Ceki cards

◦ last updated: 2023-11-07

Ceki or CherkiThe spelling Cherki seems to be more common in Malaysia and Singapore. It can also be written Tjeki in older Indonesian orthographies or چکي in Jawi script. The word apparently comes from Amoy (Hokkien) Chinese chít ki (一枝),^{A[p. 48]} “one card”, perhaps referring to the pick-one/play-one nature of the most common Ceki games. A similar origin is suggested by Amaro (1993), who gives jī ki ‘two cards’ (二枝). ⁨Gambling Games of Malaya⁩ gives the name as 織箕 ‘weave baskets’ (chitki) but I have not found this elsewhere; perhaps it is a phonetic back-formation. Other spellings I have seen include cuki,^{D[p. 72]} cekian^{E[p. 174]} or tyekén^{F[p. 160]} or sikiah,^{G[p. 679]} or chĕki.^{H[p. 53]} or Koa cards are widely used in Indonesia and parts of Malaysia and Singapore. They were originally derived from Chinese 3-suited money cards (particularly the “Water Margin” type), and over time and distance the imagery on the cards developed into smaller, simpler, and more abstract forms, while retaining the original deck structure.

“Ceki” (see sidenote #1) probably originally referred only to a game played with the cards; the cards were referred to in Malay as daun ceki (‘ceki cards’).Daun, literally meaning ‘leaf’, is nearly equivalent in usage to the Hokkien 枝, meaning twig or cards, or other long thing objects. Thus the full expansion of daun ceki is somewhat tautological, meaning “one-card cards”. More modern names used in Indonesia are kartu ceki, kartu cilik (‘small cards’ — European cards are ‘big cards’), or kartu cina (‘Chinese cards’).

The games were originally played throughout the Malaysian Archipelago. Ceki games are also played amongst members of “reterritorialized” Indonesian Chinese communities within mainland China.^{I[p. 555]}

Countries where Ceki cards are used.

Malaysia & Singapore

The use of Cherki cards in Malaysia & Singapore was introduced by Peranakan (Baba–Nyonya) communities. Much of the terminology and card naming derives from Hokkien, and the cards used are closer to their ancestral forms than those used in Indonesia.

An exhibition game using Cherki cards being played in Penang, Malaysia.
© Shutterstock.com/Fiqah Anugerah Dah Besa: 1293448237

In the past the game was played by all levels of society; records of the palace expenditure of the Sultan Abdul Hamid Halim of Kedah (1864–1943) from 1896–99 indicate that he enjoyed gambling with Ceki.^{J[p. 58]}

More recent accounts from Malaysia & Singapore indicate that the game was almost exclusively played by women, and in modern times it has nearly died out. ⁨The Babas⁩ reported that by the 1980s it was only possible to get cards in Melaka. However, there are ongoing efforts to preserve and repopularize the game.

Amongst Kristang (or Christão) communities in Malacca, the cards were known as chaqui or chiqui.^{B[p. 34]}

Indonesia

In Indonesia, Ceki games are still popular, especially in Sumatra, Java, and Bali, all of which have historically had a large Chinese influence. In Javanese the cards are also known as kertu cilik (‘small cards’).^{G[p. 365]}

During the colonial era, cards were manufactured in Europe by Dutch companies and exported to Indonesia. (See the manufacturers section below.)

Javanese card players, by Jean Demmeni (1866–1939). There are three players playing a fishing game, perhaps Pèi (there are probably too many cards in the centre for it to be Thothit). 🅮

In Bali, the game is widely played and has “a large if not fanatical following”,^{L[p. 170]} despite gambling being illegal. Cards are readily available at many convenience stores.

