A Game of Chance — AP Board Class 6 English
'If something seems TOO GOOD to be true — it probably IS.'
1. About the Chapter
'A Game of Chance' is a story set at a VILLAGE FAIR. A young boy named RASHEED visits the fair with his uncle. He watches a crowd gathered around the 'LUCKY SHOP' — a stall where you pay money, pick a number, and win a 'prize.' The shopkeeper always seems to GIVE more than he TAKES. People win EVERY time. But Rasheed's uncle warns him: 'Stay away. It is a TRICK.' Rasheed does not listen — and learns a HARD lesson about GAMBLING and DECEPTION.
Why This Story Matters for AP Board Students
- Village fairs are COMMON across Andhra Pradesh (especially during Sankranti and festivals)
- 'The Lucky Shop' is an EVERYDAY example of gambling
- Teaches FINANCIAL LITERACY — 'know when you are being cheated'
- 'The lesson Rasheed learns is worth MORE than any prize'
- Important for DEBATES on gambling in Indian society
2. About the Author
This is an ADAPTED story — the original source is unclear. Like many NCERT selections, it is drawn from folk storytelling traditions. The 'trickster shopkeeper' is a UNIVERSAL character found in folklore across the world.
The Trickster Tale
The 'trickster' figure — someone who CHEATS others through clever deception — appears in:
- Indian folk tales (the clever jackal, Tenali Raman)
- Telugu folk tales (the cunning merchant)
- World folklore (the fox, coyote, Loki)
3. Characters
| Character | Role | Key Trait |
|---|---|---|
| Rasheed | A young boy visiting the fair | Curious, naive, trusting |
| Uncle | Rasheed's wise guardian | Experienced, cautious, protective |
| The Shopkeeper | Owner of the 'Lucky Shop' | Deceptive, greedy, a TRICKSTER |
| The Crowd | Other people at the fair | Some are HONEST, some are SHILLS (fake winners) |
4. Detailed Summary
Part 1: Excitement at the Fair
Rasheed is THRILLED to visit the village fair. There are:
- Colourful stalls with sweets and toys
- Merry-go-rounds and swings
- Magic shows and puppet shows
- Bright lights and LOUD music
Everything is WONDERFUL to young Rasheed's eyes.
Part 2: The 'Lucky Shop'
Rasheed notices a BIG crowd around a stall. A sign reads: 'LUCKY SHOP — TRY YOUR LUCK!'
The shopkeeper calls out: 'Come, come! Pay ONE rupee. Pick a number. Win a PRIZE!'
A customer pays one rupee, picks a number — and wins a BIG prize (a beautiful clock worth 10 rupees).
Another customer pays — and wins again!
The crowd gets EXCITED. Everyone wants to PLAY.
Part 3: The Uncle's Warning
Rasheed's uncle pulls him aside. He says quietly:
'Do not believe what you SEE. Those 'customers' who are winning — they are the shopkeeper's ASSISTANTS. They pretend to be customers. They make it LOOK like everyone wins. But YOU will lose.'
'Don't be FOOLED by appearances,' says the uncle.
Part 4: The Uncle Leaves
The uncle has work to do. He leaves Rasheed with strict instructions: 'Stay HERE. Do NOT go near the Lucky Shop.'
Rasheed PROMISES.
Part 5: Rasheed's Curiosity Wins
But the Lucky Shop is TOO tempting. The shopkeeper calls out: 'Come, young man! Try your luck! Everyone WINS!'
Rasheed thinks: 'My uncle is too CAUTIOUS. I will just play ONCE. What harm can it do?'
Part 6: The First Try
Rasheed pays ONE rupee. He picks a number.
The shopkeeper says: 'Sorry — no prize this time. Try AGAIN!'
Rasheed is surprised but not discouraged.
Part 7: More Losses
Rasheed tries AGAIN. And AGAIN. And AGAIN.
Every time, he LOSES. The shopkeeper keeps encouraging him: 'NEXT time, for sure!'
Part 8: All His Money is Gone
Rasheed keeps playing — hoping to RECOVER his losses. But he only LOSES more.
Finally, he realises: ALL his money is GONE. He has NOTHING left.
He feels STUPID. He feels CHEATED.
Part 9: The Bitter Lesson
Rasheed's uncle returns. He finds Rasheed CRYING.
'I lost ALL my money, uncle. The Lucky Shop... I played... and I lost everything.'
His uncle says: 'I TOLD you it was a TRICK. The shopkeeper is a CROOK. Those 'winners' were his helpers. The game is RIGGED. But you had to LEARN this lesson yourself, didn't you?'
Rasheed nods sadly. He has learned a VALUABLE lesson.
5. Themes
Gambling and Deception
'The house ALWAYS wins.' Gambling is designed to make you LOSE.
Greed
Rasheed was not GREEDY at first. But the SHOPKEEPER'S GREED tricked him. Greed on both sides leads to LOSS.
Curiosity and Consequences
Rasheed was CURIOUS — but he did not LISTEN to his uncle's warning. Curiosity without CAUTION leads to trouble.
