Teen Patti is known by different names in various regions, the popularity of Teen Patti weaves in a cultural experience that brings people together to revel in moments of thrill, laughter and friendly competition. The game translates to “Three Cards” in English and just like Poker, Teen Patti games unfold like a narrative, spawning stories of anticipation, bluffs, and unexpected victories.
This dynamic card game takes on a variety of flavors weaving in myriad Teen Patti variations that cater to every player’s taste. From the traditional charm of classic Teen Patti charm to the daring twist of Muflis and strategic complexities of Wild Draw, each Teen Patti variation adds an interesting twist to its original counterpart.
Let’s check out the most popular Teen Patti variations that players love to indulge in and have a great time.
Teen Patti Hand Rankings
To understand and play any Teen Patti variation, you must know the hand rankings and sequences thoroughly. Since all variations require players to make the best three card hand, you must memorize these hand rankings thoroughly.
|
Hand Ranking |
Combination | Description |
| 1 | Trail (Three of a Kind) | Three cards of the same rank |
| 2 | Pure Sequence | Three Consecutive cards of the same suit |
| 3 | Sequence | Three Consecutive cards, not of the same suit. |
| 4 | Colour | Three cards of the same suit. |
| 5 | Pair | Two cards of the same rank. |
| 6 | High Card |
When none of the above hands are made, the highest card in hand decides the winner. |
Now that you know the hand rankings of the original game, let’s check out some of the coolest variations of Teen Patti.
14 Teen Patti Variations
1. Classic Teen Patti
Starting with the classic, this is the original Teen Patti game that adheres to the traditional game rules wherein players strive to make the strongest three card hand as per the Teen Patti hand rankings.
Starting with the player to the dealer’s left, players place bets in a series of betting rounds according to the perceived strength of their hand in Classic Teen Patti variation. However, before any cards are dealt, players bet a pre-set amount of money in the pot, known as the “ante”. Each player is then dealt three cards face down in a clockwise position. Betting begins and players can choose to bet, check or fold their cards. To check is to pass the action to the next player.
Show or Side Show
Players can choose to “show” their cards or request a “side show” with the previous player. When a side show takes place, your hand is compared to the previous player and the lower-ranking hand must fold.
Winner in Classic Teen Patti
Once the final betting round is over or if all players, except one have folded, the remaining player with the best hand wins the pot.
2. Rotating Jokers
Rotating Jokers is an interesting Teen Patti variation where each player gets three cards and they use these cards along with the Jokers to make the best three card hand. The traditional hand rankings apply to this Teen Patti variation wherein Jokers are wild cards that can improve your hand.
The Jokers keep rotating among players after each round in a clockwise direction starting with the player to the Dealer’s left. The player with the best hand wins the pot.
In case of a tie, the one with the highest card wins. This Teen Patti variation adds excitement to the traditional game as Jokers can dramatically change hands and players need to adapt their strategies based on the evolving hand with wildcards in each round.
3. Cobra
In Cobra, also known as Maatha, all players are dealt a single card only. Then, as per agreed upon rules, players chip in a fixed amount of money or chips in the pot. Next, without seeing their own cards, all players pick the cards and place them on their forehead. This means that the players cannot see their own cards.
The players would not be able to see their own cards but could see the other players’ cards. The player with the highest card wins the game. In this Teen Patti variation, no player has the option to fold.
4. One Eyed Jack
Jack of Hearts or Jack of Spades are special cards that can either act as wild cards that can substitute any card or players themselves can assign specific values to them to form a particular hand. The rest of the rules are like the traditional game. Players place their antes, get three cards and engage in betting rounds.
The player with the best hand becomes the winner, with or without One Eyed Jack. The presence of the One-Eyed Jack in this Teen Patti variation adds an extra strategic element to the game and makes this game a lot more fun.
5. Wild Draw
Wild Draw is just as the name suggests. A random card is drawn from the closed deck and is dealt face up on the table. This card is accepted by all players as the wild card or Joker for the rest of the round.
