Taash KhelCounted, not estimated
Andar Bahar odds
The two sides are not equal within a round. The side dealt to first wins 51.50% of the time, and the reason is simply that it looks first.
The side dealt to first wins 51.50% of rounds. The other side wins 48.50%. There are no ties — one side always matches first.
Which side that is depends on the centre card's colour, so across many rounds the advantage changes hands and evens out.
The arithmetic
The centre card is turned, leaving 51. Three of those share its rank. Cards go alternately to each side, and the round ends on the first match.
| Value | |
|---|---|
| Cards after the centre card | 51 |
| Matching that rank | 3 |
| First card matches | 3 of 51 — 5.88% |
| Side dealt first wins | 51.50% |
| Side dealt second wins | 48.50% |
| Average cards dealt | 13.00 |
| Longest possible round | 49 cards |
Three percentage points, and it comes from one extra look. The first side sees cards one, three, five and so on — one more chance at every stage than the side that follows it.
Why it still evens out
A black centre card deals first to Andar; a red one deals first to Bahar. Twenty-six cards of each colour means the edge sits on Andar half the time and on Bahar the other half.
So there is no side to prefer before the centre card is turned. After it is turned, the side that receives the first card is the better bet — and that is the only readable thing in the game.
Against Dragon Tiger
Dragon Tiger is exactly symmetrical: 1,224 wins to each side across all 2,652 deals, with 204 ties. Andar Bahar has no ties and a small in-round edge instead. See Andar Bahar vs Dragon Tiger.
Common questions
Is Andar Bahar fifty-fifty?
Not within a round. Counting every deal from the 51 cards left after the centre card, the side dealt to first wins 51.50% of the time and the other side 48.50%.
Why does the first side have an edge?
It receives the first card, the third, the fifth and so on. With three matching cards among 51, getting one extra look is worth about three percentage points.
Does that make Andar always better?
No. Which side goes first depends on the centre card's colour, and black and red are equally likely, so across many rounds the edge evens out.
How often does the first card match?
Three of the 51 remaining cards share the centre card's rank, so 5.88% — about one round in seventeen.
How many cards does a round take?
Thirteen on average, counted exactly. A round can end on the first card or run most of the deck.
Under a minute a round, no purchases. A free Andar Bahar game download for Android.
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References
- Andar Bahar at Pagat, maintained by John McLeod since 1995