How to Play Briscola
Description
An Italian classic played without the obligation to follow suit — which means every trick is anyone's until the last card is played. Win tricks containing valuable cards and count up at the end.
Also known as: Brisca
Objective
Score more points than your opponent by winning tricks with valuable cards.
Setup
A 40-card Italian-style deck (or a standard deck with 8s, 9s, and 10s removed). Deal three cards to each player.
Turn the next card face up to set the trump suit, then leave it beside the draw pile — it'll be the last card drawn.
Rules
There's no obligation to follow suit — play any card from your hand you like.
Highest trump wins the trick; if no trump was played, highest card of the suit led wins.
Whoever wins a trick leads the next one, and everyone draws a fresh card from the stock before that next trick begins.
Aces and Threes are worth the most, followed by face cards, then plain numbers worth nothing on their own.
Winning
Once the deck and every hand are empty, add up the value of everything you've won in tricks.
Whoever has more points wins — a 60-60 tie is a draw.