Chedeng (長天 / チェーテン)

A Chinese domino chain-matching game using 天九牌 (Tianjiu tiles).

Overview

Players take turns connecting tiles in a one-directional chain by matching pip values. You may also choose to play a tile face-down regardless of whether it matches. Face-down tiles count as penalty pips at the end of the round.

Players

4 players (fixed).

Equipment

32 天九牌 tiles. Each tile has two halves with pip values 1–6. Pip colors are irrelevant — only the numbers matter.

Setup

• All tiles are shuffled face-down, and each player takes 8 tiles.
• Each player starts with 200 chips.
• The first dealer is chosen randomly.

Turn Structure

1. Lead: The dealer plays any tile face-up and declares which pip value becomes the open end.
2. Follow: Players take turns in order (direction alternates each round):
   • Chain (face-up): Play a tile that has a pip matching the current open end. The other pip becomes the new open end.
   • Face-down: Play any tile face-down. This is allowed even if you have a matching tile — it's a strategic choice. Face-down tiles accumulate as penalty pips.
3. Chain Reset: If all other players play face-down consecutively after the last face-up play, the chain resets. The last player who played face-up leads a new chain.
4. The round continues until all hands are empty.

Turn Direction

The turn direction alternates each round: the first round goes clockwise, the next counter-clockwise, and so on.

Scoring

After each round, pairwise settlement:

1. Sum the pip totals of each player's face-down tiles.
2. Each pair of players settles the difference. The player with more penalty pips pays the other.

Special Scoring

• Ton (トン): A player who plays 0 tiles face-down (all played face-up). When settling with a Ton player, the opponent's penalty pips are doubled.
• Patchon Yam (八丁伏せ): A player who plays all 8 tiles face-down. Their own penalty pips are doubled when settling with anyone.

Next Dealer

The player who earned the most chips in the round becomes the next dealer. On a tie:

• The current dealer has priority.
• Then the player to the dealer's right, and so on.
• The player to the dealer's left cannot win ties.

Game End

The game ends when any player goes bankrupt (chips ≤ 0) or after 8 rounds, whichever comes first. The player with the most chips wins.

Strategy Tips

• Lead with high-pip tiles — they're costly if played face-down.
• Choose your open end wisely — pick a pip value you hold many of.
• The "2" pip is scarce among the 32 tiles — use this to your advantage.
• Playing face-down strategically can deny opponents chain opportunities.
• Aim for Ton (0 face-down) to double opponents' penalties.