A hand of three threes, it will be observed, is the second best hand in Selangor, whereas in Perak, according to Sir W. E. Maxwell, it is thrown away as the worst.
The stakes, which are deposited in two heaps by each player, are here called kapala or “head,” and buntut (or ekor), the “tail,” respectively; the kapala being generally, though perhaps not always, greater than the ekor in Selangor, instead of the reverse. The latter can only be lost when a player sweeps the board. A single stake, again, is podul (or occasionally tual), but bĕrtuwi is applied to betting between players, and sorong or tokong means to put down a stake before your rival replies with a counter-stake (bĕrteban or topah). A player who holds thirty exactly is not out here—e.g., he may hold a court-card and two tens. To look at the bottom card is mĕnengo’ angkatan.
Sir W. E. Maxwell gives a number of names and phrases applied to particular cards and combinations of cards, to which I may add—
- Two nines and a two—China Keh mĕngandar ayer.
- An eight and an ace (making nine) with a court-card, or a ten and two nines—Sĕmbilang bĕrtĕlor.
- Two court-cards and a nine—Parak hari ’nak siang.
- The four of any suit—Tiang jamban Lĕbai ʿAli.
The explanation of handak kaki tiga, as applied to an eight, appears to be that the eight has three pips on each side. It is also called bĕrisi sa-b’lah. Minta’ pĕnoh (I ask for a full one) means I want a nine (?), and minta’ tombak (I ask for a lance), I want two pips (or three, as the case may be).
Besides the above, there are miniature or bijou cards (chĕki)—e.g. chĕki dua-b’las, chĕki lima-b’las and ’tan or bĕrĕtan daun sambilan, etc., the daun chĕki being distinguished by their borders, e.g. iyu kuching, iyu nyonya, iyu panjang, iyu mĕrak besar, iyu kasut; and again gapet, gapet k’rang, gapet rintek, gapet lichin; babi, babi rintek, babi pusat, babi lichin; kau merah, kau bulat, kau lichin; layer, layer rintek, layer pitis, layer lichin. Six to seven people play these games. A sort of whist is also played from time to time under the name of main trup. At this game a trick is called sapudi; to sweep the board is pukol tani; and the players who get no tricks at all are said to be sold up (kĕna kot).[174]
Children’s Games
I will now give some specimens of the games I have seen played by children:—
“Throwing the Flower across” (champak bunga sa-b’lah) is a game which I have seen thus played by boys.
A handkerchief was twisted up (like a rope) from corner to corner, folded in half, and then tied together at the ends.