How to Play Tranca
Description
Buraco's South American cousin, with a blocked pile that only the right cards can open.
Objective
Build melds and canastas like Buraco, but with the tranca — a blocked pile that has to be unlocked before it can be taken.
Setup
Two decks plus jokers, in two partnerships. Deal eleven cards to each player, with two dead hands set aside as pots.
Rules
Draw one card from the stock or take the discard pile, meld what you can, then discard to end your turn.
Melds are sets of a rank or runs in suit; twos and jokers are wild.
The distinguishing rule: when a wild card is discarded, it lies crosswise on the pile and blocks it — the tranca. A blocked pile can only be taken by a player holding two natural cards matching the top card underneath.
Winning
A partnership must take a pot and complete a canasta before it can go out.
Score melds, canastas and bonuses, and subtract the cards still held by the opposing side.