RAT RACING

On arrival, board the junk and go to the casino below deck.
 
The gambler standing at the rat racing table gives you money to place a bet for him. Speak to him a second time and pay careful attention to the advice he gives you. The cashier in the betting cage to the left of the stairs is fast asleep, so you have to go round the back.
 
Go through the curtains (right of the stairs) where you're confronted by a 'mother' of a slider puzzle. The tiles must be manipulated to replicate the drawing on the curtains. The illustration below shows the completed slider puzzle.
 

 
Not only is the slider puzzle difficult, but you also have to heed the gambler's advice about Li Tang. He 'appears' at regular intervals and you must immediately turn round and go back into the gaming room. Thereafter, re-enter through the curtains and continue working on the slider.
 
Unfortunately the starting position of the slider is not always the same, so a detailed solution cannot be provided. Should you want a 'saved game' at the position when there's only one tile left to move, I will gladly email it you on request.
 

CLICK TO REQUEST SAVED GAME

 
Wake the cashier then give him the gambler's bet. Although the cashier says he's giving the betting slip to you, note that he doesn't actually do so and you must ask him for it.
 
After giving the betting slip to the gambler you need to talk to him twice. Once to get a small sum of money as your 'cut' and a second time to learn about the poker game. Select all the dialog topics to trigger Ishtar entering the gaming room.
 
 
 

GENERATOR

Talk to Ishtar, who suggests that it would be 'very handy' if the generator were to break down. Go to the bar and first talk to the lady in the red dress. Next, talk to the barman to learn that the generator is behind the bar. Ask Chun Yin (the lady in the red dress) to help you by getting the barman to 'take a nap'. She tells you to 'order a bottle', so give the small sum of money to the barman. After he puts the bottle on the bar counter, you can either walk away and do a bit of exploring or watch the level in the bottle as it drops.
 
When the barman falls asleep you get to the generator via the wooden panel behind the bar. Before switching it off you need to find somewhere to hide so as not to be seen by Li Tang, who will come switch it on again. Did you notice a dark alcove behind the curtain to the right of the generator? Pull the generator lever then immediately hide in the alcove until Li Tang has switched on the generator.
 
Go back to Ishtar and you have a most enlightening conversation with her. If you hadn't figured it out already, you learn that she's Kate Sullivan and also get more storyline background. She gives you a large sum of money that must be shown to Li Tang to get into the poker game.
 
 
 

GETTING INTO THE POKER GAME

When you show the large sum of money to Li Tang he says that you need a password. Did you find the cashier's note in the betting cage? You can only take the note while he's sleeping, otherwise he calls Li Tang with disastrous consequences for you.
 

 
The cashier's note has all the possible answers to the questions Li Tang asks you. Some research is required to work out which are the correct answers.
 

CLICK FOR THE DETAILED SOLUTION

 
After answering the questions correctly Li Tang hands you a sheet of paper with the winch code on it. After telling Kate Sullivan about getting into the poker game, you find yourself on the upper deck.
 
The winches must be adjusted as per the coded instructions Li Tang gave you.
 

One turn less than the second halyard to starboard
Two times more turns than the third halyard to port
One turn less than the first halyard to starboard
 
The solution to this puzzle is not as easy as first appears. The nautical references to port (left) and starboard (right) must be interpreted correctly. They do not refer to the directions in which you have to turn the winches. Did you note that the 'markings' below the winches are from minus 5 to plus 5? The negative numbers are left (port) of zero and the positive numbers are right (starboard) of zero.
 

Ignoring the nautical references for the moment, the only combination of numbers (each not greater than 5 and excluding zero) is as follows:

3 is one turn less than 4
4 is two times more turns than 2
2 is on turn less than 3
 
 
Apply the nautical references as negative (port) or positive (starboard) to get the exact solution.
 

3   - 4    2

 
 
 

PLAYING POKER

After talking to Kate Sullivan you can sit down at the poker table. Speak to the other players, starting from left to right, and the game begins after selecting the last topic with the gambler on the right.
 

CLICK FOR POKER GAME SOLUTION

 
 
 

LEAVING MACAO

From outside the poker room go down the stairs to enter the casino, then go up the other staircase to the upper deck and disembark onto the pier, where you meet Captain Nathaniel Blackwood. After talking to him the two of you head off to India...