Teen Patti Moments

Here is some news for teen patti enthusiasts out there.  For sure, you are familiar with the web site teenpatti.com, as they are one of the leading sites offering the 3 card game.  Designed to cater to the South Asian market, the site has recently unveiled its new look.  Their aim now is to create a strong brand awareness in the market.

According to their press release, “the new TeenPatti.com website also includes a download link to the TeenPatti Poker Room, a product of Costa Rica-based Yatahay, Ltd., and the Internet’s only animated three-dimensional, multi-player Poker software. With traditional Teen Patti and the TeenPatti Poker Room, TeenPatti.com offers its patrons the finest products within their respective industries.TeenPatti.com was created with one goal — to become the primary gaming site for the Indian market throughout the world, especially India. While all the attention of the Asian gaming industry remains focused on China, Hong Kong, and South East Asia, the sizeable Indian market has been overlooked, until now.”

Though the move may seem to be limited to the gambling world, the economics of the issue has broader scope.  The owners of teenpatti.com envision a strong role in the booming economics of India.  Web site owners go on to say that “Based upon its economic stature and democratic government coupled with the significant success of gaming companies in the western markets, it is believed that online gaming will also become a permanent fixture within the Internet landscape of India.”

The mobile phone is perhaps one of the most influential innovations in this century.  Think about it, almost everyone you meet on the street has one.  Can you even name 10 persons in your circle of friends who do not own a mobile phone?  Indeed, this little gadget has changed the way a lot of people work and play.

For teen patti enthusiasts, or even those who are still in the curiosity phase, you can now play teen patti wherever you go!  Teen patti lovers cum mobile phone software developers have come up with games to put on your phone so that you can play teen patti anytime, anywhere.  This is not really new as other card games have found their way into mobile phones.

One site wherein you can download a teen patti game is ngagegames.co.uk.  One drawback is that you have to have an NGage to be able to download the game.  Otherwise, it probably would not work.  Another thing, you have to pay to get the game.  The price is not that bad though, if you really want teen patti on your NGage.

Another site where you can get teen patti is mobileload.com.  This time, you do not necessarily need an NGage for the game but there are certain phones that are compatible with this version.  You can either download teen patti on your PC through the Net or use your phone directly.  You can do the latter by visiting the WAP version of the web site and download the game from there.  The cost for teen patti at this site is about 5 US dollars.

Teen patti is a relatively new comer to the world of online gaming.  Though the card game has been around for many years already, it was only recently introduced to the western world.  Despite that fact, teen patti has already gained a considerable following.  It might be that this is due to the enjoyment that people gain from playing teen patti or it might be because of the number of (Asian) Indians who are scattered all over the world.  Whatever the reason may be, the fact remains that this game is gaining popularity and it seems like it is here to stay.

Compared to poker, blackjack, and other older card games, the choices for web sites are not that numerous for teen patti.  Yet they can be found.  One such web site focusing mainly on teen patti is 3Patti.net.  Proud to be the world’s only Indian teen patti site, 3Patti.net is committed to bringing their visitors the best teen patti experience online.  They cater to both the beginner and the more seasoned player.

In order to play teen patti, you only have to download their software, which is free of charge.  Once the software is downloaded, you would have to register before you can play.  You actually have two choices – teen patti or Texas Hold ‘em Poker.  They have both ring games and tournaments, the difference between the two being that you can leave any time in the former game.

If you are interested in playing for free with real players, why not pay them a visit at 3Patti.net?

I am sure that name looks familiar, after all it bears close resemblance to one of the most popular gambling shows on earth – the World Series of Poker (WSOP). In fact, the WSOT (World Series of Teen Patti) is patterned after the WSOP. WSOT is the brainchild of Taj Systems and features this up and coming three-card game very much similar to poker.

The first ever WSOT is geared to take place this November at the Grand Sierra Resort and Casino in Reno, Nevada. This is in fact a milestone in the history of teen patti. It is the first tournament of this size to be held since the inception of the game (presumably at least). With about a thousand expected participants and over a million dollars in the prize pool, the WSOT is set to make a statement.

The idea behind the WSOT is that all players will start on common ground during the first day – that is, they all have the same amount of chips. Once the tournament starts, it is each man for himself. Each player has to “capture” the chips of other players. Those who finish in the top 10% will be awarded cash prizes while the first place winner will bring home a whopping $500,000. For a first big tournament, I say that this is not bad at all. If you are interested in joining this event, be prepared to spend $1,250 for the buy in.

For more information, visit the WSOT site.

