Edmond Hoyle – He Made the Rules

Posted on June 16th, 2008

Edmond Hoyle (1672-1769), also known as Edmund Hoyle, was a gentleman and writer best known as an expert on the rules and playing strategies of card games. The well-known phrase “according to Hoyle” became part of the language as a reflection of Hoyle being considered the ultimate authority on the subject of card and board games.

The phrase “according to Hoyle” is most often used in situations when a speaker wants to indicate that his comment is based on some acknowledged level of authority, especially when a direct written reference is not available. In other words, a speaker is asserting that what he is saying or proposing is based on the highest authority and in accord with a strict set of rules. Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: according to hoyle, barrister, board games, bridge, card games, Edmond Hoyle, England, Hoyle's rules, London, poker, whist
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