Truco, a variant of Truc, is a trick-taking card game originally from Valencia and the Balearic Islands, popular in South America and Italy. It is usually played using a Spanish deck. Two people may play, or two teams of two or three players each.

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Quick Facts Origin, Family ...

Truco

The four top cards in Truco
Origin	Spain
Family	Trick-taking
Players	2, 4, or 6
Skills	Tactics, Strategy
Cards	40
Deck	Spanish, French (Some Brazilian variants)
Play	Anticlockwise
Playing time	31 min.
Chance	Medium
Related games
Aluette • Put • Truc • Truc y Flou

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• Ace of Swords ("Espada" in Southeast of Brazil, "Espadão" in Southern Brazil, "Ancho de espada" in Argentina, "Macho" (male) in Paraguay, "Espadilla" in Uruguay)
• Ace of Clubs ("Hembra" (female) in Paraguay, "Ancho de basto" in Argentina, "Bastillo" in Uruguay, "Bastião" in Southern Brazil)
• 7 of Swords ("Siete de espadas", "Siete bravo" in Uruguay, "Manilha de espada" in South of Brazil)
• 7 of Coins (Siete de oros in Spanish or Sete ouro, Sete belo or Maneca de ouro in Portuguese, "Siete bello" in Uruguay)
• 3s
• 2s (known as "Perruchos" in Paraguay)
• Ace of cups and ace of coins (Anchos falsos in Spanish, Ás falso in Southeast of Brazil, Gueime in South of Brazil, "Buempes" in Paraguay, "Copon" and "Huevo frito" respectively in Uruguay)
• Kings (Reyes in Spanish and Reis in Portuguese) (12s)
• Knights (Caballos in Spanish) (11s)
• Jacks (Valetes in Brazil, Sotas in Argentina) (10s)
  (the face cards of King, Knight and Jack are called Cartas negras)
• 7 of clubs and 7 of cups (Sietes falsos in Spanish or Sete copa (seven of cups) in Portuguese, all cards from here down are considered "Cartas blancas")
• 6s
• 5s
• 4s (the 4 of clubs may be called Zap in the southeast of Brazil)

In southern and southeastern Brazil, the most popular variant, called Truco Paulista, uses dynamic card ranking.^[1] The ranks from the 3s and downwards remain the same, but the four trump cards, called manilhas, are decided by flipping one extra card up after dealing, called vira. The four cards conventionally ranked immediately above the flipped one (or, in the case of a flipped 3, the 4s) become the strongest cards. Their rank is as follows: clubs > cups > swords > coins. This variant is popular because it makes it harder to cheat and can potentially turn a bad hand into a great one once the card flips.

The Uruguayan version uses a "Muestra" each hand. The following cards of the same suit as the "Muestra" are ranked higher than the Ace of swords and are called "Piezas": 2, 4, 5, Knight, which in some regions is called Perico, worth 30 points,^[2] and the Jack, which in some regions is called Perica, worth 29 points.^[3] Finally, if any player has the King of the same suit as the "Muestra" and the "Muestra" is a "Pieza", the King becomes that card.

The Venezuelan version is similar to the Uruguayan version, exception that the "Piezas" 2, 4, and 5 are not used.^{[citation needed]} The "Muestra", or "vira" as it is known in Venezuela is designated by turning over the top card of the deck after shuffle or optionally, the top card following the deal. "La Vira" is then placed beneath the deck at right angles to it so that it is visible during the hand. The suit of La Vira designates the suit of El Perico (the Knight) and La Perica (the Jack) which become the highest two cards in the game. The remaining three Knights and Jacks are ranked as initially specified.

In Truco with four or six players, two concepts govern which player begins the round and who ends it. The mano in Spanish or mão in Portuguese ("hand") is the one that plays first and the pie in Spanish or pé in Portuguese ("foot"), the dealer, is the last to play. The hand is always the player on the right of the foot. The turn to deal is then passed counterclockwise, so the hand of the first round is the foot of the second and so on. If playing in teams, partners sit opposite each other.

They can also refer, when playing in teams of two, which player of the partnership plays before and which after. This has no significance in the game, as the playing is always done counterclockwise. But it has strategic significance since the foot of a team is traditionally considered the "captain" of the partnership that round.

If the game is tied (for example, if two opponents have the same points for envido), the hand wins. That advantage is offset by the fact that, as the last one to play, the foot plays with all their opponent's cards in sight. Also, the foot and the one sitting to the foot's left call envido in a game of four or more. Then, the hand is the first one to call his points for envido.

Players can earn points in three ways:

• Truco - winning in the playing of the cards (the "tricks").
• Envido - having the best combination of two cards of the same suit or a single card.
• Flor - having all three cards of the same suit.

The points won by a player are added to their team's score (when playing in teams). Any bet, win, loss, or surrender by a player also affects their partners. For this reason, partnerships are usually formed by mutual arrangement. As in bridge, it is not rare for partners to share information using already established signs and gestures. Communication is usually performed through these standard gestures. Arranging a secret set of gestures is frowned upon.

