Envite (Canarian bidding game): how to play

Canarian Envite (Canarian bidding game) is played in teams with a 40-card deck. Each player receives three cards, and a card called the virada (turned-up card) determines the trump suit. Matches are divided into «chicos» (games) of 12 piedras (points), and a distinctive feature is the use of gestures, such as puffing out your cheeks or biting your lip, to communicate with your partner.

A truly Canarian game

Envite has been played on the islands for centuries and is part of popular culture: there are championships, clubs and even a vocabulary of its own. Expect plenty of humour and a fair bit of noise.

The cards that rule the table

The two strongest cards are the perica (the sota, or jack, of the trump suit) and the perico (the caballo, or knight, of the trump suit). Next come the remaining trumps, followed by the other cards.

The signals

• Flus (three trumps): holding three trumps. Signal this by puffing out your cheeks.
• Ir mordido (going bitten): holding two trumps. Signal this by biting your lower lip.
• Ir ciego (going blind): holding no trumps. Signal this by closing your eyes.

Raising the stakes

You can make a bid at any point to increase the value of the hand. Your opponent can accept, raise or fold. At the end of the chico comes the tumbo (final phase), which has its own restrictions on bidding. If you enjoy games like this, take a look at how bidding works in general and the signals used in Mus (a Spanish partnership card game).