Tonegawa explains the rules of E-Card, in which there are 3 types of cards (Citizen, Emperor & Slave). The rules are simple but the odds are against Kaiji, who will be betting his hearing. He is to be fitted with a device which comes closer to his ear drum depending on the amount he bets and how much he loses, with 30mm being the limit the device can travel before it destroys his inner ear. After the instrument is attached to his ear, the game begins. In the 1st round, Kaiji wins the first two hands, increasing his confidence.