Kko-ri pout-tchi-ki, "tail joining," is played by 2, 3, or 4 persons; 3 or 4 usually play.

The set of dominoes are reversed and shuffled and each player draws 8 dominoes. When 3 play, the pieces 6-6, 5-5, 4-4, and [Page 525] 3-3 are first withdrawn.

The game is begun by someone asking who has the koan a. The holder of this piece, the 5-2, lays down any piece he may select from his hand, face up, at the same time crying out a number on one side of it, which number must be paired. The next player must mate the side designated with one of his pieces, but if unable to do so, must lay a piece from his hand, face down on the table.

The game is continued around until all have been paired or all have laid down their pieces. Then each counts the spots on the pieces they have been compelled to lay down, which naturally have been selected from those with the fewest spots in their hands, and the one who has the highest number of spots pays the one who has the lowest number of spots.

When 4 play, all players who count more than 30 must pay.