Men in traditional dress seated around a cloth mat upon which are placed ceki cards and bundles of money. — Balinese men playing a gambling game.
© 2016 Adam Cohn 🅭🅯🄏⊜

The game is particularly popular amongst the Minangkabau people of West Sumatra, as the Dutch card-making company Handelsvereniging Harmsen Verweij & Dunlop N.V. had a factoryThis building was later to become the Hotel Ambacang, which was destroyed in the 2009 Sumatran earthquakes. The company also had offices in Java & Sulawesi (previously known as Celebes). in the city of Padang. In the Minang language, they are called Koa (or Kowah).This appears to have been كوا in old Malay orthography.^{M[p. 542]} The Minangkabau go so far as to say “kalau ga bisa main KOA berarti bukan orang Minang”: “if you can’t play Koa, it’s means you’re not a Minang”.^N

In Buginese and Makassarese, both spoken in South Sulawesi, the game is also called kowa (ᨀᨚᨓ in Lontara script).^{O[p. 63]}^{P[p. 46]}

The game has also been carried to Suriname by Javanese emigrants. This image shows it being played at the time of the visit of Queen Juliana and Prince Bernhard in 1955.
The game being played here seems to be one that has “rooster” (jago) bets.
1955 Nationaal Archief 🅮

The Deck

The cards run 1–9 in three suits, and there are three ‘honour cards’, giving 30 different cards. Each deck, or kepala (literally ‘head’, Javanese ꦏꦥꦭ kapala), contains two copies of each card, giving 60 total. In Banyuwangi it is called a ꦫꦚ꧀ꦕꦏ꧀ rancak ‘piece of wood’ or ‘set of instruments’.^{Q[p. 74]} Many Ceki games require multiple kepala to play, often two sets (giving 120 cards).

The three suits have various names.^{R[p. 119]} ‘Coins’, ‘strings’, and ‘myriads’ are the terms I use for consistency across different types of money-suited cards.

Coins: hitam (‘black’), batik, piah (from Hokkien 餅 ‘round thing’), or tong (from Hokkien 筒 ‘barrel’)
Strings: manek (‘bead’), sok (from Hokkien 索 ‘rope’), or tiau (from Hokkien 條 ‘long/thin object’)
in Java, lintrik (ꦭꦶꦤ꧀ꦠꦿꦶꦏ ‘rows’?)^S
Myriads (Numbers): ban (from Hokkien bān 萬/万 ‘myriad’), or cina (‘Chinese’)
in Java, wong (ꦮꦺꦴꦁ ‘people’)^S

Cards from a modern Balinese Ceki deck.
		1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9
Coins	Original	Original	Original	Original	Original	Original	Original	Original	Original	Original
Strings	Original	Original	Original	Original	Original	Original	Original	Original	Original	Original
Myriads	Original	Original	Original	Original	Original	Original	Original	Original	Original	Original

Card Names

For each card in the table below I show (in left-to-right order):

a card from a 19th-century deck collected in ⁨The manners and customs of the Chinese of the straits settlements⁩,
a card from a different 19th-century deck from Young (1886, p. 300) (as reproduced in ⁨Javaanse Kaartspelen: bijdrage tot de beschrijving van land en volk⁩ [Javanese Card Games]),
a card from a deck produced by Harmsen Verweij & Dunlop (after 1933), a Dutch company,The cards as depicted in ⁨Een blik in het Javaansche volksleven⁩ [A glimpse into Javanese folk life] (pl. XVI) are identical to these.
a 1940s deck collected in ⁨Javaanse Kaartspelen: bijdrage tot de beschrijving van land en volk⁩ [Javanese Card Games],
and then a modern card from a deck purchased in Bali in 2019 (clearly derived from #3).

Modern Malaysian & Singaporean decks (of which I have no samplesYet! Can you help with this? Contact me!) are closer in style to the #1 deck.

Each card in the deck has its own name as listed in the table below. The translations in the table are mostly from the SEAlang dictionaries; any mistakes are my own.According to some sources, the word “cina” referring to a Chinese person is now considered a potentially derogatory term. For example, the Indonesian government no longer uses it in official communications, since the term was dropped from official usage by presidential decree in 2014.^W In Malaysia/Singapore the names are based on the Hokkien names of the cards — a combination of suit and rank — but as we move in a south-easterly direction along the Malay Archipelago (the table below is listed roughly in this order), the names diverge further and further from this original source, and most cards have nicknames that are based upon their appearance rather than their numeric value.

⚠️ The table is very wide and might scroll horizontally.

