Having said that, culturally speaking gambling has been loved by Chinese people for centuries and is why many traditional Chinese games are designed around the practice.įor people who really love gambling, both Hong Kong and Macau, the 'gambling capital' of Asia, serve as ideal places to go and let loose, and win (or lose) some cash! It just so happens that the Chinese New Year is also the time of Hong Kong's horse-racing 'Chinese New Year Cup', the most famous and popular event of the horse-racing season in Hong Kong. If playing such games outside, or in public 'game-room' settings, it is advised to exercise caution and avoid playing with money. Of course, if playing at home with friends or family, using cash money or giving hongbao (red envelopes with money in) electronically using smartphones will normally be involved in the game without any issues. It is important to note that although the games mentioned above are essentially 'gambling games', similar in style to poker, gambling is prohibited in the majority of Chinese Mainland. Chinese 'Long Cards'Ī rummy-like game played with long cards with Chinese number characters on them is frequently played in rural areas in the south of China.

It is often said that the game is 'easy to learn but hard to master', and this may be a huge understatement, as the game requires extraordinary strategy just to even get through a few rounds.Īs the game is very fast-paced, it creates an exciting, loud, and tense atmosphere, making it an ideal Chinese New Year game! 3. This game also has dozens of rule variations and playing styles depending on region. The fast-paced game is often referred to as the 'Chinese poker', and is usually played in groups of three, and sometimes more. The second most popular game, that surely almost any Chinese can play, is known as Dou Dizhu, or 'Fight the Landlord' in English, and is a card game that in the modern day is commonly played with standard poker-card decks.

Popular chinese card games