Teen Patti rules and hand rankings — the complete guide.

How a hand is dealt

Teen Patti (literally "three cards") is played with a standard 52-card deck, no jokers, between three and six players. Before any cards are dealt, every player puts an equal stake — the boot — into the middle. The boot is the pot the hand is played for; depending on the table it can be ₹2, ₹10, ₹50 or any agreed amount. The boot prevents anyone from sitting at the table for free and forces every hand to have something at stake from the start.

The dealer then deals three face-down cards to each player, one card at a time, clockwise. No one looks at their cards yet — every player has the option to keep their cards face down and play Blind, or to look and play Seen. Action starts with the player to the left of the dealer and moves clockwise.

The six hand rankings, strongest to weakest

Teen Patti has six possible hands. From strongest to weakest:

1. Trail (also Trio or Three of a Kind) — three cards of the same rank. The strongest hand. Three Aces is the highest possible Trail; three 2s is the lowest. Trails are extraordinarily rare — the probability is roughly 1 in 425, so seeing one on the table is an event in itself.
2. Pure Sequence (also Straight Flush) — three consecutive cards of the same suit. Examples: A♥-K♥-Q♥, 9♣-10♣-J♣. Ace can be high (A-K-Q) or low (A-2-3) but not "wrap-around" (Q-K-A is fine; K-A-2 isn't). Pure Sequence is rarer than a regular Sequence and beats one in any showdown.
3. Sequence (Straight, also called Run) — three consecutive cards in any mix of suits. Examples: 9♠-10♥-J♦, A♣-2♥-3♠. Same Ace rule as Pure Sequence — the wheel A-2-3 counts and the broadway A-K-Q counts, but Q-K-A wrap-around does not.
4. Color (also Flush) — three cards of the same suit, not in sequence. Example: K♦-9♦-4♦. The highest card decides ties; if those tie, compare the next card and so on. Two Colors of the same three ranks (very rare) tie completely and split the pot.
5. Pair — two cards of the same rank, plus one unmatched card (the kicker). Example: 8♥-8♦-3♣. The rank of the pair decides the contest first; if pairs tie, the kicker decides.
6. High Card — none of the above. Compare the highest card first, then second, then third. A-K-Q (mixed suits) is the best possible High Card; 5-3-2 is the worst.

Most rounds are decided by High Card or Pair. Anything from Color upward is uncommon enough that the rest of the table notices. Knowing the ranking by heart matters because the betting structure rewards fast, confident decisions — you don't get long to weigh things up.

Blind versus Seen — the cost of information

After cards are dealt, every player has a choice on their first turn: stay Blind (cards face down) or go Seen (look at their cards). This choice fixes the cost structure for that player for the rest of the hand.

• Blind costs the current stake. Pay one unit and you stay in.
• Seen costs twice the current stake. Pay two units and you stay in.

That 2× tax on Seen is the heart of the game's tension. A Seen player has more information but pays more for it. A Blind player has no idea what they're holding but stays in cheaply — and crucially, gets to call the moves of Seen opponents at half the price. Watching a confident Blind player pressure a Seen player into folding is one of Teen Patti's signature dynamics.

A Blind player can also choose to go Seen at any point in the hand, but the moment they do, the 2× rule kicks in immediately — there's no going back to Blind.

The betting flow — call, raise, pack, show

On their turn, an active player has four possible actions:

• Call (Chaal) — match the current stake and continue. Blind player pays 1×; Seen pays 2×.
• Raise — increase the current stake. The cap (typically 4× the boot) is set at the table.
• Pack (Fold) — surrender the hand and forfeit anything already in the pot. You sit out the rest of the round.
• Show — only available when exactly two players remain. Pay the current stake (Blind 1×, Seen 2×) and force a reveal.

The stake doesn't reset — it climbs through the hand. If you and one other player are still in after ten rounds of calling and the stake has worked its way up to ₹500 per call, even one more Seen call costs ₹1,000. That's why bankroll discipline matters — losing track of how the stake has compounded is the fastest route to a bad night.

Side-Show — the private comparison

When you're playing Seen, you can ask the previous active player (also Seen) for a Side-Show (also called Compromise). The other player can accept or refuse. If they accept, both of you privately compare cards: the weaker hand packs, the stronger hand stays in. If they refuse, the hand continues normally and the request costs nothing.

You cannot Side-Show a Blind player (they haven't seen their cards), and a Blind player cannot ask for one. Side-Show is the strategic tool that lets a Seen player thin the field without going to a full Show. In tournaments and high-stake tables, refusing Side-Shows is often a tell — a strong hand will accept because the comparison favours them.

Show — ending the hand

When only two players remain in the pot, either can call a Show. The caller pays the current stake one final time (Blind 1×, Seen 2×) and both hands are revealed face-up on the table. The higher-ranked hand wins everything in the pot. If hands tie on rank, the highest card decides; if that ties, the next card; if every card ties (extremely rare), the pot is split.

A few less-common rules to know: a Seen player cannot ask a Blind player for a Show — only when both are Seen, or when both are Blind, does a Show happen at the requesting player's stake. In some house rules, a Show between a Seen and a Blind player runs at the Seen player's 2× cost.

Why hand ranking matters less than position

Beginners often obsess over their cards. Regulars obsess over their position — where they sit in the betting order — and the pot odds at any given moment. Holding a Pair is a strong hand on paper, but if four players are still in and the stake has climbed past comfortable, even a Pair can be a fold. Holding K-9-3 (a weak High Card) is bad on paper, but if everyone else has packed and only one Blind player remains, it might be the winning hand.

Learn the hand rankings first. Then practise on the table — every hand teaches you something the chart never could.

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Frequently asked questions

What is a Trail in Teen Patti?

A Trail (also called Trio) is three cards of the same rank — for example, three Kings, three Aces or three 7s. It is the highest hand in Teen Patti. Three Aces is the strongest possible Trail.

Does Pure Sequence beat Sequence in Teen Patti?

Yes. A Pure Sequence (also called Straight Flush) is three consecutive cards of the same suit, like 9-10-J of hearts. A Sequence (Straight) is three consecutive cards of mixed suits, like 9♠-10♥-J♦. Pure Sequence outranks Sequence.

Can you ask for a Side-Show in Teen Patti?

Yes. A Side-Show (also called Compromise) is a private comparison between you and the immediately previous active player. Both of you must be in Seen mode and the player you ask must agree. The weaker hand packs; the stronger hand continues. You cannot ask for a Side-Show against a Blind player.

What happens at a Show in Teen Patti?

A Show ends the hand. When only two players remain, either may call a Show by paying the current stake. All cards are revealed and the higher-ranked hand wins the pot. If hands tie exactly on rank, the highest card decides; if those tie too, the next-highest card decides, and so on.

How much does it cost to play Blind versus Seen?

A Blind player pays the current stake (one unit). A Seen player pays twice the current stake (two units). This is the trade-off: Seen lets you decide with more information, but it costs more per round, so the cost of staying in the pot compounds quickly.

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Want to put the rules into practice? Teen Patti Master is the cleanest place to start — read the gameplay walkthrough or jump straight in. The first ₹50 is on us.