Something Different: Niche Games to Try in 2022

Almost everyone will have heard of blackjack, poker and baccarat, but there are two games you may not have come across before; Andar Bahar and Bac Bo. Although these games aren’t quite as well-known and have less of a presence in pop culture, they feature in many online casinos. We’re going to show you why.

Andar Bahar

The card game Andar Bahar originated in Southern India and is popular due to the simplicity of its rules. Players who want to try Andar Bahar for themselves can play the Indian card game on live dealer casinos such as 888 casino. The added benefit is that the presence of a live dealer provides players with an immersive experience. But before players test the game in practice, here is an explanation of the rules.

Andar Bahar is played with a deck of 52 cards with one card, known as the joker, dealt face-up by the dealer. Don’t be misled by the term joker, it doesn’t refer to the playing card, it is simply the term for the card which must be matched during the game. So, by way of illustration, let’s say the joker card is the ace of spades. This card must be matched by a card in the deck that contains the same number. In our example, this would be the ace of diamonds, the ace of clubs or the ace of hearts. Players can then bet on which of the two piles of cards will contain the matching card, which means betting on either Andar (the left side) or Bahar (the right side).

Gameplay

The cards are subsequently dealt to each pile and if the joker card is from a black suit, i.e. spades or clubs, the drawing of the cards commences on the Andar pile. Conversely, if the joker is a red suit, i.e. hearts or diamonds, the cards are placed on the Bahar pile. The winning pile is the one that matches the joker card. In our example, this means matching the ace of spades with an ace from the three remaining suits.

Source: Pexels

Bac Bo

Bac Bo is a baccarat variation combined with the ancient Chinese game of Sic Bo. As opposed to the traditional card game of baccarat, made famous by Mr Bond, it is played with dice instead of cards. Like Andar Bahar, Bac Bo is a straightforward game. It works on the following premise: the Player and the Banker both have two dice each and the scores achieved by the Player and the Banker are calculated by adding up the sum of these two dice, which are placed in four individual shakers.

Gameplay

The dice come to rest at different times, which means there is still all to play for up until the number of the final dice is revealed. The highest hand, or in this case the highest dice total for each player, is the winner. Of course, there is the possibility that the two totals could be the same, resulting in a tie. This result would provide a payout of 88/1. Bac Bo combines fast gameplay with uncomplicated rules.

Source: Pixabay

Hopefully, this guide will have given you an idea of two lesser-known online casino games that can be played with a live dealer. The Indian card game Andar Bahar and Bac Bo, which combines baccarat with the ancient Chinese game Sic Bo, are both uncomplicated games that are easy to learn and entertaining to play.