Essay d'analyse sur les jeux de hazard.

Paris, Jacque Quillau, 1713. . Second edition; 4to (26.5 x 19.8); engraved device to title, engraved and woodcut headpieces, woodcut initials and tailpieces, 4 folding plates, some leaves toned, scattered light spotting; contemporary speckled calf, spine with 5 raised bands, elaborately gilt in compartments, red morocco label to second compartment with gilt lettering, minor worming to spine, light wear to boards and extremities, red speckled edges, overall a very good example; xlii, 414, [2]pp. Pierre Rémond de Montmort (1678-1719) was a French mathematician who is considered a pioneer of probability theory. He is best known for Essay d'analyse sur les jeux de hazard, first published in 1708, which deals with the application of combinatorial considerations, as they appear in elementary probability theory, to gambling, in particular a card game called treize. There is no author's name mentioned in the book, but Montmort gave it away generously, so that its authorship was generally known. The second edition is augmented with Montmort's correspondence with Nicolaus and Johann Bernoulli. 'Montmort's book on probability, Essay d'analyse sur les jeux de hazard, which came out in 1708, made his reputation among scientists' (DSB). Brunet III, 1870.