Teen Patti Rules – a Complete Guide on How to Play Teen Patti Online
Online or offline, Teen Patti rules remain more or less the same in every game. However, a virtual or live dealer version of the game at a casino site will often digress from the traditional rules.
For the inexperienced, I have explained the rules of Teen Patti in the traditional game, as well as how it can differ at gambling sites. I have also mentioned how to get started with playing it online.
It’s very simple. All you need to do is follow the 3 steps below:
Visit a legit casino that offers Teen Patti.
Sign up to create a personal gambling account.
Fund your account with money.
1. Visit a Legit Casino That Offers Teen Patti
Here at GamblingBaba, my team has reviewed plenty of gambling sites that are offering the game in a live environment. In other words, Teen Patti played together with a real, professional croupier. Something that is made possible by a video stream.
To get started, the first step is to visit one of these casinos. Here’s a top 3 list for you that is guaranteed to give you a secure and high-quality gambling experience:
1
Fast Withdrawals
Welcome bonus up to
₹1 lakh
+ 100 free bets and extra high roller bonus Promo code: GAMBLINGBABA
To play Teen Patti, you need to sign up for an account with the casino site that you have chosen. This is easily done by clicking on a “Join Now” or “Sign Up” button. By doing so you will get to an account creation form that needs to be filled in. It can look something like this:
Create a casino account in order to play Teen Patti Online
3. Fund Your Account With Money
As soon as your account has been created, you’re able to fund it with money. Do note that the vast majority of gambling sites only allow you to play Teen Patti for real cash. To fund your account, click on a button that says “deposit” or shows a ₹ sign. This will open up a cashier that may look like this:
Fund your casino account with rupees by selecting your preferred deposit method
Choose your preferred deposit method and enter the amount you would like to deposit and you’re all set to play Teen Patti. Now all you have to do is to locate the game, which can be found by going to the live casino section of the site. If you have trouble finding it, just speak with customer support. They will help you out in an instant.
The first step to learning the Teen Patti rules begins with understanding the terminologies involved in the game. After that, you need to learn about the basic requirements, the goal of the game, the hand rankings, how the game begins, and how it plays out (the betting procedure). Let’s have a look at all of this!
Terminology in Teen Patti
Hand: The three cards you have been dealt.
Hand value: The strength of your hand. For instance, if you have a pair.
Dealer: The person handing out the cards which automatically sets the turn order.
Ante/boot: An initial amount of money that all players have to put in the pot each game round.
Pot: The total amount of money that players have bet which can be won in a game round.
Blind: A player who hasn’t looked at his cards.
Seen: A player who has looked at his cards.
Stake: The amount of money the previously acting player chose to bet.
Bet: Putting money in the pot to stay in the game, either in the form of a call or a raise.
Call: For blind players this is matching the stake and for seen players doubling the stake.
Raise: For blind players this is doubling the stake and for seen players quadrupling the stake.
Chaal: This is what the two options ‘call' and ‘raise' are known as for seen players.
Fold: Laying down your hand, thus giving up your chances of winning the pot.
Compromise/side-show: Two seen players agree to compare each other’s cards in secret. The loser must fold. This can happen at any time.
Showdown: All players show each other’s cards. The winner wins the pot. Unless played with a betting limit, this can only happen with two players left in a game round.
Betting limit: An optional rule that forces all players to a showdown when the pot reaches a certain amount.
Basic Game Requirements
Deck of cards: Anglo-American
Number of cards: 52 (joker not included)
Turn direction: Counterclockwise
Number of players: 2 to 10
Goal of the Game
In traditional Teen Patti, players compete against each other for real money. Each player is dealt three cards and can either win by having the highest valued hand at a showdown or by having all other players lay down their cards through betting. It’s a game that relies on luck, but also on psychology.
Played with real money, the goal is not to win each and every game round. You want to make the right folds to minimize your losses and maximize the value of the pot at the right times (when you're ahead) to become the big winner in the long run.
In traditional Teen Patti, Aces rank the highest and 2s the lowest. There are six different types of hand combinations that can be formed. I have explained these below and arranged them from the highest to the lowest rank.
1. Trail, Set or Trio (best hand combination in Teen Patti)
Three cards of the same kind regardless of color or suit form a trail (also known as a set or trio).
Highest ranked trail
AAA
Second highest
KKK
Lowest in rank
222
2. Pure Sequence or Straight Flush or Pakki Round
Three consecutive cards of the same suit form a pure Teen Patti sequence (also known as a straight flush or pakki round). The order of ranking begins with A-2-3 and ends with 4-3-2. Please note that A-K-Q is the second-highest pure sequence in Teen Patti. Also, note that K-A-2 is not a valid hand.
