If you’re an experienced online casino player, you’ve probably come across the game of Andar Bahar in a “card games” section. Although this game isn’t very popular among Western players, Andar Bahar is all the craze in India and other Asian countries. In this article, you’ll learn how to play this Indian card game and add some variety to your average gaming section. Keep reading, and learn more about the game’s history, rules, and strategies.
Where to Play
Andar Bahar is gaining popularity outside its traditional borders. Nowadays, finding an online casino with RNG and live dealer options are pretty straightforward. It’s also possible to find free platforms where you can put your knowledge to the test without taking any real risks. Better still, most of these platforms are compatible with mobile devices. We suggest using Opera GX, Brave, or Vivaldi, if you’re playing on the PC.
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It’s highly advisable to hone your skills on such platforms; play Andar Bahar for real money only when you feel comfortable about its rules, gameplay, and strategies. Luckily for you, plenty of high-quality information is available about this game. So, there’s no reason to walk into an Andar Bahar room blindfolded. Here’s what you need to know before trying your luck.
History
Andar Bahar is an Indian game with a history that goes back to ancient times, since the Harappa civilization (3,500 BC). Players initially used cloth pieces with special symbols called “Krida-Patram”.
There were mainly two models, Mahabharata and Ramayana, which later became the four card symbols we know today. The game’s name comes from Hindi, which means “inside outside”. The game is widely famous in India, rivalling poker and blackjack in popularity. Thanks to the internet, now this game is gaining fans all over the world.
Katti
Contrary to common belief, Katti and Andar-Bahar aren’t the same game, and both names aren’t interchangeable. Despite similarities in rules and gameplay, both games are fundamentally different. Andar-Bahar is a more common option in online casinos, while Katti is more often played at home.
Rules and Gameplay
The Andar-Bahar table has two boxes named “Andar” and “Bahar”. The round begins when the dealer pulls the “joker”. Notice that the “joker” here isn’t necessarily the clown card. Instead, it’s the name of the first card pulled by the dealer. The dealer then places the joker in the middle of the table, and players can make the first round of bets.
Players must bet in which box the joker will land. Once all bets are placed, the dealer begins to pull cards from the pile, one at a time and places them first on the Andar box, then on the Bahar box. The players that guess right share 25% of the betting amount with the other players who also guessed right; the rest goes back to the house.
However, if the joker doesn’t come out in the first two cards, the dealer calls the second round of bets; there’s a box named “second bet” on the table. After the second bet, the dealer starts again and only stops after pulling the joker. If the joker comes in the first card of the second round, the winner gets 25% of the total betting amount and receives an even-money payment for the first one. After this point, all winnings return even-money prizes.
Andar-Bahar is a game of pure luck, although there’s some space for strategy. It uses a 52-card deck with no limit of participants. The winning chances are nearly 50/50, which means you have much higher chances of winning than with other games of pure luck, such as slots. In online casinos, it’s possible to bet on colours, ranks, or suits.
Variations
There are mainly two versions of this game: the Indian and Turkish versions. The Turkish version allows players to discard only one card per turn. Meanwhile, the original version allows players to discard their entire hand. The Turkish version also lacks a “game over” feature in the Indian version. In this feature, players can be eliminated from the table if they have no card in hand to play.
Strategy
Andar-Bahar is a game of sheer luck, which means it’s impossible to influence its outcome; on the bright side, it also requires no skill. Despite that, there’s a slight difference between betting Andar or Bahar, with odds favouring the first. The first card is always placed on Andar, which means winning without a Bahar card ever being pulled out is possible. Indeed, the house edge is considerably lower for this option; more precisely, 33% lower.
Are You In or Out?
According to recent statistics from IBIS World, there are 3,623 online and global casinos. This number will likely grow in the next decade, so we expect to see more platforms offering Andar-Bahar. Try practising the game on free websites before moving on to the real thing.