Chinese Gambling Games: Casino Games with Chinese Origins
Chinese gambling games are popular among many people around the world because they are thought to be more “foolproof”. Some of them involve spinning a wheel and hoping for something higher than average, while others require players to guess what card will turn up in their draw. These games have also been studied by economists looking at how their frequency affects the Chinese economy as a whole.
This article is an introduction to these games for those who want to know more about their origins, and how they have changed over time.
Unlike games of chance in the Western world, which are mainly played by individual players or in private groups, these games are usually played in Chinese social clubs or mahjong parlors. That is because they require a great deal of human interaction and the Chinese do not share their gambling methods with anyone outside of the community.
Baccarat is a card game that has become popular everywhere from Las Vegas to Macau; the only places where it might not be found would be in more rural areas. It originated in China, though, about 400 years ago. It was actually considered a gambling game for a while and it eventually spread to Europe during Napoleon’s time.
Even though Baccarat is played in casinos around the world, it is really just the Westernized version rather than the original game. The Chinese variant has a few more rules and much higher stakes, so it isn’t as easy to learn how to play. A lot of casino games in Macau are still based on this original game and even some luxury hotels have their own private rooms where they can be played.
The history of Mahjong goes back far longer than the history of any other card game from China or anywhere else for that matter. It emerged during the Qing dynasty and was often played by society ladies who were bored after their normal work was done for the day. There are even stories in Chinese folklore about people using Mahjong to get rid of their bad luck.
While it might seem a bit surprising to hear about the link between the ancient card game and modern times, there is little doubt that it has had an effect on how gambling was viewed in China. The fact that more than half of the world’s players consider themselves Mahjong experts is a good indication as to just what a big part this game played in Chinese history.
Cards, Dice & Chess
The most popular kind of gambling games in China are still those played with cards; whether they be traditional ones such as Solitaire or any number of Westernized versions, there are almost too many options to list.
There are also many other games that the Chinese play even though they aren’t often called gambling games. One of them is Chess, and is played in a similar way to mahjong. The rules are much simpler, though, so you don’t need an expert there to tell you what to do. The pieces are pawns instead of people so it is more like a game of chance than an exercise in strategy.
Chess has been around for centuries in different forms, so it might be hard to know what the original version was like. Chess has changed slightly over time but it has still remained one of the most popular board games in China and around the world even today.
Chess is at first glance similar to Baccarat, which is a card game. The main difference, however, is that the players start off with 32 pieces on each side of the board. If a player doesn’t get enough points during the course of the game, those pieces can be moved off the board to make sure they aren’t taken away when someone who has reached the predetermined goal wins the game.
When it comes to gambling games in China, there are still many more options than just Baccarat or Chess. The Chinese also play a lot of dice games that involve throwing either round wooden discs or four-sided cubes shaped like dice.
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