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 These six figures are called :–

These six figures are all called "red" cards. There are exactly six more similar figures of the same kind called "black" cards, i.e., there are six red cards and six black cards alike, or 12 cards in all.

The expression Chap-ji-ki means the twelve cards, chap-ji being twelve and the word ki merely a Chinese numerical classifier for the term card.

The playing board mentioned above is placed before the manager (po-koan) of the game. He is provided with twelve wooden chips like cards, cut out of wood, and stamped with the figure of the twelve cards used in the game. These little wooden tallies are kept in a small red bag by the manager's side.

When the manager selects one of these wooden chips (or as we should say) a card for the public to stake on, he takes the selected card out of the red bag and puts it in a little wooden box, and places the box by his side on the table.

The players then sit round the table at the board and stake their money on one of the twelve cards cut out or stamped on the board, placing their stakes on the card or cards they select. In some cases the players are further provided with twelve cards corresponding to and similar to the figures of the twelve cards carved on the board. Players in this case put their stakes on the twelve cards dealt out as well as on the twelve card figures on the board.

When everything is ready, the manager of the lottery takes the card he has decided to open out of the little wooden box, and declares it to be the winning card. If a player has staked on this card, be gets ten times the value of his stake, the remainder of the money staked on cards different from that one selected and declared to be the winning card by the manager, all goes as profit to the manager of the game. In the long run the manager is sure to make a fortune out of the lottery. Such, roughly, is the game of Chap-ji-ki. as it is now played in China.