Teen Patti is a card game of Indian origin and usually played at households on Diwali (which is the main Hindu festival). Of course, addicts play teen patti every day online and in clubs. The fact that I am posting about it's rules doesn't necessarily put me in that category .... right :s ?
The good things about teen patti when compared to poker is that it's simpler and faster. It has lesser probabilistic combinations and hence not too strenuous on the grey cells. So ... here are the rules of Teen Patti.
*Usually*, each person gets 3 cards. Player with highest combination wins.
HIERARCHY
1. Triple (3 aces then 3 kings and ….)
2. Colored sequence (Ace King Queen of same suit, then Ace, 2, 3 of same suit, then King Queen Jack of same suit and …)
3. Sequence (Ace King Queen of different suit, then Ace, 2, 3 of different suit, then King Queen Jack of different suit and …)
4. Color (all 3 cards of the same suit)
5. Pair (2 Aces and a card, then 2 Kings and a card and …)
6. Highest card
BLIND
A player can choose to play WITHOUT seeing his / her cards. This is called playing blind. This has effects on bidding. Explained below.
BETS
Players make their bets ANTI-CLOCKWISE and you need to bet at least the amount bet by the previous person till the winner is decided. DEALER has to put in the base bet first.
If a person is playing blind (without seeing his/her cards), all players who HAVE seen their cards, need to bet twice as much as the blind player.
If a player runs out of money during a game, the game DOESN'T FINISH (like sidepot in poker). Instead the player needs to borrow money from bank if (s)he wants to or fold.
SIDESHOW AND SHOW
When 3 or more players are in, you can ask a sideshow from the person on your LEFT. Whoever has the higher cards stays in the game and if you both have the same cards (for example 2 kings and a 7), the person who ASKS for the sideshow LOSES.
When only 2 players are in, you can ask for a show by putting in the bet that was put in last.
For both sideshow and show, the calling player needs to put in at least the last amount bet.
For both sideshow and show, the calling player needs to put in at least the last amount bet.
VARIATIONS
The dealer can make his/her own variation to the game. Some possibilities:
- Joker: (for example if 7 is a joker, 7 can be used as ANY card. so if i have 2 kings and a 7, it becomes 3 kings)
- Total Joker: everyone gets 5 cards and a particular number, say 8 is a Joker, then the card 8, or multiple cards that total to 8, are Jokers (8, 5+3, 6+2, 1+7, 4+4 are some of the Joker combos for 8)
- Highest card joker: everyone gets 4 cards and their highest card is their individual joker (similarly lowest card joker)
- Jokers Galore: all Reds (hearts and diamonds) or Blacks (spades or clubs) are jokers (LOTSA JOKERS!)
- Best of 4: you get 4 cards. just make the best 3 card hand you can
- Imagine one: you get 2 cards, you can imagine a 3rd card for yourself :)
- Pair joker: each pair you have in your hand can be used as a joker
- Muflis: person with LOWEST hand wins
- Blackjack: aim is to make total 21 (ace can be used as 1/11, pictures and 10, others as usual). Any set with total more than 21 will result in automatic loss (BUST). player can ask for more and more cards till (s)he is happy. For example, if I have an 8 and 3, I ask for a card, if I get 2, total becomes 13, I ask for a card, I get Ace, I use it as 1 of course because using it as 11 would make total 24 and I will go bust. So I ask for one more card, I get 7. Total becomes 20. Now I am happy because the next card would most probably make me go bust.
- Twist: Each player is dealt a single card which they put on their forehead without seeing it. Thus everyone knows everyone ELSE'S card but their own. TWIST!
- Full twist: Just like twist, but with all three cards.
- Semi-twist: Each player is dealt 3 cards, they can see one card and put the other two on their forehead.
- Passing cards: give 3 cards to everyone, then 3 extra cards to the first player. Each player passes 3 cards to the next till we reach the dealer who puts three back into the pack.
- Blind Swap: Each person can choose to exchange one of their card with a card of left side player. Each player picks a card from the other blindly.
- Semi-Blind Swap: Each person (A) can choose to exchange one of their card of their choice with a card of left side player. 'A' chooses the card from the other player blindly.
- Seen Swap: Each person (A) can choose to exchange one of their card with a card of left side player. Each player chooses their own card they want to discard.
- Pack jack: 3 cards to everyone, 3 cards are open as jokers, whenever anyone packs their cards become the new 3 jokers (Interesting!)
- Powers of 2: 1,2,4,8 are jokers (Geek!)
- What's mine is yours: Each person chooses 1 card and that is the joker for the player on their left.
- Folders rule: Initially a joker is decided by the dealer. Each person who folds has the power of changing the joker - BWAHAHAH!
