Truco Rules – How to Play Truco Game Online?

Explore the captivating world of Truco, a dynamic South American card game played in partnership with a clean or dirty deck. The objective is to earn points through strategic tricks, with added depth from truco announcements.

In Truco, players use a combination of skill, strategy, and teamwork to outmanoeuvre their opponents. Each round consists of players playing a card in an attempt to win a “trick,” and mastering the art of playing the right cards at the right time is crucial. The game is known for its intense moments, especially when players decide to raise the stakes with a “truco” phase.

Our comprehensive Truco guide to play unveils the nuances of gameplay, from card rankings to advanced strategies, ensuring players master the art of winning Truco tricks and navigating the psychological twists of the game. Whether you’re a novice or a seasoned player, our concise breakdown enhances your Truco experience, making each round a thrilling blend of skill, strategy, and teamwork.

Understanding the basics of Truco

Playing Truco online mirrors traditional gameplay, utilizing a 40-card deck(dirty) or 24-card deck(clean). The objective remains the same – reaching 12 points – but the online platform offers convenience and accessibility. The game can be played with 2,4, or 6 players, with Truco Paulista entailing 1-point hands and Truco Mineiro having 2-point hands.

Truco for Beginners

Dedicate some pre-game time with your partner to enhance communication through a secret code of gestures, employing strategic signalling to convey your intended card play or to confound opponents
Keep in mind the hierarchy of card values at all times to prevent unnecessary point losses
Truco is usually played by four players in two teams of two. Use a clean/dirty deck as agreed before the game
A clean deck in Paulista version will have 24 cards(3,2,A,K,J,Q) and in Mineiro 27 cards(3,2,A,K,J,Q,4 of clubs, 7 of diamonds and 7 of hearts)
Dirty deck will have 40 cards(removing 8s,9, and 10s) in both Paulista and Mineiro

How to Play Truco: A Steps-by-Step Guide

One player shuffles the card, and he is the one who deals
The player who starts the match is on the left of the player who deals
Each player receives 3 cards
The player who plays the highest card wins the round, and the player or team who wins more rounds wins the hand
Rank of common cards high to low:
- Dirty deck: 3>2>A>K>J>Q>7>6>5>4(independent of suit)
- Clean deck(Mineiro): 3>2>A>K>J>Q(independent of suit)> 4 of clubs> 7 of diamonds> 7 of hearts
- Clean deck(Paulista): 3>2>A>K>J>Q(independent of suit)
The rank of Trump cards high to low:
- Mineiro: 4 of clubs(Zap)> 7 of hearts(Copeta)> Ace of spades(Espadilha)> 7 of diamonds(Ouros)
- Paulista: The face value of trump cards is determined by the flipped card, and this value is equal to the next value(left) of the flipped card in the sequence 3, 2, A, K, J, Q
Calling Truco increases the value of the hand(from 1 to 3 for Paulista and 2 to 4 for Mineiro), and all players in their turn can request Truco, and the opponent pair must answer if they accept, run or raise
If a player/team accepts the request for Truco the value of the hand will be 3(Paulista) and 4(Mineiro)
If a player/team rejects Truco, the opponent player/team will earn 1 point(Paulista) or 2 points(Mineiro)
If a player or team asks six, the opponent player or team must answer if they accept, run or ask 9(Paulista) or 10(Mineiro)
Truco and subsequent raises points value

Bet(Paulista)	Points
If there is no Truco called	1 point for the winner of the hand
Truco	3 points
Truco 6	6 points
Truco 9	9 points
Truco 12	Wins the game

Bet(Mineiro)	Points
If there is no Truco called	2 points for the winner of the hand
Truco	4 points
Truco 6	8 points
Truco 9	Wins the game

Hand of 11 and Iron hand
- It is said “hand of 11” when one of the pairs already has 11 points. It is not allowed to call Truco in this situation and the pair that has 11 points can see the cards of the partner and decide whether to play the round or not
- If they do not play the round the opponent gets wins the round and scores 1 points
- If they accept to play the round and do not win it, the opponent gets 3 points
- Iron hand is a state if both teams have 11 points, it is not allowed to see the cards of the partners and it is not allowed to call Truco. The winners of this round will be winners of the game
Hand of 10
- Truco Mineiro is different as it has a hand of 10
- If they do not play the round the rival pair will get 2 points
- If the round is played and not won, the rival pair gets 4 points

Truco Rules: The Primary Objective

The objective of the game is to be the first player/team to score 12 or more points. Before the game you should agree with your team member on key face/hand signals which can be used during the game for strategic decision making.

Always remember the pecking order of cards, hand points and power cards priority depending on the variant Paulista or Mineiro.

Rules

Number of Players:

Truco game can be played by 2, 4 or 6 players, and the game can be played in teams.

