Trail / trio
Three cards of one rank. Any trail beats a pure sequence; three aces are the highest trail.
Teen Patti hand rankings: all 6 categories
Trail beats pure sequence, then sequence, colour, pair and high card. Use these visual examples to compare categories and settle common tie-break questions.
Teen Patti sequence: strongest to weakest
Pure sequence
Three consecutive cards in one suit. A straight flush, not just three red cards.
Sequence / run
Three consecutive ranks with mixed suits. It outranks a colour even when the colour has an ace.
Colour / flush
One suit, not consecutive. Compare highest, then second, then third card when two colours meet.
Pair
Two equal ranks. Compare the pair first, then the unpaired card if the pairs are equal.
High card
No other category applies. Compare the sorted ranks, highest first, then the next card.
A pair tie-break in 2 comparisons
Hand A: K♠ K♥ 4♣. Hand B: Q♠ Q♥ A♣. Both are pairs. Compare the paired ranks: kings beat queens, so Hand A wins even though Hand B has an ace.
Now compare K♠ K♥ 4♣ with K♦ K♣ 9♥. The pairs match; compare the spare card. Nine beats four, so the second hand wins. Suits do not supply a universal tie-break in classic rules.
A repeatable comparison method
- Check whether either hand has three cards of the same rank: that is a trail.
- Check for three consecutive ranks. One suit makes a pure sequence; mixed suits make a sequence.
- If not consecutive, check whether all cards share one suit: colour.
- If none of those apply, check for a pair. Otherwise, the hand is high card.
- Compare categories first. For matching categories, apply the rank comparison below.
Do not use the suit symbols as a tie-break unless the particular game explicitly defines one. A hand may look visually impressive without belonging to a high-ranking category.
When both players have the same category
| Category | Compare in this order | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Trail | The repeated rank | Q-Q-Q beats J-J-J. |
| Pure sequence / sequence | The sequence order in the agreed rule set | 9-8-7 beats 8-7-6; ace sequences need a house-rule check. |
| Colour | Highest, next-highest, then lowest card | A-J-7 beats A-10-9. |
| Pair | Pair rank, then unpaired card | 8-8-K beats 8-8-J; 9-9-2 beats 8-8-A. |
| High card | Highest, next-highest, then lowest card | K-J-8 beats K-10-9. |
If the ranks are identical, the hands may be equal under the ranking system. The way the round resolves an equal hand is a separate show or sideshow rule. Do not confuse ranking a hand with deciding who receives a fictional round result.
A-2-3 and A-K-Q: read the rule panel
There is no safe universal answer for an unidentified app. Pagat’s traditional description puts A-2-3 above A-K-Q. Other published and digital formats reverse those two. This guide keeps the variation visible rather than silently teaching one app’s order as everybody’s rule.
A-K-J of one suit is a colour, not a pure sequence: the queen is missing. A-A-K is a pair, not a trail: the king differs from the two aces. These two checks catch many beginner mistakes.
Try a comparison, not a cash round
A 60-second skill check
Which hand ranks higher?
Hand A: 4♠ 5♥ 6♣ · Hand B: A♥ J♥ 7♥
This question runs locally in your browser. It has no random money outcome, account, entry fee or prize. If JavaScript is off, the explanation is still available in the page.
Three mistakes worth avoiding
01
Red does not mean one suit
Hearts and diamonds are different suits. Three red cards are a colour only if all three are hearts or all three are diamonds.
02
Three-card rules are not poker rules
Teen Patti puts a sequence above a colour. Do not import five-card poker’s category order.
03
A big card cannot skip a category
An ace-high hand cannot beat a pair or sequence simply because the ace is the highest individual rank.
Sources & reading
Each source covers its own subject. Android guidance explains checks; it does not certify a particular APK. Guide revision: 23 October 2026.