According to Hoyle is a phrase I remember from childhood. On Sundays my father played golf, followed by poker at the card table in the clubhouse. According to the Oxford English Dictionary according to Hoyle means according to plan or the rules. The impression I had as a child was that Hoyle had written the definitive book on the rules of poker. I was wrong.
On 29th August 1742 Edmund Hoyle published “A Short Treatise on the Game of Whist”. His first print run quickly sold out at the princely sum of a guinea each. That’s equivalent to £124 in today’s money, according to the National Archives currency converter.
I would have been tempted to keep printing books, but Hoyle sold the rights to the bookseller Francis Cogan for 100 guineas. Unfortunately for Cogan, unscrupulous printers started selling pirated copies under false names and attributed to a gentleman, rather than Hoyle. Perhaps Hoyle feared that would happen, or perhaps he thought the market was exhausted of people rich enough to pay such a high price for a short pamphlet.
Hoyle wrote books on brag, probability theory, backgammon, chess, quadrille, and picquet. He couldn’t write about poker because the game wasn’t invented until eighty years after his death. That didn’t stop him being inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame in 1979.
His first book not only provided a comprehensive guide to playing whist but also introduced a systematic approach to game rules. Hoyle’s book standardised the rules, ensuring a consistent experience for players across different regions. His attention to detail and thorough explanations made the book immensely popular, and it became the go-to guide for card players of the time.
His books were not only informative but also entertaining, written in a witty and engaging manner that captivated readers. Hoyle’s ability to simplify complex concepts and present them in a clear and concise manner made his works accessible to both novices and experienced players.
One of Hoyle’s most significant contributions to gaming was his emphasis on fair play and etiquette. He believed that games should be played with integrity, respect, and honour. In his books, he not only provided rules but also offered guidance on proper behaviour and conduct during gameplay. This emphasis on sportsmanship helped shape the gaming culture of the time and continues to influence players to this day. Edmund Hoyle died on 29th August 1769 at the grand old age of 97. He is buried in Marylebone churchyard. £124 for a pamphlet makes the Sir Anthony Adventures incredibly good value, don’t you think?