Chap Goh Meh's eve

This is so crazy I have to write about it... We were, ahem, gambling...with paper money...and I mean really paper money! As opposed to real paper money ;)

Then we decided to play a game where we each start with 5 cards, with the person who starts having 6 cards. We have to get 3 pairs to win. The person who starts discards a card and the player beside him can choose to take the card or take a new one from the pile, then in turn discards one to the player on the other side of him. And so on till someone gets 3 pairs. But if we already have 2 pairs, we can "potong jalan" and take a card discarded by anyone to win.

And here's what happened: We had a few "uneventful" games, and at the start of a game, the first card discarded was picked up to win the game. (meaning the game ends at once, see?) Then in the very next game, the person who was supposed to start discovered that his 3 cards made up 3 pairs exactly. And the next game yet: it seemed to start normally, the person who started had 2 pairs, discarded one card, and would you have guessed it, the next player discarded the card the first player needed to win!

[for the purpose of future reference:
first game: Reen started, Xin Zhu won
2nd game: Ping Tarng's "winning start" :P
3rd game: I started and won! muahaha ]