Dice
Two dice are used at the start of the game to determine where the wall is to be broken prior to dealing out the tiles. The 1 and 4 on the dice are red - an auspicious colour - and the other numbers black.
Tallies
There are 4 types of tally in a set and they are traditionally made from bone or ivory. The number of dots on a tally is not necessarily indicative of its value. At the beginning of the game each player is given tallies with a total value of 2,000 points. There are several varieties of tally sticks.
|
Value |
No. of Sticks per Player |
Total Points |
|
2 points |
10 |
20 |
|
10 points |
8 |
80 |
|
100 points |
9 |
900 |
|
500 points |
2 |
1,000 |
Here is one typical set:
They are then placed in a “tong box” (or “chuang-tzu” ) to show the prevailing wind (initially East).
When they are not present then the normal wind tiles are used instead.
Sometimes the game includes a wind disk indicator.
Racks
Four racks are used to hold each player’s tiles. Sometimes one of the racks is darker coloured and is used by East Wind.
This rack is passed around the players as East Wind changes.
Tong box or chuang-tzu
The larger, decorated rack has a lift up lid which reveals compartments where tallies can be stored
Wind Discs and the Tong Box
Some sets include four small counters which denote the four winds.
These are used to determine who is to be what wind at the start of the game.
