bagatelle

/bag'euh tel"/, n.

1. something of little value or importance; a trifle.

2. a game played on a board having holes at one end into which balls are to be struck with a cue.

3. pinball.

4. a short and light musical composition, typically for the piano.

[1630-40; < F < Upper It bagat(t)ella, equiv. to bagatt(a) small possession (perh. bag(a) berry ( < L baca; cf BAY⁴) + -att(a) dim. suffix) + -ella < L -illa dim. suffix]

* * *

▪ game

 game, probably of English origin, that is similar to billiards and was probably a modification of it. Bagatelle is played with billiard cues and nine balls on an oblong board or table varying in size from 6 by 1.5 ft (1.8 by 0.5 m) to 10 by 3 ft (3 by 0.9 m), with nine numbered cups at its head, eight arranged in a circle and the ninth in its centre. The cups are approximately 2.5 in (6.3 cm) in diameter. The balls are approximately 1.88 in (4.77 cm) in diameter. Sans égal, the cannon game, and Mississippi are among the many variations of bagatelle.

      Of the nine balls used, one is black, four are red, and four are white. The black ball is placed upon a spot about 9 in (23 cm) in front of hole number one. A line (the balk) is drawn across the board, from behind which the players shoot. Any number may play. Each player in turn plays all eight balls up the table, no score being allowed until a ball has touched the black ball. The object of the game is to play as many balls as possible into the holes, the black ball counting double. The game is decided by the aggregate score made in an agreed number of rounds.

      The popularity of bagatelle in its original form has waned, but more recent versions of the game have remained in use. These are usually played on a small inclined board and use small steel or plastic balls instead of billiard balls. A spring bolt, or plunger, is used instead of a cue stick to propel the balls. A further elaboration of this format is the pinball machine.

      Sans égal is a French form of the game. Two players take part, one using the red balls and one using the white. The leader plays at the black, forfeiting a ball if he misses. His opponent then plays at the black if it has not been touched, otherwise any way he likes. They then play alternately, the object being to hole the black and the player's own balls. If a player holes one of his opponent's balls, it is scored for his opponent.

      The cannon game, as in billiards, requires three balls—a cue ball and two object balls, one black and one white. The object of the game is to make cannons (caroms), in which the cue ball strikes both object balls. Balls played into holes at the same time count the number of the holes, but, if a ball falls into a hole during a play in which no cannon is made, the score counts for the adversary. A cannon counts two; missing the white object ball scores one to the adversary; missing the black, five to the adversary.

      Mississippi is played with a bridge pierced with nine or more arches, according to the size of the table, the arches being numbered from one upward. All nine balls are usually played, though the black is sometimes omitted, each player having a round, the object being to send the balls through the arches. This may not be done directly, as the balls must strike a cushion first. A ball, lying in front of the bridge, may be sent through by the cue ball if the latter has struck a cushion. If a ball falls into a cup, the striker scores the value of the cup as well as of the arch.

* * *