Petit shvo

The game was a kind of imitation of horse racing at the hippodrome: numbered horses attached to roulette needles rotated in a circle. Players made bets on such artificial horses. The winner is the player whose horse stopped at the finish line.

The game is still popular in Ireland and France , but its rules have changed somewhat.

Petit shvo in its appearance and mode of action is very similar to the game of roulette . This game combines just two popular gambling entertainment: horse racing Derby and Hoku ^{[1] [2]} . From hoku, the only difference is the number of spokes on the wheel.
Initially, there were 19 spokes in the bird wheel, and then the number was reduced to 9. Small figures of horses were attached to each of the spokes, which were numbered. Figures were often made of porcelain or ivory.

Under the wheel with spinning horses was a field that depicted the countryside and the finish post. In ancient times, such a field, which was made of fabric, looked like an ancient geographical map hand-painted.

After one of the players or the leader spun the wheel, the horses with incredible speed over and over again swept over the field with the finish post. Of course, before starting the wheel, the players made bets, just as they do at the hippodrome, that is, on a horse with a certain number. A porcelain horse that stopped at the finish after the wheel stopped and brought victory to its player.

Fans of horse racing were delighted with such a game: after all, now it was completely optional to go to the hippodrome - you could make a bet and, having gathered all your friends, right at home.

In the XVIII century, the bird was popular not only among immigrants from the common people, but also among the rich representatives of the nobility.

• Konstantin Paustovsky ’s novel “Shining Clouds”:

  The money ran out, half of them Berg lost in the “bird-shvo” on Havana ^[3] .

• Ilf and Petrov , “ Twelve Chairs ”; episode when Ostap and Ippolit Matveyevich, after a successful combination in Vasyuki, swim in a boat to Cheboksary and read a guide:

  - Apparently, Cheboksary. So, so ... "We draw attention to the very beautifully located city of Cheboksary ..." - Kitty, is he really beautifully located? .. - “At present there are 7702 residents in Cheboksary.” - Pussycat! Let's give up the chase for diamonds and increase the population of Cheboksary to seven thousand seven hundred and four people. BUT? It will be very impressive ... Let's open the “Pete-Shvo” and from this “Pete-Shvo” we will have the right gran-piece of bread ...

  • in the novel “The Fourth Echelon” by Eduard Khrutsky of seven novels, in his first story “The Chess Club reports ^[4] ...”:
  Danilov plays in Petit Shvo

  Danilov pushed toward a huge table. Here it is, "bird suture" - mechanical race. The croupier, with a fiercely impudent face, with a parting, dividing rare sleek hair into two parts, shouted:

  - No more bets! - He pressed the lever, and four horses ran along the table. Circle, still, finish. The trotter at number three came first. “Get your winnings, sir,” the croupier moved the pile of money toward the man in the gray suit with a spatula. - Allow, - Danilov pushed to the table, threw a wad of money. -- For all. “Your number, sir?” How many punches will you make? - Two. I play twice. - Bet, gentlemen, the bank is rich. Money fell on the table. -Third. -Third. - The second one. - Two. - The game is done, there are no more bets. The croupier again launched his horses. A circle. One more. On the latter, a black horse with a unit written on the croup rushed forward. “The institution won,” the croupier grabbed the stakes in the box. - Would you like more? - He looked at Danilov, smiling impudently and politely. Danilov pulled the ring off his finger. - Will you accept? A man appeared from behind the croupier, quickly looked at the ring, whispered to the croupier something. - Accept. The croupier put the ring next to the bundle of money. And people made bets, threw money, breathed hard and recklessly. - Your number, do not sleep, young man! - grinned the croupier. - Two. “You are a fatalist.” No more bets. The horses ran, and the gray one with the deuce, which attracted Danilova so much, as if having heard and understood him, smartly took her from her place. And the first ran to the finish line. The croupier with a spatula moved Ivan a ring and a bunch of money. - Will you play again? - Not.

  - The institution wishes you a pleasant time.

  • Petit-shvo plays a prominent role in Saki ’s short story “The Road to the Dairy” (1911) (Eng .: “The Way to the Dairy” ^[5] ).

  Notes

  1. ↑ In the 18th century, a game that looked like modern roulette was known and loved in Europe. She was called hokoy. Hoka was ... (unopened) (inaccessible link) . Date of treatment August 30, 2017. Archived August 30, 2017.
  2. ↑ Hoka brought enormous profits ... (unopened) (inaccessible link) . Date of treatment August 30, 2017. Archived August 30, 2017.
  3. ↑ Konstantin Paustovsky - “Shining Clouds”, chapter “Berg”
  4. ↑ IBSC reports ...
  5. ↑ "The Way to the Dairy"