	Malaysia/Singapore			Sumatra	Java							Bali							Lombok		Borneo	Sulawesi	Maluku	Timor
Cards	General	Malacca (Kristang) (1972)^B	Malacca (Kristang) (2012)^Z	Padang (2013)^AA	[unstated] (1876)^AB	Pekalongan (1941)^Q	Magelang (1941)^Q	Yogyakarta (1941)^Q	Surakarta (1941)^Q	[Surabaya?] (1914)^S	Banyuwangi (1941)^Q	[Badung?] (2012)^X	Badung (1941)^Q	Gianyar (1941)^Q	Klungkung (1941)^Q	Karangasem (1941)^Q	Buleleng (1941)^Q	Singaraja (1941)^Q	Lombok (2016)^Y	Lombok (1941)^Q	Banjarmasin (1941)^Q	Manado (1876)^AC	Ambon (1876)^AC	Timor (1876)^AC
Honour & Rank 1	yu or yeo, from Hokkien io 幺, ‘ace’	cartas fortes ‘strong cards’, for the first three	yoh (Hokkien io)	hiu/iyu ‘shark’, looks like a fin
Original Original Original Original Original Old Thousand	yu lau chian, from Hokkien 老千 ‘old thousand’ or yu pinding	yo sekarat, yo mitadi candlenut, one half	obu egg	danau rezeki, hiu/babak [chapter?] shark	ꦫꦗ raja king	iyo ratu king ace	iyo ratu king ace	iyo ratu king ace	iyo ratu king ace	besar large	besar large	raja king	raja king	(oong) raja	(oong) raja	kobar burning	kobar (oong besar KBW)	kobar burning	kobar burning	kobar burning	abang/raja basar	laucan, lokjan	meirah lokjan	meirah besar
Original Original Original Original Original White Flower	yu kuching cat ace	yo feme one woman	femi/fula woman/vagina	hiu kuciang cat shark	ꦏꦸꦕꦶꦁ kucing cat	kucing cat	kucing cat	kucing cat	(iyo) kucing cat ace curut rat	kucing cat	kucing cat	cakra chakra	cakra chakra	cakra chakra	cakra chakra	cepe	cakra chakra	cakra chakra	cpé ?	rerepé	kucing	kukis	parampuwan woman	kucing
Original Original Original Original Original Red Flower	yu nyonya (娘仔?) ace	yo fogu one fire	sekeras candlenut	hiu merah red shark or penci [a hat?]	ꦏꦼꦚ꧀ꦕꦶ kêñci [unknown]	kenci	kenci	kenci	kinci, pinci, iyo kenci	cinci [unknown]	pinci	kenci	kunci	konci	konci	konci	kinci (kenci KBW)	kenci	kinci	kènci	pinci	kapala	meirah kapala	meirah prik
Original Original Original Original Original 1 Coins	yu kasut slipper ace (looks like a Nyonya slipper)	sapatu shoe	sapatu shoe	hiu kasuik [unknown] shark	ꦏꦱꦸꦠ꧀ kasut slipper	kasut slipper	kasut slipper	kasut slipper	(iyo) kasut slipper	kesut [var: kasut?]	kisut wrinkled	likas reel	likas reel	likas reel	likas reel	likas reel	likas reel	likas reel	likas reel	likas reel	kasut/butuh [women]; bedor [men]	tikar plaited mat	tikar plaited mat	kaso [Saccharum spontaneum? mats are woven from this]
Original Original Original Original Original 1 Strings	yu panjang or yu burung long or bird ace. In Indonesian, bird is also slang for penis.^{AD[p. 62]}	pau club	pau club	hiu panjang long shark	ꦧꦼꦢꦺꦴꦂ bêdor	(iyo) bedor	(iyo) bedor	(iyo) bedor	(iyo) bedor	sotur [probably round-tipped lance]	bedhul pulled out, uprooted sodor round-tipped lance	lojor long	lojor long	lojor long	lojor long	lojor long	slodor [probably round-tipped lance]	selodor [probably round-tipped lance]	selodor [probably round-tipped lance]	(lojor?)	panjang long	panjang long	panjang long	panjang long
Original Original Original Original Original 1 Myriads	yu hue sio from Hokkien ‘monk’ 和尚	China/ladrán China/thief	China China	hiu bungo flower shark	ꦥꦼꦠꦶꦏ꧀ pêtik	beset peeled [bald?]	gundhul bald pletik spark	(iyo) gundhul bald petik [spark?]	(iyo) gundhul bald petik [spark?]	p’té [unknown]	putri woman or princess	cina China	cina	cina	cina	cina	cina	cina	cina	cina	nyonyah	cina	cina	cina
Rank 2	ji (Hokkien jī)	—	gee (Hokkien jī)	bengkok ‘crooked’
