«Macau» from Macao

Greetings, gambling travellers. I am sure you rested well in London, plunged into the history of Albion and personally acquainted with the old English gambling amusement. Yes, "the atmosphere of the English", which is thoroughly imbued London can captivate and enchant. But it's time to move on, to meet the new gambling adventures.

Today we shall drift around the whole European shore and a good part of Asia, to get to the cult and super gambling place, to the Asian cradle of gambling entertainment. Well, dear adventurous travellers, you might have guessed what was going on and where we are heading to so fast? I guess, you did because it's hard not to find out the most popular Asian gambling area. Yes, this is the legendary Macau.

Today we go to a Chinese paradise for gamblers and discuss an eponymous Gambling, which, oddly enough, was born in this city. It's all about the card game "Macau", which originated long before China's gambling houses.

Middle Ages – is the cradle of the Chinese gambling

While our gambling ship goes around Eurasia, we can plunge into history and find fascinating facts about the origins of the game "Macau".

Today, very few people do know about such a gambling entertainment and only true experts of "card world" does not deny the pleasure to relax with a simple but very interesting and old game – the "Macau".

It appeared at the beginning of the XVIII century and won the recognition of the world of the upper classes of society, it remained at the peak of its popularity until the early XX century. The name of the game was not accidental, but, you guessed it, in honour of the Chinese places of origin. Chinese port city of Macau, which is conveniently located on the beautiful coast of the South China Sea, which once was the main part of the Portuguese colony. This rich town was always a centre of attraction of money and idle pastime image. Therefore, even in the distant 1897 Macao was one of the largest Asian gambling centres.

It is in these times, during the colonial period of Macao, there was invented a card game. Then it was called in the Portuguese style as «Macau». Immediately after the invention the game began to gain popularity in different social circles. In Russia, it reached the peak of its prosperity in the late XVIII century, during the reign of Empress Catherine II. Then the "Macau" game was especially loved by the upper classes and, in particular, the empress by herself. It was considered a sign of proper taste and good manners.

Unfortunately, the game's popularity began to fade before World War II. After its completion, as well as many medieval fun, the "Macao" was forgotten at all. This was due to the so-called "lost generation". The old people, who loved the game, went to the front and only a few were back, failing to install a love of the entertainment for the next generation. Young people began to get involved in new developments, leaving the "Macau" to the centuries oblivion.

 And what’s the secret?

The game "Macao" is just as interesting and exciting as simple and active. Rules can remember even a child, but wants to play anyone who has ever tried.

The aim of the game is to collect a stated number of points. Unconditional victory the player will get with 9 points. 8 and 7 points are also a prize-winning combinations, still with a smaller prizes.

The "Macau" is played in an unlimited number of players (from 2 to 10 and more). The process is fast and active, points are not recorded on paper, and the calculation is instantaneous.

Usually the ordinary player is known as "pointer" and dealer is a "card shooter." The last changes in each round to the left, as determined by a simple pulling out cards in order of seniority. The owner of the junior one becomes the shooter.

Bank is rated up with games bets, which is formed in the very beginning of the game. They remain unchanged. There exists a talon – an additional card or multiple cards.

The "Macau" is played with two decks of cards (at 52) ​​in 104 sheets. The seniority is ranked by the increasing and starts from Ace (1 point). Number cards have the appropriate denomination (from 2 to 10 points), and all pictures (Jack, Queen, King) are considered by 10 points. Also the last are called the blank cards or the "fat". When a player gets the "fat", he has the right to throw out a card and ask for another one.

Taking into account that the player wins, collected 9 points, there are obviously winning combinations, all of which tend to collect. For example, it can be 8 + Ace, Ace + 7, 2 + 7, 2 + 8, 3 + 6, 4 + 5, etc.

The winnings payment is counted as follows. The player with the 9 points at first hand and no talon, is paid the triple rate. Those who have collected 8 points receive a double bet, and holders of 7 points goes "naked" single rate.

Winning combinations of points scored after receiving the talon cards are paid "bare" rate and are not considered prestigious. There is also a separate algorithm for calculating the shooter winning cards.

It is worth noting that there are several variations of this gambling entertainment and all of them are in their own entertaining.

For example, if the standard option is to play with a few talon acquisitions, the version of the "Victoria" is different and is the lack of buy (talon) and distributed "in two sheets" (cards).

There is also a third variation of the old game – the "Club Ecarte" or "Hell-Fire". This subspecies assumes a trump card. It goes on like this: the banker immediately after the first distribution reveals an arbitrary card of the deck and it becomes a trump card. The remaining cards of the same suit as the trump card, do not participate in the draw and in the final scoring. After the next hand (on 2 sheets) it is assigned to trump the fifth card, and after the third hand (3 cards) – the seventh trump card.

Here it is uncomplicated, but extremely exciting entertainment "Macau". Now you have the opportunity to play this wonderful game in the cradle of its origin. Incredible opportunity, is not it?! Our gambling cruise liner has docked in the coast of the famous Chinese Macau and opened for you the doors in the very heart of the world-famous gambling industry. Welcome and enjoy your holiday, dear seekers of gambling adventures.

Here in Macao, there is every time something to see and cool places to play!