Teen Patti or 3 Patti is a popular card game widely played in India and South Asia. It is an exciting game that requires strategic thinking and skill to win the pot. According to the rules of Teen Patti, the game is played with a standard deck of 52 cards (excluding jokers), and the objective is to create the best three-card hand to win the pot.
The rules of Teen Patti are quite similar to those of poker, but there are some differences. This game is ideally played between 4 to 7 players, and the goal is to form the best Teen Patti hand to win the pot. Each player places an initial bet and then receives three face-down cards to start the game.
To better understand how to play 3 Patti and consistently win, continue reading.
To help you understand the rules of Teen Patti, we have divided them into six main categories:
- Rules for Hand Rankings in Teen Patti
- Gameplay Rules for Teen Patti
- Rules for Blind and Seen Players in Teen Patti
- Showdown Rules for 3 Patti
- Summary of Teen Patti Rules
- Rules for Different Variations of the Game
Learn more about the Teen Patti (3 Patti) card game here.
To learn how to play Teen Patti, you must know the essential rules of the game.
Teen Patti Rules Chart – Hand Rankings
When learning how to play Teen Patti, the first thing to learn is the rules for hand rankings. There are six Teen Patti hand rankings, with Trail or Trio being the highest hand on the 3 Patti hand rankings chart and High Card being the lowest. The 3 Patti hand rankings are listed below in descending order:
How to Play Teen Patti Online? – Gameplay Rules for Teen Patti
If you want to become a pro at Teen Patti, here’s how to understand the Teen Patti rules:
Trail/Three of a Kind/Trio
A Trail, Trio, or Three-of-a-Kind hand consists of three cards of the same rank. For example, three aces (A♥️ A♠️ A♣️) is the highest-ranking Three-of-a-Kind combination, and triple twos (2♣️ 2♦️ 2♥️) is the lowest-ranking Trail combination.
Pure Sequence/Straight Run:
A Pure Sequence or Straight Run consists of three consecutive cards of the same suit. For example, A♦️ 2♦️ 3♦️ is the highest-ranking Pure Sequence, followed by A♦️ K♦️ Q♦️ and K♦️ Q♦️ J♦️. The Pure Sequence that is the lowest in 3 Patti is determined to be 4♦️ 3♦️ 2♦️. Please take note that the sequence 2♦⸏ A♦⸏ K♦⸏ does not constitute a valid Pure Sequence.
Sequence/Normal Run:
A Sequence or Normal Run is three consecutive cards that are not all of the same suit. The highest-ranking Normal Run is A♠️ 2♥️ 3♠️, followed by A♥️ K♣️ Q♠️, K♦️ Q♠️ J♥️, and so on down to 4♠️ 3♥️ 2♦️
Color/Flush:
A Flush or Color hand consists of three cards of the same suit in no particular order. For example, A♣️ Q♣️ J♣️ forms a Color or Flush. If two players make Flush hands, the highest card is compared. If the highest card in both hands has the same rank, the second highest card is compared. If the second highest card also has the same rank, the rank of the lowest card is compared. A-K-J is the highest-ranking flush hand, while 5-3-2 is the second-lowest-ranking flush hand.
Pair:
Two cards of the same rank plus a third card that serves as a kicker are required to form a pair. If we take AAK or JJ-9 as an example, we have a pair. The pair with the greatest point total is AAK, whereas the pair with the lowest point total is 2-2-3.
High Card or No Pair:
In the game of High Card or No Pair, the three cards that make up the hand do not create any other possible combination. The cards A-K-J of mixed suits are the highest-ranking High Card hand, while the cards 5-3-2 are the lowest-ranking High Card hand.
- Number of Players: 3 to 6 players
- Deck: Teen Patti uses a 52-card deck
- Card Rankings: A (high), K, Q, J, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2 (low)
Objective: The objective of the card game known as 3 Patti is to assemble the three-card hand combination that has the best possible ranking in order to win the pot. Players strive to increase the size of the pot as the game proceeds in order to obtain the greatest possible victory. The person who finishes the game with the best possible combination of cards is the winner of the pot.
Shuffling and Dealing Rules for 3 Patti: According to the Teen Patti rules, the dealer shuffles the standard 52-card deck (without jokers) before dealing. Before the dealer deals the cards, each player places a predetermined boot amount into the pot. The dealer then deals three cards to each player clockwise. The cards are dealt face-down, so no player can initially see their cards.
Betting Process Rules in Teen Patti: At the beginning of the game, the player on the left of the dealer is the one who begins the clockwise rotation. Players put their wagers in accordance with the strength of the hand they are holding. Players have the option of placing their wagers either without looking at their cards (often known as “playing blind”) or after they have seen their cards. Folding and placing no bet are two more options available to players. When a player decides to fold, the amount of money they contributed to the pot is no longer considered.
