For me, the best part about celebrating Chinese New Year (CNY), apart from the obvious “Ang pow” (Red packet) collecting is the non-stop feasting and gambling my family engages in. Now, in case you start worrying that you are going to read about the adventures of a gambling addict, I must first clarify that it isn’t what you think it is. For starters, I don’t even know understand the game of poker nor can I differentiate one mahjong tile from another, but I take immense pride in deeming myself the “Queen of Black Jack” during the 15 days of CNY annually.

CNY began with my family waking up at a mean 8am. “Mean” because my sister and I slept very late the night before. I’d love to tell you that we did that out of filial piety with the traditional belief that children stay up late on CNY eve to bless their parents with longevity - the longer you stay up, the older they get to live for. Well, that doesn’t sound quite right, but that’s the gist. The truth, however, was that the Goh sisters were busy gambling with relatives after dinner on CNY eve to “test our luck levels” for the upcoming 15 days. After a meal of about ten dishes, which I learnt that the chicken or duck must come in a whole (chopped up, but head and all displayed) to symbolize completion for the year, my “luck level” looked pretty promising.

So, on the 1st day of CNY, I put on a new shirt and with my mum’s insistence, wore the golden bracelet which I would only wear during CNY every year. I don’t look particularly flattering in gold but my mum said the jewellery was first put on me as a present during my 1-month-old birthday celebration. The reasons why I didn’t refuse were many, but mainly because it would be bad luck to have an argument on the 1st day of CNY and I thought it was pretty amusing that my wrist hadn’t grown all that much in the last 26 years. Anyway, I reckoned the tinkle from the little bell with all that shiny gold might beckon all the luck I need on the gambling table.

As a tradition, my family arrived at my 5th aunt’s house (I have 6 maternal aunties) as the 1st house to visit. After presenting the two mandarin oranges with auspicious sayings to my aunt, I was given in return an “ang pow” and the blessing that my career would take new heights this year. We were urged constantly to eat the candy laid out at the coffee table to usher sweet harmony for the host’s family. Shortly after, my aunt served two steamed fish and the two families shared it as a symbol of abundance for the coming year.

We headed to my paternal grandparents’ house after that to have lunch. My paternal relatives do not gamble but they indulge in drinking. My grandparents were immigrants who sailed to Singapore from China in the early days, so apart from a refrigerator well-stocked up with cans of beer, they certainly would not forget to be prepped with old Chinese wines (with alcohol content I dare not even ask) in intricate bottles. Thus, as we feast on more fish, with fried rice this time, we were constantly encouraged to help ourselves with the alcohol.

My sister and I headed home to catch a nap in the late afternoon while my mother visited a temple with my 5th aunt. Most likely to pray for good luck for the gambling, I thought. My sister and I knew it would be a full-on gambling marathon that night, so us being the pragmatic modern ones, chose to do what is logical - sleep (plus the alcohol was starting to compromise my focus).

After a 2-hour sleep, my batteries felt recharged. I took the train to my maternal grandmother’s house and already, all the families from my six aunties were there, including cousins and their own families. The table was set up, a fresh set of cards ready to be shuffled, chairs were laid around the table - the atmosphere was thick. They were waiting for The Black Jack Queen. I collected all the “ang pows” with shameless grins from my relatives (with the usual complain from them that I should be getting married soon so that they could save some money). I took a hurried dinner (it was buffet style - take what you want and eat anywhere you wish) and pondered for a couple of minutes before I propped myself at a seat which I thought the “fengshui” was positive. I usually don’t believe in such things, but during these 15 days when I’m up against the “professionals”, one can’t fault me for being too careful.

My family communicates most not during dinner, but at the gambling table. We exchanged threats of revenge, voiced suspicions of cheating, and cursed the banker’s luck when he/she made attempts for a “Five Dragon” combination.

(A “Five Dragon” combination is when a player or banker takes five cards from the deck and the total does not exceed 21 points. When a banker goes for a “Five Dragon” and succeeds, all players have to pay the banker double of their stakes. If the banker’s cards exceed more than 21, however, he/she has to foot all the players double of they staked for.)

It seems to be real ugly play there, but all that strangely enhanced the bond we share as an extended family and creates more laughter than ill feelings.

After a battle of 3 hours, I won a grand S$4 which are 2 euros. The rate went much slower than expected. I suspected someone was wearing their lucky underwear at the table - the most desperate resort. I had to rush off to catch a midnight movie, but promised to return for a more glorious play the next day.

The next few days we did almost the same thing - more feasting, more gambling - just that the six aunties would take turns hosting. My cousins as young as 8 sat around the gambling table despite their mothers’ disapproval. The relatives would say “this is just once a year” or “maybe it can help them add better during math in school”. Even my illiterate grandmother, despite her failing eyesight, would know the trick to choose a member at the table who seemed to be on a roll and placed her stake at his/her cards to gain some extra cash. She is one smart lady, never sitting through a session with just one person, so her loyalty wavers but the pragmatic thinking brings in the money. Stakes are never too high. Kids stick on to their 50 cents, adults at S$2-S$5 for each round.

On some occasions, when there were enough interested players, mahjong tables were set up. So we had a table of Black Jack-ers in the living room, a table of “amateur” mahjong players (usually made up of teenaged cousins) in one room, and if anyone was up for it, they could join the table of “professional” mahjong players made up by my uncles and aunties. But challengers beware: it takes experience, much more speed, higher stakes and definitely a hell lot of guts to play with them.

One good tip I’ve learnt was that once I start to lose, I should step away from the table and take a breather. Eat some candy, help myself to another bowl of steamboat, watch TV or sing some karaoke. The main thing is to realize at the end of the day, no matter how serious one seems to be about the gambling, it isn’t the money that we are after. After all, whatever I lost would simply be in someone else’s pocket whom I’d be doing the “lou hey” (a CNY tradition where participants mix ingredients on a platter as they call out blessings for the new year) together with anyway.

At the end of those intense four days, I lost S$26. It isn’t much but I was on a winning streak the previous two years. Maybe this year I wasn’t focused enough. Maybe I was thinking too much about this blog assignment. Maybe I didn’t lift my chopsticks high enough during the “lou hey”. Or maybe, I wasn’t wearing my lucky underwear… Hmm, I still have some days, I will do better.