How to Play Teen Patti (2024)

How to Play Teen Patti Game

Teen Patti is a card game pretty similar to poker, so if you already know how to play poker, you’ll be able to pick up on Teen Patti rules and terms quickly.

In any case, even if you’re a total beginner, we will try to explain all the important things regarding Teen Patti here, such as rules, terms, gameplay mechanics, etc.

Teen Patti Rules

Teen Patti, or 3 Patti as it is also called, is a popular card game that originated in India and is still played today, whether live or at online casinos in the country. So, let’s start with some basic Teen Patti rules.

The game is played with the standard 52-card deck, without the Jokers. Teen Patti can be played by 2 to 10 people and it is pretty similar to poker.

In fact, the game starts the same way as poker does, with all players putting the first wager before getting the cards. This is an ante, although it is also known as a boot. In any case, all players place this wager, which contributes to the overall pot.

Once all players place this initial bet, they are dealt the cards. The cards are dealt counterclockwise, starting with the player closest to the dealer. The dealer hands each player three cards face down.

The players can then choose whether they want to play with or without seeing the cards, which then opens up other options, which we will cover in more detail later in the article. The winner of the pot is the player with the strongest hand or the last player standing.

Teen Patti Terms

Before we continue explaining how to play Teen Patti, let’s first take a closer look at some of the terms used for certain things that occur during the game to help you understand the gameplay better.

• Boot — Another word for ante
• Post — Entry fee paid by a player who wants to re-join the game after a break
• Blind Player — Refers to a player who decides to play without seeing his cards
• Seen Player — Refers to a player who decides to play after seeing his cards
• Chaal — Term that describes call and raise bets
• Sideshow — Refers to a player asking for a duel with another player
• Show — Also known as showdown, happens when only two players remain in the game and the player with the better hand wins
• Pack — Another word for fold
• Fixed Limit — The maximum betting amount is equal to the last wagered amount and it can’t go higher than twice the last bet
• Spread Limit — The maximum betting amount is pre-determined, i.e. the players can raise the bet up to the certain limit set for the entire game
• No Limit — There is no limit to what the maximum betting amount is during the game

How to Start Playing Teen Patti

Once you get familiar with all terms and rules, you can start playing Teen Patti.

Before you can start the game, all players have to agree on the size of the ante or the boot. In addition to this, players also must agree on the limit for betting, whether they are playing No Limit, Spread Limit, or Fixed Limit game.

Of course, all of this is pre-determined when you play Teen Patti online, even if you play live Teen Patti. So, in that case, all you have to do is join the game and play according to these determined rules.

Teen Patti Gameplay Mechanics

We already explained some basic rules and terms, as well as how any Teen Patti game begins.

However, that is not enough to fully understand the game, so we will now take a closer look at the Teen Patti gameplay and explain in more detail some of the rules and terms and how you can use them to your advantage.

Also, keep in mind that there are many Teen Patti variations, so we will here cover the rules and gameplay mechanics for the standard version of Teen Patti.

Teen Patti Blind Player Rules

As we mentioned before, once you get your three face-down cards, you can choose if you want to play as a blind player or a seen player. That means that you get to decide if you want to see your cards or not before you bet.

So, if you decide to play blind, you place your bet without looking at the cards. This bet will either be the same as the boot or twice the boot amount if you’re playing first. If not, you have to bet the current stake amount, which is what the player before you bet. The maximum that you can bet as a blind player is twice the current stake amount.

As a blind player, you also can’t call for a show or sideshow, but you can call for a show once only two players remain, at least in most modern versions of Teen Patti.

At each betting turn, you can choose to remain blind or see your cards and become a seen player, after which you have to either pack or bet double the current stake amount.

On the other hand, you can also see your cards at the start of the game before you place your first bet and play as a seen player, which gives you more options down the road.

A bet placed by a blind player becomes the stake amount for the next player. However, if a seen player places the first bet, the stake amount for the next player is half of the amount bet by the seen player.

Teen Patti Chaal Rules

As we mentioned in the list of terms, chaal is a term that describes calling and raising in Teen Patti, so it is a phase that comes after ante bets and blind bets are placed. Players always have to play chaal or call for a sideshow. Another option is to pack, i.e. fold.

To play chaal, you have to place a bet in the pot. The bet has to be two either two or four times the current stake amount.

If the previous player was a blind player, the stake amount is the amount they bet, but if the previous player was seen player, the stake amount is half of what they bet.

Teen Patti Show Rules

Show, or showdown, only happens if two players remain in the game, but it also doesn’t have to happen if one of the two players decides to pack.

However, if one of the players asks and pays for a show, then the two players show their hands and the better hand wins. The other player can refuse to show and the betting phase continues. Players can refuse to show cards a maximum of two times per game, which also includes being asked for a sideshow. After that, they have to show cards or pack.

