK

Black rolls double Six. He enters a checker on his 6th point.

WHITE

   +-1--2--3--4--5--6---------------------+

 W | W  |  W  |  |  | || |  |  |  |  |  | |

   | |  |  |  |  |  | || |  |  |  |  |  | |

   | |  |  |  |  |  | || |  |  |  |  |  | |

   | |  |  |  |  |  | || |  |  |  |  |  | |

   |                  ||                  |

   |                  ||                  |

   |                  ||                  |

   | |  |  |  |  |  | || |  |  |  |  |  | |

   | |  |  |  |  |  | || |  |  |  |  |  | |

 B | |  |  |  |  |  | || |  |  |  |  |  | |

 B | |  |  |  |  |  B || |  |  |  |  |  | |

   +-1--2--3--4--5--6---------------------+

BLACK

White rolls « 3 and 2 »: he cannot enter his last checker, being not able overtake his 1st point checker. White play only what it's legally possible to do : he moves his checker from the 3rd point to the 5th one.

WHITE

   +-1--2--3--4--5--6----7--8--9-10-11-12-+

 W | W  |  |  |  W  | || |  |  |  |  |  | |

   | |  |  |  |  |  | || |  |  |  |  |  | |

   | |  |  |  |  |  | || |  |  |  |  |  | |

   | |  |  |  |  |  | || |  |  |  |  |  | |

   |                  ||                  |

   |                  ||                  |

   |                  ||                  |

   | |  |  |  |  |  | || |  |  |  |  |  | |

   | |  |  |  |  |  | || |  |  |  |  |  | |

 B | |  |  |  |  |  | || |  |  |  |  |  | |

 B | |  |  |  |  |  B || |  |  |  |  |  | |

   +-1--2--3--4--5--6----7--8--9-10-11-12-+

BLACK

Black rolls double Six : he cannot enter any cheker, his 6th point being already occupied. He moves his checker from the 6th point to the 12th one. This checker is now safe to be turn out the board.

WHITE

   +-1--2--3--4--5--6----7--8--9-10-11-12-+

 W | W  |  |  |  W  | || |  |  |  |  |  | |

   | |  |  |  |  |  | || |  |  |  |  |  | |

   | |  |  |  |  |  | || |  |  |  |  |  | |

   | |  |  |  |  |  | || |  |  |  |  |  | |

   |                  ||                  |

   |                  ||                  |

   |                  ||                  |

   | |  |  |  |  |  | || |  |  |  |  |  | |

   | |  |  |  |  |  | || |  |  |  |  |  | |

 B | |  |  |  |  |  | || |  |  |  |  |  | |

 B | |  |  |  |  |  | || |  |  |  |  |  B |

   +-1--2--3--4--5--6----7--8--9-10-11-12-+

BLACK

... and the game continues in the same way until the following diagram :

WHITE

   +-1--2--3--4--5--6----7--8--9-10-11-12-+

   | |  |  W  |  |  | || |  W  |  |  |  W |

   | |  |  |  |  |  | || |  |  |  |  |  | |

   | |  |  |  |  |  | || |  |  |  |  |  | |

   | |  |  |  |  |  | || |  |  |  |  |  | |

   |                  ||                  |

   |                  ||                  |

   |                  ||                  |

   | |  |  |  |  |  | || |  |  |  |  |  | |

   | |  |  |  |  |  | || |  |  |  |  |  | |

   | |  |  |  |  |  | || |  |  |  |  |  B |

   | |  |  |  |  |  B || |  |  |  |  |  B |

   +-1--2--3--4--5--6----7--8--9-10-11-12-+

BLACK

White rolls double 5 : he cannot played from 3 to 8, the 8th point being already occupied, and he cannot move the 8th point checker to the 12th point, this move needing only 4 pips. As a result, White cannot move and passes his turn.

Black rolls « 4 and 2 » : he moves his checker from the 6th point to the 8th one, in such a way he sends back the white checker on the opposite 8th point to the beginning (outside the board).

