Teen Patti: A Complete Guide
Teen Patti, often called "Indian Poker," is India's most beloved card game that has captivated players for generations. Whether played during festive celebrations like Diwali or casual family gatherings, this three-card game combines skill, strategy, and cultural tradition into an exciting gaming experience that continues to thrive both offline and online.
This page covers everything from rules, how to play, strategy and more. Read on to learn the basics of Teen Patti so you can begin your journey to becoming an expert. You could even win real money from playing this fun-filled game.
How to play Teen Patti
It's almost time to enter the amazing world of Teen Patti, but first, have a quick read of our how to play guide.
- 1
Place your bet
Every game begins with all players contributing a fixed minimum stake called the "boot" or ante to create the initial pot. For example, if the boot amount is ₹10, each player contributes this amount before cards are dealt. This ensures everyone has a stake in the game from the start and establishes the base betting amount for the round. - 2
Blind or seen
You must decide whether to look at your cards (play seen) or keep them face down (play blind). This choice significantly impacts your betting requirements and strategic options throughout the hand. Blind players maintain the element of surprise and can bet smaller amounts, while seen players have the advantage of knowing their hand strength but must bet at least twice the ante. - 3
Round the table
Starting with the player to the dealer's left, betting proceeds clockwise around the table. Each player can either fold, call the current bet, or raise according to specific rules based on their blind or seen status. The betting continues until all but one player folds or only two players remain for a final showdown. - 4
Show your cards
When only two players remain, either player can request a "show" by paying the required amount. Both players then reveal their cards, and the player with the stronger hand wins the entire pot. If all players except one fold during the betting rounds, the remaining player automatically wins without revealing their cards. Check out the best Teen Patti sequences below to help you win.
Best apps to play Teen Patti
Playing Teen Patti on mobile is one of the easiest and most popular ways to play. These are the highest rated Teen Patti apps available:
Teen Patti by Octro
Teen Patti Gold
Superstar Teen Patti
Teen Patti sequences
Understanding the Teen Patti sequences, also known as hands, should be the first step for all new Teen Patti players. You can see the rankings of all the Teen Patti sequences below. They are arranged in descending order, from highest to lowest value.
Trail or Set
Pure Sequence
Sequence (run)
Colour
Pair
High card
Teen Patti rules
Teen Patti is a simple game that has a lot in common with different types of poker. Remember these simple rules and you'll be ready to play in no time:
- It’s usually played with between 3-7 players and the goal is to end up with the best hand or be the last remaining player in the round.
- Before the game starts, every player must place an ante in the pot known as the boot.
- The amount you must bet is determined by the current stake, which is the boot amount. Blind players must bet 1x or 2x the current stake, while seen players must bet either 2x or 4x.
- Unlike poker, the action continues around the table for as long as necessary and a showdown is only possible when there are two players left.
- If only two players are left one of them can pay for a show, they then compare hands and the one with the best cards wins the pot. Otherwise, the pot is won by the last remaining player if everyone else folds.
Teen Patti Betting Structure
Teen Patti Betting Structure
Understanding Teen Patti's betting mechanics is crucial for strategic play. The game features a unique structure that differentiates between blind and seen players, creating distinct betting rules for each category that differs significantly from poker's fixed betting rounds.
Ante Structure (Boot Amount)
Before any cards are dealt, every player contributes the boot amount to the pot. This fixed ante ensures immediate action and establishes the minimum stake for the game. For instance, in a ₹10 boot game, the initial pot starts at ₹70 with seven players (₹10 × 7 players). The boot amount typically determines all subsequent betting limits throughout the hand.Blind vs Seen Betting Rules
The betting structure varies significantly depending on whether you're playing blind (cards face down) or seen (after looking at your cards)- Can bet the current stake amount (₹10 if following a ₹10 bet) or double it (₹20)
- When following a seen player who bet ₹40, can bet ₹20 (half) or ₹40 (match)
- Maintains lower betting requirements, allowing for more conservative play
- Retains the psychological advantage of unpredictability
- Must bet at least double a blind player's stake to continue (₹40 if blind player bet ₹20)
- Can bet the current amount (₹40) or double it (₹80) when following another seen player
- When following a blind player who bet ₹10, can raise up to ₹40 (four times)
- Faces higher betting requirements but benefits from knowing hand strength
Call, Raise, and Fold Options
Each player has three primary actions during their turn. Calling means matching the current bet to stay in the hand, while raising increases the stakes according to the structured limits. For example, if a seen player bets ₹60, the next seen player can call for ₹60 or raise to ₹120. Folding forfeits your ante and removes you from the current hand, but protects you from further losses.Side-Show Procedures
Teen Patti includes a unique feature called "side-show" or "compromise" that adds an extra strategic dimension. After betting as a seen player, you can request a private card comparison with the previous seen player by paying double the current stake. If accepted, both players compare hands privately, and the weaker hand must fold. If refused, normal betting continues. This mechanism allows for strategic elimination of opponents without a full showdown.How to win at Teen Patti
Teen Patti is easy to learn, but getting a complete understanding of different strategies might take a little longer. There are plenty of quirks in the game that you can exploit to win more often - but only if you know what you’re doing. In this section, we’ve put together our top two tips on how to win.
Play smart, not emotionally
Don’t get overexcited by high cards, or discouraged by low ones - stick to your game-plan and play smart.Vary your strategies
If you always make the same moves - betting with high cards and folding with low ones for example - your style of play can quickly become predictable. Learn how to vary your strategies so other players won’t be able to predict your next move.
The odds of winning at Teen Patti
Hand | Frequency | Probability | Odds |
|---|---|---|---|
Trail or set | 52 | 0.24% | 424:00:1 |
Pure Sequence | 48 | 0.22% | 459:52 |
Sequence (run) | 720 | 3.26% | 26:69:1 |
Colour | 1096 | 4.96% | 19:16:1 |
Pair | 3744 | 16.94% | 4:90:1 |
High Card | 16440 | 74.39% | 0:34:1 |
Teen Patti variations
So far we’ve been focusing on the classic version of Teen Patti, but there are other variations out there. Some of them are cultural, where different regions have differing rules. Others are twists created by casinos.
All the variations in this section largely follow the standard Teen Patti rules, but with one or two twists. You might even find you prefer one of the Teen Patti variations to the original! Below are the most popular ones.
- 2-3-5
In this variation, 2-3-5 of the same suit is treated as a pure sequence. This brings the probability of making a pure sequence up to 0.24%, the same as a trail. This rule has its own logic since in classic Teen Patti a trail is the highest ranked sequence - even though it’s mathematically more common than a pure sequence.
- Muflis
Muflis functions like lowball poker: the hand rankings are the same but the order is reversed. Essentially, you’re betting on who has the worst hand. In a showdown, you win by having the lowest ranked hand. In Muflis A-A-A is the worst possible hand, while low ranked hands like 2-4-9 are very valuable.
- AK47
AK47 introduces the concept of jokers or wild cards to Teen Patti. In this game, A, K, 4 and 7 are all wild - meaning you can substitute them for any other card or suit in your hand. Other than this, the rules are the same.
- Joker
After the cards are dealt, the dealer deals one more card face up. The remaining 3 cards of that rank become jokers or wild cards, which can be substituted for any other card in the deck. For example, if the dealer deals out the 9♥️, then 9♣️, 9♦️, and 9♠️ become jokers.
- Best of Four
In this game, every player is dealt four cards instead of three, from which they must make the best possible three-card hand. The hand rankings and combinations are the same as regular Teen Patti and the game proceeds as normal.
Teen Patti history
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