Truco (Paulista) – Rules
Play Truco (Paulista) against the computer
1. Overview
| Name | Truco (Truco Paulista) |
| Type | Trick-taking and bluffing game with raising stakes |
| Players | 2 or 4 (four in teams), variants for 6 |
| Recommended age | 10 and up |
| Playing time | one hand 1–2 minutes; a game to 12 points 15–30 minutes |
| Material | 40 cards (no 8, 9, 10), pen and paper or beans |
| Goal | Win hands and be first to 12 points. |
| Difficulty | easy to learn, lots of bluffing |
What is it about? Truco is a folk game in Brazil, played loud, fast and with plenty of bluff. Everyone holds just three cards, and whoever wins two of the three tricks wins the hand. By calling “Truco!” you can raise the hand's value – the opponents must accept, refuse or raise again.
2. Cards and material
- Pack: 40 French cards: A, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, J, Q, K in four suits.
- Ranking (high → low): 3, 2, A, K, J, Q, 7, 6, 5, 4.
- Manilhas: The four cards of the rank directly above the “vira” (the turned-up card) are the strongest cards.
- Manilha order by suit: clubs (zap) > hearts (copas) > spades (espadilha) > diamonds (pica-fumo).
- Sequence after the vira: 4 → 5 → 6 → 7 → Q → J → K → A → 2 → 3 → 4.
- Face up and face down: Hands concealed, vira face up, trick cards face up.
3. Preparation and start
- Shuffle and cut.
- Deal: Everyone gets 3 cards.
- Vira: The next card is turned face up. The four cards of the next higher rank are manilhas.
- Start: The player right of the dealer leads.
Start example: The vira is the 6 of diamonds. The manilhas are the sevens: the 7 of clubs is the zap, the strongest card. You hold the 7 of clubs, a 3 and a 4.
4. Goal and winning
- Hand: Whoever wins two of three tricks wins the hand.
- Game: The first to 12 points wins.
- Tied trick (empate): See special rules.
5. Play in detail
The tricks.
- The leader plays any card; so do the others. There is no need to follow suit.
- The highest card wins (manilhas first, then by ranking). Suits only matter for manilhas.
- The winner leads to the next trick.
Calling truco.
- Whenever it's your turn you may call “Truco!”: the hand is then worth 3 points.
- The opponents answer:
- “Desce!” (accept): the hand is worth 3 points.
- Refuse: the calling side scores the previous value (1 point) and the hand ends.
- “Seis!” (raise): the hand is worth 6 – now the other side must answer. It continues with 9 and 12.
Example with Players 1 to 4. Players 1 and 4 against Players 2 and 3. Vira 6 of diamonds, manilhas are the sevens.
- Trick 1: Player 3 leads a 3. Player 1 plays his 4 (saving the zap). Player 2 plays a king, Player 4 a 2. Player 3's 3 is highest: trick to Players 2 and 3.
- Trick 2: Player 3 leads an ace. Player 1 plays the 7 of clubs (zap) and wins. Now it's 1 : 1.
- Player 1 calls “Truco!” Players 3 and 2 think it over – they refuse. Players 1 and 4 score 1 point.
6. Scoring
| Situation | Points |
|---|---|
| Normal hand | 1 |
| Truco accepted | 3 |
| Seis accepted | 6 |
| Nove accepted | 9 |
| Doze accepted | 12 |
| Raise refused | the previous value to the raising side |
- Recording: Marks or beans per team.
- End: First team to 12 points.
7. Special rules and situations
- Empate (equal cards): If the first trick is tied, the second trick wins the hand. If a later trick is tied, whoever won the first trick wins.
- Mão de onze: A team on 11 points may look at the partner's cards and decide whether to play. The hand is then worth 3 points; truco is not allowed.
- Mão de ferro: If both teams are on 11, play without looking and without truco.
- Playing face down: From the second trick on you may play a card face down – it counts as the lowest.
- Common mistakes: playing the zap too early; calling truco without a plan; forgetting which cards are manilhas.
8. Variants
Standard in this description: Truco Paulista with vira and changing manilhas, game to 12.
| Variant | What changes | Suits |
|---|---|---|
| Truco Mineiro | Fixed manilhas: 4 of clubs, 7 of hearts, ace of spades, 7 of diamonds; no vira. | Minas Gerais |
| Truco Gaúcho / Argentino | Spanish cards, envido and flor. | southern Brazil, Argentina |
| Six players | Three against three. | large groups |
| Two players | One against one. | couples |
When playing against the computer on cardgames.zone you play with two or four (partner opposite), either Paulista with vira or Mineiro with fixed manilhas.
9. Tips for beginners
- Remember the manilhas: After each vira, work out again which cards are strongest.
- Save the zap: The strongest card often wins the decisive trick.
- Take the first trick seriously: It decides ties.
- Bluff: A truco with weak cards can make the opponents refuse.
- Refusing is allowed: Better give away one point than three.
- Play with your partner: If your partner surely wins the trick, discard a weak card.
- Careful at 11: In the mão de onze only play with good cards.
10. Summary in 10 steps
- 40 cards (no 8, 9, 10), 3 cards each.
- Turn up the vira; the next rank up = manilhas.
- Manilhas: clubs > hearts > spades > diamonds.
- Others: 3, 2, A, K, J, Q, 7, 6, 5, 4.
- No need to follow suit; highest card wins.
- Two of three tricks win the hand.
- “Truco!”: hand worth 3; then 6, 9, 12.
- Refuse: opponents score the previous value.
- At 11 points: mão de onze.
- First team to 12 points wins.
11. Frequently asked questions
What is the vira?
The card turned up after the deal. The next rank up becomes the manilhas.
What is the zap?
The manilha of clubs – the strongest card of the hand.
Must I follow suit?
No. In Truco you may always play any card.
What happens if I refuse truco?
The opponents score the hand's previous value and the hand is over.
What is the mão de onze?
A team on 11 points sees the partner's cards and decides whether to play – for 3 points, without truco.
How long does a game take?
To 12 points about 15 to 30 minutes.
Origin & history
Descends from the Spanish Truc/Truque (Valencia, Middle Ages) and came to South America with colonisation. Several regional forms developed in Brazil; Truco Paulista is the most played in São Paulo and the southeast.