Hoi t'áp, "to open the pagoda," is a game of solitaire played with dominoes.

One set of dominoes are placed face down and arranged in the form of a pyramid, with 2 pieces at the apex and 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8, in the successive rows beneath, as shown in the diagram on the left (Figure 20A).

The center domino, A, in the third row from the top, is then pushed down, taking with it the small pyramid composed of the pieces B, C of [Page 517] the fourth row, D, E, F of the fifth row, and G, H, I, K of the sixth row.

The piece A is then placed transversely, face up, across the top of the original pyramid, and the other pieces that were withdrawn formed into a line, face up, at its base; the pairs G-H and I-K being put at the ends, D and F within them, B, C next within and E in the middle, as in the diagram on the right (Figure 20B).

The players then proceed to mate the pieces that are face up, according to the arrangement found on Plate 5.

When no more pairs can be made with the exposed pieces the outside piece on the right of the second row from the top may be reversed. If it can not be paired it is left in its place, but if mated, the outside piece on the third row is liberated, and may be reversed, and so on.

When the right-hand side is blocked, the piece on the left of the second row may be reversed, and the same plan followed a before. When the piece A is mated the two pieces beneath it may be reversed; and the removal of the two pieces at the ends of the lowest row, as G H, permits the pieces directly above them to be reversed.

The process is continued until the game is blocked, or the player has mated all the pieces comprising the pyramid.

This game is said to be used in divination, the success or failure in mating all the pieces being regarded as furnishing a clue to the determination of the event under consideration.