The commonest Korean game of dominoes is called Ho-hpai, i. e. "Barbarian tablets." It is played by 3 or 4 persons. When 4 persons play an entire set of dominoes are used. When 3 play the following pieces are withdrawn: 6-6, 5-5, 4-4, and 3-3. The dominoes are turned face down and shuffled. On commencing to play, the players all draw 1 piece to decide who shall play first. The one who gets the piece with the highest number of spots becomes the Tjyang-ouen (Chinese, Chong ün).¹

The pieces are again shuffled and the Tjyang-ouen draws 7 pieces and each of the other players 6. The Tjyang-ouen then whirls his 7 pieces about between his fingers in the right hand until 1 piece slips out. This piece he turns face up. Should the piece turned up be either 5-4, 1-2, 1-4, or 2-3 he keeps the pieces he has drawn. If it should be either 6-6, 5-5, 4-4, 3-3, 2-2, 1-1, 6-5, 6-4, 6-1, 5-1, or 3-1, that is to [Page 523] say one of the pieces of which there are duplicates,  he hands his 6 pieces that are yet undisclosed to the player on his right who in turn gives his pieces to the player next to him, and so on until the Tjyang-ouen receives those of the fourth player.

If on the other hand, he turns up either 6-3, 6-2, 5-3, 5-2, 4-3, or 4-2, he hands his 6 pieces to the player on the left who in turn gives his pieces to his immediate neighbor until the Tjyang-ouen receives those from the player on the right. The seventh piece that was turned up is now turned down and mixed with the remaining pieces, which are placed side by side in a line, and covered with a slip of paper, or a strip of bamboo made for the purpose. If the Tjyang-ouen keeps his pieces, he becomes the first player, but if he exchanges them, the one on the right or left to whom he gave his pieces becomes the first player.

In this game certain combinations of 3 pieces are called han-hpai (Chinese yat p' ái), "perfect tablets," and the object of the game is to get two such combinations. The game is then spoken of as hte-tjye-ta, "broken". Ho-hpai is played for money and a certain stake agreed upon, the player winning, once, twice, thrice, four or, five times this amount for each player, according to the combination which composes his winning hand. These combinations and the numbers they count are as follows:

1. A sequence, as 1-3, 2-4, 5-6, called ssang-syo-han-hpai (Chinese, shéung tsii yat p'ai). counts 3 in combination with another ssang-syo, and 1, in combination with any other han-hpai. A ssang-syo composed of 6 pieces, which pair according to the Korean system, is called tăi-să-ttai  (Chinese, túi sz' tai), literally, "corresponding four times," and counts 4, the name referring to the count.

2. The sequence 1-1, 1-2, 1-3, 1-4, 1-5, 1-6, and the corresponding sequences in which 6, 5, 4, 3, and 2 replace the ones in this example, are called pou-tong (Chinese, pat tung), "unlike," and count as follows:

1-1, 1-2, 1-3, 1-4, 1-5, 1-6 counts 3
2-1, 2-2, 2-3, 2-4, 2-5, 2-6 counts 5
3-1, 3-2, 3-3, 3-4, 3-5, 3-6 counts 3
4-1, 4-2, 4-3, 4-4, 4-5, 4-6 counts 3
5-1, 5-2, 5-3, 5-4, 5-5, 5-6 counts 4
6-1, 6-2, 6-3, 6-4, 6-5, 6-6 counts 3

3. The sequence 1-2, 3-6, 4-5, 1-4, 2-6, 3-5, called hol-ssang-syo (Chinese, tuk shéung tsü), "solitary double sequence," counts 5.

4. Two doublets, and 1 piece upon which the sum of the spots, or 1 of the 2 sets of spots is equal to the single number of the doublets, as 1-4, 5-5, 5-5, or 4-2, 4-4, 4-4, called sok (Chinese, noi), "inclosed," counts 1, both when paired with another sok or any other han-hpai. A han-hpai composed of sixes is called ryouk-sok; of fives, o-sok; of fours, hong-sok; of threes, sam-sok; of twos, a-sok, and of ones, păik-sok.

5. Three pieces upon which the spots are equally divided between 2 numbers, as 4-4, 2-4, 2 2, called tai-sam-tong (Chinese, túi sam t'ung), "three alike, opposite," count 1.

6. [Page 524] The combination 6-6, 5-5, 4-4, called ro- in (Chinese, lò yan), "old man," counts 3 when combined with itself and 1 with any other han-hpai. The combination 3-3, 3-2, 1-1, called a-ki (Chinese, á chi), "child," counts 3 when combined with itself and 1 with any other han-hpai.

7. The combination 6-6, 3-3, 2- 2, called ssang-pyen (Chinese, shéung pin), "doublets," counts 3 when combined with itself and 1 with any other han-hpai. The combinations 2-3, 3-1, 1-2, and 4-5, 5-6, 4-6, called Yo-Sun, count 3 when combined with each other and 1 in combination with any other han-hpai.

As the sok are combinations which may be formed very easily, it is sometimes agreed to play without them. If the first player has not drawn a winning hand he puts down a piece from his hand at the end that is nearest to him of the concealed row and takes up the piece at the other end, at the same time sliding the row of pieces along, so that the piece he puts down is concealed, and the piece he takes up is exposed. If he then does not make a winning combination, the next player, if he has not already a winning combination, puts down a piece and takes up another as before, and this is continued until some one obtains a winning  combination, and so wins the game. He then becomes the Tjyang-ouen in the next game.

Notes:

1. This title is that of the first of the literary graduates in Korea. The same name is applied to the first of the Hanlon doctors in China.