How to Play 3 Patti Games: A Step-by-Step Guide
3 Patti
A pocket guide to the deal, the hand rankings, and the table talk ā for Teen Patti, the three-card game played at gatherings across South Asia.
How a round runs
Every player antes a fixed boot amount into the pot before cards are dealt. Each player gets three cards face down. Play moves clockwise, and on each turn a player either stays in by matching the current stake or folds and steps out of the hand.
You can play blind ā betting without looking at your cards, for half the normal stake ā or go seen, peeking at your hand and betting at the full rate. Blind players always cost less to stay in against, which is the whole risk-reward of holding out.
A hand ends when only one player remains, or when someone calls a show ā a final head-to-head card reveal between the last two players still in.
Hand rankings, highest to lowest
What the top hands look like
A quick visual for the three strongest hands ā worth knowing on sight, since they decide most big pots.
When a hand is cancelled
Most tables redeal or void a hand automatically in a few standard situations. This is what “cancellation” means at a 3 Patti table ā not a betting outcome, just a reset.
| Situation | What happens |
|---|---|
| Misdeal Void | A player is dealt the wrong number of cards, or a card is exposed during the deal. The hand is cancelled and boots are returned. |
| Player disconnects Redeal | On app tables, a hand where a player loses connection before acting is usually paused, then redealt if they don’t return in time. |
| All players fold blind Redeal | If every remaining player packs without ever going seen, some house rules cancel the hand rather than award the pot, and redeal. |
| Joker card missing Void | If a table uses a fixed joker and that card can’t be verified in the deck, the hand is voided before betting starts. |
| Dispute at show Void | If the two final hands can’t be compared cleanly (torn or marked card, unclear rule), the table cancels the hand and returns the boot. |
Frequently asked
What’s the difference between 3 Patti and Teen Patti?
Nothing ā “Teen Patti” is Hindi for “three cards,” and “3 Patti” is just the shorthand you’ll see on apps and posters. Same game.
Can I see my cards after betting blind?
Yes. You can switch from blind to seen on your turn, but once you look, every bet after that is at the full seen rate ā you can’t go back to blind stakes.
What beats what if two players have the same hand type?
Compare the highest card first, then the next, card by card. If every card matches exactly, the pot is usually split, though some tables give it to whoever’s turn came first.
Is a sideshow the same as a show?
No. A sideshow is a private request between two consecutive seen players to compare hands and knock the weaker one out early. A show is the final, table-wide reveal that ends the round.
What happens to the pot when a hand is cancelled?
Boots are returned to each player and the cards are reshuffled for a fresh deal ā nobody wins or loses on a cancelled hand.
Table talk, decoded
A few starting habits
- Set a session limit before you sit down ā for the boot amount and for how much you’re willing to lose overall ā and stop when you hit it.
- Staying blind is cheap, but it’s still a bet on unseen cards. Don’t confuse “cheap” with “safe.”
- Watch betting patterns, not just cards. A player who suddenly goes seen-and-raising after a run of blind folds is telling you something.
- Treat sideshows as information gathering between close hands, not a shortcut to winning the pot outright.
This guide covers common Teen Patti / 3 Patti house rules ā variants exist, so confirm the boot, joker, and sideshow rules at your table before the first deal. Where real money is involved, check that play is legal in your location.
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