Truco Playing Rules:

One player shuffles the card, and he is the one who deals
The player who starts the match is on the left of the player who deals
Each player receives 3 cards

Truco Winning Rules

The player who plays the highest card wins the round, and the player or team who wins more rounds wins the hand
Player or team who scores 12 points wins the game

Score and Winning:

In each round, the players try to win one or more tentos.
Each time they win a round, they take the appropriate number of tentos from a common pile and display their winnings.
Once a team reaches 12 tentos, they win!

Penalties:

When both teams have scored less than 11, the penalty for below-mentioned issues is that the other team takes 1 point, the conditions are as follows

Illegal methods of shuffling
Talking about the cards in one’s hand
Showing one’s card to another player when not specifically permitted
Raising Truco beyond the value your team needs to win the game
A team should not be able to win the game through penalty points hence when both teams have a score of 11, the above conditions lead to a deduction of 1 point for the player/team, causing the issues

Truco Cards & Suites

Rank of common cards high to low:
- Dirty deck: 3>2>A>K>J>Q>7>6>5>4(independent of suit)
- Clean deck(Mineiro): 3>2>A>K>J>Q(independent of suit)> 4 of clubs> 7 of diamonds> 7 of hearts
- Clean deck(Paulista): 3>2>A>K>J>Q(independent of suit)
Rank of Trump cards high to low:
- Mineiro: 4 of clubs(Zap)> 7 of hearts(Copeta)> Ace of spades(Espadilha)> 7 of diamonds(Ouros)
- Paulista: The face value of trump cards is determined by the flipped card and this value is equal the next value(left) of the flipped card in the sequence 3,2,A,K,J,Q

Top Truco Hacks

Strive to secure victory in the initial round, as in the event of a tie, the team or individual triumphing in the first round claims the hand
Dedicate some pre-game time with your partner to enhance communication through a secret code of gestures, employing strategic signalling to convey your intended card play or to confound opponents.
Keep in mind the hierarchy of card values at all times to prevent unnecessary point losses

Truco Glossary – Common Terms in the Truco Game

Baralho Vazio/Baralho Limpo” (empty/clean deck) is utilized in variations excluding the lowest cards (7s, 6s, 5s, and 4s).
On the other hand, “Baralho Cheio/Baralho Sujo” (full/dirty deck) involves all 40 cards.
Actions like “Melar” require playing a card matching the highest one on the table.
“Mão de Onze” occurs when a player or team reaches 11 (or 10) points.
“Mão de Ferro” happens when both teams need one point to win, playing the last round in the dark.
“Cair” is to accept Truco, Seis, or Nove, while “Correr” means quitting when the opponent calls Truco, Seis, or Nove.
“Manilhas” are trump cards, with their strength determined in Truco Paulista based on the next number after the initial trump.
“Mão” is the first to play, and “Pé” is the last.
“Marreco/Pato” refers to losers being called patos or marrecos during the game.
Humorous words like “Turco,” “Túlio,” and “Suco” are used during “Mão de Onze” to joke or scare opponents.
“Na Testa” involves a player expressing joy for winning by smashing the card onto the opponent’s forehead.
“Meio Pau/Meio Saco” is a call similar to retruco, and “Morrer de Pau Duro” is losing despite holding the Zap.
“Surra de Pau Mole” signifies winning on a bluff, and “Passar de Baixo da Mesa” is a punishment for opponents losing without scoring.
“A Primeira Vai à Missa” emphasizes the importance of the first-hand

Signals and expressions in the game:

Utilize secret signals with your partner to communicate the cards in your hand and enhance your chances of winning tricks. Discuss and establish these signals privately before the game, particularly for higher-ranking cards. For instance, agree on gestures like thumbing the nose or tugging the left ear for specific cards, such as the ace of swords or sticks. Be discreet when signaling during play to avoid your opponents catching on to your system.

Summary of Truco

Truco is an exciting card game highly popular in Brazil, combining strategy, bluffing, and entertainment. Playing Truco online adds a new dimension to this classic game, allowing players to engage with opponents from anywhere in the world. The Truco cards and their suits play crucial roles in the rules and gameplay. Free online Truco and Truco apps provide accessible and enjoyable experiences, while some versions offer the thrill of real money Truco betting.

FAQs on How to Play Truco

How to Play Truco Online?

Truco can be played with a 40-card or a 24-card deck with 2, 4 or 6 players. Truco Paulista entails 1-point hands, and Truco Mineiro has 2-point hands. The objective of the game is to reach 12 points.

What are The Rules of Truco?

Here are a few rules common in both Truco Paulista & Mineiro:

The game is played in teams of 2 players.
Each player is distributed 3 cards for every hand.
Every hand is of 1 point, the team that gets to 12 points first wins the game.
If they win after increasing the points, they get the points they had raised to.
If they lose, the opponent gets the points they had raised to

How Many Players Can Play Truco?

2, 4 or 6 players can play Truco and can be divided into 2 teams

What are the common terms used in Truco?

Baralho Vazio/Baralho Limpo, Baralho Cheio/Baralho Sujo, Melar, Mão de Onze, Mão de Ferro, Cair etc, are few of the commonly used terms in the Truco games.