How to Play Briscola
Briscola is Italy's everyday card game, played in every bar from Turin to Palermo. Two players, three cards each, and one question every trick: is it worth fighting for?
The deck
40 cards: ace, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, jack, queen and king in each suit. Within a suit the order from high to low is ace, three, king, queen, jack, 7, 6, 5, 4, 2.
| Card | Points |
|---|---|
| Ace | 11 |
| Three | 10 |
| King | 4 |
| Queen | 3 |
| Jack | 2 |
| 7, 6, 5, 4, 2 | 0 |
120 points in all.
The deal
Three cards each. The next card is turned face up and slid under the deck: its suit is the briscola, the trump suit. It's the last card drawn.
Play
- The leader plays any card. The other player plays any card: there's no need to follow suit.
- The trick goes to the higher card of the suit led, unless a trump was played, in which case the higher trump wins. A card of a third suit never wins.
- The winner takes both cards, draws first (the loser draws next), and leads.
Scoring
When all 40 cards are played, add up the points in each player's pile. More than 60 wins; 60 each is a draw.
Playing on kawu
- You against the computer. Cards you can play are always all three; a hint marks the computer's choice.
- The hard computer counts the points played and, once the deck is gone, plays the last tricks perfectly.
Next, read the Briscola strategy guide. For another two-player trick game with a trump, try Durak.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to follow suit?
No. You may play any card. That's the heart of Briscola: deciding whether a trick is worth a trump, or worth anything at all.
Why is the three worth so much?
Tradition: in Briscola the ace and the three are the top two cards of every suit, above the king, and together they carry most of the points.
What if the second card is a different suit and not a trump?
It loses, whatever its rank. A seven of the suit led beats a king of another suit.
Last updated 2026-10-20