Dmytro Polovynka

Bagchen

Bagchen is a Tibetan game, a relative of Tien Gow. I recommend learning Tien Gow first, as Bagchen is a more complex version of the game.

It is played with a double set of Chinese dominoes, that is, with 64 tiles. Traditionally, Tibetan dominoes look different from Chinese ones — they are smaller but thicker. Technically, however, they are the same.

Each player is dealt 16 tiles. The deal consists of 16 tricks. The trick-taking mechanics are the same as in Tien Gow, but some combinations are different, and there is also a special rule about the “point.” As in Tien Gow, a player is not required to try to win a trick and may place arbitrary tiles face down into the trick.

When dealing, two dice are rolled. The value rolled determines the “point” for the deal. A tile corresponding to this value is also a “point”. There are special rules for point tiles.

Traditional names

The tiles have different names from those used in Chinese games. The civilian suit is called “sky,” and the military suit is called “earth.” [6:6], [6:3], and [5:4] are the sky and earth “chiefs.” [1:1], [6:2], and [5:3] are the sky and earth “ministers.” Only chiefs and ministers can form mixed combinations.

In the sky suit: [4:4] is the “lama,” [3:1] is the “bird,” the remaining doubles are “sisters,” and the remaining tiles are “people.”

In the earth suit: [5:2] and [4:3] are called “sevens,” [4:2] is the “mother,” [4:1] and [3:2] are “fives” or “owls,” and [2:1] is the “son.” The supreme pair [4:2][2:1] is called “mother and son.”

Tile ranking

As in Tien Gow, the tiles are divided into two suits — sky and earth. In Bagchen, the ranking of sky tiles differs slightly from Tien Gow. Doubles [5:5], [3:3], and [2:2] are considered equal; they share the collective name “sisters” and cannot beat one another. Likewise, the lowest tiles in the sky suit share the collective name “people” and cannot beat one another: [6:5], [6:4], [6:1], and [5:1] are equal.

Thus, the ranking of the sky tiles is:

[6:6] > [1:1] > [4:4] > [3:1] > ([5:5] = [3:3] = [2:2]) > ([6:5] = [6:4] = [6:1] = [5:1]).

In the earth suit, the ranking is the same as in Tien Gow:

([6:3] = [5:4]) > ([6:2] = [5:3]) > ([5:2] = [4:3]) > [4:2] > ([ 4:1] = [3:2]) > [2:1]

Combinations

You may lead a trick with a single tile or with a combination. There are several types of combinations.

Sky combinations

A sky combination consists of two to four identical tiles. It may be beaten only by the same number of higher identical tiles, according to the ranking above. For example, [5:1][5:1][5:1] can beat [3:1][3:1][3:1], but not [3:1][3:1] (wrong number), not [6:4][6:4][6:4] (not higher).

The combination [3:3][3:3][2:2] is invalid - tiles are equal but not identical.

Earth combinations

An earth combination consists of two to four tiles, not necessarily identical. For example, [3:2][4:1] is a valid combination and can be beaten by [6:3][6:3] or by [4:2][4:2], which in this case counts as an earth combination and not as “mother and son” (see below).

Mixed combinations

In Bagchen, only the two highest ranks — chiefs and ministers (in Tien Gow: Heaven, Earth, Nines, and Eights) — can form mixed combinations. The rules for forming and beating them are the same as in Tien Gow. Unlike in Tien Gow, combinations such as [4:4][5:2] are not valid.

Mother and son

As in Tien Gow, there is a special combination [4:2][2:1], called “mother and son” (“supreme pair” in Tien Gow). It cannot beat anything, and nothing can beat it.

Horse combinations

Bagchen has special horse combinations not found in Tien Gow. These are the mare [4:1][2:1] and the stallion [4:3][4:2]. These combinations form their own category. The stallion beats the mare, but they do not interact with other combinations. They cannot be beaten by any other combination, and they cannot beat anything else.

There are also four-tile horse combinations: double mare, double stallion, and the “full horse” (a mare together with a stallion). Although the full horse includes “mother and son,” it is not considered a “point” (see below). Double stallion beats double mare. Full horse cannot be beaten, but also can’t beat anything.

Point

The two dice rolled during the deal determine the “point.”

If the point:

If a player wins a trick with a point tile, he receives one chip from each player. If a player leads a trick with several tiles that are points, he receives one chip per point tile from each player.

Winning a trick with the “mother and son” combination is also considered a point, regardless of the dice. If “mother and son” are also points according to the dice, then leading with that combination earns three chips: two chips for the two point tiles plus one chip for the mother-and-son combination itself.

Passport

If a player has taken six tricks, he receives a “passport” and does not pay chips when another player leads a point.

However, a player with a passport is restricted in what he may lead. Be warned - these rules are quite complicated. You may initially want to play without them or simplify them, as they vary between playing groups anyway. The main idea is to make it harder for a player with a passport to take the last trick.

A player with a passport has the right to play the following tiles and combinations:

Final calculation

As in Tien Gow, the player who takes the last trick wins the deal.

Normal calculation

If the last trick was not taken with a point (that is, neither a point tile nor mother and son), scoring is similar to Tien Gow. Players who took fewer than six tricks pay the difference to the winner (for example, four tricks means paying two chips). Players who took more than six tricks receive the difference from the winner. In any case, the winner finishes ahead overall.

Jump

If the last trick was taken with a point, scoring is handled differently. The number of consecutive points taken at the end is counted — this is called a “jump.” For example, if a player ends the game by first playing [2:2] (a point) and then [4:2][2:1] (mother and son), that counts as two consecutive points. Such final tricks are played together because they cannot be beaten.

For these final points, players do not pay the usual chips. Instead, the number of points is multiplied by two, and this becomes the multiplier for the normal final calculation. In the example above, 2points x 2 = 4, so the winner receives four chips per trick below six from each opponent.

Additional rules

Special dealing rules

If a player has no tiles from the two highest ranks (chiefs or ministers), he may request a redeal. If one of these ranks is the point, then the highest rank shifts down one position. For example, if [1:1] is a point, then the two highest sky ranks become [6:6] and [4:4].

If a player holds all [6:6] tiles and they are not points, he must announce this and lay them out in front of him so the other players can adjust their play.

A mother is looking for a son

If a player holds a single mother or a single son, he may declare “mother is looking for a son” or “son is looking for a mother” before play begins and place a chip in front of him. A player holding the matching tile may also place a chip. If this happens the dice are then rolled to determine who receives the pair.

A player with 15 tiles rolls two dice to determine which tile should be given to him in return. If he rolls a “point”, a mother, a son, or a tile that the other player does not have, he rolls the dice until he gets the value that the player with 17 tiles has. After the exchange has taken place, the dice are set back to the “point” value.

Note that if the dice show the “earth” value, then a player can give an equal tile. That is, if dice show 6-3, then a player should give any of [6:3] and [5:4].

Looking for a son or mother is only possible if they are not a “point” by themselves.

Charity

A player without a passport may place one tile face down and optionally declare a suit - sky or earth (which may differ from the tile’s actual suit). The trick may then be beaten by any tile of the declared suit, or by any tile if no suit was declared.

If all players play face down and no one attempts to win the trick, the player who led the trick takes it.

Big slam

If a player takes all 16 tricks, he wins the entire game and takes all the chips on the table.

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