Original Original Original Original Original 2 Coins	ji hitam or ji bulat black or round two	bola ball	bola ball	bengkok itam/wajik black/diamond crooked	ꦥ꧀ꦭꦺꦴꦩ꧀ꦥꦺꦴꦁ plompong gaping mouth	pelong wide open	plompong gaping mouth	loro plompong gaping two plontho prostitute	loro plompong gaping two plontho prostitute	dhimpil tolu chipped [fifth week of Javanese calendar?]	komplong to gape	bug dua [two dried betel nuts?]	jebug dua	jebug dua ponggang hole	jabog dua	ponggang hole	gobog dua (omplong KBW)	gobog dua	jebug dua	gobog dua	tambur dua two drums palumpung [?]	duwa mata	duwa mata	batik
Original Original Original Original Original 2 Strings	ji burung bird two	beechu worm	bicu, geli-geli caterpillar, worm	bengkok gadang big crooked	ꦢꦺꦁꦏꦺꦏ꧀ déngkék	dengkek	dengkek	(loro) dengkek	(loro) dengkek	cekok neck-hollow	dengkek	dengkek having a bent back	sengkek	sengkek	dengkek	dengkek	dengkek (dengkel, dengkol)	dengkek	dengkek	dengkek	téngkong	bèngkok	bongkok	bongko
Original Original Original Original Original 2 Myriads	ji ban	noiba bride	noiba bride	bengkok aluih genteel crooked	ꦝꦶꦩ꧀ꦥꦶꦭ꧀ꦕꦶꦤ dhimpil cina chipped Chinese	munthil small tight knot, Javanese hairstyle	dhimpil chipped	loro cina China two loro dhimpil chipped two	loro cina China two loro dhimpil chipped two	dhimpil wong chipped person	wong bendhol person with a bump	pelik [?]	plik	plik	celik	plik	kolo (gobog, ketonglang KBW)	kolo	kolo	kolo	miring angled	miring angled	miring angled	miring angled
Rank 3	sa (Hokkien saⁿ)	—	sar (Hokkien saⁿ)	jarum ‘needle’
Original Original Original Original Original 3 Coins	sa batik batik three	crossan heart, or brooch of Cabaia-wood	batik batik	jarum wajik/itam diamond/black needle	ꦮꦗꦶꦏ꧀ wajik diamond	wajik diamond	plenthi pithi	(telu) plenthi tambur cilik small drum telu pithi	(telu) plenthi tambur cilik small drum telu pithi	cerut [constricted?] jarum needle	gebles/gobog cilik/curut	bug telu [three dried betel nuts?]	bug telu	jbug telu	jabog telu	bug telu	gobog telu	gobog telu	jebug telu	(gobog telu?)	tambur tiga three drums	tiga mata	tiga mata	kukis
Original Original Original Original Original 3 Strings	sa udang shrimp three	kambrang shrimp	kambrang, kotek, cucuk shrimp, penis, pierce	jarum gadang big needle	ꦒꦹꦤꦸꦁ gunung mountain	gunung mountain	gunung mountain	(telu) gunung mountain (three)	(telu) gunung mountain (three)	gunung mountain	gunung mountain	gunung mountain	gunung mountain	gunung mountain	gunung mountain	gunung mountain	gunung mountain	gunung mountain	gunung mountain	gunung mountain	(jarum) gunung (needle) mountain	udang shrimp	udang shrimp	udang shrimp
Original Original Original Original Original 3 Myriads	sa ban	chuchō prick (Malay cucok) agula needle	agula needle	jarum aluih genteel needle	ꦗꦫꦸꦩ꧀ jarum needle	telu cina, cingik	telu cina, jarum	singit, jarum	telu cina, jarum, gudhul	jarum wong needle person	wong cungit, wong curut	caling	caling	cus	cus	cues	jarum	jarum	jarum	jarum	jarum (alus)	jarum	jarum	jarum
Rank 4	si (Hokkien sì)	—	see (Hokkien sì)	suduang ‘spoon’(?)
Original Original Original Original Original 4 Coins	si hitam black four	manuco/rã frog	kodok frog	suduang itam/wajik black/diamond spoon	ꦠꦩ꧀ꦧꦸꦂ tambur drum	tambur drum	tambur drum	tambur gedhé big drum	papat tambur four drum tambur gedhé big drum	gobok coin	gebles/gobod gedhé	belah	bug gede	(jebug) belah	jabog piag	besar	belah (gobog besar)	belah	besar	gobog besar	tambur (satu)	as	tambur	ekor
Original Original Original Original Original 4 Strings	si putih white four	basio plate	basiu plate	pinggang waist	ꦕꦮꦁ cawang forked	gapet	cawang forked pat pedhot interrupted four	(pat) cawang forked (four)	(pat) cawang forked (four)	cawang forked	cawang forked	sangkap [unknown]	sangkap	sangkap (bebed)	sangkap	sangkap	cawang	cawang	cawang	cawang	pinggang	putus	putus pinggang	pinggang
