The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-04-29
NEW GAME IN CHINATOWN.
Is played With Top and Has Put Fan
 Tan Out of Favor.

From the New York Sun. Chinatown is in the clutches of new gambling game which has already back ed fan tan off the board and threatens the popularity of the Mott street version poker. 1t Is peh bin. and for action 1t Is as rapid as anything in New York. It has been played in the big Chlnatowns of the Pacific coast since the first of the year, and recently some one brought a layout to New York's little yellow spot. The professional gamblers in the quar- ter are stlll holding 10 fan tan and faro and poker at which the bank is sure to win in the end. Peh bin gives the player too many chances to win to make 1t pop ular with the profession.
 There are plenty of wealthy merchants, however, who are willing to bank for game among friends. Peh bin has become as much the thing for Chinese social en- tertainments as was bridge on Fifth ave- nue a year or so ago.
 The distinguished feature of peh bin Is a sort of top. on the eight faces of which are inscribed eight Chinese characters. The colors arc alternately red and white. The heads of the characters point alter natey upward and downward, which ar- ranges all the red characters In one po- stion and the white ones In Just the op- poste.
 
 painted in eight squares on an oblong sheet of paper or canvass There are two lines of squares. each color occupying one-half the layout sheet.
 Where the vertical lines intersect tho horizontal middle line three circles are drawn. One is red. one white and the centre one half and half. being known as the mixed hole sam chan khang).
 There are endless possibilities and com M In ha mar first explains these to an American the system seems hopeessly complicated. But a little play. especially If there has been a stiff loss or two, straightens out the problem.
 A player may stake his money on as many characters as he chooses. a straight bet paying six for one. Then there Is the simple combination of placing bets on the vertical or horizontal line which divides two spaces. Should the top show either of the two characters the banker pays S2S0 for every dollar wagered.
 Betting the holes or circles is an even money proposition. red hole stake wins If red figure shows up on the top. and is lost if the white shows. A mixed hole bet wins if any one of the four middle characters shows and is lost if the end characters appear.
 Extremely cautious players can stake
 
 cuts off any of the angle points of the squares. If the figure on which the stake stands turns up the banker pays three and half to one. If another figure of the same color shows the bet Is quit" Another rule permits the player to stake on any character jointly with two other characters. The character on which the wager is placed Is considered the principal bet, and pays s2.sO for each dol lar risked. If either of the two joint char acters shows, the player gets 90 cents for each dollar.
 There are other combination bets which can hardly be explained without dia- gram. They furnish an endless opportun- ty for the student of averages and chances
 The operation of the game Is most sim ple The banker spins the top in a little tray, and before 1t stops spinning claps a cover on the tray. When the bets have been placed the cover is taken on. and glance shows the winning character. With half a dozen Chinamen about the board calling their various combination bets the game is noisy enough to make an American forget the little gambling sense he ever had. The Chinese do not seem to mind the confusion. and the banker never makes a mistake.