Classic
Briscola
- Players
- 2–4
- Duration
- 10 min
- Difficulty
- 1/3
- Deck
- 40-card deck (no 8s, 9s or 10s)
Chapter 1 of 5
How to set up
The Italian trick-taking classic for 2 to 4 players with a 40-card deck. Three cards in hand, one trump card face up under the stock and 120 points to fight over. First to 61 wins.
Objective
Score more points than your opponents with the cards you capture. With four players you play in pairs and partners add their points together.
Setup
- Deck
- 40 cards: remove the 8s, 9s, 10s and jokers
- In hand
- 3 each, face down
- On the table
- stock face down in the middle, trump card face up under it
- 3 players
- 39 cards: remove one 2
- The seats With four players partners sit opposite each other.
- The hands Choose a dealer. They shuffle and deal three cards face down to each player, counterclockwise, starting with the player on their right.
- The trump The next card is turned face up and slid halfway under the stock: its suit is the trump suit, the briscola, for the whole game.
Ranking of the cards within each suit:
Among the worthless cards the higher one wins: a 7 beats a 6, a 2 beats nothing.
Variants to agree on first
- At some tables whoever holds the 7 of trumps may swap it for the face-up trump card, if that card is higher, when it is their turn to play and as long as the stock is not finished.
- With four players you may talk to your partner and use signals. Common ones: lips stretched over the teeth for an A, mouth twisted to one side for a 3, a glance upward for a K, the tip of the tongue for a Q, a raised shoulder for a J. Every region has its own set: agree on yours before you start.
- Five-player Briscola, also called Briscola chiamata or Briscolone: exactly five players, an auction decides who leads and which card they call, and whoever holds it is the secret partner. It has its own rules page.
- Six players: remove every 2 (36 cards) and play three against three, partners alternating around the table.
- Briscola scoperta: the three cards in hand stay face up on the table. Everything is information, everything can be counted.
- Mechanics
Chapter 2 of 5
How to play
- The player to the dealer's right leads the first trick by playing a card face up. The others follow counterclockwise and play one card each, any card they like: there is no obligation to follow suit or to play a trump.
- Once everyone has played, the trick goes to the highest trump on the table. If no trump was played, it goes to the highest card of the suit that was led. Cards of the other suits never win.
- The winner gathers the cards of the trick and keeps them face down in front of them, then draws first from the stock. The others draw after them, in playing order, so that everyone is back to three cards. The last card of the stock is the face-up trump card: it goes to whoever draws last.
- The winner of the trick leads the next one. Play continues until the stock is gone, then the last three tricks are played without drawing.
- When the cards run out, each player, or each pair, counts the points in the cards they captured.
Frequently asked questions
Do you have to follow suit?
No. You may play any card at any time, even a trump when it is not needed or a worthless card when your partner has already won the trick. The only obligation is to play a card.
Who wins the trick if nobody plays a trump?
The highest card of the suit that was led. Cards of the other suits never win, not even an A or a 3.
What happens at 60 all?
The game is a draw. Games are usually played best of three, so you move on to the next one without awarding the point.
Chapter 3 of 5
How to score
At the end of the game each player, or each pair, adds up the values of the cards they captured. There are 120 points in the deck.
Who wins. Whoever collects at least 61 points wins the game, and 60 all is a draw. Games are usually played best of three.
Chapter 4 of 5
An example hand
The start
Anna and Bruno play head to head. Under the stock lies the 5♥: hearts are trumps. Anna leads. So you can follow the choices, the example shows both hands; at the table each player sees only their own.
Tips
- The carichi, A and 3, are worth 21 of the 30 points in each suit: a trick with a carico on it is worth winning, a trick of worthless cards is not. Save your trumps for the former.
- The last three tricks are played without drawing, so without surprises: whoever keeps the highest trump for the end usually decides the game.
Chapter 5 of 5
Table summary
- 2–4 players
- 10 min
- 40-card deck (no 8s, 9s or 10s)
In short
- Three cards in hand, trump card face up under the stock, 120 points in play.
- No obligation to follow suit. The highest trump wins, otherwise the highest card of the suit led.
- The winner draws first and leads the next trick.
- 61 points: game won. 60 all: draw.
Ranking and points
| Card | Points |
|---|---|
| A | 11 |
| 3 | 10 |
| K | 4 |
| Q | 3 |
| J | 2 |
| 7 6 5 4 2 | 0 |
Deck
- 40 cards: remove every 8, 9 and 10, and the jokers.
- Three players: remove one 2. Six-player variant: remove every 2, three against three.
Four players
- Partners opposite, points shared.
- Signals and talk allowed: agree on them first.
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