Each player is dealt three cards from a subset of the deck consisting of the numbers 1 to 7 and figures sota in Spanish or valete in Portuguese (jack, worth 10), caballo in Spanish or dama in Portuguese (equivalent to a queen, worth 11) and rey in Spanish or rei in Portuguese (king, worth 12).^[4]

The game may be played by two players. Two teams of two players may play; less commonly three teams of two can play. The players sit so that play alternates from one team to the other.

The game is played until a team finishes a game with 30 points or more. The 30 points are commonly split into two halves, the lower half called malas in Spanish or ruins in Portuguese (bad) and the higher half called buenas in Spanish or boas in Portuguese (good). Therefore, a team with 8 points would be ocho malas or oito ruins (8 bad ones), and a team with 21 points would be seis buenas or seis boas (6 good ones). However, because both teams can score points in one round, it is possible (but rare) for both teams to go over 30 points in one round. Usually as soon as one team goes over 30 points, the game is ended, to prevent a tie. However, sometimes the winner is the one with more points, otherwise another hand is played, until the tie is broken.

Each type of scoring can be bid on to score more points. Bids can be accepted, rejected or upped. Bluffing and deception are fundamental strategies.

Each round has three tricks. The mano leads to the first trick by playing one card. Then, counterclockwise, each other player plays one card. The player with the highest card wins the trick. The cards remain face-up on the table during the round. Sometimes the highest cards tie. If these tied cards were played by the same team, that team wins the trick. Otherwise, the trick is called a draw, parda. The same mano then leads the next trick.

Winning two of three tricks wins a round, equivalent to one point. If one team wins the first two tricks, the third is not played. But if one of the games ends in a parda, the team that won the earlier of the other two tricks wins the round (e.g. If trick 1 was won by A, trick 2 was won by B, and trick 3 was a draw, A wins the round for having won the earlier trick). That concept is often referred to as "primera vale doble" (first is worth double) If trick 1 is drawn and trick 2 is won by B, the winner of the round is B and a third trick is not played). In the case of two pardas (ties), the winner of the remaining trick wins the round. In case of three pardas, the mano wins the round. The winner of each round is the first to play the next card. If a round is tied, or "parda", the hand plays first.

During play, the teams have multiple opportunities to raise the stakes.

• Truco - Any player can call truco at any stage to increase the value of the round to 2 points for the winner team. The challenged team says quiero to accept or no quiero to refuse; if refused, the round ends with the calling team winning one point.
• Retruco - The team that answered quiero to the truco can call retruco to increase the value of the round to 3 points. It may be said immediately after truco or after accepting the bid. The other team must answer quiero or no quiero; if refused, the round ends with the calling team winning two points.
• Vale cuatro - The team that answered the retruco can say this immediately after the retruco or after accepting it. This makes the round worth the maximum possible four points; if refused, the round ends with the calling team winning three points.

Truco must be accepted explicitly if playing strictly by the rules: if truco is said, the only way to accept it is by saying quiero, but in a friendly game the players may accept an informal answer such as veo, dale. To call retruco immediately, it is necessary first to say quiero (and the same is true when calling vale cuatro). Instead of saying explicitly quiero, a player can play a card and it is implied that they accepted. So, for example, the dialogue must be truco/quiero retruco/quiero vale cuatro, with none of these words omitted.

A player can play his card face up or face down, in which case it does not count towards the score. A card can be played face down in order to prevent opponents from deducing the value of a remaining card, possible if envido or flor/contraflor has been played. If a player does not want his opponents to know his cards, which can be done in order to trick them into raising their bets, they can play their card face down. This is not the same as irse al mazo (going to the deck), accepting defeat without finishing the hand.

Truco players trick their opponents:

• Playing fast and distracting them through constant conversation and jokes.
• Raising the stakes and bluffing.
• Asking questions with the words envido or truco while holding the cards (when holding cards, a player is active and can call a bet). For example, assuming players A and C form a team, and B and D the opposing team, Player A may bid envido and Player B may ask while being active -- "did he say envido?", which effectively raises the stakes. This may entice either A or C to quickly call "quiero", as they may have been fooled into thinking the raise was out of clumsiness and not really intended.
• When holding both a high and a low card, the low is placed in front of the high a and allowing an opponent to glimpse it, to convince them a truco is possible.

In a game of 6, sometimes Pica Pica is also played. Instead of two teams of three, opposing players pair up and play a game, adding the resulting points to their team's score. Usually Pica Pica is played every other game, but only if a team has 5 or more points, and no team has more than 20 (or 25). Pica Pica is also known as Punta y Hacha.

This is a way of finishing the game more quickly, because each pair in a pica pica plays a complete hand, with corresponding scores. Therefore, it is possible to have, for example, three vale cuatro in the same hand, which quickly raises scores. However, envidos and its raises are usually capped (usually 6 points).

Truco is popular in Brazil, with many regional variations. The most known versions (Truco Paulista and Truco Mineiro) use a French deck and different rules. Truco Paulista can be known as Ponta Acima in some regions.

