2. Tien Len

Introduction
Tiến lên is a card shedding type of game devised in Southern China and Vietnam playable 2 to 4 players with each player being dealt 13 cards each from a 52-card deck. The objective of Tiến lên is to be the first player to empty their hands while playing various combinations.

A game of Tiến lên consist of a single 52-card deck which includes 13 ranks of each suits:

Hearts (♥)

Diamonds (♦)

Clubs (♣)

Spades (♠)

*The cards are arranged from their weakest to strongest.
The cards are also ranked based on their suits.
The ranking from highest to lowest is: Hearts ♥, Diamonds ♦, Clubs ♣, Spades ♠.

Game Flow

Before you’re able to join a room in Tien Len, the player would have to ensure that there is sufficient balance for the minimum Buy-in before joining a table. The minimum buy-in represents the maximum the highest possible loss on the table.

A typical round of Tien Len begins with each player being dealt 13 cards from a 52 card deck regardless of the total amount of players. Generally the player with the lowest value card will begin, however if there was a winner on the previous round that player will begin the round and after that the game will move in a clockwise order.

During the course of gameplay, players are able to manipulate the winning/losing stake via multipliers through various actions (Explained further below) until the first player empties their hand and then the stake of each player will be calculated based on various actions as well as “Rotten” cards in each remaining player’s hand.

Players are given the option to Pass or Play during the game. It is not compulsory to play a card of higher value just because they own the card/s of higher value. Whenever a player plays a card and all players pass, the player will gain control of the board and is able to play any legal card combination.

Game Actions
Types of playable cards and combinations
Standard Combinations

- Single : A single card played. Singles can be defeated by singles that are higher in value or suit.

- Pair : A combination of exactly 2 cards of the same value. A pair can only be defeated by a pair with higher value or higher suit. Examples of a pairs: 5♠ 5♦ , A♠ A♣ or J♥J♦.

- Three of a Kind: A combination of exactly 3 cards of the same value. Three of a Kind can only be defeated by another Three of a Kind of higher rank. A Three of a Kind 2♠ 2♦ 2♥ can not be defeated and immediately ends the discard round.

- Sequence: Sequences are a combination of at least 3 cards that are played in a numerical order. A sequence can only be defeated by another higher sequence. The suit of the last card in a sequence determines the strength of the sequence while the cards in the sequence played before that only have to follow the sequence numerically.Any sequence with Q K A♥ can not be defeated and immediately ends the discard round.

Special Combinations
Bombs: A Bomb is primarily used to play a single deuce(2), it requires a 3-pair or 4-pair sequence or a 4-of-a-kind.

Types of Bombs
Pair sequences
Combination of at least 3 pairs that are in numerical sequences.

3 Pair Sequence (Ex. 3♣ 3♦, 4♦ 4♥, 5♠ 5♣) A 3 pair sequences can be used to Bomb a single deuce or any lower 3 pair sequence in numerical value.

Four-of-a-kind (Ex. A♠ A♣ A♦ A♥) Four of a kind can be used to Bomb a single or double deuce, any 3 or 4 pair sequences any lower Four-of-a-kind in numerical value.

4 Pair Sequence (Ex. 10♠ 10♦ J♣ J♥ Q♠ Q♣, K♦ K♥) A 4 pair sequences can be used to Bomb a single or double deuce, any 3 pair sequence and a 4 pair sequence that is smaller in numerical value.

Betting Rule
When a player wants to buy-into a room in Tien Len they are required to buy in the maximum amount that can be lost in a game. For example, if a player wants to buy-in to a 1k stake room they would be required to buy-in 35k ,which is the maximum possible loss amount in one game.

The moment the player’s stack drops below the required minimum amount; the buy-in menu will prompt the player to top-up the required amount.

Stakes and Penalties
Penalties are how players are able to earn an increased amount of chips. After they buy-in to the game with minimum amount

Stakes
Stakes are an additive ways that players can manipulate the current stake with actions that happen throughout the game. One of the common ways that this can happen is through Bombs, each time a player gets bombed they will be penalized with a minimum of x1 stake at the end of the match.

This stake value can be added on again if another player puts a bomb on top of an existing bomb which will result in the multiplier penalty to be passed on to the next player with x4 the amount.

Penalties
Whenever a player is bombed the below mentioned penalties will be applied to the player and aside from being bombed the same stake applies to having leftover cards in your hand whenever another player wins.

Penalty for unused special cards
- 2 ♠ or 2 ♣ -> 1x stake
- 2 ♦ or 2 ♥ -> 2x stake
- 3 pair sequence -> 3x stake
- 4 of a kind -> 4x stake
- 4 pairs sequence -> 5x stake

Game lose penalties
- 1 - 6 cards remaining -> 1x stake
- 7 - 12 cards remaining -> 2x stake
- 13 cards remaining -> 3x stake

Instant Wins
Instant win scenarios are when a player is dealt the specific combination of cards resulting in an instant win. Each opponent who loses to an instant win has to have each opponent pay 2 stake to the winner.

- 4 Deuce (Ex. 2♠, 2♣, 2♦, 2♥)
- 6 Pairs (Ex. 4♠ 4♥, 6♠ 6♦, 9♦ 9♥, 10♣ 10♥, Q♦ Q♥, A♠ A♥)
- 5 Sequential pairs (Ex 5♦ 5♥, 6♦ 6♥, 7♠ 7♣, 8♣ 8♥, 9♠ 9♦)
- 3 Sequential Three of a Kind (Ex. 10♠ 10♣ 10♥, J♠ J♣ J♦, Q♣ Q♦ Q♥)
- 3 to Ace Sequence (Ex. 3♣ 4♥ 5♣ 6♥ 7♦ 8♠ 9♦ 10♠ J♦ Q♦ K♣ A♠)