Prepare the game
Choose a dealer and agree on the boot, betting ceiling and house rules. A usual table has three to six players. Shuffle a 52-card deck without jokers and deal three cards face down to each player after collecting the boot.
Take your turn
- Keep your cards unseen to play blind, or look at them and become a seen player.
- Contribute the required stake to continue; raise only within the agreed limits.
- Pack your cards if you choose to leave the round.
- Continue until one player remains or the final two reach a permitted show.
Compare the hands
| Rank | Hand | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Trail | A♠ A♥ A♦ | Three cards with the same rank. Aces are the highest trail. |
| 2 | Pure sequence | A♠ K♠ Q♠ | Three consecutive cards of the same suit. |
| 3 | Sequence | 9♠ 8♥ 7♦ | Three consecutive cards in mixed suits. |
| 4 | Color | K♥ 9♥ 4♥ | Three cards of one suit that do not form a sequence. |
| 5 | Pair | Q♠ Q♦ 6♣ | Two matching ranks; the third card breaks an otherwise equal pair. |
| 6 | High card | A♣ J♦ 5♠ | Compare the highest card, then the next, then the last. |
Check the table’s rule for A–2–3 and A–K–Q sequences. Suits generally do not break ties. A sideshow is a separate comparison with eligibility and payment rules of its own.
Practice one round at a time
Use play chips and announce each action while learning. Understanding why a bet costs a particular amount is more useful than trying to play quickly. See blind, seen and show examples for more detail.