Full rules
Rules of Brisca: how to play
Brisca is the simplest trick-taking game of the Spanish deck: three cards in hand, a trump indicator, and total freedom to play whatever card you like.
Brisca is the game almost everyone first learns the Spanish deck with: players draw from the stock, there is no compulsory following, and whoever captures the most points wins. Easy to start, with more depth than it looks once you start counting the stock.
2 to 4 players (or 2 vs 2)
What is Brisca
An easy trick-taking game to learn: three cards in hand, a trump card turned up under the stock, and freedom to play any card you like.
The deck and card values
Forty-card Spanish deck. Ranking within a suit: as, tres, rey, caballo, sota, seven, six, five, four, two. Values: as eleven, tres ten, rey four, caballo three, sota two.
The deck's hundred and twenty points are split among the tricks captured, plus the ten points for the last trick when that rule is used.
The table and the deal
Two to four players individually, or two against two in partnerships. Each player is dealt three cards and the rest stay in the stock, with the trump card underneath, face up.
There is no compulsory following at any point: you may play whatever card you like, even if you hold cards of the suit led. That freedom is what makes it so approachable.
After each trick, the winner draws first and the others follow in order. Once the stock runs out, the last tricks are played with whatever remains in hand.
The siete of trumps (or the dos, depending on the house rule) can be swapped for the visible trump card if it is higher.
How to play, step by step
Brisca is the simplest trick-taking game of the Spanish deck: three cards in hand, a trump indicator, and total freedom to play whatever card you like.
- 1
Deal three cards
Each player gets three cards from the Spanish deck. You can play with two, three, four all against each other, or two against two in pairs.
- 2
Reveal the trump card
One more card is turned over and placed crosswise under the stock: this is the trump indicator and sets the trump suit for the whole game.
- 3
Play whatever you like
In Brisca there's no forced follow: no obligation to follow suit, to beat the card, or to trump. The highest card of the led suit wins the trick, or the highest trump if someone trumps.
- 4
Draw after every trick
Everyone returns to three cards by drawing in order, starting with whoever won the trick. Once the stock runs out, the last to draw takes the trump card.
- 5
Count the points
Ace eleven, three ten, King four, Knight three and Jack two. Other cards are worth nothing. Whoever wins the last trick scores ten extra points.
- 6
Win the game
Once the cards run out, the points from the tricks won are added up: the player or pair with more points wins.
Scoring and the end of the round
Each trick goes to the highest card of the suit led, unless a trump is played: the highest trump always wins.
The points of the captured cards are added up. Whoever passes sixty wins, and the winner of the last trick usually receives an extra ten points.
In partnerships, both partners' points are added together.
Strategy: how to win more hands
Save your trumps for the points
With no compulsory following, even a small trump captures an as of another suit. Saving them for tricks worth eleven or ten points is the foundation of the game.
Don't lead suits where you are weak
Leading a cinco of a suit you have nothing else of invites the opponent to capture your as. Lead suits where you have backup, or worthless cards instead.
Count the cards left in the stock
Knowing when only three cards remain changes everything: from that point on, no one draws, and the cards you have been saving decide the game.
Sacrifice cards with no value
The dos, cuatro, cinco and seis are worth nothing. Losing tricks with them is free and keeps your aces, threes and trumps intact.
Swap the trump siete
If the visible trump card is an as or a tres, swapping it for your siete is eleven or ten free points and one more card to control the endgame.
Common mistakes beginners make
Following suit out of habit
In Brisca you are not obliged to follow suit. Many Tute players play the suit led by pure habit and waste their freedom.
Spending the trump as too soon
The trump as is the strongest card in the game. Using it on the second trick to capture a cuatro is throwing it away.
Ignoring the last trick
If the ten-points-for-last-trick rule is used, the final trick is worth more than a rey and a caballo combined. It is worth saving a trump for it.
Forgetting which suit is trumps
It sounds obvious, but it happens: the trump card sits visible beside the stock precisely so you can check it throughout the game.
Table glossary
- Brisca
- The trump suit, marked by the card left visible under the stock.
- Robar
- Drawing a card from the stock after each trick, starting with whoever won it.
- Sesenta
- The points needed to win a game of Brisca out of the hundred and twenty in play.
- Últimas
- The ten points for winning the last trick, when that rule is in use.
Frequently asked questions about Brisca
Rules of the other games
Still have a general question? Check the site's frequently asked questions or the blog.