Truco in Brazil is mostly associated with college culture and lifestyle. Students typically sit on a table to play while drinking alcoholic beverages. This scene has been featured in advertising campaigns and it was included in the program of every University "Olympic" Games around the country, known as Jogos Universitários. Truco can be played by two, three and even four people in each team, which is thought to make it more exciting.

Brazilian Truco has a maximum score of 12 points, values hands and cards differently (depending on where the game is played). It is common to use a best-of-three games system.

Señas are gestures used between players of the same team to tell the pie (captain) their most valuables cards or if they have a good envido score. In some versions the official señas must be used, rather than private ones not generally understood. In the Argentine game the accepted señas are:^[4]

• Ancho de Espadas (Ace of swords) - Both eyebrows up or wink with the right eye.
• Ancho de Bastos (Ace of clubs) - Wink with the left eye.
• Siete de Espadas (Seven of swords) - With lips closed, slightly move the right side to the right.
• Siete de Oro (Seven of coins) - With lips closed, slightly move the left side to the left.
• Tres (any three) - Slowly and gently move the lower lip inside and take it back out slightly biting it with the two front teeth.
• Dos (any two) - With lips closed, move them to the outside as if they were simulating a kiss. The lips remain closed.
• Ancho Falso (Ace of cups and ace of coins) - Mouth open for few seconds or inflate the cheeks.
• High score for envido - Shrink the middle of the face in such a way that the skin of the nose shrinks too. Another usual gesture is to slightly (and quickly) tilt your head towards the shoulder.
• Low or no score for truco - Blink both eyes.
• 12, 11 or 10 - Touch shoulder, chin, triceps of the arm or elbow.

Señas are optional; there is no obligation to signal one's cards. The intention is that signals are made to one's partner when opponents are not looking, but they can also be used as a deceptive strategy, making a misleading signal intended to be noticed by the opposition; this is not against the rules.

In Paraguay, "truco" enjoys great popularity, very similar to the Argentine variant but with certain peculiarities. In Paraguayan truco, if a player has not yet touched their cards, any calls they do will not be considered as such. Therefore, one of the "tricks" is to make these false calls to gauge the reaction of the distracted opponent. However, if a player already in the game has made a call before, what is said can be considered a response to the invitation.

In all cases, in the most important games, the custom of Paraguayan truco is that the rules are reviewed and agreed upon by the participants before starting the game, or at least the most controversial ones like the "Flor" or the "Falta Envido," given the large number of regional variants.

The Flower: There is no uniform rule, so it is customary to agree whether to play with it or not, and whether only during the "bad" (first 15 points) or also during the "good" (last 30 points), before starting the game to avoid inconveniences. If no agreement has been made, the game is played with the Flower during both the bad and good points for the player who calls it, and the game cannot be won with the Flower.

A little-used variant of the Flower, with loosely unified rules, is the "Flor Chaqueña," a play on words with the western region of Paraguay, arid and with scarce vegetation, and consists of having three "Cuatros" in hand. The Flor Chaqueña can award 3 points to the player who has it or grant them the game.

The Envido: As a general rule, the "Falta Envido" has a value equal to the points needed for the team closest to completing 30 points.

The Truco: It is played to the best of three hands, meaning the point is won by the player who wins two out of three games.

Emparde (Tie): If there is a tie in the first hand (empardar), the player or team that wins the second hand wins the point.

The "Pri": If a team wins the first hand, they will win the point if they tie in the second hand, or if, after losing the second hand, they tie in the third. Hence the expression used, "La pri vale oro" (The Pri is worth gold).

Many informal expressions have become part of the game, such as:

• Siete bravo (wild seven) - the seven of spades and the seven of coins are sometimes referred to as wild sevens.
• Estar cargado (to be loaded) - to have high score for a potential envido or to have a good hand for truco.
• Vení (come) or vení acá (come here) - said by the pie to a partner to ask them to play their lowest card, typically because the pie expects to play the winning card.
• Andá allá (go there) - in a game with teams of three, said to a player by the pie to ask them to play their lowest card because the third team member expects to win the hand.
• Estoy seco (I'm dry) or estoy ciego (I'm blind) - a player says this in relation to an envido or playing a hand if they do not have winning cards.
• No ha venido (it hasn't come) - a rhyming response to refuse an envido.
• Va por las tuyas or son las tuyas (play by your own [cards]) - said by a player who does not have good cards when truco or envido is challenged, to tell teammates to decide according to their own cards.
• Falta un vidrio - sometimes said to trick opponents into revealing their score, because it sounds like falta envido.
• Jugála callado (Play it quietly) - warning teammate not to call truco or envido.
• A cara de perro - Literally dog-faced; meaning following rules exactly, especially regarding the displaying of envido. In friendly games a player is often excused if they forget to show their cards to confirm their stated envido score. However, when playing with strangers or for money, games are usually played a cara de perro. Another example would be saying "envido", "truco", etc. in conversation; in strict playing this is a call.
• Está peluda (it's hairy) - This is said either when a player can win the hand but it leaves them with no other cards or when a player has low cards.
• Dormir adentro/ dormir afuera (Sleep inside/ sleep outside) - when a team or sole player makes more/less than 15 points.