The intentionally unassuming grey cover, designed to match the dull-sounding title, suggests a dry emotionless record of events is likely held within. However, this humble exterior belies the valuable secrets hidden within its pages. Annals of Gaming was an article series published over four years, between 1772 and 1775; its sole intention was to expose the sharpers, hustlers, and cheats, by detailing their methods of defrauding the unwary. Now, for the first time, every article in the original series has been retyped in full and published in a single volume of over 200 pages. This work covers over 30 different games, the majority being played with cards, and for each one the techniques used by the hustlers of the day are described. These previously overlooked articles have clear importance in the cheating literature; not only due to the breadth of material covered, but there are also a number of techniques that are likely published for the first time in English, including the second deal, the centre deal, the deck switch, and more.
- Foreword
- Volume 1
- Essay I - Introduction
- Essay II - Whist
- Essay III - Hazard
- Essay IV - Tennis
- Letter A - From Observator
- Essay V - Lansquenet
- Letter B - From Anti-Black-Legs
- Essay VI - Piquet
- Volume 2
- Essay VII - Billiards
- Essay VIII - Loo
- Letter C - From Anti-Gambler
- Essay IX – Quadrille (Part 1)
- Quadrille (Part 2)
- Essay X - Lottery
- Essay XI - Backgammon (Part 1)
- Backgammon (Part 2)
- Essay XII - All Fours
- Essay XIII - Comet
- Essay XIV - The Belle, the Flux, and Thirty-One
- Essay XV - Snitch'em's
- Letter D - From S.G.
- Essay XVI - Cribbage
- Essay XVII - Putt
- Essay XVIII – Billiards (Supplemental)
- Volume 3
- Essay XIX - Ombre
- Essay XX - Papillon
- Letter E - From Anti Gambler
- Essay XXI - Reverse
- Essay XXII - Commerce
- Essay XXIII - Humbug
- Essay XXIV - Brag
- Essay XXV - Chess
- Essay XXVI - Cricket
- Essay XXVII - Ambigu
- Essay XXVIII - Brusquembille
- Essay XXIX - Cuckoo
- Essay XXX - Guinguette
- Volume 4
- Essay XXXI - Faro
- Essay XXXII - Romestecq
- Essay XXXIII - Sizette
- Essay XXXIV - Imperial
- Essay XXXV - Quinze
- Letter F - From A Deep Dealer (Crotchets)
1st edition 1772-1775; this digital edition with a foreword by T. Hayes published 2021, 220 pages.