Blind Players’ Rules in Teen Patti: According to the Teen Patti rules, if a player chooses to play blind, they cannot see their cards before placing their bet. The blind player’s bet must be equal to but not exceed twice the total amount in the pot. If the first player is a blind player, their bet must be equal to or greater than the boot.
The amount placed in the pot by the blind player becomes the betting amount. The next player must match or exceed the betting amount when placing their bet. However, seen players must place twice the betting amount.
A blind player can also request a show, after which the hands of both players are compared, and the winner takes the pot.
- During the game, there should be no more than two players left..
- A blind player must pay an amount equal to the bet for the show, regardless of whether the other player is a seen or blind player.
- Seen players cannot request a show. You have the option of either placing your stake or folding if you are a spectator player.
- If both players are seen players, and one of them requests a show, the player requesting the show must place an amount equal to twice the current bet into the pot.
- If the hands of both players in the show are tied, the player who requested the show loses the hand.
Seen Players’ Rules in Teen Patti: According to the Teen Patti rules, a seen player can play a move, show, sideshow, or fold. As a seen player, if you wish to stay in the game after seeing your cards, you must play a move.
When a seen player plays a move, they place their bet, which must be between two and four times the current bet (or the boot if they are the first player). If the previous player was a blind player, the bet amount becomes the stake. If the previous player was a seen player, half of their bet becomes the stake.
According to the above-mentioned show rules, any player can request a show. A player can also request a sideshow from another player. According to the sideshow rules in Teen Patti:
- A seen player can compare their cards with the last players (provided one or more players remain in the game and the previous player was a seen player).
- The player requesting a sideshow must place an amount equal to twice the current bet in the pot.
- The previous player can accept or reject the sideshow.
- If the previous player rejects the sideshow, the cards are not compared, and the round continues.
- If the previous player accepts the sideshow, the cards of both players are compared, and if the player requesting the sideshow has the higher-ranking hand, the previous player must fold.
- If the previous player has the higher-ranking hand, the player requesting the sideshow must fold.
Sideshow Rules in Teen Patti: In Teen Patti, the sideshow (also known as compromise) rule allows players to compare their cards with another player during the game, provided they request it.
However, it depends on the discretion of the player being asked for a sideshow whether to agree to it or not. This means that a sideshow can only happen if both players agree to it, with blind players excluded from initiating it.
There are certain special conditions for this rule:
- If a player rejects two sideshow requests, they must accept the third request.
- If a sideshow is accepted, both players privately compare their hands, and the player with the weaker hand must immediately fold. In case of a tie, the player who initiated the sideshow should fold.
- If the sideshow is rejected, the player who requested it must match the previous player’s bet.
Showdown Rules for 3 Patti: The 3 Patti game reaches a showdown when only two players remain in the game, and the other players have folded.
- A show or showdown only occurs when two players remain, and the other players have folded.
- If you are a blind player, you must place an amount equal to the current bet into the pot for a show.
- If you are a seen player, you must place an amount equal to twice the current bet into the pot for a show.
- The player who has the highest-ranking hand is the one who takes home the pot.
- If both players have the same rank hand, the player who did not request the show wins the pot.
In rare cases, the Teen Patti rules allow a player to take a show with the fourth remaining player. This can only happen if the first player who folded wants to reveal their cards for fun. However, if the player who took the show wins, they do not receive the pot.
Summary of Teen Patti Rules
Teen Patti is a strategic and exciting card game popular among Indian players. To help you become a 3 Patti master, we’ve summarized the Teen Patti rules below:
- Trail: Three cards of the same rank
- Pure Sequence: There are three cards of the same suit occurring in a row.
- Sequence: In a row, three cards that are not of the same suit, but are consecutive
- Color: Three cards of the same suit
- Pair: Two cards of the same rank
- High Card: Highest single card with no matching pair
The Teen Patti game is played clockwise. The players must choose whether to play blind or seen. The betting starts with the first player and moves clockwise. Players can place a bet, sideshow, or fold depending on their hand’s strength.
When only two players remain in the game, a showdown occurs, and the player with the highest-ranking hand wins the pot.
In Teen Patti, a seen player can request a sideshow to compare their hand with the previous player’s hand, provided both players agree. A player must pay twice the betting amount to request a sideshow. If the previous player accepts, the cards are compared, and the player with the weaker hand must fold.
Rules for Different Variations of the Game
You can also play different variations of the Teen Patti card game online, each with its own rules.
- Joker Teen Patti: In Joker Teen Patti, certain cards are designated as jokers, which can substitute any card to create a better hand.
- Muflis: In this variation, the lowest-ranking hand wins the pot, which is the opposite of the classic Teen Patti rules.
- AK47: In AK47, Aces, Kings, Fours, and Sevens are jokers, making the game more thrilling.
Now that you know the Teen Patti rules, practice and play with friends to master the game!
