JOIN USAs a child Himanshu Devra learnt to deal with playing cards through basic games like chatai and patte pe patta. “When my elder cousins used to meet during family get-togethers, they made the younger ones play simpler games.
But it was during my college days that I learnt how to play rummy and teen patti (flash),” recollects the 29-year-old product manager sharing tales of the number of ice creams and chocolates he has won!
“Times have changed. And I miss teasing my friends when they lose a game. So when I got to know about a teen patti world cup, I invited all my friends and colleagues and now we have a group of 28-30 people.
All of us play the game, remember old days and even chat during the games,” says Devra, one of those who have been glued to their smart phone for the sole love of this card game.
Since the changing times have made access to mobile games easier, the players have developed a preference for platforms where they can not just enjoy the game, but also experience the pleasure of playing it at their own convenience, alone or with friends.
“It depends totally on my mood,” says Anurag Chaudhary, 36-year-old aviation manager, who utilises his lunch hour to relax his mind and play a game without the need of a physical partner. “It is not gambling but entertainment, since I don’t have to invest money in it.”
The popularity has risen to such an extent that companies designing mobile games have come up with world cups to entice game-lovers. Saurabh Aggarwal, CEO and president of Octro Inc which has launched Octro Teen Patti World Cup informs, “More than 25 lakh players were playing teen patti.
When 7.5 lakh people reviewed our teen patti app on Google, the sheer size inspired us to create a world cup.”
Even game experts admit that the trend of playing card games on mobile phones is increasing due to the innovative graphics being designed by companies. Take for instance, “The teen patti game has graphics which give actual feel of playing in front of a dealer.
Also, people prefer games where they are able to chat with their co-players so that they get a feel of the real world rather than virtual world,” says Manish Kumar Singh, a game advisor for playstation and computer games.
One cannot overlook the affiliation of Indian game-lovers with playing cards and in an age when one hardly gets space and time to communicate, a virtual game over chat would of course be preferred. In addition, there is the greed to win prizes.
“Of course it is there. Though I am in the initial stages at present, I am aiming to get a prize. If not the trip to Singapore or Goa then even a smart phone is good,” laughs Chaudhary.
So the next time you spot anyone glued to their smart phone, especially during lunch hours or post dinner, you need not wonder what they are up to!