Highest-ranked pure sequence
A23
A23
A23
A23
Second highest
AKQ
AKQ
AKQ
AKQ
Lowest in rank
432
432
432
432
3. Sequence, Run or Straight
Three consecutive cards of three different suits form a Teen Patti sequence (also known as a run or a straight). The highest sequence is A-2-3 followed by A-K-Q, K-Q-J, and so on. Players should note that K-A-2 is not considered a sequence in Teen Patti.
Highest ranked sequence
A23
Second highest
AKQ
Lowest in rank
432
4. Color or Flush
Three cards of the same suit (Hearts, Clubs, Spades, or Diamonds) that are not in sequence form a color (also known as flush). The highest hand is A-K-J and the lowest is 5-3-2.
Highest ranked flush
AKJ
AKJ
AKJ
AKJ
Second highest
AK10
AK10
AK10
AK10
Lowest in rank
532
532
532
532
5. Pair
Two cards with the same rank form a pair regardless of color or suit. If two players have an identical pair, the value of the third card determines the winner. The highest-ranking hand is A-A-K and the lowest is 2-2-3.
Highest ranked pair
AA
Second highest
KK
Lowest in rank
22
6. High Card
If no other hand combination is made you will be left with a high card. This is simply the highest-ranking card that you’re holding in your hand. The best high card hand is an Ace followed by a King and a Jack as additional cards.
Highest high card
A
Second highest high card
K
Lowest in rank
2
Please note that in some versions of Teen Patti a normal sequence and pure sequence of A-K-Q is considered the best hand and A-2-3 the second best, followed by K-Q-J being the third best.
Teen Patti Hand Ranking Sheet for Download:
If you can’t remember the hand rankings in Teen Patti, you can save the picture below. It’s a ‘cheat sheet” making it easy to see which hands beat which. The sheet covers two types of hand rankings – the traditional version and a variant where there’s a difference in which sequence is the highest.
Starting a Round of Teen Patti
Teen Patti is played in different rounds with one player being the dealer in each. The dealer’s job is not only to distribute cards, but this person plays the game himself. The dealer will also change every game round in a counterclockwise manner.
Before any cards are dealt, an ante (also known as a boot amount) is collected from each player and placed on the table to form an initial pot. This is the minimum amount of money that players can win.
After that, the game begins with the dealer handing out three cards to each player in a counterclockwise manner. The cards are dealt face-down and to begin with, no one is allowed to look at them.
Playing the Game (the Betting Procedure)
As per traditional Teen Patti rules, the player with the best-ranking hand or the only player left wins the pot. Players take turns acting, beginning with the player sitting to the right of the dealer. Initially, each player is given the following choices:
Place an additional bet into the pot to continue playing (call or raise)
FoldTo fold in a game of cards is to quit and discard the hand, thus rejecting the prize money. the cards and give up any chance of winning
Players who wish to continue betting by calling or raising can do so in the two following ways:
As a ‘seen’ player – this is a player who has looked at his cards
As a ‘blind’ player – this is a player who has not looked at his cards
Why would you ever choose to play blind?
Good question! While it does come with the drawback of not knowing the strength of your hand, blind players are able to stay in the game for a much cheaper price. It costs them half as much to place a bet as it costs seen players. Let me elaborate.
Irrespective of whether you are a seen or a blind player, the bet amount of a call or raise will always be determined by the previous player’s stake. This stake is simply the amount of money that the player puts into the pot.
In the beginning of a game round, the player who is acting first will have his bet amount determined by the ante, which is the initial stake.
Now let me explain the difference in bet sizes between blind and seen players
If you choose to play as blind you will have the following two betting options:
Bet an amount equal to the stake (this is a call)
Bet an amount twice (2x) the stake (this is a raise)
If you choose to play as seen your two betting options look like this:
Bet an amount twice (2x) the stake (this is a call)
Bet an amount four times (4x) the stake (this is a raise)
Furthermore, it’s important to note that the stake each acting player’s bet is based on varies depending on whether the previously acting player (the one who created the stake) is playing blind or seen. If it’s a blind player nothing happens, but if the stake was created by a seen player, it is halved for the currently acting one.
It may sound confusing, but let me illustrate it all with an example:
Ramesh, Suresh and Hitesh are playing Teen Patti with an ante of ₹100.
Ramesh is first to act. He decides to play as blind, thus he has the option of calling ₹100 or raising to ₹200. He decides to just call ₹100.
