If you have any experience playing card games online, there's a chance you have encountered the Indian game of Andar Bahar. Do you know how to play it, what the betting rules are, and how the game came into existence?

In this guide, we’ll take you through everything you need to know about this game. Read on for our complete Andar Bahar how to play guide, but first, get ready for a brief history lesson!

What is Andar Bahar?

Andar Bahar is a standard 52-card deck game commonly found in collections of online casino games. It’s a game based around two boxes or piles, and the overall point is to correctly predict which pile matches a designated “joker” card in value.

The two piles, or boxes, are called Andar and Bahar, hence the name. This reasonably straightforward table game has gained popularity online thanks to its efficient rules and gameplay.

The history of Andar Bahar

Andar Bahar is a traditional Indian card game that is believed to have started among players living in Bengaluru, Karnataka, or Bangalore. It's a game that is also known as Katti across the world. Since starting out in South India as a street game, it has evolved into a casino classic that is played in many far-flung continents.f

The game started to gain popularity in the West toward the end of the 20th century, mainly thanks to the rise of online casinos. The introduction of Andar Bahar to online audiences has also resulted in the game gaining a few different side bets and variations along the way.

Regardless of where it is now played, the traditional game of Andar Bahar is still culturally important to Indian people, and the original game is just as popular as the twists that have been added to it throughout the years.

How to play Andar Bahar card game

A traditional Andar Bahar game starts with the dealer shuffling the cards and then dealing out the first card of the game face up for all to see. This card is the most important one in the game as it's the card that either Andar or Bahar must match to win. It is known either as the trump card or, more commonly, the joker.

Once the dealer hands out the joker and it’s on the table, players get the chance to place their bets on either one of the two piles or boxes that the dealer creates, either the Andar or the Bahar.

The dealer then collects all of the player bets and confirms them before a single card is dealt face up from each pile. The dealer and player then compare the new cards to the joker card to determine the face value. For example, if the joker card is a 7 of spades, the box with a card of the same value will be declared the winner of the round.

If there is no match, the deal continues until either box aligns with the joker. If you bet on Bahar but the first matching card lands on Andar, for example, you lose the round.

Rules of Andar Bahar

Although Andar Bahar is a fairly straightforward game, there are a few essential rules and standards you need to keep in mind when playing.

For example, in certain table and online versions of the game, players cannot make any side bets once the joker is active.

In some variations of the game, cards are placed in an alternating manner between Andar and Bahar based on their value. For example, odd cards go to Andar and even cards go to Bahar. Otherwise, some dealers choose to pass cards to Andar if black and Bahar if red.

Ultimately, cards are shared between the two boxes or piles alternatingly until there’s a match.

What are joker cards in Andar Bahar?

Regardless of the type of Andar Bahar game you play, the joker is always the heart of the operation! It is sometimes called a house card depending on where you play.

Again, the joker card is not necessarily a joker; it's just a set card that your Andar and Bahar piles need to match. That means if your joker is a 2 of spades, a 2 of hearts in Bahar would be a winning bet for that pile.

Eventually, a card will match the joker as you'll run through all 51 other cards in the deck. There are three cards out of the remaining pile that will match it.

Andar Bahar bets

Casinos and croupiers have altered Andar Bahar slightly over the years to welcome side bets and additional odds. There is the traditional or main bet, and multiple side bets are frequently available depending on the game you play.

In addition, there is the suits bet, which is a bet on the suit your joker will likely be. This bet, naturally, takes place before it’s drawn, and players have a one-in-four chance of guessing correctly.

Similarly, players can also bet on the colour of the joker, red or black, which is a 50/50 guess. The values bet also concerns the joker and entails players guessing what the precise card or value will be.

There’s also the above/below 8 bet, which is fairly self-explanatory. The player wins this wager if they bet correctly on whether the joker is below or above 8; it’s a high-low market. There is an additional bet on whether or not an 8 will appear as a joker; this one carries a four-in-52 chance.

Players can also bet on the range, which is the number of cards counted up to the winning match being revealed. For example, a player converts on this bet if they guess the count will be 32 and it falls between 30 and 34.

Mid-game wagers are also frequently available from online Andar Bahar, but as always, you should set clear betting limits and be responsible with any bankroll you designate for this game.

FAQs

What does Andar Bahar mean?

Loosely translated, Andar Bahar means “inside and outside,” or “on all sides.” It’s an apt name for the card game as it revolves around two sides of the table, with one pile for Andar and the other for Bahar.

How many cards are there in Andar Bahar?

Andar Bahar traditionally uses 52 cards, as you’d find in a standard playing deck. There is only one card left facing up at the start of play, which is the joker.

Two separate piles of cards are face down in the Andar and Bahar boxes, which are then turned over one at a time to see if there’s a match with the joker.

Is Andar Bahar Blackjack?

Andar Bahar is very similar to Blackjack in the sense that it’s a game played between a bettor and a dealer, and that the winner is determined by cards hidden in piles. Beyond that, however, both games have very different origins, odds, and different variations and twists available at traditional and live casinos.

Andar Bahar is popular among Blackjack fans because it involves roughly the same level of difficulty to start playing, although Blackjack can become a little more complex as it progresses.