It’s that time of the year again where families gather to catch up and offer auspicious greetings while the young ones eagerly await the multiple red packets to come. For some of us though, the thought of having to listen to the tirade of questions from our nosy relatives can be tiresome. Before they can poke around, how about diverting attention with some games or group activities? Liven up your home as almost no family or group gathering will be complete without a little added fun.
1) Mahjong
Let’s face it, Chinese New Year wouldn’t be complete without a few rounds of Mahjong. For those who are unfamiliar, Mahjong is a traditional Chinese game played with coloured tiles and requires complex strategic and mathematical abilities. It involves completing your hand with four sets and a pair of “eyes” to win.
It is amazing to watch Chinese people of all ages and generations play it quickly and effortlessly with a unique sleight of hand. Mahjong is particularly popular among the elderly, who may even dedicate an entire room to it as one of their favourite leisure pastimes.
2) Big Two or “Dai Di”
Dai Di, commonly known as Big 2, is one of everyone’s favourite games to play. It takes some time to master, but once you do, you’re ready to go. The goal of this game is straightforward: get rid of all of your cards. But first, you must memorize the sequence. In terms of shape, diamonds are the smallest, followed by clubs, hearts, and spades.
For the cards itself, 3 is the smallest in ascending order followed by J, Q, K and Ace while 2 that is usually the smallest is now the largest. There are many different variations of play but cards are usually thrown out in singles, pairs or as a set of five cards.
3) Mobile Games
The year is 2022. I’ve seen everyone’s parents, aunties, and grandparents playing Candy Crush but what do you do when there’s multiple people? Play a team base game or something that can be enjoy together! Some games to introduce to your family are games like Among Us, Charades, PUBG, Call of Duty among others. Nothing beats having a good time with your friends and family while playing a game.
4) Bluff
Do you want to catch someone lying in the act? Or are you a master of deception? This is the ideal game for you. A deck of cards, as well as several relatives and friends, are all that is required for the game. Begin by putting some money in the middle of the pool. Distribute all of the cards evenly, beginning with the Ace and proclaiming “One Ace” to any player who has it.
If a player doesn’t have any Aces or wants to get rid of more than one card, he can bluff and play non-Ace cards while saying, “Two Aces.” If a player is found bluffing, they are removed from the game. The goal of the game is to be the first to throw out all of the cards and win the pot of money.
5) Ox or “Ngau”
“Ngau” is a fast-paced game that is played in Malaysia. This game, like Baccarat, has a maximum number of players of 10, with the exception of screaming “Ox” or “passport.” Each participant is handed five cards, and they must add up three of them to produce a multiple of ten. For example, if 6+4+J = 20, you have a “Ox” or “Passport.” The other two cards depict the strength of your sum. If the two cards are an 8 and a 5, the sum is 13, and your hand is a three (rightmost digit). The highest score is ten.
These are some fun games to play during your Chinese New Year. Have you played all of these games before?
This article was brought to you by Raj who is currently fleeing the battle~
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