Stake: ₹100 (remains unaffected)
Suresh is second to act. He wants to see his cards and decides to play as seen. The last bet made was ₹100 so he can either call ₹200 (as a seen player it costs him twice as much) or he can raise to ₹400. He likes his cards so he raises to ₹400.
Stake: ₹400 (but is halved to ₹200 as Suresh is playing seen)
Hitesh is last to act. He also decides to play as seen. Since the player who just made a bet was seen, the stake is not ₹400, but it's halved to ₹200. This means that Hitesh can either call ₹400 or raise to ₹800. He just calls ₹400.
Stake: ₹400 (but is halved to ₹200 as Hitesh is playing seen)
Once again it is Ramesh’s turn to act. He could see his cards if he wanted to, but he keeps playing as blind. The stake is ₹200 since the last player was seen. Thus he can call ₹200 or raise to ₹400. He just calls ₹200.
Stake: ₹200 (remains unaffected)
It’s Suresh time to act again. The last player was blind so the stake is not halved, but it sits at ₹200. Unless Suresh wants to fold and give up, he can either bet ₹400 or raise to ₹800. He is still happy with his hand and decides to raise to ₹800.
Stake: ₹800 (but is halved to ₹400 as Suresh is playing seen)
This betting procedure can go on for a long time, constantly increasing the pot size. There are, however, other things that can happen as well. At any point, a player can fold if he feels like his cards aren’t good enough. A blind player can also choose to see his cards whenever he likes to. However, a seen player can never go back to playing blind.
If a seen player is acting after another seen player, a compromise (also known as a side-show) can be requested. It is up to the player who has been asked to accept or refuse this request. In other words, a compromise can only happen when two seen players agree on it.
The exception to this rule is if a player has been asked for a comprise two times and denied it. He is then forced to accept it on the third request.
If a compromise is accepted, the two players compare their hands in secret. The player with the worst hand must fold immediately. Alternatively, if it’s a tie, the one requesting the compromise must fold immediately.
If a compromise is rejected, the player requesting it must bet an amount equal to the previous player’s bet.
Do note that a blind player can never request a sideshow.
The game continues to be played until one of the following two events happens:
All players except one have folded In this case, the last player takes home the pot even if his hand isn’t the highest-ranking one. His cards are not shown to anyone.
All players except two have folded and one of the remaining players requests a showdown In this case, the player asked will have the option of folding or calling. A call will cost him x2 the stake if he's playing blind and x4 the stake if he's playing seen. If he calls, the hands are compared and the highest-ranking one wins the pot. In case of a tie, the player who didn’t request the showdown wins the pot.
Please note that a showdown can only happen when there are two players left in the game. Also note that if none of the players request a showdown, the betting will continue until one of them does. Additionally, a blind player can never request a showdown.
A quick explanation of the betting difference between a seen and blind player in Teen Patti
Limited or Unlimited Teen Patti
It should be mentioned that many different variations of Teen Patti exist. While I won’t be talking about these in this particular article, I do want to say that the game can either be played unlimited or with a limit.
When Teen Patti is played with a limit, this means that the pot can only grow so big before players are forced to a showdown. This also means that the showdown can happen between more than two players.
It may for instance be that the limit of the game has been decided to be 200 times the initial ante. If the ante is ₹100, this means that the pot is limited to a size of ₹20,000. When the pot reaches this amount, all players will automatically go for a showdown and a winner will be decided.
How Does Online Teen Patti Differ From the Offline Game?
First of all, I need to mention that it doesn’t have to differ at all. Traditional Teen Patti can in fact be played online just as it is played in households all over India. For instance, some sites may allow you to play real Teen Patti against other players for money. This is, however, not the case with the vast majority of Teen Patti games offered by online casinos. These are very different.
In these games, you do not compete against other players for a pot, but you play against the casino. This can either be with a human croupier dealing out real cards in a live dealer game or in a virtual environment where you play against a computer and are dealt virtual cards.
In live dealer games, you play one-on-one with the dealer and share the experience with other players who are doing the same. There is no such thing as playing blind, but your cards are always dealt face-up, thus you are obliged to play as a seen player.
The hand rankings may also differ from the traditional game. For instance, the highest sequence in traditional Teen Patti is A-2-3. However, in most online versions, the highest hand in a sequence is A-K-Q.
A stark difference can also be seen in the way the bets are placed. In some online Teen Patti versions, the entire game is about betting on the outcome. You simply bet on one of two sides to get the best hand – an experience very similar to Baccarat.