The game involves the typical ante, three cards deal and betting rounds. Since Jokers are wild here, they help to make the best three card hand. During the showdown, the best hand as per the traditional hand rankings, wins the round.
6. AK47
This one is an awesome Teen Patti variation that includes several Wild cards. This means the possibility of creating bigger hands is enormous. Ace, King, 7 and 4 of all suits are wild cards and you can use them to represent missing cards in your potential hand. The remaining rules are akin to the classic Teen Patti game. With so many wild cards to play with, Ak47 hits the spot.
7. Odd Even
Odd-Even is a unique Teen Patti variation in which players club their three cards into groups of odds and evens. The goal is to have the strongest set either in odd or even cards following the classic hand rankings. Betting occurs as per traditional Teen Patti rules. During the showdown, the player with the highest ranking set wins the game.
8. Muflis or Lowball Teen Patti
As opposed to the original game, this one is like flipping the game in your head. In Muflis, the usual Teen Patti rankings take a wild spin and the lowest hand becomes the King of all cards. Muflis is that rebellious variant because now your high cards are the underdogs and low cards take the throne. Here you root for the smaller numbers. It’s all about lowball victories in this Teen Patti variation with the lowest hand of all taking the pot!
9. High Low Split Teen Patti
High Low Split Teen Patti is one of the most amusing Teen Patti variations where you’re not just gunning for the best hand but also eyeing for the lowest. Adding a cool twist to the original counterpart, High Low Split games divide the pot between the player with the highest hand and the player with the lowest hand. Rest of the rules are the same as the original. It is like playing two games at once where every round leads to an amazing showdown of highs, lows and everything in between. Either way, you’re a winner.
10. Draw Two
Draw Two Teen Patti games is like giving your original hand a power boost. After you get your first three cards, you have the choice of picking two more cards. That’s a choice that could make or break your game. Do you wish to stick to your three cards, or do you wish to take the chance to improve your hand? The downside is you don’t know what you’re going to get.
The upside is that you get to see your three cards before making a choice. If you think you drew a poor hand with the first three cards, picking another two cards might work in your favour and improve your odds of winning. In other words, spice up your Teen Patti game with a Draw Two twist.
11. Coloured Suit Teen Patti
Coloured Teen Patti brings a lively twist to the traditional game by shifting the focus from high or low cards to the colour of the suits. Players bet on whether their three cards belong to the red or black suits. The player who has the maximum number of cards in the chosen colour wins the game. When both players have the same coloured cards, the player with the higher ranking cards wins.
12. Best of Four
As the name goes, four cards are dealt instead of three in this Teen Patti variation. You must choose the best three cards for your hand as per your best judgment and discard the fourth. It’s like having a secret weapon up your sleeve. Best of Four variation leaves more room for you to be smart and strategic with your choice, adding an exciting flavour to the original game.
13. King Little
King Little is yet another wild spin to the original game of Teen Patti. Here, King of all suits is the lowest-ranking card and Ace is the highest. This is where the traditional hand rankings change their strength and your strategy demands adjustments too. Like Lowball Teen Patti, the objective in King Little is to attain the lowest ranking hand. All players are dealt three cards each and the lowest ranking hand wins the pot.
14. 999s
In this Teen Patti variation, the objective is to get as close as possible to the specific combination of 9-9-9 regardless of the suit. Here, Ace carries just one point and cards such as K, Q, J and 10 are worth zero points and number cards carry their face value.
For instance, if a player gets cards such as A-5-7, their total is 1+5+7. If the cards are 9-K-6, the total becomes 9+0+6. Players can rearrange the sequence of their cards to achieve a total closer to 9-9-9. For instance, you can rearrange your total of 9-0-6 to 9-6-0 and achieve a total of 9+6+0 and get closer to 999.
This means the player who comes closest to the sequence of 9-9-9, with or without rearranging their cards, wins the game. Having fun reading? Well, go hit the tables and shuffle those cards to try one of these awesome Teen Patti variations today and make some sweet money!