As of the present, not too many Westerners know all about Teen Patti.  Though it is slowly gaining popularity within card gaming circles, there is still much to happen before this card game can reach the heights of popularity as poker has.  We’ve already talked about what Teen Patti exactly is.  In an effort to provide more information about this “exotic” card game, I thought it would be interesting to provide a historical background which will hopefully give enthusiasts and potential players a deeper understanding of the game.

Teen patti literally means 3 cards in Hindi.  Quite obviously, the game originates from India – the eastern part to be more precise.  In the beginning, Teen Patti was considered to be the domain of the rich and the famous – that is the royalty and the elite only.  As with many things, though, time eventually allowed the card game to transcend the limits of class and Teen Patti made its way to the common people.

Though Teen Patti is almost exclusively known as an Eastern Indian game, some sectors believe it to have been influenced by a British game called Three Card Grab.  This is not entirely impossible as we know that India was once a British colony.  In any case, Teen Patti is now very popular all through out India and is played in many Asian countries as well.  It has also made its way to the rest of the world and is steadily gaining popularity as an online past time for many people.

Teen Patti is an emerging card game which is quite similar to poker. Its origins can be traced back to India and has become quite popular in South East Asia, especially. In contrast to poker, however, it is only played with 3 cards. Here are some basic terms that you would normally encounter when playing Teen Patti.

Colour – any three cards of the same suit. The highest card is used to compare two colours. The highest colour is A-K-J and the lowest is 5-3-2.

Deck – the standard group of cards used to play Teen Patti.

Flush – another term used to refer to Teen Patti.

High Card – a hand which does not fall into any of the other combinations. When comparing, you make use of the highest card first, then the second highest, then the lowest. The best high card would be an Ace, a King, and a Jack of different suits while the worst is a 5, a 3, and a 2.

Pair – two cards of the same rank. In Teen Patti, when comparing hands with pairs, you compare the pairs first. If they are equal, the odd card is used for comparison. The highest pairs are then two Aces and a King while the lowest are two 2s and a 3.

Pot – the amount of money that is available for winning; it is the collection of all the wagers

Straight – three cards that are consecutive; they need not be of the same suite. The best normal run would be an Ace, a 2 and a 3. The next best runs would be an Ace, a King, and a Queen; a King, a Queen, and a Jack; and so on. The lowest straight would be a 4, a 2, and a 3. A combination of a 2, an Ace, and a King is not valid.

Straight Flush – three cards that are consecutive and of the same suit. Similar to the straight, the best normal run would be an Ace, a 2 and a 3. The next best runs would be an Ace, a King, and a Queen; a King, a Queen, and a Jack; and so on. The lowest straight would be a 4, a 2, and a 3. A combination of a 2, an Ace, and a King is not valid.

Trio – three cards of the same rank; the best trio would be three Aces while the worst trio would be three Twos.

Wager – the amount of money that each player places as bet

Teen Patti, though not as popular as its cousin Poker, has gathered quite a significant following. It has in fact reached the point wherein they have their own big tournaments. As its answer to the World Series of Poker (WSOP), the Teen Patti world has come up with the World Series of Teen Patti/Three Card (WSOT). It is presented by Taj Systems. As such, we could say without a doubt that there are indeed professional Teen Patti players today.

Let us take a look at some of the more prominent players of Teen Patti.

The person to hold the distinction of being the first ever to win a World Series of Teen Patti seat is Ranjit Samra. He is from Toronto, Canada and he won his seat in a live Teen Patti tournament following a golf tourney sponsored by TeenPatti.

Alladina Shanawaz hails from Toronto, Canada. He won a seat to play in the World Series of Teen Patti in the first qualifier event in Toronto. This was in October of 2006.

Then there is Krishan Mehra. Just like Alladina Shanawaz, this Teen Patti player comes from Toronto, Canada. He also won a seat to play in the World Series of Teen Patti in the first qualifier event in Toronto. This occurred on the same day as Shawanaz won his seat!

Girish Sharma won his seat to the World Series of Teen Patti in a slightly different way from that of Mehra’s and Shanawaz’s. Sharma actually got his seat to the World Series of Teen Patti by outbidding all the other contenders during a charity auction at the Palm Springs Golf Tournament. Talk about giving to a good cause while having fun!

As this game is relatively new to the scene, there are not as many high profile professional players to date. Unlike the WSOP, where prolific players abound, WSOT still has some ways to go before reaching the same status. It is thus a good opportunity for you out there with some skills at Teen Patti. Anyone with skill and passion can stat making a name for himself in this relatively new game. It is more or less like an equal playing field, with not much established contenders. So why not sharpen them up and try to get a seat at the WSOT? Who knows, you just may be a pro in the making?

The Internet has definitely revolutionized how people work and play. Teen Patti, though a recent addition to the Western array of card games, has already taken advantage of what going online has to offer. As such, there are some online Teen Patti game rooms available to those who wish to play Teen Patti from the comforts of their home or office.

