Which Traditional Indian Game is Best for Beginners?

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Traditional gaming is very popular in India, with games that have been around for hundreds of years still played today. This usually involves family and friends getting together, either specifically to play or playing while they are meeting for other reasons.

These games are often passed down through the generations of a family, with the elder members sharing their knowledge, tactics and of course the rules you need to follow if you want to play. But what about those who are completely new to Indian gaming, what should they be choosing to play?

Here we take a look at two traditional Indian games, and what they can offer players, either by meeting with others locally or looking at mobile app releases to see if there is a mobile version you can play.


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Jhandi Munda

Jhandi Munda

One of the few things that many of these Indian games have in common is that the origins of the game are not really known, and that is the case here with Jhandi Munda, a dice game.

The game actually has two other names, it is known as Crown and Anchor in English and Langur Burja in Nepal, so you may have heard those in the past. The game is played with six dice, all with six different pictures on them, rather than numbers, so they are specific for this game.

The aim of the game is to choose which symbol will appear the most when the dice are thrown onto the board. The winner is the one who correctly predicts which symbol appears the most, for example, if your symbol appears three times and the others either once or not at all, you are the winner of the game.

The use of a gaming board and specific game dice makes this look a little complicated but fear not, this is a very simple game of chance that you can get involved with, even if you have no past experience.


Teen Patti

Teen Patti

This is another traditional Indian game that has a very simple feel to it. Often referred to as a simplified version of poker, this game is also ideal for those with no experience or family around to help them pick up the rules.

Just like poker, you use a standard deck of cards here, something that most people will already have. The idea is simply to create the best possible hand from the cards you have, using the same poker hand ranking that has been in place for many years.

What makes Teen Patti great is the simplicity, the game doesn’t have the complex rounds that poker has, this is an easier version, and a game that many play to get themselves ready for poker.

Another element that makes the game popular in India is that there are many different variations to try. These are great for keeping the game fresh and also testing the more experienced players, who are looking to find something new to do.

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