thumb|A game of bagatelle in progress.

Bagatelle (from the Château de Bagatelle) is a billiards-derived indoor table game, the object of which is to get a number of balls (set at nine in the 19th century; 4 whites, 4 reds and 1 black) past wooden pins (which act as obstacles) into holes that are guarded by wooden pegs; penalties are incurred if the pegs are knocked over. It probably developed from the table made with raised sides for trou madame, which was also played with ivory balls

UK and US

thumb|A Little Game of Bagatelle, Between Old Abe the Rail Splitter & Little Mac the Gunboat General

The name "bagatelle" was first used to describe such a game in 1819. Its dimensions soon standardised at 1 ft 9 in x 7 ft (53 cm x 213 cm). Some French soldiers carried their favorite bagatelle tables with them to America while helping to fight the British in the American Revolutionary War. Bagatelle spread and became so popular in America as well that a political cartoon from 1863 depicts US President Abraham Lincoln playing a small tabletop version of bagatelle against presidential rival George B. McClellan.

, bagatelle is still played competitively in the Chester area of Cheshire, England. The Chester and District Bagatelle League is believed to be the last surviving bagatelle league in the world.

See also

  • Pub games
  • Le multicolore

Notes

References

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  • Instructional / informational video of Bagatelle game