Original Original Original Original Original 4 Myriads	si ban	ryiami/curto short	nyami yam	suduang putiah white spoon	ꦕꦶꦤ cina China/Chinese	bodong protruding (navel)	pat cina Chinese four	bodong protruding (navel)	papat cina Chinese four kondhé, nyonyah	sundhul to reach or touch up high	wong sundhul person reach or touch up high	mendut steamed rice flour balls	gendot	kbong	kobong	kobong	kobong (kebong)	kobong	celek	celek	pajung	kondei	kondei	kondei
Rank 5	go (Hokkien gō͘)	—	goh (Hokkien gō͘)	babi ‘pig’ (looks like nostrils)
Original Original Original Original Original 5 Coins	go pending pending five	panding sarong-fastener	pending sarong-fastener	babi pusek navel pig	ꦧꦧꦶꦏꦟ꧀ꦛꦺꦴꦁ (modern ꦏꦤ꧀ꦛꦺꦴꦁ) babi kaṇthong (kanthong) pig bag	kanthong bag	kanthong bag	(lima) kanthong bag (five) lumpang mortar	(lima) kanthong bag (five) lumpang mortar	cupa [unknown]	pau wudel navel bodong protruding (navel)	prau boat	pau	pau	pau[?]	pau[?]	pau	pau	perahu	pau	klonéng	prahu	pusat navel	pusat navel
Original Original Original Original Original 5 Strings	go burung bird five	baker cow	baka cow	babi gadang big pig	ꦧꦧꦶꦭꦶꦤ꧀ꦠꦿꦶꦏ꧀ babi lintrik	lima kleja	lima lintrik, kecuk	tholo	lima linktrik, pecuk	babi lintrik pig [unknown]	cucuk babi	mategede [unknown]	sumpul	palu	?	gogos	gogos	gogos	gogoas	gogos	pantat	têroes	têroes	kio putih
Original Original Original Original Original 5 Myriads	go ban	governu/goberno governor europeano european	ropianu european	babi aluih genteel pig	ꦧꦧꦶꦕꦶꦤ babi cina pig China	gombal rag	lima cina China five	babi pig	lima cina, babi China five, pig	babi wong pig person	wong babi person pig	bongkar [unload: forklift?]	bongkar	bongkar	pangpang	canggah	polak	polak	polak	polak	babi	babi (pai tuwa)	babi (pai tuwa)	babi (pai tuwa)
Rank 6	lak (Hokkien la̍k)	—	lak (Hokkien la̍k)	kapik ‘grill’
Original Original Original Original Original 6 Coins	lak hitam black six	gordo fat	godra fat	kapik anam grilled six	ꦏꦼꦫꦺꦴꦏ꧀ꦒ꦳ꦥꦶꦠ꧀ kêrok ghapit curry-comb tongs	kerok curry-comb	kerok curry-comb	(nem) kerok	(nem) kerok	mendhung dark rain cloud	kerok curry-comb	nyem [pun on six?]	pis nem six coins	pis nem six coins	pis nem six coins	pis nem six coins	tima nem (pipis nem) six coins	tima nem (pipis nem) six coins	pis nem six coins	tima nem (pipis nem) six coins	kerok	anam mata	anam kaladi	tarasi
Original Original Original Original Original 6 Strings	lak putih white six	gala bamboo	gala bamboo	kapik manih grilled sweet	ꦏ꧀ꦭꦺꦗꦒ꦳ꦥꦶꦠ꧀ kléja ghapit	kléja	kléja	(nem) kléja, bagus	(nem) kléja, bagus	candra [moon/month?]	tanem [high register: to plant?]	mer [unknown]	mer	klenténg Chinese temple (onomatopœic: bells)^{AD[p. 160]}	pengka	mer	mer	mer	mer	mer	bambu bamboo	bêlah buluh wide stripes tarabei	bambu bamboo	bambu bamboo
Original Original Original Original Original 6 Myriads	lak ban	osu bone	osu bone	kapik aluih grilled genteel	ꦕꦶꦤꦒ꦳ꦥꦶꦠ꧀ cina ghapit Chinese tongs	nem cina China six	nem cina China six	siyong bombyok	nem cina China six	gabit [probably tongs]	wong gapit tongs person	klenténg Chinese temple	leteng	burat makeup	burat makeup	buat [makeup?]	megat (gapit)	megat	megat	megat	rumah building [temple?]	lakban	lakban	lakban
Rank 7	jit (Hokkien chhit)	—	chit (Hokkien chhit)	sisiak ‘scales’
Original Original Original Original Original 7 Coins	jit hitam or jit daun black or leaf seven	lóia flag	layar sail	sisiak bendera flag scales	ꦫꦺꦪꦧ꧀ꦭꦪꦂ réyab layar sweep hair, sail	geper	sember, pitu kera	sember	(pitu) kera, keder	layar sail	layar sail	paku [fern?]	pis tu	pis tu	pipis pitu seven coins	bendera	bendera (layar)	bendera (layar)	bendera [flag?]	bendéra (bendéra layar)	layar	bandéra	bulu ayam	bandéra