WHITE

   +-1--2--3--4--5--6----7--8--9-10-11-12-+

 W | |  |  W  |  |  | || |  |  |  |  |  W |

   | |  |  |  |  |  | || |  |  |  |  |  | |

   | |  |  |  |  |  | || |  |  |  |  |  | |

   | |  |  |  |  |  | || |  |  |  |  |  | |

   |                  ||                  |

   |                  ||                  |

   |                  ||                  |

   | |  |  |  |  |  | || |  |  |  |  |  | |

   | |  |  |  |  |  | || |  |  |  |  |  | |

   | |  |  |  |  |  | || |  |  |  |  |  B |

   | |  |  |  |  |  | || |  B  |  |  |  B |

   +-1--2--3--4--5--6----7--8--9-10-11-12-+

BLACK

White rolls « 5 and 2 » : he decides to enter his checher on the 2nd point.

WHITE

   +-1--2--3--4--5--6----7--8--9-10-11-12-+

   | |  W  W  |  |  | || |  |  |  |  |  W |

   | |  |  |  |  |  | || |  |  |  |  |  | |

   | |  |  |  |  |  | || |  |  |  |  |  | |

   | |  |  |  |  |  | || |  |  |  |  |  | |

   |                  ||                  |

   |                  ||                  |

   |                  ||                  |

   | |  |  |  |  |  | || |  |  |  |  |  | |

   | |  |  |  |  |  | || |  |  |  |  |  | |

   | |  |  |  |  |  | || |  |  |  |  |  B |

   | |  |  |  |  |  | || |  B  |  |  |  B |

   +-1--2--3--4--5--6----7--8--9-10-11-12-+

BLACK

Black rolls « 5 et 4 » :he moves his checker from the 8th point to the 12th point and, having stacked his 3 checkers on the 12th point before his opponent, he wins the game!

WHITE

   +-1--2--3--4--5--6----7--8--9-10-11-12-+

   | |  W  W  |  |  | || |  |  |  |  |  W |

   | |  |  |  |  |  | || |  |  |  |  |  | |

   | |  |  |  |  |  | || |  |  |  |  |  | |

   | |  |  |  |  |  | || |  |  |  |  |  | |

   |                  ||                  |

   |                  ||                  |

   |                  ||                  |

   | |  |  |  |  |  | || |  |  |  |  |  | |

   | |  |  |  |  |  | || |  |  |  |  |  B |

   | |  |  |  |  |  | || |  |  |  |  |  B |

   | |  |  |  |  |  | || |  |  |  |  |  B |

   +-1--2--3--4--5--6----7--8--9-10-11-12-+

BLACK

Origin of the game's name :

The author of the rules in 1699 gave two possibilities :

· It could be because in the game it's possible to send back checkers (from the verb "tourner" : to turn in English)

· It could be because in old French "three" was sometime named "tourne" and that a point (arrow) is name a "case". So "tourne case" could mean "the three checkers point" (which is the 12th point)

Reason why to use two dice instead of one :

The way to use the dice in the "Tourne Case" can seems strange. However,there is a big difference throwing one die, and rolling two dice, using only one.

If we used only one die, any number from 1 to 6 has the same probability to occur. (one chance over 6, of course).

Rolling now two dice and playing only the weakest one, or only one die in case of double, each number from 1 to 6 has no more the same chance to occur.

In that way the number of chances is 1 over 36 to get a « 6 », 3 over 36 to get a « 5 », 5 over 36 to get a « 4 », 7 over 36 to get a « 3 », 9 over 36 to get a « 2 », et 11 over 36 to get an « Ace ».

We can see now that the lowest numbers have more chances to occur than the highest ones. So, it's more difficult to bring a checker exactly on the 12th point, but more you are closed to the 12th point more you'll have chances to reach it.

The use of two dice allows at least a litte stategy on this game which would only be a a game of luck with only one die.

(back to the rules)

Références :

Règles du jeu du Tourne-Case(à Paris chez Charpentier, édition de1715)

Académie universelle des jeux (à Amsterdam 1758)

Informations :

· On line the 30th of September 2004

Philippe Lalanne