Teen Do Paanch (3-2-5) Rules: How to Play Step by Step
Reviewed by Kishan Modi, App Safety Researcher
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Teen Do Paanch (3-2-5) is a trick-taking game for three players, popular in India, Pakistan and Nepal. It uses 30 cards: 8 to Ace of every suit plus two sevens, usually the 7♥ and 7♠. Each player has a quota: the dealer must win 2 tricks, the player on the dealer's left 3, and the player on the dealer's right 5. That player chooses trump after seeing five cards. Everyone gets 10 cards and plays 10 tricks. In the next deal, a player who beat their quota pulls cards from a player who fell short, one card per trick.
Teen Do Paanch Rules at a Glance
| Rule | |
|---|---|
| Players | 3 |
| Deck | 30 cards: 8 to A in each suit, plus 7♥ and 7♠ |
| Card order | A, K, Q, J, 10, 9, 8, (7) |
| Quotas | Dealer 2 tricks, dealer's left 3, dealer's right 5 |
| Trump | Chosen by the 5-trick player after their first 5 cards |
| Hand size | 10 cards, 10 tricks |
| Next deal | Over-quota players pull cards from under-quota players |
Dealing and Choosing Trump
- Take a normal deck and remove the 2s to 6s and two of the sevens. Most groups keep the 7♥ and 7♠, which leaves 30 cards.
- Deal five cards to each player.
- The player on the dealer's right (the one who has to make 5) looks at those five cards and names trump.
- Deal three more cards each, then two more, so everyone holds ten.
Deal and play usually go counter-clockwise, and the deal rotates every hand, so everyone takes a turn at the hard 5-trick seat. The 5-trick player gets to choose trump, which is the only thing that makes that quota reachable.
Playing the Ten Tricks
The 5-trick player leads the first trick. You must follow the suit that was led if you can. If you can't, play any card, including a trump. The highest trump wins the trick, or the highest card of the led suit if nobody trumped. You don't have to beat the cards already played. The winner leads the next trick.
At the end, each player counts their tricks against their quota. Most groups score one point per trick taken, but the real game is in the quotas, because of what happens in the next deal.
Pulling Cards in the Next Deal
From the second deal on, the cards are dealt as normal, and then players settle up. For each trick a player made above their quota, they pull one card from a player who fell short. The short player fans their cards face down and the puller takes one without looking, then gives back a card they don't want.
| Player | Quota | Won | Next deal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asha (5-trick seat) | 5 | 6 | Pulls 1 card |
| Bhanu (3-trick seat) | 3 | 2 | Gives up 1 card |
| Charu (dealer, 2-trick seat) | 2 | 2 | No change |
Pagat lists two limits on the card you give back: it can't be the card you just pulled, and it has to come from a suit where you hold at least three cards. In practice, a player who keeps winning can strip the others of their best cards, which is what makes the game hard to come back from.
Variations
- Which sevens: 7♥ and 7♠ are most common; some groups keep the 7♥ and 7♦ instead.
- Trump: some turn up a set card (such as the seventh card dealt) instead of letting the 5-trick player choose.
- Sevens as trumps: in one version both sevens count as permanent trumps above the chosen suit.
- All ten tricks: some give a bonus to a player who wins every trick.
- Clockwise: the whole game can be played clockwise, which swaps who sits in the 3 and 5 seats.
Teen Do Paanch is one of the few good three-player Indian card games. For four players, try Court Piece or Dehla Pakad.
Rules checked against Pagat's 3-2-5 reference page.
Teen Do Paanch: FAQ
How many cards are used in Teen Do Paanch?
30: the 8 to Ace of each suit (28 cards) plus two sevens, usually the 7 of hearts and 7 of spades.
Who has to win 5 tricks in 3-2-5?
The player on the dealer's right. That player also chooses trump and leads the first trick.
Who chooses trump in Teen Do Paanch?
The 5-trick player, after seeing only their first five cards.
What happens if I win more tricks than my quota?
In the next deal you pull one card from a player who fell short for each extra trick, and give back a card you don't want.
Can four people play Teen Do Paanch?
No, it's a three-player game. With four, play a partnership game such as Court Piece, Mendicot or Dehla Pakad.