The Teen Patti rules further depend on how individual software providers have designed their games. To explain it with more clarity, I have discussed below the Teen Patti versions from the following top providers in the online gambling industry:
Ezugi currently has three versions for Teen Patti – all of which are played live together with a dealer:
Teen Patti 3 Cards
Bet on Teen Patti
One Day Teen Patti
1. Teen Patti 3 Card
It wouldn’t be wrong to rename this game to Three Card Poker, because it’s identical to it. Apart from the main Teen Patti game, players can wager money on two side bets – “Pair or Better” and “3 + 3 Bonus”. Dealer tipping is available and the game can be accessed 24/7.
Players are pitted against the dealer one-on-one. To win, a player’s cards must rank higher than the dealer’s. Like the traditional game, a player has to bet an ante amount before the cards are dealt. However, unlike traditional Teen Patti, the player is dealt his cards face up while the cards of the dealer are dealt face down.
The player now has the option to bet an amount twice the ante and play the hand or fold and quit. If you choose to play, there’s an immediate showdown. The dealer reveals his cards and whoever has the best hand wins.
How much you win depends on if the dealer qualified or not. Qualifying means that the dealer’s hand must be at least Queen high. Here are the possible outcomes of the game and their payouts:
Result
Payout From Ante
Payout From Play
Dealer disqualifies, you win
1:1 (2x)
Push (stake back)
Dealer qualifies, you win
1:1 (2x)
1:1 (2x)
Dealer qualifies, you lose
Lose
Lose
Dealer qualifies, it’s a tie
Push (stake back)
Push (stake back)
You fold
Lose
-
Please note that 1:1 (2x) means receiving a payout that is twice as high as your bet amount. So if you place an ante for ₹100 and play for another ₹200 and you win with the dealer qualifying, you are paid ₹100 x2 (= ₹200) + ₹200 x2 (= ₹400). Also, note that push means getting your stake back.
In Teen Patti 3 Card you will also receive an additional payout from your ante if you manage to get a straight, straight flush or three of a kind. It doesn’t matter if you win or lose against the dealer, but this amount is always paid as long as you haven’t folded and the dealer qualifies.
Hand Ranking
Payout From Ante
Payout From Play
Straight Flush
5:1 (6x)
-
Three of a Kind
4:1 (5x)
-
Straight
1:1 (2x)
-
The two side bets are optional and pay irrespective of the result of the main game. They must be bet on alongside the opening ante in the base game. The Pairs or Better side bet pays when the dealer has a pair or better in his hand. The 3 + 3 side bet pays when the combined hand of the player and the dealer makes a three-of-a-kind or better using five cards in total.
Players must note that Teen Patti 3 Card comes with an optimal RTPRTP stands for "Return to Player" and is a percentual value that all casino games have. It shows you how much you are expected to win in the long run. A game with a 96% RTP is for instance expected to return ₹96 for every ₹100 staked. of 96.63%. Therefore, the player would receive ₹96.63 for every ₹100 he bets over a period of time. Similarly, the RTP of the Pair or Better side bet is 95.51% and that of the 3 + 3 side bet is 91.44%.
2. Bet on Teen Patti
Ezugi’s Bet on Teen Patti is more of a live guessing game where two sides known as Player A and Player B are pitted against each other. Three cards are dealt for each of these sides and you as a player have to bet on which side you think will have a higher-ranking hand.
Dealer tipping is possible and the game comes with the same two side bets – Pair Plus (similar to Pair or Better) and 3 + 3 Bonus that carry the same RTP.
The gameplay is unlike the traditional format of placing an initial ante and choosing to play. Instead, users are required to place a bet on player A or B to participate in the game before the cards are dealt. The showdown then immediately happens.
3. One Day Teen Patti
Similar to Bet on Teen Patti, this is a guessing game where players bet on one of two sides – Player A or Player B.
However, unlike the above game, 3 cards are not immediately dealt to both sides. Instead, only single cards are dealt which are followed by additional betting rounds.
A total of 6 single cards are dealt and a total of 6 betting rounds take place. On each round, the payouts change as the odds of winning are affected by the hands dealt to both sides.
This adds an interesting element to the game where you are able to bet against yourself. For instance, you may initially have placed a bet on Player A, but once you see two of the cards dealt to Player B, you decide to bet on that side as well.
In this Teen Patti game, there are no side bets.
Evoplay Teen Patti vs. Traditional Teen Patti
EvoPlay's version of Teen Patti (played virtually)
Evoplay’s Teen Patti is a virtual gameVirtual games are gambling products that are played in a virtual environment against the computer as oppossed to being played in a live environment where a video stream allows you to play against real dealers., which means that there won’t be any live croupier dealing your cards. You will play against an AI and hope for lady luck to smile on you. The game has an RTP of 97.5%, which means that you will win ₹97.5 from every ₹100 you bet (in the long run).
