The World of Black & White Buttons
Fan Tan, pronounced as "FAN-ee-an" is another one of the most popular Chinese gambling games. The game gained a lot of attention from the mid-19th century. The first mention that can be found for it is in the Zhu Zhuang Dynasty's State Administration newspaper. The game was eventually turned into an actual game in the middle of the 20th century. It is also known as Tan Gao (Chinese Fan), Tan Sheng (Chinese Fan), and the list goes on.
Fan Tan is also known by the following names: This is also known as Tan Heung (Taiwanese fan) or Tan Maori, (Malaysian fan). Fan Tan is a simplified version of Tan Fung. This is played two ways. In one method, one group is able to hide in a dark room and makes a number of button or key rolls while another group hides in a different room and makes pushes using a concealed wand or some few plastic beads. The blindfolded member of the second group has to locate the players groups and make pushes by pushing the hidden wand or the beads against the walls in the rooms that are occupied by blindfolded participants.
In Macau, however, Fan Tan is calling Tan Sheng or Tai Chi Chuan (Chinese Fan). Macau casinos provide a variation of this game on weekends at their Family Fun Park, Macba (pronounced "moba") Park. Macau is a word which translates to "bay". The only difference between the two games is the use of "Bay" in addition to the names of the gambling venues.
Betting is similar to traditional Chinese casino games. It is built on luck. The house will attempt to determine a number by using the layout of the cards. They then attempt to place a bet as many times as possible, hoping that the correct number is discovered. No house is bound to reveal to you their betting secret and in reality, they usually prefer to do so if you don't know what it is. It is your responsibility to learn the tricks of the trade from the gambling houses. You can learn their betting strategies and practice them with your friends on the internet or at home.
If you are playing Fan Tan at the Macau family fun park, it is best to start by making bets. You can put an unassuming bamboo stick, usually covered with fabric or something soft on the end of the long handle of the hand rail and hold it against your leg. The round ends with the player who has the most hands winning. You might be able to place a small amount of money on the table to random picks. Make sure to check with your dealer to confirm.
You can also try the many slot machines that are available at Chinese gambling houses if you don't want to put money into. Five symbols are utilized in the Fan Tan game. When they are arranged in a particular arrangement, they create an image that represents the number. There are seven different types of Fan Tan colors. The flip of a card from the deck could alter your hand. If you win you flip your hands and then arrange the seven symbols once more. Repeat this process until you reach the correct formation. Although it might sound easy, more experienced players quickly recognize the odds and determine which combinations of seven will win the most.
After you have seen your odds, you can play Fan Tan at the casinos in the land or make a trip to Macau to play at the many street casinos that also offer online betting. These games employ buttons of white and black in Chinese as well as simple slips of paper marked with numbers and symbols. The numbers on the cards are used to count the number of calls made by the player using the white buttons. These symbols are utilized to make bets, and are revealed when the ball spins on the magnetic rail. If the gambler is right they will receive their money back. If they're not the player loses everything!
When you are done playing, the participant removes their finger from the pad of numbers and looks at the number which is displayed on the screen. That is the amount that the player will receive back. Betting online is done through a secured server, so nobody can ever find out that you have placed a bet. Your anonymity is secured and your privacy maintained; just like at your local casino! You can also make use of your debit or credit card to make deposits and payouts, which makes Fan Tan even more convenient.