Hoyle, Edmond (hoil) [key], 1672–1769, English writer on games, b. London. He codified the rules of whist in his book A Short Treatise on the Game of Whist (1742) and in successive editions of the book he added new material on whist together with treatises on quadrille, piquet, and backgammon. He wrote several other books, and “according to Hoyle” has come to mean “by highest authority.” Several modern encyclopedias of card games use the name Hoyle in their titles.