Original Original Original Original Original 7 Strings	jit burung bird seven	galinha chicken	galinha chicken	sisiak gadang big scales	ꦫꦺꦪꦧ꧀ꦭꦶꦤ꧀ꦠꦿꦶꦏ꧀ réyab lintrik	lintrik	pitu kecuk	pitu lintrik, pecuk pitu	pitu lintrik, pecuk pitu	réyab lintrik [unknown]	cucuk kereg	ringying [unknown]	merenying	rinying	rinying	curing an instrument or bird-like decoration	curing an instrument or bird-like decoration	curing an instrument or bird-like decoration	curing an instrument or bird-like decoration	curing an instrument or bird-like decoration	bulu	galéma	gohu	josef
Original Original Original Original Original 7 Myriads	jit ban	malayu malay	malayu malay	sisiak aluih genteel scales	ꦫꦺꦪꦧ꧀ꦕꦶꦤ réyab cina	pitu cina China seven	pitu cina China seven	pitu cina China seven	pitu cina China seven	reab wong [unknown]	wong kereg	ringgit serrated	ringgit serrated	ringgit serrated	ringgit serrated	ringgit serrated	ringgit (bagus) (fine) serrated	ringgit serrated	ringgit	ringgit	sisir comb	ringgit	sisir comb	sisir comb
Rank 8	puek (Hokkien poeh)	—	sepet ‘half-closed (eyes)’	pacah ‘broken’
Original Original Original Original Original 8 Coins	puek kerang cockle eight	brau ship	prau ship	pacah lapan broken eight	ꦊꦏꦺꦴꦏ꧀ꦥꦶꦕꦶꦱ꧀ lêkok picis	wolu kerok	picis, wolu kerok	(wolu) picis, (wolu) wang	(wolu) picis, (wolu) wang	lekok pecis dented [peci or coin?]	picis, buthak, buthak tai	sekutus [adj:eight?]	pis tus eight coins	pis tus eight coins	pipis kutus eight coins	pis tus eight coins	tima kutus	tima kutus	pis ulu eight coins	(tima kutus?)	dalapan eight	delapan mata	delapan kaladi	delapan
Original Original Original Original Original 8 Strings	puek menak noble eight	baji/dosi sweet	manis/dosi sweet	pacah manih broken sweet	ꦊꦏꦺꦴꦏ꧀ꦭꦶꦤ꧀ꦠꦿꦶꦏ꧀ lêkok lintrik	wolu manis	wolu lintrik, manis	manis	wolu lintrik/pecuk/manis	lekok lintrik dented [unknown]	cucuk buthak/manis	ulu eight	madek	ulu	ulu	manis sweet	manis	manis	manis	manis	manis	manis	manis	cinta
Original Original Original Original Original 8 Myriads	puek ban	belu old	belu old	pacah aluih broken genteel	ꦊꦏꦺꦴꦏ꧀ꦕꦶꦤ lêkok cina	budheg [deaf/stupid?]	wolu cina China eight	budheg [deaf/stupid?]	wolu cina China eight	lekok wong dented person	wong buthak	manak to be born	manak to be born	manak to be born	celek	lepok	klepok	kelepok	kelepok	kelepok	pecah broken?	dukun a shaman	picah kapala	picah
Rank 9	kau (Hokkien káu)	—	kau (Hokkien káu)	tali ‘rope’
Original Original Original Original Original 9 Coins	kau hitam black nine	Mōru Moor/Indian	Mōru Moor/Indian	tali bulek round rope	ꦒꦁꦥꦶꦕꦶꦱ꧀ gang picis gap money	glindhing wheels	glindhing wheels	(sanga) glindhing, plolo picis gedhé large coins	(sanga) glindhing, plolo picis gedhé large coins	pecis [peci or coin?]	picis money glindhing wheels	sanga nine	sanga nine	sanga nine	pis sanga nine coins	sanga nine	trompong Balinese gamelan	terompong [probably Balinese gamelan]	gada a mace	gada	bulat galéndéng	roda	rupiah	rupiah
Original Original Original Original Original 9 Strings	kau merah red nine	botol/bottle/whisky bottle	botel bottle	tali merah red rope	ꦒꦁꦭꦶꦤ꧀ꦠꦿꦶꦏ꧀ gang lintrik	sanga bang red nine	sanga bang red nine	obor torch	sanga ban/lintrik rows or red nine obor torch	gang abang red gap	cucuk abang/besar red/large prick	besar large	gesar	besar	lintrik besar	téja shining/red	téja shining/red	téja shining/red	téja shining/red	téja shining/red	léntri, lantri	kacang [bean/clitoris?]	meirah kacang	kio meirah
Original Original Original Original Original 9 Myriads	kau ban	Mary, Mérri, Maria, Kau Mary Mary	Mary Mary	tali aluih genteel rope	ꦒꦁꦕꦶꦤ gang cina	keyang	keyang	keyang	sanga cina, kayang, kéyang	gang gap	wong cucuk	kao [unknown]	kau	kau	kau	jering [upright?]	jering	jering	jering	jering	turus	gargaji (baduri)	gargaji (baduri)	suwanggi

