Mooncake Dice Game - Nuances, Tie-Breakers etc.

We recently played Mooncake Dice Game with my high school barkada, and we encountered a scenario wherein we couldn't find any references on how to resolve it. I also noticed that our rules have a slight variation from the ‘usual’ guides online or even to other dice games I attend to. I’m documenting them here, so that if ever someone more knowledgeable stumbles upon this article, he/she may enlighten us as to what truly the original rules are. I’ll update this article when that happens!

How to resolve a tie in chiong guan, in the event of exactly similar dice throws?

Yes, we all know about the hierarchy of what beats a dice throw consisting of four 4s. Definitely, a combination with five 4s will beat it. There is also a clear rule when it comes to rolling four 4s wherein the remaining two dice serve as the kicker. However, there is no rule that we found online regarding an event wherein two different players throw the exact same dice combination. 

In our case, for example, Johannes had four 4s, 6 and 3. Combined, the kicker amounts to 9. During the last round of throws, Nica also threw the exact combination. Who is the winner? 

Dilemma of an exact tie for Mooncake Dice Game

Well, we tried our best to find references online, but failed. Hence, we decided to make our own rule. 

• We let both players roll all 6 dice again.
• Here's the twist: we count the red dots. 4s have 4 red dots, 1s have 1 red dot.
• The player with the most red dots combined wins the tie.

Curious how it played out? Nica took the first throw, and she had two 1s which means she has two dots or points. Meanwhile, Johannes threw his dice. All of which are black dots. Nica wins and took the first prize.

Passing of torch from previous year's winner to the next

Now, if our red dot method doesn't float your boat, here are some other ideas we tossed around:

• Split the prize! - this is only applicable if the first prize is cash, since it's easy to split. However, there is also this tradition to consider, wherein the winner takes home the dice, and bring it again in the succeeding year. This will be hard to implement if there are 2 winners. This is why we abandoned this idea.
• Roll 2 dice - the one with higher total wins the tie. This is very simple to implement, however it does seem very cliche. We wanted to retain the spirit of the dice game, so we opted for what we chose to go with.

Other nuances in Mooncake Dice Games

Alright, so that's about it when it comes to tie-breaking. However, I also want to share about some nuances I noted across different dice games I attend to.

Nuance #1 - Chiong Guan dice combinations only include those with 4s

This nuance is isolated. I only notice this to be present in our barkada’s rule. Typically, you will find references with the following as eligible combinations (see image on the left), along with their hierarchical strength. However, in our case, we only consider those with 4s as valid combinations to win the first prize (see right).

Nuance #2 - Rolling another combination of Chiong Guan replaces your previous roll, regardless if it’s a lower combination

I just learned about this recently, but apparently some groups have a rule wherein rolling another Chiong Guan combination replaces entirely your previous one. And no, it’s not an option. Thus, if it’s a lower combination, you’ll be stuck with it.

For example, if you initially rolled six 4s, and then later on rolled four 4s with a kicker, the latter one will be what’s “saved”. Hence, if someone else rolls a five 4s, you will be overthrown. 

Nuance #3 - Rolling 1s as kicker is better despite being a lower number

Most dice used during Mooncake Festival have the 1s and 4s painted in red, and thus by association (and also with red being a color of luck), 1 is considered a powerful number compared to black ones. However, this often only applies for kicker rules.

For example, rolling a combination of four 4s with two 1s as kicker beats a combination with four 4s and two 6s. 

However, rolling 1 without 4 does not count for 6th prize. It's not a substitute. Likewise, rolling two 1s does not count for 5th prize, and so on. 

Nuance #4 - Second prize only allows for a straight combination

This is another less common nuance, wherein the only qualified combination to win second prize is to roll 1,2,3,4,5,6. However, it's more common to find dice games that include a combination of half-half (e.g. 2 x three of a kind). I’m not sure as to what may be the reason behind this nuance, but yeah there’s that. 

Interestingly, if we only allow a straight combination to win 2nd prize, the probability of rolling it is somehow similar to that of 1st prize. So, I guess that can be the reason why it got amended and became a cultural norm to include the half-half.

Nuance #5 - Allowing higher combinations for lower-tiered prizes

One common rule amendment is allowing higher combinations to be eligible for lower-tiered prizes in the event of stock-outs. This is normally implemented if it's taking too long for some of the tiers to be claimed. 

For example, if the second prize is already emptied out. The next player to roll that combination can claim a prize under third prize, assuming there are items to claim. This, however, requires nuance #6. 

Preparations for a Mooncake Dice Game

Nuance #6 - Rules can be amended as long as agreed upon by all the players

This is something I find amusing because this practically allows all other nuances to exist. I actually don't mind because, after all, the Mooncake Dice Game is designed for camaraderie and merry-making. Thus, a little rule-bending won't hurt. However, all of these need to be discussed and agreed upon prior to the commencement of the game, or at least prior to a new round. It's also best to have written rules and/or references in place to avoid confusion.

There you have it! If you happen to have leads or references for us to address these nuances and tie-breakers, please share them by commenting below or even emailing me at renz.cheng@gmail.com. Thanks for reading!

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