A GAME OF FAN TAN.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume X, Issue 1056, 1 April 1882, Page 4

A GAME OF FAN TAN.

•At the ..Resident' ‘Magistrate’s Court, Christchu’rffi, on March 6th, Detective iu the course of the trial of a number of Chinese for playing fan tan, gave apfe* ml ?«*• t kn of the game. It is much' clearer, and so more practically useful than that given in the House of Representatives by the Rev. Dr. Wallis. There is a banker who stands at the end of a table. Before him is spread a cloth, on which is a square board divided by a cross. The corners are numbered 1,2, 3, and 4. The other materials are a quantity of “ cash,” which is a brass coin of small value current in China. Each cash has a square hole in the centre, and when used for money they pass from hand to hand, tied in bunches of a recognised value. In the game, however, they are loose. There are besides buttons of different colours, each representing sums from 5s up to £5 or more. These are bought by the players and used for stakes. All being ready, the players place their stakes on the board according to their fancy, the numbers representing even money or odds staked by the bank. The banker then takes from a heap a handful of loose cash, and begins to withdraw them as spread out by four pieces at a draw. This is not done by the fingers ; John Chinaman has long linger nails and long sleeves, to which latter he can convey bowers and other things with surprising dexterity. He is therefore put beyond suspicion, though it is probable that practised bankers do now and then ■deal not altogether honestly with .pieces. The banker wit 1 ?' pieces by a B * uek ;“ res embling •a 10-y oi ac klead pencil, which he inserts in the holes of the cash. It is •evident that, at the last, there must be left on the table four or some less •number of pieces. If there are four left, the backer or backers of No. 4 on the board take the money deposited on that number, and whatever addition from the bank that is prescribed by the rules of the game, less 5 per cent, deducted from all winnings for the beuefit of the house ; and so with other numbers should they be the same as the remainder. The game, if •conducted honestly, seems to be fair enough. The Chinese are intensely' fond of it, and while playing create a tremendous noise, the uproar of which must be heard to be properly appreciated.