Games

There are many games played with Ceki cards.^{AF[p. 124]} For most of them, I do not know of any other sets of rules recorded online.

Fishing games (where players capture cards from a central pool):

Cholek Tiga (‘draw three’), a Malaysian game for two or three players^{AG[p. 214]}^{R[p. 125]}
Pèi, a Javanese game for three players where the goal is to collect specific scoring combinations^{Q[p. 58–70]}
Thothit, a Javanese game for three players where the goal is to capture identical pairs^{Q[p. 71–2]}
Enthit, a similar Javanese game for three players where the goal is to capture identical quadruplets^{Q[p. 74]}
Thothit Kuna, an older and slower version of the game^{Q[p. 74]}
Thothit Yogyakarta, a luck-based Javanese game for three players^{Q[p. 73]}
Thit-Thit-Dulit, a luck-based Javanese game for two players^{Q[p. 73]}

Simple gambling games:

Sampen is a gambling game from Java that requires no skill
Thothit Banyuwangi is a similar game^{Q[p. 76]}

Trick-taking games:

Kartu Lima is a Javan game with unusual card rankings

Draw & discard games (like Mahjong):

Balik Satu (‘turn one’), a Malaysian game with no fixed number of players^{AG[p. 214]}^{R[p. 122]}
Balik Lima Belas^{R[p. 127]}/Balek Lima Belair^{AG[p. 124]}/Bukak Lima Blas Leh^{K[p. 167]} (‘turn fifteen’), an alternate method of scoring Balik Satu
Chot/Chote/Choke/Kiong, a four-player game^{AG[p. 214]}^{R[p. 127]}^{K[p. 167]}
Gonggong, a Javan game for four or six players^{Q[p. 94–7]}
Tantanan, a fast-playing Javan game for four players^{Q[p. 98]}
Pong a Malaysian version of a Thai game, played by four people, also played with Mahjong tiles

