Drawn game

[fredpuli47]

How did the words 'draw' and 'drawn' in ' a draw' and 'drawn game' come to mean a match ending in nobody being the winner? The Shorter Oxford Dictionary says the expression was originally 'a draw game', and is C19, but doesn't explain further. Which of the older meanings of draw is being applied ? Were 'draw' games decided by the drawing of lots ?

[Quizmonster]

The OED says re drawn, "The origin of this use is uncertain. It is suggested that drawn is withdrawn." It then refers reafers to the verb 'draw' no.37 and that says, "to with draw the stakes"...ie the bets made on a particular sporting event such as a horse-race. In other words, "All bets are off" as regards a winner.

[Quizmonster]

Good lord...reafers?! Readers, of course, and with draw = withdraw.

[fredpuli47]

Thanks. That certainly makes sense. We don't talk of a drawn horserace. It's just a dead heat. Wagers on the two winners are paid out as winnings. Such a result in a match between two horses, once a common event in the old days, was also called a dead heat. But in other games and matches between two teams or contestants we speak of a draw, and all bets would have been off. Of course, the founders of Littlewoods Pools made a fortune (or one of them did) out of drawn games, but that's rather different !

[Quizmonster]

"The match betwixt the Yorkshire mare and Mr Frampton's horse The Turk for 500£ (sic) is drawn by consent." This is from 1698, so horses were certainly involved in "drawn matches" back then, albeit it seems to refer to a match that didn't take place. Shakespeare uses it thus a century earlier than that.
(I've been a betting man for many decades, Fred, so I know all about dead heats!)

[fredpuli47]

The Turk and the Yorkshire mare were withdrawn before they were under starter's orders, perhaps. If not, bookmakers were entitled to deduct.....

Yes,QM, I couldn't find an example of a match dead-heated and termed a draw. Today I'm off to Huntingdon races ( to conduct deep research into the history of getting money my money back ! ) It's the nearest jumping course (i.e. what was " National Hunt) to Newmarket, where I am.. After a lifetime involved in racing, I really ought to know better than to bet on jump races (or any races, come to that ! ) The only genuine tip came from my father, an owner : " People reading the newspapers in betting shops are sure my colt is going to win at Epsom. How do they know? I don't know, and I own him !"

[Quizmonster]

I wonder how Lord Appellare will get on in the 3 o'clock there. Might have a bob or two on it to place.

[fredpuli47]

Bad luck if you did, QM !

[Quizmonster]

I did and he DID come 4th of 13/14, so I wasn't too far out. I hope you fared better.