If you’re a blind player, the show costs you the amount of the stake, whether the other player is seen or blind.

A seen player can’t call for a show against a blind player, only bet or pack, in some versions of the game. In others, a seen player can call for a show by paying four times the current stake amount.

If both players are seen players, calling a show will cost them double the current stake amount and either one of them can call for a show.

Meanwhile, if the hands are equal after the show, the player who didn’t call/pay for the show wins the hand.

Teen Patti Pack Rules

Depending on what the players agree on before the game, they can decide to pack at any time or during their turn. In general, packing outside of your turn is seen as disrespectful unless agreed otherwise.

In any case, players can choose to pack, or fold, if they don’t think their cards are good enough to win. Of course, they can also try and bluff their way to a win if they can scare other players into packing.

Teen Patti Sideshow Rules

Any of the seen players in the game can ask for a sideshow when it’s their turn. A sideshow means asking the player who played before you to compare cards with him. This can only be done if that player is also a seen player and to ask for a sideshow, a player has to put double the current stake amount into the pot.

Players can then accept or reject a sideshow. However, a sideshow can only be rejected twice in one game. If the sideshow request is rejected, the player who asked for it has to keep playing, i.e. bet or pack.

Meanwhile, If the sideshow request is accepted, the players privately compare their hands and the one that has the worse hand has to pack. If the hands are equal, the player who asked for the sideshow is sent packing.

Teen Patti Compromise

You might get confused if you hear people talking about compromise in Teen Patti, but don’t be — compromise is the same thing as a sideshow.

So, it is pretty much just a different term for a sideshow and it is used in some variants of the game, although sideshow is the more commonly used term.

How to Play Teen Patti Online

By now, we hope that you have a better understanding of the basic rules, terms, and gameplay mechanics when it comes to Teen Patti.

So, we will now provide you with some tips and tricks that could help you learn how to play Teen Patti online and how to do it right.

Learn Teen Patti Rules

Obviously, before you start playing Teen Patti, you should learn all about the game’s rules. We have provided you with the basic rules here and that will most likely be enough for you to get the hang of the game.

However, it might be best to try playing for fun first, to do a practice run or two, before you start playing for real money. That way, when you do start playing for real, you can be as prepared as the next player.

Choose a Teen Patti Variation

We mentioned earlier in the article that Teen Patti comes in many different versions and the difference between losing and winning can be as simple as choosing the right Teen Patti variation to play.

Some of the most common variations are Discard One, Joker, Joker Wild, High Wild, 3-2-1, 1-2-3 Shopping, In and Out, 999, Nearest to 51, and more. So, read about them, learn about them, and choose the one that suits you best.

Know Teen Patti Hand Rankings

Before you start playing 3 Patti, you must learn all the hands and their strength as well, so check our article on Teen Patti sequences and hand strength.

In any case, here is a brief look at the hand rankings at Teen Patti:

• Trail/Set — The best possible hand in Teen Patti, consisting of three of the same cards
• Pure Sequence — Three cards of the same suit in consecutive order, basically like the straight flush in poker
• Sequence — Three consecutive cards of different suits, like straight in poker
• Colour — Three cards of the same suit that aren’t in consecutive order
• Pair — Two of the same cards
• High Card — Hand without any of the same cards, colour, or sequence

Read Teen Patti Winning Tips

While Teen Patti is mostly a game of luck, there is also skill involved in playing the game, just like it’s the case with poker. So, there are certain tips and strategies that you can use to improve your Teen Patti skills and your chances of winning.

If you’re interested in learning more about these strategies and tips, read our article on how to win at Teen Patti.

Choose a Casino From Our Lists

Playing Teen Patti at online casinos can be very fun, but in order to improve your chances of winning, you have to choose a good casino.

So, check our lists of top online casinos in India and which of them have different Teen Patti versions to offer. That way, you can play the version that you enjoy the most and still make sure that you’re playing at the right casino.

Manage Your Bankroll

One of the most important things you need to do when playing Teen Patti online, or any other casino game for that matter, is to manage your bankroll properly.

Set up a bankroll or a budget before you start playing and decide on how much of that bankroll you will spend at most per hand. We suggest betting 3-5% of your bankroll per hand at the most.

Have Fun and Enjoy Playing

Gambling should never be looked at as a way to earn money. Instead, it should be a fun activity that you can enjoy occasionally and the same goes for any casino game, including Teen Patti.

The key to having fun when playing Teen Patti is to gamble responsibly. If you gamble more than you plan to or can afford to, you might have a problem and you should consider asking for help.

Test Your Teen Patti Strategy at Best Online Casinos

Now that you know how to play Teen Patti, you can test what you learned by playing the game at one of the many online casinos in India.

With that in mind, we have prepared an extensive list of the best online casinos in the country that offer Teen Patti to their players, so make sure to check them out.