Other games from Malaysia/Singapore, for which I have no rules, are:

Pak Tui, a solitaire game^{AG[p. 215]}
Choke/Chote (Ramay), a game for more than four players^{AG[p. 214]}
Tongkeng, a game for two people^{AG[p. 215]}
Cho It and Chochot^{AH[p. 88]} — could Chochot be the same as Chot or Thothit?

In some descriptions, Ceki is itself a game (a variant of Balik Satu) and the cards called by other names such as ijo. ⁨Een blik in het Javaansche volksleven⁩ [A glimpse into Javanese folk life] (p. 499) gives the games koa, koa-baq, koa-gonggong (Gonggong), pehi (Pèi?), patui, panghao, and cĕki, but without explanations.

Manufacturers & Brands

A bird perched on a branch. — The logo for Handelsvereeniging Harmsen Verweij & Dunlop N.V..
© George Pollard 🅭🅯🄏🄎

(Extinct) European manufacturers included:

Camoin, a French company that was based in Marseille
Handelsvereeniging Harmsen Verweij & Dunlop N.V., a Dutch company that had offices in Java, Sumatra, and Celebes (Sulawesi)^AI
Mesmaekers Frères, a Belgian company based in Turnhout whose cards were imported to Java by Brandon Mesritz & Co.^AJ Their brands included:
- Dua Macan (‘two tigers’), trademark registered 15th October 1887.^{AK[p. 32]} This brand was also used for other types of cards, like domino cards.

A black and white advertisement with an image of two tigers fighting. — Newspaper advertisement in Sin Po, 20th March 1922, for Mesmaekers Frères’ Dua Macan (‘two tigers’) brand ceki cards (kartoe tjeki), being sold by Handel Mij. (also publishers of the newspaper). 🅮

Cartamundi, a Belgian company based in Turnhout, and now the largest manufacturer of playing cards in the world. Their brands included:
- Three Goats Brand (also labelled 行通南?), trademark registered 26 July 1972.^{AK[p. 47]} Decks containing Ceki cards seem to have been in a red packet and labelled ‘A’; green and ‘B’ were four-colour cards.

Old Indonesian brands included:

Bajing (‘squirrel’)^{Q[p. 12]}
Pajung^{Q[p. 12]}
999^{Q[p. 12]}
Leo (‘lion’)^{Q[p. 12]}
Warak (‘rhino’)^{Q[p. 12]}
Kodok (‘frog’)^{Q[p. 12]}
Kunci (‘lock/key’)^{Q[p. 12]}

Modern Indonesian brands include:

$ Dollar
Ceki Jitu/Cap Udang, ‘shrimp brand’; trademark registered 8th September, 2009
Ceki Hiu, ‘shark ceki’ (Old Thousand has a colour image of a shark)
Ceki Kalong Mas (bat symbol, Old Thousand inscribed 𫑟林?)
Ceki Leak, a mythological creature; trademark registered 27th August, 2013
Ceki Sinar Rejeki, ‘lucky ray’?
Flipper Brand
Gold Fish
Gunting Baja, from Bali
Gunting Rumput
Gar’da Kencana
Jangkar Kapal, ‘ship anchor’
Kabuki
Kalajengking, ‘scorpion’
Kapal Ferry (Old Thousand has a colour image of a ship)
Liberty/777 (with an image of the Statue of Liberty)
Lintrik Cap Semar
Pura Dewa, from Bali
Tjap Klabang (cap klabang), ‘centipede brand’; trademark registered 28th October, 2015

The only current Malaysian manufacturer I know of is Yong Guan Heng & Co., who sell Cherki cards under the Single Lion brand (單獅嘜).

Credits

Special thanks to Aditya for double-checking my Javanese transcriptions.

References

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Ceki cards

#Malaysia & Singapore

#Indonesia

#The Deck

#Card Names

#Games

#Manufacturers & Brands

#Credits

#References

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