![]() ![]() However, it got me to thinking about family gatherings and various festivals, and the gameplay that often goes with them. “But it’s all about fun, teaching the kids Vietnamese customs and getting a glimpse of your lucky future.Whew! November has been a whirlwind month for me! Between a 4-day camping trip, a 4-day convention teaching board games, and then Thanksgiving itself, I have not made the time to sit down and write for my, what, 6 or 7 readers?Īnyway, my family was up for Thanksgiving, and I spent much of that time playing modern board games with them, since I had recently acquired several that I was eager to try out. “The winnings are very small,” said John Nguyen’s father, David Nguyen, 55, of Anaheim as he stood by the doorway and watched the children high-five and giggle. But by the end of the night, the adults had given their winnings to the children, hoping to hand down the good luck. Her daughter, Tina Vo, 8, lost all 10 pennies. “You have to scream for the animal to show up,” said Trang Vo, 33, of Anaheim as she put down a quarter and chanted for a gourd to appear. ![]() “Players are always superstitious, but their superstition and belief in luck is even more so at this time of year,” she said.Īt the Nguyens’ Anaheim home, about 40 relatives gathered Sunday, testing their fortune in Bau Cua with pennies and quarters after a three-hour feast. Vietnamese believe 9 brings luck, and the 1 and 8 of 18, adding up to 9, are considered auspicious. To Chinese, 8 is a lucky number and the 88 is for them. Tonight, players will receive the red envelopes stuffed with either 18 or 88 new “lucky” dollars, arriving from the mint in sequential order, Rosen said. “It definitely will be busier than normal because of the festivities,” said Alyssa Rosen, a casino spokeswoman. A buffet with rooster ice sculptures will be included in the New Year bash for its high rollers. It gets rid of any bad evil and brings in good luck,” she said.Ībout 70% of the players at the casino are Asians who like to test their luck playing a card game called pan 9, O’Hara said.Īt Hollywood Park Casino in Los Angeles, officials ordered thousands of special-edition chips for the Year of the Rooster. “They come here and they love the lion dance. “This is just a great time of year for us,” said Kelley O’Hara, marketing director of Bicycle Casino in Bell Gardens, which spent $100,000 to promote its new year celebration, which includes lion dances, Chinese acrobat shows and a lavish buffet. Some give active gamblers “lucky” money in red envelopes - red is seen as a lucky color, and giving money in red envelopes is a longtime tradition - add Asian dishes to menus and promote lavish new year programs to draw in crowds. ![]() The player wins when that choice is rolled.ĭuring the celebratory week, gambling isn’t relegated to the home. And instead of a spinning wheel, the dealer rolls three dice. The game has been around for so long that its origins are obscure.Īccording to legend, the game was invented in northern Vietnam by workers in rice paddies while they waited for the harvest season to start.The game is similar to roulette, but players put money on pictures of a gourd or animals - crab, deer, chicken, fish, shrimp - instead of numbers. They also make offerings at homemade shrines to pay respect to those who came before them.īut gambling is a big part of the celebration, and many put their hopes on Bau Cua, also known as gourd and crab, an ancient board game that is played only around the first week of the new year. The celebration also has a more somber note, with people attending temple to pray for ancestors. Thousands attend Garden Grove’s Tet Festival, with its traditional food, cultural exhibits and rides. ![]()
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