The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1905-11-30
CHINESE cAks
ohe-Fs Similar to Amersdln Method OF
Policy PIayIngA

Policy PIaylngA
1t is a curious thing than here. I'm n
community where the Chinese gam
Ding game Of che-fa has flourished for
many years, comparatively few outside
or those who are devoteeS at the shrine
of the goddess of chance have even
the faintest idea of how the game is
played.
Che-fa is a very simple game, indeed.
and In its very simplicity lies the diff
hculty which the authorities here, as
elsewhere, find i'm its suppression. 1t
needs no apparatus or layout" as do
roulette, faro and other games of
chance. 1t does not even need a pack
of cards or supply of chips
Simply judged as a gambling game
and conceding for the moment that it
is played on the square, che-fa has its
allurements, for it is on that basis a
game in which every player has an
equal chance and the bank simply col
lectS percentage of the money staked.
Unfortunately for players. however,
there is not the slightest reason for
doubling that the game as ordinarily
conducted is as crooked as the tradi-
tloitl uOS nina leg.
There are thirty-six characters on
che-fa ticket, each representing some
familiar object. The lion, tiger. moon.
mouth, silver money, gold money. box.
centipede, dog, rat. are among these.
but many of the characters represent
things which are not generally dis
cussed in polite society.
A person who wishes to play the
game seeks an agent and gives him
what sum he wishes, from five cents
up, at the same time indicating what
character lie chooses. This character
is marked off on the agents ticket and
the tortune-Seeker receives a slip ac-
knowledging his bet or stake. Should
the particular character prove at the
drawing to be the winning number the
lucky player wins thirty times the
amount Of his stake. Thus If he stakes
five cents he wins $3.50, or If he
plunges heavily with, say, a dollar. he
wins $50. But he does not get ali
that he wins. There is the agent to he
considered, and he collects ten per cent.
OF the amount Of the winning. so that
the man who won $50 would receive
only SGT from the hands of the agent.
1t is one of the odd traits in the
Chinese character that made che-fa so
popular with them. They are devoted
believers In dreams. If a Chinaman
dreams Of a rat, for instance. he will
lose no time in seeking a che-fa agent
and backing the rat to win. and no
number of recurrent losses seem to
upset the Chinese faith in the
heaven-sent sign for success. OF
course, 1t is apparent that if man
played on every one of the thirty-five
characters he would in all probability
win, but his win would be loss. for
he would only receive thirty times the
amount of the single bet on the Win
ming character, less the agents COM
missions of ten per cent
Such is the game of che-fa. Barring
only the dream portion of il, it does
not seem to possess any particular al
lurements, and to some people. even
the chance Of betting that their dreams
will come true does not seem attrac-
tive. Possibly the average American
does not have the same kind of dreams
as does the mild-eyed chink. That can
easily be imagined from casual
glimpse at Chinese meal and n refiec.
ton of the possibilities of what even
simple Welsh rabbit can accompliSh
-Haiwaiian Star