One of the most popular and established online game rooms would be TeenPatti.com. This site is the brainchild of a group of young Indian entrepreneurs and programmers who grew up with a passion for this traditional Indian game. Their vision is to introduce the game that they grew up playing to the rest of the world. Combining their knowledge of the game and their skills and talents, they came up with what is touted to be the best and most comprehensive site for Teen Patti. To play, you need to download their software which was developed by the same group. You can then immediately start playing. Every month, the site holds free roll tournaments. Anyone can join and get the chance to win valuable prizes. Licensed and regulated at San Jose, Costa Rica, TeenPatti games are powered by LoboGaming Corp. (LGC).

Another online Teen Patti game room is 3Patti.com. 3Patti.com is another Costa Rica based company. Its main targets are Indian nationals and those of Indian origins. At 3Patti.com, you can play Teen Patti online against real people from all over the world. In order to be able to do this, all you need to do is to sign up with them for free. You would need a valid e-mail address to do so. You also have to download the software in order to play. The creators and managers of 3Patti pride themselves in excellent service. As such, their customer service center is open for their clients 24 hours a day 7 hours a week.

Though these sites primarily offer Teen Patti, they are not lacking for other gambling activities as well. From poker to blackjack to roulette, you just might find them here as well. In the same way, other more general online game rooms might have Teen Patti on their rosters. At the rate and pace that the Western world is getting to know Teen Patti, it is not unlikely that this card game will be making its presence felt in many of the major online game rooms in the near future.

Most activities known to man are learned. That is, we do not know exactly how to do something at the first try. What happens is that we go through a learning process that varies depending on the person and the activity. This is where the concept of the learning curve comes in. The learning curve effect states that “the more times a task has been performed, the less time will be required on each subsequent iteration. It was discovered by the nineteenth-century German psychologist Hermann Ebbinghaus.”

You may be thinking, this is all well and good – it sounds really scientific and all – but how does it relate to Teen Patti? After all, I just want to have fun. Well there is the issue of actually learning to play the game. Just as with other card games, I am sure that if you know how to play Teen Patti, that was not always the case. If you do not know how to play it yet, well you still have to go through the process of learning the game.

So again, back to the question – where does the learning curve effect come into the scene? Teen Patti is a relatively easy card game to learn. When you ask the question “How easy or hard is it to learn Teen Patti?” it is essentially asking about the learning curve of Teen Patti,

How fast you learn to play the game would depend on several factors. As you may already have an idea, Teen Patti is quite similar to poker except that it makes use of only 3 cards in a hand, as opposed to the 5 in poker. That decrease in number of cards per hand would increase the learning curve. That is due to the less number of possible combinations. In relation to this, if you know how to play poker or any other similar card game, your learning curve would even be steeper – that is, you would learn faster. On the other hand, if you are totally new to cards (that is, you have no idea what the shapes and colors and numbers mean) then you would definitely have a less steep learning curve. In other words, it would take you quite some time to get the game. So basically, how quickly one learns to play Teen Patti depends on the person. The game itself is easy enough to learn and play. All the rest is up to you.

Just like any game, it is possible to make money even with a simple game of cards – what more when the game does not start without the players agreeing on a minimum stake even before the cards are dealt – as is the case with the Indian game of Teen Patti.

In Teen Patti, before the game starts, all the players place an agreed amount at the centre of the table and this will serve as the pot. Once the cards are dealt, the player seated at the left of the dealer bets first and goes on until all the players have had their turn to bet or fold. This continues until the game is ended.

Blind players (those who have opted to not look at the three cards dealt to him) bet an amount that is, at the very least equal to but not double the money at stake. Seen players (those who have peeked at their cards), since they have an edge against blind players, must put in at least twice but not more than four times the total stake. The stake, incidentally, for blind players, is the amount the player before you put in. For seen players, the stake for the next player is half the amount that you have just gambled.

If you started off blind and decided to check your cards in the middle of the game, you become a seen player and your betting rules change on your next turn. If you are unhappy with the cards that you have and decide to fold (give up), it goes without saying that you are no longer in the game and have sacrificed all the money you have placed earlier in the pot as bets.

In Teen Patti, like any game, the general premise is that you win the pot when everyone else has folded. In case you and another player are left and none of you seems to have the inclination to give up for the other, the player who is still playing blind can demand a show. If both players are seen players, then the person who calls the show will need to put money in the pot. In this instance, both players reveal their cards and the player with the highest rank of cards wins the pots. In the eventuality of a tie, the player who called the show loses.

The dealer or house, unless he is also a player and is the one left at the end of the game, does not get the pot money.