The Grand and Glorious History of Sic Bo, the Ancient Game!
Sic Bo is the Chinese game "Rice Bowl Game of Three Dice" - a
game with a history as ancient as that of the people who play it. The oldest known version of the gambling game we know today as Sic Bo originated in China.
Way back when Karate, Tai Quon Do, and Tempura were first being perfected by the ancient masters, the game of Sic Bo also started being played throughout mainland China. Originally, it was what the martial arts fighters would play when they were taking breaks. Before the invention of standard dice, they used different objects like small stones, shells, and even animal bones! Any small objects that they could engrave digits on they would use and then bet on.
Roots of the Modern Game of Sic-Bo
The
Sic-Bo game we play today is not completely Chinese, though. While based on the Mandarin style, today's game also is derived from the English game of "birdcage." In birdcage, three dice were actually placed in a wire framed birdcage-type structure. To roll the dice, someone would grasp a wooden handle that ran through the center of the cage and turn the cage upside down. Whatever numbers the dice landed on would be the numbers used to determine winners and losers. Rolling dice in a birdcage served two purposes:
1) No one could try and cheat by "palming" the dice. When the dice were rolled they were completely outside of human contact.
2) Keeping the dice in a birdcage enabled them to call the game "birdcage" instead of Sic Bo. Many people back then had objected to the words "Sic Bo" because it sounded like "Sick Beau" and carried negative connotations.
Sic-Bo in America
In the United States, the game was played by many of the men working the railroads. While many were Chinese and had played the game at home, many were also from Ireland and they adopted the game to their own cultural sensitivities. Soon, more and more people were playing Sic Bo/Birdcage and they decided to come up with a new name for it. In America, they decide to call the game "Chuck-a-Luck."
Internet Sic-Bo
Whatever you want to call it, Sic Bo is a great game that has now entered the space age. Most Sic Bo today is played in
cyberspace in online casinos. The ancient Karate experts' shells are now computer simulated dice based on a random number generator.
Playing internet Sic-Bo is exciting and fun. Online you can
gamble Sic-Bo for real money, with the chance to win thousands of dollars. For a fun game that is simple to learn, easy to play, and is one of the most popular new gambling games available in
online casinos, try Sic-Bo at
First Web Internet Casino.