Gambling is a popular pastime in India. Gambling games are played both online and in real-life casinos and there are both high rollers and those who play for small penny bets or just for the enjoyment of the game itself.
Local games are usually a variation of games that originated in Britain and the Netherlands. One of the most popular such games is known as Andar Bahar. The game has also found its place online and in a form of apps and is now played even beyond India.
Introduction
Andar Bahar or Katti is an Indian card game originating in Bangalore. It’s also known by a variety of other names in other regions. The game is based on chance only and is, therefore, a game of luck rather than a betting game (or a game of skill as are most other card games).
The dealer places the card face up and the player then bets on one of two piles known as inside and outside. (Andar and Bahar). The cards are dealt in two piles until the card that is dealt matches the initial one.
Cards and Players
The game is played with a standard western deck of cards. That means that 52 cards are involved and that there are no jokers. This is evidence of the fact that the game was invented by the British because there’s no version with the local cards.
Andar Bahar can be played by an unlimited number of players at once. The game is simple enough and you can run it with a “random number generator” which is why the game is so easily turned into apps and websites and that’s where it’s mostly played today.
How The Game is Played?
The cards are shuffled before the game, cut and then one card is dealt face up so everyone can see it. That’s the card that is supposed to be matched in order to win. The cards are then dealt from the deck onto the two piles.
The players place their bets on the pile in which the card will be matched. The inside pile is the one that’s closer to the deal and the outside pile is the one further away. At least that was the case when the game was played with real cards.
What Kind of Payouts to Expect?
It may seem that the chances of winning are an even 50/50 percent. However, chances are that the matching card will be on the same pile as the initial card since there’s one more card in that pile. The payout is therefore in favor of that pile. The odds are 0.9 to 1 in favor of that pile.
The chances that the matching card is on the same side are therefore 51.5 percent. The edge in the favor of the house is 2.15 percent or 3 percent depending on where you place your bet, but as is always the case the house has an edge.
Variations within the Gameplay
There are numerous variations within the game especially so if you’re playing online. The main variations come in choosing when the first card is dealt with and when the bets can be made. Instead of choosing the side based on the color, the first card is placed “inside”, the second “outside” and so on.
Some also allow for the bet to be placed after seeing two cards. In other games, it’s possible to bet on the number of cards that will be dealt before there’s a match.
Katti
Katti is another gambling game of luck that’s somewhat similar to Andar Bahar and often considered to be a subset of Andar Bahar since the basic gameplay is the same, and the only difference is in the scope of the game itself. The dealer deals 13 cards facing up instead of just one as is the case with Andar Bahar.
When bets are placed the dealer draws what’s called an indicator card and its color determines what card would be the winning one. If the winning card is black the next one needs to be black in order to win and vice versa.
How to Win?
There are no strategies for winning in Andar Bahar. The game is based on luck alone and that’s why it’s so popular among novice players and those who don’t want to put too much thought into their gambling efforts. When it’s played online the outcome is random and based on an RNG.
Players often try to find a pattern in these randomly placed cards and usually they chase the win by hoping that not too many bets will fall on the same side. There’s no pattern to the game and it’s a mistake to do so even if it’s appealing.
To Sum Up
Andar Bahar is a gambling game from India based on the western deck of cards. The game is popular in other regions and there it has different names. There are also variations of the game with more cards and different betting styles, but with the same premise.
The players have two options in terms of what the outcome can be and their place bets on one of those two. This means that the chances to win are almost 50/50 with a bent towards the house, which always has an edge. The game is available in real life and online.
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