How to Play Teen Patti: India’s Answer to Three Card Brag

India has long been a nation of card players, with families and friends enjoying table games that run long into the night. There is one particular card game that is usually reserved for play during Diwali celebrations. The three-card game of Teen Patti has been described as a variant of the English card game three-card brag. It can be played with up to ten players simultaneously, making Teen Patti one of the most popular social card games.

If you’re unfamiliar with Teen Patti and you’re looking for new games for your loved ones to enjoy together this Diwali, read on as we explain the nuts and bolts of Teen Patti, including hand rankings, moves and much more.

Where to play Teen Patti

Although Teen Patti is very much a social game and is fun to play with people in person, it’s also possible to experience this card game online. Any of the new casino sites that welcome Indian players generally have Desi casino games within their library, including Teen Patti, Andar Bahar and dice-based game Jhandi Munda. Wherever you have a reliable Wi-Fi or 4G connection, you should be able to indulge in your favorite card games embedded within Indian popular culture.

A basic introduction to Teen Patti

The game is played using a single 52-card deck. Before play begins, all active players must agree on a minimum set stake per hand. At the start of each hand, players must put their minimum stake into the pot. The dealer then hands out three cards to each player. Players then take it in turns to wager on the strength of their hand. Players can either look at their hand before betting or play “blind” and leave the cards facedown.

Those who bet blind must wager at least the current stake and not more than twice the current stake. Those who do look at their cards must wager at least twice the current stake to continue and not more than four times the current stake.

Hand rankings in Teen Patti

There are six different types of hands you can make in a game of Teen Patti. Below, we’ll explore each hand, starting from the most valuable hand down to the lowest value hand.

• Trio
  A trio hand – also known as a trail – is three cards of the same value. The best possible trio is three aces, followed by three kings, three queens, and so on.
• Straight run
  A straight run is a hand with three consecutive cards in the same suit. The best possible straight run is Ace, King Queen of any suit.
• Normal run
  A normal run is a hand with three consecutive cards. Crucially, they do not have to be the same suit.
• Colour
  A color hand is any three cards of the same suit. It does not have to be in numerical order.
• Pair
  A pair is a hand containing two cards of the same value. The most valuable pair is a pair of aces and a king.
• High card
  A high card hand consists of three cards that are not of the same value or suit. The best value high card hand is Ace, King, Queen.

Over the years, variations of Teen Patti have reared their head across local communities. Some versions have sought to increase the bet limits, enabling those playing ‘seen’ to wager over four times the current stake. Others define a limit to the number of times a player can bet ‘blind’, preventing players from being too inactive. Either way, it’s a game that continues to enchant the generations in the subcontinent and remains at the heart of popular culture.