THE GAME OF FAN-TAN

Observer, Volume 7, Issue 335, 9 May 1885, Page 22

THE GAME OF FAN-TAN

As fan-tan, the game of chance which* Celestials devote many an hour to, has be eit mentioned of late in connection with the arrest of twenty Chinamen in Dunedfrs*on a Sunday evening, a brief discription of it 'may be of interest to those carious in such matters* Imagine two long tables, on each of which; is a piece of sheet lead, about a foot squarePlay is carried on alternately at each of thetables. The banker and his assistant whopays the winner, and of course takes chargeof the banker's takings, commence operations^ the banker having in front of him a heap of Chinese coins. Taking up two handfuls from the heap, the banker with . considerable adroitness, places a small basin over portion, of the coins which lie has put away from theheap. He than waits until all the stakesare clown, occasionally exclaiming "Gee - Shou, " meaning that he is about to lift off' the basin. He counts out the coins two by two with a thin piece of wood. Each of thefour corners of the lead square have their numbers and represent two chances. The= result of the game depends upon how manycoins over four are left after the counting, process ; there maybe four remaining, not more, consequently four may be called thebasis or '■' tan "of the game. Thus if four of the coins and one are left, a certain side-; of the square wins ; four and two, another ;- four and three, another ; and four and four, another. The names of the four respectivesides of the lead, and which are. distinguished simply by the position of the banker, are- " Yut Tan, "or one, four ; " Gee Tan, " or two, four, ; " Sam Tan, " or three, four ; " CccTan, "or four, four. Stakers on the winning, corner of the lead square receive their moneywith an equal sum added. Exclusive of thecorners, there are no less than six definite • spots for staking on each line of the square,, the chances varying in accordance with position. The highest odds laid by the banker are three to one ; but winners of these odds have to submit to a discount on each • shilling. The great attraction seems to l^v~ in the fact that any sum can be staked. As ■ soon as the banker begins to lose much a?, move is made to the other table, where thesame modus operandi is gone through. Thebankers seem generally to have a pretty good estimate of how each game will result as. they can tell to a nicety after long practice how many coins they have placed out to< decide the game. But some of the players are just as experienced, and the banker has. to be very smart when placing the basin over, or the practised eyes of the-old stagers • will have seen the coins covered, and haveformed a good idea of the probable resultMany, however, try to read the banker'smind, but, as may be imagined, this is a. difficult thing- to do. Those who have watched the game assert that the bankers alwaysseem to think they know how the game will result, as sometimes while money is beingplaced down their patience' is of long duration, whilst at other times they lift off thebasin before Dearly all who intend playing, have staked their money.