The Value of Listening to Elders
'If your elders warn you — LISTEN. They have EXPERIENCE you don't.'
6. Literary Devices
Irony
The shop is called 'Lucky Shop' — but no one is lucky except the trickster shopkeeper.
Foreshadowing
The uncle's warning EARLY in the story hints at what will happen.
First-Person/Third-Person Narration
The story is mostly told from Rashed's PERSPECTIVE — we share his excitement and his disappointment.
Moral Tale
The story is a CLASSIC moral tale — a clear lesson is taught through a negative experience.
7. Vocabulary / New Words
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Fair | A temporary event with entertainment and shops |
| Lucky | Fortunate, having good luck |
| Prize | Something won in a competition or game |
| Trick | A clever act intended to deceive |
| Crook | A dishonest person, a cheat |
| Rigged | Dishonestly arranged to give a certain result |
| Shill | A person who pretends to be a customer to trick others |
8. Important Quotes
| Quote | Speaker | Significance |
|---|---|---|
| 'Don't believe what you SEE.' | Uncle | Appearances can be DECEPTIVE |
| 'Do NOT go near the Lucky Shop.' | Uncle | A CLEAR warning — Rasheed ignores it |
| 'Try your luck! Everyone WINS!' | Shopkeeper | A CLASSIC line from every trickster |
| 'I lost ALL my money.' | Rasheed | The PAINFUL realisation |
| 'You had to learn this lesson yourself.' | Uncle | Experience is the BEST teacher — but also the HARSHEST |
9. Short Answer Questions (2-3 marks each)
1. Where did Rasheed go with his uncle? Rasheed went to a VILLAGE FAIR with his uncle.
2. What was the 'Lucky Shop'? A stall where you pay money, pick a number, and supposedly win a prize.
3. What did the uncle warn Rasheed? The uncle warned that the 'Lucky Shop' is a TRICK. The winners are the shopkeeper's helpers.
4. Why didn't Rasheed listen to his uncle? Rasheed was CURIOUS and thought his uncle was being too cautious.
5. What happened when Rasheed played the game? He LOST all his money. The game was rigged so that only the shopkeeper's assistants would win.
6. How did Rasheed feel at the end? He felt STUPID, CHEATED, and SAD. He learned a hard lesson.
7. What is the moral of the story? Do not be FOOLED by appearances. If something seems too good to be true, it probably IS a trick. Listen to ELDERS.
10. Long Answer Questions (6-8 marks each)
1. Describe the trick used by the Lucky Shop owner. How did he cheat people? The shopkeeper used a SIMPLE but effective trick. He employed ASSISTANTS who PRETENDED to be customers. They would pay one rupee and 'win' a big prize — making the game look EASY. Real customers — like Rasheed — would see this and think they could win too. But the game was RIGGED. The numbers were arranged so that only the ASSISTANTS would win. Real customers ALWAYS lost. The shopkeeper's PROFIT came from the money lost by REAL customers.
2. 'Rasheed's uncle was WISE. Rasheed was NAIVE.' Explain. The uncle had EXPERIENCE. He had seen such tricks before. He KNEW the Lucky Shop was a scam. He warned Rasheed directly. Rasheed, however, was NAIVE — he had never been cheated before. He thought everyone was HONEST. He trusted what he SAW (people 'winning') instead of trusting his uncle's WORDS. The story shows that WISDOM comes from experience, and young people should LISTEN to those who know more.
3. What does this story teach us about GAMBLING? Gambling is DESIGNED to benefit the owner — not the player. The 'game' looks fair but is RIGGED. People lose BECAUSE the system is built for them to lose. The 'winners' you see are FAKE — planted to tempt real players. Gambling can make you LOSE all your money. The SAFEST way to win is NOT TO PLAY. This lesson is especially relevant in India, where gambling is banned in most states.
4. 'The story is a warning to children — and ADULTS too.' Do you agree? Why? YES. Even adults can be tricked by GET-RICH-QUICK schemes, lottery scams, and online gambling. The same PRINCIPLE applies: if it looks too easy, it is a TRAP. The story teaches: always QUESTION things that seem TOO GENEROUS. Always LISTEN to those who have more experience. Whether you are 10 or 40 — the lesson is the SAME.
11. AP Board Context
- AP Board moral value questions often reference A Game of Chance.
- Telugu connection: Village 'sandadi' (fair) during festivals like Sankranti — many such 'lucky shops' exist.
- Discussion: 'Is gambling a PROBLEM in Indian society? Should games of chance be banned?'
- Activity: Write a SCENE where Rasheed tells his friends what happened at the fair.
- Writing task: 'Write an ADVERTISEMENT warning people about fake 'Lucky Shops'.'
12. Fun Activity
'Create a HONEST Lucky Shop!' Imagine you are running a stall at a fair — but you want to be HONEST. Describe your stall. What game will you play? How will you make sure everyone has a FAIR chance of winning? Why is your shop DIFFERENT from the one in the story?