Evoplay clearly states that their version of Teen Patti is based on the rules of classic poker. Needless to say, it is indeed different from the traditional game. However, like traditional Teen Patti, players can actually choose to play blind. An initial ante amount has to be placed, which is then followed by the option of seeing your cards or playing blind.
If you play blind, an amount equal to the ante will go into the bet. You can now undo the move or see your cards. Once you’ve seen the cards, you will have the option to continue betting or folding. If you choose to bet, an amount equal to the ante is placed. The dealer’s cards will then be revealed and a showdown will happen.
If you choose to see your cards right after they’re dealt, you will have the option to bet or fold. If you choose to bet, an amount 2x the ante will go into the pot and a showdown will happen.
Wondering what's the point of playing blind? You will receive higher payouts if you win. This is what the paytable looks like:
Result
Bet Payout
Blind Payout
Trail
25:1
45:1
Pure Sequence
15:1
25:1
Sequence
5:1
7:1
Color
1:1
5:1
Pair
Push (stake back)
1:1
Super Spade Games Teen Patti vs. Traditional Teen Patti
Super Spade Games' version of Teen Patti
Super Spade Games’ Teen Patti is more or less identical to Ezugi’s Bet on Teen Patti. Player A is pitted against player B and the user is required to bet on which player will have a higher ranking hand. You will also find the two side bets “Pair Plus” and “3 + 3”.
There are only two differences between the two versions – apart from the user interface which of course has a unique design. The payouts for the Pair Plus side bet are slightly different and with Super Spade Game’s Teen Patti you can bet on a hand ending in a tie, which you can’t in Ezugi’s version.
BetConstruct Teen Patti vs. Traditional Teen Patti
BetConstruct's Version of Teen Patti
The Teen Patti from BetConstruct is more or less the same as the “One Day Teen Patti” offered by Ezugi. You get to bet on two sides that are pitted against each other – Player A and Player B. This is how a game round is played:
An initial bet is placed on Player A or Player B
A single card is dealt to Player A
Another (optional) bet is now placed – either on Player A or Player B
A single card is dealt to Player B
Another (optional) bet is now placed – either on Player A or Player B
This pattern continues until all three cards have been dealt to both players and a winner is determined. It’s a slow and exciting game with odds that are constantly changing with each new card. Based on these odds you can choose to increase or decrease your bet.
Unlike Ezugi's One Day Teen Patti, this game also features a side-bet option for wagering money on different hand combinations. You can bet on a pair, flush, straight, straight flush, and three-of-a-kind occurring. This bet can be placed at any time and therefore the payouts will fluctuate depending on the current odds.
A Note on Octro Teen Patti
If you’re wondering why I haven’t mentioned anything about the insanely popular Octro Teen Patti, this is because this is not a real money game. It is more of a multiplayer social game that comes in the form of a mobile app and can be played via Facebook with your friends or strangers in public or private. You receive chips for free which you can place bets with.
While Octro Teen Patti follows the traditional rules of the game, its hand rankings differ. For a Pure and normal Sequence, the highest hand is A-K-Q. Play this version only if you want to learn the game and different variations such as Mufliss, AK47, 999, Joker, Revolving Joker, 4X Boot, Banco, and more. Otherwise, it is just another source of entertainment without real money winnings.
Some people might argue that it’s possible to make money online by playing Octro Teen Patti. However, most of them are players who exchange their chips for cash in private. The game makers are not part of this activity as no monetary transactions except in-app purchases are supported.
In case you choose to buy or sell chips in private, you always run the risk of getting defrauded. Moreover, this is unethical. If you want to make the most of your gaming sessions, there are a number of online casinos to play Teen Patti for real money. Try them instead.
Conclusion
Although Teen Patti rules in online casino games are more or less the same, players might find significant differences depending on the type of game they play. Suppliers of virtual RNG Teen Patti for real money gambling sites often offer their unique take on, pitting players against a dealer instead of other players.
As a diehard fan of this amazing game, you must, however, try out the live dealer versions – especially the ones from Evolution, Ezugi, and Playtech. If you're not sure where to find them, check out the Teen Patti gambling sites and apps I have sorted for you.
Mattias Fröbrant is a passionate iGaming journalist renowned for his comprehensive reviews of over 300 gambling sites in India. With a remarkable 17-year gambling experience and a background working for industry giants like Betsson Group, Mattias has earned recognition as a leading expert in the Indian online gambling field.
At GamblingBaba, Mattias’s commitment to providing accurate and easily digestible information shines through meticulously researched reviews, guides, and news articles. His strong belief in honesty and transparency ensures that readers receive the most reliable insights on the Indian gambling landscape.
