01-021 Lotería

01-021
Lotería

Card games is a cultural topic. From the Standard 52-card deck to the “Spanish suit” and to the “Hungarian cards”, their design and composition carry down many historical and cultural messages from their originated area. For example, in the Standard 52-card deck, the king of spade is King David. This reflects the religious background of French people during the 18^th century, as the court cards were given names in that period. We also see Caesar and Alexander the Great. Does that mean in the European’s eyes, they are heroes but not conquerors? On another hand, we have William Tell on the “Hungarian cards”. There were so many famous plays in Europe at that time but why the play of William Tell was chosen? Finding out the reason will give you a glimpse of the Hungarian history.   

Same applies to the “card” game I am going to talk about today. The game I am going to talk about is the Mexican bingo, Lotería. I will mention similar topics on the next few posts.

Lotería

I can’t remember exactly how I came across with this game. The word Lotería is not in my dictionary at all. Lotería is totally unheard in my culture. For most Hongkongers, the only thing we can think of about Mexico is, perhaps, tequila.

I remembered one day I was searching traditional board game on YouTube. And a video about Lotería appeared, with an Amazon link underneath. I clicked inside, finding the pack including shipment is only US$12. It is a gift pack, came with a box. So I bought one. Having an extra set of “card” game at home during the pandemic is always a bonus.

To be honest, I am not sure whether I should call Lotería a card game or a board game. Board Game Geek called it a card game. But it comes with boards. Maybe because the boards are for score keeping only. So it is classified as a card game rather than board game.

However, instead of calling it a card or a board game, Lotería is more a street game. I have never been to Mexico, nor to any parts of the America. But I saw on YouTube how people play Lotería there. It is sold on the streets, played on the streets and most importantly, it is played by everyone. Lotería is popular there.

Lotería normally does not come with a box. I found on eBay that most Lotería are packed in plastic bags, stapled to a small piece of cardboard. I guess they were sold in newspaper kiosks on Mexican streets, at a couple of dollars.

Lotería in basic packing

There are always 54 cards in a pack of Lotería. And the patterns on the cards are always the same. They became a part of Mexican culture. You can find handbags, shoes, trousers and even café in Lotería theme. The arrangement of patterns on Tablas are also the same between different packs.

I don’t think Lotería has any copyright now. Everyone is making it. But the most popular brand is still “Don Clemente”, the first company to publish Lotería in Mexico.

So, what exactly is inside my Don Clemente Lotería gift pack? 

Actually, apart from the box, the content is rather basic. You can find a full deck of 54 Lotería cards inside, and 10 tablas. In addition, it also gives you some plastic chips and a “songbook”.

“Don Clemente” Lotería gift pack

Traditionally, pinto beans or Mexican coins are used as markers for score keeping. But it is almost impossible to get pinto beans or Mexican coins in my city. It is really great to have some plastic chips included so that I can play the game in a more traditional way. If you want to add a pack of Lotería in your collection, I highly recommend to go for the “Don Clemente” gift pack. And it is “Hencho en México”, made in Mexico.

The set is "Hecho en México", Made in Mexico

I saw on the Amazon comments that most people are discussing about the “songbook”. So, I show it here. It is not exactly a “book” but a piece of card in tabla size, with the verses for each cards printed on it. However, those 54 verses are widely available on the internet.

The "Songbook"

That’s all! 54 cards + 10 tablas + plastic chips + a “songbook”, and no instructions! But that doesn’t matter. Lotería instructions are widely available on internet. And even if there were instructions included, it would be in Spanish which I can’t read anyway.

And the most controversial parts of Lotería are these 2 cards,
"La Sirena" with the breasts uncovered (sorry that my chip is in the way), and "El Negrito".

General Information

Player	2 to 10
Playing Time	10 mins
Age	4+
Year Released	1887
Designer	(Public Domain)
Publisher	Don Clemente
Family	Betting and Bluffing, Bingo
Score	5.3 (Board Game Geek)

Specifications

Card size	Non-standard size (62mm x 94mm)
Deck size	54 cards
# of suits	n/a
Details	The whole deck consists of: 54 identical cards 10 tablas (boards) 80 plastic chips a “songbook”

The game play

Where to buy?

Amazon

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