Intro
3 2 5 is a trick-taking game that has gained significant popularity in South Asia. India, Pakistan, and Nepal all have regional variations. This guide shall just concern itself with the most basic version.
It is a short-deck version of the Popular English game Sergeant Major, also known as 3-5-8. India’s status as a Commonwealth nation leaves it within the cultural Sphere of the United Kingdom, as well as its South Asian neighbors.
As such, the high level of cultural osmosis stemming from both the prior Colonial Period and the modern Commonwealth has allowed that game to cross over from the English to the Indians as a cultural artifact.
Now Sergeant Major has become something of its own animal in India, this new uniquely Indian card game spreading to South Asian Neighbors as 3-2-5, the most popular version in South Asia today.
Quick Rules
- Use a 30-card deck (remove low cards and 7 of clubs/diamonds)
- The dealer deals 10 cards to each player
- The player to the right of the dealer declares the trump suit
- Follow trick-taking rules (must follow suit if able, highest trump wins)
- Players must take a number of tricks equal to their position number
- Players who exceed the quota can steal a card from players under the quota
- Each trick is worth 1 point, first to 20-30 points wins the game
How to Play 3-2-5?
3-2-5 or Teen Do Paanch is a fairly simple trick-taking game for only three players. Each Player shall correspond to the game’s eponymous numbers: 3, 2, 5.
The Deck
The 30-card deck must be formed before gameplay can begin. The 52-card Anglo-American deck should be modified by removing the 2s, 3s, 4s, 5s, and 6s completely from the deck. In addition, the 7♣ and 7♦ should be removed as well, leaving the 7♠ and 7♥ in the deck.
Now, with these thirty cards, the Dealer can properly shuffle.
The Dealer and Positions
The Dealer should be chosen by whatever random means the Players determine. In subsequent rounds, the Dealing position will move around the table in a clockwise manner.
Each Player will assume their number according to their seating position relative to the Dealer:
- The 2 is always the Dealer.
- The 5 sits to the Dealer’s immediate counter-clockwise.
- The 3 sits to the Dealer’s clockwise.
These numbers correspond to the number of tricks a Player must win in the round in order to score. Players who fail to meet their required number of tricks can have their cards “Stolen” by the Player or Players who do meet their quota in subsequent rounds.
The Deal
Once the deck is shuffled, regular gameplay begins in the first round.
- Each Player is dealt 5 cards, face-down.
- After these cards are dealt, the Player to the right of the Dealer, the 5, is always given the right to declare the Trump Suit for the hand.
- Once Trumps are solidified, three more cards are dealt, and then two final cards are dealt.
Notice these numbers match the name of the game. Now, each Player shall have ten cards in their hand.
Trick-Taking Phase
Normal Trick-taking rules apply:
- The Player who plays the highest ranking card into the trick shall take the trick.
- Players must follow suit if they are able, unless they are playing Trump.
- Trump cards are only beaten by higher-ranking Trump cards.
- Lower Ranking Trumps will beat Higher Ranking Non-Trump cards. E.g. 3 of Trump beats 10 of Non-Trump.
Players traditionally keep their taken tricks in individual face-down piles in front of them. In this way, each pile acts as a tally mark for the number of tricks won by a Player.
After the 10th Trick, Players compare their number of taken tricks to their number for the round. So, if the Player numbered “3” won 4 tricks, they exceeded their required number of tricks.
Subsequent Rounds
It is in subsequent rounds that the real fun of 3-2-5 begins. The second round begins just as the first, with five cards dealt, a declaration of Trump, then three cards, then two.
However, after all ten cards have been dealt, trick-taking does not immediately begin:
- Players who were under their trick-taking quota will be forced to lay all ten of their cards, face-down, on the table.
- The Player or Players who were over their quota will then be allowed to take one of these face-down cards and keep it.
The Player who steals a card must then give a card back. The card which they return may not be the same card which they just took, and it must be in a suit of which the Player has two or more copies.
So, a Player could give back a 3♦ if they took a 7♣ and if they also had a 6♦ and 8♦ in their hand.
One card is stolen for each trick taken over the quota, and one card is lost for each under the quota.
So, if two Players were to be under quota, the Player over quota must take the appropriate amount from each Player.
Generally, the order follows that the Player to the right (5) is given the first chance to steal cards, followed by the Player to the Dealer’s left (3), and then the Dealer (2) themselves.
Scoring
The 3-2-5 card game is scored in a very simplistic manner. Generally, Players set some scoring limit that, when reached, signals the end of the overall game.
For shorter games, this number could be set to 20 or 30, while longer games might make it 50 or 60.
Generally, the scoring limit should be high enough that each Player can reasonably play in multiple rounds as the 3, 2, and 5 positions.
Each taken trick is worth a single point, with the number of tricks tallied between rounds.
Example Scenario
Suppose that you have the following cards at the start of the second round, and it is your job to declare the Trump Suit as the Player with a quota of 5:
9♣ 10♣ 7♠ 7♥ 5♣
Now it is quite obvious that you should declare the ♣ as the Trump suit. They compose 60% of your hand. Now, your following two deals are:
K♦ J♦ J♥
And:
4♠ A♦
While it may seem disheartening that you did not pull any more Trump cards, this is actually a good thing. That is because you won more tricks than required by your quota in the previous round.
This means you get to steal a random card from your opponent, which is:
A♣
An Ace in the Trump suit! Very strong. Now, thanks to the three ♦s cards you drew, you are able to return a relatively low-value card in exchange for the strongest card of this round.
Simply return your J♦ to the opponent, and take your guaranteed Trick with the A♣ at your convenience during the round.
Strategy Tips
Below you can find three actionable strategy tips for the 3-2-5:
- Understand Your Quota: Each player has a specific minimum number of tricks they must take. The dealer needs 2, the player to their right 5, and the player to their left 3. Knowing your target number of tricks is key.
- Watch the Trump Suit: The lead player picks the trump suit to start. Pay attention to the trump suit and what’s been played to plan moves and increase your chances of hitting your quota.
- Track the Cards: With a reduced deck, noting which high cards are out is valuable. This helps anticipate winning cards and tweak strategy.
