Pung-Chow, as it has been described in the foregoing pages, represents the game as it is played with unlimited hands, that is where no limits are set on the number of points permissible in the score of a hand. It is impractical, however, to play with unlimited hands in a game where a stake has been set due to the inconsistencies of the winning hand scores; one may win with a hand of 200,000 points, whereas the ordinary or average winning hand numbers approximately only 500 to 1,000.

On this account the Chinese use a lower scoring system and set limits on the hands whenever placing stakes on the game, with a view of limiting losses between all players.

This setting of a limit changes the game considerably, for while the procedure of the play is similar to that of the unlimited hand, the scoring is almost totally different and the actual playing of the hand is changed.

A player in a limited hand gains nothing by completing a hand scoring high in the thousands when held down to the limit which is comparatively low. This changes entirely the playing of hands, making each player's object no longer to score as high a hand as possible and win, but to score as closely to the limit as possible and win, which in practice amounts to completing the hand as quickly as possible, mixing sequences and sets of all suits and taking all good scoring sets as they come, planning for none.

It can be seen that there is a larger element of fortune or "luck" in this method of playing than there is in playing the unlimited hand, though in either case the best player will win consistently.