CREATE TABLE table_204_861 (id NUMBER, "tie no" NUMBER, "home team" CLOB, "score" CLOB, "away team" CLOB, "date" CLOB)

how many of these games occurred before 17 february 1976 ?
SELECT COUNT(*) FROM table_204_861 WHERE "date" < (SELECT "date" FROM table_204_861 WHERE "date" = '17 february 1976')
SELECT COUNT(*) FROM "table_204_861" WHERE "date" < (SELECT "date" FROM "table_204_861" WHERE "date" = '17 february 1976')