How to Play Briscola: Cards Dealt and Your First Hands
In Briscola you get 3 cards from a 40-card deck and play one card per turn. A card is turned up to name the trump suit. The highest card of the led suit wins the trick, unless someone plays a trump. The winner takes both cards, draws first and leads. Collect 61 of the 120 points to win: the Ace is worth 11 and the Three 10.
How many cards do you get?
3 each, from a 40-card Italian deck. After every trick, the winner draws first and then the others, so you always go back up to 3 until the deck runs out. With 4 players you play 2 against 2 and sit across from your partner.
Your first hands
- Look at the turned-up card: its suit is the trump.
- If you lead, play a low card worth no points and keep your trumps.
- If you follow, ask: is there something worth taking? An Ace or a Three on the table is worth a small trump.
- If it's worth nothing, let it go with your cheapest card.
Who wins the trick
Both cards are played, then compared: the highest card of the led suit wins, but a trump always beats any other suit. If you have no card of the led suit, you can play anything: a trump to win, or a worthless card to lose cheaply.
Counting the points
At the end, count what's in your pile: Ace 11, Three 10, King 4, Knight 3, Knave 2. 61 wins. In Briscola on GameLake the points you have taken so far are always shown.
Playing Briscola online
In Briscola on GameLake you can play against Hops on Easy, Medium or Hard, or open an online table for a friend (2 players) or for 4 in partners: share the invite link and Hops fills empty seats. Tap a card to play it, and press Teach me to see the best card and why. See the rules for the details.
Common mistakes
- Leading an Ace or a Three too early, when a trump can take it.
- Spending a trump on a trick worth nothing.
- Forgetting which trumps are already out.
Frequently asked questions
How many cards do you deal in Briscola?
3 to each player, from a 40-card deck. The next card is turned up under the deck as the trump.
Who goes first in Briscola?
Normally the player to the dealer's left. Against Hops you start; after that the winner of each trick leads.
Can I play Briscola online for free?
Yes. You can play Briscola on GameLake against Hops or at an online table with a friend.
How many can play Briscola?
Two players, or four in two teams of two.
What happens when the deck runs out?
Nobody draws any more and you play out the last three tricks. The last player to draw takes the turned-up trump card.