CHAPTER XXXIII

_GAMES OF CHANCE_

CARD GAMES

Our card games are more complicated than those played in Europe. One of the reasons of this is the number of cards in the Chinese pack, which contains 120, subdivided into four classes, corresponding with four colours, and into thirty species. There are thus only four cards of each species, and thirty of each class.

The pack includes nine cords; the first cord, the second cord, and so on, up to the ninth cord; nine cakes; nine faces; a red man; a civilian; and a butterfly.

Different kinds of games can, of course, be played with the same kind of cards.

FIRST CARD GAME—AWAITING THE CARD

Five players take their places at the table; the cards are shuffled, and are cut into eight packs of fifteen each. Three dice are cast, and three of the packs are removed in the order designated by the numbers on the dice. A third cast of the dice determines who is to take the first of the five remaining packs. The player on the right takes the second, and so on. The three packs that were removed are placed in a box, and the bottom card of all is turned round and given to the happy possessor of the first pack. Each takes his cards, and arranges them according to the kind and value of the cards, thus: first cord, second cord, third cord, and so on; or, first man, second man, third man; or, first cake, second cake, third cake; or, second cord, second man, second cake. To win, a player must have one or more sets. There are seven sets, composed as follows:—

III.—Eighth cake, second cord, second man.

II.—Ninth man, eighth cord, butterfly.

V.—Ninth cord, the civilian, ninth man.

IV.—Ninth cord, the civilian, the red man.

VI.—Seventh cake, third cord, third man.

VII.—Ninth cake, first cord, first man.

I.—First, second, and third cakes.

The cards must be arranged in sets, as soon as they have been picked up off the table. If a player has only two cards of one set, he must hand an isolated card to the player on his right, who takes it, if it is of any service to him, and, in his turn, hands one of the cards in his hand to his neighbour on the right. If, on the other hand, he has no use for it, he rejects it, and takes the bottom card off the pack in the box. This he keeps and hands another card to the player on his right, and so on.

When one of the players has managed to get together all the seven sets, with the exception of one set, which lacks only one card to complete it, he lays down on the table the leading card of one of the sets, and this gives him the right to take all the cards which are taken out of the box to complete his sets. If he succeeds in doing so, he wins.

The number of sets held by the winner are then counted, and he is paid, according to the amount fixed upon at the start, so much for each set.

Sometimes, also, it is the first card at the top of the pack placed in the box that is turned round. This card is called gold, and every player, who has a similar card in his hand, may use it instead of any other card that may be wanting to complete any set in his hand.

SECOND GAME—FISHING

This game is played by three players.

The cards are divided into eight packs of fourteen cards each, and eight cards remain over. The dice indicate which three packs are to be placed in the box. Two packs are chosen at haphazard, and are added to the eight cards that remained over.

A second cast of the dice determines the distribution of the three remaining packs, which each player is to take.

The player who takes the last of these three packs must spread out on the table, face upwards, and according to their values, all the cards in the pack which is composed of the two selected packs, together with the eight cards that remained over, so that all the players can see what they are, just as is the case with the dummy at whist.

In reward for his trouble, the rule of the game awards him a privilege. He receives, at once, the top card in the box, which otherwise he would only have had later on, and so he knows at once what card to expect.

The first to play takes one of the cards in his hand to fish for one of the cards, which he hopes will be the same number (it is not necessary that it should have the same picture) on the table with it. He then draws another card from the bottom of the pack in the box. Each of the other players does the same in turn. If the dummy is dead, that is to say, if none of its cards is of the number you want, you do not fish, but you throw out a card—or hook—without taking anything.

When all the cards have been drawn, each player counts his sets he is able to make up out of the cards he has fished. These sets are the same as in the preceding game, with the exception of number V. and number VI., which do not exist in this game. Each card in set number I. counts as thirteen points; in set number II., for twelve points; in set number III., for eleven points; in set number IV., for thirteen points; and in set number VII., for ten points. Outside the sets each card is worth only the same number of points as its numerical value. The first card is worth one, the second two, and so on.

THIRD GAME—THE PECKING GAME

The same cards are used, and two persons play. The cards are all placed together on the table, and each player takes three cards, of which he turns one up, so as to see which is to begin pecking. The first player throws one card on the table and the other does the same. If the player whose turn it is to throw sees that with the cards in his hand and those on the table he can make up a set he picks them up, and so the game goes on; the cards being taken three by three from the pack until all have been drawn. When that is done, the number of points held by each player, according to the system of counting described above, is counted.

In all these games, besides the stake, each player may place a sum of money or a single coin before him on the table. If he loses, he loses this money also; whilst if he wins, each player has to pay him an equivalent sum. This is betting added to staking. We have also cards representing chess figures, in which the cannon, the carriage, and the horse form a set, as do also three similar cards, or the general, the councillor, and the elephant.

These cards are played in the same way as the others. Chinese cards are always much smaller than those used in Europe, measuring about one inch by two. These cards were invented under the reign of the Han dynasty, as a pastime and as a relief in solitude. But now-a-days they have become a social game, even in parties where people are far from wanting subjects of amusement.